Read counterpane Page 7

JEAN    

  (moving to Tommy)    

  I know it's not fun, Tommy, but you need    

  discipline and balance. You're older now.

      

  She sits down beside him and rubs his curly locks.

      

  TOMMY    

  Jeanny, what's balance?

      

  JEAN    

  You may be to young to understand this.     

  Balance means keeping things in perspective.    

  Life is series of opposing forces. ヘ   

  The more experience you have  

  the better able you are to deal with them.

      

  TOMMY    

  Oh, I see. Balance comes with experience     

  and experience comes with mileage.

      

  JEAN    

  (laughing)    

  Something like that.     

  (pats his head again)      

  Balance is something we all could use     

  a little more of.

  TOMMY    

  (looking up to her eyes)    

  You know Jeanny, you're the only person    

  who ever explains anything to me.

      

  A LONG SHOT FROM THE TOP OF THE WATER, OF DAVID'S RAFT, IN ヘ  

  MOONLIGHT, LONELY AND DRIFTING WITH THE CURRENTS.

      

  The storm has let up, not another raft is in sight. David, worn from the storm, pulls the raftless rope in and -

      

  EXAMINES THE WAY THE ROPE HAS BEEN CLEANLY CUT, -

      

  and then gives a predetermined code whistle, but there is no answer. Joe is impassive.

      

  DAVID    

  I knew it. I felt it in my bones.

      

  THE SUBJECTIVE CAMERA UNDERWATER (AS AN ENEMY FROGMAN) -

      

  looms up towards the dark bottom of the raft with it's two paddles breaking the water in rapid strokes. A knife blade flashes in the f.g. corner SCREEN.

      

  JOE    

  They could of gotten lost     

  in the storm.

      

  DAVID    

  I don't think so.

      

  The raft slowly deflates. The HISS of escaping air grows louder.

      

  THE SUBJECTIVE CAMERA IS HALF IN AND HALF OUT OF THE WATER -

      

  as Joe trying to keep his balance on the rapidly sinking raft, fires rapidly at THE CAMERA. David stays low and removes his shoes and clothes.

      

  JOE    

  They're all around us, Bubba.

      

  A BULLET SPLASHES DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF THE SUBJECTIVE CAMERA.    

  and there is a GROAN.

      

  JOE    

  Ya-hoo. I got one.

      

  A DIVER FIRES A SPEAR GUN BEHIND JOE, -

      

  and he bends forward, hit in the back and slumps into David's arms in the sinking raft.

  JOE    

  David, you'll --

      

  DAVID    

  Don't talk, save your --

      

  JOE    

  (sweetly)    

  Take care of Maria.     

  and my kid.    

  Remember your prom.

      

  David nods as Joe dies in his arms. David silently slips off the remains of the raft into the water.

      

  DAVID DIVES TOWARD THE SINKING BODY OF THE DIVER, THAT JOE SHOT.

      

  THE OTHER DIVER, - sees that David is now under water and goes after him as -

      

  DAVID, -

     

  now quickly swims as fast as he can to the body of the dead diver as -

      

  THE OTHER DIVER -

      

  closes in on him and fires his spear, which grazes by David's ear as -

    

  DAVID -

   

  reaches the body of the dead diver and uses it as a shield for another spear gun barrage. David's face is dark from lack of oxygen and -

      

  THE OTHER SPEAR GUN RESTS FAR BELOW, ON THE BOTTOM.   

      

  DAVID -

    

  takes a quick breath from the dead diver's regulator and then moves toward the bottom and the spear gun as -

      

  THE OTHER DIVER -

      

  takes his last shot, misses and moves forward knife in hand. ヘ

     

  DAVID AT THE BOTTOM - picks up the spear gun, and as -

  THE OTHER DIVER, LUNGES, -

      

  he receives David's shot in the chest.

      

  DAVID'S HOUSE, TOMMY'S ROOM.

      

  The partially completed "bomb" has now been moved to a corner as Tommy scrapes -

      

  THE RADIUM FROM VARIOUS WATCH DIALS -

      

  and there is a knock on the door.

  JEAN    

  Tommy, Manny and Rosy are here.

      

  TOMMY 

       (moving to the door, rapidly)    

  Oh great!

      

  Tommy "secretly" opens and closes the door, then runs towards Rosy, but Manny, now completely healed, intercepts and tosses him high in the air, then drops him gingerly.

      

  MANNY    

  Tomasito.

      

  TOMMY    

  I'm glad you guys are here.     

  There's no one around to play with.

      

  MANNY    

  Hey Tomasito, Rosy cooked your favorite.

      

  TOMMY    

  (mouth watering)    

  Tamales and empaner-diters.

      

  MANNY   

  Empanaditas? Si, practica, Tomasito.

      

  ROSY    

  Oh Manny, we only see the boy once     

  a week. That's not often enough    

  for him to learn Spanish.    

  (beat)    

  Come Tommy, help me get these ready.     

  (to Jean)    

  Is that all right wi
th you Jean?

      

  JEAN    

  All right? It's a pleasure.

      

  They move toward the kitchen but Tommy lingers and grabs Manny by the hand and pulls him towards his bedroom.

      

  TOMMY    

  Excuse me. Excuse me.

       (getting attention)    

  I have to ask Manny some questions.    

  We'll be back in a minute.

      

  MANNY    

  Why so serious, little one?

      

  Tommy opens the door to his room and closes it secretively, whispering:

      

  TOMMY    

  You and my dad work for the same company    

  don't you?

      

  Manny acknowledges Tommy with a nod.

      

  TOMMY    

  Do you know where I can get    

  some uranium?

      

  MANNY    

  (astounded)    

  What do you need uranium for?

      

  TOMMY    

  I'm building a present for my dad.     

  I tried scraping radium off of watch dials,    

  but I can't get enough. so I went to the     

  library and found out that I need uranium.

      

  MANNY    

  What are you building?

      

  Tommy proudly points to the corner of the room. The nuclear device, almost completed, pulsates between two mountains on the train layout.

      

  TOMMY    

  Isn't it neat?    

  It's a nuclear device. Dad     

  needs it in his work.

      

  Tommy hands the Top Secret Document from the briefcase to Manny, who almost faints at the sight of it.

      

  MANNY    

  A WHAT?.     

  Where did you get this paper?

  TOMMY    

  From my dad's briefcase.

      

  MANNY    

  You opened your dad's briefcase?

      

  TOMMY    

  (sheepishly)    

  I was trying to do something nice    

  for him, so that he would -- would love me.    

  (Tommy's head drops)    

      

  Manny moves closer to the boy, puts his arm around him and looks at the secret papers, shaking his head.

      

  MANNY    

  You've put your father in    

  danger, son. I know you didn't    

  mean to, but --

      

  Tommy breaks into tears and Manny hugs him.   

      

  MANNY (cont'd)    

  Your daddy loves you and you know     

  that Rosy and I do too.

      

  Manny looks at the papers and shakes his head. ヘ

      

  THE EARLY MORNING - DAVID SWIMMING QUICKLY.

      

  He discards the borrowed air tank. In the distance -

      

  THE SUBMARINE -

      

  waits patiently for the commandos to return.

      

  DAVID -

    

  striving for speed, discards his remaining clothing and the spear gun. The sub's engines start and as he nears the sub, it slowly moves.

      

  THE CONNING TOWER OF THE U.S. SUBMARINE, -

      

  where a lone SEAMAN keeps watch.

      

  SUB COMMANDER V.O.    

  (on loud speaker)    

  Anything yet?

  SEAMAN     

  (into speaking tube)    

  No more rafts in sight, Sir.

  COMMANDER V.O.    

  All right, prepare to dive.

      

  The diving klaxon SHATTERS the waterscape. David, swims like mad and AD LIBS pleas "to wait" as the sub dives under the surface just in front of him. David traces the sun's path with his finger and then slowly and methodically starts a slow swim pace in the opposite direction. In the far b.g., a shark's fin breaks the surface.

      

  LATER IN TIME,-

      

  David swims at an even slower pace. The hot afternoon sun beats ヘon his brow. Flying fish whizz past his head and -

      

  SOMETHING BUMPS HIM -

      

  from underneath, almost throwing him out of the water.

      

  A SHARK FIN BREAKS THE SURFACE -

      

  and moves around David, curious. David grabs his knife, puts it in his teeth and pushes his swimming to the limit. To his rear and unseen by David a -

      

  MILITARY HELICOPTER - ヘ

     

  crosses his trail, hesitates, then flies on. ヘ  

 

      

  DAVID'S HOUSE

      

  The kitchen phone rings and Jean, Manny and Rosy are finishing supper in the dining room. Tommy, red eyed from crying, races past them as Jean rises from the table.

      

  TOMMY    

  I'll get it, I'll get it

      

  MANNY    

  (catching Tommy as he passes)    

  Wait, Tommy. Did you take that     

  thing apart?.

      

  TOMMY    

  It's in the trash.

      

  Tommy reaches the phone on the third ring, fumbles and then picks up the receiver as Jean moves into the room.

  TOMMY    

  Hello. No, but this is Thomas Carson.    

  Mr. Benson?     

  (pause for unheard dialogue)    

  Miss Morrow is here, sir.     

  Yes Mr. Benson.

      

  The boy hands Jean the phone.

      

  TOMMY    

  It's Mr. Benson from Washington.     

  He wants to talk to a grownup.

      

  JEAN    
<
br />   Jean Morrow here.     

  (long beat)    

  I see. Yes.    

  (beat)    

  No. I'll take care of it.

      

  Jean hangs up slowly, looks at everyone, then at Tommy.

      

  JEAN    

  It's your father, Tommy. He's missing.

      

  Tommy sobs uncontrollably as Jean moves to his side.

      

  TOMMY    

  My Daddy's missing and it's all my fault.

      

  Jean bends and gathers Tommy in her arms.

      

  JEAN    

  Don't say that, Tommy. Of course it    

  isn't your fault.

      

  TOMMY    

  It is too! I took his papers.

      

  IN THE DINING ROOM -

      

  where Manny and Rosy are finishing dinner and discussing Tommy.

 

      

  ROSY    

  I think Jean could use my    

  help. It would give her more     

  time to - -     

 

           Tommy runs into the dining room sobbing.

      

  TOMMY    

  Manny, my daddy - he's missing!

      

  DAVID IN THE WATER AT DUSK –

  as the shark has now left and a group of friendly porpoises play around David's painfully slow swim. A sailboat sails against the sunset far in the distance and David uses his last  

  energies to try and hail it.

          

  BENSON'S OFFICE AT LANGLEY -

      

  where Manny sits across the desk and they discuss David's disappearance.     

 

  MANNY    

  You know damn well those guys may still be    

  alive. What happens next?

      

  Benson shrugs delicately, examines his fingernails.

      

  BENSON    

  Nothing, Ramirez.     

  (beat)    

  We're doing what we can.     

  Given the circumstances.

      

  MANNY    

  (sarcastically mimicking)    

  "Given the circumstances", I'm    

  going down there.

      

  BENSON    

  (smoothly)    

  No you're not. You're going to Berlin.    

  (eyes down at papers)    

  Seven-Three-Oh twelve hundred.

      

  Manny flushes in anger, rises, stands over Benson's desk, and sweeps the papers off the desk.     

      

  MANNY    

  Don't "Oh twelve hundred" me ,    

  you little suck - up. I know where so     

  many bones are buried I'll make you    

  a graveyard. You'd hire the devil    

  if he'd suit your purposes.

  Benson taps his pencil in a staccato. ヘ

     

  MANNY (cont'd)     

  Your Capitan friend we wasted down there.    

  the big anti - Communist - does the Chief    

  know that he snatched those hostages?    

  The press - not to mention your buddies on    

  the Hill would love that.and what about     

  the drugs.

  BENSON    

     (trying to bluff it out)    

  You're speculating, Ramirez.

      

  MANNY    

  Try me, tiger.    

     (as though remembering)    

  The Sherry Lynn thing out on the Coast.

            You terminated her career.

  If Carson's really gone,     

  and that got out --

 

       BENSON    

  Carson's Oh Dee'd, .He's a madman,     

  Ramirez. You know that.    

    (beat, then shrugging)    

  If you want to have a look, go ahead.    

  But you damm well are on your own.

      

  MANNY    

  Where did the raid originate?

      

  Benson points at the wall map.

      

  INSERT: A MAP OF THE CARIBBEAN

  THE CAMERA MOVES TO A TINY SPOT; THE ISLAND OF DRY TORTUGA.

      

  EARLY MORNING, -

      

  where David lies at the edge of the surf in front of an old Spanish colonial, brick fort that covers the whole island.

      

  DAVID MOVES -

  his head, then falls back as COMMANDANTE UNO, a tall, imposing     

  man wearing riding boots and an SS style cap moves toward him, flicking a riding crop and holding a large Doberman on a leash. He is followed by two SOLDIERS.

      

  DAVID struggles up as far as the -

      

  RIDING BOOTS AND THE GROWLING DOBERMAN -

      

  COMANDANTE UNO    

  Ah, Mr. Carson. We've been     

  expecting you.

      

  DAVID    

  (then mutters weakly)    

  Some water --

      

  The Comandante easily rolls him over with his boot, then pulls  the waterproof envelope from Carson's clothing. He tosses  David's pill box into the sea as David watches in anguish.

  COMANDANTE UNO    

  You won't need those, Mr. Carson.    

  Take him away and get some life    

  back into him. After all we can't     

  mistreat our guests.

      

  The soldiers pick up David and move toward the Fort as -

      

  THE DOBERMAN GROWLS -

      

  and then nuzzles up to the Comandante’ who twists and lights a Russian cigarette, then walks slowly toward the fort, where a lone SEAMAN keeps watch.