Assassins

EXT. OLD CEMETERY – NIGHT

A procession emerges from a tunnel, through old gates and into a cemetery. It includes some American tourists. Marigold petals and candles are everywhere. There are headstones, many of which lie flat. Also much well-made statuary.

Two local women stand to one side selling coffee and shaved ice. Solemn, but not dreadfully so.

Stepping up from the shadows of a darker part of the cemetery is Electra. She looks on eagerly. This is prime people watching territory.

She spots the coffee women, starts to move in closer. As she passes behind a larger memorial, she hears...

BAIN (O.S.)

Hola. Que pasa?

Electra freezes, peeks around the memorial to see Bain not more than four feet away, standing near the coffee women. They smile at him. He seems respectful. In fact, as Bain watches the ceremony, he's in his element.

He speaks, almost like he's addressing the women, but not really. Electra can't take her eyes off him.

BAIN
Death is like me. Quiet, a little scary. Sharp, he's real sharp. And even though you want to stay away from him, you can't. He draws you. You dig him and fear him at the same time.

(laughs)

I'm a million years old, but I look like I'm thirty.

ELECTRA

She hurries away into the shadows. In the gloom, she nearly trips over a headstone. In the process she sends an old GLASS CANDLE HOLDER flying. As it SMASHES...

BAIN

At first we don't think he heard it, but then he turns, looks back into the darkness. He's going to turn back to the ceremony, but he can't. It's instinctual.

Reaching into his jacket, Bain heads into the darkness. The two women watch him go. One looks to the other, makes "crazy circles" around her ear with a finger.

DARKENED CEMETERY

Electra moves. Hears someone behind her. Or was it to the left? She ducks behind an angel statue. Moments later, Bain steps up. Electra holds her breath as he scans the area. All of Bain's senses are working, including smell.

BAIN

(under his breath)

Jasmine...

His .22 in hand, Bain moves on.

Electra stands, moves back. She hasn't gone far when a hand slaps down over her mouth. It's Rath!
 

BAIN
 

He's starting to get a little spooked himself. Sure that he's cornered someone, he leaps around a corner, takes aim down a row of tombstones. No one's there.

RATH AND ELECTRA

Rath's feeling the same way. Motioning for her to stay put, he creeps around a statue, sees Bain, draws a bead – but a large group from the procession moves in between them – when they clear, Bain is gone. Rath takes Electra's hand and they move on.

BAIN

Looking about, the feeling passing. Then he spots it, a Jasmine in a vase by a stone. Bain takes a sniff. Laughing, he turns, heads back to the ceremony.

INT. NEW HOTEL – ROOM – NIGHT

Electra enters followed by Rath. Rath is exhausted from the past tension. Electra watches as he locks the door, leans his forehead against it. Finally...

ELECTRA

Am I attractive?

Rath looks at her a beat, nods. She is.

ELECTRA

Are you attracted to me?

RATH

Yes.

ELECTRA

Is it a physical thing or a mental thing?

RATH

Both.

ELECTRA

When did it start?

RATH

(a beat; almost shy)

When you were shooting at me.

ELECTRA

That's strange, don't you think?

(a beat)

You're a strange man, Robert Rath.

RATH

Joseph. My real name is Joseph.

For a man like Rath, this is like giving her the Hope Diamond. Electra knows it. A beat and then...

ELECTRA

(savors the sound)

Joseph... I'm Anna. It's awfully nice to meet you.

She holds her hand out like a promise. All Rath has to do is take it. He does. They come together. Kissing, wanting, needing contact. And they're on the bed. Never have two people needed each other more. As Pearl runs out of the room...

INT. NEW HOTEL – ROOM #2 – NIGHT

Lying in their bed, the newlyweds listen to the sounds of LOVEMAKING coming from the room next door. As they smile at each other...

EXT. BANK ENTRANCE – CLOSE ON APRICOT – NIGHT

That Bain left here. Dewy, glistening. Without warning, it EXPLODES into a thousand pieces.

WHIP PAN TO:

INT. HOTEL PARAISO – ROOM 302 – NIGHT

Bain lowers the rifle. Slowly, solemnly, he raises his forefinger to heaven. Tomorrow he will be number one. And Rath's dream of a new life will die.

EXT. PLAZA COLON – DAWN

Deserted as the sun casts an early morning glow.

INT. NEW HOTEL – ROOM – COMPUTER SCREEN – DAY

Contractor: "THE CONTRACT HAS BEEN PAID. TRANSFERRED TO THE SPECIFIED ACCOUNT."

Rath and Electra look from the screen to each other. More than partners this morning.

Rath: "And the disc?"

Contractor: "You'll be advised. Good-bye, Robert."

The screen goes blank. Rath switches it off. Sitting in front of the remains of a huge breakfast, Electra pours herself coffee.

Rath opens a case. He takes out two small "hearing aid" mics. He sets them on the table alongside his gun. Electra immediately scoops up one of them.

ELECTRA

Two way?

RATH

(nods)

Remember, you tell me when he leaves the hotel; I'll tell you when he leaves the bank.

(a beat)

We're gone.

Electra nods. Rath hands her his .22.

ELECTRA

What's this for?

RATH

Just in case.

Electra moves to hand it back, but Rath doesn't take it.

ELECTRA

I don't think I could shoot someone.

RATH

Did you play Cowboys and Indians when you were a kid?

ELECTRA

Sure, but this –

RATH

Which were you?

ELECTRA

An Indian. Always an Indian.

RATH

Then pretend he's a cowboy and pull the trigger. You can pretend he'll just get up after, but you pull the trigger.

For Electra, this is getting a little too real.

INT. BANK – DAY

Glossed with light. We PULL BACK and see other squares. Black and white. Like a chessboard. A woman's HEELS CLICK past. RISING HIGHER, we see the woman walking. man crosses behind her going the other way. HIGHER STILL and we realize we're looking at the black and white marble floor of the...

INT. BANK – DAY

The ceilings are vaulted and vast, the suspended lights baroque. An enormous clock (10:00 AM) hangs from the wall. With its massive oil paintings and bronze statues, the bank could be a museum.

Armed guards stroll the floor. Customers go about their business. Carrying a large black briefcase, Rath steps onto the checkered floor.

EXT. OUTDOOR CAFE – DAY

Set just off the plaza with a view of the side of the hotel and the front of the bank. Electra sits on the patio sipping a thick, almost sludgy espresso. She hears Rath over her ear-piece.

RATH (V.O.)

I'm in the bank. He'll move now.

She scans the plaza, nervous.

ELECTRA

I don't see him. I –

There. Across the Plaza. Bain glides through the crowd like a shark. Headed for the Hotel Paradiso.

INT. BANK – DAY

Rath waits for a teller. Electra whispers in his ear.

ELECTRA (V.O.)

He's here.

EXT. OUTDOOR CAFE – DAY

The owner brings a second espresso, steps away. Electra downs it in a gulp as she watches Bain disappear between a gap in the boarded-up, burned-out hotel.

ELECTRA

(scared)

He's going in. He's in the hotel.

INT. BANK – DAY

Rath hears the fright in her voice.

RATH

That's what we want. Try a decaf.

Rath steps up to the TELLER.

TELLER

May I help you, sir?

RATH

Yes. Could you check on a transfer for me?

Rath slides a withdrawal ticket over.

INT. HOTEL PARAISO – ROOM 302 – DAY

Bain steps into the same room we saw him in last night. He reaches overhead into some charred, half-collapsed timbers, pulls down the silenced sniper's rifle.

Stepping to the window, Bain aims at the bank entrance. Through the scope he follows an exiting man. The cross-hairs are right on the man's forehead. Bain pulls the trigger. CLICK.

Satisfied, Bain slaps a magazine into the rifle. Reaching into his pocket he pulls out an orange. Watching the bank, he starts to peel it. He reaches into a duffel bag, pulls out his small keyboard and a set of headphones. He plugs in the phones, begins to play, always watching the bank.

 
INT. BANK – TELLER'S WINDOW – DAY
 

The Teller returns with a BANK OFFICIAL. He carries a printed receipt, wears a great big smile.

OFFICIAL

Senor. We have received your transfer.

He hands the receipt to Rath who sees a "two", counts the zeros after it. There are seven of them.

RATH

I want to close this account. Could you get the paperwork together?

The smile fades.

OFFICIAL

Today? You wish to close the account today?

Rath nods solemnly. No joking here.

OFFICIAL

How would you like the funds?

RATH

American currency.

It's all the Official can do to keep from crossing himself. He looks around, catches the eye of the one man in the building who looks even more official than he does – the BANK PRESIDENT.

The President steps over, confers with his underling in low tones. In Spanish. Occasionally the President glances at Rath, but mostly he listens. Finally...