Assassins

PRESIDENT

You're aware, Senor, that there may be... a withdrawal fee?

RATH

Yes, I am.

The President looks to the Official, nods. As the Official hurries off, the President looks back to Rath.

PRESIDENT

This will take some time.

RATH

I have all day.

DISSOLVE TO:

EXT. SUN

High in the sky. White hot.

INT. HOTEL PARAISO – ROOM 302 – DAY

Bain sits in a charred chair staring out the window, his back soaked with sweat. He rubs his eyes. One at a time. He's afraid to blink lest he miss something. He checks his watch, raising it to eye level, rather than look down.

BAIN

What are you doing in there?

The heat in the room makes it hard to even breathe. There! A man walks out of the bank dressed like Rath.

Bain's body snaps erect. Leveling the rifle, he sites the man's head. He's about to squeeze the trigger when he realizes it's not Rath.

Bain wipes the sweat from his forehead, leaves a smear of black from the charcoal. Fumbling for his bag, he pulls out a container of bottled water. He drinks, never once taking his eyes off the bank.

BAIN
Relax, baby. Calmate...

EXT. PLAZA COLON – DAY

The shadows are getting longer, stretching out toward the bank where...

INT. BANK – DAY

Rath sits in a big, highback leather chair. Cool as a cucumber, he watches the traffic in the lobby. The big clock reads 3:10.

RATH

Talk to me.

EXT. CAFE – DAY

Electra watches the hotel, a sixth empty espresso cup before her.

ELECTRA

No sign of him. He's just sitting up there, same as us.

INTERCUT THE FOLLOWING:

INT. BANK / EXT. CAFE – DAY

RATH

No. I mean talk to me. Tell me some of that weird stuff you know.

Electra smiles, thinks a beat. An old man in a beat fedora passes by. Inspiration.

ELECTRA

You know the expression, 'Mad as a hatter'?

RATH

Alice in Wonderland, right?

ELECTRA

Yeah, but it's a real thing. Hat makers, hatters, they used mercurous nitrate to make felt hats. They'd absorb it through their skin and some of them went insane. No one knew why at the time. As long as their hats fit.

Rath is amused.

RATH

Tell me another one.

ELECTRA

(coy)

Well, there's 'Mad as a March Hare.'

RATH

What's that, rabbit hat makers?

ELECTRA

Hares are bold, wild in March. March is when they mate.

(a beat)

I think the correct term is 'rutting'. Wild rutting bull bunnies.

As Rath smiles to himself.

INT. HOTEL PARAISO – ROOM 302 – DAY

Teeth gritted, Bain rocks side to side. He has to urinate. Bad. He tries to scan the faces coming out of the bank, but the situation has become intolerable.

BAIN

Esto es una locura!

Always watching the bank, he grabs the empty water bottle, unzips his pants and begins refilling it.

INT. BANK RESTROOM – DAY

INTERCUT Bain's discomfort with Rath in the bank's elegant restroom. He stands at the sink, pats his hands dry on a towel. Not a trace of sweat on his brow.

INT. HOTEL PARAISO – ROOM 302 – DAY

Spotting someone exiting the bank, Bain drops the bottle of urine, spilling it, to grab for his rifle. He looks through the scope. Not Rath. As Bain curses...

EXT. CAFE – DAY

Concerned, the owner starts for Electra with another cup of espresso. Seven empties dot her table. She looks over, waves him off. No mas.

INT. BANK – DAY

The sun clock on the wall reads 5:10. After a long beat, the MINUTE HAND CLICKS over to 5:11.

PAN DOWN TO where the Bank President approaches Rath.

PRESIDENT

Senor, we've deducted our fee and are making a second count. The funds will be available in one half hour.

INT. HOTEL PARAISO – ROOM 302 – DAY

The sun is getting low, filling the room with golden light. Bain is just a knot by the window. As a large group exit the bank, he scans faces through the scope. Frantically as they disperse. No Rath.

Bain pounds the butt of the rifle down, splintering a floorboard. He checks his watch. 5:47. In fifteen minutes the bank will close. Maybe he missed him...

Bain stands up.

EXT. CAFE – DAY

Electra sits up almost in shock as she sees Bain emerge from the shadows of the hotel. He moves with purpose, shoving aside people who don't get out of his way.

ELECTRA

(almost shouting)

He's coming.

(a whisper)

He's coming.

INT. BANK – DAY

Rath looks up at the clock, frowns as he remembers.

RATH

He waited four minutes longer than I did.

ELECTRA (V.O.)

What?

RATH

Go.

EXT. CAFE – DAY

Electra moves for the hotel, enters.

INT. HOTEL PARAISO – LOBBY – DAY

Watching her footing, Electra heads up the main staircase, on her way to the third floor.

INT. BANK – DAY

The Bank Official carries Rath's briefcase to the President's desk. It looks heavy now. The President looks to Rath who motions he'll be one moment.

RATH

(into mic)

Where are you?

INT. HOTEL PARAISO – BURNED-OUT HALLWAY – DAY

Electra counts doors, enters...

ROOM 302

ELECTRA

I'm in 302.

She's ready to grab the rifle and run. The only problem is, it's not here. She checks behind a blackened mattress leaning against the wall. Nothing...

ELECTRA

It's not here. The rifle's not here.

INT. BANK – DAY

Rath is horrified.

RATH

Get out of there.

EXT. PLAZA COLON – DAY

Bain strides across the plaza, a maniac gleam in his eye. The bank is just ahead.

INT. ROOM 302 – DAY

Electra looks through the lathing into 301. Maybe she has the wrong room. But as she turns, she spots it. Bain's rifle stashed up in the rafter.

ELECTRA

Wait. I got it!

INT. BANK – DAY

Relief replaces the nausea.

RATH

Okay. Go.

INT. BANK – DAY

As Bain charges in, Rath removes the ear-piece, pockets it.

INT. ROOM 302 – DAY

But as Electra steps forward, the floor gives out at her feet. She falls, jerks to a stop as her ribs wedge into the hole. She cries out in pain.

INT. BANK – DAY

Soaked in sweat, his eyes covered by sunglasses, Bain scans the lobby. Rath sits, waits, unaware of Electra's plight.

Turning, Bain spots him. A man seemingly without a care in the world. Confused, Bain's first instinct is to run. But then, taking a breath, he starts for Rath.

BAIN
How'd you know? Who told you?

RATH

History – Nicolai. Fifteen years ago I walked into this bank just like you are now. That makes you good. Because I was the best.

(a beat)

But right now you feel like a mark, don't you?

The words sting.

RATH

You think you've been sold out. You don't trust anyone. It's the first commandment. It's what keeps you alive.

BAIN

And you, Antiquado? Who can you trust? No one. You're alone, same as me.

If Bain only knew how wrong he really was.

INT. ROOM 302 – DAY

ELECTRA

Rath. I'm stuck.

No answer. Electra follows the ear-piece cord to the transmitter unit under her shirt. A tug reveals it's smashed from the fall.

INT. BANK – DAY

Bain's nervous, watching anyone who comes near them.

RATH

Why the sunglasses, kid? Can't you look me in the eye?

Bain turns defiantly toward him, seething with energy.

BAIN

You and Nicolai. Me and you. History will repeat.

RATH

If you were really a student of history, you'd know we're just pawns. The contractor is number one.

Not listening, Bain glances toward the back of the bank.

RATH

There's sixteen million coming out of there. I could give it to you right now to let me walk. You wouldn't take it.

BAIN

You're pathetic. You sound like a mark.