Assassins

EXT. AIRPORT ROADWAY – DAY

Remy and his men get into a waiting limo. It pulls away.

Rath exits, hops into a cab before it can even coast to a stop. They pull away as well.

INT. CAB – DAY

CLOSEUP of the time on the meter.

INT. THE HYATT – ROOM 718 – DAY

Pearl watches as Electra unscrews an A/C panel. Popping the screen to reveal a vertical duct, Electra tapes a piece of cardboard at an angle inside it. The effect is to redirect into the room anything traveling down.

INT. LIMO – ROLLING – DAY

The Dutch open waiting briefcases, check out the silenced 9 MM's waiting inside.

INT. THE HYATT – ROOM 718 – DAY

Electra at the window, looking down through binoculars.

ELECTRA'S POV – BINOCULAR MATTE

The Dutch heading from their limo for the hotel.

ELECTRA

One, two, three, four.

INT. HYATT LOBBY – DAY

Looking toward the entrance as the Dutch stride in. As a PHONE begins to RING, Remy hurries to a...

PAYPHONE BANK

Answers it.

REMY

Hello.

ELECTRA (V.O.)

Pick up the Yellow Pages.

He does as he's told.

ELECTRA (V.O.)

Lonely? In town on business. Who'll ever know if you check out the escorts?

As Remy flips to the "Es"...

INT. HOTEL ENTRANCE – DAY

Rath steps in, heads for the front desk, but watches.

INT. HOTEL – PAYPHONES – DAY

Remy's found it. In the escort ads, a room key card.

ELECTRA (V.O.)

It's room 942. I want all four of you in there. No deal otherwise. And if there's more of you, I'll know it. I smell a rat, I go. Are we simpatico?

REMY

Yes. Simpatico.

Checking about, the Dutch get in an elevator. Rath doesn't have a chance without raising a red flag.

The doors close. He thinks a beat. As a maintenance worker passes, something occurs to him. Spurred to action, Rath moves.

 
INT. HYATT – ELEVATOR – DAY
 

Two passengers get off on three. The ride continues. It's just the anxious Dutch and a man in the corner.

He looks up. It's Bain!

The elevator stops at nine. As the Dutch step off, Bain slyly slips "something" into Remy's jacket pocket. We see, but we're not quite sure what.

They don't say a word, just exit as the elevator stops at nine. As the doors close behind them, Bain looks grim.

INT. HYATT HOTEL – MAINTENANCE OFFICE – DAY

Where a JANITOR answers a RINGING PHONE. Beyond him, we see a hotel computer terminal.

JANITOR

Maintenance... What?! Sounds like we got a short. I'll be right there.

The Janitor rushes out. The office is empty. A beat and Rath enters. Tucking his cell phone (he made the call) into his pocket, he takes a seat at the terminal. He must have used this trick before as he scrolls computer info. Room bills. Reservations. Guest names. He eliminates the Chicago Bulls, a doctors' convention, and a wedding party. All 10 plus rooms. As he continues his process of elimination...

INT. HYATT HOTEL – ROOM 942 – DAY

On a table are a screwdriver, a laptop hooked to a cellular modem and a remote intercom matching Electra's. The Dutch enter, guns drawn.

INT. HYATT HOTEL – ROOM 718 – DAY

Over the INTERCOM, Electra can hear them entering the room, moving about.

ELECTRA

Close the door.

INT. HYATT HOTEL – ROOM 942 – DAY

As one of them pulls the door shut...

INT. HYATT HOTEL – ROOM 718 – DAY

Electra can hear it bang shut.

ELECTRA

First, I need a ten thousand dollar deposit.

REMY (V.O.)

(TV)

That wasn't the agreement.

INT. HYATT HOTEL – ROOM 942 – DAY

The computer screen goes blank.

ELECTRA (V.O.)

We have nothing more to discuss. Good-bye.

REMY

Wait, wait. Okay.

A beat, the screen turns back on.

ELECTRA (V.O.)

Here's today's menu.

The screen fills with file names. Number 2 reads, nods his approval. Remy inserts a blank disc.

Guns are drawn, aimed as a BEEPING sounds from the wall. From the A/C vent.

ELECTRA (V.O.)

I believe you'll find a screwdriver on the table.

Cautiously, Number 3 picks up the screwdriver, undoes the screen which is now backlit. Electra's remote dump truck, a flashlight and pen-sized camera taped on the cab roof. As the Dutch exchange a look...

INT. HYATT HOTEL – MAINTENANCE OFFICE – DAY

Rath has narrowed his search to three individuals who each hold two rooms apiece. Clark, Rogers and Katz.

Rath selects K. Katz. Rooms 718 and 942. He switches to room service charges. In two days nothing on 942 – not even a phone call, but...

RATH
(reading)

Room 718. Coffee. Coffee. Coffee. Coffee. Tuna fish.

Reaching into a pocket, he pulls out and unfolds a print-out of the green cat eyes. MEOW@comsat.next.

RATH

Meow.

INT. HYATT HOTEL – ROOM 718 – DAY

Manipulating a joystick, Electra watches an air duct view pass by on a Sony Watchman.

INT. AIR DUCT – DAY

The dump truck rolls carrying a $10,000 payload. It turns at one branch, turns left at another. Ahead, a square hole opens up where a third branch goes vertical.

Just when we think a catastrophe will occur, the truck stops, executes a DMV 3-point turn. It backs to the edge of the hole. The truck bed angles back as it dumps.

INT. ROOM 718

Electra smiles as ten thousand dollars drop out of the vent and onto the carpet.

ELECTRA

I'm going to format your disc, orient it to receive the data.

Electra begins typing.

INT. HYATT HOTEL – ROOM 942 – DAY

The Dutch watch a little clock tick away on the laptop screen as this is done.

EXT. 9TH FLOOR HALLWAY – DAY

Not far from 942, an attractive couple pause to begin kissing in a corner. Overwhelmed, they can't keep their hands off each other.

INT. HYATT HOTEL – ELEVATOR – DAY

Rath gets in, his fingers deciding between the ninth and seventh floors. He presses one, but we don't see which. As he starts up.

INT. HYATT HOTEL – ROOM 942 – DAY

Remy watches as file names start to appear on the computer screen.

INT. HYATT HOTEL – ROOM 718 – DAY

Electra continues to send information.

9TH FLOOR HALLWAY – DAY

Here comes Bain. Resolute, but excited at what's about to happen. He passes the couple. They don't see him or they don't care. But as Bain gets a few steps past...

He wheels, raises the SILENCED .22 and FIRES. The couple crumple, both head shots. He drags them into a stairwell.

INT. HYATT HOTEL – ROOM 718 – DAY

Electra types.

INT. 9TH FLOOR HALLWAY – DAY

Bain leans over the bodies of the attractive couple. Amazingly, he relieves them both of silenced 9mm pistols. What the hell's going on?

Bain steps to the middle of the hall. Watching several doors at once, he takes out a cellular phone, punches in a number, then hits send.

INT. HYATT HOTEL – ROOM 942 – DAY

A very LOUD BEEPING sounds! After a confused moment, Remy reaches into his pocket, pulls out the slim BEEPER Bain deposited there.

They barely have time to exchange a look before the room door blasts open and Bain enters, both the .22 and one of the 9mm's BLAZING.

The Dutch try to return fire, but Bain has them. As he EMPTIES both GUNS...

INT. HYATT HOTEL – ROOM 718 – DAY

Electra looks up from her typing, listens to the odd thwapping and grunting coming over the INTERCOM SPEAKER. She stops typing.

INT. ROOM 942 – DAY

Bain checks Remy's wallet. Finds a badge.

BAIN

Interpol?

Bain pauses, but then shrugs it off. No time to worry about it now. He looks to the dead Dutchmen.

BAIN

No more worries. Suena con los angelitos.

ELECTRA (V.O.)

What's going on there?

Bain spots the intercom. Then he sees the laptop screen flashing: He realizes the transmission is incomplete.

ELECTRA (V.O.)

Hello?

BAIN

Please complete the transmission.

INT. ROOM 718 – DAY

Electra's momentarily flustered.

ELECTRA

(starts typing; stops)

Who is this?

She hears no answer. Electra begins erasing all of the information she has sent.

INT. ROOM 942 – DAY

Bain sees the information begin to disappear line by line – he frantically tries to save some of it.

BAIN

I'm going to tear your heart out.

INT. ROOM 718 – DAY

Sudden fear washes over Electra. Flipping down her sun-glasses, she grabs her duffel bag, picks up Pearl, pulls the disc. But as she turns to the door...

SLAM! It bursts open and she's staring right at a silenced .22. Rath is here, quite obviously there to kill her. But maybe surprised she's a woman.

ELECTRA
Don't...

ROOM 942

Now it's Bain's turn to listen.

BAIN

Don't what?

(realizes)

Rath? Is it you?

ROOM 718

Keeping the gun on Electra, Rath looks at the intercom. Doesn't answer.

ROOM 942

But Bain is sure. He picks up the remote, switches on the room TV.

BAIN

It is you...

ROOM 718

Gun still aimed, Rath holds out his hand, whispers...

RATH

The disc.

She fumbles, holds it out with a wildly trembling hand. Rath takes it.

ROOM 942

Bain accesses (on TV) the hotel's in-room checkout system.

BAIN

You checked out that move, didn't you? Black queen to king's bishop 4?

ROOM 718

Bain is getting under Rath's skin. As his finger tightens, Electra is frozen in fear.

BAIN (V.O.)

You got a move for me, Rath?

Electra tries to say something, but can't give volume to the words. Rath reaches over, takes off her sunglasses. She blinks at him. As a tear streaks her cheek...

ROOM 942

On the TV checkout, Bain has the room charge for 942 and the fact it's coupled with the charges for room 718.

BAIN

It's like chess. What's your move? Is she alive? Did you kill her? Are you there, sweetie?

And Bain slips silently out of the room.

ROOM 718

BAIN (V.O.)

Is she dead yet, Rath? I took care of business on my end. What about you? Come on. Pull the trigger. Kill her.

Electra closes her eyes. Rath turns his aim from her to the INTERCOM, FIRES. As it bursts into a hundred pieces.

7TH FLOOR HALLWAY

Bain steps out from the stairwell, silently sprints to...

ROOM 718

Bain enters with a military roll. It only takes an instant to realize... Rath and Electra are gone.

INT. PARKING GARAGE – DAY

Electra and Rath step off the elevator. She wears her jacket, carries her computer and porta pet. He holds her arm, keeps the gun at her side.

RATH

Where's your car?

ELECTRA

I don't know.

The Attendent (seen earlier) steps over, eagerly points out her Mustang.

ATTENDENT

It's right here, Miss.

As the Attendent hurries over with the keys...

RATH

I guess a black Chevy would have? A stuck out too much.

EXT. HYATT – MUSTANG CONVERTIBLE – DAY