Assassins

STAIRWELL

Electra makes her way up.

LIVING ROOM

Bain tosses the MIRROR SHARD against the open kitchen door. It BREAKS into pieces, one of them a leaner. They give Bain a full view of the kitchen. Rath isn't there.

BAIN

You got a present for me, Rath?

KITCHEN

Tense as a steel spring, Bain steps inside. There's another doorway in the far corner. Bain moves for it, then stops short at a HISSING in the air. Framed by the window behind him, Bain sniffs, whips a look over to the stove where the GAS LINE is wide open. A trail of liquid leads from the kitchen to a back hall. Bain whips a look that way where we hear the distinctive sound of a MATCH BEING STRUCK.

HALLWAY
 

RATH

Make a wish.

Rath discards a bottle of brandy, sets the burning match into the trail of liquid. As it ignites, he rushes back, comes face to face with Electra. He dives for the floor, takes her with him.

KITCHEN

The flame trail zips in. Bain flips the kitchen table on its side, ducks behind it as the AIR BURSTS INTO FLAMES. The table is driven back by the force.

EXT. ELECTRA'S APARTMENT – SECOND FLOOR – DAY

Bain hurtles back through the kitchen window, followed by a huge fireball and lots of debris.

INT. APARTMENT BUILDING – HALLWAY – DAY

Rath rises, motions Electra to wait. Smoke is everywhere.

INT. KITCHEN – DAY

A few flames, but there's not much left to burn. Rath peeks around the corner. Bain isn't here. We can see the ground below as well. There is debris everywhere but Bain is gone. Rath sees Jennifer's body in the door-way. He checks to see if she is alive.

ELECTRA'S BUILDING – STAIRWELL

Leading with his .22, Rath tries to lead Electra out, but she doesn't want to go. She has other things to consider.

ELECTRA

Wait. Jennifer.

Rath looks at her, shakes his head. Jennifer didn't make it. Turning her gently, they continue down.

EXT. MUSTANG – PARKED – DAY

Electra and Rath make it to the car. Distraught, she's still staring back as he gets her inside.

INT. MUSTANG – DRIVING – DAY

Electra's neighborhood. Rath drives away. He glances over at Electra who sits clutching hold of Pearl. In shock over Bob and Jennifer, she's withdrawn into herself. Rath knows there's nothing he can say so he keeps quiet and drives.

EXT. CHAIN HOTEL – NIGHT

The Mustang drives up. Rath is at the wheel.

INT. CHAIN HOTEL ROOM – NIGHT

Electra enters ahead of Rath. She sets her bag down, lets Pearl out of the porta pet. Feeling like a prisoner, she sits in a chair in the corner. Pearl jumps up in her lap. Rath gets a quick feel for the room. After checking the view out the window, he draws the curtains. Rath takes off his jacket. Pulling off his shoulder holster, he sets the rig on the coffee table, then sits in a couch opposite Electra. The gun is halfway between the two. Electra does her best to be nonchalant, but she's well aware of the fact. Maybe the very first time we've seen Rath relax. Pearl jumps to the carpet, pads her way toward him.

ELECTRA

Pearl.

Ignoring her owner, Pearl leaps up, settles into Rath's lap. As he scratches her ears...

ELECTRA

Here, girl.

Electra snaps her fingers, but PEARL just closes her eyes, begins to PURR. Electra is not happy about this.

RATH

She likes me.

ELECTRA

She likes dead fish, too.

As Rath looks down at the cat, Electra looks at the gun, measuring the distance with her eyes.

ELECTRA

What do you call yourself?

RATH

Robert Rath.

ELECTRA

Yeah, sure. Call me Electra... So, are you one of them?

RATH

Used to be.

(checks watch)

Retired.

ELECTRA

Pardon me if I don't believe you.

RATH

If I was going to kill you, you'd be dead already.

She pretends to look away, but as Rath looks down at Pearl, Electra lunges for the gun.

He never moves or even blinks an eye. He just watches as she struggles a moment to free the .22 from its holster. She realizes, suspects the worst.

ELECTRA

What? It's not loaded?

RATH

It's loaded.

ELECTRA

I could shoot you. I could be 500 miles away by the time they find you.

Electra keeps the gun on him, but can't shake the feeling he's got the upper hand. A long silence.

Rath scratches Pearl's ears.

ELECTRA
Stop it. She doesn't like it.

PEARL begins to PURR.

RATH

Afraid you'll hit the cat?

Rath sets Pearl down, looks back to Electra. Waits.

Without warning she starts squeezing off ROUNDS. A LAMP EXPLODES on one side of Rath. Two tufts of stuffing erupt from the couch on the other side. Rath doesn't move.

ELECTRA

(steps forward)

You think letting me get this gun was a mistake, don't you? You think I'm afraid. Don't you?

She FIRES just over his head; the round digs the wall.

ELECTRA

You don't know shit about me!

RATH

You're wrong. I –

ELECTRA

Shut up!

A final step, she levels the gun at Rath's face.

ELECTRA

This was supposed to be a good day. A payday. Forty grand. I was going to get Pearl a boyfriend. Now two people are dead. I'm almost dead.

(a beat)

I'm in way over my head, Rath. I just want out.

For the first time really, she looks into his eyes. Her hand begins to tremble. The gun barrel shakes.

RATH

You have the gun. The keys are on the dresser. Go.

Electra covers Rath as she steps over to the dresser, scoops up the keys. Her next words are more to reassure herself than to convince Rath.

ELECTRA

I don't have a social security number, a driver's license. I barely remember my real name. I'm a ghost; I can disappear.

RATH

I found you. So did he.

ELECTRA

I want my life back. Please, that's all I want.

Rath shakes his head.

RATH

I'm sorry.

Electra's finger tightens on the trigger. Suddenly, jerking her arm left, she FIRES a wild shot. A CRASH as a cheap print is obliterated by the bullet.

Electra lowers the gun limply to her side, lets it drop to the carpet.

ELECTRA

I need to be alone.

(a beat)

I haven't spent this much time with someone in years.

Near tears, Electra moves blindly for the bathroom, Pearl at her heel. As Electra closes the door behind her.

RATH

Neither have I.

He closes his eyes, listens as we hear her begin to CRY.

INT. BATHROOM – NIGHT

Her back to the door, Electra slides slowly to the floor as she cries. Hugging her knees to her chest, it gets worse. A lonely, desolate moment. As PEARL MEWS...

EXT. CITYSCAPE / INT. PAYPHONE – NIGHT

A twinkling panorama. We PAN ACROSS TO a computer screen. A cursor blinks to life as...

Contractor: "What went wrong, Miguel?"

We're at a payphone booth. Bain has hooked his laptop into the payphone wiring.

Bain: "Nothing. I retired the buyers. And the seller."

Contractor: "The disc?"

Cain: "Rath has it. He's a difficult mark."

Contractor: "Rath isn't the mark. THE DISC."

Bain is taken aback by this response. He's not used to being criticized.

Bain: "You'll get it."

A long pause. Even Bain notices. The Contractor is never this reticent. Finally...

Contractor: "You had your chance. The contract has been reassigned."

BAIN

What?! No lo puedo creer!

Bain is in a rage as he types...

Bain: "Fuck you."

Contractor:" That's no way to talk to a lady."

BAIN

I don't care what you are –

Bain hits the repeat key. "Fuck you's" flash across the screen. As the Contractor logs off, Bain slams his fist against the glass of the booth.

INT. CHAIN HOTEL ROOM – NIGHT

Rath is at his desk conversing with the Contractor. Electra must still be holed up in the bathroom.

Rath: "I have the disc."

Contractor: "You're still the best, Robert."

RATH

Then who's this kid?

Rath: "I'd like the two million in cash."

Contractor: "Where do you want to make the trade?"

INT. CHAIN HOTEL – BATHROOM – NIGHT

Freshly showered, Electra looks better. Drying her hair, she sees that Pearl is peering into the toilet.

ELECTRA

How many times have I told you?

Pearl paws down the trip handle. The water swirls. As she leans down to drink...

INT. CHAIN HOTEL ROOM

Rath watches the late news. Troubled, he holds the disc. The bathroom door opens and Electra emerges. She watches over his shoulder.

ELECTRA

What did they say about the dead guys at the Hyatt?

RATH

Nothing.

ELECTRA

I don't need details, just in general.

RATH

Nothing.

ELECTRA

That's impossible.

RATH

No. Not if...

ELECTRA

Not if what?

RATH

They were C.I.A. or Interpol.

Rath CLICKS OFF the SET as the "Weather" comes on. He considers the disc. Rath has a hunch, but wonders if he really wants to know.

RATH

What's on this?

ELECTRA

It's encrypted. Breaking the code on my laptop could take two, maybe three hundred years.

RATH

I thought you were a genius.

ELECTRA

I am. In fact, I was the best.

RATH

Was?

ELECTRA

I'm retiring, too.

(re: disc)

I wish I had an insight, but it was all anonymous. Just an intercepted satellite transmission.

Rath knows that in this case, ignorance is bliss.

Rath stands, goes into the bathroom.

Electra steps over to the bed. The blanket has been "turned-down." Two chocolate mints rest on the triangle.

ELECTRA

There's only one bed. I guess you picked up on that.

Rath exits the bathroom, rolling two towels together.

RATH

It's all yours.

ELECTRA

You want the couch?

Rath sets the roll on the floor. He switches on a ceiling light directly over it. Electra watches, understands, but teases.

ELECTRA

What's that, a trick of the trade? So you don't get too comfortable?

(off no answer)

Why don't you just tie a string from your toe to the doorknob?

RATH

(doesn't think twice)

The door opens in.

Rath reenters the bathroom; Electra can't help but smile.

BATHROOM

Rath sits on the toilet seat and looks at his reflection in the mirror. He's not quite sure he knows who he's looking at. Sensing someone else, he looks down to where Pearl stares up at him.

CHAIN HOTEL ROOM

Electra is in bed. The lights on her side of the room are off. Rath passes.
 

He kicks off his shoes, sits on the floor. He sets the .22 down, stops short. Electra has set one of the "turn-down" chocolates on his towel. Rath picks it up. He lies on his back, stares at the ceiling. On her side, Electra faces the other way. As Rath unwraps the chocolate...

ELECTRA
Thanks.

RATH

For what?

ELECTRA

I don't know. Saving my life I guess.

A long moment of silence before...

RATH

How'd you like to make a million dollars?

ELECTRA

What do I have to do?

(looks over)

Nothing cheap I hope.

Rath smiles. As he pops the chocolate into his mouth...

EXT. DOWNTOWN STREET – MUSTANG – DAY