FACE/OFF

                             ARCHER
               Sasha -- you are a felon, on
               probation for harboring Castor
               Troy.  So it's in your best
               interest to cooperate.
                      (as she's silent)
               Would you like your son put in a
               foster home?

     Sasha's eyes flash, her body coils -- but she keeps
     control.

                             SASHA
               No, but I'm sure you'd love it --
               you sick bastard.

                             ARCHER
                      (unmoved)
               When was the last time you saw
               Castor Troy?

     She stares at him with equal amounts of pity and hatred.

                             SASHA
               I haven't seen him for years.

     INT. CORRIDOR - DAY

     Archer watches as Adam leaves Dietrich and jumps into
     Sasha's arms.  She hugs him protectively.  Adam sees
     Archer watching them -- and smiles.  Archer doesn't smile
     back.

     FULL SCREEN - CASTOR'S REAL FACE

     PULL BACK TO:

     INT. I.C.U. - NIGHT

     Archer slowly circles Castor's muscular, hairy, tattooed
     body.  Although on life support -- his signature smirk
     remains.

                             ARCHER
               What about Lazarro?

                             BRODIE
               No way -- the red tape alone would
               take a month.  This is a black-bag
               operation -- completely off the
               books.

                             MILLER
               If you need him, Tito can help you
               prepare.  But you know the drill:
               You can't tell anyone -- not the
               Director, not your wife... nobody.

     Archer's face shows he doesn't like it -- then he nods.

                             ARCHER
               I'm in.

     EXT. ARCHER HOME - NIGHT

     Archer slowly gets out of his car.  Trudging toward the
     front door, he picks up a basketball and takes a shot.
     His form is terrible -- he misses by a mile.

     INT. HALLWAY - NIGHT

     Archer passes Jamie's room.  Loud MUSIC POUNDS from
     within.  He pauses to knock, thinks again, then heads
     down the hall.

     INT. MASTER BEDROOM - NIGHT

     Eve is in bed.  Archer comes in quietly and sits beside
     her -- studying her peaceful, sleeping face.  She stirs.

                             EVE
               I was dreaming...

                             ARCHER
               Something good?

                             EVE
               I'm not sure... you were flying
               this weird old stunt plane...
               doing flips... walking on the
               wings... I was watching from the
               ground -- when you fell.  You had
               a parachute, but you wouldn't open
               it.

                             ARCHER
               Did you catch me?

                             EVE
               No.

                             ARCHER
               How come?

                             EVE
               I don't know...
                      (nuzzles him)
               Maybe because you've never needed
               my help.

                             ARCHER
               Come on, you made that up, didn't
               you?

                             EVE
               ... Maybe I did...
                      (teasing)
               ... maybe I didn't...

     They kiss affectionately.  Passion building, Eve runs her
     hands over his body -- until her fingers touch a round
     scar on his chest.  Archer freezes -- mid-caress.

                             EVE
               It's all right, Jon.

                             ARCHER
               After all these years, I still
               can't get it out of my head -- an
               inch to the left, Matty would
               still be alive.

                             EVE
               And you wouldn't be.

     No response.  The pain hidden in his silence chills Eve.

                             EVE
               Things will get better now that
               you're home.  Everything will be
               better -- now that... that man is
               finally out of our lives.

                             ARCHER
               Eve...

     He starts to say the words.  He wants, needs to share the
     truth with her.  But he can't.  Instead --

                             ARCHER
               ... If I had to do something to
               find some closure... I should do
               it, shouldn't I?... No matter how
               crazy?

                             EVE
               Oh, God -- you're going on
               assignment again...

                             ARCHER
               One last time.  And while I'm
               gone, I want you and Jamie to go
               to your mother's.  It's
               important...

                             EVE
               You said you'd be here!  You
               promised!  What could be more
               important than that?

                             ARCHER
               I can't tell you... except only I
               can do it.

                             EVE
               You want me to tell you it's okay
               to leave?  Okay, go on!  Go!

     Fury erupting, Eve pushes Archer out of the bed.

     INT. ANOTHER BEDROOM - NIGHT

     Archer enters a child's room -- neat and tidy, like a
     museum exhibit.  A starfield of glow-letters twinkles
     faintly.

     He lies down on the bed and toys with his wedding band --
     staring up at the words the stars form... "MATTHEW."

                                                DISSOLVE TO:

     INT. CONVENTION CENTER - MACHINE ROOM - BLINKING
     LIGHTS - NIGHT

     The blinking LED of the bomb timer continues to count
     down.

     INT./EXT. '56 BUICK/MOUNTAIN ROAD - MOVING - DAY

     Tito drives into the Hoag compound.

     Archer's beside him, juggling Castor's dossier:
     documents, photos, etc.

                             TITO
               Jon, this is goddam insane.  You
               can't do it.

     Archer says nothing... it's too late for debate.  Tito
     parks.  The men get out and head for the lab.

                             TITO
               You haven't got a chance in hell
               of fooling Pollux.  Castor drinks,
               smokes and walks around with a 24-
               hour hard-on.  He's nothing like
               you --

                             ARCHER
               Don't worry... If Hoag can do half
               what he claims, I'll get Pollux to
               talk.

     Archer reaches for the door -- Tito stops him.

                             TITO
               It's not that simple, Jon...
               Becoming another person --
               especially him -- nobody can come
               all the way back from that... not
               even you.

     Archer considers his friend's words... He toys with, then
     removes, his wedding bang.

                             ARCHER
               Keep this for me.

     As Tito takes the ring -- a caring, but concerned look
     passes between the two friends.

     INT. SURGICAL BAY - DAY

     Two huge video screens are dominated by the CG-images of
     Archer and Castor.  As Hoag briefs the team, the CG-
     images glow to reflect the physical characteristic Hoag
     refers to.

                             HOAG
               Let's walk through it, Jon.  Your
               blood types are different, but we
               can't do anything about that.
               Otherwise, nature is cooperating
               nicely.  The height difference is
               negligible -- within 1/2 an inch.
               Eye color -- almost a perfect
               match.  Penis size, flaccid,
               essentially the same --
               Substantial.

     From the observation booth above -- Miller (flanked by
     Tito and Brodie) raises his eyebrow.

     On the video screens, the images morph to signify the
     physical augmentations.

                             HOAG
               Hairline will be adjusted with
               laser-shears... micro-plugs for
               the body hair... the teeth will be
               bonded to match Castor's...

     Hoag eyes Castor's inert, tight body -- then turns to
     Archer -- prodding his love handles like a livestock
     inspector.

                             HOAG
               How about an abdominoplasty?

                             ARCHER
               Abdomino -- what?

                             HOAG
               A tummy tuck.  On the house.

                             ARCHER
               Do it.

     TRANSFORMATION MONTAGE

     (INTERCUT huge video screen enlargements of Archer and
     Castor's body parts as necessary):

     Globules of adipose tissue are siphoned off Archer's
     obliques.  At the same time...

     Hoag recreates the "Great Sphinx" tattoo on Archer's
     thigh.  We PUSH IN ON his leg, then PULL BACK to
     reveal...

     Archer and Tito.  The CLOSE UP on his leg becomes a FULL
     SHOT as he walks across the rooftop -- like himself.
     Tito demonstrated the proper "Castor gait": dangerously
     casual, like a panther.

     Hoag reproduces Castor's fingerprints... then layers them
     over Archer's fingers.

     Archer practices Castor's icy, killer glare.  Tito hands
     him a lit cigarette.  Archer brings the cigarette to his
     lips -- then coughs harshly.  But he keeps trying.

     Castor smiles... then smirks and laughs.  PULL BACK to
     reveal Archer studying surveillance footage of Castor on
     a monitor-screen -- mimicking him.

     Archer fusses with his new hair, trying to cover the thin
     spots.  Giving  up, he zips up his sweatshirt -- getting
     the zipper caught in his new chest hair.

     EXT. HOAG INSTITUTE - GROUNDS - DAY

     Tito tosses a pistol.  Archer catches it with his right
     hand.  But to Archer's surprise, Tito frowns.

                             TITO
               Nice catch.  But you used the
               wrong hand.

     He takes the pistol away -- and slaps it in Archer's left
     hand.  Then Tito shoves him -- challengingly.

                             TITO
               Shoot me.
                      (as Archer
                       doesn't move)
               Shoot me!

     Tito pulls the gun against his own forehead.

                             TITO
               You want to be Castor Troy?  If
               you hesitate for a breath, you're
               finished!  Now -- shoot me!  Kill
               me!

     Archer holds the gun unsteadily.  Tito is disgusted.

                             TITO
               You can't do it... because Castor
               is tougher than you...

     BOOM!  The GUN goes off -- the slug tears past Tito's
     head.  Shocked, he touches his left ear, making sure it's
     still there.

     Then Tito looks at Archer -- and sees the determination.

     EXT. HOAG'S FACILITY - NIGHT

     Clear and calm.  God's night.  Someone's God anyway.

     INT. I.C.U. ROOM - NIGHT

     Hoag leads Archer to a full-length mirror.

                             HOAG
               Let's see if I missed anything
               before I get my hands really dirty.

     Archer removes the robe.  He's amazed to see:

     His own head on Castor's body:  a flat stomach, hairy
     chest, tattoos, thinning hair, etc.  Hoag touches
     Archer's scar.

                             HOAG
               You realize this has to be
               removed.
                      (as Archer
                       slowly nods)
               Then here we go, Commander.
               Through the Looking Glass...

     INT. SURGICAL BAY - NIGHT

     Unconscious, Archer is wheeled into the surgical bay,
     Castor beside him.  Hoag turns to the video technician.

                             HOAG
               Make sure you get everything --
               I'll need to study the tape before
               the reverse surgery.

     Hoag lowers an aerated Plexiglas mask over Archer's face.
     Interwoven with integrated laser circuitry -- this Derma-
     Induction-Device (D.I.D.) attaches via suction.

     Hoag sights through the optical memory, squeezes the
     trigger.  A cobalt beam cuts around the face -- cleanly
     slicing it.  Then Hoag lifts Archer's face -- off of his
     skull.

     Brodie and Miller watch from above.  Tito stumbles into
     the nearby bathroom to throw up.

     Hoag inspects Archer's face, then turns to his nurse.

                             HOAG
               Vault it.