FACE/OFF

     The chopper settles over the Zodiac.

     Wind and water swirl around Archer...

     CHOPPER

     Walton, drenched but obviously rescued, has archer in his
     sights... He starts to FIRE his MACHINE GUNS...

     ZODIAC

     BULLETS RAIN down on the boat -- destroying it -- as
     Archer dives into the rolling swells...

     INSIDE CHOPPER

     Walton RAKES the debris -- shredding it.

     The chopper does a final circle of the wreckage... then
     moves off... its ROTOR WASH THRASHING the buoy.

     UNDER BUOY

     Archer has crawled up into the hollow buoy -- sucking
     air.

     INT. ARCHER HOME - BEDROOM - DAY

     Eve's asleep.  Castor, dressed, looks down at her like
     Cortez at Montezuma -- triumphant, with overwhelming
     power.

     EXT. DRIVEWAY - DAY

     Heading for the car, Castor is about to light up when --

                             EVE
               Last night, I thought -- this
               isn't my husband.

     He pockets the smoke.  Eve is there, dressed somberly.

                             EVE
               Then I woke up in the middle of
               the night -- and found you passed
               out in the study.

                             CASTOR
               I couldn't sleep -- you roll
               around a lot.
                      (jingles car keys)
               Anyway, I'm late.

                             EVE
               Jon, you know what day it is.  I
               know it's difficult for you, but
               we still have to go.

                             CASTOR
               Can't we skip it just this once?
               I gotta 'protect and serve', you
               know.

                             EVE
               'Protect and serve' later.  You're
               going.

                             CASTOR
               Okay, if you insist.  But -- you
               drive.

     He climbs into the front seat beside her.

     INT./EXT. CAR - MOVING - DAY

     A pastoral, hilly area near the coast.

                             CASTOR
               So who's this Karl creep Jamie's
               been seeing?  He's a little old
               for her, isn't he?

                             EVE
               I don't know... they're about the
               same ages we were when we met.
                      (smiles)
               Remember the all-night dentist?

                             CASTOR
               Sure, how could I forget.
                      (changes subject)
               By the way, you never said
               anything about last night...

     He moves closer, stroking her hair as his BEEPER sounds.

                             EVE
               Aren't you going to get that?

     He turns his beeper off, then touches her lips with his
     finger.  Without knowing exactly why, Eve tenses up.

                             EVE
               Jon -- this is hardly the time or
               place.

     Castor looks around in surprise because he sees she's
     driving into --

     SPRAWLING MEMORIAL PARK

     They drive through the gates -- passing a church marked
     "ST. MARY'S-BY-THE-SEA."  Nearby, the OCEAN ROARS.

     EXT. ST. MARY'S CEMETERY - DAY

     It's beautiful here, striking and sad.  Now on foot,
     Castor follows Eve up a bluff, through a phalanx of
     graves -- with no idea where she's leading him.

     Finally she stops at a crucifix-topped headstone.  Castor
     joins her and reads the etched marble stone:

                       Matthew Archer, Age 5
                       Beloved Son & Brother
                       We Cherish You Always

     Stunned, Castor watches as Eve kneels beside the marker.

                             EVE
               Happy birthday, Matty.

     She places a few child's toys on the marker... a shark...
     a little bulldozer... a spaceship.  Overwhelmed with
     grief, she collapses into Castor.

                             EVE
               He took our baby, Jon.  He took
               our little boy.

     FULL SCREEN - CASTOR'S FACE

     He stares at the grave of the boy he killed -- the boy
     whose mother is weeping into his chest.

     The ever-present smirk is long gone as Castor stiffly
     returns Eve's embrace -- maybe, just maybe, feeling the
     victim's pain.

                             CASTOR
               Stop crying... stop crying...
               stop ...

     INT. FBI BULLPEN - DAY

     Shaking off his funk, Castor arrives at the office.

                             WANDA
               You picked a helluva day to leave
               your beeper off!

                             CASTOR
               What happened?

                             WANDA
               Castor's dead!

                             CASTOR
               He's -- what?

                             BUZZ
               Somehow he escaped from Erewhon.
               But a prison chopper mowed him
               down just off Long Beach Harbor...

                             CASTOR
               Where's the body?

                             WANDA
               It hasn't been recovered yet.

                             CASTOR
               'It hasn't been recovered yet!'
               You people have no idea who you're
               dealing with!
                      (beat)
               I want everyone on this, reports
               on the half hour, and all leads
               get routed through my office.
               Buzz, alert the L.A.P.D.

                             BUZZ
               L.A.P.D.?  Even if he is alive,
               Castor isn't stupid enough to come
               back to the city.

                             CASTOR
               He's alive -- and he's already
               here.  Move!

     EXT. PIER - NIGHT

     Something bobs up in the surf.  Archer is thrashed ashore
     by the breakers... he crawls gasping onto the sand.  He
     takes a few breaths -- then staggers up onto the beach.

     EXT. TITO'S STREET - NIGHT

     Archer's heart sinks as he sees the yellow police cordon
     taped across Tito's front door.  Some teenage cholos
     notice him -- so Archer keeps right on going.

     INT. TITO'S DUPLEX - NIGHT

     A rear window is forced open -- Archer pulls himself in.
     In the dim light, he sees the bullet hole on the wall...
     then the blood stains within the forensics chalk marks.

     He buckles and has to sit down.  Taking a deep breath, he
     picks up the phone and dials.

                             ARCHER
               Dr. Archer please.   It's an
               emergency.
                      (listens)
               -- Her husband.

     Archer waits.  He pinches his throat -- trying to
     dislodge the vocal implant.  His voice scrambles into
     garbled static.

                             ARCHER
               Hello, Eve -- I know this sounds
               crazy, but --
                      (reverting back)
               Dammit.

     INT. HOSPITAL - ER - NIGHT

     EVE deftly stitches up a gash above little IRIS's (8)
     eye.

                             EVE
               How did this happen, sweetie?

                             IRIS'S DAD
               She fell off her Big-Wheel.

     Something about his too-quick response rankles Eve.  She
     eyes the yuppy Dad with suspicion -- then notes some
     bruises on the child's arm.  A NURSE enters.

                             NURSE
               Dr. Archer -- your husband's on
               three.

                             EVE
               Get Child Services down here --
               and don't let her father leave.
                      (goes to wall-phone)
               Jon?  Hello?

     INTERCUT Archer and Eve as necessary.

                             ARCHER
               Eve, listen carefully.  The man
               you think is your husband --
               isn't.

                             EVE
               Who is this?

                             ARCHER
               Please, just listen!  Take Jamie
               and go to your mother's in Santa
               Fe.  Don't tell him where you're
               going -- just go.

                             EVE
               Whoever you are -- don't call
               again...

     CLICK.  Archer sags in futility.  A SIREN snaps him back
     to reality.

     Archer goes to the window and carefully peers out.

     A squad CAR ROARS INTO VIEW -- then continues on its way.

                             ARCHER
               I need to speak to Director
               Lazarro immediately... I have
               information about Castor Troy.

     Waiting... Archer rifles the room... finding car keys...
     a baggy jacket... Then...

     INTERCUT WITH:

     INT. FBI OFFICE

                             CASTOR
               This is Jon Archer.  Who's
               calling?

     Archer pauses... hearing his own voice speaking to him.

                             ARCHER
               Well, if you're Jon Archer... I
               guess this must be Castor Troy...

                             CASTOR
               I've gotta hand it to you, Jon.
               You're doing a damn respectable
               job of being me.  But let's face
               it, we both liked it better the
               way it was.  So before the cops
               blow your brains out -- why not
               tell me where you are...

                             ARCHER
               If you were really me, you'd
               know -- no discussion, no deals.

     Archer hangs up == leaving Castor stewing.

     EXT. GARAGE - NIGHT

     The automatic door lifts -- revealing Tito's old Buick.
     The big V-8 RUMBLES as Archer pulls out.  He doesn't get
     far as... menacing CHOLOS block his way.

                             CHOLO # 1
               Where are you going?

                             CHOLO #2
               Ten bucks he's the guy who popped
               Tito!

     The Cholos surround the Buick.  Archer's cornered like an
     animal as the angry teens pound on the windows.

     Archer HITS the GAS -- scattering all except Cholo #1 who
     jumps on the hood.  Archer SLAMS the BRAKES -- sending
     the guy flying.  He lands hard, but is only shaken up.

     As Archer roars off, Cholo #1 pulls out his cell phone.

                             CHOLO #1
               9-1-1?  I want to report a stolen
               car and don't put me on hold!

     INT./EXT. BUICK - MOVING - NIGHT

     Archer drives on -- listening to KFWB.

                             RADIO REPORTER (V.O.)
               ... the escapee is considered
               extremely dangerous.  If you have
               any information concerning the
               whereabouts of Castor Troy...

     He SHUTS it OFF as he sees in the distance:

     HIS OWN HOME

     FBI and LAPD vehicles are parked in front.  No way he's
     getting near there.

     In his rearview mirror Archer spots a cop car
     approaching.  He quickly turns a corner as the cop slowly
     cruises by.

                             ARCHER
               No, Jon... you have to think like
               Castor.  Where would he go...?

     Archer gets an idea.  But as he drives on -- the cop car
     backs up -- and reappears INTO FRAME.

    
     EXT. MELROSE DISTRICT - NIGHT

     Dietrich locks up his chic art gallery.  He gets in his
     Lexus and drives out of the parking lot.

     INT./EXT. STREET - LEXUS - MOVING - NIGHT

     Dietrich slows down to check out the forensics team
     swarming all over Tito's parked Buick.  Dietrich quickly
     averts his face as he spots... "Jon Archer" inspecting
     Tito's Buick.

                             DIETRICH
               Jon Archer... some poor schmuck's
               in big trouble.

                             ARCHER
               Yeah -- me.

     With surprising speed, Dietrich yanks a pistol from
     someplace and jerks around --

     Archer -- hunkered down in the back seat -- stares into
     the barrel of Dietrich's pistol.

                             DIETRICH
               Jesus Christ, Castor.

                             ARCHER
               Drive.  And punch up your
               cellular -- I need you to make
               some calls.

                             DIETRICH
               You're gonna get me busted!

                             ARCHER
               You're already busted, Dietrich.
               It's just a matter of time before
               they pick you up.

     Dietrich snakes the car past the crime scene and speeds
     off.

                             DIETRICH
               Man, when you came to me about
               that bomb -- I knew I should have
               blown you off... but that's my
               fucking curse -- I just can't say
               no to a friend.

                             ARCHER
               You can't say no to money.

                             DIETRICH
               That's my other curse.

     EXT. DOWNTOWN - LOFT - NIGHT (LATER)

     Cars pull up in front of a gentrified loft amid the low-
     rent streets.

     Emerging from them are several thugs -- including Aldo,
     Fitch and their sexy girl friends, LIVIA and Cindee.

     INT. DIETRICH'S LOFT - BATHROOM - NIGHT

     Archer splashes water on his face -- then stops and
     listens as the DOORBELL RINGS.  He screws up his courage.

                             ARCHER
               You're Castor Troy... This is your
               old crew -- you don't take shit
               and you don't take no for an
               answer...

     INT. DIETRICH'S LIVING ROOM - CONTINUOUS ACTION

     The thugs admire the loft -- dominated by an enormous,
     in-progress mural and stunning glass-bricked floor.

                             ALDO
               Helluva place, Dietrich.  So
               what's the big surprise?

     Archer emerges.  The men are stunned -- the women beam.

                             FITCH
               Are you crazy?  You're going to
               bring the Feds down on all of us!

                             ARCHER
               Archer doesn't want you, he wants
               me!  But I'm going to get him
               first -- with your help.

                             ALDO
               Archer's a damn celebrity now --
               he's untouchable -- and you're
               radioactive.

     He turns to leave.  Archer wheels him around and smashes
     him into the wall.  Aldo goes for his gun, but Archer's
     too quick -- he strips him of it.

     The four bodyguards draw their weapons -- and surround
     Archer.

                             ARCHER
               You wanna face-off with Castor
               Troy?  Come on, then!  Come on!
               'Cause I've had a real bad day...

     Four against one -- and everyone's sweating but Archer.
     One-by-one, the bodyguards back off.  Archer points the
     gun at Aldo -- then smiles and hands it back.

                             ARCHER
               You're all forgetting who the real
               enemy is.
                      (to Aldo)
               Six months ago, Jon Archer hauled
               you in for questioning.  He
               rattled you so bad -- you shit
               your Armani suit right there in
               the interrogation room.

     Aldo blanches -- how did Castor know that?  Fitch laughs.

                             ARCHER
               You laugh, Fitch -- the way Archer
               laughed at your last arraignment,
               when you got down on your knees
               and tried to blow your way to
               freedom.

     Stunned, Fitch cringes as everybody cracks up.

                             DIETRICH
               We all have a reason to hate Jon
               Archer.  We all want to see him
               dead --

                             ARCHER
               And nobody's untouchable if we say
               he's not.

     The thugs exchange a glance... reading each other...
     considering.

                             DIETRICH
               It's all worked out.  Caz has
               Archer's routine down cold.