HIGHLANDER III

EXT. DOCKS - DUSK

A desolate area of the RIVER. Abandoned WAREHOUSES line the

waterfront. His PORSCHE is parked in the b.g. Macleod leans

against the railing, staring out over the water. A beat.

Suddenly, Macleod stiffens, his gaze lifts off the water. A

premonition fills him. He turns around, knowing what he will

find behind him.

MACLEOD'S POV

The other Horseman approaches. He holds his broad sword at his

side.

Macleod holds his hand up.

MCCLEOD

Wait. We don't have to do this.

The Horseman lunges at Macleod. He raises the sword and brings

it down quickly. Macleod moves quickly to his side. The sword

miss him by inches as it smashes into the railing, slicing

through the metal.

Macleod stares into the Horseman's eyes -- they are cold,

savage. He knows there is not point in talking.

MCCLEOD

Alright.

Macleod opens his rain coat and slowly removes the ancient

Samurai sword. He expertly twirls the sword as he raises it

over his head and holds it in a fighting stance. A beat. Both

men lock eyes. The Horseman attacks.

Blades cross. Sparks fly. The men move across the quay

towards the warehouse.

29

The Horseman thrusts his sword. Macleod steps to the side and

slices the blade of the Samurai across the Horseman's face. A

deep gash appears, blood flows down his cheek. The Horseman

touches the wound, looks at the blood on his finger, then

tastes it. He grins and attacks.

The Horseman whirls his sword, swinging furiously at Macleod.

Blow after powerful blow pounds against the samurai. Macleod

is backed up against the railing. The swords cross and

remained locked -- each man pushing against the other in a show

of strength.

The Horseman knees Macleod in the groin. Macleod doubles over.

The Horseman brings the butt of his sword down hard between

Macleod's shoulder blades. Macleod falls to his knees,

dropping his sword. The Horseman lifts the Samurai and throws

it behind him. Macleod struggles to shake the pain from his

body as the Horseman raises the sword above Macleod's neck.

As he brings it down, Macleod lunges forward, hurling his body

into the Horseman and picking him. Macleod's runs across the

quay carrying the Horseman on his shoulder. The Horseman

raises his sword above his head. Macleod heads towards one of

the large windows of the warehouse.

INT. MEAT PACKING WAREHOUSE - DUSK

CRASH! Glass shatters as Macleod and the Horseman break

through the window. Carcasses of BEEF hang from hooks on a

curving S-HAPED processing line. Slowly the two warriors get

to their feet. The Horseman's sword is a few feet behind him.

He stands and walks to it. Macleod looks around the room,

looking for something -- anything -- that might be used as a

weapon.

The Horseman attacks, swinging his sword wildly. Macleod grabs

the racks of beef, using them as a shield. The Horseman's

blade slices through the meat. Macleod back up, grabs another

side of beef and pushes it into the Horseman. The impact

knocks the Horseman to the ground. His sword slides across the

floor. The Horseman gets up and walks over to his sword.

Macleod grabs one of the MEAT HOOKS and hurls it towards the

Horseman's back. The Horseman has just about reached the sword

when the Hook spears him between the shoulder blades.

Macleod pushes a RED BUTTON. The processing line begins to

move -- the hook lifts, picking the Horseman off the ground.

The Horseman tries desperately to reach the hook, but he

cannot. Macleod picks up the sword and readies himself. The

Horseman heads back towards Macleod . In one fluid motion

Macleod cuts off his head -- leaving the rope intact. The

headless body continues to swing across the room.

30

A beat. Macleod readies himself for what he knows his coming.

Sparks of green light begin to pulse out from the Horseman's

headless body.

Macleod's body stiffens as a jolt of power fills him. Overhead

LIGHT FIXTURES CRACKLE as the LIGHT BULBS begin to glow. The

ENGINE of an old fork lift comes to life. A RADIO turns on

filling the room with MUSIC.

EXT. WAREHOUSE - NIGHT

One by one the WINDOWS EXPLODE, raining a shower of glass on

the dock -- and then -- SILENCE.

An exhausted-looking Macleod staggers out of the building. He

searches through the darkness until he finds his sword, then

runs off into the night.

CUT TO:

EXT. RIVER - DAY

Seventeenth century England.

Macleod rides along the shores of the river. Cavanaugh rides

beside him, singing and old FOLD SONG loudly. His voice

clearly annoys Macleod.

MCCLEOD

Must you do that?

CAVANAUGH

What?

MCCLEOD

Sing.

CAVANAUGH

It is a beautiful day. I am merely

enjoying it.

MCCLEOD

Can't you enjoy it quietly?

CAVANAUGH

Are you always this pleasant?

(Macleod doesn't

answer)

You know what you're problem is?

MCCLEOD

You?

31

Cavanaugh forces a grin. He stops his horse. Macleod stops

beside him.

CAVANAUGH

Life. You've stopped living it. You

look, but you do not see. You listen

but, you do not hear.

MCCLEOD

I hear you.

CAVANAUGH

What else? What else do you hear

right now?

Macleod listens for a moment.

MCCLEOD

The river.

CAVANAUGH

That's all?

MCCLEOD

Yes.

Cavanaugh closes his eyes.

CAVANAUGH

Do you not hear the wind in the

trees? The songs of the birds. The

horses breath?

(beat)

There is a whole world around you.

Alive. Living. Feel it -- become

part of it. Live your life,

Highlander. It's going to be a long

one.

MCCLEOD

That is what bothers me.

CAVANAUGH

I see. You don't care about life

anymore.

Macleod shrugs his shoulders, indicating he doesn't care.

MCCLEOD

I guess not.

32

In an instant Cavanaugh draws his sword and swings it at

Macleod's neck. Just as quickly Macleod removes his Samurai

and blocks the attack. A beat. Cavanaugh grins, then lowers

his sword.

CAVANAUGH

You protect yourself well for a man

who doesn't care if he lives or dies.

Cavanaugh moves his horse forward.

CAVANAUGH

(looking back at

Macleod)

Fear not, my friend -- we're all

going to die. It's just going to

take us longer, that's all.

CUT TO:

INT. INN - NIGHT

A small country inn. A fire roars in the fireplace. Macleod

sits at a table, staring into the flames. Cavanaugh joins him

carrying to tankards of ale. A beat. Cavanaugh does not

interrupt Macleod's thoughts.

MCCLEOD

I'm leaving.

CAVANAUGH

Leaving what?

MCCLEOD

England. There is nothing for me

here anymore.

CAVANAUGH

And what do you think you will find

in another land?

MCCLEOD

Maybe myself.

CAVANAUGH

Then it's worth the journey.

Macleod holds out his hand.

MCCLEOD

Thank you, Thomas.

CAVANAUGH

For what?

33

MCCLEOD

For being a friend when I needed one.

I hope our paths cross again.

CAVANAUGH

I'm sure they will.

MCCLEOD

As friends -- always as friends.

CAVANAUGH

We cannot write our destiny, Macleod.

In the end it could be you and me.

MCCLEOD

That is a thought that doesn't please

me.

CAVANAUGH

If it came down to it what would you

do?

MCCLEOD

I do not know. I pray that I shall

never have to raise my sword against

one that I call friend.

Cavanaugh raises his tankard. Macleod joins him. They tab

there tankards together and drink.

CUT TO:

EXT. MEAT PACKING WAREHOUSE - MORNING

Several BLACK AND WHITE POLICE CARS are in front of the

building. An unmarked car drives up and BEDSOE the cop from

Highlander one gets out. He is older, heavier and now a

Lieutenant. He walks towards the entrance of the warehouse.

INT. MEAT PACKING WAREHOUSE - MORNING

POLICE OFFICERS and members of the FORENSIC TEAM search through

the rubble for clues. The headless corpse of the Horseman is

still hanging from the meat hook in between several slabs of

beef. Bedsoe enters at stares at the gruesome sight. A

DETECTIVE GRELEY, a sloppy-looking man in his thirties joins

him.

DETECTIVE GRELEY

Caretaker found him this morning.

He's got no I.D. on him -- we'll have

to run his prints.

34

Bedsoe looks around the room. The scene is all too familiar to

him.

DETECTIVE GRELEY

So, whaddaya think, Lieutenant,

U.S.D.A?

Greley grins. Bedsoe looks at him askance.

BEDSOE

Did you find a sword? An old sword?

DETECTIVE GRELEY

(surprised)

Yeah -- how'd you know that?

Bedsoe ignores the question. He looks away, his mind deep in

thought.

BEDSOE

(quietly to himself)

He's back.

CUT TO:

EXT. MUSEUM - MORNING

An old building set among warehouses and abandoned buildings.

In the b.g. looms the modern high-rises of the city.

INT. OFFICE - MORNING

A large room, filled with tables that are piled high with

artifacts. Professor Dajorski enters, hangs up his jacket and

walks across the room. Jennifer is asleep at a workbench, her

head resting on the surface. Dajorski stares at her for a

moment, then gently wakes her.

PROFESSOR DAJORSKI

You stayed here again last night?

JENNIFER

I was working on the cataloging.

PROFESSOR DAJORSKI

Jennifer, there is more to life than

work.

JENNIFER

I know, Paul.

35

PROFESSOR DAJORSKI

Do you? Then why don't you go out?

Meet someone. Make a life for

yourself instead of hiding away in

the past?

JENNIFER