NATURAL BORN KILLERS

                         WAYNE (to Scagnetti)
               Yeah, you do that Jack.  Nice suit.
                    (to Warden)
               Now Dwight, I don't know if you've ever been on
               a set before --

                         MCCLUSKY (proud)
               Ya know, I was. I was...

                         WAYNE (acting surprised)
               Really?

                         MCCLUSKY
               I was on the 'Dukes of Hazzard' set about 8
               years ago.  I knew this guy who...

                         WAYNE
               Well...small world. Well then you know how it
               works.  What we're about in this talk business
               is intimacy, Dwight.  We're about two people
               having a conversation.  I want a trust to
               develop.  If you're thinking about all this...
                    (indicating the bustle of the room)
               you're not going to relax, we'll be talking
               at each other instead of "to" each other...
                    (pauses, Dwight waits; Wayne switches gears)
               Which brings me to ... what I wanted to talk to you
               about...I have to get Mickey Knox to relax-- to
               share what he's never shared before. How Dwight
               can we expect him to do that when we got more
               deputies per cubic inch looking up his asshole
               with shotguns than he has photosynthetic spores?

                         MCCLUSKY (turning on Wayne, short)
               Well, just what the hell do you expect me to
               do, Wayne?

                         WAYNE
               Lose 'em.  Leave 'em outside.  I'm getting rid
               of my crew.  Just me, the cameraman, the
               soundman, that's it.  Intimate.  Dark.
               Shadows.  Truth.

                         MCCLUSKY
               Wayne, do you have the slightest idea how
               dangerous Knox is?

                         WAYNE
               Dwight, I assure you I am very familiar with
               Mickey's career.

                         MCCLUSKY
               Since he and his wife have been in custody,
               they've killed --

                         WAYNE
               I'm sure I know the facts as well as you do
               Dwight.

                         MCCLUSKY
               Well lemme clue you in on one fact you don't
               know.  If I take my men out, Mickey Knox is
               gonna snap your pencil fuckin' neck like a
               fuckin' twig.

                         WAYNE (sensitive)
               Dwayne...Dwight...One--fuckin' I grew up in a
               very tough neighborhood in Sydney, and I've
               handled some pretty rough customers in my day.
               Mickey Knox don't scare me.

                         MCCLUSKY
               You're a dreamer, son...you're a dreamer.

                         WAYNE
               Two--I'm a journalist, and I'm prepared to take
               that risk. Grenada, Panama; I was dodging 'scuds
               in Baghdad, Dwight. Three--it ain't gonna happen.
               Believe me when I tell you, it's in Mickey Knox's
               best interest to play this game according to
               Hoyle. (pause) Wait a minute.  Wait a minute.
               We've gotten into an adversary relationship here,
               which is not what I want...

                         MCCLUSKY
               No!

                         WAYNE
               Seriously Dwight, look at this...
                    (counting the DEPUTIES in the room)
               Six...seven.. eight.  Jesus Christ Duane, they
               hate him.  He hates them.  We got hate in the
               air.  Even you and I feel it.  I gotta explore
               Mickey.  Columbus didn't know he was looking
               for America. He was looking for India.  He
               needed to be left alone, trusted, he...

                         MCCLUSKY
               What in the goddamn hell are you talking about?

                         WAYNE
               Two guys?

                         MCCLUSKY
               Okay.  I'll take two guys off.

                         WAYNE
               No, no, no, no. I mean only two guys.

                         MCCLUSKY
               I can't do that.  Five guys.

                         WAYNE
               Three.

                         MCCLUSKY
               I'll cut it in half.  Four guys, but that's it.

     INT. RECREATION ROOM - PRISON - DAY

     Elsewhere in the prison, the boring SUPERBOWL winds down with the
     Quarterback dropping to his knees, running out the clock and
     "timeouts" being taken.

     A LARGE CROWD of silent PRISONERS is gathered as the "AMERICAN
     MANIACS" PROMO comes on:

     INSERT TELEVISION FOOTAGE -- LOGO

     A SHOTGUN GRAPHIC explodes through the screen and reveals file
     footage of MICKEY and MALLORY, supering to WAYNE GALE waiting,
     standby, "live."

                         TV ANNOUNCER
               Right after the "Game," stay tuned for a special
               "American Maniacs" on W-A-T-C-H. Mickey Knox is
               the most dangerous man in America, but Wayne Gale
               isn't afraid to meet him one on one to learn what
               48 people died for: is this man insane or does he
               belong where he sent so many others: in the
               grave? Be sure to stay tuned for...

     The SCREEN of the TV EXPLODES as something heavy (a machine tool
     wrench) is thrown through it.  We hear an INMATE:

                         INMATE
               Mother fucker!

     The INMATES are throwing whatever they can now at the TV as the
     WHISTLE goes and the GUARDS rush in with sticks.

     INT. INTERVIEW ROOM - DAY

     TV INSERT -- LOGO for "AMERICAN MANIACS" rolls to loud cue-in
     MUSIC and ANNOUNCER.

                         TV ANNOUNCER
               ...and now Wayne Gale goes one to one with
               Mickey Knox.  Straight from Batongaville
               Penitentiary -- on the eve of Mickey Knox's
               lobotomy.  Is he or isn't he?  Let America be
               the Judge...

                                                            CUT TO:

     MICKEY'S face -- in a chair, real calm, no handcuffs, a pleasant
     smile.

                         MICKEY (TO THE GUARD)
               How ya doin' today?

     Across from him is WAYNE, with a serious intensity, half-glasses,
     consulting his yellow legal pad notes, Mike Wallace-style.

                         WAYNE TV
               Mickey Knox.  Thank you for this time.  I have
               a few questions I'd like to start with, do you
               mind?

                         MICKEY TV (smiles)
               Let's roll the fuckin' (BLEEP) dice, Wayne.

                         WAYNE TV
               Mickey Knox, when did you first start thinking
               about killing?

     CAMERA now in the room, rolling off Wayne to reveal Mickey and the
     setup. It's made to look like a one on one but we now see
     McClusky's DEPUTIES, among them WURLITZER and KAVANAUGH, are quite
     close, just out of camera range. Mickey is cool as a feather.

                         MICKEY
               Birth... I was thrown into a flaming pit of
               scum...forgotten by God (laughs).

                         WAYNE
               What do you mean by that?

                         MICKEY
               What do I mean?...I mean I came from
               violence... it was in my blood.  My Dad had it.
                    (chuckles)
               You know.  Eat, Shit, Fuck, Kill, Die... it was
               all my fate...my fate.

     INSERT TV MONITOR -- the words are BLEEPED immediately.

     Wayne's excited, Mickey's rolling right out the gate.

                         WAYNE
               No one is born evil Mickey, it's something you
               learn...Let's talk about your father? How he was
               murdered? You were 10 years old when he died is that...

     Mickey's mood immediately changes, darkens.

                         MICKEY TV
               I didn't kill my father...and I don't want to
               talk about that shit...

     He throws a box of donuts at the camera.

     JULIE signals excitedly from the monitor - a head set sending
     messages to her.  More people turning on.  Thumbs up to WAYNE,
     excited.

                         MICKEY
               Please.

                         WAYNE TV

               OK OK Mickey, let's go on to something else. I
               understand Mickey Knox is reading the Bible these
               days?

                         MICKEY
               Ya?

                         WAYNE
               The teachings of the Bible seem inconsistent
               with your actions -- Christian values.

                         MICKEY
               I don't know why.  The Bible's full of killings.

                         WAYNE
               But what about God, does he have the right to
               judge you?

     Wayne's eyes scooting everywhere, motioning to McClusky to get
     his men out of the background when Mickey's on camera.

                         MICKEY
               God created me...if what I did was so bad why
               didn't he stop me...why didn't he protect me
               when I was a kid...He's doing it, not me.

                         WAYNE
               Mickey, how can you look at an ordinary
               innocent person...a guy with kids...and shoot
               him to death... how can you do that?

                         MICKEY
               Innocent?  Who's innocent Wayne?...it's just
               murder man.  Everyone does it, all God's
               creatures ...in one form or another...I know a
               lotta people deserve to die...
                    (a look at McClusky who is impervious)

                         WAYNE
               Why do they deserve to die?

                         MICKEY
               Everybody got somethin' in their past, some
               guilt, some sin, some awful secret thing...I
               think people who deserve to die are those
               people who are not living in the first place.
               I think there's a lotta people walkin' round
               right now who are aiready dead and need to be
               put outta their misery.

                         WAYNE
               ...sort of "everyone meets their serial killer
               half way"?  Is that what you're saying?. The
               theory that the Jews wanted to be victims
               walking into the gas chambers at Auschwitz;
               that even genocide at some level's agreed
               upon...?

                         MICKEY
               The wolf don't know why he's a wolf, and a deer
               don't know why he's a deer...God just made it
               that way...

                         WAYNE
               ...You're talking now about "predators" Mickey.
               You're saying the world itself is predatory.
               When a mountain lion takes down an elk, it's
               because it's the elk's time to go, and all the
               b.s. liberal agenda about saving the animal
               herds only overpopulates the balance of nature?
               Maybe you're right Mickey Knox, maybe you're
               right....  Corporate
               predators.  Enviromental predators.  Nuclear
               predators. Life is a hunt.  I've seen it
               Mickey.  I was there.  When the shit (BLEEP)
               hit the fan.  At Grenada.  I saw it all go down
               at Grenada...

     Mickey bored.  Julie signalling frantically to Wayne to cut the
     jab.  Wayne sees the signal,

                         WAYNE
               ...so tell me Mickey, any regrets?  Three
               weeks. 47 people, not cool.

                         MICKEY (corrects)
               ...48. Ya, I'm sorry I got Mallory into this
               mess.  Prison and all.  She doesn't really
               deserve it.

                         WAYNE
               Anything else?

                         MICKEY
               I'm sorry the Indian got killed.

                         WAYNE (consulting his notes)
               The next to last victim.  The one whose
               grandson testified at the trial that his
               grandfather was trying to help you...

                         MICKEY
               He saw it...

                         WAYNE
               He saw what?

                         MICKEY
               The Demon...He saw the Demon.

     Mickey is deep into the memory.  Wayne's puzzled.

                         WAYNE
               So what happened?

                         MICKEY
               The whole deal was a mistake. I didn't mean to
               kill him...The old man was trying to help us...

                         WAYNE
               So what happened?
                    (fiercely, aside, to McClusky)
               Dwight, will you get those two assholes outta
               there!  It's supposed to look like me and
               Mickey alone!

                         MCCLUSKY (aside)
               Don't call my men assholes.

                         WAYNE (aside)
               Shhh! I didn't mean they were assholes.  I mean
               "get 'em outta here!"

     McClusky signalling to Kavanaugh and Wurlitzer to step back.

     Julie signalling fiercely for quiet.

                         WAYNE (to himself, re: McClusky)
               Asshole.

                         MICKEY (meanwhile deep into it)
               ...there was a fight in my dream, see...it's
               the same dream I've had since I was a
               kid...it's hard to move...like I'm made of
               lead...I taste metal in my mouth...Then...the
               Demon comes after me.

                         WAYNE
               What does it want...your soul?
                    (no answer)
               What does it do?

                         MICKEY
               It kills in this case something good.

                         WAYNE
               So as long as you're bad...it won't kill you.

                         MICKEY (somewhere else)
               ...after the old man, we were gonna stop
               killin'.  The old man took it out of us.

                         WAYNE
               ...but you both've killed on the inside?

                         MICKEY
               The Demon lives in here.  Everyone's got the
               demon.  It feeds on their hate, it cuts, rapes,
               kills...it's the alien man, it uses your
               weakness, your fear...only the vicious survive.

                         WAYNE (skeptical)
               So that's why you're reading the Bible, you're
               looking for help?  Hard to believe, Mickey.

                         MICKEY
               You mean if Jesus could raise Lazarus from the
               dead maybe he could help me?...No dice. (pause)
               You know the only thing that kills the Demon?
               ...Love.  That's why I know Mallory is my
               salvation.  She was teaching me how to love.
               It's like being in the Garden of Eden...

                         WAYNE
               "Only love can kill the demon." Hold that thought.

     COMMERCIAL MUSIC cues in. Pause for a BREAK.

                                                                 CUT TO:

     INT. MALLORY CORRIDOR - DAY

     The silence is vast...As SCAGNETTI'S feet go past, drawn
     inexorably to her cell.  TWO GUARDS accompany him.

     INT. MALLORY CELL - DAY

     DOORS open -- SCAGNETTI'S POV marching in.

                         SCAGNETTI (O.S.)
               Rise and shine Mallory!

     MALLORY, asleep on the bunk, springs into a fighting stance.  If
     you've seen a panther in a zoo, you understand the attitude
     Mallory brings with her everywhere she goes.

     CAMERA whips back to Scagnetti and the TWO GUARDS -- with
     shotguns trained on her.

                         GUARD
               Turn around and face the wall!

                         SCAGNETTI (approaching her)
               That's all right fellows, we want to have a
               little talk is all...

     Pulls a chair out, indicates for her to sit.  She doesn't.

                         GUARD (nervous)
               Mr. Scagnetti, don't get close to her.  She'll
               kill you!...One way or the other, she'll kill ya!

     Scagnetti ushers them to the door.

                         SCAGNETTI
               Relax fellows, read my book.  Now I met some
               women were really crocodiles in my time but
               this little lady--I think she's gotta sweet
               streak for me.

     Scagnetti pulls his gun out and gives it to the Guard, pushing
     the door closed on him.

                         GUARD
               Sir, we're not allowed...

     Scagnetti closes the door on them.  Alone with Mallory.

                         SCAGNETTI
               Smoke?  (she stares)
               I know you smoke.

     A look of steel.  He gets closer, gentle.

                         SCAGNETTI
               You know I'm not here to hurt you, Mallory. I
               wanna be your friend. And if I ever met a girl
               who needs a friend, it's you. You're a very
               pretty girl...but I'm sure people tell you that
               all the time.

     Mallory doesn't respond.  Scagnetti takes the cigarette from his
     mouth, puts it between Mallory's lips.  She smokes.

     Scagnetti relaxes.  Step one.  Hold on a C.U. of Mallory.

                         SCAGNETTI (O.S.)
               I was reading the file on you.  You know what
               it said?  It said during your trial, whenever
               they put you on the stand, no matter what they
               asked, your answer was always the same... "I
               love Mickey."  It also says that when they gave
               you a polygraph "I love Mickey" was the only
               thing you said that registered as the truth ...

     Scagnetti appears at the side of frame next to Mallory.

                         SCAGNETTI
               Who are you supposed to be? Squeaky Fromme?  Is
               Mickey your Charles Manson? Or does he just got
               a big dick?  That's it, isn't it?  Mickey's got
               a big donkey dick. But you ain't seen mine. You
               never been fucked by the real Prince Charming.

     Scagnetti changes to Mallory's other ear.  He's playing with a
     cobra here, and he knows it.  It turns him on, deeper into his
     sexual obsession with murder.

                         SCAGNETTI (pressing close)
               Can you remember the last time you fucked? Huh?
               What I want you to do is close your eyes
               and remember...remember the last time ol' Mickey
               gave you the high hard one.  Are ya thinking about
               it?  Good.  Remember it.  Don't ever forget it
               cause it ain't never gonna happen again.  Cause
               when they get through with all that electroshock
               shit they got lined up for you two, Mick's dick
               ain't gonna be worth shit.  Course you're not gonna
               give a particular shit either.  Cause when the good
               doctors get through givin' you the zap...you won't
               know where the hell you are.  They'll just put you
               on a window sill and water you every other day.

     Mallory looks at him with steel, then yawns.  Drops the cigarette
     on the floor

     CU of cigarette hitting the floor in SLOW MOTION.  We can still
     see the red, burning end.