The Rock

Mason boils. Then springs at Womack. Chaney grabs Mason, head-locking him. So Mason knees Womack in the balls. Womack doubles over. Recovers, coughing.

FBI DIRECTOR WOMACK

Get him some gear. He's going to the Rock. Goodspeed!

ACROSS THE ROOM

Goodspeed looks up from a computer screen generating 3-D images of different angles of a V.X. ROCKET. He walks over to the table. Anderson and the other SEALs stare at him.

COMMANDER ANDERSON

The goal is to take out the launchers and neutralize the V.X. chem rounds, Goodspeed. Tell us what you know.

GOODSPEED

Well, the thermal imaging photos picked up the poison gas. Here. The prison morgue.

(points)

It's probably being kept refrigerated. makes sense. V.X. gas begins to lose its toxicity at higher temperatures.

COMMANDER ANDERSON

Have you ever actually seen one of these devices?

GOODSPEED

No sir, but I've studied them....

COMMANDER ANDERSON

(sarcastic)

That's great, Goodspeed. You're in the Bureau, so you've had weapons training.

GOODSPEED

A little, sir.

COMMANDER ANDERSON

So you've never been in a combat situation.

GOODSPEED

No sir.

(beat)

Should I begin the briefing on diffusing and detoxification sir?

COMMANDER ANDERSON

Won't be necessary.

GOODSPEED

Sir, these are very complicated devices...

COMMANDER ANDERSON

I know they are, Goodspeed. That's why you're going with us.

GOODSPEED

Sir?

COMMANDER ANDERSON

(to SEAL Reigert)

Get him some gear.

Mason stares at Goodspeed.

MASON

Wait just a minute. This little twat's going to deal with the poison? He's gonna get us all fuckin' killed!

Mason walks off muttering.

INT. PIER 39 COMMAND CENTER – BATHROOM – A MINUTE LATER

SEAL Dando stands at a urinal. Goodspeed bursts in and lunges for another urinal. He vomits. Gags. Spits.

SEAL DANDO

Nice to meet you too.

Sanchez enters.

SANCHEZ

You look like shit.

Goodspeed leans back against the wall.

GOODSPEED

Thank you.

SANCHEZ

You're not wimping out on us, Goodspeed.

GOODSPEED

I join the FBI I ask for fieldwork. They say, "Bill, you're too fucking smart for field work." Every year I put in for a transfer and every year I sit in that goddamn lab like the fucking Maytag repairman in the commercial. Then the call finally comes, and it's a whole fuckin, city at stake? Oh Jesus...

SANCHEZ

Chemical Weapons isn't a cakewalk, Goodspeed.

Goodspeed splashes cold water on his face.

GOODSPEED

I've got some bad news and some really bad news sir. Maybe the bad news isn't bad, maybe actually it's good....

SANCHEZ

Spit it out.

GOODSPEED

My girlfriend's pregnant.

SANCHEZ

(pause)

What's the really bad news.

INT. PIER 39 – OUTSIDE THE BATHROOM – DAY

SANCHEZ (V.O.)

Goodspeed, GODDAMN IT...

The door bursts open. Sanchez, veins bulging, exits, followed by Goodspeed.

SANCHEZ

Agent Cord, get over to the Pan Pacific Hotel and bring Goodspeed's girlfriend to this facility please!!

CUT TO:

EXT. ALCATRAZ – LOWER LIGHTHOUSE – SUNSET

Cpts. Darrow and Frye look out . the window at the Marine's Command Center in the Infirmary.

CAPTAIN DARROW

(mumbling)

Seventeen hours left. What the fuck is he doing? How much time does it take to transfer money from one account...

CAPTAIN FRYE

Just a matter of time, buddy. The Pentagon'll cave and we'll be headin, south of the border a million dollars richer.

INT. ALCATRAZ – INFIRMARY COMMAND CENTER – SUNSET

Hummel sits at his desk. The phone RINGS.

HUMMEL (V.O.)

Hummel.

SECURITY ADVISOR LOUIS LINDSTROM
Hello Frank, Lou Lindstrom. I'm in the oval office with General Kramer.

INTERCUT – ALCATRAZ INFIRMARY / WHITE HOUSE OVAL OFFICE

GENERAL KRAMER

We're having some problems with the account transfer, Frank.

HUMMEL

Don't tell me your problems, tell me your solutions.

GENERAL KRAMER

We've spoken to the President. He's not too happy about this.

Chief of Staff Hayden Sinclair enters.

HUMMEL

Well he'd better give me a goddamn assurance...

HAYDEN SINCLAIR

The only thing the President will give you is a fair trial after you're caught, General.

HUMMEL

That you, Sinclair? What exactly do you do at the White House? Answer the presidential phone? Wash the presidential limousine? Are you his golf caddy, Sinclair?

HAYDEN SINCLAIR

Now you give me some goddamn respect, General....

HUMMEL

You want respect, you child, you coffee server? Let's talk about Dave Ridgeway.

GENERAL KRAMER

Who's Dave Ridgeway, Frank?

HUMMEL

A twenty-two year old marine tortured to death by a communist death squad in the El Salvadoran jungle. His mother and young wife were told by the Pentagon that he went AWOL Let's talk about the respect he got.

LOUIS LINDSTROM

This is going nowhere Frank...

HUMMEL

Then let me tell you what is: The most lethal poison gas known to man into San Francisco's business district. You have twelve hours to deliver the money or be prepared to reap the whirlwind, gentlemen.

CLICK. National Security Advisor Lindstrom stares at the phone. Shakes his head.

LOUIS LINDSTROM

What's the word from Mojave?

GENERAL KRAMER

General Petersen can give us no definite assurance on the Willy Peter capability.

The men stare grimly at each other.

LOUIS LINDSTROM

Greenlight the SEAL incursion.

General Kramer picks up the phone.

CUT TO:

EXT. NAVAL AIRSTRIP (INCURSION STAGING AREA) – DUSK

The INCURSION STAGING AREA (a base in the S.F. vicinity) Goodspeed and Mason, in black dry suits, join Commander Anderson and nine other SEALs.

Four SEALs will be identified: BOYER, REIGERT, DANDO, and SHEPHERD.

COMMANDER ANDERSON

Listen up, men. Mr. Mason here will run point for us. Lieutenant Shepherd will be attached to your hip, Mason. You breath, he breathes with you. Understand?

LIEUTENANT SHEPHERD, young, laconic, nods at Mason.

COMMANDER ANDERSON
Shep, what's the status on the special operational gear for Mason.

SEAL SHEPHERD

(hands over items)

One aluminum fork and one quart of motor oil in a squeeze tube.

GOODSPEED

Motor oil?

MASON

For cottonmouth.

Goodspeed and the SEALs exchange looks.

COMMANDER ANDERSON

Goodspeed here's our specialist. We will cover him while he neutralizes the' chemical threat. If he does his job we'll launch flares and hold our position 'till the cavalry comes. Make no mistake about it, gentlemen, we are going in against an entrenched force led by one hot-shit field commander. We are in the fight of our lives, I bullshit you not. Any questions? Let's move out.

The move across the staging area to –
 

A CH-53 SEA STALLION and two HUEY COBRA ATTACK GUNSHIPS, their BLADES whipping with ferocity.

SEAL Shepherd stands in the Sea Stallion's door. The SEALs board past him. Last are Mason and Goodspeed.

MASON

After you, 'lace."

Goodspeed gives Mason a look and climbs in. Then Mason. Then Shepherd, who SLAMS the door shut.

The GROUND CREW waves red LIGHT SABRES: "all clear." The Hueys and the Sea Stallion lift off.

INT. SEA STALLION – NIGHT

Goodspeed and Mason sit with the SEALs. Grim, determined faces. Not a word spoken.

COMMANDER ANDERSON

Activate mini-cams.

Anderson, Boyer and the other SEALs flip on TINY VIDEOCAMERAS mounted on their shoulders. A NAVAL MEDIC passes out SYRINGES OF ATROPINE in ANKLE SHFATHES.

NAVAL MEDIC

Atropine. Any contact with the gas, use it.

Each SEAL takes one; begins strapping it to ankle. Goodspeed shakes his head, declining.

GOODSPEED

Uhn uhn. I hate needles.

INT. PIER 39 – MOBILE COMMUNICATIONS TRAILER – NIGHT

AT THE CONTROL PANEL – FBI TECHNICIANS talk into headsets and watch a bank of MONITORS displaying: satellite pictures, thermographic images of Alcatraz, a computer bio of Hummel.

Sanchez sits at the control panel wearing a headset. Director Womack paces behind him.

SANCHEZ

Mini-cams operational.

OUTSIDE IN THE WAREHOUSE

An FBI SEDAN pulls in and parks. FBI agent Cord gets out. Carla sits in the back seat.

CARLA

Would you please tell me what is going on?

AGENT CORD

Can't do that, ma'am. Sorry.

EXT. SKIES OVER SAN FRANCISCO BAY – NIGHT

The Hueys and Sea Stallion fly in formation AT CAMERA. The Sea Stallion's running lights suddenly BLINK OFF.

INT. SF.A STALLION – NIGHT

The two SEA STALLION PILOTS don NIGHT VISION GOGGLES.

IN THE HOLD

The SEALs begin to prepare themselves; checking their weapons combat wet-suits, and CLOSED CIRCUIT REBREATHER SCUBA TANKS.

The SEALs begin to don their scuba apparatus.

COMMANDER ANDERSON

You know what you're doing?

MASON

Yes. Little fancier than I'm used to.

Mason examines the equipment. It's more modern, but not foreign to him. He adjusts his depth and oxygen gauges. Goodspeed, having a hard time, watches Mason.

EXT. SKIES OVER SAN FRANCISCO BAY – NIGHT

The HUEYS, 50 ft. from the water's surface, SCREAM PAST CAMERA and bear down on Alcatraz.

The SEA STALLION, lagging behind the Hueys, BANKS RIGHT and peels away. It descends lower, below radar.

INT. PIER 39 COMMAND CENTER – NIGHT

The FBI RADAR TECHNICIAN watches the RADAR SCREEN... Glowing BLIPS move toward Alcatraz. One BLIP vanishes.

FBI RADAR TECHNICIAN

They're off radar, headin' 'round Treasure Island.

EXT. SKIES OVER TREASURE ISLAND – NIGHT

The Sea Stallion rounds Treasure Island and heads toward the rear of Alcatraz Island.

INT. SEA STALLION – NIGHT

The SEA STALLION PILOT turns to Anderson.

Sea Stallion Pilot
I got you to the strongest current in the Bay, Commander. You're on your own from here.

COMMANDER ANDERSON

Prepare to deplore!

CUT TO:

A SERIES OF SHOTS

The SEALs stand. Each checks the gear of the man in front of him. Straps tightened. Weapons checked.

IN THE REAR OF THE HOLD

FOUR SEALS ready two high-tech 139B 3-man submersibles called "SDUs" (Seal Delivery Units), also known as "Seal Subs."

Mason is ready to go, calm and steady, eyes forward. Goodspeed's still behind. He has his scuba tanks shouldered, but he can't get the list of the tricky catches on the shoulder harness secured...

Mason reaches over and secures, with a METALLIC DLINK, the catch. Goodspeed, embarrassed, nods.

AT THE BACK OF THE HOLD

139F SHEPHERD, with a nod, directs Mason to sit down on the SDU behind SEAL BOYER, the SDU's driver.

Mason does so. Chaney then sits behind Mason. SEAL Dando then begins buckling Shepherd and Mason onto the sled with harnesses (the unit's version of a seat-belt.)

EXT. SAN FRANCISCO BAY (OFF ALCATRAZ) – NIGHT

The Sea Stallion hovers 15 ft. from the surface. The BELLY DOOR opens. COMMANDER ANDERSON leans out, inspecting the drop area. he hand-signals to –

SEAL Dando, reading the two SDUs. Goodspeed sits on the SECOND SDU behind SEAL Reigert. SEAL Dando begins buckling in Goodspeed.

GOODSPEED

Wait a minute.

(Dando stops buckling)

What if this thing crashes...

Dando looks at Reigert. They laugh. This remark they obviously find very funny. Dando continues buckling Goodspeed in.

MASON

Smile Goodspeed. Live a little. Life is short... especially yours.

And the SDUs are released, rolling out of the Sea Stallion on a set of tracks, SPLASHING DOWN into –

EXT. UNDERWATER – NIGHT

The bay here. The SDUs' XENON headlamps come on.

EXT. THE SEA STALLION – DOORWAY – NIGHT

The rest of the SEALs, carrying equipment and single man mini-SDU units, jump from the Sea Stallion one by one.

EXT. UNDERWATER – NIGHT