Rush Hour

Carson's Volvo follows, squeezing through traffic in its wake.

INT. NEWS COPTER – (AERIAL SHOT) DAY

Bobbi is salivating with excitement (and antacid.) She snaps off her mic and yells at her Cameraman:

BOBBI

Don't lose the Benz, moron... pull back... show the other copters around us... this is fuckin' great...

INT. CARSON'S VOLVO – (MOVING SHOT) – DAY

Ambassador Han looks glumly at the chaos in the streets.

CARSON

... The Colonel hired Javal, made it look like he was working alone. Then he made sure Javal got killed, so we'd never find your family – and they'd have an excuse to drop their bomb. But what's in it for 'em?

AMBASSADOR HAN

There are men in my government whose power depends on North Korea staying as it is: Socialist, repressive, isolated from the world. They'll resort to anything, even war, to keep it that way. They have the Hitler Syndrome: if their country cannot exist the way they want it, they would rather see it destroyed.

EXT. WESTERN AVENUE – DAY

Colonel Lee gets stuck in a line of cars trying to get onto the 10 East. Above, a swarm of HELICOPTERS circle him.

INT. APACHE HELICOPTER – (AERIAL SHOT) – DAY

Marine MAJOR VREELAND and his PILOT sit in the lead helicopter, an Apache Gunship.

INT. CARSON'S VOLVO – (MOVING SHOT) – DAY

Carson leans on the HORN and tries to push through traffic.

VREELAND (V.O.)

(thru radio)

FBI, this is Major Vreeland. Discontinue your pursuit, we're gonna box his ears from up here.

CARSON

(into radio)

Negative – his car's armored! And we need the bastard alive!!

VREELAND (V.O.)

(thru radio)

We've got the situation in hand.

INT. COLONEL LEE'S MERCEDES – DAY

Colonel Lee sees the Apache helicopter approach. He leans into the back seat, knocking the top off a long, plastic crate.

INT. APACHE HELICOPTER – (AERIAL SHOT) – DAY

The SUNROOF on the Mercedes slides open. Colonel Lee's upper body pokes through the sunroof. He's holding a manportable S.A.M. – a 3-foot-long, fiberglass rocket launcher.

Vreeland tries to bring his machine guns to bear on Colonel Lee, but there's no time...

VREELAND

(to Pilot)

Shit! Pull back!

EXT. COLONEL LEE'S MERCEDES – DAY

Colonel Lee depresses the trigger on the launcher and a rolling-pin-sized rocket is EXPELLED.

EXT. SKY ABOVE WESTERN AVENUE – DAY

The rocket SLAMS into a police helicopter just in front of the Apache, creating a huge FIREBALL, turning the copter into two tons of red-hot shrapnel.

INT. CARSON'S VOLVO – DAY

Carson and Ambassador Han watch with horror.

INT. NEWS COPTER – (AERIAL SHOT) – DAY

A hundred yards away, they're BUFFETED by the explosion.

BOBBI
(to TV camera)

Jesus fuckin' God!!!

(beat; smiles)

Uh, I think we're gonna set down now. Back to you, Brent.

EXT. WESTERN AVENUE – VARIOUS ANGLES – DAY

The burning hull of the police copter CRASHES into a mini-mall, causing a FIRE and EXPLOSION.

Hot metal and debris PINGS and POPS as it rains over the neighborhood, sending cars and pedestrians rushing for cover.

EXT. HELICOPTERS – DAY

Vreeland's Apache and the remaining helicopters scramble away.

VREELAND

(into radio)

Out of the air, or retreat 7,000 meters from target vehicle!

The copters set down in parking lots, rooftops, wherever. Armed troops climb out to keep PANICKED MOBS from swarming them in an attempt to leave the city.

INT. BACHELOR APARTMENT – INCLUDE ANGLE ON TV – DAY

The Han family watches the TV, amazed, as Colonel Lee ducks back down into the Mercedes and closes the sunroof.

JOY

I always hated that guy...

EXT. SANTA MONICA FREEWAY – DAY

Other drivers, not knowing whether Colonel Lee's rocket is the biological missile, scatter away from him. Colonel Lee squeezes onto the freeway on-ramp.

INT. CARSON'S VOLVO – (MOVING SHOT) – DAY

Pieces of burning DEBRIS are still landing nearby. Carson looks at Ambassador Han:

CARSON
One of yours?

(Han nods)

What the hell do you need heat-seeking rockets for in L.A.?

AMBASSADOR HAN

There could be another riot...

CARSON

(shakes his head)

And they call me Mr. Overkill.

(into radio)

Dave, what do you know about...

He looks at Han.

AMBASSADOR HAN

Strela-2...

CARSON

(into radio)

Strela-2 anti-aircraft rockets?

INT. NORTH KOREAN CONSULATE – SURVEILLANCE ROOM – DAY

Dave, calmer but still sweating, taps at his computer. A schematic of Colonel Lee's rocket launcher appears on it.

DAVE

(into radio)

I'm with ya... Strela-2. Perenosniy zenitniy raketniy kompleks. Russian factory index 9K-32-M2 –

CARSON (V.O.)

(thru radio)

– Skip the goddamn trivia! I need range, guidance, arming method, anything we can work with...

MIRANDA (V.O.)

(thru radio)

– You don't "work with" rockets, Peter!

INT. POLICE CRUISER – (MOVING SHOT) – DAY

Miranda has hitched a ride in a black-and-white.

MIRANDA

(into radio)

Stay back. LAPD's putting up a roadblock.

EXT. SANTA MONICA FREEWAY – DAY

Several police cars clear a path for two huge, yellow DWP BULLDOZERS borrowed from a construction cite.

They rumble up onto the eastbound freeway, turn, and then stop, side by side, facing oncoming traffic. They lower their huge front shovels to create a roadblock.

INT. NEWS COPTER – CLOSE – DAY

Bobbi sits impatiently, microphone in hand...

WIDER

The copter has landed behind an AM-PM Minimart/gas station.

Bobbi, her Pilot and her Cameraman turn when they hear a KNOCKING on the windshield of their copter...

Oblivious to the panic on the streets, a raggedy HOMELESS GUY stands with a spray bottle, wanting to wash the windows on the copter. Bobbi gulps some Mylanta and waves him away:

BOBBI
Save it for someone who gives a shit!

EXT. STREETS OF LOS ANGELES – VARIOUS ANGLES – DAY

All of the celebration locales are trampled, abandoned messes. So much for "Fun Fun Fun" and L.A. putting on its best.

MOBS make panicked runs on the stock in grocery, drug and hardware stores. Violence breaks out in the aisles and parking lots.

PEOPLE in their homes work feverishly to seal their doors and windows against the plague with tape, towels, plastic.

INT. COLONEL LEE'S MERCEDES – (MOVING SHOT) – DAY

Colonel Lee screeches to a stop 500 feet from the bulldozers, angling the Mercedes so the driver's door is facing them.

EXT. SANTA MONICA FREEWAY – DAY

The windows on the Mercedes glide open....

Carson hurries to catch up to it...

Colonel Lee FIRES a rocket at the bulldozers through the driver's side window. The BACKBLAST from the launcher vents through the passenger's side.

The ROCKET impacts the bulldozer on the left; the EXPLOSION actually FLIPS the huge machine head over tail into the air.

The bulldozer lands upside down on the lane divider, crushing a portion of it.

Colonel Lee rolls up his windows and drives around the burning wreckage.

The other drivers really give him wide berth now...

EXT. HARBOR FREEWAY – DAY

Approaching downtown, Colonel Lee turns onto the 110 north.

INT. CARSON'S VOLVO – (MOVING SHOT) – DAY

Traffic moves aside for Colonel Lee's notorious Mercedes. Carson catches up to it.

DAVE (V.O.)

(thru radio)

... The Strela-2 needs 45 meters to arm, so stay tight on his ass.

Carson SLAMS his Volvo into the Mercedes. Ambassador Han braces himself on the dashboard. Carson looks over at him.

CARSON
That Kraut-mobile have any weaknesses you'd like to tell me about?

AMBASSADOR HAN

I don't think so – they said it was solid as a rock.

CARSON

(looks at his crumpled car)

No shit...

As Carson moves forward, Colonel Lee's window opens enough to allow the barrel of his AMD-74 machine gun to poke through.

Carson shoves Ambassador Han's head down and ducks. Colonel Lee STRAFES the Volvo.

Carson looks up just in time to see...

A pickup truck, ahead, stalled on the shoulder.

Carson slams on the brakes, but it's too late... The Volvo CRASHES headfirst into the back of the truck.

The Volvo's AIRBAGS deploy, stopping Carson and Ambassador Han from plowing into the dashboard. After a beat:

AMBASSADOR HAN
(dazed)

I can't believe I'm still alive...

CARSON

This were a Hyundai you wouldn't be.

Ambassador Han looks at Carson, wondering if he's putting him on. The car is a twisted mess. Carson can't get the door open.

EXT. HARBOR FREEWAY – DAY

A red and white LAFD paramedic's ambulance puts on its SIREN and hurries to the Volvo. Two PARAMEDICS jump out.

CARSON
Get me out of here...

They pry his door open with a crowbar. Carson climbs onto the roof of his car. Grimacing from pain, he looks around.

CARSON
(continuing; into radio)

Anybody see him?

MIRANDA (V.O.)

(thru radio)

Still heading north on the 110.

The Paramedics pry the passenger door open and help Ambassador Han out. Carson looks at the ambulance. He's getting an idea...

CARSON

(into radio)

Dave... You're sure those rockets are heat-seeking?

DAVE (V.O.)

(thru radio)

Classic IR, reflective optical system. How come?

CARSON

(into radio)

Just keep working your leads...