Rush Hour

Walther's SECRETARY rushes in.

SECRETARY
Mr. Walther... priority line!

WALTHER

(into phone)

This is Diplomatic Liaison Earl Walther... What's the nature of your emer –

(grimaces)

Aw, Jesus... not today...

(beat)

I'll inform channels and get a copter in the air. For God's sake, keep it quiet. Do what you can, but don't endanger civilians or the family!

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

Carson drives with one hand, while holding the radio.

CARSON

(into radio)

You bet – nice and easy.

Real easy, until he narrowly MISSES a bunch of cars when SCREECHING around a corner.

INT. FEDERAL BUILDING – STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICES – DAY

Walther presses the intercom button on the phone.

WALTHER

(into phone)

Get the Secretary of State on the horn.

(listens)

I know he left already. I'm familiar with the concept of time zones. Find his ass.

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

Carson turns the frequency on his two-way.

CARSON

(into radio)

Robbins, Sabatini... Chopper's on its way.

EXT. WASHINGTON BLVD – DAY

Driving skillfully, Carson edges past the North Koreans.

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

And then, Carson can't believe it: he spots Javal's van, a couple blocks ahead, driving at normal speed.

CARSON

(into radio)

Check it out! Ahead, on the right!

SABATINI (V.O.)

(thru radio)

Think it's them?

CARSON

(into radio)

Yeah... but it seems too easy... I'll move up; he won't suspect a civilian car. Stay back, then get on his ass when I signal. We'll box him in.

He looks over at Colonel Lee, whose car is pacing his.

CARSON

(continuing; into radio)

If the Mod Squad gets in your way, don't be shy about getting 'em out.

SABATINI (V.O.)

(thru radio)

Copy that one.

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

Glaring, Colonel Lee looks over at the FBI cars as they pass.

INT. DAVE'S DODGE – (MOVING SHOT) – DAY

Sabatini pulls out her machine pistol, and tosses the two-way to Dave. He looks scared, and carsick.

SABATINI

Don't puke... I hate when guys puke!

EXT. WASHINGTON BLVD – DAY

Carson tries to approach Javal without drawing his attention.

INT. JAVAL'S VAN – (MOVING SHOT) – DAY

He still drives at the same speed as the surrounding traffic.

HIS POV

As Carson nonchalantly passes, Javal NOTICES the government-issue two-way radio sitting on the seat of Carson's Volvo.

JAVAL

Grins... it's show-time. He STOMPS on the gas.

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

Pissed that he's been made, Carson speeds up.

INT. JAVAL'S VAN – (MOVING SHOT) – DAY

Driving fast, Javal makes a hard right. As the van leans with the turn, something rolls out from under a sheet of canvas on the floor – the Governess' BODY, bloodied and grotesque under the plastic tarp it's wrapped in.

Joy starts SCREAMING, as does everyone else when they see it.

Javal pulls out a Beretta Centurion 9mm pistol and FIRES a deafening round through the roof of the van.

JAVAL
I need to concentrate!

EXT. WASHINGTON BLVD – DAY

During a lull in traffic, a WELL-DRESSED WOMAN jaywalks across the street. An LAPD black-and-white changes lanes and puts on its flashing lights. As two COPS write her a ticket...

Around the corner TWO MEN make a quick exchange of money and a vial of crack.

NEW ANGLE

The Cops do notice Javal speeding by, with Carson's Volvo, the FBI Dodge and Colonel Lee's car in hot pursuit. They shove the ticket in the Well-Dressed Woman's hand and hop in their car.

EXT. LA CIENEGA BLVD / SIDE STREETS – DAY

Javal turns onto the side streets – rows of run-down apartment buildings. He takes a circuitous route, gaining a one-block lead on Carson and the others.

Then, he makes a sudden turn into a one-way alley.

INT. JAVAL'S VAN – (MOVING SHOT) – DAY

Javal hits a remote garage door opener. Ahead, rickety doors on one of a line of detached garages facing the alley OPEN up.

Across from the garage, parked parallel against the back of an empty building, we notice a duplicate van. It's facing the same direction as Javal is driving.

Javal slams on the brakes, stopping just past the garage, and then quickly backs up into the garage.

INT. ALLEYWAY GARAGE / JAVAL'S VAN – DAY

As he pulls in, we catch GLIMPSES of the van slipping backwards into a FIBERGLASS SUPERSTRUCTURE that fits tightly around the rear two-thirds of it. As the van comes to a stop, several snap-buckles on the edge of the superstructure spring closed.

Javal reaches out the van window and pulls on a rope hanging from the ceiling of the garage. The rope releases the door from the opening mechanism, so it immediately falls CLOSED.

Then, Javal turns several switches on another of his neatly-constructed remotes:

INT. DUPLICATE VAN – SERIES OF SHOTS – DAY

Steel straps are holding the steering wheel rigid.

A set of relays, triggered remotely, start the engine;

Engage the transmission;

And supply fuel to the carburetor.

EXT. ALLEYWAYS

The duplicate van takes off down the alley. Just as it gets up to speed, Carson and the others round the corner into the alley behind it. As far as they know, they're still chasing Javal.

The alley is several blocks long, running parallel to the main road, separated at each block by perpendicular streets. The duplicate van races along, scraping against parked cars and the rear walls of buildings...

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

CARSON

(into radio)

He's gonna wrap it around something!
 

EXT. ALLEYWAYS – DAY

Indeed, as the duplicate van crosses a street, cars swerve to avoid hitting it. It continues into the next alley.

Up ahead, a garbage truck lumbers into the far end of the alley, its metal lift-rods extended to pick up a dumpster.

CARSON (O.S.)

Oh, shit...

The duplicate van CRASHES into the garbage truck and EXPLODES.

NEW ANGLE

Carson, horrified, jumps out of his car. Robbins and Sabatini run up. They have to hold Carson away from the burning van. Dave hurries to the back of a building and gets sick.

Colonel Lee, wide-eyed with anger, gets in Carson's face.

COLONEL LEE

You should not have interfered!

Carson shoves Colonel Lee out of his way, hard.

CARSON

I'm in no mood...

Colonel Lee comes back, ready for a fight. Carson is happy to oblige, but Robbins grabs Carson's arm.

ROBBINS

Forget about him!

By now, ONLOOKERS have begun to gather, as LAPD black-and whites and helicopters converge on the area.

EXT. ALLEYWAY GARAGE – DAY

A block away, the garage door opens, and we hear something eerie and unexpected: a scratchy, music-box kids' SONG, coming from a loudspeaker.

Javal's van pulls out and we see its TRANSFORMATION: The superstructure surrounding the body of the van makes it look like a graffiti-covered, unlicensed ice cream vendor.

EXT. ALLEYWAYS – DAY

The entrance of the alley is blocked by a black-and-white. So, accompanied by the SONG, Javal drives along the one-way alley in his camouflaged van, passing unnoticed by the authorities.

Anguished, Carson is staring at the BURNING duplicate van...

CUT TO:

EXT. BEVERLY DRIVE – (FLASHBACK) – DAY

Beverly Thrift EXPLODES and BURNS...

CUT TO:

EXT. ALLEYWAYS – DAY

Carson tries to shake the memory away. He looks around, sensing that something isn't right, then turns to the other agents.

CARSON

Let's get back to the Consulate.

Off their perplexed looks, we
 

DISSOLVE TO:

INT. BACHELOR APARTMENT – DAY

One room, bathroom and kitchenette. A laptop computer and peripherals are on a table, along with some cell phones, a toolbox, and some jumbles of electronic circuitry.

In the main room, there are three large Lazy-Boy easy chairs, side by side, facing a 27-inch TV on a stand. A cloth covers two OBJECTS sitting atop the TV.

The door opens. Mrs. Han, Joy, Sam, and Lisa walk in, rigid with fear. Javal, Beretta 9mm in hand, comes in behind them and closes the door. Javal strips off his sweat-soaked shirt and wipes his face with it. Mrs. Han realizes he's wired to the moon... and it terrifies her.

JAVAL

Does anyone need to use the rest room? This will be your last opportunity for a few hours.

(no takers)

Very well. Mrs. Han, Sam, Joy, please sit here.

(indicates the Lazy Boys; then turns to Lisa)

And you... what is your name?

LISA

(after a beat)

Lisa...

Still holding the Beretta, he grabs a polo shirt from the closet and pulls it on. As the family sits in the chairs:

JAVAL

No, Mrs. Han, this one. Thank you.

He takes a pair of handcuffs out of his pants pocket. He tries to handcuff Lisa, hands behind her back, but she resists.

JAVAL

(continuing; sotto)

You afford me some additional bargaining power. But not much.

She wilts. Javal cuffs her to the handles of the refrigerator. He puts a strip of duct tape from his tool box across her mouth.

He uncovers one of the items atop the TV: An electronic box with three pairs of oversized, LED VU meters on the front of it.

We NOTICE neat lines of wires running from each of the chairs up into it. Javal flips one of a row of switches on it; a green light and the meters come to life.

JAVAL
(continuing)

There. No taping your mouths, no restraints. Please remain still while I explain. The meters on the left indicate sound pressure – Decibels. There are microphones on your chair backs. If you raise your voices above certain level, putting your meter in the red zone for more than one sustained second, the circuit will be closed.

(beat)

The right meters indicate motion. There are pressure sensors inside the armrests and seats. The sensors don't like to get wet, so I hope you were honest about not needing to use the loo. If you make any excess movements, or try to leave your chair, the circuit will be closed.

MRS. HAN

I don't understand...

She looks at her sound meter, which jumped close to the red.

MRS. HAN

(continuing; softly)

What happens if the circuit closes?

JAVAL

Kaboom...

He uncovers the other item atop the TV – a one-pound brick of C-4 high explosive with the detonation mechanism jammed into it. Mrs. Han gasps and begins to PANIC.

JAVAL
(continuing)

Easy... deep breath...

(to the kids)

Do each of you understand?

They nod. Tears roll down Joy's face.

JAVAL

(continuing)

Keep your wits, and all will be fine.

He flips another switch and the green light turns yellow. He then turns on the TV. COVERAGE of the Summit is everywhere.

COMMENTATOR #1

(on TV)

... Not since the '84 Olympics has the whole city had an such an opportunity –

Javal turns the channel to a SOAP, and MUTES it. He starts pacing, and glances at his watch. It's 9:15 AM.

INT. GOVERNMENT HELICOPTER – (AERIAL SHOT) – DAY

Earl Walther looks through the window as his copter lands on the lawn behind the North Korean Consulate.

EXT. NORTH KOREAN CONSULATE – DAY

As the copter lands, Carson comes out to meet Walther.

WALTHER

Carson?

(Carson nods)

Walther. Who told the Ambassador?

CARSON

His Security Chief.

(beat)

There was a civilian with them – fifteen-year-old girl from across the street. We're trying to reach the parents.

WALTHER

Goddamn it...

(sotto)

Look, Mrs. Han was the North Korean Premier's niece! We're hearing rumors they're gonna make a major issue out of what happened here...

INT. NORTH KOREAN CONSULATE – HALLWAY – DAY

Carson and Walther come into the house. We hear only the TICKING of the grandfather clock in the foyer.

Colonel Lee and his Officers stand by the stairs; Robbins, Sabatini and Dave stand together near the front door.

CARSON

I'm not so sure what happened here. Something smells. Asshole was acting like he wanted us to spot him...

WALTHER

What the hell are you talking about?

AMBASSADOR HAN (O.S.)

Mr. Walther?

Ambassador Han comes down the stairs, his face tight with repressed emotion.

WALTHER

Ambassador Han... my deepest –

AMBASSADOR HAN

– I have no wish for condolences. Just answers.

WALTHER

As soon as we have any to give...

Suddenly, the Butler sprints across the foyer. He shoves the cordless phone into Ambassador Han's hands.

Ambassador Han listens to the phone, then takes in a sharp breath and sits on the steps.

AMBASSADOR HAN

(into phone)

Yoon...?!