Screenplay. Riverboat Justice, 2 Flight. The Visual Writer, LLC

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2 Flight - Riverboat Justice

ESTABLISH SHOT: EXPONENTIAL RESEARCH CORPORATION, Defense Products Research & Development, Tucson, Arizona.

INT. LAB - DAY

ADRIAN is draining fluid from a prototype miniature (drone) airplane that is nearly invisible. DINO appears in the doorway and enters hurriedly.

DINO

Here you are! I've been looking -

Dino runs into the three foot wing section projecting toward the doorway. The plane scoots across the counter, taking Adrian with it; Adrian seemingly battles the air to keep it from falling.

ADRIAN

Dino! Don't you ever watch where
you're going?

DINO

Watch!? The thing is invisible -
how do you expect anyone to see it.

ADRIAN

Why are you in such a hurry?

DINO

We have to make a presentation to
the suits five minutes ago. Bring
the plane, they're waiting.

ADRIAN

I'm draining fuel. They'll wait.

The phone rings. Dino shrugs and leaves. Adrian answers.

ADRIAN

Nematodes and Black Nightshade, Inc.
NELSON (V.O.)
Adrian?

ADRIAN

You got me. Who is this?
NELSON (V.O.)
This is Captain Nelson.

ADRIAN

Nelson as in my late father's motorcycle cop friend Nelson?
NELSON (V.O.)
Yes!

ADRIAN

Captain. Wow, the police department really moved you up.
NELSON (V.O.)
No, I'm not police now, I'm Captain of a riverboat - an entertainment and gambling riverboat in St. Louis.

ADRIAN

Tell me you've called to offer me a job.
NELSON (V.O.)
Well, kind of. I have a little investigating I need done that I want to keep hush-hush.
I wondered if you had any vacation coming, maybe I could get you some perks.
I haven't seen you in.... three, four years.

ADRIAN

Sounds like fun. But you know, I have some really complicated problems here I don't know how they are going to turn out. Give me a day or so and I'll call you back. OK.
NELSON (V.O.)
Sure.

ADRIAN

Gotta' go, I'm late for a meeting. Bye.

EXT. CONFERENCE ROOM - DAY

STEVE, scowling, waits near the door as Dino approaches. Steve pointedly checks his watch.

STEVE

Did you find him?

DINO

He's coming.

DINO POV SHOT: through the door shows half a dozen people waiting impatiently, the CEO seated at the front of the conference table pensively opening a folder and closing it unread, then drumming his finger on the folder.

STEVE

The CEO is waiting.

DINO

(Loudly)
He's draining fuel.

SHARON looks out. Dino waves at her and shrugs. Sharon comes to the door.

SHARON

Doesn't anything bother that guy?

DINO

(Smiles)
Not Adrian. I've been on training
missions with him - missiles coming in - I'm crapping in my pants, it's like he's watching fireworks. Arms dealers threaten us - nothing ruffles his feathers.

SHARON

Arms dealers?

DINO

Never mind, that's classified.

Paul enters the hall.

PAUL

(To Sharon)
Letting that guy near military people
is like throwing a match in gasoline.

Adrian approaches down the hall, carrying the drone. Paul goes back inside.

PAUL

The comedy team is on it's way.

DINO

He was born two weeks late. His
mother had to pull him out.

Adrian peeks in around the door frame.

ADRIAN

I had to carry it up the stairs, it won't fit on the elevator.

Adrian makes a big show of cautiously maneuvering the plane through the door, careful of the wings, and stands it in a corner. No one can see it, but they gaze at it, murmuring with admiration about how invisible it is.

PAUL

Over here, Adrian. Put the plane on the table where we can get a good look at it.

Adrian picks up the plane, maneuvers the wings past himself, then gives it a heave toward the center of the table. Everyone ducks. Nothing happens and Adrian laughs aloud.

ADRIAN

It's in the hall.

Adrian gets the plane from the hall and puts it in the middle of the table.

PAUL

You should find a magician's job
and quietly leave this one.

ADRIAN

I've had a magician's job. And I can make Vice Presidents disappear, too.

The CEO nods to Steve.

STEVE

Gentlemen, speaking for Sharon and I, we're pleased to present to you our magnificent new product, and we'll let the people who designed it, whom all of you know, our Shadow Hawk team leaders, Adrian and Dino, present our
new Shadow Hawk, tactical weapon.

ADRIAN

It's simple, really. The plane is invisible so the troops can't see it coming. It flies over them and sprays a chemical. They puke, cry, go into a stupor, or die. End of battle. Any questions?

PAUL

Don't you even know how to make a presentation? Tell us how it meets or exceeds specifications.

ADRIAN

The specifications you gave us fill two friggin' books. One for camouflaged delivery systems, that's mine. The other for chemicals, that's Dino. Ask me a question.

PAUL

(Exasperated)
Tell us about it! Why can't people see the plane? What is it made of?

ADRIAN

It's called frozen smoke. It's an aerogel, one the lightest substances known, but strong and transparent.

DINO

(To Paul)
Trans.par.ent: you can see through it.

Sharon and the CEO hide their smiles. Paul and Steve frown at Dino.

CEO

All right guys, next week you will be making a presentation to several
military generals. A two hundred fifty million dollar contract will be riding on you. Now let's cut the crap and make this a practice presentation.

Dino sets a can on the table.

DINO

This is part of the fuel component. It's liquid oxygen - microencapsulated. It releases at a very slow rate into the fuel stream. The fuel is also microencapsulated.
It won't explode on impact and it's
environmentally safe.

SHARON

Is this fully tested?

DINO

I've injected the oxygen into rabbits and kept them alive for four hours. I've injected them with the fuel with no side effects. I've injected them with the oxygen and fuel, lit a match, they cook for hours.

PAUL

I don't care if it won't hurt rabbits. I want to know that the weapon kills armies.

ADRIAN

(Serious)
We have a final test flight scheduled for this afternoon. You can see it fly
tomorrow.

SHARON

What is the test for today?

ADRIAN

Programming check. Flight sequence error, termination initiation programming.

SHARON

(Looks at Dino)
Interpretation, Mr. Trans.par.ent.

DINO

It blows up in mid flight.

ADRIAN

Hey, it isn't my fault. Remember
me, I disguise and conceal things.
Magic. NASA Programmed it.

STEVE

Paul hired contractors for programming. People with NASA experience.

ADRIAN

We have it fixed.

PAUL

(Spelling it out)
Tell.us.how.the.plane.works.

ADRIAN

The fuselage and fuel tanks are aerosol gel, plastic reinforced. No radar signature.
   The working components are all plastic.
   Video cameras are mostly plastic.
   The fuel is chemical, invented by Dino.
   When the chemicals are combined they don't give off much heat, but create a high pressure gas driving a plastic turbine engine. Very quiet. Kind of like a bath tub boat running on baking soda.

CEO

Don't use that illustration with the
Department of Defense. Emphasize high tech. What is the range, they always ask that first.

ADRIAN

Two hour, fifty mile range. It's so light it can hover against the wind like a kite. Is it OK to say kite?
CEO shakes his head no.

PAUL

What is the dead air stall speed?

ADRIAN

Stall speed ten miles per hour. You can hold it above your head to launch it. You can land it, catch it, or trap it in a net.

SHARON

What about radar?

ADRIAN

There's no metal in it, except for the electronics. Besides, it flies too ow.
Hovers like a ki- butterfly.

PAUL

Could you capture that thing with a butterfly net?

EXT. WEAPONS TEST RANGE - DAY

Adrian rides through the gate on his motorcycle. Dino comes through in a truck, carrying the plane in the back. They park just inside the gate and Adrian carries the plane to a small dirt landing strip.

DINO

I can see it all now. Armies running
across the field into battle, every soldier carrying a butterfly net.

ADRIAN

How did I get myself into this business? I spend all day making stuff for wars and talking to people who's only goal in life is
to kill people.

DINO

We could be working at some university lab scrimping for material, fighting for grants, and getting paid university dollars.
It doesn't get any better than this.

ADRIAN

I was afraid of that.

Adrian operates the plane by remote control. After the plane disappears, they watch a TV monitor on which a field of soldiers appears. The plane carries two cameras, one pointed ahead and one to the rear. Adrian hands the remote control to Dino.

ADRIAN

Your turn to drop the bomb.

Dino guides the plane toward the troops, which are cardboard mockups, to just above arms reach. He presses a button and the plane spews a chemical fog out the back of the plane onto the soldiers.

ADRIAN

Make it do a zig-zag pattern or one of those soldiers will shoot it down.

DINO

I know all those soldiers personally. They've sworn never to shoot anything invisible.

Dino makes the plane do a zig-zag pattern.

ADRIAN

What's the chemical in the fog?

DINO

Angel dust. Actually a chemical
derivative that's a lot more potent.

ADRIAN

Are they happy or dead?

DINO

What do you want them to be?

ADRIAN

Squirming on the ground in ecstasy,
kicking off their clothes and engaging in wild sex. We win and nobody gets hurt.

DINO

That's what happens. Are you all right? Ever since that last Saudi assignment you've turned into a hedonist like me.

ADRIAN

Those arms dealers worry me. I got another call last night.

DINO

Same message.

ADRIAN

Yep, today we die.

DINO

Again?

Adrian and Dino take out notebooks and record notes.

DINO

Project is a smashing success.

ADRIAN

Why don't I feel good about it?

DINO

You need some rest and relaxation, bad. What's on tap for you tonight?

ADRIAN

I have a date who has promised to
squirm on the floor, kick off her
clothes and engage me in wild sex.

Dino lands the plane.

DINO

Can I come?

ADRIAN

Sure. Bring your own date. Bring a spare for me just in case mine doesn't show.

DINO

Yours was never going to show.

ADRIAN

You know me too well. What's wrong with me, Dino? I just can't take any of this seriously.

DINO

(Facetiously)
I don't know. I used to look up to you, but I'm losing a lot of respect for you since you turned into a hedonist like me.

ADRIAN

I have a friend who is Captain of a
Riverboat. I could get on there
temporarily.

DINO

If you're bailing out, I'm going, too. I'm not facing these gun dealers alone. But pick something better than a riverboat.

ADRIAN

What's wrong with a riverboat?

DINO

What would I do? Make chemical bombs to blow the competition out of the water?

ADRIAN

It's a gambling and entertainment boat. Maybe you could do stand-up comedy.

DINO

I haven't done it since college. Get
serious.

ADRIAN

I'll back you up with magic -

Adrian stares at a dust cloud being raised by some vehicle coming across the desert.

ADRIAN

What's that coming across the
desert? No one is supposed to be
on the test range when we have it.

DINO

They must be going ninety.

The truck approaches with machine guns with gunners on it. It slows, fires at the two. They duck behind an observation wall. The truck circles and continues firing.

ADRIAN

Get to the armaments building and sound the alarm! Set up the canon.

Adrian grabs the remote control for the plane, then dashes for his motorcycle, starts it, races on the opposite side of the wall, then around bleachers, the truck following and firing. Adrian indicates to Dino to head for the nearby armaments building and he heads across the desert. The truck doesn't follow. Instead, two men on motorcycles and one on an ATV exit the rear of the truck. The ATV goes after Dino who is racing his truck toward the offices.

Adrian stops behind a sand mound, his head above the surface, and uses the controls to make the plane take off. The truck launches a laser guided rocket at Adrian. Adrian ducks and it blows up some of the sand mound. Adrian directs the plane over the guy on the ATV and releases the chemical. The ATV careens out of control and the truck goes after him. Adrian passes the plane over one motorcycle. The plane delivers a puff of fog, then quits. Adrian depresses the switch several times, but it doesn't work. He corrects the plane's path toward the perimeter, throws the control in a saddle bag and rides in an arc toward the perimeter, then follows the perimeter, which is bordered by a ten foot high fence with razor wire at the top. The two riders are gaining on him and are beginning to fire.

From the roof of the armaments building, Dino sets up a laser and fires at the gas tanks on the truck. The truck explodes and burns.

Bullets track around Adrian. He cuts away at an angle, and suddenly vanishes (behind a desert camouflage poster). As the two pass, searching for him, Adrian heads directly for the perimeter fence. The two riders wheel around firing wildly. Adrian accelerates on a collision course with the fence. Ten feet from it, going at high speed, his motorcycle climbs a utility pole support cable and he shoots across the fence. The other two riders stop and shoot at him, but he is gone. The laser fires a warning blast at them and they ride zig-zag away from there, going out the same opening they cut in the fence to get in.

INT. CONFERENCE ROOM - DAY

Adrian, Dino, SENATOR PAULSON, GENERAL CARLTON, Sharon and the CEO sit at the conference room table. Adrian and Dino are rocking in their chairs. The others are very business like. Slides are being presented of the truck, showing two charred bodies within and a third in the rear on machine gun.

CEO

Recognize any of these people?

ADRIAN

No. I told you who is responsible. It's the arms dealers.

DINO

Nice test of the laser cannon.

SHARON

Twenty five years late.

SENATOR

Gentlemen, you are wasting my time. I'm taking precious time away from the Senate and you two aren't taking any of this seriously. It is "incumbent" on you two to shed any light you can on this.

GENERAL

This was a serious act of aggression. It "behooves" you boys to help us identify our enemy.

CEO

Your "responsibility" to this company is to tell us everything you know.

ADRIAN

Just why are you taking so much
interest in this, Senator Paulson?

CEO

Adrian, that was a very inappropriate question. Senator, I apologize.

GENERAL

Who are these arms dealers?

ADRIAN

I don't know their names.

SENATOR

Because there aren't any. This has all the markings of a terrorist attack - for which we are pitifully unprotected and underfunded. That's my interest in this.

GENERAL

Shadow Hawk is a tactical weapon that any one of many third world countries might be interested in.

CEO

Have you two talked to anyone else about this project, or any other project?

Adrian and Dino shake their heads.

SHARON

Not even pillow talk?

They both shake their heads.

CEO

Do you know of anyone who would want to steal the system?

They both shake their heads.

ADRIAN

No one even knew the Shadow Hawk was being tested. They shot at us to kill us - it was arms dealers.

They all ignore Adrian for two beats.

SENATOR

I think we would be gravely mistaken not to look for terrorists sponsored by Saddam Hussein.

DINO

What's up for tonight, Adrian?
Sexual encounter of the third kind?

GENERAL

What the Hell is that?

Sharon closes her eyes. The CEO looks uncomfortable.

ADRIAN

Extraterrestrials are coming tonight.
Dino has contacted them with his lithium crystal communicator. We're going to propagate an entire new race that actually listens when we tell them information.

CEO

All right, that's it! One more remark like that and you're both fired. You want us to listen then tell us something about these alleged arms dealers.

ADRIAN

Suppose I cry, swear, yell at people and kick the furniture; then will you take me seriously?

CEO

Take this seriously: If arms dealers are really after you, then you're a security risk we just can't accept.

BEAT.

ADRIAN

(Sober)
The dealers warned me when Dino and I left the Saudi base that they would get us, somewhere, somehow. They could have picked me up at my apartment.
Obviously they wanted to make an
example of us.

SENATOR

Who are they?

ADRIAN

I can't tell. Especially not a politician. It's top secret information that could affect an ongoing investigation.

SHARON

This is your employer's security you're playing with.

GENERAL

Lives could be at stake here. I'm
authorizing you to tell.

BEAT

ADRIAN
You can't authorize it!
OK, I'll tell you this much. Dino and I were working where you stuck us in Saudi, teaching the Army how to set up our deception devices. They're were a lot of unused weapons that got buried or sidetracked. An arms dealer contacted me and asked if we would help conceal weapons so they could get them and sell
them. I told the Army and they asked Dino and I to work undercover. We identified some people. The military took over from there. Some politician stepped in and the case was dropped.
Seems someone in the Senate wanted certain nations to get those weapons. The arms dealers marked us for revenge.
That's all I can tell you.

BEAT.

SENATOR

You say the military dropped the
investigation. Who is investigating now?

ADRIAN

I can't tell that.

The Senator shakes his head in disbelief.

GENERAL

It sounds authentic.

SENATOR

So you're convinced these arms dealers were trying to kill you?

DINO

Isn't that obvious? They didn't come like a thief in the night to steal something, they only tried to kill us.

ADRIAN

I got a call from them yesterday
morning. This is the list of their messages.

Adrian hands them a piece of paper.

SHOT OF PAPER: YOU EXPOSED ARMS DEALERS. TODAY YOU DIE.

CEO

You were awfully calm in the
meeting yesterday.

ADRIAN

I do stunts on motorcycles. I do
disappearing acts in the desert. What's to worry? Besides, this isn't your problem.

CEO

They come on my property firing guns, it's my problem.
(Beat)
I'm letting both of you go, and if I were you I would disappear before these guys get you.
I'm sorry, you're both very talented people. A little bizarre, but talented.

DINO

I suppose this means we can't jet down to the Yucatan to meet the
extraterrestrials tonight? I was about to ask you for the keys to the corporate jet.

Sharon stifles a shrieking laugh with a cough and a sneeze. The others somberly stare at Dino.

ADRIAN

Life's too short to sit around and feel bad.
C'mon share a last laugh with us.

Sharon can't hide her smile. The General snickers. The CEO begins to chuckle and they all begin to laugh as Adrian casually picks up the plane from the table and leaves the room.

EXT. GATE, EXPONENTIAL RESEARCH - DAY

Adrian and Dino are leaving the gates on their motorcycles. They have their helmets on and are communicating on their helmet radios.

ADRIAN

I'm sorry I got us fired, but I had to tell them.

DINO

You probably saved our lives.

ADRIAN

Big deal, you aren't worth much.

DINO

Anyway, I brought my toys with me. Six years worth of top secret military inventions.

ADRIAN

My toys are better than yours. Hey, we forgot the plane!

DINO

No we didn't, it's following us. Do
you think they'll come after us?

ADRIAN

Who, the arms dealers?

DINO

No, the company for their gadgets?

ADRIAN

Of course. But those clowns couldn't find the sun at noon.

Next: 3 The New Job

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