Final Revision - Script

Main Characters

Christopher Hilshire

Clare Hilshire

Francis R. H. Holland

Secondary characters and extras

Secretary

Guard 1 & 2

Locations

Large House

Office Interior

By Celia Mitchell

ACT I:

Opens with a hand reaching for the doorbell in the daytime. Two guards are lying motionless on the lawn.

Inside the house: Holland walks toward the door. Opening it without much thought, Holland is promptly greeted with a swift punch to the face.

Cut to Black

ACT II:

Holland wakes up, laying in a chair in his living room, not bound by so much as a rubberband. Chris is standing in the same room, looking out a window. Chris looks back at Holland.

CHRIS

You’re awake…

HOLLAND nervously looks around the room.

CHRIS turns his whole body to face HOLLAND

CHRIS

There’s no need to be afraid. I’m not going to do anything to you… yet…

HOLLAND catches his last word, his expression tenses.

CHRIS gives him a calm, cold smile. CHRIS takes a seat across from HOLLAND, looking oddly at ease.

CHRIS

So… I finally meet the man who has been pulling the strings.

HOLLAND looks suspiciously at CHRIS

CHRIS

Why don’t we start from the top? Don’t be shy now.

HOLLAND

[nervously] What is this? Who are you?

CHRIS

That doesn’t matter. What does matter is who you’re working for.

HOLLAND

Why do you care?

CHRISTOPHER takes out a swiss army knife.

CHRIS

Lets just say, it’s a personal matter.

CHRISTOPHER caresses HOLLAND’s skin with the blade.

HOLLAND looks nervously at the blade as CHRISTOPHER points it toward one of HOLLAND’s fingers.

HOLLAND looks up at CHRISTOPHER to try and read his expression.

CHRIS

If you continue to not give me answers, I will skin one finger at a time until you tell me what I want to know. I asked who you work for!

HOLLAND

[frazzled] I work for the National Security Division.

CHRISTOPHER leans away from HOLLAND, walking in a circle around HOLLAND.

CHRIS

And what do you do there?

HOLLAND looks mildly annoyed.

HOLLAND

I coordinate the deployment of agents to eliminate threats to the State.

Cut to: Flashback: Office Interior: CHRIS’s office is lit solely by a lamp on his desk.

A file slides over to CHRIS’s side of the desk. He looks up at SECRETARY.

CHRIS

What’s this?

SECRETARY

Orders came in for you. It’s a private mission. They’ve requested you go alone this time. Some doctors have been passing information and medicine to the rebels.

CHRIS looks briefly inside the file, shuffling through a couple pages, looking troubled.

CHRIS

Good grief, not even any target info.

SECRETARY

Nope. Just eliminate everyone inside.

Cut to LIVING ROOM.

CHRIS

Who authorizes you to eliminate a target?

HOLLAND

How should I know?

CHRIS hits Hilshire across the face with his fist.

CHRIS leans within inches of HOLLAND’s face.

CHRIS

Who gives you your orders?

HOLLAND

I don’t know! I don’t have the clearance…

CHRIS clearly unhappy glares into HOLLAND’s eyes for a moment. Leaning away from HOLLAND, CHRIS paces in a circle around HOLLAND’s chair.

CHRIS

What was the last mission you issued?

HOLLAND

What does that have to do with this?

Cut to brief flashback:

CHRIS is holding a woman in his arms, kneeling on the floor, rocking back and forth.

CHRIS takes off her wedding ring. Visibly very distraught.

CUT to LIVINGROOM.

CHRIS’s eyes flash angrily toward HOLLAND.

CHRIS

Answer the question!

HOLLAND

But I don’t get it…

CHRIS

Tell me!

HOLLAND

Fine! It was for this group of traitors. They were passing along agent profiles to the rebels.

CHRIS has regained control on his emotions.

CHRIS

Agent profiles? Why was there nothing about it in the mission profile?

HOLLAND

It wouldn’t have benefitted the mission in any way, so I left out unnecessary details.

CHRIS

Unnecessary details…

Brief pause.

CHRIS

One of those details was the name of a woman I loved…

Cut to FLASHBACK: CHRIS turns over CLARE’s body, that has fallen at an obscure angle. His expression turns from casual to fearful. He takes off a glove to check her pulse. Having found no pulse he gently lifts her off the ground (indicated into his arms).

CUT to LIVINGROOM:

HOLLAND stares at CHRIS.

HOLLAND

Wait. You’re…

CHRIS projects an angry glare at HOLLAND

HOLLAND

How unlucky. I suppose your skills speak stronger than your family ties.

CHRIS

She… was my wife. And I killed her with my own hands…

HOLLAND

If you’re still sticking up for her, you probably don’t know her as well as you think you do.

CHRIS

[sarcastically] Oh really? And you would know how?

HOLLAND

I’ve been running surveillance on Clare Hilshire for about three years now. You had yourself one really messed up woman.

CHRIS

What crap are you spouting?

HOLLAND

Since you don’t believe me, you should go read her profile. You’re here after all.

CHRIS

[defiantly] I have no intention of—

HOLLAND

But you really should. Did you know that on ten separate occasions, she used your dinner dates as a cover for her activities with the rebels?

CHRIS eyes HOLLAND suspiciously.

HOLLAND

I’m sure you know her favorite color is blue, but do you know that the reason she loves blue is because it reminds her of the lake near her first home?

CHRIS’s eyes open wide, obviously recognizing the details in HOLLAND’s words.

HOLLAND

The very first time you took her out for a date, you went to see the medical museum.

CHRIS is silent.

HOLLAND

For her twenty-fifth birthday, she spent the night at The Blue Fish restaurant. She ordered the Salmon.

CHRIS

[Angry] Enough!

HOLLAND

You did well to follow through with your mission. Her treachery would have continued to wound the state. It would have destroyed you.

CHRIS is still, watching HOLLAND.

HOLLAND

She never really loved you, you know. She was just using you for a suitable long-term alibi.

ACT III:

CHRIS’s expression wavers. He cracks a cold smile.

CHRIS

You know… you almost had me there. But now I know you’re lying to me. If there was anything I was ever totally certain of, it was that Clare loved me, and I loved her.

CHRIS turns to the window.

CHRIS

Just answer one more thing.

HOLLAND is silent.

CHRIS

Why did it have to be me?

HOLLAND rises from his seat.

HOLLAND

Because you were the best suited for the job. No other reason.

CHRIS continues to stare out the window silently, mulling over his thoughts.

Taking the opportunity with CHRIS’s back turned, HOLLAND lunges forward to choke CHRISTOPHER. HOLLAND’s arms begin to take hold of CHRIS’s neck.

CHRIS grabs his arm, peels it back from his neck, immobilizes HOLLAND and snaps HOLLAND’s neck.

CHRIS looks down at the body that has just fallen to the floor.

CHRIS turns and walks out of frame.

END