"MAN ON FIRE" by Brian Helgeland Based on the novel by A.J. Quinnell February 10, 2003 V 2.0 OPENING TITLE SEQUENCE EXT. MEXICO CITY - DAY High over the city on a bright Sunday morning, the sun pounding its way through the orange haze of smog. As we descend toward the clots of traffic blocking the streets: the sounds of a Mass being sung. A CATHOLIC CHURCH The big wooden doors open to release the parishioners inside. Feature a tall, lanky 18-YEAR-OLD. Holding his GIRLFRIEND'S hand, anxious for Sunday to really begin. They don't notice the traffic suddenly thin, like a faucet's been cranked down. They move toward a Mercedes 500. As a CHAUFFEUR holds the back door open for them... A GRAND MARQUIS Squeals around the corner, lurches to a stop alongside the Mercedes. FOUR MEN get out flashing badges. In a moment they're hustling Eighteen toward the car, stiff-arming the chauffeur. As the girlfriend cries and the gossip among the parishioners begins... The Grand Marquis pulls away. INT. GRAND MARQUIS - DAY They shove Eighteen down to the floor of the backseat. These guys are not the police. A switchblade is flicked open. Practiced hands slit the boy's Sunday suit from the base of his neck to his heels. Eighteen yelps as the blade draws blood across one calf. Duct tape is wrapped around his hands, eyes, and head. EXT. WOODED AREA - DAY The Marquis is parked across from another CAR. FOUR NEW GUYS wait as Eighteen is hauled out of the Marquis. His clothes drop away like a snake shedding its skin. He stands naked, bound and blind. Eighteen is handed over from one group to the other. INT. TELEPHONE - UPSCALE HOME - MEXICO CITY - DAY The phone rings. A bomb going off. Eighteen's distraught FATHER (family photos of the boy on the wall) answers. REVERSE TO REVEAL a battery of POLICE and NEGOTIATORS in the room with him. One of them listens in, waves fingers at him as the negotiations begin. INT. VIDEO SURVEILLANCE OF AN 8' X 4' CELL - DAY A wall smeared with God-knows-what. Facing it, Eighteen stands naked blindfolded and shivering. The back of his leg still bleeds. He shifts nervously as a little JACK RUSSELL TERRIER eagerly licks the blood off his calf. A MAN ('The Dreamer'), we don't see his face, negotiates by cell phone. Voice calm. As he runs numbers, he slaps his thigh. Jack Russell trots over, gets an ear scratched. At a motion from the man, Eighteen is taken down to the ground. Straddled by two men, his head is mummified in tape leaving one ear exposed. CUT TO T.V. - Rosanna Garcia Guerrero, editor of REFORMA newspaper, being interviewed, "...organized crime syndicates... growth of kidnapping in Mexico over the last two years." EXT. UPSCALE HOUSE - DAY As a hand removes a ziplock baggie from the mailbox. A glimpse of something we don't want to see. An ear partially obscured by sweating plastic and a blood smear. EXT. CITY SQUARE - MEXICO CITY - NIGHT A MERCEDES driving around the square, Eighteen's father waving a white shirt out the window like a surrender flag. EXT. BRIDGE - NIGHT (3 AM) Footbridge over railway sandwiched between freeway. Empty train blazes through. Dangerous, deserted downtown neighborhood. Looks more like "war torn Beirut", burnt out cars and trash. The 18 year old's father, naked to the waist, walks from the family Mercedes over the footbridge carrying a pillowcase full of cash to a semiderelict car on the opposite side with a white piece of fabric taped in the rear windshield and trunk open. He slams the pillow case in the trunk and leaves. EXT. DOWNTOWN MEXICO CITY - TWILIGHT RUSH HOUR. A red stream of headlights separated from a white stream of taillights by a narrow median. HORNS blare as a CAR stops. Eighteen, still blindfolded, is dumped on the median. The car pulls away. He stands there in the whirlwind. Pathetically SCREAMING for help. More horns, shouts, no help. END MAIN TITLES. Goes to black. CREASY'S VOICE Ezekiel 25:17 Blessed is he who in the name of charity and good will shepherds the weak through the valley of darkness for he is truly his brother's keeper and the finder of lost children. DISSOLVE TO: INT. AGO'S - MEXICO CITY - DAY Samuel Valencia Ramos and his lawyer Jordan Kalfus in the privacy of an alcove table. Jordan is well heeled, well connected and well oiled. In that order. Samuel, at 40, already has the patrician look that has served the male members of his family for generations. They discuss the kidnapping, a headline on the paper Jordan tosses aside. JORDAN The family paid the ransom and he was returned two days later. (laughs; chews) His father still hasn't gotten up the nerve to ask him if they fucked him up the ass. SAMUEL And now every mother with money in Mexico City wants bigger and better bodyguards. My own wife included. JORDAN If she pisses you off, you get another one. SAMUEL (laughs grimly) Do you know what she told me last night? FLASH TO: INT. SITTING ROOM - RAMOS VILLA - MEXICO CITY - NIGHT Samuel sits at his baby grand piano playing a gentle rendering of 'Delibes'. His American wife LISA stands away from him. Just the sight of her back reveals a pitch perfect petulance. She tells him: LISA A man's worth can be judged by what he has or what he owes. Only the amount matters. SAMUEL And bankruptcy. Where will that put me in the social strata? LISA I'm only asking for one thing. And it's not an extravagance. It's not even for me; it's for our daughter. SAMUEL Our daughter. She turns at that: a woman so beautiful it nearly hurts to look at her. She stares, plays him like Chinese Checkers. LISA Our child's safety is at stake. SAMUEL (stops playing) These people are professionals. They don't waste their time taking children whose fathers are virtually bankrupt. LISA Samuel, it is not something we should skimp on. A bodyguard's presence in the car or outside the school was at least some form of deterrent. Now he's gone, I feel totally exposed. She just stares at him. He melts. RETURN TO: INT. AGO'S - MEXICO CITY - DAY Jordan smiles at his client, enjoys seeing him squirm. SAMUEL Of course I care about Pinta. She'll be as beautiful as her mother one day. JORDAN Yeah? And if she was ugly? Samuel rolls his eyes. Jordan laughs. Beheading two cigars, he passes one to Samuel. JORDAN All my clients have kidnap and ransom insurance. SAMUEL I have a policy, AIG. It covers me and my family and when it runs out in sixty days, without a bodyguard, I will not be able to renew it. JORDAN I know you need to please Lisa. An ass like that is hard to find. Good bodyguards are even harder. SAMUEL (interrupts) I know! I just had to let one go because I couldn't afford him! Jordan lights his cigar. JORDAN You need a bodyguard of some description. It's a dangerous world we live in. But you will get what you pay for. He doesn't need to be Superman, does he? Can you go fifteen grand? SAMUEL For a year? JORDAN For a few months. Hire someone cheap. You have to have a bodyguard to keep the insurance. Then fire him for incompetence. The important thing is Lisa's daughter will return to school. Samuel finally follows the logic. SAMUEL And Lisa will be able to save face. We won't be the only family without a bodyguard. JORDAN Her beauty fucks with your mind. SAMUEL For an American she understands this country very well. JORDAN She understands men. As Samuel puffs his cigar in satisfaction... EXT. CORRIDOR - MEXICO CITY AIRPORT - DAY As a 747 is towed by in the background, a MAN strides at us. CREASY. Even in movement, he has a stillness, an air of isolation. He's set apart from other living things. He wears dark sunglasses, carries a well-worn leather bag. Inscrutable. Disconnected. A bit frightening. The discipline of a soldier. The independence of a gunslinger. Automatic baggage teller (Red Light, Green Light). Creasy feeds the machine with his perforated customs card. Light flashes RED. CUSTOMS MAN He flips through Creasy's passport. Even the stamps have stamps. Thailand. Somalia. Cuba. Columbia. Hong Kong. Saudi Arabia. Every country in Europe. Guy's been around. Customs looks up from the ink blue American Eagle to the deep matte black of Creasy's sunglasses. NOTE: [] denotes the lines spoken in Spanish. CUSTOMS [Where are you coming from?] CREASY [South America.] CUSTOMS [Where are you staying in Mexico?] CREASY [I'm on to Juarez.] CUSTOMS [Why?] CREASY [I have a friend there.] Customs looks at Creasy a moment. He doesn't look like a man who has 'friends'. Finally, customs smiles. CUSTOMS [I cannot see your eyes, Senor.] Creasy slips off the sunglasses. His eyes are deserted. Inevitable. Customs can only look into them a moment. He indicates for Creasy to put his bags on a conveyor belt leading to an X-ray machine. Creasy lifts his bag onto the conveyor. The official hits the start button. The bag drives forward towards the X-ray machine. Creasy pauses, then offers up a license from his wallet. CUSTOMS [Senor?] CREASY [It's a permit to carry a gun in Columbia. The gun you're about to find in that suitcase.] Polaroid FLASH Shot of Creasy straight on. Shot of Creasy profile. FLASH. Fingers being fingerprinted. JUMPCUTS - suitcase being stripped and ripped (MIDNIGHT EXPRESS), pack of Marlboro, bottle of Jack Daniels, glimpse a weathered Bible (New Testament), intercut with seven pieces of blue steel separated in different parts of the bag, ie. toiletries, underwear, lining of suitcase. The seven pieces laid together look remarkably like a well travelled Sig Sauer 226. Creasy smiles. EXT. JUAREZ, MEXICO FOUR BIG BURLY SUV'S - DRIVING ACROSS THE BORDER CHECKPOINT - DAY INT. SUV - DAY Six Japanese BUSINESSMEN jabber on cellphones. PAUL RAYBURN sits up front trying not to spill coffee on the mini Uzi cradled in his lap. As his own cell phone rings, he answers. RAYBURN Rayburn here. INT. CUSTOMS HOLDING TANK - MEXICO CITY - DAY Creasy on payphone. CREASY When did Mexican Customs start getting smart? RAYBURN'S SUV RAYBURN Creasy??? Where the fuck are you? CUSTOMS JAIL CREASY I'm here. RAYBURN'S SUV RAYBURN What do you mean, I'm here? CUSTOMS JAIL CREASY I'm in a Customs holding tank in Mexico City International. Bring a bunch of cash... about 5K. I'm going to need it. INT. CUSTOMS AREA - A BACK OFFICE Rayburn has 5K U.S. dollars laid out on the desk between him, the Customs official, and Creasy. The remains of the suitcase are spread around the room. The main offender, the gun being front and center next to the cash. Looks like the official is going to fold. RAYBURN This is going to cost you big time. INT. STRIP BAR - RETHINK LOCATION A stripper does a half hearted grind as Rayburn and Creasy sit at the bar sharing a bottle of 'Jack'. RAYBURN You got a secondary search and you had a gun. CREASY Listen it was a calculated risk. I've done it a million times and never got caught. RAYBURN Everything happens once if you live long enough. CREASY It doesn't make sense to x-ray your bags coming off the plane. RAYBURN This is Mexico, they do everything backwards. Creasy hits the 'Jack'. RAYBURN So what's wrong? CREASY Nothing wrong. RAYBURN Don't give me that bullshit. Creasy changes subject. CREASY So how's business? RAYBURN Japanese are here in a big way. Cheap labor. Factory space. But they feel a lot safer living over the border in El Paso. I ferry 'em back and forth. They think I'm John-fucking- Wayne. CREASY But don't you stay in El Paso? RAYBURN Fuck, I love Mexico. I live like a king down here. Creasy takes a look around the Seedy Bar. CREASY Yeah, right... RAYBURN Oh, like you haven't been in worse places. CREASY And a level five shithole is better than a level six. Your logic's inescapable. Rayburn laughs. Creasy takes the bottle. Creasy's hand is mottled by old burn marks. RAYBURN You been working? CREASY Not for eight months. I was in Columbia looking around, but, nothing seemed interesting. RAYBURN How long you staying, Crease? CREASY (shrugs) Got no plans, Rayburn, Nothing on. Just wanted to see you, how you were. Came by on impulse. Rayburn studies his friend a beat, just seeing the cracks that weren't there last time they met. RAYBURN You did something on impulse? CREASY Everything happens once if you live long enough. Creasy smiles. INT. PINTA'S BEDROOM - MEXICO CITY - NIGHT Nine-year-old PINTA MARTIN RAMOS stares out at the garden, a bit like Creasy, but only a ten yard stare. Pinta's eyes brim with life. She folds her hands, closes her eyes, prays. 'Chopin' drifts up from downstairs. Samuel on the baby grand. PINTA Dear God. I do not ask for health. Or wealth. People ask you so often that you can't have any left. Give me God what you still have. Give me what no one else asks for. Amen. Pinta grabs a battered old TEDDY BEAR and climbs into bed. She pulls the covers up, looks over as her door opens. Lisa enters. Pinta is her daughter. LISA You should be sleeping, baby. PINTA I'm trying, mom. Lisa strokes her head, smiles. LISA Good news. You're going back to school. PINTA (sits up; excited) When? LISA Samuel is going to hire a new bodyguard. It may take a few days, but you're going back. Pinta lets it sink in. Lisa kisses her goodnight. PINTA Could he speak English? Emilio couldn't speak English. LISA We'll see. And thank your father in the morning. A man always needs to be thanked. EXT. JUAREZ DESERT - DAWN Four SUV's blast along a desert highway on their way to pick up some Japanese businessmen. Rayburn rides shotgun, Creasy in the back. Rayburn looks like he slept in his clothes. Creasy looks crisp and clean. RAYBURN That's right, a bodyguard. Creasy looks at him blankly. RAYBURN Your Spanish is good enough. You certainly look the part. CREASY You're crazy. People would hire a has-been, Ray? A drunk? RAYBURN Well, you'd have to keep it under control. CREASY And what if, just say, there was a kidnap attempt? RAYBURN You do your best. They won't be paying you enough to perform miracles. Creasy just shakes his head. RAYBURN It's not exactly a scam, Crease. Even at half speed you're pretty damn good. CREASY A bodyguard has to be close to someone all the time. Willing to talk. I'm not good at that. RAYBURN So you'll be the silent type. People will appreciate that. Creasy shakes his head, looks out the window. RAYBURN What are you doing here? CREASY I came to visit you. RAYBURN Bullshit. I've known you fifteen years. You don't visit. CREASY A bodyguard... Who's the guy? RAYBURN Samuel Ramos. Owns one of the plants in Juarez. The Jap car industry is in the toilet. He's trying to persuade Ford to partner with him. I think he's in trouble. He asked me if I knew anyone he could trust. CREASY Oh, now you think I can be trusted. RAYBURN Take a job, Creasy. Breathe some air. Then decide if you want to... stick around or not. Rayburn throws him a VHS from the glove box. RAYBURN Instructional tape on what I tell my clients about bodyguarding. Creasy looks back at Rayburn who's just a little too perceptive for comfort. EXT. MERCEDES - MEXICO CITY SUBURBS - DAY A dark Mercedes maneuvers the turns. INT. MERCEDES - DAY Creasy at the wheel. Samuel sits in the back. Studying. SAMUEL You drive easily. Smoothly. Creasy doesn't answer, just drives. SAMUEL Were you provided with a gun? CREASY Yes. SAMUEL Show me, please. Creasy takes his right hand off the wheel, reaches under his jacket and passes back a beat-to-shit looking PISTOL. SAMUEL What is it? CREASY Nine millimeter. A Sig Sauer 226. SAMUEL Have you used this type before? Creasy just nods. Doesn't like the show and tell. SAMUEL Is it loaded? CREASY It's loaded. Samuel hands back the gun. SAMUEL You will meet my wife first. She would like it if you are presentable, polite and respectful. You'll be the fifth candidate she's seen this week. Samuel flips through a manila folder. SAMUEL Your resume is impressive. Nine years in the Army. Extensive counter terrorism work. I shouldn't be able to afford you in my current state. What's the catch? CREASY (honest) I drink. SAMUEL How does it affect you? CREASY My coordination. Reaction time. If top professionals try to kidnap your daughter, the service will be on par with the pay. SAMUEL And what if amateurs try it? CREASY I'll probably kill them. Is that likely? SAMUEL No. And no one is to know of your drinking problem. That includes my wife. As they pull up to the Ramos' impressive hacienda. INT. SITTING ROOM - RAMOS VILLA - MEXICO CITY - NIGHT Where Lisa is flipping through TV channels; Sky News, CNN, etc... Each one showing some terrorist act - West Bank protest, Madrid car bombing. Samuel and Creasy, meanwhile, enter behind her. She clicks it off, looks back at them. LISA The world of our children. How dare they? CREASY (shrugs) It's war. The weakest suffer the most. LISA You're American. CREASY So are you. SAMUEL (introducing) My wife, Mr. Creasy. LISA Lisa Martin Ramos, Mr. Creasy. Lisa steps over, shakes Creasy's hand. Gives him a quick once over. LISA Would you like a drink? Creasy doesn't hesitate, doesn't look at Samuel and has no irony in his answer. CREASY Thank you. Scotch and a little water. She steps to the bar to make it. CREASY - FROM SOMEONE'S POV Slightly sinister. Watching from the frame of the door. LISA You've done much of this work before? CREASY Never. Samuel sells, covers for Creasy's reticence. SAMUEL He has experience in related work. A great deal of it. LISA Do you have any family, Mr. Creasy? Creasy hesitates for an imperceptible beat. CREASY No. I do not have family. And then, somehow, Creasy is aware of being watched. His eyes flicker over, just in time to see... PINTA Crouched low. In the doorway. She stares back at him a beat, then disappears around the corner. SITTING ROOM Creasy frowns. Lisa steps over with Creasy's drink. CREASY Thank you. She makes a point of looking into his eyes. Creasy looks back into hers with complete indifference, something she has not experienced even from dying men. She abruptly turns away. Confused for a moment. Finally: LISA Pinta! A few moments and Pinta arrives. 'Cool Hand Pinta'. PINTA Yes, mom? LISA This is Mr. Creasy. Pinta walks over and very formally holds out her hand. Creasy shakes it. An odd beat. LISA Pinta, show him to his room. Samuel reacts. Creasy got the job. PINTA This way, Mr. Creasy. What an actress. As he follows her out. Samuel sits at his baby grand and begins to play. LISA I think it's nice he's American. SAMUEL I think it's fantastic. LISA You realize that you've brought a killer into the house. Samuel is stopped short by that one. She steps over and kisses her husband on the cheek. LISA Thank you. I feel better now. EXT./INT. HOUSE - SUNSET Pinta leads the way. All enthusiasm, away from her parents. A 150 pound black German Shepherd greets them. Sniffs Creasy's pant leg, unsure. PINTA Do you like dogs, Mr. Creasy? CREASY If they like me. PINTA Frank doesn't take to most people. Do you speak German? CREASY (in German) Ein Klines Bisschen. [A tiny bit.] PINTA Frank only responds to commands in German. He was trained in Frankfurt. My Dad loves the idea of having a dog around, but hates the fact he lives inside. Creasy follows her. Frank pads along after them. CREASY'S ROOM Not like downstairs, but comfortable enough. PINTA We fixed the room up two weeks ago. Mom and I. It's nicer than before. Creasy takes a stroll around it, ignoring her. PINTA You've got a CD player if you like music. I like music a lot. CAW! Creasy looks over at a CAGE on a stand holding a MACAW. It tilts its head at the big man. A TV and VHS machine in the corner. PINTA That's 'Bird.' Emilio forgot to take him with when he left. CREASY Who's Emilio? PINTA My last bodyguard. He drove me to school in the morning and picked me up in the afternoon. Finally Creasy turns, looks at her hard. CREASY I'm here for you? Pinta smiles huge, nods. PINTA In between you can take Mom shopping and to lunch. Does that sound alright, Mr. Creasy? CREASY Creasy. Just call me Creasy. PINTA (big grin) Creasy... Frank's tail wags imperceptibly. PINTA Looks like he approves of you. And then, walking on air, she's out the door. Creasy sets up his room with meticulous precision that comes from years in the military. Front and center he arranges his shrine: an almost empty bottle of scotch and a glass (engraved from an earlier encounter) next to a pack of Marlboros and his weathered Zippo. Then, his beaten up gun and holster. A well-travelled New Testament is placed in the drawer. CREASY'S BAG He reaches in between the shirts, pulls out a fresh bottle of scotch. He breaks the seal, unscrews the cap. He pours a double... triple... wait, what do you call a full glass of scotch? CAW! The macaw squawks it's disapproval. He ejects the shell from the breach of the 9mm, tries to catch it on the back of his hand. An old game with himself. His hand is too shaky. The bullet bounces off, hits the floor. Creasy picks it up. Ejecting the magazine, he starts to oil the weapon. CAW! As the macaw squawks, Creasy looks up. It doesn't feel like this relationship is going to work. INT. PINTA'S BEDROOM - NIGHT A battered TEDDY BEAR watches as Lisa sits on the foot of the bed, tucks Pinta in. LISA School tomorrow, baby. Pinta smiles, happy at the thought. PINTA I like him, Mom. LISA You do? PINTA He's like a great big bear. (a secret smile) 'Creasy bear'... Lisa smiles, kisses her goodnight. As she starts out... PINTA There's something about him. Lisa turns, looks back at her daughter. PINTA I think he's been sick. He's alright now, but I think he's been very, very sick. LISA Well, think about going to sleep. Good night, baby. Lisa exits. Pinta looks over at the battered teddy bear. PINTA Just like you, a big old bear. CUT TO: CREASY In his room. Tests his mag spring with his thumb, begins loading up. The full magazine joins with those already loaded. Another glass of scotch is poured. Creasy's hands oil the holster. The Sig Sauer is slipped in. The holster is hung over the corner post of the bed. A map is flattened. Creasy's finger traces various routes, pencils them in. From the house to Pinta's school. The macaw squawks again. Creasy steps over, takes the cage and carries it to the open window. He opens the cage door. CREASY Now's your chance. The bird flies, disappears out the window. INT. LISA & SAMUEL'S BEDROOM - NIGHT Spent, glistened in sweat, the couple lay side by side. LISA She likes him. SAMUEL Hmm? LISA Creasy. Pinta likes him. SAMUEL Pinta loves school. She'd like Count Dracula is he took her back there. Lisa just smiles, knows her daughter better. CUT TO: CREASY'S ROOM Creasy's drinking in the dark next to the window, listening to the sounds of Mexico City at night. The empty scotch glass is set down. Ominously sober. INT. PINTA'S BEDROOM - EARLY MORNING Brushing her hair, Pinta wanders to the window at the sound of a car hood closing. Creasy is down below going over the car; a dark BLUE MERCEDES. As he checks underneath... The "Car Wash Guy", Pedro, trying to engage Creasy. Frank looks on, seems like he disapproves of Pedro. INT. MERCEDES - DAY Creasy sits grimly behind the wheel. Pinta exuberant beside him. Traveling route number one from home base to school. Pinta looks at Creasy's hands on the wheel. The back of the right one is swirled with scars. PINTA Where are you from, Creasy? CREASY The United States. PINTA I know. But which state? Creasy checks the rearview mirror. A banged up white TOYOTA COROLLA pulls out behind him. CREASY No state in particular. Pinta frowns; this is going to take some work. PINTA My mom and me are from Houston, Texas. Have you been there? Creasy has his eyes on the mirror. CREASY No. PINTA You can drive and talk at the same time, can't you? CREASY (turns left) No. PINTA Why not? CREASY I'm looking for potential. Creasy checks the mirror. The white Corolla continues the way it was going. False alarm. PINTA Potential? I don't understand. CREASY Places where the road bends, places away from buildings, places where the traffic thins out. But you don't have to understand. I do. So no talking. PINTA Are you going to quit? My last bodyguard quit. CREASY Let me guess, you wouldn't stop talking? PINTA Someone gave him more money than we could. CREASY I'm a bargain. PINTA Being black, is that a positive or negative for a bodyguard in Mexico? CREASY Time will tell. PINTA There were 24 kidnappings in Mexico City in the last six days. Four a day. What do you think about that, Mr. Creasy? CREASY Pretty impressive. Maybe I need to up my fee or get a larger gun. She looks at his scared right hand, then him. All curiosity. EXT. CONVENT SCHOOL GATES - MEXICO CITY - DAY Creasy pulls the Mercedes up out front. He notes the high walls, the heavy gates. PINTA Beep the horn. Creasy hits it. A beat and then a shutter opens at eye level. Pinta waves from the car. A moment later the gate is being slowly pushed open by an old WATCHMAN. Creasy drives in toward a rambling, ivy-clad building set in spacious grounds. COURTYARD Creasy parks, get out of the car. He looks around, appraising the lay of the land. PINTA Isn't it beautiful? Pinta's name is called. An elderly gray-haired NUN walks over from the entrance. Pinta runs over, kiss her warmly on both cheeks, then leads her toward Creasy. PINTA Sister Anna, the headmistress. (to nun; proudly) This is Creasy, my bodyguard. Sister Anna shakes his hand. SISTER ANNA [Mr. Creasy.] PINTA [No, Sister, he told me just to call him Creasy. He's American. From no state in particular.] SISTER ANNA [You must look after our Pinta. We're so happy to have her back in school. Run along now, Pinta.] Pinta waves goodbye, bounds away. They watch her go. SISTER ANNA [She's late, Mr. Creasy.] CREASY [Yeah, I've got to get used to the routes. I -- It won't happen again.] SISTER ANNA [No offense, but I'm sorry that your profession needs to exist.] CREASY [So am I, Sister.] SISTER ANNA [Do you ever see the hand of God in what you do?] CREASY [Not for a long time, sister.] SISTER ANNA [The bible says, "Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good."] CREASY [Romans, chapter 12, verse 21.] Sister Anna is impressed. She nods her 'props' to Creasy. CREASY [I'm the sheep that got lost.] INT. MERCEDES - CONVENT SCHOOL GATES - DAY Creasy pulls out, starts down the street. He's only gone a hundred meters when SIRENS kick up. A police car behind him. Creasy shakes his head. CREASY Here we go again. Creasy pulls over, digs around the front seat as TWO SLOPPY COPS head over. SLOPPY COP ONE Do you speak English, Senor? CREASY [Yeah. And Spanish.] SLOPPY COP ONE [You have an identification?] Creasy hands them his PASSPORT and a printed LETTER. A legitimate firearms license for bodyguard work witnessed by Rayburn. Creasy deliberately puts one hand on the steering wheel, then the other. Minimizing the confrontation. CREASY It's a temporary license for the gun I'm carrying. I just went through all of this at the airport. INT. BIG BURLY SUV - DRIVING TOWARD THE BORDER - DAY Six Japanese BUSINESSMEN jabber on cellphones. Rayburn's daily routine. He sits up front an Uzi cradled in his lap. As his own cell phone rings, he answers. RAYBURN Rayburn here. Creasy, what's up? (listens; laughs) Yeah? CUT TO: POLICE LINE-UP WALL - As Creasy's MUG SHOT is flashed. CREASY'S HAND - As he's fingerprinted. CREASY There's still ink on my fingers from last week. CUT TO: RAYBURN'S SUV RAYBURN You got tossed. Don't trust the cops, especially the Judicials. (listens; laughs again) Oh you know that? INT. BAR - DAY Creasy slams a Jack and Coke. EXT. HIGH STREET - MEXICO CITY - DAY Creasy striding, the frivolous shoppers like another species as he moves through them. Might as well wear a shark fin. He spots something: a MUSIC STORE. INT. MUSIC STORE - MEXICO CITY - DAY Creasy finds the section he's looking for, searches a rack. There. As he pulls a particular CD, we are not privy to what it is. EXT. COURTYARD - PINTA'S SCHOOL - DAY Creasy waits, smoking a Marlboro light, separate from the other drivers and bodyguards. The bodyguards stand together sharing cigarettes and stories. Give him a share of unfriendly looks. Creasy could care less. The doors open and the children pour out. PINTA exits, a huge grin as she spots Creasy. Creasy palms the Marlboro. The frown on him might as well be chiseled in marble. INT. MERCEDES - ROLLING -DAY Pinta rides shotgun alongside Creasy. She looks out the window, realizes... PINTA We're taking a different way home. CREASY That's right. Pinta thinks about it, realizes what he's doing, smiles. PINTA I understand. Smart. No answer from Creasy. It's hard not to feel foolish around this kid. PINTA Did you like school, Creasy? CREASY No. PINTA Not at all? CREASY No. PINTA But why not? Creasy's hoping she'll just shut up. PINTA Hmmm? CREASY It wasn't a school like yours and there was no Sister Anna. PINTA So you were unhappy? CREASY Being unhappy is a state of mind. I never thought about it. PINTA Oh... Pinta watches Creasy a moment, trying to figure a way in. She looks at his scarred right hand on the wheel. Then, as she reaches out... PINTA What happened to... And touches it. PINTA ...your hand? Creasy gives her a look, devoid of humanity for an instant. CREASY No more questions. When he speaks again he's colder; he's decided something. CREASY I'm not paid to be your friend. I'm paid to protect you. They drive on in silence. Creasy finally glances over. Pinta stares straight ahead, her chin quivering. CREASY (exasperated) And don't start crying. PINTA I'm not crying. But she is. As Creasy stops at a red light... CREASY Look, this is the way I am. I don't like questions. I -- And she's out the door. CREASY Shit. Creasy shoulders open his door, bolts out. INTERSECTION Creasy has barely straightened himself and Pinta is already getting back in the car. This time in the backseat. Creasy sighs. The light goes green. Scooters whine away and horns blare. MERCEDES Creasy sits back behind the wheel. PINTA You can take me home now, Mr. Creasy. Creasy looks back at her, but she stares straight ahead. As the chorus of horns continues, Creasy continues driving. INT. KITCHEN - RAMOS VILLA - DAY Creasy sits at the table with the old gardener GOMEZ (we've seen him trimming hedges and such in earlier exteriors). Gomez's just cleaned his plate and is going after any remnants with a crust of bread. Creasy hasn't touched his. MARIA, the cook, enters. As she clocks Creasy's plate... INT. CREASY'S ROOM - SUNSET 'Chopin' drifts across the courtyard. Samuel is a very accomplished player. Creasy sits in a chair in the twilight by the window, a glass of scotch in his hand. A knock at the door. CREASY Come in. The door opens. It's Lisa. LISA Mr. Creasy, I wanted to make sure you have everything you need. CREASY I'm fine. LISA Is the food alright? Maria tells me that you didn't eat. CREASY The food's fine. Sometimes I don't eat. LISA (smiles) It insults Maria. Slip it to the dog if you have to... Do you mind if I talk to you for a moment? He shakes his head. Lisa glides into the room like a dancer, sits down at the foot of the bed. LISA How are you getting along with Pinta? CREASY We'll be okay once she realizes I'm not a new toy. LISA (smiles) Yes, she told me. Do you have children, Mr. Creasy? CREASY No. LISA You should know they're tenacious when they want something. And Pinta wants to be friends. CREASY You're paying me to protect her, not amuse her. Right? A beat and then Lisa nods. CREASY Look. Maybe this isn't going to work. Maybe you should ask your husband to hire someone... more sociable. LISA No, you're right. You were hired to protect her, that's enough. I'm confident you'll do that. Lisa stands, is about to start out when she sees his gun and holster hanging from the corner of the bed. It gives her pause. Something sexy about it and Creasy's proximity. LISA I didn't realize you had a gun. I know that's silly to say. Creasy doesn't answer, just watches her. LISA It makes it all seem so serious. CREASY It is serious, Mrs. Ramos. LISA Please, it's Lisa... I'll be coming with you tomorrow. I have lunch with friends. Finally, Lisa just shrugs and disappears out the door. Creasy slugs down a gulp of scotch. INT. PINTA'S BEDROOM - NIGHT Pinta, blankets up, teddy bear beside her, says her prayer. PINTA Give me God what you still have. Give me what no one else asks for. Then, she listens as Linda Ronstadt's "Blue Bayou" starts to drift through the open window, down from the room above. LINDA RONSTADT "I'm going back someday, come what may, to Blue Bayou..." INT. CREASY'S ROOM - NIGHT He stands in the dark, in front of the glow of the stereo. The empty bag from the record store. This is the CD he bought. As the song ends, Creasy hits the backup button. "Blue Bayou" begins again. Creasy takes the 9mm from its holster. As he sits back in his chair... INT. PINTA'S BEDROOM - NIGHT Pinta listens to the music, figures a way to dance to it. INT. CREASY'S ROOM - NIGHT Creasy sits in the dark with his 'Blue Bayou'. Creasy does not look right. Holding the 9mm, he ejects the round, tries to catch it on the back of his hand. No good. He chambers another round. Tries again. Nope. LINDA RONSTADT "Well I'll never be blue, my dreams come true, on Blue Bayou..." INT. PINTA'S BEDROOM - NIGHT Pinta still dancing, finding a way to be with Creasy whether he knows it or not. Frank, the dog, watches her every move, perplexed. INT. CREASY'S ROOM - NIGHT As the song repeats, Creasy chambers yet another round. Feels like he misses a beat as he loads one shell into the chamber. Pinta sings along oblivious. Suddenly the barrel is at his forehead and the trigger has been pulled. No gun shot. A click. Hammer against shell. Creasy is confused. He ejects the shell and catches it in the palm of his hand. Macro photograph / a small dimple on the back of the shell is the only evidence of his actions. Pinta still dances. INT. RAYBURN'S BEDROOM - MEXICO CITY - NIGHT 3 A.M. Rayburn in bed with his beautiful 19-year-old Mexican WIFE and their four-year-old SON. As she leans down to kiss her son, a cellphone rings. Rayburn looks over at the nightstand. FIVE CELLPHONES there, one of them ringing. Rayburn finds it. RAYBURN Rayburn... Creasy! What's wrong? EXT. RAMOS HOUSE - NIGHT Creasy stands at the edge of the drive, the house dark behind him. On his cell phone. CREASY I said, have you ever had a nine millimeter round that just didn't go off? INTERCUT THE FOLLOWING: Rayburn pulling away, sitting on the edge of the bed. RAYBURN You mean a misfire? CREASY I mean nothing. The hammer came down and nothing happened. Dimple on the primer. RAYBURN I've heard of it. Never happened to me though. Maybe the firing pin's off. CREASY Maybe... Creasy is troubled about it all to say the least. RAYBURN It's like we always used to say: a bullet always tells the truth. What were you shooting at? Creasy doesn't answer. He holds the bullet up, looks at it. RAYBURN (focusing; concerned) Creasy? CREASY Sorry I woke you, Ray. Creasy clicks off the phone. He starts back toward the house, but stops short again. There she is. Pinta. Standing in the window of her room. She's been watching him. It's like Creasy seeing her for the first time. And she's been watching him forever. No easy answer for it. They're connected somehow. INT. CREASY'S ROOM - NIGHT Fingers putting the special bullet into an old matchbox. It takes it place of honor front and center on the shrine. Next to the Marlboros and scotch. The New Testament is set down nearby. CU - Creasy asleep in his bed for the first time. INT. MERCEDES - ROLLING - DAY Silent Creasy driving. Lisa and Pinta in the back. Creasy steals a look in the mirror. Pinta stares straight ahead. But when Creasy looks away, Pinta steals a look at him. EXT. STREET - MEXICO CITY - DAY As the mercedes crosses an intersection, a white TOYOTA COROLLA turns right, pulls in thirty meters behind it. INT. MERCEDES - ROLLING - DAY Creasy clocks the Corolla, frowns. He pulls a piece of paper from his pocket. But nothing to write with. CREASY Pinta, do you have a pencil? PINTA I go to school, don't I? Sarcasm. He stays calm, doesn't let on what he's thinking. CREASY Please? Her little hand comes over the top of the seat with a pencil. Creasy takes it, slows to let the Corolla catch up. He squints into the mirror to read the plate. Lisa is oblivious, but as Pinta looks back over her shoulder... BRAKE LIGHTS up ahead. Creasy lurches to a stop. The Corolla swerves around them disappears ahead. CREASY Sorry. LISA The traffic takes some getting used to. As Creasy cranes for a view, another WHITE Corolla comes by headed the opposite way. They're everywhere. This relaxes Creasy's paranoia. As he laughs to himself. EXT. COURTYARD - CONVENT SCHOOL - DAY They pull in through the gates. The Mercedes parks; Creasy gets out. Pinta kisses her mother on the cheek. PINTA Bye, Mom. LISA Don't forget your towel. Pinta gets out with book bag and her towel. As she starts to walk past Creasy without a word, he holds out her pencil. She holds up, shows him a SECOND PENCIL, continues on her way. Doesn't need him. MERCEDES Creasy gets back in, starts away. LISA She has swimming practice today. You'll need to pick her up at the pool. Creasy just nods. He doesn't want anything to do with Lisa either. Thoughtful, Lisa looks out the window. LISA I talked to her. She understands. She won't bother you anymore. As Creasy just drives. EXT. AGO'S - MEXICO CITY - DAY Creasy waits in the street, stands by the Mercedes. He checks his watch, looks around. The minutes do not pass quickly. He looks over as the restaurant door opens and Lisa exits with Jordan Kalfus and his Latin wife EVELYN. LISA (sees him) Creasy! (stepping over) Meet Jordan and Evelyn. Creasy nods. They study him with interest. JORDAN So you're the bodyguard? (Creasy nods again) You used to be, what did they used to call it, a soldier of fortune? Jordan doesn't quite hide his disdain. Creasy nods a final time, lets his eyes drift to a 1000 yard stare. EVELYN (giggles) Does he talk? As Lisa gives her a dirty look, Evelyn whispers... EVELYN He's sexy... Jordan looks in the direction Creasy looks. JORDAN You see any danger out there? (laughs) The fear's worse than the reality. Just a blankness from Creasy. JORDAN I always wanted to ask a bodyguard, would you take a bullet for your employer, for Samuel? A condescending smile as Jordan awaits his answer. CREASY I wasn't hired to guard Mr. Ramos. JORDAN For Pinta then? LISA Jordan! CREASY If something happened, my reaction would be to fight to protect her. I have skills in that respect. Pinta would benefit by the fact that... I'm a soldier. JORDAN What kind of an answer is that? CREASY The answer is the truth. The question is foolish. Lisa smiles at the answer, kisses Jordan on the cheek. LISA Jordan, thank you for the lovely lunch. I promise not to let Evelyn spend too much. Evelyn doesn't see it, but Creasy does. Jordan just lets his fingers trace the top of Lisa's ass. As she and Evelyn head for the car, Creasy is there to open the door. MERCEDES Creasy gets behind the wheel. Pulls into traffic. As he goes, he checks the rear view mirror. Jordan remains standing on the curb watching the car pull away. Something odd about it all. EXT. PUBLIC POOL - MEXICO CITY - DAY Loud. Chaotic. Reminiscent of a lunatic asylum. Creasy arrives at the public pool. A practice. Several bodyguards gather at one end of the pool. Give Creasy a less than friendly look. As he looks for Pinta... A GUN goes off. Sees: The smoke from the starting pistol as the SWIMMERS splash into the water. He sees Pinta in the pool. The fifty yard dash. She's in fifth. Then fourth. Creasy walks along beside her. Third. Second and closing. And at the wall, still second. She surfaces, frustrated. As she sees Creasy there... INT. MERCEDES - DAY Creasy drives. Pinta in back, writing in her notebook. Not speaking, but a weird sort of harmony. Finally. CREASY You're fast. PINTA Once I get in the water but not starting off. By the time I catch up, it's too late. She keeps writing. The number "2" over and over. INT. CREASY'S ROOM - NIGHT Creasy sits in his chair drinking scotch. All alone needless to say. Creasy takes the instructional VHS on bodyguards that Rayburn gave him and plugs it into the VCR. It's in Japanese. Shakes his head. He switches off the VCR and surfs the TV channels instead. Sees talk show with the editor of REFORMA newspaper, ROSANNA GUERRERO, talking about organized crime in Mexico. From out the window, a CAW, then again. Yet again. Finally, Creasy stands goes to the window. He leans out, sees Pinta's window across the lawn from him. Pinta standing on the terrace. Another CAW. Creasy decides to play. He CAWS in return. Pinta looks around. Creasy does a pretty good impersonation. Hears Pinta CAW again. CREASY Hey... Pinta... She looks up at him. CREASY What are you doing? PINTA Calling for Emilio's macaw. I thought I heard him. CREASY Do you think he'll come back? PINTA Maybe. Did you hear him? CREASY No. PINTA How do you think he got out? CREASY (a beat) Well, I let him go. PINTA It's better to be free, right? CREASY Yes. Actually, he was driving me crazy. Creasy disappears back inside. Pinta smiles big before letting the stick drop to the ground. PINTA I got you to talk, Creasy bear. Blue Bayou plays. Pinta now listens to Creasy's sound. RONSTADT "...I'm so lonesome all the time, since I left my baby behind, on Blue Bayou." EXT. RAMOS VILLA - DAY A DRIVER gets Samuel's and Lisa's luggage into a car. They're on their way, kissing Pinta goodbye. LISA I'll call you from Detroit, baby. PINTA You're going to miss Mexican Halloween. The Day of the Dead. SAMUEL You enjoy it for us, Pinta. Lisa gives her a look. Don't make this harder than it has to be. Finally, Pinta nods. Creasy waits quite a discreet distance away by the Mercedes. She steps over, stops to wave goodbye one last time, then gets in back. As Creasy shuts the door. INT. MERCEDES - MEXICO CITY ROAD - DAY Creasy drives, glances in the mirror at Pinta in the back seat. She wipes away a tear just as it forms. CREASY They'll be back in a week. PINTA They can stay for two weeks. I don't care. She's got a toughness Creasy likes. As she looks out the window, he looks ahead. INT. KITCHEN - RAMOS VILLA - DAY Creasy eats. CREASY [The food is excellent, Maria. You have a real talent.] Maria beams with pleasure. MARIA [My pleasure, Creasy.] Pinta enters in a RED SATIN DEVIL'S OUTFIT. She looks a bit forlorn as she sits at opposite ends of the table from Creasy. As she stares at her plate, Creasy starts to laugh at what an odd sight she is. All dressed up and no place to go. Wrong move. Pinta stands, marches out of the room. As Maria and Creasy exchange a look... EXT./INT. WINDOW - RAMOS VILLA - DAY Pinta the devil stares sadly out here window. Then there it is! The macaw. Sitting on the opposite roof. EXT. ATTIC WINDOW - RAMOS VILLA - DAY Pinta pushes it open, climbs out onto the slope of the roof. This doesn't look like such a good idea. As she crosses, disappears over the peak. It's a game of catch me if you can. 'Bird' looks at Pinta right in the eye. She gingerly moves closer. The bird moves away, just out of her reach each time. CHIMNEY Pinta coming down the other slope. There's the macaw. PINTA Come on. Come on. Bird! The fourth time Pinta's fingers are centimeters away. She reaches and suddenly slides along the slick tile covering this section of the roof. Frank's in the yard barking loudly. Near the edge, she manages to stop. Whew! She scrambles up a few feet. A tile snaps off. She slides again. This time right off the edge. She catches the rain gutter. Hangs thirty feet above the ground. A concrete landing below. As the gutter creaks: INT. KITCHEN - DAY PINTA'S VOICE CREASY! Creasy is on his feet, out the door in a heartbeat. EXT. SIDE YARD - DAY Creasy dashes around just as the gutter drops on one side. Pinta drops ten feet, jerks to a stop as the gutter stops, then drops the last twenty feet... ...landing in a hedge. Creasy dashes over. CREASY Pinta! She's in a lot of pain, but moving her arms and head. Frank's licking her face. PINTA It hurts. CREASY Where? PINTA (Short) Everywhere! She puts her hands to the left side of her ribs. Creasy carefully probes with his fingers. She winces. CREASY I don't think they're broken. Anywhere else? PINTA My ankle. As Maria huffs and puffs her way up. CREASY I'm going to get you out, okay? Pinta nods. Creasy eases his arms under, around her, lifts her out as gently as possible. She disappears in his arms. PINTA Oh, Creasy... And she bursts into tears. Maria looks up at the thirty foot fall. Begins to cross herself. CREASY It's okay. She's just scared. Creasy cradles her, pats her back. As Pinta says his name like a mantra... INT. HOTEL ROOM - DETROIT - NIGHT Lisa on the phone. Fantastic in a black evening dress. The Ford car industry dinner awaits her entrance. LISA You're sure she's alright? Samuel enters from the bathroom, concern on his face. LISA Okay, good, you're sure. (to Samuel) He took her for an X-ray, but it's just a bruise and a sprain. She turns her back so Samuel can zip her dress up. LISA Thank you, Creasy. Give her my love. INT. STAIRCASE - RAMOS VILLA - NIGHT Creasy makes his way up, enters... PINTA'S BEDROOM Pinta in bed propped up by a pillow, teddy bear beside her. Frank at the head of the bed. PINTA The night you arrived, Mom asked you if you had a family and you lied, didn't you? CREASY White lie. I didn't have a family. But I did have two kids. They're adults now. It's a sensitive subject so Pinta moves on. She nods. Creasy looks at the bear. An odd beat. CREASY Do you always sleep with him? PINTA I'm too old for him. Don't tell my friends. CREASY I don't talk to them much. Does he have a name? Pinta thinks just a beat, then shakes her head 'no'. Liar. CREASY I spoke to your mother. She sends her love. Pinta nods. Creasy stands there a beat, then heads for the door. Almost out, he looks back. CREASY Some bodyguard I turned out to be. Good night, Pinta. He's halfway out the door. PINTA Creasy? Could you play the song? Creasy is confused a moment, but when he sees her open window, he realizes. CREASY Blue Bayou. You got it. He goes. As Pinta eases back with a sigh and a smile... EXT. MERCEDES - RAMOS HOUSE - DAY Pedro the 'car wash guy' puts the finishing touches to the Mercedes. Using crutches, Pinta hobbles over. Creasy opens the back door for her. But when she gets there, she hesitates. PINTA I think I'll sit in the front. There's more room for my foot. Creasy makes no big deal of it. He takes her crutches, opens the front. As she scoots inside... Frank waits and watches. Creasy calls to him. PINTA He's only allowed to travel in the car on weekends. Dad says the car will smell 'doggie'. INT. MERCEDES - ROLLING - DAY Both of them up front. Pinta is happy to be there and Creasy doesn't seem to mind. CREASY Did you sleep alright? PINTA Yes. CREASY How's the ankle? Can you put your weight on it? PINTA It's not too bad. Will it take a long time before it's better? Our big swim meet is in three weeks. Interschools. I was going to swim in the one hundred meter freestyle. CREASY In a week you should be fine. They drive on a few silent beats, until... PINTA Doesn't matter. I always finish second. CREASY You need to practice. Pinta looks at him hopefully, but Creasy catches himself. He's not going to coach a little girl. Finally... PINTA I will. INT. KITCHEN - RAMOS VILLA - EVENING Gomez, Maria and Creasy again joined by Pinta. As Creasy places a fork of meat into his mouth... PINTA Creasy, what's a concubine? Creasy opens his mouth, takes the fork of meat back out. CREASY Why do you ask? PINTA It was in a book at school. Concubine. Maria and Gomez wait to see how he'll answer. CREASY Well, it's a sort of wife. PINTA But the Emperor of China had 1000 of them! How can that be? CREASY In the West, it's one wife for one husband, but different cultures have different rules. PINTA It must be difficult having lots of wives. CREASY You feel sorry for the husband? PINTA (in Spanish) [Yeah. Can you imagine my mother multiplied by a thousand?] Maria and Gomez burst out laughing. So funny that Creasy smiles. Pinta lights up at the sight. A huge victory. PINTA Creasy, you're smiling. He reverts to a frown. Now Pinta bursts out laughing. And Creasy can't help but smile again. CREASY I guess I am. Pinta changes subject. PINTA So how come you know so much about those countries? CREASY I had to do my homework on them when I worked there. Also I enjoy history. PINTA What did you do in Asia? Is that where you met the man with cigarettes? CREASY No, that was in Columbia. CUT TO: GOMEZ Humming to himself as he brushes the leaves out of the empty SWIMMING POOL. CUT TO: CU of a water faucet unloads 100 gallons a minute. A MAN'S HAND. BLACK. Raises up against the blue sky. Like a kid playing Cowboys and Indians. The finger pulls an imaginary trigger. RAMOS POOL In her swimsuit and cap, Pinta crouches in makeshift starting blocks. CREASY Bang! Pinta takes off. Splashes into the water. Not to Creasy's satisfaction. CREASY No, no, come back. Pinta turns in the water, looks back at him. CREASY You don't flinch when a gun goes off; you react. You go. Don't listen for the sound; don't anticipate it. Concentrate on the sound itself. PINTA I don't understand. CREASY Don't worry. You will. Creasy points at the blocks. Pinta gets out of the water. Shivering, Creasy throws a towel around her and rubs her down. INT. MERCEDES - ROLLING On the way to school. Pinta is stealing looks at Creasy's right hand. She knows the answer must be serious, but she has to ask. PINTA Creasy, what happened to your hand? Creasy looks at her a moment, deciding. Pinta practically holds her breath, watches him, knows the answer may come. Creasy checks the mirror, watches the road. CREASY A man asked me questions once. He smoked a lot. There was no ashtray. That's it. End of explanation. Creasy continues watching the road. Pinta watches him. CREASY Remember you asked me what state I was from? PINTA Yes. CREASY Where you're from isn't so much about geography; it's about events. Where you're from is what happened to you. PINTA Good things happen, too, Creasy. (smiles big) Like meeting me. CREASY (after a beat) I guess that really does make me a hard case. As the two of them share a LAUGH... INT. 3RD FLOOR HALLWAY - RAMOS VILLA - NIGHT Lisa walking toward Creasy's room. As she moves to knock, she sees the door is ajar, hears voices. She peeks in. Creasy and Pinta sit on the floor, pencils, papers and a book spread out before them. Doing her history homework. LISA'S POV - OF CREASY He's charming and great with Pinta. And sexy... Evelyn was right. PINTA Do you have a girlfriend, Creasy? CREASY No. PINTA Did you used to? CREASY Yeah. Two or three. Lisa continues to watch the little play. She smiles, knocks on the door as she opens it. Pinta and Creasy both look back over their shoulders. LISA Creasy, tomorrow, after you drop off Pinta, could you come back to take me to get my hair done? Creasy nods. They both continue to look at her. She gets the feeling she's interrupting. LISA Alright, I'll leave you two to your history. As she goes... EXT. HAIRDRESSERS - ZONA ROSA - DAY Mexico City traffic is heavy. Cars and people. Creasy stands by the car across the street. Cooling his heels. He can just catch a glimpse of Lisa in the shop. Suddenly the traffic seems to finish, expending itself. The street goes ominously quiet. Creasy's antennae go up. A police car comes prowling down the empty street. Creasy makes eye contact with the guys up front. Then, Creasy spots a BUSINESSMAN coming out of a doorway with a BODYGUARD attached. The bodyguard is speaking into a two-way radio. Creasy's sixth sense tweaks as a Mercedes 500 pulls up to collect the businessman. And the cop car disappears around the corner even as TWO MEN start toward the businessman. Lisa exits the hairdresser's. Looks stunning. Creasy starts across the street toward her. A second car squeals around the corner behind the Mercedes and everything goes to Hell. GUNFIRE erupts. And then Creasy is there. His arm around Lisa's waist, sweeping her off her feet. The next thing she knows she flattened on the ground in a shop doorway, Creasy on top of her. Shielding her. The bodyguard beside the businessman is killed. The body guard in the Mercedes trades a full magazine before he's shot. A PEDESTRIAN is killed. Lisa screams as the glass above and behind them shatters. The businessman is hustled into the back of the second car. Lisa sees the gun in Creasy's hands. She hears the slamming of the car door, the screeching of tires. A parked VAN also hauling ass out of there. But then she's aware of something else. Creasy on top of her. She feels his weight, his heat... CREASY Don't move. She watches as he rises, goes to the curb. One bodyguard is sprawled dead across the ground. Red blood on the sidewalk. As Lisa closes her eyes. INT. MERCEDES - STREET - DAY Lisa sits in the backseat. Through the window we can see Creasy wrap up his statement to a member of the JUDICIAL POLICE. Finally he gets in the car, starts to drive. LISA Murdering people in the street... You had your gun, why didn't you shoot them? The shoulders in front of her just shrug. CREASY Nothing to do with me. Or you. Besides, there was another one in the passenger side of the van with a sawed-off shotgun. If I'd started shooting his friends, he would've had me. And you. Quiet a beat. Lisa pulls a sliver of glass from her hair, looks from it to Creasy. CREASY A minimum close protection team consists of four men for high threat targets and environments. Even in a low threat situation, you need two guards plus a security trained driver. She shakes involuntarily. It's hitting her. As they make eye contact through the mirror... EXT. HIGHWAY UNDERPASS - MEXICO CITY - DAY The Mercedes parked. Creasy and Lisa up against it. Fucking. No cultured way to put it. Like animals. A primal release for both of them. EXT. COURTYARD - PINTA'S SCHOOL - DAY Pinta waiting alone. Creasy's late. Then the gate swings back; the Mercedes drives through. Smiling, she hurries over, hops in the passenger seat. MERCEDES - ROLLING PINTA (happy to see him) You're late. CREASY I'm sorry. PINTA You were never late before, I was worried. Creasy doesn't answer. He actually looks guilty. Pinta watches him a moment. PINTA Where's my mother? CREASY I dropped her at home. PINTA It's no wonder you're late. Why didn't she just come with you? Creasy doesn't answer, just grunts. Pinta keeps looking at him and it suddenly all makes sense. He looks over at her, starts to say something, then thinks better of it. Finally... PINTA Do you think my mother likes you? She's for sure pissed. Definitely aware and definitely jealous. Creasy's a bit amazed, not sure how to respond. CREASY I think she's afraid of me. But not the same way most people are. Pinta considers this. Then.. PINTA I'm not afraid you, Creasy. CREASY I know you're not. PINTA Are you afraid of me? Creasy looks at her, almost like he's deciding. CREASY I used to be. At first. But not anymore. Her smile is huge. PINTA Good. EXT. GARDEN POOL - RAMOS VILLA - DAY Heated. Steam rising off the water. PINTA stands with her eyes closed. Creasy, standing beside her, brings TWO BLOCKS together with a WHACK! Pinta flinches at the sound. She opens her eyes, shrugs an apology at him. Creasy frowns, shakes his head. Pinta closes her eyes again. He starts walking around her. Frank oversees the whole program. CREASY The gunshot holds no fear. Say it. PINTA The gunshot holds no fear. CREASY You welcome the sound. The sound is what lets you go. The sound is what frees you. You are a prisoner in those blocks until you hear the sound. Eyes closed, she's drifted off with his voice. And Creasy WHACKS them together right in front of her face. Pinta smiles at the sound. Creasy smiles at the sight. EXT. RAMOS POOL - DAY WHACK! Pinta bolts from the blocks. SPLASHES. WHACK! WHACK! WHACK! Pinta surges. Pinta arcs. Pinta knifes into the water. Pinta touches the far wall of the pool, the finish line. Creasy checks his watch, claps. PINTA I'm tough, Creasy. I'm tough as you. CREASY There's no such thing as tough. You're either trained or untrained. Pinta raises her arms overhead, makes like Rocky across the shallow end. Creasy shakes his head in amusement. INT. LISA'S BEDROOM - DAWN First light is just tracing outlines against the window. Lisa alone in bed, staring at the ceiling. Frightened at what she's feeling. CUT TO: CREASY Sleeping, looking sexy. EXT. COURTYARD - RAMOS HOUSE - DAY As the Mercedes pulls in, another car is ahead of it. Samuel is home, a DRIVER pulls his LUGGAGE from the trunk. Pinta gets out of the Mercedes. PINTA Hi, Dad. He gives her a pat on the head. Simultaneously, Samuel fixes Creasy with a look, strides purposefully over. He thrusts out his hand, shakes Creasy's. SAMUEL I want to thank you, Creasy. For what you did for my wife. Creasy wants to choke, but he just nods, looks past Samuel to Pinta who looks bemused. He doesn't even want to know exactly what she knows. The Car Wash Guy, -- Pedro, ingratiates himself with Samuel. INT. CREASY'S ROOM - NIGHT Creasy's finger presses play. "Blue Bayou" begins. Plaintive, haunting. As he moves to sit in his chair, he passes the scotch bottle. It has gone unopened. He ejects the shell from the breach of the 9mm, smoothly catches it on the back of his hand. Rock steady. Frank's tail wags. INT. PINTA'S ROOM - NIGHT Where the song drifts down. Pinta smiles, closes her eyes. Now she can go to sleep. INT. LISA & SAMUEL'S ROOM - NIGHT Samuel makes love to his wife. But Lisa looks past him, through the walls and floors to where that song plays. LINDA RONSTADT "I'm going back someday, come what may, to Blue Bayou." INT. CREASY'S ROOM - NIGHT CU of Creasy. DISSOLVE TO: EXT. PARKING LOT - MUNICIPAL POOL - DAY The big swim meet. Race day. A lot of security, men speaking into their wrists. For a public gathering the mood almost seems ominous. Creasy and Pinta exit the Mercedes. Pinta watches wistfully as her fellow STUDENTS stream toward the water with their PARENTS. PINTA What's so important in Los Angeles? CREASY Your father has business. PINTA Why today? And why'd she have to go with him? Creasy shrugs. No comforting answer for her. He looks around at some of the other bodyguards. CREASY Good luck. I'll be waiting here when you're done. But she's shaking her head adamantly. Determined. PINTA You're coming with me. EXT. SWIMMING MEET - MUNICIPAL POOL - DAY A big MARQUEE has been set up alongside the pool. Coltish girls in swimsuits. Parents socialize, drink cocktails. Richly dressed. Bodyguards and security are outside of it, on the perimeter. Creasy looks completely out of place. PINTA Stand near the finish line. Pinta starts away. CREASY Pinta. She turns, looks back at him. CREASY The blocks. PINTA (smiles; knows) I'm a prisoner in them. Until the gunshot sets me free. Creasy nods. He smiles. He's serious now. As he watches her head off for the track, Sister Anna steps up. SISTER ANNA [Mr. Creasy, nice to see you.] And now Creasy is completely out of place. CREASY (apologetic) [Pinta's parents are in Los Angeles. I was going to wait in the courtyard, but...] She takes his arm, pats his hand. SISTER ANNA [Today you are her father.] As Creasy lets this sink in, looks out where Pinta is warming up. Sister Anna smiles, heads off to a group of parents. We're left with Creasy. Confused Creasy. But clarity is creeping in. As the sky opens up around him... CUT TO: STARTER'S PISTOL Pointed up at precisely 45 degrees. BAAAANGG! STARTING BLOCKS Eyes closed serenely, Pinta surges forward, leaving everyone behind. CREASY Sees it. She hasn't even hit the water and he already knows she's won. PINTA SPLASH! Ten meters in before she breaks the surface. Her head sweeping left and then right. Wherever her competitors are, it's somewhere behind her. And the future, everything ahead, is wide open. TURN WALL - UNDERWATER Pinta somersaults, kicks off and is gone. SURFACE And the finish line seems to come to her. THE CROWD Cheers enthusiastically as she reaches the finish wall. CREASY Watches her, satisfied with what he's done. Pinta hauls herself out of the water and runs. A beeline for Creasy. And the poor fucker doesn't even understand, until she's leaping the last few feet... Into his arms. PINTA I won, Creasy! I won! She loves him... Creasy hugs her. He loves her back. INT. TRADITIONAL RESTAURANT - MEXICO CITY - NIGHT A MARIACHI BAND roams. We see Creasy but not who he's with. A date? As we come around it's Pinta. Sitting with them, Rayburn and his wife. And a sleeping four-year-old. NOTE: Rethink following dialogue with reference to Creasy / Rayburn background. PINTA My Dad said all your friends were dead. RAYBURN All but one. The most important one. When we were eighteen, we made an agreement to "take the world" together. CREASY Then one day, he calls and says, 'I'm in love and I'm moving to Mexico.' I said what happened to the plan? RAYBURN I said the plan was right here. Rayburn looks at beautiful 19-year-old Alicia and their four- year-old son sleeping. CREASY I hung up on him. When I met Alicia, I got it. Alicia blows Creasy a kiss. CREASY Can I kiss her now, or after you've gone to bed? Laughter. PINTA Okay, I think now is as good as time as any. She takes out a velvet pouch from her pocket. She holds it out to Creasy. He looks at her, takes it from her hand. His thick fingers fumble with a delicate drawstring. Pinta waits for his reaction as Creasy pours a simple, but fine MEDALLION and chain into the palm of his hand. PINTA I bought it with my own money. I saved it. Creasy is really affected, tries to hide it. She takes it, slips it over his head. PINTA It's St. Jude, the patron saint of lost causes. RAYBURN And hard cases. Creasy's the reason St. Jude became a Saint in the first place. PINTA Yeah, that's right. Creasy looks at it, considers. CREASY Thank you, Pinta, it's beautiful. Pinta kisses him. As the Mariachi band drifts over, Rayburn grabs his wife by the hand. RAYBURN Come on, baby. I feel like a third wheel. Watch the kid. They dance. A waiter steps over, refills Creasy's water glass. As he drinks... PINTA Could I ask you a question? CREASY Could I stop you? PINTA You don't drink like you used to. CREASY That's not a question. PINTA I know because I go in your room and check the bottles. CREASY Still not a question. PINTA My mom drinks, too... Why do people drink, Creasy? CREASY Now that's a question. I don't know about your Mom. For me, the problem isn't in the glass. The problem's in between my ears. PINTA You think too much? CREASY Yeah. Because at one time, I didn't think enough. Pinta nods, thinks she understands. INT. AIRPORT - MEXICO CITY - DAY Samuel and Lisa on the moving escalator. Home from Los Angeles. They look down through the glass, see Creasy waiting for them below. And finally, Lisa frowns. LISA He has to go, Samuel. SAMUEL What? Who? LISA Creasy. SAMUEL Why? You were so pleased with him. LISA Pinta likes him too much. (a beat) She thinks of him as a father. SAMUEL That's ridiculous. LISA It's not. Samuel thinks about it, is almost apologetic. SAMUEL I've just been so busy, Lisa. LISA He has to go. Samuel looks at her, wonders at her adamancy. SAMUEL The three month trial ends in a week. I just won't confirm the position. That possibility was understood when I hired him. Lisa gives him a look. She wants it done today. But for once, Samuel is stronger than his wife. SAMUEL I won't create bad feelings. And another week won't make a difference. Off the escalator, they turn toward Creasy waiting unaware. SAMUEL It will be a hard break. LISA She's young. She'll get over it. SAMUEL I wasn't thinking of Pinta. As Lisa looks over at Samuel, he's reaching out his hand, smiling big. SAMUEL Creasy, how are you? As they shake hands... INT. SITTING ROOM - RAMOS VILLA - DAY PINTA I don't want to play piano! I want to swim! SAMUEL No discussion, Pinta. Mr. Lozzi is a famous teacher. If he accepts you, you will play. As Pinta marches out of the room... EXT. RAMOS VILLA- DAY The sounds of Samuel's baby grand resonates throughout the villa. An impassioned rendering of a Mozart symphony. Pinta is looking for Frank. Today is Saturday and on weekends Frank is allowed to travel with them. And today she is claiming all her rights. PINTA Frank. Frankie. Pinta whistles. CREASY Pinta, we've got to go. Travel sucks at this time. PINTA Frank. Frankie. INT. MERCEDES - ROLLING - DAY Creasy driving. Pinta looking noble and brave. CREASY That's strange. Frank was a no-show. Not like him to miss a ride. PINTA (distant) You should break all my fingers, Creasy, then tape them back together. I won't be able to play the piano, but I could still swim. CREASY Don't be a baby. You're tougher than that. PINTA There's no such thing as tough, Creasy. Just trained and untrained. CREASY (smiles) Then be trained. PINTA I'm going to keep people safe someday. Just like you. CREASY Be a swimmer. PINTA I could do it. Remember the day you wanted the pencil? I know why. And I saw that car again. I wrote the license number in my notebook. Except I missed the last number. Creasy checks his mirror, nothing back there now. He then looks at Pinta. A bit amazed. CREASY You'll have to show me that number when we get home. EXT. VIA BUENOS AIRES - MEXICO CITY - DAY A wide avenue. The Mercedes pulls up parks in the only open spot. Creasy and Pinta get out. We walks her across the street, along the lawn to the apartment building. They look up at the sound of piano keys tinkling above. Then: Creasy looks at her, smiles to himself. Pinta looks back. CREASY Continue to play in the wrong key, like you're dyslexic. PINTA Dyslexic? CREASY Like St. Jude. A hopeless case that has a complete block about 'C' Minor. But remember, "Whoever resists authority will bring judgement upon themselves." New Testament, Romans 13. PINTA You got that right. CREASY You'll be back in the water in twenty- four hours. Creasy presses the buzzer. As they wait, Pinta sees something, reaches down to pull a DANDELION from a crack where the sidewalk meets the wall. She smiles at Creasy. PINTA For you, Creasy. Creasy takes it from her. He's saved by the bell as a second buzzer answers the first. Creasy pulls the door open. Pinta heaves a resigned sigh. CREASY Remember 'dyslexic.' As Pinta nods, disappears inside... DISSOLVE TO: 2ND FLOOR WINDOW The curtains rustle in the breeze. The sound of badly played scales. And then sounds of frustration. Then, the sound of the teacher playing. Pinta appears in the window for just a moment. CREASY Looking up from the window of the Mercedes. As Pinta is called back inside, Creasy checks out, twirls the dandelion Pinta gave him. HUMS to himself. "Blue Bayou." CUT TO: THE STREET Creasy leaning against the Mercedes. Traffic pounding by. The dandelion is stuck in a button hole of his shirt. And then suddenly traffic thins out. Reminiscent of the previous two kidnappings. It's a process. Creasy straightens up. A Judicial POLICE CAR cruises by, slowly. Creasy makes eye contact with the two cops up front. The same guys who were at Zona Rosa. Creasy starts across the street toward the apartment building. At the same time as... The door bangs open. Pinta exiting. She spots Creasy, a huge grin on her face. She was not accepted. And a white TOYOTA COROLLA coming the other way. The police car reverses back, cutting Creasy off from Pinta. The COPS getting out, big smiles on their faces. THE COROLLA Slides to a stop in front of Pinta, blocking her path to Creasy. And as TWO MEN leap out from the backseat... CREASY (drawing his 9mm) Run, Pinta, run! But she's rooted with fear. And the men are almost on her. Creasy raises the 9mm overhead. BANG! And the sound frees her. Pinta runs! Ducking under a flailing arm. Quick and lithe. Trying to reach her bodyguard. The cops drawing Uzi's... Creasy plants himself, the Sig Sauer now level. He fires twice into COP ONE, dead center in the chest. Pinta runs. Chased by the TWO MEN. COP TWO returns fire wildly: the Mercedes hit in a ten bullet line. Creasy fires two more rounds into COP TWO who's hit high in the chest and throat. Precise. Creasy pivots, strides calmly forward, firing at the men chasing Pinta. BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! MAN ONE goes down, hit in the ribs. A bullet slams Creasy in the back, fired from inside the Corolla. Creasy fires back. BOOM! BOOM! MAN THREE falls dead, hit just below his nose, just above his teeth. The FAT DRIVER fires, now, and Creasy is hit in the shoulder. And Pinta disappears into the traffic. Gone. MAN TWO, who has abandoned chasing Pinta, fires again. Creasy drops the 9mm as he is hit in the stomach. He falls to his knees. The dandelion starts to come apart. Drifting away, piece by piece. Slack-jawed, Creasy looks about. Sees the FAT DRIVER heaving himself out of the Corolla while MAN TWO scans for Pinta who's nowhere in sight. She got away! Creasy smiles even as he crumples over on his side. PINTA'S VOICE CREASY! And Pinta is back. Running toward Creasy. She can't leave him like this. She was safe and now she's back. CREASY NOOO... She runs to him, wraps her arms around him. PINTA Creasy... MAN TWO catches up, tears Pinta away, starts back for the sedan. Creasy can only blink after them. PINTA Creasy! It's not a cry for help. It's anguish for him. CREASY Pinta... MAN TWO crams her in the back seat, follows. The fat driver gets back in behind the wheel. As the door slams shut, wheels spin, grip and the Corolla accelerates away. We just see Pinta look back through the rear windshield. An anguished image before she's pulled back down. Creasy makes a wish. Not for himself, but for her. CREASY Don't die, Creasy, don't die. And everything goes very, very, BLACK Sound breaks through first. The whir and beep of medical equipment. And we fade back into: INT. HOSPITAL ROOM - MEXICO CITY - DAY Creasy hooked up. Tubes running in and out of the unconscious man. And he's suddenly surrounded. The CHIEF of the Judicial Police and several uniformed OFFICERS. At the foot of the bed several NEWSPAPER REPORTERS and PHOTOGRAPHERS. CHIEF [This man, Senor Robert Creasy, an American citizen, is under arrest for the murder of two police officers, Hector Gonzalez and Pablo Lunara. He is also the prime suspect in the kidnapping of Pinta Martin Ramos.] One of the officers props up Creasy's head. The chief puffs his chest out and flashes flash. INT. RAMOS VILLA - BASEMENT - DAY Sounds of a DOG BARKING Bruno opens the door to a very distraught Frank. Someone had locked him in there. CUT TO: Work in Progress 2/10/03 65. LISA Sitting catatonic. In the dark. Halfway to mourning already. A HUBBUB drifts up from the rooms below. INT. SITTING ROOM - RAMOS VILLA - MEXICO CITY - DAY A bedraggled-looking Samuel sits with Jordan by the phone. An INSURANCE COMPANY LAWYER is here as well. Maria cries softly in a doorway. MONTAGE - of chaos and panic. Judicial police are trying to set up shop. Tape recorders. Listening devices. Video cameras. JUMPCUTS: LAWYER [When did he say he would call back?] Cut to          [Do not tell them you have a kidnap         policy.] Cut to [They usually ask for three times the amount they expect...] They react as two vehicles pull up outside. Chaos as the front door opens. MEN IN SUITS, several POLICEMEN. Their very well-groomed leader is COLONEL TAZINARI. TAZINARI [Senor Ramos. I am Ernesto Tazinari, commandante of the Judicial anti- kidnapping division.] JORDAN [We do not need or want police involvement. I am the negotiator. We feel a better guarantee of getting Pinta back without your involvement.] TAZINARI [I have a written order from the Public Ministry. Two police officers were killed. (he holds up the phone) This is the Attorney General Navarro Bernal Diaz.] Jordan accepts reality. They're taking control. TAZINARI [The law requires an intervention by the authorities "de officio."] A ringing phone sounds like an bomb exploding in the room. A technician answers. Jordan takes the receiver. We hear the conversation. The kidnapper only wants to talk to the father. Everybody is one headsets, monitoring. Samuel listens carefully. Jordan prompts him with hand-written replies on a notepad. Samuel negotiates the amount via notes from his lawyer. QUICK CUTS: SAMUEL [It's impossible. I cannot afford thirty million. I will need to borrow the money.] Samuel proposes five million. Kidnapper