The Intuitive

by DoctorH

A Mission: Impossible teleplay. An American scientist has hidden a deadly virus near Washington DC, and will not tell authorities its location unless he is allowed to defect to the East. The virus will be dispersed automatically in a few days if the defection is not allowed to proceed. Spoiler: the IMF finds the virus in time—but HOW does the IMF accomplish this impossible mission?

4. ACT IV

ACT IV

(CUT FROM BLACK: Ext. the safe house, half an hour later. KENT is focused on the television in Willy's bedroom. The picture on the TV is grainy, but the national network anchor is visible.)

NETWORK ANCHOR (on TV)
Good evening. A minor earthquake hit Mexico City today, home of the upcoming Summer Olympics.

(KENT looks anguished. He checks his list, and sees these words exactly, and just below that, the words, "Quake rattles Mexico City (Sun. Paper)." CUT TO: A thick Sunday newspaper landing on the kitchen table, with the headline "QUAKE RATTLES MEXICO CITY." KENT grabs his head. ROLLIN and CINNAMON look on with concern.)

ROLLIN
Take it easy, take it easy.

(CUT TO: The basement. BARNEY listens in.)

ROLLIN'S VOICE
What Tommy does is weird, but it isn't witchcraft.

(BARNEY smiles. CUT TO: Ext. a government office building, mid-day. CUT TO: Int. of the building, a meeting room. MILLER and some other agents are seated at a table. The door to the room opens, and HODGE enters, followed by JIM. MILLER and the other agents are surprised and stand up, almost involuntarily.)

HODGE
Relax. This man is not a foreign agent. He's an American.

JIM
(speaking with no accent) We are on the same side, gentlemen. It's time to bring you up-to-date on what is happening.

MILLER
(to HODGE) You deliberately violated an order of the Deputy Director!?

HODGE
(smirking) There ARE some people who outrank the Deputy Director, you know.

(CUT TO: Ext. the safe house, late in the afternoon on the same day. CUT TO: The basement. BARNEY is resting on the cot. A shot of the calendars shows "Today's REAL date" is Wednesday July 10 and "Kent thinks today is" Sunday July 7. JIM enters from the outside. BARNEY stirs. JIM with a hand gesture tells BARNEY not to bother getting up. BARNEY gets up anyway.)

JIM
I spoke to Hodge and his people. They are willing to cooperate and let us play out our hand. The "go" code is "January."

BARNEY
Rollin has been telling me that Kent is almost ready. Rollin's used the word "witchcraft."

JIM
(smiling) Good.

BARNEY
Kent's been working all day on protocols for testing "Tommy's" predictive ability. Another demonstration is scheduled for 4:30 in the morning.

(BARNEY hands JIM a page of handwritten text.)

BARNEY
I've written out an announcement story for you. Are you ready to do some recording?

JIM
Yes, I am.

BARNEY
You go "on the air" at about five-thirty tomorrow morning.

(CUT TO: Ext. the safe house, evening on the same day. CUT TO: Kent's bedroom. He is getting ready for bed. There is a brief, quiet knock on the door and CINNAMON peeks in.)

CINNAMON
Doctor?

KENT
What did he say?

CINNAMON
Tommy says not tonight. I must warn you: he might wake up in the middle of the night and say he's ready. If he does, do you want Ben or me to wake you?

KENT
Yes. Listen, Katherine. When we get to— to where we're going, would you please let me study Tommy's ability? I want to test him, scientifically. I promise I won't do anything to hurt him or exploit him. I have spent all day devising experiments, controls, performance criteria.

CINNAMON
(kindly) Of course!

(KENT is pleased. CUT TO: Ext. of the house at night. Crickets chirp [SFX]. CUT TO: The basement. JIM is resting on the cot, with his shoes and jacket off but otherwise dressed, when BARNEY quietly opens the door from the outside, enters, followed by WILLY, who quietly closes the door. WILLY is carrying the morning newspaper, which he tosses in a convenient spot, but not in the rack. Though BARNEY and WILLY are quiet, JIM hears them and stirs. BARNEY begins changing his shirt to that worn by a taxi driver. WILLY sits on the cot after JIM gets up.)

JIM
Any trouble?

BARNEY
No, the radio is ready to go. I checked the tracker and the bugs, too.

(JIM checks his watch.)

JIM
Good timing. It's almost four-thirty. Better wake Rollin.

BARNEY
Right.

(BARNEY goes to his station, then finds a switch and flips it. CUT TO: Rollin's bedroom. ROLLIN is asleep. Next to his bed, a light begins to flash and a gentle chime sounds [SFX]. ROLLIN wakes and starts to get up.

ROLLIN
(quietly) Okay, I'm up.

(ROLLIN gets out of bed and quickly puts on a robe.)

ROLLIN
(quietly) I'll go wake Cinnamon and Craig.

(CUT TO: The basement. JIM and BARNEY are listening on speakers.)

ROLLIN'S VOICE
(quietly) And then I'll go wake Kent.

(JIM and BARNEY hear some footsteps and doors creak [SFX].

CINNAMON'S VOICE
(quietly) Is it time?

ROLLIN'S VOICE
(quietly) Yes.

CINNAMON'S VOICE
(quietly) I'll get Craig ready.

(BARNEY finishes dressing and puts on a cabbie's hat. There are some more footsteps and a door creaking [SFX].)

ROLLIN'S VOICE
Dr. Kent!

KENT'S VOICE
Huh? What?

(CUT TO: Kent's bedroom. KENT has just been woken up. ROLLIN has turned on a lamp and stands over KENT.)

ROLLIN
Tommy says he's ready.

KENT
What time is it?

ROLLIN
About four-thirty in the morning.

KENT
(wanting to sleep some more) Does it have to be now?

ROLLIN
If we want to know whether Armus gets us out of here today, then yes, it has to be now. Tommy says he is ready now.

(KENT grumbles but gets out of bed as ROLLIN exits. CUT TO: Tommy's bedroom, still nighttime. A lamp in the room is the only illumination. The clock shows the time is just after 4:35. CRAIG is in bed on his side. CINNAMON and ROLLIN stand nearby. KENT enters, yawns, then quietly closes the bedroom door and picks up a notepad and pencil, and stands next to ROLLIN. CRAIG's wrist begins to twitch. Everyone speaks in hushed tones, but not whispers.)

CINNAMON
Tommy, do you see the house today, Monday?

CRAIG
I see the house. Monday.

CINNAMON
Is Mr. Armus coming here to get us?

(CRAIG takes a few seconds to answer.)

CRAIG
No.

(ROLLIN and KENT look disappointed.)

CINNAMON
Tommy, do you see the house on Tuesday?

CRAIG
I see the house, Tuesday.

CINNAMON
Is Mr. Armus coming to the house to get us on Tuesday?

(CRAIG answers immediately and more forcefully.)

CRAIG
No.

(ROLLIN is disappointed. KENT is perplexed, and so is CINNAMON.)

KENT
(to CINNAMON) He seems very certain.

CINNAMON
(to KENT) Yes, he does. (to CRAIG) Tommy, do you see Mr. Armus on Tuesday?

CRAIG
I see him.

CINNAMON
Where is he?

CRAIG
Dead.

(CINNAMON, ROLLIN, and KENT are shocked.)

KENT
What?!

CINNAMON
Tommy, are you sure Mr. Armus is dead?

CRAIG
Dead. Everyone is dead.

(KENT is thunderstruck.)

KENT
(alarmed) Why?! (to CINNAMON) Ask him why!

CINNAMON
(voice trembling) Why is everyone dead?

CRAIG
Blue and red.

(KENT is wide-eyed.)

CRAIG
Blue and red canister exploded. Young man in uniform found it. Exploded. Many dead. Many.

KENT
What?! (to CINNAMON) Ask him when!

CINNAMON
Tommy, when did the canister explode?

CRAIG
Monday, late morning, young man in uniform finds it.

(KENT is petrified. CRAIG's wrist stops shaking.)

KENT
Ask him who the man in the uniform is! Is it a policeman?

CINNAMON
(agitated, pointing to CRAIG's wrist) He's out of the doorway. He can't answer. (to ROLLIN) What do we do?

ROLLIN
(scared, but forcing himself to be calm) We get out of here, that's what we do! Armus can't help us! Everyone dead? That canister, it's probably an atom bomb! And we go west, as far from Washington DC as possible! But we can't leave right now. The alarms are still active! But if we leave at just after five o'clock this morning, we can be gone for an hour or two before Fritz notices!

KENT
And you know where the key is?

ROLLIN
(forced calm) Yes. After five, we'll ALL go together. The sun rises in the east. We'll go away from the sun, west. Away from Washington.

KENT
(resolved) No. I won't be going with you. That canister: I know what Tommy was talking about. It's not an atom bomb, it's something else.

ROLLIN
Is this the uh, the "catastrophe" you mentioned to me earlier?

KENT
No. I mean, yes, but it's four days too early! It's a mistake! And it wasn't supposed to EVER actually happen! Some man in a uniform triggered it by accident! (befuddled) A "man in a uniform?" Probably not a policeman, but—

ROLLIN
(helpfully) Maybe a soldier, someone in a military uniform?

KENT
That wouldn't make much sense, either.

ROLLIN
A sports uniform? A doorman's uniform? Could be a boy scout uniform.

(KENT shakes his head, then realizes something.)

KENT
Do custodians wear uniforms?

ROLLIN
Sure, lots do; like those who work in office buildings.

(KENT does not react.)

ROLLIN
I think custodians who work in government buildings have uniforms.

(KENT does not react.)

ROLLIN
(quickly) And schools.

(KENT reacts strongly with alarm. ROLLIN notices.)

ROLLIN
A school? This explosion occurs in a school?

(CUT TO: The basement. BARNEY and JIM are listening on a speaker.)

JIM
He's hidden the device in a school. Probably a school that's locked up for the summer.

BARNEY
That's not enough to give the "go" code. There are dozens, maybe hundreds of schools in the area.

KENT'S VOICE
I need to get to the city as soon as possible. I never meant for this to happen. Katherine, please tell Tommy I'm sorry.

CINNAMON'S VOICE
Sorry, for what?

KENT'S VOICE
He may have one hell of a headache later today.

ROLLIN'S VOICE
Are you, wait a minute! Are you saying that you're going to stop that explosion?

(CUT TO: Tommy's bedroom.)

KENT
(agitated) Yes. I never meant for this. Maybe Tommy is crazy, maybe he's right. I can't take the chance.

ROLLIN
(summoning some bravery) I'll come with you! I'll help you! Where do we need to go?

KENT
Ben, there is nothing you can do. But I need to know where the key is.

ROLLIN
Get dressed, then I'll show you.

KENT
(to himself) Yeah. (to ROLLIN) Do you have any money?

ROLLIN
Some. A few bucks is all.

KENT
(to CINNAMON) Do you have any money?

CINNAMON
Yes.

KENT
I need it. Maybe I can pay for a ride. (to himself) Maybe I have four hours. Maybe more, maybe less. Maybe I can find a phone. But if I call the police and it's a policeman who finds it—

(CUT TO: The basement. JIM and BARNEY are listening. BARNEY, now wearing a cabbie's shirt and cap, picks up a newspaper from the slot marked July 8 and heads to the door. WILLY is right behind, holding car keys.)

WILLY
I'm going to bring the car around.

BARNEY
And I'm going to go bust the taxi.

JIM
Right. We'll be following you, Barney. Out of sight.

(BARNEY nods, and he and WILLY exit. CUT TO: Ext. of the house, nighttime. There is a streetlight or exterior light that illuminates the front of the house. WILLY quietly goes off in one direction and disappears. BARNEY drops the newspaper, folded, in the gravel driveway, near the highway. BARNEY walks down the highway to a car, dressed to look like a taxi. He opens the hood, retrieves a flashlight, ditches his cap in the front seat, and begins to look under the hood. CUT TO: Int. of the house, Kent's bedroom. KENT is nearly dressed. His bedroom door is open. KENT takes a look at his handwritten note that reads "President to meet with G?" ROLLIN peeks into the bedroom and hands KENT some dollar bills. ROLLIN is dressed. Again, everyone speaks in hushed tones.)

ROLLIN
We took up a collection.

KENT
(trying to be calm) Thanks. So, where's the key?

ROLLIN
Come downstairs. I'll show you.

(CUT TO: The main floor of the house. CINNAMON and CRAIG are dressed, but CRAIG seems sleepy. KENT and ROLLIN come down the stairs. ROLLIN goes and looks at the clock by the front door. It is nearly 5:00.)

ROLLIN
About a minute to go. Let's get ready.

CINNAMON
(to CRAIG) Come on, Tommy.

KENT
(to everyone) Wait. Give me a head start. Five minutes. Then go. Okay? Just a five-minute head start for me.

ROLLIN
(puzzled) All right.

KENT
So where's the key?

ROLLIN
Look at the clock.

KENT
(impatiently) I see it! It says five o'clock!

ROLLIN
So pick the clock up, and look at it!

(KENT picks up the clock and looks at it from different angles. Then he sees something taped to the underside. He pulls on the tape and finds a key. KENT takes the key and heads for the front door; he puts the key in the lock and the door unlocks with a clank [SFX]. As ROLLIN, CINNAMON, and CRAIG edge toward the door, KENT turns.)

KENT
(to everyone) Good luck.

(ROLLIN nods. KENT opens the door and rushes out. CUT TO: Ext. of the house. KENT heads toward the highway. He spots the newspaper in the driveway, bends down and unfolds it. The main headline reads "PRESIDENT TO MEET WITH GOVERNORS." KENT shakes his head in amazement, grits his teeth and drops the newspaper. He heads out on the highway, and sees a taxi with its hood open. There is a light under the hood. KENT approaches the taxi and sees BARNEY leaning over the engine, under the hood, holding a flashlight.)

KENT
Pardon me, can you tell me which way to Washington DC?

BARNEY
You going to Washington? Me too. Hey, come over here and hold this flashlight for me, would you?

KENT
I'm in a hurry. Which way?

BARNEY
Tell you what. You come over here and hold this flashlight for me, and I'll drive you to Washington.

KENT
(realizing) You drive a cab! (relieved) Okay, what do you need?

(KENT goes over to help BARNEY. BARNEY gives KENT the flashlight.)

BARNEY
You see where I'm pointing? Put some light right there. (struggling) This damn connector keeps coming loose. Fare had me drive him all the way out here to a bumpy road, and the connector comes loose! Fixing it in the daytime is no problem, but at night, whoo! I don't have enough hands to hold the light and fix it. (struggling) I was worried I was going to have to wait until until the sun was up! (relieved) And there, I've got it! (laughs, very appreciative) Thanks, buddy, I mean it!

KENT
You're welcome.

(BARNEY slams the hood. KENT turns off the flashlight and hands it to BARNEY. BARNEY gestures to the car.)

BARNEY
(appreciative, smiling) Go ahead, get in.

(CUT TO: Int. of the car. KENT gets in the back, BARNEY gets behind the wheel, and puts on his cap.)

BARNEY
Where you going? A hotel? The monuments?

KENT
Alexandria.

(CUT TO: Int. of a second car, with WILLY driving and JIM in the passenger seat. They listen to a speaker.)

BARNEY'S VOICE
Anyplace special in Alexandria?

KENT'S VOICE
Yeah. But I don't know the exact address. You know where the Masonic temple is?

BARNEY'S VOICE
Sure.

KENT'S VOICE
Head toward that. Then I'll give you directions.

BARNEY'S VOICE
Fair enough.

(CUT TO: Ext. of the cab. The cab pulls out onto the highway. CUT TO: Int. of the house. ROLLIN, CINNAMON, and CRAIG are next to a speaker in the living room area. CINNAMON and ROLLIN start to leave.)

CINNAMON
Alexandria.

CRAIG
Good luck.

(CUT TO: The cab, making its way toward the city. KENT looks out the window and sees signs with arrows saying "Emergency Evacuation Route." KENT is puzzled. He sees another sign.)

KENT
Hey, what's with all the signs?

BARNEY
Oh, that. Some bureaucrat decided to organize an evacuation drill, for later this week I think, and they've been putting up these signs all over. (laughs) Everybody is all worried about them. All night and all this morning the radio announcers are explaining what's going on.

(BARNEY turns on the cab's radio. A moment later, the voice of JIM comes on, no longer accented and using a somewhat different register.)

JIM'S VOICE
He stressed that this is simply a drill. Repeating, people in the Washington area are very concerned this morning about the sudden appearance of emergency evacuation signs. Officials emphasize that these are for a drill that is expected to be conducted on Wednesday and Thursday. Officials also wish to be clear that there has been at this time no threat of any kind—

(BARNEY turns off the radio.)

BARNEY
Sounds to me like a fiasco.

(KENT nods, but is not emotional. CUT TO: Int. of second car, with WILLY and JIM; the car is moving. JIM checks a tracking device. Morning is a little brighter.)

JIM
Better slow down, Willy. We don't want to get too close.

WILLY
Right.

(CUT TO: Int. of third car, with ROLLIN driving and CINNAMON checking a tracking device; the car is moving.)

CINNAMON
Take a left here, it's a different route to Alexandria.

ROLLIN
(turning the steering wheel) Okay.

(CUT TO: The cab passing the Masonic Temple. Morning is a little brighter than before. CUT TO: Int. of the cab.)

KENT
Go straight here, then turn left.

BARNEY
Yup.

KENT
Up here a ways.

BARNEY
Any particular business or cross street?

KENT
No, just keep going. There will be a school up on the left. You can drop me off there. And thanks for the lift.

BARNEY
Sure thing. Thank YOU for your help. Is this the school here?

KENT
Yeah.

(CUT TO: The school grounds. It is early morning and there is sunlight, but not much. All the windows of the school are dark. The cab pulls into a driveway and goes up close to a door. KENT quickly gets out.)

KENT
(to BARNEY) You're a life saver, my friend!

(KENT gives BARNEY some cash.)

BARNEY
There's no fare, friend.

KENT
That's a tip!

BARNEY
Thanks! So long!

(BARNEY starts to drive off. KENT does not wait for BARNEY to drive away; KENT does not try the door, but goes around the side of the school. CUT TO: Int. of the cab.)

BARNEY
It's the elementary school next to the park.

(CUT TO: Int. the second car, JIM and WILLY listening.)

BARNEY'S VOICE
It looks like KENT went around to the west side. I lost sight of him.

(CUT TO: Int. the third car, ROLLIN and CINNAMON listening.)

BARNEY'S VOICE
I'm going to park and approach from the north.

CINNAMON
(to ROLLIN) Turn right up here. The school is about five blocks further on.

ROLLIN
Right.

(CUT TO: Int. the second car. WILLY stops the car near the school. WILLY and JIM scan the school briefly.)

JIM
This is it. Do you see Kent?

WILLY
No. I don't see any lights on, either. All the windows are dark.

JIM
(confidently) He's in there.

(WILLY gets out and runs toward the school. JIM holds a car telephone in his hand and dials a number.)

JIM
(into the phone) Agent Hodge.

HODGE'S VOICE
This is Hodge.

JIM
(calmly but urgently) January, I repeat, January. The address is—

(CUT TO: School grounds, WILLY is looking along side the school building, carefully but quickly checking windows as he goes. KENT cannot be seen. WILLY notices BARNEY, still dressed as a cabbie and wearing his cap, coming from his left. BARNEY's and WILLY's behavior indicate that they have not found KENT. WILLY finds at a window that seems to be slightly open, and signals BARNEY, who comes running, checking the windows as he goes. WILLY pushes the window and it opens, and in he goes. BARNEY sees WILLY go in, and he follows. CUT TO: Int. third car. ROLLIN is coming up to the school. From his point of view, he sees BARNEY entering the window.)

ROLLIN
(pointing excitedly) There goes Barney!

(ROLLIN parks hurredly. CINNAMON and ROLLIN get out quickly.)

CINNAMON
You take the south side, I'll take the north.

(CINNAMON and ROLLIN run toward the school. CUT TO: Int. of the school. It is dark, but not pitch dark. No lights are on. WILLY and BARNEY are moving their way down the hallway quietly, checking classrooms as they go. The classrooms are dark, but light through the windows allows rows of empty desks to be seen. WILLY and BARNEY both hear a noise [SFX]; BARNEY realizes the noise is closer to WILLY, and walks silently in his direction. WILLY is comes to an open classroom door and sees KENT standing next to a window sill. There is a bookcase or a TV stand preventing WILLY from seeing clearly, but as he moves silently into the classroom, he sees on the sill a blue and red canister. KENT is simply looking at the canister; he seems to be puzzled by something. The window next to the sill is covered with black paper. BARNEY comes into the classroom, and BARNEY and WILLY exchange quick hand signals. WILLY creeps close to KENT. KENT hears WILLY and turns, and WILLY seizes KENT.)

KENT
(struggling, realizing who it is) Fritz! Sir! Let me go!

(BARNEY charges toward the canister. KENT doesn't see BARNEY's face, but realizes BARNEY is wearing a uniform with an official-looking cap, albeit the uniform of a cabbie. KENT is horrified.)

KENT
You! In the UNIFORM! Be careful with that! The clock timer is malfunctioning! It might—

(BARNEY deactivates the device, then turns to face KENT. KENT recognizes him and is highly agitated and puzzled.)

BARNEY
You mean, the timer shows it to be Thursday, when it's only Monday?

(KENT is really puzzled. BARNEY tears the black paper off the window. Immediately, CINNAMON comes to the window and looks with brief trepidation at the now-visible canister. BARNEY gives her the thumbs-up sign and a grin. Outside, armed agents are on school grounds. WILLY muscles KENT toward the door of the classroom. CUT TO: Ext. of the school. JIM and ROLLIN are there, soon joined by CINNAMON, and numerous agents, including HODGE. WILLY pushes an exit bar on the school door and brings out KENT, who is immediately taken by agents. BARNEY emerges also, carrying the canister. On a signal from HODGE, a SPECIALIST checks the canister, then turns to HODGE and nods to indicate the explosive is deactivated. SPECIALIST takes the canister from BARNEY, and BARNEY joins JIM, CINNAMON, ROLLIN, and WILLY as they walk away from the school. FREEZE and CUT TO BLACK.)

THE END