Stuck in China
(PILOT)
By: Lynn Gomez
Stuck in China
CAST
Callen and Hanna + Team: Dilraba Dilmurat aka DD, Gideon, Ezekiel aka Zeek
extras, Daniel Dae Kim, as Kim Lee (NY Operations Manager) and Lou Diamond Phillips as the L.A. Operations Manager aka OM
TEASER
FADE IN:
EXT. FLUSHING N.Y. CHINESE OPERA HOUSE #1 - DAY
MUSIC CUE: Guzheng & Bamboo Flute, Instrumental Zen For Relax youtube search - played in background
MONTAGE of images (Director's choice)
-flickr jeff hamm chinese theater - youTube search
While theater images rotate, the dialogue is heard (no character is seen).
KIM LEE (VO) (maybe played by Daniel Day Kim)
Kunqu opera is so very popular. I wanted you to see this beautiful story in Traces in the Snow.
CALLEN (VO)
Yes Chief, I like a good love story.
"Callen clears throat and coughs"
HANNA (VO)
Everyone would like the answer to the opera question. How does an impoverished couple reconcile and reaffirm their devotion to each other when the husband doubts his wife's fidelity because of some suspicious footprints left in the snow on a frigid winter day?
KIM LEE (VO)
Both of you are probably thinking of your girlfriends back home. Anyway, I hope your mini-vacation is now complete. The parade, opera and Buddhist temple tour was so very relaxing, right?
SUPERIMPOSE - SCROLLING - POSSIBLE Black Background and red letters
New York City is home to by far the highest Chinese-American population of any city proper, with an estimated 573,388 Chinese-Americans.
Annual Chinese New Year parade in Chinatown of Flushing is very spectacular.
People of other communities also join the parade. The parade features lion and dragon dances, Chinese traditional lanterns with good luck messages, drummers, music and firecrackers.
Flushing and Queens has elaborately built nearly thirty Buddhist Temples - We all want to be on the path to nirvana or ultimate enlightenment
Is Chinese black magic used on stage - the mask changing - is it witchcraft, using demons like some have suggested?
Have you seen the Shin Lim Magic show - is it full of Chinese black magic?
Witchcraft or magic is the subject of another tale, or is it?
END MUSIC CUE:
END of MONTAGE of images (Director's choice)
FADE OUT
END OF TEASER
Stuck in China - Act 1 - Scenes 1 - 5
INT L.A. CALLEN BEDROOM - MORNING
-we see Callen in bed with stewardess - tells her to get out
-neighbor jogs by - eats breakfast with Callen - mental note: needs to pay her to stop drunken one nighters
-Callen can't find clean cloths/shoes for work
INT NCIS-Los Angeles HEADQUARTERS MORNING
PAN the first floor ending in the Callen/Hanna team area
CLOSE UP SHOTS OF CONVERSATIONS:
-DD mad he stood her up last night - tears
-office accountant on him about expenses - mixing personal/business
MONTAGE SHOTS OF CALLEN'S EXCESSIVE SPENDING
-tailors
-Lamborghini dealership
- Casino, Roulette table
-office accountant talking about embezzlement - Callen accuses him of sleeping with ex - Anna Kolcheck
INT OPERATIONS MANAGER OFFICE - DAY
Huge office that is swamped with potted plants and American Indian exquisite art
-Lou Diamond Phillips is fanning sage throughout his office
-Callen walks in on the cleansing ritual and chanting
-expense conversation that ends in threat
INT MARTY and KENSI BAR NIGHT
-Callen keeps looking at the front door, like he's waiting for someone
-eyes a pretty girl across the room, who looks like Anna Kolcheck, who's feeding the jukebox
-she gives him a flirtatious look and smiles; the resemblance is uncanny
-Callen rises to approach her, but Hanna walks in
-after nodding, he looks in her direction again but she's gone
CALLEN
Hey, buddy. What took you so long
HANNA
I do have a job.
CALLEN
Yeah. Yeah. Insinuating I don't
HANNA
No more about me. What's up with you?
CALLEN
Well, I saw her again
HANNA
Who?
CALLEN
Anna - Anna Kolcheck
HANNA
In your dreams, only. It's normal. Don't worry about it
CALLEN
I was driving down Godfrey. She walked across the street in front of me and into the Oceanview Cemetary
HANNA
Not so normal. Come on. Snap out of it.
CALLEN
Snap out of what? We talked
HANNA
How? You followed her into the cemetery?
CALLEN
Yeah. We talked about her doing time for manslaughter and she tried to kiss me
HANNA
What about her escape? What was that all about?
CALLEN
We didn't get that far and I faked a stumble to avoid the kiss
HANNA
OK, now I get it. All is clear
CALLEN
You think it's all my imagination
HANNA
No. It's obvious that your X is helping you with visions
CALLEN
Thanks, Hanna. I knew we became good friends for a reason
HANNA
Yeah. I have your back. There's a reason and I think it's one of those near death things
CALLEN
The doctor says I died for about two minutes. That's 120 minutes not being here and not there, either
HANNA
Go back to bed and snuggle up to a stewardess or something.
CALLEN
That reminds me of this morning. No, thanks.
HANNA
Look around here; choose one and take her home
CALLEN
Nope. You can't make me do it
HANNA
Oh, Oh. No. No way. Not on my boat. For how long?
CALLEN
Until your neighbors complain about my smell and bad breath
(A song starts to play; Callen reacts)
HANNA
OK. Let's try it for awhile (huge sigh)
CALLEN
I want to go
HANNA
Not until I finish my drink
CALLEN
Nope. Now. This song reminds me of the first night I spent with Anna. Maybe she's willing it. It could be some sort of sign.
-Callen exits the bar in a hurry
-Hanna lays down some cash and follows
Stuck in China - Act 2 - Scenes 1 - 5
INT HANNA'S BOAT - MORNING
-Callen is passed out on the couch, next to a bottle of gin and bruised up probably from fighting
-Hanna's friend walks in, sees cuts and bruises and grabs medicine, wakes him and in the daze Callen grabs her and plants a deep tongued kiss
-Jessie is mad as hell
JESSIE
Back off or I'll cut you
CALLEN
I apologize. I thought you were Anna
JESSIE
Nice kiss, but your breath is a killer. Brush before bed
CALLEN
Thanks for the tip. You have nice lips
We can hear Hanna yelling for Jessie and gets closer and closer
HANNA
Here you are. What's up?
CALLEN
I just kissed your girl, Jessie. My tongue got way down her throat
HANNA
Why you back-stab me like that?
CALLEN
I thought she was Anna
HANNA
What's with all those cuts and scratches?
CALLEN
I'm like a baby and can't stand up anymore
HANNA
(sighs)
I'm worried. Go to the doctor today. Maybe you have a brain tumor
INT SHOOTING RANGE - DAY
-Callen is blasting the targets, swearing at imaginary expense manager and OM
-a bullet ricochets in direction of Hanna, who yells, they argue
FADE IN - A COUPLE DAYS LATER
-we hear 3 gun shots
-we see 3 scenes - one man, two women screaming and pleading
-noise cut short with Hanna's three perfectly aimed shots
INT GIDEON'S OFFICE - DAY
Gideon is part of the Callen/Hanna team; he's a great sniper
-we see metro male in a man-bun and long skirt with a beard
-Callen interrupts Gideon solving the office refrigerator problem
-Gideon shouts for him to leave his doorway
FLASHBACK
Callen pounding him relentlessly
-Callen apologizes, Gideon talks about his numerous stitches
-Callen requests special computer clearance and is declined, calls him a whimp
INT OFFICE KITCHEN DAY
OFFICE ACCOUNTANT aka ZEEK is preparing a delicious meal for all
Zeek is part of the Callen/Hanna team; he's a bombs and explosives expert
-Callen enters to apologize for earlier behavior, requests special computer clearance and is declined saying he'd have to break in
-Callen's face lights up with a huge grin
Stuck in China - Act 3 - Scenes 1 - 5
FADE IN - HELICOPTER VIEW OF OFFICE - MID-DAY
VO CALLEN
There's only a front and a back door. Impenetrable after 6:00 P.M.
But there's a roof access door, with no protection
EXT ROOF ACCESS DOOR - MID-DAY
-Callen bursts through access door to step onto the roof, then reverses his steps
EXT NEXT DOOR ROOF - MID-DAY
- we see Callen zip-line from next door, open the access door and move around office, upstairs and downstairs, at will
VO CALLEN
Now, I have to find the mainframe
Stuck in China - Act 4 - Scenes 1 - 5
FADE IN - SLOW MOTION SHOTS OF COMPUTER ROOM
WE see DD dropping a paperclip
VO - Computer voice - talking to itself
I have three countermeasure systems: first is in the floor and it's pressure sensitive - a drop of a paperclip could trigger it
WE see Zeek singing at full volume
VO - Computer voice - talking to itself
The second: sound - anything above a whisper
WE see Gideon giving a command
VO - Computer voice - talking to itself
The third: activation by command
INT CHINESE RESTAURANT COUPLE DAYS LATER - DAY
CALLEN
Why not disable all the countermeasures tomorrow night, when you leave work?
ZEEK
Really, that simple?
CALLEN
Yeah. Why not?
ZEEK
m-m-m-m - Our OM
CALLEN
When we catch the mole, our OM will give us a medal
ZEEK
I don't have those kinds of capabilities
CALLEN
Get the info from Gideon or from the OM and don't say why
ZEEK
(laughs) Like how? Why the secrecy?
CALLEN
I'll leave that part to you and your imagination. Who knows who's the mole, it could be Gideon or the OM
ZEEK
Nope. Not
CALLEN
You can't or won't?
ZEEK
You choose
CALLEN
Fine
ZEEK
You paying
CALLEN
(Callen searches) I don't have money even for a tip
(a beat)
ZEEK
(Grabs his wallet from his pants pocket)
CALLEN
You can handle it, right? Get cash back, I need money for a cab, OK?
ZEEK
(huge sigh)
CALLEN
What the hell? Nikita Aleksandr Reznikov - So you're a cab driver now or am I hallucinating?
NIKITA
Stop being such a pain; you're lucky to be alive
CALLEN
Great fatherly advise - dad. A little too late. You're dead. You had lung disease, remember?
NIKITA
Yes. Thanks for putting me in the ground next to Amy, your sister who drowned
EXT BUILDING NEXT DOOR A COUPLE DAYS LATER NIGHT
-we see Callen dressed in all black aiming the grappling hook gun
-Shew - we hear the firing Thump - we hear it land and take hold
INT MAINFRAME ROOM NIGHT
-we see Callen in doorway, wearing a duffel bag
CAMERA JUMP SHOT OF DD DINING AREA
-we see dining table set for two friends
-Gideon is seated at the table
-as DD walks from the kitchen, phone rings
DD
There's been a break-in at work
GIDEON
Do you think it's the mole?
DD
Wow! You and Zeek are such conspiracy nuts
GIDEON
Guess we'll postpone this dining experience
DD
Yep. I've got to go
INT GIDEON'S CAR NIGHT
DD is part of the Callen/Hanna team; she's great with hand-to-hand, knives and bows
-As Gideon drives, DD attaches the silencer onto her gun
GIDEON
Let me just say, "It sucks. After months of swapping juices, you don't trust me to stay in your home alone."
DD
Yeah, I know. I'm working on my trust issues
GIDEON
(tires screech) And we're here
DD
(her phone rings, Gideon finds the phone and answers
GIDEON
m-m-m Hello
CALLEN
Who's this
INT OFFICE MAINFRAME ROOM NIGHT
CALLEN
Did you say Mis idiot
GIDEON
(In slow motion) No, it' N
CALLEN
Our security is a piece of shit - Now, put is all on intercom
GIDEON
mainframe will ask for a password - try GUEST
CALLEN
Yep, we're in. My operations account is way in the red. How? Why?
FLASHBACK
Trying on and purchasing Fendi pullovers and untucked shirts
Let's put all my red expenses into another account - like, Zeek
Suddenly, Daniel Dae Kim, as Kim Lee (NY Operations Manager) appears in the doorway
KIM
See my Luger?
CALLEN
We're friends. You wouldn't shoot me.
KIM
I'm not who you think I am. I'm Chinese and I'm the mole.
CALLEN
I just made it up
KIM
Yes, but you told Zeek the office blabber mouth. Now, everyone is looking for a mole, so I must run
CALLEN
What else have you done?
KIM
I'm taking, m-m-m, maybe one hundred thousand dollars out of your account
CALLEN
People watch my account too often.
KIM
Don't worry. I'll spend it too fast for anyone to trace
Stuck in China - Act 5 - Scenes 1 - 5
FADE IN - BLACK SCREEN -
CALLEN V.O.
Before I die, I'll find you
- Daniel Dae Kim, as Kim Lee (NY Operations Manager) walks Callen downstairs with a gun in his back
KIM
Russia wants you Callen; I'll get such a big promotion for bringing you to them
-in Callen's pocket, on the phone intercom, we hear DD screaming. It presents a big distraction
-Callen takes advantage and punches Kim in the face with his elbow, then puts a knee to his balls and hits his gun across the room
-Callen's gun is now drawn on Kim
CALLEN
DD and Gideon, you heard it. Kim is the mole.
INT WATER SHED ROOM - DAY
- Gideon and DD arrive
- Lou Diamond Phillips as the L.A. Operations Manager aka OM is out of bed, dressed and present
-Lou has no gun, Kim grabs Lou and proceeds to choke harder and harder
-as Lou turns blue Kim says
KIM
Say Good-bye to your boss and be nicer to Zeek
DD
We're nice to him
KIM
Not to his face
Lou
(whispers) Help me
CALLEN
We've got a stand-off - a Mexican stand-off
KIM
What?
CALLEN
Yep. Go ahead and choke Lou to death; I don't care
KIM
You're all so pathetic. I thought you honored your leader. Wow!
-Lou elbows his way loose, stomps on foot, turns around and knees him in the nuts
CALLEN
(boom, boom,boom- fires three shots into Kim's chest - pushing him way away from Lou)
LOU
(slugs Callen, then offers his hand to help him off the ground)
INT LOU'S OFFICE A COUPLE DAYS LATER - DAY
ZEEK
I see that Kim stole one hundred thousand dollars from Callen's account. Must have been doing it all along
CALLEN
Apology accepted you smuck
DD
Don't call names. He's not a smuck
CALLEN
Make me
DD
What?
CALLEN
Lou, do you hear this. We have a hostile, violent work environment
-phone rings, Director Vance instructs them to watch TV
-we see man swimming in the middle of the ocean - detected by helicopters near China
-is he American?
THE END
1 hour Serial TV show Pilot