15
ALCATRAZ - ROOFTOP OF MAIN CELL HOUSE
Capt. Frye and Sgt. Crisp approach the rocket launcher across the roof of the main cell house.
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ALCATRAZ - PARADE GROUND
Jack is wading into the water now.
"You'll never make it." Ianto calls to him.
Jack yells back "I once swam the English Channel, but you're entitled to your, opinion."
Ianto, disgusted, turns and heads back, grumbling. "Fine. I'll fuckin, do it myself."
Jack keeps wadig for a few more feet then auses and cuses as something deep down stirs in the back of his mind.
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EXT. ROOFTOP OF MAIN CELL HOUSE
Capt. Frye and Sgt. Crisp on the roof, ready the rocket launcher. Saxon's voice comes over Frye's walkie-talkie: "Launch coordinates 675 dash 439."
Frye grins as he answers "Aye aye General: coordinates 675 dash Awaiting launch command."
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Saxon stares at a gridded may pf the bay. Over the Walkie-talkie comes Frye's voice "General, your command."
Saxon closes his eyes "Fire."
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Frye presses the ignition switch.
The Rocket's tail fires. It roars off the launcher. Toward Oakland.
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EXT. ALCATRAZ - PARADE GROUND
Jack looks up as he watches the V.X. Rocket rosring over his head toward civilian population. "My god."
Jack looks up at Ianto who stands above on the embankment. "That change things?"
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. RADAR TECHNICIAN stares at the Radar Screen. "They fired a rocket. It's headed east."
Everyone stares at the radar screen. A hush.
"East." Sanchez says softly "But that's... Oakland. (dawns on him) My god. The football game."
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. EXT. ALCATRAZ - PARADE GROUND
Jack comes back up the embankment. Faces Ianto-with grim resolve:
"Partners?" Ianto hold out his hand and Jack nods.
"Partners."
The two men clasp hands.
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OAKLAND COLISEUM – NOON ... FOOTBALL FANS scream as The Oakland Raiders sprint onto the field. Above, unbeknownst to anyone - The V.X. Rocket arcs over Oakland .
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Saxon, Baxter, and Darrow stare at the transmission from the rocket's optic camera. On the video monitor they first see clear sky. The rocket reaches its apex. Blue sky is now replaced by The Oakland Coliseum directly below. We descend on 60,000 people. Saxon watches the video monitor nervously. His jaws twitch. He looks at the Rocket Guidance Control Computer. He looks at the video monitor. He can't take it. Saxon lunges for the Rocket Guidance Control Computer. Darrow tries to restrain him, but - Saxon punches in new coordinates -227M 227M EXT.
The V.X. Rocket's Guidance Control suddenly BLINKS RED. the rocket veers off on a new vector. Heading now toward San Francisco Bay.
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SAN FRANCISCO BAY
A CHARTER FISHING BOAT bobs in the bay. Four guys are fishing. Relaxing. Drinking beers. one guy looks up. Sees something. "What the hell... ?"
The V.X. rocket screams down. at 500 ft. altitude it DETONATES. Showering a cloud of V.X. poison onto the bay. The fishermen stand there, stunned as droplets of V.X. Poison fall upon them. It's like a grey drizzle. The Fishermen exchange looks. Hold out their hands, catching "rain drops". One of them spasm. Another. The others. Skin turns black. Blood runs from pores.
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Frye and Crisp stare across the Bay in disbelief.
"I don't believe it. He pulled the plug." Frye, disgusted, races down the Stairs.
Frye stalks into the infirmary. Jack and Ianto come around the corner and steal inside the infirmary. INT. .
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Chief of Staff Hayden Sinclair stands before the desk of the President of the United States. "They need a decision Mr. President."
The President (who we don't see) gazes into the East Garden.
The President hits his INTERCOM to the room where his cabinet is gathered. " These past few hours have been the longest, darkest of my life. This is when you wish the buck did not stop here. (beat) A balance between two tragedies. On one hand the fate of a million civilians. On the other, Saxon. That we have ignored or abandoned or marginalized a great soldier like Saxon and that American boys have paid the price of that neglect in blood, is equally real, and equally tragic."
Sinclair says softly "The glass is half full not half empty, sir. No civilian casualties so far."
"I don't believe in half full or half empty, Sinclair." The President barks "There are chemical weapons and there are civilians. And there are men on Alcatraz who've proved they're willing to use the one on the other. (beat) We are at war with terror. Fighting a war means casualties. This is the worst call I've ever had to make. (takes the phone) Air strike approved."
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Sanchez, Hartman, Alice, silent around speakerphone.
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The F-16s ROAR down the runway, lifting into the sky.
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Jack and Ianto move silently down the corridor. They pass the heavy steel door of the Marine Command Centre. It's ajar. Voices emanate within. Ianto and Jack move inside the adjacent room. Jack finds himself looking back to check where Ianto is, reaching out to take his hand as he leads him.
There' 16 inch slit in the wall. They position themselves on either side, watching and eavesdropping on the drama unfolding within. Frye, Darrow and Baxter are all staring at Saxon.
"You're gutless. I knew it." Frye snarls.
Darrow agrees "The problem is now they know it."
Saxon replies with obvious anger "Careful son. I'd maintain discipline if I were you."
Darrow draws his .45, levels it at Saxon. "I'm relieving you of your command General. Captain Frye?"
"I'm in." Frye nods. "Major?"
Major Baxter looks from Darrow to Saxon.
"Tom?" Saxon asks.
"It's over Sax." Baxter sighs then replies to Darrow "I'm in."
Saxon blinks. He can't believe this. "Tom, I warn you."
"Stand down, General." Baxter yells.
"I'm giving you a direct order." Saxon barks.
Baxter draws his .45 "I'm not accepting it."
Ianto and Jack exchange a tense look. Jack aims his gun through the slit ... Saxon draws his .45 but Baxter fires first, hitting Saxon squarely in the chest. Jack fires through the slit, killing Baxter as -Saxon , gunshot, reels toward the steel door behind him. He wrenches it open and lunges outside into the corridor.
In the corridor Jack fires into the command centre, sending Frye and Darrow diving for cover. IantoO grabs the semi-conscious Saxon and drags him down the corridor.
Ianto drags Saxon inside the infirmary washroom. Saxon collapses against the wall. His blood runs across the tiled floor. Jack takes a defensive position in the washroom's doorway.
Darrow and Frye attack through the infirmary's maze of rooms, taking cover where they can, squeezing off rounds. Jack fires at Darrow and Frye from the doorway while Ianto kneels over Saxon. Saxon is dying and knows it. He stares at Ianto through glassy eyes. "My god what have I done ..."
"It's not too late, General." Ianto begs "Tell me where the last chem round is."
Saxon gasps for air "Lower lighthouse ..."
Saxon dies.
Jack and Ianto turn from Saxon to each other. Jack says gently "Do your job, Tiger. - I'll try to hold 'em off."
Ianto seizes his face in his hands and kisses him, hard and determined then draws back as Jack gasps for air.
Energy renewed, he nod and turns back to the doorway to cover Ianto's escape.
