DISCLAIMER.
I own none of the below.
AUTHOR'S NOTES.
Well! More reviews in three days than in a month! Guess that re-formatting of the story worked. Hello to new reviewer Duo's Brother (I'm honoured to be on your favourite stories list, the best way to make an author feel what he / she's doing is worthwhile) and hi again to Chibis Unleashed and Bekah.
To Chibis Unleashed – after your second review I went to check a good website to see if a chemical plant could operate in Alaska, thinking you had a good point. Sorry – no dice. I guess supply in Alaska is the problem, you either have to fly stuff in, drive across Canada, ship it in by sea, or haul it cross country by the Alaska Railroad, where the original movie was filmed (more on that later).
So, here's the final chapter but one, and I hope you all enjoy, and the same to anyone else reading this.
464 EXT. CENTRAL
Holley has put the helicopter down on the snowed over parking lot outside the main building. He waits beside the chopper, the blades idling, bundled up in cold-weather gear, his face covered by a helmet and scarf.
Une runs out of the building, rifle in hand and beckons for Alex and Nichol, who are trailing behind.
The four of them scramble into the chopper, the rotor blurs and it lifts off, heading out into the wilderness.
As it swoops away, we hold as the soundtrack begins to hum ominously.
CUT TO.
465 EXT. RUNAWAY
It slides with chilling silence beneath silent legions of alpine trees regimented on the mountainside, about four-hundred feet away from the pacing camera, gradually coming nearer. The snow now seems to drive through the air with vicious intent.
We hold on this powerful sight of the beast stretching its legs for several seconds as the soundtrack plays coldly.
466 CUT TO.
EXT. BETWEEN WHEELS
We hang between the wheels on the second engine, listening to their thundering drum.
467 CUT TO.
EXT. RUNAWAY
The train has come nearer now, climbing onto a ledge on the mountainside, forcing its way head-on into the blizzard.
As we come nearer the now-familiar hum of the diesel engine begins to grow slowly, starting first as a single ominous rumble, before building into a full-fledged roar of challenge to the elements.
The shot seems black and white, further heightening the contrast. Black train, white snow, black rock.
The train dives into a short cutting round a bend, flowing smoothly over the rails, moving like an element, hungry for human life, for sacrifice.
As we close in on the lead engine we are looking up at it from the bottom of the ledge and its awesome presence is all there is in the world, gazing at us with evil intent. We are almost grateful as the camera slides along the side of the train away from this sinister machine.
We can see movement in the gap between the first and second engines. Hilde is trying to climb out of the hole in the forward door.
468 INT. 2ND ENGINE - CAB
Duo and Heero and holding onto Hilde's legs as she tries to worm her way through. She's managed to get her head and shoulders through the restricted space but her ample chest and hips can't quite do it.
DUO: (yelling to her) Can you make it?
469 EXT. BETWEEN ENGINES - HILDE'S POV
There's a shelf sticking out from the door which overhangs the second engine's coupler. There's about a two foot drop from the shelf to the coupling shaft.
470 INT. 2ND ENGINE - CAB
Hilde pushes herself back through and sits up, breathing heavily. Heero pulls out the bourbon and silently offers it to her. She considers it for a second and grabs it, knocking back in several swigs. When it looks like she's not planning to stop Duo takes the bottle from her and hands it to Heero, who's been watching her with a snide grin.
HILDE: That's the first time I've ever drunk strong liquor.
She pauses.
HILDE: It ain't half bad.
Duo chuckles a bit and shakes his head. Heero starts probing her.
HEERO: Could you make it?
She shakes her head.
HILDE: No, my hips can't get through and even if I could I'd fall from the front of the engine after trying to crawl out. But...
She stands up.
HILDE: ...The coupling on the front engine looks clear of snow and ice. It might be possible to unhook these three...If someone could get to the front.
DUO: If we could get to the front we'd just stop this bastard and not screw around with the couplings.
He stands up and checks the speedometer.
DUO: Sixty miles...Geez...Still too fast.
He looks out the window while Hilde notices Heero's bad arm. It's beginning to turn an interesting shade of red.
HILDE: (concern) That thing's beginning to swell.
HEERO: (gruffly) Its alright.
HILDE: You sure you don't want some painkillers, anything.
HEERO: (grateful of her pity but not willing to show it) No. I want my head clear if we do anything.
Duo turns back from the window. He slumps into the engineer's seat and rubs his temples.
DUO: (dejected) What's there to do...We can't jump at this speed. It'd take a miracle to stop this train.
HEERO: (sarcastic) Yeah, I believe in miracles...Of my own making. One must on one's self, no- body else.
He's on his feet suddenly, pointing towards the front of the train.
HEERO: You think I'm waiting for a miracle...No-way...I'm going out and around this engine's nose. I'm going to the front.
He says it with complete surety. Duo has some small hope in the perfect soldier's superhuman abilities. Heero whips the starboard door open and bright white light streams in. Hilde shakes her head.
HILDE: This engine was built to be as smooth as possible, air resistance. How can you climb around a sheer nose?
Not listening, Heero sticks his head out the door.
471 EXT. 1ST / 2ND ENGINES - HEERO'S POV
The rounded snout of the second engine curves out of sight. The rear deck of the lead engine beckons tantalisingly.
From here the train seems to be running in a white void. No scenery, not even the rails ahead can be seen in the barrage of snow.
HILDE (VO):
I told you there's no walkways - you can't make it.
BACK TO HEERO
As he slams the door shut.
HEERO: (gulping down some of the bourbon for the cold) I'll make it.
HILDE: (trying to reason) Save yourself a lot of pain. That screwed up arm won't hold your weight out there...And it's going to take someone with a shit-load of guts and will to get onto that leader.
DUO: (standing up) Yeah...Me.
He starts bundling himself up, ready for the assault.
DUO: I'll do it...If I have to fly the last five feet, like a birdie...I'll fly it.
Heero shakes his head at Duo's courage and slight suicidal desire. Duo seems to be after his heart.
He starts pulling his heavier clothes back on.
DUO: C'mon, give me a drink let me go for it.
Hilde pulls her scarf off and hands it to Duo, wrapping it around his neck.
HILDE: You are so brave.
DUO: (mock-pompous) Yeah I know.
They are looking into each others eyes and seem on the verge of a very passionate moment. Heero decides to cut the romance short, waving the open bourbon bottle under Duo's nose.
Duo notices and painfully breaks eye-contact with Hilde. He has some of the final remnants of the bottle and opens the door, and stalls.
472 EXT. DUO'S POV
Down bellow the railbed rushes by. The door of this engine is mounted higher than the others, about ten, twelve feet off the ground. That's quite a way to fall.
473 INT. 2ND ENGINE - CAB
Duo shuts the door again, seemingly chickening out. Hilde watches on nervously. Heero looks like he was expecting this.
Duo suddenly turns and grabs Heero's hand.
DUO: Thanks.
He grabs the goggles off Heero and looks briefly at Hilde, winking roguishly.
DUO: I'll be back.
Heero grunts in sardonic humour as Duo pulls the goggles on and steps up to the door.
474 EXT. 2ND ENGINE STARBOARD SIDE
The door opens and Duo steps out backwards, climbing one rung down the side ladder from the door. Heero closes the door behind him.
Duo grabs a railing which runs along the side of the engine above the cab windows with both hands and starts to move forwards. There are some, very small handholds out here.
475 INT. 2ND ENGINE - CAB
Duo's shape can be seen on the other side of the frosted glass as he moves by the side window. Heero climbs up into the engineer's seat and motions him on. Hilde's a bit more vocal in her support.
476 EXT. 2ND ENGINE STARBOARD SIDE
Duo's got one foot wedged into an open inspection hatch below the side window. He brings the other one over from the ladder and hangs on the side of the engine, sixteen feet off the ground.
Ahead off him is a ladder of metal hoops driven in the side of the engine up onto the top of the nose. He reaches out with one arm and just grabs it.
477 INT. 2ND ENGINE - CAB
Heero watches. Hilde's hopes are growing.
HILDE: He has got some guts.
Heero nods, not really listening.
478 EXT. 2ND ENGINE NOSE
Duo manages to get to the second ladder. He's now only his own body-length from the deck of the lead engine, but the curvature of the nose mean's he's got to work round to the front before he can make the gap.
Duo climbs up this second ladder so he catch reach round and grab one of two small lights which straddle the main bulbous headlight. His fingers just can't make it by a tiny fraction.
He strains for it, his feet on the verge of slipping.
479 EXT. LYONS
Under the stationmaster's direction, the workers are jacking up the listing side of the derailed engine. As they remove the jacks they slide massive wooden cross-ties in place, holding the switcher firm as they reinsert the jacks to lift her right side higher. The men work with speed and precision. They look like they're gonna make it.
The second switcher is poised behind the first, a thick steel cable strung between them.
The engine vertical again, the men quickly run rails turned on their sides under the derailed wheels to form a temporary line back to solid track.
The stationmaster judges the work and decides it's time.
STATIONMASTER: (calling the men off) That's it! Take the ties out!
The Lyons crewman pull the wooden blocks out and release the hydraulic jacks. The engine sinks onto the hastily laid track.
The stationmaster grabs a radio and faces the second engine.
STATIONMASTER: (into radio) Take the strain up. Nice and slow.
Thrumming, the engine begins to back off, and the cable goes taught.
The men watch, anxious as can be as the cable groans.
The stopped engine protests for a moment, and with a sigh, begins to shift. The men cheer loudly.
480 EXT. 2ND ENGINE STARBOARD SIDE
Duo has given up reaching for the small mounting and is now trying to get his right foot onto the #1500 numberboard. That done, he slowly puts his weight on the board, keeping his left hand and foot on the ladder.
Gradually he begins to lean across, towards the headlight. His fingers are just touching it.
481 EXT. LYONS
The switcher is moving faster now, almost off the fractured track.
Focus in on the cable.
482 RAPID CUT TO:
EXT. 2ND ENGINE STARBOARD SIDE
Duo slips!
483 INT. 2ND ENGINE - CAB
Duo's shadow drops out of sight. Heero shoots forward to the window. Hilde screams.
484 RAPID CUT TO:
EXT. LYONS
The cable snaps! Someone screams.
CREWMAN: (yelling) Hit the deck!
All of the workers drop to the ground as the cable whiplashes overhead. The pulling switcher engine flies backwards, wheels churning on the rails.
As the cable flops limply on the ground, the stationmaster and his team look up.
The salvaged engine holds for a second, balanced precariously.
Suddenly the turned over rails roll under its weight and the engine tilts sideways, back into its original position.
Together the men jump up and desperately start cranking the engine back up with jacks and crowbars.
485 EXT. 2ND ENGINE STARBOARD SIDE
Heero slams the door open and looks out.
486 EXT. HEERO'S POV
The telephone poles fly by. Duo can't be seen. It looks like...
487 INT. 2ND ENGINE - CAB...
Hilde waits nervously. Heero looks round and grants her a small smile.
HEERO: He's all right.
488 EXT. 2ND ENGINE STARBOARD SIDE
Duo's hanging by the ladder on the side of the engine, his hand near cemented onto the top rung. He grunts and grabs with the other hand and pulls himself back up. He pulls himself round and looks at Heero leaning from the door. Duo shakes his head despairingly.
Heero yells back over the wind.
HEERO: (yelling, more aggressive than before) Hold on! Get back up! You gotta cross over! Now! Jump!
Duo can't believe this sudden turnabout in Heero, who slams the door shut. However, Duo does seem motivated and scrambles back up for another attempt, painfully dragging himself back up the icy, slick ladder rungs.
NOTE: The music I hear in my head for this next sequence is taken from the 'Gundam Wing' TV series. The track can be heard when Heero climbs out of Wing in Episode 10 and Zechs comments on his age. I feel that tune had the right air of desperation and hopelessness to it. It can also be heard at the beginning of 'Quatre Vs. Heero' when the Mercurius and Wing Zero go head to head.
489 EXT. LYONS
The men are working with a demonic, doomed energy. Victory is now hopeless but they refuse to concede until the runaway is upon them.
490 EXT. 2ND ENGINE NOSE
From the rear bonnet of the leader we see Duo bringing his foot up onto the numberboard.
491 INT. 2ND ENGINE - CAB
Hilde and Heero watch through the front window, heartbeats racing.
HEERO: (waving his fist like a madman) Now! Make it now!
Hilde shakes her head.
HILDE: He's gotta come back!
Heero ignores her.
HILDE: (closing her eyes) I can't watch.
Heero brutally shoves her into a seat.
HEERO: (not looking at her) Then sit down!
Hilde stares at him.
492 EXT. 2ND ENGINE STARBOARD SIDE
We're looking up at the F7 streamliner from below. Duo is just a smudge of colour on the rusted machine and we realise for the first time how high up he is.
He pushes himself and gets both feet on the numberboard. If they slip now he's hamburger meat.
This time he reaches over and gets his right hand around the frame of the main headlight, clutching the rim precariously.
493 INT. 2ND ENGINE - CAB
Heero and Hilde are now staring into Duo's terrified face as he tires to steady himself on the front of the speeding beast.
494 EXT. LYONS
Panic is beginning to break out now. The second engine, a massive crane and even several cars are fastened to the derailed engine, trying to drag it back to the rails.
Nearly all the sound is muted. Even the yelled orders of the stationmaster are a blurr. The sequence has an almost dreamlike quality.
495 EXT. 2ND ENGINE NOSE
Duo manages to turn himself round so that he's now facing towards the lead engine. He's effectively sitting on the top of the nose, his feet on the sill of the board.
496 INT. 2ND ENGINE - CAB
Heero bangs his hand against the window-pane
HEERO: (possessed) Jump now!
Duo looks back for a second as if to say "I'm doing my best..."
Hilde is biting her lip, almost tearing the flesh.
497 EXT. RUNAWAY
Like the animal it is it zooms by, leaving nothing but fear in it's wake as Duo clings to the second engine.
498 INT. CENTRAL
Frank seems spent, near defeat. He's thrown all he's got at the train and it's laughed in his face. MacDonald looks worse, praying in silent desperation.
Noin however, is at her desk, not paying attention to the drama of the train. Her head is down looking at a small framed photograph in her hands.
NOIN: (mumbling) Zechs...
We see the photo. It's of Zechs and her, prior to his arrest but unusually he's not wearing mask or uniform. Noin is in his lap, arms looped around his neck. Both stare at the camera with passionate, almost dreamy looks on their faces - the perfect image of a young couple.
Tears in her eyes remembering the man she's lost for so long, she puts it down and picks up another.
NOIN: Heero...
We see this new photo.
It's Relena.
499 EXT. 2ND ENGINE - NOSE
Duo leans forward, seemingly planning to try and jump from the nose. It's a long way across and down to the leader's rear deck and in between there's nothing but thin air and the speeding railbed. He tries to lean forward but he's now so high up the front engine has ceased to act as a wind-break, and the rush of the slipstream forces him back.
500 INT. 2ND ENGINE - CAB
Heero's on the verge of foaming at the mouth and cursing the air blue as he tries to force Duo by sheer willpower to make the death or glory leap.
501 EXT. 2ND ENGINE - NOSE
Duo simply can't do it. There's nothing to push off from. If he tries to jump he'll hang in the air, bounce off the engine nose and drop like a rock.
As we watch all of the fight seems to go out of him and he slumps in his precarious position. Laboriously he rolls onto his belly and drags himself over the nose back towards the cab. Through the window we see Heero motioning to go back.
Duo grabs the top of the rung ladder and swings down onto it to climb back.
502 INT. 2ND ENGINE - CAB
As Duo's shadow shifts round Heero seems to snap and he slams up against the window, screaming at him through the glass.
HEERO: (yelling) Go back! Get on that engine! Go back!
503 EXT. 2ND ENGINE - STARBOARD SIDE
Duo is back on the maintenance hatch when suddenly the window in front of him slams open and an enraged Heero sticks his head out. We can faintly hear them yelling at each other but it's inaudible.
Suddenly Heero grabs Duo by his jacket with his good arm and yanks him towards him. Duo looses his grip and is being held in place by Heero alone. The two scream at each other for several seconds.
504 INT. 2ND ENGINE - CAB
HEERO: Get back there...You want to be a hero...you want to be a legend...go back!
Hilde suddenly enters the fray, grabbing and screaming at Heero.
HILDE: What's wrong with you! Don't you care about him - about his life!
Riding on adrenaline Heero simply shoves her down and shakes Duo violently. Duo fights with Heero - trying to get a grip on the window sill.
Hilde suddenly darts back up.
HILDE: (yelling) Let him in!
She jumps onto Heero and her weight pulls him back through the window. He lets go of Duo who falls.
505 EXT. 2ND ENGINE - STARBOARD SIDE
Duo falls along the train's length but grabs the open window sill with his right hand and the door handle with his left. His left foot slips and he hangs spread-eagled on the side of the engine. In one titanic effort he throws his weight sideways and gets both feet and hands onto the door ladder.
506 INT. 2ND ENGINE - CAB
As Heero throws Hilde off he jumps for the door to hold it closed.
Too late. It falls open and Duo collapses through onto the floor. He gasps and rolls on his back, staring up at Heero.
DUO: What the f**k are you doing.
Heero points at the door.
HEERO: Get back out there - show me what Shinigami's made of!
DUO: (shattered) Give me a break!
Duo sits up to close the door. Heero kicks his hand away.
HEERO: Oho! Get back up kid...
DUO: You want to kill me or what.
HEERO: If I wanted I could kick you in the balls and they'd come out your mouth.
Duo looks at him. Hilde watches on aghast as Heero kicks Duo in the gut - lightly, but enough to hurt.
DUO: (winded, provoked) What are you Heero?
HEERO: The question is what are you? I don't know so show me. You think you can't do it but I'm saying you can.
DUO: I can't do it Heero, I can't do it.
Heero leans down to him.
HEERO: (lecturing) You don't you what you can do. You're a coward. You've got more than enough potential but you're too scared to realise it. Anyone could be superhuman if they had faith in themselves.
Amazingly, we realise this is his way of encouraging Duo. Really tough love.
HILDE: (crouched in the corner in horror) Leave him alone.
Heero carries on unabated.
HEERO: So come on! You're a good kid Maxwell, so prove me right and show me what you can do.
Amazingly some of this seems to be getting through to Duo. He grabs Heero's hand and pulls himself up.
DUO: (doing his scarf back up) Kid! I'm no kid. I'm a Gundam pilot.
Hilde thinks Heero's sending Duo to his death.
HILDE: No...no...He's using you, he's using you don't go...
Duo and Heero ignore her. Duo seems to be summoning some last reserve of strength.
HEERO: (pushing him on) You're gonna do it right...right?
HILDE: (screaming at him) Do it yourself if you're so brave!
Heero speaks back but doesn't look at her.
HEERO: If I had two hands I would.
HILDE: (sobbing) Bullshit...If you think you can sacrifice someone else's life instead of your own...You're an animal.
Heero suddenly spins at her.
HEERO: (deathly serious) No...Worse...Human...Human!
Hilde seems crushed by this.
HEERO: And I'm a human who's seen too much death in this world and it's stopping now! I'm not letting us die yet!
HILDE: (screaming at him, in tears) By sending him to die!
HEERO: (calmer) By sending him to live.
Duo shakes his head at her.
DUO: Hilde...I've gotta do this...Or we're all dead, not just me...
He looks at himself and Heero.
DUO: ...And anyway...What are we worth?
Hilde suddenly darts between them and slams the door shut.
HILDE: (staring at Duo) I'm not letting you go...I need you.
Duo seems stunned by this. Heero grabs Hilde and throws her across the cab. She slams into the other door and the window shatters. She slumps down, gasping with pain and clutching her shoulder.
Heero stares at what he's done for a second and then suddenly Duo is on him, viciously punching him across his face.
DUO: (passionate) Don't you touch her...She's worth ten of you! Ten of me!
Duo drives him into the back wall of the cab and grabs Heero's right cheek in a pain-hold. Heero's eyes go wide at Duo's sudden power but he doesn't react to the agony Duo's vice-like grip is inflicting.
He suddenly brings one leg up and pushes Duo away from him. Duo stumbles backwards and falls down the nose stairway.
Heero's maddened now by Duo's sudden turn. He goes for the prison knife tucked into his sock.
Duo springs back up, holding one of the wrenches they used on the door.
DUO: (gasping with pain) Don't come a step closer Heero...
He swings the wrench alarmingly. Heero stands there, tensed, a thin line of blood trickling from his mouth.
HEERO: That's more like it!
Both circle each other. Heero and Duo have totally lost control of themselves. Like when the Zero System possesses a user, their realities have become distorted. They really would kill each other.
Heero lunges forward, making a quick stab with the knife, testing Duo.
Duo jumps forward, swinging the wrench with both hands, like it was the handle of his beam scythe. It gets Heero at the elbow joint. Heero yells in pain and reels back.
DUO: (hyper, maddened) Don't make me kill you Heero...I swear I'll kill you...I'd beat you to death!
Heero bounces back, knife weaving and dancing in his hands. Duo parries the blade away with the wrench and the two face off again, testing each other.
Hilde is horrified at what she's provoked. She's crouched in the corner, hands on the door like she's ready to bail out.
HILDE: Stop it! Stop it! You're not enemies, you're allies! Don't let it beat you!
She burst into tears, dropping and hugging her knees.
HILDE: (distraught) Don't let the train beat you...
Sobbing, she trails off.
The whole rapid pace suddenly comes to a jarring halt. The tension hangs in the air as that same melancholic piece of music begins to grow slowly in the background.
Heero and Duo look at her, then look round at the thundering, juddering cab. Their eyes meet.
Hilde, eyes streaming watches from the corner.
Duo and Heero are terrified at what they came to the brink of doing. Their mouths hang open and they stare blankly as they take slow, deep breaths.
507 INT. CLOSEUP - HEERO.
Heero holds there, frozen as snow dusts him from the broken window and door. The train rattles in the background as he slowly looks around at Hilde and Duo, and then seems to look inwards at himself, and doesn't like what he finds.
508 INT. DETAIL - HEERO'S KNIFE
Slowly the knife slips out of his fingers and drops to the powdered metal floor with a thud. Hilde snatches it up and flings it out the window.
Heero drops into the same position as her, knees bent, slumped against the rear bulkhead.
509 INT. CLOSEUP - DUO
Duo drops down as well and hunkers up against the control stand.
510 CUT TO HILDE
As she gasps in relief, seemingly exhausted.
511 CUT TO HEERO
As he looks round, not sure what to make of the situation.
512 CUT TO DUO
He flings the wrench aside and it clatters into the corner, it's power gone. He looks up to the window for a second, staring out at the pristine white sky, at unreachable freedom. He looks at Heero.
DUO: I though we were friends...I though we were comrades...
They look at each other. Both are heavily banged up from their fight and their toils over the last few hours. Duo laughs hollowly, but his expression shows anything but joy. Just loss, devastation...and shame.
DUO: (destroyed) Shit...You know...We're worse than Une when the truth comes out...At least she's up front with her bullshit.
He looks up at the shuddering thundering cab.
DUO: We thought we were heroes...
Hilde watches the pair in sympathy. Heero's looking down at the floor, staring at nothing.
DUO: (looking at Heero) And you...You were the greatest hero...to all of us back there in that rat- hole.
He bangs the back of his head impotently against the metal control stand.
DUO: (regret, weariness) Heero...
513 CUT TO HEERO.
He's dropped into himself, slumped down, staring silently at his feet.
514 CUT TO HILDE.
She clutches herself as snow swirls around them, and looks at Heero.
515 INT. CENTRAL
Frank types away, but slower now...not quite resigned to defeat, but almost. He slowly looks over his shoulder at MacDonald, who paces the back of the room, wiping his face with a tissue.
MacDonald looks down at Frank, so small in his seat. People watch, eager to see Frank Barstow's new grand strategy.
Frank slowly waves a hand at the panel and rests his head on the other.
FRANK: (slowly) So what do we do?
People stare at Frank in slow realisation. He's out of ideas...He knows he's lost.
MACDONALD: You know what to do. Reroute her...Let her go to hell forever. Let her burn.
Frank sits up, a little bit of determination creeping back into his voice.
FRANK: So I just shove them onto the siding and in fifteen minutes they run out of track...
He looks at MacDonald.
FRANK: I can't do that.
MacDonald doesn't rise to the bait. The two seem to have reached an understanding by the toils they've suffered.
MACDONALD: (gentle) You tried your best Frank...Lord knows. No one can hold that against you, not me, or the company...But it's our responsibility, and we can't let her go on...It's our last chance before she hits some town and kills a lot more people than just those three...You know that, don't you?
Frank turns away slowly and puts a hand to his head in final desperation. Noin comes up behind him and rests her hands on his shoulders. Frank feels that and rests his own hand on hers, thanking her. Slowly he nods, and straightens up...
FRANK: Right...
MacDonald nods silently as Frank turns on the microphone.
FRANK: (into microphone, slowly sounding each word out) Elkins station...Barstow here...Now listen carefully, and act fast...
As he talks people pace slowly, and watch Frank play his final card against the runway.
FRANK: (into microphone) You've got ten minutes to line the runaway onto the old spur, the one we don't use anymore...Good, now go.
He hangs up.
It is done.
Noin's hands tighten on his shoulders for a second before she releases and walks away. As she goes MacDonald silently thanks her with his eyes.
Frank hangs his head.
FRANK: They're dead now...
MacDonald steps up.
MACDONALD: (fatherly, consoling) As God is our witness Frank...We had no choice...
He pats him on the shoulder.
MACDONALD: Well done...
The number of people in the room has thinned out as Frank, MacDonald and Noin step back to watch the train's light end its run on the wall-map.
516 INT. CENTRAL - MEN'S ROOM
One of the witnesses walks out of the control room straight into the toilet.
We see him try a cubicle and jump back in shock.
Slowly we pan into the cubicle and we see a man tied to the toilet, mouth gagged, eyes wide open.
It's Holley, the helicopter pilot.
517 EXT. RUNAWAY
The train, now condemned continues to drive it's way into the blizzard, forcing it's way through every obstacle man and nature have put in it's path.
Once again the music is haunting, a funeral dirge for the train and it's lost passengers.
518 INT. 2ND ENGINE - CAB
The three haven't moved. Hilde continues to watch Heero, particularly his wounded hand which is now beginning to seep blood, the stitches opened.
Heero doesn't notice, still locked in an introspective battle with himself.
Duo is also fixed in silence, watching Heero.
519 CUT TO HILDE...
...As she seems to reach a decision.
Slowly, she shifts over to Heero and tentatively puts an arm around his shoulders, offering him some small comfort.
Duo watches this act, and looks slightly surprising at Hilde's willingness to forgive.
Hilde keeps her hand round Heero and looks around, somehow knowing that this is the end.
After a few seconds, she pulls herself in closer and rests her head on Heero's shoulder.
520 CUT TO DUO
He seems to wrest with himself for a second, then slowly pulls himself over and joins them.
Heero looks up for a second at the two people leaning on him and blinks in surprise at what they're doing. He smiles slowly and tears form in his eyes. Tears of grief, and joy, and thanks.
Thinking together they draw closer together, putting their arms around each other, sharing warmth in this cold, quivering iron shell flying through clouds of fine, powdery snow.
521 EXT RUNAWAY
It too seems resigned to it's fate and moves towards it's final destination with open arms, eager for the end, for peace after long centuries of restless sleep and hard labour.
It is an image that will haunt our minds forever.
522 INT. 2ND ENGINE - CAB
The three friends are now hustled together, heads down.
Snow drifts in through smashed and open windows and a cold draught plays with scattered papers. They silently rustle to the corners of the cab as the mournful tune reaches it's cold climax. Heero, Duo and Hilde remain frozen together, waiting for the inevitable doom. United in death.
523 EXT. RUNAWAY
The train glides silently, flowing over the rails with a much slower pace. It too is weary, but carries relentlessly on.
It has overcome all boundaries and will reap the benefits in its own destruction.
As we watch the dark, deadly machine clanks onto a long, low steel bridge over a thick sheet of ice, and it's giant footfalls shake the girders, a slow, rhythmic clanking that harmonises with the gusts of wind and snow.
Still it runs, seemingly lifeless, yet full of life.
524 EXT. LEAD ENGINE CABSIDE
The rails stretch on for eternity, and the shard of metal which protrudes into this picture begins to shake faster as the end of the line looms near.
It eerily resembles a face which leans into the blowing wind, which whistles through it's 'eye' with a chilling note.
The horizon is a sheet of white snow. Beyond could lie anything.
The train and it's passengers have no time at all, and at the same time, all eternity to wait for deliverance.
TO BE CONTINUED...
A/N: Don't you love it! Say you love it! Runaway!
Sorry, I got that from my brother's new computer game, Whiplash: - Very, very SICK! but hilarious.
So, not long to go now before all the knots are tied up, but I have a few things to say.
If you want to find pictures from the movie to get an idea of what the train or the scenery looks like, try the special features section on "John's Alaska Railroad Web Page." I made a large contribution to the Runaway Train section of the site and my name is posted there
Secondly, given that this story will be over soon, do you want me to write more? If so let me know, and feel free to make your suggestions for new scripts or an improvement of this one.
Well - see you all soon (or maybe not if I decide to be a bastard in updating the final chapter. He, he, he.)
EXCELSIOR!
(sorry, I got that one of Marvel Comic's Stan Lee. Can I come up with a SINGLE original idea!)
AUTHOR'S NOTES.
Well! More reviews in three days than in a month! Guess that re-formatting of the story worked. Hello to new reviewer Duo's Brother (I'm honoured to be on your favourite stories list, the best way to make an author feel what he / she's doing is worthwhile) and hi again to Chibis Unleashed and Bekah.
To Chibis Unleashed – after your second review I went to check a good website to see if a chemical plant could operate in Alaska, thinking you had a good point. Sorry – no dice. I guess supply in Alaska is the problem, you either have to fly stuff in, drive across Canada, ship it in by sea, or haul it cross country by the Alaska Railroad, where the original movie was filmed (more on that later).
So, here's the final chapter but one, and I hope you all enjoy, and the same to anyone else reading this.
464 EXT. CENTRAL
Holley has put the helicopter down on the snowed over parking lot outside the main building. He waits beside the chopper, the blades idling, bundled up in cold-weather gear, his face covered by a helmet and scarf.
Une runs out of the building, rifle in hand and beckons for Alex and Nichol, who are trailing behind.
The four of them scramble into the chopper, the rotor blurs and it lifts off, heading out into the wilderness.
As it swoops away, we hold as the soundtrack begins to hum ominously.
CUT TO.
465 EXT. RUNAWAY
It slides with chilling silence beneath silent legions of alpine trees regimented on the mountainside, about four-hundred feet away from the pacing camera, gradually coming nearer. The snow now seems to drive through the air with vicious intent.
We hold on this powerful sight of the beast stretching its legs for several seconds as the soundtrack plays coldly.
466 CUT TO.
EXT. BETWEEN WHEELS
We hang between the wheels on the second engine, listening to their thundering drum.
467 CUT TO.
EXT. RUNAWAY
The train has come nearer now, climbing onto a ledge on the mountainside, forcing its way head-on into the blizzard.
As we come nearer the now-familiar hum of the diesel engine begins to grow slowly, starting first as a single ominous rumble, before building into a full-fledged roar of challenge to the elements.
The shot seems black and white, further heightening the contrast. Black train, white snow, black rock.
The train dives into a short cutting round a bend, flowing smoothly over the rails, moving like an element, hungry for human life, for sacrifice.
As we close in on the lead engine we are looking up at it from the bottom of the ledge and its awesome presence is all there is in the world, gazing at us with evil intent. We are almost grateful as the camera slides along the side of the train away from this sinister machine.
We can see movement in the gap between the first and second engines. Hilde is trying to climb out of the hole in the forward door.
468 INT. 2ND ENGINE - CAB
Duo and Heero and holding onto Hilde's legs as she tries to worm her way through. She's managed to get her head and shoulders through the restricted space but her ample chest and hips can't quite do it.
DUO: (yelling to her) Can you make it?
469 EXT. BETWEEN ENGINES - HILDE'S POV
There's a shelf sticking out from the door which overhangs the second engine's coupler. There's about a two foot drop from the shelf to the coupling shaft.
470 INT. 2ND ENGINE - CAB
Hilde pushes herself back through and sits up, breathing heavily. Heero pulls out the bourbon and silently offers it to her. She considers it for a second and grabs it, knocking back in several swigs. When it looks like she's not planning to stop Duo takes the bottle from her and hands it to Heero, who's been watching her with a snide grin.
HILDE: That's the first time I've ever drunk strong liquor.
She pauses.
HILDE: It ain't half bad.
Duo chuckles a bit and shakes his head. Heero starts probing her.
HEERO: Could you make it?
She shakes her head.
HILDE: No, my hips can't get through and even if I could I'd fall from the front of the engine after trying to crawl out. But...
She stands up.
HILDE: ...The coupling on the front engine looks clear of snow and ice. It might be possible to unhook these three...If someone could get to the front.
DUO: If we could get to the front we'd just stop this bastard and not screw around with the couplings.
He stands up and checks the speedometer.
DUO: Sixty miles...Geez...Still too fast.
He looks out the window while Hilde notices Heero's bad arm. It's beginning to turn an interesting shade of red.
HILDE: (concern) That thing's beginning to swell.
HEERO: (gruffly) Its alright.
HILDE: You sure you don't want some painkillers, anything.
HEERO: (grateful of her pity but not willing to show it) No. I want my head clear if we do anything.
Duo turns back from the window. He slumps into the engineer's seat and rubs his temples.
DUO: (dejected) What's there to do...We can't jump at this speed. It'd take a miracle to stop this train.
HEERO: (sarcastic) Yeah, I believe in miracles...Of my own making. One must on one's self, no- body else.
He's on his feet suddenly, pointing towards the front of the train.
HEERO: You think I'm waiting for a miracle...No-way...I'm going out and around this engine's nose. I'm going to the front.
He says it with complete surety. Duo has some small hope in the perfect soldier's superhuman abilities. Heero whips the starboard door open and bright white light streams in. Hilde shakes her head.
HILDE: This engine was built to be as smooth as possible, air resistance. How can you climb around a sheer nose?
Not listening, Heero sticks his head out the door.
471 EXT. 1ST / 2ND ENGINES - HEERO'S POV
The rounded snout of the second engine curves out of sight. The rear deck of the lead engine beckons tantalisingly.
From here the train seems to be running in a white void. No scenery, not even the rails ahead can be seen in the barrage of snow.
HILDE (VO):
I told you there's no walkways - you can't make it.
BACK TO HEERO
As he slams the door shut.
HEERO: (gulping down some of the bourbon for the cold) I'll make it.
HILDE: (trying to reason) Save yourself a lot of pain. That screwed up arm won't hold your weight out there...And it's going to take someone with a shit-load of guts and will to get onto that leader.
DUO: (standing up) Yeah...Me.
He starts bundling himself up, ready for the assault.
DUO: I'll do it...If I have to fly the last five feet, like a birdie...I'll fly it.
Heero shakes his head at Duo's courage and slight suicidal desire. Duo seems to be after his heart.
He starts pulling his heavier clothes back on.
DUO: C'mon, give me a drink let me go for it.
Hilde pulls her scarf off and hands it to Duo, wrapping it around his neck.
HILDE: You are so brave.
DUO: (mock-pompous) Yeah I know.
They are looking into each others eyes and seem on the verge of a very passionate moment. Heero decides to cut the romance short, waving the open bourbon bottle under Duo's nose.
Duo notices and painfully breaks eye-contact with Hilde. He has some of the final remnants of the bottle and opens the door, and stalls.
472 EXT. DUO'S POV
Down bellow the railbed rushes by. The door of this engine is mounted higher than the others, about ten, twelve feet off the ground. That's quite a way to fall.
473 INT. 2ND ENGINE - CAB
Duo shuts the door again, seemingly chickening out. Hilde watches on nervously. Heero looks like he was expecting this.
Duo suddenly turns and grabs Heero's hand.
DUO: Thanks.
He grabs the goggles off Heero and looks briefly at Hilde, winking roguishly.
DUO: I'll be back.
Heero grunts in sardonic humour as Duo pulls the goggles on and steps up to the door.
474 EXT. 2ND ENGINE STARBOARD SIDE
The door opens and Duo steps out backwards, climbing one rung down the side ladder from the door. Heero closes the door behind him.
Duo grabs a railing which runs along the side of the engine above the cab windows with both hands and starts to move forwards. There are some, very small handholds out here.
475 INT. 2ND ENGINE - CAB
Duo's shape can be seen on the other side of the frosted glass as he moves by the side window. Heero climbs up into the engineer's seat and motions him on. Hilde's a bit more vocal in her support.
476 EXT. 2ND ENGINE STARBOARD SIDE
Duo's got one foot wedged into an open inspection hatch below the side window. He brings the other one over from the ladder and hangs on the side of the engine, sixteen feet off the ground.
Ahead off him is a ladder of metal hoops driven in the side of the engine up onto the top of the nose. He reaches out with one arm and just grabs it.
477 INT. 2ND ENGINE - CAB
Heero watches. Hilde's hopes are growing.
HILDE: He has got some guts.
Heero nods, not really listening.
478 EXT. 2ND ENGINE NOSE
Duo manages to get to the second ladder. He's now only his own body-length from the deck of the lead engine, but the curvature of the nose mean's he's got to work round to the front before he can make the gap.
Duo climbs up this second ladder so he catch reach round and grab one of two small lights which straddle the main bulbous headlight. His fingers just can't make it by a tiny fraction.
He strains for it, his feet on the verge of slipping.
479 EXT. LYONS
Under the stationmaster's direction, the workers are jacking up the listing side of the derailed engine. As they remove the jacks they slide massive wooden cross-ties in place, holding the switcher firm as they reinsert the jacks to lift her right side higher. The men work with speed and precision. They look like they're gonna make it.
The second switcher is poised behind the first, a thick steel cable strung between them.
The engine vertical again, the men quickly run rails turned on their sides under the derailed wheels to form a temporary line back to solid track.
The stationmaster judges the work and decides it's time.
STATIONMASTER: (calling the men off) That's it! Take the ties out!
The Lyons crewman pull the wooden blocks out and release the hydraulic jacks. The engine sinks onto the hastily laid track.
The stationmaster grabs a radio and faces the second engine.
STATIONMASTER: (into radio) Take the strain up. Nice and slow.
Thrumming, the engine begins to back off, and the cable goes taught.
The men watch, anxious as can be as the cable groans.
The stopped engine protests for a moment, and with a sigh, begins to shift. The men cheer loudly.
480 EXT. 2ND ENGINE STARBOARD SIDE
Duo has given up reaching for the small mounting and is now trying to get his right foot onto the #1500 numberboard. That done, he slowly puts his weight on the board, keeping his left hand and foot on the ladder.
Gradually he begins to lean across, towards the headlight. His fingers are just touching it.
481 EXT. LYONS
The switcher is moving faster now, almost off the fractured track.
Focus in on the cable.
482 RAPID CUT TO:
EXT. 2ND ENGINE STARBOARD SIDE
Duo slips!
483 INT. 2ND ENGINE - CAB
Duo's shadow drops out of sight. Heero shoots forward to the window. Hilde screams.
484 RAPID CUT TO:
EXT. LYONS
The cable snaps! Someone screams.
CREWMAN: (yelling) Hit the deck!
All of the workers drop to the ground as the cable whiplashes overhead. The pulling switcher engine flies backwards, wheels churning on the rails.
As the cable flops limply on the ground, the stationmaster and his team look up.
The salvaged engine holds for a second, balanced precariously.
Suddenly the turned over rails roll under its weight and the engine tilts sideways, back into its original position.
Together the men jump up and desperately start cranking the engine back up with jacks and crowbars.
485 EXT. 2ND ENGINE STARBOARD SIDE
Heero slams the door open and looks out.
486 EXT. HEERO'S POV
The telephone poles fly by. Duo can't be seen. It looks like...
487 INT. 2ND ENGINE - CAB...
Hilde waits nervously. Heero looks round and grants her a small smile.
HEERO: He's all right.
488 EXT. 2ND ENGINE STARBOARD SIDE
Duo's hanging by the ladder on the side of the engine, his hand near cemented onto the top rung. He grunts and grabs with the other hand and pulls himself back up. He pulls himself round and looks at Heero leaning from the door. Duo shakes his head despairingly.
Heero yells back over the wind.
HEERO: (yelling, more aggressive than before) Hold on! Get back up! You gotta cross over! Now! Jump!
Duo can't believe this sudden turnabout in Heero, who slams the door shut. However, Duo does seem motivated and scrambles back up for another attempt, painfully dragging himself back up the icy, slick ladder rungs.
NOTE: The music I hear in my head for this next sequence is taken from the 'Gundam Wing' TV series. The track can be heard when Heero climbs out of Wing in Episode 10 and Zechs comments on his age. I feel that tune had the right air of desperation and hopelessness to it. It can also be heard at the beginning of 'Quatre Vs. Heero' when the Mercurius and Wing Zero go head to head.
489 EXT. LYONS
The men are working with a demonic, doomed energy. Victory is now hopeless but they refuse to concede until the runaway is upon them.
490 EXT. 2ND ENGINE NOSE
From the rear bonnet of the leader we see Duo bringing his foot up onto the numberboard.
491 INT. 2ND ENGINE - CAB
Hilde and Heero watch through the front window, heartbeats racing.
HEERO: (waving his fist like a madman) Now! Make it now!
Hilde shakes her head.
HILDE: He's gotta come back!
Heero ignores her.
HILDE: (closing her eyes) I can't watch.
Heero brutally shoves her into a seat.
HEERO: (not looking at her) Then sit down!
Hilde stares at him.
492 EXT. 2ND ENGINE STARBOARD SIDE
We're looking up at the F7 streamliner from below. Duo is just a smudge of colour on the rusted machine and we realise for the first time how high up he is.
He pushes himself and gets both feet on the numberboard. If they slip now he's hamburger meat.
This time he reaches over and gets his right hand around the frame of the main headlight, clutching the rim precariously.
493 INT. 2ND ENGINE - CAB
Heero and Hilde are now staring into Duo's terrified face as he tires to steady himself on the front of the speeding beast.
494 EXT. LYONS
Panic is beginning to break out now. The second engine, a massive crane and even several cars are fastened to the derailed engine, trying to drag it back to the rails.
Nearly all the sound is muted. Even the yelled orders of the stationmaster are a blurr. The sequence has an almost dreamlike quality.
495 EXT. 2ND ENGINE NOSE
Duo manages to turn himself round so that he's now facing towards the lead engine. He's effectively sitting on the top of the nose, his feet on the sill of the board.
496 INT. 2ND ENGINE - CAB
Heero bangs his hand against the window-pane
HEERO: (possessed) Jump now!
Duo looks back for a second as if to say "I'm doing my best..."
Hilde is biting her lip, almost tearing the flesh.
497 EXT. RUNAWAY
Like the animal it is it zooms by, leaving nothing but fear in it's wake as Duo clings to the second engine.
498 INT. CENTRAL
Frank seems spent, near defeat. He's thrown all he's got at the train and it's laughed in his face. MacDonald looks worse, praying in silent desperation.
Noin however, is at her desk, not paying attention to the drama of the train. Her head is down looking at a small framed photograph in her hands.
NOIN: (mumbling) Zechs...
We see the photo. It's of Zechs and her, prior to his arrest but unusually he's not wearing mask or uniform. Noin is in his lap, arms looped around his neck. Both stare at the camera with passionate, almost dreamy looks on their faces - the perfect image of a young couple.
Tears in her eyes remembering the man she's lost for so long, she puts it down and picks up another.
NOIN: Heero...
We see this new photo.
It's Relena.
499 EXT. 2ND ENGINE - NOSE
Duo leans forward, seemingly planning to try and jump from the nose. It's a long way across and down to the leader's rear deck and in between there's nothing but thin air and the speeding railbed. He tries to lean forward but he's now so high up the front engine has ceased to act as a wind-break, and the rush of the slipstream forces him back.
500 INT. 2ND ENGINE - CAB
Heero's on the verge of foaming at the mouth and cursing the air blue as he tries to force Duo by sheer willpower to make the death or glory leap.
501 EXT. 2ND ENGINE - NOSE
Duo simply can't do it. There's nothing to push off from. If he tries to jump he'll hang in the air, bounce off the engine nose and drop like a rock.
As we watch all of the fight seems to go out of him and he slumps in his precarious position. Laboriously he rolls onto his belly and drags himself over the nose back towards the cab. Through the window we see Heero motioning to go back.
Duo grabs the top of the rung ladder and swings down onto it to climb back.
502 INT. 2ND ENGINE - CAB
As Duo's shadow shifts round Heero seems to snap and he slams up against the window, screaming at him through the glass.
HEERO: (yelling) Go back! Get on that engine! Go back!
503 EXT. 2ND ENGINE - STARBOARD SIDE
Duo is back on the maintenance hatch when suddenly the window in front of him slams open and an enraged Heero sticks his head out. We can faintly hear them yelling at each other but it's inaudible.
Suddenly Heero grabs Duo by his jacket with his good arm and yanks him towards him. Duo looses his grip and is being held in place by Heero alone. The two scream at each other for several seconds.
504 INT. 2ND ENGINE - CAB
HEERO: Get back there...You want to be a hero...you want to be a legend...go back!
Hilde suddenly enters the fray, grabbing and screaming at Heero.
HILDE: What's wrong with you! Don't you care about him - about his life!
Riding on adrenaline Heero simply shoves her down and shakes Duo violently. Duo fights with Heero - trying to get a grip on the window sill.
Hilde suddenly darts back up.
HILDE: (yelling) Let him in!
She jumps onto Heero and her weight pulls him back through the window. He lets go of Duo who falls.
505 EXT. 2ND ENGINE - STARBOARD SIDE
Duo falls along the train's length but grabs the open window sill with his right hand and the door handle with his left. His left foot slips and he hangs spread-eagled on the side of the engine. In one titanic effort he throws his weight sideways and gets both feet and hands onto the door ladder.
506 INT. 2ND ENGINE - CAB
As Heero throws Hilde off he jumps for the door to hold it closed.
Too late. It falls open and Duo collapses through onto the floor. He gasps and rolls on his back, staring up at Heero.
DUO: What the f**k are you doing.
Heero points at the door.
HEERO: Get back out there - show me what Shinigami's made of!
DUO: (shattered) Give me a break!
Duo sits up to close the door. Heero kicks his hand away.
HEERO: Oho! Get back up kid...
DUO: You want to kill me or what.
HEERO: If I wanted I could kick you in the balls and they'd come out your mouth.
Duo looks at him. Hilde watches on aghast as Heero kicks Duo in the gut - lightly, but enough to hurt.
DUO: (winded, provoked) What are you Heero?
HEERO: The question is what are you? I don't know so show me. You think you can't do it but I'm saying you can.
DUO: I can't do it Heero, I can't do it.
Heero leans down to him.
HEERO: (lecturing) You don't you what you can do. You're a coward. You've got more than enough potential but you're too scared to realise it. Anyone could be superhuman if they had faith in themselves.
Amazingly, we realise this is his way of encouraging Duo. Really tough love.
HILDE: (crouched in the corner in horror) Leave him alone.
Heero carries on unabated.
HEERO: So come on! You're a good kid Maxwell, so prove me right and show me what you can do.
Amazingly some of this seems to be getting through to Duo. He grabs Heero's hand and pulls himself up.
DUO: (doing his scarf back up) Kid! I'm no kid. I'm a Gundam pilot.
Hilde thinks Heero's sending Duo to his death.
HILDE: No...no...He's using you, he's using you don't go...
Duo and Heero ignore her. Duo seems to be summoning some last reserve of strength.
HEERO: (pushing him on) You're gonna do it right...right?
HILDE: (screaming at him) Do it yourself if you're so brave!
Heero speaks back but doesn't look at her.
HEERO: If I had two hands I would.
HILDE: (sobbing) Bullshit...If you think you can sacrifice someone else's life instead of your own...You're an animal.
Heero suddenly spins at her.
HEERO: (deathly serious) No...Worse...Human...Human!
Hilde seems crushed by this.
HEERO: And I'm a human who's seen too much death in this world and it's stopping now! I'm not letting us die yet!
HILDE: (screaming at him, in tears) By sending him to die!
HEERO: (calmer) By sending him to live.
Duo shakes his head at her.
DUO: Hilde...I've gotta do this...Or we're all dead, not just me...
He looks at himself and Heero.
DUO: ...And anyway...What are we worth?
Hilde suddenly darts between them and slams the door shut.
HILDE: (staring at Duo) I'm not letting you go...I need you.
Duo seems stunned by this. Heero grabs Hilde and throws her across the cab. She slams into the other door and the window shatters. She slumps down, gasping with pain and clutching her shoulder.
Heero stares at what he's done for a second and then suddenly Duo is on him, viciously punching him across his face.
DUO: (passionate) Don't you touch her...She's worth ten of you! Ten of me!
Duo drives him into the back wall of the cab and grabs Heero's right cheek in a pain-hold. Heero's eyes go wide at Duo's sudden power but he doesn't react to the agony Duo's vice-like grip is inflicting.
He suddenly brings one leg up and pushes Duo away from him. Duo stumbles backwards and falls down the nose stairway.
Heero's maddened now by Duo's sudden turn. He goes for the prison knife tucked into his sock.
Duo springs back up, holding one of the wrenches they used on the door.
DUO: (gasping with pain) Don't come a step closer Heero...
He swings the wrench alarmingly. Heero stands there, tensed, a thin line of blood trickling from his mouth.
HEERO: That's more like it!
Both circle each other. Heero and Duo have totally lost control of themselves. Like when the Zero System possesses a user, their realities have become distorted. They really would kill each other.
Heero lunges forward, making a quick stab with the knife, testing Duo.
Duo jumps forward, swinging the wrench with both hands, like it was the handle of his beam scythe. It gets Heero at the elbow joint. Heero yells in pain and reels back.
DUO: (hyper, maddened) Don't make me kill you Heero...I swear I'll kill you...I'd beat you to death!
Heero bounces back, knife weaving and dancing in his hands. Duo parries the blade away with the wrench and the two face off again, testing each other.
Hilde is horrified at what she's provoked. She's crouched in the corner, hands on the door like she's ready to bail out.
HILDE: Stop it! Stop it! You're not enemies, you're allies! Don't let it beat you!
She burst into tears, dropping and hugging her knees.
HILDE: (distraught) Don't let the train beat you...
Sobbing, she trails off.
The whole rapid pace suddenly comes to a jarring halt. The tension hangs in the air as that same melancholic piece of music begins to grow slowly in the background.
Heero and Duo look at her, then look round at the thundering, juddering cab. Their eyes meet.
Hilde, eyes streaming watches from the corner.
Duo and Heero are terrified at what they came to the brink of doing. Their mouths hang open and they stare blankly as they take slow, deep breaths.
507 INT. CLOSEUP - HEERO.
Heero holds there, frozen as snow dusts him from the broken window and door. The train rattles in the background as he slowly looks around at Hilde and Duo, and then seems to look inwards at himself, and doesn't like what he finds.
508 INT. DETAIL - HEERO'S KNIFE
Slowly the knife slips out of his fingers and drops to the powdered metal floor with a thud. Hilde snatches it up and flings it out the window.
Heero drops into the same position as her, knees bent, slumped against the rear bulkhead.
509 INT. CLOSEUP - DUO
Duo drops down as well and hunkers up against the control stand.
510 CUT TO HILDE
As she gasps in relief, seemingly exhausted.
511 CUT TO HEERO
As he looks round, not sure what to make of the situation.
512 CUT TO DUO
He flings the wrench aside and it clatters into the corner, it's power gone. He looks up to the window for a second, staring out at the pristine white sky, at unreachable freedom. He looks at Heero.
DUO: I though we were friends...I though we were comrades...
They look at each other. Both are heavily banged up from their fight and their toils over the last few hours. Duo laughs hollowly, but his expression shows anything but joy. Just loss, devastation...and shame.
DUO: (destroyed) Shit...You know...We're worse than Une when the truth comes out...At least she's up front with her bullshit.
He looks up at the shuddering thundering cab.
DUO: We thought we were heroes...
Hilde watches the pair in sympathy. Heero's looking down at the floor, staring at nothing.
DUO: (looking at Heero) And you...You were the greatest hero...to all of us back there in that rat- hole.
He bangs the back of his head impotently against the metal control stand.
DUO: (regret, weariness) Heero...
513 CUT TO HEERO.
He's dropped into himself, slumped down, staring silently at his feet.
514 CUT TO HILDE.
She clutches herself as snow swirls around them, and looks at Heero.
515 INT. CENTRAL
Frank types away, but slower now...not quite resigned to defeat, but almost. He slowly looks over his shoulder at MacDonald, who paces the back of the room, wiping his face with a tissue.
MacDonald looks down at Frank, so small in his seat. People watch, eager to see Frank Barstow's new grand strategy.
Frank slowly waves a hand at the panel and rests his head on the other.
FRANK: (slowly) So what do we do?
People stare at Frank in slow realisation. He's out of ideas...He knows he's lost.
MACDONALD: You know what to do. Reroute her...Let her go to hell forever. Let her burn.
Frank sits up, a little bit of determination creeping back into his voice.
FRANK: So I just shove them onto the siding and in fifteen minutes they run out of track...
He looks at MacDonald.
FRANK: I can't do that.
MacDonald doesn't rise to the bait. The two seem to have reached an understanding by the toils they've suffered.
MACDONALD: (gentle) You tried your best Frank...Lord knows. No one can hold that against you, not me, or the company...But it's our responsibility, and we can't let her go on...It's our last chance before she hits some town and kills a lot more people than just those three...You know that, don't you?
Frank turns away slowly and puts a hand to his head in final desperation. Noin comes up behind him and rests her hands on his shoulders. Frank feels that and rests his own hand on hers, thanking her. Slowly he nods, and straightens up...
FRANK: Right...
MacDonald nods silently as Frank turns on the microphone.
FRANK: (into microphone, slowly sounding each word out) Elkins station...Barstow here...Now listen carefully, and act fast...
As he talks people pace slowly, and watch Frank play his final card against the runway.
FRANK: (into microphone) You've got ten minutes to line the runaway onto the old spur, the one we don't use anymore...Good, now go.
He hangs up.
It is done.
Noin's hands tighten on his shoulders for a second before she releases and walks away. As she goes MacDonald silently thanks her with his eyes.
Frank hangs his head.
FRANK: They're dead now...
MacDonald steps up.
MACDONALD: (fatherly, consoling) As God is our witness Frank...We had no choice...
He pats him on the shoulder.
MACDONALD: Well done...
The number of people in the room has thinned out as Frank, MacDonald and Noin step back to watch the train's light end its run on the wall-map.
516 INT. CENTRAL - MEN'S ROOM
One of the witnesses walks out of the control room straight into the toilet.
We see him try a cubicle and jump back in shock.
Slowly we pan into the cubicle and we see a man tied to the toilet, mouth gagged, eyes wide open.
It's Holley, the helicopter pilot.
517 EXT. RUNAWAY
The train, now condemned continues to drive it's way into the blizzard, forcing it's way through every obstacle man and nature have put in it's path.
Once again the music is haunting, a funeral dirge for the train and it's lost passengers.
518 INT. 2ND ENGINE - CAB
The three haven't moved. Hilde continues to watch Heero, particularly his wounded hand which is now beginning to seep blood, the stitches opened.
Heero doesn't notice, still locked in an introspective battle with himself.
Duo is also fixed in silence, watching Heero.
519 CUT TO HILDE...
...As she seems to reach a decision.
Slowly, she shifts over to Heero and tentatively puts an arm around his shoulders, offering him some small comfort.
Duo watches this act, and looks slightly surprising at Hilde's willingness to forgive.
Hilde keeps her hand round Heero and looks around, somehow knowing that this is the end.
After a few seconds, she pulls herself in closer and rests her head on Heero's shoulder.
520 CUT TO DUO
He seems to wrest with himself for a second, then slowly pulls himself over and joins them.
Heero looks up for a second at the two people leaning on him and blinks in surprise at what they're doing. He smiles slowly and tears form in his eyes. Tears of grief, and joy, and thanks.
Thinking together they draw closer together, putting their arms around each other, sharing warmth in this cold, quivering iron shell flying through clouds of fine, powdery snow.
521 EXT RUNAWAY
It too seems resigned to it's fate and moves towards it's final destination with open arms, eager for the end, for peace after long centuries of restless sleep and hard labour.
It is an image that will haunt our minds forever.
522 INT. 2ND ENGINE - CAB
The three friends are now hustled together, heads down.
Snow drifts in through smashed and open windows and a cold draught plays with scattered papers. They silently rustle to the corners of the cab as the mournful tune reaches it's cold climax. Heero, Duo and Hilde remain frozen together, waiting for the inevitable doom. United in death.
523 EXT. RUNAWAY
The train glides silently, flowing over the rails with a much slower pace. It too is weary, but carries relentlessly on.
It has overcome all boundaries and will reap the benefits in its own destruction.
As we watch the dark, deadly machine clanks onto a long, low steel bridge over a thick sheet of ice, and it's giant footfalls shake the girders, a slow, rhythmic clanking that harmonises with the gusts of wind and snow.
Still it runs, seemingly lifeless, yet full of life.
524 EXT. LEAD ENGINE CABSIDE
The rails stretch on for eternity, and the shard of metal which protrudes into this picture begins to shake faster as the end of the line looms near.
It eerily resembles a face which leans into the blowing wind, which whistles through it's 'eye' with a chilling note.
The horizon is a sheet of white snow. Beyond could lie anything.
The train and it's passengers have no time at all, and at the same time, all eternity to wait for deliverance.
TO BE CONTINUED...
A/N: Don't you love it! Say you love it! Runaway!
Sorry, I got that from my brother's new computer game, Whiplash: - Very, very SICK! but hilarious.
So, not long to go now before all the knots are tied up, but I have a few things to say.
If you want to find pictures from the movie to get an idea of what the train or the scenery looks like, try the special features section on "John's Alaska Railroad Web Page." I made a large contribution to the Runaway Train section of the site and my name is posted there
Secondly, given that this story will be over soon, do you want me to write more? If so let me know, and feel free to make your suggestions for new scripts or an improvement of this one.
Well - see you all soon (or maybe not if I decide to be a bastard in updating the final chapter. He, he, he.)
EXCELSIOR!
(sorry, I got that one of Marvel Comic's Stan Lee. Can I come up with a SINGLE original idea!)
