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Below is an opening 10 pages written by Jacqueline Lichtenberg for a script contest http://cowritescript.com/ for 2009. The premise given to be fulfilled by the entry was: Movie Premise: Determined to be a high-level Jason Bourne type
operative, Please drop comments on my blog Here is what the contest said of this tidbit.
FADE IN:
EXT. SUBURBAN NEIGHBORHOOD - DAY
1940's Cape Cod, peeling paint, weedy lawn, toy-litter
from 5 and 7 year olds. Slanted shade in upper window.
INT. CAPE COD BEDROOM - CONTINUOUS
Slanted shade. Scattered electronics, jeans, shirts,
socks, and college catalogues on a threadbare carpet.
JASON WHITCOMB (17) sprawls across his rumpled bed,
texting on his phone. He bolts upright, bleats:
JASON
What do you mean you need a
college degree!
He looks at the silent phone, stabs a button. The
DISTANT SOUND of a landline phone RINGING.
INT. HIGH SCHOOL COUNSELING OFFICE - CONTINUOUS
Shelves of college catalogues, neat piles of folders,
delapidated vertical files, gray steel desk, worn chairs.
Signs say CAREER COUNSELING. ARLENE SHEPHARD (50's)
rocks in the desk chair, opens a folder with JASON
WHITCOMB's photo. Arlene texts:
TEXT
RL isn't lk d Mvies.
Before she can SEND, her phone rings. It's JASON.
JASON
What could a CIA agent possibly
need a college degree for!
ARLENE
Jason, spies must know psychology,
criminology, and science. Most
top Agents are Lawyers.
JASON (FILTERED)
College isn't happening for me!
Arlene flips pages, looks at Jason's lists of A's.
ARLENE
You've got the grades.
INT. CAPE COD BEDROOM - CONTINUOUS
Jason gazes hopelessly at his shabby room.
JASON
I got nothin'.
ARLENE (FILTERED)
Scholarships are -
JASON
Haven't seen the financial news?
You can't program a Feed Reader?
ARLENE (FILTERED)
If you want to be a C.I.A. Agent,
Jason, you will find a way. All
good Agents do. Find a way.
JASON
And how many Agents do you -
(beat)
Sorry to bother you, Ms. Shepard.
Jason clicks off his phone, exhumes his laptop, googles
ARLENE SHEPHARD MILLSTONE HIGH SCHOOL COUNSELLOR. Google
returns a short list. The DOOR FLIES OPEN. MICHELLE
OGDEN (17) crashes in, swings a BACKPACK into a corner
and flings herself onto the bed. Jason flinches, pulls
his laptop screen down. Michelle flips the screen up.
MICHELLE
You're googling your Counsellor?
JASON
I'm not. Mickey, gimme!
Jason grabs the laptop back, shuts it. Michelle bounces
off the bed and heads for the door.
MICHELLE
Have it your way. I just came
over to let you help me. Your cut
would be a cool fifty grand but -
JASON
Cut? What have you been snorting?
Michelle turns back.
MICHELLE
Nothing and you know it! This is
for real. We can go to the same
school, room together, save money!
JASON
Fifty grand? One quarter's fees.
MICHELLE
It's a start! If you dare.
Two boys, DANNY (5) and PHILIP (7) burst in fighting.
DANNY
Ma says come for dinner!
PHILIP
Now or else! You staying Mickey?
Danny punches Philip. Michelle grabs her backpack.
MICHELLE
Naw. Your Mom said my Mom called.
Jason, I'll text where to meet me.
Michelle turns at the door, ignoring the kids.
MICHELLE (CONT'D)
I'll find a way to do this with or
without you. So be there.
Michelle spins out of the room. Danny and Philip assault
Jason. Jason gapes after Michelle, wrestles the kids.
PHILIP
Ma says you have to wash Danny up.
JASON
So I'll find a way.
Jason sweeps Danny over his shoulder. Danny squeals.
Jason exits, playing happily with the children.
EXT. SUBURBAN LIBRARY - NIGHT
The Library is open. Well lit parking lot with a SUNDIAL
and ASTROLABE. MICHELLE sits crosslegged in the wabe,
her laptop on her knees. JASON skids his bike to a stop.
JASON
Well, here I am.
Jason crams his bike into a rack, does not chain it.
MICHELLE
Sit down. Here's the deal.
JASON
Fifty grand. Is it a contest?
MICHELLE
Not exactly. Look!
Michelle turns her laptop to Jason. It shows a colorful
POSTER offering $100,000 REWARD FOR THE SAFE RETURN OF
"RIBBONS". The photograph is of a FEMALE CHIMPANZEE
playing with colored ribbons.
JASON
We got to find a chimp? A chimp
can't be worth a hundred grand!
MICHELLE
Chimp's a circus star with a movie
contract pending. I bet we could
get double the reward, a year of
college for both of us.
JASON
You want to ransom a chimp!
MICHELLE
No! Negotiate. She was last seen
in Garnerville three days ago. I'm
betting on the train. Circuses
travel by train a lot. A box car
would be home.
JASON
The ten o'clock freight from
Garnerville?
MICHELLE
We need a big net and bannanas.
JASON
What if we catch it - her? Chimps
are dangerous. They bite.
MICHELLE
Can you get a tranq gun?
Jason shakes his head.
MICHAEL
Well, Ribbons is tame . . ..
EXT. TRAIN YARD - NIGHT
Hulking shadows of parked trains. Slant of moonlight.
SOUND of train marshalling in distance. A female chimp,
RIBBONS, without ribbons, sleeps atop a shipping 'tainer
on a flatbed car in a parked train.
MICHELLE and JASON, in jeans and sweat shirts, skulk
along train, peer under the carriages, wave peeled
bannanas into dark cracks. Jason carries a large net on
a stick. Michelle carries a big sack of bannanas.
JASON
I should have brought a light.
MICHELLE
We'd get caught. This is
trespassing, you know.
The chimp wakes, searches for the voices.
JASON
Everyone comes here. I'm
surprised there are no Dealers
hanging around.
MICHELLE
Just wave that bannana over there.
They move along the trains. The chimp watches them from
above very interested in the peeled bannanas.
JASON
We need to peel a fresh one.
MICHELLE
She's here. I smell animal.
Jason sniffs, nods. Starts through between cars.
JASON
We'll find a way to catch her!
INDISTINCT VOICES. TWO MEN in top coats and scarves
mutter. LIGHT FOOTSTEPS approach on gravel. Jason
halts, bars Michelle's way. Ribbons scampers to the edge
nearest the men, watches. Michelle pushes past Jason,
peeks past the 'tainer edge to the other side.
EXT. TRAIN YARD - CONTINUOUS
On the other side of the train, TWO MEN loiter in deep
shadow. ARLENE tromps toward them wearing a striking
pants suit, high boots, FRINGED SCARF over head and face.
MOON LIGHT reveals part of her face.
ARLENE
Have you been waiting long?
The two men straighten, hands in coat pockets.
MAN ONE
How did you spot us?
Arlene sweeps her scarf back and tosses out her hair.
ARLENE
Professional secret.
MICHELLE
(whispers)
My God! Ms. Shephard is a drug
dealer? User? My God!
JASON
(whispers)
No way. Listen!
Jason absently bites the bannana. RIBBONS watches Jason.
The men approach Arlene.
MAN ONE
Well, you're still the best, then.
ARLENE
I'm retired. Got that?
MAN TWO
We do. They may not.
ARLENE
Which they?
MAN TWO
The Orson Gang.
ARLENE
They're all dead!
MAN TWO
Three died in Paris. Five broke
out. We think they made it to
Columbia, then crossed the Texas
border.
ARLENE
You think?
MAN ONE
Look, I don't report to you any
more. You don't carry a badge -
ARLENE
Why do you think they're after me?
MAN TWO
We caught one of the five in
Panama with your picture and an
offer from Columbia. You'd be
worth a helluva ransom.
ARLENE
And the other four are missing?
MAN ONE
So far. We're here to bring you
in for protection.
Arlene throws up her hands and walks in a circle.
Ribbons watches. Michelle bites her bannana.
JASON
(whispers)
See! I told you. She's C.I.A.!
ARLENE
Why bring me in? The Shephard
identity isn't compromised. Get
the department to re-issue my
sidearm. And keep me posted.
Arlene turns to leave.
MAN ONE
But -
Arlene pauses, turns.
ARLENE
I have sixty kids depending on me
to get them into college. I
wouldn't endanger them, and you
know it. No buts.
Arlene spins and CRUNCHES back the way she came. The men
leave in the other direction. Ribbons SCREAMS and
POUNCES on the partially eaten bannanas. Jason drops the
net. Ribbons SNATCHES both bannanas and scrambles back
atop the 'tainer, eating.
The Men race toward Jason and Michelle. Arlene crouches,
ghosts under a car and around behind the teens.
Jason swarms up a ladder after Ribbons. Michelle backs
out of the space between the cars and right into Arlene's
arms. The two Men speed after Jason. Ribbons scolds
them, tosses the bananna peels at them. Jason lunges at
Ribbons, grabs, slips on a peel, misses. Ribbons leaps
to the next car, pauses to laugh at them, and whisks off
into the night. Man Two scoops Jason up rather gently.
MAN ONE
What the hell was that?
MAN TWO
Take it easy, son.
Jason straightens and yields to custody.
JASON
What do I do? Name, rank and
serial number?
Both Men laugh.
ARLENE
Bring him down here!
EXT. TRAIN YARD - CONTINUOUS
ARLENE, the TWO MEN, JASON and MICHELLE huddle in the
shadow between two train cars. Michelle holds the bag of
bannanas and the net.
MAN ONE
(to Arlene)
We should take these two in.
MAN TWO
(to Man One)
I swear that was a chimpanze!
(to Jason)
Don't you kids know how dangerous
it is to own exotic pets?
ARLENE
(to Man One)
What would you tell their parents?
(to Man Two)
They're responsible for letting
their pet escape; they'll learn.
MAN TWO
(to Arlene)
We can't take both families in.
Budget.
JASON
I thought the C. I. A. got all the
funding you can use.
RIBBONS creeps back along the tops of an adjacent train.
MAN ONE
(to Jason)
Where did you get the idea we're -
how long were you listening?
ARLENE
Jason here has a fine imagination.
JASON
I do?
MICHELLE
So you are C. I. A.!
Arlene sighs, fools with her scarf, thinking. The Men
watch her while scanning their surroundings, guarding.
ARLENE
Homeland Security, actually.
Retired.
(to Man One)
No way can these two keep quiet.
MAN ONE
So now the Shephard identity is
compromised. We take you in; we
let them go. Simple.
Ribbons scuttles down the ladder to the gravel. Man Two
cocks his ear at the sound Ribbons makes.
ARLENE
Not so simple. If we leave them
here to leak, they'll be bait.
The Orsons will try to torture my
whereabouts out of them.
Arlene watches Jason for a reaction. He's impressed.
ARLENE (CONT'D)
So how much did you hear?
MICHELLE
A gang wants to kidnap you for
ransom. You need a gun.
ARLENE
A+ for that summary.
Arlene glares at Man Two. He shakes his head.
JASON
(to Arlene)
So are you a lawyer?
Arlene LAUGHS. Ribbons scampers under a car. Arlene
hushes herself. The Men scour the vicinity with their
eyes, miss Ribbons. Man One flips out his cell phone.
MAN ONE
I've got to call this in.
ARLENE
(to Jason)
The less you know about me, the
better for you.
MICHELLE
So you are a lawyer. Well, you
ought to know you can't hold us.
We're only seventeen! You can only
turn us over to the police for
trespassing, and they'll call our
parents, and well, if you do that -
ARLENE
Not an option.
Ribbons dashes at Michelle. Man Two HEARS, turns, goes
for his gun. Jason knocks into Man Two. Arlene spins
Jason aside. Man One drops his phone. Man Two jockeys
for balance.
Ribbons snatches the bag of bannanas with one hand, the
net with the other. Ribbons swings the net at Man Two.
The net goes over Man Two's head, captures his shoulders.
Ribbons lets go of the net and grabs Arlene's scarf,
throttling her.
Man One grabs for Ribbons. Arlene spins to unwind the
scarf. Ribbons grabs the net handle with one foot, Man
One's face with the other, leaps to the top of the
nearest 'tainer and is gone with bannanas and scarf. Man
Two pulls the fish net off his head.
JASON
I know a solution. Apprentice
Mikey and me! Deputize us.
ARLENE
You're not eighteen yet.
MICHELLE
Will be in two months.
JASON
And we keep secrets!
FADE TO BLACK.
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