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TRIUMVIRATE [Installment Thirteen]
By The Host
Right where we left off. . . [Next fourteen pages, to two hours thirty-one minutes.]
The gunship corkscrews into a narrower space between two massive buildings; Davies levels it and pulls up as a bomb explodes a building ahead. The building burns and the conflagration spreads. Davies passes the gunship into a cloud of smoke and all is dark; they barely miss running into a building that juts out below them; and then they’re free and in clear night air again, finally pulling above some of the lower buildings and drawing nearer the battle in the skies. After a second behind them one vessel emerges from the smoke, and another, and then a third, this one with markings of the USS. Johnson looks back.
JOHNSON
We’ve got another one following.
But suddenly this third fighter opens fire on the other two. One of them blows up as Davies looks back, elated.
DAVIES
It’s Macy!
At that, there is a ripping explosion and Davies’s gunship spins wildly out of control. Smoke quickly fills the cockpit and is just as quickly sucked out of it. Davies looks back to see Robert; there’s a gash in Johnson’s forehead, but he seems otherwise okay.
DAVIES
You okay?
JOHNSON
For about the next minute and a half. That’s maybe how long it’ll hold together.
DAVIES
Eject?
JOHNSON
(Reading monitor)
No. System’s dead.
DAVIES
We’ve gotta get out of this thing somehow.
JOHNSON
Let’s go.
Davies nods and starts to open his cockpit window as Johson opens that to his gunpit, ignoring the shriefing alarms. Each quickly unstrap themselves from their seats and pull themselves onto the left wing of the gunship, gripping handholds as the wind screams by and the gunship is flies headlong towards a distant skyscraper.
INSIDE MACY’S COCKPIT Hawk sees Jack and Johnson emerge from the cockpit; he gets the message and his hands fly across his equipment as he zooms past the remaining Corporate fighter and he lets loose two harpoons which glom onto each wing of Davies’s fighter, which is writhing as it flies and bleeding flame and smoke.
ON THE WING OF THE GUNSHIP, Johnson screams to Davies over the wind.
JOHNSON
JACK, I’LL GO FIRST! WATCH ME!
Jack just nods his head. Johnson takes a deep breath and then very quickly lets go of his handhold and lunges for the tow rope connecting harpoon to Macy’s fighter behind. He grabs fast to it with his left hand and swiftly with his right hooks it to his belt; then, with a wave to Jack, he lets go and is pulled back by the force of the wind to Macy’s fighter behind. He lands with his back to the side of Macy’s wing; throwing his legs up he climbs onto the wing and away from the tow rope, still attached to him by an elastic on his belt. He grabs a nearby handhold and grabs another of three hooks on his belt. He secures himself to this handhold and releases the hook holding him to the tow rope.
AT THAT MOMENT the Corporate fighter shoots one of the gunship’s engines; with a tiny explosion the gunship flips 180 degrees, so that up is down and the harpoon connecting the Macy’s fighter to the gunship’s left win loses its hold and falls down and trails behind Macy’s fighter; it is quickly released from Macy’s ship and falls toward the ground. So, too, is Davies about to fall; he now hangs from his handhold, feet dangling above the tips of towers and the ground thousands of feet below. Ahead, the tower standing in the gunship’s way draws ever nearer. Davies closes his eyes, gulps.
DAVIES
Not again.
Macy maneuvers his fighter so that it flies in tandem with Davies’s gunship, below and slightly behind. The Corporate fighter still follows, shooting at Macy’s fighter now. Macy glances up at Jack from his cockpit; Jack looks down.
ON THE LEFT WING OF MACY’S FIGHTER, Johnson lets go of the handhold with his right hand and taps his ear.
JOHNSON
Jack.
HANGING FROM HIS HANDHOLD, Jack hears Johnson’s voice inside his head.
JOHNSON (O.S.) (CONT’D)
Jack, you’ve gotta jump. Let go.
DAVIES
I can’t. I’m scared.
INT GEMINI –- STRATEGIC PLANNING ROOM -- CONTINUOUS
Admiral Dawson is ignoring his planning for the moment; he can see Davies’s view of the action on a holographic display. Visibly on edge, Dawson watches and listens to the interplay in his ear.
JOHNSON (V.O.)
Jack, it’s all right. We’ve got you.
DAWSON
Jack—
EXT. MAGNAPOLIS
Jack perks up when he hears Dawson.
DAWSON (V.O.)
You have to do it, Jack. Let go.
DAVIES
Okay.
ON THE GUNSHIP, Johnson takes another deep breath and looks up at his friend dangling above the fighter.
IN THE FIGHTER Macy watches with concern, trying desperately to keep the gunship level even as he is shot from behind by the Corporate fighter.
FINALLY JACK DAVIES LETS GO; he falls and lands on the right wing of Macy’s fighter and tumbles over toward the rear edge and flails desperately for a handhold and seems about to fall off when suddenly he finds something and holds on, holds on to the very edge of Macy’s wing, his legs trailing behind him, and he dares not to remove a hand to try to secure himself.
IN THE COCKPIT, Macy releases the second tow rope and steers away from the gunship just as it finally explodes; Macy angles his gunship down.
THE CORPORATE VESSEL IS TOO CLOSE when Macy turns and the gunship explodes; the pilot frantically pulls up, away from the explosion, and then turns and begins to plunge down to follow Macy, but turns too slowly, and when he comes through the flame from Davies’s gunship his fighter slams into the tower which stands only a few meters beyond.
IN HIS FIGHTER Macy sighs, collects himself, and slows his vessel while still flying inexorably downward.
EXT. PARK -– NIGHT
Steve Jameson and Willem Boyd step away from their parachutes and look at the rubble and wreckage of the great tower that fell in front of them, marring the green fields and trees that populate the park. A dull roar of traffic and battle envelops them.
WILLEM
What do we do? We can’t get around that. The Corporate Tower’s on the other side.
STEVE
We’ll have to get around it.
WILLEM
How much time do we have?
STEVE
(Checking watch)
Four minutes to fourteen hundred. This is the spot.
WILLEM
Can we contact the others?
STEVE
No communication until their boots hit the ground.
Willem nods, looks around, and takes a deep breath of the clear night air.
WILLEM
I wonder where they are right now. . .
INT./EXT. MACY’S FIGHTER -– MOVING -- CONTINUOUS
Davies holds onto the wing for dear life as Macy approaches the ground. Smoke now trails the fighter.
INSIDE THE COCKPIT SIRENS SCREECH AND KLAXONS SOUND as Hawk Macy deftly pilots the ship to just above ground level. He presses a few buttons as it stabilizes and flies along the length of a busy street, the traffic zooming by thirty feet below even faster than Macy’s ship. Finally, satisfied, Macy presses a button and stands as his cockpit window slides back. He fumbles in his pocket for the communicator and shoves it into his ear, the climbs onto the left wing of his fighter.
ON THE WING, Johnson looks up at Macy with wild-eyed surprise. Macy secures himself, hooking himself to the handhold, then taps his ear and yells; Johnson hears him through the communicator despite the screech of wind.
MACY
WE’VE GOTTA BAIL! HER ENGINE’S JUST ABOUT SHOT! WE’LL HAVE TO MAKE A JUMP FOR IT!
ON THE OTHER WING, Davies looks down to see the thousands of vehicles streaking by. He speaks.
DAVIES
ARE YOU CRAZY?! WE’LL BE FLATTENED BY THOSE!
MACY (O.S.)
NOT DOWN THERE! LOOK AHEAD!
Some distance ahead, and almost at their level, an open footbridge spans the highway.
ON HIS WING, Macy points to the bridge; Johnson looks up at it.
MACY (CONT’D)
WE’LL HAVE TO TIME IT JUST RIGHT, BUT I THINK WE CAN DO IT! READY?!
Johnson just nods, and then sets about unhooking himself from his handhold.
ON THE OTHER WING, Davies takes a deep breath as the bridge comes closer.
JOHNSON, now free, girds himself to let go of his handhold and jump as Macy feverishly fumbles with his hook. Something’s wrong; it’s stuck, and they’re almost upon the bridge.
JOHNSON
COME ON!!
ON THE RIGHT WING Jack Davies lets go and falls, landing perfectly on the bridge just five feet below.
AT THAT INSTANT Johnson tumbles off the wing and lands safely. Macy manages to free himself, casting off his utility belt and back-pack, a split-second later but already he can see it’s too late but, hey, what the hell, he runs and jumps with all his might and manages to grab on to the footbridge itself, dangling above the highway, vehicles screaming by just ten feet below.
AT THE OTHER END OF THE FOOTBRIDGE, Davies, who had been quickly making his way from the highway, turns back for Macy. The fighter plows into the highway a mile away with a great explosion and Macy is about to slip when Davies reaches him; he reaches over the rail and grabs one of Macy’s hands, but he hasn’t got the force to pull him up.
INT. GEMINI -- STRATEGIC PLANNING ROOM -- CONTINUOUS
Dawson watches the holographic Davies holding Macy. Dawson speaks quickly, fiercely, with an eye on a nearby clock display.
DAWSON
It’s fourteen hundred hours. Jack, leave him. There’s no time. The world counts on you.
EXT. FOOTBRIDGE -- CONTINUOUS
Jack hesitates, looks away from Macy, away down the footbridge. Dawson speaks in his ear.
DAWSON (V.O.) (CONT’D)
Let him go, Jack.
Jack still hesitates, looking now at Macy, a troubled look on his face. Macy sees it immediately. He speaks quietly, blind terror beginning to cross his face.
MACY
Jack. . .
DAWSON (V.O.)
Do it, Jack. That’s an order.
DAVIES
No!
INT. GEMINI –- STRATEGIC PLANNING ROOM -- CONTINUOUS
Dawson is taken aback by Davies’s insubordination.
EXT. FOOTBRIDGE -- CONTINUOUS
Jack still hesitates when Johnson reaches them, reaches down, and grabs Macy’s other arm. Together the two haul him up and over the railing and onto the bridge. Macy immediately stands, shoots Davies an icy look, and turns to Robert. He speaks curtly.
MACY
Thanks, guys.
He pushes past Johnson.
MACY (CONT’D)
This way.
Johnson and Davies trudge along behind Macy, descending into the city.
EXT. STREET -– LATER
The street is extremely busy, jammed with extremely fast vehicles, moving about the city despite the prolonged night and prolonged fight in the skies above. One side of this wide thoroughfare is lined with dark trees, the other with bright storefronts. Steve and Willem emerge from the trees.
WILLEM
You’re sure?
STEVE
(Waving his arm into the street)
Yeah. We can’t walk all the way around that wreckage. We need a cab.
WILLEM
And the others?
STEVE
They know where we’re going. They’ll find us.
WILLEM
You’re sure?
A car speeds by close to Steve; he takes his arm away at the last minute.
STEVE
Bastard!
(To Willem)
Yeah, I’m sure. Anyway, what choice do we have?
A taxi screeches to a stop next to them; the CABBIE, a lanky black man, motions frantically for them to get in.
INT. CAB -- CONTINUOUS
The cabbie leans back to them and grins.
CABBIE
Where to, boys?
WILLEM
Corporate Tower, please.
CABBIE
Oh, yeah? Out of the frying pan into the tower, huh? Hold on!
With a jerk, he speeds away.
EXT. DIRTY STREET -– LATER
A dark, busy street. This neighborhood is dank, dirty, wet. Lights play on the surfaces of puddles. DOZENS OF VENDORS in rags shout and call to sell their wares; PEDESTRIANS in great throngs shuffle to gawk or to buy or to move on. Restaurants that should probably be condemned line the street, interspersed with vacant buildings, windows broken and painted with graffiti. PROSTITUTES try their trade. Over the din faint explosions of the battle above can be heard. Macy, Davies and Johnson walk slowly along this street, the latter two shouldering their heavy packs, Macy looking at a hand-held monitor. They pass an alleyway that recedes into unknowable darkness. Davies shudders.
DAVIES
I don’t wanna know what goes on in those alleyways.
MACY
We’ve got to find our way to the Tower. Find out where we are. Otherwise the map’s no good to us.
Macy moves up to a street vendor, a CHINESE WOMAN selling fish from some sort of cart. He taps on her shoulder; she quickly turns to him holding a dead fish in her hand.
MACY (CONT’D)
Ma’am, can you show us the way to the Corporate Tower?
She says something in another language, Mandarin maybe,dismissing him, and then turns back to her CUSTOMERS, holding up the fish and shouting. Macy tries to get her attention and fails. Davies pushes forward and grabs the woman by the shoulder spins her around.
DAVIES
The Tower! The Corporation Tower! Where is it?
Frightened, she continues to babble away, holding the fish out to him now. Davies throws it to the ground.
DAVIES (CONT’D)
The Tower, the Tower! The Tower, stupid!
Macy steps between them. The woman, now terrified, looks from one to the other. Macy motions with his hands, drawing a tall building, pointing up.
MACY
Big building.
He makes the sign of the cross.
MACY (CONT’D)
Corporation.
The woman nods. Macy shrugs.
MACY (CONT’D)
Where?
The woman says something and suddenly points down the nearby alley. Macy nods thanks and moves away toward it.
MACY (CONT’D)
(To the others)
Come on.
Davies adjusts the pack on his back and trudges behind Macy and Johnson.
DAVIES
Figures.
EXT. HIGHWAY -- NIGHT
The cab speeds along the highway, weaving between vehicles, now heading toward the Corporate Tower, which stands like a spike before them.
INT. CAB -– MOVING
Steve and Willem hold on for dear life as they whisk past other vehicles. The cabbie, smiling wide, looks back at them.
CABBIE
Nice uniforms. So whose side are you on?
STEVE
Never mind. Just get us there.
The cabbie looks ahead again, laughing.
CABBIE
So you’re on Dawson’s side, huh? S’okay. I don’t give a shit who you fight for, long as you pay.
Willem watches the traffic flash by.
WILLEM
So much traffic, even with a battle going on.
CABBIE
Yeah, not much fazes people here, ‘cept if the shops are closin’. We just keep on going.
At that moment sirens wail behind them and lights flash; a police vehicle is in hot pursuit. Willem looks out the rear window, stupefied, then turns back to the cabbie.
WILLEM
What the hell? I lived in this city twelve years; cops’ve never chased anyone for speeding, and now there’s a battle going on!
CABBIE
Well . . . Actually . . . Hold these!
He reaches over and grabs from the passenger seat a pile of jewels which he throws back to Willem and Steve, incredulous. He keeps piling stuff on, ending with an ornately-guilt picture frame.
WILLEM
Wha--?
CABBIE
I stole ‘em. From the Tree Museum. I guess you guys are my hostages. Sorry. Hold on!
He pulls back on the controls.
EXT. FREEWAY -– CONTINUOUS
The cab pulls up, away from the freeway, and, engaging powerful engines, zooms away through the night. Two police vehicles follow close behind.
EXT. ALLEY -– MOMENTS LATER
Jack and Hawk and Robert move slowly through the dark alley. Fighters fly by overhead. Rats scurry amongst the trash and between the dumpsters. A BUM lies propped against a dumpster, huddled under a blanket, a bottle of some sort of alcohol by his side. The three pass by him; Macy looks at a hand-held monitor.
MACY
The Tower should be three blocks ahead and one over.
The bum calls out to them.
BUM
Are you soldiers?
DAVIES
(Not looking at him)
Yep.
BUM
You bring doom with you. We’re all doomed, you know. The morning will never dawn.
DAVIES
Okay.
BUM
God watch over you!
DAVIES
Thank you, sir.
They keep walking; the bum settles down under his blanket.
JOHNSON
Local color.
MACY
Almost there.
They continue on.
INT./EXT. CAB -- MOVING
The cab flies over the rubble and parkland near the Corporate Tower, still pursued by police vehicles, making for the buildings on the other side. A fighter nearby is destroyed; the cab barely misses the flaming wreckage.
INSIDE, the cabbie speaks now without looking back to his passengers.
CABBIE
Used to be a security officer, y’know. Guarded the Corporate Tower. Then they fired me. Said they was lookin’ for someone more appropriate for dealin’ with the public. Then they hired a skinny white boy to replace me, talks with an English accent, tells people where the bathrooms are with grace, I guess. Anyway, I say, fuck ‘em. I got nothin’ to lose. If I’m goin’ down I’m goin’ down, but I’m takin’ something with me. So I know you’re my hostages – that’s only in case, just if I get caught, y’know – but otherwise I’d be willing to help you, long as you gonna bring down the Corporation.
WILLEM
You could say that.
The cabbie smiles.
CABBIE
All right.
NOW THE CAB PASSES between the buildings beyond the great park. It zooms forward past several towers and hangs a sharp right turn, trying to shake the vehicles following. Suddenly, though, the cab is faced with eight police vehicles hovering directly in front of it.
INSIDE THE CAB, the driver curses.
CABBIE
Hold on, guys, we’re gonna make an exit!
The police open fire as the cab approaches head-on. At the last moment, the vehicle swerves and smashes into a low, glass-walled building below the cops.
INT. SHOPPING MALL -- CONTINUOUS
A vast shopping complex, packed with holographic advertisements and well-dressed SHOPPERS. The cab smashes through a wall of glass at one end; shoppers scream as they run, trying to get away from the vehicle, which spins across the floor and comes to the rest at the edge of a balcony looking over to the level below. The cabbie and Steve and Willem bound out of the cab just as it teeters over the edge and falls to the level below, landing at the edge of a fountain. The three look around at the slack-jawed crowd standing in the luxurious consumer palace. The cabbie smiles, holds up his hands.
CABBIE
It’s all right, folks. Everybody got out okay. No need to worry about us. Go on back to your scheduled shopping routine.
No response from the crowd. Suddenly EIGHT UNIFORMED SECURITY GUARDS push through to face Willem and Steve and the cabbie.
FIRST GUARD
GET THEM!
CABBIE
RUN!
But he doesn’t have to tell Willem and Steve. They push their way through the crowd, followed by the armed guards, making their way for a doorway placed beside a store.
That's that. Comment, then go quickly to the next chapter. It's waiting doggedly!
-The Host
12/29/2002 7:38:19 PM
Comment on this fan fiction!
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