CLIFFHANGER

                          screenplay by

                          Michael France
                           Terry Hayes
                        Sylvester Stallone









                                       Shooting draft 3/30/92
















     [NOTE: THE HARD COPY OF THIS SCRIPT CONTAINED SCENE
     NUMBERS.  THESE HAVE BEEN OMITTED FOR THIS SOFT COPY.]

















     EXT.  MOUNTAIN RANGE - HELICOPTER POV - DAY

     We are flying, soaring, wheeling, diving through a range of
     magnificent mountains.  They are the Colorado Rockies and,
     right now, in early spring, it's one of the finest sights on
     earth: The lush greenery of the valleys gives way to cliffs of
     sheer rock and towering peaks crowned by snow.

     As the CREDITS ROLL, we wheel past a mountain wall and realize
     this is the POV from


     A HELICOPTER

     as it soars up to circle the tallest mountain:  The Tower.  It
     rises thousands of feet from the ground below, so high that its
     summit is wreathed in clouds.

                        GABE
                    (V.O.)
               Do you see them yet?

                        JESSIE
                    (V.O.)
               Patience my love, patience.

                        GABE
                    (V.O.)
               That's a virtue isn't it?

                        JESSIE
                    (V.O)
               Wait, I think I have them
               sighted.  What's the word, Frank?


     INSIDE HELICOPTER - FRANK AND JESSIE

     Spotter FRANK NEWELL (50's) scans the mountain wall.  JESSIE
     DEIGHAN (30's) expertly pilots the helicopter.  Both wear
     jackets identifying themselves as members of the Rocky Mountain
     Park rescue team.

                        FRANK
               The word is, we got 'em over
               there.


     BINOCULAR POV - A LEDGE

     that's part of a lower but equally formidable peak separated
     from The Tower by a chasm two hundred feet wide.  HAL TUCKER
     (30's) and his girlfriend, SARAH COLLINS (20's), are decked out
     in warm weather climbing gear.  Hal's aplomb suggests he's a
     veteran climber.  Sarah's worried look confirms she isn't.
     Hal's knee is wrapped in several elastic bandages.  He also
     carries a slow burning flare in one hand.

                        JESSIE
                    (into mic)
               Gabe?  Gabe, where are you?

                        GABE
                    (V.O.)
               Just hangin' out.


     WIDE SHOT

     the chopper drops lower and from it's perspective, we now see
     GABE WALKER, (30's), climber extraordinaire, literally clinging
     against the underside of a fifty foot rock ledge.  It is a
     death-defying manouevre that goes completely against the laws
     of gravity.

                        JESSIE
                    (transmits)
               Oh, my God!  I can't recognize
               the face, but the butt does look
               vaguely familiar.
                    (whistles)

                        GABE
                    (laughs)
               Don't say that.  You'll embarrass
               Frank.

                        FRANK
               It'll take a heap more than that,
               rock jock.

     HAL fires a flare.

     Gabe finally reaches the edge of the ledge and, grabbing the
     edge, swings out into space where he hangs by one arm as he
     digs his free hand into a chalk bag that hangs from his waist.

                        JESSIE
               Hal's signalling he's OK.

                        FRANK
               They're about two hundred yards
               from the top of the tower, right
               where that ledge comes out, Gabe.


     INSIDE HELICOPTER

     Frank lowers his glasses, Jessie struggles with the wind.

                        JESSIE
                    (quietly to Frank)
               He knows it well.

                        GABE
                    (swinging up)
               The ledge, I know it well, or
               should I say we know it well.

                        JESSIE
               You can stop right there.

                        GABE
               We spent a night there one
               night...

                        JESSIE
               Enough.

                        GABE
               Yeah, we were caught in a storm.
               I went up there an innocent
               climber...

                        JESSIE
               Oh, please.


     CUT TO - GABE

     he pauses and points out at Jessie hovering above.

                        GABE
               And when I came down, my morals
               were corrupted forever.

                        JESSIE
                    (to Frank)
               Don't believe it...
                    (into mic)
               You know the trouble with you is
               you have no brain filter.
               Everything you think just pours
               right out.

     Gabe arrives at an overhang, turns around and prepares to kick
     over what is apparently a dangerous move.

     Gabe pulls himself up on the ledge.  Winded he slumps down next
     to the couple.

                        GABE
               Room service...Hi, Sarah.

                        SARAH
                    (quietly)
               Hi, Gabe.

                        HAL
               Glad you could drop in.

                        GABE
               Hey, anything for a friend.
               How's the knee?

                        HAL
               I think it's out.  No big deal.
               It's that old football injury.

                        GABE
                    (to Sarah)
               Funny, he told me he twisted it
               gettin' out of a hot tub.

                        HAL
               I love you, too.

                        GABE
                    (into radio)
               Rescue One -- have located helpless
               climber, please prepare idiot
               line for transport, over.

                        HAL
                    (laughs)
               Wait 'til you get into trouble,
               just wait.


     EXT CHOPPER

     The helicopter dips down towards the ledge.  No way can it land
     here.  Frank lowers a rescue wire to Gabe who swings
     precariously out from the ledge to grab it.  The wire is just
     out of reach.

     Gabe sees that Sarah is growing increasingly nervous at the
     prospect of having to make an emergency transport.  The
     chopper's rotor wash requires all present to speak in a loud
     voice.

                        GABE
                    (eyes Hal, then Sarah)
               How're ya feeling?

                        SARAH
               Fine, I guess...

                        GABE
                    (making grab at the
                     cable)
               Sarah, we could take off and
               leave this guy behind...

     Sarah smiles as if she's considering it.  Hal grabs the radio.

                        HAL
               Rescue One -- please be advised
               Ranger Walker is making advances
               toward my girlfriend that are
               liable to get his ass kicked
               right into space, over.

                        JESSIE
                    (O.S.)
               Copy.  Hal, tell Gabe he only
               makes advances to me or else
               he'll be walking down four
               thousand feet, and sleeping
               outside.

                        GABE
               She's tough.

                        SARAH
               Is it really four thousand?

     Gabe secures the line to a heavy piton.

                        GABE
               It's up there, but I guarantee
               you can handle it.


     THE HELICOPTER

     Frank gets out to secure the wire.  Now a lifeline spans the
     chasm.


     ON THE LEDGE

     Gabe finishes anchoring the line in the rock.  Hal clips his
     harness onto the rescue line.

                        HAL
               Remember, whatever he says about
               me, don't believe it, honey.
               I know you're nervous, but we've
               done this a hundred times.  Okay?

                        SARAH
               Okay.

     He kisses her.

                        GABE
               Remember, keep your arms and legs
               within the vehicle at all times--

                        HAL
                    (mouthing the words)
               Hey, fuck you.

     With that, Hal pulls himself hand-over-hand across the sloping
     line.

     HAL'S POV--THE DROP

     is vertigo defined.  4,000 feet straight down.  However,

     HAL

     lets go of the overhead line and clasps his hands to his face
     in mock horror.  He quickly whizzes the last thirty feet of
     line.  Frank grabs him.

     THE LEDGE

     Gabe steals a glance at Sarah, realizes how frightened she is.

                        GABE
               Sarah, tonight why don't you and
               Hal come over for dinner?

                        SARAH
                    (looking down)
               Okay--I don't know about this.

     He attaches her harness to the line.

                        JESSIE
               The winds are picking up.

                        GABE
               On my way.  Alright Sarah, are
               you ready for the best ride in
               the park?

     Gabe starts to push her out on the line, but at the last moment
     her nerve fails her.  She grabs his arm, dropping her head to
     look down.  Gabe takes hold of her chin, stopping her, making
     her face him.

                        SARAH
                    (scared but tough)
               Please, can I think about this
               for a minute...Okay, I'm sorry,
               it's fine.  What do you want me
               to do?

                        GABE
               Just keep lookin' at me and only
               think about the distance across.
               Count it as you go:  One,
               two...by eight you'll be there.

                        SARAH
               Can I count as fast as I like?

                        GABE
               Sure you can.

                        SARAH
                    (gives him a timid kiss
                     on the cheek)
               I'm sorry for all the trouble...
               Thank you.

     Gabe pushes her out.  As he does, he nods across the abyss to
     Hal who nods back, confident but concerned.  He can't forget
     that everything that matters to him is suspended by a thread
     over a 4,000 foot drop.

     GABE'S POV - SARAH

     inching away in the harness, looking more confident now.

                        GABE
               There you go.

     SARAH'S POV - GABE

                        SARAH
               One...

     signalling "OK...you're doing fine..."

                        SARAH
               Two...

                        GABE
               That's it, you look like a
               professional.

                        SARAH
               Three...

     SARAH - ANOTHER ANGLE

     thirty feet out, going fine.  Hal watches, his tension easing,
     but...

                        SARAH
               Four...five...

                        GABE
               Nice and easy...

                        SARAH
               Six...

     INSERT - HARNESS CLIP

     holding the strap under Sarah's left leg breaks!

                        SARAH
               Oh, God!

                        HAL
               Sarah!

                        SARAH
               I'm going to fall!  Oh, God, help
               me!

     GABE'S POV - SARAH

     The harness completely unravels all at once, its strands shoot
     through the clips.  What was a seat has become a trap door in
     half a second.  As the harness shoots out from under her, Sarah
     falls but grabs the harness strand.

                        SARAH
               Help me!  Please!  Oh, God, help
               me!  Hal!!

                        HAL
               Hold on!  Sarah, hold on!  Get
               her, Gabe!  Throw her a line!

     Hal's very worst fears are being realized as Sarah, too scared
     to breathe, dangles on the remaining strand of what used to be
     the harness.  She sways from the wind and the jerk of her own
     weight.  Her grip loosens.

     INSERT - THE TOP CLIP

     that is supporting all of Sarah's weight is being seriously
     tested.  A single knot in the harness has caught there, but it
     clearly won't last long.

     JESSIE

     stares down in horror.

                        JESSIE
               Gabe, get her!

     GABE

     moves back from the ledge.

                        GABE
                    (in control)
               I'm coming out!

                        HAL
               No, stay off the line!  You'll
               break her loose!

                        GABE
                    (screams)
               The clip's not gonna hold!

                        JESSIE
                    (into Gabe's handset)
               Go after her.

                        HAL
                    (kneeling on the edge)
               Hold on, baby, he'll get you.

                        SARAH
                    (almost faintly)
               I'm slipping--please, please...

     Gabe gently pulls himself up on the line, crosses his ankles on
     it, and clips himself on with a three foot safety line.  He
     starts smoothly, quickly pulling himself out.  Hal can barely
     watch.

                        HAL
                    (anguished)
               Don't lose her!  Don't lose her!

     Sarah is in trouble.  The bobbing of the line from Gabe's weight
     and the winds are making her lose her grip even more.  Gabe
     pulls himself along the line faster, trying not to shake the
     line.  He looks across at Hal who has dug in to brace the line.
     It's not meant for this much weight.

     Sarah starts to look down into the abyss.

                        GABE
               No!  Keep looking at me...Sarah!
               Don't look down...look at me.
               Keep your eyes on me...you can do
               it.  You're stronger than you
               think...hold it, Sarah.

     Her eyes slide up to him.

     WIDER ANGLE

     He is only ten feet away.

                        JESSIE
                    (into Gabe's handset)
               Gabe, hurry--you can do it!  A
               little more and you've got her.

     INSERT-THE CLIP

     The knot has worked itself halfway through.  It doesn't make
     any difference how tight she holds on to the harness, the
     harness itself is letting go!

                        GABE
                    (into mic)
               She's losing it!

                        HAL
               Sarah, hold on, he'll have you in
               a second.  Jesus Christ, grab
               her!

     ON GABE

     who knows it and pulls himself the rest of the way, faster,
     almost bridging the gap --

     ON SARAH

     staring desperately at Gabe, holding on --

                        SARAH
                    (shrieking)
               Please -- oh, no -- please!

                        GABE
               I'm here!  Sarah, I'm here!  I'm
               here--I've got you!

     INSERT - THE TOP CLIP

     that's keeping Sarah alive surrenders the knot--it passes
     through, and

     SARAH

     falls --

     GABE

     deliberately lets go of the main line and launches himself at
     Sarah --

     THEIR HANDS

     catch--Gabe's got a tenuous grip on Sarah's upper arm--

     ANGLE ON BOTH

     Gabe's three foot safety line pulls taut, testing the limits of
     the line above as it yanks him and Sarah back.  They start
     swinging like a pendulum over the abyss--with each swing
     Sarah's hand slips further down Gabe's arm.  He frantically
     tries to tighten his grip on Sarah's arm, but his grip and hers
     are slipping.  Gabe reaches up with his free arm to grab the
     main line and stabilize them, but their swinging keeps it out
     of reach.

                        GABE
               Use your other hand!  Grab it!

                        SARAH
               Help me!  I don't want to die!

                        GABE
               You're not gonna die.  Grab me
               with your other hand!

                        HAL
               Sarah!  Grab him, grab him!

     Sarah is too scared to comply, her other arm flailing as if
     that might stop the swinging with the next arc.

     Their grip slides to wrist level and keeps slipping.  Gabe's
     hand digs into Sarah's climbing glove and holds!

                        JESSIE
               Gabe hold her!  Hold her!

     Gabe's face is a mask of strained concentration as he tries to
     grab the main line and maintain his grip on Sarah.

     He finally snags the main line, but he can't stabilize them
     with the next swing.

                        GABE
                    (exhausted)
               Do it!  Reach up!  Sarah, reach
               up!

     For what seems like an eternity, Sarah's eyes lock onto Gabe's
     with an expression of unabashed terror as her hand slides out
     of her glove!  She falls--her eyes still locked on Gabe who can
     only look down, swaying helplessly on the wire as Sarah SCREAMS

     ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE

     Frank and Jessie look down in horror, but neither look as
     anguished as Hal.  Her screams are heard in Jessie's headset.

                        HAL
               No!!

     LONG SHOT - SARAH

     falling--falling--falling--looking very small against the vast
     mountain range--

     SARAH'S POV - FALLING

     from this height takes the longest nineteen seconds you can
     imagine--

     GABE

     twists from his safety line, clutching Sarah's glove--he wants
     to, but can't shut his eyes--he locks eyes with

     HAL

     whose horror and grief are even greater than Gabe's.

     GABE'S POV - THE CHASM

     Sarah is gone.  The "Safety" harness spirals down after her
     like a carefree bird.  Her scream, echoes off the cliffs and
     through the canyons -- fainter, fainter -- until it's almost a
     memory -- carrying across to:


     STREET DAY - 8 MONTHS LATER

     A five gallon bucket of blackish water explodes against the
     pavement.  On the street are signs that read "Do Not Cross -
     Danger."


     TEN STORIES UP

     Gabe is ten stories up on a suspended platform with a window
     washer scraper poised in his hand.  He looks down in despair.
     He appears distraught, lifeless -- the fire has gone out of his
     eyes.  The WINDOW WASHER glances over the edge, then back at
     Gabe.

                        WASHER
               Man, you better keep your mind on
               your business--you'll kill
               somebody.

                        GABE
               Yeah.

                        WASHER
               Two things you don't do in this
               line of work is daydream and
               stand back to admire your work.
               Got that?

                        GABE
               Take me up.


     EXT.  DENVER MINT - HIGH ANGLE - DAY - FEW DAYS LATER

     The Southwest regional center for printing and distributing
     currency.


     INT.  TREASURY COMPOUND - A MECHANICAL BILL COUNTER

     is at work, banding and stacking currency.  A HAND reaches to
     pick up a band.

     THE BILLS

     are something a banker could work a lifetime without seeing,
     but are real nonetheless -- $1000 bills, banded here in
     hundreds.  The band is put back in the growing stack by

     RICHARD TRAVERS

     mid-forties, a tough, imposing Treasury agent.  He regards the
     fortune piling up in front of him with only cold, professional
     interest.  The currency is being placed into a trio of metal
     briefcases--thirty thousand $1000 bills.  Travers shuts the
     cases in turn, and locks each with an electronic key card,
     triggering a FLASHING RED LIGHT on the locks.  A uniformed
     PILOT arrives.

                        PILOT
               We'll be fueled and ready in ten
               minutes, Mr. Travers.

                        TRAVERS
               Very good.

     WALTER WRIGHT, an authoritative man of fifty and head
     comptroller of currency approaches followed by MATHESON, a
     groomed agent in his late twenties.

                        WRIGHT
               Rich...

                        TRAVERS
               Good morning, Walt.

                        WRIGHT
               I'd like to have a word with you.
               This is Agent Matheson, FBI.

                        TRAVERS
                    (shakes Matheson's
                     hand)
               Richard Travers.

                        WRIGHT
               Matheson has been transferred
               from the Denver office to Frisco.
               As a professional courtesy
               between offices, I was asked if
               he could hitch a ride.

                        TRAVERS
               We've got a full crew, but we can
               squeeze one more, right.

                        WRIGHT
               Appreciate it.

                        TRAVERS
               You're the boss.  Let's head out
               to the tarmac.  Matheson, have
               you been totally briefed?

                        MATHESON
               I don't know about totally.

                        TRAVERS
                    (laughs)
               Who the hell ever is.  This is
               the most protected shipment we've
               got-- and the most useless.
               These bills aren't even in
               circulation; the one thousand
               dollar bills we're transporting
               are only used for international
               banking exchange.

                        MATHESON
               Do you always transport through
               the air?

                        WRIGHT
               Mostly.  Armored cars can be
               hijacked.  Trains can be
               derailed.  But nobody can get to
               us in flight.

                        TRAVERS
               I haven't lost a bill in eighteen
               years, don't jinx me, Walt.

                        WRIGHT
               I think Treasury personnel are
               the most superstitious people in
               the federal government.

                        TRAVERS
               We should be.  Everybody wants
               what we have.

     The men laugh and turn the corner.


     EXT.  COLORADO TOWN - EARLY MORNING

     The weather is becoming moody as wind bends the tops of the
     trees and blows debris down the street.  We see a well-worn
     vehicle moving past a filling station.

     Two young rock jocks are driving by in their impossibly mudcaked
     jeep.  Loud music blasts from their stereo.  The two
     young men are BRETT and EVAN.  They wear bright colored jackets
     and have their hats backwards over their long hair.  Wraparound
     shades adorn Brett's face.  Brett notices Gabe's Bronco
     crossing the intersection.  He wildly honks the horn and does
     a radical U-turn.

                        BRETT
               Gabe!  Hey, man!  Gabe!  It's
               Gabe!

                        EVAN
               How yo doin', Gabe!

     Gabe wheels a bit closer.  They drive side by side.

                        GABE
               Hey, Brett.  Hey, Evan.

                        EVAN
               Where ya been, man?

                        GABE
               Working in Denver.

                        BRETT
               Work!  Don't say that word, man.

                        EVAN
               Man, I hate work even when
               somebody else does it!

                        BRETT
               Hey, Gabe, we're flyin' off the
               Tower today.  C'mon with us.

                        EVAN
               C'mon, man--it's perfect weather
               for a monster, full-fledged
               gutrush!

                        GABE
               No, you guys are too good.

                        BRETT
               You heard it here, folks!

                        EVAN
               I heard!  Hey, later, Gabe.

     The two boys spin off and Gabe slowly moves on in the opposite
     direction.


     EXT.  JESSIE'S CABIN - MORNING

     It is a rustic, modest home built mostly of local lumber and
     stone.  In the corral we see Jessie forking hay over the fence
     to her three horses.

     The wind is picking up as Gabe steps into view.  Thoroughly
     engrossed in her work, she fails to notice Gabe's arrival.  She
     turns and is momentarily taken aback by the sight of Gabe.  She
     collects herself.

     They lock expressions for an uncomfortable moment, then Jessie
     throws one last wedge of hay.

                        JESSIE
                    (low)
               Hello, Gabriel.

                        GABE
                    (softly)
               When you call me Gabriel, I know
               I've got trouble.

                        JESSIE
               Where've you been?

                        GABE
               Working...I'm trying to figure
               out where to start.

                        JESSIE
               Maybe I can help. Let's see...
               if one night I got up and packed
               up all my things and drove away
               without leaving so much as a
               note, and stayed away for months,
               I think what I'd want to do is
               come up with a well thought-out
               reason.

                        GABE
               After the funeral I just had to
               leave.

                        JESSIE
               Had to leave?  Believe me, we all
               wanted to leave...but you know
               what?  We stayed.

                        GABE
               A lot of things fell apart up
               there.

                        JESSIE
               I know...

                        GABE
               I don't think you do.

                        JESSIE
               Why can't you believe that you
               did everything you could?

                        GABE
               Did I?  I don't know.  Maybe I
               shouldn't have gone out on that
               line.  Maybe I panicked.

                        JESSIE
               I was there, you were the only
               one who didn't panic.  So do
               everyone a favor, don't hog all
               the guilt.  You held on as long
               as you could.  Yes, everything
               did go wrong, starting with Hal.
               I mean, what was he doing up on
               the Tower with a girl who could
               barely climb?

                        GABE
               I can't blame anything on Hal.
               It was me.  I play it back in my
               mind everyday.

                        JESSIE
               Then turn it off, Gabe, because
               it doesn't get any better.

                        GABE
               I don't expect you to understand.

                        JESSIE
               I don't understand?

                        GABE
               You couldn't.

                        JESSIE
                    (mounting anger)
               You're saying, I don't
               understand?  I'm the only one who
               does understand.  I'm the one you
               lived with for two years, I'm the
               one you made promises to, I'm the
               one who spent too many nights
               looking up at these rocks and
               wondering if you were ever going
               to make it down in once piece or
               ever at all.  Believe me, there's
               been times I didn't know what I
               wanted to do more, love you or
               hate you.  But the one thing in
               our relationship that I did know
               and still do know is that I
               understand you.

                        GABE
               Why are you yelling?

                        JESSIE
               Excuse me?

                        GABE
               Why are you yelling?

                        JESSIE
                    (confused)
               Did I miss something?

                        GABE
               Y'know, yelling at this altitude
               can lead to hyperventilation and
               fainting--

                        JESSIE
               I'm not going to faint, but if I
               want to faint, I'll faint, okay?

                        GABE
               Okay, but if you do I'll have to
               perform resuscitation--

                        JESSIE
               Resuscitation?

                        GABE
               --mouth-to-mouth, which could
               maybe...

                        JESSIE
               Which could maybe what?

                        GABE
               Maybe lead to a flare up...

                        JESSIE
               A flare up...

                        GABE
               Flare up of old emotions...

                        JESSIE
               Listen to you...
                    (melting)
               The old "mouth-to-mouth"
               resuscitation routine, huh?

                        GABE
               From one professional to another,
               of course.

                        JESSIE
               Course maybe you don't have to
               wait until I faint.

                        GABE
                    (charmingly)
               No, I think I will, it's safer.
               I have patience.

     Jessie moves forward.  A light rain has begun to fall.

                        JESSIE
               Gabe, did you come back to stay?
                    (pause)
               You didn't.

                        GABE
               I can't.  Not here.
                    (beat)
               If you want, I'd like you to come
               with me...somewhere else.

                        JESSIE
               Where?

                        GABE
               It doesn't matter, anywhere but
               here.

                        JESSIE
               You come back after being gone
               almost a year, and you expect me
               to just leave...
                    (beat)
               This was our home, now it's my
               home.  I can't leave.  You can
               stay with me, and believe me, I
               want you to, but to just take off
               for the wrong reasons, I can't do
               it.  And you shouldn't either.

                        GABE
               Like I said, I can't turn it off.

                        JESSIE
                    (softly)
               And I can't leave.

                        GABE
               If it's alright, I'm gonna pick
               up the rest of my gear.

                        JESSIE
               You know where everything is...
                    (looks at her watch)
               I'm late for my shift.

                        GABE
               Jess--you look good.

     Jessie nods a thank you and despondently moves away. Gabe
     heads inside as Jessie drives away.


     EXT.  CLOUDS - MORNING

     A spectacular sight:  Great rolling thunderclouds backlit by
     the early morning sun.

     The sound of an engine--then a plane appears through the cloud:
     The Treasury Jet.

     The DC-9 cruises over mountainous, remote terrain.


     INT.  JET - CLOSE ON TRAVERS

     who looks tense--we MOVE AROUND the cabin and find two more
     relaxed TREASURY AGENTS dozing on the opposite side of the
     plane.  The interior of the plane is rather spartan and cold.
     Matheson is edgy.  An AGENT offers condescending reassurance.

                        AGENT
               Travers says you're being
               transferred.

                        MATHESON
               Yeah, moving up in the world.

     Matheson turns back to his window.

     Another jet's shadow moves sleekly past the window, momentarily
     blocking out the sun.

     MATHESON reacts to this and shifts his look upward to--


     WINDOW POV - THE PLANE

     is flying a parallel course to the Treasury jet, and is just
     one hundred yards away.


     INSIDE THE PLANE

     Matheson stands.  Travers has noticed the plane by now too, and
     gets out of his seat as the other agents react.

                        MATHESON
               That plane is tracking us.

                        AGENT
               Travers?

                        TRAVERS
                    (to other agents)
               Stay put.  Don't anybody jump to
               conclusions.

     Travers moves into


     THE COCKPIT

     where the pilot seems nervous but, oddly, not frightened.

                        PILOT
               He's coming in too slow.

                        TRAVERS
                    (cool)
               No, we're going too fast, and
               we're too high up.  Give me 180
               knots and drop to fifteen
               thousand feet.


     THE CABIN

     Matheson is out of his seat.

                        MATHESON
                    (to agent)
               Christ!  We're losing altitude
               and slowing down!  If you have
               automatic weapons, get them!

     Travers steps out.

                        TRAVERS
               What are you doing?  I have
               jurisdiction on this jet!

     Matheson goes to his briefcase and flips it open.  It contains
     a full auto uzi.  He pulls it from its clasps.

                        TRAVERS
               What the hell are you doing--

                        MATHESON
               Now I have jurisdiction!
                    (to agents)
               I said get your weapons.

                        TRAVERS
               These are highly trained agents
               overreacting without just cause.

     Travers puts his hands out and walks forward, slowly, backing
     Matheson into the cabin.  Not in surrender, but as if he's
     calming a nutcase.  The other agents see this and don't know
     which way to jump.

                        TRAVERS
               Calm down...give the gun to me.
               You're out of control, son.

                        MATHESON
                    (to other agents)
               What the hell are you waiting
               for, goddammit!  Don't you see
               what he's doing!  He's hijacking
               the shipment!

     The other two agents get behind Matheson and rapidly disarm
     him.  Travers pulls out his gun and FIRES it three times, one
     for each agent's chest.  The agents are cut down, realizing too
     late what's happened.  Two shots knock Matheson over a seat.

     The co-pilot begins to step out when he is shot by the pilot
     with a silencer.

     Travers puts on a radio headset as he goes to a window.

                        TRAVERS
                    (to mouthpiece)
               Move into position!


     EXT.  TREASURY JET/QUALEN'S JET STAR - FLYING

     Qualen's jet star is now flying a hundred and fifty feet
     directly behind and slightly below the Treasury jet.  The door
     of Qualen's jet is open.


     INT.  TREASURY JET - REAR SECTION

     Travers has slipped into a protective windsuit.  He clips
     himself to a safety wire, flips on an oxygen mask and almost
     simultaneously pulls the lever that releases the bolts on the
     tail cone, leaving a 6' by 3' hole.

     A huge vacuum is created by the hole and loose debris such as
     papers and bits of clothing are sucked out of the jet.

     Travers pulls aside a tarp revealing a winch.


     INT.  QUALEN'S JET STAR - FRONT SECTION - DAY

     Qualen steps into view.  His presence is threatening.  He is
     wearing a headset radio, goggles, oxygen mask and a cold
     weather jumpsuit.  (The entire gang on board the jet are
     dressed in this fashion.)  He is wired to a safety line in the
     jet.

     Qualen is as deadly as advertised.  230 MPH winds are tearing
     at him through the open door, but he is unfazed and
     unfrightened.  Next to him are Ryan and Kynette.


     TRAVERS

     at the open tail cone.

                        TRAVERS
                    (into radio)
               More...more...keep proceeding...


     THE TWO PLANES

     Travers' jet lowers the cable with a lead weighted grappling
     hook into the Jet Star.  It looks like an Air Force midair
     refueling--difficult and dangerous.  After about a hundred and
     fifty feet of line is lowered


     QUALEN

     clips it to a ring at the top of the opening.

                        QUALEN
                    (into radio)
               Locked on.  Move into transfer
               position.


     INSIDE QUALEN'S PLANE

     The pilot, KRISTEL, is a woman. Her skill, like her hard
     beauty, can be measured in a glance.  She's a lot calmer than
     her counterpart in the Treasury plane.  Beside her is a co-
     pilot.

                        KRISTEL
                    (to co-pilot)
               Check.  Moving into transfer
               position.


     ON THE TWO PLANES

     Qualen's jet lowers itself, until it's 150 feet below the
     Treasury jet.


     TREASURY JET CABIN

     Travers, unclipped from his safety line, cautiously goes to the
     cockpit and picks up his portable monitor.  The pilot, nervous,
     struggles with the controls.

                        PILOT
                    (shouting)
               We're right on the edge of the
               storm!  This isn't going to work!

                        TRAVERS
                    (loud)
               Don't lose your nerve!  All
               they'll find is a plane that went
               down in a storm...

     Travers checks the monitor which electrically comes alive.

                        TRAVERS
                    (gestures to bodies)
               ...and enough pulverized bone for
               six men heroically killed in the
               line of duty.


     INSIDE QUALEN'S JET

     We can now see five other passengers.  All are fit and armed:
     HELDON and DELMAR and RAY are seated, while KYNETTE and RYAN,
     ready to help with the transfer, are on the opposite side of
     the door from a very impatient Qualen.

                        QUALEN
                    (into radio)
               Travers!  Hurry it up.

                        TRAVERS
                    (into radio)
               On my way.  The cases are hooked
               up and ready.


     IN TREASURY COCKPIT

     Travers steps back into the cockpit and flips a toggle switch
     over an LED.

     THE LED

     starts counting down from 2:00 -- 1:59 -- 1:58...

     Even in the last minute, the storm's gotten worse.  The plane
     is flying right into the blackest center of it.  The pilot
     looks more panicked than ever.

                        TRAVERS
               That charge is going to blow in
               two minutes.  Stick to the plan
               and you're rich.


     BACK IN THE CABIN

     Travers heads back into the cabin and hooks his harness to the
     cable between the planes.

                        TRAVERS
                    (into headset)
               Dip the plane.  I'm coming over.


     THE JETS - LONG SHOT

     Qualen's jet dips down so there's a sharp incline.  The cable
     is slightly bowed from the wind's force.  Travers starts the
     slide down, his body almost blown parallel to the ground.  In
     seconds he is across and into


     QUALEN'S JET

     where he's pulled in and unclipped by Qualen.

                        QUALEN
                    (shouting over the
                     wind)
               Why didn't you send the money
               over?

                        TRAVERS
                    (shouting too)
               Somehow I didn't think you'd wait
               for me if I'd sent it first.

     Qualen smiles in reply.  No.  Maybe he wouldn't


     QUALEN'S COCKPIT

     Kristel is struggling to keep the jet on course.

                        KRISTEL
                    (yells)
               I can't hold this course much
               longer!

     Qualen at the door.

                        QUALEN
                    (to Travers)
               What's the delay?

                        TRAVERS
                    (into headset)
               Let's move your ass in there!!


     INT.  THE TREASURY PLANE COCKPIT

     The pilot locks the controls and stepping over the bodies,
     rushes back to the rear of the jet.

     MATHESON's eyes open -- he's not dead yet.


     IN THE CABIN

     The pilot has just placed his harness on and is about to push
     the cases out when behind him, Matheson shakily crawls forward
     and riddles the pilot with auto fire.  As the pilot falls
     forward, he hits the lever that releases the cases.

     THE PILOT

     drops out of the plane, flailing.  If he is screaming, we can't
     hear it over the HOWLING of the storm.


     IN QUALEN'S JET

     Qualen and Travers are watching the whole plan unravel.

                        TRAVERS
                    (shouting to cockpit)
               What the hell!  Get underneath
               the jet!  The cases will slide
               over!


     THE JETS - LONG SHOT

     Qualen's jet sharply dips down and the cases start to slide
     over, but at the same time...


     INSIDE THE TREASURY JET

     Matheson, dying, crawls to the opening and FIRES a full clip
     from his automatic at Qualen's jet, and


     THE LED

     counts down -- 0:02 -- 0:01 -- 0:00 -- and


     THE TREASURY JET - THE BOMB EXPLODES

     As the charge DETONATES, it sends a fireball blast back from
     the cockpit all the way through the fuselage and out the rear.


     THE JETS - LONG SHOT

     The Treasury jet plummets, leveling the angle between the
     planes.  The cases dangle precariously on the wire.


     INSIDE QUALEN'S JET

                        TRAVERS
                    (shouting)
               Lower!  Get underneath it!
               Lower!


     INSIDE QUALEN'S COCKPIT - KRISTEL

     isn't quite panicked--yet.

                        KRISTEL
               It's dragging us down!
               Disconnect the cable!

     Heldon and Ryan try to do just that, but the cable is taut.
     There's no way to loose the clip on the door.

                        QUALEN
               Get rid of the plastique!

     Heldon rushes to the rear of the plane to grab a bag as...


     BOTH JETS

     dive down faster at an ever steeper angle, over the edge of the
     Colorado Mountain Range.


     INSIDE QUALEN'S JET STAR

     Ryan and Kynette struggle to release the cable.

                        RYAN
               It's too tight!

     Qualen pulls out a pistol and fires several shots into the
     cable, snapping it.


     BOTH JETS - LONG SHOT

     The Treasury jet drops as Qualen's jet, trailing the cable and
     the money, sharply shoots upward.


     THE TREASURY JET

     explodes in mid-air.


     INT.  QUALEN'S PLANE - THE COCKPIT - KRISTEL

     The jet is in serious trouble.

                        KRISTEL
               We're not leveling out!


     CABIN - QUALEN , DELMAR AND TRAVERS

                        QUALEN
                    (into headset)
               What's the matter?

                        KRISTEL
                    (O.S.)
               I don't know!

                        QUALEN
               C'mon, pull!

     The men struggle to reel in the cable, because,


     CLOSE ON THE CABLE

     The money cases are still, barely, holding on, the cuffs caught
     on the broken clip at the end.


     QUALEN, DELMAR AND TRAVERS

     aren't even bothering with the electric winch, they're dragging
     it in hand over hand, but


     IN THE CABIN

     The cases, torn by the wind, work their way loose one at a time
     and drop -- one -- two -- three -- into the snowy mountains
     below!


     CLOSE ON THE CABLE

     Ryan clamps the door shut as Qualen angrily lashes at Travers.

                        QUALEN
               Foolproof plan?!  You dumb
               bastard!  Kristel, what's the
               report?!

     He moves off.


     THE COCKPIT - KRISTEL

     tries to bring the plane up, but can't.  The pressure gauge
     needles are dropping fast.

                        KRISTEL
               The hydraulics are not
               functioning!  He shot up the
               hydraulics!  I can't retain
               altitude!  We're going down--

                        QUALEN
               Crash positions!

     Everyone rapidly takes to a seat and starts to buckle up.

                        QUALEN
                    (to Travers)
               Don't buckle up.  You may not
               want to survive this.


     EXT.  THE PLANE

     breaks through the clouds, revealing the mountainous landscape
     and a hard snowfall.

     It is going down--it heads for a tree-lined plateau above the
     snow line--the plane hits the ground level--


     IN QUALEN'S COCKPIT

                        KRISTEL
                    (to co-pilot)
               There's an opening!


     THE PLATEAU - LONG SHOT

     The problem is, the ground itself isn't level.  It tilts down
     towards another edge five hundred yards distant.  If the plane
     keeps skidding, it'll go over the edge.

     The plane sleds down at an angle, skipping over rocks, through
     trees, tearing off a wing--


     INSIDE THE CABIN

     The men are jolted around.  Windows IMPLODE.


     THE PLANE

     rips downhill through a wooded area like a runaway train.

     The second wing is sheared off by trees.


     COCKPIT POV - THE OPPOSITE EDGE

     A fallen tree stump is coming up fast, it rips through the
     windscreen, narrowly missing Kristel and ripping the co-pilot's
     head completely off.


     THE PLANE

     continues to slide, three quarters of the fuselage intact.  It
     finally comes to rest.

     WIDER VIEW - THE PLANE

     or what's left of it has stopped several feet short of the
     edge.


     EXT.  SPUR - DAY

     Brett and Evan are preparing to jump.  Evan is wearing a
     walkman blasting music.  A heavy snow is falling.

                        BRETT
                    (speaking loudly, over
                     the wind)
               Did you catch that thunder?

                        EVAN
                    (pulls off his
                     headphones)
               No way, death-breath, that was
               too intense for thunder.  C'mon
               let's rock an' roll.

     The two boys leap.

     We pull back to reveal they are plunging, arms flailing down a
     huge chasm.  The rock wall behind them speeds past, Karwhoosh!
     Their back-packs burst open, parachutes stream out.  Hollering
     with delight, they're riding the updrafts like a rollercoaster.


     EXT.  CRASH SITE - DAY

     The plane lies still.  All is quiet except for the howling
     wind.  A section of the rear passenger compartment is exposed
     in the snowstorm.


     INSIDE THE WRECKAGE

     The cockpit is nearly severed from the rest of the fuselage,
     the sides broken open.

     CLOSER - TRAVERS

     lies face down in the debris.  He struggles to free himself
     from what appears to be the body of Ray.  He pushes it off.

     Breathing heavily, Travers is about to rise when a gun is
     placed against his neck.

     WIDER - QUALEN

     in front of Travers, holding the gun.  Qualen is bruised and
     gashed on the forehead.  He's about to blow Travers' head off.

                        QUALEN
               You thought about everything
               except what's happening now.

                        HELDON
               Kill the fucker, his fucking plan
               almost killed us!

                        TRAVERS
               Kill me?  Christ we're partners
               in this!

                        QUALEN
               Were.  Give me the tracking
               monitor!

                        TRAVERS
               Why?  What are you going to do?!

                        QUALEN
               The monitor! I never ask twice.

     Travers pulls off the monitor that was slung around his neck.

                        TRAVERS
               Take it.  There's only about
               fifty thousand code variations.
               That's right, fifty thousand.

     Delmar moves up to Qualen.

                        DELMAR
               I'll break your fucking neck!

                        TRAVERS
               Go ahead, break my fucking neck.
               But you're going to need the
               money to buy your way out of the
               country, because we sure as hell
               can't stay in the States anymore.
                    (to Qualen)
               You know it and I know it.

                        KYNETTE
               I say, fuck the money.  Getting
               off this mountain is all I want
               to know about.  The money's gone.
               Kill the rat bastard and let's
               move.

                        QUALEN
               No, we haven't come this far to
               lose everything--and Travers is
               right, we'll need the cash.

                        HELDON
               How're we gonna get off this
               mountain even if we find it?

                        QUALEN
                    (moves off)
               No problem--Kristel...


     INT.  RANGER STATION

     Rain is pounding against the windows.  Hal is watching a
     football game on a small portable television.  He is whittling
     away at a piece of wood with a shiny folding knife used by most
     climbers.  FRANK is standing behind a large 3' by 4' piece of
     glass upon which he is painting a bizarre abstract creation.
     Frank is approximately sixty years old, but still possesses the
     wiry, but partly stiff body of a former rodeo rider who's taken
     a hundred falls too many.

     Jessie enters looking rather despondent.  She goes to the
     coffee pot.

                        FRANK
               Oh yes, that's it right here.  I
               believe 'ol Frank nailed it with
               that stroke.  Hal c'mere.

     Still whittling, Hal drifts over, and observes the painting.

                        HAL
               Hey, Jessie, you're just in time
               for another masterpiece.

                        FRANK
               So, what do you see?

                        HAL
               Surprise me.

                        FRANK
               What usually eats a banana?

                        HAL
                    (at a loss)
               A monkey?

                        FRANK
               So...what are you, blind, son?
               This is a banana eating a monkey,
               nature in reverse.

                        HAL
               Y'know, Jessie, doesn't Frank
               look like a normal guy--but he's
               not,
                    (laughs)
               are you Frank?

     Suddenly, the scanner radio barks to life.

                        KRISTEL
                    (O.S., panicky)
               Somebody help...please...is there
               somebody there...we need help...

     Hal runs to the radio and keys the mic.

                        HAL
               Rocky Mountain Rescue, come in!


     INT.  COCKPIT

     Kristel is sitting on the floor of the cockpit.  She's ripped
     the guts out of the plane's radios and avionics to jury-rig a
     system of wires, transistors and dials.  Qualen and Travers
     watch.  Qualen can't suppress a grin as he observes Kristel's
     "distraught performance."

                        KRISTEL
               Please help, we're stranded.  We
               were hiking and lost our
               bearings...we didn't expect this
               weather to come in so fast.


     INT.  RANGER STATION

     Hal starts to jot down the information.  Jessie stands behind
     him.

                        HAL
                    (into radio)
               Acknowledge.  How many are there?

                        KRISTEL
                    (O.S., panicked)
               Seven people.  I don't know our
               position, the only visual bearing
               is a cylinder rock formation.
               Over.

                        JESSIE
               Got to be Comb Bluff.

                        HAL
                    (keys mic)
               Acknowledge.  Winds are too
               strong to get a chopper up there,
               Are you near any natural shelter?
               Over.

                        KRISTEL
                    (O.S., panicked)
               No, nothing and Billy is going
               into shock we need
               insulin...please hurry, please...

     Dead silence.

                        HAL
               Mayday!  Come in, Mayday!  Damn,
               lost contact.


     INT.  COCKPIT

     Kristel disconnects a couple of wires from the battery.
     Travers watches as Qualen leans down and kisses her.

                        QUALEN
               We need insulin--
                    (to Travers)
               Would you have thought of that?

     Travers tenses.


     INT RANGER STATION

     Hal folds up his knife and jams it into a non-detectable sheath
     on the side of his boot, then starts pulling out his climbing
     gear.

                        HAL
                    (to Jessie)
               You and Frank get the tents,
               thermal clothing, and medical
               supplies together.

                        JESSIE
               Who's going with you?

                        HAL
               You're looking at him.

                        JESSIE
               Where's the rest of the team?

                        HAL
               Bob and Rick are in Denver.  I
               gotta get up there as fast as
               possible.  Frank, get me a load
               of flares.

     Jessie turns and exits.


     EXT.  JESSIE'S CABIN - DAY

     Jessie's truck roars into the shot.  It is pouring rain.  Gabe
     is just putting his belongings in the rear of the Bronco.  He
     flips up the tailgate.

                        JESSIE
               Thank God you didn't leave.  We
               just got a Mayday.  Seven
               climbers stranded off Comb Bluff.
               The weather's pouring in fast and
               Hal's gone up alone.

                        GABE
               Hal knows what he's doing.

     Gabe heads back inside and Jessie follows.


     INT.  CABIN

     Gabe gathers the last of his belongings.

                        JESSIE
               If he gets up there and the
               weather gets as bad as it can,
               they'll never make it down.  He
               needs someone who has emergency
               medical training and knows every
               handhold on these peaks.

                        GABE
               He doesn't want my help.

                        JESSIE
               That's not the issue here, those
               people are.  He can't do it
               alone.

                        GABE
               He can handle it.

                        JESSIE
               What if he can't?

                        GABE
               I haven't climbed in months--you
               lose the feel.

                        JESSIE
               You mean the nerve.

     Gabe is wounded by the remark.

                        JESSIE
               I know you don't want to be
               responsible for anybody's life
               anymore, but walk away and you
               are responsible.  Please Gabe, he
               went up the west ridge.  If you
               go up the south face, you can
               catch him, no problem--

                        GABE
               Can't do it.

     He carries the last box out the door.


     EXT.  CABIN

     Gabe gets into the Bronco.

                        JESSIE
               Can't do it?  I don't believe
               this.  Don't you feel anything?

                        GABE
               I only came back for you.

     Gabe stares at her for a moment, then turns and drives away.

                        JESSIE
               Go on!  Leave.  Go wherever you
               want.  But you're going to
               be stuck on that ledge for the
               rest of your life.


     CUT TO: GABE DRIVING

     It is pouring rain as Gabe guides his bronco down the winding
     mountain road.  The bronco pulls over.


     INT.  BRONCO - DAY

     Gabe stares straight ahead at the rain that beats down on the
     windshield.  The wipers going back and forth become like a
     monotonous heartbeat.  Indecision fills his yes.  He puts his
     head down on the steering wheel and WE CUT.


     INT.  WRIGHT'S OFFICE - DAY

     Wright's pacing around, trying to figure out what in his office
     he should break first.  Davis shows up at the door.

                        WRIGHT
                    (furious)
               Okay, what's the report?  Where
               the hell is that plane?

                        DAVIS
                    (walking to a map)
               There's no radio contact at all
               sir, and we're not receiving the
               tracer signal from the cockpit's
               flight recorder.

     He points to a huge part of Colorado.  Hundreds of square
     miles.

                        DAVIS
               We have to assume it went down in
               the storm.  That storm front is
               still building.  Even if we could
               get a search plane up now, it'd
               be impossible to see anything on
               the ground.

                        WRIGHT
               What about the roads?

                        DAVIS
               Most of this area doesn't even
               have roads.

     A secretary enters.

                        SECRETARY
               Mr. Wright, there's two FBI
               agents that demand to see you.

     TWO MATURE AGENTS enter in a highly agitated state.

                        AGENT #1
               Mr. Wright, I'm Agent Hayes and
               this is Agent Michaels.  We're
               here about the jet disappearance.

                        WRIGHT
               Look, if you're just concerned
               about your agent who was along
               for the ride--

                        AGENT HAYES
               Matheson wasn't along for the
               ride, he was working
               surveillance.

                        WRIGHT
               Surveillance?  For what?

                        AGENT HAYES
               The Bureau had been receiving
               sketchy reports about Treasury
               flight patterns being monitored
               from Denver to San Francisco.  It
               was thought best not to alert
               anyone in your department in case
               there was the possibility of it
               being an inside job.

                        WRIGHT
               That's impossible.  You suggest
               a hijacking?  Impossible.  Not
               only did I have my best men on
               that flight, each one of those
               cases are monitored, and the
               money is in unexchangeable
               denominations.  It would be
               useless for anyone to steal.

                        AGENTS MICHAELS
                    (presents a folder)
               Not for this man.

                        WRIGHT
               Who the hell is this?

                        AGENT MICHAELS
               Eric Qualen.  He's the one we've
               been tracking without much
               success.  He's a former member of
               military intelligence who found
               it more profitable going to the
               other side.  Industrial
               espionage, diamond hijacking from
               South Africa, theft and disposal
               of millions in negotiable bearer
               bonds, you name it.  He's got the
               international connections to move
               this currency, and one hundred
               million offers one hell of a
               temptation to this psychotic.

                        WRIGHT
               Jesus Christ, this can't be
               happening.

                        AGENT HAYES
               I know.  Unfortunately it is, and
               what we need is a complete
               profile on all the men aboard
               that jet, backgrounds both
               business and personal.

                        WRIGHT
                    (to Davis)
               Arrange it.


     EXT.  SOUTH WALL - DAY

     The sheer wall that is leaning actually outward is a terrifying
     sight.  We see a mere spec moving cautiously upward--it is
     Gabe.


     CUT TO - C.U.  GABE

     straining to maintain his balance in the driving wind and snow.

                        GABE
                    (echoes Jessie's words)
               And if you go up the south wall,
               you can catch him, no problem,
               yeah.

     Gabe has a moment of indecision, almost a look of mounting fear
     in his eyes.

     Gabe starts to ascend and pauses to look straight up the rock
     face, then straight down.  As the wind tears at his face, his
     eyes reflect in momentary panic.


     FLASH BACK:

     Black and white grainy dreamlike effect as Sarah falls.  She
     strobes down the canyon floor, her eyes and amplified voice
     shrieking in fear.


     BACK TO SCENE:

     Shaken, Gabe starts to descend, then pauses and looks up the
     sheer face...

     He pulls out his bolt gun and fires into the wall.  Hooking up,
     he proceeds upward.

                        GABE
               Keep going, keep going...


     EXT.  MOUNTAIN WALL - DAY - HIGH ANGLE ON HAL

     Who's now a good way up the wall, at least a thousand feet off
     the ground.  Wind and snow make the climbing hard.  This part
     of the wall is sheer, slightly overhung and slick.  His only
     foothold is about a half-inch of ledge.  A larger ledge is
     above him, tantalizingly just out of reach.

     He gropes up, stretching, trying to get that extra half-inch
     reach...he gets it.


     THE TOP OF THE LEDGE

     Suddenly a hand seizes Hal's.  Surprised, Hal starts to slip
     back.  Gabe pulls him the rest of the way up.  Panting from
     this last effort, he leans against the wall next to Gabe.

                        HAL
               What the hell are you doing
               here?!

                        GABE
               I was with Jessie, she filled me
               in.

                        HAL
               Now let me fill you in.  You can
               get your ass back down an' go
               back to that hole you been hiding
               in--

                        GABE
               When we get this group down, I'm
               gone.

                        HAL
               You're gone now!  I don't climb
               with people I can't trust.  Why'd
               you come up, to prove something?

                        GABE
               I'm here for the same reason you
               are, so let's do it.

                        HAL
               Can't pass up another chance to
               play hero, can you.

                        GABE
               Look, I know--

                        HAL
               You don't know anything. You did
               it your way and she died.

                        GABE
               I did what I thought was right.

                        HAL
               Well you were wrong! It was your
               weight on the line that did it--

                        GABE
               There wasn't time for anything
               else.

                        HAL
               We'll never know, will we?

                        GABE
               Look, it was a bad time for
               everybody.

                        HAL
                    (explodes)
               What the hell do you know about
               bad time.  You didn't love her,
               you didn't have to explain to her
               family.

                        GABE
               And you weren't looking into her
               eyes when she fell.  Now drop it!

     Hal suddenly catches Gabe off-guard by the front of the jacket.
     Gabe is precariously balanced on the edge, his life totally in
     Hal's hands.

                        HAL
               No, buddy, it was you who dropped
               it!

                        GABE
               If you want, do it.  I don't
               care.

     Gabe and Hal lock stares for a long moment.  Hal pulls him back
     in.

                        HAL
                    (a threat)
               When it's over, you and me...

     Hal gives him a withering stare and moves away.


     EXT.  COMB BLUFF - BINOCULAR POV - DAY

     Gabe and Hal are now visible two thirds of the way up.


     EXT.  PRECIPICE EDGE - DAY

     From the top of the bluff, someone is looking down through
     binoculars.  Gabe and Hal are a few hundred yards below.  Ryan
     lowers the binoculars and keys a headset radio.  The wind is
     blowing snow on his face.

                        RYAN
               They're here


     INSIDE THE PLANE

     Qualen is wearing another headset.  He disentangles himself
     from Kristel.

                        QUALEN
                    (to others)
               The guests are here.


     THE MOUNTAIN'S EDGE

     Hal follows Gabe up.  From here, the rest of the range looms
     large.  The storm raging above makes this a spectacular sight.
     Gabe sees the trees torn from the ground by the plane crash.

                        RYAN
               About time...

     Gabe and Hal turn around only to find themselves staring at
     Ryan's ominous expression and poised weapon.

                        RYAN
               ...Walk.

     INT.  FUSELAGE

     Hal and Gabe are hustled inside the plane.  Driving snow blows
     through the wreckage.  Kynette quickly confiscates Gabe's bolt
     gun and ice axe.

                        QUALEN
               Where's the helicopter?

                        HAL
               What the hell's going on?

     Qualen motions to Delmar who viciously backhands Hal.

                        QUALEN
               That was the first and last
               question-- now only answers.
               Where's the chopper?

                        GABE
               It can't fly in this weather.

                        QUALEN
                    (to Travers)
               This is where your background in
               police work comes in handy--ask
               the questions, Travers.

                        TRAVERS
               Don't use my name!

                        QUALEN
                    (hard)
               Ask the questions.

                        TRAVERS
               You're both with the mountain
               rescue team?

                        HAL
               Yeah...

                        TRAVERS
               Anyone else following?

     Hal shakes his head "no."

                        TRAVERS
               What's your names?

                        HAL
                    (Hal looks at Gabe, who
                     nods)
               Tucker and Walker.

                        TRAVERS
               Tucker and Walker, we've lost
               three bags.

                        QUALEN
               You know how the airlines are.

                        GABE
               Bags?

                        QUALEN
               Suits, underwear, 100 million
               dollars...the usual stuff.
               Travers was smart enough to bring
               along a tracking device.  Step
               into my office.

     Gabe and Hal stand there defiantly.

     Delmar grabs Hal and heaves him forward.

                        DELMAR
                    (to Gabe)
               You too.


     INT.  COCKPIT - DAY

     Tight on a map spread out on the plane's wrecked instrument
     panel.

     We see Travers keying a set-up of numbers into his portable
     monitor. The monitor lights up with a pattern of frequency
     beacons.

                        QUALEN
               Where's the third one, Travers?

                        TRAVERS
                    (to Gabe)
               There, what's that place?

     Gabe looks at the monitor, then the map, and he glances at Hal.

                        GABE
               Looks like the Tower.  It's a bad
               climb.

                        QUALEN
               A bad climb, no, just another
               challenge.  What's life without
               'em, right, Agent Travers.

                        TRAVERS
               Get off my back, Qualen!

                        QUALEN
                    (smoothly)
               I haven't even got on it yet.
                    (to Gabe)
               Let's go, time to fetch.


     EXT.  MOUNTAIN WALL - WIDE SHOT - DAY - HAL AND GABE

     have led the gang further up the wall, using pitons and
     carabiner clips to create a guide rope.  It's still just a
     matter of climbing relatively easy ascending ledges.  The
     howling wind continues to blow snow all around them.

                        QUALEN
                    (yells from behind)
               The faster you find the bags, the
               bigger you boys' finder's fee
               will be.

                        HAL
                    (to Gabe)
               Right, all the bullets we can
               eat.


     THE WALL

     The climbers have reached an easier section of the wall.  The
     ledge is now two feet wide.  Travers takes out the tracer
     monitor; it shows the first case is just above them.

     Travers and Gabe look up through the driving snow.

     Qualen has Hal's walkie-talkie in his hand.  He monitors
     Jessie's message.

                        JESSIE
                    (V.O.)
               Hal, come in, please.

     Qualen turns off the radio.

                        QUALEN
               Sounds cute.

     A CREST

     juts out of the wall a hundred plus feet above their position.
     As the rest of the wall above is completely sheer, the case
     must have landed on top of a ledge.  But this isn't easily
     accessible.  WE MOVE DOWN from the crest to see there are only
     the smallest of handholds and those are slick with ice, making
     climbing almost impossible.  Tons of snow and ice are suspended
     precariously on top of the mountain.

     ON THE LEDGE

     Delmar holds his gun on Gabe, as Hal helps Gabe put on his
     crampons.

                        HAL
               Watch yourself under that
               overhang.
                    (Gabe eyes him)
               It could go anytime.

     Gabe eyes the ledge and gets his meaning.

                        QUALEN
               Go on, fetch.

                        GABE
               I need my bolt gun and an ice
               axe.

                        TRAVERS
               Don't give him anything.

                        QUALEN
               We agree on something.  And for
               insurance, take his coat.

                        HAL
               He'll freeze.

                        QUALEN
               Ryan, get a rope, I want the man
               on a leash, too.

     Gabe looks up, this is going to be tough, even for him.
                        HAL
               Forget me.  If you can, get away.

                        GABE
               Would you?

     Hal looks at him for a beat, emotionally torn.

     Gabe moves away.

     HIGH ANGLE - GABE

     moves up the wall with some ease at first.  There are small
     handholds, and decent footholds, but twenty feet up, there's
     nothing.  To keep going, Gabe has to wedge his fingers into
     small cracks, supporting his weight only by several fingerholds
     at any given moment.

     ON THE LEDGE - TRAVERS AND QUALEN WITH RYAN

     who holds the rope fastened to Gabe's ankle.

     GABE ON THE WALL - CLOSE

     He's moving up a sheer face. He has hit a section that barely
     has any edges for him to insert his fingers.  He pauses and
     removes his necklace.

     CUT TO - QUALEN AND HAL

                        QUALEN
               What's he doing?

                        HAL
               The best he can since you gave
               him nothing.

     CUT TO - GABE

     He takes the charm, which is really a miniature ice axe, and
     inserts it into a crack. Then wrapping the necklace around his
     gloved hand, he pulls himself up with one hand to a secure
     handhold.

     Gabe keeps this hold with one hand and slides the other up,
     hammering into a crack wedged with ice. Some of the ice chips
     whistle past and down.  Finally, Gabe gropes one hand over the
     edge and pulls himself onto

     THE CREST.

     Exhausted, Gabe slumps prone across the top.  He sees a case
     wedged in a crack.

     He goes to it.

     It's battered from the fall, but still holding together.  Gabe
     manages to force open the trashed locks, he looks inside the
     case, and fingers a band of $1000's.

                        GABE
               Jesus.


     ON THE LEDGE - TRAVERS AND QUALEN

     look up.  They can see Gabe has made it, but they can't see him
     or the case.

                        TRAVERS
               I don't trust him.

                        QUALEN
               Kill him when he gets down.

     Hal overhears the last statement and bolts forward screaming up
     toward Gabe.

                        HAL
               Don't come down, they're gonna
               kill you!  Don't come down!

     Delmar rams Hal with his forearm against the back of Hal's
     neck, levelling him.

                        TRAVERS
                    (shouting)
               Pull the rope!  Pull it!

     ON THE CREST - GABE

     Gabe is painfully being jerked onto his side and pulled to the
     edge by the frayed rope that is still fastened around his
     ankle.

     ON THE LEDGE Travers and Qualen

                        TRAVERS
               Pull, goddamn it!!

     Gabe frantically claws at the ground as he desperately tries to
     sever the rope.  Nearly at the edge, he manages to brace one
     foot against a rock as he wildly slashes at the rope with his
     crampon.

     The rope being pulled by Ryan and Kynette suddenly snaps down
     on the men.

     ON THE CREST

     With the case, Gabe scrambles up the wall, towards the girder
     of ice, From Travers' and Qualen's point of view, Gabe can
     hardly be seen.  Since the mountain bulges out as it goes up,
     Gabe's got a slight edge of cover.

                        TRAVERS
                    (shouts to Heldon)
               Shoot!  What the hell are you
               waiting for?

     Heldon runs along the lower edge, FIRING up at

     GABE

     who has to flatten against the upper ledge.  Bullets howl past
     twenty per second, SPARKING against the lip of the rock.  The
     bullets chisel away at the ice above him.  Gabe looks ominously
     at the frozen overhang.

                        QUALEN
                    (holds a gun to Hal's
                     head)
               Bring down the money or your
               friend's dead!

                        TRAVERS
               We can't and he knows it.

     Frustrated, Qualen shoves Hal aside.

                        QUALEN
               Get him!!

     HELDON

     Sees Gabe's cover is gone.  Heldon's ledge is getting wider.
     Heldon moves out to the ledge and continues to fire into the
     ice.

     THE ICE AND SNOW

     emits a roar as it gives away, dropping an avalanche of White
     Death.

     GABE

     drops the case and hugs the wall.

     THE AVALANCHE - WIDE VIEW ON THE MOUNTAIN

     Only now can we see how much snow and ice has been penned up on
     the mountain top--tons of frozen fury sweeps down the
     mountainside.  It SHATTERS the case against the wall easily
     sweeping a SCREAMING Heldon off the ledge.

     TRAVERS, QUALEN AND HAL

     are safe at their vantage, but stunned at the sight of the
     avalanche.  Heldon's machine gun FIRES uselessly as he's
     swallowed in an explosion of white and a flurry of green as the
     bills scatter amid the snow.

     TRAVERS

     stares at thirty plus million dollars worth of snow settling
     far below.

     Qualen grabs Hal by the throat.

                        QUALEN
               Your friend just had the most
               expensive funeral in history.
               Now it's all you...

                        JESSIE
                    (V.O. )
               Come in, Rescue Unit, over.
               Rescue Unit, what's going on Hal?

     Qualen presses his gun to Hal's temple.

                        QUALEN
               Talk.  No tricks, no codes, no
               messages.  You haven't found us.
               It was a fake call.

                        HAL
                    (keys it)
               Jessie, I reached the top of the
               Tower.  So far, no sign of
               anyone.  Looks like a phoney
               call. Over.


     INT.  RANGER STATION

     Jessie looks at Frank.  It is still pouring down rain.

                        JESSIE
               You gotta be kidding me!  Do you
               want me to fly up after you?
               Over.

                        HAL
                    (O.S.)
               Negative.  The winds are too
               high.  I'm going to ride out the
               storm here.  I'll take shelter in
               the Douglas Exhibition Shaft.
               Over and out.

     CUT TO:

                        TRAVERS
                    (pulls away the radio)
               Have her come up.

                        HAL
               The down drafts would wipe her
               out.  It's the only chopper.  If
               it goes, you got no ride out.

                        QUALEN
               Let's go to the next case.

     Delmar shoves Hal forward and the group moves out.


     THE UPPER CREST

     where Gabe was.  Nothing is stirring.  Then there is movement
     ten feet from where Gabe was hugging the wall.

     It's a crevice in the mountain, about two feet wide.  A climber
     would call this a "chimney", and it's packed with ice and snow.
     It's also packed with

     GABE.

     His hand appears through the snow and he digs himself out,
     gasping and coughing.  Coated with snow, he leans against the
     wall.  Alive.


     RANGER STATION - DAY

     Jessie looks out as the rain splatters against the window.  The
     station's windspeed gauge is flying around so fast it looks
     like it might take off.

                        JESSIE
                    (to Frank)
               He said the Tower, but he's on
               Comb Bluff?  Frank, fly me to the
               west valley, the winds are never
               too bad there and it's only a
               half hour climb to the Douglas
               Shaft.

                        FRANK
               I don't know.

                        JESSIE
               If I don't meet up with them, you
               can come and pick me up by
               nightfall.

                        FRANK
               Hal will have my head for this.

     Jessie starts for the door.

                        JESSIE
               And it's such a handsome head.
               Please Frank, and I swear I'll
               buy one of your paintings.

                        FRANK
                    (follows)
               I admit, I can be bought.


     EXT.  MOUNTAIN - WOODED AREA

     Travers, Qualen, Hal and gang are crossing a small river in the
     whipping snow.

     Hal checks the monitor.  The next blip is above, almost
     straight up.  Hal motions to the wooded area ahead.

                        HAL
               On top of the peak.

                        TRAVERS
                    (suspicious)
               It looks like a winding route.

                        QUALEN
               Mr. Travers is not the athletic
               type, he needs something more
               direct.

                        HAL
               The only faster way up is the
               East Face and it's smooth as
               glass.  Maybe a dozen guys in the
               world could do it in good
               weather, only a psycho would try
               it in a storm.


     CLOSE SHOT - GABE'S FACE

     is torn with pain.  He's making the toughest climb of his life,
     besides nearly being frozen to death in the snow storm.

     WE PULL BACK and REVEAL a WALL that is as wide as it is high,
     five thousand feet by five thousand feet, narrowing to a domed
     peak at the summit.  Worse, it's checkered with ice.  Visible
     on the massive wall is a small dot, moving two-thirds of the
     way up.

     Gabe holds himself steady with one hand, gets a foothold, and
     lunges in a 'dyno' movement to another set of handholds and
     swiftly continues on his way up.


     EXT.  CHOPPER - DAY

     We see the chopper being buffeted by winds as it hovers over a
     flat area in the west valley.  Jessie is being lowered by a
     winch.  She reaches the ground and disconnects the harness,
     waving she's okay.


     CUT TO - FRANK IN CHOPPER

                        FRANK
               Jessie, Jessie, copy?

     INTERCUT:

                        JESSIE
               I copy.

                        FRANK
               Jessie, girl this is insane.
               Weather stat called in wind gusts
               up to 50 knots for tonight.

                        JESSIE
               If you can't make it back, I'll
               hold up at the Douglas Shaft.
               Stop worryin'.  You sound like a
               mother hen.

                        FRANK
               Rooster!  Forget the hen stuff.
               Be safe, honey.  Over.

     Frank banks the chopper out of there.


     EXT.  EAST FACE WIDE SHOT - DAY

     The sheer wall of the East Face rises, seemingly forever into
     the sky above.

     Gabe is clearly exhausted and freezing.  The wind and snow
     threaten to throw him off the wall, but he forces himself on.
     He is climbing up a huge, frozen waterfall.

                        GABE
                    (teeth chattering)
               A steam bath...
                    (pulls himself up)
               A steam bath, a bottle of Remy
               Martin...keep going...

     He climbs higher into a "chandelier" of hanging icicles.  It's
     an incredible formation, part of a

     FROZEN GLACIER OVERHANG

     a sheer overhang of ice, curling over the top of the East Face
     waterfall.

     Gabe climbs past the icicles up a sheet of pure ice.

                        GABE
               A steam bath with a bottle of
               Remy Martin, and a fire--now
               what?

     He slows to a stop, and the ice overhang curves out, away.
     Gabe sticks his gloved hand into a stream of water.  He reaches
     out and grabs a huge icicle with his wet fist.  The glove
     freezes there instantly.

                        GABE
               A steak soaked in Remy cooking
               over a steam bath on fire!

     Gabe wets the other glove, hauls himself up and goes for a
     second handhold.  The next glove freezes on another icicle.
     Suddenly his feet slip off the wall and Gabe is left dangling
     with a glove frozen into place.  He tries to pull away to grab
     a higher handhold but his hand slips out of the glove.

     Gabe clings one-handed to the overhang, his face showing real
     terror.  His body swings wildly, held only by one gloved hand,
     frozen overhead.  His legs kick out to find some support,
     smashing into HUGE ICICLES.  They break off and fall away.  His
     naked hand stretches for the glove but can't reach it.
     Gabe swings his spiked boot up to try for a "heel hold".  His
     foot smashes into the snowy ice atop the serac and holds!
     Stabilized, he snatches the frozen glove from the icicle and
     hauls himself up, over the lip, in the world's toughest sit-up!


     GABE'S POV THROUGH THE DRIVING SNOW

     A small shack with a sign commemorating the "Douglas Mine Shaft
     1933".


     INT.  DOUGLAS SHAFT - DAY

     Just a "point of interest" for tourists who have hiked up this
     far, housing a mini-museum.

     A pair of thundering kicks at the door and the lock shatters.
     The light of day knifes into the otherwise dark, windowless
     room comprised of old planks of knotted pine.

     THE GORDON DOUGLAS DISPLAY

     has black and white photos of the square-jawed 1930's climber
     with his expedition.  More important is what's beneath it.
     Douglas' original climbing equipment:  a coil of rope, some
     pitons, a hat, a cloth backpack, small binoculars, a parka, and
     other odds and ends.

     Trembling badly, Gabe grabs a pick axe off the wall and
     prepares to smash the glass.  He hears movement in the shaft
     area, an opening not more than ten feet away.  Dust floats in
     the strip of light that is emitted from the door.  Gabe's eyes
     tighten like an enraged animal.

     SHAFT

     From inside the shaft's entrance, Gabe's figure stealthily
     approaches, the ice axe raised high, ready for the kill.  He
     moves into the darkness.  Something tries to bolt away and he
     lunges at it, furiously slamming the person against the wall.
     A radio falls from the person and lets out a static death groan
     as it shatters to the bottom of the shaft.  Gabe's axe is
     poised for the fatal blow.

                        JESSIE
               No!!

     Gabe pulls her forward into what little light there is and
     stares into her terrified countenance.

                        JESSIE
               Gabe!?

                        GABE
                    (crazed)
               What are you doing here!?

                        JESSIE
                    (hyperventilating)
               Looking for Hal.  Oh my God, I
               heard someone kick the door
               open...you came back.

                        GABE
               How'd you get up here?

                        JESSIE
               Frank dropped me in the west
               valley and I hiked.  You look
               frozen.  What's happening?!

                        GABE
               You got to go back now!

                        JESSIE
               Where's Hal, what's going on?

     Gabe heads to the display case.

                        GABE
               The distress call was a fake.  It
               was a downed plane full of
               thieves.

     He shatters the three display cases and starts to remove the
     old clothing, flares, gloves etc.

                        GABE
               Before it crashed, they dumped
               three cases filled with millions.
               They're using Hal for a bird dog.
               Once they find the money, Hal's
               dead.  So get on your radio,
               contact Frank, have him pick you
               up, then contact the state
               police, the park police and
               anything else wearing a badge and
               tell them to get up here!  Do it
               Jessie.

                        JESSIE
               I can't.  The radio's at the
               bottom of the shaft.  But
               Frank'll be looking for me soon.
               When he gets here I'll contact
               everybody from the chopper.

                        GABE
               That's no good. It'll be dark
               soon, there's no other shelter
               for ten miles. If they show,
               they'll take you too.  Why'd you
               have to come up here?!

                        JESSIE
               For the same reason you did, to
               help.

                        GABE
               Yeah, let's go.

     They exit.


     EXT.  CHOPPER PAD.  DAY

     Frank is standing beside the helicopter trying to raise Jessie
     on the radio.  Wind and rain whip against the chopper.

                        FRANK
               Jessie!  Jessie!  Come in.  I
               can't take off.

     There is no response.


     EXT.  THE TRAIL - SUNSET

     Hal is leading Qualen, Travers and the others upward.  This is
     a comparatively difficult route.  The wind makes it even harder
     but fortunately the snow has stopped.  The sun goes down beyond
     a facing, taller mountain.

                        QUALEN
                    (eyes Travers)
               Man against nature, right
               Travers.

                        TRAVERS
               What about it?

                        QUALEN
               Down there you buy a life, up
               here you earn it or die.  How's
               your health?

     Travers takes out the tracer and pushes to the head of the
     group.

                        TRAVERS
               It's close, just up there.


     EXT.  ELSEWHERE ON THE SUMMIT - NIGHT - GABE AND JESSIE

     spot a crater of snow and rush to it.

                        GABE
               There it is.  C'mon.

     Even though the case is covered by snow, the tracer's blinking
     red light is visible.  Gabe and Jessie dig it out.

                        GABE
               Let's be creative.

                        JESSIE
               Excuse me?


     NEARBY ON THE SUMMIT - TRAVERS

     glances at the tracer monitor, which shows the case is nearby.

                        TRAVERS
               This way.

                        QUALEN
               Then go fetch.

     Qualen shines a light.  All of them push through the trees.

     TRAVERS

     is excited now.  He can't even wait for Qualen's flashlight, he
     races through the trees, dividing his attention between his
     surroundings and

     THE MONITOR

     which shows he's practically on top of the case.  Finally

     TRAVERS

     can see the blinking of the red tracer light ahead through the
     branches.

                        TRAVERS
                    (calling behind)
               Over here!

     Travers shoves his way through the branches, and heads for the
     light, but something's wrong.  Qualen comes up behind Travers
     and shines the light on:

     A SNOWMAN

     hastily constructed, stands with a five-pebble smile, as well
     as Douglas' cap.  The tracer, still blinking, is its nose.  The
     case is propped up against it.  Travers runs to the case and
     opens it:  empty...written on a $1000 bill is "Wanna trade?"

                        TRAVERS
                    (incredulous)
               He's alive!

                        QUALEN
                    (to the others)
               He can't be far away.  Find him.
               Go!

     Qualen, Kynette, Delmar and Kristel fan out, each with a
     flashlight and a gun.  Ryan straps on the nightfinder goggles.


     RANGER STATION - NIGHT

     Frank works the microphone.

                        JESSIE
               Jessie, come in Jessie!  Damn,
               somebody pick up.


     ELSEWHERE ON THE SUMMIT - GABE AND JESSIE

     watch the chaos from an elevated vantage point.  They can see
     the flashlight beams, all headed in the wrong direction.

                        GABE
               They've got to find shelter soon,
               and so do we.  How are you
               holding up?

                        JESSIE
               You know me, I'm a night person.

     Gabe doesn't see:


     RYAN - "NIGHTFINDER" POV

     with these goggles, light is amplified a thousandfold.  Even
     starlight is enough for Ryan to run easily through the thick
     woods, and he's going in the right direction.

     GABE AND JESSIE

     begin climbing down to level ground so they can circle close to
     where Travers is holding Hal.

     "NIGHTFINDER" POV - RYAN

     looks up, and sees Gabe and Jessie climbing down the small
     rock, fifty yards distant.  Ryan smiles, looking macabre under
     the goggles, and opens fire.

     GABE AND JESSIE

     react as the bullets impact inches over their heads.  They jump
     the last ten feet and are running even as they hit the ground.
     More bullets hit where Gabe and Jessie were a split second ago.

     Ryan chases them, easily manoeuvering through the trees.


     ELSEWHERE ON THE SUMMIT

     Kristel, Qualen, Delmar and Kynette, having heard the gunshots,
     turn and run toward them.  Travers smiles at Hal's fearful
     reaction.


     RYAN

     is closing the gap, Gabe and Jessie's bright forms just ahead.
     They burst out of the trees and find all that's beneath them is

     GABE AND JESSIE'S POV

     A sudden, sloping plunge down a field of ice.  No escape here.
     Anything that goes down this slide is going all the way to the
     ground far below.

     A fresh burst of bullets forces them to dive behind a boulder,
     the sole source of cover.

                        GABE
               This way.

     RYAN

     emerges from the woods.  He can see there is nowhere for them
     to have gone except behind the boulder.  He walks toward it as
     if he had all the time in the world.

                        GABE
               Give me a flare!

     Jessie fumbles in her backpack and pulls out a flare.

                        GABE
               Take off and meet me at Eagle
               Cave.

                        JESSIE
               What about you?

                        GABE
               Don't worry about me, just go.

     Gabe ignites the flare and heaves it over the boulder at Ryan.

     RYAN - "NIGHTFINDER" POV - THE FLARE

     arcs over the boulder to fully ignite, turning everything into
     an agonizing flash of white.

     RYAN

     SCREAMS, blinded as he tries to rip the goggles off.

                        GABE
               Go!

     Jessie takes off.

     Gabe bolts out from behind the boulder and rushes him.  Ryan
     shoots blind, fanning out in a semi-circle as he gets the
     goggles off.

     Gabe charges straight for Ryan, just getting to him before the
     machine gun's field of fire can intersect his path.  He tackles
     him.

     The machine gun CLATTERS away, landing on the edge of the ice,
     just out of reach.  Ryan recovers from the blinding flash,
     pulls an ice axe out of a pack sheath and swings it at Gabe.
     Gabe rolls away and gets to the machine gun, grabbing it--but
     Ryan dives for Gabe, slamming into him--the force of it knocks
     the machine gun loose--it skips down the ice slope.  The
     momentum of Ryan's hit also carries both Gabe and Ryan over the
     edge, onto--


     THE ICE SLOPE

     Gabe and Ryan both start sliding down, Gabe face first on his
     stomach, Ryan on Gabe's back.  Both are in immediate agony,
     because

     GABE'S POV - THE ICE FIELD

     The edge and a 5,000 foot drop are a hundred yards away.

     GABE AND RYAN SLIDING

     Gabe flails as the ice gashes him from underneath.  He manages
     to flip over on top of Ryan and ride him down like a bobsled.

     Gabe frantically reaches behind to get the ice axe, trailing
     from a wrist strap, but Ryan's arm is thrashing away,
     threatening to toss off the axe.


     ON SUMMIT

     Hal, Qualen, Travers, Kristel, Delmar and Kynette arrive at the
     lip.  Qualen snatches up the nightfinder goggles and sees...


     QUALEN'S "NIGHTFINDER" POV

     Gabe and Ryan accelerating, have almost reached the edge.  Gabe
     grabs the ice axe, ripping it off Ryan's wrist just as they
     reach the precipice edge.  Gabe swings it toward the ice with
     everything he's got.  The axe's scythe-like blade catches on
     the ice, right at the lip of the precipice.  Gabe is wrenched
     to a painful halt, suspended over the drop, as Ryan shoots over
     the edge.  Gabe unhooks the axe and climbs down to a narrow
     ledge and disappears into the darkness.


     HAL, QUALEN, KRISTEL, KYNETTE, DELMAR AND TRAVERS

     Qualen shines his flashlight below, illuminating the long,
     frozen streak of blood on the ice.

                        KYNETTE
               That's it, man!  Fuck the money
               and fuck you if you wanna keep
               looking for it.  I wasn't born to
               die on no motherfucking mountain!

                        KRISTEL
               We have to keep going!

                        QUALEN
                    (to Kynette)
               She's more a man than you are.
                    (to Hal)
               Find us some shelter.
                    (back to Kynette)
               You can come with us or you can
               go and freeze to death.

     Delmar shoves Hal forward and they disappear into the darkness.
     Kynette follows.


     EXT.  TENT - NIGHT

     The winds howl against the green nylon portable tent.


     INT.  TENT - NIGHT

     Brett and Evan sit inside eating candy bars.

                        EVAN
               "It's a perfect day for a monster
               jump."  Hey man, can you like do
               me a favor?

                        BRETT
               What?

                        EVAN
               Next time you're like watching
               MTV, y' know, like flip it to the
               weather channel for a split
               second and check it out.  I mean,
               hey, we could be home watching
               some righteous pornos.

                        BRETT
               That woulda been cool.

                        EVAN
               Exactly, cheesehead, exactly.


     INT.  DOUGLAS SHAFT EXHIBIT

     Qualen, Travers, Kynette, Delmar and Kristel follow Hal into
     the cabin.  Their flashlights streak through the gloom.

                        QUALEN
               We'll stay here until sunrise.
                    (to Hal)
               You, start a fire.

     Travers stands at the shattered glass display cases.

                        TRAVERS
                    (to Hal)
               He was here.  What was in there?

     No response.

     Delmar gives Hal a nudge in the kidneys.

                        DELMAR
               Answer the man.

                        HAL
               Nothing, just tourist souvenirs.

                        QUALEN
               Souvenirs?  No, wrong answer.
               Looks like your friend plans on
               hanging around, that possible?

                        HAL
               No, he's gone.

                        QUALEN
               No, he's close, and he's using
               our money to keep you alive.
               Nobody's worth that much on the
               open market.
                    (to Kristel)
               Except you, the loyal one.
                    (to Hal)
               Didn't I tell you to warm the
               place up?


     INT.  THE CAVE - CLOSE ON GABE AND JESSIE

     We can see from the flickering shadows that a small fire is now
     burning in the cave.  We pull back to see

     THE FIRE

     which is built out of bundles of $1000 bills.  It's safe to say
     that something like $500,000 is going up in smoke.  Gabe takes
     a fresh bundle of notes and tosses them on the flames.

                        GABE
               Man, it costs a fortune to heat
               this place.

                        JESSIE
               I'm glad you find humor in this.
                    (gestures at the money)
               Do you know what people would do
               for that?

                        GABE
               I can't believe you just said
               that.

                        JESSIE
               Neither can I.  What do you think
               they're doing now?

                        GABE
               Making things real rough for Hal.

     Jessie looks at the necklace around Gabe's neck.

                        JESSIE
               You still wear the cable necklace
               I gave you.

                        GABE
                    (nods)
               Call me sentimental.

                        JESSIE
               Remember the first time we came
               up here?

                        GABE
               Of course I do.

                        JESSIE
               It was great.

                        GABE
               You attacked me.

                        JESSIE
               Can you think of something more
               romantic than attacked?

                        GABE
               Only kidding...actually I
               attacked you.

                        JESSIE
               No, actually it was more like
               mutual attacking.

     They laugh wearily.

                        JESSIE
               Why can't things stay the way
               they are...everything has to
               change.  What we had was perfect.

                        GABE
               I don't know.  Here, lay down and
               get some rest.  We're going to
               need it.

     Gabe lays back and Jessie slides up next to him.

                        JESSIE
               Gabe...your arm?

                        GABE
               Yeah?

                        JESSIE
               If you're not using your arm, can
               I borrow it?

                        GABE
                    (smiles)
               Sure, just give it back when
               you're done.

     Jessie curls into his arms as the fire's dying flames dance
     delicately across their open and thoughtful expressions.


     EXT.  WIDE MOUNTAIN VIEW - DAWN

     The first rays of sun poke through the mountains.  The storm
     seems to be letting up.


     INT.  RANGER STATION - DAWN

     Frank is slumped over the radio.  He obviously hasn't slept.
     His attention is fixed out the window, on the windspeed gauge:
     the winds are slowing.

                        FRANK
               Gabe, Hal, Jessie...do you read!
               Again, do you read.  Come in!
               What the hell's going on up
               there?


     EXT.  WOODED AREA - DAY

     Travers turns down the volume button.

                        QUALEN
               Jessie?  Looks like your friend
               found company.

                        TRAVERS
               We're down to a few hours before
               the whole world shows up here.
                    (to Hal)
               Where's the next one?

                        HAL
               It's up there, on the Tower.

                        QUALEN
               How far?

     Travers grabs his hair.

                        TRAVERS
               He asked you, how far?!  I think
               you've been taking the scenic
               route.  How far from here?

                        HAL
               Half a day.


     HAL'S POV - ON BRETT AND EVAN

     ahead in the trees and rocks.

                        BRETT
               Hey, Hal...it's Hal.  Hey, man,
               you jammed up here, too?

                        QUALEN
               Walk over.

                        HAL
               For Christ's sake, they're kids.

                        QUALEN
               We're not animals, but don't
               force us to be.  Walk over.

     Hal stiffly moves forward.

                        EVAN
               Check it out.  Was that storm a
               severe bummer or what?  We were
               in tent city last night.

                        HAL
                    (dryly)
               Yeah.

                        BRETT
               We're gonna take one more jump
               and split.  Hal, you babysitting
               lost hikers?  What's up?

     Evan and Brett start to move toward the group.

                        HAL
               Run!

                        BRETT
               What?

                        HAL
               Run, goddamn it!

     DELMAR pulls out his gun and Brett and Evan, shocked, take off
     running.

     Brett gets ten yards before Delmar mows him down with his
     machine gun, riddling the kid with at least thirty rounds at
     close range.

                        HAL
               You son of a bitch!  You said you
               wouldn't kill him!

                        QUALEN
               Sue me.

     Hal goes to attack Qualen with a flailing fist.

     Kristel clubs him with a pistol.  An enraged Delmar kicks him
     savagely in the mid-section.

     Evan runs with Kynette and Travers in pursuit.


     BELOW ON THE WALLSIDE

     Gabe and Jessie, moving along the rock wall, react to the sound
     of the gun-fire, then move on.  The wall is relatively sheer,
     but there are shelves cut in that make progress easier.


     IN THE WOODS - EVAN

     runs like his ass is on fire with Kynette and Travers still in
     pursuit.

     He tries to pull on his parachute and run at the same time.
     It's not easy, but he succeeds in closing the first of the
     three buckles.  He continues running and weaving through the
     trees.  He sees the edge just ahead, and puts on an extra burst
     of speed.

     THE SPUR

     is a rock formation that juts off like a diving board.  Evan
     runs like hell down it.

     TRAVERS AND KYNETTE

     emerge from out of the trees.  They see Evan launching himself
     off the edge.


     GABE AND JESSIE

     are several hundred feet below.

                        GABE
               Don't pull it.


     ON THE SPUR EDGE - TRAVERS

     Tries to grab the rifle from Kynette.

                        TRAVERS
               Shoot him.

     Kynette tries to hit the falling target but misses.


     EVAN

     is falling, nearly two thousand feet.


     GABE - WATCHING

                        GABE
               A little more.  Now!


     EVAN

     pulls the D-ring. The parachute billows open, inflating.


     KYNETTE

     sights down the rifle.

                        TRAVERS
               Hit him!  You're letting him get
               away!

     In a startling smooth movement, Travers rips the gun from
     Kynette's grip and fires almost simultaneously.


     CLOSE ON THE PARACHUTE

     Bullet holes pierce the canopy.

     EVAN

     Exhilaration turns to panic as a bullet lodges in Evan's upper
     back.


     GABE AND JESSIE ON THE LEDGE

     are powerless to do anything but watch.

                        JESSIE
               Oh, God.


     EVAN

     struggles to maintain consciousness and control.


     JESSIE

     turns away.  She can't watch any more.


     EVAN

     lands hard and collapses.


     KYNETTE AND TRAVERS

     Don't see Gabe or Jessie.

     Hal is led over to the Spur with the other gang members behind
     him.

                        QUALEN
               Good, Travers.  It might catch
               on, like shooting skeet.

                        TRAVERS
               You dumb bastard, you waited too
               long.  If he made it back, this
               place would have been covered
               with police in a few hours.  The
               way we're moving, it's going to
               be anyway.

                        HAL
               Murdering, motherfucker...

                        QUALEN
               Kill a few people, they call you
               a murderer.  When you kill
               millions, you're called a
               conqueror.  Go figure.  Move on
               Tucker, time is short.


     ON THE LEDGE BELOW - CLOSE ON GABE

     who is still shaking with fury.

     He watches Hal and the gang being led away.

                        GABE
               Can you keep going?

     Jessie nods "yes" and they move out.


     EXT.  MOUNTAIN - ARIEL SHOT - DAY

     Hal leads the gang through a buttress, a large, boulder
     formation that lies between the mountain they've just come
     from, and the nearest mountain to it, the Tower.

     Hal and the rest of the expedition are totally exposed as they
     climb in single file up to the top. The incline is angled so
     that the climb amounts to an uphill run on all fours.

     CLOSER ON HAL AND GANG

     Hal leads the gang forward and keeps casting anxious glances
     back at them, and beyond them.

                        QUALEN
               Forget it.  Your friend's smart,
               not invisible.

     Qualen is right.  There's absolutely no way Gabe can come up
     behind them without being seen.


     LOWER DOWN ON BLUFF

     where the bluff meets a tree-lined plain.  Gabe and Jessie in
     hiding, watch Hal and the others go up.  They know they can't
     follow them without being seen.

                        GABE
               He's taking them the long way
               around.

     Moving closer to the bluff's base, Gabe and Jessie shove
     through a screen of brush to the beginning of

     THE CRACK.

     A crevice runs the entire length and breadth of the bluff.
     Gabe pulls out his ancient binoculars and scans the crack.

     GABE'S POV - THE CRACK

     Picture a mine shaft designed by a madman.  The crack moves
     upward, then erratically to the side, then straight up again.
     The width of the crack is uneven, ranging from six inches to
     six feet. And that's just how it looks on the outside.

     Gabe turns the binoculars to the inside of the crack.  It looks
     as if the crack goes all the way through the bluff.  On this
     route, Gabe can tunnel the mountain instead of going up the
     side.

                        GABE
               We have to get through to the
               other side.  You up for it?

                        JESSIE
               I've gone this far, and right now
               I think I'm in better shape than
               you.

                        GABE
               A simple yes or no would have
               done.

                        JESSIE
               Want me to lead?

                        GABE
               Cute.


     EXT.  TOP OF THE BLUFF - DAY

     A vista.  From this point you can see everything else in the
     mountain range.  The only thing that's taller is the Tower.

     Between the two mountains lies a drop of a mere four thousand
     feet.

                        QUALEN
               You said there was a way across.

                        HAL
               There is.

                        TRAVERS
               Then where the fuck is!

                        HAL
               There.  You blind?

     Travers tenses, then turns to where the sides of the two
     mountains converge.  At one point, they're only about fifteen
     feet apart.  It's here that a rope and timber bridge spans the
     drop.

                        TRAVERS
               This is insane.  The hell with
               the money.  You radio in for that
               chopper, understand!

                        QUALEN
               Hey, you dealt us this hand,
               we're playing it all the way.
               Move.


     INT.  THE CRACK - CLOSE ON GABE'S FACE

     Gabe is holding a flashlight while sweating and straining in
     the dark.  The light reveals there's about two inches of
     clearance between his chest and the rock, and about the same
     between his back and the rock.

                        GABE
               Nice view, huh?

                        JESSIE
               Breathtaking.

     There is no light inside, not even above, because the crack
     doesn't go straight, it zig-zags up.  Gabe and Jessie are well
     within the mountain rock.  Nothing could be closer to being
     buried alive.

     Gabe and Jessie snake through a spot where the crack goes
     straight up.  Gabe aims Jessie's flashlight upwards.

     GABE'S POV

     scores of bats hang on the wall, surrounding them, up and down,
     left and right.

     JESSIE'S FACE

     is somewhere between nausea and the realization that she's made
     a big mistake.

                        JESSIE
               I really didn't need to see that.

     Gabe cuts the light and slithers up through the dark.


     EXT.  RESCUE HELICOPTER - DAY

     Frank is flying low and fast, over treetops and snow, nothing
     but empty wilderness.  A BUZZER goes off.  Frank looks at an
     infra-red screen mounted on the dash.  The indicator reads
     there is a body below.

     Frank sends the copter into a tight roll, bringing it over a
     clearing.


     EXT.  WOODS

     The copter is down, rotors still turning as Frank runs into a
     wooded area.  Wolves are circling Evan's barely conscious body.
     Frank pulls out his pistol and fires several shots.  The wolves
     flee.

                        FRANK
               Go on -- get lost!  Go on!!

     TIGHT ON FRANK

     as he looks at Evan who is barely hanging on to his life.  He
     rolls the young man over and sees the bullet wound.

     Evan moans.

                        FRANK
                    (nearly breathless)
               Hell, you've been shot.  Hang on
               boy, hang on...

     He starts to lift the boy's body.


     INT.  BLUFF CRACK - DAY

     Gabe and Jessie have a quick climbing rhythm now.

     The passage starts to thin out.  They grope up.  The passage
     narrows to the point that they can't get through it.

                        GABE
               What was God thinking when he
               built this place?

                        JESSIE
               If we don't get out of here soon
               we can ask him in person.

     Gabe looks up to see if the crack has gotten wider.  It hasn't.

                        GABE
               Keep going this way.

     The light aims up, no opening larger than a mail slot.  Still
     moving to the side, he gets the opening he wants, but not where
     he wants it.

                        GABE
               Oh, you beautiful rock...this
               way.

     The crack suddenly, drastically widens as he moves to the side.
     Since he's been bracing his back against the wall, Gabe falls
     out of control, twisting around, face down.

                        JESSIE
               Gabe?!

     Gabe bounces down the walls for several yards and catches
     himself by bracing his arms and legs against the crack.  As he
     brakes himself, his flashlight shoots off into space.  One more
     foot and he would have gone soaring to his death.

                        JESSIE
               Gabe!  Are you alright?

                        GABE
                    (upside down)
               No, not really.  Throw down a
               rope.


     EXT.  WOODS - DAY

     The copter with Evan's covered body attached to a cradle on the
     skid.  Frank takes off, banking towards the ranger station.


     EXT.  BRIDGE

     The bridge, narrow and dilapidated, is only wide enough for one
     person at a time.  Hal is half way across, swaying above the
     massive drop, the wind whistling through the chasm.

     HAL'S POV

     Kristel waits on the other side of the bridge, a gun trained on
     him.

                        QUALEN
                    (turns to Kynette)
               The other one's following.  Drop
               back to the higher vantage point
               and maybe you can drop in behind
               and we'll have him flanked.  If
               you get to him, I know you'll
               want to kill him, but get the
               money first.  Go.


     INT.  BUTTRESS CRACK

     Gabe is face down, arms and legs pressing against the five-foot
     gap of the tunnel walls.  Carefully, he takes one hand off the
     wall, gets out his lighter with the other, and ignites it for
     a look.

     GABE' S POV - UPWARD

     Just as the crack has widened below him, it's widened above
     him.  More important, it slants at an easy enough angle to
     allow him to walk up.  A rope is tied around his shoulder.

     He braces himself with one leg and one arm until he has his
     hands on the curved edge where the crack snakes into a sideways
     passage.

                        JESSIE
               Can you see light?

                        GABE
               Up ahead.

     OVERHEAD ANGLE - THE CRACK

     Gabe takes a deep breath, readies himself, and shoves himself
     away from the wall with his arms, pushes himself into a squat
     against the opposite wall, hanging for a second with no support
     at all, then springs from that wall into the diagonal passage.
     Gabe lands hard but flat on the passage and starts backsliding,
     but he digs in with his boots and hands and starts heading up.

                        JESSIE
               Gabe are you alright?

                        GABE
               For the record, whenever you hear
               me sliding out of control, I'm
               never alright.  When I secure the
               line, come on up.


     CUT TO - TREASURY CHOPPER - DAY

     Wright, Davis, and a local FAA Agent are airborn across the
     Rockies.  Wright takes off his headset and turns to Davis.

                        WRIGHT
               An FAA satellite has located a
               downed aircraft.
                    (to pilot)
               Head one hundred and ten miles
               south, southwest of the park
               entrance.


     EXT.  BUTTRESS TOP

     Kynette lies flat, staring down.

     KYNETTE'S POV - ON THE BUTTRESS SIDE:

     No one is in sight.  He hears a noise behind him and spins
     around.  The opening to the crack is right there on the top of
     the mountain.


     INT./EXT.  MOUNTAIN CRACK

     Gabe climbs out of the crack, securing the rope, and leans down
     to call to Jessie.

                        GABE
               Come on up.

     Jessie, tired, starts her ascent.


     EXT.  CRACK - DAY

     Gabe is looking around the horizon, setting down his ice axe.
     He stares back into the crack's gloom.

     Kynette looms over him, his gun aimed down.  Gabe looks up,
     totally caught cold.

                        KYNETTE
                    (aims barrel)
               Look here, the mountain man.
               You're Walker, right?

                        GABE
               Good memory.  You must be great
               with numbers.

                        KYNETTE
               Your mouth's writing a check your
               ass can't cash, but if ya wanna
               buy some life, bring me the
               money.

                        GABE
               I burned it.

                        KYNETTE
                    (hard)
               What the fuck you mean you burned
               it?

                        GABE
               Never could save a thing.

                        KYNETTE
               Now you get burned.

                        JESSIE
                    (O.S.)
               Gabe?

     Gabe takes the split second that Kynette pauses when he hears
     Jessie's voice and dives head first into the crack.  Kynette's
     bullets rip up the ground where Gabe was just standing.


     IN THE CRACK - JESSIE'S POV

                        GABE
               Rappel!  Rappel!

     Gabe is sliding head first down the rope until he manages to
     right himself.

     CUT TO - JESSIE

     She is rappeling as fast as she can.

     Gabe reaches the end of the rope thirty feet down, as the
     vertical passage again becomes diagonal.  Jessie is waiting as
     Kynette reaches the edge of the crack and FIRES down at Gabe
     and Jessie.  Bullets RICOCHET all over.

     Gabe throws himself over Jessie, shielding her.

                        GABE
               Still glad I came back?!


     EXT.  CRACK - DAY

     Kynette looks down the crack as his radio comes to life.

                        QUALEN
                    (V.O.)
               Kynette, what's happening?

                        KYNETTE
               The bastard got lucky.

                        QUALEN
                    (V.O.)
               Make him unlucky!
                    (into microphone)
               Kristel, get me the C-4.


     EXT.  BRIDGE - TOWER SIDE

     Kristel standing with Travers, Delmar and Hal.

                        HAL
               C-4?

                        DELMAR
               More bang for the buck.


     INT.  CRACK

     Kynette slides down the rope and enters the blackness of the
     crack.  His weapon poised for action, he stalks his prey.
     Suddenly Gabe lunges out of the dark and attacks Kynette from
     the rear.  The machine gun goes flying.  Kynette rolls to his
     feet and smashes Gabe with a shattering punch.

     Jessie can only look helplessly on as Kynette slashes at Gabe
     with a knife.  The crack is getting wider.  Kynette powers into
     Gabe with another bone shattering punch.  Gabe flies back
     several feet managing to straddle the crack walls.  Overhead
     are jagged stalagtites that hang like an entrance to the jaws
     of hell.

     Kynette moves in for the kill.  He swings down with the knife,
     the blade hissing in the gloom.  Jessie pulls off her belt that
     comes equipped with a rather large buckle.  Kynette has Gabe
     cornered and draws back the knife for the kill.

                        KYNETTE
               Who's the man now?!

     As he thrusts forward, Jessie's belt buckle bashes with
     shocking force against the side of Kynette's face.  Gabe uses
     this split second of great fortune to lunge at Kynette and
     seizes his knife hand.  Gabe drives home a half-dozen painful
     punches that force the knife loose from Kynette's hand.  In one
     powerful moment Gabe drops down, wraps his arms firmly around
     Kynette and swings upwards driving a stalagtite deep into
     Kynette's upper back.  Gabe slumps in exhaustion.  He picks up
     Kynette's machine gun and checks the clip -- empty.  He pulls
     his bolt gun off Kynette's back.

                        GABE
               Let's move.


     EXT.  CRACK - DAY

     Up above, Qualen FIRES a burst straight down into the crack.
     Kristel arrives with the C-4.

                        QUALEN
               Start to rig it.


     INT.  CRACK

     Gabe and Jessie move laterally through the crack, flattening
     themselves against the walls as the bullets ricochet past.  The
     echoing sound of a radio is heard.

                        FRANK
                    (V.O.)
               Jessie, Hal, come in...please
               report.  Over.

                        JESSIE
               Where's the radio?

     Gabe moves off in search of the radio.

                        FRANK
                    (V.O.)
               Hal, Jessie...please if you hear
               this, please report in.  Over.


     EXT.  CRACK - DAY

     Qualen and Kristel are still at the edge of the crack.  Kristel
     has placed detonators on the side of the C-4 explosives.

                        KRISTEL
               Ready.

     She hands them to Qualen who bends down to place them just
     inside the crack.

                        QUALEN
               Perfect.  You'll make somebody a
               great wife.


     INT.  CRACK - DAY

     Gabe is near Kynette's body.  He jams his hand in a crack on
     the rock floor.

                        FRANK
                    (V.O.)
               Hal, Jessie...report in
               ...please!

                        GABE
               C'mon, stretch!

     He strains to reach his hand down to the unreachable radio.

                        GABE
               One inch more!


     EXT.  RESCUE STATION - CHOPPER PAD

     As Frank transmits from the landed chopper, an ambulance pulls
     away.  A police car stands by.

     Gabe still strains to reach the radio.

                        FRANK
               Jessie, I don't know if you can
               read this, but all hell is
               heating up.  We found Evan.  He's
               been shot, but he's alive.  He's
               going to the hospital right now.
               Do you read?  Over.


     INT.  CRACK

                        FRANK
                    (V.O.)
               Do you copy?  Over.

                        GABE
               Damn!

     Jessie stands behind.

                        JESSIE
               No luck?

                        GABE
               Next time, date only basketball
               players.

                        KRISTEL
                    (V.O.)
               Help me.  Please help us.

                        FRANK
                    (V.O.)
               I copy you.  Where are you?
               Over.

                        JESSIE
               Oh, no!

                        KRISTEL
                    (V.O.)
               I'm near a rock formation
               opposite a crack in the wall.

                        GABE
               She's a lyin' bitch!!

                        JESSIE
               Get it!

     Gabe shoves his hand so deeply into the crevice to reach the
     radio, his arm appears to be on the verge of ripping out of its
     socket.

                        GABE
               I can't!

                        FRANK
                    (V.O.)
               I think I know where you are.
               Hang on.

                        GABE
               I can't get it!!
                    (He pulls his arm out)

                        JESSIE
               They'll kill him!  He has no
               idea!

                        GABE
               We gotta get out and fire a
               flare.  It's the only chance!

     They take off.

     Just past their feet we see a subtle movement from Kynette.


     EXT.  BRIDGE - TOWER SIDE - DAY

     Qualen and Kristel scramble across the rope and timber bridge
     to where Hal, Travers and Delmar are waiting.

                        QUALEN
               They're still alive...

     Travers uses Hal's axe to take a couple of heavy swings at the
     bolts which tie the bridge to the rock.  Qualen grabs his arms
     before he can take a third swing.

                        QUALEN
                    (looking at watch)
               ...for another four minutes.


     TOP OF CRACK

     Push in on a HOLE punched in the snow along the crack's top
     near the edge. Shoved inside is a packet of plastique--the
     detonator LED races down -- 3:01 -- 3:00 -- 2:59 --


     EXT.  TOWER FACE - DAY

     Qualen gestures toward the mountain with the radio.

                        TRAVERS
               Is it set?

                        QUALEN
               Primed to go off right over his
               head, officer.

     Hal explodes!  He throws himself at Qualen, grabbing for the
     radio.

                        HAL
               There's a bomb right over you--
               three minutes...


     INT.  CRACK - DAY

     Gabe and Jessie turn towards the unreachable radio.

     Hal is being pounded on by Delmar who rips the radio from his
     hand.

                        HAL
                    (V.O.)
               Get out of there!  Get--


     CUT TO: TOWER FACE

                        DELMAR
               Let me do the job.

                        QUALEN
               Soon.



     INT.  CRACK

     Gabe leads Jessie horizontally through the crack, fast and
     furious.

                        JESSIE
                    (pointing)
               We might be able to go that way.

                        GABE
               Forget it.  If that charge goes
               off before we can reach it, this
               whole damn crevice will slam shut
               on us.  This way.

     They scramble along a single ledge as the crack narrows.


     TOWER FACE

     Everyone is staring at the wall.  Qualen looks at his watch:
     the second hand sweeps around.

                        TRAVERS
               Why the hell are we wasting time
               here?!

                        QUALEN
               Insurance against him finding
               that last case ahead of us.

     He looks at Hal who has murder in his eyes.

                        QUALEN
               He wants to kill me.  Pick a
               number and wait your turn.


     GABE AND JESSIE ON THE WALL

     Gabe takes the bolt gun from his belt and fires in a shaft of
     metal and rigs a carabiner.


     CUT TO

     Timer reading:  2:42


     GABE AND JESSIE

     Gabe rapidly scans the rock below.  All smooth.  He sees a lip
     ninety feet below, leading into the wall:  a cave.  Gabe turns
     back to Jessie and flips the rope off his shoulder.

                        GABE
               Pull it apart!

                        JESSIE
               What?

                        GABE
               Start pulling it apart!  We're
               climbing down on it.

                        JESSIE
               This rope is sixty years old!

                        GABE
               These old ropes can hold 900
               lbs., each strand 300.  I'm 190,
               you're about 135 -- it just may
               hold.

                        JESSIE
               Never

                        GABE
               Never, what?!

                        JESSIE
               I've never weighed 135 lbs.!

                        GABE
               Helluva time for vanity!


     HELICOPTER - MOVING OVER MOUNTAINS

     Frank is in the air, heading out toward the range.


     TOWER FACE

     Qualen smiles.

                        QUALEN
               Here comes our limo.

     Delmar grabs Hal.  They all scramble out of sight.


     INSERT - THE BOMB

     The timer has about two minutes left -- 1:59 -- 1:58 --


     GABE AND JESSIE - AT CRACK'S EDGE

     They are furiously unravelling the rope.

                        GABE
               Almost have it.


     EXT.  HELICOPTER - FLYING OVER THE MOUNTAINS

     Frank is practically at the buttress and the facing Tower.

                        KRISTEL
                    (V.O.)
               I can hear you.  Hurry.

                        FRANK
                    (into radio)
               I see your flare.  I have visual
               bearin'.  I'm comin' in.  Over.


     GABE AND JESSIE - AT THE CRACK'S EDGE

     Gabe and Jessie have unravelled the rope fiber.  It's three
     different strands wound together.  Gabe sees the chopper and
     shoots off a flare.  The chopper flies overhead and past.

                        JESSIE
                    (frantically)
               Frank!  No, Frank!  Frank!

                        GABE
                    (hands Jessie rope)
               Jess, c'mon...

     Gabe ties the rope to the carabiner.

     He takes the line and lets it drop.  Ninety feet of what looks
     like twine.

                        GABE
               C'mon, it's the only chance.

     Jessie's clearly not convinced, but there's no choice.  She
     starts to rappel down, Gabe close behind.


     INSERT - THE BOMB

     is ready to blow -- 0:42 -- 0:41 --


     INT.  CRACK

     Bloody and dying, Kynette musters all his strength and rises.


     JESSIE AND GABE - RAPPELLING DOWN

     have to swing over to the side about fifteen feet to get to the
     cave.  It means a pendulum type swing that puts even more
     pressure on the rope.  The fibers begin to fray and snap.  They
     swing down lower, twenty feet to the cave, four thousand to the
     ground.  Fibers snap at an alarming rate.


     INSERT - THE BOMB

     - 0:34 -- 0:33 --


     KYNETTE

     Emerges from the crack, knife in hand.


     JESSIE AND GABE - RAPPELLING

     They reach the end of the rope, six feet above the cave and
     fifteen feet away laterally.

                        GABE
                    (shouting)
               Swing and drop!

     They start the swing.  As they get over the cave's lip, Kynette
     grabs the rope and cuts it.  Jessie and Gabe, still clinging to
     the rope, fall onto the cave's narrow lip.  Gabe lands, but
     Jessie tumbles over the edge!  She loses her grip and drops.

                        JESSIE
               Gabe!

                        GABE
               Hold on!  Hold on!  Reach up!

     Jessie reaches up with the other hand.

                        JESSIE
               I can't...I can't.

     Gabe's hand flashes out.  He's got a tenuous grip on her
     forearm.  Jessie swings like a pendulum over the abyss.  With
     each swing her hand slips further down Gabe's arm, their grip
     slides to wrist level.  Gabe's hand digs into Jessie's glove
     and holds.

                        JESSIE
               Oh, God...please, oh God!


     FLASHBACK - GABE'S POV

     Sarah's hand slides out of her glove.  He hears the exact same
     dialogue.  She falls...her eyes still locked on...


     BACK TO: GABE

                        GABE
               Reach up!  Do it!

                        JESSIE
               Don't let me fall!

                        GABE
               Do it, goddammit!

     His left hand finds a grip on a ledge.  Pulling with all her
     strength, Jessie starts to reach up with her free hand.  He
     inches up to her shoulder, bicep, forearm and finally grabs her
     wrist.

     Gabe pulls her to safety.


     THE BOMB -- 0:04 -- 0:03 --


     GABE AND JESSIE

     throw themselves across the cave's narrow lip.


     ABOVE ON THE WALL

     the bomb detonates, raining debris and triggering a massive
     rock slide.


     KYNETTE

     turns.  A storm of rock sweeps him to his death.


     JESSIE AND GABE

     as the rockslide tumbles past.  Safe, for now.

                        JESSIE
               Thanks for holding on.

                        GABE
                    (standing)
               We were going together before I
               ever let go of you.

                        JESSIE
               I'm holding you to that.
                    (pause)
               Gabe, what about Frank?

                        GABE
               I don't know.  I don't know.


     THE HELICOPTER - OVER THE TOWER

     Frank sees Kristel in a clearing, face down in the snow, and
     banks down.


     EXT.  CLEARING

     Frank, running, carrying a first aid kit, pauses at the sound
     of the explosion.

                        FRANK
               What the hell?

     He resumes running.  He arrives at Kristel.  He turns her over
     and breaks a capsule over her nose.

                        KRISTEL
               Welcome.

                        FRANK
               What's happening here?!  Where's
               the rest of the group?

     Delmar steps out from his hiding spot.

                        DELMAR
               Here.

                        FRANK
               What're you doing?  I came here
               to help you all.

                        DELMAR
               You did.

     Delmar fires.  The fusillade blasts into Frank.  Delmar keeps
     firing.  Frank staggers to the ground.  Silence.


     CUT TO:  TOWER FACE

     Hal has viewed this with Qualen's pistol to his head.

                        HAL
               He never hurt anybody.

                        QUALEN
               I'm touched.  Kristel, check the
               chopper, let's go.

     Hal rises and they move off.


     EXT.  MOUNTAIN - GABE AND JESSIE

     They are moving swiftly down a steep rock path.

                        GABE
               Crockett River is where the last
               of the money fell.

                        JESSIE
               If we go along the northern
               ridge, we can get there first.

                        GABE
               There's no "we".  There's a me.
               All I have to do is make it along
               the north wall to Bitker Ladder.
               What you're doing is going back
               down to the station to get help.
               And don't put on that mad face.

                        JESSIE
               Forget it.  You're in no shape to
               climb alone.
               I stayed with you this far, and
               you didn't drop me, so I owe you.
               C'mon, let's go.  Hurry up, time
               is money.

                        GABE
               "Time is money" -- please.


     EXT.  THE TOWER - INCLUDE RESCUE COPTER

     Travers comes over, with Hal and Delmar in tow. Kristel
     follows.

                        TRAVERS
               We'll use the copter to locate
               the third case and get out of
               here.

                        KRISTEL
               There's not enough fuel to search
               around.  Just enough to get us
               down.

                        QUALEN
               Travers, you're not running
               things.

                        HAL
                    (to Travers)
               When he finds the money, you're
               as dead as me.

     Travers glares at Qualen.

                        QUALEN
               Give me the monitor.  Now!

     Travers, strangely nonchalant, hands it to Qualen.

     Qualen looks to the screen, which reveals the locale of case
     three.

     CLOSE - THE MONITOR

     suddenly goes completely blank.

                        QUALEN
               What's the code, Travers?

                        TRAVERS
               I told you, 50,000 possible
               keycode combinations, in fifteen
               second intervals.

                        QUALEN
                    (roars)
               Give me the fucking code!

     Travers pulls a pistol from behind his back.

                        QUALEN
               Look what you found.  What was
               your idea?  To use the chopper to
               find the money?  Good idea, but
               without a pilot, nobody gets off
               this mountain.

     Qualen grabs Kristel and pulls her in front of him as a shield.

                        KRISTEL
               What're you doing?

                        QUALEN
                    (to Kristel)
               You know what I think love is
               Kristel?  The mistake that one
               woman thinks she is different
               from all the others.

     TWO SHOTS ring out.

     Blood blossoms across Kristel's chest.  Shock and sadness on
     her face.

     Qualen lets go of her.

     Dead, she slumps to the ground.

     Revealing Qualen's smoking pistol.

                        QUALEN
               Now, I'm the only one who can fly
               us out of here.  Partners again?
                    (low simmer)
               Take your toy and get our money.

     Travers, Delmar and especially Hal are shocked by Kristel's
     murder.

                        QUALEN
                    (to Delmar)
               Radio when you find it.  I'm
               waiting here.


     EXT.  BRIDGE

     Gabe and Jessie work their way up a steep slope, up to the rope
     and timber bridge that spans the chasm.  Gabe is several paces
     ahead when he steps onto the bridge.  A snapping sound from the
     bolts freezes him.

                        GABE
               Get back!

     Jessie has just stepped onto the bridge.  She jumps back.
     The last bolt forced to take all the strain breaks free.
     The bridge collapses, swinging down, spilling wooden slats and
     debris into the chasm.  The rope and timber completely unravel.
     Gabe jumps off the disintegrating bridge onto the

     ROCK SPUR.

     Jessie grabs him, steadying him.

                        GABE
               Doesn't anything last?!

     Jessie turns, looking around, as if somewhere she'll see a
     solution.

                        JESSIE
               My heart can't take much more of
               this.  Look, if we climb down
               from here, it'll take two hours
               to get back to the station.

                        GABE
               That's exactly what I want you to
               do.

                        JESSIE
               What about you?

     He turns around, pointing across the chasm.

                        GABE
               What do you think?  Maybe I could
               reach the ledge without falling.
               No, forget it.

                        JESSIE
               Oh, good. For a minute I thought
               you'd lost your mind.

     GABE

     points to a series of tiny outcroppings just below where the
     bridge was anchored.

                        GABE
               But maybe with a good start I can
               hit those hand-holds.

                        JESSIE
               Hand-holds?!  I can barely see
               them.

                        GABE
               We don't have time to argue about
               it!

                        JESSIE
               Are you crazy?  Has the altitude
               shrunk your brain, Gabe?

                        GABE
                    (overriding)
               Take the rope.

                        JESSIE
               I won't do it.  No way.

                        GABE
                    (overriding)
               Take the rope.

                        JESSIE
               Enough's enough.  How could
               anybody in their right mind...
               then again, you never were in
               your right mind.

                        GABE
               Wrap it around that rock twice.

                        JESSIE
               I'm going to wrap it around your
               throat!

                        GABE
               An' if I miss, dig in and try
               your best to slow the fall.

                        JESSIE
               Forget it!  I refuse!

                        GABE
               Fine, it shouldn't bother your
               conscience.

                        JESSIE
               Don't lay any guilt on me.
               Suicide's a personal thing, best
               done alone.

     She turns and goes.  Gabe doesn't look after her.  He backs up,
     all of his senses are focused on the gap and the hand-holds
     beyond it.  Push in on his face...a moment of meditation as he
     centers himself.

                        JESSIE
               Please, Gabe, this is insane.
                    (to herself)
               Please don't do this.  I can't
               watch this.  I can't.

     She starts to quickly wrap the rope twice around a thin
     outcropped rock.

                        JESSIE
               Y' know, you're not brave, you
               just have no common sense.  None!

     Then he's off!  A few powerful strides and he leaps!

     ACROSS THE GAP

     Nothing but air for four thousand feet.  His whole body would
     like a spring, the wind rushing past.  His arms firing out,
     reaching

     THE ROCK

     racing to meet us.  His hands stretching...stretching...his
     fingers touching!  Sliding down the rock, gripping the hand-
     holds.  Gabe, like a fly on the wall, hangs by nothing more
     than his fingernails.

     JESSIE is determined not to turn and look.  Suddenly, a scream!

                        JESSIE
               Gabe!

     She slowly turns and sees Gabe standing on the opposite ledge.

                        GABE
               Just kidding.

                        JESSIE
               Gabe?  Wait 'til I get over
               there.  Tie the rope so I can
               come across.

                        GABE
               Can't do it.  Now go back and get
               help!

     He lets the rope fall and runs off.

                        JESSIE
               Gabe, you bastard!  Be careful!


     EXT.  COMB BLUFF - JET STAR CRASH SITE - DAY

     What's left of the Jet Star has been located.  Several dozen
     Treasury and FAA agents sift through the wreckage, taking
     photos and putting pieces into bags for analysis.  Many bags.
     Many small bags.  We move to one bag in particular.  Above an
     FBI chopper hovers.

     CLOSE ON BODY BAG

     as the zipper is pulled down.  Before we can see anything, we
     mercifully reverse POV.

     WRIGHT AND DAVIS

     are near a helicopter, with STUART, the overbearing FAA
     forensics expert.

     A SEARCH PILOT zips the bag back up.

                        STUART
               We found I.D. on the dead pilot.
               He was known to be in the company
               of Qualen.  We have to assume
               this was his jet.

                        WRIGHT
               Unless you find additional
               wreckage, we have to assume the
               treasury jet was successfully
               hijacked.

                        STUART
               You assume right.

                        WRIGHT
               Son of a bitch.  Travers had to
               have masterminded the whole
               goddamn thing.  So much for
               having total faith in somebody.
               Never again.  Never.  There's
               still a chance they didn't pull
               it off.
               How do you explain the sudden
               drop from the radar screen?  I
               want every able man up here until
               this whole range has been turned
               upside down!

                        DAVIS
               I'm on it.


     EXT.  MOUNTAIN WALL - GABE MOVING ON A LEDGE

     that's extremely narrow.  It's got irregular breaks, causing it
     to go up or down several feet, and Gabe is jogging it, leaping
     across the ledge's gaps, leaning toward the wall and away from
     the four thousand foot drop.

     He makes the last jump to a section of ledge near the bottom of


     THE "BITKER" LADDER

     A prominent sign reads "Property of the Bitker Mining Company."

     The ladder consists of metal rungs woven into loose steel cable
     bolted into the rock, running two hundred feet to the top,
     something left here by a past expedition, now a tourist's toy.
     The bottom rung is three feet above Gabe's outstretched arms.

                        GABE
                    (coiling for jump)
               Bitker you cheap bastard.
               Couldn't you afford three more
               feet?!

     Gabe leaps up, grabbing the bottom rung instead of a half mile
     of air, and he shoots up the ladder as we PULL BACK.

     WIDER ANGLE ON MOUNTAIN WALL

     A closer look at terrain seen earlier.

     As we track Gabe up the ladder, we can see a lake on top of the
     mountain. Constant motion keeps it from totally freezing, but
     it is still coated with a solid sheet of ice.


     ELSEWHERE ON MOUNTAIN SLOPE - HAL

     leads the others down the grade, we can see from their relative
     position to the lake that Gabe has a lead on them.  A very
     slight one.


     TOP OF LADDER - GABE

     pulls himself over and starts running into a

     ROCKY AREA

     where he spots the third case.  It took a tough landing on a
     rock.  It's shattered into halves, and the bands of bank notes
     are scattered around in the snow.

     Gabe rushes down behind a rock and starts gathering the cash.
     Soaked by the snow, they've nearly frozen into ice bricks.
     Something catches his eye.  Several feet away he sees rabbit
     tracks leading into a very prominent rabbit hole.


     EXT.  FURTHER UP ON SLOPE - HAL

     and the other two crest a rise.  Unaccustomed to the altitude
     and the exercise, Travers and Delmar are fading.  They stop,
     catching their breath.

     TRAVERS

     checks the monitor.  Anxiety washes across his face.  The
     relative position shows they're...

                        TRAVERS
               Almost there.  Alright, I've got
               it locked in.

                        DELMAR
                    (motions to Hal)
               Then you're done with him.

     Delmar walks over to check the monitor.

                        TRAVERS
                    (nods)
               Yes, and do it quietly. Your
               insane boss just made enough
               noise for anyone within ten miles
               to hear us.

     Travers studies the monitor and moves away.

     HAL AND DELMAR

                        DELMAR
                    (pointing at Hal)
               Ready to die quiet-like, asshole.

                        HAL
               Hey, let's get something
               straight.
               If I'm gonna die, I'm gonna die,
               but you're always gonna be the
               asshole, so just shoot, alright.

                        DELMAR
               Who's shooting?

     Delmar rears back and slams his head against Hal's forehead,
     driving him to the ground.  Delmar then kicks him in the ribs.

                        DELMAR
               How we feelin' so far?  Upset
               stomach, aye?

     Hal recoils from another kick and tries to rise.

                        DELMAR
               Like soccer?  Great sport!  I was
               a bloody good striker.  Here's an
               outside right.
                    (kicks)

     Hal recoils in pain as Delmar breaks the bone in his lower leg.
     Hal howls in agony, but tries to rise.

                        DELMAR
               Did I hear somethin' break?
               Outside left!

                        HAL
               Fuck you.

                        DELMAR
               Cursin'.  That's a penalty kick
               for unsportsmanlike conduct,
               mate.

     He kicks Hal again, sending him back several feet, crashing
     heavily on his side.  Hal tries to remove a folding climbing
     knife that fits in a sheath sewn into the side of his boot.

                        DELMAR
               A lovely chip shot to the winger!
                    (kicks)

     Hal has been kicked near the edge of a cliff.  He weakly
     reaches for his boot knife.  Again this is not noticed by
     Delmar, who's having a wonderfully sadistic time.

                        DELMAR
               Winger back to striker!

     Delmar kicks Hal, who is barely hanging on to consciousness.

                        DELMAR
               He dribbles past one defender.
                    (kicks)
               Two defenders.
                    (kicks)
               Three defenders!

     Hal lies crumpled on his side, curled in a ball of pain.

                        DELMAR
               Striker lines up to the goal...
               focuses on the ball...

     Hal has barely managed to remove the knife and secretly opens
     it.  Its serrated edge glistens like a chrome serpent in his
     hand.

     Delmar backs up to take perfect aim at the back of Hal's head.

                        DELMAR
               The crowd is on its feet, the
               League Cup Championship for this
               season comes down to this last
               kick.  The striker sees an
               opening, draws back his foot and
               fires!

     As Delmar's leg explodes forward, Hal spins and drives the
     knife into Delmar's approaching shin bone.  Delmar buckles in
     pain, allowing Hal to reach up and snatch a pistol from the
     goon's waistband.

     Hal fires from a prone position and catches Delmar in the mid-
     section, which blows the large man upright, soaring onto his
     back.

                        HAL
               The season's over, asshole.

     Hal struggles to his feet and removes Delmar's automatic weapon
     and limps away in excruciating pain.


     CUT TO - TRAVERS

     Travers turns, reacting to the shot and the distant sounds of
     Delmar screaming.  He thinks the painful cries are emanating
     from Hal.

                        TRAVERS
               I said quietly...shit.

     Travers is looking down at the monitor.  His eyes fix on the
     screen, following the blip that's just ahead of him.  He
     freezes...the blip starts to move.

                        TRAVERS
               What the hell?

     Travers is now running, following the monitor's lead.

                        TRAVERS
               It can't be.
                    (furious)
               It can't be!

     THE MONITOR

     The blip changes directions, likewise, Travers.


     CUT TO:

     Hal has just finished tying a tourniquet around his upper leg.
     He hobbles off.


     TRAVERS

     is slogging up the hill after the blip, which now turns back
     toward him.  Travers aims his gun and waits.

     HILL TOP

     A large winter rabbit sticks his head over the hillside.
     Travers sees the rabbit with the tracer fastened around its
     neck and nearly goes apoplectic.  He fires at the rabbit.
     Bullets rip up the ledge as the animal runs away.  Travers
     reaches for his radio.

                        TRAVERS
                    (into radio)
               Come in--come in!


     EXT.  TOWER FACE

     Qualen in the chopper.

                        QUALEN
               You got what we need?

                        TRAVERS
               No, that son-of-a-bitch Walker is
               alive.

                        QUALEN
               No names, this is an open line!

                        TRAVERS
               I don't give a shit, Qualen!  I
               had to be insane to ever tie up
               with a low-life, piece of shit
               like you.  They beat us.  A
               couple of fuckin' hick mountain
               boys beat the man no law agency
               ever could.

                        QUALEN
               Get off the radio!


     CUT TO - TREASURY CHOPPER - DAY

     Wright is monitoring the conversation between Qualen and
     Travers through the headset.

                        WRIGHT
               Jesus Christ, that's Travers.
               They're alive!!
                    (to pilot)
               Get a bead on that frequency.


     CUT TO - QUALEN AT THE CHOPPER - DAY

                        QUALEN
               Stop transmitting you stupid
               bastard!


     CUT TO - TRAVERS

                        TRAVERS
               Why?  I always wanted my own
               radio show!  What was I thinking,
               I must have been crazy to think
               I could get away with it.  It's
               hard to believe I sold out after
               twenty years and this is the
               payback--to rot on a mountain
               with a fucking dirtbag like you.


     CUT TO - QUALEN

                        QUALEN
               You are losing your mind,
               Travers!


     CUT TO - TRAVERS

                        TRAVERS
               I lost it when I met you!  Gotta
               go, I'm doing my last official
               man hunt.

     He turns, looking for some sign of Gabe.  Then he sees it:
     footprints in the snow.  He takes off.


     CUT TO - TREASURY CHOPPER - DAY

                        WRIGHT
                    (to pilot)
               You got a frequency bearing yet?

                        PILOT
               Not exactly, but close.

     The chopper banks wildly to the right and soars away.


     CUT TO - GABE'S FEET

     sink into the snow.

     WIDER

     As Gabe makes his way to a thickly wooded area.  He has the
     money swung over his shoulder wrapped in a garment.  Suddenly
     BULLETS blast behind.

     TRAVERS

     slides down onto the level that Gabe is running.  Finding his
     footing, he fires again and bullets blast the bare tree
     branches just above Gabe's head.  He quickly bursts to his
     feet, running for all he's worth.

     A round from a second burst of gun fire rips into Gabe's
     shoulder.  He tumbles out onto...


     A SLOPE

     that leads down to the frozen lake.  Gabe slips on the loose
     rock and slides out of control, still holding the money bag.


     TIMBER BRIDGE

     that spans out onto the river, rising at least 20 feet above
     the ice.  He slams into the base of it with a THUD.


     EXT.  MOUNTAIN TRAIL - DAY

     Jessie is running down the trail for all she's worth.  She
     hears the sound of a chopper approaching.  Her expression
     brightens as she now runs toward the sound.  What lies before
     her is a cliff edge that drops into an expansive valley.

                        JESSIE
               Frank, you're beautiful!

     She runs to the edge, just as the chopper rises into view like
     a whirling dragon from hell.  The blood drains from her face as
     she locks eyes with the man at the controls--Qualen.  He has an
     automatic weapon trained on her.


     EXT.  TIMBER BRIDGE - DAY

     Travers runs onto the entrance of the bridge.  Gabe is gone,
     but his footprints indicate he's gone out onto the bridge.

     Travers cautiously follows the tracks to the end of the bridge
     where they stop, giving the impression that Gabe jumped onto
     the ice below.

     He peers over the edge.  The ice stretches across the river
     like glass, but no snow--thus no footprints.

     FROM UNDER THE BRIDGE

     We see Travers' head glance under.  Finding nothing, he
     retreats.

     CAMERA PANS and

     picks up Gabe about twenty feet back, wedged in an "X"
     configuration against the underside of the bridge.

     The weight from Travers knocks bits of snow and ice onto Gabe.
     He strains to hold himself in place.

     ON THE BRIDGE

     Travers steps back twenty feet, stops just above Gabe.  He
     notices that snow is scraped off the side, obviously where Gabe
     crawled under.

                        TRAVERS
               Didn't you ever play hide and
               seek when you were a kid, Walker?
               Rule #1, cover your tracks.

     He aims his gun at the wooden planks below him.

     GABE

     knows it's coming.  He releases his foot holds and swings,
     holding on by just one hand.  A stream of bullets rip past him
     and lodge into the ice fifteen feet below.

                        TRAVERS
               Make it easy on yourself.  You
               stole the money, now I've got to
               take you in.  Come out so I can
               read you your rights.

     TRAVERS

     can't tell if he hit him.  He steps over to the edge, peers
     down and, just as he does...

     GABE

     reaches for a hold with his other arm, swings his legs up and
     does a kick maneuver, scissors his legs around Travers and
     tries to pull him over the edge.  Travers strains with all his
     might, clinging to a cross rail for dear life.

     The thrust from Gabe's weight pulls Travers loose from his
     hold, causing them both to...


     EXT.  ON THE ICE

     crash down onto the ice. A spider web of cracks jolt from the
     point of impact.  Gabe scrambles to his feet, sees Travers' gun
     about ten feet away.

     As he lunges for it, Travers tackles him.  The two of them
     crash against the ice again.  This time it gives way, dropping
     them both into the FREEZING WATER.


     EXT.  UNDER WATER

     Dark, eerie silence.  Rays of light come through from the clear
     ice making it nearly impossible to identify the hole.

     Gabe and Travers struggle, clawing up toward the surface,
     kicking...desperate.  Gabe reaches for the opening, but Travers
     pulls him down.


     EXT.  ON THE ICE

     Travers' head comes up, reaches for solid ice.  Gabe yanks
     himself up on Travers' back, GASPING for air.  Travers elbows
     him in the face.

     He loses his grip and slides back under the ice.


     EXT.  UNDER WATER

     Gabe reaches up with his arms, but the current pulls him away.


     EXT.  ON THE ICE

     Travers drags himself onto solid ice.  Breathless, he lies face
     down, looking...


     EXT.  UNDER WATER/THROUGH THE ICE

     Gabe has his mouth pressed against a tiny air pocket, GASPING.
     He's holding on with only two fingers, just as if it were a
     vertical climb, but he's not going to last much longer.  We can
     see the distorted shape of Travers staring back at him.


     EXT.  ON THE ICE

     Travers retrieves his weapon.


     EXT.  UNDER WATER

     Gabe loses his grip and is swept away by the slow moving
     current.

     Travers steps above, preparing to blast him away with his
     weapon.  Gabe sees this just before he passes beneath a cloudy
     patch of ice that causes Travers to momentarily lose sight of
     him.

     Gabe still drifting, frantically claws at his bolt gun.


     EXT.  ON THE ICE

     Travers moves over the cloudy patch of ice, awaiting the second
     Gabe will reappear.

     Gabe's head starts to pass into view.  Gabe also can now see
     Travers' outline.

     Travers LEVELS his weapon and takes AIM.

     Gabe FIRES the bolt gun.  There is a solid THUD as the ice
     underneath Travers bulges upward.

     Gabe's head emerges through the cracked ice as the bolt BURIES
     itself into Travers' chest.

     GASPING for breath, Gabe can only manage to pull his head out
     of the deathly water as Travers staggers several feet away.

     Gabe helplessly watches as Travers WEAVES forward.  As life
     ebbs from his body, Travers struggles to raise the automatic
     weapon and aims it at Gabe's head.  The weapon wavers then at
     the final moment of truth.  It descends as Travers can no
     longer maintain consciousness.  His weapon hangs at his side.
     He spasmodically pulls the trigger.  Bullets rip into the ice
     at his feet and Travers disappears from view as if falling
     through a trap door.


     EXT.  UNDER THE WATER

     Travers takes in water as the current pulls at him.  He pushes
     his face up for an air pocket, but there isn't one.


     EXT.  ON THE ICE

     Gabe, totally exhausted and only half out of the water stares
     down.


     ANGLE THROUGH THE ICE

     Travers is looking up at him, his gruesome, distorted face
     gasping for its last breath. His eyes pleading for mercy as he
     drifts into eternity.


     EXT.  ICE

     Gabe, exhausted, slips back into the water and is just about
     totally submerged.  A hand shoots into the freezing water and
     yanks him back to the surface.

     HAL

     pulls Gabe to the surface.

     Gabe tries to focus on Hal.

                        GABE
                    (coughing)
               Am I dead, or are you alive?

     Hal hauls him out of the ice hold.

                        HAL
               Both.  You gotta get outta these
               clothes, fast.

     Hal opens his boot knife and with startling swiftness,
     literally slices the near-frozen garments off his friend's
     torso.

                        HAL
               Thanks for staying around when
               you didn't have to.

                        GABE
               My pleasure.

     Hal places his jacket over Gabe's exposed upper body and pulls
     off the outer shell of his foul weather gear and starts to
     frantically rub his back and legs.

                        HAL
               Don't get the wrong idea, you're
               not my type.


     EXT.  HELICOPTER - OVER MOUNTAINS

     The machine veers between towering out-croppings.

     INT.  CHOPPER - DAY

     Qualen is at the controls.  Jessie's hands are handcuffed to a
     bar fastened to the chopper's roof.  Qualen keys the headset
     radio.

                        QUALEN
               Travers - come in.


     EXT.  SHORELINE

     Gabe is sitting, wearing the garments given to him by Hal.

                        GABE
                    (still thawing)
               How's your leg?
               I'll live.  Where'd you leave
               Jessie?

                        GABE
               Near Freedom Falls.  She went for
               help.

                        HAL
               Hey, about everything that
               happened with Sarah.  I know you
               did what you could--

                        QUALEN
                    (V.O.)
               Travers--come in.

     Hal reaches over and grabs the radio.

                        HAL
                    (keys the radio)
               Too late, you missed him.  He
               decided to swim to Arizona--
               underwater.  Any messages?

     Beat.

                        QUALEN
                    (V.O.)
               Tucker?

                        GABE
                    (into mic)
               Qualen, glad you stuck around.
               There should be a few hundred
               cops looking to meet you.

     Another beat.

     INTERCUT - GABE & HAL (SHORELINE) AND QUALEN (IN THE CHOPPER)

                        QUALEN
               Tucker, you know where the money
               is-- I want it.

                        HAL
                    (tired)
               Qualen, go fuck yourself.  The
               game's over--you lost.

                        QUALEN
                    (now he's had enough)
               No, the goddamn game's not over!
               It's never over when you're
               playing against a team that
               doesn't care if they win or lose--
               how do you negotiate with someone
               like that?!

                        HAL
               What are you talking about?

                        JESSIE
                    (V.O.)
               Gabe!  Hal!  They killed Frank!

     TIGHT ON - Gabe reacting.  He grabs the radio.

                        GABE
               Jessie!  Are you alright?

                        QUALEN
               I want the money--meet me at the
               highest point from where you are.
               Don't do it and we're going to
               see if your angel here can fly.
               Copy?

                        GABE
               Copy.  Jessie, go to the top of
               Bitker ladder.

                        QUALEN
                    (V.O.)
               Love's a killer, isn't it?

     The radio goes dead.  Hal is staring at Gabe.

                        HAL
               What are we going to do?

                        GABE
               Give him the money.

     Gabe takes Delmar's radio from Hal.

                        HAL
               I'm going with you.

                        GABE
               Not on that leg.

                        HAL
               Take the gun.

                        GABE
               You keep it.  Get up there if you
               can, and if you get a chance, do
               me a favor and kill him.

     He starts off towards the bridge.


     EXT.  HELICOPTER

     The chopper, with Qualen in it, blasts over the lake,
     searching.


     INT.  HELICOPTER

     Qualen scans the mountain side.  He sees nothing.

                        QUALEN
                    (into the headset)
               Where are you, Walker?

                        GABE
                    (V.O.)
               You're getting warmer!


     HELICOPTER'S POV

     along the rock wall, up the side of the precipice and there
     is...

     GABE

     standing on the end of a narrow spur that juts out from the
     mountain like a diving board, holding the backpack over the
     edge.

                        GABE
               I've got your luggage!  Give me
               Jessie!

     The helicopter flies in low, circles him, nearly blowing Gabe
     over the edge with its whirlwind.  Gabe dangles the money.  If
     Qualen shoots him, the money falls, too.


     INT.  HELICOPTER

     Qualen hovers the chopper in front of him.  He puts the gun up
     against Jessie's head so that Gabe can see it.

                        QUALEN
               Throw it up or I'll kill her.

                        GABE
                    (V.O.)
               You do, and the spring thaw is
               going to be worth a lot of cash!

                        QUALEN
               The money!

                        GABE
               WHEN SHE'S SAFE!


     EXT.  SPUR

     The chopper hovers a safe distance away from the ledge.  Gabe
     still stands on the overhang, the pack still held out over the
     edge.


     INT.  HELICOPTER

     Qualen unlocks Jessie's cuffs.


     EXT.  SPUR

     Hovering fifteen feet above Gabe, Jessie lowers herself down on
     the grappling cable.

                        GABE
               Run!

     She doesn't.

                        JESSIE
               What about you?!

                        GABE
               RUN, DAMMIT!!

     She runs for the protection of the rocks.

     Gabe and Qualen stare at each other.

     Qualen levels his gun at Gabe through the open passenger door.

                        QUALEN
               Let me have it!!

     Gabe hurls back the money like he was throwing an Olympic
     hammer above the chopper and into the blade. The sack
     disintegrates into a million pieces.

                        GABE
               Don't you want to count it?

     Qualen glares at Gabe and aims his weapon. Gabe ducks beneath
     the chopper and hooks the cable to the top rung of Bitker
     Ladder.

     THE HELICOPTER

     spins around, Gabe instantly flattens to avoid the tail
     swinging past him and dashes away from the cliff's edge.

     Qualen wildly spins the chopper around looking for Gabe.  The
     cable from the chopper reels out as the machine maneuvers.

     CLOSE ON JESSIE

     eyes widening with fear.

                        JESSIE
               Run!  Oh, my God!

     Gabe, realizing he does not stand a chance in the open,
     reverses field and runs for all he's worth toward the cliff's
     edge.

     THE HELICOPTER

     with its skids skipping just over the ground, gains on Gabe.

     GABE

     as he runs toward the mountain's edge.  It's just a few feet
     ahead, but the chopper is almost on him.  As it drops lower on
     the verge of overtaking him, he dives off the edge, FALLING.
     Gabe falls the first twenty feet of the long drop, then grabs
     a rung of the cable ladder.

     THE HELICOPTER

     flies low over the precipice, flying over the valley below.

     Gabe tries to frantically climb up the ladder when the cable
     connected to the chopper pulls taut, popping the bolts that
     hold the ladder in place, rung by rung.

     Qualen is disoriented by the sudden jolt.  The engine strains
     as the ladder weighs the machine down.  Gabe hangs on for dear
     life as the bolts holding the ladder continue to rip out.  One
     bolt explodes from the wall and crashes into the exposed upper
     engine of the copter.  Still going, the chopper strains' against
     the ladder.  Thirty feet of it tethers the chopper to the wall.
     Gabe is dangling from the center of it.

     On the ladder, Gabe has one arm hooked around a rung, as the
     chopper thrashes the ladder up and down.

     HAL appears at the top in time to witness this.  He sees a
     frantic Jessie and hobbles to her.

     INSIDE THE CHOPPER

     Qualen is totally enraged.

     INSERT - THE ENGINE

     as sparks fly, it slowly grinds to a halt.

     THE HELICOPTER

     still strains against the cable ladder, but the rotor blades
     slow.

     GABE ON LADDER

     stares at the stalling rotor.  If it were possible for him to
     grip the ladder tighter, he'd do it now.

     JESSIE AND HAL

                        JESSIE
               Oh, my God!

                        HAL
               Climb, Gabe, climb!

     ON THE HELICOPTER

     As the rotor WHOPS to a dead halt, the chopper arcs down and
     slams against the mountain wall sideways.  The winch cable is
     still caught in the ladder, and it holds.

     Gabe is shaken off by the massive impact. He falls, landing on
     the helicopter's side near the smoking propeller.  As Gabe
     scrambles up for a solid hold,

     INSERT - THE WINCH CABLE

     One of the two rungs holding the chopper bursts.

     THE HELICOPTER

     slips, now hanging from just a single rung.  Gabe is sliding
     off the machine but manages to angle his body and prop himself
     against the blade.

     CHOPPER ROOF

     Qualen crawls out the side, and as his head clears the doorway,
     he sees Gabe and fires his machine gun.  Gabe ducks behind the
     base of the propeller as bullets rip into the side.  The gun is
     empty and Qualen throws it aside and crawls out to challenge
     Gabe.

                        GABE
               Come on--one last challenge!

     They latch into a death struggle against the center of the rear
     flank of the chopper.  Qualen tries to gouge Gabe's eyes out,
     but Gabe manages to break free and pounds him repeatedly
     against the head.

     CUT TO:

     Hal tries to aim his weapon, but there is no clear shot.


     CUT TO - THE TREASURY CHOPPER

     Wright and Davis swing into view.  Wright looks through
     binoculars.

                        WRIGHT
               It's Qualen!  Get me down there.


     CUT TO - THE LADDER

     The bolt supporting the ladder, which in turn supports the
     chopper, is being worked loose by the ensuing battle.  With
     each of the men's movement the bolts slip further out.


     CUT TO - TREASURY CHOPPER

     The chopper drops lower and directly above Gabe and Qualen.
     The chopper's backwash makes the men appear as if they are
     battling in a hurricane.


     INT./EXT.  CHOPPER

     Qualen manages to force Gabe's neck against the chopper's
     blades.  Gabe manages to drop low and drive home several killer
     punches that now have Qualen on the verge of unconsciousness.
     Gabe feels a sudden snap, sharp movement of the fuselage.  He
     realizes he has only seconds to live.  Pulling himself away
     from Qualen, he prepares to jump.

     Qualen, with his last remaining strength, grabs his legs,
     tackling him.

                        QUALEN
               We go together, Walker!

     Gabe tries to crawl towards the ladder.  The bolt is
     milliseconds from snapping.

     Jessie frantically yelling down.

                        JESSIE
               Gabe!  Jump!!

     Qualen tightens his grip on Gabe's legs.

                        QUALEN
                    (hissingly)
               You lost!

     Gabe breaks a foot loose and kicks Qualen square in the head.

                        GABE
               You fell.

     Qualen slides back and tumbles into the door opening, landing
     awkwardly against the dashboard.


     EXT.  CHOPPER

     At the precise moment the chopper finally breaks loose.

     Gabe leaps, catching the final rung on the ladder.


     THE FALL - LONG SHOT

     Qualen's screams trail behind the helicopter as we follow the
     entire 4000 foot drop.


     INT.  CHOPPER

     We see Qualen is flattened against the windscreen looking
     straight down as the ground furiously rushes forward.


     EXT.  CHOPPER

     Gabe watches as the chopper falls nose first like an atomic
     bomb, finally exploding into a massive fireball on the valley
     floor.


     INT.  TREASURY CHOPPER

     Wright turns to the pilot.

                        WRIGHT
               Now that's justice.  Let's get
               down there.


     EXT.  SPUR

     Gabe turns and looks back at the wall.  He struggles with his
     remaining strength to pull himself up on one rung.

     Gabe leans back, gripping the ladder, too tired to move.

     Just the thought of one more climb drains him.

                        GABE
                    (mumbling)
               Forget it.  No way.  I've had it.

     Before Gabe can take this any farther, a loop tied to the end
     of a rope falls next to him.  Gabe looks up.  The same old
     Douglas rope that he left with Jessie.

     ON THE EDGE - HAL

     has thrown the line down, Jessie is by his side.

                        HAL
               Remember, keep your arms and legs
               in the vehicle at all times--

     Gabe puts the loop around himself and tightens it by rote.
     Even this action aches.

     Hal and Jessie draw Gabe up.  Gabe pulls some of his weight by
     using hand and foot holds, but when he reaches

     THE PRECIPICE EDGE

     Hal and Jessie are both winded from the effort of hauling Gabe
     onto the top.  Gabe unties himself and collapses into Jessie's
     lap.

                        HAL
                    (winded, coiling rope)
               Jesus -- you think you could have
               put a little less effort into
               that climb?  I thought you were
               in shape.

     Jessie embraces Gabe.  They share the kiss of their lives.

                        GABE
               The "old mouth to mouth"
               resuscitation routine.

                        JESSIE
               There's a lot more where that
               came from.  You're not leaving
               again?

                        GABE
               And miss all of this peace and
               quiet?  Never, right Hal?

                        HAL
               Right.

                        JESSIE
               Then it's a deal.

     They kiss as the camera pulls away to reveal the magnificent
     mountain range.