_ACT ONE_ FADE IN EXTERIOR SECLUDED ISLAND - BEACH - CAMPSITE - NIGHT Camera pans an uninhabited island. We hear night monkeys, surf and other primitive sounds. Then slowly we discover other objects: first, a sterling silver ice bucket filled with a properly expensive champagne, then a table with lace cloth and a silver platter with caviar and all the trimmings. During this, we begin to hear a scratchy record playing a popular romantic tune. We also hear a young woman's laughter. As camera continues, we discover the latest (for 1938) in top-of-the-lines camping tents. A lazy fire burns next to it. The laughter increases as we find Alan Shoemate, an extremely likeable man in his late thirties, slightly on the heavy side and good looking in a friendly kind of way. At the moment, he doesn't seem to be having a very good time. He sits on a chair in front of the tent, a shotgun propped right next to him, looking over the darkened terrain with a worried face. CLOSER ANGLE - ALAN Phyliss Avery Shoemate comes out of the tent. Her sudden "entrance" startles him. She gives him a kiss on the top of the head. Phyliss, mid- twenties, is the girl next door, "That's the girl I'm going to marry type." The kind of girl you'd like to take home to mother. She's got a wonderful, infectious giggle. She wears a seductive "art deco" negligee. Phyliss frowns at Alan's lack of notice, indicating the shotgun. PHYLISS (playful) Alan, there is something very wrong here. The _bride_'s supposed to be terrified on her honeymoon, not the groom. ALAN I am _not_ terrified, I'm just being careful. You never know what kind of animal you'll find waiting for you on an island like this. PHYLISS I know _one_ kind of animal on this island that's waiting for you. Alan stands and smiles. He's about to give her a kiss when a piece of wood in the fire cracks. He startles, but before he can get away, Phyliss grabs him and they kiss lingeringly. PHYLISS (continuing) You're not going to sit out here all night, while this beautiful island and I go to waste? She grabs the champagne and leads him into the tent. He doesn't resist, but takes the shotgun with him. INTERIOR TENT - NIGHT More expensive trappings in the room-sized tent. A kerosene lantern provides the light, and the wind-up phonograph is on the table. Phyliss refills their glasses, then indicates the gun. PHYLISS This must be what they call a shotgun wedding. I don't think you've let that thing out of your sight since we got here. ALAN (slightly embarrassed) I didn't expect Jake to leave us so far from civilization. Phyliss pops a caviar cracker in his mouth. PHYLISS Darling, Jake gave us his word this island is safe. ALAN Jack didn't think so. PHYLISS Jack? You're quoting a dog? He laughs at the silly thought. ALAN Phyl, I'm telling you, Jack is weird. And I've never known him to be wrong. One bark for 'no,' two for 'yes.' When Jake said that the island was safe, Jack barked once. PHYLISS He was right. It's not safe...for you. She grabs him for another kiss and with a free hand, gropes for and finds the wick control on the lantern, dimming it. The campfire paints the canvas with looming, flickering shadows. The couple is oblivious to the record's end, which is now clicking repeatedly on the phonograph. They let themselves down onto the sleeping bag. ANGLE PAST THEM TO TENT SIDE Over the clicking of the phonograph, we begin to hear other sounds, rustlings from outside, and the clinking of metal. The blurry shape of a figure approaching the tent resolves into the focused form of a man outside. Phyliss looks up, a sixth sense alerting her, and sees the silhouette. A curved kris slashes through the canvas, and fire light fills the tent. Hands pull the ripped canvas apart, revealing the fearsome form of a Malaysian brigand. He crashes into the tent, and blocks the barrel of Alan's shotgun so that the blast harmlessly blows a hole in the top of the tent. More Malaysians follow into the tent, and Phyliss is helpless to prevent one of them from bashing Alan on the head with the butt of his kris. Other brigands batter him until he slumps unconscious. ON PHYLISS A vision of stark terror, fighting off a brigand who manages to tear one sleeve of her negligee. She wields a champagne bottle, but her situation looks desperate. DISSOLVE TO EXTERIOR THE GOOSE IN THE SKY - LATE AFTERNOON on final approach. Ahead is a jungled island. JAKE'S VOICE OVER I've always been a sucker for fanciful dreams...mine and most everybody else's. So, when a copilot from the Pan Pacific Clipper asked me to help him fulfill his bride's fantasy, I was more than happy to oblige.... EXTERIOR ISLAND - DAY - THE GOOSE approaching, buzzing the beach, lining up for a landing. INTERIOR THE GOOSE - SERIES OF SHOTS Jake is lighthearted at the controls. Corky happily gazes out of the window and Jack is asleep between them on the deck. JAKE'S VOICE OVER (continuing) ...made me feel real warm inside...The hundred bucks didn't hurt either. But, it was more than that. Alan deserved something good in his life for once...and Phyliss was anybody's dream come true. I'd stashed them a week ago on a little deserted islet about twenty miles south of Boragora...Nothin' to do on Petit Bijou but --- A rasping backfire interrupts Jake's musing. The port engine coughs and sputters. EXTERIOR THE PORT ENGINE OF THE GOOSE pouring out black smoke. INTERIOR THE COCKPIT as Jake struggles to steady the lame aircraft. Jack ducks for his parachute. Corky is instantly awake. CORKY (in a panic) Jake! It's the fuel pump, again.... JAKE Didn't you just overhaul that? CORKY Yeah...but that doesn't make it new! Now, I'll have to rebuild it all over again just cause you like to hot rod! JAKE Maybe I was pushing her a little. Jack barks twice. JAKE (continuing) How do you know? You were sleeping. CORKY You can't keep gunnin' the Goose like she's a P-40! JAKE Okay...I promise. We'll take it real easy the rest of the flight. EXTERIOR ISLAND - DAY - THE GOOSE As it comes in for a smooth landing. CUT TO EXTERIOR ISLAND BEACH - DAY The Goose taxiing onto the beach (new angle, please). Corky pops out of the hatch and jumps with a rope to the beach. Jack is right behind. He growls, looking toward the bush. Corky heads for the still smoking engine. Jake emerges with a black glass bottle of V.S.O.P. brandy. He looks around, puzzled. JAKE (calling) Alan...Phyliss...You might as well surrender...I know you're not ready to leave the garden, but you gotta go back sometime. Jack barks once, and scoots for the trees. Corky is grumbling as he pokes through the engine. JAKE (continuing) I've got something here that'll make it a lot easier. CORKY (grumbling to himself) I could use some of that...It's gonna take me half a day to rebuild this pump. And you'll just blow her out again. Jake isn't hearing this, but listening to the quiet. JAKE Corky...quiet. Something's not right. They had to hear us buzz the camp. ANGLE FROM TREES Jake starts off into the verge. JAKE'S POINT OF VIEW - THE CAMP Jake pushes through some brush to see: the once beautiful honeymoon camp is ravaged and strewn about the clearing. No sign of anyone. Jake is grim as he picks a dagger out of the rubble. JAKE Al! It's Jake. Jack barks off screen and Jake darts in that direction. IN THE BUSH Jake runs to where Jack is standing over Alan's inert body. He is bruised and the cuts on his face and head have crusted. His clothes are torn and stained with more blood. Jake listens and detects shallow breathing. He uncorks the brandy and lets some dribble on Al's lips. Alan coughs and begins to revive. JAKE (yelling off) Corky! Bring the first aid kit. On the double. Alan is still coughing. One eye flutters open and Alan recoils from Jake, covering his face with his arms, obviously in a delirium. ALAN No...get away.... JAKE It's okay, Alan. It's Jake. It's all right. Where's Phyliss? Alan is keening with fear, waiting for the blow he's certain will come. Corky comes puffing up with the first aid kit. He is wide-eyed at Alan's condition. CORKY What happened to him? JAKE I don't know. Jake finds a capsule of smelling salts in the kit and tries to gently move Alan's arm away from his face. It requires more force than he expected as Alan cringes away. A few jolts of the ammonium salts under his nose, and Alan gets a better grip on reality. JAKE Where's Phyliss? What happened? ALAN They attacked us. Night or two ago, I don't know for certain. Alan goes into another coughing fit, reeling. Jake steadies his head and tips the brandy bottle for him. JAKE Get some of this down. CORKY (unnerved) He's in bad shape. We gotta get him to Louie. JAKE We gotta find his wife first. You and Jack scout around. She can't be far. Jake barks once. JAKE (continuing) Go look anyway. They start off. JAKE And be careful. Give me a shout every couple minutes. Corky and Jack leave. JAKE Try again, Alan. Who took Phyliss? But Alan doesn't know. He holds his hands out in a silent gesture of not knowing, overcome with emotion. Unable to think of anything comforting to say, Jake turns the dagger over in his hand, inspecting it. INSERT - THE DAGGER in Jake's hand. It carries the "rose tattoo" Koji insignia. WIPE TO EXTERIOR SKY - DAY - THE GOOSE As the seaplane lifts away from the island and banks toward the horizon. JAKE'S VOICE OVER Know how you feel when you walk into an empty house...nobody home. INTERIOR THE GOOSE COCKPIT - DAY Jake is scowling, chomping on an unlit stogie. He looks back into the cabin. Jack has the copilot's chair. The port engine is still sputtering, but it continues running. Intercut with: INTERIOR THE GOOSE'S CABIN - DAY Corky is doing what he can for Alan, who is semi-conscious. JAKE'S VOICE OVER Where ever Phyliss was, it wasn't close enough for us to find her. And I couldn't risk hanging around there before I got Alan some help. Having to baby one engine on the way back was like swimming through molasses. Jake touches the throttles and the pitch of the engines goes up a notch. Corky immediately hears the shift and shoots Jake a look. Jack barks once. Jake grimaces and pulls the throttle back. EXTERIOR BORAGORA - DAY - THE GOOSE - ESTABLISH as the Goose comes in for a landing. WIPE TO INTERIOR ALAN'S ROOM - NIGHT In the Monkey Bar Hotel. Alan is in bed. Louie attends to his wounds, medical supplies from his bag lined out on the bed and night stand. Jake, Corky, Sarah and Jack are near the bed. Alan is a bit more coherent, but still dazed by all that has happened. Jake is studying the dagger. ALAN Not Chinese...not really Oriental. Big. At least, I thought so in the dark. They had curved swords. I remember that. Louie turns to Jake. LOUIE Malay.... JAKE Sulu.... This exchange means something to them like a code. SARAH Is that likely? I've never seen any Malaysians around here. ALAN I'm not making it up. JAKE'S VOICE OVER I'd known Al Shoemate on and off since I flew for Pan Pacific. He'd moved up to Clipper co-captain about the time Corky and I got to Boragora...first rate pilot, second rate poker player, third rate joke teller...but a fanciful dreamer, never. Whatever he remembered of his ordeal was real, to the letter.... ALAN We should've listened to you, Jack. Jack barks twice. SARAH Jack had an opinion about all this? CORKY He was real funny about us leaving them on the island. SARAH (to Jake, indignant) Then why did you? JAKE (defensively) It should've been perfectly safe. Always has been. (to Alan) Look, Al, I...I picked Petit Bijou because it's one of _my_ favorites.... Sarah gives him a suspicious look. JAKE (to Sarah) A place to get away and be alone! ALAN Wish we had been. (off Jake's reaction) It's not your fault. _I'm_ the one who sensed something wrong. Me and Jack. I should have said so before you left, but... (internal) Damn it, Phyliss was so happy. It was just what she wanted. INSERT - THE DAGGER found at the campsite, in Jake's hand. Jake shows it to Alan. JAKE See the flower design here, on the haft? Was it on their clothing? BACK WIDE ALAN (reliving it) They came in...I shot...hit on the head -- no...I don't think so. Louie takes the dagger. LOUIE Koji. Princess Koji...Diable. ON ALAN It causes him some pain but he gets out of bed. Sarah tries to make him lie back down. SARAH Alan...you've got to take it easy. Louie shakes his head. LOUIE ...If I were you I would not choose to be bedridden, either. Still, you must rest. Alan scoops the medical supplies into Louie's bag and hands it to him. ALAN I'll be all right. Just tell me what Princess Koji's got to do with this? LOUIE That remains to be discovered. How long to Matuka in the Goose? JAKE A hundred and eighty-three miles...about an hour. LOUIE (very formal) I apologize for the treatment you have received, Monsieur. It will be avenged. Now...rest! Louie hurries out the door towards the bar. Jake and Corky exchange looks...Louie doesn't get this icy very often. INTERIOR MONKEY BAR - NIGHT Sarah, Jake and Corky follow Louie down the stairs from the balcony. Jack behind. SARAH I'm lost. I wouldn't want the Princess in my sorority, but even I have to admit she's smart. She keeps her dirty business strictly up in the Japanese Marivellas. CORKY Down here she's legit. JAKE So far. Jack barks twice. Jake hands Sarah the dagger. JAKE Princess Koji forbids anyone but her people to use that design. It's on her ships, the cards in her casino.... CORKY On her soldiers. SARAH But she's Japanese, and you thought they were Malay. JAKE From the Sulu Sea. Koji uses them for special jobs. Mercenaries. Real killers...and that's what doesn't make sense. AT THE BAR Louie is ordering for them as the others join him. LOUIE No, if this were not an abduction, Alan would be dead. Koji no doubt read of the wedding in the Hong Kong papers. (a deep sigh of resignation) Well, my friends, I have no choice. As Magistrate de Justice, I cannot allow Koji's terrorism to drift southward... (to Jake) Matuka at dawn. JAKE Corky? Corky is just about to take a much needed pull off a tall beer bottle. CORKY (exasperated) Jake, that fuel pump's gotta have a total overhaul. (off their look) Yeah, okay, I'll figure out somethin' between now and...the bottom of this beer. JAKE Corky.... Corky shoves the bottle away. CORKY Okay...I'll fix it, but you better promise to take it easy. EXTERIOR MONKEY BAR - NIGHT Corky shuffles out the batwings, not particularly pleased at having to work all night. Jack is on the porch. CORKY (grumbling) Good ol' Corky. He can always fix it. Even if it takes all night! (beat) Come on, Jack. I need a little company. We'll see if we can get the Green Hornet on the short wave. Jack looks up and barks once, then goes into the bar. This only increases Corky's depression. CORKY (continuing) Whatta you want me to do? Jack Benny's not on tonight. Alone, Corky shuffles off the dock, a lonely figure. SLOW WIPE TO INTERIOR MONKEY BAR - NIGHT - CLOSE - BROOM It's late and the bar is nearly empty. Gushie is sweeping up with a push broom from his wheelchair. Sarah is just finishing a song. Jack is sleeping on a chair. ANGLE TO LOUIE BEHIND THE BAR He is just putting down the mike and flipping off the radio. Angry, he pours a stiff cognac and goes toward the table where Jake is smoking. Sarah finishes to light applause, mostly Jake's, and she joins him and Louie. LOUIE Dealing with Japanese bureaucracy is infinitely more baroque than... (beat) ...negotiating the Treaty of Versailles. JAKE Louie...you didn't do that...did you? LOUIE Oui...well, not alone. More importantly, I have penetrated Princess Koji's web of regulations...rather forcefully, I might add...and have secured permission for us to visit Matuka. I did not state the reason for our visit.... JAKE Good move. SARAH Jake, it's three in the morning. If you're taking off at seven, hadn't you better try to sleep. JAKE (oblivious to Sarah's comment) The Princess has obeyed French law for years. Now what's she trying to pull? LOUIE (with a shrug) I had such lovely visitors arriving on the Clipper tomorrow...two adventurous damsels from the city of... (French pronunciation) ...Des Moines. SARAH From where? GUSHIE Des Moines. It's in Iowa. SARAH I know that. LOUIE I had promised to be their personal escort to all of the most...enjoyable pleasures of Boragora. Louie sighs. Sarah trades smiles with Jake. JAKE You know, Louie, it's only a half hour off the flight path to run to Petit Bijou. We really didn't give that island much of a going over. Maybe we should do that first. LOUIE No, I think not. First, we will put this accusation to rest...then the island. That is the reasonable course. JAKE Nothing about any of this is reasonable. Doesn't sound like the Princess' game. SARAH Jake Cutter...defender of ladies...even 'demon ladies!' JAKE Sarah, I'm not defending her, I'm just expressing myself. We ought to search the back of that island before we confront.... LOUIE (cuts him off) Jake...We fly _directly_ to Matuka! Any further questions? JAKE (giving in) Who's buying the gas? LOUIE The Government of France. Bon soir. Louie lifts his cognac and drains it, his good night toast. They follow suit, standing. JAKE Night, Louie...Come on, Jack. ANGLE TO JACK He isn't listening, his attention has been caught by something outside. He barks once, and jumps off the chair, running for the door. ON THE OTHERS They consider this curious, and follow, but not at a run. EXTERIOR MONKEY BAR - NIGHT - WITH JACK He bounds out of the batwings full tilt, and runs onto the dock. EXTERIOR SHED - NIGHT Corky is slumped in a sleeping ball under the shed. Jack runs over to Corky, barking and worrying him. Corky moans and turns over. WITH JACK He leaves Corky and scoots down to the Goose. JACK'S POINT OF VIEW - THE COCKPIT An eerie orange flicker is lighting the cockpit windows from within. The flames climb into view, then whoosh out the pilot's window and along the side of the plane toward the wing. In an instant the dock is bathed in the bright fire light. LONG - PAST THE SHED TO THE HOTEL Jake, Louie and Sarah are on the porch. They see the flames and come running. The fire is flashing shadows on the hotel. LOUIE Incendie! Incendie! A general clangor goes up as realization spreads that there is a fire on the dock. Other hotel guests come running behind Jake, Louie and Sarah shouting the alarm. The church bell begins to ring and continues. ON CORKY Something of the emergency has penetrated his foggy brain. Jack is nudging him, barking. Corky reels awake, pushing Jack aside. For all intents and purposes he seems drunk. The collection of empty beer bottles laying around him would bear out this conclusion. Also, the bottle of whiskey clutched in his hand. CORKY'S POINT OF VIEW - JAKE - SUBJECTIVE Through Corky's blurred eyes we see Jake, distorted and running to him. The firelight, the clanging bell, the shouting and running people are a surrealistic nightmare. WIDE Louie runs up. Disgusted, Jake shoves Corky into Louie's arms and reaches for the CO2 extinguisher in the shed. JAKE Keep him out of the way. He's drunk. ON THE GOOSE Several people are already beating at the flames with burlap from packing cases. The heat is intense, the roaring fire now getting a good grip on the plane. CLOSE ON JAKE He presses forward. The CO2 gas from the extinguisher seems scant means for knocking down the fire, but it has its effect. Foot by foot, Jake works his way toward the cockpit, until the danger is past. Jake staggers back, his face smeared with sweat and soot; he turns to Corky. ON CORKY sagging against a post, terrified at what has happened. FADE OUT _END OF ACT ONE_ _ACT TWO_ FADE IN EXTERIOR DOCK - MORNING - ON BURNED-OUT GOOSE as we see Jake in the cockpit throwing out charred remains of the gutted interior. Corky stands by the Goose, just under the shed, his tool chest in his right hand. It is unopened. Sarah and Jack are behind them. CLOSE ANGLE - COCKPIT We can see into the cockpit as Jake continues to survey the damage. The windows are all smoked out and are cracked from the fire. It's a horrible sight. CORKY (awkward, but trying to sound light, "flip") Hey, well, I...I guess it's gonna take a little longer to fix that oil pump than I thought... (forced laugh) ...What oil pump, right? No, no oil pump left to...no engine, no --- JAKE (quietly) Corky.... CORKY (with even greater forced lightness) She kinda looks like she did when we picked her up as salvage, doesn't she, Jake? Yeah, I, I put her back together, and, and, and... (pitiful nervous laugh) ...now I took her apart again! I just --- JAKE Corky, stop! CORKY Jake? You remember when we first put the Goose together -- and that big sailor came by and started making fun of it? Jake just stares at the Goose. Corky continues: CORKY And you said something back to him, and he got real angry, and came after you -- so I snuck behind him and hit him with a beer bottle, and that sailor went out like a light? JAKE (quietly) You didn't hit him, Corky, he was drunk and fell off the dock. CORKY Oh no, Jake, I hit him. I remember that. He wasn't drunk, no, it wasn't him who was drunk... (upset) ...it was me, Jake. Last night. I must've been drunk and fell asleep. He bangs the bottle on the table. Over this: CORKY I think I broke the rule, Jake. I really do. I musta got drunk while working on the Goose. Jack barks once for no. SARAH Corky, there's got to be another reason it caught on fire. Jack barks twice for yes. CORKY (to Jack) What reason? No answer. CORKY See. SARAH (to Jake) Jake, you can't believe Corky was drunk last night! Corky looks over to Jake. We can see he really wants to know the answer. Jake's silence is the worst answer of all. SARAH Jake! Tell Corky you don't believe that! CLOSEUP - JAKE as he just continues to look at Corky. JAKE He was out cold, stinking of whiskey, lying on a pile of beer bottles, and he would've let the Goose burn to the ground. What am I supposed to believe. CLOSEUP - ALAN His face is lit up. ALAN She's alive! Phyliss is alive! We pull back to: INTERIOR LOUIE'S OFFICE - DAY Alan is in front of Louie's desk. He is reading a message from the wire service. Louie is sitting behind the desk. ALAN (to Louie; needing reassurance) I mean, she _has_ to be, right? They wouldn't ask for a ransom if she was dead, would they? LOUIE If this demand is, in fact, from Koji, then yes my friend, I would say that there is hope. The only thing that can restrain her penchant for murder is her voracious passion for money. There is a knock at the door and Jake and Jack come in. Jake is obviously still affected by the scene on the dock. JAKE (to Louie) I need to talk to you. Alan runs over to him and shows him the wire. ALAN Jake! Phyliss is alive. Jake begins to read the wire. Over this: LOUIE It's a communique from Hong Kong. Phyliss' safe return for a price of five hundred thousand dollars. JAKE (concerned) Alan, can you come up with that kind of money? ALAN Of course not. The ransom message wasn't sent to me. It was radioed to Phyliss' family in Hong Kong. JAKE How's the money to be delivered? ALAN By one person to the island where we were at, in three days. One of those...men who attacked us will pick it up. (then; upset) Three days? I mean, Phyliss' family is wealthy, they've got a big company in Hong Kong -- but what does this Koji think? They just take half a million in cash from under their mattress? It's all locked up in holdings -- it's going to take more time! JAKE Princess Koji? Did they say it was her? Louie thinks for a moment, then standing up: LOUIE We still have no proof. We must ask her personally. I will arrange for a boat immediately. ALAN A boat? LOUIE I will not allow terrorist activity to take place in my mandate, right under my nose. I must find out who is behind this. ALAN You can't go to Koji's island! What will they do to Phyliss? LOUIE If it is Princess Koji, she will not jeopardize that kind of money by harming her. ALAN No -- I can't let you do it! Louie gives Alan an understanding smile, then: LOUIE My friend, there are few things I like less than pointing my authority at someone like a deadly epee, but it is my duty to speak with the Princess, and if necessary, to take action against her. ALAN You're just giving Phyliss her death sentence! JAKE Alan, listen to me.... Alan looks at them, tears in his eyes. He runs out of the office. LOUIE (with a sigh) I will speak to him, Jake. I'm sure once he comes with us, he will feel more in control. (then) You wanted to see me? EXTERIOR MONKEY BAR - PORCH - DAY as Louie, Jake and Jack walk. We can see the burned-out Goose in the background. JAKE Are you sure about that? LOUIE Absolutely. Corky left for the Goose and never came back to the bar. Jake looks down, then shakes his head. Then: JAKE Have you ever done something real stupid, and while you were doing it knew how stupid it was, but just couldn't stop yourself? LOUIE It is not a pleasant thought to know we are not perfect. JAKE Oh, I proved that beautifully on the dock this morning. (then) The fire couldn't have been Corky's fault, Louie. LOUIE Then who's? JAKE Well, right now it's more important that I let Corky off the hook. LOUIE Then may I suggest you do it carefully. It is sometimes more painful to be dropped back in the water, than to be pulled out in the first place. Jake smiles, then turns towards Corky's room. CUT TO INTERIOR CORKY'S QUARTERS - DAY The room is an even bigger mess than normal, as Corky has been packing his belongings into a large duffel bag. We hear a knock and Jake and Jack come into the room. Corky is unhooking his hammock from the ceiling. He's obviously upset, but has shaved his beard and put on a relatively clean shirt and pants. JAKE Corky, you can't clean this place up. If you do, you'll never find anything. CORKY I've found everything I need. (picking up a ball) Including this. He throws the baseball to Jake, who catches it. CORKY It's your autographed baseball from the Dukes. JAKE I don't take gifts back, Corky. It's yours. He throws it back to Corky. CORKY I'm not going to need it where I'm going. He throws it back to Jake -- harder. JAKE Where's that? CORKY Out. Away. On the Clipper. It'll be here in two days. JAKE Corky, please, keep the ball. Keep it here. And stay along with it. He throws it back to Corky. Corky catches it. He looks at Jake, then at the ball -- then stuffs it in his duffel bag, and continues to pack. He begins to roll up his hammock. JAKE What are you doing with the hammock? CORKY I'm taking it with me. JAKE That's not yours. It's the hotel's. CORKY Don't you remember? I found it in the shed when we first got here. JAKE Of course I remember. I helped you put it up. You were seasick for three nights running. Corky smiles, he remembers. But then the smile disappears and: CORKY (then darker) I know what you're doing. Like you always do, you're trying to cheer me up, but this time I'm not going to let you. JAKE Corky, it's all right. I don't blame you for what happened. CORKY What _did_ happen? Nobody knows what really happened except for me and Jack! And guess what, Jake -- Jack can't talk and I can't remember. Jack barks twice for yes. JAKE Corky, we've been through a lot together. I'm the one who should apologize. I can't believe how I acted on the dock this morning. CORKY (suddenly angry) Stop doing that, Jake! I'm a grown man. You're always taking the blame for me, covering my mistakes. Well no more. If I burned up the Goose, then I gotta own up to it. JAKE So you're going to 'own up' by running away? CORKY I know a guy in Manila. He used to work for Grumman. I'll get in touch with him. JAKE Corky, we're going to Matuka tonight by boat. I want you to come with us. CORKY You don't need me. (a beat; then) You wouldn't have even needed a boat if I didn't burn up the Goose. JAKE (firm) Corky, you weren't drunk. I checked. CORKY So where did all the empties come from? Why can't I remember anything? (looks up at Jake) Jake, I know what's going on. I'm not that dumb. I know what I am. And I also know what I'm not. And that's no help to anyone. He stuffs the rest of his gear into the duffle bag, and picking it up, heads to the door. CORKY I'm going to sleep by the lagoon until the Clipper comes. He stops, then rummaging through the duffle bag, takes out the baseball. CORKY An autographed ball from the Dukes is a big thing, Jake. It belongs to someone who doesn't mess up. Not me. He throws it to Jake and goes out the door. CLOSEUP - JAKE as he catches the ball, and watches his buddy leave. CUT TO EXTERIOR DOCK - NIGHT As we see, anchored next to the burned-out Goose, a small French gunboat. Louie is arguing with one of the sailors about the boat. In the foreground, we can see Sarah as she approaches Jake and Jack. JAKE You change his mind? SARAH No. He's really set on leaving the island for good. He's not budging from the lagoon until the Clipper comes. Jake looks over to the boat, then back to Sarah. JAKE I have to go with them to Matuka. Please try to keep him here. SARAH How am I going to do that? JAKE Sarah. Once he leaves this island, if he doesn't want to be found, he never will be. Jack barks twice for yes. JAKE I don't know what I'll do if he's not here when I come back. Louie comes over. LOUIE How the French ever thought they could be sailors...well, I've finally straightened everything out. But we must leave this moment, before they start up again. (looking around) Where's Alan? Alan comes running over. He is carrying a small heart-shaped candy box. ALAN (out of breath) I ran back to my room to get this. I was going to give them to Phyliss when we got back. (keeping in control) They're Torp chocolates. Her favorite. I thought, if we should see her.... LOUIE I am very sorry, Alan, but we are traveling in a French boat in Japanese waters. We can carry nothing with us; the custom rules are very strict. He looks at Alan's face. He sighs. LOUIE But I imagine a box of chocolates can at least be eaten if there is trouble. The horn on the boat signals the departure. LOUIE We must go. The group begins up the landing float. Jake looks to Sarah. SARAH (to Jake) Don't worry. Corky's not going anywhere. You got my word on it. Jake smiles, then turns and goes to the boat. CUT TO EXTERIOR OCEAN - ON BOAT - NIGHT - STOCK as it heads towards Matuka. Over this: JAKE'S VOICE OVER I couldn't count how many times I've flown to Matuka, but this was the first time I was going by boat. It was a very strange feeling. CLOSER ANGLE - JAKE looking out from the deck of the boat into the night. Over this: JAKE'S VOICE OVER Somehow it gave me a different perspective. I was always uneasy going to Matuka, but this time as we got closer, something else was nagging at me. It was like going to a party and suddenly wondering if you had the date right. CUT TO CLOSER ANGLE - SUMO WRESTLERS - DAY as the growl at each other. They ram each other, and one is knocked back. In an unusual move of fear, he looks down from the edge of the "wrestling ring" and struggles to get back up. Pull back to: EXTERIOR PRINCESS KOJI'S PAVILION - DAY as the wrestlers are performing on a platform set up in the middle of a pond. Princess Koji, on the lawn in front of the pond, nibbles on some fruit as she watches the match. TODO The piranha's have not eaten for two weeks. PRINCESS KOJI Todo! That is very cruel. TODO But my Princess, it was important that they fast... (a smile) ...before their Sumo feast. PRINCESS KOJI True, they do get the loser. But they will be much too hungry, and eating fast can upset the stomach. Another guard whispers to Todo, who nods and turns to Princess Koji. TODO My Princess, your visitors from Boragora have arrived. PRINCESS KOJI Bring them to me. As Todo leaves, the Princess motions for the wrestlers to begin. During the next interchange, the match can be seen in the background. Jake, Jack, Louie, and Alan are brought in front of Princess Koji. Her attention is split between the group (especially Jake) and the match. LOUIE Princess Koji, I want to thank you for granting us permission to see you. PRINCESS KOJI (directly to Jake) It is my pleasure. We are so isolated, sometimes I feel I don't see enough of you. JAKE (acknowledging her) Princess. LOUIE What I have to ask you is difficult, and I am sure there is a logical explanation. PRINCESS KOJI You may continue. LOUIE A few nights ago, on an island off the French Mandate, a woman was abducted by a group of mercenaries. It was, unfortunately, this gentleman's wife, and he was beaten quite severely as well. PRINCESS KOJI I am sorry to hear that, but what does this have to do with me? JAKE They were Malay mercenaries, and they left a dagger behind bearing your symbol. Princess Koji suddenly stands up. She is furious. PRINCESS KOJI (in a rage) You dare come to my island to discuss with me the actions of my mercenaries! It is none of your business what they do. They are under my direct orders and to talk darkly of them, is to insult me as well! You shall pay for your words! ANGLE - GROUP as they react in shock to her sudden outburst. We suddenly hear a scream coming from the pond. POND as the water bubbles around the wrestling ring; only one wrestler remains. He bows to the Princess. FADE OUT _END OF ACT TWO_ _ACT THREE_ FADE IN CLOSEUP - STRAIGHT RAZORS - DAY as they are being sharpened on smooth limestone rocks. Their deadly edges glisten. Over this: JAKE'S VOICE OVER You could say what you want about Princess Koji, but one thing she wasn't, was a liar. And she never, ever went back on a threat. CLOSEUP - EYES - VARIOUS SHOTS of Jake, Louie, Alan, and Jack as they look up apprehensively. Over this: JAKE'S VOICE OVER When the Princess said we would pay for our words, she meant it. STRAIGHT RAZOR Camera follows as the newly sharpened razor is brought over to Jake's face. We are extremely tight on his face, and it looks like he is sweating profusely. Camera pans down and we see the razor come down to Jake's neck. There is shaving cream on his neck. JAKE'S VOICE OVER Of course, if it happened that she had over-reacted, she was known to make a drastic change of plans. It's funny how no one has ever called her on that. We pull back to: INTERIOR PRINCESS KOJI'S BATH HOUSE Jake sits in the tub usually occupied by Koji. Louie, wearing only his scarf, and Alan are in the guest tub. All three men have lathered faces, and are being shaved artfully by three beautiful geishas. Jack sits on the floor next to Jake's tub. Above him, on a table is a large bowl, covered by a delicate silk cover. LOUIE (to his geisha) Be careful my child. Shave only around the face. My nerves are rather sensitive to sharp metal on the neck. The geisha nods and moves her blade back up to his face, and continues to gently shave him. ALAN I don't understand how you can all sit here enjoying a shave, when Phyliss might be seconds away. JAKE Alan, you've got to understand that this is not by choice. You do not refuse Princess Koji's hospitality. LOUIE That is, you do not refuse it, and live. With that, Todo enters the room. The two guards straighten up even tighter. He looks around the room fiercely, then: TODO (a firm order) All rise! Jake, Louie and Alan look at each other as Princess Koji, followed by two of her servants, enters. The three men stay in the hot tubs as the geishas step down from the tubs and bow to the Princess. TODO (with more power) I repeat -- all _rise_! FULL as the three men continue to sit in the tubs. TODO My Princess, I will strike them down for their insubordination! PRINCESS KOJI Oh, but if you strike them down Todo, they will be unable to follow your orders. (then to men; with charm) I hope my hospitality is making amends for my earlier behavior. I do not wish to offend that charming Western trait of shyness, but if you are going to speak to me, I cannot allow you to remain seated. (suddenly stern) Therefore...rise...now. LOW ANGLE with the tubs strategically placed, first Jake, then Louie, and finally Alan stand up. Princess Koji surveys the group with a lascivious smile. She walks over to the tubs, then, to Louie: PRINCESS KOJI You surprise me, my dear magistrate, a shy Frenchman? LOUIE Not shy...discreet, my dear Princess, discreet. She smiles, then begins walking back and forth in front of her standing guests. PRINCESS KOJI I have been doing some research on the situation. (to Alan) It seems that you have lost a bride, and almost your life... (to Louie) ...and you, well, kidnappings in your mandate...it seems you have lost your grasp. Princess Koji's walks over to Jake's tub. She stands there for a moment. Jake looks down at her. He's cold. PRINCESS KOJI And you, Jake. Ahhh Jake...you have lost your precious Goose. She looks at him for a moment, then, puzzled. PRINCESS KOJI (looking at Jake) What are those called? JAKE (looking down) Goose bumps. PRINCESS KOJI How appropriate. JAKE (changing subject) Princess, at the risk of getting you upset again, you still haven't explained how your mercenaries.... A dagger suddenly flies through the air and sticks right at the top of Jake's hot tub. He jumps back. TODO The dagger is a fake. PRINCESS KOJI (pulling dagger out) I could understand your mistake. Somebody went to rather a lot of trouble to make it seem like my men were the kidnappers on your small island. But as hard as they tried, my emblem cannot be duplicated. ALAN (to Jake and Louie) Are you going to take her word for that? How do you know she's still not the kidnapper? That dagger could have been changed.... TODO You dare question the word of the Princess! With that, Todo rips off the silk cover of the bowl. We can see four piranha swimming inside. Jake and Louie shake their heads. JAKE (to Alan) This is not the way to handle the situation. ALAN (to Koji) Look, lady, I don't care if you're the kidnapper or not. All that's important now is that the ransom is delivered to the island, and Phyliss is returned to me safely! You can have the money. LOUIE (to Alan) My friend, I would advise you to be very, very quiet. PRINCESS KOJI (angry) You still accuse me of such a barbaric, sloppy act of terrorism. Todo brings the bowl of piranha over to the tubs. ALAN I'm only saying that you can have the money. It's going to be delivered as planned. Just give me my wife back.... JAKE (to Koji) He's very upset, don't listen to him. PRINCESS KOJI I cannot help but listen to him. This is an insult of the highest degree. Todo brings the bowl over to the edge of Louie's and Alan's tub and begins to tip it. LOUIE Princess, we will leave on our boat, and that will be the end of it. The bowl tips in further. PRINCESS KOJI I was not happy with a French gunboat on my shores. They have already been sent away. The piranha are splashing in the bowl, just dying to get into the tub. JAKE (thinking fast) Certainly, Princess Koji, this ransom ploy is far too banal for the creative minds of Matuka.... Todo, who is still tipping in the bowl of piranha, looks over to Jake. He is flattered. But he continues to tip the bowl. PRINCESS KOJI What are you getting at? JAKE Tell her, Louie -- about the French authorities. Louie, looking with horror at the bowl of piranha, looks over to Jake. He has no idea what the hell Jake's talking about. JAKE (quickly) The laws -- Louie, the laws!! Louie catches on. He clears his throat, and in as smooth a manner as a man about to become fish food can muster: LOUIE Yes! Of course. The law. You see Princess, _we_ are aware that the kidnapping was done by other hands, but the French Government, I'm afraid...in their naivety...would certainly blame you for such a blatant atrocity as piracy and kidnapping in the French Mandate. It is only another inch before the piranha are in the tub. JAKE (continuing) So they would surely be instructed to revoke your shipping license in all French waters...and possibly impound your many valuable holdings and property on Boragora. LOUIE (one last chance) But if you help us to find these kidnappers.... He looks down to Princess Koji in his most sincere look. Princess Koji thinks for a moment...a tense moment, then: PRINCESS KOJI Todo, remove the bowl. The group sighs. PRINCESS KOJI We will leave immediately for Petit Bijou in my boat. Together we will find these amateurs. ALAN Are you sure.... JAKE/LOUIE (yelling to Alan) Yes! PRINCESS KOJI (to the geishas) Robes for the gentlemen. The geishas take out two robes from a basket. Princess Koji looks at them, then: PRINCESS KOJI (to Jake) I am terribly sorry, we seem to only have two robes. She speaks to Todo, her eyes fixed on Jake. PRINCESS KOJI (continuing) Take the others...but you, dear Jake...sit back down before you get a chill. Louie and Alan are robed and led out of the hot tubs. Princess Koji pushes Jake back into the tub. PRINCESS KOJI (continuing) I don't like those little bumps all over you. Koji dips her hand in the water, then runs her fingers across her upper chest. In doing so she slips her robe off her shoulder. PRINCESS KOJI (continuing) The Japanese believe that to share the warmth of a bath is to share the warmth of your souls. Koji steps into Jake's bath, testing the water with her toe. JAKE I never heard that. PRINCESS KOJI I just made it up. She settles down. CUT TO INTERIOR MONKEY BAR - DAY A group of passengers for the Clipper are at the tables, having one last "quick one" before their flight. At the bar we can see Corky. He's clean shaven and wearing a clean shirt. In the background we can see Sarah pacing around like a nervous peacock. She keeps looking over to Corky. Willie is having a schnapps at the bar. Corky looks up when the Clipper steward comes in. STEWARD All those holding Clipper tickets, we're boarding. We can see Sarah panic, and go over to Corky, as the passengers start to get up and make their way out the door. SARAH (to Corky) You leaving now? CORKY Steward says we got to board. SARAH Can't you just stay around for a few more minutes? CORKY What for? I'll miss the flight. (picking up duffle bag) Say goodbye to everyone for me. Sarah looks around as if waiting for something to happen. It doesn't. She desperately has to think of something. SARAH (to Corky) Ahh, you're just going to walk out on me. Is that it? And in my condition? A group of passengers looks over. Corky is totally confused. CORKY Sarah, what are you talking about? SARAH Our baby...that's what! You told me you loved me and that's why I let you. Now you're running away.... Sarah feigns a few sobs. Corky is astounded. He backs up with his bag. A big passenger grabs him. PASSENGER Wait a minute, buddy, did you get this lady in trouble? SARAH CORKY Yes. No. The Clipper engines rev up louder. STEWARD Last call. ANGLE TO WILLIE He has taken a step toward Sarah and Corky, and is prompted by a look from Sarah. He adopts his best clerical tone. WILLIE My son...you and this woman have breathed the miracle of life into her body. Do not forsake her now. CORKY Has everybody gone nutty around here? PASSENGER You're really scum, you know that, buddy. WILLIE But, a man who is willing can atone for his sins and set himself on the right hand of the Lord. Shall we pray.... Willie lowers his head. Just then the lights go out in the bar. The daylight streams through the latched windows and door, the smoke in the bar creating beams of light. PASSENGER What happened? CORKY Looks like the generator just blew. SARAH Corky. What are we going to do? WILLIE Of course, the right thing is to marry. I would be most happy -- SARAH (pointedly) Thank you, Reverend. I think he's seen the light. CORKY (to steward) How much time before we leave? STEWARD You've got just enough time to follow me to the Clipper. Corky thinks for a moment, then with a sigh, he hands the steward his ticket. CORKY Can I have a refund? SARAH (hugging him) Thanks, Corky. You're a gem. The steward counts out a few bills which Corky pockets. STEWARD (to passenger) You coming? SARAH (to passenger) Thanks, I know he'll marry me...he just need a little time. As he exits with the steward. Sarah walks to the door and looks out. ANGLE - DOOR - ON SARAH as she looks out from the darkened Monkey Bar. Gushie rolls up next to her. SARAH What took you so long? GUSHIE I brought the wrong wrench. He shows her a mass of cables he's pulled from the generator. As we hear the Clipper take off, Sarah looks down at the cables and laughs. EXTERIOR OCEAN - ON PRINCESS KOJI'S JUNK - DAY - STOCK as it sails on the open seas. Over this: JAKE'S VOICE OVER It was beginning to dawn on me just how dangerous love could be. Alan would not stop pleading to have the ransom delivered, until I gave him my word that it was better for us to try and catch the kidnappers. We were finally on our way. But that uneasy feeling stayed with me. DISSOLVE TO EXTERIOR ISLAND - DAY - STOCK as we see Princess Koji's junk sailing to its shore. Over this: JAKE'S VOICE OVER Convincing Todo to let us split up on the back side of the island was something else. The last thing I needed was a pouting samurai on my back. He was still angry that his piranha had to do without supper. CUT TO INTERIOR ISLAND - JUNGLE as Jake, Jack, Louie and Alan wander through the vegetation. Alan spots something to the right. ALAN There! Jake immediately takes out his gun, and points it in that direction. JAKE You see them? ALAN No. But look. THEIR POINT OF VIEW - WATERFALL AND POND - STOCK It's a sight right out of your dreams. FULL as they all look at it, confused. ALAN (softly) That's the pond where Phyliss and I swam the last day I saw her. All we had on were our wedding rings. Jake looks at Louie who shakes his head. Then: JAKE Alan, next time you see something, try to be a little more.... LOUIE (stopping him) Jake, wait a minute. I think I hear something. They all listen. Jack's ears perk up. Sure enough, we can hear -- not far away, a familiar sound. It's that same romantic song we heard when Alan and Phyliss were together. The group heads for the sound. EDGE OF CAMP as they stop right before the clearing and look in. THEIR POINT OF VIEW - CAMP as we see four of the mercenaries who attacked Alan and Phyliss. A crude encampment has been set up, with a few small tents, a table, and a small campfire. The men are all sitting around the table, deeply involved in their own brand of arm wrestling. As two of the men wrestle we can see on the table where their hands will come down -- knives pointed up to catch the loser. The phonograph sits on the ground at the other end of the camp; the record is going. JAKE AND ALAN as Alan's eyes widen. JAKE Are those the men? ALAN (looking carefully) It's hard to tell. I think it is...it must be... (suddenly) Oh my God, look! EXTERIOR CAMP as one of the mercenaries gets up to get a drink from a container behind him. We can see what looks like a body under the blanket. ALAN as he looks at the blanket with horror. ALAN It's Phyliss. I know it is. I'm going to kill them all! Jake pulls him back. JAKE You want a blood bath? She might still be alive! Busting in there without thinking could get her killed...and you. ALAN (quietly) Okay. JAKE Besides, if we don't take at least one of them alive, we'll never know who set this whole thing up. LOUIE (looking into camp) We must take them from both sides. Jack looks up at Jake, then walks through the brush into the camp. EXTERIOR CAMP - ON JACK as he carefully walks right under the table where the mercenaries are playing their game and to the phonograph. Once there, with his teeth, he takes the arm off the record. The music stops. He then runs back under the table and into the bush. JAKE as he smiles, Jack runs to him. He then runs over to the other side of the camp. EXTERIOR CAMP - ON MERCENARIES as the first mercenary gets up reluctantly and goes over to the other side of the camp to the phonograph. He bends down to put the needle back on, and is suddenly met by the barrel of Jake's gun. JAKE (in a firm whisper) I don't like that record, pal, so let's just get up and walk away from the phonograph. In a quick move, the mercenary turns and slashes at Jake. He fires, knocking the mercenary into the middle of the camp. FULL It's like throwing a rock into a hornet's nest. Sudden chaos. The three other mercenaries are on their feet with their swords at the ready. The second mercenary runs for the bushes and is met by a gunshot which sends him flying backwards. Out of the bush comes Louie, with the smoking gun. ANGLE - TWO OTHER MERCENARIES as they see the gun, and run out of the encampment, into the trees. In the background, we can see Alan as he slowly pulls the blanket off the body. He lets out a shocked yell as we see that it is not Phyliss under the blanket, but rather, the body of another mercenary. PRINCESS KOJI'S VOICE I congratulate you. Jake turns, as we see Princess Koji come through the brush. PRINCESS KOJI But we too have found some treasures. We came across two scurrying mercenaries. Our men are taking them to my boat. And, Todo has dug up another interesting morsel. Todo comes through the bush with Phyliss. She's rather worn and shaken, but all right. Alan's eyes widen. ALAN Oh God...Phyliss! He runs to her. She looks up and holds out her arms. PHYLISS Alan, I knew you'd come back. They embrace. TODO She was tied up a few yards from here. A very sloppy job. Phyliss looks down and sees the body of the mercenary. She screams, then: PHYLISS That's the man who tried to rape me. They murdered him...right in front of me. JAKE Why? PHYLISS Something...something about it not being part of the plan. JAKE Plan? PRINCESS KOJI We will know shortly after Todo 'interviews' them. PHYLISS I don't care why...I just want to get off this island. LOUIE But, of course.... Alan, in a shocking action, puts Phyliss in an armlock in front of him. With his free hand he takes out the candy box and pulls a small, sharp knife from it -- then holds it over Phyliss' throat. He has changed. His voice is controlled, yet is now cold and powerful. ALAN I'm afraid I can't let you do that darling, especially since you're all about to find out the truth, anyway. ANGLE - JAKE AND THE GROUP as they react in shock to the sudden turn of events. FADE OUT _END OF ACT THREE_ _ACT FOUR_ FADE IN EXTERIOR MERCENARIES' CAMP - DAY - CLOSE ON PHYLISS Her eyes dart wildly, terror contorting her features as she can't take her eyes off Alan's blade. Death is an instant away from: WIDER Todo and his men have drawn their swords and are poised inches away from Alan and Phyliss. Jake and Louie are a few feet away, powerless to stop the action...whoever takes it first. Princess Koji allows herself only the slightest frown of perplexity. She saunters forward to inspect the tableau as if it were created for her enjoyment. ON JAKE a study in control, his every instinct being to act, but he knows it's impossible. During the play of the above scenes, we hear this narration: JAKE'S VOICE OVER You know what forever feels like? The cloistered monks in Nepal have a way of putting it...Once every thousand years a white bird flies over the sacred mountain and drops a feather. When the feathers have worn the mountain away -- that's forever. And that's how long it seemed before anyone spoke. ON THE TABLEAU PRINCESS KOJI Kill him. Now, Jake acts, starting forward and actually grabbing Princess Koji's shoulder in his thoughtless haste. JAKE No! You can't do that --- That's all the farther he gets before the samurai spring to the defense of their Princess. She stays their blades with a wave of her hand. ALAN He's right. It would be bad business. Phyliss overcomes her strangling fear. PHYLISS Alan, please...stop. PRINCESS KOJI He really can't, having gone this far. Would you look at all the blades anxious to taste blood. Quite stimulating. (to Jake) Or could it be your impudent touch. I'd withdraw it, dear Jake, before my samurai withdraw it for you. Jake takes his hand away, and the samurai move back to surround Alan and Phyliss, but they do not relax. Koji picks this moment to snap her fingers, and out of nowhere, a handmaiden from her entourage steps forward with a lacquered tray bearing a silver bowl of green tea sherbet. During the balance of this scene, Koji eats the sherbet, savoring it on her tongue as if this were the most normal thing in the world to be doing. ON LOUIE He draws himself up and acts official. LOUIE Princess Koji, I know your law and ours differ on several key points...most specifically the sanctity of a human life...But, I assure you, if you cause innocent blood to be spilled on French soil, I will see to it justice is done. My brand of justice...not yours. PRINCESS KOJI Bravo, Monsieur Magistrate, a pretty speech. But, this is not a question of justice, it is a question of power. At the moment, I have it...all of it. If I want to keep it, I can't allow the trouble this man has caused to go unpunished. Todo, I gave you an order. Todo bows and raises his sword. Phyliss screams, squirming in Alan's grasp. He holds her tighter, not relenting, surprisingly cool under the circumstances. ON JAKE He levels his pistol at Todo. JAKE Do it, and you're dead. TODO And you as well. My sword is drawn, it must be bloodied. JAKE I know the Koji code...but your Princess can absolve you of that duty. No one needs to die. WIDE Alan looks to Koji, ignoring the blade poised over him. ALAN That's what I've been saying. It wasn't supposed to work this way, but, thanks to an overzealous French bureaucrat... Louie sniffs. ALAN ...We're all looking down our knives at one another...and we're all forgetting why. A half million dollars. Phyliss shows plenty of style by putting aside her physical threat and dealing with the issue. PHYLISS If all you want is the money, Alan, my father will make it a full million...or two. Just let me live. ALAN If your father ever finds out all the trouble his son-in-law went through to kidnap his little girl, my butt won't be worth a plugged nickel no matter where I try to hide. JAKE You can make amnesty part of the deal. LOUIE Oui...I will stand behind it. ALAN I'm not buying it. (turns) Princess. Can we deal? You get rid of them and half the ransom is yours. A quarter of a million. Princess Koji finishes her sherbet and mulls over the offer. She fixes Jake with a curiously sad eye. PRINCESS KOJI Todo, you will pleased to know your honor is going to remain unstained. CUT TO EXTERIOR BEACH - DAY - CLOSE ON SAMURAI He is feeling the edge of his two-handed sword with the delicate touch of an artist, running his thumb along the blade ever so lightly, but still drawing blood from a fine scratch. He raises the sword high over his head. ON JAKE AND LOUIE kneeling in the sand, hands tied behind them, looking straight ahead. ON THE SAMURAI He puts his weight into a vicious downward chop of the sword. Camera goes with it all the way to the culmination of a deadly "whisk" and a final thud as the sword cleaves a giant papaya in two and quivers in a coconut tree stump. WIDE to reveal that Jake and Louie are some distance away from the area where the samurai headsmen are practicing over two coconut tree stumps. Todo places the halves of the papaya together and picks it up. TODO (in Japanese) In the air. He tosses the papaya up. ON THE PAPAYA A sword blade flicks neatly through both halves making quarters. WIDE Todo laughs and catches two of the quarters. He walks out of the group. Another tropical fruit is produced and the headsman go to work again. Throughout the following scene, this sword practice is seen and heard as punctuation. We follow Todo to where Jake and Louie are kneeling in the sand, their hands tied behind them. Todo offers them each a piece of papaya, then after their silent refusal, he takes a juicy bite and continues by them laughing. Beside Jake, Jack barks once. JAKE I suppose you wanted some. Jack barks twice. Louie sighs, a long drawn-out note of weary sadness. LOUIE Somehow, I am able to contemplate my end with a great degree of objectivity. I find I am even amazed. JAKE If there's anything funny about this, I'd like to know it. LOUIE Simply this...We spend our lives scurrying about the planet trying to avoid what fate has planned for us, but we never succeed. (rubs neck) I was destined to die by the blade, and so it shall be. Jake gives him a long, searching, quizzical look. JAKE Not funny, Louie. ANGLE TO PRINCESS KOJI AND ALAN approaching. Phyliss is in the custody of a samurai. PRINCESS KOJI I'm afraid Mr. Shoemate and I have successfully concluded our arrangements. He and the woman will remain on the island while I collect the ransom in Tagataya. He's to keep the woman alive until the money is in his hands. JAKE And us? PRINCESS KOJI I thought that was already obvious. Jack barks twice. Princess Koji gives him a saccharin smile. PRINCESS KOJI (continuing) Such a clever cur. He's right. There must be no witnesses. I can hardly have the Magistrate de Justice hounding me for abetting a kidnapping and murder. Why risk the amnesty guarantee of the father when this way is so much more...complete. Pity. JAKE Somebody's gonna want an explanation when we don't show up in Boragora. PRINCESS KOJI It will be one of the enduring mysteries of the Marivellas...in time, perhaps a legend. Jake Cutter and Bon Chance Louie...lost in the trackless Pacific, never to be seen again, but forever loved in our memories. This speech pleases Princess Koji. She nods for Todo to proceed, and Jake and Louie are manhandled toward the coconut stumps. Princess Koji leads Alan toward the bush where the samurai is waiting with Phyliss. WITH ALAN AND PRINCESS KOJI moving with them as they walk away with their backs to the activity with Jake and Louie, losing that action from sight temporarily. PRINCESS KOJI (continuing) My warriors must observe ritual, you understand. Taking a life is a sacred task, even the life of an enemy. It is not to be viewed by eyes which have not been tempered with Bushido. Alan nods he understands. ALAN A bank draft should arrive at the Banco de Francaise in Tagataya no later than tomorrow night. I know enough about Bushido to know the promise sealed in blood is inviolate. PRINCESS KOJI I will assume you said that only to say it, and not to question my bond. ALAN Whatever you say...See you day after tomorrow. PRINCESS KOJI It shall be. THEIR POINT OF VIEW - THE EXECUTION Now at some distance, Koji's warriors partially obscuring our view. Jake and Louie (or two men we assume are Jake and Louie) are kneeling, heads away from us over the coconut shrubs. Todo and another samurai raise their swords and bring them down. ON ALAN AND PRINCESS KOJI At the dual thumps of the swords biting into the stumps, Alan winces, Koji smiles sadly. KOJI I shall miss Jake. She even wipes away a tear. DISSOLVE TO EXTERIOR CAMP - NIGHT Alan is seated, much in the same posture we first saw him. The same shotgun is propped beside him. But now, there is no music in the tent or champagne. The night is still and Alan is more on edge than ever. Phyliss calls from the tent. PHYLISS' VOICE Please, Alan...You've got to loosen these ropes. I've got no feeling in my arms at all. Please. Alan grunts, takes a long survey around the darkened brush, and goes into the tent. INTERIOR TENT - NIGHT Firelight plays on the tent walls. The lantern is sputtering, nearly out of kerosene. Phyliss is on the floor of the tent, trussed hand and foot. Alan props his shotgun against the tent pole and works on the knots around her wrists. PHYLISS You want to know the worst part? ALAN No. PHYLISS I don't see any point in keeping my mouth shut. It's not this elaborate kidnap plan of yours, or that you let those men die, or that you fully intend to kill me. The worst part is that I married you, Alan. ALAN Don't be too hard on yourself. I have that effect on women. Must be my hangdog eyes. After so much, she can still be shocked. PHYLISS You've done this before? ALAN Once or twice...nothing so extensive. Call it practice. Phyliss is about to summon a bitter reply when she freezes with a tiny gasp. Alan attributes this to a reaction as blood returns to her hands. PHYLISS' POINT OF VIEW - TENT WALL Behind Alan, the looming figure of a man has appeared on the tent wall, silhouetted by the firelight in the same way the Malaysians had been. Phyliss does her best not to give the figure away. She raises her voice. PHYLISS I don't suppose it would do any good to offer you more money...now. ALAN I'll be perfectly happy --- The figure outside the tent takes Phyliss' cue and dives through the slit left by the Malaysians. It's Jake. The force of his hurtling body drives Alan off his knees into a sprawl, and also knocks over the kerosene lantern, smashing the glass base and starting an instant fire on the floor of the tent. Phyliss screams, rolling away from the fire. The burst of flames gives Alan an opening he might not have had. He swings the shotgun like a club, connecting solidly with Jake's gut, driving out Jake's wind. Jake drops to the tent floor. Alan sticks the shotgun against his shoulder and is about to blast Jake when Phyliss sticks her bound legs between Alan's legs and wrenches her body. Alan goes down. ALAN AND JAKE They roll together on the floor of the tent, each trying to get the shotgun, and roll the other into the fire. Jake has the worst of it and barely escapes having his face pushed into the flames. Alan does manage to jerk the barrel of the gun against Jake's chin, very nearly knocking him out. The tent is burning rapidly now, and all three are in danger of being roasted when the gun fires. The blast is muted by Alan's body, and he slumps, having taken it in the chest. Jake is still groggy from the crack on the chin, but he knows he's got to get Phyliss out of the tent. He works to get her weight onto his shoulder, staggering, when other hands are suddenly there to help. EXTERIOR TENT - NIGHT Louie has appeared in time to help Jake drag Phyliss out of the tent. They get clear and put her down gently. She is sobbing, and Louie comforts her as Jake unties her bonds. LOUIE Se delasser. Madame. You will be safe now. PHYLISS How -- ? I saw you killed. JAKE That was the two Malay prisoners. We loaned them our coats. LOUIE They did not need them long. And, not a spot on them. One must admire the samurai's skill. Louie can't avoid rubbing his neck. Neither can Jake. JAKE Not too closely. PAST THEM TO THE TENT The canvas is flaking away into flaming scraps which float upward on the currents of hot air. Jake puts his arm around Phyliss and they walk away from the tent. FADE OUT _END OF ACT FOUR_ _TAG_ FADE IN EXTERIOR BORAGORA - DAY - TO ESTABLISH ON THE GOOSE Corky is painting the blistered exterior of the Goose, putting a few touches around the "Cutter's Goose" sign. Jake walks up, admires the work, and offers a beer to Corky. CORKY No thanks...I'm tryin' to quit. Besides, I'm workin'. Jake smiles and takes a pull on the beer. JAKE Oh yeah, I forgot the rule. Mind some company? CORKY I'm quittin' that too. JAKE Yeah, Sarah tells me you've been as grumpy as a troll under a bridge. Just working on the Goose morning, noon and night. CORKY Nothin' better to do. I gotta wait two weeks for the next Clipper. You can't expect me to be bored the whole time. JAKE No...guess not. She's looking pretty good. I don't know how you do it. She was a mess. CORKY (warming to it) We were lucky, sort of. The fire didn't pop any rivets, and it burned off the paint, but that was about all. I got on the radio to Tagataya and we can get a good deal on the seats and instruments from a wreck. Corky puts down his paint brush, stretching out the kinks in his tired back. Jake takes the brush and continues the job. JAKE Remember the shape she was in when we found her in the Solomons. Now, that was a mess. CORKY Don't remind me. I'd forgotten. JAKE Not me. Every time I climb into her I remember how you took a piece of junk and made it into an airplane. CORKY We did it together. JAKE I handed you the pliers now and then, but you did it. Every nut and bolt in the Goose has your signature on it. What I'm saying is...The Goose is half yours. Can you imagine me flying her with somebody else -- that guy from Grumman you know in Manila for instance, tweakin' her up. I can't. Corky considers this, then shakes his head. CORKY I appreciate what you're doing, Jake, but it won't work. (beat) I'll just get drunk again and do some other stupid trick. One of these days I'll probably kill the both of us. JAKE No you won't...You've never made a mistake in your work because you never work and drink. CORKY Then why are we painting the Goose? JAKE Because Alan waited until you took a nap and etherized you. (off his dubious reaction) Yeah, he lifted the ether out of Louie's bag. We found it in his room. I should've known it wasn't the beer. It takes more beer than Louie has behind the bar to get you that loopy. Corky considers this, a new confidence flooding into him. He chuckles. CORKY Yeah...it does. Boy, Jake, he sure made me look stupid. JAKE He made me look stupider. I'm sorry...and I'm sure glad you missed the Clipper or I'd be sitting here with a burned out plane and no way to come after you. For a moment the two of them stand and look at each other. It's about to get too sentimental, Corky looks ready to cry for joy. Then, Jake reaches into his pocket and pulls out the baseball Corky had given him back. JAKE Whatta you say...pardner? Corky smiles and holds out his hand. Jake tosses the baseball and as Corky catches it.... FREEZE FRAME _THE END_
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