ACT ONE
FADE IN
EXT. DESERT - NIGHT
A coyote howls. Nothing moves for miles. A section of
deserted two-lane road angles by, dotted by chuckholes,
cracked by desert scrub that rushes to life in the early
spring and then fights to stay alive the rest of the
year. From somewhere behind there's a noise, the sound of
vehicles approaching.
REVERSE ANGLE - HEADLIGHTS
stab at the night as a small caravan of cars approach, two
windowless vans followed by a long black limo. The limo
stops a short distance from the two-lane road, parks, engine
running. The vans reach the road and separate, one on
either side, as dark men in military-style jumpsuits hang
from the van and drop electronic aviation lights. In less
than a minute they have marked off a hundred yards of
concrete suitable for landing.
ANGLE ON LIMO
It waits off by itself, dark and mysterious. "Gimme Shelter"
wafts across the desert night from a five thousand dollar car
stereo. One of the smoked rear windows lowers and we see
what appears to be a lone man in the backseat, sipping
Napoleon cognac. A thin cigar glows red in the darkness.
ANGLE BACK INTO DESERT
A strange object appears, a head and shoulders, gliding
silently along the top of a ridge. Then we hear the faint
sound of a two-stroke engine and we recognize it's a figure
on a motorcycle, a dirt bike. The rider, whom we'll later
identify as Ron Wilcox, cuts the engine and coasts to a
silent stop.
POINT OF VIEW - THE LIMO AND THE LANDING LIGHTS BEYOND -
BACK TO RON WILCOX
He has an expensive camera around his neck. He climbs off
the bike, and starts forward, closer to the limo and the
lights. Hearing something above, and away, Ron pauses,
watching.
ANOTHER ANGLE
Approaching over a rim of low sawtooth mountains is the
dark shape of a big C-140 cargo plane.
ANGLE ON COMBAT TROOPS
They have become an efficient ground crew. A black
lieutenant functions as ATC, using a battery-operated
ground-to-air system.
ANGLE ON LIMO
The mysterious figure waits, handsome face still buried in
shadow. The C-140 passes overhead, circling in for a
landing.
ANGLE ON RON WILCOX
He rises to snap a photo of the plane.
ANGLE ON LIMO
The man inside notices something in one of the mirrors, a
momentary flash, a movement, a reflection. He stubs out
his cigar.
ANGLE ON THE MAKESHIFT RUNWAY
The C-140 touches down and lumbers toward us.
INTERCUT - COMBAT TROOPS
They prepare to off-load the contents.
INTERCUT - RON WILCOX
He edges forward, taking photos, as the plane comes to a
stop seventy-five yards away.
ANGLE AT C-140
The huge belly opens up and half a dozen soldiers ascend
into the cargo hold. The lieutenant barks orders in an
African language. For that matter we are, conceivably, in
Africa. It's hard to say.
ANOTHER ANGLE
Shooting up into the darknesss of the huge cargo hold as
powerful diesel engines come to life. Then headlights.
Then an enormous blunt snout emerges, chrome and black
lacquer, and the oversized, specially modified truck and
trailer descend. It is the centerpiece of a major
undertaking. It's known simply as Goliath.
ANGLE ON RON WILCOX
He scurries forward to another outcropping of rock or
brush, uses it for cover, pauses to snap off more photos.
HIS POINT-OF-VIEW - THROUGH CAMERA
several shots clicked off of Goliath. Now something
foreign comes into the field of vision, out of focus.
Focus adjusts and we see the object in question is the
figure of a man.
ANGLE ON RON WILCOX
He drops the camera and stares.
HIS POINT OF VIEW - THE MAN
standing ten feet away, facing him, is the man from the
limousine. He is tall and lean, wears a tuxedo and carries
a black diamond-studded cane. He also wears a discreet
diamond stud in his left ear. He moves with the grace of a
panther, but also with a slight limp, the reason for which
will be forthcoming. Except for minor cosmetic differences,
the man is a dead-ringer for Michael Knight. The reason
isn't coincidental. He is the late Wilton Knight's only
son, Garthe.
ANOTHER ANGLE - RON WILCOX
runs for his life.
REVERSE ANGLE
Goliath rumbles toward him, massive and inescapable. Ron
Wilcox turns back to face Garthe, trapped.
ANGLE ON GARTHE
He twists his antique cane and reveals a .38 steel barrel.
He raises it and fires.
CUT TO
DIFFERENT ANGLE - LATER
Lead by the limousine, flanked by the vans, Goliath lumbers
by. Camera pulls back and up and we see a cluster of
bright lights five or ten miles away. Camera zooms in
toward the lights, and in light of what's just happened,
it's strange to see the town is actually Las Vegas,
Nevada.
CUT TO
EXT. DESERT HIGHWAY - DAY - THE TRANS AM
appears, loafing along about seventy.
INT. K.I.T.T. - DAY
Michael is relaxed and enjoying himself despite some long
hours behind the wheel. They pass gaudy signs advertising
various casinos and clubs.
K.I.T.T.
Disgusting.
MICHAEL
I thought you liked the desert.
K.I.T.T.
I'm referring to those half-naked
young ladies. Correction. Make
that two-thirds to three-quarters
naked. Michael, I've searched my
data banks and memory cells
thoroughly. I can't find one
redeeming quality about gambling.
MICHAEL
How about young ladies?
K.I.T.T.
I'm quite serious.
MICHAEL
Don't be so serious, Kitt. Lighten
up. Relax. Roll the dice of life.
K.I.T.T.
If that's a joke, I don't find it
amusing.
The comlink to the Foundation blinks. Michael smiles,
punches Devon in on the monitor.
MICHAEL
It's no joke. We're all gamblers in
our own way. Ask Devon.
INTERCUT DEVON AND APRIL ON MONITOR - DEVON'S OFFICE
April cross-checks programs on the computer while Devon
talks.
DEVON
Please don't. Hello, Michael. I
see you're already in the spirit of
things.
MICHAEL
Remind me to talk to April about
loosening Kitt up a little.
DEVON
I'll see what I can do. Michael,
since you're going through Las Vegas
at any rate, I want you to check
someone out for me. Her name is Rita
Wilcox. She works at the Royal Flush
on the Strip.
MICHAEL
What are you looking for?
DEVON
Just your impressions. She tells a
very provocative but equally fantas-
tic tale about a missing brother. It
may be nothing.
MICHAEL
I'll see what she has to say. With
any luck I should be in by ten or
ten thirty tonight.
Ad-lib good-byes and Michael switches off the monitor.
Stay with:
DEVON AND APRIL
He switches off his end. April glances over.
APRIL
You won't be here.
DEVON
I beg your pardon?
APRIL
Here. At ten or ten thirty.
(to Devon's
blank look)
Your date tonight.
Devon looks embarrassed, slightly annoyed. He busies
himself with some paperwork.
DEVON
For your information the liaison in
question is not a 'date,' it's...an
appointment.
APRIL
Devon, she's a beautiful woman.
DEVON
She is the former spouse of Wilton
Knight who, as you recall, created
and continues to fund the Foundation
for which we both work.
APRIL
I recall.
DEVON
Good.
(beat)
Incidentally, you're quite right.
(to April's
blank look)
She is a beautiful woman.
CUT TO
EXT. LAS VEGAS STRIP - NIGHT
K.I.T.T. drives by, turns into the entrance of a major
hotel.
INT. CASINO - NIGHT
Various shots of gambling, people, faces, agony and
ecstacy.
ANGLE AT THE BLACKJACK TABLE
A beautiful girl in her twenties deals cards to a lone
player at a five dollar table. She is Rita Wilcox. The
single player gestures for a card, gets one, goes bust.
MICHAEL'S VOICE
I feel lucky.
The player shoots him a sour look and leaves with one chip,
his last. Michael smiles at Rita, sits down and puts out
a five dollar chip.
MICHAEL
I feel lucky I'm not him.
Rita smiles, deals. A little eye contact.
RITA
Cards?
MICHAEL
Blackjack.
He turns over an ace to go with the ten.
RITA
This must be your lucky night.
MICHAEL
We'll see.
She pays him, smiles, assumes he's flirting.
MICHAEL
I'm Michael Knight. Devon Miles
from the Foundation sent me.
Her reaction is instantaneous: fear.
RITA
(sotto voce)
I said not to send anyone here. I
can't talk here.
MICHAEL
Where?
RITA
I get off at midnight.
CUT TO
INT. HOTEL SUITE - NIGHT
A tastefully furnished suite somewhere in the heart of
another city. The doorbell chimes and a beautiful, elegant
woman in her late forties appears, crosses to answer it as
she puts on her earrings. She is Elizabeth Knight. She
opens the door.
ELIZABETH
Devon!
Devon enters, smiling, dressed for an evening out. He
hands her a little gift, flowers or something agreeable.
DEVON
It's so good to see you, Elizabeth.
They ad-lib greetings, holding each other's hands. Elizabeth
is an engaging woman, formidable in her charm, and Devon is
spared none of it.
ELIZABETH
You look absolutely wonderful! I
know everyone says that but I don't
care, it's true. You're an incor-
rigible rogue. Come in, please.
ANOTHER ANGLE
They enter the living room, drift toward a wet bar that's
banked by a view of the city:
DEVON
Your lifestyle as always is filled
with such...style.
ELIZABETH
Who was it who said living well is
the best revenge? Nonsense. There
is no revenge. It's a dirty job but
somebody's got to do it. Gin and
tonic?
DEVON
Thanks.
She lingers on the eye contact between them. It's Devon
who discreetly turns his attention elsewhere.
DEVON
I'm so pleased you phoned. It's
been what...three years?
ELIZABETH
Three years and four months.
DEVON
(smiles)
But who's counting.
ELIZABETH
I am.
She brings him his gin and tonic, meets his eyes very
directly.
ELIZABETH
I'm not telling you anything you
don't already know....
DEVON
I beg your pardon?
ELIZABETH
I was always strongly attracted to
you. You knew it. So did Wilton.
That's why the Foundation saw so
little of me.
She sees Devon is refraining from saying something.
ELIZABETH
Oh I know what you're thinking, all
those pretty young boys -- but they
were only friends. Surely Wilton
knew that.
DEVON
Whatever happened between you and
your husband was your business, no
one else's.
ELIZABETH
Surely you did.
DEVON
(beat)
Elizabeth, what do you want?
She crosses away, smiling back at him provocatively.
ELIZABETH
Devon, you should know better. When
Sigmund Freud was dying his students
gathered 'round and asked him if
there was one question his work
hadn't answered, what was it. He
replied, 'What a woman really wants.'
DEVON
There's no need to be coy.
ELIZABETH
And there's no need to rush. The
future is still the future. It will
repeat itself when it chooses, not
before.
She smiles, pours herself a drink.
CUT TO
EXT. LAS VEGAS STRIP - NIGHT
The Trans Am appears, turns down an intersecting street
away from the Strip.
RITA'S VOICE
...I was going to be a singer and
Ron was a pianist. He played
everything....
INT. TRANS AM - NIGHT
Michael and Rita drive toward her apartment.
RITA
...classical, blue-grass, electric
rock...anyway, when we knew we'd
never make L.A. we stopped here, and
I got a job dealing Twenty-One at
the club. The next thing I knew
this guy who looks so much like
you...it's uncanny really...he won't
leave me alone. Flowers everyday.
Gifts. One of the gifts was a job
for Ron.
MICHAEL
The plot thickens.
RITA
I guess it did. I sure didn't see
it at the time....
EXT. RITA'S APARTMENTS - NIGHT
The Trans Am parks and they get out.
RITA'S VOICE
...so Ron did odd jobs for him. It
all began very innocently.
MICHAEL
What's his name?
RITA
Garthe. With an 'e.' He's very
particular about the 'e.'
MICHAEL
Is that his first name or his last?
RITA
Believe it or not, no one knows. No
one I know. And despite the fact
he's buying up half the town, and
everybody knows it, you never see
his picture in the paper. You
never see him on TV. It's like
he's this incredible mystery man.
MICHAEL
(smiles)
Who looks like me.
RITA
Wait'll you see him. You'll see.
You could be twins.
MICHAEL
What makes you think I'll see him?
RITA
(opens
front door)
Because he's what Ron's diappear-
ance is all about.
INT. ELIZABETH'S HOTEL SUITE - NIGHT
A waiter finishes the last touches of serving a fine dinner
on china, linen and silver.
ELIZABETH
...and the Romans were in the habit
of poisoning one another at dinner.
Thank you, Charles.
He bows and leaves.
ELIZABETH
Well?
DEVON
Well what?
ELIZABETH
Don't you think it's a rather peculiar
topic of conversation for him to
choose -- particularly when his poor
wife turned up poisoned to death
three days later?
Devon laughs, charmed by her. The candles on the table
send soft shadows dancing across her face.
DEVON
I think it's exceedingly peculiar.
And if I were his wife I'd never
trust him to tea again.
She gives him a scolding feminine look. It's got heat
behind it, and Devon is undecided as to how to respond.
Actually he's rather dumbfounded by the entire evening so
far.
DEVON
To be quite honest, Elizabeth, I'm
having a wonderful time despite a
nagging certainty you've an ulterior
motive tucked away in the folds of
the evening's spectacles.
ELIZABETH
I'm going to figure out if I should
be flattered or insulted.
(smiles)
'Spectacles,' Devon? How red-blooded.
DEVON
Don't mock me, Elizabeth.
ELIZABETH
I came here to praise Caesar, not
mock him. Would you be a love Devon
and open the patio doors? It's
stuffy in here, don't you think?
As Devon crosses to open French doors, Elizabeth deftly
removes a tiny vial tucked into her bra and lightly salts
Devon's meal with a powdery substance.
DEVON
How do they know she was poisoned to
death?
ELIZABETH
Who?
DEVON
The doctor woh poisoned his wife.
ELIZABETH
They don't. That's the difficulty
with good poison -- it's so desper-
ately hard to prove.
CUT TO
INT. RITA'S APARTMENT - NIGHT
Camera slowly pans the small one-bedroom apartment.
RITA'S VOICE
...and we went out twice. A limo to
pick me up. The works.
Camera reaches Michael and Rita at the coffee table, a
college yearbook and old photos spread between beer, soft
drinks and onion dip.
MICHAEL
Did the dates stop about the time
Ron was caught in the filing room
with a Minox?
RITA
The same week.
Michael nods, makes a note. Eats chips and dip.
MICHAEL
Good.
RITA
(encouraged)
Really? What?
MICHAEL
I mean the dip.
RITA
Oh, any thoughts on the key?
MICHAEL
Lots of thoughts, no answers.
Michael picks up a plain-looking key from the table, looks
at it critically.
MICHAEL
Tapes.
RITA
That's what he said.
MICHAEL
Locked away...wherever this key fits.
RITA
I went to two gyms and a bus depot
before I gave up.
MICHAEL
I'll see what I can do. No promises.
He gets to his feet. She holds out her hand for help up
and he gives it, her face coming up to his. She kisses him
on the mouth.
RITA
Do you know what antithesis means?
MICHAEL
It was on last month's Power
Vocabulary Builder.
RITA
I'm serious. You're the antithesis
of him. Be careful. I have a
strange feeling....
MICHAEL
What?
RITA
That he won't like you.
CUT TO
INT. ELIZABETH'S SUITE - NIGHT
Devon and Elizabeth sit across from one another, eating.
ELIZABETH
...and then, one night at the
Insberg, in front of the entire
Norwegian ski team he proposed a
toast to...Devon?
Devon doesn't move, for a moment frozen, staring at his
plate.
ELIZABETH
Are you all right? Devon?
He struggles to look up at her, tries to speak and falls
face first in the entrée. Elizabeth very carefully folds
her napkin.
ELIZABETH
Good.
She rises and moves to where he slumps, unconscious.
ELIZABETH
Now we shall begin.
CUT TO
EXT. LAS VEGAS - DAY
The Trans Am moves through town. It's early morning and
the streets are quiet.
K.I.T.T.'S VOICE
Aren't you going to tell me?
MICHAEL'S VOICE
There's nothing to tell.
INT. K.I.T.T. - DAY
Michael drives.
K.I.T.T.
According to my research, that's the
first thing gamblers say when they
lose.
MICHAEL
Kitt, I wouldn't lie to you.
K.I.T.T.
That's the second.
MICHAEL
I wish your 'research' had less on
gambling and more on keys.
K.I.T.T.
Michael, blank stock is extremely
difficult to trace.
(lights flash)
April's calling.
MICHAEL
Good.
He pushes buttons. April comes on the monitor.
INTERCUT - APRIL
She looks worried.
APRIL
Michael, you've got to come back
right away -- where are you?
MICHAEL
Las Vegas. Doing a little leg-work
per Devon's request. Why, what's
wrong?
APRIL
It's Devon -- Michael, I'm worried
about him. He went out with an old
friend last night and....
MICHAEL
And what? Is he there?
APRIL
He's in the study with Doctor Alpert.
I don't know what's wrong with him.
He came in late and slept until noon.
It took him half an hour to wake up.
I thought he had a hangover but ---
She breaks off as Dr. Alpert, the Foundation Doctor, steps
in.
ALPERT
Excuse me, but Devon wants you to
get message to Michael as soon as
possible.
APRIL
Tell him yourself.
Alpert glances a trifle suspiciously at the mobile camera.
ALPERT
I hate these things. Michael, is
that you?
MICHAEL
It's me, Doc. What's the message?
ALPERT
Devon wants you to return immediately.
MICHAEL
I'll have to drop the case he asked
me to look into....
ALPERT
Michael, whatever it is, drop it.
Devon was poisoned last night.
Michael and April react.
CUT TO
EXT. CASINO PARKING LOT - DAY
The Trans Am pulls in fast, brakes to a stop. Michael
jumps out and crosses for the entrance.
INT. CASINO - DAY
Rita and several other Twenty-One dealers are crossing
toward the tables to begin their shifts. Michael inter-
cepts Rita.
MICHAEL
Glad I caught you ---
RITA
Did you find the locker?
MICHAEL
No. That computer friend I mentioned
said blank stock keys are tough to
trace. Anyway, I'll get on it, but
I've got to handle something that's
come up first.
RITA
(disappointed)
You mean...that's it? Sorry, but
what happened to Ron just doesn't
measure up in global importance? So
it's just adios and into the sunset,
huh?
MICHAEL
Rita, I'll come back, I'll find out
what happened to your...Rita.
She is gone, ignoring him. He sighs, no time to explain
further. He starts back for the entrance, notes a commotion
at the door. People gather, pause to stare and whisper,
nudge one another.
MICHAEL'S POINT OF VIEW
Sweeping through the entryway, surrounded by onlookers,
flanked by several black security men (actually combat
soldiers out of uniform) are a man and a woman. The woman
we recognize as Elizabeth. The man we have seen also.
It's Garthe. Michael stares at him, struck by the
resemblance.
MICHAEL
(to Bystander)
Who's that, royalty?
BYSTANDER
Might as well be. They say they own
interest in half the casinos in town.
MICHAEL
Who's the woman?
BYSTANDER
Knight's mother, Elizabeth.
MICHAEL
(reacts)
What did you say his name is?
BYSTANDER
Knight. Garthe Knight. There's
rumors he's the bad-seed son of
Wilton Knight, the industrialist.
On Michael's reaction ---
FADE OUT
END OF ACT ONE
ACT TWO
FADE IN
EXT. FOUNDATION - DAY
Luggage is being loaded into a luxury sedan by a chauffeur.
MICHAEL'S VOICE
You're sure he's okay to travel?
DEVON'S VOICE
Michael, will you please stop annoy-
ing Doctor Alpert?
The front door opens and they come out, Michael, Devon,
April and Alpert.
DEVON
He's assured me I'm in excellent
condition.
APRIL
In all fairness, Devon, he didn't
say that.
DEVON
Words to that effect.
Alpert looks from April to Michael, shrugs as if to say
what can I do? They ad-lib good-byes and thanks and April
sees Alpert to his car. Michael grabs Devon's arm, guides
him a short distance from where the chauffeur loads the
remaining luggage.
MICHAEL
All right, he's gone. Now I want to
know what's going on. You haven't
stopped moving since I got back, you
and April are on your way to Brazil
to visit some mysterious old friend
in the hospital ---
DEVON
Michael, I'll explain it all on the
way to the airport. What it all
boils down to, I'm afraid, is that
Garthe Knight, Wilton's only son,
has somehow been resurrected from
three consecutive life sentences in
Africa. He's returned. Accompanied
by mother, Elizabeth. They're after
the formula.
MICHAEL
What 'formula'?
DEVON
(piqued)
How many formulas are you aware of?
MICHAEL
(realizes)
Are you talking about Kitt's skin?
DEVON
Precisely.
(opens door)
Coming?
April climbs in the opposite side. Michael nods, gets in.
CUT TO
EXT. PRIVATE AIRSTRIP - DAY
Pan from the Foundation jet, being prepared for the trip,
to the sedan as it pulls up and stops. The chauffeur opens
doors, then begins loading the luggage onto the plane.
ANGLE ON MICHAEL, DEVON AND APRIL
as they cross to the waiting plane.
DEVON
...and after Wilton perfected it, he
came up with a rather ingenious
method of keeping it accessible but
private.
MICHAEL
So it could be reproduced for Kitt
but no one else.
DEVON
Exactly. You can imagine a skin as
invulnerable as Kitt's in the hands
of the wrong people. So Wilton
divided the formula into three
distinct elements and entrusted two
of the elements to each of three
hand-picked people.
MICHAEL
In other words any two of the three
people could put their elements
together and have the formula.
APRIL
But one alone couldn't.
DEVON
Precisely.
MICHAEL
And you're worried about the other
two.
As they reach the plane and the copilot helps April aboard,
Devon pauses to face Michael.
DEVON
No. Only one. Doctor Karl Elliott.
He's vacationing in Rio de Janiero --
but no one at his hotel has seen him
since Tuesday.
MICHAEL
But you said that one man alone
couldn't reproduce the formula.
DEVON
Yes. I'm the second man, Michael.
MICHAEL
(beat)
You?
DEVON
As you know I had dinner with
Elizabeth Knight last night. I was
drugged. Poisoned. Doctor Alpert
identified the poison as a rare
extract from the African gum tree
called oluta....
MICHAEL
Devon, you survived.
DEVON
Yes, I survived. But did the
formula?
MICHAEL
I don't know what you mean.
DEVON
Oluta is used by the natives as
truth serum. It's said to be more
effective than sodium pentothol.
It registers. Ad-lib good-byes and Devon joins April
aboard the plane. Michael watches as it taxis down the
runway and lifts into the sky.
CUT TO
EXT. FOUNDATION - DAY
The sedan pulls up and Michael jumps out, heads directly
for K.I.T.T., jumps in and, in a squeal of rubber, is gone.
CUT TO
EXT. HIGHWAY - DAY
The Trans Am heads back across the desert for Las Vegas.
MICHAEL'S VOICE
That's all there is?
INT. TRANS AM - DAY
Michael looks at the monitor, disappointed.
K.I.T.T.
That's all I have, Michael.
MICHAEL
Interface with Centra-Comp, Kitt.
Garthe was sentenced to three
consecutive life sentences in Africa
and all you show is a prep school
biography.
K.I.T.T.
I beg your pardon. This is not a
'prep school biography.'
(beat)
Did you say three consecutive life
sentences?
MICHAEL
That's right.
K.I.T.T.
My creator's son?
MICHAEL
One in the same.
K.I.T.T.
How...difficult for a man like Wilton
Knight.
MICHAEL
Difficult for him then, difficult
for us now.
K.I.T.T.
What's he suspected of doing?
MICHAEL
Stealing the formula for your
protective skin.
K.I.T.T.
Michael, my 'skin' as you call it,
is an exclusive.
MICHAEL
Let's hope it stays that way.
K.I.T.T.
(beat)
I had no idea how serious this was.
CUT TO
EXT. RIO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT - NIGHT - STOCK
Private and commercial jets arrive and depart.
EXT. RIO DE JANEIRO - NIGHT - STOCK
Several shots to establish the feel of the city.
INT. EXCLUSIVE HOTEL - NIGHT
Several guests register, check for mail, etc. Pan to the
entrance as Devon and April enter, cross to the desk.
CLERK
(Portugese accent)
May I help you?
DEVON
Yes, I'd like to speak with a regis-
tered guest, Doctor Karl Elliott.
CLERK
(checks)
I can ring him, but Doctor Elliott
left instructions not to be dis-
turbed.
DEVON
I have reason to believe Doctor
Elliott may be the victim of foul
play. I want to check his room.
CLERK
(beat)
You are...?
DEVON
Devon Miles, a personal friend.
CLERK
I must check first with the manager.
DEVON
Please hurry.
INT. HOTEL SUITE - DAY
The room is dark. The sound of a key in the door and it
opens, the Clerk turning on the light. Devon and April
react.
THEIR POINT OF VIEW - DR. KARL ELLIOTT
lies on the floor where he collapsed.
ANOTHER ANGLE - DEVON AND APRIL
rush into the room. April strips open Elliott's shirt and
begins emergency CPR treatment over:
DEVON
(to Clerk)
Find the nearest hospital with
facilities for treating exotic
poisons.
CLERK
Poison -- ?
DEVON
Quick!
Devon joins April over Dr. Elliott's body. Her work slows,
stops. Devon looks at her. She shakes her head.
DEVON
You're quite sure?
APRIL
(nods)
He's been dead for at least several
hours.
A silent moment as Devon accepts it. Karl Elliott was an
old friend, a good friend.
DEVON
(to Clerk)
Never mind.
CLERK
(hopefully)
He will...be all right?
DEVON
He's dead.
He crosses to the Clerk, shows him a snapshot.
DEVON
Have you ever seen this woman?
CLERK
(looks)
Yes. That's Doctor Elliott's com-
panion.
DEVON
'Companion'? She was here with him?
CLERK
For two days.
Devon and April exchange a look and we see:
THE PHOTO
It's of Elizabeth Knight.
CUT TO
EXT. LAS VEGAS - DAY
The Trans Am drives along the Strip.
EXT. RITA'S APARTMENT - DAY
The Trans Am parks in front and Michael gets out.
CUT TO
ANGLE AT RITA'S DOOR
Michael knocks, waits. The door opens and a Woman with a
red bandana and painter's coveralls regards him.
WOMAN
Yeah?
MICHAEL
I'm...guess I must have the wrong
apartment.
WOMAN
You looking for Rita Wilcox?
MICHAEL
Yeah.
WOMAN
You got the right apartment, but
she's moved out.
MICHAEL
When? She was here yesterday.
WOMAN
This is Las Vegas, mister. Yesterday,
last year...gone is gone, you know?
MICHAEL
Did she leave a forwarding address?
WOMAN
When they move that fast they never
do.
CUT TO
EXT. RITA'S APARTMENT - DAY - MICHAEL
crosses to K.I.T.T., climbs in and pulls away. Pan down
the block to where two men in a sedan, watching; discreetly
begin to follow.
INT. K.I.T.T. - DAY
as Michael drives.
K.I.T.T.
I thought you said she was broke.
MICHAEL
That's what she told me.
K.I.T.T.
And dedicated to finding her brother.
MICHAEL
Ditto.
K.I.T.T.
Puzzling.
MICHAEL
My thoughts exactly. All right,
Kitt, back to the key.
K.I.T.T.
Michael, blank stock is ---
MICHAEL
Kitt, I know all about blank stock.
I don't care how difficult it is,
how long it takes, finding those
tapes is the one clue we've got.
K.I.T.T.
Very well.
Lights flash and blink as K.I.T.T.'s computers go to work.
EXT. STREETS - DAY - THE TRANS AM
proceeds through town, carefully followed by the two men in
the sedan.
CUT TO
EXT. AFRICAN CITY - DAY - STOCK - TO ESTABLISH
EXT. AIRPORT - DAY - STOCK - THE F.L.A.G. JET
touches down.
EXT. CITY STREETS - DAY - STOCK
A taxi pushes through the crowded streets.
INT. GOVERNMENT OUTER OFFICE - DAY
Large, formal, Colonial in appearance. Devon and April
wait. Double doors open and an immaculately uniformed
black Charges d'Affairs enters, bows.
CHARGES D'AFFAIRS
I have briefed His Excellency on the
nature and importance of your
visit. He will see you now.
DEVON
Thank you.
They rise and follow.
INT. GOVERNMENT OFFICE - DAY
His Excellency, a large black man dressed in a combination
of Western and native clothing, rises to greet them as they
enter.
CHARGES D'AFFAIRS
His Excellency, may I present Mr.
Devon Miles and Miss April Curtis.
Ad-lib hellos and handshakes. His Excellency appreciates a
little decolletage and a glimpse of leg. He is charming
and amiable.
HIS EXCELLENCY
Sit. Please.
(paces
thoughtful)
What do you know about Garthe Knight's
'activities,' shall we say, in my
country?
DEVON
Only what I've picked up from
various unofficial sources.
HIS EXCELLENCY
Unofficial?
DEVON
Official sources regarding
the...internal configurations of
your country are somewhat hard to
come by.
His Excellency laughs explosively, taking Devon and April
somewhat aback.
HIS EXCELLENCY
Ah, you English and your love of
language. And subtlety I've learned
much from you.
(beat)
Yes, somewhat hard to come by
indeed. I'll be frank. Garthe
Knight entered this country in
October of 1977. He bought up
rights and options on a vast
quantity of diamond mines which had
been declared inoperable for reasons
of safety. He then proceeded to
hire slave labor from a neighboring
country to work the mines. Less
than a month after commencing work,
one of the mines collapsed and
buried forty-nine men alive. None
survived.
DEVON
I assume that's when he was arrested.
HIS EXCELLENCY
Arrested and sentenced to three
consecutive life sentences.
DEVON
Which he somehow managed to have
abrogated.
HIS EXCELLENCY
Abrogated? Not unless that is an
English euphemism for bribery.
Devon and April exchange a look.
DEVON
No, it's not.
APRIL
Your Excellency, Garthe Knight is
presently in the United States. He
apparently has an inexhaustible
supply of money and ambitious plans
-- as yet unknown. Do you have any
idea what he has in mind?
HIS EXCELLENCY
Yes. The violent overthrow of this
country. And then as much of Africa
as he can digest. He and Kuna.
DEVON
Do you mean Tsombe Kuna, the
revolutionary?
HIS EXCELLENCY
Revolutionary?! Anarchist,
murderer. Demagogue.
APRIL
What's the relationship between
Garthe Knight and Tsombe Kuna?
HIS EXCELLENCY
They're partners. Business and
political. They met in prison while
Kuna was forming his so-called Pan-
African Unity Movement. It was a
perfect match up -- Garthe Knight
had the diamond leases and Kuna had
tens of thousands of religious
followers who would walk off the
edge of the world if he commanded.
Instead he commanded they walk into
those diamond mines, and they did.
(beat)
We estimate that Garthe Knight and
Tsombe Kuna mined well over a
hundred million dollars worth of
diamonds before they left.
On Devon and April's reaction:
CUT TO
EXT. LAS VEGAS STREET - DAY
as K.I.T.T. passes.
K.I.T.T.'S VOICE
Michael, I think I may have
something.
INT. K.I.T.T. - DAY - MICHAEL
reacts, glances at the monitor.
K.I.T.T.
The particular tumbler configuration
of this key was used on a brand of
lock designed principally for
lockers ---
MICHAEL
I know that, Kitt. That's what Rita
said.
K.I.T.T.
Please let me finish.
MICHAEL
Sorry.
K.I.T.T.
I've cross-checked building permits
and dates of construction for every
commercial installation of said
locker, and it boils down to two
locations.
MICHAEL
All right. Where first?
K.I.T.T.
Take your pick. One is a bowling
alley on Desert Drive and the other
is a bus depot on Third.
MICHAEL
Let's try the bus depot.
EXT. STREET - DAY - THE TRANS AM
does a 180 and heads back the opposite way. The sedan
reacts, makes a U-turn and follows.
CUT TO
INT. BUS DEPOT - DAY - MICHAEL
enters, looks at the rows of lockers, shrugs. A little
more than he bargained for. He starts at number one, first
row.
EXT. PARKING LOT - DAY
K.I.T.T.'s scanner picks up the sedan as it pulls in and two
men get out.
ANGLE ON MICHAEL
halfway down the first row of lockers. The comlink buzzes.
MICHAEL
(sotto voce)
Yeah, Kitt.
K.I.T.T.
I believe someone has been following
us.
MICHAEL
No one even knows we're in town.
K.I.T.T.
I suspect the two men who just
entered the bus depot do.
Michael, continuing his key/lock search as he talks, is
about to respond when the key fits the locker he tries.
MICHAEL
Thanks, Kitt, but we're in luck.
He opens the locker and removes a sports sac. He unzips
it, peers inside: it contains half a dozen cassette
tapes. He zips it up and closes the locker door.
MAN'S VOICE
Excuse me, I'll take that.
Michael starts to turn but feels a large calibre pistol in
his ribs.
FREEZE FRAME
END OF ACT TWO
ACT THREE
FADE IN
EXT. BUS DEPOT - DAY
The two men, Briggs and Stratton, come running out, Briggs
with the tape bag.
INT. DEPOT - DAY
Michael darts around people, runs for the exit.
MICHAEL
(comlink)
Kitt! Meet me at the rear exit.
ANGLE ON K.I.T.T.'S DASH
It comes to life; the gear shift flies into reverse and the
accelerator is depressed.
ANGLE ON SEDAN
Briggs and Stratton leap in and peel away.
ANGLE ON REAR EXIT
K.I.T.T. speeds up and broadslides to a stop, door flying
open, as Michael comes running out. He leaps in and with a
squeal of tires leaves in pursuit.
EXT. CITY STREETS - DAY
The sedan speeds by, passing cars and terrifying pedestrians.
ANOTHER ANGLE
K.I.T.T. dodges traffic, a block and a half behind.
ANGLE IN K.I.T.T.
as Michael drives, intent.
K.I.T.T.
Perhaps next time you'll heed my
warnings.
MICHAEL
Be glad to, buddy -- with a little
head start ---
K.I.T.T.
Michael, look out!
HIS POINT OF VIEW - A TRUCK
pulls out, creating a narrow corridor between isles of
traffic.
ANGLE ON MICHAEL
He punches buttons.
ANGLE FROM STREET
K.I.T.T. two-wheels through the corridor.
ANGLE IN SEDAN
Briggs glances in the rearview mirror, reacts.
HIS POINT OF VIEW - K.I.T.T.
threads his way between the cars, gaining on the sedan.
ANGLE FROM STREET
The sedan overreacts, cranks an abrupt left, skids out of
control and crashes into a parked car.
ANGLE ON K.I.T.T.
He comes around the corner, slows.
ANOTHER ANGLE
Briggs and Stratton jump out of the sedan as it explodes in
a ball of flame. Pedestrians scatter. Cars swerve out of
the way. Confusion and pandemonium.
ANGLE ON BRIGGS AND STRATTON
They sprint down the street.
ANGLE ON MICHAEL
as K.I.T.T. skids to a stop.
K.I.T.T.
Michael, they're getting away!
MICHAEL
Where are the tapes?
K.I.T.T.'s scanner flashes.
K.I.T.T.
They're still in the car.
Michael jumps out.
ANGLE ON BURNING CAR
Michael takes off his jacket as he runs, wraps it around
his arms as a shield and yanks open the sedan's door.
INTERCUT - K.I.T.T.
His instruments monitor the fire.
K.I.T.T.
Michael, the other gas tank will
explode within five seconds!
ANGLE ON MICHAEL
He emerges from the burning car with the tape bag, sprints
for K.I.T.T.
K.I.T.T.'S VOICE
(comlink)
Michael, hit the dirt!
As Michael obeys, diving for the pavement, K.I.T.T. self-
activates and drives over him, stopping just as the second
tank explodes. K.I.T.T. is rocked by the impact.
K.I.T.T.
Michael, are you intact?
MICHAEL
(under K.I.T.T.)
Intact, pal. Thanks.
CUT TO
EXT. FOUNDATION JET - DAY
It flies back from Africa.
DEVON'S VOICE
Garthe and Elizabeth have the
formula for Kitt's skin, Michael....
INT. JET - DAY
Devon and April talk with Michael, whose face we see on the
monitor.
MICHAEL
They want it bad enough to kill for
it -- why? What've they got in mind?
DEVON
That's what I want you to find out.
His Excellency suggested the
Pan-African Unity Movement as
Garthe's base of operations, but
that doesn't explain how they
intend to use the skin -- or
why they're in Las Vegas.
APRIL
Michael, how are the tapes coming?
ANGLE ON MICHAEL IN K.I.T.T.
driving toward the Strip.
MICHAEL
Slowly. I'm using Kitt's Rapid
Thought Analyzer to find a common
denominator from tape to tape, but
nothing so far.
DEVON
(on monitor)
I hate to say this, Michael, espe-
cially after what you went through
to get them -- but the tapes may
have nothing whatsoever to do with
Garthe Knight.
MICHAEL
My hunch is they do. Either way I
want to follow it through.
DEVON
Keep me posted.
Ad-lib good-byes and Devon disappears from the monitor.
K.I.T.T.
Michael, I think I may have some-
thing.
MICHAEL
Shoot.
K.I.T.T.
The name 'Red Bluff' seems to have a
particular but undefined significance.
MICHAEL
Red Bluff...is it a location?
K.I.T.T.
It appears to be.
MICHAEL
(hits buttons)
Let's check it out on a map.
A map of Nevada appears on the monitor. K.I.T.T.'s instru-
ments process names.
K.I.T.T.
It's not a city or town.
MICHAEL
Try mountains, parks, geographical
areas.
Computer lights flash.
K.I.T.T.
Nothing, I'm afraid.
MICHAEL
Strange. I wonder if Rita could
shed some light.
K.I.T.T.
I thought she'd disappeared.
MICHAEL
She did. But maybe someone at the
casino knows where she is.
CUT TO
INT. CASINO - DAY
Michael is talking to a pretty Twenty-One Dealer.
TWENTY-ONE DEALER
Rita? She's not hard to find.
MICHAEL
She moved. Didn't leave a forwarding
address.
TWENTY-ONE DEALER
People in Vegas never do. It's a
small town.
She smiles, points to a beautiful young woman in high-style
clothes seated at a Blackjack table. Her back is to us.
TWENTY-ONE DEALER
Be careful.
MICHAEL
Why?
She smiles enigmatically, leaves. Michael still can't
quite believe this young woman in expensive clothes is Rita.
He moves toward her.
REVERSE ANGLE FEATURING RITA
as Michael approaches from behind. In addition to new
chic clothes, her hair is different, her manner, her
ambiance. She looks like a different woman. She is at a
$20 minimum table, four or five thousand worth of chips in
front of her. She looks bored.
MICHAEL
You were right....
She intends to ignore the voice, recognizes it, turns to
see Michael. She appears indifferent.
RITA
About what?
Michael sits down, holds up the key. Rita reacts, suddenly
uncomfortable.
RITA
I don't know what you're talking
about.
MICHAEL
(beat)
We had a misunderstanding. I didn't
think it was that important.
(re key)
I'm talking about this.
RITA
(to dealer)
Thanks, Charlie.
She tips him a hundred dollar chip and he leaves. Rita
faces Michael.
RITA
Don't ever do that again.
MICHAEL
What?
RITA
Bring up private business in a
public place.
MICHAEL
I wanted to make sure I got your
attention.
RITA
You had it. You don't have it
anymore.
She starts to leave. Michael takes her arm, forcing her to
pause.
MICHAEL
What happened? Two days ago all you
could think of was your brother's
disappearance.
(glances
around)
Now...I don't know what you're
thinking about. Or who. Or why.
RITA
Good. That's the way I prefer it.
She starts to leave again but Michael keeps his grip on her
arm.
RITA
Let go of my arm.
MICHAEL
What's 'Red Bluff'?
RITA
I have no idea.
MICHAEL
Your brother did. It's what those
tapes are all about...Red Bluff and
Garthe Knight.
RITA
I have no idea what you're talking
about.
She pointedly pulls her arm free and leaves. Michael
watches her, puzzled by the change.
ANGLE IN "PEEK ROOM" ABOVE CASINO
Angle from a view of Michael at the table below through a
one-way mirror to Garthe Knight, watching.
ELIZABETH'S VOICE
I warned you about her.
Garthe turns to see his mother behind him.
GARTHE
You still move like a cat. Or is
there a more colloquial phrase that
suits you better.
ELIZABETH
Prison not only brutalized your
taste in women, it vulgarized your
vocabulary as well.
Garthe laughs coldly. Below them, Michael leaves. They
pause to watch, speculating.
ELIZABETH
I want him dead.
GARTHE
If it were up to you, half the world
would be dead. He'll die. In due
time.
ELIZABETH
Don't be coy, Garthe. He knows too
much already.
GARTHE
He knows nothing but the words 'Red
Bluff'. It might as well be Pine
Sol or Orange Blossom for all the
good it'll do him. It's a dead-end.
A riddle. Let him chase his tail.
ELIZABETH
I was hoping your brush with life
imprisonment would teach you some-
thing about discipline.
GARTHE
(faces her)
Discipline has never been my problem,
Mother dear. Mark my words, Michael
Knight will die.
(beat)
After all, he was conceived and
designed by my late great father to
replace me, wasn't he? How could I
possibly tolerate his life on this
earth continuing? He is a living,
breathing insult to my existence.
CUT TO
EXT. STATE BUILDING - DAY
Michael exits, crosses to where K.I.T.T. is parked and
climbs in.
INT. K.I.T.T. - DAY
Michael backs up and pulls away over:
K.I.T.T.
I take it the Department of Geology
wasn't much help with 'Red Bluff'
either.
MICHAEL
Yes and no.
K.I.T.T.
That phrase is an insult to the
precision of the English language.
MICHAEL
(smiles)
That's why I like it.
K.I.T.T.
Would you care to define?
MICHAEL
The English language is the problem.
You see, if you confine your search
to English, you draw a blank on Red
Bluff. But as the state geologist
pointed out, this area has had a
number of different names -- Spanish
and before that, Indian.
K.I.T.T.
Ah ha.
MICHAEL
Couldn't have said it better myself.
K.I.T.T.
I suppose we're off to the
Department of Indian Affairs.
MICHAEL
Not exactly.
CUT TO
INT. WAREHOUSE SOMEWHERE IN DESERT - DAY
Different shots, in close, of huge wheels, chrome
accessories, twin diesel engines so immaculate they shine
...and we realize we are seeing Goliath.
OTHER ANGLES
Several technicians in lab smocks prepare a precise
combination of chemicals for introduction to one another.
The lab, though portable, is highly sophisticated.
ANGLE ON GARTHE
He walks the area like a general inspecting troops. He
pauses where the senior lab Technician works.
GARTHE
I have a little plan to field test
Goliath tomorrow. He will be ready?
TECHNICIAN
By noon as promised.
GARTHE
Will the skin be completely hardened
by then?
TECHNICIAN
The final coat is scheduled to be
applied at eight AM. It will reach
maximum density within an hour and a
half.
GARTHE
Good.
An Armament Expert approaches.
ARMAMENT EXPERT
The rockets are ready for installa-
tion, Mr. Knight.
GARTHE
Proceed.
ARMAMENT EXPERT
Yes sir.
He heads off, ad-libs instructions to several men.
Garthe pauses to watch.
HIS POINT OF VIEW - A CRANE
lumbers into position, one of two rockets suspended above
Goliath's tractor. As the rocket is slowly lowered....
CUT TO
EXT. USED CAR LOT - DAY
A peeling sign identifies "Chief's Previously Owned
Vehicles." Pan down to a tattered old house trailer and
half a dozen dusty cars somewhere outside of Las Vegas.
Michael is talking to the owner, Chief, an old Indian in a
pin-stripped jacket, Levis and Adidas. K.I.T.T. is parked
nearby.
CHIEF
You wanna buy one a Chief's pre-
viously owned personal automobiles?
MICHAEL
Thanks, I already have one.
CHIEF
(glances
at K.I.T.T.)
Gas guzzler. I slip you into a real
economy car.
MICHAEL
Maybe some other time.
CHIEF
'Maybe some other time, maybe some
other time' -- what you think old
Indians live on, air? I got bills
too.
MICHAEL
Look, Chief, I know you've got your
problems, but I've got mine. I need
your help.
CHIEF
Got a couple bucks?
Michael sighs, pulls out some money and gives it to him.
MICHAEL
I need to know if there's an area
around here the Indians called 'Red
Bluff'.
Chief regards him from under heavy eyebrows.
CHIEF
Red Bluff old Indian burial ground.
MICHAEL
Can you tell me where it is?
CHIEF
You can't go there.
MICHAEL
Why?
CHIEF
Government land.
MICHAEL
Protected for the Indians?
CHIEF
Ha. That's what the government say
-- but Indians can't go there either.
Catch twenty-two.
MICHAEL
(nods, beat)
I'll take my chances.
Chief takes a stick and begins drawing a map on the dirt.
CUT TO
EXT. HIGHWAY - DAY
as K.I.T.T. turns off the highway onto a narrow two-lane
road.
K.I.T.T.'S VOICE
Can't someone do something about a
situation like that?
INT. K.I.T.T. - DAY
as they proceed down the two-lane road into forbidding
desert.
MICHAEL
Got any ideas?
K.I.T.T.
Ideas are not my department, Michael.
Information is.
MICHAEL
I'm sure they don't feel a thing.
K.I.T.T.
Easy for you to say. Did you see
that poor old convertible? She'd
been faithful to a variety of
owners, and now that her fenders
are unfashionably wide, and her
top is sagging, no one wants her.
MICHAEL
Hey, pal, it's a dog-eat-dog world
out there. All cars aren't as
fortunate as you.
K.I.T.T.
We'll go into it later. We're
approaching the mountain known as
Red Bluff.
MICHAEL'S POINT OF VIEW - A BARBED WIRE FENCE
stretches across the road, a sign reading: "Keep Out.
Bureau of Indian Affairs." Beyond the fence, rising
majestically from the desert floor, is a huge red sandstone
mountain. There's no sign of life for miles.
BACK TO MICHAEL
He slows down as he reaches the fence.
MICHAEL
Looks like any other mountain to me.
K.I.T.T.
Why would Rita's brother emphasize
it the way he did?
MICHAEL
Good question, Kitt.
(beat)
I've got an idea. Let's see if
there's more to Red Bluff than meets
the eye.
K.I.T.T.
I beg your pardon?
MICHAEL
(pushes buttons)
I'm activating your X-ray mode.
ANGLE ON MONITOR
The face of Red Bluff is graphically penetrated to reveal a
huge cone-shaped area hollowed out inside. In the center,
surrounded by space-age looking equipment, is a modified
tense-pack missile base. It carries four ICBM missiles.
ANGLE ON MICHAEL
He stares in disbelief.
K.I.T.T.
How extraordinary. Michael, what in
the world is it?
MICHAEL
Looks like a secret base for ICBMs,
Kitt.
K.I.T.T.
But why would Garthe Knight be
interested in government missiles?
Surely he isn't planning to...is he?
MICHAEL
Good question, pal.
On Michael's worried look....
FADE OUT
END OF ACT THREE
ACT FOUR
FADE IN
EXT. PRIVATE AIRFIELD - DAY - K.I.T.T. AND MICHAEL
wait as the Foundation jet touches down, taxis to a stop.
Michael gets out of K.I.T.T. and crosses and Devon and
April deplane. Ad-lib greetings, all glad to see one
another.
MOVING SHOT
as they cross toward a waiting limousine.
DEVON
Anything new?
MICHAEL
Not since we last talked. What
about the Strategic Air Command?
DEVON
I spoke with General Maddux. He was
astounded I knew about the Red Bluff
Missile Range.
MICHAEL
Is he going to help?
DEVON
No.
MICHAEL
(reacts)
Why? Doesn't he realize what's at
stake here?
DEVON
I got the distinct impression he was
far more concerned with the alleged
'security' breech of the Red Bluff
site than anything else.
MICHAEL
Security breech is the least of the
problems.
DEVON
It is -- but only if one believes in
the Garthe Knight-Tsombe Kuna
hypothesis.
APRIL
The General unfortunately doesn't.
He considers it a preposterous
fantasy.
MICHAEL
But what if we can prove it?
DEVON
That's another issue entirely. To my
knowledge we can't.
APRIL
He's right, Michael. Think about
it. We have no actual physical
evidence. No real proof.
MICHAEL
Great. What will it take to convince
SAC -- the actual theft of the missiles?
DEVON
Funny you should mention that --
because that's precisely what I
think Garthe has in mind.
APRIL
General Maddux wouldn't give an
actual date, but within the next
several days SAC is apparently
replacing the existing Red Bluff
missiles with new, updated warheads.
DEVON
For that period of time, the missile
site will be especially vulnerable.
MICHAEL
Then that's when Garthe is planning
to strike.
They reach the limo, pause before getting in.
DEVON
That would be my guess.
(beat)
I have one stop, then I'll meet you
two back at the hotel.
MICHAEL
Anything I can help with?
DEVON
I don't think so. When one walks
into the lion's den, legend demands
it be done alone.
On his enigmatic smile:
CUT TO
INT. PENTHOUSE - DAY - ELIZABETH KNIGHT
is on the phone with her personal secretary. She seems
pleased.
ELIZABETH
(into phone)
He is? How quaint. By all means,
send him in....
She hangs up, pauses to touch up her hair before moving to
the door. She opens it to reveal Devon. Their eyes hold
for a moment before either responds.
ELIZABETH
What a lovely surprise.
DEVON
I suspect it's neither, Elizabeth.
May I come in?
She smiles, gestures for him to enter. He admires the
impressive penthouse suite, the eagle's view of Las Vegas
stretched out below them.
ELIZABETH
May I get you something?
DEVON
Arsenic? Sodium Pentothol?
She laughs. He turns to face her.
DEVON
I want you to stop this insanity
you and Garthe are planning.
ELIZABETH
Devon, my dear, you're so much like
Wilton. So dramatic. Such a flair
for hyperbole.
DEVON
I flew to Rio de Janiero. I found
Doctor Elliott. I know you were
there. I also know why.
ELIZABETH
So I visited Karl in Rio. We're old
friends. The fact he died shortly
after I left had more to do with a
bad heart than an exotic poison.
DEVON
I said nothing about a poison.
Trapped, she smiles, never losing her composure.
ELIZABETH
Devon, you're such a dear, charming
man. But so suspicious.
DEVON
Elizabeth, I have no desire or
intention of sparring with you. I
know you have the formula for the
Knight Industries Two Thousand
skin. I know you intend to use it
in penetrating the Red Bluff Missile
Range. Isn't that enough?
GARTHE'S VOICE
No.
ANGLE TO INCLUDE GARTHE
as he enters. He and Devon eye one another like jungle
cats.
ELIZABETH
I believe you two know one another.
DEVON
It's been awhile. Before your...
'African experience.'
GARTHE
You're amazingly like my late
father. Perhaps that's why I so
dislike you.
DEVON
Garthe, I came here to reason with
you and your mother.
GARTHE
Reason? It's too late for 'reason,'
Mr. Miles. It's too late for
anything but war -- our victory,
your defeat. And you will be
defeated, Mr. Miles. You and the
Foundation for Law and Government...
and Michael Knight. Especially
Michael Knight.
Garthe smiles. Devon has never seen eyes so cold, so
devoid of human feeling.
CUT TO
EXT. LAS VEGAS STRIP - NIGHT - THE TRANS AM
passes.
K.I.T.T.'S VOICE
Michael, April is calling.
MICHAEL'S VOICE
Thanks, Kitt.
INT. K.I.T.T. - NIGHT - MICHAEL
punches buttons and April appears on the monitor.
MICHAEL
April, what's up?
APRIL
I just got a call for you from Rita
Wilcox.
MICHAEL
I thought we'd had our last
conversation. What did she want?
APRIL
She said she needs to meet with you
as soon as possible. Michael, do
you think it's a trap?
MICHAEL
I don't know, but I think I'll have
to take that chance. Find out when
and where.
APRIL
Right away.
The monitor goes blank. Michael drives for a moment,
thoughtful.
K.I.T.T.
It's difficult to know just whose
side Rita is on, isn't it, Michael.
MICHAEL
You can say that again, pal. Maybe
this is our chance to find out once
and for all.
CUT TO
EXT. STRIP HOTEL - NIGHT - ESTABLISH
K.I.T.T. parked in a private parking spot, scanner on.
Then slowly angle up to one of the top suites over:
RITA'S VOICE
I'm sorry I acted the way I did....
INT. SUITE - NIGHT
A lavish suite that overlooks the Strip. Rita is
beautiful, elegant, chic, the look of a rich man's mistress.
She pours drinks at the wet bar.
RITA
Among other things, I was angry.
MICHAEL
I could tell.
(re: beer)
No glass.
She hands him his beer, sips her drink.
RITA
I thought you'd found something more
interesting to do than search for my
brother.
MICHAEL
I tried to explain.
RITA
I know. I just felt so...powerless
after you left. Like no one cared
whether Ron was dead or alive....
MICHAEL
That explains your anger. It
doesn't explain why one day you're
in a $300 a month apartment and the
next you're in a $300 a day suite
tipping blackjack dealers hundred
dollar chips.
RITA
I decided to...resume my relationship
with Garthe.
MICHAEL
I figured that out. What I couldn't
figure out was why.
RITA
Isn't it obvious? I'm convinced
Garthe had Ron killed.
MICHAEL
So to punish him, you become his
mistress.
She slaps Michael hard. Her eyes are direct and hot.
RITA
I became whatever I've become for
one reason and only one reason: to
find proof that he killed my
brother. After you left I had no
other way to get the information I
needed.
MICHAEL
(beat)
All right. Did you get it?
RITA
Not all of it, not yet. But I
overheard something this afternoon
that could be important, and I
thought you should know.
(beat)
Are you interested or not?
MICHAEL
I'm listening.
RITA
A man named Tsombe Kuna is arriving
tomorrow morning. Garthe has a
'demonstration' planned for him at
noon tomorrow on an isolated salt
flat in the desert.
MICHAEL
A demonstration of what?
RITA
All he said was, 'The skin is
ready. Goliath is born.'
It sends a chill down Michael's spine.
RITA
Does that mean anything to you?
Michael slowly nods.
CUT TO
EXT. WAREHOUSE IN DESERT - DAY - A CADILLAC SEDAN
rolls in from open desert, slows as it reaches this
scattered configuration of outbuildings. The centerpiece
of which is the warehouse. An armed Guard forces the
Cadillac to stop, checks, waves it through.
GUARD
(handi-talkie)
Perimeter to Control. He's here.
ANGLE AT WAREHOUSE
The door opens and Garthe steps out, flanked by a guard
with an automatic weapon. The Cadillac stops and several
black special security officers pop out, each with
automatic weapons as well. One opens the rear door and a
huge black man in African tribal robes slowly gets out.
This is Tsombe Kuna. Garthe steps forward, smiling, and
Tsombe breaks into a grin.
GARTHE
(in Zwambese)
Greetings, my brother.
TSOMBE
(in Zwambese)
Greetings, my brother.
They execute a ceremonial bow and then embrace.
GARTHE
I have a surprise for you.
TSOMBE
I didn't travel six thousand miles
to be bored.
GARTHE
Bored you shall not be, my brother.
This way.
Garthe opens the warehouse door. Tsombe steps inside.
INT. WAREHOUSE - DAY
as they enter. Tsombe pauses. Garthe nods, indicating:
THEIR POINT OF VIEW - GOLIATH
It occupies half the warehouse space, it's so large. This
is our first full daylight view of it, and it's a behemoth,
a huge grizzly bear of a truck, all lacquered black and
spotless chrome. It's four times the length of K.I.T.T.,
and two stories high. It weighs fourteen tons.
ANGLE ON GARTHE AND TSOMBE
Garthe's eyes dance with pride. Tsombe smiles, awed by its
size.
TSOMBE
So this is Goliath.
GARTHE
With his impenetrable skin, there's
no vehicle on earth to match him.
TSOMBE
You mentioned something about a
demonstration....
GARTHE
It's all been arranged.
(checks watch)
In less than two hours, you will see
Goliath in all his might and
splendor.
CUT TO
EXT. DESERT HIGHWAY - DAY - K.I.T.T.
appears, takes a lonely desert turn-off.
INT. K.I.T.T. - DAY - MICHAEL
drives, hot despite the air-conditioning.
K.I.T.T.
Michael, you're sure this is the
right way....
MICHAEL
According to Rita it is.
K.I.T.T.
Do you trust her?
MICHAEL
I trust her sincerity. For now
that's enough.
K.I.T.T.
I certainly hope so.
EXT. DESERT - DAY - THE TRANS AM
winds along the narrow road which takes them over a sharp
rise, and through a narrow pass, then down the other side.
Camera now pulls back from this long lens shot to reveal a
half-a-dozen men present, shielded by boulders, protected
from the hot sun by colorful umbrellas. Prominent is
Tsombe, sipping a chilled Perrier. A field lieutenant
picks up a handi-talkie.
FIELD LIEUTENANT #1
(handi-talkie)
Get ready....
ANGLE ATOP DISTANT DESERT MOUNTAIN
Several combat troops man what appears to be a dynamite
plunger.
FIELD LIEUTENANT #2
Now?
INTERCUT - TSOMBE CAMP
FIELD LIEUTENANT #1
Now.
Field Lieutenant #2 depresses the plunger.
ANGLE ON NARROW DESERT MOUNTAIN PASS
Strategically placed charges of dynamite explode
sequentially.
ANGLE IN K.I.T.T. - MICHAEL AND K.I.T.T.
react to the explosions behind them.
MICHAEL
What was that?
K.I.T.T.
According to my sensors...dynamite.
MICHAEL
Dynamite?!
(beat)
Kitt, I smell a rat.
K.I.T.T.
I beg your pardon.
MICHAEL
Time for a quick exit.
He does a 180, heads back the opposite way.
K.I.T.T.
I'm afraid that's impossible,
Michael. Look.
MICHAEL'S POINT OF VIEW - TONS OF ROCKS AND SAND
block the narrow pass.
BACK TO MICHAEL
He reacts.
MICHAEL
Any way over it?
K.I.T.T.
I don't think we have the time.
MICHAEL
What are you talking about?
K.I.T.T.
We're not the only vehicle on this
road. Behind you, Michael.
Michael looks.
HIS POINT OF VIEW
Several miles away is a black speck heading toward them.
MICHAEL
Kitt, what is it?
K.I.T.T.
It appears to be a large
semi...my goodness.
MICHAEL
What?
K.I.T.T.
Large isn't the word. It's enormous.
MICHAEL
Goliath....
K.I.T.T.
What did you say, Michael?
MICHAEL
Nothing. With that pass closed, our
back's to the wall, buddy.
K.I.T.T.
Michael, not only is the semi
extremely large, it's also extremely
fast. According to my calculations
it's traveling over one hundred and
twenty miles an hour and gaining
speed.
INTERCUT - GOLIATH
heading directly toward K.I.T.T.
ANGLE IN CAB - GARTHE
is behind the big wheel, eyes fixed on K.I.T.T. ahead.
ANGLE ON K.I.T.T.
K.I.T.T.
Unless I'm mistaken, that monster
intends to do us bodily harm.
MICHAEL
What are the chances of going off-road?
K.I.T.T.
Not terribly good. The sand is
extremely soft. If we lost traction,
we'd be sitting ducks.
MICHAEL
If Goliath is going to knock us out,
I'd rather take it on the chin than
trapped in sand.
K.I.T.T.
Michael, surely, you're not
intending to go nose-to-nose with
that behemoth.
MICHAEL
Whatever it takes, Kitt...nose-to-
nose, belly-to-belly...let's go.
Michael floors K.I.T.T.
HIGH ANGLE - THE TWO MACHINES
Race toward one another, the gap rapidly closing.
INTERCUT - TSOMBE
He grins and sips his Perrier, fascinated.
INTERCUT - GARTHE
The moment of truth is near.
INTERCUT - MICHAEL
He sees Goliath looming in front of him.
SERIES OF SHOTS
At the last moment Michael swerves the wheel, hoping if all
else fails to deflect Goliath's impact, but the huge bumper
and fender catch K.I.T.T.'s left front fender. There's a
horrible ripping sound, metal on metal.
HIGH SHOT - K.I.T.T.'S LEFT SIDE
disintegrates, fender flying in one direction, hood and
various other parts thrown a hundred feet in the air.
ANGLE ON K.I.T.T.
He's thrown off the road, rolls half a dozen times before
coming to a stop.
INTERCUT - GARTHE
He toots Goliath's horn in victory.
INTERCUT - TSOMBE AND PARTY
They cheer.
ANGLE ON K.I.T.T.
motionless in the desert sand. Nothing moves. There is no
sign of life....
FADE OUT
END OF ACT FOUR
ACT FIVE
FADE IN
EXT. HOTEL - DAY
The hotel where Devon and April are staying. We hear:
APRIL'S VOICE
I can't raise Michael or Kitt,
Devon...it's like they've
disappeared.
CUT TO
INT. HOTEL SUITE - DAY
April's sitting in front of a computer terminal. Behind
her, Devon paces nervously.
DEVON
That's what worries me...it's not
like them....
Devon and April exchange a glance.
APRIL
(concerned)
Devon, you don't think...?
DEVON
No, I don't. Still, I wish Michael
hadn't rushed into the middle of the
desert like some bedouin soldier....
RITA'S VOICE
It's my fault. I should have waited
until I knew more....
ANOTHER ANGLE TO INCLUDE RITA
sitting in a corner, her knees tightly clasped against her
chest. She's been crying. Devon shakes his head.
DEVON
Nonsense. Michael's perfectly
capable of assessing the risks in a
situation like this.
Rita looks from Devon to April.
RITA
I know how this must look to you
two, but I was only trying to help.
APRIL
Rita, Michael called after he talked
with you. He believed you...so do
we.
Rita nods, fighting back another tear. Devon is suddenly
in action, brisk, urgent. Very worried, but trying to
cover.
DEVON
Well, we can't stand around wondering
...even if it's for the worst, we've
still got an international emergency
to deal with...
(bitterly)
If I can just find someone who'll
listen.
Devon turns to April as he starts to dial a number.
DEVON
I'm flying to SAC headquarters.
Immediately. I want you to stand by
here, in the event....
Devon doesn't finish his sentence. He and April share a
look that doesn't need words.
APRIL
I've got the semi on full alert and
ready to roll.
Devon nods, then turns to Rita.
DEVON
You're welcome to stay here, of
course.
RITA
(shaking
her head)
I'm going back to the penthouse. I
can be of more help there.
DEVON
That's ridiculous. After what
happened to Michael, it's very
probable Garthe knows about you.
Rita stands, heads for the door.
RITA
Ronnie was my brother. Michael
was...is...my friend. I owe both of
them....
With that, she turns and exits. Hold on Devon and April,
then:
CUT TO
EXT. DESERT - DAY
Hot. Dry. Dusty. Not a sign of life as we pan across the
desert floor. Then we see a battered hub cap, a dented
bumper, a piece of fender. Slowing the pan, we stop on:
THE TRANS AM
or what's left of it. Goliath has taken its toll on
Kitt: the windshield is shattered, one side of the car is
badly crumpled, the trunk is sprung open, and the driver's
side door hangs loosely on its hinges. As we move closer
to the door, we see a hand, a trickle of blood on the palm,
dangling out of the car.
ANGLE - CLOSER ON THE CAR
where we see Michael, half-in and half-out of the car.
Unconscious, with a cut/bruise on his head that looks as
bad as we can make it look. Slowly, painfully, Michael
stirs to life. His eyes blink open, he groans and
struggles to sit up. Another painful groan as he pulls
himself out of the seat and staggers to his feet, holding
himself upright with his good hand.
CLOSE ON MICHAEL
trying to get his bearings, shaking his head groggily.
Suddenly, he turns back to K.I.T.T.
MICHAEL
Kitt! Kitt, are you okay?
Michael leans into the Trans Am. Nothing.
MICHAEL
Kitt, come on, buddy...talk to me.
No response.
MICHAEL
Kitt!
Still nothing. A wave of pain sweeps over Michael and he
nearly collapses. Slowly, painfully, he sits in the
driver's seat. Then:
K.I.T.T.
(very weakly)
I'm afraid we zigged when we should
have zagged, Michael.
MICHAEL
Kitt! You're all right!
K.I.T.T.
'All right' hardly seems appropriate,
Michael. Look what that...that...
behemoth did to me!
MICHAEL
(weakly)
Yeah...now I know what being run
over by a truck really feels like.
Michael shakes off another wave of pain as his head slumps
back on the seat.
K.I.T.T.
Michael, are you all right?
MICHAEL
(grimacing
with pain)
It's nothing about four hundred
aspirin wouldn't cure.
K.I.T.T.
My computer functions are damaged,
so I can't make a diagnosis...but
you sound terrible. You need a
doctor.
Michael nods. A beat, then:
K.I.T.T.
Michael, I'm unable to make contact
with April or Devon.
MICHAEL
Then we're going to have to get
ourselves out of this jam.
K.I.T.T.
I've sustained a good deal of
structural and mechanical damage....
Michael leans out, squints up at the sun, a ball of fire in
the sky.
MICHAEL
Yeah, but there's not a taxi in
sight and it's gonna be hot enough
to melt rocks out here pretty soon.
(beat)
We've got to get you running again.
K.I.T.T.
I'm not sure that's possible.
MICHAEL
It's got to be.
As Michael climbs out of K.I.T.T. and surveys the desolate
desert that surrounds him, we:
CUT TO
INT. PENTHOUSE - DAY - GARTHE
dressed in an impeccably tailored silk smoking jacket,
stands in front of a picture window overlooking downtown
Vegas. He's sipping a glass of champagne.
GARTHE
Everything went perfectly. Just as
I knew it would....
ELIZABETH'S VOICE
You should never have taken the
truck. What if something had gone
wrong...?
Garthe spins to face Elizabeth. His face is hard, cold.
GARTHE
Nothing is going to go wrong,
Mother. Nothing.
ELIZABETH
Michael Knight is still alive.
GARTHE
For the time being.
Garthe walks past his mother, pours another glass of
champagne.
ELIZABETH
You should have killed him. Like I
told you to.
GARTHE
I have plans for him....
Elizabeth turns, knocks the champagne out of Garthe's hand.
ELIZABETH
There's only one plan, and I've
spent nearly ten years of my life
preparing for it! You're not going
to jeopardize everything because of
a personal vendetta.
Garthe smiles at his mother for a beat, then:
GARTHE
You underestimate me. You always
have...
(beat)
This is much more than a trivial
evening of scores....
ELIZABETH
It's just that! It's trivial and
it's childish, and I won't allow it.
Garthe fills another glass with champagne, drains it.
GARTHE
I'm not your little boy anymore,
Mother. I do what I please, when I
please.
(beat)
Right now, it pleases me to keep
Michael Knight alive...whether you
like it or not.
Garthe turns to the table, scoops a spoonful of caviar onto
a cracker, holds it out to Elizabeth.
GARTHE
Caviar?
Elizabeth stares at her son, then turns and stomps out of
the room. Garthe laughs, devours the caviar. As he does:
CUT TO
EXT. DESERT - DAY
The sun is higher, hotter. We see Michael bent under the
hood of the Trans Am.
MICHAEL
Now....
The Trans Am turns over sluggishly, missing badly, not
catching.
K.I.T.T.
I'm sorry, Michael.
Michael makes another adjustment under the hood.
MICHAEL
Try it again....
Once more, the Trans Am turns over, this time with a little
more juice, but it still doesn't catch.
K.I.T.T.
I'm afraid the damage to my electrical
system has rendered my fuel injection
inoperable, Michael.
MICHAEL
(nodding)
That's what I figure. I need some
wire. Pop the trunk, Kitt....
Michael stumbles to the back of the car, takes a shirt and
a pair of pants on a hanger out of the trunk. He quickly
untwists the hanger, hurries back to the engine. As he
does:
K.I.T.T.
Michael, I've never felt this way
before.
MICHAEL
That makes two of us, pal.
K.I.T.T.
I mean, so vulnerable. So...mortal.
(beat)
Do you think it's possible I could
cease to exist?
Michael's bent under the hood, working with the wire.
MICHAEL
If I can't jerryrig this wire, I'd
put money on it.
K.I.T.T.
What a depressing thought. How do
you humans live with the idea you're
going to die?
MICHAEL
One day at a time. Come on, Kitt,
quit gabbing and try it again....
The engine turns over, sputters, misses, then fires to life.
Michael's face lights, then falls as the engine dies.
K.I.T.T. turns it over again, and this time it catches.
Michael whoops, closes the hood, gets into the car.
INT. K.I.T.T. - DAY
MICHAEL
Let's go.
K.I.T.T.
In which direction? My navigational
equipment is gone.
Michael stares at K.I.T.T. for a beat, then out the window
at the desert. A long beat, as Michael takes a deep breath
and points straight ahead.
MICHAEL
Straight ahead.
K.I.T.T.
Michael, we're surrounded by
desert. If this is the wrong
direction....
MICHAEL
Yeah, I know. Let's hit it.
With that, K.I.T.T. starts slowly across the desert.
Hold on Michael, grimacing with pain and fatigue, and then:
CUT TO
INT. SAC HEADQUARTERS - GENERAL MADDUX'S OFFICE - DAY
Big desk, wood-paneled walls, standard American flag and
picture of Reagan, all complemented by pictures of planes
of all kinds. Maddux, trim, grey, in his fifties, is
facing Devon from behind his desk. He's very smooth.
MADDUX
Devon, you've got to understand my
position....
DEVON
I'm finding that increasingly
difficult, General.
MADDUX
Well, you can't just walk in here
with this cock and bull story and
expect me to take it to the
President....
DEVON
This is not a story! This is fact!
Red Bluff is going to be attacked.
I can guarantee that.
MADDUX
Guarantee it? I'd be happy if you
just prove it. Give me a shred of
evidence, Devon...anything.
Devon struggles to regain his composure. It's not easy.
DEVON
I've already told you everything I
know.
MADDUX
And it doesn't fly! African messiahs,
some crazy formula, Las Vegas mobsters.
My God, Devon, do you have any idea
what that sounds like?
DEVON
It sounds like a very real and very
dangerous threat to our national
security, General.
Maddux shakes his head, stands and comes around to Devon.
MADDUX
(smiling)
Even if someone was crazy enough to
go after Red Bluff, they'd never get
inside. That mountain's safer than
Fort Knox.
DEVON
That's simply not true, General. If
nothing else, change the date for
the rotation. Postpone it....
The phone buzzes softly on the desk, and Maddux moves to
answer it.
MADDUX
(shaking
his head)
Devon, I appreciate your concern. I
do. But, you and the Foundation,
take care of your part of the world,
and we'll take care of ours....
Maddux has picked up the phone during the last part of this
dialogue. Devon doesn't respond, but rather turns and
angrily exits the office.
MADDUX
(into phone)
Maddux....
(brightening)
Elizabeth, hello! I was hoping
you'd phone. No, no, you're not
interrupting a thing. I'd just
finished. Dinner? I'd love it....
As Maddux smiles broadly, we:
CUT TO
EXT. DESERT - DAY
as the Trans Am pulls across an open and desolate stretch
of desert, weaving erratically.
INT. TRANS AM - DAY
Once inside, we see why: Michael's weak from the loss of
blood, slipping into unconsciousness and then pulling
himself back.
K.I.T.T.
Michael...Michael!
Michael's eyes open, but he's not really seeing.
MICHAEL
I'm right here, old buddy.
K.I.T.T.
We've been driving in circles. For
hours....
MICHAEL
(lightheaded,
almost giddy)
That must be why everything looks
so familiar....
His voice fades and he starts to lose consciousness.
MICHAEL
Thirsty, Kitt. Head hurts. So
sleepy...maybe I'll take a little
nap. You take the wheel for a while.
K.I.T.T.
You've got a concussion, Michael.
Don't sleep...Michael. Michael....
It's too late. Michael's head falls back and he's out.
K.I.T.T.
Michael, we're lost.
EXT. DESERT - DAY - ON THE TRANS AM
as it drives slowly across the desert. Alone. In the
middle of nowhere.
CUT TO
INT. WAREHOUSE - DAY - ON GOLIATH
The big, black rig glistens in the glow of the floodlights
which surround it. Technicians in uniforms are working in
various parts of the truck. We see in particular a
complement of rockets being fitted into launchers set on
the front of the cab.
ANOTHER ANGLE TO FEATURE GARTHE
supervising and inspecting the work, clipboard in hand. He
nods, pleased with what he sees. Behind him, we suddenly
hear:
TSOMBE'S VOICE
A miracle of American technology.
Garthe spins to see Commander Tsombe, elegantly dressed in
an African tribal robe. He's flanked by two huge soldiers.
Garthe glares at him.
GARTHE
If this is anyone's miracle, it's
mine.
Tsombe laughs, a deep, rich laugh that echoes through the
warehouse.
TSOMBE
Of course it is, my dear Garthe.
Why, you could walk on water if
necessary couldn't you?
The harsh words are a counterpoint to Tsombe's smile.
Garthe doesn't flinch, though.
GARTHE
I've got a dozen things to do. So,
if you don't mind....
Garthe starts to move past Tsombe, but the Commander stops
him.
TSOMBE
Oh, but I do mind. Very much.
After all, I have a rather
substantial investment to protect.
(beat)
And I find myself worrying....
GARTHE
About?
TSOMBE
You. So much of what I plan to
achieve depends, for the moment, on
your success in the next twenty-
four hours.
(beat)
There must be no distractions, Garthe.
Garthe stares at Tsombe hard enough to cause Tsombe's
guards to stiffen.
GARTHE
Don't tell me how to run this
operation. Without me, you'd still
be dodging spears back home.
TSOMBE
(flaring)
And without me, you'd be rotting in
that rat-infested hole of a prison.
(smiling)
So, we are mutually indebted to each
other. With luck, we shall continue
a long and fruitful relationship.
Tsombe turns, glances at Goliath, then turns back to Garthe.
TSOMBE
But, you know, I have many men who
are excellent drivers. If you
prove unreliable....
GARTHE
Don't threaten me.
TSOMBE
That is not a threat, my young
friend. Only a reminder....
Tsombe turns and exits the warehouse. Garthe stares after
him, as we:
CUT TO
INT. HOTEL SUITE - DAY - APRIL
is pacing nervously back and forth across the suite, when
the door opens and a grim faced Devon comes into the room.
They share a look. Neither of them speaks at first, then:
DEVON
Still nothing?
APRIL
(shaking head)
No. How'd it go?
Devon shakes his head angrily.
DEVON
The visit was pointless! Absolutely
pointless! Without a signed affidavit
from Garthe Knight detailing his plan,
I couldn't get anyone to listen.
Devon stares at April for a beat, a pained look on his face.
DEVON
To think that Michael may
have...given his life...in vain.
APRIL
Devon, I've contacted the National
Guard and the Air Force. They
promised to launch a search....
DEVON
(angrily)
Promises! Words! Inane
conversations! It's not enough,
April....
Devon struggles to control himself.
DEVON
I'm sorry. I'm just so
frustrated....
APRIL
I know, but we've got to keep
hoping, Devon.
Devon nods, but doesn't respond. There's a knock on the
door. April hurries to open it.
APRIL
It must be Colonel Abrahms from the
National Guard. He promised to stop
by....
ANGLE ON THE DOOR
as April opens the door and finds herself staring at
Michael. He's holding himself up, nearly dead on his feet.
MICHAEL
April...Devon....
Michael takes a step into the room and starts to collapse.
APRIL
Devon...!
Devon rushes to her side in time to catch Michael as he
falls. Together they carry him to a sofa. As Devon rushes
to the phone, hold on April standing over the unconscious
Michael, and then:
FADE OUT
END OF ACT FIVE
ACT SIX
FADE IN
INT. HOTEL SUITE - DAY
Michael, bandaged and pale, is sitting on the sofa. Devon
is sitting across from him, looking anxiously concerned.
DEVON
You're absolutely certain the semi
was equipped with the skin?
MICHAEL
You saw Kitt...what else could have
done that?
Devon nods, thinks for a moment.
DEVON
But why would Garthe go to all the
trouble? Certainly not simply to
destroy you and Kitt...
MICHAEL
Devon, you take ten thousand pounds
of steel, cover it with that skin
and you could drive it through
anything....
Devon looks sharply at Michael, suddenly understanding.
DEVON
Red Bluff. He's going to use it to
break into the missile site.
MICHAEL
And once he gets going, there's not
much that can stop him.
DEVON
Right now, there doesn't appear to
be anyone who cares to try. We've
found out the government is proceeding
with the missile rotation. In less
than twelve hours....
Michael struggles up from the sofa, faces Devon.
MICHAEL
Then we don't have much time.
DEVON
Time for what? Michael, you're in
no condition....
MICHAEL
Devon, the only way to destroy that
truck is from the inside.
DEVON
Inside? How?
MICHAEL
Garthe's going to help us.
Michael paces as he talks, intense and excited. Devon
watches him curiously.
MICHAEL
I learned something real interesting
about Garthe yesterday. He could've
killed me, but he didn't. Any idea
why?
DEVON
None.
MICHAEL
Because he's got everything
perfectly choreographed. That show
yesterday was Garthe flexing his
muscles for my benefit. He plans to
win, real big, and he wants me
around to see it. Once that's
done....
DEVON
He's consumed with hatred...of you,
everything you stand for....
MICHAEL
Of course he is! And, we're going
to use that...
(beat)
The last thing Garthe could stand
would be losing to me. Anywhere.
Any time.
DEVON
I imagine you're right.
MICHAEL
So I'm going to beat him, Devon...at
his own game.
DEVON
How?
MICHAEL
I'm going to break the bank at his
casino...and then we're going to
break him.
As Michael smiles at Devon's surprised look, we:
INT. FOUNDATION SEMI - DAY
April and two Foundation technicians are working on K.I.T.T.
Though he still shows the signs of his run-in with Goliath,
he looks remarkably good. Most of the major structural
damage has been repaired, broken windows replaced. April
hasn't been able to do much for his ego, though.
K.I.T.T.
It wasn't a fair fight, April. He
must have had six thousand pounds on
me if he had an ounce....
APRIL
I know, Kitt.
K.I.T.T.
It was like putting Roberto Duran in
the ring with Sonny Liston.
APRIL
I'm sure it was, Kitt.
K.I.T.T.
It won't happen again, I can assure
you of that.
APRIL
It had better not. I've got you
patched together with scotch tape
and bailing wire as it is.
K.I.T.T.
If I ever see that snout-nosed
ignoramus....
MICHAEL'S VOICE
You'd better hope he's heading in
the opposite direction....
Michael appears, crosses to April.
K.I.T.T.
Very funny, Michael. It so happens
I'm already reviewing my computer
logs of our confrontation. In a
matter of hours, I'll know everything
there is to know about that truck.
I'll know how to beat it.
MICHAEL
Let's hope you don't get a chance...
(to April)
How're you doing?
April shakes her head, shrugs.
APRIL
I really need two weeks, but he's
running.
K.I.T.T.
I'm perfectly fine. Good as new.
Better, even....
MICHAEL
You've got him programmed and wired
to handle the roulette wheel?
APRIL
(nodding)
I've installed an electromagnetic
resonator that should work up to
three hundred yards.
MICHAEL
Good. And the explosive...?
April nods, hands Michael a small metal box that fits
comfortably in his hand.
APRIL
Activated by Kitt's microwave
jammer.
K.I.T.T.
Is this really necessary? I'd much
prefer a return engagement....
MICHAEL
Do it on your own time, pal...I'm
planning on something a little more
discreet.
During the conversation, Devon joins them.
DEVON
Your plan is hardly discreet,
Michael. A little like Daniel
entering the lion's den, I'd say.
MICHAEL
Yeah, I guess it is.
(beat)
By the way...who won that one?
Daniel or the lion?
Devon and April share a look. Michael grins, heads for
K.I.T.T.
MICHAEL
Give me three hours.
Devon checks his watch, nods.
DEVON
Michael, if anything goes wrong, and
I mean anything....
MICHAEL
Don't worry. I'm not looking to be
a hero...
(gesturing to
K.I.T.T.)
Him, I'm not so sure about....
Another grin as Michael climbs into K.I.T.T. As he does:
CUT TO
EXT. HIGHWAY - ON TRANS AM - DAY
as Michael and K.I.T.T. head toward the strip in Las Vegas.
INT. K.I.T.T. - DAY
as K.I.T.T. chatters to Michael.
K.I.T.T.
Facing one's possible demise is a
strangely exhilarating experience,
Michael.
MICHAEL
It usually gives me heartburn.
K.I.T.T.
I'm serious. It fosters a whole new
appreciation of living...or existing,
in my case.
MICHAEL
Terrific. If things don't work out
at the Foundation, you can tour auto
shows and discuss 'life after
death.' Meanwhile, we've got a job
to do here.
K.I.T.T.
I know, and I'm looking forward to
it.
MICHAEL
Would you stop being so cheerful.
K.I.T.T.
Why?
MICHAEL
Because it's depressing, that's
why. No one's that happy.
K.I.T.T.
I am.
MICHAEL
You're a computer. What do you know?
K.I.T.T.
Actually, just about everything.
Including the fact that you're
worried...about Miss Wilcox.
Correct?
Michael shakes his head, shrugs, then nods.
MICHAEL
I guess I am. I'm afraid she's in
over her head, Kitt.
K.I.T.T.
I wouldn't worry, Michael. She
seemed like a very capable young
woman.
MICHAEL
Garthe Knight's more capable.
Off of Michael's troubled look, we:
CUT TO
INT. GARTHE'S PENTHOUSE - DAY
It's quiet, deserted. At the far end of the room a door
opens and Rita steps silently inside. She closes the door
softly, crosses quickly to a desk. In a second, she's
inside the drawers, rifling through papers. So intent on
her work that she doesn't hear another door softly open.
We do, though, and go to:
GARTHE
watching Rita for a long beat, then loudly closing the door
as he steps fully into the room.
ANGLE - WIDER
as Rita straightens up, startled, trying to cover her
surprise and fear.
RITA
Garthe....
GARTHE
Yes. What a lovely surprise. I
thought you'd gone shopping.
RITA
(shrugging)
I did, but I couldn't find a thing,
so I came back....
Garthe crosses to Rita, smiling. For a second, he almost
looks sincere.
GARTHE
I know how it must be for you...and
I promise you as soon as I'm
finished with this...project...we'll
have all the time in the world.
Rita smiles weakly, doesn't respond. Garthe takes her hand
and she stands facing him.
GARTHE
Won't that be lovely?
Again, Rita smiles. Garthe leans over and kisses her
lightly. She stiffens, hating every moment. Garthe breaks
the embrace, looks at Rita.
GARTHE
I'm very lucky to have you back in
my life....
RITA
I...I'm glad.
GARTHE
Now, run along. I've got a thousand
things to take care of.
Rita nods, turns to go. Garthe grabs her wrist a little
too hard, turns her back to him. With a slight edge to his
voice:
GARTHE
There's no one but me is there, Rita?
Rita stares, clearly frightened, at Garthe. Shakes her
head.
RITA
No...of course not.
Garthe smiles, gives her a little peck, lets go of her.
Rita hurries out the door. As she exits, Garthe presses an
intercom button. A beat later, one of his assistants
appears.
GARTHE
Keep her here until we're on the
plane. Then kill her.
The assistant nods, turns and leaves. Hold on Garthe as he
crosses to his picture window, and then:
CUT TO
INT. CASINO - CLOSE ON ROULETTE WHEEL - DAY
as the ivory ball circles the wheel, falls, kicks around
and finally nestles in a slot: Black 2.
ANOTHER ANGLE - CLOSE ON THE TABLE
as a large stack of chips is moved next to an equally large
stack. We pull back to see Michael sitting at the table,
with an impressive bank of chips in front of him. He makes
another bet, this time Red 1. He smiles at the croupier,
and touches his comlink as:
MICHAEL
Red one. Five thousand dollars.
The croupier arches his brow slightly. A murmur of
excitement passes through the small crowd around the
table. While we play the casino action intercut with:
INT. TRANS AM - DAY
on K.I.T.T., as he processes Michael's information. On his
vidscreen, we should see the roulette wheel.
K.I.T.T.
Red one it shall be, Michael....
BACK TO MICHAEL
watching as the croupier spins the ball. Around and around
it spins, kicking and then finally dropping into Red 1.
CROUPIER
Red one.
He points to the square on the layout, then begins to
collect all the losing bets before paying Michael. More
excited murmurs around the table, more onlookers.
ON THE CROUPIER
as he glances across the room toward a bloodless character
in a dark suit. Just a glance. Then back to the table.
ON MICHAEL
moving a "large" stack to the Black 35. He smiles at the
croupier.
ON K.I.T.T.
processing the information. Lights blink, a digital
readout shows "Black -- 35."
BACK TO MICHAEL
Again, the croupier looks like his teeth don't fit. The
dark suit across the room disappears, and we go:
INT. CASINO - OBSERVATION DECK ABOVE TABLE
now looking down on the roulette wheel, as the ball begins
to spin. Just as it drops into Black 35, pull back to
reveal Garthe Knight intently studying the game. A glass
he's holding suddenly shatters in his hand, but he doesn't
seem to notice. Suddenly, he turns to an assistant, snaps
his fingers. The man nods, turns to an electronic console
situated next to the observation window. As he begins to
punch a series of buttons, Garthe turns and hurries out.
We return to:
MICHAEL
now surrounded by a crowd of curious, excited onlookers. A
small gasp as Michael pushes a monstrous pile of chips
across the layout.
MICHAEL
Make that one hundred thousand
dollars on black twenty.
CROUPIER
(blanching)
Monsieur...I'm sorry, house limit on
the table is twenty thousand dollars.
A disappointed murmur from the crowd is overriden by:
GARTHE'S VOICE
Let him play.
Everyone, including Michael, turns to see Garthe standing
behind him. Garthe doesn't even acknowledge Michael's
presence. The Croupier nods curtly.
ANOTHER ANGLE - ACROSS THE CASINO
where we see Elizabeth Knight, followed closely by Commander
Tsombe, come into the room. They stop, watching Garthe from
a distance. Tsombe turns to Elizabeth.
TSOMBE
What the hell is he doing?
Elizabeth shakes her head anxiously, and we go to:
OBSERVATION DECK
as the guy working the board punches in another number: 00.
INT. TRANS AM
where we see Black -- 20 on the screen. Then we hear:
K.I.T.T.
Oh, dear, I'm picking up another
signal...a strong one. Michael...
Michael....
RETURN TO MICHAEL
intently watching the table, then turning to glance at
Garthe. For the slightest of moments, the two men hold a
glance. Garthe gives away nothing, but if looks could
kill....
Elizabeth hurries to her son's side, whispers urgently in
his ear. Garthe doesn't respond. His attention is riveted
on Michael.
ON THE TABLE
as the final bet is placed and the croupier gets set to
spin the ball. He glances at Garthe uneasily. The crowd
around the table is hushed with anticipation. The ball
begins to spin.
ON K.I.T.T.
the roulette wheel on his vidscreen.
K.I.T.T.
Michael, I'm not sure I can control
this....
IN THE OBSERVATION DECK
close in the electronic console, reading "00."
BACK TO THE TABLE
as the ball slows, kicks around, almost settles in the 00,
then kicks out and lands in the Black 20. A roar goes up
around the table. Michael grins. The croupier looks at
Garthe in terror, who's staring hard at Michael's back.
ON MICHAEL
turning and holding Garthe's look. Then he smiles, gets
up.
MICHAEL
Guess you can't win 'em all. Have
your man cash in my chips. I'll be
back.
With that, Michael turns, tosses the croupier a very
healthy stack of chips, turns and leaves. Garthe hasn't
moved an inch, but he looks like a volcano about to
explode. Hold on him, then:
CUT TO
EXT. CASINO - DAY
as Michael hustles out to the Trans Am, gets in.
INT. TRANS AM - DAY
as Michael whoops, pounds the steering wheel.
MICHAEL
We did it, buddy! Great work...!
K.I.T.T.
Michael, he was trying to cheat
you...that wheel is electronically
manipulated.
Michael fires up the Trans Am. Heads out of the parking
lot.
MICHAEL
I figured as much. This guy does not
like to lose...
(smiling,
laughing)
You should have seen the look on his
face, Kitt....
Off this line, we:
SMASH CUT TO
EXT. CASINO - REAR ENTRANCE - DAY
very close on Garthe, in a black fury, hurrying toward a
waiting car. A second later, Elizabeth hurries after him.
ELIZABETH
Garthe! Where do you think you're
going?
GARTHE
Leave me alone, Mother. This
doesn't concern you.
ELIZABETH
It most certainly does! It's less
than six hours before we move on Red
Bluff.
GARTHE
I'm aware of that. I'll be there.
Before Elizabeth can protest further, Garthe's gotten in
his car and is roaring out of the parking lot. Commander
Tsombe joins Elizabeth, watching Garthe leave.
TSOMBE
Your son is very headstrong,
Mrs. Knight...
(beat)
...and very expendable. I will have
those missiles...with or without his
help.
Tsombe turns and leaves. Hold on Elizabeth, and then:
CUT TO
EXT. HIGHWAY - ON THE TRANS AM - DAY
speeding across the desert.
INT. TRANS AM - DAY
as Michael checks in his rear view mirror.
MICHAEL
Got anything, Kitt?
K.I.T.T.
Yes, Michael. A single car, closing
quickly on us. One driver....
MICHAEL
Right on schedule. That's what I
like about Garthe...he's predic-
table.
ANOTHER ANGLE - ON THE HIGHWAY
as Garthe races toward Michael, his face grim, determined.
EXT. HIGHWAY - DAY
as Garthe's car gains on Michael. In front of both cars,
down the road, we see the Foundation semi in the right-hand
lane of the two-lane road.
ANOTHER ANGLE
as Garthe pulls up in the middle lane, to Michael's right,
and angrily swerves into the Trans Am. Michael holds the
road, decelerates slightly. Garthe, his eyes always on
Michael, turns his car into K.I.T.T. again. The sound of
crunching metal -- Garthe's. He loses a hubcap.
WIDER ANGLE
as the semi looms up in front of Michael and Garthe, its
rear ramp slowly descending.
INT. TRANS AM - ON MICHAEL
watching Garthe and keeping an eye on the semi in front of
them. Garthe pulls up alongside of Michael again, and rams
the Trans Am.
MICHAEL
That's right...stay right where you
are....
K.I.T.T.
Michael, Devon and April are ready.
MICHAEL
So am I, pal....
EXT. HIGHWAY TOWARD BLIND CURVE - DAY
as Michael and Garthe, side-by-side, race down the highway,
jockeying for position, Michael and Garthe pull toward the
semi. Just as they reach it, Michael suddenly swerves to
his right, bumping Garthe's car and keeping it pinned in
the right lane, directly behind the semi, which suddenly
slows down appreciably.
ON GARTHE'S CAR
wedged in by the Trans Am, and going faster than the semi,
Garthe is forced up the ramp of the semi. He slams on the
brakes, but it's too late. He's trapped in the back of the
big rig. As the ramp closes, we:
CUT TO
INT. FOUNDATION SEMI - DAY
as Devon and April approach Garthe, April's carrying a
weapon. Garthe gets out of the car, glares at Devon.
GARTHE
What's the meaning of this?
DEVON
Hello, Garthe....
GARTHE
This is kidnapping. You can't do
this....
DEVON
Yes, well, let's just say we're
bending the law temporarily.
(smiling)
I suspect your father would have
approved....
The door at the other end of the semi opens and Michael
steps inside.
ANOTHER ANGLE
as Michael approaches the others, Garthe regards him coldly.
GARTHE
I should have killed you when I had
the chance.
MICHAEL
Your one mistake...
(smiling)
Unfortunately, it only takes one....
Devon turns to Michael.
DEVON
April, Michael...You'd best get
moving. We don't have much time.
April and Michael nod. April glances at Garthe, back to
Michael.
APRIL
It's uncanny how much you two look
alike.
Michael glances at Garthe.
MICHAEL
Let's hope so....
Off that enigmatic comment, we:
CUT TO
EXT. CASINO - DAY
as the Trans Am pulls up and parks in front of the casino.
A beat and then Garthe Knight steps out of the car.
Actually, it's Michael, but his disguise is so effective
that, for a moment, we think it's Garthe himself.
CLOSE ON MICHAEL
as he leans into the car.
MICHAEL
Keep an eye on things, buddy. I
might need some help.
K.I.T.T.
Be careful, Michael....
Michael nods, turns and walks slowly toward the casino.
MOVING WITH MICHAEL
as he approaches the front door. The acid test. The two
doormen snap to, tip their hats. One of them hurries to
open the door. Michael nods curtly and walks inside. As
he disappears into the casino, we:
FREEZE FRAME
AND
FADE OUT
END OF ACT SIX
ACT SEVEN
FADE IN
INT. CASINO CORRIDOR - DAY
as Michael steps off an elevator, glances up and down an
empty hallway. He crosses to a large door, hesitates as he
composes himself, and then boldly opens the door and enters:
THE PENTHOUSE
Empty. Michael softly closes the door behind him, crosses
the living room. Another door opens and Michael freezes
as Garthe's Assistant -- the one assigned to off Rita --
enters the room. He's surprised, too, even goes for his
gun until he recognizes Garthe.
ASSISTANT
Mr. Knight. You surprised me...I
thought everyone was gone.
MICHAEL
Obviously not.
(looking irritated)
Where's my mother?
ASSISTANT
Like I said...gone. Her, the
Commander, everyone....
MICHAEL
How long ago?
ASSISTANT
Half an hour at the most. Anything
wrong?
Michael glares at the Assistant.
MICHAEL
No. Leave me. Wait...the girl.
Rita...where is she?
The Assistant looks at Michael curiously.
ASSISTANT
In the other room. Just like we
discussed....
MICHAEL
Bring her to me.
The Assistant nods, hurries out of the room. A moment
later, Rita appears in the doorway, steps into the room.
Michael turns to the Assistant.
MICHAEL
That's all for now....
The Assistant hesitates for a moment.
ASSISTANT
You all right, Mr. Knight?
MICHAEL
Yes.
The Assistant exits. Michael crosses to Rita. She regards
him warily.
MICHAEL
(softly)
Rita...it's me.
(off her look)
Michael....
RITA
(confused)
Michael?
She looks closely at Michael, studies him intently for a
beat. Then, her face brightens.
RITA
Michael, it is you! How'd you get
here. Why...?
MICHAEL
I'll fill you in. Right now, I've
got to find the others...fast! Any
idea where they went?
RITA
An airfield. I overheard them
arguing about it. Garthe's mother
wanted to wait for him, but Tsombe
insisted on leaving. He said they
couldn't wait....
MICHAEL
The airstrip...do you know where it
is?
RITA
Just west of someplace called Indian
Springs....
MICHAEL
Indian Springs...I remember hearing
about it when I was looking for Red
Bluff. It's about three miles from
there. Come on....
As Michael and Rita hurry out of the penthouse, we:
CUT TO
EXT. DESERT - DAY
On the edge of an open plain. A large Winnebago-type RV is
parked in what little shade there is, surrounded by a
scattering of other cars. The sound of an airplane close
overhead cuts the silence, and we see Elizabeth Knight,
followed by Tsombe, step out of the RV to watch:
A C-140
The same plane we saw in the opening sequence, as it
circles over the desert, sets down, and taxis to a stop not
far from the RV. As soon as it's stopped, the cargo ramp
is lowered and we see Goliath slowly back out of the plane.
ANOTHER ANGLE - FEATURE THE RV
as Elizabeth and Tsombe watch the truck being unloaded.
Tsombe checks his watch.
TSOMBE
The plane is right on schedule.
ELIZABETH
Of course it is. What did you
expect?
TSOMBE
(shrugging)
With your son, it is sometimes
difficult to tell.
ELIZABETH
My son knows precisely what he's
doing!
TSOMBE
But, no one else does!
Elizabeth doesn't respond. Tsombe continues:
TSOMBE
I have tried to talk to him, impress
upon him the urgency of our
mission. And now, with less than two
hours to go, he's driven into the
desert chasing a fantasy....
Tsombe shakes his head in disgust.
TSOMBE
He is expendable. We will not wait
for a fool....
With that, Tsombe turns and walks back into the RV, leaving
Elizabeth staring across the desert toward Goliath.
CUT TO
INT. FOUNDATION SEMI - DAY
Garthe is sitting, calmly watching April who's working on
the computer terminal. Devon comes into the room, and
Garthe turns his cold, hard gaze on him.
GARTHE
Father would be proud of you.
DEVON
I'm very happy your father is not
alive.
GARTHE
Spare me the dramatics, Miles. He
was a cold, insensitive boor...the
only thing he ever cared about was
business.
DEVON
That's not the Wilton Knight I
knew...and we were friends for
nearly thirty years.
GARTHE
I lived with him, saw what he did to
my mother....
DEVON
(strongly)
Your mother broke his heart, Garthe.
GARTHE
He never had a heart....
DEVON
You're very wrong. He tried to save
their marriage for years. Your
mother was never happy. There were
incidents...
(beat)
Other men....
Garthe jumps from his chair, stands facing Devon.
GARTHE
Liar!
DEVON
I wish I was. She was a charming,
attractive woman. Many men fell
under her spell...
(beat)
...myself included, I suppose...in
an innocent way.
Across the room, April is listening intently.
DEVON
No one really understood who she
was, what she was, until she
suddenly left Wilton....
GARTHE
She had to leave...to preserve her
sanity. And if you believe anything
else, you're a bigger fool than he
was!
Devon doesn't respond, but rather just shakes his head
sadly. Garthe looks around.
GARTHE
I don't suppose there's a bathroom
in this thing.
Devon gestures through the door.
DEVON
First door on your left...
(beat)
And don't bother to try,
Garthe...there's absolutely no way
out.
Garthe just snorts, moves past Devon and exits. Devon
turns to April.
DEVON
Anything more from Michael?
APRIL
Nothing. He and Rita are driving
toward Indian Springs.
DEVON
He shouldn't have involved the girl.
APRIL
He felt she wasn't safe at the
hotel, and she apparently insisted
on going.
Devon shakes his head.
APRIL
I told him we'd get as close as we
could, and stand by....
DEVON
Good. This whole scheme is making
me very nervous. The sooner it's
over, the better....
Devon checks his watch, glances toward the door.
DEVON
I'd better check on the Knight boy...
(catches himself)
The 'Knight boy.' Isn't it funny
how very strange that sounds?
With that, Devon exits to:
INT. SEMI - SMALL CORRIDOR - DAY
Devon stops out a door, knocks. No answer. He knocks
again, and still no response.
DEVON
Garthe? Garthe...?
Devon opens the door, stiffens when he sees:
INT. BATHROOM
Narrow, but with enough height for a guy Garthe's size to
hang himself with his belt from a light fixture. From our
vantage point, he looks very dead.
ADJUST ANGLE TO INCLUDE DEVON
as he moves to pull Garthe down.
DEVON
April! Come quickly!
Suddenly, Garthe comes alive, kicking out, catching Devon
full on the chest, sending him crashing against the far
wall. In a second, Garthe is on his feet.
ANOTHER ANGLE
as April, gun in hand, comes running into the corridor
toward the bathroom. Garthe is waiting for her behind the
door, and rips the gun out of her hand. April sees Devon
lying on the floor.
APRIL
Devon...!
Garthe, gun in hand, runs down the corridor and out into:
THE SEMI
slamming and locking the door behind him. Frantically, he
scans the inside of the semi, looking for an escape route.
He spots an air conditioning duct on the ceiling, a square
barely large enough for a man to squeeze through. He pulls
a chair over, rips the cover off the duct. As he
disappears through the duct, we:
CUT TO
EXT. SEMI - DAY - TRAVELING
Garthe is on top of the semi, as it speeds down the
highway. He moves to the edge, leans over to see:
AN OPEN FLATBED TRUCK
filled with bundles of hay.
BACK TO THE SEMI
as it moves past the flatbed, Garthe leaps from the top of
the semi, lands on the hay. As he scrambles toward the cab
of the truck, we:
CUT TO
INT. K.I.T.T. - DAY
moving down a dusty two-lane road, well off the main drag.
Rita's looking sadly out the window.
RITA
You know, everything's been moving
so fast, I haven't had time for
everything to really sink in....
MICHAEL
You thinking about Ronnie?
RITA
(nodding)
It's always been the two of us
against the world. Buddies,
partners, friends...
(suddenly angry)
I told him to stay out of all
this...I begged him! But, all he'd
say was 'this is important. Really
important.'
MICHAEL
(gently)
He was right, Rita.
RITA
Sure...dead right! What's that
prove?
(beat, softer)
Sorry. None of this is your fault,
Michael. It's just that I'm...I'm
going to miss him a lot....
Rita's on the verge of tears. Michael reaches out, takes a
hand. As he does, we hear:
K.I.T.T.
Michael, I'm beginning to get a
reading...about a mile down this
road.
MICHAEL
What do you have, buddy?
K.I.T.T.
People, cars, a large plane and...
(excited, for
K.I.T.T.)
...Michael! That brute, that
miserable mechanical masher -- it's
up there!
MICHAEL
(tensely)
All right, then...we're on.
Rita looks at Michael, shakes her head.
RITA
Maybe all of this is never going to
sink in...you, this car, a computer
that talks, thinks, even...it's mind
boggling.
MICHAEL
Compared to a madman who's looking
to take over part of the world,
we're pretty tame.
Michael slows down as they come to a rise in the road.
ANGLE ON THE DESERT BELOW
We see the landing field, the RV, cars, the plane and
Goliath gleaming menacingly in the sun.
RESUME SCENE
Michael turns to Rita.
MICHAEL
Look, I don't know what it's going
to be like down there....
RITA
I've come this far. I'm not turning
back now.
MICHAEL
Then you stay in the car. Kitt can
darken the windows. You'll be safe.
RITA
But, what about you?
MICHAEL
Hey, I'm Garthe Knight, remember? I
fear no man...
(beat)
How's my makeup?
RITA
It's amazing. You look just like him.
MICHAEL
(grimly)
Now, if I can just act like him....
Michael puts the Trans Am in gear, heads down the hill.
CUT TO
EXT. DESERT - DAY - FEATURE THE RV
as the Trans Am pulls up and parks. Three armed guards
rush toward the car as the door opens and Michael steps
out. (Note: The windows of the Trans Am should be
darkened so Rita is not seen inside.) The guards recognize
Garthe, lower their guns.
ON MICHAEL
standing for a moment, looking toward Goliath. He's
distracted by:
ELIZABETH
coming out of the RV. A moment later, Commander Tsombe
steps squinting into the sunlight and follows her.
ANOTHER ANGLE
as Michael turns and walks slowly toward Elizabeth who
glares at him.
ELIZABETH
You're finally here.
MICHAEL
You knew I would be.
ELIZABETH
I did, yes, but he...
(gesturing
to Tsombe)
...had grave doubts.
Tsombe looks past Michael to the Trans Am. Elizabeth
follows his gaze.
TSOMBE
I see you found what you were
looking for.
MICHAEL
(nodding)
He won't be needing the car any
longer.
(to Elizabeth)
And I felt I had a right to it,
somehow....
Elizabeth grimaces, shakes her head.
ELIZABETH
I despise it...anything that reminds
me of him....
Tsombe fixes Michael with a cold stare, watches him closely.
TSOMBE
You're not looking well, Garthe...
are you certain you're up to this?
Michael throws Tsombe a venomous glare.
MICHAEL
Of course! I'm the only one meant
to drive the truck. I want that
perfectly understood.
Tsombe doesn't reply. Elizabeth watches the exchange with
obvious pleasure. Michael turns to her.
MICHAEL
I assume everything is ready.
ELIZABETH
Tsombe's men are on their way.
MICHAEL
Fine.
(checking
his watch)
Give me five minutes to check the
truck.
Michael turns and begins walking quickly toward the truck.
Behind him, Elizabeth and Tsombe turn to walk back to the
RV.
INSIDE THE TRANS AM
as Rita watches on the vidscreen as Michael moves across
the desert.
RITA
He's almost there, Kitt.
K.I.T.T.
Yes...but I wish he'd hurry. This
is making me very nervous....
BACK TO MICHAEL
moving steadily toward Goliath. He reaches into his
pocket, takes out the small detonation device, palms it.
We hear:
K.I.T.T.'S VOICE
(via comlink)
Michael! There's a car coming...
Garthe Knight's inside!
Michael looks over his shoulder to see:
A CAR
speeding across the desert, heading directly for him.
Inside, we can see Garthe's jet black hair and goatee.
BACK TO MICHAEL
as he turns and starts running for Goliath. He shouts into
his comlink:
MICHAEL
Kitt, as soon as I get this thing
inside, blow it!
INT. TRANS AM
following Michael on the vidscreen.
K.I.T.T.
Michael, I can't. You'll be too
close...Michael...!
BACK TO MICHAEL
running all out now. Nearing the truck.
WIDER ANGLE TO INCLUDE GARTHE'S CAR
roaring toward Michael.
ANOTHER ANGLE
Just as Michael's about to reach the truck, the car swerves
in front of him, spins and comes skidding to a stop, blocking
Michael's path.
CLOSE ANGLE - ON THE CAR
As the door opens and Garthe steps out. Michael stands,
gasping for breath as the dust swirls around him. Garthe
just smiles that cold, cruel smile of his.
GARTHE
You can't win them all, can you?
ON MICHAEL
not bothering to answer. He's up a creek and knows it.
Hold on him, and then:
FREEZE FRAME
AND
FADE OUT
END OF ACT SEVEN
ACT EIGHT
FADE IN
EXT. DESERT - DAY - CLOSE ON TRUCKS
as two large, canvas-topped military-type trucks pull up
and stop near the RV. In a second, the back flaps are
opened and soldiers, dressed in commando uniforms, come
pouring out, carrying automatic weapons, grenades, rocket
launchers, and gas masks.
ANOTHER ANGLE
as we pull back to reveal Garthe watching. He's grim-faced,
but pleased. He nods at the men, turns and crosses to:
MICHAEL
handcuffed, standing near the RV. An armed guard is
standing near him. Garthe approaches.
GARTHE
I'm pleased you'll be here for the
finale.
MICHAEL
Wouldn't miss it for the world.
GARTHE
There are so many things I look
forward to sharing with you...
(off Michael's
surprised look)
Well, we have so much in common
...our faces, my father...
(a beat)
Why not our future?
MICHAEL
What's that supposed to mean?
GARTHE
I'll be returning to Africa soon.
You're coming with me....
MICHAEL
You're out of your mind.
GARTHE
No, but you may be. African prisons
can have that affect on some men....
MICHAEL
Prison?
GARTHE
Precisely. The same hell I died in
while my father turned his back and
gave to you everything that should
have been mine.
(beat)
Now the tables are turned....
With that, he turns, walks away. The guard gestures for
Michael to follow him toward the RV.
ON MICHAEL
a few yards behind the guard. Over the comlink, we hear:
K.I.T.T.'S VOICE
Michael....
Intercut with:
INT. K.I.T.T.
where Rita is still huddled in the front seat. We can see
Michael on the vidscreen.
K.I.T.T.
Michael, is there anyway we can help?
MICHAEL
Just hang tight. And don't let Rita
out of the car.
RITA
(sputtering)
But...tell him I can't just sit
here, Kitt. We've got to help him.
At this point, Michael disappears into the RV, and we hear:
K.I.T.T.
I'm afraid there's nothing we can
do...except hope.
CUT TO
INT. RV - DAY
Spacious. Equipped with state-of-the-art communication
gear, radar, TV monitors. One of the monitors, with a
particularly large screen. This screen, hooked up to a
video camera mounted on the front of Goliath, will give the
viewers inside the RV a first-hand view of what happens at
Red Bluff.
We find Michael, still handcuffed, sitting close to the
door. In front of him, Elizabeth, Tsombe, two of his
assistants lounge on plush sofas, sipping drinks. An armed
guard stands in the doorway. Elizabeth turns to Michael.
ELIZABETH
I think you'll enjoy this. We've
arranged a front row seat for you.
MICHAEL
How exciting.
ELIZABETH
(coldly)
Yes. I'm certain it will be.
As she turns back to the screen, we:
CUT TO
EXT. DESERT - DAY - ON GOLIATH
as Garthe, dressed in a striking black jump suit, steps up
to Goliath, climbs inside and fires it up. It comes to
life with a roar that seems to shake the ground around it.
With a loud blast in its air horn, Garthe throws the rig
into first and moves across the desert.
CUT TO
EXT. FOUNDATION SEMI - DAY - TO ESTABLISH
moving down the highway.
INT. FOUNDATION SEMI - DAY
Devon's pacing back and forth, looking terribly worried.
April's at the computer.
DEVON
(almost to
himself)
There's really no excuse for it! If
anything happens to Michael, I hold
myself personally responsible....
Devon turns, crosses to April, who's absorbed in the
computer.
DEVON
There must be something, April --
anything we can use to alert the
military, get some help to Michael.
April shakes her head.
APRIL
I've done a data scan on everything
we've got, Devon. There's nothing
here that proves anything. Suggest
but doesn't prove....
DEVON
And proof's the only thing they'll
listen to....
Devon stands, thinking, then moves for the phone.
APRIL
Who're you phoning?
DEVON
General Maddux at SAC.
APRIL
Devon, he didn't listen before. Why
would he listen now...?
DEVON
Because this time I'm telling him
I'm driving straight into Red
Bluff...and I'm going to dare him to
stop me!
As Devon starts to dial:
CUT TO
EXT. DESERT - NEAR RED BLUFF - DAY - ON GOLIATH
as the semi speeds across the desert toward Red Bluff,
nearing the first perimeter of fences that warn "U.S.
Government Property. No Trespassing."
INT. GOLIATH
as Garthe accelerates.
EXT. GOLIATH
smashing directly through the fence like it was paper, and
heading straight for Red Bluff. During this sequence, we
will intercut as needed with:
INT. RV - DAY
The mood is tense, excited, as the TV monitor shows
Garthe's progress. On the screen, Red Bluff draws nearer.
EXT. RED BLUFF
A rack of six missiles, mounted on a track, is being loaded
outside of the mountain. The huge doors protecting the
site are open. Suddenly, we hear an alarm sound, sirens
scream, as:
GOLIATH
crashes through a second perimeter fence. An armored
vehicle gives chase and a befuddled guard rushes for a
phone. Meanwhile at:
RED BLUFF
The missile rack is hurriedly being rolled inside. Once
there, the doors begin to slowly close.
ON GOLIATH
now being attacked on both sides by armored vehicles, but
the bullets are bouncing off harmlessly. Suddenly, one
rocket, then another, is launched from the semi, streaking
toward Red Bluff and exploding against the now-closed doors.
INT. RV
as a cheer goes up from the onlookers. Michael is
watching, fascinated, then glances over at the guard, who's
also enthralled. We see him lean into his comlink. As he
does, we go back to:
RED BLUFF
as Goliath, at full speed, bears down on the site. Another
rocket batters the already badly damaged doors seconds
before the mighty semi smashes into them, with a thunderous
roar.
INT. RED BLUFF
as the doors give way and the semi barrels into the site.
ON GOLIATH
as the rear doors fly open and the commandoes come bursting
out. The first wave of men fire a dozen gas grenades into
the cavern inside the mountain. Automatic fire fills the
air as guards rush to confront the attackers.
ANOTHER ANGLE
In seconds, the area is filled with a paralyzing nerve gas
that works instantaneously on everyone without masks. In
less than a minute, Garthe and his men have taken control
of the site.
CLOSE ON MICHAEL IN THE RV
Pandemonium. Shouting, cheers, excitement. People paying
attention to everything except Michael.
MICHAEL
(into comlink)
Get ready, buddy....
INT. RED BLUFF
Garthe has backed the semi up to the track the missile rack
is set on, and as the semi's ramp is lowered, we see that
it's fitted with an identical track which allows Garthe's
commandoes to run the missile into the semi. The entire
operation is being run like a military movement: precise,
efficient, smooth. Garthe stands, watching, barking
commands. When the missiles are finally secure, he jumps
into Goliath, starts it up.
IN THE RV
Elizabeth and the others watch as Goliath pulls out of the
missile site. Excited congratulations all around. Michael
leans into his comlink and we go to:
INT. K.I.T.T.
as we hear:
K.I.T.T.
I'm on my way, Michael...
(to Rita)
Hold on, Miss Wilcox...this could be
a bit bumpy....
EXT. K.I.T.T.
as the Trans Am springs to life, speeding toward the RV,
knocking two guards on their butts and ramming, at high
speed, into the side of the RV.
INSIDE THE RV
as K.I.T.T. hits and everyone, save Michael, goes tumbling
to the chair. Instant chaos. Michael uses the confusion
to jump to his feet and race for the door.
EXT. RV
as Michael rolls out, finds his feet and races for K.I.T.T.
who's popped the door. Michael's in, the door is slammed
just as a guard unloads about fifty rounds. The bullets
ricochet off as K.I.T.T. speeds away.
INT. K.I.T.T.
with Michael behind the wheel. Rita looks on in stunned
amazement.
RITA
Michael, are you all right...?
MICHAEL
Just great...soon as I get rid of
these.
Meaning the cuffs. They're the fancy digital kinds, seen
only on this show.
MICHAEL
Kitt, give me a hand, okay?
We see a series of numbers, combinations of numbers, begin
to flash by on K.I.T.T.'s vidscreen.
K.I.T.T.
Immediately, Michael. But, until
you're free to steer, where are we
going?
MICHAEL
Nowhere. We're staying here.
RITA
What about Garthe?
MICHAEL
He'll find us. We're the last thing
between him and that plane.
RITA
And when he finds us? What do we do
then...?
Michael's hand suddenly snaps free from the cuffs.
MICHAEL
Thanks, Kitt...
(to Rita)
To be real honest, I'm fresh out of
ideas. All I know for certain is
it's fourth down on the one yard
line...and we've got to make a goal
line stand.
(beat)
And about two minutes to decide
how....
K.I.T.T.
Michael, I may have a solution....
MICHAEL
Forget it, pal. We go head on with
this guy again, they're gonna find
pieces of you in New Hampshire.
K.I.T.T.
That's debatable, but not the
point...I think I've found a weak
spot in that ugly piece of steel...
his Achilles Heel, so to speak....
Michael sits forward, intense.
MICHAEL
(excited)
Where? How?
K.I.T.T.
By analyzing every bit of data from
our last encounter. There's a
point, a small one, where the
tractor is connected to the
trailer...it's unprotected by the
'skin,' and vulnerable.
Michael sits back, suddenly deflated.
MICHAEL
Great. That's like saying you can
tame a lion by scratching his ear...
if you can get past his teeth,
that is.
K.I.T.T.
Speaking of predators, I'm picking
something up at two o'clock....
Both Rita and Michael look through the windshield, and see:
GOLIATH
really just a black speck on the horizon, but looming
larger by the second.
RESUME ON MICHAEL
watching the semi race toward them. Suddenly, he brightens.
MICHAEL
Kitt, you ever seen a bullfight?
K.I.T.T.
Of course not. Why?
MICHAEL
Because you're about to become the
red flag we're going to wave in
front of that big bull....
EXT. DESERT - FEATURE GOLIATH
as Michael steers the Trans Am directly toward it.
INT. GOLIATH - ON GARTHE
seeing Michael. A small smile spreads across his face, the
look of a killer about to spring. He reaches up and blasts
a long toot on his air horn, then turns to face the
oncoming Trans Am.
INT. K.I.T.T.
as Goliath bears down on them.
K.I.T.T.
Michael, hadn't we better do
something? Quickly....
MICHAEL
Don't worry, buddy...I've studied
all the great matadors.
K.I.T.T.
How comforting.
In front of the Trans Am, we see Goliath rushing toward
them.
EXT. DESERT - FEATURE THE TRANS AM
as Michael swerves sharply to the right, deftly moving out
of the path of the huge semi as it roars by. Garthe slams
on the brakes, turns to follow Michael.
ANOTHER ANGLE
Michael, moving the Trans Am like Cassius Clay moved around
Liston, circles behind the semi, comes up along the right
side. Garthe sees him, pulls the rig toward Michael, trying
to smash into the Trans Am. Michael quickly moves out of
danger, spins a one-eighty and heads in the opposite direction.
ON GOLIATH
lumbering into a turn, facing the Trans Am. Suddenly,
Garthe unleashes one of the rockets.
INT. TRANS AM
as Michael stares down the barrel of a rocket launcher. He
desperately swerves to his left and the rocket, in a near
miss, roars past the car.
MICHAEL
Some pretty mean horns....
K.I.T.T.
Michael, he's carrying two more
rockets...and soldiers in the back.
MICHAEL
Yeah...right now, they're the least
of my worries.
EXT. DESERT - FEATURE GOLIATH
maneuvering for position to fire another rocket. The
Trans Am's slightly to its rear and as Garthe turns to begin
to circle, Michael cuts sharply across his tail, from left
to right.
INT. TRANS AM
With the semi almost broadside to the Trans Am, Michael
turns toward the truck and accelerates.
MICHAEL
Your theory better be a good one,
pal....
K.I.T.T.
(a little
uncertainly)
It's a theory, Michael, not a
theorem. I don't have any proof....
MICHAEL
Well, we're gonna test it right now.
As the Trans Am races for the side of the semi, aiming for
the junction between the cab and the trailer:
MICHAEL
Hang on, gang...this is the moment
of truth.
EXT. DESERT - ON GOLIATH AND K.I.T.T.
as the Trans Am smashes into the side of the semi. A
resounding crash as the cab separates from the trailer,
then lurches to a halt, crippled.
INT. K.I.T.T.
as Rita and Michael cheer.
RITA
Michael, it worked!
MICHAEL
It sure did...! Kitt, see what you
can do about locking the back door.
Quick....
K.I.T.T.
My microjammer should do the trick.
CLOSE ON GOLIATH
at the rear of the truck, as the tailgate mechanism closes
and locks. From the inside, we hear the muffled shouts of
the trapped commandoes.
WIDER ANGLE
as we hear the roar of, and then see, the C-140 moving across
the desert toward the crippled semi, the door open and the
ladder down. In the door, we can see Elizabeth, waving to
Garthe.
ANOTHER ANGLE FEATURING GARTHE
leaping from the semi and sprinting toward the plane.
ON MICHAEL
leaping from the Trans Am and racing to cut Garthe off.
Garthe's got a good head start and for a moment it doesn't
look like Michael's going to catch him.
ON GARTHE AND MICHAEL
Michael's superior speed eats the distance between them and
just as Garthe is about to reach the plane, Michael's
flying tackle brings him to the ground. In the dust being
kicked up by the plane, Michael pulls Garthe to his feet.
CLOSER ANGLE
as the two men go at it, Garthe crouched in a martial arts
stance, Michael deftly avoiding his kicks and punches until
he sees an opening and lands a solid one-two combination
that knocks Garthe down hard and keeps him there.
WIDER ANGLE
As the C-140 turns to taxi away, an Air Force jet suddenly
roars over the hill and sweeps low over the plane. A beat
later, a second follows, roaring past the plane, its jet
creating an almost deafening sound. Then we hear the blast
from an air horn, and Michael turns to see:
THE FOUNDATION SEMI
speeding toward the Trans Am, followed by a convoy of
military vehicles that quickly surround the C-140.
ON MICHAEL
as he hauls Garthe to his feet and stands, a smile playing
across his face, waving at the semi. Hold on him and then:
FREEZE FRAME
AND
FADE OUT
END OF ACT EIGHT
TAG TO FOLLOW
TAG
INT./EXT. CASINO
To be written....
