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Copycat



COPYCAT

third draft by Frank Pierson Participating writers: Ann Biderman Jay Presson Allen




	INT. LECTURE HALL BERKELEY - DAY

	The hall is full.  On the stage, DR. HELEN HUDSON is
	speaking.  HELEN is a forensic psychologist.  Behind her is
	a projected diagram: PREDISPOSITION, DISSOCIATION, TRAUMA,
	FANTASY, VIOLENT FANTASY, FACILITATORS, MURDER, and
	TRAUMA-REINFORCEMENT which she can point to with a laser
	pointing device.  We see her from a considerable
	distance... the back of the balcony.  Her voice is crisp and
	assured.

				HELEN
		Our society creates these socially
		and psychically disenfranchised
		men, and their revenge on society
		is terrible.  They are hard to
		catch.  They are "the nice guy next
		door," their employers -- if they
		work at all -- find them quiet and
		uncomplaining.  Early abuse and
		rejection have taught them
		passivity.  Only in their violent
		fantasies do they feel alive.  What
		they seek in their frenzied
		assaults on their victims is relief
		from passivity.  For these men, ten
		minutes relief is worth far more
		than the life of another human
		being.  Torture, the pain they
		inflict, the screams of the victim,
		are all part of the ritual that
		gives them a brief respite from
		their own psychic pain.  And then
		the depression, the forgetting, the
		feeling of sadness and despair
		begins the cycle all over again.
		Like addicts seeking their drug,
		Albert DeSalvo, Bianchi and Buono,
		Berkowitz, Dahmer, Bundy -- they
		seek out their next victim.

	During the second half of this speech, the eye of the camera
	has moved slowly forward until it settles just behind the
	balcony railing.

	CLOSEUP: HELEN

				HELEN
		The cycle is endless until they are
		caught.  And they are caught by
		chance -- they run a red light, and
		a body is in the trunk.  A leaking	
		pipe brings a plumber to a basement
		where they is the smell of death.

	Her eyes have come to rest on the spot of the camera eye in
	the balcony... Her voice chokes off.  She stares.

	HELEN'S POV:

	Sitting in the front row of the balcony, a YOUNG RED-HEADED
	MAN (DARYLL LEE CULLUM) leans forward, resting his tattooed
	arms on the railing.  He smiles intimately at HELEN.

	HELEN cuts her eyes to the left.  She sees:

	Backstage, an overweight COP in plain clothes.  Instantly
	alert to HELEN'S alarm, he jumps up, comes within an inch of
	exposing his presence to the audience.  A SECOND COP, in the
	wings on the other side of the stage, also springs to
	attention.  FIRST COP'S eyes follow HELEN'S...

	Their POV:  THE BALCONY - YOUNG RED-HEADED MAN is no longer
	there.

	HELEN  Can she believe her eyes?  Resumes:

				HELEN
		At any time, right now, as you
		listen, the FBI estimates there are
		30 to 35 serial killers stalking
		their victims.  The serial killer is
		a plaque that must be addressed not
		only by the law, but by science.
		Florida spent eight million dollars
		to execute Ted Bundy.  It would
		have been better spent building a
		forensic penal facility devoted to
		research.

	Once again her eyes fix on the balcony to reassure herself
	that the smiling man is not there...

				HELEN
		Confined for life, without parole,
		and subjected to scientific study,
		these men's lives might finally, in
		some small measure, educate and
		thereby protect society.  Thank
		you.

	Applause as Helen warily checks for the TWO COPS.  They are
	carefully casing the crowd.

								CUT TO:

	LATER:

	The crowd is breaking up.  FIRST COP walks HELEN to the
	ladies' room.  People reach to shake Helen's hand; she copes 
	as well as she can with her fear.  THEY LEAVE THE STAGE
	THROUGH A DOOR OPENING TO A CORRIDOR LEADING BACK TO
	DRESSING ROOMS AND A LADIES' ROOM...

								CUT TO:

	INT. LADIES' ROOM - DAY

	THE COP, clearly embarrassed, pokes his head in and looks
	around.  Under one stall he sees a woman's HIGH HEELS.  He
	hastily ducks back into HALL and signals an okay to Helen.
	Before the door behind her closes, we see the COP prepare to
	stand guard outside.  HELEN walks past the stall with the
	high heels to a stall several doors down.

	CLOSE UP HIGH HEELS:

	And a tattoo that the cop missed seeing on one of the
	ankles.  The shoes are kicked off.  The feet disappear from
	view as

	HELEN, a few stalls away, methodically places toilet paper
	around the seat before raising her skirt.  A faint noise
	makes her freeze.  Her hand reaches for the door.  She is
	just able to unlock it, but no more, before a NOISE COMES
	DOWN FROM THE NEXT STALL.

	Like a lariat it falls over HELEN'S head and is violently
	yanked tight.  She kicks at the stall door.

	CORRIDOR: COP, leaning against outside door smoking, hears
	the clang of metal as the stall door bangs open. He
	reacts...

	INT. LADIES ROOM - CONTINUED

	The RED-HEADED MAN is struggling to secure the rope around a
	hook inside his own stall.  KNOCKING (o.s.)

				COP (o.s.)
		Doctor Hudson?  Are you okay in
		there?

	The MAN lets slip a little slack.

	HELEN'S fingers, thrusting between the rope and her neck,
	get just enough air for HELEN to let out a strangled little
	scream.

	CORRIDOR: COP, not certain what to do about the ambiguous
	sounds from inside.  Women stands nearby, inhibiting him for
	a split second from going in the Ladies' Room door.  Now
	there is more SOUND from inside...

	INT. LADIES ROOM - CONTINUOUS

	COP steps into the room, gun down.  Over the COP'S shoulder
	we see HELEN hanging in open booth, her hand fluttering at
	her throat.  She has one slippery shoeless foot on the
	toilet seat.

	COP takes a couple of steps forward.  Behind COP'S back we
	see a broom closet door opening.

	HELEN'S POV: CLOSE UP: The COP, taken from behind.  In a
	second, his throat is slit.  In a gush of  blood, he falls,
	his gun still in his hand.

	RED-HEADED MAN standing over the fallen COP, smiling at
	HELEN.

	COP'S BODY IS TWITCHING, JERKING.  The violent contractions
	in his fingers cause the gun to go off... ONE... TWO SHOTS,
	the sound reverberating against the tile walls.

	STAGE AREA

	The audience and SECOND COP react to the gunshots.
	HELEN, her eyes bulging, struggling against the rope.

								SLAM CUT:

	INT. HELEN'S APT - SAN FRANCISCO - NIGHT

	As HELEN, in bed, bolts up from the nightmare, her hands try
	desperately to pull the dream rope from her neck.  She is now
	pale, her hair is dirty, there are deep circles under her
	eyes.  This is a woman in the throes of a breakdown.

				HELEN
		Andy!  Andy!

	She races through this LOFT APARTMENT (THE WALLS ARE EIGHT
	FEET UNDER A TWELVE-FOOT CEILING) to study opening off a
	hall.  She looks in, gasping for breathing...

	INT. STUDY - CONTINUOUS

	The room is neat -- nobody there.  (We will later see that it
	is used on and off by her computer, Andy.)

	HELEN whimpers in frustration; she is alone.  SHE TALKS TO
	HERSELF as she turns back and moves past a LIVING ROOM,
	where she turns on lights and the TV flicks on, (COURT TV.)
	The sound comes up, loud... She moves on... trying to calm
	herself with the sound of her own voice...

				HELEN
		It is October twelfth, 1994 in the
		city of San Francisco, California,
		U.S.A., the strongest, richest,
		most stable and happiest country in
		the world.  That is the sole place
		of life in the universe.  Under
		God.

	CLOSE: XANAX BOTTLE.  Two pills are shaken out into a palm,
	others scattering from the nervous haste...

	CLOSE: HELEN  Watching herself in BATHROOM mirror as she
	tosses down the pills, gulps water.  She regards her haggard
	reflection with a certain detachment...

				HELEN
		Good God.  What happened to you?

	She barks a rueful laugh... we are seeing a woman will
	herself from near-hysteria to relative calm...

								CUT TO:

	HALL  As she exits the bathroom.  And moves into her OFFICE.
	She pours herself a brandy and stands before two computers.
	Of the side-by-side computer screens, one is blank.  The
	other shows a chess setup.  Flashing on the bottom of the
	screen comes a command.

				CHESSMASTER
		'It's almost seven.  Make a goddam
		move.'

	She studies the chess set-up for a moment, then makes a
	move.  She has not even hit the Keyboard of the other
	computer before CHESSMASTER sends another message.

				CHESSMASTER
		'Lousy move.  Not really into this
		game, Helen.  Let's drop it.  I've
		got a feeling about you.  Let's
		meet.  Like a date.'

	HELEN types the following to CHESSMASTER.

				HELEN
		'I'm a terrible date.  I'd mess up your
		life.'

				CHESSMASTER
		'Another romantic dream gone all to
		hell.'

				HELEN
		'Maybe it's better to just dream
		on; avoid the disappointments of
		life.  Come on, move.'

	She pushes a button on the remote, and we see the window
	curtains open.  BRIGHT SUNLIGHT STREAMS IN!  We see that the
	T-shirt HELEN wears says "Shrinks 'R' Us."  She crosses to
	the window with her glass of cognac, looks out.

	VIEW:

	A sweeping view of the bay, and across to Marin County.  The
	morning sun is dispelling the last of the night's fog.
	HELEN opens window, puts a hand outside, trying to feel the
	air, the freedom.  Feeling quite restored from the dream
	horror of the night...

	O.S., THE PHONE RINGS.  HELEN.  A FRISSON.

	CLOSE: PHONE  Her hand comes into FRAME and picks up the
	handset and carries CAMERA TO CLOSEUP HELEN.

				HELEN
			(carefully)
		Yes?
			(listens)
		You son-of-a-bitch!  Son of
		a bitch...

	Stiff with fear and rage, she slams down phone.

				HELEN
		You filthy... son of a bitch!

	On the computer screen behind her the Chessmaster makes his
	move: the computer speaks in its tiny computer voice:

				COMPUTER
			(filter)
		You Queen is in check.
		Protect your Queen.

	OVER CREDITS:

	HOME MOVIE of a young woman dressed in a seat suit.  It is
	morning, and she is jogging on a park path.  Her hair is in
	a long braid.  She is sweating, breathing heavily, clearly
	near the end of a satisfactory run.

	THE FILM REVERSES, THE FILM STARTS UP AGAIN IN EXTREMELY
	SLOW MOTION.  WE ARE NOW AWARE THERE IS ANOTHER POINT OF VIEW
	AT WORK HERE.

	NOW THE FRAME FREEZES AT A POINT WHERE IT MAKES THE JOGGER'S
	OPEN-MOUTHED DEEP BREATHING LOOK LIKE

	A SCREAM!

	END TITLE AND CREDITS:

	INT. RIFLE RANGE - DAY

	MUZZLE OF SEMI AUTOMATIC PISTOL BLASTS NINE SHOTS ALMOST
	DIRECTLY INTO CAMERA.  A BEAT OF SILENCE...

	THE TARGET: it is a silhouette of a man's head and torso;
	centered in the right side of the upper chest, near the
	shoulder, is a small red circle.  Still SMOKING, THE HOLES
	FROM THE BULLETS are scattered all over the chest, and none
	in the circle.

				M.J. (V.O.)
		My third grade teacher at the
		convent shot better than that.

	THE SHOOTER, RUBEN GOETZ, AND PARTNER M.J.

				RUBEN
		Yeah, but she had divine guidance.

	We now take in the shooter, RUBEN, and his companion M.J.
	HALLORAN.  M.J. is a small, deceptively vulnerable looking
	young woman.  She is neat, buttoned down, crisp.  M.J.
	appears to be about twenty-five.  She is, in fact,
	thirty-four and a homicide inspector with the rank of
	sergeant.  She is usually dressed in slacks and a loose
	sweater or an oversize jacket that helps make her appear
	even smaller and younger than she is.

	RUBEN GOETZ is also in homicide, about twenty-six and junior
	in authority to M.J.  RUBEN is good-looking, good-humored
	and laid back.  He has a cellular phone attached to his
	belt.

	M.J. PULLS THE LINE THAT DOLLIES THE TARGET BACK TO THEM,
	AND RUBEN REPLACES IT WITH ANOTHER AS THEY TALK.

				M.J.
		I'd feel a whole lot safer with
		Sister Loretta for my backup.  Look
		at this guy: you shredded him!

				RUBEN
		Well, he's dead, he can't hurt me
		now.

	The target is rigged; they pull the line that dollies it back 
	to shooting position.

				M.J.
		It's sloppy shooting.  It's in
		character, Ruben, but unnecessary.
		And bad for your career.

	RUBEN LETS OFF THREE QUICK SHOTS: they cluster nearer the
	circle.  M.J. looks at him in surprise.

				RUBEN
		I've been practicing.  Now can I
		kiss your tummy?

	M.J. hides her smile as she prepares her weapon for her turn.

				M.J.
		Perp's holding a hostage, the
		shoulder on his gun hand is gonna
		be exposed.

	SOUND: A CELLULAR PHONE (ON RUBENS' BELT).  M.J. holds her
	fire.

				M.J.
		Answer it.

				RUBEN
		I'm sure she thinks it is.  Aren't
		you at least interested in which
		one it is?

	She's lost her concentration lowered the gun; now as he
	answers, she raises her gun and aims...

				RUBEN
			(into phone)
		I'm here, where are you?...
		Heeeeyyy!  What a surprise!  No.  On
		duty, have to call you back... You,
		too, you too.  My God, you made my
		day.

	He hits the "end" button...

				M.J.
		You hit the brachial nerve...

	SHE FIRES!  The shots make a perfect heart around the circle,
	inside his looser pattern.  ONE FINAL SHOT STRIKES EXACTLY
	IN THE MIDDLE!

				M.J.
		You're good enough you'll never
		have to kill anyone.  I joined the
		cops to save lives, not waste them.

				RUBEN
		You know, M.J., when I watch you
		shoot, I realize I've got a little
		problem with my stance... could you
		just move over here and critique my
		legs?

	He slaps his thigh where he indicates the trouble might be.
	She is unloading her weapon...

				M.J.
		The problem is between your legs.
		You told your shrink about that?

	She is unloading and cleaning up.  Ruben doing the same...

				RUBEN
		I tell my shrink about you,
		Sergeant.  I tell him you're the
		top cop of my dreams.

	Ruben has been gathering up his box of doughnuts, from which
	he has nibbled during the preceding... he drops them, picks
	one up off the floor and sticks it in his mouth...

				M.J.
			(putting away her
			 gear)
		Don't take that mess in the car.

	They're on the move; as they go away from us...

				RUBEN
		He's in love with you already...

							CUT TO:

	EXT. CRIME SCENE - DAY

	They pull up in front of an apartment building in the
	Pacific Heights section.  Patrol cars flank the street, the
	thick yellow ticker tape "POLICE CRIME SCENE DO NOT CROSS"
	is already up.  M.J. double parks beside a blue-and-white.
	A couple of cars from the media are already there.  SUSAN
	SCHIFFER a bulldog of a woman, and her camera crew, waylay
	M.J. and Ruben as they cross the sidewalk...

				M.J.
		Oh, Christ, the Mouth is already
		here.

	She is, with a cameraman with a haircut and smile that speak
	of a life of orthodontics and dreams of TV anchorship.

				RUBEN
		Hey.  And there's the Haircut right
		behind.  If she stops short he's
		gonna be there feet up her ass...

				SUSAN
			(on camera)
		Inspector, can you...

				M.J.
		I just got here myself, Susan.

				SUSAN
		...confirm this third murder adds
		up to a pattern?  Do we have a
		serial killer on the loose in the
		city?

				M.J.
		I just got here.  Talk to you
		later...

				M.J.
			(as they escape behind the
			 barrier tape)
		What the hell does she want to do,
		scare everybody to death?

				RUBEN
		That's her job... Jesus, Quinn is
		here already.

	QUINN, a splenetic Irishman, a politician, Chief of Homicide
	stands at the top of the steps leading to the front door.
	As they climb up toward him...

				QUINN
		I been waiting... I have to do
		everything myself.  Photo, crime
		tech, the Coroner are already
		inside.  The Landlady calls it in;
		tenant is not answering when
		called, she sticks her head in,
		sees the body, uses the deceased's
		telephone to call 911.  Otherwise
		nothing disturbed.  It's all yours,
		kid.  I'll take care of the Mouth
		and the Haircut.

	M.J. and Ruben enter...

	INT. APARTMENT HOUSE - HALL - DAY

	Four uniformed cops stand in the hall securing the premises;
	at the back one cop stands by a stunned and tearful woman
	chain-smoking (the Landlady).

				M.J.
			(to cop)
		That the Landlady?
			(to Ruben)
		You wanna talk to her, Ruben?
			(back to cops)
		Who was first on the scene?

	Mike answers her question by answering to Ruben!

				MIKE
		I was.

				M.J.
			(forcefully)
		I'm over here?  What's your name,
		Officer?

				MIKE
		Michael Johnson.

				M.J.
		You touch anything, Mike?  Pick up
		anything?  Use the doorknob?  I
		don't want to find your prints on
		anything later and you tell me you
		forgot to tell me.

				MIKE
		No.  I didn't.

	She glances at him, at the SLIGHTLY OLD INFLECTION ON THE "I
	DIDN'T."  But moves on, as Ruben goes to the Landlady...

	INT. BATHROOM - DAY

	The same YOUNG WOMAN we saw jogging, is now dead.  Hair
	still in a long braid.  She wears only a blouse, open and
	pushed back.  She is on her back in the bathtub, with one
	leg dangling over the side of the tub.  The effect is
	slightly posed, but casual, relaxed.

	Bending over her is DOC, the Coroner, WITHDRAWING A HUGE
	MEAT THERMOMETER FROM HER SIDE.

	M.J. APPEARS IN THE BACK OF THE SHOT taking in the scene.
	Foreground, Doc reads the thermometer.  The photographer is
	finishing up his shots.  The room is crowded.  Two Coroner's
	men wait in the doorway, a stretcher standing on end between
	them; M.J. has to pass between them to come down to the
	body.  THROUGHOUT WE FOCUS ON M.J.'S FACE; HER REACTION TO
	THE SCENE, RATHER THAN DWELLING ON THE SCENE ITSELF.  
	
	ON M.J.:
	
				DOC (V.O.)
		Liver and rigor are telling me
		about eight hours.  I'm gonna take
		her out now if it's alright.

				M.J.
		I'm seeing ligature marks on her
		neck here, petechial hemorrhages in
		her eyes.  Strangled.

				DOC
		You got it.  Same as the other two.

	THE TELEPHONE RINGS.

				COP (V.O.)
		Tell whoever she can't come to the
		phone, she's all tied up.

	Nobody laughs...

				M.J.
		That's real old material, get a new
		writer...

	She picks up the phone after the second ring, holding
	it in tissue someone hands her...

				M.J.
		Hello?

				PHONE VOICE
			(extremely cheerful)
		Hello!  This is Geena Martinez, how
		are you this morning?

				M.J.
		What is this about, Ms Martinez?

				PHONE VOICE
		I'm conducting a telephone survey
		to determine whether you're
		satisfied with your insurance on
		your personal valuables...

	M.J. gently hangs up the phone.  She has been looking at the
	Dead Woman... They pick up where they left off.

				DOC
		He used something soft, like a
		stocking or a bathrobe tie.

				M.J.
		Anybody find it?

	No answer as the Coroner's men crowd in beside M.J. to begin
	lifting the body out of the tub.  M.J. takes one last look
	into the dead woman's eyes...

				M.J.
		Cover her up, please.

	INT. HALLWAY - DAY

	Ruben still talking to the Landlady and taking notes.  M.J.
	approaches Mike... takes him aside...

				M.J.
		Mike.  Why don't you tell me what's
		bothering you?

	Mike is acutely uncomfortable.

				M.J.
		Whatever it is, I'm gonna find out
		and sooner is a hell of lot better
		than later.

				MIKE
		Well, there's something missing in
		there.  There was something around
		her neck when I came in there, but
		it's gone now.

				M.J.
		Who came in after you?

				MIKE
		Lieutenant  Quinn.

	She seems relieved.  Brightly:

				M.J.
		Well, it's all right, then, Mike.
		Thanks.

	EXT. CRIME SCENE - DAY

	In the door, M.J. appears, looking out thoughtfully over the
	scene; Ruben appears behind her.  The photographer is coming
	out...

				M.J.
			(to Photographer)
		Get me good faces on the crowd
		here.  Get a couple of harness bulls
		to grab anybody who starts to
		run...

				PHOTOGRAPHER
		Don't tell your Grandmother how to
		suck eggs.  I only been doing this
		work since your junior prom,
		darling...

	But M.J. is already on to other things.

							CUT TO:

	INT. HELEN'S OUTSIDE HALLWAY - DAY

	CLOSE ON A FOLDED NEWSPAPER THAT LIES ON THE FLOOR FIVE OR
	FIX FEET FROM THE DOOR TO HELEN'S APARTMENT.  HOLD DOOR IN
	B.G.

	The door opens and Helen looks out, wasted from cognac and
	Xanax.  She looks for the newspaper and sees it with a look
	of despair.

	HELEN'S POV

	The newspaper lies there, out of reach.

	HELEN

	As she stretches out her foot toward the paper, can't reach
	it.

	POV.  As she moves out into the hall her agoraphobia
	manifests itself: DISTORTED VISION THAT MAKES THE HALL
	STRETCH AND THE WALLS TAKE ON EXAGGERATED PERSPECTIVE;
	SICKENING -- VERTIGO!  The newspaper seems further away.

	HELEN  She drops to her knees and tries to lean out further
	into the hall...

	POV.  The floor seems to melt and roll in waves toward her.
	The newspaper melts like a Dali watch.

	HELEN sweats.  She lies flat on her stomach and crawls toward
	the newspaper... and with a supreme effort grabs it and
	squirms back inside.

	INT. APARTMENT - DAY

	As she slams the door shut on the hall, and sits gasping for
	breath.  After a moment she can bring herself to look at the
	newspaper... INSERT:

	POLICE BAFFLED IN DEATHS OF THE WOMEN

				HELEN (V.O.)
		Damn fools!

							CUT TO:

	INT. QUINN'S OFFICE - DAY

	QUINN is watching a portable TV screen with profound distrust.
	Onscreen is SUSAN SCHIFFER.

				SUSAN
		... continues to stonewall the
		public.  Now...

	There is a knock, but before QUINN can respond, M.J. enters.

				M.J.
		You messed with the scene.

				QUINN
		Shut up.

	He and M.J. both listen to SUSAN.

				SUSAN
		... third Bay Area woman has been
		strangled, but the police continue
		to deny that this is the work of
		one killer.  Lt. Thomas Quinn
		declares that the murders will be
		treated as unrelated crimes, unless
		new evidence...

	M.J. TURNS OFF THE TV, FACES QUINN...

				M.J.
		You messed with the evidence.

				QUINN
		I tagged the goddamned stocking.
		It ain't lost.  We're sequestering
		that evidence.  That's the trap some
		son of a bitch is going to fall
		into...

				M.J.
		Am I in charge of this thing?  Or
		not.

				QUINN
		I said you were...

				NH
		Then I decided what evidence we
		choose to sequester.

				QUINN
			(a beat here)
		Okay.  What do you want to
		sequester?

				M.J.
		The stocking around the neck.

	A long moment of looking at each other.  Then...

				QUINN
		You didn't say serial killer and I
		didn't say serial killer.

				M.J.
		Right.

				QUINN
			(not satisfied she
			 really means it)
		This is the anniversary of the
		summer of love and your city
		fathers have declared a Festival of
		Love.  The Mayor and Chamber of
		Commerce don't want TV announcing
		killers on the loose.

				M.J.
		Right.

	And she starts to go...

				QUINN
		We're gonna have a bunch of clapped
		out old hippies blissing on the
		Grateful Dead!  Sleeping in the
		park, smoking dope and sticking
		tulips up their ass.

				M.J.
			(exiting)
		Good.

							CUT TO:

	INT. SQUAD ROOM - DAY

	This large room is very busy, many officers at work.  Known
	sexual offenders have been rounded up.  False confessors add
	to the crowd.  Detectives who are not dealing with these
	people are making and taking calls.  At this desk, a tall
	intense looking Detective, NICCOLETTI, interrogates a false
	confessor, a man who looks like a businessman...

				NIKKO
		Harvey, I don't want you in here no
		more, making false statements...

				CONFESSOR
		They are not false.  We pay for
		city government like this, you
		don't even care about the truth?!
		I killed her in the bathtub.

				NIKKO
		Why?

				CONFESSOR
		Because she was dirty, a dirty
		girl!

				NIKKO
		How?  How did you do it, Harvey?

				HARVEY
		With a knife?

				NIKKO
		Good guess, but not good enough.
		Get the fuck outta here...

	He has stood as M.J. passes coming from Quinn's office.  He
	falls into stride with her through the crowded scene... He
	is sweaty and sniffs his armpits as a matter of general
	hygiene checkup...

				NIKKO
		What am I wasting my time with this
		shit for?

				M.J.
		Because it's your job, that's all.

				NIKKO
		Not what I meant; why me?

				M.J.
			(cutting)
		Maybe it's something you did in
		this life, Nikko...

	It has the flavor of a spoiled intimacy, an unfinished
	argument... He pantomimes she got him with a poison dart.

				NIKKO
		Got me.  That really hurt!  You...

	Ruben joins them; Nikko stifles and turns away...

				M.J.
			(to Ruben)
		Get Mercer to run the medical,
		dental, legal bills, laundry and
		dry cleaning receipts, extermin-
		ators, mailmen, grocery and
		drugstore deliveries, handymen,
		plumbers...

				RUBEN
		It's mostly done, they got nobody
		in common, the three of them... No
		mutual friends -- the Landlady says
		nobody was ever there, she never
		saw her with anybody.

	They are approaching PACHULSKI'S desk.  PACHULSKI is on
	phone.  Pachulski is looking at M.J., grinning...

				PACHULSKI
			(into phone)
		Yes, ma'am, I know.  You can't talk
		her right now... because she's 
		busy, she's all tied up.
			(sotto to M.J.)
		Deep Throat's back.

	He hits the speaker phone...

				FEMALE PHONE VOICE
		This is the third one.  You've got
		a serial killer here.  When are you
		going to start warning people?

				PACHULSKI
			(whispering)
		Fourteen calls from this broad.
		And she ain't stupid.

	M.J. signals for GIGI to trace the call.  Takes the phone,
	switches off the speaker...

				M.J.
		Who is this?

	INT. HELEN'S OFFICE - DAY

	HELEN on phone

				HELEN
		Who is this?

				M.J.
		Inspector Halloran, Homicide.  I'm
		in charge here.

				PACHULSKI
			(amused)
		Ask her about the moon bike.

				M.J.
		I'm really interested in your
		ideas.  The moon bike.  What is
		that?

				HELEN
		What is wrong with you people?
		The first two, I thought he might
		be on a lunar cycle because they
		were 28 days apart, but obviously
		not.  This new one is only two
		weeks.

	Pachulski is delighted at the joke he's played on M.J., M.J.
	not so much... Gigi signals they're getting it.

				HELEN (cont'd)
		You want to joke about moonbikes?!

				M.J.
		No, ma'am.  This is no joke.  And
		neither is tying up telephone lines
		to police with crank calls while
		people in trouble are trying to get
		through for help.

				HELEN
		You're calling me a crank?

				M.J.
		Do you have any evidence to report,
		ma'am?  Do you know any of the
		victims...

				HELEN
		I think this is number three...

				M.J.
			(over her)
		That's an opinion, not evidence...

	Gigi hands her a slip of paper... M.J. reads it... glares
	at Pachulski who is still laughing.  M.J. knows the name on
	the slip of paper...

				M.J.
			(covers the phone)
		Helen Hudson.  Get Ruben back
		here?

	As she turns back to the phone...

							CUT TO:

	INT. HELEN'S LIVING ROOM - DAY

	HELEN, now wearing slippers and shorts with the same T-shirts
	she slept in, is standing behind the living room curtains
	looking down at the street.  She hears a code knock, then a
	key turns in the lock.  She moves to greet ANDY her
	assistant and friend.  ANDY is laden down with groceries and
	mail.  HELEN immediately reaches a hand up to touch his
	face...

				HELEN
		Where were you?  Don't tell me.
		It's just under seventy, right?  The
		sun is strong but the air is dry
		and fresh...

				ANDY
		Would you please get your hands off
		my face, Tallulah?  What happened
		to the newspaper?

	He withdraws a popsicle from the bag, offers it to her.
	When she rejects it, he takes it for himself.

				HELEN
		I got it myself... I couldn't wait.

				ANDY
		Well!  Aren't we the daring one?
		What's morbid and ghastly enough in
		the news to make Doctor Helen set
		foot outside her door?  The antenna
		is gone off her car again.  I had
		no music, all the way to the
		market.  Let me find a garage for
		it?

	They're in the kitchen area; Andy unpacking stuff...
	expensive goodies...

				HELEN
		I've told you:  I can't afford to
		garage it.

				ANDY
		Are you kidding?  You buy enough
		gourmet junk every week... most of
		which rots... to garage a fleet of
		stretch limos.

				HELEN
		I had the dream again.
			(beat)
		And I got another call.  This time
		he spoke.  He said "You and me, you
		and me."

				ANDY
		A little heavy breathing is what
		most of us yearn for.  Forget it.

				HELEN
		He whispered, but it was him!  I
		know it was him!

	Andy now stops to address this seriously...

				ANDY
		He can't phone you unless the
		warden gets an okay from you.  Did
		you give him an approval?

				HELEN
		Andy?  When a three-year-old says
		there's a monster under the bed,
		you don't say 'forget it'.  You
		look under the bad.
			(beat)
		I'm three years old.  Call the
		prison.

	Her fear is so palpable, she is so nakedly vulnerable it
	breaks his heart.  He puts his arms around her.

				HELEN
		Oh God.  I'm really crazy.

				ANDY
		When was the last time you washed
		your hair?

				HELEN
			(shaky, but trying)
		Monsieur Andy, disapproves of my
		coiffure?

				ANDY
		Monsieur Andy can smell your
		coiffure.  And guess what else?

	He pats her thighs... she walks to the window as he talks...

				ANDY
		Cellulite.  What do you say I
		blindfold you and take you to the
		gym.  Aerobics with housewives...

	HELEN AT WINDOW

				HELEN
		Andy?

	Andy has heard this tone before:  panic attack alert.

				ANDY
		Here we go again.

	ANGLE AT WINDOW TO INCLUDE THEIR POV OF STREET

	In a parked car a man is reading a newspaper that hides his
	face.  Behind him is parked a slightly beat up red Saab.

				HELEN
		You parked right behind him.  The
		one I noticed earlier.  I didn't
		say anything, I thought he'd leave.
		Just take a look.

				ANDY
		Oh my God!  Help!  HE'S READING A
		NEWSPAPER!

				HELEN
		But earlier, he was staring up
		here.  Please, Andy.

				ANDY
		Okay.  You win.  'Dirty Harry'
		coming up.

	ANDY leaves the apartment.

	EXT. FRONT DOOR OF HELEN'S BUILDING - DAY

	The heavy old industrial door is pushed slightly open, ANDY
	peers out, sees:

	ANDY crosses behind the car and then sneaks back, coming
	up to Driver's side window, surprising the Driver.
	THE NEWSPAPER DROPS:  IT'S RUBEN.

				ANDY
		Excuse me, but would you mind
		explaining why you're watching the
		lady upstairs?

				RUBEN
		None of your fucking business.

	Usurping RUBEN'S aggressive attitude, ANDY leans his face
	close to RUBEN'S window.

				ANDY
		Listen, asshole, I've got a gun...

	RUBEN grabs ANDY by the collar and yanks his head inside the
	car.  With the other hand he pulls his gun and pushes it up
	ANDY'S nose.

				RUBEN
		I hate this...

				ANDY
		Only kidding!

	RUBEN pushes the 'up' button on the window, capturing ANDY'S
	head in a deadlock.  Then he opens the door, gets out, slams
	door, forcing the squawking ANDY into a helpless frisk
	position.  We HEAR HELEN scream, (O.S.).  Ignoring this,
	RUBEN begins to frisk ANDY.

	M.J. APPROACHING IN HER OWN CAR, SEES THE ACTION, BRAKES
	FAST AND GETS OUT.

	HELEN at window, shouting.

				HELEN
		I'm calling the police!

							CUT TO:

	INT. HELEN'S LIVING ROOM - DAY

	Andy enters, followed by Ruben and M.J., who holds up her
	badge to Helen.

				M.J.
		Investigators Halloran and Goetz.  I
		apologize for Goetz, he's a
		firehouse dog.

				ANDY
			(trying to defuse)
		I'm okay.  I really kind of enjoyed
		it.

	Uncomfortable silence for a beat as they try to take in
	what's happening, who's who and what's what.  Helen is
	confused, fighting back fear...

				M.J.
			(trying to communicate
			 here)
		Ring the gong, he goes.  Poor
		impulse control.

				HELEN
		Is he out?

				M.J.
		Who?

				HELEN
			(to Andy)
		If he's not out, why are they here?

				M.J.
		Because of your phone calls.

				HELEN
		What calls?  I haven't made any
		calls.

				ANDY
			(to distract)
		Are you staying long?  Shall I shut
		the door?  Make your coffee?  Make
		the beds?

				M.J.
			(to Helen)
		You talked to me.  Do you remember?

	The two women measure each other, Helen struggling to
	control herself.  A beat.

				HELEN
		You were the one that talked about
		moonbikes and called me a crank?
		Oh God, I am!
			(to Andy)
		Make them some coffee.
			(to M.J.)
		Halloran, is it?  Investigator
		Goetz?  I had a crank call myself--
		he said...
			(a moment of real
			 fear)
		I thought it might be Daryll Lee
		Cullum.  I thought he might be out
		of prison.

				RUBEN
		Daryll Lee Cullum?  I don't think
		so.  If he's escaped we'd have the
		National Guard, cops'd be crawling
		through sewers.  You'd have a guard
		on your front door.

				M.J.
			(looking around)
		I want to tell you it's a great
		honor to meet you and talk to you.

				HELEN
		You don't admire me.  No police
		admire me.  I got one of you
		killed.  Why don't you say right
		out what you're here for?

				M.J.
		You called us, Doctor Hudson.

				HELEN
		Yes, I did.  Poor impulse control.
		The accounts of the firs two
		murders made it so clear they were
		the work of the same man, but you
		kept announcing they were
		unrelated.  You'll never catch him
		that way.

	M.J. regards her for a moment...

				M.J.
			(to Andy)
		Sugar and cream for Goetz; I take
		mine black.
			(beat)
		You're absolutely correct.  The
		politicians don't want panic
		headlines spoiling the Festival of
		Love.

				HELEN
		Well, let's thank God you and
		Inspector Goetz are on the case,
		then.

				M.J.
		Would you want to work with us on
		this?

				HELEN
		Oh, my God, no!  I'm a clinical
		hysteric, with panic syndrome, and
		anxiety neurosis, agoraphobic, I'm
		afraid of everything, real and
		imaginary.  I never leave this
		apartment now.  Nobody ever comes
		here.  I just wanted to get your
		attention.  I write and I used to
		lecture on these crimes, but... I'm
		not competent.

				M.J.
		I think you are.  I really admire
		everything you've done; it would be
		an honor to work with you, and we
		need all the help we can get,
		especially yours.

				HELEN
		Inspector Halloran, that is so much
		bullshit, you don't like or admire
		me, but the beautiful part is I
		don't give a fuck.  That's the
		upside of having a breakdown.

				M.J.
		Well, it's a hell of an apartment
		you got here.  I'm living one step
		away from the projects, myself, but
		I get to go to work every day,
		wading in blood and guts.  I guess
		the books you wrote about these
		sons of bitches paid off pretty
		good.

				HELEN
		Will you go.  Andy, make them go.

				M.J.
		You can't go out lecturing?  Tough
		shit.  Women are dying.  Where can
		I lay this stuff out?

	She dumps files of photos, etc., out on Helen's cocktail
	table.

				HELEN
		I don't want this.  What are they?

				RUBEN
		You called us, Doctor, if you don't
		want to look at them here, how
		about downtown.  I'll drive you
		down...

	She pushes the pictures off onto the floor, tries to get up
	to leave the room.  M.J. and Ruben are both appalled at the
	force of what is happening: an all-out panic attack...

	Andy races t o the kitchen; Ruben tries to help but Helen
	fights him off viciously, gasping for air... Andy races
	back in with a PLASTIC BAG HE PULLS OVER HELEN'S HEAD AND
	FACE...  She hyperventilates into the bag...

	THE PLASTIC BAG BALLOONS OUT AND BACK IN HELEN'S FACE until
	she faints.  Andy deals with it like an everyday event,
	treating her very gently...

				ANDY
			(to Ruben)
		Now look what you did.

				RUBEN
		What did I do?

				ANDY
		You threatened to drive her
		downtown.  She has agoraphobia.

				RUBEN
		Fear of what...

				ANDY
		Open space.  She hasn't been out of
		this apartment in three years.  I
		didn't used to think it was real...

	He's making her comfortable.

				M.J.
		We'll get the paramedics...

				ANDY
		Oh, God, uniforms, more stress.
		Let her sleep.  It's a self-limiting:
		she hyperventilates till she passes
		out, then her breathing goes back
		to normal, and she wakes up singing
		like a lark.
			(rocking the
			 unconscious Helen)
		We know, don't we, Princess?
			(to them)
		Give her a couple of hours.  I know
		about this.

	M.J. starts to gather up the pictures and files.  She is
	angry and disgusted.

				M.J.
		Tell her we're sorry we bothered
		her.

				ANDY
		Hey, no.  Leave those here.  If you
		really want her help.  I mean if
		you really do, leave them.  Let her
		see them.  I'll see they're safe...

	M.J. takes in the scene; the now soundly sleeping Helen;
	Andy sitting over her protectively, the files and photos
	strewn around.  Makes a decision...

				M.J.
		Tell her to ask for me...

	She's handing Andy her card...

							CUT TO:

	EXT. HELEN'S APARTMENT HOUSE - DAY

	M.J. AND RUBEN come out in the street...  CAMERA IN A HIGH
	ANGLE LOOKING DOWN ON THEM...

				M.J.
		Snotty neurotic bitch...

				RUBEN
			(amused)
		Classy madonna.

				M.J.
		Sure.  She likes you, Rube.  She
		likes the way you move.  She sure
		as hell isn't in love with me.

				RUBEN
		You came in there with this
		attitude...

				M.J.
			(over him)
		Order Chinese for us and meet me
		the library?  Anything but beef.

	She jumps in her car, still steaming, leaving Ruben to move
	to his car.  AS HE MOVES CAMERA FOLLOWS, BECOMING A WIDER
	ANGLE TO INCLUDE FACADE OF HELEN'S APARTMENT.

	We can SEE ANDY, SITTING WHERE WE LEFT HIM, HOLDING HELEN IN
	HIS ARMS.  SHE SLEEPS PEACEFULLY.  DISTANTLY WE HEAR THE
	PHONE RING.  ANDY SHOWS IMPATIENCE, THEN CAREFULLY
	DISENGAGES FROM HELEN SO AS NOT TO DISTURB HER SLEEP.

	HE MOVES ACROSS THE ROOM UNTIL HE IS OUT OF FRAME.  THE SHOT
	HOLDS ON HELEN FOR A BEAT.  PHONE RINGS.

	THEN THE CAMERA PANS LEFT (OUR FIRST CLUE THIS IS ANOTHER
	POINT OF VIEW) ACROSS TO A SECOND WINDOW WHERE IT CATCHES
	ANDY MOVING UNTIL WE AGAIN DISAPPEARS BEHIND THE BUILDING
	WALL AND THE CAMERA PANS SMOOTHLY TO THE THIRD WINDOW, WHERE
	ANDY ENTERS.  WE SEE HIM PICK UP THE PHONE AND SPEAK INTO
	IT.  HE SEEMS IMPATIENT.

	THEN CAMERA PANS DOWN TO A CELLULAR PHONE, F.G. AND FOCUS
	RACKS TO E.C.U. AS A FINGER PUSHES THE "END" BUTTON.

	CLOSE: ANDY

	Putting down the phone.  Irritated...

				ANDY
		Shit...

							CUT TO:

	INT. POLICE LIBRARY - DAY

	CLOSE: AN ATTORNEY IN COURT

				ATTORNEY
		... it was your feeling after
		careful evaluation that he was a
		sexual sadist who satisfied at
		least four out of ten criteria in
		the DMS III?

	SHOW M.J. and Ruben watching videotapes, and eating Chinese
	takeout.  HELEN is being interrogated by the ATTORNEY for
	Daryll Lee Cullum.  Helen sure of herself to the point of
	arrogance, which is her undoing...

				HELEN
		Yes.  Without question.

				ATTORNEY
		Without question?  He only scored
		40 percent, four out of ten
		criteria?  Couldn't another expert
		say he flunked the sexual sadist
		test?  What curve are you marking
		on, Doctor?

				HELEN
		The test criteria are only part of
		what we look at in evaluating
		subjects.

				ATTORNEY
		Only part.  What else?  What did
		you think of his claim that he tied
		this girl to the tree and set fire
		to her because Joan of Arc told him
		to do it.

				HELEN
		He was lying.

				ATTORNEY
		'Lying.  He was lying.'  I asked
		you what you thought, not what he
		did.

				HELEN
		I thought he was lying.

				ATTORNEY
		You said, first, he was lying.  How
		do you know that, Doctor?

				HELEN
		Because people who are suffering
		from aural hallucinations hear
		voices in both ears.  Daryll Lee
		told me that Joan of Arc always
		appeared beside him on his left
		side and spoke softly in his left
		ear.

	Murmur of subdued laughter in court.

				HELEN
			(emboldened)
		He took pains to hide his actions
		because he knew they were morally
		wrong.  He was not acting on mad
		impulse.  He was sane and acting
		out a pattern he carefully followed
		every time.

				ATTORNEY
			(playing causal)
		What pattern was that?

				HELEN
		The same as the first time...

	She catches herself.  The D.A. has leapt to his feet, but now
	tries to sit down as though nothing was happening, but
	Helen, the Attorney and the D.A. all are clearly disturbed
	by the line this questioning is taking.

				ATTORNEY
		The first what?
			(as she hesitates)
		Your Honor, she's got this far, I
		think she should finish.  I don't
		think this jury should be left
		wondering where the rest of her
		statement would lead.

				JUDGE
		I agree, Doctor.

				HELEN
		The first two murders.

				ATTORNEY
		What first two murders.  We don't
		know about them here, do we?

				HELEN
			(giving up)
		He told me he had done two others
		just like it.

				ATTORNEY
		When was that?

				HELEN
		When he was seventeen.

				ATTORNEY
		And you believed him when he told
		you he had done that.

				HELEN
		Yes.  I believed him.

	The D.A. is rushing to the bench to argue with the Judge.

				JUDGE (V.O.)
		Yes, I'll accept a call for a
		mistrial.  Evidence of that other
		crime when the defendant was a
		juvenile is inadmissible and never
		should have been heard by this
		jury...

	FREEZE FRAMES.

	NOW WE SEE M.J. AND RUBEN LOOKING AT HELEN on the TV screen,
	THINKING...

	THE DOOR OPENS AND QUINN ENTERS.

				QUINN
		There was no sperm.

				M.J.
		The same as the firs two.
		Definitely a serial.

				QUINN
			(seeing HELEN on
			 video)
		What are you looking at that for?
		Helen Hudson.  Work the clues.

				M.J.
		What clues?  I'm going to work
		Helen Hudson.

				QUINN
		Would you step outside, Sergeant?

	M.J. leaves a cautiously silent RUBEN.  Once the door shuts,
	he turns tape back to 'play.'

	EXT. OUTSIDE DOOR TO LIBRARY - DAY

				QUINN
		I'm telling you.  Don't you ever
		address me publicly in that tone.
		You'll work what and who I tell you
		to work.

				M.J.
		Anybody in this department ever
		worked a serial killer case?  She's
		the expert.  I need help.

				QUINN
		How about I put Nikko on it?

				M.J.
		That's always your privilege, sir.

	QUINN snorts, starts on his way, then turns back.

				QUINN
		Sergeant?

				M.J.
		Yessir.

				QUINN
		You ever reflect how this big
		explosion in dead women coincides
		with the flowering of women's lib?

				M.J.
		Yessir.  I have reflected on that,
		sir.  Which explains my gushing
		deference to you, sir.

	QUINN is somehow cheered by this little exchange.

				QUINN
		Nikko's looking better by the
		minute, Inspector.

	He stomps off.

							CUT TO:

	INT. HELEN'S LIVING ROOM - DAY

	HELEN on couch, ANDY is massaging her neck.

				HELEN
		Oh, God.  I must have looked
		horrible.

				ANDY
		No, dear.  You're at your best with
		a bag in front of your face.

				HELEN
		I want to die.

				ANDY
		I wouldn't.  He'll be back.  If you
		want him.  The cute brutal type
		with handcuffs.  Very sexy.

	HELEN grins, and ANDY starts to tickle her, she laughs.

				ANDY
		You thought he was cute too, didn't
		you?  Admit... admit...

	HELEN now laughing a little too hard.  Suddenly the laughter
	changes to tears.

				ANDY
		What?  What'd I do?

				HELEN
		Reminded me that I used to be
		attractive.  That men used to want
		me...

				ANDY
		You slut!  No sexy young cop for
		you unless you shampoo your hair.

	She clings desperately to him.  He rocks her as he would a
	small child.

				ANDY
		When are you going to call them?

				HELEN
			(big beat)
		About what?

	ANDY PRODUCES THE FILE M.J. LEFT WITH HIM.  Helen looks at
	it.  Andy watches her...

				HELEN
		I can't, Andy.

				ANDY
		Then, why don't you just die.  I'm
		going.  They'll find your body
		years later, the old recluse lady,
		she ate cat food, ten years of the
		New York Times, unread, piled on
		top of the unread mail, the TV
		still on.  Make up your mind.  Live
		or die.
			(beat)
		I'll get coffee.

	He exits.  After a moment fighting her fears, Helen reaches
	for the file.  She opens it and looks at the first picture.
	THE PHONE RINGS.  She freezes... Panic hangs in the air...
	Andy answers the phone in the kitchen...

				ANDY (O.S.)
		Yes?  Inspector Halloran, she's
		going through the material now.
			(beat)
		She'll call you... No, she'll be
		alright, I'll sleep over on the
		couch in case.  But now, I told
		you, singing like a lark.

	Hangs up.  After a moment Helen bends to her work...

							CUT TO:

	INT. POLICE LIBRARY - NIGHT

	M.J. scanning microfilm newspaper & magazine clips.

	'COOL KILLER CULLUM'
	CONS COPS IN ESCAPE FROM CUSTODY

	Slew police bodyguard in attack on expert witness

	M.J. hears NIKKO entering, looks up, gives him a half-smile,
	returns her attention to the microfilm.

				NIKKO
		Working late.
			(no response)
		You're a damn fool.

				M.J.
			(preoccupied)
		Oh, I know.

	"ANOTHER ATTACK!"
	"HUDSON VICTIM OF BLOODY ATTACK.  BODYGUARD SLAIN!"

				NIKKO
		You're almost ten years older than
		he is.

	M.J. turns off the microfilm.  The last headline is retained
	on screen:

	"ESCAPE KILLER CLAIMS NEW VICTIM"

				NIKKO
		It's none of my business anymore...

				M.J.
		You got that right, Nikko, it's
		none of your business.

				NIKKO
		You're shitting ion your career.  You
		outrank hi...

	M.J. looks at him at last with wry amusement: he's jealous 
	of Ruben?
	
				M.J.
		Well, you outranked me, Nikko.

				NIKKO
		Yeah.  And you used that. Used me

				M.J.
		Don't put yourself down like that.
		I never used you.  I worked my way
		up like a marine grunt!

				NIKKO
		Yeah, you did that too.  You earned
		what you got; don't shit on it,
		that's all I'm saying.

				M.J.
			(maddeningly)
		God, you're cute when you're mad.

	The door opens and RUBEN enters, instantly takes in the
	scene:  M.J. sitting in front of a stalled machine, NIKKO,
	looming over her.  After an awkward beat, NIKKO heads for
	the door.  Ignoring RUBEN, he barks at M.J.

				NIKKO
		Think about it.

	RUBEN regards M.J., who busies herself examining the other
	tapes.

				RUBEN
		What's wrong with him?

				M.J.
		He's just mad he let me keep the
		espresso machine.  We heard from
		Doctor Hudson?

				RUBEN
		Nada.  Lemme make the call.

				M.J.
		Honest to God, Ruben!

				RUBEN
		I like women like that!

				M.J.
		Tell it to your shrink.

							CUT TO:

	EXT. SAN FRANCISCO RESIDENTIAL AREA - LATE DAY

	IN THE UNMISTAKABLE STYLE OF THE CAMERA EYE WE HAVE SEEN
	SHOOTING HELEN'S PLACE, IN THE PARK, ETC.:  A YOUNG
	RED-HEADED WOMAN, wearing shorts and an open-necked shirt,
	kneels on the grass, weeding a lush flowerbed.  The CAMERA
	SWISHHPANS TO the back door of the house as a man comes out
	balancing a tray with drinks.  The woman gives the man a
	dazzling smile, removes her gardening glove and takes a
	glass.  Her husband bends down, gives her a little kiss.
	She beams.  FREEZE FRAME.

							CUT TO:

	INT. HELEN'S LIVING ROOM - LATE DAY

	CLOSE UP:  early crime scene photos.

	WE SEE FOR THE FIRST TIME THE FIRST TWO MURDER VICTIMS, SO
	WE SEE THE PATTERN HELEN DESCRIBES AND ANALYZES.

				HELEN (V.O.)
		The way he's posed the bodies...
		he's flaunting his power to do
		whatever he wants to her.  This
		man... He probably seems perfectly
		normal.  These murders are organized
		and planned.

	WE ARE NOW SEEING THE ROOM:  M.J. AND RUBEN, HELEN AT A TABLE
	IN HER OFFICE LAYING OUT THE PICTURES.  Helen picks out one
	picture from the rest...

				HELEN
		Except for this one.  You put that
		one in to test me.

	M.J. nods, pleased with HELEN>

	INSERT: THE PICTURE.  The victim's body is covered with
	bruises.  But, unlike the others, her face has been covered.

				HELEN (V.O.)
		Is it an ongoing case?

	BACK TO SCENE...

				M.J.
			(nods)
		For months... last October.

				HELEN
		It was a lover or a husband.
		Someone close.  Somebody who knew
		her and cared about her.

				M.J.
			(glancing at Ruben)
		How do you know that?

				HELEN
		He felt remorse.  He covered her.

	HELEN arranges and rearranges photos like tarot cards.

				HELEN
		The bodies have been carefully
		arranged... different positions,
		but somehow the same.  The
		positions are brutal... yet
		quite... artful.  It's like... a
		signature.  He's proud of his
		accomplishments.  There are early
		Picassos and late Picassos, but you
		always recognize the hand.  He
		wants us to recognize his hand.
		I've seen this hand before... what
		are you hiding?

				M.J.
			(taken aback)
		Nothing.

				HELEN
		Where are the stockings he
		strangled them with?

				M.J.
		How did you know they were
		stockings?

				HELEN
			(sarcastic)
		I sent Andy out on murder missions.
		For God's sake -- it's the Boston
		Strangler, Alber deSalvo.  He used
		their own stockings to strangle
		them.  Tied in a bow-knot.

	She gets down a file from her bookcase and flops it open to
	pictures of deSalvo's victims:  they are identical...

				HELEN
		Somebody is imitating his m.o.
		Look for a plumber or carpenter or
		handyman; that's how deSalvo got in
		the door and caught them off guard.

				RUBEN
		The Boston Strangler, when was
		that...?

				HELEN
		In the sixties.  He's dead --
		stabbed to death in prison.

				M.J.
		Why imitate a dead serial killer?

				HELEN
		If you knew why, you might know
		where to look for him.
		I don't envy you this; he's not
		done -- he's going to do them faster
		and faster to keep the adrenaline
		rush.  Now, I've done what you 
		asked me.

				M.J.
		Work with me.

				ANDY (O.S.)
		It's good for you.

	They are startled by his appearance!  A little unsettling.

				ANDY
		It's good medicine.

				RUBEN
		A little homeopathic cure for the
		willies.

				HELEN
			(exhausted)
		None of you know anything about it.
		Now go.  And Andy, if you persist
		in playing doctor, leave, with
		them.

				ANDY
		I'm the only friend you've got,
		darling, and I don't intend to stop
		doing what I think is good for us.

				HELEN
		Get out!  All of you!

	Andy helps M.J. and Ruben scoop up the files...

				RUBEN
		You said you don't give a fuck and
		that's the beauty of a breakdown?
		This doesn't look like not giving a
		fuck, you know that?

				M.J.
		Let's get out of here...

	INT. HALL - CONTINUOUS

	As they leave, Andy is still at the door...

				HELEN (V.O.)
			(small voice)
		Andy!  Please.  Don't you go!

	INT. QUINN'S OFFICE - NIGHT

				QUINN
		Aw, Jesus.  The Mouth gets a load
		of this and we got major headlines
		around the world.  deSalvo redux.
		The matter, you think they don't
		teach Latin in Catholic schools?

				M.J.
		Don't swear at me because we got
		problems.  I'm just giving you the
		news.  I went to a Catholic school;
		I'll tell you what they teach.  On
		the knuckles they teach.

				QUINN
		Who've I got to beat up except the
		messenger?  Does this give us
		anything to go on?

				M.J.
		I'm checking out anybody who lives
		like DeSalvo.  Records of arrests
		for rape, especially by a man
		wearing green.  Checking out
		psychiatric hospitals for his
		personality profile.  Cross check-
		ing names from arrests for sexual
		offenses, public fondling.  If
		they've got a German wife.  We can
		keep cops working on this kind of
		junk for years, and this guy's
		going to hit again, soon.

				QUINN
			(morose)
		I know.  Get out here.

				M.J.
		So.  Do we tell the media and hope
		for somebody to come forward with
		information?

				QUINN
		Or for some new nutcase to copycat
		the copycat.

				RUBEN
		What I love, the big fight, some
		girl, she drops the quarter on her
		boyfriend so the bastard spends the
		night in custody, just to teach him
		a lesson.  We'll get a shitload of
		those.

				QUINN
		Another country heard from.
			(deciding)
		No.  We're keeping it quiet, don't
		give the bastard the attention he's
		maybe begging for.

							CUT TO:

	INT. HELEN'S APARTMENT - NIGHT

	HELEN sits at side-by-side computers.  The chess game is
	again in progress.

	HELEN makes a move.  Pleased with herself, she smiles,
	types, "I'm creaming you."

	Suddenly over HELEN'S shoulder, the other screen becomes
	active, we see 'Message for Helen Hudson.'

	Engrossed in her own chess game, she does not notice the
	screen until, tense from sitting too long, with waiting for
	CHESSMASTER'S move, HELEN begins to stretch her neck and
	toll her head.  Now, out of the corner of her eye, she sees
	the other screen.  Quickly, she clicks on this, and the
	screen prints out 'A GAME FOR DR. HUDSON PLEASE RUN THIS
	"TOMORROW.AVI" FILE ON YOUR PLAYER.'

	HELEN TYPES 'WIN' AND WINDOWS SCREEN COMES UP.  WITH THE
	MOUSE SHE CLICKS ON THE AVI PLAYER ICON, TYPES IN
	"TOMORROW.AVI" AND HITS ENTER.

	A PICTURE APPEARS: IT IS THE FACE OF THE WOMAN IN THE
	BATHTUB.  IT CHANGES AFTER A TENTH OF A SECOND MORPHING
	THROUGH A COLLAGE OF IMAGES OF TWO WOMEN.  A hand emerges
	from a breast of the other.  Two heads.  One, properly on
	its own neck, the other emerging from between two legs.
	Hands, feet, breasts, hair of two bodies mixed mischievously
	into one FINAL IMAGE OF A SECOND WOMAN ALIVE AND SMILING
	ECSTATICALLY AT THE CAMERA.  Both women wear their hair in
	long braids.

	INTERCUT WITH HELEN: APPALLED.

							CUT TO:

	ANDY LIES WITH TV ON, NAKED, GIVING HIMSELF A PEDICURE.  HE
	HAS EARPHONES TO MUFFLE THE TV SOUND.  From the dark spaces
	of the loft there

	ECHOES A SCREAM OF SHEER TERROR FROM HELEN!  After a beat from he
	realizes, tears off the earphones and bolts into the
	darkness...

							CUT TO:

	EXT. HELEN'S APARTMENT HOUSE - NIGHT

	POLICE CARS DRAW UP IN FRONT, DOUBLE PARKING.  M.J. and Ruben
	jump out and walk, fast, toward the building... (Shot from
	same high angle -- the secret watcher's POV -- from which we
	saw M.J. and Ruben leave after their first visit.)

	INT. HELEN'S HALLWAY

	AS HER DOOR IS OPENED, by Andy.  Ruben and M.J. enter...

				ANDY
		She's in the office...

	INT. HELEN'S OFFICE

	The computer glow, the unfinished chess game still up, and
	the RED-HEADED WOMAN'S joyful face on the other.  HELEN SITS
	IN A CHAIR WITH HER BACK TO THE SCREEN, ROCKING BACK AND
	FORTH, suppressing her fear by sheer will.  M.J. and Ruben
	enter with Andy...  they look at the face on the computer
	screen... (this is the only light in the room).

				HELEN
		That's the face of the next one
		he'll kill.

	She hasn't looked at them or the computer... SHE ROCKS...

				M.J.
		How do you know that?

				HELEN
			(can't look at it)
		Look at the bottom of the screen.
		You see the icon with the arrow
		pointing left?  Click on that...
		twice.

	RUBEN (FROM A MISSPENT YOUTH IN VIDEO ARCADES) expertly
	maneuvers the mouse and clicks on the icon as instructed.
	NOW THE ANIMATED COLLAGE PLAYS BACKWARD!  IN TENTH OF A
	SECOND STEPS WE SEE THE IMAGE OF THE RED-HEADED WOMAN MERGE
	BACKWARD THROUGH THE DISTORTED IMAGES AND BECOME

	THE DEAD WOMAN IN THE BATHTUB.

	M.J. AND RUBEN REACTING, LIGHTED BY THE GLOW FROM THE SCREEN.

				M.J.
		How did you do that?

				HELEN
		That computer's wired into
		INTERNET.

				RUBEN
		He's hacked into her Internet
		address.  He's a hacker.

				HELEN
			(rocking, rocking)
		He can get into my computer any
		time he likes!  This is exactly the
		kind of thing I didn't want to have
		happen.

				M.J.
		Can you make a copy we can show on
		our computers?

				HELEN
		It's too big a file to copy to a
		disk.

				RUBEN
		You got a tape backup, yeah, here
		lemme copy it on tape...

				M.J.
		Why would he send this to Helen
		Hudson...

				HELEN
		It's a game they like to play.
		Berkowitz -- "Son of Sam" -- hung
		around the crime scene, talking to
		the cops.  This one's probably
		watching you, laughing at you.

				RUBEN
		Let me get a little action started
		here.

	M.J. nods to him to get along... He calls on his cellular
	phone while simultaneously working the computer...

				M.J.
		I'm going to put a guard on your
		door.

				HELEN
		One officer already got killed
		trying to protect me.  Please, just
		take it all away.  Leave me alone.

				M.J.
		He won't.

				RUBEN
		Look at this...

	THE COMPUTER SCREEN HAS A LEGEND ON IT:
	NOW YOU SEE ME...

	As they watch, it is replaced by:

	NOW YOU DON'T...

	AND THEN IT FADES TO BLACK...  Helen goes to the machine and
	maneuvers with mouse and keyboard.

				HELEN
		It's gone.  The file's not here.
			(to Ruben)
		What did you do?

				RUBEN
		I just started it copying to tape,
		but the tape never ran.  It just
		did that...

				HELEN
			(respect)
		He's brilliant.  This one is
		brilliant.

				M.J.
		We'll show that to...

				HELEN
		Show what?  It's gone.  He wrote a
		self destruct virus into the code,
		so it would only play until we try
		to copy it.  Then it erased itself.
		Gone...
			(beat)
		Do you remember what you saw?

							CUT TO:

	INT. POLICE HQ CORRIDOR - DAY

	M.J., RUBEN, QUINN, MAYBE OTHERS OF HIS STAFF STRIDE
	PURPOSEFULLY DOWN THE CORRIDOR, CAMERA MOVING WITH THEM...
	For a moment we won't know who Quinn is talking about...

				QUINN
		He's on the phone calling me like an
		insurance salesman soliciting my
		business, for Christ's sake.  I
		didn't tell him the three most
		over-rated things in life are young
		pussy, regular exercise and the
		F.B.I.

				M.J.
		Oh, maaaaan?!

				QUINN
		What?  I talk like a cop, this is
		the way I talk.  I can't believe
		this guy.  Saks.  He's a Deputy
		Assistant Director of the F.B.I.
		"Let me help you!"

				M.J.
		We could use a little help.

				QUINN
		With the F.B.I. there's no such
		thing as a little help.  They bury
		you with help.  Explain to me about
		this virus, no don't tell me about
		the virus.  Thing is, you saw it,
		the pictures.

	They pass through a door into a ROOM where the homicide team
	sit waiting... M.J. goes right into a briefing...

				M.J.
		We saw it.  The unknown target is
		kneeling, she's gardening.  Red
		hair, high cheekbones, mid-
		thirties, height I don't know,
		she's not overweight, she's
		zofting... She's in front of a
		house that looks like...

							CUT TO:

	EXT. MARINA HOUSE - LATE DAY

	As she is speaking, her description becomes V.O. as we SEE
	police cars and an ambulance drawn up IN FRONT OF THE HOUSE
	SHE IS DESCRIBING...

				M.J. (V.O.)
		... the Marina area, there was
		earthquake damage repair on the
		house it looked like, a little
		garden.  The light was late
		afternoon.  Say about cocktail
		hour.  He was bringing out drinks,
		margaritas by the look.  So we got
		a house facing west, on the east
		side of the street.  Full sun, so
		there's no high trees or buildings,
		residential both sides.

	SUSAN SCHIFFER and her crew arrive, leaping out of their van
	with their equipment, a makeup woman ADJUSTING SUSAN'S
	MAKEUP AND HAIR RIGHT THERE IN THE STREET...

							CUT TO:

	INT. MARINA HOUSE - DAY

	M.J. and Ruben, Quinn, etc., trying to calm and/or question
	the HUSBAND, who is in shock.  He is the man we saw bringing
	drinks.

				HUSBAND
		Stupid goddam s-stupid p-poker
		game!  Always have to s-stay until
		Phil makes a c...comeback.  Am I
		stuttering?

	The husband's voice follows QUINN and others as another COP
	leads them toward the back of house.

	DOOR TO BEDROOM.  QUINN AND RUBEN have stopped just inside
	door.  M.J. forced to peer around them.

	M.J.'S POV: On the bed, the RED-HEADED WOMAN'S body is
	propped up against the headboard, her knees up, her head
	fallen onto a shoulder: her pajama top has been ripped open
	and pushed up.  Knotted around her neck is a pink scarf tied
	in a huge bow under her chin.  On her feet, secured between
	her toes, is a commercial flyer advertising the Festival of
	Love.  It is brightly printed with red hearts.  It has been
	hand-lettered:

	HELL IN THE FESTIVAL OF LOVE

							CUT TO:

	EXT. FESTIVAL OF LOVE IN GOLDEN STATE PARK - NIGHT

	CAMCORDER capturing the audience of a ROCK CONCERT in full
	blast, in GOLDEN GATE PARK.  The audience, mostly young,
	some in 70's costume, sit and loll around on blankets.  Most
	seem to have some variety of refreshment... liquid or rolled.
	The CAMERA records the unsteady progress of a lovely YOUNG
	GIRL, weaving her way through the blankets and the bodies.
	She suddenly becomes aware of the camera being aimed at her.
	She stops, strikes a comically seductive pose and gives a
	big, gorgeous smile.  FREEZE FRAME.

							CUT TO:

	INT. HELEN'S APARTMENT - NIGHT

	ANDY answers the door.  M.J. and Ruben...

				ANDY
		She just got to sleep.  Do you have
		to tell her about it now?

				M.J.
		Tell her about what?

				ANDY
			(mock admiration)
		Gaahhd!  What a cop!  You busted
		me!
			(real)
		The new one, in the Marina.
			(to their reaction)
		She has a police radio scanner.
		It's always on.  She turns it off,
		and then she has to turn it on
		again.  She's obsessed.  She can't
		not listen to it, but she can't
		listen to it, so she makes me
		listen to it.

	HELEN APPEARS IN WHATEVER SHE SLEEPS IN.

				HELEN
		I am not going to look at any more
		pictures.  They're like a disease.
		They get into my head.  I can't get
		them out.

				M.J.
		I don't look at pictures.  I look
		at the real thing.  I don't feel
		infected.

				HELEN
		Maybe that's why you can't catch
		him.  I know what she looks like --
		the red-headed woman in my
		computer.

				M.J.
		I just came from her... here's what
		you haven't seen.

	M.J. takes out a picture of the dead RED-HEADED WOMAN.  Her
	manner is that of cop with a witness.

				M.J. (cont'd)
		A forgery of the Mary Sullivan
		murder scene, he's done it perfect.
		Except for the sign.

				HELEN
			(looking at photo)
		She probably let him in the door
		without a thought.  Where are their
		mothers?!  Where are the mothers
		that are supposed to teach them to
		be wary and to tough and not afraid
		to fight?

				M.J.
		Look at the sign.  'Hell'?  In the
		Festival of Love?  You make any
		sense in that?

	HELEN stares at the picture.

				M.J. (cont'd)
		For 'Hell', read 'Helen'.  He's
		talking to you.

				HELEN
		It's anybody connected to author-
		ity.  They write, they even knock
		on your door.  They're fans.  It
		thrills them to flirt with getting
		caught.

				M.J.
		Nobody knows you have anything to
		do with this case; nothing has been
		on TV or the news... Why would he
		want to get in your computer?

				HELEN
		Because I'm his damned pin-up girl!
		His, all of them!  They know me.
		They're in prisons with libraries,
		they collect clippings, I'm their
		worthy opponent.  You keep my name
		out of this.

				RUBEN
		Absolutely.

				M.J.
		My promise.

	Andy, who has ducked out, now reappears, dressed for a date.

				ANDY
		The moon is up, my night to howl.
		Will you be okay?

				HELEN
		Oh, God, I forget.  Yes.  Yes.  You
		go.  Poor thing, you ought to get
		out.

				ANDY
			(to M.J.)
		Look out for her.  She's tougher
		than you think.

	He goes...

				HELEN
		I know 'Halloran.'  What's the rest
		of it?

				RUBEN
		MaryJane.  We call her M.J.

				HELEN
		MaryJane.  You think that logic and
		police procedure, order and science
		and method will hold back the
		horrors of a world gone mad and the
		sickness of the night.  I did once.
		But you know how he'll get caught?
		He'll have an accident, or some cop
		will get lucky.  You can't catch
		him by being intelligent and
		working hard.  Or the worst:  there
		are dozens of women slaughtered in
		the most horrible way, month after
		month.  The news stories grow more
		grotesque and bizarre and in the
		city people lock their doors and
		windows, and hurry home before
		dark.  And then, one day, there are
		no more.  What happened?  Did he
		just stop?  Get tired and disgusted
		and decide not to kill any more?
		Did he kill himself?  Did he die in
		an auto accident?  Or a fight.  Or
		get sick and die?  It's like the
		murderer walked off the edge of the
		earth.  And you never know.  But
		you keep asking yourself -- when you
		read about a new murder -- is he
		back?

	M.J. stands.  She has noted Ruben's reaction to Helen's
	story.  There is an edge of sarcasm in her voice...

				M.J.
		That's amazing.  A whole new book,
		thought up in a minute.  Very good.
			(beat)
		All I know how t do is get up,
		take a shower, and go to work.
		Hope, if he does another I'll nail
		the son of bitch, and they'll spell
		my name right in the newspaper.
		Where is Andy going?

				HELEN
		He's going home.  He slept over
		because I was a little anxious...

				M.J.
		I want a guard on you.  I'm worried
		about leaving you alone.

				RUBEN
			(to M.J.)
		We're through for the night, aren't
		we?  You go on.  Get some sleep.
		I'll stay until we can get a man
		out here and maybe catch a cab
		home.

				HELEN
		That would be much appreciated.
		Thanks.

				M.J.
			(to Helen)
		Somewhere down the line we're doing
		to find a connection between him
		and you.  I want you to worry that
		idea like a loose tooth.

	Three voices chime self-conscious 'Good-nights.'

							CUT TO:

	EXT. HELEN'S BUILDING - NIGHT

	THE SILENT WATCHER'S POV through the eye of the
	CAMCORDER, we catch M.J. exit HELEN'S building.  She stops
	momentarily on the sidewalk to look up at Helen's window...
	The drapes swing open.  RUBEN CAN BE SEEN DOING SOMETHING AT
	THE WINDOWS... The Camcorder zooms to a close-up of M.J.
	She gets into her car and speeds off.

	INT. HELEN'S BEDROOM - CONTINUOUS

	Ruben is checking the windows...

				RUBEN
		You ought to get some decent locks
		on these.  A six-year-old could get
		in here.  Much less a motivated
		man.

	At the phrase 'motivated man', HELEN looks at him boldly in the
	eye.
  				HELEN
		You and MaryJane aren't lovers.

				RUBEN
		Not yet.

	HELEN laughs.  So does RUBEN.  Her boldness, her laughter,
	attracts him.  His honesty attracts HELEN.  He feels the
	heat.

				HELEN
		Are you always so bold?

				RUBEN
		No.  I'm shy and I'm selective.

	His grin says he'd select her anytime...

				RUBEN
		The problem for me is... you're in
		the witness category.
			(beat -- Jack
			 Nicholson)
		Know what I mean?

				HELEN
		Well.  Another time, then.
			(beat)
		I'll be all right.  He's not going
		to attack me; what I' m rally
		afraid of is all in my own head,
		Ruben.

	They smile ruefully at one another, and without further
	conversation, leave the bedroom.

							CUT TO:

	INT. HELEN'S FRONT DOOR - NIGHT

	RUBEN is outside the door.  HELEN just inside.

				RUBEN
		They'll have a guard here tomorrow.
		I know you have the idea, but it'll
		make me feel a lot better.

	She smiles, and RUBEN turns, walks away.  She stays in the
	doorway watching his retreat.  About ten feet away, he
	suddenly stops.

				RUBEN
		Hey!

	He turns around, she is still in the doorway.  He reaches
	for his wallet, withdraws a card, holds it up to her.

				RUBEN
		The number for my cellular.

				RUBEN
		Don't hesitate.  Anytime.  Night or
		day.  I mean that.

	He hods card out to her.  HELEN, holding onto the door
	frame, doesn't move.  RUBEN continues to extend his hand
	with the card in it.  It is a charged moment.  She is frozen
	in the doorway; RUBEN refuses to make a move towards her.
	HELEN summons all her nerve and lets go of the door frame,
	determined not to have any further mortification this night,
	she takes one shaky step out into the hallway to meet him.
	Then a second step and a third.

	Her hand touches the card, takes it.

	She turns her head to gauge the distance she must retreat.
	What she sees is that the door's Sureclose device has
	quietly and efficiently closed.  The door is locked.
	Frantic, she turns back toward RUBEN.

	HER POV:

	RUBEN, now seems a vast distance away from her.  He is just
	turning down the stairs and is gone... The hallway first
	narrows, squeezing her in, then expands.  She is lost in the
	miles and miles of space between the two walls.

				HELEN
		Oh, God!  Help me!

	RUBEN reappears, races toward her...

				RUBEN
		Tell me what to do!

				HELEN
		I'm falling!  I'm going to fall!

	She starts to pass out, to sink to her knees, but RUBEN
	catches her, puts her up against the wall, handling her like
	a suspect.  He puts one hand on the back of her neck,
	spreads her legs, gets her in frisk position.  Somehow, this
	is comforting to her, but she is still in full-blown
	panic...

				HELEN
		...falling... FALLING!

	He pressed his body up against hers, his weight anchoring
	her against the feeling of free-fall.

				RUBEN
		I'm right here.  I won't let you
		fall.

	He still has a hand on the back of her neck.  Suddenly, the
	proximity effects him, makes him want to kiss her neck.  She
	begins to hyperventilate.

				HELEN
		Don't let go... I can't breathe...
		I'll die!

				RUBEN
		Shhh.  It's okay.  Just breathe.
		I'll fix it...

	RUBEN takes out his gun...

				RUBEN
		Put your hands over your ears.

	RUBEN shoots off the lock.  Then he picks HELEN up and
	carries her back into her apartment.

	INT. HELEN'S LIVING ROOM - CONTINUOUS

	RUBEN enters and puts HELEN down on the couch, pulls a throw
	up over her.  He sees her Xanax bottle on a table, hands it
	to her.  She takes out three as he pours her some seltzer
	water, then watches her take the pills.  After which he
	takes the bottle and pockets it.

				HELEN
		The lock...

				RUBEN
		I'll get a locksmith.

				HELEN
		Will you stay?  Please?  I'm afraid
		to sleep... I don't want...him...in
		my head...

	RUBEN pulls a big chair up beside the sofa.  As her eyes
	close, RUBEN comforts her.  TV features the antics of a
	nervous little prairie dog family.  He looks back at HELEN.

	CLOSE UP HELEN:

	We hear a faint but impatient voice call:

				V.O.
		Peter... Peter...

							CROSS FADE TO:

	INT. BEDROOM (DALY CITY) - NIGHT

	Dim light.  The room is unattractive, over-furnished but not
	comfortably.  A WOMAN is sitting propped up in a double bed.
	She is in her mid-thirties, but drained and pale, she looks
	older.  A chronic invalid.  By her side is a NASTY LITTLE
	DOG, with ribbon bows in its fur.  Near the bed is a TV and
	video, on which a movie's final credits are running.

	THE WOMAN IS IMPATIENTLY PUSHING AN INTERCOM BUTTON

	PETER enters.  Younger than the woman, rather good-looking.
	Boyish and nondescript except for a patch of white skin near
	his hairline.  AN OLD SCAR.  He goes straight to TV and puts
	the tape on 'eject.'

				WOMAN
		Put in the Kevin Costner.

				PETER
		Why don't we save it for later?
		It's almost time for Letterman.

				WOMAN
		You know I don't like to watch talk
		shows by myself.  Where're you?

	He inserts the video she wants and pushes 'play.'  Then he
	approaches the bed, leans over his wife and gently pushes a
	lock of hair back from the forehead.

	She ignores him, staring at the screen.  The NASTY LITTLE
	DOG BARES ITS TEETH AND SNAPS AT HIM.

				WOMAN
		See, now you've annoyed her.  You
		know she doesn't like you to touch
		me.
			(to dog)
		Does she, widdle wee fing!  Wuhve
		you so much!
			(to Peter)
		Did you feed her?

				PETER
		Yes, I fed her.  If she says she's
		hungry, she's lying to you.  Again.

				WOMAN
		She doesn't lie!  You sure you fed
		her?

				PETER
		She lies all the time.  Why would I
		say I fed her if I didn't?

				WOMAN
		That's what I don't know.  Why
		would you lie?  That's the
		problem... I can't understand why
		anyone would lie.

	He leaves.  As he goes we can hear the Woman still talking
	to her dog over the TV soundtrack.

				WOMAN (cont'd)
		You wouldn't lie to Mummy, would
		you?  Just to get Dad in trouble?
		Such a naughty widdle dog...

	HER VOICE FADES AWAY AS WE FOLLOW HIM down the stairs into a
	small, ill-lit and dreary living room, into a messy kitchen,
	then through a door leading to the basement.  He locks the
	basement door behind him.

	THE BASEMENT is brightly lighted, full of high tech, gadgets
	and computers.  As he approaches the bottom stair, we see a
	small TV/video set attached to a wall.  On its screen,
	freeze-framed and silent, is a video of a PRETTY GIRL at an
	outdoor rock concert, smiling seductively.

	PETER puts on a WHITE LAB COAT and then reaches over
	something to turn the video back on.

	The CAMERA PANS DOWN to what he has leaned across.  It is
	the YOUNG GIRL from the concert.  She is strapped onto a
	table, her mouth taped shut.  A plastic bag covers her head,
	but not tightly.  She is semiconscious.  She is being
	asphyxiated by slow degrees.

	PETER looks at her, gently pushes the bag up far enough to
	repeat the tender gesture with her damp hair that he made
	toward his wife.  He whispers:

				PETER
		Didn't I promise I'd come right
		back?

							CUT TO:

	EXT. HILLSIDE - DAWN

	ALL NIGHT FESTIVAL REVELLERS dance across the skyline, of
	glorious misty green hills, hand in hand.  The Camera moves
	down, across verdant meadows, until we arrive at the bottom
	of the nearest hill which slopes finally to a highway.  A
	few festival up-all-night REVELERS, looking down at a new
	CRIME SCENE, where three blue-and-whites are parked, plus a
	number of unmarked cars.

	RUBEN ARRIVES IN A TAXI.

	As he moves past the ever-present SUSAN we THREAD THROUGH
	THE SCENE TO FIND M.J.  M.J. takes one look at RUBEN'S
	stubble, his yesterday's slept-in clothes, and she turns
	away.  Before RUBEN can catch up with her, NIKKO approaches.

				RUBEN
		Up all night with a sick friend.

	NIKKO'S face is tight with anger.

				NIKKO
		You dumb son of a bitch!  You don't
		even know how to treat a woman.

				RUBEN
		Who?  M.J.?  Hey, Nikko, explain to
		me why she gave you the boot...

	He moves to M.J. who stands beside the dead BODY OF THE
	WOMAN WE LAST SAW STRAPPED TO A TABLE.  The plastic bag is
	now tied tight around her neck.  She has been posed beneath
	a sign that says "NO DUMPING".  The usual technicians,
	photographers, Doc, the Coroner, etc.

				RUBEN
		Is Niccoletti assigned here?

				M.J.
			(angry about it)
		Quinn decided we should form a task
		force -- they're all one case, now.
		He wants all the senior detectives
		on it...
			(to Doc)
		She wasn't killed here.

				DOC
		Not likely.

	M.J. is kneeling, inspecting everything here; Ruben kneels
	beside her... to Ruben...

				M.J.
		Tell me what you see.

	He inspects the dead girl's fingernails.

				RUBEN
		She didn't fight back, no hair or
		skin under her fingernails.  I'm
		not seeing any bruises or
		contusions...

				M.J.
		What about her arms?

				RUBEN
		Needle marks, fresh, here.  look at
		this...

	Nikko appears, looming over her...

				NIKKO
		Probably so stoned she never knew
		what got her.  Like Goetz's sick
		friend.  Right Goetz?

	They ignore him.  M.J. stands...

				RUBEN
		She's blue as hell.  No marks on her
		neck.  Asphyxiated?  not the same --
		no ligature marks.  Outdoors...

				M.J.
		Look at her legs.

				RUBEN
		Spread out like she was sexually
		assaulted here.

				DOC
		After she was dead.

				RUBEN
		She was dragged up here from the
		road, you can see the tracks.  She
		was already dead or unconscious.
		Let's get plaster casts on any --
		all footprints.

				M.J.
		If this is just the dump site,
		where did he do the job?  Where did
		he pick her up?

				NIKKO
		Doped up kids all over town.  Park
		was full of them last night.  Very
		easy pickin'.  Goetz's type.

	Ruben hits him, Nikko reflexively throws a punch that grazes
	Ruben.  Everybody stops in astonishment.  M.J. steps between
	them.  Ready to get physical herself; they settle...

				M.J.
		What the hell are you doing?  The
		Mouth and the Haircut are right
		down there, thank God they didn't
		see that.

	Down below, Susan and the Haircut are interviewing Festival-
	of-Lovers.

				M.J.
		Niccoletti, they're on the wrong
		side of the tape, you want to push
		them back?  Now.

	Nikko trots off to Susan and the Haircut.  M.J. gestures for
	RUBEN, now on his feet and dabbing at a split lip, to follow
	her back to the cars.  As they move more slowly down the
	hillside to their cars...

				M.J.
		Ruben, my God, I ought to put you
		on report.

				RUBEN
		You're right.  I can't stand that
		bastard.  Sorry.
			(getting back to
			 work)
		This is something new.  Not the
		same guy, that's for sure.

				M.J.
		Yeah, everything's different.

	But she seems unhappy... to techs standing by:

				M.J.
		Get the pictures, and casts of
		footprints.

				RUBEN
		Look at him, grandstanding...

	Nikko is talking to Susan Schiff...

				M.J.
		That's all we need...

	She strides toward them...

				M.J.
		Detective Niccoletti?

				SUSAN
		What's this about the Boston
		Strangler, M.J.?

	M.J. looks at Nikko.  He should know better.  She's also
	thinking: is this a good thing to have the media announce at
	this point -- or not?

				M.J.
		Hey, Susan -- I'm sorry, you're on
		the wrong side of the tape.  We're
		still trying to find any footprints
		or tire marks and we don't want to
		chew up the ground, okay?  I'll
		talk to you later.
			(to Nikko)
		You, too.

	She's got Susan outside the tape...

				SUSAN
		Inspector, will you confirm
		somebody is copying the Boston
		Strangler?  This is the fourth, is
		that correct?

				M.J.
		We're going to review all the
		evidence carefully before making
		any statement...

	She is getting into her car; Ruben jumps in on the other
	side.  Susan races for her silver Audi...

				M.J.
		Ruben, put the light on...

	From outside the car as they drive away we see Ruben's arm
	clap the magnetic flasher on the top of their unmarked car.

	M.J. switches it on... A CHASE ENSUES.  SUSAN has a faster
	car, but M.J. is a better driver.  Stomach dropping hills,
	trolley cars, the corkscrew turns of Lombard Street, all the
	familiar San Francisco chase scenes.

				M.J.
		Now listen up, Ruben.  You never,
		never, never mess with somebody
		inside the case!

				RUBEN
		Excuse me?  Excuse me?!  What do
		you...

				M.J.
		You damn well better start working
		on that impulse control.  A woman
		who is implicated in this case?
		Someone who's practically a piece
		of evidence?

				RUBEN
		It's against your rules that I try
		to help a witness who's scared
		shitless?  Who's...

				M.J.
		The woman's unstable.  You could
		wind up with a harassment charge.
		Anything.  You're like some horny
		little teenager.

	M.J. takes another two-wheel corner.  In the rear view
	mirror, M.J. watches SUSAN lose control of her car as she
	tries to make a tight turn, M.J. smiles in contempt.

				M.J.
		Anybody who's ever watched TV knows
		about that corner.

	Having lost SUSAN, M.J. slows down to a normal speed.

				M.J.
		Everybody could see you -- unshaved,
		same clothes from yesterday,
		reeking of sex.

	RUBEN'S eye-brows lift.  She peels into the HQ parking lot
	and jumps out.

				M.J.
			(going away)
		Park the car.  Call the lab.  Get
		Doc to lean on the coroner for a
		really fast prelim on the sperm.

	RUBEN gets out of the car to cross to the driver's side...

				M.J. (O.S.)
		When you get it, call me.

	RUBEN look after her, a smile of delight on his face.

				RUBEN
		She loves me.

							CUT TO:

	INT. QUINN'S OFFICE - DAY

	QUINN, NICCOLETTI.

				QUINN
		I know; the kid hit you first.  He
		already told me.

				NIKKO
		He's not treating her right...

				QUINN
		She left you, Nikko.  She's not
		your responsibility.  She takes
		very good care of herself.  If she
		wants to romance the kid, it ain't
		your business.  Your business is to
		snap out of it.

				NIKKO
		We were together six years, sir!

				QUINN
		Don't give me six years!  You never
		divorced Patty, did you?  So what'd
		you expect from M.J.?

				NIKKO
		She knows I'm Catholic!  She never
		mentioned divorce!  Not once!

				QUINN
		Then you shoulda known she wasn't
		buying.  She was just long-term
		leasing' you.
			(beat)
		Ah, Nickie.  Except for that rare
		twenty-second twitch, there ain't
		nothin' about sex I don't hate.
		But of course, I'm Irish.
			(beat)
		Plus I got real problems.  I'm
		worried I might have to put you in
		over M.J.  There's something going on
		here, the Commissioner is targeting
		her now, I can't leave a woman in
		that position.  But the thing is,
		how can I move you in, if you go on
		acting like a teenage asshole?

				NIKKO
		I don't want the job.  Don't do
		that to her.  She's worked too
		damned hard for it.

				QUINN
		What's going down with the sting in
		Chinatown?  That gonna be off your
		plate in a week or what?

							CUT TO:

	INT. TASK FORCE ROOM - DAY

	A ROOM IN THE BASEMENT OF THE POLICE HQ IS BEING SET UP TO
	HOUSE A NEW TASK FORCE, WITH CATERER'S TABLE FOR TEMP
	DESKS.  Bulletin boards with notices and pictures; telephone
	techs are still installing phones, cops are learning
	unfamiliar computer menus, etc.  M.J. IS EXAMINING HUGE
	BLOWUPS OF ONLOOKERS AT CRIME SCENES PINNED UP ON A WALL,
	WITH A MAGNIFYING LENS.

				QUINN (V.O.)
		Sergeant...

	She walks away BECKONS, BECKONS, COME ON, WALK AFTER ME!  He
	walks out of a door and they stand on the steps...

	EXT. STEPS POLICE HQ - DAY

	A couple of Cops, maybe male and female, are smoking there.
	Quinn gives them a look that sends them scuttling inside,
	flipping their butts into the shrubbery.  Quinn sighs and
	digs out a cigarette.  The looks between them tell the story
	of his trying to give it up and not being able to, etc.

				QUINN
		So what have we got?

				M.J.
		It's not the same guy.  It should be
		a self-solver.  No bow around the
		neck, left and body outdoors,
		completely different.  The others
		were housewives, secretaries, he
		talked his way inside, killed them
		in their own living room or bed- or
		bathroom.  This one didn't have a
		husband or a boyfriend, no family,
		temp waitress, 3 arrests for
		misdemeanor dope offenses, DUI,
		asphyxiation probably from a
		plastic bag over her head.  Sexually
		assaulted.  The others weren't
		molested that way.  We're waiting
		for the sperm tests...

				QUINN
		Christ.  How old are you?  You sure
		you want to be in this line of
		work?

				M.J.
		You're damn right I do.

				QUINN
		Okay, now what about your sidekick
		punching my favorite detective?
		What the hell is going on?  You got
		no discipline in your operation.

				M.J.
		I'm sorry it had to come to your
		attention.  I am dealing with it.

	She starts to go...

				QUINN
		Where you going?

				M.J.
		Helen Hudson...

				QUINN
		What the hell you need her for?

				M.J.
		Because I think I'm wrong.

							CUT TO:

	INT. HELEN'S APARTMENT - DAY

	CLOSE: XANAX BOTTLE.  SHAKING HANDS DUMP OUT PILLS.  FOUR.
	SIX.  TWO, PUT BACK.  ONE MORE, PUT BACK.

	HELEN: RAVAGED.  WATCHING HERSELF IN MIRROR AS SHE GULPS THE
	REMAINING PILLS.

	DOOR BELL RINGS O.S.

				HELEN
		I'm not seeing anybody.

	We HEAR muffled voices -- ANDY and M.J.  HELEN, as she
	realizes Andy is letting M.J. in, goes to the bathroom door
	and tries to slam and lock it: Andy beats her to it,
	blocking with his foot in the door.

				HELEN
		You're fired.

				ANDY
		I know.  Do come and meet your
		guest.

	M.J. appears.  Taking in Helen's condition -- due to a wild
	night with Ruben?  Helen moves from the bathroom down the
	hall to her office, as...

				M.J.
		We've got another one.

				HELEN
		That's no surprise.

				M.J.
		But it's a different m.o.

				HELEN
		Then what do you need me for?

				M.J.
		She was killed somewhere else and
	dumped outdoors in an empty lot.
		Where it says "no dumping."  Her
		legs pulled apart in a kind of
		sexual pose.   It's all different
		but it seems so -- the same.
		Artificial and posed... Something's
		wrong with it.

				HELEN
		You're saying it's the same man,
		but he's changed his style?  That
		doesn't happen.  These men are
		robotic; the murder is like a
		ritual.  The method itself is part
		of the pleasure...

	They've turned into the office.  Something is wrong...

				M.J.
		Who turned off the Internet
		computer...

				HELEN
		I turned it off.  It's like an open
		window he can climb right in...

				M.J.
		He comes in the window, we maybe
		grab him.  Where's the on-switch?

				HELEN
		Have you got a warrant?  Get the
		hell out o here!  This is the
		only space I have left in the
		world!  Why can't you leave me out
		of it?

				M.J.
		Helen -- the killer directly
		contacted you.  His interest in you
		is intense.  I'm worried about you.
		I don't want to lose you.  I know
		this stirs up every monster under
		the bed, but this is the only
		direct contact we have with him.
		The only chance we have to trap
		him.
			(beat)
		So, you can turn Internet back on,
		or I do, and we put somebody here
		on a 24 hour shift and you can
		kick, scream and hyperventilate.

				HELEN
		That little Winona Ryder manner...
		you're more convincing as Clint
		Eastwood.

				M.J.
		Clint is putting a guard on you.
		But if you swear to leave the
		computer on, Winona will assign him
		to the hall outside.

	HELEN has to laugh.  The laugh turns to a hacking cough.

				ANDY
		She's smoking again.

	Andy leaves.  Helen sits, and with the care of someone
	handling a rattlesnake, turns the computer on.  Meanwhile...

	THE PHONE RINGS.

				HELEN
		Hello?... Oh...
			(a beat)
		...yes, she's right here.

	HELEN hangs the phone to M.J.  The air is a little more
	charged... Helen goes back to the computer.

				HELEN
		Ruben.

				M.J.
		Hello, Ruben...
			(listens, nods)
		So that's that...

				HELEN
		Please thank Inspector Goetz for
		taking care of me last night.

	M.J. delivers the message straight-faced.

				M.J.
		Ruben, Dr. Hudson wants me to
		thank you for taking care of her
		last night.
			(hangs up)
		Lab report on the new one.  At
		least two guys penetrated her.
		There were two kinds of sperm.  The
		poor thing.  What it must have been
		like.

	Helen has come alert...

				HELEN
		She was near a sign that said "No
		Dumping?"  Two kinds of sperm --
		the lab said one was a secretor and
		the other was not?

	M.J. mumbles a surprised yes.  Helen is at computer.

				HELEN
		There were needle marks.  But no
		drugs in her blood.

				M.J.
		So far nothing they test for comes
		up positive.

	Helen has a Window type screen: she clicks icons...

				HELEN
		Is that it?

				M.J.
			(stunned)
		That's exactly... I could have
		taken that same picture, this
		morning.

	A RATHER GRAINY PICTURE OF A DEAD GIRL SPREAD OUT IN A
	SUGGESTIVE POSE IN AN EMPTY FIELD.  A SIGN RIGHT BY HER SAYS
	"NO DUMPING."

				HELEN
		He's switched from DeSalvo to the
		Hillside Strangler.  The Strangler
		was two men, that's why there are
		two kinds of sperm.  His idea of a
		joke, very witty our boy.

				M.J.
		That's not consistent... You said
		they never changed their style,
		they're robots...

				HELEN
		Consistency is the hobgoblin of
		little minds.  Tell them to test
		for the chemicals found in Windex.
		That's a product for cleaning
		with...

				M.J.
		I know Windex, for God's sake, I
		clean my own windows...

				HELEN
		It's what Bianchi and Buono
		injected into one of their victims.

				M.J.
			(sensing something
			 appalling)
		Injected Windex!  Why would he
		switch to a new m.o.?

				HELEN
		Ah, if you knew that, you'd be half
		way to nailing him.  Serial killing
		is irrational and rigid and 
		compulsive.  This guy has a plan
		all thought out, flexible and
		complex.  He's playing a game with
		us.  Who will he imitate next?
		Maybe he's doing all the serial
		killers in history, the great
		innovators, the murderers' hall of
		fame.  Just to prove he's better
		than all of them.  They got caught;
		he didn't.

				M.J.
		He'll get caught.  If he has a plan
		that'll be what trips him up...

				HELEN
		Who's going to catch him?  You?
			(beat)
		And if you do, there'll be another
		one.  And one after that.

				M.J.
			(gently, surprised)
		You're afraid of him.

				HELEN
		This one, yes.  I was always
		curious about these twisted little 
		souls, but this is the first one
		I've felt personally terrified of.
		He's something new and unheard of.
		I don't know what he wants.

				M.J.
			(beat)
		I'm giving you Clint outside.

							CUT TO:

	INT. PETER'S BEDROOM - NIGHT

	The room is empty, the messy unmade bed has covers thrown
	back.  Nasty Little Dog is sprawled asleep on it.  The TV is
	on: SUSAN SCHIFFER'S broadcast... Over SUSAN'S shoulder, big
	and bold, the legend:

	'KOPYCAT KILLER?'

				SUSAN
		...to mimic the M.O. of the Boston
		Strangler.  The police here are
		rumored to be consulting Dr. Helen
		Hudson.

	O.S.  A TOILET FLUSHES, and Peter's WIFE emerges wearing a
	nightgown.  She shuffles back to the bed, and as she sits
	picks up the remote...

				SUSAN (ON TV)
		It was backstage at the McClusky
		Auditorium on the Berkeley campus
		that Dr. Hudson's police bodyguard
		was killed.  Daryll Lee Cullum,
		that...

	She zaps the remote and a program hyping the Summer of Love
	comes on...

	INT. PETER'S BEDROOM - NIGHT

	We see on HIS computer screen a picture of HELEN scanned
	from some newspaper or magazine.  PETER is building a morph:
	beside Helen on screen is another image -- of the RED-HEADED
	woman.  He is placing marks on one picture, on the exact
	corner of Helen's left eyes.  As he does so, a red dot
	appears near the corner of the left eye of the Red-headed
	woman.  Both pictures are dappled with similar dots.  It
	looks very odd, as though someone had stuck Post-its all
	over the images.  Around him, as he works are other pictures:
	ASPHYXIATED GIRL taken while she was strapped to the table.
	Of the sign "NO DUMPING."  M.J. leaving Helen's!  HE ALSO HAS
	A TINY TV ON, AND TURNS TO SEE AS:

				SUSAN (ON TV)
		... convicted serial killer had
		escaped police custody during a
		court hearing, in a scandal that
		rocked the police and forced the
		resignation of four State
		Correction officers...

	INT. DEATH ROW CELL - NIGHT

	DARYLL LEE lies smoking and watching a tiny TV of his own.

				SUSAN (ON TV)
		...Cullum attacked Doctor Hudson in
		apparent revenge for her testimony
		against him.  Doctor Hudson did not
		return our phone calls, today.  Our
		sources tell us that if police
		homicide detectives fail to move
		faster in their investigation the
		FBI will be called...

	INT. TASK FORCE ROOM - NIGHT

	M.J. striding, tight-lipped through the room to her
	workstation where she takes the phone from Ruben...

				M.J.
		Halloran.

	INTERCUT:

				HELEN
		You betrayed me!  Now every
		psychopath in the city knows I'm
		back in business... You lied to me!

				M.J.
		I did not; the Mouth -- that's what
		we call Susan Schiffer -- got it on
		her own.

				HELEN
		Why should I trust you?

				M.J.
		Because I'm all you've got.

	RUBEN HAS BEEN GIVEN NEWS: BIG PROBLEMS.  MEN AND WOMEN ARE
	GETTING UP, PUTTING ON HOLSTERS, ETC., MOVING OUT...

				HELEN
		How could you...

				M.J.
			(out of patience)
		I like the real smart Helen Hudson
		a lot, I'm Goddamned sick and 
		tired of the hysterical little
		girl, Helen.  You asked your way in
		-- I don't forget that.  You've got
		a nickname around here -- "Deep
		Throat" from all the phone calls, I
		wonder if you know that.  Go take a
		xanax, I've got to got to work.

							CUT TO:

	INT. HELEN'S BEDROOM - NIGHT

	HELEN, her police scanner sounding distant tinny cries in
	the night:  Helen holding the phone, digesting that...

				SCANNER (VARIOUS VOICES)
		987...  Carol Meany, call your
		home?  We have...  don't step on
		me, damn it!  Go to channel 8...
		Code Red -- Homicide at 16th Avenue
		and Horgan, woman dead in car.  Can
		we have homicide?  All units go to
		channel 5.  Leave channel 3 clear
		for homicide... etc.

	EXT. HELEN'S STREET - NIGHT

	A MAN parks a car.  He gets out.  He is dressed entirely in
	black.  Glancing around to be sure he is not observed, the
	MAN moves to cars, banging them hard with his hand until he
	SETS OFF A CAR ALARM.  He trots silently to HELEN'S side of
	the street and merges into the dark side of her building.
	THE ALARM GOES INFURIATINGLY ON.  A light comes on in an
	upstairs window...

	INT. HELEN'S HALLWAY - NIGHT

	BURT, the cop on guard, marginally irritated by the car
	alarm, looks up briefly, then returns to his magazine.

							CUT TO:

	EXT. RICHMOND DISTRICT - NIGHT

	CAR WHERE A WOMAN HAS BEEN SHOT DEAD.  KLIEG LIGHTS PAINT
	HER FEATURES A BLEAK WHITE ON BLACK.  M.J. and RUBEN work
	the scene along with the CRIME TECH CREW.

	One of the TECH GUYS holds up a bullet.

				TECH GUY
		Pulled this out of the door, it's
		bigger than a .38; it's a .44 or 9
		millimeter.

	CLOSE: M.J. is crawling along the floor, looking at
	everything she can find -- gum wrappers, hobby pins, loose
	change, etc.  She lifts her head and finds the car radio and
	tape player right in her face.

				M.J.
		Was this on?  When you found the
		car was the tape player on or off.

				COP (V.O.)
		It was on, auto-reverse, over and
		over.

	M.J. has rubber gloves on.  She switches on ignition and the
	tape player starts:  ABBA.  A phone rings...

	ON RUBEN standing beside the car; he answers his phone...

				RUBEN
		Yeah?... I can't talk now...
		What?... No.  There's no sexual
		assault, it's a drive-by, a woman
		in a car, it's not him.
			(mouths to M.J.)
		Helen.

	M.J. still pissed at the earlier phone call, turns away,
	dismissively...

				HELEN (V.O.)
		It's a woman shot in a car?

				RUBEN
		Yes.  I have to go...

				HELEN
		She on the passenger side?

				M.J.
			(shouting to be
			 heard)
		Helen, hang up, let Ruben get on
		with his work...

				HELEN
		What's that music.  It's Abba.  I
		can hear it.  It's Abba.

				RUBEN
		What's Abba?

				M.J.
		Bunch of Swedish women.  You're too
		young.

	Dread clouds HELEN'S face.  She is calling up databases,
	screens scrolling across her computer monitor.

				HELEN
		Don't hang up!

				RUBEN
		What?...

				HELEN
		Listen to me.  Is there a gas
		station nearby?

	RUBEN look around, sees a gas station across the street and
	further down the block...

				RUBEN
		Yes.

				HELEN
		Is there a phone booth there?

				RUBEN
		They all have one...

				HELEN
		Go and look for a note.

	RUBEN hands the phone over to M.J.

				RUBEN
		She wants me to check the phone
		booth for a note.

				M.J.
		Helen... excuse me, we...

	ON HELEN'S SCREEN IS THE FACE OF BERKOWITZ... SHE CALLS UP
	ADDITIONAL FRAMES SHOWING SCENES OF HIS CRIMES.

				HELEN
		She was listening to Abba in her
		parked car when she was shot with a
		Bulldog .44.

	M.J. reacts:  the scene of what Helen is saying hits her
	hard.  This is repeating the pattern of yet another
	killer...

				M.J.
		Tony!

	The techie who pulled the bullet out of the door turns...

				M.J.
		Let me see the slug outta the door!

	He pulls a baggie out his pocket and hands it to her...

	RUBEN RUNNING across to the gas station.  He's alone now,
	the blazing lights of the crime scene recede.

	EXT. HELEN'S BUILDING - NIGHT

	A small annoyed crowd has gathered around the are whose
	alarm is still shrieking.

	INT. HELEN'S HALLWAY - NIGHT

	BURT finally gets up, goes to window, sees situation,
	decides to go and fix it.

	EXT. CRIME SCENE - NIGHT

	M.J. still on phone to HELEN.  She's just got the bullet out
	of the baggie; Tony stands watching.

				M.J.
		What's that siren?

				HELEN (V.O.)
		One of those goddamned car alarms.
		What's going...

				M.J.
		Ruben's gone to look... It's banged
		up but it looks like a .44.  It's
		Son of Sam.  Is it Son of Sam?

				HELEN
		Look in the crowd.  He liked to
		hang around and watch the cops at
		work...

	EXT. SHELL STATION - NIGHT

	Closed.  RUBEN at the phone booth.

	A note lies on the shelf, handwritten in felt-tip pen.  He
	puts on a rubber glove, picks note up by one corner.

	CRIME SCENE:

	RUBEN has taken phone back from M.J.  He is reading the note
	to HELEN.  M.J., agitated, stands by.

				RUBEN
		"Police: let me haunt you with
		these words:  I'll be back."

	M.J. notices that there is writing on the other side of the
	note.  She forces RUBEN'S gloved hand to turn note over.

				RUBEN
		Hold on a minute, Helen...

	By this time M.J. has seen that this part is addressed to
	HELEN.  M.J. takes phone from RUBEN, forcing herself to
	sound casual.

				M.J.
		Helen, Ruben's going to drop by.
		He's got some questions.

	She hangs up, RUBEN is already on his way.  M.J. calls a
	number...

				M.J.
		Answer me!!...

	EXT. HELEN'S APARTMENT - NIGHT

	The beeper on Burt's belt is beeping, but his head is under
	the hood of the car where the car alarm is blaring.  He
	can't hear the beeper...  

	BACK TO CRIME SCENE:

	M.J. ends the call, yells to another Detective.

				M.J.
		I need a unit at 19809 Lorenda
		Drive.  Tell them to approach code
		2 and wait for instruction.  Find
		the goddamn officer supposed to be
		on security.  Ruben's on his way.
		He'll go in alone.

	SHE TURNS AND SEES:

	BEHIND YELLOW CRIME SCENE TAPE THE NIGHT IS FULL OF THRILL
	SEEKERS AND CURIOUS.  WHICH OF THEM MIGHT BE THE KILLER?
	THE GUY IN THE BACK OF THE CROWD WHO FOR NO APPARENT REASON
	SUDDENLY BEGINS TO RACE ALONG BEHIND THE ONLOOKERS?  THE MEN
	WHO DUCKS TO TIE HIS SHOE WHEN A PHOTOGRAPHER SHOOTS A
	PICTURE?

	INT. FRONT DOOR OF HELEN'S APARTMENT - NIGHT

	The horn blares across the street, (O.S.).  No one notices
	the MAN at HELEN'S door, swiftly fiddling the lock with a
	ring full of burglars' keys and picks.

	INT. HELEN'S BATHROOM - NIGHT

	HELEN is putting on makeup (Ruben is coming).  A small but
	alarming noise at the front of the loft.  She listens
	carefully, and moves to the door looking down the hall
	toward the front door.  It is OPEN"  Burt is not there!

	She hesitates a moment, then turns off the lights and
	sprints for the front door, to escape.

	INT. LIVING ROOM

	THE MAN IS PULLING A BALACLAVA UP OVER HIS FACE.  AS HE HEARS
	HER HE STEPS TO THE...

	INSERT: TELEPHONE

	A HAND IN A FINE LEATHER BLACK GLOVE LIFTS THE RECEIVER OFF
	THE HOOK.

	HELEN RUNS DOWN THE HALL AND REACHES THE FRONT DOOR.  SHE
	RUNS RIGHT OUT INTO THE HALL A FEW STEPS BEFORE RECOILING:

	HER POV.  THE WALLS AND FLOOR WEAVING AND CONTRACTING...
	AGORAPHOBIA HAS HIT.

	HELEN FALLS.  SHE SCRAMBLES IN TERROR BACK TO THE "SAFETY"
	OF HER WALL, NOW A CAVE OF DARKNESS.

	SHE FALLS ON THE FLOOR OF THE HALL, GASPING FOR BREATH.

	LIVING ROOM.  THE MAN MOVES ACROSS THE ROOM TOWARD THE
	HALL.

							CUT TO:

	RUBEN:  taking the hills fast.

	THE MAN: STEPS OUT INTO THE HALL.

	HELEN:  SHE HAS RUN BACK THE LENGTH OF THE HALL TO HER
	OFFICE.  SHE IS JUST VANISHING AS THE MAN STEPS TO WHERE HE
	CAN SEE HER.

	THE MAN STARTS TO FOLLOW, NOT FAST, BUT WITH TERRIFYING
	SURENESS...

	THE POLICE SCANNER SUDDENLY COMES UP LOUD.  HE HESITATES.

	HELEN:  HER REMOTE CONTROLS IN HAND SWITCHES ON TV SETS,
	LAMPS, ETC.

	THE MAN:  HE STARTS TO MOVE AGAIN, TOWARD WHERE HE BELIEVES
	SHE IS.  HE IS PASSING A WINDOW, WHEN THE CURTAINS SUDDENLY
	DRAW, RIGHT BESIDE HIM.  HE PAUSES AGAIN, LOOKS DOWN AND WE
	AND HE/WE SEE THE STREET SCENE: BURT AND NEIGHBORS TRYING TO
	SILENCE THE CAR ALARM.  THEN HE STARTS TO MOVE AGAIN.

	THE CURTAINS CLOSE.

	HIGH ANGLE OVER THE MAZE OF THE APARTMENT WALLS.  WE CAN SEE
	THE MAN MOVING ALONG THE HALLWAY AGAIN -- TOWARD ANDY'S DEN,
	AND DIRECTLY TOWARD WHERE WE LAST SAW HELEN.

	SUDDENLY, FOREGROUND, HELEN'S HEAD POPS UP, HUGE!  SHE IS
	WRESTLING HERSELF UP OVER THE WALL TOWARD CAMERA, INTO
	ANOTHER ROOM OUT OF HIS PATH.  WE PAN WITH HER AS SHE WIGGLES
	HERSELF OVER THE TOP OF THE WALL AND UNTIL SHE FALLS INTO
	FURNITURE, MAKING A HUGE NOISE.

	MAN STOPS, TRYING TO LOCATE DIRECTION.  HE DECIDES.  LEAPS
	WITH CATLIKE GRACE ONTO A PIECE OF FURNITURE AND FROM THERE
	ONTO THE TOP OF THE WALL!

	NOW HE STANDS ON THE PARTITION, LOOKING AROUND AT THE
	GROUNDPLAN (AS IT WERE) OF THIS APARTMENT MAZE FROM A HIGH
	ANGLE POV.

	HELEN:  SHE CROUCHES IN HIDING.  IN DEEP FOCUS, BEYOND HER,
	AND HIGH ABOVE HER, WE SEE THE MAN SILHOUETTED AS HE BEGINS
	TO WALK ALONG LIKE A CAT ON A GARDEN WALL, ABLE TO SEE ON
	BOTH SIDES INTO WHATEVER ROOMS HE IS PASSING.

	HE DROPS OFF THE WALL FOR A MOMENT INTO HER BEDROOM.
	INTERCUT MAN AND HELEN.  HE LOOKS FOR HER, PRODS THE BED
	COVERS.

	THEN LEAPS BACK UP TO THE TOP OF THE WALL.

	SHE TAKES A VASE AND THROWS IT OVER THE WALL INTO THE
	ADJACENT ROOM.  THE MAN'S FIGURE DOESN'T EVEN SLOW, HE'S
	ALREADY FIGURED IT OUT:  HE LEAPS CLEAR ACROSS AN OPENING
	ONTO THE WALL THAT LEADS DIRECTLY TO HER.

	SHE HITS THE REMOTE:  THE CURTAINS SWEEP OPEN, AND MORE LIGHT
	COMES IN NOW FROM THE STREET.

	CLOSE, THE MAN: HIS FACE TURNS TO THE LIGHT: FROM THIS HIGH
	ANGLE WE AND WE SEE DOWN INTO THE STREET, WHERE

	RUBEN'S CAR SCREECHES TO A STOP.  RUBEN charges into the
	building.

	BURT, COMING AWAKE, FOLLOWS RUBEN up the stairs three at a
	time.

	HALLWAY AND APARTMENT DOOR:  THE MAN COMES RACING OUT AND
	TURNS TOWARD THE STAIRS, JUST AS RUBEN REACHES HELEN'S
	FLOOR.  THE MAN TRIES TO DO A 180, BUT RUBEN THROWS A BODY
	BLOCK AND THE MAN FALLS BACK INSIDE THE APARTMENT.

	LIGHT FROM HALL GIVES US OUR FIRST LOOK AS RUBEN TEARS THE
	BALACLAVA OFF HIS FACE.  He is a middle-aged Afro-Asian with
	a knife-scarred face.

				MAN
		I can explain!

				RUBEN
		The fuck you can!
			(shouts)
		Helen!  Are you okay?  HELEN!

	Then he sees her.  In shock, she stares down at the MAN.

				RUBEN
		Did this animal touch you?

	She shakes her head, turns and runs out of the room, as
	RUBEN catches sight of BURT.

				RUBEN
		Turn on a light and call in the
		unit.  NOW!

	BURT rushes to okay.  RUBEN FRISKS THE MAN.

				MAN
		No gun!

				RUBEN
		Bullshit's gonna get your balls
		stomped on!  What's your name?

				MAN
		Chow.  Conrad Chow.

	The improbability of this name makes RUBEN deliver an angry
	kick to the man's side.

				MAN
		Swear to God!  Conrad Chow.  Never
		carry a gun.

				BURT
		Backup's here...

				RUBEN
			(to Burt)
		Then you get your ass outta here, I
		don't wanta see you again...

				CONRAD
		I brought a present for the lady,
		there.  I'm looking for her, to give
		her the present...

				RUBEN
		You break into her apartment to
		deliver a gift?  Where is it?

				CONRAD
		The door was open, swear to God,
		I'm just looking for her when you
		come charging up the stairs...

				RUBEN
		Where is it?

				CONRAD
		I'm trying to tell you.  It's on the
		lady's pillow...

	Ruben shoves Conrad into Backup Cop's hands.

	INT. BEDROOM - CONTINUOUS

	Ruben comes running in, sees a parcel lying on pillow... 
	scoops it up, and rips it open.  It's a book.  He returns
	to Conrad, who is now surrounded by police.  Ruben holds the
	book up like a question.

				CONRAD
		Daryll Lee Cullum, he wrote that
		book, he wanted the lady to have
		it.  They won't let him send it to
		her, so I'm getting out, he asks me
		to deliver it in person, he says,
		put it on her pillow.  It has all
		about how he tried to kill her.

				RUBEN
		He told you she was loaded, any-
		thing you could steal you could
		keep, Conrad?  You bought yourself
		a return ticket to Quentin,
		breaking and entering.

				CONRAD
		The door was already open...

				RUBEN
		We know...
			(to a cop)
		Send the book to evidence...

				CONRAD
		She's supposed to have it.

				RUBEN
		She don't want it.

	INT. HELEN'S BATHROOM - NIGHT

	HELEN is sitting on the floor, her knees pulled up to her
	chest.

				RUBEN (V.O.)
		Helen?  Open the door.  The guy's
		nothing.  A burglar.

	She sits there, says nothing.

				RUBEN (V.O.)
		Open the door.  Please.

				HELEN
		Why don't you shoot off the lock?

	She starts to laugh.  The sound is awful.  After a moment,
	she gets up on wobbly legs and opens the door.  RUBEN takes
	her to the sink, sort of sits her down on it.  Wets a
	washcloth, goes to sponge off her face.  She is trembling.

				HELEN
		He was in my apartment!

				RUBEN
		I know, baby.  I know.

	Without warning, in some sort of manic phase of a freak-out,
	she breaks away from him, ricochets through bedroom, down
	the hallway, RUBEN follows, tries to put his arms around
	her.

				RUBEN
		It's okay... you're safe with me!

	He pulls her down into a chair with him, his arms tight
	around her, holding her still.  He smoothes her hair, rubs
	her neck, pets her like a frightened and resistant cat.

				RUBEN
		When I was a little kid, and I'd be
		in a state, my father would hold me
		on his lap, until all the fight
		would go out of me...

	She breaks free and whacks him across his nose.

				HELEN
		You think you're my Daddy?

	There is something so perverse about this, so erotic, that
	RUBEN kisses her.  She goes limp, kisses him back, then
	she's suddenly sobbing.  His nose is bleeding, but she's
	smiling.  Something between them has finally connected.
	Been agreed upon.

				RUBEN
		Helen...honey, you know I gotta go.

	He digs out his sneaky gun from whenever he keeps it.

				RUBEN
		You know how to use this?

				HELEN
		They taught me at the FBI.  I was
		very good at it.  It scared me... I
		liked it.

				RUBEN
		You take it, hang on to it, it'll
		make you feel safer.  Stay put.

				HELEN
		What else?

	He goes.

	A SONG BEGINS, PRELAPPING THE FOLLOWING SCENES:  "MURDER BY
	NUMBERS" BY THE POLICE...

		"Once that you've decided on a killing
		First you make a stone of your heart
		And if you find that your hands are still willing
		You can turn murder into an art..."

	HELEN OPENS THE WEAPON, SEEMINGLY COMPETENT ENOUGH TO HANDLE
	IT WELL, AND EMPTIES OUT THE BULLETS.  SHE LOCKS IT UP AND
	HEAVES A SIGH OF RELIEF.

	THE SONG CONTINUES...

							CUT TO:

	EXT. POLICE STATION - DAY

	THE FBI ARRIVES.  High angle, looking down: three identical
	cars draw in front, park with military precision: all four
	doors on the all three cars open at the same time and
	identically dressed men, in suits, get out, slam the doors
	in sync., and march toward the front steps to HQ, ignoring a
	couple of bemused cops smoking on the sidewalk...

	INT. POLICE HQ - CONTINUOUS

	As the parade of FBI, led by their Commander SAKS, walk down
	the corridor from the front door, toward CAMERA, performing
	a smart right angle turn, and (CAMERA PANNING TO FOLLOW)
	continue away from CAMERA down another corridor.  Through
	the glass partitions and in the halls they pass cops who
	pretend they aren't looking at them: no eye contact between
	cops and FBI.  The cops are at ease; bellies slop over
	belts; neatly pressed blouses strain over breasts; sweat
	stains; shirtsleeves.  The marching men wouldn't sweat.

	QUINN emerges from his office and sees them arriving.  He
	gets his jacket off a hook on the back of the door, signals
	a few top officers to follow.  He looks resigned...

	INT. TASK FORCE ROOM - DAY (LATER)

	M.J., RUBEN, NIKKO, and a number of other officers are being
	addressed by SAKS, an FBI agent.  At the back are three more
	FBI AGENTS, suited and tied.  QUINN stands off to one side.
	THE SONG IS JUST ENDING, ON A CD PLAYER IN THE ROOM.  A
	projector beams up a copy of the note RUBEN found in the
	phone booth.

		Dr. Hudson:  Don't lose your head.
		"Once that you've decided on a killing
		First you make a stone of your heart
		And if you find that your hands are still willing
		You can turn murder into an art.
		Well, if you have a taste for this experience
		You're flushed with your very first success
		Then you must try a twosome or a threesome
		Before your conscience bothers you much less.
		Then you can join the ranks of the illustrious
		In history's great dark hall of fame
		All of our greatest killers were industrious
		At least the ones that we all know by name."

	SAKS speaks...

				SAKS
		Hello.  I am (research title)
		Meryhew Saks.  The song is called
		"Murder By Numbers."  The
		performers are a group called The
		Police.  Adam here...
                ... from Behavioral Science is
		working out exactly what this
		perpetrator is trying to telegraph
		in the note.  This is an extremely
		complex case, and we have a lot of
		fancy theories floating around.
		We're not ruling out the possib-
		ility of three Copycat serial
		killers.  We have Quantico working
		on graphology, the Washington lap
		is cloning DNA from the secretor.
		It's our feeling that the best lead
		we have is the two sperm samples in
		one of the victims.  We have a team
		sweeping sperm banks.  Now I want
		to say a few word to you local
		people.  Your Commissioner asked
		for our assistance.  The Bureau
		does not send us in on these cases
		to lord it over the local police.
		We couldn't catch up on what you
		people know if we had a year.  We
		have nation-wide resources and hard
		state of the art forensic science;
		you have the local savvy.  Together
		we can be unbeatable.  Which one is
		Inspector Halloran?

				M.J.
		Over here.

	SAKS approaches M.J., guides her away from the others.
	TWO SHOT:  Saks is unctuous and insincere, self-confident.

				SAKS
		We don't see too many lady homicide
		detectives.  You have my respect.
		Have you discussed the note with
		Dr. Hudson?

				M.J.
		Someone broke into her place last
		night.  It wasn't connected to our
		case, but it shook her up pretty
		bad so I haven't...

	QUINN joins them, SAKS gives him a nod.

				SAKS
		I was just about to advise the
		Inspector here not to show Dr.
		Hudson the note.

				M.J.
		Sir, Doctor Hudson and I see a
		pattern develop...

				SAKS
			(riding over her)
		We know Helen.  She's not exactly a
		credible collaborator.  Especially
		late in the day...

				M.J.
		She takes tranquilizers her doctor
		prescribes.

				SAKS
		Who prescribes the brandy?

	M.J.'S look makes SAKS smile.  QUINN is called to the phone.

				M.J.
		How come you're so up on Dr.
		Hudson?

				SAKS
		She is a writer, writing best
		selling books about serial killing.
		Giving lectures she's well-paid
		for.  Her interests are not the
		interests of law enforcement.

				M.J.
		Okay.

				SAKS
		We've put a tap on Dr. Hudson's
		phone.  I know you won't mention
		it.

	So much for any trusting relationship, right?  QUINN has
	arrived, addresses SAKS.

				QUINN
		Sorry to interrupt.  I need a word
		with my officer...

	He turns to M.J.  Diplomatically, SAKS moves away.

				QUINN
		M.J., I'm going to have to borrow
		Ruben.  The alien-smuggling thing
		in Chinatown is going down tomorrow
		night and Jack's kid got hit by a
		car.  I gotta give Ruben to Nikko.

				M.J.
		What does this mean?  Now we got
		the FBI, my team is expendable?
		I'm working my ass off, is anybody
		listening?  Why Ruben, anyway?  He
		and Nikko don't even get on
		together...

				QUINN
		Teach both of them a lesson in
		cooperation and self-discipline.

				M.J.
		If this is a first step in kicking
		me off the case, just tell me, to
		my face, sir, don't waste time
		being diplomatic.

				QUINN
		Just, I need results.  And -- I am
		short-handed.  Who else am I gonna
		give him?

				M.J.
			(looking at Saks)
		Give him thatpompous son of a
		bitch.

	She turns and leaves, brushing past Saks as she goes... Gigi
	meets her...

				GIGI
		Lab called.  They got a result on
		the drug test you requested...?

	It takes a moment to remember what it was...

				GIGI
		They said it was Windex?

	If there was any residual doubt about what's happening, it's
	gone now.  She starts after Quinn, sees he is in spirited
	dialogue with SAKS and decides to wait.

							CUT TO:

	INT. HELEN'S LIVING ROOM - DAY

	HELEN and M.J.  Helen unfolds a xerox copy of the note, that
	M.J. has just given her.

				HELEN
		..."I'll be back..."

	As she looks at the back of the note... she looks up into
	M.J.'S face.

				M.J.
		Yeah.  Addressed to you.  "Don't
		lose your head."

	Helen puts down the note.  She is holding herself together
	by main will power... doesn't want to face that note...

				HELEN
		They put  Merry Saks on it?!

				M.J.
		He said to send you his regards and 
		to tell you that the Bureau holds
		you in the highest esteem.

				HELEN
		What I can't believe is that in an
		earlier life I slept with him!
		Christ!  Any God that loved his
		people would give women a rewind on
		their life and an erase button.
			(looks at M.J.)
		Just give me a minute here.  The
		letter is addressed to me...
			(she's breathing
			 fast, controls it)
		You don't feel fear, do you?
		You're young.  You feel like you'll
		live forever.  How wonderful.

				M.J.
		I put my ass on the line, giving
		you that.

				HELEN
		They weren't going to show it to
		me?!  The arrogance!  It's my life!

				M.J.
		It's also the major piece of
		evidence, and it makes you a key
		part of his plan.  You can't run
		away from it anymore.
			(beat)
		Look at the order he's doing
	them... He did three as the Boston
		Strangler just to tell us a copycat
		serial killer was at work.  Then he
		did one like the Hillside Strang-
		ler.  And then one as Son of Sam.
		To lead us on -- to where and what
		end?  And he's doing more than that
		-- he's imitating each killer's
		method as closely as he can -- in
		details.  Injecting Windex.  Using
		.44.  Playing Abba.

				HELEN
		It's not chronological: Son of Sam
		was before Hillside.

	She begins to read.

				M.J.
		It's clear he thinks he knows me.
		He lives a fantasy.  'Helen, don't
		lose your head.'  Is that a threat?
		Does he want to cut off my head?
		Dahmer cut off heads.  Who else?
		Kemper.  Did Gacy?  Rivkind?  I
		think Rivkind did.

	She puts the note down on the table, smoothes it out.  She
	closes her eyes for a moment.  We begin to see certain
	filtered images.  As they come, we INTERCUT them.

				HELEN
		He attacks what he feels he can't
		have.  What he feels excluded
		from...

	EXT. UNIVERSITY CAMPUS - DAY

	Lush, pastoral green.  We see PETER sitting by himself.  He
	wears a WHITE LAB COAT, like one we saw hanging in his
	basement.

	HIS POV:  of students on the green, playing Frisbee,
	studying together, picnicking.  Women sunbathe, their straps
	pulled down on their shoulders, their tops rolled up to
	expose their midriffs.

				HELEN (V.O.)
		'First you make a stone of your
		heart.'... Oh yes!  He doesn't
		suffer.  That's past.  Now it's our
		turn.

	One of the sunbathing girls sits up and looks round, then
	takes her top off entirely.

				HELEN (V.O.)
		Kemper said in order to have the
		experience he wanted with them, he
		needed to evict them from their
		bodies.  By making the body a
		completely passive object, he
		releases himself from passivity.

	CLOSE:  HELEN, DEEP IN THOUGHT...

				HELEN
		But the relief he feels is only
		temporary.  '...Before your
		conscience bothers you much
		less...'  But the tension always
		comes back.
			(she now picks out
			 the words:)
		'You can join the ranks of the
		illustrious...'  He wants to be
		like them.  The best.  To become
		the best.  But, he has his own
		desires, his own compulsions apart
		from theirs.'  His own horrors...

							CUT TO:

	FLASHBACK: PETER'S CHILDHOOD HOME - DAY

	An incremental flash of a SMALL BOY standing by his bed
	which he has wet.  His pajamas are soaked.  His powerful
	MOTHER grabs him by the hair and drags him with her.

				HELEN (V.O.)
		Some horrors that are all his
		own...

	The SMALL BOY is flung into an under-stairs closet where
	firewood and stacked papers are kept.  The door is slammed
	hard.  He gropes around in the darkness, finds a big box of
	matches, lights one.  Then, angrily, he sets fire to a pile
	of newspapers.  They start to burn.  We see, but do not,
	hear, his screams for help.

				HELEN (V.O.)
		He needs to prove they don't
		control him, that he's the one in
		control.  But the feeling of power
		never lasts.  He can control his
		victims, but he can't control
		anything else... his place in the
		world.  He want s to be recognized.
		He puts messages in my computer; he
		sends me a letter...

	INT. HELEN'S APARTMENT - DAY

	She picks out the lines... "then you must try a twosome or a
	threesome."

				HELEN
		Of course he wants to do a
		threesome!  Only Bundy did three in
		one day.  Is Bundy next?  But Bundy
		should be last... the grand finale.
		What about Kemper and Ramirez?
		Gacy, Dahmer, Williams?  Rivkind?
		Who else is on his list?  In what
		order?

	EXT. CITY STREET - DAY

	PETER in his car.  Ahead, he see TWO GIRLS at a bus stop.
	We see PETER take a long bladed-knife and carefully conceal
	it under his right thigh.  The TWO GIRLS are wearing
	backpacks.  'FESTIVAL OF LOVE' stickers decorate the bags.
	PETER pulls his nondescript sedan up to them and says
	something.  They giggle, shake their heads.  He laughs,
	holds up his hands to level of his shoulders in a 'Not
	guilty!' gesture, then makes a peace sign.  The girls giggle
	again, but do not get in.

	PETER drives off.

	INT. HELEN'S APARTMENT - DAY

				HELEN
		'...great dark hall of fame... all
		our greatest killers...'  His
		greatest heroes?  He wants to be
		famous.  When they're caught and
		people like me write about them, we
		give them a kind of immortality.
		They get thousands of letters.
		Ramirez kills eight women and gets
		a hundred marriage proposals a
		month.  They're like film stars.

				M.J.
		They get fan letters...

							CUT TO:

	INT. PRISON - DAY WARDEN FELIX MENDOZA IN HIS OFFICE

				FELIX
		We keep records of any threatening
		or illegal correspondence, like
		relatives of victims who might want
		to send the condemned man some
		strychnine cookies.  So it's only a
		partial list, but you're still
		looking at about forty pages...

	MONTAGE OF PICTURE AND SOUND:  WE BEGIN TO SEE MOVING LISTS
	OF NAMES -- LIKE SCHINDLER'S LIST -- SUPERIMPOSED OVER THE
	SHORT SNIPPETS OF SCENES... A WATERFALL OF NAMES...

	INT. HELEN'S OFFICE

	INSERT FAX MACHINE:  LISTS OF NAMES BEING EXCRETED.

				HELEN (V.O.)
		Would you fax those pages to me?

	INT. TASK FORCE ROOM - DAY

	M.J. on the phone.  On the desk in front of her, is a list
	of killers, complementary to HELEN'S.

				M.J.
		Thank you for your help, Warden
		Hillyer.  As soon as you can.

	She hangs up as GIGI puts a long fax sheet of names on
	M.J's desk.

				GIGI
		Hot off the fax.  Mr. Rivkind's
		fans.

	M.J. doesn't look at the Rivkind list, just crosses his name
	off the killer list and picks up the phone, dials, waits.

							CUT TO:

	INT. HELEN'S OFFICE - LATE AFTERNOON

	CLOSE:  FAX OF A LIST OF NAMES AND ADDRESSES IS SCANNED BY A
	SCANNER; UNIQUE SOUND OF SCANNER AND FLASHING LIGHTS.
	ANOTHER PAGE IS SCANNED IN.

	COMPUTER SCREEN: CALERA WORDSCAN: SAME PAGE APPEARS AND IS
	READ BY COMPUTER (A FILM OF COLOR MOVES OVER THE PAGE
	SHOWING AREA SCANNED.)  PAGE THEN REAPPEARS WITH ERRORS
	MARKED BY COLOR;

	ON SCREEN THE NAMES AND ADDRESSES SCROLL BY -- THERE ARE
	HUNDREDS, MAYBE THOUSANDS OF NAMES... IMPOSSIBLE TO READ AND
	COMPARE...

	A COMPUTER SCREEN MIXES WITH THIS: -- BOOLEAN SEARCH TERMS
	BEING TYPED IN, MEANING "LOOKING FOR LAST NAMES, IGNORING CASE,
	OCCURRING ON MORE THAN ONE LIST, AND/OR MORE THAN ONCE,
	COUNT NUMBER OF HITS."

	THE COMPUTER SCREEN SCROLLS NAMES FASTER AND FASTER, EVERY
	ONCE IN WHILE HALTING A SPLIT SECOND ON A NAME, AND
	RESUMING.  SUPERIMPOSED IS A FLASHING LEGEND:

	PLEASE WAIT.  DO NOT TOUCH KEYS OR SEARCH DATA WILL BE LOST.

				HELEN (V.O.)
		If we keep going and work till
		midnight...

				ANDY (O.S.)
		Sorry, Luv.  I've got a date.

				HELEN (O.S.)
		You've got a date right here, Andy.
		This has got to...

	WE NOW SEE ANDY is feeding the scanner, he has a thick sheaf
	of faxed lists...

				ANDY
		It's almost six.  And guess what?
		Hall likes me bathed and shaved.

				HELEN
		Stop acting like a silly little
		fag!

	His eyebrows arch, but his smile stays in place.

				ANDY
		My life to live, darling, try to
		remember what it was like way, way
		back when you were young and sexy
		and alive.

	He gets up and walks toward the door.

				HELEN
		You bastard!

				ANDY
		But alive!

	THE DOOR SLAMS (O.S.)  HELEN angrily hits the keys:

							CUT TO:

	THE ENDLESS LIST FLOWS LIKE MUDDY WATER ACROSS THE SCREEN...

	HELEN -- HER FACE REFLECTS THE SCROLL OF NAMES (AS THOUGH
	THEY WERE PROJECTED ON HER FACE IN REVERSE.)  SHE IS TOTALLY
	FOCUSSED, BUT NERVOUS; SHE LIGHTS A CIGARETTE AS

	CAMERA DOLLIES IN CLOSER AND CLOSER TO HER EYES AND THEN TO
	ONE EYE ONLY UNTIL THE EYE, THE IRIS AND FINALLY THE PUPIL
	FILL THE SCREEN:  IN THEM IS REFLECTED THOSE NAMES POURING
	PAST IN THEIR THOUSANDS, UNTIL WE HEAR A GASP.  A KEYSTROKE
	OFFSTAGE, AND THE NAMES STOP: ANOTHER KEYSTROKE AND ONE NAME
	AMONG THEM ALL SUDDENLY FREEZES IN HER PUPIL:

	PETER KURTEN

				HELEN (V.O.)
		The dirty bastard!  More games!

							CUT TO:

	INT. HELEN'S APARTMENT - DAY

	M.J. is entering at front door, let in by a new Guard FRED.

				HELEN (O.S.)
		It's not a real name: it's the name
		of a mass murderer in Germany in
		the 1930s.  They called him the
		Monster of Dusseldorf.

	M.J. is turning into the Office; she carries a portfolio of
	lists of her own.

				HELEN
		Let's speed up the game plan...
		call all the living serials to ask
		if they've had contact with a Peter
		Kurten.  We could use some help on
		the phones...

				M.J.
		They're not talking to me.  Saks
		looks right through me.  I ask him
		for some bodies, for the phones --
		he's so encouraging: "you make that
		your little job."  Condescending
		bastard.
			(careful)
		Helen, on your lists to call is San
		Quentin.  Daryll Lee Cullum?

				HELEN
			(beat)
		You do that one, I don't want it...

							CUT TO:

	INT. SAN QUENTIN WARDENS' OFFICE

				MITCHELL
		Sergeant Halloran is it?  I've
		got a list of Daryll Lee's
		correspondents.  There is a
		Peter Kurten among them.
		Daryll Lee claims he has
		information about Kurten, but
		he'll only talk to Dr. Hudson
		personally.  Nobody else.  The
		creep's been studying his
		amendments.  My guess is he
		doesn't have zip.  Just
		angling for a chance to ask if
		her bra size is still the
		same.  We get this shit all
		the time, but it's her call.

				M.J.
		Thanks, Warden.
			(determined)
		She'll talk to him.

	INT. HELEN'S OFFICE - NIGHT

	HELEN, M.J.  They are waiting, Helen tense, smoking,
	atmosphere charged...

				M.J.
		Do those things really help?

	Like she really wished they might, so she could have one.
	Helen looks at her cigarette as though she'd never seen one
	before... grinds it out...

				HELEN
		Not a damn bit...

	And unconsciously lights another during following...
	PHONE RINGS.  M.J. PICKS IT UP, LISTENS, HANDS IT TO HELEN...
	Gestures encouragement; fist in victory gesture...

							INTERCUT TO:

	INT.  PENITENTIARY INTERVIEW ROOM

	DARYLL LEE CULLUM is on the phone, a Warden is attendance,
	but not on the phone line.  On this rare contact with the
	outside world HE IS MANIC...

				DARYLL LEE
		Hey, Doc!  How you doing?

	She turns on speakerphone.

				HELEN
		Hello, Daryll Lee.

				DARYLL
		You read my book which as you know,
		hit the stands a couple of weeks
		ago.  You read it yet.

				HELEN
		What book?

				DARYLL
			(indignant)
		I sent it by private courier, he
		didn't give it to you?  That son of
		a gun...!

	Helen looks at M.J., who indicates 'tell you later.'

				HELEN
		I'll look for it, Daryll Lee.

				DARYLL
		Bet you never figured I'd follow in
		your footsteps.  It's real well-
		written.  You should read it --
		you're in it.

				HELEN
		I will.  I'll call you, Daryll, and
		talk to you about it after I've
		read it.  Right now I have a
		question... Peter Kurten.

				DARYLL
		Kurten!  Is he bothering you?  I
		told that son I'd send him what he
		wanted if he leave you alone.

				HELEN
		Ah ha.  What did he want?

				DARYLL
		Something personal.  Is he bothering
		you?

				HELEN
		I don't know.  I'd like to know
		where he is.

				DARYLL
		Listen, you want my advice?  Steer
		clear.  He's writing me he's gonna
		finish 'my unfinished symphony.'
		He's gonna give me $550 for some of
		my cum, he says he's in a position
		to see that I will be immortal if
		he has some of my spunk.  I'm
		offended.  Right away I smell
		freak.  Writin' about him and me
		and you bein' joined and he's gonna
		finish my symphony?  I didn't care
		for his drift.  I sent some liquid
		soap in a sandwich baggie with a
		message from Jesus to mend his
		ways.  You hear I found Jesus?  And
		what's funny is, now I don't mind
		bein' inside.  If I was out, even
		Born Again, I'd probably get
		restless again.  It's maybe better
		I stay here, what do you think?

				HELEN
		I think whatever is best for you,
		Daryll.  And maybe you're right,
		that's the place.

				DARYLL
		You come and visit.

				HELEN
		Where did you send the message to
		Peter Kurten?

				DARYLL
		Damn!  I gave that to Conrad, too!
		That guy!  I told Conrad deliver to
		Kurten and keep the 500 bucks in
		return for getting my book to you.

	At this mention of Conrad, M.J. leaps to another phone...

				HELEN
		How was Conrad supposed to find
		Kurten?

				DARYLL
		Conrad has the phone number.
		Conrad, where is he?

				HELEN
			(from M.J.'s pantomime)
		In jail.

				DARYLL
		That Klutz.  They send him back
		here, I'll kick his ass good.

				DARYLL LEE
		Helen, how is life, you okay?  Come
		see me, talk to me.  I think about
		you, worry about you all the time.
		I am so glad Jesus didn't let me
		kill you.  You know -- you're
		blessed by Jesus.  That's why you
		need to come talk to me, because
		Jesus kept you alive for a reason,
		and I was his sacred instrument...
		In the moment Satan was in my heart
		raising my hand to kill you, Jesus
		took my hand to spare you.  I am
		both death and life to you...

	Helen hangs up.  M.J. has already left...

							CUT TO:

	INT. SQUAD ROOM - NIGHT

	Pandemonium: the Chinatown raid has been carried off and
	NIKKO AND RUBEN and a dozen other cops are booking a group
	of Chinese gangsters of all ages, and a group of frightened
	and confused Chinese illegal aliens.  TOTAL UPROAR.

	THROUGH IT, WE MOVE WITH M.J.  SHE PASSES RUBEN WHO IS
	GRABBING A CHINESE KID STRUNG OUT ON SOMETHING, OUT OF A
	LINE OF SUSPECTS... HE ASIDES:

				M.J.
		I brought back a gin-seng popper
		for you.  Guaranteed all-night
		orgasms.

				M.J.
		Save it for Helen.

				RUBEN
			(enough already!)
		Wait a minute, wait a goddamn
		minute...

	He manhandles the KID INTO DOCILITY WHILE...

				RUBEN
		The woman was in shock.  She was
		totally out on ranks.  I stayed
		because I didn't want her to wake
		up alone in a place where she'd
		just been under attack.
			(to the Kid who is
			 restless)
		Stop that, you son of a bitch!
			(back to her)
		The place wasn't secure.  I was
		doing my goddamn job!  And, for the
		second time, I slept in her living
		room.

				M.J.
		Don't try to lie, Ruben.  You don't
		have the face for it.  I need you
		to help interrogate the burglar in
		Hudson's place...

				RUBEN
		Talk to Nikko...!

	SHE MOVES ON TO FIND NIKKO

	NIKKO sites at his desk, processing the papers for the sullen
	YOUNG THUG who is handcuffed to a chain next to NIKKO'S
	desk.  Nikko  unholsters his gun... he shoves it into his
	desk drawer...

				NIKKO
		You speak English?
			(Chinese)
		You need an interpreter?

	QUINN, walking past the ILLEGALS, speaks to GIGI.

				QUINN
		I didn't want the Illigals, I wanted
		just the bastards dumping them in
		the harbor.  What's keeping those
		bums at Immigration?  Nightmare in
		here...

	M.J. STANDS OVER NIKKO

				M.J.
		I gotta have Ruben, and a...

	HARROWING SCREAM!!!  ILLEGAL WOMAN IS SCREAMING --
	PANDEMONIUM AMONG THE DETAINEES.  COPS RUSH TO CONTROL THE
	PROBLEM.

				NIKKO
		Outta your mind?  Look at this...

				M.J.
			(to Quinn)
		Lieutenant...?

	Just at that moment the kid Ruben was booking goes totally
	bananas; M.J. goes to his assistance, wrestling this wild
	kid.

	NIKKO starts from his chair, looking for the key to the
	drawer, but is isn't there... he goes to help Ruben get the
	kid under control.  Quinn steps in...

				M.J.
		The prowler in Hudson's apartment
		turns out to have a meeting with a
		suspect...

				QUINN
			(amazed)
		You got a suspect...

	THEY MOVE BACK TO NIKKO'S DESK.

				QUINN
		How'd you get in on the deal?

				M.J.
		I'm gonna drop charges on the
		break-and-enter at Hudson's...

				QUINN
		You have no authority to make a
		deal like that.  That' s for the
		D.A...

				M.J.
		Or the F.B.I.?

				QUINN
		Saks.  If he knew you did that!
		They're all asking me, 'what is she
		doing,' as it is.

				M.J.
		Give me Ruben back...

				QUINN
		Nikko?

				NIKKO
		We get through this shit, let 'em
		all go.

	NIKKO has stood and moved the handcuffed THUG toward the
	door to jail cells.  M.J. checks her time, (WALL CLOCKS HELP
	US HERE:  8:47)

				M.J.
		I'll talk to Conrad myself.  I'll
		be in the jail when you wind this
		up...

				RUBEN
		I gotta get something to eat, I
		haven't eaten all day.

	M.J. goes... RUBEN can't find a desk to work at, and
	commandeers Nikko's.  He slams the KID into NIKKO'S chair
	and cuffs him.  KID starts to rattle his chairs, spew
	Chinese epithets, then bends over the desk and, with his
	teeth picks up some paper, tries to shake it to shreds.

	RUBEN yanks the papers out of the KID'S mouth, pulls the
	KID'S chair from the side to the front of the desk, shoves
	the KID into place facing away from the desk, so that he
	can't do any more damage.  Then RUBEN can't figure out where
	he can work.  At the next desk, where he has been working,
	MAC rises.

				MAC
		Here... I'm finished...

				RUBEN
			(to Kid)
		I'm going to the coffee machine.
		Hold the fort.

	He moves off, the KID'S eyes move calculatingly around the
	room.  He twists against the cuffs, trying anything to get
	free, and discovers he can pull out the desk drawer.

	CLOSE UP:  The KID'S FREE HAND rifling through the drawer
	behind his back, finding the gun.  PULL BACK to show the
	KID.  He is as Ruben positioned him, his back pressed
	against the desk.

							CUT TO:

	INT. CITY JAIL CELL - DAY

	CONRAD is brought in by a Guard.  Lightly shacked.  M.J.
	stands.  Conrad sits.

				CONRAD
		Who are you?

				M.J.
		Inspector Halloran.  Homicide.
		You were supposed to contact a
		Peter Kurten?

				CONRAD
			(cagey)
		I was?  How you spell that?

				M.J.
		Cut the crap.  You got a sheet the
		length of my arm...

				CONRAD
			(interrupting)
		I never hurt nobody...

				M.J.
		Shut up -- I'm talking.  You got
		felony breaking and entering,
		burglary, felonious...

				CONRAD
			(interrupting)
		I never carried a gun!

	She slaps him hard!  He is shocked.

				M.J.
		You don't listen very good.  This
		break in -- I can call it a felony --
		three strikes, and you got about
		sixteen strikes already, and you're
		in jail for the rest of your life,
		no parole.  Or I could see it gets
		forgotten.

				CONRAD
		You get me out first.

				M.J.
		Doesn't work that way.  You had your
		chance, now fuck yourself...

	She's walking to the door... Conrad holds out just one more
	beat to see if she's bluffing... her hand is on the door
	knob...

				CONRAD
		Tell me what you want me to say.
		Anything.

				M.J.
		You were going to make a delivery
		to Peter Kurten for Daryll Lee
		Cullum.  I want Kurten's phone
		number.

				CONRAD
		I don't have it...

	M.J. starts to open the door...

				CONRAD
		Wait... wait... I already called
		him, I threw it away.

				M.J.
		You already made the delivery?

				CONRAD
		No, that's still in my jacket I was
		wearing.  We were supposed to meet
		on the docks, that number 47 wharf,
		10 o'clock Friday.  He's gonna hand
		me 500 bucks.

				M.J.
		What Friday?

				CONRAD
		What day is this?  In jail you lose
		track.  This week.  Friday.

	M.J. is already on her way...

				CONRAD
		Don't forget me, please.  I told
		you what you wanted -- don't forget
		me.

							CUT TO:

	EXT. WATERFRONT - NIGHT

	DESERTED.  A LONG SHADOW OF A MAN STRETCHES OUT ACROSS THE
	DOCK.  IT IS PETER, WALKING LEISURELY FROM THE WATERFRONT
	DRIVE TOWARD THE HUGE WATERHOUSE AT THE END OF THE DOCK.  HE
	STEPS INTO THE DEEP SHADOWS AND SEEMS TO VANISH.

	CLOSE:  PETER.  HE CHECKS HIS WATCH AND TURNS TO WATCH THE
	DOCK AND THE SHORE.  HE CAN SEE AND NOT BE SEEN.  HE IS 
	ENTIRELY ALONE NOW.

	INT. SQUAD ROOM - NIGHT

	RUBEN takes coffee and doughnuts out of a box, then leans
	over the KID who seems to have calmed down.  He uncuffs him
	from the chair.

				RUBEN
		Behave.  You refuse my hospitality,
		I'm putting you to bed.

	He pushes the coffee toward the Kid, who WHIPS NIKKO'S GUN
	OUT FROM UNDER THE DESK, where it was hidden, and lays it up
	under Ruben's ear.  KID moves behind RUBEN and puts a skinny
	arm around RUBEN'S neck, pulling him upright.  RUBEN still
	clutching the doughnut box.  It takes a moment for the
	others to SEE.  Then the room is absolutely motionless.

				NIKKO
		Take it easy, Kid.  Nobody's gonna
		do anything.  Just let the gun
		down, so it don't go off...

	A CHINESE DETECTIVE REPEATS THE SAME IDEA IN CHINESE...

				KID
			(screams)
		Nobody comes through the door...

	Behind the KID, as he backs through the door, across the
	corridor we LOOK STRAIGHT DOWN A CORRIDOR TO WHERE M.J. IS
	COMING ALMOST AT A RUN -- SHE SEES what is happening.

	The KID doesn't see her, yet, as he is backing away from the
	others... M.J. DRAWS HER GUN AND STANDS IN FIRING POSITION.

	IF SHE FIRES FROM HERE RUBEN IS DIRECTLY BEHIND THE KID, AND
	OTHER OFFICERS, IN THE LINE THE BULLET WOULD TAKE ARE STILL
	SCRAMBLING OUT OF HER LINE... SHE CAN'T FIRE.

				M.J.
		Hey, you...

	The KID turns, sees her, exposing his shoulder to her... SHE
	FIRES AND HITS THE KID.

	HE IS THROWN TO THE FLOOR AND TWISTED AROUND BY THE IMPACT,
	LANDING BEHIND RUBEN SO SHE CAN'T MAKE A SECOND SHOT.

	RUBEN GOES FOR HIS OWN GUN, BUT THE KID'S GUN THAT FELL FROM
	HIS HAND IS RIGHT BY HIM STILL.  THE KID GRABS IT AND FIRES
	BEFORE RUBEN HAS HIS GUN ALL THE WAY OUT OF HIS HOLSTER.  THE
	KID SHOOTS RUBEN IN THE THROAT AT AN ANGLE THAT TAKES THE
	BULLET STRAIGHT INTO HIS BRAIN.

	THEN THE KID THROWS THE GUN AWAY, AND STANDS, HIS HANDS UP
	IN SURRENDER, A GRIN ON HIS FACE.  THIS ENTIRE ACTION HAS
	TAKEN ABOUT SIX SECONDS.  THE KID GOES DOWN, FLATTENED BY
	BODIES OF THE COPS WHO HAVE RUSHED HIM.

				KID
		I'm a juvenile!  I'm a juvenile!

	M.J. RUSHES TO RUBEN.

	EXT. WATERFRONT - NIGHT

	PETER, STANDING AS BEFORE.  CHECKS HIS WATCH, LIGHTS A
	CIGARETTE.

	INT. SQUAD ROOM - NIGHT (LATER)

	The KID has been taken away.  PARAMEDICS are removing
	RUBEN'S body.  M.J. stands frozen as RUBEN'S stretcher is
	carried out of the room.  Her hand holds the doughnut box.

	Finally, M.J. blinks, her head turns as if she can't imagine
	what to do, where to go.  Then, suddenly conscious of the
	doughnut box, she clutches it tight against her chest.

	CLOSE:  M.J.

	She abruptly remembers: the rendezvous with Peter Kurten!

				M.J.
		Gigi!  Dock 47.  I need a couple
		units to drag the area...

							CUT TO:

	EXT. WATERFRONT - NIGHT

	WIDE FULL SHOT:  DEEP SHADOWS AND HIGHLIGHTS.  IN THE BLACK
	CAVERN OF THE DOCK, FOOTSTEPS BEGIN TO ECHO, THEN OUT OF
	SHADOW INTO LIGHT COMES

	PETER.  HE WALKS AWAY INTO THE NIGHT.  FAR FAR AWAY SIRENS
	BEGIN TO SOUND -- THEY'LL BE TOO LATE.

							CUT TO:

	INT. INTERVIEW ROOM - NIGHT

	NIKKO sits, numb.  If possible, NIKKO is more devastated than
	M.J.  She speaks to NIKKO, but does not look at him.

				M.J.
		Quinn will be here any minute.  What
		are you going to say?

				NIKKO
		Christ.  I didn't lock the fucking
		drawer!  You spend twenty years
		thinking some perp's gonna whack
		you... you'll crash your car... but
		what happens is, you fuck
		yourself...
			(a chocked laugh)
		You can't imagine how many times I
		saw you two... your head together,
		I wish him dead.  Every time...
		Want to hear something weird?  I
		feel like I'd give my life to bring
		him back.

				M.J.
		You're in terrible trouble, Nikko.

				NIKKO
		Who gives a fuck?  In all the years
		I never seen you cry.
			(beat)
		You loved him.

	M.J. looks away.

				M.J.
		Who gives a fuck?

	QUINN enters to find his two senior officers in tears.  Pays
	no attention to Conrad.

				QUINN
		Nikko.  My office?  M.J., I wanna
		see you later.

	Nikko stands, and he and Quinn exit.  M.J. SITS STARING INTO
	HER MISERY.

							CUT TO:

	INT. GAY NIGHTCLUB - NIGHT

	Very crowded with a generally young clientele.  Big dance
	scene.  A number of men wear 70's costume... an occasional
	bit of drag.

	ANDY and HAL dancing... ANDY with great abandon.  HAL seems
	to need a break.  He leads a good-naturedly protesting ANDY
	back to their table.  They find a stranger sitting there.

	IT IS PETER.

							CUT TO:

	INT. QUINN'S OFFICE - NIGHT

	M.J. ENTERS AND CROSSES TO HIS DESK.

	On his desk lie a badge and a gun -- Nikko's.  M.J. is
	looking at them as

				QUINN
			(nothing her look)
		He's on temp leave with pay.  I
		talked the Commissioner out of no
		pay.

	M.J. pulls her badge out and puts it down in front of Quinn.

				M.J.
		You want mine, too?  You take his,
		you take mine.  I'm the one fucked
		it up...

				QUINN
		So I'm maybe gonna lose three good
		cops?  You fucked up on this
		occasion, but don't be so hard on
		yourself.  There's something I want
		you to think about.  The book says
		if you use your gun, use it to
		kill, that's what it's meant to do.
		You tried to pick this punk off
		with fancy shooting, to keep him
		alive.  To what end?  You're not
		willing to kill, you can't be a
		cop.  Go get drunk.  I am.

							CUT TO:

	INT. HELEN'S OFFICE - NIGHT

	Helen is lying wide awake.  THE PHONE RINGS.  HER ANSWERING
	MACHINE -- SHE CAN HEAR IT CLEARLY IN THIS LOFT APARTMENT...

				ANDY (V.O.)
		If yo dialed carefully you've
		reached your dream number.  Now,
		you know what to do.
			(beep)

	"THE POLICE" SINGING "YMCA" IS HEARD!

	INT. NIGHTCLUB PAYPHONE NEAR THE  MEN'S ROOM

	PETER IS THERE ON A PAYPHONE:  HE NOW HOLDS UP A WALKMAN
	TAPE RECORDER TO THE MOUTHPIECE... PRESSES A BUTTON...

	INT. HELEN'S BEDROOM

	HELEN'S OWN VOICE IS HEARD.  ECHOING THROUGH THE LOFT SPACE
	FROM THE OFFICE.  "YMCA" HEARD IN B.G.  Helen leaps out of
	bed and runs down the hall, as:

				HELEN (V.O.)
		... their compulsion is less about
		sex than it is about control.
		Power.  Action.  Release from
		passivity.  Albert DeSalvo, Bianchi
		and Buono, Berkowitz, Dahmer...
	Dahmer killed his first victim
		because the boy just wanted to go
		home.  Bundy said he wanted to
		master life.  And death...

	She has reached the machine: she picks up the phone...

				HELEN
		Peter Kurten!

	INT. CLUB PAYPHONE - NIGHT

	PETER HANGS UP THE PHONE, SLIPS THE TAPE RECORDER IN HIS
	POCKET AND TAKES A FEW STEPS TO THE MAIN FLOOR OF THE
	NIGHTCLUB.  OVER HIS SHOULDER WE CAN SEE: ANDY AND HAL
	DANCING.  Andy is wearing a bright and distinctive jacket.

							CUT TO:

	INT. HELEN'S APARTMENT - NIGHT

	A new guard, FRED, is letting M.J. in.  FOR THE FIRST TIME,
	HELEN IS GLAD TO SEE HER.  As M.J. walks down toward her...

				HELEN
		You were right!  He knew me!  He
		went to my lectures.  He recorded
		them!  Listen to this...

	She is too full of her own shock to wonder why M.J. is here
	at this hour and to notice the state M.J. is in... she has
	turned back to the answering machine and hits the play
	button, M.J. standing beside her... She also has the text of
	the lecture on her computer screen:

				ANSWERING MACHINE
		...Action.  Release from passivity.
		Albert DeSalvo, Bianchi and Buono,
		Berkowitz, Dahmer... Dahmer killed
		his first victim because the boy
		just wanted to go home.  Bundy said
		he wanted to master life.  And
		death...

	AND THE MUSIC FROM THE NIGHTCLUB BLARING IN THE B.G.
	Helen has turned and now sees M.J.'s condition.  SHE STOPS
	THE TAPE...

				HELEN
		What happened to you?!

				M.J.
		Ruben's dead.   So stupid, a cop
		thing, a crazy kid and a buncha
		dumb mistakes... I'm sorry...
		because you and he...

	Tears start again, just running down, no sobs, but she can't
	will them away.  She brushes at them angrily...

				M.J.
		I just thought it was so --
		unprofessional.  Of you both!

				HELEN
		He felt sorry for me.  It was so
		nice to flirt.  He was a darling
		man.

				M.J.
		A man?  I thought he was a boy.
			(bursting out)
		This last Christmas was the
		happiest Christmas I had in the
		last ten years... you know why?  It
		was the first Christmas in six
		years I was not in love.  Son of a
		bitch married men!  Who cares about
		marriage, the bed just gets crowded
		and noisy?!

				HELEN
		You're exhausted.  Let me get you a
		brandy.

				M.J.
		Where's the john?  Let me clean up
		this mess, and get back to work.

	Helen has stepped to her brandy decanter; M.J., too dejected
	to move, sits, staring now at the only thing to stare at: the
	computer screen.

				HELEN (O.S.)
		Who's the married man?

				M.J.
		What does it matter?  This guy, you
		checked your course records, who
		signed up?

	Helen returns with the brandy.  M.J. holds it, doesn't drink,
	just stares at the computer screen, emotionally dead...

				HELEN
		The University computer is down for
		maintenance, but I've been going
		through my own notes...

				M.J.
			(her voice is dead)
		Look.  There's the order:  you
		wrote it:  DeSalvo, Bianchi &
		Buono, Berkowitz and Dahmer.  It's
		going to be Dahmer next.  Which
		means he'll kill a man.

	With an effort of will M.J. moves to the phone, putting the
	brandy down.

				HELEN
		Yes.  Dahmer!  And after that...

				M.J.
			(dialing)
		Bundy.  That's the last one in your
		speech...

				HELEN
		Maybe you should...

				M.J.
		I'm working on it!  It's what I do.
			(into phone)
		Quinn...Halloran.  I'll wait.
			(to Helen)
		Where's Andy, can we get some
		coffee in here?

				HELEN
			(she's going through
			 records)
		Out.  Where does he go?  Nowhere.
		What does he do?  Nothing.

							CUT TO:

	EXT. BAYSIDE RESTAURANT - BELVEDERE OR SAUSALITO - DAY

	A BRIGHT LOVELY DAY, PEOPLE DINING AND DRINKING IN THE SUN,
	on a deck that faces the Bay and San Francisco's towers
	beyond.  Young people, drinks in hand, dressed to go to a
	summer wedding, mingle and laugh and chatter.  A young woman
	stands leaning back against the wooden rail, her back to the
	Baby.  A young man faces her, talking, laughing.  HE LEANS
	CLOSE TO WHISPER IN HER EAR AND SHE LEANS BACK, DRAWING HIM
	CLOSER TO HER -- SEXY!  AS HE WHISPERS HE CAN SEE OVER HER
	SHOULDER INTO THE WATER BELOW.

	REVERSE, CLOSE: YOUNG MAN -- His face registering horror at
	what he sees: he stops speaking, and the GIRL turns to look
	down to see what is it he's looking at, and begins to
	SCREAM...

	THEIR POV.

	Below, floating in the water is ANDY, wearing his bright
	jacket, except it's not all of Andy.  HIS HEAD IS MISSING.

							CUT TO:

	REVERSE: (TIME HAS PASSED).  FROM WHAT WOULD BE ANDY'S POV
	-- FACES LOOKING DOWN.  M.J., QUINN, SAKS AND CORONER'S
	MEN...

	THEIR POV.  NOW RUBBER BOATS HAVE BEEN TIED IN A RING
	AROUND THE BODY.  DOC IS DOING HIS WORK, PREPARATORY TO
	LIFTING THE BODY OUT OF THE WATER...

	HE PULLS A WALLET OUT OF THE POCKET AND HOLDS IT UP TO THE
	PEOPLE ABOVE.

	M.J. TAKES IT.  BEGINS TO LOOK THROUGH IT.  SHE IS NUMB WITH
	EXHAUSTION AND SORROW.

								CUT TO:

	INT. HELEN'S APARTMENT - DAY

	Her teeth chattering, HELEN tries to talk.

				HELEN
		I am not going to talk about it.
		How do you know it was Andy if the
		head was gone?  Where is the head?
		Are you looking for it?  Oh, God,
		why him?  Because of me.  I can't
		talk about it.  I write about
		things like this, stuff it all in
		books and bury it in libraries.
		This is the first person close to
		me who's ever died.  And it's
		because of me.  This monster killed
		him because I loved him.

				M.J.
		I've got to go.  I've got to go.

	M.J. hands HELEN her bottle of Xanax.

				M.J.
		How many do you need to sleep.
		Really sheep?

				HELEN
		W-We had a fight.  I called him...
		called him a name...

				M.J.
		Christ, Helen.  The first time,
		we're ahead of the son of a bitch!
		I can't leave you like this -- and
		there's no time.  Knock yourself
		out.

	Offers the Xanax again.  Helen looks at the bottle...

				HELEN
			(beat)
		Right.  Well.  He's going to do
		Bundy.  Bundy faked injuries, wore
		a plaster cast, or walked on
		crutches, and asked college girls
		for help -- carrying his books,
		pushing his car...

	M.J. starts for the door... Helen has turned to her
	computer and types... meanwhile we are HEARING.

				M.J. (V.O.)
		Like the others -- he'll pick the
		most extravagant murder -- Bundy's
		three murders in one night at a...

	And we SEE Helen's message on the computer screen...

	PETER KURTEN, PLEASE CONTACT INTERNET HUDSONHEL@UNIVOLD.COM.

							CUT TO:

	INT. TASK FORCE - DAY

	M.J. IS MOVING FROM DESK TO DESK... ISSUING INSTRUCTIONS, in
	continuous segue from above...

				M.J.
		...Chi Omega sorority house.  Find
		out how many Chi Omegas there are
		on college campuses this area.

				DETECTIVE
		How far out?

				M.J.
		Hundred mile radius.

	To the next...

				M.J.
		What are the FBI doing?

				DETECTIVE 2
		They were combing Fertility
		clinics.

				M.J.
		You want to get onto the DMV, we
		want records on all gold or yellow
		colored VW bugs, any year.  I want
		an in-person check on every
		registered owner.  If it's rental --
		check rental first -- get names and
		location of who is driving one now.

	Next station.  QUINN has appeared and is listening.

				M.J.
		Alert Campus Security on college
		campuses, all of them.  They should
		warn all female students with long
		straight dark hair parted exactly
		in the middle -- I'm serious! -- to
		avoid any strange male contacts and
		report any man with an apparent
		handicap who tries to get them to
		carry groceries or books, or push
		his car...

	SAKS has appeared and stands by Quinn: they both stare at
	her and she becomes more and more self conscious and aware
	of how impossible this is...

				M.J.
			(to them)
		That was Bundy.  He killed forty of
		them, identical, long hair, parted
		in the middle, alike as Barbie
		dolls.
			(breaks off)
		...this is hopeless.  Let's try to
		get time for a police spokesman to
		appear on college radio and TV
		hookups and broadcast a warning?

				QUINN
		"Spokesperson."

				SAKS
		What about auto body and paint
		shops; any recent VW bug repainted
		to gold or yellow?

	M.J. is mildly surprised at help from this source.

				M.J.
		You or us gonna do it?

	QUINN AND SAKS TURN TO EACH OTHER: TURF WAR.

							CUT TO:

	FERTILITY CLINIC - DAY

	NITROGEN FOG swirls as a Stainless steel tubule is lifted
	out its bath of liquid nitrogen, with a long pair of tongs.
	CAMERA FOLLOWS TO REVEAL PETER FOLEY, in white lab coat.
	Through a glass partition, he SEES two unmistakable FBI men
	enter and begin talking to the receptionist in an outside
	office.  HE CONTINUES ABOUT HIS WORK.  CAMERA STAYS ON THE
	FBI MEN AND RECEPTIONIST.  CUT BACK TO WHERE PETER WAS
	WORKING.  THERE IS ONLY A PAIR OF RUBBER GLOVES AND LAB COAT
	LYING ON THE WORK SPACE.  A BACK DOOR IS CLOSING...

							CUT TO:

	INT. HELEN'S BEDROOM 

	HELEN'S BED IS EMPTY, COVERS THROWN BACK.  A GLORIOUS
	MORNING.  THE TV'S LEAP INTO LIFE.  WE HEAR OVER: HORRIBLY
	CHEERFUL VOICE:

				TV (V.O.)
		Welcome to weekend gridlock on the
		Freeways!  Everybody heading for
		the mountains and or the sea,
			(sings)
		"by the sea, by the sea, by the
		beautiful sea," and my-oh-my what a
		mess!  On 101 south of Burlington,
		we have a big rig over the side,
		blocking the on-ramp..."
			(etc., blah, blah)

	INT. HELEN'S OFFICE - CURTAINS DRAWN - STILL NIGHT HERE...

	Helen at her computer... which says

	BACK ON LINE -- SORRY FOR THE DELAY.

	THESE ARE CONFIDENTIAL UNIVERSITY RECORDS
	REQUIRING APPROVED AUTHORIZATION
	PLEASE TYPE YOUR PASSWORD:

	Helen types -- 'xxxx xxxx' appears on screen.  Then a
	message:

	DOCTOR HELEN HUDSON, YOUR ACCESS LEVEL IS THERE.

				HELEN
		Any student name registered in
		Crime-Psych 137 matched to titles
		of term papers with any mention of
		'Peter Kurten.'

	What she types on SCREEN is the text for a Boolean search
	for such items (research needed).  She waits for a second.

	SEARCH COMPLETED	STUDENT NAMES:	342
				CRIME-PSYCH 137	 11
				TERM PAPERS		736
				PETER KURTEN		   1

	MATCHING ALL CRITERIA: PETER FOLEY

	'PETER FOLEY, DOCTORAL CANDIDATE, 1991 TERM PAPER,
	'PSYCHOPATHOLOGY OF SERIAL KILLER PETER KURTEN AS A SYMPTOM
	OF SOCIAL UPHEAVAL AND POLITICAL VIOLENCE IN GERMANY CIRCA
	1936,' UNPUBLISHED.

				HELEN
		Peter Foley.  Good God.  You poor
		sad little bore.  I failed you, is
		this what...?

	SOUND:  HER FRONT DOOR OPENS.  She starts, turns.  Feet
	moving toward her, but quietly, cautiously.  As the
	footsteps turn into the hall.  She stands, reaching for
	anything to defend herself with: a paperknife.  She moves to
	the door, raising the knife... footsteps closer... A man
	turns into the office, and she launches herself, only
	stopping the stab of the knife at the last split second...

	ANDY.  She SCREAMS!

				ANDY
		Stop screaming!

	She screams again.  Then smothers him with kisses and
	hugs...

				ANDY
		For God's sake, stop -- my head!  I
		have the Iraqi mother of all hang-
		overs.  Very quiet in the hospital
		zone, please.

	She clings to him.

				HELEN
		Where have you been?  What happened
		to your wallet?

				ANDY
		Hal has it.

							CUT TO:

	INT. SQUAD ROOM - NIGHT

	SAKS is sitting on edge of a desk.  M.J. is standing, and
	QUINN is sitting almost knee-to-knee with ANDY.

				ANDY
		...then he gave me a popper and I
		started to feel really wild... all
		over the dance floor.  Then
		suddenly I was just s o stoned.  And
		sick?  I had to race for the
		john... horribly sick.  Over and
		over and over.  I was in there a
		very long time.  And when I came
		out they were gone.  So was my
		jacket which I'd tossed to Hal when
		I was dancing.  Hal was my...
		Could I have a glass of water?

	An FBI man intrudes... with a printout of a driver's
	license.  He shows to Andy...

				FBI
		Mister Saks.  We gotta Peter Foley,
		medical technician in a fertility
		clinic in Oakland.  We got a home
		address in Daly City.

				ANDY
			(looking at license)
		That's him.

				SAKS
		Got him!

	THE FBI AND THE COPS ALL RISE AND ARE ON THEIR WAY OUT.

				QUINN
		I called our SWAT Commander...
			(to Saks)
		He's ours now... You come watch
		our boys in action...

	And walks away...

				SAKS
			(under his breath)
		Well, thank you, too.

							CUT TO:

	EXT. OLD FRAME HOUSE, DALY CITY - NIGHT

	SWAT TEAM SURROUNDING THE HOUSE, WITH GREAT QUIET AND EFFORT
	TO CONCEAL THE OPERATION.  QUINN in command over a SWAT
	COMMANDER -- JENSEN.  There are ambulances, a fire truck,
	search lights.  SWAT TEAM, AND FBI all wear bulky flack
	jackets, with yellow ID stencilled on the back.  Quinn sees
	M.J., huddled in her old oversize jacket, gestures M.J.
	should have a flack jacket like theirs.  She taps her chest,
	where she has a bullet-proof vest under her shirt.

	THE HOUSE:  VARIOUS SHOTS, SILHOUETTED FIGURES MOVING TO
	VANTAGE POINTS FOR THE ASSAULT.

	ON A VIEW INCLUDING A CELLAR WINDOW: LIGHT INSIDE.  AS
	CROUCHED SWAT MAN RUNS BY WE SEE: PETER INSIDE, PASSING BY,
	GLANCE OUT...

	INT. PETER'S BASEMENT

	PETER HESITATES, LOOKING OUT.  HE FLICKS OFF LIGHTS.  MOVES
	PURPOSEFULLY OUT OF FRAME... WE HEAR A MOAN (O.S.).

	A HAND GASPS THE HANDLE OF WHAT LOOKS LIKE A GUN; AS IT IS
	BROUGHT UP INTO A WIDER VIEW IT HAS A LONG BARREL WHICH
	SUDDENLY SHOOTS FLAME: A PROPANE BARBECUE LIGHTER...

	EXT. HOUSE

	THEY ARE ALMOST READY FOR THE FIRST MOVE; THREE SWAT MEN BY
	THE DOOR.  ANOTHER TWO PREPARING TO MOVE FORWARD AND
	ANNOUNCE THEMSELVES.

				SWAT COMM
			(on bullhorn)
		Peter Foley, we are the police.
		Will you please come to your front
		door, and come out with your hands
		above your head...(etc.)

	INSIDE A SMOKE ALARM BEGINS TO GO.  LIGHT FLICKERS IN CELLAR
	WINDOWS.

	SWAT MEN AT THE DOOR: THEY SMASH THE LOCK AND CHARGE IN.  M.J.
	AND OTHER DETECTIVES WITH THEM.

	INT. HOUSE

	A dozen men pour into the house from front and back,
	converging in the dimly lit living room.  SMOKE OBSCURES
	EVERYTHING.  The dining room and kitchen are empty.  M.J.
	FOLLOWS CONTINGENT THAT RACES UPSTAIRS.  OTHERS FAN OUT
	THROUGH THE WHOLE STRUCTURE.  FIREMEN COME BEHIND LOOKING
	FOR THE FIRE.

	INT. PETER'S BEDROOM - NIGHT

	SMOKE IS THINNER HERE.  The room lighted only by the
	glowing TV screen.  The WIFE still in bed, shot through the
	head.  Others crowd in, kicking in closet and bathroom
	doors.  M.J. IS BY THE  BED JUST TURNING TO START ABACK
	DOWNSTAIRS LOOKING FOR PETER.

	SWAT MAN emerges from the bathroom with the body of NASTY
	LITTLE DOG, holding it by the tail:

	THEN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT'S WARNING SIRES SHRIEK:  THEY MEAN
	EVERYBODY OUT... FIREMEN CHARGE FOR EXITS...

	AS THEY CHARGE THROUGH DOWNSTAIRS...

	M.J. CAN SEE TWO FIREMEN AT THE BASEMENT DOOR.  SMOKE BILLOWS
	FROM UNDER IT.  BEHIND IT WE HEAR SCREAMING.  THE FIREMEN
	SMASH THE DOOR, DROPPING TO THE FLOOR AS THEY DO...

	M.J'S POV: BLACK SMOKE BILLOWS OUT ACROSS THE CEILING
	THEN EXPLODES INTO WHITE HOT FLAME.  SHE HAS STEPPED FORWARD
	SO SHE CAN SEE OVER THE FIREMEN DOWN INTO THE BASEMENT: IN
	THE SUDDEN FLARE SHE SEES A MAN, WITH TIN-RIMMED GLASSES AND
	BLACK LEATHER CLOTHING ENTIRELY ENGULFED IN FLAME RUNNING UP
	THE BASEMENT STAIRS; BEHIND HIM THE BASEMENT IS BURNING.

	INT. BASEMENT

	LOW ANGLE LOOKING UP STAIRS: FLAME ALL AROUND -- PETER'S 
	PHOTO COLLAGES ON THE BULLETIN BOARD BURNING.  THE MAN 
	RUNNING UP THE STAIRS ALMOST MAKES IT TO THE TOP BEFORE
	HE FALLS BACK DOWN INTO THE CAMERA.  AT THE TOP, WE SEE M.J.
	AND THE FIREMEN'S APPALLED FACES.  THE SCREAMING DIES OFF...

	EXT. HOUSE

	FLAME NOW ENGULFING THE BASEMENT AND GROUND FLOOR: FIREMEN
	AND M.J. RACING OUT COUGHING AND CHOKING.

	THEN: A HUGE HOT FLOOM OF AN EXPLOSION: FLAMES THREATEN TO
	CONSUME THE ENTIRE HOUSE.  FIREMEN SWARM BACK TO KNOCK DOWN
	FLAME FROM OUTSIDE.

	M.J., QUINN, ETC., WATCHING THE EVIDENCE GO UP IN SMOKE.
	THEIR FACES LIGHTED BY THE FLAME.

							CUT TO:

	INT. HELEN'S OFFICE - NIGHT

	She has now changed into a pair of sweat pants and a
	T-shirt.  SUSAN SCHIFFER IS ON TV: WITH SHOTS OF THE FIRE
	BEING SNUFFED OUT.

				SUSAN
		I am here with Lieutenant Quinn of
		the Homicide Division and (title)
		Saks of the FBI.  Can you tell us
		what happened here, tonight?

	During the following we move to PETER'S HOUSE where Quinn
	and Saks are being interviewed.

				QUINN
		Susan, the San Francisco Police
		Department, assisted by the FBI,
		developed evidence that the serial
		killer, referred to as the Copycat
		killer was an individual who
		resided at this address.  Upon
		being asked to step out of the
		house to be interviewed, the
		suspect set fire to the house
		possibly to destroy evidence of his
		wife's murder.  We found her dead
		of gunshot wounds in an upstairs
		bedroom.  He himself died in the
		fire.
			(to shouted
			 questions)
		No, we'll wait until we've located
		any relatives who should be
		notified.  Witnesses saw the
		individual burn to death, they were
		unable to reach him in time to save
		him.  We're glad, as the entire
		city must be glad, this reign of
		terror is ended.  No, no more at
		this time.  Thank you...

	END OF HELEN STARING STONILY AT THE SCREEN:  SHE DOESN'T
	BELIEVE IT FOR A MOMENT.

							CUT TO:

	INT. TASK FORCE ROOM - NIGHT

	M.J., wearily enters.  Others quietly entering, slipping out
	coats, talking and drinking at some distance.  M.J. takes
	off her shoulder holster and gun and puts them down on her
	workspace.  NIKKO is at little distance cleaning out his
	desk.  He comes down to her as she sits...

				NIKKO (V.O.)
		I heard. Good police work.

				M.J.
		Just horseshit luck.

				NIKKO
		Don't ever forget how good you are.

	He is standing behind her and leans over to almost touch her
	hair with his lips...

				NIKKO
		I love you.

	He goes.  M.J. twists in misery and fury... Her phone is
	ringing on another line; she punches it...

				NJ
		Halloran.

				HELEN
		I don't believe it.

				M.J.
		Helen.
			(beat)
		I saw him die.  I saw him burning on
		the basement stairs, he never
		reached the top.

				HELEN
		They never kill themselves.  How do
		you know it was him.  You never met
		him.  You never even saw a
		photograph...

				M.J.
		Helen -- let go.  You've got to let
		go.

				HELEN
		He hasn't done Bundy.  He's done
		every one of the others, hasn't he?
		If there are three dead Chi Omega
		college girls tomorrow, how will
		you feel?  Go there.  See if there
		could be any way for him to escape.

				M.J.
		This has been the worst 48 hours of
		my life.  I'm going home.  I'm going
		to try to get drunk.

				HELEN
		If there's a one percent possibil-
		ity, can you live with yourself
		when he kills again?

				M.J.
		Oh, shut up, and don't be so damn
		self righteous.

							CUT TO:

	INT. M.J'S CAR - NIGHT

	M.J. is now almost dead with fatigue.  She barely misses
	hitting another car.  She drives on until she is forced to
	stop at a traffic light.  All during this:

				RADIO NEWS
		...You're on the air, who's
		this...Ron, that's not my right
		name... that's okay, Ron. What are
		you afraid of?... I don't want
		anybody to know my name, because
		I'm a friend of Peter Foley?  I 
		know him from the gay community?  He
		was cruising the night...

	M.J. switches stations, channel surfing... bits of music,
	Rush Limbaugh, back to Ron droning on.

				RADIO NEWS
		...that I resent the tone of the
		Police and their attitude?  That
		this is just some weird queer
		event, just because they couldn't
		stop this guy until he did himself,
		if you even believe that...

	M.J. turns off the radio... when light turns green,
	instead of moving ahead, she just sits for a moment.  Then,
	furious with HELEN, with everything, she swears and wheels
	the car into a tight illegal u-turn.

							CUT TO:

	EXT. NIGHT BERKELEY CAMPUS - NIGHT

	It is extra time, which means party time or those who've
	finished and solitary and group study time for the rest.
	And there are celebrants of the Festival of Love, who were
	being born about the time of the original event.  TRACKING
	SHOT TO ESTABLISH THIS SCENE, MOVING, SEARCHING ALONG THE
	AVENUES, PASSING KNOTS OF STUDENTS AND PARTY-GOES... WE
	HAVE SEEN A PEACEFUL CAMPUS, QUIETLY CELEBRATING.  AND WE
	HAVE DRAWN UP BEFORE CHI OMEGA.  THERE IS NO PLACE TO PARK.
	M.J., WHOSE POV THIS HAS BEEN LOOKS AT HER WATCH.
	DECIDES: FUCK IT, THIS IS CRAZY AND IS ABOUT TO DRIVE AWAY,
	SHIFTING INTO GEAR WHEN SHE SPOTS:

	POV.  A GOLD COLORED VW BUG

	It is parked under a tree some distance across a parking lot
	jammed with student cars.  It is partly in shadow, so she
	could easily have missed it.  She jumps out of the car and
	moves fast up the steps through students, drinking, kissing,
	studying, arguing...

	INT. CHI OMEGA - NIGHT

	MAIN MEETING ROOM.  Full of people milling about.  Music is
	playing.  SEES THE BACK OF A TALL MAN ON CRUTCHES TALKING TO
	A COED.  HE HAS A LOAD OF BOOKS SHE TAKES FROM HIM; SHE IS
	LAUGHING.  M.J. moving fast toward them, she runs into a
	girl, spilling the girls' drink on her blouse...

				GIRL
		Goddamn it!  This is brand new!
		Where're you going?

	As M.J. continues to move the Girl grabs her...

				GIRL
		No, you don't spill all over
		somebody and just walk away, you
		damn well pay the cleaning bill...

				M.J.
		Police business -- take your heads
		off.

				GIRL
		Bullshit!

	M.J. holds up the badge...

				M.J.
		Don't make me pull the gun...

	She jerks away, almost knocking the Girl down.  The Girl is
	yelling, beginning to attract attention.  As M.J. turns back
	to SEE.

	PETER AND THE COED are just moving off, the Coed holding his
	books, he hobbling on the crutches.  M.J. runs through the
	crowd toward him, and those who notice are pissed... she is
	getting close when, just as he and the coed would pass from
	sight behind a wall, PETER looks around, straight at M.J..

	IT ISN'T PETER AT ALL.

	M.J. LOOKING AROUND, MOVES TO STAIRS TO SECOND FLOOR...

	M.J. EMERGING FROM STAIRS INTO THE CORRIDOR -- SHE RUNS DOWN
	THIS CORRIDOR OF ROOMS, PUSHING OPEN ANY THAT ARE SHUT.

	A SCARED COUPLE MAKING LOVE CONFRONT HER GUN.  SHE
	REHOLSTERS IT AND RACES DOWN THE HALLWAY...

	OVER THE PARTY NOISE AND MUSIC WE HEAR A SCREAM.  M.J. RACES
	DOWN CORRIDORS, TRYING TO FIND THE SOURCE.  ANOTHER SCREAM.
	IT SEEMS TO COME FROM BEHIND A CLOSED DOOR.  M.J. KICKS IT
	OPEN, BURSTING IN:

	INT. ROOM

	A BUNCH OF STONED STUDENTS PASSING A JOINT: ON A TV PLAYER
	IS THE IMAGE OF JAMIE LEE CURTIS IN AN EARLY SHOCKER: THEY
	ARE PLAYING AT WHO CAN OUT-SCREAM JAMIE LEE CURTIS.

	WHEN JAMIE LEE CURTIS SCREAMS --

	THEY ALL SCREAM BACK!  AND BURST INTO HOWLS OF LAUGHTER.  THE
	SIGHT OF M.J. WITH HER GUN OUT ONLY MAKES THEM HOWL LOUDER.

				STUDENT
		Swallow the joint!  It's Barney
		Phyfe -- in drag!

	THEN ALTOGETHER THEY SCREAM AT HER!  AND HOWL WITH LAUGHTER.

	THE HALL. 

	M.J. walks out of the room and down the corridor.

	EXT. CHI OMEGA FRONT STEPS

	SHE LOOKS OUT ACROSS THE PARKING LOT: THE GOLD VW BUG IS 
	GONE.

	SHE WALKS TO HER CAR, RELIEVED.  THE WHOLE THING SEEMS LIKE
	A NIGHTMARE FROM WHICH SHE HAS NOW AWAKENED.

	INT. M.J'S CAR

	AS SHE OPENS THE DOOR, REACHES IN AND GRABS HER PHONE.  SHE
	ACTIVATES PHONE, WHEN SHE IS BLINDSIDED BY PETER WHO SLAMS
	HER INTO THE CAR, FACE DOWN ACROSS THE FRONT SEAT.  HE 
	DISARMS HER, TWISTS HER INTO THE PASSENGER SEAT...

	THERE ARE STUDENTS AT SOME DISTANCE, BUT SHE CAN'T MAKE
	HERSELF BE HEARD.  SHE IS GROGGY FROM THE BLOW SHE'S TAKEN.
	HE HANDCUFFS HER TO THE CAR, FIND HER KEYS, AND BEGINS TO
	DRIVE AWAY... PETER'S HAIR IS NOW BRIGHT RED -- LIKE DARYLL
	LEE CULLUM'S.

								CUT TO:

	INT. HELEN'S APARTMENT - NIGHT

	Helen lies wide awake in the dark.  PHONE RINGS.

	INT. TASK FORCE ROOM - NIGHT

	INSERT: TAPE RECORDER ATTACHED TO PHONE.  IT STARTS TO TURN.
	AT THE FAR END OF THE ROOM AN FBI DETECTIVE IS POURING HIMSELF
	SOME COFFEE.  HE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO HEAR WHAT WE HEAR:

				HELEN (V.O.)
			(thinking it's M.J.)
		Where are you?

				PETER (V.O.)
		Hi.  It's your worst student, Peter
		Foley -- how do you grade me now,
		Doctor?

	HELEN ON PHONE

				HELEN
			(beat)
		Who was the man in the basement?

				PETER
		You like that action?  Didn't that
		cop on TV look solemn?  The guy in
		the basement doesn't matter,
		anyway, just another lonely heart.

				HELEN
		Where are you, Peter?

				PETER
		You thought I was going to do Ted
		Bundy next, so you sent your
		partner...

	Helen gasps with the implications of that...

				PETER
		What was that?  What am I hearing?
		The sound of an epiphany, a sudden
		blinding insight?

				HELEN
		It's Daryll Lee Cullum, isn't it?

				PETER
		Mm-hmm.  I can't get to you.  You
		have to come to me.

				HELEN
		You know I can't do that.

				PETER
		Oh, I think you will.

	Peter rips duct tape off M.J.'s mouth...

				M.J.
			(yelling)
		Call the police!  Now!  Call Qui...

	Peter punches M.J. who is handculled in her car; they are
	parked in front of the Lecture Hall.

				HELEN
		For God's sake Peter, leave her out
		of it.  You don't want her, you
		want me.

				PETER
		I need her; she's a cop.  I have to
		kill a cop, and then...

				HELEN
		You've been perfect.  Don't spoil
		the symmetry -- you have to have a
		male cop.

				PETER
		I don't care -- she's a cop.  That's
		the important thing.  Cop-ness, not
		sex-ness.  It won't be perfect, but
		it'll be good.

				M.J.
			(yells)
		Call Quinn and Saks.

				PETER
		I'm tired.  I want it to end
		tonight, don't you?

				HELEN
		Yes.  I do.  I want it to end now.
		Let her go.  I'll come -- just let
		her go.  She's not important.

				PETER
		You know where.

				HELEN
		Where it began -- McCluskey
		Auditorium.

	He hangs up.

	INSERT: TAPE MONITOR.  WE HEAR HELEN HANGING UP.  A SMALL
	COMPUTER CHIP VOICE IS HEARD.  THE FBI MAN IS MEASURING
	SUGAR INTO HIS COFFEE AT THE OTHER END OF THE ROOM.  HE CAN'T
	HEAR:

				COMPUTER VOICE
		Time Zero-hundred and twenty -- two
		minutes and sixteen seconds June
		twelve 1994 Helen Hudson 415 320
		1854 Court order Alpha Bravo
		9765910...

	BATHROOM DRAWER

	It is pulled open: metallic sounds of  bullets rolling on the
	wooden drawer: her hand bats away the usual bathroom drawer
	garbage and pull Ruben's gun out; HER TREMBLING FINGERS
	RELOAD IT.

	EXT. HELEN'S OUTSIDE HALL - NIGHT

	Helen wearing loose coat, jeans and sneakers opens the door.
	FRED snaps out of a sound sleep.

				HELEN
		It's all over, Fred.  They got the
		guy.  You go home to your own bed
		now.

				FRED
		I got to have that from my
		superior.  One guy fired off this
		job already.

				HELEN
		Call in.  Use my phone.  They'll
		tell you -- it's all over.

	FRED GOES.  HELEN STEPS RESOLUTELY INTO THE HALL, FOR
	REASSURANCE BRACES HERSELF WITH A HAND ON THE WALL.

	THE HALLWAY (HER POV).  IT SEEMS MILES LONG.  SOUND: HER
	FRONT DOOR CLICKING SHUT -- THE SAME ESSENTIAL EVENT AS SO
	LONG AGO WHEN RUBEN HAD TO SHOOT OFF THE DOOR LOCK...

	HELEN LOOKS BACK AT THE DOOR.  BRIDGES BURNED.  TURNS BACK.

	HER HAND ON WALL: AS SHE MOVES A TENTATIVE STEP HER HAND
	PRESSES HEAVILY, SLIDING ALONG THE WALL.  THEN HER HAND
	MOVES A LITTLE FASTER, AND FASTER.

	HER POV.  THE HALL SEEMS MORE NORMAL.  MOVING SHOT PICKS UP
	SPEED...

	HER HAND NOW BRUSHES THE WALL WITH ONLY FINGERTIPS.

	HELEN MOVES WITH MORE AND MORE CONFIDENCE: HER AGORAPHOBIA
	IS GONE... HER HAND DROPS TO HER SIDE...

	EXT. HER BUILDING - NIGHT

	The door opens and Helen appears in it.  She confronts the
	street and the night... One more threshold to cross...

	STREET: HER OLD SAAB IS PARKED.  THE ANTENNA IS GONE, AND
	IT'S COVERED WITH CITY GRIME.  The night seems to roar; the
	lights blur and flare.  A truck comes past too fast, 
	stirring up dust and buffeting her with wind.

	HELEN steeling herself and running the few steps to her car.

	INT. CAR as she slides into the driver's seat, slamming the
	door and locking it.  She drives off into the night.

	EXT. MULUSKEY AUDITORIUM -  NIGHT

	A broad view through shadowy trees shows it's lighted
	facade.  Parked in front of is M.J.'s car.  SUDDENLY FROM
	BEHIND THE TREES, SAKS STEPS OUT IN FRONT, BLOCKING THE WAY!

	REVERSE:  HELEN'S CAR IS COMING UP THE STREET TOWARDS US.
	SAKS (AND NOW WE SEE OTHER SWAT TYPES IN THE SHADOWS, HIDDEN
	FROM THE VIEW OF THE AUDITORIUM) STANDS IN THE STREET
	FLAGGING HER DOWN --

	SHE STOPS, PUTTING DOWN WINDOW.  SAKS RESTS HIS HAND ON THE
	DOOR... He shoves no sign of recognizing her...

				SAKS
		Ma'am, please get out of your
		vehicle...

				HELEN
		Merry, how... oh, Christ, of
		course, you had my phone tapped.

				SAKS
		Just get out of your vehicle...

				HELEN
		He's got Sergeant Halloran in
		there.  He'll kill her the minute
		he sees or hears your people...

				SAKS
		You've been very useful, Doctor, we
		appreciate all you've done, and now
		the professional will take over...

				HELEN
		He wants me, he doesn't care about
		her.  Let me...

	SAKS HAS THE DOOR OPEN AND IS REACHING TO PULL HER FROM THE
	DRIVER'S SEAT... HELEN SUCKS IN HER BREATH AND JAMS ON THE
	GAS.  SAKS IS ALMOST DRAGGED AWAY WITH HER, SPUN AROUND AND
	FALLING ON THE PAVEMENT.  SHE SLAMS THE DOOR AS SHE SPEEDS
	TOWARD THE AUDITORIUM...

	SAKS, CURSING, LEAPS TO HIS FEET; A SWAT TYPE AIMS HIS GUN
	AFTER HELEN, BUT SAKS PUTS HIS HAND ON THE WEAPON STOPPING
	HIM FROM SHOOTING.

	NEW ANGLE: Helen's Saab speeds out of the tree shadowed
	street into the bright plaza in front of the auditorium, and
	brakes behind M.J.'s car.

	CLOSE: HELEN.  Sudden silence when she kills the car engine.
	She gets out of the car.  As she walks even her sneakers
	make an echo from the silent stone facade... She walks up
	the wide stairs...

	INT. AUDITORIUM - NIGHT

	The huge doors creak open and Helen enters.  She stands,
	listening: light streams in from the exterior through tall
	windows, otherwise it's all back shadows, weird enough
	without the distorted vision, the vertigo that momentarily
	returns...

	Helen wills herself to move into the deep space before her.
	She stands listening: we HEAR the creaks and tiny snaps of a
	building cooling in the night air.  Or is the movement of
	Peter somewhere in the room?

	She whirls to face a distance sound that echoes in the
	auditorium...

	CLOSE: HELEN staring, trying to SEE.  NOTHING.

	THEN:

	PETER IS STARING BACK.  HIS FACE BECOMES DARYLL LEE.  THE
	VISION SNAPS.

	HELEN: SHE TURNS AND WALKS PAST THE ROSTRUM OF THE STAGE TO
	A DOOR UPSTAGE LEFT... OPENING INTO A LONG AND DARK
	CORRIDOR.  SHE GROPES FOR LIGHT SWITCHES, CAN'T FIND OUT ANY.
	THE CORRIDOR LEADS TO THE LADIES' ROOM ON THE RIGHT.  AS SHE
	WALKS DOWN THE HALLWAY, IT BEGINS TO RESEMBLE TO HER THE
	SAME WALK SHE TOOK AT THE BEGINNING: AND SUDDENLY AT THE
	DOOR TO THE LADIES' ROOM SHE SEEMS TO SEE THE FAT COP.  SHE
	SHAKES HER HEAD AND THE VISION IS GONE.

	REPLACED BY INT. LADIES' ROOM.  THE COP IS NOW HELD FROM
	BEHIND BY DARYLL LEE - SMILING AT HELEN.  IN REVERSE, WE SEE
	FOR THE FIRST TIME THAT HELEN HAS THE ROPE WELL AWAY FROM
	HER NECK.  WE REALIZE SHE HAS AMPLE TIME TO WARN THE COP,
	BUT SHE IS PARALYZED, FASCINATED BY WHAT IS HAPPENING IN
	TERRIBLE SLOW MOTION INTERCUTS BETWEEN DARYLL LEE GRINNING
	AT HER, HELEN'S HELPLESS HORROR, THE COP'S APPEALING LOOK TO
	HER AND BACK TO DARYLL LEE AS (BELOW THE FRAME) HE SLITS THE
	COP'S THROAT AND LETS HIM FALL TO THE FLOOR.

	HELEN (FLASHBACK) AT LAST BEGINS TO SCREAM!

	CLOSE: HELEN (PRESENT) RECOVERING.  (SHE HASN'T SCREAMED AT
	ALL.)  SHE PULLS RUBEN'S GUN FROM HER POCKET AND SHOVES OPEN
	THE DOOR INTO THE LADIES' ROOM.

	AS THE DOOR OPENS.  THE LIGHTS ARE ON: IT IS BRILLIANT,
	BLINDING IN HERE.  SHE STEPS IN.  THERE IS A SOUND THAT
	DRAWS HER ROUND, HER GUN COMING UP: BACK OF THE DOOR IS THE
	BROOM CLOSET... SHE FIRES TWO ROUNDS INTO THE CLOSET DOOR.
	IT SPRINGS OPEN AND MOPS AND PAILS FALL THUNDEROUSLY OUT
	ONTO THE TILE FLOOR.

	SHE WHIRLS TO COVER HER BACK; FACES THE STALLS.

	EXT. SAKS' ROADBLOCK - NIGHT

	THEY REACT TO ECHOES OF THE GUNFIRE.

				SWAT
		Oh, man?!  Let us in there.

				SAKS
		Go.  Go.  Go!

	Men begin moving cautiously out of the trees and shadows
	toward the Auditorium...

	INT. LADIES' ROOM

	HELEN MOVES ALONG THE STALLS PUSHING DOORS OPEN.  UNTIL SHE
	SHOVES ONE OPEN AND SEES:

	M.J. IS HANGING BY A NOOSE, DANGLING THE SAME WAY HELEN DID
	IN THE OPENING SEQUENCE.  SHE IS ALIVE, HOLDING THE NOOSE
	FROM HER NECK BY ONE HAND...

	HELEN STARTS TO RUSH TO HER ASSISTANCE, WHEN THE LIGHTS GO
	OUT.  PETER TAKES HER FROM BEHIND, SWIFTLY DISARMING HER,
	REGARDING THE GUN WITH AMAZEMENT.

				PETER
		You cheated!  You said you'd come
		die with me.

	WITHOUT PAUSE HE PUMPS TWO BULLETS INTO M.J. WHERE SHE
	HANGS.  HER BODY JUMPS FROM THE IMPACT OF THE BULLETS, HER
	HEAD FLIES BACK AND SHE SLUMPS, THE NOOSE TIGHTENS; THE DOOR
	OF THE STALL SWINGS SLOWLY SHUT, AS PETER TURNS ON HELEN,
	WHERE SHE LIES ON THE FLOOR, HORROR-STRUCK.

	EXT. AUDITORIUM - NIGHT

	WITH EFFICIENCY AND CAUTION FBI SWAT TYPES MOVE TOWARD THE
	AUDITORIUM.  A GRAPPLING HOOK IS THROWN HIGH OVER THE ROOF;
	THEY PREPARE FOR AN ASSAULT.  A HELICOPTER SWOOPS IN, BATHING
	THE SCENE IN ITS BRILLIANT LIGHT...

	INT. AUDITORIUM STAGE - NIGHT

	PETER HAS HELEN ON THE STAGE WHERE CHAIRS ARE RANDOMLY
	SCATTERED AND PUSHED HER TO A SEAT FACING HIM, ALMOST KNEE
	TO KNEE... HELEN WILL USE HER PSYCHOLOGICAL WILES TO TRY TO
	TAKE AWAY PETER'S CONTROL OF THE SITUATION... PETER LOOKS UP
	AT THE SOUND... HE IS PROUD AND THRILLED.

				PETER
		Listen to them!  We'll be on all
		three channels.

				HELEN
		Kill me, Peter, do it, now.

				PETER
		No.  Not yet.

				HELEN
		Do it.  If that's what all this
		carnage is about, then do it.  Have
		enough guts to do it.

				PETER
		Don't talk to me about courage.  I
		know death, what it's like to kill.
		You're not a killer -- you watched
		Daryll Lee kill that cop and you
		didn't make a peep, because you
		were paralyzed with fear.  You
		chocked.  I know something else about
		you.

	Peter is jerking about with amphetamine energy; he pops a
	pill into his mouth and swallows...

				PETER
		You want one?  No?  There was
		something in you that was
		fascinated, that wanted to see what
	it was like for a man to die.
		Everybody feels it.  Like every
		person who slows to see a bad
		accident, or runs to see a fire.
		That's true.  I see it in you...
		you're the same as me.

	THERE IS NOISE OUTSIDE... LIKE SOMEONE BREAKING IN.

				PETER
		Oh, no.

	HE GRABS HER, AND SHE MOVES WITH HIM, WITHOUT RESISTANCE, AS
	HE TURNS OUT THE LIGHTS INSIDE.

	FLOODLIGHTS SUDDENLY ILLUMINATE THE FACADE OUTSIDE,
	INCREASING THE BRILLIANCE OF THE LIGHT STREAMING IN AND
	DARKENING THE SHADOWS FURTHER.  GERMAN EXPRESSIONISM.

	He leads her back to the stage... he pushes her into a chair
	facing him... He looks into her face and smiles...

				PETER
		We'll keep talking.  Until they get
		here.  Then...
			(smiles)

				HELEN
		I have no life anymore.  I ruined
		your life, make me pay for it.

				PETER
		Why did you do that?  Didn't you
		have any idea how hard it was for
		me, to get that far?  I worshipped
		you.  You inspired me.  I thought
		you could understand me the way you
		understood the others.  I knew that
		about you -- the ones you admired
		were the great murderers; they
		fascinated you.

				HELEN
		That's not who I admire -- I admire
		people who are good at what they
		do, great artists, writers,
		thinkers...

				PETER
		I don't have the talent for any of
		those things.  All I have a talent
		for is death.  And I am one of a
		kind.  What do you think of your
		student now?  I have made you
		famous, I am your creation and your
		monument.

	BEHIND HIM A SHADOWY FIGURE DARTS FROM HIDING SPOT TO A
	VANTAGE POINT: WE CAN'T MAKE OUT THE FIGURE... HELEN SEES
	BUT PETER DOES NOT.

				HELEN
		If you let me, I can make you more
		famous than any of them.

				PETER
		Oh, please.  I know what's coming,
		now.  "Let me help you..."

				HELEN
		Do anything you want to me.  I give
		myself to you.  Only put the knife
		down.  Isn't this what you always
		wanted?  I know it's what we all
		want, to love and to loved.  I
		could love you.  You could work
		together in some safe place, learn
		to really understand you, help you,
		give you some peace of mind, some
		happiness...

				PETER
		Back in the driver's seat again,
		Doctor?  That old dream -- study us
		to see what makes us sick.  So you
		can find a cure -- they'd name it
		after you?  Death is the only cure
		for people like me.

	He leans toward her with the knife.  This might be the
	moment.  His gun lies on the floor beside him.

	HER EYES HAVE FLICKED TO THE SHADOW BEHIND HIM; HE SEES IT
	AND STOOPS TO PICK UP THE GUN AND FIRES INTO THE SHADOWS,
	TWO OR THREE QUICK ROUNDS.  HE TURNS BACK TO HELEN, DROPPING
	THE GUN TO REACH FOR THE KNIFE.

	HELEN HEAD BUTTS HIM WITH ASTONISHING STRENGTH, KNOCKING HIM
	BACKWARD.  SHE STANDS... HE COMES UP WITH GUN... AND AIMS AT
	HER...

	BEHIND HIM M.J. STEPS OUT OF THE SHADOWS HAVING NOW A CLEAN
	SHOT.

	HELEN DOESN'T GIVE A CLUE, JUST LOOKS INTO PETER'S EYES AS
	M.J. AND PETER IN SLOW MOTION DETAILS AS SHE LINES UP HER
	SHOT: SHE COULD KILL HIM OR GO FOR THE EXPOSED SHOULDER.

				HELEN
		Do it.  For God's sake, now...

	M.J. FIRES.

	PETER IS SPUN AWAY FROM HELEN BY THE IMPACT, STANDS THERE,
	SHAKING WITH THE SHOCK OF THE HIT... HE STARES AT HER.

				PETER
			(surprised, like a
			 child)
		You hurt me!

	M.J. HOLDS HER GUN ON HIM, READY TO SHOOT AGAIN, BUT HE JUST
	GOES DOWN ON ONE KNEE, HIS BODY VIOLENTLY SHUDDERING... AS:

	THERE IS A HUGE SOUND OF BREAKING GLASS AND THEN AN ENORMOUS
	EXPLOSION THAT THROWS THEM TO THE GROUND.

	THE BIG FRONT DOORS ARE BLASTED OPEN, AND THE FLAK VESTED
	SWAT TEAM SWARMS THROUGH... SMOKE FROM THE CONCUSSION
	GRENADE SWIRLS IN THE CHIAROSCURO OF FLOODLIGHTS AND
	SHADOWS.

	OUT OF THE SMOKE COME SKI-MASKED SWAT MEN...

				M.J. & HELEN
		No!!

	PETER TURNS TO THE SWAT TEAM, OFFERING HIMSELF, AS THE WOMEN
	SCREAM TO THE SWAT MEN'S WOUNDED AND HARMLESS...

	A PATTERN OF RED DOTS FROM LASER BEAM SIGHTS ON THE SWAT
	TEAM RIFLES DAPPLE PETER'S HEAD AND TORSO.

	SWAT TEAM

	LIKE A FIRING SQUAD THE TEAM FIRES.

	PETER'S BODY FLIES THROUGH THE AIR FROM THE IMPACT AND
	SLIDES SPRAWLING ACROSS THE STAGE TO A STOP.

							CUT TO:

	INT. AUDITORIUM - LATER

	M.J. SITS AS PARAMEDIC GENTLY PULL OFF HER SHIRT AND THE
	BULLET PROOF VEST THAT SAVED HER LIFE.

				M.J.
		Jesus that hurts.  You think the
		rib is busted?

				PARAMEDIC
		That looks like just a bad bruise.
		I'll tape it up if you want to...

				M.J.
		I'll take some Tylenol and codeine,
		instead, how about a lot of number
		six?

	The medic turns to his medicine bag.  Cops swarm around
	them.  Helen sits down next to M.J.  M.J. begins to put on
	her shirt, wincing at the movement.  Helen helps her.

				M.J.
			(it hurts)
		Oh, God.

	SAKS AND QUINN EMERGE THROUGH THE CHIAROSCURO OF SMOKE AND
	LIGHT AND SHADOW.  When M.J. sees him she takes out her gun
	and hands it to him.  It is what he expects, but she
	misunderstands -- she is offering it to him as her
	resignation from the cops.  He takes it only as a part of
	officer related shooting routine.  SHE LOOKS INTO HIS FACE
	AS HE SMELLS THE MUZZLE, KNOWS SHE FIRES IT, APPROVED.

				QUINN
		I'll take it, kid.  You take two
		weeks paid leave.  Don't waste a
		second thinking about that shitbag.
		Then come back.  You're a cop, M.J.

	He nods to Helen...

				QUINN (cont'd)
		Get the civilians outta here.

				M.J.
		She's in no shape to give her
		statement tonight...

				QUINN
		No, she can come in tomorrow...
		gonna want to know a lot of
		things...

	B.G. the cops have pulled PETER'S BODY BY THE FEET, LETTING
	HIM BUMPITY BUMPITY BUMPITY DOWN THE STEPS from the stage
	and lifted him onto a gurney.  The body is wheeled past
	them, as...

				HELEN
		The only one who could tell you
		what you really need to know is
		dead.

				QUINN
		Yeah, it's a thought...

	Of no importance to him, he turns away...

	INT. AUDITORIUM - NIGHT

	In the LOBBY area between the auditorium proper and the big
	exterior doors (now the worse for wear from the concussion
	grenades).  Outside, through the glass we SEE a media circus
	under the BRIGHT LIGHTS put up for the assault.  M.J. and
	HELEN SQUINT AGAINST THE LIGHT, AND TURN...

	THE AUDITORIUM (POV).

	The cops and technicians are working away; at one side is a
	small door -- easy escape.  They run toward it...

	EXT. MCCLUSKEY AUDITORIUM - NIGHT

	It is dark where they step out into the night.  Around the
	corner of the building we see the light from the MEDIA
	CIRCUS.  THEN HELEN STEPS OFF DOWN INTO THE DARK CAMPUS.
	M.J. LOOKS AT HER: REALIZING: HELEN IS NO LONGER AFRAID.
	SHE CATCHES UP TO HER.  HOLD ON THEIR BACKS AS THEY WALK
	AWAY...

				M.J.
		You could use a long hot bath, you
		know that?  You better get somebody
		to drive you home.

				HELEN
		Why can't I drive home?  I will.
		You.  Look at you.  You need a ride
		home.  And you don't even know it.

				M.J.
			(beat)
		Well, thanks.

	The two women continue down toward Helen's car, just outside
	the circle of media.  CAMERA RISES AND RISES TO A HIGH FULL
	SHOT.

	THE MOUTH AND THE HAIRCUT spot them and race toward them.

				SUSAN
		Hey!  Halloran!  What's the story
		here?

	On the two women getting in the car...

				HELEN
		If she has to ask, she's never
		gonna know.

	HIGH FULLSHOT OF THE CAMPUS AS THEY DRIVE AWAY INTO THE
	NIGHT.

				THE END

Copycat



Writers :   Frank Pierson  Ann Biderman  Jay Presson Allen
Genres :   Crime  Horror  Mystery  Thriller


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