M I L L E N N I U M "ROOSTERS" Ep. # 2.16 [MLM-216 (5C16)] Written by Glen Morgan & James Wong Directed by Thomas J. Wright Edited by Chris Willingham, A.C.E. Transcribed by Dan Owen [ Second Season ] [Complete Transcript] U.S. Air Date: March 13, 1998 ===================================================================== TEASER An owl is perched on Frank's computer monitor. Beneath it: 'It is still night." ELDER (V.O) Previously on "Millennium..." A one minute recap of events in "Owls", concluding with... INT. FRANK'S HOUSE - NIGHT Various watercolors flashing past Frank's computer screen, until the exact one seen in Ms. Knight's office appears! Tensing at the sight, FRANK BLACK moves the screen down -- various watercolors pass by until Frank find it: the same watercolor hanging in Ms. Knight's office! Behind Frank a car's headlights sweep across his front room. Frank gets out of his chair and moves quickly to the main window. He peers through the blinds... and sees two men parked in a car outside, watching his premises. Frank is furious and opens a nearby drawer. Inside is a gun box. Frank opens the lid and takes out the weapon... CUT TO: EXT. FRANK'S HOUSE - NIGHT Frank, now in his leather jacket, storms across to the parked car. His gun is held down, concealed behind his leg.... The driver's door opens and a man begins to step out... Frank stops and aims his gun angrily... THE DRIVER is out of the car, arms rasied in surrender. FRANK Hey. You looking for me? You must be because, I'm the only one that lives here. THE DRIVER Easy, Mr. Black... This is who we are. Frank is surprised to hear the Millennium Group's password. Reassuringly the Driver nods. Inside the car, the second man has a .45 Glock 30 handgun ready out of sight. He looks over his shoulder at Frank, and ROCKS the slide... Frank looks at the car's passenger, then to the driver... FRANK Get your hands on top of your head. Interlock your fingers... The Driver keeps his hands raised... FRANK NOW! Your partner in the car, too... The Driver simply shakes his head in disbelief, then SIGHS as he looks to his partner in the car... INT. CAR - NIGHT A finger slips through the gun's trigger guard... the gunholder looks to his driver outside - ready... EXT. FRANK'S STREET - NIGHT The driver acknowledges his partner's signal subtley. THE DRIVER Do as he says... Frank watches the two men... through the condensation on the car's rear window, Frank sees the passenger begin to raise his arms... THE DRIVER (O.C) Frank... Frank looks at the driver. THE DRIVER Just let me call Peter Watts... He reaches slowly into his coat... then, the passenger in the car turns - raising his weapon over his shoulder! Frank drops to his knees as he swings his own gun over to the passenger... both FIRE! The rear-window of the car is SMASHED and CAR ALARMS activate! The driver has fishes a gun out of his coat - he trains it on Frank... but Frank dives behind the tire wheel well of the passenger side. Frank has his gun up and aimed at the passenger's door, waits... INT. CAR - NIGHT The passenger takes cover, laying down behind the front seat. He spins to face the right window, oblivious to the glass all over the back seat... just waiting for Frank to appear... EXT. FRANK'S STREET - NIGHT Neither person can see each other. Frank looks under the car at the front-left tyre. Nobody can be seen, but there is a shadow... In the distance SIRENS are approaching. Police. Frank clenches his gun and searches with his other hand for an object on th floor. He doesn't find one, so instead delves into he own pocket - and finds a bunch of keys. After a second, Frank throws the keys towards the passenger door... INT. CAR - NIGHT The passenger hears the keys IMPACT on the door. He lifts his weapon and FIRES three shots through the door... EXT. FRANK'S STREET - NIGHT Bullets BURST through the door. Frank gets up on one knee and aims his gun through the shattered rear window - FIRES twice into the car's back seat. INT. CAR - NIGHT The passenger flails about as Frank's bullets pepper the foam seating... EXT. FRANK'S STREET - NIGHT Frank takes cover. The driver steps out from his position, FIRING and emptying his gun clip through the rear-window. Frank stays low and inches beneath the car. BULLETS explode around him! They stop... and Frank looks up.... ... he sees the driver's feet disappear into the car. The ENGINE starts. Frank crawls back as the car SCREECHES away. He FIRES at the nearest tyre. BOOM! The car snakes away, one tyre DRUMMING against the road. Frank rests near the curb. Police cars ROAR past, SIRENS wailing. A second car arrives and stops near Frank... FADE TO BLACK. ACT I INT. LARA'S MEAN'S APARTMENT - NIGHT LARA MEANS CLICKS her lighter, producing sparks. She tries again. Sparks. Trembling she tries again - tiny sparks. She throws the lighter on her desk, and the cigarette in her mouth. Anxiously, she stands and begins pacing around the room. Lara picks up the phone and dials. CUT TO: INT. FRANK'S HOUSE - NIGHT Hitler's watercolor remains on Frank's computer screen. Frank's phone RINGS on the same desk. Outside, police siren lights are visible. Silence, apart from the POLICE CALLS and RINGING phone. Nobody answers. CUT TO: INT. LARA MEAN'S APARTMENT - NIGHT Lara hangs up. Upset, she keeps her composure and looks at her briefcase and suitcase across the room. She heads towards them. Lara opens the suitcase and delves through her luggage. In between the clothes is a manilla envelope. Inside, a pack of matches fall out. Lara gathers them and returns to her desk. She drops the file on the desk and opens the envelope, searching also for her discarded cigarette. Inside the envelope Lara takes out two folders, marked with her own handwriting: 'JOHNSTON - MARYLAND.' and 'LeFUR - AMANN, JORDAN.' She starts reading Johnston's police report... '... anomalistic failure of vehicle electrical system...' Lara thinks, something makes sense. She consults the other document. '... undeterminded malfunction of security camera...' A connection? Lara looks at a flight report... 'FLIGHTS DEPARTING AMANN AFTER INCIDENT: Ammann-Paris: 15:30. Amann-London: 15:45. Amann-Washington D.C.:16:00.' Lara reaches for another envelope marked 'DUPLICATES' and opens it. Inside she takes out two sheets of ALTERNATE LIGHT IMAGE PHOTOGRAPHS. She looks at them, looks puzzled, then begins searching for another... but can't find one. Another report: 'JOHNSTON, GORDON. REQUEST FOR ALTERNATIVE LIGHT IMAGE PHOTOGRAPHS. 1-FLURORESCENT. 1-INFRARED 1-ULTRAVIOLET. TOTAL = 3.' Lara is confused. She holds up the TWO alternate light reports, thinking. She places her cigarette between her lips and looks to her work order: '... full report., (3 images) delivered to Peter Watts. 3 March 1998. 13:12." Peter has inititaled the report. Lara thinks as she strikes a match. LARA What is it you didn't want anyone to see, Peter? As the match is struck... a LOW RUMBLING begins to be heard... growing louder... a STAMPEDED of animals... Lara can hear and feel the tremours... compelled to the match's light... the tiny flame dances... Lara looks terrifified... inside the flame, a small lightning bolt strikes... the STAMPEDE magnifies... The flame reflects in Lara's wide eyes. The ROAR is deafening. Lara is just sat at her desk, no real noise is present. Silence, as she is transfixed by the light. O.C. a KNOCKING at her apartment door. The light's STAMPEDE continues and we even hear the NEIGH of horses within the flame. The image of four horses appear in the light. Then, the match burns itself out against Lara's fingers. A wisp of smoke is all that's left. Lara, sweating, still stares at the burnout match stick. KNOCKING at her apartment door. She realizes. She grabs a gun from her desk drawer shakily. LARA Who is it? KNOCK. KNOCK. KNOCK. Lara moves to the door and stares out through the peephole. Through the hole Lara can see a silhouette of an elderly gentleman, tall and strong-looking though. He's wearing a brim hat and has a white beard. The visitor KNOCKS on the door using a walking stick. Lara is uncertain... CUT TO: INT. WAREHOUSE - NIGHT The dark figures of PETER WATTS and THE ELDER are present. THE ELDER From what we understand, the two men identified themselves to Frank Black as members of the Group. PETER Given the conditions, the division in the group between the secularist and the theologians... maybe they were. THE ELDER Everyone knows Frank was a civilian. He was always reluctant to join the Group, period. Let alone ever tip his hand as to which... Millennium... he believed. Uncomfortable pause. THE ELDER (continuing) We've lost an exceptional candidate. PETER *I* lost him. Peter can see from The Elder's expression that he agrees. PETER I want to go to him. The Elder is uncertain... PETER Not to try and get him back. Just to make certain he's okay. THE ELDER I've been where you're at, Peter. I spent ten years at the level of Patron. You empathize with your candidate's doubt. Condole their fear. Elate at their revelation. You can't experience these emotions with another person and not feel close to them. But until a candidate becomes inititated and... comprehends the secrets we accept... the affinity is a one way street. (a beat) If they were all accepting and trusting of the Millennium Group before knowing who we are... we wouldn't want them as a member. Peter nods, understanding. THE ELDER You're the last person he wants to see. Peter nods again and walks off. THE ELDER Peter... Peter stops. THE ELDER (continuing) I expect an explanation as to why you covered up the third infrared image in Johnston's investigation. Peter tenses, caught off guard. CUT TO: INT. FRANK'S HOUSE - NIGHT The image of the Hitler watercolor is still onscreen. Frank is sat at his computer, looking at the image. Outside, lights from police sirens are still visible. GIEBELHOUSE is present. GIEBELHOUSE Some of my uniformed guys found the car abandoned up on Clyde Hill. No prints. Phoney plates. VIN removed. Gonna be a bitch to trace. Absently, Frank nods, barely listening. Giebelhouse notices and pulls up a chair next to Frank... GIEBELHOUSE I can see you're thinking about your own investigation. Frank confirms Giebelhouse with silence. Giebelhouse nods. GIEBELHOUSE Knowin' you and the Group, you have a good idea, if not definitive proof, who these guys were. FRANK I'm not workin' with the Group anymore. Giebelhouse looks shocked, and slightly concerned. The front door opens and CATHERINE BLACK rushes inside, heading for Frank. Frank stands and hugs his wife, quite passionately. Giebelhouse respectfully stands giving room. GIEBELHOUSE Alright, well... we'll wrap up here. Frank, I might need you to come down for some official questioning. Frank nods. GIEBELHOUSE But... uh... in the meantime... I gotta take your gun. Hesitating, Frank takes out his gun - makes sure it's safe - and hands it to Giebelhouse. It's dropped into a waiting evidence bag. GIEBELHOUSE Any chance you're going to stay at Catherine's tonight? Catherine wants this, but Frank shakes his head. GIEBELHOUSE I'll keep a patrol car right outside. FRANK Thanks, Giebs. Giebelhouse looks at Catherine, forces a short smile, then leaves. Frank and Catherine share an awkward silence. FRANK Where's Jordan? CATHERINE She's at the house with Anne. You should stay there. FRANK It may be better if you two stayed here. CATHERINE "Better?" You mean "safer". What is going on? Frank doesn't respond, but moves back to the watercolor shown on his computer screen and removes it - hoping Catherine hasn't noticed. Too late, Catherine sees it, but fails to recognise it's significance. Catherine approached Frank as he turns away... CATHERINE Not revealing what you know is the equivalent of a lie. Why do you continue to lie to me? CUT TO: INT. WAREHOUSE - NIGHT Peter Watts is present. He SIGHS... and actually answers Catherine's question from the previous scene: PETER We are on the brink of a scission that appears irreversible. Johnston, a member of great stature, accountable only to you and the Old Man, was destructively working both Owls and Roosters against each other. (a beat) I was aware the revelation of his murder... of his possession of the crucifixion cross, would determine the outcome of disunion. (a beat) In the infrared image I saw the only possible lead. And so, I wanted to consult with the Old Man before rendering it admissable to the investigation. The Elder stands before Peter... INT. FRANK'S HOUSE - NIGHT CATHERINE You tried to keep our family safe and together by withholding the truth from me. And now we're apart. (a beat) If it's happening again... haven't you learned your lesson? Frank eyes her... unsure. CUT TO: INT. WAREHOUSE - NIGHT Again, Peter Watts inadvertanly answers Catherine's question in this scene: PETER It's so difficult to know the truth anymore. To even recognize it. I don't believe it was a lie to reserve information, which may create catastrophic consequences, until understanding for myself. CUT TO: INT. FRANK'S HOUSE - NIGHT CATHERINE The problem is you are not the only one it affects. You should have the *respect* to allow me to participate in decisions affecting my daughter and myself. I don't think that's self centered. I don't think that's bitchy. It's just *right*. FRANK Suspicions are not truths. When I *am* sure... I will tell you. Catherine turns and leaves, SLAMMING the door. Frank feels guilty, but confident he's done the right thing. He picks up his phone and dials. FRANK (into phone) Giebs, it's Frank. Could you do me a favor? Could you position that patrol car outside Catherine's apartment? (a beat) Just... don't let her know it's there. CUT TO: INT. WAREHOUSE - NIGHT THE ELDER Whether the events are theological or secular, to survive the events of the Millennium, Peter, our Group's purpose must be secret, at this time. (a beat) Now, I understand your motives but we cannot lie to one another. PETER What if the carbon dating results prove Johnston, the Owls, stole the cross of the crucifixion? How do we remain honest with each other? THE ELDER My concern is if the results show the wood in his trunk is a fake. (a beat) If it is... where is the real one? And what does it mean for Millennium? CUT TO: EXT. LARGE HOUSE - NIGHT Lake Ypoa. Paraguay. RUDOLF AXMANN's fortified residence, sitting silently at the edge of a large dark lake. A dock can also be seen. INT. AXMANN'S HOUSE - NIGHT HELMUT GUNSCHE is present, looking at a wall O.C. AXMANN (O.C) (German, subtitled) Magnificent. The sleeve of Axmann is shown, with the Germanic rune; a crooked "S". Axmann is emotional as he looks at the same wall with Gunsche. He glances at Gunsche, before returning his gaze. GUNSCHE (German, subtitled) You must be very happy. AXMANN (German, subtitled) I have one last enemy to defeat. Now we see the wall; on it hangs a large blood-stained Nazi banner. Beside it rests the surviving piece of crucifixion cross. AXMANN (German, subtitled) But, yes, after seventy five years, centuries, really... we have won. One last painful look at the two icons; the Christian cross... and the Nazi crooked cross... together. FADE TO BLACK. ACT II INT. RENTAL CAR - AFTERNOON A plastic keychain, with automobile information on them, dangle from the ignition. Frank is sitting low in the car, waiting. EXT. NEIGHBORHOOD - AFTERNOON Frank sees Catherine walk across to her own parked car. She stops when she sees a piece of paper on her windshield. INT. RENTAL CAR - AFTERNOON Frank is curious, too. EXT. NEIGHBORHOOD - AFTERNOON Catherine opens the note, it reads; 'Do you like Ms. Knight's artwork?' Catherine is puzzled. She looks around, but can't see anyone. Still confused, she gets in her car. INT. RENTAL CAR - AFTERNOON The keychair is turned in the ignition. Frank watches, biding his time. EXT. NEIGHBORHOOD - AFTERNOON Catherine drives away... with Frank following a few seconds later. CUT TO: INT. MILLENNIUM COMPUTER ROOM - NIGHT Numerous Millennium Group members encircle a huge conference table. Peter, KELCHER and DEAN sit across from OTTO and PLUNKETT. The Elder sits at the head with a report. A tense atmosphere. THE ELDER I have the results of the carbon dating on the wood discovered in Mr. Johnston's trunk, allegedly, at the time of his murder. The Owls and Roosters stare across the table. THE ELDER Before disclosing them, it seems imperative to discuss the implications of the results... and the crisis at hand. Both sides agree, following The Elder's lead. THE ELDER What I don't understand is... this is not a split caused by inherant opposing viewpoints. No one would be allowed in this room if they did not believe in the monumental events that are before us and are about to come... OTTO In the next century. DEAN The next *ninety-five* weeks! PETER The Catholics and Protestants of Northern Ireland believe in Christ as Lord. But for over thirty years they've taken each other's lives, lost any national direction or progress... because the split lost religious or political ideology, it became about who will control who. (a beat) That is what is happening here. And that is *not* who we are. OTTO No, I'm not ashamed to say it *is* about control. How many times can you cry wolf? If the Roosters are given the lead to prepare the public and direct them toward nonsensical biblical prophecies, the world will *disbelieve*, *overlook*, and be *unprepared* for the catastrophic astronimical event which we *know*, beyond a doubt, will occur six decades from now... and no one will survive. Not my family. Not a *single* member of the human race. (a beat) And that is worth dying for. And that is worth killing over. Uncomfortable silence around the room. CUT TO: EXT. AEROTECH - LATE AFTERNOON Catherine gets out of her car and heads toward Aerotech's offices. Another car parks and kills its lights. INT. RENTAL CAR - AFTERNOON Frank is watching Catherine enter the offices. INT. AEROTECH HALLWAY - AFTERNOON Catherine walks down the hallway, quite anxiously. She approached Clear Knight's office door - it's open... MS. KNIGHT (O.C) I'm checking on the delivery of invoice # 1567-AA. Catherine looks inside... INT. MS. KNIGHT'S OFFICE - AFTERNOON We notice Hitler's watercolor on Ms. Knight's wall... CLEAR KNIGHT herself is on the phone... Catherine sees the watercolor and reacts: she remembers Frank turning his computer off - it had the same watercolor displayed. As Catherine looks up, Ms. Knight is there. Knight forces a smile and closes the door. CUT TO: INT. MILLENNIUM COMPUTER ROOM - AFTERNOON Tension and hostilty fill the room... KELCHER If the carbon dating confirms it was the crucifixion cross... the Owls have destroyed a sacred mystical icon. PLUNKETT If it's a fake, the Roosters planted it to discredit the Owls, to give the appearance we are capable of anything. DEAN Apparently you are. OTTO Johnston was gathering intelligence on us! PETER Just the opposite, he tried to recruit Lara Means. OTTO And now the Group has lost an outstanding candidate. *You* dismissed her based on *your* bias. Peter tenses. THE ELDER I will not disclose these results until these differences are resolved. PLUNKETT That's just hiding the truth... from both sides. THE ELDER From what I'm hearing... there is no "truth" to be had... under any conditions. (a beat) How can this be? Both sides look at one another... nobody has an answer. OTTO Apparently, the only matter to that question... is that it is. No disagreement from anyone. The Owls, Otto, Plunkett and others leave the room. Peter watches them go, turns to The Elder. The Elder has turned away from everyone, eyes focused on the envelope before him... CUT TO: INT. AEROTECH - NIGHT Catherine is waiting in an office, anxiously. A KNOCK on the door, and an Aerotech employee, JIM FORD, pokes his head round the door... JIM Mrs. Black? I'm Jim Ford. We had an appointment. Catherine stands and extends a hand, motioning him to a sofa. CATHERINE Yes, Jim have a seat. Jim sits down. Catherine sits opposite and SIGHS - then forces a LAUGH. CATHERINE Are you here, by an chance, to talk about Ms. Knight's artwork? INT. MS. KNIGHT'S OFFICE - NIGHT Clear Knight is wearing some headphones. She looks distressed, but retains her cool exterior. JIM (V.O) Ms. Knight's artwork? No, my supervisor here is a freakin' Nazi, that's what I want to talk about. A KNOCK at the door. Ms. Knight calmly lowers the headphones and turns the volume down. MS. KNIGHT Come in. The door opens and Frank pokes his head inside. FRANK Hi, am I disturbing you? MS. KNIGHT Not at all. She gestures for Frank to enter and take a seat. He does so, and as he talks to her it's obvious to us he's playing along to a secret agenda: FRANK I thought I would surprise Catherine. Go out for coffee you know? But she's not done yet, so I thought, I'd say "hi". MS. KNIGHT Are things better... between you two? Frank shrugs. FRANK She's great, you know. I just... I don't know... the way things go, you know... She looks at Frank cooly, shakes her head to signal she doesn't understand, then looks embarassed and LAUGHS. Frank has an abrupt vision: a figure walking down a cleared pathway, surrounded by thousands of people. He has no time to take in the vision's significance. FRANK I just left this... job I had. It was in the area of law enforcement... consulting on homicide investigations... and you see all the things people are capable of... not all people... degenerates, you know? Frank watches for some sign of reaction from Ms. Knight. Instead, she just looks even more interested, leaning forward. Frank has a vision: Nazi banners marching past. Feeling uncomfortable, Frank continues: FRANK When I first moved to Seattle... there weren't as many... (lower) ... foreigners. Immigrants, and what have you. They have no understanding, let alone respect, for order. The natural order of how things should be. Ms. Knight hides her emotions very well, simply nodding and considering Frank's statement. Frank has a vision: passing dozens of prisoners in a Nazi concentration camp, all behind barbed wire fences, miserable faces... Frank stains a smile, fighting against the atmosphere in the room. FRANK Catherine said you were easy to talk to. (he stands) I'd better go see if she's ready. Ms. Knight stays seated. MS. KNIGHT Would you be interested in a position... with us, Frank? FRANK I don't know a thing about aviation parts. MS. KNIGHT We're a large company. We have many... interests. Frank looks at her and nods. He moves to her and extends a hand, she stays seated as she clasps his... revealing the Germanic rune cuff link on her sleeve. Frank has visions: dozens of images of a Nazi "S"! He pulls his hand away. CUT TO: INT. CATHERINE'S CAR - AEROTECH PARKING LOT - NIGHT Catherine opens the door and gets inside. As she inserts her keys into the ignition - the passenger door BURSTS open -- she SCREAMS! Jim Ford appears jumps inside, paranoid and with fear in his eyes. He stares at the Aerotech building. CATHERINE What the hell are you doing? GET OUT! He raises his arms in surrender. JIM WE CAN'T TALK IN THERE. IT'S BAD ENOUGH I MIGHT BE SEEN HERE. I'VE BEEN TO THE POLICE. I'VE BEEN TO THE FBI. I don't know what your husband does, but you've only been hired to get to him. Catherine looks shocked. She removes the 'artwork' note from her bag and shows Jim it - he nods his head to say he didn't write it. JIM They are not "Aerotech". They are ODESSA. The car door opens again. Jim is grabbed and hauled outside by Frank. Catherine is stunned to see her husband. FRANK You alright, Catherine? JIM Please, let me go. She can't see us! CATHERINE Let him go. JIM Please! CATHERINE Let him go, Frank. Frank lets Jim go, and the frightened man runs off into the parking lot. FRANK Was he trying to hurt you? CATHERINE What is Odessa? Frank is puzzled. FRANK I don't know. What did he say? CATHERINE Tell me what you know! What is ODESSA? FRANK I DON'T KNOW! CATHERINE YOU'RE A LIAR! Frank is stunned by her anger. CATHERINE LET'S JUST GO! LET'S JUST GO! Frank moves away, closing the door. Catherine starts the car, trembling, and pulls away. She drives off leaving a concerned Frank in the parking lot alone. INT. MS. KNIGHT'S OFFICE - NIGHT Ms. Knight sits at her desk, looking out the window... EXT. AEROTECH PARKING LOT - NIGHT ... through the window she sees Jim Ford reach his car and get inside. His lights flash as he starts the engine... INT. MS. KNIGHT'S OFFICE - NIGHT ... she watches... CUT TO: INT. BEDROOM - FRANK'S HOUSE - NIGHT Late night. Frank is asleep on his bed. O.C we hear the front door unlock. Frank snaps awake and listens... he goes to get his gun out from the nightstand drawer - then remembers Giebelhouse has taken it... Frank eases out of bed and creeps across to the open door. O.C FOOTSTEPS can be heard moving toward the living room. Frank looks out the door. He sees a large silhouette moves across the light streaming from the front window. A smaller figure follows. Frank moves into the hallway and reaches into the livingroom. He flicks on the lights: INT. LIVINGROOM - FRANK'S HOUSE - NIGHT The Old Man and Lara Means are the intruders. Lara SIGHS apologetically. OLD MAN Hey, Franklin, didn't mean to wake ya. You're gonna need your rest. Frank looks to Lara, who just shrugs. LARA It's a thing with him. Where he's from there's no locks on the door, or something. Well, we've all been there. FRANK I'm not with the Group anymore. OLD MAN Hell, far as I can see it, *we're* all that's left of the Group. The Old Man sits on Frank's sofa. Behind him, we see the front window... EXT. FRANK'S HOUSE - NIGHT A dark sedan is parked outside. Inside sits Helmut Gunsche, talking into a cell phone. GUNSCHE (German, subtitled) Where does Rome lie? AXMANN (O.C) (German, subtitled) Rome lies on the Tiber. GUNSCHE (German, subtitled) He is here. INT. AXMANN'S HOUSE - NIGHT Axmann is on the phone... AXMANN (German, subtitled) I knew he would go to that one. INT. GUNSCHE'S CAR - NIGHT AXMANN (V.O) (German, subtitled) Let me know when it is done. Gunsche hangs up. EXT. GUNSCHE'S CAR - NIGHT Inside, Helmut Gunsche waits... FADE TO BLACK. ACT III INT. FRANK'S HOUSE - NIGHT The Old Man looks saddened by something... OLD MAN There's not a single member of the Group that didn't... pass... by my home. That I didn't teach... what we are about. (turns) Not you, Frank... or you, Lara. Watts. Every Patron. Every Elder. (a beat) Not that I'm so special, mind you. I had my teachers. I was guided toward enlightenment. And they had their teachers, I guess. A circle, that's how it goes... when things work right. Every single one of you, no matter how many decades have gone by... no matter how much closer we are to the Millennium... I can still see, *feel*, that moment... the magic of enlightenment... each member attained. I could feel it, like when it happened to me. The Old Man looks away. Lara and Frank look at one another, feeling sympathy for the Old Man. OLD MAN And in that moment, the belief I'd feel, that we had another soldier in the fight. And the sadness, too, that anyone even had to live with such a responsibility. (a double beat) And now it's in ruins. Millennium became what we fight against. Damned Owls and Roosters. Power and control. The world will end in 658 days... if we fail to act now. He sits down in a chair. OLD MAN Somehow, *I've* failed. And I don't know what I can do to pull it back together. FRANK Then why come to us? I'm not even in the Group anymore. OLD MAN You up and quit! And Lara, here, was dimissed. Frank looks to Lara... LARA You're aware of Johnston's murder. Frank reacts - he is not aware. LARA He approached me... and tried to recruit me to the Owls. FRANK Johnston? He was a futurist on the Book of Revelation. LARA No one really knows which side he was on. And the disunion is over who killed him. FRANK Was there anything he said to you that provides a lead? Lara looks to the Old Man, for permission. The Old Man gestures it's okay. LARA Throughout history, the Millennium Group has had access to scientific breakthroughs, that were banned, or withheld, by those in power at the time. Copernicus. Galileo. The German physicists. This enabled the Group to leap generations ahead of mainstream research. Frank seems to be accepting this... LARA (continuing) Johnston's claim... the Owls claim, is... six billion years ago, before the formation of the Earth, two neutron stars collided six billion light years away. That collision released cosmic rays, particles of such extreme energy, that a collision of these particles could transform the vacuum of Space and create... a tear in the fabric of our Universe. Lara pauses... preparing... LARA (continuing) The Owls claim to have proof, that such a tear, an expanding cosmic bubble, should reach our solar system in the next sixty years. And a new Universe, it's properties calculated anywhere from apocalyptic to inconsequential will be created. FRANK You believed him. You joined him. That's why Watts dismissed you? LARA Given the scope of the Group and scientific credibility, I can believe it. Lara pauses, clearly anguished. LARA (continuing) But... *my* visions, Frank are becoming more frequent. More intense... and altered. Not just an angel... these visions feel prophetic. Frightening. And I can't turn away from what I trust. Something is closer than sixty years away. (a beat) I told Johnston I wouldn't join them. But Watts, he must have received hearsay that Johnston spoke to me... and dimissed me from the Group. FRANK (to The Old Man) How can two ex-candidates help you restore the Group? OLD MAN At the moment, they're so busy infighting, they're blind to a simple fact... He picks up a pencil from Frank's desk. OLD MAN (continuing) They've recently been after you... and they've *always* been after me. The Old Man draws completes the "S" rune symbol on a legal pad. CUT TO: INT. AEROTECH OFFICE - NIGHT Catherine is waiting in her office, impatient. She glances at her watch. INT. MS. KNIGHT'S OFFICE - NIGHT Catherine approached Knight's office, cautiously. Taking a breath, she enters. Ms. Knight looks at Catherine. CATHERINE Pardon me, Clear, have you seen Jim Ford? We were supposed to have an appointment. MS. KNIGHT (angrily) He has an appointment with me, too. He idn't show up for work. CATHERINE I'll give him a few more minutes. Catherine turns way from Ms. Knight, hiding her concerned expression. INT. AEROETECH OFFICE - NIGHT Catherine has a phone, which is ringing at the other end. An answering machine picks up, and a recorded message plays: VOICE (V.O) We can't come to the phone at the moment. If this is a question concerning Jim Ford... the family asks in lieu of flowers. Please send a donation to the James Ford memorial fund... Catherine looks horrified... looking at Ms. Knight's office. INT. AEROTECH HALLWAY - NIGHT Catherine walks quickly down the corridor, clutching her belongings to her chest. As she approaches Ms. Knight's office she slows down to appear casual. INT. MS. KNIGHT'S OFFICE - NIGHT Ms. Knight is not inside. INT. AEROTECH HALLWAY - NIGHT Paranoia growing, Catherine moves off... INT. HALLWAY - ELAVATOR - NIGHT Catherine checks behind herself as she calls for the elavtor. The doors open and the empty elevator is revealed. Catherine turns and heads off down the stairs... INT. FRONT LOBBY - NIGHT Catherine rushes down the stairs towards the front door. MS. KNIGHT Catherine? Catherine freezes! Ms. Knight is at the top of the stairs. MS. KNIGHT What's wrong? Catherine just runs for the door. EXT. AEROTECH - FRONT DOOR - NIGHT Catherine barges through the door and runs for her parked car. She grabs her car's door and - BREATHING HEAVILY - releases her hand slowly MS. KNIGHT (O.C) Catherine? Catherine moves away from her car, and runs in the opposite direction of Ms. Knight. As Catherine runs, a pair of headlights illuminate behind her from a car. Even more scared, Catherine continues her run through the parking lot. The car swings to the side, pulls up ahead and stops. FRANK CATHERINE! Catherine sees Frank is driving the car. FRANK Get in. I'll tell you everything I know. CUT TO: EXT. THE YELLOW HOUSE - NIGHT Slightly misty. Wagner's "Parsifal, Prelude to Act I" plays O.C. INT. BASEMENT - YELLOW HOUSE - NIGHT The Old Man is listening to the gentle music... OLD MAN You know this? (a beat) Wagner's "Parsifal". A young man is brought to the sight of the Holy Grail, but he don't quite get it. So he wanders 'round acquiring wisdom and experience and becomes King of the Knights. The Old Man begins preparing a sleeping bag... OLD MAN I hear this every night before I go to bed. Well, parts of it. The damn thing's five hours long, or somethin'. (he listens) Ain't it beautiful? (sighs) Even though, for me, it's tarnished. He's talking to Lara Means, who looks curious. OLD MAN When Adolph Hitler made a personal pilgrimage to Wagner's grave, emotional, he believed he could make a religion out of "Parsifal". (a beat) And... unfortunately... he did. CUT TO: INT. FRANK'S HOUSE - NIGHT Frank sits opposite Catherine. FRANK After D-Day, the Nazi's knew the war would be lost. Hitler's secretary, Martin Borman, began a project known as ODESSA. It was an underground movement of high ranking "SS" officers to areas south of the equator. CUT TO: INT. BASEMENT - YELLOW HOUSE - NIGHT OLD MAN The Nazi "SS" was a secret society. Heinrich Himmler modeled it after the medievel Order of Teutonic Knights. The MUSIC soaks the story in atmosphere as Lara listens, entranced. OLD MAN It displayed ritualistic insignia. The sig-rune. The two lighting bolts were worn on the left sleeve. The rune of power, the lightning bolts of the storm God - Thor. INT. FRANK'S HOUSE - NIGHT FRANK In the last years of the war, the Nazi's established corporations in countries willing to cooperate. Paraguay, Argentina. Money was not only transferred from Germany, but accounts remained in Swiss banks, billions in today's dollar, in plundered gold. INT. BASEMENT - YELLOW HOUSE - NIGHT OLD MAN On November 23, 1923, the Nazi's attempted to seize power. Sixteen members died. Their blood stained a swastika flag, from that point known as 'die Blutfahne', "the blood banner". It was said whoever maintained control of this banner would defeat communism. Rudolph Axmann, the oldest surviving member of Hitler's circle, the leader of Odessa... has possession of this banner, in Paraguay. Lara seems confused. The Old Man notices: OLD MAN No. It wasn't Gorbachev or Reagan that brought down the wall... It was the Odessa and Rudoplh Axmann that defeated their greatest enemy. And now... "Millennium" is their greatest enemy. (a beat) Was. INT. FRANK'S HOUSE - NIGHT FRANK Aerotech Guidance Systems, Catherine... is an Odessa company. Using the Group's databases, Lara Means and I tracked them, all the way back to the Reichsbank and the "SS" Melmer accounts. Catherine fidgets, Frank mistakes this for doubt. FRANK The rune on Knight's cufflink. The watercolor is an original of Hitler's, taken from his bunker and awarded to high ranking members of Odessa. Catherine is stunned. FRANK They hired you, to get to me. My reluctance to join the Millennium Group was monitored, seen as a potential willingness to work for the other side... Odessa. Frank SIGHS. Catherine nods, understanding. CATHERINE What will you do? FRANK I don't know. And that is the truth. Catherine considers her husband. CATHERINE At least now I can believe you. And you can believe that I love you... that I'll stand beside you. They both hug. INT. BASEMENT - YELLOW HOUSE - NIGHT The Old Man lies down on his sleeping bag, tired. Wagner's MUSIC plays beside him through a cassette player. Lara watches him, preparing to leave. LARA I'm sure Frank intended for you to sleep in one of the beds upstairs when he said he had a place to stay. OLD MAN Nope. This feels most like home. (a beat) See ya in the mornin', Lara. Don't let the bedbugs bite. LARA Goodnight. Lara heads up the stairs, but after a few steps she stops... doesn't turn around. LARA Which side do you believe? The Old Man doesn't turn toward her either. OLD MAN My family... were wealthy Poles. I was smuggled out of Europe and sent her. (a double beat) My mother and father came to me... at the moment Rudolph Axmann had them gassed at Auschwitz. (a beat) I've seen the end of the world. That is his answer. Lara restrains her emotions and leaves. The basement door closes behind her. As Wagner's MUSIC continues to play ethereally... the door handle twists open... and the door opens slowly... finally revealing the black form of Helmut Gunsche. Gunsche carefully treads down the steps. He eventually reaches the bottom without making a sound. He silently moves towards the Old Man's sleeping bag... He unsheaths a deadly blade, barbed and twisted for efficiency and pain. He reaches the Old Man, kneeling over him quietly. He lifts the knife... ... and suddenly the Old Man turns, wiedling a knife of his own! He thrusts at Gunsche, but the German grabs the blade - which slices into his hand. Blood flows down the blade... Gunsche thrusts powerfully with his own knife! The Old Man grabs the attacking hand by the wrist. Slightly weakened by the blade in his palm, Gunsche slides his hand out of the knife. The Old Man strikes again, but now Gunsche easily grabs the Old Man's hand. Both strain for control. As the Old Man struggles... white light pours across his face. The Old Man looks and sees a featureless angelic vision across the basement - the exact same one Lara saw. The angelic light intensifies, brighter and brighter... Gunsche plunges his knife into the Old Man, with viciousness in his eyes. The Old Man freezes in great pain, but doesn't give Gunsche the satisfaction of hearing him scream... Gunsche is angered by this. He lifts his knife and thrusts it again and again into the Old Man until the Group leader goes limp. Dead. The German assassin kneels before the Old Man, as Wagner's MUSIC continues. EXT. THE YELLOW HOUSE - NIGHT Darkness. Wagner plays O.C. Another death within the houses walls has occured. FADE OUT. ACT IV INT. BASEMENT - YELLOW HOUSE - DAY The blood has been mostly cleared away, but a visible stain still remains on the basement floor. Frank Black and Lara Means are the only people left, now the body's position has been outlined in tape. Frank stands over the taped outline, while Lara sits on the steps. Frank looks up as Peter Watt's shadow casts down on him from the top of the basement steps. A pause as both men eye each other. PETER May I come in? Can I talk with you? Frank nods. Tension fills the air as Peter moves towards the Old Man's outline on the floor. He pays his respects. PETER Standing here, considering this man... all the horrors... and wonder... the sense of duty... he brought into my life. I feel, primarily... ashamed. At how I've treated the two of you. He turns to them proudly. PETER (continuing) My colleagues. My friends. Frank and Lara are silent. PETER (continuing) I allowed the crisis, this division in the group to create... disunion within myself. And it became directed at the only two people I truly can trust... now that the Old Man is gone. Frank places a hand on Peter's shoulder. Peter looks to Lara, whose expression accepts his apology. LARA You said primarily. (a beat) What else are you feeling? Peter restrains his anger with ice-cold composure. PETER The serological anaylsis and skin sample of the suspect matches that of a subject who has been on the Group's most wanted list for ten years. Herman Gunsche, the primary assassin for a group known as... FRANK Odessa. PETER For half a century, they've sponsored acts of terrorism, successfully conspired to control social and political events in their direction of dark mysticism. They tried to destroy the Group... and now the Group must destroy them. CUT TO: EXT. FOREST - NIGHT A candle is lit. It flickers in the breeze as "Parsifal"; "Act I, Transformation" begins to play in the night air. The candle lights a second... which in turn lights another... and so on... Now we see that twenty member of the Millennium Group are gathered in a circle, each holding a candle. In the middle of their circle, a grave has been dug and the body of the Old Man has been wrapped in bandages. The body is in a sitting position, its arms tucked into the body and legs bent at the knees and tucked into the chest. The head it lowered in an embryonic position. THE ELDER (O.C) The position, in which, life begins... is that, in which, it ends... The Elder is at the front of the grave. THE ELDER (continuing) And that, in which it will return. He holds a palmful of seeds, which he slowly tips into the grave. Peter Watts is present, peering into the grave. He also tips a palmful of seeds into the Old Man's grave. Peter looks at the gathered members, intensely and with purpose. The (Owl) Group members Otto and Plunkett tip their seeds as the Roosters Dean and Kelcher do the same. Each look sincere. The Elder opens a wooden case and takes out an ancient navigator's compass. He drops the instrument into the grave. THE ELDER There is an end/Of Wrong and Death and Hell. CUT TO: INT. MILLENNIUM COMPUTER ROOM - DAY A cellular phone's casing is detached by a precision instrument. THE ELDER (V.O) When the long wear of Time and Suffering... CUT TO: EXT. AIRPORT - NIGHT A private plane lands on a cleared jungle runway. THE ELDER (V.O) Has effaced the stain/Ingrown upon the soul, and the cleaned spirit... CUT TO: EXT. FOREST - NIGHT The Millennium Group continue their funeral. THE ELDER (V.O) Long ages floating on the wandering winds/Or rolling deeps of Space, renews itself/And doth regains it dwelling... CUT TO: EXT. STREET - DAY Otto and Kelcher sit in a car. Across the street Helmut Gunsche's dark sedan is parked. Gunsche steps out of his car and surveys the area before heading across the street. THE ELDER (V.O) Time calls and Change commands both men and gods... As Gunsche disappears, Otto and Kelcher scramble out of their car and head for the German's vehicle. CUT TO: EXT. FOREST - (PARAGUAY) - NIGHT A figure dressed in complete black is in the forest, carrying a back pack. He stops and looks ahead... THE ELDER (V.O) And speeds us on... We know not whither; The figure is looking at Rudolph Axmann's house next to the lake. Waiting. CUT TO: EXT. FOREST - NIGHT THE ELDER But the old Earth smiles/Spring after Spring... A shovel digs up some dirt from the forest floor. Peter Watts drops the dirt into the open grave. He passes the implement to the next Group member. THE ELDER (continuing) ... and the seeds burst again. CUT TO: EXT. AEROTECH PARKING LOT - DAY Numerous cars ROAR into the parking lot area. Frank's jeep leads the assault as he parks quickly. Millennium Group members and the FBI pour into the offices. THE ELDER (V.O) And the dead lives renew themselves... Lara and Frank follow the team... CUT TO: EXT. STREET - NIGHT The Group car drives away as Gunsche returns to his sedan. He gets inside. THE ELDER (V.O) And rise aloft and soar... CUT TO: INT. GUNSCHE'S CAR - NIGHT The assassin pops open his glove compartment and takes out a cell phone. CUT TO: EXT. FOREST - (PARAGUAY) - NIGHT The black figure runs through the trees.... then stops. The figure takes out a radio-controlled detonator from the back pack. THE ELDER (V.O) Clothing themselves with change... CUT TO: INT. MS. KNIGHT'S OFFICE - DAY Ms. Knight is handcuffed by federal agents and led out. Behind her the office is being confiscated and shut down. THE ELDER (V.O) Till the last change... CUT TO: EXT. FOREST - NIGHT The Elder speaks the last words: THE ELDER ... be done. CUT TO: INT. GUNSCHE'S CAR - NIGHT Gunsche dials a number and presses his cell phone to his ear. EXT. STREET - NIGHT Gunsche's car EXPLODES! A plume of flame leaps into the air and glass sprays across the street. CUT TO: INT. AXMANN'S HOUSE - NIGHT Axmann is looking at the trophies on his wall... EXT. FOREST - (PARAGUAY) - NIGHT The black figure engages the detonator... INT. AXMANN'S HOUSE - NIGHT The "trophies" - the blood banner and the crucifixion cross.... are engulfed in flames as a bomb DETONATES! EXT. FOREST - (PARAGUAY) - NIGHT As Axmann's house burns, the black figure removes their mask to reveal -- Peter Watts. Watts watches the beginnings of Odessa's fall, before running back through the forest. CUT TO: EXT. FOREST - NIGHT A gravestone, a small obelish engraved with an ouroboros symbol, is dropped into the grave. Silence. The Group members stare into the open grave, then to The Elder. The Elder returns their looks as he reaches down and picks up the Old Man's walking stick. He holds it anxiously, takes one last look at his members, before turning and heading off into the forest. The Group watch him go... watching their Elder become the new Old Man. INT. LARA'S APARTMENT - NIGHT Lara sits at her desk... staring into a burning flame. INT. FRANK'S HOUSE - NIGHT Frank is working at his computer. He double-clicks an icon and the familiar Millennium Group startup screen appears, announcing: 'WELCOME, FRANK. THERE ARE 656 DAYS REMAINING.' Frank considers the week's events. INT. MILLENNIUM COMPUTER ROOM - DAY Peter Watts sits alone at the long conference table. Before him are the unopened carbon-dating report on the wood found in Johnston's car. It reads: '... it is the conclusion of this report the artefact in question, a piece of wooden board, was not carved or manufactured until approximately the fourteenth century.' Peter looks satisfied. Then puzzled. INT. OLD MAN'S SHACK - NIGHT A package, shippe from Ammann, indicated by Arabic markings, has its wrapping torn away. The box inside is opened carefully with a pair of scissors. Hands open the enclosed note. It reads: 'As planned, the dust has settled and the real cross now belongs to Millennium.' The Elder (now the Old Man) finishes reading. Then finds a post script. It reads: 'Are we just the Romans that cast lots for the robe of Christ?' The Old Man holds the crucifixion cross in his hands... then moves to a wall in his cabin. The cross is placed on a shelf, hidden from view. As the cross finds it final resting place, safely in the hands of the Millennium Group the "Parsifal" music FADES OUT. FADE OUT. THE END ===================================================================== Ten Thirteen Productions in association with 20th Century Fox Television (R) A News Corporation Company Cast Lance Henriksen (Frank Black) Megan Gallagher (Catherine Black) Brittany Tiplady (Jordan Black) Terry O'Quinn (Peter Watts) Kristen Cloke (Lara Means) Kim Patton (Clear Knight) R.G. Armstrong (The Old Man) Bob Dawson (Helmet Gunsche) Brian Downey (Mr. Dean) Judith Maxie (Ms. Kelcher) John Juliani (Mr. Plunkett) Copyright (c) 1998 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation All Rights Reserved #5C16 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation is the author of this motion picture for purposes of copyright and other laws. The characters and names depicted in this photoplay are fictitious. Any similarity to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental. Ownership of this motion picture is protected by copyright and other applicable laws, and any unauthorized duplication, distribution or exhibition of this motion picture could result in criminal prosecution as well as civil liability. ======================================================== Millennium Copyright and TM, 1998 FOX Broadcasting Company ======================================================== First Created: January 4, 1999 Last Updated: May 08, 2003