Clocks: Absent Vicis Pt. 2 "Revolution Born"

[Dale]

CLOCKS
ABSENTIS VICIS
PT. II
"REVOLUTION BORN"

A CLOCK Ticks.

The CLOCK moves to TWO as we OPEN on:

EXT. CITY STREETS - DAY

RAWALPINDI, PUNJAB
PAKISTAN

SCAN through the over-crowded streets of Pakistan. Merchants sell goods in small stands as other people hurriedly walk toward their destination.

STOP next to a large Pakistani movie billboard plastered on a cement wall. RON LUTHER leans against it, wearing a light brown shirt and khakis. Dark sunglasses cover his eyes mysteriously.

RON (V.O.)
I've done some bad things in my life. Regrettable things. Things that, even if they could ever be forgiven, I would never dare ask for it.

A black towncar pulls to the curb across from Ron. A mob of people gather around, weilding signs and cheering loudly.

RON (V.O.)
This was one of those things...

The door opens, but before the passenger emerges we:

CUT TO:

INT. EMPTY ROOM - DAY

TWO DAYS EARLIER

Ron sits at an interrogation-style table in an isolated and vacant room. His fingers are locked in place in a manner as if he were praying.

Three other men, wearing black suits, sit across from him. The man in the middle adjusts his horn-rimmed specs as he jots down a few notes.

MAN
Are you absolutely positive you are ready to do this, Mr. Luther? You must be one-hundred percent sure.

Ron nods complacently.

MAN (cont.)
Good. Being as it is Christmas day, I'm sure we'd all like to get back to our families. I'll try my best to make this as brief as possible.

No response from Ron as the man lays a folder in front of him.

MAN (cont.)
In two days there will be a gathering of the PPP at Liaquat Bagh. The target will be there.

RON
Where will I be set up?

MAN
Across the road. There is a vacant building located there. An old library that's been out of use for some time now.
(beat)
It's important that after the ceremony is over you take your shot. You must get this right.

Ron nods again.

MAN (cont.)
My man on the inside has assured me that the target will, upon leaving the ceremony, raise her head from the vehicle rooftop. You know, to win the hearts of her supporters.
(beat)
This is when you take your shot. Not before...not after. Do you understand?

RON
Yes.

The men stand, preparing to exit.

MAN
Two days, Mr. Luther.

Ron remains seated as they exit the room.

EXT. LIAQUAT BAGH - DAY

ONE DAY EARLIER

Ron scouts the perimeter of the Bagh. He casually brushes off a couple young merchants trying to sell him some of their roped jewelry.

He peers up, shielding his eyes from the sun. From this spot he can clearly see the window he will be perched in tomorrow.

INT. VACANT LIBRARY - DAY

DECEMBER 27, 2007

Ron kneels next to the window. He completes the last of the construction of his rifle and raises it to eye-level.

A small radio blares next to him, but the language is foreign.

He watches below at the mob of people gathered in front of the Bagh. They again hold their supportive signs and cheer wildly.

Ron makes a mental note of the towncar as it arrives. He watches through the scope as a figure emerges from the building. The group flocks around the quaint woman. She is wearing a red shaul and a nice conservative dress.

Just as we see who she is, a name comes through the radio as clear as day.

RADIO REPORTER (O.S.)
...Benazir Bhutto...

The woman finishes her walk to the car with a few hugs for her supporters. She smiles wide as she climbs into the car.

BEAT.

Ron steadies, waiting for the car to begin it's move. When it does, Bhutto emerges from the roof, waving and smiling delightfully.

Ron's finger tightens on the trigger, the crosshairs centered over Bhutto's head.

He pulls...the Shot FIRES!

A MISS?!?

An explosion from below the car sends the vehicle reeling at a high speed. Bhutto slumps back down just as the car CRASHES into a local shop.

Ron stares wide-eyed at the fiery accident as the radio goes berserk. It drowns out any other noise that could be heard.

INT. STAIRWELL - CONTINUOUS

Feet, wearing solid black boots, hurry up a spiral staircase. One after another, at least a dozen pairs.

INT. VACANT LIBRARY - CONTINUOUS

Ron takes a deep breath, shutting off the radio. He sets the rifle down and rubs his eyes frantically.

INT. STAIRWELL - CONTINUOUS

The feet again. PAN UP to see roughly twenty soldiers dressed all in black and carrying assault rifles. In a single file they speed up the stairs as fast as they can.

INT. VACANT LIBRARY - CONTINUOUS

Ron raises his head, hearing something. He listens...

It's the soldiers!

He leaps to his feet, wiping the rifle clean quickly.

INT. HALLWAY - CONTINUOUS

The soldiers reach a wooden door.

SOLDIER
One...two...three!

A second soldier busts the door in with his foot. They all rush inside, weapons aimed and ready. A radio and a rifle lay on the ground, but not sign of human life.

SOLDIER (cont.)
Damn it!

INT. FERRY - MORNING

A large ferry boat silently floats through the beautiful blue water. An impeccable view of Manhattan fills the background.

Ron stares at the city contently.

RON (V.O.)
After that day I was never the same. I thought I was doing the world good. Serving my country with dignity.
(beat)
But in reality I was just this centuries Oswald. Nothing more.

He smiles.

RON (V.O.)
This government tried to turn me into a patsy. But what they turned me into was far worse than anything they could have imagined.
(beat)
That day I became a revolutionary.

CLOCKS

[Casablanca]

I still think that the first one was a better representation of what I initially thought these shorts would be, but this still is a very well done one, which, while is not asd personal and "in depth", is more plot based, more telling in a typical sense.

I did enjoy it though, it was as well written as a typical segment of the show, with nice tension and good notions of movement, which is one thing I noticed.