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The Rig
Teleplay by: Harv Zimmel and Gal Morgan Hickman
Story by: Harv Zimmel
Directed by: Danny Bilson
Transcribed by: Becky
~~~~~~~~~~ Disclaimer ~~~~~~~~~~
I do not own the characters in this story, nor do I own any rights to the television show The Sentinel. They were created by Danny Bilson and Paul DeMeo and belong to them, Pet Fly Productions, UPN, and Paramount. This is not a novelization or a script. It is simply a transcript of the episode. It also includes descriptions of the settings, action scenes and camera movements where needed. If you notice anything that is transcribed incorrectly, please let me know and I will post an update.
Lead cast: Richard Burgi (James Ellison), Garett Maggart (Blair Sandburg), Bruce A. Young (Simon Banks).
Guest cast (in order of credits): Tim Thomerson (Ben Crilly), Stephanie Niznik (Maggie Bryce), Bo Jackson (Truck Brower), Carlo Rota (Jack Buchanan), Laurier Dubeau (Lacey Billings), Nathaniel DeVeaux (Weaver), Dean Wray (Ridley), Dmitri Boudrine (Captain).
Summary: Ellison and Sandburg investigate a murder on an offshore oil rig. They're forced to play a dangerous game of cat-and-mouse with their unknown adversary -- through the maze of catwalks, corridors and cavernous rooms that make up the rig. (Source: Stefan's Sentinel Episode Guide)
This episode was originally broadcast on November 6, 1996.
Last updated: 7/8/01
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~Opening theme plays as credits roll. Monologue by Blair Blair: "In the jungles of Peru the fight for survival heightened his senses. Now, Detective James Ellison is a sentinel in the fight for justice. Seeing before others see. Sensing what others can't. An ever-vigilant watchman in the war against crime."~
~~~~~~~~~~ Act I ~~~~~~~~~~
~Cyclops Oil - Northstar 5, Rig 18; 40 miles off the coast of Washington. Day. Inside a man, Buchanan, goes to check the dive system of a tank. A phone rings outside the tank and he answers it.~
Buchanan: Buchanan. Yeah. I'm checking the dive system now. Look, I know the situation. I told you how I feel. So, we contact the authorities and let them handle it. Look, could we talk about this later? I've got a job to do. (hangs up)
He opens door and goes inside tank. He has a device that he waves around. Device starts to register something inside.
Buchanan: Damn.
Someone outside slams the door shut, then walks away after securing door with a wrench through the wheeled handle.
Buchanan: Hey! What's going...? Hey! Hey! Hey, what are you doing? What the hell are you doing? Let me out! Let me out! Hey!
Controls inside tank start to beep. Pressure gage goes up. Buchanan tries to fix controls or open door -- neither works.
Buchanan: Let me out of here! Let me out! Get me out! No! No! No!
He falls out of sight of the small window of the door.
~Cut to loft. Day. Jim cleaning up the living room, dumping stuff into boxes. Blair comes in.~
Blair: Hey, Jim. What's going on, man? You got a hot date tonight or something?
Jim: Time to get organized, Chief. This mess here is starting to drive me crazy.
Blair: What mess?
Jim: (gives him a plate with a sandwich on it) Three weeks ago, this was a peanut butter and sprouts on whole grain. Now, it's an experiment in germ warfare. (picks up a large mask to put in a box)
Blair: Oh, hey, hey, hey! Be careful with that. This is a rare devil mask from the Onkatu tribe in Kenya. It's on loan to the university.
Jim: Well, why is it lying around?
Blair: It's not lying around.
Jim: It's been in the same spot since Thursday. These papers on the TV -- they've been here since April.
Blair: That's how I work. I go back and forth with things when the muse strikes.
Jim: You've got your own bedroom back there, Chief. Muse it up all you want.
Blair: Don't you think you're getting a little territorial? (goes into bedroom to put mask away)
Jim: Territorial?
Blair: Yeah. Territorial. (comes out) Let's take the refrigerator for example. You've got the leftovers color-coded. You've got yours in the blue, mine in the red. Let's talk about your house rules a little. I can't flush the toilet after 10:00. I can't play music that you can hear in the living room. Who can live like that?
Jim: I can live like that.
Phone rings; Jim answers it.
Jim: Ellison.
Simon: Jim, it's Simon.
~Cut to Simon's office a bit later. Still day. Jim, Blair, and Simon.~
Simon: About an hour ago, the Coast Guard received a call from an off-shore oil production rig. There's been a death.
Jim: Wouldn't that the Coast Guard's jurisdiction?
Simon: Normally, but there are a few questions here that they need some answers to. Besides, the captain's a buddy. I told him we'd help. But there's a storm alert along the coast. They're strapped for manpower.
Blair: Who got killed?
Simon: Details are sketchy. You'll have to fill in the blanks. The rig is the Northstar 5. It's owned by Cyclops Oil. A company chopper will take you there.
Jim: Exactly how far out are we talking?
Simon: I don't know -- 40, 50 miles.
Blair: All right! Nutty.
Jim: Yeah. Nutty.
~Cut to Jim and Blair flying over the ocean toward the oil rig. Still day. Both in the back seat.~
Blair: Would you look at that ocean? It's so raw... so primal.
Jim: So deep.
Blair: I'm sorry. I love this stuff, you know. It's an adventure -- like something...out of Hemingway or Jack London, you know? Men against the sea.
Pilot: Just men, huh? (pulls off earphones and cap to reveal that pilot is a woman)
Blair: Oh, hi.
Maggie: Hate to burst your bubble, Captain Ahab, but this here's a co-ed operation.
Blair: I didn't mean anything...
Maggie: Look, we'll be on the rig in five minutes but that storm front's moving in fast. It's going to get kind of bumpy. So, strap in that tight little butt of yours, okay, lambchop?
Jim: (smiling as Blair starts to tighten seatbelt) Need any help there, lambchop?
Maggie: You, too, beefstick.
~Cut to them landing on oil rig, then getting out of helicopter.~
Maggie: I've got to tend my bird. You boys head to the mess hall. It's through that first door third floor from the deck. Yo, beefstick. (Jim pauses) If I were you I'd wrap up my business fast. It's gonna be dark soon and that storm front's moving in pretty quick.
Jim: Right. (heads up to join Blair at the entrance to the rig; pauses to look down at the water)
Blair: Jim. Jim, you okay? What is it?
Jim: Nothing.
They head inside.
~Cut to Jim and Blair entering darkened mess hall with workers inside. Jim clears his throat, but no one gets up to talk to them.~
Blair: Maybe there's some kind of protocol involved here. There are certain tribes in the Amazon where newcomers have to strip down...
Jim: I'm Detective Ellison...Cascade Police Department. Who'd be in charge here?
Crilly: I am. Ben Crilly, rig foreman. (joins them)
Jim: Hi, Ben. There's been a death reported?
Crilly: It was an accident. I don't understand why the police are involved.
Jim: We've been requested to investigate.
Crilly: Investigate what?
Jim: I'm sure you're just as anxious to get us out of here as we are to leave.
Crilly: Yeah. Sorry, uh... It's just that it's tough on the crew when you lose a guy. How can we help?
Jim: We need to see the medic's report and the body.
Crilly: That'd be in the infirmary, "C" deck -- Medic's name is Weaver. You'll have to show yourselves around. We've been setting risers on the wellhead around the clock; we're short-handed as it is. (to crew) All roustabouts. Rotary table in three minutes. I want that 30-inch casing at the ready. Excuse me, gentlemen.
Crilly and most of crew leave.
Blair: I guess we got to go find "C" deck.
A man (Billings) at a table coughs; he's wrapped in a blanket. Another man is in the room as well, but doesn't say anything.
Jim: Either of you gentlemen direct us towards "C" deck?
Billings: Two levels down. Infirmary's right off the main corridor.
Jim: Thanks. You okay, partner?
Billings: I will be. Hot water to my suit crapped out during a dive this morning. Damn body loses heat quick when you're breathing helium-oxygen in 40-degree water.
Jim: Yeah. You're the rig diver?
Billings: Yeah. The only water man out here now that Buchanan's gone. Name's Lacey Billings.
Blair: How you doing? Buchanan. Is that the guy who died in the accident?
Billings: Uh-huh.
Jim: What happened?
Billing: I was asleep.
Jim: Who found him?
Billings: I don't know.
Jim: You know who called the Coast Guard?
Billings: Look... If you guys will excuse me, I'm going to go take me a hot shower -- try to get rid of this chill. (leaves)
~Cut to infirmary. Jim, Blair, and Weaver.~
Weaver: Cause of death was a sudden reduction of pressure in the dive system causing massive tissue and organ damage.
Blair: So, in other words, he...blew up?
Weaver: Basically, yes.
Jim: How'd it happen?
Weaver: The saturation dive system. Buchanan was making a routine check on it.
Jim: And..?
Weaver: And there was an accident.
Jim: What kind of an accident?
Weaver: I couldn't tell you. I wasn't there.
Jim: Who was?
Weaver: Uh, he was alone.
Jim: Well, who found the body?
Weaver: I don't know.
Jim: Who put the call in to the Coast Guard?
Weaver: I don't know that either.
Jim: There are what -- 12, 13 men on this rig? A man dies, and nobody knows what happens.
Weaver: Look, Detective, I'm just a medic.
Jim: If you don't know, who found the body or how it happened, how do you know it was an accident?
Weaver: Maybe you should talk to the rig foreman, Mr. Crilly.
Jim: Crilly told me to talk to you. (pause) I'm going to need to see the body.
Crilly: I don't think that's a good idea.
Jim: I do.
~Cut to Weaver pulling out the covered body. Jim and Blair are there.
Weaver: Are you sure you want to do this?
Jim: Open it.
Weaver unzips body bag.
Blair: Oh, man! (leaves)
Jim: Tell me something, Mr. Weaver. How does a man do that to himself accidentally?
~Cut to Jim and Blair walking toward the tank where Buchanan died.~
Jim: You ever feel so unwelcome in a place?
Blair: We're invading their territory, Jim. These guys work out here for weeks at a time. They develop their own society.
Jim: Chief, if you ask me there's something a lot bigger than resentment going on here.
They arrive at tank.
Jim: Let's check it out. (grabs wheel, then releases it) Whoa! Man, that's weird.
Blair: What is?
Jim: Check it out. My fingers are all burning and itching. (rubs fingers)
Blair feels wheel, but shakes his head.
Jim: You don't feel it? Open it up.
Blair opens door and Jim, still rubbing his fingers together, goes inside.
Jim: For Buchanan to die in here, this hatch would have to be closed and all the pressure would have to be pumped out of here.
Blair: (steps inside) What are you getting at?
Jim: For one thing, he could adjust the pressure anytime he wanted to with this...this release valve.
Blair: Looks like it works just fine.
Jim: Well, even if it didn't all he'd have to do is unseal the hatch. (steps outside tank)
Blair: Freak accidents happen.
Jim: Sure, they do. (walks away from tank and scans the area; looks further down and sees wrench; unshown scene with Jim getting wrench and returning to tank) I think we hit the jackpot here. You see this mark? (shows wrench)
Blair: Mm-hmm.
Jim: And this one here? (shuts door of tank and puts wrench through wheel) I think we just blew that accident theory right out of the water. (marks fit exactly up against wheel)
Blair tries the wheel, which doesn't move.
~Cut to a view of the outside of the rig. Night. Jim walks up to the communication booth and opens the door. Maggie and the communications guy are inside.~
Jim: We need to get a crime unit out here ASAP. And until we do, nobody leaves this rig.
Maggie: The second part's right. That storm is right on us and until it blows over, we are cut off from the mainland. Nobody on this rig is going anywhere.
~~~~~~~~~~ Act II ~~~~~~~~~~
~Same continuing scene. Jim talking to Simon over the radio. Storm and heavy winds rolling over the rig.~
Jim: We need to get forensics out here as soon as possible.
Simon: Okay, Jim, but from our end, it'll be a while. Storm's hitting the coast hard. You and Sandburg are going to be stuck there in the meantime.
~Cut to Jim, Blair, and Maggie (all in orange suits) tying down the helicopter to the rig. Still night.~
Maggie: Tighten up on that winch!
Blair: Hey, Jim, give me that wrench!
Jim goes over to him, giving him the wrench.
Blair: (excited) Whoo! Whoo-oo! This is something, isn't it?
Jim walks over to the edge of rig and looks over at the rolling water.
Blair: Jim! Jim, are you okay?
Not answering, Jim heads back inside the rig in a hurry.
Maggie: What's wrong with him?
Blair: I don't know. (goes off to follow Jim inside)
Blair goes down a small set of stairs to join Jim who is leaning against a wall.
Blair: Jim. What's going on?
Jim: Water.
Blair: What?
Jim: I have never told you this. Hell, I never told anybody this. I've always had this thing about open water. Deep water.
Blair: What? Like a phobia? But you were in special forces. Covert ops. You had to parachute over water and stuff like that.
Jim: Yeah, but that was different. I was always in sight of land. Out here, with all this water, that's all I can see. It, uh, it's just starting to get to me a little bit.
Blair: All right, take it easy.
Maggie comes in.
Maggie: You don't look so good there, beefstick. Come on. I got a cup of coffee that's guaranteed to take off the chill.
~Cut to Maggie's operations room, all back in regular clothes.~
Jim: What is this place?
Maggie: My operations room. You guys are welcome to use it. I don't mind the company.
Jim goes back to wandering around the room.
Blair: Mmm. This is good. (referring to coffee)
Maggie: One part colombian, one part espresso, one part chocolate, and two parts rum.
Blair: (looking at her collection of books) Love in the Time of Cholera, Gravity's Rainbow...The Painted Bird... Are these yours?
Maggie: Not much to do out here when you're not working.
Blair: I'm impressed.
Maggie: Surprised?
Blair: A little.
Maggie: Ah. You figured I was just one of these blue-collar lug nuts.
Blair: Yep. If you have some time, we should get together and talk books over coffee.
Maggie: I'd like that.
Rig creaks. Blair looks slightly alarmed.
Maggie: That's just from the storm. The rig can handle it -- just gets a little noisy sometimes though..
Jim: (comes back in main room) All right, let's move out. I'm not waiting for the forensics team to show. Give the killer too much time to cover his trail.
Blair: Where do we start?
Jim: Buchanan was the lead diver. I'd like to take a look at the divers' ready room.
Maggie: Why would anybody kill Buchanan? I mean, I work with some of these guys. I'm not saying they're saints, but I don't see them committing murder.
Jim: Any idea who found the body or called the Coast Guard?
Maggie: No, when it happened, I was on a supply run to the mainland.
Blair: What doesn't make sense to me...why would someone call the Coast Guard and not leave a name?
Jim: A lot about this case don't make any sense. I mean, that's why I was thinking that... (stops when he starts to smell something)
Blair: What is it?
Jim: I smell smoke.
Maggie: Must be your imagination. We got state-of-the-art smoke detectors. They'd smell it before...
Jim takes off, leaving the room by a set of stairs. Blair follows.
Maggie: Where's he going? (follows them)
Jim: This way.
Maggie: You telling me his nose is more sensitive than the detectors?
Fire alarm goes off.
Blair: Go figure.
Jim: Down here.
They come across a room filled with flame.
Maggie: It's the divers' ready room. All the gear's in there.
Jim grabs a fire extinguisher, rushes into room, and starts putting out the flames. Other workers and Crilly show up and help. Fire gets put out. Jim and Crilly step inside.
Jim :What the hell is in here that could burn like that?
Crilly: Damned if I know.
Jim pulls out his knife and uses it to pick up a can and smells it.
Jim: This is solvent. This was arson. Somebody wanted to try and destroy these divers' suits.
Crilly: That's nuts. Why would anybody want to burn this stuff?
Jim: You tell me, Crilly. It's your rig. (goes back out to crew) Anybody see anything?
Muttered negatives.
Jim: Of course not.
Crilly: Everybody, back to work. Come on.
Everyone drifts away.
~Cut to Jim and Blair going down another set of stairs. Maggie still with them.~
Blair: Why would somebody set a fire and leave those cans behind to give it away?
Jim: They were probably in an awful hurry. (sees someone) Who the hell is that?
Maggie: I think it was Truck Brower.
Brower walks away and Jim goes after him.
Jim: Brower! Wait up.
Brower stops.
Jim: What are you doing on this rig?
Brower: I work here.
Jim: Since when?
Brower: Three months ago.
Blair: You know each other?
Jim: You could say that. I helped put Truck away.
Brower: I did my time, man. I got a real job now.
Jim: As a roustabout.
Brower: I learned welding in the prison work program. They set me up with this.
Jim: Other workers know about your past?
Brower: Crilly does. I didn't tell nobody else 'cause I'm trying to make a clean start.
Jim: What do you know about Jack Buchanan's death?
Brower: Nothing.
Jim: What about the fire in the ready room?
Brower: What fire?
Jim: You're sweating, Truck. What's wrong?
Brower: It's hot in here.
Jim: It's 60 degrees.
Brower: Look, I don't got time for this. I got a job to do.
Jim: Why don't you make the time? What were you doing outside the operations room just now?
Brower: Looking for Maggie. I gotta see my parole officer on Friday. I'm trying to hitch a ride to the mainland.
Jim: We'll talk again.
Brower: Yeah. Right. (leaves)
Blair: You busted him?
Jim: Yeah. He used to work as a knee-breaker for a loan shark named Eddie Coogan.
Maggie: He's kept out of trouble here. (radio goes off) This is Bryce.
Ridley: Hey, Maggie, it's Ridley over in the radio room. I'm looking for that detective. You seen him?
Jim: (into radio) Yeah, I'm right here.
Ridley: Your captain wants to talk to you -- says it's important.
Jim: All right, I'm on my way.
~Cut to radio room. Jim and Ridley.~
Ridley: I had him a minute ago. Damnit! Wind must have disconnected the external antenna. It's happened before.
Jim: All right, we'll check it out. You keep trying to raise him.
~Cut to Jim and Blair outside on the rig; both in hooded rain slickers. Really dark. Lots of wind and rain.~
Blair: This time, don't look at the sea! Don't look down.
Shot of a pair of wire cutters cutting one of the cables to the external antenna. Jim and Blair start walking.
Blair: I can't see a thing!
Jim: It's up there! (pointing at antenna)
Another cable is cut. Antenna wobbles in the wind and finally falls downward -- right on top of Blair.
Jim: Sandburg! (runs over to Blair and shoves antenna off) Hang in there, buddy.
~~~~~~~~~~ Act III ~~~~~~~~~~
~Infirmary. Jim, Blair, Weaver, and Maggie. Jim has a piece of the cable from the antenna. Weaver is examining Blair's head..~
Weaver: You got a nasty gash on your head, but I don't think you'll need stitches.
Jim: You had me worried there, Chief.
Blair: Ow. What happened?
Maggie: The guide wires on the radio antenna must have snapped.
Jim: This didn't snap. This has been cut. (shows cut wire)
Blair: What? Someone meant for that antenna to fall on us?
Jim: Somebody didn't want us to get through to Simon. Maggie, is there another radio on the rig?
~Cut to Jim and Maggie running through rain to her helicopter. She opens the doors and they see that her radio has been trashed.~
Maggie: Damn!
~Cut to ready room. Jim talking to Crilly.~
Crilly: You're crazy. I know my crew; they're not killers.
Jim: What about Truck Brower?
Crilly: He punched out a couple of guys. That doesn't make him a murderer. He's a good man; they all are.
Jim: Somebody killed Buchanan and it seems as if somebody's trying to kill my partner and me. So as of this moment, I'm ordering you to shut this rig down until further notice.
Crilly: Who the hell are you to give me orders?
Jim: I'm a police officer in charge of crime scene. That's who I am.
Crilly: We're 40 miles off-shore, mister, and your authority stops at the mainland. The only voice I answer to is Cyclops Oil. Until they tell me different, this rig keeps pumping, right on schedule. When the storm is over, you and your pal are out of here.
~Cut to Jim and Brower talking in a darkened rig corridor.~
Brower: You make accusations, make them to my face.
Jim: If you're involved with anything that's happened on this rig, Brower, you're going down.
Brower: I said it once. I'm clean.
Jim: You know something...you'd better tell me. (walks off)
~Cut to Maggie's operation room. Jim, Blair, and Maggie.~
Maggie: Guys, I know Ben Crilly. He can be hard-headed sometimes, but basically he's a decent guy. Maybe if I talk to him...
Jim: It's a waste of time.
Blair: What do we do?
Jim: Just keep digging.
Maggie: Look, I'm just a pilot, but it seems to me the smart thing to do would be to lay low until the storm's over and then bring in more cops. Just you and your friend trying to handle this by yourselve could get real dangerous.
Blair: She makes a lot of sense, Jim.
Jim: We give this guy too much time, he'll cover his tracks permanently. Now I'm going to the divers' ready room. There's probably something there that we missed. This fire was set for a reason. You stay put, Chief. You took a nasty one to the head and I want you to lay low. And that's an order.
Blair: At least take a radio. (hands him a radio)
Jim: All right. (leaves)
~Cut to Jim walking towards ready room. Blair's voice comes over the radio. Scene cuts back and forth between Jim and Blair.~
Blair: Jim, you there?
Jim: Yeah, I'm here.
Blair: I was checking to see if the radio worked.
Jim: It does.
Blair: Jim, I was thinking...
Jim: I'm going to have to call you back. (turns off radio)
Blair: Jim? Jim? Jim, are you there?
Jim keeps walking, following a sound. He gets to a storage room and smells something really nasty. He zooms in with his sight and finds a body. Someone else runs out of room and he chases him through several corridors and decks. Ends up in the bowels of the rig somewhere.
Jim: (on radio) Sandburg?
Blair: Yeah, Jim?
Jim: That diver, Lacey Billings -- I found him dead in a storage room down on "C" deck.
Blair: Jim, you're fading.
Jim: I'm following who might be the killer. (cuts out)
~Cut to Maggie's operations room.~
Blair: Jim, I can't hear you. Jim, can you read me? Jim? I got to go find him. (takes off)
~Cut back to Jim. He stops on a bridge area and stands next to a railing. He opens up his hearing to listen for footsteps. Some piece of machinery kicks in and he closes his hands over his ears. From behind, someone pushes him over the railing. He falls into a large vat of oil.~
~Cut to Blair going through corridors.~
Blair: (into radio) Jim? Jim?
~Cut to Jim flailing in oil vat, trying and failing to get a grip on the sides.~
~Cut back to Blair going through corridors. He hears Jim calling and goes faster.~
Jim: Sandburg! Help!
Blair stops on the bridge area and finds Jim's dropped radio. Then Jim rises from the oil again, gasping for breath.
Blair: Jim! (runs around to be closer to the top edge of the vat)
Jim: Get me out of here!
Blair: Hang on, man. Hang on! I got you. I got you. (stretches his hand down to Jim) Give me your hand. Come on, give me your hand.
Jim: I can't! It's too slippery.
Blair: You can reach me. (gets Jim's hand and tries to pull him up)
Jim slips back into the oil, vanishing.
Blair: Jim! Jim! Jim, come on. (beats on the inside of the vat) Jim!
~~~~~~~~~~ Act IV ~~~~~~~~~~
~Same continuing scene.~
Blair: Give me your hand! Come on!
Jim: I can't get up!
Blair: Come on, Jim, don't quit! Try! Jim, come on.
Blair gets his hand again and tries pulling him up.
Jim: Won't work. (slips back again)
Blair: Jim. Jim!
Jim: Look up!
Blair: What?
Jim: Up there! (points to a large hook on a machine)
Blair: Right.
Blair: Hang on. (operates hook to bring it over to vat)
Jim: Sandburg!
Blair: It's coming. (lowers hook into water) Jim, come on! (raises hook) Jim. Jim!
Jim comes up on the hook, one arm wrapped through it.
Jim: Thanks.
Blair: No problem. Just, uh, don't touch me.
~Cut to a set of quarters. Jim is toweling off in a bathroom area. Blair stands just outside the open door of the bathroom.~
Jim: I was following somebody and trying to track them with my hearing. (comes further out to stand in the bathroom doorway) The next thing I know, this machine kicks in, totally blows me out and then, boom -- lights out.
Blair: That's why you need me to back you up. Did you see the guy who hit you?
Jim: No, but I got a good look at the body of that diver, Billings. His face and his hands were covered with these lesions and these burns.
Blair: What could cause that?
Jim: I don't know. I saw something like that in the military -- chemical warfare weapons.
Blair: What? How could he come into contact with that out here on an oil rig?
Jim: Maybe he wasn't on the rig. (comes out into room, still with the towel) I mean, think about it, Billings was a diver, right?
Blair: Something he found at the bottom of the ocean.
Jim: Yeah, maybe a classified dumping site or an old wreck, some kind of a military transport that was carrying chemical weapons. (secures towel around his waist) That's probably why I had that weird sensation on my fingers in the dive chamber.
Blair: If it was chemical weapons, why try to hide it?
Jim: Are you kidding me? You know how many countries would love to get their hands on that sort of thing?
Blair: Okay, so Billings goes down, finds the stuff, then somehow gets exposed to it.
Jim: Maybe one of the containers was leaking. That's probably why they had to burn the dive suits. They were covered with the stuff.
Blair: Fine. Why kill Buchanan?
Jim: Maybe he didn't go along with the plan.
Maggie comes in, with a gun.
Maggie: And I thought cops were supposed to be dumb, but you're smart, beefstick -- too damn smart. You, too, lambchop.
Jim: So it was a ship.
Maggie: Buchanan found it during a bottom survey. Best we can figure, she went down in '71 in a big storm, headed for Vietnam. Guess it was one of those secret CIA things -- your tax dollars at work. (into radio) Ben, you there? It's Bryce.
Crilly: Yeah, Maggie.
Maggie: I got our friends.
Crilly: Meet me down in the ready room.
Maggie: Well, you heard the man. Better put on some clothes. (throws him a one-piece jumpsuit)
Jim catches jumpsuit in one hand and releases towel from around his waist with the other, but keeps towel in front of him.
Maggie: I got two brothers, don't be shy.
Jim gives Blair a look, then hands him the towel.
Maggie: (after giving Jim a once-over look) I got to get off this rig and get me a boyfriend.
~Cut to Maggie herding Jim and Blair down a corridor.~
Jim: Who are you selling this stuff to, Maggie?
Maggie: Let's just say it's to a group of people who pay very well. Don't worry, they're involved in their own political struggles, so they won't use it on the good old USA.
Jim: But they'll use it on each other. When I was in the military, I saw what this stuff can do to people.
Crilly shows up.
Crilly: Get serious, Ellison. Nobody cares about little third world countries and what they do to each other. The way I see it, I'm providing a very valuable service -- war as population control.
Jim: You're quite the philosopher, aren't you, Crilly?
Crilly: Yeah.
Maggie: How we going to handle this?
Crilly: Take them downstairs to the generator room. There's more noise. Move.
They continue down the hall and down a set of stairs.
Crilly: Come on, move. Move it.
Jim reaches the bottom of the stairs and zooms in to see someone hitting the light button. Lights go down and it's dark. Brower comes around from a stack of barrels and punches Crilly, then pushes him against a wall. Jim gets Maggie's gun from her. Blair turns the lights bck on.
Brower: I knew there was something squirrelly going on around here, but I didn't know what.
Blair: You must be the one who called the Coast Guard about Buchanan.
Brower: Yep.
Jim: Why didn't you give your name?
Brower: And set myself up as a troublemaker? I'm an ex-con, man, with one strike against me and I like this job.
Crilly: You want to keep it? Give me the gun.
Brower: I don't think so.
Crilly: Big mistake, Brower.
Jim: You're the one who's making a mistake.
Crilly: Yeah? Looks like my business partners got here just in time. (motions toward stairs behind Jim)
Three men with really big guns arrive and point their guns at Jim.
~~~~~~~~~~ Act V ~~~~~~~~~~
~Crilly herding crew into a room.~
Crilly: All right... Move! Move it! (to Jim and Blair) Not you. I want you two separated from the others. Down. Come on.
Maggie locks up the room where the crew is, then follows Crilly.
Crilly: Okay, fellas...
A couple guys carry out a heavy-looking thing with the chemical warfare stuff in it.
Crilly: Maggie, get them in here.
Maggie comes in with Jim and Blair.
Maggie: Take my gun. (hands her gun to Crilly)
Maggie: (to Jim) Put your hands up. (handcuffs Jim's hands over a ceiling bar, then does the same to Blair) I'm sorry about this, lambchop. I guess we're not going to have that coffee after all. I've always had bad timing when it comes to men.
Blair: You don't have to do this.
Maggie: You mean give it all up and go straight for you? You're cute, honey, but you're not that cute. With the storm over, your friends from the mainland will probably have you out in a couple of hours, so in the meantime, keep it warm.
They leave.
~Cut to Crilly, Maggie, and others going down corridor.~
Maggie: How long did you set the timer for?
Crilly: 20 minutes. (pause) Maggie, it's the only way. When that explosion hits this rig and sends it to the bottom, they'll figure we're dead too. You want to spend the rest of your life looking over your shoulder? Huh? Come on.
They leave.
~Cut to scenes of red LED timer counting down from 19:38.~
~Cut back to Jim and Blair who are pulling on the cuffs. Blair sees oil on the ground and follows the dripping up to a pipe which is leaking.~
Blair: Oil... (slides his hands down to leak and puts oil on his wrists)
Jim: What're you doing?
Blair: Maggie didn't fasten these handcuffs too tight... (starts pulling one wrist through the cuffs) ..and I just wanted to see if I could, uh...Ow, ow...Ow... (yanks one wrist through the cuffs, getting lose)
Jim: Whoa...
Blair: ...pull a Houdini.
~Cut to outside where Crilly, Maggie, and others have loaded up into a motored raft and are heading away from the rig to another ship.~
~Cut back to Jim and Blair. Blair yanks the other cuff off his wrist.~
Jim: Sandburg, let me have a little bit on my wrists.
Blair: Ah! Ow... (puts oil on Jim's wrists)
Jim: Right there... Eureka. (starts to pull, then gets loose) Ow! Man...
Jim: Let's get the hell out of here.
~Cut to Crilly, Maggie, and others. They reach ship and go up the ladder to board it.~
~Cut back to rig. Jim now in a wetsuit. The two of them head down to a lower level where the motored raft had been docked.~
Jim: If I can get to that ship before they get underway, maybe I can stop them.
Blair: I'm a pretty good swimmer. Maybe I should go with you.
Jim: Negative. I want you to stay here and try and get that radio working and get some help out here. Even with that antenna down, it's possible to reach a Coast Guard ship in the area.
They stand at the edge of the rig, looking into the water.
Blair: You sure you want to do this?
Jim: No.
Blair: I got an idea -- you know the zone-out factor where you're so focused on one sense you block all the others out?
Jim: Yeah.
Blair: I think you can use that to your advantage here. If you use your sense of sight to focus in on that ship, you'll block out all your other senses. You won't be so aware of the sea. (off Jim's look) It's worth a shot.
Jim dives in the water and starts swimming. Blair watches a moment, then climbs the ladder to the communications booth.
~Cut to scenes of the timer counting down from 10:45.~
~Cut to Blair arriving in the communications booth and picking up radio and starting to dial for a frequency.~
~Cut to Jim arriving at other ship and climbing up the anchor chain.~
~Cut back to Blair.~
Blair: Coast Guard, come in. This is the oil rig Northstar 5. We have an emergency. Please. Come in.
~Cut to other ship. Jim waits until several men go by, then gets on deck and sneaks around. He sees Crilly and Maggie and stops to listen.~
Maggie: How much longer?
Crilly: Four minutes and 19 seconds. Northstar 5 is gonna go sky high. Those oil drums are going to give us some real fireworks.
~Cut back to Blair.~
Blair: Coast Guard, Coast Guard, this is the oil rig Northstar 5. We have an emergency. Come in.
~Cut to Jim entering other ship's communication room. He grabs the one man in there and puts a choke hold on him until he goes unconscious. Blair can be heard over the radio. Scene switches between Jim and Blair.~
Blair: Coast Guard, Coast Guard, this is the oil rig Northstar 5. We have an emergency.
Jim: (into radio) Northstar 5, do you read me?
Blair: Jim, is that you?
Jim: Sandburg, listen to me. There's a bomb on the rig.
Blair: What?!
Jim: You got to get out of there right now.
Blair: What about the rest of the crew? They're still locked up.
Jim: It's set to go off in three minutes!
Blair: Do you know where it is?
Jim: Crilly said something about...uh, an oil drum.
Blair: "C" deck. I'm on my way. (leaves)
Jim: Sandburg... Sandburg! (turns back to radio to dial up another frequency)
~Cut to scenes of Blair rushing down several sets of ladders and decks.~
~Cut back to Jim. Someone enters the communications room with a gun.~
~Cut back to Blair, still going down to "C" deck.~
~Cut to shot of timer at 2:09.~
~Cut to Jim being shoved out by man with gun. They fight.~
~Cut to Blair arriving on "C" deck.~
Blair: Oh, great. Which oil drums?
~Cut to Maggie and Crilly watching oil rig.~
Crilly: 40 seconds.
~Cut to Jim who knocks out bad guy. He looks at his watch. Scenes go between Blair looking for timer, to Crilly, to Jim.~
Jim: 20 seconds.
Crilly: Ten... nine...
Jim: Seven seconds. Six...
Blair finds the timer and runs over to it.
Crilly: Three...
Jim: Two...
Blair pulls out a wire when the timer reaches :01. He pants for a moment, then falls backwards onto the floor when it doesn't blow.
Blair: Oh, god.
~Cut to Crilly and Maggie.~
Crilly: The rig should have blown. I don't know what happened. (walks to another man) The explosives didn't go off.
Dmitri: Then we better get underway.
Crilly: We can't leave the rig standing. We've got to reset the explosives.
Dmitri: I'm not waiting for the American Coast Guard. We are leaving.
Jim sneaks around and gets to the big gun at one end of the ship.
Crilly: If those guys on that rig tell the Coast Guard, they'll send out for the Navy.
Dmitri: I'll take that chance.
Jim knocks out the guy at the gun and swivels it over to Crilly and company.
Crilly: Hey, look, Dmitri, you and I had a deal.
Jim fire the gun several times.
Jim: Throw down your weapons! I'm taking command of this ship! (fires some more) Throw down your weapons!
Two Coast Guard copters arrive.
Man over radio on copter: Ahoy, freighter, this is the US Coast Guard. Lay down your weapons immediately and prepare to be boarded. This is your final warning. Put your weapons down now.
~Cut to a bit later on the ship. Simon, Jim (still in wetsuit), and Blair.~
Simon: When I couldn't raise you on the radio, I got worried and decided to call in the Coast Guard.
Jim: Your timing is impeccable as always, sir.
Brower comes over.
Brower: Ellison...somebody said you wanted to see me.
Jim: I guess I owe you an apology.
Brower: I guess you do.
Jim: I'm sorry. (holds out his hand) I hope you accept it.
Brower shakes his hand.
Simon: All right, now, Brower, why don't we step over here and you tell me your version of what went down here tonight, huh?
Brower: Okay.
Simon and Brower walk away.
Blair: So you must be feeling pretty good. I mean, you did it.
Jim: Did what?
Blair: You conquered your fear of the water.
Jim: Oh, yeah, I guess I did.
Blair: Yeah.
Jim: Now I'm ready for the really big challenge.
Blair: What's that?
Jim: Housebreaking you. We got a couple rules around the house that we're gong to attend to.
Blair: Oh, like what?
Jim: Well, first of all, there's not gonna be any shoes allowed in the apartment or on the premises. (they head up a ramp) They're gonna be kept at the door like they do in Japan.
Blair: Come on...
Jim: Next, there's not gonna be any of those smelly foods that you have from foreign countries that aren't even on the map.
Blair: Don't you think you're taking this a little too far.
Jim: No, no, no. And I'm also thinking about getting some of those plastic covers for the furniture.
Blair: What?!
Jim: Well... maybe not. I mean, I've had...
~ The End ~