347    EXT. DECK, TITANIC – HIGH ANGLE – DAY FOR NIGHT                                 347

 

            We FOLLOW Prevlov’s helicopter DOWN to the deck of the Titanic, fighting the wind.  Prevlov gets out.

            He meets Sandecker, Pitt and Seagram.  The sky is threatening, turbulent and growing heavily dark.  The

            pilot stays in the helicopter.  The four men walk to the salon.  Prevlov is totally at east.

 

348    INT. SALON                                                                                                                 348

 

PREVLOV

                                                                        We don’t have much time, so I

                                                                        will come straight to the point.

                                                                        We are offering you the safety of

                                                                        our ship till the storm is over.

                                                                        My helicopter can carry ten men

                                                                        at a time . . .

 

SANDECKER

                                                                        The answer is no.

 

349    TWO SHOT – SANDECKER AND PITT                                                                   349

 

PITT

                                                                        We think she’ll ride out the storm.

 

350    ANOTHER ANGLE – FAVORING PREVLOV                                                         350

 

            Prevlov keeps talking.

 

PREVLOV

                                                                        After the storm ends you will be

                                                                        provided with life rafts and food

                                                                        and water.  Enough to sustain you

                                                                        till one of your ships can pick you up.

 

350A FULL SHOT                                                                                                               350A

 

PITT

                                                                        What if we accept your offer?

                                                                        What about the Titanic?

 

PREVLOV

                                                                        An empty ship on an open sea . . .

 

SANDECKER

                                                                        What’s the Russian word for

                                                                        piracy?

 

PREVLOV

(smiles)

                                                                        It’s not a question of piracy.

                                                                        It’s the international law of

                                                                        marine salvage.

 

PITT

(very cool)

                                                                        The heck it is.

 

351    OMITTED                                                                                                                    351

thru                                                                                                                                          thru

354                                                                                                                                          354

 

355    EXTREME CLOSEUP – SEAGRAM                                                                         355

 

            He’s taking it all in.

 

PREVLOV (O.S.)

                                                                        We know about the byzanium . . .

 

356    SINGLE – PREVLOV                                                                                                  356

 

            In command.  He has all the cards.  He thinks.

 

PREVLOV

                                                                        We know where it came from and

                                                                        we know how powerful it is.  We

                                                                        intend to take it.  If for any reason

                                                                        we fail . . .

 

            Prevlov looks toward the Russian ship.

 

PREVLOV

(continuing)

                                                                        The Mikhail Kurkov is a torpedo

                                                                        ship.  If her captain has no signal

                                                                        from me . . .

(looks at his watch)

                                                                        . . . eight minutes from now he

                                                                        will sink this ship we’re standing on.

 

357    OMITTED                                                                                                                    357

&                                                                                                                                               &

358                                                                                                                                           358

                                   

359    INT. TITANIC SALON – FULL NIGHT                                                                    359

 

SEAGRAM

                                                                        What if you get the byzanium?

                                                                        Then what?  It’s worthless if

                                                                        you don’t have . . .

 

PREVLOV

(cutting through)

                                                                        A Sicilian Defense system?  Not

                                                                        worthless at all.  We have out

                                                                        own philosophy of defense.  If

                                                                        this byzanium will produce a

                                                                        superior weapon, then Russia must

                                                                        have it to guarantee the security of

                                                                        her people.  We arm ourselves only

                                                                        as a deterrent to war.

 

360    EXTREME CLOSEUP – PITT                                                                                   360

 

PITT

                                                                        Sure you do.  And the moon is

                                                                        made of green cheese.

 

360A ANOTHER ANGLE                                                                                                   360A

 

PREVLOV

(looks at his watch again)

                                                                        You can make jokes if you like.

                                                                        But the clock keeps ticking.

 

361    OMITTED                                                                                                                    361

 

362    EXT. DECK, TITANIC – DAY FOR NIGHT                                                             362

 

            Chavez runs from the weather station to the salon.  The wind is really blowing now.

 

363    INT. SALON                                                                                                                 363

 

            Chavez bursts in and reports to Pitt and Sandecker.

 

CHAVEZ

                                                                        The weather’s coming in fast.

                                                                        All heck’s gonna break loose.

 

            He exits.

 

SANDECKER

                                                                        All right, Prevlov.  I’ll make it

                                                                        fast.  We knew you were coming on

                                                                        board here today.  And we knew

                                                                        what your pitch would be.  Exactly.

                                                                        We penetrated your section four

                                                                        years ago.  There’s evidence in

                                                                        Washington that proves you’ve been

                                                                        passing information to our intelligence

                                                                        people – since 1974.

 

364    EXTREME CLOSEUP – PREVLOV                                                                          364

 

            He’s thinking it over.  Are they bluffing?

 

365 FULL SHOT                                                                                                                    365

 

SANDECKER

                                                                        If you want asylum, we’ll give it

                                                                        to you.  If you don’t . . .

 

            We PUSH IN TO a TIGHT CLOSEUP ON Prevlov.  He’s a scrapper.  He’ll play every card he has.

 

366    EXT. THE SKY – DAY FOR NIGHT                                                                          366

 

            Very threatening now.

 

SANDECKER (O.S.)

                                                                        You don’t have much choice,

                                                                        Captain . . .

 

366A INT. SALON – SINGLE ON PREVLOV                                                                  366A

 

PREVLOV

                                                                        Maybe I don’t . . .

(looks at his watch again)

                                                                        But you don’t have any choice.

 

366B ANOTHER ANGLE – FAVORING SANDECKER                                                  366B

 

SANDECKER

(after a beat)

                                                                        Yes, we do.  Come here and I’ll

                                                                        prove it to you.

 

            He walks to the porthole and looks out toward the open ocean between the Titanic and the Mikhail Kurkov.

            Prevlov joins him and looks in the same direction.

 

366C PREVLOV’S POV – DAY FOR NIGHT                                                                   366C

 

            In the half mile of ocean between the Titanic and the Mikhail Kurkov, a giant U.S. submarine has surfaced

            with its running lights glowing.  As Prevlov watches, another sub breaks the water and takes a position parallel

            to the Russian ship.  They lie there like two silver phosphorescent fish, gleaming and deadly.

 

366D EXTREME CLOSEUP – PREVLOV                                                                        366D

 

            He stares at the subs expressionless.

 

SANDECKER (O.S.)

                                                                        Like I said, Captain . . . you don’t

                                                                        have much choice.

 

366E EXT. WHEELHOUSE, MIKHAIL KURKOV – DAY FOR NIGHT                        366E

 

            Parotkin sees the American subs.  All bets are off.

 

367    EXT. DECK, TITANIC – HIGH ANGLE – WIDE SHOT – DAY FOR NIGHT      367

 

            We SEE Prevlov exit the salon and run to the helicopter.  He boards and it lifts off, side-slipping in the wind

            gusts.

 

368    OMITTED                                                                                                                    368

 

369    EXT. OCEAN – DAY FOR NIGHT                                                                            369

 

            We SEE the storm coming in.  And Prevlov’s helicopter is struggling and bucking the wind.  Suddenly it loses

            power , catches a down-draft, crashes in the water and sinks.

 

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