"Hiya." "Arthur, it's Harry." "I've been trying to get ahold of you for three days." "What's the matter?" "I gotta see you." "Now." "Please." "One hour." "Arthur, I've got big trouble." "It just doesn't make any sense, Arthur." "They said I broke the agreement." "Day before yesterday, they stopped answering my calls." "What can I do?" "Give 'em a call." "Say a few words on my behalf." "I wouldn't know who." "Why should they listen to me?" "I'm no part of that." "No, but your father was." "A very important part." "His brains helped put the whole thing together for 'em." "They still talk about him like he was a patron saint." "You've got his name." "Please, Arthur?" "It's all I've got." "Thanks." "Save it." "Come on outside." "Let's have a drink." "You know, I've given a good many years." "Me and your father both." "How many friends you think I got right now, huh?" "What?" "I was just thinkin'." "Remember that fishing' trip... that you and me and your father took up to Canada?" "You was about eight, right?" "Seven or eight." "You fell overboard." "You couldn't swim." "Your old man says, "He'll learn pretty fast."" "You were flopping' around." "You looked like a drowned rat." "But you didn't say a word." "You didn't yell for help or nothin'." "You just kept lookin' at your old man... and he didn't make a move." "Well, pretty soon I had to reach out... and grab you by the hair and pull you in the boat." "You looked like a drowned rat." "Your old man, he laughed like hell." "That was a long time ago." "Hey, what are you drinkin'?" "We've got vodka... we got scotch, bourbon." "Arthur, this is my son Steve." "Steve, this is Mr. Bishop." "Hi." "How are you?" "I need some bread, Dad." "What are you talkin' about?" "Why, just this morning I was" "I only need a thousand." "Besides, my asking you for money... makes you feel I'm dependent on you." "Kinda ties us together." "Fast, huh?" "Chromosomes will tell." "He's got a point." "My father gets uptight when I ask him for money... he steals from other people." "Steve, that's enough." "Don't get excited." "It's bad for you." "Nice to meet you." "Drop by any time, huh?" "Any friend of Big Harry's..." "I know you gotta go." "I'm sorry about that." "Forget it." "I just don't understand him anymore." "It's just so..." "Well, call me when you know something, OK?" "OK." "Take care of yourself." "Arthur Bishop?" "I have a special delivery." "Certified." "Please sign here." "Mr. Bishop?" "We would like you to go ahead...anytime." "Nothin' else, huh?" "Nothin' else." "You're to wait down there... and I wait for you at the top of the hill." "Well, could you tell anything by his voice?" "I mean the tone?" "Harry, stay loose." "Yeah, sure." "It's like you say, if they're willin' to talk, well..." "Harry, I'll be parked right up there." "Say, don't you think that..." "Hello?" "!" "Well, I'm here!" "Come on, let's talk." "You said we were gonna talk!" "Harry, run to the car." "It's a set-up." "I can't!" "I'll try to get behind him." "Run!" "Oh, God." "I can't" "Keep going!" "I can't." "You?" "This is it, huh?" "Finish it, Arthur." "You or me." "Finish it." "I had a feeling." "Can I come in?" "Oh, my darling, it's been so long." "I said I wasn't gonna do this." "I had it all worked out." "I go to the door, there you are." "I smile, very poised, as if I just saw you yesterday." "I'm sorry." "Nothing's changed." "It never does." "OK, I think I've got it together." "You know..." "I think you've lost some weight." "I wrote you a letter." "I couldn't mail it." "I didn't know where." "I keep movin' around." "It's true, you know." "I do always know when you're near." "ESP." "Maybe." "What's the matter, baby?" "Well, I've been here about three minutes... and you've managed about one recrimination a minute." "I can't seem to feel anything but hurt when you're not here." "I guess when I see you again, I just have to hurt back." "Did you really write me a letter?" ""My dearest love..." ""I'm once again alone."" "I can't hear you." ""And the silence in this room..." ""presses against my ears until I'm deafened." ""This is the way I live until I see you again..." ""and then you're here and there's no past." ""Only the two of us." ""I know these words hurt you..." ""because you can't give anything but the moment..." ""but I have to write them now..." ""because somehow my need for you must find its voice." ""And you--what of your pain?" ""If you could only let me have..." ""one small part of the weight of it."" "Don't read anymore." "Don't you see?" "Even that would be a comfort to me when you're not here." "Oh, my darling, I love you so much." "I can't" "Don't." "It's gonna be all right." "Oh, baby, I love you." "Oh, my darling." "Darling, take us to bed." "Baby, I missed you." "I'm so glad you're here." "I love you." "It'll be a hundred more this time." "The letter took me a while to make up." "All right?" "Yes." "The letter was good." "Try to think of something like it for next time." "OK, I will." "To his community and church... he gave his resources, his faith, and his spirit." "His good works comfort us in the going." "We commit his remains to your earth, O, Father... and we pray you vouchsafe him eternal life." "I've always been interested in primitive rituals... like tucking the dead away." "Glory be to the Father and to the Son... and to the Holy Spirit." "Glory be to the father, Harry McKenna... fixer extraordinaire... pusher, pimp, thief, arsonist." "You liked him a lot?" "Oh, yeah." "He was my kind of man." "What was your connection with him?" "He worked for my father a long time back." "He thought I could do him a favor." "So, your old man was in, huh?" "And you?" "Don't you think you should be..." "Yeah, you got somethin' goin'." "You're pretty sure of yourself." "I live in my mind, Mr. Bishop." "Sounds like something I read someplace." "And so do you." "Could I have a ride home?" "Sure." "Amen." "Come on." "Steve's got the whole place outside." "Good old Steve!" "What are they celebrating?" "Well, this is all mine now." "My father never really liked my friends... and I'm not so sure I do, either." "Hey, we've got a call here from Katmandu." "Hey, Katmandu's calling, Sam." "Yes, I placed a call to Sydney, Australia." "We got the White House." "Yes, I want to speak" "Yeah." "No, listen, I live there." "I know he's there." "It's all in the bubbles." "Yeah, emergency." "I must speak to him." "John Lenn" "Hey, Steve, Louise is on the phone." "Sounds important, man." "Afghanistan here." "No, I didn't call Afghanistan." "Hello, Louise?" "Are you with her?" "You don't love me." "That kinda talk is foolish." "I'm gonna kill myself." "I wanna die." "Louise, please." "I do." "Well, go ahead then." "I will." "You don't care." "Yeah, that's right." "I don't care." "Right" "My friends are so happy, they're killing themselves." "Would you come along?" "Who's he?" "He's a friend of the family's." "I thought you'd already started." "Oh, no." "I wanted you to watch." "Now, let me see if I've got everything." "Ice cubes, wine, razor blades." "How long does it take?" "I don't know." "Sure you do." "You know everything." "Louise, you called me because... either you don't want to do it, and you want me to stop you... or you want to lay the guilt of it on me... and I'm not buying either one." "So go ahead on." "Hold on." "Mind if I have a little wine first?" "You son of a bitch." "Mr. Bishop?" "Not for me, thanks." "You really don't believe." "Baby." "I call you baby because your innocence touches me so." "Those really are sharp, aren't they?" "I always said that you had guts, Louise." "About how long will it take?" "Mr. Bishop?" "How much do you weigh?" "110." "Two and a half to three hours." "At first you'll get cold, and then sleepy." "You're a son of a bitch, too." "Louise, I haven't had anything to eat yet today." "What you got in the fridge?" "Thanks." "I know he'll stop me." "I know he will." "I know he feels something." "I know you." "What?" "I didn't hear you, baby." "What'd you say?" "I said you'll stop it." "Listen." "If you don't care anything... about your own life, then why should I?" "You do care." "You do." "And you do, too." "I'm cold." "I'm getting colder." "I'm cold." "Psychosomatic." "You've got an hour and a half left." "Please, Steve." "I don't want to do it." "If you kick it... you can probably make the sheriff's station... in Malibu in about fifteen minutes." "Would you have let it happen?" "Would you?" "Look, I was just an observer." "You haven't answered my question." "Well, what do you think?" "We'll never know, will we?" "Well, say that I just sat there... or we just sat there and watched her check out." "Think that would have been crazy?" "Irrational, maybe." "Is there anything wrong with that?" "It just means that you have your own rule book." "I can dig that." "Is that so?" "It takes a very special kind of person... to pick up the tab for that kind of living." "You say you dig it, but you're talkin' about... something you really know nothing about." "And you do?" "Do I?" "Very slippery." "When he's cornered, he answers questions with questions." "What's your action, Mr. Bishop?" "You've been watching too many late movies." "Well, it's been interesting." "Thanks." "Maybe another time." "The underwater feeding show... by Marineland's staff diver in the giant fish tank." "The giant fish tank is to your left..." "Next of kin?" "None." "Anybody we can notify?" "How about an acquaintance?" "Are you finished, doctor?" "No, there's a charge." "You can take care of it at the cashier's window one floor up." "I suggest that you make an appointment with your doctor." "That is, if you have a doctor." "What do you think?" "What'd you feel before you passed out?" "Couldn't get my breath." "Palms sweating?" "Nausea?" "Heart beating fast?" "Sounds like an A.R." "Acute anxiety reaction." "Classic neurasthenic pattern." "See a doctor, Mr. Bishop." "Have some tests." "If they come back negative... maybe you should think about seeing a psychiatrist." "In the meantime, take these." "They'll help a little." "I need a signature, Doc." "Hey, you were really out there for a while." "The cashier, you say, is on the first floor?" "Dr. Richmond wanted in Emergency." "Watch your backs, please." "Thank you." "You waiting' for me?" "How long you been here?" "Since last night, about 12:00." "Must be important." "You said another time." "I said maybe another time." "That's right." "That's what you said." "Come on in." "So this is what it looks like inside your head, huh?" "This place must've cost some bread." "Are you still trying to figure my action?" "I inherited enough." "It is nice to be comfortable, isn't it?" "Is there something specific you want to talk about?" "No, I just..." "Well, yeah, there is." "What happened the other night, that was pretty far out... and you were saying some things about it." "So?" "So, how 'bout some answers?" "To what?" "For openers, suppose I say I think..." "I'm the kind of person... that can pick up the tab for what happened?" "What's the rest of it?" "What makes you think I can answer that?" "You said that" "I said that you didn't know anything about it." "It doesn't mean I do." "Now you see him, now you don't." "Is my time up?" "There is something I have to do." "Can I come?" "What do you want from me?" "That's incredible." "Yeah." "It keeps me sharp." "Balance, problems of orientation-- sometimes you have to think in reverse." "Here, you take it." "That's not bad." "How long you been flying?" "About twenty seconds." "My father was what they called a judge." "He would settle arguments on the council... and his word was final." "It was never questioned... until one day some hothead from Chicago... took exception to one of his decisions... and put a contract on him." "The guy that got him was a shooter from Topeka." "That was all." "How old were you then?" "Your age." "Maybe younger." "I was still in school." "You find this interesting, don't you?" "Are you kidding?" "My father used to do front numbers even for me." "Like if he did that, maybe it wouldn't rub off." "Never talk about that stuff." "He was beautiful." "Only trouble was, I really wanted to dig it." "He wanted me to be a part of his front, too." "So, what happened after they burned your old man?" "I finished school." "And?" "That's all." "Then I grew up." "Did your father ever tell you anything about the operation... like how it worked?" "What's with those guys, anyway?" "They all act like they're ashamed." "My father wasn't ashamed." "He was the best." "Game." "You're pretty good." "Play to win, do you?" "You know any other way?" "Let's make it two out of three." "OK, but I'm telling you, I'm genius at this game." "Yeah?" "You go get the ball, genius." "What's going on?" "That old man is Yamoto." "He's here from Japan, where he's a master." "The other guy is Kori." "Very dangerous and very fast... but he's got some new tricks... that are sort of an insult to the old style." "Yamoto thinks these tricks... are useless against a classic fighter... and he's here to prove his point." "The object of these fights is total concentration and control." "They don't actually hit each other... otherwise one or the other would be dead... and that's against the law." "I thought he wasn't supposed to hit him." "Probably one of Kori's new tricks." "You haven't said three words since the match." "He practically murdered that guy." "Murder is only killing without a license... and everybody kills." "Governments, the military, the police." "Do you think that Yamoto's a killer?" "He's a killer who doesn't kill." "It's funny." "For him, the rules are important." "That's your expert opinion?" "That's my opinion." "OK." "Don't get uptight." "Not me." "Bullshit." "Look, every time we're on this subject, the same thing happens." "As long as we're rapping it out on your terms... everything's OK, but the minute I have a question... or I want to know something specific from you... you either shine me on or go out for coffee." "What the hell is going on?" "You're pressing pretty hard." "You'd better be damn sure you want to know." "This is not freshman philosophy time." "I'm sure." "You ever hear the term "mechanic"... used outside of its normal meaning?" "Where?" "My father used it." "It's a dealer." "A guy who works game tables." "Anything else?" "Sure." "It's a shooter." "A hit man." "So?" "So there we are." "And that's your action?" "Yeah, that figures." "I'm telling you this... because there are times when I could use a backup." "Wouldn't have to spread myself so thin." "And you seem to have the aptitude." "You do this for money?" "Money is paid, but that's not the motive." "It has to do with standing outside of it all on your own." "I'm gonna teach you all I can." "After that, you can choose how you want it to go." "You in?" "Do I have an alternative?" "There are alternatives to everything." "You've got a partner, Mr. Bishop." "Associate." "Point the gun as though it were an extension of your arm... and keep both eyes open." "All right, you ready?" "Pull." "That's better." "Much better." "Pull." "Winchester." "300 Magnum, 180 grains." "Muzzle velocity." "Pull!" "3,070." "Drop at 200 yards." "Two minutes low." "Pull!" "300 yards." "Pull." "f.3 inches." "300 yards, 1f0 grains." "4.8 inches." "Pull." "Doubles." "Pull." "There are killers, and there are killers." "To tell you the truth... they all have a different book of rules." "To get away with it depends on the book of rules... you have in your pocket at the time." "Your own country, somebody else's country... or your own personal book of rules." "All this--heroes." "Half of them were killers." "Napoleon was one, you know?" "Pancho Villa, Genghis Khan." "And then we have our own domestic brand... like Billy the Kid, Jesse James, and John Dillinger." "Yeah, they're about as famous... as our own honest-to-goodness heroes." "Don't tell me that's gonna make us heroes." "I wouldn't tell you anything like that." "All I'm saying is that people who stand outside the law... oftentimes end up as heroes." "What's with that ball of wax I see you squeezing?" "Sometimes you have to hold the mark." "It develops the strength." ""In the ages between 4f and 64..." ""of the total deaths by accident..." ""10,431 were from falls."" "You know, falls from high places are very clean." "What's that?" "That is your first involvement." "Taking the Zoo Drive turnoff." "Now they're going west." "There's one camera." "Another." "Two cameras covering the main gate." "You couldn't get within 100 yards... without tripping that alarm system." "The guards sleep in shifts." "One of them awake all the time." "What about number one?" "Midnight till 4:00 in the morning." "We need more." "We'll have to stay in closer until we find something." "I want you to rent two cars, a Ford and a Volkswagen." "This looks like it might be something." "Turn this on." "Comes across the border at 1 a.m." "I can have it to you at 7 a.m. tomorrow." "How?" "In a Chicken Lickin' truck right to your place." "OK." "You check the goods when it comes, then wake me." "I'll make the test." "Better not be crap." "You know where to find me." "Well, they'll have to turn off the alarm system... to make that delivery." "Where'd you learn how to do that?" "One of the tools of the trade, my friend." "Allied Plating." "This is Frank." "Listen, I've got a bumper that needs re-chroming." "If I brought it in tomorrow, can I pick it up by Saturday?" "We don't work on Saturday down here." "Monday afternoon the soonest." "Monday's all right." "I'll bring it in tonight." "Since there's no guard on the weekends... at the Allied Plating plant... we could put the bodies in these nitric acid tanks." "Mr. Bishop?" "We would like you to go ahead with this one." "We go." "I'm gonna check you for iron before you go past here." "Come on, get out." "What's the matter?" "Come on." "Get out of there." "What the hell is this?" "Chicken Lickin'." "Chicken Lickin' is licking' chicken." "Wise guy." "Get the bodies in the truck!" "Do you know my dog got a birthday card today?" "I didn't." "Just my dog." "Archibald, those kids on the hill there-- how can you live here with all that noise?" "I called the police, but there's nothing they can do." "Daddy, it's getting worse here every weekend." "In forty-eight hours... everything will be in solution." "It was..." "What?" "Well, it could've been so simple... but that guy came out of nowhere." "Those things happen... but remember it the next time." "Could you spare a few minutes, Mr. Bishop?" "Yes." "When?" "Now." "I'm at home." "All right." "I have to do something for a while." "I'll see you later." "Mr. Bishop is here, sir." "Show him through." "This way, sir." "That was very untidy, Mr. Bishop." "We'd like to know how Harry McKenna's son figures." "He'll be working with me from now on." "You think this is wise?" "You telling me I need your permission?" "Information is all I want, Mr. Bishop." "We like to know things." "An organization survives only because its members... are willing to sacrifice certain personal choices... for the good of all." "A very democratic principle, Mr. Bishop." "We survive because we have this rule." "What you or I want is unimportant." "Only the rule." "Someone trained by me could be of value to you." "Nobody lives forever." "You take full responsibility then?" "This one has to be done fast." "Very fast." "I'll handle it the way I always do." "There may not be time enough for that." "The word is, he's getting ready to talk to some people." "The problem is considerable." "I'm not some wild Cleveland shooter." "I don't cowboy." "If he talks, things could get complicated...sloppy." "That would disturb a lot of us." "It's not really open to discussion, Mr. Bishop." "This business of McKenna's son... has upset a few of our associates." "I understand it... but these people see it only from the outside." "A quick, clean job would go a long way... in putting everything back into proper balance." "Yes, I understand." "I knew you would." "Your man's in Naples." "We've given you a name in Rome... for any equipment you might need." "Good." "You're still up." "I called you about 9:00." "Yeah, well, Louise picked me up and we..." "It's good for the nerves." "She has this thing she does" "Spare me the details." "Look, if I'd known you wanted to work" "You are a free agent, my friend." "The only thing you have to do... is fulfill the requirements of the Association." "And that means your occasional presence... some intelligent responses, some skill at your work... and nothing more." "You've got that, so what's buggin' you?" "We got one, huh?" "They want him to be cowboyed." "Explain." "They want me to get him now... any way I can." "That doesn't sound very cool." "What are you gonna do about that?" "I'm too far along to change my habits." "I'll do what I've always done..." "in Italy." "Italy?" "Am I gonna go?" "Why not?" "Steve McKenna." "Mountain View Drive." "Age twenty-four." "Height-- five foot, eleven inches." "Weight--16f." "Right-handed." "Hair--blond." "Distinguishing marks-- small scar on right arm." "Interests--girls, freaks... physical fitness... fast cars... and killing." "Just like the postcards." "Let's go to work." "What time?" "It's 11:47." "Good?" "Last time I had this was ten years ago." "They make it right here, you know..." "But not enough to export." "Casa de fiori doesn't travel." "It's not bad." "Slowly." "The time you take is very important." "Savor it." "Even what we're doing now." "See, you must figure it carefully." "Don't rush." "Know every move, turn it over and over in your mind... until you're sure there are no holes." "But you have to be dead sure...or dead." "No second chances." "I'll try and remember that." "Remember, don't try." "Dead sure...or dead." "The room's not going to get any bigger." "I think I'll take a walk." "Is that all right with you?" "What now?" "It looks like they're going south." "We could follow on the Coast Road." "Excuse me, sir." "Would you take a picture of my wife and me?" "Thank you." "It seems he doesn't do the same thing the same way twice." "Except spend Friday and Saturday night on that boat." "A diesel leak explosion might be nice." "Yeah, but how do we get close enough?" "You scuba?" "Yeah." "Sure." "Good." "I'll go down to Rome, pick up some equipment... and be back tomorrow night." "Meanwhile, you study this chart, especially this area right here." "Memorize the beach area, offshore formations... the depth, that sort of thing." "You got it." "You really expect this kind of action?" "You begin to lose odds out in the open like this." "You straight on everything?" "Where does our man sleep?" "Forward bunk, starboard." "His friend?" "Aft, starboard." "Engine hatch?" "About four feet aft of the bridge." "Let's go." "It'll be light soon." "It's a setup." "Duck!" "Speed boats." "How can they know?" "Give me that." "Those friends of yours?" "Come on, man, what the hell is going on?" "They were sent by the people I work for." "Explain." "When I brought you in, I didn't check with 'em." "I broke a rule." "That was fast of you back there." "Thanks." "How long till she goes?" "Just about...now." "Marcello, Cergei." "They're very thorough." "You drive." "Hey, man, this is getting just a little bit hairy." "Yeah." "I'm gonna try something." "That ought to take care of 'em." "One of 'em had a walkie-talkie." "He was in contact with somebody." "There they are." "It's a road block." "Slow down." "When you're about 200 feet from them... put it in first like you're going to stop... but keep it rolling." "Wedge this against the gas pedal." "Jump when I say so." "All right, jam it on the gas pedal now." "All right." "Ready, jump!" "I'm empty." "Same here." "What do we do now?" "Our friend back there has picked up a machine gun." "Hey, pick it up and let's go." "You might not get back for another ten years." "This really is a beautiful city." "What the hell." "Let's go." "Brucine." "You'll be dead in a few minutes." "Listen, you'll really appreciate this." "This stuff is absolutely clear when it's in solution." "I just coated the inside of the glass with it... and let it dry." "And when the wine hit it... it went right back into solution--no trace." "Looks just like a heart attack." "You said every man has his jelly spot." "Yours was you just couldn't cut it alone." "Was it because of your father?" "You killed him?" "I thought he just died." "You see?" "There you are." "They told you who to hit." "It kept the whole idea from being what we talked about." "You needed a license." "Their license." "I'm gonna pick my own mark." "Hit when I want." "Just like you said." "Standing outside." "See Naples and die." ""Steve, if you read this, it means I didn't make it back." ""It also means you've broken a filament..." ""controlling a thirteen-second delay trigger." ""End of game." ""Bang." "You're dead.""