And the biggest asshole ever is ChiefAss! *nt*

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: I said no text! But since you HAD to look, he's the script to Seven: : : Se7en : : 1 INT. OLD HOUSE -- DAY 1 : Sunlight comes through the soot on the windows, more brown than : bright. SOMERSET, 45, stands in one corner of this small, : second-story room. He looks over the ceiling, looks down at the : worn wooden floors, looks at the peeling wallpaper. : He walks to the center of the room, continues his study, taking : his time. He halts, turns to one wall where the current : wallpaper is torn away to reveal flowery wallpaper underneath. : Somerset goes to this wall and runs his finger across one of the : pale, red roses which decorates the older paper. He pushes the : grime away, brings the rose out more clearly. : He reaches into his suit pocket and takes out a switchblade. He : flips the thin, lethal blade free. Working deliberately, : delicately, Somerset cuts a square around the rose, then peels : the square of dry wallpaper away from the wall. He studies it in : his hand. : 2 EXT. OLD HOUSE -- DAY 2 : Somerset stands in front of the old home. He looks out at the : surrounding farms and forests. He ponders something. Birds : sing. : MAN (O.S.) : Is something wrong? : Somerset does not respond, just stares off. The MAN, 34, wears a : real-estate broker's jacket and stands beside a FOR SALE sign in : the muddy lawn. : MAN : Is there something the matter? : Somerset turns to face the man, then looks back at the house. : SOMERSET : No. No... it's just that everything here : seems... so strange. : MAN : Strange? There's nothing strange about : this place. The house'll need a little : fixing up, that's for sure... : SOMERSET : No. I like the house, and this place. : MAN : I was about to say. Cause this place is : about as normal as places get. : Somerset nods, taking a deep breath. He smiles. : SOMERSET : That's what I mean. Strange. : Somerset looks back to the beautiful landscape. The man does not : understand. : 3 INT. AMTRACK TRAIN -- LATER DAY 3 : Somerset is in the window seat, looking out the window of the : speeding train, smoking a cigarette. He is near the back of the : car, away from the few other passengers. : Outside, farms, fields, small homes and lawns rush by. The : panorama is dappled by the rays of the soon to be setting sun. : 4 INT. AMTRACK TRAIN -- LATER DAY 4 : The train is almost full, moving slower. Somerset has his : suitcase on the aisle seat beside him. He holds a hardcover book : unopened on his lap. He still stares out the window, but his : face is tense. The train is passing an ugly, swampy field. The : sun has gone under. : Though it seems impossible it ever could have gotten there, a : car's burnt-out skeleton sits rusting in the bracken. : Ahead, the city waits. The sky is full of smokestacks and huge : industrial cranes. : 5 INT. AMTRACK TRAIN -- LATER DAY 5 : The train is passing urban streets below. Slums and smashed : cars. People stand in groups in the corners. Bleak. : Somerset's suitcase is now on the window seat. Somerset has : moved to the aisle. He is reading his book. He looks up from : the book and rubs his eyes, then looks back to continue reading, : not once looking out the window. : 6 EXT. CITY STREET -- NIGHT 6 : Somerset carries his suitcase outside the train station. The : city demands attention: cars screeching, people yelling, sirens : blaring. : Somerset passes a family of bewildered tourists. A WEIRD MAN has : a hand on the tourist-father's suitcase. : It has become a tugging match with the Weird Man shouting, "I'll : take you to a taxi... I'll take you." Ahead, a group is gathered : on the sidewalk near two ambulances. People clamor to get a look : at a BLOODY BODY which lies on the street. : Policeman try to hold the crowd off. Ambulance attendants : administer aid to the victim, who convulses. Somerset moves by, : ignoring it all. He motions for a cab. One pulls up from the : street's stream of vehicles. : 7 INT. CAB -- NIGHT 7 : Somerset throws his suitcase in and shuts the door behind him. : CAB DRIVER : (about the crowd) : What's the big fuss? : Somerset looks out at the crowd, looks at the driver. : SOMERSET : Why do you care? : CAB DRIVER : (under his breath) : Well, excuse me all to hell. : The driver leans forward, checking it out. The circle of : spectators shifts suddenly. A man has shoved another man and : they're really going at it now. The swing at each other and tear : at each other's clothing. One man's flailing fist connects and : the other man's face is instantly bloodied. The fight grows even : more spastic. Policemen try to stop it. : CAB DRIVER : Crazy fucks. : The driver pulls away and the cab rages down the street. : Somerset watches the parade of neon passing on the avenue. He : slumps back in the seat and closes his eyes. : CAB DRIVER : Where you headed? : Somerset opens his eyes. : SOMERSET : Far away from here. : 8 INT. SOMERSET'S APARTMENT -- NIGHT 8 : The curtains are closed. The SOUNDS of the CITY are here as they : will be everywhere in this story. A CAR ALARM is SOUNDING, : shrill and clear. Somerset's life is packed into moving boxes, : except for some clothing in a closet and hundreds and hundreds of : books on the shelves of one wall. Somerset is lying on the bed, : dressed only in his underwear. : He reaches to the nightstand, to a wooden, pyramidical metronome. : He frees the metronome's weighted swingarm so it moves back and : forth. Swings to the left -- TICK, swings to the right -- TICK. : Tick... tick... tick... measured and steady. : Somerset situates on the bed, closes his eyes. Tick... tick... : tick. The metronome's sound competes with the sound of the car : alarm. Somerset's face tightens as he concentrates on the : metronome. His eyes close tighter. Tick... tick... tick. The : swingarm moves evenly. Somerset's breathing deepens. : Tick... tick... tick. The car alarm seems quieter. : Tick... tick... tick. Somerset continues his concentration. The : metronome's sound seems louder. : Tick... tick... tick. The sound of the car alarm fades, and is : GONE. The metronome is the only sound. : Somerset's face relaxes as he begins to fall asleep. Tick... : tick... tick... : INSERT -- TITLE CARD : SUNDAY : 9 INT. SOMERSET'S APARTMENT -- MORNING 9 : Somerset picks items off a moving box: his keys, wallet, : switchblade, gold homicide badge. Finally, he opens the : hardcover book he had with him on the train. From the pages, he : takes the pale, paper rose. : 10 INT. TENEMENT APARTMENT -- DAY 10 : Somerset stands before a wall which is stained by a star-burst of : blood. A body lies on the floor under a sheet. A sawed-off : shotgun lies not far from the body. The apartment is gloomy. : DETECTIVE TAYLOR, 52, stands on the other side of the room, looks : through a notepad. : TAYLOR : Neighbors heard them screaming at each : other for like two hours. It was nothing : new. But, then they heard the gun go off. : Both barrels. : SOMERSET : Did the wife confess? : TAYLOR : When the patrolman came she was trying : put his head back together. She was crying : too hard to say anything. : Somerset beings walking around the apartment. : SOMERSET : Why always like this? Only after the : fact... this sudden realization, that if : you shoot someone, or stick a knife in : them, that person will cease to exist. : TAYLOR : Crime of passion. : SOMERSET : Yes. Look at all the passion splattered up : on the wall here. : TAYLOR : This is a done deal. All but the : paperwork. : Taylor shifts his weight, impatient. Somerset looks at a : coloring book open on the coffee table. There are crayons beside : it. Somerset picks the book up, flips through the pages. : SOMERSET : Did their son see it happen? : TAYLOR : I don't know. : Taylor closes his notebook, perturbed. Somerset looks at the : pictures of cute, crudely colored animals. : TAYLOR : What kind of fucking question is that : anyway? : Taylor walks over and grabs the coloring book to get his : attention. : TAYLOR : You know, we're all real glad we're getting : rid of you, Somerset. You know that? I : mean, it's always these questions with : you... "Did the kid see it?" Well, who : gives a fuck? Huh? : (points) : He's dead. His wife killed him. : Taylor throws the coloring book back to Somerset and walks. : TAYLOR : Anything else has nothing to do with us. : Taylor leaves, pushing past DETECTIVE DAVID MILLS, 31, who is : just entering. Mills is muscular and handsome. He looks back at : Taylor, then around the apartment, a bit disoriented. : Somerset puts down the coloring book. He stares at the floor, : showing no reaction to Taylor's tantrum. : MILLS : Uh, Lieutenant Somerset? : Somerset turns to see Mills. : 11 EXT. CITY STREET -- DAY 11 : A body bag is carried through a crowd of people outside the : tenement building. : Somerset follows the body bag out and Mills follows Somerset. : They walk towards the end of the filthy block, past a man : urinating on a car. : MILLS : I'm a little thrown. I just got in town : like twenty minutes ago and they dumped me : here. : SOMERSET : Since we're just starting out, I thought we : could go to a bar... sit and talk for : awhile. After that, we'll... : MILLS : (interrupting) : Actually, if it's all the same, I'd like to : get to the precinct house a.s.a.p. Seeing : how we don't have much time for this whole : transition thing. : Somerset keeps walking, says nothing. : MILLS : I need to start getting the feel of it all, : right? Meet the people. : SOMERSET : I meant to ask you something, Mills, when : we spoke on the phone. I can't help : wondering... why here? : MILLS : I... I don't follow. : SOMERSET : All this effort you've made to get : transferred, it's the first question that : pops into my head. : MILLS : I'm here for the same reasons as you, I : guess. Or, at least, the same reasons you : used to have for being here before... : before you decided to... quit. : Somerset stops and faces Mills. : SOMERSET : You just met me. : MILLS : Maybe I'm not understanding the question. : SOMERSET : It's very simple. You worked a nice, quiet : town, but you fought to get here as if your : life depended on it. I've just never seen : it done that way before, Detective. : MILLS : Maybe I thought I could do more good here : than there. I don't know. Look, it'd be : great by me if we didn't start right off : kicking each other in the balls. But, : you're calling the shots, Lieutenant, so... : however you want it to go. : SOMERSET : Let me tell you how I want this to go. I : want you to look, and I want you to listen. : MILLS : I wasn't standing around guarding the local : Taco Bell. I've worked homicide for five : and a half years. : SOMERSET : Not here. : MILLS : I realize that. : SOMERSET : Well, over the next seven days, do me the : favor of remembering it. : Somerset turns and walks away. Mills stands a moment, pissed. : He follows after Somerset. : INSERT -- TITLE CARD : MONDAY : 12 INT. SOMERSET'S APARTMENT -- EARLY MORNING 12 : Somerset lies asleep in bed. It is still dark outside. The : PHONE beside the inactive metronome RINGS. Somerset awakens : suddenly, startled. He looks towards the phone. : 13 INT. MILLS' APARTMENT, BEDROOM -- EARLY MORNING 13 : It is just barely becoming light outside. Mills is wide awake in : bed beside the sleeping form of his wife, TRACY, 30. Mills looks : tired. He listens to passing traffic. He covers his eyes with : his forearm. : He takes his arm away and sits up, frustrated, sits on the edge : of the bed. The room is a shambles, filled with moving boxes. : Light coming through the window glows upon a football trophy : sticking from one box. : Large and noble, a golden player stands in frozen motion at the : trophy's pinnacle. : Mills looks at the trophy and a fond smile forms on his face. : The PHONE RINGS. Mills looks towards it. Tracy awakens. She : looks up with half-opened eyes, a beautiful woman. : TRACY : What is it? : Phone rings. Mills reaches to touch Tracy's shoulder. : MILLS : It's okay. : Mills leans to get the phone. Tracy seems frightened. : TRACY : Honey... where are we? : 14 EXT. APARTMENT BUILDING, ALLEYWAY -- EARLY MORNING 14 : Somerset and Mills, both wearing badges, walk with OFFICER DAVIS, : a beefy, uniformed cop. They pass police cars and head into a : trash strewn alleyway. Davis hands Somerset two flashlights. : DAVIS : Everything's like I found it. I didn't : touch anything. : SOMERSET : What time did you confirm the death? : DAVIS : Like I said, I didn't touch him, but he's : had his face in a plate of spaghetti for : about forty-five minutes now. : They reach a rusty, side door, which Davis pulls open. : 15 INT. APARTMENT BUILDING, STAIRWELL -- EARLY MORNING 15 : They enter a dark, ugly stairwell. : MILLS : (to Davis) : Hold on... you mean you didn't check for : vital signs? : DAVIS : Did I stutter? Believe me, he ain't : breathing, unless he's started breathing : spaghetti sauce. : MILLS : The point is, whenever you find... : DAVIS : Begging your pardon, but the guy's sitting : in pile of his own shit and piss. If he : ain't dead, he would've stood up by now. : Mills is angry, about to speak, but Somerset heads him off. : SOMERSET : (to Davis) : Thank you, officer. We'll need to talk to : you again, after we've looked around. : DAVIS : Yes, sir. : Davis walks out, eyeing Mills. Mills watches him go. The rusty : door slams shut behind Davis. It's very dark. Somerset turns on : his flashlight, hands the other to Mills and starts upstairs. : SOMERSET : I wonder what exactly was the point of the : conversation you were about to get into? : MILLS : And I wonder how many times Officer Davis : there has found a dead man who wasn't : really dead until Davis was in the car : calling it in and eating a donut. : SOMERSET : Drop it. : MILLS : For now. : 16 INT. APARTMENT BUILDING, HALLWAY -- EARLY MORNING 16 : Somerset comes from the stairwell, looking down the dark hall. : At the end of the hall, a door is open. The light of a CAMERA : FLASH spills out from that room every few seconds. : Mills and Somerset move on. Somerset takes out rubber gloves and : slips them on, looking at something on the floor ahead. A yellow : RECYCLING BIN sits just outside the door. It contains many neat, : string-bound stacks of issues of READER'S DIGEST. : 17 INT. APARTMENT, LIVING ROOM -- EARLY MORNING 17 : There are lights on in this room. Lamps with dusty shades. A : few porn mags on a table. Somerset and Mills cross. A couch : against one wall is piled with yellowed, once white pillows. It : faces two small televisions, both on with no sound. : 18 INT. APARTMENT, KITCHEN -- EARLY MORNING 18 : Somerset and Mills enter, using their flashlights in the dark. : Mills takes out a handkerchief, covering his nose. ERIC is : crouched on the floor, putting camera equipment away. : He's wearing a medical mask over his face. He hoists his bag and : moves past the detectives. : ERIC : Enjoy. : Eric leaves. Somerset sweeps the room with his flashlight... : At the stove, each burner has a used pot or pan on it. Food has : been slopped there and on the adjoining counter-top and sink. : Used utensils are everywhere, along with empty tin cans and jars. : Cockroaches swarm. : The flashlight beam follows a trail of dripped sauces, soups and : crumbs of food across the floor from the stove to a kitchen : table. The kitchen table is covered in soiled paper plates which : hold bits of half-eaten sandwiches, potatoes, beef stew, donuts : and many other junk foods. : The kitchen is tiny; barely enough room for three people. The : kitchen table is at the center of the room. An OBESE MAN is : slumped forward in a kitchen chair. He is face down dead in a : plate of spaghetti. : MILLS : Christ... somebody phone Guiness. I think : we've got a World's Record here. : Mills walks to the dead man, leaning to study, without touching. : MILLS : Who said this was murder? : SOMERSET : No one yet. : MILLS : Then, why are we wasting our time? This : guy's heart's got to be roughly the size of : a canned ham. If this isn't a coronary, I : don't know what is. : Somerset moves his flashlight beam down the obese corpse, stops : at the man's feet. Somerset kneels. : At the obese man's pants cuff, there's a tiny bit of rope : sticking out. Somerset uses a pen to lift the pants leg. Rope : is tied around the swollen, purple ankle. : MILLS : Or not. : Somerset stands and steps back. Mills bends to take his place, : looking under the table and shining his flashlight into the : corpse's lap. The obese man's bloated hands are folded there, : bound tightly with rope. : MILLS : Still... he could have tied himself up, to : make it look like murder. I saw a guy : once... committed suicide, but wanted to : make sure his family could collect the life : insurance, right? : Somerset does not listen. He is focused on the corpse, studies : the back of the man's head and neck. He runs his pen against the : back of the corpse's neck, combing the hair upwards. : There are small circular and semi-circular BRUISES on the back of : the obese man's head and neck, some hidden under the hair. : MILLS : When we found him, he was lying there with : a knife in his back, so what else could it : be but homicide? Except, I finally figured : out... he held the knife behind him... put : the tip of it in his own back and got real : close to the wall... then he shoved his : body backwards... : SOMERSET : (irritated) : Please be quiet for a while, would you? : Mills looks up at Somerset from below. Somerset remains focused : on the bruises. : MILLS : (sarcastic) : Oh, yes, sir. Forgive me. : Mills stands and walks around to the other side of the table, : where he gets down again. : MILLS : There's a bucket here. : SOMERSET : What? : MILLS : There's a bucket. Under the table. : Somerset crouches, pulls up the cheap tablecloth on his side of : the table. A METAL BUCKET sits under the table. : SOMERSET : What is it? : Mills slides under with his flashlight, angling in the confined : space to look. He is repulsed and pulls back. : MILLS : It's vomit. : Mills stands and backs away, near the refrigerator, not wanting : to be anywhere near that bucket. : MILLS : It's a bucket of vomit. : SOMERSET : Is there any blood in it? : MILLS : I don't know. Feel free to look for : yourself, okay? : Somerset stands, stares at the obese man. He shakes his head, : perplexed. There is a KNOCK at the door. The detectives look to : see DOCTOR THOMAS O'NEILL, 52, the medical examiner, in the : doorway. O'Neill is looking at the ceiling. He flicks the lighs : switch. No light, so he flicks the switch up and down. : O'NEILL : Wonderful. : O'Neill seems a bit gone. He drops his black bag onto the floor : beside the corpse. he begins to sort through the bag, surgical : tools clinking together. : Mills turns to open the refrigerator. It's nearly empty. : MILLS : (to Somerset) : You think it was poison? : SOMERSET : Guessing at this point is useless. : The trash can beside the refrigerator is filled to the brim with : empty food containers. Mills begins to poke around with a pen. : O'NEILL : You girls have got forensics waiting : outside. I don't know if we'll all fit : though. : MILLS : There's room. Light's the problem. : Somerset looks at Mills, then at the space limitations. : SOMERSET : Still... two is company here. And, three : is certainly a crowd. : (pause) : Detective Mills, go help the officers : question the neighbors. : Mills looks up, not pleased. : MILLS : I'd rather stay on this. : Somerset is looking at the corpse. : SOMERSET : Send one of the forensics in on your way : out. : Mills does not move. He lifts his flashlight to shine the light : on the side of Somerset's face. A moment. Somerset looks at : Mills, the light shining directly in Somerset's eyes. A longer : moment. Mills switches off the light and leaves. : O'Neill places both hands on the dead man's head and lifts the : swollen visage from the spaghetti. : O'NEILL : He is dead. : SOMERSET : Thank you, Doctor. : 19 INT. SOMERSET'S CAR -- DAY 19 : Somerset drives with Mills as the passenger. Heavy city traffic. : Both stare ahead in silence. Mills is a bundle of nerves. : MILLS : You've seen my files, right? Seen the : things I've done? : SOMERSET : No. : MILLS : (looking out window) : Anyway... I did my time on door-to-doors, : and walking a beat. I did all that shit : for a long time. : SOMERSET : Good. : MILLS : The badge in my pocket says "detective," : same as yours. : SOMERSET : I made a decision, because I have to : consider the integrity of the scene. I : can't worry whether you think you're : getting enough time on the playing field. : MILLS : Yeah, well, all I want is... : (pause) : Just, just don't be jerking me off. That's : all I ask. Don't jerk me off. : Mills looks at Somerset. Somerset keeps his eyes on the road, : but nods slightly. That said, Mills slumps low into his seat. : SOMERSET : We'll be spending every waking hour : together till I leave. I'll show you who : your friends are, and your enemies. I'll : help you cut through the red tape and I : will help you "integrate," as the captain : puts it. However... : (pauses, clears throat) : No matter how much you beg or plead... : jerking off is something you'll have to do : for yourself. : This throws Mills. Somerset has a sense of humour? : SOMERSET : Is that clear? : MILLS : Okay... sure... It's just that, with my : old partner, you know... : SOMERSET : I just don't think we should have that sort : of relationship. We'd start quarreling : over insignificant things. : Mills lets out a nervous laugh, feels a bit of weight off his : shoulders. : MILLS : Whatever you say, Detective. Beautiful. : 20 INT. AUTOPSY ROOM -- DAY 20 : The room is large, cold and clean. Stainless steel and white : tile. Many pathologists work at slabs. A bone saw screams. : Mills and Somerset are with DOCTOR SANTIAGO, who stands over the : obese corpse which is pretty well dissected already. : SANTIAGO : He's been dead for a long time, and I can : tell you it was not a poison. : Santiago moves to make room for Mills to stand beside him. Mills : moves up a little, but not much, looking on in disgust. Santiago : reaches into the man's belly. We do not see. : MILLS : Ah, man... how does somebody let himself go : like that? Look at the blubber. : Santiago moves something and there is a squashy sound. : SANTIAGO : It took four orderlies and me all together : just to put this body on the table. : MILLS : How did the fat fuck ever fit out the door : of his apartment? : SOMERSET : Yes, it's obvious he was a shut-in. Not an : enviable life, but, maybe he still deserves : a modicum of respect in spite of that. : SANTIAGO : Are you looking here? First... see how big : this stomach is. And, see the strange : thing. Stretches. And, here it is : distended. Look at the size of that, : because of all the foods. : MILLS : I can see what you're pointing at, but... : SANTIAGO : Lines of distention across the stomach, and : parts have ripped open. : SOMERSET : (disbelief) : Doctor, are you saying... this man ate till : he burst? : SANTIAGO : Well, he didn't really burst. Not all the : way. But, he was bleeding inside himself, : and there is a hematoma on the outside, on : the belly. Very large. : MILLS : He died by eating? : SANTIAGO : Yes. And, there's something else here you : have to look at and see. : Santiago goes to root through many jars on a table. Somerset : walks around the slab, looking down at the obese man's propped : up, partially shaved head. : SOMERSET : These bruises on the victim's head... : More round and semi-circular bruises have been revealed, all : about the same diameter as a dime. : SANTIAGO : I don't kow what they are yet. They... : SOMERSET : They could have been caused by a gun. The : barrel of a gun... pressed against the back : of his head. : Santiago picks up the jar he was looking for, comes to lean and : look at the obese man's head, nodding again. : SANTIAGO : If it was jammed against him hard enough, : sure. It's possible. Here... : Santiago gives the jar to Somerset. : SANTIAGO : Most of the stomach's food contents are in : the lab now.... but, these... I found these : in his stomach too. : Somerset holds the jar up. Inside are many little pieces of blue : plastic. They are curled slightly, as if they are scrapings. : Somerset hands the jar to Mills. Mills shakes it, studying. : MILLS : Plastic? : SANTIAGO : Why these are in a fat man's stomach, I : don't know. : 21 INT. APARTMENT, KITCHEN -- DAY 21 : The room where the obese corpse was found is now lit by : fluorescent light. Two forensics, a MALE and FEMALE, are dusting : for prints. Somerset and Mills are on their hands and knees. : Somerset holds the jar and touches the linoleum floor. : SOMERSET : Same color and texture. : MILLS : (to forensics) : Have you found any plastic scrapings near : the stove or sink? Near the food? : MALE FORENSIC : What do you mean? : Mills and Somerset continue looking around the floor. : MILLS : (to Somerset) : This doesn't make any sense. : SOMERSET : You always have to find one singular thing : to focus on. There's always one thing, and : it may be as small as a speck of dust, but : you find it and focus... till it's an : exhausted possibility. : The forensics watch, curious. Somerset is near the refrigerator. : MILLS : It could be nothing. : SOMERSET : But, why would there be so many pieces in : his stomach if it were nothing? It must : have been intentional. : Somerset stops. There are deep scratches here in the linoleum. : He fingers the grooves, then takes a piece of the plastic from : the jar. He holds the piece to the floor, fiddles... fits it : into one of the scratches. : Somerset gets off the floor and looks down. These scratches are : in front of the refrigerator. it looks like they were caused by : the refrigerator having been pulled away from the wall and pushed : back into place at some time. : SOMERSET : (to Mills) : Come here. : 22 INT. APARTMENT, KITCHEN -- LATER DAY 22 : Mills and Somerset pull the refrigerator, rocking it back and : forth away from the wall to get a clear view behind it. They : strain, pull it a few more feet, and release. : Mills leans to look at the wall behind. Shock. : MILLS : Holy shit. : Somerset comes to look. Behind the refrigerator, there is a : space on the wall where the dust has been wiped away. In that : space, the words: ONE IS GLUTTONY. The letters have been : smeared on in grease. A NOTE is pinned beside them. : 23 INT. PRECINCT HOUSE, CAPTAIN'S OFFICE -- EARLY EVENING 23 : The captain's office is filled with pictures, books and : mugsheets. Piles of paperwork abound, yet the office is : meticulously well kept. The CAPTAIN, 50, sits at his tidy desk. : He wears a white shirt and conservative tie. : He's a calm man, but whenever he is not speaking, without fail, : he clenches his jaw over and over, causing the muscles in his : neck and jaw to pulse. Somerset and Mills sit before him. : SOMERSET : The bruises were caused by the muzzle of a : forty-five. So, there was a gun against : his head and he was given a choice. Eat, : or get your brains blown out. : Somerset gets up to pace. : SOMERSET : He ate his fill, and was forced to continue : eating... till his body rejected the food. : the killer held a bucket under him, and : then kept serving. He took his time. The : coroner says this might have gone on for : more than twelve hours. The victim's : throat was swollen from the effort, and : there was probably a point where he passed : out. That's when killer kicked him in the : stomach. Popped him. : MILLS : This was one sadistic motherfucker. : CAPTAIN : That seems obvious. : Somerset picks up a photocopy of the NOTE from behind the fridge. : SOMERSET : (reads) : "Dear Detectives, Long is the way, and : hard, that out of hell leads up to light." : It's the murderer's way of announcing : himself. : CAPTAIN : Announcing what? : SOMERSET : There are seven deadly sins. Gluttony, : wrath, greed... : CAPTAIN : So what? This victim... : SOMERSET : ... envy, sloth, pride and lust. Seven. : CAPTAIN : Hey, so gluttony is one of the seven deadly : sins. But, this was a fat guy. The killer : may have felt this was the just best way to : torture him. : And, writing on the walls happens all the : time. It's like the fashionable thing to : do. : SOMERSET : One is gluttony. : The captain is disgruntled, clenching his jaw, looks at Mills. : MILLS : This is his stuff. I've been out in the : cold all day. : SOMERSET : This is a premeditated puzzle, and it's : only the beginning. : CAPTAIN : Always working up there, huh, Somerset? : Big brain's always cooking. : Somerset sits. : SOMERSET : I'm declining this case. I want us : reassigned. : MILLS : Whoa, whoa... what?! : CAPTAIN : What's this: "I'm declining this case?" It : don't work that way. : SOMERSET : This can't be my last duty here. It will : go on and on. : CAPTAIN : I know what you're thinking, okay? You : don't want to get in bed with this every : night, but it's different now. You're : retiring. In six days you're all the way : gone. : Somerset shakes his head. : CAPTAIN : You've left unfinished business before. : SOMERSET : Everything else was taken as close to : conclusion as humanly possible. Also... : this shouldn't be his first assignment. : MILLS : This isn't my first assignment, dickhead. : What the hell? : Mills stands, furious. : CAPTAIN : I don't have anyone else to give this to, : Somerset, you know that. And nobody's : going to swap with you. : MILLS : Give it to me. : CAPTAIN : How's that? : MILLS : There's nothing that says I have to work : with him. If Somerset wants out, : "goodbye." Give it to me. : The captain considers this. : SOMERSET : It's too soon for him. : MILLS : (to the captain) : Can we talk about this in private? : The captain looks at Somerset, then at Mills. : CAPTAIN : That's not necessary. You're in. : MILLS : Thank you. : CAPTAIN : Go start picking up the pieces. We'll : shuffle some paper and try to get you a new : partner. : Mills looks at Somerset, then leaves, closing the door. Somerset : seems deflated, staring at the floor. He looks at the captain. : CAPTAIN : You win, Somerset. You're out. : INSERT -- TITLE CARD : TUESDAY : 24 EXT. CITY STREET -- DAY 24 : A newspaper vendor lays out a pile of tabloid newspapers at the : front of his busy newsstand. : The papers' headline is: BIZARRE MURDER!, in huge, black print. : The vendor lays out another tabloid pile. Headline: "EAT OR DIE" : SAYS GLUTTONY KILLER!!, in big, red letters. : The vendor throws down a third tabloid stack. SICKENING : MURDER -- EXCLUSIVE DETAILS INSIDE!, it reads. : 25 INT. PRECINCT HOUSE, SOMERSET'S OFFICE -- DAY 25 : The office is old, with a single window which faces a billboard. : TRAFFIC is HEARD from outside. There are moving boxes on the : floor. Somerset is at his desk with paperwork in two sloppy : piles. He uses a manual typewriter, filling in a yellow form. : He types hunt-and-peck, slowly. He finsihes the form and pulls : it out. There is a knock at the door. : SOMERSET : Come in. : The captain pushes the door and stands in the doorway with a : PAINTER/WORKMAN at his side. : CAPTAIN : Excuse us. We have some business to take : care of. : As always, the neatly groomed captain clenches his jaw. : Somerset lines a new form in the typewriter, starts typing. : The captain strolls in. Two boxes sit on the floor with : DETECTIVE MILLS written across them. He picks up one of the : boxes and sets it on top of the other. : At the open door, the workman takes a razor blade from his kit. : He brings it against the writing on the glass of the door: : DETECTIVE SOMERSET. The workman pushes the razor to start : scraping the name away, and the razor on glass sounds like : fingernails on a blackboard. : Somerset looks up. : WORKMAN : Sorry. : Somerset turns back to the typing, hunt-and-peck. The captain : watches. The workman continues. : CAPTAIN : Have you heard? : SOMERSET : (not looking up) : No, I haven't heard. : CAPTAIN : There was a second. : Somerset stops, looks at the captain. : SOMERSET : Already. : CAPTAIN : Greed. It was written in blood. : Somerset thinks about this, then turns to type. : SOMERSET : It's none of my business anymore. : CAPTAIN : I thought you might want to be filled in. : SOMERSET : I'm sure everyone's doing their best. : CAPTAIN : Yeah. : SOMERSET : Good. : Hunt-and-peck. The captain's jowls clamp. He steps up to : Somerset's desk, begins to straighten the two piles of forms. : CAPTAIN : Come on. What are you going to do with : yourself out there? : SOMERSET : I'll get a job, maybe on a farm. I'll work : on the house. : CAPTAIN : Can't you feel it yet? Can't you feel that : feeling... ? You're not going to be a cop : anymore. : SOMERSET : What are you talking about? : CAPTAIN : You know. : Somerset reclines, facing the captain. : SOMERSET : Did you read in the paper today, about the : man who was walking his dog? he was : attacked, and his wallet and his watch : were taken. And then, while he was still : lying unconscious, his attacker stabbed him : with a knife in both eyes. It happened : four blocks from here. : CAPTAIN : I heard. : SOMERSET : I have no understanding of this place : anymore. : CAPTAIN : It's always been like this. : SOMERSET : Really? : Somerset saddles up to the typewriter. : SOMERSET : Maybe you're right. : The captain lays the paperwork down. Both piles are now neat. : CAPTAIN : You do this work. You were made for it, : and I don't think you can deny that. I : certainly can't believe you're trading it : in for a tool belt and a fishing rod. : (pause, walks to leave) : Maybe I'm wrong. : The captain leaves. Somerset looks up. He grabs the paperwork : piles and ruffles them back to their disheveled state. He looks : up at the workman. : The workman is looking at Somerset, has a rag in his hand to : remove the last remnants of Somerset's name. : SOMERSET : (angrily) : Try putting a little elbow grease into it. : The workman is startled, continues his work. : 26 INT. SOMERSET'S APARTMENT, LIVING ROOM -- LATE NIGHT 26 : There is a dart board on one wall. THWACK -- Somerset's : switchblade hits the board and embeds. : Somerset crosses the nearly empty living room and takes the blade : from the dart board. He walks back to stand in front of the only : chair in the room. He throws the switchblade. : It embeds in the dart board. Somerset sits. : He picks a book off the floor and holds it in his lap. KIDS can : be HEARD CURSING and playing LOUD MUSIC from outside the : shuttered window. Somerset stares at the ceiling. He opens the : book and looks at the pages... stares at the pages... : He puts the book back down on the floor. : 27 EXT. CITY STREET -- LATE NIGHT 27 : Somerset gets out of his car. He walks down the sidewalk with a : notebook in hand. THUNDER is HEARD. He takes a cigarette out of : a full pack and lights it. : He walks along the avenue. Cars race by in the street. People : walk briskly past. At a public phone, a man shouts curses : angrily into the phone, then starts pounding the phone box with : the receiver. A fire engine passes in the street, sirens, horn : and lights going full blast. : Somerset starts up a flight of massive stone stairs, past several : sleeping vagrants. One VAGRANT sits up and looks to Somerset. : VAGRANT : Spare me a cigarette? Spare a cigarette? : SOMERSET : Sorry, last one. : Ahead of Somerset, the library looms, a solid, powerful : structure. : 28 INT. PUBLIC LIBRARY, MAIN LIBRARY -- LATE NIGHT 28 : Somerset and GEORGE, 62, the night guard, enter the vast space of : the deserted main library. : The lamps hanging from the ceiling give off a warm, pleasant glow : over mahogany tables and chairs. To each side of this center : area are tall bookshelves. Balconies surround the room on all : four sides; three levels which overlook the center. : Somerset is happy. This is his element, this peaceful, elegant : place. George motions to the long, empty tables. : GEORGE : Sit where you'd like. : SOMERSET : Thanks, George. : MAN'S VOICE (O.S.) : Hey there, Smilely. : Somerset looks up to the top balcony where TWO OTHER SECURITY : GUARDS and one JANITOR look over the banister. : SOMERSET : Evening, gentlemen. : They all say their hellos. : FIRST GUARD : Come on, George. Cards are getting cold. : GEORGE : (to Somerset) : Duty calls. : George pumps Somerset's hand, then moves to a stairwell leading : to the balconies. Somerset walks down the main aisle, looks : around at the shelves and shelves of books. : George reaches the top balcony and the others sit at a card table : where a poker game is in progress. : Somerset puts his notebook down on one table and switches on a : green banker's lamp. THUNDER SOUNDS. Somerset looks up. : Rain is beginning to fall on the windows of the high ceiling. : SOMERSET : (shouts up) : All these books, gentlemen... a world of : knowledge at your disposal, and you play : poker all night. : UP ON THE BALCONY : George has taken a huge BOOM-BOX from a broom closet. : JANITOR : We got culture. : SECOND GUARD : (dealing cards) : Yeah, we got culture coming out our asses. : They laugh. George sets the boom-box against the railing of the : balcony so the speakers face towards Somerset. : DOWN ON THE MAIN FLOOR : Somerset has gone into one bookshelf aisle. Poker table : conversation echoes from above. Somerset searches books, reading : spines. He finds one book and pulls it, continues searching. : UP ON THE BALCONY : George hits play on the boom-box and turns the volume way up. : GEORGE : How's this for culture? : DOWN ON THE MAIN FLOOR : Somerset keeps looking for books. From far away come the strains : of MOZART MUSIC filling the air. High, drifting music, such as : AIR (On the G string.) Somerset stops, listens. : He closes his eyes and soaks it in. : UP ON THE BALCONY : George sits at the card table, takes out a cigar and lights up. : He looks to the ground floor. : GEORGE : Where'd you get to, Smilely? : Below, Somerset comes out from the aisle. : DOWN ON THE MAIN FLOOR : Somerset looks up at George. : SOMERSET : Thank you. : 29 INT. PUBLIC LIBRARY, MAIN LIBRARY -- LATER NIGHT 29 : MUSIC CONTINUES, spinning through the air like a slow, cool : breeze. : Somerset walks, surrounded by books, carrying several. He pulls : another off a shelf and adds it to his pile. : UP ON THE BALCONY : George lays down a winning hand. The others toss in their cards : in disgust. George laughs, spouting cigar smoke. : Cigar smoke floats up in the air, thinning gracefully. Above, : rain continues dancing on the ceiling windows. : DOWN ON THE MAIN FLOOR : Somerset sits, opens a book on the table and reads. : 30 INT. MILLS' APARTMENT, BEDROOM/LIVING ROOM -- NIGHT 30 : MUSIC CONTINUES, uninterupted over this scene. Music so pretty : it is almost sad. Tracy, in a nightgown, sits up in bed, tense, : She throws off the covers and goes to the door. : She stands looking into the living room where Mills is at a desk. : Mills sorts through paperwork and photos with his back to Tracy. : A basketball game is on the television, but he pays it no mind. : He sits forward, obviously frustrated, drinks coffee. He does : not know Tracy is there. : Tracy watches her husband, concerned. : 31 INT. PUBLIC LIBRARY, MAIN LIBRARY -- NIGHT 31 : MUSIC CONTINUES. Somerset has two books open. He opens his : notebook and brings a pen to bear. Writes: : SEVEN DEADLY SINS : GLUTTONY GREED WRATH LUST PRIDE ENVY SLOTH : He crosses out GLUTTONY and GREED. Somerset picks up one book: : DANTE'S PURGATORY. Volume II of the DIVINE COMEDY. Somerset : opens it: : ------------------------------------------------------------- : | THE EARTHLY PARADISE | : |-------------------------------------------------------- /\ | : | / \ | : | VII The Lustful /____\| : | / | : | VI The Gluttonous /_______| : | 7 TERRACES OF / | : | V The Avaricious / | : | and Prodigal /__________| : | PURGATION / | : | / | : | / | : | IV The Slothful /______________| : | / | : | / | : | / | : | III The Wrathful /__________________| : | / | : | II The Envious /____________________| : | / | : | I The Proud /______________________| : | / | : | / | : | / THE ISLAND | : | / | : | / OF PURGATORY | : | / | : |_______________________________/_____________________________| : UP ON THE BALCONY : George and the guys finish another hand. George looks down at : Somerset, who is writing in the notebook. George takes up the : cards and starts shuffling. : GEORGE : (down to Somerset) : You know, Smilely... you're really going to : miss us. : George shuffles again, but they flip wrong and a few go off the : table, over the balcony. : DOWN ON THE MAIN FLOOR : Somerset looks up at George, then looks around. : SOMERSET : I just might. : ABOVE : The cards George dropped are fluttering, flipping downwards. : 32 INT. PRECINCT HOUSE, SOMERSET'S OFFICE -- EARLY EVENING 32 : The office is dark. Somerset is at his desk, writing: : DETECTIVE MILLS, YOU MAY WANT TO LOOK AT THE FOLLOWING BOOKS, : RELATING TO THE SEVEN DEADLY SINS: : DANTE'S PURGATORY : THE CANTERBURY TALES -- THE PARSON'S TALE : DICTIONARY OF CATHOLICISM : 33 INT. PRECINCT HOUSE, SOMERSET'S OFFICE -- LATER EVENING 33 : Somerset lays an envelope on top of the two boxes which have : Detective Mills' name on them. The envelope reads: MILLS. : INSERT -- TITLE CARD : WEDNESDAY : 34 INT. PRECINCT HOUSE, SOMERSET'S OFFICE -- MORNING 34 : Somerset pushes the door open and notices "DETECTIVE MILLS" : painted on the glass. Rain falls outside. Somerset goes to his : desk, but stops. All his belongings have been moved to a small, : temporary desk in the corner. : Somerset moves to open the top left drawer of the big desk. : Empty. He goes to the temporary desk and urgently searches : through the boxes of papers and files... finds what he was : looking for. He holds a small frame which fits in his palm. : Inside the frame is a PHOTO of an attractive WOMAN. Somerset : pops the frame open, looks at the picture, then puts the picture : in his wallet. : Somerset sits at the temporary desk. He begins to sort through : his papers. After a moment, he glances over his shoulder. The : envelope he left for Mills is gone. : 35 EXT. UPSCALE CITY BLOCK -- MORNING 35 : It's raining. At one high-rent office building, many business : men and women are coming and going in a lunch-hour hurry. Just : to one side of the building, the CORONER'S WAGON drives out from : the mouth of the parking garage into the rain. People on the : sidewalk have to stop to let it cross to the street. At the same : time, a large Lincoln Towncar turns off the street, heads into : the bowels of the garage. : 36 EXT. UPSCALE BUILDING, UNDERGROUND GARAGE -- MORNING 36 : Many police cars and news vans here, and police men and reporters : and photographers everywhere. Mills, looking haggard, finishes a : conversation with a TALL COP by the service elevator. : MILLS : ... good. Do it. I'm going back up. : Tall Cop hurries away as Mills pushes repeatedly on the service : elevator button. The elevator doors open and Mills steps in. As : the door are shutting, a COMMOTION is HEARD. Mills stops the : door and looks out. : Across the garage, the Towncar is pulling to a stop and reporters : are rushing to it. FLASHBULBS are FLASHING. : MARTIN TALBOT, 47, impressive and well dressed, steps out of the : car and faces the reporters as they start shouting questions. : In the service elevator, Mills lets the doors slide shut. : 37 INT. UPSCALE BUILDING, SERVICE AREA -- MORNING 37 : The service elevator opens to a dark physical plant room. Mills : exits the elevator and crosses past humming air-conditioning : vents, dripping pipes and janitor's lockers. To a door... : 38 INT. UPSCALE BUILDING, OFFICE CORRIDOR -- MORNING 38 : Mills comes out the service area door into a bright, ritzy : hallway. This hall and the doors along it reek of money. A few : cops are standing around. Ahead there's a police line, which : Mills ducks under on his way to stately mahogany doors. : 39 INT. LAW OFFICE -- MORNING 39 : A huge law office. A television is on in one corner, showing the : news. Windows overlook the rain wet city. Two FORENSICS dust : for prints, whispering to each other when Mills enters. : FORENSIC ONE : (to other forensic) : ... going to screw it up. I swear... I've : seen... : The other forensic clears his throat, getting back to work. : Forensic One shuts up. Mills notices this, weary. : MILLS : How's it coming? : FORENSIC ONE : Nothing yet. : Mills watches them a moment, then turns his attention to another : part of the office. A leather chair sits in an open area. : The chair and the carpet under it are covered in a goodly portion : of brown, dried blood. : There is a trail of dripped blood from the chair to a large desk. : On a cleared off section of the desk, a two-armed, counter : balance SCALE sits, also blood stained. The desk has been : dusted. Behind the desk, GREED is written on the wall in blood, : near a modern art painting. : Mills stands staring at this area. The TELEVISION is HEARD: : ANCHOR (v.o.) : (from television) : ... going cut in live downtown right now, : where Defense Attorney Eli Gould was found : murdered in his office late last night. : District Attorney Martin Talbot is taking : questions from reporters... : 40 ON T.V., Talbot comes on screen, a powerful presence, with a gold 40 : tooth in the front of his mouth. It's from down in the garage. : A REPORTER (v.o.) : (from television) : ... a small conflict of interest here? I : mean, your prosecutors have lost more than : a few very high profile cases to Mister : Gould and his defense team... : TALBOT (v.o.) : (from television) : Now, that's ridiculous to the point of : almost being offensive. There's no : conflict of interest whatsoever, and any : claim that there would be, or could be, is : irresponsible. : Other reporters begin to shout questions, but Talbot's not done. : TALBOT (v.o.) : Now, hold on... I want to address that. : I've just come from a meeting with law : enforcement officials, and they've assured : me they put their best people on this : thing. : Mills turns to looks at Talbot on the screen. : TALBOT (v.o.) : You just wait and see how quickly we get a : handle on it. This will be the very : definition of swift justice. : Mills walks to turn the t.v. off. : MILLS : (quietly to t.v.) : Shut the fuck up. : He turns and looks to see the forensics looking at him. The : forensics look away. : Mills walks away from the t.v., to a picture frame on the floor. : The frame has been placed specifically in the center of the room, : facing the doors. : It is a photo if a falsely pretty, middle-aged woman, smiling and : wearing pearls. On the glass of the frame, two circles have been : drawn with blood around the woman's eyes. : Mills sits on the floor, stares at the photo. : 41 INT. MILLS' CAR -- MORNING 41 : Mills gets in and slams the door. He is alone with the sound of : the rain. He wipes water from his face and looks at his tired : eyes in the rear view mirror. He leans over to the glove : compartment and takes out two newly purchased paperbacks: The : Canterbury Tales and Dante's Purgatory. : Mills makes a face and opens Dante's Purgatory to a bookmark. He : rests the book on the steering wheel. He reads. : He bites his lip, leaning close to the words. : He is really concentrating, mouths some of the words to himself. : He finally shakes his head and closes the book, not understanding : a word of it. Pause. He starts pounding the book against the : steering wheel with all his might. : MILLS : Fucking, Dante, goddamn, poetry-writing, : faggot motherfucker... : Mills throws the book against the windshield, then puts his head : back and closes his eyes, trying to calm. A long moment. Quiet. : BANG, BANG, BANG -- there's a loud BANGING on the window and : Mills looks up, startled... : Tall Cop is at the window in rain gear. Mills rolls it rown. : Tall Cop hands a wet paper bag through. : MILLS : Good work, Officer. Good work. : Mills rolls the window up, rips the bag open. Inside: Cliff : Notes for Dante's Purgatory and for The Canterbury Tales. : MILLS : Thank God. : 42 INT. PRECINCT HOUSE, SOMERSET'S OFFICE -- DAY 42 : It still rains outside. Somerset sits at the big desk which is : now Mills'. He fills out form by hand as Mills enters with a ton : of his own paperwork. Somerset looks up. : SOMERSET : (gathers his things) : Let me get out of your way. : Mills sets his paperwork on the desk. He is beat. Somerset : moves to the temporary desk. They both sit and settle in, : organizing, not looking at each other. : Both attend to their work. Here are two men, about five feet : apart, each trying not to acknowledge the other's presence. : Mills takes his Cliff Notes out, looks to see Somerset is : occupied, and hides them in a desk drawer. : Somerset finishes one form, flips it and looks at Mills. Mills : sorts through photos from the greed murder. Somerset continues : writing. PHONE RINGS. Both men look at it. Phone rings again. : SOMERSET : It's a package deal. You get the phone : with the office. : MILLS : (picks up, into phone) : Detective Mills here. : (listens, lowers voice) : Honey... I asked you not to call me here. : I'll call you back... : (listens) : What? Why? : Mills is very confused. : MILLS : (into phone) : Why? Okay... okay, hold on. : Mills clears his throat and holds out the phone to Somerset. : MILLS : It's my wife. : SOMERSET : What? : Mills shrugs. Somerset stands, takes the phone. : SOMERSET : (into phone) : Hello? : (listens) : Yes, well... it's nice to speak to you. : (listens) : Well, I appreciate the thought... but... : (listens) : Then, I guess I'd be delighted. Thank you : very much. Yes... goodbye. : Somerset hangs up, shakes his head. : MILLS : Well? : SOMERSET : I'm invited to have a late supper at your : house. And, I accept. : MILLS : How's that? : SOMERSET : Tonight. : Mills is lost. Somerset goes to sit back down. : MILLS : I don't even know if I'm having dinner : there tonight. : 43 INT. MILLS' APARTMENT, LIVING ROOM/KITCHENETTE -- NIGHT 43 : Food is cooking on the stove. Tracy is in the living room area : carefully setting the table with good silver and china. : The door the the apartment is HEARD OPENING and CLOSING. Mills : and Somerset come down a short hallway. Mills carries a brand : new briefcase. : TRACY : Hello, men. You made it. : MILLS : Hi, honey. : Mills gives Tracy a kiss, then presents Somerset. : MILLS : I'd like you to meet Somerset. : SOMERSET : Hello. : Somerset shakes Tracy's hand lightly. : TRACY : It's nice to meet you. My husband has told : me a lot about you... except your first : name. : SOMERSET : Oh... um, William. : TRACY : It's a nice name. William, I'd like you to : meet David. : (to Mills) : David... William. : Mills smiles and nods this off, heading across the room. : MILLS : Great... I'm, uh, just going to put these : things away. : Mills moves to the adjoining bedroom. Somerset stands with his : hands folded in front of him. : SOMERSET : It smells good. : TRACY : What? Oh, yes. I mean, thank you. : (motions to the table) : Please, sit down. : Somerset takes off his jacket. Tracy goes to check on the food. : TRACY : You can put that over on the couch. You'll : have to excuse all the mess. We're still : unpacking. : Somerset notices something on Mills' desk. It's a medal, in a : small, clear case amongst the papers and pens. : SOMERSET : I hear you and Mills were high school : sweethearts. : TRACY : High school and college, yes. Pretty : hokey, huh? I knew on our first date this : was the man I was going to marry. God... : he was the funniest man I'd ever met. : SOMERSET : Really? : Somerset has to think about that one for a second. He picks the : medal up: a medal for valor from the Police Department. : SOMERSET : Well, it's rare these days... that kind of : commitment. : He puts the medal down. Tracy is looking at the gun strapped : under Somerset's arm as Somerset starts to unstrap it. : SOMERSET : (about the gun) : Don't worry. I don't wear it at the dinner : table. : TRACY : No matter how often I see guns, I still : can't get used to them. : Somerset lays the gun with his jacket. : SOMERSET : Same here. : Tracy smiles. Somerset goes to the table and transfers a small : notebook from his breast pocket to his pants pocket. A piece of : paper falls to the floor, closer to Tracy. : TRACY : Anyway... what girl wouldn't want the : captain of the football team as their : lifetime mate? Here... you dropped : something... : Tracy picks it up. It is the pale, paper rose. She looks at it : as she hands it back to Somerset, who is self-conscious. : TRACY : What is that? : Somerset looks at the rose, then puts it away. : SOMERSET : My future. : Tracy tilts her head, looking at Somerset. : TRACY : You have a strange way about you... I mean : interesting. I'm sorry. It's really none : of my business. It's just nice to meet a : man who talks like that. : (goes back to stove) : If David saw that paper, he'd say you're a : fag. That's how he is. : SOMERSET : (smiles) : I guess I won't be showing it to him then. : 44 INT. MILLS' APARTMENT, LIVING ROOM -- LATER NIGHT 44 : A record player on a moving box PLAYS QUIET MUSIC. Tracy, Mills : and Somerset are eating. Mills has a beeper beside his plate and : occasionally fingers it absently. : TRACY : Why aren't you married, William? : MILLS : Tracy... what the hell? : Somerset pokes at the napkin, thinking. : SOMERSET : I was close once. It just didn't happen. : TRACY : It surprises me. It really does. : SOMERSET : Any person who spends a significant amount : of time with me finds me... disagreeable. : Just ask your husband. : MILLS : Very true. : Mills grins, but he means it. : TRACY : (to Somerset) : How long have you lived here? : SOMERSET : Too long. : (drinks) : What do you think so far? : Tracy glances immediately to Mills. : MILLS : It takes time to settle in. : Somerset can see it is a sore subject. : SOMERSET : Well, you can get numb to it pretty quickly. : There are things in any city... : A LOW RUMBLING is HEARD. Plates on the table begin to clatter. : MILLS : Subway train. : The dishes clatter more. Coffee cups clink against their : saucers. Tracy holds her coffee cup to stop it and smiles at : Somerset to act like it's nothing, but she is clearly bothered. : TRACY : It'll go away in a minute. : They wait. The rumbling grows louder, knocks something over in : the sink. Somerset continues eating, fiddles with his food. The : record player skips, then plays on. The clattering dies down. : Mills seems uncomfortable. : MILLS : This real estate guy... this miserable : fuck, he brought us to see this place a few : times. And, first I'm thinking he's good, : really efficient. But then, I started : wondering, why does he keep hurrying us : along? Why will he only show us this place : for like five minutes at a time? : Mills laughs lamely. : TRACY : We found out the first night. : Somerset tries to stay straight, but he can't help laughing. : SOMERSET : The soothing, relaxing, vibrating home. : Sorry... : He laughs harder, covering his mouth. Tracy and Mills laugh. : MILLS : Oh, fuck. : 45 INT. MILLS' APARTMENT, LIVING ROOM -- LATER NIGHT 45 : The record player plays another album. Tracy brings over a pot : of coffee and pours. Mills and Somerset have beers. : TRACY : I don't think I've ever met anyone who : doesn't have a television before. : That's... weird. : MILLS : It's un-American is what it is. : SOMERSET : All television does is teach children that : it's really cool to be stupid and eat candy : bars all day. : MILLS : What about sports? : SOMERSET : What about them? : Tracy brings over a plate of cookies and puts it on the table. : MILLS : You go to movies at least? : SOMERSET : I read. Remember reading? : MILLS : I just have to say, I can't respect any man : who's never seen "Green Acres." : Somerset gives a blank stare. Tracy walks across the room. : MILLS : You've never seen "The Odd Couple?" This : is sick. "The Honeymooners?!" : SOMERSET : I vaguely recall a large, angry man, and : someone called Norton. : Tracy turns the record player down further, then goes into the : bedroom and shuts the door behind her. : Somerset and Mills look a the closed door. A long moment. They : look at each other, then sit for a time. Somerset puts down his : beer, sighs. He looks around. : 46 INT. MILLS' APARTMENT, LIVING ROOM 46 : The only sounds are from the city outside. The living room table : has been cleared and its surface is now covered with various : forms, reports and 8" by 10" photographs. Mills and Somerset are : both standing. Mills guides Somerset through the photos. : MILLS : Our guy got into office, probably before : the building closed and security tightened : up. Gould must have been working late. : SOMERSET : I'm certain. He was the biggest defense : lawyer around. Infamous, actually. : MILLS : Well, his body was found Monday night, : okay? But, get this... the office was : closed all day Monday. Which means, as : long as the gluttony killing was done : before the weekend, our killer could've : gotten in here on Friday. He could've : spent all day Saturday with Gould, and all : day Sunday. : Mills picks up one photo and shows it to Somerset. Long shot: it : shows the greed murder scene. Gould sits dead in the leather : chair, near the desk where the counter-balance scale sits. : MILLS : Gould was tied down, nude. The killer left : his arms free and handed him a big, sharp : butcher's knife. See... the scale here. : Mills pulls another photo. Close up: the two-armed scale. In : one suspended plate is a one pound weight. In the other is a : hunk of flesh. : SOMERSET : A pound of flesh. : Mills digs, comes up with a photocopy of a hand-scrawled note. : SOMERSET : (reading note) : "One pound of flesh, no more no less. No : cartilage, no bone, but only flesh. This : task done... and he would go free." : Mills takes out one photo showing the note pinned to the wall : beside where "greed" is written in blood. : MILLS : The leather chair was soaked through with : sweat. : SOMERSET : (nods, grim) : All day Saturday, and all day Sunday. : (pause) : The murderer would want Gould to take his : time. To have to sit there and decide. : Where do you make the first cut? There's a : gun in your face... but, what part of your : body is expendable? : MILLS : He cut along the side of his stomach. The : love handle. : Somerset's still studying the photos. : SOMERSET : He must have left another puzzle piece. : MILLS : Look, I appreciate being able to talk this : out, but, uh... : SOMERSET : This is just to satisfy my curiosity. I'm : still leaving town Saturday. : Mills is very tired. He rubs his eyes, then walks to take one : more photo from his briefcase. It is the photo of the framed : picture of the falsely pretty woman with her eyes circled in : blood. : MILLS : Gould's wife. She was away on business. : If this means she saw anything, I don't : know what. We've questioned her at least : five times. : SOMERSET : And, if it's a threat. : MILLS : We put her in a safe house. : Somerset nods. He puts down the photos he's holding. He begins : spreading all the pictures out. : SOMERSET : Look at these with fresh eyes. Don't see : what the killer wants you to. Don't let : guide you... : While he speaks, Somerset keeps shifting the photos, for example: : covering the corpse in one with the edge of another. : SOMERSET : Even if the corpse is right there... it's : almost like looking through it. Editing : out the initial shock. Look at the room. : In the photos, there's the scale. The note on the wall. Shelves : of books. The Modern Art painting. : GREED written in blood. : SOMERSET : He's preaching. : MILLS : Punishing. : SOMERSET : The sins were used in medieval sermons. : There were seven cardinal virtues, and then : seven deadly sins, created as a learning : tool, because they distract from true : worship. : MILLS : Like in the Parson's Tale, and Dante. : SOMERSET : Did you read them? : MILLS : Yeah. Parts of them. Anyway, in : Purgatory, Dante and his buddy are climbing : up that big mountain... seeing all these : other guys who sinned... : SOMERSET : Seven Terraces of Purgation. : MILLS : Right. But there, pride comes first, not : gluttony. The sins are in a different : order. : SOMERSET : For now, let's just consider the books as the : murderer's inspiration. : The books and sermons are about atonement : for sin. And, these murders have been like : forced attrition. : MILLS : Forced what? : SOMERSET : Attrition. When you regret your sins, but : not because you love God. : MILLS : Like, because someone's holding a gun on : you. : Mills runs his hands across his face, walks to the fridge to get : beer. Somerset keeps looking at photos and papers. : SOMERSET : No fingerprints? : MILLS : Nothing. : SOMERSET : Totally unrelated victims. : Mills nods, drinking from a beer. : SOMERSET : No witnesses of any kind? : MILLS : None. Which I don't understand. He had to : get back out. : Somerset sits in a chair, picks up the photo of the wife. Runs : his fingers over the eyes circled in blood. : SOMERSET : In any major city, minding your own : business is a perfected science. There's a : public crime prevention course offered at : the precinct house once a month. The first : thing they teach is that you should never : cry "help." Always scream "fire," because : people don't want to get caught up in : anything. But a fire... that's an : evening's entertainment. They come : running. : Looking at the wife's photo. : SOMERSET : This is the one thing. : MILLS : I know. : SOMERSET : (holds photo up) : What if it's not that she's seen : something? What if she's supposed to see : something, but she just hasn't been given a : chance to see it yet? : MILLS : Okay. But, what? : 47 INT. SAFE HOUSE -- NIGHT 47 : The room is like a hotel room. Mills stands beside the woman : from the picture, MRS. GOULD. Mills shows her photos from the : murder scene. The photos have been covered in sections to hide : the Mr. Gould's corpse. Mrs. Gould is crying. Somerset is on : the other side of the room, holding more photos. : MILLS : I'm sorry about this, Mrs. Gould. I really : am. : MRS GOULD : I... I don't understand. : Mills helps her flip through the photos. He isn't too keen to : put her through this. : MILLS : I need you to look at each one carefully... : very carefully. Look for anything that : seems strange or out of place. Anything at : all. : MRS GOULD : I don't know why... why now? : MILLS : Please, I need you to help me if we're : going to get who did this. : Mrs. Gould sobs quietly, wipes her tears. : MILLS : Anything... anything missing or different. : MRS GOULD : I don't see anything. : MILLS : Are you absolutely certain? : MRS GOULD : I can't do this now... please. : Mills looks to Somerset, looks at the photos Somerset holds. : MILLS : Maybe we better wait. : Somerset looks at the photos in his hand. These show Mr. Gould's : corpse in the chair, not covered in any way. : SOMERSET : It should be now. There may be something : we're not seeing. : MRS GOULD : Wait. Here... : MILLS : What is it? : Mrs. Gould points at the modern art painting on the wall in one : photo. The painting is just splattered paint, abstract. : MRS GOULD : This painting... : MILLS : What? : MRS GOULD : Why is this painting hanging upside-down? : Mills turns to look at Somerset. : 48 INT. LAW OFFICE -- NIGHT 48 : Where the greed murder took place. Somerset, wearing gloves, : reaches to take the modern art painting off the wall. Mills : near, watching. : SOMERSET : You're sure your men didn't move this? : MILLS : Even if they did, those photos were taken : before forensics. : Nothing on the wall behind the painting. Blank space. : MILLS : Nothing. : SOMERSET : It's got to be. : Somerset puts the painting down, resting it on its bottom edge. : The painting is backed by a thick sheet of brown papers stapled : into the wooden frame. Somerset points to where the wire's eye : screws used to be screwed into the frame, and to where it has : been rescrewed. : SOMERSET : He changed the wire to rehang it. : Somerset takes out his switchblade. Mills is surprised. : MILLS : What the fuck is that? : SOMERSET : A switchblade. : Somerset cuts along the edge of the brown paper to get to the : hollow space between it and the back of the canvas. He cuts out : the entire sheet. Mills helps pull it away. Nothing. Empty. : Mills looks at both sides of the paper, then tosses it away. : MILLS : Nothing. Damn it! : Somerset lays the painting face up on the floor. He pokes his : finger on the painted surface. He brings the flat of his blade : against the painting, tries to peel some of the paint. : MILLS : The killer didn't paint the fucking thing. : Give it up. : Somerset pushes the painting away, frustrated. : SOMERSET : There must be something. : MILLS : We're screwed. He's fucking with us. : Somerset backs away from the wall, staring at the space where the : painting hung. There is only a nail. He turns, looking around : the office, then crosses. : Mills puts his hands to his temple, furious, picks up a lamp and : throws it to the floor, venting. : MILLS : Motherfucker! : Across the room, Somerset falls to his knees and pulls open a : forensics kit. He takes out a fingerprint brush, examining the : bristles. Mills sees this. : MILLS : What? : SOMERSET : Bear with me. : Somerset goes back to the wall where the painting was. He pulls : over a chair, gets on it and starts brushing near the nail. : MILLS : Oh, yeah, sure. You got to be kidding?! : SOMERSET : Just wait! : Somerset brushes with a few wider strokes. He leans close, : studies the powder residue. Leans closer still. Pause. : SOMERSET : Call the print lab. : 49 INT. MILLS' APARTMENT, BEDROOM -- NIGHT 49 : Tracy is asleep, dressed, with the lights still on. She stirs, : then awakens and sits up slowly. She squints from the light, : sweaty and uncomfortable. She looks around and listens. All she : hears is traffic. : 50 EXT. MILLS' APARTMENT, LIVING ROOM -- NIGHT 50 : FROM OUTSIDE, looking into the apartment, we see Tracy come in : from the bedroom. She sees Mills and Somerset are gone. She : comes to open a window, then goes to the kitchen area. : We're still LOOKING IN at her as she starts the dishes in the : sink. The RUMBLING of the SUBWAY TRAIN is HEARD starting. The : room begins to rattle, as before. : Tracy looks out into the living room, ill at ease. : 51 INT. LAW OFFICE -- NIGHT 51 : The male forensic from the gluttony murder scene is here. He has : a magnifying glass which he's using to study a very clear : fingerprint in black powder on the wall. : MALE FORENSIC : Oh, man... : MILLS (o.s.) : Talk to me. : The male forensic bites his lip, still studying. : Mills and Somerset are watching the forensic who works O.S. : MILLS : (to Somerset) : Just, honestly... have you ever seen : anything like this... been involved in : anything like this? : SOMERSET : No. : MALE FORENSIC (o.s.) : Well, I can tell you, boys... : The forensic steps down from a stool. Behind him, where the : painting once was, are fingerprints, clear and distinct. The : prints have been left, one after the other, to form letters which : form words: HELP ME. : MALE FORENSIC : ... just by looking at the shape of the : underloop on these, they are not the : victim's fingerprints. : 52 INT. PRECINCT HOUSE, PRINT LAB -- NIGHT 52 : Dark. A TECHNICIAN sits before an old computer. The computer's : green screen shows enlarged fingerprint patterns being aligned, : compares, and then rejected: whir - click - whir - click - whir - : click. Mills and Somerset watch, bathed in a green glow. : MILLS : He just may be nuts enough. : SOMERSET : It doesn't fit. He doesn't want us to help : him stop. : MILLS : Who the hell knows? There's plenty of : freaks out there doing dirty deeds they : don't want to do. You know... little : voices tell them bad things. : Somerset doesn't buy it. The technician adjusts a knob, then : turns to the detectives. : TECHNICIAN : I've seen this baby take as long as three : days to make a match, so you guys can go : cross your fingers somewhere else. : 53 INT. PRECINCT HOUSE, HALLWAY -- NIGHT 53 : Somerset and Mills come out from the Print Lab. A janitor is : mopping the hall. The computer is HEARD WHIRing AND CLICKing : onwards. Somerset sits with a groan on a couch outside the lab : door. Mills flops beside him. : SOMERSET : You meant what you said to Mrs. Gould, : didn't you? About catching this guy. You : really want to believe that, don't you? : MILLS : And you don't? : SOMERSET : (laughs, very tired) : I wish I still thought like you. : MILLS : Then, you tell me what you think we're : doing. : SOMERSET : All we do is pick up the pieces. We take : all the evidence, and all the pictures and : samples. We write everything down and note : what time things happened... : MILLS : Oh, that's all. : SOMERSET : We put it in a nice neat pile and file it : away, on the slim chance it's ever needed : in a courtroom. : (pause) : It's like collecting diamonds on a desert : island. You keep them just in case you : ever get rescued, but it's a pretty big : ocean out there. : MILLS : Bullshit. : SOMERSET : I'm, sorry, but even the most promising : clues usually lead only to other clues. : I've seen so many corpses rolled away... : unrevenged. : MILLS : I've seen the same. I'm not the country : hick you seem to think I am. : SOMERSET : In this city, if all the skeletons came out : of all the closets... if ever hidden body : were to suddenly rise again, there'd be no : more room for the living. : Somerset slumps back, takes out a cigarette and lights it. : MILLS : Don't tell me you didn't get that rush : tonight... that adrenalin, like we were : getting somewhere. : Mills sits back on the couch, closes his eyes. : MILLS : And, don't try to tell me it was because : you found something that would play well in : a courtroom. : Somerset looks at Mills, who crosses his arms to sleep. Somerset : puffs the cigarette. : The computer is heard: whir - click - whir - click... : INSERT -- TITLE CARD : THURSDAY : 54 INT. PRECINCT HOUSE, HALLWAY -- EARLY MORNING 54 : Mills and Somerset are fast asleep on the couch, leaning against : each other. People pass and look at them strangely. A man steps : in front of the couch. He reaches with both hands to slap their : faces simultaneously. : It's the captain leaning over them. : CAPTAIN : Wake up, Glimmer Twins. We have a winner. : 55 INT. PRECINCT HOUSE, READY ROOM -- EARLY MORNING 55 : A windowless classroom. The captain stands at a podium in front : with a white screen at his side. A mug-shot of a man, VICTOR, : 25, is projected onto the screen from a slide projector. : CAPTAIN : He goes by the name Victor, as many of you : know, and his prints were found on scene by : Detectives Mills and Somerset. : FIVE hardened POLICE OFFICERS, four men and one woman, sit in : chairs facing the captain. The all wear bullet-proof vests with : the word POLICE spray-painted across them. : Somerset and Mills sit in back, drinking coffee, still asleep. : CAPTAIN : Now, this guy's a real beauty. He has a : long, long history of serious mental : illness. According the head-shrinkers, it : seems his parents gave him a very strict, : Southern Baptist upbringing, but somewhere : along the line he dropped his marbles. : Two of the cops in the front row are talking. : CAPTAIN : Hey, you two can shut-up now! : The two cops separate like huge, embarassed school children. : CAPTAIN : Thank you, fuckheads. Now, Victor spent a : couple of months in prison for the : attempted rape of an eight year old boy, : but his lawyer made sure he didn't stay : long. Before that, he dabbled in drugs, : armed robbery and assault. : We've been doing our best to keep an eye on : him, but he's been out of circulation for a : while. : FEMALE COP : If he disappeared, what do you want from : us? : CAPTAIN : His last place of residence is still in his : name. A search warrant is being pushed : through the courts as we speak. : A red-headed cop, CALIFORNIA, raises his hand. : CALIFORNIA : So, have the housing cops walk up and ring : the doorbell. : The cops laugh. The captain is clenching his jaw, angry. : CAPTAIN : Listen, California. When you go in, if : Victor isn't home, one of his buddies might : be house-sitting, so you go in guns first. : Besides using, Victor deals, and we know : what kind of crowd he runs with. : There is some chatter amongst the cops. : CAPTAIN : This is what the D.A. has a hard-on for : right now, Ladies and Germs, so we do not : question why. : Mills leans to Somerset while the captain continues the briefing. : They whisper. : MILLS : Does this make it with you? : SOMERSET : Doesn't seem like our man, does it? : MILLS : You tell me. I'm new in town. : SOMERSET : He doesn't have the desire somehow. Our : killer seems to have more purpose. More : purpose than Victor could ever conceive of. : MILLS : The fingerprints. : SOMERSET : Yes. They were there... so, it must be. : MILLS : We'll tag along. : Somerset wants no part of that. : SOMERSET : Why would we? : MILLS : (smiles) : Satisfy our curiosity? : 56 INT. MILLS' CAR -- MORNING 56 : Mills drives, follows a police van. Somerset rides shotgun. : Mills seems pumped and ready. Somerset takes two Rolaids off a : fresh roll and chews them. : MILLS : You ever take one? : Somerset takes out his gun, opens it to check the load. : SOMERSET : Never in my twenty-four years, knock on : wood. I've only ever taken my gun out five : times with the actual intention of using : it. Never fired it though. Not once. : (closes his gun) : You? : MILLS : Never took a bullet. I pulled my gun once. : fired it once. : SOMERSET : And? : MILLS : It was my first one of these. We were a : secondary unit, and I was pretty shaky : going in. I was still considered a rookie. : Mills takes a corner, tires screeching. : MILLS : We busted the door, looking for this : junkie, right? The geek just opened fire. : Another cop was hit in the arm and he went : flying... like in slow motion. : (pause) : I remember riding in the ambulance. His : arm was like Jello. A piece of meat. He : bled to death right there. : A pause. : SOMERSET : How did the fire fight end? : MILLS : I got him. I got the son-of-a-bitch. : See, I was doing really good up till then. : Lots of street busts. I've always had this : weird luck... everything always went my : way, but this was wild. : (pause) : I got him with one shot... right between : the eyes. Next thing I know, the mayor's : pinning a medal on me. Picture in the : paper, whole nine yards. : Somerset unrolls the window, feels the air across his face. : SOMERSET : How was it? : MILLS : I expected it to be bad, you know. I took : a human life... but I slept like a baby : that night. I never gave it a second : thought. : SOMERSET : I think Hemingway wrote somewhere... I : can't remember where, but he wrote that in : order to live in a place like this, you : have to have the ability to kill. I think : he meant you truly must be able to do it, : not just faking it, too survive. : MILLS : Sounds like he knew what he was talking : about. : 57 INT. SLUM BUILDING, STAIRWELL -- MORNING 57 : The five cops from the briefing, fully geared up and ready, : rifles and handguns out, move quickly up the stairs in single : file. Somerset and Mills follow, guns out. Somerset is sweating : bullets. Mills is wild eyed, juiced. : Crack viles and hypodermic needles on the stairs crunch under the : cops' heavy boots. : 58 INT. SLUM HALLWAY -- MORNING 58 : The cops enter the dank hall. The move cautiously. A man is : lying on the floor, looking up, helpless, with dead eyes. : A door opens and a woman peeks out. The female cop points her : gun and the door slams. California, leading the group, steps up : to apartment 303. He has a search warrant scotch-taped to the : front of his bullet-proof vest. : CALIFORNIA : (to black cop) : This is it. Give it up. : The black cop hoists a heavy battering ram to California. The : other cops get on both sides of the door. Somerset and Mills : hang back a few feet, watching their backs. : BLACK COP : (points to Mills) : Cops go before Dicks. : Many people are sticking their heads out of doors in the hall. : CALIFORNIA : Police! Open the door!! : California brings the ram forward with a splintering THUD -- once : -- twice -- the door flies open. The cops storm in. : 59 INT. SLUM APARTMENT, MAIN ROOM -- MORNING 59 : The apartment is incredibly dusty. The cops charge down the : short hall into this room where a bed sits against the far wall. : California moves up to the bed. Someone lies under the sheets. : Three other cops move, all training their weapon on the bed. : CALIFORNIA : Good morning, sweetheart! : A blond cop goes into another room. California moves closer to : the bed, gun up. : CALIFORNIA : Get up, now, motherfucker! NOW! : 60 INT. SLUM APARTMENT, ADJOINING ROOM -- MORNING 60 : The blond cop enters, gun trained, looks around in confusion. : The room's tables, chairs and floor are covered with hundreds of : colorful, plastic air fresheners. : 61 INT. SLUM APARTMENT, MAIN ROOM -- MORNING 61 : Mills and Somerset enter. Somerset looks at the cops around the : bed, then looks at a nearby wall. His mouth drops in horror. On : the wall, written in excrement: SLOTH. : SOMERSET : Jesus... : California kicks the bed, enraged. : CALIFORNIA : I said get up, Sleepyhead! : He pulls the sheets off the bed and reveals the shriveled, : sore-covered form of a man who is blindfolded and tied to the bed : with a thin wire which has been wrapped time and time again : around the mattress and bed frame. Tubes runs out from a stained : loincloth around the man's waist and snake under the bed. : CALIFORNIA : Fuck me! : Mills pushes past the other cops. : MILLS : Holy shit. : The cops recoil from the stench. Somerset steps up, putting his : gun away. : SOMERSET : Victor? : BLACK COP : What the hell... ? : CALIFORNIA : (to Somerset) : Check this out, Dick... : California points with his gun to the end of the man's right arm. : The hand is gone, severed at the wrist long ago. : MILLS : It is Victor. : SOMERSET : (points to a cop) : Call an ambulance. : The blond cop enters from the other room. : BLOND COP : What the fuck is this? : CALIFORNIA : Somebody call a hearse, more like. : The female cop has gone to one wall where a sheet is pinned up. : She pulls the sheet down. Pinned behind the sheet are fifty-two : Polaroid pictures; all pictures of Victor tied to the bed, with a : date written at the bottom of each picture. It is a visual : history of Victor's physical decay. : BLOND COP : What is going on? : Mills sees the female cop looking at the pictures. : MILLS : Hey, California, get your people out. : Somerset takes out rubber gloves and puts them on. : CALIFORNIA : You heard him. Hit the hall, and don't : touch anything. : Somerset replaces the sheet over Victor, but not over his head. : The cops file out and Mills goes to examine the pictures. : California stays by the bed with Somerset. : CALIFORNIA : It looks like he's some kind of friggin' : sculpture or something. : Somerset places his finger along Victor's throat. : MILLS : Somerset, you... you better look here. : Mills looks at the photos in awe. Somerset joins him. : MILLS : All pictures of Victor tied to the bed. : (crouches, points) : The last one is dated three days ago. : Somerset looks at the first photo. In it, Victor is bound and : gagged, but he is healthy. : SOMERSET : The first one... it's dated one year ago. : To the day. : Somerset wipes his pale face. : Californian stands by the corpse, behind Somerset and Mills. He : lifts the sheet on the bed to look under it. : CALIFORNIA : Mother... : Mills kneels and lifts the sheet which had covered the pictures : off the floor. There is an open shoebox underneath. : MILLS : What...? : On the side of the box: TO THE DETECTIVES, FROM ME. : California leans close to Victor's gaunt, blindfolded face, : examining with morbid curiosity. : CALIFORNIA : You got what you deserved, Victor. : Somerset leans down beside Mills. Mills looks through the : shoebox. Inside are plastic, zip-lock bags. : One contains small clumps of hair. One contains a yellow : liquid... : MILLS : (looking at bags) : A urine sample, hair sample... stool : sample. Finger nails... : (looks to Somerset) : He laughing at us. : California is still close to Victor's face, when suddenly : Victor's lips twist open and Victor lets out a loud, guttural : bark. : California jerks back, shouting in fear, falling over a chair to : to the floor. : Mills and Somerset reel. They see California on the ground, : scared out of his mind, pointing. : CALIFORNIA : He's alive! : Somerset and Mills look towards the bed. : Victor's lips move feebly as he lets out a sick, gurgling moan. : CALIFORNIA : He's still alive!! : 62 EXT. SLUM APARTMENT BUILDING -- MORNING 62 : A crowd has gathered at the entrance. Mills' car, the police van : and two ambulances are parked on the sidewalk. : 63 INT. SLUM HALLWAY -- MORNING 63 : The cops are in the hall holding neighbors at bay. : 64 INT. SLUM APARTMENT, MAIN ROOM -- MORNING 64 : Three ambulance attendants are at the bed, working on Victor. : One attendant uses wire cutters to clip Victor's bonds. : 65 INT. SLUM STAIRWELL -- MORNING 65 : Mills and Somerset are standing in the middle of one flight of : stairs. Both are highly agitated. : SOMERSET : The way this has gone till now, I wouldn't : have thought it was possible, but we may : have underestimated thid guy. : MILLS : I want him bad. I don't just want to catch : him anymore. I want to hurt him. : SOMERSET : Listen to me. He's all about playing : games. : MILLS : No kidding! No fucking kidding! : SOMERSET : We have to divorce ourselves from emotions : here. No matter how hard it is, we have to : stay focused on the details. : MILLS : I don't know about you, but I feed off my : emotions. : SOMERSET : He'll string us along all the way if we're : not careful. : Mills is looking at the floor, still burning. Somerset grabs him : by the jacket. : SOMERSET : Are you listening to me? : Mills pushes Somerset's hand off. : MILLS : I hear you. : There is a sudden, brilliant FLASH OF LIGHT and the SOUND of a : CAMERA ADVANCING. Mills and Somerset look. : Down the stairs, a REPORTER has his camera up, pointed at them. : REPORTER : Say cheese. : He take another picture, flashbulb flashing. : Mills goes down the stairs, grabs the reporter, a balding, almost : silly looking man with thick glasses and wrinkled clothing. : MILLS : What the fuck are you doing here? : The reporter squirms, holds up a laminated press pass on a cord : around his neck. : REPORTER : I have a right, Officer. I... : Mills shoves him, and the reporter stumbles a few steps, then : falls to the landing below with a thud. : MILLS : That doesn't mean anything! This is a : closed crime scene! : Somerset comes to pull Mills back. The shaken reporter stands : uneasily. : REPORTER : You can't do this! You can't... : MILLS : Get the fuck out of here! : The reporter scrambles down the nest flight, out of sight. : REPORTER (o.s.) : The public has a right to know! : Somerset yanks Mills back harder, till Mills sits on the stairs. : MILLS : How do those cockroaches get here so quick? : SOMERSET : They pay cops for the inside scoop, and : they pay well. : MILLS : (calming) : Sorry about that... I just... : SOMERSET : (sarcastic) : Oh, it's alright. : Somerset starts back up the stairs. : SOMERSET : It's always impressive to see a man feeding : off his emotions. : 66 INT. HOSPITAL ROOM -- DAY 66 : Somerset and Mills are with DOCTOR BEARDSLEY. Victor lies inside : an oxygen tent with tubes running into him. The room is dim. : DOCTOR : A year of immobility seems about right, : judging by the deterioration of the muscles : and the spine. Blood tests show a whole : smorgasbord of drugs in his systems; from : crack to heroin... even an antibiotic which : must have been administered to keep the bed : sores from infecting. : Mills looks into the oxygen tent. : MILLS : He hasn't said anything, or tried to : express himself in any way? : DOCTOR : Even if his brain were not mush, which it : is... he chewed off his own tongue long : ago. : Mills winces, moves away from the bed. : SOMERSET : There's no way he'll survive? : DOCTOR : Detective, he'd die right how of shock if : you were to shine a flashlight in his eyes. : Silence for a moment, the the doctor lets out a chuckle. : DOCTOR : It's funny to think... he's experienced : about as much pain and suffering as anyone : I've encountered... give or take... and he : still has hell to look forward to. : He chuckles again, engrossed in some information on a clipboard. : Mills looks to Somerset like, "this guy's nuts." : 67 INT. PRECINCT HOUSE, SOMERSET'S OFFICE -- DAY 67 : A blackboard is nailed to the wall. Written in chalk: : 1 gluttony (x) 5 wrath : 2 greed (x) 6 pride : 3 sloth (x) 7 lust : 4 envy : Somerset and Mills are at their paperwork covered desks. : SOMERSET : ((reading one sheet) : Victor's landlord says an envelope of cash : was in the office mailbox each month. He : says, quote, "I never heard a single : complaint from the tenant in apartment : three-o-one, and nobody ever complained : about him. He's the best tenant I've ever : had. : MILLS : A landlord's dream tenant: a paralyzed man : with no tongue. : SOMERSET : Who pays the rent on time. : Somerset turns to the typewriter, types. Mills fills out a form : by hand. He make an error and tries to erase, but the paper : rips. He curses, crumples the paper and throws it. : MILLS : I'm sick of sitting around, waiting for him : to kill again. : SOMERSET : This is the job. It's not an Easter egg : hunt. : MILLS : There must be something in this pile of : garbage we can follow. I mean, Christ... : do we have to let this lunatic make all the : moves. : SOMERSET : It's too dismissive to call him a lunatic. : We can't make that mistake. : MILLS : Oh, blah, blah, blah. The guy's insane. : SOMERSET : It's a fine line between insane and : inspired. : MILLS : Hey, Freud, what brand of bullshit are you : shoveling, huh? Right now he's probably : dancing around his room in a pair of his : mommy's panties, singing show tunes and : rubbing himself with peanut butter... : SOMERSET : No. : MILLS : Sooner or later his luck's goning to run : out. : SOMERSET : No. He's not depending on luck. You've : seen that. We walked into that apartment : exactly one year after he first tied Victor : to the bed, to the day. To the day! : Because he wanted us to. : MILLS : We don't know for sure... : SOMERSET : Yes we do. Here... : Somerset picks up the photocopy of the first note. : SOMERSET : This quote... his first words to us. I : looked it up. It's from Milton's Paradise : Lost. "Long is the way, and hard, that out : of hell leads up to light... " : MILLS : And so what? : SOMERSET : Well, he's been right so far, hasn't he? : MILLS : Just because the bastard has a library : card, it doesn't make him Einstein. : SOMERSET : Just, realize... this is not some common : lunatic. The type of intestinal fortitude : it must take... to keep a man bound for a : full year. To connect tubes to his : genitals. To sever his hand and use it to : plant fingerprints. He's methodical and : exacting, and worst of all, he's patient. : MILLS : What does all that matter anyway? It's not : our job to figure him out, is it? All we : have to do is catching him. : Something clicks for Somerset. He looks away, thinking. : Mills watches him. : MILLS : What? : Somerset sits. Ponders, staring off into space. : MILLS : What is it? : Somerset stands back up, takes money out of his pockets. : SOMERSET : How much money do you have? : MILLS : I don't know... like fifty. : Somerset picks up the phone and dials, still sifting through his : own money. Mills doesn't know what's going on. : SOMERSET : (to Mills) : I propose a field trip. : 68 INT. PUBLIC LIBRARY -- DAY 68 : Somerset walks through the busy main library, goes to a group of : computer terminals. Mills follows, wound up. Somerset sits at : one computer and works the keyboard, hunt-and-peck. : MILLS : Somerset... what the fuck? : Several people turn to shush him. Somerset takes out a notepad. : SOMERSET : At the top of the list, we'll put : Purgatory, Canterbury Tales... anything : relating to the seven deadly sins. Now, : what the killer might research. What would : he need to study to do the things he's : done? What are his other interests? For : example... : INSERT -- COMPUTER SCREEN : Somerset types. On the screen: SEARCH: JACK THE RIPPER. : 69 EXT. HOT DOG WORLD -- DAY 69 : The restaurant's sign reads: HOT DOG WORLD, HOME OF THE WORLD'S : BIGGEST DOGS. A MAN is trying to give out paper advertisements. : People walk out of their way to avoid him. : MAN : (to people) : Take one, you stupid fucks! Here... take : one! It's a fucking coupon! Take it! : 70 INT. HOT DOG WORLD -- DAY 70 : Mills and Somerset are in a booth, both on the same seat on the : same side of the table. They look over their list of books. : Mills goes to eat a hot dog, but Somerset stops him. : SOMERSET : They had about fifty health violations : during the last inspection. : Mills throws the dog down, looks at his watch. : MILLS : Could you at least sit across from me? I : don't want people to thing we're dating. : Somerset watches a GREASY MAN, wearing a black suit, enter. The : man's hair is slicked back. : SOMERSET : Give me your money. : Mills hands his money to Somerset. : MILLS : I'm handing you this, and for some strange : reason, I have the idea I should know what : the fuck we're doing. : Somerset folds the money with his own into the list of books. He : holds the list in his lap, under the table. Greasy Man comes to : sit at the table. : GREASY MAN : Hey, Somerset. How are you? I didn't know : this was going to be a menage-a-trois. : SOMERSET : It's not a problem. : GREASY MAN : Only for you do I do this. Big risk : here... so I figure we'll be even-up. All : fair and square. : Greasy Man has his hands under the table. he gets up to leave : with his hand in his pocket. He picks up Mills' dog. : GREASY MAN : About an hour. : Greasy Man leaves, eating the hot dog. : MILLS : Well, that was money well spent. : SOMERSET : Let's go. : 71 INT. PIZZA PARLOR -- DAY 71 : Mills and Somerset sit with a pizza before them. : SOMERSET : By telling you this, I'm trusting you more : than I trust most people. : MILLS : It's be best if you got to the point, cause : I'm about ready to punch you in the face. : Somerset leans closer to Mills, speaks quietly. : SOMERSET : It's probably nothing, but even if it is, : it's no skin off our teeth. The man at Hot : Dog World is a friend, in the Bureau. : MILLS : Him? : SOMERSET : For a long time, the F.B.I.'s been hooked : into the library system, keeping accurate : records. : MILLS : What? Assessing fines? : SOMERSET : They monitor reading habits. Not every : book, but certain ones are flagged. Books : about... let's say, how to build a nuclear : bomb, or maybe Mein Kampf. Whoever takes : out a flagged book has their library : records fed to the F.B.I. from then on. : MILLS : You got to be kidding. : SOMERSET : Flagged books cover every topic the Bureau : deems questionable... communism to violent : crime. : MILLS : How is this legal? : SOMERSET : Legal... illegal. These terms don't apply. : I don't applaud it. : Somerset takes a bite of pizza. : SOMERSET : They can't use the information directly, : but it's a useful guide. It might sound : silly, but you can't get a library card : without i.d. and a current phone bill. : Mills is starting to warm to it. : MILLS : So they ran our list. : SOMERSET : If you want to know who's been reading : Paradise Lost, Purgatory, and say... The : Life and Time of Charlie Manson, the : Bureau's computer will tell you. It might : give us a name. : MILLS : Yeah. Some college student who's taking : English 101 and just happens to be writing : a paper on Twentieth Century Crime. : SOMERSET : Yeah, well... at least we're out of the : office. We've got pizza. : MILLS : How do you know all about this? : SOMERSET : I don't. Neither do you. : Somerset looks up. Greasy Man is entering the pizza parlor. : 72 INT. SOMERSET'S CAR -- DAY 72 : The car is parked with Somerset at the wheel and Mills beside. : They're looking through pages of connected computer paper. : MILLS : This is a waste of time. : SOMERSET : We're focusing. : MILLS : I know, I know... focusing on one little : thing. : SOMERSET : (reading aloud) : The Divine Comedy. A History of : Catholicism. A book called Murderers and : Madmen. : He hands the sheets to Mills. Mills looks them over. : MILLS : (reading) : Modern Homicide Investigation. In Cold : Blood. Of Human Bondage. Human Bondage? : SOMERSET : It's not what you think it is. : MILLS : (reads) : The Marquis de Sade and Origins of Sadism. : SOMERSET : That is. : MILLS : (reads) : The Writings of Saint Thomas Aqu... : Aquin... : SOMERSET : Saint Thomas Aquinas. : (starts the car) : He wrote about the seven deadly sins. : 73 INT. TENEMENT BUILDING, STAIRWELL/HALLWAY -- DAY 73 : Somerset and Mills walk up the stairs and turn a corner into this : long hall. Somerset is looking at the computer sheets. : MILLS : You're sure you're reading that right? : John Doe? : SOMERSET : That's what it says. Jonathan Doe. : MILLS : This is stupid. It'd be just too easy. : SOMERSET : We'll take a look at him. Talk to him. : MILLS : Sure. Uh, excuse me... are you by any : chance a serial killer? Oh, you are? : Well, come with us then, if it's okay. : They reach a door, apartment 6A. Somerset knocks. : MILLS : What are you going to say? : SOMERSET : You do the talking. Put that old silver : tongue of yours to work. : MILLS : Who told you about my silver tongue? You : been talking to my wife? : Mills knocks on the door, hard. : MILLS : This is really lame. : A CREAK is HEARD O.S. Somerset turns to look towards it... : A male figure, JOHN DOE, is standing at the stairwell, wearing a : hat and standing in shadow, looking towards them. Stark still. : Somerset furrows his brow. : The John Doe reaches into his coat, lifts his arm, pointing... : SOMERSET : Mills... ! : BLAM -- GUNFIRE SOUNDS, deafening, as a bullet slams into door : 6A, just missing Somerset as he and Mills hit the floor. : John Doe fires again... : The bullet blows a huge hole in the wall, throwing plaster. A : third bullet follows, just above Mills and Somerset, and John Doe : is heard running back down the stairs. : The gunfire's still echoing, ringing, as Mills gets up and : unholsters his gun. : MILLS : Jesus Christ... : Mills scrambles down the stairwell... : IN THE STARWELL : Mills bounds down stairs, turns a corner and leaps down another : flight. He halts on the landing, listening. John Doe can be : HEARD still RUNNING, below. : IN THE HALL ABOVE : Somerset rolls and takes out his gun. He stands, dazed. : MILLS (o.s.) : (from in stairwell) : What kind of gun was it? : IN THE STAIRWELL : Somerset comes into the stairwell. : MILLS (o.s.) : (from below) : Damn it, Somerset... what kind of gun?! : How many bullets? : BELOW, IN THE STAIRWELL : Mills hurries down more stairs. : SOMERSET (o.s.) : (from above) : I don't know. Might've been a revolver. : Voices echo. Mills loses his footing, falls... : Mills hits the next landing hard, dropping his gun. : MILLS : Fuck! : Mills gets back up and picks up his gun and keeps going. : ABOVE IN THE STAIRWELL : the stairs, breathing hard. : MILLS (o.s.) : (from below) : What's he look like? : SOMERSET : Brown hat. Tan raincoat... like a... like : a trench coat. : BELOW IN THE STAIRWELL : ready, moves to peer over the railing, down into : stairwell's center... : in shadow, aiming his gun straight up... : s SHOT is FIRED from below and the bullet is : ABOVE : Somerset splinters into a million pieces, sends : Somerset ducking for cover. : far below -- the bullet is HEARD RICOCHETING : BELOW : waiting as the gunshot echoes. : MILLS : (to himself) : Five... that's five... : continues down the stairs. : INT. TENEMENT BUILDING, LOWER HALLWAY -- DAY : stairs and into a hallway, falling to one knee, : ing his gun one direction -- empty hallway. : direction, gun hand shaking, catches a : glimpse of John Doe just as he disappears around a corner far : Mills gets up, looking back to the number 2 by : ooks, shouting back towards the stairwell... : MILLS : Second floor! Second floor! : FOLLOW him, tearing ass... : rn, full speed ahead, bringing his gun up... : John Doe's running... : Mills takes aim... : Ahead, between John Doe and Mills, a tenant in t-shirt and : underwear comes out an apartment, looking towards John Doe, : blocking the line of fire... : MILLS : Get down! Move... ! : The tenant turns to Mills, confused. Mills pushes angrily : past... : Ahead, John Doe makes an abrupt halt. A woman tenant is looking : out her door and John Doe grabs her and throws her into the hall. : She falls as John Doe shoves his way into her apartment. : BACK AT THE STAIRWELL : Somerset comes down the stairs, tired. He runs. : AROUND THE CORNER, IN THE OTHER HALLWAY SECTION : Mills reaches the apartment Doe entered, bursting in... : 74 INT. TENEMENT APARTMENT -- DAY 74 : Mills enters, gun up. It's a railroad apartment, with all the : rooms adjoining in a row. At the far end of the apartment, John : Doe can be seen moving out one room's window onto a fire escape : just as that room's door is swinging shut. : Mills charges through the apartment, full on... : He bashes through the closed door... : 75 EXT. TENEMENT BUILDING, FIRE ESCAPE -- DAY 75 : Mills leans out the window over an alleyway. BLAM -- GUNSHOT. : The window above Mills' shatters and Mills pulls back. : Mills leans back out, fanning with his gun, searching. : Below, John Doe runs out the alleyway's mouth and rounds a : corner, gone. : Mills curses, scrambling out onto the fire escape, running a few : steps and then vaulting the rail... crashes down on the roof of a : car parked below. The windshield cracks. Mills jumps off and : continues the pursuit... : MILLS : (to himself) : That's six... : 76 EXT. CITY STREET -- DAY 76 : Mills rounds the alleyway corner into people packed streets. : Several people are running, heading several different directions. : Mills comes to a halt, his focus confused, searching desperately. : Others run upon seeing his gun. Woman scream and grab up their : children. Mills can't see far down the sidewalk because of all : the people. He moves forward... : He jumps atop a fire hydrant, gripping a street sign for balance, : trying to see further down the street. : MILLS' P.O.V. -- There he is! John Doe can be seen, far off, : moving across the street, through traffic, to the opposite : sidewalk. : ON THE STREET, Mills runs, into traffic, avoiding cars, down the : center line. Angry drivers scream at him. : Ahead, John Doe glances back, ducking into an alley. : Mills gets to the other sidewalk, yelling for people to get out : of the way... : 77 EXT. CITY ALLEYWAY -- DAY 77 : Mills comes to this tight alleyway. It's dark, with a long, : tall, vertical sliver of daylight far ahead. Mills runs... : Charging hard onwards... : A two-by-four swings out from a hidden nook along the side of the : alleyway -- slamming Mills in the face with a THWACK!! : Mills' gun hits the alley wall and clatters into a puddle. : Mills hits the dirt, on his back, nose broken and split, face : bloodied. He cries out, rolling to his side, clutching his face. : The two-by-four is dropped. John Doe's feet cross a short : distance. Doe's hand reaches to pick up Mills' gun. (We never : see John Doe's face.) : Mills still lies on his side, stunned, spitting blood and : cursing, when he feels the barrel of his gun against the side of : his face. Mills freezes. : John Doe moves the gun slowly across Mills' face, till the barrel : reaches Mills' mouth. The barrel is inserted between his lips. : The gun's hammer is pulled back. : Mills quakes, tries to open his eyes, but he's blinded by the : blood from his broken nose. For an instant, there is a sudden, : BRIGHT FLASH of LIGHT. : After a long moment, the gun withdrawals. From O.S., the bullets : fall out of Mills gun onto his chest. : The gun is dropped. John Doe runs towards the sliver of light. : He's gone. : Mills lies for a long moment, gasping. At the alleyway's entrance, : Somerset appears. : SOMERSET : Mills... : Mills rolls, shaken, feeling to pick up the bullets and trying to : rub the blood out of his eyes with his shirt sleeve. Somerset : arrives. : SOMERSET : Are you alright? : MILLS : I'm fine. : SOMERSET : What happened? : Mills gets up, collects his gun and pockets it, then walks past : Somerset, heading back. : SOMERSET : Mills... ? : Mills starts running. Somerset runs to follow. : 78 INT. TENEMENT BUILDING, STAIRWELL/HALLWAY -- DAY 78 : Mills moves from the stairwell, driven, his nose still bleeding, : heading for apartment 6A. Somerset takes Mills arm, but Mills : pulls away and keeps going. : SOMERSET : Wait... just wait. : MILLS : It was him. : SOMERSET : You can't go in there. : Somerset grabs Mills again and Mills shoves him off. : MILLS : The hell I can't! We get in there and we : can stop him. : SOMERSET : We need a warrant. : MILLS : We have probable cause now. : Somerset grabs Mills and shoves him against the wall. : SOMERSET : Think about it... : MILLS : What the fuck is wrong with you? : SOMERSET : Think about how we got here! : Somerset holds the computer paper, now crumpled in his hand. He : waves it in Mills' face as Mills struggles. : SOMERSET : We can't tell anyone about this. We can't : tell them about the Bureau, so we have no : reason for being here. : Mills stops struggling, breathing hard, seething, trembling. : MILLS : By the time we clear a warrant someone else : is going to be dead. : SOMERSET : Think it through. If we leave a hole like : this, we'll never prosecute. He'll walk. : (pause) : We have to come up with some excuse for : knocking on this door. : MILLS : Okay... okay... get off. : Somerset releases Mills. Mills looks around the hall, then goes : right to door 6A and KICKS IT IN -- the door jam splinters and : the door swings open to darkness for a moment before swinging : back, half-shut. : SOMERSET : You stupid son of a... : MILLS : No point in arguing anymore... : Mills strides down the short end of the hall, towards a window. : MILLS : (pointing back) : Unless you can fix that. : Mills stops, looking out the window. It overlooks a weedy, : overgrown courtyard where a THIN VAGRANT lies asleep on the : concrete. Mills turns, looking back to Somerset. : MILLS : How much money do we have left? : 79 INT. TENEMENT BUILDING, STAIRWELL -- EARLY EVENING 79 : On a stairwell landing, Somerset watches the thin vagrant from : the courtyard talk to a uniformed POLICEMAN who writes on a : clipboard, taking the statement. : THIN VAGRANT : So, I... I noticed this guy going out... : going out a lot when those murders were : happening. So... so I... : The vagrant's clinging to the rail, drunk and out of it. Mills : is down further on the stairs, high strung, chomping at the bit : to get this over with. : MILLS : So, you called Detective Somerset, right? : THIN VAGRANT : Yeah, I... I called the detective. : Because, because this guy seemed... creepy. : And... and... : MILLS : (urging him on) : And... : THIN VAGRANT : And, one of the murders was over there... : over... nearby here. I... I called the : cops... : The vagrant wipes drool from his lips. Mills comes to grip him : so he doesn't fall, searching the policemen's face for suspicion. : MILLS : I told you the rest. You got it? : POLICEMAN : (still writing) : Yeah, whatever. : SOMERSET : Have him sign it. : The policeman holds the clipboard and pen out to the vagrant. : Mills takes the pen and guides the vagrant's hand, almost signing : it for him. : MILLS : Great. Is that it? : The policeman nods. Mills grips the vagrant and leads him down : the stairs in a hurry, around a bend. Mills looks up to be sure : they're out of the policeman's sight, takes out a wad of cash and : shoves it in the vagrant's pocket. : MILLS : Go drink yourself happy. : Mills quickly guides the vagrant on his way, then turns and : rushes up the stairs, taking them two at a time. : 80 INT. JOHN DOE'S APARTMENT, MAIN ROOM -- EARLY EVENING 80 : Mills pushes door 6A open, putting on rubber gloves. He steps in : with Somerset behind. Somerset turns back to the policeman. : SOMERSET : (to policeman) : Wait outside. : Somerset closes the door most of the way. Mills hits a switch on : the wall and a lamp illuminates a desk. The desk is in the : center of the room, facing them. The room is bizarre, with some : areas cluttered and others barren. All the walls are painted : black. All the large, curtainless windows are painted over. : Somerset puts on his gloves. Mills walks to the desk. : The desktop is rather tidy. The only blatantly strange thing is : a set of notches carved into the wooden surface: three notches. : A candle has been allowed to burn down at one corner of the desk : and the wax trail goes all the way to the floor. Mills opens the : middle desk drawer. It's empty except for The Holy Bible. : Somerset moves along shelves of books, looking at the spines. : Lots of thick, oversized art volumes. A HISTORY OF THEOLOGY. : HANDBOOK OF FIREARMS. HISTORY OF THE WORLD. SUMMA THEOLOGICA. : UNITED STATES CRIMINAL LAW REVIEW. : At the desk, Mills opens another drawer. It's filled with at : least forty empty aspirin bottles. He opens the next drawer and : finds a rosary and several boxes of bullets. : Somerset comes to look at John Doe's "bed." No mattress. It's : only a metal frame and springs with a sheet spread across it. : The sheet is sweat stained and dotted by stains of rust at many : points where springs have worn through. : Somerset walks around the bed to a narrow table not far away : against the wall. The table contains a strange tableau, like a : mini stage, hand-made of cardboard and pasted Communion wafers. : A human hand immersed in a jar of liquid is the centerpiece. : SOMERSET : (quiet, to himself) : Victor. : Above this, on the wall, there's a clutter of pinned up articles : about the seven deadly sins, pages from art books, pencil : drawings of Christ, all tight together and overlapping. : Mills picks up a small piece of paper from a letter holder. It's : a pink receipt from WILD BILL'S LEATHER SHOP. : Written: CUSTOM JOB. $502.64. PAID IN FULL. Mills puts the : receipt back down on the desk. : Somerset walks to a black door. Opens it. : 81 INT. JOHN DOE'S APARTMEN, ROOM TWO -- EARLY EVENING 81 : Somerset enters. A ceiling light is on. Bare bulb. There are : bookshelves on three walls, filled with notebooks. Thousands and : thousands of notebooks. : Somerset takes one notebook down. It is a thick composition book : with an unlabeled cover. Inside, the pages are filled with small : handwritten sentences, thumb-nail sketches and blurry, glued in : photographs; small photos, seemingly cut from contact sheets. : the sketches, pictures and writings takes up ever single inch. : Somerset takes down another notebook and flips through the pages. : Same as the first, filled to the brim. : Somerset crosses to another shelf and pulls another notebook. : Same deal. Somerset looks around. : SOMERSET : Jesus. : 82 INT. JOHN DOE'S APARTMENT, MAIN ROOM -- EARLY EVENING 82 : Mills moves from the desk to a hall. He tries a light switch, : but it does nothing. He walks... : It's dark. A rather long hall. The only light is a red glow : seeping from under the bottom of the closed door ahead. : 83 INT. JOHN DOE'S APARTMENT, ROOM TWO -- EARLY EVENING 83 : Somerset walks to a 16mm film projector. It sits facing a : battered white screen. Somerset turns the projector on, backing : away to switch off the bare bulb above. : 84 INT. JOHN DOE'S APARTMENT, HALL -- EARLY EVENING 84 : Mills reaches the door at the end of the hall. He turns the knob : and pushes the door open. He's bathed in red light. : 85 INT. JOHN DOE'S APARTMENT, BATHROOM -- EARLY EVENING 85 : Mills enters. He looks around, slowly. Stunned. : 86 INT. JOHN DOE'S APARTMENT, ROOM TWO -- EARLY EVENING 86 : The projector is clattering in the dark, running a piece of film : through. The film is spliced to run as a non-stop loop. : Somerset watches the screen, light strobing across him. : The screen shows a bright image of clouds drifting, with strange : superimposed angels in flowing robes floating jerkily. It's like : a weird, old Hollywood version of Heaven. : The images switch abruptly to fire and tormented souls laboring : around a pit of molten goo, where more tormented humans squirm. : Like Heaven, it's a scratched piece of film from Hollywood's : early days. : MILLS (o.s.) : Somerset! : Somerset is engrossed in the images. : MILLS (o.s.) : Somerset... come here! : Somerset hears him. : 87 INT. JOHN DOE'S APARTMENT, HALL/BATHROOM -- EARLY EVENING 87 : Somerset comes down the hall. : MILLS (o.s.) : We had him, damn it. : Somerset reaches the bathroom where Mills stands looking up at : the wall. The room has been converted into a dark room lit by : red bulbs, with strips of film hanging from the ceiling. : SOMERSET : What are you talking about? : MILLS : We had him. : There are hundreds of prints on the walls and hanging from drying : wires. Somerset looks around, trying to understand... : Pictures of John Doe's victims, alive and dead. Grotesque : photos, of their pleading faces, and their dead bodies. Close : shots of eyes, fingers and mouths. : Mills sits on the closed toilet, throwing something into the : nearby sink and resting his head in his hands. : MILLS : The pass was a fake. : In the sink -- it's a laminated press pass on a neck cord. : On the walls, more pictures: of the crime scenes, but from the : outside looking in. Long shots. Police cars. Ambulances. : Uniformed officers putting up police barrier ribbons outside : buildings. The coroner's wagon. : Somerset stares at them, taking them in, realizing... : MILLS : We had him and we let him go. : In the backgrounds of the pictures: Somerset and Mills. In : another: Mills crossing the street. In another: Somerset and : Mills getting out of Somerset's car. : One photo, close shot, shows Mills and Somerset on the stairwell : of the building where Victor's body was found. It is the : picture taken by the balding, almost silly looking reporter. : 88 INT. JOHN DOE'S APARTMENT, MAIN ROOM -- NIGHT 88 : A male forensic uses tongs to remove Victor's hand from the jar : of liquid. He places the hand in a clear plastic evidence bag. : The forensic walks away with the hand, past a FEMALE SKETCH : ARTIST who puts the finishing touches on an accurate drawing of : the balding, almost silly looking reporter who wears thick : glasses, now known as John Doe. : SKETCH ARTIST : You're sure this is him? : Mills stands over the sketch artist. Two deputy detectives, SARA : and BILLY, are at work along with two other forensics searching, : photographing and dusting. : MILLS : Just put it in circulation. : SKETCH ARTIST : You got it. Tomorrow morning, this city's : good citizens will be on the lookout for : Elmer Fudd. : SARA : (coming to Mills) : We can't find anything to hang on to. No : paystubs, no appointment books or : calenders. Not even an address book. And, : you're not going to believe this... : MILLS : Keep looking. : SARA : It's just... we haven't found any : fingerprints yet. Not a single one. : MILLS : You know, you're right, I don't believe : you. Keep looking. : Mills walks away. : 89 INT. JOHN DOE'S APARTMENT, ROOM TWO -- NIGHT 89 : Somerset and three uniformed officers are looking through the : notebooks on the shelves. Somerset squints at the notebook in : his hand, shaking his head as he reads. Mills enters. : Somerset looks up and closes the notebook. : SOMERSET : We could use about fifty more men here. : MILLS : I'm trying, alright? Just tell me what : we've got. : Somerset pauses briefly at Mills' abruptness. : SOMERSET : Well, there are at least five thousand : notebooks in this room, and near as I can : tell, each notebook contains two hundred : and fifty pages. : MILLS : Then, he must write about these murders. : SOMERSET : (opens notebook, reads) : "What sick, ridiculous, puppets we are, and : what a gross, little stage we dance on. : What fun we have, dancing and fucking, not : a care in the world. Not knowing that we : are nothing. We are not what was : intended." : Somerset turns a few pages. : SOMERSET : (reads) : "On the subway today, a man came to me to : start a conversation. He made small talk, : this lonely man, talking about the weather : and other things. I tried to be pleasant : and accommodating, but my head began to : hurt from his banality. I almost didn't : notice it had happened, but I suddenly : threw up all over him. He was not pleased, : and I couldn't help laughing." : Somerset closes the notebook. : SOMERSET : No dates indicated, placed on the shelves : in no discernible order. It's just his : mind poured out on paper. I don't think : it's going to give us any specifics. : MILLS : Looking around... I've got a bad feeling : these murders are his life's work. : A PHONE is HEARD RINGING in another room. Mills looks. : 90 INT. JOHN DOE'S APARTMENT, MAIN ROOM -- NIGHT 90 : Everyone's looking around, and at each other, trying to find the : source of the RINGING. Mills and Somerset enter, baffled. Mills : looks to Sara. She shrugs and shakes her head. : Everyone searches. PHONE RINGS. : Mills gets on his hands and knees. : MILLS : Here... : Mills crawls under John Doe's "bed." He comes back out with a : rotary phone. Someone throws him a micro-cassette recorder. : Mills turns the recorder on, makes sure it's running, then picks : up the phone with the recorder to the earpiece. : MILLS : (into phone) : Hello. : JOHN DOE (v.o.) : (from phone) : I admire you. I don't know how you found : me, but imagine my surprise. I respect you : detectives more every day. : MILLS : (into phone) : Okay, John, let's... : JOHN DOE (v.o.) : (from phone) : No, no, no! You listen. I'll be back on : schedule tomorrow, even with this setback. : I just had to call and express my : admiration. I'm sorry I had to hurt you : today, but I didn't have a choice. You : will accept my apology, won't you? : Mills says nothing, containing his anger. : JOHN DOE (v.o.) : I feel like saying more... but I don't want : to ruin the surprise. : John Doe hangs up. Mills puts down the phone. : 91 INT. JOHN DOE'S APARTMENT, ROOM TWO -- LATER NIGHT 91 : Mills and Somerset stand in the dark, watching the continuous : loop projector's strange images of Heaven and Hell. : MILLS : You were right. : Somerset looks at Mills. : MILLS : He's preaching. : SOMERSET : (nods) : These murders are his masterwork. His : sermon to all of us. To all us sinners. : The door opens and light bursts in. The captain stands there, : looking them over. : CAPTAIN : It's been a long day, kids. Go home. Just : make sure you sleep with the phone between : your legs. : 92 INT. SOMERSET'S APARTMENT, BEDROOM -- NIGHT 92 : Somerset winds his metronome. PHONE RINGS. Somerset does not : want to answer it, but does. : SOMERSET : (into phone) : Hello. : TRACY (v.o.) : (from phone) : Hello, William? It's Tracy. : SOMERSET : (into phone) : Tracy, is everything alright? : TRACY (v.o.) : Yes, yes, everything's fine. : SOMERSET : Where's David? : TRACY (v.o.) : He's in the shower, in the other room. I'm : sorry to call like this. : SOMERSET : It's alright, I guess. : TRACY (v.o.) : I, um... I need to talk to you. I need to : talk to someone. Can you meet me : somewhere... maybe tomorrow morning? : SOMERSET : I really don't understand. : TRACY (v.o.) : I feel stupid, but you're the only person I : know here. There's no one else... : SOMERSET : I just... : TRACY (v.o.) : Can't you get away, for a little while? : SOMERSET : I don't know, with this case. : TRACY : If you can, please call me. Please. I : have to go now... goodnight. : Tracy hangs up. Somerset looks at the phone, wondering. : INSERT -- TITLE CARD : FRIDAY : 93 INT. COFFEE CAFE -- MORNING 93 : Somerset sits in the window booth with Tracy. The cafe is noisy. : Tracy stares into her coffee while she stirs it. : TRACY : I mean, you known this city. You've been : here for so long. : SOMERSET : It's a hard place. : TRACY : I don't sleep very well. : Somerset is trying to be understanding, but sneaks a look at his : watch. : SOMERSET : I feel strange being here with you... : without David knowing. : TRACY : I'm sorry, I only... : Two young punks step up to the window outside and look in at : Tracy. One flicks his tongue rapidly. Tracy looks away. : Somerset takes out his badge and holds it against the window. : One punk gives the finger and the other spits on the window. : They leave, laughing. Tracy tries to smile. : TRACY : Perfect example. : SOMERSET : You have to put blinders on sometimes. : Most times. : TRACY : I don't know why I asked you to come. : SOMERSET : Talk to him about it. He'll understand if : you tell him how you feel. : TRACY : I can't be a burden, especially now. I : know I'll get used to things. I guess I : wanted to know what someone who's lived : here thinks. Upstate, it was a completely : different environment. : (pause) : I don't know if David told you, but I teach : fifth grade, or did. : SOMERSET : He mentioned it. : Tracy seemsvery upset, near tears. : TRACY : I've been going to some of the schools, : looking for work, but the conditions here : are... horrible. : SOMERSET : You should look into private schools. : TRACY : I don't know... : Tracy looks up, wipes at her eyes. : SOMERSET : What's really bothering you? : Tracy bites her lip. : TRACY : David and I are... going to have a baby. : Somerset sits back, the expression of soothing concern on his : face disappearing. : SOMERSET : Oh, Tracy... I have to tell you, I'm not : the one to talk to about this. : TRACY : I hate this city. : Somerset sighs. He takes out a cigarette, but thinks better of : it and puts it back. He looks out the window. : SOMERSET : If you're thinking... : (pause) : I had a relationship once, very much like a : marriage. And, she was going to have our : child. This is a long time ago. She and I : had decided we were going to make the : choice together... whether to keep the : baby. : Tracy looks at Somerset. : SOMERSET : Well, I got up one morning and went to : work... just like any other day, except it : was my first since hearing about the baby. : And, I... I felt this fear and anxiety : washing over me. I looked around, and I : thought, how can we raise a child : surrounded by all this? How can a child : grow up here? : (pause) : So, that night, I told her I didn't want us : to have it, and over the next few weeks, I : convinced her it was wrong. I mean... I : wore her down, slowly. : TRACY : I want to have children. It's just... : SOMERSET : I can tell you now, I know... I'm positive : I made the right decision. I'm positive. : But, there's never a day that passes that I : don't wish I had decided differently. : Somerset reaches and takes Tracy's hand. : SOMERSET : If you... don't keep the baby, if that's : what you decide, then, never tell him you : were pregnant. I mean that. Never. : (pause) : The relationship will whither and die. : Tracy nods, tears welling up again. Somerset smiles a bit. : SOMERSET : But, if you do decide to have the baby, : then, at that very moment, when you're : absolutely sure, tell David. Tell him at : that exact second, and then spoil that kid : every chance you get. : There are tears in Somerset's eyes. : SOMERSET : That's all the advice I can give you, : Tracy. I don't even know you. : He smiles again, wipes his own tears. : TRACY : William... : Somerset's beeper begins BEEPING. He takes it out and stands, : wanting to leave. Tracy gets up and kisses him on the cheek. : TRACY : Thank you. : Somerset starts to back away. : TRACY : Keep in touch after you're gone, William. : Please. : Somerset nods, raises a hand to say goodbye as he leaves. : 94 INT. WILD BILL'S LEATHER SHOP -- DAY 94 : Mills and Somerset are on one side of the counter and WILD BILL : is on the other. Wild Bill is shirtless and covered in tattoos. : He has a thick scar running down the center of his forehead and : down his cheek. leather belts, whips and jackets hang on the : walls and from the ceiling. : WILD BILL : Yeah, he picked it up last night. : Wild Bill holds the pink receipt from John Doe's apartment. : MILLS : This was definitely him? : Mills points to the rendering of John Doe he holds. : WILD BILL : Yeah, John Doe. Easy name to remember. : SOMERSET : What was this job you did for him? : WILD BILL : I got a picture of it here. It's a real : sweet piece... : Wild Bill pulls a box from behind the counter, digs in it. : WILD BILL : I figured he must be one of those : performance artists. That's what I : figured. : Like one of those guys who pisses in a cup : on stage and drinks it. Performance art. : Wild Bill hands a Polaroid picture to Mills. We do not see the : picture yet. : MILLS : Oh... give me a break. : WILD BILL : I think I undercharged him. : SOMERSET : (looks at photo) : You built this for him? Youbuild this? : WILD BILL : I've built weirder shit than that. So : what? : A POLICEMAN enters the store. : POLICEMAN : Detectives... we have a situation. : Mills and Somerset follow the cop out. : WILD BILL : Hey, my picture... ! : Wild Bill watches them go, scratches his thick scar. : WILD BILL : Fucking pigs. : 95 EXT. THE HOT HOUSE MASSAGE PARLOUR -- DAY 95 : It's a madhouse outside The Hot House, a bright red storefront : bordered on both sides by porno theater after porno theater. A : crowd is gathered around a police action in progress. : Cops have formed a barrier, holding back the crowd and creating : an aisle from the entrance of The Hot House to the back of a : jail-van. Cops and detectives are escorting various men, women : and transvestites into the large vehicle. The crowd, consisting : of the dregs of society, is shouting. Some people are spitting : and throwing trash at the cops. : 96 INT. THE HOT HOUSE, RECEPTION AREA -- DAY 96 : TWO COPS are in front of a glass and steel cage. Inside the cage : is a fat, BALD MAN with a wall of sex toys behind him. : BALD MAN : Just wait! Just wait! : One cop pounds his nightstick against the glass. : COP : Get out of the fucking booth! : BALD MAN : Just wait! I'll come out, just wait! : 97 INT. THE HOT HOUSE, CORRIDORS -- DAY 97 : All the lights are red and the walls are painted red. Mills and : Somerset follow a THIRD COP through the twisting corridors. : POLICEMEN can be HEARD SHOUTING and MAKING ARRESTS. ROCK MUSIC : PLAYS, throbbing. They come to a door. : THIRD COP : I don't want to go in there again. : 98 INT. RED ROOM -- DAY 98 : Mills and Somerset enter. ROCK MUSIC CONTINUES, LOUD. A strobe : light flashes from the ceiling. TWO AMBULANCE ATTENDANTS are in : the room. The first attendant is placing a sheet over a bed, : hiding the corpse of a blonde woman. The second attendant is : trying to examine the pupils of a CRAZED MAN, 55, who is naked : and wrapped in a sheet. A SWEATING COP holds crazed man down. : CRAZED MAN : He... he... he made me do it! : SECOND ATTENDANT : I have to look at you. I have to look at : you! : LUST is scratched into the red paint on the wall in big letters. : Mills and Somerset move towards the covered body. : FIRST ATTENDANT : (to Mills and Somerset) : You're not going to want to see this more : than once. : CRAZED MAN : He had a gun! He made me do it! : The sheet is lifted for the detectives. They grimace at what : they see. We do not see. Somerset closes his eyes and turns : away. The first attendant replaces the sheet. : Mills steps back, takes out his handkerchief and sucks on it. He : looks at the crazed man. The crazed man jerks around while the : second attendant preps a needle. : SECOND ATTENDANT : He's in shock, man. He's gone. : CRAZED MAN : Take this thing off me... take it off! : Please, take this thing off me! : The sweating cop keeps his controlling grip on the crazed man. : CRAZED MAN : Get it off... oh, God! : SWEATING COP : (to Mills and Somerset) : You're the detectives, right? Right? : Well, you'd better see this! : Somerset's facing the wall. Crazed man's still yelling. : SWEATING COP : Hey... you better see what's strapped onto : this guy! : Mills turns to the cop. : MILLS : We've already seen it! : 99 INT. SANATORIUM, WHITE ROOM -- DAY 99 : A Polaroid photograph on a white table. It is the photo Wild : Bill gave to Mills. It's a picture of a belt, made with extra : leather straps so it can be worn securely around the groin. It : is a strap-on phallus, except there is no plastic protuberance. : Instead, there is a metal knife -- it's a strap-on butcher's : knife. : CRAZED MAN : And... and... and he said... he asked me if : I was married. And, I could see he had a : gun in his hand. : SOMERSET : Where was the girl? : CRAZED MAN : What? What? : SOMERSET : Where was the prostitute? Where was she? : The crazed man leans forward in his chair. : CRAZED MAN : She was... she was on the bed. She was : just sitting on the bed. : SOMERSET : Who tied her down? You or him? : CRAZED MAN : He had a gun. He had a gun... and he made : it happen. He made me do it! : (sobbing) : He made me put that... that thing on. Oh, : Christ! He made me wear it... and... and : he told me to fuck her. He had the gun in : my mouth. : The man slides to the floor and hides his face in his hands. : CRAZED MAN : The gun was in my throat! : Somerset looks up at the mirror in his room. He stands and picks : up the Polaroids as two men in institutional uniforms enter to : collect the crazed man from the floor. : 100 INT. PRECINCT HOUSE, INTERROGATION ROOM -- DAY 100 : Mills stands in this dirty room with the dirty, bald man from The : Hot House's reception area booth. : MILLS : You didn't hear any screams? Nothing? You : didn't notice when this man walked in with : a package under his arm?! : BALD MAN : No, I didn't. : MILLS : You didn't notice anything wrong? Nothing : seemed strange to you? : BALD MAN : Everybody who goes in there has a package : under his arm. Some guys are carrying : suitcases full of stuff. And, screams? : There're screams coming out of there : everyday. It goes with the territory, : little boy! : MILLS : You like what you do for a living? You : like the things you see? : The bald man smiles strangely. : BALD MAN : No. No, I don't. But, that's life. : 101 INT. PRECINCT HOUSE, SOMERSET'S OFFICE -- EARLY EVENING 101 : The blackboard: : 1 gluttony (x) 5 wrath : 2 greed (x) 6 pride : 3 sloth (x) 7 lust (x) : 4 envy : Somerset and Mills are shell-shocked, silent, seated at their : desks. Somerset is looking at the blackboard. Mills is looking : at the billboard out the window. : 102 INT. SPORTS BAR -- NIGHT 102 : Somerset and Mills sit with a full pitcher of beer. The jukebox : plays for the other customers. The walls of the bar are covered : with trophies, plaques and other victory symbols. : SOMERSET : The irony is, after a day of the type of : work he did, he'd come home and read me : these morbid crime stories. Murders in the : Rue Morgue. Le Fanu's Green Tea. My : mother would give him hell because he was : keeping me up till all hours. : MILLS : Sounds like a father who wanted his son to : follow in his footsteps. : SOMERSET : One birthday he gave me this brand new : hardcover book, "The Century of the : Detective," by Jurgen Thorwald. It traced : the history of deduction as a science, and : it sealed my fate, because it was real, not : fiction. And, that a drop of blood or a : piece of hair could solve a crime... it was : incredible to me. : Somerset drinks, then pours more beer. : SOMERSET : You know... there's not going to be a happy : ending to this. It's not possible anymore. : MILLS : If we get him, I'll be happy enough. : SOMERSET : No. Face it now. Stop thinking it's good : guys against bad guys. : MILLS : How can you say that? Especially after : today? : SOMERSET : Don't try to focus on things as black and : white, because you'll go blind. There's no : winning and losing here. : MILLS : You're the oldest man I know, Somerset. : SOMERSET : You tell me, then... you walk into an : apartment, and a man has beaten his wife to : death, or the wife murdered the husband, : and you have to wash the blood off their : children. You put the killer in jail. Who : won? : MILLS : You do your job... : SOMERSET : Where's the victory? : MILLS : You follow the law and do the best you can. : It's all there. : SOMERSET : Just know that in this case there's not : going to be any satisfaction. If we caught : John Doe and he were the devil himself, if : it turned out he were actually Satan, then, : that might live up to our expectations. No : human being could do these things, right? : But, this is not the devil. It's just a : man. : MILLS : Why don't you shut the fuck up for a while? : You bitch and complain... if I thought like : you, I would have slit my wrist already. : Somerset sits back, looking at Mills. : MILLS : You think you're preparing me for the hard : times ahead? You think you're toughening : me up? Well, you're not! You're quitting, : fine... but I'm staying. : SOMERSET : People don't want a champion. They just : want to keep playing the lottery and eating : hamburgers. : MILLS : What the fuck is wrong with you? What : burnt you out? : SOMERSET : It wasn't one thing, if that's what you : mean. I just... I can't live here anymore. : I can't live where stupidity is embraced : and nurtured as if it were a virtue. : MILLS : Oh, you're so much better than everyone, : right? No one's worthy of you. : SOMERSET : Wrong! I sympathize completely, because if : you can't win... then, if you don't ignore : everything and everyone around you, you... : you become like John Doe. It's easier to : beat a child than it is to raise it, : because it takes so much work to love. You : just have to make sure you don't stop to : think about the abuse, and the damage, : because you'll risk being sad. Keep : ignoring. : MILLS : You're talking about people who are : mentally ill. You're... : SOMERSET : No I'm not! I'm talking about common, : everyday life here. If you let yourself : worry about one thing, you'll worry about : the next, and the next, and it never ends. : In this place, ignorance isn't just bliss, : it's a matter of survival. : MILLS : Listen to yourself. You say, "the problem : with people is they don't care, so I don't : care about people." But, you're already : here. You've been here a long time. So, : there's a part of you that knows, even if : everything you say is true, none of it : matters. : SOMERSET : That part of me is dead. : Mills stands. : MILLS : You want me to agree with you: "Yeah, : you're right, Somerset. This is a fucked : place. Let's go live in a fucking log : cabin." Well, I don't agree with you. : You're giving up, and it makes me sick, : because you're the best I've ever seen. : Mills throws some money on the table. : MILLS : Thanks for the beer. : Mills leaves, other patrons watching him. : Somerset takes out a cigarette and goes to light it. The lighter : will not light, and when it does, Somerset's hand is trembling. : 103 INT. MILLS' APARTMENT, BEDROOM -- NIGHT 103 : Mills comes quietly into the dark bedroom. Tracy is asleep on : the bed. Mills takes off his suit jacket, puts it down. He sits : on a chair and unties one shoe, takes it off, then looks at : Tracy. Looks at her a long moment. : He puts the shoe on the floor and goes to get on the bed. He : kisses his wife's forehead, kisses her cheek, then wraps his arms : under and around her. He holds her tight, kisses her again. : Tracy stirs. : TRACY : Honey? : Mills runs his fingers along her face. : MILLS : I love you. : Mills holds her tighter. She wraps her arms around him. They : lie together, clinging, holding tighter still. : 104 INT. MILLS' APARTMENT BUILDING/STREET -- NIGHT 104 : Through the window of the apartment, we can see Tracy and Mills : on the bed. CAMERA MOVES from this window, to the street. : CAMERA CONTINUES down the night street, to a car far from Mills' : building. Inside the car, John Doe sits, looking up at Mills' : window. Doe looks as plain as white bread. He adjusts his thick : glasses, sips from a coffee cup. : 105 INT. SOMERSET'S APARTMENT, BEDROOM -- NIGHT 105 : Somerset is in bed. The metronome is sounding; tick... tick... : tick... The SOUNDS of the CITY are LOUD. : Somerset closes his eyes, concentrating on the metronome. : Tick... tick... tick... TWO MEN are HEARD from outside, YELLING : at each other. Somerset rolls over, restless. Tick... tick... : tick... : GLASS is HEARD SHATTERING. Somerset opens his eyes. MORE GLASS, : bottles being smashed. Somerset sits up. He reaches over, grabs : the metronome and throws it against the wall. : 106 INT. SOMERSET'S APARTMENT, LIVING ROOM -- LATER NIGHT 106 : THWACK. Somerset's switchblade hits the dartboard on the wall : and the blade embeds. : Somerset crosses the room, still dressed for bed. He is tense. : He takes the switchblade from the dartboard, paces back across : the room, turns, holds the blade, then throws. The blade sticks. : Somerset paces back to the dartboard, pulls the blade, paces : back, throws the knife. THWACK. He goes to the board, gets the : blade, paces, turns, throws. THWACK. : INSERT -- TITLE CARD : SATURDAY : 107 INT. JOHN DOE'S APARTMENT, MAIN ROOM -- DAY 107 : A clock on the wall says 12:30. : 108 INT. JOHN DOE'S APARTMENT, ROOM TWO -- DAY 108 : Three deputy detectives are reading John Doe's notebooks. PHONE : RINGS from the other room. : 109 INT. JOHN DOE'S APARMENT, MAIN ROOM -- DAY 109 : One deputy enters. He goes to the phone near the bed. The : phone's been hooked into recording device with a speaker and : tracing equipment. The deputy turns everything on, answers. : JOHN DOE (v.o.) : (through speaker) : I've gone and done it again. : 110 INT. LUXURY APARTMENT, BATHROOM -- DAY 110 : Somerset is looking around this femininely decorated bathroom : with a forensic, GIL. Both wear rubber gloves. : At the sink, objects covered in blood: a pair of scissors, a : hypodermic needle, first-aid tape and gauze bandages, a bottle of : anesthetic, a straight razor and a tube of super glue. : GIL : He really did a number on her, didn't he? : Gil opens the plastic shower curtain and looks into the tub. The : tub and shower wall are splattered with blood. The tub has a few : inches of water in it. The water is cloudy red. A few bits of : tape and gauze float in it. Gil jiggles the drain's knob. Some : bubbles pop up from the clogged drain. : 111 INT. LUXURY APARTMENT, BEDROOM -- DAY 111 : PRIDE is written in lipstick on a full length mirror. Below : that: I DID NOT KILL HER. SHE WAS GIVEN A CHOICE. : Mills and Dr. O'Neill are in the room. O'Neill goes through his : black bag. They're by a bed where a WOMAN lies dead under a : blanket. The woman's head is sloppily bandaged with heavy white : gauze and tape. The gauze is stained by spots of blood. Only : the eyes and mouth have been left uncovered. A zoo's worth of : stuffed animals have been placed across the bed. The woman holds : a stuffed unicorn. : Somerset enters from the bathroom as Mills reaches to take the : unicorn from the woman's grasp. There is a cordless phone in her : left hand, and her and clings to it. : Her right hand holds a bottle of prescription pills. Mills tries : to open the fingers of this hand with a tongue depressor, but : they are super-glued to the bottle. Mills turns the woman's hand : slightly so two red pills roll out onto the blanket. : SOMERSET : Sleeping pills. : Mills examines the left hand. The phone is glued into it. : O'Neill steps up, holding a thin pair of silver scissors. He : leans to slide the scissors under the woman's bandage mask, : starts cutting. : Somerset goes to a dresser where the woman's purse sits open. He : takes out the driver's license and looks at the photo. The woman : in the picture is stunningly beautiful. : SOMERSET : You see what he did? : Mills is watching the doctor work. : MILLS : He cut her up and dressed the wounds. : SOMERSET : (holds up his left hand) : Call for help, and you'll live. But, : you'll be disfigured. : (raises right hand) : Or, put yourself out of your misery. : O'Neill removes the bandages. Mills looks away. We do not see. : O'Neill looks to the detectives. : O'NEILL : He cut off her nose to spite her face, and : he did it very recently. : 112 EXT. CITY STREET -- DAY 112 : Mills' car pulls up in front of the precinct house. Mills and : Somerset get out. They wade through cars towards the old : precinct house building. : SOMERSET : I've decided to stay on this, till it's : over. Till it's either done or we can both : see it's never going to finish. : Mills remains impassive. : MILLS : Oh, you want to stay now? : SOMERSET : One of two things will happen. We're : either going to get John Doe, or he'll : finish his series of seven, and this case : will go on for years. : MILLS : You think you're doing me a big favor by : staying? : SOMERSET : I'm requesting you keep me on as your : partner a few more days. You'd be doing me : the favor. : Mills walks on. : MILLS : You knew I'd say yes. : SOMERSET : No, actually, I wasn't sure at all. : Somerset and Mills climb the steps of the precinct house. : Behind them, in the street, John Doe's car pulls up and parks. : Cars behind begin BEEPING. People behind begin cursing and : screaming for him to move. : John Doe steps out, his brown work boots, pants and shirttails : are splattered with blood. : He walks towards the precinct house, hands in his pockets, like : he's out for a stroll. People on the sidewalk stop on seeing : him, avoid him. : 113 INT. PRECINCT HOUSE, RECEIVING LOBBY -- DAY 113 : Mills and Somerset walk past booking cubicles and benches of : handcuffed low-lifes. Junkies are being led through by uniformed : cops. The place is swimming with activity. The two detectives : head to the wide duty desk at the end of the room. : SOMERSET : As soon as this is over, I'm gone. : MILLS : Big surprise. : They pass through a gate and Somerset goes towards a staircase : leading upstairs. Mills stops at the duty desk. Other cops are : vying for the DUTY SERGEANT'S attention. : MILLS : Mills and Somerset are on the premises. : SERGEANT : Wonder-fucking-ful. : Another PLAIN CLOTHES COP behind the duty desk leans over to hold : out a few phone-message note to Mills. : PLAIN CLOTHES COP : Your wife called this morning. Do us a : favor and get yourself an answering : machine, how bout it? : Mills nods and wave dismissively, pocketing the messages without : looking at them and walking to follow Somerset. : JOHN DOE (o.s.) : Detective. : Mills heads toward the stairs. : JOHN DOE (o.s.) : Detective! : Mills looks back... stops. : John Doe stands inside the precinct house doors. He gives a very : slight smile. : JOHN DOE : I know you. : Somerset stops, looks back down the stairs. : Mills is staring at Doe, not comprehending. : Doe holds up his arms as if to say, "Presto, here I am." All : eyes go to the blood-soaked figure of John Doe. There comes a : sudden, near-silence in the room. : One UNIFORMED COP takes out his gun, points it at John Doe. : UNIFORMED COP : It's him! : Several other cops drop what they're doing and draw weapons. : Mills, still off balance, takes out his own gun, walking back : through the gate. He points the gun at John Doe. : MILLS : Get down. Get down on the floor. : Cops move slowly in on Doe from all sides. : ANOTHER COP : You heard him, fuckface. Get down! : Somerset comes back through the gate. : SOMERSET : Be careful! : John Doe gets down on his knees, hands in the air. Mills, pulse : pounding, steps up, gun in both hands. Not too close. : MILLS : Down! Face on the floor! : ONE COP comes from behind and nudges Doe with his foot. : ONE COP : Spread your legs and get your hands out in : front of you! : John Doe lies on his stomach, obeying. Mills comes up and puts : his gun right against Doe's head. : MILLS : Don't move. Don't move an inch. : One cop begins frisking Doe. Another comes to put on cuffs. : Somerset comes to Mills' side. : SOMERSET : I don't believe it. : JOHN DOE : (to Somerset) : Hello. : The cop putting on the handcuffs looks up at Somerset and Mills. : COP : What the fuck is this... ? : The cop holds up Doe's cuffed hands. Doe winces. Every single : one of Doe's fingers has a bandage wrapped around it. : John Doe tries to muster a smile, his face pressed against the : floor, glasses askew, gun at his temple. : JOHN DOE : (to Mills) : I want to speak to my lawyer. : 114 INT. PRECINCT HOUSE, OBSERVATION ROOM -- DAY 114 : Mills holds a fingerprint card. The black ink prints are just : useless blobs, smeared with blood. : Mills, Somerset and the Captain stand in darkness. Mills looks : up from the print card through a two-way mirror into an : interrogation room. : In the interrogation room, John Doe sits, handcuffed to the wall. : This is not some superhuman serial killer. : He looks more like an eccentric college professor, not seething : with anger, but looking around with calm, almost lazy eyes. The : lawyer, MARK SWARR, sits taking notes and talking with Doe. : CAPTAIN : He cuts off the skin if his fingertips. : That's why we can't find a single usable : print in the apartment. He's been doing it : for quite a while. Keeps cutting before : the papillary line can grow back. : MILLS : What about the trace on his bank account : and the guns? There must be something to : connect him with a past. : CAPTAIN : So far it's all dead ends. No credit : history. No employment history. His bank : account's only five years old and it : started as cash. We're even trying to : trace his furniture, but for now all we : know is he's independently wealth, well : educated and totally insane. We may never : know how he got that way. : SOMERSET : Because he is John Doe, by choice. : MILLS : When do we get to question him? : CAPTAIN : You don't. It goes to court now. : MILLS : He wouldn't just turn himself in. It : doesn't make any sense. : Somerset moves from the window, crossing the room to sit. : CAPTAIN : Well, there he sits. It's not supposed to : make sense. : SOMERSET : He's not finished. : MILLS : He's pissing in our faces again and we're : just taking it. : CAPTAIN : You're wound too tight, Mills. Let it go. : The captain walks. Mills is furious. He presses his fingers : against the two-way-mirror, pushes to crack his knuckles loudly. : MILLS : (to Somerset) : You know he's fucking us. : SOMERSET : You and I are, probably for the first time : ever, in total agreement. He wouldn't just : stop. : MILLS : Well... what the fuck, man? : SOMERSET : He's only two murders away from finishing : his masterpiece, right? Can you even : conceive of what's going to happen next? I : mean, can you even imagine how he'll try to : finish it? : Mills looks in at John Doe. Somerset comes to stand beside. : MILLS : No. : SOMERSET : I can tell you this. I recognize his : lawyer. His name's Mark Swarr. : Mills looks at Somerset. : SOMERSET : He's the one who got Victor out. : (pause) : We'll wait for John Doe's plea. : 115 INT. PRECINCT HOUSE, SOMERSET'S OFFICE -- DAY 115 : Mills is at the desk, feet up. He stares at the blackboard. : 1 gluttony (x) 5 wrath : 2 greed (x) 6 pride (x) : 3 sloth (x) 7 lust (x) : 4 envy : Clock on the wall says 4:45. Somerset is packing books into : boxes, preparing for his eventual departure. : The captain steps into the office and clears his throat, looking : like there is something making him very unhappy. : 116 INT. PRECINCT HOUSE, CAPTAIN'S OFFICE -- DAY 116 : Mills and Somerset stand together. The captain is behind his : desk with Martin Talbot, the D.A., seated in front of him. Mark : Swarr is addressing them all, seems nervous but in control. : SWARR : My client says there are two more bodies... : two more victims, hidden away. He will : take Detectives Mills and Somerset to these : bodies, but only Detectives Mills and : Somerset. Only at six o'clock today. : Talbot wipes his moist brow with a handkerchief. : TALBOT : Oh, Christ. : MILLS : Why us? : SWARR : He says he admires you. : SOMERSET : (to captain) : My client claims that if the detectives do : not accept this offer, these two bodies : will never be found. : CAPTAIN : Frankly, counselor, I'm inclined to let : them rot. : TALBOT : We don't make deals, Mr. Swarr. : Mills gets in Swarr's face. : MILLS : How is it working for a scumbag like this? : You proud of yourself? : CAPTAIN : Ease back, Mills. : SWARR : I'm required by law to serve my clients to : the best of my ability, and to serve their : best interests. : Mills back off. : CAPTAIN : Well, we're going to have to pass. : SWARR : My client... he also wishes to inform you, : if you do not accept, he will plead : insanity, across the board. : TALBOT : (to no one in particular) : Let him try! I'd like to see him try! : SWARR : Come now, Martin. We all know, with the : extreme nature of these crimes, I could get : him off with such a plea. : Talbot considers this, wringing the handkerchief in his hands. : Mills looks at Somerset. Somerset looks at him. : TALBOT : I'm not letting this conviction slide, I : can tell you that right here and right now! : SWARR : He says, if you accept, under his specific : conditions, he will sign a full confession : and plead guilty... right here, right now. : Talbot glares at Swarr. : CAPTAIN : (to Mills) : What do you think? : MILLS : I'm in. : SWARR : It has to be both of you. : SOMERSET : If he were to claim insanity, this : conversation is admissible. The fact that : he's blackmailing us with his plea... : SWARR : And, my client reminds you, two more are : dead. The press would have a field day if : they found out the police didn't seem too : concerned about finding them... giving them : a proper burial. : SOMERSET : If there really are two more dead. : The captain picks up a sheet from his desk. : CAPTAIN : The lab report came up from downtown, They : did a quickie on Doe's clothing and : fingernails. They found blood from Doe, : from him cutting his own fingers... there : was blood from the woman whose face he cut : off, and blood from a third party. As yet : unidentified. : TALBOT : (to Somerset) : You would be escorting an unarmed man. : Somerset thinks it over. He looks to Mills. : MILLS : Let's finish it. : Somerset looks at the floor, then at Swarr. : SOMERSET : (to the captain) : Well... get the fucking lawyer out of the : room and we can talk about how this whole : thing's going to go down. : 117 INT. PRECINCT HOUSE, BATHROOM/LOCKER ROOM -- DAY 117 : Somerset's hand reaches to the sink to pick up a razor. : Somerset and Mills are at the sinks, looking at themselves in : mirrors, shirtless. They have shaving cream spread across their : chests. Somerset flicks his cigarette in the sink, then brings : the razor up to start shaving the hair off his chest. Mills is : already doing the same. : SOMERSET : If John Doe's head splits open and a U.F.O. : flies out, I want you to have expected it. : MILLS : I will. : They continue shaving. : MILLS : If I were to accidentally cut off one of my : nipple, would that be covered by workman's : compensation? : Somerset smiles just slightly. : SOMERSET : I suppose so. : (pause) : If you were man enough to actually file the : claim, I'd buy you a new one out of my own : pocket. : Mills finishes shaving, washes and wipes his chest off with a : towel. He turns dead serious. : MILLS : Listen, Somerset... I uh... : Mills pauses, sighs. Somerset stops shaving and looks at him. : SOMERSET : What is it? : MILLS : Well, I have to tell you... : (pause) : I think I've fallen in love with you. : SOMERSET : (shakes his head) : Slut. : MILLS : (laughs, walking out) : Kiss me on the lips. : SOMERSET : (still shaving) : Give me a break. : 118 INT. READY ROOM -- DAY 118 : Somerset and Mills have their shirts open. A female technician : tapes a small radio transmitter and microphone to Mills' chest. : Somerset is already wired up, pressing the adhesive to make sure : it'll hold. : The technician finishes prepping Mills. Somerset buttons up his : shirt. The technician packs up her kit, leaving. The room is : quiet. Somerset picks up his bullet-proof vest, slides into it. : Mills looks at his watch. He puts on his own vest, fastening it : tight. He looks at Somerset. : Somerset takes out a roll of antacids and pops a few. : Mills holds out his hand and waits for an antacid. Somerset : looks at him, flicks a few into Mills' palm. Mills chews them. : SOMERSET : Stay as cold as ice. : Somerset picks up his gun off a chair. Mills picks up his gun. : They both check them out and close them up. They lay the guns in : holsters at the small of their backs. : They look at each other. Somerset holds out his hand. Mills : shakes it. : 119 INT. CITY STREET, PRECINCT HOUSE FRONT -- DAY 119 : The street is full of shadows as the sun is falling low. At the : front of the precinct house, a throng of reporters shifts : anxiously. A line of policemen holds them back. : Martin Talbot steps out of the precinct house, cops on either : side of him. The press swarm lurches forward, flashbulbs : exploding. Talbot holds out his hands, preparing to speak. : 120 EXT. CITY STREET, PRECINCT HOUSE REAR -- DAY 120 : At the rear of the precinct house, Somerset's car pulls out of : the fenced in parking lot. The car speeds up on the street and : turns a corner, heading into the grim city. : 121 EXT. SKYSCRAPER ROOFTOP -- DAY 121 : California is dressed in full battle gear, looking through : binoculars to the city below. The wind blows hard. : A PILOT, holding two helmets, comes up behind California. A : sleek police helicopter sits on the roof's helipad. : CALIFORNIA : Is this wind going to hurt us? : PILOT : Just makes the ride more fun. : The cocky pilot grins. : 122 INT. SOMERSET'S CAR -- DAY 122 : Somerset is at the wheel. Mills is in the passenger's seat, : looking back at John Doe through protective wire mesh. Doe's in : the back seat. His handcuffs are attached to ankle cuffs by a : length of chain. He is dressed in gray pants and a gray shirt, : looking out the window, sweaty but placid. : SOMERSET : Who are you, John? Who are you really? : John Doe looks to Somerset's eyes in the rearview mirror. : JOHN DOE : What do you mean? : SOMERSET : I mean, at this point, what would it hurt : if you told us a little about yourself? : JOHN DOE : (pause) : It doesn't matter who I am. Who I am means : absolutely nothing. : (looking out, to Somerset) : You need to turn left here... at the : traffic light. : MILLS : Where we headed? : JOHN DOE : You'll see. : Mills looks at Doe for a long time in silence. : MILLS : We're not just going to pick up two more : bodies, are we, Johnny? That wouldn't : be... shocking enough. Wouldn't keep you : on the front page of the newspapers. : JOHN DOE : Wanting people to pay attention, you can't : just tap them on the shoulder. You have to : hit them in the head with a sledgehammer. : Then, you have their strict attention. : MILLS : What makes you so special that people : should pay attention? : JOHN DOE : Not me. I'm not special. I'm not : exceptional. : (pause) : This is, though. What I'm doing. : MILLS : I hate to burst your bubble, but other than : the fact that you're especially sadistic, : there's nothing unusual about these : precious murders of yours. : JOHN DOE : You know that's not true. : MILLS : In two months, no one's going to even : remember this happened. : Doe looks down for a moment, then looks up, almost shyly. : JOHN DOE : You can't see the whole... the whole : complete act yet. Not yet. But, when this : is done, it's going to be... so... so... : MILLS : Spit it out. : JOHN DOE : It's going to be flawless. People will : barely be able to comprehend it. It will : seem almost surreal... but it will have a : tangible reality, so they won't be able to : deny it. : Doe looks down, licking his lips. He clenches his hands into : fists, digging his bandaged fingertips into his sweaty palms. : JOHN DOE : I can't wait for you to see. I can't : wait... : (pause, looks to Mills) : It's really going to be something. : MILLS : Well, I'll be standing beside you the : whole time, so you be sure to let me know : when this whole, complete reality thing is : done. Wouldn't want to miss it. : JOHN DOE : Oh, don't worry. You won't... : 123 INT, POLICE HELICOPTER -- DAY 123 : The helicopter is in flight above the city. California is : strapped in, hanging out the door. He holds a high powered : automatic rifle, wears goggles and a helmet/headset. : JOHN DOE (v.o.) : (through headset) : ... you won't miss a thing. : Two other armed cops sit in the belly of the chopper. California : leans in and looks up towards the pilot. : CALIFORNIA : (into helmet microphone) : Head over the bridge and keep them in : sight. Just keep your distance. : The pilot looks back and nods. : 124 EXT. CITY SKY -- DAY 124 : The chopper dips, flying like a bullet over the polluted city, : heading towards the setting sun. : 125 EXT. CITY STREETS -- DAY 125 : Somerset's car moves along a highway at river's edge. Heading : for a huge suspension bridge filled with speeding traffic ahead. : 126 INT. SOMERSET'S CAR -- DAY 126 : John Doe has his head against the window, looking up at the : bridge, excited. He sits back, glances out the back window, then : faces front, bites his lip, fidgety, like a kid on Christmas Eve. : Somerset's watching him through the rearview mirror. : SOMERSET : What's so exciting? : JOHN DOE : It's not too far away now. : [page 106. missing from script] : JOHN DOE : (long pause) : I... I doubt I enjoyed it any more than... : Detective Mills would enjoy some time alone : with me in a room without windows. : (looks to Mills) : Isn't that true? How happy would it make : you to hurt me, with impunity? : MILLS : (coy mocking) : Now... I wouldn't do something like that, : Johnny. I like you. I like you a lot. : JOHN DOE : You wouldn't because you know there are : consequences. It's in those eyes of yours, : though... nothing wrong with a man taking : pleasure in his work. : (pause, shakes his head) : I won't deny my own personal desire to turn : each sin against the sinner. I only took : their sins to logical conclusions. : MILLS : You only killed a bunch of innocent people : so you could get your rocks off. That's : all. : JOHN DOE : Innocent? Is that supposed to be funny? : Look at the people I killed. An obese man, : a disgusting man who could barely stand : up... who if you saw him on the street, : you'd point so your friends could mock him : along with you. Who if you saw him while : you were eating, you wouldn't be able to : finish your meal. After him I picked the : lawyer. And, you both must have been : secretly thanking me for that one. This : was a man who dedicated his life to making : money by lying with every breath he could : muster... to keeping rapists and murderers : on the streets. : MILLS : Murderers? : JOHN DOE : (ignoring) : A woman... : MILLS : Murderers like you? : JOHN DOE : (ignoring, louder) : A woman... so ugly on the inside that she : couldn't bare to go on living if she : couldn't be beautiful on the outside. A : drug dealer... a drug dealing pederast, : actually. : (laughs at that one) : And, don't forget the disease spreading : whore. Only in a world this shitty could : you even try to say these were innocent : people and keep a straight face. : (getting worked up) : That's the point. You see a deadly sin on : almost every street corner, and in every : home, literally. And we tolerate it. : Because it's common, it seems trivial, and : we tolerate, all day long, morning, noon : and night. Not anymore. I'm setting the : example, and it's going to be puzzled over : and studied and followed, from now on. : MILLS : Delusions of grandeur. : JOHN DOE : You should be thanking me. : MILLS : And, why is that? : JOHN DOE : You're going to be remembered, and it's all : because of me. And, the only reason I'm : here right now is because I wanted to be. : MILLS : We would have gotten you eventually. : JOHN DOE : Really? Just biding your time, then? : Toying with me. Is that it? Letting five : people die until you finally felt like : going out and hauling me in? : Doe sits forward, slowly getting to Mills. : JOHN DOE : (angrily) : Tell me what it was that gave me away. : What was the piece of evidence you were : going to use against me right before I : walked up to YOU and put my hands in the : air. : MILLS : I seem to remember knocking on your : door. : JOHN DOE : And, I remember breaking your nose. : (leans further forward) : You're only alive because I didn't : kill you. : MILLS : Sit back. : John Doe doesn't sit back, staying very close to the wire mesh. : JOHN DOE : I spared you, and you're going to have to : remember that every time you look in the : mirror at that nose on your face for the : rest of your life. Or, I should say, for : the rest of what life I've allowed you to : have. : Mills slams his fist against the mesh, fed up, furious. : MILLS : I said, sit back, freak. Sit back and shut : your fucking mouth! : Die sits back, taking a deep breath and letting it out. : In the front seat, Somerset shoots a concerned glance at Mills, : then looks up into the rearview mirror. : IN THE MIRROR: Doe, calm, gives Somerset a smile. : Doe then turns his attention back out the passenger window, : watching the world pass by, his face pressed to the glass. : Mills sits forward in his seat, letting his anger come down. Doe : keeps staring out the window. A long pause. : JOHN DOE : Don't ask me to pity the people I killed. : I don't mourn them anymore than I mourn the : thousands who died in Sodom and Gomorrah. : Mills almost lets this pass, but can't. Blunted anger: : MILLS : You fuck. You really think what you did : was God's good work? : Pause. John Doe is pressing his forefinger into the tip of his : thumb, causing blood to drip from under the bandage. : JOHN DOE : The Lord works in mysterious ways. : 127 EXT. SKY -- EARLY EVENING 127 : The helicoper flies over huge, blackened industrial parks, past : smokestacks spewing soot. The sky is turning crimson. : 128 INT. POLICE HELICOPTER -- EARLY EVENING 128 : California leans way out looking back at the city. : 129 EXT. INDUSTRIAL ROAD -- EARLY EVENING 129 : Somerset's car comes down this rocky, deserted strip, towards the : industrial parks. The car tosses dirt into the air where it is : captured on the wind. : 130 EXT. SKY -- EARLY EVENING 130 : The chopper roars, low, close to the stretch of industrial road. : This is the only road through vast swampy fields. The industrial : parks are far behind. : 131 INT. POLICE HELICOPTER -- EARLY EVENING 131 : California still leans out, gun poised, looks over the fields. : CALIFORNIA : There ain't no ambush out here. There : ain't no fucking nothing out here. : PILOT (v.o.) : (through headset) : We got about two minutes before they come : up behind us. : CALIFORNIA : Go high. Way up. In sixty seconds, cut to : the west. : 132 EXT. SKY -- EARLY EVENING 132 : The chopper climbs, really moving. : 133 EXT. INDUSTRIAL ROAD -- EARLY EVENING 133 : Somerset's car comes down the road, surrounded by marshlands. : The car slows, then stops. Mills gets out and goes to extract : Doe. Somerset gets out, looking east to the industrial parks and : city beyond. The sky is darkening. : Somerset walks and looks to the west. The sky is red. Very far : away, a passenger train moves towards the hidden sun. : Somerset watches the train, walking to the edge of the roadway. : He looks down and steps back from what he sees. : A dead dog lies in the weeds, old and moldering. : Somerset turns to the car, where John Doe stands with Mills. Doe : points with his cuffed hands to the dog, grins. : JOHN DOE : I didn't do that. : 134 EXT. MARSHLANDS -- EARLY EVENING 134 : The wind howls, pounding on John Doe as he walks through the : swampy field. He walks slowly, encumbered by the deep muck and : by the short chain between his ankles. Mills is with Doe, : disgusted by the ooze covering his shoes and pants cuffs. He : looks ahead, cautious. Somerset walks behind them. : Doe keeps looking back towards the car on the industrial road. : MILLS : What are you looking for? : Doe looks forward. : JOHN DOE : What time is it? : SOMERSET : Why? : Somerset looks at his watch. It's one minutes after seven. : JOHN DOE : I want to know. : Mills gives Doe a shove. : Somerset looks back towards the industrial road, worried. : MILLS : Just keep leading the way. : JOHN DOE : It's close. : SOMERSET : Mills! : Mills and Doe look back at Somerset. Somerset is facing the : industrial road, pointing. A van is coming, dust flying. : Somerset looks at Mills. Mills looks at Somerset. They take out : their guns. Somerset starts towards the road. : SOMERSET : Stay with him. : MILLS : Wait! : SOMERSET : There's no time to discuss it! : Somerset runs to head off the van. : John Doe begins walking to follow Somerset. : JOHN DOE : There he goes. : Mills levels his gun at John Doe's head. : 135 EXT. MARSHLANDS, NEAR INDUSTRIAL ROAD -- EARLY EVENING 135 : Somerset runs, breathing hard, opening the top of his : bullet-proof vest to speak into his hidden microphone. : SOMERSET : There's a van... coming down the industrial : road. Coming from the east. : 136 INT. POLICE HELICOPTER -- EARLY EVENING 136 : The chopper is circling in the air, far from the marshlands with : the sun behind it. Another cop is in the hatchway beside : California, looking through binoculars. : SOMERSET (v.o.) : (from headset) : The van is coming form the east. I don't : know what it is. Come around. Come : around. : 137 EXT. MARSHLANDS, NEAR INDUSTRIAL ROAD -- EARLY EVENING 137 : Somerset continues, charging through the mire. : SOMERSET : Just get ready for anything and wait for my : signal. Wait for me. : 138 EXT. MARSHLANDS -- EARLY EVENING 138 : Mills keeps the gun on John Doe, watches Somerset far off. : JOHN DOE : It's good we have some time to talk. : Doe starts walking again. : MILLS : Get down. Get down on your knees! : Mills grabs Doe and pushes Doe's knees out with his foot, making : Doe kneel in the brown water. : Mills positions himself behind Doe so that Doe is between him and : the road. Now, Mills can keep the gun on Mills and still watch : Somerset. : 139 EXT. MARSHLANDS, INDUSTRIAL ROAD -- EARLY EVENING 139 : Somerset comes up on the road, near his car. He signals for the : van to stop, then fires a warning shot in the air. The van is : about one hundred yards away, still coming. : Somerset walks towards it, breathless, pointing his gun. : SOMERSET : Stop the van! Stop! : The van brakes, wheels sliding on the loose roadway. Stops. : Somerset moves up to it, staying about ten feet away. : SOMERSET : Get out! Get out with your hands on your : head! Do it now! : The driver of the van, a DELIVERYMAN, pushes the door open and : slides out, slow, takes off his sunglasses. : DELIVERYMAN : Jesus Christ, man, don't shoot me! : SOMERSET : Turn around. Hands on your head! : DELIVERYMAN : What the hell's going on? : SOMERSET : Who are you? What are you doing out here? : DELIVERYMAN : I'm... I'm just delivering a package. : 140 INT. POLICE HELICOPTER -- EARLY EVENING 140 : California listens as the chopper spins over industrial parks. : DELIVERYMAN (v.o.) : (through headset) : It's just a package for this guy... David. : Detective David Mills. : CALIFORNIA : Motherfucker. : The pilot looks back at California. : PILOT : Let's do it. : CALIFORNIA : No! Wait for Somerset! : 141 EXT. MARSHLANDS -- EARLY EVENING 141 : Mills and Doe can see Somerset keeping his distance from the : deliveryman. The deliveryman moves to the back of the van and : opens the van's rear door. : JOHN DOE : When I said I admired you... I meant what I : said. I do admire you. : Mills keeps his eyes on the van, but steps up to place his gun at : the back of Doe's head. Pulls the hammer back. : MILLS : Shut up. : 142 EXT. MARSHLANDS, INDUSTRIAL ROAD -- EARLY EVENING 142 : The deliveryman takes a brown package, about a foot square, from : the van. : DELIVERYMAN : This guy paid me five hundred bucks to : bring it out here. He wanted it here at : exactly seven o'clock. : SOMERSET : Put it down. Put it on the ground. : DELIVERYMAN : Okay... : He puts it on the road and backs away, holding up his hands. : Somerset glances into the field to see Doe on his knees with : Mills behins him. Somerset looks at the package. Written on : top: DETECTIVE DAVID MILLS -- HANDLE WITH CARE. : SOMERSET : (to deliveryman) : Go. Get out of here! : The deliveryman backs off, then scrambles into the van. Somerset : pulls back his bullet-proof vest and speaks into the mic. : SOMERSET : There's a package here. It's from John Doe. : The van tears away. Somerset doesn't know what to do. He walks : around the package, reholsters his gun. : SOMERSET : I don't know... I don't know... : He looks out towards Doe and Mills. : 143 INT. HELICOPTER -- EARLY EVENING 143 : California waits, listening, looking into the blood-red sky. : SOMERSET (.o.) : (through headset) : I'm going to have to open it. : 144 EXT. MARSHLANDS -- EARLY EVENING 144 : Mills watches Somerset kneel beside the package on the road. : JOHN DOE : I wish I could have been a normal man like : you. I wish I could have a simple life. : MILLS : What the fuck is going on here?! : 145 EXT. MARSHLANDS, INDUSTRIAL ROAD -- EARLY EVENING 145 : Somerset pulls his switchblade, clicks it open. : He cuts across the top of the box, hands shaking, cuts quickly. : He pulls the box open, pulls at some bubble-wrap inside. : 146 INT. POLICE HELICOPTER -- EARLY EVENING 146 : The pilot grits his teeth. : PILOT : (into helmet mic) : Let's go! : CALIFORNIA : We are going to wait! : California listens. : SOMERSET (v.o.) : (through headset) : Oh, Christ... oh Christ... : 147 EXT. MARSHLANDS, INDUSTRIAL ROAD -- EARLY EVENING 147 : Somerset stumbles backwards, away from the open box. He is white : as a sheet, eyes filled with numb fear. He leans against his car : for support, wretches, sick, holds the back of his hand to his : mouth. : SOMERSET : No... : 148 EXT. MARSHLANDS -- EARLY EVENING 148 : Mills is watching Somerset, grabs John Doe by the shirt. : MILLS : Get up. Stand up! Let's go! : Doe stands, tries to walk. Mills is walking quickly, towards : Somerset. Doe can't keep up. : JOHN DOE : You've made a good life for yourself... : MILLS : Shut up! : Doe falls and Mills starts dragging him through the reeds. : 149 EXT. MARSHLANDS, INDUSTRIAL ROAD -- EARLY EVENING 149 : Somerset wipes saliva from his lips and tears from his eyes. He : takes a deep breath, looks to see Mills dragging Doe. : SOMERSET : Oh, fuck, no... : Somerset straightens, tries to pull himself together. He : swallows, draws his gun. : SOMERSET : (into hidden mic) : Listen... listen to me. Whatever you do... : don't come in here. Stay away. No matter : what you hear, do not move in! : (starts towards Mills) : John Doe has the upper hand. : Somerset picks up his switchblade and flips the blade back in. : He enters the marsh. : 150 EXT. MARSHLANDS -- EARLY EVENING : 150 : Mills sees Somerset coming and pulls Doe so that Doe stands. : JOHN DOE : (quietly, watching) : Here he comes. : MILLS : (shouts to Somerset) : What the fuck is going on? : JOHN DOE : (to Mills) : I want you to know, I wish I could have : lived like you do. : Somerset starts running towards Mills, mud splattering. : SOMERSET : Mills... put down your gun! Throw it away! : Mills leaves Doe behind, walks towards Somerset, gun down. : MILLS : What? : Somerset is fifty yards away and closing. : SOMERSET : Throw your gun down now! : MILLS : What are you talking about? What happened? : JOHN DOE : Are you listening to me, Detective Mills? : I'm trying to tell you how much I admire : you... and your pretty wife Tracy. : Mills freezes, turns to Doe. Doe smiles. Somerset is close. : SOMERSET : Throw your weapon, detective! Now! : MILLS : (to John Doe) : What did you say? : JOHN DOE : It's surprising how easily a member of the : press can purchase information from the men : in your precinct. : SOMERSET : David... please... : JOHN DOE : I visited your home this morning, after you : left. : Mills is filled with an aching terror. : JOHN DOE : I tried to play husband... tried to taste : the life of a simple man, but it didn't : work out. So, I took a souvenir. : Mills turns to look at Somerset with pleading eyes. Somerset : holds out his hand. : SOMERSET : Give me the gun. : JOHN DOE : Her pretty head. : MILLS : Somerset... : JOHN DOE : Because I envy your normal life. Envy is : my sin. : Somerset can't hold back tears. : Fury rises in Mill and he turns to level his gun at John Doe. : Somerset raises his gun and points it at Mills. : SOMERSET : No! : Mills sees Somerset's gun, raises his gun to Somerset. : MILLS : Tell me it's not true. : SOMERSET : I can't let you do this... : Mills steps forward, enraged. : MILLS : Put your gun down!! : SOMERSET : Don't do this... please... : MILLS : Put the gun down, Somerset! : A pause. Somerset's gun hand is trembling. The wind whips : across them. The HELICOPTER can be HEARD distantly. Somerset : throws his gun down. : SOMERSET : David, listen to me... : Mills goes to grab John Doe by the throat and puts the gun to : Doe's forehead, blind with rage. : Somerset holds his hand behind his back, opens his switchblade. : SOMERSET : He wants this! He wants you to do it! : Doe is staring into Mills' eyes with wild expectation. : JOHN DOE : Kill me. : Doe lowers his head, waiting for execution. : Mills holds the gun at Doe's head, undecided, furious. : Somerset edges towards them. : MILLS : (looks to Somerset) : Stop it! You stay away! : Somerset moves the switchblade so he's holding it by the blade, : ready to throw, keeping it hidden. : SOMERSET : I can't let you do this! : Mills kicks Doe and throws him backwards on the ground. The : HELICOPTER is CLOSER. : Mills stands over Doe and points the gun. : JOHN DOE : She begged for her life, and for the life : of your baby inside her. : Mills' face fills with confusion -- then a wave of horror. : Doe's eyes register shock. : JOHN DOE : You didn't know. : SOMERSET : NO! : Somerset brings his hand out to throw the blade, but Mills reacts : to the movement, turns on Somerset and fires -- BLAM! : Somerset flies backwards in the air, bullet exploding into his : shoulder, just above the bullet-proof vest's opening. : Somerset hits the ground, crying out, bloody, writhing. : Mills turns the gun on John Doe. : 151 INT. POLICE HELICOPTER -- EARLY EVENING 151 : The chopper is over the marshland. California is leaning out : with his rifle. He cringes from the sounds as FROM HIS HEADSET : is HEARD: BLAM -- BLAM -- BLAM -- BLAM -- BLAM. : INSERT -- TITLE CARD : TWO WEEKS LATER : 152 INT. HOSPITAL ROOM -- DAY 152 : Somerset sits in a wheelchair. He is dressed in a hospital gown. : His upper chest and shoulder are wrapped in bandages. He stares : out the window at the city's buildings. : CAPTAIN (o.s) : Hey there, Somerset. : Somerset turns to see the captain. Somerset looks weak, older. : SOMERSET : Hello. : The captain walks in, carrying something behind his back. : CAPTAIN : How you feeling? : SOMERSET : I can breathe withour pain now, so I guess : I feel great. : Somerset musters a lame smile. The captain sits on the bed. : CAPTAIN : The guys at the precinct heard you're : getting out today. Anyway, we all chipped : in... : The captain takes a big tool belt full of tools from behind his : back. He hands it over. Somerset looks at it and lays it on his : lap. He smiles for real. : SOMERSET : Thank you. Tell them, thank you. : CAPTAIN : We figure you need all the tools you can : get to fix up that piece of shit you call a : house. : SOMERSET : Yeah, that's true. : Somerset continues examining the tools. : CAPTAIN : They're hoping you stop and say goodbye : before you go, but I told them not to : expect it. : SOMERSET : (not looking up) : It would be too hard. : The captain stands. : CAPTAIN : I have to get going, but... there is one : more thing. : Somerset looks up. The captain takes a letter from his pocket. : CAPTAIN : I don't know if you're going to want it. : It was down front. It's from Mills. : Somerset pauses, then puts out his hand to take it. : CAPTAIN : He's being arraigned tomorrow. : SOMERSET : I read about it in the paper. : Somerset just looks at the letter. : CAPTAIN : I guess... decide for yourself. I don't : know what it says. I'm going to go. : SOMERSET : I'll see you. : The captain nods and walks into the hall. : Somerset wheels back to the window. He looks at the letter. : Pause. He opens it. Unfolds the paper inside. : The note reads: : YOU WERE RIGHT. YOU WERE : RIGHT ABOUT EVERYTHING. : Somerset closes the note, upset. : 153 INT. HOSPITAL, MAIN NURSES' STATION -- DAY 153 : Somerset is in street clothes. He signs a form at the busy front : desk. A NURSE takes the form and hands Somerset a large manila : envelope. : NURSE : There you go, Mister Somerset. : "Mister" causes Somerset to look strangely at the nurse. : NURSE : Yes? : SOMERSET : Nothing. : 154 EXT. HOSPITAL -- DAY 154 : Somerset comes down the stairs, slowly, tired. He holds the : manila envelope and a small suitcase. The streets are busy with : pedestrians and traffic. : He walks down the sidewalk. : He puts down the suitcase and opens the manila envelope to look : inside. He sorts through the contents, takes out his keys and : puts them in his pocket. : He reaches in the envelope again, and takes out the square of : wallpaper with the pale, red rose on it. There is some dried : blood on the paper. Somerset lays the envelope on the ground : beside the suitcase. : He looks at the rose, tries to scratch off the blood. : He looks up, squinting from the sun, at the city bustling around : him. At the tight canyon formed by the buildings. : At the cars, buses and taxis racing in the streets. : At a man, talking to himself, who lies on the sidewalk, : surrounded by garbage. : At the people, miserable people, walking past him. : Somerset takes out the note from Mills: YOU WERE RIGHT. YOU WERE : RIGHT ABOUT EVERYTHING. : A father passes by, holding his young son's hand. Somerset turns : to watch them pass. The father reaches to pick the son up and : carry him in his arms. The boy laughs and holds tight. : The father hugs his son to him, kisses him on the cheek. The boy : returns the kiss with great affection. : Somerset watches them disappear in the mass of humanity. He : looks back at the two papers in his hands. He lets out a sigh. : SOMERSET : (to himself) : Oh... man... : He sighs again, drained. : He puts the pale paper rose inside the note from Mills. He folds : them together. : He tears them both up, into little pieces. : 155 EXT. PRECINCT HOUSE -- DAY 155 : Cars roll by in the street. Cops come and go. : Somerset walks up the stairs, into the precinct house. The doors : shut behind him. : THE END

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