Air Force One Script - Screenplay

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                                    Air Force One Script

                                     by Andrew Marlow 
 
 


               FADE IN:

               INT. C-130 HERCULES TURBO-PROP - NIGHT

               Eighteen combat-ready special forces, wearing assault black, 
               jump packs and combat gear, stare down the deep end of a 
               greasy ramp into the night sky.  Village lights flicker 19,000 
               feet below.

               The STRIKE FORCE LEADER signals to his team.

               Without a moment's hesitation, they dive into the darkness 
               and plummet toward earth.

               EXT. MANSION - NIGHT

               A military GUARD, old Soviet-style uniform, rounds the corner 
               of the large estate toting an AK-47.

               A red laser dot appears briefly on his forehead and, after a 
               beat, the red dot seems to bleed.  The Guard collapses dead.  
               Two other GUARDS are dispatched with single, silenced shots.

               A Strike Team member at a junction box awaits a signal.

               Through infra-red binoculars the strike Force Leader watches 
               his assault troops as they take positions.

                                     STRIKE FORCE LEADER
                              (into headset/in 
                              Russian)
                         GO!

               On the estate - as the power goes out.  The team on the 
               mansion's front porch pops the door and pours in.

               INT. MANSION - NIGHT

               FOLLOWING - the FIVE TEAM MEMBERS as they rush a stairway in 
               phalanx formation.  They nearly knock over an old lady, who 
               in turn lets out a blood curdling scream.

               UPSTAIRS CORRIDOR -

               The team kicks open a door.  Rushes into the room.

               INT. BEDROOM -

               Assault weapons pointed at the bed.  The soldiers yank back 
               bedsheets to reveal IVAN STRAVANAVITCH, a middle-aged man 
               and his half-naked 18-year-old concubine.

                                     SOLDIER
                              (in Russian)
                         Get up, now!  Up!

               The soldiers pull Stravanavitch to his feet and haul him out 
               of the room.

               FOLLOWING -  As they push down the hallway.

               MANSION SECURITY GUARDS rally with haphazard gunfire.

               Out come the strike force's flash-bang grenades.  Exploding 
               everywhere, disorienting Stravanavitch's men.

               EXT. FIELD - NIGHT

               Signal flares burn as a helicopter descends on the position.  
               The Strike Team evacuates across the field and forces a 
               struggling Stravanavitch into the low-hovering copter.

               The commandos swiftly board the craft as a handful of 
               Stravanavitch's guards break into the clearing.  They open 
               fire.

               And the mounted machine guns on the helicopter return.

               One of the Strike Team members takes a bullet to the neck.  
               He's' pulled by his comrades into the chopper as it lifts 
               into the sky, its guns spitting lead...

               STRIKE FORCE LEADER (V.0.)

               Archangel, this is Restitution.

               Archangel, this is Restitution.  The package is wrapped.  
               Over.

                                     VOICE (V.0. RADIO)
                         Roger, Restitution.  We are standing 
                         by for delivery.

                                     FADE TO BLACK
                         The SOUNDS of a dinner banquet.  
                         Forks clanking against plates and 
                         the din of a hundred conversations, 
                         broken by...

               The DING, DING, DING of a SPOON tapping against a wine glass.

               SUPER TITLE:   "MOSCOW - THREE WEEKS LATER

               FADE IN:

               INT. BANQUET ROOM - NIGHT

               Hundreds of men and women in formal evening wear sit at round 
               banquet tables.  A HUSH falls over the guests as the DINGING 
               continues.  All attention turns to the front table.

               A rotund, silver haired-man in his late sixties rises and 
               sidles past U.S. and Russian flags up to the podium 
               microphone.  He is STOLI PETROV, President of Russia.

                                     PETROV
                              (in Russian)
                         Thank you for joining us this evening.

               Petrov's harsh Russian issues through the room.  But over it 
               we hear a young woman's voice translating.

                                     TRANSLATOR (V.0.)
                         Tonight we are honored to have with 
                         us a man of remarkable courage, who, 
                         despite strong international 
                         criticism...

               AT THE FRONT TABLE -

               A translator's words ring in the earpiece of a handsome man 
               in his mid-forties.  Worry lines crease his forehead and the 
               touch of gray at his temples attest to three very difficult 
               years in office.

               This man is JAMES MARSHALL, and he is the PRESIDENT of the 
               UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.  He busily makes last minute changes 
               to his speech.

                                     TRANSLATOR
                              (V.0. earpiece)
                         Has chosen to join our fight against 
                         tyranny in forging a new world 
                         community.  Ladies and gentlemen, I 
                         give you the President of the United 
                         States of America...

               Mr. President.

               Thunderous applause as Marshall rises and approaches the 
               podium.

               At the back of the room, DOHERTY, a senior policy adviser 
               whispers to the President's Chief of Staff ED SHEPHERD...

                                     DOHERTY
                         Maybe we should consider running him 
                         for re-election instead of the U.S.

               The applause dies as Marshall begins to speak.

                                     MARSHALL
                              (in Russian with 
                              subtitles)
                         Good evening and thank you.  First I 
                         would ask you to join me in a moment 
                         of silence for the victims of the 
                         Turkmenistan massacres.

               The room remains silent a few beats.  Most guests respectfully 
               bow their heads.

               Marshall begins again, but this time in English.  The young 
               woman translates simultaneously for the Russian audience.

                                     MARSHALL
                         As you know, three weeks ago American 
                         Special Forces, in cooperation with 
                         the Russian Republican Army, secured 
                         the arrest of Turkmenistan's self-
                         proclaimed dictator, General Ivan 
                         Stravanavitch, whose brutal sadistic 
                         reign had given new meaning to the 
                         word horror.  I am proud to say our 
                         operation was a success.

               Applause from the audience.  Marshall turns the page on his 
               speech.

                                     MARSHALL
                         And now, yesterday's biggest threat 
                         to world peace... today awaits trial 
                         for crimes against humanity.

               During the applause, Marshall pulls a page from the speech, 
               folds it and slides it into his pocket.  He removes his 
               glasses and looks out into the crowd.  His tone becomes more 
               personal.

               He's not reciting the speech anymore.

                                     MARSHALL
                         What we did here was important.  We 
                         finally pulled our heads out of the 
                         sand, we finally stood up to the 
                         brutality and said "We've had enough.  
                         Every time we ignore these atrocities-- 
                         the rapes, the death squads, the 
                         genocides- every time we negotiate 
                         with these, these thugs to keep them 
                         out of gig country and away from gig 
                         families, every time we do thiS.E. 
                         we legitimize terror.

               Terror is not a legitimate system of government.  And to 
               those who commit the atrocities I say, we will no longer 
               tolerate, we will no longer negotiate, and we will no longer 
               be afraid.  It's your turn to be afraid.

               Applause rolls through the crowd.

               EXT. MOSCOW INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT - NIGHT

               Sprawling terminals spread out to runways like tentacles.

               ON THE TARMAC -

               Bathed in floodlights, perched majestically on the runway, 
               dwarfing nearby commuter and military jets, stands...

                                     AIR FORCE ONE
                         The President's own Boeing 747-200, 
                         dubbed "the flying White House".  
                         The distinctive royal blue stripe 
                         over a thin gold line tapers to a 
                         tail adorned with the American flag 
                         and the Presidential Seal Secret 
                         Service agents and Marines stand 
                         guard at the aircraft's perimeter.

               A RUSSIAN NEWS VAN emerges from the darkness and pulls to a 
               stop by a Secret Service barricade.

               SPECIAL AGENT GIBBS greets the Russian news team that emerges.

                                     GIBBS
                         Gentlemen, welcome to Air Force One.

               Please present your equipment to Special Agent Walters for 
               inspection.

               The news team's segment producer, a crusty old Russian named 
               KORSHUNOV raises his big bushy eyebrows.

                                     KORSHUNOV
                         We've already been inspected.

                                     GIBBS
                         Sir, this plane carries the President 
                         of the United States.

               Though we wish to extend your press service every courtesy, 
               you will comply with our security measures to the letter.

                                     KORSHUNOV
                         Of course.  I'm sorry.

               Korshunov and the FIVE MEMBERS of his news crew present their 
               video cameras, sound equipment and supplies to Special Agent 
               WALTERS for inspection.  Secret Service DOGS sniff through 
               the baggage.

                                     GIBBS
                         Please place your thumbs on the ID 
                         pad.

               Korshunov puts his thumb on the ID pad of a portable computer.

               The computer matches up his thumbprint with his dossier and 
               photograph.  "CLEARED" flashes on the computer screen.

               INT. HALLWAY - NIGHT

               The President, walking with his entourage.

                                     SHEPHERD
                         *                     CBS said they'll 
                         give us four minutes.  They thought 
                         the Russian was a nice touch.

                                     MARSHALL
                         I always wondered if my freshman 
                         Russian class would come in handy.

                                     DOHERTY
                         Sir, you threw out page two.

                                     MARSHALL
                         Goddamn right I did.  I asked for a 
                         tough-as-nails speech and you gave 
                         me diplomatic bullshit.  What's the 
                         point in having a speech if I have 
                         to ad-lib?

                                     DOHERTY
                         It was a good ad-lib, sir.

                                     MARSHALL
                         Thanks.  Wrote it last night.

               The President exits the building and enters his limousine.

               EXT. TARMAC - AIR FORCE ONE - NIGHT

               Walters hands the bags back to the Russians.

                                     WALTERS
                         Equipment checks out.

               A striking woman in her early thirties descends Air Force 
               One's stairway.  MARIA MITCHELL.

                                     GIBBS
                         Gentlemen, this is Maria Mitchell.

               Press Relations for the Presidential Flight Office.  She'll 
               take you from here.

                                     KORSHUNOV
                         Ms.  Mitchell.  So nice to finally 
                         meet you in person.

                                     MITCHELL
                         The President and I were delighted 
                         that we could accommodate you.  Now 
                         if you're all cleared?
                              (Gibbs nods)
                         You can follow me then.

               They ascend into the belly of Air Force One.

                                     MITCHELL
                         *                    I'll be giving 
                         you a brief tour, then during the 
                         flight, two members of your crew 
                         will be allowed out of the press 
                         area at a time for filming.  You 
                         will have exactly ten minutes with 
                         the President and twenty with the 
                         crew...

               EXT. STREETS OF MOSCOW, PRESIDENT'S MOTORCADE - NIGHT

               Winding its way down narrow cobblestone streets onto a major 
               thoroughfare.

               INT. PRESIDENTIAL LIMOUSINE - NIGHT

               The limousine is packed with advisers, aides, military staff, 
               including LT. COL. PERKINS, the keeper of the NUCLEAR FOOTBALL 
               handcuffed to his wrist.  In the b.g. on the limo's television 
               set, the LARRY KING SHOW indulges in its normal banter.

               Marshall wearily rubs his temples as he stifles a yawn.

                                     SHEPHERD
                         You wanna knock of f?

                                     MARSHALL
                         No, no.  I'm fine.  What did the 
                         Speaker say?

                                     SHEPHERD
                         He and the NRA don't like the wording.

                                     DOHERTY
                         Apparently taking uzis away from 
                         sixth graders isn't as popular as we 
                         thought it'd be.  Representative 
                         Taylor is working on a compromise.

                                     MARSHALL
                         Put together a score sheet.  I'll 
                         make some calls.

                                     SHEPHERD
                         With all due respect, sir, maybe you 
                         should give them this one.  Your 
                         numbers are still pretty low and you 
                         called in a lot of chips to nail 
                         Stravanavitch.

                                     MARSHALL
                         I might still have a few chips left.

                                     SHEPHERD
                         *                     We could always 
                         put you in a duck blind with a twelve 
                         gauge.  The second amendment types'll 
                         love that.

                                     MARSHALL
                         This is a crime bill, Shep.  Killing 
                         a couple ducks won't get it through 
                         committee.  Besides, Shep, I told 
                         you...  I don't shoot babies and I 
                         don't kiss guns.

                                     SHEPHERD
                         Other way around, sir.

                                     MARSHALL
                              (realizing what he 
                              said)
                         Right... Christ I'm tired.  Do me a 
                         favor and keep me away from the press.

               Marshall's watch alarm beeps and he automatically reaches 
               into his breast pocket, pulls out a medicine vial and downs 
               two pills with a coffee chaser.

               On the T.V.

                                     LARRY KING (T.V.)
                         ... and your reaction to the 
                         President's trip to Moscow.  Good or 
                         bad?

               Shepherd turns up the volume.

                                     SHEPHERD
                         This is the part I wanted you to 
                         see.

                                     REP. DANFORTH (T.V.)
                         Criminal.  One of our boys died in 
                         Marshall's little publicity stunt 
                         and for what?  So we could claim 
                         victory over another country's 
                         problems instead of our own?  And 
                         now he's got the nerve to prance 
                         around Moscow gloating, while that 
                         poor boy's family is left to bury 
                         him.  If I were Marshall, I'd be 
                         ashamed of myself.

                                     LARRY KING
                         There you have it.  Harsh words for 
                         the President from Michael Danforth, 
                         the Speaker of the House.

               Marshall mutes the television.  A quiet moment.

                                     SHEPHERD
                         *                     My opinion.  
                         We can't let him get away with that 
                         kind of language.

               Marshall considers.  Then decides.

                                     MARSHALL
                         It's bait.  Don't take it.

                                     SHEPHERD
                         Sir, the Speaker of the House attacked 
                         this administration on national 
                         television.  You can't afford to 
                         leave that hanging.

                                     MARSHALL
                              (ignoring Shepherd)
                         Did we tape the Duke game?

                                     AIDE
                         It's waiting on the plane.  The ending 
                         was pretty...

                                     MARSHALL
                              (interrupting)
                         Please don't tell me.  Just for once, 
                         *                     let me be 
                         surprised.

               INT. AIR FORCE ONE, CORRIDOR, TRAVELING - NIGHT

               Maria Mitchell escorts the Russians down the plane's length.  
               As they pass the galley, Maria motions up a set of stairs.

                                     MITCHELL
                         Up on the upper deck is the cockpit 
                         and the Mission Communication Center.  
                         The MCC, as we call it, can place 
                         clear and secure phone calls to 
                         anywhere on earth.  We're linked to 
                         a network of military and civilian 
                         satellites and ground stations.  We 
                         could run the country or run a war 
                         from there if we had to.

                                     KORSHUNOV
                         This is a remarkable aircraft.

                                     MITCHELL
                         You don't know the half of it.  Did 
                         you know this entire plane is shielded 
                         from radiation?  We could fly through 
                         a mushroom cloud completely unharmed 
                         if necessary.

                                     KORSHUNOV
                         A dubious distinction, no?

                                     MITCHELL
                         I guess it depends on your 
                         perspective.

               They walk by several conference rooms, running down the 
               starboard side of the plane.

                                     KORSHUNOV
                         And all these rooms here?

                                     MITCHELL
                         Conference rooms, though some have 
                         other functions.  The one up front 
                         doubles as an emergency medical 
                         center.

               Past the conference rooms, they walk by a small side room 
               where SECRETARIES work on computers, generating documents.

                                     MITCHELL
                         As you can see, back here's more 
                         like a regular plane.  Security and 
                         Secret Service take this cabin.
                         You'll be in the rear with the press 
                         pool.

               The REAR PRESS CABIN, just ahead of the rear galley and bank 
               of bathrooms.  A handful of disgruntled reporters feign sleep.

                                     MITCHELL
                         Here's a press kit.  I'll let you 
                         guys get comfortable and once we're 
                         airborne I'll be able to schedule 
                         the interviews.

                                     KORSHUNOV
                         Thank you.

               Mitchell exits forward.  One of the reporters stirs and looks 
               up at the news team.  He groans.  Space is a premium back 
               here.

                                     REPORTER
                         You fellas win some sort of fly-with-
                         POTUS contest?

                                     KORSHUNOV
                         Potus?  What is Potus?

                                     REPORTER
                         P.O.T.U.S. President Of The United 
                         States.

                                     KORSHUNOV
                         Ah, no.  We won nothing.  We are 
                         ITAR-TASS news service.

                                     REPORTER
                         Right.  Listen, this here... This is 
                         my row.  You'll have to sit over 
                         there.

               Korshunov trades looks with his news team.

               EXT. MOSCOW INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT - NIGHT

               The President's motorcade pulls up in front of Air Force 
               One.

               INT. AIR FORCE ONE - NIGHT

               The President and his entourage ascend from the lower deck 
               platform onto the main deck.  COL. DANIEL AXELROD, Air Force 
               One's pilot, snaps off a salute as he passes.

                                     COL. AXELROD
                         Welcome aboard, Mr. President.

                                     MARSHALL
                              (returns salute)
                         Hey Danny.  How's it look tonight?

                                     COL. AXELROD
                         Glassy, sir.  Care to take the wheel?

                                     MARSHALL
                         You keep offering, one of these days 
                         I'll take you up on it.
                              (to no one in 
                              particular)
                         Rose and Alice back yet?

                                     AIDE
                         No, Mr. President.  The ballet ran 
                         late.  Their ETA is seventeen minutes.

               Marshall nods as he pulls off his bow tie and enters his 
               stateroom.  Shepherd follows two steps behind.

                                     SHEPHERD
                         Mr. President?

               Marshall halts Shepherd with a gesture.

                                     MARSHALL
                         Thirty seconds.

               Shepherd nods and waits by the door.  Lt. Col. Perkins takes 
               a seat outside the Presidents stateroom and opens the latest 
               Tom Clancy thriller, using the nuclear football as a lap 
               desk.

               INT. PRESIDENT'S STATEROOM - NIGHT

               Marshall collapses on the couch, rubs his eyes, then closes 
               them.  A moment of peace in a breakneck day.

               The knock at the door jars him.

                                     MARSHALL
                         Yes.

               Shepherd enters.

                                     SHEPHERD
                         Can I at least issue a press release 
                         objecting to the Speaker's choice of 
                         wording?

               President Marshall picks up one of the many phones in his 
               office.

                                     MARSHALL
                         I said it's not worth the fight.
                              (into phone)
                         Steward, please.

                                     SHEPHERD
                         We'll just say it was in bad taste.

               *                               MARSHALL

               Forget it, Shep.  The kid gave his life for his country and 
               the

               Speaker's a bastard for turning him into a sound bite.  I'll 
               take the heat.  Understood?

                                     SHEPHERD
                         You give me ulcers.

                                     MARSHALL
                         That's my job.

               A STEWARD enters the room.

                                     STEWARD
                         Mr. President?

                                     MARSHALL
                         Hey Mike.  Could you get me a 
                         Heineken?

                                     SHEPHERD
                         No, wait.  Get him one of the Russian 
                         beers.

               The steward nods and disappears from the room.

                                     SHEPHERD
                         We've got those Russian news guys on 
                         board and it'll look good in the 
                         papers.

               Marshall picks up a stack of policy reports.  Thumbs through 
               them.

                                     MARSHALL
                         C'mon Shep.  I've been eating borscht 
                         and drinking vodka for days.  Isn't 
                         that enough?
                              (off paper)
                         New home starts are down.

               The steward arrives with the Russian beer.  Marshall takes a 
               swig.  He swallows hard.  Piss-water.  Marshall crosses to 
               his sink and pours the beer out.  He hands the bottle to the 
               steward.

                                     MARSHALL
                         Fill this with Heineken.

               The steward nods...

                                     STEWARD
                         Yes, Mr. President.

               AND SLINKS AWAY WITH THE BOTTLE. MARSHALL CATCHES HIMSELF --

                                     MARSHALL
                         I don't believe this.  I'm playing 
                         politics with a bottle of beer.  A 
                         goddamn bottle of beer.  I've been 
                         in office too long.

                                     SHEPHERD
                         Look on the bright side... if the 
                         polls don't change, you won't have 
                         that problem, sir.

               Marshall picks up the phone again.

                                     MARSHALL
                         Yeah.  Put the Duke game on in my 
                         room.

               INT. AFO'S MISSION COMMUNICATION CENTER - NIGHT

               THREE Air Force SPECIALISTS man the elaborate communication 
               system occupying much of the upper deck.  Top-of-the-line 
               computers, communication systems, video decks, and satellite 
               receivers.

                                     AIR FORCE SPECIALIST
                         Yes, Mr. President.

               He slides in a videotape and channels the feed to the *         
               president's stateroom.

               INT. PRESIDENT'S STATEROOM - NIGHT

               A monitor comes to life with a basketball game.

                                     MARSHALL
                              (to Shepherd)
                         Defense and State Department in the 
                         conference room in one hour.  I want 
                         to review the Iraq situation.

                                     SHEPHERD
                         Yes, sir.

               Shepherd exits as Marshall settles into his leather chair 
               and dives into work.  He punches a button on the speakerphone.

                                     MARSHALL
                         Get me the Housing Secretary...

               EXT. AIR FORCE ONE - NIGHT

               The Marine Guards snap to attention once again as the First 
               Lady's motorcade arrives.

               ROSE MARSHALL, a self-assured woman with an aristocratic 
               gleam, alights from her limo.  She takes a few steps, then 
               turns, tapping her foot impatiently.

                                     ROSE
                         C'mon Alice, we're 20 minutes late.

               Your father's gonna have a fit.

               ALICE, the President's 13-year-old daughter, straggles out 
               of the car, rolling her eyes.

                                     ALICE
                         It's not like he hasn't made us wait 
                         a few times.

                                     ROSE
                         Well, you aren't the President, dear.

                                     ALICE
                         Yeah, no duh.

               INT. MAIN DECK, AIR FORCE ONE - NIGHT

               As the First Lady's entourage enters.

                                     ROSE
                         Why don't you go say hi?

               Again, Alice rolls her eyes.

                                     ROSE
                         What is wrong with you tonight?  
                         Come here.

               Rose pulls Alice aside.

                                     ROSE
                         You don't want to say hi to your 
                         father?

                                     ALICE
                         I'm sure he's busy.

                                     ROSE
                         Don't you even want to ask?

               Alice toes her foot into the carpet as she releases an 
               exasperated sigh.  She is, in this moment, the patron saint 
               of know-it-all 13-year-old girls.  Alice waves toward the 
               Presidential Suite.

                                     ALICE
                         If I go over there to say hi to daddy 
                         President, Mike's going to tell me 
                         he's in a meeting and can't be 
                         disturbed.  Then when the plane starts 
                         to taxi, he'll come out and say "Hey, 
                         are you guys back?  Did you enjoy 
                         the ballet?"  But he'll be on his 
                         way to another meeting and won't 
                         wait for an answer.  Then you'll get 
                         pissed at him and he'll get pissed 
                         at you.  It's like you guys rehearse 
                         or something.

               With the weight of the entire world on her shoulders, Alice

               Collapses into one of the many leather chairs.  It seems to 
               swallow her.  JORY, a steward passes.

                                     ALICE
                         Hey Joey, how `bout a cocoa, double 
                         whip cream.

                                     ROSE
                         Alice...

                                     ALICE
                         Mom, just this once, give it a rest.

                                     ROSE
                         You're jet-lagged.  We'll talk about 
                         this back...

                                     ALICE
                         Back at The Fishbowl?

               Alice eyes the swirl of Aides who are pretending to work 
               nearby.

               But it's obvious that they're eavesdropping.  Alice smiles 
               and waves at them dramatically.

                                     ROSE
                         We'll talk at home.
                              (beat)
                         You know, most girls aren't as lucky 
                         as you.  For most girls seeing the 
                         Bolshoi ballet would be the experience 
                         of a lifetime.

                                     ALICE
                         I know, Mom.
                              (sees the hurt in her 
                              mom's eyes and softens)
                         It was great... really.

               Rose nods, smiling a half-smile.  After a thoughtful beat, 
               Alice gets up and crosses to the Presidential suite.  She 
               exchanges words with the Aide standing outside the door and 
               comes back, covering her disappointment.

                                     ALICE
                         He's in a meeting.  He can't be 
                         disturbed.

                                     ROSE
                         I'm sorry, honey.

                                     ALICE
                         No, it's okay.  After all, he is the 
                         President, right?

               Joey the steward hands her her cocoa with a wink and a smile.

               Her eyes light up at the mound of whip cream on top.

                                     ALICE
                         When I write my memoirs I think I'll 
                         devote an entire chapter to the cocoa 
                         aboard Air Force One.

                                     ROSE
                         Your father never means to be so...

                                     ALICE
                         I know...
                              (beat)
                         But lotsa times I feel like it's me 
                         versus the world.  Some kid at school 
                         teases me and the same day a plague 
                         breaks out in Bangladesh.  I mean it 
                         doesn't take a genius to figure which 
                         is more important.

                                     ROSE
                         Some kids were teasing you?

                                     ALICE
                         That's not really the point.

               A quiet pause, then...

                                     ROSE
                         You're right and I'll tell you a 
                         secret.  I know exactly how you feel.

                                     ALICE
                         Big secret.  You said the same thing 
                         to Newsweek.

               The plane jolts forward as it begins to taxi.

                                     ALICE
                         We're taxiing.  Ready.  And... five...  
                         four... three.. two... one... Cue 
                         Daddy.

               Alice points.  And as if on cue, Marshall exits from his 
               office and checks his watch.

                                     ALICE
                         Oooooh, I'm good.

                                     MARSHALL
                         Hey, you guys back already?

               Alice nods.

                                     MARSHALL
                         How was...
                              (thinks, then remembers)
                         ...the ballet?

                                     ALICE
                              (theatrically)
                         It was the experience of a lifetime.

                                     MARSHALL
                         How `bout a hug for the old man.

               Alice rises and hugs her father.  A White House PHOTOGRAPHER 
               snaps off a few shots for the papers.  Alice makes a face at 
               them.  A second later, Shepherd comes up the corridor, 
               breaking up the pair.

                                     SHEPHERD
                         Mr. President... they're ready for 
                         you in the conference room.

                                     MARSHALL
                         Okay.  Hey, pumpkin, you'll tell me 
                         all about it later, right?

                                     ALICE
                         Sure.

               As Marshall moves toward the conference room, he bends and 
               gives Rose a quick peck on the cheek.  It all reeks of 
               formality.

                                     ROSE
                         May I speak to you for a moment?

                                     MARSHALL
                         Can't it wait?

                                     ROSE
                         No, Mr. President.  It can't.

               INT.  PRESIDENT'S OFFICE.

               Rose shuts the door behind them.  As she starts to speak, 
               Marshall pulls her into a long passionate kiss.  Rose pulls 
               away.

                                     ROSE
                         Don't.  I know spin control when I 
                         feel it.

                                     MARSHALL
                         Rose, I don't have time for this.

               I've gotta go stop a war.

                                     ROSE
                         For godsakes, Jim, slow down and 
                         stop acting like the little dutch 
                         boy.  Not even you can plug all the 
                         world's leaks.  Don't you think it's 
                         a sign you're pushing too hard when 
                         your daughter sees more of you on 
                         MTV news than in person.

                                     MARSHALL
                         She's a big girl.  She understands.

                                     ROSE
                         How do you know she understands?  
                         You haven't spent more than five 
                         minutes with her, or me, in weeks.

                                     MARSHALL
                         And when have I had five minutes?
                         When I wake up in the morning and 
                         I'm already three hours behind 
                         Schedule.  What do you want me to 
                         do, Rose, tell the G7 to fuck off 
                         because I'm a family man?

                                     (BEAT)
                         I'm sorry. That wasn't fair.

                                     ROSE
                         No. It wasn't.

               He takes her in his arms.

                                     MARSHALL
                         You know what?

                                     ROSE
                         What?

                                     MARSHALL
                         I miss you. And I miss her.

                                     ROSE
                         But that's the point, Jim. We're                     
                         right here.

                                     MARSHALL
                         I wish it were that easy...

               Long beat. He smiles at her, it's the same sweet smile that 
               won her heart, the same smile that got him elected. She 
               softens.

                                     MARSHALL
                         I'll make it up to you, I promise.

                                     ROSE
                         I should trust that promise? Because 
                         you know the voters are still waiting 
                         for that middle class tax cut.

                                     MARSHALL
                         This promise isn't subject to 
                         Congressional approval.

               She smiles. The tension breaks.

                                     ROSE
                         How did your speech go?

                                     MARSHALL
                         Well, they aren't burning me in 
                         effigy. That's always a good sign.

               They kiss again, this time for real. But... a knock on the 
               door.

                                     SHEPHERD (0.5.)
                         Mr. President.

               Shepherd opens the door.

                                     MARSHALL
                         Look on the bright side, hon. Shep 
                         here thinks I'll be a one termer.

                                     ROSE
                         Shall I ask the Chief of Staff to 
                         schedule your daughter in?

                                     SHEPHERD
                         She is scheduled. Her school play's 
                         Tuesday night.

               Rose rolls her eyes.

                                     MARSHALL
                         The First Lady was making a joke, 
                         Shep. I'll make some time, Rose. I 
                         promise.

               Marshall heads for his meeting.

               EXT. COCKPIT - NIGHT

               Col. Axelrod and his co-pilot LT. COL. ARTHUR INGRAHAMS are 
               at the wheel.

               RUSSIAN AIR TRAFFIC (V.0)

                                     (THICK ACCENT)
                         United States Air Force One, this is 
                         tower. It's an honor to clear you 
                         for immediate take-off on runway 
                         three.

                                     COL. AXELROD
                         Roger, Tower. And thank you for the 
                         hospitality.

               Axeirod eases up the throttle and the four GE-F103 Turbofan 
               engines spring to life.

               EXT. RUNWAY - NIGHT

               A picture perfect take-off as Air Force One slides through 
               the moonlight and skates upward on a sheet of air.

               EXT. AIR FORCE ONE, FLYING - AN HOUR LATER

               Airborne in the midnight sky.

               INT. AIR FORCE ONE, GALLEY - NIGHT

               Aircraft engines drone.

               CLOSE ON - A coffee pot pouring piping joe into a mug 
               emblazoned with ubiguitou Presidential Seal. The mug is placed 
               on a tray with a half-dozen other mugs and passed to a STEW. 
               He carries the tray down the corridor past passenger cabins.

               Drowsiness has overtaken the plane. Many of the passengers 
               and aides are asleep. CNN plays On T.V. sets, entertaining 
               the few night owls and news junkies.

                                     CNN REPORTER (T.V.)
                         In an unusually aggressive speech, 
                         the President characterized the 
                         Stravanavitch regime as thugs whose 
                         brutality will no longer be tolerated.  
                         Meanwhile, in Turkmenistan, 
                         Stravanavitch's ouster has sent the 
                         country into turmoil.  Tens of 
                         thousands of refugees continue to 
                         huddle in U.N. safe havens, as rival 
                         Stravanavitch loyalists fight among 
                         themselves for control. But at least 
                         for the time being, the ethnic 
                         cleansing has been stopped.

               Toward the front of the plane, the steward enters the 
               conference room.

               INT. CONFERENCE ROOM - NIGHT

               As the steward closes the door behind him, all background 
               noise disappears. We are in a sound shielded room. Even the 
               engines' drone cannot be heard.

               The lights in the room are dim as MAJOR CALDWELL, a military 
               advisor, projects satellite photos of Iraqi military bases 
               onto a screen.

               The steward serves coffee as unobtrusively as he can while 
               the meeting continues.

                                     MAJOR CALDWELL
                         Our KH-ll's took this one at 0100 
                         hours. What you see here is the 
                         mobilization of two mechanized 
                         brigades.

                                     MARSHALL
                         They've gotta be joking.

                                     DOHERTY
                         The Iraqi ambassador is claiming 
                         it's just an exercise.

                                     MARSHALL
                         An exercise in futility. Send the 
                         Nimitz back in.

                                     MAJOR CALDWELL
                         The northern border's gotten a bit 
                         hairy. Their MiGs are playing tag 
                         with our Tomcats and our boys are 
                         just itching to engage.

                                     MARSHALL
                         Tell our boys to cool their jets. I 
                         don't need `em creating policy for 
                         me.

               We follow the steward as he slips out of the conference room 
               and back into the...

               INT. CORRIDOR - NIGHT

               with a few coffees left on his tray. One of them is scooped 
               up by Gibbs as he passes, his nose is buried in a fax.

               INT. SECRET SERVICE CABIN - NIGHT

               Gibbs leans in the cabin.

                                     GIBBS
                         Hey Walters, you and Johnson come 
                         here a second. Reykjavik just sent 
                         the advance team report.

               Special Agents Walters and JOHNSON rise and follow Gibbs 
               into an adjoining office.

               INT. OFFICE - CONTINUOUS

               Gibbs closes the door behind the two agents. As Walters and 
               Johnson take their seats, Gibbs WITHDRAWS HIS WEAPON and...

               SHOOTS each of the agents in THE BACK OF THE HEAD.

               Silenced pistol. Blood all over the desk. Gibbs removes each 
               of the agent's weapons and slips them into his waistband. He 
               waits a few beats, takes a long sip of coffee, then exits 
               the office.

               INT. SECRET SERVICE CABIN - NIGHT

               As he passes through the cabin he takes a silent inventory. 
               Five other agents working, sleeping, on the phone.

               INT. PRESS CABIN - NIGHT

               Gibbs nods to Korshunov. Korshunov nods one of his men.  
               NEVSKY removes one of his videotapes, pops the front cover 
               exposing the tape. Across the face of the tape is a thin 
               strip of a rubbery substance. Nevsky pulls the strip up and 
               out, making a kind of fuse. He reaches for a pack of 
               matches... courtesy matches, sporting the Seal of the 
               President.

               Nevsky nods and lights the fuse.

               IN A RAPID SUCCESSION -

               GIBBS tosses his two extra weapons to Korshunov's men, pivots 
               the corner and begins firing at his colleagues. The SECRET 
               SERVICE AGENTS try to get at their weapons, but Gibbs has 
               caught them completely off-guard.

               Several silenced central nervous system shots (head and neck) 
               and the five agents slump back, their red blood cascading 
               down the creases of the fine Corinthian leather chairs.

               Nevsky tosses the cassette up the corridor... smoke pours 
               out of it. Smoke screen.

               BAZYLEV and ZEDECK catch the guns Gibbs tossed and hold them 
               on the reporters.

                                     BAZYLEV
                         UP! GET UP NOW!

               Bazylev grabs the stunned reporters, yanking them into the 
               aisle.

                                     BAZYLEV
                         Walk in front of us. Go! Go! Go!

               Human shields. A half dozen of them.

               Behind the terrorists, one of the bathroom doors swings open. 
               A SECRET SERVICE AGENT emerges. Sees what's happening. Reaches 
               for his gun. ZEDECK fells him with a well placed unsilenced 
               GUN SHOT. SCREAMS ensue...

               INT. FORWARD CABIN - NIGHT

               A sleeping SECRET SERVICE AGENT bolts upright. HEARS MORE 
               SHOTS.

               He springs up and moves toward the gunshots, his weapon drawn.

                                     SECRET SERVICE AGENT
                         SHOTS FIRED! SECURE BOY SCOUT!
                              (screaming out and 
                              into his lapel mike)
                         SHOTS FIRED! SHOTS FIRED!

               INT. SECRET SERVICE CABIN - NIGHT                           

               Bazylev and Zedeck lay down a suppressing fire outside the 
               door.

                                     GIBBS
                         Come on! Quickly.

               Korshunov, Nevsky and VLAD follow Gibbs into the Secret 
               Service office. Gibbs opens a locker and pulls out a stash 
               of MP5 automatic assault rifles and bullet-proof vests.

               Korshunov raises his bushy eyebrows in delight.

                                     GIBBS
                         The Secret Service believes in being 
                         prepared for any eventuality.

               INT. CORRIDOR - NIGHT

               The Secret Service agent fights his way through the smoke to 
               a wall panel. Punches a red buttoned intercom.

               INT. AIR FORCE ONE'S FLIGHT DECK - NIGHT

               A red light on the security panel lights up...

                                     SECRET SERVICE AGENT (V.0.)
                         We have a code red, I repeat, code 
                         red. Shots fired onboard.

               Cot. AXELROD Cabin/Flight Deck: Code Red Acknowledged... 
               Shit.

                                     LT. CCL. INGRAHAMS
                              (into headset 
                              microphone)
                         Warsaw tower this is Air Force One. 
                         Declaring Emergency.

               Axelrod toggles his headset to secure line.

                                     COL. AXELROD
                         Ranstein Air Base, this is Air Force 
                         One Heavy. We have a code red. Shots 
                         fired onboard, request priority 
                         redirect. Please acknowledge.

               INT. RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, AIR TRAFFIC CONTHOL TOWER - NIGHT

               SUPER - "RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, GERMANY"

               Hunched over a control terminal, the AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER 
               tracks Air Force One's radar image.

                                     RAMSTEIN A.B. CONTROLLER
                         Fuck me. GO WAKE THE GENERAL. NOW!

               The WATCH OFFICER springs into action, picking up a phone.

                                     RAMSTEIN A.B. CONTROLLER
                         Air Force One Heavy, acknowledged.
                         You are on our scope. Please state 
                         fuel remaining and souls onboard.

                                     COL. AXELROD (RADIO)
                         Sixty seven souls onboard, we're 
                         okay with fuel. Request secure 
                         military escort with emergency medical 
                         standing by.

                                     RAMSTEIN A.B. CONTROLLER
                         Air Force One Heavy, acknowledged.
                         We are scrambling our fighters.

               The controller hits a red button on his console. Sirens flare 
               up and klaxons wail across the base.

               The controller looks down to his runways. In the light of 
               the moon he sees a half-dozen men rushing toward F-15 Eagles.

                                     RAMSTEIN A.B. CONTROLLLR
                         Call Berlin Tower. Not a plane lands 
                         or takes off within two hundred miles! 
                         Understood?

               The once sleepy midnight control room cranks into full crisis 
               mode.

               INT. AIR FORCE ONE, MISSION COMMUNICATIONS CENTER - NIGHT

               Pandemonium. GUNFIRE pops in the b.g. Air Force Specialists 
               try to get the word out.

               AIR FORCE SPECIALIST 

                A.F. SPECIALIST #2

                 General Greely? No sir, Interrupt her. This is       this 
               is Air Force One. We Air Force One with an        have a 
               code red. Shots emergency call.              have been fired.

               INT. CONFERENCE ROOM - NIGHT

               The conference room door bursts open and TWO SECRET SERVICE 
               AGENTS, weapons drawn, enter the room and run to Marshall.

               The once quiet room floods with light. The sounds of a 
               gunfight and a blanket of smoke sweeps into the cabin.

                                     MARSHALL
                         What's going on?

                                     SECRET SERVICE AGENT
                         We're under attack.

                                     MARSHALL
                         Where's my family?

                                     SECRET SERVICE AGENT
                         We're handling it, sir.

               The agents lift Marshall to his feet, and practically carry 
               him from the room, leaving the other high ranking officials 
               to scramble for themselves in a cacophony of shouts.

                                     MARSHALL
                         The launch codes! Who's protecting 
                         the football?

               FORWARD CORRIDOR -

               Perkins, carrying the nuclear football, ducks and weaves his 
               way down the corridor into the fray. He takes a bullet to 
               the shoulder, which fells him.

               NEAR THE FORWARD GALLEY -

               Alice is nearly trampled by agents responding to the gunfire.

               One agent grabs her and shoves her into a bathroom.

                                     SECRET SERVICE AGENT
                         Don't open the door!

               GUNFIRE pops all around her.

               INT. CORRIDOR, REAR CABINS - NIGHT

               Smoke, automatic weapons fire. Secret service agents battling 
               the terrorists. Aides, diplomats, crew and personnel caught 
               in the crossfire.

                                     ZEDECK
                         Down! Everybody down.

               A spray of weapons fire overhead and everyone hits the floor.

                                     ZEDECK
                         STAY DOWN, PLACE YOUR HANDS BEHIND 
                         YOUR HEAD AND YOU WILL NOT BE SHOT!

               INT. AIR FORCE ONE, FLIGHT DECK - NIGHT

               RAMSTEIN A.B. CONTROLLER (RADIO)

               Air Force One Heavy, you are cleared for priority divert, 
               all runways are clear.

                                     LT. COL. INGRAHAMS
                         Warsaw Tower has cleared local 
                         airspace.

                                     COL. AXELROD
                         Changing course heading to 276 point 
                         five. Dropping to twenty thousand 
                         feet.

               Shots can be heard outside.

                                     COL. AXELROD
                         Ingrahams, make sure that door's 
                         locked.

                                     LT. COL. INGRAHAMS
                         Yes sir.

               Ingrahams locks the cockpit door.

               EXT. SKY - NIGHT

               Air Force One banks into a curve and descends through broken 
               clouds.

               INT. PRESIDENTIAL STATEROOM - NIGHT

               The sounds of gunfire have reached the the nose of the plane.

               Rose peers out to see what's the matter. An armed Secret 
               Service agent runs toward her.

                                     SECRET SERVICE AGENT
                         Get back! Get back!

               A spray of bullets mows him down. He collapses in the door 
               frame. Terrified, Rose tries to close the door, but the dead 
               agent is in the way.

               INT. CORRIDOR - NIGHT

               Filled with smoke and gunfire. The agents rush the President 
               behind a forward bulkhead.

                                     SECRET SERVICE AGENT
                              (into mike)
                         We have Boy Scout, traveling forward.

                                     VOICE (OVER MIKE)
                         Negative... negative... they're up 
                         here too.

                                     SECRET SERVICE AGENT
                         Roger. We're going to the chute.

               Marshall looks up the hallway toward his stateroom.

                                     MARSHALL
                              (calling out)
                         ROSE! ALICE!

               DOWN THE CORRIDOR -                                       

               Gibbs fires.

               HITS - One of the Secret Service agents in the shoulder. 
               Blood blossoms through his clothes but he winces it off.

                                     SECRET SERVICE AGENT
                         Come on, sir.

               The Secret Service agents whisk the President to the front 
               stairwell. They pull up a floor panel, revealing stairs 
               descending toward the baggage deck.

               INT. BATHROOM -

               Alice, huddled atop the commode.

                                     MARSHALL (O.S.)
                         Alice!

                                     ALICE
                         Daddy...

               Alice opens the door and rushes...

               INTO THE CORRIDOR...

               Tripping and falling over Joey, the steward. His dead eyes 
               swim in a pool of blood that was his face. Alice screams, 
               scrambling to her feet.

               MID-PLANE CORRIDOR -

               Perkins manages to push himself to his feet and stumbles 
               down the hall into the computer room. Terrorist SERGE spots 
               the nuclear football dangling from his wrist. He pursues.

               INT. COMPUTER ROOM - NIGHT

               Hysterical SECRETARIES feverishly dump classified documents 
               into a shredder, while Perkins struggles to open the black 
               leather briefcase handcuffed to his wrist.

               Bullets tear up the doorknob lock arid SERGE kicks in the 
               door.

                                     SERGE
                         Down! Everyone down!

               The Fawn Halls hit the floor as gunfire sprays overhead. But 
               Perkins swings around brandishing his sidearm. He opens fire 
               on Serge, but the bullets smack harmlessly against the SWAT 
               vest.

               Serge returns fire, ripping up Perkins who collapses over 
               the shredder, and with his last bit of strength, he dumps 
               out the briefcase.

               Papers containing NUCLE WAR STRATEGIES and MISSILE LAUNCH 
               CODES slide into the hungry Shredding machine. Perkins manages 
               a slight smile before he keels over dead, his duty fulfilled. 
               The shredded remains of the nuclear football rain over his 
               head like tickertape at a hero's parade.

               EXT. SKY - NIGHT

               The pale moon catches shiny streaks of metal that descend 
               through the broken clouds. The Squadron of F-15 Eagles drops 
               into formation around Air Force One.

               INT. FLIGHT DECK - NIGHT

               Gun shots right Outside the cockpit door.

                                     COT. CARLTON (RADIO)
                         Air Force One, this is Squadron 
                         Commander Canton. You are now under 
                         escort. All airspace has been cleared.

                                     COL. AXELROD
                         This is Air Force One Heavy. I'm 
                         coming in full throttle. ETA to 
                         Ranstein eight minutes. We've got a 
                         war here, sir.

               INT. COCKPIT F-LB EAGLE - NIGHT

               Encased in a helmet, mask, and visor, Carlton watches the

               flashes of gunfire in the dark windows of the plane.

               COt. CARLTON Copy. Delta Force has been mobilized.

                                     COT. AXELROD (V.0.)
                         Roger that.

               INT. LOWER DECK OF AIR FORCE ONE - NIGHT

               Beneath the main cabin, the Secret Service agents run the 
               President through the forward baggage compartment and the 
               lower galley: a large room with compartments, storage freezers 
               and food preperation tables.

               On the far side of the galley, the agents fling open a 
               hatchway and enter...

               A NARROW GANGWAY - running between the lower galley and the 
               rear baggage hold, flanked on either side by the landing 
               gear bays.

               They duck under wing supports until they come to a mesh 
               grating.

               The uninjured agent lifts the grating revealing an ESCAPE 
               POD.

                                     SECRET SERVICE AGENT
                         Get in!   

               Marshall freezes.

                                     SECRET SERVICE AGENT
                         Get in, sir.

               A second later gunfire rips Up the agent's face. The new 
               volley sends Marshall under the cover of a wing strut. The 
               second agent takes Position and returns fire. He quells the 
               incoming volley for a moment.

                                     MARSHALL
                         What about my family?

                                     SECRET SERVICE AGENT #
                         I have a family, too, sir. Now get 
                         in the fucking pod.

               The firing begins again. Marshall struggles with the decision.

                                     SECRET SERVICE AGENT #
                         Mr. President... MR. PRESIDENT! You 
                         have to do this! The pod, on three.
                         Ready?

               The agent shoves in a fresh clip...

                                     SECRET SERVICE AGENT
                         One.

                                     MARSHALL
                         But...

                                     SECRET SERVICE AGENT
                              (cutting him off)
                         Two... THREE. GO!

               The agent combat-rolls into the open and fires. He advances 
               down the gangway acting as a shield for the president, 
               shooting blindly.  Marshall watches as he's hit repeatedly, 
               but it gives him the time he needs to dive for the pod.

               REVERSE ANGLE - VLAD AND NEVSKY

               behind the bulkhead. When the agent drops, Nevsky and Viad 
               rush down the gangway. They arrive at the closed pod just as 
               it begins to slide on its rails. They let loose dozens of 
               rounds from their MP55, but the bullets just plink off.

               The pod-lock doors slide shut. The President is on his way 
               to safety.

               EXT. SKY - NIGHT

               Small bay doors open in the belly of Air Force One, and a 
               human sized cannister drops from the bottom, its parachute 
               Opening instantly.

               INT. FLIGHT DECK - NIGHT

               A light flashes On the panel.

                                     COT. AXELROD
                              (into mike)
                         Ramstein/Air Force One: Emergency 
                         pod has been deployed. I repeat, 
                         emergency pod has been deployed.

                                     RANSTEIN A.B. CONTROLLER
                         This is Ramstein. Acknowledged. We 
                         are picking up the homing beacon and 
                         deploying search and rescue.

                                     COT. AXELROD
                         Copy Ramstein. We are dropping to 
                         five thousand feet, beginning final 
                         approach.

               INT. BAGGAGE DECK GANGWAY - NIGHT

                                     ALICE (O.S.)
                         Daddy? Dad?

               Her voice comes closer, filled with choking fear and panic.  
               She rounds the corner and Nevsky catches her hair with a 
               vice-tight grip shoving his MP5 into the small of her back.

                                     NEVSKY
                         Your father has left you behind.

               INT. PRESIDENTIAL STATEROOM - NIGHT

               Korshunov kicks open the door.

                                     ROSE
                         NO!

               Gunfire from ROSE, who holds the dead secret service agent's 
               weapon. She empties the clip at the doorway. Click, click.  
               No more bullets. Korshunov steps into the room, brandishing 
               his automatic, smiling. Rose backs against the wall and raises 
               her hands.

               EXT. WHITE HOUSE LAWN - DAY

               A Marine helicopte touches down on the greenway. Marines 
               salute and escort KATHERINE CHANDLER from the chopper' 
               interior to the South entrance of the White House. She is 
               the VICE PRESIDENT of the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

               INT. AIR FORCE ONE, MISSION COMNUNICATIONS CENTER - NIGHT

               Zedeck steps over the three dead Communications Specialists, 
               on his way to the cockpit door. Tries the door. It's locked.  
               He pounds on it.

                                     ZEDECK
                         Open! Now!

               INT. FLIGHT DECK - NIGHT

               Through the cockpit window, the glowing landing lights of 
               Ramstein Base are visible in the distance, cutting a wedge 
               through the German towns and fields.

               Zedeck's pounding continues.

                                     COT. AXELROD
                         Ramatein, we are fifteen miles away 
                         on final approach. I'm coming in 
                         fast and will need every inch of 
                         runway.

               RAMSTEIN A.B. CONTROLLER (V.0.)

               Copy, Air Force One. Wind is twelve knots from the east. 
               Tactical and emergency are in position.

               EXT. RANSTEIN AIR FIELD - NIGHT

               Rescue vehicle sirens gyre in the darkness. A team of black-
               faced commandos unload from troop truck. Snipers take position 
               atop rescue vehicles, barracks, and the control tower.

               High-powered rifles with infra-red scopes.

               INT. MISSION COMMUNICATIONS CENTER - NIGHT

               Zedeck aims his MP5 at the flight door. Fires off a dozen 
               rounds. Nickel sized indentations blossom across the steel 
               surface.

               INT. FLIGHT DECK - NIGHT

               Dull thuds of bullet impacts.

                                     COT. AXELROD
                         Let's get this crate on the ground.

               They're some real good men waiting to help us.

               EXT. AIR FORCE ONE - NIGHT

               The plane sprouts landing gear as it descends over the city.

               Coming in fast and low.

               INT. MISSION COMMUNICATIONS CENTER - NIGHT

               Gibbs shoves Zedeck aside. Produces a thumb-sized amount of 
               C-4.

               INT. FLIGHT DECK - NIGHT

               Final approach... the landing strip not far at all.

                                     COL. AXELROD
                         Almost there.

               He raises his flaps. Air speed and altitude drop.

               EXT. RAPISTEIN AIR FIELD - NIGHT

               Spotters find Air Force One's navigation lights visible in 
               the sky, descending from the distant darkness. Followed by 
               the cluster of F-lSs.

               INT. MISSION COMMUNICATIONS CENTER - NIGHT

               Gibbs rolls out the C-4 like a kid making a snake in pottery 
               class. He presses it along the door seal.

               INT. FLIGHT DECK - NIGHT

               Altitude decreasing. 300 feet... 200 hundred feet...

               The runway coming up to meet them.

               EXT. RAMSTEIN AIR FIELD - NIGHT

               As the entire airbase collectively holds its breath. Air 
               Force One's tires hover 50 feet above the ground... 40 feet...   
               30...

               INT. MISSION COMMUNICATIONS CENTER - NIGHT

               Gibbs raises his pistol. Aims at the C-4. Fires. BAM!

               INT. COCKPIT - NIGHT

               A BLINDING FLASH. The door blows in.

               EXT. RANSTEIN AIR FIELD - NIGHT

               The wheels touchdown.

               INT. MISSION COMMUNICATIONS CENTER - NIGHT

               Gibbs and Zedeck storm the cockpit.

               RNT. FLIGHT DECK - NIGHT

               Axeirod gropes at the plane's controls, trying to retain the 
               wheel. Gibbs dispatches Axeirod with one shot. Zedek is a 
               little messier with Ingrahams. But both pilot and co-pilot 
               slump over their controls.

               EXT. RANSTEIN AIR FIELD - NIGHT

               The taxiing Boeing 747 suddenly veers to the right cutting 
               across runways. Emergency vehicles give chase.

               The plane bounces. Is airborne for a second. Touches down 
               again with a jolt.

               INT. CORRIDOR - AIR FORCE ONE - NIGHT

               Terrorists lead hostages to the conference room. Everyone is 
               bounced around, slamming against walls, spilling over chairs.

               A MASTER SERGEANT seizes the opportunity and grabs for 
               Bazylev's gun, but Bazylev shoots him almost point blank.

                                     BAZYLEV
                         Keep moving!

               INT. FLIGHT DECK - NIGHT

               Chaos. Gibbs tries to pull Axelrod off the controls.

                                     GIBBS
                         Throttle up. Throttle up!

               Zedek slams the throttle all the wa up. Spotlights and sirens 
               swirl outside the cockpit window.

               EXT. RMMSTEIN FIELD - NIGHT

               The Flying White House careens toward the barracks, then 
               edges toward a hangar. The jet engines strain to reach full 
               power.

               INT. RAMSTEIN CONTROL TOWER - NIGHT

               The controller stares down at the out-of-control plane.

                                     RAMSTEIN A.B. CONTROLLER
                         Aw Fuck. We're losing it!

               INT. FLIGHT DECK - NIGHT

               Gibbs pulls Axeirod's body out of the pilot's seat. Looks 
               out the cockpit window and sees...

                                     A C-141 STARLIFTER
                         in his path. A monstrous plane, every 
                         bit as big as Air Force One. Gibbs 
                         eases back on the wheel and the 747 
                         sluggishly responds, its nose creeping 
                         upward.

                                     GIBBS
                         Come on.

               Adjusts the flaps...

               EXT. RAMSTEIN AIRFIELD - NIGHT

               Air Force One closes in on the Starlifter. She's struggling 
               off

               the ground like some injured bird. The straining metal defies 
               gravity.

               INT. FLIGHT DECK - NIGHT

               Gibbs senses that he's too close. He pulls way back on the 
               stick, risks stalling her out... but the bird responds.

               EXT. RAMSTEIN FIELD - NIGHT

               Air Force One barely clears the Starlifter, the edge of her 
               wing just missing the top of the C-141's tail.

               The sharpshooters, the emergency crews, the commandos from 
               Delta Force...  Nothing they can do but watch her rise out. 
               of sight.

               INT. FLIGHT DECK - LATER

               Gibbs and Zedeck. Gibbs checks over all the instruments.

                                     GIBBS
                         Okay, 30,000 feet. Give me my heading.

                                     ZEDECK
                         Bearing 110 point eight two.

               Gibbs banks the plane into a curve, then activates the auto-
               pilot.

                                     GIBBS
                         Call me if something changes.

                                     ZEDECK
                         That's it?

                                     GIBBS
                         To fly a 747 you need to know three 
                         things. How to take of f, how to 
                         land, and how to engage the autopilot.

               INT. AIR FORCE ONE - NIGHT

               SERIES OF SHOTS--

               The terrorists, from every corner of the plane, lead the 
               stunned survivors, hands on heads, to the central conference 
               room.

               As Korshunov walks Rose up the corridor, he meets up with 
               Gibbs, descending from the upper deck.

                                     KORSHUNOV
                         The rest of the secret service?

                                     GIBBS
                         Dead.

                                     KORSHUNOV
                         How many others killed?

                                     GIBBS
                         Nine.

                                     KORSHUNOV
                         Any of us?

               Gibbs touches his bulletproof vest.

                                     GIBBS
                         No damages.

                                     ROSE
                         Where's my daughter?

                                     GIBBS
                         She's alive, ma'am, for the time 
                         being.

               Rose allows herself a half-sob of relief.

                                     ROSE
                         And my husband?

                                     GIBBS
                         The secret service did their job, 
                         ma'am. The President is safely off 
                         the plane.
                              (to Korshunov)
                         But that still leaves us plenty to 
                         bargain with.

               Eyes filled with hatred... Rose SLAPS Gibbs face.

                                     ROSE
                         Mr. Gibbs. You, of all people...

               Gibbs doesn't react.

                                     GIBBS
                         Follow me, ma'am.

               INT. WHITE HOUSE SITUATION ROOM - DAY

               High-tech maps and communications systems line the walls, 
               surrounding an austere main conference table. Laptop computers 
               and secure telephones by every seat. Side tables. Tele-type 
               machines spitting out classified information.

               VICE PRESIDENT CHANDLER analyzes the projected course of Air 
               Force One on the tactical vid-map.

                                     V.P. CHANDLER
                         We should have the President secure 
                         within minutes. Do we know who these 
                         terrorists are or where they're going?

               GENERAL NORTHWOOD, head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff...

                                     GENERAL NORTHWOOD
                         General Greely says it looks like 
                         the Middle East.

                                     V.P. CHANDLER
                         Does your office have anything to 
                         add, Mr. Dean?

               National Security Advisor WALTER DEAN leans forward.

                                     DEAN
                         The garners believe that, given the 
                         scenario, there's an 86% chance that

               we'll be dealing with a hostage situation and not an 
               assassination attempt. Not much else until there's more data.

                                     V.P. CHANDLER
                         If we're dealing with an airborne 
                         hostage situation what's our 
                         procedure?

               The Under-Secretary of Defense, THOMAS LEE, punches up a 
               scenario on the lap-top.

                                     LEE
                         Our only policy assumes the plane is 
                         on the ground. Our hands are 
                         completely tied while they're in the 
                         air.

                                     V.P. CHANDLER
                         Okay, Gentlemen, we'll take no action 
                         until we confirm that the president 
                         is off the plane... Lee, go huddle 
                         with the D.O.D. I want an options 
                         paper on this in 20 minutes.

                                     LEE
                         Twenty minutes?

                                     V.P. CHANDLER
                         You heard me.
                              (points to an aide)
                         You. Congress and cabinet heads.

               The aide nods and picks up a telephone.

                                     AIR FORCE COLONEL
                         Madame Vice-President?

               Chandler turns toward the door. The Colonel enters the room, 
               holding a black briefcase identical to Perkins'.

                                     V.P. CHANDLER
                         Yes?

                                     AIR FORCE COLONEL
                         National Command Authority. All 
                         previous launch codes have been 
                         cancelled. You're carrying the ball 
                         now.

                                     V.P. CHANDLER
                         Thank you, Colonel. Have a seat.

               EXT. GERMAN FARMLAND - NIGHT

               A HUEY, flanked by a pair of APACHES, skims the surface of 
               wheat fields at maximum velocity.

               INT. HUEY COCKPIT - NIGHT

               The pilot checks his instruments. He's honing in on a signal.

               EXT. GERMAN FARKD - NIGHT

               The swirling spotlights of the Apaches finally illuminate 
               the Seal of the President atop the EMERGENCY DEPLOYMENT POD.

               The Huey drops in for a landing and a half dozen Army Rangers 
               in full combat gear deploy to the pod. They open it.

               But.........

               IT'S EMPTY.

               INT. BAGGAGE DECK GANGWAY - NIGHT

               Bruised and battered, some blood smeared across his tuxedo 
               shirt... PRESIDENT JAMES MARSHALL lowers himself from one of 
               the overhead wing struts.

               He emerges into the bowels of Air Force one.

               He stands quietly a moment, listening... for footsteps, for 
               gunfire. All quiet except for the whine of the jet engines.

               He tak9s a moment to think. Considers his situation. His 
               eyes find the dead agent who risked his life so he could 
               make it to the pod. He trots down the gangway toward the 
               lower galley.

               EXT. SKY - NIGHT

               Air Force One hovers atop billowy peaks. The smaller F-15s 
               cluster around her in a loose formation.

               FIGHTER PILOT #1 (0.5. RADIO)

               Sir, isn't there something we can do besides escort?

               COL. CARLTON (O.S. RADIO)

               Like what, son... shoot our own plane down?

                                     FIGHTER PILOT #1
                         No sir. I just wish...

                                     COL. CARLTON
                         Roger. We all wish... Now shut the 
                         fuck up and escort.

               INT. LOWER GALLEY - NIGHT

               Marshall looks around for a weapon... half-full coffee pot,

               stove, walk-in freezer, plates and silverware. Marshall picks 
               up a butcher knife.

               INT. CORRIDOR, AIR FORCE ONE - NIGHT

               Nevsky and Bazylev guard the conference room door as Korshunov 
               and Vlad enter. Nevsky hands Korshunov a copy of the plane's 
               manifest.

                                     NEVSKY
                         Every weapon and every person is 
                         accounted for.

               Korshunov nods and enters the room.

               INT. CONFERENCE ROOM - NIGHT

               Korshunov surveys the hostages. Viad covers them at gunpoint.

               Rose holds Alice, comforting her.  shepherd, Doherty, Aides, 
               Advisors, Crew... Fifty of them huddle like sardines.

               The plane's doctor administers to the wounded.

               Korshunov stares down his captives.

                                     KORSHUNOV
                         Fear will keep you alive. Any one 
                         who is not afraid is bound to do 
                         something foolish, and bound to die.

                                     ROSE
                         What do you want with us?

                                     KORSHUNOV
                         Cooperation. If you try to escape, 
                         you will be met with automatic gunfire 
                         and a barricade of your comrade's 
                         bodies will prevent you from exiting. 
                         Good day.

               Korshunov exits, with Viad backing out behind him. Leaving 
               the hostages alone. The sound of the door locking.

               A mournful beat. Everyone looks at each other and the dead 
               and wounded victims of this heinous act...

               Hushed conversation breaks out all over the room.

                                     DOHERTY
                         This can't be happening. You just 
                         don't pull this shit with the United 
                         States. You just don't.

                                     MAJOR CALDWELL
                         Keep your heads.

               Caldwell paces, looks around the room.

                                     SHEPHERD
                         Mrs. Marshall, are you okay?

                                     ROSE
                         We're alive.

                                     SHEPHERD
                         That's all that matters. Thank god 
                         the President got of f the plane.

                                     ROSE
                         Yes... thank God.
                              (to caldwell)
                         You there... Caidwell, right? What's 
                         on your mind?  caldwell takes a beat, 
                         then crosses to Rose and Shepherd.

                                     MAJOR CALDWELL
                              (hushed)
                         I don't want to get anybody here 
                         excited, but if we can get out of 
                         this room, I can get us to safety.

                                     SHEPHERD
                         We're thirty five thousand feet up.

                                     MAJOR CALDWELL
                         Yes, sir, that's a problem, but if 
                         we can somehow get to a lower 
                         altitude, the rear loading ramp on 
                         the baggage deck is equipped with 
                         parachutes in case of an engine 
                         failure. Now we can either wait for 
                         a political resolution, or try to 
                         resolve this thing ourselves.

                                     DOHERTY
                         You're goddamn right we can resolve 
                         this ourselves. We'll negotiate.

                                     SHEPHERD
                         You know the President's policy.

                                     DOHERTY
                         The President isn't here.

                                     ROSE
                         Right now we are an enormous liability 
                         to the United States. We can't just 
                         sit and do nothing.

               INT. CORRIDOR - NIGHT

               The terrorists move toward the nose of the plane leaving 
               Nevsky to guard the conference room.

               INT. BAGGAGE HOLD - NIGHT

               President Marshall reaches the front stairway. Cautiously 
               climbs to the main cabin. As he reaches the top stairs, he 
               hears Russian conversation approaching. He ducks back into 
               the stairwell.

               He can't see them, but he can hear them.

               The terrorists pass within a few feet as they ascend to the 
               Mission Communications Center on the upper deck.

               Marshall waits a few beats, listens to the silence. Then re-
               mounts the stairs and almost runs into the back of...

                                     VIAD
                         Standing guard, facing the opposite 
                         direction.

               Marshall FREEZES... looks past Viad down the corridor where 
               Nevsky guards the main conference room floor.

               Unaware of Marshall, Viad reaches into his pocket and pulls 
               out a cigarette. Lights it. On the first puff he feels a 
               presence behind him.

               VLAD slowly turns around...

               Nothing there.

               He smiles at his jittery nerves, turns back round.

               REVERSE ANGLE -

               Over Vlad's shoulder...

               MARSHALL, flattened behind the edge of the galley divider. 
               He creeps away from Vlad toward the Presidential Suite...  
               stepping gingerly over dead secret service agents.

               INT. MISSION COMMUNICATIONS CENTER -

               *       Korshunov pulls a handkerchef from his breast pocket 
               and wipes the blood from a telephone headset.

                                     KORSHUNOV
                         Proceed.

               Gibbs works the communications board, dialing in a series of 
               numbers. Telephone ringing...

               INT. WHITE HOUSE SITUATION ROOM - DAY

               A map of Air Force One's flight trajectory is displayed on 
               the rear screen. Moscow to Berlin and back toward the Black 
               Sea.

               The assembled brass listens as Korshunov's voice slithers 
               off the speaker phone.

                                     KORSHUNOV (SPEAKER)
                         ...the Chief of Staff, the First 
                         Lady, and the First Daughter.  Our 
                         demands are simple. Arrange the 
                         release of Ivan Stravanvitch.  Once 
                         our leader is returned to Turkuenistan 
                         soil, Air Force One and it's occupants 
                         will be allowed safe passage to 
                         Switzerland. You have one hour before 
                         we start killing hostages.

               The phone clicks off. A silent beat in the room.

                                     V.P. CHANDLER
                         Find that voice for me, I want to 
                         know who we're dealing with. And get 
                         President Petrov on the phone.

               GENERAL CHARLES GREELY, head of the 87th Mechanized Air Wing, 
               the unit responsible for Air Force One, enters the room.

                                     GENERAL GREELY
                         Madame Vice-President, we just got 
                         word from Ramstein... The nod was 
                         UntiL Chandler stands.

                                     V.P. CHANDLER
                         Empty?

                                     GENERAL GREELY
                         The President... he must still be 
                         onboard.

                                     V.P. CHANDLER
                         Play back that call.

                                     TECHNICAL OFFICER
                         Yes, sir.

               The Tech Officer indexes back on his computer.

                                     KORSHUNOV (V.0. TAPE)
                         The plane is under our command, and 
                         those we did not kill we hold as 
                         hostages, including the Chief of 
                         Staff, the First Lady, and the First 
                         Daughter.

                                     V.P. CHANDLER
                         but not the President. Not the 
                         President.

               A silent beat.

                                     GENERAL NORTHWOOD
                         He's dead then. They must have killed 
                         him.

                                     DEAN
                         We don't know that.

                                     GENERAL NORTHWOOD
                         Holding the president hostage is not 
                         something that slips your mind when 
                         you're making demands.

                                     V.P. CHANDLER
                         And if he's dead? Do you really think 
                         they'd risk telling us?

                                     DEAN
                         There is a possibility we're 
                         overlooking.

               All eyes turn to Dean.

                                     DEAN
                         When I ran Specops in `Nam, I ordered 
                         the destruction of a V.C.  munitions 
                         dump. During insertion, the plane 
                         was shot down and the entire team 
                         was killed, or so we thought. Two 
                         days later the dump

               BLEW AND A WEEK AFTER THAT, THIS 19-

               year-old kid, the pilot... he walks out of the jungle in 
               pretty bad shape. He survived the crash and finished the 
               mission... alone.

                                     GENERAL NORTHWOOD
                         Walter, if you have a point, make 
                         it.

                                     DEAN
                         That kid's name was Jim Marshall.

               Most of the President's service record makes for dull reading 
               because most of what he did iarLZ ULirn.   History remembers 
               him for what he did aflar he got back to the states -- the 
               protests, the rallies -- But he was a soldier once, a damn 
               fine one.

                                     V.P. CHANDLER
                         So what are you saying?

                                     DEAN
                         Maybe he's alive on that plane and 
                         those bastards don't even know it.

                                     V.P. CHANDLER
                         Mr. Dean, may I remind you that the 
                         President is not 19 anymore.

               INT. PRESIDENT'S STATEROOM - NIGHT

               Marshall cautiously enters the room. Ready for action.

               The room is empty, but it's been trashed by the firefight.

               The sound of voices... coming from the Duke game which still 
               plays. Marshall hustles over to one of the secure phones.

               It's dead. He tries the regular phone. Dead. Hangs it up in 
               disgust.

                                     MARSHALL
                         Goddamnit.

               He steps on some glass. It's a broken frame holding a 
               PHOTOGRAPH of Alice and Rose. He picks up the photo and lays 
               it on a table.

               He thinks for a beat... glances around the room, searching...

               Then he crosses to the closet, opens it and begins rifling 
               through his wardrobe.

               INT. MAIN CONFERENCE ROOM.

               Caldwell stands on the conference table. The hostages have 
               removed one of the ceiling panels. Air supply ducts and 
               bundles of wiring run through the ten-inch space between the 
               ceiling and the shielding plates.

                                     MAJOR CALDWELL
                         This is a dead end.

               Rose looks around the room. Hopeless. Her eyes land on the 
               carpet...

               INT. CORRIDOR.

               Marshall opens the stateroom door and slowly slides into the 
               corridor.

               Vlad still faces the opposite direction.

               Marshall creeps down the hallway, when...

               Beep... Beep... Beep...

               Marshall's watch alarm goes off.

               Marshall dives for the nearest doorway. Vlad swings round to 
               see a figure slip into the senior staff cabin.

               Vlad, unsure of what he saw., cautiously heads toward the 
               staff cabin. As he nears, he bends over a dead Secret Service 
               agent and pulls up the lifeless wrist revealing abeening 
               watch. It wasn't Marshall's after all. No matter. Vlad 
               continues to the staff Cabin.

               INT. STAFF CABIN - NIGHT

               Marshall frantically searches for something he can use as a 
               weapon. In the room: some video monitors, leather chairs and 
               phones. stainless steel cabinets run the length of one of 
               the walls.

               Marshall throws the cabinet doors open, revealing...

               A fully stocked MEDICAL CENTER... fold-down operating

               table... high-intensity lights. Equipped to deal with any 
               medical emergency the president might encounter.

               But too late. Vlad kicks the door open.

                                     VLAD
                         Get on the floor, now!

               Marshall yanks down the operating table, and it smashes into 
               Vlad, knocking him down. Marshall lunges with his knife, but 
               Vlad OPENS FIRE. A HALF DOZEN ROUNDS pump into Marshall's 
               belly. He's thrown back against the wall, then slumps to the 
               floor.

               Vlad approaches the crumpled body. Leans down to examine his 
               victim. He cups his hand under the man's chin and lifts his 
               head. Recognizes him.

                                     VIAD
                              (wonderment)
                         The President.

               But Marshall's eyes flash open.

                                     MARSHALL
                         That's right, asshole.

               He springs, shoving the butcher knife under the flack jacket 
               and into Vlad's spleen. Vlad freezes, unsure of what just 
               happened.

               Marshall is on his feet. Never letting go of the twisting 
               knife, he grabs Vlad by the back of the head and slams his 
               face against the mirror above the surgical scrub sink. The 
               mirror shatters and streams of blood erupt cn the terrorist's 
               face. The blood drips down into the white porcelain sink, 
               swirling into the drain.

               Vlad elbows Marshall in the neck, stunning him momentarily.

               He wipes the blood from his face, spins and hits Marshall 
               with a devastating right cross. Marshall reels back against 
               the wall, and Vlad follows, shoving the MP5 into Marshall's 
               throat. Marshall grabs the gun near the trigger...

               *                               VLAD

               Don't move or I'll blow your head off.

                                     MARSHALL
                         I don't think so.

               Marshall presses the saftey button on the gun with his 
               forefinger, then knees Vlad in the balls. Viad pulls the 
               trigger repeatedly as he goes down, but nothing happens.

               Instead he comes up swinging his gun butt against Marshall's 
               face. Like a bat hitting a baseball, it knocks Marshall into 
               the medical closet. The gun goes flying, skittering

               UNDERNEATH A CABINET.

               Marshall pulls himself up the shelves trying to keep his 
               legs from buckling. Vlad grabs some I.V. tubing and wraps it 
               around Marshall's neck. Marshall struggles for breath, clawing 
               at the tube.

               HE SPOTS A DEFIBRILLATOR, REACHES AND SWITCHES IT ON. LOW-

               pitched hum and beeping.

               Marshall pulls his head forward, straining against the plastic 
               tubing. Then slams back into Vlad's head. Viad releases his 
               grip just for a moment...

               The beeping becomes a steady whine.

               ... but a moment is all Marshall needs as he grabs the def 
               ib's CARDIAC PADDLES, turns, and SLAMS them on either side 
               of Vlad's head.

               Vlad convulses from the shock for a full five seconds... his 
               eyeballs roll, his hair stands on end.  then he collapses to 
               the floor.

                                     MARSHALL
                         Clear.

               Marshall catches his breath for a moment. Pulls open his 
               shirt. Beneath it he wears a bulletproof Kevlar vest. He 
               lifts the vest and a half-dozen angry welts have blossomed 
               across his skin. The stuff may be bulletproof, but each of 
               Vlad's shots sting like a motherfucker.

               EXT. CORRIDOR.

               Nevsky walks down the corridor. Sees that Vlad is away from 
               his post.

                                     NEVSKY
                         Viad?

               *       INT. STAFF CABIN.

               Marshall opens the medical cabinets, rifling through them.

               Pulls out hypodermics, adrenalin, rubbing alcohol... arming

               himself.

                                     NEVSKY (O.S.)
                         Vlad? Vlad?

               EXT. CORRIDOR.

               Nevsky works his way up the corridor, peeking in rooms.

               As he enters the...

               INT. STAFF CABIN.

               he's blinded by the high intensity surgical lights.

               Marshall cracks a tank of anesthesia across Nevsky's heu 
               Nevsky goes down.

               Marshall rips Nevsky's MP5 off of him. Holds it to Nevsky's 
               throat.

                                     MARSHALL
                         Where are th*y? fly tamily, the 
                         crew.... where are they?

               Nevsky says nothing.

               The conference room, right? Right?

               Marshall jerks him to his feet.

                                     MARSHALL
                         o'11 unlocli the door for me or I'll 
                         kill you.

               INT. CORRIDOR -

               Marshall walks flevsky toward the mj vonteronve room3 As 
               they pass the stairs to the upper deck, Nevsky breaks away.

                                     NEVSKY
                         KORSKUNOV!

               Marshall fires. Killing him.

                                     SHIT1
                         INT. CORRIDOR.

               No time for remorse. Marshall tries the Main conference Room 
               door. Locked. He knows the others will be coming so he 
               flattens himself against the corridor wall. Trains his gun 
               on the stairs.

               Just as the terrorists descend, Marshall squeezes off a few 
               rounds. The terrorists edge back up the steps, returning 
               fire.

               Marshall checks his clip, not many bullets left. He fires 
               off a few more shots to buy some time then ducks round the 
               corner and pulls out the bottle of rubbing alcohol and some 
               gauze.

               The terrorists seize the moment of quiet, descending the 
               stairs to take position.

               Marshall lights the gauze fuse of his new made Molatov

               cocktail and throws it down the corridor. The bottle crashes 
               into a BALL OF FLAME. Catching Bazylev on fire. He yells, 
               drops and rolls. FIRE SUPPRESSING FOAM immediately sprays 
               down from overhead.

                                     KORSHUNOV
                         Go after him.

               Serge hops Bazylev's burning body and heads down the corridor, 
               looking for this new wildcard. Korshunov grabs a fire 
               extinguisher from the galley and attends to Bazylev.

               INT. CORRIDOR, TOWARD THE REAR OF AIR FORCE ONE.

               Marshall retreats behind a divider. Sees Serge coming. Fires 
               a few rounds, then retreats to the next divider. Working 
               toward the rear of the plane.

               Serge picks his way through the rear cabins, advancing 
               cautiously.

               INT. REAR GALLEY/BATHROOMS.

               Marshall's out of plane. Nowhere to hide in the galley.

               Marshall eyes the bathrooms, doors flapping.

               FOLLOWING SERGE...

               as he reaches the rear galley and bathrooms. Marshall is 
               nowhere to be seen. But the bathroom doors are all closed.

                                     SERGE
                         I know you're in there. Come on out.
                              (a few beats)
                         Okay. Have it your way.

               Time for a deadly version of the shell game. serge fires 
               several rounds into the first closed bathroom door. The 
               bullets slice easily through the thin doors. He kicks the 
               riddled door open. The stall is empty.

               Serge moves to the next one. Same procedure. It's empty.

               Moves to the last bathroom, confident he's got him. He wails 
               with his MP5, turning the hatch into swiss cheese. Waits a 
               beat, then...

               Kicks it in. It's empty too.

               Serge looks around. Where the hell is this guy?

                                     KORSHUNOV (O.S.)
                              (calling down)
                         Serge?

               Serge reluctantly returns to his group.

               INT. LOWER GALLEY, BAGGAGE LEVEL -

               Marshall tumbles out of the cramped galley dumbwaiter, 
               breathing heavy. He slumps against the bulkhead and slides

               down to the ground.

               He takes a moment to pull himself together, to clear his 
               head. He hefts the MP5, refamiliarizing himself with the 
               weight and texture of a gun. He checks the clip. Only a 
               handfull of rounds left. He slaps it back in and switches 
               from automatic fire to single-shot then pantomimes firing.

                                     MARSHALL
                         The NRA'll love this.

               Looking down the barrel of the gun, he notices bins loaded 
               with luggage.

               INT. OFFICE - NIGWR

               Stoli Petrov on the phone, behind his large oak desk.

                                     PETROV
                         I understand your dilemma, Vice 
                         President Chandler. But unless you 
                         can confirm that your President is 
                         indeed a hostage, I cannot release 
                         Stravanavitch. If Marshall is dead, 
                         no good will come of meeting this 
                         demand. We both know he would agree.

               V.P. CHANDLER (V.0. PHONE)

               But the First Lady...

                                     PETROV
                         *.. is not a First Lady if her 
                         husband's been killed. Then she's a 
                         civilian. And I can't release him 
                         for a civilian. Do you see my point?

               INT. WHITE HOUSE SITUATION ROOM - DAY

               Each member of the crisis team is either on the phone or 
               huddled with staff. A secure fax machine spits out papers 
               which Lee slips into files.

               Lee interrupts Chandler on the phone.

                                     LEE
                         Madame Vice president. We have an 
                         options paper.  chandler takes the 
                         options paper, waves off Lee, and 
                         reads it as she talks.

                                     V.P. CHANDLER
                         Yes. You've made yourself quite clear.

                                     PETROV (V.0.)
                         But I will deploy forces to a staging 
                         area near the Turkmenistan border. 
                         When you have more information, we 
                         can decide how to proceed.

                                     V.P. CHANDLER
                         By then I'll be President.

               Chandler hangs up the phone.

                                     V.P. CHANDLER
                              (of f options paper)
                         I don't like any of these. from, did 
                         you brief General Northwood?

               Northwood pops out of his huddle.

               GENERAL NORTHWOOD

               I'M INCLINED TO TRY THIS PART -

               Anticipate their landing site and get strike teams in place.

                                     V.P. CHANDLER
                         Can we do that?

                                     GENERAL NORTHWOOD
                         We've got four hours before they 
                         make it into Turkienistan airspace.

               I've got a satellite passing overhead in twenty minutes. We 
               can narrow down the landing site choices based on runway 
               length and any unusual activity.  With luck we'll only have 
               to capture three or four sites.

                                     V.P. CHANDLER
                         But they start executing hostages in

               FORTY FIVE MINUTES.  -

                                     GENERAL NORTHWOOD
                         I hate to be pragmatic, but they'll 
                         sacrifice pawns before kings. It may 
                         take them some time to kill their 
                         way up to senior staff.

                                     V.P. CHANDLER
                         Okay. Also, I want you to put our 
                         bases in Turkey on alert, and have 
                         the Kitty Hawk prepare a retaliatory 
                         air strike.

               *                             DEAN

               Madame Vice-President...

                                     V.P. CHANDLER
                         I've not discounted your theory Hr.

               Dean...

                                     DEAN
                         No... I got the new numbers from our 
                         gamers. They believe that there's 
                         only an eight percent chance that 
                         the President is still alive.

                                     V.P. CHANDLER
                         Eight percent is better than zero.

               Oh shit... what is that?

               Chandler refers to a monitor in the rear of the room.

               CNN, the omnipresent player on the world political stage, 
               broadcasts video from Ramstein Air Base.

                                     GENERAL GREELY
                         That's trouble.

               CNN REPORTER (V.0. T.V.)

               *.. the Presidential Aircraft was enroute from Moscow when 
               it began its mayday hail. But in a startling turn of events, 
               the seemingly out of control plane aborted its landing and 
               took off again. We haven't been able to confirm its status 
               or whether or not the first family was onboard at the time.

                                     V.P. CHANDLER
                         Would someone get the Press Secretary!

                                     AIDE
                         He's been holding on line four.

               EXT. SKY - NIGHT

               Air Force One, lit up by moonlight.

               INT. CORRIDOR.

               The fire is extinguished. Zedeck squats over Nevsky's body.

               Gibbs and Serge maintain a defensive position, guns ready.

               Bazylev emerges from the Senior staff Conference room. He 
               shakes his head "no". Korshunov nods and furrows his brow.

                                     KORSHUNOV
                         Who did this?

                                     GIBBS
                         We checked the manifest. Everyone 
                         was accounted for.

                                     KORSHUNOV
                         A secret service agent. It must be.

               Wounded but alive. Serge, Bazylev...

               Find him.

               Serge and Bazylev lock and load, head off in separate 
               directions.

                                     KORSHUNOV
                         The conference room is no longer 
                         secure. We'll take the First Lady 
                         and the girl up top where we can 
                         keep a closer eye on them.

               INT. MAIN CONFERENCE ROOM -

               The hostages have torn up a section of carpeting. Caidwell 
               and Shepherd examine the floor. Smooth sheets of steel riveted 
               together. Pointless.

                                     MAJOR CAL DWELL
                         We're not getting out that way.

               The door swings open and Gibbs and Korshunov enter. They 
               spots the ripped up carpeting.

                                     KORSHUNOV
                         Admirable, but you're wasting your 
                         time.
                              (beat)
                         Mrs. Marshall, would you and your 
                         daughter please come here.

               They don't move. Korshunov raises his gun, points it a 
               Shepherd's head.

                                     KORSHUNOV
                         Now, or he dies, please.

                                     ROSE
                         Come on, Alice.

                                     ALICE
                         I'm scared.

               Doherty steps forward. Shepherd tries to pull him back, to 
               no

               *       avail.

                                     DOHERTY
                         You've got the better part of the 
                         White House locked in this room, you 
                         know. If you want to negotiate, we're 
                         the ones to do it with.

               Korshunov SHOOTS Doherty through the head. Screams from some 
               of the hostages. Korshunov squeezes off a few shots to quiet 
               everyone.

                                     KORSHUNOV
                         Mrs. Marshall. Alice. If you please.

               Rose turns to the other hostages.

                                     ROSE
                         It's okay. Do what you're told. It's 
                         okay. We'll be okay.

               She locks eyes with Caldwell. HKeep working.N He nods.

               INT. REAR BAGGAGE HOLD -

               The President hunts through luggage. Overturned garment bags 
               and suitcases around him, belongings littered all over the 
               bulkhead. He sifts through heaps of clothing and finally 
               recovers what he's been looking for...

               A CELLULAR PHONE...

               He flips it open, starts to dial... but freezes.

                                     MARSHALL
                         Goddamnit.

               He can't remember the number. He dials...

               CLOSE.ON PHONE -555-1212... Information.

               The phone rings...

               INT. FORWARD BAGGAGE HOLD.

               Bazylev, moving like a commando, slowly and methodically 
               works his way into the lower galley.

               INT. REAR BAGGAGE HOLD -

               Marshall. Finally, the phone picks up.

                                     VOICE (O.S. PHONE)
                         Information. How can I assist you?

                                     MARSHALL
                         Washington D.C.?

                                     VOICE
                         Yes, sir. Can I help you?

                                     MARSHALL
                         Yes, the number for the White House.

               INT. PILOT'S REST AREA - NIGHT

               The rest area consists of a couple of bunks behind the

               cockpit area, still soiled black from the earlier C-4 
               explosion. Korshunov pours a cup of coffee and offers it to 
               Alice.

                                     ALICE
                         I don't drink coffee.

                                     KORSHUNOV
                         You must be tired. It'll wake you 
                         up.

                                     ALICE
                         No, thank you. The gunfire did that.

               Gibbs wraps Rose's hands behind her back with duct tape.

                                     ROSE
                         Leave my daughter alone.

                                     KORSHUNOV
                         Or you will do what, Mrs. Marshall?
                              (beat, he chuckles)
                         But I admire your courage. Your 
                         husband, on the other hand...

                                     ROSE
                         What do you know of my husband?

                                     KORSHUNOV
                         I know he left you behind.

                                     ROSE
                         My husband is a very courageous man.

                                     KORSHUNOV
                         Your husband is a coward. He sends 
                         soldiers half-way around the world 
                         to steal a man from his home in the 
                         middle of the night.

               Alice sits up, attentive.

                                     ALICE
                         You're one of Stravanavitch's men.

                                     KORSHUNOV
                         So, you study world events, little 
                         one. That's good for a girl your 
                         age.

                                     ALICE
                         Yeah, I study world events. Five 
                         thousand Turkienistan Muslims were 
                         slaughtered in Stravanvitch's 
                         cleansings... along with 15 American 
                         school kids. You know hQw I studied 
                         that. I went to their funerals with 
                         my dad. I met their parents.

                                     KORSHUNOV
                         Smart for your age, eh? Top of your 
                         class? Tell me, do you know what the 
                         word "propaganda" means?

                                     ALICE
                         Yeah. Do you know what the word 
                         "asshole" means.

                                     ROSE
                         Alice!

               Rose doesn't know whether to be pissed at Alice or proud of 
               her. Korshunov smiles, nods his head and lifts his gun.

                                     KORSHUNOV
                         Yes, I have heard that word.

               He aims his gun at Alice.

                                     KORSHUNOV
                         Yes, I am an asshole.

               A long beat, the Korshunov lovers the gun.

                                     KORSHUNOV
                         Your father is a reasonable man.

               Once he hears our simple demand, I'm sure he will acquiesce. 
               For your sake.

               Korshunov smiles. Gibbs grabs Alice's hands and pulls them 
               behind her back. Begins wrapping them with the tape.

               INT. MAIN CABING, REAR GALLEY.

               Serge searches through the galley cabinets, spots the galley 
               dumbwaiter. Now he knows where his quarry went.

               He angrily grabs a service cart and shoves it into the 
               dumbwaiter, disabling it.

               INT. GANGWAY -

               Bazylev hears the beeps of a phone dialing. He moves toward 
               the aft portal of the gangway.

               INT. REAR BAGGAGE HOLD -

               Marshall waits as the phone rings...

               INT. WHITE HOUSE, SWITCHBOARD ROOM - DAY

               A chipper woman in her mid-20s picks up the call.

                                     SWITCHBOARD
                         White House switchboard. How may I 
                         direct your call.

               MT. REAR BAGGAGE HOLD -

                                     MARSHALL
                              (hushed urgency)
                         Okay listen, listen carefully. This 
                         is an emergency call from Air Force 
                         One. Who's there? Is the Vice-
                         President there?

               INT. WHITE HOUSE, SWITCHBOARD ROOM - DAY

                                     SWITCHBOARD
                         who can I say is calling?

                                     MARSHALL (0.S. PHONE)
                         This is the President.

                                     SWITCHBOARD
                         Yeah, right.

                                     MARSHALL
                         Don't cut me off. This is an 
                         emergency.

                                     SWITCHBOARD
                         Sir, the President does not call 
                         this particular number. So whoever 
                         you are get a life, before I have 
                         this call traced.

                                     MARSHALL
                         You don't understand. This is an 
                         emergency. Let me talk to anyone.

               The switchboard operator thinks for a moment. Maybe she can 
               have some fun with this nutcase.

                                     SWITCHBOARD
                         Okay... if you're the President, 
                         when's your wife's birthday?

                                     MARSHALL
                         Look lady, I don't have time for 
                         games. Just put the....

                                     SWITCHBOARD
                         Thank you for calling the white 
                         House...

               INT. REAR BAGGAGE HOLD -

                                     MARSHALL
                         No. no. no. Wait. Wait.

               Bazylev appears behind Marshall. Raises his gun.

                                     MARSHALL
                         I should know this.

               INT. WHITE HOUSE SWITCHBOARD ROOM -

                                     MARSHALL (V.0.)
                         It's June.

               Gunfire in the background.

                                     SWITCHBOARD
                         Sir? Are you there? Sir? Sir?

               Her face says N. The Switchboard operator pulls out a call 
               sheet and finds a number.

               INT. REAR BAGGAGE HOLD -

               On the phone, lying open on a heap of clothing.

               Bazylev points the machine gun at Marshall's head.

                                     BAZ YLEV
                         Hands away from your weapon.

               Marshall doesn't move, his np5 hanging at his waist... his 
               hand inches from it.

                                     BAZYLEV
                         Come now. You don't want to die.

               Marshall... with no options... slowly moves his hands away 
               from the gun.

                                     BAZYLEV
                         On your knees...

                                     PHONE (O.S.)
                         Hello. Is anyone there?

               Bazylev motions Marshall to get on his knees. Marshall 
               complies.

                                     BAZYUV
                         What's that in your shirt? Open it.

               Marshall pulls his shirt aside revealing his Kevlar vest.

                                     BAZYLEV
                         Take it off. Now.

               INT. WHITE HOUSE SITUATION ROOM - DAY

               Chandler on the phone. An aide waves, trying to get her 
               attention.

                                     V.P. CHANDLER
                         My intention is not to escalate the 
                         situation, but it's a contigency 
                         that must be considered. Hang on...
                              (to Aide)
                         What?

                                     AIDE
                         The switchboard says that someone 
                         called in claiming to be the 
                         President, then she heard gunfire.

               Caller's gone, but the line's still active.

                                     DEAN
                         Could be some crank watching CNN.

                                     AIDE
                         No sir. Trace confirms the call is 
                         Coming from a White House staff 
                         cellular account.

                                     V.P. CHANDLER
                         Put it through down here.
                              (into phone)
                         Hang on, Toni.

               The call comes in on speaker phone, distorted muffled voices 
               and the whine of an aircraft in the background.

                                     V.P. CHANDLER
                         What's going on in the background?

               Can we hear what's going on?

               Dean picks up a phone.

                                     DEAN
                         Max, get me Willis.

               INT. NATIONAL SECURITY AGENCY,  LISTENING POST - DAY

               WILLIS, a grossly overweight man in his late forties 
               surrounded by a monolith of high-tech, starts working his 
               console.

                                     WILLIS
                         Tracking... Intercepting call... Got 
                         it. Ten seconds, Mr. Dean.

               Audio waveforms appear over Willis' console. He implements 
               digital filtering routines, cleaning up the sounds.

               INT. WHITE HOUSE SITUATION ROOM - DAY

               The group listens intently. The call modulates, distorts, 
               dissolves... then clarifies.

                                     BAZYLEV (V.0.)
                         Hands... hands behind your head, Mr.

               President.

                                     V.P. CHANDLER
                         It's him. He is alive.

                                     BAZYLEV
                         I'm going to take your weapon now, 
                         and then I'm going to take you 
                         Upstairs to join the others.

               Understand?

                                     DEAN
                         Christ, they have him.

                                     BAZYLEV
                         And if you make any sudden moves, I 
                         will not hesitate to shoot.

                                     GENERAL NORTHWOOD
                         Maybe they don't have him yet.

               Northwood stares up at the tactical board. Air Force One...  
               surrounded by the F-l5s.

                                     GENERAL NORTHWOOD
                         And maybe we aren't so helpless.

               General Northwood picks up a secure phone and dials.

                                     GENERAL NORTPNOOD
                         General Greely, Air Force One has 
                         automatic countermeasures, right?

                                     GENERAL GREELY
                         Everything we own is in that plane.

                                     GENERAL NORTINOOD
                         So a single missile launched from a 
                         distance should be a mere distraction.

                                     GENERAL GREELY
                         Theoretically.

                                     GENERAL NORTHWOOD
                              (into phone)
                         Ramutein Tower Control, please.

                                     GENERAL GREELY
                              (getting it)
                         But the effect could be jarring.

                                     GENERAL NORTHWOOD
                         Exactly. Ramstein? General 
                         Northwood... Patch me through to 
                         your fighters. Madame Vice 
                         President... with your permission?

                                     V.P. CHANDLER
                         Do it.

               INT. AFT STORAGE COMPARTMENT -

               Marshall on his knees, hands behind his head. Bazylev, his 
               automatic pressed against Marshall's forehead, disarms 
               Marshall before stepping away. He slings Marshall's MP5 over 
               his own neck. Studies Marshall a beat.

                                     BAZ YLEV
                         So you're the President. Somehow, I 
                         thought you'd be smaller.

               Marshall stares straight ahead tn silent defiance. Bazylev 
               kicks him in the gut. Marshall doubles over, wheezing.

                                     BAZYLEV
                         Not so powerful now, eh? No aides to 
                         advise you, no secret service to 
                         protect you, no armies to command.

               Bazylev grabs Marshall's hair and tugs his head back. He 
               holds Marshall with his eyes.

                                     BAZYLEV
                         You'll suffer for what you've done.

                                     MARSHALL
                         *                    So will you.

               Bazylev slams Marshall's face against his knee. Marshall 
               slumps forward.

                                     BAZYLEV
                         Up. Get up now!

               Marshall slowly rises to his feet. Bazylev swings wide around 
               him.

                                     BAZYLEV
                         You will walk ahead... slowly. Do 
                         you understand?
                              (no response)
                         Do you understand!

                                     MARSHALL
                         Do you know what's going to happen 
                         to you because of this? Do you know 
                         what the world will do?

                                     BAZYLEV
                         Nothing. The world will do nothing.

               That is what they've always done.

               INT. MAIN CABIN, FORWARD GALLEY -

               Serge seals off the second dumbwaiter.

               EXT. SKY - NIGHT                                          
               63.

               The Squadron of F-15 Eagles hover around Air Force One.

                                     COL. CARLTON (V.0.)
                         You want me to what?

                                     GENERAL NORTPNOOD (V.0.)
                         You heard the order. And do not, I 
                         repeat, do not take your best shot.

                                     COL. CARLTON
                         Roger, sir. Okay boys, clear the 
                         deck. I have been ordered to engage 
                         Air Force One.

               EXT. SKY - NIGHT

               The other airplanes flare out giving distance to the Jumbo 
               Jet. Canton's plane drops back.

                                     COL. CARLTON
                         Assuming attack posture. Targeting 
                         computer is on.

               INT. CARLTON'S COCKPIT - NIGHT

               On TARGETING COMPUTER - Graphics: As it acquires Air Force 
               One.

                                     COL. CARLTON
                         Target is acquired. I have good tone 
                         CLOSE ON: The flight stick. Carlton's 
                         finger over the firing button. He 
                         hesitates.

                                     COL. CARLTON
                         They're gonna court martial me for 
                         this.

               INT. AIR FORCE ONE, GANGWAY -

               Hands behind his head, Marshall walks in front of Bazylev, 
               an MP5 pressed against his neck.

               INT. F-15 EAGLE COCKPIT - NIGHT

               Carlton pulls the trigger.

               EXT. F-15 EAGLE - NIGHT

               An air-to-air missile detatches from under the Eagle. Its 
               tail ignites in flame.

               INT. AIR FORCE ONE COCKPIT - NIGHT

               Zedeck monitoring the controls. Situation normal. Then all 
               hell breaks loose as an entire wall of instrumentation lights 
               up. Warning bells. Flashing lights.

                                     ZEDECK
                         What is this?

               The TACTICAL COUNTERMEASUREs COMPUTER - Springs to life.

               High-tech readouts, risk analyses, schematics, and 
               assessments. Radar tracks the incoming, identifies it.

               On Screen:       "Autopilot disengaged"

               The plane banks into a dive, throwing Zedeck back against 
               his chair.

                                     ZEDECK
                         Gibbs! Gibbs! Get in here.

               On screen:     "Activating countermeasures"

               EXT. SICY - NIGHT

               With no oneat the controls, Air Force One goes into a sharp 
               sloping dive.

               INT. GANGWAY, AIR FORCE ONE -

               Bazylev, thrown off balance, tries to keep his gun trained 
               on Marshall.

                                     BAZYLEV
                         Don't move!

               EXT. SKY - NIGHT

               The missile follows a wide arc toward the banking plane.

               INT. AFO, COCKPIT -

               Gibbs slides into the pilot's seat, attempts to regain 
               control.

                                     GIBBS
                         What the hell's going on?

                                     ZEDECK
                         The Americans fired at us.

               The Tactical Countermeasures Computer:

               "Electronic Jamming has failed Target acquired"

               Out the cockpit window, the brightly burning tail of the 
               missile closing on them.

                                     GIBBS
                         Why would they fire on us?

               The Tactical Countermeasures Computer:

                                    "Missile Closing:

               Metallic Chaff Burst Standing by:"

               The computer counts down from eight... seven...

               EXT. SKY - NIGHT

               The missile screams toward the jumbo jet, a slow easy target.

               INT. COCKPIT - NIGHT

                                     ZEDECK
                         Do something.

               Five... Four...

                                     GIBBS
                         I'm not a combat pilot.

               Three... two....

                                     ZEDECK
                         Shit!

               EXT. AIR FORCE ONE - NIGHT

               Small bays doors slip open below the aircraft. A cloud of 
               small metallic narticles sprays out of the bottom of the 
               aircraft.

               INT. COCKPIT -

               On the faces of the terrorists, as the missile comes right 
               at them.

               Then the missile veers downward.

               The Tactical Countermeasures Computer:

                                  "Missile Neutralized"

               EXT. SKY - MIGHT

               The missile dives into the swarm of descending chaff and 
               DETONATES, lighting up the evening sky. Red flames reflect 
               against the silver-grey clouds.

               INT. AIR FORCE ONE, VARIOUS SHOTS - NIGHT

               The shock wave hits the aircraft.

               Lights flicker and the plane rocks side to side.

               HOSTAGES are bounced around the conference room.

               INT. GANGWAY -

               Marshall and Bazylev are slammed against the ceiling and 
               then the floor.

               Marshall seizes the moment. Grabs Bazylev's gun. The two 
               struggle and Bazylez instinctively pulls the trigger. A burst 
               of richocheting gunfire sparks across the bulkhead.

               The turbulence worsens. Bazylev manages to wrest away the 
               rifle, but the plane pulls into a climb, sending Bazylev 
               tumbling down the gangway into the rear baggage hold.

               Marshall manages to pull himself up the grating and into the 
               galley. He's free, for the moment.

               INT. AFO, COCKPIT.

               Gibbs steadies the plane as the shock wave from the explosion 
               *        subsides.

                                     GIBBS
                         We're okay.

               Korshunov examines the Tactical Countermeasures Computer.

                                     KORSHUNOV
                         Remarkable aircraft. Remarkable.

                                     GIBBS
                         why did they do that?

                                     KORSHUNOV
                         Psychology. They're trying to unnerve 
                         us.

                                     GIBBS
                         Well it worked.

               Korshunov smiles and puts his hand on Gibbs shoulder.

                                     KORSHUNOV
                         Relax, my friend. Apparently they 
                         cannot harm us. Even if they wanted 
                         to.  rNT. FRONT GALLEY.                                        
                         67.

               Marshall Struggles to assemble the hypodermic and the 
               container of adrenalin.

               INT. REAR BAGGAGE HOLD.

               Bazylev pulls to his feet, heads back down the gangway.

               INT. FRONT GALLEY.

               Marshall greets Bazylev with a spray of hot coffee from the 
               Simmering pot as he enters. Bazylev covers up, but the spray 
               sears him pretty bad. He yells in pain, turning.

               Marshall springs, imbedding the hypodermic needle into 
               Bazylev's neck. A full dose of adrenalin. Bazylev pulls the 
               empty needle from his neck. Marshall steps back, waiting for 
               a reaction.

               A pregnant pause as they both wait to see what happens.

               Then Bazylev smiles and slowly turns toward Marshall.

               Marshall backs away as Bazylev levels his gun.

               He fires once, hitting Marshall in the arm. Marshall winces 
               off the pain.

                                     BAZYLEV
                              (disgust)
                         The leader of the free world.

               He backs Marshall against a wall and holds him in his sights.

               But he doesn't shoot. His breathing becomes faster and faster 
               as the adrenalin takes hold. Building... building... He 
               screams and clutches at his throat.

               His eyes spin back and then his heart explodes.

               Bazylev is caught frozen, suspended in a moment of disbelief.

               Death reflex. He fires off several rounds from the gun as he 
               collapses.

               Marshall waits a beat, half-expecting Bazylev to rise. He 
               slowly approaches the body and retrieves the KP5.

               EXT. SKY - NIGHT

               The F-lSs pull back into formation around the Jumbo Jet.

               INT. REAR BAGGAGE HOLD -

               Marshall retrieves the phone, then wedges himself behind a 
               waste storage tank, out of view.

               INT. PILOT'S REST AREA -

               Rose and Alice On the bunk. Alice's eyes are Watering.

               Korshunov examines tOPographic maps in the adjacent M1C.c.  
               and speaks into a phone in Russian.

                                     ALICE
                         Mom?

                                     ROSE
                         Yes dear?

                                     ALICE
                         I'm sorry I was so mean to you 
                         earlier.

               Rose smiles sadly.

                                     ROSE
                         I know, sweetie. I know.
                              (beat)
                         You're being very brave.

               Alice nods. She's trying.

               INT. MAIN CABIN.

               Serge finishes his sweep of the upper level.

                                     SERGE
                              (to Zedeck)
                         He's not up here. I'm going down 
                         below.

               INTERCUT:

               INT. REAR BAGGAGE HOLD/INT. WHITE HOUSE SITUATION ROOM

               Marshall rips his sleeve off, swabs the blood off his arm.

               Bazylev's bullet took out a good chunk of flesh when it grazed 
               him.

                                     MARSHALL
                         Did they say anything about my family?

                                     V.P. CHANDLER
                         They're still alive, but the loyalists 
                         plan to start killing hostages in 
                         forty minutes.

                                     MARSHALL
                         Then tell me there's a rescue 
                         operation underway.

               Marshall opens a travel bottle of Vodka and pours it over 
               the wound. He winces from the pain.

               V.p CHANDLER                      69.

               I think we're okay, sir. flow that we know You're alive we 
               can force Petrov to release Stravanavitch.

               MARSpari Don't tell me you plan to give in to these fuckers.

               GENERAL NORmwOOD We plan to do whatever it takes to keep you 
               alive, sir.

                                     V.P. CHANDLER
                         and if that means negotiating...

                                     MARSHALL
                         You know my policy. We don't negotiate 
                         with terrorists. If we start now, 
                         all of America becomes a target.

                                     V.P. CHANDLER
                         But this is different, sir. You're 
                         the President.

               *                               MARSHALL

               And what happens when Stravanavitch is freed and discovers 
               he's got the President? You think for a second that that 
               crazy bastard is just gonna turn me over? He'll ask for the 
               goddamn moon before he's done.

                                     V.P. CHANDLER
                         Please, Mr. President. You're going 
                         to get yourself killed. Is that your 
                         solution?

                                     MARSHALL
                         Freeing Stravanavitch is gonna get 
                         tens of thousands killed. I can't 
                         live with that.
                              (somewhat resigned)
                         I'm not royalty. I'm an elected 
                         official and the integrity of the 
                         office of the President is infinitely 
                         more important than the man who holds 
                         that office.
                              (beat)
                         We don't negotitate. Not as long as 
                         I'm President. Is that understood?

               A long silence, then...

               YES SIR.      CHANDLER

                                     MARSHALL
                         flow, is there a rescue operation 
                         under way or not?

               Lee shakes his head at Chandler, signalling "don't tell."

                                     LEE
                         He's not on a secure line.

               MARSHAlj Whoever said that, shut up. Walter, are you there?

                                     DEAN
                         I'm here, Mr. President.

                                     MARSHALL
                         Where's the cavalry?

                                     DEAN
                         We can't do anything until that plane 
                         lands. And when it does land, sir, 
                         it's going to be in hostile *                      
                         territory. To be perfectly honest, 
                         we don't know what the hell to do.

               It's going to take a miracle to figure this one out.

               A long beat. We hold on Marshall's determined face.

                                     MARSHALL
                         I'll see what I can do.

               INT. GALLEY.

               Serge comes across Bazylev. Checks for any sign of life.

               Stone cold dead. He looks around and grips his gun a little 
               tighter as he backs out of the room.

               INT. MAIN CABIN.

               Serge closes the stair access panel to the baggage deck.

               Sealing Marshall off.

               INT. MISSION COMMUNICATIONS CENTER - NIGHT

               Serge comes trotting up the stairs and collects new clips.

                                     SERGE
                         Bazylev is dead.

               Korshunov swallows hard...

               AND THE 

                                     SERGE
                         Trapped On the baggage deck. Let me 
                         go finish him.

                                     KORSHUNOV
                         No. He has the advantage down there.

               Bring me a hostage. A woman.

               INT. FORWARD BAGGAGE HOLD.

               Marshall sees that the stairway hatch has been sealed.

               INT. LOWER GALLEY - NIGHT

               Marshall hits the button for the dumbwaiter. The dumbwaiter 
               begins to descend then snags on the service cart. Its motor 
               grind to a halt. Marshall slumps dQwn. His hopes dashed.

               Nothing to do now but wait.

               INT. MAIN CONFERENCE ROOM.

               Serge looks over the crowd of hostages like a bouncer at a 
               hip dance club. His eyes fall on Maria Mitchell.

                                     SERGE
                         You. Come with me.

               INT. LOWER GALLEY.

               Marshall, seated on the floor. The cabinet next to him is 
               stacked with packs of complimentary cigarettes, all with the 
               seal of the President.

                                     MARSHALL
                         What the hell...

               He opens up a pack and puts the cigarette in his mouth. He 
               snags one of the Presidential lighters, tries to light it 
               several times but it only sparks. XC shakes it. It's out of 
               tial. He tosses it aside and reaches for a book of matches, 
               but he FREEZES in mid-reach. A thought occurs to him.

                                     MARSHALL
                              (murmuring)
                         Out of fuel.

               INT. FORWARD BAGAGE HOLD - NIGHT

               Marshall, lacking a screwdriver, levers open the hatch to 
               the Avionics compartment with the barrel of his gun.

               RUT. AVIONICS COMPARTMENT - NIGHT

               Marshall sees the stacks of panels, piping, Wiring, 
               electronics.

                                     MARSHALL
                         Come on, where are you...

               He searches up and down.

               INT. MISSION COMMUNICATIONS CENTER - NIGHT

               Serge leads Maria Mitchell up the stairway. Korshunov nods.

                                     KORSHUNOV
                         Ms. Mitchell. Hello again.

               Maria is scared, she says nothing. She looks over to the 
               First Lady and Alice.

                                     ROSE
                         Maria.

               Korshunov switches on the airplane's P.A.

                                     KORSHUNOV
                         *                     Please tell me 
                         your name.

                                     MITCHELL
                              (frightened)
                         Maria... Maria Mitchell.

                                     KORSHUNOV
                         And what is it you do, Ms. Mitchell.

               Maria Mitchell's voice echos over throughout Air Force One.

               INT. AVIONICS COMPARTMENT.

               Marshall halts his search to listen.

                                     MITCHELL (V.0.)
                         I'm responsible for Press Relations 
                         for the Flight Office.

                                     KORSHUNOV (V.0.)
                         How are your fellow hostages feeling, 
                         Ms. Mitchell?

                                     MITCHELL
                         Scared. We're scared.

               INT. MISSION COMMUNICATIONS CENTER - NIGHT

               Rose cradles Alice, both of them looking away, as Korshunov 
               raises his gun, pointing it at Mitchell.

                                     KORSHUNOV
                         And why are you scared?

                                     MITCHEL*L
                         Because... because I don't want to 
                         die.

               INT. MAIN CONFERENCE ROOM.

               The hostages, listening.

                                     KORSHUNOV
                         And what am I doing at this very 
                         moment.

               INT. AVIONICS COMPARTMENT - NIGHT

               Marshall listens, helpless to do anything.

                                     MITCHELL
                         You're pointing a gun at me.

               INT. MISSION COMMUNICATIONS CENTER -

                                     KORSHUNOV
                         Very good. Thank you, Ms. Mitchell.

               Did you hear her? She said I'm pointing a gun at her.

               INT. AVIONICS COMPARTMENT -

                                     KORSHUNOV
                         Now, to the secret service agent in 
                         the baggage deck. I'm giving you ten 
                         seconds to surrender, or this women 
                         will die.

               Marshall's eyes widen.

                                     KORSHUNOV
                         One...

               Oh shit. Marshall tries to decide what to do.

                                     KORSHUNOV
                         Two...

               He climbs out of the avionics compartment and hurries to the 
               front baggage compartment.

                                     KORSHUNOV
                         Three...

               INT. MAIN CABIN.

               Zedeck and Serge wait by the stairway hatch.

                                     KORSHUNOV
                         Four...

               INT. MAIN CONFERENCE ROOM.

               Hostages wait, expectantly.

                                     KORSHUNOV
                         Five...

               INT. FRONT BAGGAGE HOLD.

               Marshall frozen near the bottom of the steps. To go up would 
               be to betray everything he believes in, and lose any chance 
               to save the others. But if he stays...

                                     KORSHUNOV
                         Six...

               INT. MISSION COMMUNICATIONS CENTER.

               Tears stream down Maria Mitchell's face. She's trying so 
               hard to be brave in front of Rose and Alice.

                                     KORSHUNOV
                         Seven...

               INT. FRONT BAGGAGE HOLD.

               For Marshall, this is the hardest decision of his life. His 
               face a mask of anguish as he wrestles with his conscience.

                                     KORSHUNOV
                         Eight...

               He starts toward the stairs.

               INT. MISSION COMMUNICATIONS CENTER.

               Korshunov looking down the barrel of the gun.

                                     KORSHUNOV
                         Nine...

               INT. FRONT BAGGAGE HOLD.

               It takes every bit of training and will to stop Marshall 
               from going up those stairs. He knows what's going to happen. 
               He closes his eyes tight as if that will stop it from 
               happening.

                                     KORSHUNOV
                         Ten...

               A long silent beat. Then... BAAAAM!

                                     MARSHALL
                         NO!

               Marshall sinks to to his knees.

                                     MARSHALL
                         Aw, Jesus.

               INT. MAIN CONFERENCE ROOM.

               Hostages hold each other tight for comfort. A mournful silence 
               fills the room.

               INT. FRONT BAGGAGE HOLD.

               Marshall, silhouetted in the half light, craddles his head 
               head in his hands. The shaft of light disappears as the main 
               cabin hatch closes, sealing him off once again.

                                     KORSFL3NOV (V.0.)
                         I'll give you a few minutes to think 
                         about that one and then we'll try 
                         again. Perhaps soon I will choose 
                         somebody important.

                                     MARSHALL
                              (to himself)
                         She was important.

               INT. MISSION COMMUNICATIONS CENTER.

               zedeck and Serge drag the dead woman out of the compartment.

               Alice sobs quietly.

                                     ROSE
                         Do you have to be so brutal?

                                     KORSHUNOV
                         Yes

                                     ROSE
                         Why? Do you enjoy it?

                                     KORSHUNOV
                         I neither enjoy nor dislike. I do 
                         what is necessary.

                                     ROSE
                         How can you? I mean they're people.

               *                                                                 
               76.

                                     KORSHUNOV
                         But they are not ny people. You look 
                         at me as if I am a monster, but answer 
                         me this -- when your planes bombed 
                         the oil fields of Iraq, did You cry 
                         for those dark skinned men whose 
                         names you do not know and who's faces 
                         You will never see? Did You cry for 
                         their wives and children. They were 
                         people too, yes... but they were not 
                         your people.

                                     ROSE
                         That was war.

                                     KORSHUNOV
                         So is this.
                              (beat)
                         Come now, you're upsetting the little 
                         one.

                                     ALICE
                         The woman you shot. She was my friend.

                                     KORSHUNOV
                         That's the way of the world, little 
                         one. Didn't they teach you that in 
                         school?

               INT. FORWARD BAGGAGE HOLD.

               Marshall crosses back to the avionics compartment, talking 
               on the phone.

                                     VOICE
                              (through static)
                         Chief Mechanic, 87th Air. How can I 
                         help you?

                                     MARSHALL
                         You can talk me through an emergency 
                         fuel dump.

               INT. MAIN CONFERENCE ROOM.

                                     MAJOR CALDWELL
                         Led off to slaughter one at a time.

               Next time I say we rush `em. They can't shoot us all.

                                     SHEPHERD
                         They can shoot enough of us.

               *                                                                 
               77.

                                     MAJOR CALDWELL
                         If we don't act, they'll kill US all 
                         eventually Who's with me?

               Several of the hostages raise their hands.

               INT. AFO'S MAINTENANCE HANGER/ANDREWS AIR FORCE BASE - DAY

               The Chief Mechanic has Air Force One schematics open in front 
               of him. He and his staff are huddled around them.

                                     CHIEF MECHANIC
                         Do you see the maintenance panel?

                                     MARSHALL
                         Got it.

                                     CHIEF MECHANIC
                         Pop it open. There should be a red 
                         switch, toggle it up.

                                     MARSHALL
                         Okay, it's on. We've got some 
                         indicator lights here.

                                     CHIEF MECHANIC
                         Okay, you're aerated. To dump the 
                         fuel you have to close the circuit 
                         for the pump. There's no switch in 
                         Avionics so you'll have to cross the 
                         wires. There should be five wires, 
                         just to your left. Do you see them?

               INT. AVIONICS COMPARTMENT - NIGHT

               Marshall finds the wires: red, white, blue, green and yellow.

                                     MARSHALL
                         Got `en.

               Static blankets the conversation.

                                     CHIEF MECHANIC
                         Okay, hang on. Let me double check

               here, because if you get the wrong ones, you'll cut the engine 
               feeds and stall the plane.

                                     MARSHALL
                         I'll wait.

               The static worsens.

                                     CHIEF MECHANIC
                         First... cut... green wire.

               Marshall, Using a kitchen knife, slices the green wire. Heavy 
               static. The phone beeps... lOsing batteries.

                                     MARSHALL
                         It's cut.

                                     CHIEF MECHANIC
                         cross it...  The static overwhelms 
                         the voice, then cuts out.

                                     MARSHALR'
                         Hello? Hello? Goddamnit.

               Static comes roaring back and garbled voices...

               MARSHAlj Hello? Are YOU there?

               Dead. Marshall tries to activate it again.

               MARSHAIJi Hello? Hello?

               Nothing. He tosses the dead phone aside.

               Marshall stares. Cross the green wires with the... what?

               Red, white, blue... or the yellow. His choice is obvious. He 
               cuts the yellow wire and crosses it with the green, leaving 
               the red, white and blue standing.

               He waits. The engines continue to groan. He allows himself a 
               smile.

                                     MARSHALL
                         An emergency landing in friendly 
                         territory... there's your goddamn 
                         miracle.

               EXT. AIR FORCE ONE - NIGHT

               Beneath the plane a trickle of gasoline appears and grows 
               into a strong steady stream.

               INT. FLIGHT DECK - NIGHT

               A red warning light flashes on the plane's panel.

                                     GIBBS
                         Goddamnit it. We're losing fuel.

               Korshunov crosses to the flight deck.

                                     KORSHUNOV
                         How?

                                     GIBBS
                         Avionics compartment! It's the only 
                         place. You better get Zedeck down 
                         there fast Unless, of course, you'd 
                         rather be a martyr than a savior.

                                     KORSHUNOV
                              (to Zedeck)
                         Go! Take Serge.. and watch your backs.

               Zedeck nods and dashes out of the cabin.

               INT. MAIN CABIN.

               Zedeck pulls open the hatch cover to the forward front stairs. 
               Descends into the dimly lit underneath.

               Serge descends right behind Zedeck.

               INT. FORWARD BAGGAGE COMPARTMENT - NIGHT

               Zedeck, Spooked by the dark shadows, senses he's being 
               watched.

                                     ZEDECK
                         He's down here. I can feel it.

                                     SERGE
                         Shut up and do your job.

               Zedeck hastens toward the Avionics compartment, gun at the 
               ready. Serge sweeps the area behind.

               They hear a metallic clank echo and reverberate around him.

               They both check left... right... behind them...

               Nothing.

               It's creepy being a walking target.

               From behind a water storage tank, Marshall watches down the 
               barrel of his Mp5. With all the equipment in the way, it's 
               almost impossible to line up a clear shot.

               And they're both well armed. He looks toward the stairway 
               instead.

               Zedeck enters the Avionics compartment. Serge takes a 
               defensive position outside the door.

                                     ZEDECK (O.S.)
                         The valve is shut. This guy sure 
                         knew what he was doing.

               Serge hears a noise and opens tire.                                                         
               80.

                                     ZEDECK
                         You see him?

                                     SERGE
                         Erring on the side of caution.

               INT. AVIONICS COMPARTMENT -

               Zedeck opens a panel and rips out some wiring.

                                     ZEDECK
                         I'm going to deactivate the by-pass 
                         pump. It'll take a minute.

               INT. FLIGHT DECK.

               Gibbs checks the fuel gauges. They stop falling.

                                     GIBBS
                         We've stopped dumping... but we've 
                         only got about twenty minutes of 
                         fuel left.

                                     KORSHUNOV
                         We're not going to make it.

                                     GIBBS
                         Not even close. Hell, we can't even 
                         make Syria or Iraq.

                                     KORSHUNOV
                         Where are we now?

                                     GIBBS
                         Over the Black Sea. I can probably 
                         get us to Turkey or Georgia.

                                     KORSHUNOV
                         No! If we land this plane anywhere 
                         else, we will end up another Entebe.
                              (beat)
                         The Americans built a super plane 
                         that flies through mushroom cloud, 
                         evades missiles and...
                              (holding up Maria 
                              Mitchell's press kit)
                         refuels in mid-air. Call the White 
                         House.

               INT. WHITE HOUSE SITUATION ROOM -

               Tactical Map: Air Force One over the Black Sea heading south 
               west toward Turkmenistan.

               An Aide holds up a phone.

                                     AIDE
                         It's him again.

               INT. MISSION COMMUNICATION CENTER -

               Korshunov on the phone.

                                     KORSHUNOV
                         Gentlemen, forgive me for diverting 
                         you from your little wargames, but 
                         I've just added another demand to my 
                         very short list. I assure you it's 
                         quite reasonable.

               INT. WHITE HOUSE SITUATION ROOM -

                                     KORSHUNOV (V.0. PHONE)
                         We need fuel, gentlemen. And we need 
                         it right now.

               Lee whispers to the Vice President.

                                     LEE
                         Finally, we can bargain.

                                     V.P. CHANDLER
                         I'm sure we can strike some sort of 
                         arrangement. Land the plane and we'll 
                         trade you hostages for fuel.

                                     KORSHUNOV
                         No. The plane lands when I say, or 
                         it will crash. The hostages are 
                         released when I say, or they will 
                         die.

               INT. MISSION COMMUNICATIONS CENTER.

                                     KORSHUNOV
                         Tell me what I want to hear or I 
                         will execute a member of the senior 
                         staff, and will continue killing one 
                         hostage every minute until we crash 
                         or until a refueling plane arrives.

               Murmuring and hushed discussion floats over the airwaves.

               A long silence. Korshunov looks toward Alice.

                                     KORSHUNOV
                         Shall I begin by executing the 
                         President's daughter? She's right 
                         here.

                                     ROSE
                         No.

                                     KORSHUNOV
                         Say something dear.

                                     ALICE
                         Fuck off, you stupid asshole.

                                     KORSHUNOV
                         It would be a pity to squander such 
                         a strong personality.

               Another several beats of hushed murmuring.

                                     KORSHUNOV
                         Well? What do you say?

               V.P. CHANDLER (V.0. PHONE)

               Fuel's on its way.

               INT. MAIN CABIN.

               Serge and Zedeck lower the hatch to the baggage compartment 
               and seal it. They head up the stairs to the M.C.C.

               INT. M.C.C. - NIGHT

               Korshunov paces, weighing his pistol in his hand.

                                     KORSHUNOV
                         We trained for months. Everything 
                         should've gone like clockwork.

                                     ZEDECK
                         We have the hostages, we're getting 
                         more fuel.

                                     KORSHUNOV
                         He's already killed three of us, and 
                         we haven't even seen him. He's also 
                         shown that he can hurt us. I need to 
                         think.
                              (looks at Serge)
                         What the hell are you doing up here?

               Get back to the conference room.

               INT. MAIN CABIN

               Serge takes his position by the conference room.

               Across from him, against the cabin divider, Marshall peers 
               down the sight of his gun.

               Serge freezes.

                                     MARSHALL
                         Don't make the same mistake your 
                         friend did earlier... Show me your 
                         hands.

               Serge raises his hands. Marshall reaches over and pulls out 
               the clip to his MP5.

                                     MARSHALL
                         Open the door.

               INT. CONFERENCE ROOM - NIGHT

               Caldwell, Shepherd and a few other aides hear the key turn 
               in the lock. They quickly take position around the door. As 
               Marshall marches Serge in, they're both tackled and smothered 
               by the group. They wrest the guns away and shut the door 
               quickly behind them.

               Marshall struggles against his people.

                                     MARSHALL
                         It's me goddamnit. Let me go.

               Surprised to hear their boss' voice, the aides and advisors 
               release Marshall.

                                     SHEPHERD
                         Mr. President, how the hell did you 
                         get on board?

                                     MARSHALL
                         I never left. Where's my wife and 
                         daughter?

                                     MAJOR CALDWELL
                         They took `em out. They're probably 
                         on the upper deck.

                                     SHEPHERD
                         Mr. President, Major Caldwell here 
                         has a plan to get these hostages of 
                         f the plane.

                                     MARSHALL
                         I dumped most of the fuel. They'll 
                         land soon and Delta will take its 
                         shot.

                                     SERGE
                         A refueling plane is already on it's 
                         way so we won't be landing until we 
                         reach Turkmenistan. Your best course 
                         of action is to release me. I will 
                         be merciful.

               MAJOR CALDWELL                   84.

               Sir, maybe we can use this. Turn it to our advantage.

                                     MARSHALL
                         Mr. Caidwell, the ground's a few 
                         miles away. How do you propose getting 
                         us from here to there?

                                     MAJOR CALDWELL
                         Gravity.

               INT. WHITE HOUSE SITUATION ROOM -

               Satellite pictures of various landing strips projected on 
               wall-sized monitors.

                                     DEAN
                         Of the three dozen airports in 
                         Turkmenistan, only five have 
                         sufficient runways for a 747. Of 
                         those five, only these three have 
                         shown any activity.

               General Northvood points with a laser pointer.

                                     GENERAL NORTPNOOD
                         But this one here, see this. It's a 
                         satellite dish and it wasn't there 
                         two weeks ago. Basic communications 
                         uplink, which suggests extensive 
                         communicatins ability. I'd say this 
                         was the one.

                                     V.P. CHANDLER
                         Are you confident you can take the 
                         facility?

                                     GENERAL NORTIWOOD
                         It's night there for a few more hours. 
                         That's a real plus. But I won't lie. 
                         As far as special ops go, this one's 
                         a bear, but I think we squeeze it 
                         out.

                                     V.P. CHANDLER
                         Let's get it going.

                                     AIDE
                         The Press Secretary's about to go 
                         on.

               INT. MAIN CONFERENCE ROOM - NIGHT

                                     MAJOR CALDWELL
                         If we can get to a lower altitude, 
                         we can use parachutes, but at this 
                         altitude, we'll pass out from Oxygen 
                         deprivation.

                                     MARSHALL
                         We've already played our cards, Major. 
                         There's no turning back.

                                     MAJOR CALDWELL
                         We can't jump from here or at this 
                         speed. But if we could get a message 
                         out - tell the refueling plane...

                                     MARSHALL
                         They've cut communication, and I 
                         spent a good bit of time looking for 
                         alternatives. My only solution ran 
                         out of batteries.

               A nearby SECRETARY in her late 20's pipes up.

                                     SECRETARY
                         The fax machines.

                                     MARSHALL
                         Excuse me?

                                     SECRETARY
                         The fax machines.

                                     MARSHALL
                              (dismissive)
                         No good. I said they disabled the 
                         communications system.

                                     SECRETARY
                         No. I thought about this, Mr.

               President. Voice lines and faxes are on two completely 
               different systems of encryption. It'd be easy to overlook 
               the data systems.

               What do they have to lose?

                                     MARSHALL
                              (to Caldwell)
                         Get `em ready.
                              (to secretary)
                         You... come with me.

                                     MAJOR CALDWELL
                         Eighteen thousand feet, sir. And two 
                         hundred knots... otherwise it's 
                         suicide.

                                     MARSHALL
                         Got it.

               INT. CORRIDOR.

               Caidwell, holding Serge's gun, takes position by the front 
               stairway and waves the other hostages on. They emerge from 
               the conference room, and move to the stairway.

               Marshall and the secretary rush the opposite direction toward 
               the equipment room.

               INT. WHITE HOUSE PRESS ROOM - DAY

               Amid shouting questions, the PRESS SECRETARY alights to the 
               podium.

                                     PRESS SECRETARY
                         Please. Quiet please... First let 
                         me... Please... I have a prepared 
                         statement... The White House confirms 
                         that the President's aircraft, Air 
                         Force One, has been hijacked and is 
                         currently controlled by foreign 
                         nationals.

               Murmurs, shouts, and more questions.

                                     REPORTERS
                         Is the President onboard?/ What about 
                         the First Family?/ What are their 
                         demands?

                                     PRESS SECRETARY
                         Please... please... For security 
                         reasons I can not comment on any 
                         specifics except to say that the 
                         Vice-President is doing everything 
                         within her power to resolve the 
                         situation.

                                     PULL BACK
                         T.V. monitor on broadcasting CNN. 
                         We're in the...

               INT. MISSION COMMUNICATIONS CENTER - NIGHT

               Korshunov turns toward the monitor. Furrows his brow.

                                     KORSHUNOV
                         And you are almost out of time.

               Where is the President?

               INT. EQUIPMENT ROOM.

               Marshall and the Secretary step over Perkins' body on the 
               way to the fax machine.

                                     SECRETARY
                         Here sir.

               Marshall grabs a piece of paper and a pen. Scribbles a note.

                                     SECRETARY
                         Where are we sending it?

                                     MARSHALL
                         White House Situation room.

               He signs the paper and hands it toher. She slides it into 
               the machine, checks the listed numbers and dials.

                                     MARSHALL
                         Someone should give you a raise.

                                     SECRETARY
                         Actually, sir, you could be that 
                         someone.

               They wait... will it work? A few beats, a few beats more. 
               The machine pulls the paper in and begins scanning.

                                     MARSHALL
                         It's yours.

               INT. WHITE HOUSE SITUATION ROOM.

               Marshall's note spits out of one of the fax machines. But in 
               the bevy of activity, will it be noticed?

               INT. UNDERDECK, REAR LOWER GALLEY - NIGHT

               Caldwell spins open the rear emergency pressure door and 
               leads the hostages into...

               INT. TAILCONE PARACHUTE LAUNCH PLATFORM -

               A cargo hold extending up the tapered edge of the aircraft's 
               rear. The hostages begin pulling parachute packs out of the 
               overhead storage bins. Helping each other.

               INT. MISSION COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM.

               Korshunov listens to Zedeck yell into the phone in Russian.

                                     ZEDECK
                         Still no movement on Stravanavitch.

               Korshunov eyes Alice and Rose.

                                     ROSE
                         Nor will there be. My husband does 
                         not negotiate with terrorists.

                                     KORSHUNOV
                         You will be the first to pay for 
                         that mistake.

               INT. EMERGENCY PARACHUTE LAUNCH RAMP.

               Caidwell assists everyone in strapping on their packs. He 
               addresses one group, mostly women and senior staff, who belt 
               into the larger chutes.

                                     MAJOR CALDWELL
                         These chutes are designed for a safe 
                         slow descent. They'll deploy off the 
                         line automatically as you step from 
                         the plane.
                              (turns to another 
                              group, mostly younger 
                              men)
                         You guys'll have to pull your own 
                         rip cords. Wait until you're clear 
                         from the plane, but not any longer.
                              (he checks packs and 
                              straps)
                         Once I check you, go stand behind 
                         the yellow line. You're good. You're 
                         good. You're good.

               Two neat lines ready to jump. One line on the deployment 
               wire, and the other set for freefall.

               Marshall and the secretary arrive.

                                     MAJOR CALDWELL
                         Mr. president?  pwtsHALL The fax 
                         went through. We can only wait.

                                     MAJOR CAWWELL
                         Your chute.

                                     MARSHALL
                         I'll not going without my family.

                                     MAJOR CALDWELL
                         Yes, sir.

               Caidwell crosses to prep the Launch Ramp controls.

               INT. COCKPIT.

               The gas gauges read very close to empty. Korshunov Stands 
               behind Gibbs, while Zedeck keeps an eye on the First Lady.

                                     GIBBS
                         Where's that goddamn plane?  tNT. 
                         EMERGENCY PARACHUTE LAUNCH RAMP.

               Everybody waits. Caidwell watches the indicator. 30,000 feet.

               EXT. SKY - NIGHT

               A KC-135, the USAF flying gas station, descends in front of 
               Air Force One.

                                     KC-135 PILOT
                         Air Force One, this is AF-135-RA. We 
                         have been instructed to refuel your 
                         plane.

               TNT. AIR FORCE ONE FLIGHT DECK - NIGHT

                                     GIBBS
                         About goddamn time.

                                     KC-135 PILOT
                         Please change course to Zero Seven 
                         Four and drop to eighteen thousand 
                         feet. Over.

                                     GIBBS
                         Air Force One, acknowledged.  tNT. 
                         EMERGENCY PARACHUTE LAUNCH RAMP.

               The altimeter begins to fall. A wave of relief washes over 
               the group.

               EXT. SKY - NIGHT

               The KC-135 extends its flying gas pump.

                                     KC-135 PILOT
                         Air Force One, please reduce speed 
                         to 250 knots.

                                     GIBBS (V.0. RADIO)
                         Roger.

               TNT. AFO FLIGHT DECK.                                     
               90.

               Okay1 now   KC-135 PILOT (V.0. Radio) vent your fueling 
               system.

               It's the yellow lever on the upper control panel. And next 
               to that there's a toggle Switch to open your intake. Got it?

                                     GIBBS
                         Roger KC-135 PILOT (V.0. Radio)

               Air Force One, do you see the fueling arm?

               Through the cockpit Window, the long metallic appendage 
               dangles ahead of the plane.

                                     GIBBS
                         That's affirmative.

                                     KC-135 PILOT
                         Ga get it.

               EXT. SKY - NIGHT

               As Air Force One edges its nose up to the appendage. The 
               appendage finds it's grove and slides right in.

               TNT. TAILCONE PARACHUTE LAUNCH PLATFOIW -

                                     MAJOR CALOWELL
                         That's it, eighteen thousand feet.

               We're ready.

                                     MARSHALL
                         What about them?

               Marshall indicates the four men without parachutes on. TWO 
               AIR FORCE CREW MEMBERS, Major Caldwell and Shepherd.

                                     MAJOR CALDWELL
                         Sir, we stay with the President.

                                     MARSHALL
                         That isn't necessary.

               None of them changes his mind.

                                     MARSHALL
                         Thank you.

               A silent beat. A few forced smiles in this very tense room.

               *                                                              
               91.

                                     MAJOR CALDWELL
                         Relax everybody. I used to do this 
                         for a living9 Caidwell pulls a switch 
                         on the wall.

                                     MAJOR CALDWELL
                         Depressurizing compartment. This `11 
                         take a moment.

               The President crosses to one of his aides.

                                     MARSHALL
                         Hey, by the way... who won the Duke 
                         game?

                                     AIDE
                         Find out for yourself, sir. I'll 
                         have it waiting at the White House.

               Marshall smiles.

               EXT. SKY - NIGHT

               The KC-135 flies above Air Force One, connected by a gasoline 
               umbilical cord.

               INT. EMERGENCY RAMP PLATFORM.

               Caldwell breaks safety glass. Reaches into a compartment and 
               pulls a lever.

                                     MAJOR CALDWELL
                         Here we go.

               A mechanical him and clank gives way to a rush of wind as 
               the tail section of Air Force One hinges open on hydraulic 
               struts, extending like a plank behind the plane. We can see 
               the sky with its angry clouds.

               Rushing by at two hundred knots.

               INT. FLIGHT DECK.

               A LOUD BUZZ

                                     KORSHUNOV
                         What's that?

               A warning light flashes on the control panel. Tactical Video 
               Display shows the emergency parachute ramp activating.

               INT. MAIN CABIN.

               Zedeck runs toward the conference room. He bursts through 
               the doors.

               INT. CONFERENCE ROOM -

               Empty.

               INT. FRONT HOLD/LOWER GALLEY -

               Tracking: Zedeck Sprinting to the rear of the plane.

               EXT. AIR FORCE ONE -

               The tail cone section of Air Force One hinges open and 
               parachutes begin to blossum from the rear of the plane.

               INT. F-15 EAGLE -

               From several miles back Carlton watches the chutes emerge.

                                     COL. CARLTON
                         Here they come.

               INT. WHITE HOUSE SITUATION ROOM.

               Radio traffic echos through the room.

                                     COL. CMLTON (V.0.)
                         We got... okay... so far ten chutes 
                         deploying of f the line. Dropping 
                         signal flares for search and rescue.

               INT. ITEAR BAGGAGE HOLD -

               Zedeck reaches the emergency pressure door. Through the 
               porthole he sees the hostages getting away. He tries the 
               door hatch. Locked.

               Zedeck looks around. Crosses to the lower rear galley.

               He kicks open the panel on the stove. Rips out the propane 
               tank. He runs back and wedges the tank into the door lock.

               He backs off 50 feet, turns and opens fire on the tank.

               The tank explodes, blowing the door out.

               EMERGENCY PARACHUTE LAUNCH PLATFORM

               The pressure door blows open and an explosion of pressurized 
               air blasts through the platform.

               The remaining parachutists are blown out the rear. Chutes 
               deploying.

               Marshall and Serge are knocked down the ramp, tumbling toward 
               oblivion. Just as Marshall's about to slide off the corner 
               of the ramp he grabs its hydraulic strut.

               Plummeting death.

               His grip is all that separates his dangling body from a long 
               Serge tumbles by Marshall, limbs flailing, and with a scream 
               Woven from a thousand nightma5, he loses his grip and slides 
               off the ramp into the jetblack sky, falling endlessly.

               Shepherd and Caldwell manage to hang to safety webbing as 
               the

               wind whips around them. The two other air force crew members 
               Without chutes also manage to hang on.

               As the plane depressurizes, it BUCKS like a wild bronco.

               Marshall looks down into the sky. Below his dangling legs, 
               parachutes blossoij. He's straining... he can't hold on 
               forever.

               INT. COCKPIT -

               Gibbs fights the wheel.

               Oxygen masks spring out from an overhead compartment as air 
               is sucked out of the cockpit...

               The plane shudders and jumps badly....

               KC-135 PILOT (V.0. RADIO)

               Air Force One, back off. I repeat, back off.

               Gibbs wrestles with the yoke, to no avail.

                                     GIBBS
                         She's bucking. I can't hold her!

               KC-135 PILOT (V.0. RADIO)

               What are you doing? Back off! Back off!

               EXT. SKY -

               Air Force One jerks upward, snapping off the fueling arm of 
               the KC-135.

                                     KC-135 PILOT
                         LOOK OUT!

               The broken edge of the fueling arm scrapes along the top of 
               Air Force One... metal against metal... tearing a gash in 
               the plane... Sparks fly.

               ONE OF THE SPARKS

               ignites the river of gasoline being pumped from the refueling 
               craft's belly.

               INT. AIR FORCE ONE, COCKPIT -

               Gibbs Sees the fueling arm catch fire. It doesn't take a 
               rocket scientist to figure what's coming. The flames creep 
               up toward the gas tanks.

                                     GIBBS
                         Holy Shiti Gibbs pushes the stick 
                         down and Air Force One begins to 
                         dive to safety.

               EXT. SKY -

               Air Force One descends.

               Whipping fire trails the KC-135.

               Slowly rolls it way into the plane's main tank.

               A burning fuse.

               BARRROOOOOOOM! A FIRECLOUD ERUPTS ACROSS THE SKY.

               Sky like daylight.

               From this incredible firecloud, the burned out skeleton of 
               an airplane emerges, falling toward earth.

               The F-15 escort zoom toward the unexpected fireball.

                                     COL. CARLTON
                         Everybody break. Now! Now! Now!

               Carlton's planes go into emergency climb, standing on their 
               afterburners to escape the inferno.

               INT. EMERGENCY PARACHUTE LAUNCH RAMP -

               Marshall hangs on to the strut for dear life as the 
               pressurized air swooshes by him, taking with it everything 
               that isn't nailed down including some of the spare parachutes.

               Fire rains down from the heavens, the sky like one giant 
               napalm nightmare.

               The shock wave hits the plane, slamming it violently.

               Almost yanking the hyraulic arm from Marshall's grasp.

               The military aides without parachutes lose their footing and 
               tumble off the platform. SCREAMING as they fall into fire.

               EXT. SKY -

               The burning KC-135 shell, an apocalyptic Flying Dutchman in 
               a vengeful Kamikazee dive at Air Force One.

               It's gonna be close.

               The flaming shell passes only a few hundred yards to the 
               rear of the 747.

               EXT. PARACHUTE LAUNCH RAMP -

               Marshall's got a great view. Flames dance in his eyes as he 
               watches the refueling plane descend.

               The brightness subsides, and the sky grows dark again.

               The wave of pressurized air subsides leaving Zedeck, Marshall, 
               Shepherd and Caldwell on the ramp. Caldwell begins edging 
               toward Marshall.

                                     ZEDECK
                         Don't move.

                                     MAJOR CALDWELL
                         Let me save him.

               Marshall barely hangs on.

                                     ZEDECK
                         That man, he is the president, no?

                                     SHEPHERD
                         Yes. Yes he is.

               Zedeck motions to Caidwell with his gun. "Go get him."

               Caldwell crawls down the ramp and extends his hand to 
               Marshall.

               THE PRESSURE DOOR SLAMMING SHUT -

               zedeck leads Marshall, shepherd and Caldwell away.

               IPRR. AFO'S FLIGHT DECK -

               Gibbs steadies the plane.

                                     KORSHUNOV
                         Fuel?

               Gibbs checks the guages.

                                     GIBBS
                         More than enough to get us home.

               EXT. WHITE HOUSE - EVENING

               The sun begins to set along the Potomac in long streaks of 
               red and pink. The White House lights flicker on uminating 
               the long staunch columns, the pillars of democracy.

               RNT. WHITE HOUSE SITUATION ROOM - EVENING

               Tired. Strung out. Bickering within the small workgroups.

               Chandler crosses to General Northwood, who has just hung up 
               the phone.

                                     V.P. CHANDLER
                         They still have the President, it's 
                         past their deadline and they haven't 
                         called. What do you think it means?

                                     GENERAL NORTHWOOD
                         Like any good poker player, they're 
                         checking over their hand seeing which 
                         cards to play and which to discard.

               INT. AFO, MISSION COMMUNICATION CENTER - NIGHT

               Zedeck leads the three hostage into the M.C.C.

               Rose and Marshall - their eyes meet. Enormous relief for the 
               both of them. Marshall smiles at his wife, as she fights 
               back her tears.

                                     ALICE
                              (to Korshunov)
                         He didn't leave us.

                                     KORSHUNOV
                         You are a resilient man, Mr.

               President.

               Zedeck grabs Caldwell's hands and tapes them behind his back 
               with duct tape. Rose and Alice already have their hands taped.

                                     KORSHUNQV
                         You must forgive the tape, but we 
                         were starting to feel outnumbered...

               Gibbs!

               INT. FLIGHT DECK -

               Gibbs puts the plane on automatic pilot. Rises to join the 
               group.

               INT. MISSION COMMUNICATIONS CENTER -

               Korshunov separates Marshall from his family. Waves him into 
               the Com Officer's chair. His hands are now wrapped too.

               Gibbs enters looking down.

                                     MARSHALL
                         Special Agent Gibbs. You helped do 
                         this?

                                     GIBBS
                         Yes, Mr. President.

                                     MARSHALL
                         Why?

                                     GIBBS
                         Because it is my duty.

                                     MARSHALL
                         You're duty to what? The country you 
                         served doesn't exist anymore.

                                     GIBBS
                         My loyalty was never to my country.

               I serve my commanding officers.

                                     KORSHUNOV
                         You don't think the leaders of the 
                         KGB would allow peristroika to ruin 
                         years of infiltration? No, when the 
                         Soviet Union collapsed, we took our 
                         sleepers with us.

               Korshunov holds up a telephone.

                                     KORSHUNOV
                         Now since we've had very little luck 
                         getting Washington or Moscow to 
                         cooperate, I wondered if you would 
                         be so kind.

                                     MARSHALL
                         Over my dead body.

                                     KORSHUNOV
                         No. But since I only have a few of 
                         your staff left to kill, perhaps I 
                         will start with your family instead... 
                         Gibbs.

               Gibbs grabs Alice and shoves her into a chair. She fights 
               him off, and he smacks her across the face and shoves his 
               gun into her neck.

               Marshall and Rose struggle against their bonds.

                                     KORSHUNOV
                         The world is such a dangerous place 
                         and we can't always protect our 
                         children.

                                     ROSE
                         Please. You can kill me but leave my 
                         daughter alone.

               Korshunov runs his finger down Alice's cheek.

                                     MARSHALL
                         She isn't a part of this. This is 
                         between you and me.

                                     KORSHUNOV
                         Call up Petrov and order 
                         Stravanavitch' S release.

               Marshall looks to Alice, then Rose, then back to Alice.

                                     MARSHALL
                         This administration does not negotiate 
                         with terrorists.

                                     KORSHUNOV
                         Pity. Mr. Gibbs.

               Gibbs withdraws his pistol. Places it against Alice's temple.

                                     KORSHUNOV
                         Perhaps a President does not 
                         negotiate, but does a father?
                              (beat)
                         An interesting choice. Your daughter 
                         versus your world vision. The implicit 
                         trust of a family against your oath 
                         of office.

               Tears of fears are streaming down Alice's face. She looks 
               into her father's eyes.

                                     ALICE
                         Daddy...

                                     MARSHALL
                         Alice... I...

                                     KORSHUNOV
                         And once the trigger is pulled, she 
                         is gone forever. Then, I wonder, how 
                         do you live, knowing you could've 
                         saved her?

               Marshall struggles with his duty. His honor.

                                     KORSHUNOV
                         And could you ever forget the look 
                         on her face as she ceases to exist... 
                         Late at night, when you think about 
                         her, will Stravanavitch really matter 
                         anymore?

               Marshall tries to look away, but Zedeck forces him to watch.

                                     ALICE
                         Daddy. Daddy, please...

                                     ROSE
                         Jim... for godsake!

                                     KORSHUNOV
                         Look inside your heart. No one will 
                         think you weak. Five...

               Alice's face, trying to be brave.

                                     KORSHUNOV
                         Four...

                                     ROSE
                         Jim...

                                     KORSHUNOV
                         Three...

               Rose looks away.

                                     KORSHUNOV
                         Two. .

               Alice looks at her father for the very last time. Then shuts 
               her eyes tight.

                                     KORSHUNOV
                         One...

               Gibbs begins to squeeze the trigger.

                                     MARSHALL
                         NO!

               Korshunov smiles.

                                     MARSHALL
                         Stop.

                                     KORSHUNOV
                         You'll do it?

                                     MARSHALL
                         Yes, I'll do it.
                              (broken)
                         Just leave my family alone.

                                     KORSHUNOV
                         Good. Good.

               Gibbs withdraws the gun from Alice's temple. Alice opens her 
               eyes and gasps for breath.

                                     KORSHUNOV
                         Bring him the phone...

               You are true to your nature, Mr.

               President.

                                     MARSHALL
                         Someday, you'll regret my nature.

                                     KORSHUNOV
                         You don't like seeing people get 
                         hurt. Now in morality, that is a 
                         virtue. In politics, however, that 
                         is weakness.
                              (beat)
                         You were a hostage to everyone else 
                         *                    long before you 
                         were a hostage to

               INT. BEDROOM - NIGHT

               A sleepless Petrov paces back and forth, smoking a cigarette.

               The phone RINGS. He looks up expectantly as his aide answers.

                                     AIDE
                         Sir, the President of the United 
                         States wishes to speak with you.

               Petrov stops in mid-pace. Considers his cigarette for a moment 
               and then walks over to the phone.

                                     PETROV
                         Mr. President.

               INT. PRISON CELL - NIGHT

               A guard walks down the cold steel hallway. He rattles the 
               bar of a darkened cage, he pulls out a set of keys and unlocks 
               the door.

                                     GUARD
                         Stravanavitch.

               Stravanavitch awakes, and leans forward into the light. He 
               and the guard trade looks. After a beat, the guard turns and 
               retreats down the the hallway.

               Stravanavitch rises from his bunk and approaches the cell 
               door. He leans against it and it swings open.

               INT. M.C.C. - NIGHT

               Rose stares at Marshall. Her look is hard to read. Distant...  
               cold, perhaps.

                                     ROSE
                         Can my husband sit next to me?

               Korshunov considers the pair. Hands taped behind their back.

               They're harmless. Korshunov nods.

               Marshall rises and joins her on the pilot's rest bunk.

                                     ROSE
                         I don't know why you stayed.

                                     MARSHALL
                         Please... don't start with me.

               Rose moves closer to him, and speaks in a low voice.

                                     ROSE
                         There's something I need to tell 
                         you... and God knows if I'll ever 
                         get another chance.

               From behind, we see her push his taped hands away.

               He looks at her quizically.

                                     ROSE
                         No matter what happens, you have 
                         been and always will be my hero.

               He feels the wall behind him. A dull edge of metal twisted 
               slightly from the earlier cockpit door explosion.

               He understands.

                                     MARSHALL
                         And you have always been my guardian 
                         angel.

               She smiles back at him.

                                     ROSE
                         I will never regret my life with 
                         you.

               Behind Marshall's back, he begins to cut away at the duct 
               tape.

               INT. MOSCOW CENTRAL PRISON, HALLWAY - NIGHT

               Ivan Stravanavitch walks down the long prison hallway. Other 
               PRISONERS see him and begin banging on their bars in rhythm.

               As he parades down the corridor, the banging grows until it 
               becomes deafening. Stravanavitch smiles a cocky smile.

               One by one, guard doors swing open in front of him. In fact, 
               a few of the HACKS salute Stravanavitch as he passes.

               INT. MISSION COMMUNICATION CENTER - AIR FORCE ONE

               The communication board beeps and Zedeck picks up the line.

               He exchanges some words with the caller in Russian, then 
               hangs up the phone.

                                     SERGE
                         It's confirmed. Stravanavitch is on 
                         his way out. Our men are waiting 
                         outside.

               Korshunov smiles and puts his hand on Zedeck's shoulder.

                                     ROSE
                         You got what you wanted. You going 
                         to release us now?

                                     KORSHUNOV
                         You're very valuable. And our nation 
                         needs so many things.

               Marshall leans his head against the wall. Just as he expected.

                                     MARSHALL
                         Could I... Could I have some water?

               Korshunov nods, motions Zedeck to take care of it. Zedeck 
               reluctanty descends to the main cabin.

                                     KORSHUNOV
                         The taste of defeat is bitter, no?

                                     MARSHALL
                         One thing I've learned as

               President... all defeats are temporary and all victories are 
               temporary. Today' 5 conquerers are tomorrow's vanquished.

                                     KORSHUNOV
                         e                    Very poetic.

               Zedeck arrives with a glass of water.

                                     MARSHALL
                         And there's one thing I've learned 
                         from being a sports fan.

               Zedeck brings the cup of water to Marshall's lips. Marshall 
               tips his head back to receive it.

                                     KORSHUNOV
                         And that is?

               Water spills over Marshall's face. He shakes it off.

                                     MARSHALL
                         It ain't over, til it's over.

               With blinding speed, Marshall leaps to his feet and swings 
               his arm around Zedeck's throat. He snaps Zedeck's neck with 
               quiet efficency.

               Gibbs fires at Marshall, but Marshall, using Zedeck as a 
               shield, grabs hold of the terrorist'sMP5 and lets loose...  
               mowing down the former Secret Service agent.

               The rest of Gibb's shots pelt against the cockpit controls 
               sending showers of sparks flying.

               Korshunov whips out his gun and lines up a clean shot at 
               Marshall's head.

                                     MAJOR CALDWELL
                         Mr. President.

               Korshunov fires at Marshall, but...

               Major Caidwell dives in front of the bullet spray taking the 
               rounds in his chest.

               Marshall turns his aim to Korshunov... but Korshunov grabs 
               Alice and presses his pistol to her head.

               Stand-off.

                                     KORSHUNOV
                         Don't be hasty.

               Marshall holds Korshunov in his sights. Slowly advancing.

                                     KORSHUNOV
                         You love your daughter, Mr.

               President. And I love my country.

               It's a fair trade.

               Korshunov backs away to the steps. Marshall does not lower 
               his gun. Korshunov disappears down the staircase.

                                     MARSHALL
                         Shepherd.

                                     SHEPHERD
                         Sir...

               Shepherd stands. Marshall unwraps Shepherd's hands.

                                     MARSHALL
                         Call Petrov...
                              (to Rose)
                         I'll be back.

                                     ROSE
                         Both of you.

               Marshall slowly descends the steps to the main cabin. As 
               soon as Shepherd gets her hands loose, Rose rushes to 
               Caidwell's aid. Shepherd crosses to the communications panel 
               and picks up a headset. Begins dialing numbers

               INT. BEDROOM - NIGHT

               In his nightdress, Stoli Petrov nurses a vodka on ice. His

               PHONE RINGS.

                                     PETROV
                         Petrov.

               Petrov's eyes widen.

               EXT. MOSCOW PRISON EXERCISE YARD - NIGHT

               A wall of bars part and Stravanavitch walks through. Into 
               the main exercise yard.

               The main gate separates him from...

               A group of men wait in the street by a limousine.

               The main gate opens slowly.

               When the men sees Stravanavitch they come to attention and 
               salute him. Stravanavitch returns the salute. And then starts 
               his march toward his limousine...

               A SIREN WAILS. LIGHTS FLOOD THE INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF THE 
               PRISON.

               The front gate begins to close. Worry crosses Stravanavitch's 
               face. His men rush toward him, take position by the gate.

               Stravanavitch breaks into a run toward his limousine.

                                     GUARD
                         Halt! Halt!

               Stravanvitch looks behind him. Guards rushing toward him 
               from the yard... the limousine fifty yards ahead of him... 
               closing fast...

               On the limo... the back door open and waiting.

               A shot rings out from the guard tower, followed by another, 
               and another. Like popcorn starting to pop. Stravanavitch's 
               men return fire. A minor war breaks out. Loyal guards battling 
               Stravanavitch sympathizers.

               Stravanavitch caught in the middle, hit by one bullet, then 
               another, then another. He makesit to the open rear door of 
               the limousine, but collapses dead.

               Everyone stops firing. Stravanavitch's men rush to his side..

               INT. BEDROOM - NIGHT

               Petrov slips under the covers as an aide knocks on his door.

                                     PETROV
                         What is it?

                                     AIDE
                         It's about Stravanvaitch.

                                     PETROV
                         What about him?

                                     AIDE
                         He's dead, sir. Shot while trying to 
                         escape.

               A beat.

                                     PETROV
                         So be it. The world will sleep easier.

               Petrov turns out his bedside light.

               INT. AIR FORCE ONE, MAIN CABIN - NIGHT

               Marshall ascends down from the upper deck. Spots Korshunov 
               by the front stairway. Korshunov pushes Alice down the stairs 
               to the underdeck.

               INT. COCKPIT - NIGHT

               Autopilot engaged. A shower of sparks erupts from one of the 
               bulletholes in the panel.

               Directional compass... the course heading drifts off to the 
               south.

               EXT. SKY - NIGHT

               The squadron of F-15 still surround Air Force One, which 
               slowly banks to one side.

               INT. F-15 COCKPIT - NIGHT

                                     COL. CARLTON
                         They've changed their bearing.
                              (into headset)
                         Air Force One. Air Force One.

               Over... Air Force One please respond...

                                     FIGHTER PILOT #1
                         Sir, this new bearing. We're headed 
                         for Iraq, sir.

               INT. PILOT'S REST AREA.

               Unaware of the course drift, Shepherd and Rose lift Caldwell 
               onto a bunk.

                                     ROSE
                         Easy, Major. Easy.

                                     MAJOR CALDWELL
                         The President?

                                     ROSE
                         You saved his life.

               Caidwell smiles, settles peacefully back in the cot. He dies.

               Rose reaches up and shuts his eyes.

               INT. LOWER GALLEY - NIGHT

               Marshall makes his way through the dimness. Stepping 
               cautiously.

               A shot rings out and richochets off a piece of piping right 
               over Marshall's head.

               Undaunted Marshall advances.

                                     MARSHALL
                         It's over, Korshunov. You won. Now 
                         let her go.

               He listens, footsteps ahead of him.

               ON Korshunov - holding Alice by her hair, practically dragging 
               her over the mid-section wing cross-braces.

               As Marshall appears in the gangway he fires off another shot, 
               hitting a cooling vent. Steam fills the' gangway area, bathed 
               in red auxiliary lighting.

               Korshunov retreats toward the rear of the plane.

                                     MARSHALL (O.S.)
                         There's nowhere to go.

               INT. CONTROL TOWER - NIGHT

               SUPER - "HUSSEIN AIR BASE, NORTHERN IRAQ"

               A cacophony of Arabic. The radar indicates an apparent 
               invasion force heading for its borders.

               EXT. AIR FIELD - NIGHT

               Iraqi pilots rush to their MiGs.

               INT. WHITE HOUSE SITUATION ROOM -

               All eyes on the tactical display... Air Force One's course 
               has arced south and the plane is heading straight for Iraq.

                                     GENERAL NORTHWOOD
                         They aren't answering their hails.

                                     DEAN
                         This doesn't make sense.

                                     V.P. CHANDLER
                         How close are they?

               GENERAL NORTHiqOOD Fifteen miles, so two minutes.

                                     LEE
                         The Iraqi Ambassador won't take our 
                         calls. We're trying to get through 
                         to their Central Command.

                                     DEAN
                         To tell them what? The great infidel 
                         himself is flying overhead, Go get 
                         him? This is a man they burn in effigy 
                         daily.

                                     V.P. CHANDLER
                         If challenged, our fighters are to 
                         state that they are on a rescue 
                         mission.

                                     GENERAL NORTHWOOD
                         Iraqi's won't buy it. Either they're 
                         already in on this or they'll think 
                         we're spying.

                                     V.P. CHANDLER
                         If fired upon, tell our fighters 
                         that they are ordered to engage.

               INT. REAR BAGGAGE HOLD - NIGHT

               Marshall checks behind the racks of stored goods and luggage.

               P.O.V. LOOKING DOWN A GUNSIGHT AS MARSHALL WALKS INTO THE

               open.

               A finger on the trigger.

                                     ALICE
                         Dad, look out.

               Korshunov fires and Marshall dives out of the way. He cones 
               up in defensive crouch ready to shoot, but all he can see is 
               Alice.

                                     MARSHALL
                         How you doing, sweetie?

                                     ALICE
                         Been better, Dad... You?

               Marshall smiles briefly. But Alice is yanked around the 
               corner. Marshall hears foatsteps. He junps to his feet and 
               cautiously follows.

               INT. WHITE HOUSE SITUATION ROOM - EVENING

               On the tactical display as a second group of fighters appear.  
               ready to challenge the F-l5's.

               EXT. SKY - NIGHT

               Air Force One and the cluster of F-15's zoom by.

                                     COL. CARLTON
                         Air Force one... please respond. Air 
                         Force One, you are entering hostile 
                         air space. Air Force one...

               All Carlton receives is static.

               INT. AFO'S COCKPIT.

               Nobody at the wheel. The automatic pilot is still engaged.

               INT. F-15 EAGLE COCKPIT.

               Con. CARLTON Okay, guys, time to earn your paychecks. Stay 
               in protective formation, and do not engage, I repeat, do not 
               engage... unless you are fired upon. All wings acknowledge.

                                     FIGHTER PILOT #1
                         Halo one, acknowledged.

                                     FIGHTER PILOT #2
                         Halo two, acknowledged.

               The rest of the pilots chime in.

               INT. AIR FORCE ONE, LOWER AFT GALLEY - NIGHT

               Marshall swings into the cubicle... empty.

               He crosses to the cargo bay/parachute launch ramp hatchway.

               Looks through the porthole.

               Korshunov straps on one of the few remaining parachutes. He 
               tosses the rest of the spares out onto the platform.

               Marshall steps onto the platform. Korshunov fires off a round 
               forcing him behind the door for cover.

               Korshunov pulls Alice in front of him and yanks down the 
               ramp activation lever.

                                     KORSHUNOV
                         Stay where you are.

               The ramp lowers, and Alice gets her first look at the drop.

               Marshall watches the remaining parachutes slide off the ramp 
               and into the stormy sky.

                                     KORSHUNOV
                         There goes your ride.

                                     MARSHALL
                         Let my daughter go or I'll take you 
                         out!

                                     KORSHUNOV
                         If you put down the gun, I promise 
                         not to drop her on the way down.

               Korshunov backs toward the edge of the ramp, pulling a 
               struggling and fighting Alice.

                                     MARSHALL
                         Let her go now! Or I will kill you.

               Korshunov is a foot away from the edge of the ramp... two 
               steps back, he and Alice will take the plunge.

               Marshall lines up his shot. Korshunov laughs as he presses 
               his pistol to Alice's ear.

                                     KORSHUNOV
                         No you won't. You'll compromise...  
                         like always.

                                     MARSHALL
                         Hold on, Alice.

               Marshall fires, his bullet ripping apart a good deal of 
               Korshunov's face and snapping his body back.

               Korshunov tumbles off the platform, but his limbs are caught.  
               in Alice's. She's knocked to her belly and his dead weight 
               drags her off the edge of the platform.

                                     ALICE
                         NO!

               Marshall dives down the sloping platform, reaching out for 
               her...

               Alice tries to grip the platform with her hands, but she 
               can't hold on. Her hand slip off the metallic lip.

               But as she falls, she's caught by the wrist. Strong arms 
               pull her up. Her father's arms. He carries her back to the 
               safety of the plane. She's sobs uncontrollably.

                                     ALICE
                         Oh NY god... oh my god... oh my god...

                                     MARSHALL
                         It's okay, honey. I got you. I got 
                         you. You're okay.

               Shepherd and Rose appear. Marshall locks eyes with Rose...  
               smiles. Shepherd crosses to the parachute bins.

                                     MARSHALL
                         Gone. They're all gone.

               The plane shakes with the thunder of a supersonic boom.

               EXT. SKY - NIGHT

               A half dozen MiGs race by the cluster of American aircraft 
               at breakneck speeds.

               INT. IRAQI CONTROL TOWER - NIGHT

               GENERAL CERALLOS eyes the radar.

                                     IRAQI SOLDIER
                         The Americans say they are escorting 
                         a damaged plane. Our pilots confirm 
                         they are surrounding a 747.

                                     CERALLOS
                         Did we warn them off?

                                     IRAQI SOLDIER
                         Yes. They refused to alter course 
                         and the 747 would not answer our 
                         hails.

               Cerallos takes a moment, looking at the screen.

                                     CERALLOS
                         It's some kind of trick... a 
                         preliminary airstrike in response to 
                         our troop movement.

                                     IRAQI SOLDIER
                         They are in our airspace. We would 
                         be within our rights.

                                     CERALLOS
                         The world would not look on us kindly 
                         if we shot down a civilian airliner.

               The Soldier listens to chatter coning over his headset.

                                     IRAQI SOLDIER
                         The pilot says it is does not have 
                         the markings of a commercial jet.

                                     CERALLOS
                         Warn then again. If they don't 
                         respond... shoot them down. We will 
                         not be intimidated.

               EXT. AIR FORCE ONE - NIGHT

               INT. MISSION COMMUNICATION CENTER - NIGHT

               Another sonic boom.

                                     MARSHALL
                         What is that sound?

               Marshall makes his way to the cockpit.

               Through the cockpit window, a MiG accelerates out of the 
               darkness coming straight at us. At the last second it pulls 
               up slightly, riding over the top of the 747.

               Its sonic boom rocks the jumbo jet.

                                     MARSHALL
                         My god. I think that was a MiG.

                                     SHEPHERD
                         A MiG? Where the hell are we?

               Marshall rushes back to one of the rear upper deck windows.

               He looks out at the F-l5s.

                                     MARSHALL
                         They're flying a protection formation.
                              (beat)
                         Call D.C. Find out what's going on.

               INT. COCKPIT, F-15 EAGLE - NIGHT

                                     MIS PILOT (V.0.)
                         This is your last warning. You are 
                         violating our airspace. Leave 
                         immediately.

                                     COL. CARLTON
                         I said back off and hold your fire.

               We are on a rescue mission. Do not engage. I repeat, do not 
               engage.

               EXT. SKY - NIGHT

               A MiG loops into position behind Carlton.

               INT. MIG COCKPIT - NIGHT

               switches his targeting computer on. Finds carlton in his 
               sights. Good tone.

               The pilot pulls the trigger.

               EXT. SKY - NIGHT

               The missile detaches from the MiG and slides toward Carlton.

               Carlton breaks formation, leading the missile astray. His 
               plane tucks into a tight little roll. The missile misses 
               over Carlton's rolling wings.

                                     COL. CARLTON
                         Halo Team, this is group leader.

               Halo Team is cleared to engage. I repeat, you are cleared to 
               engage.

               Carlton pulls his plane into a monster climb.

                                     COL. CARLTON
                         This is the real thing boys. Let's 
                         fly and fry.

               INT. WHITE HOUSE SITUATION ROOM - NIGHT

               A ringing phone is answered by an aide. A few beats.

                                     AIDE
                         It's the Chief of Staff calling...  
                         from Air Force One. They've retaken 
                         control of the aircraft.

                                     GENERAL NORTHWOOD
                         Then tell him to get the fuck out of 
                         Iraq.

               INT. COCKPIT - NIGHT

               Marshall settles into the pilot's chair. Shepherd comes in.

                                     SHEPHERD
                         Iraq, sir. We're over Iraq.

                                     MARSHALL
                         Iraq? Shep, you're fired.

               Marshall looks at the plane's bearing. The instruments are 
               shot to hell.

                                     MARSHALL
                         Shit.

                                     SHEPHERD
                         How long's it been since you flew, 
                         sir?

                                     MARSHALL
                         Twenty-five years.

               EXT. SKY -

               An F-15 follows a MiG into a barrel roll.

               INT. MIG COCKPIT - NIGHT

               The MIG pilot targets Air Force One. He cuts his speed as he 
               lines up his shot. Gets a lock.

                                     MIG PILOT
                              (arabic/subtitle)
                         I have radar lock on the 747.

               INT. COCKPIT - AIR FORCE ONE - NIGHT

               On tactical computer -   "RADAR LOCK"

                                "Dis-Engaging Auto-pilot"

               The plane banks left into a dive. Marshall grabs the yoke.

               INT. MIG COCKPIT -

               Finger on the trigger.

                                     MIG PILOT
                         It's evading. Can I take the shot?

                                     MIG LEADER (V.0.)
                         Take the shot.

               EXT. SKY - NIGHT

               Looking forward from underneath an F-15, the MiG heads toward 
               Air Force One. The F-15 fires a sidewinder.

               On the MIG... as it fires its missile. The F-15's sidewinder 
               blows the MIG up, taking the missile with it.

               Air Force One is clear... for the time being.

               INT. AIR FORCE ONE, COCKPIT - NIGHT

               MARSHALL STRUGGLES TO REGAIN CONTROL OF THE 747. HE OVER-

               compensates and the plane rocks side-to-side.

                                     ROSE
                         What are you doing?

                                     MARSHALL
                         Flying the plane.

                                     ROSE
                         You haven't even driven a car since 
                         you took office.

               Marshall checks out the tactical display.

                                     MARSHALL
                         I'm sure it's like riding a bicycle... 
                         downhill with no brakes and somebody 
                         shooting at you.

               Marshall finds the throttle, pushes it up all the way. He 
               feels the plane out, gently nudges it into a turn.

               EXT. SKY - NIGHT

               Two MiGs flare out of an engagement with the F-15's and break 
               toward Air Force One.

                                     COL. CARLTON
                         We got two on the loose. Someone get 
                         on them.

                                     FIGHTER PILOT #2
                         Halo Two... I can't get there in 
                         time.

                                     COL. CARLTON
                         Bullshit. Do it.

               The two MiGs lock onto Air Force One. Each fires a missile 
               at the President's plane, before breaking in opposite 
               directions.

               INT. AFO COCKPIT - NIGHT

               A red buzz. It's all Marshall can do to keep the plane flying 
               straight.

                                     MARSHALL
                         We got two coming at us!

               Tactical Countermeasures Computer... as it tracks the 
               incomings...

                                      "Heat Seekers"

                                    "Launching Flares"

               EXT. AIR FORCE ONE - NIGHT

               Brightly burning flares launch from either side of Air Force 
               One's wings and descend toward earth.

               The missiles follow the heat of the flares, plummeting 
               harmlessly to earth.

               INT. AIR FORCE ONE COCKPIT - NIGHT

               The shock waves from a nearby MiG explosion shakes the plane.

               In the aftermath, Marshall takes a moment and pulls on the 
               pilot's headset.

                                     MARSHALL
                         U.S. Pilots, this is Air Force One.

                                     COL. CARLTON
                         Copy Air Force One. Welcome to the 
                         party.

               FIGHTER PILOT #1 (V.0.)

               I'm on it.

               INT. AFO COCKPIT - NIGHT'

                                     MARSILALL
                         Can you... can you drop in front of 
                         me? I'll follow you out.

                                     COL. CARLTON
                         Hang tough, I'm on my way.

               EXT. SKY - NIGHT

               On the two MiG's heading for Air Force One.

               An F-15 drops in behind them. The MiGs scissor and break in 
               OPPosite directions. The F-l5 can only follow one of them.

                                     FIGHTER PILOT 11
                         I'm tight on one, the other's loose.

               I need help down here.

               The other MiG comes up on the 747 and opens fire with his 
               CANNONS. The shells rip up the surface of the aircraft's 
               wing. The MiG swoops past Air Force One and jerks into a *         
               vertical.

               On the damaged wing - Fuel starts leaking out and the outer 
               jet engine catches fire.

               INT. COCKPIT, AIR FORCE ONE - NIGHT

               Red warning light flashes on the control panel.

                                     MARSHALL
                         We're hit. We've got an engine on 
                         fire.

                                     COT. CAALTON (V.0.)
                         Shut it down. Shut it down.

               Marshall reaches over and toggles the shutoff switch.

               EXT. AIR FORCE ONE - NIGHT

               The engine whirs to a halt and the rushing wind blows out 
               the fire. But now she's only got three engines.

               INT. AIR FORCE ONE - NIGHT

               Through the cockpit window, an F-15 settles in front of Air 
               Force One... Flames pouring out of its tail. Under any other 
               condition, it would be pretty. Alice, Rose and Shepherd watch 
               Marshall fly.

                                     MARSHALL
                         This is President Marshall. I know 
                         you guys are busy, but we need some 
                         help here.

               INT. CARLTON'S F-15 COCKPIT - NIGHT

               Canton in pursuit of a Mis.

                                     COL. CARLTON
                         Mr. President, it's an honor. Now 
                         with your permission can we lead you 
                         the fuck out of here.

                                     MARSHALL
                         You read my mind.

                                     COL. CARLTON
                         Put your pilot on.

                                     MARSHALL
                         He's busy being dead.

               Carlton breaks left, lines up a MiG and fires. He nails the 
               Iraqi aircraft.

                                     COL. CARLTON
                         Who's flying the fucking plane?

                                     MARSHALL
                         I'm doing what I can.

                                     COL. CAELTON
                         Can you, can you change your heading 
                         to Zero Four One point six?

                                     MARSHALL
                         Negative. We've lost navagition. I 
                         don't know where that is.

               Buzzer sounds in Carlton's cockpit. He's been locked on.

                                     COL. CARLTON
                         Oh shit. Hang on. Somebody help me 
                         out. I got one up my ass.

               EXT. SKY - NIGHT

               Carlton puts his plane into a triple canopy roll then slams 
               on his airbreaks. The MiS shoots by him and Carlton lets 
               loose with his CANNONS. The MiG pulls up and disengages.

                                     COL. CARLTON
                         Two and three are heading toward the 
                         Boeing.

                                     COL. CARLTON
                         Okay. We're gonna arc a fat one to 
                         the right. Got it?

                                     MARSHALL
                         Got it.

                                     COL. CARLTON
                         Stay cool.

               Canton's plane edges around to the right... and Marshall 
               follows. The 747 leans at an angle and continues the turn 
               until the F-15 is dead ahead. Another plane explodes ahead 
               of him at three o'clock.

                                     MARSHALL
                         How we doing, Colonel?

                                     COL. CARLTON
                         We still got three MiGs running around 
                         and six more on the way.

               Can't you fly any faster?

               IRA'. WHITE HOUSE SITUATION ROOM - NIGHT

               All eyes are glued to the tactical screen, showing the 
               dogfight. They listen to the radio traffic.

                                     MARSHALL
                         We're at full throttle.

               FIGHTER PILOT #1 (V.0.)

               Air Force One, MiGs four and five are on your tail.

                                     MARSHALL
                         Well get `em off me, goddamnit.

               EXT. SKY - NIGHT

               Two MiGs targeting the big bird.

                                     FIGHTER PILOT #1
                         I can't get a lock. Break right.

               Break right.

               INT. AFO COCKPIT - NIGHT

               Marshall struggles with his stick turning the aircraft to 
               the right.

               EXT. SKY - NIGHT

               Of course its pointless. The Boeing is a fucking sloth 
               compared to these fighters.

               INT. AIR FORCE ONE COCKPIT - NIGHT

               The familiar buzz. Tactical computer. "RADAR LOCK"

               Alice notices the computer. At the upper right hand of the 
               screen, the computer displays Defensive Mode/Offensive Mode.

               Defensive Mode is highlighted.

                                     ALICE
                         Daddy, look. It says...

               Alice reaches out and touches the screen.

                                     MARSHALL
                         Not now, pumpkin.

               Alice's touch activates offensive mode.

               EXT. AIR FORCE ONE - NIGHT

               Along the belly of the aircraft, two hatches pivot open, 
               revealing a series of missiles.

               SKY - AS THE F-15 JOCKEYS WITH THE `NO MIGS

                                     FIGHTER PILOT #1
                         I can't get good tone.

                                     COL. CARLTON
                         Take the shot.

               The F-15 fires, but the Sidewinder screams past the turning 
               HiGs.

               INT. AIR FORCE ONE, COCKPIT - NIGHT

               Tactical computer... Over graph display.

               "Offensive Counter Measures Activatedw "Launching Missiles"

               ERR. AIR FORCE ONE -

               The Flying White House launches two sparrow missiles. The 
               MiGs release flares, but the Sparrows don't flinch.

               Twin FIREBALLS erupt in the sky as the Mics evaporate.

               But from the fireball, a MISSILE emerges coming right at Air 
               Force One.

               Closing fast.

                                     FIGHTER PILOT #2
                         Boss, they got one off.

               INT. AIR FORCE ONE - NIGHT

               On the console... sparks fly.

               Tactical computer flashes... "SYSTEM FAILURE"

                                     "Missile Locked"

               MARSHMj What did you touch? What did you touch!?

                                     ALICE
                         Nothing!

               Marshall checks display.

                                     MARSHALL
                         Oh shit. It's got us.

               EXT. SKY - NIGHT

               The missile has Air Force One dead to rights, crawling right 
               up its tail pipe.

               Just before its about to hit the plane...

                                     FIGHTER PILOT 11
                         YAAAAAAAAH!

               An F-15 swoops up from below. Like a Secret Service agent 
               during an assassination attempt...

               The F-15 takes the bullet in its mid-section. BOOM!

               The blast slams bits of the fighter plane against Air Force 
               One. Rocking it badly. Chunks of the plane rip away metal 
               sheeting on the 747's wings and tail section.

               INT. F-15 COCKPIT - NIGHT

                                     COL. CARLTON
                         We got six more bogeys, closing fast 
                         from the south.

               EXT. SKY - NIGHT

               A squadron of Navy F-14s drops into the theatre. The cavalry.

               NAVY SQUADRON LEADER (V.0.)

               You Air Force boys get that plane out of here. We'll take 
               care of those MiGs.

                                     COL. CARLTON
                         Roger that. Kick ass, Navy.

               NAVY SQUADRON LEADER (V.0.)

               That's affirmative.

               INT. COCKPIT - NIGHT

               Marshall works the controls of the 747. Tries to engage the 
               automatic pilot. The system is fried. Marshall wrestles with 
               the yoke.

                                     MARSHALL
                         Uh, we got a problem here.

                                     COL. CARLTON
                         Just stay on my wing, sir. I'll take 
                         you all the way in.

                                     MARSHALL
                         No. We're losing fuel and my rudder's 
                         not responding.

                                     COL. CARLTON
                         Lemme take a look.

               EXT. SKY - NIGHT

               Canton pulls up and drops back over the plane. He looks down 
               at the Boeing's wing.

                                     COL. CARLTON
                         Aw, man. You're torn up pretty bad 
                         out here, sir. Do you have any 
                         elevater control.

                                     MARSHALL
                         Sluggish... I think it's jammed too.

               INT. WHITE HOUSE SITUATION ROOM - NIGHT

                                     COL. CARLTON
                         Uh, Tower, we got a problem up here.

               Sir, I got some bad news. Air Force One... there's no way 
               they can bring it down. Plane's damaged, it's unlandable.

               INT. AIR FORCE ONE, COCKPIT - NIGHT

               Marshall looks out the side cockpit window, sees Carlton's F-
               15 fly steady with his.

                                     COL. CARLTON
                         I'm sorry, sir.

               Carlton salutes Marshall. Marshall returns it.

                                     MARSHALL
                         Thanks for your help, Colonel.

               INT. WHITE HOUSE SITUATION ROOM - NIGHT

               General Northwood collapses into his chair.

                                     GENERAL NORTHWOOD
                         They've got no chutes. They can't 
                         control the plane, their engines are 
                         failing and they're losing fuel.

                                     DEAN
                         I prefered the terrorists.

                                     GENERAL NORTHWOOD
                         That's game, set, and match. There's 
                         nothing to do, except call the Chief 
                         Justice.

                                     V.P. CHANDLER
                         The Chief Justice? What on earth 
                         for?

                                     GENERAL NORTHWOOD
                         To swear you in as President.

               Dead silence in the room.

               General Greely ambles over to the tactical map and just stares 
               at it. He loosens his tie and scratches his head.

                                     GENERAL GREELY
                         Where's your strike team, General?

                                     GENERAL NORTHWOOD
                         On their way back to Turkey. Why?

                                     GENERAL GREELY
                         I just had the craziest idea.

               EXT. SKY - NIGHT

               KC-lO Transport plane.

               KC-lO PILOT Romeo Tango Zulu. We copy. Change of Orders 
               acknowledged. We are en route.

               The KC-lO banks into a turn.

               INT. COCKPIT, AIR FORCE ONE - MIGHT

               Alice, Rose and Shepherd stand behind the pilot's seat.

                                     MARSHALL
                              (into header)
                         Is it our only option? - Then do it.

               Marshall looks to the others.

                                     MARSHALL
                         We're now over the Black Sea, so 
                         even if they could get us chutes 
                         we'd drown or die of hypothermia

               before they could get to us. We've got one other option 
               though...

               EXT. WHITE HOUSE - NIGHT

               Standard news shot. CNN REPORTER facing the camera.

                                     REPORTER
                         incredible, yet unconfirmed reports, 
                         of White House staff members 
                         parachuting from the plane while the 
                         President himself battled these 
                         terrorists.

               INT. LIVING ROOM - NIGHT

               A family gathers around their T.V. set to hear the report.

                                     REPORTER (TELEVISION)
                         Yet now, in a bizarre twist of events, 
                         CNN has learned that Air Force One 
                         has been severly crippled and is 
                         virtually unlandable and our sources 
                         report that the First Family is 
                         trapped onboard.  A daring mid-air 
                         rescue operation is said to be 
                         underway.

               INT. COCKPIT, AIR FORCE ONE - NIGHT

                                     MARSHALL
                         How long's it been?

                                     SHEPHERD
                         Twenty five minutes. They should be 
                         here any moment.

                                     MARSHALL
                         They better. Fuel's almost gone.

               Up ahead, navagation lights.

                                     ALICE
                         There they are!

                                     MARSHALL
                         Okay, I'm slowing us down.

               INT. MAIN CABIN - NIGHT

               Shepherd crosses to the forward cabin door. He follows 
               directions for emergency door release.

               EXT. AIR FORCE ONE - NIGHT

               The emergency door opens and the emergency raft/slide deploys. 
               It inflates before being ripped from the aircraft, gently 
               wafting through stormy clouds.

               INT. MAIN CABIN - NIGHT

               Air rushes past the airplane at two hundred miles an hour.

                                     SHEPHERD
                         IT'S OPEN!

               INT. COCKPIT -

                                     MARSHALL
                         DO YOU SEE TEEM?

               INT. CABIN - NIGHT

                                     ROSE (O.S.)
                         CAN YOU SEE THEM?

               Shepherd looks out into the night sky. Inky blackness and 
               greying clouds. The horizon, though, lightens as dawn 
               approaches.

               Shepherd spots navigational lights descending from above.

                                     SHEPHERD
                         HERE THEY COME!

               EXT. KC-LO TRANSPORT - NIGHT

               It's side cargo door is wide open. Army Rangers begin winching 
               out three-inch wide cable.

               EXT. SKY - NIGHT

               The KC-lO pratically on top of Air Force One. Separated by 
               forty feet. Super flying.

               The cable slaps against the side of Air Force One and drags 
               along it's edge. As it slides past the open doorway, Shepherd 
               grabs it and hauls it into the plane until he has its end. 
               He hooks the cable to a metal clasp at the top of the door 
               frame.

                                     SHEPHERD
                         WE'RE HOOKED!

               INT. AIR FORCE ONE COCKPIT -

                                     MARSHALL
                         We're hooked. Hove into position.

                                     KC-LO PILOT (RADIO)
                         Romeo Tango Zulu, acknowledged. We 
                         are assuming position.

               A red light flashes on the control panel. Engine number two 
               grinds to a halt. The pressure guages drop to zero.

                                     MARSHALL
                         Get going. We don't have much time 
                         left.

               Rose bends down and kisses Marshall on the cheek.

                                     ROSE
                         I love you. I just wanted you to 
                         know that.

               Marshall holds her with his eye.

                                     MARSHALL
                         I love you too.
                              (beat)
                         We're going to make it.

               Alice throws her arms around her father.

                                     ALICE
                         My school play's Tuesday night.

               Promise me you'll be there.

                                     MARSHALL
                         I promise.

               Guages show fuel is low on the remaining turbofans.

               EXT. SKY -

               The transport plane dips into a lateral position. The two 
               planes are connected by a hundred yards of cable.

               FIVE ARMY RANGERS in snatch harnesses slide down the cable 
               bridge onto Air Force Onefr As they hit the open doorway, 
               they unclip and sail into the main cabin.

                                     ARMY RANGER #1
                         Let's get you folks out of here.

               INT. DEPARTMENT STORE - EVENING

               Electronics department. Banks of television sets. Shoppers 
               watch intently. The audio broadcast plays over a map of the 
               region and a graphic of Air Force One.

                                     KC-LO PILOT (V.0.)
                         Tower, Air Force One has been boarded.

                                     TOWER (V.0.)
                         Romeo Tango Zulu, copy One the 
                         television, graphics of the First 
                         Family against the Presidential Seal.

                                     REPORTER
                         You're listening to an intercepted 
                         audio feed of radio communications 
                         between Air Force One and Army Special 
                         Forces, flying side-by-side, 
                         attempting to get the first family 
                         off the damaged aircraft.

               INT. MAIN CABIN -

               Three Army Rangers harness themselves `to the survivors. One 
               to Alice, one to Rose and one to Shepherd. The other two 
               head for the cockpit.

               Alice and her Ranger are ready.

                                     ARMY RANGER
                         We're set.

                                     ALICE
                         Mon...

                                     ROSE
                         You can do it, baby.

                                     ARMY RANGER
                         Hold on tight. The first step's a 
                         bitch.

               Alice takes a deep breath, closes her eyes...

               The soldier clips on the cable, and shoves off the lip of 
               the doorway, SAILING DOWN THE WIRE.

               They plummet, Alice screaming. The line goes taut.

               The pair slide the hundred yards to the KC-lO. Rangers grab 
               them and bring them into the transport.

               INT. DEPARTMENT STORE - EVENING

               Shoppers listen to television sets, galvanized.

               KC-lO PILOT The first daughter is on-board.

               INT. COCKPIT, AIR FORCE ONE - NIGHT

               With a smile.

                                     MARSHALL
                         Acknowledged.

               Two Army Rangers approach the cockpit.

                                     ARMY RANGER #1
                         Mr. President!

               Army Ranger #2 slides into the co-pilot's seat.

                                     ARMY RANGER #2
                         I'll take it, sir. You get going.

               INT. MAIN CABIN - NIGHT

               Rose clips on to a Ranger's harness.

                                     ROSE
                         Ready!

               They clip on the wire, move to the lip, and rappel off the 
               side of the plane.

               INT. AFO UPPER DECK - NIGHT

               As the first Ranger leads Marshall through the M.C.C.

               WHEN A SHOT RINGS OUT...

               The soldier at the flight yoke slumps over dead.

               Marshall and the first Ranger swing around to see...

               A bloody but smiling Gibbs, lying on the deck, clutching an

               MP5.

               The Ranger draws his weapon...

               But Gibbs swings his rifle around. Pulls the trigger. BAM.

               BAM. BAM. Hitting the Ranger.

               The Ranger returns fire, shooting round after round at Gibbs 
               before pitching over, dead.

               Gibbs draws a bead on the President, smiles... but he doesn't 
               have any strength left to pull the trigger. He expires.

               And the plane begins to dive. Marshall runs for the cockpit.

               EXT. SKY - NIGHT

               Rose and her Ranger are pulled aboard the transport.

               INT. MAIN CABIN -

               Shepherd and his Ranger clip onto the wire, but the KC-lO is 
               now higher than Air Force One.

               INT. AFO COCKPIT -

               With Marshall back at the yoke.

                                     KC-LO PILOT
                         Air Force One, you're losing altitude.

                                     MARSHALL
                         I can't hold it!

               HANG ON.   KC-LO PILOT (V.0.)

               EXT. SN - NIGHT

               The KC-lO transport dips lower and lower, trying to maintain 
               its position under the descending plane.

                                     KC-LO PILOT
                         Tower, Romeo Tango Zulu. The First 
                         Lady is onboard. Air Force One, 
                         status?

                                     MARSHALL
                         We've lost two of your men. There's 
                         no one to fly the plane.

                                     KC-L0 PILOT (V.0.)
                         We can send another one over.

                                     MARSHALL
                         No time. I only have one engine left.

               INT. MAIN CABIN - NIGHT

                                     ARMY RANGER
                         Come on!

                                     SHEPHERD
                         What about the President?

                                     ARMY RANGER
                         He's on his way.

               With the KC-lO back in the Position, Shepherd and his Ranger 
               shove off the dying plane toward safety.

               TNT. WHITE HOUSE SITUATION ROOM - NIGHT

                                     KC-L0 PILOT
                         The Chief of Staff is onboard. We 
                         are at six thousand feet descending 
                         rapidly.

               Everyone's biting their nails.

               TNT. AIR FORCE ONE COCKPIT - NIGHT

                                     MARSHALL
                         I can't stabilize it.

                                     KC-LO PILOT
                         Sir, we're going to pound pavement 
                         in less than three minutes.

               Marshall holds the yoke in one hand and unclips the snatch 
               harness from the dead ranger in the co-pilot's seat.

               The last red light on the engine control panel starts to 
               flash.

                                     MARSHALL
                         I'M LOSING NUMBER FOUR!

               Marshall, still fighting the yoke, stands. He takes a deep 
               breatn, drops the wheel and runs like a motherfucker for the 
               stairs.

               EXT. SICY,  AIR FORCE ONE.

               Drops into a banking twist.

               The cable line runs taut.

               The KC-lO tries to compensate.

                                     TNT. CABIN
                         Marshall dives down the stairs from 
                         the upper deck, comes up sprinting 
                         for the door.

               TNT. AIR FORCE ONE, COCKPIT -

               Engine four fails.

               INT. WHITE HOUSE SITUATION ROOM -

                                     KC-1O PILOT (V.0.)
                         She's out of control. I can't pace 
                         her.

               INT. MAIN CABIN -

               The taut straining cable snaps one corner of the metal clasp.

               The clasp starts to bend.

               IN SLOW MOTION -

               MARSHALL sprinting to the open door.

               The clasp twisting. The cable hook ready to slip of f it.

               Marshall clips on, and dives out of the door. He slides forty 
               feet down, when....

               The clasp gives. The cable line snaps away from the plane...  
               one end connected to the KC-l0, the other connected to...

               Nothing.

               EXT. SKY

               Marshall slides down the cable, gripping at it, trying to 
               break his fall.

               Air Force One plummets toward the water.

               Marshall sliding, right behind it, running out of cable.

               At the end of his rope, literally. Marshall's harness snags 
               on the end clasp. He hangs on for dear life.

               Moments later Air Force One impacts.

               A huge EXPLOSION, water and flames blows sky high into the 
               night.

               INT. WHITE HOUSE SITUATION ROOM -

                                     KC-LO PILOT
                         Tower. Air Force One is down...

               INT. SPORTS BAR - EVENING

               Dead silence as all the patrons stare up at the T.V.

                                     KC-1O PILOT
                         I repeat, Air Force One is down.

                                     TOWER
                         Romeo Tango Zulu. Do you have the 
                         President?

               No response...

               INT. WHITE HOUSE SITUATION ROOM - NIGHT

                                     TOWER
                         Romeo Tango Zulu, please respond. Do 
                         you have the President? Over.

               Still no response...

               EXT. SKY - NIGHT

               The massive fireball and glowing remains of the Presidential 
               aircraft almost reaches up to where the President struggles 
               to hold on to the end of the cable.

               INT. KC-LO TRANSPORT

                                     ARMY RANGER
                         Winch it up! Winch it up!

               EXT. SKY - NIGHT

               Marshall slipping off the line, unable to get a solid hold.

               His hands slick with blood.

               The belly of the KC-lO gets closer and closer.

                                     MARSHALL
                         Come on. Ten mare seconds.

               He closes his eyes. His fingers begin to give.

               INT. LIVING ROOM - NIGHT

               All over America, families, gathered around their televisions, 
               wait.

                                     TOWER
                         Romeo Tango Zulu, do you have the 
                         President? Over.

                                     KC-LO PILOT
                         Stand by.

               INT. DEPARTMENT STORE - NIGHT

                                     TOWER
                         Romeo Tango Zulu1 this is Tower.

               Please report. over.

               INT. WHITE HOUSE SITUATION ROOM - NIGHT

               A long beat of silence, then...

                                     TOWER
                         Romeo Tango Zulu, do you copy? Do 
                         you have the President?

               Another long beat.

                                     KC-LO PILOT
                         We copy. Stand by...
                              (beat)
                         Tower?

                                     TOWER
                         Tower, here.

                                     KC-LO PILOT
                         This is Romeo Tango Zulu changing 
                         call signs.
                              (beat)
                         Tower, alert air traffic, Romeo Tango 
                         Zulu is now Air Force One.
                              (beat)
                         This is Air Force One... The President 
                         is safe onboard.

                                     TOWER
                         Copy, Air Force One.

               Cheers flood the situation room.

               Cheers flood the Department Store.

               Cheers flood the press room, the living room, the sports 
               bars, churches, schools, construction sites, hospitals... 
               all across America.

               INT. KC-1O HOLD - DAWN

               Marshall huddles tight with Rose and Alice as a MEDIC attends 
               to their wounds.

                                     ARMY RANGER
                         Mr. President?

               Marshall turns to see this soldier, a fresh-faced, 19-year-
               old kid, saluting his Commander-in-chief.

                                     ARMY RANGER
                         Welcome aboard, sir.

               Marshall returns the salute.

               EXT. SKY - DAWN

               The KC-1O soars into the emerging sunrise, flying in the 
               center of the remaining F-l5 formation.

               FADE TO BLACK