Thecircle Pilot

8/2/2019 Thecircle Pilot

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U n t i t l e d A l a s k a P r o j e c t

(a.k.a. T h e C i r c l e)

My Three Sons

(PILOT)

written byJohn August

WHITE DRAFT 2.18.03


2/58

TEASER

FADE IN1 1

We open on a stretch of two-lane blacktop that cuts through adense pine forest. Wisps of fog cling to the trees. Thedistant mountains are capped with snow year-round.

Its daylight, but the sky is dark. A storm is coming.

TITLE OVER:ALASKA HIGHWAY

10 MILES WEST OF THE CANADIAN BORDER

Far in the distance, a MAN emerges from the woods. He crossesto the center of the empty road, where he drops to his knees.

CLOSE ON the man, exhausted and desperate. His clothes aremuddy and torn, bloody in places.

His name is Bobby Satchel. Hes 26.

Kneeling in the middle of the empty road, he looks both waysfor any approaching car. Nothing. But then, from behind acurve, he sees headlights. A semi truck is approaching.

Bobby waves his arms to flag down the truck. If he has to,hell throw himself in front of it.

Finally, we hear a WHOOSH as the truck downshifts. ENGINEBRAKES engage. The truck stops in the middle of the road --the shoulder isnt wide enough to hold it.

The DRIVER, 40 and burly, climbs down from the rig. Unzipshis jacket. He has a revolver strapped to his belt, just incase.

The Driver approaches. Looks at Bobby, his face and handscovered with scratches.

BOBBYI need your help. Its mybrother.

(closer)Hes still out there.

CUT TO:


3/58

EXT. RESCUE STAGING AREA - DAY2 2

Two pickup trucks ROAR past, revealing State Trooper DARRYLVAN DER KAMP (23) as he finishes a Nextel call. Just a year

out of the academy, he has a boyish enthusiasm that showsthrough even when hes trying to be commanding.

He calls out to the MEN who climb out of the trucks, alongwith their DOGS:

VAN DER KAMPNeed you to sign in over there.Grab a walkie and a vest.

Over there is a folding table next to Van Der Kamps truck,where a VOLUNTEER is handing out equipment to the growingsearch party -- FIFTEEN LOCAL MEN and counting.

Hearing a HORN, Van Der Kamp turns to see a State Troopertruck pull in. Van Der Kamp walks over to meet up withLieutenant RAY MATHERS (40s). Strongly built and naturallyathletic, Mathers is the paradigm of the Alaskan StateTrooper. He oversees 100 men and 100,000 square miles.

VAN DER KAMP (contd)Lieutenant.

MATHERSWhat have we got?

Both Mathers and Van Der Kamp are Troopers, but differentkinds. Van Der Kamp wears the green uniform of the fish-and-

wildlife division, while Mathers is law enforcement. IfMathers ever wore his uniform, it would be blue.

The men walk together.

VAN DER KAMPTwo brothers, Glenn and BobbySatchel. They work for abackwoods tour company out ofDelta Junction. They were

scouting out a new route when theolder brother, Glenn, fell andcracked his skull. Couldnt walk.Younger brother stayed with himovernight, then hiked out this

morning to get help.

MATHERSWheres the chopper?

ALAKSA (a.k.a. THE CIRCLE) MY THREE SONS 02-18-03 2.


4/58

VAN DER KAMPGrounded. Were trying to pullone out of Fairbanks.

MATHERSAlright. Weve got maybe threehours of daylight. Get on thephone to the Mounties in Dawson.Were going to need them if thiscrosses over the border. Thenbreak the men into four-man teams.Well off-road as far as we can,then go in on foot.

VAN DER KAMPUnderstood.

MATHERSWheres the brother?

CUT TO:

EXT. BEHIND VAN DER KAMPS TRUCK - DAY3 3

Bobby Satchel is sitting on the tailgate of the truck, wrappedin a blanket, nursing a cup of coffee. Without the panic, wenow see that hes handsome and thuggishly charming. Wilyrather than clever, hes quick to find more trouble than hecan handle.

Mathers approaches.

MATHERSYoure Bobby Satchel?

(a nod)Ray Mathers. What happened toyour brother?

BOBBYI already told the other guyeverything I...

MATHERSNow youre going to tell me. Whathappened?

BOBBYThis time yesterday, my brotherand I were hiking across somerocks. Nothing big. He was upahead when he slipped, went down.


(MORE)


5/58

I didnt think it was that bad,because he got right back up.Then he fell again, backwards.Right on his head. You could hearsomething crack.

MATHERSWas he conscious?

BOBBYIn and out. I walked with him asfar as I could. But his leg wasbusted up, too.

MATHERSSo you left him.

BOBBYNo! I mean, not then. It wasstarting to get dark, so I built afire. Tried to keep him talking.First light, I took off for thehighway. I thought it was only a

mile or two. It was a lot more.

MATHERSHow close can you get us to him?

A long pause.

MATHERS (contd)How close?

BOBBYMy brother had the GPS in hisbackpack. It broke when he fell.

MATHERSSo you dont know where you lefthim?

BOBBYI tried to go as due south as I

could. But I dont know. I guessI kind of panicked.

(beat)Look, he was hurt pretty bad. If

we dont find him by dark...

MATHERSWere gonna find him.


BOBBY (cont'd)


6/58

EXT. THE FOREST - DAY4 4

VARIOUS SHOTS: The four SEARCH TEAMS move through the densewoods, where dirty snow still lingers in the shadows. Each of

the searchers wears a bright orange vest. Many have guns andpacks.

Van Der Kamps group crosses a stream. The SEARCH DOGShappily bound through the water. The men look up as a SEARCHHELICOPTER flies over.

EXT. MORAINE FIELD - DAY5 5

Mathers and his crew reach a field of small boulders at thebase of a mountain, the detritus of an ancient glacier. These

may be the rocks Bobby was describing.

EXT. STAGING AREA - DAY6 6

FOUR WOMEN -- wives, mothers and daughters of the searchers --begin setting up Coleman stoves for coffee and food. Morevehicles have arrived, forming a small village.

Heavily bundled KIDS play hide-and-seek around the trucks.Bobby Satchel is still sitting on the trucks tailgate, nowbeing examined by a PARAMEDIC.

EXT. HIGH TRAIL - DAY7 7

As the sun sinks closer to the horizon, a wind picks up.Mathers stops to give instructions to the chopper:

MATHERSDo continuous passes along theeast side. Weve got the westside covered for now.

CHOPPER PILOT (ON RADIO)Understood.

VAN DER KAMP (ON RADIO)Unit 2, over.

MATHERSGo ahead.

VAN DER KAMP (ON RADIO)Lieutenant, we found him.



7/58

EXT. FOREST CLEARING - DAY8 8

Hidden deep in the heart of the woods, this tranquil glenopens to the sky. Mathers arrives to find Van Der Kamp and

three other MEN huddled over a motionless body on the ground.

MATHERSGet these men back!

As Van Der Kamp herds the searchers away, Mathers kneels overthe lifeless body in the pine needles. GLENN SATCHEL was 32,

with a round, friendly face. Heavier than his brother, butstill fairly athletic.

MATHERS (contd)Did anyone touch him?

VAN DER KAMPI did. I checked his neck for apulse.

Mathers carefully looks over the body, never touching it. Hessurveying the scene, silently cataloging everything he sees.

Since Glenn is lying on his back, we dont see much of theHEAD TRAUMA, but its clearly significant. Glenns left leghas been bound with bandanas and sticks to make a crudeSPLINT.

Reaching over to his right, Mathers runs his fingers throughthe cold COALS of a small campfire.

Bobby Satchel arrives with another group of SEARCHERS. Hesout of breath from running.

He sees Mathers leaning over the body of his older brother.

BOBBYIs he..?

MATHERSDead. Just like you left him.

CUT TO:

GORGEOUS AND DISTURBING TITLE SEQUENCE9 9

END OF TEASER



8/58

ACT ONE

FADE IN:

EXT. EDGE OF THE FOREST - DUSK1 0 1 0

His wrists in handcuffs, Bobby Satchel is loaded into aROARING helicopter by an AIR SUPPORT TROOPER. Bobbys eyesburn with a cold fire.

At the treeline, Ray Mathers watches as the chopper lifts off.

EXT. FOREST CLEARING - DUSK1 1 1 1

Mathers heads back to the crime scene, where Van Der Kamp isfinishing up photographing the body and surrounding area.

VAN DER KAMPIve got all four sides. Near,

medium and far. I used my badgeas an index for size on the close-ups.

He hands over three rolls of film. Van Der Kamp is almostembarrassed to ask:

VAN DER KAMP (contd)Lieutenant...

MATHERSWhy do I think this is a murder?

VAN DER KAMPPretty much.

MATHERSCome here.

The men kneel down next to Glenn Satchels body.

MATHERS (contd)

Bobby said his brother fell on arock. You got a head wound, couldbe from a rock. But its not fromaround here -- he said they walkeda while.

VAN DER KAMPOn a broken leg.



9/58

MATHERSYou got a splint down here.Compound fracture, bone stickingthrough the skin. But wheres the

blood?

VAN DER KAMPTheres a little.

MATHERSJust what gravity pulled out. Hisheart had already stopped when theleg got broken.

Van Der Kamp considers the implication. Mathers stands.

MATHERS (contd)Now look around. Youve got twosixty-pound backpacks leaningagainst that tree...

VAN DER KAMP(realizing)

Glenn couldnt carry his with aconcussion and a broken leg.Maybe Bobby carried both of them?

MATHERSTwo backpacks and his brother.

Youre as strong as he is. Couldyou do that?

VAN DER KAMPNo.

MATHERSYou also got ashes from acampfire. Bobby says he stayedhere from dusk until dawn. Thatsten hours. But there arentenough ashes here for a 20-minutefire.

VAN DER KAMPHe set it up to match his story.

MATHERSOr created a story to cover whathappened. All thats true is thata rock killed his brother. Bobbyshould know. He was holding it.



10/58

Van Der Kamp looks around, humbled but still excited.

VAN DER KAMPWhen do we move the body?

MATHERSWe dont. Paul Vico is coming upout of Anchorage.

VAN DER KAMPVico himself?

MATHERSHell be here first light. Onlyproblem is, all this pretty yellowtape isnt going to do much tofrighten off a bear with ahankering.

VAN DER KAMPDo you want me to stay? I canstay. I can guard the scene.

That was certainly Matherss plan -- but hes glad to see VanDer Kamp taking the initiative.

MATHERSWhy do I get the feeling yourenot entirely satisfied with the

fish and wildlife division?

Van Der Kamp smiles.

MATHERS (contd)See you in the morning.

EXT. DELTA JUNCTION DINER - NIGHT1 2 1 2

Sitting on the outskirts of the only road in town, the dineris actually the front section of a low-slung house. The NEONSIGN is lit, though several letters have burnt out.

Matherss truck sits out front, along with several local rigs.

VALERIE (V.O.)Course I know Bobby Satchel.Seems like half my job is keepingtrack of him.



11/58

INT. DELTA JUNCTION DINER / KITCHEN - NIGHT1 3 1 3

VALERIE COOPER (40s) owns and runs the diner. Shes lasted25 years in the backwoods, ten without a husband. She and

Mathers are talking as she hangs up her apron and changes intoher Village Public Safety Officer uniform (basically just acoat and hat).

In the background, a heavyset DISHWASHER is hosing off plates.

VALERIEWhen I took this job, the old VPSOgave me his asshole list. Hesaid, every time a car gets stolen,girl gets beat up, check the nameson this list. Odds are, one ofthese guys did it. Bobby Satchel

was at the top of that list.

MATHERSHas he done time?

VALERIESix months for arson. Got out ayear ago.

MATHERSWhat did he burn?

VALERIEHis girlfriends trailer. Then acouple months ago, the Fairbankspolice were out here, asking himquestions about some missingdancers.

MATHERSWhat was the connection?

VALERIEThe Satchel family owns abackwoods charter company, so

theyre in and out of Fairbanks alot. Bobby knew at least two ofthe girls. But nothing ever cameof it.



12/58

INT. DELTA JUNCTION DINER / MAIN ROOM - NIGHT1 4 1 4

Mathers and Valerie emerge from the swinging door thatseparates the kitchen from the dining area. There are only

eight tables and the counter. Half the seats are full.

A FORTY-YEAR OLD MAN seated at the counter smiles at Valerie.Broadly built, with a lazy beard, hes both pathetic and alittle intimidating.

CUSTOMEREvening, Valerie.

(gesturing to her officerhat)

There some trouble?

VALERIENo trouble. Eat your soup.

Chastened, the man goes back to his meal. Valerie leadsMathers down the counter.

MATHERSWhat can you tell me about thevictim?

VALERIEGlenn? He and his brother werenight-and-day. When hed come in,

it was always, Morning, Mrs.Cooper. Hows business? Glennmarried a girl from Ontario,sweetest thing you ever met.Theyve got a house in town.

Sixteen-year old JOSH COOPER is changing the ribbon on theregister.

VALERIE (contd)Josh, this is Lieutenant Mathers.

(to Mathers)My son.

MATHERS / JOSHGood to meet you.

VALERIE(to Josh)

I need you to close up. If Frankcant pay, dont push it. Illdeal with him tomorrow.



13/58

Valerie works the combination on a safe beneath the counter.She takes out her revolver. Checks it, then holsters it.

MATHERS

Where does Bobby live?

VALERIEWith his father Elias, about 30

miles out.

MATHERSCan we get a warrant?

VALERIECould be tough. The village

magistrate is a horses-ass namedBill Ivanhov. Hes friends of theSatchels.

MATHERSShouldnt matter.

VALERIEShouldnt. But it will.

INT. IVANHOVS WORKSHOP - NIGHT1 5 1 5

Borough magistrate BILL IVANHOV (50) is an artist of someacclaim, working in a very specialized niche. He uses wood-

burning tools -- which look like soldering irons -- to createelaborate images on knotted planks of pine.

Mathers and Valerie stand near Ivanhov as he works, tiny curlsof smoke rising from his canvas. Ivanhov feels no need to

make eye contact.

IVANHOVPeople think a magistrate is justa poor mans judge, but itscompletely different. Most of thecases that come before me, theresno prosecutor, no defense

attorney, just me and theperpetrator, figuring out theright thing to do.

Ivanhov finally looks over at them. He wears magnifyingglasses to aid his work.



14/58

IVANHOV (contd)Val will tell you. I take myresponsibility to these peoplevery seriously.

MATHERSGood to know.

IVANHOVWhich is why I will never give youa warrant to search the Satchels.

He hangs his iron in the rack.

VALERIEHes got good cause, Bill.

IVANHOVHes got nothing but an innocentboy in jail, grieving for the lossof his only brother. He hasntgot a shred of conclusiveevidence, which is why he needs toturn the Satchel home upside-downlooking for some nail on which tohang a flimsy argument.

Mathers doesnt rise to the provocation.

MATHERSI take it youre friends with theSatchel family.

IVANHOVI admire the way in which theylive.

MATHERSAnd how is that?

IVANHOVElias Satchel puts his boys first,

always has. Theyre living theway people used to live. Withintegrity. Which is why I know itis impossible that Bobby killedGlenn.

Ivanhov unclamps his plank from the easel.



15/58

MATHERSIf the Satchels are such decentpeople, what are you so afraid

were going to find?

IVANHOVLieutenant Mathers, you of allpeople know that everyone hasprivate matters best kept out ofpublic scrutiny. Im not about tolet you harass this family.

Mathers doesnt let his temper get the best of him.

MATHERSWe can get a warrant from aDistrict Court.

IVANHOVFairbanks is 200 miles roundtrip.Enjoy your drive, Lieutenant.

With that, Ivanhov switches off his lamp and leaves theworkshop. Once hes out of earshot...

VALERIEHe lied. Its only 190 miles.

MATHERS

By the time we get a judge itllbe morning. I have to meet themedical examiner at the site.

(beat)You said Glenn Satchel had a wife?

VALERIEMary. She lives in town.

INT. GLENN AND MARY SATCHELS HOME - NIGHT1 6 1 6

The Satchels home is a one-story prefab, assembled on-site inan afternoon. Still, its fairly homey inside: handmade

curtains, book-lined shelves and many photos of the happycouple.

Sitting at the kitchen table, MARY SATCHEL (22) holds bothhands around a mug of tea, trying to keep them from shaking.She looks younger than her years, more high school thanhousewife. Its 11:15 at night.



16/58

MARYI met Glenn four years ago. Myfamily hired him to fly us intothe backwoods. Literally from the

moment I met him, I couldntimagine living without him.

As she says this, she realizes her unimaginable has come true.She pushes back her ninth round of tears.

Mathers and Valerie sit across from her.

VALERIEIts okay, honey.

MARYIts not okay. Its not. I dontknow what Im going to do. Whatdo I do?

A beat as Mary composes herself. Then suddenly, to Mathers:

MARY (contd)You think Bobby killed him?

MATHERSDo you?

MARY

I cant imagine it. But thingsare always a lot worse than Iimagine.

A quiet moment. Mary looks up from time to time, fidgety.

MARY (contd)Im sorry. Im just more emotionalanyway. This on top of it...

MATHERSWhy are you more emotional?

Mary doesnt answer.

VALERIEYoure pregnant, arent you honey?

Mary half-smiles, half-winces. Its true.



17/58

VALERIE (contd)Just a couple months?

(Mary nods)Listen, theres nothing to be

afraid of.

Headlights sweep across the wall. We hear a TRUCK pulling upto the house. By Marys expression, there certainly issomething to fear.

CUT TO:

EXT. GLEN AND MARY SATCHELS HOME - NIGHT1 7 1 7

Glenn and Bobbys father ELIAS SATCHEL (70) climbs out of histruck. The paterfamilias is a ropy man with hungry, emptyeyes -- he always seems to be looking through you.

ELIASMary!

Mary is at the front door, along with Mathers and Valerie.Marys face shows a visible panic. This man is not yourordinary in-law.

ELIAS (contd)(to Mathers and Valerie)

This is my sons house! Youpeople have no right to be on this

property! You are trespassing!

VALERIENow Elias, were just talking withMary here.

ELIASOut. Out!

MATHERSThis is Marys house. Its herdecision to talk to us.

Elias points his arthritic finger at Mary, like a witchcasting a curse.

ELIASYou tell them to leave.

MATHERSDont try to intimidate her.



18/58

ELIASWho are you to come onto my land,arrest my boy...

MATHERSThis isnt your house.

Elias suddenly tries to strike Mathers across the face.Mathers blocks the blow and holds the old mans arm tight.

MATHERS (contd)And that didnt just happen. But ifit were to happen, Id be arrestingyou, too. Do you understand?

He lets Eliass arm go.

MARYYou have to go.

Mathers and Valerie look back to Mary -- shes talking aboutthem.

MARY (contd)Both of you have to go right now.Im not going to answer any morequestions.

VALERIE

Mary, you dont have to...

MARYGo. Now.

INT. MATHERSS TRUCK / DRIVING - NIGHT1 8 1 8

Mathers is at the wheel. In the passenger seat, Valerie takesoff her hat.

VALERIEWhen youre a village officer, youspend ninety percent of your time

dealing with drunks and bears.Best thing about both of them is,eventually they get tired and gohome. Its the long-haul craziesyou gotta worry about.

Mathers smiles.



19/58

MATHERSI dont think Elias Satchel iscrazy. Im guessing he has astronger moral code than most. He

just cant imagine his boys doingwrong.

VALERIEMary knows better.

MATHERSShe knows a lot more than shessaying.

VALERIESo what do we do? As long asElias is around, shes going tokeep stonewalling us.

Mathers turns on his windshield wipers as a light snow beginsto fall.

MATHERSWe come back in the daylight andfind a way around that wall.

EXT. FOREST CLEARING - NIGHT1 9 1 9

The same light snow falls on Trooper Van Der Kamp, who leans

back against a log, finishing a protein bar. The foil wrapperCRINKLES as he tucks it into his pocket. Its the only soundfor miles.

The night is completely still, just the tops of the treesswaying in a light breeze.

Van Der Kamp hunches back and closes his eyes, ready for anap. Our attention moves from the Trooper to a tarp-coveredbump -- the body of Glenn Satchel.

From there, we move to the yellow police tape at the perimeterof the site. An unattached piece dangles down, gently swaying

back and forth. Looking past it, we notice

A LIGHT

in the darkness. Small, a flashlight. Someone is coming.

CLOSE ON Van Der Kamp. Snow lands on his eyelashes.



20/58

A long beat, then Van Der Kamp suddenly sits bolt upright. Heheard something. He looks around, finally spotting theflashlight moving in the distance.

VAN DER KAMPHello?!

(no answer)Hello!

The light stops moving. Then it disappears completely.

PUSH IN on Van Der Kamp as his heart climbs into his throat.Standing up, he digs for his flashlight. His radio falls ontothe dirt. He considers grabbing it, but instead unholstershis gun.

He turns back to where he last saw the light.

VAN DER KAMP (contd)Is somebody out there?!

With his gun in his right hand, and the flashlight in hisleft, Van Der Kamp carefully sweeps across the trees. Atevery moment, we suspect theres something just outside hisbeam of light.

CLOSE ON Van Der Kamps boots, as he carefully moves forward.The faintest trace of snow is clinging to the pine needles.

Reaching the nearest line of trees, Van Der Kamp again sweepshis light through the darkness. We follow the beam as itleaps from trunk to trunk, until

A SHOT

rings out in the night.

Van Der Kamp falls back against a tree. CRIES OUT in pain andsurprise. GASPS, with blood GURGLING in his lungs.

ANOTHER SHOT.

The flashlight drops to the ground. A gentle snow fallsacross the beam, flakes melting on the lens.

We HOLD for a long beat, then...

FADE TO BLACK.



21/58

EXT. SKY - DAY2 0 2 0

A helicopter descends upon us.

EXT. EDGE OF THE FOREST - DAY2 1 2 1

Mathers leads PAUL VICO (48) out of the chopper. Vico is theChief Forensic Examiner for the State of Alaska, sort of anber-Quincy. A bear of a man, his sloppy appearance belies anobsessive streak that can manifest as impatience, anger orarrogance. He seems to have no barometer for when hespissing people off.

Mathers and Vico have known each other for years. Theyrefriendly colleagues, not to be mistaken as friends. Theydont chat. They dont send Christmas cards.

Walking away from the chopper...

VICOI went by your office last week.There was so much dust on thedesk, I thought they were checkingfor fingerprints.

MATHERSIm no good indoors. And I dont

want to live in the city.

VICOParis is a city. New York is acity. Anchorage is a hundredthousand people huddled togetherfor warmth.

EXT. FOREST CLEARING - DAY2 2 2 2

Mathers, Vico and the two air support Troopers (from the daybefore) duck under the yellow tape. As Mathers approaches thecenter of the clearing, he finds not only is his Trooperabsent, but Glenn Satchels body is missing.

MATHERSVan Der Kamp?! Van Der Kamp!

VICOIm guessing theres supposed tobe a body.

Mathers finds Van Der Kamps radio, abandoned in the dirt. Hebarks out to one of his men...



22/58

MATHERSI want dogs here. Now!

EXT. FOREST / MILES AWAY - DAY2 3 2 3

BARKING DOGS lead Mathers, Vico and a SUPPORT TEAM down asteep hillside. Vico is not one for long hikes, but hesdoing the best he can.

EXT. DEEPER IN THE FOREST - DAY2 4 2 4

One of the dog team LEADERS calls out:

LEADERHere! Lieutenant!

Mathers bounds over to him. The Leader pulls back his dog,rewarding him with a favorite toy for a job well done.

MATHERS(to Leader)

Call in the location.

TIME SLOWS as Mathers approaches a fallen tree, its mossy barkpeeling away from the wood. In the shadows, we see a whitehand. We follow it up to find the hidden body of GlennSatchel.

Tucked beside Satchels body is another man, lying on his

face. He wears a STATE TROOPER parka, with two bloody holescut through his back.

Mathers holds his ground as Vico moves past him.

VICOThis your man?

MATHERSIt is.

The dog team Leader calls Mathers over:

LEADERLieutenant!

He wants to show Mathers something on the GPS. Meanwhile,Vico kneels down, examining Van Der Kamps body.

Mathers calls over...



23/58

MATHERSDont touch anything.

VICO

Whats the problem?

MATHERS(re: the GPS)

Were in Canada.

CUT TO BLACK.

END OF ACT ONE



24/58

ACT TWO

FADE IN:

INT. GOVERNMENT BUILDING HALLWAY - DAY2 5 2 5

ROGER PRESCOTT (45) and ALISON HARPER (30s) walk towardscamera. Both wear suits and overcoats, carrying briefcases.Their footsteps ECHO in the nearly-empty halls. By the MapleLeaf flags, its apparent we are in...

TITLE OVER:WHITEHORSE GOVERNMENT CENTRE

YUKON TERRITORY, CANADA

Prescott is the Assistant Attorney General for the State ofAlaska -- half-politician, half-pitbull. Friendly butsomewhat imperious, he normally works behinds the scenes,setting the prosecution agenda. However, he does get directlyinvolved when needed. Hes the big guns.

Harper is the states new Special Prosecutor, responsible forbringing the largest cases to trial. Precise and focused inthe courtroom, she has a knack for nearly-surgical feats oflogic that can reduce a defense to ribbons. Outside thecourtroom, shes considerably more vulnerable. Shes slow totrust anyone, even herself.

CUT TO:

INT. NEAR A CONFERENCE ROOM - DAY2 6 2 6

Mathers and Vico, still wearing their field clothes, stand asPrescott and Harper approach.

PRESCOTTGentlemen, this is Alison Harper.Shes our new Special Prosecutor.

Both Vico and Mathers seem to be caught a little off-guard.

VICOPaul Vico.

MATHERSRay Mathers.

HARPERPleasure to meet both of you.



25/58

She shakes their hands.

PRESCOTTHarper used to work for the

Justice Department in D.C. Westole her away last week.

MATHERS(to Harper)

So youre going to be working withFrank Thompson?

HARPERActually, no.

PRESCOTTShes replacing Frank.

VICOWhat happened to him?

PRESCOTTHe couldnt do the job. Imbetting she can.

INT. CONFERENCE ROOM - DAY2 7 2 7

CLOSE ON a large topographic map, spread out on a conferencetable. A mans thumb measures the distance between an orange

sticker and the U.S./Canada border.

JUNIORAs you can see here, the bodieswere at least a kilometer withinCanadian territory.

Prescott, Harper, Vico and Mathers sit across the table fromthree stoic Canadians. One is a UNIFORMED MOUNTIE, evidentlya commander. The other two are the Junior and SENIOR legalcounsellors for the region.

All three Canadians are polite and professional -- but

understandably territorial.

HARPERThe locus of the crime was clearly

within U.S. borders, specificallyunder the jurisdiction of the

Alaska State Troopers.



26/58

MATHERSSomeone went out there last nightto get Satchels body. Figured ifthey got rid of it before an

autopsy, we wouldnt have enoughevidence to prosecute.

(beat)They werent counting on the bodybeing guarded. They shot Van DerKamp. Suddenly, they had twobodies to move and not enough timeto do it.

JUNIORSo your theory is, rather than

move the bodies west, thisperson or people carried thebodies east across the border?

With some exaggeration, he traces the route on the map.

SENIOR(to Mathers)

You think they deliberately movedthe bodies into Canada tocomplicate the investigation.

VICOWere all sitting in a conference

room rather than looking for akiller. Id say it worked.

Harper injects, hoping to defuse some of the rising tension.

HARPERThis is not the first time aninvestigation has crossed theborder. Be it drug trafficking orterrorism, our governments have along history of cooperation.

JUNIOR

In those cases, were interfacingwith a federal agency. If youwant to bring in the FBI, Im surewe could coordinate through them.

Both Mathers and Vico bristle at the suggestion. Prescottshad enough:



27/58

PRESCOTTGentlemen, this isnt aboutjurisdiction, or protocol, or animaginary line that divides us.

We are not divided. We areexactly the same.

(re: Junior)You keep pointing at this map likeits reality, and its not. Takea look at a bigger map. We areliving at the edge of the world.Right now, we are closer toFinland than we are to FBIheadquarters, so the suggestionthat we should defer to theirbetter judgment is insulting.

Everyone knows better than to interrupt.

PRESCOTT (contd)One of our Troopers is dead. Ifit were one of yours, and somehowhe ended up on the wrong side ofthe fence, you should damn wellbelieve we wouldnt be wastingyour time debating the obvious.

(beat)All of us in this room have thesame job. We are responsible for

upholding the law under next-to-impossible circumstances. Sodont talk to me about a line. Weare that line.

Chastened, the Junior counsellor holds his tongue.

SENIOR(to the Mountie)

Where are the bodies now?

MOUNTIEHere in Whitehorse. Theyre doing

the autopsies this afternoon.

HARPERWed like Dr. Vico to supervise.

The Senior counsellor looks to the Mountie, who shakes hishead.



28/58

HARPER (contd)Witness.

SENIOR

Done. Our medical examiner willtake the lead.

VICOActually, I have a facility backin Anchorage. We could fly thebodies out this aftern...

Off Prescott and Harpers looks --

VICO (contd)But here should be fine. Fine.

INT. BASEMENT LAB - DAY2 8 2 8

CLOSE ON Darryl Van Der Kamp, as he lies in peaceful repose.Suddenly, he begins to turn over, as if shifting in his sleep.

WIDER, we see that his unclothed body is being rotated by theFORENSIC TEAM. They need to look at the wounds. (The shotspenetrated from chest to back.)

The team leader is GOTTLIEB, who is essentially VicosCanadian equivalent. Hes understandably annoyed to have Vicolooking over his shoulder.

VARIOUS SHOTS: Forensic cameras document the wound sites.Ultraviolet light sweeps over the white skin, looking forlatent prints.

Technically, Vico is not allowed to touch the body, but heoften gets in the way, leaning in close to get a better look.

A scalpel draws along the flesh. Theres no blood to speak of-- its like cutting into rubber. Forceps pull the skinapart. Examining what they find:

GOTTLIEB

Laceration of the iliocostalis,likely in an attempt to removebullet or fragment.

VICOThey also nicked the T10.

GOTTLIEBT9.



29/58

VICOI dont know about Canadians, butthis man was American. Thats hisT10.

Vico nudges his way in, leaning close as he counts thethoracic joints up from the sacrum.

VICO (contd)...T6, T7, T8, T9. Well, what doyou know? My apologies. Hmmm.

Its clear now he just wanted a better look at the wound.

CLOSE ON a zipper as it closes the bag over the body of VanDer Kamp. With a SEAMLESS MATCH, the same zipper exposes thebody of Glenn Satchel.

GOTTLIEBGlenn Joseph Satchel. Victim is

male, Caucasian. Apparent age isconsistent with reported age of 32.

Vicos attention is focused on Glenns lower half. He makes asound that falls between throat-clearing and Aha!

GOTTLIEB (contd)You disagree?

VICONo. Thirty-two, Caucasian. Buthes not all the man he could be.

INT. DOWNSTAIRS HALLWAY - DAY2 9 2 9

Vico joins Mathers, Harper and Prescott in the hallway,reviewing whats been learned. Theyre all headed for astaircase at the end of the hallway.

VICOGlenn Satchel was castrated.

PRESCOTTLiterally or figuratively?

VICOBoth testicles removed, along withthe vas deferens and glands.

MATHERSHow recently?



30/58

VICOYears ago. The incision iscompletely sealed over. Scrotumretracted.

HARPER(to Mathers)

Didnt you say his wife waspregnant?

Mathers nods.

VICOUnless Glenns got his jizz on icesomewhere, its not by him.

PRESCOTTShow of hands, everyone who thinksthe real father is Bobby Satchel?

MATHERSThe wife was definitely hidingsomething.

HARPERLike an affair?

VICOAmniocentesis could tell you 100%.

HARPERWe cant force prenatal testing.

PRESCOTTWe dont need to. Glenn Satchel

was a eunuch. He knew he couldnthave kids. Suddenly his wife ispregnant. He confronts the man hesuspects knocked her up. Fightensues, then a rock to the head.

(to Harper)You can sell that to a jury, cant

you?

HARPERIf we have enough forensic to backit up.

PRESCOTTWhen is Bobbys arraignment?



31/58

HARPERFour oclock.

PRESCOTT

Do whatever it takes. I dontwant that kid seeing daylight.

Coming around a corner...

MATHERSWhat about Van Der Kamp?

VICOKid took two shots. Based on thedamage, Id say a rifle.

MATHERSI want to start with the father.Elias Satchel. We can search hisplace this afternoon.

HARPERIll have a warrant waiting foryou.

MATHERSVan Der Kamps parents live inFairbanks. Ill stop by on my way.

PRESCOTTGood. Tell them were going to getthe son of a bitch who did this.

INT. SMALL COURTROOM - DAY3 0 3 0

Wearing handcuffs and an ill-fitting suit, Bobby Satchel isled into court by a GUARD. The tiny courtroom is crowded,

with too many cases to get through and not enough time. Ababy CRIES intermittently.

The men stop at a table, where Bobby awkwardly shakes handswith his attorney -- Bill Ivanhov. Ivanhov points out Bobbys

father Elias, who has driven up for the arraignment.

4TH DISTRICT COURTHOUSE

FAIRBANKS

With minimal staff, Judge ELLEN QIMIRPIK (40, Inuit) managesto run her courtroom efficiently, although much less formallythan expected.



32/58

The BAILIFF calls out the case:

BAILIFFPeople versus Bobby Satchel.

Harper stands up at the prosecutors table.

HARPERAlison Harper for the State.

IVANHOVBill Ivanhov representing Mr.Satchel.

HARPERYour honor...

QIMIRPIK(heading her off)

Both of you, up here please.

Harper and Ivanhov approach the bench.

QIMIRPIK (contd)(to Ivanhov)

Youre a magistrate. You cant behis attorney.

Ivanhov hands over a signed letter.

IVANHOVIve resigned my commission,effective this morning.

As Qimirpik looks through the document --

HARPERYour honor, Mr. Ivanhov wasalready involved in this case inan official capacity. If Mr.Satchel is ultimately convicted,he could have grounds for an

appeal based on competing interestor inadequate representation.

IVANHOVI intend to represent Mr. Satchelto my fullest ability.

Qimirpik sets down the letter.



33/58

HARPERThe State may need to subpoena Mr.Ivanhov to testify. Mr. Satchelhas the right to unencumbered

counsel.

QIMIRPIKMr. Satchel has the right tochoose his attorney. For betteror worse, he chose you. Lets geton with this.

Harper and Ivanhov head back to their respective tables.Elias Satchel eyes Harper with a look of cold contempt.

Qimirpik nods to Harper.

HARPERYour Honor, the state intends toprosecute the defendant for the

murder of Glenn Satchel, aresident of Delta Junction. Giventhe defendants prior convictionsfor violent acts, his experienceas a pilot and his access toaircraft, we believe he is auniquely high risk for flight. Weask that bail be denied, and thathe be bound over for trial in

Anchorage.

IVANHOVYour Honor, Bobby Satchel lives inthe same house he was born in 25years ago. His family has livedin this state more than 40 years.His elderly father relies on him.There is zero risk of his goinganywhere. Furthermore, thedefense intends to show that thisso-called murder was nothing morethan an accident which has been

horribly misportrayed by anoverzealous State Trooper.

HARPERYour Honor, already in theinvestigation of this crime, a lawenforcement officer has been shotand killed.



34/58

IVANHOV(interrupting)

Not by my client! My client waswrongly imprisoned at the time

this officer was killed.

HARPERThe Trooper was killed whilekeeping watch over evidence inthis case. We believe Mr. Satchel

may know the identity of thekiller, who was attempting todestroy the crime scene. Thatstwo homicides with which hesinvolved.

IVANHOVNonsense!

QIMIRPIKEnough. Mr. Satchel is bound overfor trial in Superior Court in

Anchorage. Bail is denied.

She BANGS her gavel.

EXT. FOREST ROAD - DAY3 1 3 1

Matherss truck turns onto a private gravel road, clearlylabelled NO TRESPASSING. We are far out into no-mans land.

EXT. SATCHEL HOUSE - DAY3 2 3 2

Mathers climbs out of his truck. Valerie is already waitingfor him.

We look up at the Satchel home. The structure is set deep inthe forest, up three miles of gravel road. With its propanetank, well and generator shed, its completely self-sufficient. You could live for a year up here without seeinganother soul.

Mathers YELLS UP to the house:

MATHERSState Troopers! We have a search

warrant!

He holds up the sheet of paper, should anyone be looking.Waits a beat.



35/58

VALERIEElias should still be at thearraignment. Take him two hoursat least to get back.

MATHERSLets be out of here by then.

CUT TO:

INT. SATCHEL HOUSE - DAY3 3 3 3

Closing the front door behind her, Valerie follows Mathersinto the living room. The house is spartan by any standard:dirty walls, old drapes, sagging furniture. Two rifles hangon the wall.

In all, its a shelter, but not a home. No woman has been inthis house in a decade.

Venturing into the kitchen, Mathers finds industrial-sizedcans of beef stew lined up on the counter. Saltines by thecase.

MATHERSThe mother is dead, isnt she?

VALERIEVirginia Satchel. She died ten,

fifteen years ago.

MATHERSSo who is Connie?

He points out a childs drawing on the refrigerator, the paperyellowed with time. The illustration shows four stick figuresin front of the house, labelled Daddy, Glenn, Bobby, andConnie.

Connie is noticeably bigger than the other three. As Matherssteps back,

A GUNSHOT

BLASTS through the kitchen window from outside. As glassbegins to rain down, a SECOND SHOT rips into the kitchencabinets. Mathers and Valerie dive for the floor,unholstering their weapons.

Three more SHOTS blow through the kitchen. Mathers listens tothe tone of the shots.



36/58

MATHERS (contd)Rifle. One shooter.

VALERIE

You want me to call for backup?

MATHERSHow close is it?

VALERIEHalf hour. Maybe more.

Silence. The shooter has stopped. Mathers very carefullyedges up to the shattered window. Valerie takes the far side.

With a quick movement, Mathers leans around the window frameand starts SHOOTING. Behind a distant wood pile, movement. Aflash of metal.

Mathers ducks back as two more SHOTS rip into the window andwall.

MATHERSKeep him shooting.

Before she can ask where hes going, Mathers runs down thehallway. Valerie presses back against the wall. Steelsherself, then pops around to FIRE.

Shes met with another BLAST. Just missed her.

EXT. BACK OF HOUSE - DAY3 4 3 4

A chair SMASHES through a second story window.

Mathers climbs out after it. He slides down the shingledroof, then jumps down another ten feet to the ground below.

EXT. EDGE OF THE FOREST - DAY3 5 3 5

We STAY WITH Mathers as he circles behind the woodpile, gun atready. Up in the house, Valerie continues to FIRE, keeping

the shooters attention.

Reaching a good distance behind the shooter, Mathers SHOUTSOUT:

MATHERSState Trooper! Drop your weapon!



37/58

The shooter stands. CONRAD CONNIE SATCHEL is six-foot-sixand weighs in at nearly three hundred pounds.

Severe birth defects have left him physically and mentally

malformed. Although 20 years old, hes like a giant eight-year old.

MATHERS (contd)Put it down! Put it down!

Connie isnt aiming at Mathers, exactly, but he isnt inclinedto drop the rifle either.

CONNIEYoure a police man.

MATHERSI am. I need you to put thatrifle down.

Over Connies shoulder, we see Valerie approaching. She hasher gun on Connie.

MATHERS (contd)Is your name Connie?

CONNIEHow did you know?

MATHERSPut down the rifle and Ill tellyou.

Intrigued, Connie sets the rifle down. Connie holds his handsup. His fingers are bandaged and bloody. Several areobviously broken, sticking out at strange angles.

MATHERS (contd)What happened to your hands,Connie?

CONNIE

(looking at them)They had evil in em. Daddy hadto fix em.

END OF ACT TWO



38/58

ACT THREE

EXT. CEMETERY - DAY3 6 3 6

On a cold, overcast day, about 50 MOURNERS gather for the

funeral of Trooper Van Der Kamp -- his Academy GRADUATIONPHOTO is on an easel. Van Der Kamps female COUSIN (18) singsthe Lutheran hymn Ach Gott vom Himmelreiche.

COUSIN(singing)

Da werden wir mit Freuden Den Heiland schauen an,

Der durch sein Blut und Leiden Den Himmel aufgetan,

Die lieben Patriarchen, Propheten allzumal,

Die Mrt'rer und Apostel Bei ihm, ein' groe Zahl.

As she SINGS, we move across the faces of Mathers, Prescott,

Harper and Vico. Valerie is there with her son Josh, alongwith many other TROOPERS in uniform.

EXT. CEMETERY / NEAR THE CARS - DAY3 7 3 7

Mathers finishes talking with Van Der Kamps grieving PARENTS.Valerie intercepts him on the way to his truck, introducing auniformed man, SERGEANT REICHARDT.

VALERIELieutenant, this is SergeantReichardt from Fairbanks.

The men shake.

REICHARDTDarryl grew up with my boys. Foryears, I tried to convince him tobe a city cop, but his mind wasset on being a Trooper.

MATHERSI heard your men were out talkingto Bobby Satchel about somedancers.

REICHARDTFour girls went missing. Happensevery year. These girls show upout of nowhere, use a fake name.If one day theyre just gone, oddsare they went back to the 48.Least thats what you hope.



39/58

MATHERSWhat made you clear Bobby?

REICHARDT

He had good alibis for most ofem. Became pretty obvious he

wasnt our man.

OVER BY THE CARSA 3 8 A 3 8

Harper and Prescott are having a quick conversation.

PRESCOTTWhats the word on Boo Radley?

HARPERConnie Satchel has theintellectual capacity of a child.We cant even interview him, muchless put him on the stand.

PRESCOTTHow come no one knew he existed?

HARPERHe was born and raised at thathouse. They wanted to keep himout of sight. If we push, we

might be able to bring in the

father on abuse charges...

PRESCOTTI want Elias Satchel for murderone, nothing less. Bobby Satchelkilled his brother, then EliasSatchel went out to cover it up.Shot a Trooper in the process.

HARPERThen we have to get the convictionon Bobby first. Without it, wellnever sell premeditation for

Elias.

PRESCOTTAgreed. This is all up to you now.

EXT. ANCHORAGE COURTS BUILDING - DAY3 8 3 8

Establishing.



40/58

INT. SUPERIOR COURT - DAY3 9 3 9

We MOVE ACROSS the twelve men and women of the JURY. Were inthe middle of the prosecution phase.

STATE SUPERIOR COURT

ANCHORAGE

At the prosecution table, we see one male ASSISTANT takingnotes. Behind him, the courtroom is mostly full, withSPECTATORS and PRESS. Harper approaches the witness stand.

HARPERIm looking at a report filed bythe Village Public Safety Officeron January 10th of this year.Bobby Satchel was issued a

citation for drunk and disorderlyconduct after leaving your bar.

She shows the document to the BARTENDER (30) on the stand.Hes a reluctant witness whod rather be anywhere else.

HARPER (contd)Do you remember the incident?

BARTENDERBobby got drunk. He startedthrowing glasses.

HARPERHow did you stop him?

BARTENDERI called his brother. He came andgot him.

HARPERBy his brother, you mean GlennSatchel.

BARTENDER

Yeah. I didnt know there wasanother one at the time.

HARPERWas Bobby appreciative of Glenncoming to get him?



41/58

BARTENDERHe didnt like it. But it wasntanything. I mean, theyd foughtbefore.

HARPERFought? Did you ever see Bobbyand Glenn come to blows?

BARTENDEROnce or twice.

HARPERDo you think it was once, or doyou think it was twice?

(beat)Or was it more than twice?

BARTENDERIt was twice. Two times.

HARPERWere these arguments before orafter Bobby was in jail?

BARTENDERBoth.

HARPER

So one argument happened beforeBobbys arson conviction, and onehappened after.

That was clearly meant for the jury. At the defense table,Bobby looks over to Ivanhov, who motions to let it go.

BARTENDERI guess.

HARPERThese arguments escalated intofist fights. What was the

outcome?

BARTENDEROne time, Bobby knocked Glenn out.



42/58

HARPERSo he must have hit him prettyhard.

TRANSITION TO:

Vico is on the stand. Hes wearing his one trial suit.

VICOYes. The blow shattered thecranium right along the saggitalsuture. Thats where the twoparietal bones fuse together.

Vico gestures on his own head tracing the impact for the jury.

HARPERIn your examination, could you tell

what direction the blow came from?

VICOYes, it was a downward stroke. Wefound fragments of bone driveninto the lower calvarium -- thebrain case.

HARPERGlenn Satchel was six feet tall.So for the blow to come from

above...

VICOGlenn Satchel was probably sittingdown. The blow came from someonestanding behind him.

HARPERWhat was the weapon?

VICOBased on the impact, Id say a rock.

CUT TO:

Gottlieb, the Canadian medical examiner, is on the stand.

GOTTLIEBProbably a rock.

Ivanhov is pacing.



43/58

IVANHOVIn his statement, Mr. Satchel saidhis brother fell and hit his headon a rock. So thats consistent

with your finding, right?

GOTTLIEBYes, possibly.

IVANHOVYou say a rock. Mr. Satchel saysa rock. Thats consistent.

In the audience, Vico grimaces.

MARY (V.O., PRELAP)We would have been married threeyears in June.

CUT TO:

Ivanhov has Mary Satchel on the stand. Shes more composedthan weve seen before, but no less genuine.

Prescott is now in the courtroom, sitting directly behindHarper in the audience.

IVANHOVMary, in both of the coroners

reports, they found Glenn hadbeen, for lack of a more delicateterm, castrated. Is that correct?

MARYHed fallen on a fence when he wassixteen. The doctors couldnt...

IVANHOVHe lost both testicles.

MARYYes. He told me before we got

married.

IVANHOVHe told you that he was incapableof having children.

MARYYes.



44/58

IVANHOVAnd yet youre pregnant, isntthat right?

MARYYes.

Prescott leans up to Harper. WHISPERING --

PRESCOTTWhat is he doing?

HARPERNo idea.

Back at the stand --

IVANHOVDuring the deposition, everyone

was very polite about this issue.(to Harper)

And we appreciate that, truly.But I wonder if you would tell us

who the father is?

MARYBobby.

IVANHOV

Glenns brother. And how did thatcome to be?

MARYIt was Glenns idea. He wanted ababy that was at least part of him.So he asked Bobby to be the donor.We went down to the Hoffman FertilityClinic in Vancouver. It worked onthe first try.

IVANHOV(re: Bobby)

So this man accused of murderactually gave his brother the giftof life.

CUT TO:

EXT. GOVERNMENT BUILDING HALLWAY - DAYA 4 0 A 4 0

Harper and Prescott confer.



45/58

PRESCOTTYoud think he gave him a lung,not just sperm in a cup.

HARPERDefense withheld evidence andcoached her on the deposition.Her answers were clearly evasive.

PRESCOTTI agree. But the pregnancy thing

was never key to the case. Yourjob is to tell a story thatexplains what happened. This one

was Cain and Abel, two brothersand a rock to the head. I thinkit played.

An AIDE gestures to Harper from the courtroom doorway.

HARPERReviews are in.

INT. SUPERIOR COURT - DAYB 4 0 B 4 0

The BAILIFF hands the verdict back to the jury FOREMAN.

FOREMANIn the case of the State of Alaska

versus Bobby Satchel, we find thedefendant not guilty.

ANGLE ON Harper. Shes not used to losing.

END OF ACT THREE



46/58

ACT FOUR

INT. COURTROOM - NIGHT4 0 4 0

Harper and Prescott have the courtroom to themselves. Themain lights are dim, leaving just the table lamps.

PRESCOTTRight now, the only Satchel incustody has the IQ of an eight-year old. His brother just beat a

murder rap, so hes not too likelyto cooperate. And theres nophysical evidence linking thefather to Van Der Kamps murder.

(simply)I dont see how you can win.

HARPERElias had motive. He wanted todestroy the crime scene in orderto protect his son. And hisprivacy. He also hadopportunity...

PRESCOTTAnd a heart condition. No jury isgoing to believe a seventy-yearold man can carry two bodies four

miles in the wilderness.

HARPERHe got Connie to carry the bodies.

PRESCOTTSo now we blame the mentallyhandicapped. Thats a winner.

HARPERIts what happened.

PRESCOTT

I believe you. But if Im on thejury, I dont believe you beyond areasonable doubt.

Frustrated, Harper stands up. She needs to move. She needsto look at things fresh.



47/58

HARPEROkay, its that night. YoureElias Satchel. Youre at home.You just found out your eldest son

is dead, and his younger brotherhas been arrested for killing him.

PRESCOTT(deadpan)

Oh no. Im grieving for my deadson. The only good one I had,apparently. A real saint.

HARPERBut you also want to protectBobby. He is also your son. Andhes the only able-bodied personyou have left to run yourbusiness.

PRESCOTTSo Im grieving, but pragmatic.

(off her look)Tell me how to play this. Do Ireally think it was a terribleaccident misportrayed by the evilgovernment taxocracy? Or do Ithink Bobby really killed Glenn?

ANGLE ON Harper. A whole new thought...

HARPERWhat if you know he did it?

PRESCOTTHow do I know?

HARPERBecause you told him to.

PRESCOTTI told Bobby to kill his brother

with a rock?

HARPERAnd make it look like an accident.

Rolling with her theory, Harper comes back to the table.



48/58

HARPER (contd)Connie Satchel had all of hisfingers broken multiple times. Hetold Mathers...

CUT TO:

EXT. TOK TOWNSHIP - DAY4 1 4 1

MATHERSThey had evil in em. Daddyfixed em.

Harper and Mathers are walking to his truck.

HARPERGlenn Satchel was castrated.

MATHERSYou dont think it was anaccident. You think the fatherdid it deliberately.

HARPERVico agrees it looks like kitchen-table surgery, not falling off afence.

They stop, letting us get a look at Toks Main Street: two

rows of quaint storefronts flanking a field of potholes. Itsan Old West town in a strip-mall age.

MATHERSIm inclined to believe you. Onlyquestion is, what would make afather castrate, then kill hisoldest son?

HARPERIve got a warrant if youre upfor a drive.

EXT. ROAD TO DELTA JUNCTON - DAY4 2 4 2

We follow Matherss truck through gorgeous woods on the narrowroad. At times, its easy to forget how dangerous this landis. The extreme isolation that keeps it so pristine alsokeeps it from being civilized. At every moment, youre oneflat tire away from a survival situation.



49/58

INT. TRUCK [DRIVING] - DAY4 3 4 3

Its two hours later and theyre still not there. Finishing anew stack of paperwork, Harper checks her watch.

HARPERI cant believe I used to complainabout a 45-minute commute.

Mathers smiles. He has his hands on the top of the steeringwheel. His WEDDING RING catches the light. If we hadntnoticed it before, we definitely do now.

HARPER (contd)Vico was saying that Alaska isbigger than Texas and Californiacombined.

MATHERSAnd Montana. All three.

(beat)You dont like it.

HARPERI do. Mostly. Its a completelydifferent country that happens tohave the same flag. The peopleare nice, if sometimes a littleodd.

MATHERSOdd?

HARPERIm going to say odd. Theories?

MATHERSWell, either you grow up here, andyoure odd because of that, oryou cant fit anywhere else, soyou end up here by default.

HARPERWhich one are you?

MATHERSI grew up here.

HARPERWhat about your wife?



50/58

Half a beat. Matherss relatively cheerful tone dissipates.

MATHERSSt. Louis.

HARPERShe must really love you. I knowI couldnt live this far out. I

mean, Im in Anchorage and Imstill looking for a Starbucks.

MATHERSWhats a Starbucks?

HARPERYoure serious.

(he is)They sell coffee.

MATHERSLots of places sell coffee.

HARPERIts different. Its...

(she cant explain)Its just different, and Im stillgetting used to it.

INT. SEA PLANE HANGAR / GLENNS OFFICE - DAY4 4 4 4

The Satchel family business runs out of a repurposedwarehouse. Glenns desk is crowded with invoices and bills,along with photos of him and Mary.

While Valerie and Mathers sort through cartons of records,Harper is at Glenns computer -- relatively new, with a flat-screen monitor. With a pencil, Harper totals a column ofnumbers.

HARPERSomethings missing.

Mathers and Valerie look over.

HARPER (contd)Its an 80-meg hard drive, but thedirectories only add up to 60.

VALERIEYou think somethings hidden?



51/58

MATHERSWe can take it back to Anchorage.Im sure Vico has a guy who canget into it.

VALERIEWeve got a guy right here.

CUT TO:

INT. HANGAR / GLENNS OFFICE - HALF AN HOUR LATER4 5 4 5

Valeries son Josh sits at the computer, the adultssurrounding him.

JOSHThe hard drive is partitioned intotwo volumes. One of them isprotected.

HARPERCan you get into it?

JOSHJust did.

The computer is in shell mode. A list of files scrolls past,all numbers ending in .jpg.

JOSH (contd)Theyre photos. All about thesame size -- maybe from a digitalcamera. Theyre in some sort ofslide show.

MATHERSOpen it.

A few CLICKS on the keyboard and he opens the program. Wedont see the images, just the expressions on their faces.Whatever it is, its best left to the imagination.

By instinct Valerie covers Joshs eyes.

JOSHIts okay.

VALERIEIts not okay.



52/58

Mathers puts his hand on the monitor. For the first time, welook at the screen, which shows gorgeous scenery: a lakebacked by mountains. Matherss hand is covering somethinghorrible.

HARPER(re: the photo)

Do you recognize where that is?

MATHERSIve been there.

CUT TO:

EXT. MOUNTAIN LAKE - DAY4 6 4 6

We OPEN ON a gorgeous landscape that matches the computerimage. Along the edge of an icy lake, Paul Vico leads aFORENSIC TEAM.

He heads over to Mathers and Harper, who are keeping theirdistance.

VICOWeve got four women, pretty badlydecayed. But Id say young. Mostof the jaws are intact, so weshould be able to get an ID.

MATHERSIll call Fairbanks. I think wefound their dancers.

EXT. SATCHEL HOUSE - DAY4 7 4 7

Establishing.

EXT. BEHIND THE SATCHEL HOUSE - DAY4 8 4 8

Elias Satchel is scavenging through a junk pile of rustedmetal, the remains of various trucks and appliances hes ownedover the years. Its not clear what hes looking for -- he

seems trapped inside it all.

Mathers, Ivanhov and Sergeant Reichardt (the Fairbanks cop wemet at the funeral) have come to talk with him.

Mathers shows Elias another photo from a stack.



53/58

MATHERSThis was Dina Gonzalez. She was21. She'd been in Fairbanks lessthan a month.

Elias looks at the photo, his face inscrutable. Mathers showshim the final photo.

MATHERS (contd)We think this was Roxanne Green.We don't know for sure because thejaw was shattered into so manypieces, we had to send it out tothe FBI for reconstruction.

ELIASYou think these pictures are goingto shock me. Good luck. I haveseen worse every day for the last20 years.

IVANHOVElias, don't say anything. If theLieutenant wants to arrest you,let him. We can handle this theright way.

Ignoring his counsels advice, Elias talks directly toMathers. They might as well be the only ones there.

ELIASYou believe in evil, Lieutenant?

MATHERSI do.

ELIASI never did. Fifty years, I hadgood times, bad times, but I neversaw anything that made me losehope. I even met a woman, youngenough that she still wanted kids,

so we did. Three boys. And fromthe time they could walk, there

was something about them...

IVANHOVElias --



54/58

ELIASShut up. I'm gonna talk, and noones going to stop me.

(back to Mathers)

Connie is the only one screwed upon the outside. I'm sure thedoctors are going to think he's anangel. But I've seen him kill adog just to watch it die.

MATHERSIs that why you broke his fingers?

ELIASThose hands would have choked me.Lord knows they tried.

MATHERSWhat about Glenn? What did he do?

ELIASHe was clever. Could make youbelieve anything. I honestlybelieved he was saved. He hadn'ttried to rape anything in years.

MATHERSAfter you castrated him.

Elias nods.

REICHARDTWhen my men came to ask Bobbyabout the missing girls, you knewit was Glenn.

ELIASHad to be.

MATHERSAll this time, we thought Bobbywas the bad seed. But he was the

best of all of them, wasnt he?

ELIASNo. These boys are all demons.

MATHERSSo why do you protect them?



55/58

ELIASBecause theyre my demons. A

mans gotta take responsibility.

INT. HALLWAY IN JUDICIAL BUILDING (ANCHORAGE) - DAY4 9 4 9

Harper walks with Prescott.

HARPERLife. Chance of parole in 30.

PRESCOTTThats your offer?

HARPERThats theirs.

PRESCOTTTake it. That mans 70. If helives to be 100, Ill bake him acake myself.

HARPERState psych is recommendingindefinite commitment for Connie.

PRESCOTTGood.

HARPERWe can still go after Bobby forobstruction and perjury.

PRESCOTTHe killed a serial killer. Jury

wouldnt know whether to hang anoose or a medal around his neck.

HARPERI agree its difficult, but...

PRESCOTT

Hey, I believe in fighting losingbattles. But only the ones worth

winning. Let it go.

INT. DELTA JUNCTION DINER - DAY5 0 5 0

Wearing an apron rather than her uniform, Valerie fills athermos with coffee.



56/58

VALERIELast week Bobby Satchel came in.Sat right where youre sitting.

Mathers is across the counter from her, finishing his eggs.

MATHERSHow did he look?

VALERIEGuilty. Scared. Apparently, hesgoing to stay and run the businessby himself.

MATHERSHe doesnt have a pilots licenseanymore.

VALERIEHe doesnt have a prayer. I thinkhe knows hell screw up. Monthfrom now, Ill be arresting himfor a bar fight, or trashingsomeones car.

MATHERSBe careful. Hes strong.

VALERIE

(matter of fact)I have a gun. Ill shoot him if Ihave to.

MATHERSSomeone will eventually.

She hands Mathers the thermos. He puts down a few dollars.

VALERIEYou gotta be kidding.

She slides the money back to him. Mathers reluctantly takes

it.

VALERIE (contd)Lieutenant, Ill make you a deal.Well keep this little cornersafe. You take the rest.

MATHERSDeal.



57/58

A smile as he leaves.

INT. GOVERNMENT BUILDING HALLWAY - DAYA 5 1 A 5 1

Carrying a holder with two paper cups of coffee, Harper peersin a darkened office window. The nameplate reads Lt.Mathers, Major Crimes.

A voice from behind her --

VICOYou looking for Ray?

Vico is coming back from lunch, cheeks still rosy.

HARPERI am.

(re: the coffee)I finally found a Starbucks.

VICOWhats a Starbucks?

HARPERExactly. Here.

She hands him one of the coffees. He smells it. Seems good.

VICO

(re: the office)Ray doesnt come around much. Notsince his wife.

HARPERNot since his wife what?

VICOYou never heard.

HARPERI guess I didnt.

Vicos keys JANGLE as he sorts through them. He finds the onehe wants. Unlocks Matherss door.

INT. MATHERSS OFFICE - DAYB 5 1 B 5 1

Probably the last time well ever see this room. Its justyour basic desk and chair, bulletin board full of clippingsand photos. We dont focus on them as much as Harpersreaction as she looks through them.



58/58

EXT. HIGHWAY CONNECTOR - DAY5 1 5 1

Matherss truck pulls onto Highway 1, headed west.

INT. MATHERSS TRUCK - DAY [DRIVING]5 2 5 2

Willie Nelson is playing on the RADIO. Mathers has thethermos propped up on the passenger seat. The rest of hisbelongings fit in the back of the truck. Hes not a man

weighed down by material things.

For the first time, were seeing Mathers at rest: no suspectto chase, no problem to solve. Hes left alone with histhoughts -- his worst enemies.

INTERCUT OFFICEB 5 1 p t . B 5 1 p t .

Harper is still looking at the bulletin board.

HARPERHe never found her?

VICOPieces.

BACK TO MATHERS

Theres an immense sadness to his eyes, the stoic grief of aman whos lost everything more than once.

He turns the radio off.

We HOLD ON him for a long, quiet beat.

TRANSITION TO:

EXT. ALASKAN HIGHWAY - DAY5 3 5 3

In a PANORAMIC SHOT reminiscent of the opening scene, we watchas Mathers drives west, the only car for miles.

FADE TO BLACK.


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