Seven (1995)/Transcript

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