Attaché

The first Cameron Dieppe film was always the best of the bunch, wasn't it? The premise - a man who discovers that his job was a cover for espionage that he was unaware he was committing in the course of his innocent ambassadorial travels - was only barely plausible for one roller-coaster of a movie.  Of course it couldn't work for a second film, let alone a third... or a fourth!  And yet in the inscruitable plot-logic of Hollywood, a franchise was born.

One part Bourne Identity, one part North by Northwest, the original transcends its potentially silly inciting circumstances and has us forgiving the film for those stretches of credibility, largely on the strength of some of the most thrilling suspense sequences of the early millennium. 

                 INT. AIRPORT, SECURITY LINE-UP

                 The line is long. Travellers are weary. Many sit on

                 their carry-ons, or lean against stanchions. It is

                 sweaty and no-one's idea of a good time.

                 Cam drags himself to the end of the line-up, looking

                 anxiously over his shoulder. He searches down the

                 length of the line-up. Not good.

                 Security has a traveller's suitcase wide open, they are

                 shaking out his shoes. Really not good.

                 Cam's searching gaze lands on the Express Line... Only

                 one person waiting.

                 With one last look over his shoulder he steps out of

                 the main line, shuffles to a garbage can and empties a

                 few gum wrappers from his pocket. At the same time,

                 with a single firm shake he drops a pistol out of his

                 jacket into the bin.

                 He steps up to the Express Line, pulling a ticket from

                 his coat. He taps the only person in line on the

                 shoulder.

                                         CAM

                           I'm sorry, my flight is leaving

                           in

                                         MAN

                           No worries, mate, I got no rush.

                           Flying V.I.P.

                                         CAM

                           Thanks.

                 Cam steps up to security and hands over his ticket. The

                 guard looks at it, then back at Cam dubiously.

                                         CAM (CONT'D)

                           I'm never going to get through

                           that line in time...

                 The guard checks his watch, and the departures board

                 and shrugs.

                                         GUARD

                           Any luggage?

                                         CAM

                           Just what I'm wearing.

                                         GUARD

                           Step through.

                 Cam goes through the gate.

                 BUZZZZ!

                                         SECOND GUARD

                           Any metallic?

                 Cam sucks in a breath and winces as he takes off his

                 belt.  He tosses a handful of change into the tray.

                                         SECOND GUARD (CONT'D)

                           Okay.

                 Cam walks back around the security gate. As he does he

                 notices some men at the other end of the Airport hall

                 looking about urgently.

                 Cam lowers his head and goes through the gate again.

                 BUZZZZ!

                 Cam winces.

                                         SECOND GUARD (CONT'D)

                           Arms out, please.

                 Cam gingerly lifts them to shoulder height.

                 Surreptitiously stealing a glance down the hall - the

                 men are getting closer. The guard pats Cam down. Cam's

                 eyes are watering with stress.

                 The guard waves the metal detector wand over Cam's

                 upper body.

                 As it passes over the side of his upper waist - 

                 WHOOOP!

                                         SECOND GUARD (CONT'D)

                                (Pointedly.)

                           Is there anything else in your

                           pocket, Sir?

                 Cam turns his pockets inside out - nothing.

                 He glances up as one of the men coming down the hall

                 turns his way - eye contact. The man beckons his

                 compatriots. Cam turns away.

                                         SECOND GUARD (CONT'D)

                           Take off your jacket please,

                           Sir.

                 Cam considers the corridor with a sign indicating gates

                 21-40.

                 The Second Guard unsnaps his sidearm emphatically.

                                         SECOND GUARD (CONT'D)

                           Please take your jacket off,

                           Sir.

                 Cam opens his jacket...

                 His shirt at the side of his abdomen is soaked with

                 blood.

                                         SECOND GUARD (CONT'D)

                           Jeee-zuz! Bradley, I need your

                           assis-

                 A gun goes off, the Second Guard has a momentary

                 stunned look before dropping to the ground, a bloody

                 hole in his temple.

                 In that moment, Cam grabs the guard's un-clasped

                 sidearm from its holster.

                 Ducking and turning, he runs limping for the corridor

                 as the crowd panics and scatters, interfering with his

                 pursuers.