I/E. CAR - MOVING - DAWN - SEATTLE, WASHINGTON (HOURS BEHIND)

A red-ish city skyline touched by fog. Mount Rainier visible in the distance. Seattle Washington. Busy streets of downtown jammed with TRAFFIC. A sliver Bentley Mulsanne STALLS at a red light. An arm extends from a back window; its fingers MUFFLING the wind as the car slows its DRIVE. Elmore Vasiliev, now (54), nicely aged, is inside, wearing a stylish black suit.

INSIDE:

ELMORE
You could have tried...you could have tried to win against red light.

DRIVER
I'm sorry, sir. It won't happen again...

ELMORE
You say that every time...yet it never fails.
Sometimes, I wonder if your life is scripted.

Elmore brings his arm inside and ROLLS up the window. The red light slugs on. Irritating him. SIGH. HONKING HORNS sound from behind. Impatient. A red truck is before the fancy car.

DRIVER
Should I take a detour?

Elmore's attention shoots to a playground beside the car, where kids play; making snowmen and having snow fights, while adults watch over them. A pleasant sight. The driver eyes a side street, blocked by cars on his left.

DRIVER (CONT'D)
There's a tight squeeze right between
that truck but I think the car could-

ELMORE
Through there.

The DRIVER looks to the suggested area Elmore nods to, doubting the playground as a reroute. In the rear-view mirror he peers. Unsure.

ELMORE (CONT'D)
What are you waiting for? GO!
Quickly. I am running late.

The driver obeys in an instant. His behavior is odd, no longer baffled. He's almost robotic now as he SHIFTS the car into REVERSE. A car behind ROLLS BACKWARDS, avoiding getting hit.

OUTSIDE:

The car BACKS UP, TILTS sideways, then is directed towards the park. The engine REVVING, the tires STREAKING. The car REVERSES a bit more. A few pedestrians on the sidewalk leading to the park, cautiously get out of the way of the Bentley. The car ZOOMS towards the playground. SPEEDING and BEEPING FRANTICALLY. Parents flee the playground with their kids. The car DRIVES a bricked path of the playground. TRAVELING down it until it wraps around a corner. Gone.

I/E. CAR - PARKED - GAS STATION - MOMENTS LATER

OUTSIDE:

An empty gas station lot. Bryant approaches a gray Jeep Compass, with a white bag in hand. He circles to the passenger's side door and OPENS it. Elliot is in the passenger's seat. Tami sleeps on the back seat.

BRYANT
(hands bag to Elliot)
I wasn't sure what to pick up. I hope you two are the breakfast type.

Frost emits from his lips.

ELLIOT
It's fine.

RUSTLING. Elliot unwraps the bag and takes out a breakfast sandwich. Bryant stares over the top of the car, at a black SUV parked across the street. It's a block up, pointed in their direction. Shaded windows. He squints at it. Bryant becomes defensive as he stares over the roof of his at the suspicious car. Eyes dead set. The driver's silhouette is seen from behind the glass. A head turns away quickly. Then the vehicle drives off.

ELLIOT (CONT'D)
Something wrong?

He watches the car drive off, it busts a right turn down a side street.

BRYANT
No, nothing. We'll be there in thirty minutes.
You two are lucky, Carter's still ticking.

He SHUTS the passenger side door then WALKS over to get into the drivers seat. Doing the same with the door once in. SNAP.

INSIDE:

ELLIOT
I wouldn't say lucky...and how do you know
that? Is a doctor keeping you updated?

One of Bryant's finger go to his ear and TAP on a tiny Bluetooth device within it.

BRYANT
Something like that.

ELLIOT
So you actually care about him, then?
I thought it was just a part of your mission.

BRYANT
It's part mission, part peace of mind. There are certain
things I'd rather not have on my conscience.

ELLIOT
How long have you known him?

Bryant calculates in his mind, DRUMMING his fingers on the steering wheel. Closing his eyes for a bit.

BRYANT
Twenty eight years. Yeah, I met him when he settled here in 1990.

ELLIOT
So he hired you?

BRYANT
No. I don't work for your father, kid.
I work for his partner, you wouldn't know him.

ELLIOT
(snickers/sarcastic)
Partner. So he made a friend after
abandoning his family? That's great.

BRYANT
Don't be so judgmental. Carter left for good
reasons; reasons you wouldn't understand.

Elliot looks out the window and UNWRAPS a breakfast sandwich from the bag; RUSTLING. He SNACKS on it.

ELLIOT
(chews)
No, I understand them just fine.
(clear mouthed)
Fame and fortune. That was his only motivation,
nothing you can say to convince me otherwise.
(squints)
Anyway...why do I remember you?

BRYANT
I used to deliver the money your father placed
aside for you and your mother, when you two stayed
on Division and Central...when things were simpler.
(checks mirrors)
Your father wanted the money to reach
the doorstep, Tami wanted it someplace else.

ELLIOT
Yeah, she used to burn it.

BUZZING fills the car.

BRYANT
One of her many ways.
(unzips top pocket of jacket)
Your phone has been vibrating nonstop.
Seems like someone really needs to talk to you.
Must be that girlfriend of yours you thought I killed.

He passes the Iphone over to Elliot who takes it. Sonya: 7 missed calls. His finger flick away the notification, while he UNLOCKS the phone. In the messenger he texts: I'm ok. He WRAPS up the sandwich and puts it back into the bag. RUSTLING.

ELLIOT
Friend.

He corrects before TAPPING on her number.

INT. DENTIST OFFICE - LIGHT - MORNING - CHICAGO (HOURS AHEAD)

Within a dentist office, Sonya works with a client, who lays back on a chair. She holds a gloved hand out for a suction tool that a male assistant passes to her. SUCKING NOISES emit from the tool as it is placed in a client's mouth.

A phone DINGS. Sonya looks over at her assistant.

SONYA
Turn your phone off.

The man shakes his head

ASSISTANT - MALE
It's not mines.

The ASSISTANT eyes Sonya's uniform pocket. She freezes, placing down the NOISY tool and withdraws her phone. Observing the screen. Elliot's text.

SONYA
Take over please, I have to take this.

She hastily EXITS the room. The assistant moves closer to the client, grabbing the LOUD tool, and works on the person's teeth.

EXT. PARKING LOT - BRIGHT - SECONDS LATER

The back door of the building BANGS open to a snowy parking lot. Sonya's feet STEP out onto the sidewalk, tall boots CRUNCH on snow. She makes a call. DIALING Elliot's number.

The line picks up after the second BUZZ.

SONYA
(emotionally)
Elliot! Where are you? Oh, my god! Are you okay?
Is your mother... your mother is she alright?!

Frost leaves her lips.

INT. CAR - MOVING - DIM - SECONDS LATER

The car PULLS out from the gas station and onto a freeway. Its TIRES GRAVELING on the road. Elliot SCRATCHES his head.

ELLIOT
We're both okay, Sonya. Don't worry.
Listen...I-I'm in Washington.

He gives a reassuring grin.

EXT. PARKING LOT - BRIGHT - SECONDS LATER

She PACES back and forth as cars pull into the snowy lot.

SONYA
Why? Why are you in Washington?
Elliot, there are searches for you!

Sonya places a head to her forehead.

INT. CAR - MOVING - DIM - SECONDS LATER

The car DRIVES; RUMBLING on light snow.

ELLIOT
Searches??

Bryant glances over at him.

VOICE THROUGH PHONE:

SONYA
Yes! A few locals are doing what the station won't, so many
people are out hanging flyers and sharing your info on Twitter.
I've been calling, why didn't you pick up?! You disappeared!

ELLIOT
I'm sorry, I didn't mean to not
answer you. There's a lot to explain.
(sighs longingly)
My father is dying, that's why I'm in Washington.

A long pause. Elliot waits for a response, lowering his eyes sadly.

SONYA
(sensitively)
Oh...I'm so sorry to hear that.
How long have you known?

ELLIOT
We were told just yesterday.

SONYA
By who?

ELLIOT
It's best that I don't tell you that.

He bites his lip, indefinitely.

EXT. PARKING LOT - BRIGHT - SECONDS LATER

Sonya starts PACING back and forth, lowering her phone to her side. Her shoulders hunched in tension. Then she brings the phone back to her ear. Continues PACING.

SONYA
Why can't you tell me? It seems like you're...

Her VOICE TRAILS off.

VOICE THROUGH PHONE:

ELLIOT
I'm what?

Another pause. Sonya stares at the phone intensely.

SONYA
Worried. It seems like something else is wrong and you don't
want to tell me. Which doesn't make any sense.

ELLIOT
I know it doesn't make any sense. It's...complicated.
I'll tell you everything when I get back.

SONYA
Later, why not now? The station will be taking action
in a couple of hours. You have to come back here and give answers.
You were abducted. Don't act like that didn't happen!

ELLIOT
Just let everyone know that I'm fine-

SONYA
(harshly)
I don't think it works like that, Elliot. I can't
stop police protocol just by saying that!

ELLIOT
I know, Sonya. But please try. I promise when I get back,
I'll go in willingly and tell the station everything they need to know.

Sonya relaxes her shoulders and halts.

I/E. CAR - MOVING - DIM - SECONDS LATER

Bryant ROLLS down his window, the wind outside MUFFLES onto the top of the glass as the car SPEEDS on. He SNATCHES the phone from Elliot and CHUGS it out the window.

OUTSIDE:

The phone CLATTERS on the snowy road, BREAKING, as cars WHIP by in blurs.

INSIDE:

ELLIOT
What the hell?!

BRYANT
It's been about twenty four hours, hasn't it?
That call was most likely monitored.

The car JETS down I-94 West. BUMPING up and down. Tami wakes from the SHAKINESS of the car. GROANING. Elliot's attention snaps to his mother.

ELLIOT
You okay, how'd you sleep?

TAMI
(yawns)
Alright. These seats are a bit uncomfortable.
But I rested good enough.
(massages neck)
How about you?

ELLIOT
Pretty good-

BRYANT
He hasn't slept.

His mother sits up, pure concern works her face, wavering her brows.

TAMI
Why not?!

ELLIOT
I don't know, I just can't. But all that
matters is that you did. After last night...
(upset)
I scared you. I wasn't thinking about your
condition, you could have had another episode.

TAMI
(fatigued)
It's gonna take a lot more than a rocky
plane to take me, baby. I'm okay.

ELLIOT
I can tell you're lying, I hear it in
your voice. Should you take something for it?

TAMI
I'm not sure, it calmed down...but
maybe I should just to be safe.

Bryant points to a glove compartment.

BRYANT
The prescription's in there. I ordered a supply run
before we landed. You have nothing to worry about.

Elliot RETRIEVES a clear bag from the glove compartment. CLICK. PILLS SHAKE inside of it. He hands it back to his mother with a bottle of Deans Milk from the gas station bag. RUSTLING. Tami takes a pill from the container, SHAKING it out, and TWISTS open the top of the milk. Taking her medicine. DRINKING and SWALLOWING.

ELLIOT
(defeatedly)
I'm sorry.

The car nears The University Of Washington Medical Center. A grand Hospital. A tall, window filled building set on Lake Washington. Expensive. Luxurious. Beautiful.

The car ROLLS into the parking lot and the doors UNLOCK. Bryant TWISTS the key out of the ignition; JIGGLING. The engine SHUTS OFF. His passengers eye the hospital. Hesitant. Scared. Uncomfortable.

BRYANT
It's time to say goodbye.

END OF ACT ONE