THE NEGOTIATOR by James DeMonaco and Kevin Fox revisions by Anthony Drazan August 5, 1997 BLACK SCREEN We hear the voice of Danny Roman: DANNY(O. S.) ...I love animals. I love pets. I grew up with pets - cats, dogs, hamsters, birds...my mother had this pair of canaries. Man, th?]'d sing and sing, they'd sing whenever they damn well pleased. Middle of, the goddamn night those canaries would be singin'. I thought about takin' the motherfuckers out, but moms loved those birds-- The BLACK RECEDES and we FIND DANNY ROMAN, sitting in a dilapidated hallway, eating a hot dog. He's a black man in his 40s, with a streetwise and wary intelligence behind his dark brown eyes. Danny continues talking casually to someone offscreen. In the BG the SOUND of a SARKING DOG: DANNY I had a boa until I got married. Then the boa had to go. No way my wife was gonna have a snake crawlin' around her livingroom, gettin' up into ther things, slidin' into bed with her at night. One snake was enough, if you catch my meaning-- Danny looks down a list with a heading: "LIKES." Scans past "Chicago sports", and barbecues to "Pit Bulls"; dog's name is "Raoul"-- DANNY Which brings me to pit bulls. The dog of dogs. The pet of pets. There's the right man's best friend and the wrong man's worst enemy. you gonna give me a dog for a pet, then give me a pit bull. Give me "Raoul". Am I right, Omar? Give me Raoul... (a moment passes) Omar ? We see that Danny's been talking to an apartment door, slightly cracked. Finally from inside: OMAR I fucking hate Raoul. (to the barking dog) Shut the fuck up, asshole! someone. DANNY You hate Raoul? OMAR Sometimes. And sometimes I don't-- (to the barking dog) Shut the fuck up! He checks the "LIKES" list again: DANNY Your Raoul? OMAR Sometimes, I want to blow his fucking brains out! DANNY Omar-- OMAR Danny, I can't fucking wait anymore. You hear me? Now where the fuck's my wife? DANNY She's coming, Omar, she's coming-- Danny holds a kwik-view mirror: a mirror on a metal rod. In it we can SEE into the apartment: a figure's in the hallway. OMAR. CUT TO: RAOUL, THE PIT BULL chained to the radiator. We move along the floor past a phone ripped from the wall, finding a young girl's face. SHOTGUN pressed against it. She blinks. She's alive. OMAR(O. S.) I want my wife. I told you and told you. Now I'm gettin' tired of this shit-- DANNY Omar, listen to me-- OMAR (emphatic, on the verge) No more goddamn talking! I want the bitch or I'm gonna do the girl! Through the door, slightly ajar, chain holding it closed, we see Danny. DANNY(O. S.) I'm doing the best I can here, Omar. We PAN UP the gun, settling on Omar. He's at the end of a sodden, drunken jag. OMAR I want her to see me blow my brians out. I want her thinking about that when she's sucking that fat prick's cock! Omar's on the edge of violence, his finger on the trigger. INT. STOREFRONT - HRT COMMAND - NIGIFT Outside, we can see cops lining the street, holding back pedestrians. Inside, INSPECTOR NEIL FROST, older, magisterial; COMMANDER ANDREW BECK,rough-hewn, steely-eyed; CHIEF AL TRAV1I~S, suit and tie, old-fashioned, stand in front of a BANK OF MONITORS that display Cknar pressing the gun against the girl's face from various angles. BECK Roman's losing him. Let's make entry. FROST Not yet, Andy, you know that. No one can talk an HT down like Danny-- BECK He's not talking anyone down. He's just hot doggin'. Chief, let's go in. CHIEF Unit One. Full breach. EXT. FIRE ESCAPES A Hostage Rescue Team (HRT) unit lines the building's fire escape and roof. Four TAC officers, HELLMAN, ALDRICH, ALLEN, ARGENTO, receive word and move up the fire escape stairs. INT. APARTMENT/HALLWAY Omar moves toward the front door-- OMAR I'm sorry, Danny. Time's up. I'11 do the girl, then me. I don't give a fuck. DANNY Don't give her the satisfaction. Your wife is on her way... OMAR Enough talking! We been talking for eleven fucking hours, man. My throat's fucking raw! Omar kicks the door shut, closing Danny out. DANNY Come on, Omar. Shit-- Behind Danny we see 10 cops in flak jackets. NATHAN ROENICK, a bulldog of a man, approaches-- NATHAN Beck's just put us on standby for crisis entry. DANNY That's not the play. Omar'll get a shot off. I can still talk to him, Nate, I just need time. NATHAN (into radio) Nathan to HBT 1. Negotiator is requesting more time. BECK(O.S.) (on the radio) Negative. Negative. HRTs standby. DANNY (hearing Beck's reply) I'm going in... NATHAN (grabbing Danny's arm) Whoa. No way. You can't enter the kill zone. DANNY Since when? NATHAN Since you got married. You got someone else to think about now, Danny. Danny hesitates-- NATHAN (sort of playful) How long's it been? DANNY (sort of dreamy) I'm still on my honeymoon. NATHAN So don't pull this cowboy shit now. You'll give him a target. You'll get yourself killed. Just keep talking. DANNY I will. Inside. There's no other way to get the gun off the girl's head, Nate. NATHAN (into his radio) Negotiator entering Kill Zone. INT. COMAND The men in command are not surprised. Beck sneers. Frost smiles-- CHIEF (into radio) Danny, this is Chief Travis~ You will stand down. BECK (into radio) Unit One hold and maintain. EXT. FIRE ESCAPE The TAC team hand-signals to each other to hold position and express familiar exasperation with Danny's own tactics. INT. HALLWAY Danny is ready to go-- DANNY We got any shots? NATHAN Bathroom. But he's nowhere near it. DANNY He will be. Get Eagle and Palermo over to that window. Tell them to wait for my signal-- NATHAN (into radio) Palermo, Eagle. Set up on the bathroom window on the one side. Let me know when you're in position. nanny moves to the apartment door. The Chief's voice rises: CHIEF (over the radio) Negotiating team, do you read? Do not... Danny SHUTS the RADIO off. Nate shakes his head in disbelief. DANNY Omar, your wife's here. Ny superiors: will allow me to make the trade now. But I gotta see that you haven't hurt the other hostages. If you haven't, I'11 take the girl and send in your wife. OMAR Nice and slow. You come in. Get a look around. Then I get my wife. INT. COMMAND All watch the monitors that display Ckrrar unchaining the door. Danny slowly moving inside: INT. APARTMENT FROST Showtime. BECK Showtime my ass. Roman ought to let TAC do its job and end it. As nanny enters. Hands high, shotgun thrust guickly in his face. Omar locks the door. The chained attack dog barks and lunges furiously at Danny— OMAR Move real slow. This ain't about me and you, but I'11 take you out just the same. Omar searches Danny. DaMy eyes the girl. Cool as ice: