JANUARY 20TH

A screenplay by Hugh Holub

               Copyright 1985, 2007

 

FADE IN:

 

EXT. DAY

 

Wide angle shot of city in northern Pakistan. Sound of the Call to Prayer.

 

CUT TO:

 

INT. AL QAIDA ROOM. Meeting room is ornate, with Persian rugs on floor.  Six elderly mullahs are seated around a large conference table.  A seventh, younger mullah, is standing at the head of the table, lecturing.  There are large flip charts behind him, and a large television monitor on the table.   The lecturer, the Ayatollah of QUM, an angular hard looking man, continues

 

QUM

The American government is run by non‑military individuals. Their chain of command starts with the President, then works downward to the Vice President, the Speaker of their House of Representatives, and through the executive cabinet in descending order of importance starting with the Secretary of State.

 

The Ayatollah of QUM flips a chart and shows an organizational chart of the U.S. government's key individuals.   The Ayatollah of TEHRAN interrupts.  He is a grandfatherly sort, except for the anger in his eyes.

 

TEHRAN

How many layers of succession do they have?

 

QUM

Sixteen.  If their President dies or is assassinated, the leadership automatically passes to the Vice President.  If he dies, then to the Speaker of the House and down through the sixteen layers.

 

Osama bin Laden, impatiently pounds on the table.

 

BIN LADEN

Why are we sitting here getting a schoolboy's lesson in the American government?

 

 

 

QUM

We would all agree that there would be great glory in blackening the American eye before the whole world even worse than 9/11. And to do so in such a way as to leave no question among our Islamic brethren as to where the leadership of the Islamic World lies.

 

 

BIN LADEN

Continue.  

 

 

QUM

What would be the result if all 16 of the American civilians in their chain of command were simultaneously killed? And on world-wide television?

 

TEHRAN

Certainly that cannot possibly be done.

 

QUM

We have reason to question that fact.

 

TEHRAN

(derisively) On what basis?

 

Qum reaches to a pile of papers in front of him and pulls out a newspaper clipping from the Washington Post.

 

QUM

According to this newspaper account, which our people verify is accurate, the Americans ran a war game last year in which they assumed all their civilian chain of command had been killed in the first few minutes of World War III.  One of their generals then attempted to assume command.  And I quote, "the other general said, "who says?'"

 

TEHRAN

The American are pretty stupid if they would allow something like that to be published unless they've corrected their problem.

 

BIN LADEN

Who would've believed Nixon would've allowed his newspapers to hound him out of office.   A free press is dangerous.

 

Laughter.

BIN LADEN

What are you proposing?

 

 

QUM

That we proceed with a plan we have prepared called HEADSMAN in which we simultaneously assassinate all 16 civilians in the American chain of command.

 

TEHRAN

This is madness.   There is no possible way to kill them all at the same time.

 

Qum turns out the lights.

 

QUM

First about the potential to achieve the simultaneous untimely death of all sixteen...

 

The television monitor comes alive.   The scene on the screen is the most recent State of the Union speech.

 

 

 

QUM

If you would indulge me for a moment and watch the video tape of an event called the State of the Union speech in which the President of the United States speaks to the assembled U.S. government about the condition of their country.

 

CUT TO: CLOSEUP ON TV SCREEN.

 

Scene is in the House of Representatives, with people milling around, sitting down.  ANNOUNCER is identifying key members of Congress and the Cabinet.   Fifteen of the 16 people in the chain of succession are iden­tified.

 

Qum turns up the lights and the screen goes blank.

 

QUM

Every year, around January 20th, the entire American government gathers in one room.

 

 

TEHRAN

You said there were sixteen.   Only 15 of them were at the speech.

 

QUM

To ensure the survivability of their civilian government in the event of an attack, one member of their cabinet in the line of succession is spirited away to some secret location outside of Washing­ton during the speech.

BIN LADEN

So you blow up the room during the speech and kill virtually their entire government, but still there is one who can launch a retaliation against us.

 

Qum flips a page on his chart showing the floor plan of the Capitol Building.

 

QUM

What we propose is this.  We smuggle into the U.S. Capitol Building a low yield nuclear warhead and detonate it as soon as the speech begins. 

 

BIN LADEN

And where do we get this nuclear weapon?

 

 

QUM

We have purchased one from our Russian friends who also have an interest in decapitating the American government.

 

Beginning a few weeks before the speech we put hunter/killer teams on each of the cabinet members, and as soon as the one to be hidden away makes his run for cover, we use one of the American Stinger missiles they so generaously sold us and blow up his car.

 

Before the news of his death reaches the speech, the American government will be leaderless. Chaos will reign.  They will not be able to strike back.

 

 

Bin Laden rises.   The rest stand.  He has a pained expression.

 

FADE:

 

CUT TO:

INT.  CRYSTAL ROOM.  NORAD (CHEYENNE MOUNTAIN)  AUGUST 9TH.

 

Large room filled with TV screen consoles (like NASA Mission Center), large electronic maps on walls.  All personnel in uniform.    In  back  is  a  glass walled room ‑ The "Eagle's Nest" ‑ the office of the Command­ing General on Duty.  The current duty shift CO is MAJOR GENERAL BRUCE CASTLEBERRY.   He is talking to COLONEL WILDER, the Shift Intelligence Analyst.   Castleberry is a handsome man is his early 50's who looks like he could star in recruitment commercials.  Wilder is dark and brooding.

 

 

CASTLEBERRY

It is hard to get used to the quiet. We're buying former Soviet missiles instead of worrying about tracking them.

 

WILDER

But there are a thousand tactical warheads running around in the backs of trucks.

 

CASTLEBERRY

Who would've thought we'd be trying to track trucks with our satellites?

 

WILDER

Knocking them all out is the problem.

 

CASTLEBERRY

We go from Star Wars to this.

 

Wilder gestures to the Crystal Room.

 

WILDER

.

 

CASTLEBERRY

According to the monitors.  We start believing what we see on those screens in reality.  In reality we really don't know what the hell is going on some times. Nukes in trucks.

 

WILDER

The Army always did want us to just shoot at stuff on the ground, like tanks and trucks.

 

How's Linda?

CASTLEBERRY

She went over to Washington to see Kimberly and Joe.

 

WILDER

They're still at Fort Meade?

 

CASTLEBERRY

.

 

CUT TO:

INT. TEHRAN'S OFFICE

 

Tehran's office is large, furnished with antiques, has an oriental rug on the floor.

Tehran is talking to Qum.

 

QUM

You don't think much of our proposal?

 

TEHRAN

That depends on whether it will work or not.  We think it is a long shot to kill all 16.  Too many things can go wrong. 

 

QUM

But he who seeks glory must take some risk. There is nothing to lose. Even if we fail to kill them all, we will kill many. Right in their capitol. Before the eyes of their people. The world will know they are not invincible.

 

TEHRAN

Indeed. 

 

QUM

Then you support my proposal?

 

TEHRAN

Let us say we mutually support each other's proposal.

 

TEHRAN

I think we are two of a kind.

 

 

CUT TO:

INT. CASTLEBERRY'S HOME.

 

Castleberry is wearing a polo shirt and slacks and is being interviewed by a nationally  prominent television newscaster, BRANDON.   His living room is dominated by a fireplace, and covers the image of a rustic ranch ­house with Indian rugs on the floor, a deer head and hunting rifles on the walls, and leather covered furniture.  Brandon, who looks like a young Walter Cronkite, is interviewing Castleberry for a special on American military preparedness.

 

BRANDON

What the American public wants to know is if the threat of a nuclear war is over now that the Soviet union is gone?

 

CASTLEBERRY

There are still thousands of nuclear weapons. Ironically, we were probably safer with the Soviet union because they had a very tight command and control structure. All their nukes were under lock and key and it took orders from Moscow to launch.

 

But now there are other scenarios of limited nuclear attacks, terrorist attacks, using nuclear weapons the Russians cannot account for.

 

BRANDON

You mean the Russians have lost nuclear weapons?

 

CASTLEBERRY

They deny it. But when you start off with 30,000 of them, and they end up in a half dozen new countries that can't form a stable government, and some are trading nukes for wheat, anything is possible.

 

BRANDON

                        Certainly we’re not afraid of the Ukraine?

 

CASTLEBERRY

It is harder than you know.

 

BRANDON

But what would anyone have to gain by attacking us?

 

CASTLEBERRY

Remember 9/11.

 

The cameraman taping the session moves in closer.

 

BRANDON

That’s why we went after Saddam.

 

CASTLEBERRY

People who want nuclear weapons generally have someone they'd like to use them on. And there are a lot of countries trying to get their hands on the missing Soviet weapons. Libya. Korea, Iran, Al Qaeda. And the irony is every time we buy a gallon of gas made from oil from the Middle East, we are handing over money to people who want to destroy us. We’re paying for our eventual destruction. No question they could buy a bomb. And they’re trying to make their own.

 

BRANDON

But they don't have intercontinental missiles. The best they could do is attack Israel.

 

CASTLEBERRY

That's why Israel has its own nuclear arsenal. If my enemy has a gun, I must have ten guns. If he has ten tanks, I must have 20.  That was the history of the Cold War. We may be at peace with Russia, but there are many countries who do not know what the word peace means. They don’t want peace. They want jihad.

 

BRANDON

Aren't you military types just trying to justify keeping all your toys and eating up the American taxpayer even though it is time to use our wealth for schools and medical care?

 

Castleberry pauses, and watches the cameraman move back to behind Brandon for an "over the shoulder" camera angle.

 

CASTLEBERRY

What do you know about world history?

 

BRANDON

I'm the one supposed to ask the questions. 

 

 

 

CASTLEBERRY

Since the days of the caveman someone has always coveted some else's lands, their wealth, their rivers, their homes. Their enemies are not human in their minds, and they will use whatever force they have to exterminate their enemies.

The only thing that has changed in 10,000 years is we've gotten much more efficient in killing our enemies.

 

BRANDON

So you are saying that there is always going to be someone out there who could threaten the United States with nuclear attack?

 

The cameraman moves to a position immediately in front of Castleberry.

 

CASTLEBERRY

If they thought for one second they could destroy us, and get away with it without our being able to fully retaliate, they'd do it.

 

BRANDON

But surely millions of people would die and their cities would be destroyed.

 

CASTLEBERRY

If we even knew who to retaliate against. It was convenient to have just one or two very large enemies. Now they are smaller, but they are more numerous.

 

 

BRANDON

Aren't nuclear weapons obsolete?

 

CASTLEBERRY

         Not if you have one.

 

BRANDON

Off the record, what did you think about that Post story about what happens to our chain of command in a if all of civilian leaders get snuffed?

 

CASTLEBERRY

Off the record.  I was the one who said "who says?".

 

They both laugh.

 

CUT TO:

INT. CRYSTAL ROOM

 

Castleberry is on the phone when GENERAL ARTHUR enters.  Arthur is Castleberry's opposite in ap­pearance‑‑short, pudgy, bookish.  He sits down and waits for Castleberry to complete his call.  Castleberry looks up to the clock before speaking.

 

 

CASTLEBERRY

Early as usual..

 

ARTHUR

Time flies when you're having fun.  Anything important?

 

CASTLEBERRY

Notta.

 

ARTHUR

Only on your shift.  Excitement I don't need.

 

CASTLEBERRY

Any word yet on your retirement?

 

ARTHUR

Next February for sure.  I'm just about burnt out.  And it looks like I've got a nice job with NRM as soon as I hang up my stars.

 

 

 

 

CASTLEBERRY

 

This isn't exactly the most stress‑filled command we have.  Twelve hours in rotation watch on watch sitting in the hot seat if the Syrians attack Israel again. I hear they’re going to shut this facility down.

 

ARTHUR

Back when I was at the Academy I just couldn't wait to go to war.  I missed out.  Now I can't wait to get out.  They don't make wars like they used to.

 

CASTLEBERRY

I know the feeling.  We give our lives to be prepared to fight, and spend our lives avoiding the fight or  walking  away  before  we've  got a chance  to  win.    Goddamned pol­iticians.

 

ARTHUR

The damned bomb..

 

CASTLEBERRY

How so?

 

ARTHUR

Ever since we used them on Japan, we've had to do our damndest to not use'em again.   We could've won Korea and saved Nam if we'd been willing to nuke the enemy.  But the politicians couldn't do that.

 

CASTLEBERRY

I remember one of my first courses  at the Academy.   How to drop a hydrogen bomb.   Then three years of why we could never do this.  We even had to practice flight maneuvers to unload the goods and get the hell out of there before we got caught in the blast wave.

 

ARTHUR

The bomb ruined the art of war..

 

CASTLEBERRY

It took us long enough to figure out having the bomb was no protec­tion and no alternative to good old fashioned war.

 

ARTHUR

This far down the road I'm glad I never had to make the decision to use it.

 

CASTLEBERRY

I've still got a few years left on these wings.  I hope I don't ever have to make that decision either.  The command is yours.   The code for tonight is "Once in a Blue Moon".

 

They both stand.  Arthur walks around the desk and sits in Castleberry's chair.   Castleberry puts on his coat and starts towards the door.

 

ARTHUR

The Command is accepted. Christ where do they think up the codes.

 

CASTLEBERRY

The next blue moon is in January so I've been told.

 

Castleberry leaves.   Arthur swivels on his chair and looks out through the glass wall over the Crystal Room.  He is humming "Blue Moon".

 

CUT TO:

INT. BIN LADEN'S ROOM

 

Bin Laden's room is surprisingly small, with a fire­place, a small writing table, and  hard wooden chairs.   Tehran and Bin Laden are sitting in the chairs in front of a roaring fire.

 

BIN LADEN

We'll see how the rest vote.  If there is any disagreement I will kill the project

 

Tehran steeples his fingers and stares at the fire and does not respond.

 

 

EXT. OPEN OCEAN.  THE FOLLOWING JANUARY 10TH.

 

A fishing boat meets a small dory.  A small object about the size of a hot water heater is transferred from the fishing boat to the dory.

 

EXT.  NEAR THE COAST.

 

There is an oblong object beneath a tarp in the middle of the dory.  The men dressed as FISHERMEN are rowing towards shore.

 

1ST FISHERMAN

This is how drugs are smuggled, no?

 

2ND FISHERMAN

Who knows.

 

EXT. IN A DENSELY VEGETATED CHANNEL.

 

The dory docks at a broken down pier.  Three men dressed as plumbers meet the boat, and lift the object onto the pier, then load it into a panel truck marked as CAPITOL PLUMBING.   The two fisherman change clothes quickly, into plumber jumpsuits.

 

1ST FISHERMAN

So many plumbers.  Won't anyone suspect?

 

PLUMBER

We just tell anyone we are union.

 

Laughter.

 

EXT U.S. CAPITOL BUILDING.  NEXT DAY.

 

Capitol Plumbing truck is parked by service entrance.  Plumber is having papers checked by armed CAPITOL POLICEMAN.

 

                                                 POLICEMAN

Where's the hot water heater supposed to go?

 

PLUMBER

The basement.  Next to the cafe­teria.

 

POLICEMAN

I've been here years and this is the first time I ever heard of a hot water heater needing replace­ment. 

 

PLUMBER

Maybe the only good thing the House does is buy quality hot water heaters.

 

POLICEMAN

(laughs) You're probably right.  The papers are in order.  Take the first elevator on the left.   You need any help?

 

PLUMBER

Nope.

 

The other plumbers get out and unload the hot water heater.

 

POLICEMAN

If figures.

 

PLUMBER

What?

 

POLICEMAN

Send five men to do the job of two.  The government way.

 

INT. CAPITOL BASEMENT.

 

The plumbers are installing the hot water heater in a very out‑of‑the way place.

 

EXT.   GEORGETOWN RESIDENTIAL STREET.

 

A new sedan is parked in front of an expensive town­house.  TV NEWS is painted on the sides of the sedan.  A distinguished looking man exits the townhouse.  A cameraman and a newsman jump out of the sedan and rush up to the distinguished man before he can get into his car. 

 

The cameraman positions himself to shoot the scene.  The newsman shoves a mike in front of the distinguished looking man‑‑who is the SECRETARY OF STATE.

 

NEWSMAN

Mr. Secretary, is it true secret negotiations are under way for US airbases in Russia?

 

SECRETARY OF STATE

No comment. It's seven in the morning.  Don't you ever sleep?

 

Newsman puts down mike.

 

NEWSMAN

You know how cutthroat this business is.

 

SECRETARY OF STATE

And that's why you camp out all night in front of my house.

 

The DRIVER of the Secretary's car gets out and comes over.

 

DRIVER

I think the Secretary would appreciate it if you news hounds would go home and get some sleep.

 

The Secretary gets into his car, and it drives off.

 

INT. SECRETARY'S CAR.

 

The Secretary leans forward to talk to the driver, a Secret Service Agent doubling as chauffeur, BOB.

 

 

SECRETARY

They're getting more determined.

BOB

Too much so.

 

SECRETARY

I agree.  It seems like all of us have a shadow these days.

 

BOB

So we've noticed.  It's a new outfit.   Independent.  They hang around trying to shoot some footage and sell it to the cable news people.

 

SECRETARY

Freelancers.

 

BOB

They're legit.  And not much we can do about them.

 

SECRETARY

If the lights are on late at the White House they figure something important is happening.

 

BOB

Usually that's right.   Check on the backside.  They're following us.

 

SECRETARY

Lose them.

 

BOB

Not that easy in a big black Cadillac.

 

SECRETARY

Starting tomorrow get something less conspicuous.   And change it daily.  There's nothing in the Constitution that says we have to make their job easy.

 

BOB

Good idea.   Probably should do it for the whole cabinet.

 

SECRETARY

Suggest it. 

 

INT. CABINET ROOM.  JANUARY 19TH.

 

The formal cabinet meeting has just ended, and everyone is sitting or standing around, small‑talking.  The SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR asks the President about tomorrow's events.   Interior looks like a ranch hand in a suit.

 

INTERIOR