Traffic
by
Stephen Gaghan
EXT. COLUMBUS, OHIO - DAY
The state capital of Ohio. It's an impressive building for
a city this size.
SUPERTITLE: COLUMBUS, OHIO - STATE CAPITAL
INT. OHIO STATE SUPREME COURT - DAY
In chambers striving for august, JUSTICES listen to a lawyer
MR. RODMAN, argue his case before the highest court in Ohio.
Mr. Rodman enjoys the sound of his own voice.
MR. RODMAN
This informant, paid by the police,
using taxpayers dollars to continue
his felony drug habit, was the link
which allowed police to raid a
private farm. A working farm. A
farm where honest Americans make
their living.
One particular justice, ROBERT WAKEFIELD, younger than the
others, is clearly bemused by this performance.
MR. RODMAN (CONT'D)
The government, in its haste, has
employed an army of criminals whose
allegiance to the truth is, at
best, questionable --
Judge Wakefield interrupts --
ROBERT
Mr. Rodman...it's too bad your
client didn't show as much sense in
choosing what he planted as he did
in choosing his attorney...
A polite chuckle from the justices --
ROBERT (CONT'D)
Lately the only variation I'm
hearing in your argument is the
name of the client. And you can
sit there all day arguing the ins
and outs of Illinois v. Gates, but
you aren't going to convince me
that this country has not sanctioned
the use of anonymous informants.
(MORE)
2.
ROBERT (CONT'D)
(beat)
Furthermore, there is no sacred
protection of property rights in
the United Sates. When you make
the decision to have marijuana on
your farm, whether it's one joint
or an acre of plants, your property
can be seized and your property can
be sold.
MR. RODMAN
I'm sorry the court finds my
argument repetitious.
ROBERT
Mr. Rodman, may I offer a piece of
advice? The next time you argue
this point before this court,
regardless of my whereabouts, I
recommend you have something up
your sleeve other than your arm.
INT. ROBERT'S CHAMBERS - DAY
The office is marble and dark wood. A young CLERK, black,
29, enters carrying an oddly-shaped gift. They both look at
it.
CLERK
What do you think it is?
ROBERT
Depends who it's from.
CLERK
(reading the card)
Your friends at Warren, Putnam and
Hudson.
ROBERT
You can learn a lot about somebody
from this stuff. Three categories:
you like me, you hate me, you want
something from me.
(re: the elaborate box)
Definitely third category.
CLERK
What would a law firm want from the
new drug Czar?
ROBERT
Depends on the state.
3.
CLERK
(checks)
Arizona.
ROBERT
Medicinal marijuana initiative.
(beat)
Or am I being cynical?
They both laugh. Robert reaches up and pulls a bottle of
Scotch from a shelf. He pours a couple of fingers in two
glasses.
CLERK
Maybe there's a book in it.
The clerk takes one of the glasses.
ROBERT
Not by me.
They toast and drink.
EXT. COURTHOUSE - DAY
Robert exits, trailed by a small group of reporters. He
gets into a car being driven by two security TYPES.
INT. AIRPLANE - DAY
Robert sits in a business class window seat.
INT. HOTEL ROOM - NIGHT
An expensive hotel. Robert Wakefield stands at the window,
looking at the view of our nation's capital.
SUPERTITLE: WASHINGTON D.C.
ON THE TABLE
the remnants of a meal. It was a steak and a small caesar
salad. The wine glass is half-empty.
ANOTHER ANGLE ON ROBERT
in front of the mirror now, trying on a dark, tasteful jacket.
CLOSER
On Robert in the same position, only now we are in HIS HOME.
It's daytime, and his wife BARBARA is helping him into this
same jacket. As her hands dust the lint off his shoulders
we MATCH CUT TO:
4.
ROBERT
in the hotel rooms, making the same motions. Satisfied, he
straightens, then turns to look at himself.
OMITTED
ANGLE ON ROBERT
back at the hotel room window now. Reaches to the table and
lifts the wine glass.
CUT TO:
EXT. DIRT ROAD - DAY
This is the middle of nowhere. Scrub cactus and dust and a
heartless sun.
SUPERTITLE: MEXICO - TWENTY MILES SOUTHWEST OF TIJUANA.
A broken down-looking Police Sedan is parked on the side of
the road. It seems abandoned except there are TWO MEN inside.
INT. POLICE SEDAN - DAY
Two Mexican men, State Police officers, JAVIER RODRIGUEZ,
30's, and MANUEL "MANOLO" SANCHEZ, 20's, wearing jeans,
knock-off Polo shirts, and cowboy boots, wait patiently in
the car.
JAVIER
I had that dream again.
A long pause.
MANOLO
Which one?
Another long pause.
JAVIER
Where my mother's suffocating.
They continue to wait until there is the sound of a JET
ENGINE. It grows LOUDER as it approaches.
EXT. THE POLICE SEDAN - DAY
The shadow of a large plane crosses the desert floor. Then,
an old DC-3 flies fifty feet above the Police Sedan.
5.
INT. POLICE SEDAN - DAY
They watch the plane disappear over a small rise in the
desert. They look at each other and wait some more.
EXT. MEXICAN DESERT - LATER
From the direction of the landing strip, a moving van
lumbers down the road, two TEENAGERS in the cab.
INT. POLICE SEDAN - DAY
Javi and Manolo watch the moving van approach. Javi reaches
under the seat and picks up a bubble flasher. He rolls down
the window and plants it on the roof. He flips the switch.
Nothing happens. He jiggles the wire and the siren BURPS
and the light flashes. Manolo and Javi step from the car,
smiling.
EXT. MEXICAN DESERT - DAY
The moving van slows to a stop. Javi approaches. The
DRIVER unhurriedly rolls down the window.
DRIVER
Is there a problem?
JAVIER
No. There's no problem.
The driver hesitates a confused beat then reaches for his
wallet.
DRIVER
Okay. I see. How much do you want?
The driver pulls a wad of bills. Javi shakes his head.
DRIVER (CONT'D)
You want more than this?
Javi shakes his head. The driver exchanges a look with his
partner.
DRIVER (CONT'D)
You want something else?
Javi smiles. The driver gets out and walks to the back of
the truck. He opens the rear door. There are neatly-
stacked crates marked with a SCORPION logo and "911." He
reaches into one of them and pulls out a tightly-sealed
package also with the scorpion stamped on it. He turns to
see Javi with his gun drawn.
6.
Manolo, at the passenger side, has also drawn his gun and is
motioning the partner to move to the back of the truck.
JAVIER
Drop the package. Put your hands
behind your head. You're under
arrest.
The driver hesitates. He starts to comply then looks at
Javi and Manolo.
DRIVER
I don't understand. I think there
must be some mistake.
JAVIER
No, there's no mistake.
Javi motions to Manolo who cuffs both teenagers. The driver
begins spewing OBSCENITIES under his breath. Javi puts the
driver in the front of the Shadow. Manolo follows in the
moving van.
OMITTED
OMITTED
EXT. DIRT ROAD - MEXICO - LATER
The truck follows the Shadow down a desert road.
Suddenly, from behind, four armored SUV's with tinted
windows appear, closing fast.
The SUV's force both vehicles off the road where they pull
to a stop. A long beat as hot wind blows desert detritus
past the truck.
Finally, the SUV doors open and FEDERAL POLICE OFFICERS
surround them like a SWAT team.
The passenger door of the lead SUV opens and GENERAL ARTURO
SALAZAR, 50's, a squat, powerful presence in a perfectly
pressed uniform gets out and approaches Javi.
SALAZAR
(to Javier)
What's your name?
JAVIER
Javier Rodriguez.
7.
SALAZAR
Well, Javier Rodriguez, you've done
a very good job, but we'll take
care of it from here.
Javier stares into the implacable reflection of his
sunglasses. In the distance, the DC-3 takes off and ROARS
over their heads.
SALAZAR (CONT'D)
We've been following these Narco-
trafficantes for some time but had
not been able to bring them to
justice.
(to his men)
Put the prisoners in the car.
Impound the truck.
The men follow Salazar's orders.
SALAZAR (CONT'D)
(to Javi)
One question. How did you find
about this?
JAVIER
An informant.
SALAZAR
What is the name of your informant?
JAVIER
(beat)
It was an anonymous tip.
Salazar looks at Javi a beat.
SALAZAR
(to his men)
For a State Police officer, you're
very well informed. Let's go.
MOMENTS LATER
Javi and Manolo watch the convoy of vehicles drive away.
Javier lights a cigarette.
MANOLO
Wasn't that General Salazar?
JAVIER
Yeah.
8.
MANOLO
What's he doing up here?
JAVIER
I don't know. Something.
They start for their car.
OMITTED
OMITTED
OMITTED
EXT. DEL MAR SELF-STORAGE - DAY
SUPERTITLE: SAN DIEGO
Two men, RAY CASTRO, 30's, proud, ambitious, and MONTEL
GORDON, 40's, suspicious of everyone including himself and
always, always the smartest guy in the room, walk from a
Lincoln Towncar toward a dumpy office. Castro is talking
under his breath --
CASTRO
No telltales. Nothing to read.
Not touching my face. Not even
blinking. No giveaways.
(beat)
How're you feeling?
GORDON
(keyed up)
I feel good.
CASTRO
No more pissant basin league
bullshit for us, hunh?
GORDON
Nope.
Castro stretches his arms, swings them around.
CASTRO
Limbering up, gonna stay loose,
keep it all together. Take this
motherfucker down.
They reach the door to the office. Gordon looks at Castro,
then turns the handle.
CASTRO (CONT'D)
Showtime.
9.
INT. OFFICE, DEL MAR SELF-STORAGE - DAY
It's a cluttered, rundown working office unusual only in the
extent of its ordinariness. A SECRETARY goes about her
business like a somnambulist. CLERKS shuffle and file.
Castro switches into Spanish --
CASTRO
(in Spanish)
Good afternoon, ladies, gentlemen.
We're looking for Eduardo Ruiz. We
have a two o'clock appointment.
INT. OFFICE, DEL MAR SELF-STORAGE - LATER
In a back alcove, Castro and Gordon sit across a cheap table
from EDUARDO RUIZ, 40's, an entrepreneur in an expensive
suit and bad hairpiece. They are waiting.
RUIZ
You ever buy a quarter ton? Not
many people have.
Another "businessman" enters from another door and whispers
in Ruiz's ear, then leaves again.
RUIZ (CONT'D)
So, it's worth the wait, right?
What can I do? Rent a Huey? Have
an airlift? It's not like you can
put it in a condom up some mule's
asshole, right? How many peasants
would that take? A line stretching
from here to Mexico City --
GORDON
Nobody said shit, Eduardo --
One of Ruiz's hands dips under the desk where we see a
handgun is holstered on the underside.
RUIZ
Relax. We're waiting, that's it.
CASTRO
Hey, you want to hear a joke? I
got a joke. Why do women wear
makeup and perfume?
GORDON
Chill out --
10.
CASTRO
It's a funny fuckin' joke and it's
quick. Why do women wear makeup
and perfume?
RUIZ
I don't know.
CASTRO
'Cause they're ugly and they stink.
Castro laughs uproariously.
INT. DEA SURVEILLANCE SPACE - DAY
ON FUZZY SURVEILLANCE VIDEO: Castro laughing. Ruiz politely
smiling, one of his hands hidden by the table.
GORDON
Man, you never been close enough to
a woman to know how she smells.
DEA AGENT (V.O.)
What's his hand doing? Watch his
hand. Anybody? I don't like the
hand.
IN THE OFFICE
The room is filled with crappy surveillance equipment. DEA
AGENTS, in DEA logo'd outerwear, jiggle a monitor fuzzily
displaying the view from another hidden camera: Gordon and
Ruiz around the cheap table.
DEA AGENT
This is ridiculous this fucking
thing.
(taps monitor)
Look at this shit -- the first
television transmission. I had
better shit when I was the AV guy
at junior high, swear-to-God.
ANOTHER DEA AGENT
Come on, Castro, pay attention.
Watch his damn hands.
ON THE MONITOR
Another "businessman" enters the office and whispers in
Ruiz's ear.
RUIZ (ON MONITOR)
Soon.
11.
Another AGENT peers out a window through binoculars. HIS
POV: the exterior of the office where Castro, Gordon, and
Ruiz talk.
EXT. DEL MAR SELF-STORAGE, SAN DIEGO - DAY
A BLUE VAN makes a slow turn into the parking lot.
EXT. ROOF - DAY
TWO FBI AGENTS, in jackets reading "FBI," hide on an opposing
roof. They look through high-powered binoculars. Binocular
POV: the BLUE VAN turning into the plaza.
FBI AGENT #2
All right, here we go. The blue van.
His binocular POV detects three unmarked cars discreetly
following the van.
FBI AGENT #2 (CONT'D)
Three unmarked vehicles.
(picks up walkie)
Three unmarked vehicles accompanying.
The unmarked cars split up and one turns into the parking
lot of a fast-food restaurant. The other circles around the
back of a building.
FBI AGENT #2 (CONT'D)
It's local. Local or Customs. Oh,
man, I don't know. Looks like the
cavalry.
FBI AGENT
This is our show. Ah, man. I
don't want to share this one.
INT. OFFICE, DEL MAR SELF-STORAGE - CONTINUOUS
Through the window Ruiz, Gordon and Castro watch the van
disappear into the bay of a storage unit. A man is pulling
down the door behind it when three unmarked squad cars ROAR
into the lot, surrounding the unit, officers exit the cars
with their guns drawn --
Gordon and Castro stare in disbelief.
Ruiz FIRES the gun under the desk which hits Gordon full in
the chest, knocking him backwards.
Ruiz's men run into the room pulling guns.
12.
Castro dives and pulls his weapon, firing at Ruiz's men,
hitting both of them. Ruiz bolts through another door.
Castro pursues, talking into his shirt collar --
CASTRO
Agent down. Repeat, agent down.
Gordon gets slowly to his feet, shaking off the blast to his
Kevlar, and runs after them.
EXT. DEL MAR SELF-STORAGE - DAY
The DEA are shooting at the men inside the storage unit who
are shooting back.
From all over the stake-out location, DEA AGENTS emerge
firing their weapons. An equal number of FBI AGENTS emerge
firing in return. Nobody was aware of the other's presence.
It's CHAOS, a clusterfuck of law-enforcement zeal with three
competing sets of good guys shouting through BULL-HORNS,
GUNSHOTS and SCREAMING.
Ruiz breaks through the corner of the lot, cutting between
two buildings. Castro emerges and chases him.
EXT. PARKING LOT - DAY
Ruiz runs out the back of the storage company. He cuts
between parked cars, heading for The Fun Zone, a kiddie
restaurant.
INT. THE FUN ZONE - DAY
Castro enters The Fun Zone. There's a cardboard cutout of
SPASTIC JACK, a beloved comedy figure who looks like a
rabbit version of Jar Jar Binks, promoting the "Special
Edition" glass: "Collect All Four." There's an enclosure
filled with colored plastic balls.
The restaurant is empty except for a CLOWN filling out a
time card. The clown stands.
CLOWN
Hey dudes, we're not open yet.
Castro makes a motion for him to be quiet and keeps moving
toward the room of colored balls.
Gordon enters the restaurant and follows him. An ANIMATRONIC
BAND starts to play a SONG.
Gordon sees a half-hidden foot buried underneath the plastic
balls at the far end of the room.
13.
He takes careful aim and FIRES.
Ruiz SCREAMS and sits up. Castro pounces on him, disarming
him, and roughing him up.
EXT. THE FUN ZONE - DAY
Castro and Gordon shove Ruiz into the sunlight. They wait
while their eyes adjust.
RUIZ
Take me to the hospital. I'm
bleeding to death.
Castro shoves him forward.
ACROSS THE PARKING LOT
DEA has opened the back of the van where a quarter-ton of
cocaine is spilling out onto the pavement.
CUT TO:
INT. GUEST HOUSE - AFTERNOON
A bong hit is expelled into the air. In the living room of
a comfortable, preppy guest house, private school TEENAGERS
party and hang-out: cigarettes in ashtrays, beer and bong on
the coffee table, loud MUSIC.
SUPERTITLE: CINCINNATI, OHIO
The TV is on with the sound off. The curtains are closed.
The four boys wear school blazers with their ties pulled
askew, the three girls' clothing are also identical. Some
sit on couches, some on the floor. They are stoned.
One intense-looking boy, SETH ABRAHAMS, 17, wild curly hair
and the attitude of a young Coleridge, and a girl, CAROLINE
WAKEFIELD, 16, really sixteen which means she looks about
12, pretty and flirtatiously irreverent, sit at a desk in
front of a Powerbook G-3 playing an on-line trivia game.
Seth speaks rapidly and precisely.
SETH
Father of Greek tragedy? Anyone?
Okay, Aeschylus it is.
(hits keys)
His trilogy? The Oresteia. I mean
this is beautiful, can anyone stop
the Seth Machine?
(MORE)
14.
SETH (CONT'D)
(hits keys)
Score. Thank you. Madmax from
Omaha we own you. And Tragedy is
closed out.
Seth leans over and snorts a line of coke from a mirror. He
hands it to Caroline who effortlessly does one.
CAROLINE
Entertainment. The Susan Lucci
section or Banal Love Songs of the
Nineties?
Seth looks at her. He has a crush.
SETH
Banal Love Songs it is.
(hits keys)
Hey, you wanna try something?
She nods. They both take a swig of beer. He takes her hand
pulling her past the stoned people on the couch --
IN THE KITCHEN
Seth takes out a box of baking soda. He tears off a square
of aluminum foil. He takes out a spoon. Caroline watches
as he dumps a small amount of cocaine into the spoon. He
adds a pinch of baking soda. He puts in a few drops of
water. Stirs it around with the heel of a lighter. Then
holds the flame under the spoon.
CAROLINE
What are you doing?
SETH
(concentrating)
Just watch.
He watches the substance in the spoon as it swirls and
bubbles, then separates... He pours the most viscous part
onto the aluminum foil, making four separate little puddles.
He quickly dismantles a ballpoint pen, making a straw. He
hands it to Caroline.
SETH (CONT'D)
Inhale the smoke and hold it.
CAROLINE
What is this, like freebase?
15.
SETH
Not like. It is.
He lights the flame under the aluminum foil. The puddle
crackles and pops, then starts to smoke --
SETH (CONT'D)
Go... Go!
There's a rush of thick grey smoke. Caroline catches most
of it.
SETH (CONT'D)
Hold it.
She pulls it in deeper and holds... Suddenly her expression
changes... Her eyes lose their focus, her face slackens, an
almost sexual response. Seth is watching her intensely.
SETH (CONT'D)
See... Now, you see.
Caroline slumps back against the counter. Seth moves
against her, kissing her, running his hands over her breasts
and body. She stares over his shoulder, holding it as long
as she can.
Finally she exhales --
CAROLINE
More.
The cloud of grey smoke from her lungs fills the room.
CUT TO:
INT. WHITE HOUSE OFFICE - DAY
The White House CHIEF OF STAFF meets with Robert Wakefield.
The Chief of Staff has the floor; he always has the floor.
This is a man you do not want to disappoint.
CHIEF OF STAFF
Until you officially take over the
office of National Drug Control
Policy, under no circumstances
should you speak to the press
unprotected, without going through
this office or having someone in
the room. There are a lot of
interests in this town and, right
now, they're all scared of you.
(MORE)
16.
CHIEF OF STAFF (CONT'D)
The reason they're scared of
you...technically, you have veto
power over their budgets. So think
about that: FBI, CIA, DEA, CUSTOMS,
TREASURY, ATF, DEFENSE, IRS, Radio
Shack and the DMV, they're all
gonna want to speak to you. And
that's the good news... You'll also
be meeting Senators and Congressman,
each with a specially prepared
question. Their question is
designed for one thing: to make
them look smart. If you lecture
them, they won't think you respect
them. If you respond with utter
humility, they will. Remember,
this is about your respect for
them, and the President's respect
for them. Speaking of which, as
soon as he gets back from Russia
and China, we'll get you in there
for some face-time, let the two of
you catch up.
(beat)
It'd probably be a good idea for
you to meet your predecessor. I'll
have Jeff Sheridan take you over.
Also, four weeks from today you
will give your first official press
conference. In it you will outline
the President's strategy for
winning the war on drugs.
(beat)
Okay, anything else?
ROBERT
I'll be sure to let you know.
INT. EXECUTIVE BUILDING, WASHINGTON, D.C. - DAY
Robert makes his way through a warren of hallways in the
endless corridors of the Old Executive Building alongside
JEFF SHERIDAN, 35, an enthusiastic government employee who
has found his place.
SHERIDAN
I just want to be clear about one
thing. I used to work for him, but
now I work for you. I'm not a
partisan person, I'm an issue
person.
(MORE)
17.
SHERIDAN (CONT'D)
In the next few weeks, if you allow
me, we'll get you well-versed on an
incredible array of issues. The
most important of which, in my
opinion, being Mexico. I know
everybody that you're gonna meet.
It's important that they like you.
It's not important that they like
me. That's why I can help protect
you.
ROBERT
Like you protected Landry?
SHERIDAN
I see where you're going wit that,
but if I could just say something,
which is basically that a guy like
Landry is so autocratic he doesn't
know how to let himself be helped;
it's a point of pride to take every
bullet, no matter who fired it, or
whether it was even aimed at him,
which personally I think it very
self-defeating. Now, don't get me
wrong, he's a man of enormous
integrity, but there's a political
component to this job that the
General just didn't have any
patience for.
INT. OFFICE OF NATIONAL DRUG CONTROL POLICY - DAY
Robert and Sheridan enter the office of outgoing Drug Czar,
GENERAL RALPH LANDRY, 60's, buzz-cut, professional soldier
with a sense of humor.
Landry is putting some personal items in a box.
GENERAL LANDRY
Jeff, you want to excuse us for a
minute?
Sheridan nods and leaves.
GENERAL LANDRY (CONT'D)
(bemused, off
Sheridan's exit)
Functionaries. Nice people, the
Schedule C's. About twelve graduate
degrees apiece, but it seems
sometimes all they do is start
rumors.
18.
Robert and Landry shake hands.
ROBERT
You've done a fine job here, Sir.
The Office of National Drug Control
Policy is in better shape than when
you found it.
Landry tries to determine whether Robert believes this. He
looks around the office as if the policy is hiding somewhere.
GENERAL LANDRY
I'm not sure I made the slightest
difference.
(wistful)
I tried... I really did.
ROBERT
There are a lot of encouraging
statistics. The work's just
started, but I intend to see it
through. You've got my word on that.
GENERAL LANDRY
You're here for two years, three
maximum. What'd they promise you?
Court appointment? What? District?
Appeals?
(checks Robert's reaction)
Not Supreme... Supreme?
ROBERT
I've come in to do a tough job and
that's what I'm going to focus on.
General Landry SIGHS.
GENERAL LANDRY
When Kruschev was forced out, he
sat down and wrote two letters and
handed them to his successor. He
said "When you get into a situation
you can't get out of, open the
first letter and you'll be saved.
And when you get into another
situation you can't get out of,
open the second." Soon enough this
guy found himself in a tight place.
So he opened the first letter. It
said, "Blame everything on me." So
he blamed the old guy and it worked
like a charm.
&nbs
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