THE KINGDOM
Written by
MATTHEW MICHAEL CARNAHAN
8/18/2006
1 OMITTED - SEE 68A 1
2 INT. WASHINGTON, DC ELEMENTARY SCHOOL - DAY 2
We're in a kindergarten classroom of 25 SIX YEAR OLDS. All
sitting on the floor, legs crossed. Sitting in front of the
kids is Little KEVIN FLEURY, flanked by his mom LYLA FLEURY
and his dad RONALD FLEURY, in a dark suit.
Little Kevin has a large cardboard square with pictures from
different stages of his life taped to it. He's telling the
class about the photos.
We're TIGHT ON the pictures. TIGHT ON the young faces. TIGHT
ON Fleury.
KEVIN FLEURY
This is my Fredricksburg house and
my grandma Ruth playing with my
skateboard ramp. It's a Tony Hawk
jump ramp.
A little girl, MICK raises her hand.
KEVIN FLEURY (CONT'D)
Mick?
Silence from Mick
MICK
I forgot what I was going to say.
Kevin points to another picture.
KEVIN FLEURY
This is me at my second birthday
party with my mom and my dad.
That's my cake.
Fleury looks down sweet at his son.
KEVIN FLEURY (CONT'D)
This is me with my mom at the zoo
and this is my dad and me and my
grandpa Willie.
Kevin points to another photo.
KEVIN FLEURY (CONT'D)
And this is me and my dad and my
grandpa Willie at my dad's office.
KINGDOM 8/18/06 2.
The kids all lean forward and squirm as they try and get
closer to the pictures. MISS ROSS, the pretty twenty five
year old teacher watches from the side.
MICK
Where's your gun?
LITTLE BOY
Yeah, where is your gun?
Pretty much all the kids get in on this now. Everyone wants
to see Fleury's gun. Fleury makes eyes at Miss Ross. She's
giving him a `no fucking way' hard eye.
FLEURY
I'm assuming that there are no bad
guys in this room. Isn't that
right? I mean, are you guys good
guys or bad guys?
THE WHOLE CLASS
GOOD GUYS!
FLEURY
Right. So why would I have brought
my gun to a room full of good guys?
This silences the class. Miss Ross keeps things moving,
pointing to a photo.
MISS ROSS
What's that picture?
KEVIN FLEURY
This is me and my dad playing
Battleship at my dad's apartment.
Mick's hand goes back up.
KEVIN FLEURY (CONT'D)
Mick?
MICK
What is a battleship?
KEVIN FLEURY
(abruptly)
My parents are divorced.
A beat. Lyla and Ron look down at Kevin, stalled...
KINGDOM 8/18/06 3.
KEVIN FLEURY (CONT'D)
But that's OK `cause the most
important thing is to know that
everybody loves each other.
This hits a bit hard on Lyla and Ron. Miss Ross jumps in.
MISS ROSS
So, who's that in that picture up
on top?
KEVIN FLEURY
That's my fish, his name is Jaws
and he's a really mean fish.
CONTINUED:
3 OMITTED - SEE 68A 3
4 INT. WASHINGTON DC ELEMENTARY SCHOOL- CONTINUOUS 4
Kevin is still going strong.
KEVIN FLEURY
My mommy is a Think Tank worker and
she is really, really smart. She
went to two colleges and has three
computers.
CONTINUED:
5 OMITTED - SEE 78A, 87 5
6 INT. WASHINGTON DC ELEMENTARY SCHOOL - DAY 6
Kevin's pointing to a picture of Ronald holding him as a tiny
newborn.
KEVIN FLEURY
This is the day that my daddy says
is the happiest day of his life.
MISS ROSS
Really. His happiest day! Can you
tell us about that day, Mr. Fleury?
Fleury smiles, looks out at the class.
KINGDOM 8/18/06 4.
RONALD FLEURY
I sure can. That was December 4th
and that was the day that we spent
the whole day in the hospital
waiting for this guy right here to
come out of Kevin's mom's tummy.
And we waited and waited but he
wouldn't come and we kept waiting
and finally the doctor said
`OK...he's not gonna come out on
his own so we got to go get him.'
And well,
Fleury stops, checks in with Miss Ross.
RONALD FLEURY (CONT'D)
Can I tell this story?
MISS ROSS
Go for it.
RONALD Fleury
So they take her and put her on a
special bed and they give her some
medicine so she doesn't feel any
pain then they take out this tiny
little knife and make a tiny little
cut right here in her tummy.
The kids are mesmerized...
MISS ROSS
Then what happened?
RONALD Fleury
Then the doctor put her hands way
up into Kevin's mom's tummy. WAY
IN! And then you know what they
did?
A little girl, LU LU: WIDE EYED
LU LU
What did they do?
RONALD FLEURY
They started to pull and pull and
pull... they had something in there
and it started coming and they were
pulling and the doctor all of the
sudden said "STOP!"
The class is frozen. Fleury has them.
KINGDOM 8/18/06 5.
RONALD FLEURY (CONT'D)
They stopped pulling and the doctor
looked up at me and said `Hey, Mr.
Fleury - you ready to have your
world rocked?' And I just stared at
her and she pulled this little head
up out of that belly. And it was
him. His head. And I looked down at
him and screamed "Kevin!!" And he
looked down at me and screamed
"Daddy!!"
The kids are howling!
CUT TO:
7 EXT. AN UNKNOWN ROOFTOP - LATE DAY 7
A Muslim family sits together at a table under a tented-
canopy: 32 year-old MAN nervously chewing on a toothpick, and
his 8 and 15 year-old SONS. The 8yo leans his weight into an
old MAN hunched and obscured by his grandson - this is his
Grandfather. He gently rubs the Boy's head with an ancient
left hand. The Boy finger-paints in Arabic script, right to
left, getting paint on the table. Read the translation: There
is no God but Allah.
The Grandfather's face is down, obscured by his shumagh: the
head-wrap worn by some Muslim men. Never a clear view of his
face. His 32 year old Son and eldest Grandson sit next to
them, the Son talking quietly on a cell phone, chewing that
toothpick, eyes set on something in the distance: A Security
Gate three hundred yards away, the entrance to some sort of
compound. The Compound looks like a walled-off subdivision,
most of which we can see from this high up.
The landscape is foreign. Scrub desert. Ten miles beyond, on
the horizon: the shimmer of a modern skyline. Surreal
monolithic shapes made more so by the heat.
Muted yells-claps-screams waft in from that Compound now...
Catches the youngest Grandson's attention. Eyes lift up from
his painting: the yells-claps-screams are coming from a
softball game mostly visible behind the Compound's reinforced
walls that extend a mile in each direction. Played on the
only stretch of green grass visible from this vantage.
8 OMITTED 8
KINGDOM 8/18/06 6.
9 EXT. COMPOUND MAIN ENTRANCE - LATE DAY 9
Sounds from the softball game much louder now, just over the
walls. Security perimeters two checkpoints deep before you
get to the main gate. A maze of concrete Jersey-barriers to
slow all entering vehicles: give machine-gun emplacements
flanking the entrance plenty of time to shred those vehicles
if need be. Middle-Eastern Police platoons. 500 lbs. lift-
gates to dissuade any vehicle that just tries to ram through.
SERGEANT HAYTHAM: a lean, 27 year-old Middle-Eastern
Policeman in-command of the Entrance. Sweats through his
uniform. A late-model Range Rover with blacked-out windows
queues up. All the windows roll down: just a single, portly
White WOMAN behind the wheel, her INFANT CHILD in a car-seat
in front. Two other Uniformed Officers mirror-scan the bottom
of the Rover.
A brief exchange, as Haytham checks his ID:
DRIVER
How are you today, Sergeant?
HAYTHAM
Sun is shining. Wind is blowing.
How bad can I be doing?
DRIVER
I like that, "Sun is shining..."
A tight smile from Haytham.
The other Officers are checking the inside of the Rover now.
They nod to Haytham, Haytham hands the ID back to her.
Windows rolls up. Lift-gate goes up. Range Rover pulls away,
navigating the zig-zag jersey barriers.
10 INT. COMPOUND - NEXT MOMENT 10
Stay with the Range Rover as it moves deeper into the
complex. Think middle-class Phoenix suburb circa 1960: stucco
homes sandwiched between dormitory style apartment blocks,
concrete and rock where grass should be.
The Range Rover passes a tank with a caged SOLDIER on top
sitting behind a fifty caliber GUN. A Police Land Cruiser
parked in the middle of the road is the last of the security.
Official markings, emergency lights in the grill.
KINGDOM 8/18/06 7.
11 EXT. UNKNOWN ROOFTOP - SAME MOMENT 11
The Son studies the compound through binoculars, while the
youngest Grandson squints to study the softball game:
Interest cut with jealousy. More muted cheers float. Behind
and above him, his Grandfather's voice, rough as sand, to his
32 year-old Son, in Arabic:
GRANDFATHER (O.C.)
Hang up the phone. If they're not
ready now, no words will change it.
12 EXT. COMPOUND SOFTBALL DIAMOND - NEXT MOMENT 12
Another Middle-Eastern POLICEMAN takes in the motley
competition: half-smiling, half-smirking at a plump-pink
White Man cheering on his plump-pink 9 year-old Son sliding
into third.
WHITE MAN
GET DIRTY!
Safe. Clapping and Hoots. The PITCHER: an older White Man in
his middle forties visibly frustrated. A 25 year-old African-
American Batter steps to the plate now. Pitcher turns to his
Fielders:
PITCHER
STEP IT UP NOW!
(back the Batter)
Ready for my knuckle-curve?
The Batter just stays focused as the Pitcher tosses a high-
lob. Batter smacks the ball a mile high, deep to left. The
teammates of the plump-pink Boy on third:
TEAMMATES
TAG UP! WAIT `TIL SHE CATCHES IT-
PITCHER
(spins, points up at the
ball)
-COMIN' HOME!
A 14 year-old Indian girl sprints underneath the fly-ball:
sets up, catches it, juggles it, drops it.
We pick up different families on the grass nearby: A young
WOMAN helps her five year old DAUGHTER untangle a yo-yo. A
black COUPLE doing a crossword puzzle together, the wife's
head on her husband's lap.
KINGDOM 8/18/06 8.
13 EXT. UNKNOWN ROOF TOP - SAME MOMENT 13
The muted reaction to the dropped ball. The whole Family,
save the youngest Grandson, intently focused on two Officers
walking up to that Police Land Cruiser parked in the middle
of the road, well inside the compound: no blinks now.
The youngest still enthralled by the softball game, the
cheers, the running, the shorts and t-shirts. We see his
Grandfather's left hand stop rubbing the Boy's head, and move
to the Boy's temple, placed like a blinder so he can't see
what's about to happen. In Arabic:
GRANDFATHER
Don't stop watching the game.
14 EXT. INSIDE THE COMPOUND WALLS - NEXT MOMENT 14
Noises from the softball game close again. Track these two
Officers on foot walking toward the Police Land Cruiser ala
shift change: nonchalant but quick.
15 INT. POLICE LAND CRUISER - SAME MOMENT 15
The Driver eyeing the two approaching Officers: something off
about them. Uniforms wrinkled, one with a full beard. Driver
turns to his Partner, in Arabic:
DRIVER
You have a copy of the duty rost-
-POP-POP-POP before the Driver finishes. The Officers on foot
rapid-firing 9MM pistols. The Driver and Passenger hit
multiple times instantly, crumble lifeless in their seats
before anyone has time to process the sounds, link them to an
attack. The two firing `Officers' move low-fast like
professionals: rip the fresh bodies from the Cruiser, jump
in. The new Passenger rips an AR-15 rifle off the center
console. The new Driver lays rubber into the Compound.
16 EXT. UNKNOWN ROOF TOP - SAME MOMENT 16
The youngest Grandson wide-eyed, startled, watches as every
member of the Security Details in and around the Compound go
prairie dog: search with necks extended, eyes wide -- what
the fuck was that? The Boy tries to turn his head away from
the game to look for himself: Grandfather just pushes his
head back to the game, voice harder now, in Arabic:
KINGDOM 8/18/06 9.
GRANDFATHER (O.C.)
I said keep watching the game.
17 EXT. COMPOUND MAIN ENTRANCE - SAME MOMENT 17
Haytham instantly sprints toward another nearby Police Land
Cruiser as most everyone else ducks. In Arabic:
SERGEANT HAYTHAM
LOCK DOWN!
Then points at the Officer in the Driver's seat:
SERGEANT HAYTHAM (CONT'D)
MOVE!
18 EXT. COMPOUND SOFTBALL DIAMOND - SAME MOMENT 18
Game forgotten. Parents up, screaming for loved ones, moving
fast toward the parking lot. The Middle-Eastern Officer that
has been watching the game hustles onto the field, next to
the Pitcher, waves people toward him. Gathering but sporadic
gun-fire in very near distance.
WATCHING OFFICER
(accented English)
COME TO ME! FOLLOW ME!
People immediately flocking around the authority figure.
CUT TO:
The 14 year-old Indian Girl running in, more puzzled than
scared: why is that Cop wearing a jacket in this heat?
BACK TO:
The Officer rips a yellow gun-shape from his jacket pocket.
The Pitcher sees it, instinctively tries to rip it away from
him. Gets a handful of collar, pulls as violently as he can,
shreds the front of the Officer's coat: a white linen vest
with a bulge in-front underneath the jacket...
19 EXT. UNKNOWN ROOF TOP - SAME MOMENT 19
The youngest grandson's wide-eyed face. Then we see the
Grandfather's right-hand slide down the other side of his
youngest Grandson's face, coming to rest on his other temple:
making sure he's still watching the Softball diamond now. The
Grandfather's right hand: missing an index and middle finger.
KINGDOM 8/18/06 10.
20 EXT. COMPOUND SOFTBALL DIAMOND - SAME MOMENT 20
Panic. The Officer swings the yellow gun-shape, what we now
realize is an electric drill crudely modified into something
else, bashes the Pitcher's face with it. Those that had
gathered have turned, are sprint-stumbling away...
The Officer closes his eyes, depresses the drill trigger,
vanishes before we comprehend the massive release of blue-
black chaos, expanding in an ever-wider sphere. Immediate
surroundings dissolve: players, parents, stands, cars, the
light standards surrounding the field and parking lot.
21 EXT. CINDER-BLOCK CONCESSION STAND - SAME MOMENT 21
Located behind straight-a-way center field, at the nexus of
four fields. We see it from profile as shock-wave and
shrapnel blast the structure: another Officer hiding behind
it staggers out now, sprawls ugly: balance fucked from a
blown inner-ear. He also wears a jacket, and holds a modified
yellow plastic power drill. Moves uneasy toward screams in
the nearby parking lot.
22 EXT. SOFTBALL DIAMOND PARKING LOT - NEXT MOMENT 22
The off-balance Officer stops over a 30 year-old African-
American woman pinned under a Toyota. She hyperventilates,
her bare leg and open-toed sandal kick at air. The Officer's
breathing calms: the sight of exposed skin as divine
reassurance. CLOSE-UP: the vented rear of the drill as the
14.4 volt motor sparks blue. A second blue-black explosion
that shreds the parking lot as cars smash into one another
desperate to escape.
23 EXT. ADJACENT STREET - NEXT MOMENT 23
Panicked women walking dogs. Frozen. A Police Land Cruiser
with bullet-scarred windows roars around the corner. Stops
near the women. They smile: cavalry to the rescue. Then a man
with leans out the window with an AR-15: point-blank
staccato. Tracers exit bodies, drill asphalt. The Land
Cruiser rolls, spraying passing homes indiscriminate...
24 INT. JACKED LAND CRUISER - NEXT MOMENT 24
Tearing through the streets, Passenger firing at all signs of
life. Sits back for a lightning-quick re-load. Leans back out
-- before he can begin firing again-
KINGDOM 8/18/06 11.
25 EXT. COMPOUND STREET - SAME MOMENT 25
-another Police Land Cruiser from nowhere hammers their
Driver's side. Vicious. The Passenger is launched out his
window, head-first into the curb. Both vehicles smoke-
screech. Momentary pause after the a massive collision.
Then Sergeant Haytham, 9MM in-hand, falls from the Second
Land Cruiser. Stalks bloody to the Passenger side of the
jacked Land Cruiser still slowly rolling backwards, leaking
all it's vital fluids, it's snapped drive-shaft leaving a
groove in the pavement. And Sergeant Haytham empties his clip
into the interior while walking along side.
The Officer Haytham told to 'move,' rips himself from the
Passenger's side of their vehicle, bleeding profusely,
screaming something unintelligible into his handheld radio.
26 EXT. UNKNOWN ROOF TOP - SAME MOMENT 26
Just the youngest Grandson's horrified eyes: he had no choice
but to see it all, carnage painted permanently. His face
still held tight between his Grandfather's hands. In Arabic:
GRANDFATHER (O.C.)
Our Time is not a peaceful one. God
has left it to us to make it so.
Hold on those deep, young, brown eyes.
Those young brown eyes finally blink.
CUT TO:
27 INT. WASHINGTON DC ELEMENTARY SCHOOL- LATER 27
Everyone eats snacks that the Fleurys brought. Kevin's the
center of attention. Fleury's passing out juice boxes.
Fleury's cell phone vibrates. TIGHT ON THE ID: 911. Fleury's
mid-juice-pass, answering his phone at the same time.
Kevin looks to his Dad, already grimacing. Fleury walks away
from the kids.
RONALD FLEURY
(surprised)
Fran?
KINGDOM 8/18/06 12.
We hear Fran's voice as though we're on the line with him:
raspy-ragged, like he's been crying.
FRAN (O.S.)
You getting this yet?
RONALD FLEURY
Hey, I'm at Kevin's school. What's
goin' on?
FRAN (O.S.)
I'm sorry, Brother.
(beat)
Riyadh. Many Dead.
Fleury's demeanor shifts to HARD immediately.
RONALD FLEURY
Where exactly?
FRAN (O.S.)
The Al-Rahmah Western Housing
Compound. Oil Company employees.
Hit a company picnic.
RONALD FLEURY
How?
FRAN (O.S.)
Big. Broad daylight. Blew up a
softball game.
(tears)
Kids, Brother.
Fleury looks at the kids eating and laughing.
KEVIN FLEURY
Dad?
Fleury smiles best he can at his Son. Into the phone:
RONALD FLEURY
When?
FRAN (O.S.)
Just went off -- twenty minutes
ago. Two bombers. A Shooter crew as
diversion...it's just awful.
RONALD FLEURY
Fran, I'm rollin' right now. Let me
call you back: I gotta ring bells
KINGDOM 8/18/06 13.
FRAN MANNER (O.S.)
Go. I'll be here.
Fleury hangs up, walks to Kevin, kneels down - oblivious to
everyone watching.
RONALD FLEURY
Son, I gotta go to work.
KEVIN FLEURY
We're gonna do ceramics...
RONALD FLEURY
I gotta go to work...
KEVIN FLEURY
(points to the phone)
Who was that?
RONALD FLEURY
Big Fran -- you remember him?
KEVIN FLEURY
(beat, thinking)
Uncle Fran? Put peanuts in his Coke
so he could drink and eat all at
the same time?
RONALD FLEURY
(smile)
Where he's from in South Carolina
that's called fine-dining, Bud.
KEVIN FLEURY
What happened?
RONALD FLEURY
(beat)
Something bad.
KEVIN
(impression of his Dad)
`Lotta bad people out there...'
RONALD FLEURY
(smiles, already homesick)
I love you.
Kisses his boy's forehead hard.
KEVIN FLEURY
You gonna go see him?
KINGDOM 8/18/06 14.
RONALD FLEURY
I'm gonna try...
Looks at Lyla who's been through this drill too many times,
knows this face. Ronald can only give a little shrug, which
Lyla gives right back.
RONALD FLEURY (CONT'D)
(to Lyla)
Can you get a ride?
She nods yes. Miss Ross nearby, surprised by this:
MISS ROSS
Where's your husband going?
LYLA FLEURY
Ex-husband, and God knows.
Then a wave of fear ripples across her face. She hesitates,
then calls after him:
LYLA FLEURY (CONT'D)
BE SAFE.
Ronald turns, gives a little Cheshire grin, puts the phone
back up to his ear.
28 EXT. AL-RAHMAH HOUSING COMPOUND BLAST SITES - EVENING 28
The shattered softball diamond and parking lot. Emergency
lights swirl from everywhere. Acrid smoke.
FRANCIS MANNER (FBI LEGAT, US Embassy) is giant. The kind of
American that only grows in tiny southern hamlets. Military
whitewalls, short-sleeves, khaki Dockers, a thick Casio G-
shock, FBI credentials visible on a chain.
Hangs up his phone. Lifts his eyes: Hell from one side of the
frame to the other. Saudi teams setting up portable lights
that bathe the horror in industrial incandescent. Columns of
black smoke. Fleets of emergency vehicles. 100 uniformed men.
Another 200 in bio-suits combing the ball field, the parking
lot. Fran has to do something/anything.
Move through the horror with him now. His hands shake, his
face already dirty with soot. Jumps in with a Saudi team
pulling a half-burned WOMAN out of a smoldering Range Rover.
She fights them, gouging Fran's face, trying to get back in.
She is the woman we met at the gate of the compound. She
wants her baby.
KINGDOM 8/18/06 15.
Fran bloodied, just kind of steps away from the woman. Leaves
the Saudi emergency team to fight with her. Backs away until
he feels grass under his feet. The woman's screams
reverberate. Fran just sits in the grass. Staring at the
woman, her shattered soul. Forces himself to look away. Eyes
come to rest on a child's baseball cap: ragged holes ringed
with black stains: where blood dried on the blue felt.
VOICE (O.C.)
(immediately behind)
Fran. You gotta stand Big Man...
Fran turns to find REX BURR: 5'7" fireplug. A long silence.
Fran points to the hat:
FRANCIS MANNER
Rex, how old were you when your hat
was that small?
We watch tears well in Rex's eyes...
REX BURR
You gotta stand, Big Man.
Fran does. Wipes his hands on his pants. Slack-jaw hopeless.
The first moments in what will be weeks of reverse-
engineering the murders of unknown dozens. He and Rex step to
a group of WALKING-WOUNDED. A NEIGHBOR doles out mugs of
coffee. Most everyone from the compound is out, pondering the
proximity. SAUDI emergency teams sprint past. Fran spits,
settles in:
FRANCIS MANNER
We need to get everyone back, then
get all their-
SOMETHING HUGE EXPLODES over their shoulders, 50 yards away.
The Attack's coup de grace: wait for people to lift up their
heads, hit them again. Five times the size of the suicide
bombs. Shreds emergency vehicles, nearby homes and apartment
buildings. Kills Saudi rescuers by the bushel. Fran is
crushed by a flying portable light standard. Rex is blown
into the man handing out coffee. The walking wounded get
decimated.
29 EXT. AL-RAHMAH HOUSING COMPLEX - NEXT MOMENT 29
Slowly lift up and hold on Al-Rahmah as it burns. Black smoke
and flame pour skyward from the site of the coup de grace
explosion. Massive crater. Screams. Chaos postcard.
KINGDOM 8/18/06 16.
29A EXT. WASHINGTON, DC HOUSE - DAY 29A
Establishing shot.
29B INT. FRAN MANNER'S WASHINGTON, DC HOUSE - DAY 29B
Fleury sits with GLENDA MANNER... a toy remote-control robot
comes into the room. Little Teddy Manner (5) peeks his head
around the corner of a door.
GLENDA
It was... I don't know what time it
was... the dishwasher's broken...I
was waiting for the dishwasher...
The doorbell rang - I thought it
was... it wasn't the dishwasher
guy...It wasn't. It wasn't.
Glenda breaks down, starts to completely lose it. Her little
boy Teddy climbs up onto his mother.
29C INT. FRAN MANNER'S HOUSE - TEDDY'S ROOM - LATER 29C
Fleury sits on the bed with little Teddy looking at a
beautiful black and white photo of Fran holding a new born
Teddy up over his head. Eye to eye.
Little Teddy shows Fleury his toy helicopter. His dad's
soldier boots.
Fleury can't take it.
29D INT. FRAN MANNER'S HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - LATER 29D
Fleury stands with Glenda.
FLEURY
Glenda, I want you to look at me.
A PAUSE: Fleury freezes up on a shock of raw emotion,
struggling to contain himself.
FLEURY (CONT'D)
Please... I'm going to take care of
this. Whoever did this... I give
you my word. Whoever did this will
pay. I can't change this, but I can
promise you that I will make
someone pay for this.
KINGDOM 8/18/06 17.
30 INT. HOOVER BUILDING, FBI HEADQUARTERS - DAY, EST 30
Startling quiet in contrast. AGENTS cluster beneath 32-inch
Televisions suspended from the ceiling. Tuned to Al-Jazeera,
CNN, BBC, etc. Most eyes focus on the double-bloody scoops
from CNN. Volume low:
CNN REPORTER
...1 hour ago: blasts in Saudi
Arabia, in or around the `Al-
Rahmah' western housing complex
near Riyadh. More than 100 feared
dead, including children. The Saudi
Foreign Minister has released a
statement calling this a `heinous
act possibly committed by
foreigners...'
BBC REPORTER
...homes to thousands of Westerners
and other non-Saudis who work in
the Kingdom, there have been
several attacks on these compounds
in the last five years. As such,
they have become very tight in
terms of security, with both the
Saudi National Guard and police
taking command.
Fleury walks under the televisions. A folder in-hand, heading
down a long hallway, subordinating his fury to tasks-at-hand.
31 INT. COMMAND & TACTICAL OPERATIONS CENTER (CTOC) - NEXT 31
MOMENT
Fleury enters, steps to a podium, opens his folder. 50 Agents
seated lecture hall-style. Steam from fifth, sixth cups of
coffee. Plasma screens behind show still-images of the crime
cribbed from Al-Jazeera.
Throughout the scene, Fleury constantly refers to a roster of
his ERTs.
RONALD FLEURY
Numbers so far: 100+ dead, 200+
injured. The target was a softball
game. Rumor is the Killers wore
Saudi police uniforms.
(beat)
Special Agent Fran Manner was
killed.
KINGDOM 8/18/06 18.
JANET MAYES, 29 years-old, stifles a sob in the front row.
Fleury steps from behind the podium, puts a hand gently on
Janet's shoulder, leans in and whispers something no one but
Janet hears. Whatever his words, they give back her
composure. She nods.
RONALD FLEURY (CONT'D)
So was Rex Burr from State.
Fleury lets the news absorb as he steps back to the podium.
No one says a thing. Fleury lifts his eyes again, real
trouble maintaining control...
RONALD FLEURY (CONT'D)
Fran was the best among us...we'll
feel this loss the rest of our
days...
(beat, moment to regroup)
Grant, take stabs at bomb sizes.
GRANT SYKES. 50 years-old. Virginia State Trooper before
joining the FBI. Law-and-order formidable: sharp-smart
Charlottesville accent. Studies the images for a beat...
GRANT SYKES
From the craters, looks like they
used a High Explosive... possibly
military grade: can't fit that much
TNT into a vest. 20, 30 pounds of
PETN: they got it. Semtex or C-4:
they could get it. The third there,
God knows...that crater looks like
a plane dropped a 500-pounder...
RONALD FLEURY
Obviously a secondary blast after
the initial devices used to lure
first responders to the scene.
Don't know anything about where or
what it was yet.
GRANT SYKES
This is how they do it.
ADAM LEAVITT. 34 years-old, sought-after Investigator.
There's a constant, intense grind to this guy, a mind and
mouth incapable of quiet. He paces around the room, then
eagle-eyes the bomb images... starts surge-scrawling crude
diagrams of the blast site on a piece of loose leaf. Feels
more like nervous doodling than work. Not looking up from his
drawing:
KINGDOM 8/18/06 19.
ADAM LEAVITT
I already know the answer, but any
chance in Hell we get to go over
there, use our hands?
RONALD FLEURY
If you already know the answer
Adam, why ask the question?
Fleury circles Leavitt's name on the roster. Leavitt never
stops drawing.
SYKES
We're not seeing this kind of
planning and execution anywhere
else...these ain't hot-wired
artillery shells waiting for
Humvees to roll by.
(pointing at the screens)
These hits are coordinated:
planning, timing, and big, broad-
daylight balls-
JANET MAYES
(almost trance-studying
the images)
Yeah, So... did they all happen
during daylight?
Another great question. Fleury looks over to AGENT #1 on his
immediate right, an egg-head type with a big binder in front
of him. Everyone's eyes follow. Agent #1 flips quickly
through the binder, back-and-forth, searching. Fleury crosses
his name off of his roster. Then:
AGENT #1
Yes. At least the first parts of
the attacks.
Everyone smells it: that's big -- more proof these attacks
are being carried out by one, very skilled Terror Cell.
JANET MAYES
We had two others...North of Riyadh
and the oil thing. What was that?
ADAM LEAVITT
The Refinery... Ras Tenura
Refinery.
JANET MAYES
Yeah, south of Jeddah. Same thing:
daylight, suicide bombers. Right?
(MORE)
KINGDOM 8/18/06 20.
JANET MAYES (CONT'D)
Same thing. Followed by machine gun
crews. Collect and kill.
ADAM LEAVITT
Yup.
RONALD FLEURY
This is not new in concept. It is
new in scope. It's bigger. Very
sophisticated. Command and control
was flawless. They found the
largest kill zone they could and
they did it... they did it by being
patient.
ADAM LEAVITT
Any rumors or confirmations of
uniforms being used in the other
two attacks?
Fleury circles Mayes' name on the ERT roster.
AGENT #1
(from memory)
No. I know this is the first for
that.
GRANT SYKES
That's `worst case scenario' if
you're still asking for my stab,
Sir. A crew who can build bombs
this big, with this level of eyes-
on control and detonation
coordination... has access to Saudi
uniforms now...I mean...Baby Jesus.
LEAVITT
Anyone take credit?
Fleury checks from his notes.
FLEURY
Abu Hamza. Saudi Al-Qaeda. Bin-
Laden-wanna-be. We know he was in
Afghanistan, then moved to Iraq.
Now he seems to have come home.
He's clearly becoming increasingly
active...
ADAM LEAVITT
If it is Hamza, he's definitely
turning up the volume over there.
(MORE)
KINGDOM 8/18/06 21.
ADAM LEAVITT (CONT'D)
Not to beat a dead horse, Sir, but
if there was ever a time to get
boots on Saudi sand...
Sykes studies Leavitt with what is best described as
substantial skepticism. Fleury circles Sykes' name on his
roster.
JANET MAYES
They can't afford to appear as if
they are losing any kind of
control. They lose control over
their country, their people...then
they risk losing control over the
oil. They won't let us in. No way.
Fleury's P.O.V.: His open folder on the podium. A memo
printed on Department of State letterhead. Pulls the memo,
reads it aloud, calm laced with rage.
RONALD FLEURY
From the State Department, one hour
ago: `We are in agreement with the
Saudi security assessment that any
additional American presence on
Kingdom soil represents reckless
risk. Therefore it is the Secretary
of State's position that only after
the situation has been evaluated
and contained, should the Federal
Bureau of Investigation activate
Rapid Deployment.'
(folding the memo)
The National Security Advisor and
the Attorney General agreed.
(beat)
I'm going to get us access. Keep
your go bags hot. It's gonna come
fast.
Leavitt stares at Fleury as he moves fast out of the room.
ADAM LEAVITT
(beat)
Well... I guess he's gonna go get
us some access.
(beat)
How's he gonna do that?
Sykes just hard-eyes Leavitt.
31A SEE 29A - 29D (MOVED, NOT OMITTED) 31A
KINGDOM 8/18/06 22.
32 INT. SAUDI NATIONAL GUARD PRISON - UNKNOWN TIME 32
COLONEL AL-GHAZI, Saudi Police, 45 years-old, mustache as
thick as Sykes'. A firecracker-loud crack makes him flinch.
He stands in the back of the room, not participating in the
interrogation. Just observing. Clearly not happy about what
he's observing.
His POV: The Officer from the second Land Cruiser that rammed
the fake and killed those inside, Sergeant Haytham. slab-
cuffed and being worked over hard buy a couple of thick-
fisted SAUDIS.. Silent tears roll off his cheek, left ear
split ghastly. A MAN standing far right of him beats him: the
firecracker sound again.
Al-Ghazi looks away, biting his tongue. Obviously wants this
over.
In-charge of the interrogation: GENERAL ABDUL MALIK. He
doesn't appear sadistic, but very determined to get the truth
from Sergeant Haytham by any means necessary. Those
distinctions blur easily. Malik gives a `hold-up' signal. The
following exchange in Arabic:
GENERAL ABDUL-MALIK
No falsehoods, Sergeant Haytham.
What was your involvement?
SERGEANT HAYTHAM
Killing those I saw responsible.
GENERAL ABDUL-MALIK
So none could be questioned?
SERGEANT HAYTHAM
(puzzled, angry)
I don't understand.
A nod from General Malik: another vicious crack.
GENERAL ABDUL-MALIK
You were born and raised in Suweidi-
SERGEANT HAYTHAM
-that is not a crime-
GENERAL ABDUL-MALIK
-it should be.
SERGEANT HAYTHAM
It's not.
KINGDOM 8/18/06 23.
GENERAL ABDUL MALIK
Do you know Abu Hamza?
SERGEANT HAYTHAM
I do not.
GENERAL ABDUL-MALIK
Your brother was killed fighting
the Americans. True or false?
SERGEANT HAYTHAM
I am not my brother.
GENERAL ABDUL-MALIK
Your brother--
SERGEANT HAYTHAM
I am NOT my brother!
GENERAL ABDUL-MALIK
TRUE or-
Al-Ghazi interrupts.
COLONEL AL-GHAZI
He has answered the question.
Malik shoots Al-Ghazi a unequivocal SHUT THE FUCK UP hard
eye. Then back on Haytham.
GENERAL ABDUL-MALIK
We found six more uniforms than you
were assigned in your possession --
that is a crime: especially when
you consider the Attackers wore our
Uniform...
Another nod, another crack. Al-Ghazi, flinching, becomes more
alert.
SERGEANT HAYTHAM
Uniforms?
General Malik in Haytham's face:
GENERAL ABDUL-MALIK
Truth!
SERGEANT HAYTHAM
I sweat. I'll say it again because
it is true. I need more uniforms
because I must change during
shifts...look at my shirts.
KINGDOM 8/18/06 24.
GENERAL ABDUL-MALIK
I am not interested in your sweat.
SERGEANT HAYTHAM
-then look at my jackets. Please.
Permanent stains...no matter how
many times they're cleaned...
Colonel Al-Ghazi grimacing now, leaves the room.
33 INT. SAUDI NATIONAL GUARD - STORAGE - NEXT MOMENT 33
We follow. Al-Ghazi hustling into an evidence storage room.
Searching. Finds a Locker labelled `Haytham.' Opens it. Pulls
out several shirts still in the plastic dry-cleaning sheaths:
yellowed, permanent stains on the armpits of each.
34 INT. SAUDI NATIONAL GUARD PRISON - INTERROGATION ROOM 34
Al-Ghazi walks back into the room with the shirts, lays them
down on the table in front of the General -- all business.
COLONEL AL-GHAZI
He's telling the truth.
The only sound for a long, unsettled moment: Sergeant
Haytham's labored breathing. Malik looks at the shirts, then
Al-Ghazi, hesitates, steps away.
GENERAL ADBUL-MALIK
You were injured when you used your
vehicle to protect your country. Do
you understand?
Al-Ghazi moves in, begins uncuffing Haytham's bloody-raw
wrists, hard-eyeing Malik the whole time. These men clearly
don't like each other.
35 EXT. SAUDI NATIONAL GUARD PRISON - LATER 35
Al-Ghazi and Haytham sit alone. Al-Ghazi smokes. Haytham
looks down at his feet.
COLONEL AL-GHAZI
Look at me, Haytham.
Haytham slowly looks up at Al-Ghazi.
KINGDOM 8/18/06 25.
COLONEL AL-GHAZI (CONT'D)
You saved lives today. I believe
that. You served your country. I
believe that.
HAYTHAM
I love my country.
COLONEL AL-GHAZI
I believe that, Haytham...
Haytham Holds Al-Ghazi's eyes a good long beat...
HAYTHAM
I love my country...
Al-Ghazi slow nods.
COLONEL AL-GHAZI
(beat, breaks eye-contact)
You will have your revenge for what
needed to be done to assure them
you weren't involved.
Haytham never blinks. Eyes hard. Stoic. Clear.
36 EXT. WASHINGTON D.C. STREETS - NOON 36
GRACE looks like a barrel-chested lineman. A four-man
security detail behind. He and Ronald Fleury walk side-by-
side. Janet Mayes just behind them.
DIRECTOR GRACE
Everyone's terrified, so nothing
moves. Paralysis. You and your team
aren't going anywhere.
(beat)
And this meeting is just a circle-
jerk, Ronnie: Attorney General
Young's going to go through the
motions because protocol says we
get an appeal. We'll be on record,
but expect nothing more.
Nothing from Fleury.
DIRECTOR GRACE (CONT'D)
Can you handle this? Keep your
mouth shut when people way above
you say things you'll hate?
KINGDOM 8/18/06 26.
RONALD FLEURY
(beat)
Yeah, sure. No problem.
DIRECTOR GRACE
(re: Janet)
What about Agent Mayes?
RONALD FLEURY
Ask her.
DIRECTOR GRACE
(to Janet)
What about you?
JANET MAYES
I'll be fine.
37 INT. ATTORNEY GENERAL GIDEON YOUNG'S OFFICE - NOON 37
Fleury, Grace and Mayes enter. Handsomely decorated,
expansive: a lifetime of notable handshakes framed in black
and white. The biggest is a picture of Young and Billy Graham
that could be titled, `lucky for you, we have all the
answers.'
Gideon Young sits behind his Federalist-era oak desk: a
marathoner's build, a smile too bright-perfect for his age.
Two others in-attendance. A pear-shaped 54 year-old man with
a Midwest-honest, ruddy-oval face: Ellis Leach, Assistant
Secretary, Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs, Department of
State
And a 51 year-old Hispanic woman in conservative Chanel:
enough femininity without diminishing toughness: Maricella
Canavesio, Deputy National Security Advisor, White House
DIRECTOR GRACE
I apologize if we're late-
GIDEON YOUNG
They were early.
DIRECTOR GRACE
You know Special Agent Fleury?
GIDEON YOUNG
I do.
KINGDOM 8/18/06 27.
DIRECTOR GRACE
This is agent Janet Mayes, she's
one of our Arabic experts.
Janet stares at Young, looking mildly in over her head.
GIDEON YOUNG
OK. The latest.
Grace sits, nods to Fleury: you're up...
RONALD FLEURY
Two suicide bombers. Rumors they
were dressed as Saudi Police. We
believe this is the work of Saudi
terrorist named Abu Hamza.
Young just stares at Fleury kind of odd like a kid staring at
a mushroom flavored Popsicle.
GIDEON YOUNG
Go on.
Fleury continues:
RONALD FLEURY
A Shooter crew served as
distraction. After the initial
attack there was a lull to allow
Saudi Emergency Teams...and our own
attaches...to collect. Then a
secondary blast was triggered,
aimed at those first responders. So
they targeted families and rescuers
with one attack.
(mildly sarcastic:)
I think that's a clear signal that
their definition of `Enemy' is
expanding.
MARICELLA CANAVESIO
My God.
GIDEON YOUNG
Let us never forget how cheap life
is over there. Now...I have seven
minutes before my next meeting, so
who's talking first?
(to Fleury and Grace, slow
like a Kindergarten
teacher:)
You two digested the memo?
KINGDOM 8/18/06 28.
Stoic nods from each. Ellis Leach raises his hand, a tone
that's worlds away from Young's.
ELLIS LEACH
I'll go first if that's okay
Maricella?
(off her `yeah, sure' nod)
First, I'm sorry about Fran Manner.
Gideon Young remembers, nods along solemnly.
DIRECTOR GRACE
As we are about Rex Burr.
ELLIS LEACH
I met with Prince Thamer at the
Saudi embassy fifteen minutes after
I heard this morning's news. After
speaking with Thamer, I advised we
withhold additional US personnel
because a big part of the religious
justification for these bombs is
the presence of current US
personnel. More boots on Saudi soil
make an already combustible
situation more so. I know that's
not the answer you want, but...
Motions to Maricella: the floor is yours.
MARICELLA CANAVESIO
My two cents: The Saudis haven't
asked for FBI help. Sounds like
they've done just the opposite. If
we force the issue, that could
further anger an utterly important
ally that shares a 1000-mile long
border with Iraq.
GIDEON YOUNG
(to Grace and Fleury)
It's all rock-solid logic.
DIRECTOR GRACE
(beat)
We would just like to be on record
as saying we think we should go
ASAP-
GIDEON YOUNG
That's not going to happen
KINGDOM 8/18/06 29.
Young stands: we're done. Fleury's look: that's it? Young's
already collecting his briefcase, jacket-
GIDEON YOUNG (CONT'D)
(mock sincerity to the
room:)
-so as we present this to the
public, let's - as best we can -
try to view this through an FBI
Agent's eyes.
(beat...To Grace:)
And please let me know if there's
anything else we can do for you.
Meeting seems over. Not quite. Fleury can't keep his mouth
shut.
RONALD FLEURY
Sir, how would you imagine it looks
viewed through an FBI agents eyes?
GIDEON YOUNG
Pardon me?
RONALD FLEURY
I'm interested in how you think
this situation is viewed through
our eyes.
Young, eyes on a Republican-gold Rolex, instantly perturbed
the meeting isn't ending.
GIDEON YOUNG
It's some variation on vengeance...
When one of your own is killed,
Agents lose their analytical powers
- kind of a greatest strength,
greatest weakness thing...
RONALD FLEURY
If I wanted vengeance, I'd have
whispered `Rex Burr' into Ellis's
ear right when we walked in.
(beat)
Eyes migrate to Fleury --
RONALD FLEURY (CONT'D)
This isn't Terrorism, ma'am. It's
just Serial Murder.
MARICELLA CANAVESIO
What's the distinction?
KINGDOM 8/18/06 30.
RONALD FLEURY
To call this massacre an act of
terrorism... that implies a
specific political agenda. To me,
these killings are so futile and
unbalanced that they feel utterly
sociopathic- more like Charles
Manson than Osama Bin Laden...
Fleury looks to Mayes. She clears her throat. Delivers the
following with utter precision.
JANET MAYES
(beat, fuck it: Go)
Al Qaeda lost the first phase of
this war, so a new, zero-sum phase
has begun: if you won't join us,
we'll let loose the truly talented
Murderers... Abu Hamza. He will
kill so many of you that the
resulting humiliation of the Saudi
Royal Family will cause an exodus,
a rebellion, both. Because the
Royal Family simply cannot protect
you or yours any longer.
Fleury studies Janet with solid respect. He gives Janet a
subtle nod: "Nice work."
RONALD FLEURY
When she says talented, she's not
talking about the walking-bombs who
can sneak past any and all
security, nor the hi-jackers tough
enough to take an airliner. We're
talking about the Man who teaches
them how...
JANET MAYES
--the operational commander who
organizes, trains, plans,
encourages. That is who we're
fighting.
RONALD FLEURY
If we don't get inside Saudi Arabia
within 36 hours, there is no chance
we catch the killer responsible for
Al-Rahmah. None.
KINGDOM 8/18/06 31.
ELLIS LEACH
Okay. I believe it all. So doesn't
your team in that country represent
the kind of target one of these
`Masters' would die for? Trade ten
of their own for one of you?
RONALD FLEURY
To not engage these criminals out
of fear for our personal safety is
just another way of saying `uncle.'
Fleury takes another deep breath.
RONALD FLEURY (CONT'D)
I'll say it another way: Evidence
starts to go cold after twenty four
hours. If we can't get in now, we
will not find the man or men
responsible for this crime. We
couldn't do it at Khobar; we
couldn't do it in Yemen; we have
barely scratched the surface in
Iraq. And we are on verge of not
doing it here. They are getting
stronger, we are getting weaker. I
just lost a very good friend and I
would very much like to go and do
my job.
Beat.
GIDEON YOUNG
(chuckle)
That was spirited... let's all
thank God Special Agent Fleury
doesn't make policy decisions. He'd
turn the FBI into Patton's Third
Army.
Young stands. Fleury contemplates career-ending violence.
38 EXT. WASHINGTON D.C. - DAY 38
Janet, Fleury and Grace walking the rows of seven-foot bronze
soldiers. Street-cart hotdogs from foil wrappers.
DIRECTOR GRACE
(to Fleury)
I see the look in your eyes. That
look is trouble: old school, play
ground shit, vengeance...
KINGDOM 8/18/06 32.
RONALD FLEURY
It's not vengeance.
DIRECTOR GRACE
It ain't justice. It's stronger.
We've all been there. I have.
Vengeance is always dirty, Ronnie.
RONALD FLEURY
I just can't sit this out. I can't
watch this not get dealt with. Not
again.
(a beat...)
Know what my high school football
coach used to say to me?
DIRECTOR GRACE
What?
RONALD FLEURY
"HIT SOMETHING." All night long,
Coach Bailey would scream "HIT
SOMETHING." Every play.
DIRECTOR GRACE
That's good coaching.
RONALD FLEURY
I'm fixing to go hit something,
boss. You with me?
DIRECTOR GRACE
How you gonna do it?
RONALD FLEURY
The Saudis covet good PR as much as
their Oil: 15 of 19 hijackers on 9-
11 means most Americans will never
stop asking if that Saudi Oil is
worth it. It's all about press.
DIRECTOR GRACE
Few more moves and it's Total War,
Ronnie. The only time Treason is
palatable is when it's done
righteously and completely...
Fleury digesting Grace's words: moments pass. Then he looks
to Janet.
JANET MAYES
Oh, I'm in...Not a question. I'm
definitely going.
KINGDOM 8/18/06 33.
39 INT. LOCAL COFFEE JOINT - 5:30 PM, EST 39
Elaine Flowers, Senior Correspondent, Washington Post: Coffee
amp'd, deep black raccoon eyes - heavy wrinkled khakis.
Fleury sits across from her. We've entered mid-scene:
RONALD FLEURY
What's your take?
ELAINE FLOWERS
Looks like every overthrow in
history: once the guys with the
guns are no longer trustworthy, the
government's days are numbered.
RONALD FLEURY
White House call you with a spin?
ELAINE FLOWERS
You kidding? We don't talk since I
broke the Vice President's guy
cooking dirty intel on Iran. They
hate me. What's up, Fleury?
RONALD FLEURY
How hard you gonna hit the Royal
Family in your column tomorrow?
ELAINE FLOWERS
With a sledgehammer.
RONALD FLEURY
With the bombings? Or other
things...
ELAINE FLOWERS
What's "other" than the bombings?
RONALD FLEURY
I know you're tracking Al Haramain.
ELAINE FLOWERS
Is that what you want to talk
about? Saudi officials making
donations that end up... What?
Blowing up trains in Paris? Buses
in London?
RONALD FLEURY
Sometimes. Seems that just might
happen.
(MORE)
KINGDOM 8/18/06 34.
RONALD FLEURY (CONT'D)
We got some other stuff: Missing
girls out of a Houston Four Seasons
Hotel that was heavily populated by
some "Saudi officials." Little
things...
Flowers eyes go WIDE. Smiling...
ELAINE FLOWERS
Murder...Hookers...Houston? Can I
take some notes?
RONALD FLEURY
I'm not saying that.
ELAINE FLOWERS
Are you saying anything?
RONALD FLEURY
I need a favor.
ELAINE FLOWERS
I don't do favors, Ronnie.
RONALD FLEURY
When it's real and it will be
real... I'll come to you with what
we have first. It's yours.
Exclusive.
ELAINE FLOWERS
OK.
RONALD FLEURY
You call Thamer at the Embassy.
Tell him that the FBI is getting
real close to laying out some major
Saudi VIP indictments relating to
newly uncovered charity financing
out of a Boston investment firm.
We're gonna freeze a lot of Saudi
cash and roll out some major
embarrassment.
ELAINE FLOWERS
Can I mention Houston?
RONALD FLEURY
It's a free world, baby. Ask him to
comment.
ELAINE FLOWERS
He won't.
KINGDOM 8/18/06 35.
RONALD FLEURY
Tell him that I'm running the
investigation.
ELAINE FLOWERS
OK.
RONALD FLEURY
Tell him that I'm not the nicest
kid on the block.
ELAINE FLOWERS
That would be accurate.
RONALD FLEURY
I want fifteen minutes with him
tonight.
ELAINE FLOWERS
Wow. OK. And I get what?
RONALD FLEURY
I come to you first. No one else.
ELAINE FLOWERS
What's really going on here,
Ronnie? You going strong over Fran
Manner?
Fleury just stares at her.
RONALD FLEURY
I'm just trying to do my job,
Elaine. That's it. Call Thamer.
ELAINE FLOWERS
I'll see what I can do.
40 EXT. WILLARD HOTEL - WASHINGTON DC - NIGHT 40
Frenetic Doorman-Valet ballet. 2 black Suburbans with red-
blue diplomatic plates swing onto the round-about. A bald,
waif-like 38 year-old Saudi MAN gets out of the lead vehicle.
Fleury waiting outside, eyes on his watch. To Thamer:
RONALD FLEURY
Get back in.
KINGDOM 8/18/06 36.
41 INT. DIPLOMATIC SUBURBAN - MOMENTS LATER 41
A big bodyguard sits up front. Fleury sits in back, aims the
AC vents his way. Prince Thamer sits next to him. Bright
lights from the trail suburban illuminate the interior.
Prince Thamer looks more than a bit baffled.
RONALD FLEURY
Too many people we both know were
at the bar. It's a pleasure to meet
you, Your Highness.
PRINCE THAMER
I had an interesting conversation
with a reporter from the Post.
RONALD FLEURY
She can be a bit of an
exaggerator... I'm sure things were
somewhat over-stated. I see myself
as friend of Saudi Arabia. I just
need a little cooperation, that's
all.
PRINCE THAMER
What kind of cooperation??
RONALD FLEURY
Full cooperation: my Team cleared
to land at Prince Sultan Air Base.
Tomorrow. We want to help in a very
muscular way, quickly.
PRINCE THAMER
Next month would be as soon as...
Fleury takes a beat.
RONALD FLEURY
This goes one of two ways. First:
The FBI with the White House go on
the kind of aggressive PR "Saudi
Royal Family Decaying Monarchy"
bender that just can't help but
hurt. Really hurt. And I don't care
how many Chinese are lined up to
buy the oil. You know it's gonna
hurt.
PRINCE THAMER
My family is not decaying-
KINGDOM 8/18/06 37.
RONALD FLEURY
And then we bring the hammer down
hard as hell: Bust Al Haramain - we
got direct links from Riyadh - two
wives donating ten million to three
Arab-American cultural centers in
Boston. Then what gets kind of not-
funny is how some of that cash
found its way to Jakarta and some
Mosques that have these training
camps built right next to them.
It's kinda funny... you got little
kids playing over here, and some
not so little kids playing with
guns over here. That's kinda odd.
PRINCE THAMER
You have no proof of this.
RONALD FLEURY
We're getting there, Sir. And I
haven't even brought up the two
girls still missing out of Houston.
This is big. It is real. And I know
you only care so much about public
American opinion, Sir. But the
story will be covered... Big...
Thamer is clearly rattled. Fleury is starting to crack this
man.
RONALD FLEURY (CONT'D)
And this ain't the Metro section.
It's above the fold, just below the
date. Words like these get
syndicated to papers like the Omaha
World-Herald, The Terrell Tribune --
You ever been to Terrell, Texas?
PRINCE THAMER
What is your point?
Fleury looks back to him.
RONALD FLEURY
Last I heard, 112 people lost their
lives in your country. One of them
was a good friend of mine. I want
in and I want in immediately.
That's a rock solid answer.
KINGDOM 8/18/06 38.
PRINCE THAMER
Define "immediately."
RONALD FLEURY
Right now immediately.
Fleury looks back at the Ambassador. A stare down.
FLEURY
If your phone doesn't work
international, you can borrow mine.
Prince Thamer slowly reaches for his phone as Fleury opens
his door.
FLEURY (CONT'D)
I'll just be right out here.
42 EXT. DIPLOMATIC SUBURBAN - MOMENTS LATER 42
Fleury waiting. Intense.
The window rolls down, Thamer looking up at Fleury.
The following is fast, tight negotiating:
PRINCE THAMER
(trying to maintain cool)
We cannot allow 100 agents-
RONALD FLEURY
-4. With a 25-man security detail-
PRINCE THAMER
-even 25 more armed Americans could
spark rebellion-
RONALD FLEURY
That's too bad.
PRINCE THAMER
Saudi Security. That's non
negotiable. You cannot bring guns
into the Kingdom.
RONALD FLEURY
Men in Saudi Police uniforms are
why we're talking now.
PRINCE THAMER
They would be hand picked.
KINGDOM 8/18/06 39.
RONALD FLEURY
Whose hands?
PRINCE THAMER
Mine.
Fleury blinks.
PRINCE THAMER (CONT'D)
Trust me...that's the only hope of
this happening.
FLEURY
If anything happens to me or my
team... It's on you. Understood?
PRINCE THAMER
Cool it with the John Wayne, Mr.
Fleury.
Fleury just stares.
PRINCE THAMER (CONT'D)
You can have a week-
RONALD FLEURY
-seven-day or work-week?
PRINCE THAMER
Work week. Five days. No guns.
Hands shake.
42A EXT. SAUDI SHACK - NIGHT, SAUDI TIME 42A
No "charm." Corrugated tin. A faded blue plywood door. No one
in sight. On the side of the house: a battered satellite
dish...
43 INT. SAUDI SHACK - NIGHT, SAUDI TIME 43
A tiny framed Saudi National flag in the middle of a wall:
green with a white sword underlining script that reads: There
is no God but Allah.
No other decoration. The none-too-muffled sounds of traffic:
a lone window overlooking a four-lane boulevard. Then the
Athan (call to prayer) for the Isha (last of the five daily
prayers) trumps the traffic noise.
KINGDOM 8/18/06 40.
Sergeant Haytham enters, bandaged, blank, then a small smile
crosses his face. An old man's weathered voice, in Arabic:
OLD VOICE (O.C.)
Just in time.
Haytham's P.O.V.: His FATHER, glass-frail, lying in a bed, a
small TV nearby, on but soundless. Haytham goes into a
routine: rolls out two prayer mats, steps to his Father,
reaches down to pick him up. His Father readies himself --
stops everything when he sees the bandages up close, the
black bruises with outer rings of purple covering 1/2 of his
Son's cheek. Looks into his boy's eyes.
HAYTHAM'S FATHER
What happened?
Haytham not returning the gaze, hoists his Father into his
arms -- pain shoots up his arms from his damaged wrists.
SERGEANT HAYTHAM
You haven't heard about the attack?
HAYTHAM'S FATHER
I choose not to listen anymore.
What happened to your face?
SERGEANT HAYTHAM
(beat)
An attack today.
HAYTHAM'S FATHER
Look at me.
Haytham looks into his father's eyes now. No words. Haytham's
eyes well with tears. After a long silence:
HAYTHAM'S FATHER (CONT'D)
Is this how they now treat the men
who protect them? Can you look at
me? You cannot, can you? Can you
look at yourself?
Haytham stares at his father.
HAYTHAM'S FATHER (CONT'D)
You are protecting the true enemies
of God.
44 INT. AL-GHAZI'S HOUSE - SAME 44
KINGDOM 8/18/06 41.
INTERCUT WITH THE HAYTHAM SCENE:
Al-Ghazi sits on pillows on the living room with his WIFE and
three DAUGHTERS. A television is on, playing "MAN SAYARBAH AL
MILIOUN" the Arabic "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire." Al-
Ghazi's children are playing a game with peas, trying to
guess which one of his hands Al-Ghazi is hiding the pea. When
a girl guesses correctly, he eats a pea.
From outside, we hear the call to prayer. Al-Ghazi and his
family all move to prayer mats in his living room.
45 INT. ONE ROOM APARTMENT - SAME 45
Haytham continues carrying his Father to the prayer mats.
Gently sets him down, Kneels down himself, carefully rolls
his Dad to his stomach. Then stands to help tuck his Father --
in obvious, great arthritic pain -- into a kneeling prayer
position.
Kisses his father on the top of his head. And both pray.
46 INT. AL-GHAZI'S HOUSE - SAME 46
Al-Ghazi praying with his family.
47 EXT. ANDREWS AIR FORCE BASE - MIDNIGHT 47
A Load-Master buckling down two paletts of shrink-wrapped
gear in the belly of a C-130. Sykes and Leavitt sit on a
stack of FBI paletts, their feet gently tapping on battered
forensic cases. Mayes approaches from the parking area.
ADAM LEAVITT
(beat, re: Janet)
What was Fran Manner to her?
GRANT SYKES
He taught her how to shoot, she
taught him most everything else.
(beat)
Celebrated graduation at the IHOP
in-town until some Townie called
Janet something...Something not
very nice. Townie didn't see Fran
coming outta the Head. But he
definitely felt Fran's uppercut
shatter his jaw.
KINGDOM 8/18/06 42.
ADAM LEAVITT
Fran didn't get bounced for that?
Points to Fleury's dirty Jeep arriving.
GRANT SYKES
SAC Fleury took care of him.
ADAM LEAVITT
How?
GRANT SYKES
If I knew how I'd be SAC Sykes. I
do know the post in Riyadh was part
of the deal Fleury cut to save
Fran's career.
Leavitt looks up at Mayes as she gets within ear-shot, plops
down next to them.
ADAM LEAVITT
(beat)
What did SAC Fleury whisper in your
ear this morning?
JANET MAYES
(smart-ass smile)
`Grant's age is a liability.'
The three turn as Fleury approaches. Walking fast, clear
sense of purpose.
FLEURY
Thanks for volunteering.
LEAVITT
Actually, I didn't volunteer.
FLEURY
Thanks anyway.
LEAVITT
We're going to Riyadh?
FLEURY
Yup.
SYKES
State department said yes?
FLEURY
Nope.
KINGDOM 8/18/06 43.
LEAVITT
White House said yes?
FLEURY
Nope.
LEAVITT
Anybody said yes?
FLEURY
Not really.
LEAVITT
Are we bringing security?
FLEURY
Nope.
Fleury walks onto the plane. Leaving the three on the tarmac.
LEAVITT
This is going to suck so bad.
And the three follow Fleury onto the massive plane.
48 OMITTED 48
49 INT. C-130, AIRBORNE - LATER 49
Silent. Just the lull of jet engines. The big, long boring is
just beginning.
Janet and Leavitt play Scrabble. Sykes sits nearby. Fleury
sits up front, wide awake.
ADAM LEAVITT
What can four people do in five
days? Really?
GRANT SYKES
Aren't you the one who demanded to
go this morning?
ADAM LEAVITT
I meant the FBI. I didn't mean
"me."
Small smile from Leavitt. The Scrabble continues...
KINGDOM 8/18/06 44.
ADAM LEAVITT (CONT'D)
(to Janet)
What's it like on the ground?
GRANT SYKES
Mars.
JANET MAYES
I'll be looked at with what I can
only describe as disdain, pretty
much the entire time we're on the
ground... kind of like South
Virginia.
GRANT SYKES
Go easy on my kin.
JANET MAYES
It's a very confused culture.
Extremely religious. Had nothing;
wanted nothing. Sixty years ago,
they hit oil. Simple religious men
become trillionaires... a
schizophrenic nation is born. The
royal family, who we back, and
everyone else.
Intercut with the Scrabble.
50 OMITTED (SEE 42A) THRU 53 50
54 EXT. PALACE GROUNDS - NIGHT, SAUDI TIME 54
Three-Suburban convoy turns up a driveway, waved past a guard
post bristling with automatic weapons and into the circular
drive of a massive, walled palace. Impersonal wealth. Two
dozen SANG troops on security detail. Two Humvees equipped
with anti-aircraft missiles parked 100 yards apart.
Colonel Al-Ghazi out of the middle Suburban. Frisked by SANG,
rough: no love lost.
55 INT. IMPERSONAL PALACE - SAME MOMENT 55
Al-Ghazi is passed to a silent, boundless staff holding
serving platters jammed with cups of mint tea. A mammoth
foyer.
KINGDOM 8/18/06 45.
PRINCE SA'AD BIN KHALED (Saudi Interior Ministry) steps out
from a 20-foot high doorway: nebbish, thin, bloodshot eyes
magnified by thick glasses. His hand over his stomach:
Napoleon's ulcers. A quick wave to Al-Ghazi.
56 INT. PRINCE'S PRIVATE OFFICE - NEXT MOMENT 56
10' X 20' gold/glass desk over a 50' X 50' rug in a 100' X
100' marble room. Al-Ghazi greets the Prince formally: kiss
the right shoulder near the clavicle. The Prince's tongue
chalk-white for some reason. In Arabic:
PRINCE BIN KHALED
Four FBI Agents will be allowed to
land at Prince Sultan Air Base this
evening.
Al-Ghazi: more than mild shock.
PRINCE BIN KHALED (CONT'D)
General Abdul-Malik, Chief of
Investigative Services for the
National Guard has been put in-
charge of solving this crime.
Clearly not sitting well with Al-Ghazi.
COLONEL AL-GHAZI
I know the General. I attended his
interrogation of one of my men.
(beat, putting it kindly:)
The General does not have
investigative experience.
PRINCE BIN KHALED
Attackers wore YOUR uniform. Police
Uniforms. Some of your men may have
been involved with this Cell, may
still be involved. You're lucky to
have a role at all.
Al-Ghazi silent. The Prince pulls an anti-acid tablet, puts
it in his mouth: that's why his tongue is chalk-white.
PRINCE BIN KHALED (CONT'D)
And your role will be critically
important: make sure the Americans
leave our country as alive as when
they arrive. Five days they will be
our guests. Understood?
KINGDOM 8/18/06 46.
57 INT. C-130 - NIGHT 57
Final descent beginning. More stars above than lights below.
Landing in the middle of nowhere. Sykes sitting near Fleury,
getting his game-face on.
GRANT SYKES
What's going on in there?
RONALD FLEURY
(getting his bearings)
I'm good.
Sykes puts his hand on Fleury's chest.
GRANT SYKES
Feels like you got a beast in
there, Fleury.
RONALD FLEURY
(beat)
I'm good
GRANT SYKES
"Good" is 6:00 am Sunday morning
when your kid climbs into your bed,
buries himself into you... sun's
creeping through the windows -
soft. Birds and wind-chimes...
that's "good."
A BEAT as Fleury looks at Sykes.
RONALD FLEURY
I'm OK...You don't think I'm OK?
GRANT SYKES
(small smile)
I think you're not entirely clear
right now. That's OK, but you got
to know that. You want to go - we
go. I got you, but you got to
check yourself.
RONALD FLEURY
I'm checked.
GRANT SYKES
OK. I'm just checking that you
checked.
Fleury stands up.
KINGDOM 8/18/06 47.
57A INT. C-130 COCKPIT - NIGHT, SAUDI TIME 57A
Fleury pops his head into the cockpit. Two AIRFORCE PILOTS
sit at the controls.
RONALD FLEURY
How we doing?
PILOT #1
About a half hour out.
RONALD FLEURY
They gonna let us land?
PILOT #1
We've been talking to them about an
hour or so... they know we're
coming.
RONALD FLEURY
Good.
PILOT #1
You don't mind my asking, but what
the hell you all gonna be doing
down there?
RONALD FLEURY
Hunting...
PILOT #1
Hunting...? I think of hunting, I
think quail in Tennessee, deer in
Pennsylvania. What kind of hunting
you all gonna do in Saudi?
RONALD FLEURY
Big Game hunting.
58 EXT. MASSIVE, CLOSED DOWN MILITARY COMPLEX - NIGHT 58
PRINCE SULTAN AIR BASE, SAUDI ARABIA. Our C-130 touches down
smooth on Saudi soil.
59 INT. C-130 CARGO HOLD - NIGHT, SAUDI TIME 59
Engines winding down to nothing. The team standing, slinging
bags over their shoulders. Groggy but pumped. Fleury looks at
his team, last bit of advice before game-time.
KINGDOM 8/18/06 48.
RONALD FLEURY
Heads on a swivel.
60 EXT. PRINCE SULTAN AIRBASE - NIGHT, SAUDI TIME 60
The cargo door locks into place on Saudi tarmac. Fleury and
the Team outside the plane now, bags dropped at their feet.
90 degrees even this late. Look-up: light washing over a
small, formal Saudi military team in front of two caskets
draped in American flags, and a small convoy of bullet-proof
black Suburbans. Adam Leavitt will never forget this first
glimpse of Saudi Arabia: surreal. Tears in Janet's eyes as
she glimpses the caskets.
Colonel Al-Ghazi steps up, offers his hand to Fleury. Fleury
and Al-Ghazi shake:
COLONEL AL-GHAZI
Colonel Al-Ghazi.
RONALD FLEURY
Special Agent Ronald Fleury.
COLONEL AL-GHAZI
(beat: the caskets)
Your two fallen comrades, Mr.
Manner and Mr. Burr.
Three men multi-task hustle to forklifts, start them up. Into
the cargo hold, pulling out paletts. Things moving orderly-
fast now. The Americans just kind of step back, dazed.
COLONEL AL-GHAZI (CONT'D)
Passports and credentials. Please.
Sergeant Haytham, driving one of the suburbans, steps forward
with kevlar vests for our crew.
COLONEL AL-GHAZI (CONT'D)
Thank you to keep these on whenever
you are outside of Al-Rahmah.
JANET MAYES
We brought our own.
The crew hits their bags, pulls out their vests.
Another OFFICER checks each team member's FBI badge and
passport. Stops at Leavitt's: an Israeli stamp on his
passport. Leavitt's quick:
KINGDOM 8/18/06 49.
ADAM LEAVITT
Israeli stamp in my passport?
COLONEL AL-GHAZI
(in Arabic to the Officer)
That is not our concern.
Al-Ghazi takes the passports and badges, hands them back.
COLONEL AL-GHAZI (CONT'D)
I'm also to collect your sidearms.
This is like handing over your first-born. Fleury goes first.
Haytham puts each weapon in a padded case.
GRANT SYKES
And I usually just toss it on the
kitchen table...
COLONEL AL-GHAZI
(small smile)
If each of you would please get
into the middle vehicle.
61 INT. MIDDLE SUBURBAN, RIYADH SUBURBS - NIGHT 61
The speedometer at 110 m.p.h. Haytham navigates with his left
hand. Prayer beads hang from the rearview mirror. Al-Ghazi in
the passenger seat, right hand rubbing another set of prayer
beads down to nubs. The team in the back rows: all staring at
the prayer beads on the mirror.
JANET MAYES
(whispering to Leavitt)
Wouldn't need the power a' prayer
if there were 2 hands on the wheel.
ADAM LEAVIIT
110 miles per hour... How do you
keep so calm? I mean, really? Is
it breathing--
JANET MAYES
--Shhhh....
RONALD FLEURY
If somebody was tailing us it'd be
obvious. This is just standard
operating speed.
Al-Ghazi on the edge of his seat, no belt, scanning for
threats: sidewalks, traffic, rooftops.
KINGDOM 8/18/06 50.
His left hand hand wrapped around the stock of an Mp-5
machine gun. Fleury takes in a deep breath: let's see who
this guy is.
RONALD FLEURY (CONT'D)
Colonel, have you ever been to the
US?
COLONEL AL-GHAZI
I have been there only once. I
spent four days at Quantico... I
saw your Michael Jordan play for
the Washington Wizards.
Small laughs.
RONALD FLEURY
You don't know what you missed...
you should have seen him play for
our Chicago Bulls.
Fleury nods to Sykes, giving him the go to start in with the
Bad Cop. Throughout the following exchange, we stay TIGHT ON
FLEURY: in control, using Sykes to ask the questions he
"diplomatically" does not want to ask.
GRANT SYKES
You have portable lights on-scene?
COLONEL AL-GHAZI
(loses his smile)
Yes. But your team cannot work
nights.
Janet looks to Leavitt, then Fleury: `what did he say?'
Fleury looks to Sykes, `Keep going...'
GRANT SYKES
We only have seven days: we work
around the clock.
COLONEL AL-GHAZI
Five days. And you are not safe at
night.
GRANT SYKES
We're safe during the day?
Fleury is about to step in when-
COLONEL AL-GHAZI
(in Arabic, shocking)
WATCH IT-SLOW!
KINGDOM 8/18/06 51.
A truck 200 yards ahead in the middle of an abrupt U-turn.
Over the median. Dust cloud. Heading back our way. Something
big in the truck's bed. Our vehicle shimmies as Al-Ghazi
flinches, drops his prayer beads. Mp-5 up to the Colonel's
sight-line, muzzle tracking the truck. Leavitt leans away
from his window as the vehicles pass: streetlights show two
farmers, a camel sitting in the bed. Missed their left turn.
A long, nearly comical moment.
ADAM LEAVITT
(smartass)
I don't like camels.
Fleury cycling through different angles. Continues:
RONALD FLEURY
Colonel, do you believe Abu Hamza
was responsible for this attack?
COLONEL AL-GHAZI
We don't know.
RONALD FLEURY
Were Saudi Police involved in the
attack?
COLONEL AL-GHAZI
We don't know that either.
RONALD FLEURY
Any word on what that third big
blast was?
Al-Ghazi getting tired of the questions: exhausted himself.
COLONEL AL-GHAZI
Not yet.
GRANT SYKES
You interviewed witnesses?
COLONEL AL-GHAZI
(short-fuse burning)
We're trying. No one who was close
enough to see the things we would
like to know, lived.
GRANT SYKES
Were any of the uniformed bombers
brother-officers?
No answer.
KINGDOM 8/18/06 52.
GRANT SYKES (CONT'D)
Do you know yet?
No answer. Team feeling the tension. Fleury steps in and
takes charge.
RONALD FLEURY
You don't know the source of the
blast, don't know if your own
Officers were involved, but you
won't let us work nights?
Al-Ghazi stanches an explosion. Haytham looks over at his
Colonel: rarely ever seen him like this. Looks in the rear-
view mirror to see Sykes, the man giving the Colonel fits.
Sykes catches him looking back, gives him a quick wink into
the mirror. TIGHT ON Haytham's face: the guilty little smile
you give when someone takes your boss to task.
COLONEL AL-GHAZI
47 of my `brother-officers' were
blown into hundreds of pieces that
will take months to collect. 80,000
Officers total, across the country,
at four uniforms apiece. Thousands
of people who can sew forgeries.
Apologies that I don't have
definitive answers.
(beat)
You're still not working nights.
Fleury stays quiet, studying, calculating, thinking: we got a
Handler that's going to be tough to handle.
62 OMITTED 62
63 INT. GIDEON YOUNG'S OFFICE - EVENING RUSH HOUR, EST 63
Director Grace already sits in front of Young's desk.
DIRECTOR GRACE
Good afternoon, Sir.
Young says nothing, just pulls a memo from his bag, clears
his throat -- still no eye-contact -- reads aloud like a poor
man's Orson Welles:
GIDEON YOUNG
`Sunlight is indeed the most
powerful disinfectant.
(MORE)
KINGDOM 8/18/06 53.
GIDEON YOUNG (CONT'D)
In that spirit I come before this
Judiciary Committee with a painful
admission.
(beat)
Simply: I've lost all confidence in
the FBI, especially it's uppermost
echelon. Entrenched and outmoded,
the Leadership has shown itself
fearful of the pioneering thought
this Committee and I have tried to
imbue. It is thus an Agency at
contretemps, hindering our every
effort.' And by `Committee' I mean
the fucking SENATE SELECT COMMITTEE
ON TERROR...
Young finally makes eye contact: expecting something like
fear, remorse, back-pedalling...
DIRECTOR GRACE
Senators? Then I'd change
`outmoded' to `outdated,'
`echelons' to `ranks' and what in
God's name is `contretemps?' These
guys aren't the best and brightest-
Young's face flashes red, seething:
GIDEON YOUNG
-never take the Lord's name in vain
in this office-
DIRECTOR GRACE
-but you can say `Fucking?'
Young apoplectic now: ready to end the Director right there,
when Grace leans in, lets the vague threat of physical
contact manifest.
DIRECTOR GRACE (CONT'D)
You're going to the Senate Select
Committee, but not to the President
who appointed you. Why's that?
(beat)
I bet the President wasn't the
audience you thought he'd be: I'll
bet he realized you can't have
Voters asking why the second-
longest serving FBI Director gets
fired for doing his job, for
sending Agents into Saudi Arabia,
seven months from mid-term
elections-
KINGDOM 8/18/06 54.
GIDEON YOUNG
-you really want to bet?
Grace snaps his ID badge off his lapel, puts it on the table.
DIRECTOR GRACE
I do.
Young's pallor tells us his bluff has been called. Goes
silent. Grace smells it, finishes him now:
DIRECTOR GRACE (CONT'D)
Westmoreland made all us Officers
write our own obituaries during
Tet, when it looked like the Cong
were going to end it all right
there. Once we clued-in that life
was finite, the loss of it no
longer scared us: the end comes no
matter what, it's just a question
of how you want to go out: on your
feet or on your knees. After that,
we went out and pulled triggers
until barrels melted. And Vietnam
lasted another seven years.
(beat)
The lesson extends to this career:
I ACT, knowing the end of this job
will come, no matter what. You
should do the same.
Grace waits: nothing else from Young. Stands, snaps his ID
badge back on his lapel, walks out.
DIRECTOR GRACE (CONT'D)
I'll forward Fleury's reports.
64 EXT. OUTSIDE AL-RAHMAH HOUSING COMPLEX - NIGHT, SAUDI TIME 64
The convoy brakes impossibly close to a checkpoint. Waved
through perimeters staffed by SANG and Police. Fatigues,
automatic rifles, peering at the tinted windows.
65 INT. MIDDLE SUBURBAN - NEXT MOMENT 65
Crew arrives at a crime-scene that spans the immediate
horizon. White tents with SANG sitting under each. Industrial
lights outline shattered buildings, idle heavy equipment,
bombed-out automobiles. TIGHT ON MAYES looking out.
KINGDOM 8/18/06 55.
JANET MAYES
That's one of the great horrors of
television: Crime scene
manipulation. They say a TV camera
adds pounds to actresses. Isn't
that what they say?
ADAM LEAVITT
Who's "they?"
JANET MAYES
That is what they say. Doesn't add
to crime scenes. Television cameras
shrink them. Misrepresent. No
smells. Poor sound. Limited view.
TV always makes them look smaller.
You can't feel the hatred on
television.
TIGHT ON FLEURY: Quiet and focused, taking everything in.
FLEURY
...heads on a swivel, people.
66 EXT. AL-RAHMAH COMMUNITY CENTER - NEXT MOMENT 66
Two more security perimeters of SANG surround the Community
Center: blinding portable lights, heavy machine guns mounted
in the backs of Humvees track the convoy as it comes to a
stop: every troop on-guard. The Team tentatively exits: 100
pairs of glares from heavily-armed SANG.
Soldiers descend on the Teams' bags, paletts of equipment.
Long leers at Janet: not so much `sexual' as `wary.' Janet
goes for her own bag. Haytham goes for it at the same time.
Their hands accidently touch. Haytham pulls back fast,
embarrassed.
JANET MAYES
EASY.
Janet notices the nasty marks around Haytham's right ear.
67 INT. AL-RAHMAH COMMUNITY CENTER - NEXT MOMENT 67
Florescent lights make it ugly. Haytham dumps duffel-bags by
their bunks, SANG stack steel travel-boxes from the paletts
inside. No windows, AC cranked to `coldest.' Americans sealed-
in - in the name of comfort.
KINGDOM 8/18/06 56.
Janet's area made obvious with a floral partition. She
immediately folds it, puts it into a corner. Haytham watches
her undo his work.
COLONEL AL-GHAZI
The bathrooms are through that
door. I will be here tomorrow
morning so we can begin.
FLEURY
What time tomorrow morning?
COLONEL AL-GHAZI
Sunrise.
RONALD FLEURY
What time is sunrise?
COLONEL AL-GHAZI
(beat)
When I knock.
Al-Ghazi and Haytham leave. The doors close behind them, then
the sound of a key turning in a lock. The Americans look on,
half-disbelief, half-comedy: locking us in.
GRANT SYKES
That's against fire code.
JANET MAYES
They don't have fire codes. They
don't have codes other than codes
of war. They'll lock us in and dial
up some kind of earth movers if
they want to. You know that, Sykes.
Dig a big hole and push us in. Fill
it up and no one comes calling.
You're in the jungle now, baby.
Silence as the crew digests this odd little verbal outage.
ADAM LEAVITT
(smiling)
You alright, girl?
JANET MAYES
Watch it, boy.
ADAM LEAVITT
Just asking...
JANET MAYES
Unpack.
KINGDOM 8/18/06 57.
Everyone hits their own bags first.
FLEURY
(to himself)
Saudi slow roll...
Fleury pulls out his laptop, wakes it up from sleep mode.
Eyes a photo of Kevin on his desktop, picks up the phone.
LYLA FLEURY
(on phone)
Hello?
RONALD FLEURY
Hey... How are you? How's my boy?
LYLA FLEURY
We're just fine. How are you?
Where are you?
RONALD FLEURY
I'm here...
(quick beat)
Lemme talk to my boy.
A BEAT as Lyla passes the phone to Kevin.
KEVIN FLEURY (O.S.)
Daddy?
FLEURY
What you doing?
KEVIN FLEURY (O.S.)
I'm talking to you. What are you
doing right now, Daddy? Right now?
FLEURY
I'm missing you.
KEVIN FLEURY (O.S.)
Where are you?
FLEURY
I'm in Saudi Arabia.
KEVIN FLEURY (O.S.)
Did you see Big Fran?
A Beat...
KINGDOM 8/18/06 58.
FLEURY
Yeah... I saw him...
(PAUSE)
I saw him.
KEVIN FLEURY (O.S.)
Is he still tall?
FLEURY
Yeah... Yeah...he's still tall.
Silence... as Fleury takes a beat to collect himself.
KEVIN FLEURY (O.S.)
Daddy? Are you still there?
FLEURY
Yeah, buddy. I love you. Keep your
eye on your mama. Be the man.
KEVIN FLEURY (O.S.)
You, too Daddy.
FLEURY
I'll call you tomorrow. I love you.
KEVIN FLEURY (O.S.)
Bye, Daddy.
Fleury begins unpacking.
68 EXT. AL-RAHMAH COMMUNITY CENTER - 4:30 AM 68
Pre-dawn: Eight black suburbans parked on the side street:
waiting. The doors of the first four open in-unison. 20 Arab,
suited SECURITY GUARDS exit.
Al-Ghazi unlocks the door to the compound: the team stands
dressed, waiting. CLOSE-UP: The Team steps out to see
massive, organized security.
From one of the vehicles exits a middle aged AMERICAN -
sweating a bit, hanging back, watching. This is US Deputy
Chief of Mission, the Embassy's second-in-command: DAMON
SCHMIDT.
Another 100 Security CONTRACTORS remain vigilant: SNIPERS on
roof-tops, in machine-gun nests.
Schmidt approaches Fleury.
KINGDOM 8/18/06 59.
SCHMIDT
(big smile)
You are in so much trouble.
FLEURY
Is that right?
SCHMIDT
For sure. I mean, I don't know how
you did it. Nice work, but if you
live through this, which I put at
about fifty percent - if you do,
your balls are gonna get stretched
and beaten on. Dig that?
Fleury stares at this freak show. Schmidt sticks out a paw.
SCHMIDT (CONT'D)
Damon Schmidt. State Department.
I'm in charge of getting you out of
here.
PRINCE BIN KHALED and his INNER-CIRCLE exit a Suburban and
approach: All in traditional dress. The Prince locks eyes
with Fleury.
IN THE BG, forklifts rumble-hiss to life, placing Jersey
barriers around the community center.
SCHMIDT (CONT'D)
Don't let go of his hand first.
Major disrespect.
One of the inner-circle, without a word, takes off the FBI-
emblazoned windbreaker worn by Leavitt and places it on a
short-sleeved Janet. Careful not to touch skin.
Only then does Prince Bin Khaled approach. A lone
PHOTOGRAPHER follows: snapping pictures. Different
definitions of personal space: four inches separation as Bin
Khaled greets each Team member in accented English. Janet
last: the pictures suddenly stop. The Prince gives a little
curtsy, no words, steps back to Fleury: the pictures re-
start. Bin Khaled holds Fleury's hand sixth-grade boyfriend-
style.
PRINCE BIN KHALED
(in Arabic)
This is our level of commitment to
bringing Terrorists to justice:
Motions to the Americans. No more unflattering a portrait:
pre-coffee, post-twelve hour flight, hours unpacking...
KINGDOM 8/18/06 60.
As the cameras start flashing. Angle on Al-Ghazi and Haytham
placed to stand next to the Americans. Haytham clearly not
comfortable with this kind of attention.
PRINCE BIN KHALED (CONT'D)
We've invited American legal
officials into our Kingdom despite
current difficulties between the US
and Islam. They will observe our
advanced investigative techniques,
offering helpful hints.
(to Fleury in English)
You will please honor me with your
presence tonight at my home.
(beat, a stunted nod)
Yes.
The Prince turns back to the convoy. Entire entourage
follows. One of the Security Contractors catches the jacket
Janet hurls back at him, tosses it to Leavitt. Convoy gone.
The team turns: 100 glares again. Fleury blinks out the
camera flashes, takes in all the eyeballs.
Fleury looks up at a retreating Damon Schmidt.
SCHMIDT
Nice pictures. You guys ready to go
home now?
Dead eyes from Fleury. He's clearly not amused.
SCHMIDT (CONT'D)
OK. If you change your minds, I got
a plane fueled up and ready to go -
got your name all over it...
He points a finger gun at Fleury.
SCHMIDT (CONT'D)
Strap your kevlar on tight, people.
SCHMIDT takes off. Sykes by Fleury.
GRANT SYKES
Slow roll... gonna be like when you
go deep sea fishing in Florida and
you pay seven hundred bucks for the
boat and you sit in the ocean for
hours and the crew jumps around and
screams and points and you think
your constantly about to bag a
Marlin but you never do and they
keep pointing and jumping and-
KINGDOM 8/18/06 61.
FLEURY
Enough.
Haytham walks off by himself, shaking off the shady Royal
photo vibe, looking back at the Americans. From behind him:
POLICE OFFICER
You're willing to die to protect
your enemy?
Haytham turns. An older POLICE OFFICER stands with a GROUP of
SANG twenty feet behind him, eyeing Haytham.
Back to Fleury: he looks to Al-Ghazi.
RONALD FLEURY
What did the Prince say?
COLONEL AL-GHAZI
(beat)
That there are more rules than just
not working at night.
RONALD FLEURY
What rules?
COLONEL AL-GHAZI
You are here as observers. Not
investigators.
Fleury tries to remain cool.
RONALD FLEURY
That's not accurate--
Al-Ghazi ignores Fleury.
COLONEL AL-GHAZI
--I need to make sure the sites are
secure. Then you can begin
observing.
Leavitt looks around at the Security as Al-Ghazi hustles off:
ADAM LEAVITT
(to Fleury)
How could they get more secure?
The Team slowly realizes they're not going anywhere yet, dump
their bags in a pile, already disgusted.
In the distance, the group of SANG stare back at our team.
KINGDOM 8/18/06 62.
68A INT. LOCATION UNKNOWN - TIME UNKNOWN 68A
Hold on an empty 2' X 1' X 6" balsa wood box set on a dirty
linoleum floor.
Ancient hands line the balsa wood box with bricks of putty-
gray plastic explosive. We immediately notice the right hand
is missing the index and middle fingers. The hands insert
bright-red blasting caps into the explosives, lengths of
detonating-wire emanating from each cap.
Another set of stronger, younger, in-tact hands gently pours
a mixture into the box now. Ball bearings, children's jacks,
marbles, razor blades, roofing nails. Everything malevolent
densities and angles. Some pieces bounce out, run along the
floor. The younger hands then start pressing/molding the
pieces of soon-to-be shrapnel into the putty-gray plastic
explosives.
68B EXT. AL-RAHMAH COMMUNITY CENTER - LATER 68B
Al-Ghazi and General Malik stand outside.
The Athan sounds for Dhuhr.
100 soldiers immediately drop to their knees.
69 INT. AL-RAHMAH COMMUNITY CENTER HOOPS COURT - 9:00 AM 69
TIGHT ON FLEURY: focused, Thinking. Sykes next to him.
O.C. The Athan sounds again for Dhuhr.
SYKES
Well, this is going well...
FLEURY
Saudi Slow Roll.
Sykes and Fleury lean against the locked door, staring at the
pathetic sight before them: Janet's truly awful jumper...
that somehow swishes every time. Before she lands, cocky and
smooth:
JANET MAYES
Good.
KINGDOM 8/18/06 63.
Then the metallic swish of the all-weather net. Leavitt boxes
out air for the non-existent rebound, grabs the ball, chest-
passes it Great Santini-hard back to Janet who softly sucks
in the pass. Playing in their cargo pants and hiking boots.
LEAVITT
How do you do that?
Janet gently bounce-passes it back:
JANET MAYES
Check.
LEAVITT
Don't say `good' again.
Janet takes the check from Leavitt: before he can react, she
drains a 30-footer. Same cockiness, different word:
JANET
Bueno.
Fleury with Sykes still standing in the same spot. Looks up:
Al-Ghazi coming into the building. Fleury ready to vent until
something surprises him: breathless, Al-Ghazi has broken a
wide-sweat hustling back to the Americans. Fleury's face
relaxes. He pulls a bottle of water out of a cooler, hands
it to Al-Ghazi.
COLONEL AL-GHAZI
I am sorry for the time.
(beat)
You won't need you gear.
Fleury can't help a small smile.
FLEURY
(to Sykes, himself)
Of course we won't.
70 EXT. AL-RAHMAH - MOMENTS LATER 70
Hands in pockets. Soak in the aftermath: shallow but wide
crater, shredded backstop, nearby buildings torn, blood baked
into dirt. Fifteen cars.
COLONEL AL-GHAZI (O.C.)
The remaining rules: you cannot
touch evidence, question anyone
without me present, touch Muslim
dead, or leave my sight at anytime:
your safety is my primary concern.
KINGDOM 8/18/06 64.
FLEURY
I would have thought your primary
concern was investigating a crime.
COLONEL AL-GHAZI
And you would be mistaken.
Sykes looks over to Fleury. Crooked smile.
SYKES
(to Fleury)
I think it's one of those
"something happens to us... his
head comes off" kind of deals.
(to Al-Ghazi)
Is it one of those kind of deals,
Colonel?
Al-Ghazi ignores Sykes.
FLEURY
So, if you're not running the
investigation...who is?
Al-Ghazi motions to 50 MEN in uniforms different than his:
SANG troops digging, bagging evidence, marking the scene with
red-flags.
COLONEL AL-GHAZI
The National Guard's Military
Police Brigade is conducting the
investigation. My orders begin and
end with your health.
The Team: so we're on Tour. Fleury still silent.
ADAM LEAVITT
I thought the SANG were soldiers--
COLONEL AL-GHAZI
--the bombers didn't wear a
soldier's uniform. They wore mine.
Fleury finally speaks, asking the most important question:
RONALD FLEURY
Who is in charge of the
investigation then?
Al-Ghazi points to a Man we've seen before, General Abdul-
Malik. Haytham's Interrogator. He pours over a table 20 feet
away: maps, blueprints, utility schematics spread before him.
KINGDOM 8/18/06 65.
COLONEL AL-GHAZI
General Abdul-Malik. He's given us
permission to walk through each
crime-scene.
RONALD FLEURY
To walk through? Are you kidding
me?
COLONEL AL-GHAZI
I am not.
Starting to get heated.
RONALD FLEURY
Get him over here now and let's
clarify this situation.
COLONEL AL-GHAZI
There is no lack of clarification.
RONALD FLEURY
There sure as hell is! I don't know
what kind of game you're playing
but you got the wrong guy, Colonel
Al-Ghazi! That was not the deal-
COLONEL AL-GHAZI
(getting hot)
This is not a game show, Mr.
Fleury! There are no deals made
here. There is me telling you what
you may or may not do and there is
you doing it.
Beat. As Al-Ghazi stabilizes...
COLONEL AL-GHAZI (CONT'D)
You will be permitted to walk
through the crime scenes. When we
have determined that it is safe.
A stand off. Fleury eyes Al-Ghazi. Trying to figure this guy
out.
Sees something that looks like a flash of embarrassment in Al-
Ghazi's eyes: unable to perform his profession, relegated to
Tour Guide. Leavitt begins taking notes. Haytham sees his
notebook, snaps his fingers at Al-Ghazi who looks, nods: let
him.
RONALD FLEURY
OK.
KINGDOM 8/18/06 66.
Fleury tight-grins. Looks off. In one of the apartments, he
sees a PERSON looking down at them from behind a curtain.
He tries a new tactic.
RONALD FLEURY (CONT'D)
How have you guys been doing with
the witnesses?
AL-GHAZI
What witnesses?
Al-Ghazi just stares at Fleury.
FLEURY
I'm guessing there are a bunch of
Americans, Brits... Australians?
Someone must have seen something.
I'm sure they're just dying to talk
to you guys, seeing as how the
killers were wearing your uniforms.
That must be a real confidence
booster for them.
Al-Ghazi silent, staring.
FLEURY (CONT'D)
Let me talk to them.
Al-Ghazi looks unsure. He was not expecting this.
71 EXT. RIPON FAMILY HOME 71
Fleury and Al-Ghazi walk up the front walk. Fleury noticing
kids bikes, hockey gear, a comfortable easy chair covered in
fur outside on the front porch, toy guns.
72 INT. RIPON FAMILY HOME - MOMENTS LATER 72
Fleury sits with the RIPONS: EARL (40s) JANINE, his wife
(30s), and MADDY, Earl's mother (late 60s). Earl sits on an
ugly couch, a plywood sheet right above their heads. Everyone
uneasy save the CAT in Maddy's lap. Fleury waves off a bottle
of water from Janine. Al-Ghazi hovers awkwardly by the front
door.
AWKWARD INTERVIEW:
EARL
There's still a couple of hundred
of us living on the compound.
KINGDOM 8/18/06 67.
RONALD FLEURY
Why Saudi Arabia?
A moment as Earl and Janine get a bit defensive:
EARL
Neither of us did anymore schooling
than Electra High, Electra Texas.
RONALD FLEURY
OK.
Al-Ghazi sees Janine smile, squeeze Earl's hand tighter.
EARL
And the jobs here pay twice what
you'd make in Midland or the Gulf
a' Mexico. Plus the house is free.
Earl's mother Maddy looks at Fleury, pets the cat.
JANINE RIPON
I call it combat pay. This place
has gone Guns - Guns - Guns.
RONALD FLEURY
So has Everyone else now.
JANINE
My girlfriends in Texas spend their
combat pay on diamonds... I spent
mine on a safe room.
RONALD FLEURY
(chuckles)
Two nights back. Can you start one
second before you knew anything was
wrong?
JANINE
We didn't really see anything. Just
hit the ground and hustled to the
safe room. Closed our eyes and
prayed. It was so fast. So loud.
RONALD FLEURY
So you really didn't see anything.
MADDY
I hit the deck. Horrible.
JANINE
Not `til after. Just the screams--
KINGDOM 8/18/06 68.
EARL
-- the kids... they were screaming.
That got me out of the house. Those
kids.
FLEURY
Which kids were those?
JANINE
The Jackson kids. Tracy Jackson
next door was murdered looking out
her window...front of her children.
No safe room over there...
(right at Al-Ghazi)
Not even the Men that did this
should die in front a' their
babies.
Fleury lets moments pass. Earl rubs his wife's leg, trying to
comfort her. Al-Ghazi hides emotion.
RONALD FLEURY
She live with her husband?
EARL
Aaron.
RONALD FLEURY
(beat)
If I'm facing your house, is the
Jackson home to the right or left?
JANINE
Left.
Fleury looks out the window towards the Jackson house.
73 EXT. JACKSON HOME - SAME MOMENT 73
Next door to the Ripons. Fleury knocks. Door opens: a sad MAN
with black bags under dying eyes. Disgusted-resigned breath
through a half-open mouth. Silver watch and Polo insignia...
sees Al-Ghazi, eyes come alive, teeth grit.
RONALD FLEURY
Mr. Aaron Jackson?
AARON JACKSON
(re: Al-Ghazi)
Get him away from me-
KINGDOM 8/18/06 69.
RONALD FLEURY
-easy, Sir. He's a friend to us-
AARON JACKSON
-I don't know either one a' you.
RONALD FLEURY
I'm Special Agent Ronald Fleury of
the FBI. This is Colonel Al-Ghazi
with the Saudi State Police-
AARON JACKSON
-the Police: they attacked.
Al-Ghazi quietly backs away, walks away. Fleury looks after
him, turns back to Mr. Jackson who stares after Al-Ghazi:
hate. Fleury unsure what to do next.
AARON JACKSON (CONT'D)
I just put my boys down for the
first time in two days. I can't
wake `em and sure as hell can't be
gone if they stir on their own.
RONALD FLEURY
Can I come back?
AARON JACKSON
(too loud)
WHY?
RONALD FLEURY
Your boys...
Jackson remembers the warning he just spoke...
RONALD FLEURY (CONT'D)
To ask about two nights ago.
Fresh tears re-animate his face:
AARON JACKSON
When my wife's jaw was shot off in
front of our sons? My sons who sat
with her while she bled to death?
Couldn't speak because she didn't
have the bottom of her face and I
wasn't home and my baby boys are
destroyed for life and my five year-
old had a box of band-aids in his
hand when I finally got home?
KINGDOM 8/18/06 70.
Silence outside of Mr. Jackson's sobbing. Fleury sick to his
stomach. Desperate to let this man alone. No eye contact.
RONALD FLEURY
...I won't pretend to know...
Aaron Jackson settles, wipes away tears, appreciates the
honesty. Then bites back into his rage:
AARON JACKSON
Kill everyone that had something to
do with this. Everyone related to
them. Everyone who knew them.
(beat)
And all you'd be doing is their
recruiting for them... It's an
entire generation: not small and
isolated like they say. But a
generation that thinks what they
did to my wife, to my children, is
a "calling"...
RONALD FLEURY
Up the street, there was a wreck,
did you see any-
AARON JACKSON
-notice how it wouldn't take a lot
to disguise your friend
(points to Al-Ghazi)
as a Mexican? Think he couldn't
handle crossing our deserts? Look
around!
RONALD FLEURY
Aaron-
AARON JACKSON
(explodes)
-LET ME FINISH GOD DAMN YOU-
A child's scream from inside. Piercing. Scary. Jackson goes
red, clenched fists, steps to Fleury who takes an instinctive
step backward, guard-up. Jackson stops, spins back inside. A
door slam that rattles the plywood sheet covering the
shattered window. The screams become night terror shrieks.
74 EXT. JACKSON HOME 74
A LONG, SAD BEAT, as Fleury and Al-Ghazi stand alone in front
of the Jackson house.
KINGDOM 8/18/06 71.
RONALD FLEURY
(to Al-Ghazi)
Can we tour the compound? Can we
please do that?
Slow nod from Al-Ghazi.
75 EXT. BOMB SITE - LATER 75
The team tours the site.
As they fan out. They walk casually, but focused through the
first bomb site. An inquisitive Mayes, already peering into a
mostly in-tact car, halfway out of its parking spot. Al-Ghazi
and Haytham watch the Americans like mother-hens.
JANET MAYES
He or she almost made it.
Fleury steps, looks inside: blood and safety glass coat the
seat. Janet points to keys in the ignition: still at the `on'
position. Then the stick-shift, pulled to the back right:
reverse. The shift-knob bloody...
JANET MAYES (CONT'D)
(beat, quieter)
Makes me think of the Trade Centers
-- the people on the floors above
the impacts -- no matter how fast
or strong or smart you are, if
you're in the wrong spot, `it' will
not let you get away.
FLEURY
That's what makes this a War.
Sykes notices something on the ground... he picks up a
military detonator, discretely hands it over to Fleury.
Fleury quietly pockets it.
76 EXT. THIRD BLAST SITE - MOMENTS LATER 76
Structures 100 feet away look like they've been hit with a
God-sized sawed-off. The crater: 25-feet wide, 7-feet deep.
Blackened frames and bits of vehicles circle the crater. The
bottom of the crater filled with water. A syphon-pump works
overtime. No SANG Investigators around.
COLONEL AL-GHAZI (O.C.)
About one hour into the rescue.
KINGDOM 8/18/06 72.
ADAM LEAVITT
Hit a water main?
COLONEL AL-GHAZI
No -- from the tanks of this fire
engine: that's the water that
didn't evaporate in the blast.
Al-Ghazi points to a mass of black metal: looks like a fire
truck the way a Jackson Pollock looks like the Mona Lisa.
Leavitt and Grant stand back. Quiet:
GRANT SYKES
(eyes on Fleury)
Hole is the case. See, there's
"evidence" down in that hole. You
understand evidence? Little things
that are "clues." Clues can be very
helpful to a fella when he's trying
to solve a crime.
COLONEL AL-GHAZI
I understand that.
GRANT SYKES
Glad to hear it. So can we get in
there?
COLONEL AL-GHAZI
No.
Sykes holds Al-Ghazi's gaze. Smiles.
GRANT SYKES
OK.
Fleury is taking in the entire crime scene. He notices a four
story building half a mile off the perimeter.
He watches Al-Ghazi rip at a chunk of floorboard wedged into
the mud, bag it himself, search for someone to give it too.
Nobody. Sets it down. Stands, wipes his hands hard on his
pants. Fleury could swear the dirt stains are intentional:
trying to feel like he's doing something.
77 EXT. DESERTED STREET, AL-RAHMAH - MOMENTS LATER 77
The Land Cruiser Haytham rammed - driver's side crushed,
bullet holes, out-of-control skid-marks, asphalt scars from
the snapped drive shaft...
KINGDOM 8/18/06 73.
Fleury is moving around the scene, restaging the shoot out.
Instantly lining up the angles.
Leavitt's taking digital snaps of the shattered Land Cruiser.
Through the viewfinder: the caved-in door. Two snaps.
A SANG passes Adam, his gun aimed a touch high.
ADAM LEAVITT
(to Fleury)
A little high...
FLEURY
(to SANG, "Lower," in
Arabic)
Watt-tee...
ADAM LEAVITT
Watt-tee fuck (alt: "Watt-tee
hell...") is his gun doing up so
high?
COLONEL AL-GHAZI
(to Fleury)
This vehicle was stolen. Two
drivers murdered. A team outside
the blast-radius...shooting at
anything. Everyone.
(beat)
Sergeant Haytham ended this part.
ADAM LEAVITT
(to Al-Ghazi)
Are the Shooters in-custody-
SERGEANT HAYTHAM
-dead.
So Sergeant Haytham speaks English...
FLEURY
Were any of these shooters your
men?
SERGEANT HAYTHAM
No.
Fleury's thinking, looking into the car. Searching the
horizon, he spots a distant apartment building providing a
view of the crime scene.
KINGDOM 8/18/06 74.
FLEURY
They got into the compound.
Somehow...took control of this
vehicle. I'm guessing they didn't
politely ask whoever was in this
car if they could take it for a
little ride?
Fleury gets in the car, checking out ballistic shreds in the
back of the passenger seat headrest.
AL-GHAZI
No, they didn't. There were two
officers in the car. Both were
executed.
FLEURY
I understand that. Those men were
your men--
SERGEANT HAYTHAM
-- they were. They were Police.
FLEURY
I'm sorry.
Al-Ghazi offers the slightest of nods to Fleury.
FLEURY (CONT'D)
Where was this car when they hit
it?
a77A EXT. AL-RAHMAH - MAIN GATE a77A
Al-Ghazi leads our team to the main gate. Sykes and Fleury
follow close.
COLONEL AL-GHAZI
Security is a combination of the
police and military.
Leavitt and Mayes lag behind a bit. Leavitt makes eye
contact with a YOUNG SAUDI behind the .50 caliber.
JANET MAYES
Good news is that if he shoots you,
he's gonna shoot you sitting on an
American tank... with an American-
made bullet. So, it's kind of "all
in the family."
KINGDOM 8/18/06 75.
ADAM LEAVITT
How about we get into those
American Suburbans... with their
American A/C...
Al-Ghazi continues the tour as Fleury once again notes the
familiar apartment off in the distance.
77A EXT. AL-RAHMAH - SECURITY STATION CAR PARK - LATER 77A
A car port. Fleury and team moving around the area. Fleury
picks up some broken glass from the ground.
FLEURY
The car was parked here?
AL-GHAZI
Yes.
FLEURY
Backed in?
AL-GHAZI
Yes.
Fleury studies the scene.
FLEURY
They were attacked from the front.
Must have assumed the killers were
fellow officers... Have any of
these men been identified?
COLONEL AL-GHAZI
Not yet. We will check certain
neighborhoods. It is likely that
the four men prayed at the same
Mosque.
JANET MAYES
The same Mosque is enough to
identify them, link them to a cell?
COLONEL AL-GHAZI
Yes. If the Mosque is in Suweidi.
ADAM LEAVITT
Suweidi?
KINGDOM 8/18/06 76.
JANET MAYES
Suweidi is a known militant
stonghold. Al-Qaeda could recruit
from storefronts.
On Fleury: he looks back at the homes, then up and around: He
locks on the OBSERVATION BUILDING in the distance.
FLEURY
Can we go to check out some of
these surrounding buildings?
COLONEL AL-GHAZI
Why?
FLEURY
Seems reasonable that the Planner
had to observe and based on Hamza's
past history, it's consistent that
he would want to video the attack.
Is that true? Is that accurate?
COLONEL AL-GHAZI
That is true.
RONALD FLEURY
Well, in order to video, in order
to observe, you need a view.
Fleury points to one particular building.
FLEURY
That building sees all three crime
scenes.
Al-Ghazi looks up to the building. Back to Fleury.
COLONEL AL-GHAZI
(beat)
It's outside the walls-
ADAM LEAVITT
-c'mon now. This is insane: we got
enough security to invade Suweidi,
let alone that building-
COLONEL AL-GHAZI
-no you don't.
FLEURY
(to Al-Ghazi, respectful)
Could you ask?
(MORE)
KINGDOM 8/18/06 77.
FLEURY (CONT'D)
We're already seeing the crime-
scenes individually -- why not all
at once?
COLONEL AL-GHAZI
Any answer will take-
FLEURY
-time. I understand.
Fleury speaks slowly and clearly now: like he's cementing his
words in his own head as he speaks them.
FLEURY (CONT'D)
You have to ask the General, then
the General would ask the Prince.
Does it go higher or is that... is
the Prince the end of the chain?
Al-Ghazi hesitates, can't help but be charmed. Fleury clearly
knows when to step-on or lay-off the gas. He's smooth... and
HIGHLY EFFECTIVE: Al-Ghazi nods `yes' to the strange half-
question.
FLEURY (CONT'D)
We'll be at the Community Center.
(beat)
Janet, wanna play hoops?
78 INT. AL-RAHMAH COMMUNITY CENTER HOOPS COURT - NOON 78
We're in the big gym as our team sits and waits. Leavitt taps
on a laptop.
Janet shoots free throws by herself.
JANET MAYES
This is the kind of radical
circumstance that could have
seriously upped Shaq's free throw
percentages. Take a man. Ship him
off to Riyadh. No phones, constant
threat of death, no girls, no hip
hop. Nothing... just free throws.
Shaq, he'd be shooting at least
seventy percent. Lakers would still
be together. Kobe and Shaq lovers
forever.
Leavitt calls to Fleury.
LEAVITT
Hey, Boss... check this out.
KINGDOM 8/18/06 78.
Fleury moves over to Leavitt. Checks out the screen.
LEAVITT (CONT'D)
Just posted half hour ago.
IMAGES ON THE COMPUTER: ARABIC EXTREMIST WEBSITE. Video
footage shot from the rooftop of all three bombings and some
of the machine gun killings.
LEAVITT (CONT'D)
So self congratulatory. Makes me
sick.
Fleury studies the footage. Backs it up plays it again and
again.
78A INT. LOCATION UNKNOWN - TIME UNKNOWN 78A
A set of stronger, younger, in-tact hands gently pours a
mixture into a box now. Ball bearings, children's jacks,
marbles, razor blades, roofing nails: everything malevolent
densities and angles. Some pieces bounce out, run along the
floor. The younger hands then start pressing/molding the
pieces of soon-to-be shrapnel into the putty.
79 EXT. RIYADH SUBURB NEAR COMPOUND - AFTERNOON 79
Five car convoy moving quickly through the city.
80 EXT. SPOTTER APARTMENT- LATER 80
Our convoy pulls up in front of the apartment. They exit the
vehicles. Our team stands surrounded by a 50-man security
detail, rifle-stocks to shoulders. Double-time it - outside
the walls now, hostile territory. Two-man sniper teams out
front. Al-Ghazi ten steps ahead.
A SANG five car security CREW pulls up, tracking Fleury and
company. A stand off between the two police forces.
81 EXT. SPOTTER APARTMENT - NEXT MOMENT 81
The SANG Officer in-charge steps to Al-Ghazi. In Arabic:
SANG OFFICER
This is unacceptable.
KINGDOM 8/18/06 79.
COLONEL AL-GHAZI
It's cleared with General Abdul-
Malik. We have five minutes here.
SPECIAL FORCES OFFICER
We were told they must remain in
the vehicles...
COLONEL AL-GHAZI
That is not true...
SPECIAL FORCES OFFICER
They must stay in the Toyotas-
COLONEL AL-GHAZI
-report me then when you get in-
touch with the General-
-Officer reaches down from nowhere and hammers Al-Ghazi open-
handed as Al-Ghazi tries to step past. Collective shock.
In that breath, Haytham punishes the Officer with a left-
cross: knees buckle before he comprehends what hit him.
Haytham's kick follows, catches the Officer in the sternum as
he hits ground.
Al-Ghazi shakes it out, trades blows with the SANG second in-
command.
Leavitt moves, catches a rifle butt to the shoulder after two
steps. Fleury aims, drills the Soldier that butted Leavitt:
instant night-night. Another SANG steps up. Fleury throats
him, knee caps him, and grabs his weapon before the dude hits
the ground.
Fleury can obviously fight... all the above happens in four
seconds.
Then, a `knock-it-off' gunshot aimed at the sky pops one-foot
from Janet's head. We hear what she hears: one half-second of
the shot, then the big ring. On her knees immediately, hand
over her ear. In response: heavy-caliber gunfire flies: group
flinch-n-crouch. The warning shots from a .50-caliber mounted
on a Humvee racing this way from Al-Rahmah: dust plumes from
the speed. Members of the security detail and the Special
Forces go Mexican stand-off.
JANET MAYES
Tell me it didn't burst-tell me it
didn't burst-
KINGDOM 8/18/06 80.
Al-Ghazi the first to her, touching her hand to pull it away
from the ear. A SANG nearby sees this: spits two inches from
Al-Ghazi. Al-Ghazi leans to Janet's non-ringing side:
COLONEL AL-GHAZI
No blood.
The Humvee now slides to stop ten feet from the fracas.
General Abdul-Malik out of the passenger seat, in Arabic:
GENERAL ABDUL-MALIK
WHO FIRED?
That Soldier's hand goes up sheepish. Two men out of the
Humvee's backseat break him down, face first in the dirt:
cuff him, lock him in the vehicle.
GENERAL ABDUL-MALIK (CONT'D)
AND WHY?
SPECIAL FORCES OFFICER
(standing, doubled over)
A disagreement.
The General grabs the Officer by the back of his head: an
abusive Dad. Walks him to the side.
GENERAL ABDUL-MALIK
(back to Al-Ghazi)
FIVE MINUTES.
Al-Ghazi looks back down at Janet, at Leavitt's bruise, at
the man Fleury knocked out. Angry. Impressed: fought
alongside him. Haytham hasn't moved an inch, not even when
the General came, chin raised to an entire platoon: say when.
COLONEL AL-GHAZI
(to Fleury)
Five minutes.
The SANG move back. The team staggered, slowly remembering
why they're here in the first place, finally make their way
to the Roof Top.
82 EXT. ROOF TOP - CONTINUOUS 82
Fleury finds a table with a view. Tabletop: holes and finger-
paint stains. Al-Ghazi three feet away. Both look in the same
direction: two Tigers being held back.
KINGDOM 8/18/06 81.
Fleury's studying the housing compound through a video
camera, comparing the images on his camera with what he saw
posted on the internet.
FLEURY
You've seen the images of the
attack posted on the internet?
AL-GHAZI
Yes.
FLEURY
Look for yourself.
Al-Ghazi takes the camera from Fleury. He lines up the same
shots we saw posted on Leavitt's computer: clearly a match.
This is where they shot the video
AL-GHAZI
He was here...
Another long moment. Al-Ghazi looks at the table, discarded
trash: the Capri Sun containers, the candy wrappers.
RONALD FLEURY
Formed the plan up here: saw
everything he could hit.
(beat)
Way too pretty a' plan to have been
fully hatched on just one visit. He
came here a couple times.
Al-Ghazi quiet for a long while. Then he reciprocates:
COLONEL AL-GHAZI
The man who did this is a Saudi -
this place, this neighborhood... if
foreigners were up here, someone
would say something.
Fleury looks over to the two dozen LOCALS peering out with
suspicion at them on the rooftop.
FLEURY
I see.
COLONEL AL-GHAZI
Nobody's talking. Here, many people
love Hamza - they think of him like
Bin Laden. Like your Robin Hood.
Fleury smiles small at whatever just passed between them. Al-
Ghazi stays stoic, then looks straight at Fleury:
KINGDOM 8/18/06 82.
COLONEL AL-GHAZI (CONT'D)
A man who thinks of something like
this ...while maybe his family
played around him... scares me more
than I have words to express.
Shaytan...
RONALD FLEURY
(refocusing)
Two big answers in two small
minutes. Imagine if we had a couple
days together.
Al-Ghazi pauses.
RONALD FLEURY (CONT'D)
I'm sure the General is good
guy...and I'm just as sure he's no
Investigator.
Al-Ghazi stands still, silent. Fleury reaches into his
pocket. Reveals the detonator to Al-Ghazi. Al-Ghazi reaches
to take it. Fleury holds it for a BEAT...
RONALD FLEURY (CONT'D)
Let me help you.
He hands the detonator to Al-Ghazi. Al-Ghazi now pockets it.
A BEAT...
COLONEL AL-GHAZI
We break now: too hot to work
outdoors. Then we will leave for
the Palace.
RONALD FLEURY
And I imagine that will run until
sundown?
COLONEL AL-GHAZI
(beat)
I had televisions delivered to your
quarters to pass the downtime.
Fleury just nods back.
COLONEL AL-GHAZI (CONT'D)
Miss Mayes will not attend this
evening. Men only.
Fleury looks over to Janet. Hurt, yet extremely defiant, she
looks ready to attack anything that comes near her.
KINGDOM 8/18/06 83.
FLEURY
You want to tell her that?
83 EXT. CHEVY SUBURBAN, RIYADH SUBURBS - EARLY EVENING 83
Cobra gunships covering the convoy as it blurs past police
checkpoint after police checkpoint. Intersections shut down.
Bracketed front and back by Saudi Humvees.
84 INT. CHEVY SUBURBAN, RIYADH SUBURBS - NEXT MOMENT 84
Al-Ghazi in the passenger seat, hand on the stock of his Mp-
5: again searching for threats. Our team in back, freshly
scrubbed, collared-Polos as formal as anyone thought to pack.
Team frustration has evolved into angry acceptance.
The convoy zipping alongside a wall now: desert-orange in
color, twelve-feet high, blue ottoman tiles running the
length of the wall's horizontal center-line.
COLONEL AL-GHAZI
We're here.
The helicopters peel off at steep angles, the sound of the
rotors reverberating in your chest. Leavitt watching them go:
ADAM LEAVITT
Big wall.
COLONEL AL-GHAZI
It's a big palace.
85 INT. PRINCE BIN KHALED'S PALACE - DAY 85
Majlis - a Saudi political ceremony in which Saudi citizens
and local politicians (most aristocratic and exclusive) are
permitted a brief audience with the Prince. A bizarre
receiving line of sorts.
Our team moves through a massive marble hallway towards the
ceremony.
ADAM LEAVITT
How many Princes are there?
COLONEL AL-GHAZI
Over 5000.
RONALD FLEURY
They all get palaces this big?
KINGDOM 8/18/06 84.
COLONEL AL-GHAZI
Some get bigger.
ADAM LEAVITT
Who pays for all this?
GRANT SYKES
General Motors, Ford, Chevrolet...
ADAM LEAVITT
Hey, man - I drive a Hybrid.
COLONEL AL-GHAZI
(a beat...)
The Prince will ask you about your
flight, the accommodations...lite
subjects. If he offers you the
chance to hold his Raptors, don't
flinch: it's a compliment.
ADAM LEAVITT
(to Grant: genuine worry)
What's a Raptor?
Damon Schmidt appears.
85A INT. PRINCE BIN KHALED'S PALACE - LATER 85A
The Prince sits on a sea of pillows. There are several small
flat screens playing business reports, CNN and Al-Jazeera.
Seen from behind the Prince: everyone but Leavitt standing
next to faces we've never seen. The table holds six gold
serving platters. Enough food to kill a famine, tended by a
frenzy of servants.
Sykes puts a hand over his cup to stop the constant tea re-
fill.
Leavitt stands to the Prince's left, thick leather glove on
his hand, a falcon perched on it. Leavitt holds it away from
the rest of his body like he's already made peace with losing
the arm. Servants hold three others close-by.
PRINCE BIN KHALED
His talons slice bone.
ADAM LEAVITT
Super.
KINGDOM 8/18/06 85.
PRINCE BIN KHALED
That's my most prolific Hunter. I'm
trying to teach his friends there
by example, but I fear it's
something you're born with or not.
Do you agree, Mr. Ronald? Innate or
not at all?
RONALD FLEURY
I do.
PRINCE BIN KHALED
(nodding: I could tell)
What have you seen so far of our
Kingdom? -- and know I can arrange
tours anywhere within our borders.
When I bull-rush our hosts you'll know it: In his quiet, calm-
amidst-the-bullets tone:
RONALD FLEURY
I've seen that the man who planned
the worst crime in your Kingdom's
history is without a doubt Saudi...
Pin-drop silence in response to Fleury murdering the Prince's
"lite subjects," his attempt to extend the gilded circle-jerk
by offering tours. Bin Khaled's face sinks to gray again
after the excited pink of talking about his Falcons. His hand
slowly moves back over his stomach: Napoleon's ulcers. As
Fleury speaks, people unconsciously put their tea-cups down,
look up at him with wide-eyes.
RONALD FLEURY (CONT'D)
..and that if you walk 300
kilometers from the compound, you
will find a rooftop where the
attacks were planned. I've seen
that the person in this room "born
with it" is right there...
(points at a gawking Al-
Ghazi)
Everything I just said came from
Colonel Al-Ghazi: his observations
of the scene while he was
protecting us. And I think you're
absolutely right Sir: that kind of
instinct can't be taught: not to
Falcons. Definitely not to SANG
Generals. Innate or not at all.
(beat)
You want the murder to stop as much
as I do. Let us help.
KINGDOM 8/18/06 86.
The Prince stares at Fleury, cataloguing everything Fleury
just said. Stands. In Arabic:
PRINCE BIN KHALED
Colonel Al-Ghazi, a word.
As the Prince walks out with Al-Ghazi, he signals another
corps of servants to serve another round of cups: coffee.
Dinner over. A servant takes the Falcon from Leavitt just as
he was starting to smile at it.
Fleury sips his coffee. Schmidt and Sykes approach.
GRANT SYKES
That was impressive.
RONALD FLEURY
Think it will work?
GRANT SYKES
Yeah. Maybe. I mean, you can only
play the "I'm going to the press
card" like three more times. So,
maybe.
RONALD FLEURY
They're paranoid and overly self-
protective.
DAMON SCHMIDT
They aren't protecting anyone.
There's no conspiracy. They're just
terrified. Finally. The Saudis have
finally seen the Monsters they
helped create, because those
Monsters have come home. And if
Saudis don't catch Saudi Monsters,
that's the end.
Fleury opens his mouth to interrupt.
DAMON SCHMIDT (CONT'D)
(right through Fleury's
attempt to speak)
And that end could come double-
quick if they let the US "Shaytan"
catch those Monsters for them.
(Fleury silent, gets it)
Because that's what the Saudi on
the street suspects: the only thing
keeping the Royal Family upright is
American evil.
KINGDOM 8/18/06 87.
GRANT SYKES
That's dead on accurate. Very
impressive. That's why they're
making it hard on us, and that's
why he wants to help `em turn the
screws.
RONALD FLEURY
They can have every shred of credit-
DAMON SCHMIDT
-you see the slums on the way in?
RONALD FLEURY
Yeah.
DAMON SCHMIDT
See that even though their homes
are falling down, they had
satellite dishes bolted on?
RONALD FLEURY
Yeah...
DAMON SCHMIDT
Everyone already knows you're here.
Credit? If the Saudis cracked this
Cell while these servants were
pouring coffee, Al-Jazeera still
leads the story with your Team.
RONALD FLEURY
Have you been to the crime-scene?
DAMON SCHMIDT
No-
RONALD FLEURY
-if you had, you'd see the evil
work of real Talent. The kind that
doesn't stop until it's forced.
DAMON SCHMIDT
And the path to Hell is paved with
good intentions.
RONALD FLEURY
You having fun?
DAMON SCHMIDT
(genuine smile)
Beats hell outta visa-stamping.
(smile vanishing)
(MORE)
KINGDOM 8/18/06 88.
DAMON SCHMIDT (CONT'D)
You're on an island. I hope you
know how to get off.
RONALD FLEURY
By catching Abu Hamza.
Raising his coffee, toasting Fleury's cup:
DAMON SCHMIDT
Then here's to you. Let's bet: when
this Colonel Al-Ghazi comes out,
he's in-charge of the investigation
-if so, you set me up on a date
with Janet Mayes.
86 INT. CHEVY SUBURBAN, RIYADH SUBURBS - NIGHT 86
100 m.p.h. Semi-grins from the Team: how the fuck did he do
that? Al-Ghazi on a cell, rattling orders in excited Arabic:
COLONEL AL-GHAZI
... every investigator on-scene by
midnight, 50 more portable lights,
three more pumps-
RONALD FLEURY
(to Leavitt)
Do me a favor and tell Janet that
she and Damon Schmidt got a date
when he gets back to the States.
Al-Ghazi points into darkness...
COLONEL AL-GHAZI
The rules still stand.
(beat)
But tomorrow will be a new day.
87 INT. UNKNOWN LOCATION - SAME MOMENT 87
TIGHT ON blasting caps, military detonators, nails, wing-
nuts, bolts, jacks, marbles... young hands feed lengths of
detonating wire through pre-drilled holes on a wooden cover.
The cover is attached to the box with nails and a rubber
mallet: no sparks. The wires are braided into one, clipped to
a lead on a servo-motor attached to the box-top.
A vehicle is being fitted with tire guards and heavy-duty
crash bumpers - all as a man quietly talks.
KINGDOM 8/18/06 89.
WIDEN to reveal the MAN, being VIDEOTAPED: foretelling of new
threats, face obscured by his head wrap. Several other MEN
watch and listen.
TIGHT ON the man's eyes. REVEAL PHOTOS on a nearby table: the
Al-Rahmah compound, Fleury with Al-Ghazi, Leavitt and Mayes,
Sykes and Haytham.
CUT TO:
88 EXT. AL-RAHMAH COMMUNITY CENTER - MORNING, SECOND DAY 88
Half-assed gardening party. Al-Ghazi worked through the
night, hasn't slept since we last saw him. Looks like it.
COLONEL AL-GHAZI
From now on, any evidence you find
you hand over.
Al-Ghazi smiles...
COLONEL AL-GHAZI (CONT'D)
I'm "all ears," Special Agent
Fleury.
RONALD FLEURY
We should start with the dead
shooters.
COLONEL AL-GHAZI
They had no identification on them.
Fingerprints and dental have come
up empty.
RONALD FLEURY
Can we photograph all three of
them? Couple hundred copies each...
COLONEL AL-GHAZI
No problem.
RONALD FLEURY
Good. If it's OK with you, I'd like
to suggest we split up as
follows...
Sykes and Leavitt can't help small smiles. Finally getting to
work.
KINGDOM 8/18/06 89A.
a89 EXT. BLAST SITE - MORNING a89
Sykes climbs down into the mud hole.
GRANT SYKES
(from the crater)
Fellas, what we want to do is get
this water out of here... see
what's really going on. Understand?
No reaction from Saudi police
GRANT SYKES (CONT'D)
C-VIN hunting--Data Plates--
Something drivable blew up. That's
pretty obvious. Feels like ANFO to
me, boys--Ammonium Nitrate Fuel
Oil. Let's dry this hole and see
if we can't figure what she was.
Gotta pump?
KINGDOM 8/18/06 90.
89 EXT. BLAST SITE - LATER 89
Grant at the Crater. Three brand-new industrial-sized pumps
draining it. 30 Police INVESTIGATORS watch Sykes.
GRANT SYKES
(to the Saudis)
Got to get a little dirty, people.
Crawl up in it. Make deep contact.
You get that?
Dead, confused stares from the Saudis into the mud hole...
Sykes happy as a pig in shit.
GRANT SYKES (CONT'D)
Get nasty, dirty, filthy.
He smiles, watches another Officer write Saudi translations
on the stainless-steel paint cans into which you load
evidence: shrapnel, soil, DNA, shells, etc.
90 EXT. DEATH SQUAD SCENE, AL-RAHMAH - SAME MOMENT 90
A JUNIOR OFFICER double-times it to Al-Ghazi with a stack of
photos: Rough head-shots of the three dead SHOOTERS. Fleury
takes some, hands the rest back to Al-Ghazi.
RONALD FLEURY
Have him pass these out to the
compound security. See if anybody
knows them.
Fleury, Leavitt, and Al-Ghazi walk past the Land Cruiser
Haytham took out. 15 Police INVESTIGATORS on-scene: Leavitt
stops, drops his bag. Al-Ghazi introduces him to the Officer
in-charge.
Leavitt opens his evidence kit. A couple of Police can't help
but sneak a peek, checking out what the American's got
inside.
91 INT. RIPON HOME - LATER 91
Fleury stands with Al-Ghazi back in the Ripon home.
RONALD FLEURY
Would you mind doing one more thing
for me?
KINGDOM 8/18/06 91.
EARL
No, Sir.
Fleury pulls out the photographs.
RONALD FLEURY
Could you tell me if you recognize
any of these men?
Fleury puts the three photographs down on the dining room
table: not pretty pictures. Earl and Janine study the photos.
JANINE
...Horrible.
A few moments, then:
EARL
I don't know any of them.
Fleury thinks a minute. Looks outside.
FLEURY
I'm just wondering. That chair out
side. Looks like it gets a lot of
wear. Looks comfortable.
EARL
That my mom's chair.
FLEURY
See, that's exactly what I was
thinking. I'm guessing she spends a
lot of time sitting outside?
EARL
All day.
FLEURY
She must pretty much see it all.
Right?
EARL
She does.
FLEURY
Where is she?
EARL
She's sleeping.
Pause: Fleury slow nods, then...
KINGDOM 8/18/06 92.
FLEURY
Let's wake her up.
TIME CUT:
Maddy up at the dinning room table, looking down at the
photos.
MADDY
I've seen him.
RONALD FLEURY
Where?
Maddy thinking...
MADDY
Like, a week ago. Twice I've seen
him. Watering...With the garden
crews. I remember he was wearing a
Liza Minnelli T-shirt. I thought
that was funny.
RONALD FLEURY
What about the others?
MADDY
(closer examination)
No. Just him. I remember the T-
shirt. I remember thinking it was
odd...?
RONALD FLEURY
What, the Liza Minelli shirt?
MADDY
No. I do think Liza Minelli's gone
odd, but that wasn't it.
RONALD FLEURY
What was odd?
MADDY
He was a Saudi. The gardener.
RONALD FLEURY
Yeah.
MADDY
Saudis, like Americans, don't do
manual labor. Blowing leaves is
beneath them.
KINGDOM 8/18/06 93.
Fleury looks to Al-Ghazi for confirmation. Al-Ghazi nods.
RONALD FLEURY
(to Maddy)
Thank you.
Fleury and Al-Ghazi start to leave.
EARL
Who is he?
Fleury looks back to Earl.
RONALD FLEURY
That's one of the many things we're
trying to find out...
92 EXT. RIPON FAMILY HOME - NEXT MOMENT 92
Al-Ghazi gives the photo of the IDENTIFIED SHOOTER to an AIDE
waiting outside.
AL-GHAZI
Find out if he worked with the
gardeners.
The aide takes the photo, starts walking away.
AL-GHAZI (CONT'D)
RUN!
Freaked, the aide about jumps out of his skin...starts
running.
92A EXT. BLAST SIGHT - DAY 92A
Sykes has a SAUDI WORK CREW digging in the hole, pulling out
pieces of charred metal. He is slowly laying out the pieces
and studying them like a puzzle, trying to figure out what
the hell blew up.
93 EXT. MOBILE FIELD MORGUE - SAME MOMENT 93
Janet and Haytham approach a 2000 square-foot M.A.S.H. Tent
attached to refrigeration units.
KINGDOM 8/18/06 94.
FROM VARIOUS ANGLES:
SANG OFFICERS look down at the Americans, dead eyed, watching
them work.
94 INT. MOBILE FIELD MORGUE - NEXT MOMENT 94
The Muslim dead wrapped in white linen according to the
Sunna. Western bodies lie separated from Arabs. A Saudi
TECHNICIAN blankly hands Janet and Haytham lab coats to cut
the cold. Three Police OFFICERS in the tent with them:
Watching Janet.
Haytham is looking uncomfortable as if he is embarrassed to
be seen with the American woman.
95 EXT. JACKSON HOME - LATER 95
Fleury knocks at Aaron Jackson's door. A pause, the peep hole
darkens. A longer pause, then the door opens. Aaron Jackson
doesn't look any better. Same shirt.
Packed boxes. Suit cases. Jackson is clearly getting out of
Dodge.
RONALD FLEURY
(beat)
How are your Sons?
Jackson's eyes shrink-wrapped in tears. After a long silence
with no answer, Fleury hands him a sheet of paper:
RONALD FLEURY (CONT'D)
That's the name of a clinical
psychologist. Works with Embassy
kids...apparently very good at
explaining violence-
AARON JACKSON
-what do you know about what my
kids need? What they saw? What the
rest of their lives might be like?
RONALD FLEURY
(beat)
I thought maybe your Boys...without
their Mom anymore...might ask you
why sometime...
KINGDOM 8/18/06 95.
Aaron Jackson begins shaking his head yes. Tears flow free:
sorrow and gratitude. He hangs on to Fleury's hand for a very
long time. Silent apologies.
RONALD FLEURY (CONT'D)
I will find the man responsible for
the death of your wife. We're
close.
AARON JACKSON
(beat)
Tomorrow it'll be somebody else's
wife.
Fleury quiet.
RONALD FLEURY
Then tomorrow I'll come back.
Fleury turns his head: Al-Ghazi approaches on the next lawn
down with three JUNIOR OFFICERS. Fleury nods goodbye to
Jackson.
Fleury approaches Al-Ghazi, holds up the Shooter's photo.
COLONEL AL-GHAZI
The gardener. We know who he is.
He's on several watch lists.
Fleury - a slight nod of satisfaction.
RONALD FLEURY
We know where he lives?
COLONEL AL-GHAZI
We will very soon.
RONALD FLEURY
You don't seem very excited.
COLONEL AL-GHAZI
These are always the easy ones to
catch. Rarely does it lead to the
planners.
(beat)
I want to take you somewhere.
RONALD FLEURY
Where?
COLONEL AL-GHAZI
To someone who may be able to help
us catch Hamza.
KINGDOM 8/18/06 96.
96 EXT. BLAST SITE - DAY 96
Ten Police Investigators in the crater with Grant. Outside
the crater: pieces of vehicles laid out outside: 1/2 of a
door, 1/4 of a front axle, bits of engine. Five feet away
from that: stacks of bagged evidence, two dozen evidence
containers.
Sykes clambers out of the hole, streaks of re-animated mud
where sweat streams out of his hairline, mad-dashing for his
chin. A chunk of metal in one hand, something small in the
other: a marble. He drops it in the appropriate cannister
then steps to a chunk of metal: one half of an alternator.
Sykes stares down at the pieces of completely mangled metal.
He studies a piece of twisted, half-melted iron. Thinking...
He walks over to a second larger piece of twisted metal.
Starts trying to fit the two pieces...like a puzzle.
97 INT. MOBILE FIELD MORGUE, PRESENT DAY - NOON 97
The dead, oblong faces of the dog-walkers. Janet uses forceps
to pull a wing-nut from one of the dog-walkers. Places it on
a sanitary table littered with shrapnel: tiny bits of colored
glass, ball-bearings, parts of razor blades, spent slugs, and
scraps of unidentified metal.
98 EXT. BLAST SITE - CRATER 98
Sykes still works the two large pieces of trashed iron. Until
something clicks. The fit. Sykes looks down at the connected
metal.
SYKES
It's a gurney.
Sykes looks down at the mud colored DIGGERS.
SYKES (CONT'D)
Who's missing an ambulance?
Just stares from the Saudis.
SYKES (CONT'D)
Could somebody please go get
Sergeant Haytham?
Confused stares from the Saudis.
KINGDOM 8/18/06 97.
SYKES (CONT'D)
(loud)
Sergeant Haytham!
Inside the crater: water-level down to the ankles. Three
Saudis dig around what looks to be one of the dualie-style
back tires. Re-positioning to get a better grip, Sykes
notices the top of what looks to be a sizeable, ragged hole,
still mostly submerged. Pointing:
GRANT SYKES
Here.
Sykes slogs over. He drops to his knees, reaches his hand in,
all the way to his shoulder, the side of his face to the
water: void. Out of the crater, Sykes points to a Bobcat
earth-mover, in Arabic:
GRANT SYKES (CONT'D)
Who has the keys?
99 INT. / EXT. MOBILE FIELD MORGUE - SAME 99
Janet stands with the Saudi Pathologist. She prepares to take
a fingerprint from a body. As the moves in to touch the Arab
hand, one of the GUARDS unloads in her direction - a full
guttural Arabic assault. No idea what he's saying, but it's
obvious he's furious. Haytham starts firing back. This is an
un-translated argument. We sense that the guard is doing more
than expressing his displeasure regarding Janet. This seems
to be personal. Janet's getting very nervous. A frightening
display. Then, Haytham turns:
HAYTHAM
You cannot touch any Muslims.
Janet takes a breath as the Police hard-eye her.
JANET
No problem. Can I still touch
Americans?
HAYTHAM
Of course.
Janet moves back to the American dead, as the Saudi Tech
continues with the Muslims. She pulls another shard of
COLORED GLASS from a wound.
100 INT./ EXT. SUBURBAN - DOWNTOWN RIYADH 100
KINGDOM 8/18/06 98.
SERIES OF SHOTS:
A two car convoy drives deep into the city.
The Convoy is forced to stop across the street from a gas
station as a construction crane backs into a drive way.
Al-Ghazi and Fleury stare across the street as a large gas
truck fills up the heavy tanks of a Saudi gas station.
FLEURY
What's gas running a gallon out
here, Al-Ghazi? Penny gallon?
Al-Ghazi smiles.
COLONEL AL-GHAZI
It was an American. An engineer
named Karl Twitchell. Hired by
Saudi Arabia to find water. He
didn't find so much as a dried
oasis, but he found this. Enough
oil to turn the earth.
Fleury stares out as the oil spills out overflowing from the
station tank.
COLONEL AL-GHAZI (CONT'D)
They say my country sits on over 1
trillion more barrels of
recoverable oil.
RONALD FLEURY
A trillion reasons for our Leaders
to hold hands another one hundred
years.
COLONEL AL-GHAZI
A trillion reasons to keep
fighting. For both sides of this
War.
(beat)
I think our oil has begun
destroying more than it creates.
RONALD FLEURY
Agreed.
KINGDOM 8/18/06 99.
COLONEL AL-GHAZI
I'm 46 years-old.
(beat, tired)
I have three daughters. And I find
myself in a place where I no longer
care about `why' we are attacked. I
only care that 100 people woke up a
few mornings ago had no idea it was
their last. When we catch the Man
who murdered these people, I don't
care to ask even one question...I
just want to kill him...stop him.
(beat, a bit embarrassed)
Do you understand?
RONALD FLEURY
Yes, I do.
A long moment. Just road noise. We see two men, as different
from each other as they could be, yet made from the same
things.
RONALD FLEURY (CONT'D)
Is your first name `Colonel?'
COLONEL AL-GHAZI
(a small smile)
Faris.
100A INT. MOBILE FIELD MORGUE - CONTINUOUS 100A
A glazed Haytham works with a Pathologist on the Muslim
bodies. Their own collection of foreign objects. Janet pulls
free 1/2 of a marble from a burrowed hole: explains the
shards of colored glass. Cleans it in saline, holds it up to
the light. We stare at it with her.
Janet begins piecing together glass shards - reconstructing a
MARBLE.
101 EXT. DEATH SQUAD SCENE - DAY 101
Police Investigators eat lunch under a tent 50 yards away
with Leavitt.
Then a red laser-sight moves across him: Three MEMBERS of his
Police security-detail: smirking, pretending to fidget with
an AR-15's aperture.
Leavitt stares. Subtle defiance. Nobody blinks. Silent
moments pass.
KINGDOM 8/18/06 100.
The smallest of the detail reaches over, pulls the cocking
device of the rifle: round in the chamber, so stop looking at
us.
102 INT. BOMB SITE - CRATER 102
Sykes, covered in mud, digging, searching for any signs of
identification amongst the charred, mangled metal.
103 EXT. INTERNET CAFE - LATER 103
The small convoy pulls up next to a run down, late seventies
chunk of architecture which looks like a combination bombed
dentist office/ accounting firm. Weird. Two TEENAGERS in Tu-
pac T-shirts smoke in front.
Fleury, Al-Ghazi and a couple of Police head for the blacked
out front door.
104 INT. INTERNET CAFE - CONTINUOUS 104
Moving up two flights of stairs. Dark, rundown shredded
carpet. Old hip hop - cheap bass, thin speakers. Smoke.
Everything grows in intensity as they move up the stairs. Two
more TEENAGERS skulk past.
FLEURY
(half joking to Al-Ghazi)
Feel like I'm back home in Detroit.
Al-Ghazi keeps moving up and into what is definitely on
Fleury's top ten list of the most bizarre places he's ever
been.
FLEURY'S POV:
Two rooms: First is some kind of snack/smoke/TV lounge.
FILIPINOS serve drinks. Packs of young Saudi MEN drink Cokes,
tea, coffee, and smoke.
Odd Saudi talk shows mix with hip hop.
Behind, another room: bigger, overflowing with stacks of mis-
matched computers. Dozens of them. Dozens of Saudi TEENAGERS
plugged in. Head-phoned and mic'd. All chain smoking, all
fully plugged in to CALL OF DUTY (an American war game) on
line. These kids play with rabid intensity, smoking and
screaming and killing.
KINGDOM 8/18/06 101.
Al-Ghazi moves through the crowd. A small middle aged SAUDI
spots Al-Ghazi. They exchange words. Al-Ghazi waves Fleury to
follow.
Fleury does and follows Al-Ghazi through the computer room,
into a back office.
105 INT. INTERNET CAFE - BACK OFFICE - CONTINUOUS 105
A middle aged Saudi: TALAL. He sits behind a cluttered desk.
Art books and computers everywhere. He gets up and embraces
Al-Ghazi.
Al-Ghazi then turns to face Fleury.
COLONEL AL-GHAZI
At one time, Talal was Arafat's
senior bomb-maker and planner in
the occupied territories. He joined
Bin-Laden when Al Qaeda brought the
fight to the Royal Family.
RONALD FLEURY
(beat)
OK. Shouldn't we arrest him or
shoot him or something?
Small smile from Al-Ghazi.
COLONEL AL-GHAZI
He turned himself in last year
during an amnesty. He's now part of
a new government effort to balance
the experience of Saudi Youth.
RONALD FLEURY
This place is community service?
COLONEL AL-GHAZI
If America figures out a way of
keeping their kids off the
computers please let us know.
RONALD FLEURY
Why did he turn himself in?
Before Al-Ghazi can answer, Talal begins talking to him in
Arabic. Al-Ghazi translates:
COLONEL AL-GHAZI
`You only come after I see there
were bombs.
(MORE)
KINGDOM 8/18/06 102.
COLONEL AL-GHAZI (CONT'D)
Did you know Bin Laden put 5
million-dollars on my head? Why
shouldn't it be 10?'
Subdued laughter. Then Talal becomes quiet, grave. Al-Ghazi
continues the translation:
COLONEL AL-GHAZI (CONT'D)
The Man who made War on Al-Rahmah
is someone my age -- this kind of
skill is learned over decades.
Talal looks at Fleury now, speaking directly to him through
Al-Ghazi:
COLONEL AL-GHAZI (O.C.) (CONT'D)
A Man who can plan the mass-murder
of women and children, then go home
at night to his own and sleep
soundly...? That kind of Man is
supremely difficult to catch.
RONALD FLEURY
(through Al-Ghazi)
How does he know he slept soundly?
Colonel Al-Ghazi hesitates, then relays Fleury's question.
Talal stares: eyes touched by war-blood-atrocities committed.
Someone who believes he's going to Hell.
COLONEL AL-GHAZI (O.C.)
(translating)
Because he hasn't stopped. You stop
when their faces don't let you
close your eyes...
RONALD FLEURY
(through Al-Ghazi)
Is that why you quit?
COLONEL AL-GHAZI (O.C.)
(translating)
17 days without sleep will make you
quit anything.
Two TEENAGERS stick their heads into the office. They're mad
about the sharing of a computer. Talal puts a fast stop to
it. It's obvious he's good with these young boys. He smiles
as he speaks to Al-Ghazi.
Al-Ghazi translates to Fleury.
KINGDOM 8/18/06 103.
COLONEL AL-GHAZI (CONT'D)
He says he makes my job easier.
Here, at least they only fight and
kill on computers.
Al-Ghazi shows Talal the detonator. The old man studies it.
Al-Ghazi and Talal speak in Arabic about the detonator.
Al-Ghazi looks to Fleury, translates.
COLONEL AL-GHAZI (CONT'D)
He says that there are several ways
to get American military equipment
like this detonator but not many
men in Saudi Arabia that know how
to get them.
FLEURY
How do they get them?
COLONEL AL-GHAZI
Usually smuggled from Iraq by
corrupt soldiers working with the
Americans.
FLEURY
Could Hamza get this equipment?
Al-Ghazi asks Talal.
COLONEL AL-GHAZI
Without question. Yes, he could.
RONALD FLEURY
(through Al-Ghazi)
How do we find him?
He thinks for a moment, then speaks. The boys chuckle as Al-
Ghazi continues translating:
COLONEL AL-GHAZI
Prayer. Luck. Handshakes.
Fleury looks at Al-Ghazi, doesn't quite get it...
RONALD FLEURY
(to Al-Ghazi)
Well, I think I get the `prayer'
and `luck' parts...
Talal slowly stands, Al-Ghazi helping him up, moves to
Fleury. Reaches his hand out to him, quietly:
KINGDOM 8/18/06 104.
COLONEL AL-GHAZI (O.C.)
(translating)
His hands will feel like this.
Fleury shakes Talal's hand, turns it over: index finger gone.
COLONEL AL-GHAZI (O.C.) (CONT'D)
(translating)
Every Amir at some point gets
bitten by his work.
106 EXT. BLAST SITE - DAY 106
The Bobcat digs into the crater, over the unknown hole.
Already a large pile of dirt. Another sizeable scoop down
about two feet: nothing. Haytham now stands over the crater
watching Sykes. Leavitt has joined him.
GRANT SYKES
Whatever this is, it blasted-off
like NASA.
Haytham yells to the Machine Operator in Arabic:
SERGEANT HAYTHAM
Driven in at an angle... go
deeper...
Another gouge of earth: 4 feet. Nothing. Grant sits back.
GRANT SYKES
`High-order explosion' doesn't do
it justice: what's left a' this
looks like it was put through a
wood-chipper.
Leavitt rubs his eyes: adrenaline long gone. Looks at his
watch: time passing fast. Sykes drops to his stomach, reaches
in with the TRENCHING TOOL to see how much farther the hole
goes: a metallic `clink.
An oxygen tank. The kind used in ambulances. Nozzle assembly
gone, burst in the explosion with a force that drove it
several feet into solid ground. Haytham takes a razor blade,
scratches off samples of the soil and carbon for explosive
residue into a fresh cannister. Then takes a wet rag, begins
cleaning the tank to reveal Arabic script...
SERGEANT HAYTHAM
(to Sykes)
Hospital Identification...
Ambulance identification.
KINGDOM 8/18/06 105.
GRANT SYKES
Do you know this hospital?
SERGEANT HAYTHAM
Yes.
GRANT SYKES
Call it in.
107 INT. AL-RAHMAH COMMUNITY CENTER 107
Now a mini command post. Al-Ghazi works phones with Fleury
and Mayes by his side. Sykes and Leavitt muddy, sitting on
their cots. Leavitt tags evidence from the shootout.
Al-Ghazi hangs up, looks to Fleury.
COLONEL AL-GHAZI
The ambulance was reported stolen
from King Fahd Hospital last
Wednesday, three days before the
bombing.
RONALD FLEURY
OK.
COLONEL AL-GHAZI
There's more: I told you it
wouldn't be hard to find the
soldiers.
RONALD FLEURY
(focused; to Al-Ghazi)
What you got?
COLONEL AL-GHAZI
The stolen ambulance had a twenty
man crew that rotated shifts on it.
We checked all twenty men. One of
them, Muaath Hazmi is now of
interest to us.
RONALD FLEURY
Why?
Al-Ghazi reaches for the photo of the dead shooter/attacker.
COLONEL AL-GHAZI
Because this gentleman is Fathi
Hazmi, Muaath's brother.
KINGDOM 8/18/06 106.
RONALD FLEURY
Where's Muaath?
COLONEL AL-GHAZI
I'm going to show you.
108 EXT. SUBURBAN RIYADH STREET - AFTERNOON 108
A five block radius has been sealed off by Police Vehicles.
Fleury and his team are at the outer perimeter, crouched
behind barricades at the entrance of a cul-de-sac. They're
not allowed anywhere near the line of fire.
They sport bullet-proof vests and helmets: look like
reporters in a war-zone. Police turn away cars, neighbors.
Snipers stand posted on near-by rooftops. Helicopters audible
overhead. Street deserted.
GRANT SYKES
We never get to do anything fun.
JANET MAYES
Sykes, I'm guessing you don't even
remember how to load your gun.
GRANT SYKES
That's not funny.
ADAM LEAVITT
She's not trying to be funny.
GRANT SYKES
I'm a very good shot.
JANET MAYES
I'm sure.
Haytham hands Al-Ghazi a walkie-talkie, in Arabic:
COLONEL AL-GHAZI
Neighbors clear?
VOICE (O.S.)
Yes.
COLONEL AL-GHAZI
Activity or communication?
VOICE (O.S.)
Snipers have seen nothing. No
telephone line into the house.
KINGDOM 8/18/06 107.
COLONEL AL-GHAZI
(beat)
Allahuakbar. Go.
Two black Suburbans roll around the corner: out-fitted with
running boards and hand rails upon which a 12-man SWAT team
rides: 3 on each rail, 2 vehicles. SWAT team: military
fatigues, black hoods, Mp-5 close-quarter sub-machine guns.
Flying down the cul-de-sac: Half-way down the street, one of
the Snipers open fire: BOOM-BOOM-BOOM. That moment an RPG
fires wide of the lead Suburban. Over Al-Ghazi's walkie-
talkie, in Arabic:
VOICE (O.S.)
ONE DOWN! RPG!
The two SWAT-Teamers at the front of the running boards open
up with their MP-5s one-handed: the front of the house puffs,
bursts, disintegrates. Suburbans rip to a stop. SWAT off,
move fast. Three toss flash grenades into and around the
house. Massive flash-bangs. Six through the front door. Six
sprinting around back. Loud AK-47 bursts from inside
now...screams. Then an RPG fired inside: the rushing sound
and yellow-white flash past two windows. A section of the far
left wall of the house detonates from the inside out.
More mechanical, silenced thwacks from the SWAT Mp-5s.
Silence. Then voices from Al-Ghazi's walkie-talkie.
Ambulances round the corner, fly toward the house:
VOICE (O.S.) (CONT'D)
CLEAR.
109 INT. TARGETED HOUSE - MOMENTS LATER 109
The team enters, wide-eyed. Four men in civilian garb, all
dead: multiple bullet wounds. An Officer with four 8 X 10 mug-
shots, matching them to the dead faces, dropping mug-shots on
respective chests. Once he's finished, a police photographer
takes new pictures of each. At the far side of the House:
engineers use 2x4s to support the wall hit with the RPG. All
of it has the feel of standard Saudi operation procedure.
Al-Ghazi appears from the back of the house. Bends over each
of the four dead men: lifting each of their hands, examining
the backs of the hands quickly.
GRANT SYKES
Prints are on the other side...
KINGDOM 8/18/06 108.
COLONEL AL-GHAZI
I'm not looking for prints. I'm
looking for fingers.
Stands after the last: a look of controlled frustration that
Fleury files. Then Al-Ghazi motions to Sykes and Fleury.
110 INT. REAR OF THE HOUSE - NEXT MOMENT 110
Back to the rear of the house: stacks of plastic explosives,
buckets of shrapnel, two Paramedics working feverishly on a
SWAT Officer hit multiple times. Fleury goes about his
business like a man isn't dying six feet away.
Sykes is a kid in a candy store: rummaging through
explosives, blasting caps, shrapnel.
RONALD FLEURY
JANET...
Janet makes her way back. Immediately moves to the wounded
SWAT Officer.
RONALD FLEURY (CONT'D)
He's gone... This shrapnel look
like the stuff you pulled at the
morgue?
JANET MAYES
(distracted)
Yeah... I pulled so much it's hard
to remember it all.
RONALD FLEURY
Bolts?
JANET MAYES
Yes.
RONALD FLEURY
Wing nuts?
JANET MAYES
Yeah.
RONALD FLEURY
Razor blades?
JANET MAYES
Sure.
KINGDOM 8/18/06 109.
Al-Ghazi begins tossing the room, motions to Fleury: help.
Fleury moves to him.
RONALD FLEURY
(calling back)
ADAM...
GRANT SYKES
C-4...
Al-Ghazi dumps desk drawers: pictures of government-looking
buildings, walled-compounds. Lays them out in rows, studying
each. Leavitt appears, focuses on the C-4 immediately.
COLONEL AL-GHAZI (O.C.)
-the front gates of every other
western housing compound in Riyadh.
Everybody looks at the Colonel, pointing at the pictures:
COLONEL AL-GHAZI (CONT'D)
And Embassies: Italy, Japan, Korea,
Norway, England...
ADAM LEAVITT
(beat)
The Coalition...
Leavitt steps, scans the pictures, picks up two in
particular: buildings with scaffolding and heavy equipment.
ADAM LEAVITT (CONT'D)
These are all countries with Troops
in Iraq -- Japanese and Italian
embassies are under construction?
COLONEL AL-GHAZI
The entire Diplomatic Quarter is
being retro-fitted to sustain
bigger bomb blasts.
Janet pops her head in:
JANET MAYES
-the Prince's Convoy just showed.
Al-Ghazi's face: fear.
RONALD FLEURY
This is bullshit. You know it.
Meaningless. There's no leader
here. These are kids. That's it.
KINGDOM 8/18/06 110.
Al-Ghazi says nothing.
JANET MAYES
We're out of here.
RONALD FLEURY
Yes, that's it. Smile for the
cameras, body-bag some children.
Wrap it up, but us -- out. I get
it.
COLONEL AL-GHAZI
I'm sorry.
111 EXT. FRONT OF TARGETED HOME - MOMENTS LATER 111
Prince Bin Khaled touring the scene: reporters,
photographers, his personal top-line security detail: the
business suits and boots, the special ops M-4s. All on edge
to be in a Saudi neighborhood. Rahman, looking like he needs
sleep and vitamins. Lecturing in Arabic:
PRINCE BIN KHALED
Only in death will our enemies
realize Allah never permits
defiance of his almighty will.
Damon Schmidt trailing behind the Prince's detail. The Prince
locks Al-Ghazi with a mad-dog stare in-between lesson points.
One of the Prince's inner-circle heads straight for Al-Ghazi,
in Arabic:
INNER-CIRCLE
Take the Americans inside now and
keep them out of sight. You will be
spoken to about their presence
here.
112 INT. TARGETED HOUSE - NEXT MOMENT 112
The Team sitting on the floor, below the window sills, away
from the holes and doors. Al-Ghazi standing, looking out the
window at the spectacle. Damon Schmidt steps in: sees dead
bodies and goes ghost, almost collapses. Leavitt pops up,
helps him sit.
RONALD FLEURY
You need water?
A quick `no' nod: like the second before you lose lunch.
KINGDOM 8/18/06 111.
ADAM LEAVITT
You really ought not look at this.
DAMON SCHMIDT
(pointing at the dead)
That fella got shot right through
his God damn nipple...
JANET MAYES
Don't stare too long. It'll start
living in your dreams.
Janet's voice causes Schmidt to immediately force composure.
DAMON SCHMIDT
No -- I know.
RONALD FLEURY
You do?
(beat)
How did you know we were here?
DAMON SCHMIDT
The Prince has Men at Al-Rahmah.
COLONEL AL-GHAZI
What Men?
DAMON SCHMIDT
Ask him.
(beat)
3 vehicles will stay behind when
the Prince and Press leave. You'll
convoy straight to BA flights into
Dulles -- last minute fares come
out of your budget, by-the-by.
Tried to swing upgrades, but check
at the counter.
Pissed, reproachful head-shakes.
DAMON SCHMIDT (CONT'D)
(beat; color returning)
Turn those frowns upside down,
people. This will be pitched as a
stunning Saudi-only counter-punch
that killed those responsible for
Al-Rahmah. Al-Jazeera will play up
an FBI presence, we'll play up
their ties to Terror as checkmate.
And everyone that was so
righteously pissed back home is
gonna eat crow.
(MORE)
KINGDOM 8/18/06 112.
DAMON SCHMIDT (CONT'D)
Already a rumor that the guy who
wrote our State Department memo-
RONALD FLEURY
-Ellis Leach?
DAMON SCHMIDT
You know him? He's gonna be put out
to pasture: made an example of by
the President to ensure all levels
of government get tough on Terror.
(right at Fleury)
You won the hand on the River card.
RONALD FLEURY
We didn't win shit, Schmidt. These
are teenagers... children with
pictures that someone far senior
has provided them.
DAMON SCHMIDT
-kidding me? You mean those are
Terrorist targets? Holy Wow.
Momma, don't let your children grow
up to be cowboys.
(beat)
Just get ready to go home and revel
in the fact that for the next few
weeks your shit won't stink.
The phone rings that instant. Leavitt hands it up to Fleury.
Schmidt holds his hand up to Janet: high-five -- she gives it
up slowly, warily, semi-charmed:
DAMON SCHMIDT (CONT'D)
(to Janet)
Double or nothing that's a
congratulatory call.
RONALD FLEURY
Hello?
(beat)
Yes, Sir. We're all here and
healthy. I'm sitting next to their
corpses but this may not be over.
These don't feel like anything
resembling senior leadership-
(beat)
-thank you Sir. I do.
(MORE)
KINGDOM 8/18/06 113.
RONALD FLEURY (CONT'D)
Please do me one favor before we
board: warn every `Coalition-of-the-
Willing' or whatever the hell we're
calling our Iraq allies now, that
pictures of their Riyadh embassies
were found in this Cell's safe-
house.
113 INT. SUBURBAN - LATER 113
Flying down a highway. Haytham driving. Sykes up front. The
rest of the team crammed in back: Fleury next to Al-Ghazi;
Mayes and Leavitt on the back bench. Everyone spent. Grant
stares up at a distant jet climbing-out. The police radio
belching calm codes and calls every few seconds.
RONALD FLEURY
(to Al-Gahzi)
What do you think?
Al-Ghazi looks up at Fleury, slowly shakes his head.
AL-GHAZI
Amateurs. It's a small win.
RONALD FLEURY
Yeah.
A beat.
RONALD FLEURY (CONT'D)
I'm thinking about New York -
February 26, 1993. The first time
they tried to hit the Trade Towers.
GRANT SYKES
I'm thinking about going straight
to Dan's, gonna order six PBRs-
JANET MAYES
-Pabst?
ADAM LEAVITT
Keep it real. You ever drink PBR,
Haytham?
HAYTHAM
No.
GRANT SYKES
Any beer?
KINGDOM 8/18/06 114.
HAYTHAM
(small smile)
No.
GRANT SYKES
Now...that's just unreasonable.
Good Police work and problem
drinking are like a chicken and egg
thing: which enables the other?
In the back, Al-Ghazi can't help a small smile either.
Fleury's not into it. All business, pissed, clearly does not
want Pabst.
RONALD FLEURY
(to Al-Ghazi)
Remember how we caught that cell?
AL-GHAZI
Yes. Car bomb. He went back to pick
up his deposit on the rental car.
RONALD FLEURY
Four hundred dollars. For four
hundred dollars, he was caught.
Stupidity. Catching the cell was
easy. Just like this. The cell came
back.
Fleury looks at Al-Ghazi. He knows the win is small. Also
knows that's all she wrote, for now.
RONALD FLEURY (CONT'D)
I'll be back.
COLONEL AL-GHAZI
Yes, you will.
The POLICE BAND suddenly squelches loud with excited Arabic.
Everyone perks, leans up to listen to the urgency.
COLONEL AL-GHAZI (CONT'D)
(translating radio
chatter)
Religious demonstration in
progress. Back near the City
Center.
A small collective smirk, sigh of relief. Fleury turns in his
seat.
KINGDOM 8/18/06 115.
GRANT SYKES
I'm serious. Beer will open up your
subconscious. Canned beer
especially. Give you instincts they
can't teach-
Fleury notices the Suburban bringing up the rear has dropped
back.
RONALD FLEURY
(looking back)
Is he responding to the call?
Dropped back...
COLONEL AL-GHAZI (O.C.)
(turning)
What?
Al-Ghazi and Fleury both looking back to the following
Suburban now. Dropped back, sunglasses and blank faces
staring back at them.
Fleury looks to the overpass above - he sees a YOUNG MAN on a
cell phone. As they pass, the kid runs to watch them from the
other side.
Al-Ghazi gets to the CB radio, in Arabic:
COLONEL AL-GHAZI (CONT'D)
Tighten up-
-the trailing Suburban doesn't `tighten up.' It falls further
back. Fleury instinctively turns, wide-eyed -- out the
window: a small brown truck swerves out of the opposing
lanes, flying across the desert median, aimed at the Convoy.
Without hesitation Fleury reaches over Haytham, rips the
steering-wheel right, nosing away from the approach...
114 114 THRU 116 OMITTED 114
117 EXT. SAUDI HIGHWAY - SAME MOMENT 117
Our Suburban on two wheels: The lead Suburban turns the same
direction a twitch too late. The small brown truck detonates.
The lead Suburban takes a massive fraction of the explosion
broadside, essentially shielding our vehicle. Flame spits
through the lead vehicle as it spins, flips onto its roof.
KINGDOM 8/18/06 116.
118 INT. OUR SUBURBAN - NEXT MOMENT 118
Off-road now, violent impacts on bare rims shedding rubber.
119 EXT. HIGHWAY ATTACK AFTERMATH - NEXT MOMENT 119
The lead Suburban: tortoise on its back, engulfed, still
sliding. Fleury's Suburban fish-tailing.
The Lead Suburban blows in-half now as the gas tank ruptures.
A football-sized shard of metal explodes through our
windshield-
120 INT. OUR SUBURBAN - SAME MOMENT 120
- and smashes straight out the back, taking the rear cargo
door with it.
The shock of it causes Haytham to lose control in earnest
now. The Suburban flips, barrel rolls. Violent pounding
inside the vehicle. Motion stops: upside down, just the roar
of the big Detroit V-8 red-lining, wheels spinning in air.
Everyone dazed, border-line unconscious. Fleury's bell rung
the worst, trying to function, get his bearings.
Fleury touches Leavitt's face, can barely see through the
gathering smoke that smells like oil.
RONALD FLEURY
You whole?
ADAM LEAVITT
Think so-
Leavitt unbuckles his seat belt and smashes head first into
the ceiling -- running FOOTFALLS approach, quick yell-yips in
Arabic: commands?
The Driver and three other Police Officers from the trailing
Suburban. Smoke fills the interior now: thank God these
Police Officers have ripped open a door: saviors. They grip
Leavitt by his hair because it's the only thing they can
grab.
Alarmed, Al-Ghazi begins to scramble for Leavitt.
COLONEL AL-GHAZI
This is not right!
KINGDOM 8/18/06 117.
Haytham gets a good look at the driver, recognizes him as the
officer who shamed him at the compound on day one. Haytham
moves to unbuckle.
Fleury's trying to claw towards Leavitt. Throwing upside down
punches at the air. Unbuckles himself now.
RONALD FLEURY
WHAT THE-
JANET MAYES
(panicked)
ADAM! WHAT -- WHAT ARE THEY DOING?
Alarm rising, everyone else unbuckles and smashes into the
ceiling as horizons go flip-flop confusion.
121 EXT. HIGHWAY ATTACK AFTERMATH - NEXT MOMENT 121
Leavitt's throwing punches as he's dragged with velocity to
the trail Suburban, idling. Pistol-whipped viciously,
repeatedly until they're able to kick him inside. Another
Officer from the trailing vehicle steps up with an AK-47,
pulls back the cocking mechanism, ready to spray the dazed
occupants of our Suburban-
-the Officer's ankles and shins detonate. POP-POP-POP-POP
from the driver's seat: Haytham. Screams from the would-be
shooter at double volume. Haytham keeps firing as the
Officer, hit multiple times, falls hard.
The trailing Suburban hesitates, slams into our Suburban just
as Fleury is getting out of the wreckage. Everybody else
still inside, knocked silly. The trailing Suburban backs up
quick. Fleury instinctively goes for his holster: empty for
days now.
RONALD FLEURY
GUN!
Trailing Suburban accelerates away now, as Janet struggles
out. Haytham's 9 MM in-hand racked open: empty. Fleury steps
away from the now black smoke pouring from the vehicle -- in
the passenger seat of the trail Suburban, he sees the Officer
that checked passports at Prince Sultan Air Base.
GRANT SYKES
-DOOR HELP-
Fleury rips Grant's door open. Trapped smoke billows, clears:
Grant's arm closest to the outside of the vehicle dangles at
an unnatural angle, bleeding badly.
KINGDOM 8/18/06 118.
GRANT SYKES (CONT'D)
Can't release-
Fleury begins sawing Grant's seat-belt with a jagged piece of
metal.
RONALD FLEURY
Hands up -- you're gonna fall-
Sykes still does, ugly. Fleury and Janet rip him free of the
Suburban.
Haytham's pulling shotguns, handguns, ammo from the flipped
vehicle. Haytham pointing ahead, to the fading roster-tail.
In Arabic:
SERGEANT HAYTHAM
They're going to disappear...
Desperate, Fleury looks in the direction of the fleeing
Suburban: the rooster-tail it leaves getting smaller. Al-
Ghazi nods, swings his head to thesnarled/wrecked highway
traffic. PEOPLE hesitantly step toward uniforms they trust on
instinct. Haytham dumps the pile of weapons at the Team's
feet, re-loads his 9MM. Janet ties a half-assed tourniquet
around Sykes' reminder of an arm.
Al-Ghazi steps toward the approaching crowd: they see his
state, his gun, and turn back: panic starts to infect the
larger mass, then the topper-
-AUTOMATIC GUNFIRE from somewhere. Glass-dirt-metal bursts
around us: this attack is still going.
Fleury looks up: just the roof of an old Mercedes on the
median, dirt kicked up behind them, running behind lines of
stopped-wrecked traffic now. The barrel of a rifle held high
out the window like a taunt. Accelerating for another opening
to finish the job.
Scared motorists devolve into terrified motorists. Many have
abandoned their vehicles to sprint into the desert, the rest
go smash-'em-up derby-folly: 50 panicked drivers aiming for
the same spots. Fleury snatches an M4A1 from the stack
dropped by Haytham, up to his shoulder, hustling toward the
next break in traffic. The Mercedes is approaching at 80 MPH.
RONALD FLEURY
(back to his crew)
GET DOWN!
KINGDOM 8/18/06 119.
Al-Ghazi starts screaming in Arabic, motioning frantically to
the CITIZENS who have turned back, running toward them, in
Arabic:
COLONEL AL-GHAZI
DOWN!
Fleury's view blocked by fleeing Saudis: just intermittent
flashes of the Mercedes braking hard, massive dust cloud
behind them, sliding toward the opening Fleury pre-sighted.
Intermittent wild shots fired from the SUV, vaguely in our
direction.
Fleury flips a switch on the left side of the rifle, just
forward of the handle: full-auto. Takes a deep, measured
Sniper's breath, eases the stock snug aimpoint up to his
right eye, and without hesitation lets loose the entire clip
perfectly: one heartbeat before the Mercedes hits the gap.
The right side of the Mercedes shreds just as it appears.
Fleury's clip gone in a flash, yet more rounds still hit the
Mercedes: Al-Ghazi four feet away, firing his own salvo from
a knee. Something bright red pops against the driver's side
window now, the Mercedes rip-slides to a stop. Commotion
inside. Wild, half-aimed shots back at us.
Then it starts up again. Al-Ghazi bolts toward the line of
stopped traffic. Searching for something big, empty, still
running. Fleury right on his heels.
COLONEL AL-GHAZI (CONT'D)
WE MOVE NOW OR WE LOSE HIM.
Early 90's Land Rover. Desert tough. Driver long-gone,
exhaust plumes pumping out. Al-Ghazi dives into the Driver's
seat, Fleury shotgun. Guns it to the rest of the Survivors,
an eye on the rooster-tail of the Mercedes he and Fleury just
shredded, heading the same direction as Leavitt's kidnappers.
Al-Ghazi jumps out, ushers Haytham into the Driver's seat. In
Arabic:
COLONEL AL-GHAZI (CONT'D)
You know Suweidi -- you know how to
go fast.
Fleury helps Sykes into the rear. Janet loads the weapons.
Jump in.
The Land Rover spits it's own tell-tale plume as it sprints
away down the median, dodging traffic, in desperate pursuit.
Startling silence comes sudden now as the fight moves
elsewhere. Receding engines. Petering screams/shouts.
KINGDOM 8/18/06 120.
Hold on the flipped, still burning/still smoking Suburbans.
Surreal in the sun/smoke/haze.
122 INT. TRAIL SUBURBAN - SAME MOMENT 122
Driving as fast-hard as possible. No regard for anyone/thing.
Passport Officer up front pulls a cell-phone. A THIRD AND
FOURTH in the back still beating and zip-cuffing Leavitt.
123 INT. LAND ROVER - NEXT MOMENT 123
Janet's sitting with Sykes in the rear, readying weapons and
ammo. She hands him twin Berettas - Sykes' double-fisting
despite his wound, looking forward to a fight.
SYKES
Nobody's gonna hurt Leavitt but me.
Driver's Seat P.O.V.: on the median, 95 MPH, dodging
abandoned and escaping cars. High-beams flashed on-off-on-
off, constant horn, gaining on the Mercedes' rooster-tail
ahead of them.
124 INT. TRAIL SUBURBAN - SAME MOMENT 124
Powering deep into the Suweidi neighborhood. Skid-stopping
and backing into an alley between broken down three story
buildings.
125 INT. LAND ROVER - SAME MOMENT 125
Haytham scanning as he drives: straining to see the plume
from the second attacking vehicle way ahead, blending with
other fleeing, scared motorists. We watch as the distant
plume cuts hard left, at a high rate of speed... then
DISAPPEARS.
126 INT. UNKNOWN ROOM - SAME MOMENT 126
Quiet. The 32 year-old son we met on the rooftop is on his
cell phone again, speed-assembling an ancient VHS camera atop
a tri-pod.
THE SON
(in Arabic, frantic)
DO NOT COME HERE!
Intercut with the Mercedes Driver yelling frantic into his
cell phone:
KINGDOM 8/18/06 121.
MERCEDES DRIVER
(Arabic)
He's been shot! BE READY.
Back in the room, A HUGE MAN dressed in paramilitary black,
face wrapped in his shumagh, so only the eyes are visible,
stands in front of a sheet hung from the ceiling, quietly
practicing/reading a speech for an imaginary audience. Lots
of gesticulating and head movement.
The handle of large knife sticks from his waste band.
Door BURSTS open, bottom hinge rips from the jamb. Leavitt is
slammed to the ground. Passport Officer shoves the practicing
Speaker out of the way- Turns to the wide-eyed 32 year-old.
PASSPORT OFFICER
NOW. HURRY.
Leavitt's face already swollen-black-bleeding, scanning the
room with terrified fury in his eyes. He sees the handle of
the knife sticking from the Huge Man's waistband. His tears
leak all at once.
The Officer takes the knife, turns to Leavitt: dirty 11-inch
blade...
127 INT. LAND ROVER - NEXT MOMENT 127
Haytham searching for the turn-off: where the rooster-tail
they were following cut left, died. At the last minute, he
sees tire marks headed down an embankment into a decrepit,
decaying apartment block neighborhood. Haytham cuts hard,
fish-tails. Sykes' head SMASHES into the rear-side window,
starring it.
They're being lead into Riyadh's most hostile neighborhood.
AL-GHAZI
We should not be here...
JANET'S POV: scanning for the trail Suburban and the Mercedes
- she can't help but notice the neighborhood. Halfway past an
intersection, Fleury yells:
RONALD FLEURY
BRAKES-REVERSE-TO THE RIGHT...
Haytham brakes, reverses: the Suburban.
KINGDOM 8/18/06 122.
128 INT. LAND CRUISER / EXT. SUWEIDI - NEXT MOMENT 128
Without hesitation Haytham pulls across the cramped street,
surrounded by the same decaying buildings. Ahead: CIVILIANS
huddled behind cars, poking heads out from behind shacks.
A second passes: these people know where the attackers went.
Al-Ghazi locks eyes with a little boy... he quickly-quietly
just shakes his head no. In the back, Sykes has fallen on his
back. He looks up through the window: sees a shape jet past
on the top of the closest building -- three stories up: the
little boy was nodding a warning-
What follows is fast, chaotic, eyes-closed combat:
GRANT SYKES
-GET OUT OF-
-big BOOM of close-in shells. As Haytham throws it in reverse
and punches, the front of the Rover shreds. The windshield
bursts. Engine dies: tachometer and speedometer needles
bottom out instantly. Haytham and Al-Ghazi tuck into the
dash. Fleury tries to get as close to the backseat floor
panels as possible. Janet covers Sykes.
A Thump-Thump-Thump can be heard on the roof: A GRENADE
thrown with too much arm by the guy Sykes spotted bounces off
the roof and into the Land Cruiser.
Frantic, Fleury swats it out.
The blast releases a massive airburst and bits of shrapnel
into the vehicle, starring windows, rocking it: creak of
shocks and struts. Fleury lifts up now, grabs the M-4:
returns fire indiscriminately through the windows at any and
all surrounding rooftops. That provides cover and reminds
everyone in the car they're armed. Janet exits with a rifle:
firing out the back door, more covering fire. Civilians who
were ready to see a massacre scurry now that it's a fight.
129 EXT. ROOF TOP - NEXT MOMENT 129
A SHOOTER: black-hood, black T-shirt, old-school red-white-
black Air Jordans, snub-stock AK, an open, filthy North Face
backpack at his feet holding spare clips, God knows what
else.
Shots from below keep him two feet away from the ledge,
firing down in random sweeps, head turned like he's lighting
a fire-cracker.
KINGDOM 8/18/06 123.
We see things from above, three stories down, a sweep of
blindly-fired shells pop the asphalt inches from Fleury's
head, soiling his face in black-top debris. But Fleury never
stops firing back, his own head slightly turned, flinching on
reflex. Air Jordan grabs another grenade just before he
disintegrates: Fleury's three-feet away with the riot gun.
Another rack and blast to make sure A.J. stays down for
eternity.
Fleury spots and bull-charges a second SHOOTER: Ballistic
Chicken, Fleury wins. A sound... Fleury spins, racking the
riot gun, aims and FREEZES: 2 six year old BOYS stare from
the doorway.
130 EXT. SUWEIDI STREET - NEXT MOMENT 130
Haytham crouches in front of the Land Cruiser. Rocks thrown
now from somewhere: KIDS peeking from behind shacks
Palestinian-style. He's pelted in the side of the head.
Janet and Sykes move to a stopped vehicle and take cover.
From the rooftop, Fleury yells down to the men on the ground.
FLEURY (O.C.)
I CAN SEE THE MERCEDES... BLOOD-
TRAILS RIGHT UP TO AN APARTMENT IN
THE NEXT BUILDING-
131 EXT. ROOF TOP - SAME MOMENT 131
Fleury's P.O.V.: an Apartment complex that looks like a
roadside motel: exposed stairwells, walkways, entrances. A
puddle in front of one of the front doors on the third floor.
Then we look right, one street over: civilian FIGURES, some
in traditional dress, starting to mass.
FLEURY
MOB FORMING NEXT BLOCK!
He drops the riot gun, picks up the AK from the man he just
killed, pops a new clip from the backpack, slings the
backpack over her shoulders. Starts to hustle down.
132 INT. UNKNOWN ROOM - SAME MOMENT 132
Gunshots reverberating from outside. Echoes. The 32 year-old,
hands shaking with nerves, screwing the camera into the tri-
pod: set-up almost complete. The Passport Officer is posted
at the door: head poking out, weapon up and ready.
KINGDOM 8/18/06 124.
We can hear Arabic yells down what sounds like a hallway.
Passport Officer barks something back.
The Driver of the Trail Suburban squats, pinning Leavitt's
head down with his knee, knife near a long, white expanse of
neck. The Huge Man sits on Leavitt's stomach, keeping him in
place. Leavitt trying to gasp for breath: eyes-wide panic.
DRIVER
READY?
Just as the 32 year-old nods yes, Leavitt explodes with his
last bit of effort: kicks just enough to nudge the Camera,
trying to knock it over. The 32 year-old gets his hands on it
as it falls, almost catches it, slips out, smacks the ground,
battery pops off. The Driver and Huge Man both begin
hammering Adam.
PASSPORT OFFICER (O.C.)
(in Arabic)
GOD DAMN HIM!
32 year-old picks the camera up again, trying to re-attach
the battery as Adam fights for his life. Spit and claws and
snot and blood rage.
133 EXT. CINDER-BLOCK APARTMENTS - NEXT MOMENT 133
Running down side stairs, Fleury spots a grenade launcher
poking from a door, next-door to the apartment with blood-
pool in front.
RONALD FLEURY
RPG!
Empties his clip into that vicinity: windows shatter, wood
splinters. The grenade launcher recedes. Janet and Al-Ghazi
start to run. The launcher fires from its new position...The
trail suburban DETONATES. Al-Ghazi and Janet knocked flat on
their asses for second and third times: dazed.
Fleury searching: I know that Fuck with the RPG is reloading,
how do I kill him. Drops the bag off his shoulders, pulls a
grenade out, fires it as hard as he can: 40 yards on the fly.
Bounces just on the third floor landing-
134 INT. ENEMY APARTMENT - SAME MOMENT 134
-RPG Soldier just locking the new rocket tube in, brings the
reticle up to his eye. Grenade blast splits through what's
left of the front window.
KINGDOM 8/18/06 125.
Big flinch-tense on his part: rocket fires inside, roars down
the hall, hits two feet in-front of the door Passport Officer
has been peaking out of.
Massive, contained detonation. Passport Officer vanishes. The
32 year-old and his camera are blown through the Driver
waiting to saw Leavitt's neck. Because Leavitt was held so
tight to the floor, he escapes the worst of the blast. Still
fucked up.
Leavitt's P.O.V.: ears roar with the ring, no sounds. 32 year-
old and Driver lay in a heap on the floor. Huge Man's on his
back, trying to get up. Leavitt breathes, rolls to the Driver
and the boy: grabs driver's blade. Hand to hand war as
Leavitt gets his payback. He does not stop.
135 EXT. CINDER-BLOCK APARTMENTS - SAME MOMENT 135
Sykes takes cover between two cars, holding down the rear,
firing warning shots and screaming football plays to freak
out the LOCALS.
SYKES
THIRTY EIGHT RAZOR MAD DOG!!!
He fires above the crowd, as Janet heads into the building.
Two LITTLE KIDS slowly approach carrying water, obviously
terrified at the sight of the wounded American.
Sirens and helicopters sound in the distance.
136 EXT./INT. CINDER-BLOCK APARTMENTS - NEXT MOMENT. 136
Base of the stairs: Mayes joins Fleury and a dazed Al-Ghazi &
Haytham.
COLONEL AL-GHAZI
A tunnel networks through all these
places... they use attached
civilian Apartments, innocent
families.
JANET MAYES
I do not like these people.
RONALD FLEURY
We go in the front door. Haytham -
cover the stairs. Janet - hallway.
Watch the side doors. Watch your
backs.
Silent nods. Bracing for war...
KINGDOM 8/18/06 125A.
They move 3 levels up the stairs into the building, following
the blood-trail from the SUV to the Apartment. PEOPLE step
out of their doors. Al-Ghazi aiming at them:
COLONEL AL-GHAZI
(in Arabic)
INSIDE!
137 INT. / EXT. APARTMENT 303 - NEXT MOMENT 137
The puddle of blood, a trail leading under the door. The
front wall/window/entrance of the next apartment down, still
smoldering from Fleury's grenade. No sounds, words. Our team:
fingers on triggers, weapons to shoulders, sights-aligned.
Ten feet back. Shoulders already flexed with tension,
expecting a suicidal blast at any moment. Janet grabs another
grenade, moves to secure the hallway.
KINGDOM 8/18/06 126.
Intercut Sykes outside. Haytham on the stairs.
RONALD FLEURY
(beat, to Al-Ghazi)
Is Allah on the other side of that
door?
Al-Ghazi raises his prayer beads to Fleury.
AL-GHAZI
(beat)
I think were about to find out, my
friend.
Fleury moves forward: I'm primary through the door. Al-
Ghazi's right with him. Fleury gets three-point-stance low,
hits the door like Jim Brown. Scattered gunfire. Fleury opens
up in response.
Fleury never stops forward motion. Stumbling headlong into a
kitchenette, hard into a refrigerator and cabinets, firing
the whole time. Al-Ghazi blasting anything that looks like a
body. Straight mop-up operation.
138 INT. CINDER BLOCK APTS - HALLWAY - SAME MOMENT 138
Securing the hallway, Mayes steps into a charred apartment
through doors blown off hinges. She heads in deeper, towards
the bedroom. Finds the closet - it tunnels into the
apartment below. She peers into the hole--
JANET MAYES
ADAM?!
KINGDOM 8/18/06 127.
-- sees a bloody knife below thrown by an unseen hand. Janet:
wide-eyed horror, about to pull back, when she is YANKED into
the hole by her hair.
139 INT. UNKNOWN ROOM - NEXT MOMENT 139
Huge Man ATTACKS Janet. Vicious hand to hand blows. Still
tied, Leavitt does what he can, kicking at the attacker.
Adrenaline morphs Janet from scared and out-sized to
desperate and equally vicious. This is SAVING PRIVATE RYAN
shit with Leavitt as the observer. He's no coward - he's
doing everything he can.
Huge Man overtakes Janet, slow-choking her... she's gasping,
dying... Janet has a knife out and is shredding the big man's
back right thigh and ass. BOTH SCREAMING. From nowhere,
Fleury ends the fight with a butt-end baseball-swing of the
shot gun to Huge Man's head.
Janet: fucked up, but alive.
JANET MAYES
(to Leavitt)
Sykes is going to kick your ass.
Al-Ghazi follows Fleury into the room. Leaning to Janet,
Fleury sees Leavitt, puts his hand on his head. Leavitt's
somewhere else, tears in his eyes, just taking deep, measured
breaths.
RONALD FLEURY
Everybody OK?
Slow nods from Leavitt and Janet as Fleury cuts Adam's ties.
FLEURY
There's at least three more of
them.
As Janet's eyes catch on something: a sheet/half-assed
backdrop hung from the ceiling has been nearly pulled down -
exposing a crude square cut out of the wall - a path into
another Apartment.
Janet points to the hole in the wall. This isn't over: a
seven-year old GIRL peers out at her, shaking, tears in her
eyes. Janet tries her best Motherly smile.
JANET MAYES
It's okay Little One.
KINGDOM 8/18/06 128.
The little girl backs away. Janet gets up, steers Leavitt
outside. Sits him down. Hands him a Glock.
Fleury and Al-Ghazi step through the hole. Janet follows. A
blood trail snakes through Little One's room, out her door,
and deeper into another apartment. Little girl long gone into
the main part of the Apartment. Then, Arabic SCREAMS, the
metal-crashing sound of automatic GUNFIRE.
Sirens overheard outside now.
140 INT. ATTACHED APARTMENT - NEXT MOMENT 140
Hustle cautious into the apartment. Haytham stands in the
room already: the muzzle of his AK still smoking, held on a
man down. The other occupants of the room are a cowering
FAMILY: KIDS and a couple of real OLD FOLKS, all terrified. A
little boy cries by himself, huddled in a corner. The
collateral damage of random violence. Janet quick scans the
room. LOCKS EYES on the traumatized little boy, his innocence
draining as she watches. Can't take her eyes away.
TIGHT ON HAYTHAM:
Taking this all in: The violence. The terror of this family,
the defiance on the faces of these young souls.
Al-Ghazi, post-game shakes, a tear running down his cheeks,
spattered in blood, stares at Fleury. The man Haytham shot is
not dead: ragged gasps. Fleury and Al-Ghazi lock eyes, then
take in the tragedy of the room -- kids their children's age,
never to be the same. Al-Ghazi to the room, In arabic:
COLONEL AL-GHAZI
Is everyone alright?
Silent stares from the Saudis. The little girl Janet saw
earlier, eyes still on Janet, moves to her brother - he holds
her tight, his eyes down. Janet kneels, heart-breaking, holds
her hand out: I can help you little one.
The Little Girl holds a fist out to Janet, tears in her eyes:
okay. Janet slowly crouches over to her, the older women's
eyes on her, piercing.
COLONEL AL-GHAZI (CONT'D)
(to the little girl, in
Arabic)
It's okay.
KINGDOM 8/18/06 129.
Little One trembles. One of the women in the corner calls to
her in Arabic, sharp. Janet just strokes the back of her
little bloody fist. Her little hand opens, shaking: this is a
gift for you.
Janet's face ghost white: Little One is trying to give her a
marble...
Al-Ghazi steps closer, sees the marble. Processes things.
Immediately looks over at the huddled mass: THE GRANDFATHER
staring right back at him. We now see the old man clearly. Al-
Ghazi shaking, slowly steps to him, hands out...
COLONEL AL-GHAZI (CONT'D)
(in Arabic)
Let me help you up, Old Man...
The old man nods a `no.'
COLONEL AL-GHAZI (CONT'D)
(in Arabic)
GIVE ME YOUR HANDS!
Al-Ghazi rips Grandfather up now. The family screams. Al-
Ghazi pulls the old man's hands from under his thobe: missing
fingers. Bends at the knees to look the Old Man right in his
eyes, lifts his chin with his hand.
COLONEL AL-GHAZI (CONT'D)
(dazed, starting to
realize)
...Hamza.
The old man looks up at Al-Ghazi: rage and defiance.
COLONEL AL-GHAZI (CONT'D)
I got you. Abu Hamza, you are under
arrest.
ABU HAMZA stares, hatred burning into Al-Ghazi.
NASSAR
You are a traitor to your
country... a traitor to your God.
COLONEL AL-GHAZI
I am no traitor to my God. You are.
Al-Ghazi's chest explodes before we hear the booms: the 15
year-old Grandson, firing a cheap, nickel-plated 9MM.
Everybody drops. The family huddles that much closer to the
floor. Al-Ghazi falls back to the floor, pulling Grandfather
with him.
KINGDOM 8/18/06 130.
Fleury's standing stock still, out-of-body now: He can only
see a teenager built like a river-reed, like his own Son...
not a Murderer who just shot his friend. Quiet-sick:
RONALD FLEURY
...Don't...
The 15 year-old steps to the doorway, pulls the trigger
again: the cheap 9MM jams. Janet lifts up with her AK, aims
it at the boy's chest.
RONALD FLEURY (CONT'D)
...drop it, Son...please...
...The teenager wiping his tears: so he can see clear enough
to clear his jammed weapon. Half young boy, the other half
something much more dangerous...Expert movements from his
hands, racking back the slide, thumbing the still smoking
shell from the ejector, letting the slide go, racking another
round into the chamber.
Then... Fleury finally pulls his trigger.
Utter Distortion as the old man reaches for the teenager's
fallen hand gun. Janet, screaming, raises her gun towards the
old man as Al-Ghazi shoots the old man in the chest. Sobbing,
the little boy runs to his fallen grandfather. Janet, still
screaming, covers the family. The Grandfather whispers
something we cannot hear in the Little Boy's ear.
TIGHT ON HAYTHAM taking it all in: the bleeding, dying
teenager; his hysterical sister; Hamza choking, clutching for
his grandson. CHAOS, CONFUSION, CONFLICT swirling in
Haytham's eyes.
A platoon of SAUDI POLICE slowly enter the room.
Janet goes to the shot 15 year old, starts trying to stop the
bleeding...
Fleury reaching for the dying Al-Ghazi, cradling him. Tears
spill as his eyes move from the dying boy to the old man,
back down to Al-Ghazi.
Fleury grasps Al-Ghazi's hand, as a Saudi man would.
RONALD FLEURY (CONT'D)
You got him. You got him... You got
him.
141 EXT. CINDER BLOCK APARTMENTS - LATER 141
KINGDOM 8/18/06 131.
WIDE ON THE CRIME SCENE.
From the air as choppers hover and SOLDIERS swarm.
SMASH TO:
142 INT. CONVOY - SAUDI ARABIA 142
One last convoy heading out of town. Fleury, Leavitt, Janet,
and Sykes: battered war scars, million mile stares.
143 EXT. PRINCE SULTAN AIRBASE - LATER 143
Our crew watch from a deserted terminal as a C-130 touches
down.
Haytham enters: came to say good-bye. The team's first smiles
-- collective. Fleury stares at Haytham...thinks about what
he's seen the past few days...how he has come to admire this
Kid. Haytham smiling, bandaged himself. Halting and awkward,
he shakes Janet's hand.
HAYTHAM
(in Arabic)
Thank you.
JANET MAYES
Thank you, Lieutenant Haytham.
Haytham says good bye to Leavitt and Sykes. Comes to Fleury.
Hands him a beautiful wooden prayer bead necklace.
HAYTHAM
May peace be with you.
FLEURY
May peace be with all of us, my
friend.
The two men shake hands.
143alt OMITTED 143alt
KINGDOM 8/18/06 132.
144 OMITTED 144
145 OMITTED - SEE SCENE 150 145
A146 OMITTED A146
B146 OMITTED B146
KINGDOM 8/18/06 133.
146 INT. WASHINGTON FIELD OFFICE - CUBICLE - DAY 146
Fleury, Sykes, Leavitt and Janet sit around Janet's cubicle.
Bandages, awkward silences, and 1000-yard stares. Subpoenas
stacked on the corner of Janet's desk. Leavitt quiet,
obviously fucked up.
Grace approaches.
DIRECTOR GRACE
We're going to testify next
Tuesday. Fleury's going first. I'm
gonna go through it with each of
you one on one in advance - make
sure we're all on the same page. If
they ask if we've talked about
this, the answer is unequivocally
"No." OK?
(beat)
You did outstanding work over
there. I'm proud of you. You hold
your heads high.
SILENCE from the team.
DIRECTOR GRACE (CONT'D)
Ronnie, you ready?
RONALD FLEURY
Yeah.
Grace turns to leave. Fleury gets up to follow. They head
down the hallway.
ADAM LEAVITT
Janet... my dreams are...
(beat, intent)
What did he whisper to you?
Confusion from Janet.
ADAM LEAVITT (CONT'D)
In the briefing ... to get you to
stop crying about Fran... before
any of this... before we even got
Airborne? What did he say to you?
Janet looks up: Leavitt waiting...
FLASH TO:
KINGDOM 8/18/06 133A.
147 EXT. SUWEIDI GRAVEYARD - DAY 147
The eight year-old Grandson. Tears in his eyes, standing in
front of fresh graves. His AUNT kneels down next to him,
tears flowing, in Arabic:
AUNT
Will you tell me what Grandfather
whispered to you before they took
him?
He turns to his Aunt...
BACK TO:
KINGDOM 8/18/06 134.
148 INT. WASHINGTON FIELD OFFICE - CONTINUOUS 148
Leavitt still waiting:
ADAM LEAVITT
Do you remember?
Janet looks at Leavitt, PAUSES...
JANET MAYES (ALT: RONALD FLEURY)
(reluctantly)
He said... "We'll kill them all."
(alts: "We will win this." "We
will end this." "We will finish
this.")
FLASH TO:
149 EXT. SUWEIDI GRAVEYARD - SAME MOMENT 149
The boy quietly answers, in Arabic:
GRANDSON
"Don't worry: we'll kill them all."
And in his saucer-wide brown eyes, shrink-wrapped in angry
tears, we see the parts of the future that will burn.
149A OMITTED 149A
KINGDOM 8/18/06 135.
150 EXT. WASHINGTON, DC PARK - TIME LAPSE 150
Sunlight shines TIGHT ON Fleury's face: stitches the length
of his cheek remain. PULL OUT: Fleury and his son throwing a
baseball. Lyla watches, standing by a tree.
KINGDOM 8/18/06 136.
Father and son throwing the ball back and forth.
KEVIN FLEURY
You stop the people that hurt Uncle
Fran?
Fleury stops, just staring at his little son. Tosses back the
ball.
KEVIN FLEURY (CONT'D)
Did you get the bad guys, Daddy?
Fleury catches the ball, stares at his son.
TIGHT ON FLEURY: He reaches and pulls his son close, holding
him for what might just be forever... (alt: He hands Kevin Al-
Ghazi's prayer beads.)
KEVIN FLEURY (CONT'D)
There's a lot of bad people out
there... aren't there, Daddy?
RONALD FLEURY
Yeah, there are...
(a beat)
But you want to know something?
KEVIN FLEURY
What?
RONALD FLEURY
You're not one of them. (alt:
There's a lot of good guys, too)
Kevin smiles up at his dad. For the first time in a long
while, Fleury smiles back.
BLACK.
