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Scene: “Along Came a Spider” – Chapter 2 – To Catch a Spider
Description: The team figures out the identity of the sniper and sets out to stop him. They end up bringing back an unexpected guest when their own sniper makes a different call.
Word Count: 2000 words
PARTIAL SCENE
1. INT OFFICE – DAY – LOS ANGELES NYPD
Scene opens on a busy office of the Los Angeles Police Department where the SWAT team is working to pin down the stolen plane. CAMERA MOVES across the various people, pausing on BRIAN GRIMM and JIM STREET to take in intent expressions. CAMERA turns, angling towards the other end of the room where WILL GRIMM stands at ease watching the work.
JASON GRIMM
Benjamin Poindexter
ANGLE ON: WILL turns away from watching the table. His gaze shifts to his brother. CAMERA FOLLOWS
WIDE ON: JASON GRIMM working on computer, fingers lifting off the keyboard to grab a page from the printer and adding it to a file.
WILL GRIMM
I’m sorry?
JASON GRIMM
Our sniper
ANGLE ON: JASON holds out file folder with a shrug.
JASON GRIMM
His name is Benjamin Poindexter.
WIDE ON: Room to see CLINT GRIMM shifting where he’s perched on a filing cabinet to stare at JASON as WILL opens the folder
WILL GRIMM
How do we know?
JASON GRIMM
Clint’s right – only a handful of snipers in the world can make that kind of shot on a regular basis.
ANGLE ON: JASON leaning back in his chair, eyes on WILL.
JASON GRIMM
Poindexter is the only one not accounted for at the time the chopper came down.
WIDE ON: Room to take in all of their expressions before focusing in on MARINA PETROVKA
MARINA PETROVKA
And how were each of them accounted for?
ANGLE ON: JASON looking at a paper on his desk.
JASON GRIMM
Bob Lee Swagger, Marine Corps, has spent the last six months on assignment in southern Africa. Sergeant Carlos ‘Cougar’ Alvarez spent the last two weeks in the brig – something about a prank on the officer’s mess. NCIS director, Jennifer Shepard confirmed that former Marine sniper, Leroy Jethro Gibbs, was at work in Washington during the time in question.
WIDE ON: Room as JASON smirks at CLINT
JASON GRIMM
And Clint’s spent the last two weeks recovering from an injury after his last assignment – all under Marina’s watchful eye.
CAMERA pans the room – CLINT to MARINA to JASON.
ANGLE ON: WILL as he closes the folder
WILL GRIMM
There are others who could potentially make the shot.
PAN OUT: Showing WILL as he leans back against another desk. Activity can still be seen behind him.
WILL GRIMM
They might not be as accurate as the others, but their success rates are still impressive.
JASON GRIMM
Sure.
CAMERA pans back to JASON who flips over another page
JASON GRIMM
But I tracked down the next level of sniper in case someone might have been in town on a good day. FBI Agent Seeley Booth – former Army Ranger – spent the past few days in Ohio on a case; Colonel Ian Edgerton, Army special ops, was on a plane back from Afghanistan when it went down; and ATF Agent Chris Larabee confirms his team sniper, former Army Ranger Vin Tanner was in Denver recovering from a – and I quote – ‘dumb ass stunt’ that involved taking a shot while falling from a catwalk.
ANGLE ON: JASON as he shrugs and looks up at WILL
JASON GRIMM
Ergo, Benjamin Poindexter it is.
ANGLE ON: WILL as he nods
WIDE ON: Room to watch WILL turn and face CLINT
WILL GRIMM
You know this guy.
CLINT GRIMM
If it’s who I think it is, they call him ‘Bullseye’.
WIDE ON: Room to watch CLINT jump down from his perch and walk closer to WILL
ANGLE ON: MARINA as her eyes narrow
MARINA PETROVKA
Bullseye? You mean that mudak who paraded around pretending to be you not that long ago.
CLINT GRIMM
That would be the one.
ANGLE ON: WILL as he lifts an eyebrow in question.
WILL GRIMM
Pretending to be you.
CAMERA focuses on MARINA and CLINT as CLINT looks to her for direction on answering WILL’s question.
MARINA PETROVKA
The situation was resolved and the only people who knew were Clint, Fury, and me. We didn’t want to make it a big deal, so we buried the incident.
WIDE ON: Room to watch MARINA reach for the folder in WILL’s hand
MARINA PETROVKA
He is a good shot though – almost as good as Clint.
CLINT GRIMM
Almost. He’s also chertovski sumasshedshiy. Add that to him being wicked smart and it makes him very dangerous.
ANGLE ON: WILL crosses his arms over his chest as his gaze shifts between MARINA & CLINT
WILL GRIMM
I’m still stuck on the part where some sumasshedshiy sukin syn masqueraded as my baby brother and I didn’t know about it.
MARINA PETROVKA
Maybe we could get back on track?
ANGLE ON: MARINA rolling her eyes
MARINA PETROVKA
You can yell at us about the spilled milk later.
WIDE ON: Room showing men watching MARINA as she opens the folder
MARINA PETROVKA
Didn’t he have an accomplice during that time?
CLINT GRIMM nods
They called her the Black Widow.
WIDE ON: Room showing full length as MARINA goes still. The three men nearest her all watch, and beyond them BRIAN straightens and frowns, his own gaze on the family. WILL can see him out of the corner of his eye and gestures him back. BRIAN’s frown deepens, but he returns to work.
WILL GRIMM
Marina?
MARINA PETROVKA
If the woman in question is the same ‘Black Widow’ I once knew, then it would be more accurate to refer to her as the Chernaya Vdova . . . aka Natalya Alianovna Romanova.
CAMERA pulls in on this end of the room, keeping WILL, MARINA, JASON, & CLINT in view as MARINA closes the folder.
MARINA PETROVKA
She graduated a few years ahead of me. Her last recorded affiliation was with the FSB as an assassin and a spy.
WILL GRIMM
You think she’s playing him?
ANGLE ON: MARINA as her expression shows uncertainty
MARINA PETROVKA
I don’t know. Bullseye isn’t her usual type of lackey. He’s unpredictable, so there’s no way to manipulate him effectively. She has to be getting something out of the alliance, but what that might be? I don’t have the slightest idea.
ANGLE ON: WILL scans the room
WILL GRIMM
Ideas on how to handle them?
MARINA PETROVKA
I need to call Fury.
WIDE ON: MARINA turns as BRIAN, JIM, KENNY GRIMM & OWEN ELLIOT join them.
MARINA PETROVKA
What do we have on the plane?
BRIAN GRIMM
It’s about a half-klick south of here. A couple called their local sheriff’s department to report a low flying plane over their farm. They called back ten minutes later, saying it crashed in their fields.
ANGLE ON: WILL considers the information.
WILL GRIMM
That close? They must have tried to patch the hole before taking off again.
WIDE ON: WILL looks at MARINA
WILL GRIMM
How long do you need?
MARINA PETROVKA
Get the boys in route and I’ll call Fury. As soon as I know what he wants us to do with Vdova, I’ll call you on the comms.
WILL GRIMM
Go.
WIDE ON: MARINA hurries out of the room as WILL turns towards the rest of the team.
WILL GRIMM
From this point forward, this bullpen is Command. Jason – you stay here and run comms with Marina. Clint, Brian, you’re on point. You get a shot on Bullseye or Montel – you take it. Understood?
ANGLE ON: BRIAN nods as CLINT gives lazy salute
CLINT GRIMM
Yes, sir.
WIDE ON: WILL looks to KENNY
WILL GRIMM
Kenny, you, Owen and I are going to see if we can find out where the puddle-jumper landed first. Unless I miss my guess, we’ve got some stranded people somewhere. Might as well get all the intel at one time.
WIDE ON: KENNY nods as JIM straightens beside BRIAN
JIM STREET
What about me?
WIDE ON: WILL turns to JIM & BRIAN
WILL GRIMM
Brian’s chased off everyone in S.H.I.E.L.D. You think you’re such a good partner for him? Prove it. You’re with Clint and Brian.
ANGLE ON: KENNY glances at WILL
KENNY GRIMM (under his breath, inaudible to all but WILL)
Evil.
ANGLE ON: WILL shows amusement that shifts to commanding presence.
WILL GRIMM
Listen up, people! We’ve got an international fugitive running around the countryside with an unlimited source of money. I want him in handcuffs or a body bag within the next twenty-four hours. Understood?
WIDE ON: Entire room, taking in all of the team as well as the LAPD personnel.
MOST OF CAST
Yes, sir!
WILL GRIMM
Dismissed. And good hunting.
2. EXT. – DAY – CALIFORNIA COUNTRYSIDE
Scene opens wide on a country road with the skyline of Los Angeles in the background. CAMERA ZOOMS in on SHIELD van, passing LAPD speaking with stranded motorists. KENNY sits at the communication system. OWEN stands on the ground at the back door, arms crossed over his chest as his eyes scan the entire scene. WILL stands inside the van between the other two, head cocked as he listens to the ongoing operation.
ANGLE on WILL’s face as communications begin to crackle.
MARINA PETROVKA
Yastreb, this is Sova. Do you copy?
CLINT GRIMM
Yeah, Sova, I copy.
MARINA PETROVKA
Fury gave the order – eliminate her. You get a shot, you take it. (PAUSE)
Any sign of Vdova, Bullseye, or Montel?
CLINT GRIMM
No sign of the men, but I’ve got a bead on Vdova. She’s injured. I think the other two may have abandoned her.
WIDE ON the three men as CLINT pauses. They exchange glances.
CLINT GRIMM (reluctant tone)
Severe laceration to her upper left thigh as well as a myriad of other cuts and contusions – most likely a result of the crash.
MARINA PETROVKA (distracted tone)
Orel picked up our hostages about a mile north of you, so there should be no civilians in the vicinity.
ANGLE ON brothers as Kenny glances up at WILL, eyebrows rising in question. WILL holds up a hand – stalls any input. (CHARACTER NOTE: The brothers are aware CLINT is seeing something in the situation that he’s not sharing.)
WILL’s phone chirps.
ANGLE ON phone screen to read text from JASON.
JASON GRIMM (text)
Not interrupting?
WIDE ON WILL as he types out negative and the communications crackle again.
MARINA PETROVKA
You have the shot?
CLINT GRIMM
I have the shot.
MARINA PETROVKA
Then call it, Hawkeye. We don’t have all day – we still have to track down the other two.
CLINT GRIMM
Yes, ma’am.
WIDE ON all three men as several minutes pass in silence. Entire conversation done only in glances and expressions.
CLINT GRIMM
Sova, this is Yastreb. Do you trust me?
WIDE ON all three men. KENNY clasps hand over his eyes. WILL rolls his eyes towards the sky. OWEN’s shoulders start shaking in silent laughter.
MARINA PETROVKA
Absolutely.
CLINT GRIMM
Stand by, Sova. We’ll radio back when the situation is contained.
ANGLE ON WILL and KENNY as they exchange amused glances at the pause which followed that statement.
MARINA PETROVKA
I copy, Hawkeye. Just be careful.
CLINT GRIMM
Yes, ma’am.
WIDE ON van as OWEN climbs into the van and closes the door.
ANGLE ON the three men as the van begins moving and communications crackle.
CLINT GRIMM
Sova, situation is contained. The team is on its way back
MARINA PETROVKA
Understood, Yastreb, see you when you get here.
ANGLE ON OWEN reaching up to turn off his comm.
OWEN ELLIOT
Boss Lady’s never going to hear the end of this. Never.
WILL GRIMM
You always did have a death wish, Lucky.
3. INT OFFICE – DAY – LOS ANGELES NYPD
Scene opens on an office with an observation window on once side. WILL stands at the window looking into an interview room where NATASHA ROMANOFF sits at a table on the other side. MARINA stands beside him, looking shocked and horrified.
ANGLE ON MARINA.
MARINA PETROVKA
Clinton Francis Grimm. What have you done?
Description: The team figures out the identity of the sniper and sets out to stop him. They end up bringing back an unexpected guest when their own sniper makes a different call.
Word Count: 2000 words
1. INT OFFICE – DAY – LOS ANGELES NYPD
Scene opens on a busy office of the Los Angeles Police Department where the SWAT team is working to pin down the stolen plane. CAMERA MOVES across the various people, pausing on BRIAN GRIMM and JIM STREET to take in intent expressions. CAMERA turns, angling towards the other end of the room where WILL GRIMM stands at ease watching the work.
Benjamin Poindexter
ANGLE ON: WILL turns away from watching the table. His gaze shifts to his brother. CAMERA FOLLOWS
WIDE ON: JASON GRIMM working on computer, fingers lifting off the keyboard to grab a page from the printer and adding it to a file.
I’m sorry?
Our sniper
ANGLE ON: JASON holds out file folder with a shrug.
His name is Benjamin Poindexter.
WIDE ON: Room to see CLINT GRIMM shifting where he’s perched on a filing cabinet to stare at JASON as WILL opens the folder
How do we know?
Clint’s right – only a handful of snipers in the world can make that kind of shot on a regular basis.
ANGLE ON: JASON leaning back in his chair, eyes on WILL.
Poindexter is the only one not accounted for at the time the chopper came down.
WIDE ON: Room to take in all of their expressions before focusing in on MARINA PETROVKA
And how were each of them accounted for?
ANGLE ON: JASON looking at a paper on his desk.
Bob Lee Swagger, Marine Corps, has spent the last six months on assignment in southern Africa. Sergeant Carlos ‘Cougar’ Alvarez spent the last two weeks in the brig – something about a prank on the officer’s mess. NCIS director, Jennifer Shepard confirmed that former Marine sniper, Leroy Jethro Gibbs, was at work in Washington during the time in question.
WIDE ON: Room as JASON smirks at CLINT
And Clint’s spent the last two weeks recovering from an injury after his last assignment – all under Marina’s watchful eye.
CAMERA pans the room – CLINT to MARINA to JASON.
ANGLE ON: WILL as he closes the folder
There are others who could potentially make the shot.
PAN OUT: Showing WILL as he leans back against another desk. Activity can still be seen behind him.
They might not be as accurate as the others, but their success rates are still impressive.
Sure.
CAMERA pans back to JASON who flips over another page
But I tracked down the next level of sniper in case someone might have been in town on a good day. FBI Agent Seeley Booth – former Army Ranger – spent the past few days in Ohio on a case; Colonel Ian Edgerton, Army special ops, was on a plane back from Afghanistan when it went down; and ATF Agent Chris Larabee confirms his team sniper, former Army Ranger Vin Tanner was in Denver recovering from a – and I quote – ‘dumb ass stunt’ that involved taking a shot while falling from a catwalk.
ANGLE ON: JASON as he shrugs and looks up at WILL
Ergo, Benjamin Poindexter it is.
ANGLE ON: WILL as he nods
WIDE ON: Room to watch WILL turn and face CLINT
You know this guy.
If it’s who I think it is, they call him ‘Bullseye’.
WIDE ON: Room to watch CLINT jump down from his perch and walk closer to WILL
ANGLE ON: MARINA as her eyes narrow
Bullseye? You mean that mudak who paraded around pretending to be you not that long ago.
That would be the one.
ANGLE ON: WILL as he lifts an eyebrow in question.
Pretending to be you.
CAMERA focuses on MARINA and CLINT as CLINT looks to her for direction on answering WILL’s question.
The situation was resolved and the only people who knew were Clint, Fury, and me. We didn’t want to make it a big deal, so we buried the incident.
WIDE ON: Room to watch MARINA reach for the folder in WILL’s hand
He is a good shot though – almost as good as Clint.
Almost. He’s also chertovski sumasshedshiy. Add that to him being wicked smart and it makes him very dangerous.
ANGLE ON: WILL crosses his arms over his chest as his gaze shifts between MARINA & CLINT
I’m still stuck on the part where some sumasshedshiy sukin syn masqueraded as my baby brother and I didn’t know about it.
Maybe we could get back on track?
ANGLE ON: MARINA rolling her eyes
You can yell at us about the spilled milk later.
WIDE ON: Room showing men watching MARINA as she opens the folder
Didn’t he have an accomplice during that time?
They called her the Black Widow.
WIDE ON: Room showing full length as MARINA goes still. The three men nearest her all watch, and beyond them BRIAN straightens and frowns, his own gaze on the family. WILL can see him out of the corner of his eye and gestures him back. BRIAN’s frown deepens, but he returns to work.
Marina?
If the woman in question is the same ‘Black Widow’ I once knew, then it would be more accurate to refer to her as the Chernaya Vdova . . . aka Natalya Alianovna Romanova.
CAMERA pulls in on this end of the room, keeping WILL, MARINA, JASON, & CLINT in view as MARINA closes the folder.
She graduated a few years ahead of me. Her last recorded affiliation was with the FSB as an assassin and a spy.
You think she’s playing him?
ANGLE ON: MARINA as her expression shows uncertainty
I don’t know. Bullseye isn’t her usual type of lackey. He’s unpredictable, so there’s no way to manipulate him effectively. She has to be getting something out of the alliance, but what that might be? I don’t have the slightest idea.
ANGLE ON: WILL scans the room
Ideas on how to handle them?
I need to call Fury.
WIDE ON: MARINA turns as BRIAN, JIM, KENNY GRIMM & OWEN ELLIOT join them.
What do we have on the plane?
It’s about a half-klick south of here. A couple called their local sheriff’s department to report a low flying plane over their farm. They called back ten minutes later, saying it crashed in their fields.
ANGLE ON: WILL considers the information.
That close? They must have tried to patch the hole before taking off again.
WIDE ON: WILL looks at MARINA
How long do you need?
Get the boys in route and I’ll call Fury. As soon as I know what he wants us to do with Vdova, I’ll call you on the comms.
Go.
WIDE ON: MARINA hurries out of the room as WILL turns towards the rest of the team.
From this point forward, this bullpen is Command. Jason – you stay here and run comms with Marina. Clint, Brian, you’re on point. You get a shot on Bullseye or Montel – you take it. Understood?
ANGLE ON: BRIAN nods as CLINT gives lazy salute
Yes, sir.
WIDE ON: WILL looks to KENNY
Kenny, you, Owen and I are going to see if we can find out where the puddle-jumper landed first. Unless I miss my guess, we’ve got some stranded people somewhere. Might as well get all the intel at one time.
WIDE ON: KENNY nods as JIM straightens beside BRIAN
What about me?
WIDE ON: WILL turns to JIM & BRIAN
Brian’s chased off everyone in S.H.I.E.L.D. You think you’re such a good partner for him? Prove it. You’re with Clint and Brian.
ANGLE ON: KENNY glances at WILL
Evil.
ANGLE ON: WILL shows amusement that shifts to commanding presence.
Listen up, people! We’ve got an international fugitive running around the countryside with an unlimited source of money. I want him in handcuffs or a body bag within the next twenty-four hours. Understood?
WIDE ON: Entire room, taking in all of the team as well as the LAPD personnel.
Yes, sir!
Dismissed. And good hunting.
2. EXT. – DAY – CALIFORNIA COUNTRYSIDE
Scene opens wide on a country road with the skyline of Los Angeles in the background. CAMERA ZOOMS in on SHIELD van, passing LAPD speaking with stranded motorists. KENNY sits at the communication system. OWEN stands on the ground at the back door, arms crossed over his chest as his eyes scan the entire scene. WILL stands inside the van between the other two, head cocked as he listens to the ongoing operation.
ANGLE on WILL’s face as communications begin to crackle.
Yastreb, this is Sova. Do you copy?
Yeah, Sova, I copy.
Fury gave the order – eliminate her. You get a shot, you take it. (PAUSE)
Any sign of Vdova, Bullseye, or Montel?
No sign of the men, but I’ve got a bead on Vdova. She’s injured. I think the other two may have abandoned her.
WIDE ON the three men as CLINT pauses. They exchange glances.
Severe laceration to her upper left thigh as well as a myriad of other cuts and contusions – most likely a result of the crash.
Orel picked up our hostages about a mile north of you, so there should be no civilians in the vicinity.
ANGLE ON brothers as Kenny glances up at WILL, eyebrows rising in question. WILL holds up a hand – stalls any input. (CHARACTER NOTE: The brothers are aware CLINT is seeing something in the situation that he’s not sharing.)
WILL’s phone chirps.
ANGLE ON phone screen to read text from JASON.
Not interrupting?
WIDE ON WILL as he types out negative and the communications crackle again.
You have the shot?
I have the shot.
Then call it, Hawkeye. We don’t have all day – we still have to track down the other two.
Yes, ma’am.
WIDE ON all three men as several minutes pass in silence. Entire conversation done only in glances and expressions.
Sova, this is Yastreb. Do you trust me?
WIDE ON all three men. KENNY clasps hand over his eyes. WILL rolls his eyes towards the sky. OWEN’s shoulders start shaking in silent laughter.
Absolutely.
Stand by, Sova. We’ll radio back when the situation is contained.
ANGLE ON WILL and KENNY as they exchange amused glances at the pause which followed that statement.
I copy, Hawkeye. Just be careful.
Yes, ma’am.
WIDE ON van as OWEN climbs into the van and closes the door.
ANGLE ON the three men as the van begins moving and communications crackle.
Sova, situation is contained. The team is on its way back
Understood, Yastreb, see you when you get here.
ANGLE ON OWEN reaching up to turn off his comm.
Boss Lady’s never going to hear the end of this. Never.
You always did have a death wish, Lucky.
3. INT OFFICE – DAY – LOS ANGELES NYPD
Scene opens on an office with an observation window on once side. WILL stands at the window looking into an interview room where NATASHA ROMANOFF sits at a table on the other side. MARINA stands beside him, looking shocked and horrified.
ANGLE ON MARINA.
Clinton Francis Grimm. What have you done?
