"Friendly Betrayal" Part 2

Written by Phil Turner

PROLOGUE

St. Cloud, Minnesota - Early Afternoon - A Local Office Building

“It’s over Richard…its finally over,” Gerard tells Kimble as his gun is pointed directly at him.. “You’re not getting away this time. Here we are, standing at destiny’s door and there is no where for you to go. “My job is done.”

Kimble raises his hands in a gesture of surrender. The loud rumble and grinding of construction workers outside the office building can be heard. One of the workers is using a pneumatic jackhammer to dig up the road and sidewalk in front of the building.

“So, does this mean you believe their story about me killing Helen?” Kimble asks. “Have you bought into the lie?”

“It means I’m doing my job…Doctor,” Gerard replies. “A jury of your peers has already ruled upon your guilt. Who am I to second-guess their verdict.”

“I didn’t kill my wife,” Kimble pleads. “I was set up.”

“So you’ve told me, many times,” Gerard says. “But there’s no proof of what you are saying. There’s never has been any proof.”

“The proof is Ben Charnquist,” Kimble says. “He’s…”

“Oh come on Richard,” Gerard yells interrupting. “You and I both know this so-called Charnquist is a fictional fantasy. Why don’t you get off it and just face the facts of your crime.”

“He killed Helen,” Kimble insists angrily. “Even you should realize something big is going on here!”

Gerard walks up to Kimble, keeping his gun pointed at him, and pulls out a set of handcuffs.

“Turnaround Richard…you’re under arrest,” Gerard says calmly as he glares into Kimble’s eyes.

Meanwhile, outside the construction workers stop suddenly when they begin smelling natural gas.

“We’ve hit a gas line,” one of the backhoe operators says. “Everybody evacuate now!” Workers scramble to escape danger.

Back inside the building, Gerard and Kimble continue talking. “Turnaround Richard…you’re under arrest,” Gerard says calmly as he glares into Kimble’s eyes. Just then, Kimble starts looking around as he smells the odor of natural gas.

“Do you smell that?” Kimble asks.

“Natural gas,” Gerard replies as he begins looking around for the source of the gas smell.

“It’s strong,” Kimble says as he runs to one of the building’s front windows. “It’s coming from over there,” he says pointing to the front of the building. “We better get out of here.” The two rush to the rear of the building looking for alternate exit.

As the panicked construction workers outside seek cover from the gas main break, a spark from one of the machines ignites the gas, resulting in a violent explosion. Onlookers watch in horror as glass and rubble are thrown about and a massive orange and red fireball engulfs the building with Kimble and Gerard inside.

The explosion blows out the entire first floor of the building, and the deafening sound causes car alarms to begin sounding. The first floor collapses and Kimble and Gerard plunge feet first to the building’s basement. They are immediately buried by a pile of concrete, glass and other building debris.

OPENING MUSIC

Outside An Exploded Minnesota Office Building - 20 minutes later

Police, fire and EMS crews circle the office building where the explosion took place. Media helicopters hover overhead while news reporters document the story on the ground. Firefighters continue trying to extinguish the fire, as maintenance crews work to shut off the gas main.

Special Agents Eve Hilliard and Edward Miles pull up at the site of the explosion. They get out of their car.

“Oh my God,” Hilliard says looking at the devastation. “It looks like Oklahoma City.”

Hilliard and Miles walk over to a group of men standing around talking.

“Whose in charge?” Hilliard asks.

“I am,” one of the men says as he motions toward Hilliard.

“I’m agent Eve Hilliard of the FBI,” she says as shows her ID. “This is special agent Edward Miles. We’re here to investigate this explosion.”

“Chief Roger Mitchell,” the chief says shaking her hand. “The FBI. This isn’t a terrorist bombing Agent Hilliard.”

“Do you know what happened?” Hilliard asks.

“Apparently, a construction crew hit a gas line while they were repairing the road in front

of the building, causing this mess,” the chief says as he looks at the damage. “Its pretty bad. I haven’t seem one like this in years.”

“Is there anyone hurt?” Hilliard asks.

“Two construction workers were killed,” the Chief continues, “but we have no idea of what’s going on inside the building. The gas explosion nearly leveled the building. It’s an older building, and right now it’s very unsafe. We can’t even send rescue crews in until we get that gas fire under control.”

“Chief…the FBI is interested in this because we have reason to believe one of our top agents may be inside,” Hilliard says.

“If he is, then he’s in trouble,” the Chief tells Hilliard.

“As of now this rescue operation comes under the FBI’s jurisdiction,” Hilliard says. “You report to me - and me alone. As soon as you know something, please let me know. This is high priority … understand?”

“Absolutely,” the Chief says. “When I know something, I’ll pass it along.”

“Great…thanks,” Hilliard says. She walks away to get a closer look at the building. She stares at the destruction caused by the force of the explosion and shakes her head. Is Captain Gerard alive, she wonders to herself?

“Hold on Phil,” Hilliard says softly to herself. “We’re going to get you out of there.”

= = = = =

Meanwhile, back inside the building’s basement, Kimble and Gerard have been knocked unconscious by the explosion. Dust fills the air and rubble continues to fall now and then from above.

Gerard awakens first and sluggishly removes himself from the debris pile. As he does he gets a pained expression on his face. He has numerous cuts and suffered an injury to his left leg in the fall. Gerard stands up as best as he can and begins searching for Kimble.

“Kimble,” he yells out into the dimly lit room. “Kimble…where are you?” Just then he hears noise from the other side of the room. Kimble is trapped under a larger debris pile. Gerards limps over to him.

“Doctor Kimble,” he says slapping him in the face to try and awaken him. His efforts succeed as Kimble regains consciousness.

“What…happened?” Kimble asks coughing from the airborne dust. He brushes off the debris and slowly stands up. He has several cuts on his face and arms, but has no life-threatening injuries.

“Some kind of explosion,” Gerard responds. “It looks like it took out the entire building.”

“It must have been one heck of an explosion,” Kimble says looking around “I think we’re in the basement.” He then looks up pointing. “I think that used to be the first floor.”

“Are you okay?” Gerard asks.

”Yah, I guess,” Kimble says brushing himself off. “How about you?”

“I think my leg is broken,” Gerard says painfully, pointing to his left leg. Kimble walks over and carefully examines the leg.

“You’re lucky, its not broken,” Kimble says. “It’s just a very bad strain. We’d better immobilize the leg anyway.” Kimble looks around the finds two pieces of wood and a few old rags. He rips the rags into strips, places the wood around Gerard leg and ties the strips tightly creating a makeshift split.

“When I said there was no way out for you, I didn’t mean this,” Gerard says. “Talk about luck.”

“There that should hold it,” Kimble says as he ties the last piece of cloth on the splint. “It should also make you leg feel better.” Kimble then stands up and begins wandering around the room looking for a way out. “There must be a way out of here.”

“Hold it Kimble,” Gerard says as he slowly stands up and braces himself with his right leg. He searches for his gun but it has been lost in the explosion “You aren’t going anywhere.”

“Please Captain, let’s put aside the past temporarily and work together to get out of here,” Kimble says. As Kimble walks back toward Gerard, he is surprised as Gerard grabs him by the shirt collar, pulling tightly, and throws him up against a wall. A thud is heard as Kimble hits the wall with Gerard in his face.

“It might be easy for you to forget…but I will never forget the past!” Gerard responds angrily staring deeply into Kimble’s eyes. “You’re a killer…a cold-blooded killer … and you’re going back where you belong.” As Gerard talks the anger on his face is menacing and Kimble sees hatred in his eyes. “I don’t like you. I don’t trust you. I don’t believe you. What you did was appalling. If I had my way, I would leave you here in this dungeon to rot. Even that would be far better than what you gave your wife.”

“I didn’t…kill…Helen,” Kimble says with difficulty as he tries to get the words out through Gerard’s grip. “I…didn’t…do it.” Gerard releases his grip, and Kimble puts his hand to his throat obviously relieved.

“I didn’t believe you at the trial, and I don’t believe you now,” Gerard says. “Nothing you can say will change that.”

“Look…let’s face it…we’re trapped,” Kimble says. “It’s going to take both of us…working together…to get out. Like it or not…I need you, and you need me.”

“I need you?” Gerard asks. “Sorry Doc. You’ve got that wrong!”

As Gerard speaks, Kimble begins sniffing the air. “Wait…do you smell that?” he asks. Gerard looks around as he, too, begins to notice the aroma of natural gas. “That must have been what caused the explosion.” Kimble begins walking frantically around the room. “Obviously, the gas line is still ruptured. That’s not good.”

“You’re right,” Gerard says. “If the gas replaces the oxygen in this room, we’re as good as dead. Okay, Kimble, I accept your offer. We’ll work together. But once we get out of here, you’re going back to jail where you belong.”

“Fine…but right now we have to get out of here alive first,” Kimble says. “If we

don’t …then nothing else will matter will it?”

Gerard nods in agreement. He and Kimble look around the room, moving some rubble and debris in an effort to find an exit. They have no luck. The explosion has tightly sealed the room.

“Well … it looks like we won’t be going anywhere soon,” Kimble says. “It’s just the two of us, Captain, so we better make the most of it.”

Gerard listens and the looks up as he hears noise from rescue crews above. “At least they know we’re here,” he says. “That one good thing. Have a seat. There’s nothing we can do now but wait.”

The Backroom of a Resturant - The Bronx, New York

Ben Charnquist is sitting in a smoke-filled room of a restaurant in a seedy part of town with four other men. They have been drinking, eating and talking for quite some time. Several empty glasses and dinner plates are seen on the table around of them.

“…so what you’re saying is that the shipment is late,” one of the men says. “If there is one thing we don’t like, it’s tardiness.”

“I understand,” Charnquist says, “but as I said, there is nothing that could have been done. Things like this happen. Did you get the stones?”

“Yes, but…” one of the other men says.

“Then what’s the problem,” Charnquist says angrily as he takes a drink. “I wasn’t born yesterday. I delivered…you have your shipment. The delay was out of my hands. It won’t happen again…the delay has been corrected.”

“Diamonds are one thing, but what about Kimble,” the third man says. Charnquist quickly turns his head around and stares at the man.

“What about him?” Charnquist says.

“He still poses a threat to our operation,” the third man says. “He can do great harm to us. He knows too much.”

“Kimble is running from the cops,” Charnquist says interrupting. “Believe me, the last thing on his mind is us. He’s struggling just to stay alive.”

“I agree with Fred,” the first man says. “Kimble is dangerous.”

“Kimble is a weakling,” Charnquist says. “No one believes him. You’re giving him too much credit. He can’t do anything to us. His life is over…forever!”

“He knows about you,” the third man says. “That’s valuable information”

“Richard Kimble is not our problem,” Charnquist says frustrated by the questions. “He has absolutely no idea what’s going on. Nobody outside does. Besides, he has talked about his one-armed man for almost two years. The police refuse to listen.”

“Are you sure?” the first man asks.

“I’m positive,” Charnquist says. “Kimble has his own problems.”

“Just in case, we have another job for you,” the second man says.

“I already have work,” Charnquist says sarcastically.

“We want you to track Kimble down and eliminate him,” the second man continues. “You’re the logical choice.”

Charnquist pauses and looks at the man. “I don’t do that anymore. You should know that. I’m retired. Today, I’m just a diamond broker.”

“Then we need you to come out of retirement,” the first man says. “You’re the best we have and this is an important job.”

“Was…was the best,” Charnquist insists as he takes a gulp of whiskey. “If you want that done, you know who to call.”

“Louie Q doesn’t speak to us,” the second man says.

“Then you have problem, don’t you,” Charnquist says. “I have a job, and am not looking for more work. I’ll do what I do…and won’t waste my time going after Kimble.”

“What if we order you to?” the first man asks.

“Are you?” Charnquist replies.

“What if we did,” the first man asks again.

“Then…I would have to ignore your order,” Charnquist says confidently. “This has never been about Kimble. Let’s keep it that way shall we.” Charnquist takes a final drink of whiskey, and then stands up to leave. “Gentlemen, if you need my help you know how to reach me,” he says looking at his watch. “I have a delivery to make. I’ll get back in touch later.” Charnquist walks away from the table and exits the restaurant.

The four men sit around the table, reflecting upon Charnquist’s statements.

“What do you think…can we trust him?” the second man.

“Probably not,” the fourth man responds. He has said nothing during the meeting but has sat there observing. “For good or bad…Ben is Ben.”

“So what do we do,” the first man asks.

“Right now…we wait,” the fourth man insists.

An Exploded Office Building - St. Cloud, Minnesota - Early Evening

Back inside the exploded office building, Gerard and Kimble continue awaiting rescue.

“It’s been 30 minutes,” Gerard says looking at his watch.

“The gas is getting stronger,” Kimble says and he and Gerard begin coughing frequently at the smell of the gas. “It’s getting more difficult to breathe.”

Suddenly, Gerard starts laughing. Kimble walks over to him to see what’s going on.

“Life is so ironic,” Gerard tells Kimble coughing. “I always dreamed about having you trapped and relishing the fact that you could not escape. I could then turn you in and celebrate. I finally got my wish…but this is no cause for celebration. We may never get out of here”

“I have faith,” Kimble says, “they’ll make it in time.”

As Kimble and Gerard sit in silence, awaiting rescue, Gerard decides to fill the silence.

“So…why did you do it,” Gerard says. “Was it the money?”

Kimble looks at Gerard carefully before answering. “No amount of money…NONE…could replace what Helen meant to me. She was my life. She was priceless. When she died…I died.”

“Yes I know, you’ve said before,” Gerard says. “But why?”

“You can ask the question a million times, and I will tell you a million times that I am not the one who killed her,” Kimble says coughing as he tries to take a breath. As Kimble begins to once again describe the night of the murder, he gets a mental flashback.

“When I came home that night, I wanted to surprise Helen. I stopped by buy her rose, because I had told her earlier that day that she is the rose of my life. I walked into the apartment and right away felt that something was wrong.”

Gerard listens as Kimble recalls the night of the crime.

“I called for Helen, but she didn’t answer. It was unlike her not to respond. Suddenly, out of nowhere, I was attacked. A man jumped me and tackled me to the ground. I fought back, trying to free myself from his grip. I pulled on his right arm and was surprised when it came off. It was prosthetic. The next thing that I really remember is trying to keep Helen alive until help arrived.”

“Richard…you have seen the evidence,” Gerard says. “The police found nothing in your apartment to support your claim. Nothing! So why do you persist on believing in this nonexistent one-armed man?”

“Because he’s REAL,” Kimble says strongly. “He’s alive. He’s out there somewhere and I’ve got to find him. That’s the only way people like you will believe.”

“What if you never find him?” Gerard asks. “What then?”

“Well… I guess then that I really am standing on the threshold of destiny’s door,” Kimble says. “He’s the only way I can prove who really did this. Without him, my fate is sealed. But as long as I have a chance to catch him, I will not give up.”

“You know…Kimble…Helen’s father didn’t like you,” Gerard says.

“He doesn’t like many people,” Kimble says snidely.

“No…I mean he told me that he never liked you,” Gerard continues. “He said he felt Helen could do better.”

“That’s a big surprise,” Kimble says. “Helen used to tell me about him and his controlling manner. She said that he never liked anyone she dated. He nearly disowned her when he learned of our plans to get married. It was a very difficult time…he can be a very difficult man.”

“So I’ve seen,” Gerard says. “Did Ross ever say why he felt that way?”

“Let’s face it, he’s a rich man and money does strange things to people,” Kimble says. “When Helen and I met, I was a new physician. I didn’t have much money sure, but my practice was growing and it was only a matter of time. Mr. Ross thought money drove my decision. It didn’t! In fact, Helen asked me to marry her, and I learned early on that she is not someone who takes no for an answer. He father never knew that fact…and I promised he I would never tell him.”

“Apparently, Ross never got beyond his dislike for you,” Gerard asks.

“No, I believe that just before Helen died, Mr. Ross was finally coming around to accepting me as his son-in-law,” Kimble says. “But now…I doubt he ever will.”

Gerard sighs and shakes his head in disapproval, and coughs as he takes another breath. “You know, Kimble, if I had a dollar for every time some person like you claimed innocence, I would have retired a LONG time ago,” he says. “I certainly wouldn’t be sitting here.”

“You know…there is something else,” Kimble says as he suddenly recalls a detail from that night Helen was killed. “I just remembered something. When I went into the apartment carrying the rose…I smelled some very strong after shave.”

“After shave?” Gerard asks. “You never mentioned that detail before.”

“That’s because it just came back to me now,” Kimble says. “I don’t know what it was, but I’ll never forget that scent. It was very strong…very heavy.”

“So now your one-armed man wears cheap cologne,” Gerard says sarcastically.

Kimble looks down and then back at Gerard. “You’ve lost a loved one. You should be understand the pain it causes.”

“Yes I have,” Gerard replies. “I’ve had a lot of pain in my life. It comes with being a cop. But I didn’t kill my wife.”

Kimble looks Gerard squarely in the eyes, “Neither did I!” he says in a firm and deliberate voice. “Tell me, how would you feel if somebody said that you deliberately drove the car off the bridge?”

Gerard thinks about Kimble’s analogy. “Honestly I don’t know,” he says as he shrugs his shoulders. “But I didn’t do it and unlike you the evidence backs up my story. My motto is…follow the evidence…it never lies.”

“It may never lie, but in my case, something is missing,” Kimble says. “The puzzle isn’t complete.”

“That’s because you’re one of the big missing pieces,” Gerard says.

= = = = =

Twenty minutes later, as the gas in the room becomes almost overpowering, Kimble and Gerard struggle to stay conscious.

“I haven’t had a headache like this in years,” Gerard says.

“It’s the gas,” Kimble says squinting. “We’ve got to hold on.”

Meanwhile, back outside the building, after an hour of trying, gas crews have succeeded in capping the main. This has enabled city firefighters to extinguish the raging blaze.

“Agent Hilliard,” Fire Chief Mitchell calls to her. Hilliard hears him and runs over to receive an update. “The gas is off and the fire is finally out. We’re now ready to begin victim extraction. If you could help our, we’re going to have to keep everyone back during the rescue due to the possibility of yet another explosion. There is still a great deal of gas floating in the air.”

“You’ve got it Chief,” Hilliard says. “Okay everybody, rescue operations are about to begin so let’s get this crowd back,” she yells to the other officers. Hilliard and the other officers form a barricade which effectively pushes onlookers back to a safe distance.

“This is Chief Mitchell,” the Fire Chief announces over the radio. “Proceed with the extraction.”

Rescuers enter the building. They see a several people trapped on the first floor. They free them and escort them quickly out of the building. Their attention then turns to the hole in the floor leading into the basement.

“Is there anyone down there,” one of the firefighters yells.

“Yes, down here, two of us,” Kimble calls out. “I’m conscious but my friend has passed out. We need oxygen fast.”

“It’s on its way,” the firefighter calls out. Rescuers dig the hold, carefully removing debris. They lower ladders, ropes and equipment into the pit and descend to the bottom.

“It’s good to see you guys,” Kimble says relieved. “Help him, he’s passed out,” he says to one of the rescuers. They rush to Gerard’s side to begin treatment him. They check his pulse, place an oxygen mask over his face, and monitor his vital signs. They then secure Gerard into a metal rescue basket to ease his removal from the building.

“Sir, we’ve got to get you out of here now,” one of the rescuers says to Kimble. “Here put these on.” The man hands Kimble a hat and coat similar to those worn by the rescuers. “Okay, lower it down,” the rescuer calls out on his walkie-talkie.

A rescue belt on a rope is lowered into the pit. “Put this tightly around your waist.” Kimble follows the firefighter’s advice. Once the rescue belt is secured, Kimble acknowledges that he is ready to be lifted out.

“Okay, victim number one is ready…raise him up,” the firefighter calls to rescuers over his walkie-talkie.” Firefighters begin pulling on the rope and Kimble begins his elevation out of the basement to the floor above. Once there, he takes off the rescue belt, leaving the hat and coat on.

“Is the other one ready,” one of the firefighters asks paramedics treating Gerard.

“He’s good to go,” the paramedic replies.

“Attention…victim two is ready,” the firefighter calls out over his walkie-talkie. Rescuers begin raising Gerard out of the basement.

Meanwhile, back up top, still wearing the rescue hat and coat, Kimble has slowly faded into the crowd of rescuers around the site. He glances about and sees police watching developments from a distance. He sees Gerard being safely pulled from the basement and decides, amidst all the confusion, that the time has come to make his get-a-way.

After his removal, Gerard, who had passed out from the gas, begins to regain his senses thanks, in large part, to the oxygen. He then begins looking around for Kimble.

Seeing Gerard on the gurney, Agent Hilliard runs to him. “Captain, thank God you’re okay,” she says.

“Kimble,” he sluggishly says through the oxygen mask.

“What?” Hilliard asks.

“Kimble…where’s Kimble?” Gerard asks.

“Richard Kimble…he was here?” Hilliard says. “He was down there with you?”

Gerard nods his head. “Yes…he came out before me.”

Hilliard stands up and looks around. Kimble is nowhere to be found.

“Eve…find him…don’t let him get away this time,” Gerard says. She immediately runs over to one of the police officers.

“FBI priority,” she says. “We have an escaped fugitive in the area. His name is Richard Kimble. Seal off the area right now and begin a parameter search for anyone suspicious. You got that?”

“Yes ma’am,” the officer says. He picks up his police radio to relay Hilliard’s message to the other officers. Hilliard races back to Gerard’s side.

“Captain, there’s no sight of Kimble,” Hilliard says. “I’ve got police doing a parameter search now. They have orders to stop anyone who even looks suspicious.”

Gerard listens and then passes out. He is rushed to a waiting ambulance and taken to a nearby hospital.

= = = = =

EPILOGUE

As rescuers begin cleanup at the explosion site, Eve Hilliard sit in her car with Eddie Miles outside the building.

“Is it all worth it?” Miles asks.

“Is what worth it?” Hilliard inquires.

“Richard Kimble…this whole thing,” Miles says. “Captain Gerard has suffered two major life-threatening situations recently thanks to Richard Kimble. Next time he might not be so lucky.”

“That’s why the quicker he’s in custody, the better,” Hilliard says. “Let’s go to the hospital to check on Gerard.” They pull away from the scene, lights flashing and siren blaring, and head for the hospital

Six hours later, Richard Kimble sits on a bench inside a bus station. As he does, he sighs as he reflects upon developments during the last 24 hours. Dale Suwinski’s friendly betrayal has made Kimble more suspicious and cynical than before. Further, the explosion has showed him that, given his status as a wanted fugitive, he may not have much time left to find and catch Ben Charnquist.

Twenty-five minutes later, a bus arrives. Kimble boards the bus with the rest of the passengers and heads for a seat in the back. He sits down and glances out the bus window. Kimble tilts his head back in the seat and begins dozing off as the bus pulls out from the terminal and drives off into the night.