EXT. BOOKSTORE - DAY

Police are cordoning off the bookstore, directing people away and milling about as two news crews have gone into action while a third pulls up next to a fire truck and bomb squad vehicle.

INT. BOOKSTORE - DAY

Sergeant Smith questions Chance as he writes down notes.

SERGEANT SMITH        (incredulous)
So, you just pulled the wires out and the whole thing went dead?

CHANCE Yeah.

SERGEANT SMITH Did you know what you were doing?

CHANCE No.

SERGEANT SMITH Do you realize you could have killed everyone here?!?

DIANE I don’t think so. He knew exactly what to do.

DIANE He saved our lives.

SERGEANT SMITH

Well, we’ll see about that. It might not be a real bomb.

DETECTIVE PAXTON Actually, Sergeant Smith, it is a stick of C-4 explosive and it was correctly wired. It was actually wired in a way that would have fooled most people on first sight. Even the bomb squad would have only had a one-in-three chance of disarming it.

DETECTIVE PAXTON Detective Bob Paxton. You’re Chance Harper, huh?

CHANCE Yeah, that’s me.

DETECTIVE PAXTON Don’t mind that guy. He’s just jealous of you. I refused to let him on my team last year and he’s tried to brown-nose his way on since.

CHANCE What team is that?

DETECTIVE PAXTON The bomb squad, son.

DETECTIVE PAXTON You know, I’d really like to know how you knew which wire to pull?

CHANCE

I didn’t, really.

DIANE He read my book!

CHANCE

        (sheepishly)
Well, no, actually, I was here to take your picture for the Examiner.

DETECTIVE PAXTON You are truly a lucky man, Mr. Harper. We could use a few lucky guys like you on the bomb squad. You’re a bonafide hero.

CHANCE

No, I don’t think so.

Chance is now flanked by Diane and Detective Paxton. We hear a camera shutter clicking [click] as Westin snaps a few perfect shots [click] of the three of them [click].

INT. BOOKSTORE - DAY

Westin reframes, getting the best picture [click] for tomorrow’s headline [click]. Detective Paxton’s expression changes quickly and he points at Westin.

DETECTIVE PAXTON Get her out of here!

WESTIN Hey, let go of me! I’m with the Examiner.

CHANCE

Hey you, let her go!

REPORTER ONE Mr. Harper?...Are you a psychic!?

REPORTER TWO Did you read Miss Smithers book?! Did you use any special powers to defuse the bomb!?

REPORTER ONE Mr. Harper, how does it feel to be a hero!?

Chance rushes out the front entrance with Westin in tow. The now bigger crowd applauds as the news crew outside follows Chance and Westin to her car.

CHANCE Give me the keys!!

REPORTER THREE Mr. Harper! Mr. Harper!!

Chance grabs the keys as she hands them to him as they quickly divide in front of the nose of the car. Chance makes it into the driver seat as the camera crew is upon him.

REPORTER THREE Mr. Harper!! People are calling you the “Psychic Hero,” what do you think of that?

EXT. MUSTANG - DAY (VIDEO CAMERA P.O.V.)

Chance forcefully sets the record straight.

CHANCE I haven’t read her book. I’m not psychic. I’m not a hero. I’m just lucky, OK?!?

REPORTER THREE V.O.

Mr. Harper!! What about--

INT. RED MUSTANG - DAY

The car zips away from the bookstore. Westin watches Chance as he has a look of childish frustration on his face.

WESTIN Wow, it’s been some time since I’ve seen that look on your face. The last time I saw you like this was when I told you I didn’t want to see you any more.

CHANCE

Not now Audrey.

WESTIN

Hmm! And you haven’t called me Audrey in a while either. This really has you, doesn’t it?

EXT. RED MUSTANG - DAY

The Mustang peels out of the parking lot and onto the main road. Chance is driving, but his mind is elsewhere, back in 1965--the night of the plane crash.

INT. HOSPITAL - NIGHT (FLASHBACK)

Two PHOTOJOURNALISTS are moving in to take pictures of YOUNG CHANCE as he is received at a hospital. In the background, an AMBULANCE DRIVER is talking to a FIRST REPORTER and TWO NURSES are talking to a SECOND REPORTER as they watch Young Chance. Young Chance is being transferred to a hospital gurney by two ORDERLIES...

Young Chance’s expression is the same as when he was discovered--calm and somewhat curiously unaffected.

FIRST NURSE ...poor dear...

SECOND NURSE

...all alone...

FIRST REPORTER ...he’s the sole survivor?...

AMBULANCE DRIVER

...lucky, really lucky...

Young Chance is placed on a stretcher [first camera-pop]...

INT. HOSPITAL - NIGHT (SECOND CAMERA P.O.V.--CONTINUE SLOW MOTION)

...like a butterfly on a bug collection before the pin is driven through [second camera-pop].

INT. HOSPITAL - NIGHT (NO SLOW MOTION)

The first photojournalist makes a motion to prop him up. Both photojournalists smile as the orderlies prop up Young Chance on the gurney for the press. The flashbulbs [pop...pop] are blinding in Young Chance’s face. Young Chance holds his hands up to block the light.

INT. HOSPITAL - NIGHT (SLOW MOTION)

In an altered perspective, Chance Harper is back in 1965 as a newspaper photojournalist. He approaches the other two photojournalists from behind. He crowds in between them to get “the picture.” Chance Harper reaches out and gently pulls Young Chance’s hand away from his face. Chance Harper, photojournalist, smiles knowing this is the shot of a lifetime...

INT. HOSPITAL - NIGHT (CHANCE’S CAMERA P.O.V.--CONTINUE SLO-MO)

Young Chance is confused. His expression goes from being calm to becoming afraid. An intimate and tender moment is about to be captured--the moment that shapes a child for the rest of his life and defines him forever. Young Chance is about to realize he has no one to turn to. He is about to find he has lost all he has as the unreality of the plane crash disappears and the reality of loss and loneliness becomes what shapes him next.

INT. HOSPITAL - NIGHT (CONTINUE SLOW MOTION)

Chance Harper, photojournalist, captures this moment forever...

INT. HOSPITAL - NIGHT (CHANCE’S CAMERA P.O.V.--SLOW MOTION)

Chance Harper, 3, plane crash sole-survivor, loses family [pop]...

YOUNG CHANCE         (screams frightfully)
Mommmmy!! [pop]

DISSOLVE TO:

Chance blinks away his tears in the present.

WESTIN V.O. Chance? Are you OK?

The Mustang pulls over. Chance gets out and starts walking. Westin gets out of the passenger side as she walks toward the front of the car.

WESTIN Chance? Did I say something wrong? I’m sorry.

Chance walks away and waves her off. A white Grand Cherokee approaches from a distance. Westin steps half into frame.

WESTIN Look, I need your pictures, OK?

EXT. MUSTANG FROM ROADSIDE - DAY

Westin walks from where she was stopped in front of the car to the driver’s side. A white Grand Cherokee passes them. She opens the door and then stands in the door. Chance walks into frame toward the Mustang and hands her the camera.

EXT. ROADSIDE - DAY (BEHIND MUSTANG)

The white Grand Cherokee is braking slowly and then making a U-turn as Chance and Westin speak.

CHANCE Meet me at the diner later, OK?

WESTIN

If you’re not there by six I’ll call you on the cell phone, OK?

CHANCE

Yeah, yeah.

WESTIN

This has really got you, huh?

CHANCE I guess so, huh?

WESTIN Yeah.

CHANCE With any luck, I’ll bump into Richter.

RICHTER Chance! What’s going on?

CHANCE You know, I may be lucky, but I don’t deserve all this media attention.

Westin waves bye to Chance and he faces back to the Cherokee again and walks forward out of frame.

INT. GRAND CHEROKEE - DAY

The Mustang pulls away as Chance gets inside the Cherokee and closes the door.

RICHTER Am I glad I found you. I’m on my way to pick up Diane Smithers.

CHANCE

Whoah, doc, you should definitely let me out. I just came from there; I don’t want to go back.

RICHTER This is police business, Chance. I need to speak to both you and Miss Smithers. We need to go to the police station and get some questions answered.
        (pause)
I heard what happened at the bookstore. Detective Paxton pulled me to get a psychological profile on the suspect. Their profiler is on vacation and they asked me to fill in.

CHANCE

What suspect?

RICHTER

The near-fatal bombing that you happened to foil. Do you remember any of that? This is serious, Chance. This was an attempted hit, plain and simple. The main suspect is Miss Smithers’ ex-husband. I will need you to help me find this guy.

CHANCE

What are you talking about, I’m not a cop!

RICHTER

Well, beside the fact that you’re...(skeptically and sarcastically) "lucky" to have around...you are intrinsically tied to this case and there is something else you should know about.

CHANCE

What’s that?

RICHTER I’ll let you hear that straight from the source.

CHANCE

But what do you need me for?

RICHTER

I’ll explain that on the way, OK?
        (pause)
So, what was this little incident out here in the middle of nowhere?

CHANCE I don’t really want to talk about it.

RICHTER I know you better than that, Chance. We both have a few minutes until we get to the bookstore, you might as well make the best of it.

CHANCE        (long calming pause)
OK. It’s just these damn reporters and media people. They made me into a sideshow freak. They’re calling me a “Psychic Hero.”

RICHTER

And you’re repulsed by that?

CHANCE

Absolutely.

RICHTER Did you save a life?

CHANCE

Yeah. A couple dozen--several dozen injuries. But that’s nothing new.

RICHTER

So then you are a hero. The adjective “psychic” just implies you acted without explanation--outside normal means. That’s definitely you.

RICHTER You know what’s funny is that you are a part of the media and you don’t like what they do to you.

CHANCE

Yeah, but I’m not like them.

RICHTER How are you then if you’re not like them?

CHANCE Well, I don’t try to make a celebrity out of people just because they get lucky.

RICHTER

And there’s something wrong if they do? They’re not allowed to do their job or to do what they’re told to do.

CHANCE

        (childishly)
No.

RICHTER Oh, I see. Then the problem isn’t with them, the problem is with what you think they should and shouldn’t do.

INT. BOOKSTORE - DAY

Chance stands nervously in front of Diane as she talks with Richter.

DIANE So, Ms. Richter, will we be at the police station all day? I have to get back to my book tour at 3:00.

DIANE I have a TV interview.

RICHTER

Well, we’ll see what we can do.

DIANE As long as I’m with Mr. Harper, I’ll be just peachy.

RICHTER So, what did you tell Detective Paxton about Mr. Harper?

DIANE

Oh. You mean the vision I had?

RICHTER

Yes. If you could just repeat what you said for Chance, please.

DIANE Oh, OK. I saw Mr. Harper knocking out the bomber.

RICHTER

What did you see specifically? Was it a fist fight?

CHANCE Look, I understand that you think that you are psychic and maybe you get lucky sometimes, but let me tell you something, having someone plant a bomb so that you can become more famous isn’t my idea of proper conduct.

RICHTER Chance!! What the Hell has gotten into you?

RICHTER Miss Smithers, I’m sorry if Chance has offended you. Personally, I don’t believe in psychic powers, but if you believe it, then it may be of some use and I will be glad to get all the information I can about the suspect in question--or anything else you may have to offer.

DIANE Chance? Is that your name?

DIANE I--

DIANE I didn’t mean to do or say anything to harm you. Well, what I saw...What I mean to say is that...I saw you do something to knock my ex-husband unconscious. I saw this tremendous light. I really don’t understand it; I’m sure it will happen, though.

RICHTER

Just so that you know, Chance, Diane’s ex-husband turned up missing from work a few days ago. I think that if he is responsible for this attempted bombing that it’s because he doesn’t want to see Diane become famous. From a psychological standpoint, in some way, he may be trying to eclipse her celebrity by becoming some sort of famous mad bomber.

CHANCE

Now that’s interesting.

RICHTER Diane has another appearance later today and we’ll be taking extra precautions to make sure everything goes OK.

CHANCE So what do you want me to do?

DIANE

I want you to protect me.

CHANCE You mean I’m like some sort of security blanket or maybe an insurance policy? No, thanks. I’ll pass on this one.

RICHTER Well, Chance, the police department can’t make you do anything, but I’ve been put in charge of getting a psychological profile on the suspect. It might be good for you to go along with us. You could get some pictures for the Examiner and it will make Diane more comfortable.

CHANCE I dunno.

RICHTER Could you do it for me?

CHANCE

Alright, I’ll go.

CHANCE I’m not your hero.

RICHTER

Well, Chance, despite what you think, you are someone’s hero if they say you are and there is nothing you can do to change that.

CHANCE

Well, I don’t have to like it.

RICHTER

That’s right, you don’t. And just like other things in your life, you have to accept those things that you try so hard to resist.

DIANE You know, Chance, I can tell you something that you don’t know about yourself.

CHANCE

I’m not sure that I want to know.

DIANE Well, are you willing to listen?

CHANCE

I’m not willing to listen to a media hog.

DIANE I’ve never been able to psychically tell someone their past and I can only read premonitions, like today at the bookstore, but I can tell you something right now about yourself.

CHANCE What’s that?

DIANE You have a gift. A tremendous gift. A gift that was given to you straight from Heaven. I used to read a lot of Eastern philosophy and you remind me of something I read one time.

CHANCE OK, I’m listening.

DIANE

There is something written about those people that are given gifts from Heaven. You have such a gift. It makes you a hero. You are a divine intervention. You have a gift that some people would say makes you psychic.

CHANCE Well, I’m not psychic.

DIANE It doesn’t matter. You should never refuse your gift; or try to understand it; or try to use it in such a way that hurts people. If you want to find that which you seek, just let go of what you are fighting against.

CHANCE So, what should I do, let the media tell lies about me?

DIANE Just let people do what they do. Just be responsible for what you do. Otherwise, you will just become a victim of your past. If they want to call you a psychic hero, let them. Don’t fight it, honey.

CHANCE        (resigned)
Well, what do I have to lose now?

RICHTER The media is going to say what they want, you can’t fight it anyway. It might be better for you if you made it fun rather than something to fight.

CHANCE

I just wish they wouldn’t try to set me up and use me.

The first photojournalist makes a motion to prop Young Chance up on the gurney. The photojournalists smile as the orderlies prop up Young Chance for them. The flashbulbs [pop...pop] are blinding in Young Chance’s face.

INT. BOOKSTORE - DAY

DIANE Well, honey, you could just let people do what they do.

An altered perspective: Chance Harper is propped up on a hospital gurney in 1965.

DIANE V.O. Let them picture you the way they want to. No one is going to hurt you.

DIANE V.O. If you take responsibility for what others do to you, then that gives you power. You don’t have to be a victim.

INT. HOSPITAL - NIGHT (CAMERA P.O.V.--CONTINUE SLOW MOTION)

Chance Harper, 33, frowning reluctant hero [pop]. Chance Harper, 33, no longer a sole-survivor, reluctantly and then generously smiles [pop].

INT. BOOKSTORE - DAY

Diane has her hand on Chance’s shoulder. She cares.

DIANE You aren’t a child anymore, Chance. You have a choice now.

FADE OUT