Captain Phillips_2013

MAERSK ALABAMA
    (from the book "A Captain's Duty" by Richard Phillips)
    Screenplay by
    Billy Ray Sony Pictures Scott Rudin Productions Michael DeLuca Productions Trigger Street Films First Draft - Revised December 9, 2010 FADE IN... on a man in a floating hell. We are:

INT. LIFEBOAT - NIGHT (2 A.M.)
    An enclosed, fiberglass LIFEBOAT, 28 feet long - with 60 seats, and HATCHES fore and aft. It's steamy, hot, even at night. Floating on the Indian Ocean, 300 miles from Somalia. RICHARD PHILLIPS sleeps upright in this sweatbox, at gunpoint. He's 50, a career merchant mariner - now a hostage. His captors are four Somali pirates: BILAL is 16, his left foot wrapped in bloody gauze. ELMI is 25, has a three-colored ROPE on his lap. NAJEE is 24. They're asleep too. But: MUSI, their leader, is wide awake. 25 years old, 5'9", maybe 135 pounds. A rail-thin killer. His hand, bandaged and bloody, holds an AK-47 as he studies the sleeping Phillips. After a beat, Musi rises, and "undogs" (opens) the AFT HATCH, stepping out onto the lifeboat's tiny AFT DECK. He lays his AK at his feet, and pees off the edge. Phillips' eyes instantly snap open. Turns out, he was awake. He assesses his options - IMAGES, hitting us in a hurry: Three pirates asleep; the THREE-COLORED ROPE on Elmi's lap; Musi's back turned to us; the AK on the deck... and SIX FULL FUEL BUCKETS, tied down in the boat's nose. It's time to go. So he rises, heads for the aft hatch. The rest is a blur:

EXT. LIFEBOAT - AFT HATCH/AFT DECK - CONTINUING
    The craft is orange, shaped like a submarine. Musi pees off its deck, the AK at his feet. Phillips can grab it and fire away. He considers that. But a half-mile away, lit up like a distant jewel, is a US NAVY GUIDED MISSILE DESTROYER - the USS Bainbridge. 508 feet long. Immense, powerful, here to rescue him - so... He pushes Musi off the deck and dives in. We FOLLOW:

EXT. WATER - CONTINUING - NIGHT
    His glasses fly off, gone forever in the cool water. He starts swimming madly, moonlight shining through. Behind him, Musi surfaces, howling in Somali at his crew. Next Phillips hears the engine of the lifeboat roaring to life. He swims, kicks, gasps... then he looks back. Oh no: The lifeboat is coming at him, Musi clinging to its side. Phillips sucks in air, and DIVES down. Even underwater he can hear the pirates shouting. The lifeboat passes over him, then STOPS, idling right atop him. Phillips can touch its hull. He surfaces beneath the bow - a quiet breath - grabs the ENGINE COOLING PIPES under the keel and guides himself along. FOOTSTEPS on the deck above him. Pirates howling, enraged. He ducks under the boat again, comes up on the port side. But waiting there, in the water, is Musi. Oh shit. They lunge for each other's throats instantly. Hand-to-hand combat, just like that. Phillips gets Musi's head under water, Musi's scream turning into a burble of air. Holding the guy down - Musi flailing, kicking - Phillips trying to drown the bastard, until... another nightmare: POP POP POP. Three rounds from the AK, whistling past his ear into the water. He looks up. Elmi, on deck. Firing. It's over. Phillips releases Musi. That fast, Phillips is yanked out of the water by Elmi and Bilal, thrown through that aft hatch and back inside, where:

INT. LIFEBOAT - CONTINUING
    Elmi and Bilal throw him to the floor of the boat. Then they pounce: beating the hell out of him. Najee jumps in too. Shot after shot, swarming like angry bees.
    NAJEE
    We kill you! Kill you!
    Shouting, spitting, kicking. Elmi ties Phillips' hands to a horizontal bar, exposing his torso. Bilal trusses Phillips' feet to the base of a seat. He's helpless, a punching bag. ...as Musi, wet and enraged now, steps up. Silence... Then:
    MUSI
    How much you worth, Irish? One million? Two million?
    CRACK. A right cross to Phillips' jaw, staggering him. Now the others join in again: pounding, spitting, shouting... ...until, gradually, they stop - too winded to continue.
    MUSI
    You stay tied now, like an animal. And you pee in a bottle.
    Phillips is a bruised, bleeding mess. Gasping...
    PHILLIPS
    I can't feel my hands. You trussed 'em too tight.
    MUSI
    Like an animal!
    Phillips tries to chew the ropes. Musi hits him again.
    MUSI
    Ropes can't touch your mouth! They are halal!
    He walks away. Najee and Elmi follow... leaving Bilal, the youngest, to stand guard, AK in hand. Bilal studies Phillips, perplexed. A long quiet beat... then he has to ask:
    BILAL
    Why you didn't just shoot us?
    (Phillips is silent)
    Gun was right there. Why you don't just grab it and shoot us?
    PHILLIPS
    I just... wanted to go home.
    Bilal doesn't respond. He can't. We CUT TO:

EXT. MAERSK - STARBOARD - AMIDSHIP - NIGHT
    The MAERSK ALABAMA is a cargo ship: 508 feet long, 83 feet abeam, displacing 31,000 tons of water. Massive. With a seven- story superstructure, "The House", rising from her stern. She idles, a mile from the lifeboat... as she is boarded by U.S. NAVY SAILORS - guys climbing up flexible-steel ladders from two NAVY ZODIACS idling beside the Maersk amidship.

INT. MAERSK - BRIDGE - SAME
    SHANE MURPHY stands at the helm of the Maersk, 120 feet above the waterline. He's Chief Mate on this ship - 27, tough as a bouncer but with a Boy Scout face. From Seekon, Mass.
    MURPHY
    The leader has a knife wound on his right hand, pretty deep. Another guy, he was the youngest, his foot's cut up - from glass shards.
    Murphy and 10 OTHER MAERSK CREW-MEMBERS (we'll meet them soon) are being debriefed by LT. PRICE, USN. ...as Navy SAILORS take control of this ship. An ENSIGN named REID at the helm. Murphy can see the Bainbridge from here... and that tiny orange fiberglass lifeboat. This sucks...
    MURPHY (CONT'D)
    Is there some rescue planned? You guys gonna get him outta there?
    LT. PRICE
    Orders are, no offensive measures until the FBI Negotiator is on sight and in contact with the pirates.
    ENSIGN REID
    We okay to come about, Lieutenant?
    LT. PRICE
    Yeah. Come about.
    Reid turns the wheel. The giant cargo ship turns. Murphy sighs; none of the crew-members look happy. Chief Engineer MIKE PERRY, (55, devout Christian) voices it:
    PERRY
    Doesn't feel right, leaving him out there.
    LT. PRICE
    Command wants this vessel out of hostile waters - we're escorting you all the way to Mobassa.
    The men hate that. Murphy studies them... then:
    MURPHY
    Can we at least get word to his wife?

EXT. UNDERHILL VT. - RIVER ROAD - PHILLIPS' DRIVEWAY - DAY
    FOUR NEWSVANS and 15 REPORTERS crowd the snowy driveway and street outside the home of Richard and Andrea Phillips. Underhill Vermont is a town with no stop-lights. But today it's the center of the world, and Phillips is the reason. A REPORTER, his breath fogged, does a remote from the porch. ...as we PUSH INSIDE, through a window, to:

INT. PHILLIPS' HOME - LIVING ROOM - CONTINUING
    An 1830's design, timber ceilings. Messy and warm. But what used to be a calm home is now Mission Control: NEIGHBORS, FAMILY MEMBERS - manning phones, monitoring CNN, fretting. We KEEP PUSHING THROUGH - faces, voices, a spilled soda - to:

EXT. PHILLIPS' HOME - BACK PATIO - DAY
    A stone patio, dusted by light snow. ANDREA PHILLIPS sits out here, a brief moment of solitude amidst crisis. Behind her we see a perfect Vermont pasture, blanketed white. Andrea is the one all those reporters want to talk to. The wife. Lovely, fierce... but desperate just now. She stares at an old NAUTICAL BELL that hangs over a clothes-line. Through the patio doors she sees her SISTERS, her SISTERS-IN- LAW, NEIGHBORS. All here to help. But none of them can. On her face, fear. Sadness. She lifts a CELL-PHONE to her ear, hits speed-dial. FOUR RINGS... then she hears:
    PHILLIPS (OUTGOING MESSAGE)
    You know the spiel. Now do the deal. I'll call you back.
    BEEP. Andrea starts crying. About to hang up... Instead:
    ANDREA (INTO CELL)
    Hi, Honey. You're gonna have a bunch of hang-ups on this number. Sorry, they're all me; it's the only way I can hear your voice. Dumb, right? Richard, I keep thinking about the airport. Dropping you off like that. I always walk you in and watch the plane take off. Always. So why didn't I this time? I don't know.
    (a beat)
    The kids are good. They're both on their way home. Everybody's calling, even people we never talk to, guys I dated thirty years ago. I think they think I'm now available.
    (half a laugh, then:)
    Keep looking for me, Honey. Every night in the stars. I'm up there. And I'm looking for you. So I'll see you soon, right? I love you.
    She shuts the phone, eyes that old SHIP'S BELL overhead.
    ANDREA
    Damn it!

INT. LIFEBOAT - MOVING - RESUMING (NIGHT)
    This lifeboat chugs along, airless and fetid. Phillips, bound now, his face beaten and bruised, silently prays. Musi, on the bridge, watches, amused.
    MUSI
    Hey Phillips, you turning Catholic again?
    (NOTE: the bridge is two steps above the lifeboat floor, with nav and radio gear, two seats, and tiny cockpit windows.)
    The pirates look strained, edgy; Elmi nervously works that three-colored ROPE: weaving strands of white, orange, and red into a whole. Phillips watches with an unspoken dread.
    PHILLIPS
    I have to urinate.
    (no one replies)
    I need the bottle. I have to urinate.
    MUSI
    No bottle.
    PHILLIPS
    You just said...
    MUSI
    You pee on yourself, like an animal.
    PHILLIPS
    Won't be too clean.
    MUSI
    I'm clean. My men are clean. No bottle.
    Two Captains, eyeing one another. The pirates watching...
    PHILLIPS
    None of us are gonna get out of here alive. You know that.
    MUSI
    Why? 'Cause of Navy? Don't worry, Irish. They not gonna hurt me. I work for those guys.
    PHILLIPS
    Is that right?
    MUSI
    Oh yeah. This is a training mission. We take ships, see how the Navy does. Your company hired us. Navy guys and me, we're friends!
    Crazy bastard. He points at the Bainbridge, brightly lit, a half mile away, then chuckles. Phillips studies him...
    MUSI (CONT'D)
    We offer them beer! No American say no to beer! Beer and tv. Lazy, lazy. We're Somali Marines, we're 24/7. We can do anything.
    Najee picks up the three-colored rope, consults with Elmi about it in Somali. Clearly, it has great meaning to them.
    PHILLIPS
    That's for me. Isn't it.
    (Musi grins)
    The rope. Is it for me?
    Musi looks to his men: Do I tell him? A beat, then...
    MUSI
    Yah, it's for you, Irish. But you can't touch it. Your hands are lalil. Unclean.
    (relishing this)
    It's what we tie you up with before we kill you. So your soul never leaves these waters.
    Phillips digests that. Musi grins, pleased.
    MUSI
    You had to pee, right? So pee! Pee, Irish!
    The pirates laugh. Phillips eyes them, defiant. You will not break me... And he begins to pee, darkening his pants. The pirates start WHOOPING, celebrating, as:

EXT. PHILLIPS' HOME - BACK PATIO - RESUMING
    Andrea remains alone out here... until:
    AMBER (O.S.)
    Andrea?
    AMBER, Andrea's oldest friend, stepping on to the patio.
    ANDREA
    Who's been calling?
    AMBER
    Matt Lauer, Katie Couric, Diane Sawyer, Senator Kennedy, Senator Leahy. But we didn't want to interrupt you...
    ANDREA
    You could've interrupted me for Matt Lauer.
    Amber breathes out a smile, then drops a bomb:
    AMBER
    Honey, there are two people from Maersk here.
    Andrea sees them now, through the patio door: two CORPORATE TYPES, a man and a woman, just got here. Standing out like sore thumbs in a room full of friends and family. She tightens. Maybe they're here to deliver bad news. Amber seems to think so too. She leads Andrea into:

INT. PHILLIPS' HOME - LIVING ROOM - CONTINUING
    The room is suddenly silent, all eyes on the suits: ALLISON McCALL (blonde, pretty, likes her BlackBerry) and JONATHAN HENSON (35, solid). They approach Andrea, who gulps...
    ALLISON
    Hi, Andrea. I'm Allison McCall. This is Jonathan Henson. We're from Maersk.
    ANDREA
    Okay.
    Bracing herself. Everyone in the room doing the same...
    ALLISON
    I'm going to be managing anything media-related for you. Jonathan's going to be liaising with the Defense Department, so you'll be getting steady and real-time information.
    Okay. She's not here to deliver devastating news. Everyone relaxes. A sister-in-law, NANCY, extends a phone as:
    NANCY
    Um. I have the Governor on the phone. He wants to know if there's anything he can do.
    ALLISON
    Yes. He can send over some State Troopers to move all the reporters off the road out there. They're causing a traffic hazard.
    Nancy pauses. Am I actually supposed to say that?
    ANDREA
    I'll be with him in a second, Nancy.
    Nancy nods, relieved. Andrea studies Allison, wary.
    ANDREA
    I appreciate your being here, Allison. But it's really not necessary. I know how things go. Maersk got their ship back, and all of their cargo, and most of the crew. That's a pretty good result. And sometimes one man gets sacrificed for the good of others. That's the sea.
    ALLISON
    Mrs. Phillips, Maersk is not going to let anything happen to your husband.
    ANDREA
    I see. Then how much are they willing to spend to save him?
    WHAM. That caught Allison flush. Andrea closes her eyes:
    ANDREA
    Richard, you have to save yourself.

INT. LIFEBOAT - NIGHT
    A JOLT: Phillips is yanked out of a seat by Musi - suddenly, urgently. Rage in Musi's eyes. Something's infuriated him:
    MUSI
    I want you to know something. We were all fishermen once. Other countries come and overfish our waters, dump all their trash here - no Somali government to stop them. So there's no more fishing.
    A few feet away, Najee and Elmi pull an ORANGE SURVIVAL SUIT from a bin, and begin to spread it on the floor. Odd...
    PHILLIPS
    What's the survival suit for?
    MUSI
    We were fishermen!
    PHILLIPS
    What's it for?!
    MUSI
    If your body touch the floor, it makes the whole boat unclean.
    Oh. Musi loads a 9mm handgun, hands it to Bilal. The pirates drop to their knees to PRAY for Allah's blessing. Game over; Phillips knows it. And he can only utter a single word:
    PHILLIPS
    Andrea...
    He shuts his eyes. We SMASH TO BLACK - and... Super: "Eight days earlier." FADE UP AGAIN: on Phillips, when the world was still sane.

INT. PHILLIPS HOME - MASTER BEDROOM - EARLY MORNING
    Phillips is home. In bed. Studying Andrea's face as she sleeps - trying to sear the image of her into his memory. He knows he won't be seeing that face again for a while. This is their bedroom: a four-poster bed, a crucifix on the wall, timber ceiling overhead. Messy and warm, with Vermont outside the window - a snowy pasture on a March morning. Andrea awakens. Phillips is the first thing she sees.
    PHILLIPS
    (Barry White voice)
    Baby, when'll your husband be home?
    Andrea blushes, grins. She loves when he kids like that. Then the grin's gone, that fast - because she just remembered what today is. Instead, sadness. Resignation. These two love each other deeply. It makes the goodbyes awful.
    ANDREA
    All packed?
    Phillips nods. We CUT TO... a different kind of home:

INT. MUSI'S HUT - EYL, SOMALIA - EARLY MORNING
    Musi awakens on a dirt floor in a stone hut. His wife, ABDI, and their two kids sleep. He studies them fondly. RETURN TO:

INT. PHILLIPS HOME - UPSTAIRS - RESUMING
    Phillips eyes his daughter's room. (She's away at school). Every inch of wall space is filled with posters, bumper stickers, equestrian ribbons. They make him smile. Then his son's room. Lots of clutter, photos of swimsuit models on the walls - and the kid himself, just awakening now. DAN, 19. Phillips is angered to see him here.
    PHILLIPS
    Thought you were driving back to school this morning.
    DAN
    Yeah. Woke up with a sore throat.
    PHILLIPS
    (hates being lied to)
    Uh-huh. What time'd you get in last night?
    DAN
    It wasn't late.
    PHILLIPS
    Had to be after midnight - 'cause I was still up and you weren't here.
    DAN
    You really gonna interrogate me, Dad?
    PHILLIPS
    Oh. I'm sorry. Are you still sleepy?
    (no reply) It's really simple, Dan. You go to school. Classes. That's your job. You're either doing it or you're not.
    DAN
    Dad, you wanna boss people around? Do it on the boat, okay? Jesus.
    A blow-up, that fast. Silence hangs...
    PHILLIPS
    You driving back, or aren't you?
    DAN
    Obviously.
    PHILLIPS
    Good. And check in on your mom while I'm gone.
    DAN
    I know the drill.
    Lots of distance here. It makes them both uneasy.

EXT. PHILLIPS HOME - PATIO - SAME
    Andrea brooms snow off the patio, bumping her head on the OLD SHIP'S BELL hanging here. Damn. She hates that bell. She sees Phillips descending the stairs, irritated, bags in hand.

INT. MUSI'S HUT - EYL, SOMALIA - RESUMING
    Musi's "belongings" lie in a corner, discards collected over the years: someone's sun-glasses, a chipped coffee mug, a book. He steps into some ratty sandals. On a stone wall is a sliver of a mirror, too small to reflect his whole face. He eyes a portion of his own reflection.

EXT. PHILLIPS HOME - DRIVEWAY - MOMENTS LATER
    Toyota Minivan. Andrea gets in. Phillips beside her.
    ANDREA
    I'm gonna take down that bell.
    PHILLIPS
    Please don't. It has sentimental--
    ANDREA
    I keep banging my head on it.
    PHILLIPS
    I'll raise it, soon as I'm back.
    ANDREA
    In July.
    PHILLIPS
    In July.
    Not a happy reality. He takes her hand. It helps a little. She pulls out of the driveway. Phillips looks up: There's Dan, glancing down from his bedroom window. Father and son exchange looks. That's it.
    ANDREA
    He stayed over so he could see you off this morning.
    PHILLIPS
    I don't like him to miss class.
    Departure days are always tense. And edgy. We RETURN TO:

INT. MUSI'S HUT - EYL, SOMALIA - RESUMING
    Abdi hands Musi a gift, a homemade BRACELET of red cloth. He smiles, takes it, kisses her. Then he goes...

INT. UNDERHILL, VT. - GENERAL STORE - MORNING
    Underhill is snowy pastures, the local cemetery, a handmade sign for fresh eggs, St. Thomas' Church. And a GENERAL STORE. It's run by MIKE WILLARD, (60, former merchant mariner), who grins as Phillips makes his usual pre-trip purchase: 15 pounds of "8 O'Clock Coffee" beans, in bags.
    MIKE WILLARD
    Where ya bound on this one?
    PHILLIPS
    Salalah, Djibouti, Mombasa - delivering handshake food.
    MIKE WILLARD
    That's a good run.
    Andrea tightens. No, it's not a good run. Not lately. And Willard knows the tension well.
    MIKE WILLARD (CONT'D)
    Your boy gonna work for me over the Summer again?
    PHILLIPS
    Maybe sooner than that, he keeps screwin' around.
    (Willard smiles fondly )
    Can I get a receipt?

EXT. VILLAGE - EYL, SOMALIA - MORNING
    Musi emerges from his hut... into a wasteland: Eyl, Somalia. No roads, no power or water. A goat ambles by, an old man with NO HANDS sits, staring. Musi walks past him.

INT. MINIVAN/EXT. BURLINGTON AIRPORT - CURB - MORNING
    Airport. Andrea pulls up to the curb. Phillips pauses.
    PHILLIPS
    You're not coming in?
    ANDREA
    I can't today. Late for my shift.
    PHILLIPS
    Oh. Okay.
    He lets it go, gets out. We STAY WITH ANDREA - as Phillips grabs his stuff, then walks around to her side of the car - just in time for her to blurt out:
    ANDREA
    Two runs a year, Richard. That was our deal. This is number three. Is being away that great?
    PHILLIPS
    You want the speech about college tuitions and mortgages again?
    ANDREA
    I just want you home.
    Phillips knows that. He sighs, looks up at the sky.
    PHILLIPS
    I'll be right up there, like always. Right?
    (she half-nods)
    I love you.
    He leans in. She pulls him close, urgently, shuts her eyes tight. Then her guard goes up again. End of hug. He smiles.
    PHILLIPS
    (Barry White voice again)
    Thanks, Baby. See ya next time I'm in town.
    She almost laughs. Almost. One last look, then he goes, vanishing into the terminal. On Andrea's face we CUT TO:

EXT. BEACH - EYL, SOMALIA - MORNING
    Musi crosses a wind-whipped beach. No commerce here, no hope, just overturned BOATS. To his right is what used to be a FISH FACTORY - abandoned now, rotting. Musi continues on...

EXT. PORT - SALALAH, OMAN - DAY
    Phillips emerges from a car in the port of SALALAH, OMAN. This place is booming - ships everywhere, big ones... But all Phillips can see is the Maersk Alabama, ugly and immense. Huge CRANES fill her hold with dumpster-sized CONTAINERS. (She can carry 1,092 of them, but on this trip she'll only be carrying 400.) She bears no flag of nationality. Phillips is instantly in Captain-mode: scrutinizing how the cranes are operating, how the ship's CREW is moving... Then:
    MURPHY (O.S.)
    Good to see you, Cap.
    Shane Murphy, the Chief Mate. These two respect one another.
    PHILLIPS
    You too, Shane. How's she look?

EXT. EYL, SOMALIA - OLD HARBOR - DOCK - MORNING
    We find a beaten TRAWLER with TEN MEN aboard it: black, lean, hungry. At their feet: AK-47's, side-arms, ammunition. These men are pirates. This trawler is their MOTHER-SHIP. It has two SKIFFS tied to its stern: motorboats. Not much for amenities, but fast. The rest of this harbor is empty... Musi walks a rickety dock, approaching the pirate-trawler. THREE CREW-MEMBERS see him coming. They stand at attention. Bilal. Elmi. Najee. Musi nods to them and boards the Trawler.

EXT. MAERSK - MAIN DECK - IN PORT - DAY
    Phillips walks the length of the Maersk, eyeing everything. He wears a blue Polo shirt, khakis, steel-toed boots. Behind him is the ship's "House", seven-stories tall, home to crew quarters, hospital, mess, engines, the Bridge... Before him is the ship's massive HOLD, home to all those containers, (several marked WORLD FOOD PROGRAMME.) Another one's being loaded in. Shane Murphy approaches.
    MURPHY
    Seventeen tons of grain, wheat, and peas, bound for Kenya.
    (Phillips nods)
    Beats hauling Toyotas from Yokohama to Seattle, right? God, that's a shitty run.
    PHILLIPS
    Voyage Plan's got us sailing three hundred miles off-shore. That's two extra days.
    MURPHY
    Lotta bulletins comin' in about pirates last couple weeks, Cap. Crew's kinda edgy about it.
    PHILLIPS
    Yeah? Then why's security so lax around here?
    (Murphy shrugs)
    Engine Door, Bridge Door, Cargo Scuttle - all of 'em wide open. I want 'em secured. Even in port.
    Murphy nods. Phillips eyes the PIRATE CAGES (welded bars) that are supposed to be protecting the STEPS rising up seven stories from here to the Bridge. They're unlocked.
    PHILLIPS
    Pirate cages unlocked. What kinda crew are you handing me?
    Whoops. That was said just as TWO CREW-MEMBERS walk by: "ATM" RAIZA (26, black) and COLIN WRIGHT (30, Southerner). They just decided the new Captain is an asshole. That fast.
    ATM
    Cap.
    PHILLIPS
    Nice to meet you.
    Off they go, unimpressed. Murphy waits 'til they're gone.
    MURPHY
    They're okay. The Captain took his foot off the gas, last few days.
    PHILLIPS
    I'm puttin' it back on. Spread the word.
    MURPHY
    Cap, go easy. They lost a guy last week, outside Djibouti.
    PHILLIPS
    Lost him how?
    MURPHY
    Deck Machinist, twenty-year vet. Guy just opted out, middle of the night. Left a note in his cabin. "Tell 'em I went for a swim." That shit always spooks a crew.
    PHILLIPS
    Sorry, Shane - but I need 'em un- spooked. And sharp. You on it?
    MURPHY
    Yeah.
    PHILLIPS
    I guess I also need a new Deck Machinist.
    Murphy eyes him, sobered, then nods "On it."

EXT. PIRATE TRAWLER - EYL, SOMALIA - HARBOR - DAY
    Musi touches the bracelet his wife gave him as we put to sea. The Captain of this trawler is an elder named HUFAN. He has an old map, a radio, and some cigarettes.

INT. MAERSK - BRIDGE - IN PORT - DAY
    The maps in here are electronic. The radar screens have data scrolling across them. The radios are fed by satellite. We're 120 feet above the waterline, looking out at the world through massive windows. A bright, trouble-free day... But there's a tension hanging, even before we've left port. At the helm are KEN QUINN (2nd Mate) and ATM Raiza (whom Phillips pissed off on deck). This is hushed:
    ATM
    I'm just sayin', Coast Guard advisories say we should be six hundred miles off-shore.
    KEN QUINN
    You think a pirate trawler couldn't find a ship six hundred miles out?
    Murphy, ten feet away, needs to cut this off. So:
    MURPHY
    Uh-oh. We're screwed, Fellas.
    The guys turn... to see a sailor named DURELL (25, black, fit) who just stepped on to the bridge. Durell freezes. ...as the guys in here study him, like Pledge-Masters.
    MURPHY (CONT'D)
    This your first ship, Kid? You right outta merchant mariner school?
    DURELL
    Yes.
    MURPHY
    Aw, Jeez. We got an FNG, Boys.
    KEN QUINN
    Friggin' New Guy.
    MURPHY
    Didn't they teach you it's bad luck to walk on to the Bridge left-foot first?
    Durell's eyes go wide. Murphy looks so serious. They all do.
    DURELL
    No...?
    MURPHY
    Write this down, Rook. Full moons and dolphins - good luck. Priests, redheads, fresh flowers, and walking on to the Bridge left-foot first, bad luck. Brutal. Now go back out and do it again.
    Durell freezes again. Really? He starts to back out... ...when ATM and Quinn start laughing, big-time, which tells Durell it's all a gag. He takes it pretty well. More laughs. Then Phillips enters - and things tighten. The laughs get choked back. He's the boss. And not big on goofing off.
    MURPHY
    Cap, this is Durell, new A.B.
    PHILLIPS
    Welcome to the sacred fraternity of merchant mariners, truckers of the ocean. Shane'll teach you the fight song later. We all set, Fellas?
    MURPHY/KEN QUINN/ATM
    Yes sir.
    Phillips nods, heads for the coffee-maker.
    KEN QUINN
    Hey, Cap. I never been on this run before. Are the ports any good?
    MURPHY
    Askin' the wrong guy, Kenny. Cap never leaves the ship. Doesn't matter where we put in, he stays on board.
    KEN QUINN
    That right, Cap?
    PHILLIPS
    I'm married and I'm cheap. What'm I gonna do on shore?
    The guys laugh. Phillips grabs a printed E-MAIL from "The Office of Naval Intelligence." Subject: "Pirate Activity on the East African Coast." He eyes it soberly, as:
    PHILLIPS
    Okay then. Dead Slow Ahead.
    KEN QUINN
    Dead Slow Ahead.
    Quinn pushes the ENGINE ORDER TELEGRAPH (throttle), and:

EXT. MAERSK - FROM THE WATER - CONTINUING
    The Maersk Alabama puts out to sea... Slow but muscular.

INT. MAERSK - BRIDGE - RESUMING
    Phillips moves to a computer - sends off a quick e-mail: "We're underway, Honey. I'll be seeing you in the stars." ...as Murphy eyes that bulletin from Naval Intel - about the surge in piracy off the East Africa coast...

EXT. INDIAN OCEAN - PIRATE TRAWLER - MOVING - EVENING
    Hufan's men eat stale crackers while he monitors his radio. Musi is thumbing through a weather-worn ENGLISH DICTIONARY, memorizing words by the glow of a FLASHLIGHT... until he suddenly tosses the book overboard with disdain. Splash.
    BILAL (SOMALI, SUBTITLED)
    Why you do that? All the ships we board, no captain ever speak Somali.
    MUSI (SOMALI, SUBTITLED)
    Everybody speaks AK-47, Bilal.

EXT. MAERSK - MAIN DECK - STERN - AT SEA - MORNING
    A blazing hot day. Phillips walks the length of the ship again - his daily inspection tour - when he sees something: Suspended above B-DECK - right where it should be - is that fiberglass LIFEBOAT. 28 feet long, enclosed, looks like an orange submarine, sitting on SKIDS at a 45-degree angle. But ten feet below it, sitting on overturned buckets, are two members of his crew: DEL and DAVE, old salts, each over 60 and overweight, smoking Marlboros. Phillips pauses, instantly irritated.
    PHILLIPS
    Enjoying your break, Fellas?
    They eye him without alarm. Or chagrin.
    DEL
    Sorry, Cap. I got a slipped disc.
    PHILLIPS
    Oh.
    (at Dave:) How're your discs? (Dave shrugs) Get to work. Christ. Aren't you guys supposed to be cleaning the lifeboat? And there's no smoking on deck. Del and Dave put their cigs out and rise, grabbing a hose.
    PHILLIPS
    No. Not a hose. Get up in a harness and soogee it, with a Turk's Head.
    DEL
    Really?
    PHILLIPS
    Yep. Hosin' it ain't the same thing.
    They eye the lifeboat, suspended above them. Hanging up there in a harness sounds like a hassle. Phillips turns to go.
    DAVE
    Hey, Cap.
    (Phillips turns back) We're spittin' distance of the Somali coast - got pirates takin' down ships right and left. How's cleanin' a lifeboat gonna help anything? Phillips can debate the point, or walk away. He walks away.
    PHILLIPS
    Just get it done.

INT. MAERSK - MESS DECK - MESS - LATER MORNING
    Murphy and Ken Quinn, eating. Phillips enters, irritated.
    PHILLIPS
    Got some confused sailors on board, Shane. They seem to think my name's Maersk. I'm just the Captain.
    MURPHY
    You need me to tune somebody up, Cap?
    Phillips is about to reply when he sees ANOTHER BULLETIN on the table: "Worldwide Threats to Shipping". ...it's sitting in front of Ken Quinn. Clearly, he and Murphy have been discussing it. 23 pirate attacks reported off of East Africa in a single week. Now Phillips is really irritated - because a bulletin like this should NOT be loose on the ship. He grabs it.
    PHILLIPS
    No. I want you to show our crew a Goddamn map.
    He gestures to a MAP on the wall.
    PHILLIPS (CONT'D)
    Here's Somalia. Here's Mombasa. Here's Djibouti. Here's us. Coast Guard advisories say we should be six hundred miles off-shore. Great, except you can't be six hundred miles away from Somalia if you're going to Mombasa, because Mombasa is sixty miles from the Somali border. You can go a thousand miles straight out, but you still gotta come back into range, because that's our destination. And by the way, these guys've hit ships twelve-hundred miles off shore, just like they've hit ships that are at anchor in port. These are the waters we're sailing. Okay?
    Murphy nods. Quinn too. Phillips seems calmer now.
    MURPHY
    Understood.
    PHILLIPS
    Good. We're running a security drill today. Unannounced.
    MURPHY
    Great! I love unannounced drills.
    PHILLIPS
    In five minutes.
    MURPHY
    'Kay. I wanna start out with--
    PHILLIPS
    Don't tell me what you're going to do. Let's just see how we perform.

INT. MAERSK - BRIDGE - 9 A.M.
    Colin Wright is at the helm. Beside him are ATM and a 70 year- old crew-member named MARV, (white, pleasant, but useless.) Phillips enters... and leans in to Wright, calmly:
    PHILLIPS
    It's Colin, yeah?
    WRIGHT
    Yes, Cap. Colin Wright.
    PHILLIPS
    There's a boat on our starboard side, Colin. Two men with weapons, acting hostile.
    Wright turns. Marv freezes.
    WRIGHT
    Ohhhhkay.
    PHILLIPS
    You have to do something about that - right?
    WRIGHT
    Is this a drill, Cap?
    Phillips just stares: "Show me something." Wright rings the GENERAL ALARM, which sounds throughout the ship. LOUD.
    PHILLIPS
    Not the general alarm. We hit the whistle first - to let the pirates know you are aware of them and are ready to defend the ship.
    Wright nods, sounds a WHISTLE (audible five miles away).
    PHILLIPS
    Now the General Alarm. Long-short, long-short.
    Done. ATM takes the helm. Marv still hasn't moved.
    PHILLIPS
    You are...?
    MARV
    I'm Marv, Cap.
    PHILLIPS
    Got pirates approaching, Marv. Hit the fire pump.
    There are two FIRE-PUMP lights on a console. One red, one green. Marv hits the RED one and moves away.
    PHILLIPS
    Red means off. We need it ON.
    MARV
    Got it.
    ATM reaches over him, hits the green button... but:
    ATM
    The pumps aren't working, Cap. No water pressure.
    PHILLIPS
    Okay. Fix it. Marv, go secure the three bridge doors.
    MARV
    Got it.
    Marv scurries off. Phillips watches him go...

INT. MAERSK - ENGINE ROOM - SAME
    Guys file in, without urgency. It's just a drill.

INT. MAERSK - LIFEBOAT - SAME
    Whistles and alarms ring, but Del and Dave haven't moved.
    DEL
    Nice. Can we go now?
    DAVE
    I'm almost done. Relax.
    What's Dave doing? Using a key to scratch a caricature of Phillips, and the words "Philips is a shit", into a hatch door. A few last touches, then:
    DAVE (CONT'D)
    There. Now we can go.

INT. MAERSK - A-DECK - PASSAGEWAY - MOMENTS LATER
    Phillips emerges from a stairwell: CREW-MEMBERS move past, some with keys jangling on their belts. There are doors left unsecured. Not good. He spots a STEWARD, ambling by:
    PHILLIPS
    What's the non-duress password?
    STEWARD
    Mister Jones.
    PHILLIPS
    No. That's the Secret Security Alarm code. Non-duress is "suppertime."
    STEWARD
    Suppertime. Got it.
    This isn't going well.

INT. MAERSK - BRIDGE - RESUMING
    Murphy appears on the Bridge. Feeling some heat.
    MURPHY
    Have we switched the radio to VHF?
    WRIGHT
    On it.
    Just then - Marv returns, winded.
    MURPHY
    Where you been, Marv?
    MARV
    Captain sent me to close the doors.
    MURPHY
    Oh. Which doors did you close?
    MARV
    Every door on every level.
    MURPHY
    Did they have locks on them, these doors?
    MARV
    Yeah.
    MURPHY
    But you were just closing them. Not locking them. Securing them.
    MARV
    Um.... No. Just closing.
    MURPHY
    Which wouldn't do much good if we were under attack. Would it?
    MARV
    No. I guess not.
    WRIGHT
    I've gone over this with him six or seven times.
    MURPHY
    Okay, Marv. Get to your muster point.
    (Marv's a blank)
    The Ship's Office. Go.
    Marv goes... just as Phillips returns to the bridge.
    PHILLIPS
    We are in search of excellence - but oh we will accept so much less.
    MURPHY
    How's it look down there?
    PHILLIPS
    Like monkeys trying to hump a football. Got watertight doors open on the Main Engine Level; they should all be secured, with deadbolts. Guys running around with key-chains on their hips. One set would give a pirate access to every room on the ship. That was in the Night Orders. Did we get the pump fixed?
    MURPHY
    Yeah. That's done.
    PHILLIPS
    Okay. Let's shut this down and bring everyone into the Ship's Office for a critique. Five minutes.
    MURPHY
    'Kay. Sorry about the screw-ups.
    PHILLIPS
    Don't be sorry. Be angry. They'll jump higher.
    Murphy nods, shuts off the alarm. Phillips turns away. ...when something catches his eye. THREE BLIPS - coming from the 10-cm RADAR SCREEN. Odd. He stops. Leans in. The BLIPS indicate THREE SMALL VESSELS, seven miles astern. They're moving in on us. Fast. Just like they would if this were the real thing. Hmmm... Phillips grabs a pair of BINOCULARS and heads outside, to:

EXT. MAERSK - PORT SIDE BRIDGE WING - CONTINUING
    He looks through the binoculars, to find: PHILLIPS' POV - ACROSS WATER - CONTINUING Two MOTORBOATS pound through FOUR-FOOT SWELLS at 21 knots, right at us. A TRAWLER behind them. We can't see faces yet... But they certainly are moving like pirates would. Real ones.

EXT. MAERSK - PORT SIDE BRIDGE WING - RESUMING
    Phillips lowers the binoculars. Collects himself. Returns to:

INT. MAERSK - BRIDGE - CONTINUING
    He moves to the Engine Order Telegraph, leans on it a bit. A gage tells us his RPM's just shot up to 122 revs. The ship surges forward. The men notice. He looks to Murphy:
    PHILLIPS
    Call down to the Engine Room. Tell 'em to let me know if anything goes red. I'm increasing our speed.
    MURPHY
    Cap? We still in the drill?
    Phillips is already at a phone, dialing. Two rings, then:
    UKMTO OPERATOR (THRU PHONE)
    United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations.
    PHILLIPS (INTO PHONE)
    This is the Maersk Alabama - position is two-degrees-two north by forty- nine-degrees-nineteen east. Course is
    PHILLIPS (INTO PHONE)
    one hundred eighty, and speed at seventeen knots. We have two skiffs approaching at five-point-five miles, with a possible mother ship behind them. Potential piracy situation.
    That got everyone's attention. But it's still a drill. Right?
    UKMTO OPERATOR (THRU PHONE)
    It's probably just fishermen. But you should get your crew together and get your fire-hoses ready. And you may want to get the ship locked up.
    PHILLIPS (INTO PHONE)
    We understand that, thank you. Will keep you posted.
    MURPHY
    Cap?
    Phillips hangs up. The men await an answer...
    PHILLIPS
    Three boats. This is not a drill.
    Oh. He dials another number. Hears a ring. Then two.
    MURPHY
    Never heard of an attack in the middle of the day, Cap. Visibility's too good.
    PHILLIPS
    They aren't here to fish.
    (hands him the phone)
    Take this. I'm trying to reach the U.S. Maritime Emergency Line.
    Murphy takes the phone. Phillips returns to the Bridge Wing:

EXT. PORT SIDE BRIDGE WING - RESUMING
    Another look through the binoculars. More DETAILED now: The skiffs are getting CLOSER, despite the four-foot SWELLS. Somalis. With AK-47's. (Musi and his crew aboard one; a pirate named ASAD and his crew on the other.) In other words: An actual attack, real pirates, coming at us now.

INT. MAERSK - BRIDGE - MOMENTS LATER
    Phillips returns - to find SIX SAILORS now staring at him: Ken Quinn, Durell, and Marv have joined Murphy, Wright, and ATM on the bridge. They look concerned.
    PHILLIPS
    Sea's helping us. They're getting pounded out there. But they are coming. Two skiffs carrying armed men. Four miles out and closing.
    Murphy lowers the phone.
    MURPHY
    Twelve rings. There's nobody there.
    PHILLIPS
    Colin, sound the intruder alarm.
    Wright hits the ALARM. Phillips grabs a P.A. MIKE:
    PHILLIPS (INTO MIKE)
    Captain speaking. This is not a drill. All crew report back to your muster points. Repeat, this is not a drill. Crew to the Ship's Office. Engineers to the Engine Room. Locked up and sealed in. Now.
    (lowers mike)
    Shane, let's go to hand steering. Left fifteen.
    MURPHY
    Left fifteen...

EXT. MAERSK - AFT - BELOW THE WATERLINE - CONTINUING
    Giant TWIN TILLERS move fifteen degrees right, pushing the ship left - and creating a swell in its wake.

EXT. MUSI'S SKIFF - MOVING - AT SEA - SAME
    Musi's skiff SLAMS into a swell. He adjusts his course. To his right, Asad's skiff does the same. Zeroing in...

INT. MAERSK - BRIDGE - RESUMING
    Phillips watches the radar screen. BLIPS moving in.
    PHILLIPS
    Right fifteen.
    MURPHY
    Right fifteen.
    The ship surges starboard. Phillips grabs the ship's RADIO:
    PHILLIPS (INTO RADIO)
    Chief, how we doing on engines?
    MIKE PERRY. We met him already - eight days ago.
    PERRY (THRU RADIO)
    We're good, Cap.
    PHILLIPS (INTO RADIO)
    Increasing speed to 124 revs.
    PERRY (THRU RADIO)
    No problem.
    Phillips pushes the Engine Order Telegraph forward.
    MURPHY
    They're at three miles, Cap.
    WRIGHT
    A lotta chop out there. Don't they know there's a lotta chop out there?
    Phillips eyes the radar again. We CUT TO:

INT. MUSI'S SKIFF - SAME
    Musi bears down on the Maersk, his face a stone.

INT. MAERSK - BRIDGE - MINUTES LATER (MORNING)
    Murphy looks up from the radar. But Phillips already knows:
    MURPHY
    Two miles, Cap.
    PHILLIPS
    Send out a call to "War Ship 237." I'll pretend to get it.
    MURPHY
    Huh?
    PHILLIPS
    Forget it. I'll do it.
    He grabs the radio, speaks into it:
    PHILLIPS (INTO RADIO)
    Warship 237, Coalition Warship 237. This is Maersk Alabama, come in.
    Then he changes his voice, pretending to be "Warship 237":
    PHILLIPS (INTO RADIO,
    ("warship voice")
    Maersk Alabama, come in. This is Coalition Warship 237.
    (normal voice:)
    This is Maersk Alabama. Position is two-degrees-two north by forty-nine- degrees-eighteen east. Course is one hundred eighty and speed at eighteen knots. Request immediate assistance. We have two skiffs approaching and a mother ship trailing behind. Look to be pirates, heavily armed.
    ("warship voice")
    Roger that, Maersk Alabama. How many do you have aboard?
    (normal voice:)
    Crew of twenty. No injuries at this time.
    ("warship voice")
    Roger that. We have a helicopter in the air. His ETA to your position is approxiamately five minutes.
    (normal voice)
    Copy that, 237. Maersk out.
    He puts the radio down. Murphy and Quinn eye him.
    MURPHY
    I'm pretty sure that was illegal.
    PHILLIPS
    So's piracy...

EXT. PIRATE TRAWLER - SAME
    On the mother ship, Hufan just heard that fake transmission. He eyes the sky overhead for a chopper, as:

EXT. MUSI'S SKIFF - MOVING - AT SEA - SAME
    CRASH! Musi's skiff slams into a huge swell, almost upending. His crew is sent sideways. Musi rights himself. ...then notices that Asad's skiff is now peeling off and heading away. (Asad also heard that fake transmission, via HANDHELD RADIO.) Musi's crew-members look to him, waiting. He presses on, bearing down on the Maersk...

INT. MAERSK - BRIDGE - SAME
    Phillips is watching all this. Murphy's at the radar.
    PHILLIPS
    This guy doesn't scare worth a damn, does he.
    (into radio:)
    Chief, you got your men secured?
    PERRY (THRU RADIO)
    We're good, Cap.
    MURPHY
    They're at one mile now, Cap.
    PHILLIPS
    Hit the hoses.

EXT. MAERSK - MAIN DECK - STERN - CONTINUING
    FIVE FIRE HOSES - one starboard, one port, three stern - fill quickly, each sending 100 pounds of water-pressure per square inch off the ship. It's their only real line of defense...

EXT. MUSI'S SKIFF - MOVING - AT SEA - RESUMING
    Musi's got a six foot SWELL in front of him. His men brace themselves. He barrels right over it, then PLUMMETS... Big DROP. Big splash. The skiff's engine stalls. Musi tries to restart it. No luck. More swells are coming. He looks to the Maersk - its hoses shooting HUGE JETS of water down...

INT. MAERSK - BRIDGE - RESUMING
    Phillips watching Musi. Murphy watching the radar...
    MURPHY
    Holding at zero point nine, Cap.
    PHILLIPS
    He started from too far out. They dropped him too far out.
    Through binoculars again, we see Musi, trying in vain to re- start his engine. No use. The skiff is adrift...
    PHILLIPS
    He's dead in the water.
    MURPHY/KEN QUINN
    Hell yeah! Awesome. See ya!
    Phillips looks through his binoculars again. Musi has binoculars too. Two captains, studying one another - with a shared sense that they'll be seeing each other again.
    PHILLIPS
    We got lucky...
    Each Captain lowers his binoculars... as we CUT TO:

INT. MAERSK - A-DECK - MESS - NIGHT
    A silent game of TRIVIAL PURSUIT. Murphy, Durell, ATM, Colin Wright, Mike Perry. Guys trying to distract themselves. But Durell is kicking all of their asses in the game...
    WRIGHT
    You gotta be kidding me. Where'd you pull "The Treaty of Paris" out of?
    DURELL
    College.
    MURPHY
    Hey, ya know those things that could bring a ship bad luck? Guess what the worst one is? The Friggin' New Guy winning Trivial Pursuit. Seriously.
    DURELL
    Sorry.

INT. MAERSK - E-DECK - CAPTAIN'S QUARTERS - NIGHT
    Spacious quarters. Phillips reads an E-MAIL from Andrea: "It snowed again today. I keep thinking how much you love that. And every morning I wake up on your side of the bed. So I must be missing you. Yes, definitely missing you. Miss your voice. And I miss those great long LETTERS you used to write to me when you were gone. E-mail stinks. Love you. Andrea." Phillips breathes out a smile, looks out his window - a sky full of stars. Then he STOPS. Just heard a BANGING noise. It's outside his door. He opens the door to investigate:

INT. MAERSK - E-DECK - PASSAGEWAY - CONTINUING
    Here's the source of the noise: Marv. Slumped against a bulkhead, bottle in hand. Very drunk. Phillips sighs.
    PHILLIPS
    Marv. What're you doing?
    MARV
    Trying to find my bunk.
    PHILLIPS
    No. I mean on this ship. You should be home collecting a pension and raising gardenias.
    MARV
    And miss all this?
    (drunken amusement) "Being at sea is like going to jail with a chance of drowning." Mark Twain. He gestures wildly, shattering his bottle. Silence...
    MARV (CONT'D)
    Am I done?
    PHILLIPS
    Yeah. You're done. You can't sail with me anymore.
    MARV
    Guess I'll get another ship then.
    PHILLIPS
    You do that.
    Phillips turns to go... but:
    MARV
    By the way... his name was Sam.
    PHILLIPS
    Huh?
    MARV
    The Deck Machinist who opted out... His name was Sam. Four kids he sent money home to, and an ex-wife. Who takes care of them now, huh?
    (Phillips is silent) Ship keeps sailing, I know; he was replaceable. But it woulda been nice if you'd at least asked his name. Marv turns to go - then stops, confused. Where am I going?
    PHILLIPS
    B-Deck. Berth Two. Ya need a map?

INT. MAERSK - A-DECK - MESS - RESUMING
    The Trivial Pursuit game - the guys trying to forget the day's events... Then Phillips enters. And everyone tightens again. He notes it.
    PHILLIPS
    Who's winning?
    KEN QUINN
    Friggin' New Guy.
    PHILLIPS
    Aw, Jeez. Didn't they tell you that was bad luck?
    Tight laughs. Phillips grabs a coffee... the unease in here going unaddressed... until:
    ATM
    Ya think they'll try again, Cap?
    There it was. Phillips pauses. The guys await an answer.
    PHILLIPS
    Most likely, yeah.
    PERRY
    And, uh... That gonna be the program again? Evasive maneuvers?
    PHILLIPS
    That's the book. Why?
    PERRY
    I didn't much like being outgunned.
    PHILLIPS
    Me neither. But they have weapons and we don't. So evasion's all we got.
    PERRY
    Then maybe we should have weapons.
    A few guys nod. Clearly, it's been discussed in here tonight.
    PHILLIPS
    Sorry. The guys who own this ship disagree, and they sign the checks.
    ATM
    I don't get that, Cap. None of us do.
    PHILLIPS
    Ships start carrying guns, pirates are going to come back with mortars. We start carrying depth charges, pirates are going to come back with
    PHILLIPS
    rocket-launchers. Besides that, there are ports on this run that won't allow an armed ship to dock.
    PERRY
    Careful, Cap. You're starting to sound like a suit.
    ATM
    Did have a corporate ring to it.
    Phillips looks to Murphy, who looks away: "Can't help you."
    PHILLIPS
    If the hoses don't keep them away, we've got flares, pikes, axes, hatchets. We can gel the decks or wire the stairways.
    MURPHY
    That's bringing a stick to a gunfight, Cap.
    PHILLIPS
    Hey, we get in a gunfight and lose, we could have twenty sailors killed or captured - huh? You all know the orders. If we're boarded, the crew gets to their muster points and we go dark and cold. Power off. Lights off. And we stay that way. Our performance today was embarrassing. And by the way, the non-duress codeword is "suppertime." Half the crew still doesn't know it. Unless you hear it, you stay sequestered. No one on this crew is going to be taken hostage.
    ATM
    Somebody's trying to hijack a ship, it goes against a sailor's nature to run and hide. We're men, ain't we?
    This isn't going anywhere good. Phillips reads the faces. ...and decides to stop pushing the company line.
    PHILLIPS
    You guys wanna know the truth?
    (they're waiting) The truth is, I don't feel any better about the hoses than you do. I wish we had machine guns. But I don't own this vessel. And I'm not in the game.
    PHILLIPS
    (that landed)
    You wanna change the rules? Buy a shipping line. Until then, this is the job. We're here for the ship; the ship isn't here for us. Anybody who can't accept that can deboard at Mombasa. I won't think any less of you. Silence. No one replies. But he just gained some respect...
    PHILLIPS (CONT'D)
    Let's shut this down. It's late.
    (out the door)
    We're still in apache country, so everyone stay vigilant.

EXT. MAERSK - FROM THE WATER - NIGHT
    The Maersk muscles through the water. All is calm...

EXT. PIRATE TRAWLER - ON THE WATER - MOVING - NIGHT
    The two SKIFFS are tied to the trawler again. Musi and Asad stand before Hufan, who looks very displeased... then:
    HUFAN (SOMALI, SUBTITLED)
    The voices on that ship sounded American. Could be a lot of money. And we only have one skiff.
    (Musi and Asad, waiting--) Musi will take it.
    ASAD (SOMALI, SUBTITLED)
    Why?
    HUFAN (SOMALI, SUBTITLED)
    Because he doesn't turn back.
    Then - BAM - Hufan shoves Asad off the boat and into the sea. Splash. No one moves - everyone shocked, even Musi - because the boat is pulling away. Asad calls out to Musi for help. Musi is frozen, watching - as Hufan goes to the bridge and GUNS THE ENGINE. The trawler speeds away, leaving Asad in the water. Howling. A point just got made. And Asad's helpless cries grow more and more distant... as:

INT. MAERSK - E-DECK - CAPTAIN'S QUARTERS - 5:25 A.M.
    Pre-dawn. Phillips sleeps. Then his eyes snap open - right before his phone rings:
    PHILLIPS (INTO PHONE)
    Yeah.
    WRIGHT (THRU PHONE)
    Better get up here, Cap. They're back.

INT. MAERSK - BRIDGE - 5:30 A.M.
    Colin Wright and ATM are on watch. Phillips enters. ...just as a VOICE becomes audible on the RADIO:
    HUFAN (THRU RADIO)
    This is Somali pirate! Somali pirate! Coming to get you!
    A pirate? Announcing that he's coming? Very unusual. Phillips looks to the radio; it's on Channel 16.
    WRIGHT
    They're five miles out.
    Phillips grabs his binoculars... and finds the TRAWLER, five miles astern, towing those two skiffs... but:
    HUFAN (THRU RADIO)
    Somali pirate! Coming to get you!
    ...as Musi's skiff casts off from the trawler, coming at us.
    PHILLIPS
    Let's go to one hundred twenty revs.
    ATM
    One hundred twenty revs.
    PHILLIPS
    What's our course?
    ATM
    Heading two hundred thirty.
    PHILLIPS
    Bring it over to one-eighty.
    ATM
    Left to one hundred eighty.
    A flick of the wrist, and the ship lurches left. Phillips keeps his eyes on the trawler. ...as Murphy arrives on the bridge.
    MURPHY
    We make a course correction, Cap?
    PHILLIPS
    Find out where the Bosun has his people.
    MURPHY
    What's up?
    PHILLIPS
    Four point one miles astern. Doing twenty knots.
    Phillips gestures... and Murphy gets the picture: there's Musi's skiff, barrelling in on us over a calm, windless sea.
    PHILLIPS (CONT'D)
    Call UKMTO, tell 'em this is not a drill.
    Movement, tension. Phillips grabs the ship's phone:
    PHILLIPS (INTO PHONE)
    Chief, we're in a piracy situation. I need you in the engine room with all your men. Locked in and secured.
    (a beat)
    And, Chief. Bring your Bible. This time you're gonna be there a while.
    He hangs up, heads for a cabinet, pulls out a PYROTECHNIC BOX. Eighteen FLARES in there. He grabs ten of them.
    MURPHY
    (re: radio)
    He says call back when they're within a mile.
    PHILLIPS
    Christ. Leave the line open so they can monitor what's happening. Sound the intruder alarm, and switch the radio to emergency band, Channel One.
    Murphy sounds the INTRUDER ALARM. Long-short, long-short. Phillips eyes the console. We're doing 16.8 knots.
    PHILLIPS (CONT'D)
    ATM, let's start the fire-hoses and sound the general alarm.
    ATM hits the GENERAL ALARM. Phillips approaches Wright with the flares.
    PHILLIPS
    Take these and go out on the bridge wing. When they get within a mile you fire your first one. But I want you to cease firing if they get any closer than a couple hundred yards.
    MURPHY
    I can handle that, Cap.
    PHILLIPS
    No. I want you below. Get the crew out of the Ship's Office and into the After-Steering Room. It's deeper inside the house. And make sure all the engineers are locked into the Engine Room. Every man accounted for.
    MURPHY
    Okay.
    PHILLIPS
    And Shane? That includes you. I don't wanna see you back up here.
    Murphy hates that... but he nods, exits the Bridge.

EXT. MAERSK - MAIN DECK - SAME
    The FIVE FIRE-HOSES begin spraying...

EXT. MUSI'S SKIFF - ON THE WATER - MOVING - RESUMING
    Musi's skiff is doing 21 knots. He shouts at his men:
    MUSI (SOMALI, SUBTITLED)
    Let them know you are here! Let them know you are Somali marines!

EXT. MAERSK - STARBOARD SIDE BRIDGE-WING - SAME
    Wright aims a flare at the skiff, a half-mile out, when: MUZZLE FLASHES appear on the skiff. And just like that, we're being strafed by automatic gunfire. SLAP-SLAP-SLAP. Bullets clang off the house and smokestacks. Wright hits the deck. ...as Phillips leans out of the bridge.
    PHILLIPS
    Colin! Get the hell in here!
    WRIGHT
    I can hit 'em, Cap!
    PHILLIPS
    Now!
    Wright hurries into:

INT. MAERSK - BRIDGE - CONTINUING
    ATM at the helm. Phillips grabs the ship's radio:
    PHILLIPS (INTO RADIO)
    Shots fired. Shots fired. They're a quarter mile out. Port side.
    A rain of bullets: POP-POP-POP. Hitting various spots on the House. Musi's skiff revs up and comes BEHIND THE SHIP.
    WRIGHT
    The hoses aren't gonna cut it. Are they, Cap?
    PHILLIPS
    No.
    (into radio:)
    Shane, you got everybody secured?
    On Phillips, we PULL BACK, through the window of the bridge: ...while TRACKING RIGHT and DROPPING DOWN, outside the "house"... until Phillips is out of frame, and:

EXT. MAERSK - OUTSIDE BRIDGE - CONTINUOUS SHOT
    We move down and across the entire House, PUSHING THROUGH its steel shell, revealing the innards of: E-Deck, then down through D-Deck, C-Deck, B-Deck... each empty, just unmanned Quarters. CONTINUE MOVING DOWN, into: A-Deck, where we find the Mess, and the Hospital Bay. Then the MAIN DECK. There's the Ship's Office, also empty. We keep descending, THROUGH THE WATERLINE, plunging in and down, until we reach:

INT. MAERSK - AFTER-STEERING ROOM - CONTINUING
    A STORAGE room, 60-by-20. Huge bundles of rope in coils. And barrels of greases, oils, cleaning fluids. Murphy guides TEN CREW-MEMBERS in, hurriedly. We recognize Ken Quinn, Durell. Murphy corralling them:
    MURPHY
    In, in, in! Let's go! Everybody in! Ken, get me a headcount.
    (into radio:)
    Chief. Your men all accounted for?
    We blow through a steel door - SAME CONTINUOUS SHOT - to:

INT. MAERSK - ENGINE ROOM - CONTINUING
    The ENGINE ROOM is three stories deep, 130 feet long, wide as the ship. Massive diesel engine, huge boilers, all run from:

INT. MAERSK - ENGINE CONTROL ROOM - CONTINUING
    A nerve center. Rows of upright machines and monitors. Chief Engineer Mike Perry and his men are all here: the 1ST ENGINEER, 2ND ENG., 3RD ENG., OILER, and DECK MACHINIST.
    PERRY (INTO RADIO)
    We're in and secured.
    BIBLE in hand, Perry shuts the door. We END SHOT, and CUT TO:

EXT. MAERSK - PORT SIDE BRIDGE-WING - SAME
    The skiff is now just 100 feet away, on our port side. And Phillips is now on the bridge-wing, firing flares at it.

EXT. MUSI'S SKIFF - ON THE WATER - MOVING - SAME
    Two flares miss, falling harmlessly into the water. Bilal sits cross-legged in the front of the skiff, grabs his AK, aims right at us, and:

EXT. MAERSK - PORT SIDE BRIDGE-WING - RESUMING
    POP POP POP. Bullets pucker the WIND-DODGER (a metal hood, there to deflect wind off the bridge) over Phillips' head. He ducks down. Then pops back up again.
    PHILLIPS
    C'mon, Baby. Find a gas tank.
    He FIRES the flare, but:

EXT. MUSI'S SKIFF - ON THE WATER - MOVING - RESUMING
    The flare misses. Now Elmi, also cross-legged, is firing too.

EXT. MAERSK - PORT SIDE BRIDGE-WING - RESUMING
    Gunfire - a TORRENT of POPPING SOUNDS around Phillips. And he's out of flares. He runs back into:

INT. MAERSK - BRIDGE - RESUMING
    Phillips, hollering:
    PHILLIPS
    Fifteen left!
    ATM
    Fifteen left.

EXT. MAERSK - AT THE WATERLINE - CONTINUING
    The ship surges left, away from the skiff. ...but the skiff has found a spot amidship that isn't protected by the fire-hoses. Musi bears in...

INT. MAERSK - BRIDGE - RESUMING
    Phillips looks to the GPS. We're doing 18.3 Knots.
    PHILLIPS
    Fifteen right!
    ATM
    Fifteen right.

EXT. MAERSK - AT THE WATERLINE - AMIDSHIP - CONTINUING
    The ship swerves right into the skiff. But Musi steadies it. Again, there's no fire-hose covering this spot.

INT. MAERSK - BRIDGE - CONTINUING
    Phillips, scrambling.
    PHILLIPS
    I need a rifle. We should have Goddamn rifles! Fifteen left.
    ATM
    Fifteen left. And yes we should.

EXT. MUSI'S SKIFF - AT THE WATERLINE AMIDSHIP - SAME
    Najee unfolds and extends a LADDER straight up. Damn thing is twenty feet long, Home Depot quality, with GRAPPLING HOOKS:

INTERCUT WITH/EXT. MAERSK - PORT SIDE DECK - CONTINUING
    The GRAPPLING HOOKS wrap snugly around the FISHPLATE (solid metal, six inches high) on the deck of the Maersk. Musi grabs the ladder while moving at 18 knots. He jumps from the speeding skiff to the ladder, climbing...

INT. MAERSK - BRIDGE - RESUMING
    Phillips grabs ATM, pushes him down, literally, to the floor.
    PHILLIPS
    Stay there.
    ATM doesn't argue. He'll steer the boat from down here. Phillips grabs the rest of the flares, heads out to:

EXT. MAERSK - PORT SIDE BRIDGE-WING - CONTINUING
    ...where he sees what he didn't want to see:

EXT. MAERSK - MAIN DECK - AMIDSHIP - CONTINUING
    Musi is aboard. Running across the Maersk's deck...

EXT. MAERSK - PORT SIDE BRIDGE-WING - RESUMING
    Phillips fires two more flares... They skitter off the deck and into the sea as Elmi also boards the Maersk.
    PHILLIPS (INTO RADIO)
    Two pirates have boarded. Two pirates aboard now, amidship.
    Oddest thing. Elmi sits cross-legged on the deck, just like before, and starts firing his AK, right at us. POP-POP-POP. The wind-dodger puckers an inch from Phillips' face. He ducks down. Pops up again, firing wildly. MORE GUNFIRE drives him down again. Then: A HAND, grabbing him. It's ATM, pulling him away.
    ATM
    Get inside, Cap! They're gonna kill you!
    PHILLIPS
    Goddammit I told you to stay down! On the bridge!
    But more GUNFIRE strafes them. Shit. They crawl back to:

INT. MAERSK - BRIDGE - CONTINUING
    GUNFIRE nicks the BRIDGE WINDOWS. (They're bulletproof). Wright is trying to stay calm. It's an effort.
    WRIGHT
    Whadda we do, Cap?
    PHILLIPS
    You two get to the After-Steering Room with the rest of the crew.
    (they eye him: huh?)
    Go. Both of you. I have the bridge.
    ATM
    Sorry, Cap.
    WRIGHT
    Can't do that, Cap.
    They aren't moving. Phillips isn't surprised. We CUT TO:

EXT. MAERSK - DECK - BASE OF THE HOUSE - MOMENTS LATER
    All that stands between Musi and the bridge is seven flights of steps - protected by that steel "PIRATE CAGE". He nods to Elmi, who SHOOTS THE LOCK OFF THE CAGE. The cage swings harmlessly to the side. Easy. They begin to climb.

INT. MAERSK - BRIDGE - RESUMING
    Phillips knows they're coming. Damn it. He grabs the radio. (NOTE: it will stay on his hip for the next 12 hours.)
    PHILLIPS (INTO RADIO)
    This is the Captain. Listen up.

INTERCUT WITH/INT. MAERSK - ENGINE CONTROL ROOM - SAME
    Perry and his Engineers come to a stop. And one room over:

INTERCUT WITH/INT. MAERSK - AFTER-STEERING ROOM - SAME
    Murphy and the rest of the crew do the same, listening.
    PHILLIPS (RADIO,
    We're about to lose the bridge. Chief, you now have control of the ship. Shane, the men are under your command. I've got Colin and ATM on the bridge with me; I'm going to get them to safety as soon as I can. Everyone else accounted for?
    PERRY (INTO RADIO)
    Yes, Cap.
    MURPHY (INTO RADIO)
    Uh, no Cap. We don't have a twenty on Marv.
    Phillips sighs - but has to keep going:
    PHILLIPS (INTO RADIO)
    Okay. You know the plan. We counteract everything they want to do. They wanna take this ship back to Somalia. That's no good. So we go dark and cold. Engines off, non- emergency power off. They can't do much with a dead ship. They wanna take a bunch of hostages. Also no good. So every man stays out of sight. NO ONE comes out until you've heard the all-clear from me, WITH the non-duress password.

INTERCUT WITH/EXT. MAERSK - SUPERSTRUCTURE - STEPS - SAME
    Musi and Elmi, climbing fast toward the Bridge...

INT. MAERSK - BRIDGE - RESUMING
    Phillips can feel them coming. And he hates to say this, but:
    PHILLIPS (INTO RADIO)
    I'm gonna do everything I can to make sure this doesn't happen - but if they find you, and capture you, here's what you need to remember:
    That lands on the faces of Murphy and the crew... And - in the next room - Perry, and all the Engineers, as:

EXT. MAERSK - SUPERSTRUCTURE - STEPS - SAME
    Musi and Elmi, nearing the top...

INT. MAERSK - BRIDGE - RESUMING
    Phillips, keeping it calm and direct:
    PHILLIPS (RADIO,
    Do what they tell you. Try to appear helpful. You've got giveaways - use them: showing them the ship's safety equipment, or how to get fresh water.
    PHILLIPS (RADIO, CONT'D)
    Make them feel they're in control while guiding them away from the important stuff, like radar or the engine controls. And never reveal the locations of the rest of the crew. If you are drawn into conversation with them, do not mention religion. Nothing about Allah or Jesus or your faith being better than theirs. They may throw politics at you or tell you America is the worst country in the world. Don't take the bait. You're not there to defend your nation's honor. You're there to survive.
    The guys are listening. The pirates are climbing...
    PHILLIPS (RADIO,
    Don't call attention to yourself. Don't appear too confrontational or too meek. Maintain your dignity. If you're screaming at them or whimpering in the corner, you give them a personal reason to put a bullet in your head.
    Murphy, Durell, Wright, Perry... hanging on every word...
    PHILLIPS (RADIO,
    Last thing. A sense of humor helps. Unfortunately, none of you guys are funny - so try not to get captured.
    That broke a bit of the tension. But just a bit.
    PHILLIPS (RADIO,
    We know the ship; they don't. Just keep looking out for one another. We'll be okay.
    He puts down the radio. ATM and Wright are silent. He grabs a JACKKNIFE off a table, pockets it... ...as the sound of an AK-47, firing, spins our head around. The bridge-door opens - Elmi rushing in, pointing that AK at us and shouting in Somali like a guy on a meth-bender. Instant chaos. ATM and Wright drop to their knees, hands up. Phillips stands still. He has lost the bridge, officially. Elmi shouting. ATM and Wright scared witless. Musi glides in - meeting Phillips for the first time now:
    MUSI
    Relax, Captain, relax. Just business. No Al Qaeda. You stop the ship.
    Phillips nods. Musi looks the bridge over, notes Wright and ATM - shocked to find a black sailor here.
    MUSI
    What nationality?
    PHILLIPS
    Me? Or the ship?
    MUSI
    The ship. American, right?
    PHILLIPS
    Yes. This is the Maersk Alabama.
    That's BIG NEWS. Musi nods, pleased. Elmi WHOOPS.
    MUSI
    Okay. Just business. Stop the ship.
    Phillips nods, heads toward the ENGINE ORDER TELEGRAPH, while quietly keying his handheld radio and talking softly:
    PHILLIPS
    Bridge is compromised. Bridge is compromised. Take the steering.

INT. MAERSK - ENGINE CONTROL ROOM - SAME
    Perry and his Engineers just heard that. Perry hits a SWITCH that gives him OVERRIDE OF THROTTLE AND RUDDER COMMANDS.

INT. MAERSK - AFTER-STEERING ROOM - SAME
    Murphy speaks to his men (and into his radio):
    MURPHY
    Okay. You know what to do. Kill the engines and all non-emergency power.

INT. MAERSK - BRIDGE - RESUMING
    Alarms are WHOOPING. Phillips silences them. Musi watching.
    MUSI
    No Al Qaeda, no Al Qaeda. We want money only. Stop the ship.
    PHILLIPS
    Okay, okay. It takes a minute.
    MUSI
    Where's your crew?
    PHILLIPS
    I don't know. I'm here with you.
    He moves to the Engine Order Telegraph. Jiggles it. Of course, it doesn't respond. Musi is about to complain, when: ...with a SHUDDER, the thrum of the ship's engine STOPS. Then, that fast, the POWER GOES OUT. Consoles, screens, A/C. All dead. And we're adrift. Musi looks around.
    MUSI
    What is that?
    PHILLIPS
    We shut the engines down too fast.
    (pure bullshit)
    There's a check-down procedure. We rushed it, knocked out the grid.
    That pisses Musi off. Meanwhile, the ship is drifting with the current, almost in a circle.
    MUSI
    Stop this circling! Straighten the ship out!
    Phillips "tries", turning the wheel, to no effect.
    PHILLIPS
    We shut it all down too fast! Ship's broken, ship's broken.
    He points to the console, taps on the bow thruster and the rudder angle indicator. None of them respond.
    MUSI
    Move.
    Phillips obliges. Musi tries the instruments, futilely, as: Phillips moves to the RADAR. Three knobs on it. He turns down the "gain" knob and turns up the "anti-rain" and "anti-sea- clutter" knobs. Then he moves toward the VHF radio...

INT. MAERSK - AFTER-STEERING ROOM - SAME
    EMERGENCY LIGHTING down here - but Murphy can see what Phillips is doing on INDICATORS relayed from the Bridge.
    MURPHY
    Attaboy, Cap.
    KEN QUINN
    What's he doing?
    MURPHY
    Degrading the radar. And changing the frequency on the radio so they won't be able to contact their mother ship.
    The men like it. But they're getting warm in here. No A/C...

INT. MAERSK - BRIDGE - RESUMING
    Bilal and Najee arrive on the bridge now. Shouting, pointing their AK's. Musi smiles.
    MUSI
    These guys are Somali pirates! Crazy. I'm just interpreter.
    (no reply from Phillips)
    Dangerous guys! They'll kill you!
    ATM and Wright keep their hands up and their heads down. Musi orders Bilal and Najee to take positions by the bridge doors.
    MUSI
    Call your crew. I want them up here!
    PHILLIPS
    Okay.
    Phillips moves to the P.A. MIKE:
    PHILLIPS (INTO MIKE)
    All crew, all crew. Pirates want you to report to the bridge. Repeat, pirates want you on the bridge.

INT. MAERSK - AFTER-STEERING ROOM - RESUMING
    Semi-darkness down here. And HEAT. Murphy eyes the men.
    MURPHY
    Until you hear the word suppertime, we don't move.

INT. MAERSK - BRIDGE - RESUMING
    Elmi pokes at Wright and ATM with his AK. Phillips steps in:
    PHILLIPS
    Hey, do your guys want some water? Or some cigarettes? I got a couple cartons here.
    MUSI
    Cigarettes.
    Phillips heads for a cabinet, grabs a few cartons.
    PHILLIPS
    ATM, grab some sodas for these guys, all right?
    ATM
    Sure, Cap.
    Phillips hands packs of cigarettes to Musi and his men. ATM grabs a few sodas, offers them to the pirates. Elmi ignores him, starts rifling through cabinets.
    PHILLIPS
    Hungry?
    (Elmi grunts)
    You're in luck. We've got seventeen tons of wheat and peas in the hold. It was intended to feed most of Kenya, but what the hell - go to town.
    Elmi didn't like that. Phillips sits beside Wright.
    WRIGHT
    (quietly)
    Cap, how much ya got in your safe?
    PHILLIPS
    Less than they want.
    WRIGHT
    But a couple grand, right? Maybe we give it to 'em and they go away.
    PHILLIPS
    It's a U.S. ship, Colin. They're thinking millions - not thirty grand.
    WRIGHT
    How do you know?
    Phillips just knows. Meanwhile Musi leans over the radio, trying to re-set it, careful not to let his frustration show.
    MUSI
    What's your tribe, Captain?
    PHILLIPS
    I'm an American.
    MUSI
    Not your nationality. Your tribe.
    PHILLIPS
    I don't have a tribe. I told you. I'm an American.
    MUSI
    Your people. Your tribe.
    PHILLIPS
    Oh. I guess I'm Yankee Irish.
    MUSI
    I'm a Somali Marine. A real sailor.
    The ship is still drifting in a circle. And Musi just ERUPTS:
    MUSI
    Where is your crew, Irish?
    PHILLIPS
    I don't know. I'm here with you.
    MUSI
    Get them up here now! If not, these crazy-guys kill you!
    Bilal and Najee jump as if they'd been plugged into a socket: shouting again, pointing the AK's:
    BILAL/NAJEE
    Down! Down!
    ATM and Wright drop their heads, the AK's pressed inches away from them now. Things just ramped up in a hurry.
    MUSI
    You want to die! Two minutes, they kill you! They kill your men!
    PHILLIPS
    Take it easy. I'm doing my best.
    NAJEE
    Minute thirty now!
    MUSI
    I told you! Bad guys! Bad guys!
    Wright looks to Phillips, who moves again to the P.A. MIKE. All he has to say is "suppertime" and the crew will oblige...
    PHILLIPS (INTO MIKE)
    All crew, all crew. Pirates want you on the bridge now. Report to the bridge immediately.
    NAJEE
    One minute! We kill everyone!
    PHILLIPS
    Can you back your men off, please? Before someone gets shot?
    MUSI
    Get them up here right now!
    Wright, terrified, looks to Phillips - pleading...
    PHILLIPS (INTO MIKE)
    Pirates want you on the bridge, right now.
    NAJEE
    Thirty seconds! You hear me! Thirty seconds and you DIE!

INT. MAERSK - AFTER-STEERING ROOM - SAME
    Then men know to stay put. But it's now 105 DEGREES in here. Del, the old salt, is panting from heat stroke.

INT. MAERSK - BRIDGE - RESUMING
    Wright is about to burst. ATM too.
    NAJEE
    Fifteen seconds!
    MUSI
    Dangerous pirates! Get your men!
    PHILLIPS
    You just heard me call 'em!
    ATM and Wright, each with guns at their heads...
    NAJEE
    Ten seconds!
    MUSI
    Call them again, Irish!
    PHILLIPS
    Hey. You wanna shoot somebody, shoot me. I'm the Captain. I'm the Captain.
    He moves in front of his men. Elmi pushes him away, hard. Phillips falls. While he's down, he keys his handheld:
    PHILLIPS (INTO HAND-HELD)
    If you don't hear from us in one minute, we are gone. Defend the ship.
    NAJEE
    Five seconds!
    WRIGHT
    Cap? Please!?
    NAJEE
    We kill you all!
    Najee yells. Elmi and Bilal too. Deafening. Wright starts yelling out of sheer terror. ...when a single unexpected sound pierces the air. A knock, at the bridge door. Everything stops. Every head turns. Musi nods to Phillips: "Go open it." Phillips crosses to the door, opens it. Sighs. ...because it's Marv. Of course. Right where he shouldn't be. Phillips can hardly believe it.
    MARV
    Cap?
    PHILLIPS
    C'mon in, Marv. You're dead.
    Before Marv can reply, Elmi grabs him by the collar and puts him on the ground next to ATM and Wright. But the crisis, oddly, has passed. Musi eyes Phillips:
    MUSI
    Let's go. We search the ship.
    PHILLIPS
    For what?
    MUSI
    Your crew.
    Phillips discreetly keys his radio, so this'll be broadcast:
    PHILLIPS
    You wanna search the ship? Good. I'm eager to find those guys as you are.
    Musi pushes Phillips to the door, nods to Bilal.
    MUSI (SOMALI, SUBTITLED)
    You too. Bring your gun. And that flashlight.

INT. MAERSK - AFTER-STEERING ROOM - SAME
    Murphy heard that. He heads for a steel door.
    MURPHY
    Everybody stay put.

INT. MAERSK - BRIDGE - RESUMING
    So Najee and Elmi will be left here with Wright, ATM, and Marv. Phillips pauses at the door:
    PHILLIPS
    I want your assurance that my men won't be harmed in any way.
    Musi pauses, breathes out a grin... then says something to Najee and Elmi in Somali. They nod. Then:
    PHILLIPS
    What'd ya tell 'em?
    MUSI
    Go.
    He nudges Phillips out the door.

INT. MAERSK - ENGINE ROOM - CONTINUING
    Emergency lighting. Perry and his FOUR MEN (all in their 50's and 60's), are sweltering in here. Murphy enters.
    MURPHY
    Did you hear that?
    PERRY
    Yeah. Sounds like two of 'em are coming, and Cap.
    MURPHY
    Way too much light down here; they're gonna find us. We gotta shut down the emergency power.
    JOHN CRONAN
    That generator's on the deck, Shane.
    That's JOHN CRONAN, First Engineer. In his 40th year at sea.
    MURPHY
    His orders were we go dark and cold, right?
    JOHN CRONAN
    Yeah. When's the "cold" part start?
    MURPHY
    I'm going for the E-PIRB and some water. Can you get to the generator?
    PERRY
    Probably. Damn it.
    MURPHY
    Gotta kill the plant, Chief. That's the whole game now.

INT. MAERSK - E-DECK - PASSAGEWAY - DAY
    Phillips leads Musi and Bilal into a 65-foot-long passageway. When the door shuts, we're in semi-DARKNESS. Every fourth light lit. And we're adrift. It's spooky, even for pirates. Phillips starts talking. Too loud. With his RADIO KEYED:
    PHILLIPS
    This is E-Deck. You just tell me which doors you want opened.
    MUSI
    All of them.

INT. MAERSK - SUPERSTRUCTURE - PORT STAIRWELL - SAME
    Mike Perry moves quickly - but quietly - up stairs. Ahead of him is a door. He pauses here... then nudges it an inch: Sunlight spills in...

INT. MAERSK - E-DECK - PASSAGEWAY - RESUMING
    Phillips, moving loudly, RADIO KEYED. Comes to a door.
    PHILLIPS
    These are the Chief's Quarters.
    (opens it)
    Listen, don't think too badly of my crew. They're good guys. I think they're just scared.
    Musi barks at Bilal to inspect the CHIEF'S QUARTERS.
    MUSI
    Somali Marines, you tell them to do something, they do it. Nobody scared.
    (eyeing another door)
    They real sailors.
    PHILLIPS
    That's just a safety locker. Nobody in there.
    MUSI
    Open it.
    Phillips opens the door. It is, indeed, a SAFETY LOCKER.
    PHILLIPS
    I'm not here to trick you. I wanna find 'em as much as you do.

EXT. MAERSK - MAIN DECK - SAME
    Murphy emerges from a STARBOARD STAIRWELL on to the Deck. Light sears his eyes. He squints, doesn't see any pirates out here. Just an EXTERIOR STAIRWELL. He makes a dash for it.

INT. MAERSK - E-DECK - PASSAGEWAY - RESUMING
    Phillips, Musi, Bilal - searching this passageway:
    PHILLIPS
    And these are my quarters.
    MUSI
    What's that door?
    PHILLIPS
    That's a telephone booth.
    MUSI
    Show me.

EXT. MAERSK - MAIN DECK - SAME
    Perry emerges from the PORT STAIRWELL. His eyes adjust. From here, he can see across the deck. 50 feet away is his target: the ship's EMERGENCY GENERATOR. Five feet tall, five feet long, ten feet wide. Green. But: Straight above it, seven stories off the deck, is a grated metal WALKWAY jutting off the Bridge. Elmi is currently standing guard on it, meaning he can see from here straight through to the Generator below. Damn it. Perry exhales, calculating the odds...
    PERRY (INTO RADIO)
    I've got the generator in sight.

INT. MAERSK - E-DECK - CAPTAIN'S QUARTERS - CONTINUING
    Musi enters Phillips' QUARTERS. He can't help but react. The place feels palatial to him. A large room, sunlit by big windows. With an OFFICE and a SATELLITE OFFICE jutting off it. He begins to drift through, taking it all in.
    PHILLIPS
    Standard Captain's Quarters. Then we can drop down to D-Deck.
    Musi pauses. Before him is a MIRROR. Might be the biggest one Musi's ever seen. He eyes his own reflection as if he'd never seen his whole face before. An odd, private moment. Then he notices PICTURES - of Andrea, and Dan, and Phillips' daughter MARIAH. Musi reacts; Phillips catches it.
    PHILLIPS
    You have a family?
    Musi half-nods, looks at the picture of Dan...
    PHILLIPS
    When he was a boy and I had to go to sea, he'd stand in front of the door to keep me from leaving. He still kids me about it: "My father never loved me. He'd rather be on a ship somewhere." I think I'm gonna tell him not to joke like that anymore.
    MUSI
    My son says it too.
    That hovers. They eye one another.
    PHILLIPS
    What's his name?
    MUSI
    Ghedi.
    PHILLIPS
    He gonna be a pirate too?
    MUSI
    If he live long enough.
    Then Musi heads out.
    PHILLIPS
    There's a stairwell right at the end of the passageway here...

EXT. MAERSK - B-DECK - STERN - SAME
    Murphy reaches the BULKHEAD beside that ORANGE LIFEBOAT. Affixed to the bulkhead by a bracket is an E-PIRB (Emergency Position-Indicating Radio Beacon) a 406 MHz DISTRESS SIGNAL, red, looks like a walkie-talkie, with an antenna. He yanks it from its housing, activates it. It starts to BLINK and BEEP. Sending out a signal... as:

INT. NOAA OFFICE - WASHINGTON D.C. - NIGHT
    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Night shift. A pup named FLOURNOY rises from his monitor, heads for a desk where DIETZ, his boss, is reading a newspaper.
    FLOURNOY
    Boss, a call just came in from the Sarsat desk in Riyadh. They got a ping from an E-Pirb off the coast of Somalia.
    DIETZ
    What kind of vessel?
    FLOURNOY
    American. The Maersk Alabama.
    Not a small piece of news. Dietz grabs a phone...

INT. MAERSK - D-DECK - PASSAGEWAY - CONTINUING
    Another 65-foot-long corridor. Phillips, Musi, Bilal.
    PHILLIPS
    D-Deck. Crew quarters.
    (re: a door) That's a closet.
    MUSI
    Open it.
    Phillips opens the door. Just a closet. Musi eyes him...
    PHILLIPS
    Where'd you learn your English?
    MUSI
    Open that one.
    Phillips nods, opens another door - revealing:

INT. MAERSK - D-DECK - MATE'S QUARTERS - CONTINUING
    ATM Raiza's room. There's a PRAYER RUG on the floor. And an ARROW on a desk, pointing to "Mecca." Musi stops. Bilal too.
    BILAL
    Muslim?
    Musi throws a searing look at Bilal: "Quiet!" Bilal shrinks.
    PHILLIPS
    I guess.
    (off Musi's look:)
    What, you thought we were all Irish?

EXT. MAERSK - MAIN DECK - RESUMING
    Perry closes his eyes, grabs the CRUCIFIX around his neck in heartfelt prayer, then starts across the deck - racing for that EMERGENCY GENERATOR, directly below Elmi.

INT. MAERSK - C-DECK - PASSAGEWAY - DAY
    Another corridor. Phillips, Musi, Bilal.
    PHILLIPS
    C-Deck. More crew quarters.
    MUSI
    He the only Muslim in the crew?
    PHILLIPS
    I don't know. I don't get into anybody else's business.
    MUSI
    You Christian?
    PHILLIPS
    Does it matter?
    Opening doors throughout, letting Bilal and Musi inspect...
    MUSI
    I was Christian 'til I was ten. Yeah, you tell me what you are.
    PHILLIPS
    If you really need to know, I'm sort of a half-assed Catholic.
    MUSI
    Your children?
    PHILLIPS
    My daughter's kind of on the fence about church. If it started later in the morning and served more wine, she'd probably go.
    (nods to a door)
    That's another closet.
    Again, Musi wants it opened. Again Phillips complies. And again, it's just a closet...

INTERCUT WITH/EXT. MAERSK - DECK - RESUMING
    Perry, running for that Emergency Generator...

INTERCUT WITH/INT. MAERSK - MESS-DECK - MESS - SAME
    Murphy enters, sets the blinking E-PIRB on a table, heads into the KITCHEN...

INT. MAERSK - C-DECK - BOSUN'S ROOM - DAY
    Musi searches another small room, then stops: there's a pair of NEW SANDALS lying here. He eyes them. Hmmmm. His sandals are old, ratty. But Bilal has no sandals at all. Musi takes the new sandals for himself and shuts the door without Bilal knowing what he's missed. But Phillips saw...

EXT. MAERSK - MAIN DECK - SAME
    Perry - unseen by Elmi, seven stories above - gets to the EMERGENCY GENERATOR. It has a lid, like a dumpster. Perry opens it. Yanks a FUEL VALVE loose. Then throws TWO SWITCHES... and:

INT. MAERSK - MESS-DECK - CORRIDOR - SAME
    Sudden BLACKNESS. The Emergency Power just shut off. ...and we're in a windowless corridor. Musi grabs the flashlight from Bilal, too quickly. It falls to the ground.
    MUSI
    What happened? What happened?
    PHILLIPS
    Emergency generator must've failed.
    Musi gets to the flashlight. The beam hits Phillips' face. The rest of the world is PITCH-BLACK. Drifting, creaking...
    MUSI
    How come nothing work on this boat, Irish?!
    PHILLIPS
    Bad luck, I guess.
    To their right is a door. We DRIFT THROUGH IT, to:

INT. MAERSK - MESS-DECK - MESS - RESUMING
    Murphy is on the other side of that door, carrying the E- PIRB, jugs of WATER, bags of food. Now he freezes - as:
    PHILLIPS (O.S.)
    Crew's Mess. This is where we eat.
    MUSI (O.S.)
    Show me.
    Oh shit. Murphy moves away as fast as he can. ...as Phillips "fumbles" his keys, stalling... then he opens the Mess-Door and pauses in the doorway. Here's why: The flashlight just hit something that shouldn't be here: A lump on the mess-table, a BLANKET clumsily covering the water jugs, food-bags... and the E-PIRB, which is blinking. Moving fast, Phillips takes the flashlight - as if to lead the way - starts walking toward the KITCHEN.
    PHILLIPS
    You guys hungry? Got some melon in the fridge. You should take it, bring it back to your men. It's just gonna spoil anyway.
    Musi and Bilal follow, leaving the blanket behind. But:

INT. MAERSK - MESS DECK - KITCHEN - CONTINUING
    Murphy himself is hiding in this Kitchen... huddled under a desk. Phillips spots the edge of Murphy's shoe, sticking out... but he keeps his poker face. In fact: He shines the flashlight on Bilal's bare feet - just inches away from the hiding Murphy, who notes them, as intended. Phillips opens the fridge. Of course, no light pops on. He pulls out four big CANTALOUPES, and some JUICE-BOXES. Hands them to Bilal, who has the AK in his hands.
    PHILLIPS
    (re: AK)
    Want me to hold that for you?
    Bilal laughs. Then gets another sharp look from Musi.
    PHILLIPS
    I'll find a bag.
    He grabs a bag, puts the melons in it. Time to go.
    PHILLIPS
    This leads to the Hospital.
    He starts walking, in the darkness. Musi follows. Bilal too. Murphy, under that desk, finally breathes...

INT. MAERSK - MESS DECK - HOSPITAL BAY - CONTINUING
    Phillips leads them into the Hospital Bay. The flashlight beam reveals nothing.
    PHILLIPS
    Okay. Where to next?
    MUSI
    Engine Room.
    Musi grabs the flashlight back from Phillips. ...as Murphy, under that desk, tightens. Oh, no...

INT. MAERSK - AFTER-STEERING ROOM - DAY
    110 and pitch black. 65 year-old Del is barely breathing. The guys hear a tapped out KNOCK on the door. Durell opens it. Here's Perry. He hurries back in, winded.
    PERRY
    Everybody okay?
    DURELL
    Del's in trouble, Chief. We gotta get him some air and water.
    PERRY
    Soon. Soon. Just gotta hang in there.
    Perry flips his RADIO ON - just as:
    MURPHY (THRU RADIO)
    Chief, it's Shane. They're leaving the Hospital Bay and coming your way. Break some glass outside the Engine Room door. One of 'em's barefoot.
    PERRY (INTO RADIO)
    Copy that. Thanks, Shane.
    Perry eyes the men in here. They're fading fast...

INT. MAERSK - MAIN DECK - CORRIDOR - LATER DAY
    Phillips leads Musi and Bilal toward the Engine Room, well aware that his crew is in there somewhere.
    PHILLIPS
    Hang on, lemme just find the Engine Room key. It's hot down here...
    MUSI
    All your men babies like you?
    PHILLIPS
    My men are merchant mariners.
    That had an edge on it. They step toward the door... when: ...we hear a CRUNCHING SOUND, and a groan from Bilal; he just stepped on what we now see is BROKEN GLASS, by the door. The kid winces in silence. Musi eyes him, then looks to Phillips, "Open the door." Phillips obliges. They enter:

INT. MAERSK - ENGINE ROOM - CONTINUING
    A deep space. Phillips pauses in the doorway. Musi waves the flashlight. Bilal is on one foot now, in searing pain... ...as we drift just on the other side of a door, to:

INTERCUT WITH/INT. AFTER-STEERING ROOM - CONTINUING
    12 men, hiding. Durell attending to Del. They hear:
    MUSI (O.S.)
    Where all your engineers?
    PHILLIPS (O.S.)
    I dunno. They could be anywhere.
    Durell looks to Perry, who quietly grabs a JACK-KNIFE... ...as we RETURN TO Phillips and Musi - walking ahead of Bilal, who is too hobbled to keep up.
    MUSI
    Why they don't come when you call, Irish? They don't like you?
    Phillips hadn't expected that. He pauses. ...while his men, on the other side of the door, listen in.
    PHILLIPS
    Not much, no. I think they think I'm a prick.
    That landed - on the faces of Phillips' men...
    MUSI
    What that word mean? Prick.
    PHILLIPS
    A guy who keeps telling you what a horse's ass you are 'cause he thinks it'll make you work harder.
    MUSI
    Then I'm a prick. Good!
    (Phillips almost laughs)
    You treat sailors too nice, you get soft sailors. Lazy, lazy. Captain has to be a prick.
    PHILLIPS
    No. He doesn't. It's just a habit.
    MUSI
    If you keep 'em scared of you, maybe they sail better - then you don't have pirates taking your ship away.
    PHILLIPS
    That wasn't them. That was me.
    (a beat) I always thought when the time came I'd be able to outrun you. My mistake. The men heard that too. But Musi wasn't listening.
    MUSI
    What's that door?
    Musi's pointing at the very door separating him from all these men, the AFTER-STEERING ROOM DOOR. Uh-oh...
    PHILLIPS
    That's a Haz-Mat closet.
    Musi weighs that. Bilal wincing. The moment just hanging... Then Musi moves on, choosing not to open the After-Steering door. He just heads out. Bilal follows, limping.
    PHILLIPS
    We should get back to the bridge.

INT. MAERSK - AFTER-STEERING ROOM - RESUMING
    Massive relief on the faces in here. Some gratitude too.

INT. MAERSK - BRIDGE - DAY
    ATM, Wright, and Marv on the floor. Najee and Elmi on guard. The door opens. Phillips, Musi and Bilal return - Bilal hobbling, bleeding badly. Najee and Elmi are silent, only because voicing disappointment would be insubordinate. But Musi can feel their anxiousness. It infuriates him. So:
    MUSI
    We go search again.
    PHILLIPS
    That's a waste of time.
    MUSI
    My ship now! Understand?
    He grabs that FLARE GUN off a desk, and:

EXT. MAERSK - PORT BRIDGE-WING - CONTINUING
    From here, Musi can see his SKIFF, bobbing gently aport. It's a tiny target, one that Phillips missed several times. But Musi takes aim with that flare. A single shot... BULLSEYE. The flare hits. The skiff catches fire.

INT. MAERSK - BRIDGE - CONTINUING
    Musi returns. From here, all the men can see the SMOKE rising from the burning skiff. It's unsettling, for the pirates too.
    MUSI
    I decide! We look again!
    PHILLIPS
    You wanna find my crew? Then take these guys.
    He gestures to ATM, Wright, and Marv. Musi's thrown.
    PHILLIPS
    The crew's not gonna respond to me. I'm the guy they're mutinying against. Take them.
    Musi pauses, wary. Eyes the three crew members... then:
    MUSI
    (re: ATM)
    I take the Muslim.
    Phillips sags; he'd wanted all his men off this bridge... Musi grabs an AK, yanks ATM up off the floor - but:
    ATM
    They aren't gonna come out if you're armed.
    (Musi pauses) It's a respect thing. They're sailors. Musi considers that, studies ATM - a long beat - then crosses to Najee, handing off the AK and mumbling instructions. ...which gives Phillips a chance to mumble to ATM, out of Musi's earshot - while KEYING his radio:
    PHILLIPS
    Take him to the guys. They'll know what to do.
    ATM nods. Musi returns, studies ATM.
    MUSI
    You really a Muslim?
    ATM
    Yeah.
    MUSI
    Then why you sail with these guys?
    ATM
    Why you sail with pirates?
    MUSI
    'Cuz pirates own the water, Brother.
    He grabs a LONG-KNIFE, and pushes ATM out the door. Phillips watches, concerned but hopeful. We CUT TO:

INT. PHILLIPS' HOME - BEDROOM - LATE NIGHT
    2 a.m. Andrea sleeps. Outside, a cold WIND blows. Hard. She's sleeping through it... until the wind jogs that old SHIP'S BELL on the patio. It rings. And her eyes open. Fear, that fast. She knows something's wrong... We CUT TO:

INT. MAERSK - BRIDGE - LATER DAY
    TWO HOURS have passed, in silence and heat. Tension hanging. Phillips is removing the glass from Bilal's feet. It feels like kindness, but Bilal can't quite trust it.
    NAJEE
    Where are they? Where they go?
    PHILLIPS
    I don't know. I'm here with you.
    (Najee grunts, irritated)
    Colin. Marv. Go look for them.
    Wait. What? The pirates eye Phillips. So do Wright and Marv.
    PHILLIPS
    My men know the ship. They'll find 'em. And that way you guys can stay up here on the bridge.
    A pretty bold play - and Wright's fairly sure it isn't going to fly. But Najee decides quickly... turns to Wright:
    NAJEE
    (re: Phillips)
    You no come back, he die.
    Wright nods, rises. Marv too. The pirates feign disinterest. ...which gives Phillips a chance to say to Wright, quietly:
    PHILLIPS
    I don't expect to see you two back up here. Is that understood?
    Wright nods. Marv half-nods. They head for the door...

INT. MAERSK - ENGINE DECK - PASSAGEWAY - SAME
    125 degrees now. Sweltering. ATM leads Musi.
    ATM
    This leads to the Engine Room and the After-Steering.
    MUSI
    I know the boat. Why you guys all talk so much?
    ATM's about to reply... when they both stop. Shocked. Musi's flashlight just landed on a FACE - Perry - 20 feet away. Perry ducks behind a corner. Musi starts after him. ATM has to do something about it. He grabs Musi, but: Musi strikes him with the flashlight across the jaw and charges down the corridor. We FOLLOW... ...through this dark, tight space - just a flashlight beam and Musi's heavy breaths. Around that corner, when: A JOLT OUT OF THE DARKNESS - Perry, lunging at Musi with the JACK-KNIFE, slicing into Musi's hand. Musi howls, drops his long-knife and the flashlight. ATM jumps in now, grabbing the injured pirate, backing him up against a bulkhead. Perry puts the knife to Musi's throat. There's a RADIO on Perry's hip. He grabs it, flips it on:
    PERRY (INTO RADIO)
    Hey, Pirates. Come in, Pirates.

INT. MAERSK - BRIDGE - SAME
    The Pirates turn, deeply thrown. That voice, crackling through the RADIO overhead. Who is that?
    PERRY (THRU RADIO,
    This is the crew of the Maersk Alabama. We have your Captain.
    Phillips grins. But the pirates are irate.
    PERRY (THRU RADIO,
    Do you read, Pirates? We have your captain. Will trade him for our men... and for you guys getting the hell off this ship.
    The Pirates confer intensely in Somali... until it's decided that Najee will reply. He grabs the radio.
    NAJEE (INTO RADIO)
    You have our guy?
    PERRY (THRU RADIO)
    Yeah. Bleeding, but we got him.
    NAJEE (INTO RADIO)
    We don't have a boat.
    PHILLIPS
    Take our lifeboat. On the stern.
    Najee lowers the radio, looks to Phillips:
    NAJEE
    We need money.
    PHILLIPS
    It's in my room.
    NAJEE
    Show me.

INT. MAERSK - E-DECK - CAPTAIN'S QUARTERS - EVENING
    Phillips opens his safe, extracts $30,000.
    PHILLIPS
    Thirty thousand dollars.
    NAJEE
    And how much you worth, Irish? How much a couple of your guys worth?
    That had some edge. Phillips hands over the cash.

EXT. MAERSK - B-DECK - STARBOARD STERN - EVENING
    The lifeboat sits on those skids, above B-Deck. Anyone inside it will drop from here, 45 feet straight into the sea. Elmi, Najee, and Bilal eye it, trying to look undaunted.
    NAJEE
    Need more fuel.
    PHILLIPS
    We can arrange that.
    NAJEE
    And food. Water.
    Phillips calls out... one deck up... to:

EXT. MAERSK - C-DECK - CONTINUING
    Murphy and Durell are one deck above the lifeboat, watching:
    PHILLIPS
    They want some food.
    Murphy looks to Durell, who nods, under his breath:
    DURELL
    I'll go find something spoiled.
    MURPHY
    Pork. Make sure it's pork.
    Durell smiles, goes. Murphy leans over and half-waves to the three Pirates, as if he were their best pal:
    MURPHY
    Food's on the way!
    NAJEE
    You show us our captain!
    MURPHY
    Soon as you're in the water.
    Najee doesn't like it. Murphy doesn't care.
    PHILLIPS
    Let's go get your fuel.

INT. MAERSK - EMERGENCY GENERATOR ROOM - EVENING
    Phillips siphons fuel from a DIESEL GENERATOR into buckets. Najee stands guard. Elmi is a few feet away, flipping the same GENERATOR switches that Perry used to kill the power.
    PHILLIPS
    Will you please leave those alone?
    ELMI
    You trouble, Irish. You pain in the ass.
    PHILLIPS
    Let's go.
    NAJEE
    No. More fuel.
    PHILLIPS
    Where ya headed? Disneyworld?
    NAJEE
    More.

INT. LIFEBOAT - SUSPENDED - EVENING
    Najee, Elmi, and Bilal get their first look inside the lifeboat: hatches, seats, the elevated bridge... (They don't know it yet, but this will be "home" for the next few days.)
    PHILLIPS
    Once you're in and secured, you're gonna hit this valve. Might take a few pumps. The cog releases, and you go down the skids and into the water.
    Najee should be nodding. He isn't. Something odd about that. But before Phillips can react... he sees the caricature of himself, drawn by Dave. And the words "Philips is a shit." Phillips eyes it, breathes out an ironic smile.
    PHILLIPS (CONT'D)
    At least spell my name right...
    The pirates don't comment. He moves on:
    PHILLIPS
    Your food's here.
    Najee nods. Phillips steps through the AFT HATCH, to:

EXT. MAERSK - B-DECK - CONTINUING
    Bilal and Elmi watch as Durell steps forward with a box of FOOD, covered with tinfoil. Phillips gets a whiff, smiles.
    PHILLIPS
    Specialty of the house, huh?
    DURELL
    Steward called it "horse-cock."
    Phillips grins. Murphy is ten feet away, glaring at the pirates. They're keeping a watchful eye on him.
    PHILLIPS
    Crew holding up okay?
    DURELL
    Couple heat-strokes, but they're fine.
    PHILLIPS
    See that they get treated, huh?
    DURELL
    Why, Cap? You goin' somewhere?
    PHILLIPS
    Ya never know.
    That hangs there. He turns to the pirates:
    PHILLIPS
    Okay. Get yourselves harnessed in. We'll send your captain down to you once you're in the water.
    NAJEE
    No.
    That halted things. Murphy waits. Phillips not reacting, as:
    NAJEE
    You come in water with us. When we have captain back, you show him how boat works, then you go free.
    MURPHY
    That wasn't the deal, Asshole.
    Najee points an AK right at Murphy's head, and:
    NAJEE
    New deal.
    That fast, everything ramps up. Elmi points his AK at Durell. Bilal, on one foot, points his at the guys on C-Deck. And suddenly everybody's barking - Somali vs. English:
    NAJEE
    (re: crew-members)
    Who you like least, Captain? Who you don't mind if they dead?
    More barking. More AK-pointing, testosterone rising - until:
    PHILLIPS
    Belay that! All of you!
    The barking stops. We PUSH IN on Phillips...
    PHILLIPS
    (at Najee)
    Stop threatening my crew.
    NAJEE
    You get in the boat, nobody shout at nobody.
    PHILLIPS
    Then let's go.
    The pirates lower their weapons, heading for the lifeboat. Phillips too. No one on the crew can believe it.
    MURPHY
    Wait a minute. You're goin' in the water with these guys?
    PHILLIPS
    Send him down once we're underway. On the ladder amidship.
    Murphy's at a loss. The whole crew is.
    MURPHY
    How 'bout I go instead? And you stay on deck. I can show 'em how it works as good as you.
    PHILLIPS
    You buckin' for overtime pay now?
    MURPHY
    Cap, you get in there with them, you ain't comin' out.
    PHILLIPS
    We want 'em off the boat, right?
    MURPHY
    Yeah. But not like this.
    Phillips climbs in the lifeboat.
    MURPHY
    Cap...
    PHILLIPS
    Crew's yours, Shane. You got it?
    A last look between them. Feels like a goodbye. Murphy nods. Then Phillips "dogs" (closes) the aft hatch.

INT. LIFEBOAT - CONTINUING
    Phillips, sealed in with them now, moves to the bridge.
    PHILLIPS
    Get your yourselves secured. This thing drops like a stone.
    The seats in here have harnesses like those on a carnival ride. Bilal, Elmi, and Najee strap themselves in, facing aft.
    BILAL
    Hey, Irish. How come you do that? Your guy wanna take your place in here with the dangerous pirates. How come you say no?
    PHILLIPS
    I'm Captain. He's crew. Are you harnessed in?
    Bilal nods without understanding. Phillips grabs a radio:
    PHILLIPS (INTO LIFEBOAT RADIO)
    They can still strafe the ship, so keep the guys out of harm's way.
    PERRY (THRU RADIO)
    Roger that.
    PHILLIPS (INTO LIFEBOAT RADIO)
    How's his hand?

INTERCUT WITH/EXT. MAERSK - C-DECK - SAME (EVENING)
    Musi, bound and gagged, his hand bleeding profusely, has been brought up to C-Deck under guard. Perry eyes him.
    PERRY (INTO RADIO)
    He'll live.
    PHILLIPS (INTO LIFEBOAT RADIO)
    Okay. Releasing lifeboat now.
    Phillips puts the radio down, harnesses himself in, grabs a RELEASE VALVE, (a hydraulic pump.) Starts PUMPING it, as:

INTERCUT WITH/EXT. MAERSK - B-DECK - RESUMING
    A COG holds the lifeboat on these skids. Now it's receding, hydraulically... ...as Phillips keeps pumping the valve, eyeing the pirates.
    PHILLIPS
    (quietly, eyes heavenward)
    God, if you have to kill someone on this drop, I'd appreciate it not being me...
    A few more pumps on that release valve, then: ...the COG on the skids falls away. ...and the lifeboat, unmoored, rockets down the skids. 12 feet, like a sled, nose down, then off the edge of the ship:

EXT. MAERSK - STERN - CONTINUING
    A 45-FOOT DEAD DROP, hurtling toward the water.

INT. LIFEBOAT - FALLING - CONTINUING
    The pirates are stunned by their own velocity. Phillips braces himself. The surface rushing up to meet him, then: A THUNDEROUS PLUNGE as the lifeboat smashes into the sea, sending up a huge plume, vanishing under water. It's like a car wreck in here, bodies hurtling, banging, restrained by those harnesses. Water ABOVE us... until:

INTERCUT WITH/EXT. WATER-LINE - CONTINUING
    The nose of the lifeboat breaches the surface, its bridge ten feet above the waterline, visible through those WINDOWS. Phillips gathers his wits, looks to his passengers.
    PERRY (THRU RADIO)
    Cap, you okay?
    PHILLIPS (INTO LIFEBOAT RADIO)
    We're okay. Bring him amidship.

EXT. MAERSK - DECK - STARBOARD - EVENING
    Murphy on deck. Musi, hand badly BLEEDING, is beside him. The lifeboat - powered by a 4 cylinder diesel engine - pulls up alongside the Maersk 20 feet below, idling amidship.
    MURPHY
    You go in, he comes out. Right?
    Musi smiles. The whole crew is watching from various decks - as he begins to climb down his own ladder, slowly.

INTERCUT WITH/EXT. LIFEBOAT - WATER-LINE - CONTINUING
    Elmi opens the aft hatch, points his AK at the Maersk crew again. Nobody flinches. Musi keeps descending.

INTERCUT WITH/INT. LIFEBOAT - CONTINUING
    Through the cockpit window, Phillips can see Murphy on the Maersk deck - but there's an ocean between them now. Phillips clutches the radio... then:
    PHILLIPS (INTO LIFEBOAT RADIO)
    Listen, Shane. This ship is due in Mombasa two days from now.
    MURPHY (INTO RADIO)
    That's what the schedule says.
    PHILLIPS (INTO LIFEBOAT RADIO)
    I expect you to get it there.
    That lands. And Murphy doesn't like it. He watches Musi, descending, then looks to the open hatch, doing the math.
    MURPHY (INTO RADIO)
    I got a better idea. How 'bout you jump outta that lifeboat, right now.
    PHILLIPS (INTO LIFEBOAT RADIO)
    Can't do that, Shane. You know that.
    MURPHY (INTO RADIO)
    Cap, enough of this already. Get the hell outta there. We can take these assholes.
    PHILLIPS (INTO LIFEBOAT RADIO)
    Crew did a helluva job today; you did too. Tell 'em that, okay?
    Murphy's about to respond when... Musi reaches the hatch, and climbs in - leaving it open.

INT. LIFEBOAT - CONTINUING
    Musi eyes Phillips, and Bilal's now-bandaged foot, (with a look of mild scorn.) Najee quickly hands over the $30,000.
    PHILLIPS
    Not much to operating this thing; I'll take you through it. If you want me to fix up your hand there's a med- kit behind you.
    MUSI
    Did you say goodbye to your men?
    So much for pretense. Phillips expected that.
    PHILLIPS
    I did.
    MUSI
    Good.
    ...which is when - no surprise - Musi grabs Phillips and shoves him to the floor, then throws the hatch shut, and guns the throttle, the lifeboat speeding away. The crew on the Maersk holler, but they're helpless. Phillips is shoved into a seat at gunpoint. No expression.

EXT. MAERSK - DECK - RESUMING
    The lifeboat speeds away from us. The men watch it go, livid.
    MURPHY
    You dumb son of a bitch.
    (sighs, then...)
    Okay, let's power up and run 'em down. Full ahead, and hard left.
    The crew goes into action... We CUT TO:

INT. BURLINGTON HOSPITAL - NURSE'S STATION - DAY
    Andrea's in the middle of a shift (she's an E.R. NURSE) Checking a medical chart, when her CELL rings.
    ANDREA (INTO CELL)
    This is Andrea.
    MIKE WILLARD (THRU CELL)
    Andrea, it's Mike Willard. What's the name of the ship Rich is on?
    And just like that, Andrea knows. Her husband's in trouble.
    ANDREA (INTO CELL)
    What happened?
    Pure dread. We CUT TO:

EXT. BEACH COURSE - VIRGINIA BEACH, VA. - MORNING
    Navy SEALS run on a beach. BRAVO PLATOON: 16 guys, ages 25- 35. Warriors. Athletes. Patriots. Led by LT. SAYERS. A black SUBURBAN pulls up alongside them. Driving is LT. COMMANDER ROBERT ABOITIZ, (36, from East L.A.) Behind him are THREE MORE SUBURBANS. The SEALS come to a stop.
    ABOITIZ
    Need all your men in the trucks, Lieutenant. We have a situation.
    SAYERS
    What's up, Boss?
    ABOITIZ
    An American's been captured by pirates off the coast of Somalia - holding him in an escape craft. Nearest warship is 345 miles out.
    (that lands)
    No calls to wives or girlfriends. We're briefing in the Team Area. Then we're geared up and on a plane.
    SAYERS
    (at his men)
    Okay, Bravo. Into the trucks.

INT. LIFEBOAT - MOVING - NIGHT
    A muggy fiberglass hell. Elmi checks the FUEL BUCKETS in the nose of the lifeboat. Phillips watching. Musi, at the helm, is dividing the $30,000. He gives himself all the 100's, splits the 50's among three other piles. Phillips notes that too.
    PHILLIPS
    What's all the fuel for?
    (no reply)
    PHILLIPS
    Ya got five times more than you need. What's it for?
    MUSI
    Protect us from other pirates.
    (Phillips is silent) Some other tribe come, try to take you away. We make big speed, then... He makes an EXPLOSION sound, laughs. Phillips eyes him. Musi opens the FOOD-PACKAGE from the Maersk. He smells it, grimaces. Motions to Bilal, "Take the wheel." Then Musi opens the tiny aft hatch - again, Phillips watching.

EXT. LIFEBOAT - AFT DECK - SAME
    Musi tosses the styrofoam box into the water, then spots something... He stares - angered but not surprised: It's the MAERSK, fully powered now, on his tail. Musi ducks back down, shuts the hatch.

INT. LIFEBOAT - MOVING - RESUMING
    Musi eyes Phillips.
    MUSI
    Thought you said ship was broken.
    PHILLIPS
    I guess they fixed it.
    MUSI
    Uh-huh.
    (at his crew, in Somali) Come get your shares! The men approach him on the Bridge. He hands each their "share" of the $30,000. It's bloody money, though. From the GASH on his hand.
    PHILLIPS
    Careful. You're bleeding all over my boat.
    MUSI
    My boat now.
    PHILLIPS
    Congratulations. Where we going?
    MUSI
    Home.
    Phillips feigns indifference; it's an act...

INT. PHILLIPS HOME - DEN - MORNING
    SEVEN NEWSCREWS outside now. 20 PEOPLE inside, here to help. (TIMELINE: The Maersk reps have not yet arrived.) Nancy is manning the door - a REPORTER trying to get in...
    NANCY
    Um, this guy says he's a local reporter. But I don't know him.
    AMBER
    Check his shoes. Is he wearing penny loafers?
    NANCY
    Yes.
    AMBER
    He's not local. No one from Underhill wears penny loafers. Close the door.
    Nancy smiles politely, shuts the door. ...as Andrea drifts through, talking on her cell with Dan:
    ANDREA (INTO CELL)
    We still don't know anything yet.
    DAN (THRU CELL)
    I'm gonna come home.
    ANDREA (INTO CELL)
    No, Honey. You need to stay there. You've got your exams this week.
    DAN (THRU CELL)
    Mom...
    ANDREA (INTO CELL)
    It's a zoo here, Honey. Reporters all over. I want you away from it.
    (over him) Whaddaya think Dad would say?
    DAN (THRU CELL)
    He'd probably say, "Do you know how much I'm spending on that school? Stay put and do your job."
    ANDREA (INTO CELL)
    Probably.
    Amber approaches Andrea, holding a LAND LINE.
    AMBER
    (re: phone)
    Andrea, it's John Reinhart. Chairman of the Maersk Line.
    Andrea pales. Maybe he's calling with bad news...
    ANDREA (INTO CELL)
    Sweetheart, I have to take this; it's the guy from Maersk. I'll call you as soon as I know anything. It's all gonna be okay. I love you...
    DAN (THRU CELL)
    I'm getting in the car. I'll be home tonight.
    CLICK. Andrea sighs, hangs up the cell, grabs the phone...
    ANDREA (INTO PHONE)
    Hello?
    REINHART (THRU PHONE)
    Hi, Andrea. This is John Reinhart. How ya holding up?
    ANDREA (INTO PHONE)
    Just your typical April morning...
    REINHART (THRU PHONE)
    I understand. Listen, there's been a development - and I wanted you to hear it from me. We've gotten the ship back. The crew's fine. The pirates have escaped on a lifeboat.
    (dreading this...)
    But they have your husband with them.
    Andrea pales. Can barely speak. The room waits...
    ANDREA (INTO PHONE)
    On the lifeboat.
    REINHART (THRU PHONE)
    Yes. It's a hostage situation. But you have my assurance, we're going to do everything we can to get him back to you safely.
    ANDREA (INTO PHONE)
    I see.
    REINHART (THRU PHONE)
    I'm sending two of my best people to your home - to help you deal with the media, incoming calls, anything you might need. Would that be okay?
    Andrea can't reply. She can barely breathe.
    REINHART (THRU PHONE)
    Andrea?... Andrea?

INT. LIFEBOAT - MOVING - DAY
    9 a.m. 105 degrees in here. Phillips sits, sweating. Baking. Musi sitting opposite us, flexes his injured hand, pained.
    PHILLIPS
    That infected yet?
    MUSI
    How would I know?
    PHILLIPS
    Fever, shaking, vomiting, incontinence. Then it gets bad.
    Musi pauses, conscious that his men are watching.
    PHILLIPS
    They're not gonna think you're a baby. They're gonna think you're staying fit enough to maintain command.
    Musi rises, gets the First Aid kit, hands it over. Phillips pulls out eyewash, saline, bandages, a long roll of tape. Phillips casually cuts the tape with the JACK-KNIFE that's been in his pocket for two days now. The pirates eye him. Without comment he surrenders the knife... and unwraps the bloody shirt off Musi's hand, revealing a nasty-looking gash. He pours eyewash and saline on it, gestures toward Bilal:
    PHILLIPS (CONT'D)
    Need to re-dress his foot too.
    MUSI
    Why you so worried about him?
    PHILLIPS
    He's a sailor and he's injured.
    MUSI
    Remember what I tell you about treating a sailor too nice?
    PHILLIPS
    How're the sandals? They fit okay?
    MUSI
    You trouble, Irish. Yeah, you a problem.
    They eye Bilal, nervously knotting that three-colored rope.
    MUSI (CONT'D)
    Nothing wrong with him - he just afraid.
    PHILLIPS
    You're not?
    MUSI
    Yes. Of seeing my children starve.
    (no reply) We get back to Somalia, everything working. Tell insurance guys what we want for you, and everybody get rich.
    PHILLIPS
    Sorry. But I doubt it.
    (Musi waits) Why would the line pay you? They got their ship back, their crew, all of their cargo. And Captains are replaceable; don't you know that?
    MUSI
    Only some.

INT. PHILLIPS HOME - DAY
    Dan is home now. He sits beside Andrea... and Amber, Nancy, DAWN, JANET, PATTY (more sisters in law); LEA (Andrea's sister); Mike Willard; TEN OTHER NEIGHBORS. All of them looking at Allison - the Maersk rep - who stands in front of two ERASURE BOARDS. She shuts the tv off, and:
    ALLISON
    Okay. Rule Number One. No more tv. There are too many rumors bouncing around, and way too many opinions. From now on, we get our information only from the State Department, Defense Department, or from Maersk.
    ALLISON
    Everything that's confirmed goes on these erasure boards. Starting with this: the USS Bainbridge is on site and in contact with the pirates. There hasn't been an official ransom demand made yet. The Commander of the Bainbridge is taking his orders from a Task Force Commander, who answers to the Flag Officer of the Task Force, an Admiral named Michelle Howard. We are in touch with her on a regular basis.
    AMBER
    Go Michelle.
    ALLISON
    She answers to the Fifth Fleet Commander in Bahrain. He answers to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who answers to the Secretary of Defense, and ultimately President Obama. All of whom are monitoring this situation closely. The President is receiving regular updates on the situation. If he feels a military response is required, he will give the go-ahead for a rescue. It's his call. Flattering, right?
    It is. So why'd Andrea just go pale?
    ANDREA
    Oh shit.
    (they wait...) Richard voted for McCain.

INT. LIFEBOAT - MOVING - DAY
    Phillips, in his usual seat. Then: THUMP THUMP THUMP. The sound turns our heads. It's Najee, trying to break a WINDOW ON THE BRIDGE with the butt of his AK-47. Repeatedly. An attempt to get some air in here.
    PHILLIPS
    Ya might ask him to stop that, before he takes your head off.
    MUSI
    He wants air.
    PHILLIPS
    But he's still got the clip in.
    Musi nods, then barks at Najee in Somali. Najee removes the clip from the AK, starts banging again... Finally, he breaks a pane. A small trickle of air blows in.
    PHILLIPS
    I have to urinate.
    Musi calls to Bilal, who puts down the rope, grabs his AK, and - hobbling - leads Phillips back to the aft-hatch. Bilal un-dogs it, and they emerge:

EXT. LIFEBOAT - AFT HATCH - MOVING - CONTINUING
    Phillips steps outside... and his jaw drops - just saw something huge, off our stern: The USS BAINBRIDGE, Guided Missile Detroyer, 300 yards away. Bilal smiles, thrilled. Huh? He pushes Phillips inside...

INT. LIFEBOAT - MOVING - RESUMING
    Bilal dogs the hatch closed. Looks to Musi.
    BILAL (SOMALI, SUBTITLED)
    Navy here, Boss! U.S. Navy!
    MUSI (SOMALI, SUBTITLED)
    Yeah?
    Musi turns to port... and there it is, visible through the tiny cockpit windows. The Bainbridge. Instant reaction: Musi WHOOPS with excitement. Couldn't be happier. The others join in. Phillips is at a loss. As they yell and shout, Musi grabs the lifeboat radio:
    MUSI (INTO LIFEBOAT RADIO)
    Navy Navy? You got the pirates here! No military action! No military action! We not Al Qaeda!
    The voice of CAPTAIN FRANK CASTELLANO comes through:
    CASTELLANO (THRU LIFEBOAT RADIO)
    This is the USS Bainbridge.
    MUSI (INTO LIFEBOAT RADIO)
    Good to see you! We not Al Qaeda! Need food, water, batteries, and more bullets! Lifeboat out!
    End of transmission. Musi laughs. His men do too. Huh...?
    PHILLIPS
    I don't get it. Why're you so happy to see a navy ship?
    MUSI
    We got an escort now - get us back to Somali waters, safe from other pirates! Everybody knows to stay away from the gray!
    (means it)
    You beautiful, Irish! You better than twenty hostages!

EXT. NAVY ZODIAC/EXT. LIFEBOAT - DAY
    A NAVY ZODIAC (inflated motorboat) skims water. Aboard it are FOUR SAILORS, commanded by LT. KINIMURA, bearing a BOX of PROVISIONS. The Zodiac reaches the lifeboat, both idling. Musi opens the aft hatch, armed. Eyeing Kinimura.
    KINIMURA
    We want to see the Captain first, make sure he's still okay.
    Musi barks at Elmi below deck, who shouts at Phillips:
    ELMI (O.S.)
    Come. Wave.
    Phillips appears in the hatch, waves at the sailors... then Elmi pulls him back down below. A beat... Kinimura's men hand over the provisions: a RADIO, batteries, water, chocolate POP-TARTS. And, strangely, A-1 Steak Sauce. Kinimura pulls the radio out, hands it to Musi:
    KINIMURA
    Dedicated channel. My C.O. wants to talk to you again.
    MUSI
    I'll talk to him later.
    Kinimura reacts, thrown. Musi smiles.
    MUSI
    Old Somali saying: "You have all the watches. But we have all the time."
    He laughs. Kinimura doesn't. We CUT TO:

EXT. UNDERHILL, VT. - ST. THOMAS PARKING LOT - MORNING
    The ARMY OF REPORTERS is now confined to a church parking lot. They watch as a "COME HOME CAPTAIN PHILLIPS" sign is hung across the street. There are YELLOW RIBBONS everywhere.

INT. PHILLIPS HOME - LIVING ROOM - CONTINUING
    TV, phones, 20 people here to help. Andrea drifts through. FOOD PLATTERS are all over now. Casseroles, lasagnas, cakes, sent by friends, strangers. Serving trays are everywhere. Lea approaches Andrea, bearing a particularly grand one.
    LEA
    This is from the local Somali community. They want you to know how sorry and ashamed they are.
    ANDREA
    We have a local Somali community?
    Lea shrugs. Andrea looks around for Dan. There he is, by a window, looking out at the snow.
    ANDREA (CONT'D)
    You doin' okay?
    He shrugs, but the answer's no.
    DAN
    I was just thinking how much he loves the snow. If the temperature hits eighty, he thinks it's too warm. But he never complains about snow.
    ANDREA
    He's gonna be okay, Honey. He's looking up at the sky, right now, just like you are - thinking about you.
    DAN
    Or maybe telling the pirates how to sail.
    She breathes out a much-needed laugh. Dan too... but there is pure terror behind it. Andrea can see it; it's heartbreaking. She knows what to do. A few feet away is FATHER DANIELSON. He's 50, their local priest - has been here all morning. Andrea takes his hand:
    ANDREA
    Can we say one more, Father? Maybe all of us together?
    (Danielson pauses)
    Richard's so strong; I know he's hanging in there. But can we say one for the men who're trying to help him?
    Danielson nods, of course. Andrea grabs Dan, as we CUT TO:

INT. C-17 - FLYING - NIGHT
    A MILITARY TRANSPORT PLANE, 5,000 feet over the ocean. Inside, gear - weapons, comm, nav, scuba - all strapped into an RHIB (rigid-hull-inflatable-boat). The RHIB is secured to the floor by cables, with parachutes attached to its stern. ...as 16 men stand, game-faces on. This is NAVY SEAL TEAM SIX. We move down the row of them, starting with their TEAM LEADER, Lt. Aboitiz. Then face after face, until we land on: Two Seals - PETTIS (black, future world-leader), and JOON (Korean-American, quiet.) A light above them goes green.
    ABOITIZ
    Okay, guys. Time to hop and pop.
    The BACK OF THIS PLANE OPENS like a mouth. Wind rushes in. A GUILLOTINE severs the cables securing that gear-laden RHIB. ...and the RHIB rockets out of here at 120 mph, sucked out with awesome force, its chute deploying automatically. Now the SEALS themselves dive out. We FOLLOW PETTIS:

EXT. MID-AIR/EXT. INDIAN OCEAN - CONTINUING - NIGHT
    Falling, in darkness. Not a photon of light beneath us, (the waters of the Indian Ocean don't refract light at night.) Feels like an endless abyss down there. No form at all. But there's a lit ALTIMETER on our wrist, counting down... 700 feet, 600... Our CHUTE above us. Then the RHIB hits water below us. A huge SPLASH. We keep plummeting, down... Then... a BIGGER SPLASH. That's us, submerging powerfully, water all around us... then coming up again, to find: 16 men in synchronized action, SEALS leaving their chutes to sink in the water and boarding the RHIB. The BAINBRIDGE appears now, coming to get us. The C-17 is long gone. We've just "splashed in," SEAL-style...

INT. USS BAINBRIDGE - CIC - NIGHT
    The COMBAT INFORMATION CENTER of a guided missile destroyer: icy blue lighting, a horseshoe layout of consoles manned by 20 SAILORS, under the command of Captain Castellano:
    CASTELLANO
    Everybody vigilant. Game faces on.
    Beside Castellano is RICHARD GARRIDOS, an FBI man to his core, the only civilian on board. They turn as Lt. Aboitiz enters, exchanging a salute with Castellano.
    CASTELLANO
    Lieutenant Aboitiz, SEAL Team Commander. Richard Garridos, FBI.
    ABOITIZ
    Sir.
    GARRIDOS
    Good to meet you. Where are we?
    ABOITIZ
    In place and ready to go.

INTERCUT WITH/INT. BAINBRIDGE - HELO HANGAR - SAME
    Pettis, Joon, and EIGHT OTHER SEALS pass through a hangar containing two MH60 Knighthawk HELICOPTERS - as we hear:
    GARRIDOS (V.O.)
    Orders right now are, no offensive action. We just keep shouldering 'em away from Somali waters.
    Huge RETRACTABLE DOORS open in front of the SEALS, revealing:

EXT. USS BAINBRIDGE - FANTAIL - CONTINUING
    The fantail of the Bainbridge sits low and flat in the water. From here, the lifeboat is a tiny target on black ocean. The SEALS drop their gear...
    ABOITIZ (V.O.)
    Understood.

INT. USS BAINBRIDGE - C.I.C. - RESUMING
    Aboitiz, Castellano, Garridos:
    GARRIDOS
    But that directive is countermanded if the hostage is observed to be in
    GARRIDOS
    immediate danger. What kind of surveillance do we have?

INTERCUT WITH/EXT. UNDERWATER - NIGHT
    We're right UNDER the lifeboat. And we aren't alone. A team of SEAL FROGMEN are here too - attaching LISTENING DEVICES to the hull of the lifeboat. The devices are round, black, like hockey pucks. The SEALS activate them.

INT. USS BAINBRIDGE - CIC - RESUMING
    An ENSIGN is at a console, listening in on the lifeboat.
    ABOITIZ
    We have good ears on the boat. And I've got sniper-killer teams surveilling from the fantail, locked in.
    GARRIDOS
    Those windows aren't much of a target. How're you gonna hit 'em from the fantail of a moving boat?
    A few sailors react. But Aboitiz is unfazed:
    ABOITIZ
    A lifeboat riding bow-down on this ship's rooster-tail has a 17-second cycle of harmonic motion. At the half- point of every cycle, or at 8.5 seconds, the lifeboat will, for a brief instant, be steady on.
    As he CONTINUES, we RESUME INTERCUT WITH:

EXT. USS BAINBRIDGE - FANTAIL - RESUMING (NIGHT)
    Five SNIPER-KILLER TEAMS, in pairs: RAMOS-WINSTROM; INGRAM- NGUYEN; SHRIDAR-KAY; REESE-HICKS; and Pettis-Joon. Four of the teams set up shop on LARGE CRATES, (a shooter resting his weapon on the crate, spotter behind him.) Pettis lies belly down on a mat, on the fantail, Joon behind him. The snipers have SR-25's. The Spotters have OPTICS DEVICES. Through Joon's we see the lifeboat in the distance. Its windows look TINY from here. Bobbing up and down... Every SEAL sound-checks his NECK MIKE, as:
    ABOITIZ (O.S.)
    During that lull, the scopes on a sniper's SR-25 can image their targets very easily. The first shot, a wad cutter, takes out the windows, removing all deflection criteria and giving four shooters, each on a single target, a clean line of sight.

INT. USS BAINBRIDGE - C.I.C. - RESUMING
    Aboitiz and Garridos:
    ABOITIZ
    Any of our team members could then put three slugs inside the head of a quarter at 100 meters - although that is not the ideal distance.
    Garridos takes all that in, sold. Then:
    GARRIDOS
    I'll talk to the pirates now, Captain.

INT. LIFEBOAT - MOVING - SAME (NIGHT)
    Najee is finishing that multi-colored rope. Elmi is sitting up front, near the fuel buckets. Musi on the bridge. That leaves Bilal, guarding Phillips.
    PHILLIPS
    How's your foot? Any better?
    Bilal shrugs, conscious of fraternizing with the hostage.
    MUSI (O.S.)
    You stop talking to him.
    Musi, calling out from the Bridge, angry. Bilal tightens.
    MUSI
    He already got one captain. Somali Marine don't need two.
    Phillips shrugs, turns away... looking through that box of provisions. Pop-Tarts, etc... until he notices something: The back of that bottle of A-1 steak sauce. Something's been written on it. By hand, in English - obviously a message left for him by the Navy. Phillips reads it: "Talk. We can hear you. USN." Oh. But Phillips barely has time to integrate it, when:
    GARRIDOS (THRU LIFEBOAT RADIO)
    Pirate leader. Pirate leader. Come in.
    Musi turns, unmoved. But:

INTERCUT WITH/INT. USS BAINBRIDGE - CIC - SAME
    Garridos, watched by Aboitiz and Castellano.
    GARRIDOS (INTO RADIO)
    This is the FBI. Come in.
    Musi's eyes just went wide. His men react as well. FBI. Three VERY big letters. He regroups, grabs the radio:
    MUSI (INTO LIFEBOAT RADIO)
    No F.B.I.! We not Al Qaeda! We talk to insurance negotiator.
    GARRIDOS (INTO RADIO)
    Sorry. F.B.I. My name's Garridos.
    MUSI (INTO LIFEBOAT RADIO)
    No military action! We want only ransom.
    GARRIDOS (INTO RADIO)
    Okay. What'll you give me?
    MUSI (INTO LIFEBOAT RADIO)
    We want two million dollars and passage back to Somalia. Then you get your man.
    Phillips watches all this... noting Bilal's reaction.
    GARRIDOS (INTO RADIO)
    What's your name? I'd like to know what to call you.
    MUSI (INTO LIFEBOAT RADIO)
    You can call me Captain.
    GARRIDOS (INTO RADIO)
    Okay. You and I will be working together until we figure this thing out. Tell me about your injury. And your crew-member.
    MUSI (INTO LIFEBOAT RADIO)
    What?
    GARRIDOS (INTO RADIO)
    You have a gash on your right hand, and you've got a crew-member with glass in his foot. Correct?
    MUSI (INTO LIFEBOAT RADIO)
    I want to talk to the insurance guy!
    GARRIDOS (INTO RADIO)
    I have trained medical personnel on this boat, and a first-class hospital bay. Maybe you two come aboard and get treated. Then we can talk about things, face to face.
    MUSI (INTO LIFEBOAT RADIO)
    I get it fixed when I get back to Somalia. We talk then.
    GARRIDOS (INTO RADIO)
    That's gonna be a problem. We're willing to work with you - but we can't let this thing reach land.
    MUSI (INTO LIFEBOAT RADIO)
    We Somali Marines! We have right to go back to our country!
    GARRIDOS (INTO RADIO)
    Not with an American hostage.
    Musi hangs up, angry. No one speaks. Then:
    GARRIDOS (THRU RADIO)
    Garridos for lifeboat. Come in.
    Musi grabs the radio again.
    MUSI (INTO LIFEBOAT RADIO)
    No military action! We talk to Insurance negotiator! Two million dollars!
    GARRIDOS (INTO RADIO)
    Look out your window, Captain.
    MUSI (INTO LIFEBOAT RADIO)
    We going to Somalia.
    GARRIDOS (INTO RADIO)
    Captain. Your cockpit window.
    Musi does... and he sees the five sniper-killer teams on the fantail of the Bainbridge - aiming right at him. It's just a moment - blink and you'd miss it - but all of his bravado just vanished; and Phillips saw. Bilal saw too. Musi regroups quickly... Then, with utter control:
    MUSI (SOMALI, SUBTITLED)
    We going home now. Stay away from the windows.
    He leans on the throttle, instant acceleration. His men don't speak. But they know something's wrong. Najee and Elmi drift away, quietly. That leaves Phillips and Bilal, out of everyone's earshot. Phillips studies the kid. Bilal looks away... Then:
    PHILLIPS
    Are you a good swimmer?
    (Bilal's a blank) 'Cause you need to jump off this boat and get away from here, as fast as you can. Your captain's leading you to some very bad places.
    BILAL
    I never been anywhere else.
    That landed. Bilal walks away. Phillips sags. On the bridge, Musi starts singing a SOMALI WAR SONG. Loud. Off-key. Intentionally unsettling. And he keeps singing, as:

INT. USS BAINBRIDGE - CIC - RESUMING
    Garridos, listening in. He takes off his headset.
    GARRIDOS
    Captain, I need a chopper.
    Castellano nods, no problem.

INT. PHILLIPS HOME - BEDROOM - NIGHT
    Andrea is in bed but wide awake. Amber sleeps in a chair. An anxious stillness hangs. Then it's shattered: the PHONE RINGS. Oh no. Andrea grabs it.
    ANDREA (INTO PHONE)
    Hello?

INTERCUT WITH/INT. MAERSK - BRIDGE - IDLE - DAY
    Shane Murphy, on the bridge of the Maersk:
    MURPHY (INTO PHONE)
    Andrea, it's Shane Murphy.
    ANDREA (INTO PHONE)
    Oh. Hi, Shane....
    MURPHY (INTO PHONE)
    You doin' okay?
    ANDREA (INTO PHONE)
    Uh, you know. Anxious.
    Flanking Murphy are some of the Maersk CREW-MEMBERS we now know: ATM, Durell, Perry, Ken Quinn, Colin Wright. Even Marv, Dave, Del. Murphy's speaking for all of them.
    MURPHY (INTO PHONE)
    The Navy wouldn't let me call you before. We're in Mombasa now, as scheduled.
    ANDREA (INTO PHONE)
    That's good.
    MURPHY (PHONE,
    Just wanted to tell you - we all did - we owe your husband our lives, every guy on this ship. He got in that lifeboat to save us, and you should be proud of that. He's a brave son-of- a-bitch, Andrea; and he's gonna outlast those guys, I know it. He'll wear 'em down. Last we heard he was doing okay and in good spirits. So you stay strong, okay? He loves you. He'll get back home to you.
    Andrea just nods, a single tear rolling down her cheek.
    MURPHY (PHONE,
    Anyway. I gotta go. Still got a ship to run.
    ANDREA (INTO PHONE)
    Thanks, Shane.
    MURPHY (INTO PHONE)
    If you talk to him before I do, tell him we all said thanks, okay?
    End of call. Amber takes her hand. We STAY WITH MURPHY: Through the bridge windows we see CRANES off-loading the Maersk's containers. She has docked in Mombasa now. The NAVY GUYS are leaving. A NEW CAPTAIN, Phillips' replacement, comes aboard. Murphy nods politely. The show goes on - as we CUT TO:

INT. LIFEBOAT - MOVING - NIGHT (2:30 A.M.)
    Phillips stands, wet and bleeding. His hands tied to the horizontal bar overhead, feet tied too. (We've TIME-JUMPED again: Phillips has already been beaten for trying to escape. They've just made him piss himself.) But there's now an AK an INCH FROM HIS FACE - held by Elmi, who pulls the trigger. CLICK. He's just dry-firing it, but the flinch from Phillips made Elmi smile. The tenor in here has gotten meaner. Sicker. Najee knots that three-colored rope. Musi's on the bridge. Bilal is silent. The lifeboat muscles along. ...when, unsolicited, Phillips begins to speak:
    PHILLIPS
    So it's the beginning of time. Adam's the first man ever. And all of his body parts hold a meeting, to see who should be in charge.
    Wait. Is he telling a joke? Now? Elmi can't believe it.
    PHILLIPS
    Adam's heart says, "I think I should run things, 'cause if I stop pumping, he dies." But his eyes say, "Wait a minute, we think we should run things. I mean, without us, he couldn't see anything, or get around." Then his brain says, "I'm obviously the most important organ. I control breathing, thinking, everything." A real argument.
    No doubt about it; he's telling a joke. Musi turns, intrigued by the balls on this guy. Najee and Bilal too, watching...
    PHILLIPS
    Then, from down deep, a quiet voice pipes in. "Excuse me. But I think I'm the most important body part." It was the asshole talking.
    The pirates eye one another, mild disbelief and amusement.
    PHILLIPS
    The other body parts just laughed at him - get serious, buddy - and went back to work, deciding to vote on it in a couple days.
    (a beat)
    But the next morning, the asshole surprised them all. He shut down. Wouldn't let anything through. Breakfast, lunch, dinner - nothing. And pretty soon, the whole body began to suffer. The brain got foggy, the heart could barely beat, the eyes couldn't stay open. After three days of it they all came to him and said, "Okay! Okay! You win! You're the most important! We give!" Argument over.
    (eyes on Musi now)
    And that's why, ever since, all through history... it's assholes who have always been in charge.
    There it was, a huge fuck-you, aimed right at Musi. Silence. ...then Bilal can't help himself. He starts to laugh. Elmi too. Then Najee. Even Musi finds himself chuckling. Phillips too. Five strung-out overheated guys, laughing. ...until this boat is suddenly ROCKED by an unseen force - pounding it, turning it SIDEWAYS. The pirates are knocked to their feet - it's that violent. And NOISY, deafening:

EXT. LIFEBOAT - AT SEA - CONTINUING
    One of those NAVY KNIGHTHAWK HELICOPTERS is hovering right above us - its rotors' GALE-FORCE WIND literally knocking the lifeboat sideways. A pretty impressive show of force.

INT. LIFEBOAT - MOVING - RESUMING
    Musi struggles with the wheel, but it's useless. The craft isn't powerful enough to keep its heading.
    MUSI
    What are they doing, Irish?
    Phillips keeps his eyes on those FUEL BUCKETS - sliding around. The wind keeps pounding us. And that noise...
    MUSI
    What are they doing?!
    PHILLIPS
    I don't know. I'm here with you.
    Musi, livid, guns the engine. But it dies on him. Now the powerless lifeboat is pushed in a CIRCLE by the wind. Spinning like a top, buffeted by air and noise. Musi's men, dizzied, await his orders... as:
    GARRIDOS (THRU LIFEBOAT RADIO)
    Garridos for lifeboat. Come in.
    Musi doesn't answer - just hits the ignition again. The engine won't turn over.
    GARRIDOS (THRU LIFEBOAT RADIO)
    Garridos for lifeboat. Come in, lifeboat.
    We're spinning in circles, deafened by the noise - the Knighthawk literally sitting right on top of us...
    MUSI
    What's wrong with your boat, Irish?
    PHILLIPS
    Now it's my boat again?
    MUSI
    What's wrong with it?
    PHILLIPS
    How the hell should I know?
    MUSI
    You baby, Phillips. Lazy American.
    Musi fumes. His men await a plan. Noise pounding. Sniper teams waiting on the Bainbridge. Everything closing in.

INTERCUT WITH/INT. USS BAINBRIDGE - CIC - RESUMING
    Garridos, with Aboitiz and Castellano hovering:
    GARRIDOS (INTO RADIO)
    This is Garridos, Captain. You having engine trouble?
    MUSI (INTO LIFEBOAT RADIO)
    You pull back now!
    GARRIDOS (INTO RADIO)
    Hey, I'm just a guest on this boat. I can't tell the Captain what to do. But I can send over a mechanic to take a look for you.
    MUSI (INTO LIFEBOAT RADIO)
    Pull back! No military action!
    GARRIDOS (INTO RADIO)
    Fine. What will you give me?
    MUSI (INTO LIFEBOAT RADIO)
    I give you his ears! I give you his fingers!
    (no reply) I told you! I talk only to insurance man! Only to money man!
    GARRIDOS (INTO RADIO)
    Sorry. I'm all you got. And we cannot allow you to return to Somali waters.
    We PUSH IN on Musi, all that noise bearing down on him, as:
    MUSI (INTO LIFEBOAT RADIO)
    (ice cold)
    Fine. We die here then. He slams the radio down, looks at his men:
    MUSI (SOMALI, SUBTITLED)
    Finish the ropes.
    That sounded permanent, and Phillips looks shaken. We're still spinning, getting hammered by the rotor wind...
    MUSI (CONT'D)
    What's wrong, Phillips? You don't want to die at sea? What kind of sailor are you?
    PHILLIPS
    Like to see my wife again. And my kids.
    MUSI
    American sailors are all babies.
    GARRIDOS (THRU LIFEBOAT RADIO)
    Captain! Come in.
    MUSI (SOMALI, SUBTITLED)
    Untie him.
    Elmi starts to untie Phillips, as:
    GARRIDOS (THRU RADIO)
    Why don't you come aboard now? Get some medical care. We'll figure a way
    GARRIDOS (THRU RADIO)
    out of this thing. We can set up a tow-line from our fantail, so you don't drift into hostile waters. We know there are rival tribes around here. Look, a gesture of goodwill:
    The noise suddenly STOPS, the chopper pulling up. SILENCE. Somehow, that infuriates Musi even worse. He decides:
    MUSI (INTO LIFEBOAT RADIO)
    Okay. We gonna kill the hostage now. Need a bodybag over here. Out.
    End of transmission. He marches toward Phillips - at the very moment Phillips, untied by Elmi, falls into a seat... and our narrative catches up to itself COMPLETELY, as: A JOLT: Phillips yanked out of the seat by Musi - suddenly, urgently. Rage in Musi's eyes, infuriated by all this...
    MUSI
    I want you to know something. We were all fishermen once. Other countries come and overfish our waters, dump all their trash here - no Somali government to stop them. So there's no more fishing.
    A few feet away, Najee and Elmi pull an ORANGE SURVIVAL SUIT from a bin, and begin to spread it on the floor. Odd... IMAGES, JUMP-CUT: Musi handing the 9mm to Bilal; the pirates kneeling down to pray for Allah's blessing, and:
    PHILLIPS
    Andrea...
    He shuts his eyes.

EXT. PHILLIPS' HOME - BACK PATIO - DAY
    Allison emerges on to the patio - to find Andrea, hiding here again, alone against the snow, staring sadly at that old SHIP'S BELL.
    ANDREA
    (re: bell)
    He's so stubborn about things.
    ALLISON
    I'm counting on it.
    Andrea smiles. Allison sits.
    ALLISON
    Your family's doing a prayer circle. You wanna come in?
    ANDREA
    The Navy's not expecting a good result. Are they.
    Bam. That put Allison on her heels. She regroups, then:
    ALLISON
    The Navy's doing exactly what it set out to do - isolate the pirates and keep them from getting to shore.
    ANDREA
    But they can't launch a rescue without getting him killed. And there's no way the U.S. Government could allow the pirates to take ransom and escape prosecution. So...
    (Allison's silent)
    Has anybody said anything to you about preparing me for the worst?
    No reply. The answer, obviously, is yes.
    ALLISON
    It's not an indicator of our confidence in the outcome...
    That sounded lame, and she knows it. A beat passes...
    ALLISON
    Do you want to come in with us?
    Andrea starts to cry again, can't quite hold it in.
    ANDREA
    I think I'll take a walk instead.
    And away she goes, off the patio and out into the SNOWY FIELD beyond. Allison, helpless, just watches her go. From here, Andrea grows smaller and smaller. We CUT TO:

INT. LIFEBOAT - NOT MOVING - SAME
    The pirates pray to Allah. Phillips watches, powerless... We CIRCLE AROUND him, his breath shortening, heart rate climbing - as these men pray for a blessing to kill him.
    PHILLIPS
    You're not gonna get paradise and seventy-two virgins for doing this. You're just gonna get your men killed.
    Musi looks up from his prayer, his eyes lifeless:
    MUSI
    Keep talking, Irish...
    That was chilling. Musi returns to his prayer, then gives an order in Somali. The pirates get to their feet. Najee grabs that THREE-COLORED ROPE now, weaving it through Phillips' hands. Carefully. We hear "Halal. Halal." We PUSH IN ON PHILLIPS - as he steels himself for one last stand. Just can't let himself surrender too easily.
    MUSI
    Bring him over.
    Elmi grabs Phillips, starts to pull him on to the orange survival suit. But there's a problem, instantly: Phillips isn't moving. Huh? Elmi tries again - but Phillips digs in and puts his fists under his chin. Not moving.
    PHILLIPS
    No. Sorry.
    What? They scream at him, livid.
    MUSI
    You make hands-up posture now! Execution posture!
    PHILLIPS
    I'm not moving.
    Musi shouts at Elmi, who shouts at Phillips. Najee and Bilal jump in too, Bilal pointing that handgun at him - as we:

INTERCUT WITH/EXT. UNDERHILL - WOODS - DAY
    Andrea walks, all alone and shaky as hell. Then she STOPS... And turns. Some instinct just told her to get back home...

INT. LIFEBOAT - RESUMING
    The pirates grab him and throw him on to the survival suit. But he won't stand still, or drop to his knees. They howl.
    MUSI
    You make hands-up posture!
    PHILLIPS
    No!
    MUSI
    You going against the preaching!

INTERCUT WITH/INT. PHILLIPS HOME - CONTINUING
    15 people form a PRAYER CIRCLE, heads bowed. We CUT BACK TO:

INT. LIFEBOAT - RESUMING (NIGHT)
    The pirates try to push Phillips down, try to get his fists out from under his chin. But he WILL NOT BUDGE.
    MUSI
    You can't go against the preaching!
    Four guys pushing on him, howling. But he just won't comply. Keeps his fists under his chin... as we:

INTERCUT WITH/INT. CAR - MOVING - NIGHT
    MARIAH PHILLIPS, 18, drives too fast - blinking back tears. Listening to NPR, a report about her father. Just get home.

INT. LIFEBOAT - RESUMING
    Phillips is kicking, twisting, defying, keeping his fists under his chin. Musi is shouting, spit flying.
    MUSI
    You make the good posture! Hands up! You make the good posture!

EXT. UNDERHILL - WOODS - RESUMING
    Andrea, running home. She steps onto an icy slick and loses her footing, falling. She lands in snow. Damn it...

INT. PHILLIPS HOME - RESUMING
    15 people, heads down, hands together, praying. We JUMP TO:

INT. MAERSK - BRIDGE - SAME
    The men of the Maersk - Murphy, ATM, Durell - huddled at a radio, waiting for word. Mike Perry silently praying...

INT. LIFEBOAT - RESUMING
    Phillips keeps resisting, fighting, kicking, never moving his fists from under his chin. Pirates howling, spitting, until: THUMP. Silence. Everything goes white. Bilal just butt-ended him in the head with the handgun. Phillips falls forward, on to the suit. Everything foggy. He's on the ritual rug now. Certain he's about to die. The pirates start WHOOPING again, celebrating... when:
    MUSI (SOMALI, SUBTITLED)
    Stop.
    (his men eye him)
    Look at the rope.
    Silence. The pirates examine the three-colored rope they'd labored so hard to fashion. It has Phillips' BLOOD on it now. He SPITS on it, weakly, for good measure. Ritual spoiled. The pirates sag and drift away. Phillips is about to pass out on the survival suit when he hears:
    BRITISH VOICE (THRU RADIO)
    Pirate Lifeboat. Pirate lifeboat. This is Reuters news service. Do you read? Reuters news--
    We STAY WITH PHILLIPS, as we hear Musi answer:
    MUSI (O.S., INTO RADIO)
    This is pirate lifeboat. We are surrounded by warships and don't have time to talk. Please pray for us.
    Phillips' eyes begin to close. Then he's out.

INT. PHILLIPS HOME - NIGHT
    Everyone's quiet. Andrea enters from the back patio, just as:
    MARIAH (O.S.)
    Mom?
    Mariah, stepping through the front door. Bereft. And barely visible behind all the food platters and gift baskets.
    MARIAH
    Did daddy die?
    ANDREA
    What? Why?
    MARIAH
    There's never any food in this house!
    A beat... then everyone in here either starts crying or laughing. Andrea rises, crosses to her daughter. Mariah collapses in her mother's arms. Both sobbing. CUT TO:

INT. USS BAINBRIDGE - C.I.C. - SAME
    Castellano puts down a phone, eyes Garridos and Aboitiz:
    CASTELLANO
    The President has given the okay. If we have a clean shot, we take it.
    Aboitiz nods. Garridos grabs his radio:
    GARRIDOS (INTO RADIO)
    Captain, you're in trouble. Let's talk.

INT. LIFEBOAT - RESUMING
    Musi heard that. He eyes Phillips, unconscious on the floor. We... END SEQUENCE. And DISSOLVE TO:

EXT. LIFEBOAT - ON THE WATER - MORNING
    Day breaks, hot and flat.

EXT. USS BAINBRIDGE - FANTAIL - SAME
    We're looking through a SCOPE at the lifeboat. Sunlight glints off one WINDOW. (The other was knocked out days ago.) REVEAL Pettis, flat on his belly. In position, as always.
    PETTIS (INTO NECK-MIKE)
    Boss, I have some minor glare, need a course correction. Please ask the Captain to go two degrees starboard.
    ABOITIZ (THRU EARPIECE)
    Roger that. Two degrees.

INT. LIFEBOAT - SAME
    Musi has spent the night working on the lifeboat's ENGINE. He goes to the Bridge. Hits the ignition. The engine starts. The sound awakens Phillips - still atop the survival suit, his head aching. He looks up at Musi.
    MUSI
    I'm going on the navy boat. To get our money.
    Not a small bit of news. Phillips studies him...
    PHILLIPS
    It's a ship.
    MUSI
    Huh?
    PHILLIPS
    The destroyer, it's a ship. A boat is something like this, something you can carry on a ship. Navy guys hate it when you call their ship a boat.
    Musi sighs: Do you ever stop fighting? Phillips shrugs.
    MUSI
    And we getting a tow. Bainbridge gonna tow us.
    PHILLIPS
    Then why fix the engine?
    MUSI
    They try any tricks, we cut the tow- line and go into their hull.
    Phillips notes the FUEL BUCKETS. They've all been UNCAPPED - as if about to be turned into weapons. He considers that. Just then, a SOUND outside: a ZODIAC, pulling up. Musi turns.

EXT. ZODIAC/EXT. LIFEBOAT - ON THE WATER - CONTINUING
    Lt. Kinimura, bearing another BOX OF PROVISIONS. ...and a TOW-LINE extending from the fantail of the Bainbridge. Musi eyes it from the hatch, his face a mask.

INT. PHILLIPS HOME - MASTER BEDROOM - 5 A.M.
    Still dark. Andrea awakens in a panic. Jumps out of bed...

INT. PHILLIPS HOME - DOWNSTAIRS - CONTINUING
    She hurries down the steep steps, zeroes in on a sofa... where Allison sleeps. Andrea shakes her awake, urgently:
    ANDREA
    Allison. Allison.
    (Allison stirs a bit)
    ANDREA
    Please wake up. You have to wake up. I need you.
    ALLISON
    What? What happened?
    ANDREA
    I blew it. I blew it!
    (no reply)
    It's Easter Sunday.
    ALLISON
    So?
    ANDREA
    I could've done something. And I blew it!
    ALLISON
    Andrea, what're you talking about?
    ANDREA
    There's this homily Richard learned - from a Priest in Africa. "God is good, all the time. All the time, God is good." We say it as a family now; it's a tradition.
    ALLISON
    It's lovely.
    ANDREA
    Don't you understand? It's Easter Sunday. Every Catholic in Vermont is going to be in church today. I could've asked our priest to spread it around. I could've had it said in every church up and down the state. I just wasn't thinking.
    Allison pauses a beat, her wheels turning... then:
    ALLISON
    Let me work on this.

INT. LIFEBOAT - CONTINUING
    Musi gives some last instructions to Najee. Elmi guards Phillips. Bilal prays, Phillips watching...
    PHILLIPS
    My wife used to go to church a lot. She stopped because I didn't wanna go. That's a regret.
    ELMI
    Maybe you start now.
    In other words, bow down and face Mecca. Phillips shrugs.
    PHILLIPS
    Can I have that, please?
    He's pointing to a CLIPBOARD, hanging on a nail on the bulkhead, a pen dangling from it. Elmi doesn't respond.
    PHILLIPS
    I'd like to write something - for my family.
    ELMI
    Why?
    PHILLIPS
    In case.
    ELMI
    What you tell them, Irish?
    PHILLIPS
    I dunno. Goodbye? I love you?

INTERCUT WITH/INT. USS BAINBRIDGE - CIC - SAME
    Garridos, headphones on, heard that. Just as intended.

INT. LIFEBOAT - RESUMING
    Phillips... almost broadcasting this to the Bainbridge:
    PHILLIPS
    I want my wife to know that I'm sorry for the call she's about to get - and that I sailed all these years because I'm a sailor, not because I liked being away. And I'm sorry I was such a pain in the ass to my kids about school - I just, when it was my son's turn, I didn't want him to have to spend his life out here like I did, leaving his family seven or eight months a year just to make a living. It costs too much. I made mistakes; sometimes I treated my children like they were crew-members.
    (just realized)
    ...and treated my crew-members like they were children. I wish I could undo all that.
    On the Bainbridge, Garridos is listening. Castellano too.
    PHILLIPS (CONT'D)
    Have to tell them that - have to make sure they know. Or I won't be clean.
    Elmi, nods, hands over the clipboard. Phillips grabs it, as: Bang. Musi knocks it to the floor, noisily. Rage in his eyes.
    MUSI
    We all have letters to write.
    He turns, heads for the hatch. Phillips calls out to him:
    PHILLIPS
    Did you say goodbye to your men?
    That was an echo - and an accusation. Musi turns...
    PHILLIPS (CONT'D)
    Captain's supposed to be the last one off the ship - don't they teach you that in the Somali Marines?
    MUSI
    Keep talking, Irish.
    And out he goes. Najee dogs the hatch shut.
    ELMI
    Why you talk to him like that?
    PHILLIPS
    'Cause I'm never gonna see him again. And neither are you.
    The Pirates don't know how to take that...

EXT. ZODIAC - ON THE WATER - CONTINUING
    The TOW-LINE now connects the bow of the lifeboat to the stern of the Bainbridge, maybe 75 yards from here. Musi boards the Zodiac; it bears him away...

INT. LIFEBOAT - RESUMING
    The pirates hear the Zodiac go. Phillips eyes them...
    PHILLIPS
    (at Bilal)
    Listen to me. Get off this boat and swim away. Now.
    ELMI
    You shut up, Irish!
    PHILLIPS
    It's over. Your captain bailed on you. There's no money coming.
    ELMI
    Why you keep talking?!
    Elmi tosses a rope at him, angrily.
    ELMI (CONT'D)
    Here. You tie knot. Like we do.
    PHILLIPS
    You tie it.

EXT. USS BAINBRIDGE - FANTAIL - MOMENTS LATER
    The Sniper-Killer Teams are in their same spots. Four pairs of men behind crates. Pettis flat on his belly.
    ABOITIZ (THRU EARPIECE)
    All teams, be advised. Proceeding to reel in lifeboat now.
    Beside one of the crates is a WINCH. The metal TOW-LINE extends from here to the lifeboat. The winch comes to life, beginning to pull the lifeboat closer. Slowly... as: Musi is helped up on to the fantail of the Bainbridge. He eyes the Sniper-Killer Teams. And that WINCH, slowly pulling the lifeboat closer. Guilt hits Musi, hard. He's led inside by two SAILORS... The SEALS behind the rifles never look up from their scopes.

INT. LIFEBOAT - RESUMING
    Elmi slaps Phillips. Two ropes fall to the floor.
    ELMI
    That's lalil! The ropes can't touch!
    PHILLIPS
    He cut a deal. He's not coming back.
    ELMI
    You don't know.
    PHILLIPS
    I know when he found a pair of new sandals he took them for himself and left your friend here barefoot. I know when he divvied up that thirty thousand he took all the hundreds and gave you guys all the fifties.
    That landed on Bilal. Elmi turns on him instantly:
    ELMI
    You don't listen to this!
    BILAL
    I didn't say anything.
    ELMI
    You want to be an American sailor? You want to be lazy and drink beer? Go ahead, go to movies with him. Be a nigger. Go ahead.
    Elmi shouts at Bilal - in Somali now - Bilal shouting back, both men rising -- a flashpoint, until:
    NAJEE (SOMALI, SUBTITLED)
    Shut up!
    They turn. Najee is on the bridge, glaring at Elmi and Bilal.
    NAJEE (SUBTITLED,
    Come here.
    The two pirates approach the bridge. We FOLLOW... ...as they see what he's seeing, the TOW-LINE, tightening.
    NAJEE (SUBTITLED,
    They're pulling us in.
    Fear. Rage. Elmi and Bilal storm at Phillips, the MUZZLES of their weapons inches from his face, that fast.
    ELMI
    Unclean place, Phillips. You going to an unclean place.
    PHILLIPS
    Fine. Long as I don't have to tie anymore Goddamn knots.
    ...which is when we hear something new from them. They begin to CHANT. It's low, guttural, ceremonial. A tribal chanting, their bodies rocking a bit - much scarier than being hit. They circle him, chanting. Bilal loudest of all.

EXT. USS BAINBRIDGE - FANTAIL - RESUMING
    Pettis is flat on his belly, Joon spotting.
    PETTIS
    Tall Guy just moved from the Con. Report that in.
    JOON
    Copy that.
    Pettis has been in this position forever. We see a single bead of SWEAT trickling down his forehead...

INT. USS BAINBRIDGE - HOSPITAL BAY - SAME
    A MEDIC re-wraps Musi's hand. Musi is silent, troubled... ..as Garridos enters, CLIPBOARD in hand.
    MUSI
    You never said tow-line would be pulled in.
    GARRIDOS
    What're you worried about? You're safe. That was the deal, right?
    That sickened Musi. Garridos hands him the CLIPBOARD.
    GARRIDOS (CONT'D)
    Standard plea agreement. As discussed.

INT. LIFEBOAT - RESUMING
    The chanting continues. Guns pointed at Phillips.
    ELMI
    You move here.
    He gestures to a seat. Phillips moves to the seat.
    ELMI (CONT'D)
    You pick that up!
    He gestures to a cloth. Phillips picks it up.
    ELMI (CONT'D)
    You put it over there!
    Phillips does so - then stands up tall, sweat pouring down.
    PHILLIPS
    Please let me write to them. Please let me say goodbye...
    ELMI
    Military posture. Verrrrry good.
    The chanting continues. Najee nods to Bilal, who puts a BLINDFOLD on Phillips...
    NAJEE
    Animal! Lazy animal!

EXT. USS BAINBRIDGE - FANTAIL - RESUMING
    That WINCH keeps cranking, slowly, drawing in the line.
    ABOITIZ (THRU EARPIECES)
    Line should be at 35 meters now. Advise, is that a correct reading?
    We hear replies from the SHOOTERS behind the crates:
    RAMOS (INTO NECK-MIKE)
    35 meters. Alpha-Team check.
    INGRAM (INTO NECK-MIKE)
    35. Bravo-Team check.
    NGUYEN (INTO NECK-MIKE)
    35. Charlie-Team check.
    REESE (INTO NECK-MIKE)
    35. Delta-Team check.
    ...as we land on Pettis, flat on the mat.
    PETTIS (INTO NECK-MIKE)
    35. Echo-Team check.
    We STAY HERE, TIGHT... close enough to find that single bead of sweat, now dripping down Pettis' forehead, near his eye...
    PETTIS
    DJ, I've got some perspiration on my forehead. Need a hand with it.
    Joon, without a hint of awkwardness, wipes the bead of sweat from Pettis' forehead. Pettis doesn't move a muscle...

INT. LIFEBOAT - SAME
    Phillips puts his forehead to his shoulder, shaking the blindfold off. Elmi, livid, slugs him - puts it back on.

INT. PHILLIPS HOME - NOON
    Andrea, Dan, and Mariah at home. Tense silence... Then the phone rings. Andrea recognizes the number, answers.
    ANDREA (INTO PHONE)
    Allison?
    ALLISON (THRU PHONE)
    Put me on speaker. I want the kids to hear this too.
    Andrea hits the speaker button...

INT. LIFEBOAT - RESUMING
    The chanting builds. But Phillips rises, shakes the blindfold off, starts walking toward the aft hatch. Huh???
    ELMI
    What're you doing, Irish?
    PHILLIPS
    I'm going for a swim.
    ELMI
    You sit!
    PHILLIPS
    You sit.
    ELMI
    We shoot you!
    PHILLIPS
    Then shoot me, you pussies. I'm out of here.
    He takes one more step before... POP POP POP - Najee fires the AK-47. Rounds ricochet off the ceiling. Phillips stops. Silence. Najee eyes Elmi and Bilal... then:
    NAJEE (SOMALI, SUBTITLED)
    Cut the tow-line.

EXT. USS BAINBRIDGE - FANTAIL - RESUMING
    Every SEAL reacts to the shots. We hear OVERLAPS of:
    PETTIS/JOON/RAMOS/ETC.
    Small arms fire coming from the lifeboat. Muzzle flashes on the
    PETTIS/JOON/RAMOS/ETC.
    lifeboat. One shooter, automatic weapon.
    ABOITIZ (THRU EARPIECES)
    Affirmative. We have that.
    Then Pettis sees something that makes his eyes go wide:
    PETTIS
    Boss, we have movement on the deck of the lifeboat.
    Sure enough, Bilal emerges from the bow-hatch of the lifeboat, releasing the tow-line from the Bainbridge.
    PETTIS/JOON/RAMOS/ETC.
    They've cut the tow. Repeat, lifeboat is not in tow at this time.
    Everything ratchets up. The spotters and shooters adjust their scopes. Fast.

INT. LIFEBOAT - SAME
    Najee hits the IGNITION. The lifeboat engine rumbles awake. Phillips whips around - his eyes on those FUEL BUCKETS in the nose of the ship as Elmi grabs him, pushes him back on to the survival suit, knocking Phillips down to his knees. We hear:
    CASTELLANO (THRU RADIO)
    Lifeboat! What's going on in there? We're hearing reports of gunfire and a severed tow-line. Come in.
    Najee grins. Bilal re-enters from the bow, shuts the hatch.

INT. ST. VINCENT'S CHURCH - BURLINGTON, VT. - NOON
    TIGHT on Allison, who holds up a CELLPHONE, to capture: ...an ENTIRE CONGREGATION, in unison:
    ENTIRE CONGREGATION
    God is good, all the time. All the time, God is good.
    Allison's crying. So's Father Danielson. So are many of the congregants. The homily starts again, as:

INT. PHILLIPS HOME - SAME
    Andrea and her kids, hearing it on the speakerphone:
    ENTIRE CONGREGATION (THRU PHONE)
    God is good, all the time. All the time, God is good.
    It plays off the faces of the kids. Andrea grabs them:
    ANDREA
    He's going to be okay. Your father's going to be okay!

INT. LIFEBOAT - RESUMING
    Elmi ties Phillips' hands behind his back, RE-BLINDFOLDS him. ...as Phillips bows his head, praying in earnest:
    PHILLIPS
    (to no one)
    God is good all the time. All the time God is good. God is good all the time. All the time God is good...
    ELMI
    You think so, Irish?
    Phillips sees Bilal, approaching the Bridge - then DARKNESS.
    NAJEE (INTO LIFEBOAT RADIO)
    No problem, no problem. Just a mistake. No shooting. Okay?
    But he's about to ram the Bainbridge. Fuel sloshes out of the uncapped buckets as the lifeboat floor vibrates...

EXT. USS BAINBRIDGE - FANTAIL - RESUMING
    Suddenly, all three pirates appear on the lifeboat bridge. Pettis has his target, (Elmi), scoped.
    JOON (INTO NECK-MIKE)
    Echo has visual. Request permission to go hot.
    RAMOS (INTO NECK-MIKE)
    Alpha has visual. Request permission to go hot...

INT. LIFEBOAT - RESUMING
    Phillips, bound and blindfolded, is on his knees on that orange survival suit - head down, whipped.
    PHILLIPS
    I tried, Ange. I really tried.
    ...as Najee reaches for the THROTTLE...

INT. USS BAINBRIDGE - HOSPITAL BAY - RESUMING
    Musi, sick inside, signs the plea deal...

INT. BAINBRIDGE - C.I.C. - SAME
    Aboitiz looks to Castellano...
    CASTELLANO (INTO MIKE)
    Weapons release.

EXT. USS BAINBRIDGE - FANTAIL - RESUMING
    Snipers ready. The fantail is still.
    ABOITIZ (THRU EARPIECES)
    On my mark. Three, Two, One... Mark.
    FOUR TRIGGERS, squeezed at once...

INT. LIFEBOAT - RESUMING
    Phillips, head down, hears FOUR POPS. Uh-oh. He shouts:
    PHILLIPS
    What're you doing?! What're you guys doing?!
    Then he hears a THUMP, close by. He shakes the blindfold off. ...to find Bilal, inches away, head-shot, dead. Elmi and Najee have dropped too, breathing their last - the boat's throttle out of their reach... Before Phillips can react, he hears two launches racing toward this lifeboat. That fast, the fore and aft hatches open. FOUR SEALS jump in, weapons ready:
    SEAL #1
    Are you okay? Are you injured?
    PHILLIPS
    I'm fine. I'm fine...

INT. USS BAINBRIDGE - C.I.C. - RESUMING
    Castellano gets word - and reports it:
    CASTELLANO (INTO RADIO)
    We have a good result. Repeat, a good result. Hostage is unharmed and in custody.
    Game-faces vanish for a moment. The SAILORS in here CHEER.

INT. MAERSK - BRIDGE - SAME
    Docked in Mombasa, Shane Murphy puts down a phone. Turns. The men of Captain Phillips' crew await word. Durrel, Perry, ATM, Colin Wright, Ken Quinn. Murphy eyes them, then:
    MURPHY
    It's over.
    The men sag, deflated... until:
    MURPHY
    Pirates dead. Captain safe and sound.
    A cheer EXPLODES from the crew, the sound CARRYING OVER TO:

INT. USS BAINBRIDGE - HOSPITAL BAY - SAME
    Somehow, Musi can hear those cheers. There's a mirror in here - big enough, once again, to reveal his whole face. He eyes his reflection...

EXT. RHIB - ON THE WATER - MOVING - SAME
    SEALS in the RHIB speed Phillips away. He fights off a tear.

EXT. USS BAINBRIDGE - FANTAIL - MOMENTS LATER
    The SEAL Teams on the fantail quietly pack their gear... ...as Phillips boards the Bainbridge. And he sees the guys who just saved him. Pettis. Joon. All of them. But these aren't men who want to be thanked. Or acknowledged at all. So it's just a nod, from Phillips. Then the SEALS are gone...

INT. PHILLIPS HOME - DAY
    Dan and Mariah sit on the couch. I-POD for her, a book for him. Andrea smiles at them sadly, then goes upstairs...

INT. PHILLIPS HOME - MASTER BEDROOM - MOMENTS LATER
    Andrea lies down, turns on a tv. There's a movie on. She settles in to watch it. Then her eyes go wide: There, across the bottom of the screen, a NEWS TICKER: "Captain Richard Phillips freed." She bursts out of the room.

INT. PHILLIPS HOME - DOWNSTAIRS - CONTINUING
    She flies down the stairs. Mariah and Dan turn, startled. ...just as Allison rushes in through the door, breathless.
    ANDREA
    Is it true?!
    ALLISON
    It's true.
    Andrea throws her head back, grabs the kids. They're at a loss - but they hang on. She starts crying, as: ...the PHONE RINGS. Andrea's head snaps toward it. Her eyes meet Allison's. Andrea gets to the phone, answers it.
    ANDREA (INTO PHONE)
    Hello?
    PHILLIPS (THRU PHONE)
    (Barry White voice)
    Is your husband at home?
    At last, the call she's been praying for...
    ANDREA (INTO PHONE)
    Richard?! Richard?!
    PHILLIPS (THRU PHONE)
    Hi, Honey.
    ANDREA (INTO PHONE)
    OhMyGod! OhMyGod! Kids!
    They rush forward, listening in. Laughing. Crying. Then:
    ANDREA (PHONE,
    Richard! What were you thinking getting into that lifeboat!?
    Phillips laughs, we DISSOLVE TO:

EXT. BURLINGTON AIRPORT - TARMAC - DAY
    Andrea, Dan, and Mariah wait on the tarmac. A WELCOME HOME CAPTAIN PHILLIPS banner behind them. ...as a private JET, provided by MAERSK, taxis toward them.
    DAN
    Mom. I can't stand here. Can I run?
    ANDREA
    Run.
    He starts to run. Mariah too. Then Andrea. As we CUT TO:

EXT. TARMAC - TEETERBORO AIRPORT, N.J. - SAME
    Another JET taxis to a stop. Doors open. Garridos and TWO FEDERAL MARSHALLS emerge... with a prisoner, in cuffs: It's Musi. No one here to greet him but more COPS.

EXT. BURLINGTON AIRPORT - TARMAC - RESUMING
    The private jet comes to a stop. Its doors open. Phillips emerges, jumps down the steps. They all fly into his arms. A LOUD CHEER ERUPTS - as we reveal A THOUSAND NEIGHBORS, all here to greet him. Everyone wearing a yellow ribbon. Big family hug. Phillips holding on tight, nothing said. The CHEER CONTINUES, one thousand voices. He's home. And as that lands across his face we FREEZE FRAME... then:
    FADE OUT...

Summary: Richard Phillips takes command of MV Maersk Alabama, an unarmed container vessel from the Port of Salalah in Oman, with orders to sail through the Guardafui Channel to Mombasa, Kenya. Wary of pirate activity off the coast of the Horn of Africa, he and First Officer Shane Murphy order strict security precautions on the vessel and carry out a practice drill. During the drill, the captain notices that the vessel is being followed by Somali pirates in two skiffs, and Phillips calls for help. Knowing that the pirates are listening to radio traffic, he pretends to call a warship, requesting immediate air support. One skiff turns around in response, and the other – crewed by four heavily armed pirates led by Abduwali Muse – loses engine power trying to steer through Maersk Alabama's wake. The next day, Muse's skiff, now fitted with two outboard engines, returns with the same four pirates aboard. Despite the efforts of Phillips and his crew, the pirates secure their ladder to the ship. As they board, Phillips tells the crew to hide in the engine room, just before the pirates storm the bridge and hold Phillips and the other crew members at gunpoint. Phillips offers Muse the $30,000 in the ship's safe, but Muse's orders are to ransom the ship and crew in exchange for millions of dollars of insurance money from the shipping company. While they search the ship, Shane sees that the youngest pirate Bilal does not have sandals and tells the crew to line the engine room hallway with broken glass. Chief Engineer Mike Perry deactivates the power to the ship, plunging the lower decks into darkness. Bilal cuts his feet when they reach the engine room, and Muse continues to search alone. The crew members ambush Muse, holding him at knifepoint, and arrange to release him and the other pirates into a lifeboat. However, Muse's right-hand man Nour Najee refuses to board the lifeboat with Muse unless Phillips goes with them. Once all are on the lifeboat, Najee attacks Phillips, forcing him into the vessel before launching the boat with all five of them on board. As the lifeboat heads for Somalia, tensions flare between the pirates as they run low on the plant-based amphetamine khat that they have been eating, and they lose contact with their mother ship. Najee becomes agitated and begins to question Muse’s leadership when they are intercepted by the U.S. Navy destroyer USS Bainbridge. Bainbridge's captain Frank Castellano is ordered to prevent the pirates from reaching the Somali coast by any means. Even when additional ships arrive, Muse asserts that he has come too far and will not surrender. The negotiators are unable to change his mind, and a team from DEVGRU parachutes in to intervene, while Phillips attempts to escape from the lifeboat before being quickly recaptured and repeatedly beaten by Najee. While three DEVGRU marksmen get into positions, Castellano and DEVGRU continue to try to find a peaceful solution, eventually taking the lifeboat under tow. Muse agrees to board Bainbridge, where he is told that his clan elders are arriving to negotiate Phillips's ransom. In the lifeboat, Phillips prepares a goodbye letter to his wife in case he is killed, while Najee decides to take full control. Najee spots Phillips writing the letter and snatches it. Phillips retaliates by beating Najee until Bilal subdues Phillips by striking him in the back with his AK-47. The pirates tie up and blindfold Phillips and Najee beats Phillips further and berates Bilal and Elmi for their protests, even stating that they've been tricked by the Navy as the elders didn't come to negotiate. As Najee prepares to shoot Phillips, Bainbridge's crew stops the tow, causing Elmi, Bilal, and Najee to lose balance. This gives the marksmen three clear shots, by which they simultaneously kill all three pirates. Muse is arrested and taken into custody for piracy. Phillips is rescued from the lifeboat and his injuries are treated. Although in shock and disoriented, he thanks the rescue team for saving his life.