AFTER THE TRUTH

by

Christopher & Kathleen Riley

© 1 997 , 2004 Christopher and Kathleen RileyAll Rights Reserved

Now you'll know.

IN BLACKNESS

A WAGNERIAN ARIA plays, a crystalline TENOR SOLOhaunting in its beauty.

FAUCETS SQUEAK OPEN and WATER RUNS.

FADE IN:

A GLEAMING PORCELAIN SINK

Bloody hands plunge beneath the water. They washvigorously, with the thoroughness of a surgeon. Bloodswirls down the drain, a great deal of blood.

SERIES OF CLOSEUPS

Now spotless, these hands -- soft, smooth and young --adjust the cuffs of a black uniform tunic. Every moveis quick, precise, efficient.

Manicured fingers fasten a gleaming button.

The hands rub out an invisible blemish on dazzling blackboots.

A stiff uniform collar is aligned. What little is seenof the face is boyishly fresh, clean-shaven and benign.

The hands groom impeccable brown hair, position auniform cap and pull away to reveal the grim death'shead insignia of the Nazi SS.

The TENOR SOLO SOARS HEROICALLY, but is silenced by asudden COUGH. The COUGH BRIDGES a --

TIME CUT TO:

AN OLD MAN'S FIST

Five punishing decades have passed, and the hand thatwas once smooth and young has become a wizened fist. Itcovers the mouth of a man who hacks painfully. What canbe seen of his face suggests advanced age. The skin isloose, deeply lined and alarmingly grey. The handdescends to a gleaming button. The top one, just belowthe stiff black collar. The hand grasps the button andslowly unfastens it.

The tunic is folded and placed atop a pair of blackpants. The SS cap drops onto the neat stack. Hear aBABY CRYING -- and a hushed DEBATE IN GERMAN.

EXT. GUNZBURG, GERMANY - LATE AFTERNOON

Rain falls heavily on this prosperous Bavarianmunicipality.

(CONTINUED)

2.

CONTINUED:

At town center stands Gunzburg's modest courthouse. TheBABY'S CRIES and the HUSHED ARGUMENT CONTINUE.

INT. COURTROOM - SAME TIME

The CRYING and ARGUING are LOUDER here. At the defensetable Vashistha, a frightened young Pakistani, sitsbeside a fresh-faced assistant defense attorney namedHILLMANN. Hillmann glances anxiously into the gallerywhere Vashistha's wife waits, tormented by the CRIES ofher BABY -- whom she does not hold.

Across the aisle, a social worker tries to quiet theWAILING INFANT who's sheathed from the waist down in abody cast.

But the real action is taking place at the bench wherelead defense attorney PETER ROHM, 40s, too-long blondhair curling over his collar, battles JUDGE andPROSECUTOR. Their German segues into slightly accentedEnglish:

PETERYou have no evidence. None. What's the point of dragging thisout?

The Prosecutor is a bitter old war horse.

PROSECUTORThe point, Counselor, is toprotect the child from furtherbrutality at the hand of herfather.

PETERBrutality?! She fell from hisarms. Three witnesses agree itwas a simple accident --

PROSECUTOROf course they agree, they'reall --

He breaks off. Peter turns to the gallery; thewitnesses gaze back -- three dark-faced Pakistanis.

PETER(quietly)

They're all what, HerrProsecutor? Intelligent adults? Trustworthy observers?... Theshining future of the Fatherland?

(CONTINUED)

3.

CONTINUED:

The Judge raises a hand in warning.

JUDGECounselor --

PETER(unrelenting)

At least we can trust the doctor. As I recall...

(a smile for the Judge)

... he's blond like us.

JUDGEHerr Rohm.

PETER(thunders)

Defense moves for dismissal.

EXT. GUNZBURG COURTHOUSE - LATE AFTERNOON

The rain has intensified. The courthouse doors swingopen and the angry Prosecutor emerges, raises hisumbrella and marches down the steps. The doors openagain and the Vashisthas appear -- the baby asleep inher tearful mother's arms. They descend the steps. Once more the doors open and Peter and Hillmann emerge. They pause as Hillmann raises his umbrella. Peterwatches his departing clients with satisfaction.

PETER(an axiom)

Always tell the truth, Felix. It's the greatest freedom wehave.

(and)Bet they didn't teach you that inlaw school.

Peter tucks his own umbrella beneath his arm and stridesinto the rain, face skyward, getting happily drenched.

CLOSE ON DESKTOP

Cigarette smoke and shadows. A bulging manila folderlies open on the desk, full of handwritten pages. Bonyfingers dial a rotary telephone, number after number. Not a local call. The voice of the caller is heard, anaged man:

MUELLER (O.S.)Ja. It's me... How are youfeeling?

(CONTINUED)

4.

CONTINUED:

There's something slightly mocking in this voice. Something unwholesome. The fingers pick up a Germanpassport.

MUELLER (O.S.)Ja, of course I have it.

The passport is thumbed open to the photograph of itsowner.

MUELLER (O.S.)No, no, you shouldn't worry...He's perfect.

Catch a glimpse of the photo: a smiling Peter Rohm.

EXT. ROHM HOUSE (GUNZBURG) - EVENING

Daylight is waning as an old Volvo pulls into thedriveway of this handsome two-story. The corner of acurtain flicks aside, as if someone inside is watching.

ELDERLY WOMAN(V.O.)Here he comes... Are you ready?

ELDERLY MAN (V.O.)Ja, ja, ready.

Peter and Hillmann climb from the car and approach thehouse, Peter contentedly soaking up more rain. Hepauses at the front door, the porch light dark,something amiss. He tries the door and finds itunlocked, throws Hillmann a wary look, then pushes thedoor wide.

INT. ROHM HOUSE

Lights flash on and a clamoring mob surrounds Peter, ledby three figures: HILDE, a slight woman of 70, beatingon a cast-iron skillet. This is Peter's mother. MAX,his father, a big, convivial man somewhere past 70,oompahing on an old tuba. And CORY, Peter's wife, awhat-you-see-is-what-you-get beauty fiery enough to holdher own with Peter, snapping a flash picture.

The crowd -- aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews and cousins-- shouts "Happy birthday!!!" Peter is delighted. These people clearly think a great deal of Peter, and heof them.

Cory notes Peter's soaked condition with affectionatedismay.

(CONTINUED)

5.

CONTINUED:

CORYOh, Peter...

MAX(knowingly)

Must have won another one.

The PHONE begins to RING. Cory heads upstairs to answerit, calling over her shoulder:

CORYGet out of those clothes --you're dripping on my floor.

INT. UPSTAIRS HALLWAY

PARTY NOISE filters up from below. Cory's on the phone. Peter approaches, towel draped around his neck.

CORY(to phone)

What's wrong with the quote? This morning you loved it.

Peter leans in for a kiss. Cory playfully evades.

CORYOf course he denies he said it. It makes him look like the money-grubber he is.

Peter loops his towel around her neck. She ducks coylyout of the towel and stays with her call.

CORYPaul -- Paul -- you know mebetter than that. He said it. If he didn't it wouldn't be in myarticle.

Peter snakes his soggy arms around her.

CORYI have him on tape -- want me toplay it for you?

Backed against the wall, Cory changes tactics, plantinga quick but serious kiss on Peter. Then, with a crookedsmile, she pushes him on his way down the hall.

CORYNo, no, you've questioned myjournalistic integrity, I insist.

6.

EXT. ROHM HOUSE - BACK YARD - EVENING

The nieces and nephews play soccer in the rain. Sheltered by a veranda, Peter and the adults surround atable covered with gift boxes. Peter has changed intodry clothes and is modeling a ridiculous red plastic hatin the shape of a charging boar. Cory snaps hispicture. At the far end of the table Max holds forth,Hillmann his captive audience.

MAX... We had some neighborhoodhoodlums who were always pickingon this little Jew boy.

(to Hilde)What was his name?

HILDE(no hesitation)

Herschel.

MAXHerschel... I believe you'reright.

HILDEYou know I'm right.

The youngest of Peter's nieces, KAT, about 5 andcompletely overrun by the older children, appeals foraid.

KATUncle Peter. Uncle Peter, flyme.

Cory leans close and whispers to Peter. He grins andwhispers back. Sharing lovers' secrets.

PETER(removes hat; to Hillmann)

A distinguished gift. I'll wearit tomorrow in court.

Hillmann chuckles uncertainly.

CORYDon't laugh, Felix. He'll do it.

KATUncle Peter --

With a war whoop, Peter leaps off the veranda into therain.

(CONTINUED)

7.

CONTINUED:

CORYPeter!

He scoops Kat into his arms and charges after the ball,using her dangling legs to drive the ball pastprotesting defenders into the makeshift goal.

PETERScoooooooooooooooore!!!

Kat squeals with glee.

ON VERANDA - LATER

Peter rejoins the party from the house, toweling hishair, changed into another set of dry clothes.

MAX(still rolling)

He was walking home one day in aterrible rain, he must have been10 or 12 years old --

HILDEHe was seven.

MAXSeven... really? A fight likethat?

HILDEIt was before we moved up on thehill.

As Max thinks about that, Hilde hands Peter a card.

MAX(conceding the point)

Seven years old. He came uponthose hoodlums bullying hislittle friend --and went afterthem with his umbrella.

Max makes wild swashbuckling gestures, cackling at thememory.

MAXThat afternoon when he walked inthe house his umbrella was bent,his lip was bleeding, his clotheswere soaked -- and he waslaughing like crazy.

(a proud nod toward his son)

Because he'd won.(CONTINUED)

8.

CONTINUED:

Peter finishes reading the card and looks up at Hilde,moved by its content. He gives her hand a quicksqueeze.

PETERThank you, Mama.

Only one unopened gift remains. Cory hands it to Peter.

CORYLast one.

It's wrapped as if for a child.

PETERCute. Who's it from?

CORYYou brought it from the office,didn't you, Felix?

FELIXThis is the first time I've seenit.

Peter senses a joke.

PETERPapa...

MAXNot me.

PETER(the crowd)

Anyone?

His gaze settles on Cory.

CORYI really don't know, Peter. Itwas in the house with the rest ofthe gifts.

PETERCowards.

He digs in, tearing away the paper. As he lifts off thetop, everyone leans forward with anticipation.

PETER(playing the moment)

Looks like... another hat.

(CONTINUED)

9.

CONTINUED:

With a flourish, he whips it from the box. Hilde drawsa quick gasp. Max's jaw tightens.

MAXWhat in hell --

Peter sits transfixed. Holding the cap of a Nazi SSuniform. After a frozen moment, he reaches back intothe box and pulls out a black uniform tunic.

HILDEDear God in heaven...

Peter turns urgently to Cory.

PETERYou must have some idea --

CORYNo, it was just... here.

No one knows more.

INT. ROHM DINING ROOM - NIGHT

Nearly everyone has gone. The uniform is spread acrossthe table and Peter examines it under the light of adesk lamp, Max and Hillmann watching over his shoulder. Cory cleans up from the party, wanting nothing to dowith this investigation.

MAXMost of these uniformsdisappeared in the last days ofthe war. The SS dumped them andtried to pass as Wehrmachtregulars.

PETER(holding the tunic to the light)

Look at the stitching here. Seewhere the insignia should be? It's all been removed.

HILLMANNWhy would a person do this,Peter? What does it mean?

CORYWho cares what it means? Get ridof it.

(CONTINUED)

10.

CONTINUED:

MAX(a hooded look to Peter)

Maybe something to do with ViktorKohl.

HILLMANN... Viktor Kohl?

No answer for that, except:

MAXMaybe someone put two and twotogether.

Another look between Peter and Max.

MAXThey used to stamp the serialnumber inside the collar... sothey wouldn't get mixed up in thelaundry.

(to Hilde)Wasn't it the collar?

HILDE(flat)

The lining. Inside the leftcuff.

Hillmann raises an eyebrow at that as Max folds back thecuff and holds it to the light.

INSERT - LEFT UNIFORM CUFF

As Max's fingers work the material, rotating it in thelight, a set of badly faded numbers comes into view. Only four digits are legible: 4397.

MAX (O.S.)There it is... what's left of it.

ON SCENE

Peter and Hillmann bend low over the uniform.

PETER(reading, memorizing)

Four three nine seven... fourthree nine seven...

He strides toward the stairs. Cory turns in alarm.

(CONTINUED)

11.

CONTINUED:

CORYPeter...?

PETERI need to check a file.

HORNED VIKING HELMET AND FLOPPY COURT JESTER'S CAP

Perched together in shadow. Only the odd outlines aredistinguishable in the room's low light. FOOTSTEPSAPPROACH.

CORY (O.S.)Peter -- what file?

A light switch is thrown illuminating the colorlesshelmet and the dazzling jester's cap. The hats restatop a file cabinet. Peter enters and bends over thecabinet, inserts a key and unlocks it. Bypassing thetop drawer labelled "A-F," he opens the second one, "G-M," flipping through the files at the rear of thedrawer. Cory watches uneasily.

CORYWhich file are you looking for?

He looks up.

PETERIt's gone.

The sound of RAIN is prominent. Peter's gaze falls onthe open window. He crosses quickly, feeling thewetness of the curtains.

PETERDid you leave this open?

CORYNo, of course not...

Peter looks out the window into the night.

CORYPeter -- what have you done?

When he doesn't answer, she urgently shuts and locks thewindow.

EXT. GUNZBURG RESIDENTIAL STREET - NIGHT

The rain has stopped. A party is breaking up andteenagers, Heineken bottles in hand, move toward theircars.

(CONTINUED)

12.

CONTINUED:

Peter's Volvo pulls into the driveway of the housedirectly across from the party. Max and Hilde emerge. They pause at the driver's window.

MAXWell... happy birthday, such asit was.

HILDEAre you sure you and Corywouldn't feel better stayinghere?

PETERWe're fine. Really. Don'tworry.

HILDEI'm your mother. I get paid toworry.

She reaches through Peter's open window and depresseshis door lock.

PETER(a smile)

Good night.

Max and Hilde walk to the house. Peter watches untilthey're inside before he begins backing from thedriveway. Spotting a set of taillights approachingrapidly along the curb, he stomps on the brakes. Justshort of the driveway the other car, a dark Mercedes,stops as well. Peter waits. There's room for theMercedes to back safely past. It doesn't.

PETERCome on. Come on.

(calling out window)Go.

But the Mercedes' lights go off. Exasperated, Peterresumes backing from the driveway. But just as he comesin line with the Mercedes, it reverses again.

PETER(shouting)

No! -- No! -- Watch where you'regoing! You're going to --

Laying on his HORN, Peter steps on his accelerator. There's no time. The Mercedes crunches against Peter'sfront fender.

(CONTINUED)

13.

CONTINUED:

PETER(disbelieving)

He hit me.

Peter climbs out as the Mercedes pulls forward. Maxappears.

MAX(calls)

Careful -- kid's probably drunk.

Peter approaches the driver's door. The Mercedes againpulls forward. Peter pursues -- but whenever he getsclose, the Mercedes pulls further ahead. Not running. Just playing with him. Cat and mouse.

PETERHey! Hey! You hit my car!

Now he breaks into a jog, trotting alongside the car asit rolls forward. He reaches for the door handle.

PETERYou're in no condition --

The car's interior light snaps on and the driver isilluminated. This is no drunk teenager. He's in hislate 80s, exceedingly tall and gaunt, clad in black, askeleton with skin. MUELLER. For an instant he gazesinto Peter's eyes, his face lit with perverse delight. Peter's grip on the door handle falters. With a DIESELGROWL, the Mercedes pulls away. Peter sprints back tohis own car.

MAXPeter -- Don't! --

But Peter jumps inside and sets off in pursuit.

INT. VOLVO - NIGHT

Eyes focused on the distant Mercedes, Peter accelerateslike a maniac.

EXT. INTERSECTION IN DOWNTOWN GUNZBURG - NIGHT

The Mercedes catches the tail end of a yellow light. Seconds later Peter arrives to find the signal red andthe intersection full of cross traffic. As soon as itclears, Peter gives chase.

14.

EXT. EDGE OF TOWN - NIGHT

The Mercedes flashes past a manufacturing plant on theoutskirts of Gunzburg. On one wall of the factoryappears the company name in huge lighted letters: "M E N G E L E."

EXT. DENSELY WOODED HIGHWAY - NIGHT

The Volvo races beneath the towering evergreens as theMercedes' lights disappear around a bend.

EXT./INT. VOLVO

Peter navigates the curve and looks ahead. Thetaillights have vanished.

IN AN UNSEEN TURN-OUT

The MERCEDES IDLES, lights off. As Peter's Volvo passeson the main road, the Mercedes' headlights snap back on,illuminating a muddy, rutted path into the forest. TheMercedes starts up the path. Peter veers onto theshoulder, pulls a U and comes racing back to the turn-out, sloshing off-road, tires throwing mud... until hiscar slews to one side and sinks to a halt, up to itsaxles in mud.

INT. VOLVO

Peter pounds the wheel in frustration, watchinghelplessly as the Mercedes disappears over a ridge.

ON PATH

Flashlight in hand, Peter picks his way up the incline. He draws to a halt at the top, his way obstructed by amass of barbed wire. Switching off his light, he takesin the wide clearing below. On the far side of theclearing a light glows from behind a low building.

IN CLEARING

Peter slogs through the maze of twisted gates and barbedwire pens, moving steadily toward the backlit building.

MERCEDES

stands dark and quiet. Peter peers inside. Turns fromthe Mercedes to the dark building. A wooden chuteslopes up into its dismal maw. Light comes from within. Grasping the side rails of the rotting chute, Peterhoists himself upward.

15.

INT. DARK BUILDING

Huge freezer doors stand ajar. Meat hooks dangle. Andon the far side of this abandoned slaughterhouse, agaping freight door opens onto a long platform.

It is from somewhere on this platform that the lightcomes; in that light, indistinct shadows move. Petereases toward the doorway. He arrives to the sound ofMUTED LAUGHTER, followed by a sudden CRACKING, like theSPLINTERING OF BONES. He freezes, holding his breath. Waits. And waits. And waits. Then, summoning courage,he steps outside.

EXT. FREIGHT PLATFORM - NIGHT

Peter stares into the light, unsure what to make of whathe's seeing, his held breath slowly expelled. Beforehim, regally attired and seated at a small table spreadwith a linen cloth and set with silver service for two,is Mueller. A single parlor lamp shines over hisshoulder. He's eating crab, CRACKING the SHELLS withgusto, bent over a thick stack of papers which he readsas he eats. Peter searches the shadows for dangerbefore stepping cautiously into the light. Muellercackles at something he's read.

MUELLEROh yes, well put.

And finally he looks up, off-handedly, as if welcomingan old friend.

MUELLERPeter. Good of you to come.

(gestures to the empty seat)

Hungry?

Peter stands his ground.

PETERWho are you?

MUELLER(with relish)

I, Peter, am a cheat. And aliar. A highly-paid perverter oflaw in the service of outlaws.

PETER(flat)

You're an attorney.

(CONTINUED)

16.

CONTINUED:

MUELLER(his smile)

Like you.(then, as if it's a significant concession)

You may call me Schmidt. Willthat be acceptable? Or maybeMueller. It's a good German nameand less common than Schmidt. Would you like to call meMueller?

PETERIs that your name?

MUELLERIs that my name? You make itsound so simple.

Mueller smiles as if at a child then turns back to thepapers.

MUELLER'27 October, 1982. Dear FrauHoltz, I have not yet receivedany reply to my numerous requestsfor an interview. However, Iremain eager to discuss with youyour former classmate -- '

Here he breaks off, sets the page aside and reads fromanother.

MUELLER'... Eager to discuss with youyour former neighbor...'

(and another)'... Your former student...'

(and another)'... Your former colleague...' Etcetera, etcetera.

He looks at Peter who has grown very cool.

MUELLERI have dozens of letters likethese, received by people allacross Germany over a span of 15years, yet always inquiring aboutthe same man. Always seekinginformation about...

(MORE)

(CONTINUED)

17.

CONTINUED:

MUELLER (CONT'D)(shrugs noncommittally)

... a certain local celebrity. Ahero of the last war.

(lets that lie; then)They all bear the signature of aman named Viktor Kohl.

Peter remains silent. The old man's gaze drops toPeter's untouched plate.

MUELLERAre you sure you won't eatsomething?

When Peter makes no response, Mueller takes the plateand dumps its contents onto his own. He eatsravenously.

MUELLERThe letters bore as a returnaddress the number of a post boxhere in Gunzburg. I came toGunzburg to find Herr Kohl andask him the reason for hisinterest... but the mystery onlydeepened.

From beyond the circle of light comes an indistinctCREAK. Peter's eyes snap toward the sound.

MUELLERI found there was no Viktor Kohl. The name was a pseudonym -- afiction.

(pause)Who was he, Peter? And why washe hiding behind a falsehood?

Another CREAK, as if someone has stepped on a looseboard. Peter's eyes search the shadows.

MUELLERWas he an enemy... or a secretfriend? Or was he neither? Perhaps he was simply...confused... uncertain where histrue sympathies lay.

Peter bristles.

(CONTINUED)

18.

CONTINUED:

MUELLEROf course all this remainedpurely speculative until... veryrecently.

(savors a bite)Oh, this... this is delicious.

And, when he's good and ready, he slides his stack ofletters aside to reveal a fat manilla folder.

MUELLEREarlier today, in a home inGunzburg, this file wasdiscovered. And in the file --copies of every one of ViktorKohl's letters.

He holds Peter in his unflagging gaze, a shark's smilespreading slowly across his face.

MUELLERPeter, are you Viktor Kohl?

PETER(right back)

Are you Josef Mengele?

Mueller laughs. And laughs.

MUELLERYou let your imagination run awaywith you. The good doctordrowned years ago. They have hisbones, you know.

The laughter subsides. Mueller's gaze darkens.

MUELLERWhy so many questions, Peter? Why this obsession with thingspast?

His gaze bores into Peter, as if he is in some wayassessing the man's worth. Though Peter makes noanswer, Mueller nods.

MUELLEROh yes. You'll do.

(extends his right arm in a sloppy salute)

Heil Hitler.

Mueller reaches casually to the lamp and switches itoff, plunging the scene into darkness.

(CONTINUED)

19.

CONTINUED:

The SOUND of SUDDEN MOVEMENT. Peter's flashlight clickson and finds Mueller's chair, now empty, then redirects,moving toward the lamp. Just as it arrives, there's aSHARP BLOW. A GASP. The flashlight drops to theplatform. Then the flashlight is switched off.

BLACK SCREEN

The absolute silence of death. Seconds pass. ThenBARELY AUDIBLE SOUNDS in the distance. Perhaps voices. And then, with the suddenness of an onrushinglocomotive, the darkness comes alive with sound: VOICES, LAUGHTER, PUBLIC ADDRESS ANNOUNCEMENTS, all ontop of one another, all too loud and somehow grating. Among the sounds:

AIRPORT P.A. (V.O.)Lufthansa announces the immediatedeparture of flight 964. Finalboarding is now underway at Gate15.

A VOICE (V.O.)Medical transport this wayplease.

SECOND VOICE (V.O.)Tickets.

THRID VOICE (V.O.)I'll need the patient's passport.

SLOW FADE IN:

SERIES OF DISTORTED IMAGES

Light overtakes darkness. All is shrouded in thick fog,as if viewed through a film of Vaseline. Movement. Theinterior of an airliner. A stewardess. An IV bag hangsoverhead. A glimpse of a white medical uniform. Butthen DARKNESS RETURNS as:

PILOT (V.O.)Flight attendants, prepare fordeparture.

LIGHT AGAIN. Blue sky overhead -- and the hanging IVbag. The rear door of an ambulance swings open. Ayouthful FACE appears.

THE FACEComfortable?

(CONTINUED)

20.

CONTINUED:

A nice smile. The Face turns his attention to the IVapparatus, injecting something from a syringe.

THE FACERest now.

The world descends again INTO BLACKNESS.

INT. ROHM KITCHEN - CORY

sits in a straight-backed chair, red-rimmed eyes gazingvaguely ahead.

OFFICIOUS VOICE (O.S.)Frau Rohm?

At length her eyes focus.

CORYHave you talked to everyone atthat party? Did you get a list?

OFFICIOUS VOICE (O.S.)We're working on it.

She's battling an almost irresistible urge to wildpanic.

CORYAre they all accounted for? Didany of them own a dark-coloredMercedes?

OFFICIOUS VOICE (O.S.)We're checking.

(then)Tell me about the missing file. What was the purpose of yourhusband's research?

CORY(a distinctly unhappy memory)

He was going to write a book.

At a DISTURBANCE outside, Cory looks off sharply.

EXT. ROHM HOUSE - NIGHT

Cory rushes out. Two police officers are excitedlyraising the garage door. They shine flashlights inside,illuminating Peter's Volvo -- the same car he abandonedstuck up to its axles in mud. It now rests in thegarage, spotless, parked right where it belongs. Coryruns toward the car.

(CONTINUED)

21.

CONTINUED:

CORYPeter?!!!

But one of the officers turns from the car, shaking hishead negatively.

FADE TO BLACK.

FADE IN:

INSIDE A CRAMPED, BEIGE CUBICLE

A peculiar little room, not much bigger than a closet,viewed from an odd, CANTED ANGLE. MUSIC is vaguelyaudible in the distance, possibly an opera. Above, abare bulb protrudes from an undecorated wall. To theside, a sink and bathtub.

REVERSE TO:

INT. BATHROOM - PETER

Slumped like dirty laundry atop the commode, his headresting cock-eyed on the toilet paper dispenser. There's a nasty scrape above one eye. He squintsgroggily, lifts his head and winces. Finding a cottonball taped to the back of his hand, he rips it away,examining a pinprick on the skin beneath. Then,staggered by a wave of nausea, he turns, groping toraise the toilet lid, and hangs there panting...homicide on his mind.

FADE OUT.

FADE IN:

INT. BATHROOM - SOME TIME LATER

Peter rises unsteadily to gaze into a mirror. Hesteadies himself on rubber legs, gingerly touching thescrape above his eye. Moans.

INT. NARROW HALLWAY

The MUSIC is LOUDER here. Definitely opera. Somethingby Wagner. Peter sways down the passage into the mainroom of a simple house, where he turns an ungracefulfull circle, taking in the austere furnishings. Theonly concession to luxury is a modest STEREO SYSTEMagainst one wall, the source of the opera. The room isin perfect order.

(CONTINUED)

22.

CONTINUED:

PETERHello?

His gaze fixes on the front door.

EXT. FARMHOUSE - FRONT PORCH - DAY

A postcard-perfect scene. Rich green pasture land risesto meet a soaring range of glaciered mountains. Agravel road passes before the house and stretches away,empty as far as the eye can see.

PETERHello?

INT. FARMHOUSE

Peter moves shakily to a stack of journals on a table,grabs the top one: "JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN COLLEGE OFONCOLOGISTS." Beneath it is another journal, titled inSpanish. Another in German. He moves into an austerekitchen. He throws open cabinets and drawers, riflingthem, looking for some clue to his whereabouts. Hefinds nothing. He pauses, OPERA BUILDING, his eyeswandering...

He fills a glass at the kitchen sink. It slips from hisunsteady grip and SHATTERS, soaking a countertoptelephone and the directory beside it. The cover of thephone book catches his eye. He grabs the book. Acowboy is pictured atop a bucking bronc. Emblazonedacross the photo: CALGARY, ALBERTA.

ON PETER

Stunned.

PETERCanada?

He sags against the counter, overwhelmed with nausea,pain and confusion.

The OPERA has become UNBEARABLY LOUD. Peter lurchestoward the stereo. He punches buttons. The MUSICCONTINUES. He punches more buttons but the music won'tstop. With a burst of anger he overturns the stereo,bringing the OPERA to an ABRUPT END. Breathless, heslides to the floor. Sweet silence.

Out of the silence comes a sound. A HORSE'S WHINNY. Then another WHINNY and a MAN'S VOICE.

SUDDEN CLOSE ANGLE ON PETER

His eyes fly open.

23.

EXT. FARMHOUSE

Peter weaves onto the back porch. In a stall builtagainst the outside of a barn a mare paces in agitation. Shadowing her is a wobbly-legged foal. Peter warilyapproaches. The MARE WHINNIES. From inside the barncomes the voice of an old man, soothing and almostmusical.

BAUMGARTEN (O.S.)Easy, my mare. Easy.

Through a window, movement catches Peter's eye. Hemoves closer to see:

THROUGH WINDOW

Aged hands fill a syringe.

PETER

moves to get a more complete view, but a water troughblocks his way. The hands disappear from the window. The MARE SNORTS and WHINNIES. Peter eases back towardher.

BAUMGARTEN (O.S.)(ever calming)

Be still, mare. Be still now.

The voice comes from the stall. Peter tries to get alook, but the mare obscures his view. Only the man'stall boots can be seen.

BAUMGARTEN (O.S.)Easy, girl... I won't hurt you.

Peter climbs the rail fence surrounding the stall.

BAUMGARTEN (O.S.)Baby's hungry. We need to getyour milk going.

With difficulty, Peter reaches the top of the fence. Heteeters, fighting for balance. A losing battle.

INSIDE STALL

Peter lands heavily in the dirt. At the sound, the foalskitters away. And suddenly he's seen:

HEINZ BAUMGARTEN, in his eighties, dressed in simplework clothes and those tall boots, at the mare's flank,in the process of injecting her with the syringe. Instark contrast to the sinister Mueller, Baumgartenappears grandfatherly and utterly benign.

(CONTINUED)

24.

CONTINUED:

He says to his visitor without any hint of mockery:

BAUMGARTENPeter. I'm so grateful you'vecome.

Then, with a peculiar kind of exuberance, the old manturns and disappears into the shadows of the barn. Profoundly unsettled, Peter follows.

INT. BARN

By the light of a grimy window, Baumgarten gathersbottles and syringes. From a distance, still muddled,Peter watches Baumgarten, something about this manrendering him momentarily speechless. And nowBaumgarten turns. In his hand is a black leather bag. A medical bag. Peter's eyes lock onto it.

BAUMGARTENSurely, Peter, you suspected...even hoped...

Baumgarten's gaze penetrates Peter.

BAUMGARTENTell me it isn't so.

The old man's sincerity is eerily compelling. Petershakes his head, rejecting the impossible claim. Histongue is thick.

PETERJosef Mengele is dead. I've seenhis bones.

BAUMGARTENYou've seen bones. Yes you have. But not mine.

And Baumgarten sweeps out of the barn.

INT. FARMHOUSE KITCHEN - GLEAMING PORCELAIN SINK

SQUEAKY FAUCETS are CRANKED ON. Water runs. AWAGNERIAN ARIA SOARS. Aged hands disassemble syringesand plunge them beneath the water, washing vigorously,with the thoroughness of a surgeon. A DOOR OPENS O.S.

ON SCENE

The STEREO has been righted. Peter enters.

(CONTINUED)

25.

CONTINUED:

Baumgarten cranks off the faucets and replaces the serumbottles and needles in the medical bag.

PETER(all he can muster)

Why... why are you...?

Baumgarten stops his work and turns his full attentionto Peter, exceedingly earnest.

BAUMGARTENPeter -- my friend -- I can'ttell you how long I've wanted tobring you here. As my guest. All your letters. Yourquestions. I longed to answer.

(beat)Please believe this was the onlyway.

Baumgarten's words carry a peculiar seductive power, andin his befuddled condition, Peter fights their effectwith difficulty.

BAUMGARTENYou searched for years, preparingto write the definitive volume onJosef Mengele. But you werenever able to write it. Why? What questions couldn't youanswer?...

(then)Ask them now.

Baumgarten reaches inside his jacket and extracts anairline ticket folder and a passport.

BAUMGARTENOr, if you're persuaded I'm aliar... or a madman...

He places the ticket and passport on the counter betweenthem.

BAUMGARTEN... Of course you're free to go.

Peter stares at the ticket.

PETERAfter all you did to get mehere... you'll let me go? Justlike that?

(CONTINUED)

26.

CONTINUED:

BAUMGARTENIs that what you want?

Peter regards Baumgarten... then the ticket.

EXT. ROADSIDE - DUSK

Peter stands at the side of the road, clutching passportand ticket. Baumgarten watches from his porch,completely unruffled. A taxi pulls to a stop. Peterturns back for one last, bewildered look at Baumgartenthen ducks into the cab. Baumgarten placidly watcheshis departure.

INT. TORONTO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT - NIGHT

Glass doors part to admit Peter who surveys the busyterminal and heads toward a bank of phones.

INT. ROHM HOUSE - MORNING

It's daylight in Gunzburg, and Cory, looking drawn, issetting the breakfast table when, in another room, thePHONE begins to RING. She stiffens as Hilde answers.

HILDE (O.S.)Rohm house.

A moment, then a GASP.

HILDE (O.S.)Peter!!!

Cory races from the room.

INT. HALLWAY

Hilde beams at Cory.

HILDEIt's him.

Cory tears the phone from Hilde's hands, 36 hours ofsuppressed terror exploding in a frenzied blast:

CORYPeter?! Where are you?! Wherehave you been?! ARE YOUALIVE?!!!

INT. TORONTO AIRPORT - NIGHT

At the sound of Cory's voice, all of Peter's weariness,tension and confusion unravel... and he begins to laugh.

(CONTINUED)

27.

CONTINUED:

PETERYes.

And, in spite of himself, all he can do is hold thephone and laugh.

PETERYes.

INT. AIR CANADA JETLINER - IN FLIGHT - MORNING

Peter sleeps in the window seat, blanket drawn looselyaround him. A FLIGHT ATTENDANT collects an empty coffeecup. Beat. Someone passes on the way to the lavatory. Beat. A male passenger, too close to be seen in full,pauses near the sleeping Peter, then slips into theempty seat. Beat. The man takes hold of Peter'sblanket, pulling it up, the better to cover him.

P.A. (V.O.)In preparation for our landing inBerlin the captain has turned onthe no-smoking sign. Pleasereturn your seats and tray tablesto their full upright position.

The Flight Attendant taps Peter's arm.

FLIGHT ATTENDANTSir? We're about to land.

She moves off as Peter comes to consciousness anddutifully raises his seat back and closes the traytable. And finally, still a little bleary, he noticesthe man seated beside him:

BAUMGARTEN

Dressed in a simple but immaculate suit.

BAUMGARTENYou missed the sunrise overIceland... unspeakably beautiful.

Peter jolts fully awake. For the first time facing thisman with his faculties intact.

BAUMGARTENTell me, Peter. The notion thata man should be consideredinnocent until proven guilty, doyou accept it?

(CONTINUED)

28.

CONTINUED:

PETER(flabbergasted)

What are you --

BAUMGARTENInnocent until proven guilty --do you accept it?

PETEROf course I accept it. Why areyou here?

BAUMGARTENAnd this man Mengele -- what doyou think of him?

Peter looks at Baumgarten as at a crazy man. But hisanswer is immediate.

PETERWhat do I think of a doctor whobutchered hundreds of thousands? I think he's burning in hell.

BAUMGARTENYou condemn him... though nocourt convicted him.

PETERNo court had the chance. Or everwill.

(pointedly)Because he's dead. I've studiedthe remains myself.

Baumgarten is unflappable, his tone mildlycondescending.

BAUMGARTENYou've studied the remains. Areyou a forensic scientist, Peter?

PETERI'm an attorney. I know how toevaluate evidence.

BAUMGARTENThen evaluate the evidence beforeyour eyes!

PETERWhat evidence? An old man with adoctor's bag?

(MORE)

(CONTINUED)

29.

CONTINUED:

PETER (CONT'D)(then)

When I first heard that Mengele'sgrave had been found I refused tobelieve it. It was unthinkablethat the Butcher of Auschwitz hadescaped justice. I checked everyshred of evidence, determined tofind the mistake.

(shakes his head)But there was no mistake. Theevidence was absolute. Absolute.

(a burning look)So stay the hell away from me.

INT. JETWAY - DAY

The first passenger off the plane, Peter strides up thejetway, distancing himself from the madman behind. CAMERA MOVES WITH him as he emerges into:

INT. BERLIN AIR TERMINAL - DAY

He's blinded by the glare of intense lights. A voicecries out:

VOICE (O.S.)There's the attorney!

A jumble of television lights, cameras and microphonesextends toward him. Voices shout questions. There's afleeting glimpse of the predatory Mueller. ThenHillmann, frantic, emerges from the crowd.

HILLMANNPeter, I got your fax.

PETER... What fax? Didn't you talk toCory?

And then her voice, almost lost in the din:

CORY (O.S.)Peter!

PETER(straining to find her)

Cory?!

Separated from him by the phalanx of reporters, shestruggles to get through. But the reporters go wildwith cries of: "There he is!" "Is that him?" "Willyou talk to us?" Peter's up on his toes, trying to keepCory in sight, when a hand fastens firmly around hiselbow. He whips a look to his side to see:

30.

BAUMGARTEN

He holds Peter in a surprisingly strong grip and stepsforward with Peter involuntarily at his side. Baumgarten smiles shyly and speaks into the outstretchedmicrophones:

BAUMGARTENThank you. I...

(waits as the crowd falls silent)

As you know, I am Doctor JosefMengele.

The press erupts in a torrent of questions. Baumgartenturns to Peter and declares over it all:

BAUMGARTENAnd this good man, HerrPeter Rohm -- has agreed torepresent me at trial.

Peter goes white. He shouts to the press:

PETERNo, that's a lie -- I AM NOT THISMAN'S ATTORNEY -- I AM NOT --

Men wearing the crisp uniform of the German FederalPolice move in fast, led by Federal Prosecutor HORSTVOIGT, a big, gruff man in his 50s.

VOIGTWhat are you doing in the middleof this, Rohm?

PETERNo, Horst, I had nothing to do --

But the federal officers surround Peter and Baumgartenand sweep them side by side through what has turned intoa near-riot. Peter struggles vainly to separate himselffrom Baumgarten, his eyes searching wildly for Cory.

EXT. BERLIN AIRPORT TERMINAL - DAY

Peter is stuffed into a dark Mercedes sedan. Baumgartenis pushed into another, a heavy armored limo with black-out windows. The cars pull away.

INT. MERCEDES - DAY

Peter's sandwiched in back between two officers, furiousat his predicament. Up front, Voigt flips brisklythrough:

(CONTINUED)

31.

CONTINUED:

VOIGTArgentine passport dated 1956, inthe name of Josef Mengele. Paraguayan passport dated 1959,issued to 'Jose' Mengele. Labnotes from Auschwitz bearingMengele's signature.

(looks to Peter)This package didn't come fromyou?

PETERI've never seen those documentsin my life.

VOIGT(waves fax)

And I don't suppose it was youwho notified the press.

PETERHorst, I was kidnapped!

EXT. BERLIN STREETS - DAY

The speeding convoy turns into a large universityhospital near the city's center. Men spill from thecars, whisking Baumgarten into the building. Peterpauses at the car door, laying a hand on Voigt's arm.

PETERPlease, Horst -- All the timeswe've faced off in court... Igive you my word: Whatever gamethat old man's playing, I'm nopart of it.

(his plea)Send me home.

VOIGTDid you miss that little show atthe airport? Whether you know itor not, you are a part of it. And until I prove Baumgarten's afraud, neither of you is goinganywhere.

Two formidable officers move in on either side of Peter. OVER this, the monotone of an interrogator:

INTERROGATOR (V.O.)State your true name.

32.

INT. HOSPITAL CONFERENCE ROOM

Baumgarten sits before a roomful of investigators as theuninspired INTERROGATOR reads from a list of questions. Peter and Voigt listen from the rear of the room.

BAUMGARTENMy name is Josef Mengele.

INTERROGATORState your father's name.

BAUMGARTENKarl Mengele.

INTERROGATORMother's name.

BAUMGARTENWalburga Mengele.

Baumgarten answers easily.

INTERROGATORThe name of your first wife.

BAUMGARTENSchoenbein. Irene Schoenbein. My family didn't care for her. Too Protestant. Too... strong-willed.

Baumgarten smiles at the memory. Convincingly authenticas an aging gentleman reminiscing about a lost love. Peter applauds, slow and loud, impossible to ignore.

PETERCongratulations. A-plus. Youdid your homework.

The attention of the entire room turns to him.

VOIGTIf you have something to say,Rohm, say it.

PETEROf course he knows the answers. What did you expect? We're notdealing with children.

VOIGTOh? Who are we dealing with?

(CONTINUED)

33.

CONTINUED:

PETERWho benefits by opening these oldwounds, by putting Germany at warwith itself? Old Communists fromthe East? Old fascists? Newfascists? Look out the window,Horst. There's someone out there-- using us.

VOIGTWho? Tell me. Who?

PETERAny of a hundred groups. I don'tknow. I only know that's thequestion we should be asking --not the name of Josef Mengele'smother.

Voigt is thoughtful.

VOIGTWe must tread carefully here. Serious allegations have beenmade. This investigation mustpursue all avenues until we findirrefutable proof that this manis a fraud.

PETERWe already have proof -- the DNA,the dental records, the bones --

Baumgarten breaks in, his voice clear and commanding.

BAUMGARTENThe bones, as you call them,belonged to my cousin GerhardSladkey. He drowned whileswimming in Brazil.

(beat)He was similar to me inappearance.

PETERSimilar? Same height, samedental records... same DNA?

Baumgarten reaches inside his suit coat and extracts ayellowed envelope.

(CONTINUED)

34.

CONTINUED:

BAUMGARTENGerhard was, for reasons of hisown, living discreetly in SaoPaulo. After he drowned, friendsburied him at Embu, then brokeinto my dentist's office andtraded his records for mine. Then, at the right moment, withmy pursuers closing in, thesefriends led police to the graveof Josef Mengele. The chaseended.

(beat)Gerhard was a close enoughrelative that his DNA made aconvincing match.

He forcefully extends the envelope.

BAUMGARTENThese are the dental records ofJosef Mengele.

(and)Ask me anything. I'll answer anyquestion you like.

Peter ignores the envelope, unmoved by this tale.

BAUMGARTENDon't be an idiot. Ask me. ASKME.

PETERTell me this. Why would a manwho spent fifty years running forhis life suddenly just... turnhimself in?

The question seems to please Baumgarten. His words comeladen with emotion.

BAUMGARTENThe Jews... the Jews say Imutilated their women, they say Icut their children to pieces. The Butcher of Auschwitz theycalled me.

(roars)But I am not a butcher. NO!!!

(quietly)I am a physician... a man ofheart... a man of compassion.

(CONTINUED)

35.

CONTINUED:

PETERA man of compassion who mutilatedwomen and cut children to pieces.

BAUMGARTENIs a surgeon a butcher because hecuts with a knife? Because hefinds a diseased limb and removesit to save the whole body?

(fiercely)That isn't butchery, that'smedicine.

Peter's eyes narrow infinitesimally.

INT. UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL - SERIES OF QUICK SCENES

A) Baumgarten lies on his back as technicians positionan X-ray apparatus above him.

B) A technician positions calipers alongsideBaumgarten's skull, measuring the span between histemples.

C) A brigade of INVESTIGATORS works a bank of phones.

RED-HAIRED INVESTIGATORBaumgarten, right. What date doyou show him entering thecountry?

SECOND INVESTIGATOREverything we know. Bring everylast file. I've already spokento the ambassador.

D) A team of photographers positions Baumgarten. Astrobe flashes.

INT. A SMALL, MURKILY-LIT ROOM - NIGHT

His cadaverous face in shadow, Mueller gazes atsomething or someone unseen. He extracts a cigaretteand lights it, inhaling deeply.

VOIGTWell?

Another long drag on the cigarette.

MUELLERWelcome home, Herr Doctor.

Mueller bares his yellowed teeth.

FAST CUT TO:

36.

INT. HOSPITAL CORRIDOR

A door flies open and Peter emerges, disgusted. Hesteps across the corridor and throws open a window,allowing the night air to wash over him. Mueller stepsthrough the doorway, flashes Peter his sharkish smileand strolls away. As he goes, Mueller passes a longline of aging men and women seated uncomfortably alongthe wall. Voigt steps from the shadowy room.

VOIGTKatarina Meissner.

FRAU MEISSNER, a stalwart old woman devoid of emotion,trundles into the room. A commotion arises at asecurity checkpoint down the hall.

COMBATIVE FEMALE VOICEThe prosecutor approved it!!! Let me through!!!

Peter turns.

PETERCory?

CORYPeter!!!

She pushes past the security men, rushes to Peter andthrows her arms around him. They hold one another in aferocious embrace. Kiss.

CORYOh, Peter --

She leans back, inspecting him, soaking him in. He'shere. He's real. He's alive. She sees the scrapeabove his eye.

CORYWhat did they do to you?

PETERIt's a bump. It's nothing. Areyou alright?

CORYI am now.

He ushers her to an unoccupied bench.

CORYPeter -- the fight I had to getin here. What's going on?

(CONTINUED)

37.

CONTINUED:

PETERBaumgarten madness. And Voigt istaking it all seriously.

(his frustration)All they need is one discrepancy-- one tiny detail that doesn'tmatch.

Which gives her pause.

CORYAnd what if... what if they can'tfind anything?

PETERThey will. And then we're goinghome.

Frau Meissner steps from the room, in her eyes theterror of having seen a ghost.

FRAU MEISSNERNo, no. No, no, no.

VOIGT(emerging behind her)

Frau Meissner --

FRAU MEISSNERThat man is not our Josef!

She flees down the hall, leaving Cory profoundlyunnerved.

EXT. MINISTRY OF JUSTICE - MORNING

A convoy moves with police escort through the historicgovernment district to the Justice Ministry. Baumgartenis moved under heavy guard into the building. Voigtsupervises, ignoring the shouting Reporters.

REPORTERS(overlapping)

Herr Voigt, over here!/It's beena week -- why the delay?/Is ittrue a decision will be madetoday?

INT. JUSTICE MINISTRY - CONFERENCE ROOM - LATER

Dozens of experts around a long table, at the head ofwhich stands Voigt. Photographs of two handwrittendocuments are projected on a large screen.

(CONTINUED)

38.

CONTINUED:

BRITISH ANALYST... Note the minor differences inloop width, here and here --noticeable yet consistent withthe normal evolution over time ofan individual's --

VOIGTProfessor, please. Yourconclusion.

BRITISH ANALYST(a beat)

If this is a forgery, it's thebest we've ever seen.

Voigt turns to another of the assembled.

VOIGTDNA?

GENETICISTWe have no genetic sample fromMengele himself. Period. Sowe're forced to rely onrelatives. All we can say isthat the subject is related insome way to the Mengele family --with a genetic match roughlycomparable to that of the Emburemains.

A beat.

VOIGTDental records.

ANOTHER EXPERTWe're still checking but so farhis story about the cousin holds.

VOIGTProfessor Krill.

The screen behind Voigt lights up with two newphotographs, one of Josef Mengele as a fresh young SScaptain, the other a current likeness of HeinzBaumgarten.

KRILLThe purpose of this exercise isto compare measurements takenbetween fixed points on eachface, looking of course for anydetectable differences.

(CONTINUED)

39.

CONTINUED:

VOIGT And what differences did youdetect?

KRILLWell, of course I didn't detectany or we'd all be home now,wouldn't we?

(then)Watch this.

A ghostly X-ray image of a skull separates from thephoto of Baumgarten and glides into the space betweenthe photos.

KRILL An X-ray of Baumgarten's skull...Now we overlay it.

The X-ray image floats toward the youthful photo ofMengele, overlapping until it achieves a perfect match. Peter stares at the screen.

VOIGT We launched this investigationbelieving it would last fewerthan 24 hours. And yet one weeklater -- here we are.

(a beat)In the face of the evidence we'veseen, can any one of you make apersuasive case that HeinzBaumgarten is not in fact JosefMengele?

Silence.

VOIGT A decision must be taken. We trythis man as Mengele or we let himgo.

ANOTHER VOICE Herr Prosecutor, please, we'removing too fast.

AND ANOTHERWhat about the Embu remains? Theevidence for Baumgarten is nobetter than the evidence for thebones.

VOIGT No better -- but also no worse?

(CONTINUED)

40.

CONTINUED:

A reluctant MURMUR of ASSENT.

VOIGT Then I ask you: what choice dowe have?

Peter sits stock still, unblinking, his imaginationablaze.

INT. JUSTICE MINISTRY CORRIDORS - MOMENTS LATER

Voigt leads a troop of officials to a guarded, unmarkeddoor.

INT. JUSTICE MINISTRY - SMALL ROOM - CONTINUOUS ACTION

Baumgarten looks up as the door is thrown open andofficials flood in. He rises, eyes dancing withanticipation.

VOIGTHauptsturmfuhrer Josef Mengele?

BAUMGARTEN(crisply)

Yes.

VOIGTIt is my duty to place you underarrest for war crimes, for crimesagainst minorities, and forcrimes against humanity.

Handcuffs are snapped into place. Baumgarten, greatlysatisfied, surveys the crowd... looking for someone whoisn't there. He's whisked from the room.

INT. JUSTICE MINISTRY

Moving under heavy guard.

BAUMGARTENWhere is Peter Rohm?

The company descends a staircase.

BAUMGARTENPeter Rohm -- where is he? Hashe been released?

They move through another corridor, stopping before asteel-reinforced door.

(CONTINUED)

41.

CONTINUED:

BAUMGARTENI demand to see my attorney.

The door is unlocked and he's led into:

INT. HOLDING CELL

Where he's uncuffed. Before he realizes what'shappening, the officials withdraw and lock the door,leaving Baumgarten disoriented in the shadowed cell. Hepounds the door and rages:

BAUMGARTENI WANT MY ATTORNEY!!! GET MEPETER ROHM!!!

Baumgarten falls back from the door. For the firsttime, he looks old and tired and perhaps a little bitfrightened. And that's when Peter steps from theshadows.

PETERI'm not your attorney.

(beat)I've been released. I'm leavingBerlin.

Recovering his equilibrium with astounding speed,Baumgarten turns.

BAUMGARTENHow nice for you. Why are youstill here?

PETERI'd like an answer before I go. Why me?

Baumgarten considers.

BAUMGARTENI like my question better.

Baumgarten crosses to a simple bed where he removes hissuit coat and folds it with precision.

BAUMGARTENYou're a starved fish, Peter. Circling the worm. Longing tobite but terrified that insideyou'll find a hook. Am I JosefMengele... or am I not? Youdon't know.

(CONTINUED)

42.

CONTINUED:

Peter turns for the door. Calls.

PETERGuard!

BAUMGARTENAnd if I am Mengele, what then? Will you swim away, little fish?

(right at Peter)You're incapable of it or you'dbe gone already.

Peter turns back. Outraged.

PETERYou broke into my home, youkidnapped me, you slandered me infront of the world.

Baumgarten steps to an exposed toilet where he tears offa length of toilet paper and folds it into a neat pad.

BAUMGARTENI'm a sick old man. I donothing.

Baumgarten dampens the pad of toilet paper and beginspolishing his shoe. Peter raps loudly on the door.

PETERGuard!

The door opens.

BAUMGARTENWhy you, Peter?

Peter waits.

BAUMGARTENBecause you're Germany's mosteminent attorney? Not at all. Did you think I needed you to --what -- defend me?

(emphatic)I don't want it. You hear me? Iwant no defense.

Peter waves the guard off. The door closes.

PETERWhy then?

(CONTINUED)

43.

CONTINUED:

BAUMGARTENYou were selected for one reasononly. You're known to be thatrarest of creatures. An honestman.

Finished with the first shoe, Baumgarten polishes theother, taking an intimate tone.

BAUMGARTENI'll tell you a secret. I'vecome to tell my story. To tellit all. Exactly what I did atAuschwitz and why. A thingthat's never been done.

He finishes the second shoe and straightens. He speakswith dazzling intensity.

BAUMGARTENHelp me, Peter. Help me tell thetruth.

PETERJosef Mengele doesn't returnafter fifty years to make aconfession.

BAUMGARTENTo tell the truth.

Baumgarten cranks on the water and vigorously washes hishands.

PETERWhat truth? The selections? Thegassings? The butchery in thelaboratory?

BAUMGARTENThe truth!

(exuberantly)I deny nothing! I'm ashamed ofnothing!

PETERYou would take responsibility forall those crimes?

BAUMGARTENCrimes, Peter? Crimes?

He cranks off the faucets and turns, holding his wethands high like a surgeon who's just scrubbed.

(CONTINUED)

44.

CONTINUED:

BAUMGARTENWe'll have to see about that.

Peter is repulsed by the magnitude of this man'sperverse arrogance. He reaches for the door.

BAUMGARTENNaturally you have a great dealto consider. So many loved ones. You don't want to bring harm toany of them.

Peter's jaw tightens.

PETERWhat are you saying?

BAUMGARTENOnly that you have a great dealto consider.

INT. JUSTICE MINISTRY ELEVATOR

Quitting time. The elevator descends, packed withdeparting workers. At the rear of the elevator standsPeter, bone tired and shaken to his core.

INT. JUSTICE MINISTRY - GROUND FLOOR LOBBY

The elevator doors slide open and passengers exit. Peter is the last to step into the lobby. A woman'sarms encircle him.

CORYPeter.

He wraps her in a fierce embrace.

CORYOh, thank God. They really letyou go.

He pulls her toward the door.

PETERLet's get out of here.

CORYPeter. We need to call home.

He sees her face. Stops. Something's wrong.

CORYYour mother called. They can'tfind your niece Kat.

(CONTINUED)

45.

CONTINUED:

Peter's blood freezes.

PETERLittle Kat?

He reaches for his cell phone.

CORYShe and the boys were at thesoccer field. They all ran homebut Kat never got there.

PETER(dialing)

How long ago was this?

CORYI don't know, a couple of hours. When I talked to your mother,they were checking with friends.

INT. MAX AND HILDE'S HOUSE - DAY

Max picks up the RINGING PHONE.

MAXRohm house.

A police officer crosses the room behind him.

MAXPeter!

(and)No, no, false alarm. Everythinghere is wonderful.

FOLLOW the police officer TO the next room where Peter'ssister clutches 5-year-old Kat.

MAXShe's back... No, it was stupid,really. She got lost on the wayhome and a young man helped her. He drove her around until she sawa house she knew. Ja. Broughther right to our door.

The officer speaks to Hilde. She signs a paper.

INT. JUSTICE MINISTRY LOBBY

Peter hangs up. Tells Cory:

(CONTINUED)

46.

CONTINUED:

PETERShe's fine. She's home. It wasnothing, completely innocent.

Words he has difficulty believing.

EXT. JUSTICE MINISTRY - DAY

News crews press in around Peter, shouting questions ashe and Cory exit. Ignoring them, he pushes forward. Inthe street a car passes, the young men inside shouting,hooting and waving an Imperial German flag. Peter turnsback to gaze darkly at the upper floors of the oldbuilding. Wondering. He finally allows Cory to pullhim away.

INT. BERLIN AIR TERMINAL - AFTERNOON

Peter and Cory move in a line of passengers through theairport security check. Peter's quiet, his mood dark. Cory watches him uncertainly.

CORYI was afraid you would decide tostay.

PETER(beat)

Why would I do that?

CORYTo do what you've always talkedabout. Find out what turned ourneighbor into a butcher.

Peter says nothing.

CORYPeter -- if that man is Mengele,he was our neighbor by accident. He has no connection to us.

PETERI keep trying to believe that.

CORYAnd now you're going home.

She kisses him on the cheek. A quick, sweet kiss fullof gratitude and relief.

INT. AIRPORT MEN'S ROOM

Peter stands at a urinal. When he finishes, he turnsand crosses to a row of sinks where a knot of men isgathering around something taped to the mirror.

47.

INSERT - A PHOTO BLOW-UP

Peter's niece Kat. She's surrounded by a half-dozenyoung men, their faces cropped from the photo but theirarms raised in obvious Nazi salutes.

PETER

shoves through the group, rips the photo from the mirrorand studies it in fury.

INT. AIR TERMINAL

Cory looks up from a newspaper as Peter returns. Onelook tells her something is desperately wrong.

CORYWhat?

EXT. FOG-BOUND SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY FORTRESS - LATEAFTERNOON

Fog shrouds the ancient stone towers and soaringramparts. Across the road, Peter climbs from a taxi.

INT. FORTRESS GATEWAY

Official notices and warnings adorn the walls at theentrance to this federal facility. Armed police guardsswing open the giant door to admit Peter.

INT. FORTRESS - OPULENT BANQUET HALL - LATE AFTERNOON

The stone walls are hung with medieval tapestries.

Down the center of the room extends a long wooden table. Peter sits stiffly on one side, waiting, until a dooropens and guards shepherd prisoner Baumgarten in. Hesits opposite Peter. Smiles.

BAUMGARTENMiss your plane?

Peter slaps a legal pad on the table, trembling withrage.

PETERJosef Mengele on multipleoccasions injected dye into theeyes of unsedated prisoners. Didyou inject dye into the eyes ofunsedated prisoners?

Beat. Then, as if the question had never been asked:

(CONTINUED)

48.

CONTINUED:

BAUMGARTENHow familiar are you with themedical habits of the Dutch?

Peter repeats, hard and cold:

PETERDid you inject dye into the eyesof unsedated prisoners?

BAUMGARTENI'll happily catalogue myexperiments for you. But it'sthe Dutch physicians we must --

PETER(overriding)

Josef Mengele kept the eyes ofdeceased prisoners pinned to aboard like butterflies. Did youkeep such a board?

Baumgarten remains genteel.

BAUMGARTENMedical studies often require thecollection of specimens. Nowplease listen. Medicine in theNetherlands --

PETERJosef Mengele personally selectedup to 400,000 men, women andchildren for death by gassing. Did you select these individualsfor death?

Baumgarten regards Peter with his own quiet fury.

BAUMGARTENI thought you wanted tounderstand.

PETERDid you select these individualsfor death?

(and again)Answer the question: Did youselect these individuals fordeath?

And finally it comes, an explosion:

(CONTINUED)

49.

CONTINUED:

BAUMGARTENYES, PETER! YES! I DID IT! IDID IT ALL!!! I CONFESSEVERYTHING!!!

The ferocity of the outburst silences Peter. Baumgartenstands.

BAUMGARTENWalk with me.

A faint, almost subliminal sound begins, a SLOW,THROBBING HISS.

EXT. FORTRESS PARAPET

Fog hangs thick atop the high wall where Peter walksuneasily with Baumgarten in the fading light, shadowedby a trio of guards. The HISS is louder.

BAUMGARTENDo you know, Peter, how manydoctors staffed Auschwitz?

PETERNot the exact figure. Five. Six.

BAUMGARTENThe exact figure is 22. Myself... and 21 others.

PETERHow many of those othersvolunteered for duty atAuschwitz? How many met arrivingtrains to perform selections ontheir days off? How many othersdid it sober?

BAUMGARTENMedicine is hard work. Noteveryone has the stamina.

Baumgarten turns down a narrow stairway.

EXT. INNER WARD

A courtyard within the fortress. The disquieting HISSBUILDS.

BAUMGARTENAre you familiar with the work ofKarl Bindong and Alfred Hioche?

(CONTINUED)

50.

CONTINUED:

Peter isn't. And can't fathom its possible relevance.

BAUMGARTENPhysicians. Years before Hitler,they wrote a book they titled ThePermission to Destroy LifeUnworthy of Life

(an assignment)Read it before we meet again.

Before Peter can protest:

BAUMGARTENBindong and Hioche saw incurablepatients, suffering patients,patients whose lives had lost allmeaning. To these patients, thephysician offered nothing butprolonged misery.

They near a compact citadel at the center of the ward,the place of last defense. The RHYTHMIC HISS seems toemanate from within.

BAUMGARTENUnless -- and here is the book'sgenius -- unless the physicianabandoned the slavish pursuit oflife for life's sake and insteadgranted these patients release.

(beat)Sometimes, argued the authors,ruled by mercy and compassion,the physician must kill.

Baumgarten reaches the entrance to the inner citadel. He turns toward Peter.

BAUMGARTENIn the days before the war,everyone in German medicineunderstood this.

Peter can't believe it.

PETERThat's your defense? Auschwitzas popular medicine? You'reinsane. I've known medicalpeople from those years who neveraccepted --

(CONTINUED)

51.

CONTINUED:

BAUMGARTEN(overlapping)

Oh, you've known people? Whohave you known?

PETERIndividuals of principle. Individuals inalterablyopposed --

BAUMGARTENWho?

PETER(combative)

My mother for one.

BAUMGARTENYour mother was a doctor?

PETERA nurse. At the WuerzbachChildren's Clinic in Berlin.

BAUMGARTEN(astonished)

The Wuerzbach Children'sClinic... really?

(slow, secret smile)Well ask her. I'm sure she cantell you.

With startling vitality Baumgarten shoves open the heavydoor.

INT. CITADEL - CONTINUOUS ACTION

An eerie relic filled with deep shadows. The THROBBINGHISS is much louder here. Baumgarten hastens forward.

PETER(provoked)

My mother worked for 30 years ata school for the mentallyhandicapped --contributing tolives your book would havedismissed as meaningless.

BAUMGARTEN(a look back; caustic)

Do you think I inventedAuschwitz? Is that what youthink?

(MORE)

(CONTINUED)

52.

CONTINUED:

BAUMGARTEN (CONT'D)All the tissue samples Icollected -- where do you thinkthey went? Who do you thinkfunded my research?

They've arrived at a narrow stairway. Baumgartenplunges downward. The THROBBING QUICKENS.

ON STAIRWAY

Peter follows Baumgarten down. With every step, themenacing THROBBING INTENSIFIES.

PETERYou maintain that everythingMengele did at Auschwitz was afunction of mercy and compassion.

BAUMGARTENWithout exception.

PETERThe work of a dutiful physician.

BAUMGARTENYes, Peter. Yes.

PETER(hard)

Explain Greta Holtz.

Baumgarten's eyes narrow. He can't place the name.

PETERAt the railroad siding. She wasselected for gassing.

Baumgarten searches his memory.

PETERShe didn't cooperate.

Before them now, all has become utter blackness. TheHISS is now a ROAR. Peter must shout.

PETERShe wouldn't stay on the truck. Josef Mengele would remember.

Baumgarten looks up sharply. At that instant, the ROARCRESCENDOS and an enormous black mass THUNDERS out ofthe darkness, blowing dust and soot all around them -- amountainous steam locomotive scarcely an arm's lengthaway.

(CONTINUED)

53.

CONTINUED:

A string of decrepit CATTLE CARS follows. Between thecars, flashes of light are seen.

The last car passes and a grim scene is unveiled acrossthe tracks: halted on a siding, a train disgorges aprocession of ragged passengers. Shouting soldiers herdthem toward a raised platform. Atop the platform standsa young SS officer, polished cane in white-gloved hands. Josef Mengele.

Peter and Baumgarten remain visible in f.g. aspassengers are made to pass before Mengele, who dividesthem into two groups. The group on his left is crowdedonto open-bed trucks.

Mengele is distracted by a disturbance that has eruptedaround a young woman who resists as soldiers force heronto a truck. Once aboard, she climbs over the side anddrops back to the ground. Soldiers surround her.

PETERMengele had selected her fordeath. She resisted. He wasoutraged.

Baumgarten watches as young Mengele leaps down from hisplatform and, with the back of his white-gloved hand,strikes the woman. He shouts furiously as the soldierswrestle her back aboard the truck.

BAUMGARTEN(deeply unsettled)

Throughout my tour at Auschwitz,I never harmed anyone. I can saythis absolutely andcategorically.

The truck begins to drive away. The woman throwsherself over the side, clambers to her feet and runsblindly. Within seconds Mengele is upon her, strikingher repeatedly with his cane, brutally and withoutmercy.

At the first blow, Baumgarten turns his back.

BAUMGARTENEverything I did was done withthe utmost courtesy andprofessional concern.

The woman falls and Mengele kicks her savagely.

(CONTINUED)

54.

CONTINUED:

BAUMGARTENSome duties required greatcourage.

When at last she lies still before him, Mengele turnsand marches back to the platform. Soldiers throw thebloodied body onto the truck.

PETERThis was medicine?

BAUMGARTEN(with mounting fervor)

Do you know what life was like atAuschwitz? Hell. A hell inwhich children and the old andweak suffered unspeakably -- withno hope for survival. A hellfrom which I offered the onlyescape.

(then)Don't be naive, Peter. Medicinewill never conquer every disease. And there will always come timeswhen caring physicians must kill.

(finally, barely a whisper)

This is the defense of JosefMengele.

Peter looks at the old man as if at Satan himself.

PETERBehold the Angel of Death.

INT. FORTRESS - MENGELE'S CELL - NIGHT

An austere, windowless accommodation of cold stone. Toilet, bed, chair and writing table. Separated by awall of bars, Peter and Mengele sit facing away from oneanother. Peter's head is down, his eyes fixed on thefloor. Mengele appears exhausted. After a lengthysilence:

MENGELEIt's terrifying, Peter, thesemorons strutting around withshaved heads and baseball bats,playing dress-up like overgrownchildren. Denying anyone died atAuschwitz. Who do they think isgoing to believe that? Imbeciles.

(MORE)

(CONTINUED)

55.

CONTINUED:

MENGELE (CONT'D)(and)

So easy to manipulate. Butimpossible to control.

Mengele stands and steps to the bars.

MENGELEThe size of your family -- itputs you in an extremelydangerous position. As a father,a son, a husband -- I sympathize.

Peter never speaks.

MENGELEYou can put a police guard onevery dear one of them and thenby some tragic mix-up at thepharmacy your father receives thewrong medication for his cardiacarythmia. Simple as that.

Now Peter, full of thundering contempt, stands and facesMengele, only the bars between them.

PETERNo member of my family must everbe threatened again. Agreed?

Mengele smiles with his eyes.

MENGELEI think, Peter, you are beingdragged kicking and screamingexactly where you've alwayswanted to go.

HOLD.

EXT. BERLIN AIRPORT - NIGHT

Peter hurries from a taxi into the terminal.

INT. BERLIN AIR TERMINAL - GATE AREA - NIGHT

A flight is about to board. Cory looks like she's justbeen told the most tasteless joke of her life.

CORYPeter, be serious.

She chokes out a strangled, disbelieving laugh.

(CONTINUED)

56.

CONTINUED:

CORYYou agreed to defend JosefMengele?

PETERNot to defend him. To help himtell the absolute truth.

Cory doesn't know what to say. This is too outrageousto comprehend.

CORYI'm waiting for the punch line.

PETERThere is no punch line. This issomething I need to do.

CORYNo. NO. What you need to do isget on this plane with me and gohome.

Peter wants nothing more than to do exactly that, butall he can say is:

PETERI can't.

CORYOf course you can. Peter, youhad one foot on the plane thisafternoon. What happened?

Peter turns away. Agonizing. Turns back.

PETERDo you remember that story when Iwas nine or ten and I wentsledding and crashed into myfriend Erik's tree?

CORYOh, Peter. Not this. Not now.

PETERAnd Erik's sweet old unclecarried me inside and held me onhis lap until my parents came? And sang Christmas carols in thatawful voice, "Silent night, holynight," and I told my mother Ithought he was the kindest, mostwonderful man I'd ever met?

(CONTINUED)

57.

CONTINUED:

CORYPeter -- I remember.

PETERDo you remember what she told me?

CORYThat during the war he'd been anofficer at Treblinka.

PETERShe told me that that kind,wonderful man was a killer.

(beat)She told me that my home town wasfull of killers. And that thecruelest and most monstrous ofthem all was a doctor. He was adoctor. How does a thing likethat happen?

Cory studies him. No sale.

CORYPeter, what happened here thisafternoon?

He doesn't answer. Cory's flight is called. A line ofpassengers forms.

CORYThis doesn't make sense. You'rerisking your practice. Riskingyour reputation. Risking us. What aren't you telling me?

Peter is silent. Cory's fury boils over.

CORYPeter, these people beat you anddrugged you and shipped youhalfway around the world -- andyou could have died. And now youwant to go back for more?!

(stands)You'd better figure out whatyou're doing before you destroyeverything that matters to you.

She heads for the line of passengers.

ON CORY

In line with angry tears.

(CONTINUED)

58.

CONTINUED:

Peter watches her for a long moment before crossing toher. When at length he speaks, it is with a new and farmore vulnerable tone.

PETERLast summer, when your editortried to kill herself -- Do youremember what you told me then,about needing to understand why?

CORYI remember that I talked to her. I wrote about it. And I got pastit.

PETERBut what if -- what if that samesummer both your sisters hadwalked out on their families andchecked themselves intopsychiatric hospitals? And thenyou got a call that your motherhad slit her wrists?

CORY(appalled)

Peter --

PETERWouldn't you start to wonder?

(ground zero)If it could happen to you?

She catches the brokenness in his voice and turns toreally look at him. This is no idle curiosity at work,but something far more visceral, issuing from deepwithin.

CORYWhat are you saying? You'reafraid you're going to turn intosomeone like Josef Mengele?

He can't answer, but what she sees in his wide eyessoftens her.

CORYBut don't you know how crazy thatis? Nothing's like that is evergoing to happen to you.

PETERHow do you know?

(CONTINUED)

59.

CONTINUED:

CORY(hand to his cheek)

Because you are a good man.

PETERAm I?

CORYThe very best.

PETERHave you ever thought how manythousands of Germans it took togas six million Jews? Don't youthink any of those people startedout like us? How do good peoplego bad, Cory? I've thought aboutit since the day I met that kindold killer... but never...ever... have I found an answer.

(again)How do people go bad?

Peter's soul laid bare before her, Cory looks at himwith deep compassion.

PETERMaybe Josef Mengele can tell me. And maybe then I can get past it.

For the first time, Cory sees the inevitability of itall. She makes a huge and unwelcome decision, equalparts outrage and devotion. She steps out of line. Steps to Peter.

CORYDamn you.

INT. HOTEL ROOM - NIGHT

The PHONE RINGS unanswered. Peter enters and hurries tothe phone.

PETERRohm here... Yes, Horst.

INTERCUT:

INT. BERLIN HOSPITAL - ICU - ON VOIGT

He's grim.

VOIGTHow serious are you about takingthis case to trial?

(CONTINUED)

60.

CONTINUED:

PETERWhy -- what's happening?

VOIGTAfter you left him tonight, theold man collapsed in his cell. They think it's a stroke.

Behind Voigt, medical personnel attend a prone patient. Federal police nearby.

PETER(disbelief)

I was just with him -- How bad ishe?

VOIGTBad. On top of the stroke itlooks like he's full of tumors.

PETERCancer?

VOIGTEverywhere but his eyeballs. Hehad to have known for months.

PETERIs he... Is he conscious? Can hetalk?

Voigt looks across the ICU to Mengele, run through withprobes and tubes, lying very still.

VOIGTRight now, he can't do much ofanything. He's drooling alittle. I'm calling because thepresiding judge was just here. We go to trial Monday morning.

PETERMonday?! Three days?! Impossible.

VOIGTWe have no choice. If we don'tstart Monday, we may not start atall.

Cory has entered behind Peter. He looks to her withunbearable heaviness.

(CONTINUED)

61.

CONTINUED:

VOIGTRohm? Are you there?

PETER(finally)

I'm here.

IN CLOUDS

White wisps in the morning blue. A TELEPHONE is DIALED.

PETER (V.O.)Yes, I'm trying to locate a Dr.Karl Gross. Is he at thisnumber?

CAMERA DESCENDS, taking in the top of a stately oldbuilding.

HILLMANN (V.O.)Dr. Heinrich Knaupt. I was toldyou might know his whereabouts.

PETER (V.O.)No, no, that's Beckmann. Dr.Julius Beckmann. B - E - C -K...

CAMERA CONTINUES its GLIDE DOWN the side of the grandstructure.

HILLMANN (V.O.)We're interested in talking toyour grandfather.... I'm verysorry, I didn't know.

STREET NOISE SURGES as CAMERA REACHES ground level,REVEALING a scene crawling with hawkers, gawkers,protesters, press and police. SUPERIMPOSE:

CRIMINAL JUSTICE BUILDING, BERLIN

CAMERA PUSHES FORWARD, PAST protestors holding signsthat declare "NEVER AGAIN," BETWEEN television newscrews, THROUGH a knot of tattooed thugs in leatherjackets.

PETER (V.O.)How's the patient?

(frustrated beat)Call me if there's any change.

CAMERA MOVES INTO the noisy lobby of the courthousewhere officers perform body searches on everyone whoenters.

62.

INT. CRIMINAL JUSTICE BUILDING - COURTROOM NO. 700 - MORNING

The gallery is packed. Cory sits near the back, ill-at-ease. Behind her sits Mueller. A contingent of armedfederal police sweeps in, followed by a medical teamtending a gurney on which lies Mengele, plugged into abattery of portable monitors, eyes open but vacant,staring down and to the left. They whisk Mengele into aglass enclosure, a compact, bulletproof intensive careunit. Looking like he hasn't slept in days, Peter turnsto Hillmann.

PETERWe have nothing, Felix. Thetrial's beginning and we havenothing.

He shoves a sheet of legal paper toward Hillmann.

PETERCheck out these names.

HILLMANNIs it any use? Every doctor whoever studied or worked with himhas died or disappeared. We'vegot to try something else.

PETERThe defendant's in a coma. Unless he wakes up... there isnothing else.

Peter stuffs the list into Hillmann's hand.

PETERGo.

Hillmann moves off. Five solemn JUDGES sweep in andtake seats behind the bench. There is no jury.

PRESIDING JUDGEOn the record in the matter ofGermany vs. Mengele, let therecord show the defendant ispresent... Herr Rohm present forthe defense... Herr Voigt forGermany.

Voigt sits with a team of assistants.

JUDGEHerr Voigt, you may proceed.

(CONTINUED)

63.

CONTINUED:

Voigt rises with assurance, his manner straightforwardand untheatrical.

VOIGTYour Honors, Germany will showthat the defendant, JosefMengele, stood at the railroadsidings of Auschwitz andknowingly selected thousands uponthousands of individuals fordeath by gassing.

(beat)That he performed fiendishexperiments unparalleled incruelty.

After each charge Voigt pauses, allowing its full weightto register. A damning cadence.

VOIGTThat he trafficked in the corpsesof his victims, dispensing bodyparts like Christmas gifts.

All attention in the courtroom is focused on the glassenclosure.

VOIGTThat he stood on the abdomens ofpregnant women causing theirfetuses to be expelled.

Cory recoils. Peter closes his eyes.

VOIGTGermany will show that nobodymade the defendant do thesethings. He did them because hewanted to, with the enthusiasm ofa man who loved his work.

Voigt's hand comes to rest atop an unmarked cardboardbox on his table.

VOIGTHalf a century has passed sincethe defendant committed hiscrimes, and most witnesses havedied. We're left with theirsworn testimony --

(pulls a yellowed file from the box)

-- affidavits describing inhorrifying detail the crimes theysuffered.

(CONTINUED)

64.

CONTINUED:

Voigt stuffs the file back in the box and carries it tothe glass enclosure to gaze in at the accused.

VOIGTBecause of the extraordinarycircumstances surrounding thistrial, Germany has agreed to callonly a limited number ofwitnesses. However, to dojustice to the multitude ofwitnesses and victims we'reunable to hear --

Voigt strides across the courtroom, CAMERA SWEEPING WITHhim to reveal a mountain of boxes stacked to theceiling, a staggering sight. Voigt adds his box to themound.

VOIGT-- Germany submits theirtestimony for the record.

Voigt takes his seat. The Presiding Judge looks toPeter.

PRESIDING JUDGEFor the defense?

Peter looks at the motionless defendant, the tantalizingstare, the head titled down and to the left as if hemight simply be lost in thought. Peter turns back. Impotent.

PETERNothing at this time.

PRESIDING JUDGEGermany may call its firstwitness.

INT. BERLIN HOTEL ROOM

Hillmann's bent over a telephone, papers and phone booksspread across the bed.

HILLMANN(into phone)

You have no idea where he wentafter he retired? He neverphoned, never wrote?

INT. COURTROOM NO. 700 - ON STAND - ESTELLE

A Frenchwoman in her sixties. Voigt stands before her.

(CONTINUED)

65.

CONTINUED:

ESTELLE (the memory vivid)

We'd been on the train six dayswhen the doors finally opened andeveryone began jumping out. Soldiers shouted at us and pushedus into line. Up ahead, anofficer was separating us intotwo groups. When we got closeenough to see this officer, I wassurprised that he was a handsomeyoung man with a kind face. I'dbeen frightened by the soldiersbut this face reassured me...

Peter looks up, stirred by something in this testimony.

ESTELLEHe was whistling... and hepointed my sister and her baby toone side and me to the other. Ispoke up and said she's my sisterand couldn't we stay together. He said my sister was going to aspecial family camp, but we'd seeone another later... I wavedgoodbye to Elisse, and theofficer started whistlingagain...

VOIGTDid you in fact ever see yoursister or niece after that?

ESTELLEOf course not. There's no recordthey ever came to Auschwitz...

VOIGTDo you know the officer's name?

ESTELLE(flat)

Mengele.

VOIGTNo further questions.

Voigt returns to his seat.

JUDGEHerr Rohm?

Peter gazes at the inert defendant.

(CONTINUED)

66.

CONTINUED:

Makes an excruciating decision. He approaches thewitness, respectful... but curious.

PETERYou said the soldiers were cruel.

ESTELLEThey had whips and were beatingpeople to make them move faster,beating even the children.

PETERDid you see Dr. Mengele beatanyone?

ESTELLENo.

PETERDid you hear him encourage thesoldiers who were doing thebeating?

ESTELLENo.

PETERDuring your encounter with Dr.Mengele at the train ramp, did hestrike you as a madman or alunatic?

ESTELLE(a beat)

Not at all.

PETERHe stood out, you said, as a kindman.

She thinks about that. Reluctant.

ESTELLEHe seemed to care about us...

Peter's eyes find Cory in the gallery. This work turnshis stomach.

INT. HOTEL ROOM - HILLMANN

On the phone, aggravated beyond words.

(CONTINUED)

67.

CONTINUED:

HILLMANNHe's your husband. You want meto believe you don't know how tocontact him?! Do you understandthat this is a criminalproceeding?

INT. COURTROOM - ANOTHER GERMAN MAN ON STAND

Seventies, a wisp of a man. Voigt's before him.

GERMAN MAN #2Mengele woke me at about two AMand ordered me to set up lightsand a phonograph. I'd barelyfinished when SS men broughthundreds of female prisoners outunder the lights. It was a coldnight, some snow on the ground,but all the women were naked. Mengele gave me a record albumand told me to play it as loud asI could.

VOIGTWhat happened when the musicstarted?

GERMAN MAN #2 He made the women dance... andthen he walked among them,pointing out the most patheticones. Those he pointed out weretaken to die.

NEW ANGLE

Peter with the same witness.

PETERYou said that when Dr. Mengeleexamined the women, he pointedout 'the most pathetic ones.' Doyou mean he was looking forclumsy dancers?

GERMAN MAN #2I mean he was looking for theweak ones, the sick ones, theones who couldn't keep moving.

(CONTINUED)

68.

CONTINUED:

PETERThe weak ones and the sick ones. So his selections were basedentirely on the women's physicalcondition... on medical criteria?

GERMAN MAN #2More or less.

Peter is unable to mask his own revulsion at his hideoustask.

PETERThank you.

INSIDE GLASS ENCLOSURE

Court in recess. Mengele lies propped in the bed,unchanged. Opposite him stands Peter, darkly watchingthe old man breathe. Peter squats, gets into Mengele'sline of sight, gazes intensely into his eyes, watching,wondering.

HILLMANN (O.S.)Peter --

Hillmann, energized, rushes toward him. Peter meets himoutside the enclosure.

HILLMANNI think we've got a live one --

(hands him a scrap of paper)

It was left at the hotel desk.

PETER(reading)

'Midnight tonight. Ravenstrasse122. Stand before the lion' --signed 'Beckmann.'

(mystified)Beckmann -- the professor?

HILLMANNHe's on your list. Mengele senthim shipments of 'biologicalmaterial' from Auschwitz -- clubfeet, skeletons of hunchbacks.

Electrified, Peter gathers his papers. From the back ofthe courtroom, Mueller watches.

69.

EXT. BERLIN STREET - NIGHT

An ancient section of the city. Old shops stretch alongone side of the street; a vast cathedral rises on theother. The headlights of a lone car sweep around adistant corner.

PETER (V.O.)'Stand before the lion.'

(then)What time is it?

HILLMANN (V.O.)Five to midnight.

PETER (V.O.)Do you see 122?

The car pulls alongside the church. A flashlightsearches and comes to rest on three digits above thecathedral entrance: 122.

EXT. CATHEDRAL - NIGHT

A graveyard encircles the church. Peter and Hillmannmove to an iron gate.

PETERHey, Felix -- see any lions?

HILLMANNNo lions.

PETERKeep your eyes open.

He pushes open the gate. Two steps in, he's stopped bya FERAL HISSING. Hillmann leaps back as Peter probeswildly with the flashlight, catching the red glint offeline eyes before settling on a bloated tomcat. TheCAT MOANS with an almost human cry, then waddleslanguidly out the gate.

Sharing an edgy chuckle, they traverse the graveyard tothe church entrance. Peter tries the door. It'slocked. He shines his light through a window, seesnothing.

Easing along the side of the church, they round a cornerand a lighted sculpture comes into view, stopping themin their tracks: a placid lamb snuggled against a hugestone lion.

PETER'And the lion shall lie down withthe lamb...'

(CONTINUED)

70.

CONTINUED:

They hurry through the tombstones to the base of thestatue. Peter shines his light around.

HILLMANN(calls)

Dr. Beckmann? Hello? Dr.Beckmann?

(checks watch)Midnight straight up. Could wehave missed him?

Peter's light has come to rest on a grave markerdirectly before the statue.

PETER(darkly)

We didn't miss him.

GRAVE MARKER

"JULIUS BECKMANN, Beloved Husband, Father, Physician,1906-1987."

BACK TO SCENE

Hillmann gives Peter a sick, betrayed look.

PETERLet's get some sleep.

They turn to go. DISEMBODIED LAUGHTER RINGS OUT. Inthe shadow of the stone lion, something moves. Peterand Hillmann take an involuntary step backward as atall, skeletal wraith emerges.

PETERMueller. Of course.

The old attorney takes up a position directly behindBeckmann's gravestone.

MUELLER(mocking)

"Dr. Beckmann?... Dr. Beckmann?!"(smiles)

Regrettably, Dr. Beckmann is...indisposed.

Peter is furious.

PETERDo you know how much of my timeyou just wasted? We're a weekinto the trial and I havenothing.

(CONTINUED)

71.

CONTINUED:

MUELLERNothing but a big phone bill. Ohyes, I've heard all about yourfruitless search for witnesses. You call them, they call me --

(beat)It's too bad you can't chat withBeckmann. He was so fond of ourfriend.

(beat)Did you know he obtained moneyfrom the German Research Councilto build the doctor a laboratoryat Auschwitz?

PETERI know something about what hegot for his money -- the littlepackages that came in the mail...

MUELLERAnd what should he have done,thrown priceless scientificmaterial in the garbage? Forhim, it was an opportunity tounderstand human disease. Perhaps even to ease suffering.

PETER(acidly)

Will he testify to that in court? Wake up, Mueller. You're anattorney. I need someone I canput on the stand.

MUELLERMaybe you should take yourclient's advice and recruit somenice Dutch doctors.

PETERWhat the hell can Dutch doctorstell us? They resisted the Nazimedicine -- many of them to thedeath.

MUELLERNo, Peter. Not then. Now.

Then Mueller waves it off, as if he doesn't mean to betaken seriously. He examines the grave marker.

(CONTINUED)

72.

CONTINUED:

MUELLERDid you know that even before thewar, good Dr. Beckmann lobbiedHitler for permission to extendmercy to a number of childrenunder his care?

PETER(to Hillmann; he's heard enough)

Let's get out of here.

Peter and Hillmann start across the churchyard. Muellerallows them a few steps before dropping his bombshell.

MUELLEROf course this was before theuniversity. While he was stilldirector at Wuerzbach.

The information has its desired effect: Peter turnsback as if shot. And can't stop himself from asking:

PETERBeckmann was at Wuerzbach?

MUELLERDidn't you know?

PETER(incredulous)

The Wuerzbach Children's Clinic?

MUELLER(offhand)

He had an excellent staff. Verysupportive. Very forward-thinking.

(then)I thought you would have known...you know, because of your mother.

Peter's heart has stopped. Mueller smiles his smile.

INT. HOTEL ROOM - DEAD OF NIGHT

Cory's asleep. Peter lies beside her, unable to stillhis troubled thoughts. He picks up the bedside phonethen just as quickly replaces it. Agonized, he staresat the phone before lifting the receiver and dialing anumber he knows by heart.

(CONTINUED)

73.

CONTINUED:

PETERHello -- it's me... I'm sorry tocall so -- No, everything's fine. We're both --

Wakened by his call, Cory rolls over.

PETERI was just... I couldn't sleepand --

He falls into silence. Cory watches him until:

PETERI'm sorry, Mama. I shouldn'thave called.

(finally)I just needed to hear your voice.

INT. COURTROOM NO. 700 - DAY

Once again Cory sits in the back of the gallery. On thestand is RACHEL, a woman in her sixties, well-dressed,composed. She has no right arm.

RACHELAll his twins they kept in aplace we called the Zoo. Him wecalled...

(a look toward Mengele)Him we called Uncle Pepi.

Mengele's arms lie neatly at his sides. His gazeremains fixed as before, down and to the left.

RACHELHe made sure we got enough toeat. Soft beds. Clothes. Ribbons for our hair. Andchocolate. Always there waschocolate when Uncle Pepi visitedhis children. We were eleven, mysister Sarah and I, and wethought... we thought he was sohandsome...

(trails off as she glances again toward the enclosure)

One day he came for Sarah and me. He made it a game. Follow theleader.

(M0RE)

(CONTINUED)

74.

CONTINUED:

RACHEL (CONT'D)He made us laugh... We followedto the hospital where theymeasured us, it was so strange,our noses and ears and around ourheads. And they said... Theysaid take off your dresses soUncle Pepi can look at you.

(shivers)He looked... at everything. Comparing every possible detail,looking, looking, looking.

Mengele's nurse glances at a monitor, makes a notation. No change.

RACHELWhen he finished looking, hestrapped us to examination tablesand made little marks with hispen, one on my arm and one onSarah's. He said be brave, it'sgoing to hurt a little, and hecut with a knife along the marks. Then he smeared something in thecuts. We didn't cry and he saidit made him happy that we were sobrave.

(her composure falters)That we were such good girls.

She blinks at Voigt, who waits patiently. The courtroomis silent.

RACHELI woke up that night back in theZoo, soaked in sweat. My arm wasburning, all red and swollenaround the cut. Sarah's wasworse. We begged to see UnclePepi, to get medicine, but theysaid he was busy. We waited forthree days before he sent for us. Three days. Forever. Sarah'sfingers were black, and when hesaw that my fingers hadn'tturned, he was fascinated. Webegged him, please help us, dosomething, we had so much pain. He told us that we mustn't cry.

(MORE)

(CONTINUED)

75.

CONTINUED:

RACHEL (CONT'D)(and so she doesn't)

Three days later the camp wasliberated and I never saw himagain. Until today.

(pause)Sarah died. A Russian doctortook my arm.

INT. COURTROOM NO. 700 - LATER

A POLISH WOMAN, 75, testifies. In the glass enclosure,the nurse is not yet aware of a new sound -- herpatient's odd WHEEZING.

POLISH WOMAN(vehemently)

He was an animal. I came toAuschwitz with two sets of twins,two sons and two daughters, andhe wanted to know how I got somany twins.

A STRANGLED COUGH from Mengele finally turns the nurse'shead. He's moved, arms askew, an IV line torn free.

POLISH WOMAN'At what age did you first makelove?' 'How many lovers did youhave beside your husband?' 'Howoften are you with a lover?'

(stands to address Mengele directly)

I have a question for you,Butcher! If you love twins somuch, why did you kill mine?!

But her rage turns to horror when the nurse moves asideto reveal that Mengele's head has turned so that he nowlooks straight back at his accuser. He coughs.

INSIDE GLASS ENCLOSURE - MOMENTS LATER

Nurse and doctor work on Mengele who labors for eachbreath. His eyes fall on Peter. The old man tries tospeak. No words come.

EXT. SUNNY BERLIN STREET - DAY

Peter gazes darkly across the street at a two-storybrick building distinguished by the words above theentrance: "THE WUERZBACH CLINIC FOR CHILDREN'SMEDICINE." He teeters between an urge to flee and aninescapable need to know.

76.

TIGHT ON THE FACE OF A CLOWN

Bulbous nose, red lips, a single blue tear. LAUGHTER.

INT. WUERZBACH CHILDREN'S CLINIC - DAY

Children surround the clown, many in wheelchairs, othersleaning on walkers or crutches. One slouches in herseat, head hanging to the side, drooling into her lap. Another rocks back and forth, moaning grotesquely. Theclown sifts through a boy's hair and produces a tinywhite mouse. The boy's eyes grow huge. Gasps ofdelight. A door opens and Peter steps in.

A hulking teen wearing knee pads and a protective helmetlurches toward Peter with a huge welcoming grin. Peterflinches reflexively. A staff member redirects thepatient.

INT. CLINIC CORRIDOR

Peter strides past treatment rooms, patient rooms, an X-ray lab, catching sight everywhere of disabled youngpatients. He reaches a stairway and ascends.

INT. CLINIC - DIRECTOR'S OUTER OFFICE

The SECRETARY's a brusque, efficient woman of about 60. She's on the phone when Peter enters.

SECRETARYYou'll have to wait untilThursday. The director will beout of the office tomorrow.

She hangs up and looks to Peter.

SECRETARYYes, how can I help you?

PETERMy name's Peter Rohm. I called.

A half beat, then the Secretary dials a two-digit codeand turns away from Peter, speaking with hushedintensity. The door to the inner office opens andDOCTOR FRANK emerges, an energetic, baby-faced man inhis thirties.

PETERDoctor Frank? I'm Peter Rohm --

DOCTOR FRANKYes, I know. And as I told youon the phone, I don't have timeto deal with you now.

Frank continues past Peter and out of the office.

77.

INT. CORRIDOR/STAIRWAY

Peter overtakes the fast-moving Frank on the stairs.

PETERDoctor, if you could give me evena few minutes --

Frank reaches steps into the X-ray lab. Peter waitsimpatiently as Frank huddles with another doctor. Whenthe consultation concludes Frank exits the lab andcontinues down the corridor, Peter at his side.

PETERI'd like to look at your recordsfor the years Julius Beckmann washere.

DOCTOR FRANKWhere's your court order?

PETERAm I going to need one?

Frank enters a patient room, peruses a chart, makes anotation, then exits and continues his forced march.

DOCTOR FRANKWe're very busy today. Come backtomorrow.

PETERTomorrow? Fine. And when I comeback and you're not here -- I'lljust start interviewing youremployees.

DOCTOR FRANKYou stay away from my employees.

PETERWhy? What are you hiding? Whathappened here?!

Frank turns on Peter.

DOCTOR FRANKNothing happened here! Thisclinic was founded as a haven forchildren no one else wanted. Wedon't kill our patients -- and wenever have. Ever. So don't dragus into your defense of thatbutcher.

The depth of Frank's conviction gives Peter pause. Hesoftens slightly.

(CONTINUED)

78.

CONTINUED:

PETERI don't intend to drag you intoanything, Doctor. My interesthere isn't professional. It'spersonal.

Frank's eyebrows go up. A moment as each man evaluatesthe other anew.

PETERHow much do you really know aboutwhat was done here during thewar? Have you been through therecords?

DOCTOR FRANK(just a tad off the point)

Nothing in those records bears onyour case.

PETERMeaning you haven't been throughthem?

DOCTOR FRANK(exasperated)

I've only been here eight weeks. I'm a pediatric surgeon, not ahistorian.

PETERThen you don't really knowanything, do you.

A moment.

DOCTOR FRANKAfter you called, I talked to mysecretary. She's been hereforever. If there'd beenkilling, she would know.

(and)She's absolutely reliable.

PETERThen you wouldn't object if Italked to her myself.

INT. FRANK'S OUTER OFFICE

The PHONE IS RINGING. After three or four rings, thedoor opens and Frank leads Peter in. He looks around.

(CONTINUED)

79.

CONTINUED:

DOCTOR FRANKKarin?

But the Secretary is nowhere to be found. Frank looksinside his inner office. Emerges. Giving Peter an oddlook. This isn't right. The PHONE continues to RING.

INT. CLINIC - BASEMENT STAIRWAY

A little-used access to the clinic's basement. Peterand Frank descend to a locked door. Frank awkwardlyinserts a key. The old lock resists and he muststruggle before it turns and the door swings open. Heswitches on a light, revealing row upon row of ancientmedical files bathed in dust.

INT. HOTEL ROOM - NIGHT

Cory's on the phone when Peter blasts in, face grim.

CORY(to phone)

-- Then let's move that paragraphup... No it doesn't, not if youcut the reference to Munich.

Peter throws things into a suitcase.

CORY(covers mouthpiece)

What are you doing?

PETERI have to catch a train.

CORY(into phone)

I'll call you back.(quickly hangs up)

What do you mean -- where are yougoing?

PETERHome.

He snaps his suitcase and looks at her, sick withunwelcome knowledge. A DIESEL GROWL BUILDS.

EXT. GERMAN COUNTRYSIDE - LATE NIGHT

The ROAR CRESCENDOS. Out of the darkness THUNDERS aDIESEL LOCOMOTIVE trailing a string of passenger cars.

80.

INT. TRAIN - LATE NIGHT

Nearly everyone is asleep. Peter sits awake, staringout as the lights of the countryside flash past. Corysits beside him, also awake, silent and dismayed.

CLOSE ON DOOR - PRE-DAWN

A fist pounds. The door opens to reveal a sleepy Max.

MAXPeter --

WIDER

Peter stands on his parents' front porch with Cory.

MAXWhat's wrong?

Without a word, Peter enters the house.

INT. MAX AND HILDE'S HOUSE - CONTINUOUS ACTION

Peter takes the stairs two at a time.

HILDE (O.S.)

Max?

INT. UPSTAIRS BEDROOM - CONTINUOUS ACTION

Peter steps into the room. He's trembling.

HILDEPeter! Are you all right?

Max and Cory arrive in time to hear:

PETERI've been at Wuerzbach, Mama. Going through old records.

Hilde's mouth opens. No sound comes out.

PETERIn the last half of 1939 -- yourfirst year there -- over 50children died of 'an adversereaction to medication.'

(then)What happened, Mama?... Tell meyou didn't know.

But there's no fight in her eyes, no denial. Only greatsadness. And shame. Peter deflates like a rupturedballoon, sinking back against the door frame.

81.

INT. KITCHEN - LATER NIGHT

Peter and Hilde face one another across the kitchentable.

HILDEI was 21 years old when I startedat Wuerzbach, straight out ofnursing school. In those daysthe place was full of babies withthe most heart-breakingdeformities. I'd change theirdiapers and give them bottles,but at the end of my shift I'd gohome and cry because I wanted todo so much more. We all did.

(beat)Some of the parents had heardrumors of children at otherhospitals, severely impairedchildren, receiving certainmedication... certain doses ofmedication... And they asked uswhy we couldn't do the same fortheir children... They were veryinsistent. And it seemed... atthe time it seemed... so wiseand... so good.

Peter sags beneath the weight of his mother's words. Finally:

PETERHow were they killed?

HILDEA sedative was added to thechild's water, and after two orthree days, after he'd hadenough, he just fell asleep...

Peter looks directly at his mother and asks the mosthorrible question.

PETERWhat was your role, Mama?

HILDEMy role...? I was never asked toadminister the sedative, ifthat's what you mean.

(a beat; naked)But I would have.

Peter's eyes are locked on Hilde. A tear appears. Thenhe does something unexpected. He moves to his mother,slides his arms around her and holds on.

82.

EXT. ROHM HOUSE - DAWN

Peter and Cory exit the Volvo and walk silently to thehouse.

INT. ROHM HOUSE

A light is switched on. Peter and Cory stand inside thefront door. Laundry is piled on the couch. Dirtydishes and a jug of soured milk are on the table.

CORYI left in such a hurry.

She begins cleaning up. Peter hasn't moved. Finally:

PETERWhile my mother was talking,something came back to me. Something I'd forgotten untilnow.

(this haunts him)It was after she told me aboutErik's uncle and Treblinka. Shesaid, "You must be careful,Peter. It can happen to anyone."

(beat)Those were her words.

Cory watches him as he stands thinking about that for along, long moment. He steps abruptly to a closet, pullsout a cardboard box and heads upstairs.

INT. UPSTAIRS OFFICE

Peter sweeps a stack of files from his desk into thebox. He steps to the file cabinet and jerks open thesecond drawer, "G-M." It sticks. He yanks furiously,pulling it completely out of the cabinet. It crashes tothe floor. Peter picks up files of yellowed pages anddumps them in the box. He digs in the closet for the SSuniform. This also goes in the box.

EXT. ROHM HOUSE - BACK YARD

Peter throws open the back door and crosses the yard toa trash bin. He dumps the box. The SS uniform spillsonto the ground. Peter stands over it, head bent low,shoulders heaving.

Cory watches from the house.

DISSOLVE TO:

83.

INT. UPSTAIRS OFFICE - LATER

Peter enters and picks through the debris. Cory appearsin the doorway. He glances up, made uncomfortable byher presence, then returns to his work but is unable toescape the sensation of her eyes upon him.

PETERWhat?

Cory shakes her head. Nothing. He steps to his deskand discards computer disks. She keeps watching.

PETERIt's over. You should bethrilled.

CORY(simply)

No.

PETERYou told me to stay off thiscase. You warned me.

She just keeps watching until he can take it no longerand stops his work, still looking away from her.

PETERJust say it. What?

Cory waits. At last, her tone unaccusing:

CORYExplain to me what's going tohappen when court resumes andyou're not there.

PETERFelix will just have to handleit.

CORYSix weeks out of law school -- Ididn't know he was ready for acase like this.

PETER(voice near breaking)

Well neither am I.

If Peter were to look at Cory, he'd see tears in hereyes. He doesn't. Instead, he scoops up the papers anddiskettes and starts out of the room.

(CONTINUED)

84.

CONTINUED:

CORYSo you'll leave it like this --your mother and Josef Mengelelumped together under the heading"Good people of Gunzburg gonebad."

Peter stops in the doorway. Turns back. And for thefirst time sees Cory's tears.

CORYThat night at the airport, whenyou told me you were taking thiscase -- I had to make a decision. Because I knew that when you goafter the truth, you go whereverit leads, no matter what itcosts, all the way to the end.

(then)I hate this, Peter. I hate thatyou took this case. But I loveyou. So I chose to come along.

Cory crosses to stand directly before her husband.

CORYDon't leave us halfway there.

He draws a long, uneven breath.

INT. CRIMINAL JUSTICE BUILDING - BASEMENT CORRIDOR - 9 AM

An anxiety-ridden Hillmann charges down a dim andlittle-trafficked passageway.

INT. TOP-SECURITY BASEMENT HOLDING CELL

A great commotion as guards noisily unlock the cell doorand slide it open. In his bed at the center of thecell, Josef Mengele, remarkably alert and exceedinglyagitated, strains to see who's arrived. His voice isweak and rasping but he can once again speak.

MENGELEIs he here?

His left arm lies limp at his side, the left side of hisface is unresponsive, and every word comes withdifficulty. Hillmann steps into his field of view.

MENGELEI don't want you. I want Peter.

(CONTINUED)

85.

CONTINUED:

HILLMANNI'm sorry... we can't seem tolocate him.

MENGELECan't locate --

Mengele thinks half a beat.

MENGELEGet me the prosecutor.

HILLMANNI beg your --

MENGELEVoigt. Get him, dammit! I wantto talk!

INT. COURTROOM NO. 700 - 10 AM

A hush in the packed courtroom as Mengele is wheeledinto the enclosure. His bed is positioned and amicrophone is swung into position. Hillmann sits aloneat the defense table, his head in his hands.

PRESIDING JUDGEBack on the record in the matterof Germany vs. Mengele. HerrVoigt present for Germany, HerrHillmann for the defense.

(beat)Does the defendant understandthat if he testifies thismorning, it will be as aprosecution witness, against theadvice and over the objections ofcounsel?

MENGELEI do.

Mengele's VOICE, though frail, is AMPLIFIED so that itfills the room. His WHEEZING, too, is eerily MAGNIFIED.

PRESIDING JUDGEHas the defendant come to thisdecision voluntarily, withoutthreat or coercion?

MENGELEI have.

(CONTINUED)

86.

CONTINUED:

HILLMANNYour Honor, please --

PRESIDING JUDGE(overriding)

Then, in view of the defendant'sprecarious health and theoverriding value of histestimony, the court is going tooverrule defense objections.

HILLMANN(standing)

Your Honor --

PRESIDING JUDGEHerr Hillmann, the court hasnoted your strenuous objections.

(beat)Germany may proceed.

Hillmann sinks helplessly into his seat as Voigt risesand approaches the enclosure. Mengele gazes back withdeath-defying determination.

VOIGTDoctor Mengele. During theperiod May 1943 to January 1945,did you in fact serve as aphysician at the Auschwitzconcentration camp?

MENGELEYes.

VOIGTIs it true that you came toAuschwitz as a volunteer?

MENGELEYes.

VOIGTNo one ordered you. Youvolunteered.

MENGELEYes.

He coughs painfully.

(CONTINUED)

87.

CONTINUED:

VOIGTWhile at Auschwitz, were you attimes responsible for certifyingdeath at mass gassings?

MENGELEYes.

Hillmann glances toward the closed door at the rear ofthe courtroom. No sign of Peter.

VOIGTIs it true that you were oftenpresent when inmates wereunloaded from arriving trains?

MENGELEYes.

VOIGTWho was responsible on thoseoccasions for determining theimmediate destination of each ofthose new arrivals?

MENGELEI was.

Voigt's astonished by how easy this is.

VOIGTGermany has given evidence thatyou were present on well overforty occasions. Would youdispute that number?

There's a tiny glimmer of fire in the dull eyes. Aninfinitesimal show of strength.

MENGELEIt was a big job.

QUICK DISSOLVE TO:

INT. COURTROOM NO. 700 - LATER

VOIGTDid you expose prisoners to X-rays in so-called experimentsaimed at sterilizing them?

MENGELEYes.

(CONTINUED)

88.

CONTINUED:

Again Hillmann looks for Peter. Nothing.

QUICK DISSOLVE TO:

INT. COURTROOM NO. 700 - LATER

The day is wearing on. Mengele is tiring.

VOIGTDid you, in order to rid abarracks of typhus, once send all600 residents of that barracks tobe gassed?

MENGELEYes.

VOIGTDid you participate --

(breaks off)No. I'm going to read this, Iwant to get it exactly right.

He picks up a legal pad and pages forward, unable tohold in check his indignation.

VOIGT"Dump trucks carrying 300children under the age of fivewere driven to the edge of aburning pit. The children werethrown screaming into the fire. Soldiers circled the pit, pushingany child who crawled out backinto the flames."

He looks at Mengele with burning eyes.

VOIGTDid you give orders at such anaction?

A long pause.

VOIGT(forcefully)

Did you give orders at such anaction?

MENGELE(finally)

Yes.

(CONTINUED)

89.

CONTINUED:

VOIGTThen damn you, Doctor. God damnyou.

He turns away.

VOIGTNo more questions.

Mengele goes slack with exhaustion.

PRESIDING JUDGEIs the defense prepared toquestion the witness at thistime?

PETERWe are, Your Honor.

Peter, standing just inside the door at the back of thecourtroom, steps away from Cory and strides rapidlyforward, taking the court by surprise. He works withoutnotes, his tone conversational, almost casual.

PETERDoctor, you agree that in yourfight against typhus you senthundreds of women to be gassed.

Mengele seems revived by Peter's return.

MENGELEYes.

PETERWere you honestly trying to stopthe epidemic -- or just lookingfor an excuse to kill Jews?

MENGELE(moral outrage)

I am a doctor. I regarded thesewomen as my patients.

PETERAnd the fact is that before yourarrival at Auschwitz, no one hadbeen able to stop the epidemicswhich repeatedly ravaged thecamp, is that correct?

MENGELEThat is correct.

(CONTINUED)

90.

CONTINUED:

PETERBut with your admittedly harshmeasures, you brought theepidemics under control.

MENGELEI did.

PETERDoctor, have you ever had typhus?

MENGELEYes.

PETERWhen?

MENGELEI contracted it at Auschwitz.

Mengele is rising to the battle, with each answer hisvoice growing incrementally stronger.

PETEREarlier that same year, alsoserving at Auschwitz, youcontracted malaria.

MENGELEYes.

PETERAnd before Auschwitz, you weredecorated for braving enemy fireon the Russian front to pullwounded soldiers from a burningtank.

MENGELEYes.

PETERAgain and again you put your lifeat risk to save others.

Voigt can take no more of this.

VOIGTObjection. Is counselquestioning the witness ornominating him for a Nobel Prize?

(CONTINUED)

91.

CONTINUED:

PETERYour Honor, I'm simplyintroducing the facts of thedoctor's life. I didn't expectto make such an impression on theprosecutor.

PRESIDING JUDGEOverruled. Proceed.

Peter turns back to Mengele, but when he speaks again,his tone is anything but casual. He's come to the veryheart of the matter.

PETERDoctor Mengele, on thebattlefield you risked your lifeto save wounded soldiers. Thenagain at Auschwitz you riskedyour life to save dying Jews.

(beat)How is it possible that you alsogave orders to throw childreninto a burning pit?

It's a question that gives even Josef Mengele pause. For the first time, he doesn't know his next line.

PETERYou've described Auschwitz ashell.

MENGELEYes.

PETERYou can't mean for yourself. Youwere privileged, you had rank andrespect, you lacked nothing.

MENGELEI mean hell.

PETEREven for yourself, then.

MENGELEFor everyone. It wasindescribable. The camp wasfull, we had no food, but thetrains never stopped coming.

(CONTINUED)

92.

CONTINUED:

PETERAnd you were the man responsiblefor meeting those trains.

MENGELEThis was my task.

PETERYou were responsible for decidingwho from those trains lived andwho died.

MENGELEThey were all dead. When theystepped off the train. Deadalready. This was not mydecision.

(and)I saved as many as I could.

PETERYou saved the twins.

MENGELEYes, twins who now testifyagainst me. Don't they know theyowe me their lives?

PETERWhy didn't you save them all?

The idea is so foreign that Mengele can't immediatelygrasp it.

MENGELESave them all? Everyone?

PETERWhy not?

MENGELEI would have destroyed the camp! Don't you understand? There weretoo many.

Peter waits.

MENGELEShould I have condemned the oldgrandmothers to that hell ofslave labor and disease?

(turns to attendant)Raise me up a little.

(CONTINUED)

93.

CONTINUED:

The attendant elevates the back of Mengele's bed.

MENGELEShould I have damned the littleones to a slow death bystarvation? Granting them aquick end was a great kindness.

PETERA quick end in a burning pit.

MENGELE(emphatically)

We had no choice.(then)

Have you ever seen a childgassed? They don't die well. Wewere forced to find other means.

(to attendant)Water.

The attendant pours water from a pitcher. Mengeledrinks, invigorated.

PETERThe experiments, Doctor. My God,the experiments. You've admittedconducting painful medicalinvestigations on childrenwithout anesthetic --

MENGELECan't you understand? They weredead. I found them on their wayto the crematorium. Iexperimented. Yes Iexperimented! I drew from theirdeaths meaning -- scientificknowledge that might benefitothers more fortunate.

(and)Anything less would have beencriminal.

PETERYou inflicted a great deal ofsuffering. You induced raginginfections and left themuntreated.

(again)You used no anesthetic.

(CONTINUED)

94.

CONTINUED:

MENGELEI had no anesthetic.

(with astonishing vigor)A surgeon sees gangrene, he hasno anesthetic, but he amputatesthe limb. Do you call witnessesagainst the doctor to tell how hehacked with his saw, how bloodspattered his smock, how thepatient screamed? Of course not. Do you know what you do?

(voice booming)You say, "Thank God. Thank Godfor the doctor."

CLOSE ON MENGELE

His head has risen off his pillow and he's fixed theJudges with a burning gaze. Then he looks to Peter andhis features soften into a look that approximatesaffection. A ghastly sight.

PETER

recoils from the look.

INT. HOTEL ROOM - CRISP WHITE PILLOW

Peter lies back. His eyes remain wide open, tormented. Cory joins him. Without a word, he turns off the light.

DREAM SEQUENCE - UTTER BLACKNESS

A LATCH IS THROWN and a HEAVY CATTLE-CAR DOOR RUMBLESaside, unveiling a blazing square of light. SOLDIERSappear, bathed in light.

SOLDIERSRaus! Raus!

Bodies tumble from the car into the light.

EXT. RAILROAD SIDING - SUBJECTIVE CAMERA - NIGHT

Floodlights of unearthly brilliance cast harsh shadows. Soldiers strip the arrivals of every possession and herdthem into line. Forced INTO this hapless procession,CAMERA LOOKS AHEAD. Rising above those in line, ahandsome young SS officer stands on a platform, his eyeslocked on the head of the line, his right hand extendedover them, flicking right, left, right, left, left,left. CAMERA SLOWLY NEARS the officer, the prisonersahead streaming into darkness, until the officer's eyesfall directly ON CAMERA. He stops. His face lights upwith wonder.

(CONTINUED)

95.

CONTINUED:

YOUNG MENGELEPeter.

He hurries down the platform steps.

REVERSE ANGLE

At the head of the endless procession of the damned,Peter is taken into Mengele's embrace.

YOUNG MENGELE Peter, I'm so grateful you'vecome.

CUT TO BLACK.

INT. HOTEL BATHROOM - NIGHT

Peter snaps on the light, breathing hard, drenched insweat. He looks hard at himself in the mirror. A long,long look full of doubt and loathing.

INT. COURTROOM NO. 700 - DAY

Court in session. Mengele, in the glass enclosure, isagain at the microphone as Voigt redirects.

VOIGTThere's been a lot of talk inthis room, and I want to makesure I'm still clear on thefacts. You've testified thatwhile at Auschwitz youparticipated in mass gassings. Yes?

MENGELEThat's correct.

VOIGTWas that testimony the truth?

MENGELEMy testimony was factual.

VOIGTYour testimony was factual... Andwhen you testified that you sentall 600 residents of a particularbarracks to their deaths, wereyou telling the truth then?

(CONTINUED)

96.

CONTINUED:

MENGELEI acknowledged the facts -- whichare not always the same as thetruth, Herr Prosecutor.

VOIGTAh... then let's just stick tofacts. You sent the 600 women totheir deaths. Fact?

MENGELEIs it so hard to understand? Have you no one in your worldwhose life has lost meaning?

VOIGT(overriding)

Fact or fiction, Doctor? Answerthe question.

MENGELEIs no one today sufferinghopelessly?

VOIGTYour Honor --

PRESIDING JUDGEThe witness is directed to answerthe question.

Unheeding, Mengele leans into the microphone.

MENGELEIs there no one, no one unwanted?

Something here strikes a chord in Cory.

PRESIDING JUDGEThe witness will answer thequestion.

MENGELEMedicine will always need doctorswith the courage to kill.

PRESIDING JUDGE(furious)

Cut him off.

MENGELEIf you want the truth, read yournewspaper. You'll see I'mtelling you --

(CONTINUED)

97.

CONTINUED:

The microphone goes dead, silencing Mengele whose mouthcontinues to move inside the enclosure. Voigt'sdisgusted.

VOIGTNo more questions.

Cory scribbles furiously.

INT. CRIMINAL JUSTICE BUILDING - OUTSIDE COURTROOM NO. 700

Cory's on a public phone.

CORYPaul, hi, it's me. Didn't youonce tell me you had a doctorfriend in Amsterdam?

(beat)Can you put me in touch with her?

(and)Perfect.

INT. HOTEL ROOM - LATE NIGHT

Peter enters alone.

PETERCory?

No answer. Her things are gone. Peter finds a foldednote on his pillow.

INT. HUGE, CHAOTIC AIR TERMINAL - EARLY MORNING

Cory clears customs. Signs in five languages welcomeher to Amsterdam.

EXT. AIR TERMINAL (AMSTERDAM)

Cory ducks into a taxi.

CORYRykstadt Main Hospital.

ANOTHER TAXI, SOMEWHERE IN BERLIN

An elderly woman climbs out and tugs her coat tightlyaround her. Hilde. Peter exits the cab behind her.

PETERYou don't need to do this.

HILDEI've needed to do this for 50years.

98.

REVERSE ANGLE

reveals they stand on the steps of the Wuerzbach Clinicfor Children's Medicine. Sharing a wordless look, theystart for the door.

INT. WUERZBACH CLINIC - MORNING

Dr. Frank, the clinic director, passes, followed byPeter and Hilde. They walk purposefully. Hilde looksat the children. Remembering. Peter, too, studies thechildren. It's impossible to know what he's seeing.

INT. BASEMENT STAIRWAY

The narrow, dim, little-used access to the basement. Frank, Peter and Hilde descend.

INT. RYKSTADT MAIN HOSPITAL (AMSTERDAM) - WAITING ROOM

Cory waits. A young woman with a vibrant smile appears.

DR. VAN KONINGSVELDCory Rohm?

(extending her hand)I'm Dr. van Koningsveld. How canI help you?

INT. WUERZBACH CLINIC - BASEMENT ARCHIVES

Peter, Hilde and Dr. Frank pore over old records. Frankfinds something of interest in a file he's studying andlays it aside, atop a short stack of similar folders.

INT. RYKSTADT HOSPITAL - BUSY CORRIDOR

The animated Dr. van Koningsveld leads Cory through thebustle of this gleamingly modern hospital. Cory holds amicrocassette recorder.

DR. VAN KONINGSVELDEconomics is always an issue. Doyou --

ORDERLY (O.S.)Excuse us.

They step aside to make way for a passing gurney andCory comes face to face with the patient, a woman in hernineties. Her head lolls toward Cory, her eyes andmouth gaping wide in an agonized, voiceless wail. Thegurney turns a quick corner and she's gone. VanKoningsveld explains with sympathy:

VAN KONINGSVELDBone cancer.

(CONTINUED)

99.

CONTINUED:

She begins again:

VAN KONINGSVELDAnyway, economics is always a bigissue. Do you have any idea howmuch we spend on patients intheir last 30 days of life --people who tragically are nevergoing to get better? It'sstaggering.

Cory's still looking back at the spot where the gurneydisappeared.

INT. WUERZBACH CLINIC

Peter, Hilde and Dr. Frank continue their search. Frank's stack has grown dramatically.

INT. RYKSTADT HOSPITAL - ADOLESCENT UNIT

Cory and Dr. van Koningsveld are joined by a RESIDENTwho indicates a severely-afflicted adolescent.

RESIDENTShe's never had a coherentthought. She'll never speak anintelligible word. She's fedthrough a tube. Her parentsvisit the first and fifteenth ofeach month. The state pays thebill. So you can understand thatpeople begin to ask if thereisn't another way.

INT. CLINIC - GROUND-FLOOR CORRIDOR

Hilde leads Peter and Frank through the clinic. Shemoves as if in a dream.

INT. CLINIC - FIRST FLOOR RECREATION ROOM

Sunlight and cheerful colors. Hilde enters, trailed byPeter and Frank. She stops just inside the room. Aftera moment, she moves with assurance toward a back corner.

BACK CORNER - MOMENTS LATER

Peter, Hilde and Frank watch as workmen peel thecarpeting slowly back to expose bare concrete. Hildeflinches, as if she herself is being exposed. Peterbends and runs his hand over the concrete. Clearlyvisible in the floor: a distinct line of old bolt holesdescribing a perfect square the size of a small bedroom.

Peter sits dead center in the square. Imagining.

100.

INT. RYKSTADT HOSPITAL - DAY ROOM

A lounge filled with elderly patients. Cory and vanKoningsveld talk to a young INTERN.

INTERNBy the time you get to their ageyou've seen a few people die, andnot always well, if you know whatI mean. So they're afraid. Afraid of the pain, of course,but more than that, afraid it'sgoing to be drawn out -- and ifthat happens, terrified of whatit's going to do to the peoplethey love. Fortunately, thelegal situation in this countrypermits us to take an activemedical role to ensure thatdoesn't happen.

CORYAn active medical role,meaning...

INTERNHumane methods have beendeveloped.

Pause.

INT. WUERZBACH CLINIC - RECREATION ROOM

A girl of seven or eight, her body frail and bent andpropped in a pediatric wheelchair. With her one goodarm she wheels herself in circles, finding in that act ablazing joy that explodes in her twisted, gaping smile.

Close by and rapt, Peter watches.

EXT. DURENBURGER PLUMBING WORKS (BERLIN) - DAY

An open bed truck off-loads pipe beside this large,prosperous old firm. A taxi delivers Peter and heenters the building.

SAME SCENE - HOURS LATER

Daylight is waning as Peter exits and heads for awaiting cab.

EXT. OUTSKIRTS OF BERLIN - EVENING

Peter steps to the front door of an especially handsomehouse. He knocks and waits. The door is opened by afriendly WOMAN in her 60s.

(CONTINUED)

101.

CONTINUED:

PETERIs this the home of EdvardNielson?

WOMANIt is.

PETERIs he here?

WOMANOne moment.

The Woman disappears into the house. A jovial, baldingMAN in his 70s appears.

PETEREdvard Nielson?

NIELSON (MAN)Yes.

PETERMy name's Peter Rohm. I'm anattorney representing JosefMengele in his current trial.

Nielson's bewildered.

PETERMay I come in?

NIELSONBut... why would you want to talkto me?

PETERHerr Nielson... During the winterof 1940, were you employed by theDurenburger Plumbing Works?

And finally Nielson understands -- and slams the door inPeter's face.

INT. RYKSTADT HOSPITAL - PEDIATRIC INTENSIVE CARE UNIT

A roomful of infants and small children at death's door,surrounded by high-tech medical machinery. A heart-rending sight. A PHYSICIAN in his forties walks withCory among the sick.

(CONTINUED)

102.

CONTINUED:

PHYSICIANPlease understand -- this is whatI see every day. It's the onlyway you can really fathom whatI'm telling you.

(indicates a patient)Look there.

Cory steps to the bedside of a tiny newborn, her eyestaped shut, breathing tube, NG tube, multiple IVs.

PHYSICIANYou'll notice how quiet ourchildren are. No crying. Wemust keep them so sedated.

(then)Can you look at this child andtell me you see life? Not in theordinary sense of the word, youcan't. We're learning in thesecases to do what's right for thepatients. It's a medical servicethat benefits thousands in thiscountry every year.

CORY(horrified irony)

"Thank God for the doctor."(then)

This medical service, is itprovided with the patient'sconsent?

PHYSICIAN(eyes on his patient)

How can she possibly consent?

INT. AMSTERDAM HOTEL ROOM - NIGHT

Cory enters and pulls off her shoes at the end of one ofthe longest days of her life.

INT. BERLIN HOTEL ROOM - NIGHT

Peter sits on the edge of his bed watching televisionnews coverage of the trial. Weary and alone.

EXT. BERLIN STREETS NEAR CRIMINAL JUSTICE BUILDING -MORNING

Full-blown riot. An army of anti-Nazi demonstratorshurls rocks and bottles at neo-Nazi zealots. Policedrive both sides apart with dogs, truncheons and watercannons.

103.

EXT. CRIMINAL JUSTICE BUILDING - MORNING

Hillmann's rental sedan skirts the violence to deliverPeter, who is muscled by police to the courthouse door. He ignores the shouts of press and protestors.

INT. COURTROOM NO. 700 - DAY

The stark contrast of judicial silence. Seated uprightin a wheelchair, only a single IV in evidence, Mengeleis wheeled into the enclosure.

PRESIDING JUDGEBack on the record in Germanyversus Mengele.

(and)Defense may proceed.

Peter rises.

PETERThe defense calls Dr. Karl Frank,director of the Wuerzbach Clinicfor Children's Medicine.

VOIGTObjection. Does this witnesspossess firsthand knowledge ofthe defendant? Did the defendantever work in his clinic?

PRESIDING JUDGEGermany has had its turn, HerrProsecutor. Overruled.

Dr. Frank is ushered to the stand. Mengele watches withintense interest.

PETERDr. Frank, what sort ofinstitution is the WuerzbachClinic?

DOCTOR FRANKWe're an in-patient medicalfacility caring for children withchronic disabilities.

PETERIn addition to directing theclinic, you yourself are apediatric surgeon, correct?

DOCTOR FRANKYes I am.

(CONTINUED)

104.

CONTINUED:

PETERAnd as such you're accustomed toreading patient files.

DOCTOR FRANKOf course.

Peter takes a stack of files from the defense table andsets them in front of the witness. Cory slips into theback of the courtroom, catching Peter's eye, andsqueezes into a seat.

PETERThese files represent 51 patientswho died at your clinic duringthe last six months of 1939. Doyou recognize the files?

DOCTOR FRANK(flips open top file and glances inside)

Yes I do.

PETERYou've studied them?

DOCTOR FRANKYes.

PETERDoes anything about them strikeyou as unusual from a medicalstandpoint?

DOCTOR FRANKAbsolutely. Fifty-one patients,suffering a variety of ailments-- severe deformities, mongolism,microcephaly -- are listed ashaving died of the exact samecause.

PETERWhat cause was that?

DOCTOR FRANKAccording to the records --

(reads from top file)"An adverse reaction tomedication."

Hilde sits motionless.

(CONTINUED)

105.

CONTINUED:

PETERFifty-one deaths in six monthsfrom an adverse reaction tomedication. That's unusual?

DOCTOR FRANKIt's beyond belief.

PETERMeaning the records areinaccurate?

DOCTOR FRANKMeaning the records are a lie.

PETERCan you tell the court what youthink did cause those deaths?

VOIGTObjection. Speculation.

PRESIDING JUDGESustained.

A beat. Peter adopts another approach.

PETERBesides cause of death, did thefiles contain anything elsenotable in common?

DOCTOR FRANKEach file held an identicalletter addressed to the parents.

(reads)"We regret to inform you of thedeath of your child. This deathshould not be considered atragedy. Under thecircumstances, the death shouldbe viewed as a merciful release."

PETER(repeats)

"... Death should be viewed as amerciful release."

Peter looks significantly toward the glass enclosure,then returns to his table and collects a much tallerstack of files, which he deposits before Frank.

(CONTINUED)

106.

CONTINUED:

PETERThese files represent patientdeaths for the three monthsbeginning January of 1940. Haveyou examined these files?

DOCTOR FRANKYes I have.

PETERAnd what did you find?

DOCTOR FRANKThey show a sharp increase in therate of patient deaths over theprevious period, from 51 deathsin six months up to 452 deaths injust three months.

PETERSo somewhere around the first ofJanuary 1940, a death rate you'vedescribed as already beyondbelief jumped sharply.

DOCTOR FRANKYes.

PETERDid you note any other changes?

DOCTOR FRANKDeaths during this periodoccurred among those much lessseverely ill, including patientswith minor facial deformities,cleft palate, undesirablebehaviors --

PETER(interrupts)

Undesirable behaviors? Such aswhat?

DOCTOR FRANK(a beat)

Bed-wetters.

PETERBed-wetters? And they came toyour clinic and died?

DOCTOR FRANKAccording to these records.

(CONTINUED)

107.

CONTINUED:

Pause.

PETERAny change in the letters?

DOCTOR FRANKNot one word.

PETERThey still said these deaths wereto be viewed as -- what did theysay?

DOCTOR FRANKA merciful release.

PETERA merciful release.

Mengele listens smugly.

PETERDoctor, can you tell the courtfor a fact what happened at thebeginning of January 1940 toaccount for this sudden increasein deaths?

DOCTOR FRANKFor a fact? No.

PETERThank you, Doctor. No morequestions.

PRESIDING JUDGEProsecution?

Voigt makes a show of throwing up his hands in disgust.

VOIGTNo questions.

PRESIDING JUDGEThe witness is excused.

Frank stands and exits.

PRESIDING JUDGEHerr Rohm?

PETERYour Honor, the defense callsEdvard Nielson.

(CONTINUED)

108.

CONTINUED:

An exceedingly reluctant Nielson is escorted to thestand.

PETERHerr Nielson, what is youroccupation?

NIELSONI'm a retired plumbingcontractor.

PETERAnd in January 1940?

NIELSONI was a plumber.

VOIGTObjection! A plumber? What doesany of this have to do with thedefendant's crimes?

(then)Your Honor, Germany moves to barfurther testimony in this matteras immaterial and requests averdict on the evidencepresented.

Peter is caught off guard by Voigt's surprise motion.

PETER(quickly)

Your Honor, may we approach?

The Presiding Judge nods and both Peter and Voigt moveto the bench.

PETERSurely the court won't deny thedefendant his defense.

VOIGTWhat defense is possible? He'sconfessed to every charge.

PETERNo, Your Honor, no. The doctorhas admitted no guilt. He'ssimply stipulated to the facts ofhis actions -- actions hecontends were a logical extensionof the medicine practiced at thattime throughout Germany. Thetestimony of this witness willcorroborate that view.

(CONTINUED)

109.

CONTINUED:

VOIGT(outraged)

What view?! That there's someconnection between what tookplace in a medical clinic and thewholesale butchery of Auschwitz?! That's obscene!

PETERYour Honor, if we can hear thewitness, I believe the connectionwill become clear.

The Presiding Judge considers at length.

PRESIDING JUDGELet no one say this court deniedany defendant a fair trial. Motion denied; we'll hear thewitness.

Voigt reacts in exasperation as he and Peter return totheir places.

PETERHerr Nielson, are you familiarwith an institution known as theWuerzbach Clinic for Children'sMedicine?

No answer is forthcoming.

PETERHerr Nielson?

NIELSONI'm familiar.

PETERIn January 1940, were you sent tothat institution to do someplumbing work?

NIELSONYes.

PETERRight after the New Year'sholiday.

NIELSONThat's right.

(CONTINUED)

110.

CONTINUED:

PETERIt wasn't an ordinary plumbingjob, was it? Tell the court whatyou remember about the project.

Nielson stares at the floor. Peter crosses back to histable and a final sheaf of aged paper.

PETERYou do remember the project,don't you? Because we canintroduce a number of documentsto refresh your memory.

NIELSONI remember.

(pause)They were building a room --

PETERWhat sort of room?

NIELSONA little room. Sealed all theway around, top and bottom --like a big shower, with one setof pipes going in, another setcoming out.

PETERSo you, what, hooked up thepipes?

NIELSONHooked up the pipes. Checked forleaks. They were very concernedabout that. Didn't want anyleaks.

PETERThey who? Who was in charge?

NIELSONThe doctors. I did exactly whatthe doctors told me.

PETERDid you know what you werebuilding?

NIELSONI asked; no one seemed to know. Finally one of the doctors toldme it was for an experimental newtreatment.

(CONTINUED)

111.

CONTINUED:

PETERAn experimental new treatment. Did you ever discover the natureof that treatment?

NIELSONNot the first time. But later,when they sent me back.

PETERThey sent you back? Why?

NIELSONThey wanted me to take it down.

PETERReally. When was this?

NIELSONAbout a year and a half later.

PETERSo... sometime in the last halfof 1941. And you say this timeyou discovered the nature of thetreatment.

NIELSONThey had the exhaust from adiesel engine hooked up to theintake pipes. Pumping theexhaust into the room. So, Imean, I'm not stupid.

Cory, sitting beside Hilde near the front of thegallery, listens with horrified fascination.

PETERWere you given any explanation asto why the device was dismantled?

NIELSONWell... so that it could be...relocated.

PETERAnd do you know where it was"relocated"?

Nielson shifts uncomfortably.

NIELSON... Yes.

(CONTINUED)

112.

CONTINUED:

PETEROf course you do. They sent youalong with it, didn't they, toput it back together on the otherend.

NIELSON(pause)

I was only a plumber. I only didwhat they told me.

PETERHerr Nielson, would you pleasetell the court where the devicewas moved?

Nielson shakes his head, mute.

PRESIDING JUDGEThe witness is instructed toanswer the question.

PETERWhere was the device moved?

NIELSON(finally)

East.

PETEREast. Where in the East?

NIELSONPoland.

PETERSouthern Poland?

NIELSONSouthern Poland, correct.

PETERWhere, exactly, in southernPoland?

Nielson doesn't want to answer.

PETERAuschwitz?

Nielson's hand covers his face. Peter almost shouts:

(CONTINUED)

113.

CONTINUED:

PETERWas the device moved toAuschwitz?

NIELSON(barely audible)

Yes.

A charge goes through the room.

MENGELE(a whisper)

Yes.

PETERWhen this device was reinstalledat Auschwitz, what modificationsdid you make?

NIELSONNone.

PETER(powerfully)

Your testimony is that youdismantled this device in aGerman medical facility -- andthen reassembled it withoutmodification at the Auschwitzextermination camp in Poland?!

NIELSON(a cry)

I DID WHAT THE DOCTORS TOLD ME!

On Mengele's face a crooked smile appears. Peter turnsto the bench.

PETERNothing further.

His eyes meet Cory's. What in God's name has he done?

EXT. CRIMINAL JUSTICE BUILDING - MAIN ENTRANCE - END OFDAY

MOVE WITH Peter as he pushes out the front door and intoa chaos of protest. Police fight to contain enrageddemonstrators as Peter makes his dash toward Hillmann'swaiting car. An OLD MAN strains through the policeline.

(CONTINUED)

114.

CONTINUED:

OLD MANHE KILLED MY MOTHER, HE KILLED MYFATHER, HE KILLED MY BROTHERS --

The Old Man is pushed back. A group of rainbow-hairedpunks breaks through and surrounds Peter, one of themdousing Peter with red paint.

Police surge in. Peter is knocked to the ground, hisbriefcase torn from his grasp. He scrambles after it,paint dripping into his eyes. Strong arms reach throughthe melee, pull Peter to his feet. Pressing thebriefcase into his hands, they hustle him towardHillmann's car. Once at the car, Peter wipes paint outof his eyes, gets a look at his saviors: a trio ofbuzz-cut young FASCISTS in tattoos and jackboots. Oneof them shoots him a grinning Nazi salute.

FASCIST THUGSieg heil.

Peter jerks free and leaps back as if from arattlesnake. Fixing them with a look of absolutecontempt, he ducks into the car.

INT. CAR

With the back door still hanging open, Hillmann triesdesperately to pull into traffic.

CORYGo, Felix, go!

PETERI'm okay --

He pulls the door closed and falls back against theseat. The skinheads pace the car like an honor guardfrom hell. Cory clutches Peter and screams at Hillmann:

CORYGO!!!

Finding a hole in traffic, he accelerates and theskinheads fall away, hooting their support.

BLOOD-RED WATER

swirls down the drain.

INT. HOTEL BATHROOM

Peter showers, scrubbing paint out of his hair, hisears, his eyes, strangely buoyed by this day.

(CONTINUED)

115.

CONTINUED:

PETERI don't know which scared Felixmore, those animals outside hiswindow or me, dripping paint onhis rented upholstery. "But --but -- but, Peter -- my deposit!"

Peter laughs. But soon realizes he's laughing alone.

PETERCory?

He peels back the shower curtain. She sits with headbowed, face averted. Crying. Peter wraps a towelaround himself and steps out of the shower.

PETERWhat?

She looks up, eyes wet with tears.

CORYWhen I saw you coming toward thecar -- I thought it was blood. Ithought they were killing you.

Peter takes her in his arms. She sags against him. They hold onto one another. Finally:

PETERWhy did you leave?

She wipes her tears with his towel. Tries to find thewords.

CORYHe kept talking about us. Aboutour doctors, our time. Like hewas pointing his finger sayingyou do the same things, you're asguilty as me. I wanted to provehim wrong.

PETERDid you?

Not an easy question for her to answer.

CORYI didn't find anyone gassingJews.

(MORE)(CONTINUED)

116.

CONTINUED:

CORY (CONT'D)(beat)

I met doctors who explained whyit's sometimes necessary to kill. I met one who calls herself a"helper of death." I heard aworld of good intentions. And Ikept thinking about your mother. And all those children atWuerzbach.

(then)What does that make thosedoctors? A bunch of littleMengeles?

PETEROf course not.

CORYThen what?

They sit in silence, wrestling with the impossiblequestion.

INT. HOTEL ROOM - LATER

Peter listens as Cory replays a recording.

CORY (V.O.)An active medical role,meaning...

INTERN (V.O.)Humane methods have beendeveloped.

CORY (V.O.)Are you telling me you've takenaction to bring about a patient'sdeath?

INTERN (V.O.)We're talking about patientswhose lives are essentially over. Their bodies just don't know it.

CORY (V.O.)Patients who are really... deadalready.

INTERN (V.O.)That's well put.

She clicks off the recorder. Peter's thinking.

(CONTINUED)

117.

CONTINUED:

Uncertain exactly how to make the pieces fit. He easesback onto the floor.

PETERWhen my mother told me to becareful, that what happened toErik's uncle could happen toanyone, I was terrified. BecauseI didn't know how to be careful. I didn't know what to watch for.

(beat)The Jews say "Never again." Butif we're only guarding againstswastikas and psychotics, I'mafraid we're going to miss it. We're going to miss it. BecauseI don't think that's the way ithappens.

(so quietly)But how does it happen?

Cory looks at the tapes spread in front of her. A newassurance.

CORYI can't tell you what all thismeans, Peter, but there'ssomething here.

(right at him)And I think I have an idea howour neighbors became killers.

(so simple)Just a little bit at a time.

Peter's face. A stone has dropped into a still pond. Aswitch has been thrown. A Gestalt moment. Understanding.

STRAIGHT CUT TO:

INT. COURTROOM NO. 700 - DAY

The courtroom is packed and silent, all eyes focused onPeter who stands before the bench, holding in hisupraised hand a book.

PETEROne small step.

(beat)At the time of the war, Germandoctors held a common belief inan idea introduced by this book-- The Permission to DestroyLife Unworthy of Life.

(MORE)(CONTINUED)

118.

CONTINUED:

PETER (CONT'D)They believed that not all liveswere worth living, that in someinstances physicians were in factobligated to take life ratherthan save it. It's a simpleidea, easily understood. It goeslike this.

Mengele's in the wheelchair again. His breathing islabored but he sits ramrod straight, held in place bypride and defiance.

PETERImagine you're a doctor, andimagine you have a patient, a 95-year-old woman within a week ofdeath from bone cancer. Now thisis an extremely painful disease,the bones become so weak that thesimple act of rolling over in bedcan break them. And even as youprepare an injection of morphine,you know it won't be enough tonumb her horrible pain. Yet toincrease the dosage will killher.

Mengele listens intently.

PETERYou explain this to your patient,and she looks you right in theeye and begs you: Fill thesyringe.

(beat)Such a simple step, this stepfrom healer to killer. Just fillthe syringe.

(holds up book)This book urged doctors to takethat step. And why not? On whatgrounds could a compassionatephysician refuse this woman'srequest?

(beat)One small step. If you read thepapers, you know it's a stepdoctors now take every day.

Mengele smiles a small smile of appreciation.

(CONTINUED)

119.

CONTINUED:

PETERNow imagine the same patientmaking the same request a monthearlier -- before her pain hasbecome so horrible. You knowvery well what's coming, and sheasks you to fill the syringe. What then? Will you deny therequest simply because thepatient hasn't sufferedsufficiently? On whatgrounds?... So. Another step.

The Judges listen stoically.

PETERNow imagine that instead of 95,the patient is only 75. Butstill suffering and just assurely doomed to die. Imaginethis patient begging you to fillthe syringe... Having granted thefirst two requests, on whatgrounds can you deny this one? One more step.

(pause)Now what if, instead of 75, thepatient is only 55?... Or 45?...What if she's 35? Stillsuffering, still dying, stillbegging.

(beat)What if she's only 5?

(quickly)But of course that's different. Now she can't make the requestherself. So imagine her motherand father with broken heartsbegging you, "Please, Doctor. End this nightmare. Fill thesyringe."

Peter's delivery holds the courtroom at rapt attention.

PETERWill you deny them -- and forcethe suffering to continue --simply because the patient is tooyoung to make the requestherself? On what grounds?... Onemore step.

(MORE)

(CONTINUED)

120.

CONTINUED:

PETER (CONT'D)(long beat)

And now, finally, imagine yourcountry at war. And imagine achild facing gruesome sufferingand inescapable death. Only now,because of the war, no parent isthere to make the request. And,again because of the war, it's nolonger one child but a hundredchildren. And they're not in ahospital bed, they're in the backof a dump truck. Not your fault;the war's fault. And you have nomorphine... only a burning pit.

(waits)What now. WHAT NOW?! You're adoctor. On what grounds will youdeny these children the samekindness, the same compassion,the same release, granted theothers?

(picks up book)But of course you're not doctors. You're judges. And so I ask you --

(brandishes book; thunders)

If we grant any doctor that firstsmall step, on what grounds canwe deny Doctor Mengele the last? ON WHAT GROUNDS?!!

(barely more than a whisper)

The road to Auschwitz isn't sohard --as long as it's taken onestep at a time.

Cory's sober as death. Mengele glows. Peter stands hisground in the center of the courtroom.

DISSOLVE TO:

EXT. BERLIN STREETS - PRE-DAWN

In the dark, quiet hours before morning, Peter walksalone through the streets of this city so visiblyhaunted by its past.

INT. WUERZBACH CLINIC - PRE-DAWN

Damaged children sleep. Peter walks among them. Soaking them in. Forming a bond.

121.

EXT. BERLIN - DAWN

Moments before the sun breaks the horizon. A light rainfalls as a taxi moves through the streets.

EXT. CRIMINAL JUSTICE BUILDING

The taxi rolls past a handful of anti-Nazi demonstratorswho brave the rain to man a strategic location near themain entrance. They pay no attention to the taxi as itrounds the side of the building. Peter steps from thetaxi, unfurls an umbrella and moves toward a sideentrance.

INT. CRIMINAL JUSTICE BUILDING - STAIRWELL

Peter descends at a leisurely pace, a man finally atpeace with himself.

INT. BASEMENT HOLDING AREA - OUTSIDE CELLS

Peter is frisked. His briefcase is searched.

INT. MENGELE'S CELL

It resembles a modern ICU. A male NURSE in hospitalblues sits attentively at the foot of the bed, watchinga video display of the patient's vital signs and makingnotes in his chart. Mengele lies beneath a HISSINGOXYGEN MASK, eyes closed in restless slumber. TwoGUARDS stand watch as Peter steps to the bed.

PETERDoctor.

The Nurse shakes his patient, flips on lights.

NURSEWake up, Doctor. You have avisitor.

Mengele cracks his eyes open, speaks thickly.

MENGELEPeter?... What time is it?

PETERJust before six.

Mengele coughs tightly into the mask. His conditionappears to have worsened dramatically.

PETERThe court clerk woke me 30minutes ago. There's going to bea verdict.

(CONTINUED)

122.

CONTINUED:

Despite his illness, Mengele speaks with a kind ofhappiness.

MENGELEThe verdict --

(coughs again)The verdict makes no difference. I said what I came to say.

(then)That's victory enough.

A spasm of painful, ineffectual coughing ensues. Peterturns to the Nurse.

PETERCan't you give him something?

The question sounds motivated by something less thansympathy.

NURSETylenol. Aspirin.

PETERAspirin?

NURSEHe refuses morphine. It dullshis mind.

PETERSo does the pain. Give it tohim.

MENGELE(between coughs)

I don't want it.

PETERA partial dose then.

MENGELENo --

But the Nurse crosses to a medicine locker.

NURSEIt may relax your airways,Doctor, help you to breathe.

The Nurse opens the locker and removes a glass vial. Using a syringe, he withdraws a small quantity of thedrug. Peter watches with interest.

(CONTINUED)

123.

CONTINUED:

PETER(to Nurse)

How long has he had this pain?

NURSEIt's much worse since yesterday. The tumors have begun obstructinghis airways.

PETERCan anything be done?

NURSE(holds up syringe)

At this point, the best we can dois manage the pain.

He crosses back to the bedside, sterilizes a port in theIV line and inserts the needle. Mengele swats at thesyringe.

MENGELEI don't need it.

NURSEI'm only giving you 40milligrams. You're written for100.

The Nurse pushes the morphine into the line.

NURSEIt's in.

The Nurse withdraws the needle and discards the syringein a waste container. Peter turns to the Guards.

PETERI'd like to speak with my clientprivately. Will you give us amoment?

He answers their reluctance with a reassuring smile.

PETERI don't think I'll be in anydanger.

The Nurse jots a final notation in the chart and headsfor the door.

GUARDDon't be long.

(CONTINUED)

124.

CONTINUED:

The Nurse and Guards exit, leaving Peter alone withMengele. The morphine has done its work. The old manrelaxes. His eyes find Peter.

MENGELEDo you know you're the only onewho's bothered to visit me here?

(beat)Mueller went to my family. Theytold him they don't know who Iam.

Peter has moved to the cell door and glances through thesmall window into the corridor. He pulls the oxygenmask away.

MENGELEYou've done well, Peter.

(and)You saved your family.

Peter crosses away from the door and OUT OF FRAME asMengele lies back on his pillow.

PETER (O.S.)It must be a very great burden. In prison, in pain, alone. Without hope of recovery.

Though these words are delivered without any particularfeeling, Mengele finds comfort in them.

PETER (O.S.)You've led a difficult, lonelylife.

Mengele relaxes into his pillow.

PETER (O.S.)And now death is imminent.

As Mengele contemplates these thoughts, his eyes driftclosed.

PETER (O.S.)When it comes, you'll no doubtwelcome it as you always have...a merciful release.

Mengele's eyes open. Something troubling about thatlast remark. He turns to see:

125.

PETER

bent over the medicine locker.

MENGELEWhat are you doing?

Peter turns. He's drawing fluid from a glass vial.

PETERFilling the syringe.

Mengele's stunned.

MENGELEAre you going to murder me?

PETERMurder you? No. I'm just goingto... practice medicine without alicense.

Mengele's incredulity gives way to a crooked smile. Helaughs at Peter's wicked, wicked joke. Peter withdrawsthe needle from the vial and crosses to locate the portin the IV line. Mengele's laughter dies.

MENGELEPeter -- put that thing awaybefore someone sees you andthinks you're serious.

But Peter's dead serious. He inserts the needle in theline. Mengele claps his hands over Peter's.

MENGELEYou know if you push that doseyou'll spend the rest of yourlife in prison --

Peter allows himself the tiniest of smiles.

PETERBut I'm not going to push it.

He grasps Mengele's hands, forces them around thesyringe, and then clamps his own hands over Mengele's.

PETER(ice)

You are.

Peter leans close with uncensored fury.

(CONTINUED)

126.

CONTINUED:

PETERYou ordered a truckload ofliving, breathing children throwninto an inferno. You mutilated,you gassed, you starved, youdissected children alive. Thenyou twisted the words around andaround to make murder sound likea kindness. But it was nokindness. The truth is in thepiles of emaciated corpses. Thetruth is in the mass graves. Thetruth is in the smoke that roseover Auschwitz.

Peter exerts dangerously increased pressure againstMengele's hands. Mengele trembles as he resists.

PETERFOUR HUNDRED THOUSAND HUMANBEINGS. Don't you dare denyyourself the same kindness youheaped on so many others.

The Guard calls from outside:

GUARD (O.S.)Counselor?

Mengele's eyes fly to the door. He rasps:

MENGELEGuard --

But Peter drowns out the feeble cry with a sharp:

PETERPrivacy, Sergeant -- please!

Peter watches the cell door. When it doesn't open, heturns back to Mengele for:

PETERPush it, Butcher! Go on!!! PUSHIT!!!

And just when it seems Mengele's strength is about tofail, Peter releases his wildly shaking hands and takesa quick step back, leaving the defendant holding thesyringe alone.

(CONTINUED)

127.

CONTINUED:

PETER(quietly)

Push the syringe and completeyour victory. Or call for theguard... and live a few moredays. (wait)Knowing the truth about yourself.

Mengele gasps for breath, quaking as he stares at thedeadly syringe, paralyzed by Peter's challenge. Hishands tighten on the syringe. An interminable moment oftortured indecision. And then the terror becomes toogreat and he jerks the needle free and casts it fromhim. It skitters across the floor, coming to rest atPeter's feet.

MENGELE(croaks it out)

Nurse --

Mengele gropes for the oxygen mask. Peter picks up thesyringe. He calmly drops it in the medical wastecontainer as Guards appear. Mengele looks from Peter tothe returning Guards to the container holding thesyringe. Finally:

MENGELEGet the nurse in here to fix thismask. I can't breathe.

The Nurse goes to work checking the flow of oxygen tothe mask. Peter steps to the cell door.

MENGELEYou think I was a bad doctorbecause I killed.

PETERYou weren't a bad doctor.

(wait)You were no doctor at all.

And with that Peter goes, leaving Mengele, to sink intohis pillow as the Nurse straps the mask firmly over hisface.

EXT. CRIMINAL JUSTICE BUILDING - DAY

RAIN POUNDS the pavement. Beneath the downpour,umbrellas converge on the great building.

128.

INT. CRIMINAL JUSTICE BUILDING - COURTROOM NO. 700 - DAY

The room is packed and silent as the judges enter. Mengele is scarcely visible inside the glass enclosure,now stuffed almost beyond capacity with medicalmachinery. Even in the short time since Peter left him,his condition has deteriorated. But more than that,something has changed in Mengele, as if the corner of acarefully-placed veil has fallen away. From behind itpeers a profoundly dark and frigid soul, full of venom.

PRESIDING JUDGEBack on the record in the matterof Germany versus Mengele.

Hillmann shifts nervously. Peter is at ease.

PRESIDING JUDGEThe defense has asked this courthow it can condemn killing by onephysician while sanctioningkilling by others. They haveasked how we may, in their words,reject the last step whilewelcoming the first. Thesequestions puzzle the court. ForGerman law sanctions killing byno one. We acknowledge that thepractice of medicine --particularly modern medicine --poses thorny ethical dilemmas. But we declare with the laws andconstitution of Germany this onesimple edict: Don't kill.

(and again)Don't kill.

Mengele's eyes darken with blistering contempt.

PRESIDING JUDGEBy his own admission, thedefendant did kill --prolifically, energetically andwithout remorse. In the name ofscience he undertook barbaricexperiments that inflictedunimaginable suffering. And thenhe congratulated himself withwords like kindness, mercy andcompassion.

Cory listens from the gallery.

(CONTINUED)

129.

CONTINUED:

PRESIDING JUDGEThis court instructs thedefendant that genuine compassionaddresses human suffering bydrawing alongside the sufferer tocomfort and to serve.

(with great force)It does not annihilate him.

(beat)The defendant did successfullyestablish one fact beyonddispute: The human heart iscapable of justifying any evil itcraves. And so the judgment ofthis court is as follows:

MENGELE'S FACE

is set.

PRESIDING JUDGE (O.S.)As to the charges of war crimes,guilty on all counts.

Mengele doesn't blink. PUSH IN.

PRESIDING JUDGE (O.S.)As to the charges of crimesagainst minorities, guilty on allcounts.

PUSH CLOSER.

PRESIDING JUDGE (O.S.)As to the charges of crimesagainst humanity, guilty on allcounts.

CONTINUE PUSH INTO EXTREME CLOSEUP.

PRESIDING JUDGE (O.S.)Because of the hideous nature ofthese crimes and the enthusiasmwith which they were committed,this court will mete out themaximum penalty possible underGerman law: life in prison.

(gavels)This matter is concluded.

Mengele breathes a single word, a lifetime of ragedistilled in a whisper:

MENGELEIdiots.

130.

IN THE COURTROOM

Silence prevails. The Judges rise and sweep from theroom. Cory sits motionless. Slowly and with littlesound, spectators rise and move toward the exit. Petergazes into the glass enclosure as a retinue of earnestyoung doctors surrounds Mengele and prepares to movehim. Hillmann steps to Peter's side.

HILLMANNLife in prison.

(bitterly)He'll laugh all the way to thegrave.

PETERDo you believe in hell, Felix?

HILLMANNI don't know. Do you?

Peter never takes his eyes off Mengele.

PETERI'm hoping.

They watch as Mengele is wheeled from the enclosure. The attendants pause to reposition the oxygen tank andMengele's eyes meet Peter's. His voice is a hoarsewhisper.

MENGELEWe'd have done better with amedical tribunal.

(agonizing cough)These imbeciles...

(another cough)These imbeciles have no ideawhat's happening in medicinetoday.

The attendants roll Mengele slowly away. Peter watchesuntil he's gone.

INT. CRIMINAL JUSTICE BUILDING - GROUND FLOOR

In the crush of courtgoers exiting the building, Corysearches for Peter. She spots him near the doors,standing still. Like someone going into shock followinga trauma. Cory crosses to him. He turns to her. Theireyes meet.

PETERThis morning... I had the chanceto kill him. I almost did it.

(CONTINUED)

131.

CONTINUED:

Cory looks through the doors to the waiting mob ofreporters and beyond them the crowds of protestors.

CORYTell them that. Make themunderstand why you did all this. Even if it means never arguinganother case. Tell them.

PETERNo. I have to do somethingharder.

He takes her hand.

EXT. CRIMINAL JUSTICE BUILDING - DAY

Peter and Cory emerge together, raising an umbrellaagainst the rain that falls in sheets. Reportersthunder questions. Peter steps forward.

PETERWhat can I tell you? That JosefMengele was a savage butcher? Ofcourse he was. But you alreadyknow that. What can I tell you? That no connection exists betweenGermany's first well-intentionedkilling and the bloodbath thatfollowed? But it does exist. Weproved that. Josef Mengelethinks this fact excuses him. He's wrong.

(wait)I fear it indicts us all.

(wait again)What can I tell you to help yousleep tonight? Only this. Cherish life.

Peter's eyes turn to Cory and he pulls her to him.

PETERCherish. Every. Life.

Peter steps away from the microphones. A WAGNERIAN ARIABEGINS. Cory takes the umbrella from him. Lowers it. Taking his hand, she walks with him, pushing through thereporters, solemnly and unprotected, into the drenchingrain.

FADE OUT.

132.

FADE IN:

A HEAVILY-SHADOWED, UNIDENTIFIABLE, OTHER-WORLDLY PLACE

The ARIA is joined by a stark HISS. Something darkglides INTO FRAME. Gleaming black boots. Prone. Followed by the crisp trousers of an SS officer'suniform. Then the dark uniform tunic, arms foldedprecisely across the chest after the manner of the SS. And then the face. Hauptsturmfuhrer Josef Mengele. Aged and grey. Eyes wide open. They blink once. Twice. The body trollies past, before it the open mouthof a wildly HISSING GAS OVEN. As the body slides intothe inferno, the trousers begin to burn. The eyes blinkagain.

The ARIA SOARS.

FADE OUT.

THE END

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