SYNOPSIS
Super spy Mark loves his job even if it means not having a personal life. His new assignment seems right up his alley. He needs to infiltrate a group of scientists at a large corporation who are working on a very important device that many are interested in. Mark's objective is to protect the scientists, and more importantly to his superiors, protect the device from being stolen. Seems easy enough, if he wasn't distracted by the CEO's sexy assistant who seems to have secrets of her own. Mark is used to being the predator, but this time, is it he who is the target? Either way, someone has a bulls-eye on their heart.
PROLOGUE:
Scene: Burj Khalifa Building, Dubai, UAE.
In one of the highest floors of the building, there's a secret casino. There are only a few tables in the large opulent room. It is surrounded by glass walls that provides views that only being up that high in the tallest building in the world can provide.
Mark is sitting in one of the Black Jack tables. He looks debonair in a black tuxedo, the attire of most of the men in the room, though some of them are wearing the traditional white robes of the region. There are beautiful women that are walking around and carrying trays of drinks.
Mark is looking at the hand that was just dealt to him. Standing next to Mark is his new friend Malik. Malik looks nervous.
Mark: (to the dealer) Hit me.
Dealer gives him a card. Mark looks at the card. Dealer and Mark reveal their cards. Mark wins the hand. He looks bored.
Malik: (looking more excited than Mark) Yes!
The dealer pushes the winning chips towards Mark.
The pit manager walks over to them.
Pit Manager: Sir, we would like to extend an invitation to you to the “Titanium Table”
Mark: Hmmmm... Sure. But first I'm just gonna take a little break. I need to stretch my legs.
Mark and Malik leave the table and walk to one of the large windows overlooking the city below.
Malik: Mark, are you sure about this?
Mark: (shrug) Sure, why not.
Malik: You know the reason they want you to join the table with the highest stakes is because they think you are a rich sucker. You already lost so much!
Mark: Yeah, but my luck is turning. I won the last 3 hands.
Malik: Yeah, after losing the last hundred before that.
Mark had a 'don't care' expression on his face.
Malik: Whatever, dude. If your family is that rich and you don't care about losing millions, that's up to you. My cousin couldn't be happier with me for bringing you here. Look at that smug a-hole.
They both look in the direction of the man they are talking about. Ali looks like an older, fatter version of Malik. He is laughing and talking with someone.
A pretty girl comes by and offers them both some drinks. Malik declines but Mark takes one. He lifts up the drink to Ali across the room, who does the same with his drink.
Mark: It's all good, Malik. Don't worry.
While still looking out the window, Mark stretches his arms up and to the sides and twists his body as if stretching his oblique muscles.
Mark: Let the games begin.
Scene: In a room in another tall building. A person wearing SWAT gear is standing by the window. He puts down his powerful binoculars and addresses the other men wearing SWAT gear in the room.
Man: He gave the signal. Get ready.
Scene: Titanium Table in the secret casino.
Dealer is about ready to start.
Mark: Hang on, I need my eye drops.
Mark puts some eye drops in both eyes and sits in the chair.
A while later.
Mark is the only one left playing at the table. He flips open his cards. He wins again.
Mark has been winning for almost an hour of playing and has a huge stack of chips in front of him.
Malik: I don't believe it! Yes!! Your luck turned like you said!
Others are crowded around the table, watching. Ali, who is the pit boss, has been intently watching Mark play for the last several hands.
Mark still acts like he has no care in the world. He continues to play, drink and flirt with the pretty girls.
Mark: (thinking) I'll need more eye drops after this hand.
Begin Flashback:
Scene: In a room that looks like a high tech laboratory, Prof Y is explaining something to Mark.
Mark: Okay, so let me see if I understand this. I will mark the cards with these gels, then I'll be able to see the markings if I have applied the eye drops.
Prof Y: Correct! It's similar to marking cards and being able to see the marks with special eyeglasses or contact lenses, but that's a well known way of cheating and I'm sure they will be looking for that.
Mark: These gels will show as different colors?
Prof Y: Yes. You can put them in different areas of your hair and body to retrieve them. Now, you still have to remember what color and mark you used for what card so there's still a fair amount of card counting involved but you should be able to handle that.
Mark: Yup, I first got recruited by this agency to help with a card counting scheme.
Prof Y: Good, good. One last, very important thing. After you put the eye drops in, you will be able to see the marks on the cards for only about 15 minutes so you will have to reapply the eye drops. However, if you have these drops in your eyes for more than an hour, it could damage your eyes. I can't stress that enough!
End Flashback
Scene: Back at the Blackjack table. Mark wins again. Ali looks like he's trying hard to contain his anger.
Mark blinks a few times and rubs his eyes.
Mark: Maybe it's time to go, Malik. I'm getting tired I have one or two ideas how to spend our loot! It's time to make it rain!
Malik: Hell yes!
Ali: (fake charming) My friend, my friend, what's the hurry? Stay! Sit down! Drink some more! I'll personally be your dealer.
Ali motions the dealer to leave and he takes his place. Ali deals another hand. They play and Mark wins again.
Mark: I'm really getting tired. This is boring. I'm tired of taking your money. (he makes the word money sound boring)
Ali: Perhaps we can play for something other than money?
Mark: (showing slight interest) Oh? What do you have in mind?
Malik: Oh man! Mark, don't let him manipulate you!
Ali: As you can imagine, many of our patrons have left us with various valuables, perhaps something might catch your fancy? We have cars, art, jewelry, ...
Mark: (thinking) Finally! Damn, my eyes are really burning. The hour is almost up.
Mark: Hmmmm. I need a new watch...
Ali motions to someone and they bring over a small chest. Ali opens the chest to reveal several super expensive watches in the velvet lined interior.
Ali: As you can see, we have quite a selection.
Mark looks at the watches and spots the one he wants.
Mark: (pointing to the watch he wants and a few others) That one, that one and ... which one do you want, Malik?
Malik: (broad smile) That silver Rolex.
Mark: And the silver Rolex.
Ali takes out the watches and puts them on the table.
Mark: Tell you what...I really am tired. Lets make this double or nothing. If I win, I'll take it all.
Ali: Fair enough. These are worth several million dollars.
Mark puts some eye drops on as Ali looks at him and the eye drop bottle suspiciously.
Ali deals. Mark keeps blinking but wins.
Ali: (under his breath) sonnafabitch!
Malik: Yes! Come to Papa!
Malik grabs the Rolex right away and puts it on.
Mark takes the watch he really wants, what he really came here for, and puts it on.
Mark: (not lying) I have a splitting headache. I have to go. I expect you to wire the money to my Swiss bank account.
Ali's associate: Yes, sir. The wire is going through as we speak.
Malik: Are you okay Mark?
Mark: (holding his forehead, with his eyes closed) Fine, just need some fresh air...
Ali is watching Mark. He's livid and he can't hide it. Ali grabs the eye drops bottle from Mark's tux pocket and puts it in his own eyes. He looks at the card and immediately sees the different color markings.
Ali: I KNEW IT !!!! These cards are marked! I can see it after I put these eye drops in! Get him! Kill him!
Malik: What ?! You're crazy! Mark would never ....
Ali: You idiot! Get out of the way!!
Mark throws the heavy case at them and runs away. He throws his cuff links at the large glass wall where he was standing next to earlier, causing a small explosion. The glass shatters and Mark jumps down from over fifteen hundred feet high. Ali and the casino henchmen shoot at him as he is falling down. Bullets whizzes past close to Mark.
Mark almost passes out from pain in his head and eyes and falling at such high velocity, but he manages to activate his tuxedo into a wingsuit. Nylon material comes out from under his arms and legs which self-inflates, like a flying squirrel. Soon he is gliding between the tall buildings by angling his “wings.” But he can barely see as he flies towards a building rooftop where his team is waiting for him. By the time he opens his parachute, he can't see a thing. He would have missed his landing if his team didn't grab him.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wingsuit)
Team Lead: Mark! Mark! Are you okay?
Mark: I can't.. see...
Team Lead: Get the antidote now!
The team had it standing by. They put a lot of a liquid gel in Mark's eyes and bandage him quickly. They all get to a helicopter and fly away.
Scene: Batanes Coastal Road. 5 AM
Mark is on his mountain bike pedaling through the gorgeous scenery. The trail has some easy and some challenging parts but Mark is not even breaking a sweat. He's wearing a bike helmet, tight fitting bike shirt and bike shorts. To his right is the South China Sea, its turquoise waves lapping against the big masses of rocks on the beach. The sky is a bright, gleaming, intense blue even this early in the morning. The wind is crisp. The refreshing breeze wakes you up better than a strong cup of coffee. It's a perfect day for a 40 km bike ride along one of the most beautiful coastal trails in the world.
Mark: (thinking) This is just what I needed. I miss being in the Philippines.... Didn't know how much I needed this vacation till I got here...
Mark breathes in a lungful of the fresh sea air as he passes by the famous lighthouse.
Mark: (thinking) Ahhh.. love the smell of the ocean...
Mark continues to pedal his bike, deep in his thoughts but still taking in the views. He sees the brilliant green mountains and spots something. He blinks a few times.
Mark: (thinking) Was that a couple of mountain goats butting heads? Ha ha. Wonder how my brother is doing? He should be back from his mission soon too. Hope we can at least meet up before our next assignments.
Mark stops by a small store to get some breakfast and refill his water bottle. He chit chats a bit with the mother and son who runs the store.
Boy:..and my dad is a fisherman. One day I'll be big enough and he will take me with him to fish!
Mark: That's great. I'm sure you'll do a great job.
Boy: How come you're on vacation all by yourself? Don't you have anyone to go with you?
Mother: Son! Don't be nosy! Sorry about that, sir!
Mark: Ha ha! No problem! Here you go.. keep the change..
Mark puts on his bike helmet and gets on his bike and continues on. He decides on impulse to leave the coastal road and go through a trail that leads to more rugged mountainous terrain.
Mark: (thinking) (sigh) Another solo vacation... I suppose I shouldn't be surprised if my girlfriends keep breaking up with me...
Begin flashback:
Scene: Mark's girlfriend Ana's house
Mark: Why aren't you ready? We have to be at the airport soon. I'm so looking forward to this trip!
Ana: I'm not going with you.
Mark: What?
Ana: You heard me... I'm not going with you to Batanes.
Mark: What the hell! You waited till now to tell me this?
Ana: Just giving you a taste of your own medicine! How many times have I sat waiting for you and you didn't show up? How many times have you changed our plans last minute? Like this trip, this is the third time we planned it. It wouldn't have surprised me one bit if you postpone it yet again!
Mark: Ana, sweetie, you know I have to travel a lot for my work..
Ana: Don't 'sweetie' me! You said you were gonna be gone for only a couple of weeks this time and it turned out to be four months! I didn't hear from you for the last few weeks at all! I kept calling you, I was so worried! Now you want us to go on this trip like nothing happened. Where were you really?
Mark: There was an emergency at work, I told you....
Ana: You must think I'm a complete moron to believe that. Mark, I love you and I put up with a lot, but this is the last straw. I feel that you are not completely honest with me.. Like, like you are holding something back. I feel it when we're together, when we talk, when we make love... Please, please tell me the truth. I promise, I'll understand, whatever it is. It can't be any worse than what already crossed my mind.. Do you have a secret family? You're an assassin? You're into drug smuggling? Gay porn? What?!?
Mark looks like he's ready to spill it but hesitates.
Mark: No, no, none of that. I...I...It's just work like I told you...
Ana: AAAAAAAHHHHH!!! LEAVE! NOW !!! When you are ready to be honest, you know where to find me!
End flashback
Mark: (thinking) Batanes IS awesome. Maybe I'll settle down here.. find a nice girl to marry, open a little business, quit the spy game..... Naaah...
He's so deep in his train of thought that he doesn't notice another bike rider jumping down from a large boulder above him, to several feet in front of him and then speeding away. He was so distracted that he doesn't notice a huge rock in his path that he should have avoided until it was too late. His bike hits the rock and hits the ground, but his body kept going. He flips through the air and lands hard on his back. Thud! Before he crashed, he noticed a couple of things: One, the other bike rider had a shapely bottom revealed by tight bike shorts. Second. she has a small tattoo on her back. It's a target with a couple of darts with heart shaped flights right in its bullseye. He blinks a few times.
Mark was stunned for a second then gets up. He looks in the direction of the other bike rider and sees that she's far away and didn't even realize what happened.
4/8/11
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