scene 4: brief(ed).

cut to:

ext. charlie , mary and gina's house - night

the camera follows the aforementioned string of multi-colored lights down a path in the threesome's backyard as charlie and mary help mia walk into the house. there is no dialogue or natural sound during this, only music - the first sound of music in the film.

the camera shakes as they walk up the steps of the small porch into the modest old home, charlie's arm around mia in a fatherly manner. mary opens the door and they walk in.

cut to:

int. charlie, mary, and gina's living room - night

the living room is dark, with a single lamp on. it is cluttered with magazines on the floor, an over-sized coffee table, and a three-piece dusty-looking leather furniture set. charlie sits on a ratty sofa as mary and mia walk into the adjacent open kitchen to use the phone. the camera stops with charlie, but the two women can be seen out of focus in the back.

charlie puts his head in his hands and looks down at the ground - seemingly a combination of exhaustion and reluctance. he looks over toward the kitchen, then slowly bring his head back to his right hand, as his left hand takes a cell phone out of his pocket. he keeps it down by his side, hiding it from view. he punches buttons effortlessly. the music stops.

close up - cell phone screen reads, "safe but running."

cut to:

int. detroit airport - night

a wide shot of the airport terminal in detroit featuring the motorized walkways and incessant chatter/airport white noise. this fades down slowly, and we can hear someone on the other end of a phone using a voice scrambler and james talking clearly.

james
worth it? of course i think it's worth it. why else would i be talking to you?

scrambled voice
i am terrified of what could happen. absolutely terrified.

james
then i'm not doing it. but it is worth it. 100%.

scrambled voice
i'm hanging up now. you make your decision, i'll make mine.

close up: james' mouth, slightly agape, about to talk into the cell phone that is slowly inching away from his face.

cut to black

audio: the airport noise stops almost immediately after the cut, followed by the sound of a cellular flip-phone closing up.