Presented below is an episode transcript of Owls from Chris Carter's Millennium TV series. These transcripts have been provided thanks to the dedication and time consuming hard work of Millennium fans Libby and Maria Vitale. Millennium - This is who we are is extremely greatful to Libby who has painstakingly checked, updated and edited each one for accuracy to make sure that they are as true to the actual episodes as possible.
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The transcript on this page includes all spoken and visual content providing a full written account of the selected episode of Chris Carter's Millennium television series.
Please note that transcripts are different to the original Ten Thirteen shooting scripts/screenplays in that they have been painstakingly transcribed from the actual broadcasted episodes (and subsequently later checked against the DVD released episodes) for the benefit of resource and interest of Millennium's fans.
The original episode screenplays and shooting scripts may include or exclude varying scenes, explanations and character descriptions and are always of great interest to fans of Millennium. Such scripts of Millennium may occasionaly be found for sale on Ebay and other online auction sites and make for ideal collectors items.
In 2004, Lance Henriksen (Millennium's Frank Black) teamed up with Sue Myatt formerly of website Lance Henriksen Magic to auction his personal signed collection of 63 Millennium scripts filled with Lance's comments, notes, production sheets, location maps and reminders.
Together they are to be congratulated for raising over £13,000 for international charities, which was a fantastic endeavour.
Unfortunately many, if not most of the auctioned autographed scripts were believed to have been purchased by internet auction traders, and therefore never got to be appreciated and cherished by Millennium's actual fans.
We have available some scanned shooting/production scripts available within our main community downloads section, which have kindly been freely scanned and shared by their respective owners.
All of the Millennium transcripts on this website can be discussed in our message board's Millennium DVD & Episode Transcripts forum, which contains copies of these transcripts together with extra DVD Special Feature and Commentary transcripts.
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Written by Glen Morgan & James Wong
Directed by Thomas J. Wright
US airdate: 6 March 1998
[Transcribed by Dan Owen
Edited by Libby]
[Editor's note: It's probable that Dan's transcript incorporated an early version of the shooting script. There were scenes in his transcript that don't appear on the DVD and there were quite extensive changes to dialogue. Rather than transcribe the episode from scratch, I have amended Dan's transcript in order to keep the excellent scene descriptions and details he provided.]
[Editor's further note: Thanks to Laurent of TIWWA for providing the French line said by Le Fur, subtitled on screen as "This is who we are."]
[polaroid fade up]
[Above the dome of an ancient mosque, a minaret rises into the dark cold sky of the Syrian desert. Silence: the city sleeps. But there is activity.]
[A van pulls up to the mosque next to an arcade along the side of the building. The van's door slides open and several men, all dressed black with ski-masks, emerge quickly. Some men carrying weapons stand guard. The rest of the team remove cased equipment from the van. The latches on a case are unlocked and the contents removed – various pieces of high-tech ground penetrating radar. Gloved hands attach cables. As the equipment is positioned, Francois Amadou watches intensely, scanning the area. The equipment is placed on the flagstones within the arcade and pulled along. A video display shows the waves of radar information. They continue the radar scan and then the screen shows a rectangular anomaly. Amadou raises his hand.]
[He checks the data and turns to his crew and nods.]
[A jackhammer pummels a flagstone, breaking it easily, while Amadou watches. A figure, Le Fur, appears at the end of the arcade. The sentries aim their weapons at him.]
[Amadou and his team return to work. Le Fur consults some documents as he moves to stand next to the excavation. Then Le Fur raises his hand to stop the digging. Amadou and Le Fur drop to the ground and start pulling the rubble away from the object – a piece of wood – which Amadou carefully picks up.]
[Two men, Europeans, armed with handguns, appear a little way off, watching the proceedings.]
[Amadou and Le Fur look at the wood reverently, then Le Fur jerks his head as the signal for them to get moving.]
[One of the European assassins takes aim and shoots a guard standing by the van. The guard falls, letting loose a stream of bullets in the air from his machine gun. There's an exchange of firing and other guards are shot as they try to get to the van. Amadou is shot and falls, dropping the wood. Le Fur sees the wood lying in the dust and dodges between the arcade's pillars and runs to pick it up. From the van, a guard shouts.]
[The guard himself is shot, leaving only Le Fur and the two assassins out in the open. The two assassins stop firing and walk slowly towards Le Fur. Le Fur is still crouched down by the wood, but then picks it up and holds it close to this chest. The two assassins raise their guns and Le Fur stands up. The guns' laser beams show as two small red dots on the Le Fur's chest. First one assassin pulls the trigger, and the gun just clicks, then the second, equally uselessly. Le Fur raises his gun at arm's length and shoots twice. Both assassins fall.]
[In the van, Le Fur gently puts down the wood next to Amadou's body. The driver looks back.]
[Le Fur aims a flashlight at the wood.]
[The wood shows a hole towards the end. Brown bloodstains circle the hole with streaks to the base. Le Fur gently touches the wood.]
[fade to black]
[main titles]
[polaroid fade up]
[Frank's house. A child's workbook shows a line drawing of a dog.]
[Jordan and Frank are sat at the table in the sitting room. On the table are other books and toys, and Frank's pager.]
[A drawing of a couple of cows.]
[The pager sits silent on the table.]
[A drawing on an owl.]
[The pager buzzes, vibrating.]
[Frank picks up the pager, switching it off, but continues to look at the display.]
[He gets up and walks towards his desk.]
[Frank smiles. He picks up the phone on his desk and dials a number. The call is answered almost immediately.]
[A click. Then the dialtone.]
[An office. A small watercolor of a landscape hangs on the wall. This is the office of Clear Knight, Vice President of Personnel Relations, Aerotech, Seattle. She's a pleasant, attractive woman in her mid-30s, dressed in business attire.]
[She sits on a chair next to Catherine.]
[Lara's apartment, night. Lara is working at her computer, surrounded by papers. Her screen beeps and shows the familiar Millennium Group ouroboros startup screen. Lara double-clicks her mouse.
[She waits a second, then the screen shows the words 'WELCOME, LARA, THERE ARE 665 DAYS REMAINING.' Suddenly, the image flickers. Lara looks puzzled as a new image appears: within the ouroboros symbol is a line drawing of an owl. After a few seconds a new window appears stating: 'A GENERAL DEFAULT HAS OCCURRED. THIS PROGRAM WILL BE SHUT DOWN.' The screen goes black. As Lara considers the malfunction, behind her a bright light begins to form. She senses and dreads the light, but slowly turns to see the featureless image of a glowing angel a few meters away. The white light grows wider and wider.]
[A Royal Jordanian Airlines Jet roars down towards the runway.]
[Airport security area. A backpack is placed on a conveyor belt and carried into a security x-ray machine. A blanket roll, tied with twine, and a small case are also placed on the conveyor. Amongst other luggage is a small wooden crate tied with twine which Le Fur places on the conveyor. He now appears unkempt, with a few days stubble. Trying to appear normal he walks forward, attempting to gauge the response by the nearby security personnel. The crate is carried into the x-ray machine. An awkward Security Officer gestures for Le Fur to walk through a metal detector archway. He passes through safely. The wooden crate reappears and slides down to join other luggage. Le Fur casually takes the crate and walks away.]
[Le Fur turns to see the Officer wants him to return.]
[Le Fur hands over his documents.]
[As Le Fur bends down to open the crate, we notice a leather bag slide down the ramp and be retrieved by a man in his late-30's, Helmut Gunsche. As he takes his bag, he looks up casually at the ceiling. Above him, a security camera watches; its red light blinking. Gunsche moves away with his leather bag. Le Fur has opened the crate, allowing the officer to search inside. There's a book and a sweater inside. Gunsche takes up a position near a pillar. He puts down his bag and picks up a newspaper, but he's focusing on the search. Underneath the sweater, the security officer finds a pager.]
[Gunsche peers over his newspaper, then moves behind the pillar. The security guard has handed the pager to Le Fur.]
[The device explodes, instantly killing Le Fur and the security officer. Chaos erupts in the security area. The small explosion sends travelers running for cover. In the confusion, Gunsche picks up his bag moves forward carrying a small device in his hand. He heads for the x-ray machine, aims the device at the security camera and presses a button. The security camera fizzes and cuts power. Gunsche continues his stride, as security personnel shout orders through the confusion. Expressionless Gunsche grabs the wooden crate and disappears into the crowds.]
[A large house – night]
[Silent and serene, the fortified house is situated at the lakeside, next to a dock.]
[This Axmann's house and he is sat in a comfortable armchair in his study.]
[The hand of the Rudolf Axmann is revealed; white-skinned, arthritic and criss-crossed with blue veins. On his left sleeve is a cuff link, showing a lightning bolt symbol.]
[He hangs up.]
[Warehouse – night. The huge warehouse is vacant of any produce, etc. A solitary overhead light is the only illumination. Half a dozen people are stood in the room. Amongst them are: Mr. Dean, African/American, mid-40's, and Finley . Everyone looks anxious.]
[Watts reacts cautiously.]
[The group look suspicious of Watts.]
[Watts looks at the assembled members.]
[Everyone looks at Watts, shocked.]
[The Old Man's shack – night. A fireplace's light dances across a report on events in Damascus and Amman. A shadow moves across the report, and then across the shack's walls, stopping on a framed photograph of a young SS Officer beside Adolph Hitler.]
[Watts's office – night. Watts sits at his desk. His fax machine hums. Watts turns to see the incoming fax message. Watts reads the message, disappointedly. The message reads: 'IT IS NOT TIME'.]
[fade to black]
[polaroid fade up]
[Frank's house – night. The owl in Jordan's workbook as the book is closed. Jordan gathers her book and school supplies. Frank helps as he listens to Catherine.]
[Frank looks at his watch.]
[Frank looks at her.]
[Frank nods, still helping Jordan. Catherine looks at him, half angry.]
[Frank is silent.]
[Catherine smiles and they hug.]
[Catherine smiles/winces...]
[Later. Frank carries a sleeping Jordan to Catherine's car. He puts Jordan into the front passenger seat while Catherine gets in.]
[Frank buckles Jordan into the car seat.]
[There's a pause.]
[Frank smiles a little. The two look at each other. Then Frank kisses the still-sleeping Jordan.]
[Frank closes the door. Catherine starts up the car and drives away. Frank touches the car briefly as it pulls away. He stands watching the car go off into the distance, then notices another car parked a little way up the road with two people in it. He goes back into his house, checks his watch, takes a pair of binoculars from the hallway and goes over to the sitting room windows. Using the binoculars, he looks through the blinds at the car. The occupants seem to sense this and drive away.]
[Research library – day. Deathly quiet. Shelves of cardboard boxes, trolleys with artifacts. A small desk. Lara goes over to the desk with a book: Physiological Causes and Psychological Effects of Religious Hallucinations. There's a sound of a door opening and Lara looks up briefly before returning to the book. Then there's another sound. Lara cautiously gets up and walks down the room, checking the aisles. She stops suddenly on hearing a voice.]
[Lara cannot see the person, and starts walking down an aisle.]
[The man's face is hidden in shadows.]
[Lara is continuing to search.]
[Lara has continued to walk through the library and then stops, unafraid.]
[She sees a man standing a few aisles down, half hidden. It's Mr Johnston.]
[fade to black]
[fade up]
[A computer monitor showing the Owls graphic encircled by the ouroboros as before, but underneath is: 'IT IS STILL DARK OF NIGHT.' It's Frank's computer. A man's hands removes the casing of Frank's phone, using a small flashlight to examine the interior. Then the casing is removed from Frank's computer and the insides checked. An electronic surveillance detector is passed over the fax machine and over to the wall where a picture hangs. The machine is switched off at the sound of Frank's jeep pulling into the drive.]
[Outside, it is dark. Frank gets out and helps Jordan out of the car. The figure in the house stands still. Frank picks Jordan up and carries her up the steps. They both giggle as they get to the front door. Frank unlocks and the door and as they enter he goes to flip the light switch, but then pauses, wary.]
[Frank switches on the light. Jordan edges behind her father.]
[Jordan runs up the stairs. Frank calls after her.]
[He throws his car keys down on to the hall table, angry.]
[Watts pulls Frank into the darkened study. Frank shuts the door.]
[He indicates the owl/ouroboros on the computer screen.]
[Frank switches on the lights.]
[Watts keeps eye contact with Frank, as he pulls out a single United States of America dollar bill from his pocket. He turns it over. The symbol on the back is of 'The Great Seal'; an eye is inset within a floating triangle above a 13 step, 4 sided pyramid.]
[Watts turns the dollar bill back round to display the image of George Washington. Frank is only slightly unnerved.]
[Watts puts the dollar bill on Frank's desk, then walks away and out of the house.]
[fade to black]
[polaroid fade up]
[The Millennium Group computer room. A computer screen is displaying an image from the surveillance camera of the security area in Amman earlier. It shows Le Fur with the crate.]
[Lara is with Watts, studying the image.]
[Watts points at the screen.]
[Lara looks at Watts.]
[Watts moves his chair along to another computer terminal and Lara does likewise.]
[On the computer screen: an image of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher appears.]
[The computer screen images changes to an ancient image of Helena and the cross.]
[The computer screen shows images of a huge Crusade battle.]
[Watts points to the screen.]
[Security camera image of the crate.]
[Lara gestures to interrupt.]
[Watts is stunned.]
[Lara doesn't confirm anything.]
[Lara looks both surprised and disappointed at the news. They both look at each other intensely.]
[Watts turns away; anxious and perhaps scared.]
[Aerotech office – night. The watercolor landscape hangs on Ms. Knight's office wall. Clear Knight is working at her desk. Her door is slight ajar. A knock breaks the silence as Catherine pokes her head round.]
[They both share a forced laugh. Catherine waves and quickly leaves.]
[Aerotech parking lot – night. Catherine opens her car door and gets inside. She turns the key in the ignition but nothing happens, the engine doesn't even turn over. Catherine tries again, without success.]
[Aerotech – night. Ms. Knight is still working at her desk. A knock at the door again – she looks up to see Catherine in the doorway.]
[Gas station – night. A gas pump nozzle pumps fuel into a car.]
[The person holding the gas pump is revealed to be Mr Johnston, standing beside his four door sedan, talking on his cellphone.]
[Another car pulls into the gas station on the other side of the gas pump.]
[Mr. Johnston considers this. The driver of the other car gets out.]
[Johnston checks his watch, takes out the gas pump nozzle and slots it back on the pump.]
[The other driver picks up the gas pump nozzle. The left sleeve of his shirt is exposed – showing the same engraved lightning bolt symbol on a cuff link.]
[Aerotech parking lot – night. Frank's jeep pulls up parallel to Catherine's car. He gets out, leaving Jordan inside. He opens the hood and looks inside – sniffs the air – then looks puzzled. Catherine and Clear Knight approach.]
[Frank turns to see Catherine and Ms. Knight, carrying a briefcase.]
[Catherine realizes she didn't introduce them.]
[Jordan smiles and waves from the car.]
[Frank has closed the hood. Ms Knight nods to Frank and walks off. Catherine looks at Frank who is looking serious.]
[Forest road – night. A dark stretch of rain-soaked road. Headlights appear over the horizon. Johnston is driving alone. His radio is tuned to a talk station.]
[Johnston searches the radio stations for something more interesting. After a few seconds the guitar strums of America's "Horse With No Name" fill the car.]
AMERICA: (V.O) On the first part of the journey/I was lookin' at all the life...
[Johnston drives with the song still playing.]
AMERICA: (V.O) There was sand and hills and rings...
[Headlights break the darkness behind Johnston's car. Another vehicle is approaching at speed. Johnston winces from the reflection of the car's lights. He adjusts his rear-view mirror.]
AMERICA: (V.O) I been through the desert on a horse with no name...
[Johnston doesn't seem concerned with the oncoming vehicle. The Mercedes speeds up to Johnston's car and glides out to pass. The roar of the Mercedes engine causes Johnston to check out his driver's side window. He sees Helmut Gunsche is driving the Mercedes; his eyes fixed straight ahead. The Mercedes passes at high speed. Then, Johnston's car buzzes – and everything cuts power; dashboard lights, stereo, engine, everything. Johnston looks confused. He twists the ignition – nothing.]
[Johnston's car glides to a halt on the roadside. The hood pops open. Johnston gets out with a flashlight and heads for the hood, ducking inside to examine the engine. Up the road, the Mercedes' tail-lights brighten, as it brakes and turns round to approach Johnston's vehicle. Johnston is fiddling with wires, sniffing the engine's fumes.]
[Behind him, the Mercedes' lights approach. Johnston looks over his shoulder at the car. The Mercedes driver, unseen in the light's glare, flicks the highbeams on – Johnston is blinded.]
[Johnston tugs on a connection and the radio comes back on.]
AMERICA: (V.O) After nine days, I let the horse run free 'cause the desert had turn to sea...
[Then the Mercedes headlights cut power. Darkness, apart from Johnston's flashlight beam. Johnston spins round, grabbing a .45 Glock 30 from his suit. He moves his flashlight across the Mercedes – nobody inside. The flashlight is turned off as Johnston listens for a sign of attack. To Johnston's left a sound is heard – he spins round with his gun aimed. Behind him Gunsche appears, raising his arm. Johnston turns as Gunsche strikes him a blow with his arm, momentarily causing his cuff link to glint in the moonlight; it showed the now familiar lightning bolt symbol. Johnston collapses to the floor. A rubber hose is tied around his neck and tightened. Gunsche tugs Johnston to the rear of the car by the hose. The gas tank cap is twisted off by Gunsche and an end of the hose inserted. Gunsche places the other end of the hose in his mouth and sucks. Gas begins to flow from the hose and Gunsche pours it over Johnston.]
AMERICA: (V.O) The desert is an ocean with its life underground and the perfect disguise above...
[Gunsche opens Johnston's trunk and places a plank of wood inside. He moves away from the car and lights a cigarette, as the "Horse With No Name" comes to an end. He opens a lighter, raises a small flame and lights the cigarette. After taking one long inhale Gunsche tosses the cigarette to the ground. The gas ignites instantly and snakes to Johnston's body which is engulfed in flames. Gunsche coolly walks away and gets inside his Mercedes. As he drives away, Johnston's car erupts in an explosion of flames.]
[fade to black]
[polaroid fade up]
[Frank's house. Frank is at his computer, searching on Netcorp.CQ internet databases. The screen shows an enquiry database. Frank types at his keyboard: 'Aerotech Industries AND Seattle AND South America." The screen indicates: 'SEARCHING'. Frank waits, then 'Aerotech: NOT FOUND.' appears. Frank is stunned and even more suspicious.]
[Impound yard – day. Johnston's car is burned and charred inside. Peter Watts is examining the vehicle, wearing latex gloves. He checks the interior carefully. He manages to pull the back seat out, but finds nothing. Next, he uses a crowbar to prise open the trunk. It pops open, and Watts looks sickened. Reaching inside, Watts pulls out what appears to be the cross of the crucifixion – half-melted into the lining.]
[Aerotech car park. A mechanic closes the hood of Catherine's car, while Frank stands by.]
[Frank nods.]
[Aerotech office. Frank has entered the main office and is directed to Clear Knight's office. Frank knocks on the door as he enters.]
[She gets up with a smile.]
[They shake hands.]
[She's wearing cufflinks with the same lightning bolt symbol.]
[She leaves the office. Frank walks towards her desk then has a brief vision of Nazi soldiers marching. He then sees the watercolor on the wall. He has a brief vision of Hitler.]
[A black body bag rests on a medical table. A latex-gloved hand unzipped the bag. Peter Watts is watching with Lara Means beside him, both dressed in a white lab coat. A Millennium Group pathologist is preparing an autopsy. She speaks into a suspended microphone.]
[Finley, dressed in scrubs and apron, enters. She looks intently at Watts.]
[Finley briefly nods. She looks at the body.]
[She sighs and looks back at Watts.]
[Watts smiles briefly. Suddenly, the door bursts open once more and three other white-coated people enter. Finley turns to them angrily.]
[Pathology office. Watts is seated at a desk. In the background Otto (Owl) and the pathologist (Roosters) are discussing the autopsy in raised tones.]
[The two go back into the autopsy room. Finley enters the office, holding a file.]
[Watts closes the file he's been looking at and angrily slams it down on the desk. A lab technician enters with a manila envelope.]
[Watts nods and the technician leaves. Watts opens the envelope and takes out some X-Ray and ultraviolet images of Johnston's body. He flicks through until he sees an image of the skull. He takes a magnifying glass and studies the image; very faint on the image are two diagonal parallel lines. Watts reacts, checks to see if anyone is watching, then slips the image into his briefcase, which he locks. He puts on surgical gloves, then takes out Johnston's diary from an evidence bag and leafs through it. The edges of the pages are charred. A door opens. Lara comes in from the autopsy room and sits down at the other side of the desk.]
[Lara is shocked.]
[Watts isn't looking at her.]
[Now he looks at her, with a cold stare.]
[Lara slowly gets to her feet and walks away. Watts looks back at Johnston's diary – an entry reads: "made contact with Lara Means".]
[Frank's house – night. A number of Russian graphics fill Frank's computer screen. "Archive of the Federal Counter-Intelligence Service, Moscow, Russia." Frank is searching this site and brings up a page written in Cyrillic script with a name in western script: Adolf Hitler. Another page shows images of Hitler's fire-scorched uniform, his walking stick, his violin, then, a watercolor. Tensing at the sight, Frank moves the screen down – various watercolors pass by until Frank find it: the same watercolor hanging in Ms. Knight's office. Behind Frank a car's headlights sweep across his front room. Frank gets out of his chair and moves quickly to the main window. He peers through the blinds and sees two men parked in a car outside, watching his premises. Frank is furious and opens a nearby drawer. Inside is a gun.]
[Office – day. Watts stands near a fax machine. He dials and inserts a sheet of paper, pressing send. The paper is fed through.]
[The Old Man's shack – night. Another fax machine ejects a sheet of paper in a holder. The Old Man takes the sheet and holds it up. He looks saddened, and frightened. The fax reads: 'Sir, do you know this?' Beneath is a drawing of the two diagonal parallel lines Watts saw on the ultraviolet image of Johnston. The Old Man takes the paper over to the desk, picks up and pen and draws a line connecting the two diagonals – making the lightning bolt symbol.]
[Frank's house. Frank is holding his gun downwards as he walks determinedly down the driveway. He approaches the back of the car. The driver's door opens and a man steps out. Frank stops and aims his gun angrily.
[The driver raises his hands.]
[Frank is surprised to hear the Millennium Group's password. Reassuringly the Driver nods. Inside the car, the second man has a .45 Glock 30 handgun ready out of sight. He looks over his shoulder at Frank, and rocks the slide.]
[fade to black]
[end titles]
Starring:
Lance Henriksen (Frank Black)
Megan Gallagher (Catherine Black)
Also Starring:
Terry O'Quinn (Peter Watts)
Brittany Tiplady (Jordan Black)
Guest Starring:
Kristen Cloke (Lara Means)
Kimberley Patton (Clear Knight)
R.G. Armstrong (The Old Man)
Malcolm Stewart (Mr. Johnston)
Featuring:
Bob Dawson (Helmut Gunsche)
Michael Tiernan (Millennium Group Driver)
Brian Downey (Mr. Dean)
Judith Maxie (Finley)
John Juliani (Mr. Plunkett)
Mark Holden (Amadou)
Bruno Verdoni (Le Fur)
Gardiner Millar (Mr. Otto)
Uncredited:
Nino Caratozzolo (Sentry)
Philip Baker Hall (Group Elder (I))
Music by Mark Snow
Editor: George R Potter
Production Designer: Mark Freeborn
Director of Photography: Robert McLachlan
Executive Story Editor: Michael R Perry
Associate Producer: Julie Herlocker
Associate Producer: Kathy Gilroy-Sereda
Associate Producer: Jon-Michael Preece
Consulting Producer: Chip Johannessen
Consulting Producer: Darin Morgan
Co-Producer: Robert Moresco
Co-Producer: Paul Rabwin
Producer: Thomas J Wright
Co-Executive Producer: Ken Horton
Co-Executive Producer: John Peter Kousakis
Written by Glen Morgan & James Wong
Directed by Thomas J Wright
Executive Producers: James Wong & Glen Morgan
Executive Producer: Chris Carter