EXT.	THE MOUTH OF THE BOAT BASIN	

Here comes a small but deadly Coast Guard boat with a searchlight
trained into the eye of THE CAMERA. There's a machine-gun mounted
on the front. It opens fire.
	
EXT.	THE SIGNORA L.
	
Bullets stitch the water off the port side.


EXT.	STEVE GAYTON, AT THE RAIL	

He's still got the rocket launcher, but before he can do anything
with it, he's torn up and dropped by machine-gun bullets.

JOE goes for the downed rocket-launcher and he’s hit.

EXT.	BILL, DEKE, BRETT,	

                             BILL
	           Down! Down!

At the same time he runs for the rocket-launcher.

                             BRETT
                   No!
She runs to go after him and is hit. She goes down.

                             DEKE (screams)
Brett! Brett! JESUS! NO!

He throws himself on top of her body in a protective gesture.

EXT.	BILL, AT ThE RAIL	

Bullets fly around him. They splinter the rail as he picks up
the rocket-launcher, sights in on the C.G. boat, and...whoosh!

EXT.	THE COAST GUARD PATROL BOAT	

KA-BOOM! Up in flames and smoke. Maybe we could actually see the
machine-gun on flying.

EXT.	THE SIGNORA L. AND THE BURNING COAST GUARD BOAT, WIDE	

The Signora L. is now under full sail. It doesn't look as classy
as an America's Cup vessel, but she still looks mighty fine as
she sails past the burning hulk of the Coast Guard vessel and then
heads for the mouth of tne boat basin...and Haven.

EXT.	BILL, BRETT, AND DEKE
	
DEKE has BRETT'S head cradled in his lap. As BILL corcS back, she
struggles up to a sitting position.

                               BILL
                    How, bad? How bad is it?

                               BRETT
                    Relax. It’s going to leave a
                    scar, but it's all right, It
                    just grooved me.



She gets up shakily. BILL tears off the tail of his shirt. But before
he can use it as a bandage, her eyes have been taken by something
and she walks toward the rail.

                            BRETT (very softly)
                  Oh...my...God.

They join her. Firelight plays brightly on their faces. By now I
think the other survivors have joined them, CURT with his arm
around CONNIE. They look solemn, stunned.

EXT.	BILL, BRETT, DEKE,THE OThERS	

                           CURT
                  That's Wilmington, burning to the
                  ground.

                           BRETT (reverently)
		  Jesus Christ.

She turns to BILL.

                            BRETT
                  Yes. If it cones to that.
		  I'll fight.

                             DEKE
		  What are you talking about?

BILL puts the bandage on BRETT’S wounded arm. He looks over at
DEKE and smiles at him, tiredly but with love.

                             BILL
                   Tell you what, buddy--I hope you
                   never have to know.

He finishes tying the bandage. He puts his arms around BRETT and
DEKE again and tney turn to look at the conflagration that was a
small and lovely Southern city.

EXT.	WILMINGTON AND THE SIGNORA L. IN THE FOREGROUND

Shillhouetted by the flames, it turns toward the mouth of the bay
again.

THE CAMERA MOLDS ON the racing fire, and then SLOWLY PANS UP to
where the comet has turned the sky to glowing green fire.


HOLDS... HOLDS...and then we fade out.


THE END