Enligt filmens officiella novellering hade terroristerna följt Doc i flera dagar och var väl medveten om hans troliga rörelser:
We’ll kill him tonight,” Sam continued. “Headquarters has decided it’s not worth it to bring him in for questioning. You two tail him for the rest of the day. Chances are he’ll end up at the garage he uses for an office or at Twin Pines Mall. He’s been spending a lot of time there recently, usually late at night.