INT. DINER – DAY
Chuck enters diner and takes off his shades. Folds them in his shirt pocket beneath the radio mic on his lapel. He approaches the front counter to survey the room. He nods at Darlene, his ex-girlfriend.
CARL’S POV:
Carl hides his face with his hand.
JON’S POV:
Jon sits up and takes note of the cop.
BACK TO SCENE:
DARLENE
(to Chuck)
I told you not to come here when
I’m working.
CHUCK
And I’m suppose to know your schedule?
Darlene rubs the counter with a rag.
DARLENE
What do you want?
CHUCK
Two large coffees. One black and
one—
DARLENE
Light cream, no sugar.
CHUCK
You know me better than my partner.
DARLENE
Your partner doesn’t know you at all.
Darlene frowns. She grabs the coffee pot and fills two Styrofoam coffee cups. She squeezes several packets of cream in her hand above one cup and lets the cream drip through her fingers. She tears a handful of sugar packets in half and dumps the entire contents in the same cup. She wipes her hands on her apron.
DARLENE
Three eighty-seven.
Chuck hesitates. Accustomed to coffee gratis.
DARLENE
This ain’t a soup kitchen.
CHUCK
Since when do I pay for coffee?
DARLENE
(whispers)
Since you screwed my sister.
CHUCK
Why are you still pissed about that?
Your sister came on to me.
Darlene’s impatience grows.
DARLENE
I got customers waiting.
CHUCK
She has a thing for men in uniform.
DARLENE
(shouting)
She’s nineteen.
The place goes quiet like time stood still. Chuck sees that all eyes are on him. He slaps four crumpled dollars on the counter.
CHUCK
Keep the change.
A garbled voice comes over his radio. He listens for his code name then strolls toward the MEN’S RESTROOM and enters.
INT. PATROL CAR – DAY
Dale taps his fingers on the dashboard. Board, impatient. He watches traffic through the windshield.
INT. DINER – DAY
SORORITY SISTERS’ POV:
Lindsay and Kelly read menus. Hilda cups her hand on her mouth.
HILDA
(gagging)
Move…
Hilda pushes Lindsay off the bench seat and PITCHES FORWARD IN A VIOLENT HEAVE. She’s ready to spew her guts but she holds it in.
HILDA’S POV:
Hilda charges for the restroom, bumping Cheryl and a serving tray with plates.
BACK TO SCENE:
The plates shatter on the floor as the diner’s front door
swings open and two figures in SKI masks (NATHAN and DIRK)
enter with guns. Nathan holds an empty diaper bag. He’s hesitant, indecisive. Dirk appears calm, yet menacing with cold eyes behind his mask. He wields a .357 Magnum with a six-inch, ventilated barrel.
DIRK
Everybody on the floor!
Cheryl and Abby scream. They drop to the floor face down. Darlene and Simon keep their hands up. EVERYONE, EXCEPT FOR CARL, leaves their seat and hits the floor.
Nathan points his .22 revolver at Darlene.
NATHAN
Open the register!
Darlene opens the register as Nathan comes around the counter to grab the cash.
CLOSE UP: OPEN REGISTER
Nathan sees one twenty dollar bill and a handful of singles. He lifts the drawer and finds an empty RED MONEY BAG with a locking zipper.
BACK TO SCENE:
NATHAN
Where’s the rest?
DARLENE
We do a bank deposit every shift.
Nathan hammers the air with his gun. He’s furious.
NATHAN
What the fuck? Where’s the safe?
DARLENE
We don’t have one.
NATHAN
What do you mean you don’t
have a fucking safe?
Nathan looks at Dirk.
NATHAN
I thought you said they had
a safe?
Mary enters the DINER unexpectedly. UNARMED. WEARS A SKI MASK.
NATHAN
(startled)
I told you to wait in the car!
MARY
(whining)
I saw cops in the parking lot.
NATHAN
Shit!
DIRK
(to Nathan)
Watch them.
Dirk heads for the back exit when THE MEN’S RESTROOM DOOR OPENS.
CHUCK’S POV:
Chuck sees the robbery in progress. His eyes focus on the guns and he instinctively reaches for his weapon. A SINGLE SHOT EXPLODES FROM DIRK’S REVOLVER, HITTING CHUCK IN THE NECK.
INT. PATROL CAR – DAY
Dale heard the shot go off. For a split second he’s thinking car backfire. Then he powers down his window and hears a woman screaming. He keys his shoulder mic.
DALE
Chuck?
Nothing but STATIC. He tugs at the riot shotgun. FUMBLES WITH THE IGNITION KEYS AND UNLOCKS THE SHOTGUN HOLDER.
Dale exits the car and PUMPS the shotgun. He charges for the diner entrance.
INT. WOMEN’S RESTROOM – DAY
Hilda braces her hands on her knees. A LOUD EXHAUST FAN DROWNS THE RESTAURANT NOISE as she launches another wave of vomit at the swirling toilet bowl.
EXT. DINER – DAY
Dale approaches the front of the diner. He sees the blood spatter on the window. He SEES TWO ARMED FIGURES standing above Chuck. He backs away from the window and grabs his mic.
EUGENE
Central, this is Adam-twelve,
we have a two-eleven in progress at
the Waffle House on Almond Road.
Officer down. Request immediate
assistance and an ambulance
forthwith.
INT. DINER – DAY
Dirk points the smoking .357 at CHUCK, who crawls backwards, clutching his hand on his throat. BLOOD GUSHES BETWEEN HIS FINGERS. THERE’S BLOOD SPATTER ON THE WALLS AND CEILING.
Darlene grabs a rag to stop the bleeding. She nearly slips on the bloody floor.
Mary stares at the carnage in disbelief. Limp, catatonic. Then reality kicks her in the face.
MARY
Let’s go!
Nathan paces with his hands on his head. He’s freaking out.
NATHAN
You shot a cop! You shot a
fucking cop! Why did you do
that? Shit! This wasn’t
suppose to happen.
Darlene embraces Chuck on the SLIPPERY floor, trying to stem the tide of blood GUSHING from his neck. Chuck turns pale.
DARLENE
Somebody call an ambulance!
DIRK
Let’s go!
Dirk pans his gun at the customers. Harold shields Betty with his body. Jon cowers in the corner. Carl remains stoic. Defiant.
Nathan takes Mary’s hand and steps toward the door. He opens it and SEES DALE WITH THE SHOTGUN.
NATHAN
Get back!
Dirk checks the door and sees police cars arrive outside.
DIRK
Fuck!
Dirk closes all the blinds expect for one where he can see the front parking lot. Police sirens wail.
NATHAN
Now what?
MARY
What about Rose?
NATHAN
What about her?
MARY
We can’t stay here.
NATHAN
Shut up!
DIRK
Out the back.
Dirk runs toward the back of the diner and puts his eye to the rear exit peep hole.
DIRK
They blocked us in.
EXT. DINER – DAY
Police cars converge outside the diner. Officers jump out. Pistols and shotguns point toward the diner.
INT. DINER – DAY
Dirk approaches the window blinds and peeks outside.
DIRK
The cops are all over this place.
MARY
What are we gunna do?
Dirk steps away from the window. He pans his gun at the diner patrons.
DIRK
Everyone against the wall.
Harold and Betty reluctantly move away from their table. Carl moves one seat back. Jon takes his duffel bag and starts moving when DIRK GRABS THE BAG AND UNBUCKLES THE TOP LATCH. Dirk dumps the contents on the floor. Mostly dirty laundry, a magazine, a football, and a small journal notebook.
Abby, Cheryl, Lindsay, and Kelly all huddle with the other patrons. Jon reaches for the JOURNAL NOTEBOOK on the floor.
DIRK
(to Jon)
I said, against the wall.
DARLENE’S POV:
Darlene in tears, still trying to save Chuck’s life.
DARLENE
He’s lost a lot of blood.
If he doesn’t get to a hospital
he’ll die.
BACK TO SCENE:
DIRK
Shut up.
NATHAN
(to Dirk)
She’s right. If we don’t
let him go, we’ll have bigger
problems.
Dirk ponders the situation. He stands over Chuck’s body and SLAMS TWO ROUNDS in his chest (three left in the cylinder). DARLENE SCREAMS.
DIRK
Problem solved.
Nathan shoves Dirk sideways and THEY TURN AWAY FROM DARLENE. DARLENE PULLS THE MACE CANISTER FROM CHUCK’S BELT AND HIDES IT IN HER APRON.
NATHAN
You killed a cop! You just killed
a fucking cop.
A MEGAPHONE BLASTS FROM OUTSIDE THE DINER.
SHERIFF (VO)
This is Sheriff Thorton.
We have you surrounded.
Throw out your weapons and
surrender yourselves immediately.
Simon turns his head. He recognizes his brother’s voice.
MARY
They’ll kill us.
NATHAN
No they won’t.
DIRK
Not with all these people in here.