INT. WOMEN’S RESTROOM – DAY
Hilda cowers when Lindsay enters the bathroom. Lindsay puts her finger to her mouth and shuts the door.
LINDSAY
Shhh.
HILDA
What are you doing?
Lindsay pulls the cell phone out and dials 911.
LINDSAY
I can’t stay long.
Lindsay puts the phone to her ear.
911 OPERATOR (VO)
Nine-one-one, what’s your emergency?
LINDSAY
(whispers)
We’re being robbed.
911 OPERATOR (VO)
What’s your location?
LINDSAY
I’m in a bathroom. In a diner.
911 OPERATOR
Are you alone?
LINDSAY
The police are outside.
911 OPERATOR
Just stay calm. I need you to focus.
Can you do that for me?
LINDSAY
Yes.
911 OPERATOR
Tell me your location.
The connection goes dead.
LINDSAY
(disillusioned)
I lost the signal.
A LOUD KNOCK AT THE DOOR STARTLES LINDSAY. SHE DROPS THE CELL PHONE IN THE TOILET.
DIRK (VO)
Hurry up!
Lindsay reaches inside the toilet and retrieves the phone. It’s dead. She flushes the toilet and wraps the phone in a paper towel to dry it.
LINDSAY
Just a second.
Lindsay gives the phone to Hilda.
LINDSAY
Keep trying.
Hilda stands behind the door with her back against the wall. Lindsay opens the door to find Dirk standing OUTSIDE THE RESTROOM.
DIRK
Get back with the others.
INT. MARY’S TRAILER HOME – DAY
MRS. ABBOTT, a grandmotherly neighbor with stringy hair and missing teeth, heats a bottle of formula in the microwave oven. Baby Rose cries. A small television shows live news coverage of the diner robbery UNFOLDING fROM OUTSIDE.
CLOSE ON: TELEVISION
The TV shows aerial coverage outside the diner, where police have swarmed the parking lot.
BACK TO SCENE:
The microwave DINGS and Mrs. Abbott takes out the bottle of formula and shakes it. She dribbles milk on her inside forearm to test the temperature.
TV NEWS WOMAN (VO)
…police confirm at least seven
hostages remain inside the Jacksonville
restaurant where an armed robbery
attempt has resulted in a police stand
off outside the parking lot. The fate
of a sheriff’s deputy inside the diner
has yet to be determined.
(beat)
So far no one has entered or left the
premises since the standoff began more than
an hour ago. No word on the number of
suspects inside or their specific
demands. Channel 2 news will keep you
posted as events unfold.
Mrs. Abbott turns off the television and reaches inside the cardboard box for the crying infant.
INT. DINER – DAY
SIMON AND DARLENE’S POV:
Simon watches the robbers huddle in a corner. He looks at Darlene who helps him take eggs and bacon off the grill and serve it on plates. He sees the CAN OF MACE tucked inside Darlene’s apron. He shakes his head.
SIMON
(whispers)
Too risky.
DARLENE
We need a distraction.
SIMON
Let the police do their jobs.
My brother will handle this.
DIRK (VO)
Handle what?
Simon grabs a plate of eggs and bacon as Dirk storms into the kitchen area.
SIMON
Food. If anyone’s hungry.
Dirk takes a slice of bacon and nibbles through the hole in his face mask.
DIRK
This shit is burned. Who taught
you how to cook bacon?
SIMON
I taught myself.
DIRK
(to Darlene)
You eat this shit? I bet you
eat this shit all day long.
These grits and eggs and
sausage pieces.
Dirk pokes at the plates of food and picks out a piece of food from each. He chews the food and SPITS IT OUT ACROSS THE PLATES.
DIRK
I’ve tasted better road kill.
Dirk studies the wall behind the grill where Simon’s “iron man” award plaque proudly displays ten years of service with the diner.
CLOSE ON: IRON MAN PLAQUE
BACK TO SCENE:
DIRK
Do you like this job?
SIMON
It pays the bills.
DIRK
You been here ten years?
SIMON
Eleven.
DIRK
What did you do before this?
SIMON
Real estate.
DIRK
You need some kind of fancy degree
for that?
SIMON
No.
DIRK
How’d you end up working here?
Simon looks at Darlene who’s holding her hands on her apron.
SIMON
I lost everything when the
market crashed.
DIRK
How much you make in a week?
SIMON
Three hundred dollars.
DIRK
After taxes?
SIMON
Before.
DIRK
Shit, I can make that in an hour.
Dirk paces in front of Simon and Darlene. He stares at Abby and Cheryl who keep to themselves among the hostages.
DIRK
(to Abby and Cheryl)
Get over here.
DARLENE
Leave them alone.
Dirk points the .357 at Darlene.
DIRK
Open your mouth again, and
you can join your dead friend.
Abby and Cheryl drag their feet toward Dirk. They look to Simon and Darlene for support.
DIRK
Turn around.
Abby and Cheryl slowly turn around.
DIRK
Bend over and touch the counter.
Abby and Cheryl look at each other and reluctantly comply. Nathan lifts his head and watches the spectacle unfold. Mary keeps to herself in the corner. DIRK SLAPS CHERYL ON THE ASS.
DIRK
Tight as a drum.
Dirk squeezes Abby’s ass and pushes her away. Abby retreats to the group.
DIRK
(to Simon)
You ever tap this ass?
SIMON
No.
DIRK
You been here eleven years
and you never tapped this ass?
I bet you thought about it.
Didn’t you?
(beat)
Say it.
SIMON
I’m a married man.
Dirk aims the .357 at Simon.
DIRK
Say it! Tell me you thought
about it every day you worked
this grill. These girls struttin’
back and forth in front of you.
(beat)
Say it!
Simon swallows hard.
SIMON
I thought about it.
Dirk grabs Cheryl’s apron and rips it off her waist. He starts to jerk her pants down when Simon interrupts.
SIMON
Stop it.
Simon touches Dirk’s arm and Dirk cold cocks him. Simon cups his hand on his face. Dirk unzips his jeans.
DIRK
I’ll break her in.
You take over when I’m done.
Dirk yanks Cheryl’s pants down. He keeps the gun in his control. Cheryl’s crying. Terrified of what will happen. She looks to the hostages. FEAR IN JON’S EYES. RAGE IN CARL’S. LINDSAY AND KELLY PRETEND NOT TO NOTICE. HAROLD PULLS BETTY TOWARD HIM.
DARLENE REACHES FOR HER CAN OF MACE BUT THE GUN IS DANGEROUSLY CLOSE. IT PAINS HER TO WATCH AND DO NOTHING.
SIMON
Get off her.
Simon grabs Dirk FORCEFULLY by the collar and pulls him back. Dirk CRACKS the gun upside Simon’s head – producing a gash that bleeds profusely. DARLENE PULLS THE MACE AND SPRAYS AT DIRK’S MASK BUT MISSES HIS EYES COMPLETELY.
Cheryl pulls her pants up and runs toward the other hostages.
NATHAN’S GUN GOES OFF. A BULLET TEARS THROUGH DARLENE’S SHOULDER. SHE DROPS THE MACE AND FALLS, CUPPING HER HAND ON THE WOUND.
NATHAN’S POV:
Nathan grabs the can of mace and chucks it across the room away from the hostages.
NATHAN
Enough!
Dirk takes Simon’s hand and slams it on the hot waffle griddle. SIMON SCREAMS IN AGONY.
DIRK
(to Simon)
Show me what you got iron man.
Dirk clamps the top of the waffle griddle on Simon’s hand. Steam spews out. SIMON SCREAMS LOUDER. THE TELEPHONE RINGS.
NATHAN POINTS HIS GUN AT DIRK.
NATHAN
(to Dirk)
Let him go.
Dirk releases Simon’s hand. Simon grabs his wrist with his other hand. A WAFFLE IMPRESSION APPEARS ON THE BURNED SKIN.
Darlene presses a rag against her bleeding shoulder.
DIRK
(to Nathan)
You gunna shoot me?
NATHAN
Just calm down.
DIRK
Go ahead. Do it. You’ll
never get out of here without
me.
Nathan lowers his gun. He looks at Darlene as Dirk walks away sulking. THE PHONE KEEPS RINGING.
NATHAN
(to Darlene)
That was stupid. Really stupid.
Nathan looks to Mary.
NATHAN
(to Mary)
I saw a first aid kit in the back.
Go get it and bring it up here.
MARY’S POV:
Mary ventures to the back room stocked with empty boxes, vegetable crates, napkins, paper towels, janitorial supplies, etc. She sees a first aid kit mounted to the wall beside a FIRE EXTINGUISHER and a SMALL FLOOR SAFE.
She winces at the dead cop and hears a QUIET VIBRATION LIKE A CELL PHONE VIBRATING BUT SHE CAN’T MAKE OUT WHERE IT’S COMING FROM.
SHE STEPS TOWARD THE WOMEN’S RESTROOM AND TOUCHES HER HAND ON THE DOOR WHEN SHE HEARS-
NATHAN (VO)
Hurry up!
Mary turns away from the bathroom and grabs the first aid kit. She joins Nathan in the DINING ROOM AREA. THE PHONE KEEPS RINGING.
BACK TO SCENE
Nathan opens the first aid kit and pulls out large packages of gauze. He tears them open and hands them to Darlene.
DARLENE
The bullet missed the bone.
Mary tapes a bandage to Darlene’s shoulder.
NATHAN
(to Darlene)
You’ll be all right.
Nathan grabs the diner phone.
NATHAN
WHAT?
EXT. PARKING LOT – DAY
Sheriff Thorton on the cell phone.
SHERIFF
(to phone)
What the hell is going on
in there?
NATHAN (VO)
Nothing.
SHERIFF
It doesn’t sound like nothing.
INT. DINER – DAY
NATHAN
(to phone)
Stop calling!
Nathan slams the phone down. He looks at Mary.
NATHAN
What’s a matter?
Mary points toward the back room.
MARY
(whispering)
There’s a safe back there.
Dirk walks toward Nathan and Mary.
DIRK
Where?
MARY
In the back room. By the freezer.
DIRK
(to Nathan)
Watch them.
Dirk walks to the—
STORAGE AREA
He finds the combination safe and tries the latch. It’s locked. He turns to the—
DINING ROOM
Dirk points the .357 at Darlene.
DIRK
Open it.
DARLENE
I don’t have the combination.
Dirk cocks the hammer.
DIRK
Open the safe.
He swings the gun at Simon.
DIRK
Or your friend dies first.
Darlene gets up wincing. Nathan hands his gun to Mary who reluctantly takes it.
NATHAN
(to Mary)
Stay here.
Nathan and Dirk escort Darlene to the-
STORAGE ROOM
Darlene works the combination lock and presses down on the latch. The safe opens. Dirk dives in and unzips a RED MONEY BAG with cash. He pulls out a large wad of mixed bills, mostly fives and tens.
DIRK
That all you got?
DARLENE
We don’t hold a lot of cash.
Nathan reaches inside and finds another RED MONEY BAG in a second compartment. He unzips the bag and finds more cash.
DIRK
Give it.
Dirk takes the second RED MONEY BAG and consolidates the money into one bag. He discards the second RED MONEY BAG on the floor.
Dirk and Nathan force Darlene back toward the-
DINING ROOM
Nathan takes his gun back from Mary. Dirk grabs the small diaper bag off the counter and stuffs the RED MONEY BAG inside. He turns his attention toward Kelly and Lindsay. He looks at them and their table. THE TABLE HAS THREE PLACE SETTINGS WITH SEPARATE ORANGE JUICE GLASSES.