NATHAN AND MARY POV:
Nathan comforts Mary in the corner away from Dirk and the hostages. He rubs her shoulders. She cries softly behind her mask. THEY WHISPER BACK AND FORTH.
MARY
Why did this have to happen?
NATHAN
We’ll find a way out.
MARY
How?
NATHAN
Dirk has a plan.
MARY
My mother had a plan. My
father had a plan. The God
damn president had a plan.
Look where we are. The same
place we started. Nowhere.
We’re worse off now than we were
when we woke up this morning.
Nothing’s changed except our future.
NATHAN
Dirk will find a way out of this.
He always does.
MARY
I wish we never met him. He’s the
reason we’re in this mess.
NATHAN
He’s on our side.
MARY
What about Rose? What happens
to her when I’m in jail?
NATHAN
You’re not going to jail.
None of us are. No one’s seen
our faces.
MARY
What about the cop he killed?
NATHAN
That’s on Dirk. Not us.
MARY
I should have stayed in the car.
None of this would have happened
if I’d stayed in the car.
Nathan shakes his head.
NATHAN
No. You did the right thing.
KELLY AND LINDSAY’S POV:
They face away from the masked robbers. Leslie slides her cell phone out of her pocket.
LINDSAY
(whispering)
We have to get this to Hilda.
Kelly shakes her head slowly.
KELLY
And do what? Call the police?
LINDSAY
It’s better than sitting around
here doing nothing.
KELLY
They’ll kill you if they find that.
LINDSAY
They’ll kill us if they don’t.
DIRK’S POV:
Dirk sees the sorority sisters whisper back and forth.
DIRK
HEY!
LINDSAY’S POV:
Lindsay sees Dirk approaching. She raises her hand.
LINDSAY
I have to use the bathroom.
DIRK
Then pee.
Lindsay starts to walk away. DIRK PUTS THE GUN TO HER HEAD. Lindsay stops abruptly.
DIRK
Where the fuck are you going?
LINDSAY
To the bathroom.
DIRK
Sit down!
Lindsay puts her hands on her legs and bends her knees slightly to pretend she’s suffering with a full bladder.
LINDSAY
I’m going to piss my pants.
NATHAN
Let her go. This place stinks
enough already.
Dirk lowers his gun and lets Lindsay pass. She makes her way to the women’s restroom.
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.