SIMON’S POV:
He sees Carl with the knife and steps in front of the coffee machine. Steam rises from the stale pot sitting on the burner. THE CLOCK ON THE WALL READS 12:20.
NATHAN AND MARY’S POV:
Nathan peeks through the blinds to see two police cars lingering out front with lights flashing.
NATHAN
They’re not leaving.
Dirk holds his loaded .357 revolver at his side.
DIRK
What about the car?
NATHAN
I don’t see it.
Dirk ponders the situation for a moment. THE DINER PHONE RINGS. Nathan answers.
NATHAN
Where’s the car?
EXT. DINER – DAY
The Sheriff stands beside the SWAT Commander.
SHERIFF
It’s on its way.
INT. DINER – DAY
Dirk lunges at Nathan and takes the phone away.
DIRK
(to Sheriff)
Thirty seconds. Or I start shooting.
He slams the phone down and points the gun at Simon.
DIRK
You, over here.
Simon reluctantly lets go of the hot coffee pot handle and comes out of the kitchen.
Dirk points the gun at Carl.
DIRK
You too cowboy.
Carl slowly gets up from the booth. He palms the knife in his hand with the blade behind his wrist.
DIRK
Hurry up!
Dirk points the gun at Betty, then Abby, then back at Betty.
DIRK
(to Betty)
And you.
Betty shakes her head.
BETTY
No. Please.
HAROLD
My wife stays with me.
Dirk walks up to Harold and shoves the muzzle in his face. He cocks the hammer and tells BETTY:
DIRK
I won’t ask again.
Betty reluctantly joins Carl and Simon.
NATHAN
(jubilant)
The car’s here.
(beat)
The cops are leaving.
Dirk shoves Betty, Carl, and Simon toward the front of the diner by the window. Betty cries. Carl waits to make his move.
DIRK
Turn around.
Betty, Carl, and Simon turn around to face the front of the diner.
DIRK STUFFS CASH IN CARL’S POCKETS.
NATHAN
What are you doing?
DIRK
They’re small bills.
Dirk turns to Nathan and Mary.
DIRK
Get everyone else in the back.
NATHAN
Why?
DIRK
If you wanna get out of here
alive, shut up and do what I
tell you.
Nathan points his gun at the other hostages.
NATHAN
You heard him. Let’s go.
Kelly, Lindsay, Darlene, Cheryl, Abby, Jon, and Harold are herded toward the back room area.
HAROLD
(to Betty)
I never cheated.
BETTY
I know.
EXT. DINER PARKING LOT – DAY
Sheriff Thorton shakes his head. He orders the patrol cars to move further away.
SHERIFF
What if they don’t go for it?
SWAT COMMANDER
They will.
SHERIFF
What if this blows up in our face?
SWAT COMMANDER
Then we go to plan B.
EXT. DINER BACK ENTRANCE – DAY
SWAT team members dressed in black prepare to storm the diner.
EXT. GAS STATION ROOF – DAY
A sniper lies in a prone position with his rifle trained on the car parked in front of the diner.
CLOSE ON: VIEW FROM SNIPER SCOPE.
The sniper sees the car and the front door entrance.
INT. DINER – DAY
Nathan forces Jon, Harold, Abby, Cheryl, Darlene, Lindsay, and Kelly toward the walk in freezer. Mary stands off to the side AWAY FROM CHUCK’S DEAD BODY. Jon hesitates to enter.
NATHAN
You’ll be safe in here.
Nathan checks the back door peep hole.
CLOSE ON: NATHAN’S VIEW THROUGH PEEP HOLE
Nathan sees an empty parking lot.
BACK TO SCENE:
Harold waits for the girls to enter the freezer. He looks back to see Dirk holding a gun on Betty and the two other men.
Nathan motions for Mary to get away from the door AND TAKES HIS EYES OFF OF HAROLD FOR A SECOND.
HAROLD SEIZES THE OPPORTUNITY TO WRESTLE THE GUN AWAY FROM NATHAN AND GRABS FOR THE .22-CALIBER PISTOL.
JON STANDS STILL. PETRIFIED. DOES NOTHING TO HELP.
HAROLD BENDS NATHAN’S WRIST BACK UNTIL THE PAIN FORCES NATHAN TO DROP THE GUN. HAROLD PUNCHES NATHAN IN THE FACE AND SHOVES HIM ASIDE TO REACH FOR THE GUN. THEY STRUGGLE.
MARY CRACKS HAROLD UPSIDE THE HEAD WITH A FIRE EXTINGUISHER AND HAROLD COLLAPSES.
JON RETRIEVES THE GUN AND POINTS IT AT NATHAN.
MARY
No!
JON
(to Nathan)
Don’t move.
Nathan steps toward Jon who FIRES ONCE AND HITS NATHAN IN THE TORSO.
DIRK’S POV:
Dirk steps away from the three hostages. Carl pulls his KNIFE and attacks Dirk from behind – but Dirk sees it coming and spins, FIRES ONCE AT CARL – but Carl keeps charging and STABS DIRK IN THE LEG. DIRK fires ANOTHER SHOT at Carl. Carl collapses.
Dirk HOBBLES toward Nathan and Mary. Jon ducks behind the freezer. Dirk FIRES RANDOMLY at Jon and MISSES, hitting ABBY IN THE HEAD.
Dirk pulls the KNIFE out of his leg and chucks it.
EXT. DINER – DAY
SHERIFF POV:
Sheriff Thorton looks at the SWAT Commander.
SHERIFF
What the hell?
RANDOM COP (VO)
Shots fired!
The SWAT Commander gives the order:
SWAT COMMANDER
(into headset microphone)
Go!
EXT. DINER REAR EXIT DOOR – DAY
The SWAT team lobs a stun grenade inside. A LOUD BANG AND A BRIGHT FLASH GO OFF. The SWAT team rushes in.
INT. DINER – DAY
Through the smoke, we see JON WITH THE GUN IN HIS HAND.
SWAT TEAM POV:
The SWAT team sees Jon rushing at them, waving his arms and mouthing DON’T SHOOT.
The SWAT team fires a BURST OF AUTOMATIC GUNFIRE. JON IS RIDDLED WITH BULLETS.
EXT. GAS STATION ROOF TOP – DAY
The diner’s front door opens.
CLOSE ON: VIEW FROM SNIPER SCOPE
SWAT sniper sees two suspects in masks rush out toward the car. HE FIRES TWICE, HITTING BOTH SUSPECTS IN THE CHEST.
EXT. – DINER PARKING LOT – DAY
Police converge on the two wounded suspects in masks.
INT. DINER – DAY
The SWAT team circulates through the SMOKEY diner. Team members drag bodies away.
SWAT TEAM MEMBER 1 (VO)
Clear.
SWAT TEAM MEMBER 2 (VO)
All clear.
EXT. DINER REAR EXIT – DAY
SWAT team members and ambulance personnel assist the hostages. Pandemonium. People running, screaming.
Mary emerges with her mask off and averts her attention from the hostages who follow each other in a separate direction.
EXT. FIRST AMBULANCE – DAY
Paramedics lift Nathan (mask off) into an ambulance. Mary approaches the paramedics.
MARY
I’ll ride with him.
PARAMEDIC
Who are you?
MARY
His wife.
EXT. SECOND AMBULANCE – DAY
Paramedics load Dirk (ski mask off) into the second ambulance.
INT. SECOND AMBULANCE – DAY
Dirk pulls his oxygen mask off and unbuckles the straps holding him to the gurney. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WE SEE DIRK’S BABY FACE. WHAT YOU THOUGHT WAS A MONSTER FROM HIS ACTIONS IS A MAN WITH A 17-YEAR-OLD FACE.
DIRK STABS THE DRIVER IN THE THROAT WITH A SYRINGE.
INT. FIRST AMBULANCE – DAY
Mary holds Nathan’s hand in the MOVING AMBULANCE. Suddenly it STOPS.
EXT. FIRST AMBULANCE – DAY
Dirk approaches the driver’s door. The driver opens the door to help and DIRK PUNCHES HIM IN THE FACE.
Dirk SLAMS the DRIVER’S HEAD IN THE DOOR and leaves the man on the road.
Dirk glances in the rearview mirror to see Nathan’s reflection.
DIRK
Miss me?
EXT. DINER ENTRANCE – DAY
Dale and several deputies approach the dead suspects in front of the diner. Dale pulls the ski mask off Betty’s head. He reaches to pull the mask off the other suspect.
INT. DINER – DAY
Sheriff Thorton and several deputies trudge through the diner. The SWAT Commander follows them. THEY SEE JON’S BODY LYING FACE DOWN WITH A GUN IN HIS HAND AND A MASK BESIDE HIS BODY. Two men carry a body bag out.
The Sheriff discovers Carl’s dead body lying face down. Blood and broken glass covers the floor. Sheriff Thorton shakes his head. He sees the KNIFE.
SHERIFF
Holy Mary mother of God.
The SWAT Commander points to Carl’s body.
SWAT COMMANDER
We found him first.
The Sheriff takes his hat off and scratches his head. He looks around the room and sighs.
Dale appears through the front door.
SHERIFF
(to Dale)
You find the others?
Long beat. Dale hesitates to answer.
DALE
There’s something you should see.
EXT. DINER – DAY
Sheriff Thorton stands over Betty and Simon’s unmasked bodies.
DALE
I’m sorry Sheriff.
Sheriff Thorton squats beside his dead brother. He gently closes Simon’s eyes.
The SWAT Commander joins them.
DALE
I found a driver’s license for
Betty Meeks. Her husband is on
his way to the hospital.
Sheriff Thorton charges at the SWAT Commander. Dale restrains the Sheriff who takes a wild swing at the SWAT Commander.
DALE
(to SWAT Commander)
You killed him.
The SWAT Commander is mortified.
SWAT COMMANDER
I’m sorry. We didn’t know.
DALE
What happened to the third guy?
The girl said there were three
men inside. We found one in the
back and one up here with a knife.
Where the hell is the third one?
SWAT COMMANDER
He got away.
Dale lets go of the Sheriff.
SHERIFF
Not for long. Talk to everyone
who was in here. Find out what
they saw, what they know…
(beat)
Simon deserved better than this.
I want every man on board.
DALE
You got it.
EXT. AMBULANCE PARKED NEAR DINER – DAY
A deputy opens the driver’s door and THE DEAD PARAMEDIC FALLS OUT WITH THE SYRINGE STILL LODGED IN HIS NECK.
DEPUTY
(shouting)
Sheriff.
INT. MOVING AMBULANCE – DAY
Dirk drives the stolen ambulance along the interstate. No lights and sirens. Nathan rides in the passenger seat with Mary beside him. He’s bleeding from his bullet wound. He sweats profusely. Great pain.
DIRK
We have to ditch this ride.
MARY
We have to get home.
NATHAN
I need a doctor.
EXT. INTERSTATE EXIT – DAY
The ambulance veers onto the exit ramp.
EXT. GAS STATION – DAY
The ambulance parks at a gas station. A late model GMC pick-up sits beside the fuel pump as the owner goes inside to pay. Dirk leaves the ambulance WITH THE DIAPER BAG.
DIRK
Let’s go.
Nathan climbs out. Mary follows. THEY WATCH A STATE TROOPER PASS THE FRONT OF THE GAS STATION AND KEEP GOING.
NATHAN
They’re looking for the ambulance.
Nathan tugs on Mary’s arm. They jump inside the GMC pick-up with Dirk behind the wheel. They take off as the truck’s owner emerges from the gas station with a drink in his hand.
TRUCK OWNER
Hey!
INT. HOSPITAL EXAM ROOM – DAY
Dale stands in front of Lindsay, Kelly, and Hilda with his notepad and pen. The girls are visibly shaken with minor cuts and bruises but no serious injuries.
DALE
How many robbers were there?
HILDA
I told you, three men in masks.
KELLY
One was a woman.
DALE
Are you sure?
LINDSAY AND KELLY
(together)
Yes.
DALE
Did you see her face?
LINDSAY
She wore a mask like the others.
KELLY
One of the robbers was her
boyfriend or husband.
The SWAT Commander arrives with Cheryl.
SWAT COMMANDER
Officer.
Dale turns to see the SWAT Commander with Cheryl.
SWAT COMMANDER
You should hear what she has to say.
INT. SHERIFF’S OFFICE – DAY
Sheriff Thorton looks up from his desk to see Dale BURST into the room.
DALE
We got a lead.
The Sheriff stands up.
SHERIFF
You found our third guy?
DALE
Wrong gender. A witness said
one of the masked robbers
was definitely a woman. The
other two were male. A waitress
recognized one of them from his
voice. A student in her math
class. We’re searching school
records for a last known address.
The Sheriff grabs his hat off his desk and ushers Dale toward the door.
SHERIFF
Good work.
DALE
Where are we going?
SHERIFF
To bust some ass.
DALE
Now?
SHERIFF
Grab your vest. These guys are
armed and dangerous.
INT. STOLEN GMC PICK UP – DAY
Nathan rides in the passenger seat with Mary beside him. He winces from the bullet wound in his upper torso. Dirk drives sporadically through traffic.
NATHAN
Pull over.
DIRK
We can’t.
MARY
(to Nathan)
Hold on.
NATHAN
Just get us home.
DIRK
The cops will be all over you.
NATHAN
Not if they don’t know where to look.