EXT. SUBURBAN HOME – DAY

Police cars line the curb with lights flashing outside a brick rambler with painted shutters.  Officers take cover behind their car doors, guns drawn.

OFFICER NUMBER ONE emerges from the front door and shakes his head.  He motions with his hands for his peers to drop their weapons. 

OFFICER NUMBER TWO steps away from his car and holsters his gun.

                         OFFICER NUMBER TWO

          Wrong address?

                         OFFICER NUMBER ONE

          The house changed hands two

years ago.  Nathan Smalls doesn’t

live here any more.

INT. SHERIFF’S PATROL CAR – DAY

Moving vehicle.  The Sheriff keys the radio mic.  Dale rides shotgun.

                         SHERIFF

                 (into mic)

          Ten-four.

                         DALE

          What happened?

                         SHERIFF

Right house.  Wrong time.

Nathan Smalls is on the run.

Highway patrol spotted the stolen

truck heading westbound.

EXT. MARY’S TRAILER HOME – DAY

Dirk, Nathan, and Mary arrive in the stolen truck.  Nathan and Mary approach the trailer.  Dirk drives away.  The spinning tires kick up dirt and gravel.

INT. MARY’S TRAILER HOME – DAY

Mary helps Nathan to the sofa.  She ducks in the back room and scoops her crying baby on her shoulder.

                         MARY

          She’s burning up.

Nathan GROANS in agony on the sofa.  He pulls his shirt off and cups his hand on his stomach wound.  He stands up and meanders about the room.

                         NATHAN

          It shouldn’t hurt this bad.

Mary opens the refrigerator to find a half bottle of formula beside an empty milk carton and some rotten fruit.

She takes the bottle and tries to feed her baby, but the baby won’t have it.

                         NATHAN

          She won’t take it cold.

Mary puts the bottle in the microwave.  Nathan paws through a cabinet and finds a first aid kit.  He opens it and tears through the contents for gauze bandage and tape.  Mary bounces, tries to sooth the hysterical baby.

                         MARY

                 (to baby)

          Shhhh.  Mommy’s here.

It’s all right.

          I’ll never leave you again.

Not ever.  I promise.

The timer dings.  She takes the bottle out and shakes it.  She dribbles formula on her arm.

                         MARY

          Shit.

The formula’s too hot.  She unscrews the bottle and adds tap water to cool it off.  Shakes it again and stuffs the nipple in her baby’s mouth.

Nathan tapes a wad of gauze bandage to his stomach.  He’s gaunt.  Shaky.  Sweating profusely.

                         MARY

          What are we gunna do?

                         NATHAN

          I don’t know.

Long beat.  Nathan swallows hard.

                         NATHAN

          They’ll find us eventually.

                         MARY

          Not if we get out of here.

                         NATHAN

          And go where?

                         MARY

          Anywhere.  Someplace safe.

          Until this mess blows over.

Nathan forces a smile.  The futility of his situation sinks in.  He’s dying and he knows it.

                         NATHAN

          Dirk killed a cop.  They’ll never

stop looking for us.

EXT. STOLEN TRUCK – DAY

Dirk’s truck sits on the shoulder of the road with two flat tires and bullet holes in the tail gate.  STEAM ESCAPES FROM THE HOOD.  BEHIND THE STEAM, we see Dirk in the front seat with his hands off the wheel.  The truck is surrounded by Sheriff deputies, Florida Highway Patrol, and local city police.  Sheriff Thorton brings the megaphone to his mouth.

                         SHERIFF

          Throw out your weapon and come

          out slowly with your hands where

          we can see them.

INT. STOLEN TRUCK – DAY

Dirk sits with his hands in his lap, holding the .357 revolver.  Through the windshield and the steam he can see the crowd of armed officers facing him.

                         DIRK

          Fuck you.

EXT. STOLEN TRUCK – DAY

Sheriff Thorton lowers his megaphone and looks at Dale who’s standing beside him.

                         SHERIFF

          What about the other two?

                         DALE

          An APB went out an hour ago.

INT. STOLEN TRUCK – DAY

Dirk opens the diaper bag and pulls out the zippered money bag out.  It’s flat.  He frantically unzips it and FINDS IT EMPTY.  He starts laughing.

Dirk empties the .357 cylinder.  Shell casings roll off the seat and onto the floorboard.  He reloads his last few bullets.  With the gun in his lap, he points the muzzle toward his chin and shuts his eyes for a second.

                         SHERIFF (VO)

          You have thirty seconds to

tell us where the others are.

Dirk pops his eyes open.  He slams his fist against the back of the seat.  He shakes his head in disgust and opens the door.  He steps out of the truck and fires at the police.  The police return fire.

INT. MARY’S TRAILER HOME – DAY

Mary stuffs clothes and diapers in a suitcase.  Nathan watches from the sofa, his breathing shallow and labored.

                         MARY

          We’re going to get you out of here.

                         NATHAN

          How?

                         MARY

          Don’t talk.

Mary rummages through the empty cabinets for a jar of baby formula.  She lobs the jar in her suitcase and unzips her jeans to pull out the zippered money bag (surprise), SPILLING CASH ON THE FLOOR.

                         MARY

          We have to get you to a hospital.

Nathan swallows dryly.  He clings to life by a hair.  His eyes glaze over.

Mary tries to lift him off the sofa with his arm around her shoulder, but she can’t.  The end is here and now.

                         NATHAN

                 (whispering)

          Telllll…Rossseee.  I–

                (beat)

          Love her.

Mary hugs him as the baby starts crying.  Nathan forces his last breath.  His eyes are fixed, lifeless.

                         MARY

                 (crying)

          Tell her yourself God dammit.

          Tell her yourself.

Mary wipes her eyes, throws a burp cloth on her shoulder, and scoops her baby from the box.  She grabs her suitcase and walks out.

EXT. MARY’S TRAILER HOME – DAY

Mary walks several yards from the trailer when she HEARS A CAR APPROACHING FROM BEHIND.  She stops.  Turns to see Mrs. Abbott in the old Volare wagon with missing hubcaps.  The driver HONKS and rolls by before CRASHING INTO A MAIL BOX AND STOPPING.  Mrs. Abbott stumbles out of the car shit-face drunk.  The driver gets out too.  They stare at Mary.

                         MRS. ABBOTT

                 (to Mary)

          What are you starin’ at?

Mary shoves her suitcase in the car and climbs behind the wheel.  SHE RESTS HER BABY ON THE PASSENGER SEAT and slowly drives away.

EXT. MRS. ABBOTT’S TRAILER – DAY

Sheriff Thorton stands outside the trailer with Officer Dale and Mrs. Abbott.

Mrs. Abbott smokes a cigarette as she pours lighter fluid on a stack of newspaper in a CHARCOAL GRILL.

The Sheriff shows Mrs. Abbott a photo of Mary Patterson.

                         SHERIFF

          You sure you’ve never seen this

          woman before?

                         MRS. ABBOTT

          Can’t say that I have.

                         DALE

          And you’re positive?

Mrs. Abbott nods her head.  She steps away from the grill and flicks ash.

                         MRS. ABBOTT

          I’m pretty good with faces but

          my short term memory ain’t what

it use to be.

                         SHERIFF

          We have a reliable witness that

          claims Mary Patterson lived here

with her boyfriend.  We understand

they had a baby together.  I don’t

suppose you ever heard a baby crying

around here?

Mrs. Abbott shakes her head.

                         MRS. ABBOTT

          Can’t say that I have.

Sheriff Thorton turns away.  Visibly frustrated.

                        SHERIFF

          One more thing Mrs. Abbott.

          A stolen car recovered at our

          crime scene was spotted here,

yesterday, outside your trailer.

Our witness said she saw Mary

Patterson get in it with this man.

Sheriff Thorton shows Mrs. Abbott a photo of Nathan Smalls.

CLOSE ON: PHOTO OF NATHAN SMALLS.

                         SHERIFF

          What do you think?

                         MRS. ABBOTT

          I think your witness needs her

          eyes checked.

Sheriff Thorton nudges the photo closer.

                         SHERIFF

          Do you recognize this man or not?

                         MRS. ABBOTT

          I seen him around.

The Sheriff frowns when he sees Nathan carried out in an open body bag.

                         SHERIFF

          The car was used in an armed

          robbery.  I don’t suppose you

know anything about that?

Mrs. Abbott watches the police carry Nathan’s body away.  She points at him with her cigarette and shrugs.

                          MRS. ABBOTT

          Why don’t you ask him?

Mrs. Abbott flicks her cigarette on the newspaper in the grill.

CLOSE ON: THE Barbeque grill.

The newspaper catches fire.

Headlines above a photo of the diner read: POLICE STANDOFF ENDS IN VIOLENCE.  ONE SUSPECT STILL AT LARGE.

Newspaper pages burn and curl, revealing a FAMILY PHOTO WITH MARY AND HER BABY and an assortment of BABY CLOTHES engulfed in flames.

THE END

DIRK AND NATHAN POV:

Dirk sees Hilda tugging on the rear exit door.  He FIRES TWO SHOTS and misses.  He fires A THIRD SHOT as Hilda opens the door and runs out.

Nathan follows Dirk to the back room and secures the door again.

                         NATHAN

          Where the hell did she come from?

Dirk runs to the front window and peeks out.  HE SEES HILDA RUN TOWARD THE POLICE.

                         DIRK

          She never saw our faces.

          She can’t ID us.

Dirk storms toward Lindsay and Kelly.  He grabs Kelly by the hair and pulls her off her seat.  He puts the HOT MUZZLE to her forehead.  KELLY CRIES OUT.  The muzzle leaves a small impression in her skin.

                         DIRK

          I should have done this sooner.

                         NATHAN

          Let her go.

Dirk points his gun at Nathan.

                         DIRK

          Now it’s my turn.

Nathan puts his hands in the air.

                         NATHAN

          This won’t help anything.

          So one of them got away.

          Big deal.  She can’t hurt us.

Dirk hesitates for a second.  He looks at Kelly, then back at Nathan.

                         NATHAN

          Please.  Too many people are

          hurt already.

Dirk pulls the trigger.  CLICK.  The gun is empty.

Dirk laughs.  He lets go of Kelly, who runs back to the hostage group.

Dirk dumps the spent .357 casings on the floor.  He digs more bullets from his pocket and reloads.

                         DIRK

          I wish I could see your face.

EXT. DINER PARKING LOT – DAY

Sheriff Thorton grabs Hilda by her shoulders and looks her in the eye.  Hilda’s hyped on adrenaline.  Out of breath.  In a state of shock.

                         SHERIFF

          It’s all right.  Shhhh.

It’s all right.  Are you hurt?

Hilda shakes her head.  A paramedic rushes over.

                         SHERIFF

          She’s all right.

                         PARAMEDIC

          I still need to evaluate her.

Hilda swallows hard.  Her hands are shaking.

                         HILDA

          I’m all right.

She waves the paramedic off.

                         SHERIFF

                 (to Hilda)

          What happened in there?

Hilda takes a step back.  She’s reeling from what happened.

                         HILDA

          I saw three men with guns.

They’re wearing masks.

       (beat)

One of them shot a cop.

                          SHERIFF

          Is he still alive?

Hilda shakes her head.

                          HILDA

                 (about to cry)

          They shot him twice in the chest.

                 (crying)

          I think they killed him.

The Sheriff punches the air in frustration.

                          SHERIFF

          Son of a bitch.

Dale approaches.

                         DALE

          What happened?

                         SHERIFF

          Chuck’s dead.

                         DALE

          Shit…God dammit!  I fucking

          new this would happen.

                         SHERIFF

                (to Hilda)

          Is anyone else hurt?

                         HILDA

          A waitress got shot in the arm.

                         SHERIFF

          What about the cook?

                         HILDA

          They burned his hand but

          he’s all right.

                         DALE

          How many people are in there?

Hilda’s flustered, dizzy, STARTS TO FAINT.  THE SHERIFF CATCHES HER.

                         SHERIFF

                 (to Paramedic)

          Stay with her.

The Sheriff jogs to—

HIS CAR

The SWAT Commander follows him.  Sheriff Thorton grabs his MEGAPHONE from the passenger seat.

                         SHERIFF

          This is Sheriff Thorton.

          Throw out your weapons and

step out now.

The SWAT Commander pushes the megaphone aside.

                          SWAT COMMANDER

          What are you doing?

                          SHERIFF

          Trying to end this thing.

                          SWAT COMMANDER

          And kill everyone inside?

                          SHERIFF

          We have to do something.

Sheriff Thorton runs his hand through his hair.  He tosses the megaphone in the car.

                         SHERIFF

My brother’s inside there.

                         SWAT COMMANDER

          I’m aware of that.  I’m also aware

          there are a dozen other hostages.

          We’re doing everything we can.

                         SHERIFF

          Well it’s not enough.

                         SWAT COMMANDER

          Call the diner.  Keep them

talking as long as you can.

We’ll get your people out.

INT. DINER – DAY

Nathan and Dirk pace back and forth near the counter.  THE PHONE RINGS.

                         NATHAN

          What if she can ID us?

                         DIRK

          She never saw our faces.

                         NATHAN

          She knows you killed that cop.

                         DIRK

          We, killed that cop.  Now we’re

all involved.  For the long haul.

                         NATHAN

          You said you’d get us out of here.

How are you going to do that?

Dirk answers the phone.

                         DIRK

          What do you want?

EXT. DINER PARKING LOT – DAY

Sheriff Thorton on the phone.  The SWAT Commander stands beside him and listens.

                         SHERIFF

          This is Sheriff Thorton.

          Don’t hang up.

                         DIRK (VO)

          If you start shooting, I swear

to God I’ll kill every one of

these people.

                         SHERIFF

          No shooting I promise.

          I just wanna talk.

                         DIRK (VO)

          Make it fast.

                         SHERIFF

          Let the rest of the women go.

                         DIRK (VO)

          I haven’t let anyone go.

          That bitch got away on her own.

                         SHERIFF

          Don’t make this worse.

                         DIRK (VO)

          I want a car with tinted windows

and a full tank of gas.  And I

want your guys to back off.

The Sheriff looks at the SWAT Commander and covers the cell phone with his hand.

                         SHERIFF

          He wants a car.

The SWAT Commander nods.

                         SHERIFF

                (to Dirk)

          You still there?

                         DIRK (VO)

          Twenty minutes.  Or I start

          killing hostages.

The line goes dead.

                         SHERIFF

          Wait.

INT. DINER – DAY

Dirk slams the phone down.  He turns his head to read the CLOCK on the wall.  IT’S NOON.  Then he turns back to read the iron man plaque on the wall by the grill station.  He takes the plaque off the wall and reads the name beneath Simon’s picture.

CLOSE ON: IRON MAN PLAQUE

Dirk sees the name Simon Thorton.

BACK TO SCENE:

Dirk looks at Simon who’s holding ICE on his severely burned hand.

                         DIRK

          Small world.

EXT. MARY’S TRAILER – DAY

Mrs. Abbott emerges from the trailer and climbs in the old Volare.

INT. VOLARE – DAY

                         WHITE TRASH DRIVER

          What about the baby?

                         MRS. ABBOTT

          She’s down for a nap.

EXT. DINER PARKING LOT – DAY

The Sheriff slams his hand on the roof of a police car.  Dale stands beside him with his hands on his hips.

                         DALE

          We can’t just give them a car.

                         SHERIFF

          Then what do you suggest?

                         DALE

          We can’t let them leave.

A cop runs up to Sheriff Thorton and hands him a fax.  The Sheriff examines the page.

                         SHERIFF

          What’s this?

                         OFFICER

          Arrest warrant for Timothy Rivera.

          The Corolla’s registered in his name

          but he’s not our man.

      (beat)

Orange County police popped him

          for drug possession two nights ago.

          He’s been in lock up since then.

                         DALE

                 (to Sheriff)

          Then who’s inside?

                         SHERIFF

          Peter fucking Piper for all I know.

                 (beat)

          Find out.  Fast.  I wanna know

          who we’re dealing with.

INT. DINER – DAY

The clock on the wall reads 12:07.

NATHAN AND MARY POV:

Mary points to Dirk, who checks the front window blinds again.

                         MARY

          Why did you get involved with him?

                         NATHAN

          He said this place was easy

          money.  That he knew somebody

          who stole ten grand from one of

          these and got away.

Dirk approaches Nathan and Mary.

                         NATHAN

                (to Dirk)

          You see a car?

                         DIRK

          Not yet.

EXT. DINER BACK DOOR EXIT – DAY

SWAT team members dressed in black attach a special MIRRORED device over the peep hole.  They use a blow torch on the lock mechanism.

EXT. DINER PARKING LOT – DAY

The SWAT Commander lays out a hand drawn map on the hood of the Sheriff’s car.  Sheriff Thorton and officer Dale examine it.

                         SWAT COMMANDER

          Timing is critical.  One man will

          bring the car up front and get out

          with the engine running.  I want your

          men to drive away.  Give the elusion

          all is clear.  When our suspects

          approach the car, my men will enter

          from the storage room undetected.

          One team will secure the hostages.

          The other will engage the suspects.

Sheriff Thorton rubs his hand on the back of his head.

                         SHERIFF

          What if they get away?

                         SWAT COMMANDER

          They won’t.

                         DALE

          What if they try to take

          the hostages with them?

                         SWAT COMMANDER

          The car barely seats four people.

          When it reaches a safe distance

from the diner, my sharp shooters

will take it out.

                         SHERIFF

          Too risky.  I don’t like it.

                         SWAT COMMANDER

Right now it’s all we got.

The Sheriff checks his watch.

                         SHERIFF

          Eight minutes.

                         DALE

          You think they’re bluffing

          about killing the hostages?

                         SHERIFF

          They didn’t hesitate to kill a cop.

INT. MEN’S RESTROOM – DAY

Nathan takes his mask off.  He splashes water on his face.  His gun rests on the sink.  His hands tremble.

INT. DINING ROOM – DAY

Dirk’s seated at a table.  He watches the clock tick past 12:15.  Deadline’s looming.  Still no car.  He counts heads with his finger and removes more bullets from his pocket.

LINDSAY AND KELLY POV:

                         LINDSAY

          I’m sorry.

                         KELLY

          For what?

                         LINDSAY

          It was my idea to come here.

                         KELLY

          It doesn’t matter.  At least

Hilda got away.

                 (beat)

My uncle’s a New York State

          Trooper.  Cops train for this

kind of stuff.

                         LINDSAY

          I hope you’re right.

HAROLD AND BETTY POV:

Harold leans over the table and whispers to his wife.

                         HAROLD

          We can’t just sit here.

          We have to do something.

                 (beat)

          The other guy’s only holding a

          twenty-two.  I could take

          a couple shots from that and

          still survive.  If I can get close

          enough to him–

                         BETTY

          Shhhh.

                         HAROLD

          It’s us or them.  I’m not

          going to sit in the hangman’s

          gallows and wait to die.

Masks or not, we can identify their

          voices.  Sooner or later, they’ll

figure that out.

                         BETTY

          Don’t say that.

                         HAROLD

          We’re all witnesses.

                         BETTY

          The police will do something.

                         HAROLD

          They better do it soon.

CARL AND JON’S POV:

Carl slips a small folding knife from the top of his boot and hides it in his hands underneath the table where HE UNFOLDS THE BLADE.

FLASHBACK:

Dirk recalls the scene where Kelly bumped her door against his Corolla and he watched THREE GIRLS WALK AWAY.

BACK TO SCENE:

                         DIRK

                 (to Lindsay and Kelly)

          Where’s the other girl?

Lindsay and Kelly avoid eye contact.

                         KELLY

          What other girl?

                         DIRK

          Three of you got out of

          that car this morning.

                        LINDSAY

          She went to the gas station

          to buy cigarettes.  Before

          you got here.

Dirk notices how Kelly keeps staring toward the back room area.

Dirk walks toward the-

WOMEN’S RESTROOM

He stops outside the door to listen.  He hears THE EXHAUST FAN inside and the sound of RUNNING WATER.  He looks back at Kelly and Lindsay, then he KICKS THE DOOR OPEN to discover-

AN EMPTY RESTROOM

The toilet’s running.  No one’s hiding inside.

Dirk leaves the bathroom and enters the—

BACK STORAGE ROOM

He opens the walk-in freezer and finds food inside.

HILDA’S POV:

Hilda hides inside a FULL SIZE EMPLOYEE LOCKER.  She sees Dirk through the air vents in the door.  HER EYES ARE WIDE WITH FEAR.

BACK TO SCENE:

Dirk checks the deadbolt on the emergency exit door and puts his eye to the peephole.

CLOSE ON: PEEPHOLE

Dirk sees police cars gathered outside.

                         NATHAN (VO)

          The cops are moving.

BACK TO SCENE:

Dirk runs out of the storage room and back to the—

DINING ROOM

Dirk peers through the blinds to see police cars leaving.

                         NATHAN

          Are they leaving?

                         DIRK

No.  They’re getting ready for

          something else.

                         NATHAN

          Like what?

Dirk shrugs.

                         DIRK

          Why don’t you go out there

and ask them?

Mary approaches the two men.

                         MARY

          You said you could get us

          out of here.  I have to get

home to my baby.  If Rose

wakes up alone-

                         NATHAN

          Shut up.  Just, shut up

for one second and let me think.

EXT. PARKING LOT – DAY

An officer approaches Sheriff Thorton and taps him on the shoulder.

                         SHERIFF

          The SWAT Commander needs you.

The sheriff turns to see a black panel van parked near the side of the lot.  Several men with combat gear and automatic rifles gather around their SWAT Commander – a BIG BURLY MAN WITH A BALD HEAD AND A DEEP VOICE.

The Sheriff approaches the men.

                         SHERIFF

          What’s our best option?

The SWAT Commander addresses Sheriff Thorton.

                         SWAT COMMANDER

          We can’t get a clean shot with

the blinds closed.

                         SHERIFF

          What about the roof?

                         SWAT COMMANDER

          Too risky.

                (beat)

          How many suspects inside?

                         SHERIFF

          Three confirmed.  But there might

          be more.  They’re holding one of

          my deputies hostage.

                (beat)

          Dispatch received a nine-one-one

call from a girl inside.  We think

she’s alone.  Maybe hiding somewhere

in the back.

                         SWAT COMMANDER

          She tell us anything?

                         SHERIFF

          They lost the signal.

                         SWAT COMMANDER

          Can you get the suspects on

the phone?

                         SHERIFF

          They’re not talking.  And the

longer we sit here with our

dick in our hands, the more

dangerous these guys become.

They know they’re surrounded.

The sooner we end this thing,

the better.

                         SWAT COMMANDER

          How many hostages?

                         SHERIFF

          Ten or twelve.

                         SWAT COMMANDER

          Contact the nine-one-one dispatcher.

          See if she can get our caller

          back on line.  The more we know

          going in, the better.

INT. DINER- DAY

Simon soaks his RED, SWOLLEN hand under running water.

Darlene sits on the floor and rests her back against the counter.  She’s in pain, but not dying.  She faces Nathan and Mary who pick at a plate of food.

                         DARLENE

          Why rob this place?

Nathan chews a piece of bacon.  He gulps a glass of milk.

                         NATHAN

          Easy money.

                         DARLENE

          A bank is easy money.  We don’t

          hold more than two hundred

          dollars at a time.

                         NATHAN

          That’s not what my friend told me.

                         DARLENE

          Well your friend was wrong.

Mary shakes her head.

                         MARY

                (to Nathan)

          I told you this was a stupid idea.

                         NATHAN

          Dirk will get us out of here.

                         MARY

          How?  Through an underground

          tunnel?

                (beat)

          We should have stuck with the plan

          we had.  Two more semesters and

          you’d be done with school.  A full

          time job with benefits.

                         NATHAN

          The job’s not guaranteed.  We need

the money now, not later.

                         DARLENE

                (to Nathan)

          What are you studying?

                         MARY

                (to Darlene)

Engineering.  He goes to night

school at the junior college.

                         NATHAN

                 (to Mary)

          Shut up.  The less she knows

          about us the better.

                         MARY

          What difference does it make?

                         NATHAN

                 (to Darlene)

          You ever been on welfare?

                         DARLENE

          No.

                         NATHAN

          You ever spend six months

          sleeping under a leaky roof?

                         DARLENE

          No.

                         NATHAN

          We saved two years to buy our

first house.  Then hurricane

Sally blew the shingles off.  I lost

my job.  My girl got pregnant.

          We lost the house.

       (beat)

We were going to raise a family

in that house.  Instead we spent

six months with a leaky roof

before the bank kicked us out.

Now we’re living in a single wide

trailer with no air and a toilet

that won’t flush all the way.

                         DARLENE

          You can always find another job.

People do it all the time.

                         NATHAN

          You mean rich people do it all

          the time.  I work too many hours for a

          shitty paycheck that doesn’t add

up to nothing.  I barely qualify

for student loans I can’t afford,

and for what?  The almighty dollar

divides the rich who have it from

the poor who don’t.  The middle class

is obsolete.

                         DARLENE

What about your education?

                         NATHAN

Education is a band aid on a

sucking chest wound.

                         DARLENE

          So you think crime is the answer?

                         NATHAN

          If I don’t work, we don’t eat.

          I barely have time for school.

                         DARLENE

          You’re not the only one who’s been

          kicked in the face so many times your

brain is numb.  That doesn’t give

you the right to come in here and do this.

                         NATHAN

          Do I look like a fucking junky

to you?  You see me roll up in a

new Benz or flash my bling-bling?

I’m trying to feed my family.  To

pay for medication I can’t afford.

We sold our furniture, our belongings,

and the only car we ever had.  Even

that was a kick in the balls.  The

bank called us upside down.  Said we

owed more than the car was worth.

Then they came and took it when we

couldn’t make the payments. 

We were living in that car with

our baby.  We lost the only shelter

we had left.

Long beat.  Nathan and Mary stare at one other.

                         MARY

                 (to Darlene)

          You got kids?

                         DARLENE

          Not yet.

Long beat.  She repositions herself.

                         DARLENE

          You’re not entirely responsible

for what happened here.  Your friend

          killed the cop.

                         NATHAN

          And I shot you, remember?

                         DARLENE

          You weren’t trying to hurt me.

          You were trying to scare me.

          I got in the way by accident.

                         MARY

          You mean that?

                         NATHAN

                (to Mary)

          Don’t listen to her reverse

          psychology crap.

                         DARLENE

          Your friend is going to get

you killed.

Long beat.  Nathan contemplates Darlene’s conclusion.

                         NATHAN

          Then maybe we’re better off dead.

                         MARY

          Our baby needs us.

                         NATHAN

          That baby is what got us into

          this mess.

Mary starts crying.  Nathan watches her, then gives in and puts his arms around her.  DARLENE SEES HILDA PEEKING THROUGH THE RESTROOM DOOR.  THEY MAKE EYE CONTACT.

                         NATHAN

                 (to Mary)

          I’m sorry.  I didn’t mean that.

                         DARLENE

          How old is your baby?

                         MARY

          Eight months.  She was born

          with a heart defect.  Arrhy-arryth—

                         NATHAN

          Arrhythmias.  She needs daily

medication.

                         MARY

          The drugs cost more than we

          make some months.

HAROLD AND BETTY POV:

Harold eavesdrops on the conversation.  He stands up and approaches Nathan and Mary.  Betty clings to him, urges him to stay put.

                         HAROLD

          What kind of medication does

          your daughter take?

                         NATHAN

          Who are you?

                         HAROLD

          I work in sales for a large pharmaceutical

company.

                         BETTY

          Harold…

                         NATHAN

                (to Harold)

          You trying to sell us something?

                         HAROLD

          No, I’m just asking a question.

          Your daughter’s arrhythmias

          impairs her heart’s ability to

          pump blood.  Some people respond to

certain medications better than others.

Nathan looks at Mary.  He scratches his head.

                         NATHAN

          Are you some kind of doctor?

                         HAROLD

          No, but I work with a lot of

          doctors who treat heart rate

          rhythm disorders.

Nathan checks his watch.  He glances over at Dirk, who continues to visually monitor the police outside.

                         NATHAN

          Propafenone.  Our daughter

          takes propafenone.

                         HAROLD

          Does she get sick from it?

                         MARY

          Sometimes.

                         HAROLD

          Tell your doctor to give her

          disopyramide.  It might reduce

          the side effects.  If you let

          us go, I could get your daughter

          a lifetime supply for free.

                         NATHAN

          Sure, and while you’re at it, I’ll

          take a million dollars and a

          house in Beverly Hills.  One of

those with the clay tile roofs

that don’t leak – and a pool in

the back yard.  The kind with the

little waterfall.

                         MARY

                (to Nathan)

          Stop it.

                         HAROLD

          I’m serious.  Just let my wife

          and I leave.

                         NATHAN

          No deal.

Mary tugs on Nathan’s arm.  She whispers in his ear.

                         NATHAN

                (to Mary)

Why should we trust him?

THE POWER GOES OUT IN THE DINER.  THE AIR CONDITIONING STOPS.

                         DIRK

          The power’s on across the street.

          The cops are trying to sweat us

          out.

A CELL PHONE RINGS.

Dirk and Nathan look around the room.  Mary pats her pocket when she realizes the phone is hers.  She answers.

                         MARY

          Hello?

EXT. MARY’S TRAILER HOME – DAY

Mrs. Abbott paces while she smokes a cigarette.  A ‘76 Plymouth Volare wagon with missing hubcaps, red interior, and a broken windshield pulls up.  A white trash female sits behind the wheel.

                         MRS. ABBOTT

          This is Debra.  Where the hell

are you?

INT. DINER – DAY

                         MARY

          Is Rose all right?

                         NATHAN

                (whispering)

          Who is it?

                         MARY

                 (to Nathan)

          It’s Mrs. Abbott.

Mary turns away from Nathan.

                         MARY

                 (to Mrs. Abbott)

          Did she take her bottle?

EXT. MARY’S TRAILER HOME – DAY

                         MRS. ABBOTT

          She took most of it.

INT. DINER – DAY

                         MARY

          Did you change her diaper?

          She’s soaked when she gets up

          from her nap.

EXT. MARY’S TRAILER HOME – DAY

Mrs. Abbott shrugs at the driver who HONKS the horn in defiance.

                         MRS. ABBOTT

          Look, my ride’s here.

I have Bingo at the school

this morning and I need cigarettes.

I can’t hang around here all day.

INT. DINER – DAY

Mary grows more distraught.

                         MARY

          We’ll be back soon.  Just keep

our baby safe.

EXT. MARY’S TRAILER HOME – DAY

Mrs. Abbott hears the baby CRYING FROM THE TRAILER.  The driver revs the engine.

                         MRS. ABBOTT

          Hurry up.

INT. DINER – DAY

Nathan takes the phone from Mary and throws it against the floor.

                         MARY

          What are you doing?

                         NATHAN

          The cops can trace it.

EXT. DINER PARKING LOT – DAY

Dale approaches Sheriff Thorton who has one foot on the SWAT van bumper with his arm across his knee.  The Sheriff’s cheek is puffed with chewing tobacco.  He spits brown juice on the ground.

                         DALE

          How much longer are we going

          to wait?

                         SHERIFF

          Not long.

                         DALE

          Chuck’s still inside.

                         SHERIFF

          SWAT has a plan.

                         DALE

          I want in.

                         SHERIFF

          Forget it.  Let those boys do

          their jobs.  That’s what they

          get paid for.

                         DALE

          What about your brother?

The Sheriff spits again.

                         SHERIFF

          Simon can take care of himself.

EXT. GAS STATION ROOF – DAY

A SWAT sniper in a prone position rests his eye against his rifle scope to check his target placement.

CLOSE ON: VIEW FROM RIFLE SCOPE

The diner’s window blinds are closed.  Two SWAT team members circle around the back.

BACK TO SCENE:

                         SWAT COMMANDER (VO)

          Bravo two, are you in place?

                         SNIPER

          Roger that, team leader.

          I’m in position.

INT. DINER – DAY

JON AND CARL POV:

Jon and Carl sit at a booth with sugar spilled across the table.  The place is darker with the power out and the limited sunlight seeping through the closed blinds.

                         JON

          How much longer?

                         CARL

          Hard to say.

Jon looks at the robbers.  He’s nervous, scared.

                         JON

          What are they waiting for?

                         CARL

          The right opportunity.

                         JON

          To do what?

                         CARL

          To end this thing.

                         JON

          What if the cops start shooting?

Long beat.  Carl concentrates on his answer.

                         CARL

          Hug the floor.

                         JON

          How can you just sit here

like this?  Like nothing’s

happened?

                         CARL

          What do you want me to do?

                         JON

          Something.  Anything.  The

longer we sit here-

                         CARL

          Keep your cool and do what

they tell you.  No one else

is going to get hurt.

Jon fidgets with a sugar packet.

                         JON

          I never got my coffee.

                         CARL

          I never got my eggs.

Long beat.

                         JON

          I should have got on that bus.

          This morning, in the parking lot.

          I couldn’t do it.  I can’t go back.

          I joined the Army out of high

          school.  My mom told me not to but

          I enlisted anyway just to piss her off.

          They sent me to Afghanistan right out of

          basic.  I did two years in that

shit hole.  Now I’m AWOL.

                         CARL

          You’re not AWOL.  You just missed

the bus.

                         JON

          Tell that to Uncle Sam.  He’s the

one who’s got my balls in a twist.

I can’t go back.  I can’t.  I love my

          country, but I’m not cut out for this.

Long beat.  Jon looks at Carl intently.  Carl remains expressionless.

                         JON

          You think that makes me a coward?

                         CARL

          It makes you human.

                         JON

          I did two years.  That otta

          count for something.

A LOUD COMMOTION IN THE BACK ROOM PROMPTS JON AND CARL TO LOOK AWAY.

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.

DIRK’S POV:

Dirk paces back and forth.  Fed up with all the talking.  He marches toward Betty and Harold.

                         DIRK

          Shut up!  No more talking.

BACK TO SCENE:

A PHONE RINGS.  It’s the restaurant phone on the wall by the cash register.  The phone rings and rings and rings until Nathan finally answers.

                         NATHAN

          Hello?

EXT. DINER – DAY

Sheriff Thorton stands behind a patrol car with a cell phone.  Yellow crime scene tape blocks off a swarm of curious onlookers from the gas station parking lot.  A news helicopter circles above.

                         SHERIFF THORTON

          This is Sheriff Thorton.

          Who am I speaking with?

INT. DINER – DAY

                         NATHAN

          Ummm.

                         DIRK

                 (to Nathan)

          Shut up!

Dirk grabs the phone from Nathan and slams it down.

                         DIRK

          Don’t be talking to the cops.

He kicks at Jon’s journal notebook on the floor beneath the counter.  Curious, he picks it up and opens it.

CLOSE ON: JOURNAL ENTRIES

Dirk skims through Jon’s hand written notes.  He reads from the journal out loud.

                         DIRK

          I thought I almost died

          yesterday when the car

          bomb exploded outside our

          camp.  The sound was deafening.

The explosion rocked the tent

and filled the air with smoke.

Dirk skips ahead several pages.

                        DIRK

                 (mocking tone)

Most nights the slightest

noise makes me wet the bed.

I’m so scared, I just want to

go home to my family.

Dirk skips ahead.

                       DIRK

          I cried for the third time

          this afternoon.  No reason.

          I wasn’t hurt.  I just couldn’t

          take it anymore.  The men think

          I’m a pussy.  They’re afraid

          to go on patrol with me.  I’m not

          a fucking coward, I just need

          some time away from all this mess.

CARL’S POV:

Carl stands up.

                         CARL

                (to Dirk)

          That’s enough.

Dirk puts the journal down and moves toward Carl.  He aims the .357 at Carl’s chest.

                         DIRK

          Sit down.

Carl stands his ground for several seconds, staring into Dirk’s eyes.  Then he quietly complies.  Dirk walks away and throws the journal in a trash can.

INT. WOMEN’S RESTROOM – DAY

Hilda walks in small circles talking to herself.

FLASHBACK:

Hilda sees her cell phone in the back seat of Lindsay’s car.  Lindsay locks the car with a keyless remote.

                         HILDA

          I left my phone.

                         LINDSAY

          You won’t need it.

BACK TO SCENE:

Hilda tries to open the window.  It opens but it’s too narrow to climb out.  She can see the patrol cars and all the police nearby.  She sticks her arm out the window and tries to gain attention.

EXT. DINER – DAY

Hilda waves her arm back and forth, but no one sees it.

INT. WOMEN’S RESTROOM – DAY

Hilda pulls her arm back in.  She cups her hand to her mouth, fighting the urge to vomit.  OUTSIDE THE BATHROOM, THE PHONE RINGS AGAIN.

INT. DINER – DAY

The diner’s phone keeps ringing.  Dirk and Nathan look at one another.

                         NATHAN

          We should answer that.

Dirk shakes his head.  The phone keeps ringing.

SIMON’S POV:

                         SIMON

          Pick up the phone.

                         NATHAN

          Shut up.

BACK TO SCENE:

The phone keeps ringing.  Nathan reaches for the phone.  He sees Dirk raise his .357 at him.

                         NATHAN

          Just to make them go away.

          I won’t fuck it up this time.

          I promise.

Dirk slowly lowers his gun.  Nathan takes the phone.

                         NATHAN

          Hello?

EXT. DINER – DAY

                         SHERIFF

          Son, this is Sheriff Thorton.

          Don’t hang up on me again.

INT. DINER – DAY

                         NATHAN

          I’m listening.

EXT. DINER – DAY

                         SHERIFF

          Is everyone all right in there?

                         NATHAN (VO)

          We’re fine.

                         SHERIFF

          I believe you have someone

that belongs to me.  I need

to speak with him.

INT. DINER – DAY

Nathan cups the phone to his chest to mute his voice.  He glances at Chuck’s dead body in the back room.

                         NATHAN

          He can’t talk right now.

                         SHERIFF (VO)

          How come?

                         NATHAN

          Because we got him tied up

          in the other room.

                         SHERIFF (VO)

          How do I know he’s not hurt?

EXT. DINER – DAY

Sheriff Thorton stares at THE BLOOD SPATTER ON THE RESTAURANT WINDOW.  He knows someone’s hurt.  Bad.

                         SHERIFF THORTON

          You still there?

                         NATHAN (VO)

          I said, no one’s hurt.

                         SHERIFF THORTON

Son don’t lie to me.  That’s

only going to make things worse.

The line goes dead.  Sheriff Thorton wipes the sweat off his brow.  It’s going to be a long day.

Officer Dale approaches with his notepad open.

                         SHERIFF

                    (to Dale)

          Where the hell is my SWAT team?

                         DALE

          They’re on their way.

The Sheriff takes off his hat and throws it at the chopper.  The wind throws it back.

                         SHERIFF

          Get that fucking chopper out

          of here.

                         DALE

          How?

                         SHERIFF THORTON

          I don’t care.  Call the station.

Radio the pilot.  Shoot the damn

thing down if you have to.  Just

get it out of here.

                         DALE

          What about Chuck?

                         SHERIFF THORTON

          Nothing yet.

Dale glances at his notepad again.

                         DALE

          We ran the plates.  Two hits

came back.

Dale points to the Toyota Corolla.

                         DALE

          The Corolla’s registered to a

twenty-one year old Timothy Rivera.

He’s got a rap sheet for domestic

violence, armed robbery, and

assault with a deadly weapon.

                        SHERIFF THORTON

          What else?

                        DALE

          We popped the trunk and found

          a 12-gauge shotgun with a box

          of shells.  Crime scene’s

dusting the car for prints.

                         SHERIFF THORTON

          What about the other plate?

Dale points to Carl’s Mack truck parked away from the diner.

                         DALE

          The tractor trailer’s registered

to Carl Davenport.  Owner-operator.

          Burglary conviction in ’87 got him

three years in Tallahassee.  His

record’s clean since then.

       (beat)

          You think he’s involved in this?

                         SHERIFF THORTON

          Maybe.  Burglary to armed robbery

          is a short jump.

                         DALE

          But why would he drive his rig here?

                         SHERIFF THORTON

          Don’t know.

                 (beat)

          What about my brother?

                         DALE

          We called his house again.

No answer.  A patrol car’s on

its way.

      (beat)

Maybe we should call the Feds?

                         SHERIFF THORTON

          Fuck the feds.  I’ll handle this myself.

INT. DINER – DAY

ABBY AND CHERYL POV:

Abby and Cheryl look about the room nervously, desperate for some heroic measure to save them.  Abby lights another cigarette and inhales sharply.

                         CHERYL

          I’ve got biology lab this afternoon.

                         ABBY

          You’re worried about class?

                         CHERYL

          I’m worried about my GPA.

                         ABBY

          The hell with that.  We’ll be

          lucky to leave here alive.

                         CHERYL

          Don’t say that.  They’ll let

          us go when they have to.

                         ABBY

          Like them Worton kids in Jacksonville?

          They thought they were home free

          until their father shot them up.

                         CHERYL

          That’s different.

                         ABBY

          How’s that?

                         CHERYL

          Those kids were young.  They didn’t

          know any better.  If we keep our

          cool, we’ll walk away from this.

Long beat.  Abby takes a long drag.  The nicotine kicks in.

                         ABBY

          I should have stayed home.

          None of this shit would have

          happened if I just let the phone

          ring.

                         CHERYL

          I should have quit when I had

          the chance.

                         ABBY

          You and me both.

Abby smokes.  She’s lost in thought.  Trying to keep it together.

                         ABBY

          How much longer you got in school?

                         CHERYL

          Two semesters at the junior college.

          Then I go on for my bachelor

          degree.  Then four more years

          after that.

                         ABBY

          Four more years?  For what?

You studying to be some kind of

astronaut?

                         CHERYL

          A veterinarian.

Abby takes a final drag and crushes out her cigarette.

                         ABBY

          I’m not married to this place

          or the lousy tips.  I’m

          saving my pennies for cosmetology

          school.  I plan to open my own shop.

I got a cousin in Charleston who

          says she’ll help me run it.  She works

          for a small shop in the mall.

          Mostly kids’ haircuts, but she’s good.

                        CHERYL

          Amen to that.

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. 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.

EXT. DINER – DAY

Sheriff EUGENE THORTON (thick chest, tall stature), lowers his megaphone and turns to Dale.  Dale crouches behind a car door with his pistol pointed at the diner.

                        SHERIFF

          How many people inside?

                        DALE

          I don’t know.  A dozen, maybe more.

                        SHERIFF

          Could you see anything?

                        DALE

          Three people in masks.  Two with

handguns.

                        SHERIFF

          Was my brother in there?

                        DALE

          Couldn’t tell.  There was blood

          all over the window.

Sheriff Thorton turns away from Dale to acknowledge another officer approaching him.

                         SHERIFF

                 (to other officer)

          I want a SWAT team assembled.

          And run the plates on every

          car in this lot.  I wanna

          know who we’re dealing with.

The officer nods and backs away.

INT. DINER – DAY

Nathan paces back and forth until Dirk grabs him by the bicep.

                         DIRK

          Check the back exit again.

          Make sure it’s locked.

HILDA’S POV:

Hilda peeks through the bathroom door.  She sees a masked figure coming toward her and jerks her head away.

BACK TO SCENE:

Nathan stops outside the women’s restroom.  HE HEARS THE EXHAUST FAN BLOWING AND NUDGES THE DOOR OPEN.  HE SEES NO ONE AND PULLS THE DOOR CLOSED.

HILDA’S POV:

Hilda stands bolt upright behind the door.  She holds her breath.  Close call.

SIMON AND DARLENE POV:

Simon and Darlene watch Nathan and Dirk drag Chuck’s body to the back room, leaving a BLOOD SMEAR along the floor.

KELLY AND LINDSAY POV:

Lindsay reaches in her pocket and pulls her cell phone out slowly.  Kelly sees her and taps her hand.  Lindsay slides the phone back as Dirk and Nathan approach.

Dirk points to Darlene.

                         DIRK

          Get a mop and clean this shit up.

There’s blood all over the floor.

Darlene washes her hands in the sink.  Her seething stare burns at Dirk and Nathan.

CHERYL AND ABBY POV:

The waitresses stand together.  Abby faces the robbers with Cheryl beside her.  Abby fidgets, scratches her arms.  She craves a cigarette.

                         CHERYL

                (whispering)

          I recognize one of them.

                         ABBY

          How?

                         CHERYL

          His voice.  I think he’s a

student in my algebra class.

                         ABBY

          You better hope he doesn’t

          recognize you.

JON AND CARL’S POV:

Jon keeps his head down.  Hands in pockets.  Carl remains alert, attentive to events unfolding.

                         CARL

                (whispering)

          What’s your name?

                         JON

          Jon Reese.

Carl extends a hearty handshake.  Jon pulls his hand out of his pocket.

                         CARL

          Carl Davenport.

                 (beat)

          You’re the kid by the bus stop.

                         JON

          I should have got on.

                         CARL

          I should have kept driving.

Long beat.  Jon balls his napkin.

                         JON

          You think they’ll kill us?

                         CARL

          No.

                         JON

          How do you know that?

                         CARL

          Because we’re worth more

          to them alive, than dead.

HAROLD AND BETTY POV:

Harold and Betty sit at a booth.  Harold looks furious like he wants to punch someone.  They whisper.

                         HAROLD

          I wish I had a gun.

                         BETTY

          No you don’t.

                         HAROLD

          I could take those fuckers out

          before they knew what hit them.

                         BETTY

          And get yourself killed.

                         HAROLD

          We can’t sit here and do nothing.

          They shot a cop.  They won’t hesitate

          to shoot us.

                         BETTY

          Just do what they want.

                         HAROLD

          We should have stayed at the hotel.

                         BETTY

          So this is my fault now?

                          HAROLD

          I never asked you to tag along.

          This whole trip you’ve been

          acting weird.  Like your time

          of the month is coming.

                          BETTY

          That time has come and gone.

I’m irritated because you never

invite me on these trips unless

I beat you over the head about it.

                          HAROLD

          What’s that suppose to mean?

                          BETTY

          You’re upset because you

can’t play the field when

I’m around.

      (beat)

I know about the other women.

                          HAROLD

          What women?

                         BETTY

          Don’t play dumb, Harold.  I’ve been

          married long enough to know

the difference between a husband

in love and a husband

          pretending to be in love.

          If you’re not getting sex

          from me, you’re getting it

          from somewhere else.

FADE IN:

EXT. TRAILER PARK – DAWN

An early model Toyota Corolla idles outside a trailer home with the driver barely visible behind the tinted glass.

INT. TRAILER HOME – DAWN

A littered space with dirty laundry and dirty dishes.  Raman Noodle wrappers overflow from trash can.  A baby girl sleeps in a cardboard box.

NATHAN SMALLS, twenty-something college student in jeans and T-shirt hovers over a small table with an open algebra book, a spiral notebook, and a cheap looking .22-caliber revolver (Saturday night special).  A toilet flushes.  MARY PATTERSON, twenty-something girlfriend, enters from the bathroom in jeans and checks her sleeping baby.  Nathan looks up from his homework.

                         NATHAN

          You ready?

                         MARY

          I can’t leave her.

                         NATHAN

          We’ve been over this a hundred

times.  I can’t pull it off

without you.

                         MARY

          I’m not leaving our baby.

          Not now.  Not ever.

                         NATHAN

          Well she’s not coming with us.

Long beat.  Nathan puts his hand on Mary’s shoulder.

                         NATHAN

          We’ll be back before she’s up.

                         MARY

          What if she wakes up crying?

          What if she stops breathing?

          What if someone steals her?

                         NATHAN

          Look, we need this.

Nathan glances at the box.  Sees baby outline.

                         NATHAN

          For her.

                (beat)

You got a better idea, let’s hear it.

Mary struggles in her head.

                         MARY

          Fine.  But if anything happens

to us…

                         NATHAN

          It won’t.

                         MARY

Promise me.

                         NATHAN

I promise.

               (beat)

Get your shit together.  Mrs. Abbott

said she’ll be here.

                         MARY

          When?

Nathan checks his watch.

                         NATHAN

          Soon.

Mary wraps her hair in a bun.

Nathan takes the .22 off the table and checks the cylinder. It’s loaded.  He stuffs the gun in his pants and covers it with his shirt tail.

                         NATHAN

          Let’s go.

EXT. TRUCK STOP PARKING LOT – DAWN

The sun rises over a vacant gas station and a Waffle House diner across the street.  JON REECE, an Army Private with a buzz cut and a green duffel bag stands in line to board a Greyhound bus. He’s nervous, fidgety, distracted while the last few passengers board.

FROM ROAD POV:

The bus pulls away, LEAVING JON IN THE PARKING LOT ALONE.

JON’S POV:

Jon’s thousand yard stare focuses on the diner across the street.  He blocks the sunlight with his hand and starts walking toward the diner.

A LOUD HONK from a tractor trailer prompts him to jump back as the eighteen-wheeler veers off toward the diner parking lot.

EXT. DINER PARKING LOT – DAWN

Jon approaches the diner entrance.  He sees CARL DAVENPORT step out of the Mack truck wearing boots, a jean jacket, and a wallet chain hanging from his back pocket.  A road warrior, tough-as-nails man with a scruffy beard and weathered face.

Jon and Carl cross paths but say nothing.  Jon notices the early model Toyota Corolla with tinted windows FACING AWAY FROM THE DINER AT THE OPPOSITE END OF THE PARKING LOT. Jon can BARELY see the driver’s silhouette through the tinted glass.

INT. DINER – DAWN

Jon and Carl sit at separate booths. DARLENE MADISON, a thirty-something manager with nice features, scrubs dishes in the sink behind the counter.

                         DARLENE

          Morning.

Carl takes a menu from another table.  A customer leaves change on the counter and exits.

The fifty-something short order cook, SIMON THORTON, scrapes the grill.  He wears a pony tail with a white apron around his jeans.  Turquoise rings and bracelet.

                         SIMON

          Grits are empty.

                         DARLENE

          I thought you ordered more.

                         SIMON

          I don’t get paid to inventory.

          I get paid to cook.

JON’S POV:

Stares through a window at the parking lot.  A Volvo station wagon with a man and woman inside parks near the restaurant.

EXT. DINER – DAY

Middle age couple, HAROLD MEEKS(pharmaceutical sales rep) AND BETTY MEEKS(homemaker), exit the Volvo wagon.  They bicker as more cars arrive in the diner parking lot.

                         HAROLD

          The hotel has free breakfast.

                         BETTY

          I can’t face another bagel

with cream cheese.

                         HAROLD

You could have had something else.

                         BETTY

          I could have stayed at a better

place.  One with room service.

                         HAROLD

          You wanted to tag along.  Maybe

next time you’ll think twice.

                         BETTY

          There won’t be a next time.

                         HAROLD

          What’s that suppose to mean?

                         BETTY

          Forget it.

Harold and Betty enter the diner.  A two door Mazda COUPE parks beside the Toyota Corolla.

MAZDA POV:

Lambda Theta Alpha sorority sisters KELLY, HILDA, and LINDSAY exit the Mazda.  They stretch and squint.

KELLY (cute, bubbly, cheerleader type).

HILDA (shortest and thinnest of the three, woozy, about to puke on her shoes).

LINDSAY (prudent, responsible, designated driver more or less).

Hilda staggers, bumps her car door against the Corolla.  She cringes.  Can’t discern the Corolla’s occupants behind the tinted windows.  She holds her hand to her mouth about to puke.  SHE SEES HER CELL PHONE ON THE BACK SEAT.

Lindsay locks the car with the keyless remote.

                         HILDA

          I left my phone.

                         KELLY

          You won’t need it.

GIRLS’ POV:

A FORD STATION WAGON pulls in front OF THE DINER as a SHERIFF’S CAR parks at the OPPOSITE END OUT OF SIGHT FROM THE COROLLA.  Kelly, Hilda, and Lindsay enter diner.

FORD STATION WAGON POV:

Waitress, Abby Smith, gets out and SLAMS THE DOOR.  She holds her apron and blows smoke.  Flicks her cigarette butt.  Her nametag hangs crooked on her uniform.  The station wagon drives away.

INT. DINER – DAY

Darlene hustles behind the counter with a tray of drinks.  Bacon SIZZLES on the grill.  Simon searches the fridge for supplies.  Abby enters.

                         DARLENE

                 (to Abby)

          You’re late.

Abby ties her apron.  She’s angry.  Pissed at being there.

                         ABBY

          It’s my day off.

                         DARLENE

No one would cover the shift.

               ABBY

And that’s my fault?

                         DARLENE

Table five hasn’t ordered.

Twelve still needs coffee.

                         ABBY

          Where’s Paula?

Darlene carries orange juice glasses to Harold and Betty’s table.

                         DARLENE

          She quit.

Abby takes her notepad from her apron pocket.  She grabs the coffee pot.  The place is buzzing.

                         ABBY

          Since when?

                         DARLENE

          This morning.

                         ABBY

          Where’s Cheryl?

CHERYL WILKINS, a black waitress and community college student emerges from the back room counting money.

                         CHERYL

          I need change.

                         DARLENE

          Take it from the register.

                         SIMON

                 (to Darlene)

          Order up.

HAROLD AND BETTY POV:

Harold waves his coffee mug.

                         HAROLD

                 (impatient, to wait staff)

          I need a refill.

                         BETTY

                 (to Harold)

          You can’t find good help anymore.

                         HAROLD

I told you we should have stayed

at the hotel.

                         BETTY

          Quit bitching.  You sound like

          your mother.

DARLENE’S POV:

Darlene delivers a plate of over-easy eggs and toast to Carl’s table.

                         DARLENE

          More coffee?

Carl looks at his food.

                         CARL

                 (gruff)

          I asked for scrambled.

Darlene forces a smile.  She takes the plate.  Going to be a long shift.

JON’S POV:

Jon watches the parking lot intently.  He’s startled when Cheryl brings his waffle with bacon.

                         CHERYL

          Can I get you anything else?

Jon shakes his head.  Cheryl leaves the check.

SIMON’S POV:

He’s flustered.  Tickets crowd the counter.  He knocks a serving spoon off the counter and picks it up.  Tosses it in the sink with piled dishes.  He grabs a hot pan handle and burns his hand.

                         SIMON

          Shit.

He stares at an order ticket and taps Darlene’s arm when she tries to walk by.

                         SIMON

          What is this?

Darlene reads the ticket.

                         DARLENE

          Wheat toast, no butter.

                         SIMON

          Spell it out next time.

          I can’t read your scribble.

INT. SHERIFF PATROL CAR – DAY

Deputies CHUCK AVERY and DALE WILSON unbuckle their seatbelts.  Chuck stuffs a clipboard beside the riot shotgun mounted between the seats.

                         CHUCK

          You want something?

                         DALE

          Black coffee.

Dale reaches for his wallet.

                         CHUCK

          I got it.

EXT. PATROL CAR – DAY

Chuck exits the patrol car and swaggers toward the diner entrance.  Wears shades, mustache, and an ego the size of Texas.

INT. SEA-NOTE, MAIN SALON – LATER

Steve stands with his hands in the air while Damon points the .357 at him.  Agent Riker hauls Leslie in the room.  Steve drops his arms and advances toward his wife.  He pulls the tape off her mouth.

Leslie embraces Steve.

                      LESLIE

          I thought you were dead.

Steve glares at Riker.  Veins surface along his neck and forehead.

                      STEVE

                (facing Damon)
          Where’s our daughter?

Riker removes her red wig to reveal her short, black hair.

                      AGENT RIKER

          She’s gone.

                      LESLIE

          Nooooo!

Leslie breaks away from Steve and fights her away toward Agent Riker.  Damon advances with the .357 revolver.

                      AGENT RIKER

          The fight is over.

                      STEVE

                (to Riker)

          I’ve not yet begun to fight!

                      AGENT RIKER

          I admire your tenacity – but as

far as the FBI or anyone else is

concerned, I’ve perished at sea.

Killed in the line of duty.

The victim of an unfortunate

boating accident that claimed

the lives of two Special Agents.

Agent Smythe tumbles down the stairs and lands in the main salon at Riker’s feet.  His face is badly swollen with blood seeping from a gash above his eye.  He looks at Riker in disgust.  Victor descends the STAIRS NEAR THE GALLEY.

                      AGENT RIKER

                (to Victor)

          Not the head.  I want the

teeth intact.

Smoke seeps into the cabin from the raging fire across the bow.

                      AGENT SMYTHE

          Fuck you.

Victor pumps the shotgun and fires a single blast at Smythe’s chest.  BOOM!  Red, pulpy tissue sprays the galley cabinets.

Riker wipes blood spatter off her shirt as Victor and Damon ASCEND THE STAIRS TO THE WHEELHOUSE.

                      STEVE

          You’re a disgrace to your job and

          your country.

                      AGENT RIKER

          I can live with that…and the ten

          million dollars I’ve made from

this little operation.

Riker nudges Steve and Leslie toward the back of the boat.

                 AGENT RIKER

          Keep moving.

Steve looks about the boat.  He coughs from the smoke.

                      STEVE

          Why us?

                      AGENT RIKER

          Bad Karma, I guess.  Wrong place,

          wrong time – that sort of thing.

                      STEVE

          I trusted you.

                (beat)

            AGENT RIKER

That’s touching.  Now get on

your knees.

Leslie turns to Steve with tears streaming down her eyes.   She whispers I love you.  Steve drops to his knees with his hands behind his head.  Riker stands behind him.

A small explosion rocks the boat, causing Riker to lose her balance.

Steve spins around and fights for control of her gun.  Two shots go off, hitting Riker in the stomach.  Riker crumbles to the floor.  Steve plants a knee in her chest.  He points the gun at her thigh.

                      STEVE

          Where’s my daughter?

Riker coughs up blood.  She shakes her head.

                      AGENT RIKER

          You won’t find her…

                (beat)

          Without me.

Steve shoots point blank.  Riker screams.

                      STEVE

          TELL ME!

Steve presses the hot muzzle to Riker’s forehead.  Smoke fills the cabin like a heavy fog.  Flames spread toward the galley.

                      LESLIE

                (to Steve)

          We have to get out of here!

                      STEVE

                (to Riker)

          Where is she!

Riker forces a smile before her eyes roll back in her head.  Leslie tugs on Steve’s arm.  A wall of fire blocks their topside exit.

Steve rips the sheets off a bed in the port side cabin and douses them in the cabin’s shower.  He drapes one over Leslie and one on himself.  They charge through the fire and leap from the burning yacht.  They hit the water as a massive explosion destroys the Sea-Note, hurling flaming debris in all directions.

EXT. PIER AT SAN MIGUEL – NIGHT

Soaking wet, Steve and Leslie step off a small fishing trawler.

Cruise ship passengers loiter about the docks as Steve and Leslie approach a visitor’s kiosk.  Steve spots Lieutenant Mierez running toward them with several officers.

                      STEVE

                (whispering to Leslie)

          This way!

Steve and Leslie traverse the crowded pier as police draw closer.

                      LESLIE

          What’s happening?

                      STEVE

          Keep moving.

A Jeep veers off the road and pulls in front of Steve and Leslie.  Ambrose leans out of the driver’s seat.

                      AMBROSE

          Get in!

The Jeep speeds away, side-swiping a taxi and a parked police car as pedestrians run for cover.  Steve rides shotgun with Leslie hunkered in the back seat, her long hair twisting from the turbulent vortex coming over the windshield.  A police chase ensues, but Ambrose diverts  down a one-way street and pulls into —

A DARK DRIVEWAY

                      AMBROSE

          Get down!

Police cars speed passed the Jeep’s location with horns honking and lights flashing.  Steve sits up and claps Ambrose on the shoulder.

                      STEVE

          Nice job!

Ambrose backs out of the driveway and follows —

A SIDE ROAD THROUGH SAN MIGUEL

He detours passed the main streets, heading south beyond the hotels, restaurants, and tourist shops sprinkled along the promenade.  Dust swirls in the path of the headlight beams.

                      AMBROSE

          Where’s your daughter?

                      STEVE

          We have to contact the American

authorities.

                      AMBROSE

          I already have.  I’m with the FBI.

          There’s a boat waiting to takes us

off the island.

                      LESLIE

          Not without my daughter!

                      STEVE

                (to Ambrose)

          How do I know we can trust you?

                      AMBROSE

          My wife was on the job in Aruba.

Victor Mendoza killed her in

cold blood.  We knew the FBI had a

rotten apple on the team – but no one

could figure out who.

Steve shields his eyes at the oncoming high beams from a rusted cargo van.  He watches as the van slows to turn around and give chase.  They’re coming after us!

                      AMBROSE

          Hold on!

Leslie buckles her seat belt before the van SLAMS the Jeep’s bumper, causing the Jeep to fishtail.

A SHOTGUN BLAST pulverizes the Jeep’s side view mirror, leaving a stump of shattered plastic.

                      STEVE

                (to Ambrose)

          Get closer!

Steve depresses the cigarette lighter in the dashboard.

The van zigzags behind the Jeep then charges along side. Randy aims a shotgun out the passenger window.

Steve pulls the red-hot cigarette lighter from the 12-volt socket and throws it through the van’s open window.

INSIDE THE VAN

Randy bobbles the lighter and inadvertently discharges the shotgun at the windshield.  GLASS EXPLODES.  THE VAN careens toward a steep embankment.  The van flips on its side and GRINDS along the road.

BACK IN THE MOVING JEEP

Steve and Leslie turn to see the wreckage unfold behind them.  When they face forward, they see a single headlight from a moped coming straight at them.

                      STEVE AND LESLIE

                (in unison)

          Look out!

Ambrose jabs the brakes and skids out of control, heading for a towering palm tree that brings the Jeep’s momentum to a neck-snapping halt.  Ambrose CRASHES through the windshield.

The horn blasts continuously, drowning the squawk from a flock of macas.

                      STEVE

                (to Leslie)

          Are you all right?

Steve climbs out shaken and bruised.  He feels for a pulse on Ambrose’s neck.  Steam escapes with a HISS from the front of the crumpled hood.

                      STEVE

          He’s gone…

Leslie unbuckles her seatbelt and stumbles out of the Jeep.

Another SHOTGUN BLAST sends Steve and Leslie fighting their way through dense scrub along a patch of marshy lagoon.

                      RANDY

                (shouting)

          Show yourselves and I’ll kill

          you clean.  Make me chase

          you, and you’ll wish you hadn’t.

LESLIE STEPS IN A RUT AND FALLS.  Steve helps her up.  Randy closes the gap and aims the shotgun at Steve and Leslie.

Suddenly, a figure darts out from the brush and SMASHES Randy’s head with a large rock.

A SHOTGUN BLAST tears through the trees.

STEVE HITS THE DIRT, dropping Leslie as he grabs his right ham string.

Leslie regains her footing.

                      LESLIE

          Sarah?

Sarah runs to her parents and hugs them.  Her clothes are shredded.  Her arms and face are marred with cuts and bruises.  Dirt and weeds cling to her wild hair.

The Chambers retreat to the main road where a Nissan sits with its high-beams facing them.  Two men get out, their faces hidden in the headlight wash.

Steve looks at the gold chain license plate cover; the same one he saw on the video monitor in the FBI apartment.

                      STEVE

          Run!

Gripping his leg, Steve trudges through the jungle with Leslie and Sarah as Victor and Damon launch a volley of gunfire.

LATER

The Chambers emerge from the jungle to find a beach house with a 36-foot Wellcraft Scarab parked in a sling above the water in a covered pier.

Steve crouches inside the covered pier with Leslie and Sarah.  Victor and Damon emerge from the jungle and surround the house.

Leslie and Sarah board the boat.  Steve presses the RED BUTTON in the control box mounted to a piling.  A winch unravels the cable assembly and lowers the boat in the water.

                      LESLIE (OS)
          Hurry!

ON THE SCARAB

Steve pries a helm panel open and snatches the ignition wires free.  He strips the wires with his teeth and touches the bare leads together.  Sparks fly.  Both engines come to life with a LOUD GRUMBLE.

ON LAND

Victor and Damon run toward the pier.  Victor fires at the Scarab, tearing holes in the fiberglass transom as the boat pulls away in a cloud of blue exhaust.

BACK ON THE SCARAB

Steve stands with his back against the bolstered driver’s seat.  He jams the throttles forward.  The bow rises sharply as the boat gathers speed.  Bullets ricochet.

                      STEVE

          STAY DOWN!

Water sizzles beneath the hull.  Land disappears in the distance.  Then the engines sputter.

INSERT – STEVE GLANCES AT THE GAUGE DISPLAY

The needle for the oil pressure gauge drops to zero.

BACK TO SCENE

The Scarab slows.  The bow settles in the water as both engines cough and sputter.  Black smoke belches from the engine compartment.

                      LESLIE

          What’s happening?

                      STEVE

          I don’t know.

Steve glances at the radio destroyed by a stray bullet.  His feet slosh in the flooded deck.  He opens the engine hatch and finds an oil slick rising in the flooded compartment.

                      STEVE

          We’re taking water.

Leslie hugs her daughter.  Waves lap the hull.  Steve searches the CUDDY CABIN and retrieves an orange flare gun.

Leslie looks down to see the water level at her ankles.

Steve inspects the damaged radio and throws the broken microphone in disgust.  He loads the flare gun.

                      SARAH

          I’m scared.

                      STEVE

          SHHHH!

The whine from a two-cycle outboard grows louder as a Zodiac tender approaches from shore.

                      SARAH

          They’re coming!

                (beat)

                      STEVE

          I want the two of you off the boat.

                      LESLIE

          We’re not leaving you–

                      STEVE

          You’re not safe here.

                      LESLIE

          What about life jackets?

Steve glances at a pair of bright orange life preservers floating across the deck.

                 STEVE

     They’ll see you.

           (beat)

You’re both strong swimmers.

Don’t fight the current.

                      LESLIE

          What are you going to do?

                      STEVE

          Whatever it takes.

Leslie and Sarah climb overboard.  They tread water beside the sinking Scarab.  The steady current carries them away as Steve leans over the side.

                      STEVE

                (whispering)

Stay quiet.  Don’t splash.

Whatever happens, I love you both.

EXT. ZODIAC – NIGHT

Victor and Damon approach the sinking Scarab.  Damon pumps the shotgun.  Victor slaps a fresh clip in the MP5.

IN THE SCARAB

Victor inspects the EMPTY CUDDY CABIN.

IN THE ZODIAC

Damon shines a spotlight at the water.

BACK TO SCARAB

                      VICTOR

          They’re not here.

BACK TO ZODIAC

Damon turns slowly to maintain his balance as a hand rises out of the water with a FINGER ON THE FLARE GUN TRIGGER.

Damon aims the shotgun at Steve, but before he can fire,

A FLAMING PROJECTILE HITS DAMON IN THE MOUTH.

Damon falls backward in the water with his face on fire.

Victor shoots the water until the magazine expires.  He tosses the submachine gun and dives at Steve.  The two men grapple hand-to-hand UNDER WATER.

Steve takes an elbow to the nose and returns the strike with a blow to Victor’s solar plexus.  Victor forces Steve in a choke hold.  Bubbles seep from Steve’s mouth.  His eyes bulge when he sees the spinning propeller cut across his path and approach several strands of Victor’s long, floating hair.

Victor tries to wrench his head away but the fast spinning blades grind into the back of his skull.

Steve surfaces through the bloody water, gasping for air. He pulls himself inside the Zodiac and unfastens the engine from the transom.  He threads the oars in the oar locks and rows away from Victor’s body.

                      STEVE

          L-E-S-L-I-E!  S-A-R-A-H!

The Scarab’s bow slips below the surface.

                      STEVE

                (voice cracking)

          L-E-S-L-I-E!  S-A-R-A-H!

He scans the moonlit water until he sees an arm waving.  He rows against the current to reach his wife and daughter.  He helps them in the Zodiac and collapses from exhaustion.

                      SARAH and LESLIE

                (together)

          We thought you were dead.

                      STEVE

          So did I.

EXT. CHINCOTEAGUE – DAY

Crewmen drape blankets over Leslie and Sarah.  Seaman Tate and another crewmate carry Steve on a cot as Captain Peters arrives on deck.

                      CAPTAIN PETERS

          I guess you found them.

Steve looks at Leslie and Sarah then turns back to the Captain and gives the thumbs up sign.

INT. HOME OF STEVE AND LESLIE – DAY

SUPER: “ONE YEAR LATER”

Leslie dices celery on a cutting board in the kitchen.  When she’s done, she sets the chopping knife on the counter and dumps a can of white meat StarKist in a strainer in the sink.  The cordless phone rings.  She wipes her hands on a towel and takes the handset from the base station on the wall.

                      LESLIE

          Hello?

INTERCUT – STEVE’s LEXUS SUV STUCK IN TRAFFIC

Steve braces his elbow against the door and holds the cell phone to his ear.

                      STEVE

          Hi Baby…

RETURN TO LESLIE IN KITCHEN

                      LESLIE

          You’re late.

                      STEVE (VO)

          I’m almost home.

                (beat)

          Is Sarah back yet?

                      LESLIE

          She’s still at Katy’s.

                (beat)

          She’s fine.  I told her we’d

          take her shopping next weekend.

          Maybe look for a new car.

                      STEVE (VO)

          Honey…

                      LESLIE

          I’m just saying…

Leslie watches a brown UPS truck pass by the kitchen window.

                      LESLIE

          The FBI called again this morning.

                      STEVE (VO)

          The same agent you talked to

          before?

                      LESLIE

          Yeah.  He said they’ve found no

record of any company named Hot

Spot Vacations.

                      STEVE (VO)

          What about the investigation?

                      LESLIE

          He wouldn’t tell me.

Leslie exits the kitchen and enters —

THE LIVING ROOM

She sees the UPS truck parked in her driveway.  The doorbell rings.

                      STEVE (VO)

          What’s that?

                      LESLIE

          Are you expecting a package?

                      STEVE (VO)

          No.

Leslie enters —

THE FOYER

She peels the curtains back on the window overlooking the driveway.  The sun is shining.  Kids are playing in the street.

Leslie unlocks the deadbolt and peers out the peephole.  She opens the door and finds a brown box on the steps.  She bends over and picks up the box.

                      STEVE (VO)

          Don’t open the door.

                      LESLIE

          It’s all right.

Leslie turns the box over and shakes it.  She tucks it under her arm and starts to close the door.

                      LESLIE

          Did you do something naughty

          for my birthday?

Damon appears at her doorstep in a UPS uniform with black leather gloves and a shiny new machete.  His mouth and chin are grotesquely malformed with scarring across his face.

Leslie screams.  She slams the door and locks the deadbolt, dropping the phone in her haste.  The room spins in circles as she runs to —

THE KITCHEN

She grabs the chopping knife from the counter.  She returns for the phone as Damon bursts through the door and tackles her by the ankles.  She drops the knife and kicks him in the face.  She scrambles up —

THE STAIRS

Leslie sprints toward —

STEVE’s STUDY

She barricades the door with the desk.  She opens the closet and reaches for the gun safe.  When she finds the safe locked, she searches the desk drawer for the key.

OUTSIDE STEVE’s STUDY

Damon pounds the door with the machete, splintering the hollow panel one whack at a time.

INSIDE STEVE’s STUDY

Leslie searches frantically for the key.  She unlocks the safe and retrieves Steve’s .45 caliber M1911 service pistol.  She SLAPS the loaded magazine in the handle and pulls the slide back to chamber the first round.  She aims at the door and fires three shots with a two-handed grip.  Damon cries out.

Leslie lowers the gun.

LATER

Leslie pushes the desk away and slowly opens the door with the machete stuck inside.  She aims the gun at –-

THE EMPTY HALLWAY

A blood trail leads down the stairs.  Leslie keeps her back to the wall, descending one step at a time toward the foyer where the cordless phone sits in plain view.

Damon jumps from behind the sofa and tackles Leslie.  His shirt is soaked in blood as he fights for the gun.  Leslie fires a single shot near Damon’s ear and knees him in the groin.

Damon slams his elbow against her face and knocks the gun across the floor.

Leslie runs for —

THE BASEMENT STAIRS

She reaches the single French door exit – BUT The deadbolt locks from the inside with the key dangling from a nail in the basement stAIRS.

Damon descends the stairs with the machete.

Leslie sidesteps toward Steve’s work bench littered with scuba tanks, a rubber dry suit, and an assortment of masks and flippers.  She steps in front of a yellow scuba tank with a green Nitrox II label.

                      LESLIE

          The police are on their way.

Damon rubs his thumb across the shiny blade.

                      DAMON

          They won’t make it.

Leslie slips her hand in her pocket and retrieves her cigarette lighter.

Damon lunges with the machete poised to strike.  Leslie screams.  She flicks the cigarette lighter and cranks the Nitrox valve open, blowing a stream of fire that lights up Damon like a Roman candle.

Engulfed in flames, Damon continues his assault.

BANG! BANG! BANG!  Three shots explode from the stairs.  Damon drops in a burning heap.

BACK TO STAIRS

Steve stares at Leslie through the smoke.

                      STEVE

          Sorry I’m late.  Traffic was hell…

Steve and Leslie embrace.  A crescendo of police sirens drown the waning smoke alarm.  Fade to black.

THE END

INT. CHAMBERS’ HOTEL SUITE – NIGHT

Steve sorts through a pile of photocopied pictures of Leslie and Sarah.  A Cozumel map sits open on the desk with hotel names and locations crossed off with red marker.  The sheets on the bed are still fresh with mint candies on the pillows.

Steve reaches in the nightstand drawer and pulls out one of Leslie’s shirts.  He crumples the shirt and inhales it.

EXT. PRESIDENTE SUITES PARKING LOT – DAY

Steve approaches Ambrose from the main lobby entrance.  The sun is blinding.

                      STEVE

          I got your message.

                      AMBROSE

          We found the Jeep.

Ambrose strolls toward a damaged rental Jeep.  A crack in the windshield distends from one end to the other.  Both headlights are broken.

                      AMBROSE

          The police towed it here an

          hour ago.  Found it abandoned

          near the Puntas Molas Lighthouse.

                      STEVE

          Where’s that?

                      AMBROSE

          Near Cozumel’s southern tip.  About

          four kilometers from the main road.

Steve circles the Jeep and inspects the gravel embedded in the knobby tires.  He checks the floor mats and finds a burned match.

                      STEVE

          You’re sure this was hers?

Ambrose glances at his clipboard.

                      AMBROSE

Your wife signed the rental

agreement two days ago.

                      STEVE

          Was anyone with her besides my

          daughter?

                      AMBROSE

          I don’t know.

                      STEVE

          Any indication where she went?

Ambrose looks over the rental agreement.

                      AMBROSE

          No, but the contract forbids

anyone from leaving the island.

                      STEVE

          Could someone ferry a rental

Jeep off the island?

                      AMBROSE

          Technically they’re not suppose

          to, but it happens.

Steve wipes his hands across the seats, searching the fabric and the space around the sandy floor mats.  He taps the gas can strapped to the tail gate; it rings HOLLOW.  He touches the severely scratched hood.

                      STEVE

          This vehicle’s been through hell

and back.

                      AMBROSE

          Most of this island is uninhabited.

With unpaved roads and rocky shorelines,

the environment takes its toll on our

rental fleet.

                      STEVE

          The roads didn’t damage this hood.

Ambrose’s beeper goes off.  He takes it from his belt and reads the number.

                      AMBROSE

          I have a pick-up at the airport.

If you need me, you can page me

at the front desk.

Steve watches Ambrose walk away.

                      STEVE

          What do you know about the

lighthouse at Puntas Molas?

Ambrose turns.  He cups his hand on his forehead to shield the sun.

                      AMBROSE

Not much.  It’s been closed for

repairs since last summer.

            STEVE

Would anyone go there to swim or

dive?

Ambrose shrugs.

                      AMBROSE

          They’d be crazy if they did.

          The waters on that side of

the island are very rough. 

There’s a strong rip tide and

a rocky shoreline that claims

at least one boat a year.

Steve checks his watch and nods.

INT. LOBBY, PRESIDENTE SUITES – DAY

Steve approaches the front desk and spots Randy pushing a luggage cart toward the elevator.  Randy makes eye contact with Steve, then looks down at the floor and shakes his head.

INT. CHAMBERS’ HOTEL SUITE – NIGHT

Steve packs a duffel bag with crackers, water, and a map of Cozumel.  A knock at the door prompts Steve to open it.

Steve discovers an empty hallway.  He jogs toward the stairwell and looks over the open landing.  When he returns to the room, he finds a note on the floor outside his door.

INSERT – STEVE READS THE NOTE

Midnight – Pier 3 – San Miguel.

EXT. SAN MIGUEL, PIER 3 – NIGHT

Live music carries across the street from the seaside promenade where Steve loiters among the masses dwarfed by the towering cruise ships.

Steve proceeds along the pier to a vacant kiosk.  A payphone rings.  He grabs the handset on the third ring.

                      STEVE

          Hello?

The line is silent.  Then a man’s voice come on.

                      MAN’s VOICE (VO)

          Steve Chambers?

                      STEVE

          Who is this?

                      MAN’s VOICE (VO)

          El Loco’s Bar off Adolfo Rosado

Salas.  Be there in ten minutes.

Alone.

                      STEVE

          Wait…

INT. EL LOCO’s BAR – NIGHT

Patrons whisper when Steve enters the dirt floor establishment.  Murals of ocean scenery cover the stucco walls.  Mariachi music plays from a radio behind the bar.

Steve approaches a back room table where FBI Agents Dale Smythe and Wendy Riker sit beneath the smoky glow of a naked light bulb.  Smythe motions toward Steve.

                      STEVE

          Who the hell are you?

Agent Riker displays her badge.  Her gravel voice is thick and husky, yet almost sultry at the same time.

                      AGENT RIKER

          I’m Special Agent Riker with the

FBI.  My partner, Special Agent

Smythe.

                      STEVE

          What is this?

Agent Smythe leans forward on the bench seat, exposing his considerable girth and his 9mm Glock holstered beneath his Hawaiian shirt.  He nudges the top of his dark-rimmed glasses that sit high on the edge of his bulbous nose.

                      AGENT SMYTHE

          Sit down.

                      STEVE

          Why the cloak and dagger act?

                      AGENT RIKER

          We wanted to be sure you weren’t

          followed.

                      STEVE

          Followed by who?

Agent Smythe points to the opposite bench seat.

                      STEVE

          You’ve been following my family

since we landed in Cozumel.

Agent Smythe lights a cigarette and blows smoke out the corner of his mouth.  Riker leans forward, exposing cleavage from her V-neck blouse.

            STEVE

What do you know about my wife

and daughter?

            AGENT SMYTHE

We’re investigating the disappearance

of nine people at various Caribbean

resorts.  All are wealthy.  And all

tapped their bank accounts before they

disappeared.

                      STEVE

          What are you saying?

Agent Riker fans the cigarette smoke.

                      AGENT RIKER

          We suspect a piracy ring is involved.

                      STEVE

          Piracy?

                      AGENT SMYTHE

          It’s more common than you think.

          Though usually not in Caribbean

          waters.

                      AGENT RIKER

          Has anyone contacted you about

          a ransom?

                      STEVE

          No.

                      AGENT RIKER

          Have you seen anyone suspicious

          near your family?

                      STEVE

          Aside from you two?

Steve glances around the room.

                      STEVE

          Are you working with the local

authorities?

                      AGENT RIKER

          They’re aware of our investigation

but our partnership with the Mexican

Government remains tenuous at best.

                 AGENT SMYTHE

     The Mexican Government doesn’t

appreciate Uncle Sam throwing

his weight around.

           (beat)

     Especially when we suspect that

one of their own is involved.

                      STEVE

          Someone in Cozumel?

                      AGENT SMYTHE

          We don’t know for certain.  What

          we do know is that yesterday

at 0800, a Coast Guard sonar pinged

a sunken vessel in 300 feet of

water outside Aruba.  The wreckage

is uncharted.

      (beat)

We suspect it might be a British

yacht last scene in that general

vicinity; the boat’s been missing

for three days – along with its

diplomat owner and his mistress.

                      STEVE

          And you think pirates did this?

            AGENT SMYTHE

Possibly.

                      STEVE

So what’s the connection to

my family?

            AGENT SMYTHE

We don’t know, yet.

                      STEVE

          Then why are you wasting

          my time?

Agent Smythe glances at his partner, then back to Steve.

                      AGENT SMYTHE

We pulled your naval records.

You’ve done everything from

scrubbing hulls to underwater

demolition.  We need you to dive

to this sunken ship and identify it.

            STEVE

Why?

                      AGENT RIKER

If it’s the yacht we’re looking for,

it might provide us with a lead.

Something tangible we can work from.

                      STEVE

          Sounds like a job for a Coast

          Guard salvage team.

                      AGENT RIKER

          The Coast Guard needs four days

to assemble a team.  We can’t

spare four hours.

                (beat)

          We can have you on site by 0600.

                      STEVE

          Three hundred feet is serious depth.

          We’re talking mixed gas.  Heated suits.

          And a top-side crew that’s worth their

          salt.

                       AGENT SMYTHE

          The Coast Guard has equipment on

board.  What they need is someone

qualified to use it. Right now,

you’re the only option we’ve got.

                      STEVE

          And what about my wife and daughter?

          Who’s searching for them when I’m

          gallivanting under water?

                      AGENT SMYTHE

          We have undercover agents investigating

your family’s disappearance as we speak.

Our people are good at what they do.

The sooner we act on this, the better

our chances of finding your family.

Steve wipes his hand through his close-cropped hair.  Agent Smythe drops his cigarette on the dirt floor and crushes it under his shoe.

                      AGENT RIKER

Time is our enemy.

Steve shakes his head.

                      STEVE

I don’t know…

                (beat)

          I spoke with the Deputy Consulate

          at the American Embassy–

                      AGENT SMYTHE

          And he assured you his people are

          doing everything they can, right?

                      STEVE

          Yes.

                (beat)

                      AGENT RIKER

          Do you know how many people

disappear in Mexico City every day?

                      STEVE

          No, not exactly.

                      AGENT RIKER

          We’re not debating what the Deputy

          Consulate told you.

                (beat)

          The question is: do you believe him?

EXT. SEA-NOTE BOW – DAY

Victor stands on deck with a 12-gauge pump-action Browning.  He blasts two clay pigeons from the sky.  Pulverized fragments fall toward the water.

                      VICTOR

          Again!

Damon pulls a rope attached to a spring-loaded launcher. Three clay targets hurl through the air.

In one fluid motion, Victor brings the shotgun to his shoulder, aims across the length of the barrel, fires, pumps, and fires again.  3-inch magnum cartridges litter the deck.  Smoke trails from the heated muzzle.

                      VICTOR

          I’m out.

Damon hands him a box of shells.

                      DAMON

          They’ll be here soon.

Victor reloads.

Damon launches three more targets.  Before Victor can load the last shell and fire, Damon draws his .357 Magnum and blasts the clay disks.  Large chunks of broken clay fall to the water.

LATER

A 36-foot, twin-engine Donzi approaches from the distance and slows alongside the longer yacht.  Victor steps across the Sea-Note’s gunwale to tie off.

                      VICTOR

          Carajo!  Donde has estado?

A bearded CUBAN BUYER in a straw hat, khaki Chinos, and a silver briefcase boards the Sea-Note.  Two body guards armed with UZIs remain on board the Donzi.

                      DAMON

          You’re late.

The Cuban Buyer throws a glance at Victor.  VICTOR LEAVES THE SCENE AND VENTURES TOWARD THE WHEELHOUSE.

INSIDE THE SEA-NOTE’s STARBOARD CABIN

Spread eagle on her back, Leslie stares up at the cabin ceiling.  Her eyes dart back and forth at the sound of men’s voices.  Her wrists and ankles are tied with ropes that extend beyond the corners of the mattress.  She strains to free herself.

BACK TO THE SEA-NOTE MAIN SALON

                      DAMON

                (to Cuban Buyer)

          Let’s see the cash.

The Cuban Buyer opens the silver briefcase and reveals several $10,000 bundles of used bills.

                      CUBAN BUYER

          Four-hundred thousand.

                      DAMON

          The deal was five.

                      CUBAN BUYER

          This is not the boat I wanted.

Damon paces about the cabin.  He stops at the starboard porthole in the galley and peers at the body guards aboard the Donzi.

                      DAMON

          Four-ninety.

The Cuban Buyer whistles for his men.  Victor emerges from the WHEELHOUSE with a Heckler & Koch MP5 submachine gun.

                      CUBAN BUYER

          Perhaps you take me for a fool?

                      DAMON

          I’ll take you anyway I want.

Victor riddles the Cuban body guards with two quick bursts from the MP5.  Shaking uncontrollably, the Cuban Buyer puts his arms in the air.  His crotch is stained with urine.

                      CUBAN BUYER

          Please…  Take the money. 

It’s yours.

Victor blasts the Cuban Buyer, knocking him backward as bullets tear his chest apart.

EXT. COAST GUARD CUTTER – NIGHT

A helicopter hovers above the 110-foot Coast Guard Cutter, CHINCOTEAGUE.  Spot lights flood the landing pad where Agent Smythe and Agent Riker escort Steve across the deck.

Shielding his eyes from the chopper’s downwash, Coast Guard CAPTAIN PETERS greets Agent Smythe with a handshake.  A slender man with steel blue eyes and a dark tan, Captain Peters wears a gold academy ring with an emerald stone.

                      CAPTAIN PETERS

          Couldn’t stay away could you?

Agent Smythe turns to Steve.

                      AGENT SMYTHE

          Here’s your man.

Steve extends a hand shake to the Captain.

                      STEVE

          Steve Chambers.

                      CAPTAIN PETERS

          Captain Peters.  Good to meet you.

          Welcome aboard the Chincoteague.

          I’m not sure how much you’ve been

          briefed, but I can bring you

          up to speed.  We’ll commence our

          operation at 0700.

                (beat)

I’m sorry about your family.  I

hope this mission helps.

                      STEVE

          Me too.

INT. CHINCOTEAGUE SLEEPING QUARTERS – NIGHT

Steve rests on his back, staring wide-eyed at the bunk above him.  An enlisted crew member SNORES LOUDLY in the rack across from him.

LATER

Steve checks his watch.  He rolls over.

STEVE DREAM SEQUENCE – LATER

Steve’s hands shake beneath the murky water where he floats above the surface with a scuba tank on his back, panning an underwater flashlight at the hull of the sunken ship half buried in a portion of the ocean’s sandy bottom.  Ripples in the metal plating on the foredeck structure reveal rusted patches encrusted with layers of barnacle growth.

Steve breaks a portal with the butt of his dive knife and aims the light at a school of silver-gray fish swimming in the ship’s dining room.  Lengths of wooden molding float among the waterlogged rubble in a salt-water grave.  His own exhaust bubbles rumble above his head as he inspects the grease-pen sketch on the dive slate attached to his scuba vest.  The light reflects off the white tablet as he studies the hand-drawn outline of the ship’s interior.

Employing a steady scissor kick, he swims toward the ship’s stern.  The underwater visibility deteriorates.

He swims inside a gaping hole above the engine room and ties a guide line to a length of railing.  He swims through floating debris until a figure passes in front of him.  Unable to discern the shadows through the heavy sediment, he swims toward the bloated bodies of Leslie and Sarah.  Their faces appear translucent with hollow eye sockets.

Steve spits out his mouthpiece and inhales a lung full of water.

STEVE’s BUNK – PRESENT DAY

Steve snaps awake.  He’s flat on his back, drenched in sweat.  Shoes CLANG on the metal deck until a black Coast Guard crewman named SEAMAN TATE calls out.

                      SEAMAN TATE

          Ready when you are, Captain.

EXT. COAST GUARD DECK – DAY

Agent Smythe greets Steve as he makes his way to the diver’s staging area.

                      AGENT SMYTHE

          You up for this?

                      STEVE

          Yeah.

                (beat)

          Where’s your partner?

                      AGENT SMYTHE

          In the shitter.

A group of enlisted men gather around the coils of hoses extending from the surface-supplied air control center.  Seaman Tate unlocks a storage trunk and drags out a canvas bag.

                      SEAMAN TATE

                (to other crewmate)

          Give me a hand with this.

Steve watches the men unload the diving equipment.  He shakes his head when he sees the Russian version of an American Mark V dive helmet complete with a metal breast plate and canvas suit with lead-bottom boots.

                      STEVE

                (to Agent Smythe)

          You’re kidding me.

Agent Smythe turns to Captain Peters.

                      CAPTAIN PETERS

          Not what you expected?

                      STEVE

          Where’d you find that, e-Bay?

                      CAPTAIN PETERS

          It’s old but it works.  And it’s

          all we’ve got.

                      AGENT SMYTHE

          What’s the problem?

                      STEVE

          These rigs were decommissioned

in ’79.  I wouldn’t put my worst

enemy in one of these.

                      CAPTAIN PETERS

          A lot of off-shore drilling

operations still use them.

Steve examines the dive helmet.  Agent Smythe lights a cigarette.  Behind the men, a small crane pivots with a length of steel cable and an air-supplied umbilical cord extending from the metal arm.

Seaman Tate steps forward.

                      CAPTAIN PETERS

          Tate, this is Master Chief Chambers.

          You’ll be his ears on this mission.

                       SEAMAN TATE

          Aye aye Sir.

                      STEVE

                (to Seaman Tate)

          You ever worked a mixed gas rig before?

                      SEAMAN TATE

          Yes Sir.

                      STEVE

          How many hours?

Seaman Tate looks at the Captain then turns sheepishly to Steve.

                      SEAMAN TATE

          Counting today?

EXT. CRANE HOISTS STEVE OVERBOARD – DAY

Suspended by the mechanical arm, Steve dangles over the cerulean blue water before the winch slowly deploys him feet first.

                      SEAMAN TATE

                (instructing the crane operator)

          We ain’t got all day. There’s seven

minutes of air in that suit.

                      AGENT SMYTHE
          What’s the problem?

                      CAPTAIN PETERS

The suit is self contained. 

We can’t turn on the main air

supply until he’s fully submerged.

                      AGENT SMYTHE

          Why not?

                      CAPTAIN PETERS

          He’ll blow up like the Michelin

Man.

INT. SEVERAL FEET BELOW THE SURFACE – DAY

Steve checks his air pressure from the analogue gauge on his wrist.  He sinks quickly with a narrow field of vision through the oval faceplate.  His voice echoes inside the copper helmet.

                      STEVE

          How’s my air?

                       SEAMAN TATE

          Holding steady.

200 FEET BELOW THE SURFACE – LATER

Colors fade in the absence of natural sunlight.  Underwater visibility diminishes.

                      SEAMAN TATE (VO)

          Approaching two-hundred and

fifty feet.

                      STEVE

          Copy that.

Steve activates his underwater strobe affixed to a lanyard on his breast plate.  Air bubbles gurgle from his helmet’s exhaust port.  When his feet touch the surface, he pans the light.

                      STEVE

          We’re here.

He plods along the sandy bottom.

                      STEVE

          I don’t see it…wait…up ahead.

                      SEAMAN TATE (VO)

          Do you have visual contact?

                      STEVE

          Affirmative.  Large figure.

Can’t make out the details.

Steve reaches the remains of the 50-foot sailing yacht and finds a jagged opening in the hull.  The mast lays broken in half.  Bullet holes riddle the starboard side.  Shards of broken glass deflect the light beam.

                      SEAMAN TATE (VO)

          Watch your umbilical.

                 STEVE

     Copy that.

Steve cranes his neck when a shadow flashes across his peripheral vision.  He pans the light and sees nothing but floating sediment.  He holds his breath, then slowly exhales.

                      AGENT SMYTHE (VO)

          You find our boat?

Steve shines the light in front of him and makes his way around the yacht’s stern.  The name X-T-SEA trails off the damaged transom.

                      STEVE

          If you’re looking for a motor

          yacht, this isn’t it.

Static crackles in the dive helmet.

                      SEAMAN TATE (VO)

          Chief…  You’re breaking up.

                      STEVE

          Tate?

Steve bangs his helmet with the flashlight.  For a moment, all is silent except for the sound of his exhaust bubbles. a hammerhead shark blasts through a jagged opening in the yacht’s hull, tearing across Steve’s path.  The flashlight SMACKS the yacht and dies.  Surrounded in darkness, Steve pants inside the helmet.

                      STEVE

          Tate?  Are you with me?

Steve fumbles in the dark for the flashlight.

                      STEVE

          Tate?

More static.

BACK ON DECK – LATER

A frenzied Seaman Tate shouts at the crane operator.

                      SEAMAN TATE

          Take him up!  Take him up NOW!

LATER

The crane gently lowers Steve on deck.  Water drips from the canvas suit.  INSIDE THE SUIT, Steve sweats profusely about the head and neck.  He stares out the helmet faceplate as the ship’s crew members gather to help remove the dive gear.

                      STEVE

          It’s getting hot in here.

Seaman Tate takes a pneumatic lug wrench and starts to unscrew the first of 8 bolts securing the helmet to the breast plate.

                      SEAMAN TATE

          Save your breath.  I’ll have

          you out in a jiffy.

The pneumatic wrench malfunctions, emitting a rat-tat-tat-tat sound.  Seaman Tate taps the wrench against the deck to revive it but the equipment continues to fail.  He grabs a manual wrench and attacks the second bolt by hand.

                      CAPTAIN PETERS

          Get him out of there!

                      STEVE

          You wanna crack the O₂ a notch?

Seaman Tate works frantically to loosen the third bolt.

                      SEAMAN TATE

          You know I can’t do that Chief.

                      CREWMAN

The compressor’s dead.  We’re

switching to a back-up unit.

                      CAPTAIN TATE

          How soon?

                      CREWMAN

          Ten minutes.

                      CAPTAIN PETERS

          We don’t have ten minutes!

Seaman Tate spins the fourth bolt off with his finger and clamps the wrench on number five.  Sweat pours down his face.

Steve leans forward and falls toward Seaman Tate.  Steve’s eyes roll back in his head.  His face turns pale.

                      SEAMAN TATE

          He’s out!

STEVE DREAM SEQUENCE

Steve sees a ghostly image of Leslie in a dark room, pounding his chest, yelling at him to wake up.  Leslie puts her lips to his mouth.

BACK TO CHINCOTEAGUE DECK – PRESENT DAY

Agent Riker kneels beside Steve’s body, pinching his nose; blowing in his mouth.

Steve pops his eyes open and coughs.  He inhales a shallow breath and stares beyond Agent Riker.

                      STEVE

          Baby?

Agent Riker helps Steve to an upright position.  Seaman Tate looks over her shoulder.

                      AGENT RIKER

          Take a deep breath.

Steve looks around, dazed and confused from his brush with death.  Crewmen cheer.

                      STEVE

          What happened?

                      AGENT RIKER

          You just stepped out for a second.

                (beat)

          You’re all right.

INT. OFFICER’s QUARTERS – NIGHT

Agent Smythe leans back in a swivel chair bolted to the floor.  Across from him, Agent Riker holds a brown accordion folder.  Steve enters wearing Navy sweats.

                      STEVE

          You got a minute?

                      AGENT RIKER

          You look better.

Steve faces Agent Riker.

                      STEVE

          I…Ahhh…Owe you big-time.

                      AGENT RIKER

          Forget it.

                (beat)

                      STEVE

          Someone wanted that yacht

          at the bottom of the sea.

                      AGENT SMYTHE

          The Coast Guard’s sending a

salvage team.  They’ll be here

in three days.

                      STEVE

          Where does that leave us?

                      AGENT RIKER

          The chopper returns at 0800.

          We’ll be in Cozumel by dawn.

                      STEVE

          Any word on my family?

Agent Smythe shakes his head.

                      AGENT SMYTHE

          Not yet.

Agent Riker hands Steve the accordion file.  Inside, a butterfly clip holds several black and white mug shots.  Steve thumbs through the photos.

                      STEVE

          What’s this?

                      AGENT RIKER
          Our greatest hits collection.

                      AGENT SMYTHE

          We believe two of the men

in those photos have connections

to this man.

Agent Smythe displays a mug shot of Victor Mendoza.

Steve glances at the photo.

                      STEVE

          Oh my God…

START OF FLASHBACK

Steve recalls Victor’s face during his family’s dive trip.  He recalls the tattooed forearms of an eagle clutching a trident as Victor slaps Sarah on the shoulder.

BACK TO PRESENT DAY

                      AGENT RIKER

          You all right?

Steve points to Victor’s photo.

                      STEVE

I’ve seen this man before.

                      AGENT RIKER

                (incredulously)

Where?

            STEVE

On the dive boat at the Presidente

Suites.

      (beat)

The day my wife and daughter disappeared.

                      AGENT SMYTHE

          Do you recognize this man?

Steve shakes his head.

                      STEVE

          Who is he?

                      AGENT RIKER

          Victor Arellano Mendoza, a Cuban

immigrant from Miami.  Served four

years as enlisted Navy before

applying for special forces training

with the SEALS.  He blew a gasket

during BUDS and killed his drill

instructor.  Served two years in

Leavenworth before escaping.  He

killed two guards in the process.

That was nine months ago.

                      AGENT SMYTHE

          Last month, an anonymous caller

tipped a Miami Coast Guard patrol

about Mendoza’s involvement in a

pirating scheme.

                      AGENT RIKER

We’ve tracked Mendoza to Curacao and

          Saint John where a family disappeared

from a chartered yacht.

Agent Smythe blows smoke through his nose.

                      AGENT SMYTHE

Mendoza killed a female Agent

in Aruba.

      (beat)

Every time we get close to him he

slips through our fingers like the wind

INT. FBI APARTMENT, SAN MIGUEL – NIGHT

Steve peers through a window overlooking the Caribbean.  His face is drawn; his eyes sunken and pinched from lack of sleep.  Agent Smythe enters.

                      STEVE

          We’re wasting time.  Every minute

we sit here and do nothing puts

my wife and daughter in greater jeopardy.

                      AGENT SMYTHE

          If we go in with guns blazing and

Mendoza isn’t there, we’ll tip

our hand.

            STEVE

So now what?  We sit here and

sing Kum bi ya?

            AGENT SMYTHE

We’ve had the phone lines tapped.

There’s 24-7 video surveillance

throughout the resort.  If Mendoza

or his men were there, we would

have seen them by now.

            STEVE

And what if they’ve already left?

What if they’ve taken my wife and

daughter with them?

Agent Riker enters the room with her cell phone.  She nods to Agent Smythe.

                      AGENT RIKER

          I got a call from Lieutenant

          Mierez.  One of his men found

a floater near the northern tip

outside the Puntas Molas lighthouse.

                 AGENT SMYTHE

     How long ago?

                 AGENT RIKER

     About an hour.

  AGENT SMYTHE

          Male or female?

                      AGENT RIKER

          Undetermined.

Agent Smythe grabs his Glock from the table and tucks it down the back of his shorts.  Steve wipes his hand through his hair.

                      STEVE

          This can’t be happening.

                      AGENT SMYTHE

          Call Mierez back.  Tell him we’re

on our way.

INT. WOODEN STORAGE SHED – NIGHT

Sarah stands up and feels along the wall for a light switch.  Confused and disoriented, she flicks on the single bulb dangling above her and finds Natalie Johnston curled in a corner.

                      SARAH

          Who are you?

Natalie pulls away, shielding her face with her hands.  Her shirt is soaked in sweat.

                      NATALIE

          Natalie.

                      SARAH

          Where are we?

Natalie shrugs.

Sarah moves to the boarded window hammered shut with 16-penny nails.  She touches the nail heads and looks around the empty storage shed for something to pry with.

                      SARAH

          We have to get out of here.

                      NATALIE

          They’ll find us.

                      SARAH

          Not if I can help it.

INT. POLICE HEADQUARTERS, SAN MIGUEL – NIGHT

Steve follows Lieutenant Mierez along a narrow hallway with Agent Smythe and Agent Riker at his side.  The four descend a flight of stairs to —

THE MORGUE

Steve, Smythe, Riker, and Mierez stand over the body on a gurney covered with a plastic tarp.  Smythe and Riker cover their mouths with their hands.  Mierez pulls a handkerchief from his pocket.

                      AGENT RIKER

          Let’s do it.

Lieutenant Mierez pulls the tarp back to reveal a white, bloated body with a severed arm and substantial flesh wounds to the torso.

Agent Smythe turns his head and gags.  He blows chunks.  Intestinal fluids hit the floor with a WET SLAP.

                      Lieutenant Mierez

                (mumbling through the handkerchief)

          Do you recognize this person?

Steve steps around the body.

                      STEVE

          I can’t tell.

Agent Smythe leaves the morgue.  Steve follows.

                      AGENT RIKER

          Where are you going?

                      STEVE

          To check on something.

EXT. PUNTAS MOLAS LIGHTHOUSE – NIGHT

Steve crouches outside the lighthouse foundation.  He finds an entrance blocked with an iron gate secured with a chain and lock.  He shines the light on a wooden plaque hanging from the chain.  Waves SPLASH against the rocky shoreline.

INSERT – STEVE READS THE WOODEN PLAQUE

Peligro – No Entrada ilegal!

BACK TO SCENE

Steve backs away from the locked gate and proceeds around the other side.  He stops in his tracks and looks down at his feet.  At his ankles, a nearly invisible length of fishing twine stretches across the ground, reverberating like a plucked guitar string.  He follows the line with the flashlight beam.  The line ends at a claymore mine embedded in the ground.

He SLOWLY retreats and finds another path to follow, one embedded with deep tire tracks in marshy soil.  He pans the flashlight beam along the ground and discovers a piece of broken plastic partially buried in the dirt.  He inspects the broken plastic and wipes a clear spot to reveal the remnants of an orange Tic-Tac case.

INT. LIEUTENANT MIEREZ’s OFFICE – NIGHT

Lieutenant Mierez takes a long drag from his cigarette and blows smoke at an out-of-balance ceiling fan.  Sweat beads on his forehead.  Across the room, Agent Riker scribbles on a notepad.

                      AGENT RIKER

          Any verdict on the cause of death?

                      LIEUTENANT MIEREZ

          Not yet.

Agent Smythe enters the room and shakes a cigarette from his soft pack.  When his cell phone rings, he puts it to his ear and frowns.

                      AGENT SMYTHE
          AFIS came back with a hit on

our DOA’s prints.  A woman named

Pamela Johnston.  She took a

collar eighteen years ago for

assaulting an officer at a pro life demonstration.

Smythe puts a cigarette between his lips.

                      AGENT SMYTHE

I’ll check the airlines and the hotel

Registries.  If the Johnstons came to

Cozumel recently, Mendoza might still

be in town.

                      AGENT RIKER

          I’ll check their bank records for

unusually activity.

Lieutenant Mierez paces by his desk.

                      LIEUTENANT MIEREZ

          Let me know what you find.  The life

          of another man’s family may depend

          on it.

INT. SEA-NOTE STARBOARD CABIN – NIGHT

The whine from an outboard motor fades against the sound of waves lapping the hull.  Leslie pulls on the ropes around her wrists and creates enough slack in the lines to free one hand.  Her wrists bleed from the effort, but she manages to untie herself and leave the cabin confines.

OUTSIDE THE CABIN

Leslie presses her ear to the adjacent wall.  Hearing nothing, she moves through the companionway toward —

THE MAIN SALON

                      LESLIE

          Sarah?

Leslie enters —

THE WHEELHOUSE

She sees the outline of an inflatable yacht tender heading for shore with two men on board.  She reads the navigation chart on the plotting table.  Belize is circled in red marker.

She takes the VHF radio from the helm and keys the microphone.

                      LESLIE

          Mayday mayday mayday! Request

          immediate assistance, over.

STATIC CRACKLES from the speaker.

                      LESLIE

          Mayday!

                      COAST GUARD (VO)

          This is the United States Coast

          Guard.  Please identify…

Leslie keys the mic.

                      LESLIE
          You have to help me.  I’ve been

          kidnapped…

More static.

                      COAST GUARD (VO)

          …your location…over…

The speaker starts to BUZZ and WHINE as Leslie adjusts the squelch control.

                      COAST GUARD (VO)

          …please identify…over…

When the dinghy circles back, Leslie abandons the radio and rummages through a toolbox.  She retrieves a monkey wrench and SMASHES the dashboard and navigation monitors.  Sparks fly with pieces of broken glass and plastic.

OUTSIDE THE HELM STATION

A two-cycle outboard drones louder as Leslie creeps along the gunwale opposite the approaching boat.  She climbs over the bow rail and drops to the water feet first.  She side-strokes to —

THE SWIM PLATFORM

She hides underneath, waiting for the men to return.

LATER

Victor and Damon reach the Sea-Note and tie off.  They jump aboard the yacht with guns drawn.

                      VICTOR
          Check the cabin.

BENEATH THE SWIM PLATFORM

Leslie quietly leaves the confines of her hiding space and pulls herself inside the dinghy.  She unties the line and drifts away before she yanks the starter cord.

Damon exits —

THE WHEELHOUSE

He skirts along the gunwale toward the stern.

                      DAMON

          HEY!

Damon fires at Leslie in the dark.

BACK AT THE YACHT TENDER

Leslie cranks the handlebar throttle wide open, forcing the bow to rise abruptly as the small inflatable heads for shore.

Gun shots echo across the water.  The outboard sputters and dies.  Ducking for cover, Leslie yanks the starter cord repeatedly.  When the motor won’t start, she notices the fuel valve TURNED TO THE OFF POSITION.  She adjusts the valve and pulls the starter cord until the engine comes alive.

Leslie crouches in the small inflatable, facing forward with one arm bracing an oar lock.  The boat dips sharply as Victor launches himself on board like a monster from the deep.  Leslie screams.

INT. CHAMBERS’ SUITE – NIGHT

A startled maid screams when Steve enters his hotel suite.

                      STEVE

          What are you doing?

The maid jumps away from the dresser.  Clothes are strewn about the floor.

                      MAID

          Lo siento, senor.  Lo siento.

                      STEVE

          Habla usted ingles?

His Spanish accent resounds like a Chinese tenor with a head cold.

The maid keeps her head down and advances toward the door. Steve blocks her path.

                      STEVE

          What are you looking for?

He points to Leslie’s clothes.

                      MAID

          Dejeme ir, por favor!

                      STEVE

          Tell me!

The maid thrashes when he tries to grab her arms.

                      MAID

          Please…Senor…If they find me…

                      STEVE

          Who?

                      MAID

          El faro.  Bad things happen there.

                 STEVE

     El faro?

                 MAID

     The house with light.

                 STEVE

     The what?

           (beat)

     A lighthouse?

                 MAID

     Si.

                 STEVE

     Are my wife and daughter there?

The maid shakes her head and flails her arms.  Agitated to the point of hysteria, she breaks free and bolts for the stairwell outside.

                      STEVE

          Wait!

Steve chases her to the hallway where he hears a loud scream followed by a sickening THUMP.  He rounds the corner by the elevators and finds the maid’s apron caught in the walkway banister.

He leans over the railing and sees the women’s body lying face down; her arms and legs skewed at awkward angles.

Randy emerges from the elevator.

                      RANDY

          Senor Chambers?

                      STEVE

          Randy?

Randy peers over the guardrail as Lieutenant Mierez approaches with two armed officers.

                      LIEUTENANT MIEREZ

          STOP!

Steve darts inside the stairwell and runs down.  The officers give chase.

INT. WOODEN STORAGE SHED – NIGHT

Using a flat head screw driver, Sarah pries a nail loose from the boarded window.  She works her fingers between the plywood and the window.

Shouting erupts from outside the room.  A burly man with a grizzly beard and an UZI barges inside.

                      BURLY MAN
          Get away from the window!

Sarah drops the screwdriver.  Natalie runs for the corner.

INT. CARGO VAN – NIGHT

Sarah and Natalie crouch toward the back of the cargo van as the sliding door SLAMS SHUT.  Their hands are tied.  Duct tape covers their mouths.

FURTHER DOWN THE ROAD

The driver steers with one hand on the wheel and the other holding the UZI.  His unfastened shoulder belt clangs against the door frame.  Branches scrape the van’s roof and side view mirrors as Sarah reaches for the sliding door.  When the driver glances in the rear view mirror, Sarah withdraws her attempt.  Natalie mouths the word no.

INT. FBI APARTMENT, SAN MIGUEL – NIGHT

Agent Smythe lights a match and holds it at the end of his cigarette.  Agent Riker looks on disapprovingly.

                      AGENT RIKER

          If you light up one more time in

here, you’ll be smoking that

          through your ass.

Agent Smythe fans the air with the match to extinguish the flame.

                      AGENT SMYTHE

          Who pissed in your Wheaties?

He takes a notepad from his shirt pocket and flips it open.

                      AGENT SMYTHE

          I pulled the hotel registry from

the Presidente Suites and found

a record for Marvin and Pamela Johnston.

They checked out two days ago – with

two adult children.

           AGENT RIKER

But we’ve only got one body.

           AGENT SMYTHE

So far…

      (beat)

I also checked the Johnston’s bank

          records.  Two days ago, Pamela

Johnston withdrew $800,000 from her

joint account.

           AGENT RIKER

Maybe she wanted to disappear?

                     AGENT SMYTHE

          From what?

                     AGENT RIKER

          An abusive husband?  A chance for

          a better life?

                     AGENT SMYTHE

          And abandon her kids?

                     AGENT RIKER

          I’ve seen it before.

                (beat)

           AGENT SMYTHE

Her husband owns a bank.  If she

needed money, she could have

taken it at any time.

                      AGENT RIKER

          You really think Mendoza’s men

got to her?

                      AGENT SMYTHE

          It fits the profile.

Agent Smythe pulls the slide on his Glock and grabs a map from the table.

                     AGENT SMYTH

          Call Mierez and tell him to

meet us.

Agent Smythe heads for the door.

                      AGENT RIKER

          Where are you going?

                      AGENT SMYTHE

          To play a hunch.  I’ll be back

in an hour.

INT. CARGO VAN – NIGHT

Gravel PINGS inside the van’s wheel wells as the rusted Dodge 250 starts down a gravel road.  When the driver’s cell phone rings, he pulls the phone from his shirt pocket and answers.

Sarah glances at Natalie.  Natalie inches closer to the sliding door.

Sarah lunges for the handle and pulls it down.  The door slides open to reveal an endless wall of jungle brush whirring by in a blur.  The driver taps the brakes and waves the UZI at the girls who both jump out and bounce violently like a pair of crash test dummies.

Up ahead, brake lights illuminate the darkness before the back-up lights engage and the van accelerates in reverse.

The driver jumps out and surveys the landscape.  He plunges toward the jungle, spraying the UZI in the girls’ direction.  The clamor of RAPID GUNFIRE echoes through the trees.  A flock of blue warblers SQUAWK in unison.

INT. CHINCOTEAGUE WHEELHOUSE – NIGHT

A glow illuminates from the radar screen where Captain Peters stands at the helm beside the radio officer.  A torrential downpour pounds the glass in front of him.  A constant hum reverberates in the background.

                      CAPTAIN PETERS

          Any word from our mayday caller?

                      SEAMAN

          No Sir.

                      CAPTAIN PETERS

          Keep at it.  I want to know the minute

          we pinpoint the signal’s location.

EXT. PIER AT PRESIDENTE SUITES – NIGHT

Agent Smythe creeps through the bushes along the deserted path leading to the Divers’ Paradise.  Top 40 music plays from the tiki bar.  A young couple strolls hand in hand on the beach, oblivious to Smythe’s presence.

INSIDE THE DIVERS’ PARADISE

Smythe shines his pen light in the cabin and climbs —

BELOW DECK

He finds a pump-out head and a locked storage compartment. He picks the lock and opens the lid to find a broken spear gun and several life jackets.  A hidden panel

reveals a machete.  Smythe squirts the blade with Luminal and observes the lime green color indicating the presence of blood.

He wraps the machete in a rag and climbs —

ON DECK

A shadowy figure jumps him from behind.

EXT. FBI APARTMENT, SAN MIGUEL – NIGHT

Steve arrives to find the door unlocked.  He enters.

                      STEVE

          Hello?

He moves toward the back of the room and hears the clack-clack-clack from a length of spinning audiotape slapping the empty spool on a reel-to-reel recorder.  A video monitor shows the image of his Jeep parked outside.  A wisp of steam rises from the contents of a Styrofoam cup.

                      STEVE

          Agent Smythe?  Agent Riker?

He follows the hallway to the darkened bedroom where the emerald eyes of a cube-shaped alarm clock flash the time at 5:15 a.m.  A cockroach scampers up the wall.  The bathroom faucet drips.

Standing over an open suitcase on the bed, he pokes at the folded shirts and women’s underwear packed beside a romance novel and a .22 caliber semi-auto Beretta Bobcat.  He palms the tiny gun as Agent Riker appears.

                      AGENT RIKER

          Find what you’re looking for?

                      STEVE

          I found this at Puntas Molas…

Steve presents the orange Tic-Tac case.  Agent Riker steps toward him and cocks her head inquisitively.

                      AGENT RIKER

          What is it?

                      STEVE

          I found this container at the Puntas

          Molas lighthouse.  My wife eats these

things like candy.

                      AGENT RIKER

          How’d you get in here?

                      STEVE

          The door was open…

Steve moves away from the suitcase toward the light seeping in from the hall.

                      STEVE

          Where’s your partner?

                      AGENT RIKER

          He went out for a smoke.

          It looks like we may have

          found your wife and daughter.

Steve blinks. He clears his throat before he speaks.

                      STEVE

          You what?

                (beat)

          Where?  When?

                      AGENT RIKER

About an hour ago.

                      STEVE

          Are they all right?

                      AGENT RIKER

          They’ve been detained.

Steve glances at the video surveillance camera and sees Victor drive up in a Nissan taxi with a gold chain license plate cover.  Steve points the Beretta at Agent Riker.

                      STEVE

          What the fuck is going on?

                      AGENT RIKER

I think you know the answer

to that.

Riker pulls her Glock from her hip holster and aims at Steve.

                      AGENT RIKER

          Put it down.

Riker advances.  Steve pulls the trigger twice and hears CLICK CLICK as the Bobcat’s firing pin strikes an empty chamber.

Riker nods her head toward the door when Victor enters the apartment.

                      AGENT RIKER

                (to Steve)

          I should have let you die on

the Chincoteague.

                      STEVE

          Why didn’t you?

                      AGENT RIKER

          Bad timing.

EXT. SEA-NOTE BOW – NIGHT

Victor pours gasoline on the bow as the Cuban’s Donzi approaches from the watery horizon.

EXT. DIVE SITE AT PALANCAR REEF – DAY

The divers each take a giant stride off the swim platform, holding their masks and snorkels as they splash into the crystal clear water.

UNDERWATER MONTAGE – THE CHAMBERS FAMILY UNDERWATER

• Steve swims parallel within arm’s length of Leslie and Sarah.  He gives Sarah the “ok” sign.  Sarah responds with the same, kicking her flippers to maintain neutral buoyancy.

• The group of divers drift through the labyrinth maze of coral arches and winding ravines with Victor in front and Damon brining up the rear. Schools of brown chromis and multi-colored parrot fish sweep through the pinnacle reef.

EXT. BACK AT THE SURFACE – LATER

The dive group surfaces with Sarah coughing and flailing her arms.  Her DANGLING regulator free-flows IN THE WATER, hissing and spitting.  Her snorkel is bent backwards off her face mask strap.

Steve swims to her and places her regulator in her mouth.  They kick on their backs to —

THE DIVERS’ PARADISE

The Captain helps them climb the narrow swim ladder.

                      STEVE

                (to Sarah)

          What happened?

                      SARAH

          Nothing.

                      STEVE

          Never remove your regulator when

you surface.  You never know when

a wave might splash your face.

                      SARAH

          I know I know…

Leslie boards the boat and hands her flippers to the Captain.  Her mask and snorkel dangle around her neck.

                      LESLIE

          What happened?

                      SARAH

          Nothing.

                      STEVE

She got some water in her mouth.

Victor hoists Steve’s scuba tank from its holder and replaces it with a fresh one.  Damon boards the boat with the remaining divers.  Sarah rubs her eyes.

                      VICTOR

                (to Steve)

          Your tank is half full.

Steve shrugs.

                      LESLIE

          My husband’s a Navy Rescue Diver.

Victor pats Sarah on the shoulder and hands her a bottle of Evian.

                      VICTOR

                (to Steve)

          Do you always rescue little girls?

Steve looks at Victor and smiles.

                      STEVE

          Only when they need it.

EXT. DIVERS’ PARADISE RETURNS TO RESORT – DAY

The Chambers family sits solemn-faced as the Captain guides the boat against the T-pier.  Damon and Victor tie off.

Sarah storms off the boat, lugging her dive gear as she marches down the shaded path toward the pool.

Leslie steps off the Divers’ Paradise.  Her shirt is damp.  Spanish music blares from tripod-mounted speakers outside the thatched roof cabaña where a family of four awaits their afternoon dive trip.

                      LESLIE

          We’re here all week.  Let’s

          make the best of it.  I’ll take

Sarah shopping, maybe tour the

island for a little while – spend

some girl time together.

Leslie kisses Steve’s cheek.

                      LESLIE

          We’ll meet you back at the room

          by 6:00 for dinner.  I’ll let you

          pick the restaurant tonight.

      (beat)

You behave yourself sailor.  And no

flirting with the locals.

Steve hoists his dive bag on his shoulder.

                      STEVE

          Have fun.
                (beat)

          And be careful.

INT. CHAMBERS’ HOTEL SUITE – DAY

Steve enters the room.  The space is dark with the curtains drawn.  He drops his room key on the dresser and finds a note from Leslie.

INTERCUT – STEVE READS LESLIE’s NOTE

Gone to San Miguel.  Be back by 6:00.  X0 X0 XO.

BACK TO SCENE

Steve kicks his sandals off and sprawls himself on the king-size bed.  He takes the television remote and flips to a sports channel.

EXT. SAN MIGUEL TOWN SQUARE – DAY

Leslie and Sarah carry shopping bags to their rental Jeep.  Sunburned and sweaty, they leave San Miguel and drive along the seaside promenade where cruise ships loom off shore as tall as high-rise buildings.

INT. LESLIE’s MOVING JEEP – DAY

Sarah traces her finger along the unfolded road map in her lap.  In her other hand, she holds a Frommer’s Travel Guide.

                      SARAH

          Turn right at the next road.

                      LESLIE

          What’s the name?

                      SARAH

          I can’t read the small print.

Leslie steers down a one-way street that leads away from the water and deeper into a desolate part of town.

                      LESLIE

          This doesn’t look right.

                      SARAH

          I’m telling you what the map says.

                      LESLIE

          Well the map is wrong.

They continue driving until they reach a fork in the road.  Sarah turns the map upside down.

                      SARAH

          I don’t know where we are.

Leslie stops the Jeep and takes the map.

                      LESLIE
          We’re too far east.  We should

          have turned left instead of right.

Leslie rubs her forearm across her sunburned brow.  Her hair is damp and flat.  She takes a swig from a bottle of water.

                      LESLIE

          Maybe I should navigate?

                      SARAH

          I can do it.

Leslie drives beyond a section of Mayan ruins and slows when the dirt road ends.  An iguana shuffles across the road toward the dense jungle brush.

                      LESLIE

          Shit…

Sarah smacks a mosquito on her neck.

                      SARAH

          We’re going in circles.

Leslie guns the engine.  The tires spin.  Dirt CLANGS inside the wheel wells.

                      LESLIE

          Not if I can help it.

EXT. DIVERS’ PARADISE DIVE BOAT – DAY

Slowing off plane, the bow settles as the boat trolls above the dive location.  Anvil head cloud formations linger overhead.

MARVIN JOHNSTON, a 56-year-old investment banker sits beside his blonde wife PAMELA JOHNSTON.  She wears shades and a one piece swimsuit.  The Captain cuts the throttles back and nods to the crew from the fly bridge as Victor tends to the family’s dive gear.  Damon coils a length of nylon rope attached to a galvanized fluke anchor.

Marvin’s 22-year-old son, ROBERT JOHNSTON, stares at Victor’s tattoos of an eagle clutching a golden trident.  Robert’s 17-year-old sister NATALIE JOHNSTON looks across the water at the distant shoreline.  Natalie is petit and pretty; freckle-faced and innocent.

                      MARVIN

                (to Robert)

          Help your sister with her gear.

Natalie shields the sun’s reflection with her hand.

                      NATALIE

          Are there sharks in here?

                      ROBERT

          They won’t bother you.

Robert watches Victor check the air pressure on a scuba tank as the boat sways gently in the one foot swells.

                      ROBERT

                (to Victor)

          Were you in the service?

Victor ignores the question and retreats toward the front of the boat where a life ring hangs beside a spear gun mounted on rubber brackets.

                      PAMELA

                (to Damon)

          You need a hat.

Pamela reaches in her dive bag and retrieves a crumpled baseball cap with a Reece Bank logo imprinted on the brim. She hands the cap to Damon.  Her mirrored glasses capture his reflection.

Damon flops the adjustable hat above his bald spot.  Strands of hair poke out from the sides and back. 

                      DAMON

          Thanks.

Pamela rubs Hawaiian Tropic on her arms.

Damon turns to catch Natalie bent over as she tries to reach the mask and snorkel beneath her seat.  Damon retrieves it for her and helps her don her gear.

                      MARVIN

                (to Natalie)

          Check your air supply.

Robert takes his sister’s air hose and inspects the needle on the pressure gauge. 

                      ROBERT

          She’s got a full tank.

Damon pulls a dive knife from a sheath secured around his calve.

                      DAMON

          Who’s first?

Marvin looks at his son Robert and nods.

                      MARVIN

          You up for this?

The captain climbs down from the fly bridge and grabs the spear gun loaded with a pointed, barbed shaft.

                      CAPTAIN

          We want the girl.

Marvin faces the captain who points the spear gun at Robert.

                      MARVIN

          What?

Damon points the knife at Natalie.

                      DAMON

          Your daughter.

                      MARVIN

          What is this?  Who are you?

Pamela puts her arms around her daughter.

                      NATALIE

          Mom?

Robert steps in front of his mother and sister.

                      ROBERT

          Dad?

                      CAPTAIN

          Just do what they tell you.

                      MARVIN

          I have money.  Lots of. I’ll

          pay you whatever you want.

                      DAMON

          Right now we want the girl.

Damon tosses the anchor line at Marvin’s feet.

                      DAMON

          Tie this around your ankle.

Marvin looks at his wife and daughter.

                      MARVIN

          I’ll do no such thing.

Marvin removes his Rolex watch and offers it to Victor who hands it over to the Captain.

Damon grabs Pamela’s arm and pulls her toward himself with the knife at her throat.  Victor takes hold of Natalie.

                      NATALIE

          Mom!

                      DAMON

          Last chance.

Marvin secures the nylon line around his ankle.

                      MARVIN

          Don’t hurt my family.

                      PAMELA

          Marvin no…

Damon tosses another line at Robert’s feet with a collection of weight belts tied at the bitter end.

                      DAMON

          You too.

Robert lunges at the Captain’s knees with a wrestling move and dodges the spear that sails over his shoulder.  Robert pummels the Captain with a flurry of punches until Victor calmly stabs Robert in the lower back with a pointed dive knife and secures the rope to Robert’s ankle.

Pamela screams through the hand on her mouth.

Victor tosses the weight belt overboard.  The rope pile uncoils, pulling Robert beyond the transom and into the water where he sinks like a rock, leaving a blood smear across the deck.

                      MARVIN

          For the love of God!

Victor releases Natalie and pushes the anchor overboard, causing the coil of rope to quickly unravel and jerk Marvin’s leg out from under him, dragging him IN THE WATER.

Marvin clings to a partially inflated dive vest.  Below him, Robert sinks toward the sea floor.

Marvin wrestles with the rope around his ankle.  He glances up to see the sun reflect off the silver spear gun a second before a barbed shaft PUNCHES THROUGH HIS OUTSTRETCHED HAND and hits the front of his neck.

BACK ON THE DIVERS’ PARADISE

A catatonic Pamela Johnston envelops her daughter as Victor secures a dock line to another anchor.

                      PAMELA

                (in tears)

          What do you want?

                      DAMON

          Your money.  All of it.

EXT. COZUMEL JUNGLE – NIGHT

Lost in the darkened labyrinth of unmarked trails and Mayan ruins, Leslie drives the Jeep beneath a full moon where the intermittent roar of jet aircraft overwhelm the cacophony of crickets and buzzing insects.

INT. THE MOVING JEEP – NIGHT

Sarah grabs the padded roll bar for support as Leslie drives over rocky terrain.  The road dead-ends at a virtual wall of jungle scrub entwined with overgrown vines and branches.

                      SARAH
          We’re still going in circles.

Leslie dims the headlights and turns to Sarah.

                      LESLIE

          Listen…

Sarah kicks an empty water bottle on the floorboard. Leslie kills the engine.  In the stillness, the sound of breaking waves becomes apparent.

                      LESLIE

          We’re near the water…

INT. CHAMBERS’ HOTEL SUITE – NIGHT

Steve paces in front of the balcony with the phone against his ear.  His eyes are red and puffy.  He slams the phone down and heads to —

SARAH’s ADJOINING SUITE

He pounds the door.

                      STEVE

          Sarah, if you’re in there

open up.

INT. DINING HALL – NIGHT

Steve shuffles between crowded tables, scanning the dinner crowd for any sign of Leslie or Sarah.  A clock on the wall reads 10:15.

                      WAITER

          Sir, may I help you?

Steve takes Leslie’s photo from his wallet and holds it up.

                      STEVE

          Have you seen this woman?

The waiter studies the picture.

                      WAITER

          No.

Steve stares across the buffet line, the waiter stations, the open kitchen space, and the terrace where smokers enjoy an after-dinner drink.  He returns to —

THE FRONT DESK

He approaches the vacant counter space and taps the bell.  Randy, emerges from the back room.

                      RANDY

          Mr. Chambers…

                      STEVE

          Anything?

                      RANDY

          Should I page them again?

                      STEVE

          Please.  And phone my room the

second you hear from them.

EXT. COZUMEL JUNGLE – NIGHT

Leslie and Sarah traipse through the jungle until they emerge at the base of a lighthouse and find Victor and Damon about to drive away in a rusted cargo van.

Leslie waves her arms.  She and Sarah run toward the men. Waves crash against the rocky shoreline where a stretch of sandy beach extends in the distance.

                      LESLIE

          Wait!  Help!

Leslie drops her hands to her knees.  Nearly out of breath, she shields her eyes from the blistering sun.

                      LESLIE

          Thank God we found you…

EXT. CHAMBERS’ HOTEL SUITE – NIGHT

Steve approaches his room from the elevator and finds an elderly maid closing the door to his suite.  He grabs her by the arm.

                      STEVE

          Disculpe…  Please…

The maid steps away from her laundry cart and shakes her head.

                      MAID

          Que hace usted?

                      STEVE

          Habla usted Ingles?

                      MAID

                (avoiding eye contact)

          Muy poco.

Steve shows her the wallet photo.

                      STEVE

          Have – you – seen – her?

                      MAID

          Que?

Steve stares at the ceiling and mumbles to himself.

                      STEVE

           Los has visto?

He takes the hotel key from his pocket and points to the number on his room door.

                      STEVE

           Mi cuarto.

The maid pushes past him and shakes her head.

                      MAID

           No lo puedo ayudar.

                      STEVE

           Please…  Por favor…

The maid hustles for the open elevator.  The doors close quickly behind her.

EXT. SAN MIGUEL TOWN SQUARE – NIGHT

Steve leaves a Nissan taxi and shuffles through the menagerie of cruise ship tourists.  He taps several women on the shoulder.  Convinced he sees Sarah, he starts down a crowded —

ALLEY

Steve follows a young girl in a baseball cap with headphones on.  He taps her shoulder.

                      STEVE

          Sarah?

Startled, the girl spins around to reveal her severely scarred face, bearing no resemblance to Sarah.

INT. SAN MIGUEL POLICE HEADQUARTERS – NIGHT

Steve enters the municipal building with dusty ceiling fans spinning slowly overhead.  A clock on the back wall reads 2:00 a.m.

Steve approaches LIEUTENANT MIEREZ behind a metal desk with a stack of rumpled manila folders.  The Lieutenant wears a linen suit with a two-day beard and slicked-back hair that forms a widow’s peak above his forehead.

                      STEVE

          I’m looking for Lieutenant Mierez.

The Lieutenant lights a cigarette with a match.

                      LIEUTENANT MIEREZ

          You’ve found him.

Steve pushes the wallet photo across the desk.

                      STEVE

          My name’s Steve Chambers.  We

spoke on the phone about my

missing wife and daughter.

                      LIEUTENANT MIEREZ

          Yes…

Steve taps the picture.

                      STEVE

Your men were suppose to meet me

an hour ago.

The Lieutenant examines the photograph.

                      LIEUTENANT MIEREZ

          Yes, of course.  My apologies.

Lieutenant Mierez blows smoke out his nose and reaches for a clipboard in his desk.

                     LIEUTENANT MIEREZ

          If you’ll fill this out–

                      STEVE

          And then what?

The Lieutenant’s phone rings.

                      LIEUTENANT MIEREZ

                (to Steve)

          Excuse me one moment.

Lieutenant Mierez holds the phone to his ear.  He swivels his chair to face the window behind him.  The voice on the other end grows louder, impatient.

The Lieutenant hangs up and leaves his chair.  He takes the car keys off his desk.

                      LIEUTENANT MIEREZ

          I must go.

                      STEVE

          Now?

                      LIEUTENANT MIEREZ

          My men will contact you as

          soon as you submit the paperwork.

                      STEVE

          Where are you going?

                      LIEUTENANT MIEREZ

                (exasperated)

          Senor Chambers, we have procedures

to follow, just like in your country.

Your wife and daughter are in

Mexico on vacation, yes?  Perhaps

shopping or riding the ferry to the

mainland for the night.  I’m certain

they will return sooner than later.

                      STEVE

          Maybe you’re not hearing me.

I need your help – now.

Lieutenant Mierez takes a handkerchief from his pocket and blows his nose.

                      STEVE

          My wife and daughter are not bar

          hopping or dancing the night away

          with a cruise ship party.  I haven’t

          seen or heard from them in twelve hours.

Lieutenant Mierez takes a long drag from his unfiltered cigarette and blows smoke in Steve’s face.

                      LIEUTENANT MIEREZ

          Then I suggest you contact your

embassy in Mexico City.  Perhaps

they can tell you what it is you

want to hear.

INT. SEA-NOTE YACHT – NIGHT

Engulfed in darkness, Leslie awakens on her back.  The boat’s diesel engines drone inside the engine room.  She’s groggy and disoriented when she rolls off the bed and lands on the floor with a THUD.  Rain smacks the porthole in the bulkhead above her.

                      LESLIE

          Sarah…

Leslie hugs the wall and fumbles for the stateroom door where she stumbles into a narrow, dimly lit hallway and proceeds to the PORT SIDE CABIN.

                      LESLIE

          Sarah?

Leslie grabs the latch, but it’s locked.  She slams her shoulder against the panel.  Wood CRACKS AND SPLINTERS.

Inside the cabin

Leslie sees an oval bed with blood spatter on the walls and carpet.  A shadow moves behind her.  She covers her mouth and retreats from the macabre setting.  She SCREAMS when Damon appears, stretching a length of rope between his hands.

EXT. DC-10 AERO MEXICO FLIGHT – DAY

Rear landing gear brush the runway as the DC-10 lands at Benito Juarez International Airport in Mexico City.

EXT. AIRPORT TRANSPORTATION SERVICE AREA – DAY

Clutching a small carry-on bag, Steve hails a taxi.

INSIDE THE TAXI

A plastic crucifix hangs from the rear view mirror where the driver’s dark eyes reflect back at Steve.

                      STEVE

          Paseo de la Reforma.

                      DRIVER

          You want the embassy?

Steve hands the driver forty dollars.

                      STEVE

          Step on it.

Steve unzips the carry-on bag and withdraws a map of Cozumel.  Using a yellow highlighter, he traces the route from the Presidente Suites to the center of town in San Miguel.  Through the window, the bustling metropolis of Mexico City disappears in a blur of smog and traffic.

INT. AMERICAN EMBASSY, WELFARE AND WHEREABOUTS OFFICE – DAY

Steve paces inside the office of DEPUTY CONSUL JOSE BONITEZ.  A framed picture of George W. Bush hangs prominently on the wall behind a mahogany desk.

                      DEPUTY BONITEZ

          Sorry to keep you waiting.

Jose Bonitez, a man in his sixties with a cheap suit and a bad come-over, motions for Steve to take a seat.

                      DEPUTY BONITEZ

          Please sit down.

                      STEVE

                (still standing)

          I was hoping to speak with the

          Consul General.

                      DEPUTY BONITEZ

          The Consul General is out of the

          country on business but my secretary

has apprised me of your situation.

                      STEVE

          So you’ll help me?

                      DEPUTY BONITEZ

Generally, my office cannot act

until the person or persons involved

have been missing for 48 hours – but

given the circumstances, I’ve started a preliminary investigation.

                      STEVE

          Preliminary?

Deputy Bonitez walks to the window overlooking the city.  He pulls a fresh cigar from his suit jacket and clips the tip with a silver cutter.

                      DEPUTY BONITEZ

          Have you spoken with the authorities

in San Miguel?

                      STEVE

          I spoke with a Lieutenant Mierez

this morning.  He suggested I contact

the embassy.

Deputy Bonitez props the cigar in his mouth.

                      DEPUTY BONITEZ

Violent crime runs rampant in

Mexico City – and elsewhere. 

This office handles a hundred

complaints a month for robbery,

assault, rape…  Even murder.  My

people are understaffed and overwhelmed.

                      STEVE

But you’ll do everything you

can to find my wife and daughter?

                      DEPUTY BONITEZ

          Have you received a ransom note?

                      STEVE

          No.

                      DEPUTY BONITEZ

          Any threatening phone calls?

                      STEVE

          What are you getting at?

                      DEPUTY BONITEZ

          Any evidence that your family

is in immediate danger?

                      STEVE

          Aside from the fact that I haven’t

          seen or heard from them in 24 hours?

                (beat)

                      DEPUTY BONITEZ

          Would you say it’s possible

your family has gone missing on

their own accord?

Steve takes Leslie and Sarah’s passport from his pocket.  He opens Leslie’s first, then Sarah’s, revealing the pictures inside the front cover.

                          STEVE

          We’re talking about my wife and

          daughter, not some shit-faced

teenagers lost on a Spring break

binge.

                      DEPUTY BONITEZ

Senor Chambers, I assure you my

people will do everything they can.

Steve glances at the passport photos, then throws Deputy Bonitez a stare that could penetrate steel.

                      STEVE

God help you if they don’t.