INT. SPORTSMAN'S LODGE - SAN FERNANDO VALLEY - DAY A large crowd has gathered to watch two WHITE BOXERS square off in a temporary ring in the center of a converted banquet hall. One is BOBBY, the other is RICKY. They are drawn together to start the bout by a bell and a hand gesture as the REFEREE backs away. Immediately the two fighters unload a relentless barrage of POWER PUNCHES. Neither man is holding back, and the punches all find purchase in the swelling faces of their opponent. The crowd rises to its feet in appreciation of this rare level of competition in the lower strata of the heavyweight division. CUT TO: EXT. BOBBY'S CAR - COLDWATER CANYON - LOS ANGELES - SUNSET Bobby drives Ricky home through the winding twists of LA's landmark canyon. Both their faces are swollen, verging on the grotesque. Bobby drives a black Special Edition 1979 Trans Am with the gold Firebird stenciled across the hood. The car is not in great shape, but in its day ruled the road. A Hawaiian mini warrior mask hangs from the rear view. The T-top is out, and Ricky struggles to light his cigarette in the wind. He finally ignites the whole book of matches in frustration, lights up, then tosses it out. It lands, still flaming, at the base of a 'No Smoking in the Canyon' sign. They drive down the palm tree lined stretch of road bordering Beverly Hills. They turn East on Sunset Boulevard. The Strip lights are first flickering to life. EXT. RICKY'S APARTMENT - YUCCA CORRIDOR - NIGHT The opening SCORE dies away as Ricky sits beside Bobby. The neighborhood is awful. The light of the corner liquor store and a menthol cigarette billboard make up for the broken street lamps. Ricky smooths out his running suit and steals an instinctive cautionary look, scanning all the blind spots for predators. The swelling has now truly set in. He's a mess. RICKY Did Max mention anything about any jobs? BOBBY What about boxing? RICKY What about it? BOBBY What are you saying? RICKY You said if you didn't have a winning record after eleven fights, you'd talk to Max. BOBBY So? RICKY So, it was a draw. BOBBY Yeah, I'm 5-5 and 1. RICKY So, it's not a winning record. BOBBY It's not losing record. RICKY That's not what you said. You said if you didn't have a winning record- BOBBY Don't be shitty. RICKY How am I being shitty? BOBBY Don't be shitty. RICKY I wouldn't keep bugging you, but you said he said he would have a job for us. BOBBY I'm not gonna bring it up to him. RICKY Of course I don't want you to bring it up to him... But if it comes up... BOBBY I'll page you. RICKY Yeah. Page me. You know the number? BOBBY Yeah. I know the number. RICKY Cause if you don't know the number, I can page you with the number so you'll have the number. BOBBY I know the number. RICKY I'll page you with the number. I'll see you later. What time you done? BOBBY I got no idea. RICKY Ask if he said anything to her. BOBBY I will. RICKY I'll page you with the number. BOBBY Bye. He drives off. Ricky checks his pager, still furtively scanning the street. EXT. JESSICA'S HOUSE - BLACKBURN - LOS ANGELES - NIGHT Bobby pulls up in front of the quaint Spanish Colonial two-flat. He bounds up the stairs to the upper unit. INT. JESSICA'S HOUSE - CONTINUOUS He lets himself in, searching for his girlfriend. The apartment is Z-Gallery, with a few accents of Bobby's HAWAIIANA. BOBBY Honey? JESS (O.S.) (O.S.) Where were you? He finds her in the bedroom. JESSICA is a knockout. Too pretty. The pretty that makes a woman a full-time job. What's worse is she's decked out like a whore. She's wearing slutty lingerie covered by a bland terry cloth bathrobe. Her ridiculously long legs are garnished with candy-apple porn star sky high heels. Bobby watches with cultivated patience as she applies tasteless amounts of make-up from a Mac case the size of a tackle box. She's in a hurry. BOBBY (swallowing utter contempt) So, what kind of gig is this? JESS Easy night. Bachelor party. Can we give Wendy a ride? BOBBY No. What kind of bachelor party? JESS The easy kind. They're young and rich and well mannered. She turns to look at him and reacts to his horrifying appearance. JESS (continues) (CONT'D) Oh my god. What happened? BOBBY A draw. What makes you think they're well mannered? JESS Bobby, this is a plumb gig. It's a bunch of young agents and it's at a restaurant. It's gonna be easy and we'll make a lot of money. BOBBY I don't like you working with Wendy. Why are you working with Wendy? JESS They requested her. It was her gig. Max put me on as a favor. BOBBY Some favor. I hope they know you're not like Wendy. JESS Oh, please. BOBBY If they asked for her, they're probably expecting blowjobs all around. JESS Will you cut it out! Get ready, we're already late. BOBBY Who's watching the baby? JESS She's downstairs with Ruth. Get ready. BOBBY I'm ready. JESS Bullshit. These are classy customers. You can't show up all fucked up with a Fila running suit on. BOBBY They're not too classy to have tits rubbed in their face. She rises and swaps her robe for a floor length overcoat. God, is she hot. JESS Stop. I love you. She leans in for a kiss. He lets his anger melt. He leans in to kiss her. She gives him last minute cheek to save the perfection of her sparkling twenty minute lips. JESS (continues) (CONT'D) Let's go. He follows, slightly slighted. EXT. JESSICA'S HOUSE - BLACKBURN - LOS ANGELES As the couple hurries down the stairs, The face of a SMALL GIRL peeks out the first floor window. This is CHLOE, Jess' daughter. Her age is somewhere between Paper Moon and Jerry Maguire. She watches without expression as her mom leaves for work. EXT. HAVANA ROOM - BEVERLY HILLS - NIGHT They valet the car and approach the members only cigar lounge. Bobby opens the door for her. INT. HAVANA ROOM - LOWER LOBBY - NIGHT An attractive female HOSTESS sees Bobby's undesirable appearance. HOSTESS May I help..? She then sees Jessica and guesses her occupation. HOSTESS (continues) (CONT'D) Oh, hi. They've been expecting you. Take the elevator upstairs. You can change in the card room. INT. ELEVATOR - HAVANA ROOM - NIGHT They stand side by side in silence as the lift rises. Jess adjusts her bosom. Bobby continues to percolate. His pager goes off. He recognizes the number. BOBBY You talk to Max today? JESS I'm not gonna mention Ricky to him. BOBBY Don't expect you to mention it to him. I'm just saying, if- JESS The only way he'll go with Ricky is if you're in too. BOBBY Well, that's not gonna happen. JESS Fine. You want to help Ricky, talk to Maxie yourself. BOBBY I feel weird asking him. JESS You shouldn't. He likes you. BOBBY I just wish he never brought it up. Ricky won't shut up about it. JESS Forget Ricky. You should be glad Max got you driving for me. BOBBY (then) No coke tonight. (no answer) Right? JESS Leave me alone. I haven't touched anything in months. The elevator door opens, and a room full of horny young AGENTS and EXECUTIVES see Jessica and cheer. She smiles and drops her coat. The crowd can't believe their luck when they see how hot she is. Bobby's heart sinks. He picks up her coat and walks to the bar as the men wave bills at the love of his life. INT. BAR - HAVANA ROOM - UPSTAIRS - CONTINUOUS Bobby settles into a bar stool, watching the action from a distance. WENDY, a slutty Pam Anderson pre-tit-removal wannabe, is already bouncing her ass ghetto-style in a young agent's face. The crowd gravitates to the new meat like a pack of ravenous dingoes. A beautiful young BARTENDER with her hair tied back drops a cocktail napkin in front of Bobby. She sees his bruises. BARTENDER Did you get the license plate of the truck? BOBBY (unamused and preoccupied) Johnny Red rocks. A BLACK MAN in his late twenties slithers up beside him. His name is HORRACE and he seems to like gold. He puts down his empty highball glass. HORRACE Martel's and coke. One ice cube. In a snifter this time. BARTENDER Snifter are for warm drinks- HORRACE Yeah, snifters are for cognac- BARTENDER When served warm- HORRACE What's the matter? You ain't got no snifters in this motherfucker? BARTENDER We have snifters HORRACE Then put my Martel's in a snifter. She walks away to get him his snifter. HORRACE (continues) (CONT'D) Like I'm gonna break her goddamn snifter. Bobby downs his drink as he watches Jess give a HORNY GUY in a suit a lap dance. He gets a little frisky, grabbing her ass cheeks. Bobby begins to RISE. Jess circumvents any confrontation by smiling and twisting away his wrists. She throws Bobby the 'Don't worry, I got it' look. He sits. Horrace pokes his nugget encrusted fingers into his sock, counting a stack of bills. HORRACE (continues) (CONT'D) It's already been a hell of a night. Where you been? BOBBY I had a fight up at Sportsman's. HORRACE Well, you look it. You win? BOBBY Draw. HORRACE What's your record at? BOBBY 5-5-1. HORRACE Yeah, well you let me know when you wanna start makin the real money. BOBBY Yeah, sure. HORRACE I'm serious. Humping sheetrock and driving on weekends got to get to you after a while. Might be nice to buy your lady something. All it takes is one fight. Wendy is now being dry humped by two guys. Jessica looks over at her, and is concerned. Lines of protocol are definitely being crossed. Jess' horny guy makes a bold move, jamming his face in her cleavage. In a split second, Bobby has crossed the room and has him by a wrist. The guy is surprised by Bobby's presence and grotesque appearance. HORNY GUY Whu- BOBBY There's no touching. HORNY GUY But what about them? BOBBY I don't give a shit. I work for her. No touching. She hands Bobby a stack of sweaty bills. He walks away, zipping the roll into his pocket. When he arrives at the bar, a drunk EXECUTIVE is having a quiet conversation with Horrace. Horrace looks around, answers, and the executive picks quite a few hundreds out of his wallet. Horrace walks him back to Wendy. Bobby grinds his teeth and points to his empty glass. The bartender pours and watches the interaction as Wendy walks off with the executive. The party howls as they leave the room for some privacy. BARTENDER (sarcastic) That's not allowed. Bobby downs another drink. Things are now heating up for Jess as mob mentality takes hold. She squirms. We TRACK BACK with Bobby's face as he bee lines for the feisty horny guy, who holds Jess' hips as he grinds her. BOBBY I said no touching. HORNY GUY Look, man, I'm the bachelor, alright? I gave her a hundred bucks in tips alone- BOBBY Get your hands off of her. HORNY GUY Dude, listen, man. I'm cool. How much for the treatment? BOBBY Your dance is over. HORNY GUY Come on, dude. The other chick's giving my best man a blow job in the toilet. I know the drill, I'll wear a rubber- Bobby cracks his face apart with an uppercut. Another guy rises in protest and is on his ass with a broken nose before he can speak. JESS God damn it... Bobby drags his girl by the arm to the men's room. He kicks open the door and grabs Wendy, who is doing coke off a mirror with her john. He drags the women out. Horrace disappears. A PARTIER calls to the bartender. PARTIER Call the police. She picks up the phone, but doesn't dial. She hides a smile. Bobby drags the women down the staircase. INT. BOBBY'S CAR - LOS ANGELES - NIGHT Bobby drives, eyes locked on the road. Jess is beside him, Wendy's in the back. WENDY What the fuck was that about? BOBBY You wanna get us busted? If Max found out you were turning tricks- WENDY I got news for you, Bobby, he don't give a shit. BOBBY Bullshit. WENDY You think he don't know? I give him his cut of seventeen hundred, I think he knows I can't make that lap dancing. BOBBY No more. JESS Bobby... WENDY Fuck you! No more for you. You won't be Jess' driver for shit when Maxie hears this shit happened again. BOBBY Nobody's fuckin talking to you. WENDY And how could you fucking leave Horrace hanging? BOBBY I got news for you, Horrace got his ass out of there before you did. WENDY Bullshit. BOBBY What? You don't think Horrace would leave your white ass in there to hang? JESS Alright. Enough already. Let's get some food. I better call Maxie and tell him what happened before he hears it on his own. EXT. JOB SITE - PACIFIC PALISADES - DAY ESTABLISHING SHOT of the upscale renovation. INT. JOB SITE - PACIFIC PALISADES - DAY Bobby is part of a large CREW OF PLASTERERS midway through an Amalfi Drive renovation. He trowels a thin coat of plaster on a kitchen wall. Ricky drags his ass as he sweeps up dust and diamond wire scraps. The two of them are swollen to hell as they work side by side in the upscale remodel. RICKY So I'm like, 'Maybe I'm not on the list cause I'm not a fuckin Persian.' BOBBY I thought you hate that club. RICKY I do. It's a fuckin Persian Palace. BOBBY Then why do you try to get in? RICKY Fuck them. BOBBY (hears something) Shhh... The DECORATOR walks in with a YOUNG COUPLE and their six year old KID. The decorator is irritating. The husband is a shlubby Jew. His wife is a hot shiksa. The kid looks like he might already be gay. The guys work diligently and quietly. DECORATOR And as you can see, we're a little behind in here. We always knew the kitchen would be the trouble spot. HUSBAND When will it be ready? Are we still shooting for Christmas? I really want Christmas in the new house. DECORATOR We're trying. Unfortunately the trades are stacking a bit. But look at this Italian plaster job. The color skim-coat will go on next. WIFE It looks great. Ricky sneaks some eye contact to the wife. She almost smiles as he peers at her with his battle scarred face. The little boy pokes his finger into the wet plaster. Bobby throws him a look. The kid just stares back like he owns him. DECORATOR Did you see the stove yet? HUSBAND The Viking was delivered? DECORATOR Yes, of course. It's in the garage. They leave. Bobby repairs the plaster damage. RICKY You see that, bro? She wants to fuck me. Ricky's pager goes off. RICKY (continues) (CONT'D) You see that? My shit's blowing up. He looks around and grabs the wall phone and dials. BOBBY Come on, man. Not with the owners here. RICKY (phone) Hey, baby... Nothing. What are you doing..? Yeah, I'll probably cut out early... In walks ARTHUR, the plastering contractor and their boss. ARTHUR Watch out, the fag's here. (seeing Ricky) Get off the fucking phone. Then he wants to know why he's still sweeping floors. Bobby, you got a minute? Bobby looks concerned. Something's wrong. EXT. JOB SITE - PACIFIC PALISADES - DAY Bobby and Arthur stand by a gravel pile outside the huge remodel. Arthur looks around and they duck into his Suburban. ARTHUR Look, Bobby, I don't know what happened, and I don't want to know what happened, but something's up. BOBBY What are you talking about? ARTHUR Maxie wants me to replace you on the job tomorrow. He wants you to come by the office today. BOBBY They were grabbing her fucking ass- ARTHUR Hey. I don't know, I don't want to know. Far as I'm concerned, you're a good kid. I got news, though, without you here I can't keep on your friend. I got enough people pretending to sweep. BOBBY Do me a favor, Arthur, keep him on til I see what's happening. ARTHUR Good luck. EXT. MAX'S OFFICE - VAN NUYS - DAY Bobby parks his car in the off street lot of Max's run-down industrial complex. Bobby walks past the many businesses that share the structure in tandem. MEN working in an auto BODY SHOP go about their business, but discreetly watch as the unfamiliar man passes. Bobby carries himself with the proper amount of ambivalence. He then passes a loading dock, which also has a secretive stench. Finally, he arrives at a STEEL DOOR, above which is mounted a video camera, several generations past its prime. A steel sign reads simply: 'M and M Contracting'. Bobby rings the bell and looks up to the surveillance camera. He is buzzed in. INT. M AND M CONSTRUCTION OFFICES - VAN NUYS - CONTINUOUS Bobby walks into an anticlimactically mundane office. The decor is sixties industrial gray. There is a waiting area next to a flimsy lucite partition/reception window, behind which is a desk. Behind the desk is AUDREY, the sixty-plus receptionist whose hair was recently 'set' and colored by her beautician. Security seems quite lax. BOBBY Hi, uh, excuse me. I'm here to see Mr. Reuben. AUDREY You're Bobby, right? BOBBY Yeah. AUDREY Good afternoon, Bobby. I'll let Max know you're here. She fiddles with her phone. Bobby sits at the kidney shaped coffee table. He thumbs through a copy of Redbook. AUDREY (continues) (CONT'D) He'll be a minute, hon. You want some coffee? BOBBY No thank you. AUDREY You sure? I just made it. BOBBY No, thank you. I'm good. Thanks. He calms his nerves by staring at a recipe for Strawberries Devonshire. CUT TO: INT. MAX'S OFFICE - VAN NUYS - DAY Bobby walks in. He doesn't seem like he's been there before. The first thing that hits you is all the thoroughbred racing shit all over the place. Brass table top statues, pictures of jockeys with wreaths, hand-painted(!) portraits of horses faces. The second thing you notice is MAX REUBEN. He's an off-the-rack East Coast Jew. He's got deep-set eyes and Abe Vigoda brows. He wears a golf shirt with a little penguin on it, and oversized reading glasses are perched on his balding head. His nose was broken in '63. He smiles broadly as Bobby enters. Bobby forces a relaxed smile. MAX (on phone) Will ya calm down. Just calm down for a minute, Nadeleh. The money will be there. How do I know? I just know... Yes. Yes, that's exactly what I'm saying... You got my word. He hangs up his rotary phone and looks up to Bobby, who stands looking at the painting with his ears closed. MAX (continues) (CONT'D) You like the ponies? BOBBY Sure. Yeah. MAX You bet the ponies? BOBBY Me? No. Not really. MAX Smart. Hard as hell to handicap. You know what I like? Hai Alai. Fast game. You know why I like it? BOBBY Why? MAX It's fixed. That's the only way to win. A sure thing. See that horse. The blaze. BOBBY This one? MAX Yeah. The blaze. I bought her in '66. Hired a trainer, stall, whatever it was. That horse made me over a hundred grand. In 'sixties' dollars. You know what that is today? BOBBY Pshhh... MAX A million. Easy. BOBBY She was fast, huh? MAX Never won a race. But it got me in with the trainer. We'd have a thing, I don't remember, some fucking thing. The jockey would raise his whip, it meant the fix was in, we'd all go running. People get greedy. First they bet small, they keep their mouth shut. Within a month's time, everyone and their brother was in on it. The odds would drop, I mean you could watch the goddamn board. It looked like a fuckin stopwatch, the odds would drop so fast. BOBBY That's why they call it the smart money. Maxie laughs a genuine laugh. MAX I like you, kid. Why do you gotta make it so hard for me to take care of you? BOBBY Mr. Reuben, I swear to God, they were out of line. MAX Last time, maybe, with the Puerto Ricans, but these were nice Jewish boys. BOBBY They were out of line- MAX They're fucking yeshiva buchas. You didn't have to tear up the goddamn place. You knocked out a guys teeth. BOBBY That prick tried to get Jessica to blow him in the bathroom- MAX Bobby, I love Jessica like she's my own daughter. I would kill anyone so much as lays a finger on her or her beautiful daughter, but that fucking pisher you socked in the mouth has the most expensive dentist in Beverly Hills and wants I should buy him an implant. Your silverback horseshit's gonna cost me eight grand. BOBBY I'll work it off. MAX Not driving Jess, you won't. BOBBY What? MAX You're not driving Jess no more. Two strikes, Bobby, and this last one was big. The bachelor's father goes to my schul. BOBBY So, that's it. I'm out? MAX I didn't say that. BOBBY Then what are you saying? MAX Bobby. You're a bull terrier and I got you herding sheep. BOBBY I don't understand. MAX It's my fault. I send you out to watch scum drool all over the love of your life, then I wonder why you seered. It's my fault. The tooth is on me. But no more. I'm 'reassigning' you. BOBBY Don't want to drive another girl, Max. The only reason I'm - MAX Who the fuck do you think you're talking to? This ain't a fucking democracy. You want out? BOBBY No. MAX Don't I put food on you're table? I sponsor your training, I take care of your girl and her little baby. I even pay that deadbeat friend of yours to push a goddamn broom. BOBBY I know. MAX Now you wanna shut up and listen and hear what I got to say? BOBBY Yeah. Sorry. MAX I got a way we make everybody happy. BOBBY Yeah. MAX We try something out. There's someone I'm in business with named Ruiz. I want you to accompany him on a drop. (off Bobby's look) Just as scenery. Ruiz has his boys. I just want a big guinea with a busted up face to give him a deep bench. As a deterrent. BOBBY Ruiz knows about this? MAX Ruiz wants to go alone, but it's not up to Ruiz. It's up to me, and I like a sure thing. Just go and we're square on the tooth. BOBBY What about Ricky? He'd jump at the opportunity. MAX Ricky? Ricky 'I lost the truck' Ricky? BOBBY You told him you liked him. MAX That was before he lost my carpet cleaning van. BOBBY He'll work it off. MAX I don't know the kid, and what little I do scares me. BOBBY He's good people, Mr. Reuben. I swear. MAX You vouch for him? The exchange has taken on a gravity. BOBBY Yeah. Sure. MAX (lighter) How 'bout this. If you're in, he's in. BOBBY I gotta tell you, Mr. Reuben, I'm not comfortable getting in any deeper. It's one thing to look after Jess... MAX You're ready to move up. Christ, the way you busted up the place, you're doing worse already. May as well get paid instead of punished. BOBBY It's not that I don't appreciate the offer... MAX Do me a favor. Think about it. Is that too much too ask? BOBBY No. Okay. I'll think about it. EXT. SPORTS FIELD - HOLLYWOOD HIGH SCHOOL - DAY ESTABLISHING SHOT of the mural for the HOLLYWOOD SHEIKS football team. Bobby and Ricky walk past the empty stands watching the HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL TEAM practice. Ricky drinks from a brown paper bag. RICKY We need guns. BOBBY We don't need guns. RICKY I think we might. BOBBY He didn't say we need guns. RICKY He implied it. BOBBY You don't imply about something like that. You lay it out on the table. Besides, I'm not taking the job. TIME CUT. Ricky and Bobby watch the field from behind the concrete stairwell. RICKY This is the opportunity of a lifetime. What are you? Nuts? You've been waiting for this kind of opportunity. BOBBY No. You've been waiting for this kind of opportunity. RICKY (sparking up) Damn right, I have. You think I like living on fucking Yucca? We do a good job on this, we're in. BOBBY What happened to boxing? I thought we made a vow. RICKY Shit. Who we kidding? I know I suck, and I held you up for ten rounds- BOBBY Bullshit... RICKY Please. I got three inches on you. You wouldn't have landed a punch if I didn't let you. BOBBY You wanna go right now? RICKY I'll beat your ass- They slap-box in the empty stairs. This attracts the attention of the team and the COACH, who has walked up to the bottom of the stands. He calls out to them. COACH Ricky! Bobby! Cut that shit out! They stop. RICKY Sorry coach. BOBBY Sorry coach. COACH How's the boxing going? BOBBY Great. RICKY (shitty) He's 5-5-1. COACH It takes time, Bobby. You always had the heart. RICKY What about me coach? Did I have heart? The coach throws a look and walks back to practice, blowing his whistle. BOBBY We look good this year. RICKY We'll kill Fairfax this year. BOBBY I still can't believe you missed the fucking team bus. RICKY Fuck him. BOBBY Your first start at DB, it's against Fairfax, and you miss the fucking bus. RICKY What are we delivering? BOBBY We're not delivering shit. Ruiz is delivering something, and whatever it is is his business. RICKY Who is this fucking Ruiz? BOBBY Maxie says he runs a tight ship. I wouldn't fuck with him. RICKY Some Mexican? How much could he weigh? A buck fifty, tops? I'd kick his fucking ass. BOBBY (looks at watch) I gotta pick up the baby. RICKY Why do you always get stuck taking care of the kid. BOBBY I like it. RICKY It's not even yours. BOBBY I like it. Bobby pulls into a RTA bus stop in front of... EXT. THE LITTLE RED SCHOOL HOUSE - LA BREA - CONTINUOUS Bobby's Trans Am is parked in the bus stop in front of the school. Ricky is on the phone, oblivious, as a black METER MAID gives the car a ticket. Bobby walks down the walkway with Chloe, Jessica's daughter, and takes the ticket. INT. BOBBY'S CAR - PARKED ON HIGHLAND - CONTINUOUS He helps Chloe into the back. Chloe is silent and clutches dried macaroni glued to a paper plate and spray-painted silver. BOBBY (re: ticket) Nice work. RICKY Shhh... (on cell phone) Yeah, yeah... No. No. I'll be there. (hangs up) You gotta get me to the Magic Castle at four. BOBBY How'd you unlock my phone? RICKY I tried your ATM PIN. I gotta kill an hour. Let's grab a beer. BOBBY (to Chloe) Seat belt. CHLOE Ricky's not wearing one. BOBBY Ricky, can you put on a seat belt? RICKY No, man. It wrinkles my shit. Let's grab a fuckin beer- BOBBY C'mon, man, not in front of the baby. Put on your seat belt before I get another ticket. RICKY (clipping in) Jesus Christ, fine. Alright? BOBBY See? Now everyone's got one on. (re: macaroni plate) What do you got there? CHLOE A elephant seal. Where's mommy? BOBBY She's, uh, sleeping. CHLOE It's daytime. BOBBY Mommy works hard so you can have all your pretty clothes. Don't you like your pretty clothes? CHLOE No. BOBBY Show uncle Ricky what you made. RICKY Let's grab a beer. CUT TO: EXT. COLOR ME MINE - LA BREA - DAY ESTABLISHING SHOT of the storefront ceramics workshop. INT. COLOR ME MINE - LA BREA - DAY Bobby paints a CERAMIC PLATE as Chloe does the best she can painting a frog in this do-it-yourself crafts store. Ricky looks out of place as he lights a Marlboro and bitches. RICKY Why can't we just grab a goddamn beer. BOBBY I promised Chloe we'd come here. RICKY Oh, give me a break. Look at her. She don't even know where the hell she is. She'd have more fun at Bordner's. BOBBY I'm not taking her to a bar. RICKY Why not? I grew up in bars. It's fun for a kid. A YOUNG FEMALE SALESPERSON approaches Ricky. SALESPERSON Excuse me, there's no smoking in the store. RICKY Why? You serve food? SALESPERSON No. Store policy. And you can't sit at a station without purchasing a ceramic. RICKY Could you believe this shit? Fine. Give me an ashtray. She brings him an unpainted ceramic ashtray from a display. SALESPERSON What color paints would you like? RICKY Surprise me. He SNUFFS the CIGARETTE out in the ashtray in the palm of her hand. She puts it down and leaves in a huff. RICKY (continues) (CONT'D) I'm telling you, bro, we're on the verge. He's reaching out to us. Chloe stops painting. BOBBY What's wrong, baby? CHLOE He's not doing it. RICKY What? Did she say something? BOBBY She wants you to paint the ashtray. RICKY I'm not painting the fu-, I'm not painting the ashtray. And frogs aren't purple. CHLOE It's a poison arrow tree frog. BOBBY Will you paint the damn thing. Why do you gotta be such a baby. RICKY Fine. Here, look. I'm painting. He haphazardly paints. Chloe resumes her task. BOBBY Max won't let me drive Jess to dance anymore. RICKY Who's driving her? BOBBY I don't know. RICKY This paint sucks. The white shows through. EXT. MAGIC CASTLE MOTEL - FRANKLIN - DAY Bobby pulls up. The WIFE of the Amalfi homeowner is precariously waiting and smoking. INT. BOBBY'S CAR - MAGIC CASTLE MOTEL - CONTINUOUS RICKY Right here's fine. BOBBY Is that the woman from..? RICKY (smiles) She really liked the kitchen. He pops out, and the woman corrals him into a room. Bobby pulls away. INT. JESSICA'S HOUSE - BLACKBURN - LOS ANGELES - NIGHT Jessica is half made up and half dressed. Little Chloe sits at the kitchen table twirling a spoon around her head. Her mom is haphazardly cooking a rushed supper. Bobby sits watching TV in his sweats in the adjoining living room. JESS Here, sweety, mommy's in a hurry. CHLOE I don't want grilled cheese. JESS Mommy has to work. CHLOE I hate cheese. JESS Here, sweety. Don't be a little shit. Bobby approaches and takes the pan. He kisses Jess. BOBBY Go finish getting ready. I'll take care of dinner. JESS Yeah? You sure? BOBBY Go. She shuffles off. Bobby puts up some water and heats a pan, adding oil. Garlic. CHLOE You're not my daddy. BOBBY You gonna bust my horns, or you want spaghetti CHLOE I want spaghettis. He pours in a can of sliced olives in with the capers. BOBBY You better watch everything I'm doing. You know why? Because that's how you learn to cook. I watched my grandma cook every night. That's how I learned. If you can't cook, then you gotta go out to eat every night, then you spend all your money on food. And when you eat in restaurants, the cooks scratch their ass and touch the food. There's a knock on the door. JESS (O.S.) (O.S.) Could you get that, baby? He does. It's Horrace. Bobby's surprised. HORRACE What's up? Jess ready? BOBBY You driving her? HORRACE Yeah. BOBBY She'll be out in a minute. Horrace tries to walk in. Bobby stands in the door. BOBBY (continues) (CONT'D) (firm) She'll be out in a minute. Jess hurries in, clipping earrings. JESS Hiya Ho. Come in. I'll just be a minute. He throws Bobby a look as he slides by. HORRACE Some shit smells good in this motherfucker. JESS Bobby's cooking. He's the best. Whip him up something. HORRACE Yeah. Whip me up something. I'm hungry as a motherfucker. Jess hurries out, brushing her hair. BOBBY Watch your mouth in front of the baby. Bobby joins Jess in the back. INT. BEDROOM - JESSICA'S HOUSE - CONTINUOUS Bobby enters, boiling over with opinions. BOBBY No way that cocksucker's driving you. JESS Maybe if you didn't go Rambo every time I did a lapdance, you'd still be doing it yourself. Meantime, I gotta feed my little girl. BOBBY Maxie's fucking with me. He put you with the spook to get under my skin. JESS Ho's a good guy- BOBBY Ho's a fucking pimp! He encourages Wendy to turn tricks. And she's his fucking wife! JESS Shhh. He'll hear you. BOBBY Good! It'll save me the trouble of repeating myself. He's not fucking driving you! JESS Listen to me, Bobby. This is my job. It puts a roof over me and my daughter and you for as long as you want to stay. BOBBY I want you to quit. JESS Look at the bills. I can't. I'm not gonna put my daughter through what I went through. BOBBY I'll support you. JESS With what? BOBBY Max offered to stake me. JESS Yeah, well Max offers a lot of things. And I got news for you. He's not the sweet old man you think he is. She crosses to the door, abruptly ending the discussion. Bobby grabs her. BOBBY She needs a family. A dad. I'll give her what you never had. JESS Don't get my hopes up. If I quit, what then? I can't go through this again. She leaves the bedroom. INT. FRONT ROOM - JESSICA'S HOUSE - CONTINUOUS Bobby enters to find Horrace eating the pasta and feeding Chloe the grilled cheese. HORRACE C'mon girl. Eat up. BOBBY Get away from her. HORRACE (not backing down) Excuse-- JESS (interrupts the conflict) C'mon, Ho. We're late. HORRACE Yeah. We got money to make. See you around, Bobby. You make a good puttanesca. Mmmmm-mmmm. You should make that shit for a living. They leave. Bobby looks at Chloe, who spits out the cheese sandwich. FADE OUT. The DIALOGUE PRELAPS over a BLACK SCREEN... MAX This is the last time I speak to either of you in person about work related matters. All of our interactions in the future will be social. If you have any questions about anything work related, you will direct them to Ruiz. He has my full confidence. FADE UP on... INT. MAX'S OFFICE - VAN NUYS - DAY Max sits behind his desk as he briefs Bobby and Ricky. Bobby wears sweats. Ricky wears a suit. Max speaks with a directness suggesting gravity. He lays down two MANILA ENVELOPES. The two guys pick them up. MAX Everything you need or need to know is in these envelopes. Do not- Ricky starts to tear his envelope open. MAX (continues) (CONT'D) open the envelopes until you have left this office. Ricky sheepishly draws a length of scotch tape from Max's desk set dispenser. Mid-pull, he becomes self-conscious and asks for permission. RICKY Can I borrow a piece of- MAX Go ahead. Open the fuckin things. You should each find fifteen hundred- They tear open the envelopes. Ricky's flies apart, sending a stack of crisp new Franklin HUNDREDS falling from the air like a New England autumn morning. MAX (continues) (CONT'D) dollars in c-notes, a numeric pager, a double-A battery, and a first class round-trip ticket to JFK. RICKY We're going to New York? MAX (with detectable condescension) Yes. You're going to New York. RICKY And the money. Where do we bring the money? MAX That money is your per diem. RICKY And where do we bring it? BOBBY It's ours. RICKY To keep? MAX Yes, for expenses and such. Now, you'll be contacted on your pager as to where you should go. You each have been given an extra battery, so there is absolutely no excuse as to why a page would not be immediately returned. Am I making myself abundantly clear? BOBBY Yeah. RICKY Yeah. MAX You will not carry any other pagers with you. You will not carry anything, for that matter, that I have not just given you. RICKY Keys. MAX What? RICKY What about my keys? MAX You can carry your keys. You will not mention my name or imply that you are in my employ. You will not speak to anyone while you are working. When you are not working, you are considered to be 'on call' and available twenty-four hours a day. This means you will not get drunk or do anything that will prevent you from operating in a professional manner. There is already a number in your pager's memory. It is a car service. When they ask you what account, you will respond: 'Cardiff Giant.' They will pick you up and take you anywhere you need to go. In other words, there is no reason why you should not reach any destination that you will be called upon to reach within fifteen minutes. Do you see a pattern forming? RICKY Yes. BOBBY Yes. MAX What is it? BOBBY You want- MAX Not you. I want Ricky to answer. RICKY I get it. MAX Tell me. RICKY Don't worry. I get it. MAX So tell me how it is. RICKY You want... Why are you picking on me? MAX Because you lost my fucking carpet cleaning van and I don't like you. BOBBY Already told you, I parked it for five minutes and I locked it with the club- BOBBY (CONT'D) (interrupts) You want us to be wherever you want us to be, ASAP, no questions asked. MAX Yes. Goodbye. RICKY So, wait, what are we dropping off? MAX Goodbye. INT. LAX - DAY One of those cool over cranked tracking shots of the two guys walking purposefully that means we're really getting down to business now. A cool song is playing. Ricky and Bobby each hold a manila envelope. INT. SECURITY CHECK - LAX - DAY Bobby lays his envelope on the x-ray conveyor belt. He walks through the metal detector. He passes the check. Ricky does the same. The ALARM goes off. Bobby looks concerned. Ricky pulls a ring of KEYS and drops it in the tray with a look to Bobby. Bobby looks relieved. Ricky is dressed to the nines: Dark blazer over a dark sweater. Bobby, more casual, wears dark slacks, a dark shirt and a gold horn around his neck. INT. FIRST CLASS CABIN - UNITED AIRLINES 777 - DAY They check their boarding stubs and sit in the plush first class seats in the almost empty cabin. RICKY Holy shit. Can you believe this? BOBBY Pretty nice. RICKY See, man. Maxie fuckin takes care of you when you're in. Beats cleaning carpets. BOBBY What's the movie? RICKY I'll get the girl. BOBBY Nah, don't bother- Ricky rings the service chime. An attractive young FLIGHT ATTENDANT arrives. She has a tray of champagne and orange juice. FLIGHT ATTENDANT (turning off the service light) Champagne or orange juice? Ricky takes a champagne. She smiles and walks away. He stops mid-gulp and rings the bell again. She turns with a smile. FLIGHT ATTENDANT (continues) (CONT'D) (turning off the service light) Yes? RICKY Yeah, uh, what's the movie? FLIGHT ATTENDANT It's in your copy of Hemispheres. I believe it's Mickey Blue Eyes. RICKY Ugh... FLIGHT ATTENDANT I'll get you the list of videos, if you don't mind, I'll offer the other passengers a beverage. RICKY Yeah, sure. How much are they? FLIGHT ATTENDANT How much is what? RICKY The videos. FLIGHT ATTENDANT You're up front. Everything's free up here. She smiles. He smiles. She walks away. He rings the bell again. She returns with a strained smile. FLIGHT ATTENDANT (continues) (CONT'D) (turning off the service light) Yes? RICKY Drinks are free, right? FLIGHT ATTENDANT Yes. (waits) Would you care for another one? RICKY Yes. He takes another champagne and she crosses to leave. He calls after her. RICKY (continues) (CONT'D) I'll have a Cutty on the rocks. She smiles and walks away. RICKY (continues) (CONT'D) You hear that? You can drink as much as you want up here. BOBBY We're not supposed to get drunk. We're on call. RICKY Unless we're supposed to whack out the fuckin' pilot, I don't think we're gonna have to work in the next five hours. BOBBY I don't want to show up hammered. We're supposed to be representing Max. RICKY Oh, I'll represent alright. He rings the bell. BOBBY Cut that shit out. She returns. FLIGHT ATTENDANT Yes. RICKY Where do you live? FLIGHT ATTENDANT (strained politeness) Excuse me. RICKY Where do you live? FLIGHT ATTENDANT I operate out of the Chicago O'Hare hub. Can I help you with anything else? RICKY Yeah. Me and my boy here are gonna be in New York overnight. I want you to pass the word around to the honeys back in business class that you all got plans for tonight. I'm talkin' a California style, Tupac, gangster pool party back at the hotel. And make that drink a double. She stares at him for a BEAT. FLIGHT ATTENDANT Listen, asshole, I don't care if you're the Sultan of Brunei, no man talks to me like that. Now you can either learn some manners or I can make a formal complaint to the airport authorities and we can sort this out while you're waiting stand-by for the next flight to Kennedy. She walks away. He turns off the bell light. INT. JFK INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT - NEW YORK - DAY The PASSENGERS file off the plane and out of the gate. Bobby walks out purposefully. Ricky staggers slightly. He got his money's worth. Bobby checks his pager and Ricky scans the crowd through his buzz. BOBBY Shit. No new pages. I don't even know where the fuck we're supposed to go. RICKY Maybe we should call for a cab. BOBBY No. Look. There. A hulking Italian DRIVER holds up a sign reading 'CARDIFF GIANT.' BOBBY (continues) (CONT'D) 'Cardiff Giant.' That's us. RICKY You sure? BOBBY Yeah. He said that's our account with the car service. They approach the driver. BOBBY (continues) (CONT'D) Hi. I, uh, think that's us. JIMMY Hi. I'm Jimmy. BOBBY Bobby. RICKY Ricky. JIMMY Soho Grand, right? BOBBY What's that? JIMMY You're going to the Soho Grand hotel, right? BOBBY I'm not sure. All I know is the account is Cardiff Giant. JIMMY (smiles) Yeah. You're staying at the Soho Grand. You got anything checked? BOBBY Nah. JIMMY Travelling light. I like that. RICKY Is it nice? JIMMY The Soho Grand? RICKY Yeah. JIMMY You're from LA, right? RICKY Yeah. JIMMY You'll love it. EXT. LIVERY STAND - JFK INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT - DAY - CONTINUOUS Jimmy walks them out and up to a black STRETCH LIMO. He opens the door. Ricky's eyes light up. RICKY Holy shit. The flight attendant who told Ricky off rolls her overnight bag past them. Ricky can't help himself. He calls after her... RICKY (continues) (CONT'D) You missed out, lady! We're staying at the Soho Grand! I'd give you a ride in my limo, but I gotta stretch my shit out. She ignores him. INT. LIMOSINE - QUEENS - DAY They ride in the back. Ricky fucks with the buttons. RICKY So whenever we want... JIMMY Yeah. Grab one of the cards behind you. Call that number. It's my cell. RICKY So you're our own private guy? JIMMY I handle most of Cardiff Giant's stuff. RICKY You know my pager number? JIMMY No. What is it? RICKY I don't know. I thought you might. Any idea what the job is? JIMMY The 'job?' Alls I know is I'm taking you to the Soho Grand. BOBBY Where is the Soho Grand? JIMMY Soho. EXT. LIMOSINE - QUEENS - MONTAGE - DAY The LIMO drives past a vista of the luminescent SKYLINE. The lights twinkle through the highway emissions. The SOUNDTRACK takes a decidedly carnivorous, urban turn. EXT. NEW YORK CITY - STREETS MONTAGE(CONT.) - DAY INTO DUSK The limo drives through the streets of the city. Steam comes out of a manhole cover (if we can afford it). EXT. SOHO GRAND HOTEL - SOHO - GOLDEN HOUR - DUSK ESTABLISHING SHOT of the trendy architectural hotel. The limo pulls up. INT. SOHO GRAND HOTEL - SOHO - NIGHT Nice lobby. INT. BOBBY'S SUITE - SOHO GRAND HOTEL - SAME A young black BELLMAN walks Bobby into his suite. They are followed by Ricky. The room is beautiful. Blonde wood paneling is offset by black and white photos of New York's past. Modern furniture and a mirrored wet bar give the suite a luxurious feel. BELLMAN ... And here is the key to the mini-bar. Room and tax has been picked up by Cardiff Giant, as well as one fifty in incidentals. RICKY What's 'incidentals?' BELLMAN Phone, room service, mini-bar. Any additional expense. If you need anything you can push the button marked 'Concierge', and they'll be able to help you. BOBBY Thanks. He hands the bellman a tip. He then pulls out a card key and beckons Ricky. Bobby dials phone. BELLMAN Now, Mr. Slade, you're in room 315. RICKY Just give me the key. I'm gonna stay here. BELLMAN Yes, sir. RICKY Is it a good room? BELLMAN I can take you down there. RICKY Just tell me. Wait, here... Do you have change of a hundred? BELLMAN Not on me, sir. RICKY Here. Take it. Bring me back eighty. BELLMAN Are you sure? RICKY Yeah. Take it. BELLMAN Thank you very much, sir. RICKY So? BELLMAN What, sir? RICKY Is it the good room? BELLMAN All the suites are about the same. RICKY Come on. Just tell me. It'll save all the trouble of you showing me all the rooms. BELLMAN Honestly, the suites are all about the same. RICKY What if I gave you forty? BELLMAN It's as good a suite as we have, unless you want two bedrooms. RICKY No. That's cool. Bring me back eighty. BELLMAN Thank you, sir. RICKY Where's the place to go tonight? BELLMAN As far as..? RICKY Nightlife. Where's the hot ass? BELLMAN Women? RICKY Yeah 'women.' If I was a fag I could get laid in a subway. BELLMAN I don't know, Forum's pretty hot tonight. It might be hard to get in, though. RICKY Don't worry about me getting in. Just tell me where it is. BELLMAN It's on West Broadway. RICKY See you later. BOBBY Yeah, take care. BELLMAN Thanks again. I'll bring up your change. The bellman leaves. BOBBY Hi girls, It's Bobby. I'm here safe and sound. I'm just calling to say I love you. I'd leave my number, but you know you can't call me here, so I'll try you later. Uncle Ricky wants to say hi... (he won't) He says hi. Be home soon. Love you. Bye bye. (hangs up) Why don't you want to say hi? She likes you. Ricky dials the phone. BOBBY (continues) (CONT'D) Who you calling? RICKY Shhh... Hello, room service? BOBBY C'mon, man... RICKY Yeah, bring up two burgers and a couple of Heinekens. I'm in room... How'd you know? Oh. Yeah. How long? Cool. BOBBY How much is it? RICKY How much? Okay. Make it fifteen minutes and you can add on a ten dollar tip. Bye. BOBBY How much was it? RICKY Forty-six. BOBBY Jesus, man. Plus ten? RICKY Yeah, I guess. BOBBY Great. On my fucking room. RICKY Relax. You got one-fifty. You heard the guy. BOBBY Ricky, who knows how long we're gonna have to be here. We gotta make it last. RICKY Fine. I'll put it on my room. Okay? BOBBY Don't worry about it. Just be smart. RICKY But let me tell you, man, I don't like your attitude already. BOBBY Oh really. Why's that? RICKY We just got moved up in the world. You gotta let go of that blue collar mentality that was drummed into your head. You gotta start owning it man, or they'll smell you a mile away like a cheap suit. BOBBY Who's gonna smell me a mile away? RICKY Don't play dumb. You know what I'm talking about. He picks up the phone and pulls out Jimmy's card. Bobby hangs up. BOBBY What are you doing? RICKY What are you doing? BOBBY I know you're not calling Jimmy. RICKY As a matter of fact I was. You got a problem with that? BOBBY We're here representing Max. You're acting like a Puerto Rican on the fifteenth of the month. RICKY You think Maxie doesn't want us to roll hard? Why do you think he gave us all this bread? Or the number on the pager? We gotta represent him by showing some class. The man's got an operation. How does it reflect on him if we nickel and dime it? He dials. Bobby hangs up. BOBBY It's on West Broadway. We can walk. RICKY Well, I don't want to walk. Ricky starts to dial. Bobby takes the CARD and RIPS IT UP. RICKY (continues) (CONT'D) Motherfucker! Ricky DIVES on Bobby, and a huge ugly BRAWL begins. CUT TO: EXT. FORUM - SOHO - MANHATTAN - NIGHT Ricky and Bobby stand side by side at the front of the line as Ricky tries to talk his way past the velvet rope. They look horrible. All their cuts have reopened, their faces are swollen, and their only set of clothes are now disheveled and torn. Ricky talks a steady stream of bullshit, but the DOORMAN will have none of it. RICKY ... How 'bout Jimmy? You know Jimmy the driver? Cardiff Giant? You ever deal with them? Cardiff Giant? CUT TO: INT. THE CUPPING ROOM - SOHO - NIGHT Ricky and Bobby are poured tea by a frilly SERVER. A LONG BEAT of SILENCE. RICKY Horseshit. 'Try the China Club. 'Fuck you, asshole. I think it was a fag bar. Didn't it look like a fag bar. BEEBEEBEEBEEP .....They look at each other. BOTH of their PAGERS are going off simultaneously... MATCH CUT TO: EXT. STREET PAYPHONE - ACROSS THE STREET - NIGHT - CONTINUOUS They run up to a phone stand. An HISPANIC KID is on it. They wait and listen as he talks baby-talk with his woman. BOBBY Hello? Shit... Taptaptap ... No dial tone. He lifts the receiver higher. The wires have been RIPPED OUT of the base. They look at the next phone. An HISPANIC KID is on it. They wait and listen as he talks baby-talk with his woman. HISPANIC KID Yeah... Mmmm, that sounds good... Uhu... BOBBY Excuse me, we need to make a call. HISPANIC KID I'm on the phone. BOBBY It's important. HISPANIC KID So's this. (in phone) Hey baby... Oh, nothing. What were you saying? BOBBY Listen, man, we really gotta... HISPANIC KID I be off in a minute. (phone) Say again..? Ricky GRABS THE RECEIVER and BEATS HIM across the head with it. The poor kid falls out of frame, and Ricky yells into the phone... RICKY He'll call back! He hangs up and they both fumble with their pagers and pockets. Bobby puts in a quarter... BOBBY Shit. It's thirty-five cents. You got a dime? RICKY Fuck... He looks down to the kid out of frame. RICKY (continues) (CONT'D) You got a dime, bro? INT. LIMOSINE - MANHATTAN - NIGHT The two banged-up Angelenos clean themselves up in the fold-down vanity mirrors. Jimmy is their driver. BOBBY So, Jimmy, you know where this address is? JIMMY Yeah. I'll find it. It's in Harlem. BOBBY Harlem? What is it, a restaurant? JIMMY You don't know where you're going? BOBBY No. Just the cross streets. JIMMY Well, this is the corner. The limo settles on a desolate street in Harlem. There is nothing going on. JIMMY (continues) (CONT'D) I can wait around if you want. BOBBY No. That's cool, man. They get out and the limo leaves. EXT. STREET CORNER - HARLEM - NIGHT - CONTINUOUS They stand outside. They look awful. They look with curiosity as cars pass. Ricky lights a cigarette. RICKY What exactly did they say? BOBBY They said a hundred thirty-fifth and Twelfth. RICKY They didn't say an address? BOBBY I told you what they said. RICKY Nothing else. BOBBY Nothing. RICKY How'd they know who you were? BOBBY They asked who it was. RICKY So they said more than the address. BOBBY No. They asked who I was, then told me what corner. RICKY This is bullshit, man. BOBBY What the fuck do you... A BROUGHAM slowly passes. They pause. It goes. BOBBY (continues) (CONT'D) What the fuck do you have to complain about? RICKY Don't even start. BOBBY No. Tell me. What's so fucking horrible about this gig? You've been crawling up my ass for six months to get your name on Maxie's list, and here we are. RICKY Look, man, I never met Ruiz, okay? I don't know what the fuck I'm picking up, what the fuck I'm dropping off, who the fuck I'm meeting. All I know is Maxie's still pissed at me cause I sold his fucking van. BOBBY You sold it? I thought they stole it. RICKY Sold it, stole it, whatever... BOBBY Motherfucker... RICKY Oh, give me a break. Don't tell me you feel bad for the guy. BOBBY You gotta be kidding me. I vouched for you. RICKY Relax. I'll do right by him. You know that. BOBBY You just don't fucking get it, do you? RICKY You know he fucks all his girls, don't you? BOBBY What the fuck is that supposed- RICKY Mean, that's what I heard- BOBBY You got something to say- Bobby grabs him, and is about to start another scrap, when the distant roar of a fleet of JAPANESE SUPER BIKES draws near. The pack screams up to the duo. There are a dozen black men, on Ninjas, and they all wear black Nazi-style helmets. The two men freeze, and the bikes settle in around them. One BIKER pulls up to Bobby. BIKER They flew you all the way out here to cook me up some fuckin puttanesca? Bobby recognizes the biker is Horrace, from LA. He is relieved, but not pleased. RICKY You know this guy? BOBBY His names Horrace. Horrace, this is Ricky Slade. HORRACE What's up. You all ready to meet Ruiz? BOBBY Yeah. Where is he? Horrace throws him a helmet. CUT TO: EXT. HARLEM STREETS - MANHATTAN - NIGHT Bobby now rides bitch behind Ho, and Ricky clutches the back of a buff shirtless BROTHER. The bikes rip down the uptown streets with a ferocity that scares pedestrians. An urban drum track rattles the SOUNDTRACK. EXT. LITTLE ITALY - MANHATTAN - NIGHT The horde of bikers rumble under a red, white, and green banner strung from street lamps marking the start of Italian turf. The businesses are all closed or closing. Looks are drawn from locals as the outsiders chug by at a respectful trawl. EXT. LUNA RESTAURANT - LITTLE ITALY - NIGHT The pack pulls away leaving only Bobby, Ricky, and Horrace. Ho leans his Ninja to rest next to a custom Buell Harley-Davidson cafe racer. Bobby can't help but stare at the rare piece of machinery. They enter. INT. LUNA RESTAURANT - LITTLE ITALY - CONTINUOUS The restaurant is now closed, but RUIZ sits in a rear booth on a Nokia. He is a slim, young black man with a tight round fro. He wears a rolex, but, other than that, nothing flashy. He's wearing dark Gucci slacks, a black pullover crew-neck shirt, and a black, red and orange racing leather jacket. He must have pull here, because 'Between the Sheets' is playing over the stereo of this bare-bones, Italian eatery. RUIZ (on cell) Nah, man. Nah. Too risky. I don't like it... I want out... It's too risky... Listen, man, we made a lot of money together on this one, but it's over. Shit's gonna come down... Well, then, you got my blessing. I'm selling my end. This internet shit's too volatile. I'll keep my block of Microsoft, but I'm taking profits on Yahoo and all the portal stocks. The bubble's gonna pop, man... Alright, peace. The three men approach Ruiz's table. RUIZ (continues) (CONT'D) That's it? This is Maxie's cavalry? Who the fuck swole you up like that? Bobby and Ricky both point to each other. RUIZ (continues) (CONT'D) Shit. If that shit don't beat all. Maxie sent me two fuckin broke ass swole up guineas from the West side. I coulda signed up some hard local guineas for beer money. Ain't that right, Leo? LEO, the white-haired Italian waiter nods in agreement. LEO Sure. You boys want anything? RUIZ Yeah, bring us four fernet. LEO Four fernet. RICKY No. I'll take a strega. RUIZ What, motherfucker? You drinking 'the witch' after dinner? RICKY Yeah. That fernet tastes like tar. My grandfather tried to give me that. RUIZ Some fuckin guineas he sent me. It's midnight and the motherfucker's ordering an apertif. RICKY It's a digestif. LEO Strega's an apertif. RICKY Fine. Bring me a Cynar. RUIZ Nigger, please. Don't even order that artichoke shit. West side guineas. Forget the drinks, Leo. We gotta roll. What do I owe you? LEO We're square. RUIZ Thanks, man. You need anything, you call. LEO Thanks. RUIZ You rode? HORRACE Yeah. RUIZ (hits speed dial) Jimmy? Ruiz. Pick up Maxie's guineas at LUNA and bring them to Spa. (hangs up) Jimmy's bringing the car around. Me and Ho rode sleds. We'll meet you at Spa in the VIP room. RICKY Where's Spa. HORRACE Jimmy knows. 13th Street. We'll meet you there. They leave. Ricky and Bobby sit and wait. Ricky addresses Leo after they kick their bikes. RICKY How do you like that fucking moulinyan? LEO Maybe you two should wait out front. INT. LIMOSINE - MANHATTAN - NIGHT Ricky and Bobby sit in the back as Jimmy drives them. RICKY This shit's sketchy. Why do they drop us in the middle of nowhere to have the guy we're supposed to meet come meet us just to tell us we have to meet the same guy somewhere else? BOBBY I don't know. RICKY Well, I thought you understood and I was just missing it. BOBBY Missing what? He didn't say shit. RICKY Yeah, but you know Horrace. What did you get off him? BOBBY What did I 'get?' RICKY Yeah. What vibe? BOBBY I detected no vibe other than that Ruiz thinks you're a fucking idiot. RICKY Yo, fuck him, man. Calling us guineas... BOBBY What do you give a shit what he calls us? He's not our friend. Let's just get this shit over with and go home. What's this place we're going to, Jimmy? JIMMY Spa? BOBBY Yeah. JIMMY Depends what night. RICKY A lot of Persians? JIMMY Not usually. Mostly Trustafarians. BOBBY 'Trustafarians?' JIMMY You know, white kids with trust funds acting like they're poor. Keeping it real. Know what I mean? RICKY I call 'em wiggers. JIMMY Different. BOBBY This Ruiz guy, what's his deal? JIMMY Don't know much. I hear he runs a tight ship. BOBBY Yeah? JIMMY Understand me? BOBBY Yeah. RICKY (quiet) So is this the drop? BOBBY Like I said, I don't know. RICKY He woulda told us right? BOBBY You would think. EXT. SPA - 13TH STREET - NIGHT A horrifying line has formed as New York's best and beautiful primp and peck their way to the door. The rope is three-deep and three DOORMEN coordinate the traffic patterns. The limo settles in and a HOMELESS MAN opens the door in hope of a tip. Jimmy steps in his way as Bobby and Ricky, in tattered clothes, move toward a big white DOORMAN in an oversized hat. They fight their way past the other people who are fighting their way past the line. RICKY (responding to irritated looks) Watch out, man. Sorry. I'm on the list, man. (to the doorman) Hey, bro. DOORMAN The line's over there. RICKY Yeah, but, we're good. You know what I mean? DOORMAN How is it you're good? You on a list? RICKY Yeah. Ricky Slade. DOORMAN (to doorman with clipboard) You see a Ricky Slade? The doorman with a clipboard checks and shakes his head. RICKY Cardiff Giant? DOORMAN What? RICKY Cardiff Giant. Just check. DOORMAN Maybe you wanna try the China Club. RICKY Again with the fucking China Club! What do I look like a fucking Persian to you? DOORMAN (firm) Hey. I'm half Lebanese. BOBBY We're with Ruiz. DOORMAN Ruiz isn't here. BOBBY We're supposed to meet him here. Is Ruiz on the list? DOORMAN Ruiz is always on the list. He just ain't here, though. BOBBY Can you check? DOORMAN He's not here. While they're waiting, the actor who played SCREECH on 'Saved By the Bell', now in his twenties, walks by and is let through the rope with a handshake. DOORMAN (continues) (CONT'D) What's up, man. SCREECH S'up. DOORMAN You look big, man. Diesel. You been lifting? SCREECH A little. DOORMAN You look good, man. SCREECH Cool. See you later. DOORMAN Cool. Ricky can't believe his eyes. RICKY Did you see that shit? Motherfucker. (to doorman) You let in fucking Screech, dude? I'm waiting and you let in Screech? DOORMAN He's on the list. RICKY (hot) Show me. Show me where it says Screech on the fucking list. This altercation is cut short by the arrival of Ruiz and Horrace. The Red Sea parts as they approach the door. DOORMAN What's up, bro? You look big, man, you been lifting? RUIZ A little. How's it going tonight? DOORMAN Shit's off the chain. These two say they're with you. RUIZ Yeah. DOORMAN Alright. These two are good. He opens the rope. Bobby shakes his hand. DOORMAN (continues) (CONT'D) Sorry, man, but... BOBBY Thanks a lot. Don't worry about it. DOORMAN Any time, bro. BOBBY Thanks. Ricky walks by and throws him a look like he just stuck it in. INT. SPA - 13TH STREET - CONTINUOUS Bobby and Ricky are lead into the club and past a window and another set of ropes. Their hands are stamped several times representing the highest level of security clearance. They file down a staircase and into one common area where hip-hop plays and people dance. Ruiz and Horrace touch hands with an endless stream of ACQUAINTANCES. They pass a myriad of rooms and seating areas, then down a narrow corridor where they encounter yet another DOORMAN who waves them past a CLUMP of VIP hopefuls. They trot down a short bank of stairs and into... INT. VIP AREA - SPA - CONTINUOUS ... a series of passageways furnished like a French parlor. Lithe MODELS sit amongst Dreadlocked white boys. After yet another bar, the crowd vomits into a cavernous bomb shelter. A pulsing dance floor is surrounded by a series of couches and coffee tables, representing the private seating areas. At the far end of the room is an elevated stage with a DJ and a banner reading 'GRANDMASTER FLASH'. The party is greeted by a male club PROMOTER. He hugs Ruiz. With the slightest of nods, the party is lead to the prime table with a table tent marked 'RESERVED.' They sit down as a beautiful MODEL/WAITRESS brings two buckets of champagne and fluted glasses. Bobby and Ricky try to hide how impressed they are as they look at each other. GIRLS on the dance floor throw priceless looks toward their table. Ricky raises a glass to one. Ruiz finally looks at them and leans in. He's spotted someone. RUIZ That's him. Now you all know the drill, right? BOBBY What drill? RICKY We don't know any drill. Nobody told us anything. RUIZ Maxie told you to keep your mouth shut while you're working, right? BOBBY Yeah. RICKY So we're working? RUIZ What the fuck you think, I wanna 'hang' with you motherfuckers? Yeah you're working. And put down the champagne. RICKY She poured it for- RUIZ Far as she knows you're John Gotti. Now put the shit down and act like you got some ass. Ruiz gets up and crosses to a BRITISH looking GUY across the room. They watch. BOBBY He making the drop? HORRACE Nah, man. He's just making contact. That's our man. The Welsh guy. BOBBY What's his name? HORRACE Ruiz don't like using names on cell phones. He refers to him as the Red Dragon. BOBBY So, when's the drop. HORRACE To be honest, man, I don't know shit either. All I know is it ain't drugs and it ain't now. RICKY How do you know it's not drugs? HORRACE Maxie knows I don't go near drugs. I did a minute in Quentin for possession with intent. And it ain't now cause he woulda told me. RICKY You strapped? HORRACE (confused) 'Strapped?' RICKY It means you got a gun? HORRACE I know what 'strapped' means, motherfucker. What the fuck you think this shit is? '21 Jump Street?' (notices) Cool out, they're coming back. Just throw up your screw face and don't speak unless spoken to. They settle in and Ruiz comes back with the WELSHMAN. They're both laughing. RUIZ Here, man, sit down. WELSHMAN (breaking the tension) I see you brought along the rogues gallery. RUIZ Not really. Just some friends from out West. This is Ho, Bobby, and Rick. He shakes their hands, keeping it light. WELSHMAN And here I thought you flew in some out of town muscle. How's it going, men? RICKY So, you must be the Red Dragon. This draws GLARES from Ruiz, Ho, and especially Bobby. After an uncomfortable pause, the Welshman breaks the tension with laughter. WELSHMAN Well, that's news to me. The name's Tom. RICKY Mmmm-hmm. Where's the, uh, 'Dragon's lair?' Where do you live? WELSHMAN Edinburgh. RICKY And where might that be? WELSHMAN Scotland. RICKY Well, word on the street is you're Welsh. WELSHMAN I am. RICKY A rose by any other name would-- RUIZ (changing the subject) Come here, there's someone I want you to meet. You like big tiddies? WELSHMAN Well, who doesn't? They walk off. Ruiz sneaks a glare. CUT TO: INT. LIMOSINE - IN FRONT OF SPA - 13TH STREET - NIGHT Ricky and Bobby are being lectured by Ruiz, who sits across from them next to Horrace. RUIZ What the fuck was you told? Don't talk, right? RICKY Unless spoken to, ain't that right, Horrace. Didn't you say that? HORRACE Don't drag my ass into this- RICKY He spoke to me. You want me to dis him? RUIZ 'Dis?' 'Dis?' You're not in a position to 'dis', or 'give props', or whatever your Real World sense of fucking decorum tells you to do. You're nothing. You're wallpaper. You're not here to make fucking friends. Asking a motherfucker where he lives. And who the fuck told you 'Red Dragon'?. BOBBY We get it. We're sorry. RUIZ Now that Limey motherfucker's jumpy and wants to change shit around on me. Maxie's gonna shit a Nokia when he hears about... Aw, shit, I better call him before he hears. Ruiz pulls out his cell phone and steps out, slamming the door. HORRACE I'm not saying shit to neither of you. RICKY Why? What I say bad? HORRACE What the fuck, 'Red Dragon?' RICKY What? Why am I bad? BOBBY How bad is it? HORRACE It's bad. Before you even showed up, he said you were Maxie's 'token goons', and not to be trusted. He wanted to TCB alone. I was gonna ride shotgun to keep the English dude above board. Now he's spooked. This shit's snowballing. BOBBY When's it going down? HORRACE Was gonna be tomorrow morning. Now, who knows? BOBBY Shit. Outside, Ruiz starts his bike. Horrace slides out. HORRACE See you later. RICKY You really in trouble? HORRACE Stop. RICKY I'll tell him someone else told me. HORRACE Just don't ask me no more shit. Horrace closes the door and starts his bike. They ride off. BOBBY You happy? RICKY About what? BOBBY Why you gotta make everything difficult? RICKY You too? BOBBY Yeah, me too. You're a fucking bull in a china shop. RICKY Fuck this. He opens the door. BOBBY Where do you think you're going? RICKY Back in. BOBBY You fucking nuts? RICKY Work's over. I'm gonna party. BOBBY You can't go in there. They know you're with Ruiz. RICKY You got that right. BOBBY Fuck you. Go then. I'm taking the car. RICKY Fine. Ricky walks past the line with a handshake. Bobby sits, staring forward. JIMMY Where to? CUT TO: INT. VIP AREA - SPA - NIGHT Ricky sits in their booth surrounded by young hot GOLD DIGGERS. Two WOMEN are already part of the fun: BIANCA and CYNTHIA, who we will get to later. They are dressed Manhattan fabulous. Bobby approaches, a wet blanket on two legs. RICKY Look who's back? Want some champagne? BOBBY (to waitress) Do not put this on Ruiz's tab. Start a new one. RICKY Damn right. Bring us two bottles of Dom Champs and here, take fifty in case I call you bitch later when I'm drunk. (she goes) Siddown, motherfucker. (he pours him a glass and toasts) 'Sex and paychecks.' They all clink. EXT. DOWNTOWN NEW YORK - MONTAGE - NIGHT Shots at the bar. With chicks. RICKY So, wait, you're from where? BIANCA Manhattan. RICKY You girls aren't from Brooklyn or anything? BIANCA No. CYNTHIA I swear to God, we live in Manhattan. EXT. DOWNTOWN NEW YORK - NIGHT Staggering through the streets of downtown with a string of WOMEN in tow, including Bianca and Cynthia. Laughs and cigarettes. A bottle snuck out of a bar. INT. NEW YORK BAR - NIGHT Another BAR. A magnum of champagne empty and jammed nose-down into an ice bucket. RICKY I don't get it. What do you do? BIANCA We're in Fashion. RICKY So you're models? CYNTHIA We rep lines? You know? Fashion? RICKY And you grew up in Manhattan? CYNTHIA Kinda. Yeah. RICKY What do you mean 'kinda?' BIANCA You ever heard of Whitestone? EXT. STREET - NEAR SOHO GRAND - NIGHT A new bevy of LADIES, but still Bianca and Cynthia. Drunk. Drinking more. Vampires watch the sun rise. They skulk into... EXT. SOHO GRAND HOTEL - SOHO - DAWN Ricky and Bobby are hammered and lead Bianca, Cynthia and an EXOTIC GIRL into their hotel. INT. RICKY'S SUITE - SOHO GRAND HOTEL - DAWN CLOSE on a FISHBOWL as the group of partiers are seen through the glass playing grabass. INT. RICKY'S SUITE - SOHO GRAND HOTEL - SOHO - DAWN The place is a mess. Room service is all over the place. Bianca, Cynthia, the Asian coat check girl, and Bobby sit in the squalid living area as Ricky enters from the toilet zipping his fly. RICKY I don't know about you guys, but I'm starting to feel a really sexual vibe here. BIANCA What happened? I thought we were playing Truth or Dare. RICKY Look at, ladies. I could sit here and take turns throwing skittles at your ass all night. But I feel what you guys are putting out there. I'm only a mirror reflecting what I'm getting from you. And I'm saying yes to it. I'm shaking hands with it. I see the road that you're pointing down and I'm saying I'll ride shotgun. And when your foot slams on the accelerator, I won't get scared. I'll stand up and let the wind blow through my long blonde hair. With my summer dress clinging to my bosom yelling 'Faster, Billy! Faster! Drive faster! Faster yet-!' Ricky is CUT OFF by Bianca's CELL PHONE blowing up. She answers. BIANCA Hello... She doesn't want to talk to you... No... I don't have to ask her. Let it go, Sean. Cynthia grabs the phone. CYNTHIA Will you leave me alone, already..? No, Sean, it's over... I don't care.... As a matter of fact, I am... Yeah. In his hotel room... BIANCA (can't believe she said it) Holy shit. CYNTHIA I'm having fun , Sean. Can you handle that..? Yeah. He doesn't judge me. RICKY I don't wear a white wig, I don't carry a gavel. CYNTHIA That's a good idea, maybe I will! BIANCA Are you alright. She hangs up. RICKY Now you girls wait here. I got a special surprise. The girls are all waiting with Bobby as Ricky leaves the room. Bobby does not make any attempt to keep the ball rolling. Cynthia whispers too loud and drunk. CYNTHIA Is he cute? BIANCA He's okay. CYNTHIA Should I fuck him? BIANCA I don't know. Do whatever you want. CYNTHIA He's great, right. Is he great? BIANCA He's alright. CYNTHIA (disappointed) I know. BIANCA (cheerleader) But maybe that's okay. Maybe that's just what you need. BOBBY Can you excuse me for a minute? Bobby leaves the room. He finds Ricky in a hotel robe filling the BATHTUB. BOBBY (continues) (CONT'D) What the fuck's going on? RICKY Dude, get back out there. You gotta help me get them in the hot tub. (shouts) Hang on girls! Just get out there. I'll be right out. You know how I do. BOBBY Yeah, I know how you do. I know how you do. I've heard your kibbles and bits all fucking night. You've been shaking your ass like an unemployed clown. How the room's a boiling pot of sugar water. How you're gonna dip a string into it and make rockcandy. Who wants to play 'Just the tip?' Dancing around like a smacked ass. Oh, and that coat check girl you've been dragging around as 'insurance' doesn't even speak English. (leaves) Ricky checks the water and comes out talking. RICKY Okay. We got a lot happening here. Here comes the good part... Okay... BIANCA (re: robe) Somebody's getting comfortable. CYNTHIA Where's the surprise? RICKY You want your surprise? CYNTHIA Yeah. I want it. RICKY Well, come on then. It's back here. Cynthia leaves with Ricky. Bobby is left with Bianca and the Asian coat check girl. Bianca and he are uncomfortable. After a long pause... BIANCA You mind if I roll a joint? Ricky sits in the BATHTUB with a glass of champagne. RICKY You want to come splash around. CYNTHIA I'm just warning you, I can't swim. Then... Bianca sparks up. She offers to Bobby, who refuses. BIANCA I'm not like her, you know. I mean, I'm not judging, but I'm more about my dogs. Do you have dogs? Are you a dog guy? CUT TO: Cynthia lets her towel drop. She dips her toe into the water. Out of nowhere she begins to wail. Back in the main room Bobby, Bianca, and the Asian girl react to the off-screen crying. Cynthia comes rushing out in a bathrobe, bursting with tears. Ricky follows in a towel. CYNTHIA I want to leave right now. RICKY I didn't do anything-- BOBBY What the hell did you do? RICKY I swear to God, I didn't do anything. BIANCA Oh no. What is it this time. CYNTHIA We used to take baths together. BIANCA Come on. Let's go. Cynthia calls her boyfriend on the cell phone. CYNTHIA Sean? I want you to pick me up... I know. I'm sorry too. They leave. BOBBY What the fuck was that about? RICKY She was jonesing for me. They notice the Asian girl still sitting there in the room. Bobby hands her cab fare and escorts her out. BOBBY Here you go, darling. Get home safe. BEEBEEP... BEEBEEP...Both their pagers go off. BOBBY (continues) (CONT'D) Fuck. He reaches for the phone. Dials. BOBBY (continues) (CONT'D) Hi. (mouthes to Ricky) It's Ruiz. (phone) Yeah. So the driver knows where to go? When? We'll be down in five. No, I'll tell him. He's right there. Bye. RICKY What's up? BOBBY He wants to see us now. RICKY Where? BOBBY He said it's being arranged. He said Jimmy will know. RICKY We're getting whacked. BOBBY We're not getting whacked. RICKY Why else you think he won't tell us where the sit down is? BOBBY It's not a 'sit down.' He said he's telling us the plan. Ricky is waving around a STEAK KNIFE from a room service tray, testing the weight and balance. BOBBY (continues) (CONT'D) What are you doing. RICKY I got a bad feeling, man. I don't want to go in naked. BOBBY You gonna shank him in the shower? RICKY Is it so unrealistic to think Ruiz, who doesn't even want us here, is throwing us to the wolves? As an apology? And I don't even know what we're dropping off or picking up - BOBBY We're getting ahead of ourselves. We haven't gotten any sleep. Let's just keep our mouthes shut and not make any mistakes. Now hurry up and get your shit on so we're not late and make things worse. CUT TO: INT. LIMOSINE - MANHATTAN - MORNING Ricky and Bobby look awful. They have bags under their swollen eyes, gorged stomachs, bruised faces, tattered clothes, and yolk on their chin. Ricky lights a smoke. BOBBY Put that shit out... RICKY C'mon, man... BOBBY I swear to God, I'll fucking puke. RICKY (obliging) Hey, Jimmy, where they taking us? BOBBY Yeah. Where they gonna whack us? Ricky looks at him without an ounce of humor. Jimmy laughs. JIMMY If they're whacking you, they're doing it in style. The limo pulls up to... EXT. TAVERN ON THE GREEN - CENTRAL PARK - MORNING - CONTINUOUS Jimmy lets them out. INT. TAVERN ON THE GREEN - CENTRAL PARK - MOMENTS LATER The MAITRE D' leads them past an orgy of a BUFFET. Everything looks sickening to our bloated drunks. The head of a whitefish in particular makes an impression on the boys. They are lead to a table joining Ruiz and Horrace, who are both dressed appropriately for a society brunch. RUIZ Jesus Christ, where the fuck you been all night? You look like you got shit out in the gorilla house. BOBBY Good morning. HORRACE (laughs) Good morning. RUIZ You think this shit's funny, Ho? HORRACE Nah, man... RUIZ You think it's funny, motherfucker? BOBBY Easy, Ruiz. A WAITER shows up. RUIZ Don't 'easy Ruiz' me. Y'all turned a Easter egg hunt into a butt-fuck-a-thon. (to waiter) Bring me four eggs Benedict and a mimosa. You all want mimosas? BOBBY (ill) Nah, man... RICKY No... RUIZ Four mimosas. (to guys) You'll love them. So here's the plan. I didn't say shit to Maxie, cause the man has acute angina, and I don't want to get him all worked up. RICKY He has a cute what..? BOBBY A bad heart. RUIZ I didn't tell him shit. He worries too much. I love that old Jew, but he's gonna kill himself worrying. We started this shit, and we're gonna finish it. RICKY Who's gonna outfit us? RUIZ Outfit? What's he talking about? BOBBY Nothing, man. RICKY You want us strapped, don't you? RUIZ Last thing I want is you with a gun. HORRACE Word. BOBBY What's the plan? RUIZ Tom, the Welsh dude- RICKY The Red Dragon. RUIZ Shut it, man. Shut it. Tom is a square. He don't but dabble in shit. Maxie had me hook up a loan-back with him, through an Austrian passbook account. RICKY So, we're talking money laundering... RUIZ Will you tell Peter Jennings to shut up and fucking listen. The shit's as routine as you get. I coulda turned it over offshore in a week, but Maxie likes to do it all his way. Safe. I coulda dropped the bag alone. It's only two hundred G's. But he sent you all. So I can either send you home and tell Maxie, or we can flush the toilet one more time and hope it all goes down. BOBBY Let's do it. RICKY I'm your soldier. RUIZ Now listen. The gig couldn't be simpler. You carry the money to the Welshman, he checks it, hands you his marker, you're done. The washed money goes directly to Maxie. Long as you hand off the bag, you're tight. BOBBY Where's the drop? RUIZ You three are gonna meet him for dinner. Find out if and where. Now any of you motherfuckers got anything else to say? RICKY Yeah. RUIZ What? RICKY When all this is over and we're not working for Maxie, I'd love to run into you on the street. (beat of silence) Why aren't you coming? RUIZ That's none of your fucking business. INT. HALLWAY - TAVERN ON THE GREEN - CENTRAL PARK - DAY Bobby tries to hold his shit together as he wanders down a mirrored hallway. He arrives at a DOOR. He opens the door to find a... INT. DINING ROOM - TAVERN ON THE GREEN - CONTINUOUS ...windowless dining room, painted with grotesque greenery. He quickly ducks out. INT. BATHROOM - TAVERN ON THE GREEN - CENTRAL PARK Bobby splashes water on his face. CUT TO: EXT. CENTRAL PARK ZOO - POLAR BEAR TANK - DAY Horrace, Bobby and Ricky walk and talk through the picturesque park. Ricky picks at a tuft of cotton candy. BOBBY Why isn't Ruiz coming? HORRACE This Welsh dude is tripping on Ruiz cause he's a Shot Caller. BOBBY What's that? HORRACE A Shot Caller. A boss, a Capo. He's running shit. BOBBY Yeah. CUT TO another view of the bears. HORRACE The Welsh dude, sees all these niggers in perms and diamonds and shit, he gets nervous. But you motherfuckers, he just laughs. All beat up in your babaloo suit like Fruitpie the magician. RICKY So we just go eat with him and that's gonna solve everything? HORRACE Dude, you just gotta settle your shit down. You gotta go and say all that 'Red Dragon' shit. Make him think he's on Barretta. RICKY Like you were doing any better shucking and jiving like you were waiting for wings outside the Quick and Split. CUT TO another view of the bears. BOBBY So what do we do? HORRACE We go and hang out with the dude, make him happy, drink some tea, whatever it takes, until he feels comfortable enough to bring it up on his own. We make the drop, go home to California. BOBBY Where is this happening? HORRACE (hands him matchbook) We meet at the Globe on Park Avenue at six forty-five. I'll see you then. Horrace walks away, leaving Bobby and Ricky. RICKY Let's check out the penguins. BOBBY The what? RICKY The penguin house. BOBBY Wait a minute. You want to look at fucking penguins now? RICKY Yeah. Let's look at the penguins. BOBBY Did you hear what he just said? RICKY Whatever. We're here. We may as well go to the penguin house. BOBBY I'm tired and I'm scared, and I'm not looking at fucking penguins. SMASH CUT TO: INT. PENGUIN HOUSE - CENTRAL PARK - DAY Bobby and Ricky watch the PENGUINS frolic in their arctic habitat. The silence is broken by... RICKY We need guns. BOBBY We don't need guns. RICKY I'm pretty sure we do. BOBBY I listened extremely carefully. Nothing was even vaguely implied. He even laughed in your face when you asked him RICKY All the more reason. BOBBY You wouldn't even know where to get one. RICKY Wanna bet? BOBBY You couldn't even get a hand job from bridge and tunnel posse, how you gonna get a gun? RICKY That's cause you decided to get all tired all of a sudden. BOBBY It was six in the fucking morning. RICKY Float me a hundred bucks. BOBBY Why? RICKY You wanna see how fast I get a gun? BOBBY You're out of money? RICKY No. BOBBY What do you have left? RICKY Eighty. BOBBY Eighty bucks?!? RICKY Eighty five. BOBBY What happened to the fifteen hundred? RICKY You coulda picked up a tab every once in a while. BOBBY I did! I paid for half the fuckin drinks! RICKY You did? BOBBY Yes I did. You asshole! What about the room? RICKY What about it? BOBBY They only cover one fifty in incidentals. You've been ordering fucking... Motherfucker... He starts to count out his cash. RICKY Calm down. BOBBY I fucking vouched for you. I vouched for you and you fucked me. RICKY This shit's peanuts compared to what we're gonna make with Maxie. BOBBY Ricky. I'm trying to save this money. Understand? I'm trying to make it so my girlfriend doesn't have to grind her ass into other men's erections so her daughter can go to private school. RICKY I'm sorry... BOBBY This is horseshit. It coulda been so easy. RICKY It's gonna be fine. BOBBY No more, man. RICKY Let's get some sleep. That's what we need, man. Sleep. BOBBY How we gonna sleep? We only got a few hours til dinner. RICKY So what do we do? BOBBY Let's just go now and wait. RICKY Three and a half hours? BOBBY I don't want to take any more chances. RICKY Let's just go get guns, I'd feel better. BOBBY Don't fuck around. You're gonna get us all killed. RICKY Think about it: You knocked out that Jewish kid's tooth, cost him eight grand, maybe more. Maybe lost his whole line of clientele? He knows you're fucking up Jess' dancing, and I got a feeling he knows I stole his carpet cleaning van by the way he looks at me. He can't kill us in LA cause that leads to too many questions. So he flies us out here first class for a 'drop' that's turned into whatever? He can make us disappear out here real nice... BOBBY Where do you get this shit? RICKY Scenario B. I think I'm getting under Ruiz's skin. I'm no dummy. He doesn't like how it went down with the Red Drag- Welshman, whatever. Now I got Fruitpie the Magician telling me I can't call my man Max? And that Welshman's sketchy. Whatever, I don't know where it's coming, which way it's coming from, I'm telling you one thing right now, I'm not gonna be late for the dance. BOBBY You're not getting a gun. INT. LIMOSINE - MANHATTAN - DAY Bobby is on the CAR PHONE beside Ricky. He leaves a message. BOBBY Hi girls. It's Bobby. Can't seem to get a hold of you. Gonna be home soon. I miss you. Chloe, Uncle Ricky's here. He wants to say hello. Say hi to Chloe. Ricky fights with him in whispers, then finally takes the phone. RICKY Hi Princess. It's Ricky. I hope you're doing good sweety. Everyone's okay. Nobody's hurt... Talk to you soon. Bye. INT. GLOBE - MANHATTAN - DAY Ricky and Bobby look horrible. They stare in silence drinking coffee. INT. GLOBE - MANHATTAN - DAY TIME LAPSE of the two guys shifting and resting. INT. GLOBE - MANHATTAN - DAY Horrace arrives with the Welshman. RICKY Look. They're together. You telling me this ain't a set-up? BOBBY Easy... They arrive. WELSHMAN Hey, boys. BOBBY Tom. How's it going? WELSHMAN Fine, fine. And you were..? BOBBY Bobby and Ricky. WELSHMAN Right, right. The 'thugs.' They share a laugh. The tension is slowly dissipating. WELSHMAN (continues) (CONT'D) And where is..? HORRACE Ruiz? Oh, he ain't here. WELSHMAN No? HORRACE Nah, see, Maxie just asked him to set that shit up as a favor. He, you know, he tied in with the club. Set us up so, you know, you feel at home. WELSHMAN Well, I didn't care for the club much. And, I must say, I didn't care for him either. HORRACE Well, he ain't gonna be around no more. WELSHMAN Pity. What's say we have a drink? CUT TO: INT. LOT 61 - MANHATTAN - NIGHT Ricky and Bobby can barely keep they're eyes open. Horrace seems equally irritated as the Welshman drains what appears to be his fifth pint of ale. Ricky is preoccupied by a projected image on the wall. WELSHMAN This is the greatest fucking country in the world. I love this fucking place. I mean the food, the women, the fucking curbs. This country has the highest fucking curbs in the world. It's fucking brilliant. You know what I love most? This shit. He pulls out a can of SKOAL chewing tobacco and pinches off a chew. RICKY Dip? WELSHMAN Yeah. This shit's fucking brilliant. I just fucking love the fact that you have kids driving around in pickup trucks with a mouthful of this shit, speeding their brains out. I gotta bring a case of it home to my mates. It's illegal back home, you know. HORRACE No shit? WELSHMAN Does anyone want another? HORRACE You want another drink? RICKY I'll get it. WELSHMAN Who's up for a night on the town. This is the worst possible thing he could've said as far as Bobby is concerned. He is exhausted. The guys play the host. HORRACE Sure. Anyplace in particular? WELSHMAN I hear the China Club is a laugh. CUT TO: INT. THE CHINA CLUB - MANHATTAN - NIGHT They sit in a booth. Loud club music bombards their growing impatience. Bobby and Ricky strain to stay awake. The Welshman drains a cocktail, watching a table-hopping MAGICIAN relishing his enthusiastic audience of one as he presents him with the Queen of diamonds. WELSHMAN Bloody hell! Brilliant! Did you see that? Horrace slips the performer a bill and he trots off. WELSHMAN (continues) (CONT'D) Now, about the business at hand... They all perk up and lean in. Tom drains his glass. WELSHMAN (continues) (CONT'D) Anyone have any drugs. A wave of dread. HORRACE What do you want? WELSHMAN A little Charlie, perhaps. HORRACE Coke? WELSHMAN I've heard you've got the best coke in the States. The shit back home is pants. HORRACE (slipping Ricky some bills) That shouldn't be a problem. Ricky looks to Bobby, who shrugs. Ricky reluctantly goes off to find drugs. Tom smiles and hugs Bobby and Horrace. WELSHMAN You guys are the fucking best. I swear, I didn't know about this whole thing, but you guys are okay. CUT TO: INT. BATHROOM STALL - CHINA CLUB - LATER - NIGHT Horrace, Ricky, Tom, and Bobby are all packed like sardines in the toilet stall. Ricky hands Tom a glassine envelope full of coke. WELSHMAN (slurring) God love you... He opens it with drunken abruptness, sending part of it's contents onto Bobby's jacket. WELSHMAN (continues) (CONT'D) Aw, fuck me. Sorry... He starts rubbing the spillage from Bobby's lapel onto his gums. Horrace prevents any more waste by taking the envelope away. WELSHMAN (continues) (CONT'D) Sorry, mates. Now there isn't even enough to go around... HORRACE Don't worry, man. It's all for you. WELSHMAN (touched) No, really, mate? HORRACE Here... Horrace positions himself so that the Welshman can sniff from his hand. The four large men all reposition themselves in the tiny stall, inevitably stepping on each other and banging heads. RICKY Ow, shit... HORRACE Watch it... BOBBY C'mon... WELSHMAN Fuck... OUTSIDE THE STALL, the attendant watches the feet shuffle as they curse from within. INSIDE, Tom snorts a pile of cocaine from Horrace's outstretched hand. WELSHMAN (continues) (CONT'D) Fuck, that's good shit. So, what's say we make a go of this and you drop off the cash tomorrow? Finally. CUT TO: INT. LIMOSINE - MANHATTAN - LATER - NIGHT The limo settles to a STOP to drop off Horrace. HORRACE Now, here's what worries me. He said he wants to meet up at a bar in Red Hook. You know where that is? BOBBY No. HORRACE Brooklyn. BOBBY Yeah? HORRACE He must have that shit troughed. BOBBY What do you mean 'troughed?' HORRACE Troughed off. Protected. Like, you know, like he got a moat around it. BOBBY Ruiz tied in out there? HORRACE Nah, man. No one is. They got some Puerto Ricans and a new crop of fuckin Irish immigrants. RICKY I'm half Irish. HORRACE I don't fuck with those crazy, off-the-boat fuckin Irish. You heard of the Westies?. BOBBY Heard of them. HORRACE They ran shit back in the Eighties. Used to cut motherfuckers heads off and sit them on the bar. That's back when the Irish was making a play against the Italians. I don't know if they still around, but I don't fuck with those motherfuckers just in case. BOBBY It sounds to me like everybody's just a little jumpy. And since all it is is a drop, the Welshman's got nothing at stake. I say we go to his 'troughed off' bar. It'll calm his nerves, we drop the bag, and we all get back to our lives. HORRACE And not a word to Maxie. He'll shit if he knew we crossed a bridge. They all nod. Horrace gets out. INT. LIMOSINE - MANHATTAN - DAY They pull up to the Soho Grand. Ricky wakes Bobby, who begins to doze. RICKY Get up brother. We're home. Go up and get some sleep. INT. BOBBY'S SUITE - SOHO GRAND HOTEL - DAY Bobby drags himself into his suite. He drops his drawers and lays down. Instead of sleeping, he picks up the phone and dials. CHLOE (V.O.) (V.O.) Hello. BOBBY Chloe? CHLOE (V.O.) (V.O.) Uncle Bobby? BOBBY Hi, baby. What are you doing awake? Where's mommy? CHLOE (V.O.) (V.O.) I don't know. BOBBY (concerned, checking watch) Mommy's not home? CHLOE (V.O.) (V.O.) No. BOBBY What time is it there? CHLOE (V.O.) (V.O.) Can you take me to Color Me Mine? BOBBY Yeah. Are you sure mommy's not home? It's very late. BEEBEEP... BEEBEEP...Shit. The pager. BOBBY (continues) (CONT'D) I gotta go, baby. I love you. Tell mommy I called. You be a big girl and be careful when you're alone. CHLOE (V.O.) (V.O.) I love you. Come home. He hangs up, then dials. BOBBY Yeah..? Now..? Did Ricky call yet..? See you in a minute. He sits up, hunched over. He motivates reluctantly. He claws his way into the bathroom and rinses his face in a meagre attempt to wash away the cobwebs. He looks awful. The COLORS are beginning to INTENSIFY as sleep deprivation sets in. INT. LIMOSINE - MANHATTAN - DAY - MOMENTS LATER Bobby sits into the car once again. Jimmy pulls away. BOBBY Aren't we waiting for Ricky? JIMMY Ricky's taken care of. BOBBY Taken care of? JIMMY Yeah, he's getting there on his own. Bobby fights to clear his head and think. EXT. CITY STREET - MANHATTAN - DAY The limo pulls up, and Horrace steps in, talking on the phone. Horrace carries a BRIEFCASE. INT. LIMOSINE - MANHATTAN - CONTINUOUS The car pulls away. Bobby has the no-sleep-sweats. He looks awful. No one greets anyone. There is a tension. Horrace is on the phone. HORRACE (phone) Yeah... Yeah... Uhu... I can't really talk now, but it's all going as planned. If things change, I'll call. He hangs up. PAUSE. BOBBY Where we going? HORRACE Quick drop. In and out. BOBBY Where's Ricky? HORRACE Ricky's taken care of. BOBBY How so? HORRACE He was uptown when I paged him. I gave him the address. He's meeting us there. BOBBY (re: briefcase) That it? HORRACE That's it. PAUSE. EXT. LIMOSINE - BROOKLYN - DAY The car crosses the Brooklyn Bridge and drives through Brooklyn. INT. LIMOSINE - BROOKLYN - SAME Bobby is watching and thinking as Brooklyn goes by. Horrace seems distant. EXT. ICARUS TAVERN - RED HOOK - BROOKLYN - DAY The limo passes the corner and settles in front of the time worn Icarus Tavern. A young IRISH MAN stands out front smoking a fag. The place is open, but the neon 'OPEN' sign is off. INT. LIMOSINE - IN FRONT OF THE ICARUS - CONTINUOUS They pop the doors. HORRACE This is it. BOBBY Where's Ricky. HORRACE I guess inside. Or he never made it. Either way, I don't give a shit. Let's get this over with. EXT. ICARUS TAVERN - RED HOOK - CONTINUOUS The two guys get out and enter the pub. Horrace carries the case of cash. The guy at the door watches them enter and snuffs out his smoke. INT. ICARUS TAVERN - RED HOOK - CONTINUOUS They enter the old world gin mill. It's dark. There's a long, aged wooden bar and oak booths. The floor boards are faded and bowed. A middle-aged BARTENDER reads the Post by the oversized beer taps. He looks up over his reading glasses without expression. Two young Irish TOUGHS stand up from a booth and lead the men into the back room. There is a silent tension. No sign of Ricky. INT. BACK ROOM - ICARUS TAVERN - CONTINUOUS Even darker. They slowly walk in, sending cautious looks to every corner. A simple round table sits in the center of this sparse dining room. Three ROGUES sit around it, all facing the door. Tom, the Welshman, sits with his back to the door. They all have pints before them. A muted conversation ends as Tom follows their stares over his shoulder to see Bobby and Horrace enter. Silence for a BEAT, then... WELSHMAN Here they are, then. HORRACE (falsely relaxed) How's it going? WELSHMAN Brilliantly. Care for a pint? HORRACE No, thanks, man. We got to head out. WELSHMAN Come, now. You just got here. HORRACE That's alright, man. It's a little early for me to drink. This draws an uncomfortably bass chuckle from the seven dark characters now surrounding them. WELSHMAN Nonsense. We'll have three half pints of lager. One Irishman goes to fetch the drinks. Two of the Irishmen pat them down for guns. WELSHMAN (continues) (CONT'D) Sorry about that. Where's your mate? HORRACE Couldn't make it. Here's the money. Horrace places the case on the table. Its weight makes a loud thunk as it hits the hardwood. He pops the catch and lifts the lid. Wow. That's a lot of money. The toughs lose their poker faces as their knees weaken from the sight of it. Even Bobby has to swallow as the Devil blows on his nape. Tom fingers the stacks. HORRACE (continues) (CONT'D) (anxious) Give me your marker, and we'll be on our way. Tom begins to write out a receipt. WELSHMAN I can't yet vouch for the amount, unless you want me to sit here and count. HORRACE No, man, that's fine. Just put that you took delivery. Then, in what takes only a matter of seconds, Bobby has a LOCKBLADE to his THROAT and Horrace takes a truncheon to the gut, flooring him. HORRACE (continues) (CONT'D) What the fuck, man? Why? The money's in your hand. Why you pulling this shit? Tom is scared shit. He's more surprised than any of them. WELSHMAN I... I just hired these guys to watch my back... HORRACE Motherfucker, we're handing you money. What the hell we gonna pull? ROGUE Shut your goddamn mouth! As far as any of you are concerned, a gang of spics took the bag. Understood? Grab their wallets. I'll know where to find each and every one of you. WELSHMAN didn't know, I swear to God, I- WHACK. He takes one in the gut, violently losing his wind. HORRACE (to Bobby) If you and your boy set this up, you're way out of your league. ROGUE Shut up! VOICE (O.S.) (O.S.) Maybe you're the one who better shut up. They all turn to see RICKY standing tall with a PISTOL to the head of a tough with two beers. Ricky sips the third lager. ROGUE He's only got six shots, he's bound to miss. RICKY Or maybe I'm real lucky. I'll tell you one thing, I'll waste every bullet making sure you're dead if you don't take that knife away from my friends throat. The thug removes the blade from Bobby's neck. His eyes narrow as he looks at the gun. He notices something... THUG That's a starter pistol. RICKY (covering) What? THUG His gun's a starter pistol. I can see the red plug in the barrel. The toughs begin to relax and converge... RICKY (nervous) Are you willing to risk your life over- But the moment proves enough of a distraction for Bobby to unload a damaging COMBINATION to his captor. He may not have what it takes to cut it as a professional boxer, but these untrained goons are way outclassed. He drops one like a lead weight. It's about to get ugly as weapons are raised. Then... The melee is cut short by a resounding VOICE calling from the door. JIMMY That's enough. Jimmy the driver stands in the door aiming a Glock 45 at the crowd. They all freeze. JIMMY (continues) (CONT'D) You guys, over in the corner. Leave the hardware and your wallets on the table. (to bartender) Make out an invoice on damages. You got e-mail? (nods. Jimmy hands him a card.) E-mail it to me. A check will arrive. Call the number at the bottom and tell them the Rook is code four. Then destroy the card. (to Bobby) Nice. I'll let Maxie know you're good in the pocket. (to Ricky) Staduch. (to the guys) Go. I'll take care of this. Things are about to get ugly. Bobby grabs the case. They split. EXT. ICARUS TAVERN - RED HOOK - MOMENTS LATER They get in. The limo pulls out. INT. LIMOSINE - IN FRONT OF THE ICARUS - CONTINUOUS Horrace peels out and Bobby, Ricky, Horrace, and the Red Dragon all sit in silence catching their breath. Bobby holds the case. Looks are exchanged. RICKY Holy shit. Get me back to Manhattan. BOBBY (interrupts) Take us right to Kennedy. Now. Horrace nods. FADE OUT. FADE UP ON: INT. MAX'S OFFICE - VAN NUYS - DAY Bobby and Ricky sit before Max. They look the worst we've ever seen them. They've obviously not slept or changed yet and flew right out after the melee. Maxie looks at the open case of cash. A long, tense BEAT of unclear reaction. Is Maxie mad or happy. Finally... MAX You did good. He throws them each a bundle off the top of the pile of bills. Ten grand stacks? MAX (continues) (CONT'D) I never intended to test you two to that extent, but you both came through. I should've been informed there was a flag on the play, but I'll take that up with Ruiz. I made a few calls back East. Those punks weren't tied in with anyone. As for the Welshman, he wasn't in on it. He was just plain dumb. As for you, Ricky, your draw will go towards a new carpet cleaning van. RICKY But, Max- MAX We're square. RICKY Yes, sir. MAX And, as for you, Bobby, you just moved up a notch. Your days of fighting for crumbs is through. Take a week off, come back, and we'll talk about the next thing. BOBBY There won't be a next thing. MAX Take a few days- BOBBY I don't need a few days. I'm gonna settle down with Jess. She's through dancing. We're opening a restaurant. MAX Hate to ruin your fairy tale, but I've been paying Jess' rent for six months. She's got to keep dancing- Bobby throws his stack of cash at Maxie. Ricky grimaces. BOBBY She's through too. Thank you for the opportunity, Max. We'll see you around. They rise to leave. MAX (smiling) You got a lot to learn, kid. Say hi to Jess for me. EXT. JESSICA'S HOUSE - BLACKBURN - LOS ANGELES - CONTINUOUS - NIGHT The Trans Am pulls up in front of Jess' house. Bobby and Ricky both pop out. We catch the end of a conversation. RICKY Dude, we were practically made... BOBBY I'll drop you off in a minute. I want to see if the baby's up. You wanna come in? RICKY No. I'll wait here. BOBBY I'll be a minute. Bobby trots up the stairs. Ricky lights a smoke and watches him go. We linger on his look. INT. JESSICA'S HOUSE - BLACKBURN - LOS ANGELES - NIGHT The door opens. The living room looks like a disaster area. The sink is full of dishes, stacked high above the counter. Dirty clothes are strewn all over. Half eaten plates of food are on the coffee table and bags of carry-out containers and pizza boxes lie about. In the center of it all, Chloe sits alone watching a Hollywood Hills brushfire on the news. She looks up with the solemnity of one much older. BOBBY Where's mommy? Did she leave you alone again? Chloe looks to the back room as she sips from her juice box. Bobby sees a MIRROR and COKE laid out on the table. He grits his teeth and goes for the bedroom door. INT. BEDROOM - JESSICA'S HOUSE - CONTINUOUS Bobby bursts in to find Jess in bed with the HORNY BACHELOR whose nose he broke the week before. The guy jumps in fear. Jess is startled and coked out of her mind. HORNY GUY I-I-I... Don't... BOBBY I don't get it. JESS I never promised you anything. BOBBY How could you let her see this? JESS Goodbye, Bobby. BOBBY Just so you know, I bought you out with Maxie. I suggest you leave while you can. JESS Don't you get it? I don't want to leave. This is who I am. BOBBY Tell you the truth, I don't give a shit for me. But that little girl is so special, and you're gonna fuck her up. He crosses to go, but is interrupted by... JESS (quietly) Take her. BOBBY What'd you say? JESS I want you to take her with you. Off Bobby's look we... CUT TO: INT. FRONT ROOM - JESSICA'S HOUSE - NIGHT Bobby walks in. Chloe looks up at him. A tense silence. BOBBY I, uh ... Listen, hon. Mommy thinks it's a good idea if, just for a while, if you and me go on a trip- Before he can finish, his stammering is cut short by her bolting across the room and into his arms. She squeezes him with all her might. We see Bobby's relief and happiness over her shoulder. FADE TO: EXT. BOBBY'S CAR - SMALL DESERT HIGHWAY - OUTSIDE LOS ANGELES - NEXT MORNING We FADE UP on a beautiful sunny morning travelling on an empty desert road. The only car visible is Bobby's Trans Am in the deep background, leaving the mountains behind. The CAMERA TRACKS BACKWARDS along the road as the car closes slowly. We hear Chloe's angelic voice as she sings a melody. As the car draws closer, we see Bobby, still in the clothes from the trip, driving. There is luggage packed for a journey. Bobby looks content. When the car finally settles into a TWO-SHOT through the windshield, we notice SMOKE coming from the back seat. A moment later, Ricky sits up behind them. He is half awake and cranky. RICKY Baby, you got the sweetest voice I ever heard, but Uncle Ricky's gotta sleep. I've been driving all night, Princess. She ignores him. RICKY (continues) (CONT'D) Shhh, c'mon, baby. It's quiet time. Isn't it quiet time, Bobby? Bobby? Tell her it's quiet time Bobby. Please tell her it's quiet time... Bobby smirks and accelerates, passing CAMERA, which PANS to watch them speed off into the big sky horizon. FADE TO BLACK.