Like Butch & Sundance

Happy Thursday, crime slicksters. It's time once again to take a trip to the dark side, where the girls are hot, the drinks are cold, and the hardboiled-pulp-noir action is non-stop, right here, at the coolest crime joint in cyberspace ... at That Killing Feeling.

In Chapter 35 of GUN-WILD, as the stand-off continues during the botched bank robbery, robbery homicide detective Taya Ralls convinces the SWAT team to let her join them after she reveals that heisters Cam and Rod killed her partner. Meanwhile, Cam's father arrive on the scene to try and convince her to give herself up ...


INT. FIRST INTERSTATE BANK - DAY
Rod listens on the phone.
Goes to the window.

ROD
And tell that fucking SWAT team to
BACK THE FUCK AWAY from the building.
(listens)
You want a hostage NOW?

INTERCUT WITH:

EXT. FIRST INTERSTATE BANK - CONTINUOUS
The West Hollywood POLICE CHIEF (50’s) big and burly,
stands behind a sawhorse talking on his cell phone.

BURLY POLICE CHIEF
Give us one hostage.
You’ll still have eight.
What’s the harm?

ROD
(looks at his watch)
You’ve now got FIFTY-SIX MINUTES.
(hangs up, looks at Cam)
Neck still hurting you?

CAM
The closer he gets,
the HOTTER it gets.

Rod goes to her.
Takes Cam in his arms.
Strokes her hair.

ROD
It’s gonna be okay.
They’re gonna get us a bus,
take us to the airport.
Then we’ll go to Bolivia.

CAM
Like Butch and Sundance.

ROD
Uh -- maybe Mexico
would be a better idea.

In the background, we see Chubby Asian Kid
tip-toe toward the door along the far wall.

Cam sees him out of the corner of her eye.
PULLS AWAY from Rod.
Points her gun at the ceiling.

CAM
HEY, YOU -- little FUCK.
What THE FUCK do you think you’re doing?

She SQUEEZES the trigger. BANG.
Blows a hole in the ceiling.
Tile fragments SPRAY, RAIN DOWN on him.

OUTSIDE THE BANK
Burly hears the blast.
Angrily PUNCHES a number in his cell.

BURLY POLICE CHIEF
What THE FUCK is going on in there?

DOWN THE STREET
Taya piles out of a police cruiser.
Start walking toward the bank.

The uniformed officers get out.
Follow her.

TAYA
The bitch killed MY PARTNER.

GRIZZLED VET
(grabs her arm)
We’re out of our jurisdiction here.

TAYA
(WHIPS her arm away)
Get your hands OFF ME.

INSIDE THE BANK
Cam SHOVES Chubby Asian in the vault.
Closes the barred door.

CAM
Stay the fuck IN there.

MATRONLY WOMAN TELLER
I have to use the -- ladies room.

Cam rubs her neck. Winces.

CAM
Goddammit.
(beat)
Who else needs to go?

Hot Babe raises her hand.
So does an OLD WOMAN.

CAM
Alright, the three of you, let’s go.

EXT. FIRST INTERSTATE BANK - AT THAT MOMENT
Burly Police Chief
chats with the SWAT COMMANDER.

Geffin Clinch and an
ACNE-SCARRED UNIFORMED OFFICER approach them.

ACNE-SCARRED UNIFORMED OFFICER
Chief.
This is the girl’s father.

BURLY POLICE CHIEF
Mr. Clinch.
Thank you for coming.

GEFFIN
Please, call me Geffin.
Tell me what I need to do.

BURLY POLICE CHIEF
We’d like you to speak with her.
See if you can talk her
into giving herself up.

GEFFIN
I’ll see what I can do.
I do a lot of negotiating
in my business -- but, this --
(trying for tears)
This is my daughter.

EXT. MILLIONS OF MILKSHAKES - ROOF - AT THAT MOMENT
Gato takes position lying down.
Adjusts his sniper-scope rifle.
Aims it at the bank entrance.

GATO
(sees Geffin)
What the fuck?
What’s HE doing here?

IN THE BANK
Cam guides the women
back into the vault.
Closes the door.

Walks over to Rod,
who is pacing furiously.

ROD
(stops)
How you feeling?

CAM
It’s WHITE HOT.
I wanna fucking KILL SOMEONE.

ROD
(pulls out a joint, lights it,
gives it to her)
Here. This might help.

CAM
Thanks -- Sundance.

ROD
Any time, Butch.

She takes a big hit.
Holds it in. EXHALES.

ROD
Don’t worry, baby.
I’ll get us out of here.
As soon as the bus gets here --

GEFFIN (O.C.)
(LOUD, on a megaphone)
Cameron, this is YOUR FATHER.
Please come outside.
I’d like to TALK TO YOU.

CAM
What the FUCK?

ROD
Your -- FATHER?

CAM
What’s HE doing here?

GEFFIN (O.C.)
Please, Cameron.
Let’s talk.
I know we’ve had our -- problems --

CAM
Problems? Problems? PROBLEMS?
(KA-CHINKS her gun)
I’ll show you a PROBLEM.

OUTSIDE THE BANK
Taya walks around to the side of the building.
Approaches a group of SWAT officers
in formation behind shields.

GRIM SWAT OFFICER
You’ll have to step away, miss.
Crime in progress.

TAYA
(flashes her badge)
Detective Ralls, Robbery/Homicide.
The SUSPECTS in there killed my PARTNER.

GRIM SWAT OFFICER
(to someone over her shoulder)
Someone get this woman
a helmet and shield.

TAYA
Now you’re talking turkey.