To Protect And Swerve

Hey there, crime kids. Happy Hump Day. It's time once again to take a trip to the dark side, where your most violent fantasies become sins of the flesh, right here, where the hardboiled action is non-stop, at the coolest crime joint in cyberspace ... at That Killing Feeling.

In Chapter 19 of LITTLE GIRL BLUE, private eye Carrie Love, her ex-husband homicide detective Bernie Keko, runaway stripper Blue Wonder and Carrie's family escape through underground tunnels below her mother's house, with white slave trafficker Tolly Chill and his goons right behind them ...


INT. BASEMENT - AT THAT MOMENT
Tolly and Mick cup their ears against the wall.

TOLLY
It’s them.

MICK
Yeah, but there’s no door.

TOLLY
So we make one.
Knock down the fucking wall.

GERO (O.C.)
You fellas down here?

GERO
Appears at the top of the stairs,
with Mad Dog.

TOLLY
Down here, pop.

They start coming down.

GERO
Goddammit.
You drag me out of bed on Christmas Eve --

TOLLY
Relax, pop -- we found ‘em.
They’re there in the next room.
Heard em arguing.

MICK
There’s no door,
so we gotta bust in.

GERO
Great. Fucking great.
(to Mad Dog)
Go back to the car
and get the sledge hammer.
(to Tolly)
If you wanna get something done right,
you gotta do it yourself.

EXT. SUNSET BOULEVARD - AT THAT MOMENT
Fish is wearing Tip’s uniform.
It’s a bit tight on his bulky frame.

He SLAMS the trunk.
Gets in the car.

INT. SECURITY PATROL CAR - CONTINUOUS
He sees the flask on the seat next to him.

FISH
Nice.
(takes a hit, raises it)
Here’s looking at you, kid.
(a sip, winces)
Cheap shit --

A KNOCK-KNOCK-KNOCK on the window.
Fish rolls it down.

It’s a POLICE OFFICER.
Red lights flashing on his cruiser.

Looks pissed off.
Having to work on the holiday.

ANGRY COP
You call in the 10-25?

FISH
The ten-what?

ANGRY COP
Home invasion.
Private cop called it in.

FISH
Wasn’t me.
Everything’s quiet here.
I mean, shit -- it’s Christmas Eve.

ANGRY COP
Fucking kids.

FISH
(holds up the flask)
Wanna belt?

ANGRY COP
What the fuck.

He takes a long pull.
Gives it back.

FISH
To protect and swerve, huh?

ANGRY COP
Yeah, thanks.
You have a good one.
Try and stay warm.
(winks)
But not dry.

The cop goes to his cruiser.
Drives off. Fish watches.

FISH
And you try and stay stupid --

INT. BASEMENT - MAIN ROOM - AT THAT MOMENT
Mad Dog SWINGS the sledge hammer
against the wall, BANG.
The wood CRACKS, pieces go FLYING.

MAD DOG
Piece a cake.

He swings again, BANG.
The exposed drywall CRACKS.

MAD DOG
We’ll get through in no time.

GERO
This is a real mess.

TOLLY
I know, pop.
I said I was sorry.

GERO
Sorry’s not good enough.
Now you’ve dragged me into this shit --
I’m TOO FUCKING OLD for this, and on CHRISTMAS.
(beat)
I’m thinking of grounding you.

TOLLY
But I’m -- 35, pop.
What are you gonna do,
bend me over your knee?

GERO
Don’t tempt me, sonny.
Never too old for corporal punishment.

INT. BASEMENT - SECRET ROOM - AT THAT MOMENT
Eva and Layla watch with horror
as the wall starts to buckle with each BANG.
Margo’s asleep, drugged to the gills.

LAYLA
What are we gonna DO?

EVA
We’ve got two choices.
We can either stay here and fight them --
or we can escape into one of the tunnels.

BANG. The wall SHUDDERS.

LAYLA
I say we get THE FUCK OUTTA HERE.

EVA
What about MARGO?

LAYLA
She’s on wheels --

EVA
Let’s get the hell out of here.

BANG. The wall CRACKS.
Layla grabs the back of Margo’s wheelchair.

LAYLA
Which tunnel, left or right?

EVA
Left -- the way Carrie and Bernie went.
You go first.

Layla nods, pushes Margo into the tunnel.
Eva follows.

The fireplace slides back
into place behind her.

BANG. A big hole in the wall COLLAPSES
in a cloud of plaster and dust.

Mad Dog crawls in the opening.
Then Tolly and Gero.

They stand up.
Brush themselves off. Look around.

GERO
What the fuck?

TOLLY
I heard them, they were IN HERE.

MAD DOG
They ain’t now.

GERO
Goddammit to HELL.
You fucking IDIOT.
(goes to the fireplace)
I’m gonna bash your SKULL IN.
(grabs the poker)
FUCK-HEAD.

The fireplace slides open.
Revealing the tunnels.

TOLLY
Holy fucking shit.

GERO
Open Sesame.
(pulls out his gun)
Tolly, you take the left tunnel,
Mad Dog and I’ll take the right.

TOLLY
(takes out his)
Let’s get ‘em.

They race down the tunnels.

INT. NORTH TUNNEL - AT THAT MOMENT
Seth and Blue walk down the tunnel.

SETH
So these guys killed your sister?

BLUE
Yeah. Carrie thinks Tolly did.
Jonna must have found out
about what he does.

SETH
What does he do?

BLUE
He’s a white slave trafficker.
They were auctioning off
underaged Romanian girls at the party.

Pause.

SETH
After this is -- over with,
I was wondering if --
(beat)
If you’d like to -- go on a --

BLUE
A DATE?

SETH
We could just -- go for coffee.

BLUE
Gee.
I’d prefer dinner and a movie.

They stop.

SETH
Really?

BLUE
Really.

She leans over.
Kisses him on the cheek.

He gently puts his hands on her shoulders.
Leans in to kiss her, and --

MAD DOG (O.C.)
How much farther do you think this goes?

GERO (O.C.)
Oh, so you’re TIRED?
I’m the old man, and I’m FINE.

Seth and Blue stare at each other.

SETH
Someone’s coming.

BLUE
Run.

And they TAKE OFF down the tunnel --