Till Death Do Us Part

Hey there, crime kids. Happy Monday. 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 11 of NOWHERE GIRL, undercover CIA operative Shag Holiday is stunned to find out that his ex, stripper Cherry Nation is carrying a suitcase nuke that was meant to be delivered to an Al Queda sleeper cell hiding in the Hollywood Hills ... and now SHE'S delivering it to them ...


INT. BUNGALOW - KITCHEN - NIGHT
Shag sits at the table
with his snack.

Takes a pull on his longneck.
Punches another number
on his cell.

SHAG
(listens)
It’s Holiday.

INTERCUT WITH:

INT. CIA HEADQUARTERS - NIGHT
A maze of dimly lit cubicles
and workstations.

Despite the hour, the joint
is abuzz with OPERATIVES
and TECHNICIANS.

A BLONDE OPERATIVE (25)
takes the call at her desk.

Crosses her long, amazing legs.
Leans back.

BLONDE OPERATIVE
Holiday?
What’s up?
I thought you were --
(chuckles)
On holiday.

SHAG
Funny.
Listen.
I need you to check
surveillance at LAX.
Something went down tonight,
and I need to know
what happened.

BLONDE OPERATIVE
Comin’ right up.

She WHEELS AROUND
to a bank of nearby monitors.

Fingers CLACK-CLACK-CLACK
across her keyboard.

The screens SPRING TO LIFE,
showing images at the airport.

BLONDE OPERATIVE
Do you have any intel?
Airline?

SHAG
Not sure.
Flight was going to Vegas.
The subject was supposed
to be on it.

BLONDE OPERATIVE
Who’s the subject?

Pause.

SHAG
Cherry Nation.

BLONDE OPERATIVE
The bipolar ex.

SHAG
Don’t remind me.

BLONDE OPERATIVE
Hold on.

SHAG
Thanks, Lark.

Lark PUNCHES IN
more information.

A list of airline flights
and passenger manifests
FLY ACROSS her computer screen.

LARK
Here we go -- Cherry Nation,
Sky Blue, flight to Vegas,
departing at gate 115 at 9PM.

She WHIRLS AROUND in her chair,
goes back to the monitors.

LARK
Okay, let’s go back to say, 8:30.

Lark PUNCHES IT in.

THE SCREEN
Shows the airport bar.
The windows EXPLODING
with GUN FIRE.

LARK
Oh, yeah -- that’s right.
I was briefed about this.
Jesus, I need more coffee.

SHAG
What the fuck happened?

LARK
Nothing much.
A suitcase nuke that was meant
for an Al Qaeda sleeper cell
was mistakenly given
to the wrong person.

SHAG
Do they say WHO?

LARK
Was supposed to be
an undercover operative
from Homeland Security --
but they’re really C-6,
that’s just a cover.
They were acting as the broker
between the supplier and the cell.

SHAG
What the fuck is C-6?

LARK
(low)
It’s a new black ops unit.
Very hush-hush.
That’s all I know.
You didn’t hear it from me.

Shag stands.
Starts pacing.
Head reeling.

SHAG
Cherry said someone gave her
a briefcase by mistake.
SHE HAS THE NUKE.

LARK
FUCK.
When did you last
talk with her?

SHAG
Just now. Shit.
Let me give you her cell number,
you can triangulate her position.

LARK
We’re supposed to back away
from this one, Shag.

SHAG
She’s my EX.
And I’m WATCHING HER KIDS.

Pause.

LARK
Give me the number.

SHAG
Till death do us part, huh?