Drill, Baby, Drill

Happy Tuesday, 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 2 of ZOMBIE & JULIET, in the not-to-distant future, zombie virus-infected high school student Gaga has to fend for herself in the hinterlands of New Jersey. We then see a news report about the zombie virus and how it's affecting the Republic of Manhattan. Meanwhile, on the right-wing upper east side, we travel to a tony mansion where a gloriously decadent party is underway ...


EXT. HIGH SCHOOL - ROOFTOP - DAY
A BLACK HELICOPTER sits on the roof.
Blades WHIRRING.

The troopers race out of the
rooftop exit with the body bags.

Load them onboard.
The copter TAKES OFF.

EXT. LOWER MANHATTAN - CHOPPER POV - DAY
We see the giant wall around the city.
The chopper flies over the Hudson river.

On the other side,
in what was New Jersey,
is now a series of burnt-out slums.

EXT. NEW JERSEY - BURNT-OUT WATERFRONT - STREET CORNER - DAY
In front of what was an apartment building,
now a pile of smouldering ruins,
a body bag lies on the sidewalk.

It ZIPS open.
Gaga crawls out.

Looks around.
Deserted. Huh.

GAGA
Not TOO scary --

A PACK OF ZOMBIES appear
down the street.
Hideously disfigured.

About half-way gone.
They SCREAM at her.

Gaga WHIPS her head
in their direction.

GAGA
Omigod, omigod, omigod --

She starts RUNNING --
and they CHASE AFTER HER.

INT. NEWS STUDIO - NIGHT
A GLOSSY, AIRBRUSHED ANCHORMAN
sits behind his desk with a
PERT, SMILING BLONDE ANCHORWOMAN.

SMILING BLOND ANCHORWOMAN
Drilling commenced in Harlem today,
where officials believe there might be
enough oil to keep government vehicles
in operation for another few years --
and for private citizens that can afford
one-hundred dollars a gallon.
(shakes her head)
I can remember when it was ten bucks --

GLOSSY, AIRBRUSHED ANCHORMAN
This just in.
The Department of Health Control
estimates that there still might be
thousand Infected-Americans
in the republic.
(looks at Smiling)
I don’t know about you,
but that reward money
is sure an incentive --

SMILING BLOND ANCHORWOMAN
Tell me about it.
I turned in my mother-in-law,
and it paid for my vacation
to Central Park.

They both laugh.
Glossy suddenly looks serious.

GLOSSY, AIRBRUSHED ANCHORMAN
In other news, tonight in Times Square,
another fight broke out
between the Monts and Kapps.
Fortunately, police officers arrived
and broke up the fight
before anyone was badly injured.

SMILING BLOND ANCHORWOMAN
Due to a recent rash of such incidents,
Republic of Manhattan president Don Gotti
has declared that anyone involved
in future acts of violence
will be shot on sight.

GLOSSY, AIRBRUSHED ANCHORMAN
I must say, Nobu --
it’s a sad state of affairs
to have this trouble on the eve
of the tenth of October weekend.
What a way to start celebrating
the birth our republic --

NOBU
Indeed, Brock --
(beat)
We now go to Paul David Brazill,
live at The Madison Square Coliseum,
where the Ultimate Extreme Gladiator
finals are just getting underway.
Tonight, it’s black vs. white
in a fight to the death.

BROCK
Again?

The look at each other.
Big smiles.

EXT. UPPER EAST SIDE - MANSION - NIGHT
A tony, upper-crust monstrosity
on upper Fifth Avenue.

Three stories of vulgarity.
Takes up the whole block.
Nothing succeeds like excess.

A line of stretch limos spill out
DIGNITARIES, CELEBRITIES and other
SUPER-RICH ASSHOLES who then
walk up the red carpet to the entrance
with their BODYGUARDS.

INT. MANSION - GRAND BALLROOM - NIGHT
Like something out of Versailles.
GUESTS mingle, take drinks and
finger sandwiches from SERVANTS.

Onstage, GREEN DAY plays for the crowd.
In their 60’s, they still rock.

CAMERA finds CARLING KAPP (50’),
scion of the family.

Distinguished good looks. Big smile.
You’d smile, too if you lived here.
He charms a group standing around him.

CARLING
My dear, Harlem HAD to be burned down.
We have BIG PLANS for the area.

ANOREXIC SOCIETY MATRON
Oh? And what exactly ARE your plans,
my dear Carling?

CARLING
A country club RESORT --
surrounding a LAKE.

BIG, FAT CAPITALIST PIG
Astounding, my dear boy.
And I assume membership
will be restricted?

CARLING
But of course --
(sips his champagne)
Of course, given that our
construction methods have become
rather medieval as of late,
it will take some time --

BIG, FAT CAPITALIST PIG
Quite. But first we have to
pillage all the OIL.

CARLING
(smiles, raises his glass)
Drill, baby, drill.

They all LAUGH.