Golden Parachute

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In Chapter 41 of BABY HEISTER, after Kelsey, Doc, Simon and Jo move into the 'backup safe house' next door to the warehouse, the shit hits the fan when Atlas and Helmut pull a double cross and try to escape with Doc's stash ...


INT. SHITTY HOTEL SUITE - DAY
A threadbare room, complete with
the requisite threadbare furniture.

Threadbare rug.
Shitty painting of a ship at sea.

Doc stands in the middle of room.
Kelsey and Jo look at the
environs with distaste.
The bare mattress on the bed.

DOC
I know it’s not The Ritz.
But it’s only temporary.

KELSEY
But there’s six of us --

DOC
Oh, there’s plenty of rooms, don’t worry.

A car engine ROARS next door.

JO
What’s that?

DOC
Those assholes are trying a CROSS.

INT. DOC’S LOFT - DAY
Jack Cotton’s truck sits in the elevator,
Atlas behind the wheel.

Helmut closes the gate, gun in hand.
Doc RACES over.

DOC
What the fuck do you think you’re DOING?

HELMUT
Getting too hot in here, pops.
And besides, why do the job
when we can take your stash?
(waves the gun)
Take one more step and it’s
boom, boom, boom, out go the lights.

Kelsey and Jo appear behind Doc.

KELSEY
You fucking ASSHOLE.

JO
You’ll never get away with this.

DOC
You just signed your death warrant.

Atlas reaches over, FLIPS the switch.
The gears start GRINDING as the
elevator starts going down.

ATLAS
See ya in the funny papers, old man.

As soon as he’s out of sight.
Doc RACES over to the electrical panel.
Starts FLIPPING switches.

THE METAL SHUTTERS
Start coming down over the windows.
BANG. BANG. BANG. BANG.

DOC
Looks at Kelsey and Jo.

DOC
Don’t worry.
I’ve got ‘em trapped.

Doc grabs the master power lever,
THROWS it down.

The lights go OFF.
And, down below --
the elevator stops GRINDING.

HELMUT (O.C.)
HEY.

KELSEY
GOT ‘em.

Simon comes out of the bathroom.
Puzzled.

SIMON
The power went off.

JO
Zorba the Greek and Hitler
tried to take off with the stash.

KELSEY
But Doc cut the power,
and now they’re stuck half-way
down the elevator shaft.

DOC
It’s as good as gone.

KELSEY
What do you mean?

DOC
There’s no way to get it back.

JO
What are we gonna DO?
That was our life SAVINGS.

DOC
We cut the cable and
serve ‘em up to the cops.
The noise will bring ‘em in.

JO
THEN what?

DOC
We do the bank job,
then get the fuck out of Dodge.

INT. ELEVATOR SHAFT - DAY
The platform sits immobile in the darkness.
Atlas and Helmut look over
the railing down below.

ATLAS
What the fuck are we gonna DO?

HELMUT
We could climb down the cables --

ATLAS
But what about the money?
We can’t carry it,
the fucking bags are too big.

HELMUT
We throw ‘em down.

ATLAS
No, I mean outta here.
It’s too much for us to CARRY.

DOC (O.C.)
Hey, TRAITORS.
How you doin’ down there?

ATLAS
(to Helmut)
What does HE want?

DOC (O.C.)
I’d like to say it’s
been nice knowing you,
but I’m a TERRIBLE liar.
(beat)
Time to CUT THE UMBILICAL CORD.

A cable SNAPS.
One of the four corners LURCHES down.

Atlas and Helmet start to
slide toward it. GRAB onto the car.

ATLAS
What the fuck are you DOING?

DOC (O.C.)
It’s your golden parachute.

Another cable SNAPS.
The car starts PLUMMETING DOWN.

AERIAL POV

The car PLUNGES down like a rock.
HITS the bottom. BANG.

INT. DOC’S LOFT - ELEVATOR LANDING - CONTINUOUS
Doc holds a giant pair of bolt-cutters.

DOC
Except you just got the SHAFT --