Better Late Than Never

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 3 of AFTERHOURS, we meet the bouncer, Angel Diaz, who reveals to the bartender Mia Tanaka that he owes the mob money and plans to pay them back by selling coke to the celebrities at the club from ... Silverlake hipster/dealer Mickey Mertz, who arrives on the scene, just as someone starts POUNDING on the front the door saying they need help ...


INT. AFTER HOURS CLUB - NIGHT
Sitting at the far end of the bar
is ANGEL DIAZ (20’s),
the bouncer, big and burly.

Also great-looking, like a model.
But looks a bit frayed around the edges.
He chats up Mia.

ANGEL
I’m so fucked.
They’re gonna break my knees.
(low, to himself)
Where the fuck IS he?

MIA
Who you waiting for?

ANGEL
Mickey, my dealer.
He’s gonna give me some credit.

MIA
But you already have coke.

ANGEL
I did, but my apartment
got burglarized last night.
Now I need more to sell
so I can make the vig.

MIA
And you wanna sell it here?
Are you crazy?
You’re lucky Klaus didn’t
fire your ass when
you got caught last time.

ANGEL
I got no choice, Mia.
I’m outta options.
I need to make the vig.

MIA
(nods at the customers)
What makes you sure
they’re gonna buy it?

ANGEL
Please.
Wasted celebrities in an after-hours joint?
We should have a fucking vending machine.

MIA
I don’t get why anybody does a drug
that won’t let you get it up. Stupid.

ANGEL
I told you.
That’s never happened before.

MIA
Well, it’s not gonna happen again,
that’s for sure.

The buzzer RINGS.

ANGEL
That’s him.

He RACES to the door. Unlocks it.
MICKEY MERTZ (30’s) walks in.

Tall, blonde and rakish
in the lastest hipster threads.

Boyish looks a bit fuzzy
due to hard-partying.

Eyes burning from the combination
of chemicals dancing in his head.

MICKEY
I made it.

ANGEL
Got here just in time.
We’re closing soon.

MICKEY
You know what they say,
‘better late than never.’

ANGEL
(fake smile)
Yeah, right.

MICKEY
So where we gonna do this?

ANGEL
VIP room.

MICKEY
Lead on, Macduff.

They head off toward the back.
The buzzer RINGS again.

MIA
Angel, the door.
ANGEL
(over his shoulder)
Tell ‘em we’re closed.

They disappear.
Mia shakes her head.
Walks over to the door.

MIA
Sorry. We’re closed.

ANGRY GUY (O.C.)
It’s an emergency. Open up.

MIA
We’re closed.

ANGRY GUY (O.C.)
I need help. I’m bleeding.

MIA
Then call nine-one-one.

ANGRY GUY (O.C.)
I don’t have a phone.
PLEASE. I need your HELP.

Mia’s cell phone RINGS.
She looks. Answers it.

MIA
Hey, sis. What’s up?
Calling kinda late --

Distracted, she opens the door, listening.
We hear WILD CHATTER on her phone.

MIA
Mom had a STROKE?

Two BIG MEN BURST INTO THE ROOM.
The bigger guy holds a sawed-off shotgun,
the other a chrome handgun
and a giant duffle bag.

Bigger Guy aims the shotgun
at the girls at the bar.

BIGGER GUY
Cell phones ON THE FLOOR, NOW --