Three's Company

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In Chapter 31 of AFTERHOURS, when the partner of the cop Danny is holding hostage tries to call him on his radio, Danny intercepts the call ... and invites the officer to come in ...


INT. THE EXIT ROOM - MAIN LOUNGE - EARLY MORNING
Danny stands near the door
holding the duffle bag.

Casey, Bettie, Sky and Mia
are right behind him.

DANNY
I’ll go out first, make sure
we can get to Mia’s car. Okay?

CASEY
Be careful.

Biff’s radio CRACKLES.

TIRED MALE VOICE (O.C.)
(electronic)
Finished the other
side of the street.
You almost done?
Wanna go get some coffee?

CASEY
Shit. That must be his partner.

TIRED MALE VOICE (O.C.)
Biff, you copy that?
(beat)
Biff?
(beat)
You takin’ a piss or something?

CASEY
He’s gonna start looking for him.

SKY
We still can make it to the car.

BETTIE
Are you crazy?
He’s right nearby.

Danny walks over to the cop.
Grabs his radio.

CASEY
Danny, NO.
What are you doing?
Are you crazy?

He presses a button.
Speaks into it.

DANNY
Okay. Here’s the deal.
I’m the guy you’re looking for,
and I’ve got your partner on ice.
I’ve got two million dollars, give or take.
Half of it is yours if you help me.

TIRED MALE VOICE (O.C.)
What the fuck have you
done with my partner?

DANNY
Relax. He’s just taking a little nap.
And I’ve got five more hostages,
one of ‘em is another cop.
If you don’t help me,
they die, capiche?

TIRED MALE VOICE (O.C.)
You honestly think I’m gonna
help a cop killer?

DANNY
Think about it.
That’s your salary for twenty years.
Tax-free.

Pause.

TIRED MALE VOICE (O.C.)
Where are you?

DANNY
Small white building on the corner.
Used to be a bank.
Can’t miss it.

TIRED MALE VOICE (O.C.)
I’m on my way.

Danny shoves the radio in his pocket.

DANNY
Okay, everybody.
We got company.

CASEY
This is fucking crazy.

SKY
No, it’s not.
It’s five against one.

BETTIE
(to Sky)
Yeah, but only you and Danny have guns.

CASEY
(realizes)
The cop’s guns --

She races across the room.
Finds his guns on the floor.
Picks them up.

Walks over to Bettie.
Hands her one.

BETTIE
Fucking COOL.

DANNY
Ever shot a gun before?

BETTIE
Hell, yeah.
Grew up in Texas.

DANNY
(to Casey)
How about you?

CASEY
Only in my dreams.

DANNY
It’s easy.
Just take aim,
take a deep breath
and squeeze the trigger.
Use two hands.
Sucker’s got quite a kick.

CASEY
(nods)
Squeeze the trigger.

DANNY
Okay, then. It’s settled.
We’re all in this together.

The buzzer RINGS.

DANNY
Places, pleasse --