Scene Of The Crime

Happy Holidaze. Happy hit-and-run heroine. Happy-happy Saturdaze.

Screened BLUE STEEL last night. Jamie Lee curtis as a rookie cop -- who's quite handy with a gun. Great Catherine Bigelow actioner. (STRANGE DAYS, NEAR DARK, THE WIDOWMAKER.) Ron Silver awesome as a psycho stockbroker-stalker. Amazing set up scene at the opening with Jamie Lee interrupting Tom Sizemore's supermarket hold-up. The stuff of 45mm dreams.

Today's installment of GUN-WILD finds our intrepid robbery/homicide cops Bobby Teen and Taya Ralls at the scene of the crime at the First Fisherman's Bank. Three dead cops. A shitload of bullet shells. And a hell of a lot of blood.

And one freaked-out bank president ...

***

INT. FIRST FISHERMAN’S BANK - AT THAT MOMENT

It’s a zoo. A swarm of EMS TECHNICIANS.

CRIME SCENE WORKERS. COPS.

Two BODIES are carried out the back door on gurneys.

BEAT COP

(to junior cop)

Keep the fucking media OUT OF HERE.

Junior Cop races to the doorway,

where a swarm of REPORTERS push on the glass,

muffled shouts to please get in.

IN THE BANK PRESIDENT’S OFFICE

Bobby and Taya stand at his desk.

The BANK PRESIDENT (40), puffy, pink-faced,

sweating profusely, fidgets in his chair.

PUFFY BANK PRESIDENT

I’m ashamed, so ashamed.

TAYA

It’s human nature.

If you didn’t hide, you might have been killed.

PUFFY BANK PRESIDENT

I should have DONE something.

Three cops are DEAD.

Bobby vibrates with anger. Grief.

It’s all he can do to keep from smashing this idiot in the face.

BOBBY
Given what went down here,

there’s nothing you could have done.

(ominous)

Take a deep breath.

(anger rising)

There IS something you can do to help us, though.

PUFFY BANK PRESIDENT

Oh, yes -- anything, anything.

Bobby points to the bank of small video monitors

in the cabinet across from his desk.

BOBBY

We’d like to see the surveillance tape.

Puffy leaps out of his seat. Goes to the VCR.

PUFFY BANK PRESIDENT

Of course, of course.

He PUNCHES a button. The tape starts rewinding.

PUFFY BANK PRESIDENT (CONT’D)

It’ll just take a sec.

TAYA

(hands him a card)

The department offers free counseling.

In case you -- have a hard time --

PUFFY BANK PRESIDENT

(takes it)

Th-thanks.

The machine CLICK-CLICKS.

He PUNCHES play.

ON A VIDEO MONITOR

We see Cam. Disguised in her scarf, cap and shades.

The robbery unfolds. She PISTOL-WHIPS the guard.

Makes the high school girls get on the floor.

STOMPS on their cell phones.

Hondo and Net BURST IN wearing the same disguise.

Point their shotguns, YELLING.

Cam aims the paint can at the camera.

The screen GOES BLACK.

Bobby and Taya exchange looks.

TAYA

There’s three of them.

BOBBY

Four. Somebody was waiting outside

with the getaway vehicle.

TAYA

Of course.

BOBBY

Let’s watch the other tape.

Taya pulls the videocassette out of her jacket pocket.

Hands it to Puffy.

TAYA

Would you please?

Puffy ejects the tape.

SHOVES in the new one.

PUNCHES play.

ON THE VIDEO MONITOR
We see Skinny Black Cashier behind the register.

Cam points her pistol at him. In the same disguise.

TAYA (O.C.) (CONT'D)

It looks like the same woman.

Skinny glances into the camera.

Cam sees him, WHIRLS AROUND, BANG.

The screen GOES BLACK.

BOBBY

I think you’re right.

(to Bank President)

Can we have this?

PUFFY BANK PRESIDENT

Of course, of course.

(ejects tape, hands it to him)

Anything I can do to help -- law enforcement.

BOBBY

Thanks.

(beat)

I suggest you go home, try to relax.

Maybe have a stiff belt of something.

Puffy pulls a flask out of his jacket pocket --

PUFFY BANK PRESIDENT

Don’t mind if I do.

Takes a long pull. A grim smile. Offers it to Taya.

TAYA

Sorry, on duty.

BOBBY

(takes the flask)

Don’t mind if I do.

***