Cocaine Cowboys

Welcome to Monday, the day so nice, it sucks. Well, for most people. Now that the 9 to 5 is fairly far behind me in the rearview, it's smooth sailing. God, I hate that thirty-foot commute.

Screened another Kathryn Bigelow flick last night, NEAR DARK. Amazing vampire film, about a traveling family of 'em in the cowboy west. A real genre-twist. No goth, no holy water, no garlic. Just a pack of rowdy villians out for blood. Seems that the young hottie vampire is a little horny, and meets a cute cowpoke at the Taste-E Freeze, who also wants to make nice with her. Heavy petting leads to heavy biting, and now the poor kid has to decide if he can kill and become one of the undead. Superb stuff. Features a REALLY young Bill Paxton, a reliably sleazy Lance Henrikson, and a teenage James LeGros in a bit part. Check it out. Beautifully shot, and it all takes place at night ... NEAR DARK.

Okey. Onto today's scene from GUN-WILD. It's a sequence, actually. Since the next two scenes are short, you're gonna get 'em both at once. A real kick to the solar plexus.

First up, Robbery/Homicide cops Bobby and Taya enter the Winnebago, rescue the hostage, and then make a grisly discovery. Then we cut to Rod and Cam, on the lam ... about play their favorite game ...

***

IN THE WINNEBAGO
Bobby and Taya walk carefully into the back,

weapons drawn.

BOBBY

(nods at the door)

I’m gonna check out the bedroom.

You cover me.

TAYA

Got it.

Bobby KICKS OPEN the door.

BURSTS IN.

IN THE BEDROOM

Bobby sees Asian Art Vendor.

Rushes to her. Peels off the duct tape.

Starts untying the ropes.

IN THE MAIN ROOM

Taya starts climbing the circular staircase.

Bobby comes into the room with Asian.

BOBBY

Look what I found.

Asian stares. Mute. Terrified.

TAYA

A hostage --

BOBBY

And she’s in shock.

TAYA

I’m gonna go upstairs. You stay with her.

Look for evidence.

BOBBY

Got it.

(beat)

Love it when you take charge.

Taya starts up the stairs.

Bobby motions for Asian to sit on the couch.

She does. Looks like she’s about to implode.

Bobby goes to the coffee table.

Wets a finger. Wipes it on the glass.

Tastes it.

BOBBY

Got ourselves some cocaine cowboys.

ASIAN ART VENDOR

Not cowboys -- man and woman.

BOBBY

Did you see their faces?

ASIAN ART VENDOR

Yes. I can draw picture if you like.

BOBBY

I like.

UPSTAIRS

Taya slowly reaches the top of the stairs,

gun aimed with both hands. Listening.

She walks into the bedroom, and sees --

Hondo and Net’s dead bodies.

Lying in pools of blood. Candle still flickering.

Soft Buddha chill still thumping.

She SCREAMS.

EXT. VENICE ALLEY - AT THAT MOMENT

The cop in the cruiser hears the scream.

JUMPS OUT of the car.

DASHES into the Winnebago.

ROD AND CAM

Watch from the VW van.

ROD

That’s our cue.

He touches two stripped wires together on the steering column.

They SPARK. The bus engine ROARS to life.

He puts it in gear,

and they start slowly driving down the alley.

IN THE VAN

Cam looks at Rod.

ROD (CONT'D)

Where we gonna go?

CAM

Hell if I know.

ROD

Let’s go down to the Venice pier.

We need to think, regroup.

We can sleep in the back.

(weird smile)

Pretend it’s the summer of love.

CAM

We can -- play that game again.

ROD

Don’t you ever want -- vanilla?

CAM

Sorry, love-bucket.

(pulls out her gun)

Not on the menu.

***