Bipolar Black Ops

Ah, the start of a new week. Full of promise. Mayhem. Murder. Assassins hell-bent on completing their mission. Spies on the trail of wayward strippers with suitcase nukes. That's right, you guessed it. Just another day in the life of ... NOWHERE GIRL.

Screened a wonderful film last night -- Al Pacino and Johnny Depp in DONNIE BRASCO. Damn, I forgot how good this one was. Also starring Michael Madson, Anne Heche, James Russo and a very young Paul Giamatti. Probably one of Pacino's last really great performances (up there with THE INSIDER). The great Mike Newell directed this true story of Depp as an undercover FBI agent in deep cover in Pacino's crew. Heartbreaking stuff, because, as you probably guessed, he gets in real deep, which affects his family, and, eventually ... oh, wait. Don't want to spoil the ending. If you like true-life mob stories, then this one's for you. Check it out. Two guns up ...

Onto today's joint from NOWHERE GIRL.

First up, we finish up stripper-on-the-lam Cherry Nation's scene with Peeler Mardo after she's been pestered by CIA agent Shag Holliday about her whereabouts ...

And then Shag contacts his operative at Langley, the lovely Lark ... because he wants to find out just what the heck is going on with his ex ...


INT. JUMBO’S CLOWN ROOM - NIGHT
Cherry hangs up. Looks at Peeler. Rolls her eyes.

PEELER
That was your ex.

CHERRY
It was that obvious.

PEELER
Hey. Universal language of love.
(beat)
So he’s mad at you?

CHERRY
He was always mad at me.
A real sweetheart,
but overprotective much?
Always keeping tabs on me.
Knew every move I made.
Fucking creepy.

INT. BUNGALOW - KITCHEN - NIGHT
Shag sits at the table with his snack.
Takes a pull on his longneck.
Punches another number on his cell.

SHAG
(listens)
It’s Holiday.

INTERCUT WITH:

INT. CIA HEADQUARTERS - NIGHT
A maze of dimly lit cubicles and workstations.
Despite the hour, the joint is abuzz
with OPERATIVES and TECHNICIANS.

A BLONDE OPERATIVE (25) takes the call at her desk.
Crosses her long, amazing legs. Leans back.

BLONDE OPERATIVE
Holiday? What’s up? I thought you were --
(chuckles)
On holiday.

SHAG
Funny. Listen. I need you to check surveillance at LAX.
Something went down tonight,
and I need to know what happened.

BLONDE OPERATIVE
Comin’ right up.

She WHEELS AROUND to a bank of nearby monitors.
Fingers CLACK-CLACK-CLACK across her keyboard.
The screens SPRING TO LIFE,
showing images at the airport.

BLONDE OPERATIVE (CONT’D)
Do you have any intel? Airline?

SHAG
Not sure. Flight was going to Vegas.
The subject was supposed to be on it.

BLONDE OPERATIVE
Who’s the subject?

Pause.

SHAG
Cherry Nation.

BLONDE OPERATIVE
The bipolar ex.

SHAG
Don’t remind me.

BLONDE OPERATIVE
Hold on.

SHAG
Thanks, Lark.

Lark PUNCHES IN more information.
A list of airline flights and passenger manifests
FLY ACROSS her computer screen.

LARK
Here we go -- Cherry Nation,
Sky Blue, flight to Vegas,
departing at gate 115 at 9PM.

She WHIRLS AROUND in her chair,
goes back to the monitors.

LARK (CONT’D)
Okay, let’s go back to say, 8:30.

Lark PUNCHES IT in.

THE SCREEN
Shows the airport bar.
The windows EXPLODING with GUN FIRE.

LARK (CONT'D)
Oh, yeah -- that’s right.
I was briefed about this.
Jesus, I need more coffee.

SHAG
What the fuck happened?

LARK
Nothing much.
A suitcase nuke that was meant for
an Al Qaeda sleeper cell
was mistakenly given to the wrong person.

SHAG
Do they say WHO?

LARK
Was supposed to be an undercover operative
from Homeland Security --
but they’re really C-6,
that’s just a cover.
They were acting as the broker
between the supplier and the cell.

SHAG
What the fuck is C-6?

LARK
(low)
It’s a new black ops unit.
Very hush-hush. That’s all I know.
You didn’t hear it from me.

Shag stands. Starts pacing. Head reeling.

SHAG
Cherry said someone gave her a briefcase by mistake.
SHE HAS THE NUKE.

LARK
FUCK. When did you last talk with her?

SHAG
Just now. Shit.
Let me give you her cell number,
you can triangulate her position.

LARK
We’re supposed to back away from this one, Shag.

SHAG
She’s my EX.
And I’m WATCHING HER KIDS.

Pause.

LARK
Give me the number.