In Over Her Head

Happy Monday, crime scenesters. Get ready for twice the fun, twice the guns ... and twice the smokin' hot action today on NOWHERE GIRL. Did I mention there's also twice the hot chicks with semi-automatic weapons? Strap yourself in, and come along for the ride ...

Screened a real winner last night -- Micheal Mann's MANHUNTER, starring William Peterson and Joan Allen -- the first, original version of RED DRAGON. Great, thrilling stuff. The origin of Hannibal Lector -- and yes, Anthony Hopkins will always be remembered as Hannibal, but if you haven't seen Brian Cocks' turn as the serial killer, you're in for a treat. And the scene where the killer hunts down a blind Joan Allen to In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida will go done in cinema history as one of the great movie climaxes of all time ...

Onto today's joint from NOWHERE GIRL, and this one's a corker.

In part 1, Cherry and Peeler escape the airport in a cab ...
In part 2, April commandeers her own cab, and is hot on their trail ...
And in part 3, we meet Token Ware, the 'tall, ugly thug' who chained Cherry to the suitcase ... and the man he's working for ...


INT. LOS ANGELES INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT - BAGGAGE CLAIM - DUSK
The porter GRAPPLES April in a bear hug.

APRIL
Let me GO.

The porter SQUEEZES TIGHTER.

PORTER
You gotta SLOW DOWN, lady!

APRIL
I’m a GOVERNMENT AGENT.

PORTER
Bull-shit.

She FLINGS his arms away.
CRACKS him in the jaw. THWUMP.
Notices a crowd of ONLOOKERS.
Shows her ID.

APRIL
Homeland Security.
Keeping America safe.

And TAKES OFF.

A PAIR OF LITTLE BOY TWINS
Stand nearby holding hands with their mother.

TWIN #1
I wanna be like HER when I grow up.

TWIN #2
But she’s a GIRL.

EXT. TAXI STAND - NIGHT - AT THAT MOMENT
Cherry DASHES over to a gypsy cab.

CHERRY
TAXI!

She GRABS the door,
WHIPS IT OPEN, JUMPS in.

Peeler piles in after her.
SLAMS the door.

INT. TAXI - CONTINUOUS
Cherry BARKS at the DRIVER,
a frightened-looking Turk.

CHERRY
Let’s GO, c’mon!

TURKISH CABBIE
Wherefor you wish to go?

CHERRY
I don’t care!
Just get us the fuck OUTTA HERE.

PEELER
Silverlake, please.
(to Cherry)
You’ll be safe at my place.

TURKISH CABBIE
Silverlake it is.

EXT. TAXI STAND - NIGHT - AT THAT MOMENT
April RACES up to a cab.
OPENS the driver’s side door.
FLASHES her ID.

APRIL
Homeland Security!
I’m taking your cab!
Outta the car!

The FAT CABBIE looks at her.
Takes a bite of his candy bar.

FAT CABBIE
Fuck you, lady, I’m not --

April GRABS his arm,
starts PULLING him out of his seat.

APRIL
C’mon, move it, you FAT FUCK.

With all her might,
April YANKS him out.
He HITS the pavement.
She JUMPS IN.

Fat lies in the street like a beached whale.
He FLAILS around, trying to right himself, get up.

APRIL (CONT'D)
(out the window)
Some patriot YOU are.

And she GUNS IT and ROARS away.

EXT. 405 FREEWAY - NIGHT
A large, black MERCEDES SUV flies down the carpool lane.

INT. SUV - MOVING - CONTINUOUS
The Tall, Ugly Thug we met earlier is behind the wheel.

Meet TOKEN WARE, former CIA, now black ops gun for hire.
He takes a sip of designer coffee. Flips open his blackberry.

TOKEN
Avi? It’s Ware.

SPLIT SCREEN WITH:

INT. DOWNTOWN LOFT - CONTINUOUS
A secure HQ in a plush loft space.
Several ARMED OPERATIVES mill about.
Scan computer screens. Clean weapons.

Their LEADER looks out the high rise window
at the city lights while talking on his Bluetooth.

AVI
You make the drop?

Meet AVI ABBAS (45). Palestinian ex-pat.
Now international arms dealer.
He lights up a Gitanes. Checks his Rolex.

TOKEN
Yeah. Broad was acting funny, though.

AVI
What do you mean funny?

TOKEN
Hard to say. Gut feeling.
Like she was in over her head.

A BIG, YOUNG SPOOK comes over to Avi.

BIG, YOUNG SPOOK
Sir, you need to see this.
He PUNCHES a remote.
A sixty-inch PLASMA SCREEN snaps on.

INT. NEWSROOM - CONTINUOUS
A SERIOUS TALKING HEAD sits at the news desk.

SERIOUS TALKING HEAD
-- where at Los Angeles International Airport,
a gunfight broke out at a sports bar.
We go now to Charlie Huston, live at the scene.

EXT. AIRPORT TARMAC - CONTINUOUS
Reporter CHARLIE HUSTON stands in from of the open bar window.
We can see a CRIME SCENE CREW is working.

CHARLIE
Thanks, Rolf.
(dramatic pause)
One hour ago a team of military operatives
opened fire on this airport bar,
killing three people and injuring two.
Witnesses say the men were shot and killed
by a young woman who then left the scene on foot --

AVI
Shut it off.

The spook does.

TOKEN
Pulls his car over to the side of the road.
Stops. Pulls out a LAPTOP. Boots it up.

AVI
Paces, worried.

AVI (CONT’D)
You better check on the girl.
Make sure she’s alive.
And delivering the package.

TOKEN
I’m one step ahead of you.
(punches buttons, looks)
She’s going east -- instead of north.

AVI
Find her. And find out what the fuck is going on.
We’re taking about a million dollars.
She might be trying to sell it someone
else for a higher price.

TOKEN
Duplicitous bitch.
That’s why she was a bit off.

AVI
Doo-plicitous?

TOKEN
Means two-timing.
Double-crossing.
(beat)
Like your wife.

AVI
We must show respect for the dead,
Mr. Ware.

Token does a ‘take.’ Looks quizzical.

TOKEN
Even when you killed them?