Ashes To Ashes

Monday, Monday. Time to go back to your dreary, meaningless little lives. What's a girl -- or guy -- to do? How about taking at trip to the dark side? To a place where the girls are hot, the guns are hotter, and the action is never-ending ... where you can have THAT KILLING FEELING ...

Screened another classic from Clint last night. TIGHTROPE. Not one of his best, as he didn't direct it, but it's still a doozy. Clint plays a cop who likes to take a walk on the wild side. A kinky little bastard. Problem is, some of the girls he meets during his midnight liasons start turning up dead, offed by a particularly brutal serial killer. Big problem with the story though at the mid-point, because it at first seems that the killer is framing Clint for the murders ... but that plotline just kinda goes away after awhile ... and it just become a routine 'solve the clues, chase the killer' kinda story. Average storyline at best. But what makes this one a real sleeper is seeing Clint get so dark. Hand cuffs. A whip. Nasty stuff. Not for the faint of heart. One and a half paddles up, kinky bastards!

Onto today's scenario from NOWHERE GIRL, and we're in the thick of it ... in the middle of the exciting conclusion. When we last left them, Interpol agent April Street and stripper Cherry nation are trapped in an interrogation room at Sledge Crafton's secret lair ... which is rapidly filling up with water ...

INT. INTERROGATION ROOM - NIGHT
The window shade CLOSES.
Water starts GUSHING down
from a row of pipes in the ceiling.

CHERRY
What the fuck?

APRIL
Stand back!

April raises her Sig Sauer.
SHOOTS at the door.
The bullets FLY OFF and RICOCHET around the room.

Cherry aims at the window.
SHOOTS a SPRAY OF BULLETS at it.
They, too BOUNCE of the glass and RICOCHET.

The water swirls around,
now reaching up to their knees.

APRIL (CONT’D)
The CEILING.
Let’s see if we can blow a HOLE in it!

CHERRY
Let’s DO IT.

The girls raise their weapons.
Start FIRING at the ceiling.
Chunks of cement start FLYING off.

April shields her eyes with her forearm.
So does Cherry.

INT. INTELLIGENCE OFFICE - AT THAT MOMENT
Crafton sits at his desk.
Looks out the window. Pensive.
He leans over. Hits a button on his speakerphone.

SLEDGE
Donner.

DONNER (O.C.)
(electronic)
Yes, chief.

SLEDGE
I’m going to go home in a few minutes
and get some shut-eye.
These all-nighters are killing me.
I’m not getting any younger.

DONNER (O.C.)
Would you care for some company?

SLEDGE
That would be nice.

DONNER (O.C.)
Just give me a few minutes.
(beat)
I’m sorry about the girls.

SLEDGE
So am I, Donner. So am I.
(beat)
Please do me a favor and never mention them again.

INT. INTERROGATION ROOM - CONTINUOUS
The water is now up their waists.
The girls have now blown out a nice-sized hole
in the ceiling about six-inches deep.

APRIL
This isn’t gonna work.
We’re gonna have think of something else.

CHERRY
Let me get up on your shoulders.
Maybe it’s not that thick.

APRIL
Okay.

April cups her hands.
Cherry climbs up April.
Stands on her shoulders.
Pushes the ceiling where they’ve shot it out.
Nothing.

CHERRY
Shit! We’re gonna DIE!

APRIL
Don’t EVER say that.
We’re NOT gonna die.

Cherry JUMPS down.
Hits the water with a SPLASH.

CHERRY
Then tell me,
what THE FUCK are we GONNA DO?

She BURSTS into tears.
April GRABS her. Hugs her.

APRIL
Shhhhh, it’s okay --
I’m gonna figure something out.

INT. INTELLIGENCE OFFICE - AT THAT MOMENT
Sledge holds an old, dog-eared Polaroid in his hand.
A tear streaks down his cheek.

CLOSE ON --
The photograph.
We see two three-year-old little girls.
Gorgeous. Happy. Smiling.

APRIL and ABBY.

SLEDGE
Pulls out a cigarette lighter.
Sets it on FIRE.
Tosses it in the ashtray on his desk.

SLEDGE
Ashes to ashes --

He wipes his cheek.
Pours a shot of something brown.
Downs it. Punches on the speakerphone.

SLEDGE (CONT’D)
You about ready, Donner?

INT. INTERROGATION ROOM - AT THAT MOMENT
The water has reached the girl’s necks.
Pretty soon they’re gonna have to start treading water.

CHERRY
I don’t CARE if it’s DANGEROUS.
Let’s fucking DO IT.

APRIL
Okay.
(beat)
One last thing.
In case we -- don’t make it out of this --
I just want you to know that I’m proud
to have you as a sister.
(beat)
You can really kick ass.

CHERRY
(smiles, teary-eyed)
You, too -- sis.
(beat)
I mean -- I’m proud, too.

They hug.
April pulls away.
Holds up a GRENADE.

APRIL
Okay -- here’s the plan.
It explodes in three seconds.
We’re gonna go to the wall opposite the window.
I’m gonna pull the pin and count ONE, TWO --
and then THROW IT at the window --
then we dive down to the bottom and hold our breath.
The water might just shield us from the blast.

CHERRY
Let’s DO IT.

APRIL
Okay.

They slog through the water to the opposite wall.
April holds up the grenade.
Looks at Cherry, who nods --

April
PULLS THE PIN.

APRIL (CONT’D)
ONE, TWO --

And HURLS it at the window.
They DIVE.

UNDER WATER
The girls swim to the bottom.

THE WINDOW
EXPLODES in a million pieces.
Torrents of water start GUSHING through the opening.

UNDER WATER
The explosion ROCKS the girls against the wall.