To Protect And Swerve

Happy holidaze, crime motherfuckers. Have your stockings been hung without care? Still looking for the last minute Xmas present for someone you really don't like? Then why not give the gift that keeps killing? A big, steaming slice of hardboiled noir, served cold ... at That Killing Feeling.

Onto today's joint from LITTLE GIRL BLUE, as we race toward the exciting conclusion of our story ...

All hell has broken loose on Christmas Eve in Beverly Hills during a freak snowtowm ... private eye Carrie Love, college coed Blue Wonder, homicide dick Bernie Keko and Carrie's family escape white slave trafficker Tolly Chill and his goons through underground tunnels below the Love estate ... problem is, Carrie's mom just had another stroke, and the cops that were on the scene are now dead ...

INT. BEVERLY HILLS MANSION - BASEMENT - SECRET ROOM - NIGHT

Margo jabs a finger at Eva. Layla looks alarmed.

EVA

Don’t point your finger at me. It’s not polite.

MARGO

You cheated me out of what was MINE.

EVA

I didn’t ask him to change his will, Margo.

MARGO

Bull-SHIT.

LAYLA

Shhhh, calm down.

MARGO

I WILL NOT calm down. This whore got ALL HIS MONEY.

FIFTY MILLION DOLLARS. I got SQUAT.

EVA

How DARE you call me a WHORE. I loved my husband.

Maybe you should take a cue from your daughter,

and stop with the drinking and drugging.

Maybe if you were SOBER,

you’d see what a BITCH you are.

MARGO

A BITCH?

EVA

Yeah, A BITCH. I’ve been nothing but nice to you.

I even invited you to the funeral.

MARGO

You fucking CUNT.

It wasn’t YOUR PLACE to invite ME

to my HUSBAND’S FUNERAL -- it was --

Margo’s body SPASMS. She starts having another seizure.

LAYLA

SHIT.

EVA

NO.

Layla reaches into her bag.

Pulls out a syringe and a small vial.

Starts preparing an injection.

EVA (CONT’D)

What are you giving her?

LAYLA

Ten cc’s of dilaudid, like before?

EVA

(feels Margo’s pulse)

Better make it twenty.

INT. BASEMENT - AT THAT MOMENT

Tolly and Mick cup their ears against the wall.

TOLLY

It’s them.

MICK

Yeah, but there’s no door.

TOLLY

So we make one. Knock down the fucking wall.

GERO (O.C.)

You fellas down here?

GERO

Appears at the top of the stairs, with Mad Dog.

TOLLY

Down here, pop.

They start coming down.

GERO

Goddammit. You drag me out of bed on Christmas Eve --

TOLLY

Relax, pop -- we found ‘em.

They’re there in the next room.

Heard em arguing.’

MICK

There’s no door, so we gotta bust in.

GERO

Great. Fucking great.

(to Mad Dog)

Go back to the car and get the sledge hammer.

(to Tolly)

If you wanna get something done right, you gotta do it yourself.

EXT. SUNSET BOULEVARD - AT THAT MOMENT

Fish is wearing Tip’s uniform. It’s a bit tight on his bulky frame.

He SLAMS the trunk. Gets in the car.

INT. SECURITY PATROL CAR - CONTINUOUS

He sees the flask on the seat next to him.

FISH

Nice.

(takes a hit, raises it)

Here’s looking at you, kid.

(a sip, winces)

Cheap shit --

A KNOCK-KNOCK-KNOCK on the window. Fish rolls it down.

It’s a POLICE OFFICER. Red lights flashing on his cruiser.

Looks pissed off. Having to work on the holiday.

ANGRY COP

You call in the 10-25?

FISH

The ten-what?

ANGRY COP

Home invasion. Private cop called it in.

FISH

Wasn’t me. Everything’s quiet here.

I mean, shit -- it’s Christmas Eve.

ANGRY COP

Fucking kids.

FISH

(holds up the flask)

Wanna belt?

ANGRY COP

What the fuck.

He takes a long pull. Gives it back.

FISH

To protect and swerve, huh?

ANGRY COP

Yeah, thanks. You have a good one. Try and stay warm.

(winks)

But not dry.

The cop goes to his cruiser. Drives off. Fish watches.

FISH

And you try and stay stupid --

INT. BASEMENT - MAIN ROOM - AT THAT MOMENT

Mad Dog SWINGS the sledge hammer against the wall, BANG.

The wood CRACKS, pieces go FLYING.

MAD DOG

Piece a cake.

He swings again, BANG. The exposed drywall CRACKS.

MAD DOG (CONT’D)

We’ll get through in no time.

GERO

This is a real mess.

TOLLY

I know, pop. I said I was sorry.

GERO

Sorry’s not good enough.

Now you’ve dragged me into this shit --

I’m TOO FUCKING OLD for this, and on CHRISTMAS.

(beat)

I’m thinking of grounding you.

TOLLY

But I’m -- 35, pop.

What are you gonna do, bend me over your knee?

GERO

Don’t tempt me, sonny.

Never too old for corporal punishment.

INT. BASEMENT - SECRET ROOM - AT THAT MOMENT

Eva and Layla watch with horror as the wall starts to buckle with each BANG.

Margo’s asleep, drugged to the gills.

LAYLA

What are we gonna DO?

EVA

We’ve got two choices.

We can either stay here and fight them --

or we can escape into one of the tunnels.

BANG. The wall SHUDDERS.

LAYLA

I say we get THE FUCK OUTTA HERE.

EVA

What about MARGO?

LAYLA

She’s on wheels --

EVA

Let’s get the hell out of here.

BANG. The wall CRACKS.

Layla grabs the back of Margo’s wheelchair.

LAYLA

Which tunnel, left or right?

EVA

Left -- the way Carrie and Bernie went. You go first.

Layla nods, pushes Margo into the tunnel. Eva follows.

The fireplace slides back into place behind her.

BANG. A big hole in the wall COLLAPSES in a cloud of plaster and dust.

Mad Dog crawls in the opening. Then Tolly and Gero.

They stand up. Brush themselves off. Look around.

GERO

What the fuck?

TOLLY

I heard them, they were IN HERE.

MAD DOG

They ain’t now.

GERO

Goddammit to HELL. You fucking IDIOT.

(goes to the fireplace)

I’m gonna bash your SKULL IN.

(grabs the poker)

FUCK-HEAD.

The fireplace slides open. Revealing the tunnels.

TOLLY

Holy fucking shit.

GERO

Open Sesame.

(pulls out his gun)

Tolly, you take the left tunnel,

Mad Dog and I’ll take the right.

TOLLY

(takes out his)

Let’s get ‘em.

They race down the tunnels.

INT. NORTH TUNNEL - AT THAT MOMENT

Seth and Blue walk down the tunnel.

SETH

So these guys killed your sister?

BLUE

Yeah. Carrie thinks Tolly did.

Jonna must have found out about what he does.

SETH

What does he do?

BLUE

He’s a white slave trafficker.

They were auctioning off underaged Romanian girls at the party.

Pause.

SETH

After this is -- over with, I was wondering if --

(beat)

If you’d like to -- go on a --

BLUE

A DATE?

SETH

We could just -- go for coffee.

BLUE

Gee. I’d prefer dinner and a movie.

They stop.

SETH

Really?

BLUE

Really.

She leans over. Kisses him on the cheek.

He gently puts his hands on her shoulders.

Leans in to kiss her, and --

MAD DOG (O.C.)

How much farther do you think this goes?

GERO (O.C.)

Oh, so you’re TIRED? I’m the old man, and I’m FINE.

Seth and Blue stare at each other.

SETH

Someone’s coming.

BLUE

RUN.

And they TAKE OFF down the tunnel.