Rocket To Russia

Happy Monday, crime slicksters. Are you ready for another twisted trip to the dark side of hardboiled crime? Then get yer asses in gear, and head on over to That Killing Feeling .. if you know what's good for you.

Onto today's joint from BLOOD GETS IN YOUR EYES ...

When we last left drug dealer Beggar Leck, he was at a sleazy rooftop party at Venice Beach, trying to sell some cocaine to raise money to take care of the dead body in his hooker girlfriends' motel room. Problem is, he gives a sample of the uncut boogar sugar to a party girl, who promptly OD's ... and dies ...


EXT. BEACHFRONT CONDO - ROOF DECK - NIGHT
Beggar sits on the bed with Lief, sipping cocktails.
Emaciated Starlet sits at the other end,
rolling a joint with a GIRLFRIEND (20’s),
a haughty Rodeo Drive type.

LIEF
I’ll buy the whole fucking thing
if it’s as good as you say it is.
(chortles)
Have a few clients that love to ride the slopes.

BEGGAR
Anyone famous?

LIEF
Sorry, attorney-client privilege.
(beat)
What the fuck. Jackie Tempel?
MAJOR coke whore.
How do you think she got that new sitcom?

BEGGAR
No way.

LIEF
Way.
(beat)
So come on, let’s sample the merchandise.

BEGGAR
Thought you’d never ask.

He pulls a glassine bag out of his jacket pocket.

LIEF
That’s -- kinda small.

BEGGAR
It’s locked up in the car.
Think I’m gonna walk around
with a kilo in my pocket?

LIEF
Of course, of course --

BEGGAR
I need a mirror,
something to chop it up on.
(holds up the bag)
Rock candy, kiddo.

LIEF
(to Emaciated)
Hey, Cherie -- gimme your mirror.

Cherie turns around, looks.
Passes the joint to her friend.

CHERIE
What for? Need to powder your nose?

LIEF
Yeah, my makeup is shiny.

CHERIE
Oh, shit. ME, TOO --

She comes to their side of the bed,
pulls a compact out of her bag.
Hands it to Lief, grinning.
Haughty slides over.

HAUGHTY RODEO DRIVE TYPE
Me three.
(giggles)
Got coke?

Beggar dumps out a large rock on the mirror.
Starts chopping it up with a credit card.
Expertly fashions four big, fat lines.
Pulls a rolled up bill out of his pocket.

BEGGAR
Counselor, we await your verdict.

LIEF
Sustained.

He leans over, HONKS up a line.
Shakes his head.

LIEF (CONT’D)
Court is IN SESSION.

Hands the bill back to Beggar.
He does one, SNORT.

BEGGAR
Got it from some Ukrainians I know.
Only been stepped on once.
(hands it to Cherie)
Here you go, doll.
Take a rocket to Russia --

Cherie greedily GRABS the tube.
Bends over. SNARFS up a line.
Then the other, SNORT.
She THROWS her head back and LAUGHS.

HAUGHTY RODEO DRIVE TYPE
Hey, what about ME?

CHERIE
Oh, I’m sorry -- did you want some?

Suddenly her face turns GREEN.
Her eyes roll back into her head.
Blood POURS out her nose.
She SPRAYS a green viscous FLUID all over the bed.

CHERIE (CONT’D)
GAAAAAAA -- !

Beggar, Lief and Haughty JUMP back.

LIEF
SHIT.

BEGGAR
What the FUCK?

Cherie goes into a SEIZURE.
Her body JERKS on the bed
like a rag doll in herky-jerky SPASMS.

HAUGHTY RODEO DRIVE TYPE
(looks down)
I got her spew on my DOLCE!

MALE VOICE (O.C.)
Holy shit, she’s OD-ing!
I’m gonna call 911!

FEMALE VOICE (O.C.)
I’m getting the fuck OUTTA HERE.

Cherie’s body JERKS one last time.
Then lays there. Dead.
Blood starts flowing out of her mouth.

LIEF
Holy Jesus fucking Christ.
I’ve been cluster-fucked.

HAUGHTY RODEO DRIVE TYPE
Ohmigod, she’s DEAD. She’s DEAD!

BEGGAR
Alright everybody, stay calm.
We’ve gotta figure out what to do.

HAUGHTY RODEO DRIVE TYPE
What to do? WHAT TO DO?
I’m gonna get THE FUCK OUT OF HERE.

A siren WAILS somewhere off in the distance.
Beggar puts the baggie in his pocket.
Gets off the bed.

LIEF
Wait a minute, where are you going?

BEGGAR
The fuck outta here.
I’ve got outstanding warrants,
AND a controlled substance.

LIEF
But, but --

BEGGAR
Stay here if you want to,
but I’m SPLITTING.

Lief JUMPS off the bed.
They look around.
Everyone’s gone.

LIEF
Okay, let’s book.
We’ll say we were out
buying more booze or something.

BEGGAR
WE?

Lief starts for the corner of the roof.

LIEF
Yeah, you’re my alibi.
(pulls out a gun)
Come on, there’s a ladder over here.

BEGGAR
(follows after him)
This is like Miami Vice.

Lief gets to ladder.
Looks back at Beggar.

LIEF
Then hurry up and move your ass, Sonny Crocket --