Don't Shoot, I'm With The Government

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In Chapter 27 of NOWHERE GIRL, the plot thickens when Homeland Security agent April Street reveals to CIA op Lark Lemon that's she's actually a mole within rogue op cell C-6 for Interpol, and that she desperately needs back up as she races up the Hollywood Hills to the terrorists lair. Meanwhile, 'stripper with a suitcase nuke' Cherry Nation delivers the bomb to the terrorists, with deadly results ...


EXT. QUEENS ROAD - NEARBY - NIGHT - AT THAT MOMENT
April JOGS up the hill, talking on her hands-free.

APRIL
You can send backup -- I’m not C-6!

INTERCUT WITH:

INT. CIA HEADQUARTERS - CUBICLE - CONTINUOUS
Lark watches April’s progress on her monitor
as it nears the location of the nuke.

LARK
I know that.
Shag said you were Homeland Security.

APRIL
No, that was the cover C-6 gave me.
I’m a MOLE -- I’m Interpol --
I’m gonna bring down C-6,
the terrorist cell, AND Avi Abbas.
NOW, given how things have progressed,
I’d love a little help at this point.

LARK
Why didn’t Interpol ask for our help
in the first place?

APRIL
Don’t take this personally,
but The Company doesn’t have
the greatest reputation in
the global intelligence community
since nine-eleven.
I mean -- your BOSS told you
not to interfere with C-6.

LARK
I -- see what you mean.

APRIL
C-6 is totally rogue --
their ops are for profit.
They broker arms deals around the world.
Remember the CONTRAS?
They’ll sell to anybody --
rebels in Darfur,
revolutionaries in Somalia,
the Tibetan Army --
state of the art weaponry,
sold to the highest bidder.
(beat)
Kinda like Ebay.

A MESSAGE BOX
Pops up on Lark’s monitor.

LARK’S
Fingers fly across the keyboard.

LARK
April, we’ve got a situation in Israel.
I gotta call you back.

Lark hangs up.
April stops running.
Taps her headpiece.

APRIL
What? Hello? You there?
(beat)
What about my BACK-UP?

EXT. HOLLYWOOD HILLS MANSION - NIGHT - AT THAT MOMENT
Cherry and Peeler are at the front door.

CHERRY
Go hide in the bushes over there
by the window and watch.
If something goes wrong, call 911.

PEELER
Okay. Better hide your gun.

CHERRY
Shit, yeah.

She tucks it in her skirt waistband
in the small of her back.

PEELER
So, uh -- in case anything -- happens,
I just want you to know that,
despite all this scary shit --
I’ve had the best time
I’ve ever had tonight.

Cherry’s touched.
She kisses him on the cheek.

CHERRY
Me, too. Now go, scoot --
we gotta save the world.
(beat)
And then maybe grab some breakfast.

He nods, limps off into the bushes.
Cherry RINGS the bell.

CHERRY
Here goes nothing.

The door OPENS. It’s Kamal.
He sees the case. Big smile.

KAMAL
Greetings. We’ve been expecting you.

CHERRY
Sorry for the delay.

KAMAL
Not to worry. Please, come in.

INT. MANSION - FOYER - CONTINUOUS
Kamal leads Cherry toward the living room.

CHERRY
(looking around)
This place is -- amazing.

KAMAL
Vulgar American conspicuous consumption.
(beat)
Can’t wait to blow it up.

INT. MANSION - LIVING ROOM - CONTINUOUS
Kamal leads Cherry into the room,
where Hamad, the guards and Renny
are watching a ball game
on the big screen plasma TV.

KAMAL
Hamad. Our package has arrived.

Hamad looks. Smiles.
Gets up. Walks over to them.

HAMAD
Very good. Excellent.
(gestures at the case)
May I?

CHERRY
You have the money?

RENNY
Sits in his chair watching the game.

Behind his back,
we can see him loosening his ropes.

HAMAD
Cocks an eyebrow.
Nods. Looks at Kamal.

HAMAD
Give her the money.

Kamal nods. Walks over to a table.
Grabs an attache case. Brings it over.

Sets it down on a chair near Cherry and Hamad.
Flips open the lid to reveal it’s STUFFED WITH CASH.

KAMAL
One million dollars.
As promised.

Cherry’s eyes BUG.
She’s never seen that much money.

In a daze, she hands Hamad
the briefcase. He takes it.

Sets it down. Opens it.
Sees the LCD DISPLAY.

HAMAD
It’s been ACTIVATED.
WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?

The next few moments happen in a BLUR OF SPEED --

RENNY’S
Ropes FLY OFF.
He GRABS the guards by their heads
and CRACKS them together.
SNATCHES their weapons.

SMACKS one on the head,
THUMP -- then the other, THWACK.
They GO DOWN.

CHERRY
GRABS the money.

HAMAD
GRABS Cherry.
Points his gun at her head. CLICK.

KAMAL
Points his gun at Renny. CLICK.

HAMAD
(to Cherry)
What THE FUCK is going on here?
Is he with you?

CHERRY
Hell, no!
(to Renny)
Don’t shoot!
I’m with the government!

She WHIPS out her gun.
Points it at the case.

CHERRY
(to Hamad)
Let me the fuck go,
or else I’ll blow us
all to kingdom come.

Hamad releases her.
Looks around. What THE FUCK.

RENNY
That’s really a -- n-nuke?

HAMAD
YES. And it’s going to go off
in NINE MINUTES.

Renny’s eyes dart back and forth.
He licks his lips.

RENNY
I used to be Special Forces.
I think I can disarm it.

CHERRY
You THINK you can disarm it?

RENNY
Well, it’s been a few years --