What Is This, Austin Powers?

Happy Hump Day, crime humpsters! It's time once again to take a trip to the dark side, where your most violent fantasies become sins of the flesh, right here, where the hardboiled action is non-stop, at the coolest crime joint in cyberspace ... at That Killing Feeling.

In Chapter 32 of NOWHERE GIRL, things heat up again as we head toward the spell-binding conclusion of our story. Former stripper Cherry Nation and Homeland Security agent April Street overpower the guard at the Capitol Records building, and make their way up to criminal mastermind Sledge Crafton's above-ground lair, and get caught in his evil web ...


EXT. CAPITOL RECORDS BUILDING - FRONT ENTRANCE - NIGHT
April KICKS the door into the guard’s face, THWUNK.
He goes down. She pushes it open. Walks in. Cherry follows.

INT. CAPITOL RECORDS BUILDING - LOBBY - CONTINUOUS
April and Cherry drag the guard over to his desk.
Prop him up in his chair.

Dash over to the elevator banks.
Push UP.

A SECURITY CAMERA
On the ceiling moves in their direction.

INT. INTELLIGENCE OFFICE - LOBBY - AT THAT MOMENT
A FEMALE OPERATIVE (20’s)
sits at a desk in the lobby of
Crafton’s suite of offices
watching video monitors.

She dials a number. Listens.

FEMALE OPERATIVE
Chief? We’ve got company.

INTERCUT WITH:

INT. CRAFTON’S OFFICE - CONTINUOUS
Crafton WHIRLS his chair around.
Leans into his speakerphone.

SLEDGE
Who is it Donner, Street?

DONNER
Yeah. And she’s got someone with her.
Some chick dressed like a go-go girl.

SLEDGE
I had a feeling.
Put them in the interrogation room.
Tell them I’ll be right there.

DONNER
Yes, sir.

Sledge WHIRLS around in his chair.
Faces a table behind his desk.

He leans over.
SNORTS a line of coke.
Then ANOTHER.

SLEDGE
(rubs his nose)
Alright, ladies -- it’s SHOWTIME.

INT. ELEVATOR - CONTINUOUS
April and Cherry arrive at the top floor.
The doors OPEN. They walk out into the corridor.

A LARGE METAL DOOR faces them.
No name. No number.

Just a small lit button
on a silver panel.

April pulls out her Sig Sauer.
Raises it.

APRIL
Ready?

Cherry pulls out her Glock.

CHERRY
Let’s do it.

April presses the button.
The door SLIDES OPEN.

INT. INTELLIGENCE OFFICE - LOBBY - CONTINUOUS
They walk into the lobby.
We now see that Donner’s desk
is in a bullet-proof glass cubicle
in a corner of the room.

CHERRY
What is this, Austin Powers?

APRIL
He always had a flair
for the dramatic.

Donner’s voice comes over
hidden speakers.

DONNER
Ladies, glad you could join us.
Mr. Crafton has been expecting you.

April walks over the cubicle.
Stares down Donner.

APRIL
Well, isn’t that a coincidence.

A steel door SLIDES OPENS in the wall.

DONNER
Right through that door, please.
He’ll be right with you.

The girls look at the open doorway
suspiciously.

APRIL
How do we know this isn’t a trap?

CHERRY
Cover me, and I’ll go take a look.

APRIL
Okay.

Cherry walks over to the doorway.
Stops. Looks in.

INT. INTERROGATION ROOM - CONTINUOUS
Steel walls. A table with chairs.
Glass window. Shades drawn.

CHERRY
Turns her head.

CHERRY
Looks fine to me.

April marches over,
and they walk in.

INT. INTERROGATION ROOM - CONTINUOUS
The door behind them SLAMS shut with a BANG.

APRIL
I KNEW it.
(looks around)
CRAFTON. Show yourself!

The window shade SLIDES UP.
Behind it stands Crafton.

SLEDGE
Ladies.

APRIL
What’s the big idea?
You can’t keep us locked up in here.
People know where we are.

SLEDGE
I’m afraid not.
They’re all dead.

APRIL
Then what do you want from us?

SLEDGE
That, my dear,
is the question of the hour.
Please have a seat.
I’ve got a story to tell you --