Hey there, crime kids. Happy fucking HUMP DAY. And you know what that means, right? 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 28 of NOWHERE GIRL, Homeland Security agent April Street and stripper Cherry Nation make their escape in a bomb squad truck, where April gives Cherry the bad news about the death of her ex, CIA agent Shag Holiday.
INT. BOMB SQUAD TRUCK - NIGHT
Cherry and April wear bomb squad gear with helmets.
April GUNS the engine. The vehicle starts moving.
CHERRY
Go, go, go --
APRIL
We’re OUTTA HERE.
EXT. QUEENS ROAD - NIGHT
The truck ROARS down the road.
INT. BOMB SQUAD TRUCK - NIGHT
April shakes her head slowly. Thinking.
APRIL
Something’s not right.
They were acting like they
WANTED the nuke to go off.
(beat)
Unless they weren’t told it was live.
CHERRY
Why would the agency do that?
APRIL
I don’t know, unless --
An earth-shattering EXPLOSION rocks the truck.
April stops. She and Cherry poke their heads
out their windows, look.
A MASSIVE FIREBALL ERUPTS in the sky.
THE TRUCK
Continues on down Queens Road.
APRIL
That was no nuke.
Crafton was ripping off the terrorists.
Why am I not surprised?
CHERRY
So where are we going?
APRIL
We’re gonna pay him a little visit.
CHERRY
(turns her head)
Hey. You okay back there?
PEELER
Sticks his head out from the rear.
PEELER
Well, let’s see.
I’ve lost a lot of blood,
I’m dizzy from hunger,
and I just shit my pants.
I’m having a ball.
INT./EXT. LIMOUSINE - MOVING - AT THAT MOMENT
Avi sits in the back as the limo
cruises south on the 405.
He pulls out his cell.
PUNCHES in a number.
AVI
Yeah, hi. I’d like to reserve a ticket
on the next flight to Caracas --
A siren WHOOP-WHOOPS outside.
AVI
What the fuck?
The driver’s window SLIDES DOWN.
DRIVER
I wasn’t speeding.
AVI
Goddammit.
EXT. 405 FREEWAY - LIMOUSINE - CONTINUOUS
The limo pulls over.
A MOTORCYCLE COP pulls up behind it.
Stops. Parks. The cop dismounts.
Walks over to the window.
DRIVER
What seems to be the problem, officer?
The cop pulls out his SERVICE REVOLVER
and SHOOTS him. BANG.
IN THE REAR
Avi hears the shot. JUMPS.
AVI
SHIT.
The cop appears in the divider.
AVI
NO, WAIT!
And SHOOTS him. BANG.
EXT. HOLLYWOOD HILLS - DAWN
A beautiful sunrise.
FIRE TRUCKS and PATROL CARS
make their way up into the hills.
NEWS CHOPPERS fly overhead.
INT. BOMB SQUAD TRUCK - MOVING - CONTINUOUS
April punches in a number on her cell. Listens.
APRIL
Lark? You there?
INTERCUT WITH:
INT. CIA HEADQUARTERS - CUBICLE
Lark sits at her workstation,
blowing on her hundredth cup of coffee.
Dark circles under haunted eyes.
LARK
Barely.
APRIL
I need Crafton’s location.
LARK
I can’t --
APRIL
I thought this line was encrypted.
LARK
It is, but -- I can’t --
APRIL
Wait a minute.
LARK
What.
APRIL
You never sent back-up
because you’re working
for him, AREN’T you.
You’re a fucking MOLE.
(beat)
My GOD am I STUPID.
A FIGURE IN BLACK SHADES
Appears at the end of the row of cubicles.
APRIL
And you got Shag killed.
LARK
NO. That wasn’t -- my fault.
APRIL
Give me his location. NOW.
THE FIGURE
Starts walking toward Lark’s workstation.
APRIL
You’re a disgrace to your flag.
You KNOW that? This is your chance
to prove that not ALL American agents
are corrupt.
LARK
Shag wasn’t corrupt!
APRIL
But you got him KILLED.
Lark GASPS. Her eyes fill with tears.
LARK
Crafton’s HQ is in
the Capitol Records building.
He’s got the whole top floor.
The figure reaches Lark’s cubicle.
He raises a 9mm Baretta with a silencer,
and SHOOTS her in the head -- THWIP.
APRIL
Good girl, now you’re talking -- thanks.
(listens)
Lark?
(beat)
Lark?
(to Cherry)
She hung up.
She looks at Cherry, white as a ghost.
CHERRY
Shag’s DEAD?
APRIL
One of Crafton’s assassins.
I’m sorry, love.
I didn’t know how to tell you.
(beat)
I’m sorry.
CHERRY
Poor Shag. My god.
(beat)
He drove me crazy, you know?
But he meant well, he was --
such a great guy,
I don’t know what I’m gonna --
(beat)
SHIT, my KIDS.
Can I borrow your cell phone?
April hands it over.
Cherry PUNCHES in a number. Listens.
CHERRY
Hello, Jamie? It’s mommy.
(listens)
I miss you, too.
I’m sorry I woke you --
(listens)
I’m so glad you’re having fun.
You love your Nanna, don’t you?
(listens)
I have good news.
I might be coming home
sooner than I thought.
(listens)
I love you, too.
Go back to sleep.
She clicks the phone shut. Relieved.
APRIL
Thank god for small miracles, huh?
CHERRY
Yeah.
The truck is RAMMED from behind.
They JERK in their seats.
CHERRY
What the FUCK was that?
APRIL
(looks in rear view)
We’re being tailed --
(another BANG)
By a fucking HUMMER.
CHERRY
But this truck’s bigger than a Hummer.
APRIL
Exactly. Hold onto your tits --
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