Till Death Do Us Part

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In Chapter 10 of NOWHERE GIRL, undercover CIA agent Shag Holiday discovers that his ex, stripper Cherry Nation is handcuffed to a suitcase nuke. Meanwhile, Cherry contacts the Al Qaeda sleeper cell, and arranges to 'make a deal,' only to get interrupted by Homeland Security agent April Street ...


INT. SHAG'S BUNGALOW - KITCHEN - NIGHT
Shag sits at the table with his snack.
Takes a pull on his longneck.
Punches another number on his cell.

SHAG
(listens)
It’s Holiday.

INTERCUT WITH:

INT. CIA HEADQUARTERS - NIGHT
A maze of dimly lit cubicles and workstations.
Despite the hour, the joint is abuzz
with OPERATIVES and TECHNICIANS.

A BLONDE OPERATIVE (25) takes the call at her desk.
Crosses her long, amazing legs. Leans back.

BLONDE OPERATIVE
Holiday? What’s up? I thought you were --
(chuckles)
On holiday.

SHAG
Funny. Listen.
I need you to check surveillance at LAX.
Something went down tonight,
and I need to know what happened.

BLONDE OPERATIVE
Comin’ right up.

She WHEELS AROUND to a bank of nearby monitors.
Fingers CLACK-CLACK-CLACK across her keyboard.

The screens SPRING TO LIFE,
showing images at the airport.

BLONDE OPERATIVE
Do you have any intel? Airline?

SHAG
Not sure. Flight was going to Vegas.
The subject was supposed to be on it.

BLONDE OPERATIVE
Who’s the subject?

Pause.

SHAG
Cherry Nation.

BLONDE OPERATIVE
The bipolar ex.

SHAG
Don’t remind me.

BLONDE OPERATIVE
Hold on.

SHAG
Thanks, Lark.

Lark PUNCHES IN more information.
A list of airline flights and passenger manifests
FLY ACROSS her computer screen.

LARK
Here we go -- Cherry Nation, Sky Blue,
flight to Vegas, departing at gate 115 at 9PM.

She WHIRLS AROUND in her chair,
goes back to the monitors.

LARK
Okay, let’s go back to say, 8:30.

Lark PUNCHES IT in.

THE SCREEN
Shows the airport bar.
The windows EXPLODING with GUN FIRE.

LARK
Oh, yeah -- that’s right.
I was briefed about this.
Jesus, I need more coffee.

SHAG
What the fuck happened?

LARK
Nothing much. A suitcase nuke
that was meant for an Al Qaeda sleeper cell
was mistakenly given to the wrong person.

SHAG
Do they say WHO?

LARK
Was supposed to be an undercover operative
from Homeland Security --
but they’re really C-6,
that’s just a cover.
They were acting as the broker
between the supplier and the cell.

SHAG
What the fuck is 'C-6?'

LARK
(low)
It’s a new black ops unit.
Very hush-hush.
That’s all I know.
You didn’t hear it from me.

Shag stands. Starts pacing.
Head reeling.

SHAG
Cherry said someone gave her
a briefcase by mistake.
SHE HAS THE NUKE.

LARK
FUCK. When did you last talk with her?

SHAG
Just now. Shit.
Let me give you her cell number,
you can triangulate her position.

LARK
We’re supposed to back away
from this one, Shag.

SHAG
She’s my EX.
And I’m WATCHING HER KIDS.

Pause.

LARK
Give me the number.

SHAG
Till death do us part, huh?

INT. SUV - MOVING - NIGHT - AT THAT MOMENT
April drives the car slowly on the right-hand side,
checks the hand-held PDA.

APRIL
They’re right near here --

INT. JUMBO’S CLOWN ROOM - NIGHT - AT THAT MOMENT
Cherry pays the BARTENDER (40), an ex-stripper.

CHERRY
Keep the change.

STRIPPER BARTENDER
Thanks, doll.

Stripper Bartender ambles away,
goes behind the bar.

PEELER
What now?

CHERRY
I’m gonna call the guy.
Then we’re gonna see the guy.
Get the money.
(looks down)
And then I can finally get this thing
off my wrist. It’s fucking killing me.

She pulls out a piece of paper.
Her cell. PUNCHES a number.

CHERRY
Wish me luck.

PEELER
Luck.
CHERRY
(into the phone)
Hello?

INTERCUT WITH:

INT. HOLLYWOOD HILLS MANSION - NIGHT - AT THAT MOMENT
Hamad, Kamal and the rest sit and watch
DEAL OR NO DEAL on a huge plasma-screen.

KAMAL
It’s ridiculous. Greedy Americans.
There is no GAME.

HAMAD
Look at number twenty-seven.
She looks Persian.

Kamal’s phone RINGS.
He gets it. Listens.

KAMAL
Hello, Avi?

CHERRY
No, this is Cherry Nation.
Who’s Avi?

KAMAL
What is Cherry -- Nation?

CHERRY
I’M Cherry Nation.
And I have your briefcase.

KAMAL
(to Hamad)
It’s the girl with the package.
(to Cherry)
Where are you?

CHERRY
I’m on my way to see you.
You have the money?

KAMAL
Of course.
(to Hamad)
She doesn’t know who Avi is.
This smells funny.
I don’t like it.

HAMAD
(eyes on the TV)
Not to worry.
If it goes wrong, we kill her.
Then we go visit Avi.

CHERRY
You still there?

KAMAL
You have the address?

CHERRY
Yeah, I’m on my way.

She hangs up.
The reality of all of this
is finally sinking in.
Freak-out time.

Peeler puts his hand on top of Cherry’s.

PEELER
You okay? You look -- scared to death.

CHERRY
Of course I’m fucking scared to death.
Aren’t you?

PEELER
Shit, yeah.

CHERRY
Thanks for doing this with me.
You know, you’re not such a --

The front door BANGS OPEN.
In walks April.

APRIL
Everybody FREEZE.
I’m a FEDERAL OFFICER --