Ripe For The Plucking

Hey there, crime kids. Happy Friday. 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 5 of GUN-WILD, psycho gunman Hondo Ruff makes an offer to trigger-happy runaway Cameron Clinch that she can't refuse ... that she rob a 7/11 on her own as a test in order to join the gang ...


INT. ROD’S JOINT - MORNING
Rod and Cam sit at the kitchen counter
with mugs of coffee.

CAM
First good night’s sleep
I’ve had in a long time.
(sips)
You didn’t try anything.

ROD
I wanted you to
disrespect me in the morning.

CAM
Isn’t the girl supposed to say --

HONDO
Rise and shine, rock stars.

Hondo grabs a stool.
Net appears, slides onto his lap.

They both look like hell.
But goofy-happy.

HONDO
I’m seriously in need
of a cup of java, my good man.

NET
Mmmmm -- me, too.
(holds up her arm)
In my vein, please.

Rod hops off his stool,
goes to the coffee maker.

ROD
How do you take it?

HONDO
Black.

NET
Up the ass.
Up my BLACK ass.
(sings)
'Baby was a black sheep,
baby was a whore.'

Rod slides over a pair of mugs.

HONDO
(takes it, sips)
Thanks, mom.
(looks at Cam)
Hey there, sugar plum.
Still wanna be part of the gang?

CAM
You can go FUCK your gang.

NET
Oooh. Tough-talking.
Sexy when she pouts.

HONDO
If that’s the way
you wanna be.

CAM
What.

HONDO
I had an idea.

ROD
That can be dangerous.

Hondo takes a sip of his coffee.
Locks eyes with Cam.

HONDO
How about if Gidget here
pulls off a job on her lonesome.

ROD
Like a test.

HONDO
Yeah.

CAM
I’ll DO IT.

HONDO
I had a feeling.
(smiles)
We split the take fifty-fifty
Think of it as --
an initiation fee.

CAM
Deal. What’s the job?

HONDO
On the way over here
I noticed this sweet little
Seven-Eleven in the Palisades.
Quiet neighborhood.
Ripe for the plucking.

NET
(touches Cam’s leg)
Like Gidget here.

ROD
(to Net)
You making a pass at my squeeze?

Hondo pulls out his magic bag.
Takes out a vial.

Pours some coke on the counter.
Starts chopping it. Looks up at Rod.

HONDO
You know what they say
about being bi.

ROD
What.

He leans down.
HONKS up a big line.
Wipes his nose.

Looks at Rod with
big, soulful eyes.
Licks his finger.

HONDO
Doubles your chance
of a date on Saturday night --