LETHAL

Written by

Joshua Sykes

Based on the novella Lethal, by Joshua Sykes

Jcsykes@[Link]
313-348-9769
INT. PAULIE’S BAR - OXFORD, ENGLAND - NIGHT

NICOLE VISSER, 19, British female, pushes through the crowded

pub in an effort to get to the front of the bar. She slaps on
the counter to get the bartender’s attention.

NICOLE
Aye, who have we got tonight?

PAULIE, owner of the establishment, pours a glass full of

beer for a customer as he catches sight of her.

PAULIE
You’re on after this. You’ve got
Marston.

Nicole nods and reaches over the counter to pour herself a

beer. Paulie watches and shakes his head.

Nicole wades back through the crowd as a bareknuckle fight

rages in a worn down boxing ring near the center of the room.
Nicole reaches the men’s bathroom and pushes the door open.
She shoves a confused patron out of her way.

INT. PAULIE'S BAR - BATHROOM

JASON HAWKINS, a lean but muscular African-American male, age

20, licks a cigarillo stuffed with marijuana closed. Nicole
slams the door shut.

NICOLE
I got us twenty-three hundred, but
the actions got to be worth it.

JASON
We’re not getting anywhere with
this nickel and dime bullshit. That
ain’t nowhere near what we were
promised.

Jason pulls a lighter from his gym bag. He runs the flame
across the blunt, sealing it shut for good measure before
lighting it and taking a few long drags. He exhales a cloud
of smoke, admiring his craftsmanship on the blunt before
taking another drag.

Nicole grabs his fight gloves and mouthguard from a gym bag
on the floor and spins her boyfriend around to face her.
 2.

NICOLE
Just go out there and put on a good
show for the locals while I
negotiate a few hundred more out of
the old man.

She snatches the blunt from him and takes a long drag,
blowing a massive cloud of smoke in his face.

JASON
Our bills do not afford us the
luxury of another night getting
underpaid. They’re already trying
to take my granny house. This the
type of shit we don’t have time
for.

The door to the bathroom crashes open and a stumbling drunk

man freezes at the sight of Nicole.

NICOLE
Get out. Don’t make me repeat
myself.

The man quickly backs out of the bathroom. She hands the
blunt back to Jason and puts both hands on the side of his
face. Jason’s expression calms, the worry on his face melts
away as she massages his temples.

NICOLE (CONT’D)
I told you I am working on
something big for us. No more
scraping the bottom of the barrel.
But tonight, just take care of
business and give these bastards a
decent show so we walk out of here
with something in our pockets,
yeah?

She kisses him and shoves his mouthguard in. Nicole snatches
the blunt back from him and puts it out in the sink. Jason
gives her a quick smile and leads the way out into the bar.
Nicole tucks what’s left of the blunt behind her ear as she
follows him.

INT. PAULIE'S BAR - NIGHT

THOMAS MARSTON, 30’s British male, paces back and forth in

the ring. He grabs a pint from his wife at ringside and downs
the entire glass while he spills beer.
 3.

The crowd jeers loudly as Jason and Nicole make their way to
the ring. Jason holds the ropes open for Nicole and they join
Marston and the referee in the ring.

REFEREE
Nothing to the eyes or nuts, ya
hear? Try to keep it as clean as
these things can get.

Marston grunts. Jason nods. The bell rings.

MARSTON’S WIFE
Knock the black bastard’s head
clean off!

Nicole steps out of the ring. She takes a seat at the betting
table ringside next to Paulie. Marston throws a wild right
hand that Jason easily ducks around. Jason smacks Marston
across the face and chest with a vicious kick that sends him
to the mat with a thud.

Marston’s jaw is broken, the crowd roars defiantly as Jason

stalks his opponent. Nicole leaps up from her chair.

NICOLE
JASON! KEEP YOUR FUCKING HEAD!

Jason barely hears Nicole’s screams over the jeers of the

angry crowd. He glances out at the angry drunk fans, hurling
slurs in his direction as he circles Marston.

Marston struggles to all fours. Jason leaps into the air and
curb stomps him face first into the mat.

Marston is knocked out. A pool of blood spills from his mouth

on to the mat. Nicole ducks into the ring as spectators riot.
Jason spits his mouthguard at Marston, which clunks off the
side of his head.

NICOLE (CONT’D)
WHAT DID I JUST TELL YOU? WHAT THE
FUCK DID WE JUST TALK ABOUT? LET’S
GO!

Nicole grabs him by the wrist and pulls him from the ring.
Jason smiles into the faces of the angry locals, not at all
bothered by their behavior.

Nicole snatches their prize money from Paulie. Someone hurls

a bottle at the couple as they retreat that nearly smashes
into the side of Nicole’s head. Jason flies into a rage, he
grabs the culprit by the throat-
 4.

INT. SAIL’S MOTORS - DAY - DETROIT, MICHIGAN

3 YEARS LATER

Jason dozes off in a board meeting. MARIE WILLIAMS, African-

American female early 20’s, nudges him awake as one of the
board members wraps up their presentation. WESLEY SAILS, late
20’s, white male, the company’s CEO stands in the front of
the room and takes over the discussion.

WESLEY
As we get ready to launch on both
our 2020 mid-sized sedans and
SUV’s, our chief of engineering and
design Mr. Hawkins will be working
with me to narrow down which
facilities we will be outsourcing
production to. As previously
discussed we will be keeping all
primary production in the metro
Detroit area.

The entire room looks over at Jason, who is barely awake at

this point. He takes a sip of coffee from a Darkwing Duck mug
before catching the annoyed look given to him by Marie.

INT. SAIL'S MOTORS - MAIN OFFICE

Marie and Jason exit the elevator, Jason chugs his cup of
coffee while Marie walks ahead of him and takes a seat at her
desk.

MARIE
I don’t understand how you manage
to be late and sleep through every
one of these meetings.

JASON
I wasn’t sleep. I was clearly
listening intently. I just closed
my eyes to focus better.

Marie rolls her eyes and gets to work. Jason takes a seat on
her desk.

MARIE
Next time I’m not stopping by to
make sure your ass is up. You are a
grown man.
 5.

JASON
I told you sorry at least four
times today. How many more do you
require?

Jason tosses a dazzling smile at Marie but it does little to

curb her annoyance. Marie turns to her computer snd works,
barely giving a look in Jason’s direction.

MARIE
And I told you I wasn’t trying to
hear none of your apologies or
excuses. How you managed to get
your job when I swear you are a
nigga built out of excuses is
something else I will never
understand.

JASON
Let me make it up to you. I’m going
to go grab the car, we can hit
Coney before I drop you off at your
spot.

MARIE
As much as I love when you buy me
food, I can’t. Amy has got me
taking the lead on marketing for
the new line. Plus I got a shift at
the club tonight.

JASON
I have no idea why you still work
there so I guess we both don’t
understand something today. I got
Wesley to hire you full-time
specifically so you could stop
running yourself ragged across
town.

MARIE
That’s what broke people do Jason.
They work jobs they hate to make
ends meet, which is why I have been
here since six in the morning after
pulling a double downtown last
night.

JASON
I’ll talk to Wes and Amy about
giving you a pay bump. Lord knows
you deserve it.

Marie sighs and looks at Jason, whose smile softens her mood.
 6.

MARIE
You don’t have to do that...

JASON
I know. I want to.

Marie manages a smirk and returns to her notes from the

meeting.

MARIE
What had you so caught up last
night that you couldn’t get your
ass up for work in the morning?

Jason stumbles for an answer, Marie stops working again to

eye him curiously.

EXT. SOUTHWEST DETROIT - NIGHT

TWELVE HOURS AGO

SCOOTER blows smoke out of the side of his mouth as he puffs

on a black and mild in the front seat of his pickup. A pair
of young men, B and RONNIE, hurry across the street quickly
and hop into the truck bed.

B
We only rolling four deep?

The man in the passenger seat, FRANK, scoffs loudly at the

question and signals for Scooter to pull off. The truck pulls
down the street.

SCOOTER
Yeah we only rolling with four,
ain’t nobody tight about these
niggas.

B
Nigga I ain’t say nobody was tight,
I’m just saying the numbers game
really ain’t on our side.

B slaps Ronnie on the chest to get his input.

B (CONT’D)
You feel me though right?

Ronnie merely shrugs, too busy as he admires the M4 on his

lap.
 7.

FRANK
Look, go in there and do what you
was trained to do and we’ll be
straight.

SCOOTER
Exactly.

B gives up and slides the window to the truck cab closed. He

picks up an AK from the truck bed and pulls his ski mask on.
He and Ronnie don their tactical vest. The truck creaks to a
stop on a corner. Frank and Scooter eye a house halfway down
the block as they too pull on their masks.

INT. TRAP HOUSE - NIGHT

MIGUEL TORRES, late 20’s Hispanic male, strides through his

house as half a dozen women cut up and bag cocaine. He
strolls through the hallway, passing a family photo of
himself, his mother, and younger brother and another of his
daughter.

ZEKE nods as Miguel passes him. Zeke pulls another brick out
of a duffle bag and tosses it to one of the women.

MIGUEL
Los still out there?

Zeke glances at the front door and nods.

ZEKE
He ain’t left his spot all night.

EXT. TRAP HOUSE - NIGHT

LOS sits on the front porch, a beer next to his chair. His
shotgun lays across his lap as he takes a chug of his forty
ounce.

Tires squeal on the pavement. Los leaps from his chair and
knocks his beer over. He takes aim at the truck that mows
through the front yard fence heading directly at him. Los
fires a shot that cracks the windshield.

Scooter smiles as the shotgun pellets are ineffective against

the bulletproof glass.

SCOOTER
B let me see something!

B rises from the truck bed and lets rips with his assault
rifle, Los drops from a flurry of shots to the chest.
 8.

INT. TRAP HOUSE - NIGHT

Miguel pulls his pistol from his waistband as Zeke does the
same. MARCUS TORRES, sixteen Hispanic male, rushes into the
living room.

MARCUS
What the fuck is going on, Guel?

MIGUEL
Might be a raid! Get down and don’t
be stupid!

Miguel pushes his brother on to the floor as the front door

is blown off it’s hinges.

Scooter leads his troops into the room and they gun down
everyone in sight. Miguel’s body drops directly in front of
Marcus, who stares into his brother’s empty eyes.

SCOOTER
Start bagging this shit up.

The other three snatch up every bit of cocaine in the room.

Scooter lays eyes on Marcus. He grabs him by the back of the
shirt and tosses him on to the couch between two bodies.

Scooter pulls a phone from his pocket and hands it to Marcus.

GIOVANNI DAVIS, late 20’s Hispanic and African-American
descent male, appears on the screen.

GIOVANNI
You Marcus right?

Marcus nods curtly.

GIOVANNI (CONT’D)
Yeah your brother dropped his
daughter over there earlier when he
picked you up. Marcus I’m gonna try
to lay out how the next few minutes
can go as smoothly as possibly for
you, understand?

Marcus nods again quickly. Giovanni loses his temper.

GIOVANNI (CONT’D)
Speak up nigga, closed mouths don’t
get fed!

MARCUS
Y-Yeah. I got you.
 9.

GIOVANNI
Bet. So I’m guessing by the look on
your face your brother got laid
out, am I correct?

Marcus nods again before quickly realizing his mistake.

MARCUS (STAMMERING)
Y-Yeah. Yeah...

GIOVANNI
Your brother made the mistake of
habitually crossing a superior
nigga such as myself one too many
times. Now Miguel won’t even get to
see his daughter grow up. You see
the kind of slope you could be
headed down?

MARCUS
Yes sir.

GIOVANNI
Cool. So I’m going to give you to
the count of four to show Scooter
where he had the good shit stashed
at, and I’m already at three and a
half.

INT. TRAP HOUSE - BASEMENT

Marcus puts a key into a rusty lock and wrenches open a door
under the stairs. He steps inside, enters a code into the
safe seated there and opens it.

Scooter pushes him out of the way and jams the safe’s
contents into his duffle bag, stacks of money and more bricks
of cocaine. He calls Giovanni again.

SCOOTER (INTO PHONE)

Yeah we got it. Shit look legit
too, nothing like that bullshit he
had them chopping upstairs.

Scooter’s eyes lock on to the nervous Marcus.

SCOOTER (CONT’D)
Yeah I got you.

Scooter shoots Marcus in the head just as B joins him in the

basement. Marcus body crumples.
 10.

SCOOTER (CONT’D)
Y’all set the charges?

B nods.

SCOOTER (CONT’D)
Then let’s slide.

EXT. SOUTHWEST DETROIT - NIGHT

The truck pulls away from the house as it goes up in flames.

“Block Party” by Sada Baby blasts from the truck as B whoops
loudly.

A disc whirls on to the back left tire of the truck. It

flashes red for a moment before going coal black. The disc
explodes, taking the wheel with it and sending the truck
skidding into a telephone pole. Scooter stumbles out of the
car, his gun in hand. Scooter notices B has fallen out of the
back of the truck and is lying in the middle of the street.

SCOOTER
B you good?

B tries feebly to move but can’t.

B
Nah man. I had to have broke some
shit.

B writhes in the middle of the street as Scooter takes in his

surroundings. Frank is unconscious in the front seat and
Ronnie gets to his feet.

SCOOTER
Aye just stay there till we sort
this shit out-

The black and gold clad figure of LETHAL swings off a street
light pole and slams knee first into the chest of Scooter,
knocking the driver side door off the hinges and smashing him
to the ground. Lethal stands upright, his sleek form-fitting
armor visible under the moonlight, a pair of weapons hanging
off each side near his hips. He glances back at B, who
shudders at the sight of the dark glass visor covering the
front of Lethal’s helmet.

B watches the figure attacking Scooter with blinding speed

and immediately tries to crawl out of the street.
 11.

B
Nah fuck this. I told these niggas
four of us wasn’t set for this
shit.

Lethal smacks Scooter’s face into the door panel, knocking

him unconscious with a final stomp to the back of the head.
He turns and tosses a Bo staff that elongates in mid-air at
Ronnie’s face before leaping into the truck bed.

Lethal connects with a flurry of strikes and tosses Ronnie

from the truck on to his head. He notices B crawling through
the street towards his dropped weapon. He hops out of the
truck and walks towards him.

B (CONT’D)
Aye man whatever we got, it’s yours
bro. I’ll tell Jefe we got hit by
the counts or something. Far as I’m
concerned, I ain’t even see you on
god.

Lethal doesn’t pay attention to him, his gaze is in the

direction of the fire.

LETHAL
How many?

B
We got like fifteen bricks and at
least three or four hundred g’s in
cash. It’s yours bro-

Lethal places a boot on B’s injured shoulder, B screams in

agony.

LETHAL
How many people were in the house?

B
Man I don’t know, it was a fucking
dope house!

LETHAL
Greedy ass niggas just went in
there with one thing on your mind
huh? People like you all never
cease to astound me.

B
Aye man eat a di-
 12.

Lethal stomps B in the face repeatedly until he is silenced,

his face swells profusely. Lethal reaches into B’s pocket and
dials 911 on his phone, then drops it next to him.

INT. SAIL'S MOTORS - DAY

MARIE
There you go again. Pocket full of
excuses at your disposal and you’re
speechless.

JASON
The Pistons were in double OT last
night, me and unc got caught up
watching the game after I was
finished around here.

MARIE (SARCASTIC)
Right.

Marie’s desk phone rings, she answers it.

MARIE (CONT’D)
Wesley wants to see you in his
office before you take off.

JASON
You still riding with me to this
tour right?

MARIE
I suppose.

Jason smiles before getting off her desk.

JASON
Don’t work yourself too hard
tonight. That place don’t deserve
you.

Marie rolls her eyes and Jason heads toward’s Wesley’s

office.

EXT. UNCLE B’S DINER - DAY

Giovanni Davis sits behind the wheel of his white Cadillac

when his phone rings.

GIOVANNI (INTO PHONE)

What you know good?
 13.

EXT. TRAP HOUSE - DAY - SOUTHWEST DETROIT

TOMMY VARGAS, 20’s Hispanic, sits down the street from the
crime scene in his car. He takes a sip of his beer and ducks
lower in his seat.

TOMMY (INTO PHONE)

Shit they don’t got any detective’s
we need to worry about working.
Channel eight down here though,
they got that new lady covering it.

INTERCUT:

GIOVANNI (INTO PHONE)

The detectives there, who are they?

TOMMY (INTO PHONE)

They got Wallace down here, and
some new chick I ain’t never seen
before. Which means she ain’t on
our payroll.

GIOVANNI (INTO PHONE)

Which means she’s about to be. Find
out what you can about her. Send
Tiffani to get them niggas out on
bond and find out who hit them.

TOMMY (INTO PHONE)

I talk to B. He said it was the
counts.

GIOVANNI (INTO PHONE)

Next time you talk to that nigga
tell him if I catch him telling
lies again I’m gonna knock his
teeth out. It wasn’t the god damn
counts. Lupe hit my line this
morning on some hoe shit begging
talking about we ain’t have no
parts in what went down.

TOMMY (INTO PHONE)

You think it might have been this
dude everybody on the Southside
been whispering about? Same dude
they said cracked the Russians
operation out in Dearborn.

GIOVANNI (INTO PHONE)

That don’t even sound like some
shit you or me should be
entertaining.
(MORE)
 14.

GIOVANNI (INTO PHONE) (CONT'D)

Just some fairytale shit they
creating to snatch up territory.
Soon as Scooter and them out we’ll
find out what really went down.

TOMMY (INTO PHONE)

You really think Tiff can get them
to walk?

GIOVANNI (INTO PHONE)

We’ve gotten our peoples out of
tougher spots than this. Shit will
be smooth.

DRIVER, a rather imposing sized man, knocks on Giovanni’s

windshield. Giovanni rolls his window down.

DRIVER
He’s waiting on you.

Giovanni nods and rolls his window back up.

GIOVANNI (INTO PHONE)

Stop by the crib later, we’ll chop
it up.

TOMMY (INTO PHONE)

Say less.

Giovanni hangs up the phone and gets out of the car. He then
heads inside the restaurant.

INT. UNCLE B'S DINER - DAY

Giovanni walks through the mostly empty diner to the back and
takes a seat in a booth across from JOHN WARRICK, late 40’s
African-American male. Warrick is sporting a distinguished
brim hat, a pair of Cartier glasses sit on his face. He
stands up, removing his leather overcoat with matching gloves
and passes them to the driver. He sits back down and shoots
Giovanni a sly, seething look that Giovanni is oblivious to.
Warrick checks his watch, a gaudy diamond crusted Rolex
before taking a sip of his coffee.

The WAITRESS approaches the booth and drops a pair of menus

on the table.

WAITRESS
What can I start you with?

GIOVANNI
Let me get a thick ass Pepsi, and
some chili cheese fries.
 15.

JOHN WARRICK
Keep the coffee coming, please.

The waitress picks the menus back up and leaves.

JOHN WARRICK (CONT’D)

Your boys that got picked up last
night. I’m assuming they know the
obvious, yes?

GIOVANNI
They not bout to run they mouths.
I’ll have them charges dropped by
the end of the month anyway.

The waitress returns. She sets Giovanni’s drink on the table

and refills Warrick’s cup of coffee. Giovanni gives her a
wide smile before she moves to another table. Warrick shoots
him a look of distaste that Giovanni is too busy flirting to
notice.

JOHN WARRICK
This man who attacked them. You
need to take certain precautions
that no more of your people cross
his path until we understand who
we’re dealing with.

GIOVANNI
You really think some nigga out
here playing Dudley Do-right? In
these streets? Nah man, that shit
ain’t even a logical conclusion to
be dancing with.

JOHN WARRICK
I’ve spoken with people who have
seen him. Your men, from what I’ve
heard, have definitely seen him. So
yes, he is a problem and a
legitimate one.

GIOVANNI
And you think the proper way to
handle this is ducking and hiding
from this nigga?

JOHN WARRICK
This guy could be working for
someone out of state looking to
slow down our operation, he could
be the feds, we don’t know what
just hit your people.
(MORE)
 16.

JOHN WARRICK (CONT'D)

Discretion is the only move you
need to be thinking about right
now.

GIOVANNI
So what you want me to do man?

JOHN WARRICK
Slow down your traffic until I come
back to you with information that
can be utilized to handle this.
Keep your men off the streets, keep
my product off the streets. When
this obstacle is ready to be
cleared, operations will return to
normal.

The waitress slides a plate of chili cheese fries in front of

Giovanni.

WAITRESS
Anything else for you guys?

GIOVANNI
Nah we straight.

Giovanni hands the waitress a fifty and waves her away.

GIOVANNI (CONT’D)
I never would have expected you to
be the type of nigga to fold.

JOHN WARRICK
If you consider this folding, than
you’re slightly more ignorant than
I previously assumed.

Warrick gets up from the booth and leaves the diner. Driver
follows closely behind him.

INT. HAWKINS FAMILY HOME - DAY

LOU HAWKINS, late 50’s African-American male, sits in his

kitchen watching news coverage of the trap house shooting and
fire. He pours himself a mug full of Hennessy when there’s a
knock at the door.

JASON (O.S.)
You in here, old man?

Jason enters the kitchen through the back door, bags of

groceries in each hand.
 17.

LOU
What the hell you doing over here
boy? Shouldn’t you still be at
work?

JASON
Nah I slid out after our pre-launch
meeting. Figured you were over here
eating hot and ready’s every night
so I brought some stuff by.

Jason puts the groceries in the fridge.

LOU
I see yo ass was out there doing
your best to get killed last night.

Jason glances at the newscast on the TV.

JASON (SHAKING HIS HEAD)

Some fools shot up a house these
dudes were setting up shop at. If I
would have gotten the tip about
them hitting the place sooner,
lives could have been saved.

LOU
These niggas round here are not
trying to do anything else but kill
each other. You leaping in the
middle of that ain’t accomplishing
nothing.

JASON
If me doing this type of shit makes
someone’s life a little easier than
it was when they woke up that
morning, then I’ve done enough.

Lou sighs and gets up from his seat at the kitchen table.

LOU
Your grandma didn’t spend all her
time trying to make sure you had a
chance in life just for you to come
back here and get yourself killed.

JASON
I know. But some of the shit I got
mixed up in abroad, the shit I did
just to keep this house, I got some
atoning to do for all of it. She
would understand that.
 18.

Lou pours himself another glass of liquor, then passes Jason

what’s left of the bottle. Jason finishes off the Hennessy.

LOU
You eat already?

JASON
I was going to grab something on
the way home.

LOU
There’s some pork chops and rice in
there. Might as well take it home
before I throw it out.

Jason whips open the fridge and grabs the container of food.
He gives his uncle a long hug and pat on the back.

LOU (CONT’D)
You going out tonight?

JASON
Yeah. I got a lead on some shit
popping off near Wayne State, so
I’m going to check it out.

LOU
You call me when you get in. I’ll
be up.

JASON
I got you unc. Take it easy.

INT. THE ARC ANGEL CLUB - NIGHT - EAST DETROIT

Marie finishes making a few drinks and passes them to the

customers at the bar. ANNA, late 20’s, joins her behind the
bar and places a receipt in the cash drawer.

ANNA
I’m ready to get the fuck up out of
here already. It’s packed.

MARIE
We’ve been busy like this every
night since they started that new
sixty percent off drinks for
students shit. You get that bottle
over to table eight?
 19.

ANNA
Yeah I popped over there. Bunch of
interns in the Mayor’s office
celebrating their first day. Bum
ass white boys not even tipping.

MARIE
What you expect? They only come to
this part of town to look at the
forbidden fruit. They not trying to
spend they money on us.

Anna laughs and takes another drink order. Marie glances

towards the back of the club. Giovanni, Tommy, and a small
group of men and women head up the stairs to the V.I.P
lounge.

ANNA
There you go. Your rent paid off in
one night of tips.

MARIE
You know how those niggas get to
acting up there, half of them off
that powder. I’m not dealing with
that.

MARTIN, The club manager, joins them behind the bar.

MARTIN
I need both of you working the
lounge tonight, Kara called off. Me
and Justice will handle down here.
Take a couple bottles of Remy with
you, it’s already paid for.

Marie snatches up the bottles, and Anna leads the way through
the club up to V.I.P.

EXT. A&L LIQUOR STORE - NIGHT - DOWNTOWN DETROIT

ZACK MARKS,late 30’s caucasian male, leans on his trailblazer

and smokes a cigarette as he watches a delivery van pull into
the parking lot. CIARA JENKINS, early 20’s African-American
female, steps out of the van with two armed men and approach
Zack.

ZACK
You pulling up three deep like this
ain’t the usual move. Should I have
a reason to be nervous?
 20.

CIARA
Don’t worry about how we moving.

Ciara hands Zack a brown paper bag. Zack opens the bag and
quickly counts the wad of money inside.

ZACK
Bet.

Zack pops the trunk of his car, inside are crates of

firearms. Ciara motions for the men with her to grab the
weapons. They load up the van with the crates.

CIARA
We appreciate the business.

ZACK
You gonna talk to him about that
proposition I laid out? I’m trying
to get on the payroll full time
just like you.

CIARA
We’ll see how he feels once he
takes a look at this shit himself.

Zack nods and closes the trunk. The speakers of his

trailblazer emit a high, PIERCING AND WAILING sound that
causes Zack, Ciara, and her men terrible pain.

Ciara drops to the ground, blood trickles from her ears.

Lethal drops into the parking lot. He turns a dial on his
gauntlet touchscreen monitor and the noise dies out.

ZACK
Fuck!

Zack tries to pull a pistol from his waistband, but Lethal

tosses his bo staff directly at Zack’s head. The attack
causes Zack’s gun to get stuck, and he fires a bullet into
his leg.

The two men who arrived with Ciara attack Lethal. Lethal
delivers a chop to the throat of one man and drives him
headfirst into one of Zack’s tail lights. The second fires a
pair of shots that bounce off Lethal’s helmet.

Lethal snatches the weapon and tosses it behind him at the

fleeing Zack, who is hit in the back of the head and stumbles
to the ground. Lethal grabs the man by the neck and
deliveries a series of brutal head butts. Ciara gets up and
pulls a switchblade from her jacket.
 21.

CIARA
Get off him!

Ciara plunges the blade towards Lethal, who grabs her wrist
and halts the attack.

CIARA (CONT’D)
The fuck kind of problem you got
with Jefe huh? Keep fucking with
him and see how quick shit get real
for you.

Lethal ignores her and holds up his arm. A holographic

projection of Ciara’s mugshot and rap sheet appear from his
gauntlet.

LETHAL
Ciara Jenkins, in and out of county
lock-up on a semi-regular basis.
You like cutting deals for Jefe? Or
do you run the streets just to push
the responsibility of your son onto
anybody other than yourself?

Ciara eyes fill with angry tears. She thrashes against

Lethal’s grip but can’t get away.

LETHAL (CONT’D)
Once you end up in a federal play-
pen for twenty-five years, what
happens to your son? Are you
comfortable letting him duck in and
out of foster homes? Have you
accepted the fact he’ll remember he
was worth so little to you that
you’d rather throw your life away
instead of being a mother?

CIARA
Fuck you hoe. Everything I do out
here is for my son.

Lethal tightens his grip on her wrist, which forces Ciara to

drop her weapon.

LETHAL
You have a very odd way of proving
that. But you’ve been presented
with an opportunity to show your
son just how much he means to you.
I’m looking to discuss a few things
with your employer, tonight. Where
can I find him?
 22.

INT. THE ARC ANGEL CLUB - NIGHT

Giovanni Davis sips straight from the bottle of Remy at his

table. He sits in the V.I.P lounge with Tommy and a handful
of his personal guards. Marie brings them another two
bottles. She turns to leave but Tommy grabs her by the arm
and pulls her closer.

TOMMY
Damn Marie why you rushing up out
of here?

Marie glances at the men and women in the group chopping up

lines of cocaine and turns back to Tommy.

MARIE
Got some moving to do. As you can
see, we’re pretty busy.

TOMMY
Chill for a minute. Let your girl
handle all that. Come take a seat.

MARIE
I’m straight.

Marie turns to leave but Tommy holds on to her.

GIOVANNI
My nigga is offering you the
pleasure of joining our company.
Don’t be disrespectful.

Marie reluctantly takes a seat on the couch next to Tommy,

who puts his arm around her and passes her his blunt. She
hits it a few times and passes it to the girl next to her.

TOMMY
Why you still in here breaking your
back? I’ve offered you a spot on
the team I don’t know how many
times.

MARIE
I don’t live the kind of life that
involves me getting jammed up at
any point in the near future.

TOMMY
Jammed up? Man ain’t nobody over
here worried about the cops, feds,
none of that.
(MORE)
 23.

TOMMY (CONT'D)
You work one week for me and you
gonna have the money to pay off
them student loans and then some.

GIOVANNI
Better listen to what that man
preaching. I bet you got to be sick
and tired of being assed out on
weekly paychecks.

Marie hits the blunt again, and this time gets up while
Tommy’s attention is on the line of coke he is snorting.

MARIE
I appreciate the blunt and whatever
attempt at hospitality this was.
But I never been the type to chase
around dope boys. This ain’t the
point in time to change that up
now.

Marie gets up and heads back towards the bar. Zack stumbles
in to her, clutching at the wound in his leg. He falls into
Tommy, who pushes him on to the floor. Marie stops and turns
to watch, she notices the blood coming from Zack’s leg.

MARIE (CONT’D)
Anna, call an ambulance. I think
he’s been shot.

Anna nods and picks up her cell.

GIOVANNI (TO ANNA)

Put that shit down, he don’t need
nothing but to answer my questions.

Anna froze, torn between doing the right thing and what would
Giovanni do if she defied him.

GIOVANNI (CONT’D)
I gotta repeat myself or send
someone to bounce your head off
that bar?

Anna puts the phone down. Giovanni gets off the couch and
approaches Zack.

GIOVANNI (CONT’D)
The fuck are you doing here
bleeding all over my night out?
 24.

ZACK
Somebody hit me and Ciara. I barely
made it here bruh, I dropped my
phone on the way.

GIOVANNI
Who took out Ciara?

ZACK
The guy. The guy everyone has been
worrying about. This nigga ain’t to
play with dawg I put that on
everything. He had us all eating
cement in seconds.

GIOVANNI
So you left Ciara, the weapons we
paid you for, and all sorts of
evidence there, for what? Ain’t
this the same nigga who been
begging everybody who will listen
for a spot on our team? This
spineless nigga right here.

ZACK
Jefe, I didn’t know what else to do
I just-

GIOVANNI
Did the first stupid fucking thing
that popped into your head? Yeah, I
noticed.

Giovanni snatches one of the Remy bottles off the table and
cracks Zack across the head with it. To his surprise, the
bottle doesn’t crack.

He raises the bottle to smack him again when power goes out
completely in the club. The lights flicker for a moment then
finally return, and Lethal is standing between Zack and
Giovanni.

LETHAL
Just so you know, what’s about to
happen isn’t personal.

Lethal head butts Giovanni, who falls on to the girls on the

couch. Lethal snatches the bottle of Remy from Giovanni and
tosses it at the face of one of the thugs pulling a weapon.
It crashes into his face and shatters.

TOMMY
This nigga is out his mind showing
up here.
 25.

Tommy leaps to his feet and tackles Lethal, who rolls through
and tosses him off of him. They both get to their feet, Tommy
pulls his gun and fires a few shots at Lethal. Instead of
protecting himself, Lethal scoops Marie with one arm and
races behind the bar with her, where they join Anna.

LETHAL
Get downstairs and clear this place
out.

Anna and Marie nod quickly.

LETHAL (CONT’D)
They’ll be firing at me. Keep low
and move.

Lethal grabs a unique short pistol from his hip and dives
over the top of the bar. Lethal fires a charge from his
weapon that hits Tommy square in the chest. The charge sends
Tommy through a nearby wall and into the bathroom, destroying
a chunk off a urinal from the impact.

Lethal engages a pair of thugs in hand to hand combat. He

tosses one of them into the bar and delivers a flurry of
strikes to the second. Giovanni watches the battle and pulls
his gun, then hands it to one of the women next to him.

GIOVANNI
Hold the strap. This nigga got to
be handled personally.

Giovanni takes off running directly at Lethal, who notices

him after dealing with another thug. Giovanni ducks around
the blasts from Lethal’s weapon and smacks him in the chest
with a running dropkick.

The blow sends Lethal through the massive glass window

overlooking the rest of the club and crashing through the
DJ’s booth to the floor below.

GIOVANNI (CONT’D)
Any of you niggas in here that’s
still breathing, get downstairs and
handle that. That’s the nigga y’all
been quaking about? Do better!

Giovanni’s men rush down the stairs. The club floor clears
around Lethal, who struggles to his feet. Gunshots erupt and
send civilians running as Giovanni’s men reach the main
floor.

LETHAL
I don’t have time for more cannon
fodder god damn it.
 26.

Lethal pulls his Bo staff from his hilt and it extends

immediately. He fires a few charges at Giovanni’s men,
sending them crashing around the club before rushing into
hand to hand combat.

He smacks one of the thugs with a high running knee, and

follows the attack with a blow to the back of the head with
his Bo staff.

Giovanni watches the battle from the V.I.P lounge. Tommy

joins him at the shattered glass window, clutching at his
ribs.

TOMMY
Jefe we can’t get caught up trying
to deal with this nigga here.

GIOVANNI
I know.

TOMMY
Cops gotta be on they way if they
not already pulling up outside.
Mike Mike waiting to cover us
peeling out.

Giovanni lingers at the window for a moment. Lethal turns his

attention to him after he puts down another one of his men.
Giovanni is incensed. He pulls his jacket off and hands it to
Tommy.

GIOVANNI
Get the car ready. Any bricks we
didn’t move get that shit out of
here. And get the security footage
from the club, we don’t need that
headache.

TOMMY
What are you bout to do?

GIOVANNI
See what this nigga hands about.

Giovanni leaps through the shattered window and lands in

front of Lethal. Lethal holsters his pistol and gets into a
defensive stance.

The two trade blows, Giovanni manages to catch Lethal in the

gut with a pair of kicks, followed by another straight to the
head. Lethal responds with a spinning back elbow to
Giovanni’s temple and a roundhouse kick to the jaw.
 27.

GIOVANNI (CONT’D)
You know what? I’ll call a spade a
spade. You as good as advertised.
But you picked the exact wrong
nigga to cross.

The two prepare to swap hands again, but a blast from a shot
gun catches Lethal in the back. Tommy emerges from the back
of the club. He reloads the shotgun.

TOMMY
We out, Jefe.

Giovanni nods and leaves. Lethal tries to crawl after

Giovanni, but Tommy unloads another blast into his back and
follows Giovanni out of the club.

EXT. ALLEYWAY - NIGHT

Lethal limps out of the club just as Giovanni’s car pulls out
of the parking lot. Lethal attempts to run after the vehicle,
trying to cut off their escape.

A warning on the HUD of Lethal’s helmet alerts him of a

nearby explosive device. Just as Lethal reaches the rows of
parked cars, an explosion rocks the alleyway. Lethal is sent
crashing through the window of a nearby party store.

INT. JASON’S APARTMENT - NIGHT

Jason places the helmet of his suit on his coffee table and
collapses on to his couch in a heap, still wearing the rest
of his armor. He turns on the TV and watches news footage
from the events at the club. Jason grabs his phone from the
couch and dials his Uncle’s number.

JASON (INTO PHONE)

Yeah unc I made it home. Yeah I’m
watching channel eight too. It
wasn’t as bad as they’re making it
out. Far as I know, nobody got
killed. Hey I’ll swing by in the
morning and we’ll grab something to
eat. Love you too unc. Night.

Jason hangs up the phone. He takes a deep breath and feels a

sharp pain in his ribs. He places a hand on his side and
tries to pull himself back off the couch, but collapses back
down after the effort.
 28.

JASON (CONT’D)
Jesus...

INT. CITY HALL - DAY

John Warrick watches a press conference given by himself

earlier in the day as his wife MELISSA WARRICK, early 40’s
female, ties his tie.

MALISSA
You looked good. Who wrote the
speech?

JOHN WARRICK
Mark pinned the first draft, I just
added a few pieces.

MALISSA
Your meeting with the others, how
is that progressing?

JOHN WARRICK
Much slower than I presumed it
would, but progress is progress. If
I can convince Joseph Pasqual to
run his coke directly through my
channels during this weekend’s
festivities, a massive block will
be moved in the right direction.

MALISSA
And if you can’t?

Warrick smirks at his wife and puts his arms around her.

JOHN WARRICK
You ever seen anything I can’t do?

MALISSA
In fifteen years? Not once.

Malissa kisses her husband. The phone on his desk behind them
rings. Warrick presses the intercom.

JOHN WARRICK
Is this interruption worth it,
Daisy?

DAISY (O.S.)
I’m sorry Mr. Mayor. Your head of
sales are here for your nine-
thirty.
 29.

JOHN WARRICK
Send them in.

Malissa finishes her husband’s tie and hands him his sport
coat. Giovanni and Tommy enter the room. Warrick takes a seat
behind his desk and Malissa leaves. Giovanni and Tommy sit
across from him.

JOHN WARRICK (CONT’D)

You know when I took notice of the
strides you and your crew were
making, and I made the decision to
bring you into my operation, I
didn’t do it so your need to be the
center of attention at all times
could run me into the ground.

TOMMY
With all due respect John-

JOHN WARRICK
I am at least two hundred and fifty
percent sure I did not nor was I
about to ask you anything.

Tommy falls silent. Warrick turns his attention back to

Giovanni.

JOHN WARRICK (CONT’D)

I specifically told you to keep a
low profile. Don’t make any moves,
do whatever is necessary to keep
you from crossing paths with this
guy. But you took that as a
challenge, and did the exact
opposite. Now more of your people
are in jail, and I am here ready to
cut my ties with you.

GIOVANNI
Don’t nobody know you on the
streets anymore, not this you
anyway. The reason we been eating
this good is because of me, and the
way I do business. The reason
people been folding in and pushing
more of your weight is because of
me. And you not about to cut into
your pockets like that.

JOHN WARRICK
Let’s straighten some shit out
right here and now then.
(MORE)
 30.

JOHN WARRICK (CONT'D)

You are exceptional at what you do,
I will give you that. You have
brought me in more money than I
care to admit, you can have that
too.

GIOVANNI
Then there really ain’t shit else
to say is there?

JOHN WARRICK
There is. I’m going to repeat
myself once more, so it gets
through that remedial jar head
skull of yours. Until we find out
more about the man who you shot up
a club for last night, all
operations are slowing down to a
crawl.

Tommy nods in affirmation. Giovanni chuckles.

GIOVANNI
Yeah man we got you. That’s all you
got for us?

JOHN WARRICK
The black room is happening
tomorrow night, downtown. I have
several ventures to discuss with
some of the people who will be
attending. I need you and your
people on hand to make sure things
go smoothly.

GIOVANNI
Sound good.

TOMMY
Hold up, what’s the black room?

JOHN WARRICK
I thought we discussed you not
interrupting this conversation
already?

Tommy falls silent.

GIOVANNI
How you get them to move the black
room up here?
 31.

JOHN WARRICK
The kind of money we’ve been
pulling in, the committee would be
damn slow to not come let us spend
it.

GIOVANNI
That’s facts.

Giovanni and Tommy get up to leave.

JOHN WARRICK
We’ll get together at the usual
rendezvous point. I’ll contact you
with the time.

Giovanni and Tommy nod and leave the office.

EXT. CITY HALL - DAY

Giovanni and Tommy get into Giovanni’s car.

TOMMY
I think he might be on to
something. This dude caught us
slipping last night. Shit could
have went completely left last
night.

Giovanni snorts and turns to Zack with an intense expression

on his face.

GIOVANNI
You already know what I’m bout to
be on. I’m not in the business of
letting a nigga slide on me.

Tommy sighs, then finally nods his head.

TOMMY
What’s the move then?

Giovanni grimaces at Tommy’s hesitant attitude, but ignores

it. He opens the glove compartment, pulls a freshly rolled
blunt out and hands it to Tommy.

GIOVANNI
First we go swoop up Ciara. Got to
take care of the loyal ones. We
lucky she got away from A&L last
night after Zack dumbass fumbled
the bag.
 32.

TOMMY
She might have eyes on her though.
Cops gonna be looking for whoever
those straps were being delivered
to.

GIOVANNI
I’m not worried about none of that.
Eastside ops know better than to
cross me. Quit shaking like a
stripper about little shit and
light that blunt.

Tommy grabs a lighter from off the dash and lights the blunt.
Giovanni pulls off.

GIOVANNI (CONT’D)
We need some heavy hitters riding
with us if we are going to put
whoever this dude is exactly where
he’s asking to be.

TOMMY
How you planning on arranging that?

GIOVANNI
This nigga clearly got an eye on
fucking up everybody action. Next
time he decide to step out, we’re
going to be right there on his head
with our best shooters.

TOMMY
So what’s this black room shit that
had him all geeked?

GIOVANNI
Honestly? Some shit I never thought
I’d see. I heard about it when I
was overseas. It’s supposed to be a
top shelf traveling underground
auction. Terrorist cells, dons,
politicians, niggas from all over
meet up and bid on the shit they
sell.

TOMMY
Fuck, I wonder what they got that
Warrick wanted them to bring it
here?

GIOVANNI
I don’t even care, that’s his
concern.
(MORE)
 33.

GIOVANNI (CONT'D)
What I’m concerned with is our
money, and who trying to fuck with
it.

TOMMY
I feel you.

INT. SAIL'S MOTORS - DAY

Jason steps off the elevator and walks rather gingerly

towards Marie’s desk. Marie looks up and is pleasantly
surprised to see him.

MARIE
You are actually here at a decent
time. And even more surprising, you
didn’t flood my phone with half-
assed excuses on why you wouldn’t
be here.

Jason smiles lazily. He grabs an empty chair and pulls it up

to her desk. An intern hands Marie a stack of papers as they
pass her desk. Marie looks them over before handing them to
Jason.

JASON
What’s this?

MARIE
A list of talking points Wesley
would like answers to before we
choose a manufacturer for the IP’s.

JASON
He’s still not sold on keeping
production close to home. Shit
doesn’t do anything but benefit us,
there’s no reason to make these
plants jump through hoops.

MARIE
I still don’t know how you keep
your job let alone convinced him to
change the board’s mind on our
launch plans. But all that is
irrelevant right now to my real
question.

JASON
If you really feel the need to know
why I am running ahead of schedule
today, it’s because I caught the
news last night.
(MORE)
 34.

JASON (CONT'D)
I tried calling you after I seen
that shit that popped off at the
club.

Marie stops working and turns to Jason.

MARIE
Yeah well, when there are bills to
be paid niggas shooting up your
place of work is just a hazard of
the job.

JASON
Nah, you can’t be going back there.
You need extra cash for whatever,
I’ll float it to you.

MARIE
You don’t have to nor do I need you
to do that. I was taking care of
myself long before Jason Hawkins
met me.

JASON
I’m sure you were. But if I can
prevent you from running your body
into the ground and keep a smile on
your face, then it’s nothing but
mutually beneficial to the both of
us. Besides I already talked to Sam
and paid you guys light bill this
month.

Marie stops what she is doing and gives Jason her full
attention.

MARIE
No you didn’t. Stop playing with
me.

Jason grins widely. Marie finally manages a smile of her own.

JASON
Let me work on getting you some
better hours and pay around this
place and in the meantime you let
them know downtown you will not be
coming back once they get running
again. Deal?

MARIE
I guess...

Jaaon smiles and hops up from his chair.

 35.

JASON
I just need to holler at Wesley
real quick then we can bounce to
the plant

Jason begins to head toward’s Wesley’s office.

MARIE
Yeah that’s fine. Wait, this girl
dropped by to see you like fifteen
minutes before you walked in.

Jason stops and heads back to Marie’s desk.

JASON
Why didn’t Lisa have her wait?

MARIE
That was my fault. I saw her
outside your office and told her
that I have rarely ever seen you
here before ten. She figured she’d
catch up with you another time.

Jason looks confused.

JASON
She didn’t even say who she was or
what she needed? I know I didn’t
have any meetings with engineering
today.

MARIE
Nope. She just left this for me to
give you. Said she could tell we
must be tight, whatever that meant.

Marie pulls open her bottom drawer and hands Jason a copy of
“A Picture of Dorian Gray”. Attached to the inside of the
book is a sticky note that reads: “For those late nights.
NV.”

MARIE (CONT’D)
Honestly never pictured you for the
type of man to read Oscar Wilde but
I’m impressed.

Marie notices the pained look on Jason’s face.

MARIE (CONT’D)
Are you ok?
 36.

JASON
Yeah. Yeah I’m straight. Thanks for
grabbing this for me. I’m going to
have valet bring my whip around so
you can head down whenever.

Jason turns back toward’s Wesley’s office, his eyes are on

the note that adorns the book.

INT. DETROIT POLICE DEPARTMENT - DAY

JESSICA MILLER, mid 20’s female, sits at her desk computer.

She scrolls through pictures of the trap house crime scene, a
mountain of paperwork is on her desk in front of the
keyboard. Her phone vibrates with a call from “Mom” but she
ignores the call. Her partner KEVIN WALLACE, late 30’s male,
drops a folder in front of her.

JESSICA
Forensics wasting more of our time?

KEVIN
No. Much to our mutual surprise
they brought us something we can
run with. Maybe.

Jessica rifles through the folder and Kevin wheels a chair

over to her cubicle.

KEVIN (CONT’D)
Some of the bullets found at the
club last night match the same ones
we found in the crack den. Military
standard rounds.

JESSICA
Which tells me we’re dealing with
trained killers and not some guys
fresh off the block.

KEVIN
The killings at the trap house were
quick, precise and didn’t waste a
lick of time or ammunition. We
wouldn’t have even caught those
guys had they not blown that tire
down the block.

JESSICA
The club shooting had zero
casualties, not a single civilian
got hit by a stray bullet. These
guys are clean.
 37.

KEVIN
Which tells us they had a specific
target and knew who they were
gunning for last night. If these
were any other guys we would have
had a mess.

JESSICA
Tech team get anywhere with the
footage from the club yet?

KEVIN
They tapes were cooked. These guys
don’t make mistakes and the one
time they do we get a bunch of
loyal small fish. And they were
released on bond two hours ago.

Jessica turns to her partner, an outraged expression is on

her face.

JESSICA
Chief let them walk?

KEVIN
They’re charged and they’re out on
bond.

JESSICA
They’re going to get charged for
the weapons and drugs but not the
murders. That’s-

KEVIN
Horse shit. I know. Still, we’re
lucky we even got that.

JESSICA
I’ve been going through cases like
this from over the last seven
months. These guys have been
running through southwest and most
of east Detroit pulling the same
shit.

KEVIN
What do you mean?

JESSICA
They’re eating up territory and
slaughtering anybody who has a
problem with it. There have been
over half a dozen murders identical
to the Torres case.
(MORE)
 38.

JESSICA (CONT'D)
Guys with gang affiliations or ties
ending up dead. Ballistics reports
match and everything.

KEVIN
We don’t have enough with just this
to make that connection, at least
not yet. The only thing we know for
sure is that last night and the
night before have got to be these
guys. What I need you and myself to
focus on is who the hell they are
working for.

JESSICA
Those guns that got picked up last
night, those were military standard
assault rifles. Heavy-hitter type
shit.

KEVIN
Yeah, probably intended for whoever
we’re looking for right now. Only
problem all we’ve got to run with
is the trailblazer left in the
liquor store lot.

JESSICA
You run the plates yet?

Kevin nods.

KEVIN
Came back under the name Jasmine
Marks. She’s clean but her
husband’s got priors. Felony
charges of assault and battery, a
few B and E’s. I couldn’t picture a
guy like that being a major cog in
whatever we’re digging into but-

JESSICA
He’s worth talking to. Yeah, you’re
right.

Kevin nods and Jessica gets up from her chair. She grabs her
jacket off the back of her seat and her car keys off the
desk.

KEVIN
Where you headed?
 39.

JESSICA
Back down to Arc Angel’s. Maybe I
missed something.

Jessica leaves. Kevin hesitates for a brief moment.

KEVIN
Hold up, I’ll ride with you. We
might as well check out her address
while we’re on the road.

EXT. JASMINE MARK’S APARTMENT - DAY

Giovanni, Tommy, and Ciara sit in his car across the street
from an apartment complex.

GIOVANNI
So he camped out here?

CIARA
My sister said she saw him sneaking
in this morning. Jasmine wasn’t too
happy that he popped up.

TOMMY
I bet. I don’t know why she married
that bum ass white boy anyway.

GIOVANNI
Jaz here too?

CIARA
Yeah. She called in late as soon as
that nigga decided to darken her
doorstep.

GIOVANNI
Say less.

Giovanni gets out of the car and crosses the street towards
the apartment complex. Ciara and Tommy follow after him.

INT. JASMINE MARK'S APARTMENT - DAY

JASMINE MARKS, late 20’s African-American female, finishes

packing her lunch for work and clips her DMC badge to her
scrubs. Zack sits on the couch, his leg is propped up on the
coffee table and bandaged from the gunshot wound.

ZACK
You can’t call in?
 40.

JASMINE
I’m already late and losing money
because you want someone to take
care of your ass. You want to sit
around here and lay low? You can do
so while I am at work and with your
daughter.

Zack takes a sip of his beer and glances towards the

backroom.

ZACK
She still sleep?

JASMINE
Yeah, she should be down for
awhile. There’s dinner in the
fridge and I made her a few bottles
so you should be set.

Jasmine grabs her keys off the coffee table and heads towards
the door.

JASMINE (CONT’D)
Don’t just sit around and watch my
TV all day. Spend time with your
child please.

Zack raises his beer and nods. Jasmine rolls her eyes.
There’s a knock at the door. Jasmine unlocks it and the door
is forced open, knocking her on to the floor. Giovanni,
Tommy, and Ciara enter the apartment. Ciara closes and bolt
locks the door behind her.

GIOVANNI
Jaz! Girl what’s good?

Zack freezes on the couch. Ciara pulls Jasmine up and pushes

her next to her husband.

JASMINE (NERVOUS)
What’s up Vanni?

Giovanni walks around the apartment. Ciara and Tommy stand in

front of the couch.

GIOVANNI
Shit just figured since I was in
the area I’d pop in and see how you
living. Ain’t doing too bad is you?

JASMINE
I get by.
 41.

GIOVANNI
They paying you good down there at
Hutzel huh? That’s what’s up.
Listen I hate to be the nigga
bringing bad tidings upon your
household. But as you can see from
that useless sack of garbage
sitting next to you, I got a
problem.

JASMINE
Whatever he did don’t have shit to
do with me.

GIOVANNI
That’s funny, cause I don’t
remember asking you that. Tommy,
you remember me asking if this had
something to do with her?

TOMMY
Sure don’t.

GIOVANNI
What about you Cece?

CIARA
Not to my knowledge.

GIOVANNI
Yeah I ain’t think so either.
Anyway this bum ass crusty nigga
decided to make himself scarce in
the middle of a sensitive
transaction and left us potentially
exposed, on top of losing my money
and merchandise. That’s some shit I
can’t let slide.

ZACK
Jefe I can get your money back bro
on my momma. I just need-

Giovanni shoots Zack a look, and Zack stops talking.

GIOVANNI
I need to know how you can rectify
this. Because I’m about two seconds
away from doing some necessary but
unpleasant shit.

Giovanni stops near the kitchen sink. He flips a switch and

the garbage disposal turns on.
 42.

Giovanni glances towards Zack, and jerks his head towards

him. Tommy and Ciara grab Zack off the couch and drag him
into the kitchen.

ZACK
Jefe c’mon dawg I said I’ll get the
money! On my daughter bro just give
me a week.

Giovanni slams Zack’s head against the counter and pulls his
sleeve back. He notices a beautiful diamond encrusted watch
on his wrist and pulls it off.

GIOVANNI
Oh yeah you definitely not bout to
need this no more.

Giovanni tosses the watch to Ciara before shoving Zack’s hand

into the disposal. Zack screams in agony.

INT. JASON’S CAR - DAY

Jason’s cell phone rings just as he parks. Jason glances at

the caller ID and doesn’t recognize the number. Marie pauses
before getting out of the car.

JASON
You can head on in. Tell Wes I’ll
be right behind you guys.

Marie gets out of the car, Jason answers the phone.

JASON (INTO PHONE) (CONT’D)

Hello?

NICOLE (O.S.)
Hoped you like the book. Figured it
might help with your identity
crisis.

JASON (INTO PHONE)

Who is this?

NICOLE (O.S.)
You going to play daft?

All color drains out of Jason’s face at the sound of the

familiar accent.

JASON (INTO PHONE)

How did you find me, and why?
 43.

NICOLE (O.S.)
Your grandmother would be proud.
Not just of the job but your other
activities too.

JASON (INTO PHONE)

Don’t talk about my-

NICOLE (O.S.)
Chief of engineering. That’s got to
bring in some nice checks.

JASON (INTO PHONE)

Get to the point of this phone
call.

NICOLE (O.S.)
Uncle B’s diner. Meet me there
round eleven tonight.

JASON (INTO PHONE)

And if I don’t?

NICOLE (O.S.)
We both know you will, so let’s not
waste anymore of each other’s time.

Jason ends the phone call and slams his phone against the
dashboard in anger. He takes several deep breaths and smooths
out his suit. Jason steps out of the car and heads towards
the plant.

FADE TO BLACK.