So, I've started a new screenplay. It does not have a title yet, but suggestions are welcome. I will dance for comments if it will garner them.
INT. RESTAURANT
A private table of raucous men sits in an upscale restaurant.
They are laughing and talking in French.
A waitress, red head and pretty, comes up to their table with
bottles of wine.
WAITRESS
Gentleman, your wine.
MAN #1
(heavy French accent)
Our wine.
(gives leering look)
But it is not just wine that we want. A beautiful girl like
you should join us.
A chorus of "Oui" and "Yes" follow suit.
WAITRESS
That's flattering, but I have a feeling you boys wouldn't be
able to handle me.
She pours their wine, a glass for each.
WAITRESS
I'll be back shortly to get your orders.
The WAITRESS moves back towards the kitchen. Her cheerful
expression falls to reveal a cold, dead stare.
Behind her, in the dining area, choking and gagging is heard.
A woman screams and loud clatter of glass breaking waves through.
The WAITRESS removes her smock, dumping it in a bin. She
leaves through a side door and doesn't look back.
INT. APARTMENT
BEDROOM
A phone ringer trills in a dark bedroom. The assassin posing
as the waitress, CHARLOTTE "CHARLIE" ADAMS, rolls over with a groan.
She answers a phone, an Australian accent betraying her
earlier American dialect.
CHARLIE
It is too early for anyone to be calling me.
INTERCUT:
INT. FIELDING CORP HEADQUARTERS
MR JAMISON'S OFFICE
A man known only as MR JAMISON paces around his office. He
stops in front a floor to ceiling window, looking out over the landscape of New
York.
MR JAMISON
Did you finish your assignment, Charlotte?
BEDROOM
CHARLIE gets a dark look on her face.
CHARLIE
You know I did. What do you want, Jamison?
MR JAMISON'S OFFICE
MR JAMISON
I have a new assignment for you.
BEDROOM
CHARLIE
Of course you do. I've grown tired of this Jamison. I want a
life that isn't stealing and killing. That isn't emptiness.
MR JAMISON'S OFFICE
MR JAMISON
(incredulous)
Empty? If it wasn't for me, you would be out on the street
turning tricks for a living.
(beat)
But, if you do this last job for me, you can have whatever
life you want.
BEDROOM
CHARLIE furrows her brow in concentration.
CHARLIE
And if I want to live my life now, and ignore the job?
MR JAMISON'S OFFICE
MR JAMISON
Then we'd have a problem.
BEDROOM
CHARLIE
Fine. I'll do the job. Target?
MR JAMISON'S OFFICE
MR JAMISON moves to his desk. He opens a file.
MR JAMISON
His name is Jacob Lichty.
The file has the picture of a man in his early 30s, brown
hair and brown eyes.
MR JAMISON
I sent you an email with the particulars.
BEDROOM
CHARLIE reaches to the night table to grab her iPad. She
pulls up her email.
MR JAMISON (OS)
(through phone)
He has a sister in LA. We think he might be holed up there.
Get the files. Kill him. No witnesses.
CHARLIE
Yeah, yeah. I'll contact you when it's done.
MR JAMISON'S OFFICE
MR JAMISON
Of that, I have no doubt.
He hangs up.
BEDROOM
CHARLIE hangs up. She gets an angry look on her face. She
throws her phone across the room in a fit of rage.
INT. BAJA, MEXICO
CANTINA - DAY
JACOB LICHTY sits in a little cantina in a small coastal
Mexican town. It's quiet, only a few customers.
His laptop is open to a text document, half full beer sitting
next to it. He types away furiously on the keyboard.
He stops, picking up the beer and taking a long, slow swallow.
The cantina owner, MARIA, comes over with another beer.
MARIA
Here's another beer, Jacob.
JACOB
Thanks. Hey, could I get a tequila too?
MARIA
All of this drinking is not good for you, you know?
MARIA moves behind the counter and gets a glass and a bottle
of tequila.
JACOB
Yeah, well, when I'm not under the constant threat of death,
I'll cut back some.
MARIA places the glass in front of him and pours a finger of
tequila in it.
MARIA
Getting drunk while in danger doesn't make sense, Jacob.
He swallows the shot, wincing at the burn.
JACOB
The stress can get to you sometimes.
MARIA grabs a chair and sits down, laying her chin on her
propped up folder hands.
MARIA
(smirking)
And what has you in such danger?
JACOB
You wouldn't believe me.
MARIA
Try me.
JACOB hesitates before lowering his voice.
JACOB
I stole documents from a company that is used by
criminals and governments alike to perform shady operations on people, mainly
competitors and dissenters.
MARIA nods her head thoughtfully for a few seconds. Suddenly,
she snorts out a laugh.
MARIA
You're right. I don't believe you.
She pats him on the head and goes back to the bar, leaving
JACOB with a put out expression.
INT. APARTMENT BUILDING - LA
CHARLIE knocks on an apartment door.
Her hair is brunette now, and she's dressed in a pant suit,
looking official.
The door opens. A woman has answered.
WOMAN
Can I help you?
CHARLIE
Are you Jessica Lichty?
The woman nods.
CHARLIE pulls out credentials, the picture matching her
current looks. They say "FBI".
CHARLIE
My name is Charlotte Combs. I'm with the FBI. I'm looking for
your brother, Jacob.
JESSICA
I haven't seen him.
JESSICA moves to shut the door, but CHARLIE stops her.
CHARLIE
Miss Lichty, I know that's not true. We aren't after him.
We're trying to help him. We need him to help us.
JESSICA
Help you how?
CHARLIE
He has information we need pertaining to a case. Very
important information.
JESSICA still looks skeptical.
JESSICA
These people are very well connected. They will find him if
he stays on his own. And if they can't, they will come after you to get to him.
JESSICA hesitates before moving out of the way.
CHARLIE
Thank you.
CHARLIE enters the apartment, the door closing behind her.
EXT. JACOB'S BUNGALOW
BACK DECK
JACOB sits on his deck sipping away at coffee. The sliding
door is open.
He has a faraway look on his face, weary almost.
A knock coming through from the house rouses him from his
thoughts.
He stands and moves into the house. He grabs a gun from a
side table and flips off the safety.
He scoots up to the door.
JACOB
Who is it?
MARIA'S voice rings out.
MARIA
It's Maria, you idiot.
JACOB opens the door.
JACOB
(pouting)
Calling me an idiot is just mean.
MARIA steps into the room, glancing at the gun.
MARIA
(alarmed)
Why do you have a gun?
JACOB
I told you why. I wasn't joking around earlier.
MARIA
Then wouldn't they know about this place. You've been coming here
for over a decade.
JACOB shakes his head.
JACOB
Whole place is under an alias. Only Jessica knows I own a
place here.
MARIA
And if they find her?
JACOB
They won't. Jack Turner doesn't have a sister.
MARIA
(confused)
Who's Jack Turner?
JACOB laughs.
JACOB
I am. That was the name I used at the company. Jessica is
safe.
(beat)
What are you doing here, anyway?
They both move into the kitchen. JACOB grabs two beers from
the fridge, handing one to MARIA.
MARIA
Just keeping you company. You looked weary ever since you got
here three weeks ago. Of course, now I know why.
JACOB smiles.
JACOB
Thanks. You're a good friend to have.
MARIA rolls her eyes. She grabs him by the arm and pulls him
towards the back door.
MARIA
Come on. It's perfect outside tonight.
They head to the deck.
INT. BAJA, MEXICO
CANTINA - DAY
MARIA works behind the bar, wiping down the counter. Patrons
are few.
CHARLIE walks in, still brunette and in a suit. She takes off
her sunglasses as she scans the cantina.
MARIA notices her.
MARIA
Can I help you?
CHARLIE walks over and flashes her FBI ID.
CHARLIE
Charlotte Combs, FBI.
MARIA
I believe you are in the wrong country, Ms Combs.
CHARLIE
Right, well, I'm here in an unofficial
capacity.
MARIA nods.
CHARLIE
Anyway, I'm looking for this man.
(shows pic of JACOB)
He goes by Jacob Lichty.
MARIA looks at the picture, then shrugs.
MARIA
I've never seen him before. What did he do?
CHARLIE
He didn't do anything, actually. He's a key witness in a case.
MARIA
Must be an important case if you came all this way.
CHARLIE sits at the bar and begins rubbing her temples.
CHARLIE
(weary)
Quite.
MARIA regards CHARLIE.
MARIA
You want anything?
CHARLIE
A vodka tonic would be splendid
right now.
MARIA nods and moves to the alcohol. As she's making the
drink, her phone beeps. She reads the text message and laughs.
MARIA
(to self)
El nino es loco.
CHARLIE smirks, amused.
CHARLIE
Son?
MARIA
No. Just a friend.
She sets the drink in front of CHARLIE.
MARIA
Discovered swimming with the jellyfish wasn't a very good
idea.
CHARLIE makes a pained face and then laughs.
CHARLIE
He'll be feeling that in the morning.
CHARLIE finishes her drink and throws down some money.
CHARLIE
Well, if he comes in here, could you give me a call?
She hands MARIA a card and picture.
MARIA
Of course.
CHARLIE gets up and walks out.
MARIA gets out her phone, sparing a glance at the door,
sending a text to JACOB.
INT. APARTMENT BUILDING - LA
JESSICA walks into her apartment, dropping her purse on to
the side table.
She plops down into a chair in the living room with a water.
Her phone rings. She answers tiredly.
JESSICA
Hello?
INTERCUT:
INT. CANTINA - BACK ROOM
JACOB is pacing in the office of the cantina, nervous.
JACOB
Please, please, tell me you did not tell a
fed I was here.
APARTMENT
Jessica
Uh...
CANTINA
JACOB
God damn it, Jess. I told you not to say anything to anyone.
APARTMENT
JESSICA
But she wants to help.
CANTINA
JACOB
Jess, chances are she isn't a fed, and she hasn't been sent
to help me.
APARTMENT
JESSICA
What do you mean?
CANTINA
JACOB
Don't worry about it.
APARTMENT
JESSICA
(adament)
No, you tell me right now, Jacob.
CANTINA
JACOB sighs.
JACOB
She probably works for the people trying to find me.
APARTMENT
JESSICA sits up, eyes wide.
JESSICA
(panicking)
What?
CANTINA
JACOB sits in the chair behind the desk.
JACOB
Calm down. I'll have everything in order so she won't get to
me. But I'll be going somewhere that you can't find me. You won't hear from me
for a while.
APARTMENT
JESSICA
But, Jacob...
CANTINA
JACOB
But nothing. You could have avoided this. I'll call you
before I leave.
APARTMENT
JESSICA
Jacob...
She hears the click of his phone.
CANTINA
JACOB sighs, hanging up. He quickly exits, scanning the back
alley behind the cantina.
He misses the car CHARLIE sits in.
She follows when he gets in his car and drives off.
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