Bound Script - Screenplay

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                        BOUND SCRIPT

                             by

                  Larry and Andy Wachowski














                        FIRST DRAFT

                     September 28, 1994










FADE IN:

Inside a closet.

It is a large closet with double doors, a crisp line of
light cutting down through the center of the darkness.

As we begin to descend, we hear a man's stern voice.

                         MAN (V.O.)
          I know your type.  Your type is
          dangerous.

We move past a shelf filled with hat boxes and hand bags.
It is a woman's closet.

                         MAN (V.O.)
          You know how to act, how to pretend
          but all the time you're waiting,
          just waiting.

We glide over the tightly packed hangers, close enough to
feel the different fabrics and descend past the dresses to
the racks of high heels.

                         MAN (V.O.)
          I've told you before that there is
          no such thing as an ex-con like
          there is no such thing as an ex-
          alcoholic.

We slide along the delicate taper of a stiletto heel and
reach the bottom of the closet where we find a pair of
black Doc Marten boots that are tied together with a
white rope.

                         MAN (V.O.)
          There are those who stay on the
          wagon, those who fall off the wagon
          and those who jump.

We move up the boots and we see it is a woman that is
bound, lying motionless on the floor of the closet, the
rope coiling tightly around her wrists.

                         MAN (V.O.)
          You?  You're a jumper.

The crack at the bottom of the door lights her face.  She
is gagged and unconscious, a trickle of blood running down
her forehead.  Her name is Corky.

                         MAN (V.O.)
          Are you listening to me?

                                            CUT TO:

INT.  PAROLE OFFICE

It is a small cramped office, manila folders piled
everywhere.

                         OFFICER
          You had better listen to me.

At the desk is a large man with a serious expression on
his face as he lectures.  A patch on the shoulder of his
uniform reads, "PROBATION OFFICER".

                         CORKY
          I'm listening.

Sitting across from him who we now see in full light, is
Corky, a very butch looking woman with short hair and a
black leather jacket.  She is a lesbian and she wants
people to know it.

                         OFFICER
          Bullshit.  Your kind never listens.
          I've seen that same look in a
          hundred different eyes.  Every one
          of them looking for the same thing,
          dreaming about that perfect score.

Corky looks down, examining her fingernails.

                         OFFICER
          I can tell you right now what's
          going to happen.  Something will
          come along.  It always does and it
          will be irresistible.  Like a wet
          dream.

An office slogan behind her reads, "Play It Straight!"

                         OFFICER
          It will hurt you day and night and
          tie you in knots.  You'll figure it
          a thousand ways and when you think
          you know it inside and out you will
          jump.

She does not look at him, but she hears what he says.

                         OFFICER
          If you hear one thing in this
          office, hear this:  no matter how
          smart you are, no matter how
          careful you are, you will fuck up.

Corky looks up and eyes the man.

                         OFFICER
          And when you do get caught --


INT.  ELEVATOR

Corky is standing against the back of the elevator as the
doors begin to close.

                         OFFICER (V.O.)
          This time it will be life.

The doors begin to slide shut when a woman yells.

                         WOMAN
          Wait!  Hold the elevator.

Corky pushes the "open" button.  A couple steps into the
elevator.

His name is Ceasar, a middle-aged Italian, wearing an
expensive suit and sunglasses.

She is Violet; a piece of sexual candy that would melt in
your mouth.

From her tight dress to her high heels, she is on the
surface, the exact opposite of Corky.

Violet smiles at her.

                         VIOLET
          Thank you.

In his own world, Ceasar does not even see Corky.

As the elevator begins to rise, Violet catches Corky
admiring the curve of her dress.

Corky does not look away, instead she stares straight into
Violet's eyes.

Violet stares back, a faint smile on her painted lips.  It
is awkward at first, the tension between them escalating.

The doors "ding" and glide open.

Violet slowly turns and steps into the hall just behind
Ceasar.

Corky follows them down the hall.


INT.  HALL

They reach the door at the end of the hall. Ceasar opens
it and enters.  Just before Violet steps inside, she peeks
over her shoulder and sees --

Corky look away.

Violet smiles and steps inside.

Corky checks the room numbers, stopping in front of the
apartment next to the one Violet and Ceasar entered.

She slides the key in and opens the door.


INT.  EMPTY APARTMENT

It is later.  All of Corky's tools are gathered in the
middle of the living room.

The apartment is cavernous and looks like someone recently
moved out:  cracks in the wall, picture hooks, hangers,
and other discarded junk.

Corky is on the phone.

                         CORKY
          I looked over everything sir, and I
          don't think there will be any
          problems... yes, I checked the tub
          and I'm pretty sure I can rod it
          out.

She suddenly turns when she hears something that sounds
like a man moan.

                         CORKY
          Yeah, I ordered the vanity.  And you
          want latex eggshell on the walls,
          right?

She looks at the blank white wall separating this
apartment from Ceasar's apartment.

                         CORKY
          All right, sure.  I'm going to start
          first thing in the morning.

She hears it again, a guttural sound.

                         CORKY
          Thanks again for this opportunity,
          Mr. Bianchinni.  Goodbye.

She hangs up the phone and walks toward the wall.

As she gets closer, we hear a bed rocking, tapping against
the wall.

The man's breathing grows more and more labored until
finally it swells --

                                          DISSOLVING INTO:

INT.  BATHROOM - MORNING

The whining motor of a high powered drain-rod.

The spiral cable whips wildly, spiraling deeper into the
tub drain, black goo splattering everywhere.

The machine is so loud Corky almost cannot hear someone
pounding on the apartment door.

Killing the motor, she stands and goes to the door.

Behind the door is Violet, wearing jeans, a white T-shirt
and cowboy boots.

                         VIOLET
          Hi.  My name is Violet.  We sort of
          met in the elevator --

                         CORKY
          Yeah, sure.  I'm Corky.

                         VIOLET
          I heard you working in here and I
          just wondered if you'd like a cup of
          coffee?

She is holding two cups of coffee:  one black, one with
cream.

                         CORKY
          Sure.  Come on in.  Give me a minute.

Violet steps inside as Corky goes back to the bathroom to
wash off the drain dreck.

                         VIOLET
          What happened to Rajeev?

Corky calls from the bathroom, scrubbing her hands
vigorously.

                         CORKY
          Who?

                         VIOLET
          Rajeev, the man who usually works on
          the building.

                         CORKY
          Oh, he went home to India, but as
          far as I know he'll be back.

She wipes her hands on her overalls, returning to the main
room.

                         VIOLET
          So this is temporary for you?

                         CORKY
          Pretty much.  One day at a time.

Violet hands her the cup of black coffee.

                         VIOLET
          I guessed you were straight black.

                         CORKY
          Good guess.

They both sip from the piping hot mugs.

                         CORKY
          Mmmm... thanks, I needed this.

                         VIOLET
          My pleasure... but to be honest, I
          did have a slightly ulterior motive
          here.  I was wondering if I could
          ask a small favor?

                         CORKY
          A favor?

                         VIOLET
          Yeah, see, I'm kind of a night
          person, so I was wondering if it
          wasn't a terrible inconvenience if
          you could wait a bit before using
          power tools.

                         CORKY
          Oh, I'm sorry --

                         VIOLET
          No, it isn't your fault.  The walls
          here are just so thin.

                         CORKY
          Are they really?

                         VIOLET
          Yes, it really causes problems.
          Sometimes it's like you're in the
          same room.  But if it's too much
          trouble, I understand...

                         CORKY
          No, no trouble.  There's other work
          to do.

                         VIOLET
          You're doing everything yourself?

                         CORKY
          Yeah.

                         VIOLET
          That is so amazing.  I'm in awe of
          people who can fix things.  My dad
          was like that.  We never had
          anything new.  Whenever something
          broke he would open it up, tinker
          with it and it would work.  His
          hands were magic.

She looks at Corky's hands cupped around the mug.

                         VIOLET
          Yeah... I bet your car is twenty
          years old.

Corky smiles.

                         CORKY
          Truck.

                         VIOLET
          Truck.  Of course.

                         CORKY
          '74 Chevy.

                         VIOLET
          I knew it.

Violet sips.

                         VIOLET
          So, how do you know the owner, Mr.
          Bianchinni?

                         CORKY
          I don't, really.  I was referred to
          him.

                         VIOLET
          Oh, really.

Corky suddenly feels she has revealed something.

                         CORKY
          Do you know him?

                         VIOLET
          No, but Ceasar does.  He likes him.
          Says he's a good Italian.

                         CORKY
          Ceasar is your husband?

                         VIOLET
          Oh no, no.  I'm not the marrying
          kind.

Smiling, she says nothing else.

                         VIOLET
          I should be going.  You can drop the
          cup off anytime.

                         CORKY
          Thanks.

                         VIOLET
          My pleasure.

Corky watches her leave.


EXT.  THE WATERING HOLE - NIGHT

A dirty bar hidden away on a dark street, its cracked,
moon white sign the only evidence it exists.

A couple of large motorcycles are parked in front.


INT.  THE WATERING HOLE - NIGHT

The smell of leather and cigarette smoke fills Corky's
nose as she crosses to the bar.

                         BARTENDER
          Well, well...

Corky sits as the fat bartender waddles over.

                         BARTENDER
          Been awhile, Cork.

                         CORKY
          Five years, two months, sixteen
          days.  How you doing, Sue?

Corky puts a cigarette in her mouth and lights it.

                         SUE
          Like shit.  Now that we're all
          caught up, how about a drink?

Sue opens the refrigerator and pulls out two Old Styles.

                         CORKY
          Thanks.

They click the bottles together and drink.

                         SUE
          You got a job yet?

                         CORKY
          Yeah.  Some plumbing, painting and
          shit.

Sue laughs.

                         SUE
          I mean a J-O-B.  A real job.

                         CORKY
          Not for me, Sue.  I'm straight and
          narrow.  I'm just here to get laid
          or drunk and hopefully both.

Corky gets off the stool.

                         CORKY
          Thanks for the beer.

Looking around, she sees a woman alone at one of the back
tables.  Through the smoky din, she bears a slight
resemblance to Violet.

The woman is dressed all in black, including a leather
jacket.

Smiling, Corky slides into the chair beside her.  There is
no one smoother.

                         CORKY
          Hi.

                         WOMAN
          Hello.

                         CORKY
          You know... that outfit would look
          great on my bedroom floor.

The woman smiles just as someone taps Corky on the
shoulder.

She turns and is face to face with a large bull of a woman
in a heavy leather Chicago Police jacket.  She is more
wide than fat.

                         WOMAN COP
          Hey, Jesse.  What's happening here?

                         CORKY
          Nothing... yet.

                         WOMAN COP
          Who's this?

Her coat opens as she puts her hands on her hips.  A
service revolver is clipped to her belt.

She squints at Corky, her head nodding in recognition.

                         WOMAN COP
          Wait, I know you.

                         CORKY
          I don't think so.

                         WOMAN COP
          I didn't know you were out.

Corky smiles at the woman in black.

                         CORKY
          When you get tired of Cagney and
          Lacey, come find me.

She heads for the exit.


EXT.  CITY STREET - NIGHT

The neighborhood would be politely described as "rough."
Corky parks her truck and gets out.


INT.  CORKY'S APARTMENT - NIGHT

It is a hole but it is home.

Corky is lying on her futon staring up at the ceiling, a
beer resting on her stomach; a folk singer quietly croons
from the radio.

We see the ceiling, a circle of light hovering over the
small desk lamp.  We move in on the spot, which slowly
fills up the screen until there is nothing but the white
light.

Suddenly a wet paint roller loaded with white paint cuts a
swath across the ceiling.

                                            MATCH CUT TO:

INT.  EMPTY APARTMENT

Corky is painting the ceiling.  The folk ballad has become
an angry Riot Grrrl anthem.

She is working hard, the roller sucking back and forth.
Sweat covers her face.

Dropping the roller down, she reloads it in the tray when
the phone rings.  She stops and answers it.

                         CORKY
          Hello?  Oh, hi, Mr. Bianchinni...
          yes, everything is going fine.  I
          got the tub drain all cleaned out.

She listens for a moment.

                         CORKY
          What apartment?

She glances at the main wall.

                         CORKY
          All right, all right, I guess I
          could take a look.  Yeah, you're
          welcome, goodbye.

She hangs up and looks again at the wall, feeling...
curious.


INT.  HALL

Corky knocks and after a moment Violet opens the door.
She seems surprised.

                         VIOLET
          Oh no.  Shit.  I didn't know he
          would call you.  God, you must think
          I'm a total nuisance.

                         CORKY
          Not exactly.

                         VIOLET
          I'm sorry, I usually would call
          Rajeev, but I didn't know what to do
          so I called Mr. Bianchinni.

                         CORKY
          He said you lost something.

                         VIOLET
          Yeah, come on in.

She steps back and Corky walks inside.


INT.  CEASAR'S APARTMENT

Violet leads her through the apartment.  It is expensively
furnished with very masculine tastes; a lot of gray and
black leather.

                         VIOLET
          I was doing some dishes and just as
          I pulled the stopper my earring fell
          in.

Corky looks at her blankly.

                         VIOLET
          It's one of my favorites.  That's
          why I got upset.  I know it
          probably seems ridiculous to you.

An eyebrow goes up.

                         VIOLET
          I'm sorry, look, forget it.  I
          shouldn't have called...

                         CORKY
          I told Bianchinni I would take a
          look.  Is it that sink?

Violet nods.

She opens the sink cabinet and pulls out a pair of channel
locks from her back pocket.  The teeth of the channel
locks open and bite onto the pressure nut.

                         CORKY
          Do you have a pot or a bucket?

                         VIOLET
          Sure.

She hands one down to her.  Corky slides it under the
curved pipe.

As she works, Corky feels herself staring at Violet, at
the hem of her dress curving tightly around her thighs.

Water begins to trickle into the pan.

The nut slides loose and Corky tips the trap.  Water
splashes into the pan with a soft metal "tink".

                         VIOLET
          Did you find it?

Corky fishes into gray water and pulls out the earring.

Violet screams, a huge smile on her face, half falling as
she tries to hug Corky.

                         VIOLET
          I can't believe it!  You did it!

Corky leans back under and replaces the trap.

                         VIOLET
          Thank you so much.  You have to
          let me pay you something --

                         CORKY
          No.  Mr. Bianchinni asked me to do
          it.  I did it.

Corky checks the drain by running the water.

                         VIOLET
          If you won't take money, how about a
          drink?  It's getting late.  You
          can't work all night.

Corky eyes her for a moment.

                         CORKY
          Okay, one drink.

                         VIOLET
          What do you want?

                         CORKY
          A beer?

                         VIOLET
          A beer.  Of course.

She smiles and turns to the bar.

                         VIOLET
          Sit down.

Corky sits on the black leather couch and Violet returns
with two bottles of Heineken.  Corky sneers.

                         VIOLET
          Thanks again.

They clink the bottles and swig.

                         VIOLET
          You seem uncomfortable.  Do I make
          you nervous, Corky?

                         CORKY
          No.

She looks at Violet, then takes another long pull on the
bottle.

                         VIOLET
          Thirsty, maybe.

Violet smiles, her eyes again talking for her.

                         CORKY
          Curious, maybe.

                         VIOLET
          Curious?  That's funny, I'm feeling
          a bit curious myself right now.

Violet notices the tattoo on Corky's arm.

                         VIOLET
          That's a great tattoo.

She reaches over and touches it.

                         VIOLET
          Beautiful labrys.

Corky is a bit surprised that she knows what it is.  She
nods, rubbing it as if trying to hide it.

                         VIOLET
          Are you surprised that I know what
          it is?

                         CORKY
          Maybe.

                         VIOLET
          I have a tattoo, would you like to
          see it?

She moves closer, sliding over the leather cushions as she
opens the front of her dress.

                         VIOLET
          A woman in upstate New York did it
          for me.

She is not wearing a bra.

                         VIOLET
          Here.  Do you like it?

Set against the soft white skin of her breast is a bright
green stemmed violet.

                         VIOLET
          It took her all day to do it.  She
          promised me it wouldn't hurt, but it
          was sore for a long time after.  I
          couldn't even touch it.

Corky looks up from Violet's breast to her dark eyes.

                         VIOLET
          But now I love the way it feels.

She runs her fingers softly over the slightly scarred
skin.

                         VIOLET
          Here, touch it.

Corky feels the blood pounding in her ears as Violet takes
her hand and places it on her breast.

                         CORKY
          What are you doing?

Violet looks at her.

                         VIOLET
          Isn't it obvious?  I'm trying to
          seduce you.

                         CORKY
          Why?

                         VIOLET
          Because I want to.  I've wanted to
          since I first saw you in the
          elevator.

Corky watches her, trying to figure her out even as her
thumb presses into Violet's nipple.

Inhaling sharply, Violet's eyes close, she can feel
Corky staring at her.

                         VIOLET
          You don't believe me.  But I can
          prove it to you.

She takes Corky's wrist and begins pulling her hand down
her body.

                         VIOLET
          You can't believe me because of what
          you see...

She forces Corky's hand between her legs, up under her
dress.

                         VIOLET
          But you can believe what you feel.

Violet opens her eyes, a wanton smile on her lips.

                         VIOLET
          You see... I've been thinking about
          you all day.

Corky's forearm flexes and Violet moans.

With both hands, Violet takes hold of Corky's forearm.

                         CORKY
          You planned this whole thing?

Violet's head swims; she is unable to breathe.

                         CORKY
          You dropped that earring down the
          drain on purpose, didn't you?

                         VIOLET
          If I say yes, will you take your
          hand away?

                         CORKY
          No.

                         VIOLET
          ... yes.

Now it is Corky who smiles.

Violet shivers, her thighs rubbing, her hips thrusting
against Corky's hand.

                         VIOLET
          Please, Corky... please...

Her eyes barely open.

                         VIOLET
          ... kiss me.

In a single motion, Corky takes hold of the back of her
neck and covers Violet's open mouth with her own.

With her hand still stuffed between Violet's legs, Corky
lays her back onto the couch as the kiss becomes more --

More desperate, more hungry until --

We hear the front door unlock and open.

                         CEASAR
          Violet?

Violet's eyes pop open and she pushes Corky back.

                         CEASAR
          Violet, you home?

They scramble to compose themselves.

                         VIOLET
          Yeah.  In here, C.

He comes around the corner and in the dim light sees the
two figures sitting close on the couch.

                         CEASAR
          What's this?

He mistakes Corky for a man.

                         CEASAR
          What the fuck is this?

Violet stands as Ceasar barrels towards the couch.

                         VIOLET
          I didn't expect --

                         CEASAR
          What the fuck is going on?

Corky stands and turns, Ceasar suddenly realizing that she
is a woman.

                         CEASAR
          Oh, shit...

                         VIOLET
          Ceasar, this is Corky.  Corky,
          Ceasar.

                         CEASAR
          I'm sorry, Christ, I thought... it's
          fucking dark in here.

He reaches to the wall for the lights.

                         VIOLET
          She is working for Bianchinni.

Ceasar extends his hand.

                         CEASAR
          Oh, right, right.  Don mentioned
          that to me.  Hi, welcome to the
          family.

Corky shakes his hand.

                         CEASAR
          You're helping Rajeev?

                         CORKY
          No.  Rajeev's in India.

                         VIOLET
          She's doing the work herself.

                         CEASAR
          No shit.  Bianchinni hired you?
          You know he's a good friend of mine.
          Family, really.

                         CORKY
          That's what Violet said.

He looks at her as if he knows something.

                         CEASAR
          So, you just got out?

                         VIOLET
          Jesus, Ceasar!

                         CEASAR
          What?  It ain't no big fuckin' deal.
          I know who Don hires.  Did you know
          he did time himself?

Corky shakes her head.

                         CEASAR
          Thirteen fucking years.  See, there
          ain't no secrets here.

Corky doesn't like this man.

                         CEASAR
          How many you'd do?

                         CORKY
          Five.

He whistles.

                         CEASAR
          Not bad.  What for?

                         VIOLET
          That's none of your goddamn business
          Ceasar.

                         CEASAR
          You're right.  You don't have to
          tell me, if you don't want to.  I
          just hope you understand you're
          among good people here.

He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a thick fold of
money and peels several hundreds.  Corky stares at it.

                         CEASAR
          Come on, come on.  If you understand
          what I'm talking about you're going
          to take the money.  If you don't,
          I'm going to have to worry about you.

Corky takes it.  Ceasar smiles.

                         CEASAR
          Good.  I hate to worry.  I got
          ulcers.

                         CORKY
          I should be going.

                         CEASAR
          What?  How about a drink?

                         CORKY
          My brushes, I have to clean my
          brushes.  Thanks though.

                         CEASAR
          Another time.

                         CORKY
          Sure.


INT.  EMPTY APARTMENT

Close on the paintbrush, Corky's fingers pushing through
and separating the black bristles under the running water.

When the brush is clean, she flicks it dry and resets the
edge.

She goes to the sink to wash her hands when she stops,
noticing her left hand.

It is the hand that was between Violet's legs.

She is about to smell her finger when she sees herself in
the mirror.

                         CORKY
          What are you doing?

She drops her hand.

                         CORKY
          What am I doing?  I'm fucking up,
          that's what I'm doing.

She scrubs her hands clean.


EXT.  PARKING LOT

It is late, the area burnished with amber street light.
Corky walks from the building to her truck.

She climbs inside and slides the key into the ignition
when suddenly the passenger door opens and --

Violet gets in.  Stunned, Corky stares at her.

                         VIOLET
          I had to see you.

                         CORKY
          Look, I don't think this is a good
          idea.

                         VIOLET
          I wanted to apologize.

                         CORKY
          Don't apologize, please.  I can't
          stand women who apologize for
          wanting sex.

Violet smiles.

                         VIOLET
          I'm not apologizing for what I
          did --

She slides across the seat.

                         VIOLET
          I'm apologizing for what I didn't
          do.

She kisses Corky, and if Corky is trying to resist, we
can't tell.

The windshield is beginning to steam when Violet, panting,
breaks the kiss.

                         VIOLET
          Do you have a bed somewhere?

Unable to speak, Corky reaches over and starts the engine.


INT.  CORKY'S APARTMENT

The sex.

There is nothing flower-scented or out-of-focus about it.

It is sweaty, slippery, body-grinding, bed-squeaking
lesbian sex --

Pungent and potent --

And when it is over, neither woman can move.

Finally, Corky's eyes flutter open.

                         CORKY
          I can see again.

Violet smiles.

Slowly, Corky gets up and goes to the fridge.  She grabs a
beer and presses it to her sweating forehead.

After a moment, she lowers it, gently pressing the cold
can elsewhere.  Eyes closed, she lets out a long "ahh".

Violet hears the sizzle-pop of the beer as Corky returns
to the bed.

She holds the beer to Violet's lips and tilts the can,
watching Violet's throat as she drinks.

Violet's eyes open.

                         VIOLET
          ... I needed that.

                         CORKY
          Tell me about it.

Corky hands her the beer as Violet sits up a bit.

                         CORKY
          Ceasar's Mafia, isn't he?

                         VIOLET
          You have to ask?

                         CORKY
          No.

                         VIOLET
          Funny, nobody calls it that anymore.
          Ceasar calls it "The Business".

                         CORKY
          How did you meet him?

                         VIOLET
          They took over a club I was working
          at.  Ceasar started managing it.

                         CORKY
          He's a launderer?

                         VIOLET
          Basically.

                         CORKY
          How long have you been with him?

                         VIOLET
          Almost five years.

                         CORKY
          Five years is a long time.

                         VIOLET
          Yes it is.

Corky stares at her beer.  She knows what Violet is
thinking.

                         CORKY
          The re-distribution of wealth.

                         VIOLET
          What?

                         CORKY
          Isn't that what you wanted to know?
          What I did time for?

                         VIOLET
          The re-distribution of wealth?

                         CORKY
          That's what I tell someone when I'm
          trying to get them in my bed.

                         VIOLET
          I'm already in your bed.

                         CORKY
          My cellmate would say she did her
          time for getting caught.  She was
          always more honest than me.

Corky sips her beer.

                         CORKY
          I started stealing when I was little.
          We were piss poor, which is not an
          excuse, just a fact.

It isn't like her to talk about this, especially with
someone she just met.

                         CORKY
          The first time I remember so vividly.
          A bunch of us kids were at Waxman's
          Drugstore, when Mr. Waxman, who was
          a mean old prick, always worrying
          about us robbing him, dropped a roll
          of quarters.

We can almost hear the coins tinkling on the tile floor.

                         CORKY
          I can still hear that sound, those
          quarters, because right then
          something clicked inside of me.
          Some instinct took over and as
          everyone, including Waxman, dove
          down, I reached up and emptied the
          cash register.

Violet smiles.  She likes this woman.

                         CORKY
          I gave most of the money to my mom.
          I told her I found it at the
          train yard.  She was so happy she
          cried, calling me her lucky charm.
          Fifteen years later, I guess my luck
          ran out.

She swallows that with beer.

                         CORKY
          Sometimes I tell myself that I
          didn't have a choice, that stealing
          was surviving.  Usually I can admit
          that's bullshit.  I did it because
          it was a way out.  It was easy and I
          was good at it, real good.

She glances at Violet.

                         CORKY
          I don't usually talk this much.  I
          guess I have been rehabilitated.

Violet laughs.

                         VIOLET
          You didn't have to tell me if you
          didn't want to.

                         CORKY
          I guess I wanted to.

                         VIOLET
          I'm glad you did.

                         CORKY
          So am I.


EXT.  PARKING LOT - DAY

Corky gets out of her truck carrying her tools.  Grinning
like someone who has been well-laid, she whistles off to
work.


INT.  LOBBY

Between the main doors she sees a man.  His name is Shelly
and he is an over-dressed accountant.

He is very nervous, talking to someone through the
intercom.

                         Shelly
          I know he's gone.  Please.  I have
          to talk to you.

Fiddling with her keys, Corky recognizes the voice that
answers him.

                         VIOLET (V.O.)
          What do you want, Shelly?

Shelly glances over his shoulder at Corky, answering in a
hushed voice.

                         Shelly
          I have to leave.  Tonight.

For a moment the intercom is silent.  Then the door buzzes
and Shelly pushes inside.  Corky follows him to the
elevator.


INT.  ELEVATOR

Corky stares at Shelly like she is considering beating the
crap out of him.  She isn't sure why but she knows it
would make her feel better.

Shelly hides behind his sunglasses watching the elevator
numbers go up.  The doors open and he scurries out.


INT.  HALL

She watches him enter Ceasar's apartment, her smile now
completely gone.


INT.  EMPTY APARTMENT

It is later.  Through the wall we listen to the same sound
as before of two people making love.  We drop down and
find Corky's brush, still wet with paint, abandoned in her
tray.


INT.  BEDROOM

Her face glistening with sweat, Violet climaxes, letting
the orgasm spread through her like melting butter.

                         VIOLET
          I had this image of you, inside of
          me...

She flattens her palms against the soft cradle of her
pelvis.

                         VIOLET
          Like a part of me...

As she opens her eyes, we see that her lover is Corky.
Violet watches as she gets off the bed and begins to get
dressed.

                         VIOLET
          You are so beautiful.

Corky does not answer as she yanks her pants on.  Violet
sits up.  She can feel that something is wrong.

                         VIOLET
          What's wrong?

                         CORKY
          Nothing.

Violet pulls the sheet around her.

                         VIOLET
          Yes there is.  I felt it this
          morning when I brought you the
          coffee.

                         CORKY
          Shit, here we go.

                         VIOLET
          You didn't want to see me, did you?

                         CORKY
          If there is one thing I can't stand
          about sleeping with women, it's all
          the fucking mind reading.

                         VIOLET
          What are you afraid of?

                         CORKY
          I'm not afraid of anything.

                         VIOLET
          I don't understand --

                         CORKY
          I know!  You can't understand,
          because we're different, Violet.
          We're different.

                         VIOLET
          We're not that different Corky.

                         CORKY
          How can you sit in that bed and say
          that?

                         VIOLET
          Because it's the truth.

                         CORKY
          Let me guess.  This is where you
          tell me that what matters is on the
          inside.  That inside you, there is a
          little dyke just like me?

                         VIOLET
          Oh no, she's nothing like you.
          She's a lot smarter than you.

                         CORKY
          Is that what her daddy tells her?

                         VIOLET
          I know what I am.  I don't need to
          have it tattooed on my shoulder.

                         CORKY
          What are you saying?  That you don't
          have sex with men?

                         VIOLET
          I don't.

                         CORKY
          For Christ's sake, Violet!  I heard
          you!  Thin walls, remember?

                         VIOLET
          What you heard wasn't sex.

                         CORKY
          What the fuck was it?

                         VIOLET
          All my life, everyone has been
          telling me that when I have sex, I'm
          not really having sex.  Not real sex.
          But they're wrong.  I know what is
          and isn't sex and what you heard was
          definitely not sex.

                         CORKY
          What was it then?

                         VIOLET
          Work.

That knocks Corky back.

                         VIOLET
          You made certain choices in your
          life that you paid for.  You said
          you made them because you were good
          at something and it was easy.  Do
          you think you're the only one that's
          good at something?

Violet's stare pins Corky to the wall.

                         VIOLET
          We make our own choices and we pay
          our own prices.  I think we're more
          alike than you want to admit.

                         CORKY
          What about that guy this morning?

                         VIOLET
          You mean Shelly?

                         CORKY
          Don't tell me, you're a workaholic.

                         VIOLET
          No.  Shelly knows what I am.  He saw
          me in a bar with another woman.

                         CORKY
          I suppose he just wants to watch.

That's all Violet can take.

                         VIOLET
          Fuck it!  I think you better leave.

                         CORKY
          I think so too.

Violet turns away.

                         VIOLET
          Try not to steal anything on the way
          out.

That stings but Corky walks out without looking back.


INT.  EMPTY APARTMENT

It is dark now.  Corky is standing above the paint tray
that has skinned over.  She picks up the brush.  It is dry
with paint.

                         CORKY
          Shit.

She throws the brush across the room.


EXT.  PARKING LOT - DAY

The rusty Chevy glides to a stop in a parking space near
the service entrance.  In its payload is a boxed bathroom
vanity and sink.

Corky climbs out of the cab and into the back, unhooking
the bungy cords that hold down the boxes.

She looks up as a black Lincoln Town Car screeches into a
spot not far from her truck.  Three serious looking men
get out, leading a fourth, Shelly.

He is the only one who seems to notice Corky.

They enter the building, the door closing behind them.


INT.  BATHROOM

Corky's legs jut out from the old wicker vanity as she
finishes detaching its anchors and pipe work.

She stands giving it a yank and pulling it away from the
wall when voices begin to filter in from the next door
apartment.

She listens, a rising string of warbling sobs drowned
out by an angry voice.

                         ANGRY VOICE
          Shut the fuck up!  You piece of
          shit!

We hear a scream.

                         ANGRY VOICE
          You're going to tell us!  You're
          going to fuckin' tell us!  just a
          matter of fuckin' time!

Each sentence is punctuated with grunts and thuds.

                         ANGRY VOICE
          Where is it?  Where the fuck is it?!

We begin to close in on Corky as she listens to each thud,
watching something that disturbs her.

                         ANGRY VOICE
          You shit!  You piece of shit!

With each thud the water in the toilet shimmers like a
struck cymbal.  As we move closer, the sound swells
until --

                                            MATCH CUT TO:

INT.  CEASAR'S BATHROOM

Where blood splatters the toilet, heavy drops hitting the
water and spreading like inverted mushroom clouds.

                         ANGRY VOICE
          Did that hurt?  News flash, fucko:
          I'm just getting started.

The angry voice belongs to Johnnie Marconi.  Shelly is
kneeling in front of the toilet, hands tied behind his
back with electrical wire.

Johnnie Marconi is a flashy young man in Armani slacks,
silk shirt and silver-tipped cowboy boots.  His tie is
tucked in as if torture were a fine dining experience.

Ceasar and two other men are crammed in the small
bathroom.

                         JOHNNIE
          You got nerve trying to fuck us!
          Nobody fucks me!  Nobody fucks my
          father!  Nobody!  Nobody!

Shelly screams as Johnnie repeatedly rams his face into
the toilet.

                         CEASAR
          Whoa, whoa.  Come on, he's making
          too much noise.

                         JOHNNIE
          You hear that, bitch?  Be quiet!

                         CEASAR
          Here, put this in his mouth.

Ceasar hands a towel to Johnnie, who stuffs it into
Shelly's mouth.


INT.  CEASAR'S APARTMENT

Like Corky, Violet can hear the beating.  She is trying to
block it out but cannot.

Standing at the bar, she runs the blender, grinding ice
cubes, trying to drown out the sounds of the bathroom.

The bathroom door opens.

                         JOHNNIE
          Prick!  I can go all night!  All
          night!

Ceasar steps out, shutting the door, masking the sounds
behind him.  Violet moves towards him.

                         VIOLET
          Ceasar, I'm leaving.

                         CEASAR
          What?  Oh come on, I didn't use one
          of the good towels.

The door opens again as someone else steps out.

                         VIOLET
          Ceasar, I'm serious.  This is too
          much.  I have to get out of here.

                         CEASAR
          Why?  'Cause you know him?

She nods.

                         CEASAR
          You women are so fucking sensitive.

He takes hold of her.

                         CEASAR
          But I don't want you to go.  I like
          you here.  You know this isn't easy
          for me either.

He embraces her.  Over his shoulder she sees Mickey
Malnati in the hallway, staring at her.

He is an older man, hair graying, built like a fire plug.
Sinewy mass strains at his Brooks Brothers' suit.

                         CEASAR
          Now, why don't you go watch some TV
          or something?

                         MICKEY
          Are you okay, Violet?

                         CEASAR
          Mickey, why is Johnnie here?  You
          know how I feel about that fucking
          psycho.

Mickey continues to stare at Violet, who looks up at him
with her big, doe eyes.

                         MICKEY
          Ceasar, didn't I tell you to get
          something?

                         CEASAR
          Sure, Mickey.  Sure.

He goes to the kitchen.

Mickey moves closer to Violet, lifting her chin the way a
father would do to his little girl.

                         MICKEY
          You shouldn't have to see this.  Why
          don't you get out of here?  Go for a
          walk.

                         VIOLET
          Ceasar wants me to stay.

                         MICKEY
          Don't worry about Ceasar.  I'll
          handle Ceasar.  You just get out of
          here, okay?

She smiles.

                         VIOLET
          Thanks, Mickey.

Ceasar returns from the kitchen.  He is holding a pair of
tin snips.  Mickey takes them.

                         MICKEY
          Thanks, C.  Now let's end this thing.

Violet watches them return to the bathroom.


INT.  BATHROOM - DAY

Mickey takes off his coat and hands it to a large man
named Lou.  He slaps Johnnie on the back.

                         MICKEY
          Hey, Johnnie, ease up, okay.

Johnnie hits Shelly once more.

                         JOHNNIE
          Prick.

Mickey kneels down next to Shelly's ear and motions to
Lou who lifts Shelly's bound arms, holding his hand over
the toilet bowl.

                         MICKEY
          Shelly, I'm going to ask you ten
          times.  You understand?  Ten times.

Mickey grabs Shelly's pinkie finger, putting it between
the metal blades.

                         MICKEY
          One.  Where is our money?

Shelly whimpers, red-faced and sobbing.

There is a sick crunch and Shelly howls into his gag.  His
severed finger plunks into the toilet and floats to the
bottom.


INT.  BATHROOM

Corky can't stand it anymore.  She throws her tools down,
leaves the bathroom and finds --

Violet waiting in the main room.  Both women stand apart
in silence.

Violet seems on the verge of saying something but doesn't
know how to start.  Her lip begins to quiver, her eyes
search the room returning to Corky each time.

The violence in the next room can still be heard.

                         CORKY
          Violet?  Are you all right?

Almost unnoticeably, Violet shakes her bead.  Corky puts
her arm around her.

                         CORKY
          Come on.  Let's go.


EXT.  BAR

An upscale bar in the same neighborhood.


INT.  BAR

It is the kind of bar businessmen drink at in the
afternoon.  Dark wood and padded leather.

Corky and Violet, the only women in the room, sit close
together at a far corner table.

Violet's voice is hushed.

                         VIOLET
          Shelly was skimming from the
          business.  He came to see me
          yesterday because he was afraid
          Ceasar figured it out.  He wanted to
          run but he wanted me to come with
          him.

                         CORKY
          Even though he knew about you?

                         VIOLET
          Yes.

                         CORKY
          He was in love with you, right?

                         VIOLET
          That's what he told himself.  But it
          wasn't even about me, it was about
          Ceasar.  He wanted what Ceasar had.
          That's how they are.  I understand
          them.

She glances around the room; a man at the bar smiles at
her.

                         VIOLET
          For Shelly, taking the money was a
          way to take from Ceasar.  He could
          have run at any time, but he didn't
          because he didn't want out.

                         CORKY
          Sounds like he wanted to get caught.

                         VIOLET
          Maybe he did.  He would brag to me
          all the time.  He was never afraid
          of Ceasar because he didn't know him.
          Not like I do.

Two men sit down near them, laughing.

                         VIOLET
          Ceasar lives for these moments.  He
          tells me it's just the business but
          I know it's more than that.  He
          likes it.  The violence.  I'll catch
          him in the bathroom mirror touching
          his scars.  He says they remind him
          who he his.  They're all like that.
          Except maybe Mickey.

                         CORKY
          Mickey?

                         VIOLET
          He's the part of the business that
          the rest of them pretend to be.  But
          Mickey doesn't like it like they do.
          I suppose that's why he's good at it.

Violet stares at her glass, at the melting ice.

                         VIOLET
          I used to be able to block it out.
          I would tell myself that I wasn't
          really there so nothing really
          mattered.  But I can't do it anymore.

She downs the last of her drink.

                         VIOLET
          I've been making the same mistake
          Shelly made.  But now I know what I
          want.

She turns to Corky.

                         VIOLET
          I want out.  I want a new life.  I
          see what I've been waiting for, but
          I need you, Corky.

                         CORKY
          For what?

                         VIOLET
          You made a choice once.  Do you
          think you would make that same
          choice again?

                         CORKY
          What choice?

                         VIOLET
          If those quarters fell to the floor,
          would you still reach up to that
          cash register?

Corky stares at her, knowing where this is going.  She
glances around the crowded bar.

                         CORKY
          Not here.

We glide past a sign on a door that reads, "Women's Room".


INT.  WOMEN'S ROOM

We move over the top of the far stall and find Corky and
Violet.

                         VIOLET
          Ceasar is going to get the money and
          bring --

                         CORKY
          How much money?

                         VIOLET
          Shelly said it was over two million
          dollars.

Corky quietly swallows that pill.

                         VIOLET
          Ceasar will bring it to the
          apartment to count and go through
          Shelly's books to figure out how he
          did it.

                         CORKY
          Wait a minute.  Wait a minute.  Do
          you have any idea what you are
          saying?  You are asking me to help
          you fuck the mob.

Violet nods.

                         CORKY
          These people are serious, Violet.
          If you want to know how serious, ask
          Shelly.  They're worse than any cop
          because they have lots of money and
          no rules.  You fuck them, you've got
          to do it right.

                         VIOLET
          That's why I need your help.  You
          said you were good.

                         CORKY
          I am, but...

She knows Violet is challenging her.

                         CORKY
          All right, let's say for the moment
          that I believe everything you are
          saying.

                         VIOLET
          You think I'm lying?

                         CORKY
          I didn't say that, but since you
          did, let's say that you are.  It
          would have been easy to set Shelly
          up.  You could have got him killed
          knowing that Ceasar would bring the
          money to the apartment.

Violet stares, her face poker-blank.

                         CORKY
          All you would need to keep yourself
          clean would be someone unconnected,
          someone like me.

                         VIOLET
          Is that what you think?

                         CORKY
          I'm just making a point.  You have
          no idea what you're asking.  How
          much trust two people need to do
          something like this.

She moves closer to Violet.

                         CORKY
          For me, stealing is a lot like sex.
          Two people that want the same thing
          sit in a room and they talk, they
          start to plan and it's like
          flirting, a kind of foreplay,
          because the more they talk about it,
          the wetter they get.

She stops.

                         CORKY
          The difference is, I can have sex
          with someone I just met, someone I
          hardly know, but to steal I need to
          know someone like I know myself.

                         VIOLET
          Do you think you know me like that?

                         CORKY
          I think...

They are close enough to kiss.

                         CORKY
          We're going to find out.

Corky pulls back.

                         CORKY
          But first, I want to see this money.


INT.  CEASAR'S APARTMENT - NIGHT

Violet springs from the couch as the front door crashes
open, Ceasar charging in.  He is doubled over clutching
something to his stomach.

He rushes to the kitchen dumping a bloody bundle into the
double sink.  There is blood everywhere, smeared up and
down Ceasar's front.

                         VIOLET
          Oh my god...

Violet takes a step toward him unsure of what has
happened.

                         CEASAR
          Don't worry.  It ain't mine.

He pulls a bottle of whiskey and a glass from the
cupboard.

                         VIOLET
          Ceasar, what happened?

                         CEASAR
          It was unbelievable!  Un-fucking-
          believable!

He pours himself a shot belting it back.

                         CEASAR
          Goddamnit, look at this shirt!  It's
          ruined!

He begins unbuttoning the bloody shirt.

                         CEASAR
          It started when Shelly took us to
          the money.  I tell you, Mickey
          Malnati knows his shit, he does.
          Shelly takes us right there.

He throws down another shot.

                         CEASAR
          So Shelly's down on his knees and
          he's pulling out this bag of money
          from a safe in the floor and I'm
          staring at it like "holy fuck!" I
          mean look at it --

He tears open the bloody bag, wet money bricks spilling
out.

                         CEASAR
          And all I can think is how the fuck
          did he do this when -- Bang!
          Johnnie caps him.  Blood sprays
          everywhere, all over the money.
          We've no idea if this is even all
          of it.

Ceasar is exasperated.

                         CEASAR
          And right then I go through the roof
          and -- Boom!  I belt the dumb fuck
          as hard as I can.  I didn't care
          who's son he was I just wanted to
          hit him again.  Knock some sense
          into that dumb son of a bitch.

He looks at the pile of bloody money.

                         CEASAR
          Just look at this mess I got to deal
          with.

                         VIOLET
          What are you going to do with it?

                         CEASAR
          I told them to run it through the
          cycles.  But I guess Gino has plans
          for it because he's coming here
          tomorrow night to pick this shit up.

Searching through a sink cabinet, he can't find what he
needs.

                         CEASAR
          Where the hell's the laundry
          detergent?

                         VIOLET
          Ummm... in the linen closet.

Ceasar walks down the ball to the bathroom.  Violet's eyes
do not move from the pile of money.

Corky seems to come from nowhere.  She whispers.

                         CORKY
          Come to my place in the morning.
          Early, okay?

Violet nods.


INT.  CLOSET

Corky's hands twitch, and then flex against the ropes that
bind them.

A reflex echoes through her body, muscles spasm and limbs
jerk against their bonds.

As if in a dream, she struggles trying to get free,
fighting toward the edge of consciousness until --

She seems to succumb, slipping back into stillness.

We move toward her face, her closed eyes as we again hear
the voices in her head.

                         VIOLET (V.O.)
          You're having second thoughts.


INT.  CORKY'S APARTMENT - DAY

Violet is on the bed, Corky at the window.

                         CORKY
          ... no.

She turns to Violet.

                         CORKY
          You said he washed the money?

                         VIOLET
          Yeah.

                         CORKY
          Then what?  Exactly.

                         VIOLET
          He hung it up.

                         CORKY
          What?

                         VIOLET
          To let it dry.

She begins to focus on the memory.

                         VIOLET
          It was unreal...

Moving in on her face.

                                            MATCH CUT TO:

Benjamin Franklin's face on a hundred dollar bill.


INT.  CEASAR'S APARTMENT

Franklin's face rotates as we pull back seeing rows of
bills carefully paper-clipped to lines of string.

                         VIOLET (V.O.)
          Hundreds, paper-clipped everywhere
          like leaves.

Eyes filled with green, Violet turns inside the laundry
lines of money until she sees Ceasar.

Wearing his undershirt, he is across the room standing at
the ironing board, ironing every single bill.

He seems to have one eye on her, one eye on his work.

                         VIOLET (V.O.)
          Then one by one, he ironed all of
          it.

He sprays starch across several bills and presses the
steaming iron to them.

                         CORKY (V.O.)
          Did he sleep?


INT.  BEDROOM - NIGHT

Violet is in bed, unable to sleep, listening to the
machine-shuffle of Ceasar's bill counter.

                         VIOLET (V.O.)
          No.  But neither did I.

We move past her, floating toward the wall.

                         VIOLET (V.O.)
          All night long I listened to that
          sound.


INT.  OFFICE

We drift across Ceasar's desk, past bricks of bound bills
as Ceasar folds the paper tape around another stack.

                         CORKY (V.O.)
          What sound?

He hits the counter again and we hear the sound, now very
loud as hundreds blur by, fluttering beneath us.

                         VIOLET (V.O.)
          The sound of money.

The sound rolls into thunder --


INT.  CORKY'S APARTMENT

That seems to shake the apartment.

                         CORKY
          And where is it now?

                         VIOLET
          In his office.  I saw it this
          morning.


INT.  OFFICE

Violet cautiously enters the office with a cup of coffee.

Working furiously at the computer, Ceasar jumps when he
sees her, bloodshot eyes animal wide.

He checks his watch as she sets the coffee in front of
him.

                         VIOLET
          I need to go to the store.

He nods automatically, back in his work, as she sees the
briefcase filled with perfect rows of hundreds.

                         VIOLET (V.O.)
          It's in a case, on his desk.

                         CORKY (V.O.)
          Does the case lock?

We see the open top with its silver flip-over locks.


INT.  CORKY'S APARTMENT

Violet is trying to remember.

                         VIOLET
          Yes.

                         CORKY
          Good.

Corky begins to pace, ordering the information in her
head.

                         CORKY
          All right, now, tell me about
          Johnnie.

                         VIOLET
          Johnnie?

                         CORKY
          It sounded like he and Ceasar don't
          like each other.

                         VIOLET
          Like each other?  They hate each
          other.

                         CORKY
          Why?

                         VIOLET
          It started way before I was around.
          I think basically it's because he
          thinks Johnnie is a complete idiot.
          But Johnnie runs Chicago because
          Gino is his father.

                         CORKY
          Who is Gino?

Violet suddenly feels that she has made a mistake.

                         VIOLET
          Gino Marconi.

                         CORKY
          Marconi?  As in Angelo Marconi, head
          of the Marconi family?

                         VIOLET
          That's his brother.

                         CORKY
          ... shit.

Corky covers her mouth.

                         CORKY
          Gino Marconi is coming tonight to
          pick up the money?

                         VIOLET
          Yeah.

                         CORKY
          And Johnnie is his son, that's
          Johnnie Marconi?

                         VIOLET
          Yeah.

                         CORKY
          Sweet Jesus.

Eyes wide, she paces, pulling at her lip, mumbling.

Suddenly she freezes as it clicks into place.  She looks
at Violet.

                         CORKY
          It's perfect.

She's pacing again.

                         CORKY
          Gino Marconi is coming to your
          apartment.  It's a big deal, isn't
          it?  That means Ceasar will be
          ready.  He doesn't want to look like
          an idiot.  Gino has been there
          before?

                         VIOLET
          Yeah, twice.

                         CORKY
          What happened?

                         VIOLET
          Not much, really.  Ceasar was
          nervous, kept cleaning the
          apartment.  The first time, he
          picked out the dress he wanted me
          to wear.

Something occurs to Corky.

                         CORKY
          Does Johnnie hit on you?

                         VIOLET
          Johnnie hits on anything in high
          heels.

                         CORKY
          Has Ceasar ever seen him?

                         VIOLET
          He does it right in front of him.

                         CORKY
          It's getting better and better.
          Keep going.

                         VIOLET
          Gino doesn't know English, or at
          least he pretends he doesn't, so he
          doesn't talk much.  He gets right to
          the point.  Both times they talked
          for about five minutes, had one
          drink and then they left.

                         CORKY
          What did Gino drink?

                         VIOLET
          Scotch, Glenlivett.  I remember that
          Ceasar made a huge deal about it.

Corky smiles, the wheels rolling.

                         CORKY
          All right...

She turns from the window and gets onto the bed.

                         CORKY
          I have an idea to make this work.


INT.  CEASAR'S APARTMENT

Violet is getting dressed, lining her lips with lip-
pencil.

                         CORKY (V.O.)
          You'll go back and get ready, take
          your time, make it real.

As she works on her face we see the room behind her and
the discarded dresses scattered about.

                         CORKY (V.O.)
          The more attractive you are, the
          more believable it will be.


INT.  CORKY'S APARTMENT

Corky breaks her thought-train.

                         CORKY
          What time did you say they would be
          there?

                         VIOLET
          The plane is in at 7:00, so I'd say
          about 8:00.

                         CORKY
          Any bodyguards?

                         VIOLET
          Gino travels with a big man named
          Roy.  Ceasar calls him the driver.

                         CORKY
          Fine.


INT.  OFFICE

Ceasar again checks his watch.

                         CORKY (V.O.)
          At some point Ceasar is going to
          quit.  I'd guess sometime around
          six, making sure he's got time to
          get ready.

The watch reads 6:10.  Ceasar rubs his eyes, his temples.


INT.  LIVING ROOM

Violet is at the bar in a sexy dress and high heels.

                         CEASAR
          Un-fucking-believable, what this guy
          did.  Shelly is one smart-ass
          mutherfucker, I mean, he was one
          smart-ass mutherfucker.

He laughs as Violet smiles handing him an enormous drink.

                         CORKY (V.O.)
          As soon as he is done, you'll be
          right there to put a big drink in
          his hand.

He takes the drink.

                         CORKY (V.O.)
          We want him to come down, to relax,
          feel in control again.

                         VIOLET
          Poor boy, has to work so hard.

She gives him a woman's sympathy pout, he knows what it
is, loves it anyway.

Smiling, he slides his hand down over her ass.

                         CEASAR
          You look good enough to eat.

She smiles and waits for the kiss she knows is coming.


INT.  CORKY'S APARTMENT

Both women are starting to feel it, to believe it.

                         VIOLET
          Where will you be?

                         CORKY
          Waiting in the apartment next door.


INT.  EMPTY APARTMENT

Corky sits on the floor of the dark apartment.  She has
taken off her boots which are beside her.

                         VIOLET (V.O.)
          Waiting for what?

Through the wall we can hear the shower.

                         CORKY (V.O.)
          For the shower.  That will be our
          signal.

Corky opens a thin box filled with needle-thin lock picks.

She selects several and slips them into her multi-pierced
ears like earrings.

                         CORKY (V.O.)
          When he's done with his shower, you
          will go to the bar.


INT.  BATHROOM

In slow motion Ceasar drops the shower plunger and water
chokes from the faucet.


INT.  LIVING ROOM - NIGHT

Behind the bar, Violet pulls out the bottle of Glenlivett.

                         CORKY (V.O.)
          You'll get out the scotch that Gino
          drinks.

She steps out from the bar, her eyes on the bedroom
when the bottle slips from her hands.

We watch it slowly fall --

                         CORKY (V.O.)
          And as you do, the bottle will slip
          from your hands.

And shatter against the hardwood floor.

                         CORKY (V.O.)
          An accident.

                         VIOLET
          Shit!  Oh shit!

Ceasar yells from the bathroom.

                         CEASAR (V.O.)
          What happened?!


INT.  EMPTY APARTMENT

Hearing Ceasar, Corky gets up, moving quietly toward the
door.

                         CEASAR (V.O.)
          V!  What the fuck was it?!  Violet?


INT LIVING ROOM

Ceasar enters, a towel wrapped around him, hair still
dripping.

                         CEASAR,
          V, what?  You can't hear me?

Violet looks terribly upset as she begins to clean up.

                         VIOLET
          Ceasar, it slipped... I was trying
          to get ready...

Ceasar realizing what happened.

                         CEASAR
          Oh fucking Christ... You gotta be
          kidding me!

He rushes at her.

                         CEASAR
          Fuck!  Fuck!  How did you... Awwww
          goddamnit!

                         VIOLET
          I'm sorry.  It was an accident.

She stands up.

                         VIOLET
          Don't worry, I'll get some more.

                         CEASAR
          There's no time.

                         VIOLET
          Don't be silly, Ceasar.  It'll take
          five minutes.

She turns him back toward the bedroom.

                         VIOLET
          I'll clean this up and be back
          before you're even dressed.


INT.  HALL

Violet opens her door, stepping into the hall where Corky
is waiting.

                         CORKY (V.O.)
          When you open the door, I'll be
          there.

They pass each other in silence, Violet stepping out as
Corky slips in.

                         VIOLET (V.O.)
          What if he sees you?

                         CORKY (V.O.)
          He won't.


INT.  BATHROOM

Ceasar finishes shaving, washing his face clean.  His big
drink is almost empty.  In his reflection, he begins
examining his scars.

Through the open door we see Corky moving almost casually
across the living room.


INT.  CORKY'S APARTMENT

Corky is looking for something.

                         VIOLET
          You can't know for certain that he
          won't see you.

                         CORKY
          Trust me, Violet.

She finds a black duffel bag from one of her tool buckets.

                         VIOLET
          I'm just asking, what if?

                         CORKY
          If, he does...

She opens a dresser and unwraps a gun.

                         CORKY
          Then I won't have a choice, will I?

She tosses the gun on the bed.


INT.  OFFICE

The black case is lying on the desk, locked shut.  Corky
moves around the desk, dropping down behind it.

                         CORKY (V.O.)
          When I'm inside, I will get the
          money.

From her ear-lobe she chooses the right pick, sliding out
the silver tool.

It takes only a second and the first lock pops open.

She is working on the other lock when the door is pushed
open and Ceasar walks in.

Corky drops down, grasping for her gun --

As Ceasar, wearing only underwear, enters.  He looks
around finding his cigarettes on the coffee table.

The gun ready, Corky waits pressed against the desk until
he leaves.

She lets her breath out, then pops the second lock, unzips
the black duffel bag and quickly empties the case filling
the bag with fat money bricks.

                         CORKY (V.O.)
          I'm going to need something...

Finished, she zips up the bag and looks about.

                         CORKY (V.O.)
          To fill the case.

                         VIOLET (V.O.)
          Like paper?

She sees several reams of blank paper hidden near the
desk.

                         CORKY (V.O.)
          Yeah, you should hide it near the
          desk before you leave.

She fills the case, then closes it.

                         CORKY (V.O.)
          At that point --

She thumbs the locks shut and they snap, unnaturally loud,
into place.


INT.  CORKY'S APARTMENT

They are both on the bed.

                         CORKY
          There is no going back.

                         VIOLET
          When I get the scotch how do I know
          you won't take off?

                         CORKY
          The same way I'll know that you went
          to scotch.  Trust.

Their faces are close, eyes still trying to read each
other.

                         VIOLET
          I still don't see how I'm going to
          get clean with the money in the
          apartment.  Everyone will think I
          did it.

                         CORKY
          Not Ceasar.

                         VIOLET
          Why?

                         CORKY
          Because of what you are going to
          tell him.  You have to make it as
          real as you can.  The moment you
          open the door with the scotch in
          your hand, you will be covered and
          that moment is the most important
          moment in the plan.


INT.  CEASAR'S APARTMENT

The door bursts open.  Violet enters quickly carrying a
bottle in a thin brown bag.

                         CORKY (V.O.)
          If it's real enough, he'll believe
          it because deep down he'll want to.

                         VIOLET
          C!  Shit, I'm sorry!

Ceasar wanders out, tightening his tie.  She looks at her
watch.

                         VIOLET
          They were early.

                         CEASAR
          What are you talking about?

                         VIOLET
          They just left, didn't they?

                         CEASAR
          What are you, drunk?

He smiles, grabbing the bottle from her.

                         VIOLET
          You mean they weren't up here?

                         CEASAR
          No!  They're still on their way.

                         VIOLET
          That doesn't make any sense.

                         CEASAR
          Why?

                         VIOLET
          Because I just saw Johnnie
          downstairs.

Ceasar turns.

                         CEASAR
          What?

                         VIOLET
          I was getting out of the car when I
          saw him in the Mercedes.

                         CEASAR
          It couldn't have been.

                         VIOLET
          It was him.  I'm positive.

                         CEASAR
          It's impossible!

                         VIOLET
          Ceasar, I know Johnnie.  It was him.
          I screamed when I saw him.  I
          couldn't believe I missed them.  I
          knew you were going to be upset so I
          thought I'd apologize and give Gino
          the scotch.  I honked a couple of
          times but he didn't stop.

She watches him, her words caving in around him.

                         CEASAR
          But Gino's plane doesn't get in for
          another half-hour.

Violet thinks.

                         VIOLET
          Actually, I didn't see Gino in the
          car.

His eyes dart.  His forehead beads with sweat.  He turns
toward the office.


INT.  CORKY'S APARTMENT

Violet is staring at Corky's mouth.

                         CORKY
          If Ceasar hates Johnnie like you
          say, then the second he opens the
          case he'll know, in his gut, that
          Johnnie just fucked him.  He'll
          realize that he has no choice.  He
          can't touch Gino or Johnnie. There's
          only one way out.

She pauses.

                         CORKY
          He'll have to run.

                         VIOLET
          If he runs, everyone will assume he
          took the money.

                         CORKY
          You'll be clean and we'll be rich.


INT.  OFFICE

Ceasar stands over the desk, afraid to open the case.


INT.  CORKY'S APARTMENT

                         VIOLET
          Jesus, that's beautiful.

                         CORKY
          Thank you.

                         VIOLET
          If you're this goddamn smart, how
          did you ever get caught?

                         CORKY
          Every job like this has moments
          where things don't go so well and
          everyone starts thinking about their
          own ass.  It's in those moments that
          everything comes together or falls
          apart.

She looks dead at Violet.

                         CORKY
          I had a partner and she fucked me.

                         VIOLET
          I won't.

                         CORKY
          I think we're going to find out.


INT.  OFFICE

The key turns and the locks pop.  When Ceasar sees the
blank paper, the whole world begins to spin.

                         VIOLET
          Ceasar?

His chest collapses onto itself while his hands ball into
fists.

                         CEASAR
          No no no no...

She moves around the side of the desk and sees the
newspaper.

                         VIOLET
          Oh god...

He slams the case shut, his head hanging down.

After a moment he looks at her, like a little boy about to
cry.

                         CEASAR
          V... I've been set up.

He seems ready to scream but can't say anything.

                         VIOLET
          Johnnie?

The name is like water hitting hot oil.

                         CEASAR
          That fuck!  That rat-fuck!  Little
          shit rat-fuck!

He starts punching the desk, each blow harder then the
last.


INT.  EMPTY APARTMENT

Corky can hear him pounding.  She looks down and smiles.
Between her legs is the open bag stuffed with money.


INT.  CEASAR'S APARTMENT

Ceasar is choking on his own rage.

                         VIOLET
          Why?  Why would Johnnie do this?

                         CEASAR
          Jesus Christ Violet!  Open your
          fucking eyes!  Johnnie hates me like
          I hate him!

He starts to pound his fists against his own head.

                         CEASAR
          I hate that little fuck!  I hate
          him!  I hate him!  I should've done
          him!

                         VIOLET
          But you know he did it?

                         CEASAR
          So what?!  So fucking what?  Use
          your head Violet.  The money is
          gone.  Gino is coming here to get
          it.  You think he's going to believe
          me if I tell him his piss-hole son
          stole it!  Is that what you think?
          I don't.  You know what I think?  I
          think I'm a dead man.  I'm one in
          the brain.  That's what I think!

                         VIOLET
          Ceasar, what are we going to do?

He grabs hold of his chair using it to support himself

                         CEASAR
          I know what he wants me to do.  He
          wants me out of here.  He wants me
          to run.

She watches him, his body rocking against the chair.

                         CEASAR
          If I run, then everyone will think I
          took the money and he walks away
          with two million clean.

The words squeeze out like tears.

                         CEASAR
          God, I can see him right now driving
          to get Gino.  I can hear him
          laughing, fucking laughing, laughing
          at me.

He swings the swivel chair over his head and smashes it
down on the desk.  Again and again.

                         CEASAR
          Laughing at me!  Laughing at me!

The chair falls and he stands alone, covering his face to
hide his tears.

                         VIOLET
          C...

She goes to hold him.

                         CEASAR
          Don't touch me!

He backs into the corner of the room.

                         CEASAR
          Just leave me alone!  I got to
          think!

Violet watches him trying to wipe the tears and sweat from
his face.

                         CEASAR
          Got to think this through...

                         VIOLET
          Ceasar, maybe we should run --

                         CEASAR
          Violet please!

                         VIOLET
          I mean it Ceasar, forget Johnnie,
          forget the money, let's just go now,
          before it's too late --

                         CEASAR
          Goddamnit Violet!  Would you just
          leave me the fuck alone!  Please!
          Leave!  Now!

                         VIOLET
          All right, Ceasar.


INT.  BEDROOM

Violet enters, closing the door quietly behind her.  She
looks at the wall, then goes to the bed and picks up the
phone.

As she dials we move along the phone cord, following it
down to the jack in the wall.


INT.  EMPTY APARTMENT

We move out from another jack, following a different cord.

Corky is sitting with her back to the wall.  The black
phone beside her barely rings once before she answers.

She waits, saying nothing.

                         VIOLET (V.O.)
          It's me.

                         CORKY
          What happened?


INT.  BEDROOM

Violet whispers, her hand cupped over the mouth piece.

                         VIOLET
          He totally freaked.  I've never seen
          him like this.  He's out of his
          fucking mind.

                         CORKY (V.O.)
          That's okay, as long as he believes
          it was Johnnie.

                         VIOLET
          Believes it!  Jesus, it's driving
          him crazy.  He wants to kill him.  I
          don't know, Corky, I don't know what
          he is going to do.  I'm getting
          nervous, really nervous.


INT.  EMPTY APARTMENT

                         CORKY
          It's all right, Violet.  It's
          working.  All we got to do is wait
          him out and see what he does.

                         VIOLET (V.O.)
          What if he doesn't run?

                         CORKY
          That means he probably will kill
          Johnnie.

                         VIOLET (V.O.)
          Oh, Christ, I got to get out of
          here!

                         CORKY
          Listen, if he doesn't run, all you
          have to do is break down, go to your
          bedroom and pack some things, start
          crying, saying you love him but you
          can't do it.  You're sorry but you
          have to leave and just walk out.


INT.  BEDROOM

                         VIOLET
          Okay, all right.

                         CORKY (V.O.)
          We're almost there, Violet.  Just
          hang on.

Violet hears him.

                         VIOLET
          He's coming...

She hangs up quickly just as Ceasar bursts in.

                         CEASAR
          I got it!  I know what I got to do!
          I got to get the money.

                         VIOLET
          The money?  The money's gone.

                         CEASAR
          No.  Johnnie's got it.  All I got to
          do is get it back.

                         VIOLET
          But it could be anywhere.

                         CEASAR
          He didn't have that much time.  He
          had to pick up Gino.  I bet you he's
          got it with him.  I bet it's in the
          car.


INT.  EMPTY APARTMENT

Corky presses against the wall, trying to hear.


INT.  CEASAR'S APARTMENT

Ceasar is pacing.

                         CEASAR
          See, right now he doesn't know that
          I know, that's why he put the paper
          in the case.  He wants me to hand
          the case to Gino.  Then there is no
          doubt it was me.  Gino will put a
          bullet in me himself.  But it ain't
          going to happen.  I won't let it!
          Johnnie ain't going to fuck me!  Not
          like this!  No way!

                         VIOLET
          This is insane!

She throws open her closet.

                         CEASAR
          What are you doing?

She grabs a suitcase from under the bed.

                         VIOLET
          I'm leaving!  This is crazy!  I
          don't want to be involved.  I don't
          want anything to do with this shit!

She starts yanking the dresses from the closet.

                         CEASAR
          You can't leave.

                         VIOLET
          The hell I can't!

                         CEASAR
          I need you...

                         VIOLET
          Bullshit!  You don't need me!
          You've never needed me!  I can't
          help you!  Understand?!  I have to
          get out.

                         CEASAR
          Violet, I won't let you leave.

She turns and sees that he is holding a gun.

                         CEASAR
          If you're not with me, Violet, then
          I have to assume you're against me.

                         VIOLET
          Ceasar, this is crazy.

                         CEASAR
          Maybe it is, maybe it isn't.  Maybe
          you dropped the scotch by accident.
          Maybe you didn't.

Now it is her turn to feel the world spin.

                         CEASAR
          It would have been so easy to let
          him in as you went out.

                         VIOLET
          You don't, you can't believe that...

                         CEASAR
          I've seen the way he looks at you.
          He's always wanted you.  Maybe two
          million dollars finally bought you.

She slaps him hard.  He stares at her.

                         CEASAR
          I'm sorry, Violet, but it has to be
          this way.

He moves past her, picks up the dresses and returns them
to the closet.

                         CEASAR
          I hope you understand.  I want to
          trust you, I want to believe you,
          but I don't have any other choice.

He shuts the closet.


INT.  LIVING ROOM

Ceasar is at the bar, drinking the scotch.  The gun in
front of him.  Across the room, Violet sits staring holes
through him.

They wait in silence.

                         CEASAR
          You sure you don't want a drink?

Violet says nothing.


INT.  EMPTY APARTMENT

In the dark, Corky sits, her face, her posture very
similar to Violet's.

She is concentrating, her mind somewhere else when the
door buzzer sounds.

She turns her head and hears Ceasar faintly answering the
intercom.

Corky stands just as --


INT.  CEASAR'S APARTMENT

Violet stands.

Ceasar faces her for a moment, then shoves the gun into
his belt behind his back.


INT.  EMPTY APARTMENT

Corky watches through the door peep as three men pass by.


INT.  CEASAR'S APARTMENT

There is a knock and Ceasar opens the door.

Gino Marconi is an old Italian whose face is a mask of
irritated indifference.

Roy, his enormous driver, is behind him.

Ceasar smiles, greeting them in Italian with open arms.

Johnnie is the last inside.  He has tape over his broken
nose.  He smiles and hugs Ceasar.

                         JOHNNIE
          You shouldn't have hit me.

                         CEASAR
          You want to get into this now?

                         JOHNNIE
          No, no Ceasar.  Not now.

He smiles again patting him on the shoulder, then
throwing a fake punch.

Ceasar sees Gino with his bright Italian smile, flattering
Violet, kissing her.

                         GINO
          Hey, Ceasar!  You take care of this
          girl, or I find out!

                         JOHNNIE
          You are as radiant as ever, Violet.

As he bends to kiss her hand, she sees Ceasar watching
them.

                         CEASAR
          Glenlivett, right Gino?

                         JOHNNIE
          I'll have whatever Violet's
          drinking.

                         VIOLET
          I'm not drinking.

                         JOHNNIE
          Then neither will I.

This makes Violet very uncomfortable.

                         VIOLET
          No, I'll have a Tanqueray and tonic.

                         JOHNNIE
          Ceasar, make that two TNTs.

Ceasar's hand shakes as he pours Gino's scotch.


INT.  EMPTY APARTMENT

Pacing in her socks, Corky tries to think through several
possible situations.  She stops, staring at the bag of
money.

The idea of it sitting out in the open suddenly bothers
her.


INT.  CEASAR'S APARTMENT

Ceasar hands Violet and Johnnie a drink.  He stares at
her.  She stares back.

                         JOHNNIE
          Salud, eh.  Roy, Violet, Pop,
          Ceasar.

Ceasar watches Johnnie, suspecting everything he does.

Johnnie reaches into his pocket and takes out a cellular
phone.

                         GINO
          No, Johnnie.  No goddamned phones.
          Not now.

                         JOHNNIE
          Pop?

                         GINO
          Ceasar, come here.  Sit.  We talk
          now.  You too, Johnnie.

Each man sits on either side of Gino.

                         GINO
          Ceasar, look at me.  Johnnie tell me
          what happened.  Ceasar, you gotta do
          me a favor, a personal favor.  For
          me, eh?  You gotta start respecting
          Johnnie the way you respect me.  You
          understand?  Good.

Ceasar sees Johnnie smiling at him, but when Gino turns,
the smile disappears.

                         GINO
          And you, Johnnie.  You gonna stop
          acting stupid.  You gotta earn this
          respect that Ceasar's gonna give.
          You understand?  Good.  Done.  Now,
          where's our money?


INT.  EMPTY APARTMENT

Corky drops a hefty bag, knotted tight, into an open five-
gallon bucket of paint.

Pushing it under with a paint stick, the bag disappears,
enveloped by the milk-white liquid.


INT.  CEASAR'S APARTMENT

Ceasar puts the briefcase onto the coffee table.

Gino looks up at Ceasar, very serious, with his hand on
the case.

                         GINO
          We know how this was done, eh?

                         CEASAR
          Yeah, I know.

He looks dead at Johnnie.

                         GINO
          It won't happen again, eh?

Ceasar shakes his head.

                         GINO
          Good.

Gino throws down the last of the scotch.

                         GINO
          Done.  We go now.

                         JOHNNIE
          Jesus Christ, Pop.  You got two
          hours until your plane leaves.

Gino checks his watch, shouting in Italian.  Johnnie
shouts back until Gino throws up his hands refusing to
listen.

                         GINO
          Ceasar!

He gestures to his empty glass, then folds his arms
leaning back.  Ceasar gets the bottle.

                         JOHNNIE
          So Ceasar, what did it total out at?

                         CEASAR
          Two point, one seventy-six.

Johnnie whistles as Ceasar pours Gino another scotch.

                         JOHNNIE
          Unbelievable.  Can you believe that,
          Violet?

                         GINO
          Hey, Johnnie...

In Italian tells him to shut up.

                         JOHNNIE
          Come on Pop, all I want to know is
          one thing.  Just one thing after he
          made such a big deal out of it.  I
          bet it wasn't a big deal.  Was it
          Ceasar?

                         CEASAR
          What's that Johnnie?

                         JOHNNIE
          The money.  I bet it was nothing to
          get it clean, after you made such a
          fucking big deal...

                         GINO
          Johnnie, what did I say?

                         JOHNNIE
          Pop, this is important to me.  It's
          a simple question.  If he would just
          answer the question, that's the end
          of it.

                         CEASAR
          Where is this going Johnnie?

                         JOHNNIE
          Just admit it Ceasar.

                         CEASAR
          Admit what?

                         JOHNNIE
          That you over-reacted.  That you
          lost it.  Not me.  It was your
          mistake.

Ceasar sees it so clearly now.

                         CEASAR
          All right Johnnie, you want to play
          it this way, I can play it this way.
          You want to know who made a mistake,
          why don't you open the case.

                         VIOLET
          Ceasar...

                         CEASAR
          Shut up, Violet!  This is between me
          and Johnnie.

He pushes the case toward him.

                         CEASAR
          You want to do this now, let's do
          it.  Open the case.  Open the
          fucking case.

Johnnie stares at him, feeling that something is very
wrong.

                         CEASAR
          That's right, I know.  I fucking
          know.

                         JOHNNIE
          Know what?

                         CEASAR
          Open the case!

                         JOHNNIE
          All right!  Where's the key?

                         CEASAR
          You don't need a key.

He tries but it's locked.

                         JOHNNIE
          How the fuck can I open it?

                         CEASAR
          The same way you did before.

                         JOHNNIE
          What are you talking about?

Ceasar smiles and tosses the key onto the table.

                         CEASAR
          There you go, Johnnie.

He reaches for the key.  Ceasar stands up and gives Violet
his drink.

                         CEASAR
          Get me another.

He can see the fear on her face as she goes to the bar.

Time drips.

The key turns.  One lock pops.

Then the other.

The case opens like a scream and Johnnie sees the blank
paper.

                         JOHNNIE
          What the...

Before anybody can move, Ceasar whips around with his gun.

Roy jumps off his stool, his drink crashing to the floor.

                         CEASAR
          Don't!  Don't fucking move!

Nobody can believe what is happening.

                         GINO
          Ceasar?  What is this?

                         CEASAR
          Ask Johnnie!  Ask your rat-fuck son!

                         JOHNNIE
          What the fuck?

Ceasar levels the gun.

                         CEASAR
          You don't think I'll do it, do you?

                         JOHNNIE
          I think you're fucking crazy!

                         CEASAR
          Where is it?

                         JOHNNIE
          Where's what?

                         CEASAR
          The money!

                         JOHNNIE
          Ceasar, I don't know what you're
          thinking here, but if you don't put
          down that gun --

He stands up.

                         CEASAR
          Sit down!

He does.

                         GINO
          Ceasar!

                         CEASAR
          Gino, your son stole this money to
          set me up and I can prove it.
          Violet!

She doesn't know what to say.

                         CEASAR
          Tell them!  Tell them!

                         VIOLET
          For Christ's sake, Johnnie, do what
          he says.

                         JOHNNIE
          This isn't happening...

Boom!  Ceasar blows a hole in the couch right between
Johnnie's legs.  Johnnie screams.

                         CEASAR
          The next one blows off your dick.

                         JOHNNIE
          You're a dead man!  A fucking dead
          man!

                         CEASAR
          Where is it?

                         GINO
          Enough!

Gino jumps up.

                         CEASAR
          No Gino!

                         GINO
          You aim a gun at me?!  Do you know
          who I am?!  I am Gino Marconi.  You
          understand?

He starts walking toward Ceasar.  Roy moves around for a
good angle.

                         CEASAR
          Sit down Gino!

                         GINO
          No, Ceasar, gimme the gun.

                         CEASAR
          Stay away!

He backs up as Gino walks straight to him.

                         GINO
          We're family, Ceasar.

                         CEASAR
          No!

                         GINO
          Gimme the gun.

                         CEASAR
          I can't.  I can't.

                         GINO
          Give it to me.

He reaches up and takes hold of the barrel.  Ceasar looks
resigned as he shuts his eyes.

                         GINO
          Good man.

Close on Gino's hand holding the gun barrel as --

Ceasar fires.

From behind the gun we watch Gino's grip yanked free, time
melting away as he falls, blood bubbling from his chest,
his eyes wide in disbelief.

His body hits the floor and the room erupts.

Roy dives, drawing his gun as Ceasar continues to fire,
pumping the trigger.

Violet drops behind the bar as Johnnie screams, falling
toward his father.

Blood spurts from Roy as two bullets hit, gun clattering
and sliding across the floor.

Johnnie lunges at Ceasar as Ceasar turns and fires,
hitting Johnnie everywhere; blood and meat spray and
speckle everything around him.


INT.  EMPTY APARTMENT

The gun continues to fire as Corky clutches the phone
whispering.

                         CORKY
          This is an emergency!


INT.  CEASAR'S APARTMENT

Crunched down behind the bar, Violet listens to the only
sound, repeating in the unnatural quiet:

Click.  Click.

Click.

Rising, she peers over the edge of the bar.

Ceasar is standing in the aftermath.  His gun is still
aimed at Johnnie as he pulls the trigger over and over.

The bodies are still, blood silently pooling around them.

Blinking the sweat from his eyes, Ceasar sees Violet.

                         CEASAR
          I had to do it, Violet.  You saw it.
          I had no choice.  It was Johnnie.
          That lying fuck.  He made me do it.

He looks down at Johnnie, hate rising like bile.

                         CEASAR
          You lying rat-fuck.  You think you
          can set me up?  Is that what you
          think?  You stupid fuck.

Kicking the body, be causes a series of sickening wet
noises.

                         CEASAR
          I'm a dead man?  I'm a dead man?
          Guess again, fuckface.  Who's dead?
          Who's the dead lying rat-fuck?  Take
          another guess, take another fucking
          guess!

He stops, panting, unable to catch his breath.  Violet is
afraid to even look at him.

Blood creeps along the edge of the floorboards.

Ceasar tries to clear his head, mopping the sweat from his
face.  He bends down and starts searching Johnnie's
pockets.

He finds his keys.

                         VIOLET
          What are you doing?

Lost in thought, he goes to Gino.  Throwing open the coat,
he sees the airplane ticket.

He checks the times and then his watch.

                         CEASAR
          ... maybe three hours.

                         VIOLET
          Ceasar, what are you going to do?

                         CEASAR
          What do you think we're going to do?
          We have to find the money.

                         VIOLET
          What?

                         CEASAR
          Once we have the money then none of
          this ever happened.

                         VIOLET
          Ceasar you just killed Gino Marconi.

                         CEASAR
          No I didn't.  Not if his body
          disappears and not if the money is
          still here.  Then they never showed
          up.

                         VIOLET
          What happened to them?

                         CEASAR
          I don't know.  We may never know,
          but I'm going to guess it was a job,
          maybe the Karpola family.

He smiles.

                         CEASAR
          All part of the business.

He picks up Roy's gun and stuffs it in his belt.

                         CEASAR
          We just got to find the money.  Once
          we do everything is going to be all
          right.

In the distance the wail of a police siren can be heard.

Through the window they see a squad car, lights blaring,
roll up in front of the building.

                         VIOLET
          Oh, no.

He turns back to the carnage.

                         CEASAR
          Fuck.

                         VIOLET
          Ceasar, what are we going to do?

                         CEASAR
          They're just cops.  Stall them as
          long as you can.

Ceasar flies into action.

Hauling Roy's body up over his shoulder, he hurries to the
bathroom and drops the body into the tub.


INT.  EMPTY APARTMENT

Standing near the bathroom, Corky hears the metal echo of
the tub.  Looking at her tub she imagines what he is
doing.

Through the wall, she hears the door buzzer.


INT.  CEASAR'S APARTMENT

The buzzer sounds again as Violet sees him lift Gino's
body.

                         CEASAR
          Answer it!

He rushes back to the bathroom, dropping Gino onto the
other two.

The three bloody bodies fill the tub.

We see Johnnie's arm hanging over the edge as Ceasar snaps
the shower curtain around, hiding them.

                         VIOLET
          Hello?

                         COP #1 (V.O.)
          This is the police, ma'am.

She cuts them off using the intercom.

                         VIOLET
          The police?

Over her shoulder she sees Ceasar shoving the furniture,
clearing the area around the heavy blood stains.

                         COP #1 (V.O.)
          We had a report of gunfire, so if
          you could --

                         VIOLET
          Gunfire?  Is this a joke?

Violet sees Ceasar hurry to his office.

                         COP #1 (V.O.)
          No joke, ma'am.  Please open the
          door.

                         VIOLET
          How do I know you are cops?


INT.  OFFICE

Ceasar seizes the beautiful oriental rug and yanks it up,
overturning furniture, dragging it out, he slams the door.


INT.  LIVING ROOM

Violet looks at Ceasar, who is working with the calm,
single-minded focus of a machine.

                         COP #1 (V.O.)
          Ma'am, you have to open the door.

                         VIOLET
          All right.

She buzzes them in, as Ceasar throws the rug like someone
making a bed, letting it fall and cover most of the blood.


INT.  HALL

The cops are waiting for the elevator.  After a moment,
the door slides open.


INT.  CEASAR'S APARTMENT

Violet moves away from the intercom as Ceasar begins
arranging the furniture on the rug.

                         CEASAR
          Get me a wet towel.

His words push her to the bathroom.


INT.  BATHROOM

Stuffing a towel into the sink, she turns on the water.
She does not even look at the shower curtain.


INT.  HALL

The elevator opens and the cops step out.


INT.  CEASAR'S APARTMENT

Ceasar grabs the television remote, hits "on" and jacks
the volume until it is obviously loud.

Violet returns and he snatches the towel from her.


INT.  HALL

As the two cops walk down the hall, they hear the
television.  They look at each other already knowing what
happened.


INT.  CEASAR'S APARTMENT

Like a maniac, Ceasar wipes at any blood still visible
until there is a knock on the door.  He grabs Violet by
the arm.

                         CEASAR
          If you're thinking about doing
          something stupid, remember I just
          killed Gino Marconi.  You
          understand what that means?

She nods.

                         VIOLET
          They're just cops.

There is another knock, much louder.

Violet goes to the door as Ceasar rips off his blood
soaked jacket and shirt.

He drops down behind the bar.

Leaving the chain on, Violet opens the door.  The cops
smile.

                         COP #1
          See?  We're for real.

                         VIOLET
          I'm sorry, it's just you hear
          stories.

                         COP #1
          You did the right thing.

Crouching, Ceasar wipes vigorously at the blood on his
hands and face.

Violet opens the door.

Ceasar crams the bloody wad under the bar sink.

Just as the cops enter the living room, Ceasar stands,
looking comfortable in no shirt, with ice cubes in his
hands.

                         CEASAR
          Hey, hey, Chicago's finest.

He plunks the ice into a glass and walks from behind the
bar

                         CEASAR
          How's it going tonight fellas?

                         COP #2
          Pretty good sir.

Ceasar turns his head.

                         CEASAR
          Huh?  I'm sorry, I can only hear in
          this ear.

The cops look at each other again.

Wiping his wet hand on his pants, Ceasar shakes hands with
each of them.

                         CEASAR
          I'm Ceasar and this here is my
          Violet.

They smile at Violet as Ceasar puts his arm around her.

                         CEASAR
          Violet said something about
          gunshots?

Violet sees the gun wedged in the back of his belt.

                         COP #1
          Yes sir, a neighbor in the building
          called in.

                         COP #2
          I think we know what happened.

                         COP #1
          It was probably just the television.

                         CEASAR
          The television?

He looks at Violet.

                         CEASAR
          Honey, why didn't you say something?
          Turn it off.

Violet walks across the rug and turns off the TV.

                         CEASAR
          Fuck, this happened before.  It's
          this shitty ear.  Born with it.  The
          batteries wore out in my aid.  I'm
          sorry.

                         COP #2
          It's all right sir.

                         COP #1
          No big deal.

                         CEASAR
          Hey, can I get you guys a beer?

                         COP #1
          Not on duty, sorry.

                         CEASAR
          Oh right.

                         COP #2
          But, uh, would you mind if I used
          your bathroom?

Ceasar's face tightens.

                         CEASAR
          Yeah, why not?  It's right there.

                         COP #2
          Thanks.

He heads for the john.

Violet watches Ceasar back up to the bar moving behind
it.

                         CEASAR
          I'm going to make myself a drink, if
          that's okay?

                         COP #1
          Go right ahead, sir.


INT.  BATHROOM

Cop #2 enters, walking right past the shower curtain.  We
hear his sigh as he starts to piss.


INT.  LIVING ROOM

Cop #1 walks onto the rug, looking around, turning to
Violet.

                         COP #1
          This is a beautiful place.

                         VIOLET
          ... thank you.

She stares at his shoes on the rug.

Watching everything, Ceasar takes a sip of his drink.  He
slips his gun out and holds it at his side.


INT.  BATHROOM

There is a bulge in the shower curtain where we imagine
Johnnie's arm is hanging.

Slowly we slide down to the bottom edge of the plastic
curtain, where a drip of blood forms and --

Plips into a small red spot on the white tile floor.


INT.  LIVING ROOM

Close on the heel of the cop's black shoe, where we can
almost see the blood seeping up through the oriental rug.

                         COP #1
          Is this a condo?

Violet nods.

Everyone turns when Cop #2 busts out of the bathroom.

                         COP #2
          Okay, let's roll.

Cop #1 walks across the rug to the hardwood floor.  He
turns to Ceasar.

                         COP #1
          Try to keep the extra batteries for
          your aid around.

                         CEASAR
          Good idea.


INT.  EMPTY APARTMENT

Corky hears the cop say goodbye to Violet.  The door
closes.  She isn't sure what she should do.

Over her shoulder, she notes the bucket of paint.  She
lets the cops leave.


INT.  CEASAR'S APARTMENT

Ceasar puts on a new shirt, the gun stuffed in his pants.

                         CEASAR
          Let's go.


INT.  HALL - NIGHT

They step out of the apartment, Ceasar jerking the door
shut.

As they pass by, Violet looks up to the door of the empty
apartment, straight at the peephole.


INT.  EMPTY APARTMENT

Corky is pressed against the door, eye at the peephole.

She sees that Violet is afraid as the two women seem to
speak to each other with their eyes.

                         CORKY
          ... shit.


EXT.  PARKING LOT

Ceasar is on his knees searching under the seats of
Johnnie's Mercedes.  Unable to find the money, Ceasar is
ready to snap.

From the main doors, Corky slips out of the building.
Hiding behind a column, she sees them across the lot.

Corky moves behind the parked cars, the gun squeezed in
her hand.

Violet edges away, on the verge of running, looking toward
the busy street.

Standing, Ceasar pounds on the car.

                         CEASAR
          Fuck!  Fuck!  Fuck!

                         VIOLET
          Ceasar, some one could see us out
          here.

Ignoring her, be tries to think.

                         CEASAR
          Get in.

Still too far from them to do anything, Corky sees Ceasar
slam the trunk.

                         CEASAR
          Get in!  It's got to be at his
          house.  That's the only other place
          it could be.

Violet looks around the lot, looking for some way out.

                         CEASAR
          Violet!  Now!

Corky can only watch as Violet gets in and the car rips
away.


INT.  EMPTY APARTMENT

Alone, Corky stands over the bucket of paint.  She kicks
it with her boot-toe.

                         CORKY
          Two million dollars, Cork... Two
          million dollars...

She sighs, wondering how long she can make herself wait.


EXT.  JOHNNIE'S BROWNSTONE - NIGHT

The Mercedes is parked in front.


INT.  JOHNNIE'S BROWNSTONE - NIGHT

Close on Ceasar, as he rakes his sweaty hair back, his
face knotted in torment.

                         CEASAR
          Okay, I come in...

He turns as if he just came in through the front door.

We see Johnnie's home has been laid to waste.  The
furniture is broken, cushions split open, pictures
shattered, holes punched in the drywall, even the
carpeting has been torn up.

Ceasar doesn't look much better.

                         CEASAR
          I've got the money...

Huddled in a corner, Violet watches him.

                         CEASAR
          I can't wait to see the look on
          Ceasar's face when he finds out.

Ceasar moves from the front door, trying to get into
Johnnie's head.

                         CEASAR
          Now I don't have much time...

He takes a couple of steps into the room.

                         CEASAR
          Got to put it someplace safe...

He looks at a closet.  It's gutted, searched 10 times
already.

                         CEASAR
          ... put it...

A couple more uneasy steps and he looks at a large
overturned rolltop desk.

                         CEASAR
          ... got it...

He starts looking around the room as if he is seeing for
the first time that it is destroyed.  He is near the
breaking point.

                         VIOLET
          C?

His voice cracks.  There is nowhere else to look.

                         CEASAR
          Where did I put it?

He explodes.  A terra cotta lamp sails across the room.

                         CEASAR
          Where's my fucking money?!  Fucking
          cocksuckers!  Where the fuck is it?!

He smashes his forehead into the wall, denting the
drywall.

                         CEASAR
          Ow.

He holds his head sinking to the ground.

                         VIOLET
          C?

She sits next to him, putting a hand lightly on his
shoulder.

                         VIOLET
          It's not here, Ceasar.

                         CEASAR
          Where, then?

                         VIOLET
          I don't know.  it could be anywhere.
          We don't even know if he was alone.
          Please, Ceasar, we don't have much
          time.  Let's get out of here.

He knows what he has to do.  Digging through the debris,
he finds the phone.

                         VIOLET
          What are you doing?

                         CEASAR
          We're going to need some time.

                         VIOLET
          Who are you going to call?

Already dialing, he does not answer

                         VIOLET
          Ceasar?

Ceasar takes a deep breath, mustering composure.

                         MICKEY (V.O.)
          Yeah?

                         CEASAR
          Hey Mickey.

                         VIOLET
          Oh god.

                         MICKEY (V.O.)
          Ceasar?  What the fuck time is it?

                         CEASAR
          Mick, I know it's late, but there is
          a problem.  They haven't shown up
          yet.

                         MICKEY (V.O.)
          What?  They ain't there?

                         CEASAR
          No.  I don't know where they are.  I
          even called over at Johnnie's but
          no answer.

                         MICKEY (V.O.)
          Okay.  Let me call around.  I'll see
          what I can do.  Don't go anywhere,
          okay?

                         CEASAR
          Okay, sure, Mick.

                         MICKEY (V.O.)
          Ceasar, you still got the money?

Ceasar looks at Violet.

                         CEASAR
          Yeah, Mick.  I've got the money.
          I'm staring right at it.

                         MICKEY (V.O.)
          Good.  Sit tight.  I'll call you.

He hangs up.


INT.  CEASAR'S APARTMENT

Ceasar drags himself in.  Violet closes the door behind
them.

Ceasar moves into the room where it happened.  He is dizzy
and confused and does not want to be here.

Violet turns him around.

                         VIOLET
          I'll start packing.  You know what
          you have to do.

She turns him toward the bathroom.  He nods.

                         CEASAR
          I can use Johnnie's car, dump it in
          Lake Michigan... I need plastic
          bags... tape and rope...

                         VIOLET
          Just hurry.

Nodding, he heads for the kitchen.


INT.  BEDROOM

Violet enters and goes straight for the phone.  She looks
at the blank wall as she dials.

                         VIOLET
          Please, Corky...

The phone rings.

When Corky answers, Violet almost collapses with relief.

                         VIOLET
          Oh thank god.

                         CORKY
          I'm still here.

                         VIOLET
          I was so afraid you...

                         CORKY
          You don't quit on me, Violet, and I
          won't quit on you.


INT.  KITCHEN

A box of Hefty bags tucked under his arm, a coil of
clothesline in his hand, Ceasar searches through several
cabinets.


INT.  BEDROOM

Violet glances at the door.

                         VIOLET
          Corky, it worked!  He's going to
          run.  He needs to take care of the
          bodies to buy himself time, but as
          soon as he leaves, it's over.


INT.  EMPTY APARTMENT

Corky falls against the wall.

                         VIOLET (V.O.)
          just a little longer and it's ours.

She looks at the bucket.


INT.  KITCHEN

Mumbling to himself, Ceasar walks out of the kitchen,
heading for the bedroom.


INT.  BEDROOM

Violet reaches out and touches the wall, as if she were
touching Corky.

                         VIOLET
          Corky, I have to tell you
          something...


INT.  EMPTY APARTMENT

Corky turns to the wall.

                         CORKY
          I know, Violet.  I know.

Her fingers gently touch the wall as we travel up and
over where we see they are actually touching the wall in
the exact same place.

                         CORKY
          It's why I'm still here.


INT.  BEDROOM

Suddenly, Violet hears Ceasar.

                         CEASAR (V.O.)
          Violet?

As he opens the door, she slams down the phone.


INT.  EMPTY APARTMENT

The line cuts off.


INT.  BEDROOM - NIGHT

Fear and panic paralyze Violet as Ceasar drops everything
grabbing for his gun.

                         CEASAR
          Who was that?

He levels the gun at her.

                         CEASAR
          Who the fuck was that?

She stands and be rushes at her, grabbing her by the
throat.

                         CEASAR
          Was that Mickey?  Did you call
          Mickey?  Did you?!

She shakes her head and he throws her on the bed.  The gun
aimed at her, he picks up the phone and --

Hits the re-dial.


INT.  EMPTY APARTMENT

Unsure of what happened, Corky hears the phone ring and
answers it on reflex.

Listening, she waits.


INT.  BEDROOM

Ceasar listens, waiting as long as he can.

                         CEASAR
          Mickey?  Is that you?


INT.  EMPTY APARTMENT

Corky hangs up, jumping away from the wall.


INT.  BEDROOM

Ceasar hits the re-dial again.


INT.  EMPTY APARTMENT

Panicking, Corky doesn't answer it but as it rings very
loud in the empty apartment, she realizes her mistake.


INT.  BEDROOM

Turning slowly toward the wall, Ceasar hears the phone
ringing in the empty apartment.


INT.  EMPTY APARTMENT

Corky rips the plug out of the wall.


INT.  BEDROOM

The line goes dead.

                         CEASAR
          Who is that?  Who is over there?!
          Tell me!

She tries to get away but he grabs her and slaps her to
the ground.


INT.  EMPTY APARTMENT

Corky hears Violet scream and that does it.  Gun in hand,
she flies at the door.


INT.  BEDROOM

The door to the empty apartment slams shut and Ceasar
hearing it starts to run --

But Violet reaches out, catching his ankle, sending him
crashing to the dresser.

                         VIOLET
          Run!  Just run!


INT.  HALL

The door to Ceasar's apartment is locked.  Corky falls to
one knee, whipping two lock picks from her ear-lobe.


INT.  BEDROOM

Ceasar raises the gun to pistol-whip Violet and she
screams.


INT.  HALL

Working the lock, Corky hears Violet's scream cut off.


INT.  LIVING ROOM

Ceasar rushes towards the front door.


INT.  HALL

Corky feels it click and rotates the cylinder.


INT.  LIVING ROOM

He is almost there when he hears the lock snap open.  He
stops.


INT.  HALL

Hearing something that sounds like footsteps, she stops.


INT.  LIVING ROOM

Stepping quietly, he leans forward to the peep-hole.  The
hall is empty.

Slowly we glide over the top of the door into --


INT.  HALL

Where we see Corky down low, pressed flat to the door,
just under the scope of the wide angle lens.

Separated by only a two inch thick door, they can almost
feel each other's body heat.


INT.  APARTMENT

Ceasar reaches for the knob, his fingers touching the
metal sphere when --

It begins to turn.

He pulls his hand back and seems to disappear.

The door cracks open and Corky slips in, gun first.  As
she moves into the room we see Ceasar behind her.

He puts his gun to her head.

                         CEASAR
          Drop the fucking gun or die!

Corky hesitates.

                         CEASAR
          Drop it!

She does.

                         CEASAR
          Turn around.

Rising from her crouch, she turns and he recognizes her.

                         CEASAR
          You!?  Holy fucking Christ!  You
          gotta be kidding me?

He starts to laugh when she strikes --

Knocking the gun, she punches him, slamming him back
against the door as --

She twists, diving, grabbing her gun, just as --

He steps and kicks her full in the face.


INT.  CLOSET

Still unconscious, Corky's head jerks reacting to the
kick.

We see the dried blood caked to her check where his kick
split the skin.  She is again swimming toward
consciousness.

We hear water splash, her face flinching as we move
closer; the sounds and voices echoing.

                         CEASAR (V.O.)
          Wake up!  Come on you fucking dyke!

We hear Ceasar slapping her.

                         CEASAR (V.O.)
          Wake up!


INT.  BEDROOM

Corky's face is dripping with water as her eyes slowly
blink open.

Coming into focus is Ceasar, standing over her with an
empty glass in one hand.

                         CEASAR
          Good.

Except for the gag, she is bound as we have seen her bound
in the closet.

Ceasar yanks out his gun and puts it to her head.

                         CEASAR
          I know everything now so I don't
          want to hear any "I don't know"
          bullshit, you understand?

She sees Violet on the bed, also bound hand and foot.

                         CEASAR
          God, I should have seen this coming!
          The second I met you I knew it.
          Everyone knows your kind can't be
          trusted!  Fucking queers make me
          sick.

The gun digs into her cheek.

                         CEASAR
          But you tried to fuck the wrong guy.
          And I swear to you that I'm going to
          kill you for it.

He thumbs back the hammer.

                         CEASAR
          Where is the money?

                         VIOLET
          Don't tell him --

                         CEASAR
          Shut up Violet!

                         VIOLET
          He can't kill you --

He aims the gun at Violet.

                         CEASAR
          Violet!

                         VIOLET
          Not until he has the money!

He fires and she jumps as the bullet punches through the
wall behind her.

His point made, he puts the gun back to Corky's head.

                         CEASAR
          Now, where the fuck is my money?

                         CORKY
          Lick me.

                         CEASAR
          Where is it?

                         CORKY
          Either pull the trigger or get that
          thing out of my face.

Blood temperature rising again, Ceasar pulls the gun back
and slaps her with it.

                         CEASAR
          Stupid cunt!

                         VIOLET
          Ceasar, stop acting like an asshole
          and think --

                         CEASAR
          Don't try to tell me what to do.

                         VIOLET
          You need the money just like we do.

                         CEASAR
          Shut up, Violet.

                         VIOLET
          Let us go and we'll make a deal.

He rushes at her, grabbing a fistful of her hair.

                         CEASAR
          Shut the fuck up!

He looks at Corky.

                         CEASAR
          What did you do to her?!  This isn't
          my Violet!

He looks at her as if unable to recognize her

                         CEASAR
          What did she do to you?

                         VIOLET
          Everything you couldn't.

He shoves her down.

                         CEASAR
          You ungrateful bitch!  You had
          nothing before I met you.  You were
          nothing!

He stomps around the room.

                         CEASAR
          Who gave you this place?  This
          apartment?

He throws open the closet.

                         CEASAR
          Who gave us all of this?  I did!  I
          gave you everything!  I gave you
          this life!  I made you, Violet.  I
          saved you.

He seems to believe what he is saying.

                         CEASAR
          I saved you.

                         VIOLET
          Ha!  What a load of crap.  Look at
          yourself, Ceasar.  You're a thug.
          You launder money for the mob.  You
          rent women like you rented this
          apartment.

He doesn't want to hear this.

                         VIOLET
          Saved me?  You don't even know me.
          You used me Ceasar, just like I
          used you.  All part of the business.

                         CEASAR
          You betrayed me!

                         VIOLET
          You murdered Gino!

                         CEASAR
          I had to.  You made me.

                         VIOLET
          Bullshit, you killed him.  Not me.
          You did it because you couldn't
          stand the thought of Johnnie fucking
          you.

                         CEASAR
          Shut up!

He slaps her.

                         CEASAR
          Okay, you want business, I'll give
          you the fucking business.

He leans closer.

                         CEASAR
          I'm going to make you beg just like
          Shelly did.  Just like Shelly!

He storms out of the room.

Corky looks up at Violet.

                         VIOLET
          I'm sorry, Corky...

                         CORKY
          Don't be sorry.  Help me.

She pulls at the ropes as Violet slides off the bed.


INT.  KITCHEN

Ceasar throws open the broom closet and grabs the clippers
that Mickey used to cut off Shelly's finger.


INT.  BEDROOM

The two women are back to back, fingers working at each
other's knots when Ceasar bursts into the room.

                         CEASAR
          Oh, no no no.

Grabbing Corky by the boots, he drags her and flips her so
that she can now see Violet.

He drops down onto Violet putting the clippers in front of
her face.

                         CEASAR
          Hey, Violet, you remember these?

Her eyes widen with terror.  She starts to scream when he
stuffs a towel in her mouth.

Laying against Violet, he turns to Corky.

                         CEASAR
          I'm going to start with her so
          you'll get a good idea what's coming.

He takes hold of Violet's pinky finger stretching it out.

                         CEASAR
          I'm going to ask you where the money
          is.  Every time you don't give me an
          answer, I'm going to cut off one
          finger.

                         CORKY
          No.

                         CEASAR
          When I reach ten, then I'll start
          with you.

He puts the finger between the blades.

                         CEASAR
          Where is the money?

Corky sees Violet thrashing helplessly.  She has no
choice.  Her mouth opens as --

The door buzzer rings.

Ceasar is distracted, trying to think who it could be.

                         CEASAR
          ... Mickey.

He sees the phone, where he dropped it, lying off the
hook.

The door buzzer rings again, more incessant.  Corky sees
him momentarily unnerved.

He looks back at her.

                         CEASAR
          I said where --

He starts to cut and Corky screams --

                         CORKY
          No!  I'll tell you!

He stops, the door buzzing continuously.

                         CORKY
          It's over there in the empty
          apartment.

As she speaks the sound of the door buzzer changes.

                         CORKY
          I put it inside one of the paint
          drums.

He is not looking at her, listening, he realizes that
Mickey is buzzing the other apartments.

Ceasar stands as the buzzing stops.  He pulls out his gun
and aims it at Corky.

                         CEASAR
          I promised I would kill you.

He cocks it.

                         CORKY
          You can't kill me yet.

                         CEASAR
          Why?

                         CORKY
          I could be lying.

His hand starts to shake with frustration.  He is
beginning to hate this woman more than he ever hated
Johnnie.

Taking a deep breath, he eases back the hammer.

                         CEASAR
          You're going to wish to god you
          hadn't done that.

He kicks her again, snapping her head back.

After he leaves, Violet looks over and sees Corky lying
unconscious.


INT.  HALL

Ceasar tries to open the door to the empty apartment but
it is locked.

                         CEASAR
          Fuck.

At the end of the hall, the elevator "dings".  Just as the
door opens, Ceasar jumps back into his apartment.

                         CEASAR
          Son of a bitch...

His mind a racing blur, he locks the door and runs back to
the bedroom.

With another towel he gags Corky and drags her into the
closet.  In her pocket, he finds the key.

He closes the doors then hangs up the phone.

Grunting he hauls Violet up over his shoulder --

When there is a knock on the door.


INT.  LIVING ROOM

Carrying Violet he hurries to the kitchen, where he
throws Corky's gun into the freezer.

Mickey is banging on the door as Ceasar heads for the
bathroom.


INT.  BATHROOM

Dropping Violet, he reaches behind the curtain and turns
on the shower.

                         CEASAR
          Mickey will get in.  I know he will.

We hear the water hitting the bodies while Ceasar starts
tearing off his clothes.

                         CEASAR
          Violet.  I can kill you right now if
          that's what you want.  If you want
          to live then you have to help me.
          I need you to make Mickey believe
          that everything is normal.

He picks up his gun.

                         CEASAR
          Tell me, do you want to live?

She stares hard at him and his gun, then nods.

                         CEASAR
          Good girl.


INT.  LIVING ROOM

We move toward the door as the lock clicks open.


INT.  BATHROOM

Violet's hands are untied.  She pulls off the gag and the
ropes at her feet.

Naked, Ceasar sticks his head under the shower spray,
wetting everything.


INT.  LIVING ROOM

Still dripping, Ceasar walks out, a towel wrapped around
his waist, another towel in his hand.

Mickey and Lou are standing in the middle of the room.
Ceasar jumps.

                         CEASAR
          Jesus Christ!

Ceasar holds his chest, laying it on a bit thick.

                         CEASAR
          Holy fuck Mickey!  You scared the
          shit outta me.

He sees they both are holding their guns.

                         CEASAR
          What is this?  what are you two
          doing, sneaking in here with your
          peckers in your hands?  You gonna do
          me, Mick?  Is that it?

Mickey smiles, putting his gun away.

                         MICKEY
          No, Cease.  There was no answer.

                         CEASAR
          I thought I heard someone knocking.

                         MICKEY
          I was buzzing, I was knocking, but I
          guess you couldn't hear me on
          account of being in the shower.

                         CEASAR
          Yeah, it was Violet's idea.  I was
          so wound up about Gino, she was
          trying to help me relax.

                         MICKEY
          That Violet is one nice lady.  Wish
          someone would help me relax.

                         CEASAR
          Shit, Mick, come on in, let me get
          you a drink.  Sit down, Lou.

Behind the bar, he sets down the towel be was holding and
we see the gun hidden inside it.


INT.  BATHROOM

Violet watches through a sliver of open door, her mind
already working.


INT.  LIVING ROOM

Ceasar is making the drinks.

                         MICKEY
          We was worried about you, Cease.

                         CEASAR
          Me?  Why?

                         MICKEY
          We went over to Johnnie's place,
          just to check it out and it was
          busted up, Bad.

Ceasar hands him a drink.

                         MICKEY
          I started thinking maybe it's about
          the money so I call you but all I
          get is the busy signal.  I figure
          the phone is off the hook, that's
          why I come rushing over here.

                         CEASAR
          Oh Christ, the phone... That was a
          fucking stupid thing to do, wasn't
          it?

                         MICKEY
          Hey, if Violet was helping me relax,
          I'd probably do the same thing.

Mickey smiles as he sips his drink.


INT.  BATHROOM - NIGHT

Violet stands and goes to the shower curtain.  She reaches
in and turns off the water.

Steadying herself, she pulls back the curtain, exposing
the wet, bloody bodies.


INT.  LIVING ROOM

Mickey is looking at the furniture.

                         MICKEY
          Cease, can I ask you something?

                         CEASAR
          Yeah.

                         MICKEY
          Why'd you move all the furniture
          around?

The knot in Ceasar's stomach tightens.

                         MICKEY
          Let me guess.  That was Violet's
          idea too.

He laughs, and Lou laughs with him.

                         CEASAR
          Actually, yeah, she was nervous
          about Gino coming, wanted everything
          to look right.  You know women Mick.

                         MICKEY
          Sure Cease.  They make us do stupid
          things, don't they.

Ceasar smiles feebly.


INT.  BATHROOM

Violet has pulled up Johnnie's body and is digging through
his coat pockets, searching for something.


INT.  LIVING ROOM

Mickey sees the briefcase still on the coffee table.

                         MICKEY
          Is that the money?

                         CEASAR
          Yeah, that's it.

Ceasar puts his hand inside the towel as Mickey walks
across the rug.

                         MICKEY
          That fucking Shelly.  I gotta hand
          it to the guy but Jesus if I were
          him I would have bailed a long time
          ago.  I mean, how much money does a
          man need?

Talking to Lou, be picks up the case and walks back,
somehow moving right between the wet spots.

                         MICKEY
          I remember I was just staring at all
          this goddamn money, Shelly down on
          his knees, and the next thing I
          know, Johnnie just blows his head
          off.

He slaps the case up onto the bar.

                         MICKEY
          What a fucking mess.  Johnnie's
          laughing his ass off and that's when
          Ceasar lost it and -- Boom.  He
          cold-cocked him.  Fucking cold-cocks
          Johnnie Marconi.

He thumbs the latches but the case is still locked.

                         MICKEY
          Hey, Ceasar, where's the key?

                         CEASAR
          The key, yeah, the key's in my pants
          in the bathroom.

                         MICKEY
          Fuck it, I don't need the key.

Ceasar takes the smallest breath.

                         MICKEY
          I didn't need a key to get in here,
          did I?

He pulls out a lock-pick and starts working the lock.  The
muscles in Ceasar's forearm bulge as he tightly squeezes
his gun.

He is slipping toward that same desperate choice.  He is
going to attack when --

Across the room, the phone rings.

Everyone looks at it.

                         MICKEY
          Who the hell could that be?

The phone is near the couch.  Ceasar doesn't want to let
go of the gun.

The phone continues to ring.

                         MICKEY
          You gonna answer it?


INT.  BATHROOM

Violet has Johnnie's cellular phone.

Watching through the cracked door, Violet sees Ceasar
cross to answer the phone.

                         CEASAR (V.O.)
          Hello?

                         VIOLET
          Hello, Ceasar.  This is Gino.

Ceasar looks toward the bathroom.

                         CEASAR (V.O.)
          What?

                         VIOLET
          You're blowing your only chance.
          Act like I'm Gino.


INT.  LIVING ROOM

Ceasar's eyes light up.

                         CEASAR
          Holy shit, I don't believe it!
          We've been going crazy over here,
          Gino!

                         VIOLET (V.O.)
          Good boy.

Mickey jumps up.

                         CEASAR
          It's Gino!  It's Gino!

                         MICKEY
          Where in the hell is he?


INT.  BATHROOM

                         VIOLET
          We were in a car accident --

                         CEASAR (V.O.)
          They were in a car accident.

                         VIOLET
          But everybody is all right.


INT.  LIVING ROOM

                         CEASAR
          They're all fine.  Just bruises and
          shit.

                         VIOLET (V.O.)
          Now you listen to me, asshole, I
          know your gun is behind the bar...

                         MICKEY
          Un-fucking-believable.  I called
          those highway patrol dumb fucks.

                         CEASAR
          Ssh!  I can't hear Gino!

                         VIOLET (V.O.)
          We make a deal or I come out and
          hand this phone to Mickey.

                         CEASAR
          I'm listening.


INT.  BATHROOM

Violet has her robe over her dress, wrapping her hair in a
towel, making sure the bruise on her forehead is hidden.

                         VIOLET
          I want what's mine, half the money.
          We get rid of Mickey, no one else
          dies.  No one.  Say yes, I
          understand.

                         CEASAR (V.O.)
          Yes, I understand.

                         VIOLET
          Tell them I'm at St. Mary's off the
          Kennedy, in the waiting room, but
          stay on the phone until I come out.

                         CEASAR (V.O.)
          Sure Gino, sure.


INT.  LIVING ROOM

Out of the corner of his eye, he watches Violet come out
of the bathroom.

                         CEASAR
          St. Mary's off the Kennedy, sure.
          Okay, Gino.

Mickey sees Violet.

                         VIOLET
          Mickey?  What are you doing here?

                         MICKEY
          Violet, it's Gino and Johnnie.  They
          were in a car accident.

                         VIOLET
          Oh my god.  Was anyone hurt?

                         MICKEY
          I think everything is okay.

Ceasar hangs up.

                         CEASAR
          They're at St. Mary's in the
          waiting room.

Mick is already on the way.

                         MICKEY
          I can't fit them all in my car so
          give me your keys.  You drive my
          car, Lou.

Ceasar sees Violet walking toward the kitchen.

                         CEASAR
          Sure, Mickey, sure.  Violet!

She stops, looking straight at the freezer.

                         CEASAR
          Go grab my car keys from my pants in
          the bathroom.

She turns to him.

                         CEASAR
          Please, help us out, Mickey wants to
          get going.

She turns to the bathroom.

                         MICKEY
          They might want to go straight to
          the airport and back to Miami, so I
          better take this.

He grabs the briefcase.

                         MICKEY
          You got the key?

                         CEASAR
          Oh yeah.  Violet!


INT.  CLOSET

Where Corky remains bound, still unconscious.  We hear the
name echo in her head.

                         CEASAR (V.O.)
          Violet!

Suddenly, her eyes blink open.

                         CEASAR (V.O.)
          Violet!

Her eyes blink again as she tries to focus.


INT.  LIVING ROOM

Violet hands Mickey the keys for the car and the case.

                         MICKEY
          Thanks, V.

He kisses her on the cheek.

                         CEASAR
          Call me as soon as you get him.

                         MICKEY
          Leave your phone on the hook.

Mickey and Lou leave.  Violet is staring at Ceasar
standing near the door.

In his right hand he is holding the other towel.  He
smiles.

                         CEASAR
          Now that's team work.

                         VIOLET
          I should have let him kill you.

                         CEASAR
          You know he would have done you
          too.

                         VIOLET
          I knew I couldn't trust you.

He drops the towel, raising the gun.

                         CEASAR
          I said I'd let you live and I will.

He smiles again.

                         CEASAR
          Maybe.


INT.  CLOSET

Corky is wide awake, thrashing-mad, biting her gag,
struggling to get free.


INT.  LIVING ROOM

Ceasar pulls his pants on.

                         CEASAR
          Time to find out if the dyke was
          stupid enough to lie.

Ceasar drags Violet through the front door.


INT.  BEDROOM

The closet doors burst open, as Corky fights her way out.


INT.  EMPTY APARTMENT

Ceasar sees the buckets of paint.

He rips the lid from the nearest and kicks it over.  Paint
spills out across the floor.


INT.  BEDROOM

Suddenly Corky stops, something has caught her eye.  We
drop down focusing on what she is staring at --

The clippers.


INT.  EMPTY APARTMENT

He kicks over the second bucket and the bag tumbles out
with the rushing flow of paint.

                         CEASAR
          Yes!

He turns to Violet who is already running out the door.

                         CEASAR
          No!


INT.  HALL

Violet turns down the hall, bare feet beating against the
floor.

Ceasar slices out of the room behind her.

                         CEASAR
          Violet!

He aims the gun as she hurls her self into the emergency
door.

                         CEASAR
          Fuck!


INT.  STAIRWELL

She flies, hands on the rail spiraling down each flight
as he charges after her.

                         CEASAR
          Goddamnit Violet!  Stop!  Now!


INT.  BEDROOM

Straining, Corky's fingers curl around the handle of the
clippers.


INT.  LOBBY

Violet smashes through the door but instead of turning to
the main doors she runs straight for the elevators.

She pounds the button and waits.

                         VIOLET
          Come on.  Come on, please.

She hears Ceasar coming just as the elevator opens.

Ceasar crashes out of the stair door, running toward the
exit.  When he doesn't see her, he turns to the sound of
the elevator --

And catches a glimpse of her as the doors close.

                         CEASAR
          Oh, you bitch.  You fucking bitch.

Taking a really deep breath, he throws open the door to
the stairs.


INT.  ELEVATOR

Violet takes Johnnie's cellular phone from the robe pocket
and dials a number.

Mickey answers on the car phone.

                         VIOLET
          Mickey!  Oh god Mickey!

                         MICKEY (V.O.)
          Violet?

Whispering, she acts terrified.

                         VIOLET
          He made me help him, Mickey, god I
          was so afraid.  It was Ceasar, all
          Ceasar.  You have to help me.  He's
          coming -- Oh god!

She hangs up, eyes blazing.


INT.  STAIRWELL

Sweat pouring off him, Ceasar climbs the stairs.


INT.  HALL

The elevator opens, Violet bolts out.  She runs down the
hall, past the empty apartment, back to her door.

                         VIOLET
          Corky?


INT.  EMPTY APARTMENT

She rushes to the bedroom where she finds the coils of
cut rope.

                         VIOLET
          Corky!

She looks at the wall separating the apartment.


INT.  HALL

Ceasar half falls out of the stair door, drenched with
sweat.


INT.  EMPTY APARTMENT

Gun ready, Ceasar throws open the door.

Spread out like a pond of milk is the spilled paint
but --

The money is gone.

Leading away from the white pool are boot prints and the
drip trail of the plastic bag.

The tracks lead to the bathroom.

Ceasar kicks open the bathroom door and finds the bag of
money next to Corky's empty boots.

Over his shoulder we see Corky already swinging a massive
pipe wrench.

At the last second he is able to duck, falling to the
ground as --

The door jamb splinters with a terrible metal crunch.

Before he can recover and shoot she brings the wrench
down on his arm.

He screams as the gun hits the floor.

She kicks it, sending it skidding, hydroplaning across the
paint pool to the other side, leaving a jet trail of white
swirls and spirals on the wood floor.

They fight, Corky raining blows onto his back and flailing
arm until --

He catches her foot, flipping her as he clambers up.

Scrambling across the paint, slipping, crawling for the
gun when --

Violet bursts in pointing the gun from the freezer.

                         VIOLET
          Stop!

Ceasar, on hands and knees, looks at her then at his gun
still out of reach.

                         VIOLET
          It's over, Ceasar.  I called Mickey.
          He's on his way.

Violet stands for long time, the gun trained carefully on
him as he rises from the floor.

Panting, Ceasar watches her like a mad dog.

                         VIOLET
          Get out of here, Ceasar.  If you
          want to live you had better start
          running.

He smiles.

                         CEASAR
          All these years and you still don't
          know me, Violet.

He casually moves towards the gun.

                         CEASAR
          But I know you.

                         CORKY
          Violet?

                         CEASAR
          You can't kill me, Violet.  You're
          not the type.

                         VIOLET
          Ceasar, don't.

Corky's eyes widen as Ceasar stands over the gun.

                         VIOLET
          Ceasar!

                         CEASAR
          I hear you, V.  Sure we'll split the
          money.  Whatever you want.

Ceasar lunges.

                         CORKY
          Violet.

He is up and aiming when Violet fires --

The bullet hits Ceasar in the shoulder, knocking him off
balance.  He spins around, still trying to find her in his
sites when --

She fires again.

His body arcs back, falling, splashing into the paint.

Ceasar's blood bubbles out bright red against the
glistening white.

Violet and Corky hold each other, both women crying, ready
to collapse.

                         VIOLET
          It's not over, Mickey will be here
          any minute.

                         CORKY
          Oh no.

                         VIOLET
          It's all right.  I know what to do.
          Just hold me a little more.

Corky does.


INT.  CEASAR'S APARTMENT

The door opens and we glide inside, moving through the
main rooms as though searching them.

We turn to the bedroom and we see Violet laying
unconscious on the floor.

                         MICKEY
          Violet!

Gun in hand, Mickey bends to her side, checking her pulse.
He sees the huge welt on her forehead where Ceasar hit
her.

Her long lashes beat like butterfly wings as she wakes.
She is suddenly afraid.

                         VIOLET
          Oh no!  No!

                         MICKEY
          It's me.  It's me, Mickey.  You're
          all right.

Her body heaves with relief as she clutches to him.

                         VIOLET
          Mickey...

                         MICKEY
          Shh!  It's okay now.  Everything is
          all right.


INT.  EMPTY APARTMENT

Days later.  The apartment is totally clean.


INT.  CEASAR'S APARTMENT

It is empty and clean.  In the bedroom, only a few hangers
are left dangling in the open closet.


EXT.  PARKING LOT

Mickey is standing with Violet, next to his car.

                         VIOLET
          I will never understand it, Mickey.
          You didn't even call the police.

                         MICKEY
          I told you, the family doesn't want
          the police around.  We want to take
          care of it ourselves and we will.
          I'll find him.  I swear I will.

                         VIOLET
          I know you will.

                         MICKEY
          Sure you're going to be okay?  I
          mean, if you're having second
          thoughts my offer still stands.

                         VIOLET
          Thanks Mickey, but I need to get
          out, you know?  Get away from all of
          this.

Mickey nods.

                         VIOLET
          But thanks.  Thanks for everything.

She hugs him and he kisses her.  Then he gets in his car.
Violet watches him drive away and knows that she is free.


INT.  PAROLE OFFICE

Corky is still in the parole office.

                         OFFICER
          You haven't heard a goddamn word
          I've said, have you?

Corky studies her fingernails.  They are clean and
manicured.

                         OFFICER
          I could hold you for six more
          months, for six years, and I'd just
          be wasting the taxpayer's coffee and
          air conditioning.

She looks up at him as he flips open her file.

                         OFFICER
          This is the part of my job I hate
          the most.

Bam.  He hits the first page with a stamp that reads:
RELEASED.

                         OFFICER
          Only satisfaction I get is knowing
          that I'll never see you again.

                         CORKY
          No sir.  You won't.

She stands almost smiling.


EXT.  PAROLE BUILDINGS - DAY

Corky exits the revolving door and smiles.

Violet is waiting out front, leaning on a brand new Chevy
truck.  She is wearing a short hair cut and leather
jacket.

She stamps out a cigarette as Corky approaches.

                         CORKY
          Going my way?

                         VIOLET
          Definitely.

                         CORKY
          So, where are we going anyway?

                         VIOLET
          Anywhere we want.

They smile, lean for each other, and lock lips.

                                            FADE OUT.

                         THE END



   