15 Minutes Page #19

DUFFY (CONT'D)

(pats Jordy's shoulder)

I know you got backup at home. Drop it

off.

Jordy sighs and exits.

INT. IMMIGRATION & NATURALIZATION OFFICE - DAY

Jordy is talking to BILL STERN, a senior special agent. In

another office we see Daphne with two 25-year old ASSISTANT

U.S. ATTORNEYS.

STERN:

(to Jordy)

Look, what don't you understand? We've

got a good relationship with the Czech's

and the State Department doesn't want to

cause an incident.

JORDY:

But the D.A. needs her as an eyewitness!

STERN:

They've got her testimony on videotape.

And even if they do take her to court

immediately after she'll be extradited.

The Czechs want her back. She shot a

cop! I mean, Christ, man, what if Emil

Slovak and Oleg Razgul fled to the Czech

Republic? How would you feel if the

Czechs wouldn't give them back to us?!

Stern looks over at Daphne sitting in another office. Lowers

his voice.

STERN (CONT'D)

And just between us...I was married to a

redhead. They're a jinx. Redheads are

like cross-eyed priests. Stay away from

both.

Jordy gives him a look.

STERN (CONT'D)

You want to see her - go ahead.

Jordy enters the other office. Sits next to Daphne. The

assistant U.S. Attorneys leave.

JORDY:

We're gonna fight the extradition.

Daphne takes Jordy's bandaged hand in hers.

DAPHNE:

Forget about me. You have enough

problems of your own.

JORDY:

...Do you really want me to forget about

you?

DAPHNE:

I don't want to drag you down with me.

JORDY:

Daphne, I...

Daphne touches her finger to his lips.

DAPHNE:

Shhhh.

She leans in and kisses him. Then looks into his eyes,

trying to find a smile.

EXT. FEDERAL COURT HOUSE STEPS - DAY

It's weeks later. Nicolette is looking worn, tired,

frazzled. She's trying to go through her stand up. But

she's unraveling. Not recovered from the loss of Eddie.

NICOLETTE:

...and today with his partner who he

blamed for the crimes still at large,

Emil Slovak will appear in court. His

lawyer will argue that he is mentally

unfit to stand trial. Eyewitness News

has also learned that later this month,

Jordy Warsaw will himself be appearing

in court. He will be arraigned on

charges of violating the civil rights

of...Zwangen...Zwagen...

MIKE:

Zwangendaba.

NICOLETTE:

Goddamn a**holes everywhere.

Zwangenbobby..Zwangendaba. I got it.

I'll do it. Sh*t. Let's start again.

5-4-3-2-1...

She starts over.

INT. JORDY'S APARTMENT - NIGHT

Jordy's on the couch. A drink in his hand, watching TV with

his dog, ZACK. Jordy's eyes are glazed. He's drunk, his

eyes are as bloodshot as Eddie's were...without his job or

Daphne.

His mind miles away - the dog and drink are his only comfort.

As Nicolette reports (she got the name right), her anger

seeps through her broadcast.

NICOLETTE (ON T.V.)

Mr. Zwangendaba claims to be a direct

descendent of the African King from whom

he takes his name...

Jordy's face is flashed on screen. The phone RINGS. Jordy

picks up.

JORDY:

Hello?

(listens)

No comment.

He hangs up. The phone RINGS AGAIN.

JORDY (CONT'D)

Hello?

(listens)

No!

Jordy hangs up. Changes the channel. He stops as Robert

Hawkins' face fills the screen. He is standing across from

someone - in a park - interviewing him.

HAWKINS (ON T.V.)

He robbed you?

The ANGLE CUTS to Zwangendaba, the mugger, now dressed in a

suit and tie. Clean shaven and with a fresh haircut. He

stands in the same spot where Jordy handcuffed him to the

tree. He's appearing on "Top Story".

ZWANGENDABA (ON T.V.)

That's right, I encountered him right

here. I was just askin' for change an'

he whips out his big gun an' pushes me

up against that tree, whereupon he takes

my money and handcuffs me to it, leavin'

me there all exposed...

The phone RINGS again. Jordy suddenly pulls the phone off

the table and throws it through the window:

BACK TO TV:

as the channel is changed. A REPORTER is on TV. Behind him

is a picture of Emil. Emil is smiling, in a shirt and tie.

The reporter stands in front of the jail.

REPORTER:

...and WBAI has learned that Mr. Slovak

won't have to worry about how he is

going to pay for his defense. He has

received movie offers and been in

conversations with numerous publishers

concerning the rights to his life story.

REVERSE ANGLE:

Oleg is at a bar watching TV. Poisoned with envy.

INT. JORDY'S BEDROOM - NEXT MORNING

Jordy stands in front of the mirror over the dresser. We see

the TV overturned in the b.g. His back up gun is on it. He

stares at it. Dark thoughts dancing in his head.

EXT. BATTERY PARK - DAY

Jordy sits in a taxi, wearing sunglasses. Looking inside the

park where a POLICE BARRICADE surrounds a POLICE TUGBOAT.

Cutler and Emil are arriving - Emil is being transferred to

Rykers Island. Jordy pulls his .38 out of his ankle holster

and sticks it in his pocket.

CLOSE ON METER:

to $42.00. The TAXI DRIVER looks in the rearview mirror.

TAXI DRIVER:

I can't believe this guy got off.

Unbelievable.

Jordy takes out money. All he's got is fifty bucks and he

crams it into the slot.

JORDY:

Whatever's leftover, keep.

Jordy exits the cab. The anger rising inside his body is

coming to a boiling point. He walks into the park. Leon is

sitting on a bench. Just sitting there. Also filled with

rage and frustration. Jordy meets his eyes. Leon gets up

and walks away. Disgusted by it all. Jordy's right hand

grips the gun inside his pocket as he walks on.

HIGH WIDE SHOT:

Many policemen are trying to control a swarm of reporters.

All are waiting for Emil. WE SEE:

HAWKINS:

and his camera crew, and, not far from him - frustrated and

frazzled, waits Nicolette. Still grieving her loss, she

looks over at Hawkins and his crew. She shoots him a

disgusted look - Hawkins shrugs it off. He checks his watch -

anxious - looks at his cameraman.

HAWKINS:

He said he'd be here. Pick him up as he

comes through the crowd. Do you hear

me? For Chrissakes don't miss this.

THE POLICE VAN PULLS UP

Cutler's car behind it. Emil - handcuffed - is unloaded from

the van. Reporters swarm forward - Cutler gets out of his

car, hurrying up, taking his place alongside Emil and the

POLICE ESCORTS. The swarm follows - firing questions at

Cutler. He answers the barrage of questions with:

CUTLER:

...my client was suffering from a major

illness of schizophrenic nature wherein

during times of intense stress, as a

result of paranoid and psychotic

delusions - there was impairment of his

ability to appreciate wrongfullness...

This is a victory for the mentally ill!

Jordy walks alongside the moving mass. His eyes focused on

Emil - his hand in his pocket. We notice in the crowd Max,

the celebrity-crazed pyromaniac. What's he doing here?

Max's hand is also stuck deeply in his pocket. A weird gleam

in his eye. We see Korfin in the group, speaking to other

cops. Nicolette and her camera crew are vying for their

place in the mass. She watches Emil with quiet rage. Cutler

continues:

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