Bare Knuckle Page #3

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DESTINE:

Do for me what you did last night.

She kisses Kieran when suddenly, BAM, the door is kicked in.

12.

KIERAN:

Who goes there?

Kieran quickly throws on trousers as men stomp down the

stairs. Destine wraps her naked body with a blanket.

LESTER:

Kieran Connolly?

The copper Lester arrives with a band of goons behind him.

KIERAN:

Aye, that’s me.

LESTER:

Can’t evade your duty any longer.

Lester holds up a piece of paper.

LESTER (CONT’D)

This document states you are an

official volunteer in the Union

Army. Signed by your own hand.

KIERAN:

You’re mistaken. I never signed-

LESTER:

Maybe you were drunk like every

other Irishman in New York when you

signed it.

Lester motions, and one of his minions steps out and bashes

Kieran’s temple with an iron hammer. Destine screams in

horror.

They drag Kieran up the stairs, his head hitting every step.

DESTINE:

You can’t do this!

Lester rushes to Destine with a balled fist.

LESTER:

You don’t want to be interfering

with the law, I assure you.

Destine cowers. Lester backs off and searches around.

LESTER (CONT’D)

What a sh*t sty.

He pulls open a drawer and finds the purse. Destine leaps to

her feet.

13.

DESTINE:

NO!

She tries to grab the purse, but Lester pushes her back and

grabs the blanket. She falls naked.

LESTER:

Mmmm, you are one curvy delight.

He savors the sight, then drops the blanket and exits with

the money.

EXT. WATERFRONT - MORNING

Through hazy eyes we see Kieran’s POV go in and out of

consciousness, being carried through the crowded docks.

MINION 1

This bloke is still awake.

MINION 2

After that bash to the head?

MINION 1

Thick skull, small brain.

MINION 2

I’ll put him out. Bad Jack sends

his regards.

The minion viciously smashes his hammer down on Kieran.

EXT. STEAMBOAT - DAY

The sun is at its peak, beating down on Kieran, as his eyes

slowly open. His vision clears and he inspects his clothes.

He is dressed in a formfitting dark blue wool jacket with

“Excelsior” stamped on the buttons. His blue wool trousers

are held up by fabric suspenders.

From a higher deck an Irish soldier, CILLIAN, spies down on

Kieran while polishing the barrel of his Breechloader rifle.

Kieran shakes his head in disbelief, still trying to regain

his full awareness. All around him are Union soldiers dressed

just as he is.

Kieran investigates the knapsack laying at his feet. Cillian

approaches.

14.

CILLIAN:

A plate, knife, fork, spoon. You

got a tin cup and a canteen. A wool

blanket for the cold nights.

KIERAN:

Where am I?

CILLIAN:

On a steamboat carrying the 88th

regiment of the Irish Brigade.

KIERAN:

This is an outrage.

Kieran rises to his feet and scrambles through the Union

soldiers. Cillian follows.

CILLIAN:

Where ya going?

KIERAN:

To find an officer and get off this

ship.

CILLIAN:

Kieran!

Kieran stops in his tracks.

KIERAN:

How do you know my name?

CILLIAN:

The lads that inducted you like

weren’t too subtle about it. The

officers are the ones that ordered

ya dressed and such. Question them

and you’re likely to get another

gash on your head.

Kieran touches his head, feeling the wound.

KIERAN:

Thanks for the warning, but I’m not

supposed to be here.

Kieran bolsters off through the crowd.

CILLIAN:

Those boys hit pretty hard!

15.

INT. THE POLITICIAN’S OFFICE - EVENING

In the illustrious Tammany Hall sits THE POLITICIAN, a

menacing dark shadow with red eyes smoking a cigar, wearing a

large top hat.

A skinny secretary, TWIG, pops his head in.

TWIG:

Mr. Politician sir, that French

woman is back. Shall I have her

thrown out of the city?

THE POLITICIAN:

Send her in.

The secretary escorts Destine in and quickly exits.

THE POLITICIAN (CONT’D)

The French dog who won’t stop

scratching at my door. What do you

want?

DESTINE:

My husband, well soon to be husband

was taken by a copper.

THE POLITICIAN:

Taken where?

DESTINE:

Off to war I believe. They said he

signed a document to be a soldier,

but I know he never did.

THE POLITICIAN:

We all must do our duty to serve

New York and the Union. You should

be proud of your soon to be

husband. He is a patriot. Good day.

The Politician takes another large puff from his fat cigar

sending smoke swirling around the room.

DESTINE:

That’s it? But it’s wrong what was

done. You have to do something!

The Politician rises with furious command. Spit flies from

his mouth as he berates.

THE POLITICIAN:

You dare tell me what I have to do!

This is my city you manky pratt!

(MORE)

16.

THE POLITICIAN (CONT'D)

Get out of my sight before I have

you shipped back to France! TWIG!

Twig rushes in and quickly ushers Destine out. He drags her

through the office and pushes her outside.

EXT. TAMMANY HALL - CONTINUOUS

Destine falls into a puddle of mud.

TWIG:

Don’t come back!

Twig slams the door shut. Destine picks herself up from the

mud and wipes off her dress.

Bad Jack is conveniently leaning back in a chair, eating an

apple with a large knife, watching Destine in despair.

BAD JACK:

Don’t mope for that bastard.

Destine embarrassedly looks up wiping her eyes. Jack rises,

offering a slice of apple from the tip of his blade.

BAD JACK (CONT’D)

Hungry?

DESTINE:

Bad Jack?

He pushes the fruit forward. She takes it. Jack helps clean

off some mud from her dress as she eats. She smiles.

BAD JACK:

Why don’t you tell me your troubles

over dinner at my saloon.

Destine gives a look of severe skepticism. Jack returns it

with a toothy smile.

INT. STOCKADE - NIGHT

Kieran sits in an iron cell holding a cloth over a fresh

wound on his cheek. Cillian stands rolling a cigarette.

CILLIAN:

Name’s Cillian. I’m sorry it didn’t

go your way.

KIERAN:

What do you care about it anyway?

17.

CILLIAN:

We’re headed to Richmond to sack

the Confederate capitol and end the

war. We’re gonna need every soldier

to do it.

KIERAN:

I didn’t sign up for this brigade.

CILLIAN:

Some high up people aim to keep ya

here, so maybe it best you stop

thinking about how to get out and

start thinking of how to survive.

KIERAN:

The Irish are brought to the front

lines to do one thing -- die.

CILLIAN:

It just so happens you’re talking

to the man who’s figured out the

key to beating the odds and making

it out.

KIERAN:

What key is that?

CILLIAN:

Become really good at killing.

This grabs Kieran’s full attention.

INT. KNOW NOTHINGS SALOON - NIGHT

Destine is right drunk now as she and Bad Jack laugh

hysterically at the bar.

BAD JACK:

See here wait Madame, I’ve found a

button in my salad. That’s all

right, Sire, it’s part of the

dressing.

They continue to laugh as the bartender pours them another

shot of whiskey and clears their empty plates of food.

BAD JACK (CONT’D)

Okay, I remember, I remember.

DESTINE:

Let’s see.

18.

BAD JACK:

Un, deux, trois!

They take the shots. Destine spills a little down her chin.

Jack wipes it with his finger and stares at her.

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