Cellular Page #24

THEO:

You could always disappear with

what's already in your backpack.

NELSON:

Not without the name of the

contact who can discount the

bonds. I may need to pry that

information out of her.

(a beat)

What do you stand to gain?

THEO:

Sweet revenge plus maybe a bit of

vigorish off your end.

TRUCKER:

The 405 is coming up.

THEO:

(to Nelson)

Where is this canyon house where

you're supposed to hook up?

NELSON:

In the hills above Sunset. Just

below the Getty.

THEO:

(to trucker)

Take the 405 south.

EXT. FREEWAY - DAY

The truck veers onto the 405.

INT. TRUCK - DAY

THEO:

(into phone)

How far off are you?

NELSON:

Five minutes.

THEO:

Where do I turn?

NELSON:

Take the Getty Center exit -- make

a right onto Cisco. It'll be a

narrow winding road. You can't

miss the house. It's a mansion

built back in '29 -- Spanish --

boarded up since the quake.

THEO:

Have your cab wait at the foot of

Cisco -- we'll ride up together.

NELSON:

And make ourselves a hell of a

target.

THEO:

We're gonna get there first.

NELSON:

How do you know?

THEO:

Believe me. They couldn't be

busier at the moment.

Theo hangs up.

TRUCKER:

I didn't hear nothing.

The truck barrels along.

EXT. GETTY EXIT OFF 405 FREEWAY - DAY

As the truck pulls off and takes a sharp right turn. The

Getty Museum looms majestically above.

INT. TRAILER TRUCK - DAY

THEO:

Look for Cisco.

From inside they now see a taxi parked about fifty feet up a

narrow side road. The truck pulls over.

THEO:

(to trucker)

Let's have your name and address.

The government will want to send

you a letter of commendation.

TRUCKER:

Who the f*** you kidding?

(he jots down an

address)

Send me money!

The Greek trucker hasn't believed a word of Theo's Treasury

Dept. bullshit. Theo climbs out of the truck, not without

severe discomfort.

TRUCKER:

You sure know how to take a lot of

punishment.

THEO:

From here on, I dish it out.

The truck pulls off as Theo hikes up the road to the waiting

taxi cab.

Nelson gets out to greet him. They've talked on the phone.

Nelson has tried to kill him. They've engaged in a car

chase. But they've never formally met.

THEO:

Hello criminal, pleased to meet

you.

Nelson gives Theo a quick frisk to make sure he's clean.

THEO:

Better haul ass if we're gonna be

inside to greet them.

NELSON:

I've got a couple of spare pieces

stashed under the floorboards.

THEO:

Where's the backpack?

NELSON:

None of your business, but it's in

the cab. That's all mine. When

we take from them, we divide,

eighty-twenty.

THEO:

At those prices I'd just as soon

your cabbie didn't get a look at

me.

Nelson returns to the cab, pays the driver and returns with

the backpack.

Theo turns away so the taxi driver can't identify him as he

pulls off.

Then he and Nelson double time it up the hill to the

dilapidated Spanish mansion.

CAMERA FOLLOWS:

Theo looks up at the massive Getty Museum which dominates

the hillside above.

THEO:

Probably as close to the Getty as

I'll ever come. Unless you care

to be my "patron," Nels. You

wouldn't be the first successful

thief to become a patron of the

arts.

NELSON:

In your dreams.

THEO:

Don't underestimate me. I've got

original ideas of my own. Warhol

got famous doing a soup can. What

would you think of a cellular

phone done in acrylics?

NELSON:

Are you busting my chops or what?

As we draw closer we get a better look at the house. The

earthquake has left it rather lopsided. There are cracks

evident in the pillars in the front portal. Tiles have

fallen off the roof. The lawn is totally overgrown and ivy

has invaded the house. Some windows are broken but most are

boarded up tight.

NELSON:

Once was a palace.

He proceeds to the boarded up entrance -- pries the thick

planks apart to gain access to the door. He and Theo slip

through avoiding long rusty nails which jut out. Nelson

carefully replaces the boards, squeezing them back together.

INT. SPANISH MANSION - DAY

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