Cellular Page #25

Totally deserted.

The only furniture left is a ratty old sofa and a few beach

chairs. There's no electricity in operation and the covered

windows allow little light. It may as well be night.

There's a gaping hole in the floor that Theo nearly steps

into.

THEO:

Somebody better tear this down

before it falls down.

NELSON:

Stay put! I know my way around.

Nelson proceeds carefully up the cracked marble staircase to

the second level.

Nelson disappears into the darkness above.

ANGLE ON NELSON - WITH THEO VISIBLE DOWN BELOW

Nelson kneels, pulls up what's left of a threadbare rug to

reveal the once luxurious maple floor. Several planks are

easily pried up and Nelson reaches in and retrieves one of

the weapons which have been left here for safekeeping. It's

a .45 Glock automatic. The clip is already loaded.

He replaces the rug, then opens his backpack and takes out

his own cell phone which he speed dials. Lenore picks up.

LENORE:

Nels?

NELSON:

I'm still in my cab -- jammed up

in traffic. Are you there yet?

LENORE:

Any minute.

NELSON:

I was worried about you. Both of

you.

LENORE:

We've had our share of f***-ups

but it's going to work out fine.

NELSON:

Give me 20 minutes at least.

He hangs up, stuffs the phone into the backpack, then

crosses to the stairs and descends. Theo awaits him.

THEO:

Who were you talking to?

NELSON:

Them. They won't be expecting us.

THEO:

Brilliant -- unless they were

close enough to see the cab pull

away. In which case you just

warned them.

NELSON:

Nobody can do anything right but

you!

Nelson jacks a cartridge into the chamber of the Glock.

Obviously Theo is not to be trusted with a weapon.

NELSON:

First thing they'll see when they

walk in is you. And while they're

wondering how in hell you got here

-- I will be picking Grillo off

from behind the staircase.

Theo claps his hands in mock applause.

THEO:

I'm in awe.

NELSON:

Following which we will have a

serious question and answer

session with your girlfriend.

There's the sound of an automobile coming up the road.

Lenore and Grillo are making their arrival. We hear them

park.

Theo and Nelson silently await their entry through the

boarded up front door.

Moments later they're heard prying away the boards Nelson

recently replaced.

Nelson, still carrying the backpack, withdraws into the

shadows beneath the staircase with the Glock ready to open

fire at Grillo.

He motions Theo to move into the center of the entry hall --

where he can't be missed. He'll be spotted immediately.

The boards are being pulled loose. The door is opening

inward. But nobody steps inside.

Instead two quick shots ring out.

Nelson staggers out of his hiding place dragging the

backpack in one hand and sprawls face down on the cracked

marble floor -- blood oozing out of him.

He's been shot from behind. His .45 automatic is still

gripped in his trembling hand.

Theo realizes that either Grillo or Lenore must've come in a

back way -- while the other directed Nelson's attention to

the front door.

No one's shooting at Theo yet. Maybe he can't be seen from

the shooter's vantage point -- and nobody expects him to be

here.

Nelson raises his head a few inches from the floor. He's

looking straight at Theo.

Then with the last bit of strength left in him he skitters

the gun across the slick marble floor -- directly to Theo

who makes a dive for it.

Then the front door swings wide open -- as Grillo rushes in.

It must be Lenore -- behind Theo in the dark -- who fired

the fatal shots.

Grillo spots Theo going for the gun.

GRILLO:

Lenore -- look out!

Two more shots spray the marble inches away from Theo -- as

he grabs the automatic and fires blindly in return.

Grillo rips a heavy plank with rusted nails away from the

doorway and makes a mad dash at Theo who's still sprawled on

the floor.

Theo stops him with one shot before Grillo can strike a

lethal blow.

Grillo tumbles backwards and lies motionless --

Theo fires wildly into the darkness again as he inches

forward and reaches out for the strap of the backpack.

Grasping it, he retreats to cover as a bullet aimed at him

strikes the backpack instead.

Theo gets to his feet and stumbles down the long hallway.

There are half a dozen other rooms on this first level.

Plenty of places to hide in the pitch dark.

But Lenore also has many hiding places and she must know the

layout of the house better than he does.

CAMERA FOLLOWS Theo from one vacant room to another --

through what once was a huge kitchen. All the appliances

have been ripped out. Windows everywhere are boarded up --

blocking out the light. The floor groans under his weight.

CLOSE UP - LENORE'S HANDS

She's leaning over Officer Grillo's body, taking spare

cartridges from his belt and reloading.

BACK TO THEO:

Waiting in the darkness. An idea flashes through his mind.

He opens the backpack, locates Nelson's cellular phone.

Once again a cell phone may be crucial to his fate.

He steps out into the corridor again. The floor creaks as

it did before advertising his progress.

CAMERA MOVES FORWARD WITH THEO

There are half a dozen doorways ahead -- on both sides.

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