Cellular Page #9

LENORE:

Jack hasn't loved me for years.

And now I'm afraid she's turning

out to be like him. So cold and

distant. I've let him make her

like that.

THEO:

Why tell me this?

LENORE:

Because you're probably the last

person I'll ever talk to.

THEO:

You can't give up.

LENORE:

When they first started

questioning Jack -- he answered

them in that tone he usually

reserves for me. And they began

beating him. And I watched. And

I didn't feel anything ... What

kind of a person am I?

Theo is now on San Vincente approaching the Brentwood

community -- the shops, malls and restaurants.

THEO:

The bank should be -- there it is.

I'm looking for a place to park.

Pray for a miracle. I don't

believe it. Somebody's pulling

out of a meter. Just across from

your bank. Better yet. There's

40 minutes left on the meter.

Maybe this is my day.

There's a click on the line.

THEO:

Did you jiggle the phone?

LENORE:

No.

THEO:

Did you hear that click?

LENORE:

Yes -- I think so. Another

crossed line?

THEO:

Or somebody else there is

listening in --

LENORE:

Downstairs. There must be an

extension. Oh my God --

THEO:

Don't panic. I might be wrong.

(beat)

Hello?

(beat)

I guess I was wrong.

Another rude motorist tries to steal Theo's precious space

before he can pull in. Theo honks at him.

THEO:

Don't even think about it!

The other driver won't budge until Theo threatens to get

out. Finally frustrated, the other driver surrenders the

space. Theo backs in -- just as Lenore comes back on in a

panic.

LENORE:

No. I hear them. They're coming

upstairs. They know!

THEO:

Try what you did before. It

worked before. I won't talk

anymore.

He gets out carrying the cellular phone which he continues

to listen to -- even as he crosses the street to the bank.

There's silence on the other end of the line.

And Theo makes no attempt at further conversation lest he

alert Lenore's captors that the phone is open.

All at once he draws up short. He sees something across the

street.

HIS POV - A POLICE CAR - visible at the mouth of an alley --

Someone inside. Is he watching the bank? The windows are

pulled up. All Theo can see is a silhouette inside.

BACK TO THEO:

Focused on that police car.

BACK TO LONG SHOT - POLICE CAR - BACKING UP

It slowly vanishes back into the alley.

TRUCKING SHOT:

Theo quickly crossing the street. He peers through the

glass into the bank.

HIS POV - INT. THE BANK

There's plenty of activity. Customers on line. Half a

dozen tellers in action.

BACK TO THEO:

He decides to go inside for a closer look.

CAMERA FOLLOWS THEO INTO THE BANK

He carries the cellular with him -- still listening.

INT. THE BANK

Theo looks around for some sign of the man Lenore described

with such clarity. There's nobody like that. He'll wait.

There are video cameras mounted -- surveying the bank from

all angles.

Theo can't just stand idly around. He'd attract attention.

He gets on the long line where he won't seem conspicuous.

He keeps the cell phone to his ear and his hand cupped over

the speaker portion to muffle even the sound of his

breathing. And he listens hard.

There are male voices distant and unintelligible.

Then the sound of some furniture being turned over.

Then A WOMAN'S SCREAM!

Finally there's a rumble as if the receiver on the other end

was being roughly dropped and picked up again.

Theo reacts to what he hears while standing in the midst of

the crowded bank. He struggles to control his emotions.

A deep voice is suddenly heard on the line.

MALE VOICE:

Is somebody there? Answer me.

Theo doesn't know whether to reply.

In the background Lenore is heard screaming again.

VOICE:

You shut up!

There's the sound of violent activity. At that moment

someone taps Theo's shoulder.

WOMAN CUSTOMER:

Next.

Theo looks back at the woman behind him -- blankly.

WOMAN CUSTOMER:

Will you kindly pay attention.

You're next.

Theo covering the mouthpiece tightly.

THEO:

Get ahead of me.

He walks off the line -- still riveted to the phone.

MALE VOICE:

Whoever you are -- the girl's

gonna suffer for this. You got

them all killed.

Theo can't hold back anymore.

THEO:

(into phone)

Don't hurt her -- you bastards --

That's all he gets to say before the phone goes dead.

THEO:

Don't hang up --

But they have. The line is dead. He has finally lost all

contact with Lenore. He's numb with anger.

CAMERA SWIVELS 180 DEGREES around Theo as he experiences a

sudden dizziness. Total isolation sets in. He just stares

at the dead phone in his hand -- which is trembling now.

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes