John Q Page #10

J.Q.

Is that true?

DR. TURNER

Possible. Not likely, but possible.

J.Q.

Then Mike's doctors could have known about his condition all along? And he could have been treated years ago?

DR. TURNER

Who knows?

LESTER:

Nothing personal, Doc, but you all are a bunch of damn crooks.

MAGUIRE:

You see,here's the problem. Over here, you've got your insurance companies who basically want you healthy or dead. That's how they make money. And over here, you've got your medical establishment, doctors, pharmaceutical companies, who don't want you healthy or dead. They want you sick. That's the way they make money.

LESTER:

It's all about getting paid, man.

MAGUIRE:

And the individual is caught in the middle of this gigantic tug-of-war. It's a game. And the end result is, people don't get the treatment they deserve.

LESTER:

Because then no one gets paid.

JULIE:

But what about that thing you guys take? That promise? What do they call it?

STEVE:

The Hippocratic oath.

LESTER:

More like the hipp-crit-cial Oath to me. How's that go, Doc? "I solemnly swear to take care of all sick folk, except those without major medical?"

MAGUIRE:

I'm telling you, it's not that far from the truth. The sh*t happens all the time. Paramedics bring in some accident victim gasping for his last breath. Big boys in accounting find out they can't pay, they send them packing.

JULIE:

Hospitals can't turn people away.

STEVE:

Yeah. I thought there were laws about that.

MAGUIRE:

There are laws. But there are also ways around the laws. All we have to do is stabilize them. After that, we're off the hook.

Turner is getting hot.

DR. TURNER

That's not how it works.

MAGUIRE:

That's exactly how it works. Maybe not up there on the fifth floor, but down here, if you ain't got no money, you get a band-aid, a foot in the ass, and you're out the door.

MITCH:

Is that how you paid for that Armani suit, Doc?

Finally, Turner explodes.

DR. TURNER

Shut up. Enough already. I've heard all the bitching and moaning I can stand. Sure, the system sucks. There's red tape and there's worse. There's tough luck. And if you're looking for kindness and compassion, they're in short supply these days. But some of us got into medicine to do something about it. I break my ass every day trying to make a difference, trying to plug the dam. I'm in it up to my elbows. I've seen people live who shouldn't, and the other way around. And when I say I do my best, I mean it. So don't tell me about doctors, because they're the last stop between you and six feet under. And if you all want to regard me as some blood sucking vampire, fine. I'm the bad guy. But who's holding the f***ing gun?

Turner gets up and walks into the treatment room.

JULIE:

Wow.

MITCH:

What's his problem?

STEVE:

I've got to be honest, if my kid was dying and I couldn't get help, I don't know what I'd do.

DEBBY:

Me, neither.

STEVE:

But I'd do something.

J.Q. glances quickly at the clock. He picks up the phone, clicking the button, trying to get a dial tone.

EXT. HOPE MEMORIAL HOSPITAL - COMMAND POST - DAY

INTERCUT:

A black SWAT phone starts ringing and the policemen freeze. Where's Grimes? A COMPUTER COP runs over and calls out to the lieutenant.

COMPUTER COP:

Sir!

Grimes waves him off and cues his portable.

GRIMES:

This is Frank Grimes.

INT. EMERGENCY ROOM

J.Q., confused.

J.Q.

But...

GRIMES:

The line is clipped, John. You pick up the phone, you get me.

(then)

Can I help you with something?

J.Q.

Where are we at with that list?

GRIMES:

I'm working on it, John. But I need some time.

J.Q.

Time I don't have, Lieutenant.

GRIMES:

I want to talk about the hostages.

J.Q.

What about them?

GRIMES:

What's going on in there? How are they?

J.Q.

Same as they were before, Frank. We're all just kind of waiting on you.

At the command post, Moody is now waving his arms. Grimes moves over and looks at the monitors. The videotape is up. The images are wide and grainy. Giving him his first look at the hostages. ON THE SCREEN, J.Q. moves into frame. Moody taps the screen and Grimes nods. That's our guy.

GRIMES:

I want you to let some of them go.

J.Q.

What for?

GRIMES:

I do for you. You do for me. Show some good faith. We've got a lot of nervous people out here, John. Make everybody breathe a lot easier if we saw some happy faces.

J.Q.

Good faith only takes you so far. You see, I believe in the merit system. And so far, you haven't earned any points.

EXT. COMMAND POST - DAY

A navy blue unmarked Crown Victoria pulls up and out steps Rebecca Payne and POLICE CHIEF GUS MONROE. They are quickly ushered over to the monitors where they see J.Q.'s face on the screens.

PAYNE:

That's him. His name is John Archibald. His son's on the fifth floor, Pediatric ICU.

INT. EMERGENCY ROOM - DAY

Marjorie Klein moves over with a very hysterical Miriam in tow.

DR. KLEIN

Excuse me.

J.Q. holds up a finger telling her to wait.

DR. KLEIN (CONT'D)

I need to talk to you. Now.

J.Q.

(into phone)

Can you hold on a minute, Frank?

DR. KLEIN

This woman's six centimeters dilated and the baby is breech. I can't do anything for her here. She needs to be moved to Maternity immediately.

J.Q. rubs his eyes and lets out a breath. He's under a lot of stress.

EXT. COMMAND POST - DAY

Grimes has his hand over the receiver as he barks out orders to Moody.

GRIMES:

Put people on the door. Nobody talks to the wife but me.

Grimes sticks out his free hand to Monroe, who shakes it.

GRIMES (CONT'D)

Good to see you, Gus. How are you?

MONROE:

Hot. What's going on?

GRIMES:

You're looking at it.

J.Q. (O.S.)

Are you there, Frank?

GRIMES:

Yeah, I'm here.

J.Q. (O.S.)

I changed my mind. I am going to let some of the hostages go.

GRIMES:

Great, John. That's the right thing.

J.Q. (O.S.)

But when I do, the clock starts. You have one hour to get back to me with some good news.

Monroe is glued to the monitors. His wheels are already spinning. Grimes covers the receiver to speak to him.

GRIMES:

Isn't it a little early for you to be here, Gus? Who called in the heavy artillery?

J.Q. (O.S.)

I mean it, Frank. If my boy's not on the list in an hour, I promise you someone's going to die.

MONROE:

This is bad, Frank. Lot of people watching this one. Big embarrassment if it doesn't go away real quiet like.

GRIMES:

Well, give me some time. I'm working on it.

J.Q. (O.S.)

Frank?

GRIMES:

I got it, John. I'm hearing you. One hour.

They look on Monroe's face tells Grimes that something is wrong.

GRIMES (CONT'D) Gus?

MONROE:

There's no time on this one, Frank. This one's just got to go away.

INT. EMERGENCY ROOM - DAY

J.Q. puts down the walkie-talkie and points at Miriam and Rosa.

J.Q.

You and you. Come with me. Maguire, give me a hand.

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