John Q Page #16

J.Q.

I want my son.

MOODY:

What?

J.Q.

Bring me my son. I want my son inside with me.

MONROE:

Can't do it.

J.Q.

There's an operation that could save his life. I'm going to need some equipment but I've got two surgeons inside that are ready to go.

MONROE:

You listen to me, you sonofabitch. You give this up right now, turn yourself in. And your son will have any and every means of assistance. If not, if you keep this up, this is going to be very bad for you.

J.Q.

Are you threatening me, Chief? Take your best shot. Oh, I forgot, you already did. No, we'll do this my way. You give me my boy, they do the surgery and then I give up. Nobody gets hurt and everyone goes home.

Monroe studies J.Q. and considers.

MONROE:

What do you think, Frank?

GRIMES:

I say give it to him. He's not going to hurt his boy.

Monroe takes his time making his decision.

MOODY:

Sir, the object is to get hostages out, not to let more in.

MONROE:

The boy is not a hostage. He's the man's son. Do it.

INT. HOPE MEMORIAL HOSPITAL - HALLWAY - MAGIC HOUR

Mike's hospital bed flies down the hallway. Running alongside we see Denise, Payne and nurses holding medical equipment.

MIKE:

Mom, where are we going?

DENISE:

To see your father.

EXT. HOPE MEMORIAL HOSPITAL - MAGIC HOUR

The front doors burst open and Mike's bed is rolled onto the sidewalk. COPS run alongside like secret service agents, protecting Mike, pushing a path through the crowd.

COPS:

Coming through. Let's go. Move it back, folks.

The mob swarms around the speeding bed, trying to get a look at Mike, who considers the circus atmosphere surrounding him. As the bed hits the police barricade, the cops take over.

DENISE:

Let me through. I'm his mother.

But she is held back as Mike is ushered through.

INT. EMERGENCY ROOM - MAGIC HOUR

Mike's bed is rolled slowly to a stop outside the ER doors. The sniper is released and J.Q. stands guard as Mike is rolled in by Turner and Maguire, before locking the door behind them.

MIKE:

Dad, where have you been?

J.Q.

Just waiting for you, buddy.

Mike looks up to see Dr. Turner walking alongside. He looks up at him and smiles. Mike is wheeled into a Trauma room where the monitors quickly come to life.

INT. MIKE'S TRAUMA ROOM - MAGIC HOUR

J.Q. looks at Mike as the medical team assess his condition, just watching helplessly as the life drains out of his body.

J.Q.

How are you feeling, slugger?

MIKE:

I'm okay. Tired.

Beep. Beep. The monitors whisper faintly, irregularly, Turner steps in front of J.Q.

DR. TURNER

Out.

J.Q.

What?

DR. TURNER

I need some time to examine Mike and I don't need you getting in the way. It's crowded enough in here.

J.Q.

I'll stay in the corner.

DR. TURNER

I'm serious, John. Let me do my job.

Turner ushers him out the door and closes it behind him. John looks up to find the hostages staring at him. Uncomfortable, he moves into a recovery room.

INT. EMERGENCY ROOM - TRAUMA ROOM - NIGHT

J.Q., alone, notices the simple wooden cross hanging over the door. He stares at it a long time before kneeling, his arms resting on the bed.

J.Q.

Bless me, father. For I have sinned. It's been a long time, so forgive me if I'm a little rusty. I know you do things your own way. But I'm finding it hard to understand why you would want Mike to be so sick.

INT. MIKE'S TRAUMA ROOM - NIGHT

Turner administers the meds and Mike's eyes glaze and roll back in his head. With all the drugs coursing through his system, Mike is really out of it now. But as Dr. Turner diligently attends to Mike, the boy considers him, the bright O.R. lights casting a halo around the doctor's head.

MIKE:

Are you God?

DR. TURNER

(caught off-guard)

Yeah, kid. Yeah, I am.

Turner continues working, and as he turns his back to the boy, he hears the question that floors him.

MIKE:

Where you been?

INT. EMERGENCY ROOM - TRAUMA ROOM - NIGHT

J.Q.

I keep waiting for you to step in and help him. But you never do. And I don't understand. I don't understand and I don't forgive. So, help me, Father. Because I'm trying. I'm really trying.

Dr. Turner appears at the doorway and sees John on his knees.

DR. TURNER

John?

J.Q. looks up and Dr. Turner soberly shakes his head. The news isn't good.

INT. EMERGENCY ROOM - TREATMENT AREA - NIGHT

Dr. Turner and John look through the glass at Mike resting peacefully.

DR. TURNER

Mike's blood pressure has dropped into the mid-forties. His atrial blood pressure should be in the low teens. It's thirty-five. If I put that LVAD into him, his heart will never be able to handle the extra strain.

J.Q.

But...

DR. TURNER

Not buts, John. Without a new heart, he's not going to make it.

J.Q. is devastated. It takes a few moments to sink in.

J.Q.

Take mine.

Turner doesn't get it.

DR. TURNER

What?

J.Q.

You heard me. Take my heart and put it in Mike.

MITCH:

John, buddy, you're talking a little nutsy cukoo, here.

DR. TURNER

You can't be serious.

J.Q.

You think I'm just going to stand here and watch my son die? You bet I'm serious. Dead serious.

DEBBY:

Wow.

JULIE:

Oh my God.

Lester tries to comprehend the nihilistic existentialism of it all.

LESTER:

But that means you'll die, man.

J.Q. calmly finishes Lester's thought.

J.Q.

And my sone will live.

DR. KLEIN

John, you can't do this.

J.Q.

It's the only way.

DR. KLEIN

No, you don't understand. You physically can't do it.

J.Q.

Why not? I kill myself. You cut me open and take my heart. It's perfect.

LESTER:

The boy crazy.

MITCH:

Nutsy cuckoo, I'm telling you.

DR. KLEIN

We just can't remove your heart and put it into Mike's body.

DR. TURNER

There's too many unknowns. Matching a donor and receiver is extremely complicated. There's several critical tests that have to be taken.

J.Q.

Like what?

DR. TURNER

Cross matches for blood type, chest cavity measurements. If both blood tissues aren't compatible, there's a very high likelihood of rejection.

J.Q.

Come on, Doc. I know all about compatibility. We've been tested up the wazoo. Mike and I are both B-Positive. Our tissues are a match. And his heart is three times normal size which means mine will fit. You know damn well we're compatible.

DR. TURNER

No, we don't. You're an adult. Mike is strong, but the amount of blood your heart pumps may be too much for Mike.

J.Q.

I'll take that chance. It's better than letting him die.

DR. TURNER

Out of the question. Too risky.

J.Q.

I'm telling you, he'll make it.

DR. TURNER

Can't do it, John.

J.Q.

You're telling me that if I'm laying dead on the floor, you wouldn't take my heart and put it in my kid to save his life? You'd let two people die instead of one because of a technicality?

JULIE:

I think what John's trying to do is right.

DEBBY:

Me, too. I think it's very brave.

MAGUIRE:

Yeah, it's all very noble and brave. But what do you think Mike would want? Or your wife?

J.Q.

Mike is too young to know what's good for him. I'm his father. It's my job to protect him, and Denise would do the same thing if she was in my place.

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