John Q Page #7

Various reactions from the people in the room.

LESTER:

Far out.

J.Q. points to the security guard.

J.Q.

You. Come with me.

J.Q. leads the security guard to the elevators.

J.Q. (CONT'D)

Kill the power.

SECURITY GUARD:

I don't have a key for that.

J.Q.

You've got the keys to the city. Now do it.

Decision time. Finally the guard inserts an Allen wrench into the lock and kills the power. J.Q. takes a crowbar from his bag and jimmies the elevator control box, busting fuses and yanking wires. The elevator looks sick. It's not going anywhere.

J.Q. looks around and sees a snake-eye security camera bolted to the ceiling.

INT. HOPE MEMORIAL HOSPITAL - SECURITY DESK - DAY

A skinny, pimple-faced KID with a big chrome badge sits in front of a dozen closed circuit monitors. On one, a man in a baseball cap is now bashing the camera with a crowbar. Ssss! A blizzard of white snow crackles on the monitor. Confused, the pimply faced kid picks up the phone.

PIMPLY FACED SECURITY GUARD

Uh. This is the security desk at Hope Memorial Hospital. I think you guys better get down here. We may have a situation.

INT. EMERGENCY ROOM - DAY

J.Q. paces next to the windows, sizing up the room. Nearby, the Hispanic baby wails.

J.Q.

Everybody does exactly what I say and nobody gets hurt.

He looks around the room, everybody battered, bloodied, and bruised.

J.Q. (CONT'D)

...more hurt.

INT. CONTROL ROOM - CHANNEL 8 - DAY

FREDDY B., a superbright techie-geek, pokes his head into an office where Tuck Lampley is having a meeting with his BOSSES.

FREDDY B.

This just came in over the police radio. Someone is holding Hope Memorial hostage.

Realizing, Lampley stares at the TV executives.

TV EXEC:

Hope Memorial Hospital? Isn't that...?

Lampley is already up and on the move.

LAMPLEY:

Is it a good enough story for you now, George?

FREDDY B.

Do you think it's that guy with the kid, boss?

LAMPLEY:

What do you think?

INT. EMERGENCY ROOM - DAY

Maguire leads Lester back to the treatment area. Lester hands him a baggie filled with three-severed fingertips.

LESTER Don't lose my fingers, man. Had them fingers my whole life.

MITCH:

(under breath; to Julie)

We were here before that guy.

J.Q.

You'll get your turn. Nobody's going anywhere for a while.

J.Q. glances at the admitting desk and sees the chair move. He lifts his weapon and moves towards it. He jumps around the corner of the desk to find Debby Utley underneath, scared to death.

J.Q. (CONT'D)

I'm going to have to ask you to join the others, Miss.

The sound of a screaming baby is cutting through the room like nails on a blackboard. J.Q. approaches Rosa, who clutches her child defensively.

J.Q. (CONT'D)

What's the problem?

Rosa shakes her head. She doesn't speak much English.

ROSA:

Yo no se que pasa. El llora por toda la noche.

J.Q.

Yo pienso que tiene dolor en su oreja.

ROSA:

Si? En su oido?

J.Q.

Porque lo toca. Mira.

The baby's tiny fingers reach for his ear. J.Q. singles out Debby Utley.

J.Q. (CONT'D)

This kid's got an ear infection. You.

With J.Q.'s finger pointed at her, Debby falls apart, bursting into tears.

DEBBY:

I can't.

J.Q.

Why not?

DEBBY:

I don't know anything. It's my first.

J.Q. gives her a look. "Oh, Jesus."

MAGUIRE:

I got it. Give him this.

Maguire hands a bottle of gooey pink Amoxycillin to Debby.

MITCH:

Unbelievable. This place is a joke. Good think I'm not cut. I'd bleed to death in this joint. Am I right, my man?

Mitch tries to engage J.Q. with a wink and a big flashy smile. J.Q. ignores him.

MITCH (CONT'D)

Excuse me? Hey, brother?

Mitch. They crying baby. The tension. It's all getting to J.Q.

MITCH (CONT'D)

My girlfriend's in a lot of pain here. How much longer before she sees a doctor?

Mitch gets up and tries to approach J.Q.

J.Q. Sit down.

MITCH:

That's cool. You and me ain't got no problems. You know what I'm saying? But do me a favor, huh? Baby's pretty banged up, and we've been waiting for hours.

J.Q. I told you once already. Sit tight.

MITCH:

That's what we've been doing.

J.Q. shoots Mitch a look before moving to Miriam and Steve.

J.Q.

When is the baby due?

MIRIAM:

Any minute.

Oh, boy. J.Q. rubs his head. What else? CLANK. CLANK. The sound of the automatic doors banging against the chain is heard.

J.Q.

What's that?

EXT. HOPE MEMORIAL HOSPITAL - ER ENTRANCE - DAY

A red & white ambulance is parked outside. THREE PARAMEDICS are pushing against the locked doors, pounding on the glass. J.Q. runs from the treatment area, sees a body laying on a stretcher.

PARAMEDIC #1

Open up. Got a gunshot victim here. Lost a lot of blood.

J.Q.

Take him to another hospital.

PARAMEDIC #2

He won't make it. Come on. We're losing him. Open the door.

J.Q.

(to Maguire)

You recognize these guys?

MAGUIRE:

Yeah, they're here all the time.

Paramedics #2 and #3 are wearing blue jackets, blue pants, cordovan, cushion-soled shoes. Paramedic #1 wears the same blue jacket and pants, but his shoes are black, with leather soles.

J.Q.

That one's a cop.

MAGUIRE:

I was here when you brought in your son. Remember me? I shot straight with you then. I'm shooting straight with you now. I'm telling you, these guys are cool.

J.Q. studies Maguire's eyes, measures his honesty, and then unchains the door and opens it, pointing the weapon. The paramedics see J.Q.'s gun and their hands go up.

J.Q.

You, open your coat.

PARAMEDIC #1

What?

J.Q.

You heard me. Take the coat off. Cop.

Paramedic #1 takes off his coat. There's nothing underneath. He's not police.

J.Q. (CONT'D)

Alright, then. Leave the stretcher. Go. Beat it.

The paramedics back away and take off. Maguire rolls the stretcher inside, and J.Q. re-locks the doors.

MAN ON STRETCHER

(name's STAWITZKY)

I gave them all the money in the register. They shot me anyway.

J.Q. peels back a corner of the blanket, looks for weapons, recoils at the sight of the man's blood. Maguire moves in, squeezes the man's wrist, takes his pulse.

MAGUIRE:

We need to prep this man for immediate surgery. He's in boo-koo trouble. Doctor?

DR. TURNER

No, no. This is out of my department. I'm a heart surgeon. I'm not an emergency room physician.

MAGUIRE:

You are now.

J.Q.

Come on, Doctor. It's like riding a bike. Pretend you're getting paid.

Turner and J.Q. lock eyes.

J.Q. (CONT'D)

Do it.

DR. TURNER

Seventy-five milligrams Demerol IV Lidocaine, local. Two percent.

Turner takes the man's pulse as they roll the stretcher towards the trauma room. J.Q. watches the anesthesia cup placed over the man's nose and he goes down for the count. Mitch fires a look at the stocky security guard.

MITCH:

When I get out of here, I'm suing this hospital and your security company.

Unseen by Mitch, J.Q. has moved behind him.

J.Q.

What makes you so sure you're getting out of here at all?

Mitch sits back down. J.Q. leans against a wall, takes a breath. Suddenly, he hears the woop-woop of police sirens. He looks out the window and sees police cars storming the front of the hospital. The cavalry has arrived.

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