Mad City Page #3

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Unacceptable!

Don't negotiate my emotions.

Hello, Sheriff Lemke, Max Brackett. | I know the rules about these things...

Is he listening to us?

- No, he's not. | - Is he pointing his weapon?

I can guarantee Mr. Baily's sincere. | I think things will become unstable...

...if you don't grant him this. | - Jesus!

I don't like this.

- I know. | - Tell him I'm upset.

But this man is very upset, sir.

Things are very unpredictable here.

All right, look...

Okay. I want this over quickly, | understand?

Someone.

That's all you're gonna get.

They'll want to know | what's in the bag.

- Nothing. | - May I look?

Oh, man!

My brother-in-law uses it | to clear stumps on his farm.

Why bring it here?

I wanted Mrs. Banks | to believe I was serious.

The gun's not enough?

I wanted to impress her!

- What are you gonna do with it? | - I just want to go home.

You don't need it anymore. | I'll take it.

Now, go. Just go.

- How do I know you're coming back? | - You're the best show in town.

Wait a minute. | Wait!

Come here. | I need to ask you something.

- I need you to talk to my wife. | - Sure.

When she finds out about this | she's gonna be upset, big-time.

- The press will be all over her. | - Oh, man!

Want me to fix it so | only I can talk to her?

- Only me? | - Just you.

You got it.

You watch yourself.

Chief!

Stay here.

Are the children all right?

Go get your camera.

- How are the kids? | - They're fine.

What's the story?

He has enough dynamite to level | the place, so don't piss him off.

- Jesus! | - Excuse me.

- I'm Mr. Brackett's assistant. | - Come here. Don't get cocky.

You want your TV show, | then you cooperate with me.

You scratch my back...

The cameras are on my back | and your face is on all channels.

In front of the camera, | I'll say you're in charge.

- May I go? | - What's his name?

Sam Baily. Please?

- You're hitting a pressure point. | - I got the parents over here.

Tell us what's going on in there.

Your children are fine.

We're doing everything we can | to resolve the situation quickly.

You won't believe this, | but your kids are playing inside.

When will it end?

The police have no control | so a news guy runs things?

I'm not running anything.

- What if I decided to get my kid? | - That's not a good idea.

- Why?

You'd put all the kids in danger. | Mister Mayor.

Cochran and I are trying | to bring them home for dinner.

Don't talk to the press. | Network orders. We're going national.

Sorry, guys, we've been promoted.

when I report it.

on the situation in the museum.

It's good to see you safe. | This is a remarkable job you're doing.

I was just...

to help the children.

I'm optimistic that...

Should we bring Broyles from | San Francisco if this takes hold?

We can ask, but what for?

- Brackett was born for this job. | - Look at him. He's a pig in sh*t.

Kevin, anyone ever feel him out | for anchor work?

That's an anchor?

Look at him. I wouldn't even | buy a new car from that guy.

He'd never sit at a desk. | He likes to be where bullets fly.

He got too hot to keep around | after your little incident.

Little incident?

- Are we suffering from memory loss? | - He did two years in the sticks.

He learned his lesson. | He chilled.

going back inside the museum.

to release one child.

What about that girl in the glasses?

- You're asking me? | - I got to choose somebody.

- Do you have children? | - Two.

- Could you bear saving one? | - Quiet.

Let all of them go. That's how you'll | get people to sympathize with you.

Everybody's gonna go home, | but you gotta take turns.

I can give, and hope...

...there will be a peaceful resolution, | without further violence.

Be careful, Max...

...and Godspeed. | - Thank you. Godspeed.

- Clear. | - Mort has Shakespeare writing for him.

We were number one.

- What happened with the guard? | - What?

You left the camera | and went to help him.

He was hurt.

Why not take the camera | if you're going to be humane?

Because I can't...

I can't hold it and help | at the same time.

By not having the camera...

...we lost footage | nobody else would've had.

You must decide whether | you are part of a story...

...or will record the story. | - Max, it's Lou.

I want you with me from | the start to the end of the story.

Hi, Lou. | You having fun?

I ask for fluff and you | get a hostage situation.

I guess I'm just not | one of your fluffy kind of reporters.

He's average, married with kids. | He flipped.

- What does he want?

Wants his job and to be heard. | Dignity.

- A good place to be.

If you're uncomfortable, | we don't have a contract.

- Network called.

- You're back in the saddle, cowboy. | - There's nothing like old friends.

Look at this jerk. | What a showboat!

Zoom in.

It's a military helicopter!

Which one gets to leave?

- Maybe that girl in the glasses. | - Which one?

- That one. | - Good. Let's give them two.

- I said one. | - You shot a black man.

People will make an issue of that.

Showing kindness to a black | makes it harder to play the race card.

You understand?

- Two kids are being released! | - Hurry up!

All right, what happened?

Did he treat you okay? | Let them say something!

Next to the van. There she is.

Maybe I'll see my mom.

I hope I see my mom.

Look! A bigger one.

I came in. I was, I don't know, | 20 minutes late and...

You see, the night before | we had a softball game. We won.

I had a double and a triple.

We were happy. We had a party, | and I had...

...three beers, | something like that.

The next day I came to work | and Mrs. Banks told me to come in...

Leave out the ball game, | and the drinks.

- But we drank. I mean, I drank. | - But that's not why you got fired.

Don't give them that impression. | Start from "Mrs. Banks..."

Mrs. Banks... See, she didn't ask me. | She tells you what to do, okay?

It's like those dinosaurs | her great-granddaddy made. I mean...

...he put them there. | That's enough for her.

I don't know what you're | talking about.

- She does. | - We can leave out the dinosaurs.

- Mrs. Banks said... | - "We have two security guards."

"We don't need them | because we gotta cut back."

"We need one. | So Cliff, who's been here longer...

...he, you know..."

I said, "Fine. I'll take less money | or less hours."

But she didn't listen.

Did it ever occur to you | that I deal with problems...

...bigger than your economics?

That I run the museum, | not my employees' careers?

- I came to you twice. You didn't... | - I couldn't at that moment.

Don't turn it around.

You only want things your way.

Walk over there and make sure | the buffalo are grazing.

- Bison. | - I stand corrected.

Let me ask you:

Is this the first time you came | to see her? Today?

- No. The second time. | - The second time.

I want you to tell me what | you were feeling when she fired you.

- This will sound stupid, but... | - Go ahead.

You know that thing in a car | that measures miles?

- The meter. | - It goes back to zero.

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