Nick of Time Page #18

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GENE:

Lynn!

He struggles to turn around. MR. SMITH kidney punches him,

hard! GENE goes down on one knee.

The car stops. SOMEONE starts to board it, stops in surprise.

MR. SMITH sticks a badge in their face.

MR. SMITH

Security. Take the next car.

They back off. The doors close, the car continues its descent.

MR. SMITH lifts the walkie-talkie.

MR. SMITH

Again.

GENE:

(a gasp)

No, please...

Another bone-chilling scream from the walkie-talkie. GENE is

ripped to his soul. MR. SMITH hauls him to his feet, shoves

him against the glass.

MR. SMITH

You got one last chance. Half an

hour and that kid is dead. I'll kill

her myself. I'll rip her f***ing

head off right in front of you!

MR. SMITH releases GENE, who goes limp. The elevator doors

open onto the lobby.

MR. SMITH gets out, straightening his tie, wiping the sweat

from his face.

INT. THIRD FLOOR "GREEN" ELEVATOR LOBBY - DAY - 12:59PM

GENE gets out of the elevator, almost getting caught in the

closing doors. He can't even fight back at the doors. They

pound him a couple of times before he is able to step clear

of the elevator. GENE stifles a retch, hurries away.

MR. SMITH is standing there. Childish giggles erupt from the

walkie-talkie.

LYNN (O.S.)

(filtered, giggling)

Daddy, did you hear me scream?

INT. THE VAN - DAY - 1:00PM

MS. JONES holds the walkie-talkie for LYNN.

LYNN (O.S.)

She told me to scream as loud as I

could. Did you hear me?

OMIT:

INT. MEN'S ROOM - DAY - 1:01PM

GENE staggers over to the row of sinks. Leaning on one sink

with both hands, his body shudders violently. And he throws

up.

A man exits a toilet stall and walks toward the sinks. He

sees GENE retching, turns away in disgust, and leaves quickly.

GENE turns on the faucets.to wash the mess away.

He tries to clean up, but catches his reflection in the

mirror. He has trouble looking himself in the eye.

INT. THIRD FLOOR LOBBY - DAY - 1:01PM

MR. SMITH is fuming. Into the walkie-talkie:

MR. SMITH

The next time I tell you to do

something, you goddamn well do it!

INT. THE VAN - DAY - 1:01PM

MS. JONES tries to be private on the walkie-talkie.

MS. JONES

Hey, f*** you! You want to baby-sit

a screaming kid in traffic, come out

here and do it yourself. He got the

message, didn't he?

LYNN watches her, knowing something's not quite right.

INT. BONAVENTURE HOTEL - EXT MEN'S ROOM - DAY - 1:02PM

GENE comes out of the Men's Room, stands there at a loss.

HUEY (O.S.)

Having a rough day? Down at the heels

as they say? What you need is a shoe

shine, shoe shine, shoe shine today.

GENE looks around. HUEY has his nose in his magazine, calling

out his patter for whoever drifts by.

INT. BONAVENTURE HOTEL - SHOESHINE STAND - DAY - 1:02PM

GENE walks over, climbs into a chair.

HUEY:

(still not looking up)

Take ten, take a break, take a seat,

take a load off. Put the world in

perspective.

GENE has settled into the chair. HUEY tosses the magazine

aside, swings into action...

HUEY:

So, are you a visitor or are you

lucky enough to...

...and freezes, staring at the familiar pair of shoes.

HUEY:

(as he looks up)

You got a complaint?

GENE looks down at him.

GENE:

You remember me?

HUEY:

I remember. The big tipper.

GENE:

Something is going to happen. When

it's over you'll know what I was

talking about.

HUEY:

Oh, man...

GENE:

Please. Something is going to

happen...

HUEY:

What? The end of the world? Man,

don't give me your mad rap. I'm not

a bartender. I don't want to hear

it. I raise a family doing this

bullshit. Do me a favor. Get your

crazy white ass out of my chair.

GENE:

Please...

HUEY:

Hey, a big tip doesn't give you the

right to crap in my ear. You want

change? You got it, brother. What

was that you gave me, a twenty?

HUEY kneels down, gets his cashbox, starts to open it up.

From behind him:

MR. SMITH

Come on, let's get some privacy.

GENE:

He's deaf.

It spills out of GENE almost without volition. There's a

note of pleading hidden in it. GENE slowly points a thumb at

HUEY's "Disabled Veteran" sign.

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