Reindeer Games Page #20

RUDY:

He didn't recognize me. Back off,

willya? He didn't recognize me.

Merlin eyes him darkly, but lets him walk on into the slots.

As he nears Ashley, he glances to the blackjack table, where

the College Kid has left... heading for the bathroom --

ASHLEY:

Hey Nick! We're up fifty cents!

-- and as a barely-dressed COCKTAIL WAITRESS crosses between

Rudy and Ashley, blocking her view of him --

Rudy pretends to crash into her, splashing the rum and Coke

into his own face --

RUDY:

Heyyyy!

Reaching Ashley, his goatee is dripping --

ASHLEY:

Nick, what happened --

RUDY:

There went my... damn... well, doesn't

seem like security's all that

switched... Ash, sh*t, this mustache

is starting to fall off. I gotta fix

this thing --

(hands her his glass)

-- drink this for me.

He hustles for the bathroom. A moment later, Jumpy storms

by.

Stops at Ashley.

JUMPY:

What happened?

ASHLEY:

He started losing his hair.

INT. CASINO BATHROOM - DAY

The College Kid is zipping up when Rudy SLAMS into his back,

money in hand, crashing him against the wall:

RUDY:

Hundred bucks to wear this jacket --

COLLEGE KID:

Jesus, man, don't kill me!

RUDY:

Nobody's killing you, kid. Santa's

giving you a rhinestone jacket and a

hundred bucks.

INT. TOMAHAWK SAME

Merlin's at a slot machine, watching the hall to the

bathrooms. A WAITRESS arrives, hands him a beer:

MERLIN:

Thanks, sister. How are ya.

WAITRESS:

F***in' freezing.

MERLIN:

Hell yeah. You work here long?

WAITRESS:

Five years. Since it opened.

MERLIN:

How long ago was your makeover?

WAITRESS:

My what?!

MERLIN:

No, the place. The remodeling. moving

everything around.

The waitress frowns.

WAITRESS:

The Tomahawk's looked the same since

I started, mister.

(shrugs)

Only the losers change.

Merlin stares at her. Then drops his drink to the floor,

charging for the bathroom.

INT. BATHROOM

As Merlin crashes in, seeing the cowboy hat and jacket, back

turned, adjusting a belt. As the figure turns around.

It's the College Kid. Merlin stops in his tracks --

-- as Rudy CRASHES into him from a stall, kicking his legs

out, driving his throat into a countertop. Merlin hits the

ground, gagging. Rudy wears the kid's sweatshirt:

RUDY:

GO! GO!

The College Kid, shaking, hustles out the door.

INT. TOMAHAWK - CONTINUOUS

As the College Kid, in Rudy's black getup, strides out of

the bathroom hall, walking for the casino exit.

From the slots, Ashley and Jumpy glance up, seeing him go.

From their vantage, it looks like Rudy. They frown.

As they're watching the Kid hit the door, Rudy darts out of

the hall, heads the other way.

EXT. PARKING LOT/INT. NOVA

Gabriel and Pug sit sentry, seeing the cowboy figure leave

the casino. wandering into-the parking lot... away from them.

GABRIEL:

Where the hell's he going?

PUG:

Where the hell's your sister?

As the figure unlocks the driver's door of a Trans Am --

GABRIEL:

Get him!

Pug REVS the engine, speeds through the lot, cutting off the

Trans Am from backing away.

Gabriel jumps out, HAULS the cowboy from his car and sees

it's the College Kid. Rudy's gone.

COLLEGE KID:

(scared shitless)

Oh man. It's your jacket, isn't it...

INT. TOMAHAWK

Merlin stumbles out of the bathroom, holding his throat.

Catches Jumpy and Ashley's eyes from the slots:

JUMPY:

Trouble.

INT. CASINO KITCHEN

As Rudy charges toward COOKS, holding a buffet plate aloft --

RUDY:

MEDIUM RARE?! You call this MEDIUM

RARE??!!

-- hands them the plate, hurries past them, and out the --

EXT. REAR OF CASINO - DAY

-- to the back of the building. In his stolen clothes, he

charges across the staff parking area and into the snowy

expanse of meadow beyond.

Running for a thicket of winter woods.

EXT. PARKING LOT

Merlin and Jumpy stride out to join Gabriel and Pug. Ashley

follows, stumbling to keep up.

GABRIEL:

Where the HELL did he go?

MERLIN:

Monster. There never was a structure

change. This place was built the

same from day one.

PUG:

That motherf***er --

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