Strange Days Page #22

FAITH:

Okay, Lenny. My guardian angel.

Faith hugs him, and he clutches her. Mace locks her jaw

and looks away. This is hard for her.

CUT TO:

INT. CORRIDOR

Mace leads the way, with Lenny following, gripping Faith's

hand like Orpheus leading Eurydice out of Hell. They push

through shapes of people in the thundering dark corridor.

Half-lit, in alcoves, far-gone wireheads loll in semi-

consciousness. Faith looks back and sees:

TRAN'S POSSE rounding a corner... spotting them. They

start shoving through the crowd like juggernauts, knocking

protesting people out of the way.

Mace, Lenny and Faith break into a run, pounding down the

corridor.

Behind them, Duncan leads the charge. Suddenly TEX ARCANA

shoots into the hallway, intentionally blocking their path

with his wheelchair. Duncan crashes over him, toppling

the chair, and they both sprawl to the floor. Vita,

Beemer and Corto go around the sprawl.

Tex, like many legless men, has incredibly strong arms.

Lenny looks back to see him pounding Duncan's head against

the floor...

TEX:

Teach you...

(pound)

to mess with...

(pound)

a helpless cripple!

Lenny et al reach the main floor of the club where they

shove through the buffeting crowd amid strobe-flashes and

a wall of sound.

Behind them we see Corto and Beemer hurling partiers

aside, cutting a swath, while Vita moves like a mongoose

through tall grass. Mace drops back, going tail-end-

Charlie... her bodyguard mode kicking in.

ON LENNY AND FAITH, charging through the jostling crowd,

Lenny is looking back, then he looks ahead and...

TRAN is right in front of him. In the whirling shapes and

colors of the crowd, he is an island of composure in a

white tux. He holds a glass of champagne in one hand, the

bottle in the other. In one lightning-fast move he

uppercuts with the bottle, clipping Lenny under the jaw.

Faith screams as Lenny staggers. Tran swings again,

smashing the bottle over the back of Lenny's head. Lenny

sprawls on the floor amid champagne foam and glass.

Lenny, blood flowing in his eyes, rises blearily to see

Faith being pulled away by Tran, who has her arm twisted

viciously behind her back. They go around a chain-link

divider and double back, heading for the exit. Lenny

staggers to the chainlink, sagging to his knees again as

Faith passes within a few inches of him. He slips down

the chainlink, into unconsciousness, as her image is lost

in the pounding darkness.

Mace gets to him through the crowd, and then whirls like a

cat as the Posse arrives. She stands guard over him like

a rabid dog, her .380 auto straightarmed and covering them

expertly. Corto eyes her with hatred. The stitches on

his nose and the bruised swelling are a reminder of his

last run-in with her. He backs off.

CORTO:

(to the others)

Not here. Lets go.

They back off, fading into the crowd... catching up with

Tran at the exit.

Mace watches them recede. Then she bends to Lenny. Max

arrives a moment later and they lift him to his feet.

CUT TO:

EXT. RETINAL FETISH/ALLEY - NIGHT

Max and Mace support a semi-conscious Lenny, hustling him

to the car. As they are putting him in the car, TWO LAPD

OFFICERS come through the crowd, eyeing the bleeding

Lenny.

MAX:

Everything's cool. Too much to

drink.

Lenny picks this moment to slump sideways, falling half

out of the car. The squid tape of the Jeriko kill falls

out of his jacket pocket and clatters to the pavement.

Mace's eyes go wide. The boot of one of the cops is

inches from it.

MACE:

Yeah, uh... he slipped on the

stairs. We're taking him to

emergency.

(to the nearest cop)

Excuse me.

The cop steps back, giving Mace room to push Lenny back up

in the seat. She surreptitiously kicks the tape under the

car, over to the driver's side.

COP:

Go to Cedars. It's closest.

Mace nods and goes around the car. Max starts asking them

questions and the cops turn away, distracted. She picks

up the tape and gets in. Closes the door. Let's out a

big breath.

CUT TO:

INT. PARKING GARAGE/BONAVENTURE HOTEL - NIGHT

A line of expensive cars waiting to valet park. Tran's

limo jumps the line and swoops up parallel to the elevator

doors. The posse get out, scowling at the valet who

swallows his protest. Tran emerges, helping Faith out

with a firm grip on her arm which he does not release as

they head for the elevators.

They push through a group waiting for an elevator... men

in tuxes, women in gowns and diamonds. The elevator opens

and Tran's entourage sweeps inside. Beemer and Duncan

block any civilians from entering.

INT. ELEVATOR

They ride in silence a moment. Faith is pale, her jaw

clenching. Tran has her arm in a tight grip. There is a

march-to-the-gallows feel about the moment.

FAITH:

Well, I'm certainly in the mood for

a party.

TRAN:

(to Wade)

Take her up to the suite.

(to Faith)

Have a glass of champagne... or

six... I'll be up in a while to help

you ring in the New Year.

FAITH:

I live for the moment.

The elevator doors open, revealing...

INT. FOYER AND BALLROOM

The heart of the MILLENNIUM L.A. New Year's ball. A

glitterati event in full swing. Red carpet, minicam

lights and paparazzi. Limos pulling up outside four deep.

Movie stars rubbing elbows with politicos, music movers

and shakers chatting with city hall types. This is a

party to celebrate the millennium, sure, but its main

function is to celebrate the celebrants: if you're here,

there's no need to be anywhere else. There is a heavy

police presence, as well as lots of private security.

Tran exits the elevator with Vita Minh, Joey Corto and

Duncan. They wedge through the crowd, Tran smiling.

Nodding to people he knows.

CUT TO:

INT. CECILE'S APARTMENT - NIGHT

Lenny is in a chair in the kitchen, listening to Max on

the cellular. He is holding a dish-towel full of ice

cubes on his scalp. It is soaked with blood and his

Armani jacket and silk shirt are spattered. Mace lifts

the ice pack to check that the bleeding has stopped.

MACE:

You are a p*ssy-whipped sorry-ass

motherf***er, you know that?

She slaps the ice pack back down.

LENNY:

Owww!! Take it easy.

(to phone)

Uh huh. So where are they now?

CUT TO:

INT. BALLROOM/BONAVENTURE HOTEL

TIGHT ON MAX, leaning against a pillar. He looks over his

shoulder, around the column.

MAX'S POV:
through a dense throng of glitterati we see

Tran and his entourage seated at a table, holding court

with music types and politicos.

MAX:

He's got her up in the room, under

guard. And he's still working the

party... acting smooth like nothin's

nothin'. So buddy... I say we work

a trade.

LENNY (V.O.)

What do you mean?

MAX:

Give him the tape. See? It's

f***ing brilliant! The tape for

Faith. I know he'll go for it. I

can set it up.

LENNY (V.O.)

This is what we laughingly refer to

as a plan, right?

MAX:

Come on! If he gives us any sh*t,

we kill 'em all. Whattya say?

(same old Max)

Just get your butt down here. If

I'm not at the shindig downstairs

go to the room. It's 2203. You

writin'?

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