Strange Days Page #9

MACE:

Define love.

CUT TO:

EXT. ST. JAMES CLUB - NIGHT

Mace's limo wheels up to the hotel on the strip.

A soberly-dressed Japanese executive is waiting next to

the doorman.

INSIDE the car, Mace spots him and scowls.

MACE:

Dammit, Lenny, you made me late.

Lenny opening the door before the car stops.

LENNY:

What's his name?

MACE:

Fumitsu.

LENNY:

Mr. Fumitsu, good evening sir,

Leonard Nero, Security Express.

Lornette Mason here is just

completing our routine driver

evaluation. We do it to make sure

that out VIP clients, such as

yourself, are always treated as

honored guests. I just need to ride

up front and take some notes, if you

don't mind.

Fumitsu nods politely and Lenny opens the car door for

him. Lenny jogs around behind the car to the front

passenger door.

MACE:

Um, excuse me.

(can't stand to say

it)

Sir. Excuse me. Mr. Nero.

She walks calmly to him.

MACE:

(hissing through her

teeth)

What the f*** are you doing?

LENNY:

(winning smile,

innocent)

Coming with you.

MACE:

You will not live to see the

morning.

CUT TO:

EXT. HANCOCK PARK HOUSE - NIGHT

As the limo stops at an elegant home in this top-bucks,

old-line residential area. There is a loud party in

progress, with a couple of hundred guests spread through

the house and backyard. Mace scowls deeply as Lenny gets

out of the car and starts into the party with Mr. Fumitsu.

They are laughing uproariously and getting along like old

friends.

CUT TO:

EXT. HANCOCK PARK HOUSE - NIGHT

Mace, having a cigarette with other security drivers,

watches Lenny through the tall windows of the old Spanish

house. She sees him working the room, rubbing up against

the money, networking. No dialogue. A pantomime of Lenny

working his prime turf. She stares at him for a while,

then looks at her watch. Sighs.

CUT TO:

EXT./ INT. HANCOCK PARK HOUSE/GARDEN - NIGHT

... as a tall, stern figure suddenly slides into Lenny's

path, a top cop named PALMER STRICKLAND.

STRICKLAND:

Nero.

LENNY:

(uh-oh)

Strickland.

STRICKLAND:

Commissioner Strickland.

LENNY:

Sure. Whatever. See, since you

shitcanned my career, I don't even

have to call you sir. One of life's

small pleasures.

STRICKLAND:

Aren't you peddling your wares a

little far from your usual gutter?

LENNY:

I was invited here by a close

friend, Mr. Fumitsu, see he's right

over there.

Lenny waves. Fumitsu waves back from across the room.

STRICKLAND:

I don't like disappointments, Nero.

And do you know what disappoints me

very much?

LENNY:

Your sex life?

STRICKLAND:

Your existence.

CUT TO:

EXT. HANCOCK PARK HOUSE - NIGHT

Mace sits in her limo, talking on the cellular.

MACE:

Now listen to me... you have to get

to bed young man. I mean it. No

watching "Tales from the Crypt". I

don't care what Cecile says. I'll

see you in the morning, baby.

Night, night.

As she hangs up, she glances out the window in time to

see...

Lenny flying over a hedge. He lands on the sidewalk, then

scrambles up and brushes himself off as TWO SECURITY TYPES

loom toward him. He adjusts his wardrobe and walks with

dignity (but quickly) toward the car.

MACE:

Are we having a bad night?

LENNY:

(glancing back)

Let's talk in the car.

CUT TO:

INT./ EXT. MACE'S LIMO - NIGHT

As Mace pulls out, Lenny starts fitting a pair of playback

trodes to his head. Mace glances at him in disgust. He

hits his playback button.

Lenny's POV as he talks to Faith. Back when things were

good. He's wiring her. They are playful, like a couple

of kids.

FAITH:

I feel like you're turning me into a

VCR.

LENNY:

I just want to see what we're like

together through your eyes.

He turns OFF the record button. STATIC. Then TAPE

RESTARTS. We see the two of them standing together,

reflected in a mirror.

We are Faith now.

FAITH:

I don't feel anything. Is it on?

LENNY:

Forget it's there.

FAITH:

Make me forget it, baby.

He turns her to him. They begin to make love. Faith's

face fills our field of view, eyes closed in dreamy

passion.

A sudden FLASH OF LIGHT. Lenny opens his eyes to see...

Mace's glowing countenance.

She has stopped the car, torn the trodes from Lenny's head

and tossed them out the window. Now she's yanking him out

of the car by his lapels.

LENNY:

Hey, careful on the jacket. This is

Armani.

(he looks at her)

You angry?

MACE:

I've had enough of this sh*t.

(getting back into

the car)

You're on foot, Lenny.

LENNY:

In LA? Are you crazy?

Mace starts to peel out, but Lenny leaps and plasters

himself on the hood. Mace pretends she doesn't see him.

LENNY:

(as they drive along)

Can I come in please? I'm having a

hard time hearing the stereo.

Mace jams on the brakes and Lenny slides off in front of

the car. Now she starts to move forward...

LENNY:

I need my case. It's still in the

back.

MACE:

Get it.

He quickly moves around the car and climbs in the back

door. Lenny grabs his Haliburton but instead of getting

out, he leans through the divider window, next to Mace.

LENNY:

Listen, can we talk a little bit

here, like two rational adults?

Mace hits a button on the dash. The privacy divider rises

suddenly, pinning Lenny to the ceiling.

LENNY:

That would be no.

MACE:

I've had it. No more wirehead sh*t

in my car. You understand? You

want to poach your lobes, do it

somewhere else.

LENNY:

Okay, you got my attention, but this

is cutting off the circulation to my

head, here. D'you mind?

She lowers the divider, releasing him. Lenny straightens

his jacket and tie. Runs a hand through his greasy hair.

LENNY:

I thought we were friends.

MACE:

No, see a friend is more than one

person constantly doing favors for

another. You just suck people along

with your schemes and your scams and

your slick act. Well I'm out. I

got a kid, I got rent, I got an ex-

husband someplace who doesn't send

me a dime of support... I'm just

trying to hold on here.

LENNY:

So am I. Just trying to get by.

MACE:

No, you're just trying to get off.

LENNY:

Macey... I've never seen you like

this.

MACE:

Lenny, you're turning into some

kinda squid-head low-life. You're

always broke, you just go from one

score to the next. And you're

getting strung out... you don't even

see it. Getting high on your own

supply like some crack dealer.

LENNY:

I know you wouldn't be saying all

this if you didn't care about me.

Thanks, Mace. Really.

MACE:

Look, I gotta get some sleep.

LENNY:

You still like me, don't you? We're

still buddies?

She hates it that she can't resist his pathetic charm.

MACE:

(a tiny smile)

Yeah. I don't see a way out of it.

LENNY:

Macey, I know you're tired, but can

you drop me at the Retinal Fetish?

It's on your way.

MACE:

Jesus, Lenny.

LENNY:

Begging? Groveling? Any pathetic

behavior at all? Will that help?

Faith's there tonight, and I've got

to talk to her.

MACE:

Sure, Lenny.

(she puts the car in

gear)

The only thing worse than a junkie

is someone in love.

CUT TO:

EXT. RETINAL FETISH - NIGHT

As Mace pulls to a stop in the parking lot and Lenny opens

the door.

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