Reddit League Week 3

By
sir_robert_muldoon
10/4/2014
EXT. ROADS - DAY
The Kid and the others drive along, passing northwestern
forests, farm country, eventually reaching the coast and
looking out over a small, cliff side town of HUTCHINS.
The Kid rolls down the window and looks out over the town.
KID
Bleh.
In the back seat, Lukas, Holt, and Sam are falling over each
other in a groggy haze.
KID
(cont)
Not the prettiest place, but I
cant fault the man.
He looks at the others.
KID
(cont)
Any of you have a cell phone?
They all shrug. The Kid sighs.
EXT. TAMS PLACE - DAY
Tams Place is a small general store, quaint, wooden panels,
an old line of payphones out in front.
The Kid is at one of the payphone stalls and hanging on the
line. With his idle hand he casually swings his bat around
in a wide arc.
Lukas and the others watch him from the hood of the car, the
three of them munching from some snack bags.
KID
Hey, Highfall! Its me. Yeah- No-
No. I understand. Look, Im here in
Hutchins- Youre not? Alright well
when are you getting back-?
He leans into the stall and speaks in a voice too low for
the others to hear.
HOLT
Did you all really lose your cell
phones?
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 2.
LUKAS
Yeah.
SAM
Sorry.
HOLT
Greymark is expecting us to call
him back soon.
Lukas and Sam cringe.
LUKAS
What are we going to tell him?
HOLT
I dunno. Were being held hostage?
That were being chased by a psycho
with a bat and we figured wed be
safest with another psycho with a
bat?
SAM
I dont like this plan.
LUKAS
Neither do I.
HOLT
Well we have to tell him something.
The Kid laughs.
KID
Alright. Well be waiting.
He hangs up, then fishes into his pockets for a few more
quarters.
KID
(cont)
Whats this Greymark guys number?
INT. GREYMARKS OFFICE - DAY
Sunlight is streaming into the office from a large window
overlooking the city. Greymark himself, a tall, imperious
man, sits stooped at his desk. A manila folder lies open in
front of him, and he idly flips through the pages and
artifacts inside. He halts at a small flyer for a band.
The phone on his desk rings. He presses the speakerphone.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 3.
GREYMARK
Yes, Trudy? I am busy.
TRUDY
I
TRUDY
Im sorry sir, but I have someone
on the other line. She says her
name is Holt, shes with Lukas and
Sam. Didnt say anything more.
GREYMARK
Put her through.
The speakerphone crackles for a moment.
HOLT
Hello?
GREYMARK
I didnt expect as quick of a
response.
HOLT
Yeah, well, I guess youre just one
of those people who makes other
people work.
GREYMARK
Do you have the bat.
HOLT
Better, weve got the bat and the
kid who was swinging it around.
Greymark spins around in his chair to look out over the
city.
GREYMARK
Really?
HOLT
Yeah. Weve got him down tight. In
fact-
EXT. TAMS PLACE - DAY
Holt looks at Lukas, Sam, and the Kid, who look at her in
anticipation. The Kid cracks his knuckles and rubs at his
throat.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 4.
HOLT
(cont)
Hed like to talk to you.
INT. GREYMARKS OFFICE - DAY
Greymark turns around again, his face contorted in
annoyance.
KID
Hello? You still there?
GREYMARK
I am here.
KID
Alright, look, I dont know who you
are, but I do have a few questions
of my own.
GREYMARK
Alright.
KID
I think youve made a terible
mistake. See, its a really common
one. You probably want my brother.
Greymark is silent for a moment.
GREYMARK
No, its your bat I want.
KID
You sure about that? See, Ive got
a wooden one, hes got the aluminum
one. Thats the one that everybody
wants-
GREYMARK
No. I dont give a dman about your
brother or the little feud you tow
are engaged in. All I want is your
bat, and I will have it.
KID
Oh yeah? Tell me why, cmon, try
me.
GREYMARK
You know why I need it. There
arent too many reasons why I would
(MORE)
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 5.
GREYMARK (contd)
need the wooden bat over the metal
one.
EXT. TAMS PLACE - DAY
The Kid puts the phone down and thinks for a moment. Holt
and the others look at him, waiting for a response. He
raises the receiver back to his mouth.
KID
You know where Hutchins is? Right,
you can have your secretary look it
up. Well be waiting for you. And
no flaking out on the answers when
you get here.
GREYMARK
Ill be there. Oh, and tell the
others that Ill be speaking to
them as well.
He hangs up. The Kid is left with a dial tone. He hangs up.
KID
Okay.
HOLT
What happened? Did you recognize
him?
KID
No, he seems to know a bit about me
though. Either way, it doesnt seem
like my friend is here yet. Might
take a few hours.
LUKAS
So what do we do till then?
They look around. The Kid spots an old, but open, theater.
KID
Wanna watch a movie?
INT. THEATER
The theater is empty save for a few sleeping old-timers in
the back row.
The four enter in a line and sit down. The Kid stretches out
and sets his bat in the seat next to his.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 6.
LUKAS
Are you sure hell show? Shouldnt
we be waiting outside or something.
KID
He wants the bat, I need to find
out why. Calm down. Eat your
popcorn.
The Kid grabs a fistful of popcorn and starts munching away.
On screen, in bright black and white, a pair of LOVERS, STAN
and RITA, a man and a woman, in trench coats, entangled in
each others arms in front of a Parisian backdrop.
RITA
I hate you.
STAN
I dont believe you. Say it again!
RITA
I hate you, I hate, I hate you.
STAN
Now show me you hate me.
She looks into his eyes a moment, kisses him.
KID
Ugh.
LUKAS
Its not that bad.
HOLT
No, it is.
She grabs a fistful of popcorn as well.
LUKAS
Then why are we watching this?
SAM
I kinda like it. Its got that old
romantic vibe to it. Cagney and
Lacey, you know?
KID
I asked you what you wanted to see,
you didnt say anything. It was
either this or some artsy French
film.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 7.
Theyre all quiet, watching the movie unfold in front of
them.
KID
(cont)
So I have to ask, what exactly does
this Greymark fellow have on you?
You dont strike me as the thug for
hire types.
He waves to Lukas and Holt.
KID
And you two seem to know each
other.
SAM
Dont even bother, I tried to
wrangle it out of them, wasnt
happening.
LUKAS
No, its alright. Yeah, Holt and
Ive known each other for a while
now. Her, me, and my brother, just
the three of us.
KID
Fun times. Does Greymark have him?
Lukas and Holt are silent.
KID
(cont)
Im sorry. You got anything, Sam?
SAM
Heh, just my life. A few bad
choices, debt being shifted around.
really, get a few bookies together
and suddenly they turn into Wall
Street financiers.
KID
True.
They watch the movie for another beat. A new man, JACQUES,
has entered the scene between the lovers.
JACQUES
You two are fools. Did you think
you could run? Did you think you
could simply come into my world and
leave without consequences?
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 8.
RITA
Oh, Jacques, let us go, we dont
want any trouble.
STAN
Jacques, please, we got what we
want, we dont want any more part
of this.
JACQUES
Trop tard, now you must die. Adieu,
mes amis.
He pulls out a gun.
KID
Oh, snap.
Jacques fires once, but Stan is able to push his arm and the
shot misses. Rita and Stan are both fighting with Jacques
over the gun.
LUKAS
But then what I dont get is why
youre fighting your brother.
KID
Its all about power. Thats what
everything comes down to, really.
Hes got something, Ive got
something, and neither of us can
stand to let the other have it. I
mean, god, its a tough feeling.
LUKAS
What do you mean?
KID
Can you imagine someone having
something that you want, and the
very idea of it driving you mad?
Thats what its like for my
brother and I.
Lukas ponders this for a moment. He looks towards Holt,
offers her his bag of popcorn.
LUKAS
Popcorn?
She takes a fistful and starts munching. Sam grabs a napkin
and stars wiping the butter off his hands.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 9.
SAM
I can imagine that. Snot too hard.
LUKAS
Please, man, youve got everything
sorted, seems like. A little debt,
hell half the worlds in debt.
SAM
Its not the debt, its everything
around it. Just yesterday it feels
like I was 20 and here I am closer
to 30 than 20 with nothing to show
for it. My car got busted up, and
my guitar, and my computer,
actually.
KID
Sorry about that.
SAM
And I just, I dunno. Everybody
tells you to be happy, good things
will come. But they dont really
know for sure, do they?
His usually happy demeanor has faded and he stares ahead
without looking at the actual movie screen.
KID
If I made you all an offer, would
you take me up on it?
HOLT
Depends on the offer.
KID
Greymark wants this bat. But I
cant let him have it. No matter
hat he wants it for, its not a
power that you can just hold in
your hands.
He grabs the bat and swings it over his head, towards the
screen.
KID
(cont)
No matter what happens, this bat
was meant for me. I was born with
it, none other is worthy. Not my
brother, certainly not this
Greymark, no one.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 10.
He swings about in a dramatic fashion and looks at Lukas,
Holt, and Sam.
KID
(cont)
If you come with me, if you join
me, Ill do everything in my power
to help you.
HOLT
Youll help us?
KID
Yep. Its been a long, long while
since Ive worked with anybody
though, youll have to give me some
time to work out the kinks, but I
think I can make it work.
LUKAS
Thats easy for you to say, but
unless youve got a bunch of
magical bats to hand around, I
think were all going to get shot.
Thats part of the whole reason we
did what he asked in the first
place.
KID
Ill worry about that. Trust me.
He sits down.
KID
Now quiet, I want to see how this
ends.
He grabs another handful of popcorn. On screen, Rita is
crying over a shot Stan.
FADE OUT