Night To Seize by Jeremy Brown

Current Revisions by Jeremy Brown, 2011

Jeremy Brown CrimsonWorks Entertainment, LLC. 19722 Colman St. Clinton Township, MI 48035 Phn: 586.569.6271 E-mail: jaybwriter@gmail.com

WGA/e Registered.

FADE IN: 1 EXT. DESERTED INDUSTRIAL SECTOR - NIGHT 1

We see miles of city blocks, bogged with old, eroding factories and warehouses. Amidst the withering buildings, not a soul traverses the empty streets. Suddenly, a lone SUV flashes into view, lying skewed and darkened against the curb. 2 I/E. SUV TRUCK - CONTINUOUS 2

JAKE, twenties, sits in the passenger seat, wrangling a cheap watch on his wrist into the obscure moonlight. He notes the time with slight concern. JAKE Theyre ten minutes late. Jake looks to the driver, TREVOR, African-American, twenties and collected. He brushes off Jakes nerves with little interest. TREVOR Its too much money for them to lose. Theyll be here, just give em a minute. A CELL vibrates, dancing on the dashboard. Jake picks up. Hello? 3 JAKE

INT. APARTMENT - CONTINUOUS

Shrunken voices emit throughout the living room. As we pan the warm interior, we come to realize the voices are playing from a small TELEVISION. Hey babe. AMY (O.S.)

AMY emerges from the hallway with a phone pressed to her ear. Shes twenty, comely, and adorning the belly of a woman five months into pregnancy. She shuffles around the couch and flops down, covering herself with a thick blanket.

2. JAKE (V.O.) Hey... whats going on? AMY Nothing. Just wanted to see how your first day was going? INTERCUT - PHONE CONVERSATION JAKE Its going, Ill tell you that much. AMY I just want you to know how proud I am of you. I know I havent been the easiest person to get along with and -JAKE Amy I cant let you keep borrowing money from your parents. Were a family now, weve gotta be able to stand on our own. A BLACK SEDAN eases behind the SUV. Trevor spots the car through the rearview and gives Jake a look. Its GO TIME. Jake. TREVOR

JAKE (to Amy) Uh... Amy Ive gotta go. AMY (V.O.) Okay. Love you. JAKE Love you too. Jake flips the cell shut and slides it in his pocket. He looks over to Trevor, finally giving us a glance at: A SKULL TATTOO with crossed bones inked on the side of his neck. TREVOR You remember how we gonna do this right? Trevor brandishes a PISTOL from his back and pops out an empty clip. He inspects it before loading in a full magazine.

3. JAKE Yeah, I got it. Do you? CLICK. Trevor cocks the gun and checks the hammer, then stuffs it in his waistband. Always. TREVOR

TWO FIGURES emerge from the black sedan, waiting. Jake takes a deep breath. JAKE Lets do it. 4 EXT. EMPTY STREET - NIGHT Jake and Trevor climb out, scanning their surroundings for any surprises. All seems to be clear. The FIRST THUG advances to the men as the other hangs around the car. THUG #1 Thought there was just suppose to be one guy? JAKE Thats me. Christian referred you to me, right? THUG #1 (points to Trevor) Wait, so whos he? JAKE Hes here for my protection. You think I was gonna come out by myself? The thug ponders and glances to his partner. It makes sense. THUG #1 Alright. So he let you know whats up? JAKE You need twenty five keys moved across the Canadian border. THUG #1 And you can do that? 4

4. TREVOR Man, why else would yall be talking? The SECOND THUG gawks at Trevor with suspicion. Hes already fidgeting and on high alert. THUG #2 I dont like that guy. We should call this off. TREVOR You talking to me? THUG #2 Who else am I talking to?!? Jake tries pulling Trevor to the side, his escalating anger making him harder to restrain. TREVOR (muttering) Youd better watch your mouth. THUG #2 Yeah what you gonna do?!? Trevor unveils the HANDGUN from his backside and aims at Thug #2. Both men put their hands up. TREVOR This is what the fuck Imma do! Dammit! THUG #1

JAKE Trev calm it down. (to Thug #1) Wheres the dope at? Jakes inquiry seems to fall on deaf ears. Trevor sticks the gun in the first thugs face, resting the barrel on his jawbone. TREVOR I can make this a bad night for you homie. Tell my boy where the goods are. The thugs machismo becomes replaced with utter fear. His trembling fingers point to the car.

5. THUG #1 Theyre in the trunk. Just take it. Trevor motions Jake to the trunk. He yanks at the door latch. Locked. JAKE I need the keys. Before Trevor can ask, the thug digs out the keys from his coat pocket. Trevor tosses them to Jake. THUG #2 You know whose dope you stealing?!? TREVOR You think I care?!? Jake fiddles with the lock, the key scraping against the metal keyhole. Hes taking too long. Hurry up! TREVOR (CONTD)

He finally gets the key in and turns. The trunk pops up to reveal: A DUFFLE BAG filled with several large and bound brick-like packages. Jake tears the taping off one, beholding WHITE POWDER beneath plastic wrapping. Jackpot! JAKE

Jake counts the packages one by one. Something isnt right. JAKE (CONTD) Wheres the rest? THUG #2 You thought we were gonna bring the whole shipment to a meeting? With a new guy? Man you crazy. TREVOR Whats up? How much we short? JAKE Theres only ten in here. Trevor drops his head into his hand. Sighs.

6. TREVOR We gotta live with it. Load it in the trunk. Jake lugs the bag to the SUV and plops it in the back seat. TREVOR (CONTD) Its been nice doing business with you. THUG #2 Better enjoy it while you can. I give you twenty four hours, if that. TREVOR Really? You should have more faith in me. Trevor FIRES a slug into Thug #2. He crashes to the ground instantly. JAKE What the hell was that?!? Trevor stands over the dying thug. EXPELS another round from the clip. TREVOR Covering our tracks. JAKE Covering -- are you crazy?!? Not yet. TREVOR

Trevor turns his sights to Thug #1. Jake watches, lips agape, heart racing, frozen in disbelief. THUG #1 Eh man just keep it, okay? I got a son at home I... I wont say anything. TREVOR You really expect me to believe that? Trev! JAKE

Trevor advances to Jake, panning between him and the remaining thug.

7. JAKE (CONTD) This wasnt part of the plan. TREVOR So what? Them coming up fifteen keys short wasnt part of it either. The thug begins to fidget. Trevor darts back towards him, aiming right between his eyes. TREVOR (CONTD) Stop moving! Jake tugs Trevor by the shirt and shoves him against the SUV. JAKE Have you lost it?!? Bad enough were making enemies on the street, you want the cops in on this? TREVOR My point exactly. We need to off this guy and eliminate any threat of a witness. JAKE Hes as dirty as us. Hes not going to the cops. TREVOR So you think. You saw how easy he coughed up them keys. Hes a coward, and cowards make for quick snitches. JAKE -- for God sakes, hes got a kid! Silence. TREVOR If Im not killing him... Trevor shoves the gun into Jakes chest. TREVOR (CONTD) ... then you are. Either way, hes a dead man. JAKE Whoa just -- what happened to Mexico?

8. TREVOR Mexico went out the window as soon as you looked in that bag and only saw ten keys. Jake gazes down at the pistol. Specks of blood, once unnoticeable, now seem as big as mountains. RINGING impedes the quiet moment. The thug pats himself for his phone. Trevor charges him, whacking him with a fist to the face. The thug falls back onto the hood of the car. TREVOR (CONTD) I told you to stop moving! (to Jake) Man come handle this so we can take the loot and get paid. JAKE -- I cant kill him Trev. I cant. Trevor relents from his assault and takes the gun from Jakes grasp. TREVOR You let me down Jake. You really let me down. Trevor turns and SHOOTS the thug in the torso. He falters to the ground, going limp. Jake jumps back, his heart about to beat loose from his rib cage. Trevor turns the gun on him. JAKE What are you doing?!? TREVOR Sticking to the plan! You choose now to have some kind of heart? When was that when I was doing five years for you? JAKE I didnt ask you to take the fall on that. TREVOR Sure as hell didnt stop me! Im not sure if youve noticed, but there aint a lot of people lining up to hire convicts!

9. Trevor paces, waving the gun in every direction. His rage has taken over any kind of reason. JAKE So youre saying this is my fault. TREVOR Im saying I needed you. I needed you then and I needed you tonight. I dont have a family Jake, for years its been you and me. JAKE But its not anymore! Ive got a wife with a kid on the way. I cant jeopardize that for blood money. TREVOR All money is blood money. Every damn dollar. You owed me this. Jake gapes, utterly bemused. The man standing before him seems unrecognizable. JAKE What happened to you Trev? Trevor pauses, on the brink of tears. TREVOR I lost my best friend. Soft groans appear to stir Thug #1 back to life. Trevor gets whiff of his ruckus, averting his aim to the fallen man. Jake SPRINGS for the gun. He and Trevor scuffle, firing shots up into the night sky. Trevor punches. Jake stumbles back. He tackles Trevor to the ground, the gun bouncing out his hand. Jake lays a fist into Trevors jaw. Then another. He locates the pistol and claws for it. Trevor rises to his feet, huffing, trying to catch his breath. Jake stands with the gun in hand. TREVOR (CONTD) Youre not a killer Jake. You and me both know that. JAKE Trev, just leave and let it go.

10. TREVOR You know I cant do that. Never was one to give up that easy. Trevor reaches down to his right ankle and reveals a SWITCHBLADE from his sock. He hits a switch, forcing the blade out from the handle. TREVOR (CONTD) Gimme the gun. JAKE Youve gotta be crazy. TREVOR You already said that. Now you dont give it to me, Ill cut ya throat. Jake squeeze the trigger. We hear the click of the hammer. Its jammed. Trevor whips Jake against the SUV. He raises the blade above his head, driving it towards Jakes sternum. He struggles to push him off. Jake STOMPS on Trevors foot. He yelps in pain, leaving Jake only a second to take the upper hand. He grabs Trevors hands and drives the switchblade in Trevors stomach. He curls over and grimaces as he crashes to the asphalt. SIRENS erupt from the distance. Jake ambles through the alleyway, hurriedly passing block after block, the empty streets no longer unnerving. 5 INT. BATHROOM - NIGHT 5

Jake holds his hands beneath the water trickling out the sink faucet. Gradually, the dried blotches of blood run loose, swirling around the marble bowl and down the drain. He splashes a handful of water on his face and pats himself with a towel. His gaze becomes fixed on his reflection, shaken beyond what hes allowed himself to believe. Jakes eyes begin to swell. Tears stream down his cheeks. He whips the towel at the mirror.

11. Jake COLLAPSES to the floor, shoulders heaving with heavy sobs. Any and every emotion hes had can no longer be contained. Amy enters, stumbling onto a bloody towel and blood speckled sink before realizing Jakes current state. AMY Oh my God! Jake what -Jake buries his head into his arms, still unable to shake the weight of the night. Amy holds him tight and kisses him on his forehead, shedding her own silent tears. As Amy continues to cradle Jake in her arms, somber and sobbing, we humbly... CUT TO BLACK.