EPISODE THIRTEEN - RATS IN THE CELLAR

 

Driving far too fast are, in one screen, a platoon of MAD black luxury cars, and in another, Seth’s Plymouth Fury and Prince’s Nissan GT-R Skyline.

 

 

EXT. RED STAR OFFICE

 

Armside’s Buick is parked in the adjacent lot, along with Remington’s Ferrari and Valentine’s Jaguar.

 

 

INT. RED STAR OFFICE

 

Valentine is on both the office phone and mobile phone at the same time. On the table is a half empty bottle of whisky, pills and chocolate.

 

Valentine: What? No, that’ll be fine, those odds sound good. (In other phone) Pardon? No, well, it doesn’t matter. (Pause) Elli, I don’t care, cook whatever you want!

 

Remington enters with Brown and Blonde in tow. Valentine’s eyebrow twitches.

 

 

TITLE CARD - RATS IN THE CELLAR

 

 

INT. RED STAR OFFICE

 

Armside enters with his arm around Lydia, but is swiftly yanked away by Valentine, pinching his ear.

 

Armside: Ow! Goddamnit!

 

Valentine: Gorrammit, you asshole, why’d you bring these crack addicts here?

 

Armside: We always bring our captives here for collection!

 

Valentine: Not White Tigers. (Lets Armside go) Get rid of them.

 

Armside: Say what!?

 

Valentine: Take them to your house. Your catch, your risk.

 

Armside: But they’ll be here any minute to collect them!

 

Valentine: Who are ‘they’?

 

Armside: Well, they.

 

Valentine raps Armside on the head with his knuckles.

 

Armside: Your bullying won’t work today man. It’s the happiest day of my life!

 

Valentine: Whatever.

 

He stalks away, defeated and heads for the training room.

 

Valentine: Don’t get me out until they’re gone, or I’ll go nuts and start killing stuff.

 

 

EXT. RED STAR OFFICE

 

Seth’s Plymouth and Prince’s GT-R pull up outside.

 

 

INT. RED STAR TRAINING ROOM

 

Valentine is doing sword exercises. Lydia comes in and squats to watch him. He starts talking but carries on dancing.

 

Valentine: So how much are you guys making on this again?

 

Lydia: $500 million

 

Valentine: Oh yeah? So you’ll be rich beyond your wildest dreams, huh?

 

Lydia: If you want a piece, I’m pretty sure I can convince them to cut you in.

 

Valentine: I’m okay. I still make over $3 million a year in royalties alone, and I have my investments. It’s enough for me.

 

Lydia: Still think I should go to school?

 

Valentine: School? Whaddya need school for? You got so much cash; you can straight buy a penthouse in Roy’s Palace and retire. You got so much; you don’t need my wallet anymore, so how about you return it? (smirks)

 

Lydia: Why, I don’t know what you’re talking about (grins)

 

Valentine chuckles

 

Lydia: I have to show you something.

 

She hands him the photo. Valentine studies it.

 

Valentine: This is Armside, his wife Jennifer and their daughter. (He frowns) They died, twelve or so years ago. Put to death by mobsters who were seeking concessions from him. Drowned in the River Phoenix. After we hunted them down and brought all the scum to justice, Armside quit the Guard.

 

Lydia: That’s a picture of me.

 

Valentine: What?

 

Lydia: It’s me - He’s my - I’m his daughter.

 

Valentine: You’re joking! (Lydia shakes her head ‘No’) You’re lying! (Lydia shakes her head ‘No’) You’re serious?

 

Lydia:My earliest memory is of a man who found me unconscious on Kanesada Bank where the River splits near mount Akira. That photo was my only possession.

 

Valentine: Wow… happiest day of his life, huh? (He squats) You know what that makes me? I’m your Godfather.

 

Lydia laughs.

 

Valentine: It’s true! You can ask’ your father.

 

A long pause

 

Valentine: Hey, come here, I’ll teach you how to fence.

 

Lydia: I have a confession to make… I-

 

There’s a smashing sound outside.

 

 

INT. RED STAR OFFICE

 

It’s Armside who has dropped his Aerosmith mug in shock. Prince stands centre stage, flanked by Seth Black, Green, Red and Blue.

 

Armside (croaking): My God! It’s you.

 

Remington: Aren’t you supposed to be dead?

 

Valentine has come out of the training room, followed by Lydia.

 

Valentine: I thought I sensed something when I saw you at the Harbour with your smoke and mirrors. But it didn’t hit me until a little later that our ‘fearless’ leader had miraculously risen from his grave.

 

Prince: It was your mistake, Valentine.

 

Valentine: We could have dealt with it if you hadn’t run like the coward you are!

 

Prince: There’s no use rehashing it now. I’ve just come to collect your prisoners.

 

Valentine: I understand there’s a significant cash reward involved?

 

Prince: I’ll pay you when I have all of it.

 

Armside: Hold on, you double crossing bastard! I was told cash up front!

 

Prince: Who told you that?

 

Armside: Some woman on the phone.

 

Prince: Still as impulsive as ever, eh? Well, it’s a little difficult for a dead man like me to come up with $500 million in cash. I wasn’t expecting it to be needed so soon.

 

Stony glares all round

 

Prince (bitter): If money is all you care about, don’t worry, you’ll get it.

 

Valentine steps up and grabs Brown and Blonde and shunts them in Prince’s direction.

 

Valentine: Take your scum and get out, Claverty.

 

Prince: I go by the name Prince nowadays.

 

They turn to leave. Blue opens the door and quickly slams it shut as a hail of bullets rains down on it. Everyone kisses the floor.

 

Blue: Holy Shit!

 

Valentine: I fucking told you! I fucking told you there’d be trouble but you didn’t fucking listen, did you! Goddamnit!!!

 

He slides back and unlocks the armoury cabinet as storm troopers break down the door. Black and Red gun down those advancing, then retreat. Green and Blue keep their guns steady though and eliminate the second wave. The gunfire stops. Short pauses as people catch their breath and reload. There’s a strong feedback sound which catches everyone’s attention.

 

Beaufort (On Megaphone): Marco Valentine, come out with your hands behind your head! Comply or your building will be bombed!

 

Valentine: That’s Beaufort! What the hell does he want with me? What’s he doing here? Hey! Hand me that m-phone over there!

 

Lydia scuttles across to retrieve a megaphone for Valentine.

 

Valentine (into Megaphone): What do you want with me, you blackheart? If you want me, you’re gonna have to come in and get me!

 

Silence outside, then footsteps as someone approaches the door.

 

Beaufort: Permission to enter. I’m unarmed.

 

Green nods. Beaufort advances and Blue frisks him. He’s clean. Valentine flares at Beaufort. Beaufort notices Black, Red and Green.

 

Beaufort: I didn’t seriously believe it before, but it seems it’s true, eh? You really are prince of the White Tigers.

 

Valentine looks around in disbelief.

 

Valentine: You talkin’ to me?

 

Beaufort nods. The real Prince is hiding under a table. Valentine runs forward and kicks him.

 

Prince: Ow!

 

He jerks up and hits his head on the underside of the table. Valentine pulls him up by the ear. Beaufort recognises him with shock.

 

Valentine: This is the guy you’re after! Not me! I’ve nothing to do with this chickenshit ass!

 

Beaufort: I’m going to step outside now.

 

Armside: You’re going nowhere! Why should we let you go?

 

A helicopter can be heard outside.

 

Beaufort: It seems we have an unexpected guest.

 

 

BREAK

 

 

INT. RED STAR OFFICE

 

It’s a Mexican stand off. A trumpet starts playing outside

 

Beaufort: It’s the President himself. If I don’t go out and greet him right now, they will assume I am dead or turned traitor and bomb the building, and I’m sure none of us want that, eh?

 

He slowly backs away towards the door

 

Beaufort: You’ll have at least a quarter of an hour to make any decisions.

 

Beaufort exits

 

 

INT. VALENTINE’S HOUSE

 

Elli is like, baking a cake or something very domestic like that. The phone starts ringing. She pulls herself away from the sugary excesses to answer it.

 

Elli: Hello? (Pause) Oh, hello Vahe. (Pause) No he is not here (Pause) What? Huh? Ah?

 

She hangs up, runs to the living room and turns on the TV to the relevant news channel which has live coverage of the siege. Her jaw hangs open.

 

 

INT. RED STAR OFFICE

 

Valentine is at a computer. Everyone else is arming themselves.

 

Remington: The hell are you doing, fool?

 

Valentine: I’m saving all my financial records on to the Palace networks because this place is about to get toasted.

 

The phone rings, Valentine answers.

 

Valentine: Hello? (Pause) Oh hi, honey. (Pause) No, it’s nothing to worry about. (Pause) Don’t worry (Pause) Forget about it (Said with genuine mobster style) (Pause) I’ll be home by then. (Pause) Yeah, love you too, sweetie, bye.

 

He hangs up, leaps up, ties his sword to his belt, starts stuffing papers and photos, grabs some guns and slicks back his hair.

 

Valentine: Ok, let’s go!

 

Armside: Go where?

 

Valentine shifts a rack of guns from the armoury wall to reveal a concealed door which he opens and runs through, everyone following.

 

 

EXT. RED STAR OFFICE

 

Shadowhite, Beaufort and gang are in position.

 

Shadowhite: Their time is up.

 

Beaufort nods. About five soldiers run forward and one by one, throw grenades into the building. Several loud explosions later, the whole thing is in flames. Courtenay leads a group of men into the wreck and quickly finds the secret door which Remington forgot to close. He speaks into a walkie-talkie. Beaufort is on the other side.

 

Courtenay (from radio): They’ve escaped! (Sound of footsteps) Directly behind. I see - Ah! Shit!

 

 

EXT. BEHIND RED STAR OFFICE

 

Remington opens fire on the advancing soldiers, killing about fourteen. Courtenay dives for cover and more soldiers power through to cover him. Remington runs for it and Valentine provides cover fire.

 

 

EXT. NEARBY

 

Armside and Lydia are with Black, Green and Prince. Prince is inspecting Brown and Blonde.

 

Prince: They’re really out of it, what’d you use?

 

Armside: Monocolter. I think it’s an elephant sedative.

 

Green: Incoming!

 

Prince and Black try to use the distraction to shovel up Brown and Blonde and steal them away, but Armside reacts well and kicks them both in the groin. Black squeaks as he goes down. Armside takes them himself and runs with Lydia, who aims her gun at Green.

 

Armside: Bye now.

 

They run. Valentine and Remington come round the corner, followed by various agents. Prince’s GT-R comes screaming round the corner with machine guns on the headlamps blasting a path through. Prince and Green escape to the car, but Black is surrounded. He fights through, but gets knocked out by Valentine. Remington kills the remaining agents. Valentine picks up Black’s spear and hurls it at the GT-R which dodges and peels away.

 

Valentine: Self serving motherfuckers!

 

Remington nudges Black with his foot.

 

 

EXT. NEARBY

 

Armside holds Brown while Lydia walks Blonde.

 

Armside: I think we’re in the-

 

BLAM! Armside goes down, holding his chest. Brown has fallen next to him, a gunshot wound in his back. BLAM! Blonde takes a head shot. Lydia, wide eyed, runs away as a third shot BLAM! Almost hits her. Armside, bleeding like crazy, plays dead. Shadowhite pockets his magnum. Valentine appears with Lydia hiding behind him and gapes in horror. His face flushes with rage. Shadowhite scuttles away. Valentine fires after him, then runs to Armside, and props him up.

 

Armside: How can you… shoot the devil in the back? What if you… what if you miss?

 

Valentine inspects the injury. The exit wound is wide and bloody.

 

Valentine: Hang on in there, buddy!

 

Armside coughs up blood.

 

Valentine: Shit man, now pull yourself together!

 

Armside: It’s ok… Marco… I’ll be reunited with my wife (cough) in God’s Kingdom. It really is the best day of my life.

 

Valentine is sheet white and speechless for once in his life.

 

Armside: Thank you… for everything. Listen… take care of my daughter for me… (Cough) Promise?

 

Valentine: Yeah…

 

Armside coughs one more time, closes his eyes and becomes motionless. Valentine rests him against the wall, gets up and goes over to Lydia. She runs into his arms and buries her head in his chest, leaving a puddle of tears on his shirt.

 

Valentine: Your real name’s Elyssa, did you know that?

 

Lydia hangs her head so her hair covers her eyes.

 

Lydia: Goodbye.

 

She runs away round the corner. Valentine is startled, then chases, but she has disappeared.

 

Valentine: Come on, don’t play!

 

He shoves his hands in his pockets and finds his wallet which she stole from him an eternity ago. She slipped it in during their embrace- she’s really gone. She’s left the photo of Armside, Jennifer and her inside. Valentine turns back round, finds Remington staring at Armside’s lifeless body, with Seth Black hoisted over his shoulders. Valentine’s face hardens and the fury returns.

 

Valentine: Remington, take this worthless cabron and our friend Armside back to my place.

 

Remington: Ok… where are you going?

 

Valentine stomps away.

 

 

EXT. STREETS

 

Beaufort is driving Shadowhite away in one of the black cars. He glances nonchalantly at the side mirror, then does a double take and looks back in alarm as Valentine’s Jag chases him down with a vengeance. He steps on the pedal hard, in panic but the engine stalls and the Jag crunches into his back. Valentine jumps out, runs, punches out the passenger window and throttles Shadowhite. Beaufort shoots Valentine in the shoulder, and he hits the ground. Shadowhite aims his gun at Valentine. Valentine glares, gripping the hilt of his sword.

 

Shadowhite: I always admired you, your spirit, you know. Even after you failed and left us all to burn.

 

Shadowhite shifts his aim to the Jag’s fuel tank. Valentine darts into a nearby building. Shadowhite fires as his car speeds away. Fuel pours out and is ignited by the sparks from the still running engine, creating one huge motherfucker of an explosion. It may not be realistic, but it sure is destructive. It takes out a good chunk of building too.

Valentine is inside, unconscious, a little charred and all cut up. A young girl of about 14 or 15 runs out of one of the rooms, notices him, and drags him to safety with her as the fire rages.

 

 

EXT. CITY NIGHT

 

Valentine comes to, the girl forcing him to drink some water. He splutters then looks up, and does a double take when he sees her face. A one shot flashback of his ex-wife Su who she greatly resembles.

 

Valentine: Su?

 

The girl shakes her head.

 

Mei: My name is Mei… but my mother’s name was Su… (Uncomfortable silence) You’re Marco Valentine, aren’t you?

 

Valentine nods. Neither person quite knows what to say. THEY JUST KNOW. Valentine holds out his arms, they hug.

 

END - GOING UNDER

 

To be continued.

 

 

Episode Fourteen Preview

Valentine: Everything's gone, yet everything's found. Everything's lost, but it'll be alright. I have to lose my self pity and support those that I love. I have to look out for myself and make sure I get through. It's not anyone's fault, yet it's everyone's fault but my own. Next episode, Nobody's Fault. There's a lot of fault here...