EPISODE ONE – GET THE LEAD
OUT
INT. RED STAR OFFICE
The Red Star office is a
musty place with paperwork arranged untidily on number of desks, mostly unused.
Seated behind two of the desks, both of them speaking on the phone, are Elli
and Hagen. Elli speaks without consulting any papers, occasionally tapping a
few keys on her computer.
Elli: Do we have an agreement
then? (Pause) OK, good. I’ll fax you
a copy of the contract.
INT. RED STAR TRAINING ROOM
A powerfully built
middle-aged man with dark, greasy hair, exercises performing martial arts drills
using a katana. He slashes clean down the camera with a war cry.
TITLE CARD: GET THE LEAD
OUT
INT. RED STAR TRAINING ROOM
The man pauses and swivels
around. Elli enters the room with a cup of coffee and a file folder.
Valentine: Thank you, Elli.
He takes the cup and sits
down.
Elli: No problem, Mr Valentine.
Here, we have a priority number one.
Valentine: A violent criminal on the
run from his syndicate after blowing away the entire top brass?
Elli (giggles): You know we rarely get
anything big like that. No, it’s only priority number one because our client
does not wish this man to fall into police hands. He is not the most…
restrained person.
Valentine: Let me see.
Valentine takes the folder
Valentine: Jeff Kozlec,
a.k.a. Master C. Delivers drug shipments from Amihama to the syndicate dealers in the city. Made off with the last shipment estimated worth $2 million.
Wow, our ‘friends’ are sure getting careless these days. What’s the reward?
Elli: $250,000.
Valentine: Acceptable. Ok, Elli, go and
find Matthew and Nicholas.
Valentine puts on his
jacket and selects two pistols from his armoury.
INT. RED STAR OFFICE
Remington and Armside are now seated at another two desks, waiting for
Valentine.
Remington: Shut up, fool.
Valentine enters.
Valentine: OK, Remington, Armside, let’s go.
EXT. STREETS
The men proceed down the
street.
Valentine: Did Elli brief you two?
Armside:
Of course she did.
Valentine: Ok. There’s a bonus on
this if it’s finished fast, so Remington,
Armside:
The slums? Why do I always have to check the slums? I want to be able to sit in
a nice bar fishing for clues for once rather than the rutting shit heap excuses
for pubs that-
Remington: Ah, shut yer trap already.
Armside:
Where are you going, Marco?
Valentine: I am going to sit in a
nice bar, fishing for clues.
They come up to a sleek
dark green Jaguar XJ in the street. Valentine gets in.
Armside:
Hey, cut me a break, I helped you find this little piece of heaven, didn’t I?
Valentine: I’ve already had to have
the pump, radiator and g-valve on this big cat repaired. Its mutton dressed as
lamb.
Armside grunts dejectedly.
Armside:
Later, old man.
Valentine drives off.
INT. VALENTINE’S CAR
Valentine looks out as he
pulls up towards the kerb. His vision focuses on a bar named The Blue Lagoon. A
few guys in suits walk by.
INT. BLUE LAGOON
Bartender: Marco! Usual?
Valentine: Yo,
Vahe. You got it.
Vahe grabs a bottle of malt scotch from under the counter, and pours
it in a glass and slides it over to Valentine.
Vahe:
Today is a happy day for me.
Valentine: Oh yeah? How come?
Vahe:
The Blue Mariners won the league again.
Valentine: Ah, soccer.
Vahe (chuckles): Don’t look so down. I’m sure your Red Devils will
be competing for honours again next time… only to be trumped again.
Valentine (smirks): Don’t be so sure, Vahe. A lot can happen in thirty games.
Vahe busies himself pouring drinks for other patrons of the bar.
Vahe:
But anyway, as I was saying. Today is a glorious day… So information is free.
Valentine: An old mate like you
shouldn’t be charging.
Valentine passes a photo
over to Vahe, face down.
Vahe:
Hm, I think I would’ve remembered if a guy this nerdy
looking came sniffing around in here.
Valentine: Jeff Kozlec,
Master C. He runs drugs from the Harbour, may be trying to push them in the
city.
Vahe:
Master C, eh? I did hear something about that.
Valentine takes a slug from
his glass.
Vahe:
Oh yeah, that’s it. Master C was around the Heights trying to sell bags of orpheus.
Valentine: Thanks.
Valentine gets up to leave.
Vahe:
Hey, hey now. You don’t have any gossip for me?
Valentine: I thought today was a
special offer freebie.
Vahe:
What’s a little gossip among friends now, eh?
Valentine laughs a little
and makes his exit. As he goes through the doors, he seems to think of
something.
Valentine: Ah, gossip. Our young buck
Dan Hagen is still single.
Valentine winks
conspiratorially.
Vahe:
Ah piss off, hijo de puta!
Valentine shuts the door
behind him.
INT. VALENTINE’S CAR
Valentine uses his car
speakerphone to call Armside.
Armside (V.O.): Yo.
Valentine: He’s in your area.
Armside:
I know, there’s already a trail of angry mobsters and
junkies trailing him.
Valentine: What? I thought this was
supposed to be a private contract.
Armside:
Whoever told you that is… well, wrong.
Valentine starts his car.
Armside:
I guess they’re out in force because they know that if the law catches him, he
will do everything in his power to take as many people as possible down with
him.
Valentine: I imagine he’s the kind of
guy I would have loved to catch ten years ago.
Armside:
Probably. Anyway, he’s been making a real nuisance of himself. Is he required
alive or dead?
Valentine: It all depends on recovery
of the drugs he is transporting.
Armside:
I see. I just ask because just hearing about him makes me want to shoot him.
Valentine: I’m coming down there.
I’ll send Remington too.
Valentine rings off and
drives through the falling rain.
EXT. THE HEIGHTS
The Heights bears a
striking resemblance to Sector 7 Midgar. Needless to
say, it’s not exactly a sanitary area.
Armside exits a bar named “Seventh Heaven”. Valentine’s car pulls up
in front.
Armside:
Apparently, he already got caught.
Valentine: What? By
who?
Armside:
Cowboys.
Remington pulls up on his
motorcycle.
Remington: Good evening, gentlemen.
Valentine: We’re going home I guess.
Remington: I just got here and you’re
going home? What’s going on?
Armside:
Cowboys got him.
Remington: What? So you’re just gonna let them drag him in while we the professionals who
got handed this contract go home empty handed?
Valentine: It’s only a $250k reward.
I have more than ten times that in one bank account alone. What are we gonna do? Get in a gunfight with a bunch of drunken rangers
so we can lay our hands on some yappy bastard dumb enough to let such a thing
happen to him? Actually, now that I put it like that…
Armside:
There’s no need for us to go risking ourselves for no good reason.
Valentine: Yeah, I suppose you’re
right. Killjoy.
Armside has a “Who, Me!?” look on his face.
Remington: All the same….
Valentine: Buzz off home, Nick. Matt,
I’ll give you a lift. Just wait for me; I need to use the facilities.
INT. SEVENTH HEAVEN
BATHROOM
Valentine is washing his
hands when he notices a rucksack behind the sink. Curious, he looks around to
make sure he’s alone and grabs the bag. He opens it up and finds…
Valentine: Bags of orpheus…
He looks at the nametag on
the zip. It says “Jeff Kozlec”.
Valentine: What an idiot this guy is.
(Pause) Hold on…
Suddenly, Armside calls Valentine’s name from outside. Valentine runs
for the door.
EXT. THE HEIGHTS
Valentine and Armside jump in Valentine’s car.
Armside:
He went running down that way! Alone! So we can still get it.
Valentine: Ok!
He starts the car and goes
racing on. They find him quickly, a nerdy looking guy with spectacles and
centre parted hair, who gets spooked when he notices the car closing in on him.
Sinister smiles form on Valentine’s and Armside’s faces.
Suddenly, the car stalls and sputters to a halt.
Valentine makes an angry
face at Armside as Master C runs away.
Armside: It’s not my fault! It’s not my fault!
BREAK
INT. RED STAR OFFICE
Valentine is lounging
around on the sofa.
Elli: The repair bill comes to
$150,000.
Valentine: Really?
Elli hands him the invoice
and goes to sit back at her desk.
Elli (smirks): No, but you can always
tell Matt that to swindle him of his share.
Valentine (laughs): Woman.
Valentine: Yeah. I have to return his
bag to him.
Valentine: No.
Valentine: No.
Elli: Easy, tiger, you’ve only
been here a week.
Her phone rings and she
picks it up swiftly.
Elli: Good morning, Red Star
Enterprise. (Pause) Oh, hi. (Pause) Yeah. (Pause) Yeah.
(Pause) Ok. Bye!
She hangs up.
Elli: Marco,
that was Armside. He picked up the trail in Piyoko.
Valentine: Meh.
What do I even care?
Elli: You think he’ll cope fine
without you?
Valentine sighs and rolls
upright.
Valentine: Mr Eager Beaver, may I
borrow your car?
Elli (whispers): He means you.
He throws Valentine his
keys.
Valentine: See you.
EXT. PIYOKO
Piyoko is another slum like area, similar to the Heights. Armside waits on the corner as Valentine pulls up.
Armside:
Elli said that the repair bill for the Jag is $200k??
Valentine: I wonder where I will get
that money from, “Expert”.
Armside:
Hey now, the dealer is a trusted friend of mine, we go way back. It’s not my fault;
you should go and shake him up, not me.
Valentine: Forget it. Where to?
Armside:
Remington saw him outside the Spar bothering passers-by. He said he would pick
him up and meet us in the Queen’s Head.
INT.
Armside and Valentine enter. Contrary to the run down area it is
situated in, the Queen’s Head is a real nice pub, well-lit, clean mahogany
furniture, with pool tables, Aerosmith scarves
hanging from the rafters and Aerosmith playing on the
speakers.
Armside:
There.
Remington is sitting at a
table in the corner with Master C. Armside ambles up
and greets Remington warmly.
Remington: Hey, I’m so glad you’re
here. Master C here has been telling me… his life story.
Master C speaks with a
pitch one would normally attribute to a pre-pubescent boy.
Master C: Hi there, I didn’t quite
catch your name. (Armside
opens his mouth) I’m Master C, a hardcore mutha.
Listen up, your suit is looking a little tatty. But
don’t worry, I know some people who can fix that right up. Maybe even get you a
new one. Listen, I want to show you my glasses. Isn’t it great? The lenses are
photo sensitive, so when its really bright, the lens becomes dark like a pair
of sunglasses, but when it is darker, it becomes transparent so you can see
better. Isn’t that great? I got them last year when I went to visit the
Government convention in
Armside (mutters): That’s a nice dream.
EXT. QUEEN’S HEAD
Several gunmen loiter
outside, preparing their shotguns and automatic rifles.
INT. QUEEN’S HEAD
Master C: …but that’s all I really
have to say about that.
Remington: Thank the Lord.
Master C: Now, I understand one of
you found my bag for me?
Armside:
That we did.
Remington: And you can have it back.
Valentine: If you’re willing to come
along quietly with us, that is.
Master C (sighs): I suspected that this
would happen… so I have a little surprise for you. (Starts to shout) And that is-
Suddenly, the doors of the
pub burst open and the gunmen enter and open fire.
Valentine: Holy shit!
The four of them dive under
the table.
Armside:
Cowboys!
Valentine: This is your surprise?
Master C: No! I was going to use a
smoke grenade!
Valentine: Give one to me.
Master C: What?
Valentine: Give one to me! Or I
guarantee that you will get the shit shot out of you, and it could very well be
me who does it!!
Master C hands Valentine a
smoke grenade. Valentine pulls the pin and throws it into the room, filling it
with thick smoke. Valentine, Armside
and Remington leap up, guns drawn and fire on the cowboys. Valentine
takes out one, Armside another, Remington a third.
Seeing his opportunity, Master C scuttles out and heads for the back door. Valentine
guns down the last of the cowboys.
Remington: Idiots! Interfering
with the work of professionals.
Armside:
Shit! He’s gone!
EXT. PIYOKO
Master C makes a dash for
freedom, but the three gunmen exit the smouldering building and spy him.
Armside:
There!
The chase is on.
Remington: Say, Valentine, what was
the policy again? Dead or, God forbid, alive?
Valentine: The most important thing
is recovery of the drugs. If we have them, then it doesn’t matter if he remains
alive or dead.
Remington: So I can shoot the fool
dead if I want?
Valentine: Seems tasteless.
Remington: Don’t give me tasteless! I
was waiting in there for you two for three goddamn hours! Listening to him
babble on about Jorg Bosch, rap music and the evils
of communism! I’ve regressed to a state of primal lust!!
They reach a maze of
housing developments.
Valentine: Armside!
Go Left! I’ll take the right, Remington, keep on ahead.
A montage of scenes with
voice over where they all run along, pushing past people as Master C runs for
it. He hits the end of the road as Armside approaches
from one side, Valentine from the other and Remington from behind all with
their guns readied and aimed.
Valentine (V.O.): Remington wanted to shoot,
to kill. But we’re not animals. Even if Master C did annoy the crap out of him
for three hours, even if he annoyed the crap out of me and stole half an hour
of my life I’ll never get back, the past is the past. Look to the future.
Master C: Hey! Now look here! My
father is a-
Valentine (V.O.): Oh who am I kidding! Die,
you bastard!
All three fire
simultaneously. Master C drops to the ground. They go over to examine their
catch.
Valentine: So, we all went for the
hand on purpose, right?
Remington: Well, we’re professionals.
Armside:
And, it’s dark, the visibility is very poor.
Valentine: Well, I guess Jeff here
will be having fun with his boss.
Remington: Give me his wallet.
Valentine: Another one for your
collection?
Valentine reaches into Master
C’s pocket and hands it to Remington.
Remington: Eh, plain jane design. Should’ve
guessed.
All the same, he pockets it.
Valentine cuffs Master C to Armside and they all stand up.
Valentine: I’ll pay my own repair bills,
Matt. Your punishment is to escort him back to our associates.
Armside:
Hey now! Come on! What did I do to deserve this? Argh,
you guys!
Master C: Hello, new friend! (Coughs
a whole lot)
Remington and Valentine
laugh and walk off.
Armside:
Ah…
They walk off. Armside lights himself a cigarette and looks up, then down
at Jeff, who is crying a little.
Armside:
What’s the matter with you?
Master C: Whaddya
think! You all shot me in the hand! It’s a mess! I’ll never… (Babbles on and on)
Armside:
Shut up already!
END – DO YOU LIKE GOOD
BOOGIE?
Episode Two preview
Valentine: People say that your
teenage tears are the best of your life, and the older you get, the more it
seems that way. But for teenagers themselves, it’s the Dark Age, a time they cannot
imagine things being any worse. Well… most of them at least. Next
episode, Rag Doll.