(Opening scene: Max and Kendra are out at the transformer box in the darkend hallway of their apartment building. Max is dressed in a blue bathrobe attaching cables to a feed.)

Max: Just like I thought-it's that idiot in 12B. Where does he get off thinking he can jack our power on bath night?

Kendra: Says he needs it for his space heater so his cannabis crop doesn't die.

Max: Tough. I'm gonna have a hot bath. His weed's gonna have to chill.

(A spark lights the hallyway briefly as Max finishes hooking up the cable.)

Max: I mean, we stole the power first-it belongs to us.

Kendra: Totally.

(Scene switches to the kitchen of Max's and Kendra's apartment. Max is boiling water.)

Max: You got another date with Mr. Multiples?

Kendra: "Date" might not be the most exact term. You think "date", you think of getting dressed up, going somewhere, some wine, a movie...and then-bodda bing.

Max: Yeah, and?

Kendra: Our evening starts off naked 'cause all we do is get busy...all night...without pause.

Max: You can't bang the gong for twelve hours.

Kendra: You can, Max. You so can.

Max: Well, that's not been my experience. I mean, men always have to stop and talk. They need to hear what a good job they're doing or whatever. And then they do this weird cuddle thing.

Kendra: Not all men.

Max: I gotta meet this guy.

Kendra: Oh, you've met him.

Max: Really? Who?

Kendra: I'm not letting you near him.

(Scene cuts to Max in bathtub. A phone rings.)

Max: This better be global.

Logan: Max.

Max: Hey.

(Scene switches to Logan on the phone in his apartment.)

Logan: I found out where the witness is being held. 355 Montgomery, between Fifth and Sixth.

Max: You got it.

Logan: My source confirmed the hit's going down today, so you've gotta get over there.

(Scene switches back to Max in her bath tub.)

Max: I'm preparing myself mentally for the task at hand.

(Scene switches to back to Logan's apartment.)

Logan: Where are you?

(Scene switches back to Max in her bath tub.)

Max: I was in heaven but you're bringing me right back down to earth with this whole "urgent tone" thing.

(Scene switches to back to Logan's apartment.)

Logan: Are you-taking a bath?

(Scene switches back to Max in her bath tub.)

Max: Damn straight, and it took me an hour to boil twenty pots of water to fill this tub. Now I'm going to enjoy it.

(Scene switches to back to Logan's apartment.)

Logan: Rescuing this witness and keeping him alive to testify tomorrow is the only chance we have of bringing down Mayor Steckler once and for all.

(Scene switches back to Max in her bath tub.)

Max: I know.

(Scene switches to back to Logan's apartment.)

Logan: And I don't trust Witness Protection to protect him.

(Scene switches back to Max in her bath tub.)

Max: I got it covered, Logan. Believe me, nothing's going down for at least another hour. It's not even dark yet.

(Max hangs up on Logan.)

Max: This guy needs to relax.

(Max sinks into her bath.)

(Scene cuts to Max riding her motorcycle through the streets and stops outside a building. She sees two men with guns preparing to break into the building with her enhanced vision. One of the men is sliding down a line towards a window while the other is at the front door of the building with a automatic weapon.)

Max: Right on schedule.

(Max speeds on her bike and bursts through the door and rides into the living room. Marshalls dive for cover just as the two men from outside come in shooting. Max grabs the witness lying on the couch, puts him behind her on the bike, and rides out. )

Max: You all right?

Bruno: You interrupted a dream I was having about some twins from Portland, the ba-bing sisters.

(The voice triggers a flashback.)

(scene cuts to a flshback of Bruno searching Max at Sonrisa's party.)

Max (speaking to Sonrisa): You pull fifty large outta your mattress and I make a call to bring her over.

(Bruno pulls Max's head back.)

Bruno: I work your face with a pair of pliers for a couple of hours.

Sonrisa(shakes his head no): Bruno..

(End flash back.)

(Scene cuts back to Max stopping her bike.)

Max: Bruno?! I thought you were dead!

Bruno: I thought you were dead.

(Flash back to Max running from Bruno at the motel. Bruno is firing at Max as Max dives into the pool. Max flots in the pool.)

(Flash back ends and Max is turning back to talk to Bruno.)

Max: Sorry to disappoint.

(He tightens his grip around her waist.)

Max: Oh, great. Now I need another bath.

(Scene cuts to Bruno blindfolded with Max walking into Logan's apartment.)

Max: Meet the courageous citizen whose life we just saved.

Bruno: I would just like to go on record as saying that I'm unhappy with the treatment I'm receiving currently.

(Max shoves Bruno into a chair.)

Max: Say hi! to Bruno Anselmo.

Logan: I thought you were dead.

Bruno: Yeah, well, I got shot up pretty bad taking out Sonrisa, thanks to chickie here, but uh...you know, I pulled through.

Max: Shame.

Bruno: Hey! You tricked me into killing the best boss I ever had. You know, I was making a good living, breaking legs. The next day I wake up in the hospital. I'm surrounded by cops telling me that if I don't turn into a snitch I'm a dead man.

Logan: So you agreed to testify, and they gave you an early burial so no one would come after you.

Bruno: Yeah. Well, why don't you two tell me how you figure into this?

Logan: I got a tip that the chief witness in the murder case against Mayor Steckler-you, as it turns out-was gonna get greased. We didn't want that to happen.

Max: Speak for yourself.

Logan: Now I want you nice and healthy, so you can tell the Commission about how Steckler conspired with your boss to keep cortodiazopine from the dying vets who needed it-how a hundred and forty-nine people died because of his greed.

Max: Wait a minute-this is about Sonrisa? Didn't we do this like months ago?

Logan: We didn't finish the job.

Bruno: But I got enough on Steckler to put him away for a few centuries.

Logan: Well, that's assuming we can keep you alive.

Max (in Logan's ear): Logan, you can't seriously be asking me to babysit this dirtbag!

Logan: He's the one who put me in this chair. If I can wrap my head around it, so can you.

Bruno: What chair?

(Max removes Bruno's blindfold.)

Max: Take a look at the fruits of your labor. You might have an easier time recognizing him through the scope of a grenade launcher.

Bruno: Oh.... Yeah, now I remember. Well, I did this?

Logan: Yeah.

Bruno: Sorry...It was nothing personal at all...Coulda been worse, right? You got a nice pad here. I appreciate you letting me crash here.

Logan: I got a safe house for you out in the suburbs.

Max: Logan, I'm begging you to let me turn this hump over to the people who wanna grease him.

(Logan holds out an envelope to Max.)

Logan: Twenty-four hours, Max. Let him tell his story, and then he can crawl back under the rock he came from. Some spending money. Play nice.

(Scne cuts to the hallway of the safe house.)

Bruno: So from what I remember, you can hold your breath for quite a long time. You know, guys pay a lot of money for that. And settin' me up against Sonrisa-I forgive that.

Max: I'll sleep better now.

Bruno: And I thank you for saving my life back there.

Max: Don't rub it in.

Bruno: So, um...you and this, uh, Logan character, um...you working together, or uh...

Max: Bruno, how about you and me take a vow of silence for the next twenty-four hours, hmm?

(Max opens the door to a room. Bruno Looks over the room.)

Bruno: Oh, no. This...no. This is not working.

Max: Excuse me?

Bruno: Well, do you see a TV, huh? Do you see a stereo? What am I supposed to do for food, huh? I guess you're taking me to a nice restaurant.

Max: You're staying put.

Bruno: Oh, no. Not in this dump, I'm not. No sir.

(Bruno heads for the door.)

Max: Hey, Bruno...

(Bruno turns to see Max holding up a pair of handcuffs.)

Bruno: Ohhh. Oh yes, I should've figured you for a little kinkster.

(Bruno walks back towards Max, grinning.)

Bruno: Yeah, I'm game. Two people alone in a room for people just passing though. It's me, it's you, looking hotter than you've ever looked. It's like déja freakin..' vu, isn't it? Ow! Oh, that's not a turn-on. No no, ow.

(Max yanks his arm, putting him on the couch and handcuffing him to a nearby radiator.)

Bruno: What'd you do that for?

Max: Let me connect the dots for you. There are people out there that want you dead. Logan wants to keep you alive. I myself am on the fence, but I'm gonna make sure nothing irrevocable happens to you until you walk out of that hearing. That means that you are going to stay here even if the accommodations aren't to your liking.

Bruno: You know you're different, right? You're not like other girls.

Max: What do you want on your pizza?

Beuno: The works. But I'm a vegetarian, so I don't want sausage and I don't want pepperoni, and I don't want cheese 'cause I don't do dairy.

(Max gives him a look and starts to leave.)

Bruno: You got a thing for tying up guys, don't you?

Max: I save it all for you, Bruno.

(Max leaves as Bruno try's to wiggle out of the hand cuffs)

(Scene cuts to Logan watching the black-and-white video taken from the police hoverdrone the day he was shot. He's rewinding it over and over.)

Bling: Most people watch home videos to remember the good times.

Logan: It's like it happened to someone else...That is definitely me.

Bling: Do you really need to put yourself through this?

Logan: And the shooter was Bruno Anselmo.

Bling: You're a better man than me.

(Bling sits down next to Logan)

Bling: Sticking your neck out for the man who did this to you.

Logan: We have a situation in the here and now. That's all that matters.

Bling: How'd you get this videotape, anyways?

Logan: Money. What else have I got?

(Bling takes the remote and shuts off the video.)

Bling : Man, you gotta scream a little. Or you're going to explode.

Logan: And what good would that do?

Bling: It might make you feel better.

Logan: For how long? A minute? Five minutes?

Bling: It's a hell of a lot healthier than pretending to be the high-minded benefactor of the man who tried to kill you. A normal person might even entertain the idea of revenge.

Logan: To what end? Bruno's a germ. And there are ten thousand more just like him, ready to take his place. What I have to attack is the disease, not the symptom. The disease is Mayor Steckler, and Bruno's gonna bring him down. Now can I have my remote back, please?

(Bling hands him the remote and walks out of the room. Logan goes back to rewinding the video.)

(Scene cuts to an Assasin talking on a pay phone.)

Assasin: We didn't get him...They said some girl showed up on a bike outta nowhere and took off with him...I'm gonna take care of it myself...Don't worry, I'll find him...Let's just say he has certain weaknesses.

(Scene cuts to the room where Bruno, two half-naked women are dancing. Max walks in and shuts off their tape player.)

Bruno: Hey, Maxie! Ladies, say hi to Maxie. Maxie, this is Britannica, and this is Ling-Ling, which is short for something...

Max: Are you a complete idiot or do you just have a death wish?

Bruno: Huh? They're trusted associates!

Max: Come on, kids, put your clothes on. Bruno's got school in the morning.

Bruno: Hey, come on. I can't put my life on hold because I'm doing my civic duty and testifying.

Max: The reason why they call it a safe house is because nobody's supposed to know where it is!... Who forgot their thong?

Britannica: $300.

Bruno: Well, like the duck said to the working girl, put it on my bill.

Ling-Ling: Sorry, baby. We gotta have the paper.

Bruno (to Max): Well, I-you know, I kind of didn't get my wallet 'cause you grabbed me so fast. Do you mind paying? I'll pay you back. Listen, I'll get you a lap dance if you want. It's my treat.

(Max kicks him and uses some of Logan's money to pay the girls.)

Bruno: Ow! God, don't do that.

Britannica: You and your kinky, kinky lady have a good night.

Bruno: Oh, I'm sure we will...

(The two women leave.)

Max: We gotta blaze.

(Max removes the hand cufss from the bed post.)

Bruno: You know, you've overreacting.

Max: It's not safe here. We gotta find new digs.

Bruno: You wouldn't have to protect me if you had gotten me dead back when you tried...Ow! I think there's a lesson in that?

Max: Yeah-try harder.

Bruno: Ow!

(Scene cuts to a hotel front desk. A concierge walks behind the front desk.)

Concierge: May I help you?

Max: Checking in.

Concierge: Name?

Bruno: Galt.

Max (at same time): Stark.

Bruno: We just got married.

Concierge: Congratulations...No, I don't have anything under either name.

Bruno: Baby! Tell me you remembered to make the reservation.

Max: I thought you were handling that.

(Bruno puts his hand on Max's butt)

Bruno : Well, I didn't marry her for her brains.

(Max squeezes Bruno's hand and you can hear the sound of bones cracking. She produces a bill for the concierge.)

Max: Can't we just...get a room?

Concierge: Let me see what I have available.

(Scene cuts to Max and Bruno leaving the elevator and entering the hotel hallway.)

Bruno: Too bad the bridal suite's ocupado.

Max: I'm heartbroken.

Bellboy: Your room is right this way.

Bruno: Well, sweetheart, I should carry you over the threshold for good luck.

Max: You're out of luck.

( Bellboy unlocks the door and they enter a room.)

Bruno: Oh, now, this is some style.

Bellboy: I'll send your luggage right up.

Bruno: We don't have any. We're newlyweds. Who needs clothes?...Can you tip the young man, honey?

(Bruno grabs some extra money from Max's hands and gives it to the bellhop.)

Bruno: Listen, can we get a free bottle of champagne or something?

Bellboy: I'll see what I can do.

(The bellboy leaves)

Bruno: Ah. This is more like it.

Max: Last room in the place and one bed. Great.

Bruno: We're all adults. I think we can share.

Max: Yeah, right.

Bruno: You take the middle...I'll take the top.

Max: You get the floor, pal.

(Max punches Bruno in the face.)

Max: Honeymoon's over.

(Scene cuts to later in the evening at the hotel room. Max is reading on the bed. Bruno is sitting in an armchair, holding ice to his jaw.)

Bruno: It's all coming back to me now.

(Bruno flashes back to the beating Max gave him in the motel room after Sonrisa's. He remembers Max dodging the bullets and throwing him against a wall.)

Max: Is this all you got?...

Bruno: Aargghh...

(End flashback.)

(Scene switches back to bruno in the hotel room with Max.)

Bruno: You pack a big wallop for a little thing.

Max: Silence.

Bruno: I'm bored.

Max: Watch television.

Bruno: Well, what's the point? You won't let me order any movies.

Max: "Hose Monkeys: The Next Generation" is not a movie. It's excrement.

Bruno: Easy. The leading lady is a personal friend of mine.

Max: Dinner's on its way. Why don't you take a nap or something 'til it gets here?

Bruno: I can't sleep!

Max: You want me to put you under again?

Bruno: I'm gonna take a shower.

Max: Take your best shot, but some dirt just doesn't wash off.

Bruno: Why don't you come help me?

(Max gives Bruno a look, and he goes into the bathroom & closes the door. Sound of water running.)

Bruno (from bathroom): The towels are all scratchy.

(Max goes to the phone and starts dialing.)

Bruno: There's no water pressure. I piss harder than this.

Logan (on phone): Hey.

Max: We got a problem.

(Scene switches to Logan's in his apartment. Logan is on the phone.)

Logan: What's wrong?

(Scene switches back to Max on the phone in the hotel room.)

Max: I'm supposed to be protecting your boy, only I'm this close to killing him. He turns my stomach, he's subhuman, he's...

(Scene switches to Logan's in his apartment. Logan is on the phone.)

Logan: -a material witness in the biggest murder trial in Seattle history.

(Scene switches back to Max on the phone in the hotel room.)

Max: Can't we just lock him in a steamer trunk for the next twenty-four hours and put him in your basement?

Logan: Remember the goal here...bringing down Steckler. I'm sure I don't have to remind you what he did to your friend Theo. He died on account of him and Sonrisa.

Max: Like I'd forget that.

(Scene switches to Logan's in his apartment. Logan is on the phone.)

Logan: Then keep your eyes on the prize.

(Scene switches back to Max on the phone in the hotel room.)

Max: Okay. But you don't have to share a room with the creep.

(Scene switches to Logan's in his apartment. Logan is on the phone.)

Logan: Why am I not worried about you being able to take care of yourself?

(Scene switches back to Max on the phone in the hotel room.)

Max: The only thing you need to worry about is me snapping his neck.

(Scene switches to Logan's in his apartment. Logan is on the phone.)

Logan: Just get him to the courtroom in one piece and able to talk.

(Scene switches back to Max on the phone in the hotel room.)

Max: Does he need to have all his teeth?

(Scene switches to Logan's in his apartment. Logan is on the phone.)

Logan: I'll see you tomorrow.

(Scene switches back to Max on the phone in the hotel room.)

Max: You owe me for this one. Large.

(Max hangs up.)

(Scene cuts to a knock on the door as Max hangs up the phone. She goes to the door, checks the peephole, and unlocks it.)

Max: Bruno, dinner.

(Bellhop enters with room-service cart.)

Max:What's this?

Bellboy: The gentleman ordered a can of whipped cream.

Max: Here. Knock yourself out. You can take that champagne too. Honey, dinner.

(Bellhop leaves.)

Max: Bruno!

(Max knocks on bathroom door. Still no response.)

Max: I am entering this room in order to determine that you are safe and unharmed. This should in no way be construed by you as...

(Scene cuts to the inside of the bathroom. The water is running and it's empty. Max sees the window open and goes downstairs to the front desk.)

Max: Excuse me. The gentleman I checked in with-

Concierge: Your husband?

Max: Yeah. Do you know where he went?

Concierge: I called him a cab. Where is my ten percent?

Max: Ten percent? Of what?

Concierge: Either I get paid, or you don't work this hotel again.

(Max grabs him by the concierge by the neck, lifts him off his feet and pulls him across the desk.)

Max: You puttin' the touch on the working girls? You think you deserve a piece of the action for sittin' here on your can, lookin' down your nose at them? I don't think so.

Concierge: I can't breathe.

Max: I ever hear about you shaking down my sisters again, I'll come back here and slap you like the bitch that you are. Now where did my husband go?

Concierge: Steel Pole Saloon, Eighth and Pender.

(Max tosses the concierge to the floor)

Max: Have a nice night.

(Scene cuts to Max pulling up to the Steel Pole. Inside there are two women kickboxing in a cage, and Bruno and another guy shooting pool.)

Bruno: Fifteen in the corner.

Pool Player: Slop, man.

Bruno: That's not slop. I called that.

Max: What the hell are you doing here?

Bruno: I'm just teaching this douche bag how to play pool.

Pool Player: What'd you just call me?

Bruno: You heard me. Hey bartender, I wanna get a vinegar and water for this douche bag over here.

(Bruno's opponent drops his stick and they start to fight. Max takes on guys from the surrounding crowd and Bruno's oponent. Max kicks their butts too as a man watches.)

Bruno: That's my wife.

Max: Anybody else want a piece? No takers? Let's go.

(Max grabs Bruno and they walk out.)

Bruno: Not bad for a girl.

Max: Just pretending they were you, sweetheart.

Johannessen: It's Johannessen. Yeah, he was just here. She's good. I'm gonna need the team.

(Scene cuts back to the hotel room, Max is handcuffing Bruno to the headboard of the bed.)

Bruno: I can't reach the phone from here.

Max: No more phones, no more room service, no more showers. You're gonna go to sleep and I'm gonna sit right here and watch you.

Bruno: Well, I gotta call my little girl before she goes to bed.

Max: Right. And then you're gonna visit your sick Aunt Mary.

Bruno: I'm serious! I gotta call my kid.

Max: You actually have offspring? Is it considered Homo sapiens?

Bruno: Hey, know what? You can say whatever you want to about me, but don't make any cracks about my little girl. Understood?

Max: You really have a daughter?

Bruno: Yes. Her name's Annabelle, and she's seven. And she doesn't sleep good unless I call her at night.

Max: No way. If Steckler's goons are sitting on your family, they'll trace the call.

Bruno: Boy, you must think I'm dumb, huh?

Max: Do you really want me to answer that?

Bruno: I gave my ex a scrambled cell. Nobody can trace the call...Thank you.

Max: What's the number?

Bruno: 84-39-78-36-42-79-43.

Max: This better be real, 'cause I'm listening in.

Bruno: Hey, Mary Jo, it's me. I know it's late-I had a bit of a situation. Is Annabelle still up? Can I talk to her, please? I promise I won't keep her very long. See? She waited up for me. Um...would you mind going to the ice machine for me?

Max: Yeah.

Bruno: Come on, I just would like a glass of ice water to put on my bedside table at night.

Max: So open a vein.

Bruno(to Max): Come on, you got me locked up here, I'm waiting for my little girl to come to the phone...where am I gonna go?

Bruno (Into the phone.) Hi, sweetheart! How was school today?...I'm gonna try and come down there tomorrow and see you. I've kind of got a busy day-Okay...Okay...Well, I'm gonna be there... Yeah...So what story do you want to hear tonight, sweetie?...Again?...Okay. Are you all tucked in?... All right, are you ready?...In the great green room, there was a telephone, and a red balloon, and a picture of the cow jumping over the moon.

(Max takes the ice bucket and leaves.)

(Scene cuts to three guys enter the hotel lobby.)

Concierge: Can I help you, gentlemen? Are you checking in, or visiting a guest?

(Scene switches to Max at the ice machine, Max sees one of the guys throw the concierge across the lobby, and they head upstairs. Max runs back to the room.)

Bruno: Goodnight, moon. Goodnight, cow jumping over the moon.

(Scene cuts to Max quickly uncuffing Bruno while he's still talking on the phone.)

Max : Bruno, we gotta get out of here.

Bruno: Goodnight, light, and red balloon.

Max: Hang up the phone. Now!

Bruno: Goodbye chairs, and-

Max: Let's go! Now!

(Max rips the cord out of the phone and drags Bruno out the door.)

Bruno: I didn't get to the kittens and the mittens!

(Scene cuts to the three guys approaching the room door. They burst through, guns pointed, but it's empty. One of them steps on Max's pager and picks it up.)

Concierge (on phone): Yes, hello, police? Yes...

(Scene cuts to the three guys appearing at the front desk. One of them snaps the concierge's neck, and they leave.)

(Scene cuts Max and Bruno speeding away on her bike and then next morning on the street. Bruno tosses aside some blankets which he and Max were hiding under.)

Bruno: Oh! God! Ugh! There's a rat!

Max: Calm down.

(Scene cuts to Jam Pony. Normal is walking towards his counter.)

Normal: It's 10:45 am, and even you feckless bums have been working here for over an hour. Where is she?

Sketchy: I resent being called feckless.

Original Cindy: Me too. What's it mean?

Normal: Where is Max?

Original Cindy: In the bathroom.

Sketchy (in unison): On a run.

Normal: If she is not present and accounted for in the next fifteen minutes, she will be without employment. You tell her that for me.

Sketchy: Normal, I swear I just saw her a minute ago.

Normal: Get out of my sight. Get out of my sight.

(Normal walks away.)

Sketchy: Do you have any idea where Max is?

Original Cindy: None. But we gonna fix that.

(Original Cindy dials the phone as Sketchy leaves on a run.)

(Scene switches to Logan's apartment where Logan is waitng by the phone for Max.)

Logan: Hey.

Original Cindy: Hey.

(Logan is surprised it's not Max)

Logan : Hey.

Original Cindy: You got Original Cindy here.

Logan: Oh. Hey.

Original Cindy: We already did that. Do you know where Max is? I've been blowin' up her pager for two hours and she ain't hit me back, which is not her stilo.

Logan: Max is okay.

Original Cindy: That's not what I asked. Where is she?

Logan: She's doing something for me. She'll be back at work this afternoon.

Original Cindy: If the man don't fire her ass first.

Logan: Well, tell him she had a medical emergency and she'll bring a note from her doctor.

Original Cindy: What you got her doin'?

Logan: It's a favor.

Original Cindy: A favor. Look. You wanna be International Man of Mystery, that's your dealio. But you get my homegirl jammed up, I'm gonna beat on your ass, chair or no chair.

Logan: Trust me. Max is okay.

Original Cindy: She better be. Later.

(Original Cindy hangs up.)

Normal: Hi. I couldn't help overhearing you use the M word. Did you inquire as to her whereabouts?

Original Cindy: She's at the doctor's. The good news is, they caught it before it turned into chronic multiple progressive brain dysfunction syndrome. She'll be in as soon as they're done testing her.

Normal: Oh, for the love of Mike.

(Scene cuts to Logan's phone ringing again at his apartment. It's Max, at a pay phone at some diner on the street, with Bruno nearby.)

Logan: Hey. I've been paging you all morning.

Max: Little run-in at the hotel. Had to bail in a hurry and left my pager.

Logan: What happened?

Max: Somebody dropped a dime on Bruno and some goons paid us a visit.

Logan: Is he okay?

Max: Yeah. I'm okay too, thanks for asking.

Logan: You figure 'em for Steckler's people?

Max: These weren't the same guys as last night. They were scary.

Logan: Well, there's a lot of players who want him dead. I'll look into it.

Max: I'm in the home stretch with Dumbo here. See you in court?

Logan: Okay. Max...be careful.

(Max hangs up, smiling.)

Bruno: C'mon, let's get a move on. I'm supposed to be at the park in fifteen minutes.

Max: What are you talking about?

Bruno: I promised my kid I'd come see her...Listen. You look at me like something people scrape off the bottom of their shoes. My kid looks at me, she sees her father...I wanna go see my daughter.

Max: I don't like it.

Bruno: Listen. Eight years of marital pain living with a guy like me, you think Mary Jo didn't learn something? She knows how to avoid a tail like most wives know how to make a casserole.

Max: Still. It's risky.

Logan: Well, that's why I got myself one kick-ass bodyguard.

(Scene cuts to the park.)

Bruno: Hey, sweetie! How are ya?

(Annabelle runs toward Bruno and he picks her up.)

Bruno: Ya-hoo! Annabelle, this is my friend Max.

Max: Hey, Annabelle.

Annabelle: Hello.

Bruno: Shall we go say hi to Mommy?...Thanks for bringing her, Mary Jo.

Mary Jo: Annabelle deserves a father...despite everything.

Bruno: Say hi to Max?

Mary Jo: Hi.

Max: Hey.

Annabelle: Daddy!

Bruno: What?

Annabelle: Push me on the swings!

Bruno: I'll race ya!

(They run off to the swings while Mary Jo and Max watch.)

Mary Jo: So where do you dance?

Max: Dance?

Mary Jo: You're with my husband. You gotta be a stripper.

(Scene switches to Bruno and his daughter at the swings)

Annabelle: My teacher says the moon can't be yellow.

Bruno: Really? Why not?

Annabelle: She says the sun is yellow.

Bruno: Hmm. What color do you want the sun to be?

Annabelle: Purple.

Bruno: Purple? Well, you know what? I think that the moon has to be yellow, and the sun has to be purple, and that's the way it's gotta be. Yes? Yes?

Annabelle: Yes!

Bruno: Okay!

(Scene switches back to Max standing next to Mary Jo)

Mary Jo: I thought I'd heard every excuse there was, but...bodyguard? That's a new one.

Max: It's true. Your husband has a lot of enemies.

Mary Jo: You're talking to one of his biggest.

(Max uses her enhanced vision and sees a man in the distance, hiding behind trees and carrying a gun.)

Mary Jo: Look, it's not like I care if you're fooling around with him, but don't kid yourself...You're not his only bodyguard.

Max: Excuse me. Bruno! BRUNO!

(Max runs toward Bruno and knocks him to the ground just as the man fires. The bullet flies over them and the man leaves.)

(Scene cuts to Logan's apartment. Bling comes in and hands Logan a disk.)

Bling: This just came for you.

(Logan loads the disk)

Logan: Great! Thank you, Bling. I've been waiting for that.

Bling: What is it?

Logan: Security camera from the hotel that Max stayed at last night.

(Onscreen, the three guys walk down the hotel hallway.)

Bling: Trigger men looking to take out your witness?

Logan: They don't look like housekeeping doing turndown service.

(Onscreen, the bellhop runs into the elevator and the door closes. A fist punches through the elevator door and presses the " open doors" button. One of the guys enters, grabs the bellhop, and throws him into the hallway. The three guys get into the elevator.)

Bling: What the hell was that?!

(Logan replays the hand punching through the elevator door.)

Logan: That's a good question. I have no idea. I think I better go see Sebastian.

(Scene cuts to Max and Bruno on Max's motorcycle in a line of cars waiting to get to the courthouse.)

Max: I gotta ask, Bruno. Why are you doing this? Coming forward, I mean.

Bruno: I do my part, the cops will forget about me whacking Sonrisa.

Max: Resourceful guy like you, there are a million ways you could get out from under the beef. You could just disappear.

Bruno: Well, I thought about it.

Max: Don't tell me your conscience got the better of you. Three-plus decades of being a world-class dirt chute and all of a sudden you wake up one morning and have to do the right thing?

Bruno: I'm doing it for Annabelle.

Max: Even though you may never see her again?

Bruno: She's gotta live her whole life knowing the kind of guy she had for a father. The very least I wanna do is give her one thing she can point to and say I did good.

(Scene cuts to Johannessen base of ops and he is talking on his cell phone while two Reds are using a blue flame to cauterize another Reds open wound while he watches.)

Johannessen: Believe me, sir, I understand the importance of this mission...Once we have her, I'll be in touch.

(Johannssen hangs up.)

Johannessen: What's the trouble here?

Red 5: His arm won't stop bleeding.

Johannessen: Clotting agents are too thin...Get me the girl. This kind of problem will be a thing of the past.

(Scene cuts to Sebastian's. Logan and Sebastian are watching the security camera on the computer.)

Sebastian : My guess is they are military.

Logan: Ours?

Sebastian: Probably South African disposables...Bingo.

Logan: What?

Sebastian: That's where the implant is inserted. In the trade, these guys are known as the Red Series.

Logan: I've heard about 'em. Soldiers modified to be all they can be.

Sebastian: The implant burrows into the brain stem-blocks the pain receptors so they don't feel anything. They become hyperadrenalized, which makes them incredibly strong, essentially fearless.

Logan: How can their bodies take that kind of punishment?

Sebastian: They can't. They burn out in six months, a year tops. The South Africans have been trying to fix the problem by reengineering their DNA.

Logan: Pretty tall order.

Sebstian: They could marry state-of-the-art transgenic science with neural-implant technology if they could get their hands on a genetically enhanced prototype. Question is...what are these guys doing in Seattle?

(Scene cuts to the outside of the courthouse. A crowd is gathered on the sidwalks and the press are near the fence. A police car goes by, siren sounding. Logan and Bling are just outside of Logan's car. Logan removes a gun from the door pocket and puts it inside his leather jacket, and they head for the courthouse.)

Bling: She may already be inside.

Logan: Doesn't mean she's safe.

Bling: Max can take care of herself.

Logan: Not if she doesn't know what she's up against. (He cuts through the crowd to a cop standing guard.) Excuse me. Excuse me. My name's Logan Cale.

Cop: Press is over there.

Logan: I'm covering the hearing.

Cop: Closed session. Miller-I told you to check the gate perimeter and move the crowd back.

(Logan puts an envelope in his coat)

Logan : Thank you.

(Scene cuts to Max and Bruno pulingl up outside the courthouse.)

Max: Somebody out there's on Steckler's payroll with a big piece of lead just for you.

Bruno: I don't care. I'm still going in.

Max: Only not through the front door.

(Scene cuts to inside the courtroom)

Judge: All right. We are back in session, and we'll hear testimony regarding the alleged involvement of the mayor's office in the cortodiazopine crisis of last year, which of course led to the deaths of one hundred and forty-nine Balkan War veterans. Next witness is Bruno Anselmo. (A bailiff hands the judge a note.) Is the marshall in the gallery?

Marshall: Uh, yes, your honor.

Judge: I've just received a note here indicating that the witness is not ready to appear at this time. Now it was our understanding that Mr. Anselmo was in protective custody.

Marshall: Yes, your honor, he was-until about sixteen hours ago.

Judge: And what happened?

Marshall: We're, uh, not exactly sure. A search is being conducted to determine his whereabouts.

Judge: Either Mr. Anselmo presents himself immediately, or this hearing is concluded. Call to the stand Mr. Bruno Anselmo.

(Silence.)

Judge: Since Mr. Anselmo is not present, we are adjour-

(Scene cuts to Max and Bruno bursting into the courtroom on her motorcycle. She pivots to a stop and sends Bruno flying to the floor in front of the stand.)

Max: Your witness.

(Scene switches to later in the courtroom. Bruno is now sitting on the stand.)

Bruno: Sonrisa had the plan, Sonrisa did the dealings, but Mayor Steckler was the guy that made it happen. He made a chunk of cash off a lot of dead GI's.

Judge: Did you ever personally witness Mayor Steckler receive payoffs from Mr. Sonrisa?

Bruno: Are you kidding? I put the money in his hands myself.

(The bailiff hands the judge another note.)

Judge: Ladies and gentlemen, we've just been notified that a bomb threat has been made. We are adjourned until further notice. Everyone please exit the building in an orderly fashion.

(Everyone leaves the courtroom.)

Max: Let's go.

Bruno: No no no, the stairs. This way. C'mere.

(Bruno leads Max out of the court room.)

(Scene cuts to outside the courhouse.)

Cop: People, I'm gonna ask you to move away from the building. Move away from the building! We've got a situation here!

(Logan looks worried.)

(Scene cuts to the parking garage below the courthouse. Max enters first making sure it's all clear first. Bruno follows behind.)

Max: Why am I not surprised you know your way around courthouses?...Back upstairs.

(Bruno takes a fire extinguisher and uses it knock the doorknob off the door.)

Max: What the hell are you doing?!

Bruno: Just holdin' up my end of the deal.

(Van parked nearby opens and the three goons get out, along with Johannessen. The Reds approach Max.)

Bruno: See, word on the street for a while now that there's some people in town that are willing to pay large for, uh, what do you call 'em?

Johannessen: Manticore prototypes.

Bruno: Yeah. Now I know you think I'm dumb, but I'll tell you what I've figured out, girlie.

(Johannessen gives Bruno a briefcase full of cash.)

Bruno: Yeah, that's good. I figure a girl that can run faster than a speeding bullet, and can hold her breath forever, and take out guys three times her size...Well, I figure she might be one of these, uh...whaddayacallits.

Max: You figured that out all by yourself?

Bruno: Uh..huh. I even staged a demonstration in that biker bar.

Max: So now you're all ka-ching.

Bruno: Well, I got a family to think about.

Max: Bruno, I saved your life.

Bruno: And I'm grateful.

(Red 5 gets out some kind of electrical prod.)

Bruno: But I'm a bad guy doing what comes natural. It's been fun. So goodbye, girlie. Wish I coulda thrown a hump into you.

(Bruno leaves.)

(The Reds move in closer to Max.)

Johannessen: You have two choices. You can come quietly...

Max: Bite me.

Johannessen: ...or not.

Max: You shoulda brought more guys.

Johannessen: Gentlemen...

(Scene cuts to outside the courthouse)

Logan: Check the other side.

(Bling leaves. Logan sees Bruno leaving the courthouse in a small crowd.)

Logan: Bruno! Bruno!

Bruno glances over and sees Logan.)

Logan: Where's Max?

(Bruno doesn't answer but turns and keeps going. Logan looks at the garage and leaves.)

(Bruno finds himself standing in front of the assasin from the park. The assasin fires straight into Bruno's stomach. Bruno collapses to the ground.)

(Scene cuts back to Max's fight with the Reds in the parking garage. The Reds surround her and move in with the electric prods. Max grabs the arm of th Reds and spins him around, bring the tip of the prod to the Reds stomach. Max then leaps above Red 5 before he can use his electric prod but he counters by kicking back and knocking Max off her feet.)

Max: One at a time, boys. There's enough ass-kicking to go around.

(Max leaps off the ground and into the air and begins a series of kicks. She kocks down two Reds but a third one gets behind her and shocks her with the prod. Max spins and slaps the Red to the ground. Red 5 gets up and attack Max from behind. Max returns the favor by kicking him back down. Johannessen watches the fight in amazement as Max is more than holding her own against his Reds. The Reds finally manage to knock Max down and restain her as another shocks her. The Reds then proceed to pummel her with punches. They lift Max off her feet and throw her into the front windsheild of a car. Max shrugs it off.)

Max: Now you're pissing me off!

(More fighting. Max grabs a fire extingiusher and fires it a the Reds. She blinds them temporarily and takes advantge knock two off their feet and proding Red with. Logan's car comes roaring by. Logan fires his gun, hitting a couple of the guys and giving Max a chance to jump in through the window. They peel out.)

(Scene cuts to Johannessen's van, parked in an alley later that evening.)

Johannessen (on cell phone): She only got away because someone helped her...It won't happen next time.

(Red 5 is removing bullets from the other two Reds.)

Johannessen: Yeah, even better than we thought. She's stronger, faster, and well-trained...We just need some time to regroup, figure out our next move. But we'll get her...Don't worry.

(Johannessen holds up Max's pager.)

Johannessen: We've got a lead.

(Scene cuts to Logan's apartment. Logan is cleaning Max's wounds)

News Anchorman: Mayor Leopold Steckler is expected to be indicted on one hundred and forty-nine counts of murder. The most damning testimony against him was from Bruno Anselmo, who was felled by gunmen outside the municipal building only moments after his testimony.

Logan: Why is it that the good die young?

News Anchorman: City and state officials are hailing Anselmo as a courageous man who paid the ultimate price in the pursuit of justice.

Max: He got what he wanted.

Logan: Mmm. A bullet in the chest?

Max: Something his kid could point to and say he did good. Ahh!

Logan (putting peroxide on a burn on her shoulder): They got you good.

Max: I need to get my ass kicked once in a while. Just to keep me real.

Logan: These guys aren't going away, Max.

Max: Kinda pesky like that.

Logan: Max...

Max: You don't have to tell me to be afraid. I'm already there...