Episode 1.4 "Mi Amigo Perdido Largo, Santo" written by Alex Kontoleon

Mraz Inc.
"Mi Amigo Perdido Largo, Santo"
Written by Alex Kontoleon

TEASER

FADE IN:

INT. MRAZ INC. OFFICES - DAYTIME

The camera moves through the offices of Mraz Inc. everyone is busy, on the phone, typing away, looking at reports. Meetings are going in almost all of the offices. The office bristles with a life of its own.
We move around a corner, down the hallway, down another hallway, we arrive at an office. As we sneak past the slightly ajar door we see legal council, TAYLOR SHANN.
His office is a mess, stacks of paper piled high, a dry erase board with many half erased notes. He paces back and forth in the room, dressed in a button down shirt, braces (not suspenders), a tie, and a phone handset that he’s angrily talking into.


TAYLOR
It’s ludicrous! The Mayor’s Office won’t budge on this one. So I went downtown and talked to the Commissioner’s Office. They’re about as flexible as Peter North’s rod. So I went to the local Borough Chief, another stonewall!

Taylor pops the white lid off an orange plastic pill container, and knocks back a large pill with a glass of water. After taking a swig, he glares at the glass.

TAYLOR
(O.S. to secretary)
I asked for Diet Coke. This isn’t Diet Coke! It’s Pepsi! Might as well just give me water from a public urinal with extra benzene next time!
(back to Mraz)
Look Mraz, it’s nonsense, and you know I told you that. But we can not keep this up.
The law is not on our side on these indictments, and we’ve already got it bent as far as it’ll go. These Tac-Ops or whatever the hell you call them need to be rethought, or we’re not gonna have to worry about terrorists, we’re gonna get shutdown by the goddamn feds for multiple counts of breaking state and federal law. Are you listening? Are you even paying attention to the situation?

CUT TO:

EXT. NYC CITY STREETS - DAYTIME

MICHAEL MRAZ is walking down a fairly unpopulated street on his cell phone listening to Taylor. As he looks behind him, he spots the MAN who’s been following him for a few blocks now. Mraz looks back ahead, he spots a 2nd AGENT approaching him head-on. It’s clear as a bell to Mraz, it’s a setup, they’re gonna sandwich him. They’re gonna ‘try’ anyway. Mraz increases his pace faster so the enemy in front is closing faster then the one on his tail. Mraz is within 10’ now of the thug in front, he can see the glint from the brass knuckles the thug has ready to attack Mraz with.

MRAZ
Actually, I’m very attuned to the situation at hand.

CUT TO:

INT. MRAZ INC. OFFICES - DAYTIME

TAYLOR
You better be or we’re gonna get our ass kicked!

CUT TO:

EXT. NYC CITY STREETS - DAYTIME

MRAZ
It’s a definite possibility.

CUT TO:

INT. MRAZ INC. OFFICES - DAYTIME

TAYLOR
Do you have any idea what I even do for you all day here!? Listen, I spend all day on the phone, with lawyers. Lawyers, Mraz! The scum of the earth! While you and Souza and the rest of the Scooby gang are off having fun, I’m filing affidavits...

CUT TO:

EXT. NYC CITY STREETS - DAYTIME

Taylor is still talking, but Mraz has stopped listening. Mraz’s phone stays open and on in his hand, and we can hear Taylor still griping as Mraz makes his move.

Mraz walks right up the assailant, and as Mraz predicted, the thug goes to throw a punch. Mraz is all too ready for it. With a quick block, Mraz flips the thug’s arm and pushes up snapping his elbow. With a quick kick Mraz cracks the thug’s kneecap backwards. Still holding the arm, Mraz spins himself around the body, using it as a human shield between him and the other thug approaching from behind.
The second thug draws a revolver and fires,

POW! POW! The slugs only serve to put holes in his friend’s chest. Mraz pulls out his Beretta and fires back.

POW POW!! POW!! Two in the chest, one in the head. Mraz let’s go of his shield, and both dead men slump to the ground in unison.

Mraz checks both bodies quickly and efficiently, swiping any ID cards and their wallets. As he rifles through their stuff, Mraz starts paying attention to the phone again. Taylor has been jabbering away the whole time.

MRAZ
Hey, hey. Relax Taylor, it’ll work out just work out fine.

CUT TO:

INT. MRAZ INC. OFFICES - DAYTIME

TAYLOR
Just get back here, please. I don’t want to get thrown in jail, okay? There are a hundred documents here that need your signature.

CUT TO:

EXT. NYC CITY STREETS - DAYTIME

MRAZ
On my way.

Mraz flips the phone shut. As he heads off, he notices a HOMELESS GUY a few feet away that must have watched the whole thing, he’s got a look of shock on his face. Mraz smiles at him, drops all the thugs’ cash into the homeless guy’s hat, except for $20 he saves for himself. The homeless man looks up with a big smile and waves. Mraz heads back to the office.

CUT TO:

INT. MRAZ INC. OFFICES - DAYTIME

Taylor hangs up the phone annoyed.

TAYLOR
He just has no idea how dangerous my job is! (beat) Somebody get me that Diet Coke!

SMASH CUT TO:

MAIN TITLES.

FADE TO BLACK

END OF TEASER



______________________________________________________________________

ACT ONE

INT. MRAZ INC. – SITUATION ROOM - DAYTIME

Five men sit around a table. MARK SOUZA, EDDIE HANSEN-NELSON, MOUMIN GHANEM, ERIC DENAZIO, BRIAN “DUCKY” SMALLWOOD, all looking up at a presentation on the large flat screen TV that hangs on the wall. Pictures of faces and locations keep popping in and out on the screen. The Mraz Inc. banner ad spins in the lower corner. Everyone has a large case-book in front of them.

MARK
Let’s hear today’s Sit-Rep.

EDDIE
First one on the list - got a good tip that a wannabe Islamic terror cell, the Blood Rajadeem, has gotten its hands on some top secret material. Given all the chatter on it, we think it’s low yield nuclear. Dirty stuff, not refined. About a pound of it, we think.

Eddie looks to Moumin who nods in agreement.

MARK
Approximate yield?

DUCKY
A pound of uranium? Give or take...same as a million gallons of gasoline. Put a nice crater in the ground, level a handful of buildings. The problem with dirty bombs though is the fallout, not the initial explosion. The area would be unusable for decades, maybe longer.

MOUMIN
And the real problem is that the Islamic terror cell, White Light, apparently has a way to get the stuff into the United States, and has enough idiot members willing to carry out the glorious mission of taking the stuff into the heart of a major city.

EDDIE
Apparently they’ve got some got some fancy technology they got from the Iranians...

MOUMIN
Who bought it from the Russians...

DUCKY
Who stole it from Area 51...

EDDIE
To keep the package completely undetectable.

Ducky produces a pair of goggle-type sunglasses from his blazer.

DUCKY
So...I developed these sub atomic nuclear spectrometers.
They operate at 28 nanometers, should be able to see the reflective proton grids that are keeping the uranium from giving off its decay signature. That way they can’t hide it from us when we pinpoint the holding location.

MARK
Good. Let’s build a Tac-Op on the holding pen, take these guys out, and capture the uranium, and get rid of it. How soon can we go in?

ERIC
What if it’s not uranium?

EDDIE
What if you had a brain? Imagine the things you’d say!

ERIC
Hey!

MARK
(again)
How soon can we go in?

EDDIE
It’s not that easy. We don’t know the movements of either group.

MARK
No intel at all? What about SCRAT-SAM?

EDDIE
Nothing.

MARK
Mossad? MI-5?

MOUMIN
No news.

MARK
Interpol?

EDDIE
Nope.

MOUMIN
All we know is they’re gonna try and bring the package through the Southern border. We haven’t gotten any leads from other resources. But...umm...

Moumin has been dreading giving this piece of news to Mark.

MOUMIN
Mraz said he got a call with intel about the situation though, he’s leaving in a few hours to check it out.

Mark throws his pen down in frustration. He knows who the intel is from.

MARK
Dammit.

ERIC
(clueless)
What?

MARK
Santo...

CUT TO:

INT. MRAZ INC. – HALLWAY - DAYTIME

Mraz and LAUREN KEATING are walking down the hallway. Keating is handing Mraz a passport and some travel documents. Mraz has changed and has a suit bag slung over his shoulder. As they walk down the hallway people are showing Keating pieces of paper. She either waves them away, or slides anything important into her folio as they’re walking.

Her attention remains on Mraz the whole time.

KEATING
It’ll be nice down there. Warm weather. Sandy beaches.
I wish I could go with you.

MRAZ
It’s not a tropical vacation, ya know. By the way, I got these ID’s off two guys from this morning. Get Souza to run them, see what comes up. And give him this $20, I owe him for beers.

KEATING
So, how do you know this Santo character again?

MRAZ
We go way back, Santo and I.


KEATING
Can you trust him?

MRAZ
No. But he’s got no love for the Empire that’s for sure.

KEATING
(rolls her eyes)
Anyway, here’s a new PHON-IQ from Ducky. World phone, with GPS, a secure line to the office, and two secure channels for two-way radio comm.

Keating hands Mraz a new cell phone. He trades it with his old one.

MRAZ
What would we do without Ducky, huh?

Keating stops him in the hall, playfully serious.

KEATING
What would we do without you, Michael Mraz?

Mraz plays along, pulls her in close.

MRAZ
Everyone’s world would crumble into anarchy and disarray and misery, no doubt...

She looks up at him a bit too hopeful, Mraz laughs it off not taking any of it seriously. He plants a quick kiss on her forehead.

MRAZ
Hold the fort down while I’m gone.

KEATING
OK.

Mark walks out of the office and sees Mraz and Keating together.

MARK
No kiss for me?

MRAZ
No time for tongue, plane’s taking off in 30min. It’ll have to wait till I get back.

MARK
Say hi to your ‘buddy’ for me.

Mraz not looking back turns the corner with a wave and leaves the office. Mark and Keating are still looking down the hallway where he’s gone.

KEATING
You sound jealous...

MARK
Cautious. I sound cautious. Somebody around here needs to be.

CUT TO:

EXT – EL DORO AIRPORT, MEXICO – RUNWAY - DAYTIME

The sleek twin engine tan & white private jet taxis to a stop toward the end of the runway. Waiting at the base of the runway is a MAN with a beard, a white button down shirt, khakis, and aviator sun glasses, hands in his pockets, and a wide smile on his face, EDUARDO SANTO. He stands next to a jeep filled with men in camouflage fatigues and wielding M-16 rifles. As the loud whine of the turbines begins to slowly lessen as the engines power down, the door to the plane snaps open and out emerges Mraz carrying his bags.

SANTO
Mraz! My long lost friend!

MRAZ
Santo...

Mraz sticks his hand out for a handshake, Santo laughs and pulls him in warmly for a hug. Mraz gives in and hugs him back. The body language tells it all – these guys are old friends.

SANTO
A handshake is for associates or acquaintances, Mraz. We are friends.

MRAZ
We were friends. Till someone decided the wrong side of the law paid better.

SANTO
Always a stickler for the facts, Mraz. So, how’s the business?

MRAZ
Booming. You?

SANTO
Doing well. Could always be better though, mmm? That is why you are here.

CUT TO:

INT. SANTO MANSION - EVENING

The opulent estate of Eduardo Santo is a quiet place. It is filled with statues and paintings along every wall. Santo leads the way into the huge house, telling some joke to Mraz, who is focused not on the joke, but the furnishings and surroundings. They pass a MAID cleaning the game room en route. Finally they reach the back room, Santo’s study. A large mahogany desk dominates the room, a small lamp, a computer, and a marble chess board sits on top of it. Standing behind the desk and off to the side is a thin man in a dark blazer and slacks, DIEGO GARCIA. There are a few other small items in the room, a few plants, a plasma TV hangs on the wall, a few comfy couches and chairs.

SANTO
...and so the donkey says: “But! I am the sculptor!”

Santo laughs at his own joke. No reaction from Mraz.

SANTO
The donkey...a sculptor... you see because...ah well, they can’t all be gems, eh? Come. You remember Diego?

A curt nod from Mraz, returned by Diego. Santo and Mraz might be pals, but it’s clear there’s no love lost between Diego and Mraz. Santo moves behind his desk and sits, Mraz relaxes on one of the sofas, Diego stays in his position.

MRAZ
Alright Santo, I put up with the eight hour plane flight, the bumpy ride to your mansion, your dumb jokes. What do you have for me?

SANTO
What do I ‘have’ for you? Hmmm? That is what you want to know? That is not of interest to me. What you ‘want’, that is of interest to me.

MRAZ
Really?

SANTO
Yes.

MRAZ
And what do I want?

SANTO
You want success and privacy. You want to go about your crime fighting business... and to be left alone to do so.

MRAZ
You figured that out all by yourself?

SANTO
(unphased)
Perhaps there is something of value we could both trade? The famous win-win scenario Americans love so much? Mmm? Yes?

MRAZ
Like what?

SANTO
Operation: Living Hand, perhaps? We could start there.

MRAZ
How do you know about that?

SANTO
Perhaps I could even illuminate you about your trouble with the Blood Rajadeem? Mmm?

MRAZ
How the-

SANTO
I know about many things, my friend. Operations run by your CIA, the defunct KGB, the Al-Qaeda Mujahdeen terror cells, and several other, uh... private operators. It is my business to know. After all, if one is to stay a step ahead, one can not afford to be ignorant, mmm?

MRAZ
What do you want?

SANTO
My needs are small, Mraz. And they fit in line with your, how do you say, aspirations?

Santo opens up one of the drawers of his desk, and throws a manila folder on the desk in front of Mraz. Mraz picks it up and opens it. It’s full of recon photos, notes, police records, your standard Tac-Ops file.

SANTO
Carlos Stinger. Small time gun-runner, drug runner. Increasingly less small time, and more big time. He too, it seems, has... aspirations. I’d like them cut short. And so would you, Mraz, since he is auditioning to work for a mutual annoyance.

MRAZ
You get what you want, but your hands stay clean? You’re starting to sound as mercenary as Souza.

SANTO
Think of it as you get what you want, my friend. My benefit is ancillary.

MRAZ
Where can I find him?

DIEGO
Carlos and his band have a campsite a few miles west of a bordertown near Guadalupe. Small operation. Forty, perhaps fifty men. There is a map of the compound in the file.

MRAZ
You expect me to use my hands to take this guy down?

SANTO
Anything in my toy chest is at your disposal, my friend. I have enough weapons in my basement to take over Kuwait. Just like the old days, hmm? Now, you had a long flight. Maria has prepared the guest room so you can rest now, and for later as well, since you will be staying a night or two.

MRAZ
Oh really?

SANTO
Yes. You can’t move on Stinger for a day or so. Plus, I do not get to see you very often, Mraz!

MRAZ
I’m not sure that’s a bad thing.

SANTO
We still have to finish that bottle of tequila from last time, and many old times to remember together.

MRAZ
I don’t like to be hungover when I’m laying waste to a camp full of terrorists.

SANTO
I do not like paying taxes, but we all have our crosses to bear. Go get changed for dinner. Maria is making her special Paella for you tonight, it is excellent.

Mraz knows when he’s been beat. He gets up with his bags and heads upstairs to the second floor of the mansion. Santo and Diego stay in their respective places as Mraz leaves.

DIEGO
I want to wiretap him.

Santo shakes his head.

DIEGO
Let me post a guard to his door.

SANTO
Your concerns are pointless. Mraz isn’t going to do anything.

DIEGO
Why do you trust Mraz?

SANTO
Because he has earned my trust.

DIEGO
He hasn’t earned mine.

Santo plays with the pieces on the chess board that sits on his desk.

SANTO
Mraz is playing in a dangerous world, Diego. He thinks he is the rook, or perhaps the knight is more suiting. But in truth... he is just a pawn. Just a pawn.

DIEGO
And what are you?

SANTO
Just a pawn as well. But, with the chance to be King.

DIEGO
Does he know?

SANTO
He knows what he needs to know. Nothing more.

DIEGO
So he doesn’t really understand what you’re sending him to do?

SANTO
No. Not yet.

Santo opens one of the drawers in his desk and takes out a different folder. This doesn’t have the feel of a Tac-Ops file, but more of a large, official-looking, scientific research paper. Written in large letters across the front of the document it says: “The Chemical Properties of Polydichloric Euthymol”. As Santo leafs through it – we can see large chemical equations and charts and graphs imbedded among the seemingly endless pages of text.

DIEGO
Does he even know what Stinger’s operation is transporting?

SANTO
Sources tell me Mraz and his agents think it might be nuclear. Everything is ‘The Happy Mushroom’ with Americans ever since Reagan.

DIEGO
There is nothing nuclear about polydichloric euthymol.

SANTO
True. It is not radioactive, but polydichloric euthymol has the potential to bring quite the holocaust...no?

CUT TO:

INT. RIDGEWOOD COUNTRY CLUB – DAYTIME

ANDREA DAVIS, a classy, sophisticated woman wearing an expensive Laura Ashley dress and pearls sits at the head of a table filled with six men of various ethnicities, some with turbans, all in three piece suits. In front of them are opulent chocolate desserts, and a copy of the research paper we just saw Santo flipping through a minute ago.

ANDREA
Polydichloric euthymol. Tasteless, odorless, colorless. It’s a hybrid super-amphetamine, created by Dr. Hyams Spota in the early 90’s, part of a now defunct bio-weapons program under DARPA. It’s more physiologically and psychologically addictive then cocaine. Side effects include but are not limited to heart attack, seizure, hallucinations, stroke, extreme paranoia, psychotic breaks, complete nervous system collapse.

BUYER#1
Why would anyone take it?

ANDREA
(ignoring the question)
Taken in very small quantities, the effects, good and bad, are limited. It’s more like a pleasant buzz and the feeling you have a lot of energy. And that’s where it gets really insidious. Consumed in large quantities, the body views it as toxic and purges it in a few hours. Consumed in small quantities it settles and stays inside muscle cells and fat cells. Over time, the body begins to ‘need’ a steady supply of it.On a cellular level, mitochondria can no longer function without it. Sudden withdrawal from polydichloric euthymol is lethal in 95% of cases within two weeks.

BUYER#1
You’re not making any sense.

ANDREA
You’re just thinking small, gentlemen. You are looking for ways to cripple the United States, are you not? But with the increased security at the borders, getting a nuclear weapon is less and less possible. Besides, a nuclear weapon only affects a few million people in the city you take out. But if you were to start infecting the food and water supply of the country with polydichloric euthymol, you could literally blackmail everyone in the United States. And if they didn’t pay and ignored you, you stop supplying the drug. But when people start dying, they’ll start paying attention.

Andrea opens a bottle of Evian water next to her and takes a swig.

BUYER#2
What kind of numbers are you talking about?

ANDREA
Production costs $1 million per cubic hectare to grow extract plants. That processes into one million tons of the base powder. It takes six months to get production up to the necessary volume to have an impact. You’d need 180 million tons per month. So we’re looking at $2.16 billion dollars in cost. Then there are the various transport logistics that need to be addressed. And I need to make a small profit, so let’s call it a nice round $4 billion dollars.

BUYER#3
You’re out of your mind. $4 billion dollars. Crazy woman.

ANDREA
You stand to make billions per month in blackmail from the U.S. Government. You don’t think it’s worth spending $5 billion once to make a $100 billion a year.

BUYER#3
You said $4 billion.

ANDREA
It’s $4 billion for everyone else, but since you decided it’d be cute to be rude and insult me, it’ll cost you $5 billion if you’re interested. (beat) I have small personal doses for you to inspect now, larger quantities will be available in a few days. Any other questions or comments, gentlemen?

Andrea reaches into her Gucci purse and puts down a small plastic vial with a reddish colored liquid in it on the table. The businessmen regard it with great interest.

FADE TO BLACK.

END OF ACT ONE



__________________________________________________________________________


ACT TWO

INT. MRAZ INC. OFFICES – MARK'S OFFICE - DAYTIME

KRYSTAL
I don’t know what to say. Thanks!

MARK
Mraz needs someone with good Spanish experience, it’ll be perfect for you to go down there and help him out. And while you’re there he can show you the ropes.

KRYSTAL
I won’t let you down.

MARK
Get your tickets from Keating and get going.

KRYSTAL is beaming. Mark stands up from his desk and offers a handshake. Krystal takes his hand shake and pulls him close for a kiss on the cheek. Mark’s surprised, but smiles. Krystal exits hastily, passing ANDY who she also kisses on the cheek as she is leaving.

KRYSTAL
I get to go to Mexico with Mraz!

ANDY
I’m an accountant. I don’t get to go anywhere.

Krystal plants another kiss on Andy and keeps going. Andy knocks on the door, holding a thick pile of printouts.

ANDY
She’s real friendly. Got a second?

MARK
What’s up?

ANDY
That $25,000. Remember that?

MARK
How could I not?

ANDY
Right, well the dispersement trail for the money worries me. Here look.

Andy cluelessly drops the pile of accounting spreadsheets on Mark’s desk, obscuring his Tac-Ops files. Mark bristles at the intrusion, but focuses on what’s in front of him.

ANDY
OK - See here. This money. OK, watch the pony. An account here. One here. One here. One here. Washed into an omnibus account. Through the expense account. Back out through a different omnibus capital liability account. Commingled with funds here, then here. Now look at this, more accounts open, dispersements across, funneled back out, split into different seemingly payments, but add it all back up, and we’re back at the same number...only we’re not.

MARK
It’s a little more complicated then my checkbook.

ANDY
The hit on you wasn’t for $25,000. It was for $100,000.

MARK
That’s supposed to make me feel better?

ANDY
I suppose. But it’s more then that. OK. I’ve been looking at this for a while now.

MARK
Yeah?

ANDY
And the trail keeps getting more convoluted. Then I hit a real stumbling block. Every time I’d print out a new spreadsheet, I find new things. New monies. New journals. That’s when I realized there were new entries and new accounts opened just yesterday, money moving back in and out.

MARK
What do you mean?

ANDY
I think the system’s been hacked from the outside, but I can’t be sure yet, and I don’t have all the numbers added up yet. We might have a virus or a worm or something that’s messing up our records. Or-

MARK
Or what?

ANDY
Nah, it’s not likely.

MARK
I don’t care about likely. What?

ANDY
Someone’s actively making the journals. Someone who knows I’m onto them and is still trying to cover their tracks. Someone on the inside...But I don’t know yet! I’m talking out my ass right now. I need more time.

MARK
Get to the bottom of it. Fast.

CUT TO:

EXT. SANTO ESTATE – FIRING RANGE

Mraz, wearing sound buffer headphones, is playing with a host of toys, assorted pistols and rifles and machine guns. He picks one up fires off a few rounds, tweaks the sights, fires a few more rounds, cleans and clears the weapon. Then he picks up a new gun, repeats the process. From the target pattern, it’s clear Mraz is a hell of a shot. Every so often, a large man, TITO, comes out and replaces the targets.

There’s a tap on Mraz’s shoulder. He spins with the MP5 submachine gun he’s holding, ready for anything. A surprised Santo and Krystal laugh at him.

KRYSTAL
We give up! We give up!

SANTO
I do not think he likes us!

Mraz pulls off his headphones and drops the gun to his side. Mraz is angry, but it dissipates quick as he realizes how good Krystal looks. Krystal catches Mraz lingering and smiles. He brings back the anger to cover.

MRAZ
Thought that’d be bright to sneak up on me at firing range? Not very smart. Could get you killed in the field.

KRYSTAL
I’m sorry, you’re right, I should have-

SANTO
When your lovely guest arrived, I thought you might want to know about it. It was my idea, Mraz. Not hers.

There’s an awkward pause, but Santo has a way to fix it.

SANTO
Come, let us go have some lunch. Maria has made a lovely salad. Tito, come on.

The giant man leaves the target area and joins the threesome heading back to the house.

CUT TO:

EXT. SANTO MANSION – POOL/DECK – NIGHTTIME

Tiki torches burn around the massive pool. Empty bottles of beer and wine are scattered about. A still unfinished 1/4th full bottle of Santo Family Gold Reserve Tequila sits on the edge of the diving board. Mraz and Krystal sit on large reclining chairs in their swimsuits. Santo in his swimsuit and a terrycloth robe stands behind a nearby tiki bar, where he is shaking away another cocktail. Mraz and Krystal are laughing hysterically at Santo’s story.

SANTO
...so there is Mraz, on stage with the woman. I believe her name was Tia?

MRAZ
You are such a liar!
(to Krystal)
This never happened.

KRYSTAL
More! More!

SANTO
Mraz had just eaten ‘the worm’, so his recollection is undoubtedly fuzzy. She was a beautiful, sensuous woman. Very sweet.

MRAZ
She was hot, but I was never onstage! It was you!

SANTO
AC/DC blaring in the background. On stage. She tells him to lie down, put the banana in his mouth.

MRAZ
(to Krystal)
We had a bottle of tequila each, he’s exaggerating.

SANTO
And then she squats down over him, and manages to, how shall I say this, kiss him with her ‘lips’.

Krystal snarfs her drink, Mraz can’t keep a straight face.

KRYSTAL
She got the whole banana up there?

Santo gestures the approximate size of the banana, his hands are easily a foot apart, maybe more.

SANTO
So then our good friend, Mr. Mraz, asks her if she can get anything else interesting up there. And she of course, like a decent woman, slaps him, and informs the room she is no common tramp and only does things like that for her husband.

KRYSTAL
A prude, to be sure.

SANTO
Of course 20min and $200 later, she was putting sausage links up there, but only because I kept paying her since I was greatly enjoying that Mraz was unable to breathe from laughing so hard.

MRAZ
You are so full of it, Santo.OK ok. Fair is fair. So Santo’s dating these twins. Beauty queens as I recall.

SANTO
You play dirty, Mraz.

KRYSTAL
Fair is fair!

MRAZ
Were they 18?

SANTO
They were 21. I dated them after you did, when they were 20.

MRAZ
Santo’s always been the ladies man, don’t let his attitude fool you. Anyway, twins, but they don’t know about each other. He pulls this off, somehow, for five months?

SANTO
Six.

MRAZ
When he gets invited to a big family party by both of them. Their father’s 50th birthday?

SANTO
They had planned the party for weeks.

MRAZ
How does he get out of going? He gets the father arrested for a trumped up drug smuggling charge day of the party.

KRYSTAL
What?!

SANTO
I had him released. He spent an hour in jail, tops.

MRAZ
So he thinks he’s off the hook. But when the girls come running to Santo for comfort after getting Daddy out of jail, they not only run into each other at his place, but into Sophia, the girl he had met that morning at the market.

KRYSTAL
Dog!

SANTO
In my youth, it is true I was perhaps less then perfect.

MRAZ
We done telling stories now?

SANTO
For now.

KRYSTAL
No! More!

SANTO
Get over here and give me a hug before I feed you to Tito.

Mraz and Santo hug and laugh. Krystal drains her cup. They all sit back and relax, still snickering and laughing and remembering.

KRYSTAL
So, all those women, how come there’s no Mrs. Santo?

The mood abruptly changes. Mraz and Santo stop laughing. Santo finishes off his cup and stands.

SANTO
All this tequila...I am not as young as I used to be. I am going to retire for the evening. I hope you both have a good night.

Santo gives a nod to Mraz and then leaves.

KRYSTAL
I didn’t know that was a bad topic.

MRAZ
You couldn’t have known, don’t worry. He’s drunk anyway, he probably won’t remember tomorrow.

KRYSTAL
What happened?

MRAZ
Santo used to be a cop, if you can believe it. A good one too. Part of the NARC unit down here. He had a big bust of some dealer, got a promotion. The drug dealer called his supplier from jail, and the supplier had Santo’s wife killed. So, after that, he lost it, went on a killing spree. Killed the supplier, a bunch of guys. Got fired from the force after he shot the cop who tipped off the guy where he lived. So no job, no family, he crawled into a bottle of tequila for a while. When he crawled back out, he decided if you can’t beat’em, join’em.

KRYSTAL
That’s awful.

MRAZ
Yeah.

KRYSTAL
To lose someone you love like that. God.

MRAZ
Now he’s just all alone in this big house. Him, Diego, and Tito and the maid, Maria.

KRYSTAL
I guess that’s why you don’t date inside Mraz Inc. Too dangerous, right?

MRAZ
What are you getting at?

KRYSTAL
I was just wondering if people dated, inside Mraz Inc. You know, if there was some attraction, between two people, who worked for you, if they could, do anything about it.

Mraz and Krystal are facing each other now.

MRAZ
It’s dangerous what we do. People die.

KRYSTAL
That’s why it’s important to act on feelings Mraz. We don’t know how long we’re here for.

MRAZ
Being attached to someone on a mission, you could make mistakes, not think rationally about the big picture.

KRYSTAL
It could help a mission too. Working with someone you know, someone you trust, someone who knows what you’re thinking before you do...

There is a pause.

MRAZ
I think...I’m gonna follow Santo to bed. We gotta get up tomorrow early. You comin?

KRYSTAL
Not yet. I’m gonna have one last swim.

Mraz gets up, steadies himself, gives a salute in place of a good night and heads off. Krystal watches Mraz leave. She gets up and slides into the pool.

CUT TO:

EXT. SANTO MANSION – DRIVEWAY – MORNING

Krystal sits in the jeep checking a map as Tito and Mraz load the last few satchels and weapons into the vehicle.

Once it’s packed up, the three drive off. Santo watches them from his window in the study as the car pulls away.

CUT TO:

EXT. MEXICO – ROAD - DAYTIME

The jeep speeds along a bumpy dusty road for several miles. As the day wears on it’s obvious there’s an awkwardness between Krystal and Mraz. She keeps busy looking at her Blackberry, back at the map. Tito keeps looking from Mraz to Krystal. He may be silent, but he’s not dumb.

Mraz’s eyes stay on the road, he’s all business, thinking about the job ahead.

CUT TO:

EXT. EL VIA PANCHO – ROAD – DAYTIME

Mraz turns the jeep off on a turn. They travel down this road a little further, the terrain turning away from the flat plains and more hilly, even slightly mountainous. After a bit, Mraz pulls off to the side. Tito gets out, takes a satchel and a large assault rifle out of the back of the jeep. He holds up his cell phone and gives Mraz a nod and heads off on foot up the hills. Mraz and Krystal, resume on the road toward STINGER'S compound.

FADE TO BLACK

END OF ACT TWO



__________________________________________________________________________________


ACT THREE

EXT. EL VIA PANCHO – ROAD – DAYTIME

The road winds for a bit, and then another villa, similar to Santo’s but not nearly as opulent emerges in the distance. Though unlike the open unsecured landscape of Santo’s place, there is a guard tower checkpoint and a large fence around this property. Mraz can see four silver oil-tanker, 18-wheelers parked away from the main house. Men wearing protective gear are surrounding the trucks, filling them with large hoses from an enormous orange shipping container that has Arabic writing on it. The house has a few guards milling about outside.

MRAZ
If Stinger’s a drug runner, why does he have guys in radioactive containment suits loading trailers?

KRYSTAL
Maybe it’s Meth? That’s pretty toxic, right?

MRAZ
You’d only need a facemask, not a full suit...

KRYSTAL
You think Stinger’s in league with the terrorists Mark found? The Blood Rajadeem?

MRAZ
(a grin sneaks up)
Santo might have just accidentally helped us. Let’s go.

Mraz punches the pedal on the jeep and continues speeding ahead. The checkpoint ahead has three GUARDS, one of them is already waving down Mraz to slow for the gate. Mraz complies and brings the car to a halt. Two guards draw guns, but Mraz and Krystal keep their cool.

GUARD
Quienes son usted? Que usted desea?

MRAZ
We’re here to see Carlos Stinger.

The guards don’t look happy Mraz is speaking English and they raise their guns at the jeep. Mraz’s hand drops to his pistol at his side. Krystal flashes a smile at the guard and unbuttons the top two buttons of her shirt to reveal more skin.

KRYSTAL
Tenemos un presente para Carlos. Una sorpresa.

Krystal bats her eyes, and gives a wink and a smile. The guard smiles back and nods, and motions the other to lower their guns.

GUARD
Gracias, señora bonita. Pase a través de la puerta.

KRYSTAL
(to guard)
Gracias, senor!

Mraz grimaces. The gate opens. Mraz drives the jeep onward toward the house.

KRYSTAL
So what’s the plan now?

MRAZ
We take out everyone who’s here.

KRYSTAL
That’s it?

MRAZ
Saving the world from terrorists doesn’t have to be complicated, you know. All these guys are killers, not nice guys.

KRYSTAL
So we’re just gonna mow down everyone?

MRAZ
Just cause it’s not complicated doesn’t mean we have to be a bull in a china shop. Let’s try to get inside as far as we can. If we can find Carlos first, maybe we can get his guys to give up without firing a shot. We’ll make our way to the kitchen, get ourselves some disguises and go from there.

CUT TO:

INT. CARLOS STINGER HOUSE – BASEMENT – DAYTIME

Mraz and Krystal are bound to chairs with ropes. Mraz is sporting a nice bruise or two across his face. A skinny man with a thin beard stands in front of them, CARLOS STINGER. Ten angry looking guards look on at the interrogation. Everyone in the room is covered in some sort of salsa.

STINGER
Considering your ‘antics’ in my kitchen...I have a hard time believing you are on a ‘goodwill tour’ from the U.N.? Could it be the small arsenal my men found in your jeep? Or because you showed up unannounced? Or maybe because I’m just not a complete idiot?

MRAZ
(to Krystal)
I told you we should have called first.

STINGER
Now, I don’t know who you are, or what you’re doing here, but if you don’t tell me the truth, after cutting off your hands, I will drop you in the middle of the desert with no clothes on and let the scorching sun compete with the scorpions for what will kill you first.

Stinger takes out a long barrel revolver and points it at Krystal’s head. Mraz doesn’t flinch. Krystal looks unsure. Stinger cocks the revolver. Mraz still doesn’t flinch.

KRYSTAL
OK, let’s see some of that Mraz magic I’ve heard so much about.

MRAZ
What time is it?

KRYSTAL
(confused)
Around 6:30. I guess. Why the hell does that matter?

Mraz closes his eyes and focuses. Serenity washes over his face.

MRAZ
Abracadabra.

BEEP BEEP! Mraz’s phone which is sitting on a nearby table with the rest of his and Krystal’s personal effects makes it’s presence known.

GUARD
Hey boss! He’s getin a message.

Stinger snaps his fingers, and the thug throws him Mraz’s phone. He flips it open:

STINGER
(to all)
“Saludos. Cuando puedas nos llamas, llama al celular de Tito. No te olvides. OK.”
(to Mraz)
What the hell kind of message is this? Who is Tito? Your contact? Is that who you’re working for?

MRAZ
I highly recommend we get down, right now.

The wall next to Mraz explodes, pieces of wood and debris go flying everywhere. Through the smoldering hole walks Tito, a giant of a man, wielding his large assault rifle, now sporting a grenade launcher attached to the bottom.

Tito enters the room and starts firing at Stinger and his goons, who dive anywhere and everywhere looking for cover.

Tito fires the weapon with one hand, while his other hand unsheathes an enormous survival knife, and cuts Krystal and Mraz free. Mraz is out of his bonds first, and pulls a pistol free from Tito’s waist and begins to fire away as well.

Stinger’s men are dropping like flies, and Stinger can sense this situation has gone horribly wrong. He flies out the door. Mraz doesn’t miss a beat and takes off right after him. By the time Krystal is free, Tito has stopped firing, since everyone who hasn’t fled the room is dead.

KRYSTAL
You got a gun for me, big guy?

Tito shrugs, and hands her the large survival knife.

She shakes her head. Tito hands her his assault rifle, she takes it and the two head off after Mraz.

CUT TO:

EXT. CARLOS STINGER HOUSE

Stinger is running for his life, screaming in Spanish.

STINGER
Vaminos! Vaminos! Vaya al lugar de reunion! Vaminos!

The men loading the trucks snap into action, finishing loading up quickly, and getting the rigs moving. The rigs grumble and bellow smoke, and begin to pull away. Mraz is catching up to Stinger quickly. When he’s in range, Mraz fires a few shots, and Stinger stops running. He drops his gun. Mraz slows from a run and walks up to him. When he’s close, Stinger pulls out a new pistol! Mraz raises his gun back up in a flash! Stalemate?

STINGER
Before you and your friends kill me, the least you could do is tell me who wants me dead, eh?

MRAZ
I’m not here to kill you on someone’s orders.

STINGER
Oh really? You’re not just some hired assassin?

MRAZ
I’m not an assassin. My job is stopping criminals like you from helping assassins. Now where are the trucks full of uranium headed?

STINGER
Uranium? Ha! You think I have uranium in those trucks.

MRAZ
Don’t play dumb.

STINGER
All news to me, I’m afraid. There is no uranium in those trucks.

MRAZ
Then why were your men dressed in those radioactive suits? I’m not an idiot.

STINGER
They were bio-chemical defense suits, not radioactive suits.

MRAZ
So what’s in the trucks?

STINGER
It would seem whoever sent you here to kill me didn’t tell you the whole truth. I don’t work with terrorists. I move drugs.

MRAZ
Okay, so let’s hear what’s going on, maybe you’ll live.

STINGER
All I know is I got a call from someone based in New York named -

KRYSTAL
Mraz!

POW! POW! POW! Stinger drops to the floor dead. Mraz spins to see the smoldering barrel of Krystal’s assault rifle. Mraz looks back to Stinger who is spitting up blood.

MRAZ
What did you just do?

KRYSTAL
Shoot the bad guy?

MRAZ
Why?

KRYSTAL
I thought he had the drop on you. I didn’t want...I didn’t know...I was trying to protect you.

MRAZ
Before he told us who he was working for?

Mraz grimaces at Krystal paving the road to hell with good intentions.

MRAZ
Well we’re not gonna get any more information out of him. We gotta get going and track down those trucks before they get too far.

KRYSTAL
We came round the front. There are no vehicles left. Stinger’s guys took the ones they needed and trashed the rest.

MRAZ
We need eyes in the sky. We’re not gonna be able to get on them for a while.

KRYSTAL
Since they’re on the way already, why don’t we let them into the US?

MRAZ
You want to let the badguys get the nukes into the US?

KRYSTAL
If we confiscate the tankers on US soil, we can stall legally long enough to get look at them, if we can get there before the Feds. If we catch them down here in Mexico, if the Mexican cops or feds get involved, who knows what’ll happen to the stuff. You know the corruption down here.

Mraz nods in reluctant agreement. Mraz begins to search Stinger’s body, takes his cell phone back.

MRAZ
Tito, call Santo and get us a ride back to the US. Krystal, go back in there gather up any intel you can about Stinger and who he was working for. You have till our ride shows up.

Tito opens his phone to call Santo, Krystal heads into house, Mraz flips open his phone to call home.

MRAZ
Keating. Patch me through to Souza. I don’t care where he is.

CUT TO:

EXT. I-95 NEW JERSEY – HIGHWAY – DAYTIME

Moumin and Mark are flying down the highway in a black Dodge 1975 Charger, license plate ‘SPIZERUL’, chasing a grey cargo van. Moumin is behind the wheel driving like a fiend, diving in and out of traffic, staying close on the heels of the van. Mark is leaning outside the car, taking potshots at the van with his pistol. A cell phone rings, and Moumin flips it open.

CUT TO:

INT. MOUMIN'S CAR

MOUMIN
Bad time! What!? (beat) OK (beat) Souza! It’s Mraz!

POW! POW! Mark squeezes off two more shots before responding.

MARK
Bad time! What!?

MOUMIN
Says it’s important! (out window) Move it, lady!!

Mark swears a litany that is drowned out by the car horns of drivers Moumin is cutting off. Mark slides back in, grabs the phone. He reloads as he talks into the phone.

MARK
We’re a little goddamn busy right now! (beat) Brendan and some goons! This better be good!

CUT TO:

INT. CARGO VAN – DAYTIME

BRENDAN can’t believe his eyes as he looks in the rear view mirror, but sure enough Moumin and Mark are falling back, and with a squeal and some smoke, they cut off the highway, giving up on the chase.

BRENDAN
Giving up? Souza? Something’s not right.

CUT TO:

INT. SANTO MANSION – STUDY – DAYTIME

Santo sits at his desk on the phone. Diego stands at attention nearby.

SANTO
Excellent. I will send a chopper along shortly. Thank you for the update, Tito.

Santo drops the handset into the receiver with a satisfied grin.

DIEGO
How can you be smiling?

SANTO
What do you mean?

DIEGO
He’s getting too close. I don’t like it. He almost stopped the shipment. You weren’t supposed to let it play out like this.

SANTO
No no. Mraz likes his games. I wonder if he really remembers all the rules? Mmmm? We must be polite to our friends. All things in due time, Diego. For Mraz to play the hero, we must let him be heroic.

DIEGO
You’re jeopardizing the entire operation for this friend of yours.

SANTO
It is MY operation to jeopardize.

DIEGO
What will you tell the woman in New York if she catches wind of this? Nothing has transpired how you told her it would.

SANTO
Trust me. Let me handle it. Go find someone to get Mraz and the others at Stinger’s.

DIEGO
You are not being cautious enough, if this blows up in our face, you could lose everything!

SANTO
I know what I am doing. Get out of here! See that Mraz gets a chopper, let him take it. He can return it at his leisure.

CUT TO:

EXT. USA/MEXICO BORDER – HIGHWAY - NIGHTTIME

The four large silver tanker trucks from Stinger’s roll up to the border fence. The drivers show the US BORDER GUARDS their papers, the guards do a cursory check of the rigs, and then wave them through into the United States.

The lead DRIVER seems relived as the trucks pull away into the night.

CUT TO:

EXT. TENNESSEE – HIGHWAY – DAYTIME

The four silver tanker trucks are zooming along the highway, making good time. The highway is fairly empty, only the occasional passing car. The lead truck driver yawns and then looks in his rear view mirror, to spot a small black helicopter zooming down the highway, catching up fast. The chopper zooms over the convoy and then banks away into the sun. The driver wakes the guy next to him, and then they are looking everywhere for the chopper.

The terrain turns more hilly and mountainous and the driver thinks he’s lost the chopper. But as the road winds around a corner, there’s the chopper already on the ground, along with piles of sandbags, road cones, and road signs scattered all over the road. The drivers panic, hit the brakes. The trailers jackknife, smoke and skidmarks are left on the road as the trucks barely stop in time from hitting each other and crashing into the road block.

Mraz and the Tac-Ops group and Krystal step out from behind the sandboxes, with large assault rifles, walking toward the tanker trucks. The drivers are getting out with their hands in the air or on their heads.

MARK
Let’s get these trucks back up to New York. We’ll keep them in the warehouses in Bayonne by the docks.

FADE TO BLACK

END OF ACT THREE.

______________________________________________________________________________


ACT IV


INT. MRAZ INC. OFFICES - DAYTIME
Mraz is walking through the office. He passes Eddie

MRAZ
Everything is?

EDDIE
All good. The tankers are sitting in the warehouse. Eric’s on surveillance watching them. Warehouse security says no one’s even looked at the building funny in two days. Mark’s the only one with the code to get in or out.

Mraz pats him on the back, keeps walking, pokes his head in Taylor’s office.

TAYLOR
I told you, you stupid rednecks, you can’t get a warrant to search the trucks, cause they’re not covered under Interstate Commerce since they’re not domestic US transport. (beat) No Homeland Security can’t see them either under privacy statutes guaranteed by the new rider Congress passed under the Patriot Act. (beat) You can tap my phone all you want, you can’t see the trucks from my phone! (beat) Well, you just go ahead and have the IRS crawl up my ass with a microscope! (beat) Listen to me, you pretentious Harvard prick! Gonna be a cold day in Fargo before I even think about letting you indict my firm on some trumped up charge. You know you can’t prove it, so why don’t you stop making my ulcer bigger then it is, and go back to raping children, hmmm?

Mraz backs out, keeps walking, pokes his head in Andy’s office.

MRAZ
Any headway on the files we got from Stinger?

ANDY
You know what’s weird?

MRAZ
Hmmm?

ANDY
Santo had business connections with Stinger. There are transactions all over the place.

MRAZ
That’s not ‘that’ surprising. Santo never said he never dealt with the guy.

ANDY
As recent as the day before you went down there?

Mraz thinks it’s odd, but keeps moving, turns the corner, winds up at Mark’s office. Mark sits pouring over Tac-Ops files. The file on Santo is sprawled out, and he’s piecing one together on Stinger.

MRAZ
We ever figure out what’s in those containers?

MARK
Ducky’s got it in the lab. He’s synthesizing it now. Thinks it’s some kind of narcotic, something new, something real bad.

MRAZ
Good. I’m off back to Mexico.

MARK
You’re going back?

MRAZ
Santo said he’s only telling me about Operation: Living Hand in person. Plus it looks like he’s got a lead on the Blood Rajadeem nuke thing you’re onto, as well.

MARK
You want Krystal with you again? She came in handy.

MRAZ
No thanks. Not this time. I’ll be back soon. This’ll be a quick trip.

MARK
You shouldn’t trust him. I don’t.

MRAZ
You worry too much. We go way back Santo and me.

Mraz gets up and leaves, passes Ducky who is coming into Mark’s office.

MARK
What’s up?

DUCKY
Hey, can we run to the warehouse? My tests are inconclusive, I need more powder to keep working.

MARK
Yeah, sure, I need a break from this stuff anyway.

CUT TO:

EXT. BAYONNE – IRONSHIELD WAREHOUSE - DAYTIME

Mark and Ducky pull up in Mark’s car. Eric pulls up in his car. They arrive at the front large garage doors of the warehouse. Mark puts in the complicated numeric code into the key pad. With a beep and a click, a red light switches to green. Mark pushes the button and the door slowly opens. As light pours into the warehouse, something is very very wrong.

ERIC
Wait. This isn’t right.

The four silver 18 wheelers are not there. They look at the huge completely empty warehouse in shock. Mark is furious.

ERIC
They were here last night. We’ve had video surveillance the whole time. There’s no way.

MARK
(building to a yell)
Where are the trucks? Where the hell are the goddamn trucks!?

FADE TO BLACK

TO BE CONTINUED...

Episode 1.3 "Double Blind" written by Michael Mraz

Mraz Inc.
"Double Blind"
Written by Michael Mraz

TEASER

FADE IN:

INT. ATLANTIC CITY CASINO- NIGHT
The casino is bustling. The tables are full of people playing black jack, roulette, poker, etc. The camera shot tracks through the crowds to the bar. There is a MAN standing at the bar, dressed in a black tuxedo. The shot reveals only the man's midsection, not the head, concealing his identity. The BARTENDER hands him a glass of straight whiskey.

BARTENDER
Your drink, sir. Jameson, straight up.

The man drops a fifty-dollar bill on the bar and begins to turn away.

BARTENDER
Thank you, sir!

The man has now fully turned away from the bar and begun walking, holding the drink in his right hand. In his left hand he holds a small wooden box filled with poker chips.

He weaves his way through the crowd and stops at a Texas Hold-Em table with an empty seat. He sits silently. Across the table, directly to the left of the dealer, sits ANDREA. She is looking away from the man, preoccupied with the man standing behind her, BRENDAN. She speaks into his ear.

The unidentified man is dealt in, checks his cards, and moves a stack of chips into the pot.

MAN (O.S.)
Raise. Twenty-five thousand.

Conversation at the table abruptly stops. Andrea looks up, at first surprised, then with a smug recognition. Brendan also looks up and coldly stares at the unknown man. The players in between them quickly fold, leaving the action to Andrea. Andrea stares straight at the man and smiles.

ANDREA
Mraz. Michael Mraz.


ANGLE ON: MRAZ. He wears a confident smile.

MRAZ
Miss Davis. Long time, no see.

ANDREA
Not nearly long enough.

She motions to Brendan to leave her. She hands him a stack of chips, while continuing to stare ahead meeting eyes with Mraz.

ANDREA (CONT.)
Go lose yourself somewhere. And while you're at it, try not to lose all of these.

Brendan takes the chips and slowly, reluctantly leaves, making sure to walk directly past Mraz and hold the menacing stare. Andrea smiles pushes a stack of chips in to call Mraz's raise. The DEALER deals out a flop of K(spades)-Q (diamonds)-10(hearts).

ANDREA (CONT.)
And what brings such an important man to Atlantic City for the evening. Pure coincidence?

Mraz stares silently for a moment. Then pushes another stack of chips.

MRAZ
Fifty thousand.
(pause)
Just a love of playing these games. I'm lucky you were here. They always seem so much more interesting when you're at the table.

Without a word, Andrea matches the bet. The fourth card is dealt: A (hearts). Mraz taps the table to check.

ANDREA
You always show just a little too much weakness, Mraz. Too predictable. That's why I'm always one step ahead of you. One-hundred thousand.

Mraz considers the bet and matches it. The final card comes out: Q (hearts). Mraz again taps the table to check.

ANDREA (CONT.)
Through playing games? Want to make this a bit more real?
(pushing in a few more stacks of chips)
Five-hundred thousand.

Mraz pauses then calls, triumphantly flipping over pocket kings.

DEALER
Three of a kind, kings.

Andrea looks down and nonchalantly flips her cards revealing pocket queens.

DEALER (CONT.)
Four of a kind, queens wins.

Andrea looks up and smiles.

ANDREA
Always so close, but again you manage to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. You have quite a way with ladies, Mraz.

Mraz, unfazed leans to the dealer and whispers to him. The dealer produces a new slew of chips for Mraz.

MRAZ
One of these days, I'll learn from my mistakes. Not today.

Cards are dealt around. A few of the players at the table post blinds, including Mraz, until Andrea's bet.

ANDREA
Five-hundred thousand. Care to play one more time?

The other players quickly vacate what seems like a vendetta match. Mraz reluctantly pushes the chips in to call. The dealer deals the flop: A (spades), 6 (hearts), 10 (spades).

MRAZ
Two-hundred fifty thousand. And what brings you here, Miss Davis?

Andrea calls. The next card is dealt: 6 (diamonds).

ANDREA
Business meeting for the weekend. I don't have time to play games.

Mraz checks.

MRAZ
On the contrary, it seems like you've been playing a lot of them recently. Better watch that the stakes don't get too high.

Andrea smiles, knowingly, and pushes all of her chips in. The other players at the table gasp.

ANDREA
Next lesson. Business is a cut-throat world. Never precede a threat with a moment of weakness or you may lose more than just your money.

Mraz flashes a quick smile and almost immediately:

MRAZ
Call. Full house.

He flips his cards revealing a 6 10. Andrea's smile quickly fades, flipping an AQ. The last card dealt is a 2(hearts). Andrea stares, shocked and enraged.

DEALER
Full house beats Aces and sixes.

Mraz collects his chips and tosses a $1,000 chip to the dealer. He starts to leave, then turns back to Andrea, still seething. He smiles.

MRAZ
Thanks for the advice, Miss Davis. I'll keep that in mind.

As he turns to go, Andrea stands and storms off. Mraz begins walking. He drops the smile and transitions into business mode. He taps his ear.

MRAZ (CONT.)
Target is heading straight to you. Intercept and commence op.

He taps his ear again.

MRAZ (CONT.)
Mraz. Authorization 934- Texas. Get Souza.

CUT TO:

INT. MRAZ INC- SAME TIME
MARK sits at his desk and picks up his phone.

MARK
Mraz's answering service. What do ya want?

MRAZ (v.o.)
Nice. You answer the phone that way for everyone?

MARK
Nah. Only the people it'll piss off the most. Namely you.

MRAZ (v.o.)
Idiot. I have Andrea here and she's not happy. Seems like she'll be here at least overnight. Is everything ready to go on that end?

MARK
Yeah. We're good. Eddie and Moumin have the team assembled. Keating will be teaching Krystal how to monitor the op from the office. We've just been waiting for your word to move. What took you so long?

MRAZ (v.o.)
Just having a little fun.

MARK
Right. You get to go gamble in AC while I'm stuck here in this office. Remind me why again?

CUT TO:

INT. ATLANTIC CITY CASINO- SAME TIME
Mraz, still walking along, smiles.

MRAZ
Because you're a mediocre poker player.

CUT TO:

INT. ATLANTIC CITY CASINO, ELSEWHERE- SAME TIME
Brendan walks to a roulette table. As he arrives, Andrea storms past slamming into him spinning him around. He takes a step after her, then thinks better of it. He spins back around bumping into some one else.

ANGLE ON: The woman Brendan has bumped into. A stunningly attractive blonde WOMAN, wearing a silver dress. She looks annoyed at her empty drink glass, obviously spilled by Brendan.

BRENDAN
Why, hello. Sorry, can I get you another drink, Miss…?

WOMAN
Weaver, Ann Weaver, and, yes, you can get me another drink. Captain and diet.

BRENDAN
Ann, nice to meet you. My name is Brendan. I was going to play a little roulette. Would you like to be my luck until your drink comes?

ANN smiles mischievously.

ANN
Sure. I'll be your luck as long as you're buying.

She takes his arm.

CUT TO:


INT. HALLWAY ATLANTIC CITY HOTEL- LATER
Brendan and Ann stumble down the hallway towards Brendan's room, laughing, obviously a little drunk. They reach his door. Ann is cornered against the door smiling. There is a small silent moment. Brendan moves into kiss her and Ann playfully slips away from him under his arm

ANN
(Playfully chastising)
Not yet. Not until we're in your room. Remember? I'm shy.

Brendan laughs clumsily and slides the card key into the door. His door opens. They slide into the dark room.

CUT TO:

INT. BRENDAN'S ROOM- CONTINUOUS
The room is dark. Brendan fumbles for the light switch. He flicks it on.

ANGLE ON: Mraz sitting, still in his tuxedo, in a chair facing Brendan, holding a silenced pistol; his legs crossed and his gun arm resting relaxed on his other arm.

MRAZ
Hi there, Brendan. I thought we might have a little chat. Take a seat. Janice?

Brendan turns to “Ann” and is taken aback to see she's holding a gun to his chest. She is now completely alert, seemingly no longer drunk.

JANICE
Oops. Guess I forgot to tell you my first name. Janice; nice to meet you. Now. Be a good boy and sit. Mikey has a few questions.

Brendan slowly, reluctantly sits facing Mraz.

MRAZ
Now, let's talk about this “business meeting” that you're here for.

Smash cut to:

MAIN TITLES.

Fade to BLACK.

END OF TEASER

______________________________________________________________________

ACT ONE

INT MRAZ INC WAR ROOM - NIGHT
Mark stands at the front of the room, next to large flatscreen TV with an office schematic on it. He addresses the room, which is dark-slightly illuminated by the screen. Interspersed throughout the chairs are EDDIE, MOUMIN, ERIC, KEATING, KRYSTAL, and DUCKY. At the back of the room, TAYLOR stands with his arms crossed.

MARK
The attempt on me last week was a little overt, even for Andrea, causing Mraz to think that maybe there was something more going on. Since we were unable to question Trish after the incident…

EDDIE
Yeah, nice work, Ace.

Mark stops briefly and scowls at Eddie.

MARK
Shut up, Eddie.

Moumin laughs silently. Krystal giggles. Eddie shoots Moumin a look.

MARK
We have no idea why Andrea would make such an aggressive move. We have legal on it, just in case there's enough physical evidence to take her in right now. Taylor?

TAYLOR
We haven't been able to find anything. She made a risky move but, look, Andrea's had a lot of practice covering her tracks. Andy is trying to hack her bank accounts and see if we can get her on the transaction she made to pay Ms. Lyndon, but we we're still working on a way to sell that as legit.

MARK
Mraz suspected this would be the case. So he decided to counter with an operation that was a little more overt as well. Andrea is in Atlantic City, at a Cancer Benefit. Mraz is there with Janice, under cover of the same benfit.

KRYSTAL
Janice? I haven't seen her name on any of the personnel lists.

KEATING
She's not an official employee of Mraz Inc. She works with Mike, when he has need of certain skills.

KRYSTAL
Like a mercenary? An assassin.

KEATING
Like, you don't ask. If you're around for long enough, Mike may introduce her, until then--

MARK
Ladies, please.

Keating and Krystal stop. Mark resumes the briefing.

MARK
Mraz's real purpose in Atlantic City is to find if she's there for any other reason than kissing babies, and to distract her long enough for us to complete our mission.

ERIC
Thank you. Are we finally going after her?

MARK
You're not going anywhere, Eric. You'll be staying in the van running onsite tactical recon with Ducky.

Eric glares at him.

MARK (CONT.)
Don't worry you get to go with Eddie and Moumin as the advanced team. To take the infrared readings of Andrea's office.

EDDIE
Damn! Awww, c'mon, Mark. Moumin and I can do this with our eyes closed. We don't need--

MARK
After recon, Eddie, Moumin, and I will be infiltrating Andrea's offices to find any evidence hinting at what Andrea may be up to. Keating and Krystal will provide support from the command center. We'll do sit-rep in a few hours, when I get word from Mraz. Eddie, Moumin, Eric. Get ready to move out for recon.

MOUMIN
Ready to have some fun, rookie?

ERIC
I'm not a--

Moumin gives him a playful smack on the head and laughs, exiting with Eddie. Keating gives Krystal an ambiguous glance then exits the room.

CUT TO:

BRENDAN'S ROOM- LATER
Brendan is now tied to the chair across from Mraz. Janice stands behind him. Mraz is in the same position in which he was last seen. Brendan's breath is labored.

BRENDAN
I don't…know anything…

MRAZ
How original. Look, if you can't remember something soon this conversation is going to become a lot more…heated…

BRENDAN
(he smiles)
Bull, Mraz. You're a boy scout. You wouldn't hurt a fly without Souza's help.

MRAZ
Well, the world has changed pretty rapidly in the past week and I've had to adapt a bit.

Janice holds up a Zippo lighter, strikes it and holds it to the back of Brendan's head. Brendan growls, contorting his body to try to escape the flame. She closes the lighter.

JANICE
The other thing I forgot to tell you, buddy. I like playing with fire. I can amuse myself for hours like this.

Janice reignites the lighter and holds it under Brendan's ear. No longer able to hold it, he lets out a scream.

MRAZ
Funny you should mention Souza. Why send someone to try to kill him outright? It's not Andrea's style.

Brendan says nothing, defiant. Lightning fast, Mraz backhands him across the face with his fist.

BRENDAN
(lets out a small laugh)
You have changed, Mraz. And maybe something told Andrea it was time to change her ways, too. Can't you feel it coming? You and your band of merry men aren't as safe anymore…holed up in your impregnable fortress.

JANICE
(Jamming the lighter into the back of his head)
What's that supposed to mean?

BRENDAN
It means Andrea is sick of playing games. So am I.

Janice grabs him by the hair and yanks his head back.

JANICE
Well, that's just too bad. Because we've just started and we can play all day long.

MRAZ
Janice.
(Janice halts)
Brendan, if Andrea is up to something big, you're going to tell me now. Otherwise, I'm going to leave you alone with Jan, here. And it's not going to be as pleasant as what you were expecting when you brought her up here.

Janice smiles and pats Brendan on the head.

JANICE
But I'm still gonna have a lot of fun.

BRENDAN
Why don't you go ask Andrea about it?

MRAZ
She doesn't seem to be in a giving mood this weekend.

BRENDAN
You're wasting your time with me. She doesn't tell me anything that might hurt her. Better hurry …you've only got till tomorrow at noon. Go pump her for information.

MRAZ
I'd rather not. Come on, Jan. He doesn't know anything. I guess I was wrong.

Mraz walks toward the door.

BRENDAN
Not the first time, Mraz. May be your last, though.

Janice winds up and whips her fist into the back of Brendan's head. His eyes flutter a bit. She grabs him by the chin and looks into his eyes just before he blacks out.

JANICE
You sure know how to show a girl a good time. Thanks for the drinks.


She walks out the door leaving Brendan tied up.

CUT TO:

INT. HALLWAY ATLANTIC CITY HOTEL- CONTINUOUS
As Janice walks out Mraz is talking, touching his earpiece.

MRAZ
Brendan confirmed departure for noon. I want you out before she leaves here…I'll keep you posted.

Mraz taps his ear. Then looks up at Janice, who is beaming. They start walking.

MRAZ (CONT.)
Nice work, Jan. Have fun?

JANICE
Always, Mikey.

MRAZ
Was easier than I thought it would be.

They arrive at the elevator Mraz hits the down button.

JANICE
I'm just that good. Besides, he was dumber than I thought he would be.

MRAZ
Wanna get a drink?

The elevator doors open. They step in. Mraz hits a button.

JANICE
Sure. Could use a Jameson after that.

Mraz looks at her in disbelief.

MRAZ
You mean you weren't hopped-up on Jameson back there?

JANICE
(with a devilish smile)
Nah. You know me better. I probably would have burnt him more.

The doors close.

CUT TO:

INT. MRAZ INC.- SAME TIME
Mark stands with Eddie, Moumin, and Eric. The latter three are in tac gear, ready to go.

MARK
We only have 14 hours to make this work, which means I need full infrared schematics in 2 hours, and we move in 7. We need enough time to gain entry and do a thorough sweep of the office.

MOUMIN
What if get caught, dude. This is a little more high profile target than usual. You sure we should be doing this?

EDDIE
Yeah, we were lucky we weren't made after Mr. Trigger-Happy here mowed down some terrorists in front of a bunch of hostages and the governor. What if we're not that lucky this time?

Krystal has walked up to the group but remains silent.

ERIC
Hey! At least we're finally doing something.

MOUMIN
Were we talking to you, Rook?

ERIC
For the last time, I'm not a--

MARK
All three of you shut up! This is what Mraz wants and I agree with him. If Andy can find something to nail her with before we move out, we'll call it off. Otherwise, we go. Now get over there and get me those images.

The three check their weapons and head toward the door.

KRYSTAL
Hell of a tactical team.

MARK
They have their moments. Well, Eddie and Moumin do.

KRYSTAL
Well, you handle them well. I don't know if anybody else here could keep them together.
(pause)
Do you agree that this is the right move?

MARK
That bitch tried to kill me. I'm gonna tear her office apart.

Mark walks off. Krystal smiles, watching him exit.

FADE TO BLACK.

END ACT ONE


________________________________________________________________________

ACT TWO

INT MRAZ INC FINANCIAL SECTOR - LATER
ANDY is staring at a computer screen typing. He looks disheveled; he hasn't shaved in days. His eyes are glassy, but he continues to hack at the key board. He stops for a second and looks perplexed. He moves closer to the screen. He squints his nose just an inch away.

KRYSTAL (O.S.)
Andy?

ANDY
Whu-?

Andy, startled, crashes face first into the computer monitor, flattening his glasses. Ungracefully, he recovers and adjusts his glasses looking behind him.


ANGLE ON: Krystal standing looking at him expectantly.

KRYSTAL
Sorry to startle you-

ANDY
Oh, uh- hey, no problem. Um, what can I do for you?

KRYSTAL
Mark, um, Souza, wanted me to come and check how the work on Andrea's bank accounts was going.

ANDY
(almost mumbling)
It's like a riddle wrapped in an enigma.

KRYSTAL
Excuse me?

ANDY
Nothing. Nevermind. It's like a big maze leading nowhere. But I think I might have just found the nowhere it leads to.

KRYSTAL
(even more confused)
Ok…

ANDY
Y'see. I just found a large transaction in Andrea's account. There was a sum of $25,000 deposited into the account, then withdrawn 2 hours later. However, somebody doctored the transaction log to make it look like the money wasn't there.

KRYSTAL
When did it happen?

ANDY
Exactly 2 hours before Mark's date.

KRYSTAL
And where did the money come from?

ANDY
That's the thing, see, it came directly from another account. It's definitely the money used to pay for the assassin, but it came from somewhere else. Now I just have to find out where.

KRYSTAL
How can you do that?

ANDY
Well, uh, it's kinda tricky, because, with these transfers, even a beginner hacker can add account numbers at will to throw of the scent. It's the way any transaction log works. But if I-

Krystal laughs a bit and smiles. She puts her hand on Andy's shoulder. Andy stops and looks at it.

KRYSTAL
I think you're going to lose me. I'm not great with computers.

ANDY
Well, uh, if you… have a minute I can walk you through. It's really pretty easy.

KRYSTAL
Well, I might as well stick around until there's at least something to report to Mark.

CUT TO:

EXT ROOFTOP ANDREA'S OFFICE BUILDING - SAME TIMEEddie, Moumin, and Eric are atop the building. Moumin stands by Eric who is holding a metal device with a TV screen. Eddie stands near the edge of the roof, smoking.

ERIC
You know when you smoke near the sensor, it throws off the reading.

EDDIE
Deal with it.

MOUMIN
The readings are coming through, Ed.

Eddie tosses the cigarette to the ground and puts it out with his foot, then turns and walks back toward Eric and Moumin.

EDDIE
What've we got here?

MOUMIN
Looks like 2 guards outside the main entrance by the elevator. A receptionist by the main door. And 4 more guards in the hallway just outside the main offices. Pretty light. We've pulled jobs tougher than this.

EDDIE
There aren't any guards in the main office area or near any of the windows?

MOUMIN
No, nobody. Must be because Andrea is out of town.

EDDIE
Weird, eh?

MOUMIN
We may not even need to take anyone out if we go in quietly.

EDDIE
Well, then, it's a really good thing we're not bringing Eric in.

ERIC

Screw you. I'm right here, ass.

MOUMIN
Sorry, Bro. Easy to forget about you.

EDDIE
Looks like this is gonna be easier than we thought.

MOUMIN
Eric, send those readings to Mark. We headin' back?

EDDIE
Yeah, let's go. Quicker this is done, the better.

INT ATLANTIC CITY CASINO- SAME TIME
A furious Andrea stands next to a poker table with Brendan.

ANDREA
You, idiot. You bump into some random girl and decide to bring her up to your room without checking her out? With Mraz here?

BRENDAN
I've never seen her on Mraz's personnel lists.

ANDREA
What the hell does that matter? We're here on business and he miraculously shows up. You need to be careful and start thinking with your other head, otherwise he might sniff his way into the real reason we're here. This is too much of a coincidence.

BRENDAN
It doesn't matter. I didn't tell him anything. As far as he knows, you're still here for the cancer thing. Nothing about the meeting with-

Andrea glares and slaps him in the face. She grabs him by the shirt and pulls him close.

ANDREA
If you don't shut up right now, I'm going to cut your balls off. Maybe, then you'll stop thinking with them. Don't say his name in this casino--

CUT TO:

INT ATLANTIC CITY CASINO BAR- SAME TIME
Janice is listening through her earpiece receiver. She is listening to the conversation between Brendan and Andrea. Mraz stands next to her sipping a shooter of Jameson.

ANDREA (O.S.)
--there are people listening everywhere. With Mraz here we can't afford anymore screw-ups. I want you to go to his room and keep an eye on him. That's your job. You watch him now, up to, and after the meeting. That way, he stays safe and I know you're staying out of trouble. Don't fail me again, Brendan.

BRENDAN (O.S.)
Fine.

MRAZ
So, what are our friends up to?

JANICE
Sounds like Andrea isn't just here out of the goodness of her heart.

MRAZ
What's going on?

JANICE
She's meeting someone. She didn't say who. Bradley almost blurted it out but she stopped him. But I do know it's a he and it's definitely connected to whatever she's up to.

MRAZ
Hmm. Do we have a location?

JANICE
They didn't say. But she's definitely freaked out about you being here. She's sending him to guard this mysterious contact.

MRAZ
Really, can you…

JANICE
…follow him? Sure, Mikey. If he's in the room when Andrea has her meeting we'll get the whole conversation.

MRAZ
Perfect. Anything else?

JANICE
Yeah. They have no clue who I am.

MRAZ
Huh, would have thought Andrea would have been more thorough. It's a mistake she won't make again.

JANICE
Well, I'm gonna go try to find out who this magical mystery man is. What're you going to do?

MRAZ
I'm going to call home. Check on the kids.

JANICE
Don't wait up.

MRAZ
Call if you're going to be really late.

Janice exits, briskly. Mraz pulls out his phone and dials.

CUT TO:

SPLIT INT ATLANIC CITY CASINO/INT MRAZ INC- CONTINUOUS
On one side of the screen we stay with Mraz, on the other half is Mark hunch over a computer.

MARK
Hello?

MRAZ
Hey, son, still up?

MARK
Sure, Dad, I'm working on the project for school.

MRAZ
Driving the babysitter nuts?

MARK
Nah, Keating's fine. Eddie and Moumin snuck out though.

MRAZ
Remind me to ground them. Is everything a go?

MARK
Yeah, looks like this one is going to be a cakewalk. How're the poker tables treating you?

MRAZ
Not bad. Looks like the action might be a little more high stakes than I originally thought. Maybe a few more big players here that I didn't know about.

MARK
Well, wipe the floor with 'em. And bring me back a souvenir. I'm gonna go out and find Eddie and Moumin.

MRAZ
Have fun.

Mraz hangs up and disappears from the screen. Mark looks up from his computer and walks through the office to Keating's desk.

MARK
Hey, we have the recon from Eddie and Moumin. Round up the troops for the sit-rep in three hours.

KEATING
Sure. Talk to Mike?

MARK
Yeah, just got off the phone with him.

KEATING
Is everything alright?

MARK
Yeah, seems Andrea is meeting with someone and there's more going on than we thought. Looks like Mraz is going to have to do a little more than distract Andrea.

KEATING
We weren't prepared for that. I hope Mike doesn't do anything stupid.

MARK
He probably will.

Keating is not amused.

MARK (CONT.)
Oh, it'll be fine. Janice is there. Mraz always needs women to bail him out. Speaking of which, have you seen Krystal?

KEATING
I think she went towards Andy's sector. What's that supposed to mean?

MARK
(quickly)
Nothing.

KEATING
Right.

MARK
You don't like her much do you?
(he smiles, playfully)
Don't worry, she's not cuter than you.

KEATING
Watch it, Souza.
(pause)
I just don't know why we're letting her in so deep so quickly.

MARK
She knows about Andrea and she proved pretty useful with that hostage situation. Mike seems to like her.

KEATING
I know.

MARK
Are you going to be OK working with her on this?

KEATING
It'll be fine.

MARK
Good! Briefing. Three hours!

Mark jumps up and walks away. Keating is left in silence.

FADE TO BLACK.

END ACT TWO

________________________________________________________________________

ACT THREE

INT ATLANTIC CITY HOTEL HALLWAY - LATER
Janice peers around a corner.

ANGLE ON: Brendan standing outside the door from Janice's POV.

She speaks to Mraz through her earpiece.

JANICE
(whispering)
Couldn't be more obvious. He's just standing outside the door.

MRAZ (O.S.)
Has he gone inside at all? Have you picked up any other voice?

JANICE
Nothing. He hasn't even knocked or entered. Wait! Andrea just got off the elevator. I think it's going down.

ANGLE ON: The same shot. Andrea walks into view. She stops at the door, slides a card key, then walks in the door. Brendan follows. The door shuts.

JANICE (CONT.)
He just went in. Let me see if I have anything.

She taps the earpiece three times. Loud feedback suddenly blares. She winces then taps her ear again.

JANICE (CONT.)
There's some kind of jamming. It's interfering with the bug I put on Bradley. Want me to get closer and try to pick something up through the door?


MRAZ (O.S.)
Negative--

CUT TO:

INT ATLANTIC CITY HOTEL HALLWAY ELSEWHERE- SAME TIME
Mraz walks down the hallway still speaking to Janice. He stops and changes direction mid-speech.

MRAZ (CONT.)
--just stay and wait for her to leave.

JANICE (O.S.)
You're not going to do something stupid, are you?

MRAZ
Nah. Just want to take a look at Andrea's room. Gotta be something there. Beats waiting around and coming away with nothing.

JANICE (O.S.)
What if she cuts this short and heads back to her room?

MRAZ
You're smart. You'll think of something.

JANICE (O.S.)
Do you even have a PLAN?!

MRAZ
Plan? Nah, I'm just making this up as I go.

CUT TO:

INT MRAZ INC WAR ROOM - LATER
Mark once again stands near the flatscreen TV. The same schematic from earlier is shown. This time with red splotches signifying guards. Krystal, Keating, Eric, Eddie, Moumin, and Ducky listen.

MARK
--guard positions here and here. We'll be in stealth mode for the entirety of the mission. The goal is to avoid any contact with the guards. We'll be entering through this window. Ducky and Eric will be just outside in the van. Eric, you're backup. You listen to everything Ducky says.

ERIC
(mumbling)
Great. Under control of the technogeek.

DUCKY
Watch it. Technogeek could reprogram your toaster to kill you in your sleep.

MARK
Also, Mraz contacted me. He'll be simultaneously infiltrating Andrea's hotel suite in AC. Keating, Krystal, you'll have double duty. He'll be in direct contact with anything he finds. Alright, let's move out.

The two squads file out of the room, leaving Keating and Krystal.

KRYSTAL
Look, it seems like we're not on the best of terms.

KEATING
No, sorry, it just takes me awhile to come around to new staff. We're in the middle of a mission, which means we have to trust each other, or somebody could get hurt.

KRYSTAL
Thank you. I hope I can earn your trust.

KEATING
Well, Mike and Mark seem to trust you, and I put a lot of stock in that.

KRYSTAL
They do? They said that?

KEATING
Don't let it go to your head. See you in the control center.

Keating exits. Krystal stands alone for a minute. Mark enters.

MARK
Where's Keating?

KRYSTAL
Control room.

MARK
Well, let her know we're moving out.

KRYSTAL
I will… Mark? Good luck.

She puts her hand on his shoulder. A short silence.

MARK
Thanks.

He exits, leaving Krystal.

CUT TO:

INT ATLANTIC CITY HOTEL HALLWAY- SAME TIME
Mraz leans against the door of Andrea's room, listening. He holds a silenced pistol. Satisfied:

MRAZ
What's the status?

JANICE (O.S.)
Clear.

MRAZ
Alright. I'm moving in and going dark from this frequency. In ten minutes, I'll check in.

Mraz taps his ear. Then pulls out a device which he slides into the keycard slot. The light on the door goes green. He opens the door and slowly inches in.

CUT TO:

INT ATLANTIC CITY HOTEL HALLWAY ELSEWHERE- SAME TIME
Janice watches the door from the other side of the hall, near the elevator. Suddenly, the door of the room where the meeting is taking place opens and Andrea emerges and walks toward the elevator.

CUT TO:

INT MRAZ INC CONTROL ROOM- SAME TIME
Keating and Krystal sit before a tactical display on the screens in front of them, tracking Mark's team's movements. The radio chatter is coming over the speakers.

MARK (O.S.)
We're in position. In ten minutes, we're go. How do things look, Duck One.

DUCKY (O.S.)
Guards remain stationary. Looks like the town is quiet.

CUT TO:

INT ATLANTIC CITY HOTEL HALLWAY - SAME TIME
Andrea stands in front of the elevator. She hits the button. The doors open immediately. She steps in and turns around.


ANGLE ON: Andrea's POV as she turns. Janice stands in the doorway pointing a gun at her, smiling.

JANICE
Hey, Darling. You're coming back to my room.

Janice steps in, still training the gun on Andrea. Andrea remains calm.

JANICE (CONT.)
Seventeenth floor, please.

Andrea hits the button. The doors close on the shot.

CUT TO:

INT VAN- SAME TIME
Eric and Ducky also watch tactical displays. The radio chatter is also monitored.

MARK (O.s)
Eight minutes.

ERIC
I can't stand this. Why the hell am I stuck out here?

DUCKY
I think it's because they don't like you, my friend.

Eric stares at disbelief in Ducky's frankness.

DUCKY (CONT.)
But you are a lucky duck today, because I'm the coolest babysitter there is.

ERIC
DAMMIT! I'm out of here!

Eric grabs his rifle and heads for the back door. He pulls the handle, but can't get out. After much trying, he stops, frustrated.

DUCKY
Locked. And only I know the magic word. Now let's watch some TV.

Ducky leans forward toward the tacitical screen.

CUT TO:

INT ANDREA'S HOTEL ROOM- SAME TIME
Through a sliver of light a silenced pistol and an arm slide in through the door into the dark room, followed by the rest of Mraz. He slips in cautiously and closes the door behind him. The room is dead silent. He takes a few steps in.

Suddenly a lamp directly to his right clicks on. Mraz looks. In the chair next to the lamp, a MAN sits, seemingly unstartled by Mraz's presence.

MAN
Hi. I'm Buddy and I want to be your--

Mraz slams the butt of his pistol in between the man's eyes, knocking him unconscious. He checks the main room. Once satisfied that no one else is there, he spots a laptop. He flips it open and boots it up. He taps his ear.

MRAZ
Status?

CUT TO:

INT JANICE's ROOM- SAME TIME
Janice sits with her gun trained on Andrea, who is tied to the chair and gagged.

JANICE
No worries, Mikey. Andrea's here in my room. We're having a nice chat. I'd let her say hi but she's a bit tied up right now.

MRAZ (O.S.)
(sighs)
Nice pun, Jan.

JANICE
Thanks. Call me if you need anything.

CUT TO:

INT ANDREA'S HOTEL ROOM- SAME TIME
Mraz stares at the screen. On it flashes: OPERATION: LIVING HAND (ACCESS DENIED)

CUT TO:

INT MRAZ INC CONTROL ROOM- SAME TIME
Keating and Krystal sit in the same position.

MARK (O.S.)
Three minutes to mark.

MRAZ (O.S.)
I think I've got something.

KEATING
What is it, Mike?

MRAZ (O.S.)
A locked file named Operation: Living Hand.

KEATING
(to Krystal)
Search that.
(to Mraz)
We're running it through the database now.

KRYSTAL
All I've got is a bunch of matches with “living hand to mouth” and some Keats poem, “This Living Hand”.

KEATING
Keats?

ERIC (O.S.)
Isn't it Yeets?

DUCKY (O.S.)
Yeats, you idiot. But this one is Keats:

“This living hand, now warm and capable
Of earnest grasping, would, if it were cold
And in the icy silence of the tomb,
So haunt thy days and chill thy dreaming nights
That thou wouldst wish thine own heart dry of blood
So in my veins red life might stream again,
And thou be conscience-calmed - see here it is-
I hold it towards you.”

KRYSTAL
Kind of morose…

MARK (O.S.)
One minute…

CUT TO:

INT ANDREA'S HOTEL ROOM- SAME TIME
Mraz is still at the screen.

MRAZ
Why am I not surprised Ducky knew that?

POV SHOT: Mraz's back, about 10 feet behind him. He is being seen from the eyes of someone else in the room.

CUT TO:

EXT ANDREA'S OFFICE BUILDING- SAME TIME
Mark, Eddie and Moumin stand ready at the edge of the roof.

MARK
Go!

The three rappel over the side of the roof. The halt at a window. Moumin pulls out a glass cutter and slices through. They open the window and quietly climb in.

CUT TO:

INT ANDREA'S OFFICE BUILDING- CONTINUOUS

MARK
Entry successful through window 4. Entering the main office through office B.

The three slowly walk through the door. Eddie, the last through the door, takes his steps into the main room.

CUT TO:

INT ANDREA'S CENTRAL OFFICE- CONTINUOUS
Suddenly, the lights flash on. Steel fire doors drop in front off all of the exits. The room is completely empty except for a small metal box in the center of the room. A red light flash on it. And a timer begins to run down from 10 minutes. Eddie, Moumin, and Mark freeze.

MARK
Uh, we may have a problem…

CUT TO BLACK.

END ACT THREE


________________________________________________________________________

ACT FOUR

INT ANDREA'S HOTEL ROOM- SAME TIME
Mraz is still hunched over the computer. Behind him, a HUGE MAN, with a crazed look and a bald head, creeps up slowly.

The man grabs Mraz. Startled, Mraz drops the pistol. The man swings Mraz around and throws him across the room in the door. Mraz struggles to get up from the floor. The man starts toward him slowly.

CUT TO:

INT ANDREA'S CENTRAL OFFICE- SAME TIME

ANGLE ON: The timer. It now reads 9:30.

Mark, Eddie, and Moumin check the walls for possible exits.

KEATING (O.S.)
--any way out?

MARK
Trust me. I'm looking. Any help from out there?

DUCKY (O.S.)
Already hacked into her security system. Working on the doors.

MARK
Ducky, you're a life saver. I hope.

While checking for exits, Moumin knocks on the wall and is answered by a metallic clang.

EDDIE
This is bull! I knew this was too easy!

Eddie pulls out his pistol and aims at the wall near the main doorway.

MOUMIN
Ed! No!

Moumin dives at Eddie, knocking him to the floor. Eddie's gun goes off. The bullet ricochets, bouncing around the room narrowly missing Mark's head on it's last pass.

MARK
Jesus!

MOUMIN
The walls are plated with steel. The whole place is just a steel cage.

MARK
Ducky, how's that security system coming?

CUT TO:

INT ANDREA'S HOTEL ROOM- SAME TIME
The Man has closed on Mraz cornering him by the door. Mraz throws a quick punch at the Man's head but the man effortlessly catches his fist.

MAN
Name's Rudez. I'd ask yours, but in a few moments, it won't matter.

As he speaks, he slowly squeezes Mraz's fist, nearly breaking it. Mraz clenches his teeth. Rudez punches him in the stomach then throws him head first into the TV.

Mraz crashes into it shielding his head with his forearm. The screen shatters. Mraz recovers as Rudez slowly approaches. He turns slowly, angry and takes off his tux coat. His right shirt sleeve is torn and his arm is bleeding. He holds his coat in his left hand and picks up a shard of the screen in his right. Rudez charges.

Mraz tosses the coat in his face, sidesteps, and jams the shard in his right arm. Mraz brings his fists down on Rudez's back. Rudez shakes it off, recovers and backhands Mraz, sending him stumbling back. Rudez chuckles and pulls the shard of glass from his arm and advances on Mraz again.

CUT TO:

INT VAN - SAME TIME
Ducky works frantically at the computer. Eric seems helpless.

MOUMIN (O.S.)
The timer's at seven. We've checked every part of the room. There's no way out from the inside.

EDDIE (O.S.)
If we don't out of this, somebody thank Mraz for all that paid vacation I never took.

DUCKY
I'm into the final safe-gaurds. It'll only be thirty seconds.

EDDIE (O.S.)
It's ok. Take your time. We have over 6 minutes left.

DUCKY
Come on, come one, baby, hold together.

The computer starts beeping. Ducky continues typing.

DUCKY (CONT.)
Got it! I'm into the system! Just have to release the doors then get ready to run!

MARK (O.S.)
We'll be crashing out the windows. So be ready for pick-up.

MOUMIN (O.S.)
Are you crazy?! We're going out the window?

DUCKY
Hold on to your butts. Got it! Doors should be opening…NOW!!

MARK (O.S.)
Nothing, Ducky. What's wrong?

Suddenly, a laugh comes through the speakers and all of the screens except for those monitoring the infrareds are filled with a laughing skull. Then the screen begins running Matrix-like code.

KEATING (O.S.)
Ducky, what's happening. What's going on with the computer system?

Ducky slumps back in his chair.

DUCKY
It was a trap. Virus. The whole system is gone. There's nothing I can do.

MOUMIN (O.S.)
Six minutes!

ERIC
Let me go in and see if I can get them out!

Ducky looks at him, hits a button, and the back door opens. Eric grabs his rifle and runs out.

CUT TO:

INT ANDREA'S CENTRAL OFFICE- SAME TIME
Eddie rams the door frantically. Moumin stands near the bomb staring at the timer. Mark stands silently at the edge of the room.

EDDIE
Damn!

MOUMIN
We're not getting out of this.

KEATING (o.s)
Eric's coming in.

CUT TO:

INT ANDREA'S HOTEL ROOM- SAME TIME
Mraz goes flying over the kitchen counter. Rudez pursues faster now. As he rounds the kitchen counter, Mraz throws the refrigerator door open to slow him, then pulls a drawer out, dumping its contents.

Before Mraz can use it as a weapon, Rudez is on him. He throws a punch which Mraz blocks with the drawer. He punches his fist through the drawer. His arm gets stuck. Mraz and Rudez grapple and change position, giving Mraz an escape route. Mraz runs back and as he does, pulls the fridge over on the pursuing Rudez. Rudez throws the fridge back like nothing.

Mraz assumes a fighting stance. He drops to a crouch and kicks Rudez in the stomach. Rudez is slightly doubled over and Mraz follows with a jab to the face. Barely stunned Rudez counters with three hard jabs to Mraz's face toppling him.

Rudez picks Mraz up off the floor, strangling him. Dangling, Mraz struggles. He hits Rudez on the head with a double fist twice, with no effect. With his last ounce, of strength, he straightens his hand into a “knife” and jams it in Rudez's eye.

Rudez howls and again tosses Mraz, who lands square on the glass coffee table in the middle of the room, shattering it. Mraz writhes on the ground, Rudez still struggles to recover.

CUT TO:

INT ANDREA'S OFFICE RECEPTION AREA- SAME TIME
The elevator doors open. Eric rushes in… to an empty room.

ERIC
What the hell…?

DUCKY (O.S.)
Eric, the guards just disappeared from the infrared. What happened?

Suddenly, another steel curtain drops in front of Eric cutting him off from the office entrance. A second curtain falls behind him cutting him off from the elevator.

ERIC
GAAAAAAAAAHHH!

Eric fires a desperate round of shots into the steel curtain. Then rams it.

CUT TO:

INT MRAZ INC CONTROL ROOM- SAME TIME
Keating and Krystal sit.

KEATING
Eric, report in. What happened?

ERIC (O.S.)
There were no guards. It was all a set-up. Now I'm trapped up here, too.

Krystal looks at Keating, wide-eyed.

KRYSTAL
What's that mean?

KEATING
(at a loss)
I don't know.

MOUMIN (O.S.)
Two minutes.

CUT TO:

INT ANDREA'S HOTEL ROOM- SAME TIME
Mraz rises obviously weak and weary. Rudez approaches, also seemingly more cautious. Mraz picks up the metal frame of the coffee table and slams it into Rudez's gut, only slightly slowing him. He plants the next blow, a little more frantic, in his chest. Rudez does not slow. Mraz pause then lands the third blow in Rudez's crotch. Rudez doubles over. Mraz crashes the metal frame down on his head. Rudez falls.

Mraz, now in a fit of rage, grabs 2 large shards of glass from the table and jumps on Rudez, jamming one into his right leg and leaving it and using the other shard to slash down into both of Rudez's arms until they fall, almost lifeless.

Rudez, bleeding profusely, lies on the ground breathing heavy. Mraz, beaten and mangled, stands up over him hold the shard to his throat.

MRAZ
My name…is Mraz. And I want you to remember it…for the rest of your life.

Mraz tosses the shard aside and stands, breathing heavily. There is a click: the sound of a gun cocking.

ANGLE ON: A close-up of Mraz face. Behind him, Brendan holds Mraz's own pistol to the back of his head, point blank.

BRENDAN
Too bad your life won't be lasting much longer.

CUT TO:

INT ANDREA'S CENTRAL OFFICE- SAME TIME
Eddie now leans against the wall, defeated. Moumin crouches near the bomb. Mark walks slowly toward Moumin.

MOUMIN
30 seconds.

During each of these cuts the timer runs down at the bottom of the screen.

CUT TO:

INT VAN - SAME TIME
Ducky sits with his head in his hands.

CUT TO:

INT ANDREA'S OFFICE RECEPTION AREA- SAME TIME
Eric sits against the steel curtain.

CUT TO:

INT MRAZ INC CONTROL ROOM- SAME TIME
Keating and Krystal stare at the screens in disbelief.

CUT TO:

INT ANDREA'S CENTRAL OFFICE- SAME TIME
ANGLE ON: Mark's POV of the bomb as the timer reaches 0:00. Nothing happens. There is silence for about 10 seconds. Then:

DUCKY (O.S.)
What happened?

After a pause of relief:

MARK
Dud?

The three gather around the bomb.

ANGLE ON: The timer. The screen blinks off then blinks back on, reading:

I HAD YOU. AND I LET YOU GO. REMEMBER THAT.

LOVE, ANDREA

Eddie
DAMMIT!!

Eddie hauls off and kicks the “bomb” across the room. At that moment, the entrances re-open. In streams the light from the sunrise outside.

MOUMIN
(still in shock)
Oh, thank god.

CLOSE ON: Mark's scowling face.

CUT TO:

INT ANDREA'S HOTEL ROOM- SAME TIME
Same place we left off. Brendan holds the gun to Mraz's head. Angle tight on the gun and Mraz's head, with Brendan O.S.

BRENDAN
Been waiting all day for this.

Brendan's finger tightens on the trigger. Suddenly, the gun drops away at the sound of a slash and a thud.

ANGLE ON: Janice standing over Brendan. He is unconscious and has a large, deep gash on the right side of his face. She holds a shard of glass, looking down at him.

JANICE
That's gonna scar.

She looks up at Mraz.

JANICE (CONT.)
Mikey, why do I always have to save your ass?

Mraz exhales deeply.

MRAZ
Because I'm an idiot. Thanks.
(pause)
Andrea?

Janice shrugs and smiles, innocently.

JANICE
Still a little tied up?

Mraz lets out a small chuckle.

CUT TO:

INT MRAZ'S OFFICE- LATER
Mraz looks out his picture window at the skyline. Mark leans against the door frame.

MARK
And Andrea?

MRAZ
We left her tied up and put her back in her room. I assume Brendan woke up at some point.

MARK
Bet she was pissed. And her hotel bill must have been through the roof.

MRAZ
I'm surprised that you're taking this so lightly.

MARK
Oh, I'm going to kill her, Mraz. This is the second time she tried to take me out.

Mraz turns back to Mark.

MRAZ
But this time she succeeded.

MARK
Thanks for reminding me.

MRAZ
The fact remains. She's getting more ambitious and less gentle. And whatever the reason, I think it has to do with this Operation: Live Hand… And we still know nothing, we couldn't even get her contact. The room was cleaned out by the time we got back to it. It was like she anticipated our every move.

MARK
She's still playing with us, Mraz. That's what I don't like.

Mraz turns back toward the window.

MRAZ
Maybe it's time we change the rules to the game.

FADE TO BLACK.

THE END