Episode 1.8 "Running a Red" Written by Taylor Shann

Mraz Inc.
"Running a Red"
Written by Taylor Shann


TEASER

OVER BLACK SCREEN:

ANDY (V.O.)
I believe in Mraz. Inc.

INT SOLAS. - NIGHT

The bar is deserted, for the most part. ANDY sits, beer in hand. He takes a sip, then puts it down starts to speak- but stops, and takes another sip.

Andy puts the beer down, looks at the camera:

ANDY
I believe in what we do, I mostly believe in how we do it. Mraz Inc has been good to me. So when I…

We hear a DOOR OPEN, he looks up, stops. He is nervous and weary. He takes a quick sip of beer.

ANDY
So when I say what I’m saying I don’t say it lightly.
(pause)
Something is wrong at Mraz Inc. Very, very wrong.

Camera pulls back to reveal the person he is talking to: it is MARK. He has a pint of Guinness in front of him, untouched. His expression is neutral.

MARK
Well. I tell ya, I’d love to change the name to Souza Inc. But I don’t think Mraz will go for it.

Mark waits for a laugh that does not come, and then sips his Guinness. Andy finishes his beer, puts it down silently.

MARK
Well. You must be upset, because that was funny.

ANDY
It started as just a, I don’t know, a routine search I thought. But I found something yesterday… a crime. And the deeper I’m digging, the dirtier it gets. And people… well people aren’t going to like what I found.
(motions to bartender)
Another Stella? Thanks.
(pause)
I know it’s none- it’s really none of my business. That’s why I’m talking to you.

The Stella appears, and Andy takes a hearty swig. Mark does the same with his Guinness, now genuinely concerned.

ANDY
Finance, numbers, are like any ocean. There are sharks, there are, uh, minnows. And there are… bodies, Mark. There are bodies that are buried there that no one is supposed to find. And I, I, like an idiot, just kept…

MARK
You saw a dead guy? That’s what this is about?

ANDY
I found a dead guy’s bank account. The problem is, dead men don’t have 63 active transactions in the past six months.

Andy takes a sip, then produces a file.

ANDY (CON’T)
And then I looked up who was transacting with the dead man.

CUT TO:
EXT- SOLAS- NIGHT

Outside of the bar, a few moments later.

Mark bursts through the door, fuming. Andy follows him, putting on his coat and holding the door open.

ANDY
Mark! Jesus, hold on.

MARK
Where’s my gun, I want to shoot somebody.

ANDY
Calm down. I don’t know for sure who is doing it.

MARK
What we have is a serious breach of security.

ANDY
What we have is a clue. What I need is… I’m going to keep digging. If I find a name, if I can PROVE it…

MARK
I’m not Legal. I don’t care about evidence. If you have a name, and I have your word, that’s enough.

ANDY
(takes a deep breath)
No matter whose name it might be…

MARK
The second people flip on me; they’re dead to me. I don’t care who it is. Find me the traitor, I’ll take care of it.

ANDY
…thank you, Mark. I’ve been going crazy these-

MARK
Don’t mention it. Listen, I have to go back to work.

Andy looks embarrassed. Mark starts to walk away.

MARK
(stops walking)
And Andy?

Andy looks up.

MARK
Good work.

Andy smiles, and walks away. Mark's smile vanishes. He is thinking, and begins to walk in the opposite direction.

CUT TO:

INT- CAR- NIGHT (CON’T)

We are inside a car, which is parked in an Alley. Through the windshield we see Mark walk in front of the alley.

A gloved hand turns on the engine.
CUT TO:

EXT- ALLEY- NIGHT (CON’T)

Mark is suddenly BLINDED by headlights. He shields his eyes, trying to see what or who it is.
CUT TO:

INT- CAR- NIGHT (CON’T)

We see Mark in silhouette through the windshield.

The Gloved hand shifts gears, and begins to drive as fast as possible. The tires SQUEAL.

CUT TO:
EXT- ALLEY NIGHT (CON’T)

Mark pulls out his gun, begins FIRING blindly at the car speeding towards him.

ANGLE ON:

From Mark’s POV, the car speeds towards the camera. We hear Mark’s gun firing, the flash illuminating the alley. The car keeps driving towards us, until the right headlight envelops the camera-

smash cut to:
MAIN TITLES.
FADE OUT.

END OF TEASER

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

ACT ONE

TITLE CARD:

24 HOURS AGO

FADE IN:

INT- GOVERENOR’S BALL. – EVENING

It is the going away party for GOVERNOR JOSH SHERMAN at the Ritz Carlton hotel in New York City.

Lots of party-goers and the well-to-do mingle and drink.

We hear a familiar voice near the bar:

MRAZ(O.S.)
Let me make sure I understand…

CUT TO:

INT-GOVERNOR’S BALL BAR- EVENING

MRAZ stands in a tuxedo at the bar and is sadly sober. He talks in slow, clear tones to the BARTENDER:

MRAZ
You’re saying, there’s not a drop of Jameson in this entire hotel?

BARTENDER
I’m sorry, bud. The bar in the lobby might have some…

MRAZ
(a hand on his forehead)
I can’t leave because they won’t let me back in. And I have to stay until the Governor makes his speech. And I can’t listen to that speech sober. So. What can you do for me?

BARTENDER
I got Johnny Walker Red.

MRAZ
(grimaces)
Just give me whatever bottle of beer you have.

ANDREA (O.S.)
Beer and whiskey. Whiskey and beer.

ANDREA sweeps in, wearing a black dress and holding a glass of wine. She smiles at him, but not in a friendly way.

ANDREA (CONT'D)
You’re just so all-American, Mraz. Would you like some meat and potatoes to go with your bourgeois choice of beverages?

MRAZ
Andrea.

Mraz takes the bottle, tips the guy and steps away.

ANDREA
That all you have to say to me?

MRAZ
There are words that I want to say, many of them, in the form of questions that have answers that would save lives. But this is a party, so I’ll settle with ‘Andrea’.

Andrea downs her wine, slams the glass down and offers her wrists to Mraz, as if saying “Arrest me.”

ANDREA
Go on. Like you said, it’s a party. I dare you. I’d love you to try. So would my lawyers.
(pause)
No? Well, then. I’ll settle with-

But Mraz walks away, leaving her standing.

ANDREA (CON’T)
…Mraz.

BARTENDER
Ma’m? What can I-

ANDREA
White. Two glasses. No talking.

CUT TO:

INT- RITZ CARLTON HOTEL ROOM - EVENING

Governor Josh Sherman, in a tuxedo, sits in front of a mirror. An ASSISTANT stands behind him. Sherman is tying his tie while watching CLOSED CIRCUIT TV
(CCTV) of the party.

SHERMAN
“If you want to test a man's character, give him power.” You know who said that?

ASSISTANT
Lincoln?

SHERMAN
Lincoln said that. Of course, if he was really that smart, he wouldn’t have gotten his head blown off by an actor.

Sherman looks at the CCTV, grimacing.

SHERMAN (CON’T)
Look at ‘em. Gorging themselves like it’s their job, cause it’s free. Jesus. They’re like starved wolves. Or goddamn actors.

Sherman adjusts the picture on his CCTV, zooming in on someone. He smirks.

SHERMAN (CON’T)
Except her. She is VERY attractive. Do we know her?

ASSISTANT
We’re twenty minutes late, sir.

SHERMAN
(vicious)
Look. When you wake up tomorrow, your job and title will be exactly the same. When I wake up, I’ll be… Mr. Sherman. Mister. The word’s like drinking acid So those assholes drinking on my dime can wait, you hear me?

The Assistant is mute. Sherman stares at the mirror. His face is a Jackson Pollack of emotion.

SHERMAN
Is there any word?

ASSITANT
No. Nothing different, anyway. Same request. Sorry, Sir.

There is an awful silence.

SHERMAN
Alright, give me the order. Let’s get this over with.
(looks at the CCTV)
Then we’ll get THAT over with.

ANGLE ON:

The CCTV image. This particular camera is pointed at MRAZ, sitting at a table by himself with his Heineken.

CUT TO:

INT-GOVERNOR’S BALL BAR- EVENING

The same scene. Mraz sits, sipping his beer. Mark comes up behind him, in a black suit with his tie undone. He is gleefully not sober, holding two beers.

MARK
There is a VERY attractive woman over there. Do we know her?

MRAZ
Not now.

MARK
Whoa. Okay.

MRAZ
…can you cover this? I feel like I might shoot somebody.

MARK
(confused)
I’m sorry, are you me or are you, you? I’m enjoying the old bastard’s party, and you look like you’re about to rip a puppy’s head off.

MRAZ
If it was named Andrea, I might.

There is a silence. Mark chugs one of the beers.

MARK
Ah. OK. Go home.
(Mraz looks at him)
Go on, get out of here. I can play Mr. Kiss-ass for a night.

Mraz nods silently, appreciatively, and leaves. Mark drinks the other beer, puts it down, in a thoughtful mood.

After a beat, Andrea sits down with her two glasses of wine. One is already almost empty.

ANDREA
He’s upset with me.

MARK
(bemused and with a wave)
Hello, She-Bitch!
CUT TO:

EXT- RITZ CARLTON - NIGHT

Guests are still arriving to the ball. Mraz exits, fuming. He starts walking away from the hotel, opens his cell phone, hits the speed dial.

MRAZ
It’s Mraz, authorization 934-Texas. Patch me through to Keating.

SPLIT SCREEN:

KRYSTAL, sitting at KEATING’s desk. Her phone rings, she answers it.

KRYSTAL
Office of Mike Mraz.

MRAZ
Keating it’s me. I need-

KRYSTAL
(with a smile)
Sorry, try again. Mikey.

MRAZ
…Krystal. Hello.

CUT TO:

INT- GOVERNOR’S BALL- NIGHT

Andrea and Mark sit at the same table as before.

ANDREA
Bitches. The both of you. Whiny bitches. I know we’re on opposite sides, but that doesn’t mean-

MARK
It DOES. It does. He wants to arrest you, I just want to put a bullet in your head. No offense.

ANDREA
TAKEN. Heh. You know, Mraz, he’s all about his rules. His company. His ‘Legal’. But you and I, have an equal disdain for rules. You and I-

MARK
No. I don’t fund terrorists. I don’t hurt innocents.

ANDREA
No, you just put bullets in heads! You decide who’s innocent and who’s not! Man and Superman.
(finishes her wine)
Yeah, you’re the sober yin and I’m the raging yang. Jesus Christ. Consider, Mr. Souza, petty criminals only need petty cops. If it wasn’t for my ‘side’, you’d be out of a job.

Mark says nothing. The P.A. system crackles to life.

VOICE ON THE P.A.
Ladies and Gentlemen, Governor Josh Sherman!

The room BURSTS into applause. Pomp MUSIC starts playing. Andrea and Mark reluctantly get up and applaud, then turn to each other:

BOTH
Hail to the Thief.

They stare at each other, surprised at having made the same joke.

CUT TO:

INT- MRAZ INC- EVENING

Krystal is on Keating’s headset. Andy is ten feet away, at another terminal.

KRYSTAL
Yeah, the schedule got mixed up. It’s just me and Andy on the night shift.

MRAZ (O.S.)
(over phone)
Andy and I, Krystal. Andy and I. What would your mother think?

KRYSTAL
I don’t know, she’s in Newark. You want me to call her?

ANGLE ON:

Andy’s Terminal. He is typing lazily into the computer. We can hear the continuation of Mraz’s conversation.

MRAZ (O.S.)
(over phone)
I want a lot of things, but I’ll settle for keeping your eyes and ears open.

KRYSTAL (O.S.)
What’s going on?

MRAZ (O.S.)
(over phone)
Call it intuition. A bad feeling. Something’s up.

Andy stops typing, frowns. He has found something.

MRAZ (O.S.) (CON’T)
(over phone)
Anything come over the wire?

KRYSTAL (O.S.)
Not really… well, actually I was thinking of you- The Governor just issued a pardon. Hold on. Andy?

Andy stares into space, thinking.

KRYSTAL (O.S.)
Andy. ANDY!

ANGLE ON:

Andy turns and faces Krystal, startled.

KRYSTAL:
Fax.

Andy blinks, then reaches and hands Krystal a fax out of her inbox. Krystal reads off of it.

During this, we stay on Andy, as he stares at his computer.

KRYSTAL (O.S.)
Here we go- “the Governor orders… reasons of mercy… Immediate release.” Conviction unlisted..

MRAZ (O.S.)
(over phone)
Probably trying to let one of his donors get off the hook at the last minute. What’s the name?

CUT TO:

EXT- NYC STREET– NIGHT (CON’T)

Mraz is trying to hail a cab.

KRYSTAL (O.S.)
(over phone)
Uh… Lindsay. Lindsay Wolf.

Mraz stops dead in his tracks.

KRYSTAL (O.S.) (CON’T)
(over phone)
No further details. I didn’t-

MRAZ
Confirmation. I need confirmation IMMEDIATELY.

CUT TO:

EXT- MAXIMUM SECURITY PRISON – NIGHT

The entrance to a very high tech prison facility. The gates swing open, and LINDSAY WOLF walks out. She has a little smile on her face, and she is humming a song. As she walks toward the camera, we can hear it-

It is TIME IS ON MY SIDE.

FADE OUT.
END ACT ONE

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

ACT TWO

TITLE CARD:

12 HOURS AGO

FADE IN:

INT. MRAZ INC- FRONT DESK DAY

Keating stands over INTERN STEVE at the front desk.

KEATING
One more time. If someone calls, and asks what we import, you say…

INTERN STEVE
We import… imports.

KEATING
And if they ask what we export?

INTERN STEVE
We export… exports.

KEATING
Very good. You're gonna be fine, Intern.

INTERN STEVE
My name is Steve, actually, um- question? One question. What do we actually import?

KEATING
(leans in close)
…well, don't tell anyone. But we import Good into the country, and we export Evil out of it… Permanently. But try explaining that to Congress, you know?

Steve stares at her, agog. There is a KNOCK. They both turn and see a hung-over Mark, with dark sunglasses and a cup of coffee behind a glass door. He waves slowly, as if every movement hurts. He enters slowly.

MARK
Where's Mraz?

KEATING
Where do you think?
(Mark nods)
I'll walk with you.

INTERN STEVE:
Wait, what if someone calls?

MARK
(to Intern)
Answer it. What do you think we're paying you for?

INTERN STEVE
Right. Right.

KEATING
(whispering to Mark)
We don't pay them.

Mark blinks, then walks away. Keating gives a thumbs up to Steve and leaves. Steve watches them go, when a phone RINGS and startles him. He picks up:

INTERN STEVE
Mraz Inc, we Import Evil!

CUT TO:

INT. MRAZ INC- HALLWAY- DAY (CON’T)

Keating and Mark walking down a hallway. The office buzzes with Monday Morning activity.

KEATING
Andy and Krystal were on the overnight when something came in over the wire. I don't know what it was, but Mraz was pretty upset…

MARK
How upset?

KEATING
Phone against the wall upset.

MARK
(sad sigh)
Same as it ever was. What is that, the third this month?

KEATING
Fourth. I’m ordering them in bulk now. What happened at that party last night?

MARK
Some ribbing from Andrea put him in a mood, but other than that-

KEATING
Whatever it was, we recalled everyone from leave and this whole place has been put on alert. You're late, actually, we've been here for 3 hours.

MARK
Late…? Wait, what time is it?

Keating looks at a wall clock. It displays all time zones of the world. The one that has NYC says "10:43".

KEATING
(slightly accusatory)
We did call. Your phone was off. Probably still is.

MARK
…I really gotta stop drinking those last call Jaegerbombs.

CUT TO:

INT. MRAZ INC- MRAZ’S OFFICE- DAY

Mraz sits in his office, with bloodshot eyes and a grim expression. He is throwing away the broken parts of his phone. There is a nice, new phone sitting on his desk.

A moment. Then, he violently SMASHES his phone against the wall, and pulls out his familiar bottle of Jameson. As he goes to angrily pour a shot, there is a quiet KNOCK at the door.

BRIAN "DUCKY" SMALLWOOD is standing in the doorway, with a laptop underneath his arm. He wears a goofy, yet cautious smile.

DUCKY
Bad time?

MRAZ
Bad night. What’s up?

DUCKY
Got a minute?

MRAZ
I always have time for Ducky.

Mraz puts the bottle away. Ducky sits, opens his laptop. He looks at the broken phone.

DUCKY
What is that, the third this month?

CUT TO:

INT. MRAZ INC- FRONT DESK- DAY

Steve sits at his desk, a deer in the headlights. His desk is covered with message notes. Andy approaches with a pile of papers.

ANDY
Hey, uh- um. I'm sorry. You’re-

STEVE
Intern Steve.

ANDY
Intern- Steve, wow. That's your full name, huh. Great. Anyway, I'm Andy, I'm in Finance, and I need you to run these account numbers. I need dates, I need dollar amounts and I need names. As soon as is possible.

Intern Steve's expression screams, “I am screwed.”

STEVE
Okay. Sure. I can do that. Do I know how to do that? I don’t-

ANDY
A trained monkey could do it.
(pause)
So I guess that means, I'll train you, and then you can be my monkey.

STEVE
Great. Happy to help.

CUT TO:

INT. MRAZ INC- MRAZ’S OFFICE- DAY

The same scene as before. Mraz is a bit more relaxed. Ducky is setting up a whole display of monitors and computers.

MRAZ
It's Andrea. She was at the ball last night, practically daring me to arrest her. And then I got the call that- well, I can’t talk about it yet, but it’s why we’re on alert.
(swivels in his chair)
I never feel more powerless than when evil taunts me in the face, and gets away with it.

DUCKY
C'mon, man. You've put away more bad guys than Bruce Willis. BRUCE F-ING WILLIS. Don't be so hard on yourself.

MRAZ
I founded this company to do the things others can't. To operate above the system. For Justice. And now, I feel of the system. Trapped by it. Frozen in it. Like… Mr Freeze.

Beat. Mraz is lost in thought. Ducky flips a switch.

DUCKY
Either that or it's Monday and you're hung over.

Finally, Mraz chuckles.

MRAZ
I'm always hung over. So what’s this?

DUCKY
Well, first, first- yes you are, and you should consider your heart. Second? This is the future.

A series of images pop up on the monitors. Each moving person or vehicle is assigned a Variable: X3, Z8, etc.

DUCKY
I call it the DSS. Ducky Survelliance System. I was going to call it BSS, but, I decided against that for acronym purposes.

MRAZ
So it's cameras. So what. We already have cameras.

DUCKY
Cameras that can do… this?

ANGLE ON: Ducky types the following command: FOLLOW X3

ANGLE ON: The image begins moving , following the person marked as X3. Mraz leans in close, watching it.

DUCKY
DSS can follow anyone, anywhere as long as it's open air. And it instantly sends back and records its images. I only have 10 prototypes right now. But can you imagine?

MRAZ
And the people don't know they're being followed.

DUCKY
Not unless the perp starts to suspect pigeons.

MRAZ
(genuine admiration)
Robot Pigeons. You crazy son of a bitch. How are you able to do this?

DUCKY
Yeah… about that.
(holds a bunch of bills)
Full disclosure? I went a bit into the hole on this one.

CUT TO:

INT. MRAZ INC- ANDY’S TERMINAL- DAY

Andy looks worse than Mraz, if that’s possible. He types with a mad desperation. Coffee cups litter his desk. He sips from one, and stares at his screen.

ANGLE ON: His monitor asks him a question: EXECUTE? (Y/N)

Andy hesitates. Suddenly, a hand grabs his shoulder-

ANDY
Jesus!

INTERN STEVE (O.S.)
Sorry!

Steve appears behind him, carrying papers.

INTERN STEVE
Didn’t mean to, uh, scare the bejesus out of you.

ANDY
That’s… that’s okay… whew… What’ve you got?

INTERN STEVE
Uh, let’s see… dates, dollar amounts, and names. That was it, right?

Andy takes the list and stares at it.

ANGLE ON: Andy’s POV, as he scans from name to name:

ANDY
DUCKY
EDDIE
KEATING


It lingers on the last one:

MRAZ

Andy closes his eyes in pain.

ANDY
And you’re sure this is accurate.

INTERN STEVE
This is all who accessed the file. You can add names but you can’t remove them. Someone may be adding names to cover their tracks, but it’s one of these five. Is there a problem?

ANDY
No, no. Thank you. This is, uh. Good work.

INTERN STEVE
Oooh oooh AH AH AH!

Andy stares at Steve.

INTERN STEVE
Monkey! Ha… uh… I’ll just be going.

Steve leaves. Andy watches him go, then turns to his computer.

ANGLE ON: EXECUTE? (Y/N)

Andy types: Y.

PROCESSING…

ONE (1) MATCH FOUND:

ANDREA

Andy sits upright in his chair.

ANDY
Andrea?

CUT TO:

INT. ANDREA’S APARTMENT- LIVING ROOM- DAY

Andrea is having a midday cocktail party. A HIRED GOON is trying to get her attention.

ANDREA
Yes?

HIRED GOON
Sorry, Ms. Andrea, there’s some broad here who says she knows you. I don’t recognize her.

ANDREA
Some ‘broad.’
(to her guests)
Excuse me. Pre-feminism Muscle calls.

CUT TO:
INT. ANDREA’S APARTMENT- ATRIUM- DAY

Andrea is dragging her hired goon to the front door.

ANDREA
And if you EVER say the word Broad again I swear to God they’ll never find the-

There is the sound of FIST HITTING FLESH as a 2nd HIRED GOON is sent flying through the front door and against the wall. Lindsay steps over the body and into the room, calm but ready to spring.

The 1st hired goon pulls a gun, but Andrea stops him. She wears the same smile she flashed Mraz.

ANDREA
Lindsay. Dear. You don’t call, or write. You beat up the help.

LINDSAY
I. Want.

ANDREA
(tones herself down)
What can I do for you?

LINDSAY
I want my money. I want my tools. And I want them both, right now.

ANDREA
(pause)
Birdo, be a dear.
(pause)
Fetch.

The 1st hired goon (BIRDO) nods dumbly and runs off. Andrea sits in an atrium chaise-lounge.

ANDREA
Anything else, while you’re in this mood? Nice to see you, by the way.

ANGLE ON: Lindsay looks straight at the camera, eyes focused.

LINDSAY
… Mraz. I want. Michael. Mraz.

FADE TO BLACK.

END ACT TWO

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

ACT THREE

TITLE CARD:

6 HOURS AGO

FADE IN:

INT MRAZ INC. CONFERENCE ROOM- AFTERNOON

Mark stands in front of a room of RECRUITS, still wearing the dark sunglasses. A slide projected behind him says, “RECON TRAINING 102”. EDDIE and MOUMIN sit to the side of Mark, looking beyond bored.

MARK
We call this play a Running a Red. As in, herring. And if you don’t know what a Red Herring is… well, then HR isn’t doing it’s job. Now.

Mark clicks the slide projector. A new SCENE is depicted, a heavily armed entrance. Narrating with a laser pointer:

MARK (CON’T)
You have the target here. Entrance to target is heavily armed, and no doubt brimming with malicious evil. You want to enter target, with minimal collateral damage and no loss of team members. How do you do this?

Mark clicks the slide projector. In the new SCENE, a man dressed up like a CLOWN is running around with an assault rifle, while the GURADS are trying to catch him.

MARK (CON’T)
You create a highly visible, unavoidable, but ultimately non-lethal diversion. You manufacture a distraction that requires immediate attention and throws target into disarray. In this case, a clown with a machinegun.

Mark clicks the slide projector. In the new SCENE, the guards are beating the clown mercilessly, while two COMMANDOS sneak into the building.

MARK (CON’T)
This is a very simple, very useful tactic. But it cuts both ways. Anyone with a brain and a willing stooge can run a Red. The trick is to know when the threat is real, and when it’s a…

There is a SNORE. Eddie has passed out. Moumin is trying not to laugh. Mark whips off his sunglasses.

MARK (CON’T)
…clown. This concludes the a/v portion. And now, for some final words, please welcome special visiting commando lecturer, Eddie, Ladies and Gentlemen!

Mark starts the clapping, which is loud and wakes Eddie up. Moumin is now whole-heartedly guffawing.

Eddie looks around, groggily. He stumbles to the lectern, and peers at the audience. There is a silence. Finally:

EDDIE
(points finger)
Don’t screw up.

Eddie walks away and leaves the room. Moumin runs up to the lectern.

MOUMIN
Uh, so- That will be on the test. Study hard. Peace out!

CUT TO:

INT. MRAZ INC- ANDY’S TERMINAL- AFTERNOON

Andy, leans against his chair. He looks dejected and tired. Krystal walks by, stops, smiles at Andy.

KRYSTAL
Busy night, huh?

ANDY
What?

KRYSTAL
Last night. The Fax. The, crisis. No sleep. Remember?

ANDY
(thinks, pauses)
Can I ask you a question?

KRYSTAL
Shoot.

ANDY
If you had to choose between doing the Right thing… that might get you in trouble and might even get you fired… and letting something go, which would mean absolutely no trouble. Well? Am I crazy?

KRYSTAL
I'm going to need a little bit more info than that.

ANDY
I found something that, well, might be big. Internal. Big.

KRYSTAL
Well, if you want, I can probably get it to Mraz-

ANDY
I don't know, every bit of common sense is telling me to drop this, but…

KRYSTAL
This company survived the Mexican Nuke Scandal, I think we can survive whatever you find in Finance. No offense.

Andy makes a "brush off" gesture. Krystal smiles.

KRYSTAL (CON’T)
Look, it's trite, but I say you do the Right thing. If nothing else, Mraz will believe you.

ANDY
What if it involves him?

Krystal's expression changes.

KRYSTAL
Now that IS crazy.

Krystal walks away. Andy stares into space.

CUT TO:

INT. MRAZ INC- MRAZ’S OFFICE- AFTERNOON

Mraz is seated at his desk. In his office: Keating, Eddie, Moumin, Ducky and, still in dark sunglasses, Mark. Eddie is in the center of the group:

EDDIE
Look, I had a choice to make. Recruits go one of two ways. I told them to right way to go.

KEATING
“Don’t screw up.”

EDDIE
(small satisfied nod)
The defense rests.

MRAZ
What the hell is going on here? The past 24 hours I feel like I’ve been in crazyland! What do you think this is? A game?!

A cell phone rings with the Theme to LEGEND OF ZELDA. No one moves. Finally, Ducky reaches into his pocket. The phone stops ringing.

DUCKY
Rachel and I haven’t figured out how to change that yet.

EDDIE
Uh. Huh.

MARK
Jesus, Mraz, what crawled up your ass and laid eggs before it died? What’s going on?

Mraz says nothing, turns away. Ducky begins punching up images on the monitors.

KEATING
Mike… I don’t share his choice of words? But he’s right. You’ve been on edge all day. This place is on full alert and we don’t know why.

EDDIE
Yeah, man. What the hell?

MRAZ
Lindsay Wolf is free.

Utter silence and shock. Even Ducky stops typing.

MRAZ
It came over the wire last night. 2 hours before his term was up, Governor Sherman, he, pardoned her. She walked out of Maximum Security, free. Free to network. Free to disappear.

EDDIE
(knowingly)
Free to act.

KEATING
Oh God. She’s coming after you.

MARK
(deeply upset)
Well. If you’d told me that sooner, I wouldn’t have spent all afternoon dicking around with college grads.
(stands)
Let’s pick her up.

MRAZ
We can’t. Look, she’s-

KEATING
I’ll pull all units under your command. Total sweep by sundown-

MARK
Where can we find her?

MRAZ
She’s a free citizen. We can’t just pick-

EDDIE
Gonna be difficult. Once upon a time, she trained with us.

MOUMIN
We’re gonna have to go old school. Safe house to safe house. No sleep till Brooklyn.

MRAZ
What am I, a ghost? Listen, this is my-

MARK
No it’s not.
(pause)
You’re her target. You’re our asset to be protected. That’s where your involvement ends.

MRAZ
That’s crap.

KEATING
That’s Mraz Inc Op-Protocol.

EDDIE
She should know, man, she’s the only one who reads ’em.

MRAZ
(faltering)
I am- this investigation-

MARK
You can’t lead this investigation without being in the field. You can’t be in the field, you’d be a liability. You’ve already cost us valuable time by withholding intel.
(to others)
Let’s go.

MRAZ
…Mark…

But Mark is gone. Moumin and Eddie follow him out. Keating lingers a moment, then leaves. Beat.

Ducky stands up and slowly begins to walk out.

MRAZ
And you had nothing to say.

DUCKY
I had nothing to add.

MRAZ
What about your- what about Robobirds? I could use them-

DUCKY
Mike, they’re prototypes. You told me to have a demonstration ready, not an active test.

Mraz says nothing. Unknown to both of them, one of the 10 monitor images has gone to STATIC.

DUCKY
(at door)
Honestly Mike? If anyone was going to spot a drone following her, it’s Lindsay Wolf.

CUT TO:

EXT. NEW YORK- ALLEYWAY- AFTERNOON

A smoking remains of one of Ducky's DSS birds. A gloved hand picks it up and inspects it.

It is Lindsay. She stares with idle curiosity.

LINDSAY
Where do they get these wonderful toys?

CUT TO:

TITLE CARD:

3 HOURS AGO

CUT TO:

INT. MRAZ INC- ARMORY- EARLY EVENING

The various teams are suiting up. In a series of quick cuts, we see Eddie, Moumin, and Keating arming themselves. The last one is Mark.

As Mark checks his clip, Andy runs up to him.

ANDY
We gotta talk.

MARK
Not now.

ANDY
It’s, uh. Pressing.

MARK
Andy, Lindsay Wolf has been free for almost an entire day. She’s armed, she’s dangerous and talk to me after we catch her, okay? Mraz’s life is in danger.

Mark gets a few steps away when Andy explodes:

ANDY
This whole COMPANY is in danger, Mark!
(Mark stops walking)
Have I ever asked you to look at something that wasn’t important? Wasted your time? Have I ever… I’m asking you, friend. Brother. Coworker. Will you trust me?
(pause)
Sorry, I’ve been up for 24 plus hours. Was that over the top?

MARK
A bit.

ANDY
Yeah. A bit. Look- just- I know you have to go. Meet me in three hours. I’ll have more info then. SOLAS.

MARK
Alright. SOLAS. Three hours.

CUT TO:

INT. MRAZ INC- MRAZ’S OFFICE- EARLY EVENING

Mraz stands, picking up the pieces of his phone(s). He looks thoroughly dejected and tired.

Krystal knocks on the door, in the same way that Ducky did earlier.

KRYSTAL
Bad time?

MRAZ
(a little laugh)
Always. The strike teams?

KRYSTAL
You know the policy. Do overnight one night, get the next night off. I just wanted to make sure you were okay.

MRAZ
I’m fine.
(she stares at him)
No, I’m not. I’m an idiot. I put myself over Mraz Inc.

KRYSTAL
You did the right thing.

MRAZ
I don’t know. There’s a woman out there, who is pissed and who wants to kill me. She may have a point.

A moment. Krystal looks at some of the papers piled on his desk. Krystal smiles.

ANGLE ON: The post reads: GOV. SHERMAN TO HOLD PARTY ON FIRST NIGHT AS PRIVATE CITIZEN.

KRYSTAL
You know, in the movies… what happens to the man who sits inside his impregnable fortress, while all his guards are trying to keep out the one assassin trying to get in?

MRAZ
Don’t try to cheer me up.

KRYSTAL
Seriously.

MRAZ
The assassin gets in, and the man must face down the assassin. Usually loses.

KRYSTAL
So you can stay here waiting for your angel of death, or…
(holds up newspaper)
You can bust some fat heads.

Mraz stares at the paper, then at her. He gets it.

MRAZ
Wanna go to a party?

CUT TO:

INT. MRAZ INC- DUCKY’S LAB- EARLY EVENING

Ducky sits typing on a keyboard, silently. Prototypes for the Robobird sit all around the lab.

His phone RINGS. He picks it up:

DUCKY
Go for Ducky.

LINDSAY (O.S.)
Hello… old friend.

DUCKY
(stops typing)
Hello.

LINDSAY(O.S.)
I’m coming, Ducky. I’m coming for Mraz.

DUCKY
So I heard. You’ve got everyone here, uh… very concerned.

LINDSAY (O.S.)
No one has to die… except Mike.

DUCKY
It’s revenge, right? For him?

LINDSAY (O.S.)
Only Mraz has to die.

DUCKY
Yes, you’ve made that, uh, crystal. I meant more… as opposed to killing my friend and your former boss, what can we give you? What do you want?

LINDSAY (O.S.)
I want. What I had.

The phone goes dead. Ducky stares at it.

FADE TO BLACK

END ACT THREE

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

ACT FOUR

TITLE CARD:

NOW

FADE IN:

CUT TO:

EXT. SHERMAN’S APARTMENT- NIGHT

A gorgeous entire-floor New York apartment. From outside, we see people in rich clothes drinking.

CUT TO:

INT. SHERMAN’S APARTMENT- NIGHT

We see Ex Governor Sherman entertaining GUESTS. He is having a ball, telling jokes loudly.

SHERMAN
So I says to Mabel I says… look, if you want the bird up your dress, I’ll do it, but first… I need to know how you voted in 2006!

The Guests burst into laughter, although a few of them exchange “huh?” looks.

MRAZ (O.S.)
That’s funny. But I know a better one.

The crowd of Guests parts and there is Mraz, with Krystal on his arm. They look fantastic. Mraz has a glass of Jameson in his hand.

MRAZ
What do you call a big, fat, pathetic white Republican man who’s afraid of change and has lost all purpose in life?

KRYSTAL
I don’t know, Michael. What do you call all of that?

MRAZ
The elephant in the room.

Sherman and Mraz stare each other down. Finally, after a moment:

A DRUNK WHITE PARTY GUEST:
Daaaaaaaamn!

CUT TO:

INT. MRAZ INC- DUCKY’S LAB- EARLY EVENING

Ducky sits, his eyes now bloodshot, watching his 9 working monitors. He drinks a Red Bull™, eyes darting from screen to screen.

DUCKY
I know you’re there Lindsay. I know… I know.

Monitor 7 suddenly has a flash. Ducky frowns, zooms in on the image… it’s a CAR speeding…

CUT TO:

EXT. ALLEY- EVENING (CON’T)

That same CAR trying to run down Mark misses him by an inch as he ROLLS out of the way.

Mark hits the ground, pulls out a gun, and starts firing wildly.

ANGLE ON: The TIRES of the car, squealing in reverse.

ANGLE ON: The front of the CAB. One of the headlights is SHOT OUT. Suddenly, two gun muzzles SMASH out of the headlights, breaking the other. The engine revs.

Mark stops FIRING, and jumps behind a dumpster as the CAB begins FIRING mercilessly.

CUT TO:

INT. MRAZ INC- DUCKY’S LAB- EVENING (CON’T)

Ducky realizes that the intended victim is Mark.

DUCKY
Jesus…

Ducky reaches for the phone, when a gloved hand grabs his wrist and slams the phone down.

ANGLE ON: Ducky’s face, as Lindsay whispers in his ear:

LINDSAY:
Duck…Duck…Duck…

A pause.

DUCKY
(barely a whisper)
Goose.

CUT TO:

INT. SHERMAN’S APARTMENT- OFFICE- EVENING (CON’T)

Sherman sits in his office, jacket off, drinking a beer. He is miserable and pissed.

SHERMAN
So, I’m just curious. What part of, President of Mraz Inc, where in the job description does it say- I can show up and crash any party I feel like?

KRYSTAL
What crashing? You advertised it in the “Post.”

Krystal throws down the paper. Sherman stares at it for a moment.

SHERMAN
This reminds me. I have to fire EVERYBODY. Alright. So, what I can do for you, so that you’ll get out of my house?

MRAZ
I don’t really give a damn if you hand out pardons right and left to inside traders, rich kids who do blow… I could care less. But when you decide to pardon a cold blooded killer, someone with the ability to kill a man from sixty yards with nothing but a spork-

KRYSTAL
A spork? Really?

MRAZ
Someone who in fact has no larger purpose in life left but to kill me-

SHERMAN
Please, Mraz, this is New York. Anyone I meet who doesn’t want you dead, I get suspicious.

KRYSTAL
You’re stalling. And we don’t have time. Lives are at stake.

SHERMAN
“lives…” If I had a nickel, I’d have a dollar eighty-three.

CUT TO:

EXT. ALLEY- EVENING

Mark hides behind an industrial trash bin. The CAB keeps firing at his position. It’s getting rough.

MARK
Alright. You want to play it soft, we’ll play it soft. You want to play it hard?
(pulls out explosive)
We’ll play it hard.

CUT TO:

INT. MRAZ INC- DUCKY’S LAB- EVENING

Ducky is now tied to his chair. Lindsay is using the Robobirds to find Mraz.

LINDSAY
Where is he, Ducky?

DUCKY
Well, it’s tricky. If I knew, I wouldn’t tell you. But I don’t know, so I can’t.

LINDSAY
Where is Mraz, Ducky?

DUCKY
It’s not his fault.
(she stops typing)
I’m sorry. But it was a mission with risks, and Steve knew it, and he accepted it. And now he’s dead, and I’m sorry. But it’s not Mike’s fault.

Lindsay mutters something, holding her knife.

DUCKY
What?

Lindsay leaps onto Ducky with her knife, screaming.

LINDSAY
Liar! LIAR!

CUT TO:

INT. SHERMAN’S APARTMENT- OFFICE- EVENING (CON’T)

Sherman waves his hands expansively:

SHERMAN
What cracks me up about this, other than the fact that you’re so obviously attracted to her it hurts-
(Mraz balks)
Is that you haven’t thought it through. You assume I did what I did because she was who she was. I don’t know who Lindsay Wolinski is.

KRYSTAL
(blushing)
Wolf.

SHERMAN
Wolinski, Wolf, wha-wha-whattever. Wasn’t even on the pardon list. I was all set to enjoy my party. And then THIS.
(brandishes Fax)
Even when the damn Governor gets a request from Mraz F-ing Inc, he’s gotta take notice.

MRAZ
…excuse me?

SHERMAN
Read it yourself. It’s an official request from MRAZ INC.

CUT TO:

EXT. ALLEY- EVENING (CON’T)

Mark rolls into the ALLEY path.

The CAR takes the bait, revving and driving towards him, guns blazing.

Mark waits, waits… bullets bounce off the ground next to him.

ANGLE ON: The CAR speeding towards us.

ANGLE ON: Mark watches it, calmly.

As the CAR is about to run him down, he throws up the EXPLOSIVE and rolls out of the way. It sticks to the CAR, which makes a sharp U-TURN at the other end of the ALLEY.

Mark stands, holds up his detonator. He clicks it.

CUT TO:

INT- CAR- NIGHT (CON’T)

The GLOVED HANDS rise up in shock and dismay as the CAR EXPLODES. We hear a SCREAM, but it is cut short.

CUT TO:

INT- SHERMAN APARTIMENT- OFFICE- NIGHT

Mraz angrily waves the paper at Sherman:

MRAZ
I never signed this. This order didn’t come from me.

SHERMAN
Look. If someone over there is photocopying signatures to get their girlfriend out of jail, I can’t help you. The order came on your stationary. I owed you one last favor. We’re even, which means, we’re done.
(stands)
Now get out. I have a girl from the Midwest who thinks Albany is in Albania, and I don’t want to disappoint her. OUT!

CUT TO:

INT- MRAZ INC- DUCKY’S OFFICE- NIGHT (CON’T)

Lindsay holds the knife very close to Ducky's throat.

LINDSAY
Now… before I have to start filleting a good friend of mine… where is Mraz…

DUCKY
Your concern is touching… but again, and until further notice… I don’t know where he is…

A single tear runs down Lindsay’s face. She closes her eyes. Then, she raises her knife-

STEVE (O.S.)
STOP!

Lindsay and Ducky turn, and their shock is equal.

ANGLE ON: In the doorway stands intern Steve. But all his youthful naïveté and innocence is gone. His face is now a mask of weariness and relief.

INTERN STEVE
I knew.
(he takes a step in)
I knew if I interned here long enough.
(offers her a hand)
I’d find you again.

Lindsay drops the knife. Shaking, she takes his hand.

They embrace. Lindsay begins to cry. Ducky lets out a huge sigh of relief.

CUT TO:

EXT- ALLEY- NIGHT

Mark watches the car burn. Eddie runs up with an assault rifle, then slows down.

EDDIE
That your handiwork?

MARK
Yeah. Standard killer with customized car deal. Amateur-hour, really.

EDDIE
Looks real enough.

MARK
Nothing compared to Lindsay Wolf. But an amusing disctraction, nonethe-

Mark stops.

EDDIE
Still, legal’s gonna have a-

MARK
Distraction. Oh shi-

He begins to run-

EDDIE
What is it? What?

CUT TO:

INT- ANDY’S APARTMENT- NIGHT

A small but homey apartment. BATMAN memorabilia lines the place. Andy enters, locks the door behind him.

He puts down his stuff, goes through his mail. Sighs.

ANGLE ON: He opens his fridge, grabs a beer.

ANGLE ON: He runs down his shelf of DVDs, picks out BATMAN BEGINS.

ANGLE ON: He pops the DVD in, presses play, settles onto his chair.

Andy presses power on the TV. Nothing happens but a low, persistent beep. He looks confused. He presses power again. Nothing. He puts down his beer, walks over to the entertainment center.

The beep gets louder. He squints-

ANGLE ON:

Several small metal boxes, attached to the TV. One of them has a little red light.

ANGLE ON: We can see Andy's face and the red light. His expression goes from confusion, to shock, to acceptance before it goes GREEN-

CUT TO:

EXT- STREETS- NIGHT

Mark turns the corner just in time to see Andy’s apartment EXPLODE. The shockwave sends him to the ground.

Fire and debris rain down from the fifth floor walkup’s window. Car alarms SCREAM into the night.

Mark looks up, looks down, puts his head in his hands.

FADE TO BLACK.

TO BE CONTINUED...