EXT. LOS ANGELES STREETS / INDUSTRIAL AREA - MORNING
Establishing shots of office buildings, landmarks such as The
Crypto.com Arena, Dodger Stadium, the downtown skyline,
various street signs, Hollywood Blvd., Crenshaw, Rodeo Dr.
etc.
CHYRON: JULY 4th, 2025
EXT. CITY STREET - MORNING
A quaint suburban cul-de-sac with one-story homes and
manicured lawns. A working class neighborhood within a
typical Southern California community.
A stout Latino man pushes a stroller. His name is HECTOR,
(32), blue collar type, plaid shirt and worn jeans, thinning
black hair, short in stature. Walking next to him is his
wife, VERA, (28), attractive, about an inch taller than
Hector, physically fit, well dressed.
EXT. BERT’S HOUSE - CONTINUOUS
A humble one-story home with a two-car garage, planted in the
center of the block.
The front door opens and an African-American male, wearing
gray khakis, blue button-down shirt, black shoes and a black
jacket, exits. His name is, BERT, late 40’s, graying around
the ears, thin build, turns to lock the door.
He totes a stainless steel thermos, lunch sack and a
newspaper tucked under his arm. On his wrist is a worn,
linked stainless steel analog watch with a heavily scratched
glass face.
FELICIA (O.S.)
You’re leaving without a kiss?
He looks up to see his Latina wife, FELICIA, 38, very
attractive, wears a robe, exposing her shapely legs.
BERT
I didn’t want to wake you.
They kiss.
FELICIA
What time will you be home?
BERT
Probably around six.
2.
FELICIA
No, you should go out for drinks
with your friends this time,
celebrate the 4th. I want you to be
more social and--
BERT
But I like it here...with you. I’m
assuming you don’t feel the same?
FELICIA
Of course I feel the same, but it’s
important that you--
BERT
Okay, I’ll think about it. What
about the fireworks?
FELICIA
I’ll be fine, Bert. I’m a big-girl,
remember?
They kiss again before he turns and crosses to the sidewalk.
Two houses away is Hector pushing the stroller and Vera
walking alongside. Bert approaches.
HECTOR
(Spanish accent)
Good-morning, Mr. Bert.
BERT
Good-morning to you, Mr. Hector.
VERA
(Spanish accent)
How are you today?
BERT
I’m well, Vera.
(re: baby)
How’s our sweetheart?
VERA
Wonderful. Felicia?
BERT
She’s good--
VERA
I like her so much better than the
last one. She was, how do you say,
a gold-digger--
HECTOR
Vera--
3.
VERA
What? I’m not lying, am I Mr. Bert?
BERT
(smile)
No, Vera...you’ve never lied.
(beat)
So, Hector, are things picking up
in the landscaping business?
Hector begins to answer...
VERA
Yes! We’ve picked up a new client
and things are really beginning to
turn around. Don’t be surprised if
we move out of this shithole.
BERT
Shithole?
HECTOR
She’s joking, Mr. Bert. We love it
here.
BERT
(checks watch/to Hector)
If things change and you need to
pick up a few hours, let me know.
(walks off)
Happy 4th!
Vera feigns a smile and waves as he walks off, but frowns
once his back is to her.
VERA
(utters/Spanish)
My husband will never be a janitor.
Genres:
["Drama","Slice of Life"]
Ratings
Scene
2 -
Morning Commute
EXT. CITY STREET / LOS ANGELES - LATER
Bert checks his 1970’s analog watch: 7:30, as he crosses to a
city bus stop.
A few beats later a bus arrives, and Bert climbs the stairs.
INT. CITY BUS - MOMENTS LATER
Bert smiles and flashes his Bus Pass to LOIS,(50s), female
driver with big hair.
BERT LOIS
Good-morning, Lois. Good-morning, Bert.
4.
BERT (CONT’D)
How was you son’s high-school
graduation?
LOIS
It was great. We’re so proud of
him.
BERT
(walks off)
I’m proud of you for letting him
live.
LOIS
(laughs)
He did come close a few times!
Bert sits down in an available seat, opens his newspaper,
puts on his reading glasses and examines the front page
before flipping to the Sports Page.
ANGLE ON: the headline that reads: POWERBALL JACKPOT hits
$668 million!
Bert checks his watch again, it reads: 7:48
EXT. SMALL OFFICE BUILDING IN SOUTH LOS ANGELES - DAY
A flashy Corvette pulls into the lot and parks in front of
the building, blasting a 90’s rap tune. Musical suggestion:
“Flava in ya ear”
The car door opens and an African-American man, REGINALD
(50’s), aka BOSS-MAN, wears 90’s fashion, sunglasses, and a
gold chain with the initials “BM”. He straightens his clothes
and then checks his digital watch that reads: 7:55
A couple beats later, a weathered Honda mini-van pulls into
the lot and parks two spaces away from the Corvette.
The mini-van doors open and an Asian-American man steps out
of the driver’s side. His name is NESTOR, late 40’s, hefty,
thinning black hair, and wears the same work attire as Bert.
Exiting the passenger side is a white male, DALE, mid-40’s,
facial hair, wears a black beanie and the same work attire.
NESTOR
What’s up, Boss-Man?
BOSS-MAN
You’re late.
Dale checks his digital watch.
5.
DALE
You said nine, it’s 8:58.
BOSS-MAN
Where’s Bert?
From Nestor’s POV we see Bert crossing the lot with his
newspaper, thermos and lunch sack.
NESTOR
(gestures to Bert)
He’s on time too.
Genres:
["Drama","Comedy"]
Ratings
Scene
3 -
Deadline and Banter
INT. OFFICE BUILDING - MOMENTS LATER
Boss-Man closes the front door.
Bert, Nestor and Dale enter and look around the deserted and
dusty office building.
Two WHITE MEN in suits appear from a back room, toting
briefcases, cross to Boss-Man at the front door.
MAN IN SUIT
(to Boss-Man)
I’m assuming you understand the
deadline?
BOSS-MAN
I’m on it.
The two Men turn and glance at Bert, Nestor and Dale before
exiting the building.
BERT
(sarcasm)
Good-morning to you too.
NESTOR
Screw them assholes.
(beat)
How are you doin’, Bert?
BERT
I’m good, Nestor. You?
NESTOR
Chillin’.
DALE
We picked up thirty Powerball
tickets on our way here.
BERT
How much do I owe you?
6.
DALE
Twenty.
Bert produces a $20 bill.
BERT
Did you use my numbers?
DALE
You know it.
Bert hands the twenty to Dale.
Boss-Man, dusting off his hands, approaches.
BOSS-MAN
You heard the man, we got a
deadline. This office needs to be
cleaned up and ready to go by eight-
o’clock tonight.
NESTOR
Eight o’clock? This is a lot of
work, and it’s the 4th of July. We
should be standing over a grill by
five...
BOSS-MAN
I can bring in two more guys, but
it still pays six-hundred.
BERT
No. We can handle it.
NESTOR BERT (CONT’D)
But-- We can handle it.
DALE
Bert’s right...we got this.
BOSS-MAN
(smile/to Bert)
My man...
(beat)
How’s your beautiful wife doin’?
BERT
She’s fine. How’s yours?
BOSS-MAN
She’s out at the mall, shopping for
a new summer dress. You know I love
me a woman in a summer dress.
(beat)
Tell her I said hello.
7.
BERT
You do the same.
The two men lock eyes, before...
NESTOR
I’d beat your ass if you ever
talked about my wife like that--
BOSS-MAN
I would never describe your wife as
beautiful, Nestor.
NESTOR
What’s that supposed to mean?
BOSS-MAN
It means I won.
(beat)
I’m just messin’ with you, Nestor.
Don’t get all sensitive on me.
Dale eyes Boss-Man.
DALE
I’m not married, but that’s pretty
messed up.
BOSS-MAN
(to Dale)
How’s that blow-up doll treatin’
you, Dale?
(eyes Bert)
...at least she’s faithful, right
Bert?
DALE
Why do you always have to bring
that up? I only used it once.
Bert abruptly puts down his thermos and removes his jacket.
BERT
We need to get to work if we’re
gonna finish tonight.
(to Boss-Man)
Cleaning supplies?
BOSS-MAN
In the maintenance room in the
back. I dropped them off yesterday.
BERT
Is that it?
Bert locks eyes with Boss-Man. Tense beat before Boss-Man
hands the key to Bert.
8.
BOSS-MAN
This is a spare. Lock up when you
leave. I’ll pick the key up
tomorrow.
Boss-Man turns and crosses to the front door. Halfway there,
he stops, turns, and crosses back to them.
BERT
Yes?
Boss-Man reaches into his wallet and pulls out a crisp one-
hundred dollar bill.
BOSS-MAN
Drinks on me after you finish. All
of you need to loosen up a bit,
you’re too uptight...
(to Bert)
...especially you.
Nestor reaches for the c-note, but Bert holds him back.
BERT
Does this count against our six-
hundred?
BOSS-MAN
No, it’s a 4th of July gift. I’m
not heartless.
Nestor reaches around Bert and takes the c-note.
DALE
(walks off)
I’ll get the supplies.
BERT
(to Nestor)
Why don’t you go and help, Dale?
NESTOR
(stowing c-note in pocket)
He can handle it.
Off Bert’s look, Nestor walks off after Dale.
BERT
You really should stay and help us.
BOSS-MAN
I am helping. I’m helping you and
your two compadres over there keep
a roof over your heads.
BERT
This is our company, remember?
9.
BOSS-MAN
Yes, actually I do. I own 75
percent, my wife owns 12.5 percent,
and you own the remaining 12.5. So,
if you do the math--
BERT
Felicia thinks I’m underpaid--
BOSS-MAN
Does she?
BERT
(beat)
I want to increase my stake in the
company.
BOSS-MAN
With what?
(off Bert’s look)
Don’t get mad at me for being a
smart business man.
BERT
That’s not exactly what I’d call
you.
BOSS-MAN
(smirk/backs away)
Anyway, it’s about time for me to
take my black-ass home and enjoy
the 4th with my new two-thousand
dollar stainless steel grill I
picked up last week. You and
Felicia should stop by next week
and I’ll cook you up a pig or
somethin’. It’s got one of those
rotary things on it--
BERT
Rotisserie. It’s a rotisserie, some
people call it a spit.
BOSS-MAN
(scoffs)
On the pig? Why would anybody spit
on a pig?
(walks off)
Commoners.
Boss-Man exits and closes the door behind him.
Nestor approaches with a bucket full of supplies.
NESTOR
Fuck that nigga’.
10.
Bert shoots Nestor a look.
NESTOR (CONT’D)
I said, “a”, not “er”.
BERT
I don’t ever wanna hear you say
that again.
(to Dale)
And you better not even think it.
(beat)
Let’s get to work.
Genres:
["Drama","Comedy"]
Ratings
Scene
4 -
Office Dance Routine
EXT. OFFICE BUILDING - MOMENTS LATER
Boss-Man produces his iPhone and dials while crossing to his
sportscar.
BOSS-MAN
(into phone)
It’s me.
(beat)
We’re good.
(beat)
Stop worryin’. I said, we’re good.
Boss-Man hangs up the phone and opens his car door, but not
before he watches two YOUNG BOYS light a firecracker and
sprint a few feet away in the adjacent lot.
BANG! BANG! BANG!
The Young Boys smile as they cover their ears.
BOSS-MAN (CONT’D)
(to Boys)
It’s a little early, don’t you
think?!
Boss-Man smiles and hops in his car and speeds away.
MUSIC CUE: “I get around” Tupac Shakur
INT. OFFICE BUILDING - LATER
A large Bluetooth speaker thumps as Tupac’s voice echoes
throughout the building.
ANGLE ON: Nestor, wearing rubber gloves and clutching a
cleaning solution bottle and a sponge.
11.
NESTOR
(raps)
Oh yeah...still clownin’ with the
Underground, when they come
around...
What ensues is a choreographed routine that should rival a
90’s rap concert and dance party with the three men as they
clean, mop and sweep the office. The scene should be full of
energy and excitement, openly displaying the love and
friendship they’ve shared while working.
BERT
(raps)
...now you can tell from my
everyday fits I ain’t rich so cease
and desist with those tricks. I’m
just another black man caught up in
the mix tryin’ to make a dollar out
of fifteen cents...
Dale, dancing a few feet away with a mop, spins before he
sits in an office chair and rolls across the floor.
DALE
(raps)
...what’s up love, how ya’ doin’,
well I’ve been hangin’ sangin’
tryin’ to do my thang, but you
heard I was bangin’ your homegirl
you went to school with...
The dancing continues as Tupac goes into the final verse.
Suddenly light streams into the office as an attractive
unknown African-American woman enters, casually dressed, and
watches them dance around for a few beats before Bert
notices.
Her name is MINA (44), light complexion, well dressed,
curvaceous with defined arms.
BERT
Turn off the music. Nestor!
Nestor and Dale, still dancing about, turn and see the woman
watching them. Nestor produces his phone and stops the music.
BERT (CONT’D)
May we help you?
MINA
I’m looking for my husband,
Reginald. Is he here?
BERT
Are you talkin’ about, Boss-Man?
12.
MINA
You know exactly who I’m talking
about...Bert.
DALE
He left about twenty-minutes ago.
MINA
Did he say where he was headed?
The three men exchange another glance.
NESTOR
He didn’t say.
Mina, skeptical, eyes the men.
MINA
Okay. Well, if he comes back,
please tell him I was here.
Mina turns and walks off, revealing her shapely figure.
They watch as she opens the door and exits the office.
NESTOR
I’d like to get around on her.
DALE
(daps Nestor)
You got that right.
BERT
That’s a man’s wife. Show some
respect.
NESTOR
I saw you checkin’ her--
BERT
(checks watch)
I was not checkin’ her. Let’s get
back to work.
They return to their mop, broom and sponge.
DALE
Nestor’s right, Dale. You was all
up in her business.
BERT
Okay, if you must know, we went to
school together.
NESTOR
Did you hit it back then? You know,
slip her the D?
13.
BERT
Shut up and turn the music back on
before I slip you some D.
NESTOR
You know I don’t get down like
that.
(to Dale)
No offense.
Dale chuckles at first, then...
DALE
Wait...what?
Dale turns to Nestor just as he presses play on his
smartphone, drowning out Dale’s response.
MUSIC CUE: “I get around”
CUT TO:
Genres:
["Drama","Comedy","Musical"]
Ratings
Scene
5 -
Dusk Departure
EXT. OFFICE BUILDING - DAY TO NIGHT
TIME LAPSE of the skyline and the office building as the sun
moves from east to west, long shadows, along with an increase
of fireworks in the b.g. as day turns to night.
MUSIC CONTINUES: “I get around”
INT. OFFICE BUILDING - DUSK
Bert, Nestor and Dale, clutching their belongings, cross to
the front door.
In the b.g. we see a neat and tidy office space.
MUSIC ENDS:
BERT
(checks watch)
6:30...we did it with an hour and a
half to spare.
DALE NESTOR
Time for drinks-- Hell yea...
Bert opens the office door and they exit.
EXT. OFFICE BUILDING - MOMENTS LATER - DUSK
Nestor and Dale cross to their mini-van. Bert locks the door
and crosses to them.
14.
NESTOR
(to Bert)
Throw your stuff in the back.
BERT
You guys go ahead and go. I’m goin’
home to get some rest, spend some
time with my wife.
We see and hear fireworks in the b.g.
Dale, closing the sliding side door, turns to Bert.
DALE
Are you sure? Boss-Man thinks
you’re too uptight.
BERT
Do you think I care what he thinks?
(walks off)
I’ll see you guys tomorrow.
NESTOR
C’mon, at least let me give you a
ride home.
BERT NESTOR (CONT’D)
I’ll take the bus-- Get in the van, Bert.
Genres:
["Drama","Comedy"]
Ratings
Scene
6 -
The Mini-Van Banter
INT. MINI-VAN - LATER - NIGHT
Nestor drives. Bert sits in the passenger seat with a bouquet
of flowers on his lap. Dale sits in the rear.
They pass a group of YOUNG KIDS with sparklers on the corner.
BERT
(re: flowers)
Thanks for stoppin’ off.
NESTOR
No problem.
(beat)
Are you and Felicia...
BERT
No, we’re good. This is called a
‘just because’ bouquet.
DALE
Just because, what?
NESTOR
Just because he loves her you
stupid ass cracker.
15.
The mini-van pulls over to the curb.
BERT
What’s with you and race? You
called Boss-Man a nigga, with an
“a”, and now you just called Dale a
cracka”--
DALE
He used the hard “er”, not the “a.”
BERT
What are you, exactly? Your race?
NESTOR
My mom is Filipino, but my dad is
half Mexican with a little
Vietnamese from my grandmother’s
side.
BERT
(pause)
So you’re a Mexican gook from the
Philippines?
Bert laughs.
DALE
(laughs)
Is that Mexican gook-er or gook-a?
Bert, chuckling, opens the van door and climbs out, careful
not to damage the bouquet.
BERT
(to Nestor/wink)
I didn’t hurt your feelings, did I?
NESTOR
Fuck you, Bert. I ain’t givin’ you
shit if we win.
Dale tries to climb into the front seat, but Nestor
physically keeps him in the rear.
NESTOR (CONT’D)
You’re not sittin’ up here with me.
Nestor slams the van into gear and punches the gas.
Genres:
["Drama","Comedy"]
Ratings
Scene
7 -
Betrayal and Retaliation
EXT. CITY STREET / BERT’S HOUSE - NIGHT
Bert watches the mini-van pull away.
BANG!!!
16.
An M-80 firecracker explodes across the street. Bert ducks as
if being shot at.
AFRICAN-AMERICAN teenagers scatter, laughing and cheering the
explosion.
After a beat, Bert turns and crosses to his modest one-story
home. He crosses to the front porch and climbs the stairs
while reaching for his keys.
PHSSSSYTTT!
The porch is lit by a screaming green firework that shoots
into the sky and spins around.
Bert turns and watches as the teenagers cheer with
excitement.
But wait...what is that?
Under where the green firework emanated, about two houses
down and parked across the street, is Boss-Man’s Corvette.
Bert steps away from the door and eyes the Corvette in the
shadows as we...
FLASHBACK TO:
INT. OFFICE BUILDING - MORNING
Boss-Man turns to Bert.
BOSS-MAN
(smile)
My man, Bert.
(beat)
How’s your beautiful wife doin’?
END FLASHBACK:
EXT. BERT’S HOUSE - CONTINUOUS
Bert turns away from the Corvette and eyes the front door.
INT. UNKNOWN CAR A BLOCK AWAY - CONTINUOUS
From an UNKNOWN PERSON’s POV in a car, we watch Bert pause in
front of his front door before he enters.
17.
INT. BERT’S HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - CONTINUOUS
Bert enters quietly and softly closes the front door before
putting down his belongings and the bouquet.
He looks around the living room to see several candles
burning in the dimly lit room and the glow of the television.
Ring...Bert’s phone rings.
RING TONE: “I get around” Tupac
The caller ID reads: Nestor
He discards the call and suspiciously eyes the bedroom door,
slightly ajar, and dimly lit with candles.
He takes a few steps towards the bedroom and we begin to hear
the faint sounds of sex, which grows louder with each step.
Bert reaches the door and slowly opens it to reveal his wife,
Felicia, sitting atop of Boss-Man, who has his hands around
her hips.
BOSS-MAN
(to Felicia)
Is this my pussy?
FELICIA
Yes...yes...
Bert, angered, watches for a few more beats before he backs
away from the door and returns to the living room.
His anger is palpable. The hurt and anguish is deafening as
Bert silently contains the rage building inside of him. The
fireworks continue to pop sporadically outside.
Bert, eyes welling, glances around the room, picks up a
pillow on the sofa and shoves it into his mouth to silence
his guttural screams.
Ring...Bert’s phone rings.
RING TONE: “I get around” Tupac
The caller ID reads: Nestor
Bert silences his phone again and drops it on the sofa.
After a couple more beats, Bert eyes an end table next to the
sofa. He quietly crosses to it, opens the drawer, and reaches
for a handgun resting inside.
The sounds of fireworks outside grows just before we hear the
loud booms of two M-80s. BOOM! BOOM!
18.
Bert, tears drip from his nose, crosses to the bedroom door.
He peers into the room, raises his gun...and then after a
couple tense beats, lowers the gun and takes a step back.
Fireworks crackle and bang in the b.g.
Suddenly a shot rings out and a muzzle flares in the dimly
lit bedroom.
BANG!
Bert is grazed with a bullet to the shoulder. He stammers
back, before raising his gun and firing indiscriminately into
the bedroom.
BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
8 -
Reactions to Gunshots and Powerball Win
EXT. CITY STREET - CONTINUOUS
The KIDS, TEENS and a few ADULTS outside, react to the sudden
pops that don’t quite sound like fireworks.
TEEN
Somebody’s shootin’.
INT. MINA’S CAR - CONTINUOUS
Mina, Boss-Man’s wife, the unknown person watching, sits
quietly in her car, parked a few cars behind his Corvette.
She too hears the gunshots, and rolls down her window.
Two TEENAGE GIRLS, cross the street in front of her car.
MINA
(to girls)
Were those gunshots?
TEENAGE GIRL
Probably. They’re always shootin’
around here.
The two girls walk off as Mina rolls up her window and checks
her purse to reveal a silver handgun next to her wallet.
INT. BERT'S HOUSE - CONTINUOUS
Bert, still standing in the doorway to the bedroom, drops the
gun and returns to the living room.
Emotionally tortured, he sits on the sofa and sobs.
19.
After a few beats, the silence is broken:
RING TONE: “I get around” Tupac
Bert, still distraught, eyes the cell phone flickering a foot
away from him on the sofa.
He picks it up and answers.
BERT
(into phone)
It’s not a good time, Nestor.
INT. LOCAL BAR - CONTINUOUS
Nestor and Dale sit at a bar, in front of a television with
the Powerball numbers on the screen. PATRONS mill about.
NESTOR
(into phone)
What do you mean it’s not a good
time? We’re comin’ over!
Dale leans into Nestor.
DALE
(whispers)
Tell him we won.
BERT (O.S.)
What’d he say?
A BARTENDER crosses to them with an empty plastic zip-lock
baggie.
BARTENDER
Will this work?
NESTOR
(to Bartender)
Perfect.
Nestor waits for the Bartender to walk off.
NESTOR (CONT’D)
(whispers into phone)
We got here just as they put the
numbers up and guess what? We won
the Powerball. We did it. It was
your numbers too. Your fuckin’
numbers came up.
BERT (O.S.)
We won?
20.
NESTOR
We’re on our way.
DALE
Be there in five!
Nestor abruptly hangs up the phone and locks eyes with Dale.
They embrace.
DALE (CONT’D)
(tearful)
I’m gonna buy my mom a house.
Nestor places the Powerball ticket in the zip-lock baggie.
NESTOR
(smile)
Buy her two...and a fuckin’ yacht.
(beat)
Let’s go.
Nestor and Dale hurriedly cross to the EXIT.
Genres:
["Drama","Crime","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
9 -
Hidden Gun
INT. BERT'S HOUSE - CONTINUOUS
Bert, in dis-belief, eyes his phone and the picture of him
and his wife, Felicia, embraced, on the screensaver.
BERT
(utters)
We won...
He then turns to the bedroom door and sees the gun resting on
the floor.
INT. MINA’S CAR - CONTINUOUS
Mina, sits in her car, picks up her iPhone and checks
Reginald’s (Boss-Man) location. The phone is still in the
house across the street.
MINA
(utters)
If you’re not coming out, I’m
coming in.
Mina retrieves her purse, checks the mirror, freshens up her
make-up, and then pulls the door handle, just as the living
room lights in Bert’s house are turned on.
She pauses for a beat and then closes the car door and waits.
21.
INT. BERT'S HOUSE - CONTINUOUS
The room is lit as Bert paces the floor, phone to his ear.
BERT
(utters)
Pick up pick up...
NESTOR (V.O.)
This is Nestor. I’m out the nest.
Leave a message.
Beep.
BERT
Nestor, don’t come over. I’ll see
you guys tomorrow and explain. Me
and Felicia are dead, I mean,
dealin’ with a few things...it’s
not a good time.
Bert checks his analog watch, it reads: 7:45
INT. MINA’S CAR - CONTINUOUS
Mina checks the clock on her dash, it reads: 7:45
MINA
(utters)
I’m givin’ you five more minutes.
Headlights illuminate the cab of her car. She looks up to see
a mini-van turn into Bert’s driveway. Nestor and Dale hop out
and rush to the front door.
Mina’s cell phone rings.
INT. BERT'S HOUSE - CONTINUOUS
Bert, apprehensive, stands in the bedroom doorway, peering
into the dimly lit room.
After a couple beats, he reaches for the light switch.
POUND! POUND! POUND!
Startled, he turns to the living room.
BERT
Shit.
He takes a step, but then quickly turns back and closes the
bedroom door before crossing to the living room.
22.
BERT (CONT’D)
Who is it?
Bert takes one more glance at the bedroom door and catches
another glimpse of the gun on the floor.
NESTOR (O.S.)
It’s us! Open the door.
BERT
Just a minute.
Bert quickly crosses to the gun, picks it up and places it
back into the end table drawer.
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
10 -
Confrontation and Dilemma
EXT. BERT'S HOUSE - CONTINUOUS
Nestor and Dale stand at the front door.
NESTOR
Stop fuckin’ around and open the
door, Bert.
Dale knocks again.
INT. BERT'S HOUSE - CONTINUOUS
Bert leans into the door.
BERT
I left you a message. It’s not a
good time. Me and Felicia are--
NESTOR (O.S.)
Are what, happy?
DALE (O.S.)
C’mon, open the door, Bert.
Bert pauses for a moment and then opens the front door.
Nestor and Dale push their way inside. Bert closes the door.
MINA (O.S.)
Why’re you crying?
INT. MINA'S CAR - CONTINUOUS
Mina’s on the phone.
YOUNG WOMAN’S VOICE (O.S.)
I feel bad. I shouldn’t of put that
app on his phone.
23.
MINA
Who is this?
TANYA (O.S.)
It’s Tanya at Network Wireless.
What if he finds out?
MINA
He’ll never know unless you tell
him.
TANYA (O.S.)
I know, but I feel bad--
MINA
Then give back the two-hundred
dollars.
Pregnant pause.
TANYA (O.S.)
I spent it.
MINA
So why are you calling me?
She hangs up and checks Reginald’s location again. Same.
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
11 -
The Powerball Win
INT. BERT'S HOUSE - CONTINUOUS
Nestor sits on the sofa. Dale stands.
NESTOR
So where is she?
(off Bert’s pause)
Felicia, where she at?
BERT
She’s in the bedroom.
DALE
Does she know yet?
BERT
No--
NESTOR
Felicia! Come on out here! Bert’s
got somethin’ he needs to tell you!
BERT
Shhh! She’s asleep. She’s not
feeling well.
24.
DALE
(smile)
She’ll wake up for this...
Dale starts to cross to the bedroom, but Bert cuts him off.
BERT
I’ll tell her in the morning.
Nestor curiously eyes the burning candles and then Bert.
NESTOR
(re: candles)
Are you having a séance in here or
did we interrupt somethin’?
DALE
(smile)
They were probably doing it right
there on that sofa.
Dale chuckles. Nestor eyes the sofa, then stands.
BERT
Why don’t we talk about this in the
morning?
NESTOR
In the morning? We just won the
Powerball...
(whispers)
...six-hundred and sixty eight
million...
(normal tone)
...and all you can think about is
sleep? You should be jumping
through the fuckin’ roof. We all
should be. Instead it feels like
somebody died up in here.
Pregnant pause as they lock eyes.
BERT
I need to use the bathroom.
A beat later, Bert crosses to the front door and opens it.
DALE
I thought you said you had to use
the bathroom?
BERT
I do.
DALE NESTOR
I don’t understand-- He wants us to leave, Dale.
25.
From Nestor and Dale’s POV we see two KIDS with sparklers
ablaze walking across the street.
NESTOR (CONT’D)
She’s not here, is she?
BERT
Of course she’s here. Where else
would she be?
DALE
(devilish grin)
Maybe it’s someone else? I get
around, right Bert?
Nestor takes a step towards the bedroom. Bert closes the door
and cuts him off.
BERT
I told you she’s sleeping.
NESTOR
(shouts)
Felicia! Yo, Felicia! We just won
six-hundred and sixty-eight
million!
Silence, except for the fireworks in the distance.
BERT
She took a sedative.
Dale crosses to the front door.
DALE
(conspiratorial wink)
C’mon, Nestor, let’s go celebrate.
This guy’s killing my mood.
After a brief pause, Nestor turns and crosses to Dale at the
door. Bert follows.
BERT
Where’s the ticket?
NESTOR
It’s in my pocket.
BERT
Maybe I should keep it? I mean, if
you’re going to drink some more
tonight...we should put it in a
safe place.
Uncomfortable pause, before...
26.
NESTOR
No...I think I’ll hold on to it.
BERT
What? You don’t trust me?
NESTOR
I did before we walked in here.
Pregnant pause, before Bert opens the front door for them.
Dale shoots Nestor a conspiratorial glance.
BERT
I’ll call you tomorrow.
With that, Dale charges the front door between him and Bert,
pinning him against the wall.
DALE
I got him!
BERT
No!
On cue, Nestor sprints to the bedroom door, opens it and
turns on the light.
Genres:
["Drama","Comedy"]
Ratings
Scene
12 -
Murderous Revelation
INT. MINA’S CAR - CONTINUOUS
Mina eyes Bert’s front door and the commotion going on
inside. She cranes her neck to get a better view, but then
the front door closes.
INT. BERT'S HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - CONTINUOUS
Nestor stands in the bedroom doorway, peering into the room.
NESTOR
Oh shit!
Dale stands between Bert and the hallway leading to the
bedroom.
DALE
What is it?
INT. BEDROOM - CONTINUOUS
Nestor eyes Boss-Man’s gun resting on the floor near the bed.
27.
BERT (O.S.)
It’s not what you think...I...
I...came home and...and...
Dale peers into the bedroom over Nestor’s shoulder.
DALE
Is she here?
From Dale’s POV we finally see the backside of Felicia’s
nude, bloody and lifeless body, partially covered by the
sheets.
Boss-Man’s body is hidden from their view.
Nestor attempts to pick up Boss-Man’s gun as Bert enters.
BERT
No. Don’t touch it.
NESTOR
Did you do this?
BERT
I walked in on them and--
NESTOR
Them?
Nestor and Dale slowly cross to the bed and peer over
Felicia’s body to reveal Boss-Man, deceased.
DALE
Oh shit, that’s Boss-Man! What’s he
doing here?
Bert and Nestor shoot him a look.
DALE (CONT’D)
Wait...no way...he’s been screwin’
your--
BERT
(stern/to Dale)
Don’t say it.
NESTOR
I told you he had the hots for her,
but you didn’t have to kill him.
BERT
I wasn’t going to, but then he shot
me...and...and I just shot back.
DALE
Boss-Man shot you?
28.
Bert gestures to the trickle of blood from his shoulder.
BERT
(tears well)
What was I supposed to do?
NESTOR
Kick her ass out and get a divorce.
DALE
You fucked up, Bert. Big-time.
NESTOR
Wait a minute...you said he shot
you first, right?
(off Bert’s nod)
So technically you were just
defending yourself. No judge is
going to throw you in jail for--
DALE
But Bert’s black.
NESTOR
(pause/to Bert)
Oh yea...shit...you’re fucked...
DALE
...but so is, Boss-Man.
NESTOR
That’s right, he’s black too, so
you may be able to get off with a
misdemeanor.
BERT
(beat/to Nestor)
I can’t believe you just said that.
NESTOR
(re: Dale/points)
Blame him.
DALE
Hey, I didn’t make the rules.
NESTOR
Your ancestors did.
DALE
That’s got nothin’ to do with me. I
clean toilets right next to you
assholes, remember?
NESTOR
(beat/to Dale)
We should go.
29.
BERT
Go? You’re not going to help me?
NESTOR
Help you do what, cover it up? I
watch those detective shows and
they always figure it out in 48
hours.
BERT
I’m not asking you to cover it up,
just help me move the bodies--
DALE
We can do that. I’ve got a cousin
with a farm about fifty miles--
NESTOR
(frustrated)
What’d I just say?!
(to Dale)
Don’t you get it? If we move the
bodies, we’re covering it up, which
makes us accomplices.
(beat)
As a matter of fact, by being in
this room our DNA is probably all
over the sheets and the walls.
(covers mouth/to Dale)
Cover your mouth.
Nestor physically forces Dale to cover his mouth with his
hand. A moment later, Bert covers his mouth.
NESTOR (CONT’D)
(to Bert/muffled)
What’re you doing?
BERT
(muffled)
DNA.
NESTOR
(removes his hand)
You fuckin’ live here, Bert!
Bert removes his hand from his mouth.
BERT
Listen, we need to just calm down
and think this through--
NESTOR
We? This is a YOU problem--
A cell phone rings. Ring tone: Naughty by Nature - OPP
30.
BERT
(re: cell phone)
Is that you?
Nester and Dale check their phones...nothing.
DALE
Over there.
Dale eyes a pair of pants and a jacket draped over a chair.
Dale picks up the jacket and carefully removes the ringing
phone from a pocket. On the screen, caller ID, is a glamour
shot of Mina, Boss-Man’s wife.
Genres:
["Drama","Crime","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
13 -
Secrets and Suspicion
INT. MINA'S CAR - CONTINUOUS
Mina eyes a picture of Boss-Man on her phone as we hear his
phone ring via the speakerphone.
MINA
(utters)
Answer the phone you cheatin’ son-
of-a-bitch.
INT. BEDROOM - CONTINUOUS
Boss-Man’s phone continues to ring.
Bert steps in, takes the phone from Dale, declines the call
and stows the phone in his pocket.
NESTOR
C’mon, Dale, let’s go.
BERT
You can’t just leave me like this.
Nestor and Bert exit the room, followed by Bert.
INT. BERT'S HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - CONTINUOUS
Nestor and Dale cross to the front door.
NESTOR
(turns)
You’re my buddy, Bert, and I love
you like a brother, but your ass is
going to prison.
DALE
Yep. The butt factory for sure.
Nestor and Bert shoot Dale a look.
31.
NESTOR
(to Dale)
Stop talking...please.
BERT
I’ll need my share, Nestor.
Anxious pause as Bert awaits an answer.
NESTOR
You better get a damn good
attorney.
Knock! Knock! Knock!
The men are startled by the loud knock at the front door and
back away.
NESTOR (CONT’D)
(whispers)
Are you expecting someone?
BERT
(whispers)
No.
(beat)
Stay here.
Bert walks softly to the front door.
Genres:
["Drama","Crime","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
14 -
Confrontation at Bert's House
EXT. BERT'S HOUSE - FRONT PORCH - CONTINUOUS
Mina, toting her purse and phone, pounds on the front door.
MINA
Reginald Carter! I know you’re in
there!
INT. BERT'S HOUSE - CONTINUOUS
Bert stops, turns and eyes Nestor and Dale.
BERT
(utters)
It’s my wife, I mean, Boss-Man’s
wife.
Bert crosses back to Dale and Nestor.
MINA (O.S.)
Bring your ass out here before I
break down this door!
The men whisper.
32.
BERT
How’d she know he was here?
NESTOR
You can’t let her in.
BERT
I don’t know how to get rid of her.
Dale looks around the room, then...
DALE
The phone.
BERT
What?
DALE
She must’ve tracked him here. Let
me see it.
Bert reaches into his pocket and hands Dale the phone.
BERT
What do we do?
NESTOR
Why do you keep sayin’ we? We ain’t
in this.
Knock! Knock! Knock!
MINA (O.S.)
You’ve got ten seconds!
DALE
My sister tracks her kids all the
time.
BERT
I’ve heard about that--
DALE
(to Bert)
Do you have a backdoor?
(off Bert’s nod)
I’ll get rid of it--
NESTOR
Give me that phone before your
white ass ends up in the butt
factory.
Bert takes the phone fron Nestor.
BERT
He’s right, Dale. I’ll do it.
33.
MINA (O.S.)
Five!
BERT
Keep her busy until I get back.
Bert crosses to the back door.
MINA (O.S.)
Three!
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
15 -
Confrontation in the Living Room
EXT. THE BACKYARD - CONTINUOUS
Bert opens the backdoor and sprints from the house,
scampering over a neighbor’s fence.
EXT. FRONT PORCH - CONTINUOUS
Mina steps away from the door.
MINA
One!
Fireworks pop and bang in the b.g.
Mina scans the porch for something to use against the door.
There it is. She puts down her purse and phone, then
struggles to pick up a mid-sized potted plant.
While doing so, she trips and falls, breaking the small heal
on one of her shoes and spilling dirt and gravel.
On cue, the front door opens and Dale stands in the doorway.
DALE
May I help you?
Mina removes her shoes and climbs to her feet.
MINA
Where’s my husband? Reginald! I
know he’s in there.
DALE
He left about thirty minutes ago.
MINA
Bullshit. Get out of my way.
Mina picks up her purse and phone, then makes a beeline to
the door, pushing Dale aside.
34.
DALE
I told you he’s not here...
INT. LIVING ROOM - CONTINUOUS
Mina enters in a huff, scanning the room.
MINA
Reginald!
A door closes in the hallway. Nestor enters the living room.
NESTOR
Keep it down. The baby’s sleeping.
MINA
The baby?
NESTOR
My grandson.
MINA
Where’s Bert?
DALE
(to Mina)
I’m going to have to ask you to
leave.
MINA
Why is Reginald’s car parked across
the street?
Dale and Nestor exchange a glance.
DALE
It wouldn’t start. He called for a
tow truck and then left. First he
tried calling Triple-A, but they
had like a forty-five minute wait,
so he called one of his buddy’s
that works over at...uhm, Jiffy-
Oil, and they got in touch with a
local...
Nestor gestures for Dale to shut the fuck up!
DALE (CONT’D)
(to Nestor)
What?
NESTOR
(to Mina)
Listen, he left, that’s all we
know.
35.
Mina cuts her eyes at both men before pulling out her phone
and checking the Find My app.
MINA
We’ll see about that...
From Mina’s POV we see the dot representing Boss-Man’s phone
moving away from the house...
MINA (CONT’D)
That sneaky-ass son-of-a-bitch.
NESTOR
(offended)
Wait! Are you seriously tracking
your husband?
MINA
What’s it to you?
NESTOR
(feigns anger)
That’s an invasion of his privacy!
(to Dale)
She comes in here all Equalizer and
shit, accusing us of hiding her
husband while she invades his
privacy!
MINA
(to Dale)
Let me out of here.
Dale scampers over and opens the front door.
Mina exits in a huff.
NESTOR
(calling after)
You’re lucky I don’t call the Feds!
DALE
Why the feds? Why don’t you just
call the cops?
NESTOR
Feds sounds better, more official.
DALE
Cops are official.
NESTOR
Are we really gonna do this right
now?
36.
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller","Mystery"]
Ratings
Scene
16 -
Phone Toss
EXT. A FEW BLOCKS AWAY - CONTINUOUS
Bert sprints through an alley and around a corner with Boss-
Man’s phone in his hand.
Huffing and puffing, Bert eyes a few RESIDENTS, lighting
fireworks.
Across the street in the shadows, a LATINO MALE, exits a
house, waves goodbye to the OCCUPANTS, and crosses to his
small work pick-up truck at the curb.
Bert, sensing an opportunity, watches the truck pull away
from the curb and drive towards him.
Boss-Man’s phone rings again...it’s Mina. Ring tone: Naughty
Nature - OPP
Bert declines the call.
BERT
(re: truck)
Keep coming...keep coming...
The truck passes and Bert tosses the phone into the bed of
the truck, landing on a pile of dirt and tree clippings.
Relieved, Bert sprints off.
INT. MINA’S CAR - CONTINUOUS
Mina sits in the driver’s seat, speakerphone engaged.
BOSS-MAN (V.O.)
Yo, this is Boss-Man, leave a
message or better yet, send a text.
(Beep)
Frustrated, she hangs up and checks the tracking again.
EXT. NEIGHBORHOOD STREETS - DRONE SHOT - CONTINUOUS
The pick-up truck stops at the corner, then makes a right,
and drives to the next stop sign.
INT. MINA’S CAR - CONTINUOUS
Mina watches as the dot representing Boss-Man’s phone stops
around the corner. She starts her car.
37.
EXT. NEIGHBORHOOD STREETS - DRONE SHOT - CONTINUOUS
The truck moves to the next stop sign, and then turns right.
INT. MINA'S CAR - CONTINUOUS
Mina puts her car in gear and then checks her phone...the dot
is headed in her direction. She looks up to see a set of
headlights coming towards her.
INT. BERT’S HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - CONTINUOUS
Dale and Nestor, discreetly watch her from the front window.
DALE
What’s she doing?
We hear the back door open and Bert enters.
BERT
(panting)
I got rid of it!
NESTOR
Shh...
Bert crosses to the window.
BERT
Did she leave?
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
17 -
Neighborly Mistake
INT. MINA’S CAR - CONTINUOUS
Mina exits the car and watches as the small pick-up truck
draws near.
INT. BERT'S HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - CONTINUOUS
All three men, peer out of the front window.
NESTOR
Why isn’t she leaving?
Bert eyes the pick-up truck as it passes Mina and parks at
the dead end.
BERT
Shit.
NESTOR
What?
38.
EXT. CITY STREET - CONTINUOUS
Mina, barefoot, crosses to the pick-up truck as it parks.
INT. BERT'S HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - CONTINUOUS
They watch Mina cross to the pick-up truck.
NESTOR
(to Bert)
You put it in your neighbors truck!
BERT
It was dark and I couldn’t see
anything! I saw a truck and I just
thought...fuck!
Bert walks away from the window, sizing up the situation.
DALE
Give him a break, Nestor. It’s not
his fault.
NESTOR
Then whose fault is it, huh? We win
the Powerball, which should be the
greatest day of your lives, but
instead we’re auditioning for
Dateline!
Bert plants himself on the sofa.
BERT
(pause)
You’re right. It’s my fault.
Bert breaks down and cries.
After a couple beats, Nestor crosses to Bert.
NESTOR
(to Dale/re: Mina)
Keep an eye on her.
(to Bert)
Are you crying?
Dale returns to watching Mina.
BERT
(wipes away tears)
No, no...I’m good.
(beat)
I’m a millionaire, right? What
could possibly be wrong?
39.
NESTOR
“There’s no crying in baseball!”
Remember that? Tom Hanks.
BERT
Tom Hanks?
NESTOR
Yea, you know the scene when--
BERT
I know the fuckin’ scene, Nestor!
(beat/sullen)
You know what? You should’ve called
me before all of this happened.
NESTOR
What? I called you about three
times--
BERT
This is your fault.
NESTOR
My fault? You just took ownership
two minutes ago!
BERT
That’s before I had time to think
about it!
NESTOR
Two minutes?!
(beat)
You’re the one who wanted me to
drop you off at home--
BERT
So you’re listening to me now?
You’ve never listened to me before!
Why now, huh?! Were you in on this?
NESTOR
In on what, killing your wife?!
(to Dale)
Is he fuckin’ serious?
DALE
(concerned)
He might be going into shock.
BERT
(sobs uncontrollably)
I am not going into shock!
(beat)
You two think I’m stupid, don’t
you?
(MORE)
40.
BERT (CONT’D)
I know exactly what’s happening
here...I know...
(pause/snot bubbles/then)
I’m scared. I don’t wanna go to the
butt factory.
Off Bert’s tears...
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
18 -
Confrontation and Suspicion
EXT. CITY STREET - CONTINUOUS
Hector, the driver of the pick-up, exits and curiously eyes
Mina making a phone call.
HECTOR
Can I help you?
(beat/recognizes her)
Ahh, are you looking for Mr. Bert?
Boss-Man’s phone begins to ring.
Mina’s pace quickens as she reaches the bed of the pick-up
and spots Boss-Man’s phone in the dirt and brush.
HECTOR (CONT’D)
Hey, what’re you doing? Get away
from my truck.
MINA
(retrieves phone/turns)
Where is he?
HECTOR
Who?
MINA
Why is my husband’s phone in your
truck?
HECTOR
I know nothing.
Angered, Mina hastily reaches into her purse and pulls out a
silver .22 handgun and points it at...
Hector turns and sprints away like a track star, across a
front lawn and into his house.
INT. BERT'S HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - CONTINUOUS
Dale watches Hector enter the house and close the door before
spotting the gun in Mina’s hand.
DALE
Gun!
41.
From Dale’s POV we see Mina turn, stare at Bert’s house, and
then stow the gun in her purse.
DALE (CONT’D)
She’s coming! Let’s go out the
back.
Dale turns to see Bert sobbing in Nestor’s arms.
NESTOR
(to Dale)
We have to help him.
DALE
But then we’re accomplices. You
said so yourself.
NESTOR
I know what I said, but look at
him, Dale. He’s fallin’ apart.
(off Bert’s loud snort)
He needs us.
CUT TO:
INT. HECTOR’S HOUSE - CONTINUOUS
Hector, through an opening in the blinds, watches Mina cross
to her car.
His wife, Vera, clutching their BABY, crosses to him.
VERA
(Spanish)
Was she following you?
HECTOR
(beat/Spanish)
I don’t think so.
(miffed)
There was a phone in the back of my
truck.
VERA
(beat)
They’re tracking you.
Pregnant pause as Vera hands the baby to Hector.
HECTOR
Who’s tracking me? It was Mr.
Bert’s ex-wife.
VERA
Really? I’ve never trusted that
gold-digging bitch.
42.
HECTOR
Maybe it was just a mistake or
somethin’?
VERA
She knows. I can feel it.
Vera crosses to her purse on the kitchen island and retrieves
her smartphone and begins to dial.
HECTOR
(Spanish)
C’mon, Vera, let’s not jump to
conclusions...
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
19 -
Confrontation at Bert's House
EXT. CITY STREET - MINA’S CAR - CONTINUOUS
Mina opens the trunk of her car and retrieves a pair of
sneakers and puts them on.
MINA
(utters)
Okay...you want me to come in after
you...game the fuck on.
Mina turns to Bert’s house.
INT. BERT'S HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - CONTINUOUS
Bert sits on the sofa, wiping and blowing his nose into
facial tissue as Nestor and Dale comfort him.
NESTOR
Hey, listen, we’ll figure it out,
okay? Right, Dale?
DALE
Right. I’m sure if all three of us
put our minds together, we can keep
you out of the butt factory--
Bert sobs even louder.
NESTOR
What the fuck, Dale! Why would you
say that?!
DALE
Bert said it too!--
NESTOR
Read the fuckin’ room, alright?
43.
BERT
(stands/walks off)
I need some water.
NESTOR
(flustered)
Get back over to the window and see
what she’s doing.
Dale returns to the window and peers outside.
Bert, toting a glass of water, returns.
BERT
(to Nestor)
She’s my ex-wife.
NESTOR
Felicia’s your ex-wife?
ANGLE ON: Dale’s eyes as they go wide.
DALE
Guys!
POUND! POUND! POUND!
The front door shakes as Mina pounds loudly.
MINA (O.S.)
Open this goddamn door!
BERT
(re: Mina)
No, her.
MINA (O.S.)
Open this door, Bert!
NESTOR
But she’s married to...wait, she
left you for Boss-Man?
BERT
It’s a long story.
Dale backs away from the window.
DALE
She’s not going away.
NESTOR
Why didn’t you tell me?
44.
BERT
Where does it say in our job
description that you’re my
therapist?
Pound! Pound! Pound!
DALE
We need to do something or she’ll
call the cops.
The men eye the front door and Mina’s pacing silhouette
behind the curtains.
NESTOR
I’ve got an idea.
(beat)
Dale, you let her in and I’ll stand
behind the door and jump her. We’ll
tie her up or something until we
figure out our next move. Bert, you
grab the gun.
DALE NESTOR (CONT’D)
It’s in her purse-- (to Bert)
So grab the purse--
BERT
I don’t think that’s a good idea.
NESTOR
Do you have a better one?
BERT
No, but she’s--
POUND! POUND! POUND!
MINA (O.S.)
I will shoot you through this
goddamn door!
NESTOR
(confident wink to Bert)
Get the purse.
(to Dale)
Open it.
Dale reaches for the knob and opens the door to see Mina,
seething, glaring back at him with Boss-Man’s phone in her
hand.
MINA
Where...is...he?
Dale steps aside to reveal Bert a few feet behind him.
45.
DALE
Come on in.
Mina, hesitant, eyes Bert before stepping inside.
MINA
(to Bert)
Where is he?
A moment later, Nestor attacks her from the side, but she
easily subdues him, elbowing him in the chest before tossing
him aside, breaking the coffee table.
Dale lunges forward to grab her, but Mina ducks and lands a
blow to his gut before kicking his feet out from under him
and he is sent crashing to the floor.
Mina assumes a martial arts stance and eyes the two men
writhing in pain, and then Bert.
MINA (CONT’D)
What the hell, Bert?
BERT
I told them it was a bad idea.
Mina slams the front door.
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
20 -
Revelations and Confrontations
EXT. DARK SKIES OVER THE CITY - NIGHT
A fireworks show splashes on the screen for a few beats.
INT. BERT’S HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - LATER
Bert sits in the center of the sofa, checks his watch, it
reads: 9:00
We pull back to reveal Nestor to his left and Dale on his
right, wincing in pain and nursing their injuries. Nestor has
a bag of frozen peas on his cheek and Dale a large bag of ice
on his abdomen.
DALE
I think she broke my stomach.
BERT
You don’t have any bones in your
stomach, Dale.
NESTOR
Why didn’t you tell us she was an
ex-MMA fighter?
BERT
I tried.
46.
NESTOR
No, you said it wasn’t a good idea.
Across from them, sitting in a chair, is Mina, her silver
handgun aimed in their direction.
MINA
(to Nestor)
Enough.
(pause/to Bert)
Did you know about them?
BERT
Who?
MINA
(condescending)
Why am I here, Bert?
Muffled fireworks continue in the b.g.
BERT
No. Did you?
MINA
Same’ole, Bert, oblivious to the
obvious.
(beat)
I had my suspicions.
(beat/re: Nestor/Dale)
Do they know about us?
(off Bert’s nod)
So where’s your brother? And I want
the truth.
Nestor and Dale share a glance, then turn to Bert.
BERT
They don’t know all of it.
MINA
Oops.
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
21 -
Tense Confrontation on Fourth of July
EXT. BERT’S HOUSE - CITY STREET - CONTINUOUS
Neighbors continue to light fireworks.
Two sets of headlights turn the corner and slowly drive down
the street.
The cars, classic low-riders, with two Latino GANG MEMBERS in
each drive slowly past the neighbors and pull into Hector and
Vera’s driveway, but not before they hit their hydraulic
switch, raising the cars before they park.
47.
The neighbors watch as the gang members exit the low-riders
and cross to Hector’s front door.
EXT. HECTOR’S HOUSE - CONTINUOUS
The lead gangster, JULIO, 28, bearded, a large brut of a man,
rugged with tats, knocks on the front door.
A moment later it opens.
Hector, toting the baby, steps aside to reveal Vera standing
in the living room.
JULIO
(to Vera)
What’s up?
INT. BERT'S HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - CONTINUOUS
Mina eyes the hallway to the bedrooms.
MINA
Are they in the bedroom?
Awkward silence as Mina awaits an answer.
BERT DALE
No. Yes.
MINA
Which is it?
NESTOR
No.
(to Bert)
Boss-Man was your brother?
MINA NESTOR (CONT’D)
Was?-- Is.
DALE
That’s really screwed up, Bert. If
my brother stuffed my wife, married
her, and then stuffed my second
wife, I’d kill him too.
(off Nestor’s glare)
What? She’s gonna find out sooner
or later.
BERT
She’s not a turkey, Dale.
DALE
I’m trying not to curse in front of
the lady.
48.
Uncomfortable pause as Bert and Mina lock eyes.
MINA
I don’t believe it.
(stands)
Do you mind if I go and see for
myself?
BERT
I’ll give you a million dollars if
you walk out that door and never
come back.
Unexpected pause as Mina eyes Bert.
MINA
This is getting interesting.
BERT
Sit down.
After a beat, Mina sits.
BERT (CONT’D)
We won a little money in the
lottery tonight.
MINA
How much is a little?
Bert eyes Nestor and then Dale.
BERT
Six-million.
Mina digests the information, then...
MINA
You know I can tell when you’re
lying.
BERT
I’ll give you half of my share, one-
million...to go away.
Nestor and Dale share a glance.
BERT (CONT’D)
(to Nestor)
Show her the ticket.
Nestor slowly reaches into his pocket and takes out the
ticket, stowed in a plastic baggie, and holds it up,
concealing the Powerball logo with his fingers.
49.
MINA
Six-million?
(to Nestor)
Is this true?
(off Nestor’s nod)
What’s to stop me from killing all
three of you and keeping it for
myself?
BERT
You don’t wanna go to jail for
murder.
MINA
Nobody knows I’m here...
BERT
...except for Hector, my neighbor
across the street, and all of the
people outside celebrating the 4th.
Uncomfortable pause, before...
DALE
It’s a fair deal.
MINA
(to Dale)
Am I talking to you?
(pause/to Bert)
I want two-million...
(to Dale and Nestor)
...half a million more from each of
you.
Nestor and Dale share a glance.
NESTOR DALE
Ok. Sounds good.
BERT
Then it’s settled.
She locks eyes with Bert...
MINA
Did you do it?
They share a knowing gaze.
BERT
He took a shot at me.
Mina smiles, leans back in her chair, and then chuckles.
BERT (CONT’D)
Is that funny to you?--
50.
MINA
Do stupid shit. Win stupid prizes.
BERT
He was screwing my wife in our bed.
MINA
You see, that’s the difference
between me and Felicia. I never
disrespected our marriage.
Bert chuckles and then laughs.
BERT
You don’t want me to go there.
MINA
Go where?
Bert laughs harder.
NESTOR
I don’t think he believes you.
DALE
Nope. He definitely doesn’t believe
you.
MINA
I swear on my poor mother’s grave
that I never--
BERT
(serious)
Don’t do that.
MINA
Do what?
BERT
Embarrass yourself.
They lock eyes.
MINA
If you’ve got somethin’ you need to
say, say it...
BERT
You really want this smoke?
Uncomfortable beat as Nestor and Dale lean into the
conversation.
51.
MINA
(smirks/sucks teeth)
You ain’t got shit on me.
FLASHBACK TO:
Genres:
["Drama","Crime","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
22 -
Unwanted Advances
EXT. NON-DESCRIPT BUSINESS LOCATION - DAY
CHYRON: THREE YEARS AGO
Bert and Boss-Man, both wearing a typical blue shirt and
khakis, janitorial wear, stand in front of the building with
signage that reads: R & B Janitorial (GRAND OPENING)
Boss-Man’s shirt is slightly unbuttoned with his BM gold
necklace front and center.
They smile and shake hands as Mina takes their picture with a
digital camera.
BOSS-MAN
Ok, how about some lunch down the
street at Ivan’s?
Mina saddles up next to Bert to show him the picture and
congratulate him with a kiss.
MINA
This is so exciting.
(beat)
What time is it?
Bert checks his watch.
BERT
11:30
MINA
(sigh)
I know what time it is, Bert.
BERT
Oh, sorry...it’s ass-kickin’ time.
They kiss again. Boss-Man watches, eyeing Mina’s curvaceous
body.
BOSS-MAN
Ass-kickin’ time?
MINA
Sales. Kick-ass closing deals.
BOSS-MAN
I like that.
(to Bert)
(MORE)
52.
BOSS-MAN (CONT’D)
We should make that our mission
statement.
(beat)
So, how about lunch?
BERT
(checks analog watch)
Oh, sure...sounds good, but we
should make sure we get back here
afterwards and get the shop
organized.
BOSS-MAN
Of course. Why don’t you lock up
and I’ll wait here with Mina.
Bert gives Mina a quick peck and crosses to the front doors.
BOSS-MAN (CONT’D)
(to Mina)
You do realize that he only owns
twenty-five percent of the
business, right?
ANGLE ON: Bert, overhears, and glances back at them.
MINA
I know, but if it makes him
happy...
Boss-Man invades her space and caresses her buttock.
BOSS-MAN
What about my happiness?
She gently spins away from him.
MINA
That’s not me.
BOSS-MAN
You’re not even a bit curious?
ANGLE ON: Bert locks the doors, stows the keys, and then
turns back to them and crosses the parking lot.
MINA (V.O.)
I can’t believe you heard all of
that. Why didn’t you say anything?
BERT (V.O.)
I trusted you.
From his POV we see Boss-Man staring at Mina as she secures
her camera and purse.
53.
BERT
I’m ready.
BOSS-MAN
Bert, why don’t you let your lovely
wife ride with me in the Corvette?
(beat)
I’d invite you, of course, but it’s
only a two-seater.
Bert, not sure of what to say, ponders his response.
BERT
Ivan’s is only about two blocks
away. We could all walk. Get some
exercise.
(pause)
Okay. Why not? I’ll meet you there.
MINA
I can walk with you, Bert--
BERT
No, you go with Reginald. It’ll be
fun.
Bert watches as Boss-Man and Mina hop into the Corvette and
pull away.
MINA (V.O.)
I offered to come with you...
END FLASHBACK:
Genres:
["Drama","Crime","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
23 -
Confrontation and Reflection
INT. BERT'S HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - CONTINUOUS
Same positions. Bert eyes Mina.
MINA
This is ridiculous. Why are you re-
hashing all of this?
BERT
Because you said you never
disrespected our marriage.
MINA
I didn’t.
BERT
I’m establishing a point of
reference.
DALE
This is gettin’ good.
54.
NESTOR
Smoke her out, Bert.
MINA
Do we really need the commentary?
FLASHBACK TO:
INT. IVAN’S DINER - LATER
Bert sits alone in a booth. His meal, half-eaten, on the
table in front of him. He glances outside at the cars parked
in the lot...searching for the Corvette.
BERT (V.O.)
I waited for two hours in that
diner.
MINA (V.O.)
He got me in his car and just kept
driving.
INT. PUBLIC BUS - LATER THAT AFTERNOON
Bert rides alone, stoic, gazing out of the window and then
down at his wedding band.
BERT (V.O.)
You were my wife.
MINA (V.O.)
What was I supposed to do, jump
out?
EXT. SO-CAL HOME - DUSK
An elderly black woman exits the house toting a potted plant
that she places on a table on the porch. She wears a house
dress, summer hat, gloves, and house slippers. Her name is
DELORES CARTER, (65), but still spry and lucid.
DELORES
(to plant)
You look awfully good in your new
pot.
In the b.g. we see Bert, downtrodden, walking towards her.
BERT
Mom.
Delores turns.
55.
DELORES
Bert?
(re: downtrodden)
What’s wrong with my baby?
MINA (V.O.)
You went to see your mother?
END FLASHBACK:
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
24 -
Family Tensions
INT. BERT'S HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - CONTINUOUS
Mina, heavy sigh, folds her arms.
BERT
I was upset.
MINA
You see, this is exactly why I
left, Bert. You’re a momma’s boy
and you’re too old fashioned. You
don’t drive. You wear the same
clothes everyday--
BERT
I’m a janitor--
MINA
And you’re always looking at that
old ass watch--
BERT
This was my dad’s watch--
MINA
You barely got a smartphone--
BERT
They track people with those
things.
NESTOR
Yep, it’s an invasion of privacy.
MINA
(to Nestor)
Will you please shut the fuck up?
Mina stares down Nestor.
BERT
(to Mina)
Do you mind if I continue?
56.
MINA
Yes, I do mind, but that’s not
gonna stop you.
FLASHBACK TO:
INT. SO-CAL HOME - DINING ROOM - LATER
Delores crosses to Bert with a cup of tea.
DELORES
Green-tea, no sugar, just like you
like it.
BERT
(sits)
Thank you.
Delores sits at the table with a cup of hot water, a spoon,
and a container of instant coffee.
DELORES
Have you checked with all of the
hospitals?
(off Bert’s nod)
Maybe they got lost?
Delores takes a heaping scoop of instant coffee and plops it
in the cup of hot water.
BERT
Lost? The diner’s two blocks away.
She stirs the instant coffee before crossing to the fridge
and retrieving a bottle of Kahlua.
DELORES
You two are always tryin’ to one-up
each other.
Bert watches as she pours a hearty amount of Kahlua into the
coffee.
BERT
Really?
DELORES
What? Kahlua’s great in coffee.
BERT
(re: instant coffee)
That’s not coffee. We’ve had this
discussion before. Instant coffee
is an oxymoron.
Delores gives him a quizzical glare.
57.
DELORES
I don’t do drugs. This is Kahlua,
not like that prescription drug
that Janice died from down the
street. She overdosed right in
front of her grandchildren while
they were playin’ jump rope. She
was turnin’ the rope and then just
fell over and split her skull open
on the curb, right in front of them
children. God bless’em.
(beat)
How dare you think I’m on that oxy-
stuff.
Bert pauses for a moment, then gets it.
BERT
I said, oxymoron.
DELORES
I heard you the first time.
Delores sips from her coffee cup before adding a bit more
Kahlua.
DELORES (CONT’D)
What else you come here for?
BERT
(somber)
I think he’s trying to sleep with
my wife.
DELORES
Of course he is. Ever since you two
were little snot-nosed brats
playin’ out in the yard you were
competin’. Remember that time both
of you drank six or seven bottles
of my prune juice, thinkin’ it was
alcohol?
BERT
I remember--
DELORES
(laughs)
It smelled like rotten ass up in
here for two weeks!
Tea sprays from Bert’s mouth as he tries and fails to stop
laughing.
BERT
We did smell pretty bad.
58.
DELORES
Pretty bad? We had flies knocking
on the front door...
They laugh heartily again before they settle.
BERT
(somber)
I’ll kill him if he sleeps with my
wife.
DELORES
...not as long as I’m still on this
side of the dirt. You two are
brothers--
BERT
Half.
DELORES
Don’t make no difference, half or
whole, you’re still brothers. And
if it wasn’t for your no-good daddy
this wouldn’t have been a problem--
BERT
No-good? It was his dad that was a
dead-beat, not mine.
DELORES
That’s exactly what I’m talkin’
about. He used to come here with
food, clothes, baseball glove, a
basketball, and he didn’t bring
your brother nothin’--
BERT
Reginald wasn’t his responsibility--
DELORES
He even took you to Disneyland and
left your brother at home.
BERT
Reggie pissed in my Mickey Mouse
cap that night.
DELORES
Who do you think told him to do it?
Pregnant pause as they lock eyes.
BERT
(stands)
This was a bad idea.
59.
DELORES
Look, I know it wasn’t your fault
that your daddy was there for you.
In all honesty, it was my fault for
opening my legs to that man, but he
was so cute drivin’ that bus.
(beat)
Anyways, that’s not important. What
is important is that you need to
let your brother win sometimes.
(beat)
For example, you didn’t have to get
good grades all the time. Walking
in here braggin’ and carryin’ on...
BERT
Was I supposed to fail because he
didn’t take school seriously?
DELORES
It wouldn’t of hurt.
A brief pause before Bert puts down his cup of green tea and
stands.
BERT
I should go.
DELORES
You know where the door is.
MINA (V.O.)
Can we just skip to whatever it is
you think you know?
END FLASHBACK:
Genres:
["Drama","Family"]
Ratings
Scene
25 -
Seeking Acknowledgement
INT. BERT'S HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - CONTINUOUS
Mina, impatient, arms folded, eyes Bert and then Nestor and
Dale.
MINA
You two ain’t got nothin’ to say?
NESTOR
Too much backstory if you ask me.
DALE
Yea, Bert, I like your mom and all
but...that prune juice part was
funny though.
BERT
(to Mina)
Are you ready?
60.
MINA
Been ready.
FLASHBACK TO:
EXT. BERT’S HOUSE - MORNING
The next morning, Bert exits the house in a hurry, toting his
lunch, thermos and jacket.
BERT (V.O.)
It happened the next morning.
He walks at a brisk pace down the block.
EXT. CITY STREET - MOMENTS LATER
Bert waits at the signal. He eyes a bus headed in the
opposite direction before glancing down at his watch. It’s
not there.
BERT
Shit.
A PEDESTRIAN stands near him at the corner.
BERT (CONT’D)
Excuse me, do you have the time?
The Pedestrian checks their smartphone.
PEDESTRIAN
7:15
EXT. BERT’S STREET - MINUTES LATER
Bert, in a full sweat, runs around the corner, headed towards
his house...when suddenly he slows and comes to a full stop,
two houses away.
His chest heaving, sweat absorbed in his shirt collar, he
eyes Boss-Man’s Corvette parked in front of his house.
After a few agonizing beats, Bert crosses to the front door.
INT. BERT'S HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - CONTINUOUS
Bert closes the door and quietly crosses to the bedroom door.
61.
INT. BEDROOM - CONTINUOUS
Boss-Man, his gold and gaudy BM necklace dangles, as he pumps
feverishly above Mina.
NESTOR & DALE (V.O.)
Damn!
The bedroom door slowly opens and Bert peers into the room,
eyes the sexual act, and then his watch resting on a nearby
dresser. He slowly and quietly retrieves his watch before
closing the bedroom door.
MINA (V.O.)
Okay, so I lied...
END FLASHBACK:
INT. BERT'S HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - CONTINUOUS
Mina eyes Bert.
MINA
I’m sorry.
Uncomfortable pause is broken with...
BERT
I’ve always wondered what I’d say
to you if we ever got the chance
to have a heart-to-heart--
MINA
Apology accepted?
BERT
(reflective pause)
That’s not quite what I had in
mind.
(beat)
You betrayed me.
MINA
So what do you want me to do, Bert?
It’s not like I can wave a magic
wand and fix it.
BERT
I’m not asking you to fix it, Mina.
MINA
Then what do you want?
BERT
Acknowledgement.
62.
MINA
I just apologized.
BERT
I know, but it’s up to me to decide
when or if I accept your apology.
MINA
(to Dale and Nester)
You see, this is exactly why... He
can’t move on. He can never move
on. He just rehashes everything,
like bringing up every time I
showed up five minutes late--
BERT
I bought you a watch--
MINA
I don’t need a fuckin’ watch! Who
wears a watch anymore anyway!
Uneasy pause, then...
NESTOR
But if this is how he feels, Mina,
and you’ve admitted to betraying
him, his feelings need to be
addressed in a thoughtful manner.
DALE
Yea, you don’t get to dictate when
he should move on and get over it.
Bert has every right to seek solace
and closure at his own pace.
Mina pauses, eyeing the three men in disbelief.
MINA
(looking around)
Am I getting punked? Where’re the
cameras? Is Dr. Phil in the
bedroom?
Genres:
["Drama","Comedy"]
Ratings
Scene
26 -
Undercover Operation
EXT. CITY STREET - NIGHT
People are still out lighting fireworks and milling about.
ANGLE ON: A stroller being pushed by Hector down a driveway,
onto the sidewalk and to his pick-up truck parked at the
curb.
ANGLE ON: Vera, on the front porch, watching.
63.
Hector reaches the truck and inconspicuously reaches into the
bed, lifts up the tarp covered with tree clippings, branches
and mulch...to reveal several white packages of drugs taped
together.
After a brief pause, he turns and gives Vera a conspiratorial
nod before discreetly removing the drugs and placing them in
the empty stroller, and covering them with a blanket.
INT. HECTOR'S HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - CONTINUOUS
Vera enters the house where the Latino Gangsters wait in her
dining room, cleaning and reloading their handguns. Julio,
their leader, readies an AR-15.
VERA
(Spanish)
It’s still there.
Hector enters the house with the stroller.
JULIO
(Spanish)
So what do you want us to do?
HECTOR
(Spanish)
It was probably a mistake. Maybe we
should just forget about it?
JULIO
(to Hector/English)
It’s not up to you, ese.
Vera paces the floor, contemplating her decision.
JULIO (CONT’D)
(Spanish)
If something were to happen, and it
was discovered that we didn’t get
rid of the problem when we had the
chance--
VERA
I know.
A BABY MONITOR on the kitchen counter crackles to life with
the whine and then cry of their baby.
HECTOR
(English)
I think we should wait.
The baby continues to cry.
64.
VERA
(Spanish)
I think you should check on our
baby.
HECTOR
(Spanish)
I was okay with just being a
gardener.
VERA
(English)
I wasn’t.
Vera picks up the crackling baby monitor and tosses it to
Hector.
They lock eyes for a moment before Hector walks off.
Genres:
["Crime","Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
27 -
Contemplating Truth
INT. BEDROOM - MOMENTS LATER
Bert and Mina stand on opposite sides of the bed, gazing down
at Felicia and Boss-Man’s lifeless bodies.
BERT
You’re not upset?
MINA
(beat)
I should be, but I was actually
more upset knowing that he was
cheating on me...with her.
(off Bert’s gaze)
It doesn’t matter. I’ve got two-
million reasons to get over it,
right?
(pause)
I guess I’m a widow now.
BERT
...and I’m a widower.
MINA
Don’t even think about it.
BERT
Not a chance.
(beat)
I would consider it.
MINA
I wouldn’t.
Uncomfortable pause.
65.
MINA (CONT’D)
I know someone with a wood-chipper.
BERT
A wood-chipper? That’s disgusting.
No. Absolutely not.
(beat)
Is it expensive? No, redact that.
MINA
Then what’s your plan?
BERT
(pause)
I don’t have one.
(beat)
Maybe I’ll tell them the truth?
MINA
You’ll go to prison.
BERT
But it’s the right thing to do.
Mina softens and eyes the man she once loved.
MINA
I wouldn’t expect anything less
from you, Bert.
(beat)
Do you think I can have a moment
alone with him?
BERT
Sure. Sorry. I’ll be in the living
room.
They lock eyes before Bert walks off.
Genres:
["Drama","Crime","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
28 -
Unexpected Decision
INT. BERT'S HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - CONTINUOUS
Nestor and Dale sit on the sofa, still nursing their wounds
as Bert enters with his heart on his sleeve.
BERT
I thought you two would be out of
here by now.
NESTOR
We talked about it.
(off Bert’s look)
What’s wrong?
BERT
Nothing. I’m fine.
66.
Bert crosses to the kitchen and retrieves a seltzer water.
BERT (CONT’D)
(opens can)
Seltzer water?
NESTOR DALE
I’m good. No thanks.
Bert drinks from the can.
DALE (CONT’D)
Nestor thinks we should get rid of
her.
NESTOR
You think so too. Don’t just put
that on me.
BERT
Oh, she’s leaving after--
DALE
(somber)
We’re not talking about her walking
out of that door, Bert.
Short beat before Bert understands...
BERT
You want me to kill my wife, I
mean, ex-wife?
NESTOR
Shhh. Keep it down.
(whispers)
What happens when she finds out
it’s over six-hundred million? Then
what? Do we apologize and say it
was a bookkeeping error?
DALE
Think about it, Bert, she knows
about the bodies and the money.
She’s not gonna go away. Every time
we turn around she’ll be
blackmailing us...I mean,
threatening us.
NESTOR
Dale thinks we can still get to
that farm before sunrise.
Bert steps back and takes a hard look at his friends.
BERT
So this is what it’s come to?
67.
NESTOR
We’re only trying to protect you,
Bert.
BERT
Protect me from who, you or Dale?
(beat)
Between us three somebody’s gonna
sprout a conscience and the next
thing you know we’ll be down to
two.
DALE
What does that mean?
BERT
That means that I’ll get suspicious
of you, put a bullet in your head
and then Nestor will eventually do
the same to me--
NESTOR
That’s not gonna happen.
BERT
Who says? You? A few hours ago you
didn’t want to be an accomplice and
now your talkin’ about killin’
witnesses and burying them on a
farm?
Tense pause as his words resonate.
NESTOR
So what’re you gonna do, turn
yourself in?
Nestor turns to Dale, then back to Bert.
NESTOR (CONT’D)
Oh shit...
(re: Mina)
What did she say to you?
Bert, reflective, pauses, then...
BERT
She didn’t say anything I already
knew.
(beat)
There isn’t a scenario where we all
walk away from this as friends.
(beat)
(MORE)
68.
BERT (CONT’D)
I want you two to take the ticket,
cash it in, give a third of my
share to Mina, another third to my
mother, and put the last third in
my bank account to cover legal
expenses.
DALE
You’re serious?
BERT
I’ve never been more serious in my
life.
(tears well)
Now go before I change my mind.
Bert opens the front door.
NESTOR
No.
BERT
Nestor, this is non-negotia--
NESTOR
We’ll stay until the cops get here
and make sure there’s no abuse.
(beat)
I don’t want you to end up in a
body-bag.
Bert and Nestor fist pump.
BERT
Good-lookin’ out.
DALE
And I’ll record everything with my
phone.
Bert takes a moment.
BERT
I don’t know what to say.
NESTOR
Say thank you.
BERT
Thank you.
Group hug!
69.
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
29 -
The Powerball Dilemma
INT. BEDROOM - CONTINUOUS
Mina eyes Boss-Man, his BM necklace and Felicia’s lifeless
body.
MINA
(utters)
...with that said, I hope both of
you rot in hell.
Boss-Man’s right eye twitches, then opens...and quickly
closes.
Mina thinks she’s seeing things.
MINA (CONT’D)
(utters/leans in)
Did your eye just open?
He opens his eye again. Mina, startled, yelps.
BOSS-MAN
Shhh!
MINA
You’re alive?
(beat)
Is she?
BOSS-MAN
No. This bitch has been fartin’ on
me for the past hour.
(beat)
Help get her off of me.
Mina helps push Felicia off the bed. She lands with a thud on
the opposite side of the bed and farts.
MINA
Ewww.
(beat/mocking)
Bye, Felicia.
BOSS-MAN
Was that really necessary?
Boss Man, covering himself with a sheet, sits up in bed and
we see the gunshot wound to his shoulder and hip region. He
winces in pain.
BOSS-MAN (CONT’D)
Pass me my pants.
Mina hands him his pants from the chair.
70.
MINA
(re: affair)
You know this isn’t over, right?
Boss-Man puts on his pants under the sheets.
BOSS-MAN
This isn’t what you think it is.
(beat)
She came after me.
MINA
Did she?
BOSS-MAN
I was minding my own business--
MINA
And then what? You slipped between
her legs?
BOSS-MAN
At least I’m not makin’ goog-lee
eyes talkin’ about bein’ a widow.
MINA
I wasn’t makin’ goog-lee eyes.
Boss-Man, grimacing, rolls out of bed, buttons his pants and
picks up his gun resting on the floor.
MINA (CONT’D)
We need to get you to a hospital.
He checks the clip for bullets. It’s good-to-go.
BOSS-MAN
I’ll be fine.
(beat)
Bert’s lying to you. It’s a
Powerball ticket...they won over
six-hundred million. They were
talking about it before you showed
up.
MINA
Six-hundred million?
BOSS-MAN
Over. I heard everything. Now, I
know we’ve got this little
situation we have to discuss, but
right now, we need to get that
ticket. Do you still have that
piece I gave you?
71.
MINA
It’s in my purse.
BOSS-MAN
Lock and load.
Genres:
["Drama","Crime","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
30 -
Tense Standoff in Bert's Kitchen
INT. HECTOR'S HOUSE - HALLWAY - CONTINUOUS
Hector, toting his baby in a blanket, crosses to the living
room, but stops once he eyes the four Gangsters doing push-
ups, feign fighting, and prepare for warfare.
Vera sits at the head of the table, smoking a cigarette.
After a moment she looks up to see Hector with the baby. They
lock eyes for a couple beats before Hector turns and walks
off.
INT. BERT'S HOUSE - THE KITCHEN - CONTINUOUS
Dale opens the refrigerator.
DALE
You got any beer in here?
Bert and Nestor chat near the dining table.
NESTOR
Remember, don’t answer any
questions. Ask for a lawyer.
(re: Mina)
How long does it take to say
goodbye? She’s been in there for at
least twenty minutes.
BERT
(to Dale)
Bottom shelf.
Dale bends down to find a couple cans of beer on the bottom
shelf.
DALE
(utters)
Who puts beer on the bottom shelf?
Dale retrieves a can, then turns to see Boss-Man, shirtless,
and Mina, pointing their guns at them.
He drops the can of beer and it sprays all over the floor.
Bert and Nestor, angered at first by the spritzing can of
beer, but then...
72.
NESTOR DALE (CONT’D)
Boss-Man? You’re alive.
With Boss-Man’s free hand, he covers his hip wound that’s
oozing blood.
BERT
Is Felicia still alive?
BOSS-MAN
What do you think, Bert? You shot
her in the back, remember?
(beat)
Sit down at the table and keep your
hands where I can see’um.
(to Dale)
You to.
The three men move to the kitchen table and sit.
BERT
You shot at me first.
BOSS-MAN
I was just scarin’ you, that’s all.
(wink)
How’s your shoulder?
Mina eyes the oozing wound on Boss-Man’s hip.
MINA
I’ll get you a towel.
BOSS-MAN
Thank you, Sweetheart.
Mina confidently crosses to the drawer nearest the
dishwasher.
BOSS-MAN (CONT’D)
(to Bert/sings)
I know a secret...
ANGLE ON: Mina, opening the drawer to reveal kitchen
utensils.
MINA
Where’re the towels?
BERT
Felicia moved them to the other
side of the sink.
MINA
She moved them? But this is the
dishwasher, on this side, where the
towels should be.
(MORE)
73.
MINA (CONT’D)
It only makes sense. Who puts
towels in the drawer on the OTHER
side of the dishwasher?
All four men turn to Mina as she throws up her hands and
sighs heavily.
MINA (CONT’D)
I knew there was a reason why I
never liked her.
BOSS-MAN
Woman, will you shut up and just
bring me a towel before I bleed
out!
BERT
Don’t speak to her like that.
Mina opens the other drawer, retrieves a couple towels,
crosses to Boss-Man, and applies pressure to his wound.
BOSS-MAN
What’re you gonna do about it?
(beat/re: towels/to Mina)
Thank you.
(beat)
So...where’s that winning Powerball
ticket?
(off their surprised look)
Now, I was never too good at math,
but I was in school that day when
they taught us the difference
between six million and six hundred
million.
(beat)
I’m guessin’ you boys must’ve been
absent that day?
From Bert’s POV we see the end table where he stowed his
handgun in the living room, before turning back to Boss-Man.
NESTOR DALE
She can have half of mine. Mine too.
After a couple beats, Boss-Man and Mina begin to laugh.
DALE (CONT’D)
What’s so funny?
BERT
They want all of it.
Nestor reacts physically to that answer, mumbling a few swear
words.
74.
BOSS-MAN
Don’t fret, Nestor...I’m not going
to take everything. We’ll leave you
with a little taste.
BERT
How much of a taste?
Boss-Man hymns and haws for a moment.
BOSS-MAN
Maybe six-million, minus taxes and
fees, shipping, workman’s comp,
labor, business insurance,
incidentals...which would bring it
to about one-million, give or take.
(beat/to Bert)
You won’t need that much where
you’re going, I mean, killing your
wife and all.
NESTOR
That’s it...one-million?
MINA
Give or take.
DALE
Each?
BOSS-MAN
To split...and I’ll also throw in
the remainder of your lives, free
of charge...after you give me that
ticket.
Genres:
["Crime","Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
31 -
Powerball Tension
INT. HECTOR'S HOUSE - BABY’S ROOM - CONTINUOUS
Hector hums softly into his sleeping baby’s ear before
placing her in the crib. After a couple beats, he turns to a
nearby window, opens it, and climbs out.
EXT. HECTOR'S HOUSE - FRONT YARD - CONTINUOUS
Once in front of the house, Hector eyes the parked low-riders
before turning to Bert’s house and jogging across the street.
EXT. BERT’S HOUSE - CONTINUOUS
Hector crosses the front lawn, then pauses and he decides to
go to the back of Bert’s house.
75.
INT. BERT'S HOUSE - THE KITCHEN - CONTINUOUS
Nestor slides the Powerball ticket in the plastic baggie to
the center of the table. Boss-Man examines it.
BOSS-MAN
(to Mina)
You got your phone on you?
MINA
In my purse.
Boss-Man hands her the ticket.
BOSS-MAN
Check the numbers.
Mina takes the ticket and crosses to the living room.
BOSS-MAN (CONT’D)
(to Bert)
Looks like, when the smoke
clears...I get the girl, the money,
and the dub.
DALE
The dub?
NESTOR
The win.
BOSS-MAN
Mina, what’s up with those numbers?
Genres:
["Drama","Crime","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
32 -
Unexpected Visitor
INT. BERT’S HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - CONTINUOUS
Mina finds her purse, and pulls out her phone.
MINA
I’m working on it.
BOSS-MAN (O.S.)
Work faster.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
Startled, she drops her phone and turns back to the kitchen.
MINA
Someone’s at the back door.
INT. THE KITCHEN - CONTINUOUS
All four men, just out of eyeshot from the backdoor, watch as
Hector knocks and tries to peer inside.
76.
HECTOR (O.S.)
Mr. Bert! It’s me, Hector.
Mina slowly enters the kitchen. Boss-Man gestures for her to
keep quiet.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
HECTOR (O.S.) (CONT’D)
Mr. Bert?
Boss-Man turns to Bert.
BOSS-MAN
Make him go away.
After a beat, Bert stands and slowly crosses to the backdoor.
Knock. Knock...
Bert turns to Nestor and Dale before...
BERT
I’ll be right back.
Bert opens the door, steps outside and closes it behind him.
BOSS-MAN
(utters)
What the fuck is he doing?
(to Mina)
Did you check the numbers?
MINA
I dropped my phone--
BOSS-MAN
Then pick it up.
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
33 -
Dangerous Encounters
EXT. BERT'S HOUSE - BACKYARD - CONTINUOUS
Bert ushers Hector away from the backdoor.
HECTOR
They’re coming, Mr. Bert. You have
to go.
BERT
Who’s coming, Hector?
Loud fireworks boom in the b.g. Hector flinches.
77.
HECTOR
The woman, your ex-wife, she pulled
a gun on me, and then my wife
called some people who came to kill
her.
BERT
What? Why? Who are these people?
HECTOR
They think she knows.
BERT
Knows what?
Revelation pause as Hector discovers what he suspected all
along.
HECTOR
So you don’t know?
(beat)
We have to stop them.
(walks off)
Come.
BOSS-MAN (O.S.)
Get back in here, Bert!
Bert turns to see Boss-Man, gun at his side, standing near
the back door.
Hector turns.
HECTOR
Mr. Bert?
BERT
(to Boss-Man)
Give me a minute.
Bert sprints off. Boss-Man, flustered, aims his gun at Bert,
then drops his arm and re-enters the house.
INT. BERT'S HOUSE - THE KITCHEN - CONTINUOUS
Boss-Man enters to find Dale at the sink, pouring a glass of
water.
BOSS-MAN
(to Dale)
What the fuck are you doing?
DALE
I’m thirsty.
78.
BOSS-MAN
Sit down.
(beat)
Mina! Numbers?
INT. BERT'S HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - CONTINUOUS
Mina, her back to the kitchen, eyes the Powerball webpage on
her phone and the six winning numbers: 27,11,10,05,20,07
The numbers correspond with the Powerball ticket in her other
hand. She smiles.
BOSS-MAN (O.S.)
Mina!
EXT. BERT’S HOUSE - CONTINUOUS
Hector, followed by Bert, make their way to the front of the
house just as the headlights of an unknown car pulls up and
parks at the curb.
The two men begin to cross the street.
DELORES (O.S.)
Bertrand!
Bert turns to see his mother, Delores, exit the car.
BERT
Mom?
INT. BERT'S HOUSE - THE KITCHEN - CONTINUOUS
Boss-Man, annoyed, turns to the living room.
Silence.
NESTOR
I think she fucked you.
After a beat, Boss-Man stands up and crosses to the living
room.
EXT. BERT'S HOUSE - CONTINUOUS
Bert crosses to his Mom.
BERT
What’re you doing here?
79.
DELORES
I’m looking for your brother. He
invited me over for a steak on that
new grill he keeps braggin’ about
after Bingo tonight, but I can’t
seem to find him. I thought maybe
he was here?
INT. BERT'S HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - CONTINUOUS
Boss-Man enters to find the front door open.
BOSS-MAN
Shit.
EXT. BERT’S HOUSE - CONTINUOUS
Hector tugs on Bert’s arm.
HECTOR
We have to go, Mr. Bert.
BERT
Hold on.
(to Delores)
I haven’t seen him.
From Delores’ POV we see Boss-Man’s car parked on the other
side of the street, a couple houses away.
DELORES
Really?
A beat later, Mina stumbles across the front yard, hustling
to her car.
DELORES (CONT’D)
Where’s she going?
Bert and Hector watch Mina sprint away.
BERT
Mina!
ANGLE ON: Mina, as she looks back at Bert, Hector, Delores,
and then Boss-Man as he steps onto the front porch of Bert’s
house.
BOSS-MAN
(to Mina)
You get back here! Now!
Boss-Man exits the house and stops on the front lawn.
ANGLE ON: Delores, eyeing Boss-Man.
80.
DELORES
That sure looks like my Reginald.
ANGLE ON: Mina, searching her purse for her car keys.
ANGLE ON: Bert, crossing towards Mina. Hector follows.
BERT
Mina, where’re you going?
ANGLE ON: Mina, dropping her car keys.
MINA
Shit.
She bends down and picks them up, clicks the remote just as
the front door of Hector’s house opens and out steps the four
gangsters toting their weapons, followed by Vera.
ANGLE ON: Bert and Hector slowing as they too eye the
gangsters crossing to Mina’s car.
VERA
That’s her.
Vera’s attention is diverted once she spots Hector with Bert.
VERA (CONT’D)
(Spanish/to Hector)
What’re you doing out here?
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller","Crime"]
Ratings
Scene
34 -
Revelations and Tensions
INT. BERT'S HOUSE - LIVING ROOM
Nestor and Dale watch from the open door.
DALE
Maybe we should sneak out the back?
NESTOR
And leave our ticket behind? No
fuckin’ way.
EXT. BERT’S HOUSE - CITY STREET - CONTINUOUS
Drone shot of PEOPLE who were participating in fireworks on
the block, begin to disperse after seeing the armed
Gangsters.
Mina and Bert raise their hands as the Gangsters close in.
BERT
Don’t hurt her!
Boss-Man drops his handgun and raises his hands as a gang
member closes on him.
81.
Vera, angered, makes a beeline to Hector and slaps him.
Delores, frightened, reaches into her purse and pulls out a
cell phone and attempts to use the code to unlock the screen.
She fails and tries again.
VERA (O.S.)
Give it to me.
Delores looks up to see Vera standing in front of her.
Delores hands her the phone as we...
FADE TO BLACK:
EXT. EVENING SKY - NIGHT
Fireworks above Los Angeles.
FADE IN:
EXT. BERT'S HOUSE - BACKYARD - NIGHT
Two of Vera’s gangsters, armed, stand in the backyard, eyeing
the fireworks in the distance.
INT. BERT'S HOUSE - THE KITCHEN - CONTINUOUS
Bert, Mina, Delores and Boss-Man sit at the dining table with
their hands, palms down, on the table.
Nestor and Dale sit on the floor, duct-taped mouths, backs
against the cabinets, as a Gangster zip-ties their wrists and
ankles.
Julio, the lead gangster, aims his AR-15 at Bert and the
others.
Vera watches in the shadows and gestures for the Gangster who
was securing Nestor and Dale to step outside. He does. Julio
closes the door behind him.
VERA
How much do you know?
Pregnant pause. Confused glances around the room.
VERA (CONT’D)
I asked a question. How...much...do
you...know?
Mina glances at her purse sitting on the kitchen counter.
82.
BOSS-MAN
(to Bert)
What the fuck is this bitch talkin’
about?
Vera eyes Julio, who crosses to Boss-Man and nails him with
the butt of his weapon.
JULIO
Shut the fuck up.
BOSS-MAN
(recovering)
Is that all you got?
A brief pause before Mina turns to Vera.
BERT
(to Mina/utters)
Don’t say anything.
Vera eyes Bert and then Mina.
MINA
If you hit my husband again--
VERA
What? Is something going to happen?
MINA
We can make this personal--
VERA
It’s already personal.
BERT
Listen, Vera, we don’t know why
you’re here or what you want, but
whatever it is--
DELORES
I think it’s drugs. They come over
the border all the time with that
funknall, sellin’ it to kids and
junkies--
BERT
That’s enough, Mom.
DELORES
Well it’s true! They have trucks
and trucks crossin’ the border all
the time sellin’ that funknall--
BERT DELORES (CONT’D)
It’s Fentanyl. That’s what I said.
83.
BERT (CONT’D)
That’s not what you said!
BOSS-MAN
Don’t yell at Mom.
VERA
Mom? You’re brothers? I had no
idea. I saw your car parked here
quite often.
(eyes Mina)
It was the Corvette, wasn’t it? Did
you like the way it handled?
MINA
Kiss my ass.
BERT
How often was it parked here?--
MINA
Can you please just tell us what
this is about?
BERT
No. I wanna know how often?
BOSS-MAN
C’mon, Bert...let that go.
Bert locks eyes with Vera.
VERA
Two to three times a week. I know,
because that’s how often I do yoga,
and his car was here.
Bert eyes Boss-Man and then Mina.
DELORES
Stop cryin’ over spilt milk, Bert.
You’ve got Felicia now, so this
conversation is wasted breath if
you ask me.
Vera, curious, looks around the table.
VERA
Where is Felicia?
BERT
Are we done here? Because I’d
really like to get some rest before
work tomorrow.
84.
VERA
Nobody’s going anywhere until I
find out why there was a phone in
my husband’s truck, and who put it
there?
Silence around the table, then:
BERT
I did. I threw it in the truck to
get rid of her.
VERA
Get rid of who?
Bert gestures to Mina.
VERA (CONT’D)
I don’t quite follow--
MINA
I tracked my husband’s phone here.
BOSS-MAN
You were tracking me? That’s an
invasion of my privacy!
MINA
You were screwing someone else,
Reginald! I don’t give a fuck about
your privacy!
BOSS-MAN
But you didn’t know that before you
started tracking me!
VERA
You’re a typical man, Reginald,
stupid from birth.
(beat)
I ask again, where’s Felicia?
Uncomfortable silence as Vera scans the room.
VERA (CONT’D)
(to Julio)
Go find her--
Julio walks off.
BERT
Wait!
Julio stops.
VERA
Yes?
85.
Bert eyes Nestor and Dale on the floor...
BERT
I...uhm...I...
...then glances at Mina and Boss-Man.
DELORES
If you’ve got somethin’ to say,
son, speak up so we can get the
hell out of here.
Bert, deliberate swallow, then...
BERT
(to Vera)
She’s dead.
Dead silence as Vera exchanges a look with Julio.
VERA
(to Bert)
Where is she?
BERT
In the bedroom.
Boss-Man, curiously watching the interaction, eyes Mina, then
Vera.
BOSS-MAN
Bert walked in on us--
DELORES
(gasp)
Damnit Reginald! I knew this was
gonna happen! These boys can’t stop
competin’ against each other.
BERT
I’ve never done this to him--
BOSS-MAN
What about Tashawna?
BERT
Tashawna? I was four years old!
BOSS-MAN
Old enough to know better.
MINA
(to Boss-Man/disgusted)
I’m divorcing you--
BOSS-MAN
Not until you give me what’s mine--
86.
MINA
I ain’t givin’ you shit--
BOSS-MAN
We’ll see about that.
VERA
Are we finished?
(to Julio)
Go check it out and be careful not
to touch anything.
Julio walks off and disappears into the hallway as Vera pulls
a handgun from her waistline.
VERA (CONT’D)
(to Bert)
I feel sorry for you, Mr. Bert. You
married, not one, but two whores.
Mina, angered, glares at Vera, who waves at her with her gun.
BOSS-MAN
(to Mina)
Don’t forget I saw that shit you
was tryin’ to pull--
BERT
(to Boss-Man)
We’ll discuss it later--
BOSS-MAN
Bert, you saw what she was tryin’
to do--
BERT
Not now, Reggie!
Julio returns, looking as though he just saw a ghost.
VERA
So?
JULIO
(Spanish)
It’s true.
VERA
(Spanish)
Stay here.
Genres:
["Drama","Crime","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
35 -
Powerball Peril
INT. THE BEDROOM - CONTINUOUS
Vera enters to see the bloody sheets, blood splatter on the
wall and then Felicia’s naked body lying out of sight, on the
other side of the bed.
87.
She performs a Hail Mary and leans against a dresser. After a
couple beats, she stows her handgun and pulls out her cell
phone.
INT. HECTOR'S HOUSE - BABY’S ROOM - NIGHT
Hector sits in the dimly lit room, next to the crib where his
baby sleeps peacefully. He eyes his cell phone vibrating on a
nearby table. The caller id reads: Vera
HECTOR
Where are you?
VERA (O.S.)
You were right. They don’t know
anything.
HECTOR
(relieved)
Come home.
INT. THE KITCHEN - CONTINUOUS
Vera re-enters the room from the hallway.
VERA
(Spanish/to Julio)
Did you touch anything?
JULIO
No.
VERA
Tell the others to go back to the
house and then you wait for me
outside.
Julio crosses to the backdoor and exits.
From Bert’s POV we see Julio speaking to the other three
gangsters before they turn and leave.
After a brief pause, Vera sits and addresses the table.
VERA (CONT’D)
Listen, I want to apologize for
ruining your 4th of July evening,
outside of the dead body, of
course.
Vera crosses to a dish towel hanging on a rack and begins to
wipe down the door handle, the kitchen counter where she
stood and the chair she sat in.
88.
DELORES
(rocking)
Felicia’s really dead?
BOSS-MAN
I didn’t do it.
Mina slowly shakes her head in the negative.
Delores turns to Bert. He looks away in shame.
DELORES
We need to get rid of the body. My
Bert can’t go to prison.
(to Vera)
Will you help us?
BERT
No! I’m turning myself in.
(to Vera)
You can leave now. We’re fine.
VERA
That’s very noble of you, Mr. Bert.
BOSS-MAN
(utters to Mina)
I know what you’re tryin’ to do.
Vera, tossing the dish towel into a dirty pot of water, turns
to Boss-Man.
VERA
What is she trying to do?
Boss-Man eyes Bert and then Mina.
BOSS-MAN
She knows about your husband’s
truck--
Boss-Man glances at Mina’s purse on the kitchen counter.
MINA
What?!--
BOSS-MAN
She didn’t tell us nothin’, but
she said she’s going to call the
police--
BERT
I don’t know what’s going on here,
Vera, but she never said anything
about--
89.
BOSS-MAN
(to Vera)
You need to take her with you.
Julio, pulling on a pair of work gloves, re-enters the
kitchen.
JULIO
(Spanish)
Are you ready?
Vera scans the room, searching for the truth.
VERA
(to Delores)
Is this true?
DELORES
Which part?
BOSS-MAN
C’mon, Mom, you heard her say it--
BERT
She never said anything about that
truck--
BOSS-MAN
Sure, Burt’s always right! He’s the
number one kid, never tells a lie
because he had a daddy in his life!
I was always the bastard son, so of
course I can’t be trusted.
Bert, sensing defeat, turns to Delores.
BERT
He can’t win this way...
Delores eyes Bert, and then Boss-Man.
BOSS-MAN
Go ahead, tell her.
MINA
(utters to Boss-Man)
I fuckin’ hate you.
VERA
(to Delores)
Well?
DELORES
(beat)
She did mention the truck.
90.
Julio immediately aims his AR-15 At Mina, but Bert springs
into action and puts his body in harms way.
BERT
No!
VERA
I’m sorry, Mr. Bert, but she has to
come with us.
BERT
No!
(beat)
This is all about a Powerball
ticket.
BOSS-MAN
He’s a goddamn lie! Ain’t no
Powerball ticket!
Awkward silence as Vera locks eyes with Bert.
VERA
A Powerball ticket. I’m intrigued.
A few more awkward beats, then...
VERA (CONT’D)
Did you win?
BOSS-MAN
No, but we got close, won about a
thousand dollars.
VERA
A thousand dollars?
(to Julio)
How much was the Powerball tonight?
JULIO
Over six-hundred million.
Vera, contemplative, glances around the room.
VERA
I wanna see the ticket.
(pause)
Where’s the ticket?
(to Julio/re: Dale)
The gringo.
Julio crosses to Dale and aims his AR-15 at his head. Dale’s
eyes go wide. Nestor freaks out.
BERT
Stop!
91.
VERA
(beat/to Bert)
I think it was more than a
thousand, Mr. Bert.
Tense pause before...
BERT
We won...the jackpot. Me, Nestor
and Dale.
DELORES
(excited)
Ya’ll won the Powerball!
VERA
Have you verified the numbers?
MINA
I did--
BOSS-MAN
--and then she tried to run out on
us!
VERA
(to Bert)
Where is it?
(beat)
Julio.
Julio places the muzzle of the AR-15 on Dale’s head.
BERT
No! Stop!
Mina inconspicuously glances at her purse sitting on the
kitchen counter.
BERT (CONT’D)
It’s in a safe place.
VERA
Let me see it--
BERT
So you can take it and claim it for
yourself? No.
VERA
(to Julio/re: Dale &
Nestor)
Drag them outside and put a bullet
in their heads.
Julio grabs Nestor, since he’s closest to the door, and drags
him, kicking and screaming, towards the back door.
92.
BERT
Okay!
(beat)
Let’s make a deal.
VERA
A deal? I don’t think you’re in the
position to--
BERT
Me against your guy in the
backyard. No weapons. Winner takes
all. Mano-a-mano.
VERA
(smile)
You against Julio?
Julio chuckles.
BERT
(to Vera)
Do you accept my terms?
VERA
You’ll give me the ticket when you
lose?
BERT
It’s all yours.
VERA
And if you win?
BERT
You walk away.
VERA
(beat)
Deal.
Bert stands and they shake on it.
BERT
I would’ve chosen you, but I don’t
hit little girls. However, I’d
place the same bet with you against
my ex, you know, keep it personal.
Bert glances at Mina and then back to Vera.
VERA
(smile)
You are hilarious, Mr. Bert.
93.
MINA
(mouths)
What’re you doing?
BERT
No, I’m a gentleman--
VERA
--and a janitor. Shall we go
outside?
Bert locks eyes with Mina again, trying to send her a non-
verbal message, as they all cross to the back door.
BERT
(re: Nestor and Dale)
What about them?
Nestor and Dale, still on the floor, eyes wide.
VERA
Leave them.
(direct)
Outside, now.
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
36 -
Backyard Brawl
EXT. BERT'S HOUSE - BACKYARD - MOMENTS LATER
Delores, Boss-Man and Mina stand on one side, Vera on the
other. In the middle, squaring off, is Bert and Julio.
They stare each other down before Julio turns and crosses to
Vera.
JULIO
(Spanish)
Should I take my time or make it
quick?
VERA
(utters/Spanish)
The sooner the better.
Fireworks pop, crackle and sizzle in the b.g.
Mina watches Vera and Julio for a moment, then crosses to
Bert.
BERT
Be ready. After I kick his ass
she’ll probably step in and--
MINA
Bert, you can’t fight, remember?
BERT
I can do a few things.
94.
MINA
Like what?
Delores, eyeing Julio’s glistening chest, crosses to Bert.
DELORES
Are you sure about this?
BERT
I’m good.
DELORES
Maybe she’ll agree to you and your
brother against--
BOSS-MAN
Don’t put me in that.
Mina gives Boss-Man a condescending glance.
MINA
Punk-ass.
BOSS-MAN
What? This is his bet.
After a beat, Bert turns to Vera who is still talking to
Julio while cracking his neck.
BERT
Vera!
(beat)
We’re still good, right? Winner
takes all?
VERA
That was our agreement.
(pause, feigns bell)
Ding-ding.
ANGLE ON: Julio rushes forward to confront Bert.
BERT
(to Mina)
Get ready.
MINA
I stay ready.
Bert turns back to Julio just as he swings. Bert ducks and
scrambles away.
VERA
(chuckling)
Stand still, Mr. Bert.
95.
Julio stalks Bert again, who fakes left, then right, then
sprints away, circling the yard.
JULIO
(to Vera)
He’s running!
VERA
Then run after him!
Julio chases, tossing aside patio furniture and knocking over
the barbeque pit in pursuit.
Fireworks light up the evening sky in the b.g.
Bert, much quicker than Julio, dodges blows and avoids being
captured and wrestled to the ground. He squirms away.
Julio, flustered, turns to see Bert taunting, and waving him
forward.
VERA (CONT’D)
(Spanish)
Kill him, Julio.
Julio charges full speed, arm cocked, ready to deliver a
fatal blow.
DELORES
(covers eyes)
I can’t watch...
Bert stands his ground until the very last tenth of a second
before dropping to his knees, under-cutting Julio and sending
him violently crashing and tumbling to the ground, coming to
rest at Vera’s feet.
VERA
Get up.
Julio, dazed, tries to stand, but falls.
VERA (CONT’D)
Get up!
Bert turns to Mina.
BERT
(pleased)
I did it.
(proud)
I didn’t need you after-all. I can
handle mine.
(to Vera)
Looks like we win!
ANGLE ON: Vera leans down over Julio.
96.
VERA
Tap me in.
BERT
Hey, that wasn’t part of the
agreement!
VERA
(to Julio)
Now.
Julio, still dazed, reaches up and taps her in.
Vera removes her blouse, revealing a fit upper-body.
BOSS-MAN
That bitch is changin’ the rules!
(beat)
Tap me in, Bert. I got this.
Boss-Man steps forward and shoves Bert aside.
BOSS-MAN (CONT’D)
(to Vera)
You done fucked up now.
Vera closes. Boss-Man swings and misses. Vera hits him with a
right to the kidneys. He buckles. She then knees him in the
face and he topples over.
Boss-Man, angered, springs to his feet.
DELORES
Get her, Reginald!
Boss-Man approaches, hands up, gauging his target. Vera, bad-
intentions in her eyes, hits him with a jab to the chin.
Boss-Man flinches, then swings. Vera blocks him attempt then
comes back with an elbow to the face, sending him crashing to
the ground.
Fireworks light up the evening sky for a couple beats, before
Delores takes off her shoe and aggressively crosses to Vera.
DELORES (CONT’D)
Don’t you hurt my baby!
Vera abruptly turns in her direction with bad intentions.
Delores stops and lowers her shoe and backs away.
DELORES (CONT’D)
(meek)
I didn’t say nothin.’
Vera turns to Bert.
97.
VERA
Is the janitor tappin’ in?
Bert eyes Boss-Man on the ground.
BERT
(beat)
Yea...I’m tappin’ that ass.
MINA
That’s not what she meant.
Mina steps in front of Bert, who feigns pushing her aside.
BERT
I got this.
Vera’s amused.
VERA
No, I want the Corvette bitch.
BERT
Okay, you said it, not me.
Mina takes off her wedding ring and earrings.
MINA
(to Bert)
Hold these for me.
Mina crosses to Vera standing in the center of the yard.
VERA
(grin)
Are you ready for the fireworks?
Before Mina can answer, Vera hits her with a right-cross,
sending her crashing to the ground.
VERA (CONT’D)
Boom, bitch.
Mina, bloody lip, eyes Bert while she climbs to her feet.
What ensues is a vicious choreographed ass-whoopin’ with a
succession of jabs to Mina’s face, knees to her mid-section,
left and right hooks, that leaves Mina eating grass.
Julio, still recovering, cheers on Vera.
Bert, Boss-Man and Delores wince as Mina removes grass from
her mouth.
VERA (CONT’D)
Get up! I’m not done with you yet.
98.
Mina climbs to her feet, but Vera springs into action with a
leg sweep that drops Mina on her back. She yelps in pain.
DELORES
(to Bert)
Don’t let that bitch kill her.
Bert rushes over to Mina.
BERT
Are you okay?
MINA
I’m fine. Help me up.
Bert pulls her up.
BERT
Let me tap in.
MINA
(scoffs)
...and do what?
VERA
Where’s my Powerball ticket?
Genres:
["Drama","Action","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
37 -
Confrontation and Liberation
INT. BERT'S HOUSE - THE KITCHEN - CONTINUOUS
Dale struggles to remove the masking tape from Nestor’s mouth
with his wrists still zip-tied.
DALE
(muffled)
Ready?
Nest nods.
RIP! Nestor resists screaming after the masking tape has been
ripped away.
EXT. BERT'S HOUSE - BACKYARD - CONTINUOUS
Vera punches Mina in rapid succession in the mid-section
before she flips Mina over her back and she lands squarely on
a plastic patio table that breaks under pressure.
Mina, again, struggles to climb to her feet.
BOSS-MAN
Stay down baby. This ain’t our
fight.
BERT
Time out!
99.
Bert holds up the universal sign for calling a “Time Out”.
VERA
Time-out?
BERT
Thirty second. Thirty second time-
out.
Bert crosses to Mina and examines the damage.
MINA
(seething)
Get out of my way, Bert.
BERT
Listen, you don’t have to do this.
Boss-Man limps over to them.
BOSS-MAN
Let’s just go home, baby.
MINA
I’m not going home with you.
BOSS-MAN
(re: Bert)
Then who are you going home with,
him?
MINA
I’m getting my own place...on the
coast, overlooking the ocean.
BERT
I don’t care about the money.
MINA
I do.
VERA (O.S.)
Ten seconds!
They lock eyes.
BERT
I accept your apology. Whether it
was one time, or ten times, I’m
good with it.
(beat)
I don’t want to lose you.
BOSS-MAN
(smile)
Too late.
100.
MINA
No...it’s not too late.
VERA (O.S.)
Five seconds!
Bert and Mina gaze longingly at each other.
BOSS-MAN
What the fuck?
Boss-Man steps in between them.
MINA
What time is it?
Bert, confused by the question, checks his watch, then:
BERT
It’s ass-kickin’ time?
Mina smiles through the blood streaming down her lower lip.
MINA
Damn skippy.
Mina crosses to Vera in the center of the yard.
BOSS-MAN
Who’s Skippy?
DELORES
It’s a figure of speech, Reginald.
Don’t you know anything?
Genres:
["Drama","Action"]
Ratings
Scene
38 -
Fight for the Powerball Ticket
INT. BERT'S HOUSE - THE KITCHEN - CONTINUOUS
Nestor and Dale, now de-muffled, eye Mina’s purse on the
counter a few feet away.
NESTOR
(re: Powerball ticket)
It’s gotta be in her purse.
EXT. BERT'S HOUSE - BACKYARD - CONTINUOUS
ANGLE ON: Mina, an eye swollen, bloody nose and lip, readies
herself for battle, then smiles.
VERA
(to Mina)
I’m gonna wipe that smile off your
face, bitch.
101.
Vera takes a swing at Mina, but she dodges the punch and
nails her with a body-blow, and then a left hook, sending
Vera toppling over in front of Julio.
Bert and the others cheer her on as she bounds around like a
prize-fighter.
MINA
I’ve got your bitch right here.
Julio helps Vera to her feet.
Vera, nose bleed, turns and crosses to Mina as we...
SMASH CUT TO:
INT. THE BEDROOM - CONTINUOUS
Close-up on Felicia’s face as her eyes open and she inhales
like a fish out of water.
CUT BACK TO:
EXT. BERT'S HOUSE - BACKYARD - CONTINUOUS
Mina and Vera wrestle around on the ground, scratching and
clawing before Mina straddles her.
INT. THE BEDROOM - CONTINUOUS
Felicia, nude, struggles to pull herself up using the bed for
support, before limping out of the room. Her black hair is
unkempt and wild, concealing half of her face.
EXT. BERT’S HOUSE - BACKYARD - CONTINUOUS
Mina, straddling Vera on the ground, pummels her with punches
to the face.
After a few more punches, Vera manages to wriggle free, swing
her body around and put Mina in a headlock.
Mina manages to climb to her feet and then elbows Vera in the
ribs and then tosses her head over feet, landing in front of
Julio.
Bert, Boss-Man and Delores cheer.
DELORES
That’s my girl!
ANGLE ON: Julio helping Vera to her feet.
102.
VERA
(utters)
Do you have one?
JULIO
My ankle.
VERA
Be ready.
MINA
Hey! I’m over here.
Vera turns to Mina, and then charges.
Genres:
["Drama","Action"]
Ratings
Scene
39 -
Chaos and Gunfire
INT. THE LIVING ROOM - CONTINUOUS
We see from behind, the two bleeding bullet holes in the
lower outer region of Felicia’s back, and then one near her
shoulder, as she stumbles about, knocking over a few pictures
and cutting her foot on the broken glass coffee table. She
winces in pain.
INT. BERT'S HOUSE - THE KITCHEN - CONTINUOUS
Nestor and Dale squirm on the floor, crossing to the counter
where Mina’s purse sits.
They hear the footsteps of someone approaching.
DALE
(whispers)
Somebody’s here.
INT. THE KITCHEN - CONTINUOUS
Felicia limps to the back door, past Nestor and Dale on the
floor, and peers into the backyard to see the wrestling
match, along with Bert and Delores cheering on Mina, while
Julio encourages Vera.
ANGLE ON: Nestor gives Dale the universal sign to be quiet.
EXT. BERT'S HOUSE - BACKYARD - CONTINUOUS
Mina, quick as a cat, pins Vera again, wrapping her legs
around her and securing the headlock.
Julio, sensing the inevitable, inconspicuously reaches down
to his ankle and pulls a small handgun.
DELORES
He’s got a gun!
103.
Boss-Man, closest to Julio, springs into action and tackles
him, dislodging the gun.
INT. THE KITCHEN - CONTINUOUS
Felicia watches Boss-Man wrestle with Julio as Bert joins in.
NESTOR
Felicia? Hey.
She turns and looks around the kitchen.
NESTOR (CONT’D)
Down here.
Felicia looks down.
FELICIA
Nestor? What’re you doing on the
floor?
NESTOR
It’s a long story. Could you do us
a favor?
EXT. BERT'S HOUSE - BACKYARD - CONTINUOUS
Vera, straining to breathe, taps Mina’s arm, signaling her
defeat.
Mina releases Vera and she drops to the ground and gasps for
air.
DELORES
Oh god...
Mina turns to Delores, and follows her eyes to the wrestling
match going on between Julio, Bert and Boss-Man.
INT. THE KITCHEN - CONTINUOUS
Nestor and Dale watch with baited breath as Felicia reaches
for Mina’s purse on the counter.
NESTOR
That’s it...
EXT. THE BACKYARD - CONTINUOUS
All three men are on their feet now, preparing to do battle.
104.
BERT
(to Boss-Man)
Go low.
Julio eyes the gun a few feet behind Boss-Man.
BERT (CONT’D)
(to Mina)
Get the gun.
INT. THE KITCHEN - CONTINUOUS
Felicia, still reaching for the purse, notices an empty glass
on the counter, picks it up and pours herself a glass of
water.
FELICIA
I’m thirsty--
DALE
No...the purse.
EXT. THE BACKYARD - CONTINUOUS
Julio charges Boss-Man, who drops down and wraps his arms
around Julio’s waist as Bert springs into action and jumps on
Julio’s back, wrapping an arm around his neck.
Julio grabs at Bert’s arm, gripping his watch and ripping it
from Bert’s wrist.
Bert, angered, squeezes harder.
ANGLE ON: Vera, recovering, eyes the back of Mina as she
crosses to the gun.
Vera springs up, pushes Mina aside and picks up the gun.
ANGLE ON: Delores, springs into action and charges Vera.
ANGLE ON: Mina, on the ground, watches as Vera turns with the
gun, only to get blasted like a quarterback getting destroyed
by a linebacker by DELORES!
Vera falls with the gun in her hand and pulls the trigger.
BANG!
Genres:
["Drama","Action","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
40 -
Chaos in the Kitchen
INT. THE KITCHEN - CONTINUOUS
The bullet crashes through the kitchen window and the shards
fall around Nestor and Dale on the floor.
105.
Felicia, startled by the pop of the gun and the broken glass,
turns away from the purse and crosses to the back door.
EXT. THE BACKYARD - CONTINUOUS
Vera is knocked out. Delores climbs to her feet.
DELORES
Don’t fuck with my kids.
Mina and Delores turn to see Julio on the ground and Boss-Man
holding his legs and Bert behind him with his legs wrapped
around his upper torso and his arm around Julio’s neck.
INT. THE KITCHEN - CONTINUOUS
Felicia walks to the open back door and peers into the yard.
EXT. THE BACKYARD - CONTINUOUS
Julio, struggling to breathe, taps out...but Bert doesn’t
release him.
MINA
(concerned)
Let him go, Bert.
BERT
He broke my watch.
DELORES
Don’t do it, baby...
BERT
He broke my watch!
Julio’s body is going limp.
BOSS-MAN
It’s over, Bert. Let him go.
Bert continues to squeeze, then:
FELICIA (O.S.)
Bert?
Mina, Delores, Boss-Man and Bert turn to see Felicia, nude,
standing about ten feet away.
Bert releases Julio, scrambles to his feet and crosses to
her.
106.
BERT
Felicia? You’re okay.
Julio gasps for air.
FELICIA
My back hurts.
Bert removes his shirt and covers her upper torso.
Bert and Mina lock eyes for a couple beats, then:
BAM!
An overhead spotlight shines down into the yard from a POLICE
HELICOPTER above.
POLICE (O.S.)
Freeze! Do NOT move and drop your
weapons! I repeat, drop your
weapons!
Everyone stops and looks up at the helicopter.
Genres:
["Crime","Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
41 -
Tense Standoff in the Kitchen and Backyard
INT. THE KITCHEN - CONTINUOUS
From Nestor and Dales POV on the floor we see the spotlight
illuminating everyone in the backyard and the purse still on
the kitchen counter.
EXT. THE BACKYARD - CONTINUOUS
ANGLE ON: Bert, one arm around Felicia, helping her stand,
and the other in the air.
BERT
There’s plenty to go around if we
stick together.
They all nod in agreement.
From everyone’s POV, behind Bert, we see POLICE OFFICERS, in
the house with flashlights and weapons drawn, scanning the
perimeter.
Bert turns to Mina.
BERT (CONT’D)
Reggie. Help me with Felicia.
Boss-Man takes a step forward and supports Felicia on the
other side.
A beat later, Bert turns and crosses to Mina, gazing into her
eyes.
107.
POLICE (O.S.)
Do NOT move!
He gently wipes the trickle of blood away from her lips.
BERT
Looks like I’m not a widower.
MINA
...and I’m not a widow.
After a beat, Bert leans in for a welcomed kiss.
Delores smiles. Boss-Man gawks.
BOSS-MAN
What the fu--
DELORES
You need to let Bert win sometimes
and stop stickin’ your dick where
it don’t belong.
Suddenly Hector, clutching his baby, rushes into the
backyard.
HECTOR
Vera!
VERA
Stop, Hector! Stay where you are.
HECTOR
Don’t worry I called them!
POLICE
Don’t move or we’ll shoot!
Hector freezes.
Genres:
["Drama","Crime","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
42 -
Reconciliation by the Infinity Pool
INT. BERT'S HOUSE - THE KITCHEN - CONTINUOUS
Nestor and Dale, now standing and being detained by POLICE
OFFICERS, gaze into the back yard and watch Bert and Mina
kiss under the spotlight.
NESTOR
(utters/smile)
Dub.
FADE TO BLACK:
108.
EXT. DARK SKY - NIGHT
The fen ally of a fireworks show in all of it’s glory, blasts
the screen, then slows as the evening sky turns to day.
MUSIC CUE: “I get around” (Instrumental) by Tupac
INT. FEDERAL OFFICE BUILDING - DAY
Cameras flash. ONLOOKERS cheer. Video cameras move in and
about. JOURNALISTS push and shove for position.
ONSTAGE:
Dressed in their Sunday best, Bert and Mina, holding hands.
Delores, Nestor and Dale, wave and gloat for the cameras.
Boss-Man helps Felicia stand from her wheelchair.
Hector, Vera and their baby, smiling.
Julio and his crew, posing.
In front of them is an oversized six-hundred and sixty-eight
million dollar check.
On ALL of their ankles are blinking ankle bracelets,
compliments of the LAPD.
DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. HOUSE OVERLOOKING THE BEACH - DAY
Drone shot of a large house on the coast.
EXT. BACKYARD BY THE INFINITY POOL - CONTINUOUS
Bert and Mina, lies on lounge chair, gazing out at the
infinity pool and the ocean in the b.g.
The ankle bracelets have been removed, but Bert’s watch band
has been repaired and upgraded with sparkling diamonds and is
prominently displayed on his wrist.
MINA
(smile)
I always knew we’d end up together.
BERT
Did you?
(beat)
I didn’t.
109.
MINA
Your brother was a mistake I deeply
regret.
BERT
I’m not talkin’ about him.
MINA
Then who’re you talking about?
Bert puts on his designer sunglasses.
BERT
(grin)
You don’t want this smoke.
FADE TO BLACK:
ROLL CREDITS:
SUGGESTED MUSIC CUE: “If I ruled the world” Nas
Various shots of:
Delores getting pampered at a salon.
Nestor and his WIFE at a Mercedes Benz dealership.
Dale marrying a STRIPPER at a Strip Club.
Julio and his crew lowering and hitting their hydraulic
switches on two Bentleys.
Vera, pregnant, stands alongside Hector and their TODDLER,
choosing paint colors for the baby’s room.
Lastly, Felicia and Boss-Man (diamond encrusted BM necklace)
arguing in their large home, before she opens the door,
pushes him outside and slams the door.
After a couple beats, Boss-Man crosses to his new convertible
Corvette, passing his belongings, clothes, shoes, etc.,
strewn on the front lawn, hops in the car and tears away.
His vanity license plate reads: BM OUT
SUGGESTED MUSIC CUE: “21 Questions” 50 cent (Instrumental)
THE END