Stephen Metcalfe - Writer and Director

ROCK, PAPER, BONE

EXT. LONDON - NIGHT
Establishing.
EXT. A CLUB - SOHO - NIGHT
A POV -- A line of people outside, waiting to get in. Moving past them, past the doormen, entering into -
INT. CLUB - CONTINUOUS
POV - An indoor rave, fueled by drugs and alcohol. An overflowing dancefloor, a huge bar - a bartender staring - moving through and around towards -
THE REAR OF THE CLUB - CONTINUOUS
POV - Passage way towards rest rooms - people milling; a couple doing drugs - moving past them down towards the end of the hall, turning -
AROUND A CORNER - CONTINUOUS
- to see the elevator. Two well dressed, tough looking men, loitering, bored. Looking up in surprise -
- high on the wall - wham - the surveillance camera explodes -
BACK TO -
The dance floor.
BACK TO -
- elevator doors squeeze shut.
UPPER FLOOR - LOFT SPACE - NIGHT
In the darkness, the lights from one of several computer screens illuminates the stressed out face of a man, 60’s. LIAM GALLAGHER is on his feet, cell phone to his ear. Open bottle of Jamesons on the desk - next to a pistol.
LIAM
(Irish accent)
No, Brigit - no! Don’t tell me, you can’t do nothin’ cause you’re supposed to do it, it’s your job t’ do it, y’ stupid bitch!
(Then:)
Oh, for Chri -- I have tried! You think I’m stupid! I have no fuckin’ connection!
(Then: softly)
Brigit, there’s no connection.
There is a distant history of New York in the voice.
RAY (O.C.)
You’re off-line, Liam.
Liam turns with a start. The man, mid 50’s, wears an expensive suit and mock-turtle; his eyes are tired. Liam glances at the pistol on the desk as if considering it - and then he sighs and sags down into the chair.
LIAM
Aw, Bone. Why you a’ all people.
RAY
Wish I knew.
LIAM
I had some lads downstairs.
RAY
Come on, Liam.
Liam glances at a monitor. Two bodies on the floor.
LIAM
(a sigh)
Yeah...
(then:)
I never trusted computers. Do you? Stupid question. You’ve never trusted nothin’, have ya, Bone.
(Cigar box)
Y’mind?
The man called Bone doesn’t say no. Liam now calmly taking out a cigar - lighting it -
LIAM (cont’d)
If it makes a difference I was just peddlin’ scraps. Does it? Make a difference?
RAY
No.
LIAM
Didn’t think so.
- putting the lighter down - close to the pistol.
LIAM
How’s Pammie?
RAY
She passed away six months ago. Cancer.
LIAM
No shit. I didn’t know. And Ellie?
RAY
(hesitating slightly)
...Chicago. Living with a guy.
LIAM
He treat her right?
RAY
He better. April and the boys?
LIAM
April’s taken care of.
(pointedly)
The “boys” can take care a’ themselves.
Liam realizes his cigar has gone out -
LIAM
Shit...
He reaches for the lighter - and goes for the gun - and fumbles it - and sees that it was pointless anyway - Ray’s silenced gun is already out and aiming at him.
LIAM
See you in hell, Bone.
RAY
Tell the guys, I’m coming.
Ray shoots. Liam falls. Ray stares a moment. He puts down his gun. He picks up the bottle of Jamesons. He turns away. He stands, a silhouette against the floor to ceiling windows, Soho in front of him. He drinks.
EXT. DULLES - WASHINGTON, D.C. - DAY
Establishing. A jet lands.
INT. INTERNATIONAL TERMINAL - DAY
People move through Customs. Ray at a custom’s counter - his passport handed back to him.
AGENT
Welcome home.
TO: BAGGAGE CLAIM
Ray lifts a suitcase and an expensive, gun-metal briefcase off the carousel.
TO: INSPECTION
Agents going through luggage. Ray, waiting. An agent finishes -
AGENT
Next.
Ray approaches and lifts his bags up onto the counter. Ray and the agent hardly looking at one another. The agent opens the suitcase. Lifts some neatly folded shirts - and palms the roll of bills beneath. The agent closes the suitcase.
AGENT
Good to go.
Ray, taking his cases and moving on.
EXT. HOUSE - CHESAPEAKE BAY - DAY
A nondescript sedan comes up the drive towards the secluded house. Chesapeake Bay out beyond it. Ray gets out, moves to the trunk for his bags.
EXT. THE HOUSE - EVENING
Sunset. Ray sitting out on the deck, casually dressed now, drink in hand, looking out at the water - tired; hardly seeing the view.
LIAM (V.O.)
How’s Pammie?
RAY (V.O.)
She passed away six months ago.
LIAM (V.O.)
And Ellie?
Ray blinks at the sound of a cell phone. He rises.
TO:
LONG ANGLE ON - Ray goes back into the house. Chesapeake beyond.
RAY (O.S.)
Yeah. I just got in.
(a beat)
Where.
DISSOLVE TO:
Tendrils of jungle green casting shadows. We’re:
EXT. SAN DIEGO ZOO - DAY
An orangutang munches contentedly. Another, a female, plays with its baby - the baby, a comedian. Ray sits on a bench, quietly watching; soft leather jacket, tailored slacks. Frowning now at the sound of a voice -
GIDEON (O.C.)
Do something. Come on, ya big doof.
Ray, glancing over at him - a slob: bucket hat, cargo shorts, walrus moustache and goatee, Chargers jersey. Eating from a large bag of popcorn. Throwing some of it against the glass where an adult male sits.
GIDEON
You cost me twenty-five bucks, you gonna do something or what?
(To a woman)
What are you lookin’ at?
She moves quickly away. The man seemingly notices Ray for the first time.
GIDEON
Orangutans, uh? Sposed to be amusing. A fat bag of towels with a stick up its nose. I got dirty laundry more amusing.
(Back to the glass)
Yeah, that’s right, I’m talking about you.
The guy, GIDEON, wads the bag, tosses it towards a waste basket, missing. He approaches and sits down next to Ray.
GIDEON
(voice soft and efficient)
Nice jacket, Bone.
Ray, really looking at him.
GIDEON
Though in my opinion, it doesn’t work in a zoo full of mutants, wetbacks and white trash tourists. You stand out.
RAY
Where’s Artie?
GIDEON
No, you’re supposed to say, do firefighters cook as well as we’re told. And I say, you can accept it as truth and be no worse off or -
Ray grabs him by the back of the neck.
RAY
I will hurt you.
GIDEON
People are looking.
RAY
Artie.
GIDEON
He resigned.
RAY
He would have told me.
GIDEON
Part of his package, he promised not to.
Ray releases him. Gideon rubbing his neck, looking up at -
GIDEON
What do you say we take a ride in the sky bucket?
EXT. TRAM RIDE - DAY
The tram heaves out of the shed and lifts towards the sky.
INT. TRAM - CONTINUOUS
Ray and Gideon sitting across from one another, pole between them. Gideon holds out a hand.
GIDEON
Larry Gideon.
RAY
I don’t need your name. Just tell me who.
GIDEON
That’s not how I work.
RAY
It’s how I work. You know nothing about me, I know nothing about you. You have my attention till the ride’s over, unless I throw you out in the next 30 seconds.
GIDEON
There is an individual who has recently come into a position of influence.
RAY
Meaning?
GIDEON
He is in control of certain resources.
RAY
Meaning.
GIDEON
Resources our client wants.
RAY
They could ask him to share.
GIDEON
He wouldn’t listen.
RAY
So you want this guy eliminated.
GIDEON
No. The people he works with are every bit as uncooperative as he is. In this regard, the individual is like a hydra.
RAY
A hydra.
GIDEON
A nine headed beast, one head immortal.
RAY
They might have one in the reptile house. You can check it out on your way down.
Gideon; raising the small pistol he’s been holding/hiding.
GIDEON
Do you know how one deals with a hydra, Bone? You cut off every head and as you do, you cauterize each neck so nothing can ever grow again. And then you take the final head, the immortal head, which is the soul of the beast and you bury it under a rock so it can never see the light of day again. I would suggest this is beyond even you.
RAY
-- ten -- nine -- eight --
GIDEON
The client doesn’t wish to replace anyone. The client wishes to influence.
Ray
I don’t do influence.
GIDEON
No. But I’m sure you’ll agree that what you do can have enormous influence.
RAY
I don’t disagree. Which takes us back to beginning. Who.