Midtown

  Fade in:

               BLACK SCREEN

               Traffic sounds.

                                   RADIO BROADCAST

                         ...Yeah, the 1st Avenue Tunnel is

                         plugged. 2nd Avenue, 3rd Avenue,

                         Lexington, Park, and Madison,

                         yikes, just forget about Madison.

                         And all the East streets from 49th

                         through 52nd. It's September 23

                         and one of the biggest official

                         NYC gridlock days as the United

                         Nations kicks of their schedule

                         for meetings. From now till

                         September 30th you'd better plan

                         on walkin' everywhere. Even the

                         motorcycle and bicycle couriers

                         and playin' Hell. Welcome to

                         Manhattan, folks.

               EXT. RAIN SWEPT GRIDLOCK NEW YORK STREET

               A motorcycle rider, dressed in black leather and wearing a

               black helmet is threading his way through stopped traffic.

               He is making fairly good progress, creeping along in low

               gear, until a cab driver opens his door in front of the

               motorcycle and yells at the rider.

                                   CABBIE

                         Hey, where you going? Are you stupid or

                         something? I never seen anyone as

                         wet as you are.

               The rider does not respond except to rev the bike's engine a

               few times. After a short pause, the cab driver raises the

               back of his hand to the rider and slams his door, allowing

               the motorcycle to continue. The rider pauses, holds up a

               utility knife in a black gloved hand and extends the blade.

               He then leans to the right and slashes the front tire of the

               cab before speeding away through the intersection just as

               the light turns green. He does not look back.

               INT. ORNATE OFFICE TEN STORIES ABOVE THE STREET

               A man in a three piece suit is looking out of the window and

               addressing someone else in the room while watching the action

               and the snarled traffic on the street below, now blocked

               even more by the cab with the flat tire.

                                   KARL

                         (Exasperated, but calm.) They're

                         all animals down there.

                                   MISS BOHANNON

                         (Haughty, upper crust accent) You

                         are right, of course, my dear and

                         I am late for luncheon.

               A door opens and a rotund man leans into the room.

                                   CHARLES

                         Your car is waiting, Miss.

                                   MISS BOHANNON

                         Did you tell him the Ritz? I am

                         going to the Ritz.

                                   CHARLES

                         I'm sorry, Miss. The Ritz is

                         closed. U.N. only.

                                   MISS BOHANNON

                              (Unphased.)

                         Alright then, any Michelin 3-star.

                                   CHARLES

                         Le Bernardin features Wagyu beef,

                         Bluefin tuna, and...

                                   MISS BOHANNON

                              (Dripping irony.)

                         Hmmm. French cuisine from the

                         Pacific Rim. There is a reason to

                         live in New York City after all.

                                   KARL

                         A Wagyu steak sounds divine.

                                   CHARLES

                         It's over on West 51st, just...

                                   MISS BOHANNON

                         Yes, Charles, we know where Le

                         Bernardin is located. I'm off

                         then. Karl, would you care to come

                         along? Wagyu beef, you know.

                                   KARL

                         With a Malbec

                                   MISS BOHANNON

                         Of course. A sexy Argentinean red

                         to go with a gently massaged cut

                         of drunken Japanese cow. You know

                         how to make a girl's mouth water.

                         Itadakimasu.

                                   KARL

                              (Casually supplying the

                              translation.)

                         To eat and to receive.

                                   CHARLES

                         (Speaking to a mobile phone in a

                         loud whisper is a Cockney accent

                         that he didn't have a moment ago.)

                         They wanna to go to Le Bernardin.

                         Yes, the Miss is bringing a

                         friend. Yes, just two. So, can you

                         find it? I mean the restaurant.

                         Ok, good. Call me if you have any

                         trouble. Hey, are you packing?

                         Yeah, you'd better be.