W.I.I.F.M

W.I.I.F.M
Snatch & Grab

Written by
The GinJoint Crew

CONTACT
WIIFM@GinJoint.com
541-241-6070

- - -

A zealot cabal of cartel, pharma, and police state betrays grass-root SciTech revolutionaries whose use of nature unknowingly loosens their deadly control on humanity.

From the pages of the MX, a fantastical history.

This story is inspired by real events. ...except the parts where the Powers that be do the right thing. Those parts are complete fantasy and made up, ...so you'll believe the story.

Jul 9, 2025

> FADE IN:

EXT. SOUTHERN OREGON GARDEN COUNTRY - DAY

Soaring over cannabis plant farms stretching across rolling hills under autumn light. We descend toward a farm raid in progress, and the farm churns with chaos. Forty-plus LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS (LEOs) swarm the site. Twin excavators rip through rows of plants, stacking them carefully in plastic-lined dump trucks.

County deputies, federal agents, and local police scramble for overtime pay.

RABID DEPUTY (O.S.)
GET. DOWN. ON-THE-GROUND!

RABID DEPUTY (O.S.)
PUT-YOUR-HANDS-UP!

INT. OUT BUILDING OFFICE-TRIM PROCESSING ROOM - DAY

Kief covers everything. Black scissor hash scum residues is on everything anyone has touched it's a giant dog's breakfast of crap. Plastic tubs, igloo coolers, totes, turkey bags, garbage buckets, chairs, magnifying glasses, optical led who knows whatsits, rolling papers, a plethora of scissor-clipper-tweezers, Bottles used isopropyl, cups, plates, tubing, humongous dildo, bongs, lighters, torches, film canisters, cat box on the table, ashtrays, blunts, cigarettes, hair ties and rubber bands, wrappers, towels SS yeast tank, crisscrossed in ripped duct tape ... Everything is so gross,

RABID DEPUTY (O.S.)
GET. DOWN. ON-THE-GROUND!

RABID DEPUTY (O.S.)
PUT-YOUR-HANDS-UP!

A hoarse and RABID DEPUTY (30s, sweat-drenched) pins a FRAIL MAN (+80, Open Wound on his right shin) with his AR's muzzle to his chair.

FRAIL MAN
(breathless)
I... Ka... Kant..

The Deputy shakes with rage, and about to burst or murder

RABID DEPUTY
PUT-YOUR-HANDS-UP!

The frail man slumps back in his chair and struggles to raise spastic arms.

RABID DEPUTY
GET. DOWN. ON-THE-GROUND!

The enervated, urine-soaked man trembles without the strength to move without using his arms.

RABID DEPUTY
PUT-YOUR-HANDS-UP!

EXT. SOUTHERN OREGON GROW SITE - DAY ***

A grizzled RAID CHIEF (50s) barks orders while puffing a fifty-dollar Lunatic Maduro cigar. Next to him, a Special Assigned Observer, YOUNG AK SHININABeside him stands AK SHININAN (23), lean and athletic from rock climbing, clutching an MXAnalyticals notebook and inventory list-Hundreds of entries and thousands of plants.

His navy tactical gear looks naive among all the black, greens, tans, and camouflages. Jaw clenched, he takes notes as he observes the predatory nature of this law enforcement exercise. In the margin, a note "target-circle $85k" and "Weed=No Value?"

Raids are expensive and civil servants need boats.

INT. OUT BUILDING OFFICE-TRIM PROCESSING ROOM - DAY

RABID DEPUTY
GET. DOWN. ON-THE-GROUND!

The urine-soaked man is enervated and cannot get out of his chair without lowering his arms.

A senior LEO passing by snorts.

RABID DEPUTY
PUT-YOUR-HANDS-UP!

EXT. SOUTHERN OREGON GROW SITE - AFTERNOON

20 young growers and a HIPPIE WITCH LADY sit zip tied in a line out front of the office, glaring from the dirt. Deputies haul weed-filled trash bags to a dump trailer. Evidence tape lies forgotten in the dirt.

Two agents on perimeter security fondle their guns. BOOM! A negligent discharge rocks the scene. The swam ducks and scrambles. The negligent officers shrink and try to disappear.

RAID CHIEF
(cigar clenched in teeth)
You fucking morons! ... Ok, wrap this up, and no gawddamn accidents! Those Numbnuts blew my insurance!

AK watches the shit-show, and scratches a line under another note: "Inventory will rot?"

EXT. SOUTHERN OREGON ROAD - EVENING

A convoy of Agency cars, SUVs, and a black Mercedes-Maybach S-Class leads three gear-grinding dump trucks snaking through the maze of southern Oregon Rogue Valley hills and highways. They pass farm after farm until they pass a “thin blue line” flag beside a stone-flanked mailbox labeled, “High Hopes Farm”. The precession rockets on, but the dump trucks downshift, air brakes popping, and veer up a long driveway toward a house and barn nestled in the foothills.

EXT. CORVALLIS PARK BBQ PIT - DAY

A massive BBQ pit sizzles, smoke curling skyward as CHAD, a hulking ex-OSU linebacker, flips ribs and brisket, sweat beading on his brow. Twenty sporty YOUNG ADULTS gambol on the lush field, chugging margaritas and lobbing frisbees. Footballs spiral through the air, beers foam over, and the sounds of fun echo—friends are everything. Amid the fray, BIGGS, lean and lethal, charges a stocky PIGSKIN CARRIER, he sticks him with a deep and hollow thud–JUNEBUG!, “Ohhs,” and “damns” erupt from the crowd, forks pause mid-bite.

Chad bites his massive paw in respect.

CHAD
Ohh DAMN!

Chad, decked in a faded OSU jersey, grins from the grill, saluts Biggs’ hit. It’s just a game, but it’s a damn good one. AK SHINIAN jogs in, hauling a keg and dripping bags of ice, his long and farmer strong frame slings the load. Chad spots him, and pops his own collar as he acknowledges his friend bearing gifts.

CHAD
Ouuu WEEE! WHUUD UP… PLAYAAA!

AK bucks his keg by a makeshift bar—piled beer cases, liquor bottles, and sliced limes tended by a BAR GUY with a practiced flick. The setup’s too slick for a casual BBQ, but Chad has nightclub dreams. AK weaves through the crowd, trading hugs, daps, and knucks, his grin wide. Chad dips low, to fein tackle his buddy with a propper linebacker greeting.

CHAD
Aaa..!

AK
What’s guUUD! Big DOG!

They collide in a bro hug, all grins and barks, the crowd’s energy swirling around them.

CHAD
I do, whut I do!

AK
My man… everything looks and smells so good! …How’s the club coming?

CHAD
I do, whut I do! …DOGG

Montage: The BBQ roars—ribs drip, frisbees soar, a football spirals into a margarita-soaked tackle. Laughter and smoke blend with athletic boys and girls living their best lives on a perfect Oregon day.

EXT. CORVALLIS PARK RIVER FRONT - EVENING

By a crackling bonfire, AK, BIGGS, and CHAD kick back with their sweeties and blankets, the water glinting behind them. The party hums softer now—friends splash in the water, beers clink. Chad pulls a rasta bag from his pocket, pinching a bud, sniffing it with a showman’s flair before rolling a blunt.

CHAD
Weed?

AK
You know how THC… is supposedly the oleoresin that gets you high?

BIGGS
You are talking about weed?

AK
Hahaha, yeah, the science of weed.

BIGGS
There’s science..?

AK
You know, all the aspects—THC, CBD, tall or fat plants, leaves, color, trichomes..?

Chad guts a banana flavored-Backwoods.

CHAD
Nah, man… I smoke dat shit, I don’t… science dat shit.

BIGGS
I thought getting high on your own supply is why you good-times are always broke!

CHAD
Yeah, mon, I’m broke… ‘cause my sensimilla is so… dank, brudda!

AK
Hahaha, OK, but I’m beginning to. to think all the words y’all use for the ganja is bullshit…

CHAD
What chu mean, mang?

CHAD pinch-grinds his buds and loads the banana wrapper.

AK
You know, sativa, indica, terps… Did you know a landrace sativa like Durban Poison will lay you out waay harder than a pure indica like Hash Plant?

BIGGS
What the fuck you talking about, “science man”?

CHAD
Yeah, “science man”, what the fUK you talkin’?

They laugh, ribs shaking.

Brad licks alone the wrapper, and works it into a blunt.

AK
I’m saying, if you took everything all y’all weedlers say about weed… what a dealer sells you on… put that on a table… And THAT’S the bullshit part.

BIGGS
I don’t say shit

AK
That part’s wrong too…

CHAD
What all weedlers say? What are dealers saying?

BIGGS
Wait, you can’t trust dealers?

AK
Pushers.

AK
When I say THC, what you thinking?

CHAD
“What the fuck you saying?”

AK
Dude, you’re this city’s biggest hookup… How do you NOT know what I’m talking about? It’s how you communicate weed!

CHAD
Nah, mang, that’s not how we doo.

Chad licks the wrapper, like a mini cuban.

AK
Remember last year you and the homies got that smoke-and-work weed? Y’all went crazy for it. Then you couldn’t find it, and y’all went REAL crazy. Why’d you let it go?

CHAD
Just ran out. The connect dried up. Rained out. Those meddling POL-LEASE. Worse.

BIGGS
You run out!? When?

CHAD
Man, I run out. Purple’s here, then gone. Red hairs, cloudy trikes—come and go. But you always charged for sumpin'. Whut-u-want? BIG C’s got chu cuverd…

AK
Exactly! I think it’s ‘cause none of that color shit matters. No matter what anyone says is good, it doesn’t matter. That’s why, unless it’s shake… you can tell everyone it’s the best. If it don’t matter… who’s to say–

Chad runs the lighter along the blunt to fire harden his smoke.

CHAD
I’m ta say, nigga! The reason it’s ta best. It's me. Believe dat!

AK
Right, that’s what I’m saying—none of that shit matters! So anything can matter…

Biggs uses his arm to stop short with AK.

BIGGS
Oh shit, you’re gonna ruin his business.

CHAD
Yeah! You. Is… Wait… whut makes you think you is sum kinda Mr. Marijuana? Nigga, you don’t even smoke! Hell, you don’t even drink normal, Copper?!

Chad roasts the end and lights his blunt, little puffs. He licks his ring finger and uses the wet to adjust the burn.

BIGGS
Yeah, if "you is" a cop, you gotta tell us. No, no, no, not today FED man! Uh uh…

AK
Hahaha, I’m not Mr. Fuckin’ Marijuana… I’ve always been Mr. Science. But you ARE Mr. Marijuana, so why don’t you know this?

BIGGS
Yeah, why don’t you know anything? Ganja Boy!

CHAD
Muthafuckaz, I know, every. Damn. Thing—I sling THE chronic! You know who Californias come to for weed… ME!

BIGGS
"But you broke".

CHAD
Oh, yeah… I is… OK, ok… Mr. Professor-Born-Again-Green… Teach me your science shit… So, I can stay REALLY high… AND get… All. Dat. fuck-you-monay!

They laugh, doubled over. Chad inhales like an Olympic puffer-faced fish… Offers it to his boys…

CHAD
Er.

They wave it off, tipping cheers at him with chocolate milk bottles… He offers it to his girl… the chicitas partake… And he exhales a THICK cloud.

EXT. ROAD, FARM TO TOWN, AMBUSH 1 - DAY ***

A canopied PICKUP speeds through thick fog on a fall morning in the Pacific NW. Will Smith's "Wild Wild West" plays on the radio - the intro's driving beat and Western-themed lyrics creating an ironic soundtrack.

PASSENGER (O.S.)
Wait, what? What? You didn-

DRIVER (O.S.)
NO! I knew you were in there!

RADIO NEWSCASTER
“We interrupt your regular program for a message from the Josephine County emergency services-”

PASSENGER (O.S.)
Hahahah, yeah ok so for sure, we met, I'd say it. Not to her face! Her face, but… *Laughs with Embarrassment*

RADIO NEWSCASTER
“Two bodies were found Thursday morning near Tussing Park in Grants Pass, according to Rural Metro Fire.”

DRIVER (O.S.)
I knew it! Dustin said you guys hung out hella late. I was like Mmmm, bro… I hope he remembers the trip because–

RADIO NEWSCASTER
“The Grants Pass Police Department said at about 9:16 a.m., someone reported seeing a body…”

INT. PICKUP TRUCK CABIN - CONTINUOUS

TWO twenty-somethings deride while sucking down XL quick-mart coffees. Their hoodies are speckled with disgusting white patches of… Eww-Gross. They need to wash, WAY more, because they reek of cigarettes, beer, and chew. They're cheery, but recovering from their house party. This morning is hard, hard-hard. The DRIVER struggles to see through the thick blanket. The fog isn't their friend either–Nothing is. Sobriety left them hanging.

DRIVER
…uh, bro, girls n'early mornings do not mix.

PASSENGER
I was good! I was good, plus I really like her… You know, how it is… the hoes… they for everyone, the hoes.

RADIO NEWSCASTER
“The bodies of Dan Gill, 24, and Raul M. Polk, 26, both of Josephine County, were found in a remote, wooded area about seven miles south of Lake Selmac…”

PASSENGER
But good girls… You gotta take it slow so you don–

DRIVER
Find out she's not into you?

PASSENGER
Bro! I was there all night! I was there–

DRIVER
It's your house. BRO!

RADIO NEWSCASTER
“During the investigation, a sheriff’s deputy shot at a vehicle that was approaching officers and then sped away from a staging area about 2 miles from the burned out car.”

PASSENGER
…what's THAT supposed to mean? Supposed to mean? I gave her a key, man. She has a key!

DRIVER
You! wha'tha?? "THAT" means a lot, of shit, but none of THAT means, I gave her a– Wait, so, wait, WHY the SAD DOG routine when we were leaving?

PASSENGER
…uh. I dunno… Uh, I guess… because-she, sheNEVERwantstoseeMEagain… again.

EXT. ROAD, FARM TO TOWN, AMBUSH 1 - CONTINUOUS

From the fog, a TRUCK trails the boys racing to catch PICKUP. It brakes hard to avoid rear-ending, and tailgates them.

INT. PICKUP TRUCK CABIN - CONTINUOUS

DRIVER
WHAT? You spent the night with her- gave her a freekin' KEY- and she told– she doesn't want to see you again? Dude, stage 5 in a day– You-

The TRUCK lights dance in the side mirror and interrupt DRIVER.

DRIVER
(At his mirror)
GEEZUS! Man, What the FUCK! With all the fog and animal out here- and the FUCKING fog- that FUCK should NOT be fucking speeding. Right?

RADIO NEWSCASTER
“An autopsy performed by the Josephine County coroner reveals the two men were likely burned to death at the scene.”

DRIVER
(At his radio)
What?! Those guys were wha–

EXT. ROAD, FARM TO TOWN, AMBUSH 1 - CONTINUOUS

The impetuous TRUCK rushes past the boys. NASCAR rubs their PICKUP's front fender, and takes their lane.

INT. PICKUP TRUCK CABIN - CONTINUOUS

DRIVER
Da FUCK!? FUCK! That FUCKER hit MY truck! He's gunna FUCKING kill us!

PASSENGER
I know! I KNOW!

DRIVER
SHIT! Uhh… Fft- get THAT, uh. Uh! Fucking license- The PLATE!

PASSENGER
Yeah!

DRIVER
We-are. We're- Calling-this- The. FUCK in!-

PASSENGER
Hell, yea!

DRIVER
AS SOON, as we- we unload this shit.

EXT. ROAD, FOREST, AMBUSH 1 - CONTINUOUS

Offended, the TRUCK brakes hard. Its taillights explode bright red light using the fog, completely impairing DRIVER's eyes! DRIVER brakes and swerves into the oncoming lane.

The offended TRUCK lurches left too, cutting DRIVER off, and honks before DRIVER can.

INT. PICKUP TRUCK CABIN - CONTINUOUS

DRIVER
DAMMIT! GEEZUS! See, FUCKING deer.

PASSENGER
Yeah deer. Yeah deer…

EXT. ROAD, FOREST, AMBUSH 1 - CONTINUOUS

DRIVER swerves back hard right.

INT. PICKUP TRUCK CABIN - CONTINUOUS

DRIVER
GAWD DAMN! OK, well, let's try THIS way then!

EXT. ROAD, FOREST, AMBUSH 1 - CONTINUOUS

DRIVER shoots to the road's shoulder to evade or escape or…?

INT. PICKUP TRUCK CABIN - CONTINUOUS

PASSENGER
GEEZUS man! GEEZUS!

EXT. ROAD, FOREST, AMBUSH 1 - CONTINUOUS

They hit the shoulder, their tires sink into soft gravel and dirt.

The offending TRUCK swerves back, trapping PICKUP against a formidable ditch.

INT. PICKUP TRUCK CABIN - CONTINUOUS

DRIVER stops hard.

DRIVER
What the FUCK man! What-the-FUCK-is-going-on?-

PASSENGER
Shit like this ALWAYS happens when we're dirty. It ALWAYS happens.

DRIVER
Dude- FUCKTHIS! Man!

EXT. ROAD, FOREST, AMBUSH 1 - CONTINUOUS

DRIVER reverses to flee.

DRIVER
I. Don't. Give. a FU–

A horn blasts from behind, shocking them. DRIVER stomps on the break.

A large WHITE TRUCK captures them from the rear-No escape.

INT. PICKUP TRUCK CABIN - CONTINUOUS

PASSENGER
Gawd damnnit! FukMan, we're being–

A HARD and HUGE blow ROCKS the back of the PICKUP.

DRIVER
FUCK!

The canopy is jerked open. The boys reel and twitch, frozen.

DRIVER
Oh, fuck… Yea, we are..-

From the fog, the UNFORTUNATE TWO can make out FOUR ARMED THIEVES. Holding them at gunpoint.

DRIVER
Fuck-dude, put-put, your-hands-up!

(yells at men outside)
WE. WE AREN'T ARMED MAN! We. Are. NOT. Armed Man!-

PASSENGER
(incoherent whimpers)
Yes! Please! No-Right! No Right!-

The PICKUP is tossed hard as a second team of thieves, they can hear, but cannot see, pillage the load.

THIEF (O.S.)
(muffled)
They have the right to be… ROBBERY ONE'd!

THIEVES (O.S.)
(muffled)
*Laughs and taunts*

The closest gunman, LEFT-GUNMAN, to the PASSENGER steps forward.

THIEF (O.S.)
3 more!

The LEFT-GUNMAN commands the UNFORTUNATE TWO.

LEFT-GUNMAN
(muffled)
POP the hood, or you die!

EXT. ROAD, FOREST, AMBUSH 1 - CONTINUOUS

LEFT-GUNMAN shatters the passenger window with his gun barrel.

INT. PICKUP TRUCK CABIN - CONTINUOUS

Nothing separates these KIDS from the GUNMEN.

LEFT-GUNMAN
POP-the-hood, or YOU. WILL. DIE!

LEFT-GUNMAN steps back, fear wrangling with his laser-ON.

DRIVER
OK, OKOK, man- GEEZUS! FUCK! OK!

Crimson threatens DRIVER's eyes and face.

DRIVER
OK, I'm doing it!

The laser attacks PASSENGER.

PASSENGER
Do-it! GEEZUS man! Do-it! Do-it! DO-IT! I'm NOT armed! I-SORRY!

DRIVER
GAWD! I'M-trying! I'M TRYING! I'm not doing- ANYTHING!

DRIVER claws the stubborn hood release, he rips the under-dash plastic panel off. WRONG!

DRIVER
FUCK! (Yells to Gunman) I'M SORRY!

PASSENGER
(Yells at DRIVER)
DOIT!
(Yells at GUNMAN)
I'm NOT armed, PLEASE!

DRIVER flails at the release. A plastic-metallic POP frees the truck's bonnet. The hood launches up, blocking the windshield.

EXT. ROAD, FOREST, AMBUSH 1 - CONTINUOUS

An obscured GUNMAN strikes the engine several times.

RADIO NEWSCASTER
“This is a Josephine County emergen–”

INT. PICKUP TRUCK CABIN - CONTINUOUS

The dash, radio and lights-dark. The engine stops.

A wrecking-ball BATTERY explodes on the passenger B-pillar. It smashes the door glass and sprays battery acid all over PASSENGER.

PASSENGER
(Gutturally, through his snot and tears)
*SCREAMS*

The PANICING TWO are confused whether to hold their hands up or cower.

PASSENGER
(Blubbering)
FUCK!.. WHATTHEFUCK! PLEASE! FUCK!.. I don't KNOW.. ANYTHING-

DRIVER
Stop! STOP! PLEZ! STOP! It! STOP! IT!

PASSENGER pees his pants.

PASSENGER
(gibberish)
Oh no… I, I-DON'T-KNOW-HER! I don't know… anything…

EXT. ROAD, FOREST, AMBUSH 1 - CONTINUOUS

The LEFT-GUNMAN steps back into the window.

LEFT-GUNMAN
Phones- PHONES! Throw them! Out THIS window! Now- NOW!

LEFT-GUNMAN stresses his command with his weapon light.

LEFT-GUNMAN
NOW!

INT. PICKUP TRUCK CABIN - CONTINUOUS

The BOYS recoil and whimper with gibberish, snot, and tears.

EXT. ROAD, FOREST, AMBUSH 1 - CONTINUOUS

The phones splash in the muddy ditch water.

THIEF (O.S.)
El five-twenty que! Sarg! Five-Twenty!

Relentless fuel jugs bombard and drench the TRUCK. CENTER-GUNMAN ignites a crimson flare. It consumes everything-RED. The firebomb immolates the BOYS. Screams. DEAD.

EXT. ROAD, MARKET, PIT STOP 1 - NIGHT ***

FOUR active young adults exit their pit stop. Rambunctious and jovial, the crew laughs, enjoying their gotten booty. MAN, DRIVER leads the crew, and GIRL dances around the ENTOURAGE.

MAN, DRIVER
This is all on Mom, because we ROCKED IT TODAY!

GIRL
Enjoy the sweet life!

The ENTOURAGE fawns over their candy and sodas. Ki'yi'n across the parking lot en route to a large SUV parked backward at the far edge. Celebration mode, on.

TWO PROFESSIONAL WOMEN intersect and follow the CREW to a Cadillac parked next to them.

From further across the tarmac, a VAN eases to them.

An armed MAN and WOMAN appear from behind the SUV as the FOURSOME approach their doors, oblivious. MAN, DRIVER starts to unlock the SUV.

The PROFESSIONAL WOMEN corral the FOUR, drawing pistols from their purses.

DRIVER-SIDE GUNWOMAN
Give us the money, Chulo.

The VAN pulls up and obscures the hold-up from the parking lot.

MAN, DRIVER
Uh, what the fuck lady?

MAN, DRIVER fumbles his keys and puts his hands up.

DRIVER-SIDE GUNWOMAN
GIVE IT, Papita!

The DRIVER-SIDE GUNWOMAN jabs MAN, DRIVER in the ribs hard, he doubles over.

MAN, DRIVER
FUK!

The DRIVER-SIDE GUNWOMAN drops MAN, DRIVER with a pistol whip. She kipes his keys, phone, and unlocks the SUV with his fob.

DRIVER-SIDE-REAR GUNMAN strikes at GIRL.

DRIVER-SIDE-REAR GUNMAN
Give it, Chula!

Terrified, GIRL whimpers, opens her door, and pulls at a heavy duffel bag from the back seat. DRIVER-SIDE-REAR GUNMAN steps in, elbows GIRL, and manhandles the bag.

DRIVER-SIDE GUNWOMAN
Phones!

CARTEL TEAM
PHONES!

DRIVER-SIDE GUNWOMAN
Toss them in y… y- en la hierba mojada.

Three, then four, phones and keys splash in the soggy roadside marsh between the parking lot and access road.

VAN DRIVER
Vamos…

EXT. CAPITAL, GENERAL - DAY ***

The grounds of the State Capital are imposing and beautiful.

A dark Mercedes SUV passes the front of the capital and then turns to descend into the underground parkade.

EXT. CAPITAL, UNDERGROUND PARKADE - CONTINUOUS

The SUV pulls into a space next to an elevator marked "CAPITAL". Four car doors open, and four professionals–IZZY, GIGI, AK, and KATINA–disembark. The group organizes outside the driver's door before proceeding.

IZZY
OK, final check. Copies of:

• the Note from Mother;

• the Governor’s plan;

• Ways Impact; and

• our I.P. Model?

GIGI
Yep, 8 copies of LCR Eleven, Financials, Canvas, Patent Strategy, and… (checking her bag) iPads for everyone who forgets their glasses.

AK
I dig your style, people, we're ready… you're ready. In the meeting, stay nimble, no bait takers. You did it, let's do this.

They head to the elevator. AK presses the call button; the elevator doors open. AK is the last to enter.

AK
What's In It for Me, the only thing they listen to…

IZZY
Oregon was a shining beacon for civil rights until all this. Now, they're lapped by the 53rd.

GIGI
So greedy, they pillage table scraps, and think it's steak.

AK
But… at least they fuck everything up…

KATINA
(mimicking a radio DJ)
Scamming for less, NOW-and-later… W.I.I.F.M. Soo tricky!

The elevator’s ding accents this truth, the door closes.

INT. CAPITAL, 3RD FLOOR ELEVATOR - CONTINUOUS

The elevator doors open, and the team takes an immediate left and crosses a cubical farm. They face a large special office, the Senate Majority Whip. Bigger and nicer, it is closest to the elevator and senate chamber.

INT. CAPITAL, MAJORITY WHIP'S OFFICE, RECEPTION - CONTINUOUS

The team enters the reception area. A plaque reads, "Senator Tumore".

GIGI greets the Senator's RECEPTIONIST.

GIGI
Hello

RECEPTIONIST
Hi, how can I help you?

GIGI glances down and taps on AK SHINIAN, Citizen Lobbyist, 0:15. The meeting is right above the last entry: Trona Venenza - Philth Group, 0:45.

GIGI
Mr. Shinian is here for Senator Tumore.

RECEPTIONIST
Great, one moment. The Senator is expecting you.

GIGI
Yes, thank you.

RECEPTIONIST lifts her phone receiver.

RECEPTIONIST
Mr. Shinian is here… yes, their meeting. Thank you. Four. Oh Yes 15, OK.

GIGI privately looks back and mouths to AK.

GIGI
15 minutes for us, Mistake?

AK unaffected, lightly shrugs.

RECEPTIONIST
Great I will. Thank you.

AK
Hmm…

RECEPTIONIST returns the receiver to the phone base. She smiles at GIGI.

RECEPTIONIST
Yes, the Senator will see you.

RECEPTIONIST motions to the group and the Senator's office door.

RECEPTIONIST
Please.

INT. CAPITAL, MAJORITY WHIP'S OFFICE - CONTINUOUS

Seated at her desk, Senator TUMORE. The elder political wonk dictates her responses for the day. An astute JAMIE (Chief of Staff) listens, scribbles, and clarifies.

A less perfect intern, RICHARD sits across from the desk of power at a small table typing, ear buds in. He corrals their peers and wrangles his herd of messages from a heavily stickered MacBook.

KRIS (High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area, HIDTA Director) and RANDY (Legislative Policy Specialist) text with their phones on a large couch.

The spectrum of activity stops, and they acknowledge AK and his team. TUMORE comes from behind her desk to greet them.

TUMORE
AK. Izzy. So great of you to meet with us today…? And wow, you come packing! Welcome everyone, if any of you haven't met, this is Kris, Jamie, Richard, and Randy.

AK
Thank you. As a refresher, this is Izzy, Katina, and Gigi.

TUMORE
Let's use the conference table, shall we?

AK's team takes seats at the large, long cherry table. The political group joins them. RICHARD remains at his satellite table. GIGI replaces Randy on the couch as they reorganize.

GIGI opens her bag and removes the collateral papers and iPads. She organizes the materials on the conference table. The citizen team settles in with TUMORE's team, devices in hand. KRIS opens a manual notepad and taps a Bic-pen once on the desk. RANDY opens his laptop and then eases back into his chair. Portions of this group have met on previous occasions.

TUMORE
OK, so LCR Eleven. First, the brass tacks. I want to ask Kris a question.

RICHARD types in the background.

TUMORE
Kris, based on what you've seen, the basis for this LC, I want to know one thing. Is what AK and team are saying true? Is what he's told us true?

Kris takes a gratuitous pause, discombobulating the room.

KRIS
…Yes.

AK blinks in surprise, at what feels like a last-minute confession. AK's team is silent, not expecting such a plain truth from the Drug Czar's right hand in the West.

TUMORE
OK. Interesting. Good. Hmm…

The room feels incongruous.

AK
Let's distribute what we've brought.

• IZZY

• The LCR with the fiscal impact;

• A component model for the governor's Rural Point of Care Initiative; plus,

• Some data conclusions from the Patient Application and Outcome Project. It outlines an average savings of $54,000 per patient to the state's health services, which Ways projects as a $3 billion savings to the State's Health Authority overall.

AK
Last we spoke to them, LC felt good about the note Senator, and their basis for why, is significant.

Light knocks at the door interrupts and it opens.

A disheveled professional man, wearing straps, a bow tie, and dark-rimmed glasses, MARK (Legislative Counsel, Health Care), enters the room.

MARK
Sorry, guys, sorry.

MARK joins the table and opens his well-used, over-stuffed, ringed leather notebook.

TUMORE
That's OK, Mark.

AK
There's only one of you! We’re happy to share.

TUMORE
AK, just let us know you're happy with our note.

MARK
Yes. Frankly, it's a work of art, a Magna and Carta. Mr. Shinian gave me exactly what I needed. Somehow this juggernaut became straightforward. Its genius comes from actual science. Once you understand why science matters so much, with this… the legal piece is straightforward. This changes everything and should be an… INTERnational model.

MARK opens his leather notebook.

MARK
I looked over everything that's being done… anywhere, in any state, the country, at any level, to see what’s being done. The data behind this could redefine lethal illness as we know it. It's very exciting to be part of this. This LC is the one to rule them all, our leadership position opens the biggest benefits on the planet and brings them straight to us for being first.

MARK beams with pride, easing back bathing in his Magna Carta moment.

TUMORE
OK, very good. AK and friends have somehow gotten all sides of the aisle on board, …WITH SIGNATURES, I might add.

TUMORE motions to the State Seal on her wall, 1859.

TUMORE
This is LITERALLY a first in our young state's history. It's the unicorn, I cannot remember if we've ever had a green light like this coming out of the gate. So, Kris, what are your thoughts on this, and moving forward?

KRIS pauses again and shakes his head.

KRIS
No.

TUMORE
OK, well that's not actually surprising. It usually takes four attempts to get a bill through OUR SWAMP. We earn our stripes.

AK
Wait. One… First, we're creating the legal infrastructure to change what currently kills our population and remove a great deal of suffering. Kris don't take this the wrong way… by edict, I know your office cannot support legislation of any kind, no matter what.

KRIS nods at this truth.

AK
We appreciate your role here. But Madam Senator, were you already planning to snuff the unicorn?

TUMORE
I… wuz–

AK
Are you saying, despite:

• 56k savings per patient;

• every member's support for Mr. Mayer's LC…err, Magna Carta; with

• a Ways sign-off for billions; and

• a far better solution to the Governor's initiative to lower health care costs for rural Oregonians paying to drown under a diminishing quality of life; While we strive to be,(quoting Justice Louis Brandeis patriotically)"…a single courageous State choosing to serve as a laboratory; trying a novel social and economic experiment without risk to the rest of the country," …that we stop? …And plan to stop, three more times, over the next eight years?

TUMORE
From the reality that is Salem, yes. However, with the support we now have across party lines, we're going to run some very important projects forward, incremental steps. Small steps. We like small steps around here.

AK
This doesn't make sense. I'm disappointed at whatever is happening.

TUMORE
Mr. Shinian this is not a no. We just have to do things the right way. And frankly, nobody votes in your demographic. This opportunity's become extremely valuable, and I will put your work to good use. …All this science and molecules and Neutra-whatevers get in the way of sales–

IZZY
YOU people came to AK, YOU asked him how to create a program to expand what he created IN Oregon. And now we just… get HORSE traded?

KATINA
With all due respect Senator… tobacco is the number one studied plant on the planet… and ALL that data clearly says don't use it, …they sell the shit out of tobacco.

IZZY
How is research, and EFFICACIOUS DATA going to stop sales of any, of anything?

JAMIE
There are plenty of wins here, it's just not–

IZZY
Doesn't knowing, what does what… Isn't it worth more than just taxing the illegal markets?

JAMIE
Well–

IZZY
Don't you think someone should know the science? Why don't any of you actually know what impairs drivers? What actually causes intoxication? Why is the false anecdotal information so viral, and ruining the real pharma-type potentials? What part is good and bad for mental health? Or why are GBM brain cancers slowed and reversed? Or how about, why tall and short comics from the '20s are the caricature source for effects from the tall and short plants?

RANDY
What?

IZZY
The data sets go across state lines and don't piss people like Kris off. And frankly worth far more than the trafficking that DOES piss Kris off. You don't know any of it, do you WANT to prevent people from knowing? How can YOU not want to know, what EVERYONE DOES want to know?

KATINA
Even from a greed standpoint, the IP is worth trillions, and your approach is barely worth millions until it creates its own self-fulfilling price crash, and then worth ZERO. The illegal market value proposition is just access… you're obliterating it, and so will the money you're trying to tax. You see a commodity instead of technology… You’ve been handed the basis for Silicon Valley; you think strip mine the GANGUE?

GIGI
Who flushes the Garden of Eden's advantage for a few dimes?

Tumore's team feels comfortable with the play, another betrayal in the cycle of political life.

JAMIE
The political capital a CROSS-THE-AISLE UNICORN prints for us… It's too valuable to not cash in NOW on something personally important to the Majority Whip.

TUMORE
It's how this works.

The team remains stunned.

MARK
I should stress, to this team, that this is a good bill, the best in the country, it's actually a real way forward. This is a big win for the state now and much bigger when we set a standard for the country. The IP–

TUMORE
Thank you, Mark. I know you really worked hard on this one, and I appreciate it, I really do. But Kris is right, this is either ten years too early… or ten too late.

Kris scowls at his name and leans back from the table. AK sets his white iPad pen down and leans back.

AK
I am disappointed. I wish I was somehow more surprised though… We will explore options.

TUMORE leans forward.

TUMORE
I am YOUR option. The GOP is a super-minority, super-irrelevant.

I own this session and will for in future. There is no help from the walker brigade. All they have is their pout-n-outs. And they only use THEM for a constitutional crisis during session.

TUMORE's eyes narrow and she steeples her hands.

TUMORE
AK, men of science don't team up with the flat earth society.

AK
I wasn't here to argue. As you talk, I think I can see… the bigger win.

IZZY taps the table.

IZZY
They set us up, used us, used you, and now it's business as usual? How's this a win? Does anyone feel betrayed much? (talking to AK) Your work is mind-blowing, it creates a new pharmacy on the West Coast with Greenhouses instead of the chemical waste dumps destroying New Jersey, and frankly the East Coast and now the bay.

TUMORE wolf smiles.

TUMORE
Well, darling, we're always looking for good ideas, it brings everyone together, but there are just more important agendas. They deserve their shot first.

IZZY
How is THIS not the shot you're looking for? And aren't you sponsoring an ATV title program, so you can seize them as assets? Is THAT your plan for all of AK's work?

TUMORE
We just cannot win them all.

Nobody believes TUMOR. IZZY crosses her arms and leans in her chair, openly disgusted. The bait tastes bad.

IZZY
Wait isn't THIS, GMOs, Civil Liberties, Discrimination, Medicine, Foo– Aren't these the ones you're supposed to win?

TUMORE returns to confident and comfortable.

TUMORE
They're not always in the big picture.

IZZY
You hold a super majority in both houses and the governor; isn't this when all the wrongs are supposed to be righted?

TUMORE
No. Izzy.

IZZY
Are you–

AK
You can see how impassioned everyone is. Izzy, the Senator has an agenda. We helped her, and it turns out, she helped us.

TUMORE leans in.

TUMORE
We are your option. Remember, teamwork makes the dream work.

AK
We both know that's not true.

JAMIE adjusts in her chair. TUMORE leans back and opens her arms.

TUMORE
…OK, fine, You CAUGHT me. Sometimes I speed, but we're your way forward and you're valuable to me, nobody has gotten the parties together like this. I respect that ability. You need to respect that a good idea, is a valuable currency. As a state, we use this capital to get key agendas through.

IZZY
You’re horse trading us… so you can put leans on ATVs!

AK
I'm saying in good faith we gave you a chance to do the right thing. Thank you for your help.

TUMORE
You're insinuating I'm somehow the Hudsucker proxy.

AK
OK.

TUMORE
I'm a senior Senator, the Whip with a Super Majority, and you think you duped me, you duped Tumore? Sir, I know science is very complicated, but power is very not.

AK
OK.

TUMORE
I don't think you understand…

AK
OK. I think I understand, we're upset with the bait and switch. And now surprised that somehow, you’re now a victim. Senator, Gentlemen, Lady… thank you for your time and generosity. Does anyone feel like ice cream?

AK's team gathers their gear and gets up. MARK gets up and tosses his LCR copy on the table of papers. GIGI collects the table. Without looking, AK taps his watch.

AK
Our 15 is up.

TUMORE stands up.

TUMORE
I just don't think you understand what's happened. The party does what I say, I control the committees. Even if you find a bill sponsor for the LCR. It. Is. Dead.

AK
OK, it's dead.

KRIS and MARK leave the Senator's office.

TUMORE
This is not how this works.

AK
OK, you're saying your plan isn't working? I agree with you.

TUMORE
Look I know this seems like you've been tossed around, and in the white trash world of handshakes and scout's honor, maybe so. In my world, it's in my world or it's trash.

AK's phone buzzes with a text.

AK
I'm not arguing in your world.

AK checks his message list, the latest is from an UNKNOWN NUMBER. AK taps to open it.

UNKNOWN NUMBER
(Text)
"Said 10/10, luv ur aprch, I dn't think ne1 will do it tho. I dn't solv this prob. I facil \@DTO n4cmnt lvl. GLuk. No friend 2 us either, drty. BTW, DTO Close."

TUMORE
…I don't have time for kum-ba-yah. I'm sorry this didn't turn out as you wanted. But I am the only friend you want.

The team exits the office. AK is last, the Senator walks him to the door and extends a handshake.

TUMORE
Don't take this personally, I just need to do what's best for me, the party. And you're helping.

TUMORE winks.

TUMORE
At some point, I might even return the favor.

AK
Thank you, Senator.

TUMORE
Your options are with me, why are you thanking… the note is dead. I'm not going to move on it.

AK
Right, I understand, your plan is dead Senator.

TUMORE
No, IT is dead, all your ideas pass through me. Nobody gets past me, because I am the gatekeeper. I'm trying to make this clear– Just stay in your lane.

AK
I'd never done any of this. And in my spare time, you witnessed a unicorn and killed it.

TUMORE
The PEOPLE are not your savior.

AK
Thank you. Senator, I'll pray for you.

AK pulls the door, and the Senator pushes the door close.

TUMORE
(speaking to the room)
This isn't going anywhere but keep an ear up for anyone getting tricky. Get hold of Representative Blumenhauser, and tell him whatever you need to, to kill any federal path forward, too.

INT. CAPITAL, MAJORITY WHIP'S OFFICE, RECEPTION - CONTINUOUS ***

The team exits through the reception area. A striking, exotic woman, TRONA VENENZA, sits on the couch. Beautiful, professional, and confident, she uses her phone and waits for her meeting. She doesn't look up.

INT. CAPITAL, 3RD FLOOR ELEVATOR - CONTINUOUS

GIGI stabs at the elevator button and the doors open. Once inside the cell, the team opens up.

KATINA
OK, what happened in there, why aren't we totally pissed? …and WHY are we thankful?

AK
How they do anything is how they do everything. We can't be mad with–

AK taps on GIGI's bag.

AK
…a quarter-million-dollar gift.

GIGI

By the way you got a note from your benefactor…

GIGI Gestures with MARK's copy of the LCR.

IZZY
Giving them the rope allowed Mr. Mayer's masterpiece. We've got the finest piece of legislation money can't buy.

MARK
(Handwritten note)
"You delivered her big picture. Opportunities created when you pulled the impossible. Her stalled pets will advance. I thought this one was too good to steal, tho. Sorry, you got traded. -M”

GIGI
Christmas card… check.

INT. RURAL RIVER ROAD - NIGHT ***

A RED QUAD CAB GMC 2500 truck with a canopy travels a road tracing up a SOUTHERN OREGON RIVER. Behind it, a large U-HAUL MOVING TRUCK follows at a distance. As the GMC rounds a corner a giant roadside sign that proves someone is really pissed off reads: (“The Drug Dealer…) (is the NEXT HOUSE!”)

TURTLE 4 (O.C.)
Nube está encendida, uno. Nube dos. Nube…

INT. FARM 1, GROWSITE - CONTINUOUS

A battery-powered clamp lights up and beeps. It pinches a blue CAT cable connected to a security camera monitoring a driveway. Twelve other indicators beep across the property in succession.

TURTLE 4 (O.C.)
Todo buen primo.

EXT. FARM 1, GROW SITE - CONTINUOUS

The GMC turns off at the next driveway, it sprawls deep into a hillside farm and tree line. At the far side of the property, a halogen farm light glows green, it betrays a house and barn hidden from the road. Idling up the drive its lights go out.

The U-Haul pulls onto the shoulder and waits.

The GMC pulls up to a parking area with a red pickup with a canopy and Subaru outback.

A government-looking woman in a black suit, white blouse, and heals, ESPA, the driver, JUANITO, and two passengers disembark the darkened GMC. They leave their doors open. JUANITO, and ESPA walk to the most used door of a ranch-style house. The other men continue around the house. TURTLE1 around the front and TURTLE2 around the back.

JUANITO approaches the door, and a camera confronts him. It's on, he's not concerned. ESPA follows him to the door.

TURTLE1 moves into a large window and peers into a dark master bedroom. There is no movement. TURTLE2 walks until he reaches the patio. He studies the great room and kitchen area for people or movement. TURTLE2 listens for movement or sound of activity, it's quiet. He tuts once.

JUANITO reaches for the door handle, presses down, and removes the slack. He stops. ESPA puts her hand on his shoulder, draws her pistol, and waits.

Hearing the click, the TURTLE1 tuts in response. JUANITO draws his pistol. ESPA squeezes JUANITO's shoulder. He turns the knob.

INT. FARM 1, HOUSE - CONTINUOUS

JUANITO and ESPA enter the dark foyer. ESPA moves across the Great Room, lit by dancing shadows from a fire with a dirty fireproof window. TURTLE2 knocks once from outside a sliding door. ESPA acknowledges the all-clear signal.

The TURTLE2 enters the house. The JUANITO circles the room checks two bedrooms and joins them in the kitchen carrying a bed pillow.

ESPA pulls her phone and texts TURTLE1.

ESPA
(texting)
"?"

TURTLE 1
(text response)
"1 Zzz"

ESPA and JUANITO enter the master bedroom and a light tap from the window greets them. A man is asleep in the bed. JUANITO removes the pillow from the case and stands over the sleeping man, JIMBO. ESPA joins him, she uses her pistol to crack the sleeping man in the head. JIMBO yelps, instant incapacitation.

The team toss the house.

ESPA sits across from JIMBO as he begins to stir. His elbows are bound to the bed, and a pillowcase covers his head and is taped around his neck.

ESPA
Hola machoita! Cómo te sientes? How do you feel?

JIMBO
Ughhh… what the fu…

ESPA
It's ok, ok? Where's the money, mija? Where's all the money?

JIMBO
What, all the money? What? There's no money…

ESPA
OK then… Where's the weed?

JIMBO
What the fuck is going on?

ESPA
The weed hefa, where is, your…. weed?

JIMBO
There's no weed…

ESPA
But you are a big-time drug dealer mijaita… you gotta have something.

JIMBO
I don't.

ESPA
Hmmm… JUANITO?

JUANITO comes into the bedroom holding a piece of split wood.

ESPA
The Big Drug Dealer doesn't say too much.

JUANITO
OK. I help that guy.

JUANITO holds the wood block above JIMBO's chest and drops it. It hits hard.

JIMBO
(Yells out, and cries with pain) 

JIMBO grabs the wood block. JUANITO lets him, hitting his hands–it's a game. JIMBO manages to grasp the block and holds it tight. He stops the blows. JUANITO quietly grabs the block at its ends and JERKS the wood through JIMBO's hands. It drives foot-long splinters into his palms. JIMBO screams in confusion and pain.

JIMBO
WHO ARE YOU?! WHY!

JUANITO repeats the drop game on JIMBO's chest, head, and crotch breaking his collar, ribs, and leg.

JUANITO
Ok FOOL, where it goes… NOBODY…KNOWS!

When JIMBO grabs at the block JUANITO pulls the block and drives more splinters into his hands. When he refuses, JUANITO wipes the block across his neck, face, legs, and arms. It breaks splinters off across his body. Outside the bedroom, the TURTLES take Guitars down from a collection hanging on the living room wall and cut the strings.

JIMBO
(whimpering)
…pleas…

ESPA
Ok, drug dealer, it looks like you're remembering something, no? Where's your… Tupperware investment? Where is your money music man?

JIMBO
I haven't got it yet. Please. There's none.

ESPA
Juan, he isn't ready, help him more.

JUANITO
Dry whistles out the bedroom door

JUANITO exits the room and returns with a portable drill. Outside the bedroom, four men tear the house apart in dark green jogging suits each with a large coffee bean cartoon on their chest. JUANITO Begins to tie JIMBOS Wrists and Ankles with the Guitar wire, cutting into his wrists and ankles as he tightens the wires with the drill. JIMBO struggles as the wire bites and bleeds.

JUANITO
Too much pressure?

JUANITO adds a DRILL BIT and drills into JIMBO's hip. JUANITO drills deep in JIMBO’s hip bone and then slowly backs out. JIMBO SCREAMS. JUANITO continues until the battery dies. Throughout the evolution, JIMBO cycles between terrific pain and unconsciousness.

JIMBO reawakens, the hood cut open and around his neck. His hands are being severed off, tight with guitar strings that cut his wrists and feet. It's difficult JIMBO to see through his snot, but he can make out the woman in front of him.

ESPA
You're back Narcotraficanta! Do-jew remember where your dinero is?

JIMBO
No…. There ISN'T… any. I’m broke…

ESPA
Drug Dealer, I look at the road sign, you're famous, and you think, I think, you're el esupidist Drug Dealer of all? Where's the money? Where’s el mota?

JIMBO
There's NO money. Gawd I'm BROKE. …I can't even drive to town. I let everyone go.

ESPA
I know, and they're pretty mad with you Carnita. You're leaving me, no choices Drug Dealer.

JUANITO
Espa, there's no money anywhere, and there's no weed. Not in the garage, barn or container, it's gone.

JIMBO
I told you! I told you already!

ESPA
I guess we need to be sure before we go. Let's light up his life.

JIMBO
No PLEASE! No, just let me… the weed is in White City!

JUANITO shakes a butane torch and bottle.

JUANITO
There's not too much Espa.

JIMBO
You’re going to BURN me!?

ESPA
It's enough for the Drug Dealer.

JUANITO starts the torch and burns holes in JIMBO skin, over and over. JIMBO screams. ESPA fills his mouth with spray foam. The torture game goes silent, and his wrists begin to bleed. Muffled screams fade to labored nasal attempts to breathe drowning in thick snot. JIMBO struggles. The bed hits the wall with a chorus of bed springs and guttural pleas–the sound of death, done slow.

ESPA
And his nos–

TURTLE1
Maestra, there's nothing.

ESPA
Fine… OK, let's go. Tu jefa, are the most pathetic Drug Dealer of all of them.

TURTLE1
It was here two days ago. The trucks left. There SHOULD BE money. ALL of it! I'm SO sorry Maestra, I'm so sorry.

ESPA and JUANITO leave the house.

EXT. FARM 1, DRIVE & PARKING - CONTINUOUS

ESPA and JUANITO get into the GMC.

The U-HAUL TRUCK backed into the parking area and pushed the pickup and Subaru out of its way. Its roll-up door is open, ready for a load.

TURTLE1
I'm sorry Maestra, this should have been so easy.

ESPA
Nothing is SO easy. Nothing is forgotten.

TURTLE1
I'm sorry.

JUANITO drives away, leaving the TURTLEs.

TURTLE2 FUCK!
Nothing?! There's a bunch of… meat in the shop freezers, let's at least get that.

TURTLE1
OK, geezus, fine. Get it but do it quick, the sun's up in less than an hour.

INT. FARM 1, SHOP - CONTINUOUS

Turtle2 opens a freezer, pulls a meat pack out, and sets his phone down in the freezer to lift the large first package.

The other TURTLES open the other three freezers. They pile the frozen meat in wheelbarrows and dump it in the U-Haul truck.

EXT. FARM 1, FEILD - MORNING

The TURTLES surround the U-Haul truck STUCK in the driveway just feet before the highway.

A JOSEPHINE COUNTY DEPUTY slows on the road. He rolls his passenger window down and shouts from his seat.

JOSEPHINE DEPUTY
You boys pulling an all-nighter?

The TURTLES freeze.

JOSEPHINE DEPUTY
You're stuck, are ya?

TURTLE 1
Yea…?

JOSEPHINE DEPUTY eyes the matching jumpsuits.

JOSEPHINE DEPUTY
What are you boys doing so early this morning, some kind of sleepover?

TURTLE1
The… the freezers broke… and we… have to move FOUR freezers of meat… before it spoils.

Turtle3 opens the U-Haul truck rollup door and produces a big frozen package.

JOSEPHINE DEPUTY
Well, let's get you on your way.

TURTLE4 climbs up into the U-Haul passenger seat, picks up a tablet, and taps a button.

The cameras short-circuit.

TURTLE4
Thank you, sir!

INT. CHICHI NIGHTCLUB - DAY ***

AK and CHAD are laughing and enjoying a drink (AK: Milk and Chad: Crown & Coke) while discussing business. They're friends. CHAD needs to keep his paradise afloat.

Papers and laptops clutter their table.

CHAD leans in and touches AK's arm

CHAD
OK, look, I guess, the simple fact is, I can create the experience… I just can't keep it poppin'. Life, bills, the baby mamas… everything is in the way. Shyur I pop'yo colla, make u and homies feel guud, keep yur gurls on point, perfect… dat's whut I do! And I do! Feel me? …I, I, I need help, keeping this flow. Yo, u gotts whut I'm sayin'?

AK
(laughing along)
I feel you, you're everyone's good time. We've been friends for a minute. …and with all the dimes you made, had, and polished… you should be retired in Victoria's Secret heaven. Not begging help, man.

CHAD
Right?

CHAD outstretches his arms.

CHAD
Look at all this, my magic wand… I got to here! And I owe A LOT, I'm not going to lie. The club is here! It's here! Can you feel it? …but bro I can't paddle fast enough to catch the big wave. Too MANY holes. …too much to juggle on the ONE hand, and a dream I can't let go of, in the GOOD hand. I'm drowning cuz I'm making mistakes, LITTLE ones, and they're nipping, at my ass. AK, they fuck wit my footwork.

AK
Hmmm…

CHAD
I need to jump forward, not fall on ma face. Tell me what you think I should do. Bro, I need ur help.

Chad sighs Heavy.

AK
Well–

CHAD
Look, I don't have da favor I need to call in… I need a favor to call in… But since we're friends, bro. And we go waay back… I'm asking u fer help, brother, I need YOUR help.

AK visualizes CHAD's problems in his papers.

CHAD is the sum of his past. AK's "Good time" buddy often comes up short. He definitely has the juice; sans the brains.

AK
I–

CHAD
All I need you need to do–

AK
Stop. I hear you asking.

CHAD
OK.

AK
Dude. I can see your vendor issues, first of all… security, and your cash flow is fucked, …and your nut, wow. But it's all doable…

CHAD breathes easier as his friend contemplates. He waits for the good word; imagining his worries melting away.

AK
You know who you need to talk to… Biggs. He has more security expertise than your team of Brother-in-law-neighbor's-mailmen ever could. You're running with a significant liability that needs DPSST and hemmed up. I bet you've got a closet of sketchy skeletons.

CHAD
Yea, I do.

AK looks up from his imaginary problem board back to CHAD's plea.

AK
My man, the problem is, this isn't what I do…

CHAD Nods in agreement.

CHAD
Right, I know. I DON'T care about that. You can't be EXACTLY correct about what I need, and THIS NOT be what you do… It's just NOT what you do, YET, bro. Look, I kno the clubs are in ur rearview, I get it. but DIS one, DIS ONE, dis club, is in ur FAM-I-LEE! Because it's ME, and we go ALL the way back. bro…

CHAD gives up his fist for knucks.

AK
OK, OK, I'm not saying no. I have nothing but love for you "FAM-man". And luckily for you, I'm meeting up with Biggs to upgrade some of his profiles. Lemme talk to our desert rat from another mother… see if he can shoulder some of the load so we can get you on track. And then push you off on your own. Because. This. Is. NOT. What. I. Do. NO PROMISES!

CHAD
HA! Bro, perfect! Your NO PROMISES are better than everyone else's (mimicking Nixon impersonating Martin Luther King, Jr.) I-SWEAR-TA-GOD, Bro! Thank you. I'm serious, bro, thank you. I don't want to tell you what I've entertained to keep pumping this pump, and I'm SO thrilled to let them know: I am, not for sale! …anymore.

CHAD smiles big and extends his hand.

CHAD
Thank you in advance, for real.

AK stands up and grasps CHAD's hand.

CHAD
Bring it in, big doggy.

Another solid bro-hug.

AK
NOTHING but a thing. I'll be back, as a two-some. Don't burn too many bridges, till we have something brewing.

CHAD
I'm good, anytime. Any day, before 4, we can meet here. I'm available when you are… Yo. Tell Biggs the drinks are on me, all the drinks!

AK
Good. Now, I've got a meeting with a little lady.

CHAD
Hey. Have they given you your Nobel prize yet?

AK exits across the dance floor while texting BIGGS. He continues a previous conversation about a meeting for a health issue.

AK
(texting)
"Hey, let's meet sooner than later at CHAD PEASY's spot dntwn. He needs help w/ security. Lemme kno" *send*

EXT. TACT TRAINING FACILITY, RANGE - DAY ***

BIGGS moves with a slung rifle at the ready. He flows on a wave of hate swamping a theoretical BIG BOSS. BIGGS moves, shoots, moves. He's a machine, misses nothing. BIGGS lights up target after target.

Beyond a range skill, the OPERATOR has been there and done it on countless missions. BIGGS lives in the center of hate. He drives his rifle, switches to pistol, and back to his rifle faster than the rifle drops at side. Lightning reloads. The violence flowing from him it's unreal. Enemies, foreign and domestic, are not safe. Actually, they're already dead.

VOICE (Radio)
(Angry, Driving, the radio yells in his ear)
Go! Go! Go! – Faster – Move! Move! Move! – Off the X! Go! Go! Go!

Brass streams from his gun, then his pistol, then his gun. BIGGS weaves through the course. His gloved hands grasp for nothing, every move precise, the fastest possible. Below him, his dog KOA moves synced in every step–dragonfly agility. She looks up, locked on her master. Moving with synchronicity and violence, he nears the end of the course.

VOICE (radio)
Bogey Left, 3! 7!

BIGGS spins left, pumping death into the 3rd of a semi-circle of targets. The fire dump ensures BADGUY BOBERT does not survive.

BIGGS engages the 3rd target

BIGGS
KOA, SEVEN!

KOA, the robot, leaps to attack the seventh target, while her master lights the third. Her impact JUNEBUG the weighed man. She thrashes on its neck, an APEX PREDATOR, part wolf, and part great white.

BIGGS
Ow-ss!

KOA stops. She LOVES these games and HATES the players. BIGGS stoops down and gives her lots of love, scratching around her head, neck, and shoulder. The pair, replaced by a boy and his puppy, the intensity, violence, and precision gone. In its place… a whole lotta love.

BIGGS stands up, the intensity returns–full display. He instructs the next group waiting to play.

BIGGS
OK! That's what we're doing. Arrange the meeting. God sorts'em!

BIGGS and KOA hustle back to the start line. A squad of matching-clad men and their dogs are ready for the course of fire.

The first pair, WILL, and SIN are poised to go.

BIGGS
Bust'em!

A sharp piercing sound is cut short by the radio dictator.

VOICE (O.S.)
“Beep!”

WILL (BIGGS' number two), and his dog SIN charge forward, gun full of hate, more hate.

VOICE (O.S.)
Go! Go! Go! – Faster – Move! OFF THE X! Move! Move! – Go! Go! Go!

BIGGS walks to LISA (admin for their exercise). She's comfortable… proud of the violence she's created and extends her right fist, KNUCKS. Her gloved fist connects, she's solid.

BIGGS
Great job! …for a man.

BIGGS winks as he compliments his protege.

LISA
IF they live through this evolution, I'll do better next time.

LISA smirks from behind her glasses.

BIGGS taps his acknowledgment on LISA's shoulder and continues past her.

BIGGS
Don't reincarnate …as Koa's dummy.

LISA
The lead-born family does not fear the winter, Big Snow.

KOA pauses for love from Lisa and hustles back to her position, heeling BIGGS.

EXT. TACT TRAINING FACILITY, GENERAL - DAY

BIGGS walks out toward a group of tactical-looking trucks, meaty tires, custom bumpers, and canopies… This group thinks as one; moves and kills as one.

BIGGS approaches his rig, pulls up his phone, and responds to a message for a meet.

EXT. TACT FACILITY, PARKING AREA - DAY ***

BIGGS (text)
"1530, today? Will cnfm 90out"

AK (text)
"Koo"

BIGGS
(texting)
"Prf. Kids safe. Confm 1530. Cun60." *send*

BIGGS reaches to open his REAR DOOR. Smiling from the window is a Xeroxed card with Mickey A very happy mouse gives him the bird. ("Thank you for parking so FUCKING close. Now all I need is a can opener and lube to get in my fucking truck! …Asshole!" Signed by a handwritten "-XOXO")

BIGGS removes his gun from his chest and glances back and grunts as he cracks the door with his free hand.

BIGGS
Kids…

The truck door opens, exposing seats clad in grey man tactical molle panels woven with a complete tactical gear loadout, and a medic kit. The driver-side gun is missing. BIGGS stows his gear and rifle.

INT. LABORATORY, CLINICAL ROOM - DAY *

ERIN a 5-year-old girl, is sitting in a clinic's observation room.

ERIN wears a sleek and colorful EEG Brain-Wave-Cap. She is comfortable and leans into a pillow against her mommy, ABBY. She's safe inside her mother’s arms wrapped around her.

ERIN's father RON sits in a comfortable chair, across from them. Her parents adore her.

INT. LABORATORY, OBSERVATION ROOM - DAY

An attentive TOMMI, the lead project nurse, observes the family from an adjacent room. She studies a wall of monitors recording and visualizing the data streams from ERIN's health and EEG devices. Erin plays games with her parents.

INT. LABORATORY, CLINICAL ROOM - DAY

ERIN and her parents laugh, and the loving family ignores the truth. A storm, the hypsarrhythmia waveform, is brewing.

ERIN
Watch this, Daddy. I'm so fast!

RON
Wow, how many can there be, Baby? Go, go, go!

INT. LABORATORY, OBSERVATION ROOM - DAY

A beep starts a rhythmic alert. TOMMI exits her observations and presses a call button on her necklace.

INT. LABORATORY, CLINICAL ROOM - DAY

An active ERIN slows and begins to stare.

ABBY
Oh, baby, your… baby..?

ERIN's angelic smile melts blank. Her fingers slow, loosen and then begin to tighten. Her body starts to twitch.

AK and IZZY are notified of the unfolding event. TOMMI flows into the clinical space, approaching the huddled family.

ABBY
OK, it's OK, I'm here baby, we're here baby. Ron.

RON glides to the couch. He touches his little one's tiny precious fingers beginning to pulse.

ERIN stares off toward no one. Her little fingers become motionless on her controller. She is stiff with pain. ABBY is calm but a frightened mommy. She continues to embrace her baby daughter.

The intensity of ERIN's shaking increases. Her father cups her hand.

RON
It's OK baby. ERIN, we're here. Mommy loves you so much. Baby, it's ok. We love you baby…

ERIN's family surrounds her, nothing else matters. Little precious ERIN suffers. She descends into a world of agony and no one can follow. Surrounded by love, she is completely alone. Her family waits at the edge of her helpless, for their tortured ERIN to return, …unless she doesn't.

TOMMI
OK, very good, very good ERIN, let's just get you a little to the left sweetheart.

AK and IZZY enter the room. TOMMI narrates her method. From her pocket, IZZY retrieves an ORANGE hand-sized case. In one hand she pops the lock and it opens. IZZY hands TOMMI a small medical device.

TOMMI
PID sixty thirty-four, Time thirteen hundred-twelve, Oct twenty-eight. MX:Profile three-two-seven Oh-one Oh-eight-five, One-mig, administering…

IZZY
Perfect TOMMI. You guys are all doing great.

ABBY soothes her baby. Her daughter is still caught in an intensifying struggle. ERIN's eyes clamped shut and mask frenetic activity inside her sockets. A terrible violence consumes her head, neck, and limbs, her entire body. Every part fights and strains. ERIN tears herself apart. Her helpless parents are sick and helpless.

Seconds slow, marked by deafening clicks.

ABBY
This's a BAD one! It's very bad. Please help HER, please HELP ERIN…

ABBY's calm cracks. Her love gives way to sad broken sounds and whimpers. Still, she tries. The parents try and soothe baby ERIN

ABBY
…plezuz …baby, Shh–h–hh– I love you…

RON
It's okay baby, please TOMMI help my bug… plea. Oh no. This one is going to last. This one is killing her. Pleez…

TOMMI moves into position over ERIN. She orientates a pen-sized canister and connects a small soft nasal attachment to it. ERIN's parents hold her. TOMMI maneuvers the device with clear white numbers "327-01-005 | 2mg | x3."

TOMMI
Mark.

A faint release of pressure emanates among ERIN's broken inhales… Seconds click by. ERIN's violence begins to retire. Her clenching seems less violent. Her flails slip away, leaving a tiny, peaceful, perfect sleeping girl.

TOMMI
There we go, all better, sweet girl.

ERIN returns to her mother's arms and her father's embrace. The room has an impossible miracle.

IZZY
That looks like 85 to me.

IZZY lifts her phone and activates a large circular button

IZZY
How we looking?

RADIO VOICE (O.S.)
One point three seconds and looks like a high of ninety-nine point four on its way to a hundred. We tripped it up and it fell to zero point three on its way to a beautiful waveform. No hyps patterns presenting, anymore. It looked like a bad one, just not anymore.

IZZY
Thanks, great job.

ABBY
That one would have lasted, and been horr… it would have… we would hav… Oh my god did this just happen? Is my baby?

AK
Wonderful. People, ABBY, Ron, you all did great. You were perfect. Let's make sure ERIN knows when she wakes up, just how great she was today. I'd like to give her a little something when she wakes.

RON
So, is she cured, is our baby going to be okay?

RON extends his hand. AK shakes it and RON moves into a full embrace. AK speaks through the hug.

AK
Oh. Kay. We can't promise anything, but we will promise to work hard and work smart. Erin is exactly why we do this.

RON
How is this not a miracle? Thank you so much! Nobody could help our baby and in 2 days, she was done with a nine-point-nine in seconds.

ABBY
(cooing quietly)
Oh my god, my baby girl, oh my god…

RON
That would have wiped her out for a week or more.

ABBY
(cooing quietly)
Shhhh, you're okay, I love you, you're okay…

RON
We'd have lost more of her. And now… I, I don't even know– WHY isn't this program everywhere!

ABBY Looks up, returning to the room, her eyes filled with tears.

ABBY
Do you know how HARD it was to find YOU? How much Erin HAS SUFFERED because we didn't know about you? WHY! Why aren't you everywhere? What sense is it making our baby suffer? For NO reason!

IZZY
It's a complicated dance with the government… But we do it anyway, no matter what the powers that be say. This exploration isn't at odds with the federal government, but it is at odds with BIG WEED and their Government partners. You can see how important this work is.

AK and I need to follow up on a couple of things. TOMMI, GIGI is on her way to make sure everyone is taken care of, let's move ERIN here into a more comfortable recovery space. Mom and Dad should stay with her so she's being monitored and comfortable as she wakes up. Then maybe some ice cream?

RON
Wait, but can you answer the question, I'm being rude, but what is between families like ours, our family, and finding you? Why aren't you on every block? Why aren't you the first line of defense?

AK and IZZY smile and begin to leave.

AK
I'll take you with us the next time we fight the dragon.

IZZY
That would be great! Imagine them trying to say no to this family. Imagine what Ron and Abby would do if they did!

INT. LABORATORY, HALLWAY - DAY ***

IZZY and AK walk and pull out their phones.

AK
I don't think people get to see what love is, they see something else, but not this.

IZZY
You mean what brings these families to us?

AK
Yea, whatever keeps them going. They can't throw their kids away… they just keep going.

IZZY
Pretty amazing. They know they will never win, but they never give up.

AK
Amazing people. Hey, I know I say this a lot, but you are doing a great job, and I want to hear it. You, your team… I'm very proud of you.

They talk and walk.

IZZY
I do a good job? Look at the talking kettle.

AK
Well, I have no place to go, so there's that.

IZZY
Why do you think I'm here, kettle? I hope you finally hear that, too. Speaking of which, I have to leave. I have a class off-campus, so I'll see you tomorrow …most likely.

AK
Ha, I had security trespass you and your endless sunshine. I'm just so damn sick of all this happiness. HA, you didn't see that coming! I have a favor to do anyway, and a quick meet with Oh-sixty-six.

IZZY
Is that code you can't wait to see me?

AK
You're… exactly wrong.

AK winks and continues a previous text with BIGGS.

AK
(Texting)
"1530 cun60. Koa w you?" *send*

INT. NIGHTCLUB - EVENING ***

BIGGS and AK sit at a large table in a quiet club. They enjoy a moment after a big morning.

BIGGS
So this is the big favor for Chad… Are we getting paid? I'm playing, I'm playing! He's hoping drinks will do.

AK
Ha, to the upside, free drinks!

They laugh hard, it's the dad's jokes. AK raises his glass of milk and BIGGS responds with his.

AK
Here's to the dream. Professional milk drinkers.

BIGGS
Rate sheet, meet bucket list.

Doors to the outside CLACK open. They blast the room with sunlight.

Two silhouettes enter the club. One, a woman's heels click across the marble floor with a very sexy cadence. A crisp rhythm over her partner CRUZ's heavier expensive beat.

The pair approach and their silhouettes dissolve into detail. AK cannot help but recognize the woman. She's the exquisite female outside Senator TUMORE's office, TRONA.

AK
Hmm…

BIGGS
What?

AK
Nothing, …yet. I love coincidence, I love it so damn much.

BIGGS
What?

AK
Hey nosey, …it doesn't look good on you? One more time!

BIGGS
What?

TRONA and CRUZ cross the floor as if they've snuck backstage.

TRONA
Hello boys! We're here to set up our new account. It's the big meeting!

TRONA is a bad bitch. She sassy-slow walks to the table. Seductive and dangerous.

BIGGS
Oh good.

TRONA
How are you gentlemen doing? Who do I have the pleasure with?

The men reach into their pockets and pull out a business card, dealing them to TRONA.

BIGGS
I've always been the extra pleasurable one.

TRONA
Great, AK SHINIAN and… BRETT BIGGS. Which one's my guy?

AK
What?

AK beats BIGGS to his glare.

BIGGS
(under his breath)
You want pulp with my fiction?

AK
Depends, what do you do?

TRONA
What, I do? I… take care of you.

TRONA wipes her finger across the table. She's flirty and dangerous.

TRONA
…so you'll take care of me, jefe. I plow your field and wet my beak. And mijo, you…

TRONA leans up on the table making a pyramid with her armsextended. Her statement drips with sex and power.

TRONA
YOU stay… afloat.

BIGGS
Oh good. A boat captain …that plows.

TRONA
It's a simple plan… SOME of my guys… REPLACE some of your guys.

TRONA and CRUZ smile at each other and return to the men.

TRONA opens her arms and welcomes them to her bosom from across the table.

CRUZ
Welcome… to the family.

TRONA extends her arms further forward, leaning in now to accept her gift.

TRONA
I drink Champagne, and you're buying.

BIGGS raises his glass of milk to TRONA's theatrics.

BIGGS
Hmm…

BIGGS emphasizes with his pinky

BIGGS
You're an aristocrat?

Amused, AK drinks to his visitor.

AK
…Aristocrats.

TRONA and CRUZ begin to take a seat at the table.

CRUZ
Let's go over our simple plan.

TRONA
Uno, Dos, Tres, for you at the home boys.

AK
Hmmm… this is all so wonderfully rehearsed.
(Mimicking, Montoya in the princess bride)
But… I do not think you are, where you think you are.

TRONA
No… we're EXACTLY where we're supposed to be.
(Singing her declaration)
Professionallls!

AK looks at BIGGS and then back to TRONA.

AK
How do I say it in 'ol Espanol? B..? Wrong-o, location-o?

TRONA
Boys, boys, boys, if you're NOT the decision-maker, let's run along and GET him. We have BIG BOY business with him. He'll understand.

BIGGS
Pump yo' brakes, lil' senorita.

TRONA
You don't understaand niño.

BIGGS
I think…? We do?

CRUZ
You DON'T!

AK
OK, we've got club business to work on, so make an appointment for another day. Next time… Do it! …where you're supposed to be.

TRONA
Club Business?

TRONA reacts like she's found a wonderful secret.

TRONA
CLUB business! That means it's OUR business. This is our place, pequeñas.

BIGGS springs up.

BIGGS
It's time you cucarachas leave… GO!

INT. CARTEL COMPOUND, OFFICE - DAY ***

TRONA and CRUZ stand interrogated in front of MIGI. A classically swarthy silver spaniard at an earthy timber table. His cigar mid-preparation, a mezcal glass, and a phone lays opened to a picture of CHAD.

MIGI (O.S)
Meja, you… left? You left! Why?-

TRONA
Your CHAD wasn't there-

MIGI
You made this mistake, Mija.

Trona clenches in front of Migi’s questions. Cruz stands straight, tense.

TRONA
I did not. If THAT'S who we were looking for- He… Was. Not. There.

CRUZ
It's true Migi! There were two, not one. I think… maybe… they're in charge, no? Que, no. The fools don’t listen, anyways.

TRONA
I don't think they were–

MIGI
Stop! You did meet someone, no?

TRONA
Jes.

MIGI
And he was…

TRONA
THEY! DOS! …THEY were doing homework, or something…? All over the table and drinking… leche from glasses, like schoolboys, but old!

MIGI
y… these old schoolboys, …made you leave? How?

TRONA
They didn't- I, they DIDN’T like us, but JES we left. I was confused- I wasn't calling Papi- …in-front-of-THEM.

MIGI
And so, you did? Some schoolboys?

TRONA
I didn’t know what-was-going-on! You said, THIS place WANTED our help… These-guys-didn't…

CRUZ
At all. They just joked at us. It started, good… then they went bad. Leave… or shoot them, but then what, Jefe? No sentido.

MIGI
Well… you go back. And…

Migi pinches the bridge of his nose… Then SLAPS the table.

MIGI
You juss do what you've done so… MANY. Times!

Migi slaps his cadence.

MIGI
don't. start. Fucking. Up. AQUI!

A volcanic TRONA glares straight through MIGI. Silent. Fuming… Pissed. Migi, doesn't care.

MIGI
…wait, mi hijita… these, these perros have names, no?

TRONA
…Jes-

MIGI
So, start again, …with that.

Trona darts into her bra and pulls two business cards. She flicks them at Migi.

CRUZ
Tro-

MIGI
Hey! No bullshit bebita! I'm BOSS, your Padre and you're the one…

Migi slaps the table again.

MIGI
THAT respects me!

Migi *EXHALES*, his fingers hover over the cards before inspecting them.

MIGI
I juss, figure if you… If you…

Migi collects the cards, his face recognizes the names.

MIGI
If… You met these men at the dicoteca? Today?

TRONA
JES!-

Migi shuffles the cards while staring into them.

MIGI
You meet Brett Biggs today? At that club? And, you met AK Sheenan…

Migi finger taps his in cadence.

MIGI
At. That. Club? They were both there? …No hair and tattoos?

CRUZ
Yes, Migi.

MIGI
And, y, wild man with a hair? These men.. both there?

CRUZ
Yes, Jefe. That's their cards.

Migi flicks the first card.

MIGI
How? These men are not dancers. This man turned me down.

Migi flicks the second card.

MIGI
This one, keeps turning me down.

Migi organizes the cards in front of him.

MIGI
These men have NOTHING to do with dancing. They’re not fancy anyones. They ARE difficult and rude, and they should NOT be.

CRUZ
We go back then…

TRONA
Of course. These boys are playing a game.

MIGI
You go back- Set up our account.-You take some guys. Make sure, you're in charge, RIGHT away. DON'T talk to the ninos, they’re not anything… I will deal with these bad boys.

TRONA
OK, but the...

Migi slaps his finger on the table.

MIGI
Tron- Recuerda, la bala in your pistola, es mejor que una flor in your cabello. Mija... Set. Up. TheAccount!

CRUZ
Yes, Jefe. Like always.

TRONA
Yes.

Migi scowls at Trona.

TRONA
…jefe

EXT. NIGHTCLUB PARKING LOT - DAY ***

TRONA and CRUZ, wait in an SUV in the club's parking lot. Three men wait in a second SUV parked next to them. They watch a beverage distributor deliver and leave.

TRONA
OK, let's go.

CRUZ
Si.

TRONA and CRUX open their doors and walk toward the club. Their entourage disembarks and join them. The five-some cross the parking lot. As they enter, TRONA touches a man in front of her.

TRONA
Marco.

TRONA motions to the entrance.

MARCO
Si.

MARCO
stays at the door.

INT. NIGHTCLUB - DAY

The team enters the darkened club, inside it's lit in a lazy trance galaxy spinning lased-dots and slow lights. They start across the middle of the dance floor. TRONA spins in her heels as she walks extending her arms, embracing her jewel. She lets go, twirls, and flows with a slow sensual rhythm. This time her back beat is six cowboy boots. A deadly dance, a deadly beat.

TRONA
(Misquoting)
OK machos, find my huckingberry, no?

The gang spreads across the room, probing into the nooks and corners of the club.

TRONA snakes toward the office. She groans at the familiar faces.

CHAD looks upset. AK and BIGGS sit at the far side of a table littered with papers and laptops. They're peeling a significant and sad onion; CHAD is no businessman.

AK
Chaddesley, my guy, you don't have leverage… why are you actually not paying your lee…?

INT. NIGHTCLUB OFFICE - DAY

TRONA appears the doorway with a golden age sexual flare. KOA looks up to get a look at the new girl.

TRONA
MY JOY BOYS! Ohhh, good! But. You and you, need. To. Go… As it turns out.. You're not the daddies.

TRONA enters the room, sits sideways on the edge of the table. Her delectable tight ass crinkles a group of invoices.

TRONA
You're a… waste of MY time!

She's confident and intense. Pure boss. Her JOY BOYS are entertained by the return of their doll.

BIGGS
Oh… yay… she's back. …Chad? THIS is babelicious. The one I was drooling over.

AK
WE were. Dibbs.

CHAD
Oh OK. Who are you..?

CRUZ and the posse begin to gather outside the office door behind TRONA. Her sexy, fun, and deadly show gains steam.

TRONA
Oh, Chad. …I'm your office manager… and your boss… and your owner 'n sexy angel… all in one!

AK
You cheating bastard…

CHAD
Wait, wha… Hahahah, no lady, but if this is some sort of… cut to the chase interview… You. Are. Hired. I don't give a fuck where we put you, you're in!

BIGGS
Why doesn't anyone here know what the hell is going on..? I love it!

AK
I love it… so much!

TRONA
Chad… I need the room. It's time for some things… the boys here… just aren't old enough for… Uncle Migi, needs me, to get you… ready. For… ME.

CHAD exchanges his bemused tenor for a straighter, more uncomfortable feeling. His expression reflects angina in his chest, and an urge to run.

BIGGS
I… almost do want to leave you two Chaddy, but you must promise…

BIGGS elbows at CHAD.

BIGGS
…to film. Ya know… the PERSONAL collection… really needs this.

AK
I kinda want to know how this ends too… Dibbs, on the master.

BIGGS
What are you 12? …And in the sixties?

TRONA
(Mimicking a sultry Selma Hayek)
BOYS! I am more than a vision for your little. Naughty. Boy. dreams… I'm Chad's… ...little angel.

CHAD
OK, OK. We cool. We cool. The wires are crossed here, we cool. I know they are, because I was supposed to uncross them, I was just tied up…

BIGGS
Wait, how many times a day, does this happen?

AK laughs. BIGGS laughs. CHAD briefly released from his anxiety. Nobody else laughs.

TRONA
Boys, we know who you are. Why don't you know who I am, who we are?

BIGGS
MS. RODRIGUEZA MARTINZA PEREZA MIGIEZA VENENZA of course we know who you are.

TRONA
Baby, you call me TRONA… Oh Dias.

AK is charmed. BIGGS is charmed, too. AK is more charmed.

AK
I'm… not. Into. Names…

CHAD
OK, soo… anyways… Trona, I did talk to MIGI.

INT. NIGHTCLUB - NIGHT

The club bumps, it's packed, and CHAD commands perfection from the DJ booth. A sea of sex dances before him, he is the altar of desire. He pumps the audio drug. Beautiful people writhe in the sound, it flows over them, around them, through them…

A club goddess approaches CHAD and touches his right shoulder. He pulls his earphones down, leans back, and closes his eyes, ecstasy. A lean delicious muse is allowed at his ear. Her message is brief.

CHAD falls out of his rhythmic flow. He stiffens at what no one can hear. He jerks his earphones to his throat, nods yes and yells back, swamped in the sea of sound.

CHAD
(mouthing)
THANK! YOU!

CHAD leans left and bumps the shotgun DJ's shoulder, he yells invisible commands and motions to the entrance and then to VIP. Fist bump.

Returning to straight, CHAD reaches down to his dick adjusting adjust his pants. He looks down and mouths thank you the dime who sucks his cock. She a reward for slinging intoxication. He fumbles the zipper. CHAD is a novice with anxiety, his anticipation builds.

CHAD is way over eager for this meeting; imposter's doubt is taking over. He makes his way off the alter to the VIP, he stops a passing server. CHAD shouts to her and motions as if he is summoning the finest. CHAD kisses a peace sign to her, he feels juvenile.

Ping ponging between boss and boy, CHAD works through the dance floor, greeting, celebrating, kissing, and primping his guests. The VIP is waiting. CHAD loves his floor of sex but wishes someone could charge him with the confidence he's missing. Behind VIP he takes one moment… his self-primping is fumbling and sucks. Fate doesn't wait. CHAD rallies with a slap to his face.

CHAD slides into the VIP couch, the pent energy built as he trekked to his guest, but now he's here. MIGI dominates his canopied booth and enjoys three beautiful babies, he is power. Well-apportioned, tailored, and sophisticated. MIGI is gangster, OG defined.

CHAD
MIGI! MIGI-MIGI my man!

CHAD leans in and embraces his senior successful self. MIGI is strong and firm but not warm in his embrace. MIGI collects all the CHADs, they’re a simple tool, in today's machine. CHAD will be handled, used, and discarded. MIGI is polished, stoic, and king-like in his delivery.

MIGI
AMIGO! Thank you for such a beautiful bottle, mijo! This is expensive, excellent.

CHAD
There's more mi jefe, you are always on me! Enjoy yourself, enjoy everything! What's mine is yours!

MIGI owns his future, but still finds humor in CHAD's… desperation. They're not the same.

MIGI
I know!

CHAD
You do? Yes, of course!

CHAD smiles and motions for the girls to come closer to their patron.

CHAD
Whatever he wants, it's his!

The girls giggle and accost their benefactor. They clink their glasses, kiss, and preview the fantasy.

MIGI
Mijo, I know.

CHAD
Migi, I need help!

MIGI
I've heard this… everyone has heard this, the little boy who cries so much has reached everyone!

CHAD
I know, I know, I'm just so far in… I need help mi, Papi, what can I do with all this, to get you to help me, and… keep all this?

MIGI
What I say, little boy crying help. You, do. What I say.

CHAD
OK!

MIGI
Then I will help YOU mijo.

CHAD extends to touch MIGI's hand.

CHAD
Oh my god, Migi, MIGI!!! You're the Be.. You're my savior!

CHAD laughs and grabs a glass from the table, holds it up thankful for his arc-angel, he drinks to him. CHAD leans in.

CHAD
I know I should read some fine print or something, right?

MIGI eases back and tips his glass.

MIGI
You should've read something, no?

CHAD
Right, yea, no. I… you're the businessman, Migi! Mold me! You're the man, mi JEFE!

MIGI
Even more Chad!

MIGI winks

CHAD
You can use me, Migi!!!

MIGI
I know!

They lean in, raise their glasses again, and cheers. The next flight of liquor arrives at the table. CHAD stretches over the beautiful girl between them and kisses MIGI's head. His awkward move knocks a glass off the table. It breaks on the floor. As he sits back, CHAD reaches down and cuts his finger. It burns.

CHAD reels and looks to dab the red blood. MIGI motions to a linen napkin on the table among the bottle service. A petite hand costumed with jewelry and a black crystal rosary among her fingers reaches for the cloth. She hands it to MIGI, who snaps it open, straightens it, then offers it to CHAD holding his finger.

MIGI
Mijo, YOU'RE contract.

CHAD stabs his finger into the end of the napkin closest to him. A large dark red blot appears on the crisp, white sheet.

CHAD
In BLOOD!

MIGI
I know…

INT. NIGHTCLUB OFFICE - DAY

The standoff continues between the JOY BOYS and the VIPER.

CHAD
I meant to get a hold of you, I don't need the help, I'm not for sale. …anymore. I'm really sorry if you have had to come dow–

TRONA
TWICE Chad. You've already agreed. That's why I'M here. When you wish and make the BIG decision, I appear. I'm who happens.

CHAD
OK, yes, I said yes then, but NOW I don't have to anymore, so we cool.

TRONA
Baby, YOU said yes. Now I have to. Chad we don't do the returns, because this is business.

CRUZ reaches forward and hands TRONA a note. She reads a blank paper and folds it. CRUZ now stands in the office too.

CRUZ
Look amigo, we're your business partners now, you signed on the line.

CHAD
No, no, wait I didn't. There is no contract.

CRUZ
Chad. Yes, there is.

BIGGS
Hey, I realized, I enjoy dancing.

CRUZ
You're not our dance partner, amigo.

BIGGS
I kinda… am.

TRONA
I love this place SO much, and then you boys talk. Whatever happened to the silent type?

CHAD
OK, THIS place is mine, and…

TRONA
Ours, baby.

CHAD
Mine. Yes, I asked everyone for hel–

TRONA
YOU accepted. MIGI's.

AK Sounds like you'll go with anyone once you've got that drink up in ya… Chad. Is it true, does yes means yes nowa days?

CHAD
No! I mean no, now. I jus–

TRONA
Boys, toys, I NEED the room…

BIGGS
I'm soo old, it's hard for me to get up… you guys can just fuck right here. I'm a professional.

TRONA
Cru!-

CRUZ pulls his gun and the trigger on a silent KOA. CRUZ is too fast for BIGGS to stop him.

BIGGS
STOP!!!

AK shoves the table forward scooping TRONA’s feet off the floor and spinning her face toward the wall as her legs are crushed by the table. The violent momentum whiplash TRONA face first into the wall. Unconscious, she falls backward onto the table. She lays motionless arched back with her thighs pinned by the table and wall.

The table knocks CRUZ off his shot, hits KOA in the rear quarter. She yelps! CRUZ stumbles back out the doorway. BIGGS lunges over the table drawing his pistol, and cold clocks CRUZ before he can shoot again.

A DOORWAY MINION draws and fires into the office. His bullet strikes CHAD in his upper left chest. AK continues through his table shove; he dives across it and tackles the DOORWAY MINION.

INT. NIGHTCLUB, OUTSIDE OFFICE - DAY ***

BIGGS attacks the THIRD VILLAIN outside the doorway. BIGGS tackles THIRD VILLAIN as he tries to draw his gun. Initially overwhelmed by AK the THIRD VILLAIN, is now unprepared for BIGGS.

BIGGS takes THIRD VILLAIN to the ground and pounds, lights out.

AK and DOORWAY MINION struggle on the hallway floor.

MARCO bursts through the club's outer doors. He pulls his gun and sprints across the floor toward the fight.

BIGGS regains his feet and entrains his pistol on MARCO to command him.

BIGGS
STOP! GET DOWN! GET DOWN ON THE FUCKING GROUND!

MARCO
PUNTA!

MARCO fires on the charge. BIGGS stands over motionless THIRD VILLAIN. MARCO's bullet strike the doorway.

BIGGS' legs are swept from under him by AK grappling with DOORWAY MINION. Despite the turmoil, BIGGS returns with precision hate. His trigger strikes MARCO twice, in the throat, in the pelvis as he drops. Marco's dead. Breaking BIGG’s fall AK and DOORWAY MINION scuffle. BIGGS body slams onto DOORWAY MINION, knocks the wind from him. AK ends the conflict with an elbow to t DOORWAY MINION jaw.

INT. NIGHTCLUB, BOILER ROOM - NIGHT ***

TRONA stirs. She is slow to realize she's sitting back to back zip-tied to CRUZ. A metal utility pipe separates them, they've been unconscious for a while. Two assistant banditos lie motionless on the floor their legs and arms zip-bound behind them.

Cold milk splashes TRONA's face and then CRUZ. Her partner barely stirs but does not wake. TRONA struggles to come to.

BIGGS
Morning, princesses… Good morning… How’s your spa time.

TRONA still struggles.

BIGGS
We're going to have some… fun. Because you SHOT my friend.

TRONA blinks and glares in her blurry nightmare.

BIGGS
Heads up la puta, you're going to die today. I want to know that.

TRONA
What. The. Fuck. What do you want?

BIGGS
I want you to deliver a message to your great dumbass in the sky…

BIGGS taps TRONA's forehead with his cadence.

BIGGS
Don't… Shoot. Dogs.

BIGGS draws his pistol. He slow cocks his CZ P09, puts it to her head, his finger moves to the trigger and takes up the free travel to it's wall, and pulls the trig– KOA whimpers and tugs at BIGGS elbow. Parley?

BIGGS exhales through his nose.

BIGGS
It's your call girl.

TRONA is cold cocked with the pistol.

BIGGS
Plan B it is. Disfrutarás LA México. (Enjoy Mexico)

INT. TACT TRAINING FACILITY, A CLINICAL ROOM - DAY ***

The veterinarian room at THUNDER RESPONSE (3 Lightening Bolts form a Fist Striking from the Heavens) is clean and orderly. Stainless steel tables are prepped for medical work. A rolling cart is stocked with wound care, shaving, and suture materials.

BIGGS finishes caring for KOA lying on a table. AK assists with the surgery tools and materials during the procedure. They concentrate on their work, but in good spirits.

AK has an orange kit open on the table, and on it is a salve container. Three small 10ml spritz bottles are packaged neatly in the kit.

AK hands the salve container to BIGGS.

AK
Here, you can apply this near the wound, it's best near, not on it.

BIGGS
So, you work from the outside now, eh? By the way… thanks. Really, thank you. Why is all that crap standing in your way?

AK
Welcome. Whatever it takes.

BIGGS
What's the deal with all this outdated Drug War crap? The only ones who benefit are the old bad guys who got a new life as new bad guys… Why doesn't everyone just ask you what they need to do?

AK
That's how it starts, of course. They like what we're doing, they want people to think they're with us, or part of the project. Or my favorite, doing the same thing. Look at the crap on CNN from Colorado, Isreal, Europe, California, even Oregon or Canada. But the change to actually do it… ruins their business, ruins their hype. Then their money. The law intentionally tolerates the illegal market, they already know how to thrive off dirty. That's what they made legalization… it's the same people with the same value proposition. It draws everyone back toward the dark, not the other way around. It's Access, Access is the value prop for the black market. If people, if their customers knew what they COULD be getting, and had expectations higher than the floor… Big Marijuana would be out of business.

BIGGS
That doesn't make sense. If you can identify a… you know a…

AK
Profile.

BIGGS
Yea, the profile that fixes me, or Koa, or Will, or anyone I put in front of you… what are they afraid of?

AK
Why did you choose to love mud, yuk, and the suck..? Without anyone knowing…

BIGGS
I… I love… crayons, but ONLY for the TASTE!

AK
Why didn't you choose hairspray and fame?

BIGGS
Camera shy… I, I'm camera shy, and the SEALs, by law, have to stop mid-raid, oil up, and shoot from the most unnatural positions. I was never meant for porn. I mean, I'm meant for porn, the lord definitely giveth, just not– Anyway what are THEY afraid of?

AK
(chuckling)
Wow… Meant for porn… Didn't YOU wait till six to lose your virginity with that High School French Teacher, The Vixen?

BIGGS
Cinq (Five). And, we were in love.

AK
OK, maybe you were… Change. Money. Image. Drug-dealer status, it's a powerful position. In illegal markets, people are starving. So "food" from a dumpster is good enough, any food is good enuff. In a legal market, people expect something they can trust from Micky D's to Ruth Crist. But the state keeps the dumpster going, they mandate dumpsters only.

BIGGS
They're not helping anyone. By the way, her sister, I loved her too… and her pouty cousins. My guys, my brothers, and sisters use anything and everything. It's ALWAYS supposed to be the next miracle… and it NEVER is.

BIGGS squares off with AK.

BIGGS
Psychedelics… yeah they trip and have a good time… but not long after, it's all BACK. It's dark and the voices. And the thoughts. And the alone. And the pills. Are BACK! The golden BB is BACK-in-the-chamber. Nothing does shit! Everyone's COMPLETELY fine with us ACTUALLY dying. Fine with WATCHING us die. They fucking count us. It's a fucking ROLE call for caskets. It happens, and I know you know, but every FUCKING Day, twenty-two in my family, MY family dies every day. EVERY. FUCKING. DAY! Everyone is REAL happy to charge us money for nothing. Right until the bullet meets our brain. Spit on us. Charge us. Repeat! TURN up the pills! TURN up the weed! TURN up the shit! DRINK this! PLAY with that! It DOESN'T fucking work! Drugs, horses, shrooms, pills, whatever that black shit is, nothing works! Unless… You know their objective is that they just want us to, just check out. One point five-million-armed PTSD cases scares the fuck out of them, it powers gun control. But they keep fucking us over. The funny fucking thing is– I didn't bleed AND cry AND fight AND live the suck just to check out now. Now that we’re USELESS to the machine. Now that we’ve DONE OUR PART and LEFT OUR BLOOD and LOST OUR FRIENDS, GODDAMIT MAN, FUCK THESE FUCKING FUCKS! ALL OF THEM, FUCK ALL OF THEM! WE NEED FUCKING HELP MAN! WE NEED YOU TO FUCKING HELP US ALL! …the thing is, I bet I'm not your only charity case. I BET a lot more people need what you're doing… so why the FUCK are they in your way?

AK
You want some milk while you clean yourself up?

BIGGS
Yes, I fucking DO want some GAWD damn milk. And as I drink that tall cold fucker, you're going to tell me what the fuck we need to do.

AK
Hahaha, that's the easy-to-explain, tough-to-solve problem.

BIGGS
Well let's hope, since ALL MY impossible shit is SO easy for you… maybe I have some magic left in the wand. I can throw some on this dumpster fire and help you. Speaking of dumpster fires, they were triplets. One for each candle on the cake.

AK
You had a Ménage à Trois, at three..?

BIGGS
I was. Meant. For. Por–

AK
THREE is less than five.

BIGGS
In some countries. But I don't do decimals.

BIGGS smiles real big.

BIGGS
But go on…

INT. LABORATORY - DAY

Analytical scientists and clinicians do science stuff and collect info on iPads for double blind studies with patients.

AK (O.C.)
OK, three oh eight. The FUNCTIONAL issue is… as we quantify profiles with real benefits for patients, people, and their health outcomes… the profiles don't consistently make it to the lab.

BIGGS (O.C.)
Why? You do all that work, and they don't get them to you?

INT. TACT TRAINING FACILITY, A CLINICAL ROOM - DAY

AK
Well Five-Five-Six, three reasons. Ambush. DTOs and Leo snatch'n-grabs–

BIGGS
The wrong hole dilemma. Right, weed is weed, no matter how many gold teeth spite their fire. Unless it's from you, why? What about these ruffians? What DTO? Which Leos?

EXT. RURAL ROADSIDE - DAY

Hipster weedlers are robbed by a couple of sheriff deputies during a rural traffic stop.

AK (O.C.)
Lookie here, Seven-six-two, Leo gangs and DTOs hunt the farmers transporting their products and returning with their money. They skin the sheep.

EXT. PARKING LOT - NIGHT

A towing company finishes loading a pickup from a restaurant parking lot.

INT. RESTAURANT - NIGHT

Two gun-woman holds two thirty somethings discretely at gun point in the restaurant. DUMBASS 1 and DUMBASS 2 watch the tow company take their truck.

AK (O.C.)
The government keeps banking impossible, and that keeps the cash in open circulation. As far as DTOs, that can be as loose as a couple of buddies or as formalized as our friends from today, or even off-the-clock LEOs.

EXT. PARKING LOT - NIGHT

BIGGS jumps up and KOs the tow truck driver and drives the truck around the restaurant.

INT. RESTAURANT - NIGHT

The woman leave the DUMBASS 1 and DUMBASS 2 to sulk about their robbery.

BIGGS (O.C.)
Yea… lucky for you my 4-eyed friend… I learned convoys in the school of hard knocks, and the money we found in the desert has made me a bit of a connoisseur of sorts, my boy.

BIGGS walks up to DUMBASS and DUMBASS in their booth and tosses their keys back to them. Smiles. Then the tow trucks keys, and a chihuahua.

INT. TACT TRAINING FACILITY, A CLINICAL ROOM - DAY

AK (O.C.)
Funny thing, three-thirty-eight… I don't wear glasses my fine feathered friend.

BIGGS (O.C.)
You will, my spicy meatball, you will.

AK (O.C.)
Twenty-two, What the fuck is going on?

EXT. CANNABIS FARM – DAY

A RAID is conducted, with Excavators loading whole plants into dump trucks. Scrap in one dump truck, plants in the others. As the convoy leaves all the plants divert to a farm where police guard a huge immigrant band of trimmers clad in Department of Corrections jumpsuits processing the weed.

BIGGS (O.C.)
I won't tell you. MOA.

AK (O.C.)
Well, if you want to upend your perfectly normal life, FIFTY, and come play in the bizarro world I call home… I'll show you some moves.

BIGGS (O.C.)
Well, ten millimeter, I was trying to just enjoy my damn milk, and look at what happened. So… maybe your world is the exact vacation I've been looking for. And I'm not alone.

AK (O.C.)
Funny how many people there are in something nobody knows about. Six-five.

BIGGS (O.C.)
Even Koa here, …when she wakes up will want to chase bad guys up a pole. Seven-m-m. You should see what she does to people who reincarnate as her dummy! Unlucky double-aught fuckers!

INT. CANNABIS DISPENSARY - DAY

A bud tender randomly picks a jar of weed up and lets the customer smell it.

Montage: a patient, a weedler, a DJ, and an eight grader smoke, cough, and get ripped.

AK (O.C.)
OK, three hundred. And the 2nd, which doesn't happen very often, the grower thinks they can sling their weed for more, once we've quantified it. But back to the hype, it doesn't work. Because slinging weed actually strips the value. Dispensaries are just the big backpack from the college dorms, claim, claim, ghost.

Montage: The patient suffers and argues with the bud tender. The weedler plays XBox. The DJ snorts powder. The eighth grader sells drugs to the high school girls in the bath room.

EXT. ROAD, FOREST, AMBUSH 1 - DAY ***

A four-door gray Toyota Tundra with a canopy travels a lush pacific northwest road through the forest.

BIGGS (O.C.)
Hahahah always surprise them, what the hell does a SERE instructor have to live for? Cowboy jacked it for more than 3 hours. So what would you do?

RADIO (V.O.)
"Their badly burned bodies were found next to a road south of Cave Junction. Police identified their remains eight days after the alleged roadside cremation."

WILL (O.C.)
Yer not, you sick fuk!

COWBOY (O.C.)
I found a loophole! And it would have worked too if wouldn't have been for those meddling C-schoolers!

INT. TUNDRA PICKUP CABIN - DAY

Four men in a Toyota Tundra PICKUP drive the country road–AK, BIGGS, WILL, & COWBOY

WILL
They always mess up everything.

RADIO (V.O.)
“New court documents reveal gruesome details of what's being labeled an arson-homicide. More details at ten.”

BIGGS
They may be the reason we couldn't have fun… but Cowboy, you're still the reason we can't have nice things!

COWBOY
Mmm, I never mean to hurt anyone, …other than myself.

EXT. ROAD, FOREST, AMBUSH 1 - DAY

TACTICAL TEAM Laughs Hard

LISA (O.S.)
Well… Welcome to the terror dome. I think this is them.

A TRUCK races along to catch the TUNDRA. It breaks hard to avoid smashing into the pickup and tailgates them.

INT. TUNDRA PICKUP CABIN - DAY

AK
(speaking into the side mirror)
Oh, lookie here.

BIGGS
OK, yep here we go.

EXT. ROAD, FOREST, AMBUSH 1 - DAY

The TRUCK veers around the PICKUP passing fast and close.

INT. TUNDRA PICKUP CABIN - DAY

The team pulls up and readies their Short-Barreled Rifles.

EXT. ROAD, FOREST, AMBUSH 1 - DAY

The TRUCK NASCAR rubs the TUNDRA.

INT. TUNDRA PICKUP CABIN - DAY

BIGGS
Ohhh, sweet moves, much?

INT. FORD BRONCO - DAY

COWBOY pulls a tablet screen down from his chest rig.

EXT. ROAD, FOREST, AMBUSH 1 - DAY

A drone appears above the front of the TRUCK. It broadcasts a live feed of the Driver-side Door.

COWBOY (O.C.)
Hammer down boys! Git'em!

INT. TUNDRA PICKUP CABIN - DAY

BIGGS
Ok, do it. Right in the goat hole.

The TUNDRA team braces.

AK accelerates hard.

EXT. ROAD, FOREST, AMBUSH 1 - DAY

AK drives the tundra left pushing the offending TRUCK by its rear quarter panel. The tactic spins the TRUCK around its front end. It continues forward and slides sideways along the road. The move forces the front tires over the shoulder and down into the deep roadside ditch.

INT. TUNDRA PICKUP CABIN - DAY

COWBOY
Uncle Sam's newest TactMo says…

TACTICAL TEAM
(imitating scar face)
EL-LO!

INT. FORD BRONCO - DAY

WILL
(mimicking Seinfeld)
Hellooooooo! La la laa!

EXT. ROAD, FOREST, AMBUSH 1 - DAY

AK continues to push the immobilized TRUCK over the berm with the TUNDRA. Gravel blocks the driver-side doors shut.

LISA (O.S.)
You got 'em!

HOUSE
Got'em pinned!

AK continues to push on the TRUCK so the men disembark to assault the TRUCK with some surprise.

BIGGS
3, 2, 1, Bust 'em!

HOUSE
(mimicking the Chappelle show)
Bunch a'bitches. Protect ya Gawd damn neck!

While the TRUCK slows to a stop, the highwaymen hesitate for their TRUCK to stop.

In contrast, the TACTICAL TEAM props their doors open with their feet–First Strike. BIGGS and COWBOY flow from the TUNDRA's right side. They neutralize the passenger-side TRUCK banditos trapped in their own fear.

From the driver-side rear seat, COWBOY flows from the TUNDRA, around the rear of the TRUCK. He defeats the DRIVER who wrestles his gun, it's too long for the cab.

Done with his push-for-surprise, AK flows behind HOUSE and attacks the rear passenger still trapped in the TRUCK wildly trying to shoot someone he cannot see.

COWBOY
(mimicking the Chappelle show)
Wrap'em up B!

The counter-offensive blitz is over.

The TACTICAL TEAM drag the HIGHWAYMEN bound and gagged into the ditch.

The DRONE heads back up the road.

BIGGS
Let's get our concealment on!

The TACTICAL TEAM disperse into the woods on both sides of the road.

LISA (O.S.)
Three-hundred meters. Three seconds.

A SECOND TRUCK approaches from the forest road. It slows to inspect the odd vehicle configuration and noses up to the rear of the TUNDRA.

SECOND TRUCK DRIVER
This… is weird.

SECOND TRUCK PASSENGER snaps a picture of the trucks.

SECOND TRUCK PASSENGER
Lemme ask. Jefe.

A full-size FORD BRONCO closes from the rear. It slows down and then inches onto the SECOND TRUCK. To the right of center, with its brush guard it makes contact and begins to push. Contact unleashes the ambush.

WILL from the BRONCO passenger seat exits and flows to the rear of the truck. HOUSE and COWBOY emerge from the forest and assault the passenger side of the truck. Shooting suppressed SBRs along the doors at leg level. The SECOND TRUCK driver attempts to reverse but the BRONCO holds it hostage.

BIGGS and AK bound from the forest and across the road. They assault the driver through his window.

The ambush is over.

LISA (O.S.)
All clear. Clear for 5 clicks.

BIGGS
Nice work. All the milk is on me.

INT. MX:OCO CLINIC - DAY ***

We visit a new kind of SUCCESS.

Executive experiences a "limitless pill" type effect from his MX:Spritz, 327-01-001. Their ability to cope with stress, and multiple issues, and visualize solutions without effort surprises them. They can operate at 200% easily.

INT. OREGON SECRETARY OF STATE OFFICE - DAY

We get to see the first step in dethroning the viral corruption that runs, ruins and removes choice from the people they supposedly serve.

AK, IZZY, GIGI, RON, and ABBY deliver the INITIATIVE TEXT and the initial 25,000 signatures (8,000 needed) to start the ballot process.

EXT. FARM 2, DRIVEWAY & PARKING - NIGHT ***

A dark GREEN PICKUP with a canopy and a BOX TRUCK turns off a county road onto a long driveway. It winds up into the foothills to a mobile home far off the main road. The driveway is very long and has two ninety-degree bends in it. The drive passes by a neighbor's house that cannot see up the drive to the house.

Beyond the first L-bend, four refer truck trailers are used to dry. Two semi-tractors wait for the end of the season.

The GREEN PICKUP eases up the driveway, around the L-bend, and continues through the second L to ascend into the tree line. It turns its headlights off and approaches the house.

EXT. FARM 2, PROCESSING AREA - NIGHT

Behind the GREEN PICKUP, the BOX TRUCK creeps up into the trailer area. The truck is dark, except for the two men smoking their red cherries.

EXT. FARM 2, DRIVEWAY & PARKING - NIGHT

The GREEN PICKUP pulls past the trees to a clearing next to the double-wide mobile home. Two Subaru Outbacks and a green pickup with a canopy take up the shale-rock parking area and prevent more cars from using the area.

The GREEN PICKUP stops. ESPA and JUANITO with two men disembark. JUANITO and ESPA head to the side door and the two encircle the home–ENTRYMAN1, around the front; and ENTRYMAN2 around the back of the house.

EXT. FARM 2, FRONT OF THE HOUSE - NIGHT

ENTRYMAN 1 moves to observe the inside of the house.

EXT. FARM 2, BACK OF THE HOUSE - NIGHT

ENTRYMAN 2 moves to a sliding door to better observe and report any occupants. The house is dark and quiet.

EXT. FARM 2, HOUSE SIDE ENTRY - NIGHT

JUANITO and ESPA approach the well-used side entry. A surveillance camera points right at them. JUANITO motions to the camera, he makes a circular gesture with his hand, flashes eight fingers, and then crosses his throat. ESPA nods to acknowledge his work.

JUANITO and ESPA continue to the main door. A cat gets up and trots off the welcome mat.

EXT. FARM 2, BACK OF THE HOUSE - NIGHT

ENTRYMAN 2 creeps forward onto the rear deck and peers through the sliding glass doors. The living room showcases guitars, hand drums, and several comfortable couches. There are bongs, grinders, and glass canning jars on the coffee table.

EXT. FARM 2, FRONT OF THE HOUSE - NIGHT

ENTRYMAN 1 moves into a window between tall Weigela bushes. The blinds are almost closed but he can see past the shades into the kitchen beyond the washroom's partially closed doorway.

EXT. FARM 2, HOUSE SIDE ENTRY - NIGHT

JUANITO puts his hand on the entry door's knob and presses down to remove slack. He starts to twist, to test the lock. It turns. He stops. From behind him, ESPA places her hand on his shoulder. She has her gun out and she is ready to shoot. The JUANITO's gun is also ready.

ESPA tuts over the sound of crickets and frogs. A click responds from the front and rear of the house.

ESPA squeezes JUANITO's shoulder, he opens the door–no noise.

INT. FARM 2, HOUSE - NIGHT

The duo enters a large multipurpose room. It has a large table outfitted with bins, lights, scissors, and boxes of latex gloves. The house is clean, dark, and silent. There is a couch along the far wall. The room has a door to a bedroom across from the entry. The far adjacent wall opens into a kitchen and living room.

ESPA works across the room to the bedroom door.

JUANITO heads left toward the kitchen. He crosses the washroom doorway.

EXT. FARM 2, FRONT OF THE HOUSE - NIGHT

ENTRYMAN 1 taps all-clear on the glass.

INT. FARM 2, HOUSE - NIGHT

JUANITO looks at the window and responds with a wave. ENTRYMAN 1 settles back outside the window. JUANITO eases past the door further into the kitchen and living room space.

EXT. FARM 2, FRONT OF THE HOUSE - NIGHT

A metal prod appears from a Weigela bush Strikes ENTRYMAN 1 in the throat, and his face shimmers. He falls limp.

INT. FARM 2, HOUSE - NIGHT

Entering the kitchen JUANITO hears a tap from ENTRYMAN 2 at the rear glass sliding door. He acknowledges and returns back to the great room.

EXT. FARM 2, BACK OF THE HOUSE - NIGHT

A cable lasso drops over ENTRYMAN 2's head and chokes him off the ground. He struggles momentarily. A metal prod strikes down his head. The electric shock incapacitates him. He is lowered quietly to the ground–No sound.

JUANITO signals to ESPA that their victim is in the bedroom she enters.

EXT. FARM 2, PROCESSING AREA - NIGHT

Two men smoke cigarettes, their cherries pulse as they pull on the doobies. The smoke rolls out of the cab lit by a farm light at the front corner of the processing area. Long shadows from the four 53-foot trailers cut across the yard.

Distant gas releases, Pfft! Pfft! The smokers perk at the sound. High-pressure metal paintballs hit their heads hard. The faint clanking of the balls bouncing throughout the truck's cabin confirm the hit. Both men are dead or dying.

INT. FARM 2, HOUSE - NIGHT

ESPA and enter the door to a dark bedroom.

JUANITO joins her.

They are tased in the head and slump to the floor.

LISA (O.S.)
The BEST part of the Christmas approach to cutting the video feed… They telegraph their arrival, and never saw us coming–They're SO sneaky!

Drones observing the house and processing area zip off into the night.

INT. MOVING TRUCK - NIGHT

Pairs of cartel sicarios are zipped tied neck to neck, feet to feet, and arms pulled behind them and around their partner.

ESPA and JUANITO are zipped tied to the racking rails inside the truck.

A stream of cold sprite is shaken and sprayed across their faces. ESPA comes too quickly. JUANITO stirs slower.

WILL
Hi there, lil muchacha… ya'll have soo much venom, we're gunna have to milk ya.

ESPA
Ffffuik… ew, pun…

WILL
Big dog? You wanna talk to her, or wait for slim to come too?

BIGGS
Doesn't matter.

INT. LABORATORY, COUNSELING ROOM - DAY

DAPHNE, PsyD, MD, PhD, sits with her PTSD PATIENT working through an Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) session.

PATIENT, PTSD
I don't know yet.

DAPHNE
You don't have to.

PATIENT, PTSD
I don't have to talk?

DAPHNE
Your specific issues are important to processing specific issues. Understanding trauma in general doesn't have to hurt. Frankly, understanding what PTSD is the most effective tool for success.

PATIENT, PTSD
Ha, knowing is half the battle.

DAPHNE
You can chime if you want a quality conversation, but we're not fixing something broken. You're not broken. In fact, you're built stronger in some important places.

PATIENT, PTSD
Gosh doc, can you tell?

DAPHNE
You just need adjust for your current operation, like racing at 10,000 ft but now you’re at sea level.

PATIENT, PTSD
Wait, why am I talking about all this so easily, normally…

DAPHNE
327 1 14 and we’re talking about “broken arms” not actually breaking your arm so we can talk.

PATIENT, PTSD pulls out his MX:Spritz.

PATIENT, PTSD
Damn this works.

DAPHNE
It’s important to work with someone who understands trauma, not just anxiety and disorders. You're coping with the correct response, not a victim of the incorrect responses. Now you get to revise your SOP, because you're not there, you are here now.

PATIENT, PTSD
I like these.

DAPHNE
Different, but nothing you've got is wrong… Just like getting jumped by a cougar in the forest isn’t a disorder. Being aware of cougar attacks isn't a disorder, especially since you’ve been jumped, you’re not chicken little.

PATIENT, PTSD
Wait, that… makes sense.

DAPHNE
Yeah, showing up in a war zone in Shorts, flip flops, out-of-shape, and zero training is… is the exact opposite of what you're doing now.

PATIENT, PTSD
Sounds like my kinda party!

DAPHNE
Says a fifteen-year spec ops vet, rehearsing every day of his life. How much are you training to relax? How much are you training to operate successfully here, now?

PATIENT, PTSD sits back in his chair.

PATIENT, PTSD
I guess I’m not training to succeed here…

DAPHNE
Yea no kidding. PTS response is different than anxiety because it's NOT the wrong response. PTS was the right response to the event. The event is just not over here, but the TRAUMA response came with you.

PATIENT, PTSD
Damn, why is this suddenly working?

DAPHNE
Hopefully, we're putting the cannabinoids you're running low on back, dealing with PTS every day. You can prepare for success here. P-P-P-P-P-P. Until you get on a track that stresses you less.

PATIENT, PTSD
Right… Proper Preparedness, makes sense.

DAPHNE
How much time did you spend preparing for spec ops, much less a single mission?

PATIENT, PTSD
Six months.

DAPHNE
How bad did you want to make it thru three selections?

PATIENT, PTSD
I don't quit.

DAPHNE
Yes, you do, you quit more than you don't. How bad did you want to NOT quit three times?

PATIENT, PTSD
OK, yea. I wanted it more than anything. There's no percent for that shit, all in, everything I had, and I found 3x more. Everyday. Every week, month, and every year.

DAPHNE
Right, I believe you. How bad do you want to be in THIS America? The one you would’ve died to protect.

PATIENT, PTSD
Ha, Zero! No joy here.

DAPHNE
And you wonder why it's tough? Why you're "messing up"? Failing to prepare to prevent piss poor performance. Are you planning to sabotage your success? Who's the actual obstacle? The six P's, you think they stopped?

PATIENT, PTSD
Hmmm… doc, I can see the problem. Where the fuck do I fit?

DAPHNE
Where the fuck you want to. You get to build your FOB, visit strange new lands, leave the strange new lands. Appreciate what you got and make what you want.

PATIENT, PTSD
I don't understand why I always fuck everything up. I feel like I'm just waiting for me to strike and ruin everything. I feel like a piece of shit!

DAPHNE
Drop the POS crap, we both know that’s bull shit. And weren’t you TRAINED to disrupt?

PATIENT, PTSD
I know, part of the job, WAS part of the…

DAPHNE
What I don't do is speak for you, but what I can do is speak to trauma, and listen when you want to talk. Keep it simple.

PATIENT, PTSD
I feel like such a piece of shit…

DAPHNE
No, you don’t, you’re deflecting, so stop. The difference between broken arms and trauma is… you don't have to re-break the arm to fix it. Trauma feels like you have to re-break something trying to heal, to fix it, but it's not required.

PATIENT, PTSD
I'm so jammed up. Stuck. I think I should just go back and get back in. But when I have, I just can't keep doing their shit. Rinse and repeat. None of these fuckers have done anything, they're just related. And we make them into terrorists to keep the war machine going. Some seven-year-old becomes seventeen and indoc'd as the next USDA stamped warlord. I befriend them at twenty and kill them at twenty-eight. They've been handled since they were five, their parents are OUR mercenaries. And they are the next USA grown terrorist in waiting.

DAPHNE
Negative Yin and Yang, Never-forget and Never-remember.

PATIENT, PTSD
Selected because you're a beast, trained to be a tiger. Now, I gotta live in a cage…

DAPHNE
You're not alone. People do understand you, where you're at and what you're dealing with.

PATIENT, PTSD
It does not feel like it.

DAPHNE
Feel like it in one hand and open your eyes with the other.

PATIENT, PTSD
OK, but I am not wrong.

DAPHNE
Worried that a cougar is going to jump off your roof onto your head, when a cougar has jumped on your head, is the right instinct. Our brains look out for us, but they're stuck between two purposes. One: prevent the trauma from happening again. One: never forget the trauma, because it hurt us and we need to see it coming to avoid it. The MX:Scale curates the effects we prefer when they're the most useful. In your case: 327-1-14.

PATIENT, PTSD
OK then why do these sessions make sense, even though I don't think they will before I get here?

DAPHNE
Because irritated and talkative kinda helps our sessions to uncover root issues difficult to access, without tripping your self-defense mechanisms… Work safe and effective. Based on your biochem we, dose for our session. That's why it works. No promises, but you're doing great anyway.

EXT. ROAD, FARM TO TOWN, TRAP 2 - DAY ***

A diesel ARMORED TRUCK turns onto a farm-to-town road. The air-assisted shifts create a hype track for the diesel engine reving as it accelerates.

HOUSE (O.C.)
Hit the main road and headed to town.

LISA (O.C)
I see us.

The ARMORED TRUCK continues toward town.

LISA (O.C.)
Two boogies, two clicks ahead of you, and two more closing the back door. Contact in, ninety. This is going to be EXTRA special.

INT. THUNDER RESPONSE MULTIMEDIA ROOM - DAY

BIGGS and LISA are sitting on big cloth bean bags observing their truck from god's view.

BIGGS
I dunno how this isn't a thing.

LISA
Umm, it is. You're doing the THING right now.

BIGGS
No, I'm Netflixing and chilling…

WILL (O.C.)
WE'RE Netflix and chilling?

INT. ARMORED TRUCK SECURE BOX - DAY

A screen on the wall displays what BIGGS and LISA see.

WILL, COWBOY, KOA, and SIN sit on giant fluffy pillows among a pile of money bags.

BIGGS (O.C.)
…WE'RE watching our favorite nerd play her video game.

LISA (O.C.)
Fair enough, but I can still beat all your asses up anything vertical.

WILL
You were a cheerleader, you weigh nothing! …and you drive a jet pack!

LISA
Jealous mu–

INT. ARMORED TRUCK CABIN – DAY

HOUSE drives the truck and watches an iPad on his dash.

HOUSE
That’s them?

LISA (O.S.)
Yep, Christmas in 3. Stop here.

EXT. ROAD, FARM TO TOWN, TRAP 2

A semi-truck and lowboy trailer with a large CAT D9 bulldozer and a GMC Pickup blockade the road ahead. There is nothing for miles. Another Semi and GMC race up and stop behind the . They block the retreat.

The ARMORED TRUCK stops, it's brakes–pop, pop, and pop.

KOA picks her head up and SIN perks, they wait for instructions. WILL rubs SIN's head, he's ready.

INT. ARMORED TRUCK SECURE BOX - DAY

Lisa clicks on her tablet's map four times and hits enter.

LISA
Ho, ho, ho, and ho.

BIGGS
It's not so fun when Lisa has the gun…

EXT. ROAD, FARM TO TOWN, TRAP 2

Four large agriculture drones fall out of the sky onto the truck-jam like rocks, targeting the Cartel trucks.

Four drones smash on the hoods and release gallon-sized magnetic canisters. The drones leap back into the sky, faster than they came. Left behind a thin wire traces into the sky. Electric pulses ignite the THERMITE canisters. They burn like six-inch thick sparklers melting everything below using the temperature of the sun.

HOUSE (O.C.)
Wow, that was–

LISA (O.S.)
Easier?

HOUSE (O.C.)
Uh, yea… where did you get those.

The THERMITE canisters cut and descend through the motor, and flames gush through the wheel wells and holes in the hoods. The trucks have become giant cauldrons slopping molten metal like boiling lava syrup. The cartel drivers flee their trucks and take cover.

LISA (O.S.)
Up the road, a cold war manufacturer had a LITTLE trouble selling them to Saddam back in the day. Now they're fire starters. Much better than watching iron and aluminum rust.

The ARMORED TRUCK starts, stutters, and pushes the burning GMC out of its way.

HOUSE (O.C.)
I can see that…

BIGGS (O.C.)
Wait, that's it? Why did I even come in?

INT. ARMORED TRUCK SECURE BOX – DAY

The team watch the footage like a touch down on a return.

LISA (O.S.)
Hey! …People pay to watch gamers now.

WILL
Itz'dat, Fuk-U money…

INT. THUNDER RESPONSE MULTIMEDIA ROOM - DAY

LISA
I'm passing the hat.

LISA tossed her cover at BIGGS chest.

EXT. FARM 3, RUAL ROAD ALONG PROPERTY - NIGHT ***

A moving VAN eases to a stop against a tree line. A GMC pickup stops behind it. The VAN's rear door opens, and seven armed men join an armed passenger from the GMC.

Eight banditos sneak through the tree line, cross a field, and hustle toward a fenced grow site.

EXT. FARM 3, PERIMETER - NIGHT

As they reach the nearest corner, the lead man stretches up and clips a glowing clamp on a camera's CAT cable. The camera is positioned to monitor inside the fence, and not the men. Thankful, he kisses his right finger, glances up, and makes a catholic cross. The man behind him taps him.

SECOND THIEF
(whispering)
Gracias a Dios, ¿sí? (Thank god?)

LEAD THIEF elbows the SECOND THIEF.

LEAD THIEF
(whispering with a wink)
No… las instructions OLCC. ¡Gracias a los santos de la corrupción! (No… for the OLCC and their rules, the Saints of Corruption)

LEAD THIEF guides the first three men around the fence, the SECOND THIEF leads the other men around the opposite side.

The groups scurry along their 200ft wall. They're cautious at the corners, place clips on the CAT cables, and proceed to the entrance gate at far corner of the grow site.

LISA (O.S.)
Four and four.

WILL (O.C.)
Dibbs…

Beyond the corner a stack of pallets and skid loader, conceal AK, WILL, LISA, COWBOY, HOUSE and BIGGS. They watch the teams converging on them along the walls. COWBOY and WILL have their AR rifles slung on their backs while they watch the invaders approach through Red Dot optics with thermals atop silenced Benelli M4 shotguns. BIGGS and HOUSE overwatch them through their REECE rifles.

BIGGS
Take 'em at 20meters. …3, 2, 1, Bust'em.

COWBOY and WILL fire 4 shots in pairs. They strike the men in the foreheads, they drop unconsciously in pile on their walls.

LISA
And… then there were none.

A drone zips from watching the grow site to the road.

AK
Nice work guys.