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Killing Zoe
FADE IN:
INT. TAXI CAB - MOVING - DAY
Rain falls on the rear window of a taxi parked in the taxi
zone of the Charles de Gualle Airport.
Aside from the incessant tapping of rain on the roof of the
cab we hear the sounds of the airport: the almost monotonic
loudspeaker declaring in French that loitering is not
permissible and that should any bags be left unattended that
they will be destroyed; the honking of the horns from other
automobiles; the unintelligible chatter of people as they get
their bearings. Inside the cab, playing on the radio, is
Angelique Kidjo's funky song "Batonga".
Then, the rear door to the cab opens and in an EXTREME CLOSE
UP we see ZED, a young man with wild, almost mesmerizing eyes
shielded by small round glasses, and with a head of nappy red
hair. His face has drops on it from the flurry outside.
He settles himself, then looks to the CAB DRIVER, an easy
going Senegalese/Frenchman, in the front seat.
ZED
Hotel Mondial.
CAB DRIVER
Le Mondial. Tres bien.
He starts driving.
CAB DRIVER
Avec cette pluie ca risque de prendre un
moment. L'autoroute est ferme. A cause
du 14 Juillet.
He drives for a while.
CAB DRIVER
[Do you mind the radio?]
Zed looks at the meter, francs are clicking away. He also
looks at the cab driver's license, his name is Moises Du
Bois.
CAB DRIVER
[Do you want me to turn the radio off?]
ZED
(realizing he's being asked a
question)
I don't speak French.
The driver turns around.
CAB DRIVER
(in broken English)
Ah. American?
ZED
That's right.
CAB DRIVER
That's good because I speak a little
English.
Zed nods.
CAB DRIVER
I asked if you mind the radio. Music.
You know.
Zed shakes his head "no".
CAB DRIVER
(with a smile)
Super cool.
Zed adjusts his watch.
ZED
What time is it?
CAB DRIVER
Time, time, time. I don't know.
Daytime.
Zed forgets the adjustment for now.
CAB DRIVER
Are you in town for business?
ZED
Yes.
CAB DRIVER
It's a nice hotel. Your hotel. Very big
rooms.
He looks at Zed in the rear view mirror.
CAB DRIVER
Do you know Paris?
ZED
I've been here once before. When I was
younger.
The cab driver smiles.
CAB DRIVER
Those were the days.
They drive for a while.
CAB DRIVER
Married?
ZED
I beg your pardon?
CAB DRIVER
Do you have a wife?
ZED
No.
(then after thinking about it
for a while)
Why?
CAB DRIVER
Well, if you need a wife for the night...
(searching for the right words
in French)
Une escorte. Pour vous faire visiter.
(then back to his broken
English)
For business. I give you my number.
Very nice girl. French. Like when you
were young.
He lifts his hand and shows his index and middle finger
tightly extended together, then he crosses them.
CAB DRIVER
Know what I mean?
Zed smiles at this and nods.
CAB DRIVER
Speaks the language of love. Take you to
heaven and back. You just tell me and I
set it up.
Zed shakes his head and laughs.
CAB DRIVER
What you laughing at? You let Moises set
it up. She treat you right. She treat
you fine.
Zed can do nothing but smile at the thought of it.
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. HOTEL - HALL - DAY
A long, empty hallway of a moderately priced hotel. From
around a corner comes a BELLBOY carrying Zed's one bag.
Zed is right behind him.
They come up to room 6A and the bellboy unlocks the door.
INT. HOTEL ROOM - DAY
The door to the room opens and the bellboy, followed by Zed,
walks into the room.
He puts Zed's bag onto one of those luggage holders and
proceeds to show him the room.
Sitting on the bed is a large air freight package.
BELLBOY
(in broken English)
Your package...It arrived in the last
night of before last night.
He points to the telephone.
BELLBOY
Ah...telephone, for the room service.
He motions toward the bathroom.
BELLBOY
The toilet.
He opens the closet door.
BELLBOY
To hang the clothes.
He points to a control console next to the bed.
BELLBOY
From here you can operate the television.
Then he pauses at the door before he goes out.
Zed reaches into his pocket and takes out some French money,
he starts fingering through it.
Then, the bellboy takes the liberty of showing Zed which
bills to give him.
BELLBOY
(after getting what he wanted)
Merci.
He starts to leave.
ZED
Oh, wait.
The bellboy turns around.
ZED
What time is it?
BELLBOY
(confused)
What time is it?
ZED
(pointing at his watch)
Time.
BELLBOY
Ah. Yes. Il est presque huit heures
moins dix.
The bellboy clicks his heels and walks out the door.
Zed looks around the room, still wondering what time it is,
and takes a seat on the bed.
Obviously tired from the flight Zed unbuttons his shirt a bit
and lays back on the bed next to the package. Before he
dozes off to sleep he takes his watch off and places it on
the bedside table.
He is asleep.
FADE TO BLACK:
INT. HOTEL ROOM - LATER - DAY
Zed's bed, while still made, looks like it's been slept in.
Sitting on it is the ripped open air freight package. Inside
of it is a black steel briefcase.
The shower is on and from the look of things Zed is in it.
On the bedside table we see Zed's watch. It reads 12:10 P.M.
Next to it is the phone. Next to the phone is a piece of
folded paper with Moises' name and a phone number that reads:
45.63.53.37.
INT. HOTEL ROOM - BATHROOM - SHOWER - DAY
Zed is in the shower letting the water run directly into his
face and cascade down his body.
He opens his mouth and freely drinks the water, then he spits
some out with a spurt.
Then he stops, attentive, listening for something.
He turns the shower off.
Then he hears it again, the knocking on the door.
INT. HOTEL ROOM - BATHROOM - DAY
Zed grabs a towel and climbs out of the shower. He makes his
way toward the knocking.
INT. HOTEL ROOM - DAY
Zed walks to the door to his room with the towel wrapped
around his waist. He opens it.
In the hall is ZOEY, a cute French girl of not more than
twenty. She's chewing on gum the way a schoolgirl might, but
she looks like no girl Zed ever went to school with.
ZOEY
Bonjour.
ZED
(a little awkwardly)
Bonjour.
Zed opens up the door and lets her in. She checks out the
room and places her bag on the bed. Then she makes her way
to the window for a view of the city.
ZOEY
Wow. Vous avez une belle chambre. Je ne
suis jamais venue dans cet hotel.
She turns to him, but in the process takes the time to
examine every detail of the room.
ZOEY
Ca sera 150 francs de l'heure. Toute la
nuit pour 700. D'avance. Et faudra
porter un--
ZED
I...don't speak French.
She blows a bubble.
ZOEY
It's okay.
She takes a seat on the bed.
ZOEY
It will be one thousand francs for all
night. In advance.
Zed takes the money out of his wallet and gives it to her.
ZOEY
We can do it now if you want.
ZED
Well, let me just dry up.
ZOEY
Okay, but it's not necessary.
He goes into the bathroom and starts drying himself.
She puts the money in her bag and then turns on the
television from the remote console. A French talk show comes
on. She changes the channel until she comes to a station
playing F.W. Murnau's silent classic, "Nosferatu". She
smiles and sits back to watch.
ZED(O.S.)
(from the bathroom)
What's your name?
ZOEY
Zoe or Zoey. Which ever you like.
ZED(O.S.)
My name's Zed.
ZOEY
(smiling at this)
That's funny. We both have Z names.
Zed comes walking out of the bathroom drying his hair. His
pants are on.
ZED
What was that?
She notices his pants.
ZOEY
You can take those off. The pants.
ZED
I'd rather watch you get undressed first.
ZOEY
(matter-of-factly)
Alright.
She stands up and starts to lift her top off. He stops her.
ZED
Slower.
He lays down on the bed.
She stands there looking at him and then smiles.
ZOEY
Alright Mister America. Zed.
Then, with Zed laying on the bed and watching her, she
slowly, seductively strips in front of him, never taking her
eyes from his eyes, until she is totally naked.
ZOEY
Slow enough for you?
Then, like a cat prowling for it's prey, she crawls over the
bed to him and begins to unbuckle his pants.
She removes the pants and climbs on top of him. They begin
to make love.
On the television, "Nosferatu" silently plays.
Zoey and Zed quicken their pace with an urgency one can't
resist during a moment of passion.
She cries out and lowers herself to his grasp. An IMAGE
overcomes her mind.
They quicken to an almost violent speed and then expire, both
satisfied.
She begins to kiss him multiple times over the face.
ZOEY
C'etait formidable.
She rolls over, still hugging him, purring like a kitten.
They rest there for a while...holding each other.
ZOEY
I'm cold.
She takes the covers and crawls under them, so does Zed.
ZOEY
Zed?
ZED
Yes?
ZOEY
Moises told me you were in town for
business.
ZED
Yes.
ZOEY
What kind of business?
ZED
Why?
ZOEY
I don't know. I'm just curious.
ZED
Do you ask all your clients questions?
ZOEY
No. Just the ones I like.
ZED
So you like me?
ZOEY
Yes.
ZED
Why?
ZOEY
Because you're...a good person. I run
into some real creeps. You know.
ZED
How do you know I'm a good person?
ZOEY
Body language. We fit together.
ZED
All men and women fit together. Hell,
even some men fit together.
ZOEY
No, but you know, we clicked. You made
me orgasm. Do you know how often I
orgasm with a man Moises sets me up with?
ZED
No I don't.
ZOEY
Usually never. They're almost always fat
like pigs.
Zed laughs at this.
ZOEY
And you make me feel safe. That's
something more important than the orgasm.
An integral part maybe of the orgasm.
ZED
I never really thought of it like that.
ZOEY
Well, it's true.
Zed nods at this.
ZOEY
Turn off the television.
Zed reaches over and turns it off from the console.
ZOEY
So I mean it when I tell you Zed, I like
you very much.
ZED
Well, I like you too Zoe.
ZOEY
Honest?
He nods.
ZOEY
Why? For the same reason? Any man can
orgasm. Even with his own hand.
Zed stares ahead as he thinks of an answer.
ZED
Well, I like your honesty. You're open.
Unlike most prostitutes I've been with.
She doesn't like the sound of this. She slaps him.
ZOEY
I am not a prostitute!
Zed is a little surprised at this.
ZED
Really? Can I have my francs back then?
ZOEY
I'm a student. And to pay for the
classes I became an escort. It's my
choice to sleep with you.
ZED
I see.
ZOEY
What? You don't understand.
ZED
No, I do.
ZOEY
Hey, it's not easy.
ZED
I didn't say it was.
ZOEY
I'm here because I want to.
ZED
Okay, okay relax. What school do you go
to?
ZOEY
The Centre du Art, Paris.
ZED
That's really interesting. What kind of
art do you study?
ZOEY
Not any of the old shit.
ZED
Oh.
ZOEY
I have a day job too. Three times a
week.
She rolls onto her back and stares into an imaginary world as
she talks to Zed.
ZOEY
But someday there will be only my art.
ZED
What kind of things do you paint?
ZOEY
I don't paint. I make things. Objects.
Not like sculpture. Like life...but with
no narrative. I want when someone looks
at one of my objects for there to be no
reference to the world. Void of feeling,
emotion...void of destiny. Those are
left for me. They belong only to me. If
someone else can see into it...then it is
no longer mine. I have failed. And I
would destroy it. I don't care how much
cash they would offer me. It would be
shit. I can't tell you how many objects
of mine have been destroyed. They told
too much about me. And if someone wants
to know something about me...I'll tell
them myself. The way I'm telling you.
She looks back at him.
ZOEY
What I do I do only for the objects.
ZED
I'd like to see one of these.
ZOEY
What? So you could see the work of a
whore?
He decides to put a stop to this once and for all.
ZED
Zoey. I'm sorry for calling you a
prostitute. I didn't understand the
difference.
ZOEY
The difference is a prostitute would have
lied to you about her orgasm.
He gives her a kiss.
ZED
If these things you make are as true as
you are...I'm sure they're as
indescribable. Perhaps, someday, you'll
make one...about me.
ZOEY
If I do...you'll never know which one it
is. Because I'll be the only one who
understands. I'll be the only one who
can look into it and see where in my life
it came from.
Zed is unable to speak. They look into each others eyes for
a long moment, hearing the sounds of the city drift in
through the window. Then she leans forward and gives him a
soft understanding kiss.
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. ZED'S ROOM - NIGHT
Zed is asleep. Zoey is asleep in his arms.
There is a knocking at the door.
Zed opens his eyes.
The knock becomes a pound.
Zed gets up and puts on his pants. Zoey gets up and looks
around.
ZOEY
(groggily)
What time is it?
ZED
I have no idea. Night time.
There is more pounding on the door.
ZOEY
I'm going to take a shower.
She trots off naked to the bathroom and starts the shower.
Zed walks over to the door and opens it up.
Standing in the hall is Eric, a Frenchman of Zed's age
wearing baggy French-style clothes.
ERIC
(with a thick accent)
Hey you madman!
Zed's happy to see him.
ZED
Eric. Come in.
They hug.
ERIC
What happened to you? I thought you were
going to call.
Eric walks in and starts to notice the traces of wild love
making around the room.
ERIC
(smiling)
Oh I see. You have been busy.
ZED
Sorry, I asked the hotel to give me a
wake up call.
ERIC
That's good, but now I am here. So let's
go. We have a lot to talk about.
ZED
What about the girl?
ERIC
Is she your girlfriend?
ZED
No.
ERIC
Fuck her.
He peeks into the bathroom.
ERIC
She's a dishrag whore. Kick her out.
ZED
I'll let her stay here tonight.
ERIC
Don't be silly. It's dangerous.
Eric walks into the bathroom.
INT. HOTEL ROOM - BATHROOM - NIGHT
Eric walks up to the shower and knocks on the door. Zoey is
obviously surprised to see him.
ERIC
(in French with English
subtitles)
[Okay. Get out of the shower. It's time
for you to leave.]
ZOEY
[Fuck you.]
Eric opens up the door and yanks her out of the shower.
ERIC
[No. Come on you fucking slut!]
She shrieks.
ZOEY
[Let go of me you shit!!]
He drags her out into the room, she is dripping wet.
INT. HOTEL ROOM - NIGHT
Zed can't believe this.
ZED
Eric.
ERIC
(to Zed)
Don't worry about her.
(to Zoey in French)
[Why don't you just go back to your pimp
and suck his black dick!]
She bites his hand. He yells in pain.
ERIC
God damn it!
He kicks her in the butt and sends her toward the door.
ERIC
[Get the fuck out of here you fucking
whore!]
He opens the door and throws her into the hall.
INT. HOTEL - HALL - NIGHT
Naked, Zoey falls into the hall.
Eric slams the door shut.
She is instantly back on her feet and screaming as she pounds
on the door.
ZOEY
[Give me my clothes you asshole!]
INT. HOTEL ROOM - NIGHT
She is pounding on the door.
ERIC
(looking at his hand wound)
God damn it. Look at my hand.
ZED
(shocked at the whole incident)
Jesus Eric.
ZOEY(O.S.)
Ouvres! Je veux mes habits!
Eric listens.
ERIC
Oh shit. Her clothes.
He picks up her clothes and her bag, opens the door, and
throws it into the hall just long enough for her to yell at
him.
ZOEY
(almost too quick to
understand)
Tu te prends pour qui espece de connard!?
ERIC
La ferme!
He slams the door shut.
Then he turns to Zed.
ERIC
So tell me, what have you been up to?
Zed sits down on the bed.
ZOEY(O.S.)
Allez vous faire enculer tous le deux!
ZED
Eric, I liked that girl.
ERIC
Oh. Well, then why didn't you stop me.
ZED
Because you were on a rampage.
ERIC
Look, your whole life you've done nothing
but fuck whores. A girl like that will
give you AIDS. Why don't you find a nice
girl in the suburbs?
ZED
Because when you need to get off you
don't want to have to date for months to
do it.
ERIC
Just use your hand like me.
ZED
Sometimes you just need honesty...and
security.
ERIC
I don't understand. Anyway, it's too
late. Get dressed, let's go out and meet
the boys.
ZED
Okay, let me take a shower.
ERIC
No, in Paris it's good to smell like
you've been fucking. It will make them
respect you.
ZED
Oh.
ERIC
Just put on a shirt and a sport coat.
Zed starts to get dressed
EXT. BOULEVARD SAINT MICHEL - NIGHT
The McDonalds on the corner of Boulevard Saint Michel and Rue
Soufflot is bustling.
Eric's Citroen screeches around the corner on it's way past
the Pantheon and into the heart of the fifth Arrondissment.
INT. ERIC'S CAR - MOVING - NIGHT
Eric and Zed are driving through the streets of Paris in
Eric's car. The grooving Ryuichi Sakamoto song "Triste" is
playing on the radio.
ERIC
I'm glad you came. How long has it been?
ZED
Years.
ERIC
It's amazing, you know? Here you are.
One day in America. Now here.
ZED
Well, to be honest there really wasn't
much happening for me in the states.
ERIC
But in Paris your old friend Eric has a
job for you, so you came. That's good.
ZED
How could I resist your invitation?
ERIC
You would have been stupid to.
ZED
So what have you been doing here?
ERIC
After school I spent some time in Algeria
studying African philosophy. And then I
bummed around. You know. For fun. For
a while I worked at Le Figaro. The
newspaper.
ZED
Really?
ERIC
Yes. With an assumed Masters degree.
And lately we have just been bombing
fascists here in Paris. You know, like
terrorists.
Zed looks over at him.
ERIC
It's fun.
CUT TO:
INT. ERIC'S FLAT - OUTER STAIRWELL - NIGHT
Eric and Zed walk up the stairs to the fifth floor where
Eric's flat is. On the top landing there is a dead cat
laying. Zed and Eric notice the cat as Eric is opening the
door.
There is also a telephone coming out of the neighbors door.
ERIC
The people next door are on holiday. We
took their phone. If you want to make a
long distance call, go ahead.
ZED
Is that cat dead?
ERIC
I don't know. I think it's asleep but
it's been there for days.
Eric gives it a kick. No response.
ERIC
I guess it is dead.
They walk into the flat.
INT. ERIC'S FLAT - LIVING ROOM - NIGHT
Eric's flat consists of a good sized living room area with a
connected kitchen and a small bedroom in the back. In the
front of the living room there is a small balcony where the
sounds of the city pour in. The room itself is a general
mess. A bunch of guns are piled in one corner of the floor.
Hung up on the wall is a huge, French "Dressed To Kill"
poster.
Some Brazilian Gilberto/Getz music is playing.
Sitting at the table playing cards are three men: FRANCOIS,
RICARDO, and JEAN.
Sitting on the couch rolling a cigarette with hash is CLAUDE
and OLIVER.
They all turn as Zed and Eric walk in.
ERIC
Hello.
They all return the greeting.
ERIC
(to Zed)
Okay. This is Francois, Ricardo, Jean,
Oliver, and Claude. Got it?
ZED
I will.
ERIC
They all know who you are.
(to the rest of them)
Ne soyez pa salauds. Offrez une biere au
plus grand perceur de coffres.
Oliver stands up and walks to the kitchen.
OLIVER
(with an English accent)
Zed, would you like a beer?
ZED
Thanks.
OLIVER
Don't think of it.
CLAUDE
(to Zed)
Come. Sit down.
INT. ERIC'S FLAT - KITCHEN - NIGHT
The kitchen is an absolute pig stye. Dishes are piled up in
the sink and on the counter.
Oliver grabs a glass that has some old beer in it and empties
it. He scratches some filth off of it and pours some beer
into the glass.
INT. ERIC'S FLAT - LIVING ROOM - NIGHT
Zed takes a seat on the couch next to Claude.
Suddenly, a SPIDER MONKEY dressed in a little Uncle Sam
costume comes screeching up onto Zed's lap and then up onto
his head, the whole time clawing at his eyes.
Eric, amused, turns from the men playing cards and smiles.
CLAUDE
(to Zed)
Easy. Don't scare him. He just wants to
claim you.
Zed is frozen as the monkey climbs around him and then onto
Claude's shoulder.
CLAUDE
Let me introduce you properly. This is
Enrique.
The monkey screeches.
CLAUDE
He likes to be called Chim Chim, but we
don't always get what we like...do we?
Again, the hideous creature screeches.
CLAUDE
(to Enrique)
Tais-toi!
(then to Zed)
Do you like hash?
Then Eric interrupts.
ERIC
(jokingly)
Don't sit next to that junkie.
CLAUDE
Ahhhhhh!
Claude throws a lit cigarette at him which explodes into a
mass of sparks. They laugh.
ERIC
(to Claude)
That little shit monkey of yours pissed
on my Billy Holiday albums. Next time
he's out the door.
(to Zed)
Zed, come here.
Zed gets up and goes with Eric to the bedroom. On the way
Oliver hands him the glass of beer.
OLIVER
Here you go mate.
ZED
Thanks.
Oliver sits down next to Claude.
INT. ERIC'S FLAT - BEDROOM - NIGHT
Eric's bed has probably never been made. In fact, this room
looks a lot like Quentin Tarantino's old apartment. But,
there is a certain order to all this chaos. Eric pulls out a
blueprint and spreads it out over the bed.
ERIC
Don't ask me where we got this.
ZED
Okay.
ERIC
On Bastille Day, all the banks are
closed.
He places his hand on the blueprint.
ERIC
But this one. BIP. The Banque
Internationale de Paris. And for being
greedy capitalists perhaps they will
remain closed next Bastille day. Yes?
Zed smiles.
ERIC
We will go in and shut the bank down.
Now, look at this.
Eric pulls out a complex electronic schematic.
ERIC
As you can see, only one person can start
the alarm.
(he hands it to Zed)
The concierge, at this desk.
(he points it out on the
blueprint)
We will take care of him. Then we can
close the bank. No one will know the
difference since every other bank will be
closed.
ZED
(turning the schematic around)
Are you sure he won't push the alarm?
ERIC
Ahhh! He's right next to the door. We'd
have to be totally incompetent not to
stop him. Don't worry about that.
He points to the main floor vault.
ERIC
Here. This is where they keep the days
reserve cash. Okay fuck that.
He flips the page to the lower level blueprint.
ERIC
There are many vaults downstairs, but
this is the vault we must get into. This
is where the real prize is.
ZED
What kind of vault is that?
He checks the blueprint.
ERIC
Ah...Swiss made. A Caliber.
ZED
Caliber?
(he thinks about it)
It'll take three hours.
ERIC
No, that's too long.
ZED
That's how long it'll take.
ERIC
Well shit. It's too long. We have to be
in and out.
(he snaps his fingers)
Like that. Or there will be suspicion.
A little time is okay...but too long
and...
He shrugs his shoulders in an "I don't know gesture."
ZED
Well hold on a second.
(pointing to the blueprint)
What's this?
Eric looks down at the blueprint. There is a small passage
connecting the main vault to an adjacent vault.
ERIC
Another vault.
ZED
No this.
Eric looks closely at the blueprint.
ERIC
I don't know...it connects the two
vaults.
ZED
Well, what kind of vault is this other
one?
ERIC
(reading the blueprint)
Also Swiss, but this one is a Poseidon.
ZED
Why would those two vaults be connected?
ERIC
I don't know.
ZED
Because I can get into this vault in half
an hour. Maybe less.
ERIC
But this entry way is too small to get
the platen out. We have a lot of
merchandise in there.
ZED
No, don't you see? We get in through
this secondary vault and take this
passage to the other main vault. From
the inside I could open the Caliber vault
in five minutes.
ERIC
You could open it in five minutes?
ZED
From the inside it's easy.
ERIC
(excited)
Hot damn. That is our answer.
ZED
Okay. When is Bastille day?
ERIC
Tomorrow.
ZED
Tomorrow!? We're doing this tomorrow?
ERIC
But of course.
ZED
It's impossible.
ERIC
It's not impossible. Everyone knows what
to do.
ZED
I don't know what to do.
ERIC
You don't need to know shit. Just get
into the vault and we'll do the rest.
ZED
I haven't even seen the bank.
ERIC
Fuck the bank. Before we do a job we
live life. It's better that way. Okay?
ZED
(unsure)
Okay.
ERIC
Good. Now we do heroin!
CUT TO:
INT. ERIC'S FLAT - BATHROOM - NIGHT
EXTREME CLOSE ON: Eric making heroin.
The heroin powder is put into a spoon with some lemon
squeezed into it, then a little bit of tap water. Huddled
around Eric are Francois, Ricardo, and Oliver.
OLIVER
(so high he's wobbling)
You have to look at the Starship
Enterprise as a metaphor for the human
brain.
No one is really listening to Oliver. Eric takes out a
lighter and cooks it to a boil.
OLIVER
(continuing)
Spock is the right hemisphere of the
brain, all logic and intellect. Mc Coy is
the left hemisphere, stricktly emotional.
And Kirk is the unseen observer. He
drifts between the two. Back and forth,
as it might be, caught between the two
thought processes.
ERIC
[Cotton.]
Ricardo hands him a cotton ball.
OLIVER
(continuing)
It's really quite brilliant you know.
That's why Star Trek is and always will
be a hit show.
Eric places the cotton ball in the spoon with the mixture.
ERIC
(to Oliver)
[Here, shut up and hold this.]
He hands Oliver the spoon and takes out a needle. Using the
cotton as a filter he draws the heroin into the syringe.
Then, he holds the syringe up and starts tapping it.
ERIC
[Don't want to get air bubbles in my
veins.]
They all laugh at this.
INT. ERIC'S FLAT - LIVING ROOM - NIGHT
In the meantime, Zed is sitting on the couch with Claude and
Jean. Claude is rolling a hash and tobacco cigarette. Jean
is chopping up some powder heroin on the glass of a small
picture.
JEAN
Do you want heroin?
ZED
No, I want to be sharp for tomorrow.
Jean and Claude laugh at this.
JEAN
No. A little bit of heroin, some hash, a
beer...and you're just right.
Jean snorts a line.
Claude offers Zed the spliff. Zed shakes his head "no".
CLAUDE
Okay.
JEAN
(recovering from the snort)
That's good.
Eric, Francois, Ricardo, and Oliver come out of the kitchen
laughing.
Eric, Ricardo, and Oliver take a seat on the couch opposite
Zed. Francois sits on the floor.
Eric rolls up his sleeve.
ERIC
(to Ricardo in French)
[Hold my arm.]
(then to Zed)
My vein is like a rock.
Ricardo takes hold of his arm and squeezes. Eric inserts the
needle into his vein and draws out a little blood. It mixes
with the heroin, then he pumps it in...then back into the
syringe, then all the way back in.
He withdraws the needle.
Ricardo lets go of his arm.
Eric is in bliss. His eyes roll back into his head. He
looks like he's on the verge of falling asleep.
Then Jean takes another snort.
Pretty soon everyone is smoking and getting high, shooting
up, and drinking more beer.
Then Jean holds out a piece of folded aluminum foil with some
heroin in it.
JEAN
(to Zed)
Try some. It's called chasing the
dragon. The Chinese have been doing it
for centuries.
ZED
I don't think so.
JEAN
Oh, but you must. It will make you feel
as though the rest of the world is in a
bubble of glass and that you're rubbing
up against it like a bad windshield
wiper.
They stick the aluminum foil with the heroin in it up next to
his face. They then light the bottom of the foil with a
lighter. Before Zed knows it, he's inhaling a silky ribbon
of smoke.
Suddenly our plane of focus wildly shifts and we...
FOCUS DISSOLVE TO:
INT. ERIC'S CAR - MOVING - NIGHT
Ricardo is racing Eric's car through the streets of Paris
weaving in and out of traffic. Next to him is Oliver, and in
the back seat is Zed and Eric. They're giving the very
stoned Zed a whirlwind tour of the sights.
A car speeds up next to them. In it is Francois, and Claude,
with Jean driving. They are racing with Ricardo through the
streets.
The Patrick Hernandez song "Born To Be Alive" is blasting
away on the radio.
ERIC
There. That's Notre Dame.
But before Zed can even look it has past by.
RICARDO
Do you like French cars?
All Zed can notice is that the speedometer is at 160
kilometers per hour. He tries to calculate what that is in
miles per hour.
ZED
(answering Enrique's question)
Yes.
RICARDO
I like the Cadillac. Fifty-two to
seventy-five. Very nice.
ERIC
Up here you can see the Eiffel tower.
Zed is in too much of a blur. He leans over to Eric.
ZED
Is tomorrow really Bastille day?
ERIC
Yes, tomorrow we pull the biggest job in
French history. And spend the rest of
our lives in Monte Carlo.
The drunken Englishman, Oliver, belches and then cheers.
EXT. PARIS STREET - NIGHT
The two cars are franticly racing through traffic.
INT. JEAN'S CAR - MOVING - NIGHT
Jean is very intent on beating them to whatever location it
is they're going to.
Claude, in the seat next to him, gives him some advice.
CLAUDE
[Faster, faster...go faster. Let's beat
them!]
Francois laughs and coughs out a cloud of smoke.
EXT. PARIS STREET - NIGHT
Jean's car makes a dangerous lane change across traffic and
cuts off Ricardo.
INT. ERIC'S CAR - MOVING - NIGHT
Ricardo swerves as he passes a joint to Eric.
RICARDO
[Shit! That bastard.]
ERIC
(to Ricardo)
Watch it! Don't crash my car.
Eric takes a big hit.
ERIC
Over here is where the male prostitutes
sell themselves. Do you see?
No, Zed doesn't see.
Suddenly, everyone in the car is shouting out the windows.
OLIVER
(out the window)
Fucking fags!
ERIC
(also out the window)
Suce ma bite?!
RICARDO
Perverts d'homosexuels!
Eric laughs.
ERIC
(into Zed's ear)
This is good to have you here. We could
not do this without you.
Zed nods.
ERIC
Everyone has agreed to give you double
shares. That's good.
Zed nods, delirious.
ERIC
You know I have AIDS. From the needle.
Zed can't believe this. He's not sure if what he heard was
what he thought he heard.
ZED
Really?
Then Eric sees something.
ERIC
Okay, up here is the Arc de Triomphe.
They take a sharp turn.
CUT TO:
INT. CELLAR - NIGHT
Eric, Zed, Francois, Ricardo, Jean, Claude, and Oliver are
all walking down some dank stone steps into a cellar.
Somewhere crazy Raymond Scott Toy Jazz music is playing.
An old wine cellar has been converted into a Toy Jazz club.
Nothing fancy...dirt floors, chairs and small tables
scattered about...but the arched brick ceilings make for
great acoustics.
ON STAGE
a BAND is playing away. In the audience sit about TWELVE
FRENCH PEOPLE, all enjoying the music.
AT THE BUFFET
In the back of the club near the doors some tables have been
set up with a buffet of local cuisine on it. Behind the
tables are two rotund but happy French women MIRELLE and
JOSEPHINE.
Eric, Zed, Francois, Ricardo, Jean, Claude, and Oliver walk
in and immediately start blabbing away in French to Mirelle
and Josephine.
Eric hands them some money.
ZED'S TABLE
Everyone enters and takes seats at various parts of the club.
Oliver sits next to Zed.
OLIVER
So, how long have you known Eric?
ZED
Well, Eric's mother is American.
OLIVER
Yeah, and his dad's French.
ZED
They're divorced. And she and his father
had some kind of six month split plan set
up. So every six months he would come
back to the states. We were best
friends. Eventually he and his mother
had a falling out and he stayed here.
It's been...years.
OLIVER
Well, it's good to have you here. Eric
speaks fairly highly of you. Say, he
says you're a big fan of Viking films.
ZED
Well...I suppose. I used to be, when I
was young.
OLIVER
Oh they're the best. Helmets with horns
on them. Shit. That's fucking genius.
He starts laughing.
OLIVER
How 'bout Toy Jazz? You like it?
Zed watches the players on stage and then nods.
ZED
Yeah...I guess.
OLIVER
I love it. It's really good, you know?
Like real music. It has a heart and
culture all it's own. It's, like, jazz
for dwarves...or guys in Leiderhosen.
Total purity of essence.
ZED
Yeah.
OLIVER
Hungry cannibals'd like it.
Then Claude comes up to them with some glasses and a bottle
of red wine.
CLAUDE
Here, you must drink some of this wine,
it's good.
He pours Zed a glass.
Oliver passes on the wine.
OLIVER
(to Claude)
Non merci, c'est de la merde.
CLAUDE
(to Oliver)
La ferme. C'est du bon vin.
(to Zed)
The fucking English.
Zed sips some. He's in no real shape to tell if the wine's
good or not.
ON STAGE
Suddenly, it seems as though the bands music gets louder.
The horns really start to scream and the room becomes a
delirium of music.
The band stands up.
IN THE AUDIENCE
The people watching start to dance, if not in their seats
then right in front of everything.
ZED'S TABLE
Suddenly, Zed notices something...
ON STAGE
Eric is up on stage playing a trombone right alongside the
band.
ZED'S TABLE
Zed blinks but it's true.
Oliver and Claude start laughing.
OLIVER
Look at him. He's crazy.
ON STAGE
And surely he must be, yet, in a strange way, he's keeping up
with the other musicians and sounding pretty good.
Eric is all smile as he plays with them. Sweat is running
down his face but he's caught up in the moment.
ELISE, a woman from the audience has jumped up onto the
stage, caught up in Eric's frenzy, and is dancing about like
James Brown.
Then, the music crescendos and Eric hands the trombone back
to a musician.
The set is over.
Eric skips off the stage and walks over to where Oliver,
Claude, and Zed are sitting.
EXT. BOULEVARD SAINT MICHEL - NIGHT
The McDonalds on the corner of Boulevard Saint Michel and Rue
Soufflot is bustling.
Eric's Citroen screeches around the corner on it's way past
the Pantheon and into the heart of the fifth Arrondissment.
INT. ERIC'S CAR - MOVING - NIGHT
Eric and Zed are driving through the streets of Paris in
Eric's car. The grooving Ryuichi Sakamoto song "Triste" is
playing on the radio.
ERIC
I'm glad you came. How long has it been?
ZED
Years.
ERIC
It's amazing, you know? Here you are.
One day in America. Now here.
ZED
Well, to be honest there really wasn't
much happening for me in the states.
ERIC
But in Paris your old friend Eric has a
job for you, so you came. That's good.
ZED
How could I resist your invitation?
ERIC
You would have been stupid to.
ZED
So what have you been doing here?
ERIC
After school I spent some time in Algeria
studying African philosophy. And then I
bummed around. You know. For fun. For
a while I worked at Le Figaro. The
newspaper.
ZED
Really?
ERIC
Yes. With an assumed Masters degree.
And lately we have just been bombing
fascists here in Paris. You know, like
terrorists.
Zed looks over at him.
ERIC
It's fun.
CUT TO:
INT. ERIC'S FLAT - OUTER STAIRWELL - NIGHT
Eric and Zed walk up the stairs to the fifth floor where
Eric's flat is. On the top landing there is a dead cat
laying. Zed and Eric notice the cat as Eric is opening the
door.
There is also a telephone coming out of the neighbors door.
ERIC
The people next door are on holiday. We
took their phone. If you want to make a
long distance call, go ahead.
ZED
Is that cat dead?
ERIC
I don't know. I think it's asleep but
it's been there for days.
Eric gives it a kick. No response.
ERIC
I guess it is dead.
They walk into the flat.
INT. ERIC'S FLAT - LIVING ROOM - NIGHT
Eric's flat consists of a good sized living room area with a
connected kitchen and a small bedroom in the back. In the
front of the living room there is a small balcony where the
sounds of the city pour in. The room itself is a general
mess. A bunch of guns are piled in one corner of the floor.
Hung up on the wall is a huge, French "Dressed To Kill"
poster.
Some Brazilian Gilberto/Getz music is playing.
Sitting at the table playing cards are three men: FRANCOIS,
RICARDO, and JEAN.
Sitting on the couch rolling a cigarette with hash is CLAUDE
and OLIVER.
They all turn as Zed and Eric walk in.
ERIC
Hello.
They all return the greeting.
ERIC
(to Zed)
Okay. This is Francois, Ricardo, Jean,
Oliver, and Claude. Got it?
ZED
I will.
ERIC
They all know who you are.
(to the rest of them)
Ne soyez pa salauds. Offrez une biere au
plus grand perceur de coffres.
Oliver stands up and walks to the kitchen.
OLIVER
(with an English accent)
Zed, would you like a beer?
ZED
Thanks.
OLIVER
Don't think of it.
CLAUDE
(to Zed)
Come. Sit down.
INT. ERIC'S FLAT - KITCHEN - NIGHT
The kitchen is an absolute pig stye. Dishes are piled up in
the sink and on the counter.
Oliver grabs a glass that has some old beer in it and empties
it. He scratches some filth off of it and pours some beer
into the glass.
INT. ERIC'S FLAT - LIVING ROOM - NIGHT
Zed takes a seat on the couch next to Claude.
Suddenly, a SPIDER MONKEY dressed in a little Uncle Sam
costume comes screeching up onto Zed's lap and then up onto
his head, the whole time clawing at his eyes.
Eric, amused, turns from the men playing cards and smiles.
CLAUDE
(to Zed)
Easy. Don't scare him. He just wants to
claim you.
Zed is frozen as the monkey climbs around him and then onto
Claude's shoulder.
CLAUDE
Let me introduce you properly. This is
Enrique.
The monkey screeches.
CLAUDE
He likes to be called Chim Chim, but we
don't always get what we like...do we?
Again, the hideous creature screeches.
CLAUDE
(to Enrique)
Tais-toi!
(then to Zed)
Do you like hash?
Then Eric interrupts.
ERIC
(jokingly)
Don't sit next to that junkie.
CLAUDE
Ahhhhhh!
Claude throws a lit cigarette at him which explodes into a
mass of sparks. They laugh.
ERIC
(to Claude)
That little shit monkey of yours pissed
on my Billy Holiday albums. Next time
he's out the door.
(to Zed)
Zed, come here.
Zed gets up and goes with Eric to the bedroom. On the way
Oliver hands him the glass of beer.
OLIVER
Here you go mate.
ZED
Thanks.
Oliver sits down next to Claude.
INT. ERIC'S FLAT - BEDROOM - NIGHT
Eric's bed has probably never been made. In fact, this room
looks a lot like Quentin Tarantino's old apartment. But,
there is a certain order to all this chaos. Eric pulls out a
blueprint and spreads it out over the bed.
ERIC
Don't ask me where we got this.
ZED
Okay.
ERIC
On Bastille Day, all the banks are
closed.
He places his hand on the blueprint.
ERIC
But this one. BIP. The Banque
Internationale de Paris. And for being
greedy capitalists perhaps they will
remain closed next Bastille day. Yes?
Zed smiles.
ERIC
We will go in and shut the bank down.
Now, look at this.
Eric pulls out a complex electronic schematic.
ERIC
As you can see, only one person can start
the alarm.
(he hands it to Zed)
The concierge, at this desk.
(he points it out on the
blueprint)
We will take care of him. Then we can
close the bank. No one will know the
difference since every other bank will be
closed.
ZED
(turning the schematic around)
Are you sure he won't push the alarm?
ERIC
Ahhh! He's right next to the door. We'd
have to be totally incompetent not to
stop him. Don't worry about that.
He points to the main floor vault.
ERIC
Here. This is where they keep the days
reserve cash. Okay fuck that.
He flips the page to the lower level blueprint.
ERIC
There are many vaults downstairs, but
this is the vault we must get into. This
is where the real prize is.
ZED
What kind of vault is that?
He checks the blueprint.
ERIC
Ah...Swiss made. A Caliber.
ZED
Caliber?
(he thinks about it)
It'll take three hours.
ERIC
No, that's too long.
ZED
That's how long it'll take.
ERIC
Well shit. It's too long. We have to be
in and out.
(he snaps his fingers)
Like that. Or there will be suspicion.
A little time is okay...but too long
and...
He shrugs his shoulders in an "I don't know gesture."
ZED
Well hold on a second.
(pointing to the blueprint)
What's this?
Eric looks down at the blueprint. There is a small passage
connecting the main vault to an adjacent vault.
ERIC
Another vault.
ZED
No this.
Eric looks closely at the blueprint.
ERIC
I don't know...it connects the two
vaults.
ZED
Well, what kind of vault is this other
one?
ERIC
(reading the blueprint)
Also Swiss, but this one is a Poseidon.
ZED
Why would those two vaults be connected?
ERIC
I don't know.
ZED
Because I can get into this vault in half
an hour. Maybe less.
ERIC
But this entry way is too small to get
the platen out. We have a lot of
merchandise in there.
ZED
No, don't you see? We get in through
this secondary vault and take this
passage to the other main vault. From
the inside I could open the Caliber vault
in five minutes.
ERIC
You could open it in five minutes?
ZED
From the inside it's easy.
ERIC
(excited)
Hot damn. That is our answer.
ZED
Okay. When is Bastille day?
ERIC
Tomorrow.
ZED
Tomorrow!? We're doing this tomorrow?
ERIC
But of course.
ZED
It's impossible.
ERIC
It's not impossible. Everyone knows what
to do.
ZED
I don't know what to do.
ERIC
You don't need to know shit. Just get
into the vault and we'll do the rest.
ZED
I haven't even seen the bank.
ERIC
Fuck the bank. Before we do a job we
live life. It's better that way. Okay?
ZED
(unsure)
Okay.
ERIC
Good. Now we do heroin!
CUT TO:
INT. ERIC'S FLAT - BATHROOM - NIGHT
EXTREME CLOSE ON: Eric making heroin.
The heroin powder is put into a spoon with some lemon
squeezed into it, then a little bit of tap water. Huddled
around Eric are Francois, Ricardo, and Oliver.
OLIVER
(so high he's wobbling)
You have to look at the Starship
Enterprise as a metaphor for the human
brain.
No one is really listening to Oliver. Eric takes out a
lighter and cooks it to a boil.
OLIVER
(continuing)
Spock is the right hemisphere of the
brain, all logic and intellect. Mc Coy is
the left hemisphere, stricktly emotional.
And Kirk is the unseen observer. He
drifts between the two. Back and forth,
as it might be, caught between the two
thought processes.
ERIC
[Cotton.]
Ricardo hands him a cotton ball.
OLIVER
(continuing)
It's really quite brilliant you know.
That's why Star Trek is and always will
be a hit show.
Eric places the cotton ball in the spoon with the mixture.
ERIC
(to Oliver)
[Here, shut up and hold this.]
He hands Oliver the spoon and takes out a needle. Using the
cotton as a filter he draws the heroin into the syringe.
Then, he holds the syringe up and starts tapping it.
ERIC
[Don't want to get air bubbles in my
veins.]
They all laugh at this.
INT. ERIC'S FLAT - LIVING ROOM - NIGHT
In the meantime, Zed is sitting on the couch with Claude and
Jean. Claude is rolling a hash and tobacco cigarette. Jean
is chopping up some powder heroin on the glass of a small
picture.
JEAN
Do you want heroin?
ZED
No, I want to be sharp for tomorrow.
Jean and Claude laugh at this.
JEAN
No. A little bit of heroin, some hash, a
beer...and you're just right.
Jean snorts a line.
Claude offers Zed the spliff. Zed shakes his head "no".
CLAUDE
Okay.
JEAN
(recovering from the snort)
That's good.
Eric, Francois, Ricardo, and Oliver come out of the kitchen
laughing.
Eric, Ricardo, and Oliver take a seat on the couch opposite
Zed. Francois sits on the floor.
Eric rolls up his sleeve.
ERIC
(to Ricardo in French)
[Hold my arm.]
(then to Zed)
My vein is like a rock.
Ricardo takes hold of his arm and squeezes. Eric inserts the
needle into his vein and draws out a little blood. It mixes
with the heroin, then he pumps it in...then back into the
syringe, then all the way back in.
He withdraws the needle.
Ricardo lets go of his arm.
Eric is in bliss. His eyes roll back into his head. He
looks like he's on the verge of falling asleep.
Then Jean takes another snort.
Pretty soon everyone is smoking and getting high, shooting
up, and drinking more beer.
Then Jean holds out a piece of folded aluminum foil with some
heroin in it.
JEAN
(to Zed)
Try some. It's called chasing the
dragon. The Chinese have been doing it
for centuries.
ZED
I don't think so.
JEAN
Oh, but you must. It will make you feel
as though the rest of the world is in a
bubble of glass and that you're rubbing
up against it like a bad windshield
wiper.
They stick the aluminum foil with the heroin in it up next to
his face. They then light the bottom of the foil with a
lighter. Before Zed knows it, he's inhaling a silky ribbon
of smoke.
Suddenly our plane of focus wildly shifts and we...
FOCUS DISSOLVE TO:
INT. ERIC'S CAR - MOVING - NIGHT
Ricardo is racing Eric's car through the streets of Paris
weaving in and out of traffic. Next to him is Oliver, and in
the back seat is Zed and Eric. They're giving the very
stoned Zed a whirlwind tour of the sights.
A car speeds up next to them. In it is Francois, and Claude,
with Jean driving. They are racing with Ricardo through the
streets.
The Patrick Hernandez song "Born To Be Alive" is blasting
away on the radio.
ERIC
There. That's Notre Dame.
But before Zed can even look it has past by.
RICARDO
Do you like French cars?
All Zed can notice is that the speedometer is at 160
kilometers per hour. He tries to calculate what that is in
miles per hour.
ZED
(answering Enrique's question)
Yes.
RICARDO
I like the Cadillac. Fifty-two to
seventy-five. Very nice.
ERIC
Up here you can see the Eiffel tower.
Zed is in too much of a blur. He leans over to Eric.
ZED
Is tomorrow really Bastille day?
ERIC
Yes, tomorrow we pull the biggest job in
French history. And spend the rest of
our lives in Monte Carlo.
The drunken Englishman, Oliver, belches and then cheers.
EXT. PARIS STREET - NIGHT
The two cars are franticly racing through traffic.
INT. JEAN'S CAR - MOVING - NIGHT
Jean is very intent on beating them to whatever location it
is they're going to.
Claude, in the seat next to him, gives him some advice.
CLAUDE
[Faster, faster...go faster. Let's beat
them!]
Francois laughs and coughs out a cloud of smoke.
EXT. PARIS STREET - NIGHT
Jean's car makes a dangerous lane change across traffic and
cuts off Ricardo.
INT. ERIC'S CAR - MOVING - NIGHT
Ricardo swerves as he passes a joint to Eric.
RICARDO
[Shit! That bastard.]
ERIC
(to Ricardo)
Watch it! Don't crash my car.
Eric takes a big hit.
ERIC
Over here is where the male prostitutes
sell themselves. Do you see?
No, Zed doesn't see.
Suddenly, everyone in the car is shouting out the windows.
OLIVER
(out the window)
Fucking fags!
ERIC
(also out the window)
Suce ma bite?!
RICARDO
Perverts d'homosexuels!
Eric laughs.
ERIC
(into Zed's ear)
This is good to have you here. We could
not do this without you.
Zed nods.
ERIC
Everyone has agreed to give you double
shares. That's good.
Zed nods, delirious.
ERIC
You know I have AIDS. From the needle.
Zed can't believe this. He's not sure if what he heard was
what he thought he heard.
ZED
Really?
Then Eric sees something.
ERIC
Okay, up here is the Arc de Triomphe.
They take a sharp turn.
CUT TO:
INT. CELLAR - NIGHT
Eric, Zed, Francois, Ricardo, Jean, Claude, and Oliver are
all walking down some dank stone steps into a cellar.
Somewhere crazy Raymond Scott Toy Jazz music is playing.
An old wine cellar has been converted into a Toy Jazz club.
Nothing fancy...dirt floors, chairs and small tables
scattered about...but the arched brick ceilings make for
great acoustics.
ON STAGE
a BAND is playing away. In the audience sit about TWELVE
FRENCH PEOPLE, all enjoying the music.
AT THE BUFFET
In the back of the club near the doors some tables have been
set up with a buffet of local cuisine on it. Behind the
tables are two rotund but happy French women MIRELLE and
JOSEPHINE.
Eric, Zed, Francois, Ricardo, Jean, Claude, and Oliver walk
in and immediately start blabbing away in French to Mirelle
and Josephine.
Eric hands them some money.
ZED'S TABLE
Everyone enters and takes seats at various parts of the club.
Oliver sits next to Zed.
OLIVER
So, how long have you known Eric?
ZED
Well, Eric's mother is American.
OLIVER
Yeah, and his dad's French.
ZED
They're divorced. And she and his father
had some kind of six month split plan set
up. So every six months he would come
back to the states. We were best
friends. Eventually he and his mother
had a falling out and he stayed here.
It's been...years.
OLIVER
Well, it's good to have you here. Eric
speaks fairly highly of you. Say, he
says you're a big fan of Viking films.
ZED
Well...I suppose. I used to be, when I
was young.
OLIVER
Oh they're the best. Helmets with horns
on them. Shit. That's fucking genius.
He starts laughing.
OLIVER
How 'bout Toy Jazz? You like it?
Zed watches the players on stage and then nods.
ZED
Yeah...I guess.
OLIVER
I love it. It's really good, you know?
Like real music. It has a heart and
culture all it's own. It's, like, jazz
for dwarves...or guys in Leiderhosen.
Total purity of essence.
ZED
Yeah.
OLIVER
Hungry cannibals'd like it.
Then Claude comes up to them with some glasses and a bottle
of red wine.
CLAUDE
Here, you must drink some of this wine,
it's good.
He pours Zed a glass.
Oliver passes on the wine.
OLIVER
(to Claude)
Non merci, c'est de la merde.
CLAUDE
(to Oliver)
La ferme. C'est du bon vin.
(to Zed)
The fucking English.
Zed sips some. He's in no real shape to tell if the wine's
good or not.
ON STAGE
Suddenly, it seems as though the bands music gets louder.
The horns really start to scream and the room becomes a
delirium of music.
The band stands up.
IN THE AUDIENCE
The people watching start to dance, if not in their seats
then right in front of everything.
ZED'S TABLE
Suddenly, Zed notices something...
ON STAGE
Eric is up on stage playing a trombone right alongside the
band.
ZED'S TABLE
Zed blinks but it's true.
Oliver and Claude start laughing.
OLIVER
Look at him. He's crazy.
ON STAGE
And surely he must be, yet, in a strange way, he's keeping up
with the other musicians and sounding pretty good.
Eric is all smile as he plays with them. Sweat is running
down his face but he's caught up in the moment.
ELISE, a woman from the audience has jumped up onto the
stage, caught up in Eric's frenzy, and is dancing about like
James Brown.
Then, the music crescendos and Eric hands the trombone back
to a musician.
The set is over.
Eric skips off the stage and walks over to where Oliver,
Claude, and Zed are sitting.
EXT. BANK - DAY
EXTREME CLOSE ON: The door to the bank.
Francois puts a sign on the door that reads: [Closed for
Bastille Day].
CUT TO:
INT. BANK - SUB LOBBY HALL - DAY
The sub lobby teller and the sub lobby guard #2 rendezvous
with the sub lobby assistant.
SUB LOBBY TELLER
(to assistant)
[Do the phones work?]
SUB LOBBY ASSISTANT
[They went dead.]
SUB LOBBY TELLER
Merde!
They walk out into the sub lobby.
INT. BANK - SUB LOBBY - DAY
The sub level teller and the sub lobby assistant walk into
the sub lobby just as Eric, Zed, Oliver, and the bank manager
start coming down the stairs.
At the sight of Eric and his men the sub lobby guard #2 aims
his weapon but does not fire because of the bank manager.
Eric presses his Uzi against the bank manager's neck.
ERIC
(to the guard)
[Drop the gun!]
He doesn't.
ERIC
[Drop your gun now and nobody dies!]
After a moments thought about this, and the fact that Oliver
has a sawed-off aimed at him, he slowly puts his gun on the
floor.
ERIC
[Good boy.]
They descend down the stairs into the sub lobby.
Oliver takes his gun.
CUT TO:
INT. BANK - LOBBY - DAY
Francois, Ricardo, and Jean have finished herding everyone
behind the teller windows. Claude is on his way downstairs.
CLAUDE
[I'm going to check things out
downstairs.]
RICARDO
(to the people)
[Now! On the ground! Face down!]
Then, for effect, he kicks a man.
CUT TO:
INT. BANK - SUB LOBBY - DAY
Claude comes downstairs with his gun raised.
CLAUDE
[All clear down here?]
Everyone turns.
ERIC
[Take these two upstairs. And chain the
gate to the sub lobby shut.]
Oliver pushes the sub lobby guard #2 and the sub lobby
assistant toward Claude. Then he hands him a chain.
Claude can barely maintain his enthusiasm.
CLAUDE
[The phones and video are down! We're
locked up tight!]
(then in English)
We fucking did it!
He takes the two upstairs.
Eric smiles through his teeth at the bank manager.
ERIC
[Any others I should worry about?]
BANK MANAGER
[No.]
ERIC
(to Oliver)
[Well, just to be sure--]
Then, from one of the safety deposit booths a sound is heard.
All eyes turn to it.
Oliver walks up to it and kicks the door in. The stodgy
customer is kneeling in it. He instantly holds his hands
high.
OLIVER
[Freeze motherfucker!]
Eric walks up, gun in hand.
ERIC
[Who the fuck are you?]
STODGY CUSTOMER
[Please don't shoot me!]
OLIVER
[On the ground!]
He does.
ERIC
(to the bank manager)
[Making a deposit I hope.]
(he smiles to Oliver)
[Bring him with us.]
They all make their way down through the sub lobby hall.
INT. BANK - RESERVE VAULT AREA - DAY
They're herding the men through the hall.
BANK MANAGER
(to the sub lobby teller)
[Vault locked?]
SUB LOBBY TELLER
[Yes.]
ERIC
[Shut your fucking mouths!]
BANK MANAGER
(to Eric)
[The vault doors are shut and time
locked. You won't be able to open them.]
They walk through a doorway into the storage/elevator area.
INT. BANK - STORAGE/ELEVATOR AREA - DAY
Eric pushes the manager and the others through the doorway.
ERIC
(to the bank manager)
[You think we're fucking amateurs? You
think we're stupid? I've got news for
you...we planned ahead my friend!]
Eric pushes them infront of the Calibre vault door.
ERIC
[Now save us a lot of time and just open
the vault.]
BANK MANAGER
[No.]
ERIC
[Okay.]
He releases the bank manager and stuffs the barrel of his
handgun into the sub level tellers mouth.
ERIC
[Open the vault.]
The teller's eyes widen.
BANK MANAGER
[I cannot.]
ERIC
[Oh.]
(to the teller)
[Can you?]
BANK MANAGER
[No. Once closed only I can open it.]
ERIC
[Then open it.]
BANK MANAGER
[I cannot.]
The sub lobby teller's eyes plead with the bank manager.
Zed is watching the whole affair nervously.
ERIC
[Do you understand that I'll kill her if
you don't open this fucking vault?]
BANK MANAGER
[Do you understand that this is an
international reserve bank? Robbing it
is punishable by life imprisonment.]
Eric fires. The back of the sub lobby teller's head paints
the wall red.
ZED
Jesus fucking Christ!
The bank manager, shocked as he is, looks at Zed. He knows
he's an American.
The sub lobby teller's body slumps to the ground.
Eric grabs the stodgy customer and puts the gun to his
temple.
ERIC
[Open the vault door or I'll kill this
man next.]
The bank manager is freaking out, but after what was probably
the most horribly agonizing internal debate, he holds his
ground.
BANK MANAGER
[I still cannot open the vault.]
ERIC
[Come on. It's only things in there.
This man is flesh and blood.]
BANK MANAGER
[I will not open the vault.]
ZED
Eric no! I can open the vault!
ERIC
Shut the fuck up!
(then to the stodgy customer)
[You're a customer in this bank and this
is how they treat you. Do you have a
family?]
He nods his head "yes".
ERIC
[Would you like to see them again?]
He nods his head again.
ERIC
(to the manager)
[This man has a family he would like to
have Bastille day dinner with tonight.
So save us some time and open the vault.]
After losing about a pound of sweat...
BANK MANAGER
[No.]
Eric quickly removes the gun from the customers temple and
fires two shots into the bank manager's face.
The bank manager falls against the vault door and onto the
floor.
ERIC
Fucking idiot.
(then to the stodgy customer)
[You seem like a nice man. Tonight at
dinner think about how lucky you are and
how much you love your family.]
He starts nodding his head.
STODGY CUSTOMER
Oui.
ERIC
(to Oliver)
[Take him upstairs.]
Oliver takes the customer upstairs to the rest of the people.
Eric rips off his mask.
ERIC
Don't you ever conflict with me during
work again! Do you hear!?
Zed off his clown mask.
ZED
You didn't have to shoot any of them!
ERIC
(patronizing)
Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't realize you were
in charge now. Nobody told me.
(his temper flares)
If he had opened the vault it would have
saved us a fucking hour.
He charges into the reserve vault area.
INT. BANK - RESERVE VAULT AREA - DAY
They enter and Eric walks up to a bathroom door.
ZED
Eric. It's just that we've gone from
being thieves to murderers.
ERIC
Oh fuck it doesn't matter! Here you get
the death penalty just for robbing a
federal bank.
ZED
I thought the death penalty was abolished
in 1980?
ERIC
Ohhhh! That's what they tell you! But
who cares? I need to take a piss.
Eric enters the bathroom.
ERIC
(on his way into the bathroom)
Why don't you open the vault?
Zed looks at the bathroom door close. After a fuming pause
he turns and walks back toward the Poseidon vault door.
CUT TO:
INT. BANK - LOBBY - DAY
Francois peeks through the venetian blinds of the windows to
the outside.
FRANCOIS
[Looks clear.]
In the meantime, behind the teller windows guarding the
people who are laying on the floor, Jean and Ricardo are in
the middle of a conversation. Oliver is sitting on the
counter, having just brought the stodgy customer upstairs.
Also here now are the sub lobby assistant and the sub lobby
guard #2.
JEAN
[What do you mean you're not sure if the
alarm went off or not?]
RICARDO
[I mean I'm not sure.]
JEAN
[Well, either it did or it didn't.]
RICARDO
[And I'm not sure.]
JEAN
[Well, do you think it did?]
RICARDO
[I just fucking told you, I don't know.]
JEAN
[Take a guess.]
RICARDO
[It didn't.]
JEAN
[You're sure?]
RICARDO
[No. It's just a guess.]
JEAN
[Well what kind of a fucking guess is
that? You're saying it could have.]
RICARDO
[Yes.]
JEAN
[Well that's fucking great. Why didn't
you just kill that asshole to begin with.
I knew I should have been the one to kill
him. You're always so damn slow.]
RICARDO
[Shit these masks are really hot.]
CLAUDE
[I know, I've got fucking sweat stinging
my eyes.]
In the meantime Zoey is on the floor, unsure of what is going
on.
CUT TO:
INT. BANK - VAULT ANTECHAMBER - DAY
Zed opens up his steel briefcase. Inside of it are all sorts
of electronic gear and tools.
He takes out a tape measure and some callipers and measures
out a point on the vault door. He marks the point with a
piece of chalk.
CUT TO:
INT. BANK - MEN'S BATHROOM - DAY
In one of the stalls Eric is preparing a syringe. He has
just cooked the heroin and is now tapping on it to get the
bubbles out.
CUT TO:
INT. BANK - VAULT ANTECHAMBER - DAY
Zed takes a power drill out from the briefcase and attaches a
special diamond tipped bit. He measures the depth he wants
to drill to and then marks the bit with a yellow pencil.
He places his ear to the vault and taps the spot.
CUT TO:
INT. BANK - MEN'S BATHROOM - DAY
Eric readies the needle and slaps his vein. He is shaking
but trying to remain as still as possible.
He places the needle at the end of a track on his arm and
inserts it.
CUT TO:
INT. BANK - VAULT ANTECHAMBER - DAY
Zed starts drilling into the point he marked with the chalk
on the vault door.
CUT TO:
INT. BANK - MEN'S BATHROOM - DAY
Eric's eyes roll back into his head as the heroin fills his
vein.
He drops the needle to the floor and sits back to enjoy the
rush.
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. BANK - LOBBY - DAY
Zoey is sitting on the floor next to the other bank hostages.
CUT TO:
INT. BANK - VAULT ANTECHAMBER - DAY
EXTREME CLOSE ON: Zed's drill bit. It burrows into the
steel wall of the safe spewing out spiral shavings.
CUT TO:
INT. BANK - LOBBY - DAY
Zoey looks at all the people sitting around her. They're all
scared. Jean, Ricardo, and Francois are talking amongst
themselves.
JEAN
(in French to Ricardo)
[Do you know one?]
RICARDO
[Let's see. Okay. An unfortunate fellow
was locked up in prison doing five to ten
for armed robbery. All he could think of
the whole time was eating pussy.]
Zoey looks up at them telling the joke.
RICARDO
[The day finally came for his release.
He walked out of the prison with a new
suit and fifty francs the officials had
given him, and made a bee-line for the
whorehouse in the nearest town. Slamming
his fifty francs on the front desk, he
said, "I wanna eat some pussy."]
Jean is already laughing.
RICARDO
[I'm not done. Listen. "Where've you
been," said the greasy fellow behind the
desk, "fifty francs won't get you a close
look these days."]
Zoey glances at all of the people. Then her eyes lock with
the concierge security guard.
RICARDO
["Listen buddy," said the ex-convict,
pulling him out of his chair by the shirt
collar, "I wanna eat some pussy, and I
want it now!"]
The concierge security guard lifts his pant leg slowly.
RICARDO
["Okay, okay," gasped the proprietor,
"I'll see what I can do." So the ex-con
followed him through to the very back of
the warehouse through some stained,
tattered red curtains, and into a grimy
little room where a bedraggled looking
whore lay spreadeagled on a filthy bed.
"She's yours for fifty francs," said the
proprietor, and the fellow went at it.]
Zoey notices that on the concierge security guard's leg is an
ankle holster with a small .38 pistol on it. His fingers
begin to unsnap the safety harness on it.
Her eyes widen.
RICARDO
[After a little while, he came across a
piece of egg. "That's funny," he thought
to himself, "I don't think I had egg for
breakfast." But he spat it out and kept
eating away. Next he found a piece of
chipped beef wedged between his front
teeth. "I'm sure I haven't eaten chipped
beef this week," he thought, but kept on.
Then he came across the corn. "What is
this?" he said, "I think I'm going to be
sick."]
The concierge security guard unsnaps the safety. Zoey knows
he's going to make his move.
RICARDO
["Ya know," says the whore, "that's what
the last guy said."]
Before they can even laugh the concierge security guard whips
out the .38 and fires three shots.
Two of them hit Ricardo in the chest. He falls to the
ground.
The other hits Francois in the arm.
In an instant Jean is firing his machine gun into the group
of people huddled on the floor.
Everyone is screaming and trying to get away.
Machine gun fire cuts through the concierge security guard
killing him dead.
Unfortunately, the wild spray of bullets also rips into three
of the tellers, four of the customers, and the loan officer,
killing them all.
People are trying to flee but Claude fires his gun into the
ceiling.
CLAUDE
[No one fucking moves!]
Jean has jumped up on the table and is aiming at the people.
JEAN
[Shit! What happened!?]
CUT TO:
INT. BANK - VAULT ANTECHAMBER - DAY
Zed looks up hearing the commotion.
Eric comes running out of the bathroom and into the
storage/elevator area.
ERIC
What is it? What's going on?
Zed gets up to go upstairs.
ZED
I don't know.
ERIC
No! You stay here.
Eric runs upstairs.
CUT TO:
INT. BANK - LOBBY - DAY
Francois is on the ground holding his arm. He keeps rolling
back and forth in pain.
Ricardo is dead.
Jean, Claude, and Oliver are waving their guns around ready
to kill someone any second.
JEAN
[Nobody fucking moves! Nobody fucking
moves!]
Claude motions to the dead security guard.
CLAUDE
[The gun! Somebody get it!]
Oliver goes over to the dead security guard, the whole time
waving his gun at people.
OLIVER
[Don't fuck with me! Don't fuck with
me!]
He grabs the gun from the dead security guards limp grip.
Eric storms in. He isn't wearing his mask.
ERIC
[What the fuck is going on!?]
Zoey notices Eric, she remembers him.
OLIVER
(pointing at the dead man)
[This crazy fuck shot Ricardo!]
Eric looks over at Ricardo and then at the carnage.
Then everybody notices he isn't wearing a mask.
JEAN
(quietly)
[Eric, your mask.]
ERIC
Oh shit.
Then Oliver yanks his off.
OLIVER
Who gives a damn if they see us or not
anyway! I can't see a fucking think in
this!
Everyone takes their masks off.
ERIC
[Is this what happens? Is this what
happens when I walk away for five
minutes?]
CLAUDE
[He had a hidden gun.]
ERIC
(mimicking a little child)
[He had a hidden gun.]
(then back to normal)
[I don't care!]
Then, one of the bank customers, a MALE TOURIST, speaks up.
MALE TOURIST
(holding up his passport)
This is insane! I am a U.S. citizen!
You must let me go!
Eric looks at him.
MALE TOURIST
I'm an American! American! I'm just
here exchanging dollars. If it wasn't
for my country you'd all be speaking
German!
Eric is tired of this outburst, he shoots him.
Everyone screams.
ERIC
(to the people)
[I have had enough of this nonsense! The
next person that speaks will die!]
Everyone is quiet.
Francois is sitting on the floor bleeding from his arm.
JEAN
[Eric, I'm sorry. Things got out of
hand. But we're in control now.]
ERIC
[Good. Let's try to keep it that way.
God what a mess.]
CLAUDE
Eric
ERIC
[What the fuck is it now!? You want me
to hold your hand as you take a piss?]
CLAUDE
[I have a question.]
ERIC
[What?]
CLAUDE
[Do we know if the alarm went off or
not?]
ERIC
[Yes.]
CLAUDE
[We do?]
ERIC
[Yes. It didn't go off. If it had the
police would be here and our whole plan
would be fucked. But they're not here,
and our plan isn't fucked. So if there
aren't any more fucking stupid questions
I'll go downstairs and see if we're in
yet. Is that okay with you?]
Claude nods.
Then, the phone rings.
Everyone looks at it.
ERIC
[I thought the phones were dead.]
It rings again.
OLIVER
The phones are dead.
Eric grabs a WOMAN TELLER who is crying hysterically and
lifts her to her feet.
He drags her to the ringing phone.
ERIC
[Answer it!]
She is crying too hard.
Eric puts his gun to her head.
ERIC
[Answer it or you will die.]
She slowly picks up the phone.
WOMAN TELLER
(answering phone through tears)
Banque Internationale de Paris.
She pauses, then hands the phone to Eric.
WOMAN TELLER
[It's for you.]
Eric takes the phone and pushes her to the floor.
He puts the receiver to his ear.
ERIC
(into phone)
[Hello.]
(pause)
[Who is this?]
Eric motions to Oliver to check the windows.
Oliver runs over and peeks out the blinds.
OLIVER
Oh my God! The police!
ERIC
(into phone)
[What do you want?]
Eric looks around at the dead bodies.
ERIC
(into phone)
[We're all fine in here.]
Oliver is pacing back and forth wildly. He starts loading
extra ammo into his weapon.
ERIC
(into phone)
[No. I'll tell you what, you go fuck
yourself you fucking pig. You send
anyone near this building and I'll kill
the first person I lay my hands on. I've
got plenty hostages here to kill so don't
even think of coming in.]
(pause)
[Just stay put. We'll call you when
we're ready. In the mean time, have a
nice day.]
Eric hangs up the phone, and then leaves it off the hook.
CLAUDE
[The silent alarm must have gone off
after all!]
ERIC
[Shut the fuck up! The alarm didn't do
shit. For all we know your idiot
shooting brought them here. Anyhow it
doesn't matter. Nothing has changed.]
JEAN
[My God! The police! What are we going
to do?]
ERIC
[Nothing. We don't have to do anything.
The plan stays the same, just slightly
different.]
Then Eric catches sight of Zoey, their eyes lock. Eric
smiles and winks. Then he turns to Jean with a whisper.
ERIC
[If the police decide to come in...kill
them. And if you don't mind, stack those
bodies somewhere else. This place is a
fucking mess and it's bad for morale.]
Then he takes off downstairs, smiling. Jean is a little
stumped.
INT. BANK - RESERVE VAULT AREA - DAY
As Eric walks down the stairs and through the reserve vault
area a look of intense concentration washes over his face.
You can see that a trillion calculations are being made in
his brain...the question is: are there any answers?
CUT TO:
INT. BANK - VAULT ANTECHAMBER - DAY
Zed is drilling now with a hand drill. He removes it and
blows into the hole. Shavings come out.
Eric comes trotting into the antechamber whistling.
ZED
(turning to Eric)
What's going on?
ERIC
Nothing. They were just scaring them.
ZED
Well, did you tell them to stay quiet?
ERIC
Yes. They're assholes. Just having fun.
Zed looks into the hole.
He has drilled into the vault door, revealing some wiring.
ZED
Fucked up my drill bit.
ERIC
It's okay. You can buy another one.
Zed takes out a volt meter from his briefcase and inserts the
two prongs into the hole.
ZED
Cross your fingers.
Eric does.
The volt meter's needle jumps.
ZED
Perfect.
ERIC
Excellent. What next?
ZED
We find the fuse box. It'll probably be
upstairs.
Zed gets up.
ERIC
It's okay. I'll find it for you.
ZED
No. I need to see it myself.
Zed jumps up and into the storage/elevator area with Eric
close behind him.
ERIC
I think it would be better if I looked
for you. I could--
INT. BANK - STORAGE/ELEVATOR AREA - DAY
Instead of walking upstairs, Zed finds the fuse box right in
the next room.
ZED
Hold on. Here she is.
Eric is a bit relieved.
Zed opens it up.
ZED
Let's see.
He looks through the fuses and then finds the one he wants.
ZED
Okay, you throw this fuse switch off and
then back on when I call to you. Any
other switch may set off the alarm.
Eric smirks.
ERIC
Oh, I wouldn't want to do that.
ZED
(serious)
Got it?
ERIC
(nodding)
Got it.
Zed goes back to the vaults.
INT. BANK - VAULT ANTECHAMBER - DAY
Zed trots back to the Poseidon vault door and quickly grabs a
little gizmo from out of his briefcase. It is a little home-
made black box with a series of LED's on it and two wires
coming out of one side with alligator clips on the end.
Three other wires are also coming out of it.
He slips the alligator clips into the hole and latches them.
He then tapes one of the wires to the vault itself.
The two remaining wires he hooks up to a large twelve volt
battery.
ZED
Come on sweetie don't fail me now.
He looks toward the door leading to the reserve vault area.
ZED
(calling to Eric)
Ready?!
ERIC(O.S.)
(calling back)
Ready!
Zed turns on his little box, the LED's start flickering.
ZED
Now!
The lights go out and then back on.
There is a whirring sound from the vault door.
The LED's quickly go from red to green.
There is a loud, heavy clicking as the vault door unlocks.
ZED
Open seasame.
Zed smiles and swings the door open revealing the interior of
the Poseidon vault.
Eric comes running in like a kid on Christmas morning.
ERIC
It worked!
He and Zed hug.
ERIC
Oh my God it worked!
Zed looks into the Poseidon vault at the passage connecting
it to the main vault. It is covered by a small locked cage.
ZED
I can get through that lock in a minute.
ERIC
Then do it. We don't have all day.
Zed enters the Poseidon vault.
INT. BANK - POSEIDON VAULT - DAY
Zed goes to the gated passage which isn't much more than a
window in one upper side of the vault, but it's enough to get
him into the main vault.
Eric is right behind him.
Zed takes a twirl at the combination lock.
ZED
Dime store brand. Three minutes max.
ERIC
Good.
Then, there's a gunshot. The bullet comes from the Calibre
vault through the window and almost hits Zed.
Zed falls backwards onto the floor.
ZED
Fuck!
ERIC
Merde!
Then there's another gunshot.
The bullet ricochets through the vault.
ZED
Jesus Christ!
Scrambling on their hands and knees Zed and Eric crawl out of
the Poseidon vault.
INT. BANK - VAULT ANTECHAMBER - DAY
They take cover.
Another shot is fired into the vault.
Zed and Eric look into the vault.
ZED
Another security guard?
ERIC
Must be.
ZED
I think I stained my pants.
ERIC
Me too.
Oliver comes running in with his gun ready for action.
OLIVER
What is it?! I came down to see how
things were going and heard shots!
ERIC
Some asshole in the vault.
Oliver takes cover and cocks his gun.
OLIVER
We've got guns. Why don't we just storm
in and blast his fucking ass! It's three
against one! Let's give it the old--
ERIC
Quiet!
OLIVER
I'm just trying to be helpful.
ERIC
Just let me think.
OLIVER
You don't have to snap at me.
Eric peeks into the vault.
ERIC
(calling into the vault)
[Hey you. Nice shooting. Play time's
over. Why don't you throw out your gun?]
VAULT GUARD #1(O.S.)
(calling from main vault)
No!
Oliver and Eric look at each other and smile.
ERIC
[Come on. We don't want to kill you.]
VAULT GUARD #1(O.S.)
[You'll have to!]
ERIC
(quietly to Zed)
What is this guys problem?
(then to the guard)
[Come on! You're making me impatient. I
don't have all day.]
VAULT GUARD #1(O.S.)
[Look, don't take it personally. This is
my job.]
Oliver and Eric look at each other and shrug. Then Eric sees
something in Zed's briefcase. It looks like grey clay.
ERIC
[Then take a paid vacation. We won't
tell if you won't.]
There is a pause. During this time Eric takes the clay and
pushes a detonator into it.
ZED
(quietly)
What the Hell are you doing? Have you
gone mad?
VAULT GUARD #1(O.S.)
[Sorry. I can't.]
ERIC
[Well, look, we're going to give you
fifteen minutes to change your mind.
Okay?]
VAULT GUARD #1(O.S.)
[Okay.]
Zed starts to grab the plastique away from Eric. Eric
resists.
ZED
(holding his voice down)
That's too much. It's dangerous.
ERIC
I like danger.
(then to the guard)
[Changed your mind yet?]
Eric creeps into the room and activates the detonator.
Zed and Oliver run for cover.
VAULT GUARD #1(O.S.)
[No. And I'm not going to. Why don't
you just take the money from the other
vaults?--]
Eric tosses the bar of plastique through the caged window and
makes a break for it.
There is a huge explosion in the adjoining main vault. The
walls quake and a fireball bellows out of the caged window,
blowing it open.
The vault guard #1 screams and then goes silent.
CUT TO:
INT. BANK - LOBBY - DAY
Francois, Claude, and Jean are forcing customers to drag dead
bodies into a cube. The room shakes and everyone looks
toward the hall that leads to the stairs.
The hostages, whose nerves are already shot, start crying.
FRANCOIS
[Should we see if they're okay?]
JEAN
[No. They're just blasting the vault
open.]
CLAUDE
[What does it matter now? We're fucking
surrounded by police.]
CUT TO:
INT. BANK - VAULT ANTECHAMBER - DAY
Dust has blown out of the vault and is settling on Oliver,
Zed, and Eric, who is laughing like a madman.
Zed is looking at him like he's crazy.
ZED
You asshole! You could have killed us
all.
ERIC
But I didn't! Let's go check out the
damage.
Eric gets up and walks into the Poseidon vault.
Before Zed follows him he looks at Oliver who doesn't know
what to think.
INT. BANK - POSEIDON VAULT - DAY
Eric laughs.
ERIC
Zed look!
He points to the caged window. It's been blown off it's
hinges.
ERIC
I beat you! I opened it in under three
minutes.
He starts laughing and then crawls through the connecting
passage into the Caliber vault.
Zed, with his briefcase, follows.
ZED
(to Oliver)
Go around and wait at the main vault
door. When I tell you, open it up.
OLIVER
Right. When you tell me, I'll open it
up.
ZED
Right.
OLIVER
Right.
Zed crawls through the opening.
OLIVER
I'll be at the other vault waiting for
you to call to me.
INT. CALIBER VAULT - DAY
The main vault looks like what a vault would look like if it
were blown up from the inside. On the floor is the still
smoldering body of the security guard. The room is
incredibly smokey.
Zed squeezes through the opening.
Then, Eric, grinning like a schoolboy, emerges from the smoke
with a brick sized bar of pure gold.
ERIC
Look at it! We're all rich!
The smoke clears and we see that on the far side of the vault
there is a huge platen on wheels with bricks of gold stacked
onto it.
Eric starts laughing.
ERIC
We're rich!
Zed looks at him like he's crazy.
ERIC
We're rich!
ZED
We're not out of here yet.
ERIC
Yes but we're rich!
Zed takes a seat at the vault door. The backside of a vault
door looks like an incredibly intricate clock. Zed removes
the Plexiglass shielding.
ERIC
I'm going to show the others.
He squirms out of the entry with the brick of gold.
Zed shakes his head and goes to work setting dials and using
his voltmeter to test electrical points.
CUT TO:
INT. BANK - LOBBY - DAY
Claude is talking to Jean.
CLAUDE
[What? You think we may actually get out
of this? You're fooling yourself.]
JEAN
[Why are you such a pessimist?]
CLAUDE
[Are you kidding me? Look at this mess.]
Jean surveys the mess, the crying people.
CLAUDE
[This is nothing. Imagine the police
outside. We're dead men.]
Eric walks in from the rear stairs. In his hand is a brick
of gold.
ERIC
[Jean, Francois, Claude...look at this.]
They see the gold.
JEAN
[You did it! You got in!]
ERIC
[Zed is opening the vault now. This is a
taste.]
Eric holds the bar of gold up for all the people to see.
ERIC
[Look at this and tell me I'm not
brilliant.]
WOMAN CUSTOMER
(crying)
[You're a monster! And you'll never
leave this place alive!]
Eric shoots her with his Uzi.
ERIC
(to the hostages)
[None of you are worth half of this
single bar. Remember that.]
Francois, Jean, and Claude look at each other.
CLAUDE
[Eric...can I speak with you?]
ERIC
[Of course.]
CLAUDE
[In private.]
ERIC
[There's no need. I have nothing to
hide. What is it Claude?]
CLAUDE
[Well...we're surrounded by the police
and we have no way out. What are we
going to do?]
Eric slaps him across the face.
ERIC
[What are you doing Claude? Talking of
all this false doubt. What do you think
we're going to do?]
Claude is hurt, not physically but emotionally.
CLAUDE
[I don't know...not the original plan.]
ERIC
[Obviously, since Ricardo fucked us up
and didn't kill the concierge fast
enough. And killing all these assholes--
]
(motioning to all the
customers)
[--isn't going to do us a damn bit of
good now, is it?]
CLAUDE
No.
ERIC
[No. Because we'll need them as hostages
when we get on the plane.]
CLAUDE
[We're going on a plane?]
Eric pats his shoulder.
ERIC
[Claude, you are a mental giant. Leave
the plans up to me and just kill people
if they get out of line, okay?]
CLAUDE
[Okay.]
Eric turns and starts to walk toward the downstairs.
ERIC
[I'm going to see how things are going.]
INT. BANK - REAR STAIRS TO LOBBY - DAY
Eric is whistling while he walks, he pauses to perform a
quick magic trick, then he continues.
INT. RESERVE VAULT AREA - DAY
Eric walks into the reserve vault area.
He stops. He hears something. A scratching sound.
He looks at it's source, TWO POLICEMEN, decked out in black
flak jackets and gas masks are starting to come out of a
sewer manhole.
Eric's eyes widen. He takes his silencer out of his coat and
fixes it to his handgun. Then, like a man with intent to
kill, he rapidly approaches them.
The one who came out of the manhole turns just in time to see
Eric fire into his chest. Then, Eric aims the gun into the
tight crawlspace and fires into the other man. For safe
measure he empties his gun into the tiny causeway.
He drops the gun into the hole and then shoves the other
policeman into it. He then pushes a large utility wagon over
the manhole cover to stop anyone else from coming in.
INT. BANK - REAR STAIRS TO LOBBY - DAY
Eric comes running out from the reserve vault area and up the
stairs to the lobby.
INT. BANK - LOBBY - DAY
Eric rushes into the lobby.
ERIC
[They want to fuck with me!? They want
to fuck with me!?]
He puts the phone on the hook.
It instantly rings.
He answers the phone.
ERIC
[You want to fuck with me!? I'll show
you what happens to people who fuck with
me!]
He throws the phone to the ground and looks at Zoey.
ERIC
[The moment of truth my love. You knew
it would come.]
He grabs Zoey and lifts her to her feet.
ZOEY
(screeching)
No!
Then, the assistant manager stops him.
ASSISTANT MANAGER
[No! What ever it is you're going to do
have mercy!]
Eric suddenly calms down.
ERIC
[Have mercy?]
ASSISTANT MANAGER
[Yes.]
ERIC
[With her.]
ASSISTANT MANAGER
[Yes.]
ERIC
[That's sweet.]
(to Zoey)
[You have quite a reach my lovely. Is he
one of your clients?]
He pushes Zoey to the ground.
ERIC
[It's a deal.]
ASSISTANT MANAGER
[Thank you.]
ERIC
[Don't mention it.]
He grabs the assistant manager and at gunpoint forces him to
the main entrance.
CLAUDE
[Eric! What are you doing?]
ERIC
[Clearing up the "how full of shit am I"
question the cops are asking themselves
right now.]
The assistant manager is putting up a bit of a struggle but
Eric simply forces him along.
Everyone waits until suddenly they hear a burst of gunfire
from outside. They all scream.
Eric walks back into the bank, he picks up the phone.
ERIC
(into phone)
[Hello.]
(pause)
[Yes. I'll hold.]
(then to Claude)
[I'm holding.]
After a little bit of a wait someone comes on the other end
of the line.
ERIC
(into phone)
[Hello.]
(pause)
[You don't know the fucking half of it.
So just shut the fuck up and listen. Try
any more stunts and I'll fucking really
go crazy.]
(pause)
[Well that's good because if you faggot
cops even think of it I'll kill some more
people. Hear?]
(pause)
[No. None of that. We won't trade.
That never works. Not in the movies, not
in real life. Understand? We're going
to get into our van, with a couple of
people, go to the airport, and fly out of
this shit hole city. And you're not
going to follow us.]
(pause)
[Who do you fucking think is going to
supply the plane? Us? No, you fucking
imbecile, the French taxpayers would be a
good second guess for you. You're really
pissing me off. You think I'm a fucking
amature?]
He covers the mouth piece.
ERIC
(to Claude)
[I fucking hate cops.]
CUT TO:
INT. BANK - CALIBER VAULT - DAY
Zed is sweating as he works away at the back of the door. He
glances over what he's done and makes a calculation on a
calculator.
Then, there is a groaning sound.
Zed, terrified, spins around.
Another groaning sound. The vault security guard isn't dead.
His body is charred and he's not moving but he's very much
alive.
VAULT GUARD #1
[I'm going to die...]
Zed can't believe what he's seeing.
He moves over to the body, leaving his work behind.
VAULT GUARD #1
[I'm going to die...please hold
my...hand. I don't...want to
die...alone.]
Zed hovers over the body, afraid to touch it. He gives it a
nudge with his foot.
The body groans and then exhales the longest exhale ever.
Zed kneels down next to the body.
ZED
Are you still there?
Nothing.
Zed puts his hand to the neck of the vault guard #1 and
checks for a pulse.
Nothing.
Zed sits there for a moment looking at the corpse, then, like
he wants to get out of there as soon as possible, he
scrambles to the door and starts adjusting several switches.
He has wired a battery to two leads. He takes out a wire
cutter and snips a wire.
There is a sudden barrage of whirring and clicking sounds as
the vault unlocks.
Zed calls to Oliver from the passage.
INT. BANK - STORAGE/ELEVATOR AREA - DAY
Oliver is staring at the dead bodies of the manager and sub
lobby teller.
ZED(O.S.)
(distant, calling from the
vault)
Oliver, now! Open the vault!
Oliver turns the large wheel and opens the Caliber vault
door.
With some amount of energy the door opens. Standing inside
is Zed.
ZED
Open seasame.
He steps out of the vault.
ZED
Do you want to give me a hand?
OLIVER
Sure.
Oliver puts his gun down and they go into the Calibre vault.
INT. BANK - CALIBER VAULT - DAY
Oliver sees the huge platen of gold bricks. Zed puts his
steel briefcase on top of it.
OLIVER
Holy mother.
ZED
Here, help me with this.
CUT TO:
INT. BANK - LOBBY - DAY
Eric slams the phone down and then in a fit of rage tears the
phone from the wall.
ERIC
Merde!
He grabs his machine gun and aims it at the sub lobby guard
#2.
The sub lobby guard #2 braces himself for gunfire.
Eric fires into him. He is dead instantly.
Everybody screams.
Eric fires into his dead corpse until his gun runs out of
bullets.
ERIC
[That's what you get!]
Claude puts his hand on Eric's shoulder.
CLAUDE
Eric.
Eric looks at him.
ERIC
[The fucking police won't budge. I kill
a man and they don't care. They say they
don't make deals with terrorists. It
really fucks up my plan.]
CLAUDE
[And what if we gave up?]
Eric can't believe this.
ERIC
(laughing)
[Claude, look around you. We're not
talking prison here. You know. The cops
will give in. You start killing
women...they give in. They're all so
fucking much in love with women!]
Then he looks at Zoey.
ERIC
[What are you looking at you fucking
whore?]
She doesn't want to say a thing that'll upset him.
ERIC
[Are you afraid I'll tell these people
that this is only a day job for you?]
She shakes her head "no".
ERIC
[What? So they know that you're a--]
The sub lobby assistant speaks up.
SUB LOBBY ASSISTANT
[Leave her alone.]
Eric cracks the butt of his gun into the man's face.
ERIC
[Shut up!]
He clicks another clip into the Uzi and grabs Zoey by the
collar and lifts her to her feet.
ERIC
[My only mistake was not to make an
example of a woman to begin with.]
CUT TO:
INT. BANK - CALIBER VAULT - DAY
Zed takes the dolly and starts wheeling the platen of gold
out. Oliver helps him.
OLIVER
This is unbelievable. Look at all of
this. It's wonderful to touch.
ZED
Just help me steer this out.
They maneuver out of the Calibre vault.
INT. BANK - STORAGE/ELEVATOR AREA - DAY
They come out of the Calibre vault with the huge platen.
OLIVER
Do you think we should get some cash
also?
ZED
What for?
OLIVER
Well, you never know.
They start maneuvering the platen toward an elevator.
ZED
Money is too easily traceable. You'd
never be able to spend it. And forget
about exchanging it.
OLIVER
That's true.
ZED
No sir. Your best bet is to get these
bars melted down in Tunisia or Korea.
OLIVER
Eric knows someone in Portugal.
ZED
Or Portugal.
They get into the banks private freight elevator.
INT. BANK - FREIGHT ELEVATOR - DAY
Zed closes the door and pushes the button to go up to the
ground floor.
CUT TO:
INT. BANK - LOBBY - DAY
Eric is dragging Zoey by the hair toward the door when she
grabs his groin and starts squeezing.
Eric lets out a shrill scream and whacks the butt of the Uzi
into her face.
But she won't let go. Her years as a prostitute have taught
her to ignore pain.
She grabs hold of the gun hand.
ERIC
(groaning)
[You fucking bitch!]
A few bursts of the Uzi go off and one shell stitches Eric's
foot red.
Eric lets go and falls to the ground.
Claude, Jean, and Francois suddenly become attentive to
what's going on.
Zoey starts firing the Uzi but can't control it. She showers
the room with bullets. She starts to run toward the back
office blindly firing the gun in the direction of Claude,
Eric, Francois, Jean, and the other hostages.
Then, a tear gas cannister break through the top windows and
start clouding the place up.
Eric whips out his switch blade and hops on his bloody red
foot.
ERIC
[Bitch!]
CUT TO:
INT. BANK - FREIGHT ELEVATOR - DAY
Zed is waiting for the elevator to arrive.
ZED
Do we have a covering of some kind?
OLIVER
A what?
ZED
You know. Something to cover this with.
It'll look kind of conspicuous leaving
the bank with a platten of gold.
OLIVER
Oh, it won't matter. The police know
what we're up too.
ZED
Police?! What do you mean they know what
we're up too?
OLIVER
You don't know? We've been discovered.
But Eric has them under control.
Zed is frantic.
ZED
No I didn't know! How many police?
OLIVER
The building is surrounded.
The elevator doors open onto the ground floor to the sound of
automatic gunfire. Zed walks out into the back office.
INT. BANK - BACK OFFICE - DAY
Suddenly, from the back office, Zed sees Zoey blasting away
an Uzi and running toward the rear stairwell. Eric is in the
lobby limping around. The other gang members are ducking
from her fire.
Then, her clip runs out.
She sees Zed, their eyes lock. An IMAGE overcomes Zed. She
runs down the stairs to the back.
ERIC
Kill her! Kill her!
Oliver aims his gun to fire and Zed pushes it up. Oliver's
gun discharges into the ceiling. Oliver and Zed begin to
struggle.
INT. BANK - LOBBY - DAY
Zed and Oliver collapse out of the back office and into the
lobby. They tumble onto the floor. Eric hobbles over to
them, his gun aimed at Zed.
ERIC
What the fuck are you doing!?
CUT TO:
INT. BANK - RESERVE VAULT AREA - DAY
Zoe is near tears. She drops the empty machine gun to the
floor and starts walking toward the sub lobby.
CUT TO:
INT. BANK - LOBBY - DAY
Eric leans down to talk to Zed. Oliver and Jean are
watching. Francois and Claude are more worried about the
tear gas.
CLAUDE
[They're trying to smoke us out Eric!]
FRANCOIS
[What do we do!?]
Eric waves them off with a brush of his hand. He's
concentrating on Zed.
ERIC
Do you really love your bitch whore
girlfriend that much? She's really
fucked with your mind.
ZED
Eric...what are you talking about?
Eric lifts him to his feet and holds him up against the
knife. He turns him toward the smoke and whispers into his
ear.
ERIC
Look at it. It's all for us. The smoke.
The attention. They have no idea of who
they're dealing with. They have no idea
what kind of men we are.
ZED
(thinking Eric is a madman)
What kind of men are we?
Eric looks at him and gives him a soft kiss on the cheek.
ERIC
You can no longer be in our club. You
forfeit your cut of the pie.
Zed laughs, there's not gonna be much of a pie to eat.
ZED
What about our friendship?
ERIC
Shit Zed. I haven't seen you in years.
You hardly know me.
He slashes Zed across the face with the switchblade. Zed
falls backwards and tumbles down the stairs like a rag doll.
ERIC
Never let a girl come between two men.
He walks down the hall toward the gold.
ERIC
Now let's try to get out of here.
Eric walks into the back office. The others look at each
other.
Suddenly a black figure runs across the bank behind the
shadows, Francois sees it and nervously fires.
In the background the distinctive sound of European police
sirens wail as more cars pull up to the outside of the bank.
Also, an UNINTELLIGIBLE VOICE is blaring orders over a
bullhorn.
FRANCOIS
[The police! They're entering the
building!]
Suddenly all of them start firing like blindly into the
smoke.
Francois runs back to Eric who has walked up to the elevator
via the back office.
INT. BANK - FREIGHT ELEVATOR - DAY
Eric caresses his hand across the bars of gold.
ERIC
(to himself)
[Smoother and more giving than the most
selfless human being. You're beautiful.]
Francois runs in.
FRANCOIS
[Eric!]
ERIC
[Jesus, what now?]
FRANCOIS
[The police are coming in! We're
doomed!]
ERIC
[Get a hostage.]
FRANCOIS
(frantic)
[They don't give a fuck about the
hostages!]
CUT TO:
INT. BANK - LOBBY - DAY
Jean becomes a berzerker and runs out into a cloud of smoke
and throws the tear gas container into the thick cloud.
Then he turns to the police and holds his own gun to his
head.
JEAN
[Don't make me!]
A single bullet passes through his torso. As Jean falls to
the ground he lets loose a round of gunfire into the ceiling.
Oliver is still firing, his face is red like a crazed man.
From behind the counter the sub lobby assistant grabs a hold
of Claude and wrestles him to the ground.
The other customers start to flee for cover.
Oliver sees the fracas between the sub lobby assistant and
Claude. It looks like the sub lobby assistant is getting the
upper hand. Oliver swings his gun around and sprays machine
gun fire at them...killing them both.
CUT TO:
INT. BANK - SUB LOBBY - DAY
Zoe walks up the stairs out, not only are they locked but a
cloud of tear gas is pouring into the downstairs sub lobby.
Suddenly, Zed stumbles in.
Zed is like a zombie. Then he notices Zoe in the stairwell.
They lock eyes.
ZED
(almost delerious)
Zoe...
She steps down into the sub lobby, machine guns crackle in
the background. She runs up to him just as he slumps to the
ground.
ZOE
(holding him)
My Zed. They've hurt you.
She dabs a cloth to his cut face. He holds it on.
ZOE
(trying to comfort him)
You're going to be okay. In many
countries scars on the face are a symbol
of heroism. To proudly display a flaw
like a badge...is to wear a badge of
truth.
He takes her hand.
ZED
Be serious Zoe...I can stick my tongue
through my cheek.
CUT TO:
INT. BANK - LOBBY - DAY
The police are now laying it on heavy. Francois comes out of
the office.
FRANCOIS
Oliver! Let's get a hostage!
OLIVER
This is the end!
Francois is ripped into by machine gun fire.
Oliver races past him.
CUT TO:
INT. BANK - SUB LOBBY - DAY
Tear gas is starting to fill the room.
Zoe stands Zed up.
ZOE
Listen to me. We're going to lock
ourselves into one of the air tight
vaults...if any of them are still open.
They start walking toward the reserve vault area.
CUT TO:
INT. BANK - FREIGHT ELEVATOR - DAY
Eric hops into the elevator and closes the door, just as
Oliver runs up, firing toward the police.
Eric is laughing manically as he leaves them behind.
OLIVER
Bastard!
Oliver turns to where the police will surely be coming in.
CUT TO:
INT. BANK - RESERVE VAULT AREA - DAY
Zoey and Zed rush into the reserve vault area. Zoey notices
that the downstairs reserve vault is closed.
ZOE
Merde! The vault has been closed.
ZED
What about the others?
The gunfire upstairs has subsided and has been replaced by
unintelligible POLICE VOICES.
ZOE
Listen...there's no gunfire.
Zoey quietly opens the door opposite the vault that leads to
the rear stairs to the lobby level.
INT. BANK - REAR STAIRS TO LOBBY - DAY
Zoey peeks up the stairs just in time to see Oliver bolt for
the stairs.
OLIVER
(to police)
Motherfuckers!
A volly of gunfire rips into Oliver but he stands his ground
and fires into the police.
OLIVER
You wanna fuck with me? You wanna fuck
with me? I'll show you who you're
fucking with!
He starts blasting away.
Terrified, Zoey leads Zed to the storage/elevator area.
ZOEY
C'mon, we'll be safer in here.
CUT TO:
INT. BANK - STORAGE/ELEVATOR AREA - DAY
The elevator door opens, Eric steps out and looks around like
a caged animal.
ERIC
[Think!]
Then, Zed and Zoey appear from the hall to the reserve vault
area.
Eric turns to them with his gun raised, when he sees them he
lowers it.
ERIC
Zed.
They all stand there for a moment, the gunfire cracking away
upstairs. Eric is more casual than he should be.
ERIC
(matter-of-factly)
What's your girlfriends name?
ZED
Zoe.
ERIC
Zoe.
(to Zoey in French)
[Zoe, come here to me.]
Zoey spits at him.
Eric laughs and aims the gun at her.
ERIC
[Killing you would just be gravy, so
don't fuck with me.]
ZOEY
[Go ahead you slob. Shave my ass!]
Eric smashes the side of her face with the gun and then grabs
a hold of her arm.
Zed tries to stop Eric but Eric aims the gun at him.
ERIC
Zed no. I'll kill you. It means nothing
to me, our friendship.
ZED
(starting out calm and then
building to a scream)
Eric...there's no fucking way out of
here!
ERIC
Oh but you're wrong. This is my way out.
This dime store couge with her motor
driven ass. You find your own.
Zed rushes Eric and Zoey starts scratching. Eric drops the
gun but quickly whips out his knife.
She tries to get away from Eric but he has a hold on her
shirt.
Eric swipes at her with the knife and grazes he back.
Then Eric slashes toward Zed who jumps back.
Zoey falls to the floor.
ERIC
Come Zed...I'm going to cut you like a
sausage.
Zed is standing between Zoey and Eric.
ZED
Zoey, get out of here!
She scrambles away.
He swipes at Zed.
Zed jumps back down the hall toward the reserve vault area.
INT. BANK - RESERVE VAULT AREA- DAY
They rush out toward the stairs.
ERIC
Did you see how she ran? Did you see how
she ran? She doesn't care about you.
Fucking pussy only cares about pussy.
Look out for number one. What do you say
Zed?
He swipes again.
ERIC
I will kill you. And once I kill you
Zed, I'll get out of here. I'll fuck
your bitch up the ass and give her
AIDS...if she doesn't already have it.
What do you say to that Zed?
He swipes and Zed grabs a hold of the knife by the blade.
Eric pulls it free and the knife falls to the floor.
Zed takes this opportunity and kicks Eric in the face.
Eric reaches for the knife.
Zed, his hand bloody, dives onto Eric.
Zoey also jumps onto them and starts yanking on Eric's hair.
She plunges her nails into his face.
ERIC
Fucking bitch!
Zed is rabbit punching Eric from underneath.
Then, Eric grabs a hold of Zed's balls and squeezes.
Zed lets out a shrill scream.
Eric starts elbowing Zoey in the face.
The three of them lay there on the floor wriggling like
worms, unable to move because each is putting the other
through such agony.
Then, Oliver, shot up and bloody haplessly stumbles into the
room. His body is a mass of bullet wounds.
OLIVER
Ox! Where is thy yoke!?
He clumsily falls dead to the ground, his shotgun slides near
Zoey, Zed, and Eric.
The sight of the gun gives Eric the strength only a madman
could posses. He rolls over and throws Zoey off him.
Then, he smashes his forehead into Zed's nose, bursting it.
Eric, deftly, rolls over and grabs the gun.
He gets to his feet and cocks the pump action.
ERIC
Fuck both of you.
Then he notices the lack of gunfire upstairs.
Eric turns back to them.
ERIC
Au revoir.
He aims to kill Zed.
ZOEY
No!
Then, all of the French policemen, decked out in their
assault gear and wearing gas masks, storm down the stairs.
At the sight of Eric about to execute Zed they raise their
guns.
FRENCH POLICEMAN #1
[Stop!]
Eric stops.
It becomes quiet.
Then, Eric looks back down at Zed and braces for the shotgun
kick.
ERIC
I give you little kiss. Ciao.
He squeezes the trigger and...
CLICK
The police open fire with their French made assault machine
guns and fill Eric with bullets. Instead of falling he does
a scarecrow dance as his body is painted red.
The wall behind them explodes as plaster sprays all over Zed.
An IMAGE overcomes Eric.
Eric's dead body slumps to it's knees and flops on top of
Zed.
Zed pushes the body off and tries to drag himself to Zoey.
Zoey runs up to him and holds him.
The police all charge into the secondary vault area and
secure the downstairs.
Zoey is crying as she holds Zed.
The police have their guns aimed at the two of them.
Zoey looks up.
ZOEY
(to the policemen)
[I work here. This man is a
customer...he needs medical help.]
They take their guns away and kneel next to him, seeing if
he's okay.
FRENCH POLICEMAN #2
[How bad do you think his wounds are?]
The other policeman, unable to tell because of Eric's blood,
simply shakes his head.
FRENCH POLICEMAN #1
(to Zoey)
[Are you alright?]
Zoey starts to cry.
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. BANK - LOBBY - DAY
Zoey and Zed, bandaged up, are being aided by all of the
French policemen as they walk through the bank.
Smoke is still clearing, but the bodies of customers and bank
robbers alike litter the area.
PARAMEDIC's, wearing all white, try to help the injured, they
assist Zed and Zoey.
FRENCH POLICEMAN #1
(to Zoey and Zed)
[There's an ambulance outside.]
(he looks around)
[My God. What a Bastille Day.]
Zed's attention is caught by two OTHER POLICEMEN carrying a
body bag.
FRENCH POLICEMAN #3
(to French policeman #1)
[This one's the ringmaster. We need an
I.D.]
No longer interested in Zoey or Zed, he goes to check out the
body.
ZOEY
The hospital?
ZED
No.
ZOEY
Come on. I have a car.
Zoey puts her arm around Zed and helps him out of the
bank...never to return.
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. ZOEY'S CAR - MOVING - DAY
Zoey is driving. Zed looks like he's been in a burning
building.
ZED
I'm so tired.
ZOEY
We'll go to my flat. You can rest there.
Do you feel pain?
ZED
No...it was mostly his blood.
ZOEY
I have a shower. You can clean up there.
ZED
Thank you Zoe.
He looks at her.
ZOEY
My name is not Zoe. Not any more.
He looks forward at the streets of Paris.
ZOEY
You'll get well. Then I'll show you the
real Paris.
They drive away.
THE END
