Raging Hope: Street Law
This is an excerpt from a screenplay I'm finishing for a soon-to-enter pre-production film entitled "Raging Hope: Street Law." It will star Senator John McCain as "The Vet" and Senator Barack Obama as "The Rook."
NOTE: Due to blog contraints this isn't properly formatted.
The following takes place after an action-packed credit sequence followed by an electric guitar wailing on the same note for about thirty seconds.
FADE IN:
INT. POLICE HQ. DAY
VET hustles through the doors, looking mad as hell and pushing past a couple of girls brought in on charges of prostitution.
PROSTITUTE #1: Hey Vet, long time no see.
VET: Shaddup Cherry, the shit just hit the fan and I gotta go wipe off the chief's face.
VET continues into the chief's office.
PROSTITUTE #2: I don't see what you like about that fuzz.
PROSTITUTE #1: Fuzz? More like a forest. He's a POW who lives up to the name... POW!
INT. CHIEF'S OFFICE MOMENTS LATER
CHIEF: Vet, give me one reason I shouldn't grab your badge and kick your wrinkled ass out on the DC streets.
VET: You're looking mighty nice today Chief, did your wife buy you a new tie?
CHIEF: Don't try to shine my ass, Vet, do you know what kind of mess you dumped in my hands? I've got four bodies - full of your shotgun shells - and dozens of schmucks from the press sticking their heads up my ass looking for an answer. And what do I have to tell them? Some geezer on the force decided to go Rambo because one of them looked at him the wrong way.
VET: (Vein twitches on his forehead and mouth curls into skeleton smile) Those bums were dealers, Chief, and you know it. Hell, their bodies are practically encased in coke: they were pushers. House full of guns and smack, you can come up with something to tell the press. Plus...
CHIEF: Oh, here it comes....
VET: I know they were connected to Wolf's murder.
CHIEF: Not this again.
VET: Wolf. W-O-L-F. How can you pretend it didn't happen? Our best cop snuffed out by the drug-pushing street trash of this town. Wolf was a good man, a good officer and the best damn partner I've ever had. And I've had a lot of partners.
CHIEF (Visibly irritated) Listen, Vet, I miss him as much as you do, but even if a heroin addict pushed my wife off a cliff it doesn't give me free reign to give four dealers a wake-up call of hot lead!
VET: I can prove it. I can prove these bums were working for the guy behind all this. Don't you want to get Wolf's killer? This town is up to it's eyes in coke and I know the guy that slashed Wolf is behind it.
CHIEF: I need proof.
VET: And I need time. Just trust me. I'll make things better.
CHIEF: By using the same failed tactics that put us in this media shitstorm in the first place? I dunno, Vet.
VET: For old time sake...
CHIEF: God, I must be crazy. Well, I knew you was gonna come in hear with your song and dance and I knew I could afford to give you one last chance... but I'm putting an insurance policy on you. I'm giving you a new partner.
VET: I work alone now.
CHIEF: You work like a cowboy and it's time we get some law and order in your head. Meet Rook.
THE ROOK saunters into the office and folds his arms in front of his chest, staring at VET.
ROOK: Wassup, baby?
VET swivels in his chair to face CHIEF.
VET: Very funny. Now can I get out of here and solve this thing?
CHIEF: No joke, Vet. Rook graduated at the top of his class - he's the best addition to the force this year. He has a way of talking to people, of getting things out of them. I want you two to take to the streets immediately, and together, I think you can figure out who killed Wolf.
VET: Take him to the streets? I'll bet he doesn't even know the difference between a dealer and one of his home boys!
ROOK: Watch your mouth, fat man. I can handle myself.
VET: Listen, kid, I'm sure you scored real high on all the fancy tests they have you kids take these days. But do you know how to take to the streets as a man of the law, to march through DC knowing if there's going to be justice, it's gotta come through your fingers? Have you even seen any action?
ROOK: Shit man, I've seen plenty of action.
VET: I ain't talkin' affirmative, Rookie. I'm talking a shotgun in your face, hostage to your right and only one bullet left in your piece. Can you defend this town, much less yourself?
ROOK: Don't overwork your pacemaker. I can handle myself.
VET: Chief, I'm doing this alone.
CHIEF: Vet, you're doing this with Rook, or I'll have your badge.
VET: Shakes head and stands up) Alright, punk, let's go. But one warning: don't stand in my way! I know what needs to be done and I'm not having some fast-talking upstart get in my way.
ROOK Cool it, gramps. We're on the same team here.
VET Well, if we're on the same team, maybe it's time I retire....