VAGRANT "Pilot" Written by Brad Cook

VAGRANT Pilot TEASER EXT. JEFFERSON COURT PLAZA - DUSK The sun hangs low over a strip mall in Detroit. Elsewhere, the streets bustle with the livelihood of the city. But here, a row of retail graves sits awash in a deep red hue, run-down and abandoned. On the end, Inman Auto Service clings to life. INT. INMAN AUTO SERVICE - GARAGE - CONTINUOUS A busted old Toyota Tercel sits six feet up on a lift. GIDEON KENNEY (27), a weary-eyed shaggy type, stands with his hands clasped on his head as ARNIE DUFF (52) inspects the car. GIDEON You dont understand, people depend on me. I need this done tonight. Arnie pulls his head out from under the wheel well, steps out from below the car. ARNIE I got four kids and a missus waitin on me for dinner, and everything closes in a half hour. GIDEON The people Im feeding might not eat again until tomorrow night! ARNIE Sounds like they should learn to feed themselves. Arnie removes his cap, wipes his shiny head with his arm. ARNIE (CONT'D) Diagnostics free, kid. But I cant fix er tonight. Gideon steps closer to Arnie. GIDEON I went to two other places. They told me its twenty minutes, tops. Arnie rolls his eyes.

2. ARNIE So why didnt they fix it? Gideon rubs his stubbly chin. GIDEON You guys are... cost-effective. ARNIE Hey, as long as youre not getting screwed, right? Arnie adjusts his cap, walks off. Gideon reaches into his hoodie pocket, feels around for something. He pulls out a handful of bills, counts it. GIDEON One-hundred thirty-eight dollars. Arnie stops in his tracks. He turns around. Gideon slips his hands back in his hoodie pockets, walks over to him. He almost whispers: GIDEON (CONTD) Thats the repair plus eighteen for you. Boss man doesnt have to know. Arnie glances back at a window behind him. EDDIE INMAN (38), a skinny, bearded man, attends to paperwork at his desk. He weighs the proposition. EXT. INMAN AUTO SERVICE - PARKING LOT - MOMENTS LATER A Mercedes SLK, out of place amongst the boarded-up buildings, glides in with its lights off. It parks in a shadowy spot out of sight from the back door. INT. BLAKES MERCEDES - CONTINUOUS BLAKE WALCOTT (23), a smug white kid, puffs on a blunt, kills the engine. Next to him a trim black kid, MARCUS PITT (24), waits with an intense patience. BLAKE Yo, who rolls a mechanic? Marcus closes his eyes, rubs them. He turns to Blake.

3. MARCUS We been over this. How you forget this kinda thing? Blake chuckles. Marcus stares him down. BLAKE I was pretty blasted most of last week. (excitedly) We were at Saras, right, and this chick-MARCUS Listen to me. This is not the type of thing you fuck up. We fuck this up, were either dead or in prison. BLAKE Yo, Ive done this before. Weve done this before. Its all good. Marcus turns away. MARCUS Now I know you go through cars like I go through drawers but some of us actually gotta pay for repairs. BLAKE You dont even drive. MARCUS Point is, it costs a lot of money. This Inman guy only takes cash. Stuck in the past, by the look of the vintage sign and the ancient pipe he smokes. Blake holds in a hit as he speaks with a strain. BLAKE Fuck this man and his life story. Whats the plan? MARCUS He takes his last smoke break every night before he counts the cash and locks up. Marcus checks his watch. It looks old but expensive.

4. MARCUS (CONTD) Two minutes. We hide behind the back door. When he comes out, you put that metal to his head and walk him right back in. Blake lets the blunt hang from his lips, pulls a Glock from his pocket and admires it. BLAKE Quick and easy. I like it. MARCUS If all goes well. Try to restrain yourself this time. BLAKE What can I say? I love what I do. They creep out of the car. INT. INMAN AUTO SERVICE - OFFICE - MOMENTS LATER Eddie Inman leans over his desk, head perched on his fist, pen scribbling on paper. He glances at the clock. 7:58 P.M. Looks back down at the paperwork. A hint of disgust briefly flashes across his face. He sighs, pushes it away as he slides his chair back. Eddie opens a drawer littered with brown shreds. Atop them, a bag of rolling tobacco, an antique pipe, and a lighter. He takes them out, closes the drawer. He pulls out a pinch of tobacco with a careful tenderness. He meticulously stuffs it down, then evens the edges. A perfect pack. He admires it a moment. Glances up at the clock. 8:00 P.M. Eddie stands. EXT. INMAN AUTO SERVICE - PARKING LOT - CONTINUOUS The back door to the office groans open. Eddie holds it open as he stands. The sun has gone down. He puts the pipe to his lips and lets the door swing closed behind him.

5. To his left, a gun cocks. He turns to see Blake and Marcus in ski masks. Blake points the Glock right at his forehead. BLAKE Hows it goin? Get the fuck inside. INT. INMAN AUTO SERVICE - OFFICE - CONTINUOUS They walk inside. Eddie leads the way, his hands up, his eyes wide. Blake locks the door as he closes it. MARCUS No. Unlock it. Blake does, then walks over to Eddie, next to the desk. He looks down, sees the bag of rolling tobacco. Blake swats it off the desk with his free hand. Marcus shoots Blake a hard glance. BLAKE Shitll give you cancer. Marcus shakes his head. MARCUS (to Eddie) The money. Now. EDDIE I... I dont... MARCUS The sign out front says Cash only. Dont fuck with me. The pipe shakes in Eddies hand. He points to an old safe in the corner of the room. EDDIE I need to... its in-Get it. MARCUS

EXT. INMAN AUTO SERVICE - GARAGE - MOMENTS LATER Arnie works a ratchet as he stands under the car. Gideon, arms crossed on his chest, paces nearby.

6. Gideon glances at the door to the office as Eddie walks by inside. Blake follows him, gun pointed at his back. Gideons jaw drops as Arnie calls out from inside the wheel well. ARNIE Just about there. You know, Im gonna treat my wife tonight. Get her a nice cheesecake-Shh! GIDEON

Arnie steps out from under the car, ratchet in hand. Huh? ARNIE

Gideon whispers hard. GIDEON Youre being robbed! Arnie puts his hands up, starts to back away. ARNIE Hey, now... GIDEON Not me, man! Theres a guy in there with a gun! Arnies eyes widen as he glances through the window. He looks around in terror for a moment, then dashes across the street. GIDEON (CONTD) (whispering-yelling) Wait! My car! Arnie doesnt stop. Gideon rips his cell phone from his jeans and dials 911, doing his best to hide behind the lift. INT. INMAN AUTO SERVICE - OFFICE - MOMENTS LATER Blake stands behind Eddie, who kneels, emptying the safe. He closes it, stands slowly. Eddie holds the cash out to Blake with tremulous hands. Blake motions to Marcus with the gun. BLAKE Give it to him.

7. EDDIE Five-fifty. This is everything from today. Please... MARCUS The bottom drawer. EDDIE ... What? How-MARCUS Im thorough. Open it. A panic spreads across Eddies face, although his beard partially conceals it. Marcus motions to Blake, who puts the gun against Eddies head. EDDIE Okay! Okay. Marcus sees Arnie run across the street through the garage door window. Eddie walks to the desk. MARCUS (to Blake) Go check the garage. I just saw someone split. BLAKE If he split then hes gone. MARCUS Just do it. And be quiet. (to Eddie) The drawer. Now. EXT. INMAN AUTO SERVICE - GARAGE - CONTINUOUS Blake steps through the door. He looks right. A wall covered in tools. He looks left. Just an empty street at night. A whisper pierces the silence. GIDEON No I cant speak up! Blake pinpoints the location. A shoe pokes out from the lift. Blake grins.

8. He steps softly into the garage, raises the Glock. After a moment of consideration, he twists his wrist, holds it sideways. BLAKE Yo, I can hear you. Gideons leg visibly flinches. Blake continues forward. BLAKE (CONTD) Who you talking to? You call up the five-oh? He walks toward the lift. BLAKE (CONTD) Shouldntve done that. Gideon closes the phone, slips it into his pocket. GIDEON I didnt call anyone. Im coming out now. Gideon creeps out from behind the lift, faces Blake. They stand twenty feet apart as Blake points the gun at Gideon. GIDEON (CONTD) I was waiting on my car. The mechanic bailed. I didnt know what to do... Blake stands, stares blankly as he aims at Gideon. GIDEON (CONT'D) Look, man, Im not gonna snitch. Blake stands, emotionless. GIDEON (CONTD) (pleading) I cant tell what you look like anyway! Gun pointed straight at Gideon. Gideon pivots and RUNS. BLAKE (muttering) Shouldntve done that.

9. Blake closes one eye, lowers the pistol. He fires. Gideon goes down in the street. INT. INMAN AUTO SERVICE - OFFICE - CONTINUOUS Eddie grabs a key ring off the desk, crouches by the bottom drawer. He opens it. Twenties, fifties, hundreds are strewn about. Eddie bunches it up, cradles it against his stomach. He offers it to Marcus, who pockets it by the handful. Eddies lip quivers as he speaks. EDDIE Youre putting me out of business. (breaking down) I wont even be able to make rent. Marcuss demeanor softens slightly. He strips a hundred dollar bill from the pile and places it on the desk. MARCUS We all got problems. A gunshot rings out from the garage. Marcuss head whips around. No! MARCUS (CONTD)

Marcus takes off, BUSTS through the door to the garage. Eddie makes a break for it via the back door. EXT. INMAN AUTO SERVICE - GARAGE - CONTINUOUS Blake and Marcus approach each other. A siren wails in the distance. MARCUS What the FUCK?! BLAKE Some asshole was hiding behind the lift! Im supposed to just let him go? MARCUS We gotta bounce. Right now. The sirens grow louder.

10. EXT. INMAN AUTO SERVICE - PARKING LOT - CONTINUOUS Blake and Marcus sprint out the door. Blake remotely starts the car, unlocks the doors. He jumps in. Marcus stops outside the car. Blake rolls down the window. BLAKE The fuck are you waiting for? MARCUS We should split up. Ill go on foot. BLAKE Good call. They cant do shit to me anyway. Well, go! MARCUS

The Mercedes tears out of the lot, hauling so much ass. Marcus listens to the sirens, determines their direction. He runs as fast as he can. INT. BLAKES MERCEDES - MOMENTS LATER Rap blares through the speakers as the car races down the street. Blake nods his head to the beat. A cop car slides around a corner ahead of Blake. He whips the car left onto dingy a side street. The cop car follows. BLAKE (pumped) This is so Vice City! Blake pulls out onto a main street as cars behind him lock their brakes. The police cruiser tails him. In the distance, another follows. Blake weaves between cars, grooving to the music the whole time. The first cop car slowly pulls up on his left. It cuts Blake off, forcing him to turn right down a side alley. In the middle of the alley, TERRELL HUTCHISON (45), an African-American man in a weathered jacket and jeans, is sprawled unconscious. Past him, a black SUV exits the alley.

11. Blake SLAMS the brakes. Hes inches from the man. In his rearview, the cops lights reflect forebodingly off the buildings behind him. Hes cornered and he knows it. Blake hops out of the car, tosses the Glock into a dumpster in front of him. He kneels on the ground, puts his hands on his head. Two police cars screech to a halt behind his Mercedes. Corporal PATRICK CONNACHER (54), a grizzled veteran of the force, jumps out from the first car, firearm drawn. CONNACHER Hands on your head! BLAKE They already are, asshole! Connacher rushes up to Blake, rips his arms from his head and cuffs him. CONNACHER Ah, Jesus. Walcott. You little prick. Connacher pulls Blake up, shoves him into the back of the cruiser as he speaks into his walkie. A short distance away, Terrell Hutchison lifts his head, looks around woozily. END OF TEASER

12. ACT ONE EXT. ALLEY - EVENING As Terrell Hutchison blinks open his eyes, a car SCREECHES to a halt inches from his face. Dazed, he doesnt react. As he begins to come to, the sound of sirens grows in intensity. A car door opens. A heavy THUD in the dumpster behind him. Another car slides to a screeching stop. Another door. CONNACHER (O.S.) Hands on your head! BLAKE (O.S.) They already are, asshole! Terrells eyes wont focus. His vision is swimming. He blinks harder in an attempt to gain some clarity. CONNACHER (O.S.) Ah, Jesus. Walcott. You little prick. (to his walkie) Suspect in downtown two-one-one apprehended. Bringing him in. Request backup and a tow for this sweet little Mercedes at the corner of... Hell, I dunno. Check cars eight-fifteens GPS. Connacher chuckles. Terrell lifts his face off the wet pavement. The police car doors slam closed before they back out of the alley. Terrell struggles to his feet. He stumbles forward, braces himself on the dumpster next to him. His vision starts to clear as he shakes his head. He looks around. An abandoned Mercedes. A police car with lights flashing at the end of the alley. Terrell may be confused, but he knows to get the hell out of there. He walks to the other end of the alley with a bit of effort. Terrell stops abruptly. He looks around, up at the sky. Night.

13. TERRELL

Damnit...

He jogs out of the alley. EXT. CITY BAKERY - GARBAGE - LATER Behind a brick building, Terrell lifts the lid on a plastic bin. Crumbs speckle the bottom, but its empty. He furrows his brow, checks the metal trash can next to it. Clear bags filled with paper and plastic. Terrell sighs and walks away. INT. EIGHTH STREET SHELTER - LATER Terrell stands at the front desk. He smiles at MAGGIE SHEN (22), a thick Asian girl. TERRELL Evening, Maggie. MAGGIE What can I do for you, sir? TERRELL The question is, what can I do for you... to give me some food to take back to the group? MAGGIE Im sorry. Were full up and out of food. TERRELL You have nothing to spare? MAGGIE Sir, we have people who used to donate to us dining here tonight. Terrell nods with a solemn resolve. EXT. HONEYBEE MARKET - GARBAGE - LATER Terrell rifles through the dumpster behind the store. He pulls out bag after bag, inspects the contents. None of them satisfy him.

14. He WHIPS a trash bag against the wall of the dumpster, grunts in frustration. EXT. HOMELESS CAMP - LATER A round courtyard behind an abandoned hobby shop. A sheet metal overhang and plywood perimeter provide some semblance of shelter. A fire blazes in the middle. TALIA MADRIGAL (58), as Abuela as they come, warms herself next to NORMAN SULLIVAN (63) near the fire as PIO MADRIGAL (8) dances around it jubilantly. TALIA (to Pio) Mira, be careful. Pio ignores her, continues skipping in circles. NORMAN Boys gotta keep himself entertained somehow. Id say hes doing a fine job. TALIA When I was young, children didnt play with fire. NORMAN When I was young, we did. Norman grins at her. Talia smiles, looks away. Terrell shuffles into the courtyard. Talia gasps, looks over, alarmed. TERRELL Sorry. Just me. Talia exhales. Pio runs up to Terrell. PIO Mister T! Mister T! The boy latches onto his leg. TERRELL Hey, little man. PIO Is it time for school yet? Its dark already!

15. TERRELL Mister T. has some business to attend to. You get today off. PIO Nooo, I want school! TERRELL You kidding me? I lived for the days we didnt have school. Then I grew up to be a teacher. Go figure. He rustles Pios hair, walks to Norman and Talia. Terrell takes a deep breath. TERRELL (CONTD) I, uh... Im sorry. I messed up. NORMAN That where you been this whole time? Hung over? TERRELL Thats the funny thing, I dont remember. NORMAN Aint that how it usually goes? TERRELL No... I mean, yeah. But it feels... Different. NORMAN You switch to Tequila or somethin? Ha! Terrell forces a laugh. TERRELL Anyway, I checked the spots, they were picked clean. TALIA The food? Dont worry cario, Etta took care of it. Terrell looks past Talia. LORETTA (50), a plump AfricanAmerican woman in tattered garb, watches from a dark section of the courtyard. The fire whips arcs of illumination across her face. She almost smiles at Terrell. Terrell lifts his hand but cant quite wave.

16. TALIA (CONTD) The important thing is that you are okay. Are you okay? Terrell rubs his head. TERRELL Bit of a headache, but Ill live. Norman props himself to his feet. NORMAN Well, I got a few bucks today. You must be hungry. TERRELL Really, thats okay. NORMAN Nope, I insist. Found this new place recently, a German diner. Best Brotkartoffeln you ever had. Terrell stares back blankly. NORMAN (CONTD) Its fried potatoes with bacon and onion. Terrell licks his lips. TERRELL Thats hard to say no to. NORMAN Off we go, then. As they exit the courtyard, JAYZON KESSLER (28) approaches them. What up. JAYZON Hey, man. TERRELL

JAYZON Yall seen D? Been gone since this morning. NORMAN Cant say that I have. TERRELL Oh, boy... He gets in one of his episodes, he could be anywhere.

17. JAYZON What about Ashley? TERRELL Dealer Ashley? No idea. Why? JAYZON Girl gets around. Jayzon looks off. JAYZON (CONTD) I just hope some pig aint lock his ass up. TERRELL Listen, I gotta get some food in me. When I come back, Ill help you look. JAYZON Dont bother. Im heading out now. Jayzon walks off. Poor kid. NORMAN

EXT. JEFFERSON COURT - EVENING Eddie Inmans work boots slap the ground as he runs, winded. He stops, leans against a building. Inhales sharply. The sound of someone else running in the distance. Eddie perks up. He dashes around the corner onto the crowded street. EXT. JEFFERSON AVENUE - CONTINUOUS An ignoring traffic on foot and wheel passes Eddie as he waves his arms. After a few moments a cab pulls up. The window slides down. EDDIE Please! I just got robbed, so I dont have money, but-CABBIE No money, no ride. EDDIE Come on, I need help!

18. The cabbie rolls up the window as he speeds away. Eddie looks around, eyes wide. He continues running. EXT. JEFFERSON COURT - MOMENTS EARLIER Marcus runs like his life depends on it, one hand in his jacket holding down the money. Sirens echo in the distance. A block ahead, Eddie rounds a corner. Marcus runs past. EXT. INMAN AUTO SERVICE - EARLIER Gideon lays in the street in front of the shop. Sirens echo in the distance, the faint sound of someone running. Gideon lifts his head off the pavement, turns it toward Blake, who walks back toward the office casually. The office door swings open. Gideon closes his eyes. MARCUS (O.S.) What the FUCK?! BLAKE (O.S.) Some asshole was hiding behind the lift! Im supposed to just let him go? MARCUS (O.S.) We gotta bounce. Right now. The office door opens and closes. Gideon opens his eyes. Theyre gone. He tries to stand, but falls. Clutches the side of his left leg in pain, pulls his hand away. A ribbon of blood. A Mercedes peels out as it races away from the shop. He watches it go, then slides himself toward the curb. More tires squeal as a police car bursts around the corner, sirens blaring. It SWERVES around Gideon, SKIDS around the cul-de-sac, and drives back the other way. Gideon throws his hands up in despair.

19. Another police car rounds the corner, stops next to him. The door opens as a big, bald OFFICER steps out. He draws his gun, points it at Gideon. Gideon puts his hands back in the air. GIDEON They shot me and ran away! Look! He holds up his blood-covered hand. The officer talks into his walkie. OFFICER We got a 10-53 at Inman Auto Service. Requesting ambulance. The officer runs over to the office door. Gun drawn, he heads inside. Gideon yells after him. GIDEON I cant go to the hospital! EXT. DETROIT ARMS APARTMENTS - NIGHT Marcus dashes around a corner. He flings open the door to a brick apartment building tagged with graffiti. INT. DETROIT ARMS APARTMENTS - CONTINUOUS Through the lobby, up the stairs, two at a time. He reaches a landing, keeps on running. Up another flight. And another. He throws open the door. Stops. At the end of the hall, boxes and bags lay unattended. Marcus continues forward. He reaches room four-twenty-one. A notice hangs on the door. The only word he registers is Evicted. He reels for a moment. Marcus scans the hall. His belongings litter the floor around him. Momma! MARCUS

He jiggles the doorknob. Its locked. He pounds on the door. MARCUS (CONTD) Momma! You in there?

20. Nothing. He pounds once more, spitefully. INT. DETROIT ARMS APARTMENTS - LOBBY - MOMENTS LATER Marcus stands, yelling at the CLERK at the front desk. MARCUS You cant do this! I got the money right here! He slams four hundred dollar bills on the desk. The effeminate man stares down at a file in a manila folder. CLERK It says here that youre four months behind. That will cover this month, but-Marcus pulls out a handful of cash. He separates eight more hundred dollar bills. MARCUS Heres for the last two. CLERK That leaves you with a balance of four-eighty-five. Marcus rolls his eyes, reaches back into his jacket. He pulls out four hundreds and two fifties, throws them on the table. MARCUS Keep the change! Now open my room. The clerk gathers the cash, slides it into a drawer and locks it. He looks up apologetically. CLERK Im sorry, sir, our policy states that we dont rent out to people who have been previously evicted. Marcus eyes shoot open in disbelief. MARCUS Give me my god damn money back, then! CLERK Sir, you owed us that money. Its legally ours.

21. Marcus seethes. MARCUS Where is my mother? The clerk glances back down at the file. CLERK The report states that the apartment was empty at the time of eviction. Marcus storms toward the door, reaches back and unleashes a punch that easily bursts through the cheap drywall. CLERK (CONTD) Sir! Youre going to have to pay for that! Marcus is already through the door. INT. DOWNTOWN POLICE STATION - JAIL CELL - NIGHT Blake smirks, leans back on a jail bench. Connacher approaches the cell. CONNACHER You know the routine, son. Lets go. BLAKE I do know the routine. I know that I get a phone call and I get my lawyer. Connacher unlocks the cell door. CONNACHER And why would I want to deny a sweet kid such as yourself his due process? He slides the door open. Blake takes his time getting up. The cell door slams closed behind him. END OF ACT ONE

22. ACT TWO EXT. GRAVEL ROAD - NIGHT Eddie slogs down a gravel road in the darkness. His breathing is shallow and raspy, his jumpsuit damp with sweat. Tall grass grows on either side of the road. Along the way, objects strewn about reflect the moonlight: broken chairs, an engine block, vintage signs. A house looms in the distance. As Eddie approaches, the grass disappears under the blanket of garbage littering the land. EXT. EDDIE INMANS HOUSE - NIGHT Moving closer, it becomes clear that the house is in a state of disrepair. Windows are broken, patches of roof sunken in. Eddie wheezes to a walk as he climbs the stairs to the porch. He leans against a pillar, chest expanding and compressing as he catches his breath. After a moment, he steps inside. INT. EDDIE INMANS HOUSE - CONTINUOUS The house is TRASHED. It almost looks as if he has been robbed. But Eddie doesnt react. This is normal to him. Plates, food, boxes, bags, paper, toys, wood, trash, bottles, furniture, newspapers, all piled high, much of it rotting. The moon peeks in through a hole in the roof. Eddie whistles loudly. He waits. A faint skittering noise. It grows louder. Rats scurry up from beneath the garbage. They climb over Eddies boots as he looks on fondly. EDDIE You guys are a sight for sore eyes. Eddie gently lifts his feet, avoiding the animals below. He climbs atop the junk and into the kitchen. Roaches scatter as he and the rats enter, like some nightmarish Pied Piper.

23. From the counter, he grabs a carton of feed. He pours it onto the floor as the rats frenzy. Eddie smiles as he watches them eat. EXT. INMAN AUTO SERVICE - NIGHT As the police officer inspects Gideons wounded leg, an ambulance pulls onto the street. The officer waves it down. EMTs exit the vehicle as it stops. OFFICER Gunshot wound to the outer left thigh. No penetration, the bullet merely grazed him. Gideon sighs in relief. EMT #1 (to Gideon) Do you want to ride with us or find your own transportation? GIDEON Can you just treat me here? I cant go to the hospital. EMT #2 If its an issue of insurance... GIDEON Its not. I mean it is. But thats not the reason. EMT #1 If we treat you, we have to charge. Gideon looks at the bloody tear in his jeans. GIDEON I mean, how bad is it? OFFICER Im no paramedic, but a little Neosporin and some gauze will set it right. EMT #2 Just make sure to clean it out, prevent infection. Gideon nods.

24. OFFICER (to EMTs) Thanks. The ambulance pulls away. OFFICER (CONTD) Ill need you to come to the station to give a statement. Gideon shakes his head. GIDEON I just cant. Not tonight. Ill state whatever you need right here. The officer watches Gideon wince as he gets to his feet. OFFICER Fine. But only cause you damn near took a bullet tonight. INT. WALCOTT ESTATE - MASTER BEDROOM - NIGHT A huge, lavishly decorated bedroom. Persian carpets line the floor. Expensive wood furniture. An enormous television. SILVIA WALCOTT (48) lays on an absurdly large bed as she watches The Bachelorette. Even her nightgown looks pricey. Walter! SILVIA

She waits a short second. WALTER! SILVIA (CONTD)

A rectangle of light stains the carpet outside the bathroom. Through it walks WALTER WALCOTT (56) in only pajama bottoms, brushing his teeth. A once finely-tuned body has started to sag slightly. WALTER (toothbrush in mouth) Theyre asking children to bring their own toilet paper to school. Toilet paper, Sil. SILVIA That bitch Jennifer gave Adam the boot!

25. Walters in his own head. He gazes at himself in a window. WALTER I mean, not in our schools. Some of the more urban ones. He curls his lips back, inspects his teeth. SILVIA That poor man. The vineyards of Ohio must be vast and lonely. Walter scoffs to himself. WALTER Recession... You practically throw jobs at these bums and they'd rather sit on their ass and drink Wild Turkey. A cell phone on Silvias dresser vibrates. She glances at it. On seeing the caller ID, she wilts a bit. SILVIA Oh Lord, not again. Walter looks over at her. WALTER Well, its true. Silvia holds up the phone. He walks over to check it. It reads City Jail. SILVIA Care to take this? Walter grabs the phone. WALTER When was the last time you saw your son? SILVIA How many times have I asked you not to call him that? WALTER As many times as Ive told you that if he were a son to me, I would refer to him as such. He tosses the phone onto the bed.

26. WALTER (CONTD) Im not answering. Ill call Howard, get him over there to shut the boy up. But hes staying the night. He needs some sort of discipline. Silvia sighs. SILVIA Will Howard even work at this time of night? WALTER Will a dog eat if presented with food? A fancy doorbell tone floats throughout the house. Silvia hops out of bed, throws on a robe. SILVIA Ugh, what now? INT. DOWNTOWN POLICE STATION - NIGHT Blake stands next to a desk, hands behind his back, as Connacher holds a phone to his ear. BLAKE Fuckin bitch. Of course she doesnt answer. CONNACHER If you werent such a frequent visitor, maybe shed be more concerned. He hangs up the phone. CONNACHER (CONTD) Well, then! We have a few questions for you, Mr. Walcott. EXT. WALCOTT ESTATE - FRONT DOOR - CONTINUOUS Marcus stands on the porch, his back to the door. Silvia opens it. He brightens as he turns around and sees her. SILVIA Oh, its just you.

27. MARCUS Sorry, maam. Is Blake here? SILVIA No, but I got a call from the police station a minute ago, so I have an idea where he might be. Dismay flashes across Marcus face for a brief moment. He recovers. SILVIA (CONTD) Anyway, I have to deal with this so I can finish Bachelorette. Good night, Marcus. She starts to close the door. Wait! MARCUS

She swings it back open. MARCUS (CONTD) I... we got evicted. She does her best to restrain her emotions. SILVIA Im sorry to hear that. Where is your mother? Is she all right? Marcus looks away. MARCUS Shes staying the night at a shelter. Theyre full up, though... I was wondering if... Silvia flashes a smile, half sympathetic, half begrudging. She waves him in. Of course. SILVIA

She closes the door behind him. INT. DETROIT ARMS APARTMENTS - OFFICE - NIGHT Gideon walks through the front door. As he does, he notices the hole that Marcus punched in the wall.

28. GIDEON (to the clerk) Someone call you a secretary? The clerk chuckles. CLERK Irate resident. Well, not a resident anymore. He notices the bloody tear in Gideons jeans. CLERK (CONTD) Hey, you okay? Gideon looks over, confused, until it dawns on him what the guys talking about. GIDEON Oh. That. I got shot, is all. The guy at the desk laughs nervously. Gideon smiles and walks to the stairwell. As he climbs, he pulls out a cell phone. He speed-dials someone, holds the phone to his ear. After ascending a flight with no answer, he leaves a message. GIDEON (CONTD) Well that was an ignore if Ive ever heard one. Whose phone only rings three times? Kidding, I know youre working. Just letting you know that Im fatally wounded, and youre the one I chose to call before I shuffle off this mortal coil. Does that give you pause? BOOM! Hows that for higher-level dialogue, O enlightened one? Seriously though, I got shot. With a bullet. Call me. EXT. DER VORBAU - NIGHT A Grand Opening banner flaps in the wind above a tiny corner diner. Though small, its clear that some money has been spent on it.

29. INT. DER VORBAU - CONTINUOUS HOWARD WITZEL (43), a lanky, officious man, stares down a platter of eggs, bacon, potatoes, peppers, and onions. He shovels it into his mouth, savors it. HOWARD (mouth full) Every bit as good as Oma used to make it. She would not, however, approve of the name. FELIX WITZEL (23), wiry and bespectacled, speaks from behind the counter. FELIX German Farmers Breakfast is a little easier than Bauernfruhstuck. No sense having a name and a menu that people cant pronounce. A bell chimes as the door swings open. Terrell and Norman laugh as they enter. They sit at the counter, glance at the menu. Howard leers at them from his booth. He finishes chewing his food, clears his throat. HOWARD (brusquely) You gentlemen have a form of payment? We cant afford to provide hand-outs. Felix shoots Howard a hard glance. Dad! FELIX

He looks over at Terrell and Norman. FELIX (CONTD) Im sorry, guys. What can I get you? Norman eyes Howard as he speaks. NORMAN Just coffee, thanks. (points to Terrell) This guy needs some protein. TERRELL I need a minute, actually.

30. Felix nods, heads over to the coffee maker. TERRELL (CONTD) (quietly, to Norman) How much do you have on you? NORMAN Enough. You order what youd like. Terrell cant meet Normans gaze. Garon! TERRELL

Felix walks over with Normans coffee, sets it in front of him. FELIX Thats French. In German, we say kellner. To his side, Norman inspects the contents of his pocket. Terrell points to the menu. TERRELL Ah. Danke. The Apple Chicken Stew sounds good. Is it? Two fives, two ones. Norman exhales as he slips the cash back into his pocket. FELIX How many chefs you know who would talk down their food? Its just not in our nature. Norman chuckles wistfully. FELIX (CONTD) Its damn good. It will also take about twenty minutes to prepare. Your call. TERRELL Hey, times just about the only thing weve got. Howard snorts in disapproval. His cell phone goes off. He lights up as he notices the name on the screen. Howard rises, dabs his face with a napkin. He shouts to Felix:

31. HOWARD Put it on my tab, son! Its Walcott! He dashes out of the diner as Felix looks up from the stovetop. TERRELL Walcott? As in Walcott Estates? Felix chops apples, chicken as he speaks. FELIX Actually yes. TERRELL I used to live in one of his apartment buildings. FELIX Walter Walcott has done some good, I wont deny that. Blake Walcott has not. The boys a menace. Naturally, they needed legal assistance. TERRELL I knew your dad looked familiar! His face is plastered on that billboard up on Lafayette. Felix slides the ingredients into the stew, stirs it. FELIX I guess his going rate was high enough that they thought he was worth it. Is he? TERRELL

FELIX Lets just say that for Blake Walcott, a few hours of community service might as well be a prison sentence. Felix turns down the burner slightly, walks over to them. FELIX (CONTD) About the bill... Norman smiles, bracing himself.

32. NORMAN Whats the damage, chief? Felix sets a cup of coffee in front of Terrell. FELIX Its on me. Call it a first-timer discount. Just dont tell my dad. INT. EDDIE INMANS HOUSE - KITCHEN - NIGHT The ground moves as the rats around Eddie feed. Some of them have climbed onto the counters, eating the food strewn about. Eddie pets them as they scurry by. He stares hard at nothing. EDDIE When he had that gun pointed at me, I went numb. All I could think was... is this the last thing pop saw? Eddie reaches into his pocket, pulls out the antique pipe. EDDIE (CONTD) I managed to escape with this. He holds the pipe up. The rats scurry about indifferently. EDDIE (CONTD) Ah, you guys dont appreciate quality craftsmanship. Eddie covets the pipe. EDDIE (CONTD) Money can be made back. Some things are irreplaceable. His intensity fades as a yawn escapes him. EDDIE (CONTD) Well, make yourselves at home. Night, guys. He edges around the feeding rats. Outside the kitchen, a set of stairs stacked high with junk. Eddie climbs up the outside of the banister. He slithers through a hole between the wall and the mountain of debris.

33. INT. EDDIE INMANS HOUSE - BEDROOM - CONTINUOUS The bedroom is as bad as the rest of the house. Pillows, boxes, papers... the bed is barely noticeable. Clothes blanket the room like some sort of mold. Eddie crawls across the junk on his hands and knees. He sprawls out on the bed, kicks off his work boots. He closes his eyes. Comfort at last. EXT. COVENANT HOUSE MICHIGAN - LATER Homeless people line the wall of the shelter. An unlucky few lay sleeping on bare concrete. They have nowhere else to go. An old Honda pulls up in front of the Covenant House, parks. Gideon steps out of it. He addresses the group: GIDEON Didnt think I forgot, did you? The group stirs. ASHLEY BLALOCK (15) stands excitedly. Gideon opens the passenger door. An igloo cooler sits on the seat. GIDEON (CONTD) Can I get some help with this? Ashley runs up. GIDEON (CONTD) (playfully) Not you, weakling. ASHLEY Oh, okay. Guess I cant do this, then. She grabs the cooler, lifts it with a little effort. GIDEON Hey, thats heavy. Dont over-do it. Gideon rushes over to help her carry it. She pulls it away from him.

34. ASHLEY Im supposed to be helping you! He relents and grabs a card table from the back seat. He unfolds it, stands it up. ASHLEY (CONTD) Wheres the Tercel? GIDEON Its uh, out of commission. Ashley sets the cooler on the table with relief. GIDEON (CONTD) Anyone hungry? The homeless people line up quickly. Gideon goes back to the car for plastic cups, two loaves of bread. GIDEON (CONTD) Listen up! The soup du jour is extra chunky beef and potato. And, if my estimates are right... You each get two slices of bread. A few weak claps, a cheer or two. Ashley looks at Gideon with adoration. ASHLEY Dont you work at a grocery store? How can you afford to do all this? GIDEON A market. And I cant. But I cant afford not to. You guys gotta eat, right? Gideon rips open the bag of plastic cups. INT. DOWNTOWN POLICE STATION - INTERROGATION ROOM - LATER Blake sits handcuffed to a table across from Corporal Connacher. CONNACHER Multiple witnesses have confirmed that a firearm went off. Hell, its on the nine-one-one tape.

35. Blake looks away. CONNACHER (CONTD) We already got you down for Armed Robbery. You want me to add Obstruction of Justice? BLAKE That shit only applies to nonsuspects. Connacher grins. CONNACHER Fair enough. Once we find that gun, though, and we will, stuffs gonna get real bad for you. Daddy wont be able to save your ass this time. BLAKE Fuckers not even my real dad. What kinda intel yall working with? CONNACHER Just tell us where the gun is. Ill put in a good word with the judge. BLAKE And yes the fuck he will help me. Ima walk out this bitch tonight. A knock on the door. BLAKE (CONTD) Thats probably my ride. Connacher frowns, opens the door. Howard Witzel strides into the room. HOWARD Isnt this cozy? Evening, Blake. Blake unfurls a smug grin in Connachers direction. BLAKE (to Howard) We good to go? Howard turns to Connacher. HOWARD If youll excuse us. Connacher exits with a grumble.

36. HOWARD (CONTD) Did you tell him anything? BLAKE Fuck no. I know my rights. HOWARD Of course you do. Long story short, no. We are not good to go. Blake sits up. BLAKE The fuck do you mean? What did Walter say? HOWARD He gave me the bail money. Howard lifts a briefcase, sets it on the table. BLAKE Yo, then what are we waiting for? HOWARD He also told me not to pay it until tomorrow. BLAKE What?! Im supposed to rot in this shit hole all night? HOWARD What you do with your time is up to you. Youre to be released at eight a.m. Upon your release, youll be escorted to the Walcott Estate to collect your things. Howard rises, moves to the door. HOWARD (CONTD) Have a good night. He exits without looking back. BLAKE Collect my things? Yo hold up! The heavy metal door slams shut. Blake screams in rage, pounds the table. He sits alone, chained like a dog, seething. END OF ACT TWO

37. ACT THREE INT. EDDIE INMANS HOUSE - BEDROOM - MORNING Eddies still asleep, spread across his bed. An abrupt POUNDING awakens him. He orients himself. Another POUND. He steps over the possessions piled up around the bed. EXT. EDDIE INMANS HOUSE - PORCH - CONTINUOUS Connacher stands impatiently. He surveys the property and the pickers cornucopia that litters it. CONNACHER Christ, what a stye. He POUNDS again on the door. A woozy Eddie cracks the door open a few inches. Yes? EDDIE

CONNACHER Eddie Inman? Yes? EDDIE

CONNACHER Of Inman Auto Service? EDDIE Is this about last night? CONNACHER Sure is, sweetheart. Lets get you downtown for a statement. EDDIE What time is it? CONNACHER Nine-thirty, or thereabouts. EDDIE Dadgum... With all due respect, sir, I gotta get to work.

38. CONNACHER Listen, you fled the scene of a crime. Even if youre the victim, you gotta comply with the law. Connacher glances past Eddie into the disgusting house. EDDIE I just lost a lot of money, and-CONNACHER NOT to mention the fact that this house has some serious structural issues and probably doesnt pass code. Eddie pleads with his eyes. Connacher sighs. CONNACHER (CONTD) Weve already got men up there doing a report anyway. Lets take a ride. INT. WALCOTT ESTATE - DINING ROOM - MORNING Silvia and Walter sit at a long table eating breakfast. Walter scans a Wall Street Journal. He emits a piercing whistle. An elderly BUTLER hurries into the room. Walter points at his mostly full plate, still reading the paper. WALTER I require eggs. BUTLER Sir, would you like to finish your-WALTER Id like some more damn eggs! The butler hurries away with his plate. SILVIA My God, Wally. No wonder the man cowers at the sight of you.

39. WALTER (stiffly) If hed do his job correctly I wouldnt have to resort to intimidation. Marcus silently descends the stairs in the room behind them. SILVIA Blake will be home soon. Can we talk about it, now? Marcus pauses at the wall behind them. WALTER Whats there to talk about? Silvia folds her arms. WALTER (CONTD) Weve packed up his things, or at least the ones Im allowing him to keep. He has an apartment waiting for him, two months rent pre-paid. All he needs is a job and hes set. SILVIA Im worried about him. WALTER He shot a man. Id say you should be more than worried. SILVIA Allegedly. They havent even found a gun yet. A look of relief spreads across Marcus face. He creeps toward the front door. SILVIA (CONTD) Marcus, wait. Marcus whips his head around. Silvia stands up, walks over to him. WALTER What is he doing here? Silvia pulls a bill out of her gown pocket. She hands it to Marcus. Here. SILVIA

40. Marcus glances at it. A hundred dollar bill. He smiles unenthusiastically. SILVIA (CONTD) Its the least I can do. Take care of yourself. And your mother. Marcus steps through the door, closes it behind him. MARCUS The very least. INT. LIMOUSINE - MORNING Howard and Blake ride in the back. Blake scowls, arms crossed. Howard stares forward, a slight smirk on his face. HOWARD You really oughtnt be mad. Your parents have provided you with a nice apartment, fully furnish-BLAKE Yo, I said I dont want to talk. HOWARD Suit yourself. I get way. Your hearing is this weekend. Youll by my office soon so preparing your case. paid either a month from have to come we can start

BLAKE Nah, thats your job. You and Walter. Fucker has half the city in the palm of his hand. HOWARD Your fathers reach only extends so far. Blake laughs. BLAKE Walters not my dad. Never even tried. Couldnt find a way to profit from it, I guess. INT. TACO BELL - MORNING COREY FARNSWORTH (22), a lanky, bug-eyed kid, leans over the Taco Bell counter next to the register, scribbling on paper.

41. The door opens with a chime. Jayzon Kessler, in his big winter coat, shuffles up to the counter. Corey doesnt look up. COREY Go ahead, I got you. JAYZON What up, do. Corey looks up, grins broadly. COREY Big Jay! What it do? Jayzon is stoic. JAYZON D still missin. Corey doesnt get it. COREY Where he at? JAYZON Thats what we out to find. Lets go. COREY Cant. Just got here. Jayzon steps closer to the counter, closer to Corey. JAYZON Kid cant take care of himself. Someone gotta do it. Corey cant look him in the eye. COREY That someone is you, man. A pause. COREY (CONTD) Young Corey got to get paid to keep up with his lavish lifestyle. Jayzon sneers at him. JAYZON Yous a slave already.

42. He turns, heads for the door. Corey bites his lip. COREY Ey Aisha! Ima take lunch! Corey follows Jayzon. AISHA (O.S.) No you isnt leaving me here all by myself! Aint even eleven, bitch! Corey ignores her and walks out the door. INT. INMAN AUTO SERVICE - OFFICE - MORNING CONNACHER Im just gonna lay it out for you. Eddie sits at his desk, Connacher in the chair across him. CONNACHER (CONTD) We looked into your company, and you dont pay for fidelity insurance. EDDIE Pop didnt believe in insurance. CONNACHER Does pop still run the company? EDDIE Pops dead. CONNACHER Well unfortunately he just cost you the amount stolen. Eddies gaze falters. CONNACHER (CONTD) As far as criminal apprehension goes, we have our suspect. Rich little brat named Blake Walcott. EDDIE There were two of them, a black kid and a white kid.

43. CONNACHER One guess which one Blake is. Anything else you can tell us? EDDIE The way I saw it, Blake was mostly taking orders. Connacher scribbles in a small notebook. CONNACHER We know a shot was fired, but we havent found a weapon. Any ideas? Eddie shakes his head. EDDIE Blake shot a customer and I ran off in the wake of it. I heard a car screech off, and someone running behind me, so I kept on going. The bell dings as the front door swings open. Arnie strides in wearing his work jumpsuit. ARNIE Morning, boss. That pretty girl from the news is outside! They catch the sons of bitches yet? CONNACHER Weve got one of them. Eddie looks at Arnie regretfully. Arn... EDDIE

ARNIE Ah, geez. I dont like that look. Eddie strokes his beard. EDDIE I, uh... I cant afford to pay you. Arnie stands, absorbing this. EDDIE (CONTD) Times are tough, and last night only made it worse. I cant even pay myself.

44. ARNIE Say we call it a leave of absence. EDDIE I just, I cant guarantee anything. ARNIE The missus wont like this a bit. What about my kids? EDDIE Im sorry, Arn. You know I am. Connacher rises. CONNACHER I believe Ive got all I need for now. Well be in touch, Mr. Inman. He takes his exit. EXT. INMAN AUTO SERVICE - CONTINUOUS Multiple police cars line the street out front, lights flashing. Connacher heads over to the other officers. A news crew reports in front of the garage. Talking to the camera is PAIGE MACMILLAN (25): petite, perky, professional. PAIGE The suspect then shot a customer before fleeing the scene in his Mercedes. He was finally apprehended due to a homeless man who had passed out in the street, blocking his escape. Authorities say the suspect is none other than-She furrows her brow, hesitates. PAIGE (CONTD) Excuse me... Blake Walcott, stepson of housing magnate, Walter Walcott. He has been released on bail of fifty-thousand dollars and is awaiting trial next month. Reporting for Action Eight News, Im Paige MacMillan. She lowers her microphone. PAIGE (CONTD) Blake Walcott?

45. INT. RIVERSIDE SPORTS BAR - LATER A real dive. The lights are low, the peanuts are stale. The few customers are clearly not there for the atmosphere. Marcus takes a seat at the bar. He hangs his head. KEITH WESTINGHOUSE (25), well-dressed and well-tanned, comes out from the back. He notices Marcus. Marcus looks over. They stare at each other for a moment. Keith snaps his fingers a few times, points at him. Pitt? Marcus stares. Keith grins broadly. KEITH (CONTD) Hows Davisa? Marcus perks up. MARCUS You know my mom? KEITH Of course, man! I make it a point to remember the names and faces of people I meet. You have her eyes. MARCUS You know where she is? What? KEITH KEITH

MARCUS We got evicted. When I got home she was gone. Not a word. KEITH Wow... really sorry to hear that. Keith picks up some glasses, washes them. MARCUS Its not the first time. Seen her recently?

46. KEITH Not since maybe last week. Marcus talks, more to himself than to Keith. MARCUS Checked the apartment, thinking maybe she had one too many and just didnt come home. Checked the shelters... Im out of ideas. KEITH Have you checked the local lodging? Marcus shakes his head. MARCUS Shed come here before dropping cash on that. Cash she didnt have. An uncomfortable silence. KEITH Can I get you anything? Its on the house. Marcus mulls it over. EXT. RIVERSIDE SPORTS BAR - LATER Jayzon and Young Corey walk outside the bar. Marcus throws the door open obliviously. It slams into Corey, who stumbles into Jayzon. Corey catches himself, pivots and gets in Marcus face aggressively. COREY What it is, nigga? You lookin for somethin? JAYZON (to Corey) Leave it alone. Marcus stares back blankly. Corey lifts his shirt off his hip, revealing the handle of a gun. Marcus smiles wide, steps up to Corey. He has obviously had a few drinks.

47. MARCUS What are you waiting for, man? Pull it out and make it pop. Marcus pushes him. Corey reaches for the gun. JAYZON I SAID leave it ALONE! Corey halts, steps down. JAYZON (CONTD) Times wastin. Jayzon calmly walks away. Corey eyes Marcus intensely. Marcus turns, walks the other way. Corey jogs to catch up with Jayzon. COREY Punk nigga. Shoulda fucked him up. JAYZON You got to quit taking things so personally, kid. This aint high school. COREY Fucks that got to do with anything? JAYZON One of these days I wont be here to stop yo ass and you gon get dusted. Corey scoffs. COREY Thats what the piece is for. Young Corey got aim. JAYZON Aint one good reason to fuck a nigga up. Not one. Least of all cause he swung a door at you. They come to a corner. Corey pulls out his phone.

48. COREY Gotta get back to the TB. Lunch was over half an hour ago. Holla when you find D. Jayzon nods. They slap hands. Corey heads back, Jayzon continues around the corner. EXT. ABANDONED PARKING LOT - LATER The parking lot of a small office building that has clearly been vacant for years. Obscured by the building, an old van sits parked in a corner. Jayzon approaches the parking lot. He rounds the corner toward the van. Pebbles crunch beneath his feet. The sound of a shotgun cocking bounces off the brick walls around him. Jayzon stops abruptly, throws his hands in the air. A man hollers from inside the van: MAN (O.S.) Thats close enough! JAYZON Yo, chill! Im looking for Ashley! Faint whispering from the van, then a pause. What for? MAN (O.S.)

JAYZON Couple questions. No big deal. MAN (O.S.) She aint here. Who are you? JAYZON Just cause you strapped dont mean I gotta tell you. MAN (O.S.) Sass wont get you far with me, boy.

49. Jayzon drops his hands. He starts to walk away. MAN (O.S.) (CONTD) Where the hell you goin? JAYZON If she aint here, I got no reason to be. Ashley Blalock hops out of the van in a puffy coat. She peers around the corner. ASHLEY Wait up, Jay! She runs over to him. The Van Man shouts: MAN (O.S.) Dont forget them errands, girl! ASHLEY Yeah, yeah! Jayzon turns around, his demeanor softened. Ashley reaches him. JAYZON Sup, shorty? Got time for a walk? ASHLEY Sure, if youre going my way. Jayzon gestures forward. After you. JAYZON

They round the corner. ASHLEY Sorry about my dad. Hes crazy. JAYZON Listen, my boy D-- you know DeAndre, right? Ashley shrugs. ASHLEY I know a lot of faces. Not a lot of names.

50. JAYZON Short, pudgy, wears a dumb-ass red jacket? ASHLEY OH, that weird kid? JAYZON Sick. Not weird. You seen him? ASHLEY Yeah, actually. He was stumbling along Jefferson earlier like some kinda zombie. Creeped me out. Jayzon lights up. JAYZON Fuck me. Wheres Jefferson? ASHLEY Straight south from here. JAYZON Yeah hold on, Ill bust out my iPhone compass. Which way is south? She points. JAYZON (CONTD) Aight, Ashley. He breaks into a jog. Ashley calls after him. Jay! ASHLEY

He turns back. She catches up to him. ASHLEY (CONTD) Before you go... you need to cop? Jayzon looks at her with pity. JAYZON You livin a fucked up life, youngn. Dip set while you can. He sprints forward.

51. INT. WALCOTT ESTATE - LIVING ROOM - AFTERNOON Walter and Silvia Walcott sit on a fancy leather couch. A pile of Blakes belongings lays lumped by the front door. Walter holds a cell phone up to his ear, glances at a security guard in the corner of the room. WALTER Yes, well, should a situation arise, were prepared to handle it. He nods. WALTER (CONTD) Thanks again, Howard. He clicks the phone shut, looks to Silvia next to him. Hes here. Silvia fidgets. SILVIA I cant. We cant go through with this. Its a mistake. Hes my son. WALTER We shouldve kicked him out years ago. Its time he learned to live on his own. Get a job. Contribute. As Walter finishes, Blake storms in the front door, slams it shut. He notices his stuff at his feet, Walter and Silvia beyond. BLAKE (incredulous) So thats it? Youre just tossing me out like the trash? Some fuckin parents. Some fuckin caretakers. WALTER Weve supported you your entire life. You havent gotten a job, you havent gone to college... all youve done is sully my name and spend my money on drugs and bail. BLAKE (sneers) Dont forget pussy, old man. WALTER (CONTD)

52. Silvia cringes, horrified. WALTER And now youve gone and shot someone? BLAKE Shot AT. I only winged him. Silvia tearfully interjects. SILVIA WHY, Blake? BLAKE Motherfucker was calling the cops! Walter shakes his head in disbelief. WALTER Youre a liability. Not to mention stupid. Blake seethes at him. He turns, surveys his belongings. BLAKE Where the fuck is my TV? WALTER It has taken up residence in front of my treadmill. It really helps, you know. I clocked in an extra half hour this morning. BLAKE You at least gonna give me some money? WALTER You take and you take and you take. You and your entire generation expect everything to be handed to you. Well, no more. BLAKE Fuck you, Walter. (turns to Silvia) And you... Id expect this from him, but to do this to your own son? You disgust me. She weeps into her hands. Walter shoots to his feet.

53. WALTER You cant talk to your mother like that! Shes the only reason youve been here as long as you have. Blake turns, punches the standing mirror next to him. It shatters. The security guard moves forward quickly. Walter calmly lifts a hand, waves him off. WALTER (CONTD) Id like you to gather your things and leave. Your rent has been advanced two months. Thats ample time for you to find employment and take over payments. Blake examines his bleeding hand. BLAKE Fuck this. Im out. He passes by his possessions, walks out the door. END OF ACT THREE

54. ACT FOUR INT. GIDEONS APARTMENT - BEDROOM - AFTERNOON Gideon rolls over in bed. He cracks his eyes open, glances at the clock. 1:23 p.m. He sits up, winces. Pulls the covers off his leg. Hes bleeding through the gauze. INT. GIDEONS APARTMENT - KITCHEN - MOMENTS LATER Gideon walks in. Two HOMELESS MEN are raiding his kitchen. One rifles through the cupboard, one checks the fridge. GIDEON Morning, fellas. Finding anything good? One of them grunts. The other speaks up: HOMELESS MAN #1 Oh, yes. I was wondering if... could I maybe scramble some eggs? Gideon smiles as he limps into the kitchen. He pats the man on the back. GIDEON Only if you make me some, too. But be quick about it, Ive got work. The man nods and gets to work. Gideon turns to the other man at the cupboard. GIDEON (CONTD) Now, Ray, its Friday. Ive gotta switch you out tonight. RAY grunts again. GIDEON (CONTD) Grunt again if you understand. Ray hesitates. GIDEON (CONTD) Other people have needs too, man. Didnt you enjoy that shower? Wouldnt it suck if someone else deprived you that opportunity?

55. He grunts reluctantly. GIDEON (CONTD) Good man. How about some eggs? EXT. JEFFERSON AVENUE - LATER Cars blaze by as Jayzon walks down the side of the road. He cups his mouth as he calls out. DEANDRE! JAYZON

People stare at him as they walk by. JAYZON (CONTD) Yo, D! Where you at? He comes to an intersection. The sign says DONT WALK. A car turns past him. Right after, Jayzon makes a break for it, crossing the street just as a truck whooshes by, horn blaring. A little girl on the corner stares at him in shock as he breezes past her. DeAndre! JAYZON (CONTD)

A passerby yells out. PASSERBY Hey, shut the fuck up! Jayzon ignores it, calls out again. As he does, a voice croaks out from an alley to his right. Jay... Jayzon heads over. DEANDRE THOMAS (22) leans against a building, naked and shivering. Jayzon takes his coat off, wraps it around DeAndre. JAYZON Where the fuck you been? Stand up. Jayzon slides his pants off, hands them over. DEANDRE

56. DeAndre pulls them on. Theyre a few sizes too long. JAYZON (CONTD) D! I said where you been? He stands there, shaking. DEANDRE I talked to God, Jay. Jayzon grabs his shoulders. JAYZON Yo, you been shootin up? The fuck did I tell you bout that? DEANDRE Aint even. JAYZON What, then? Head-sick again? You seein shit? DeAndre shakes his head. DEANDRE I was being judged. JAYZON You sick, man. Shit aint real. You need meds. DEANDRE But Im back. Why Im back here? A tear slides down DeAndres cheek as he looks up at Jayzon. DEANDRE (CONTD) What I did wrong? They stand in silence a moment. JAYZON Lets go. Ima get you what you need. EXT. DETROIT ARMS APARTMENTS - LATER Blake looks down at his feet as he kicks a pinecone down the street. His hands in his pockets, he scowls. He approaches the apartment building. Blake looks up, stops well before the door.

57. On the front of the building in black spray paint: Blake meet at home. Blake grins. INT. HONEYBEE MARKET - AFTERNOON Gideon glances at the clock as he rushes in the front door. 2:08 p.m. Damnit. GIDEON

He hurriedly clocks in late at the computer, throws on his apron as he walks. Gideon enters the produce section. Placing bananas is JUSTIN SHEN (25). Gideon approaches him. GIDEON (CONTD) Hey, Shen. You get my voicemail? Justin turns to him. JUSTIN Youre late, Gid. GIDEON (sarcastically) Oh, okay, yes sir, wont happen again, sir. JUSTIN Just kidding. But for real, man. Tims transfer went through. They bumped me up to produce manager. GIDEON Holy shit, thats amazing! Youre my boss? I can do anything I want! JUSTIN Whoa, now. I have to keep up appearances, of course. GIDEON So I can do anything as long as no one can see it. Got it. But seriously, did you get that voicemail?

58. JUSTIN Yeah, what was with that? You didnt really get shot, did you? Justin looks down at Gideons leg. Blood is starting to seep through his khakis. JUSTIN (CONTD) Jesus, Gid! What the hell happened? Gideon follows Justins gaze, notices the blood. GIDEON Ah, man. I just changed the dressing, too. Anyway, now that youre the boss, maybe we can start doing our part to help out-The bums? JUSTIN

GIDEON The homeless. Theyre not bums. Justin looks away dismissively. GIDEON (CONTD) You look down on them, but for what? Because they dont have an address? JUSTIN Because most of them are crackheads. GIDEON Theyre people. Persons. Every one of them had a life before the streets. They have names, parents, children, needs, desires. We cant just-Justin waves his arms ostentatiously. JUSTIN Generalize and marginalize them, I know. Spare me the sermon. You gotta do something about that blood stain. GIDEON You know how much product gets thrown away here. Its a god damn waste. (MORE)

59. GIDEON (CONT'D) There are people starving out there! Just let me take some of what we toss every night. JUSTIN Well discuss it later, bro. Just go change, thats unsanitary! I dont wanna lose my job the day I get promoted. EXT. INMAN AUTO SERVICE - BACK PARKING LOT - LATER In the same spot where a gun was pointed at his head less than 24 hours prior, Eddie Inman takes a pull off his pipe. He slowly blows out a thick cloud of smoke. As he does, he stares down the block. A woman, LISA WITZEL (29), stands on the corner of a busy intersection, panhandling. Arnie exits through the door next to him. ARNIE There you are. I just finished the head gasket on that Volkswagen, and I had the Tercel sent out to that kid who got shot. Free of charge, course. Eddie nods. ARNIE (CONTD) Listen, boss, I cant thank you enough for keeping me on for this week. Eddie watches Lisa silently. ARNIE (CONTD) I might could find a job in that time. Its better than nothing. Eddie takes another pull. He exhales out his nose, the smoke billowing through his mustache. ARNIE (CONTD) You ever gonna talk to her? EDDIE I wouldnt exactly call myself an eligible bachelor.

60. ARNIE Youre in a rut, its true. But Id still say youre a bit better off than she is. Eddies gaze falters. He hadnt considered this. He puts the pipe back up to his mouth. EXT. VACANT NEIGHBORHOOD - DUSK An abandoned neighborhood. Rows of modest suburban homes waste away. Moldy and overgrown, many are in advanced stages of dilapidation. A dead zone. Blake trudges along the street, swallowed in his hoodie. His breath trails faintly behind him as he walks. He slows to a stop in front of a house. Marcus speaks from the porch, shrouded in shadows. MARCUS Eight-nine-eight-nine Preston Street. BLAKE Lotta history in this bitch. Blake walks toward the house, scrutinizes it. BLAKE (CONTD) She dont look good. MARCUS Shes older than both of us. They walk inside. INT. ABANDONED HOUSE - CONTINUOUS Light peeks through cracks and holes in the roof, the only respite from darkness. The house is empty but for an old sofa, draped in a plastic cover. Blake pinches his nose in disgust. BLAKE Fuck! Smells like the bathrooms at Ren Cen.

61. They reach the sofa. The cover is tainted black and green with mold and dust. Removing it, they grimace. Underneath, the couch is relatively clean. Marcus plops down onto it. Blake looks at it, hesitates. He decides to stand. Marcus looks around nostalgically. MARCUS Nasty as it is, this place still feels like home. Blake shakes his head. BLAKE Shit hardly ever qualified as a home. It was good times and all, but it was always a dump. For a moment Marcus looks at him. He points to the kitchen. MARCUS A hot meal, every night. My mom cooked the meat, yours did the veggies. We ate together. He points to a broad wall. MARCUS (CONTD) Countless hours on our asses in front of that wall playing Genesis. Whatever broke motherfucker jacked that carpet musta not noticed the ass prints. Marcus pats the arm of the sofa. MARCUS (CONTD) Shit, we smoked our first joint on this couch. BLAKE We did, too. MARCUS This place could be burnt to the ground... Id still call it home. They sit, quiet a moment. Marcus looks at the ground. MARCUS (CONTD) I got evicted.

62. BLAKE Dont fuck around, yo. Its been a day. For real. MARCUS

BLAKE What the fuck happened to all that cash? MARCUS I paid them what I owed, and they still kicked my ass out. BLAKE They cant just fuckin do that! Lets go shake shit up and get it back! MARCUS Nah, man. We gotta lay low. Blake begins to pace. BLAKE Fuckin Walter gave me the boot today. My mom just sat there and let it happen. Ugh. MARCUS My moms missing. BLAKE Oh, shit. You check around? Marcus nods softly. MARCUS But Im done taking care of her. Shes on her own, just like Ive been. Blake doesnt know how to respond. BLAKE The fuck we do now? MARCUS Ive still got a couple hundred bucks. We could hit up a motel.

63. BLAKE Fuck that, son. I say we stay here. Were gonna end up on the streets anyway. Might as well have some cash in our pockets. MARCUS You really wanna do this? The streets are rough. Not to mention the people on em. BLAKE No doubt, yo. Think of how pissed Walter will be! Its mad brilliant. Marcus ponders. After a moment: MARCUS Fuck it. Lets do it. He lays back, kicks his feet up onto the couch. EXT. HOMELESS CAMP - DUSK Terrell and Pio sit cross legged in the courtyard. Before them, a handful of bottle caps. Pio plays idly with a few. TERRELL Multiplication is a little different. He picks up a bunch of bottle caps. TERRELL (CONTD) Think of it like addition, but with groups. Terrell makes three groups of two bottle caps. TERRELL (CONTD) How many do I have here? Pio looks down, counts each one individually but silently by hand. Six! PIO

TERRELL Now how many groups are there?

64. PIO (counting) Three! TERRELL And how many caps are in each group? Two! PIO

Terrell smiles at him. TERRELL Good job, buddy. Pio beams back. Talia watches affectionately from a distance. TERRELL (CONTD) When you add something, you say plus. When you subtract, you say minus. I know! PIO

TERRELL For multiplication, you say times. You just did three times two, or three groups of two, which equals six. Now, can you show me three times three? Pio moves the caps. In the back of the courtyard, Norman chats with Loretta. LORETTA You get anything out of him, hun? Norman exhales deeply. NORMAN Not much to get out, Im afraid. Poor guy doesnt remember a thing. LORETTA The alcohol, you think? NORMAN Not sure what else it could be. Wouldnt be the first time he indulged.

65. LORETTA This something we should be concerned about? NORMAN Terrell? Naw. Hes a sweetheart. A little lost, but a good guy. LORETTA How well do you know him? INT. MYSTERIOUS ROOM - FLASHBACK A pure white room. White walls, white floors, white lights. Terrell Hutchison sits in a chair. His arms and legs are bound, his chin rests on his chest. Hes unconscious. Across from him, a long, two-way mirror. A mousy woman, JANE DOE (30), stands patiently next to him, hands folded behind her back. She glances at her watch. On a table next to her sits an empty syringe. A bead of liquid clings to the tip. Another, filled with a solution, lies next to it. Jane speaks aloud to nobody. JANE Should be any moment. Seconds pass. Jane stands patiently. Terrell grunts, twitches slightly. His eyelids flutter. He raises his head, slowly regaining consciousness. He glances around lazily, unaware of or unconcerned with his current predicament. Jane observes him subtly, but with a keen eye. He looks over at Jane. She faces him. Neither say a word. A VOICE, digitally modified to sound anonymous, fills the room. THE VOICE State your name. Terrell looks around in a stupor.

66. TERRELL

Who?

THE VOICE State your name. He looks around in a daze, glances at Jane. TERRELL Terrell Hutchison. THE VOICE Where do you reside, Mr. Hutchison? His head lolls as he chuckles at the question. TERRELL I reside in a cardboard box behind a busted ass building. Jane stares at the ground. THE VOICE Any family to speak of? The smile lines fade from Terrells face. TERRELL To speak of? No. Spouse? THE VOICE

Terrell sullenly slurs his words. TERRELL I am married. But only in the most technical sense of the word. THE VOICE Would you like to expound upon this subject? TERRELL No. Id like to know who you are. Terrell attempts to move, notices his bound arms, legs. TERRELL (CONTD) Hey... Hey, what is this? Jane. THE VOICE

67. Jane grabs the full syringe. Terrell looks over pleadingly. TERRELL What is that? Jane remains silent. THE VOICE Just enough to slow him down. Jane moves the needle toward Terrells arm. She locates the vein, slowly inserts the metal shaft. Terrell gasps weakly. She depresses the syringe pump a small amount. TERRELL Wait! Wait... His head slumps. A few silent moments pass. Terrell groans quietly in the chair. THE VOICE Mr. Hutchison. No response. THE VOICE (CONTD) Jane, if you will. Jane shakes him lightly. He perks up a bit. THE VOICE (CONTD) Are you ready to talk to me, Mr. Hutchison? His eyes are closed, his head down. Spose so. TERRELL

THE VOICE Very good. What is your occupation? TERRELL I was a teacher. You were? THE VOICE

TERRELL Laid off. Budget cuts.

68. THE VOICE At what school did you teach? TERRELL Spain Elementary. THE VOICE Why elementary school? Why children? TERRELL Theyre young... impressionable. Kids need someone to look up to. THE VOICE What makes you think they dont have someone like that already? A long, silent pause. TERRELL No more questions, your honor. Terrell sits strapped in his chair, looking down. THE VOICE Do you have anger problems, Mr. Hutchison? Eyes closed, his brow furrows. What? Why? TERRELL

THE VOICE You said you were laid off because of budget cuts. It didnt have anything to do with your multiple arrests for domestic abuse? Sweat beads on his forehead. He stammers: TERRELL How-- how could you know that? THE VOICE Why did you beat your wife, Mr. Hutchison? This pulls Terrell out of his daze. He looks around frenziedly.

69. TERRELL Where am I? What are you doing to me?! Jane stands to the side uncomfortably as Terrell struggles in his bounds. THE VOICE Jane, thats enough. Initiate reintegration. She picks up the mostly-full syringe, swiftly plunges it into Terrell. His futile attempts at escape subside slowly as he goes limp. EXT. HOMELESS CAMP - CONTINUOUS Pio moves the bottle caps around, simulating a math problem. Terrell looks on with a smile. THE VOICE (V.O.) Alert John. Make the drop uptown. Somewhere inconspicuous. An alley. Terrell ruffles Pios hair proudly. END OF SHOW