LITTLE TREE FALLING

by

Dominic Varni

FADE IN: 1992 L.A. RIOTS

NEWS MONTAGE of events encapsulating the 1992 RIOTS. We see REGINALD DENNING getting pulled from his truck and beaten severely, KOREANS on rooftops with AK-47s and YOUNG MEN and WOMEN running the streets in mobs or looting STORE FRONTS. The news broadcasts reporting still play and fade to a blaring ALARM CLOCK. CUT TO: An alarm clock blared at 10:30 am. A young black teen with a wiry frame [MALCOLM] laid in a king size bed with the sheets in disarray. The bed took up near 90% of the rooms space and clothes littered the remaining 10%. MALCOLM opened his eyes and stared for a moment at the alarm clock then threw his sheets off and jumped to his feet. He threw on his clothes, slipped on a pair NIKE AIR JORDANS with great care then grabbed baggies and a roll of bills, stuffing them in different pockets on his pants, jacket and shirt. He looked himself over in the long mirror nailed to his bedroom door. MALCOLM Money time. MALCOLM grabbed his keys and left the room, closing the door. CUT TO: STREET CORNER MALCOLM greeted regulars with a handclasp, depositing drugs in their hand with his index fingers, retrieving money from their hands with his pinky and ring finger. MALCOLM pocketed the cash and prepared for the next hand off as if he were performing a second nature card trick. A worn out woman wearing TIGHT SOILED CLOTHES over a voluptuous body [ADDICT] walked up to him. MALCOLM recognized her instantly and held his nose. MALCOLM Oh, hell no! [beat] Alright, you better not be wasting my time today. ADDICT You got any rock? MALCOLM Bitch you know I got it. You got the money today? ADDICT I dont got no money today. MALCOLM waved in the air with disgusted sideways glances, as if blowing the smell of her away from his nose and looked away for other paying customers.

ADDICT (CONTINUED) Come on, I need it. Dont do this to me.

MALCOLM Whats with this Wimpy shit? Id gladly pay you Tuesday for some free shit today. Do I look like Id give anyone anything for free? ADDICT Please, Ill suck your dMALCOLM Dont even step to me with that shit. I dont need no head job. I got that shit covered by many a white girl. They know where the money is. [beat] You better run a quick trick if you want to do business with me. Theres the street. [beat] Go. ADDICT Are you going to be here? MALCOLM Bitch, Ill be here all week. I got better service than the mailman. Through rain, shine, drivebys, riots and burning buildings. ADDICT Give me thirty minutes. MALCOLM Stop wasting my time! Go suck a dick and come back with the money. Damn! [beat] And take a bath before you come back! [beat] Bitch be smelling up my street corner. The ADDICT raced away shivering, already stepping out into traffic desperately trying to flag down cars. A middle aged man walked up waving friendly to MALCOLM as though he knew him. MALCOLM eyed him skeptically, but greeted the man with the typical lingo of a seasoned dealer. MALCOLM What you want, what you need? Behind MALCOLM, a young man crept up and put a 9mm. SIG to the back of his head. THUG #1 Nigger, I want whatever you got in them deep pockets. I need it before I count to three. MALCOLM grew instantly rigid and put his hands out low to his sides [The universal street sign for Dont shoot me!]

MALCOLM Oh, aint this about a bitch!

THUG #2 Caught you slippin, fool. Aint no sense crying about it. Hand that shit over, player. MALCOLM grit his teeth and dug into his pockets slowly, pulling out wads of CASH and handfuls of CRACK, SPEED and MARIJUANA in miniature baggies. The man in front of him pulled out a BROWN PAPER BAG and held it in front of MALCOLM. MALCOLM slowly and indignantly began throwing his pockets contents into the bag. THUG #1 Come on, come on. Keep it coming, keep it coming. Like at the bank. [beat] Pay me, motherfucker! [beat] The watch and rope too, nigger, you know how we do. The ADDICT came back and stared at the jacking taking place. MALCOLM glanced helplessly at her as he began to take off his WATCH and GOLD ROPE NECKLACE. ADDICT Are you jacking him? MALCOLM Bitch, what does it look like? Damn! The ADDICT gave a flirtatious look at THUG #2 and ran her dirty fingers down her cleavage. ADDICT Ill suck your dick for some rock. THUG #2 looked her up and down, not even paying attention to the bag he was holding. THUG #2 Bitch Ill have you coming out of them drawers for some rock. The ADDICT beamed and stood next to THUGs #1 & #2, playing with her cleavage seductively. MALCOLM was stunned and continued unloading his pockets at gunpoint until he finally paused and hung his head low, defeated. THUG #1 laughed. THUG #1 Man, I know you got more than that. MALCOLM Man, thats all I got. THUG #2 What about them shoes? MALCOLM Man, these are Air Jordans. Im not giving them up.

The THUGS both put their GUNS to him and MALCOLM quickly pulled his AIR JORDANS off, putting them into the BAG. THUG # 1 Thats right, bro. You lucky we dont leave you here in your drawers. Niggers gotta have some heart. The THUGS looked over at each other and grinned. Then backed away with the ADDICT and left MALCOLM standing there in his socks. The THUGS then turned around and walked away laughing. The ADDICT craned her head around and snapped into the air at MALCOLM. ADDICT Who needs his dick sucked now, you broke assed motherfucker! MALCOLM Man, this shits straight up scandalous, here. MALCOLM walked down the street looking dejected. Just as he stepped out into the street, a BMW driven by a terrified middle-aged WHITE MAN spun around the corner, racing past him, nearly hitting MALCOLM as he passed. Right behind him, a white IMPALA loaded with black men raced around the corner screaming indistinctly out the windows at the BMW in the distance. MALCOLM looked perplexed for a minute, and then ran across the street before any other cars came. Down the block, a blond haired blue eyed WHITE GIRL in her mid-twenties tumbled out of a doorway quickly followed by a BLACK WOMAN who proceeded to stomp on the WHITE GIRLS ribs. A team of black women filed out after her, some watching, some laughing and cheering the BLACK WOMAN on, some looking as if they were about to kick the WHITE GIRL as well. BLACK WOMAN Bitch, whatd I tell you about coming here? Whatd I tell you? This is not the day to be sucking a niggers dick in South Central! Especially when its my niggers dick! As MALCOLM walked past the beating, he noticed a middle-aged black man [PLAYER] wearing white socks, red and white striped boxers and a white wife-beater standing in the doorway. The PLAYER leaned against the door frame with his arms folded, watching in a detached frustration, seemingly disconnected from the violence being committed in front of him. He merely shook his head and sighed. MALCOLM stopped next to the PLAYER in the doorway, more to get out of the sun than anything else and stared at the beating along with him. MALCOLM Man, she is fucking her bony ass up. PLAYER I know.

MALCOLM Whatd she do? PLAYER She was sucking my dick. The PLAYER just stood there leaning against the door post sighing and watching in a fit of seeming boredom. MALCOLM stared at him in disbelief as he glanced back and forth between the bored PLAYER and the bloody WHITE GIRL. MALCOLM Nigger, aint you gonna do something about this? PLAYER Why? She dont mean nothing to me. Besides, lookie here [beat] See that fine-ass sister fucking that white bitchs ass up? MALCOLM Yeah? PLAYER Thats my wife. And I know enough about her family to let her fuck that white little heifer up. I aint getting killed over some white bitch. [beat] Fuck that. [beat] I just feel bad, though. MALCOLM Because your bitch is beating her ass? PLAYER Naw [beat] I drove her bony ass over here from Beverly Hills. Westerns a hell of a ways from Camden, you feel? I dont know how shes going to make it home after this shit. [beat] Probably have to let some niggers tap that tight little ass of hers from the back just to get directions. [beat] That bitchs gonna have a hell of a day. MALCOLM So wait a minute. You picked up a blond haired, blue eyed white bitch with a thing for niggers.

PLAYER Yeah. MALCOLM You brought her home. [beat] Let alone the fact that your place is in South Centralduring a riot. PLAYER Yeah.

MALCOLM Probably thought your wife was at work. PLAYER Yeah. MALCOLM She came home and found the white bitch you brought over in the first place, sucking your dick? PLAYER Yeah. MALCOLM Probably on her bed? PLAYER Yeah. MALCOLM Is it her place? PLAYER Yeah. MALCOLM And now shes fucking her up? PLAYER Fucking Riots fucked my whole game off. MALCOLM stood still for a moment and then shrugged as he extended his hand to the PLAYER. MALCOLM [beat] Play on, player.

PLAYER Thank you! [beat] And you better take your skinny ass home and put some shoes on. MALCOLM Ill do that. PLAYER Nope [beat] Aint safe to be a white bitch in South Central, today [beat] Thats for damn sure.

MALCOLM looked over at the WHITE GIRL getting kicked and stomped on repeatedly, shook his head and walked on at a faster pace. The PLAYER shouted to MALCOLM as he walked down the street. PLAYER (continued) Keep it real, player! Just then, all the black girls joined in kicking the WHITE GIRL laughing with no more feeling than striking a piata at a party. MALCOLM picked up his pace as he began jogging down the street. A purple FORD THUNDERBIRD with tinted windows crashed into a silver MERCEDES BENZ being driven by a MIDDLE AGED WHITE MAN right in front of him. The MIDDLE AGED WHITE MAN stepped out of his car walked up to the other car. MIDDLE AGED WHITE MAN I hope you got insurance. The car doors burst open and a flood of muscular black teens flew at the man, chasing him down the street. MALCOLM stared bug eyed for a moment as the remaining men hopped into the MERCEDES and backed up. Both cars spun out and raced off down the street. MALCOLM saw the MIDDLE AGED WHITE MAN racing like a deer down the street with the black men giving chase. MALCOLM looked around, for the first time, nervous. MALCOLM Damn. I better check on LT. Before he realized it, MALCOLM was racing down the street. CUT TO: BURNT DOWN JEWELRY STORE Five men stood hacking at a floor safe with shovels and picks peeling away at the floorboards around a SAFE, exposing the concrete. A muscular black teen with a gut [MARTESE] swung his PICK AXE at the floorboard and shards of concrete shot back up at his face. MARTESE Damn! MARTESE threw down the PICK AXE and wiped his face, checking for blood. MARTESE (CONTINUED) Cant we just blow it up? The only white person in the room, a 19 year old man [LT] with a slim build looked up from the floorboards and leaned on the crowbar he used to rip up the floorboards. LT

No. Were gonna haul it out. Police sirens wailed in the distance. A short black teen with a wiry frame [TAEVON] fidgeted in his stance. TAEVON Man, you hear that, cuz? Man, I knew this was a bad idea. Fuck this. Im out. TAEVON threw down his PICK AXE and walked out of the JEWELRY STORE. The tall Samoan looking black man [BIG JOHN] turned and shouted after him. BIG JOHN Taevon! LT Fuck him. Let him go. More for us. JAMES The cops are coming. LT The cops are busy. Have you seen it out there? Theyre too busy keeping people from looting to be thinking about looking for us. And I guarantee you that Persian family isnt thinking about strolling up to pick up the safe without a SWAT team in tow. [beat] Were good as gold. LT opened the DRILL CASE and produced a DRILL with a ROUND HOLLOW BITING BIT. He leveled his weight over the DRILL, pressing the BIT against the concrete floor and pushed downward as he began drilling four perfect circles, one at each corner of the safe and then four more circles next to the middle edges of the safe. Once done, LT put the DRILL back in the CASE and opened another case with bricks of PUTTY MARKED C-4. He smeared the eight holes with the PUTTY. The others stood silently watching, nervous to even move. A tall wiry black man [JAMES] nearly cried out when a bead of sweat rolled down his face and hit the floor. LT ignored it, and merely gestured for everyone to back up. LT placed PRIMERS in each hole, standing erect in the PUTTY, and ran WIRES to each one and then ran the WIRES back fifty feet to a pillar and fed the WIRES into an IGNITION SWITCH. BIG JOHN knelt next to LT, and then both looked up at JAMES and MARTESE, who still stood vigil over the SAFE. LT Um guys? JAMES Whats up? LT Can I blow the safe?

JAMES Aait. JOHN and LT stared in silence at MARTESE and JAMES until a twitch affected LTs right eye. JOHN shook his head. BIG JOHN Can you move? JAMES and MARTESE looked down at the SAFE and C-4 for a moment, and then jumped up, tiptoeing over to LT and BIG JOHN. BIG JOHN shrugged and chuckled to LT. JAMES Sorry, nigger. LT -Dumb-asses. LT looked at the safe and waited for the sirens to move farther away. When they faded into the distance, LT grinned. LT Ready? [beat] Fire in the hole! LT gripped the SAFETY TRIGGER and depressed the FIRING PIN, igniting the C-4 and leaving a cloud of concrete, dust and air to mingle. LT, BIG JOHN, MARTESE & JAMES all coughed and choked in the chalky grey mist and as they emerged from behind the PILLAR, they began dusting themselves. All four men were covered in chalky white dust, and they quickly wiped their mouths and eyes to get the dust out, making them look like a negative photo of a vaudeville act. When they looked down on the safe, they saw the C-4 had not only dislodged the SAFE, but burned the surface, and melted the DIAL. LT Oh, shit. BIG JOHN How we gonna crack the safe now? LT Fucked if I know. [beat] Come on. Lets get it in the car and worry about it later. LT passed out the crowbars, poured oil down the exposed edges of the safe and the thieves went about dislodging and hauling the SAFE out of the ground. MARTESE Damn, this thing is heavy.

LT Hold your end. I got mine. [beat] I said hold your end! JAMES Its slipping! BIG JOHN Grab the corner! The SAFE fell and all four men jumped away to avoid their toes being crushed by the falling metal object. The SAFE hit the ground and the door swung open as DIAMONDS and BARS OF PLATINUM slipped out with ten thick bound stacks of HUNDRED DOLLAR BILLS. All four men stood perfectly still, staring at the prize revealed. LT grit his teeth in embarrassment and muttered to himself. LT The safe wasnt even locked? LT looked at the others for a moment, and realizing the others were not even considering a lapse of judgment on anyones part, he turned to the prize with a sense of fearful wonder matching the others. BIG JOHN Damn! LT Yeah. MARTESE stared down at the prize and then glared at the others as if removing himself from their company in his stance. MARTESE put his hand on the handle of his PISTOL, sticking out of his pants and studied them for a moment as if contemplating something treacherous. Then he noticed BIG JOHN already had his PISTOL out and was studying him coolly. LT shared BIG JOHNS expression for MARTESE. MARTESE slowly took his hand off his GUN and put his hands out to his side with a scoff. MARTESE So how does this work? LT We count out the bills and split it even, and I hock the platinum and diamonds. I got a guy whos got it in good with a guy who can move it. BIG JOHN So when do we go to see this guy?

LT No. I go alone. MARTESE -Over your dead body. JAMES Word! LT rose and glared at MARTESE and JAMES. LT That just makes a two way split, to me. JAMES grew agreeable instantly, fully aware LT was dangerous, while LT and MARTESE eyed each other, both daring the other to make a move. BIG JOHN put himself in between and glares at both of them. BIG JOHN Calm down, you two. [beat] We split it even, like LT said. But we are all going together to do the deal. Sorry, man. But niggers tend to get shady when theres too much money on the line. MARTESE and JAMES eyed LT as if victorious. LT pulled BIG JOHN aside. LT John, I understand. [beat] I do. [beat] But where Im going, they dont like new faces. [beat] They barely like me. BIG JOHN grinned and his eyes were bright and calculating all at once as he used his sweetest tone with an undertow of severity that left an uncompromising dominance in his manner. BIG JOHN LT, I understand. [beat] I really do. [beat] Were going together. Thats it. LT looked frustrated and glared at them and finally nodded his acquiescence, and for the first time, we see LT is not the leader of the gang, but BIG JOHN. And the contempt and dislikes for LT (and white people in general) from the others was being kept in check solely by BIG JOHNS affection for LT, and LTs ability to prove himself useful to BIG JOHN. This is the closest LT can get into their circle, however. Being white alone, makes him the eternal outsider in this group. And from the looks on all their faces, this is very apparent and very real. LTs lack of complicity would have severely adverse affects. At the very least, he would lose his right to his share of the prize and have to walk home at the height of the riots. At most, he would never leave the barren room he stood in alive. LT sighed. LT [beat] Aait. Together.

CUT TO: KIMS LIQUOR STORE TAEVON stood at the side wall writing his name in BLUE SPRAY PAINT on the side of the LIQUOR STORE as cars filled with black people rolled past laughing and cheering. MALCOLM came running down the street with a look of fright on him. Several black people saw the way he was running and began running in the same direction just in case he was running away from something that would threaten them as well. Each person ran with a different fear, and shouted their fears as they ran. Five-Oh!,; A pit-bull!; Crips!; Bloods!; White People!; Mexicans!; Crack-heads!; The Koreans are coming down the block, with AK47s! MALCOLM slowed and stopped in front of TAEVON. MALCOLM Ay, Taevon! All the other people who followed him kept running as hard and fast as they could across the street and into the distance. MALCOLM hardly recognized their fear. He just ran from there. He knew nothing was coming. TAEVON smiled and slapped hands with MALCOLM casually, as if he were sitting on his porch on a Sunday afternoon. He laughed at the people running. He was apparently used to the anxiety on the street, and was now amused by it.

TAEVON Whats up, Cain? [beat] You know youre not wearing shoes, right? MALCOLM Wheres LT? TAEVON Man, I dont know nuthin! MALCOLM Man [beat] I havent seen him all day. TAEVON Whats up? MALCOLM I dont know, but people are talkin crazy shit! And today of all days, it aint safe to be a white boy in South Central. TAEVON For real.

A tall and muscular Korean [BRIAN] walks out of the liquor store glaring at MALCOLM and TAEVON. BRIAN You are not stupid enough to be tagging my parents store. MALCOLM offered his hand for a high five and slickly approached BRIAN. MALCOLM Whats up, man? BRIAN did not offer his hand. Knowing BRIAN was not a man to trifle with; MALCOLM quickly reverted to his concern for LT and pressed on. MALCOLM (continued) Have you seen LT? Im telling you, everybodys bugging out there! BRIAN ignored MALCOLM and grew critical of MALCOLM and TAEVON, glaring disgustedly at them. BRIAN Whatd I tell you about hanging around my pops liquor store?

TAEVON Man, this is America. Which means youre in my country, bitch. And this is our neighborhood. So why dont you take your yellow ass on back to Ching-Chong-Chow, or whatever-the-fuck country youre from! I can kick anywhere I want. BRIAN smiled cruelly, as though a violent gift he desperately sought had been offered him, and stormed at TAEVON. BRIAN What the fuck did you just say, bitch? TAEVONS eyes watered fearfully and he recoiled from BRIANS forward advance when MALCOLM stepped forward to protect TAEVON, but taking careful steps, not to offend BRIAN. MALCOLM spoke with a hurt tone that gave BRIAN pause. MALCOLM Damn, just cause youre Korean dont mean you gotta sweat a nigger, man. BRIAN instantly saw through the illusion of hurt feelings and glared at MALCOLM. BRIAN Malcolm, Im tired of your bullshit!

Bolstered by the fact MALCOLM blocked BRIANS forward momentum in getting to him, TAEVON began lunging toward BRIAN, from behind MALCOLM, using MALCOLM as a shield from which to strike behind as he threatened BRIAN. TAEVON Man, fuck you, bitch. Were black [beat] which means we got at least six inches on your littledicked bitch-ass people. Why dont you take your bitch ass back inside your little banana-boat store and wait for my people to come and loot you. BRIAN laughed to himself and quickly walked up to TAEVON, shoving MALCOLM out of the way with ease, and stared down at him with a cocky smile. BRIAN Bitch, move me. TAEVON seemed to consider what BRIAN had said and then suppressed a smile as he turned and looked away, as if looking for any signs of police, and then turned and swung on BRIAN. BRIAN punched TAEVON dead in the face before TAEVON could even finish his swing, and his legs turned to jelly, sending him to stumble backwards against the wall, wide eyed in shock.

BRIAN (continued) Where you going? Im right here. [beat] In fact, let me show you how big my dick is, bitch. BRIAN grabbed at his pants and reached inside, efforting to pull something out as he walked toward TAEVON. BRIAN (continued) Im gonna swing my big dick across your head, and knock your little bitch-ass out. MALCOLM jumped in front of BRIAN and waved his hands up apologetically. MALCOLM Man, its cool, Brian! Theres no need for this, man! BRIAN Fuck you, Malcolm. Dont come to me with this Cant we all just get along bullshit. You dont mean shit to me, and youd do best to keep it that way. Trust me, partner. You dont want me on your ass. Seeing BRIAN was focused on MALCOLM, TAEVON jumped off the wall with a crazy look in his eyes and lunged at BRIAN. TAEVON

Oh, you done fucked up now, bitch! BRIAN turned and flexed and TAEVON fell backward again, this time, before BRIAN could even swing on him. BRIAN looked down at TAEVON with surprise at his falling and nearly laughed in an amused frustration. MALCOLM put his hands up nervously, begging for reason from BRIAN. MALCOLM Man, it dont have to be like that. BRIAN Its going to be any way I want it, bitch. Just cause LT puts up with you dont mean I have to. And hes got a lot better sense than to bring your shit to my family. I suggest you take a page from LTs book and stay the fuck away from me and mine. BRIAN stepped forward and glared at [mad-dogged] MALCOLM for a moment and realized MALCOLM wasnt going to fight, but wasnt about to appear weak either. BRIAN scoffed with disgust and walked back inside. TAEVON That bitchs lucky Im wearing my nice Nikes. Bitch-assed Korean motherfucker, moving here from the motherland and now he thinks he owns the block, nshit. MALCOLM Man, drop it, fool. Im not your boy. TAEVON Man, why do you let that banana-assed bitch talk to you like that? MALCOLM Man, dont you know Dancer? TAEVON Dancer? What about Dancer? Whats he got to do with a liquor store owned by Koreans? What, he liked robbing the place, or some shit? MALCOLM hushed TAEVON and lowered his voice to a whisper. MALCOLM Man, thats Dancer. TAEVON stared skeptically at MALCOLM. TAEVON That bitch-assed yellow mother fucker aint no Dancer. Dancers a nigger!

MALCOLM Man, dont talk so loud. That motherfuckers crazy. TAEVON burst out laughing. TAEVON You mean that slant eyed gooks telling people hes Dancer? That shits funny. Youre getting conned by the Koreans, and shit. Man, I thought you were sharp, boy. What happened to you? MALCOLM You never wondered why no ones tried to rob this place in the last five years? TAEVON You going to tell me the neighborhoods afraid of Koreans, now? [beat] Man, I always thought I lived in South Central, but I guess west of Western doesnt cut it. I guess I got to get closer to Vermont to claim. [beat] Man, niggers is niggers from Alameda to La Cienega. Aint no self respecting black man going to let himself get bitched out by an oriental, and shit. [beat] They all look like bitches, every one of em, and even if theyre not interested in breaking off a bit for a nigger, once he gets in there and makes her come, they come around, and the men are no different. [beat] If an oriental starts claiming hes gangster and steps to real niggers, hes going to find out how much of a bitch he really is. TAEVON (continued) Im telling you, they will beat him down, strip him down, put makeup on him, call him Asia, and charge niggers to ride him. MALCOLM Man, I hear about it all the time. Some country fool will say we should rob that place, and twenty niggers will tell them to shut the fuck up. TAEVON shrugged and then chuckled. TAEVON Koreans are paying protection. [beat] You know theres a reason the prices are so high. Theyre paying off the gangs to keep em from robbing them blind. MALCOLM Its because as soon as that crazy nigger turned fourteen, no one could take him out. He joined the football team at Dorsey High, and shit went crazy from there. TAEVON eyed MALCOLM as if the idea was ludicrous. TAEVON Youre serious? [beat] That motherfuckers Dancer? MALCOLM

Hell yeah! Thats the nigger that put three Bloods in Killem King last month, and walked up into the ER to finish the fight. TAEVON Man, Im telling you, that cant be him. [beat] Crips killed Dancer last week. MALCOLM blinked, as if he was being convinced that maybe BRIAN was living off another mans reputation. MALCOLM -Word? TAEVON Shot him up over at the cemetery on Normandy and Washington. [beat] If thats Dancer, hes hiding them bullet holes and that coffin a little too well. MALCOLM shook his head. MALCOLM Well, that is Dancer, and you saw him, right? [beat] Werent no ghost I ever seen. TAEVON stood there and considered it for a moment, and then shook it off; as if it were inconceivable a Korean could be so gangster. TAEVON Man, that aint Dancer. Dancer was a nigger, and not the high-yellow kind, and sure wasnt the straight-mother-fucking-yellow kind. No one couldve walked away with all the lead they threw around that place. Thats just a bitch-assed Korean trying to play gangster. All these Koreans trying to roll like a nigger. Man, gangs is a black thing. All the rest is just bullshit bitch-assed imitators and perpetrators. MALCOLM Man, what would you know about gangs? TAEVON Man, Im a Crip. I represent. An Im down for my set. Dont be caught wearin no red around me, little nigger. I just might forget we boys. MALCOLM looked at TAEVON and recognized the only thing TAEVON could contribute to a fight would be looking out for the police. MALCOLM Man, whatever. [beat] You sure you havent seen LT? TAEVON Man, I dont know shit about no jewelry store.

MALCOLM What about a jewelry store? TAEVON I aint sayin shit. Last time I saw LT, he was fine. MALCOLM When was that? TAEVON I aint sayin shit. MALCOLM When did you last see him, man? TAEVON About four hours ago. MALCOLM What are you not telling me? TAEVON Nothing. MALCOLM Was it business? TAEVON I aint sayin shit. But when the cops showed up I got the fuck up out of there. MALCOLM What about the cops? A POLICE CAR raced past the LIQUOR STORE. TAEVON looked up and pushed off the wall. TAEVON Well, I dont know about you, but Im about to get up out of here. [beat] You better stop worrying about that cracker and start worrying about your black ass. This is not the day to walk around holding hands with no white boy. [beat] For real. MALCOLM watched TAEVON walk nervously away and frowned at his parting. He turned and walked around the corner and ducked into the LIQUOR STORE. MALCOLM walked in and waved to an old Korean man reading a KOREAN NEWSPAPER with a SHOTGUN in his lap [UNCLE YOON], who gave no reply or gesture, but merely stared hard at him. MALCOLM walked to the back of the STORE and took a bottle of TANG from the REFRIGERATOR, then

turned and walked straight to the counter. MALCOLM absently put down two dollars and grabbed his TANG BOTTLE. MALCOLM Hey, Mr. Yoon, if LT comes in, could you tell him Cain came by? UNCLE YOON said nothing, but gave a cold glare as if he was an unwanted commodity. MALCOLM just shook his head at his treatment after being polite and left the store. UNCLE YOON then put the two dollars in his pocket and went back to his newspaper. BRIAN walked up to UNCLE YOON and gestured toward the door. BRIAN (IN KOREAN) What did he want? UNCLE YOON (IN KOREAN) I dont know, but I think that nigger stole a bottle of Tang. BRIAN stared at the door and his eyes burned into it. BRIAN (IN KOREAN) What did he say to you? UNCLE YOON scratched his ear and looked back at BRIAN as if he were trying to make something up. CUT TO: WESTWOOD-HOOKAH CAF A boy bounced a ball against the wall with a bored indifference to the people walking past him. The ball hit one man and he turned to scold the boy, then recognized the boy. He turned to the outdoor patio of the HOOKAH CAF and noticed three large Persian men standing up from their seats to glare at the man, almost begging him to scold the child. The man hurried on his way. BIG JOHN, MARTESE, JAMES & LT walked past the man and entered the HOOKAH CAF with an indifference to the room. LT carried a BRIEFCASE. The three large Persian men, approached, one raising his hand, letting his coat fall open to reveal the pistol in a shoulder holster. PERSIAN ENFORCER #1 You got business here? LT Yeah, were here to speak with Mr. Arash. LT patted the briefcase, informing the men that what was to be discussed was present. The PERSIAN ENFORCERS chuckled to each other as if LT were an idiot. PERSIAN ENFORCER #1

What do you want with Arash? LT Thats for Mr. Arash. He doesnt want to do business, well go somewhere else. But wed like to give him first crack at it. An Old Persian voice echoed and PERSIAN ENFORCER #1 nodded. PERSIAN ENFORCER #1 Your entourage can wait outside. MARTESE This is bullshit. [beat] fuckin ass Persians. LT and BIG JOHN glared at MARTESE, silently ordering him to shut up. MARTESE immediately complied with the glare. PERSIAN ENFORCER #2 Bitch, whatd you just say? LT Theyre my business partners. If you cant get that in your head, get the fuck out of my way. The Old Persian voice echoed and PERSIAN ENFORCER #1 grit his teeth and nodded. The other two enforcers stepped up in a perfunctory military fashion and faced LT and his entourage. PERSIAN ENFORCER #1 Alright, you can come in. Put your arms out to your sides and come up one at a time. JAMES Were being searched? PERSIAN ENFORCER #1 You want in, youre getting searched. If not, theres the door. MARTESE Hell, no! Im not giving up my gat to these greasy assedLT Martese, please? MARTESE Im just saying Im not gonna do it. LT Thats fine.

PERSIAN ENFORCER #2 stepped forward and pointed toward the entrance with disgust in his eyes. PERSIAN ENFORCER #2 Then wait outside, you fucking monkey. MARTESE stepped forward and stuffed his hand in his pants threateningly. MARTESE What? The three PERSIAN ENFORCERS reacted, reaching for their weapons. BIG JOHN and LT grit their teeth and glared back at MARTESE. LT Martese, if you pull that, Ill slap you down myself. BIG JOHN Get in line. MARTESE looked back at BIG JOHN with a shocked and hurt expression. MARTESE -You too? BIG JOHN This is money were talkin about. If you cant get with that, get out. MARTESE Fine. Ill be in the car. BIG JOHN Nigger, youll be at the car. I aint giving you my keys. MARTESE Whatever. MARTESE walked out dejected. BIG JOHN and JAMES walked up and BIG JOHN pulled out his PISTOL. BIG JOHN I want this back. PERSIAN ENFORCER #1 Youll get it back minus the bullets.

BIG JOHN Then youll give me five bucks with that. Bullets aint cheap. And if you keep the clip, I want twenty! PERSIAN ENFORCER #2 Youll take what we give you, you fucking nigger. The old voice from the back echoed again. PERSIAN ENFORCER #1 Alright, this is taking too long. If you got business, lets go. If not, theres the door. LT Alright, lets do this. Anyone who doesnt want their guns taken from them, wait outside at the car. JAMES I know I aint giving up my gun. Yo John, give up the keys. BIG JOHN Nigger, you must be out your damn mind! I aint giving you shit! You can stand there next to Martese and like it. An if I come out and find you in my car, you walking. JAMES Damn, thats cold. JAMES walked out of the HOOKAH CAF and disappeared around the corner. LT shrugged and chuckled nervously to the enforcers. LT Party of two, please? LT and BIG JOHN were escorted to the back of the CAF where an Old Persian man [ARASH] sat smoking a cigarette in between two upraised fingers. LT and BIG JOHN took a seat in front of ARASH. LT unlocked the BRIEFCASE and pulled out the VELVET BAG, laying it on the table and opening it and then spun the briefcase around revealing the PLATINUM BARS for ARASHS perusal. ARASH leaned over and stared at the DIAMONDS and the PLATINUM BARS with little interest, then returning to stare at LT, completely ignoring BIG JOHN. ARASH This is an unusual day for a business meeting. Especially with the company you keep. Tell me. Why do you come into my place making such commotion if you are here for business? LT Mr. Arash, Im here to-

ARASH Mr. Arash? I dont know you. Even if I did, I would not tell you my first name. LT Your first name? LT looked back at the PERSIAN ENFORCERS, who snickered to each other. LT turned red. ARASH Who do you know? LT Emir. We went to school together. I did some work with him. ARASH Emir? I know fifty Emirs. Another forty Amirs. I dont like any of them. LT [beat] I cant pronounce his last name. ARASH But you are good friends. LT Not exactly. ARASH But you did work with someone you are not exactly good friends with? LT Yes. ARASH What kind of work did you do? LT Sir, I dont see how this is any of your business. ARASH But you are here for business. I know nothing about you. [beat] I dont like the look of your face. You seem like some Mexican. I dont do business with Mexicans. LT Sir, Im Irish. Not Mexican.

ARASH And you think I care? LT No, you probably dont. But if youre going to insult me, get it right. Im a Mick. Not a Spick. ARASH Spick? LT Look, Im here to unload some goods I know you can move. Do you want it or not? ARASH glared with disgust at LT who glared just as hard back at him. BIG JOHN coughed and leaned in trying to smoothly save the deal. BIG JOHN What my partner, here, means isARASH I was not speaking to the help. I would appreciate it if it did not speak to me. BIG JOHN recoiled as his anger visibly rose in his face, and tentatively shifted in his seat, as if contemplating reaching across and throttling ARASH. BIG JOHN [beat] It? The PERSIAN ENFORCERS took a few steps closer toward them, waiting for the word to remove them from the premises by force. BIG JOHN glared at ARASH, not blinking, and LT, sensing the PERSIAN ENFORCERS approaching, put his hand on BIG JOHNS arm, nervously. LT John, be cool. BIG JOHN gestured with disgust at ARASH, though directing his dialogue to LT. BIG JOHN You better talk to your boy. ARASH Im his boy, now? BIG JOHN rose and walked over to ENFORCER #1 and snatched his gun unceremoniously out of his hand, walking out while ENFORCER #2 waved a TWENTY DOLLAR BILL in the air with a snicker.

LT Look, we did come here in good faithARASH Thank you. This meeting is over. Goodbye. LT Mr. Arash-

ARASH You come to my place with animals and show no respect. [beat] You bring nothing to my table I could not simply take from you if animals had not touched it first. [beat] If I see you again, things will not go well for you. [beat] Do yourself a favor, boy. Go back to your country, [beat] you fucking Mexican. LT paused for a moment as the PERSIAN ENFORCERS approached menacingly. LT wrapped up the DIAMONDS and put them back in the BRIEFCASE with the PLATINUM BARS. He rose slowly. LT Im sorry if I offended you. [beat] It was not my intention. ARASH Goodbye, little Mexican. [beat] Back across the border. [beat] Before sunset. ARASH put a handkerchief over his mouth as if an odor disturbed him. LT picked up his BRIEFCASE and walked out nervously and silently. INTERCUT TO: STREET OUTSIDE HOOKAH CAFE LT lit a cigarette to ease his nerves and leaned against the wall of the CAF. The BOY with the ball was still at his one man game against the wall until his throw hit an edge of a brick, sending the ball out into the street. The BOY turned and chased the ball into traffic. LT noticed a DELIVERY TRUCK racing down the street and lunged out in between the cars, grabbing the boy and jumping deeper into the street to dodge the speeding TRUCK. LT landed hard with his arms around the BOY, and the DELIVERY TRUCK skidded to a halt three car lengths past them. All three of the PERSIAN ENFORCERS jumped up and raced out into the street. The TRUCKDRIVER hopped down and studied them, as he walked toward them, shakily. TRUCKDRIVER Are you two okay?

The TRUCKDRIVER made eye contact with the three PERSIAN ENFORCERS [two with GUNS out] who glared at him vengefully, causing the TRUCKDRIVER to backpedal back to the truck. TRUCKDRIVER Oh, shit! The third PERSIAN ENFORCER retrieved the young BOY and carried him into the CAF as he cried over his skinned knee and the bad man who cause his injury. The two armed PERSIAN ENFORCERS stood over him gesturing him to stay on the ground as the DELIVERY TRUCK sped away. LT looked up and saw the BOY come out on the arm of ARASH and the blood left LTs face, fully expecting to be killed. ARASH left the BOY with the PERSIAN ENFORCERS #1 & #2 and walked out into the street next to PERSIAN ENFORCER #3, standing over LT, though not paying any attention to him. LT laid there shaking, staring at them, listening to them speak Farsi to each other, and growing more fearful, listening to the cool, businesslike manner of their dialogue. PERSIAN ENFORCER #3 (in Farsi) The truck driver got away. ARASH (in Farsi) No matter. We will find him soon enough, for this. Check with the Italian, Frank, over at Jerrys Deli. Im sure they probably just received a delivery and had a driver leave only minutes ago. PERSIAN ENFORCER #3 (in Farsi) Yes, sir. LT muttered to himself, and leaned back. LT Shit, Im gonna die. ARASH stood over LT and frowned down at him. ARASH bent over and studied LTs face. ARASH It appears things have changed between you and me. LT [beat] I guess. ARASH I promised I would kill you if I ever saw you again. [beat] Now I see you. PERSIAN ENFORCER #3 walked around behind him and vanished as PERSIAN ENFORCERS #2 & #3 gestured to the BOY to go inside the HOOKAH CAF as they walked out into the street. LT frowned, expecting the bullet.

LT Yeah. ARASH smiled. ARASH This time doesnt count. [beat] Please. [beat] Come inside. LT was led by PERSIAN ENFORCER #2, while PERSIAN ENFORCER #1 spoke to ARASH. ARASH (in Farsi) Who is this man? PERSIAN ENFORCER #1 (in Farsi) Hes the white boy who runs with niggers. They call him LT. ARASH (in Farsi) Elti? PERSIAN ENFORCER #1 (in Farsi) If he was in the military, it would mean he was a lieutenant. But hes a little young to make that high a rank, and hes not too bright if he thinks he can do business with niggers without getting fucked, so College is out. ARASH nodded. ARASH (in Farsi) Thats enough. Thank you. PERSIAN ENFORCER #1 nodded respectfully, and returned to the bar with PERSIAN ENFORCER #2, who was whispering to the BOY, while a woman cleaned the scrape and put a Band-Aid on. ARASH looked back at LT, sat down and gestured LT to take a seat at the other end of the coffee table. LT slowly sat as ARASH continued to muse over him with a knowingly cunning stare. ARASH (continued in English) Were you ever in the military? LT No, sir. ARASH Why LT? LT stared blankly, shrugging nervously.

ARASH (continued) Is that your name? LT [beat] They just call me LT. ARASH studied his answer and smirked knowingly as if LTs attempts to keep a secret did not go unnoticed or unappreciated. ARASH I see. [beat] ARASH gestured to the young BOY to come to the table and sit next to ARASH. ARASH put his arm around the boy and spoke lovingly to him, but never took his eyes off LT as he cooed to the BOY. LT grew fidgeted uncomfortably, and glanced nervously at the ENFORCERS, who now watched with a critical ear, surprised by what ARASH was saying to the BOY, and they looked at LT with surprise and amazement.

ARASH (continued in Farsi) You see this man? The BOY nodded. ARASH (continued in Farsi) He has a high sense of honor. People like this always find a way to get into trouble. [beat] It is unavoidable. [beat] I will do this one a favor. LT sat uncomfortable in his seat, and stared at them waiting for them to speak English. ARASH waved friendly enough but condescendingly as he leaned in and procured a single SHEET OF PAPER. ARASH wrote on the SHEET OF PAPER, talking to LT, without looking at him. ARASH (continued in English) Because you have saved my grandsons life, I wont kill you. [beat] And I will make sure that no one else in any organization, legitimate or illegitimate will [beat] without paying a severe cost. ARASH folded the SHEET OF PAPER and placed it in an ENVELOPE. On it, he scrawled some writing in FARSI with the roman letters LT on it, and then reached it back over his shoulder, and it was reverently received by ENFORCER #2 who immediately left the room with it. He pulled the BOY close and leaned close to him. ARASH (continued) Your grandfather has just made a promise, to this man. [beat] A big promise. [beat] Do you know what a promise means?

The BOY nodded.

ARASH (continued) This is a promise for all my family. [beat] Which means if I am not here to fulfill my promise, someone else must. If I am not around, your father must obey. If your father is not around, then you must. [beat] Do you know what Abdel does? BOY He tells you when people die. ARASH And if Abdel told you this man, LT, dies [beat] what do you do? BOY I open the letter and do what you and daddy say. ARASH beamed at the BOY and gestured proudly to LT. ARASH You see? [beat] Such a smart boy. ENFORCER #3 appeared and walked up to PERSIAN ENFORCERS #1 & #2 and began whispering in their ear, showing them a PIECE OF PAPER. LT grew uncomfortable, again. LT Does this mean you arent going to kill me? ARASH Put the past behind you, boy. That moment is now over. [beat]] We are now good friends. [beat] I say good friends, not best. [beat] Best friends have a habit of being killed, you see? LT I understand. ARASH You understand. [beat] This is good. PERSIAN ENFORCER #3 approached ARASH, and bent down, whispering in Farsi in ARASHS ear. ARASH nodded and then waved him off as if saying Go take care of it, and PERSIAN ENFORCER #3 walked back over to whisper with PERSIAN ENFORCERS #1 & #2, who exited into the KITCHEN, out of sight. ARASH then turned to smile at LT.

ARASH (continued) I will do business with you, this one time. [beat] I will take the items off your hand at 30% their worth. I do this, because of how you insulted me before. This way, we can be good friends without having any bad blood between us. Yes? LT 50%. ARASH My friend, now we get close to slapping my face again. LT I understand. My apologies, but I cant go back with less. There were others involved in the job. I need to bring back more than thirty grand. ARASH But thirty thousand dollars is a round number. [beat] Thirty thousand is a fair exchange for these worthless items. I would be hard pressed to push these obviously flawed stones and nickel plated bricks for fifty thousand. And since I will not profit much from this transaction, I see no reason for you to do so. [beat] I dont think your black friends will be very upset with a third of ten grand for five minutes work. LT Were still out our planning and execution costs. ARASH What planning? [beat] Theyre niggers. [beat] They dont plan. [beat] You, my friend, [beat] you plan. They just do the job. [beat] You want more. [beat] Ill tell you what I will do. [beat] forty thousand dollars. Because we are such good friends. LT Fifty. And I will never come to you again. ARASH [beat] Forty-five thousand dollars. LT I have to insist on fifty. My apologies again. [beat] Fifty is a round number. ARASH [beat] Yes it is. ARASH made a gesture with his finger, and PERSIAN ENFORCER #3 approached, again setting down a leather case and opening it.

ARASH (continued) You will understand of course, if I hold you to your promise never to return again. LT Yes, I do. PERSION ENFORCERS #1 & #2 returned, slightly bulkier, wearing jackets, which they zipped up, leaving thick bulges under their arms and watched as PERSIAN ENFORCER #3 counted out a stack and set it in front of LT. PERSIAN ENFORCER #3 put his hand on the briefcase. LT glared at PERSIAN ENFORCER #3, expecting to be cheated. PERSIAN ENFORCER#3 We keep the briefcase. PERSIAN ENFORCER #3 loaded the bills into the TAKE OUT BAG, and placed some PERSIAN FOOD in CARRY OUT CONTAINERS on top, and pushed the bag over to LT. PERSIAN ENFORCERS #1 & #2 whispered to each other in Farsi and began to snicker to each other and PERSIAN ENFORCER #3 joined in, leaving LT mortified. The bricks were worth ten times what he was being paid. ARASH read LTS face. ARASH You feel youre being cheated? LT read the eyes of ARASH and swallowed, nervously as PERSIAN ENFORCER #3 studied LT with patient confidence. LT [beat] No, sir. ARASH waved off PERSIAN ENFORCER #3 and he returned with the LEATHER BRIEFCASE to the BAR, where PERSIAN ENFORCERS #1 & #2 continued to mock LT in Farsi. ARASH Good [beat] what I have given you is worth more than these stones and bars. [beat] Much more. [beat] Dont give me reason to regret my pledge. I have just vouched for you in the best way possible. PERSIAN ENFORCER #3 nodded to PERSIAN ENFORCERS #1 & #2 and they nodded, leaving the building. LT picked up the TAKE OUT BAG and nodded respectfully to ARASH. LT Yes sir. Nice meeting you.

ARASH turned away, as though LT were already gone, and no longer worthy of an audience. ARASH Goodbye [beat] LT. LT walked out of the CAF with a nervous gesture, as he passed PERSIAN ENFORCERS #1 & #2 as they stood chatting in Farsi to each other, and was looking back repeatedly, half expecting to be shot in the back by PERSIAN ENFORCERS #1 or #2 as he walked down the street. When he reached the sidewalk, he made a hard right, while PERSIAN ENFORCERS #1 & #2 climbed into a WHITE on WHITE MERCEDES WITH GOLD TRIM and drove off down the street. LT studied the car as it passed by, and glanced at the car as they left. The PERSIAN ENFORCERS chatted with each other, without so much as looking over at him. PERSIAN ENFORCER #2 We killing the driver or what? PERSIAN ENFORCER #1 No. Were just going to explain what happened, and then offer the delivery company protection in Los Angeles. If they dont accept, the owner, the manager and the truck driver get it. [beat] Alright, if any of them are black or Mexican, Ill let you have them. PERSIAN ENFORCER #2 Cool! LT shuddered and sighed as the WHITE MERCEDES made a left at the light and drove off and he walked at a faster pace until he cleared the corner and vanished from sight. INTERCUT TO: HOOKAH CAF The BOY looked up at ARASH curiously. BOY Grandpa? What did you make me promise to that white guy? ARASH I think youre old enough to know. Some people will kill you without a good reason, [beat] others will kill you for a good one. [beat] Its business, sometimes. [beat] If someone kills a man like that for business, they are lying. [beat] Men like that are too proud to lie or cheat. [beat] Stealing is another story. [beat] But without people like him, there would be no honor in business. BOY So why did you tell him not to come back? ARASH

Because he does business with niggers. And I dont do business with them. They are too loud and stupid and would sell you to the police to get two years instead of two years and six months. Though men like that would do ten years and keep their mouths shut, its his company I dont trust. And you shouldnt either. The BOY stood confused, but nodded, sensing the seriousness of his grandfathers tones, and did not reply. ARASH (continued) Now go back and play. The BOY jumped up and smiled, grabbing his BALL, and running outside. BOY Okay! ARASH watched him run and doted on him as the BOY left, and ARASH opened the BRIEFCASE and looked at the PLATINUM and GOLD BARS and DIAMONDS with a smile of satisfaction. A curious expression crossed ARASHS face, and he shouted out after the BOY with annoyance in his voice. ARASH (continued) And not in the street! BOY Okay! ARASH shook his head in annoyance and then smiled down at the bars and gems. ARASH A wonderful thing [beat] life insurance. CUT TO: STREET-AROUND THE CORNER FROM THE HOOKAH CAF LT walked up to a purple MONTE CARLO looking like he had just seen a ghost. BIG JOHN recognized LT had just been threatened and blew it off with a smile and a chuckle to clear the air. BIG JOHN Did you get it? LT Yeah. LT climbed into the car and passed off the TAKEOUT BAG to BIG JOHN. BIG JOHN peeked into the BAG and studied LT skeptically, as he picked up the TAKE OUT CONTAINERS,

sniffed each one, and apparently finding the smell unfavorable, tossed them out the DRIVERS SIDE WINDOW into the street. BIG JOHN opened the TAKE OUT BAG fully, and peered down to the very bottom, and saw the stacks of bills, and immediately began licking his thumb and counting the bills, organizing them so they were all face up. MARTESE glared at the bills and shot a murderous stare to LT. MARTESE Thats it? LT After all I went through to get that without getting shot, I dont wanna hear another word. MARTESE Man, we should roll those Persians. LT No, you wont. I just went through the fuckin meat grinder in there and almost got killed I dont know how many times. Youre not touching them. Youre gonna forget about this place and never come back. You hear me, Martese? MARTESE waved LT off and leaned back as if LT were not a person worth taking seriously. MARTESE Aait, whatever. LT No, not whatever. I hear youve been fucking with them Im gonna fuck you up and put a bullet through you. MARTESE Keep talking shit. BIG JOHN looked up from his counting and shot an evil glare into the rearview mirror. BIG JOHN Alright, everyone shut up. This is my car, and Ill make you all walk. [beat] LT, you were right. This place wasnt our scene. You say this is all you could get, then, cool. [beat] But if I find out youve been holding out on me, the promise you made to Martese goes double for you. LT nodded and leaned back.

LT Thats it.

BIG JOHN Then cool. BIG JOHN returned to counting the bills. MARTESE You gonna believe this motherfucker after he took us into that place with all those racist motherfuckers? BIG JOHN LT didnt invite us. We just came. Be cool, Martese. MARTESE Be cool? He came back and gives you this short little stack of bills and you say be cool? BIG JOHN You want me to threaten your life if you dont shut the fuck up? [beat] Be cool sounds better. But you know what I mean. MARTESE Whatever. JAMES Man, I dont care how much is there. I can flip it. Just as long as theres enough to get high with, Im cool. BIG JOHN Well, then have a ball, James. BIG JOHN handed JAMES a thin stack of bills and JAMES received it with a grin. JAMES Cool. BIG JOHN handed MARTESE his stack, who snatched it unceremoniously out of his hand and pocketed it. BIG JOHN eyed MARTESE malignantly, and MARTESE recognized the cruel eyes in the rearview mirror and cringed. MARTESE put his head down and muttered as apologetic as his ego would allow him. MARTESE -So, whats next? BIG JOHN, apparently satisfied that MARTESE had humbled himself enough, grew cheerful again. BIG JOHN

Well, I was gonna wait till later to tell you this, but Ive been working on a plan to take down an armored car. [beat] You in? MARTESE Armored car? [beat] You mean those little bullet proof busses with holes to put the guns through? BIG JOHN That be them. MARTESE I dont know. BIG JOHN I can get it to go down in under three minutes, if youre in. JAMES shrugged and leaned in. JAMES Im down. MARTESE Yeah, I need the paper. This bullshit LTs throwing at me aint shit. BIG JOHN What about you, man? LT Im out. JAMES shrugged uncaringly, and MARTESE studied LT silently, as though he suspected LT had stashed some of the cash somewhere nearby, or had some special deal with the Persians. BIG JOHN looked over at LT with a reserved expression of disbelief. BIG JOHN You out? LT I just had the most realest near death experience in my life starting from the time we all walked into that place until I saw the car.

JAMES Man, that means we just dont do business with those towel-head camel-fuckers. Dont go bitching out on us now.

BIG JOHN We could always hit up the Belizeans. They may be shady as all fuck, but theyre down for a deal. LT Are you even listening to me? [beat] I almost got killed. [beat] Guys like that dont just kill you. They go after everyone you love or that they think you might even like in the future. [beat] Im not playing with this shit anymore, John. [beat] Im out. BIG JOHN You sure about this? LT I got enough socked away from the other jobs to live comfortably for a while. I can stretch it out for ten years, if I get a job at minimum wage. BIG JOHN Youve been saving your money? LT looked back at BIG JOHN with a surprised look, and pursed his lips. LT Why do you think I never bothered to go to the clubs with you guys? [beat] Or did you think it was because I didnt have a fake ID? BIG JOHN And you missed out! [beat] We fucked a lot of bitches in the VIP Room! LT Yeah well [beat] Id rather live well than act like Im rich and get laid. [beat] I wouldnt have been saying this an hour ago, but [beat] I think its time to move on. LT sighed as if the thought of changing his life frightened him a little bit and smiled weakly. BIG JOHN patted LT on the shoulder, and JAMES followed suit. MARTESE sat in the back with his arms folded. BIG JOHN Hate to lose you. [beat] Is there anywhere I can drop you off at? LT Drop me off at Kims Liquor on Arlington and 54th. Right next to the seafood place. Ill make my way from there. BIG JOHN Cool.

CUT TO: KIMS LIQUORSTORE BRIAN stood outside with a can of TURPENTINE and STEEL WOOL in his hand scrubbing the last of the GRAFFITTI off the wall. A car slowly crept up on BRIAN playing GANGSTER RAP, the people in the car studied BRIAN. The man in the passengers seat [ANGRY RIOTER #1] held a SHOTGUN in his lap. ANGRY RIOTER #1 Man, its the wrong day to be a slant eyed bitch in South Central, fool! BRIAN glanced over his shoulder, pursed his lips, visibly unimpressed. From the back seat, a hand [belonging to ANGRY RIOTER #2] stretched out bending a REVOLVER comically toward BRIAN. ANGRY RIOTER #2 Green light on Asians, bitch! BRIAN turned to the side, revealing his GLOCK 45 on his hip. ANGRY RIOTER #2 Oh, shit. Is that one of those GLOCKs? ANGRY RIOTER #1 Damn, thats a nice gun. ANGRY RIOTER #3 Man, where the fuck did that bitch get a gun like that? ANGRY RIOTER #2 Man, you know those Koreans are all rich. Making niggers buy shit from them, and taking our money from us and buying themselves BMWs and shit. BRIAN You never know. I couldve killed a nigger and took his nice new GLOCK from him. ANGRY RIOTER #2 What? ANGRY RIOTER #3 Oh, shit! This bitch done lost his mind! BRIAN grinned, his eyes wild and wide as he squared off against them. ANGRY RIOTER #1 Man, I got a bad feeling about this fool. Dont fuck with him. Drive, nigger, drive.

ANGRY RIOTER #2 Whatchu talking about? This bitch just killed himself! ANGRY RIOTER #1 Get back in the car! ANGRY RIOTER #2 Hold up, bitch. You going to use that word today? BRIAN Nigger, step the fuck back, climb back in your pimped out clown car, and get the fuck off my block before I feed you nine M&Ms. ANGRY RIOTER #2 pointed his BARETTA at BRIANS head and fired. BRIAN jerked his head to the left and the bullet landed three feet to his right. ANGRY RIOTER #1 Oh, shit. I know who that is, I know who that is! ANGRY RIOTER #3 Who that? ANGRY RIOTER #1 Thats that fool Hauser Crips keeps trying to kill. Thats that Dancer, cat. ANGRY RIOTER #3 Dag, thats Dancer? ANGRY RIOTER #3 leaned across to the PASSENGERS SIDE WINDOW and shouted at BRIAN. ANGRY RIOTER #3 (continued) Ay yo, you Dancer? ANGRY RIOTER #2 Man, fuck this little bitch and his bitch assed family. BRIAN pulled his GLOCK out of his waistband and walked up on ANGRY RIOTER#2, and he backpedaled fast away from BRIAN.

ANGRY RIOTER What the fuck you doing? What the fuck you doing? ANGRY RIOTER

Man, get your stupid ass back in the car! Dont fuck with this guy, please! ANGRY RIOTER Man, I dont wanna have to explain to your grandma how you got killed by trying to shoot Koreans, today, man. ANGRY RIOTER #2 Fuck you, bitch! BRIAN Im a better shot than you. [beat] Wanna see? ANGRY RIOTER #2 What? BRIAN shot the car twice. Instantly, the CAR began to grind and whine and the gangster rap died. BRIAN See? I aimed at the car and I hit the car. ANGRY RIOTER #3 Oh, shit! He just shot my car! What the fuck? BRIAN Its a bitch trying to be hard without a back track playing in the background, aint it? ANGRY RIOTER #1 Man, get your stupid ass back in the car! This fool got Western and Olympic on his mind! ANGRY RIOTER #3 Man, get in the car or Im leaving you! ANGRY RIOTER #2 Hell naw, I aint no bitch. BRIAN pointed the GLOCK at ANGRY RIOTER#2 and smiled. BRIAN You can bitch up or put your feet up. I could give a shit, right now. ANGRY RIOTER #1 Oh, shit. Yellow boys gonna cap a nigger. ANGRY RIOTER #1 shouted out to ANGRY RIOTER #2.

ANGRY RIOTER #1 (continued) Get in the car! ANGRY RIOTER #3 Fuck that, Im leaving before he puts more holes in my ride. The CAR began shuddering and popping as it pulled away, and ANGRY RIOTER #2 started walking after the car, trying not to appear scared. ANGRY RIOTER #2 Where you going? ANGRY RIOTER #3 Nigger, we leaving! ANGRY RIOTER #2 Man, hold up! ANGRY RIOTER #2 ran after the car and climbed in through the window, into the back seat and BRIAN listened to them arguing as the car lurched and whined as it pulled away. ANGRY RIOTER #2 (continued) I thought you had my back! ANGRY RIOTER #3 I thought you were smart enough not to fuck with crazy niggers! ANGRY RIOTER #2 Damn! The car made a left and vanished. BRIAN put his GLOCK back in his pants and then returned to study the impact he made on the wall, noticing the GRAFITTI had been wiped clean, but now there was a large blue blur surrounding the clean spot where the words had been, still spelling out the graffiti clearly like a negative photo. BRIAN frowned at the impact he made on the wall and walked back into the store visibly dejected and muttering to himself. BRIAN Cain. [beat] When I find that black motherfucker Im gonna fuck him up. BRIAN put away the TURPENTINE and STEEL WOOL and walked up to UNCLE YOON. BRIAN (IN KOREAN) Hey, you sure Cain didnt say anything else to you? UNCLE YOON (IN KOREAN) I told you. He showed disrespect and walked out talking some gang stuff.

BRIAN (IN KOREAN) What exactly did he say to you, again? UNCLE YOON (IN KOREAN) He said something about killing Koreans and spoke disrespectfully about our ancestors. BRIAN looked scornfully at UNCLE YOON. BRIAN (IN KOREAN) First of all, thats not what you told me earlier. UNCLE YOON (IN KOREAN) How am I supposed to understand them. They dont even talk English. They talk black! He was disrespectful to the family and he threatened me. BRIAN twitched and grimaced, shutting his eyes and breathing deeply to remain calm, fully realizing that though MALCOLM was capable of many things, he would be incapable of offending a Korean sensibility, and UNCLE YOON would not be able to understand when he was insulted due to the language barrier. With this understanding, BRIAN understood that UNCLE YOON was lying to him. BRIAN (IN KOREAN) Were you even here when I talked to you earlier? UNCLE YOON (IN KOREAN) Watch how you talk to your elders, boy! BRIAN (IN ENGLISH) Alright, fine. Drop it. Ill find out from Cain before I fuck him up. UNCLE YOON (IN ENGLISH) You do that! There was the loud thud and a crack like something metal hitting concrete and the wall display next to the window shook.

BRIAN What the fuck? The thuds were followed by muffled impacts and shouts in Spanish and English. VOICE #1 Fuck you, bitch!

VOICE #2 Tole you I had homies, puto! What you gotta say now, bitch? BRIAN looked over at UNCLE YOON and pointed to the SHOTGUN. BRIAN (IN KOREAN) Call 911! Tell them were getting looted! UNCLE YOON folded his paper and muttered to himself. UNCLE YOON (IN KOREAN) Like I can speak English or something. UNCLE YOON cocked the shotgun and aimed across the counter at the door while BRIAN disappeared around the side. BRIAN runs out to find a muscular Latin teen [RAUL] being viciously attacked by five other LATIN TEENS. One of his eyes was swelling shut and his shirt was ripped off, revealing what looked like a large bright colored BUTTERFLY TATTOO, revealing in flashes during the fight, covering his back. RAUL is pinned to the wall; trying to keep himself from falling. The LATIN TEENS punched and kicked violently, trying to force RAUL to fall so they can kick him with greater force on the ground. BRIAN hesitated jumping into the fight. BRIAN Raul! You got it? RAUL Man, get these fools off me! BRIAN backhanded the Latin teen [LATIN GANGSTER #2] closest to him and kicked another, giving RAUL a second to regroup and drive the teens back. One of the teens [LATIN GANGSTER #1] tries to attack BRIAN, but is quickly twisted around into a painful arm lock. LATIN GANGSTER #1 struggles to free himself. LATIN GANGSTER #1 Fuck you, fool! Get off me! BRIAN pushed the teen away and then gestured with his hands invitingly. RAUL balled his fists and stood next to BRIAN in a lowered boxing stance, waiting for the LATIN TEENS to charge again. BRIAN Come on! LATIN GANGSTER #2 stepped next to LATIN GANGSTER #1 and barked at BRIAN with a murderous stare.

LATIN GANGSTER #2 Fuck you, bitch! Do you know who youre fucking with? BRIAN You think I give a shit? LATIN GANGSTER #2 This is Los Primos Locos, bitch. We run these streets. BRIAN looked at them incredulously for a moment then let out a scoff as he waved them off. BRIAN Youre about five blocks out of your area to claim that shit. I got Crips claiming this side of the street, and Bloods claiming the other side and the line keeps shifting every other day depending on who gets shot. So until you pull a red or blue rag out of your pocket, I dont want to hear shit. LATIN GANGSTER #3 Fuck you, you slant eyed bitch! Ill have your sister lovin me long time! BRIANs eye twitched and he grit his teeth staring at them as his eyes watered up. BRIAN pulled out his GLOCK from the back of his pants and pointed it at LATIN GANGSTER #3. BRIAN began railing at GANGSTER #3 and stomped forward. BRIAN What do you know about my sister? [beat] Bitch, what the fuck do you know about my little sister?! The LATIN GANGSTERS stared stunned at BRIAN and shifted nervously as they all took several steps backward. Even RAUL was frightened by BRIANs vengeful rage and it was apparent BRIAN had no qualms about killing all of them right then and there. LATIN GANGSTER #2 seemed to grow childishly indignant over principle. LATIN GANGSTER #2 Why you gotta cheat? LATIN GANGSTER #1 This was just a beatdown! Why you putos pullin heat? BRIAN Tell me what the fuck you know about my sister! LATIN GANGSTER #3 Nothing! I dont even know you got a sister! RAUL tentatively put his hand on BRIANs shooting arm and tried to pacify him.

RAUL Yo Dancer, be cool. BRIAN did not even look at RAUL, and gave no physical response. His muscles stayed coiled, and the hate in his eyes seemed to burn even wilder. BRIAN Bitch-assed motherfuckers plan on talking shit about family and walking away from this shit? [beat] Fuck that! RAUL kept his voice soft and soothing, continuing to plead with BRIAN. RAUL Man, its cool, theyre leaving. BRIAN Man, what makes you think I want them leaving? RAUL Come on, man. Its cool. Dont go down like this, man. BRIAN glared and scoffed at RAUL, trying to pull his gun hand free to adjust his aim on GANGSTER #3. BRIAN Aint a cop for miles. [beat] What the fuck makes you think Im going down for this? RAUL Just be cool, man. Be cool. RAUL slowly and gently put his other hand on BRIANs pistol hand and raised it so it was pointing over the LATIN TEENS heads and looks back at them. RAUL (continued) Man, get the fuck out of here! The LATIN TEENS started backing away from BRIAN and RAUL nervously, slowly gaining more confidence as they got farther away from BRIAN who was still trying to angle his pistol back at them as RAUL directed BRIANs forearm higher. LATIN GANGSTER #1 Man, thats not cool, ese. We couldve settled this shit right here. LATIN GANGSTER #2 That was stupid, puto. We got guns too, you know.

LATIN GANGSTER #1 & #2 turned away and began walking with their backs to RAUL and BRIAN. BRIAN, still visibly considering killing them, allowed himself to be subdued by RAUL, and RAUL more easily was able to redirect the GLOCK. Still, RAUL swayed back and forth trying to keep the GLOCK from pointing at the LATIN GANGSTERS. LATIN GANGSTER #3 continued walking backwards away from RAUL and BRIAN, raising his hand in the air, flashing LPL in sign, and spat. LATIN GANGSTER #3 After I kill you, your sisters gonna be sucking my dick, bitch! BRIAN was instantly incensed and pushed past RAUL to aim at the LATIN TEENS who were now running down the street for their lives. RAUL ran out after BRIAN to prevent him from shooting them in the backs, and hit the GLOCK up into the air as BRIAN fired two shots in a double tap. LATIN GANGSTER #1 & 2 were now hitting LATIN GANGSTER #3 in the back of the head at full sprint for risking their lives by insulting BRIAN as they raced around the corner at the end of the block. RAUL Are you crazy? BRIAN Get out of the way! Im not playing! RAUL Its over! [beat] Its over. RAUL looked at BRIAN nervously until BRIAN nodded reassuringly that his temper was again in check. RAUL then collapsed on the concrete step at the doorway to the LIQUOR STORE and breathed hard. RAUL Damn, man. That was crazy. BRIAN Yeah. You cool? RAUL Fuckers ripped my shirt off, dude! [beat] That was my favorite shirt! BRIAN Your eyes fucked up. RAUL touched his eye and winced. BRIAN (continued) Alright, hold up.

BRIAN started walking into the LIQUOR STORE when a SHOTGUN BLAST went off and took off a section of the ENTRANCE, and RAUL hit the ground, and BRIAN rolled away against the wall. BRIAN leaned nervously into the shop and shouted into it. BRIAN (continued in Korean) Uncle Yoon, its me. Dont shoot me! BRIAN peeked in and UNCLE YOON put up the SHOTGUN. BRIAN into the LIQUOR STORE. UNCLE YOON (in Korean) What happened? BRIAN (in Korean) Stupid kids. By the way, I got a kid I know outside. Hes Mexican, hes not wearing a shirt and hes got a big tattoo of a butterfly on his back. Dont shoot him, hes cool. UNCLE YOON (in Korean) Butterfly? [beat] Is he a fag? BRIAN (in Korean) No. I think he just liked the movie Papillion or something. UNCLE YOON (in Korean) I dont think the police are going to come. BRIAN (in Korean) Alright, well, just get me a cold soda from the back, will you? BRIAN returned to the FRONT STEPS and looked down on RAUL who was now sitting on the entrance steps to the LIQUOR STORE. UNCLE YOON walked out with a soda can and handed it to BRIAN, who put it against the back of RAULS neck. RAUL winced and then took the soda can with a nod of appreciation and placed it on the side of his head and across his swollen eye. UNCLE YOONS face contorted and he muttered to himself as he walked back to the counter. UNCLE YOON (in Korean) What a waste of a soda! RAUL looked up and back at UNCLE YOON with a surprised look. RAUL You know, I cant speak Korean, but I think I understood that. BRIAN

And what would that be? RAUL Same thing my momz would say if she saw me giving one of her cold sodas to Cain. BRIAN sat next to RAUL on the step and scoffed as though he had a point. BRIAN Man, what happened to you? RAUL I dont know. Im going down the street to check on my momz when these fools jumped me for something. Probably pissed I stomped some fools last night. BRIAN What happened last night? RAUL looked up at BRIAN with a cunning grin and waved with his free hand as if what he was saying was just another day in the neighborhood. RAUL Man, you know how it is. Since Thursday, these foolsve been running around fucking with hats off. Last night some PL fools were trying to get some free pussy from this little chick too young for her body. I came out and they were just taking the pussy. Not even asking for it. RAUL shrugged and smiled. RAUL (continued) So, I went to work. BRIAN Guess they were looking for you, man. RAUL Well, Im not hard to find. [beat] I live right down the street from them. BRIAN You going to need some help finding these fools? RAUL No, Im straight. Some of those fools live in my building. Once I get back from my moms house, Im gonna handle this shit. BRIAN Well, just give a shout if you need anything.

RAUL Thanks, man. Good looking out. BRIAN Just doing my part, man. Besides, LTd be pissed if I just let you catch a beat down in front of my store. RAUL Ill remember that. BRIAN Just dont let them chase you into my store. RAUL Naw, man. I handle my shit. BRIAN Just the same, if you need us to bounty up, give a shout. Id rather handle this at their front door than mine. RAUL stood up and shook BRIANs hand. RAUL Right, right. [beat] Im gonna be out. Thanks again, homie. BRIAN We got you. RAUL And thanks for the soda. BRIAN Just pay me later. Its my fathers soda [beat] Not mine. RAUL Ill get you later today. BRIAN Cool. RAUL walked down the street bare-chested, his vibrant BUTTERFLY TATTOO proud and scarred on his back, with the soda at the side of his temple and he jogged across the street and out of sight. BRIAN turned and walked back into the LIQUOR STORE. Just then, a purple MONTE CARLO pulled up to the corner in front of the LIQUOR STORE. LT hopped out of the car and leaned in the window. BIG JOHN offered his hand and LT shook it. BIG JOHN

Again, hate to lose you. LT Yeah well, I guess my number was coming up and I was finally smart enough to look up and see it. BIG JOHN Well, its coming around for all of us. Keep in touch. LT You got it. [beat] Be safe. Those trucks are no joke. BIG JOHN Aait. Enough about that shit. Thats between mano a mano. Nobody needs to know about that. LT Who you telling? MARTESE Remember you said that. MARTESE made a gesture with his index finger as if he were shooting a gun at LT and stared coldly at him. BIG JOHN looked back at MARTESE and laughed at MARTESES stupidity and waved to LT. BIG JOHN Later, man. The car pulled off, leaving LT to watch as it picked up speed, weaving into traffic.

LT Later. LT stared as the MONTE CARLO pulled off and sailed down the street, watching it until it was almost out of site. INTERCUT TO: INTERIOR CAR JAMES sprinkled MARIJUANA into a BLUNT CIGAR while MARTESE stared through the rearview window back at LT. MARTESE Man, we dont need that bitch. BIG JOHN

Watch what you say about LT. I like that little nigger. Hes more a friend than you two put together by a mile. And then some. So I dont wanna hear shit about it. Whatever beef you two got between you, drop it. JAMES I dont know what you trippin on LT for, that boyd take a long walk through gen-pop an not make a peep. Its Taevon, Im worried about. MARTESE Why Taevon? JAMES He was in the job all the way up until he heard those sirens. Hes gonna be pissed when he sees us coming up off of this shit. MARTESE Man, Taevons down. He aint gonna rat on nobody. JAMES Taevons always been a hater. He would rat us out to the cops just because he didnt get a cut. BIG JOHN slammed on the brakes and pulled the car over, looking back at JAMES. JAMES busied himself with the lighting of his cigar and inhaling deeply. JAMES Oh yeah, [beat] thats the shit right there. BIG JOHN began driving again and looked into the rearview mirror at MARTESE.

BIG JOHN The nigger does have a point. MARTESE Yup. BIG JOHN Martese, where do Taevon stay again? JAMES Oh, he wont be at home. First of the month. Hed be at the Bank. MARTESE Taevon dont got no job. JAMES

He scamming the county. Been doing it for six months now. BIG JOHN How do you know this? JAMES He been buying rock off me with food stamps. BIG JOHN What bank? JAMES He dont go to the one by his house. He goes all the way down to Western and King. BIG JOHN Why Western and King? JAMES Because he jacks old ladies social security checks at the bank by his house. He dont wanna get caught. [beat] Personally, I think he doing it all backwards, but thats on him. BIG JOHN Western and King it is. JAMES Oh, hey, stop by that Chinese place on Vernon, first. I want some pork ribs. MARTESE James, were gonna kill the nigger. You do understand this, right? JAMES Man, Im hungry. BIG JOHN Man, shut up about food back there, you know nothings open today. Get your game face on. JAMES Hey Martese. MARTESE Nigger, what? JAMES You still got that candy bar? BIG JOHN

James, so help me, shut up about food! JAMES Aait. [beat] Damn.

CUT TO: KIMs LIQUOR STORE LT walked into the LIQUOR STORE and kept right on into the back waving to an ugly KOREAN MAN [UNCLE YOON] sitting at the cash register with a predatory glare. LT Whats up, Uncle Yoon? UNCLE YOON made no gesture of acknowledgement. LT grabbed a cold SODA out of the WALL COOLER and walked out to the back where BRIAN emptied the trash. LT Hey, Dancer. BRIAN Dont call me that, man. Whatd I tell you? LT Sorry, Brian. BRIAN Whats up, LT? LT But you can call me LT? BRIAN Better than Terrance. LT Fuck you. LT smiled as he sat down on the concrete step and cracked his neck with a loud sigh at the sound of the pop. BRIAN smiled down at LT with a shake of his head and LT popped the tab on his SODA and drank it down in loud long gulps. BRIAN You just missed out. [beat] Me and Butterfly just had a fight with some LPL wannabes.

LT I thought I saw blood out there. He okay? BRIAN Hes got a black eye, but hes fine. Hes at his moms house. LT Man, that woman makes some great Menudo. BRIAN Yeah, she does. [beat] Dont get me hungry, man. LT Sorry. [beat] Any word from that kid? BRIAN sat down next to LT on the concrete step and leaned against the dumpster. BRIAN Sean? [beat] No. [beat] Hes been in protective custody since the riot broke out. He should be fine, though. LT Man, what is he in jail for, anyway? BRIAN He begged me not to talk about it [beat] Lets just say hes in jail for being a stupid-ass, and hell get out when he gets out. LT Can you give me a hint? BRIAN Hows about this? He wont have a drivers license for the next twenty years, if Reardon has his way. LT Fair enough. [beat] Street racing or GTA? BRIAN Drop it, LT. LT Alright, sorry. BRIAN By the way, your boy was looking for you. [beat] Cain.

LT Oh, Malcolm came by? [beat] He wasnt slanging in front of your shop again was he? BRIAN Not this time from what I could figure. LT Whatd he say? BRIAN I finally got Uncle Yoon to tell me what he said just now. He was wondering if you were okay. Everyones talking about killing Whites and Koreans, I guess hes worried. LT And he stopped by to check on us? [beat] God, that was sweet of him. BRIAN Check on you. He doesnt give a shit about me. He stole some Tang and dared my uncle to shoot him in the back. And he tagged my pops wall. Tell your boy, Im gonna fuck him up next time I see him. Thats a fact, not a threat. LT Damn, Im sorry. Ill cover it. BRIAN A dollar seventy-eight? Save your money. LT You really want to fuck him up, dont you? BRIAN Believe me, its coming. [beat] So, what happened? LT What do you mean? BRIAN You look like you just been chased by the devil and got away. LT Brian, its been a fucked up day, man. BRIAN Its called a riot for a reason. LT

Why are you still open, anyway? Most of the other Koreans are either on rooftops or in Arcadia, right now. BRIAN And the ones in Arcadia will come home to a burnt out store. Fuck that. We gotta hold the fort down. Besides, we need to stay busy. LT Why, whats up? BRIAN Sue took off again. Last night. She never came home. LT Shit [beat] You think something happened to her? BRIAN Dont know. You know how crazy she is. [beat] Were just waiting on her call.[beat] Until we get some information, we gotta stay busy. [beat] Im surprised you didnt ask if we called the cops. Everyone else has. LT Its called a riot for a reason, Brian. BRIAN Right. The only cop we saw all day was doing sixty and disappeared around the bend to Slauson.

LT Yeah, we heard about that. [beat] Those two thought theyd arrest a hundred fifty looters on their own. BRIAN They get killed? LT Worse. [beat] They got jumped by both Bloods and Crips, cuffed to each other, mugged and they stole their squad car. BRIAN Damn.[beat] Thats fucked up. [beat] Funny [beat] but fucked up. Are they okay? LT They should be. They were asking other looters to uncuff them.

BRIAN You know, Id laugh, but I just cant right now. LT Yeah. Im sorry bro. [beat] You need help? BRIAN You can sweep the front with me. LT stood up and grabbed a BROOM then walked through the shop and onto the front sidewalk and began sweeping while BRIAN took FULL TRASH BAGS inside. A tricked out IMPALA rolled past and the windows rolled down. LT stared at the opening window with cold eyes recognizing the sound of a shotgun being cocked and stood unphased. 1st VOICE FROM CAR You lost white boy? 2nd VOICE FROM CAR Ay yo, thats LT, dont fuck with him. That white boys crazy. The tires of the IMPALA chirped as the back end fishtailed out into traffic and it disappeared around the corner. LT stood still for a moment and sighed as BRIAN walked out with his GLOCK in hand. BRIAN You cool? LT Its a riot, remember? BRIAN nodded his understanding and put his GLOCK away, picking up a BROOM. LT lit a cigarette and let out a shiver. LT Man, this is a fucked up day.