LOYAL

Written by

Alina Gabriela Dougan Calderón

INT - DARK LARGE OFFICE ROOM WITH A DESK IN THE MIDDLE. 5 PM

Jude(35) is handcuffed to a chair. LUCIANO (54) comes in and

sits in the chair behind the desk which is in front of Jude.
Two men are standing behind him. They aren’t pointing their
guns at him but are casually holding them pointing down.

JUDE
Uhhggg... of course... the Cubans.
What do you want this time?

LUCIANO
We want to make a deal.

JUDE
Not interested. If this is just
another attempt to become the king
of the underworld your just going
to fail. Like you’ve always done.
Can you guys take me back to my
house now? I’m getting bored and my
wife must be worried.

One of the men comes up and strikes Jude’s face with the end
of a handgun.

JUDE (CONT'D)
(says casually)
Looks like this guy wants to die.

Jude smiles at him with a cunning look in his eye. He shakes

his head and looks back at Luciano. Luciano looks at his
henchman with a stare as if to say “don’t do that again”.

JUDE (CONT'D)
Why are you even in this business?
You know it’s a stereotype for
Cubans to be gangsters, right?

LUCIANO
As opposed to your side... the
Italians?

JUDE
Point taken.

There is silence in the room for a second. Luciano comes to

attention wanting to talk about business.

LUCIANO
Now listen to me.

Luciano takes a cigar from his desk and lights it.

 2.

LUCIANO (CONT'D)
Costello has been the king of this
joint for too long. What has he
ever done to deserve it? He does
absolutely everything to stay on
top no matter how disgusting the
acts are. Why do you feel so much
loyalty to him?

JUDE
You say this like as if you’re not
trying to do anything possible to
get to the top. I’ve seen all the
deaths that have happened because
of your ambitions. So don’t act
like you’re Mary the mother of God,
you f***ing hypocrite.

There is a pause. Jude clears his throat.

JUDE (CONT'D)
As for loyalty. He may be ruthless
but you have no idea how much
compassion that man has. Why do you
think you’re still alive after all
those attempts to take him down?
You knew that it was better to
conspire against him without
personally attacking him. That has
been your only saving grace. He
only takes out people when he
absolutely knows there is an
incredibly good reason for it. At
least your smart enough to know
that.

Luciano looks at him with a contemplating gaze.

LUCIANO
No. I don’t think that’s the
reason. It may have something to do
with it, but your loyalty to
Costello has to do with something
personal.

Jude looks at Luciano with a death stare. He contemplates

what it is that he should say at this point. His face
completely changes to one of friendship.

JUDE
Well, I see no danger in telling
you how we met. At least you’ll be
able to see that my betrayal will
be impossible.
 3.

JUDE (CONT'D)
I was a young boy when we came to
meet. I’d say I was about 10. My
father was a drunk and I despised
him for it.

Flash back...

INT. LIVING ROOM OF JUDE’S OLD HOUSE WITH RANDOM THINGS

THROWN AROUND EVERYWHERE.

Jude is sitting in the corner of the fireplace trying to see

what’s going to happen. His FATHER is in a mad rage getting
furious at his MOTHER for no reason. He is holding a bottle
of beer in his right hand.

FATHER
Why is it that I come back to this
house after a day of hard work and
IT LOOKS LIKE THIS?

MOTHER
(stuttering)
You know I had to go visit my
sister today. She’s in the hospi...

Father interrupts Mother when he smashes the bottom of the

bottle on a nearby table sending shards of glass everywhere.

FATHER
(in a quiet voice)
Is she really in the hospital?
Or are you making that up? I
wouldn’t be surprised if I came
home one day to find you in bed
with another man.

Mother looks clearly horrified.

MOTHER
Of course not. I would neve...

FATHER
SHUT UP, YOU F***ING SLUT. I know
you. You can’t stand the sight of
me. I see you everyday hoarding the
money that you get just so that you
can leave me.

Mother starts hyperventilating. Father starts getting closer

with the broken bottle gripped in his hand in a very
threatening way.
 4.

FATHER (CONT'D)
(talks with a deathly
silent tone)
You planning on leaving with one of
your lovers? I hope you anticipated
what would happen to you if I ever
found out.

Father backs Mother up into a corner. She looks around trying

to find anything to defend herself with.

FATHER (CONT'D)
(Yelling)
I AM NOT GOING TO HAVE MY WHORE OF
A WIFE WALK AWAY WITH SOME RANDOM
FROM WHO KNOWS WHERE.

Jude covers his mouth when he witnesses the end of the bottle
enter his Mother’s stomach. Blood starts seeping out of the
wound. A second later his mother collapses to the ground.

Father looks down with no regret. He lifts his drunken head

as if he has remembered something.

FATHER (CONT'D)
Oh, JUUUDE? Where are you?

Jude tries to back up into the fireplace even more.

FATHER (CONT'D)
Come on out. I’m not in the mood
for playing around.

Father heads upstairs looking for Jude. Jude runs to the

kitchen door and flies out of the house.

INT. BACK TO THE PRESENT. LUCIANO’S OFFICE.

JUDE
After I ran out I wandered the
streets for days. In that time I
vowed revenge on my Father.
Costello found me and was able to
make that happen. I still remember
the day I was able to plunge a
knife into his chest. After that,
Castello raised me. Everything I
have in my life right now is due to
him. I even married his daughter.
My family was made because of him.

A pause.
 5.

JUDE (CONT'D)
Do you see now, why it is useless
to try and get me to betray
Costello?

LUCIANO
I don’t think it’s useless.
Everything has a price. If you
cooperate with me I’ll make sure
that Costello isn’t killed. He will
be disposed of in a different way.

Jude looks at Luciano in a way as if to say, “you’re wasting

your time.”

LUCIANO (CONT'D)
There is something very interesting
that you left out of that story
that I do think will influence your
decision... I found your parents,
Jude.

Jude’s eyes widen in surprise.

LUCIANO (CONT'D)
Why is it that you didn’t want to
tell me that you were adopted?... I
wonder ... anyway, the important
thing here is that if you fulfill
my request I will tell you who your
parents are AND their location. You
will also receive 30,000 dollars...
cash. And I will give you my word
that Costello shall not be harmed.

Jude keeps looking more uncertain by the second.

JUDE
Why do you even need me?

LUCIANO
Isn’t it obvious? You are the one
Costello trusts the most. You could
tell him to go to Hell and he would
trust you enough to do it. Costello
is such a powerful man that we need
a concrete plan for this to ever
work which is why you are the most
important key.

They both glare at each other. Fade to black.

 6.

INT. COSTELLO’S OFFICE. MIDDAY

Jude walks into the room. Costello (60) is sitting at his

desk.

COSTELLO
We have a new shipment coming in
tomorrow. I’m going to need you to
barter a deal with the men there.

JUDE
Look...
(sighs)
I’m going to be at a funeral
tomorrow. One of my daughter’s
classmates died. I’ll still go if
you need me to. But it would be
great if you went. Everyone loves a
leader that takes risks with his
men.

COSTELLO
You kidding? Of course I’m not
going. That would be the perfect
chance for the Russians to kill me.
We are on peaceful terms with them
right now but I don’t think they
would resist to kill me with that
great of an opportunity.

JUDE
They know not to kill you. If they
do... well, everyone knows about
me. I would hunt them down like
dogs. Plus...
(pause)
I have been hearing the slightest
murmurs among the personnel. They
think you’ve gotten soft and that
you don’t care for their wellbeing
anymore. This would be a great way
to prove them wrong without anyone
getting hurt.

COSTELLO
Ughh... These people. During my
time here I have had the least rats
in my ranks than any other crime
lord has ever had. I’m beginning to
question wether it’s worth having
them around. Those unfaithful sons
of bitches.

Jude looks at him with a serious gaze for a moment.

 7.

COSTELLO (CONT'D)
Fine... I’ll go. But if I have to
do this, you’re going to plan my
brother’s wedding.

JUDE
It’s a deal.

INT. JUDE’S BEDROOM - THE NEXT DAY - NIGHT

Jude is reading a book in bed while waiting. Jude’s phone

rings. He picks it up.

FRANCESCA
(Crying)
Jude... father has been shot. I’m
in the hospital right now. The
doctors don’t know what’s going to
happen. It’s really bad.

Jude’s face reflects shock.

JUDE
Don’t worry, Francesca I’ll be
there soon.

Jude hangs up and calls Luciano. After waiting for a few

moments he finally picks up.

JUDE (CONT'D)
Luciano, you bastard. You said you
weren’t going to kill him.

LUCIANO
Do you really think I would have
allowed him to go to prison for a
few years and then come back to
take everything away from me? You
are one of the most gullible people
I’ve ever met.
(He laughs)
and you know what the funniest
thing is? Your father was
Costello’s twin. He died at 21.
Your mother left you with the first
couple she found to hide you from
the mob life. I’m betting Costello
found you and took you in because
you reminded him so much of his
brother. He probably had no idea
you were the son of his closest
mate.
(MORE)
 8.

LUCIANO (CONT'D)
I almost died when you told me you
married Costello’s daughter. Life
is so ironic sometimes.

Jude just stares at the wall in silence.

LUCIANO (CONT'D)
Anyway, the money has already been
placed at your doorstep. Don’t use
it all on sweets.

JUDE
(serious tone)
Take it back. I don’t want it.

LUCIANO
Haaah. I’m sorry but a deal’s a
deal. What you do from now on is
not my problem. Goodbye.

Jude goes into a staggering rage. He starts kicking

everything around him. After minutes pass he finally falls on
the floor weeping in defeat.

JUDE
How could I have done this?
Costello was the reason I got a
life.

He looks up at the ceiling and slowly reaches under the bed.

He pulls out a gun and places the barrel in his mouth.

THE END