THE TRAIL by Robert Amacker

THE TRAIL

Written by

Robert Amacker

Based on the novel of the same name

1860 Ala Moana Blvd. #2003 / Honolulu, HI 96815

(808) 426-8067

INT. – ALAN’S MUSTANG 1 – ON THE ROAD 1

They are sitting silently when Jay suddenly begins to speak.

JAY

(staring straight ahead)

You remember, man, the last time I

saw you, I mean years ago, that

night in the dorm when you came

over before leaving for Hawaii?

ALAN

Alright.

JAY

You remember what I said?

ALAN

Something about how you got fucked

in the astronaut program.

JAY

I said I’d make them pay for

fucking me, remember?

ALAN

Sure, I remember that. Only at the

time I wasn’t quite sure who it was

you were talking about.

JAY

I wasn’t either. But I came out

here, and I found Alex, and after a

few acid trips, I began to see

things more clearly. I saw how

conditioned everyone was in the way

they looked at things, how humanity

https://whitecrowtaiji.com/wp-admin/profile.phpwas being turned into a bunch of

soulless robots. And that was what

fucked me, man, it wasn’t any

particular people, it was a whole

sterile view of the world, that

couldn’t see people for what they

really are, reducing them to

statistics, numbers. That’s what I

had become, man, that’s what the

guy was really telling me when he

said that those are the “rules.” He

was telling me that everybody in

charge is just fucking asleep, and

they’re afraid of anybody who

isn’t. Well I said I’d make them

pay for fucking me, and I am.

(MORE)

I realized that the only way to

fight them was by waking people up,

and acid is the key to that.

(pauses to glance over at

Alan)

I’d like to give it away, man, I’d

like to really wake up the world,

and I tried that, and I found out

you can only do that in a limited

way. No – it has to cost money,

because when people can make money,

can actually make a living waking

people up, then there’s no limit to

how far it can spread. And besides,

it’s right. It’s right that the

pioneers should be rewarded, that

the ones who have the vision and

the balls to make it happen, should

not have to do anything else to

live, to be as happy as they might

want to be. They’ve earned it. The

Birds, man, they’ve earned it ten

times over.

(pauses)

But it’s not for the money, it’s

not for us, it’s for humanity, for

the sake of the whole fucking

world. And we have to be warriors.

Because we are the agents of

change, and change always meets

resistance.

There is a pause and it is clear from the look on Alan’s

face, as they both stare resolutely out of the windshield,

that he finds this monologue of Jay’s just a bit over the top

of lunacy. He turns to stare silently at Jay for a moment,

then returns his gaze to the road.

JAY (CONT’D)

I believe in karma, man. In fate,

destiny, whatever you want to call

it. I never thought we’d see each

other again, after New York. I

definitely did not expect to find

you dressed like a hit-man, packing

a gun and holding a million dollars

worth of Maui Wowie, tied to a

chair in a coke dealer’s safe-house

in San Francisco. But maybe it was

inevitable, that we’d meet on the

trail, because in the beginning, it

was me, and Alex-

(he pauses and looks at

Alan)

JAY (CONT’D)

(MORE)

2.

And you, man. You were there, at

the beginning, your house, hell,

your acid, actually. You were the

catalyst, man. I never forgot that.

I owed you.

ALAN

(after a short pause)

You had a funny way of showing it.

JAY

(looking ahead and

grimacing slightly)

Oh, you mean Sylvia. Yeah, that was

fucked up, I guess.

ALAN

That’s it? It was fucked up?

JAY

I just went over to say goodbye.

She was taking some stuff to your

place so she could work there

during the summer, and I helped

her. One thing led to another,

that’s all. It lasted a few weeks.

ALAN

A stop on the trail.

JAY

(after a pause)

I didn’t know you even knew about

it. I’m surprised she told you.

ALAN

She didn’t.

JAY

How did you find out, then?

ALAN

You got her pregnant, Jay.

(silence)

Did you hear what I said?

JAY

Yeah. So what happened?

ALAN

She got an abortion.

JAY (CONT’D)

3.

JAY

Are you sure? I wouldn’t think she

would do that.

ALAN

Oh, I’m sure, all right.

JAY

Well, man, I guess you have a right

to be pretty pissed at me.

ALAN

I guess I have.

JAY

So if you just want me to help you

unload your weed and go on your

way, that would be pretty

understandable.

ALAN

I guess it would.

JAY

But like I said, I believe in

karma, and we’ve got some together,

and you were there in the

beginning, so if you want to be a

part of it, if you want to be one

of the pioneers of the new wave of

consciousness that’s about to sweep

the world, well, the offer’s there.

ALAN

You mean, become one of the Birds?

JAY

That’s exactly what I mean. There’s

a place for you, Alan. Because you

are a fucking pure soul, because

you wouldn’t cheat me or rat on me

even if you hated my guts, because

whoever or whatever I am, I can

depend on you to be you, and that

is rare, man, that is the fucking

rarest thing in the world.

ALAN

(considers this all

silently for a moment)

Alright. I’m in.

(they continue to ride in

silence for a moment)

(MORE)

4.

So. Do I get a special name, a

special bird?

JAY

Oh, yeah. You do.

ALAN

And it is …?

JAY

Penguin.

ALAN

(after a short pause)

So how do I start?

JAY

You’re going to school.

EXT. – HIGH PERFORMANCE 2 DRIVING SCHOOL 2

Alan learning how to get the most out of his Mustang.

3 EXT. – COMBAT SHOOTING ACADEMY – BIG BEAR LAKE, CA 3

Alan doing combat drills with his 45.

4 EXT. – MUSTANG (PARKED) 4

Alex showing Alan how to use his satellite phone.

5 EXT. – CAB OF THE NEST – LATE AFTERNOON 5

Jack is showing Alan how to drive the semi. After a few

seconds of instruction, we cut to a long stretch of straight

highway, and Alan is sitting comfortably behind the wheel.

ALAN

So, Jack, how did you meet up with

Jay?

JACK

I picked him up hitch-hiking.

ALAN

Are you kidding?

JACK

No. That’s the first time I ever

saw the guy.

ALAN (CONT’D)

5.

ALAN

And Jay was hitch-hiking? He didn’t

have a car? Had he been in an

accident?

JACK

Ha! You don’t get it. He was

looking for a driver, somebody who

had experience with the local

roads, the laws, speed traps, all

that kind of shit.

ALAN

So he was hitching rides to give

job interviews?

JACK

Yeah. I thought he was pulling my

leg, at first, or crazy. We had

this conversation about drugs, and

I told him I’d dropped acid – I

mean, he didn’t look like he was

from the fucking Board of

Transportation – and then when he

got out he told me to meet him at

this motel room near Stinson Beach,

and I thought then that maybe he

was a fag or something, and I just

said so, and he said no he had a

job to offer me, maybe. I still

didn’t think he was for real but

then he put a thousand dollars down

on the seat and just left it there

and I thought hey I’m cute but

nobody pays this much for a blow

job. So I went to meet him.

ALAN

And what happened?

JACK

We dropped acid.

ALAN

I see.

JACK

He asked me a bunch of shit, I

don’t remember what, I think we had

possibly a thousand mikes each. I

was fucking flying. I’m sure I

didn’t hold anything back.

6.

ALAN

Is that the way all the Birds get

recruited?

JACK

You mean, dropping with Jay?

Absolutely. Isn’t that what

happened with you?

ALAN

The first time Jay ever took acid,

it was with me.

JACK

No shit?

(digests this for a

moment)

So how did you two meet?

ALAN

He stole my girl.

EXT. – NORTHERN CA 6 HIGHWAY – AFTERNOON 6

Alan is speeding along in the Mustang – clearly speeding, and

we see the speedometer registering eighty-five miles an hour

to prove it. He pulls off the side next to a mile marker

reading 97, and fires up his satellite phone.

ALAN

(on the phone)

Yo. Blackbird.

JACK

Blackbird here.

ALAN

You’re clear up to marker 97.

JACK

Roger that. We’re rolling.

Alan sits back and lights a cigarette, lingers a bit, then

hits the road again, still speeding. After a few moments, he

gets a beep from his radar detector. Immediately he slows

down, and then sees a cop car appear in his rear view mirror.

The cop is following, but not pulling him over.

ALAN

(using his phone again)

Yo. Blackbird.

7.

JACK

Present.

ALAN

Picked up some rollers around

marker 119.

JACK

Problem?

ALAN

No. I slowed down before he got on

my tail. He’s checking me out,

though. This car never fails to get

their attention.

JACK

I told you they were fond of

staking out this stretch.

ALAN

I’ll see if I can pull him off the

highway.

Alan takes a turn-off, driving deliberately a little wildly,

but not enough to get arrested. The cop follows.

ALAN (CONT’D)

(still on the phone)

Got him. Come on through. I’ll

catch up to you at the cook-site.

The Nest rolls past marker 97.

7 EXT. – COOK-SITE 7

In a wooded grove, with the Nest parked in the background,

various members of the Bird Gang (Alan, Jay, Jack, Alex, and

a couple more) are gathered around a campfire, drinking beers

and passing a joint. It’s a very kumbaya moment, and it’s

clear that there is real comradeship.

8 EXT. – PORCH OF ALAN’S HOUSE NEAR CLEAR LAKE – SUNSET 8

Alan and Jay are alone sitting on his porch, drinking beers

and sharing a joint.

8.

ALAN

Were you just passing by, or have

you got something you want me to

do?

JAY

I want you to check something out

for me.

ALAN

What?

JAY

You know, almost everything we need

to make acid is either legal or

easy to get here in the states,

except one thing: ergotamine.

ALAN

Yeah, I knew that.

JAY

Well, there’s a shipment of

ergotamine coming from Europe for

us. I ordered it months ago.

ALAN

I remember.

JAY

They just called me to tell me it’s

going to be late.

ALAN

Really.

JAY

Yeah, and I’m a little worried.

ALAN

You think it’s compromised?

JAY

Maybe. It’s hard to get a feel for

it over the phone. I want you to go

there and ask about it in person.

Tell whoever’s working at the desk

you want to see the boss. If it’s a

trap, he’d have to know. See if you

can get a read on the whole thing,

if he’s nervous, up tight. And look

into the warehouse, if you can, see

if that’s where they keep their

delivery van.

9.

ALAN

If you’re worried, why not just

give it a pass? The money’s not

worth the risk.

JAY

The money for the ergotamine, no,

it’s not, but the money we’ll lose

by going out of production for the

length of time it would take to

establish a new connection – ‘cause

if it’s blown, it’s blown – that’s

unacceptable. What’s coming should

keep us going for another year, if

we can just get it.

EXT. – SHIPPING 9 COMPANY IN ALBANY 9

Alan’s Mustang pulls into the lot and he gets out, climbs the

exterior stairway to the office entrance.

10 INT. – WAREHOUSE 10

Alan passes through the tiny waiting room into the room with

the shipping desk. He strides past the long-haired CLERK

behind the counter and checks out the warehouse interior

through the double doors separating it from the desk.

CLERK

Can I help you?

ALAN

Yeah.

(hands a slip of paper

over to the clerk)

You think you could check on this

order for me?

CLERK

(checking the slip)

Sure. Just a second.

(thumbs through a binder

on the counter)

It’s late. Somebody was supposed to

call you.

ALAN

Yeah, well, the delay is costing us

money, and I’d like to talk to your

boss about it. Could you ask him if

I could have a minute of his time?

10.

CLERK

(nervously)

The boss isn’t here right now.

ALAN

When’s he returning?

CLERK

Later.

(nervous)

I don’t know exactly.

ALAN

Do you know the reason for the

delay?

CLERK

No reason. I mean – I don’t know

the reason.

ALAN

(gives the clerk a long

look – decides he’s seen

enough)

Thanks.

CLERK

(as Alan turns to leave)

Wait.

Alan turns back to the counter, where the clerk is motioning

him confidentially with his hand.

CLERK (CONT’D)

Just a second.

(he goes to the double

door and checks the

warehouse interior, then

he goes to the window in

the door to the waiting

room and checks that)

Listen,

(coming back behind the

counter)

They’re on to you.

ALAN

(does a double take)

I beg your pardon?

CLERK

I’m telling you, man, they are

waiting for you.

11.

ALAN

What are you talking about?

CLERK

The feds were here, FBI, DEA, some

shit like that. I overheard them

talking to the boss while I was in

the head.

(he pauses, but Alan says

nothing)

They asked him to help set you up,

man, and he told them to go fuck

themselves. They said it was

ergotamine, for LSD. He said he

didn’t give a fuck what it was,

they could do their own dirty work.

But they made him delay the

delivery while they got some kind

of warrants. Now he says he’s going

to work the counter that day. I

think maybe he figures you and the

fuzz might get into some kind of

gunfight. He’s giving almost

everybody the day off.

ALAN

Why are you telling me this?

CLERK

Are you kidding? This is for acid,

right? Well fuck, brother, glad to

help out.

11 INT. – ALAN’S HOUSE 11

Alan and Jay are talking over Alan’s recon mission.

JAY

A secret brother.

(gives Alan a stare)

He’s a secret brother.

ALAN

Well, it’s too bad. I guess we’ll

have to start looking for another

source.

JAY

(not seeming to have been

listening)

They’re all over, more and more.

It’s happening. The consciousness

revolution. It’s happening.

12.

ALAN

(trying to keep the

conversation on track)

Europe? Will we have to go to

Europe?

JAY

(coming sharply out of his

revery)

Fuck Europe. We need this shipment.

This shipment.

ALAN

FBI, DEA. What did I just find out?

JAY

Okay. They know about us. But now,

we know about them. We’re even.

ALAN

You’ve got a plan?

JAY

No. But I will.

EXT. – ALAN’S HOUSE 12 – LATE AFTERNOON 12

The whole gang is there, building a six-foot by six-foot

wooden packing crate that has a chair inside with elaborate

seat-belt harnesses. When the crate is completed, Jay straps

himself in and they throw the thing off of the loading dock.

JAY

(still in the seat, to

Alan)

Alright, Penguin. Tomorrow we put

me in the mail.

13 EXT. – ALAN’S HOUSE – EARLY NEXT MORNING 13

They load the crate into a large van with a fork lift, then

Jay, wearing a white suit with wing-tip shoes and a Panama

hat, gets inside and they put the lid on, sealing him.

Blackbird gets in the cab and the rest watch as he disappears

down the road.

14 INT. – EMPTY WAREHOUSE – EARLY MORNING 14

The crate sits in the early morning quiet in the Albany

warehouse. After a moment, there can faintly be heard a watch

alarm going off inside the crate.

13.

There is the sound of someone kicking, and one side of the

crate comes lose and falls open. Jay, wearing his white suit,

emerges, stretches, and moves to a nearby stack of packages.

One has obviously been placed prominently forward. He picks

it up and walks to a delivery van, poised in front of a rollup

doorway and a ramp leading down to the street. He places

the package on the passenger seat, checks that the key is in

the ignition, and walks back to an interior doorway. He moves

through the double doors into a small anteroom, where an

older man stands behind a raised counter. The man raises his

eyebrows when he sees Jay but says nothing. Jay approaches

the counter and looks into his eyes, whereupon the man

twitches his head and eyes in the direction of the door to

the anteroom. Jay moves to the window and looks in. Two men

are sitting in a waiting room, drinking coffee from take-out

cups and reading the paper. Jay walks back to the counter,

reaches into his pocket, and produces a wad of cash, which he

places on the counter.

JAY

This is for the shipment.

The manager says nothing. Jay pulls out a second stack,

slightly larger.

JAY (CONT’D)

And this is for the damages.

The manager says nothing still, but smiles slightly as he

pulls the stacks towards him. Jay walks back into the

warehouse area and throws a switch on the wall. As the steel

doorway starts to roll up he sits in the driver’s seat of the

van and starts it up. Grasping the steering wheel, he looks

down at his watch, waiting for something.

INT. – BLACK MUSTANG 15 CONVERTIBLE 15

Alan is rolling down highway 80, just north of the Bay Bridge

complex in the far right lane. He glances at his watch, then

at the rear view mirror, where he sees a large semi trailing

him. He checks his speed (we see the gage hovering at exactly

45 MPH) and then stares tensely ahead.

16 INT. – WAREHOUSE 16

Return to Jay in the van. Now the double doors to the

warehouse burst open and the two men (Federal AGENTS) from

the anteroom run in, guns drawn.

AGENT

FBI! Stop what you’re doing and get

out of the car! This is the FBI.

14.

Jay looks again at his watch and grips the wheel more

tightly, staring straight ahead.

AGENT (CONT’D)

Get out of the car now!

He glances at the other agent and they brandish their guns,

preparing to shoot. Suddenly Jay’s wrist watch alarm goes

off. He pops the clutch on the van and tears down the ramp to

the parking lot. The two agents run to the edge of the ramp,

shooting at the van, as Jay careens through the lot to ram

the gate and burst out onto the street. As he blasts towards

the freeway and the nearby on-ramp, the agents leap into

their car and signal two more agents in another car to follow

as they all take to the street in pursuit of the van, sirens

blazing.

17 EXT. – HIGHWAY 80 17

The van lurches onto the freeway in front of Alan. He glances

to the right and can see the two agents’ cars clearing the

parking lot and heading for the entrance ramp. Reaching for

the dashboard, he flashes his lights twice. In the rear view

mirror, he sees Jack acknowledge with a thumbs-up sign. Both

the Mustang and the semi roll past the entrance before the

agents can get on the highway, and they pull in behind the

semi. Just as they start to pass, the semi suddenly cuts

viciously to the left and proceeds to jack-knife on the

highway, sliding sideways and covering all lanes. As other

cars race away, Alan slows to finally stop next to the semi

just as it slides to a halt. After a second’s pause, the

passenger door to the semi, now lying on it’s side, opens.

Jack climbs out and drops over the side to the ground. Alan

guns his engine and pulls up beside him. He jumps inside.

JACK

I’m in! Go! Go!

Alan screeches out onto the now empty highway and races at

top speed until he catches up to the escaping crowd of cars.

Weaving through them at high speed and to the sound of horns

and shouted epithets, he finally exits. As he does so, he

sees the van just pulling up ahead of him. He brakes beside

it, and Jay jumps out and gets into the Mustang, Jack

switching to the back seat. Burning rubber again, the Mustang

pulls out and races off into the distance.

15.

EXT. – BIRD’S EGGS PARTYY SITE 18 – NORTHERN BAY AREA 18

The location is a large wooded hill in the middle of an

expanse of plowed fields, and close to a larger wooded area

(state parkland). There is a party in progress. Two or three

hundred people are scattered over the hill, many close to a

bandstand where a big-name rock & roll band is playing. Not

far away, there is a giant punchbowl presided over by a

beautiful girl filling up paper cups with a ladle and handing

them to appreciative customers. A sign says 500 MICS/CUP.

Near this is another table, with lines of coke spread on a

glass top and a sign reading DON’T BLOW IT. Lurking about are

various members of the Judas Jokers motorcycle gang, used by

the Birds as security for their parties. After some standard

stoned hippies having a party action, we find Alan walking

about alone, sipping a beer and enjoying himself. He comes

upon three very stoned looking hippie chicks (JULIE, SARAH,

and ALICE) being more or less the captive audience of one of

the Jokers, ANGEL (a long-haired, twenty-something,

musclebound blond with a tattoo down one arm that says 82nd

AIRBORNE, and on the other arm I AM THE BADEST MOTHERFUCKER

IN THE VALLEY). Alan is passing when he suddenly notices Jay

slouching nearby, obviously eaves-dropping, and slows down to

listen.

ANGEL

So, I see this color I call red.

And you have a color that you call

red. But we can’t be sure we’re

really seeing the same color. So we

can’t be objective about out

correlations. We don’t have an

objective correlative. See?

SARAH

If we’re not sure it’s the same

thing, why do we call it that? It

seems stupid to me.

ANGEL

You don’t understand. We know it’s

the same ting, we just don’t know

if it looks the same to everybody.

SARAH

If we know it’s the same thing, who

cares what it looks like?

ANGEL

Who cares? Nobody cares. You know,

it’s philosophy.

SARAH

Oh.

16.

Alan, wincing at this conversation, looks over to see Jay

looking down and smiling to himself. He looks back and forth

between Jay and Angel, and gets a worried look on his face.

ALAN

(softly to himself)

Uh oh.

JULIE

(points to the 82nd

Airborne tattoo on

Angel’s arm)

What’s that? What does that mean?

ANGEL

That means I’m a soldier. You know

what skydiving is?

JULIE

Where you jump out of planes?

ANGEL

That’s right, honey. I am a fucking

skydiver.

ALICE

Really? Wow that’s cool.

ANGEL

Maybe one of these days you chicks

can come up and watch me jump.

This is apparently too much for Jay. He looks up, still with

the dangerous smile on his face. He and Alan make eye

contact, and he gives Alan that same look he gave in NYC when

he said: “whatever happens, don’t interfere.”

JAY

(in a mild, almost

falsetto voice)

Wow. You’re a skydiver, for real?

ANGEL

(turns away from the girls

to look at Jay)

Yeah, Mister Bird. You want to go

sometime?

Angel turns his back on Jay and returns to the girls with a

wink and a grin.

17.

JAY

Well gee, man, that sounds pretty

scary. You must have to be pretty

brave to do something like that.

Angel is too stupid to catch the tone of Jay’s voice, but

Alan isn’t, and gets a worried look on his face.

ANGEL

(ignoring Jay)

Hey, tell me again – you’re Julie,

right?

SARAH

No. She’s Julie.

ANGEL

Okay, then you’re-

Jay comes closer and touches Angel lightly on the back.

JAY

(interrupting)

Hey, Angel.

ANGEL

(whirling around)

What?!

JAY

Let’s go now.

ANGEL

(realizing who he is

talking to)

Say what?

JAY

Let’s go now.

ANGEL

Where?

JAY

Skydiving.

ANGEL

(laughing)

Ah, Mister Bird, maybe you didn’t

notice. It’s dark.

JAY

(looking innocently

around)

(MORE)

18.

And that means we can’t go

skydiving?

ANGEL

Well, duh.

(snickers)

Yeah, Mister Bird, that’s what it

means.

JAY

Well, Angel, I agree with you, it’s

dark. But maybe my dark isn’t

actually the same as your dark.

ANGEL

(losing patience)

What the fuck are you talking

about?

JAY

Well, in your dark, we can’t go

skydiving, and in mine, we can. I

guess the problem is, we have no

“objective correlative.” Would you

confirm that’s true, Angel?

ANGEL

(spits on the ground)

If you fucking say so, boss man.

JAY

Well then I think we should settle

this. We should settle this right

now.

ANGEL

Settle what?

JAY

Reality, Angel, the true nature of

reality. Isn’t that what’s

important? Come on, Angel, we’re

having a fucking philosophical

conversation here, aren’t we? Well,

aren’t we? Objective correlatives,

alternate realities, all that good

shit.

ANGEL

You’re fucking stoned, man.

JAY

There’s only one way to settle it,

Angel, you can see that, I’m sure.

JAY (CONT’D)

19.

ANGEL

What way is that?

JAY

We go up, Angel, right now, in the

dark, and we see whose dark is the

real dark, the real reality. Don’t

you want to do that, Angel, find

out the real reality. If we don’t

jump, then your reality is the real

one, and if we do, it’s mine.

ANGEL

You’re fucking cuckoo.

JAY

It’s settled, then. Let’s go.

ANGEL

I’m not going anywhere with you,

man, forget that shit.

Jay straightens his posture a little bit, and the atmosphere

becomes suddenly serious.

JAY

Oh you’re not, huh?

(stands up)

Listen, mister 82nd Airborne,

mister objective correlative, you

are coming up and jumping with me,

right now, or everyone in the Judas

Jokers is going to know what a

cowardly pussy you really are.

A small audience has formed, including DARIO (the leader of

the Jokers, and as much a badass as Jay). Angel, suddenly

realizing that he is in an unwanted confrontation, slightly

panics. He looks to Dario for some help, but Dario merely

flicks his cigarette ash and looks on.

ANGEL

Alright then.

(stands and faces off with

Jay)

Fuck you, man, come on. Everybody

thinks you’re such a fucking

badass, but I ain’t convinced.

Let’s see whose fucking reality is

the right one. You think you’ve got

the balls to jump out of a plane in

the fucking dark, hey I doubt it.

(MORE)

20.

Besides, where are you going to get

a plane this time of night? You

can’t bluff me, you asshole.

JAY

(turning to Alan)

Alan, call Ray. Tell him I want the

plane fueled and ready for take-off

in one hour. Tell him to make sure

to bring parachutes.

(turns to the girls)

You want to come, girls?

The girls, who have been looking on at this whole scene with

an attentive concentration, completely stoned on LSD and

cocaine, now exchange glances and nod.

JULIE

Sure.

JAY

Alright. Alan, bring these chicks

to the airport. I’m making you

their official guardian.

(turns to Angel)

Angel, you are going to get your

chance to really impress these

girls. Now get on your fucking

motorcycle and follow me. And don’t

get lost.

The three girls get into the Mustang, Julie in the front with

Alan, and as they drive off, Alan uses his car phone to call

Ray.

EXT. – SMALL LOCAL 19 AIRPORT – NIGHTIME 19

They all arrive at the airport and Alan and the girls make

their way aboard the plane with Jay and Angel. Angel has

dropped his earlier belligerence and is now a little

desperate.

ANGEL

Listen, Mister Bird, if I said

something to piss you off, I‘m

sorry. But we shouldn’t do this,

man. This is fucked up.

Jay goes to the pilot and says a few words. The pilot checks

a map and nods. They all board the plane, designed for cargo

and with a rear door that opens completely. Alan helps the

girls strap in, sitting beside them, and Jay and Angel sit

across, Angel still protesting.

ANGEL (CONT’D)

21.

ANGEL (CONT’D)

I’m telling you, man, this is not

cool, not cool at all. I’m not

going to –

JAY

Shut the fuck up.

The plane takes off.

ALAN

(shouting across to Jay)

Where are we going?

JAY

Back to the party.

The plane levels off and Jay unstraps and produces two

parachutes from a locker. He puts on one and hands the other

to Angel.

JAY (CONT’D)

I’m hoping you know how to put this

on, because I’m sure as fuck not

going to help you.

ANGEL

I know how.

(shakes his head)

But I’m not putting it on.

(tosses it aside and gives

Jay the finger)

You can fucking jump out in the

middle of the night and get ourself

killed, but I’m not.

JAY

Angel, let’s put it this way. In

about five minutes from now, you

are going to go out of that

doorway, and you can either be

wearing a parachute, or not, I

don’t really care which.

ANGEL

You’re fucking crazy, man.

JAY

My advice is to put on the

parachute.

ANGEL

Go fuck yourself.

22.

Jay goes to the cockpit door, it opens a crack.

JAY

(shouting)

Open her up.

The rear door opens and there is nothing but blackness

beyond. The plane starts to bank slightly, going in a big

circle. Jay moves suddenly to Angel’s seat, unfastens his

belt, and pulls him to his feet.

JAY (CONT’D)

Sure you don’t want the parachute?

ANGEL

(giving Jay a hard shove

on the shoulders)

Get the fuck off me!

Jay shrugs off the push and hits Angel in the stomach,

doubling him over. The girls are riveted, fascinated by this

display of testosterone. Jay begins to drag Angel to the open

door.

ANGEL (CONT’D)

Man are you crazy?

(he grabs Jay’s belt and

puts an arm around him)

If I’m going, you’re going,

motherfucker.

JAY

(with a big smile)

That’s cool, Angel. I’m wearing a

parachute.

The girls burst out laughing. Jay releases Angel and shouts

over to Alan.

JAY (CONT’D)

Alan, would you mind bringing this

asshole his parachute?

Alan unstraps and warily retrieves the parachute and gets it

over to Angel, who reluctantly takes it.

JAY (CONT’D)

(patiently)

Put it on. Don’t worry, it’s just

like the old 82nd.

Angel, thoroughly intimidated but still belligerent,

reluctantly puts it on. Jay motions him to the door.

23.

He slowly makes his way there, then turns to face the group.

He looks scared as hell.

ANGEL

Alright. Fuck, I haven’t actually

done any skydiving. I just jumped

once, and it was with a static

line. I’ve never pulled a ripcord.

(glances at the girls, who

all look sorry for him)

So I don’t know how to do this,

really, okay? Like I said, I’m

sorry I pissed you off. But this is

enough. Let’s just go back to the

party. Or, I’ll just take off. You

won’t see me again.

JAY

We are going back to the party,

Angel. It’s right down there.

ANGEL

It’s fucking dark. How am I

supposed to know when to pull the

ripcord?

JAY

Hey, you could just pull right

away, but then you wouldn’t come

down in the field; you might drift

over to the forest, or hit the

highway. Could be pretty rough in

the dark.

(steps forward to stand in

front of Angel)

But don’t worry. You’ll just feel

it when it’s right.

Jay kicks Angel directly in the chest and sends him flying

out the back, disappearing in the darkness. The girls gasp

and one gives a little scream. Alan makes his way over to

where Jay is standing in the doorway, staring out at the

blackness.

ALAN

Jay, he might be dead now.

JAY

(turns back slightly to

Alan)

We’re all gonna die sometime, Alan.

24.

ALAN

Jesus, Jay, he only had one real

jump before.

JAY

That’s one more than I’ve had,

Penguin.

Jay jumps from the plane and disappears. Alan stares

helplessly into the darkness for a moment, then makes his way

back to the cockpit and bangs on the door.

ALAN

Take us home.

20 EXT. – AIRPORT 20

Alan exits the plane with the three girls, and they climb

into the Mustang, Julie in front. As he starts the car, Alan

turns to Julie.

21 INT. – MUSTANG 21

ALAN

Are you girls all okay?

JULIE

(takes Alan’s hand very

gently in both of hers)

Sure, but …

(looks in the back at the

other two girls, who give

little nods)

But Alan, we are really fucking

horny.

22 EXT. – PORCH OF ALAN’S HOUSE NEAR CLEAR LAKE – NIGHTIME 22

Jay and Alan are sitting on the porch again, drinking beers

and smoking a joint.

ALAN

Did you mean what you said on the

plane?

JAY

You mean, that we’re all gonna die?

25.

ALAN

(unable to resist a smirk)

No. I mean about never jumping

before.

JAY

Yes.

ALAN

Then how come you’re not dead? Are

you just the luckiest and most

reckless mother-fucker in the

universe?

JAY

Remember the astronaut program?

ALAN

Sure.

JAY

We did static-line jumps from a

tower. I learned how to put on a

parachute, and how to land. I never

pulled a ripcord, but even a

fucking monkey could do that.

ALAN

But how did you know when?

JAY

Simple physics. I knew how high we

were, and I know how fast things

fall. We were too low for much drag

from air friction, but that would

only make me pull too early, not

too late. Worked pretty well. There

was enough moonlight to see the

ground, once I got close, and it

was a freshly plowed field.

ALAN

Did you find out what happened to

Angel?

JAY

Dario said he missed the field –

panicked, I guess – and landed in

some trees. Broke his ankle and a

couple of ribs. He’ll live.

There is a pause as Alan absorbs this. He takes a big hit on

the joint and seems to carefully consider his next words.

26.

ALAN

(turning to Jay)

Jay, what the fuck are we doing

with the Jokers?

JAY

You mean our security?

ALAN

They’re a bunch of coke dealers.

JAY

They’re brothers. They’re outlaws,

just like us.

ALAN

(handing Jay the joint)

No, they’re not just like us.

They’re a hell of a lot more

visible. And coke is not LSD. Using

them for security is one thing, but

I know you’ve been hanging out a

lot with Dario, and he’s not low

profile like you. The Jokers are

going to get heat on them one of

these days, maybe even already. You

can’t afford – we can’t afford that

kind of exposure.

JAY

Well, well, well. You think you’re

ready to start running things,

Penguin? Ready to tell me who I

should be hanging out with?

ALAN

Fuck, Jay. It’s too late between us

for that kind of shit. So back off.

You know I don’t want to run

anything. And you’ve always had the

biggest dick in the room. So you’re

the boss. But I say this as a

friend as well as in my own

interest. You can’t let the Jokers’

coke scene jeopardize the Birds.

It’s bigger than just you, man.

JAY

The others. They feel like you do?

27.

ALAN

How the fuck should I know how they

feel? You think I’m sneaking around

behind your back, organizing some

kind of mutiny?

Jay slowly turns his head in Alan’s direction, His expression

says he is weighing that very possibility.

ALAN (CONT’D)

For Christ’s sake, Jay. You’re not

worried about running around in the

open with a bunch of coke dealers,

but you’re so paranoid you think

I’m plotting against you?

JAY

(giving Alan a long look)

Well, are you?

ALAN

Jay stop it. You told me once you’d

never touch cocaine, that it

brought out the worst in people,

made them paranoid. You’ve got to

be stoned on that shit right now

just to be talking like this. If

you get pulled over now, they won’t

just slap your wrist for smoking a

joint, they’ll haul you in and then

they’ll figure out who you are.

Think about it.

Jay gives Alan a long cold look, then flicks away the roach

and gets up. He starts to move back toward his motorcycle,

then suddenly turns around.

JAY

You’re the only one I trust, Alan.

(steps closer and looks

into Alan’s eyes.)

Don’t let me down.

Jay goes to his motorcycle and makes a point of sniffing some

coke before leaving. Alan sits down heavily and watches him

go.

EXT. – ALAN’S 23 HOUSE – NIGHTIME 23

Alan pulls up in his Mustang, gets a suitcase out of the

trunk, and goes inside.

28.

INT. – ALAN’S 24 HOUSE – NIGHTIME 24

When he turns on the light in the living room, he is startled

to find Jay sitting there in the dark, with a gun sitting on

the armrest.

ALAN

Hello, Jay.

JAY

Hello, Alan. How’s your mom?

ALAN

Fine. I mean, you know, no worse,

at least.

(puts his suitcase down)

I booked the first flight as soon

as I got your message.

(Jay nods)

You didn’t say much on the phone.

Is everything okay?

JAY

No. Everything is not okay.

Alan is silent, wondering if he is what is not okay.

JAY (CONT’D)

It’s the Jokers. They’ve got a

problem.

Alan lights a cigarette and still says nothing.

JAY (CONT’D)

(smiling)

Don’t you want to know what it is?

ALAN

(sighs)

Alright, Jay. Tell me what it is.

JAY

(lighting his own

cigarette)

Another motorcycle gang, bunch of

Neo-Nazi skinheads out of Nevada,

around Virginia City. Call

themselves Satan’s Sinners.

ALAN

SS?

JAY

Yeah. Cute, huh?

29.

ALAN

They sniffing around Lake Tahoe?

JAY

No. It’s much worse. They’re here

in the North Bay, and they’re

trying a kind of blitzkrieg on the

Jokers. They made a show of force a

week ago, trashed a bunch of Joker

property and killed one of their

guys, executed him, just to show

they mean business.

ALAN

Christ.

JAY

They’ve done their homework. They

seem to know exactly how strong the

Jokers are, and where all their

shit is. If push comes to shove

they will win, and they know they

will win.

ALAN

(looking a bit puzzled and

apprehensive)

Alright, Jay, but tell me, why did

they single out the Jokers for

this? And what, if they are so

confident, are they waiting for?

And most importantly, why the fuck

should we give a shit?

JAY

Actually, Penguin, all those

questions have the same answer.

They want something, something only

the Jokers can give them. They’re

waiting, because they have

presented the Jokers with an

ultimatum, to give up without a

fight or be destroyed.

ALAN

And we should give a shit because

…?

JAY

Because what they want is us.

30.

ALAN

(after taking a moment to

digest this)

Fuck.

JAY

They know that the Jokers are our

only protection. Without them,

we’re completely defenseless.

ALAN

So they want us to make acid just

for them, they want to be our

exclusive customers?

JAY

No. They don’t want to be our

customers. They want us to be their

slaves.

ALAN

Alright, then. We can disappear.

Wait it out. They’ll get tired of

looking for us eventually. They

don’t know the scene around here,

they’ve got nothing going unless

they co-opt the Bird’s eggs.

Dario’s coke connections are

worthless to them; nobody will

touch them, after they pull this

kind of shit. They’ll have to go

back where they came from. Six

months, a year at the most. We have

a vacation, that’s all. Come to

Maui with me. I know places we can

hide out in style.

(stands up)

Have you seen the others? You want

me to get on the road and –

JAY

(shouting)

STOP!

(pauses)

We cannot walk away from this,

Penguin.

(gives Alan a hard look)

Now sit back down.

(Alan sits down)

If we hide, not only will we lose

most of our valuable connections,

but we will be subject to repeated

attempts to take us over in the

future.

(MORE)

31.

If we walk away, if we hide, we

will be the pussies of all time.

(stands up)

People are depending on us. We

represent the revolution, the new

age. We can’t cower and hide our

heads. We should stand in the

light.

ALAN

Get real, Jay. Nobody is depending

on us. we represent a drug, a

pretty cool drug, yes. But the

revolution is still uncertain, at

best. And we have to cower and hide

our heads, Jay. What we do is

illegal. We might be the future,

but we can’t stand in the light,

not yet, anyway.

JAY

I’m telling you, Alan, if we walk

away from this, the Birds are

finished. I know it. I can feel it.

I’m as certain of that as I am the

sun will rise tomorrow.

ALAN

Then maybe it’s time. Maybe it’s

karma. Fate. Who gives a fuck?

Nothing lasts forever. Besides,

what else are we going to do? If

the Jokers are outgunned, what are

we? Chopped liver, I’d say.

JAY

There’s a way.

ALAN

Oh, fuck. I was afraid I’d hear

something like that. What fucking

way?

JAY

There’s a saloon in Virginia City,

the Red Dog. The owners were our

brothers before we ever even

existed. I talked to my friend

Mark. He was dealing guns to the

Sinners for a while, ‘til he

learned not to, he said, and he

told me how they operate.

JAY (CONT’D)

32.

ALAN

Which is?

JAY

The Sinners are run by two

brothers, Carlo and Sonny Draco,

twin brothers, in fact, absolutely

identical, and they have a good

time making sure that nobody can

tell them apart, just to fuck with

people. But they’re actually

completely different, and they

fight all the time. Don’t get me

wrong. They’re inseparable, they

love each other, but they still

disagree about everything, and they

fight constantly.

ALAN

(getting impatient)

And so …?

JAY

So they hang out at the Red Dog,

and they yell all kinds of crap

back and forth, they don’t give a

shit who’s listening. Mark heard

them planning this whole thing

weeks ago, and just like usual, one

of the brothers was all for it and

the other was dead-set against it.

Mark didn’t know which was which,

but word is they are still fighting

about it.

ALAN

And this helps us how?

JAY

We don’t have to kill the whole

gang. We just have to kill the

right brother. The rest will go

back to Nevada the next day.

ALAN

(turns away and paces for

a moment)

No. I’m sorry. I’m not going out to

murder someone. Besides, they’re

fucking identical. You wouldn’t

know which one to murder.

33.

JAY

Right. And there’s only one way to

find out.

ALAN

What’s that?

JAY

They’re looking for me. They want

me, but they’re not going to hurt

me, or at least, they’re not going

to kill me. They figure if they’ve

got me, they can get the whole

gang, or at least they’ll get Alex,

and that’s their main objective.

ALAN

How does that help us?

JAY

I let them catch me. I’m sure I’ll

be able to figure out which one is

which.

ALAN

And what good will that do?

JAY

It means that when you rescue me,

I’l be able to tell you which one

to shoot.

ALAN

(running his hands through

his hair in frustration)

God damn you, Jay. And how would I

even know where they might have

taken you?

Jay reaches into his pocket and pulls out a two inch long

cylinder.

JAY

This is a tracking device. It has

about a mile range. The closer you

are, the shorter interval between

beeps.

(he produces a small

speaker from his other

pocket)

This is the sensor. You should be

able to follow. They won’t suspect

anything. It should give you an

edge.

34.

ALAN

Where are you going to hide the

thing?

JAY

Where do you think?

ALAN

(pauses)

Jay I am not ready for this.

JAY

Sure you are, Penguin. I know about

the little shooting range you have

here. You must be pretty damn good

by now. And don’t forget, you know

karate.

ALAN

Very funny. No, Jay, that’s not

what I meant. I mean I’m not going

to do it. You think running is a

slippery slope? What do you think

this is? Who are we going to kill

next? I’m sorry, but this is where

I get off.

JAY

You get off when I let you off,

Penguin, and that is not quite yet.

ALAN

(pauses)

What the fuck is that supposed to

mean?

JAY

It means I’m not letting you off.

I’m collecting a debt. I told you

that you couldn’t pay me back with

money. I told you I’d save that

marker for later. Well, this is

later. Alan. And I’m cashing that

marker in.

ALAN

(realizing what Jay is

saying)

You son-of-a-bitch.

JAY

(sitting back in his chair

and smiling)

That’s the spirit.

35.

EXT. – ROADSIDE 25 PHONE BOOTH 25

Jay is making a phone call to DARIO.

DARIO

Jay, I told you, the Sinners are

all over me. They’re sure we’ll

make contact. It’s not a good time

for us to meet.

JAY

Let me worry about that.

DARIO

Bullshit. You want to expose

yourself right in front of me and

then expect me to protect you?

JAY

No one is going to expect you to

protect me.

DARIO

And why is that?

JAY

Because after we talk a couple of

minutes, I’m going to call you a

son-of-a-bitch and you’re going to

tell me to go fuck myself and walk

out.

DARIO

Jay, what the hell is going on in

that weird-ass brain of yours?

JAY

Never mind, just do what I say. And

one more thing.

DARIO

What?

JAY

Whatever I do, don’t drink anything

but beer.

26 EXT. – THE WAYSIDE – A COUNTRY BAR NEAR PETALUMA, CA 26

Jay arrives on his motorcycle and goes inside.

36.

27 INT. – THE WAYSIDE 27

Jay approaches the bartender and pulls him aside for some

prIvate conversation. After a moment, the bartender gets him

a bottle of Stoly from the shelf. He pours out one shot, then

puts the rest down the drain. He fills the bottle up with tap

water and gives it back to the bartender, along with a couple

of hundred dollar bills. Then he takes the shot to a corner

table and sits down to wait.

28 EXT. – PARKING LOT OF THE MOTEL NEXT DOOR 28

Alan is sitting in his Mustang in the parking lot, watching

the front door of the bar. As he watches, Dario arrives on

his motorcycle. As he enters the bar, Jay sees a car pull up,

with someone wearing a long sleeve shirt and cap to conceal

his skin head and tats. He is obviously following Dario.

29 INT. – THE WAYSIDE BAR 29

Dario enters and takes a seat at Jay’s table. A minute later

his shadow enters and takes a seat at the bar. Jay gestures a

little drunkenly to the bartender and shouts.

JAY

Bring me a bottle of Stoly and

another glass.

(the bartender dutifully

gets his watered Stoly

bottle and delivers it to

the table, with another

glass)

Drink!

(pours them both drinks)

Drink, you fucking SOB. Drink and

tell me what a friend you are.

Drink and we’l talk about old

times. And how you sold me out.

Sold out the Birds.

(he toasts and downs his

shot, pushes the other

one towards Dario)

Drink, you mother-fucker.

Dario signals the bartender behind him.

DARIO

Barkeep, bring me a Coors.

Bartender brings the beer. Jay takes the second shot and

downs it. The shadow slips off his barstool and goes to the

pay phone to make a call.

37.

JAY

Too good to drink my liquor, eh?

Fuck you, then.

(pours another shot)

You fucking pansy, I’ll bet you

called me here just to set me up.

DARIO

(takes a long swig on his

beer)

You figure it out, asshole.

(gets up)

You’re on your own now.

Dario walks out and Jay sits despondently at the table,

pouring himself shots. The shadow doesn’t follow Dario, but

remains. A few minutes later three SKINHEADS come in and sit

down at the bar with him. They all watch Jay as he pretends

to get drunk. As he seems to get drunker, the skinheads start

to relax and laugh. Finally Jay gets up and makes his way

unsteadily to the bathroom, pretending to slip and almost

fall. Once inside, he goes into a stall and takes out the

tracker. As he pulls down his pants, the four skinheads

enter. They make their way over to the stall, where Jay is

flushing the toilet and making vomiting sounds. He finally

exits the stall. The skinheads are waiting.

SKINHEAD

Hey, Jay, feeling pretty good

tonight, are we?

JAY

Fuck you, asshole.

SKINHEAD

No, Jay, fuck you.

They grab Jay and drag him out of the bar.

EXT. 30 MOTEL PARKING LOT 30

Jay sees them exit with Jay and starts his engine. He turns

on the tracker, and gets a concentrated series of beeps,

indicating that he is very close. The beeps slow down as they

ride off and Alan pulls onto the road to follow.

31 EXT. – WOODED ROADS 31

Alan follows the van to a private gate. He drives a bit

farther, parks, and starts to maneuver on foot, listening to

the tracker.

38.

He comes over a hill to see a farmhouse below, the van parked

in front and a dozen or more choppers scattered around. He

makes his way down, using an old barn for cover. As he peers

around the barn door, the farmhouse door opens and men

emerge, dragging Jay. They seem to be coming to the barn, and

Alan ducks inside. It is abandoned, with piles of old hay

lying around. He scampers up the ladder to the loft just as

the group comes in. As he watches from above in the shadows,

they sit Jay down in a chair in the middle of the floor. He

looks terrible. They have been beating on him, but they have

not tied him up, since he is still playing his drunken-andout-

of-it role. The Draco brothers (CARLO & SONNY, identical

twins with Mr. Clean physiques, flat-tops, big knives in

their belts, Ray-Bans, and little gold coke spoons around

their necks) are both there. Carlo gives Jay a couple of good

slaps and leans over to look him in the eyes.

CARLO

Oh mister LSD man, mister big bird,

You don’t fly so high, now.

(turns to look at his

brother)

Sonny, look at this piece of shit.

Supposed To be so fucking tough.

Who told you that shit, anyway?

SONNY

(calling into the group)

Angel! Come and get a piece of your

guy.

Angel emerges from the group, but he is different. He is a

skinhead, and he has a limp. He spits on the floor in front

of Jay.

ANGEL

Hey, Mister Bird. How’s it going.

(he hits Jay in the

stomach and Jay throws up

on his leg)

You stupid fuck.

Angel starts beating on Jay, who seems too drunk or fucked-up

to defend himself. Finally Carlo pulls him off.

CARLO

That’s enough. I think Mister Bird

should be convinced by now that

we’re sincere. There’s a few

important things we need to talk

over. Then you can have him for a

while.

39.

Carlo snaps his fingers and a chair is brought to him. He

sits down in front of Jay.

CARLO (CONT’D)

Jay, I’m not going to insult your

intelligence by pretending you have

any really good options here. You

can go down easy, or you can go

down hard. But you are going down,

and that’s just a simple fact.

Hell, you’re down already, so just

relax, try to make it as painless

as possible.

Jay leans over and spits on the floor, blood, mostly.

CARLO (CONT’D)

Now let me explain how this is

going to go.

(pulls his Bowie out of

his belt)

Angel tells me you have a nice

little organization here.

(he turns the blade over,

admiring it)

By the way, I don’t know what you

did to Angel, probably something to

do with that limp of his, but you

really pissed him off. He’s got

this thing, he keeps talking about

it, I mean he is fucking obsessed

with it.

(puts the end of his knife

into the crotch of Jay’s

pants. Jay begins to

thrash feebly)

Get his arms.

(a man steps up behind and

grabs Jay’s wrists, holds

his arms apart)

Like I said, he keeps talking about

it, we just can’t get his mind off

it.

(pokes Jay some more in

the crotch with his

knife)

He wants to cut your balls off,

Jay. You know, when he showed up at

the Red Dog, he said that was all

he really wanted, right from the

first, so I guess he is fucking

serious.

(MORE)

40.

Now, Jay, my friend, I am sure you

would like to avoid that, avoid

dying with your balls stuffed into

your mouth, and I am going to give

you the chance to do that.

(gives Jay a slap in the

face)

Now here is what I want. You’ve got

a supply of L made up, I’m sure. I

want that. Yes, you are going to

give me that. Then I want the

location of your lab. The Jokers

don’t seem to know where that is,

at least, the one we asked about it

sure didn’t, and I can tell you, if

he had he would have told us. So

that. But most of all, Jay, and you

are definitely not going to die as

a man if I don’t get it, most of

all, you are going to give me ALEX.

JAY

(smiling)

Fuck off.

Carlo hits him across the face. Blood goes flying.

CARLO

Say again?

JAY

Fuck off.

Carlo hits him again.

CARLO

Maybe we should let Angel get to

work right mow.

SONNY

(interrupting)

Hold it. I don’t think we’re ready

to give up just yet, Carlo.

CARLO

Oh, I’m not giving up. I’ll get

Alex for you. But this guy is not

going to run any network for you,

and you’d be stupid to trust him if

he said he would. I told you that

was what was wrong with this whole

thing from the beginning. This is

not our scene.

CARLO (CONT’D)

(MORE)

41.

So like I said, I will get the

chemist, and then we go back.

You’ll be satisfied with that,

right?

SONNY

Alright, but Angel knows the Birds

on sight, and if you can’t get the

chemist through Jaybird, here,

we’ll run through every single one

of them until we do. I know you

didn’t want to do this, but we’re

in it now and I won’t fucking leave

until we get something out of it.

Alan has been listening to this. Now he produces a hand

grenade from his pocket, pulls the pin, and throws it as far

as he can out through the upper window out in front of the

barn. He then draws his gun, walks to the edge of the loft

floor, and takes careful aim at Sonny.

CARLO

(turning his attention

back to Jay)

Hey asshole, just give me Alex and

you can keep –

The sound of the grenade going off outside cuts him off.

SONNY

What the fuck was th-

Sonny goes down like a stone from a bullet to the head from

Alan’s gun. Most of the Sinners miss this, since they are all

heading for the door to investigate the noise from outside.

Jay easily wrenches his hands free from the grip of the

startled Sinner holding them and brings them together on

Carlo’s ears. As he screams in pain, Jay stands up and grabs

the wrist of the hand holding the knife, then knees Carlo in

the balls, knocking him back over his chair. He takes the

knife with his free hand and whirls to slash the throat of

the man who had been holding him. Two men start to take their

guns out and Alan shoots them from the loft. A third man sees

where the shots originate and rushes under the loft to be out

of sight, but Alan jumps backwards off onto a pile of hay and

shoots him as he lands. He turns just in time to see Jay kick

a gun out of the hand of someone about to shoot him, then

bring him down with an elbow. Two more try to pick up the

guns of their fallen comrades and Alan shoots both of them.

He tries to shoot a third who is charging him with a

pitchfork but is out of bullets. Jay steps in, wrenches the

pitchfork free, and stabs the attacker though the chest.

CARLO (CONT’D)

42.

He picks up the knife, grabs the still shaken Carlo by the

hair, and puts the knife to his throat just as men start to

come back into the barn from the outside. He gives Alan a

sidelong look.

JAY

Hello, Alan.

ALAN

Hi, Jay. You look like shit.

JAY

(nodding at Alan’s lockedback

45)

Time to reload.

ALAN

Right.

He ejects his empty magazine and reloads. They now face the

Sinners, most of whom are armed.

JAY

(to Carlo)

Tell your boys to be cool.

CARLO

Nobody do anything.

JAY

(shouting)

We’re coming out. I want everybody

in front of us. Everybody! Now back

up and keep going.

(to Alan)

Penguin. Check our flanks.

Alan steps in front and looks to either side as they come out

the front. There is someone lurking by the door and Alan

gestures at him with his gun. He moves.

JAY (CONT’D)

(yelling)

The van. Start it up and leave the

keys in the ignition.

When there is no reaction, Jay pulls the knife at Carlo’s

throat a little tighter.

CARLO

(shouting)

Do it!

43.

JAY

I don’t want to kill you, Carlo.

But I don’t have to, because you

really don’t want to be here, do

you?

(pause)

Hey that was not a rhetorical

question, Carlo.

CARLO

Yes, that’s right. I never wanted

to be here.

JAY

And I believe you, Carlo. So all

you want to do now is just zip on

back to Nevada where you’ve got

your homies and your whores, right?

Not a rhetorical question, Carlo.

CARLO

Right.

JAY

So make it clear to everybody here.

Anyone follows us, you die.

Otherwise, we’ll drop you off at

the Wayside, and we’ll never see

each other again. That sounds a lot

better, right? Not a rhetori-

CARLO

Right, right.

(raising his voice)

You hear that? Nobody follows. I’ll

be at the Wayside, later.

They make their way to the van and get in. Alan is driving,

and Jay gets in with Carlo by the window, Jay’s knife at his

throat.

JAY

Let’s get out of here, Alan.

They pull out and drive back to the wayside without speaking,

finally pulling up at the parking lot. Jay lowers the knife

from Carlo’s throat.

JAY (CONT’D)

I don’t want to hear about you ever

crossing the California state line

again, Carlo. Is that clear?

(Carlo gives a small nod)

(MORE)

44.

If I do, I will come to Nevada, I

will find you, and I will cut your

balls off, comprende?

Carlo gives Jay a long look and nods. He starts to get out of

the car, but Jay stops him.

JAY (CONT’D)

Here.

(gives him back his knife)

Take your fucking knife. I wouldn’t

want you to lose face, not now.

CARLO

(a little taken aback by

this gesture)

You won’t see me again.

(hesitates)

But I can’t say about Angel. You

know he’s not one of us.

(hesitates again)

He really hates you. I can’t be

responsible for what he does.

JAY

Understood.

Carlo exits the car and enters the bar.

32 INT. – ALAN’S HOUSE 32

Alan washes some blood off of himself in the bathroom. His

gun lies on the counter next to the sink. It is obvious he

has just returned from the previous adventure. He finishes

washing off but stays at the sink, staring at himself in the

mirror. He has never killed anyone before, and it has shaken

him. He continues to stare for a long moment.

33 INT. – ALAN’S MUSTANG – SOME MONTHS LATER 33

Alan is driving in the rain. The wooded roadside common to

Northern CA flashes by outside. He has grown a beard and it

is obvious that some time has passed. He gets a page and

stares at it, expressionless.

34 EXT. – GAS STATION 34

The Mustang pulls in next to a pay phone and Alan jumps

inside. It is raining like hell, and we see him through the

dripping glass walls of the phone booth. He carries on a

brief conversation, then, ashen faced, he hangs up.

JAY (CONT’D)

45.

EXT. – HONOLULU 35 GRAVEYARD – MIDDAY 35

Alan is at his mother’s funeral. The ceremony proceeds until

the casket is lowered and the crowd begins to disperse. He

stares across the still open grave, and as people leave, he

sees Sylvia standing opposite him. They stare at each other

as everyone departs, until there is no one except the

gravediggers, waiting politely.

SYLVIA

Hello, Alan.

ALAN

Hello, Sylvia.

SYLVIA

I’m so sorry about your mother.

(after an awkward silence)

How have you been?

ALAN

Okay. And you?

SYLVIA

Okay.

ALAN

(after another awkward

silence)

Look, would you like to get some

coffee somewhere?

SYLVIA

(brightening visibly)

Sure. Should I follow you?

ALAN

I don’t have a car. Just take me to

the Royal, we can grab something

there.

She leads him to her car.

36 INT. – ROYAL HAWAIIAN BEACH RESTAURANT 36

Alan and Sylvia have coffee and tiramisu by the beach. They

are both a bit awkward.

ALAN

So.

(trying for some light

conversation)

(MORE)

46.

Where are you spending your time

these days, Sylvia?

SYLVIA

Oh, my father’s firm, mostly. You

know, kind of learning the ropes.

ALAN

He going to make you a partner?

SYLVIA

Oh, I’m sure he’d like that. I’d

have to earn it, though. His other

partners would make sure of that.

ALAN

Of course.

(he pauses for a sip of

coffee)

So how’s your little sister? How’s

Karen.

SYLVIA

(putting down her cup and

staring at the table for

a moment)

You didn’t hear, then.

ALAN

Hear what?

SYLVIA

She died, Alan, almost a year ago.

Fell out of a window during a

graduation party at the Princes

Kaiulani.

ALAN

Jesus, Sylvia. I’m so sorry. I know

how much you loved her.

SYLVIA

Yeah.

ALAN

I’m surprised something like that

could happen. I figure the hotel

would make it really hard to do,

just because of insurance.

ALAN (CONT’D)

47.

SYLVIA

According to them, it was. They

tried to say that Karen

deliberately jumped, that it

couldn’t possibly be an accident.

ALAN

So what happened?

SYLVIA

Daddy sued the hotel, but the court

ruled in their favor.

ALAN

(after another pause)

So you never married anybody?

SYLVIA

No. How about you?

ALAN

No.

SYLVIA

Nobody waiting back in California?

ALAN

No. Nobody waiting.

SYLVIA

When are you going back?

ALAN

I was going back tomorrow.

SYLVIA

Really.

ALAN

Really.

(he hesitates, struggling

with his better

judgement)

Would you like me to stick around a

couple of days?

SYLVIA

(looking relieved)

Yes, Alan, I really would. I missed

you. We – we shouldn’t be

strangers.

48.

EXT. 37 – HONOLULU SCENES 37

Alan and Sylvia are seen in a variety of settings, the beach,

at dinner, hanging out at the zoo, etc. It is clear that Alan

is falling for her all over again. At one point, taking her

home, he grabs her as she leaves the car, and they almost

kiss, but Sylvia runs away at the last moment. Alan sits back

in the car, clearly overheated and horny. He gets a page and

goes to a pay phone.

ALAN

Yeah, it’s me.

JAY

Penguin, I thought you were coming

back a week ago. What’s up?

ALAN

Uh, some unexpected shit. Property

on the mainland I didn’t know

about. Had to take care of it.

JAY

Well, try to get your ass back

here. We’ve got a run coming up and

we’re going to need you, comprende?

38 INT. – ROYAL HAWAIIAN AZURE RESTAURANT 38

Alan and Sylvia are finishing their desert. Alan is

incredibly hot for Sylvia, but knows he has to say goodbye.

The electricity between them is palpable.

SYLVIA

(abruptly)

Alan, have you ever heard again

from Jay? Do you know where he is?

ALAN

No.

SYLVIA

You’re sure?

ALAN

Yeah, I’m sure.

She looks down and picks at her desert a moment, then,

looking up suddenly into Alan’s eyes:

49.

SYLVIA

Alan, take me upstairs. Take me

upstairs right now and make love to

me.

INT. 39 – ALAN’S HOTEL ROOM 39

A hot sex scene ensues. A little later, they are sitting up

in bed. Alan makes a decision and turns to her with resolve.

ALAN

Sylvia, is this for real? I mean,

do you really want to be with me?

SYLVIA

Yes.

ALAN

I’m in love with you, Sylvia. I’ve

always been, and I always will be.

(she starts to say

something, and Alan puts

a finger to her lips)

No. Listen to what I’m going to

say, and then tell me if we can

make this work. I haven’t been

altogether truthful with you.

He starts talking (no audio) and we see a time lapse as the

story unfolds. Finally he reaches the end of his tale. They

sit together on the bed next to the night-table. Sylvia looks

like she is digesting a particularly challenging meal.

SYLVIA

Do you want to quit?

ALAN

Of course. I wouldn’t think of

subjecting you to this life.

SYLVIA

I mean, would you quit if I was not

a factor?

ALAN

Well …

SYLVIA

It sounded to me like you enjoyed

it in a lot of ways.

ALAN

I suppose that’s true.

50.

SYLVIA

So you only want to quit because of

me.

ALAN

Well, no, not only. There were

reasons I was thinking about it for

a while now.

SYLVIA

(gives Alan a long look)

I want to try some.

ALAN

You want to try what? Some LSD?

SYLVIA

Yes. You must have some with you,

right?

ALAN

Well, yes, I do.

SYLVIA

Let’s take some together, right

now.

ALAN

(flabbergasted)

Are you sure?

SYLVIA

I’m sure. Can we?

Alan goes to the bar in the room and gets out a box of sugar

cubes. Then he digs into his suitcase and produces a small

vial. He carefully doses each cube.

SYLVIA (CONT’D)

Can you get me a glass of water?

Alan goes to the bathroom and gets a glass of water from the

tap, brings it back. They take their cubes together and she

washes hers down with the water.

SYLVIA (CONT’D)

How long before I feel anything?

ALAN

A couple of hours, for the real

effects to start.

SYLVIA

That long?

51.

ALAN

Yes, but then the whole trip lasts

another five or six hours more.

It’s long enough, believe me.

EXT.- ROYAL 40 HAWAIIAN BEACH 40

They watch the sunset together, then they go back to their

room and make love again.

41 INT. – ALAN’S HOTEL ROOM – A LITTLE LATER 41

SYLVIA

I think it’s wearing off. I think

I’m “coming down.” Right? Coming

down?

ALAN

Yes, it’s about time.

SYLVIA

Did I take a lot?

ALAN

You took the same amount I did, and

you weigh a lot less, so yeah, you

took enough, for sure.

SYLVIA

I understand so much more now. It’s

– it’s beautiful. I don’t see how

people can be so afraid of it. It

just makes you see beautiful

things, makes you be beautiful. You

said the Birds are on a kind of

holy mission, a crusade. I can see

how you would feel that way. Those

stories about people wanting to put

it in the water supply, to give it

to world leaders, I can see why

they would want to do that.

ALAN

So … you don’t hate me, then, for

what I’ve been doing?

SYLVIA

No, Alan. It seems kind of noble,

actually.

52.

ALAN

(pauses)

Well, I have to get back soon to

help with at least one more run. I

can’t leave them high and dry.

SYLVIA

Take me with you.

ALAN

Really?

SYLVIA

Yes. Let me see it. I want to see

how it all works. I want to see the

crusaders. I want to meet the

Birds.

(shakes her head

irritably)

Alan, I’m bored. You think it’s

exciting being the gopher at a law

office all day?

EXT. – SF AIRPORT 42 LONG-TERM PARKING 42

Alan and Sylvia get in the Mustang and Alan pilots it up

through SF and across the Golden Gate Bridge, into northern

Marin and beyond. They finally pull into a truck stop in

Vallejo. When they go in, Jack is at a booth eating and they

slide in opposite him.

43 INT. – TRUCK STOP 43

Jack’s eyes get big when he sees Alan and Sylvia sit down. He

carefully wipes his chin with a napkin and takes a swig of

ginger ale.

JACK

Penguin, I don’t mean to be rude,

but who the hell is this?

ALAN

Relax, Blackbird. This is Sylvia.

Sylvia, this is Blackbird. If

you’re really nice he might let you

call him Jack.

Sylvia nods at Jack and gives a little smile. Jack stares

back with his mouth open.

53.

JACK

What the fuck is wrong with you,

man? You brought some chick along

on a fucking run? Jay is gonna kill

you.

ALAN

Jay is going to be just fine. This

is an old friend, of both of us.

JACK

An old friend? An old friend you

meet for coffee and doughnuts. You

don’t bring her along on a fucking

run.

ALAN

This is different. She and I are

together now. Where I go, she goes.

(straightening up)

Get used to it.

JACK

(raising his eyebrows)

Okay, Penguin, if you say so.

(gets up to leave)

I’ve got to get going. Jay should

be here in a few minutes. Wish I

could stay to see the look on his

face, but we’ve got to be up in

gold country by nightfall. You’ve

got to clear a patch for me around

nine-thirty. Jay’s got the map with

him. You should have no trouble

catching up to us.

(touches his baseball cap

respectfully with one

hand and nods to Sylvia)

M’am.

A few minutes later. Sylvia has moved across the booth for

her dinner, which they are finishing. Jay comes in the front,

sees Alan, and approaches from behind Sylvia. He gives the

unrecognized shape a suspicious stare as he comes to the

table, then bursts into a smile when he recognizes Sylvia.

JAY

Sylvia?

SYLVIA

Hello, Jay.

JAY

God damn. You look beautiful, baby.

54.

He nods at the seat beside Sylvia and she slides over to give

him room. He sits and Alan is struck by the easy way they

project themselves immediately as a couple, their bodies

touching one another.

JAY (CONT’D)

Blackbird must have shit his pants

when you showed up.

ALAN

He was disturbed.

Sylvia nods her confirmation of this.

JAY

(turning to Sylvia and

smiling)

Well, you can understand, baby. If

I couldn’t trust you, I’d have to

kill you.

SYLVIA

(smiling back)

Of course.

JAY

(to Alan)

Now I understand why you were so

late getting back.

ALAN

I had to make sure Sylvia was

properly spiritually attuned to the

goals of our organization.

JAY

And how did you determine that?

ALAN

We dropped together. It was her

first time.

Jay says nothing but gives Sylvia a long look.

SYLVIA

I understood so much more after

that. It’s fantastic that you’re

actually helping to spread this

around for everyone to be …

(searching for the right

word)

Enlightened with. I wanted to see

what you’ve created. I wanted to

see you.

(MORE)

55.

I’m sorry if Jack was right. He

said you’d be really mad at Alan. I

hope not.

JAY

Hell, I’m not going to spoil the

poor boy’s day just when you’ve

decided to finally give him a

break.

SYLVIA

You know, I’ve never stopped loving

Alan.

JAY

(his face perhaps a trifle

too close to hers)

Yes, M’am, I would never doubt that

for a second.

(now turning to Alan)

I’ve got to shag now and catch the

nest. I need to pick up something

and make another stop tonight.

(he gets up, hesitates and

looks at Sylvia)

Say, if you want to see how things

work, why don’t you just come with

me now to the nest? You’ll meet

Alan in the morning at the cooksite.

We’ll be there for four or

five days.

Sylvia looks at Alan, who somewhat reluctantly nods his

approval, then walks out with Jay. Through the glass of the

diner Alan sees her get on the back of the cycle and wrap her

arms around Jay as they take off.

EXT. – COOK-SITE 44 – FOLLOWING MORNING 44

The nest is parked in a wooded spot near Lake Tahoe with a

campfire going outside and the gang (Jay, Alan and Sylvia,

Jack, Alex, et al) gathered around in a kumbaya mood,

drinking, passing a joint, etc.

ALAN

(giving Sylvia a joint,

which she passes on

without smoking)

You tired, Baby? I have a motel

room a few miles from here when you

want to rest.

SYLVIA (CONT’D)

56.

SYLVIA

I got some sleep on the cot in the

nest while we were on the road.

Besides, I don’t want to just be a

tourist. I want to help out if I

can. I’ll see what I can do about

getting the food scene organized. I

know you have stuff you’re supposed

to do now, so just do your thing

and pick me up later when you come

in for dinner. We’ll have a nice

evening.

INT. – ALAN’S MOTEL 45 ROOM – NIGHTIMRE 45

Brief glimpse of a hot sex scene with Alan and Sylvia.

46 EXT. – COOK-SITE – MORNING 46

Alan drops Sylvia off at the cook-site and leaves as she

greets Alex and Blackbird. Other unnamed gang members are in

evidence, as well.

47 EXT. – COOK-SITE – A FEW DAYS LATER – EARLY EVENING 47

Alan arrives in the Mustang. He gets out and looks around but

sees no one. He heads down towards the lakeside and finds

Jack cleaning perch on the small wooden pier.

ALAN

(approaching)

That our dinner?

JACK

(turning to see him)

Hey, Alan. You’re a little early

today. Yeah, I went fishing. I

think I caught enough for

everybody.

ALAN

So where is everybody, then?

JACK

Cooking. Or playing cards while

they sit security for Alex. Except

for Jay and Sylvia. They’re off

somewhere, as usual.

ALAN

As usual?

57.

JACK

Yeah. She’s been here four days

now, I guess. Every one, she’s gone

somewhere with Jay. They’ll be in

soon for dinner.

ALAN

Oh.

JACK

(after cleaning another

fish)

Remember you told me that you met

Jay when he stole your girl?

ALAN

Yeah.

JACK

Is that her, is that the girl?

ALAN

Yeah, it is.

JACK

(goes on cleaning for a

minute)

You sure he’s not doing it again?

ALAN

(looking a little queasy)

Why do you say that?

JACK

(finishes his cleaning and

bends over to wash his

knife in the water)

Alan,

(straightens up)

I like you. We all do. Jay is the

boss, so he can sure as fuck do

whatever he wants, but I’ve seen

you at night by the campfire. You’e

in love with that woman. I mean,

it’s pretty obvious. So nobody

wants to see you get trashed, if

you know what I mean. But more than

that, nobody wants some kind of

dust-up between you and Jay.

There’s this rumor going around

that you were thinking about

quitting, running off with this

chick and playing house in the

suburbs or something.

(MORE)

58.

Dude, I don’t know if this is good

news or bad, but she likes this

life. She fits in like she’s been

with us forever. And I got some

more news for you, and I’m pretty

sure it ain’t good. She likes Jay,

too. A lot.

INT. – ALAN’S MOTEL 48 ROOM – NIGHTIME 48

Another hot sex scene (brief glimpses).

49 EXT. – BACK PORCH OF ALAN’S MOTEL ROOM – NEXT MORNING 49

Alan is smoking a cigarette and Sylvia comes out and puts her

arm around him. It all seems very sweet. Then …

ALAN

Sylvia?

SYLVIA

Yes?

ALAN

Are you fucking Jay?

SYLVIA

(taking back her arm and

pulling away slightly)

No. I am not fucking Jay. What

makes you say something like that?

ALAN

You act like you’re fucking him.

You spend all day with him. Where

do you two go, anyway? Some of the

boys think you’re fucking him.

Should I go on?

SYLVIA

Alan, I know you’re still figuring

out whether to quit or not. I just

want you to know, if you do decide

to quit, I will go with you. I’ll

go anywhere you want, Alan,

anywhere. But if you want to stay,

I think it would be great. Alan,

Jay has asked me to become one of

the Birds. Not just your “old

lady,” but a full member of the

gang. And I want that.

JACK (CONT’D)

59.

ALAN

(incredulous)

Jesus, you’ve been that bored?

SYLVIA

Yes!

(stands up)

I’ve been that bored. Alan, I’m

sorry and I hope you’re not mad,

but I dropped acid with Jay.

ALAN

What?!

SYLVIA

You know that’s the only way you

can become one of the Birds. I saw

his vision, Alan. I think this is

what the world needs, and we’re the

pioneers.

(starts to turn away, then

turns back)

But we didn’t have sex, Alan, it

wasn’t like that. I’m not fucking

him. You’ve got to believe me.

ALAN

Good god.

(takes a second to absorb

this.)

So if I want to split, after this

run you’ll go with me, you’ll be

okay with that?

SYLVIA

Yes. After this week is over we can

do anything you want.

ALAN

Then why don’t you come with me,

ride shotgun on my routes?

SYLVIA

(bites her lip)

Please, Alan, Jay’s made a special

appointment for me to meet the

banker. He thinks I’ll make the

best liaison for us, being a woman.

Don’t be childish about this,

please. There’s no reason for you

to be jealous, seriously.

(she hugs him and gives

little pats on the back)

(MORE)

60.

Alan, Alan, my poor, poor fragile

man. It’s all going to be alright,

my love.

ALAN

I’m sorry, really. It’s just that I

guess I never saw this side of you

before. I’m still getting used to

it.

SYLVIA

All it means is that wherever you

go, I can be there. That’s all you

have to get used to.

EXT. – COOK-SITE – 50 LATER THAT MORNING 50

Alan and Sylvia are sitting on a log finishing their coffee.

Jay comes up to them.

JAY

Sylvia, wait over at the nest for

me a minute, would you? Alan and I

have some things we should talk

over.

SYLVIA

Okay.

(giving Alan a peck on the

cheek)

I’ll see you this evening, honey.

She heads of to the nest and Jay motions for Alan to follow

him as they walk into the woods. They follow a trail for a

few minutes, until it goes into a small clearing next to the

lake. Stopping, Jay gets out his Camels and gives one to

Alan. They light up.

JAY

Just like old times.

ALAN

(looking back the way they

came)

On the trail.

JAY

(chuckling)

Yeah. On the trail.

SYLVIA (CONT’D)

61.

ALAN

You have something you brought me

all the way out here to talk about,

Jay?

JAY

Yes, I do, Alan. I want to talk

about Sylvia.

ALAN

(tensing up)

What about her?

JAY

I just don’t want there to be any

misunderstanding between us about

what is going on.

ALAN

What is it that’s going on, Jay?

Jay picks up a stone and sends it out over the water,

skipping.

JAY

What’s going on is that Sylvia,

along with being beautiful, is a

very competent woman, very

competent. And very free. I think

you may not fully understand what

that means.

ALAN

I’ve got a feeling that you’re

about to tell me.

JAY

What it means is that you can’t

stop her, and I won’t stop her,

from being with anybody she wants

to be with.

ALAN

Which means?

JAY

Hey, I know you’re in love with

her. I get that. But I promise you,

if you cage her up now, you’re

gonna lose her. I’m just giving you

some good advice. You want to be

the last man standing, then get

loose, boy. You want to know why

she digs me, Alan?

(MORE)

62.

Because I understand her. I get

that she loves you, she really

does, but you have to be able to

handle it if she wants to spend

time with me. Hell, I don’t try to

stop her from loving you. As far as

I’m concerned, we can be the milk

brothers. Just loosen up, man.

ALAN

(shaking)

Jay stop. This is pathetic.

JAY

Pathetic?

ALAN

Yes, pathetic. You’re so certain

you’re going to get into Sylvia’s

pants, you don’t realize she

actually believes in what you’re

doing. Yes, she loves your

dedication, your vision. But it’s

me she’s in love with, Jay, me. You

think she’s going to two-time me

like some cheap whore? I’m sorry if

you’ve got blue balls, brother, but

what you’re waiting for just ain’t

gonna happen.

Jay starts to laugh. He picks up another stone and skips it,

laughing louder and louder.

ALAN (CONT’D)

What’s so fucking funny, Jay?

JAY

(putting his hands on

Alan’s shoulders in a

comradely sort of way)

Penguin. My little Penguin. The

bitch is

(yelling this last into

his face)

FUCKING MY BRAINS OUT!

Alan stares at Jay for a moment, his brain spinning, then he

hits him, as hard as he can. Jay is knocked down by this but

otherwise seems unhurt. He is, however, somewhat impressed.

JAY (CONT’D)

(rubbing his chin)

That’s the spirit.

JAY (CONT’D)

(MORE)

63.

(holds out his hand, still

apparently offering some

kind of friendship)

I’m telling you, Alan, you’re

making this harder for everyone

concerned. The milk brothers, man.

She can fuck me by day, and fuck

you by night. It’s a win-win, baby.

Alan swings at him again, but this time he expertly blocks

the punch and chops Alan in the neck with the same hand. He

pulls his head down and knees him in the balls. Alan goes

down, groaning, but rolls away and struggles to his feet.

JAY (CONT’D)

Fool me once, shame on you, fool me

twice – you know the rest, I think.

You ready to be reasonable about

all this?

Alan lunges at him and Jay rolls backward and uses his legs

to throw Alan over his head. Alan goes flying but manages to

roll out of it and get up just as Jay rushes him. They

exchange blows for a few moments, but finally Jay gets the

best of it and ends up on top of Alan, his knees pinning

Alan’s arms to the ground.

JAY (CONT’D)

Damn, Penguin. You do that fuckin’

karate shit pretty good, after all.

But I have a date with a banker,

and you don’t stand those fuckers

up, ‘cause they’ve got your money.

(Alan struggles and Jay

reaffirms his control)

Just settle down, now, Alan. I’m

going to let you think about this

overnight, and we’ll talk tomorrow,

and then we’ll see who is still the

Birds and who isn’t. Just remember,

we’re all free here. You, and

everybody else. You’ve got a right

to tell Sylvia to clarify her

situation, but you’ve got to be man

enough to accept her decision. So

sleep on it.

ALAN

Fuck you, Jay.

JAY

Goodnight, Alan.

JAY (CONT’D)

64.

He hits Alan and knocks him out cold. A few minutes later,

Alan wakes up alone. Wearily, he walks back to the camp,

where he encounters Alex.

ALEX

You look pretty bad, man. What the

fuck happened?

ALAN

Jay and I had a fight.

ALEX

We were kind of wondering when that

was going to happen.

ALAN

Really.

ALEX

Yeah. Who won?

ALAN

Who do you think?

ALEX

Well, he rode off with the girl. I

guess that covers it.

ALAN

I guess it does.

ALEX

So what’s going to happen now?

ALAN

I don’t know.

ALEX

Blackbird is going to be pissed. He

was predicting something like this.

ALAN

Pissed at me, I guess.

ALEX

You brought her, man.

ALAN

Right.

65.

INT. – ALAN’S MOTEL 51 ROOM – NIGHTIME 51

Alan is finishing a bottle of whiskey by himself. He is

totally miserable and finally passes out on the bed.

52 INT. – ALAN’S MOTEL ROOM – MIDDAY THE NEXT DAY 52

Alan groggily pulls himself awake on the bed, hung over and

looking like shit. He staggers to the bathroom and stands in

the shower for a while, then, still hung over, wearily puts

on his pants. Then he hears the sound of a motorcycle

outside. He pulls aside the drapes to see Sylvia getting off

of the back of Jay’s Harley. As she approaches his door, Jay

speeds off. There is a knock on the door and Alan opens it.

Sylvia rushes in, bright and energetic (the exact opposite of

Alan’s condition), and tries to give him a hug. He puts up

his arms to hold her off.

ALAN

Where have you been, Sylvia?

SYLVIA

With Jay.

ALAN

With Jay. All night.

SYLVIA

Yes.

ALAN

Where?

SYLVIA

His house.

ALAN

He took you to his house?

SYLVIA

Yes.

ALAN

He’s never done that for anyone.

SYLVIA

I know.

ALAN

Where is it?

SYLVIA

Bolinas.

66.

ALAN

(pause)

Do you love me, Sylvia?

SYLVIA

Yes, Alan, I’ve told you, I think

I’ll always love you.

ALAN

But you spent the night with Jay.

SYLVIA

I spent the night at his house.

That’s all.

ALAN

You expect me to believe that?

SYLVIA

Why wouldn’t you?

ALAN

Because he told me you’ve been

fucking his brains out. If I may

quote him directly, “the bitch has

been fucking my brains out.”

Unquote.

SYLVIA

He’s just trying to rattle you.

(taking the accusation

with complete calm and

nonchalance)

We haven’t even kissed. He wants

you to get crazy and do something

that I’ll be mad at you for.

ALAN

You mean like get into a fight with

him?

SYLVIA

He told me about it.

ALAN

Why would he do that?

SYLVIA

I told him I was dumping you for

him. Maybe he figured it would make

it easier on you if you thought I

wasn’t worth the effort, if I was

just a slut.

67.

ALAN

You told him you were dumping me?

And you spent the night at his

house?

SYLVIA

Yes. And in about an hour he’ll be

back to pick me up and then I’m

going back to his house with him

again.

ALAN

I’m sorry. I don’t understand.

SYLVIA

He thinks I haven’t slept with him

yet because I won’t cheat on you,

that I need to break up with you

before I’ll do that, that that’s

what I’m doing now, and then we’ll

go back to his place and fuck our

brains out.

ALAN

But that’s not what’s going to

happen.

SYLVIA

That’s right. That’s not what’s

going to happen.

ALAN

You’ve been spending every day with

him, you just told him you’re

dumping me, you’re on your way back

to his house in an hour, and you’re

not going to fuck his brains out?

Oh, and you’re still in love with

me; I forgot that part.

(shaking his head)

What the hell are you going to do,

what could you possibly do, that is

going to make me believe any of

this, that is even going to make

sense of any of this?

SYLVIA

I’m going to arrest him.

ALAN

(stunned)

What?

(there is no answer.

(MORE)

68.

(Alan steps closer)

What?

SYLVIA

I said, I’m going to arrest him.

Alan I’m sorry. There’s no easy way

to tell you this. I’m in the

fucking FBI. I’m a federal agent.

Alan, completely staggered at this, sits down on the bed.

ALAN

(looking up at her)

You can’t be telling me this.

SYLVIA

It’s the truth. Right now I’m on

loan to the DEA, because I knew Jay

in high school. They actually

requested me after a computer

search linked our names and found

me on the roles at the FBI Academy.

ALAN

Jesus fucking God. Then you

actually haven’t been fucking Jay?

SYLVIA

No, of course not. If we’d gotten

intimate at all he’d have found

this.

She pulls up her dress, reaches into her underwear, and pulls

out a gun.

ALAN

Christ. Why didn’t I find it?

SYLVIA

I don’t wear it when I’m with you,

Alan.

ALAN

I don’t fucking believe this. Why?

Why are you after Jay?

SYLVIA

(pauses)

Remember what I said about Karen,

what happened to her?

ALAN

She fell out of a window.

ALAN (CONT’D)

69.

SYLVIA

No. The hotel was right, she

jumped. I talked to the kids that

were with her. She jumped because

she was high on acid, on Bird’s

Eggs acid, they told me about it. I

Wanted to get whoever made that

shit. I had no way of knowing it

would be Jay. So when the DEA made

their request, I jumped at the

chance. I had no way to find him,

but I figured I could find you, and

you might know. I didn’t expect

that you would be part of his gang.

ALAN

That’s the reason you found me, to

find Jay?

SYLVIA

Yes. I’m sorry.

ALAN

You’re fucking me just to get to

him? Hell, why stop there? Why not

fuck Jay, too?

SYLVIA

No, Alan, I wasn’t going to do

that, and I wasn’t going to do it

with you, either. That’s why I

asked you if you were sure you had

no contact with Jay. When you said

no, I said to myself, okay this is

a dead end. Now I can do whatever I

want. And I wanted you, Alan.

ALAN

And now you’re going to arrest me.

SYLVIA

I can’t very well do anything else.

You’re in my reports. And Alan,

what you’re doing is wrong. I’m

sorry but you all have to go down.

ALAN

But you dropped acid with me. You

saw how beautiful it is, come on.

70.

SYLVIA

No. When you went to get me a glass

of water, I switched my sugar cube

for one of the clean ones in the

box. I would never touch that

stuff. I’m sorry you’re so

involved, Alan, I really am. I hope

someday you can kick your silly

dependence on drugs.

ALAN

Then your story about dropping with

Jay …?

SYLVIA

Same thing. I faked it. I read

books about what people say when

they’re high. It was part of my

preparation.

ALAN

And all this time, riding around

every day with him?

SYLVIA

I’ve been building a case. Thanks

to you, I know everything now. And

I know how to find just about

everybody. I even met the banker

yesterday. This case is going to

make my career.

ALAN

(overwhelmed)

And now?

SYLVIA

Now I know where Jay’s real house

is. I’ve been there. There’s enough

evidence in that place to put him

away for sure. He thinks we’re

going to celebrate me dumping you

and fuck all night. But I’m

notifying my bosses where to come

and back me up when I arrest him.

ALAN

And why the hell should I let you

do something like that? Maybe

you’re pretty dumb to be telling me

all this.

71.

SYLVIA

No, Alan, I’m not worried about you

keeping me from telling them. In

fact, I’m not going to tell them.

You are.

ALAN

What are you talking about?

SYLVIA

I haven’t lied to you, Alan, at

least, not about the important

things. I really do love you, and I

always will. I have to stop this

gang, and I have to put Jay away.

But I’ve figured out how to protect

you as much as possible. I can’t

protect you completely, but I can

do something. I’ve written you up

as cooperative, as a confidential

informant, a CI. It should get you

a very lenient sentence.

ALAN

You’ve written me up as ratting out

the gang? Christ, I’d never do

that.

SYLVIA

Of course not. And you didn’t. But

it’s all going down now, tonight,

in fact. You wouldn’t gain anything

by refusing my offer, nobody would.

You’d just be up for a long

sentence like the rest of them. I’m

sorry for them. I’ve gotten to know

them, and they’re not bad people,

really. But what they’re doing is

against the law, and I’m not in

love with them. So maybe I can save

you, Alan, but that’s all. Don’t

throw away the chance. I’m risking

a lot by giving it to you.

ALAN

What am I supposed to do?

SYLVIA

You remember Clara, Clara Saito?

ALAN

Of course. Is she in the fucking

FBI too?

72.

SYLVIA

No, no. But she’s a friend. I told

her that in case of emergency, I

might ask her to relay information

to the office in Honolulu, and

they’ll let San Francisco know if

it’s time to move. As far as she

knows, you aren’t any kind of

target for my assignment. Just give

her the address to forward to the

FBI. There’s a code word, too, that

let’s them know to drop the hammer

at that location. They’ll show up

and move in. Delivering that

address to her on your own should

be all I need to get you a reduced

sentence. Don’t be stupid, Alan,

please. It wouldn’t help anyone. If

you want us to be together, this is

the only way.

ALAN

God damn it.

(he gets up and starts

pacing the floor. Finally

…)

Alright. I guess I have no choice.

SYLVIA

Thank you, Alan. I don’t want you

coming out of jail an old man.

ALAN

Let’s go ahead and make the call,

then, before I change my mind.

Sylvia digs into her purse and produces a piece of paper that

she gives to Alan.

SYLVIA

That’s the address and code word:

fist.

(picks up the phone and

dials a long distance

call to Honolulu. After a

moment, she puts down the

phone)

Busy. We can try again in a few

minutes.

They sit on the bed. Alan is in a state of shock. Through the

window they hear the sound of Jay’s Harley pulling into the

parking lot. Sylvia picks up the phone and tries again. After

a moment, she puts it down.

73.

SYLVIA (CONT’D)

Still busy.

ALAN

(pulling the curtain aside

slightly)

He’s just sitting there.

SYLVIA

(standing up)

I shouldn’t keep Jay waiting. I

don’t want anything to make him

suspicious.

(she bends down and gives

Alan a kiss, to which he

gives very little

response)

Poor Alan. It will be alright, I

promise. Just keep trying and give

her the message.

(she goes to the door)

Then your best move is probably

just go back to your place at Clear

Lake, and don’t put up any

resistance when I show up with the

troops to arrest you.

(opens it)

Good luck, Alan. For me, you’ll

always be one of the good guys.

I’ll always love you.

She exits and Alan sits a moment more, stunned, then picks up

the phone again. This time, however, instead of a busy

signal, there is no answer.

ALAN

Fuck!

He looks at the address again, thinks for a moment, then,

making a decision, rushes out and gets in his car.

53 INT. – MUSTANG 53

Alan is speeding west. He has his satellite phone out and

makes the call again from it. Again no answer. He continues

to speed down the road. Occasional glances at his watch show

around two hours passing with no answer from Clara’s phone.

Finally, when he is almost to Bolinas, she answers.

CLARA

Hello?

74.

ALAN

Clara, this is Alan, remember me?

CLARA

Alan? Wow. Long time, huh? How’ve

you been?

ALAN

I’ve been fine, Clara. Clara,

Sylvia gave me your number and

asked me to pass on an urgent

message for the FBI there.

CLARA

Yeah, she said she might do that.

Pretty crazy, huh, her becoming a

real FBI agent. She kind of joked

about it in school, but I never

thought she was serious. Gosh, are

you two seeing each other again?

That would be awesome.

ALAN

Listen, Clara, I don’t have a lot

of time. Please write this down,

okay? 17457 Colusa Ave., Bolinas,

California. There’s a code word you

should give along with it; it’s

fist. F-I-S-T. Got it?

CLARA

Yes. Alright, it was great talking

to you again. Hope we see each

other sometime.

ALAN

I hope so. Bye, Clara.

CLARA

Bye. Oh, wait!

ALAN

Yes?

CLARA

This is really a coincidence. Just

a few minutes ago, you’ll never

guess who called – Jay.

ALAN

Jay called you?

75.

CLARA

Yes. He’s trying to get in touch

with Sylvia. You should tell her

when you see her.

ALAN

He just called?

CLARA

Yes, just now. He said he tried to

reach her through the DEA but

wasn’t able to. I told him he got

it wrong, that she’s in the FBI,

not the DEA.

ALAN

You told Jay that Sylvia is in the

FBI?

CLARA

Yes. Was there something wrong with

that?

ALAN

Just make the call, Clara. Do it

right now.

He hangs up and steps on the gas.

EXT. – JAY’S 54 HOUSE – SUNSET 54

The mustang negotiates a rutted dirt road that leads to a

house in the distance. Alan drives up slowly and stops. Jay’s

motorcycle is parked out front. He walks slowly up to the

door and knocks. No answer. He pushes the door and it is

unlocked, opens. He steps inside, drawing his gun. A quick

look determines that no one is there, and he steps back onto

the porch. A full moon is rising as he walks around back and

sees a path that leads down to the ocean. He follows it, and

finds Jay and Sylvia on the beach. Sylvia is on her knees in

the sand and Jay is standing a few feet away, his gun pointed

at her head. They do not notice Alan as he stops on the edge

of the sand, about thirty feet away.

SYLVIA

Jay, think about this. If you’ve

killed anybody before, we don’t

know about it, I swear we don’t.

But you can’t kill a federal agent.

They’ll catch you, and you’ll never

see daylight again, even if you can

avoid execution.

76.

JAY

I’m sorry, baby, but you haven’t

given me much of a choice.

SYLVIA

How did you find out?

JAY

The acid trip, baby. You should

have known better than to think you

could fool me about that. I had a

feeling you weren’t really high.

But you said all kinds of cool

stuff. That was the tipoff. Then I

realized you were awfully anxious

to know every fucking thing there

was to know about the Birds. Oh,

you did it really cool, baby. I

still wasn’t sure. Then on the way

here I remembered Clara, and sure

enough, she was in Honolulu

information. I called her when you

were in the bathroom, tricked her a

bit, and she told me you were in

the FBI.

ALAN

(shouting)

Jay!

JAY

(looks around but keeps

his gun on Sylvia)

Hello Alan. Can you believe this

shit? Our little girl here is a

fucking FBI agent. But I guess you

wouldn’t be here unless she told

you where I live. Fuck, are you in

the FBI, too?

ALAN

Put the gun down, Jay. And no, I’m

not in the FBI.

JAY

DEA? CIA? Some other three-letter

acronym I’ve never heard of?

ALAN

I’m not the heat, Jay, any kind of

heat. But I can’t let you kill her,

you know that. You pull that

trigger, I’ll pull mine, I mean it.

And I won’t miss.

77.

JAY

Oh, I’m sure you mean it, and I’m

sure you won’t miss, Penguin. I saw

you with the Sinners, I was there.

That was bad, baby. That was

exceptional. I will never

underestimate you again, my friend,

not after that display of cool. And

I had, before, I do confess that.

But never again, and not now.

ALAN

Just put the gun down, Jay.

JAY

But listen, Penguin, she played us,

played us big time. And she’s

playing you now. Wake up, man.

What’d she do, tell you she’d get

you a deal, all you have to do is

rat the rest of us out in court?

Hey, she doesn’t have any control

over that kind of shit, man. That’s

for the DA and the rest of the

suits to decide. They don’t give a

shit what she wants.

SYLVIA

(shouting)

That’s not true, Alan.

ALAN

It doesn’t matter. I don’t care.

You’re not going to kill her.

JAY

She doesn’t deserve your loyalty,

man. Don’t you understand?

(shouting)

She’s selling us all down the

river!

ALAN

I don’t care.

JAY

You will care.

ALAN

Drop the gun, Jay. It’s over. A

whole shitload of feds are probably

pulling up to your house right now.

(MORE)

78.

Killing her isn’t going to keep you

out of jail, it’ll just guarantee

you’ll never leave it.

JAY

Don’t count on it. I’ve already

sent the doomsday signal to

everyone’s pager.

SYLVIA

What’s he talking about?

ALAN

It’s a prearranged signal. Nothing

but ones and eights, aces and

eights, the dead man’s hand. It

means the scene is blown and

everyone should liquidate

everything and bail. I would go

back to Honolulu and pretend to

have been nothing but a homeless

hippie all these years. Penguin

would disappear.

JAY

We’ll all disappear.

SYLVIA

Is that true?

ALAN

Yes. Unless your guys moved on the

cook-site the second they got the

word from Clara, they got nobody.

JAY

So screw the bitch, Alan. You don’t

need her fucking deal.

ALAN

Then why kill her, Jay? If you’re

so sure we can disappear, what

difference does it make?

JAY

It makes a difference.

ALAN

No it fucking doesn’t. You want to

kill her because she played you.

ALAN (CONT’D)

(MORE)

79.

You thought she was really throwing

me over just for the privilege of

getting roughed up again by you,

but she’s going to put you in jail,

instead. And your fucking ego can’t

stand it.

At this, Jay suddenly turns his gun away from Sylvia and

towards Alan. The two men fire at the same time and both

miss. But Sylvia uses the opportunity to pull her gun from

her underwear and shoot Jay. He is still alive as they

approach him, but barely.

JAY

(smiling)

She really loves you, man.

Jay dies and Alan and Sylvia sit down next to him. After a

moment FBI agents approach the beach. Alan gives his gun to

Sylvia, and they embrace. Alan is led back to a car and

Sylvia gives him one last kiss before they take him away.

FILM CAN END HERE. OR (MY CHOICE) GO ON A FEW MORE MINUTES

INT. – MONTAGE OF SAN QUENTIN PRISON SCENES 55 FEATURING ALAN 55

Alan is enduring prison life. Sylvia comes periodically to

visit him with another lawyer from her father’s firm, Hiroki

from Japan.

56 INT. – SAN QUENTIN VISITORS’ ROOM – THREE YEARS LATER 56

Alan, now sporting a full bear, is sitting at a table by

himself as Sylvia enters.

ALAN

(standing)

Where’s Hiroki?

SYLVIA

(they both sit down)

He won’t be here today. In fact,

you won’t need to see him again.

Your parole was granted. They sent

us the papers yesterday.

ALAN

That’s great. When do I get

released?

SYLVIA

I will just be a couple of weeks.

ALAN (CONT’D)

80.

ALAN

Wow. Will you be picking me up, I

hope?

SYLVIA

No.

ALAN

No?

SYLVIA

Alan this is probably the last time

we should see each other.

ALAN

What?

SYLVIA

Hiroki and I are going to Japan for

a while. To meet his family. We’re

getting married.

Alan sits without moving, stunned. Sylvia pushes her chair

back and stands up.

SYLVIA (CONT’D)

I’m sorry. Hiroki surprised me by

proposing, and I realized it was

the right thing for me to do.

(pauses)

Our lives have been too different,

Alan. It’s just too late for us.

(she starts to walk out,

then turns back at the

door)

But Alan, I meant it when I said

that for me you’ll always be one of

the good guys. I love you, Alan,

and I always will.

ALAN

(just as Sylvia turns to

go)

Sylvia!

SYLVIA

(turning back again, an

anxious look on her face)

Yes, Alan?

ALAN

(giving her a long look)

Fuck you, Sylvia. And the horse you

rode in on.

81.

57 EXT. – PRISON GATE 57

Alan is seen finally leaving San Quentin. He is now cleanshaven

and wearing the same black leather suit he was

arrested in. He carries a small flat package with him. Alex

is waiting to pick him up.

ALEX

(as he gets in)

Hey, man. You look fine. Where to?

58 INT. – ALEX’S CAR 58

ALAN

Just head south, we’re going down

by the airport.

ALEX

(as they drive)

And Sylvia?

ALAN

She married my lawyer.

ALEX

I see.

They come to a storage facility near the airport. Alan

punches in a code for them to enter and they drive to one of

the large lockers.

ALEX (CONT’D)

What’s this?

ALAN

It’s a locker I rented for Frank.

The feds never connected it to me.

He wanted me to stash some stuff

here for when he came to the

mainland.

They get out of the car and Alan punches in a code on the

locker. The metal gate begins to go up.

ALEX

(looking at the package)

What’s that?

Alan rips off the paper to reveal two personalized license

plates, reading TRAIL. As the gate clears, we see inside a

black Mustang, the exact duplicate of Alan’s old car.

82.

ALEX (CONT’D)

I thought they confiscated your

car.

ALAN

(smiling)

I bought two of them.

83.