CANCELLATION NOTICE Written by Arthur Byrd
Based on, the suggestions of The Fall 2013 History of Motion Pictures Class, Youngstown State University.
ii.
FADE IN: EXT.
KOOTENAI FOREST- NORTHERN MONTANA-AFTERNOON
The Kootenai Forest is considered sacred Indian land. Kootenai Indians still live in the area, but far from the forest. Their native language is spoken by fewer than 100 people in Montana, Idaho and British Columbia. The mountains are snow-capped, yet below, the trees are keeping out the cold air. The average temperature is 60°. The forest is dense but easy to travel especially, if you follow the stream that runs in the middle. The STREAM is very wide with lots of rocks that nature seems to have placed there, so no one can travel through safely by boat or swim. The stream is known as the “Quiet Funeral” as it sounds so calm and soothing, but if you were to be caught in its whirlpool current. A person's body could be sucked under and pulled apart by the force. The unfortunate bodies sucked into the “Quiet Funeral” were found years later, just bones. Yes, years later because hardly any National Park Rangers patrol the area because no one goes into the forest because of the sacredness of the land. Today, two PEOPLE have ventured into the Kootenai Forest. There is sloshing sounds of movement on the wet shallow mud. A MAN wearing a Brooks Brothers’ Fitzgerald Fit Tic with Windowpane suit has mud splattered all over his pants and jacket of the $1200 suit. He is shaking with cold and fear. His hands are bound with a plastic strip behind him which has been cutting into his flesh causing slight bleeding. VOICE You can stop right there. The man stops and his black Battistoni Leather Wingtip shoes sink a little into the mud. VOICE (CONT’D) Turnaround. The man does what he is told. He is face-to-face with his captor. His first thought is how beautiful the WOMAN aiming a silver WALTHER PK22 with a silencer at him is. The silencer reduces the amount of noise and muzzle flash from guns when fired. Why would this statuette woman standing 5 foot 7 with straight blonde hair swept to the right, coming to her shoulders need a silencer in the forest, where there is no one around. ISABELLA GOMEZ, 25, likes the sound of the silencer.
2.
She is wearing s black Zima jacket from Gore-Tex ® which has easy breathing material which can adapt to all climates. Also, she is wearing black Gore Tex ® Volta pants with kneehigh North Shore Snowtripolis boots. On her shoulder is the strap of a black messenger bag which is hanging near her hip. The man's ruffled hair from walking through the forest is not the look of a $60 haircut that Anthony Arone is used to having. ANTHONY ARONE, 57, is a former CEO of CORRALIS BANKS. His bank received a government payout for recovery and stability in 2008. Corralis Bank did not do well in the recovery under his leadership as the bank went into bankruptcy in early 2013. He was forced to resign with a severance package of $24 million. Yet, thousands of Corralis customers lost their savings. Arone flaunted his wealth with boats, houses and cars. There was a CANCELATION NOTICE (To be killed order) put out on him. Isabella was now delivering that notice. She is not just a beautiful woman of Mexican descent. Isabella is a skilled trained killer, an ASSASSIN. ISABELLA Mr. Arone, did you know that CEOs are paid 354 times more than the average American worker? There is no emotion in Arone’s face. Isabella didn't expect any from him. ISABELLA (CONT’D) Your handling of the bank forced it into bankruptcy and caused innocent people to lose their savings and hope. ARONE It's just business. It is how things were and are done. ISABELLA It seems you have no feelings for the people. Even though, you got a huge settlement check.
3. ARONE The shareholders are the ones who don’t have any feelings for the people. We had a contract and they paid me. ISABELLA Yet, you ran the bank into the ground. ARONE Yes, I made some mistakes. But, kidnapping me and bringing me here. This is going a little too far. ISABELLA It's never too far to get justice. ARONE Justice? From a capitalistic point of view, I was just going after the American dream. ISABELLA In the process, you gave thousands an American nightmare. (raising the PK22 towards Arone) ARONE (stepping back) Whatever they're giving you, I can give you more. ISABELLA It's not that simple. There is a cancellation notice on you. ARONE What the hell is that? ISABELLA A kill you order from someone who wants you eliminated. I work for an agency that writes wrongs for injustice done to innocent people. ARONE Have I done an injustice to those people? ISABELLA Yes, you have. Your actions ruined a lot of people’s lives.
4. She shakes her head in disbelief that Arone has no concept of what his actions have done to thousands of people. ISABELLA (CONT’D) If you had it all to do over again.? How would you do it? Arone’s once frightened demeanor suddenly turns into a cold and confident one. The kind of confident and arrogance that made him a cold and calculating CEO. As he stares into Isabella's eyes which causes her defensive shields to come up. ARONE (breathing calmly) Knowing, what I know. I would do the same thing. Isabella doesn't need her defensive shields anymore as her face turns to stone. Her right arm lifts at an 7° angle towards Arone. A millisecond later, her index finger pulls back the PK22’s trigger. The sucking sound of the silencer softly echoes through the forest but nature is not disturbed as not one bird flies away, nor does a chipmunk stops gnawing on a nut. Arone recoils in surprise as his body to seems to be in suspended motion just floating without falling. He tries to speak and this is where we find out where Isabella's bullet found its mark. Arone's throat has become a sea of red blood. Since his hands are bound. He can feel the blood leaving his body and goes into instant shock. Anthony Arone's body falls backward on his back on the wet mud. His leg starts to shake as he makes loud gargling sounds. Isabella slowly lowers the PK22 and starts unscrewing the silencer cylinder. She puts the PK22 and silencer into the bag and pulls out a newspaper article. Isabella walks over to Arone as he is choking on his own blood. She stands over him and leans down and shows him the article which has a headline that reads: CORRALIS BANKS GOES BANKRUPT. THOUSAND LOSE THEIR SAVINGS. Then, she tosses the article on his blood soaked chest. ISABELLA All you had to do was care. Arone's eyes are wide as the once loud gargling sound he was making has been reduced to low breathing. Isabella reach into her bag and pulls out a large folded plastic square. She lays the square near Arone and starts to unfold it. His eyes know that the square is his casket.
5. Isabella finishes unfolding a large plastic that has zippers on the sides. As she stands up. Her and Arone's eyes lock on each other for the last time. He makes one more gargle and is gone. Isabella goes back into her bag and takes out a cell phone and starts taking pictures of Arone's lifeless body. Then, she press the send button and his images are gone. The stream is calm and peaceful as it makes a smooth swishing sound. Arone is lying in the plastic bag and the headline article is still on his chest, stuck by the blood. Isabella has placed medium sized stones from the shore into the bag. With the last stone, she starts to zip the bag and takes one more look at Arone and finishes zipping. Having a lean and strong body due to yoga, light weights and eating fruit and fish, Isabella is able to drag Arone's body bag to the stream. Once in the water, she has the bag floating about ten feet from shore. Isabella just lets the bag go. It is floating, then it starts to slowly to sink out of sight, not before hitting its first huge rock. Isabella walks out of the water, she is slightly cold but relieved that notice has been delivered. She looks at the stream for the bag. It is gone. INT. SKY OVER NEVADA-AFTERNOON A LEARJET 85 is flying smoothly through the clouds. EXT. LEARJET–AFTERNOON The Learjet’s cabin has plush surroundings with leather seats with a tiny aisle to get back and forth. Isabella is the lone traveler in the cabin, sitting at a table tray near the right side window. She is looking out the window seeing the clouds. Her mind floats to her childhood. FLASHBACK: She sees her FATHER sitting at the kitchen table with many white envelopes on it. There is a sadness on his face, a weary face. JORGE GOMEZ doesn’t know where the next dollar will come from. Isabella overhears her parents talking about how the company left her father and fellow workers with hardly nothing after taking the profits and closing the Electronic Wiring plant. LEARJET CABIN: Her eyes softened as she thinks about her parent’s struggle. Isabella looks down on the tray table at some files.
6. One has top priority named Dick Burgess on it. Her mind wanders again as she goes back to her father’s funeral. FLASHBACK: Isabella as a 18-year old watches as her father’s casket is lowered into the ground. After the funeral, there are lots of people in her parent’s house. A MAN she knows as Rusty hugs her and put a card in her hand. RUSTY You know the company killed your father. After they took the profits and left, your father was never the same. He worked there over 20 years and came away with virtually nothing. His heart couldn’t take it. This card may provide the peace you may be looking for. Isabella looks down at the card which reads Justice For the Stepped On, JFSON with a number. She would put the card away in a drawer. Her father’s life insurance policy settlement would provide enough for all of Isabella’s college tuition. She know her mother, SOPHIA, 53, always wanted to be a social counselor for those going through bad economic times. Isabella decides to give her mother half of the settlement for her college tuition. She wanted her mother to be able to go to a local college to study social counseling. Sophia did attend YOUNGSTONW STATE UNIVERSITY and graduated with honors with a degree in Social Work with emphasis on counseling. She now works with a non-profit group that works with the laidoff workers and their families called The Hand Over The Wall Group. Isabella attended Mellon University outside of Pittsburgh. She worked different jobs such as a waitress during the day, loading packages into vans at Federal Express in the early morning. She made the dean’s list several times as she got her degree in International Business and a minor in Spanish. Quickly after graduation, Isabella landed a job as as an analyst at Fordman Milo Research, a company that looked at business trends. After reading several articles online about executives getting a lots of money, while the workers laid-off suffered. Isabella checked and found out that more executives than ever are using companies as their personal cash cows.
7. Upon cleaning up her old room, Isabella came across the old JPSON card that Rusty had given her. After staring at the card for a long time, Isabella dials the number on the card. A voice comes on the line. VOICE Are you ready to make a difference? Yes.
ISABELLA
Isabella has never told her mother what she really does. All she knows, is that it is in honor of her father that she picked up a gun, to right the wrongs done to innocent workers. Isabella’s mind comes back as she opens the file it reads JFSON and top priority Dick Burgess. There’s a photo of a young man about 29 years old. He is handsome with short cropped blonde hair and looks more military than business. Burgess is wearing an expensive Yves Saint Lauren suit. His history shows that he was an early graduate of Wharton’s Business School and had skyrocketed to the Vice President of Geneva M Technologies, then within a few years to be the CEO of the company. During his tenure, he shut down some of the U.S factories and outsourced specialized work to foreign countries for lower wages and costs. He left Geneva M Technologies with a huge severance package of $1.8 million, while the former employees were forced to fight for their financial lives. Now, he is with another company, PLUM COMPUTERS. Burgess has been there for nine months. He has expanded the computer line which has spread their market share thin causing sales to plummet. He fired the designers who had made the company’s most innovative products. This pattern is the same he used at Geneva M Technologies. Burgess ignored the shareholders pleas to continue in Plum’s tradition of high quality products at a fair price. Someone has placed a CANCELLATION NOTICE on Dick Burgess. Isabella has been assigned to deliver the cancellation notice. She feels the left side of her head where there is a SCAR that is always covered by her blond hair. Isabella remembers how she got the scar.
8. FLASHBACK: DAYTIME In a wooded area, a slightly younger Isabella is wearing gray camouflage pants with high boots. She has on a black T-shirt and holding a black BERETTA pistol. There is a group of MEN standing near campsite. Isabella uses her newly acquired combat skills to take down each man except one who has a gun and shoots at her as she is in a tumble roll while trying to get a safer place. The bullet grazes the side of her head. Out of the tumble, Isabella goes into fires back, hitting the gunman in the to fly back. She slowly walks over to the Beretta pistol at his face. Blood left eye.
a crunch position and chest which causes him the gunman and points trickles down near her
VOICE (O.S) Exercise over. Get a medic over to Recruit Gomez. Isabella steps back and puts her gun in a side holster. The gunman man smiles and gets up. GUNMAN Sorry, Izzie. Rubber sponge bullets are not suppose to discharge that way. Isabella wipes the blood from her eye. ISABELLA That’s alright. GUNMAN Man, you kept coming at me. You will not have any trouble on your first cancellation notice. You are a natural. Some medical personnel run up to Isabella, who lets the gunman’s words sink in. LEARJET: Isabella takes her hand away from her scar. It is a constant reminder that she is a highly trained assassin. Her eyes focuses on the photo of Dick Burgess, who is her lucky number seven cancellation notice.
9. EXT. 777 TOWER-LOS ANGELES-MIDMORNING The hustle and bustle of the city has slowed down as people are already doing their jobs in the surrounding downtown Los Angeles buildings. There is one person, who is taking advantage of coming and going as he pleases. DICK BURGESS, 29, is seated in the back of a silver 2013 Lincoln Continental. The Lincoln Continental comes to a stop at the curb in front of the 777 Tower which is the 98th tallest building in the world with 52 floors. The building is home to Plum Computers, the company that revolutionized computers with its tablets, digital music players and cell phones. After the company’s mastermind CEO, Steve Bobs passed away from pancreatic cancer. Next in line, CFO Tim Crocker took over and ran the company like Bobs with great results. Ten months ago, Crocker was involved in a fatal car crash. With no one in the company with the computer expertise that could keep the company afloat. Shareholders looked outside of Plum but no one wanted to come aboard. They were baffled because Plum is such a viable company. Bobs and Crocker were too much of a great team to come in and replace. With great reluctance, the board of directors hire Burgess because of his computer expertise. For a few months, Burgess was on track with the company's forecasted trajectory. Then, he started to propose changes that took Plum from its core strength to uncharted waters with terrible results. The driver side door opens and JOE CARABALLO, 55, the chauffeur, pops out and quickly moves around the front of the Lincoln to the passenger door. He lightly pulls up on the door handle, a clicking sound releases the door. Joe steps back holding the door. An Allen Edmonds Strand Cap Toe Oxford SHOE steps on the pavement, than another shoe. Dick Burgess stands up with his leather suitcase. He is wearing a Yves Saint Laurent Charcoal Pinstripe suit with a white shirt and gold tie. As for a man wearing a $1600 suit and $345 shoes. His facial expression should be a big ass smile, not Dick Burgess. His expression is tight, no smile, it is his mid-morning game face that is suppose to give the illusion of not taking any prisoners. He doesn't say anything to Joe, no thanks or a grunt. Dick heads to 777 Tower as if Joe didn't exist.
10. INT. 777 TOWER-SAME As Dick strolls through the glass door with gold trim. He is welcomed with the sight of the glass lobby with its three story Italian green and rose marble. There are two escalators to get those levels. The elevators are not far from the lobby. Dick arrives at one of the many elevators available. He stops at the nearest. There are TWO YOUNG WOMEN dressed in faded Dickie jeans with paint spots on them and low cut Converse sneakers waiting for the elevator. Not the usual business dress for the 777 Tower. One of the women, we already know is Isabella. The other woman is AUBREY KATSAROS, 24, who has big eyes and a high wattage smile. She is not as tall as Isabella at 5 foot 4. They smile at Dick who instantly loses his stern game face, breaking into a slight smile. There is light sound of a ding, then the elevator door open. Dick having a gentleman moment letting the two women go before he steps in. Aubrey moves to the right, Isabella to the middle and Dick to the left. INT. ELEVATOR-SAME DICK How are you ladies doing? ISABELLA Good, how are you? DICK I’m alright. Could you please press the 48th floor? Aubrey reaches for the 48th floor button and presses it and the number 48 goes bright white and then touches the 52nd floor button which lights up. ISABELLA What’s on the 48th floor? My office.
DICK
ISABELLA What do you do? I am CEO.
DICK
ISABELLA What company?
11. DICK Plum Computers. ISABELLA That’s good. I have a PPod. DICK That’s great, but we may be discontinuing it. ISABELLA That is not good. I just bought the thing. DICK Hang on to it. It could be a classic. Isabella looks disappointed gives Aubrey and “oh well” look. DICK (CONT’D) What are you ladies doing in the building? ISABELLA We are painting murals for the conference room on the 52nd floor. DICK That is awesome and that will keep you busy. Always.
ISABELLA
DICK (leaning towards Aubrey) How come you seems so nervous over there? Aubrey gives a shy smile but doesn’t say anything and Dick doesn’t pursue it any further. ISABELLA (laughing) Some artists are like that. Nothing to say. They just want to paint. Paint, paint. Dick likes her laugh and smile. He nods and gives Isabella an extra look and smile. Aubrey smiles as she sees Dick’s interest in Isabella grow.
12. ISABELLA (CONT’D) Are you making anything now? DICK We are in the process of developing some new software and products. ISABELLA Are you married? Dick is a little taken back by Isabella’s boldness. Aubrey almost bursts out laughing, she holds it. DICK No, not right now. The elevator floor digital readout at the top of the door is reading 44th floor. As in a tennis match, Dick uses a surge in courage to send the ball back over to Isabella’s court. Are you?
DICK (CONT’D)
ISABELLA No, not right now. There is a moment of silence and an awkward stare between Isabella and Dick. The elevator dings as the 48th floor button stays bright. DICK I have reached my floor. ISABELLA Yes, you have. Dick takes a step forward. DICK (looking at Isabella) It was nice meeting you. ISABELLA Are you sure we have met? Aubrey giggles. Dick is again confused by Isabella’s boldness. ISABELLA (CONT’D) What’s my name? Dick doesn't know as he shrugs his shoulder. The elevator door opens. He takes a step forward, then turns around.
13. DICK What is your name? ISABELLA You think I would give you my name, so quickly. (one second) Isabella. DICK Isabella, what a beautiful name. Thank you.
ISABELLA
DICK You are welcome. He steps out of the elevator. ISABELLA What is your name? Dick turns around and faces Isabella and Aubrey. DICK Dick, Dick Burgess. ISABELLA Well, Dick. I hope you are not one. As Dick is about to say something. The elevator door closes. INT. ELEVATOR-SAME Isabella and Aubrey laugh. INT. PLUM COMPUTER BOARDROOM-MORNING There are several male and female executives seated around a huge table with Dick at the head, listening to one of the executive, KEVIN CYLAR expressing his angry about a project started by Dick. INT. 52ND FLOOR-BOARDROOM The mural of dolphins is halfway finished. There are two FEMALES painting the mural, but they are not Isabella and Aubrey. They are ASHLEY CAVENDER, 23 and AMBER WADSWORTH, 24 who are actual mural artists hired by the JFSON agency to paint the mural.
14. INT. 52ND FLOOR-OFFICE The room has screens and computers. Isabella is looking at a video screen that is displaying various shots. One shot shows Dick in his meeting. Aubrey is looking at agency information on a laptop. ISABELLA You have to see this. This guy is all up in Dick’s face. Aubrey slides over in a rolling chair. ISABELLA (CONT’D) Too bad, we don’t have sound. AUBREY Dick looks so calm. ISABELLA As if, he is ice cool. AUBREY I bet angry boy doesn’t last the next hour. ISABELLA He wouldn’t fire him. AUBREY (surprised) Did you read his file? ISABELLA Yes, I did. AUBREY Izzie, he doesn’t care. Everyone is expendable. VIDEO SCREEN: The meeting is breaking up. Everyone leaves the room. Dick is just sitting there. Then, he gets up and takes off his jacket and walks out the room. The video cameras pick up every steps Dick takes. ISABELLA Damn, the agency did a great job installing this camera system. We see everything.
15. AUBREY I do know that Plum’s cybersecurity may do a sweep of the offices to find bugs because of corporate espionage. ISABELLA Well, for today. This works. Dick is on the move. VIDEO SCREEN: Dick heads out of the office to the lobby. ISABELLA (CONT’D) He is heading to the elevator. AUBREY (looking at her watch) It is not even lunch time. ISABELLA Where is he going? Both start to think. No way.
TOGETHER
INT. 52ND FLOOR-LOBBY-MIDMORNING The elevator makes a ping sound. The door opens, it is Dick. He steps out and looks around. Then, he heads for lights down the hall. INT. 52ND FLOOR-BOARDROOM-SAME There are some paint cans. The floor is covered with a paint spatted tarp. Isabella and Aubrey are painting the mural. They act as if they didn’t know that Dick is there. There is Katy Perry’s song “Roar” playing on a PPod with a speaker. Hello!
DICK
Both are moving to the beat. Dick moves closer. DICK (CONT’D) Hello, Isabella. Aubrey sees him and acts surprised and tries to get Isabella’s attention. She turns around and sees Dick.
16.
(beat) Hey, Dick
ISABELLA
Dick has a weird look on his face. DICK Hello. The way you said my name does not feel sexy at all. ISABELLA (laughing) I’m sorry. It just came out that way. Aubrey silently chuckles. Isabella waits for Dick to say something. Her eyebrows go up as to say “I’m waiting.” Dick is nervous not like the iceman, we saw in the boardroom. He shakes his head in a “nothing to lose” motion. DICK I am having a tough day. I was wondering if you would like to have dinner with me, tonight. Isabella is taken back by the offer and glances at Aubrey, who can’t give her friend any advice on saying yes or no. ISABELLA (beat) OK, dinner sounds fine. Dick smiles and see Aubrey shaking her head. Isabella has a sly look on her face. Dick’s gut feeling senses a red flag with Isabella, but her words interrupt that thought. ISABELLA (CONT’D) Can we make the dinner, casual? DICK Yes, Yes. Casual. EXT. TONY’S ON THE PIER-REDONDO BEACH,CA-EVENING Tony’s On The Pier is on an actual pier with wooden support beams looking over the beach. INT. TONY’S ON THE PIER-SAME For a Wednesday, Tony’s is not very crowded and has a laid back atmosphere. There are different colored balls in nets hanging from the ceiling for the lighting.
17. There is an inside bar that has an outdoor beach bar look where most of the customers sitting there are in shorts. Tony’s has a Isabella and window. Both is wearing a waves of the
sea theme with fish and sharks on the walls. Dick are sitting across a table near an open are dressed casually in jeans, even though Dick dress shirt and jacket, but no tie. The outside beach can be quietly heard.
ISABELLA Nice place. I like seafood. How did you pick it? DICK I had a little help. Isabella looks confused and smiles. DICK (CONT’D) Aubrey doesn’t say much. But, I got a few things out of her. ISABELLA (curious) A few things? DICK (grinning) About you? ISABELLA Whoa, this is a bad day date? You tell me how bad your day was and I eat and listen. DICK No, not a bad day date. I want to get to know more about you. As the evening goes on, Dick and Isabella are talking having a good time. Dick seems relaxed as Isabella feels comfortable. EXT. PARKING LOT-AFTER MIDNIGHT The silver Lincoln pulls into a parking lot on Pico Boulevard near Prosser Ave. It stops in front of a lone car, a 2008 Gold Chevy Cobalt. Joe hops out and jets around the car and opens the back door. Dick climbs out and steps back and extends his hand to Isabella, who take it as she gets out of the car. Quickly, Joe hops back into the driver’s seat.
18. ISABELLA Do you ever drive yourself? DICK Not me, it is LA. I would get lost, really lost. Isabella smiles as she nods her head in agreement. For a moment, Dick gets lost in her smile, but comes right back. DICK (CONT’D) Thank you for being my bad day date. I had a great time. His eyebrows raise up a little waiting for an answer from Isabella. She senses this and makes him wait for a moment. ISABELLA I had a great time, too. Relief rushes over Dick’s face. DICK Maybe, we can do this again. Especially, when I have a good day. ISABELLA (shaking her head yes) I can see this happening again. DICK Good. Great. Dick makes a move towards Isabella to hug her but his instinct kicks in. He extends his hand and Isabella does the same. They shake hands. Goodbye. Bye.
ISABELLA DICK
Isabella takes a step to the right and leans to the passenger side of the Lincoln. ISABELLA Goodbye, Joe. Thank you. Joe is totally caught off guard and gives a weak hand wave. No one has ever acknowledged his presence except for this beautiful and nice woman.
19. Isabella smiles at Dick, who smiles back. He waits until she is in the Cobalt, starts it up, putting it in drive and giving him a final wave before turning right on Pico Boulevard. INT. SPAGO RESTAURANT-BEVERLY HILLS, CA-EVENING Spago has a very upscale atmosphere with mood lighting in different parts of the restaurant. Isabella and Dick are on their second date. She is wearing a dark blue V-neck tiered taffeta dress and he has on a light brown Brooks Brothers suit. Dick is sitting right next to Isabella. Their conversation is more intimate. ISABELLA So, tell me a little about your job? What do you really do? Dick is a little surprised. DICK I make a lot of decisions. ISABELLA So, you effect a lot of people. DICK (proudly) You can say that. I do. ISABELLA Do you treat them like family? DICK Well, I don’t have much family myself. Both of my parents are gone. Isabella’s face has soft shock. ISABELLA I am sorry. I didn’t mean to bring that up. DICK It is alright. Family is a word I hardly think about. Why?
ISABELLA
20. DICK I have a brother, who thought that I should finance his life. When I wouldn’t. He stop speaking to me. ISABELLA Any other family? DICK Not really. The rest of my family calls me when they need money. And if I give it to them, they act like I owe the money to them because of my success. So, I am sort of disconnected from family. Dick thinks about his family and the hole in his heart that will never be filled again. ISABELLA I understand. DICK The workers as family. No. There are 2000 employees at Plum Computers. ISABELLA Well, you said you worked at Geneva M Technologies. Yes.
DICK
ISABELLA I read where they laid off thousands. Dick feeling nervous and not enjoying “This Is Your Life” moment with Isabella. ISABELLA (CONT’D) Were you there when the layoffs happened? DICK (speaking slowly) I was there and they tried to blame the shutdown and layoffs on me as the CEO who took over. Yes, that is why I left. ISABELLA You just left.
21. DICK Yes, hey I am not a bad guy. I helped some students get through college. Isabella realizes that she may have gone too far with getting information from Dick. She puts her hand on his. He looks down at her hand on his and feels slightly better, but the sting of her questions is in the back of his mind. INT. 52ND FLOOR-OFFICE ROOM-AFTERNOON Isabella and Aubrey are typing on their individual laptops. AUBREY You know he is lying about his involvement with the shutdown and layoffs at Geneva M. ISABELLA The paper trail says he is. But, he says he helped students get through college. AUBREY Did he pay for them personally or divert the funds from the company? Isabella thinks for a moment and is not sure. ISABELLA I am sure he used his own money for the students. AUBREY He should have. His settlement package from Geneva M was more than a million dollars and the laid-off workers were left without hardly anything. ISABELLA (softly) He has other qualifications. AUBREY Oh, yeah. He’s nice. He is. To you.
ISABELLA AUBREY
22. Isabella’s feelings are at an impasse. ISABELLA I like him. AUBREY Of course, you do. In our line of business, we are taught to bury our feelings. There are times, we are tempted to have a relationship. They haven’t worked out for others. Until our contracts are up. This is what we have. ISABELLA It could be different for us. Aubrey shakes her head. AUBREY I don’t mean to be cold. Dick Burgess has a cancellation notice on him. A notice, we have to deliver. Isabella turns away from Aubrey, wondering why she is having feelings for Dick Burgess. INT. CONGA ROOM, LOS ANGELES-LATE EVENING The Conga Room is known in LA for its Latin music. On stage now, the latin band CORAZON FELIZ (Happy Heart in English), is a seven person band with a conga, two guitars and three man horn section with a trumpet, a saxophone and a trombone. Lead singer, MARIAH CORTEZ, 41, looks as beautiful with flowing jet black hair down her back as her silky voice does. She is crooning a slow song called ME FAITAS TU which means “I miss you.” Her face reveals that she may lived the love story, she is singing about. The dance floor is full of couples slow dancing close, as they move to the rhythm of the song. Isabella and Dick are in the crowd. Isabella looks stunning as her hair is pinned up by a diamond barrette in a small bun. She is wearing an aqua evening dress that goes to her knees. Dick has on a black pinstripe suit that is not tight, but made for loose dancing. Both have their eyes closed as their bodies sway to the music of Corazon Feliz. Then, Isabella slowly opens her eyes as she leans back to find Dick’s eyes staring into hers. They have a connection and both know it. What’s next? Dick’s hands on Isabella’s back pull her closer to him. She puts her head on his shoulder.
23. Mariah’s eyes water as she continues to put her emotions into ME FAITAS TU. Isabella and Dick are lost in the moment of music and each other. INT. ISABELLA’S APARTMENT-ONE O’CLOCK IN THE MORNING Isabella comes through her apartment door and still looking stunning in the aqua dress. Isabella’s hair is down to her shoulder again. She has a glowing smile on her face. Before she turns on the light, her smile quickly disappears as she reaches within her medium sized handbag for her PK22. Isabella can feel a presence in the room. A HAND reaches underneath a lamp and pulls down on the chain and the sudden illumination of the room shows Aubrey sitting in a chair. ISABELLA Aubrey, what are you doing here at this time of night? AUBREY I’m here to remind you. We have or mainly you have a job to finish. ISABELLA I know that but it’s one in the morning. We can discuss this later in the day. AUBREY It’s the perfect time to cancel Dick Burgess. ISABELLA Dick may not be what or the agency thinks he is. AUBREY How do you know that? ISABELLA By talking to him. He explained things about Geneva M Technologies. AUBREY He told you this? ISABELLA Yes, it came up in our conversation.
24. AUBREY In your conversation did it come up that you are a highly trained assassin. ISABELLA No, it didn’t. AUBREY Good, it would not be good for him to know that you have been assigned to kill him. ISABELLA He said he has helped college students financially get through college. AUBREY That should have been your first clue, a man who would ruin hundreds of people’s lives through his treacherous ways would give to college students out of his own pocket. Isabella has a look of doubt on her face. For a moment, there is silence between the two as they ponder their thoughts and next move. A CELL PHONE ringing breaks the silence. Aubrey takes her phone from the lamp table. Aubrey gives Isabella an uncomfortable stare. Isabella knows the call involves her. Aubrey hits a button on the phone. Hello.
AUBREY (CONT’D)
She listens. AUBREY (CONT’D) Good, the package is downstairs. Leave it as we discussed. And the keys on the seat. We will be right down. Without saying goodbye, she takes the phone from her ear and press the end button. AUBREY (CONT’D) We have a delivery in the garage. Isabella is confused as Aubrey gets up and gives her a follow me nod as she walks by. Isabella picks up her handbag.
25. INT. DOWNSTAIRS GARAGE-EARLY MORNING The garage is one level and the lights are very bright, overly bright. Even though, the area could hold over fifty cars easily as there is only about twenty cars in the garage. There is one CAR, a 2013 blue Class C Mercedes-Benz in the middle of the garage. The elevator door opens Isabella and Aubrey appear. Leading the way, Aubrey heads for the blue Mercedes. She stops by the left side of the driver side of the car. Her hand is on the door handle. Isabella feels uncomfortable and would like to rewind the night when she was having dinner with Dick. Aubrey opens the door, and there is Dick with his mouth gagged and with a blindfold over his eyes. His hands are bound behind him with the rope. AUBREY Here is loverboy, Izzie. Isabella looks surprised. ISABELLA Aubrey, what the hell. I thought we were taking this slow. AUBREY We were, until you started believing his lies. So, we needed to speed up the timetable. Hearing Isabella’s voice, Dick tries to move as to explain things through his gag. AUBREY (CONT’D) Before, your doubt really clouds your judgment. We need to do this. Why?
ISABELLA
AUBREY Because of our reputations. In this business, it is all we have. You falling for this guy is bad for our reputations. Isabella slowly opens her handbag. Aubrey sees Isabella going for her gun, but she is able to bring out her Colt 45 before Isabella can pull out her PK22.
26. AUBREY (CONT’D) Izzie, don’t do it. Is he worth throwing everything away? Isabella puts her hand on the top of her handbag. Aubrey doesn’t put down her gun. AUBREY (CONT’D) Get him out of the car. Isabella is hesitant, then Aubrey raises the gun towards her. AUBREY (CONT’D) Izzie, I am not playing here. Get his ass out of the car. Isabella reaches in and pulls Dick out of the car. He is very wobbly for sitting for so long. Aubrey points Isabella to take Dick about eight feet from the car. AUBREY (CONT’D) Right there, turn him around facing us. Isabella does what she is told. AUBREY (CONT’D) Take off his blindfold and gag. Isabella looks at Dick as she takes off the blindfold and tosses it on the ground. He starts squinting as his eyes get adjusted to the garage's bright lights. Dick looks up at Isabella with warm eyes. She reaches around the back of his head to loosen carefully and takes off the gag. There is a string of salvia caught on the gag. Isabella tosses the gag near the blindfold. DICK I am not lying. I tried to help. AUBREY You tried to help by taking a huge pay bonus and gave your inner circle executives huge raises. Then, shutting down U.S operations leaving thousands jobless. Then, you leave the company for Plum Computers. Isabella looks at Dick for an answer.
27. DICK Those decisions were in motion before I was CEO. Their actions trickled down to me. (looking at Isabella) Like I told you, they blamed me. I am innocent here. Isabella's eyes are soft and she tries to smile, but it is not coming. AUBREY So, those were not your signatures on the shutdown notice for those outlets and factories. DICK No, they were forged. AUBREY (ticked off) Oh, you are good. With all the facts and evidence. You are still claiming. It is not me. (beat) Cancel this bastard. Isabella looks down at her handbag which has her PK22 in it. AUBREY (CONT’D) C'mon, Izzie. Cancel him. In our short years of doing this, we know when someone is lying. Especially, when their life is on the line. ISABELLA (shaking her head) No, I can’t. He wouldn’t lie to me. DICK No, I wouldn’t. I like you. We have something special. Aubrey cannot believe what she is hearing. AUBREY For knowing each other for a week, you got something special going on. This ain't no Drake song. This looting bastard has to be cancelled now. Aubrey points her Colt 45 at Dick.
28. DICK No, wait. Isabella. Please, please. Isabella knowing she holds Dick’s fate in her hands. She looks at Aubrey for what seems like a few minutes, but it is only seconds. AUBREY This is going on too long. Aubrey points her gun at Isabella. AUBREY (CONT’D) Either you drop him right here and now or I am canceling you and him. Isabella slowly opens her handbag and reaches in and pulls out her silver PK22 along with the silencer. Aubrey’s eyes almost light up. Isabella gently sets down the handbag. She stands back up and starts screwing on the silencer. Dick looks on with shock that Isabella is going to shoot him in cold blood. Isabella is focus on her weapon. She twists the silencer until it will go no further. Aubrey’s gun is still aimed at her. AUBREY (CONT’D) Izzie, I don't know what you are thinking. But, the agency wants you to cancel him, not me. So, if this is some OK corral western shit. You against me. Who draws first. Let’s go. Isabella’s breathing is very calm. As she looks away from Aubrey to Dick, where their eyes meet. DICK We talked about being together. ISABELLA I have to ask you. Yes.
DICK
ISABELLA Were you lying about not doing the shutdowns and layoffs at Geneva M.? There is a moment that her question weighs heavy in the air.
29. DICK No, I wasn’t lying. I am telling the truth. I was blamed for all that stuff. Isabella raises her PK22 as Aubrey adjusts her footing with her gun zero in on Isabella’s head. She watches as Isabella’s right arm comes up and straightens out. In a brief second, there is a single sucking sound that echoes through the garage. Aubrey has her eyes focused on her target, but her trigger finger hasn’t moved. Isabella’s arm wasn’t aimed at her. Dick’s eyes roll back as his body drops to his knees and then falls to the right. Isabella lowers the PK22 as her hand and body starts to tremble. AUBREY You made the right decision. Aubrey walks over to Dick’s body and kneels down and feels his neck. No, pulse.
AUBREY (CONT’D)
Isabella looks away and her eyes have tears. Aubrey looks around for a wound and doesn’t find one, yet. She stands up and pulls out her cell phone and starts to take pictures of Dick. AUBREY (CONT’D) That was quick and clean. I don’t see any blood. You didn’t go for your signature kill. The throat. Aubrey checks the cell to make sure she has the photos and is about to hit the send button. She pauses. AUBREY (CONT’D) (slight smile) See, this wasn’t that painful. Instantly, Isabella’s tears seems to dry up and her assassin instinct takes over. She shoots Aubrey in the chest and her body is flung so hard in the air. Her head crashes against the pavement. Her cell phone slides across the ground. ISABELLA You don’t know my pain, bitch.
30. Isabella walks over to Aubrey and grabs the back of her shirt collar and drags her to the Mercedes. She lifts her into the backseat and closes the door. Then, she walks over to Dick’s body and leans down on one knee and whispers something. She gets back up and heads towards the Mercedes and picking up Aubrey’s cell phone on the way. Isabella climbs into the Mercedes, takes the keys from the seat and turns on the ignition. The car roars alive with smoothness. She puts the car in drive and rockets out of the garage. Dick’s body is still, but there is some rustling, then slow movement. Dick’s hand struggles to move, but he is able to open his eyes. One thing on his mind, that he is still alive. INT. BEIGE ROOM-NOT SURE OF LOCATION OR TIME. The beige color gives this medium sized room a sort of warm feel. Yet, the room is chilly as most police station interrogation rooms are to make suspects feel very uncomfortable. This room is not at a police station. There is a MAN who is seated in a metal chair with his hands bounded behind. VOICE You had a good run eluding us for ten months. SEATED MAN You would have never found me if I had not try to contact her. Her. Who?
VOICE
We see the seated man, it is Dick Burgess. DICK Isabella, Isabella Gomez. She works for you. You are the Cancel notice agency or some crap like that. VOICE She worked for us. And we are that same agency. The voice steps from under the shadow. It is Aubrey. DICK In the garage, I thought I heard her shoot you.
31. AUBREY The bitch had good aim but she shot me with the same gun with a slow acting knock out drug, she shot you with. Your heartbeat slows down to where there is no pulse. I thought you were dead, too. Who knew? DICK (thinking) You said Isabella worked for you. Did she leave? Where is she now? AUBREY (shaking her head) After, she helped you escape. Isabella was canceled. DICK What do you mean cancelled? AUBREY I mean she’s dead. Six feet Under. Dick’s head drops down. DICK Dead? No, that can’t be. AUBREY Oh, it is. You want proof. Dick says nothing as he tries to loosen his bounded hands. Aubrey walks over to a file on a table. She flips it open and pulls out some small squares. Dick is visibly shaken as Aubrey stands directly in front of him with a photo. It is Isabella with her eyes closed with a heavy dark bruise on her cheek and side of the neck. DICK Why did they have to do that to her? AUBREY She wouldn’t tell us where you were. DICK She wouldn’t even know where I was. The last time I saw her was the night at the garage.
32. Aubrey shows Dick another picture with Isabella’s full body with whelps on her arms and legs. He turns away. Tears form in his eyes. AUBREY Don’t tell me, you cared for Isabella. You knew her for a week. DICK But, I did. I did. Dick shakes his head as he can’t believe all of this is really happening. AUBREY (no emotion) You can come out of this with some sort of dignity. Dick looks up at Aubrey. How?
DICK
AUBREY Tell us that you did sign the papers for the shutdowns and layoffs at Geneva M Technologies. And your signature was not forged. Dick is hesitate even it means saving his dignity and possibly his life. DICK I was a victim. AUBREY No, you weren’t. You know it. You acted for own personal gain, plain and simple. Dick is speechless, then an idea pops in his head. DICK Whether I confess or not. You can’t kill me because of the money. I have stashed it away in banks around the world. AUBREY (calmly) Yeah, about that. From the time, you left the garage that night. You have been under surveillance. (MORE)
33. AUBREY (CONT'D) We followed you to every bank from Zurich to Istanbul. Dick’s demeanor changes slightly. AUBREY (CONT’D) C’mon, Dick. The people just want justice. Confess. You can walk free. DICK With my money. AUBREY No, Dick. It is not your money anymore. Dick surprised and pissed. DICK (smiling) I am the only one with access to those accounts. AUBR No, not really. Do you remember having a drink at Tofin Sushi restaurant in Tokyo? DICK That is the last thing I remember. AUBREY That was on the 18th of September. It is now October 22nd. DICK That can’t be. AUBREY Oh yeah, it can be. Just enough time for an impostor with your eyes scan, fingerprints, signature writing, to go everyone of those banks and transfer the funds to an account in states controlled by our agency. DICK I have to know what you are going to do with the money.
34. AUBREY Give it to the people who were the ones most effected by your greed. DICK I am not confessing to anything. I earned that money. AUBREY It doesn’t matter. It is time to deliver your notice. DICK This notice. Who is responsible for it? AUBREY (thinking) Normally, we wouldn’t tell you. In your case, since you showed some emotions towards my girl, Izzie. I will tell you. Plum Computers put the notice on you. Why?
DICK
AUBREY You are seriously asking why? (pause) You were running the company into the ground and diverting funds. DICK (sigh) How did they know? AUBREY You were hiding the funds by increasing products and skimming from that. With more products and outsourcing, it would be harder to track the money. Did you learn that clever trick at Wharton? Dick looks away and knows he has been caught in the corporate cookie jar. DICK All they had to do is fire me.
35. AUBREY No, that would have not worked because you would have gotten a huge dollars settlement even with criminal charges. Dick is slick but he knows Aubrey is right. AUBREY (CONT’D) Just a basic question, you had money. Why wouldn’t that be enough? DICK (calmly) It never would be enough. I wanted the scorecard. How much could I make? And retire at 35. AUBREY The companies, people and Isabella, they didn’t really matter. DICK Collateral damage. Aubrey looks puzzled. DICK (CONT’D) Yes, collateral damage. I was the youngest CEO at two major companies. No one has ever done that before me. AUBREY With all the money, you had. If you stayed on the straight and narrow you would have made millions. Now, you are at this point, in a room with your hands tied up and left with nothing. Dick sits up straight with pride. AUBREY (CONT’D) Do you think it was still worth it? Dick looks at Aubrey with icy cold confident. DICK Yes. I am a legend. Instantly, Aubrey reaches behind her back and pulls out her Colt 45 and takes a step back and aims at Dick who has no time to react. She fires and Dick’s head snaps back.
36. One shot is all that is needed as Aubrey lowers her gun and looks at the tiny hole in the middle of Dick’s head, which has blood trickling out. She turns around and looks at the ceiling where there is a surveillance CAMERA. Aubrey nods. She puts the Colt 45 in her back HOLSTER. Then, Aubrey proceeds to the door, she pauses and waits for a click, she opens the door and walks through. She stops and holds the door open for three MEN in lab coats. The first one has nothing. The second man is holding a black toolbox. The last man is holding a large PLASTIC SQUARE. Aubrey locks down the door with a door stop. She observe as the last man lays out the plastic square which has zippers. The two other men lift Dick’s lifeless body onto the plastic. Another man takes out a camera and starts taking pictures. The second man opens the box and starts pull out a drill like tool. The last man walks to the door, stares emotionless at Aubrey and kicks the door stop away from the door. The door slams with a room echoing click. Aubrey just stands there for a moment. There is someone there. AUBREY At least, you know he cared. The PERSON standing there is Isabella alive with no bruises. She is dressed in a black turtleneck with black slacks and black ankle boots. ISABELLA That was nice to hear. That his feelings were real. AUBREY It is that fine line that we have to watch to cross or not. They start walking and pass and an area with monitors of different pictures of streets, hallways and offices. In one monitor, Dick’s body bag is being zipped up. ISABELLA Will we ever to be able to find love or be in love? AUBREY It could happen. Isabella and Aubrey reach the elevator and Aubrey presses a button.
37. AUBREY (CONT’D) Are you alright with seeing what happened to Dick? ISABELLA I am. I did some checking on him especially the college help for the students. He did do it, but he diverted company funds to do it in his own name. After discovering that. I was done. He didn’t know the difference between the truth and lies. AUBREY If only men would not be greedy and self-centered and enjoy what they already have. There is a DING and the elevator door opens. Both step into the elevator and turn around. ISABELLA Also, if they wouldn’t lie, there is no reason for it. (Shrugging her shoulders) AUBREY Dick had lots of reasons to lie. Isabella nods her head in agreement. Both looking forward.
Men.
AUBREY AND ISABELLA (deadpan)
The elevator door shuts. HARD CUT TO BLACK. THE END.
ALTERNATIVE ENDING: The door slams with a room echoing click. Aubrey just stands there for a moment. There is someone there. AUBREY At least you know he cared.
38. The PERSON behind the door is Isabella alive with no bruises. She is dressed in a black turtleneck, tight black slacks with black knee high boots. ISABELLA That was nice to hear. I had feelings for Dick but he did lie to me. It doesn’t make it hurt less. (beat) Makes it bearable. Can we ever find love in what we do? Isabella and Aubrey start walking towards the elevator. AUBREY I don’t know about love. But, I do know that we need to stop shooting each other. ISABELLA You shot me first, in Greece. AUBREY Greece is my homeland. I am allow to shoot you there. ISABELLA What? (beat) Well, I shot you in America. My homeland. I am allow to shoot your ass here. AUBREY Whoa, you are Mexican! ISABELLA I was born and raised here. AUBREY (feeling the back of her head) My head still hurts from the pavement when you (louder) shot me. The elevator door open. ISABELLA Then, we are even. No more shooting each other. No more.
AUBREY
The two step into the elevator and turn around facing the door and not looking at each other.
39. AUBREY AND ISABELLA (deadpan) Bitch. The elevator door closes. HARD CUT TO BLACK. THE END
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