TRAINING DAY



                                  by

                              David Ayer









                                              REVISED DRAFT

                                              August 18, 1999









        FADE IN:

        INT. BEDROOM - PREDAWN

        In a Simi Valley housing tract.  It's dark.


        CLOSE ON ALARM CLOCK

        4:59 AM.

        WIDER ANGLE:  Eyes glisten in the clock's shine,
        patiently watching the time.

        BZZZZ!  The ALARM SOUNDS.  A hand that's been hovering
        over the clock drops.  Silence.  JAKE HOYT, a fit young
        man, rolls over, throws an arm over his sleeping wife --

                                JAKE
                  It's time.

        -- she's not there, just empty blankets.  He sits up.


        HIS POV

        LISA, his wife, in a rocking chair in the corner.


        BACK TO SCENE

        Jake is surprised.  How'd she sneak off?

                                JAKE
                  What are you doing up?

        She pulls back the blanket, she breast-feeds their infant
        daughter.

                                LISA
                  Mooooo.

        She lavishes kisses on her baby.

                                                   CUT TO:


        CLOSEUP - BRASSO

        is squirted on terry cloth.  A badge is rubbed against it
        in precise circles.

        WIDEN TO:


        INT. KITCHEN - DAWN

        Jake, scrubbed, shaved, in T-shirt and jeans, studies the
        gleaming badge, snaps it in its case, clips it to his
        belt.  He tosses a duffle on the counter.  Searches
        through the police gear.  Lisa taps a police baton on his
        shoulder.  He takes it.

                                JAKE
                  Thanks.

                                LISA
                  Wrong day to forget stuff.

        He shoves it in the bag.  Zips it.

                                JAKE
                  She go back to sleep?

                                LISA
                  Mmm-hmm.  Ate like a pig.

        She grabs a pack of English muffins.

                                LISA
                  Want some eggs for the road?

                                JAKE
                  I gotta roll.  Gotta beat the traffic.

        He grabs his duffle and pressed uniform off a chair.  He
        kisses Lisa's cheek, her neck, her lips.  Heads to the
        door.  The PHONE RINGS.  Jake stops.  Lisa answers.

                                LISA
                  Hello?
                         (beat, laughs)
                  Hi!  How nice, thank you.
                         (beat, giggles)
                  Yes, sir.  He's right here.
                         (to Jake)
                  Jake.  It's Alonzo.

        Jake takes the phone.

                                JAKE
                  Hello?

                                ALONZO (V.O.)
                         (filtered)
                  Hoyt?

                                JAKE
                  Yessir.

                                ALONZO (V.O.)
                         (filtered)
                  Meet the Lieutenant yesterday?
                  Get the welcome aboard speech and
                  all that?

                                JAKE
                  Yessir.

                                ALONZO (V.O.)
                         (filtered)
                  He's a good guy.  Backs his boys.
                  You all checked in?  Your sheet
                  signed off?

                                JAKE
                  Yessir.

                                ALONZO (V.O.)
                         (filtered)
                  You're not on the squad until I
                  sign it.  And that depends on how
                  you do today.

                                JAKE
                  Yessir.  I know.

                                ALONZO (V.O.)
                         (filtered)
                  On your way to roll call?

                                JAKE
                  Yessir.  I'm not out the door
                  right now.

                                ALONZO (V.O.)
                         (filtered)
                  Hoyt.

                                JAKE
                  Yessir?

                                ALONZO (V.O.)
                         (filtered)
                  Patrol fairies go to roll call.
                  We don't go to roll call.

                                JAKE
                  Yessir.

                                ALONZO (V.O.)
                         (filtered)
                  There's a coffee shop at Virgil
                  and Raymond.  See you there at
                  ten.  Be in civvies.  Comfortable
                  shoes.  Got a back-up gun?
                  Something pocket-sized?

                                JAKE
                  Yessir.  I have a three eighty
                  stainless with nine rounds of
                  silver tips.

                                ALONZO (V.O.)
                         (filtered)
                  Bring it.  Cuffs, too.  We're
                  gonna be in the office all day,
                  but who knows, maybe we'll do some
                  business.  Told you, we're an
                  aggressive unit.

                                JAKE
                  I know, sir.  That's why I signed
                  up.  I want to thank you for
                  giving me the oppor --

        -- CLICK!  Alonzo hangs up.  Jake too.  He stands there.
        Nervous.  Grabs his stomach.

                                LISA
                  What's wrong?

                                JAKE
                  Feel like it's football tryouts.
                  Wish it was tomorrow so I'd
                  already know if I was on his squad
                  or not.

                                LISA
                  It's not tomorrow.  It's today.
                  And it's gonna work out.  I know
                  it will.

                                JAKE
                  I gotta relax.
                         (snuggles against her)
                  Don't have to show up until ten.

        She breaks the embrace -- sore breasts -- Ouch!

                                JAKE
                  Soon they'll be mine again.

        Jake chases them with cupped hands as she retreats,
        giggling.  Their game.

                                                   CUT TO:


        INT. COFFEE SHOP - DAY

        Jake struts through the door, confidently looks around.


        JAKE'S POV

        DETECTIVE SERGEANT ALONZO, in a flannel shirt, reading
        the paper in a booth.  The gun leather tough LAPD vet is
        a hands-on, blue collar cop who can kick your ass with a
        look.


        BACK TO SCENE

        Jake walks over.  Slides in across.  Alonzo's eyes will
        never leave his newspaper.

                                JAKE
                  Good morning, sir.

        A young waitress pours Jake coffee, offers a menu.  Jake
        waves it away.

                                JAKE
                  I'm okay, ma'am.  Thank you.

                                ALONZO
                  Have some chow before we hit the
                  office.  Go ahead.  It's my
                  dollar.

                                JAKE
                  No, thank you, sir.  I ate.

                                ALONZO
                  Fine.  Don't.

        Alonzo turns the page.  A long beat.  Then:

                                JAKE
                  It's nice here.

                                ALONZO
                  May I read my paper?

                                JAKE
                  I'm sorry, sir... I'll get some
                  food.

                                ALONZO
                  No.  You won't.  You fucked that
                  up.  Please.  I'm reading.  Shut
                  up.

        Jake does -- Jeeez, sorry.  Pours a ton of sugar in his
        coffee.

                                                   TIME CUT TO:


        INT. COFFEE SHOP - DAY

        The waitress pours refills.  Alonzo reads.  Jake fidgets.

                                JAKE
                  Where's the office, sir?  Back at
                  Division?

        No response.

                                JAKE
                  Gonna be nice not roasting all
                  summer in a hot black and white.

        Alonzo sighs, carefully folds his paper.  Glares at Jake.

                                ALONZO
                  Tell me a story, Hoyt.

                                JAKE
                  My story?

                                ALONZO
                  Not your story.  A story.  You
                  can't keep your mouth shut long
                  enough to let me finish my paper.
                  So tell me a story.

                                JAKE
                  I don't think I know any stories.

        Alonzo waves the paper in Jake's face.

                                ALONZO
                  This is a newspaper.  And I know
                  it's ninety percent bullshit but
                  it's entertaining.  That's why I
                  read it.  Because it entertains
                  me.  If you won't let me read my
                  paper, then entertain me with your
                  bullshit.  Tell me a story.

                                JAKE
                  A real one or should I make one up?

                                ALONZO
                         (sighs)
                  Where'd you do your probation?

                                JAKE
                  Van Nuys.

                                ALONZO
                  Right.  The Valley.  No cute
                  little anecdotes about your time
                  on the mean streets of Van Nuys?
                  Writing underage smoking cites at
                  the shopping mall?

        Jake thinks.  Bingo!  He's got it.

                                JAKE
                  There was this D.U.I. stop.

                                ALONZO
                  A D.U.I. stop.  Wow.  Go on.

                                JAKE
                  We were on the mid-watch.

                                ALONZO
                  We?  You and...?

                                JAKE
                  Debbie.

                                ALONZO
                  Debbie?  The fuck's Debbie?

                                JAKE
                  My training officer.  Debbie
                  Maxwell --

                                ALONZO
                  -- You're T.O. was female?

                                JAKE
                  Yessir.

                                ALONZO
                  She white?  Black?

                                JAKE
                  White.

                                ALONZO
                  She dyked out or she any good?

                                JAKE
                  She's pretty good.

                                ALONZO
                  So you and Debbie are pullin' a
                  mid-watch?

                                JAKE
                  Right.  It's a real quiet night.
                  A yawner.  We're rolling on
                  Vanowen.  I'm driving.  And this
                  Acura, just a beautiful car, comes
                  out a side street.  In excess.
                  All over the median.  So I light
                  it up and hit the wailer.  Guy
                  drives on like I'm invisible for
                  ten blocks before he pulls over.
                  Plates ran clean.  I approach.
                  Debbie covers.  Driver's this huge
                  white guy.  Can barely keep his
                  eyes open.  I field test and
                  arrest and I'm belting him in our
                  unit.  Debbie's tossing his car.
                  She calls me to the vehicle and
                  shows me a snubbed .38 and two
                  shotguns, all loaded and locked.

                                ALONZO
                  No shit?

                                JAKE
                  No shit.  She calls our supervisor
                  and I keep searching.  I find five
                  hundred grams of meth in the dash.
                  Turns out our D.U.I. was on bail
                  for distribution.  He was on his
                  way to smoke his ex-partner before
                  trial.
                         (proudly)
                  We prevented a murder.

        Alonzo is astonished.

                                ALONZO
                  ... amazing...

        Jake beams -- some story, huh?

                                ALONZO
                  You're driving around the Valley
                  with a fine bitch in your car for
                  a year and the most entertaining
                  story you got is a D.U.I. stop?
                  Never hit her up for some Code X
                  in the back seat?

                                JAKE
                  I have a wife.

                                ALONZO
                  You also have a dick.

        Alonzo shakes his head in disgust.  Jake is crushed.

                                ALONZO
                  Let's go.

        Alonzo tosses a twenty on the table.  OFF his heavy
        wedding band we:

                                                   CUT TO:


        EXT. PARKING LOT - DAY

        Jake and Alonzo crossing.  Alonzo sizes Jake up, smirks
        at his dorky running shoes.

                                ALONZO
                  You look, walk and talk like a
                  cop.  Grow your hair out.

        Alonzo stops at:


        G-RIDE

        A narc-machine supreme.  A tired, candy blue 1978 Monte
        Carlo with mismatched rims, curb feelers, window tint.

                                ALONZO
                  Gimme that menu.

        Jake pulls a Chinese menu from under the wiper.  Hands it
        to Alonzo, who folds and pockets it.

                                ALONZO
                  Get in.  S'un1ocked.

        Jake's turn to smirk as he climbs in.


        INT. G-RIDE - CONTINUOUS ACTION - DAY

        Jake buries his shoes in beer cans and coffee cups.  He
        notes a car seat in back.  Alonzo twists a screwdriver in
        the shattered ignition, pumps the hell out of the gas.
        After forever, the ENGINE CATCHES -- VROOM!

                                JAKE
                  This is a piece'a shit.

                                ALONZO
                  Don't worry.  My baby puts out
                  when she has to.

        Alonzo rubs the dash lovingly and backs out.

                                JAKE
                  Where's the office?

                                ALONZO
                  You're in it.

        Jake reacts.  Then smiles -- This is kind'a cool.

                                ALONZO
                  Rover's in the glove box.  Wanna
                  ten-eight us?

                                JAKE
                  Yessir.

                                ALONZO
                  Shitcan the sirs.  I'm not your
                  domestic violence awareness
                  instructor.

        Jake takes a Motorola radio from the glove box.

                                JAKE
                  What's our I.D.?

                                ALONZO
                  Nora fifteen.

                                JAKE
                         (into Motorola)
                  Nora fifteen, ten-eight.

                                DISPATCH (V.O.)
                  Nora fifteen, ten-twenty.

        Jake checks the street signs -- Virgil and Raymond.
        Before he can tell Dispatch, Alonzo snatches the
        Motorola.

                                ALONZO
                         (into rover)
                  Nora fifteen, South on Rampart at
                  6th.

                                DISPATCH (V.O.)
                  Ten four.

        Alonzo SQUEALS out of the lot, tosses Jake the rover.

                                ALONZO
                  Bad guys are listening.  Don't
                  trust the radios.  Never let
                  anyone know where you're really
                  at.  Ever.

        Jake nods and smiles -- makes sense.

                                                   CUT TO:


        INT. G-RIDE - MOVING - DAY

        Heading South on Alvarado, passing MacArthur Park.  It
        could be San Salvador or Guatemala City.  Jake is
        mesmerized by the crowds.

                                JAKE
                  This looks like the Third World.

                                ALONZO
                  It's my world.

        Alonzo lights a smoke.  Settles in his seat.

                                ALONZO
                  Today's a training day.  Gonna
                  show you around, give you a feel
                  for the business.  I have thirty-
                  eight cases pending trial.  I have
                  sixty-three active investigations.
                  There's another three hundred and
                  fifty cases on the log I can't
                  clear.  I'm supervising five
                  officers.  That's five different
                  personalities, five different sets
                  of problems.  You, Officer Hoyt,
                  if you got the guts to succeed,
                  will be number six.  I don't have
                  time to baby-sit or hold hands.
                  You have one day to show me who
                  you are and what you can or cannot
                  handle.  You can't hack narcotics,
                  feel free to work a pussy desk
                  pinching check kiters.  Hear me,
                  Officer Hoyt?

                                JAKE
                  I hear you.

                                ALONZO
                  Good.  Gonna show you reality.
                  Think you can handle it?

                                JAKE
                  Yeah.

                                ALONZO
                  Why you wanna be a narc?

                                JAKE
                  I want to serve my community by
                  ridding it of dangerous drugs.

        Alonzo gives him a look -- Don't b.s. me.

                                JAKE
                  I wanna make detective.

        The boy is ambitious.  Alonzo likes that.

                                ALONZO
                  Stick with me and you will.  If
                  you can unlearn the bullshit
                  they've filled your head with.
                  You gonna be passing out baseball
                  cards and carrying old ladies'
                  groceries like the rest of the
                  newfucks Washington's flooded the
                  streets with?

                                JAKE
                  Sergeant, I'll do anything you
                  want me to do.

                                ALONZO
                  Stand by, because narcotics ain't
                  about staying in the car and
                  looking good.  I bet you write
                  great paper, Hoyt.
                         (before Jake can answer)
                  You do.  I checked it out.  Cover
                  your area, cover your ass, but not
                  necessarily in that order, right?

                                JAKE
                  Right.  Are you going to teach me
                  that old school hard-charging beat
                  up everything that moves Rodney
                  King shit?

                                ALONZO
                  That's not police work either.
                  We're the new breed.  We use
                  this...
                         (taps his head)
                  This is our tool.

        Alonzo stops at a light.  A shiny new police cruiser
        pulls alongside.  The driver sips a Big Gulp, his female
        partner writes a report.  They look more like co-eds than
        cops.

        Jake eyes the driver.  Who gives him a smile.  Then
        Alonzo looks at the driver.  When their eyes meet, the
        Driver looks away, intimidated, and makes a right turn.
        Alonzo grins at Jake, his point underscored.

                                ALONZO
                  How long you been married?

                                JAKE
                  A year.

                                ALONZO
                  Gotta kid, right?

                                JAKE
                         (smiles)
                  A nine-month-old girl.

                                ALONZO
                  I got four kids.  All boys.  You
                  want a son, lemme know.  I'll do
                  your old lady up.  I can't miss.

        Jake angers, though he knows he is being tested.

                                JAKE
                  Let's not talk about my family.

                                ALONZO
                  It's cool.  I can respect that.
                  I'm married.  I have my queen,
                  too.  I remember what it's like to
                  have a pretty young bride.  Bet
                  you still fuck her face-to-face.

                                JAKE
                         (clenched teeth)
                  Can we not talk about my wife?

                                ALONZO
                  Kick back, kid... You're so in
                  love it's comin' out your eyes.
                  The day you bring the old lady to
                  the office is the day you don't go
                  home.  If you don't hide your love
                  deep inside, the maggots are gonna
                  find it and chew on it.

        Jake realizes Alonzo is right.  Alonzo hands him a card.

                                ALONZO
                  That's our Chaplain, Lieutenant
                  Hayes.  Give him a call.  Invite
                  him and his wife over for dinner.
                  He's a good guy and no dumbshit.
                  You and your woman need any kind'a help,
                  call him.  I'm serious.

        Jake takes the card.  Kind of smiles.

                                JAKE
                  Thanks.  I will.

        They cruise a beat.

                                JAKE
                  Who's Mr. Clean?

        Alonzo nails him with surprised look.

                                ALONZO
                  Where the hell you hear that?

                                JAKE
                  From a Van Nuys Robbery Detective.
                  Told me to ask you that.

                                ALONZO
                         (smiles, shakes his head)
                  Asshole.

        Alonzo pulls onto a street of dense apartments.  Parks
        along the curb.

                                JAKE
                  What's here?

                                ALONZO
                  Transactions...  See the
                  Salvatrucha one-cut on the fence,
                  trying not to look like he's
                  slangin'?

        Jake looks, sees a young, bald cholo, Neto, just hanging
        out.

                                ALONZO
                  That's Neto.  Works for me.

                                JAKE
                  Informant?

                                ALONZO
                  I got eyes everywhere.  He gets to
                  peddle reefer, make a little cash
                  for the family.  I get a heads up
                  when shit goes down.  The barrio
                  on-line.

                                JAKE
                  And you trust him?

                                ALONZO
                  Fuckin' right I trust him.  Sprung
                  his mom from I.N.S. detention.

        Alonzo watches his mirror, perks up.

                                ALONZO
                  Here we go.


        INSERT - MIRROR

        A new VW Beetle pulls onto the street, moving slow.


        BACK TO SCENE

        The VW passes the G-Ride.  Jake glimpses three people
        inside, two guys in front, a girl in back.  Hipster
        university students.

                                ALONZO
                  Shit's going down.


        JAKE'S POV

        The VW stops.  Neto looks around, crosses to the driver's
        window, a drink cup in hand.  Neto plucks a foil pack
        from the cup.  Trades it for the driver's ten.  Neto
        walks away.


        BACK TO SCENE

                                ALONZO
                  See the hand-to-hand?

                                JAKE
                  I saw it.

        The VW drives off, fast.  Alonzo pulls out.  Follows it.

                                ALONZO
                  When was your last felony stop?

                                JAKE
                  Couple weeks ago.

                                ALONZO
                  You need practice.

                                JAKE
                  They look like college kids.

                                ALONZO
                  They need a lesson.  I want these
                  hemorrhoids grabbing glass.  I got
                  front.  You got back.

        Alonzo pulls his gun.  Jake reaches for the Motorola.

                                ALONZO
                  Stay off the rover.

        Jake puts it away, pulls his gun.

        Alonzo stomps the gas.  The G-Ride HOWLS.

        The VW is at the corner, about to turn --

        SCREEEEEECH! -- Alonzo slaloms to a stop, blocking its
        path.  His pistol aimed through Jake's window at the
        DRIVER.

                                ALONZO
                  Police!  Lemme see your hands!

        Jake draws a bead on the girl in back.

                                JAKE
                  Police officers!  Your hands!

        The kids gawk at the two narcs for a stunned beat.

                                JAKE
                  Don't look at us!  Look straight
                  ahead!

                                ALONZO
                  Driver and right front passenger!
                  Palms on the windshield!

                                JAKE
                  You in the back!  Palms on the
                  side window!  Look straight ahead!

                                ALONZO
                  Driver!  Use your left hand, put
                  the vehicle in park.

        The Driver is mortified because:

                                DRIVER
                  ... it's a stickshift...

                                ALONZO
                  Shut up, dickhead!  I'll shoot
                  your face off!  Take the keys out
                  of the ignition.  Throw 'em out
                  the window!

        The Driver does, quickly, as Alonzo jumps from the car
        charges the Driver, shoves the gun in his face.  These
        are just scared kids.  The girl tries not to cry.

                                ALONZO
                  Fork it over, smartman.

                                DRIVER
                  What, sir?

        Alonzo grabs his ear, tugs violently.

                                ALONZO
                  The fuckin' marijuana I just
                  watched you purchase!

        The Driver hands over the foil pack.

                                PASSENGER
                  I'm very sorry, sir.  I didn't
                  know he was bringing me here.

                                ALONZO
                  Shut up, dumbass.  You're here
                  now!  Gimme that pipe!

        There's a pot pipe on the floor mat.  The PASSENGER picks
        it up.  Reluctantly hands it to Alonzo.

                                PASSENGER
                  My mom gave me that pipe.

                                ALONZO
                  What else you got?

                                DRIVER
                  Cigarettes...?

                                ALONZO
                  Gimme those too.

        He gives him a squished packed of Marlboro reds.  The
        girl lowers her hands -- bad move.

                                ALONZO
                  Control your suspect, Hoyt!

                                JAKE
                  Miss!  Palms on the glass!

        Alonzo sees her lip quiver.

                                ALONZO
                  Cry and I slap the eyes outta your
                  face!

        Back to the Driver.

                                ALONZO
                  You aware this is a gang
                  neighborhood?

        That gives him pause -- no kidding -- Alonzo grabs his
        ear again, shakes.

                                ALONZO
                  I see you here again, I take your
                  car.  You can walk home while your
                  girlfriend pulls a homeboy
                  train... Hear me, reefer addict?

                                DRIVER
                  Yes, sir.

                                ALONZO
                  Thank you for your cooperation --
                  Safe your iron.

        Jake holsters his gun.  Follows Alonzo to the G-Ride.


        ON VW

        The kids trade shell-shocked looks, grabbing glass.  Then
        lower their hands.


        ON G-RIDE

        Alonzo and Jake climb in.  As they drive away, the gir1
        nails Jake with a look of revulsion.  Jake reacts.

                                                   CUT TO:


        INT. G-RIDE - MOVING - DAY

        Alonzo laughing.  Jake didn't like what happened.  It
        shows.

                                JAKE
                  Was that training?  How to roust
                  students for dime bags?

                                ALONZO
                  They have no business being here.
                  Sooner or later that little smart-
                  ass white boy college puke is
                  gonna get jacked.  I saved his
                  life.

                                JAKE
                  Taught him a real lesson.

                                ALONZO
                  Sure did, buy your shit on campus.
                         (beat)
                  I like your moves.  Someone
                  trained you well.

        Jake smiles to himself.  Alonzo opens the foil, sniffs --

                                ALONZO
                  Shitty dime.  Check it out.

        -- hands it to Jake.  Who takes out a bud.

                                ALONZO
                  See the small hairs?  The
                  undeveloped seeds.  How it's all
                  stems?

        Jake nods.

                                ALONZO
                  It was picked immature.  See how
                  flat it is?  Classic brick-pack
                  Mexican.  See how brittle it is?
                  It's not bud season.  It's from
                  last year.

        Jake is amazed.  Alonzo snatches the bud, crumbles it in
        the pipe, tosses aside seeds.

                                ALONZO
                  To be truly effective, a narcotics
                  detective must know and love
                  narcotics.  A good narcotics
                  detective should have narcotics in
                  his blood.

                                JAKE
                  You going to smoke that?

        Alonzo smiles devilishly, offers Jake the pipe.

                                ALONZO
                  You are.

                                JAKE
                  Hell if I am.

                                ALONZO
                  What?  You a Mormon?  A Jesus freak?

                                JAKE
                  No.  I'm not losing my job.

                                ALONZO
                         (re: the pipe)
                  This is your job.

                                JAKE
                  I can't do it.

                                ALONZO
                  This isn't some kind of test.
                  Take a fuckin' hit.

                                JAKE
                  I became a cop to keep people from
                  using that poison.

                                ALONZO
                         (laughs)
                  This ain't a review board.  We
                  ain't doing rails.  Just leafy
                  green bud.

        Jake stands firm, shaking his head.

        SCREECH!  Alonzo stops in the middle of the street, pulls
        his gun, jams it in Jake's ear.  CARS behind them HONK.

                                ALONZO
                  If I was a dealer, you'd be dead.
                  Turn shit down on the street and
                  the Chief hands your wife a
                  crisply folded flag.

        Jake stares stubbornly at Alonzo.  Alonzo pockets the
        gun.  Lights the lighter.  And takes a huge hit, blows
        smoke in Jake's face.

                                ALONZO
                  I don't want you in my unit.  Not
                  even my division.  Go back to
                  Valley.  Get the fuck out of my
                  car.

        A staring contest.  Jake decides to play the game.

                                JAKE
                  ... Okay...

        He takes the pipe, takes an absolutely huge hit --

                                ALONZO
                  Alright.  That's how it's done,
                  son.

        -- And is racked with a spasm of coughing.

                                ALONZO
                  Betrayed by your virgin lungs.

        Jake takes another hit -- a passing driver watches --
        blows the smoke in Alonzo's face.

        Alonzo laughs, resumes driving, takes a hit.  They pass
        the pipe around a few times before Alonzo tosses it on
        the dash.

                                ALONZO
                  It's cashed.

        They cruise in a strange otherworldly silence.  Jake is
        clearly messed up, his head lolls from side to side.

                                ALONZO
                  Shit, you took some mansized hits.
                  You gonna be okay?  When's the
                  last time you smoked out?

                                JAKE
                  ... Twelfth grade...

                                ALONZO
                  Left that out of your service
                  jacket.  Knew you had secrets,
                  everyone does.  Didn't know you
                  dig dusters.

                                JAKE
                  What are dusters?

                                ALONZO
                  You know, dusted bud.  Dippers?
                  C'mon, dipped in P.C.P.  Primos.
                  Sherm, Kool, P-dog, Angel dust...
                  Didn't you smell it?  Taste it?

                                JAKE
                         (horrified)
                  ... I've never done it...

                                ALONZO
                  Now you have.  Remember the smell
                  for next time.  Think I'd inhale
                  that shit?

        Jake is scared as hell, pale, sweaty.

                                JAKE
                  Oh, no.  No.  No.  No.

                                ALONZO
                  Gonna kick the shit out of Neto.
                  Motherfucker's lacing crappy bud
                  to get that unsuspecting return
                  client.  Hell with his mom, I'm
                  deporting the bitch.

                                JAKE
                  I'm gonna get piss tested.  I'm
                  gonna get fired.

                                ALONZO
                  I told you, Lieutenant's got our
                  backs.  We know a week before we
                  piss.

                                JAKE
                         (panicking)
                  Shit.  How could you do this to
                  me?  Shit.  Shit.  Shit!

        Alonzo slams an elbow across Jake's throat.

                                ALONZO
                  Fuckin' chill and ride the high.
                  You're an adult.  You chose to
                  smoke.  Live with your decisions.
                  You cool?

                                JAKE
                  I'm cool.

                                ALONZO
                  Besides, no one put a gun to your
                  head.

        Jake shoots him a look.

                                                   CUT TO:


        EXT. HOUSE - DAY

        A well-tended craftsman on a steep hill of fixer-uppers
        in Echo Park.  The G-Ride parks out front.

                                ALONZO
                  Get your shit together.

        Alonzo and Jake cross to the door.  The steepness of the
        hill is disorientating to Jake.  Alonzo knocks.

                                ALONZO
                  This is my Road Dog's pad.  Wanna
                  see what he thinks of you.

                                JAKE
                  What do I say?

                                ALONZO
                  You'll think of something stupid.

        Someone peeps through the peephole.  A tall, heavy man in
        a bathrobe with long, grey hair answers.  This is ROGER,
        old before his time, a little sick.  Happy to see Alonzo.

                                ROGER
                  Hey, brother, get your ass in
                  here.

                                                   CUT TO:


        INT. ROGER'S LIVING ROOM - DAY

        Roger and Alonzo hug.

                                ALONZO
                  Did I wake you?

                                ROGER
                  No.  C'mon in.  Please have a seat.

        Alonzo and Jake sit in big chairs.  Three beepers, three
        cell phones on the coffee table.  Roger sits, takes a
        bottle of whisky, three tumblers from a liquor cart.
        Pours booze.

        Jake looks around at the modest traditional furniture.
        The Hummel figurines.  Photos on the wall.

                                ALONZO
                  Alright.  Time to get my swerve
                  on.

        Roger gives Alonzo a concerned look.

                                ROGER
                  Heard you had a beef in Vegas.

                                ALONZO
                  I'm cool.  People talk shit.

                                ROGER
                  You know I got your back.

                                ALONZO
                  I know.  Thanks.

        They clink glasses, chug booze.  Jake doesn't.  He stares
        into the liquid, enraptured by its smoky patterns.

                                ALONZO
                  C'mon.  Be polite.

        Jake takes his tumbler, sniffs, sips.  Winces.  Roger
        runs a finger up Jake's crew-cut.  Jake recoils.

                                ROGER
                  Went and got yourself a daisy-
                  fresh scuzz-headed rookie.

        Roger leans back in the couch.  Jake is looking around
        the room again.  A BEEPER BEEPS.  Roger checks it.  Dials
        a cell phone.  Alonzo gesturing for Jake to drink.  He
        almost empties his glass.

                                ROGER
                  Wassup?
                         (beat)
                  Collect first.  Step to that cat
                  with something to flash.  He'll
                  lay you down.
                         (beat)
                  Righteous.  Later, dude.

        Roger hangs up.  Studies Jake.

                                ROGER
                  Jesus, Alonzo.  He's high as a
                  motherfucker.  The hell you give
                  him?

        Alonzo tosses the foil pack on the table.  Roger takes
        it, smells the PCP and shakes his head.

                                ROGER
                  Where'd you grow up?

                                JAKE
                  North Hollywood.

                                ROGER
                  What's your last name?

                                JAKE
                  Hoyt.

                                ROGER
                         (it clicks)
                  You play strong safety for North
                  Hollywood High?

                                JAKE
                  Yessir.  How'd you know?

                                ROGER
                  I follow all the good players.

        His BEEPER BEEPS.  He checks it, sighs.  Dials a cell
        phone.

                                ROGER
                  It's me.  Whassup?
                         (beat)
                  Can't do a thing for you.  Your
                  mess.  You clean it up.  Don't be
                  callin' me.

        He hangs up.  Freshens the drinks.

                                ROGER
                         (to Jake)
                  Here's a joke, boy.  One day this
                  man walks out of his house to go
                  to work.  He sees this snail on
                  his porch.  So he picks it up and
                  chucks it over his roof, into the
                  back yard.  Snail bounces off a
                  rock, cracks its shell all to
                  shit, and lands in the grass.
                  Snail lies there dying.

        A BEEPER BEEPS.  Roger checks and ignores it.

                                ROGER
                  But it doesn't die.  It eats some
                  grass.  Slowly heals.  Grows a new
                  shell.  And after a while it can
                  crawl again.  One day the snail up
                  and heads back to the front of the
                  house.  Finally, after a year, the
                  little guy crawls back on the
                  porch.  Right then, the man walks
                  out to go to work and sees this
                  snail again.  So he says to it,
                  'What the fuck's your problem?'

        Jake stares at Roger a beat.  Then starts laughing.
        Really laughing.  Maybe too much.  He wipes his eyes.

                                JAKE
                  That's messed up.  That wasn't
                  funny.

                                ALONZO
                  Then why are you cackling like a
                  jackal?

                                JAKE
                  I dunno.

                                ROGER
                  Figure that joke out and you'll
                  figure the streets out.

                                ALONZO
                  Don't listen to him.  There's
                  nothing to figure out.  The
                  street's nothing more than
                  senseless bullshit.

                                JAKE
                  Uh-uh.  I got 'em figured out.

                                ROGER
                  You got the streets figured out?

                                JAKE
                  Yeah.  It's all smiles and cries.

                                ALONZO
                  Give up.  You're too high, space
                  captain.

                                ROGER
                  Hold on -- smiles and cries.  I
                  hear you.

                                JAKE
                  You gotta control your smiles and
                  cries.  No one can take them away
                  so... they're all we really have.

        Roger and Alonzo trade looks -- sharp kid.  Alonzo pats
        Jake's shoulder.  To Roger:

                                ALONZO
                  Think this greenhorn can handle
                  undercover?

        Roger scrutinizes Jake a beat.  Smiles and nods:  yes.

                                ROGER
                  You were just like him.

                                ALONZO
                         (laughs)
                  Fuck you.

                                ROGER
                  Same silly-ass look and
                  everything.  Saving the fuckin'
                  world.

                                ALONZO
                  That lasted a week.

        Alonzo stands, shakes with Roger.

                                ALONZO
                  Brother, I gotta get back in my
                  office.  Thanks for the snort,
                  dog.  What're you up to today?

        Roger gestures at the phones and beepers.

                                ROGER
                  Think I get out of the house?

        A BEEPER BEEPS.  Roger shakes with Jake.

                                ROGER
                  Take care, Hoyt.  You're gonna do
                  okay.

                                                   CUT TO:


        INT. G-RIDE - MOVING - DAY

        South on Rampart.  Jake senses he passed a test.  Alonzo
        smiling at him.

                                JAKE
                  What?

                                ALONZO
                  He liked you.

                                JAKE
                  Who is he?  One of your snitches?

                                ALONZO
                  He's no snitch.  He's a good man
                  to know.  C'mon, let's find some
                  action in Niggertown.
                         (off Jake's look)
                  N-wordtown.  What are you, Hoyt?
                  You ain't pure whiteboy.  You
                  mixed?

                                JAKE
                  Italian, Irish and Mexican.

                                ALONZO
                  No shit?  You're all fucked up.
                  How's the Espanol?

                                JAKE
                  Mas o menos.

                                ALONZO
                  Work on it.  People'll be plotting
                  the worst kind of shit behind your
                  back.

        Alonzo parks in front of a liquor store.

                                                   CUT TO:


        EXT. LIQUOR STORE - DAY

        Alonzo crosses to the G-ride with a sixer of beer --


        INT. G-RIDE - CONTINUOUS ACTION - DAY

        -- Climbs in.  Sees Jakes's eyes are closed.

                                ALONZO
                  C'mon, man.  Open your eyes.
                  You'll make it worse.

        Nothing.

                                ALONZO
                  Sit your ass up.  Hoyt!

        Jake locks bleary red eyes on Alonzo, jokingly:

                                JAKE
                  Who're you?

                                ALONZO
                  The fuckin' zig-zag man.

                                JAKE
                  Cool.  I'm a cop.

                                ALONZO
                  You're a little bitty boot.

        Alonzo cracks beers for him and Jake.

                                ALONZO
                  C'mon.  It helps.  Believe me.

        Jake takes one.  Swigs.  Alonzo lights a smoke, pulls
        onto Normandie.  Does a doubletake.

                                ALONZO
                  Oh, damn!

        Jake looking around wildly.

                                JAKE
                  Oh, shit!  What?  What?  What?

                                ALONZO
                  Relax.  See that savory Mexican mama?


                                        JAKE'S POV

        A beautiful Mexican woman pushing a baby carriage.
        CAMERA PLAYING OVER her in luscious SLOW MOTION.


        BACK TO SCENE

        Jake stares, mouth open.  Alonzo points out more
        beautiful Latinas gracing the sidewalks.

                                ALONZO
                  Mmmm-mmmm.  The brown woman is the
                  fine woman.  Give her ten more
                  babies to push around.  Thick and
                  tasty.  Love to get up in that...
                  Your old lady white?  Fuckin'
                  Nordic cheerleader, right?

                                JACK
                  Wrong.  She's Chicana.  Light-
                  skinned.

                                ALONZO
                  I like my meat dark.  C'mon, pound
                  that beer.  Have another.  Gives
                  you ballast.

        Alonzo tosses his empty out the window.  Jake too.
        Alonzo cracks two fresh beers -- Jake takes one, drops
        it, soaking his leg.

                                ALONZO
                  Dumbass.  Don't spill it.  You
                  gotta learn how to party.

                                JAKE
                  I'm fine.

                                ALONZO
                  You gotta be able to handle a
                  high.  It's a necessary job skill.
                  I'm not kidding.  It's an alcohol
                  world down here.  You gotta be
                  able to hang.  To get fucked up
                  and talk shit with sketchy
                  sociopathic dumbasses and not pass
                  out and get your shoes stolen.

                                JAKE
                  I'm fine.  Just a little dizzy.

        But Jake looks decidedly green.  He sips beer.  HICCUPS
        mightily.  Alonzo brakes, flings open Jake's door.

                                ALONZO
                  Not in my car!

        Jake leans out, vomits onto the street.  He hangs there a
        beat, dry heaving.

                                ALONZO
                  Okay, okay.  Well's dry, kid.

        He yanks Jake in by the collar.  Keeps driving.

                                JAKE
                  Sorry.

                                ALONZO
                  Wipe your chin.

        Jake does, rinses his mouth with beer, spits out the
        window.

                                JAKE
                  I'm cool now.  Had to unload the
                  groceries.

        He leans his head on the window pillar.

        Jakes's eye absorb the street's tableau of unworldly
        gliding by.  Palm trees and sunshine.  Paradise and hell
        in one.

        His lids begin to drift shut.

        Then Jake sees a flash of movement in an alley.  Suddenly
        alert, he paws at the doorhandle.

                                JAKE
                  Activity on the right?  Stop the
                  car!

                                ALONZO
                  Siddown, Hoyt.  Everything's fine.

                                JAKE
                  Stop the fucking car!

                                ALONZO
                  C'mon, relax.  You're trippin' --

        Jake grabs the gearshift, throws it in reverse.  The
        transmission GRINDS, tires SCREECH.  The engine stalls.

        Jake is out like a shot --


        EXT. STREET - CONTINUOUS ACTION - DAY

        -- He dodges an oncoming car.

                                ALONZO
                  Get the fuck back here!

        Jake into the alley.


        ON G-RIDE

        Alonzo pulling to the curb.

                                ALONZO
                  Dumb-ass kid.


        ON JAKE

        Running like a deer.  He enters the alley.  Sees a book
        bag on the ground -- A dumpster ahead.  Jake rounds it.
        Fast.


        HIS POV

        A devastatingly beautiful Latina SCHOOLGIRL, pinned
        against the wall by a tall CRACKHEAD.  Her nose dots
        blood on her uniform blouse.


        BACK TO SCENE

        The Crackhead hauls back to smack her.  Jake Charging.

                                JAKE
                  Police officer!  You're under
                  arrest!

        The Crackhead punches Jake's throat.  Stops him cold.
        Jake realizes how huge this guy is.  Gulp.

                                CRACKHEAD
                  Gonna fuck you too, cop.

        ANOTHER CRACKHEAD dives from the shadows and tackles
        Jake.  Both go down hard.

        Crackhead #1 stomps Jake's head.  Jake gets his arm
        around Crackhead #2's neck, squeezes -- the forbidden
        choke hold.

        Alonzo enters the alley.  And just stands there,
        watching.

        Jake rides out Crackhead #I's vicious kicks as Crackhead
        #2 convulses from hypoxia.  And finally goes limp.

        Jake lets go, sweeps Crackhead #I's legs out from under
        him and hops to his feet.  Crackhead #1 stands too.

        The Schoolgirl looks on, stunned.

                                CRACKHEAD #1
                  You're ass is doomed.

        Jake growls, snatches him up like a rag doll, spins him,
        slams him hard.  In a flash, Jake twists him into a
        pretzel, drops a knee on his neck, grinds his head into
        the asphalt.  Clicks on the cuffs.

                                CRACKHEAD #1
                  We didn't do shit.  Bitch is crazy
                  and shit.

        Crackhead #2 coming to, starting to stand.  Jake crosses
        to him, pins his head with his knee.  Slips a pair of
        flexicuffs from his sock, zips them on the man's wrists.

                                CRACKHEAD #2
                  Man, you fuckin' up, slick.
                  Homegirl tradin' her ass for
                  cookies.

                                JAKE
                  Shut the fuck up, sir!


        ANGLE ON ALONZO

        Smiling, impressed by his raw skill.

                                JAKE
                  Thanks for the help.

                                ALONZO
                  Should'a shot 'em.

        Jake crosses to the Schoolgirl.

                                JAKE
                  We're police officers.  You okay?
                  You hurt?

                                SCHOOLGIRL
                         (to the Crackheads,
                          shaken but tough)
                  You fucked up!  My cousins are
                  from White Fence.  They're gonna
                  blast you fools!  Pinchi mayates!

                                ALONZO
                  Miss!  Relax!  Are you okay?

                                SCHOOLGIRL
                  What?  No.  No, I'm not okay.
                  Lookit my nose... My mom's gonna
                  trip out.

        Alonzo gingerly examines her nose.

                                ALONZO
                  Honey, it's just a nosebleed.  Put
                  ice on it.  Don't be walkin'
                  around here alone.  Tell your
                  cousins to get your back.  You
                  know what those pieces'a shit were
                  gonna do.  Probably got AIDS.  Why
                  aren't you in school?

                                SCHOOLGIRL
                  I was going to a ditch party.

                                ALONZO
                  You almost became a ditch party.
                  Go home.  Go home.  Now.

        She grabs her book bag and gets out of there.

                                JAKE
                  I gotta get her statement.

                                ALONZO
                  Unhook em'.  We're not racking up
                  arrests.

                                JAKE
                         (shocked)
                  Kick 'em loose?

                                ALONZO
                  No.  Get some shots in first.

                                JAKE
                  I have a punching bag at home.  I
                  want them off the street.

        Alonzo squats by Crackhead #1.  Searches him.

                                ALONZO
                  Hear that, bro?  My dog, here,
                  wants to lock you up.  Been to the
                  bootyhouse?  Grabbin' ankles for
                  the big boys?

                                CRACKHEAD #1
                  Suck my dick, bitch.  I know
                  people.

                                ALONZO
                  Kick back, who's-who.

        Alonzo finds rocks in one sock.  Some twenties in the
        other.  He pockets the cash and crack.  Searches
        Crackhead #2.

                                ALONZO
                  Where's your horn?

                                CRACKHEAD #2
                  Ain't got no horn.

        Alonzo finds a glass pipe.

                                ALONZO
                  So what's this, chief?  Gonna make
                  you eat it.

        Instead, he grinds it underfoot.

                                ALONZO
                  Ya'll lucky I got pressing
                  business today -- You, stand up.

        Alonzo hauls Crackhead #1 to his feet.  Unlocks the
        cuffs, tosses them to Jake.  Crackhead #2 strains against
        the flexicuffs.

                                ALONZO
                         (to Crackhead #2)
                  You get to keep those.

        He steers Crackhead #1 to a wall -- cocks his fist.

                                ALONZO
                  Ain't the first honey ya'll pinned
                  to a wall, huh?  Close your eyes.

        Crackhead does.  Alonzo knees his groin -- oof! -- He
        falls to the ground, whimpers in the fetal position.

                                ALONZO
                  Next time I cut your dick off and
                  shove it up your ass.
                         (pats Jake's back, winks)
                  I'll leave you three alone.  Gonna
                  grab some beer.

        Alonzo exits the alley.  Jake watches Crackhead #1
        whimper, Crackhead #2 writhe in the gutter.  It's futi1e
        to beat these men.  Jake takes pity, walks away.

                                CRACKHEAD #2
                  Pussy motherfucker.  Gonna see
                  your ass again.  Gonna fuck you
                  up, bitch.  Won't see shit coming.
                  Creep like a ninja and crack your
                  head open.  Blow your house up.
                  Punk-ass white boy.  Now you in my
                  world, motherfucker.

        Jake stops and turns around.  He stoops to pick up a pink
        Hello Kitty change purse.


        INSIDE CHANGE PURSE

        The Schoolgirl's MIA bus pass and her freshman ID from
        Immaculate Heart High School.


        BACK TO SCENE

        Jake glares at the Crackheads.

                                JAKE
                  You assholes!  She's fifteen!

                                CRACKHEAD #2
                         (grins)
                  She all woman.  Tax that ass for
                  days.

        Man!  Jake could kick his brains out.  Somehow, he turns
        and walks away.

                                                   CUT TO:


        INT. G-RIDE - MOVING - DAY

        Jake steams.  Alonzo offers a beer from a new sixer.
        Jake refuses.  Alonzo counts and pockets the money he
        took.  Notes Jake's stare.

                                ALONZO
                  Wanna book sixty bucks?  Where're
                  the suspects?

                                JAKE
                         (ice)
                  You let them go.

                                ALONZO
                  Get over it.  You wanna go runnin'
                  and gunnin', stay in patrol.  This
                  is Investigations.  Leave the
                  garbage for the garbage men.
                  We're professional anglers.  We
                  reel in the big ones.  Should'a
                  dished out some shoe leather.
                  You'd have a big 'ol smile on your
                  face.

                                JAKE
                  I get my shits and grins booking
                  bad guys, not beating them.

                                ALONZO
                  Man... The fuck you doing running
                  alone into an alley full'a
                  cracked-out monkey-strong
                  motherfuckers?  Those hemorrhoids
                  wouldta killed you without mercy
                  or hesitation.

                                JAKE
                  That's why they belong in prison.

                                ALONZO
                  They lost their money, their rock,
                  got beat down and now the eses
                  from White Fence are gonna smoke
                  'em.  Jesus, what more do you want?

                                JAKE
                  Justice.

                                ALONZO
                  Is that not justice?

                                JAKE
                  That's street justice.

                                ALONZO
                  What's wrong with street justice?

                                JAKE
                  Let the animals wipe themselves
                  out, right?

                                ALONZO
                  If only they would.  But it don't
                  work like that.  They wipe out the
                  good folks.  Notice how it's
                  always school kids, mommies and
                  ass-bustin' family men catching
                  stray slugs in their noodles.  You
                  protect the sheep by catching the
                  wolves.  It takes a wolf to catch
                  a wolf.

                                JAKE
                  What?

                                ALONZO
                  You protect --

                                JAKE
                  I heard you.  Whatever.

        A beat.

                                JAKE
                  When do you lock anyone up?  Seems
                  like you're too busy keeping people
                  out.

        Bad mistake.  Alonzo slaps him.  Glares at him.

                                ALONZO
                  Shut up, boot!  Nothin' but shit
                  'tween your ears.  They build
                  prisons cause'a me!  Judges have
                  handed out fifteen thousand man
                  years of incarceration time based
                  on my investigations.  My record
                  speaks for itself.  How many
                  felons have you collared?
                  Dickhead.

        Now that it's clear who's the boss, they drive in tense
        silence for a long beat.  Alonzo digs in his pocket --

                                ALONZO
                  Here...

        -- hands Jake the rocks he found.  A beat.

                                JAKE
                  I'm not smoking crack.

                                ALONZO
                  Good.  I'm glad to hear that.
                  Toss 'em in the glove box.

        Jake does, sees several more rocks under some papers.

                                ALONZO
                  Comes in handy.  Like a debit
                  card.
                         (offers Jake a beer)
                  You earned it.  C'mon.

        Jake refuses.

                                ALONZO
                  No matter what I say, I want you
                  to know, you did the right thing.
                  Reminds me of when I could chase
                  down anyone and fuck them up.
                  You're a good cop.  You got fire.
                  That was some amazing shit back
                  there.

                                JAKE
                  Thanks.

                                ALONZO
                  That the choke hold I saw you
                  applying?  Isn't that a big no-no,
                  procedure-boy?

                                JAKE
                  Well... I was getting my ass
                  kicked.

                                ALONZO
                  You did what you had to do.

        Alonzo gives Jake a beer and grins at him like a proud
        dad.

                                ALONZO
                  You got a magic eye, Hoyt.  You
                  have a magic fucking eye.  Up your
                  street I.Q. and you'll do some
                  damage, crime fighter.

        They clink cans.  Jake smiles.

                                                   CUT TO:


        EXT. NORMANDIE AND VERNON - DAY

        The G-Ride rolls through the intersection.  If you don't
        know the neighborhood, stay the hell out.

                                                   CUT TO:


        INT. G-RIDE - MOVING - DAY

        The area fills Alonzo's eyes with memories.

                                ALONZO
                  This is Southwest Div.  Did my
                  probation here.  Learned a lot
                  here.  Good things.  Bad things.
                  Kicked some ass.  Had my ass
                  kicked.

                                JAKE
                  Back in the days.

                                ALONZO
                  Yeah, back in the days.  Today's
                  my date of employment.  Know how
                  long I been a cop?
                         (as Jake shakes his head)
                  Thirteen years.  Seven more and I
                  cash outta the game.

                                JAKE
                  No shit.  Happy anniversary.

        Jake holds out his hand.  Alonzo shakes it.  Kills his
        beer, cracks another.

                                ALONZO
                  Thanks.  Thirteen's an unlucky
                  number but the seven to go cancel
                  it out.

        Alonzo turns on Adams.  He reaches over, digs in the
        glove box.  Pulls out a photograph and hands it to Jake.


        INSERT - PHOTO

        A spit-and-polish, young cop in crisp blues, white
        gloves, holding his Beretta at inspection arms.


        BACK TO SCENE

        Jake looks at the photo, then at Alonzo.  Realizing:

                                JAKE
                  You're Mr. Clean.

                                ALONZO
                  I had a few misconceptions when I
                  started out.
                         (points out a house)
                  On the left.  See that house?
                  Dude named Spooky lived there.
                  Mean old vato loco.  Mexican
                  Mafia.  No one fucked with Spooky.
                  Even got respect from the cops.
                  We'd keep an eye on his house.
                  You like dogs?

                                JAKE
                  Gotta six-year-old Rottweiler.
                  Not too bright, but I can trust
                  him with my kid.

                                ALONZO
                  Rotties are good dogs.  Dobermans
                  are better.  Spooky raised
                  Dobermans.  On my second week of
                  patrol, when I was not knowin'
                  shit, we roll by Spooky's one
                  night.  I observe this old, black
                  fool, named Too Fine, all drunk,
                  beating the shit out of this
                  female Doberman.  Beautiful dog,
                  seven months old.  Too Fine's
                  whoopin' her with a garden hose.
                  This dog's just crying, shaking.
                  I grew up with Dobermans.  I was
                  pissed.  I tell my T.O. 'I'm gonna
                  take him.'  And my T.O. is like:
                  'No, no.  It's cool.'  He fuckin'
                  waves to Too Fine and this
                  motherfucker smiles and waves back
                  and keeps hitting the dog.
                  Thought I lost my damn mind.
                  Tells me Spooky gave him twenty
                  bucks to beat the shit out of it.
                  My T.O., this good 'ol boy, looks
                  me in the eye and says:  'Teaches
                  'em to hate niggers.'  Almost quit
                  right there.  Almost got out of
                  the fuckin' black and white and
                  took the bus home.

        Jake looks at Alonzo.

                                JAKE
                  That's fucked up.  That's one of
                  the most fucked up things I ever
                  heard.

                                ALONZO
                  Just remembered that.  Every time
                  I'd seen it all, the street'd show
                  me something even more fucked up.
                  I know you didn't see no shit like
                  that in the Valley.

                                JAKE
                  No, I haven't.

        Jake takes a last look at the photograph of young Alonzo
        and replaces it in the glove box.

        Alonzo enters an alley cutting through several blocks.

                                ALONZO
                  Double-nickel Crips control shit
                  here.  They come up hard.  Come in
                  here running undercover shit and
                  get made as a narc, the O.G.s'll
                  booty-bust you then some thirteen-
                  year-old wannabe'll curbstone you.
                  Feed your dead ass to a pit bull.
                  Youngins here fight for the right
                  to dump a cop.  Everyone wants a
                  name.

                                JAKE
                  That really happen?

                                ALONZO
                  No, Hoyt, I'm pullin' your dick.
                  Anything can happen.  It's loony
                  tunes here.  Keep an eye out for
                  rock stars.

        Alonzo pulls on a side street where PEANUT, a young
        gangster, is ready to serve them.

                                ALONZO
                  There's one.  Don't let him see
                  your face.  And don't let anyone
                  run up on us with a shotgun.

        Alonzo pulls out a twenty, stops near Peanut, who crosses
        to his window.

                                PEANUT
                  What you want, homie?

                                ALONZO
                         (flashes twenty)
                  Twenty.  Gimme a big-ass chip.

        Peanut takes a rock from his pocket, gives it to Alonzo,
        reaches for the twenty -- CLICK-CLICK!  Alonzo cuffs him
        to the steering wheel --

                                ALONZO
                  Let's take a ride, asshole.

        -- Stomps the gas, SCREECH!  Peanut runs to keep up.
        Alonzo stops at the end of the alley.

                                ALONZO
                  You from double nickel?

                                PEANUT
                  Ain't from shit.

                                ALONZO
                  Again:  Where you from?

                                PEANUT
                  My mom.

                                ALONZO
                  Your mom?  From her ass?  You a
                  butt baby?

                                PEANUT
                  Fuck you --

        -- SCREECH!  Alonzo races in reverse down the alley.
        Peanut is yanked off his feet.  His legs drag in the
        dirt.  Alonzo stops, lights a squished Marlboro.  He has
        Peanut's attention.

                                ALONZO
                  What do they call you?

                                PEANUT
                  Peanut.

                                ALONZO
                  You in double nickel, Peanut?

        Peanut nods.

                                ALONZO
                  See, respect me, I respect you.
                  Talk shit, I fuck you up.  Ah'ite,
                  homie.

                                PEANUT
                  Ah'ite.

                                ALONZO
                  Who's the boss?

                                PEANUT
                  You.

                                ALONZO
                  No, dumbass.  Who you slangin'
                  for?

        Peanut clams up.  Alonzo grabs the gearshift.

                                ALONZO
                  Gimme a name or your hand.  Choose
                  now.

        Peanut stares at his hand, flexes it.  Alonzo revs the
        engine.

                                PEANUT
                  Mr. Mighty.

        Alonzo shoves forty bucks in Peanut's hand, unlocks
        him --

                                ALONZO
                  Back to work, poo-butt.

        -- and drives away.  Peanut flips him off.

                                                   CUT TO:


        INT. G-RIDE - MOVING - DAY

        Jake adds Peanut's rock to the glovebox.

                                JAKE
                  He was just a kid.

                                ALONZO
                  Kids or not, gotta make 'em sing.

                                JAKE
                  Who's Mr. Mighty?  Let's get him.

                                ALONZO
                  Nope... can't catch that fish.

                                JAKE
                  Why not?

                                ALONZO
                  Lives in the unincorporated part
                  of Lynwood.  We don't wanna deal
                  with County Sheriffs.  Fuck that
                  headache.  Wastin' our time here.
                  Let's head East.

                                                   CUT TO:


        INT. G-RIDE - MOVING - DAY

        The G-Ride cruising through an even worse area.  Alonzo
        scans the urban wasteland for prey.  Sees a gaunt DEALER
        on a corner.  Hands Jake a twenty.

                                ALONZO
                  Your turn.

                                JAKE
                  What do I say?

                                ALONZO
                  Adlib, dumbfuck.

        He pulls over.  The Dealer crosses to Jake.

                                DEALER
                  What you want, homie?

                                JAKE
                  Crack.  Twenty dollars' worth.

                                DEALER
                  Fuck you, rookie.

        He quickly walks away.  Alonzo smiles.

                                ALONZO
                  Fetch, boy.  Fetch.

        Jake bolts from the car.


        EXT. NEIGHBORHOOD - ON DEALER - CONTINUOUS ACTION - DAY

        walking.  He sees Jake, starts running.

        Jake gaining, tackles him.  Gets the Dealer in a
        compliance hold and cuffs him.  Alonzo pulls up, sees
        Jake grinning.

                                ALONZO
                  Love doing that, huh?
                         (searches Dealer)
                  Who you work for, fuckstain?

                                DEALER
                  Can't work.  I'm on disability.

                                ALONZO
                  Bullshit.  You crackin'.

        Jake finishes searching.

                                ALONZO
                  No rocks?

                                JAKE
                  No rocks.

                                DEALER
                         (laughing)
                  Aw, dang.  See?  Ya'll ain't got
                  shit.  The man comin' up short
                  again.

        Alonzo exits the car.  Glares.

                                ALONZO
                  I never come up short, fool.
                         (to Dealer)
                  Open your mouth.

        The Dealer does.  Sensing to not play with Alonzo.

                                ALONZO
                  Lift your tongue.

        He does.

                                DEALER
                  See.  I ain't be gottin' shit.

                                ALONZO
                  Gimme a pen.

        Jakes does.  Alonzo grabs the Dealer's neck.  Forces the
        pen in his mouth.  Down his throat.  He gags -- Urgh!
        Vomits.

                                DEALER
                  Motherfucker!

        Jake is stunned.  Alonzo inspects the spattered sidewalk.
        Sees Saran-wrapped rocks.

                                ALONZO
                  Lookie those.

                                DEALER
                  That's corn.

                                ALONZO
                  That's Jimmy crack corn... One,
                  two, three, four, five... six.
                  How'd you swallow that shit
                  without water?

                                DEALER
                  Fuckin' bullshit!  Fuck you, civil
                  rights violatin' motherfuckers.

        Alonzo slaps him.

                                ALONZO
                  Gonna act like a man or a bitch?!
                  Got you cold.  Gimme a name and
                  stay on the streets.

        The Dealer mulls it over.

                                DEALER
                  He in County.

                                ALONZO
                  Who?

                                DEALER
                  Sandman.  He's shot callin'.

                                ALONZO
                  Unhook him, Hoyt.

        Jake unlocks the cuffs.  Alonzo steps over the vomit.

                                ALONZO
                  And collect the evidence.

                                JAKE
                  Fuck you.

                                ALONZO
                  You're learning.

                                                   CUT TO:


        INT. G-RIDE - MOVING - DAY

        Jake keeps looking at Alonzo, half impressed, half
        appalled.

                                ALONZO
                  What?

                                JAKE
                  You don't give a fuck.

        Alonzo grins, dials a cell phone.

                                ALONZO
                  Afternoon, Bob.  It's Alonzo,
                  Rampart Narcs.
                         (beat)
                  Good, and you?
                         (beat)
                  Great.
                         (beat)
                  Yeah, that's right.  I made it.
                  The big one three.
                         (beat; laughs)
                  'Course I'm on the street.  Hey,
                  partner, got your gang book?
                         (beat)
                  Okay, I need a res.  Alias is
                  Sandman.  If he's not in Ghetto
                  Boys, try the Mobsters... might be
                  in custody.
                         (beat)
                  No, I'll hold.
                         (to Jake)
                  Bob Ramirez.  Intel coordinator
                  for Seventy-Seventh Div Crash.
                         (into phone)
                  -- Yeah, Bob, still here.  Shoot.

        Alonzo jots the information on a notepad.

                                ALONZO
                  Okay... Thank you, sir.  That's
                  gonna do it.  Have a good one.

        Alonzo hangs up.

                                JAKE
                  We go after the Sandman?

                                ALONZO
                  We go after the Sandman.

        Jake smiles.

                                                   CUT TO:


        EXT. RESIDENTIAL STREET - DAY

        Graffiti on a wall:  GHETTO BOYS HOOD -- SANDMAN

        The G-Ride glides INTO FRAME and OUT.


        ANGLE

        The G-Ride parks in front of a house.  Alonzo and Jake
        exit.  Alonzo pops the trunk.  Inside is a microwave box,
        toaster, a boombox, a TV.

                                JAKE
                  Gonna open a Circuit City?

                                ALONZO
                  It's unclaimed shit from property.
                  I pass it out to informants,
                  victims, witnesses.  Help their
                  families out.

        Alonzo fishes out an assault vest, tosses it to Jake and
        dons an LAPD windbreaker, POLICE across the back.

                                ALONZO
                  Intel says his mom's in the
                  residence with two female
                  juveniles and a possible male
                  juvenile.

                                JAKE
                  If he's not here, why are we here?

        Alonzo pulls a paper out of his pocket, unfolds it.

                                ALONZO
                  We gotta serve this search
                  warrant.

        It's the Chinese take-out menu Jake handed him earlier.

                                JAKE
                  We can't do that.

                                ALONZO
                  Yes we can, supercop.  Ding-ding,
                  that's the schoolbell.

        He slams the trunk.  Pulls his gun.  They cross to the
        door.

                                JAKE
                  Get a real warrant.

                                ALONZO
                  I wanna get shit done.

        They step onto the porch.  Take sides by the front door.

                                ALONZO
                  Don't get me killed, new guy.

        He knocks on the security screen.

                                ALONZO
                  Police!  Search warrant!

        Silence.  Alonzo knocks again.  Nods at Jake.

                                JAKE
                  L.A.P.D.!  Open the door.

        Nothing.  Then:

                                WOMAN (O.S.)
                  Kevin ain't here.  He up at the
                  Honor Ranch.

                                ALONZO
                  L.A.P.D.!  Please open the door or
                  we kick it in!  Ma'am?!

        CLICKING.  The door is unlocked, opened.  An attractive
        black WOMAN stands on the other side of the security
        screen.  Alonzo waves the menu.

                                ALONZO
                  Search Warrant.  Unlock the door
                  and back away.

        She does, Alonzo snaps it open, rushes in, Jake follows.


        INT. LIVING ROOM - CONTINUOUS ACTION - DAY

        Jake and Alonzo swinging guns around the room.  There's
        two scared toddlers in a play pen.  The Woman on the
        couch, pissed.

                                JAKE
                  Stand up, ma'am.

        He searches the couch for a weapon.

                                ALONZO
                  Anyone else in the house, ma'am?

                                WOMAN
                  My nephew, Dimitri.  He in the
                  bedroom.  The boy is ten.

                                ALONZO
                  Cover her.  Gonna clear the house.

                                JAKE
                  You can sit.  Please keep your
                  hands on your knees.

        Alonzo exits through a doorway into the kitchen.

                                ALONZO (O.S.)
                  Kitchen's clear!

        We HEAR Alonzo moving through the bedrooms.

                                ALONZO (O.S.)
                  Bedrooms're clear!  Bringing out
                  the kid!

        Alonzo marches Dimitri, 10, into the living room.  The
        youngster trembles.

                                ALONZO
                  S'okay, son, we're the good guys.
                  Go sit on the couch with your
                  aunt -- House is code-four.  Gonna
                  start my search.

        Alonzo exits.  The Woman glares at Jake.

                                WOMAN
                  I wanna read the warrant.

                                JAKE
                         (reacts)
                  My partner has it.

        She looks out the window at the empty street.

                                WOMAN
                  Where's your back-up?

                                JAKE
                  Ma'am, please be quiet while we
                  conduct our investigation.

                                WOMAN
                  You got the gun, boss.
                         (sotto)
                  Crooked-ass motherfuckers.

        The kids stare at Jake like an occupying soldier.  He
        crosses to Dimitri, smiles.

                                JAKE
                  Hey, little man.  How's it going?

        Jake tries to shake.  Dimitri crosses his arms, looks
        away.  The Woman smirks.

        O.S., the SOUNDS of Alonzo tearing apart the bedrooms
        like a hurricane.  Making a hell of a mess.

        The Woman stands.

                                JAKE
                  Ma'am.  Stay seated.

                                WOMAN
                  Who you be thinkin'?  Comin' in
                  like you pay the rent.

                                JAKE
                  Ma'am, sit down.

                                WOMAN
                  Both ya'lls stink.  Drinkin' all
                  day.  Gotta get liquored up to do
                  business?

        Alonzo is suddenly quiet.  Jake backs to the doorway,
        peeks around it.  Sees a dresser with a mirror.


        IN MIRROR

        Alonzo shoves something big down his raidjacket.


        BACK TO SCENE

                                JAKE
                  Siddown.

                                WOMAN
                  Gonna shoot me, boss?  Kids, don't
                  look.  The drunk policeman gonna
                  shoot me now.

        Alonzo enters, excited, grinning.

                                ALONZO
                  Didn't find shit.  Let's go --
                  Sorry about the inconvenience,
                  ma'am.  Thank you for your
                  cooperation.

        He and Jake head for the door.

                                WOMAN
                  I wanna see the warrant.

                                ALONZO
                  Here.

        He hands her the menu as they exit.

                                                   CUT TO:


        EXT. NEIGHBORHOOD - DAY

        At the end of the block, three big GANGSTERS buy
        popsicles from a Mexican vendor.


        ANOTHER ANGLE

        The Woman bursts out of the house, screams at Jake and
        Alonzo as they climb in the G-Ride.

                                WOMAN
                  Fuckin' jackers!  You ain't no
                  fuckin' police!  Get the fuck back
                  here with my money!

        She sees the gangsters.

                                WOMAN
                  Why ya'll standin' there lookin'
                  pretty?!  Blast them fools!

        The gangsters trade looks.  Start running towards --


        G-RIDE

        Alonzo sees the gangsters.  Tries STARTING the CAR.  The
        engine won't catch.

                                ALONZO
                  C'mon, baby.  Don't do me like
                  that.

        The gangsters getting closer.

                                ALONZO
                  Fuckin' bitch!  Start!

        Nothing.  Alonzo piles out.  Raises the hood, taps the
        carb with the butt of his gun.

                                ALONZO
                  Start it!

        Jake twists the screwdriver.  No dice.  He sees a Glock
        pulled from a waistband.  Alonzo tapping.

                                JAKE
                  Gun!  Gun!  Gun!

                                ALONZO
                  Start it!

        VAROOM!  Alonzo slams the hood.  Climbs in.  SQUEALS from
        the driveway.

        The armed gangster drops to one knee.

        The G-Ride tear-asses away in Glock's sights.

        POP!-POP!-POP!-POP!-POP!

        A ROUND SHATTERS a taillight.

        ANOTHER pierces the trunk --


        INT. G-RIDE - CONTINUOUS ACTION - DAY

        -- the back seat -- the front seat -- the six pack -- and
        finally the dash.

        Jake reacting to beer spray.  Alonzo rounds the corner,
        tosses the wounded cans out the window.

                                ALONZO
                  Shit... Let's hit a liquor store.

        Jake fingers the hole in the dash.

                                ALONZO
                  Gun!  Gun!  Gun!

        Jake startles, Alonzo laughing.

                                ALONZO
                  First time you been shot at?

                                JAKE
                         (lies)
                  No.

                                ALONZO
                  Yeah, it is.

                                JAKE
                  That wasn't cool.  That wasn't
                  cool at all.  What the fuck were
                  you doing in there?

                                ALONZO
                  Looking for narcotics activity.
                  Scales.  Baggies.  Guns.  Coke.
                  Bud.  Etcetera.

                                JAKE
                  Cash...?

                                ALONZO
                  Say it, motherfucker.

                                JAKE
                  She was screaming about money.

                                ALONZO
                  Bitch was talking shit.  Trying to
                  get us blasted by her homies.

        Jake's eyes fall to a brick-shaped bulge under Alonzo's
        raid jacket.

                                ALONZO
                  What?

                                JAKE
                  I dunno.  I'm just a new guy.  A
                  daisy-fresh scuzz-head boot.  You
                  tell me what.

                                ALONZO
                  I don't deny my shit stinks.  I
                  will never deny that.  So why do I
                  got the best arrest and conviction
                  record in the county.  Why?
                  'Cause I don't handicap myself
                  with bullshit.

                                JAKE
                  I thought that bullshit served a
                  purpose.

                                ALONZO
                  You thought wrong.  There's
                  hemorrhoids walking free on the
                  streets right now who've killed
                  fuckin' three, four, five people.
                  I know it, they know it, every
                  detective on payroll knows it.
                  Why do these turds still float
                  around?  The rules.  I take down
                  the duly deserving.  I'm not
                  locking up Mr. Nine-to-five, Mr.
                  Family Provider.

        Jake shaking his head angrily.

                                ALONZO
                  C'mon, communicate.  What aren't
                  you saying?  Talk to me.

        A beat.  Then Jake fixes Alonzo with a stare.

                                JAKE
                  I think... I think you're a rogue
                  cop.

        Alonzo laughs his ass off.  Wipes his eyes, he laughs so
        hard.

                                ALONZO
                  Fuckin' Hoyt, man.  Know what?
                  You're alright.  You are alright.

        Jake gives him an "I'm not stupid" look.

                                ALONZO
                  You're in a privileged position to
                  learn a thing or two if you can
                  keep your mouth shut and your eyes
                  open.  If you're serious about
                  doing good out in the real world,
                  this is the place to learn how.
                  If this shit shakes you up, go
                  back to Division and cry to the
                  Watch Commander.  He'll find you a
                  nice job lighting flares and
                  measuring wrecks.  Decide now if
                  you want to be a wolf or a sheep.
                  If you want on my squad, I'll sign
                  your card.

        Alonzo stops the car.  Reaches over and opens Jake's
        door.

                                ALONZO
                  If not, get out of my car.

        Jake looks at Alonzo, he turns away and reacts.


        JAKE'S POV

        They are parked in front of a police station, steps lead
        up to a pair of glass doors.


        BACK TO SCENE

        Jake sits there a beat.  He gives Alonzo a final look.
        Then gets out of the car.


        EXT. POLICE STATION - CONTINUOUS ACTION - DAY

        Jake stiffly marches up the steps.  Then stops.  And
        turns.  Alonzo staring at him.  Waiting for him to change
        his mind.

        A beat.  Jake shakes his head:  no.

        SCREECH!  Alonzo is gone.

                                                   CUT TO:


        INT. POLICE STATION LOBBY - DAY

        Jake badges the elderly sergeant desk and is buzzed into
        the offices.

                                                   CUT TO:


        INT. POLICE STATION OFFICES - DAY

        Jake stands just inside the door.  Taking in station
        life.


        HIS POV

        Station queens of all sorts.  Overweight cops talk on the
        phones.  Pension jockeys tap away at keyboards.  This is
        about as far from the action as you can get.


        BACK TO SCENE

        Jake looks at a sign over a door:  "WATCH COMMANDER".

        Instead of crossing to it.  Jake looks at his hands,
        dirty and scraped from fighting.  Jake turns around and
        exits.

                                                   CUT TO:


        EXT. POLICE STATION - DAY

        As Jake descends the steps, the G-Ride pulls up.  The
        passenger door opens.  Jake climbs in.  Shuts the door.

                                                   CUT TO:


        INT. G-RIDE - MOVING - DAY

        Alonzo holds out his hand.  Solemn.

                                ALONZO
                  Welcome to Narcotics, Officer
                  Hoyt.

        Jake beams, shakes his hand.

                                JAKE
                  I'm going to do my best.

                                ALONZO
                  You do and you'll run the unit
                  someday.
                         (a beat)
                  You hungry?  Let's code seven.

                                                   CUT TO:


        EXT. CENTRAL AVENUE - DAY

        The G-Ride pulls onto a side street then winds its way
        through a maze of shabby streets.

                                                   CUT TO:


        INT. G-RIDE - MOVING - DAY

        Jake nervously glances around one of the toughest parts
        of the city.  A strong point adorned with wrought iron
        and concertina wire.

                                JAKE
                  What are you doing?  We'll be
                  killed coming in here.

                                ALONZO
                  Oh, you've heard about this neck
                  of the woods?

                                JAKE
                  No man's land.
                         (points)
                  You got Broadway there, dividing
                  the eastside-westside Hispanic
                  gangs.  And Adams Boulevard there
                  is the only thing separating the
                  Rolling Twenties Bloods from the
                  Hoover Crips.  They said never
                  come in here with anything less
                  than a platoon.

                                ALONZO
                         (impressed)
                  On top of that, area's an
                  administrative nightmare.  Four
                  L.A.P.D. Division boundaries meet
                  here.  Rampart, Central, Southwest
                  and Newton.  That makes everything
                  that happens here the other guy's
                  problem.

        Jake is really uncomfortable.

                                JAKE
                  I thought we were going to eat.

        Alonzo gives him a reassuring look and stops in front of
        a cul-de-sac of run down houses and apartments.  He
        HONKS.

        A little kid runs out of the corner house.  He eyes
        Alonzo then hops on his bike and rides OUT OF VIEW into
        the cul-de-sac.  A beat.

        The little kid returns.  Waves Alonzo into the cul-de-
        sac.  Alonzo turns onto the dangerous dead-end, driving
        around a poorly parked van.

                                JAKE
                  That little kid's a lookout.

                                ALONZO
                  Lots of eyes on us right now.
                  Never come up in here without me.
                  For your safety.  I'm serious.

                                JAKE
                  Okay.  Why do you have a golden
                  pass?

                                ALONZO
                  Because I'm square with 'em.  But
                  they know if the line is crossed,
                  I'm leading the platoon in here.

        Alonzo parks in front of some apartments.  Jake and
        Alonzo get out.

        An old woman sweeps her doorstep and glares at Jake.

                                ALONZO
                  Buenas tardes, Dona Lucila.

        The old woman smiles, nods.

        Jake and Alonzo pass a long driveway as they cross to
        some stairs.


        JAKE'S POV

        At the far end of the driveway, gangsters work out and
        drink.  One of them is benching over 300 pounds.


        BACK TO SCENE

                                ALONZO
                  Don't look at them.

        Alonzo and Jake climb the steps.

                                ALONZO
                  See that dude benching?

                                JAKE
                  Yeah, Jesus.

                                ALONZO
                  Exactly, you run into him; you
                  pray.  Real quick hands for a big
                  guy.  Used to make money boxing
                  but he fucked that up.

        Alonzo knocks on a door.

                                JAKE
                  What's here?

                                ALONZO
                  A loving touch.

                                WOMAN (O.S.)
                  Quien...?

                                ALONZO
                  Policia, senorita.

        The door opens, there stands SARA, a ravishing Salvadoran
        in a housedress.  She hugs Alonzo, plants a big kiss on
        him --

                                SARA
                  Hi, papi.

        -- then notices Jake and backs off.

                                ALONZO
                  He's just my new guy.

        She holds out her hand.  They shake.

                                SARA
                  Hi.  How are you?

                                JAKE
                  Good, thank you.

                                SARA
                  Come in, come in.  Welcome to my
                  house.

        Alonzo enters, Jake follows.

                                                   CUT TO:


        INT. APARTMENT - DAY

        The living room is filled with Salvadoran kitsch.  A 2-
        year-old boy on the couch watches cartoons.  Alonzo
        motions for Jake to sit.

                                ALONZO
                  You had a rough morning.  Relax
                  and let her hook you up.

        He disappears into the bedroom.  Sara hands Jake the
        remote.

                                SARA
                  Here.  Take this.  I have cable.
                  You watch what you want.  This is
                  your house.  Don't be shy.

        She crosses to the kitchen.  Sounds of POTS, DISHES.
        Jake is about to change the channel.  The kid gives him a
        look.  He puts away the remote.

        Sara returns with a massive tray of food, chicken stew,
        beans, rice, salad, tortillas, the works.  She sets the
        mouth-watering spread before Jake.

                                SARA
                  This is El Salvador food.  I hope
                  you like it.

                                JAKE
                  Thank you.  This is great.  I'm
                  starving.

        She hangs a beat, eabarrassed.

                                SARA
                  I'm sorry.  I have too...

        Jake knows.  She runs off.

                                                   CUT TO:


        INT. BEDROOM - DAY

        Sara hands Alonzo a beer.  Alonzo lays back on the bed
        with a huge grin.  She surveys him, smiles.

                                SARA
                  Wow.  That's something different.
                  You're smiling.

                                ALONZO
                  Wassup, woman?  Lookin' good
                  today.

                                SARA
                         (unties his shoes)
                  Well, happy man:  you didn't say
                  'hi' to your son.  He's been
                  asking for you.

                                ALONZO
                  Yeah, well... I will.

        She removes his shoes, massages his feet.

                                SARA
                  How's your wife?

                                ALONZO
                  Why the fuck you comin' at me with
                  all this shit?  Don't you have a
                  brain?  I'm in a good fuckin' mood
                  for the first time in who knows
                  how the fuck long and you start
                  talkin' shit.  Man.  Just shut the
                  fuck up.  Take that shit off and
                  get your ass in bed.

                                SARA
                         (crosses her arms, glares)
                  I'm not a piece of something for
                  you to bark at, mister.

                                ALONZO
                  I'm sorry.  Please get your ass in
                  bed.  I gotta get back to work.

        She thinks it over.  Slips off her dress -- Wow!

                                SARA
                  This is because I want to.  Not
                  because you tell me to.

                                ALONZO
                  Whatever.

                                                   CUT TO:


        INT. LIVING ROOM - DAY (LATER)

        Jake dozes, his plate wiped clean, an arm around the
        little kid, still watching cartoons.  Alonzo enters,
        invigorated, he kicks Jake's foot.

                                ALONZO
                  Let's go.  We're rollin'.  Gotta
                  meeting in fifteen.

        Jake stirs, stretches.  Stands.  Alonzo shows him the
        door.

                                ALONZO
                  Go to the car.

                                JAKE
                  I wanna thank her for the food.
                  It was great.

                                ALONZO
                  I'll tell her, don't worry.

        Jake tussles the kid's hair.

                                JAKE
                  See you later, little man.

        Jake exits.  Alonzo picks up his son.  Hugs him tight.
        Kisses him.

                                ALONZO
                  Hey.  How you been?  Been good?
                  Gettin' heavy, mister.  Mama says
                  you miss me.

        Sara watches from the bedroom doorway.  Seeing Alonzo
        like this rips her apart more than anything he says.

                                                   CUT TO:


        INT. G-RIDE - MOVING - DAY

        Near downtown.  The noon sun high and bright.

                                JAKE
                  What about your queen?

                                ALONZO
                  Sara's my princess.

                                JAKE
                  I like her.  She's a really cool
                  lady.

                                ALONZO
                  So are her two sisters.  They look
                  fuckin' good and they party.
                  How'd you like to be in the middle
                  of a bitch sandwich?  Come to
                  Vegas with us.

                                JAKE
                  No, thanks.  I get mine at home.

                                ALONZO
                  You're missing out.  I should
                  know.

                                JAKE
                  Her kid looks just like you.  He's
                  number five.

                                ALONZO
                  Number six.

                                JAKE
                  Six kids.  That's all?  Or you
                  holding royal court in a few more
                  houses?

                                ALONZO
                  I'm only aware of six.

                                JAKE
                  It's easy to make a baby --

                                ALONZO
                  -- And hard to take care of one.
                  Fuck you, okay?  No one's going
                  hungry.  Everyone gets plenty of
                  what they need:  toys, shoes,
                  clothes.

                                JAKE
                  Love?

        Alonzo shoots a look at Jake.

                                ALONZO
                  Let's not talk about my family.

                                                   CUT TO:


        EXT. LA GOLONDRINA - DAY

        A great place for lunch and cocktails.  Alonzo and Jake
        cross to the entrance.  Alonzo, his raidjacket tucked
        underarm, hands Jake some Visine.

                                ALONZO
                  Use it.

        Jake does.  Alonzo opens the door.

                                JAKE
                  Who's here?

                                ALONZO
                  Don't speak unless spoken to.

                                                   CUT TO:


        INT. LA GOLONDRINA - DAY

        A lunchtime business crowd dines in burgundy leather
        booths amidst a forest of wrought £ron.  Alonzo leads
        Jake into:


        INT. CORTEZ ROOM - CONTINUOUS ACTION - DAY

        Empty.  Save for the back table.  Three scary 40ish
        bruisers in nice suits, DOUG, STAN, AND LOU, share a
        pitcher of beer.

        Doug and Stan see Alonzo, react like they've seen a
        ghost.  So Lou turns around, sees Alonzo.  And quickly
        stands.

        It's tense.  Like there could be a gunfight.  Jake's hand
        creeps near his gun.

        Alonzo and Lou converge, trading serious questions and
        answers with their eyes.

        Jake watches Stan and Doug.  They watch him.  Alonzo and
        Lou grab hands grimly.

                                LOU
                         (softly)
                  I don't know why I'm meeting you.
                  I don't talk to dead men.

                                ALONZO
                         (smiles, winks)
                  Ain't dead yet, you prick.

        They shake vigorously, smile big.  Everyone relaxes.

                                LOU
                         (claps his back)
                  Fuckin' Alonzo.  Heard you just
                  tucked lucky number thirteen under
                  your belt.  Hey, man.
                  Congratulations.

                                ALONZO
                  Thanks, Lou.  What, marked your
                  calendar?

        Lou smiles, taps his temple.  Doug and Stan shake with
        Alonzo.  It's clear he makes them uncomfortable.

                                DOUG
                  Congratulations.  Good to see you.

                                STAN
                  Congratulations.  You made it
                  through another year of this
                  madness.

                                LOU
                  Who the fuck is Ricky Rookie?

        Alonzo grabs Jake's shoulder, pulls him into the huddle.

                                ALONZO
                  This is Jake Hoyt, first day on
                  the squad.

        Jake shakes Lou's hand.  Sees an LAPD Captain's badge on
        his belt.  Jake realizes these guys are police
        administrators.

                                ALONZO
                  Jake, this is Lou Jacobs,
                  interagency task-force
                  coordinator.  You ever have to
                  talk to a fed, talk to this man
                  first.  He'll get your back.

                                JAKE
                  Pleased to meet you, sir.

                                ALONZO
                  This is Stan Gursky, senior
                  investigator for the L.A. County
                  officer involved shooting team.
                  Think about him before you pull a
                  trigger, okay?  Stan will rock
                  your world if you make a bad call.

                                JAKE
                         (shaking with Stan)
                  Pleased to meet you, sir.

                                ALONZO
                  And this is Doug Marcab, Metro
                  Burglary.  Does high-dollar cases
                  for the Poodle crowd.  Your Van
                  Gogh takes a trip.  Doug'll find
                  it.

                                JAKE
                  Pleased to meet you, sir.

        Lou takes Alonzo's arm.

                                LOU
                  Have a seat, guy.

        Alonzo slides into the booth after Lou.

                                ALONZO
                         (to Jake)
                  Shoo, boy.  Shoo.

        He points out the adjacent booth.  Jake crosses, sits,
        his back to their table.

                                LOU
                  Seems like a good kid.

        An attractive tall blonde waitress, JULIE, brings a fresh
        pitcher of beer.

                                ALONZO
                  Fuckin' elbow benders read my
                  mind.

                                LOU
                  Look's like you're way ahead of us.

                                ALONZO
                  I'm always a step ahead of you
                  guys.

        Julie smiles at Alonzo.

                                JULIE
                  There's the mystery man.  Thought
                  you gave up on us.  What've you
                  been up to?

                                ALONZO
                  Been good.

                                JULIE
                  More bad than good, right?

                                ALONZO
                  You know it.

                                JULIE
                  Mmmm-hmmm.  You need to eat.
                  Combo plate?

                                ALONZO
                  No.  I'm good.  Toss the kid,
                  there, a taco and a beer.

        Alonzo grabs the pitcher, starts pouring.  Julie walks
        away.

                                ALONZO
                  Why the long face, Doug?  Feds
                  seize your house or something?

        Chuckles from Lou and Stan.

                                DOUG
                  Fuck you, Alonzo.

                                STAN
                  Doug had a bad day in court
                  today -- Tell him what happened.

                                DOUG
                  You tell him, think it's so funny.

                                STAN
                  He went to a sentencing hearing.
                  On a three strikes case against a
                  silk-suit catburglar type.
                  Fuckwad pulled fifteen Encino
                  burglaries.

                                DOUG
                  Spent twelve months trying to
                  catch the suspect, a real
                  slickster, gave up nothing.
                  Captain rode my ass the entire
                  time.  What broke it?  Luck.
                  Caught in the act by a fuckin'
                  patrolman.  We had him.
                  It was the prosecutor's first
                  serial burglary case but he slam-
                  dunked it from a stepladder.
                  Clockwork trial.  Jury deliberates
                  half a day.  Comes back guilty on
                  ten out of eleven counts.  The
                  fuckbag was looking at a twenty-
                  five mininum.

                                STAN
                  Mininum.  Bye-bye, toilet-licker.

                                DOUG
                  Sentencing was today --

                                LOU
                  -- Judge is female.

                                DOUG
                  Right.  Female judge.

                                ALONZO
                  Who?

                                DOUG
                  Landers.  The stress-case
                  brunette.

                                ALONZO
                  I know her.  Sharp lady.

                                DOUG
                  Before this guy goes to the
                  hearing, he gets a hold of some
                  peanut butter and packs his ass
                  crack with it.  So there he is,
                  standing tall before the bench to
                  give his statement and he shoves
                  his hand down his pants and comes
                  out with a gob of fuckin' extra-
                  chunky Jiff.  Could'a heard a pin
                  drop.  Bailiffs wouldn't come near
                  him.  He looks the judge right in
                  her eyes and licks his fingers
                  clean.  Holy shit.  The judge, she
                  screams.  All these homeowners are
                  there to read statements, they run
                  out of screaming.

        Alonzo is breaking up.  Stan and Lou, too.


        ON JAKE

        laughing too.  Julie returns with a beer and a taco
        plate.  And walks away with a flirty smile.


        BACK TO STAN

                                STAN
                  No, wait, here's the punchline...

                                DOUG
                  Judge Landers, she says:
                         (falsetto)
                  Oh, this poor man's insane, he
                  can't go to prison.
                         (himself, grim)
                  She ordered him to psychiatric.

                                ALONZO
                         (floored)
                  You are fucking kidding.  She fell
                  for it?

                                DOUG
                  Time she found out it was sandwich
                  spread, the order was signed and
                  he'd been transferred.

                                ALONZO
                  Proceedings closed.

                                DOUG
                  Proceedings closed.

                                STAN
                  Fucker'll do six months in the
                  puzzle factory before they say
                  he's normal and kick him loose.

                                DOUG
                  So a maggot gnaws on a
                  wrinkleneck.  Real or not, lock
                  him up.  He's repulsive not
                  insane.

                                LOU
                  Little kids eat their own shit.

                                STAN
                  Not my kids, Lou.

                                ALONZO
                  It's called coprolagnia.  People
                  do it for sex kicks.

                                STAN
                  Bullshit.  How do you know?

                                ALONZO
                  Had a case when I worked vice.

                                LOU
                  Only in America.

                                ALONZO
                  If the asshole's clever enough to
                  play the system like that, I say
                  he earned his freedom.

                                DOUG
                  I see him on the street, I'm gonna
                  fuckin' do him.

                                ALONZO
                  Take his bullets, Stan.

        Laughs.  Alonzo pours a fresh round.

                                ALONZO
                  Hey, listen to this, my new guy,
                  right?  Been showing him around
                  town.  Scored some reefer for him
                  to smoke.  But he wouldn't.  So I
                  run through the whole bit, the gun
                  to the head.  Everything.  'Okay,'
                  he says.  I light up and it stinks
                  like burnt rubber, right?  I pass
                  it to him anyway.

        The detectives grin knowingly.

                                STAN
                  You're an asshole.

                                DOUG
                  Kid's gotta learn.

                                ALONZO
                  He sucks the shit down.  Showing
                  me he can hang.  We're in
                  MacArthur Park and he starts
                  screaming and jumps out of the
                  fuckin' car.  And runs down the
                  street.  Omigod.  I thought he
                  lost it.

        The detectives are hooked.  So is...


        JAKE

        Listening, sipping beer.

                                ALONZO
                  So I chase him down this alley
                  and, holy shit, he's jamming two
                  huge crackheads and there's this
                  pretty girl with a bloody nose.
                  Kid stopped a rape.

                                STAN
                  No shit.

                                ALONZO
                  No shit.

                                LOU
                  Kid's got a magic eye.

                                ALONZO
                  That's what I told him.  Kid's a
                  prince.

        Jake beams with beer-buzzed pride.


        ON DETECTIVES

                                ALONZO
                  His first day on the squad and
                  know what he tells me?
                         (pathetic voice)
                  'You're a rogue cop.'

        Roars of laughter from the Detectives.  Lou refills
        beers, holds up his glass for a toast.

                                LOU
                  Okay.  Okay, ladies... Here's to
                  the craziest, most bounce back,
                  nine lives cop to darken the
                  streets of this fine city.
                  Congratulations for -- ahem --
                  honorably completing thirteen
                  years in the most fickle job a man
                  could be married to.

        Glasses clink.  The men drink.  Lou turns to Alonzo,
        quiet, serious.

                                LOU
                  You should be at Division hiding
                  under a desk.

                                ALONZO
                  Best way to fix a problem is to
                  look it in the eye.

                                LOU
                  I'm not the problem.


        ON JAKE

        He turns, sees it's a serious pow-wow.  Overhears:

                                STAN
                  Heard you had an expensive weekend
                  in Vegas.  How'd you fuck up so
                  bad?

                                ALONZO
                  How could I know?  Vegas ain't my
                  town.  I'm not omniscient.

                                LOU
                  You should hop a jet outta here.

                                ALONZO
                  Why?  It's an easy fix.

                                LOU
                         (laughs)
                  How?

                                ALONZO
                  I can cash out an account.

                                STAN
                  Whose?

                                ALONZO
                  One of mine.  My first.

        The three suits shudder, trade looks.

                                LOU
                  You're fucked up.

                                ALONZO
                  Someone steps on his tail, he'll
                  cry like a coyote.  I can't keep
                  him off the radar forever.  He's a
                  security risk.

                                LOU
                  Do your job and no one steps on
                  his tail.

                                ALONZO
                  Fuck him.  I'm taxing him.

        A beat.  Lou acquiesces.

                                LOU
                  It's your call.

        Alonzo smiles.  And the men speak in hushed tones.  Jake
        turns to look.


        JAKE'S POV

        Lou, Doug, Stan and Alonzo stare back at him.


        BACK TO SCENE

        Jake snaps his eyes to his plate.  The men murmur.  Julie
        arrives with a fresh beer.  Softly:

                                JULIE
                  You should know when not to
                  listen.

        She quickly exits.

                                                   CUT TO:


        EXT. LA GOLONDRINA - DAY

        Alonzo and Jake exit.  It's obvious something big is
        going down.  Alonzo is excited, happy, the raid jacket
        underarm.  He crosses to the valet --

                                ALONZO
                  Gimme the keys for the grey one.

        -- receives a key ring.  Alonzo crosses to one of three
        plush unmarked Crown Victorias in the lot.  Jake watches
        him open the trunk and empty his jacket inside.  Alonzo
        returns the keys to the valet.

                                                   CUT TO:


        INT. G-RIDE - MOVING - DAY

        Alonzo drives away.  Dials his cell phone.

                                ALONZO
                  It's me.  We gotta green light.
                  Fax the warrant to the clerk and
                  tell her to get the judge to sign
                  it.  I want you and Paul to bring
                  it to the van.  And bring some
                  picks and shovels.  Sign 'em out
                  from maintenance.  Copy that?
                         (beat)
                  Good.  Hurry the fuck up.

        He hangs up.

                                JAKE
                  How much was in your jacket?

                                ALONZO
                  Forty G's.

                                JAKE
                  What for?

                                ALONZO
                  You wanna know?

                                JAKE
                  I wanna know.

                                ALONZO
                  Nothing's free in this world.  Not
                  even an arrest warrant.

        Jake didn't want to know.

                                JAKE
                  Who's it for?

                                ALONZO
                  A real bag of shit.  A genuine bad
                  guy.  Been investigating this vile
                  bastard for ten years.  He's a big
                  fish in a big pond.  Today I fry
                  him.  The squad's gonna get some
                  glory.  Talkin' name-making shit.
                  We'll be getting handshakes from
                  the Chief and Mayor.  Wanna piece,
                  new guy?

        A beat.  Jake smiles.  Sounds good.

                                JAKE
                  Hell, yeah.  I wanna piece.

                                ALONZO
                  Knew you would.

                                                   CUT TO:


        EXT. ALLEY - DAY

        In an old, hilly L.A. neighborhood near downtown.  The G-
        Ride parks.  Alonzo and Jake exit.  Cross to a Pacific
        Bell repair van that Alonzo knocks on.

                                VOICE
                  Go away.

                                ALONZO
                  Daddy's home.  Open up.

        The door opens.  Alonzo and Jake climb in.


        INT. STAKEOUT VAN - CONTINUOUS ACTION - DAY

        Crammed with surveillance gear.  Monitors show
        neighborhood streets, houses.  TIM and JEFF, late 2O's,
        dressed in jeans but obviously cops, play Streetfighter
        II.  The stubbly pair has been holed up for two days.
        Jeff knocks Tim out.

                                TIM
                  Jerk.

                                JEFF
                  The chick always wins.

        Jake and Alonzo sit on milk crates.  Jake examines the
        fascinating gear.  Tim opens the cooler he sits on,
        tosses beers to Alonzo and Jake.

                                ALONZO
                  Guess what, guys.  Jake's joined
                  the team.

                                TIM
                  Great.
                         (shakes)
                  Here's my official welcome to the
                  squad handshake.

                                JAKE
                  Thanks.

        Jeff and Jake shake next.

                                JEFF
                  Welcome aboard.  How's the first
                  day?  Don't worry.  Gets worse.

        Tim hits PLAY on a VCR.

                                TIM
                  Check this out.


        ON VIDEO MONITOR

        Two amorphous human heat signatures hump with compeling
        intensity on infrared surveillance video.


        BACK TO SCENE

                                ALONZO
                  What's this shit?

                                TIM
                  Infrared.  Trained a thermal scope
                  on a house down the street.

                                JEFF
                  Some Asian chick.  Lives alone.
                  Everyday some asshole from work
                  follows her home, throws in some
                  pumps and bails.

                                TIM
                  This was too good to pass up.  You
                  know we love yellow-tail.  Check
                  this out.


        ON MONITOR

        Same couple, same intensity, clearly seen through a
        window via a camera atop a phone pole.

                                TIM
                  I threw on the climbing irons and
                  got a camera on her window.

                                JEFF
                  This afternoon we're spiking her
                  wall for sound.

        Tim and Jeff beam proudly.

                                ALONZO
                  No.  You're not.  Erase that shit.

        They trade looks.

                                ALONZO
                  I'm not fuckin' kidding!  Erase
                  that shit.  And any other horny
                  housewife tapes you made.  Right
                  fuckin' now!

        Alonzo smacks the back of Tim's head.  Tim hits the VTR
        buttons.

                                TIM
                  Ow, man.  I'm erasing.  Jesus.

        Alonzo studies a clipboard.  Hurls it at Jeff.

                                ALONZO
                  What's this?  Day camp sign-in?
                  Redo the logs.  Neatly.
                         (taps a blank monitor)
                  Why isn't this on?

                                TIM
                  Respect.  I don't wanna watch the
                  dude in his living room.

        Alonzo CLICKS it ON.  Rewinds the tape of the VTR it's
        connected to.

                                JEFF
                  Why are you being a dick?  What's
                  wrong?

                                ALONZO
                  What's wrong?  All you've done for
                  two days is jerk off and play
                  sega.  You pinheads even see me in
                  there this morning?

                                JEFF
                  No one went in there this morning.

                                ALONZO
                  I should snap your neck.

        Instead, he hits play.


        INSERT - MONITOR

        A living room.  A familiar one -- Three beepers, three
        cell phones on the coffee table.  Roger in his bathrobe,
        having a drink with Jake and Alonzo.


        BACK TO SCENE

        Jake stares at the screen, stunned to see himself.  Jake
        gives Alonzo a confused look.

                                JEFF
                  Okay.  I'm sorry.  We haven't been
                  diligent.  How can we take this
                  gig seriously?  Who's gonna fuck
                  with him?

                                ALONZO
                  We're gonna fuck with him.  We're
                  serving an arrest warrant.

        Tim and Jeff trade serious looks.

                                JEFF
                  We can't arrest Roger.

        Alonzo ejects the tape.  Tosses it to Tim.

                                ALONZO
                  Erase it.

        Alonzo notices an unmarked police sedan pull up to the
        van.

                                ALONZO
                  Here we go.  Least someone on the
                  squad has their shit squared away.

                                                   CUT TO:


        EXT. ALLEY - DAY

        The sedan parks by th G-Ride.  Out steps MARK, a black
        clothes horse in Italian silk.  And PAUL, a steely-eyed,
        clean-cut chicano in a turtleneck.  The van doors open.
        Jeff and Tim climb out.

                                JEFF
                  Nice suit, Mark.

                                TIM
                  Beautiful suit.

        Now Alonzo and Jake get out.  Six cops huddled in an
        alley.  Jake fits right in with the motley bunch.  Paul
        hands Alonzo the warrant.

                                ALONZO
                  Thanks.  My picks and shovels?

                                MARK
                  In the trunk.  Gonna dig a ditch?

                                ALONZO
                  You are.  Great suit.

                                MARK
                  Fuck you.

                                ALONZO
                         (shakes with Paul)
                  Howdy, killer.

                                PAUL
                  Alonzo, what the fuck's going on?

                                ALONZO
                  Don't worry.  I talked to the
                  three wise men.  It's all good.

        His men trade looks, they have total trust in him.  Jake
        is a little nervous.

                                PAUL
                  If we can get away with it, let's
                  go for it.  Fuck Roger.
                         (re:  Jake)
                  Who's this?

                                JAKE
                  Jake Hoyt.  First day in the unit.
                  I'm coming from Van Nuys patrol.

        He holds out his hand.  Paul scoffs.

                                PAUL
                  Why's he in on this shit?

                                ALONZO
                  Gotta pop his cherry sometime.

                                PAUL
                         (to Jake)
                  Stay outta my way, boot.

        Alonzo notes Jake's unease, shows him the warrant.

                                ALONZO
                  It's the real deal.  Signed by the
                  judge.  Thank the Sandman.

                                PAUL
                  Roger's not gonna be too keen on
                  going back to the pokey.

                                ALONZO
                  I don't care what Roger thinks.
                         (addresses everyone)
                  Our safety comes first.  He gives
                  us shit, we give him lead.  Let's
                  do this right so everyone can go
                  home and do the wife and girl
                  friend thing tonight.
                         (checks his watch)
                  Suit up, ladies.  Time to punch in.

                                                   CUT TO:


        EXT. ROGER'S HOUSE - DAY

        Five cops crouch outside the door with shotguns, machine
        pistols.  Assault vests and helmets worn over civvies.
        Jake and Jeff to one side.  Paul, Mark and Tim to the
        other.

        Paul and Mark give the door several quick, powerful
        kicks.  Wood splits, hinges tear.  It falls open.  The
        five cops surge into:


        INT. ROGER'S HOUSE - CONTINUOUS ACTION - DAY

        Roger reads on the couch, the morning paper.  He's non-
        plussed to find himself surrounded by police, weapons.

                                MARK
                  Freeze up!  You need to not move,
                  breath, think or blink.

                                ROGER
                  What are you clowns doing here?

                                PAUL
                  Shut up! -- New guy!  His hands
                  move, blast him.

        Jake aiming his shotgun at Roger's head.

                                JAKE
                  I'm on him.

        Roger, holding his newspaper, recognizes Jake.

                                ROGER
                  You know what you're doing, son?

        Jake nods:  yes.

                                PAUL
                  Drop what's in your hands.  Before
                  zero.  Five.  Four.  Three.  Two.

        CLUNK-CLUNK!  Two tiny derringers hit the coffee table.
        Roger had been palming them.  Paul sweeps them aside with
        his foot.  The cops relax a little.

        Roger folds his paper.  Sets it down, takes off his
        reading glasses.  A principal besieged by truants.

                                ROGER
                  Alonzo's gonna kill you guys.

        Alonzo enters the shattered door.  Holding picks,
        shovels.  He drops the tools.  They crash to the floor.
        Roger crosses his arms and glares at his friend.

                                ROGER
                  What's going down, Alonzo?

                                ALONZO
                  I had lunch with the three wise
                  men.  You gotta render unto
                  Caesar.

        Roger sees the tools and knows exactly what they are for.

                                ROGER
                  Those goddamn vampires want my
                  pension.

                                ALONZO
                  No, man, it's not like that.
                  You're just getting taxed.  They
                  got their boat payments and God
                  knows what.  I'm sorry.  They're
                  makin' me do it.  I'm just a lowly
                  civil servant.

                                ROGER
                  Fuck you.  You're their bitch.
                  What happens with me?

                                ALONZO
                  Don't worry, bro.  I promised
                  you'd never go back to prison.  I
                  got your back.  You won't even
                  miss what I'm gonna take.  I hate
                  doing this.  Orders is orders.
                  Sorry, dog.

                                ROGER
                  No, you ain't.  Cop.

                                ALONZO
                         (to Tim and Jeff)
                  You guys are gonna work.  Get the
                  tools.
                         (grabs Jake's shotgun)
                  Gimme the boomer.

        Tim and Jeff gather the tools.  Alonzo hands Jake a pick
        and leads the three men to a bedroom door.  Roger pours a
        slug of Crown Royal as Paul and Mark guard him.

                                ROGER
                  Who's paying for my floor?

                                ALONZO
                  The city.


        INT. BEDROOM - CONTINUOUS ACTION - DAY

        Alonzo flips the bed.  Taps the floor with his toe.

                                ALONZO
                  Open the floor.  Right here.

        Jake, Tim and Jeff begin chopping.  It's quick work to
        tear a large hole in the wood.

                                ALONZO
                  Hop in, Hoyt.  Couple'a of feet
                  down, there's a locker.

        Jake jumps in.  Attacking dirt with his pick.

                                                   CUT TO:


        INT. BEDROOM - DAY (10 MINUTES LATER)

        Jake, Tim and Jeff haul a trash-bag-wrapped footlocker
        out of the hole.

                                JAKE
                  What's in it?

                                ALONZO
                  Open it.

        Jake tears away trash bags.  Alonzo takes a pick and
        snaps the lock.  Jake opens the lid -- taped bundles
        inside.

                                JAKE
                  It's coke?

                                ALONZO
                  Go ahead.  It won't bite.

        Jake grabs a bundle.  Hefts it in his hand.

                                JAKE
                  Hmmm.  A good five kilos.

        Alonzo hands him a penknife.  Jake pokes a hole --
        nothing pours out.

                                ALONZO
                  Cut the damn thing open.

        Jake does -- it is a brick of fifty dollar bills.  Alonzo
        is relieved to see the money.  Jake likes its heft.

                                JAKE
                  This is sweet.

                                ALONZO
                  That's a hundred grand in your hot
                  little hands.  There's four
                  million bucks in there.

        Alonzo slaps Jack's back.

                                ALONZO
                  First day on the job and you're in
                  on a three million dollar seizure.

                                JAKE
                  You said four.

                                ALONZO
                  Told you, nothing's for free.
                  Gotta grease the rails to make the
                  big moves.

        Alonzo grabs a pillowcase.  Tosses bricks of fifties in
        it.  Hands it to Jake.

                                ALONZO
                  Here.  Lucky to get this, day-one-
                  motherfucker.

                                JAKE
                  What's this?

                                ALONZO
                  Sweet green clean legal tender.
                  Start the kid's college fund
                  early.  Get the old lady a
                  minivan.

        However pleasant the heft, Jake could never accept.  He
        returns the pillowcase to Alonzo.

                                JAKE
                  No way.  Only checks I cash say
                  City of L.A. on 'em.

                                JEFF
                  Someone didn't sleep through Ethics.

                                ALONZO
                  You said you wanted a piece.

                                JAKE
                  Not like this.

                                ALONZO
                  I understand.  I'II hold on to it
                  for you.  Not everyone's
                  comfortable the first time --
                  Let's wrap up.

        Alonzo drops the pillowcase in the locker.  Exits.  Jake,
        Tim and Jeff follow.

                                                   CUT TO:


        INT. LIVING ROOM - DAY

        Roger reads a Vegas odds paper.  Alonzo, Tim, Jeff and
        Jake enter.  Roger glares at Alonzo.

                                ROGER
                  What have I done to those guys?
                  Are they nuts?  Am I supposed to
                  stand still and let them horsefuck
                  me?

                                ALONZO
                  No.  We can put you out of your
                  misery.

        Alonzo tosses Jake the shotgun.

                                ALONZO
                  Lemme tell you a secret, Hoyt.  If
                  you kill someone on duty, they
                  have to be your slave in the
                  afterlife.
                         (points to Roger)
                  There you go.  Start an entourage.

                                JAKE
                  You want me to shoot him?

        Paul, Mark, Tim and Jeff snicker, crack smiles.  Roger
        too.  Jake plays along, points the shotgun at Roger.

                                ROGER
                  You'd be doin' me a favor, kid.

                                JAKE
                  Bang -- There.

        He lowers the weapon.

                                ALONZO
                  Not gonna to do it?

                                JAKE
                  Of course not.  This isn't funny.

        Alonzo smiles.  Takes the shotgun from him.

                                ALONZO
                  Man, youngsters these days.  Can't
                  get shit done unless you do it
                  yourself.

        Alonzo aims at Roger...

        BOOM!  Roger is punched ragged with BUCKSHOT, lifted off
        his couch, knocked into the wall.

        Jake jumps back.

        A peal of laughter from Tim.  Contagious giggles from the
        others.  Roger gurgles.  Jake stares wide-eyed at Alonzo.

                                JAKE
                  Holy shit!

        Jake's shock elicits more giggles from the squad.

                                PAUL
                  Finish him.

        Jake watches Alonzo cross to Roger, blindly gasping.

                                ALONZO
                  He's finished.

        Alonzo takes one of Roger's derringers from the floor.
        Slaps it in the dying man's hand.

                                ALONZO
                  C'mere, Jeff.  You took fire
                  coming through the door.

        Jeff smiles, gets in position so Alonzo can shoot him.

                                JEFF
                  Alright.  Gonna get some time off.

        He braces himself.  Alonzo aims Roger's hand.  Pop!  A
        BULLET THWACKS harmlessly into Jeff's vest.  He removes
        his sunglasses from a pocket.

                                JEFF
                  Watch my Oakleys.

        Jake looking at Roger, it's hard watching him die.

        Again Jeff braces.  Pop!  The THWACK of another BULLET.

                                ALONZO
                  How's that?

        Jeff probing his hand under the vest.

                                JEFF
                  Fine.

        Alonzo drops the gun in an envelope marked:  EVIDENCE
        HANDGUN.  Jake can't believe what he just saw.

                                ALONZO
                  Listen up.  This is the scenario.
                  Mark and Paul kick the door.  Jeff
                  is first through.  Roger opens
                  fire.  Hits Jeff twice.

        Jeff coughs -- bright foamy blood in his hand.

                                JEFF
                  Oh, shit.

                                ALONZO
                  One go through?

        Jeff answers by coughing more blood.  Tim runs to him.

                                TIM
                  Siddown, dude.

        Jeff does.  Tim opens the vest -- a hole in a seam on the
        edge.  Underneath, bruised puckered flesh drools blood.

                                TIM
                  You shot him!

                                JEFF
                  You fuckin' shot me!

                                TIM
                  Call a rescue.

                                ALONZO
                  You're fine.  You'll get a medal.

                                JEFF
                  Call the R.A.!

                                ALONZO
                  Let me run the scenario and I
                  will.  Okay -- Mark and Paul kick
                  the door.  First through is Jeff.
                  Bang.  Bang.  Gets hit.  Wounded.
                  Second through is our new guy,
                  Hoyt.  He drops the suspect with
                  some fine shotgun work.
                         (points at Mark)
                  Who shot Roger?

                                MARK
                  The new guy.  Came in spraying.

                                ALONZO
                  Paul?

                                PAUL
                  The boot shot him.

                                ALONZO
                  What'd you guys see?

                                TIM
                  Hoyt blasted him.

                                JEFF
                  Hoyt went for it -- Now will you
                  get me a fucking rescue ambulance?

        Jake looks at these guys.  They look back, smiling,
        smirking.  He feels dizzy, sick as the nightmare sinks
        in.

        Jeff coughs blood.  Alonzo tosses his rover to Paul.

                                PAUL
                         (into rover)
                  Eleven forty-nine.  Nine-nine-
                  eight.  Shots fired.  Shots fired.
                  Man down.  Fifty-nine fifty-one
                  Baxter Street.

                                ALONZO
                         (slaps Jake's back)
                  Good job, son.  Congratulations.
                  Gonna get a medal of valor.

                                JAKE
                  ... I didn't shoot him...

                                ALONZO
                  Roomful of cops says you did.

                                JAKE
                  Fuck you.  I don't care.  I didn't
                  shoot him.  You did.

        Alonzo pulls his gun.  Aims at Jake's face.

                                ALONZO
                         (as a newscaster)
                  A Los Angeles Police Department
                  narcotics officer was killed
                  serving a high risk warrant in
                  Echo Park today.  An L.A.P.D.
                  spokesperson said the young
                  officer was survived by his wife
                  and infant child.
                         (himself)
                  Shit gets deeper.  Get the picture?

                                JAKE
                  I got the picture.

        Jake strikes -- twists back Alonzo's gun sharply --
        sweeps away his legs with a kick.

        Alonzo finds himself on his back, Jake's knee on his
        neck, staring down the maw of his own pistol.

                                JAKE
                  That's the second time you've
                  stuck a gun in my face.  Won't be
                  a third.

        Paul presses his Beretta against Jake's temple.

                                PAUL
                  Be my pleasure putting a
                  hydrashock in your melon.

        Tim, Jeff, Mark gawk at the Mexican standoff.

                                PAUL
                  But I'm gonna be cool.  Open your
                  hand slowly.  Drop the weapon.

        Jake's free hand inches to his holstered gun --

                                JAKE
                         (super-calm)
                  Hey, sorry, man.  Relax, okay7

        -- and snatches it -- He swings on Tim -- who swings his
        .45 on Jake.  A three-way standoff.

                                JAKE
                  Wanna shoot me, Paul?  Go ahead.
                  Because these two are gonna be
                  wiping my ass in the netherworld.

        A beat.  Then:

                                TIM
                  Alonzo.  This is bad.

                                PAUL
                  This dude's a fuckin' fed.

                                ALONZO
                  He's no fed.  Just a choirboy with
                  heart who got the drop on you
                  fools.  Everyone, let's take a
                  deep breath and defuse this --
                  Jake?  You hear me?

                                JAKE
                  You can't just spring this shit on
                  me.  I never signed up for this.

                                ALONZO
                  I hear you.  I know you're
                  angry -- Paul, Tim, please put
                  down your guns.

                                TIM
                  Hell no.

                                PAUL
                  Choirboy first.

        SIRENS approach.  Lots of them.

                                ALONZO
                  Both of you:  guns down.  Now.

        Paul and Tim reluctantly lower their weapons.  Jake lifts
        his knee off Alonzo's neck, stands and backs away, aiming
        both pistols at Alonzo, who climbs to his feet.

                                ALONZO
                  Jake, use your ears and listen.
                  Sometimes we take shit all the
                  way.  That's the nature of the
                  game.  We don't do this every day.
                  No one will ever again ask you to
                  pull a trigger you don't want to
                  -- Mark, where're you
                  transferring to?

                                MARK
                  Westside Homicide.

                                ALONZO
                  Westside Homicide -- Only made
                  detective last test.  Jake, give
                  me eighteen months and I'll give
                  you a career.  We make the big
                  arrests.  We make the big
                  seizures.  When someone's in my
                  unit they're in all the way or not
                  at all.  I thought you were man
                  enough to handle this shit.

        Alonzo calmly pours himself a whisky.

                                ALONZO
                  Five proven, decorated officers
                  say you were the shooter.
                  Investigators are gonna pull a
                  tube of your blood and test for
                  intoxicants.  Remember all the
                  P.C.P. you smoked today?

        Jake does, wincing at his stupidity.

                                JAKE
                  You've been planning this all day.

                                ALONZO
                  I've been planning this all week.
                  You start talking crazy shit, I
                  will make sure the right sample
                  goes to the lab.
                  Still wanna talk your babynuts
                  around the block?  You won't make
                  it to the corner.  But if you're
                  cool.  You're a hero.  A virgin
                  shooter above suspicion.

        Jake looks at Roger, gasping like a beached carp.  The
        SIRENS are getting closer.  Alonzo gulps his drink and --

        Pfffffst!  Spits the booze in Jake's face.

        Jake is blinded.  Paul seizes Jake's wrists and aims the
        pistols at the ceiling.  Alonzo wrenches the pistols from
        his hands.

        Jake wipes his eyes, looks at the roomful of crazy cops,
        scared.  Paul points at Roger's other derringer, laying
        on the carpet.

                                PAUL
                  Alonzo, there's two shots in that
                  stinger.  Let's kill your boy
                  right now and say Roger dumped him
                  coming through the door.

        Mark, Tim, Jeff like the idea.  Jake doesn't.  And lucky
        for him, neither does Alonzo.  He stands protectively in
        front of Jake.

                                ALONZO
                  No.  We're not killing him.  He's
                  a good guy.  Man's got the magic.
                  Just having a little freakout is
                  all.  We've all been there.  I say
                  he's cool.  No one's gonna hurt
                  him.

        Jake and Alonzo trade a look.  The SIRENS are close.
        Alonzo returns Jake his gun.

                                ALONZO
                  Hoyt, you gotta decision to make.
                  In thirty seconds, this place will
                  be overrun with patrolmen.  Go
                  outside and clear your head.  Or
                  shoot me now.

        Jake is only too happy to get out of there.  Jake crosses
        to exit, pauses, an afterthought?

                                JAKE
                  Hey, Paul.

        Crack!  Jake nails his jaw.  Paul staggers, almost falls.
        To Jake as he exits:

                                PAUL
                  You're dead!  I'm takin' you out.
                  I don't care.

                                ALONZO
                  Kick back, Wyatt Earp.  Gotta
                  respect a motherfucker who puts
                  you on queer street with one
                  punch.

        Alonzo catches his men trading looks.

                                ALONZO
                  Kid's got more balls than all you
                  faggots combined.

                                                   CUT TO:


        EXT. ROGER'S NEIGHBORHOOD - LONG SHOT - ROGER'S HOUSE
        - DAY

        from a distant hilltop.  The ambulances and black and
        whites out front shimmer in golden afternoon heat.  OVER:

                                PARAMEDIC (V.O.)
                         (filtered)
                  Patient is a white male
                  approximately forty years old, six
                  one, two hundred fifty pounds.
                  Eight buckshot wounds in the
                  torso.  First wound:  left chest
                  wall, fourth intercostal space,
                  anterior axillary line.  Second
                  and third wounds:  eighth
                  intercostal space, mid-clavicular
                  line.  Fourth and fifth wounds:
                  right chest wall.  Tenth
                  intercostal space.  Posterior
                  axillary line.

        Two distance-distorted LAPD paramedics wheel out Roger on
        a stretcher.

                                PARAMEDIC (V.O.)
                         (filtered)
                  Sixth wound:  left lower quadrant,
                  mid-clavicular line.  Seventh
                  wound:  left lower quadrant,
                  anterior axillary line.
                  Eighth wound is an exit wound.
                  Left lower quadrant posterior
                  axillary line.

        ZOOM IN --

        Amidst the heat mirages, Alonzo talks to a uniformed
        sergeant.  Two more paramedics wheel Jeff outside on a
        stretcher.  Mark, Tim and Paul following.

                                PARAMEDIC (V.O.)
                         (filtered)
                  There is a sucking wound at the
                  first woundsite.  Superclavicular
                  in-drawing.  Abdomen is rigid.
                  Stand by for skin signs.
                  Patient's skin is pale and cool
                  and diaphoretic.  Here's the
                  vitals:  B.P. sixty and
                  palpitated.  Respiration thirty-
                  one, decreased on the left with
                  hyper-resonance.

        Roger is lifted into an ambulance.  Alonzo dismisses
        Jeff's paramedics and huddles with his men.

                                                   CUT TO:


        EXT. ALLEY - DAY

        Alonzo crosses to the G-ride with an armload of gear.
        Pops the trunk. Dumps everything inside.  He shuts the
        trunk.  Dials his cell phone and gets in the car.


        ANGLE ON JAKE

        leaning against a phone pole.  Watching as Alonzo pulls a
        clipboard from under his seat and puts on reading
        glasses.  Alonzo begins writing a major incident report
        as he talks on his cell.  A beat.

        Alonzo STARTS the G-RIDE.  Motions for Jake to get in.


        INT. G-RIDE - CONTINUOUS ACTION - DAY

        Jake gets in.  Alonzo with his reading glasses, the
        clipboard on his steering wheel, filling in the report,
        talking on his cell phone, laughing.

                                ALONZO
                  -- you're gonna be scrubbing the
                  bathtub, homie.  Later.

        Alonzo hangs up.  Preoccupied with filling in little
        boxes on the report as he drives slowly down the alley.

                                ALONZO
                  Why didn't you take off?

                                JAKE
                  There's nowhere to run.

                                ALONZO
                  Roger was D.O.A. at Good
                  Samaritan.  Let's get the paper
                  rolling now.

        Alonzo looks at Jake, sees his torment.

                                ALONZO
                  Justifiable homicide in the line
                  of duty.  Anyone'd be proud to
                  have that in their jacket.

                                JAKE
                  Not this way.  Say I don't play
                  along?

                                ALONZO
                  At this point it behooves you not
                  to fuck around.

        That's the truth.  And Jake knows it.  We can almost hear
        his heart breaking.  Jake stares out the window a beat,
        clenching his jaw, finally he looks at Alonzo, stares at
        Alonzo's scary, empty eyes.  Amazed to be utterly trapped
        by them.

                                JAKE
                  It can't be like this.

        A beat.

                                ALONZO
                  It is like this.

        Jake has a lump in his throat as they drive in silence
        for a long beat.

                                ALONZO
                  Look, the money I gave you, keep
                  it.

                                JAKE
                  Told you, I don't want it.

                                ALONZO
                  Just take it.  Throw it in the
                  ocean.  Barbecue it.  Just take
                  it.  It would make the boys feel
                  better.

                                JAKE
                  Fuck their feelings.

                                ALONZO
                  Jake, they're worried.

                                JAKE
                  About what?

                                ALONZO
                  About you.  You didn't make anyone
                  feel you were on the team back
                  there.

                                JAKE
                  Fuck the team.  You guys are
                  insane.  I'll go back to Valley
                  and cut parking tickets.  And tell
                  Paul:  he comes near me again,
                  I'll shoot him.

                                ALONZO
                  I'm really sorry I exposed you to
                  that today.  It was ugly but it
                  was necessary.  Roger sold dope to
                  kids.  World's a better place
                  because he's gone.  Never seen no
                  one die before?  You're too damn
                  soft.  Bet you never missed a meal
                  in your life.

                                JAKE
                         (glares at Alonzo)
                  Missed a lot of meals growing up.
                  Why?
                         (pantomimes shooting up)
                  Because the folks had to do their
                  shit.

        OFF Alonzo's amazed look:

                                JAKE
                  That's right.  I'm in the cop
                  business to lock up the criminals
                  and poisoners.  Not be one.

        Alonzo sizes up Jake anew, laments not knowing that
        earlier.

                                ALONZO
                  What happened today was --

                                JAKE
                  -- was murder and armed robbery.
                  Wait.  We had badges, it's
                  different.

                                ALONZO
                  Dammit, boy!  Why can't you open
                  your eyes and see?

        Jake can see.  Too clearly.  Softly:

                                JAKE
                  That man was your friend and you
                  killed him like a fly.

                                ALONZO
                         (ice)
                  We weren't friends.
                         (consoling)
                  All the shit you're feeling now,
                  it's going to go away.  I know
                  you're scared.

                                JAKE
                  I'm not scared.

                                ALONZO
                  You're terrified.  I know you are.
                  Because I went through the same
                  shit.  Everyone has.  Jake,
                  there's gotta be dirt on you if
                  anyone's gonna trust you.  After
                  this is behind you, a whole new
                  world will open up.  I walk a
                  higher path.  I can give you the
                  keys to all doors.

                                JAKE
                  What are you talking about?

                                ALONZO
                  I'm not the asskicker I once was,
                  but you are.  Want to run my unit?
                  My guys are good but not one of
                  those clowns is a leader.  You
                  are.  Want my job?  You got it.
                  Wanna lock up criminals?
                  This is the best place to do it.
                  Do your time and make detective.
                  Play the game, grow wise and
                  change things from the inside.

        Jake looks at him.  And realizes Alonzo is right.

                                ALONZO
                  Let's get to the hospital and talk
                  to Stan.  He'll tell you what to
                  say to the D.A.'s guys.

                                                   CUT TO:


        EXT. STREET - SUNSET

        A large hospital near downtown looms in the distance.

        TILT DOWN --

        to reveal the tough old barrios below it.  Cholos drink
        on the sidewalk.  Play grab-ass and listen to MUSIC.

                                                   CUT TO:


        INT. G-RIDE - MOVING - STREET

        Alonzo parks near the gangsters.

                                JAKE
                  What's here?

        Alonzo points out a well-tended, quiet, quaint house near
        the Cholos.

                                ALONZO
                  Informant of mine's in Chino.
                  Promised I'd help out his family.

        Alonzo gets out.  Opens the trunk.  Loads up his arms
        with appliances.

                                ALONZO
                  Sometimes I bring food.  Believe
                  it or not, I like to help out the
                  community whenever I can.
                         (a box falls)
                  Shit.  Hoyt, help me with this.

                                                   CUT TO:


        EXT. STREET - SUNSET

        Jake gets out, takes some boxes.  And they cross to the
        house.  With Jake following.  Past staring Cholos.  A
        drunk PeeWee maddogs Jake.  Jake maddogs back.

                                PEEWEE
                  You know where you're at, fool?

        A VETERANO shoves the PeeWee aside.

                                VETERANO
                  The fuck outta the way, punk.
                  It's business.

        He shakes with Alonzo.

                                VETERANO
                  'Sup, dog.  Thought you were
                  missing in action.

                                ALONZO
                  'Sup, man.  You know I'm never
                  lost.

        Jake and Alonzo cross to the house.  AD LIBS of "Those're
        cops," spread through the Cholos.

        At the house's door, Alonzo knocks.  A beat.  A little
        girl cracks it.

                                ALONZO
                  Hi.  Got some stuff for your
                  family.

        She closes it.  A beat.  The door opens to reveal SMILEY,
        a huge, drunk Veterano sleeved with prison tattoos.  He
        looks at the two cops.  Massive, impassive.  Smiley never
        smiles.

                                SMILEY
                  Kitchen's this way.

        Alonzo enters.  Jake hesitates.  Then follows.

                                                   CUT TO:


        INT. HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - SUNSET

        The little girl does homework.  Two fine Cholas watch the
        Spanish newscast.  An old man dozes in a chair.

        Family photos on the wall -- A proud line of warfighters,
        lots of military uniforms.

        Alonzo and Jake follow Smiley into:


        INT. HOUSE - KITCHEN - CONTINUOUS ACTION - SUNSET

        SNIPER and MORENO, big and intimidating like Smiley, have
        been playing poker around a beer-bottle covered table.

        Smiley, Alonzo and Jake enter.

                                SMILEY
                  Put it on the counter.

        Alonzo and Jake place the boxes on the counter.  Sniper,
        Moreno, ignore Alonzo.  And vice versa.

                                ALONZO
                  Can I use the head?

                                SMILEY
                  Go for it.

                                ALONZO
                         (to Jake)
                  I'll be two seconds.  We're
                  already late.

        Alonzo exits to a hallway.  Smiley opens a box.  Pulls
        out a nice CD player.

                                MORENO
                  That's nice.  Lemme get that.

                                SMILEY
                  You get the Osterizer.  This is
                  mine.

        Smiley opens a microwave box.  Jake reacts.


        JAKE'S POV

        The box is crammed with cash from Roger's locker.


        BACK TO SCENE

                                SMILEY
                  Dreamer!  Got your bony ass in
                  here!

        DREAMER, 19, an attractive young lady, enters.  Smiley
        stacks the heavy packages in her arms.  He tops it off
        with the pillowcase of Jake's money.

                                SMILEY
                  Count that shit in the bedroom.

                                DREAMER
                  Thanks, eh.  I was doing stuff.
                  Learn to count, math whiz.

                                SMILEY
                  Wait up.

        Smiley pulls a small electric money counter from a
        drawer.  Dreamer's hands are full.  So he balances it on
        her head.

                                SMILEY
                  Don't drop it.

        She gives him a dirty look and exits.  Smiley takes his
        seat and picks up his cards.  He eyes Moreno.

                                SNIPER
                  You looked at 'em.

                                MORENO
                  No I didn't.

        Smiley tosses them to Sniper.

                                SMILEY
                  Deal again.

                                SNIPER
                  Play cards, cop?

                                JAKE
                  Not really.

                                MORENO
                  Beer?

        Moreno offers one.  Sniper deals in Jake.

                                JAKE
                  No thanks.

                                SNIPER
                  C'mon and play a hand.

                                MORENO
                  Don't be rude, dude.  One hand.

                                SMILEY
                  Don't sweat it.  We ain't playin'
                  for money.

                                JAKE
                  We gotta go.

                                SMILEY
                  Alonzo's probably taking a dump --
                  Go ahead and have a seat.

        Sniper finishes dealing.  Jake looks at the cards
        intended for him.

                                JAKE
                  Okay.  One hand.

        Jake sits.  Now he can see a shotgun against the wall by
        Moreno.  The three Cholos check their hands, signal for
        more cards.  Jake checks his cards.

                                MORENO
                  How long you been a cop?  You look
                  like you're in high school.

                                JAKE
                  Nineteen months.

                                MORENO
                  Like it?

                                JAKE
                  I should'a been a fireman.

                                MORENO
                  My cousin's a fireman.  And his
                  kid's a Police Explorer.  Gonna be
                  our man on the inside.

                                SNIPER
                  I'd love to be a jura.  Drive
                  around all day getting fucked up.
                  Talkin' to the ladies.  Any heads
                  that talk shit, fuck 'em up.

                                SMILEY
                  Listen to your bullshit.  You
                  couldn't hack takin' orders --
                  They order you around all the
                  time.  You gotta do everything
                  they say, huh?

                                JAKE
                  Yeah, it's pretty strict.
                  Especially when you're just
                  starting out.

                                SMILEY
                  Sounds like the service.  You
                  serve?

                                JAKE
                  No.  Never been in the military.
                  But half the guys I work with
                  were.

                                SMILEY
                  I was in the Army.  Ranger Alert
                  Battalion.  Carried a machine gun.

                                SNIPER
                  Kick back, Rambo -- Waddaya got,
                  dog?

                                JAKE
                  Huh?

                                SNIPER
                  Your hand, homes.

        Oh -- Jake lays down his cards.

                                JAKE
                  Three of a kind.

                                SMILEY
                  Man... didn't get squat.

        He tosses away his hand, Moreno, too.  Sniper shows his
        cards with a grin.

                                SNIPER
                  Two pair.

        Sniper collects the cards.  Shuffles.

                                SMILEY
                  What are you doing?  The cop won.

                                SNIPER
                  I got two pair.

                                SMILEY
                  Three of a kind beats two pair,
                  dumbass.

                                MORENO
                  See why we don't play for money?

        Smiley slides the deck to Jake.

                                SMILEY
                  Your deal.

        Jake looks down the hall.  Getting up:

                                JAKE
                  We have to go.  I'm gonna get
                  Alonzo.

                                SMILEY
                  Kick back and party.

        Smiley pulls aside the curtain.


        JAKE'S POV

        An empty street.  The G-Ride is gone.

                                SMILEY (O.S.)
                  Ain't nobody out there for you.


        ON JAKE

        He feels like a toddler lost in a department store.  He
        sits back down.  Moreno laughs.

                                MORENO
                  Alonzo played you like a booger.

                                SMILEY
                  Deal.

        Jake shuffles.  Smiley lights a joint.  Offers it to him.

                                SMILEY
                  It's P.C.P.  Wanna hit?

                                JAKE
                  No thanks.  I already smoked out
                  today.

                                SNIPER
                  Shit.  I'll step on that P-dog.

        Sniper takes it, inhales.  Jake dealing cards.  The joint
        rounds the table.

                                MORENO
                  Lemme see your cohete.

                                SNIPER
                  Your gun, dude.  Let him see your
                  gun.  Under your shirt.

        Jake is outnumbered, outsized, outgunned.  All he can do
        is take the pistol from his holster and show Moreno.

                                MORENO
                  That's down.  What is it?  A three
                  eighty?

                                JAKE
                  Three eighty stainless.  Double
                  action.  Nine round mag.

                                MORENO
                  Lemme see it.  Ain't gonna blast
                  no one.

        Jake hands it over.  Moreno examines it with skilled
        hands.

                                MORENO
                  Fuck a vat up with this.

        He hands it back.  To Jake's relief.

                                SNIPER
                  Gimme two cards.

        Jake does.  Dreamer enters.

                                DREAMER
                  There's extra.

                                SMILEY
                  I know.  That's ours.  Set it
                  aside.  Sure about the count?

                                DREAMER
                  You count it if you don't believe
                  me.

                                SMILEY
                  Okay.  Thanks -- Gimme three.

        Dreamer grabs a beer and exits.  Jake deals three.

                                SMILEY
                  Alonzo pulled off a miracle, huh?
                  Times are tight.  That's a lotta
                  cash.

                                SNIPER
                  Who'd he jack?

                                JAKE
                         (dealing cards)
                  I dunno.

                                SMILEY
                  He jacked Roger.  Blasted the
                  dude.

        Moreno guffaws.  Sniper chuckles.

                                MORENO
                  Damnnnn.  Alonzo's scandalous.

                                SNIPER
                  That's some cold shit.  Vato'll
                  jack anyone.

                                MORENO
                  Alonzo's a low-down dirty ruthless
                  vato.

                                SMILEY
                  That's why I never shake his hand.
                  He don't respect shit.
                         (to Jake)
                  Know what all the money's for?

                                JAKE
                  No.

                                SMILEY
                  Alonzo's a hothead.  Last week in
                  Vegas some dude was talking shit
                  so Alonzo beat his ass and killed
                  him.  Turns out the dude was
                  somebody.  He ran a big game and
                  owed big money.  Now Alonzo owes
                  the money.

                                JAKE
                  How do you know?

                                SMILEY
                  I'm the man in the middle.  I hear
                  shit.  They gave Alonzo till today
                  to pay up.  His name's already on
                  a list.  There's a crew up from
                  Sinaloa to do the mission.
                  They're gonna blast him.  No one
                  thought he could get cash like
                  that.

                                SNIPER
                  Dude made a pact with the devil or
                  some shit 'cause only a miracle
                  could'a saved his ass.

                                JAKE
                  It's no miracle.

                                SNIPER
                  Alonzo takes care of business.

                                SMILEY
                  Cops get crafty in a clinch.

                                MORENO
                  And get away with it -- Been to
                  jail, cop?

                                SNIPER
                  That's a stupid question.  If he's
                  been to jail, he wouldn't be cop.

                                JAKE
                  You can be a cop as long as you've
                  never been convicted of a felony.

                                MORENO
                  There goes my chance.  I got like
                  eighty strikes.

                                SNIPER
                  Fuck cops.  Cops turned out my
                  little brother.

        That went over Jake's head.

                                SNIPER
                  You hear me?

                                JAKE
                  What?  He got arrested?

                                SNIPER
                  No.  Two fuckin' juras turned him
                  out.  They took his manhood.  They
                  booty-tagged him in the back of a
                  black and white.

                                JAKE
                  That can't be true.

                                SNIPER
                  Do I look like I'm lyin',
                  motherfucker?

                                JAKE
                  I didn't say you were lying.  I
                  just haven't ever heard anything
                  like that.

                                SMILEY
                  'Cause you're a rookie.  Put in a
                  few years' work and you'll know
                  what's up.

                                MORENO
                  Makes me wanna turn out a cop --
                  Ever had your shit pushed in?

                                JAKE
                  What?

                                MORENO
                  I had my shit pushed in.

                                SNIPER
                  Me too.  My shit's been pushed in.
                  Smiley?

                                SMILEY
                         (grins)
                  I'm always gettin' love from the
                  homies.

        Smiley caresses Jake's thigh under the table.  He almost
        leaps from his chair.  Everyone laughs.

                                SMILEY
                  Jumpy motherfucker.

                                SNIPER
                         (disgusted)
                  He's a fuckin' buster.

                                MORENO
                  You never been booty-busted?

        Jake tries to laugh.  But it's getting weird.

                                SMILEY
                  Hey, cop.  Win this hand and we
                  won't bust you out.

                                MORENO
                  Unless you want us to.

        Laughs.  Sniper reveals his cards.

                                SNIPER
                  I got two pair again.

                                MORENO
                         (tossing his cards)
                  Didn't get shit.

                                SMILEY
                         (grins)
                  Gotta straight.

                                SNIPER
                  Uh-oh.  This jura's gonna be
                  wearin' a dress.

        Everyone looks at Jake -- well?  He lays down his cards.

                                JAKE
                  Full house.

                                SMILEY
                  Lucky fucker.

                                SNIPER
                  You won.  Deal again.

        Smiley taps the deck.  Jake looks at it.  At them.

                                MORENO
                  Deal, homie.

        Jake picks up the deck.  Starts dealing.

                                SNIPER
                  There's a new chick in the
                  neighborhood.

                                SMILEY
                  Oh yeah?  What's her name?

                                MORENO
                  Vanessa... Vanessa Salguero.

        Everyone but Jake laughs.

                                SMILEY
                  I seen her around.  Think she's a
                  good girl or a bad girl?

                                SNIPER
                  She's a good girl.  Innocent.
                  Easy to play.

                                MORENO
                  How's she like the neighborhood?

                                SNIPER
                  Dunno.
                         (to Jake)
                  How you like the neighborhood?

        Jake realizes he's Vanessa.  Laughter.  Jake finishes
        dealing.  Sets down the deck.  Smiley arranges his hand.

                                SMILEY
                  Gimme three.

                                MORENO
                  Fuck this buster.  Let's get this
                  shit over with.

        Looks of agreement are traded.  Moreno grins at his
        shotgun.  Sniper shifts his weight.  Smiley
        whiteknuckling his beer.

                                SMILEY
                  Hurry up, cop.  Gimme three.

        Jake reaches for the deck.

        This happens fast:

        Jake flings the deck in Sniper's face.

        Smack!  Cards scatter.

        Jumps up from the chair, flips the table into Moreno.

        Smiley SMASHES a beer BOTTLE on Jake's head.

        Moreno grabbing the shotgun.

        Crack!  Jake socks Smiley's jaw.  He goes down, amazed to
        find himself on his ass.

        Crack!  Sniper uppercuts Jake.

        Smiley grabs Jake's legs, yanks him to the deck --
        kerchack!


        JAKE'S POV

        The bore of a 12 gauge and Moreno's leering face.


        BACK TO SCENE

        Jake gives up, his broken scalp gushing blood.

                                JAKE
                  ... uncle...

        Dreamer pops her head in.

                                DREAMER
                  Dang!  You guys fucked him up.

                                MORENO
                  Get outta here.  Take the girls
                  next door.  Or you're next.

        She gives him the finger, pops out.  Smiley pats Jake
        down.  Pockets the gun.

                                SMILEY
                  You fucked up, fool.  You know
                  that.

        He finds Jake's handcuffs -- clicks his wrists together
        behind his back.  He takes his badge, clips it on his
        belt.

                                SMILEY
                  Look.  I'm a cop.  Gonna start
                  taxing.

        Smiley commences kicking the hell out of Jake:

                                SMILEY
                  You're under arrest.  For being a
                  cop.  For being a buster.  For
                  dogging me in the mouth in my own
                  pad.  And for bleeding on my clean
                  kitchen floor.  You have the right
                  to be kicked.  And the right to be
                  slapped.

        Smack!  He slaps him.  Everyone laughs.  Smiley finishes,
        panting.

                                SMILEY
                  There.  Get him in the bathtub.

        Moreno grabs Jake's hair, Sniper grabs an arm, they jerk
        him to his feet.

                                SMILEY
                  Gotta fuck this vato up.

        They run him out of the kitchen, Smiley follows.


        INT. BATHROOM

        Pink carpet and porcelain kitties.  They throw Jake into
        the tub -- shove his face in the drain.  Smiley turns on
        the water -- Jake's blood whirlpooling away.

        Smiley grabs the shotgun from Moreno.  Thumps the butt
        against Jake's head, flips it, shoves the muzzle in his
        ear.  Snicks the shower curtain shut to catch the
        spatter.

                                SNIPER
                  Fuckin' do it, eh.

                                SMILEY
                  It's gonna be loud.  Close the
                  door.

        Moreno does.  Sniper plugs his ears.  Smiley braces for
        the recoil.

        Jake is dazed, like steer in a slaughterhouse chute.

                                MORENO
                  Wait.  Lemme get his money first.

        Smiley nods.  Moreno searches Jake's pockets, takes his
        wallet.  Pockets forty bucks.  Finds the Schoolgirl's
        pink change purse.  Opens it, reacts.

                                MORENO
                  ... dang...

        He hands it to Smiley.

                                MORENO
                  Here, ese... You are gonna trip
                  the fuck out.

        Smiley opens it.  His face goes dead blank.  He hands
        Moreno the shotgun.  Whips aside the shower curtain.
        Starts slugging Jake.  Emphasizes each word with a kidney
        punch.

                                SMILEY
                  Pinchi... game... playing...
                  cop... where'... you... get...
                  this?

                                JAKE
                  Get what?  Get what?  Oh, God.

        Smiley slaps him with the change purse.

                                SMILEY
                  This, stupid.  Alonzo give it to
                  you?

                                JAKE
                  No!  I found it!

                                SMILEY
                  Where?

                                JAKE
                  MacArthur Park!

                                SMILEY
                  What?  Bullshit!

        Snick!  The curtain closes.  Smiley take the shotgun.
        Holds it to Jake's temple.  Moreno angles for a peek.

                                MORENO
                  Wait up.  I can't see.

                                SMILEY
                  If you're religious, go ahead and
                  get in that last prayer.

                                JAKE
                         (sobs)
                  Omigod... she was going to be
                  raped.  I was driving with Alonzo.
                  These two crackheads were gonna
                  rape her.  I saw them hit her.  I
                  stopped them.  They were gonna
                  rape her.  I swear to God.  I
                  stopped it... I gotta kid --

                                SMILEY
                  -- Shut up, faggot!

        Smiley opens the curtain -- stomps Jake's back -- closes
        it.

                                SNIPER
                  Fuck the fool.  Blast him.

        Smiley aims, braces for the recoil.  Jake croaks:

                                JAKE
                  ... I gotta little girl...

        Smiley pauses.  He eases off the trigger.  Pulls a cell
        phone.  Dials.

                                SMILEY
                  We're gonna get to the bottom of
                  your bullshit.  She's my cousin.
                  She's a civilian.  Ain't right
                  involving her.

        He sits on the toilet.  Still holding the shotgun to
        Jake's head, he waits for an answer.

        INTERCUT:


        INT. BEDROOM - NIGHT

        The Schoolgirl works out Algebra II proofs on a "Hello
        Kitty" bedspread in a pink T-shirt.  She grabs her
        RINGING PHONE.

                                SCHOOLGIRL
                  Hello?

                                SMILEY
                  Wassup, Letty.  Whatc'cha don'?

                                LETTY (SCHOOLGIRL)
                  Hey, Smiley!  Just here doing
                  homework.  Wanna talk to Tony?

                                SMILEY
                  No.  I wanna talk to you.  Go to
                  school today?

                                LETTY
                  Yep.

                                SMILEY
                  All day?  You didn't ditch?

                                LETTY
                  I went to every class... Why?

                                SMILEY
                  I heard different.

                                LETTY
                  Nuh-uh.

                                SMILEY
                  Cops talk to you today?

                                LETTY
                         (beat)
                  No.

        A beat.  Smiley sighs.

                                SMILEY
                  Tell me what happened.  Don't
                  bullshit me.

                                LETTY
                  I got jumped by two niggers.

                                SMILEY
                  You got jumped?

                                LETTY
                  Well... I think they wanted to
                  rape me.  I kinda got hit.  I mean
                  he just slapped me.  But nothing
                  happened, okay?  'Cause this cop
                  came and kicked their butts.  They
                  almost killed him but he kicked
                  their asses.

        A beat.

                                SMILEY
                  What did this cop look like?

                                LETTY
                  He was a white boy.  Brown hair.
                  Tall.  He looked young.

        Smiley looks at Jake.  That's him.

                                SMILEY
                  Sure you're okay?

                                LETTY
                  I'm fine.  Nothing happened.

                                SMILEY
                  That don't sound like nothing.
                  Wanna go to the doctor?

                                LETTY
                  No.  I said I'm fine.

                                SMILEY
                  Letty.

                                LETTY
                  Yeah?

                                SMILEY
                  What the fuck were you doing in
                  MacArthur Park?

                                LETTY
                  I was just kicking back at my
                  friend's pad.  There weren't no
                  guys or nothing.  I swear to God.

                                SMILEY
                  Letty.

                                LETTY
                  Yeah?

                                SMILEY
                  You go there again, I'm gonna beat
                  your ass.  I got your bus pass and
                  I.D.  Gonna send 'em over.  And
                  we're gonna talk more about this.

        He hangs up.  Looks at Jake a long beat.  Soaked, bloody,
        shivering.  Click.  He safeties the shotgun.  Tosses it
        to a disappointed Moreno.

                                MORENO
                  Ain't you gonna blast him?

                                SMILEY
                  The vato was tellin' the truth.
                  Life's a fuckin' trip, huh?

                                SNIPER
                  This is some trippy-ass shit.

        Smiley hands the change purse to Sniper.

                                SMILEY
                  Get this to Letty.

        Smiley stands, turns off the water.  He helps Jake to his
        feet.  Unlocks the handcuffs as Jake sways, woozy.

                                SMILEY
                  Thanks for getting my cousin's
                  back.

        Jake half-smiles, not really sure if he's alive or not.
        Smiley tosses him a towel.

                                SMILEY
                  Put that on your head.  You're
                  gonna stain the carpet.  Where the
                  fuckers at?  Where'd you book
                  them?

                                JAKE
                  I didn't.

                                SMILEY
                  Why the fuck not?

                                JAKE
                  Alonzo let them go.

        OFF Smiley's scowl, we:

                                                   CUT TO:


        INT. HOUSE - KITCHEN - NIGHT (LATER)

        Moreno and Sniper help Dreamer pick up broken glass.
        Jake sits in a chair holding a bloody towel on his head.
        Smiley returns his badgecase and gun.

                                JAKE
                  Thanks.

                                SMILEY
                  You know this shit was just
                  business.

                                JAKE
                  I know.

                                DREAMER
                  Want some coffee?

                                JAKE
                  No, thank you.

        Smiley tosses the pillowcase of Jake's money on the
        table.

                                SMILEY
                  Alonzo gave me that to take care
                  of you.  To burn you up on the
                  freeway by your house.  I don't
                  want his blood money.  So... I
                  don't know.  I just don't want it.

                                JAKE
                  I'll take it.

        Jake picks up the pillowcase and hugs it.

                                                   CUT TO:


        EXT. HOUSE - NIGHT

        Smiley walks Jake past the Cholos, staring at the beaten,
        wet cop.  Jake hugs the pillowcase.  Out in the street:

                                SMILEY
                  I know Alonzo paid off his debt,
                  but I'm gonna wait till tomorrow
                  to make the call.  His magic ran
                  out.

        Jake and Smiley shake hands.

                                SMILEY
                  Sure you don't wanna ride?

                                JAKE
                  I'm sure.

        As Jake walks away:

                                SMILEY
                  You went Sega today, rookie.
                  You're at that next level.  Just
                  play their games and do what you
                  gotta do and you'll be cool.
                  They'll make you Chief.
                         (beat)
                  Hey, cop!

        Jake stops, turns.  Smiley smiles.  The first time.

                                SMILEY
                  Remember me.

                                JAKE
                         (smiles)
                  I will.

                                                   CUT TO:

        EXT. BOULEVARD - NIGHT

        Jake boards an MTA bus.  Flashes his badge to the driver
        and plunks into a seat.  Passengers gawk.

                                                   CUT TO:


        INT. MTA BUS - NIGHT

        Jake thousand-yard-stares out the window.

                                                   CUT TO:


        EXT. STREET - NIGHT

        The MTA bus FILLS FRAME.  A beat.  It rolls out to reveal
        Jake and his pillowcase.  Just standing there on the
        curb.


        JAKE'S POV

        The cul-de-sac.  No man's land.  And very dark, the
        streetlights have been shot out.  Deceptively quiet,
        except for the little kid riding away on his bike.

                                                   CUT TO:


        EXT. CUL-DE-SAC - NIGHT

        Jake enters, wary.  He rounds the misparked van.  And
        sees the street is quiet.  The glow of a cigarette on the
        roof of an apartment building catches his eye.

        He looks at a building across the street.  Sees movement,
        a shadow, like someone taking cover.


        ON HOUSE

        A light turns off.  The curtain in the window moves.
        Jake swallows hard and keeps walking toward Sara's
        apartment.  The G-Ride parked out front.


        ON DRIVEWAY

        Thirteen men pour out like hornets from a hive.  They are
        the gangsters he saw earlier.  The bench presser leads
        the way, like a cat that has found a spider to play with.

        Jake stares unwaveringly into the man's eyes.

        Bench presser looks at the pillowcase curiously --

        Smack!

        -- Jake threw a roundhouse at his throat, solidly
        connecting.

        Bench presser drops on one knee. He struggles for a
        breath.  Clutches his throat.  His homies stare in
        disbelief.


        ON JAKE

        He takes a deep breath.

        TILT DOWN --

        Jake's police handcuffs orbit his fist like brass
        knuckles.

        The gangsters stare at him.

                                JAKE
                  I have business with Alonzo.

        It's in his eyes, he will not back down.  A gangster with
        intelligent eyes, obviously next in the chain of command,
        sizes up Jake.  A beat.

        He gestures for Jake to go ahead.  Jake steps around the
        bench presser, only now getting air through his windpipe.

        Jake walks into their midst.

        Their faces follow him.  They are behind him, around him.
        He is outnumbered by these hardened streetfighters.  Jake
        prays he isn't bum-rushed.

        Now past them, he continues walking toward Sara's
        building.

                                                   CUT TO:


        INT. SARA'S APARTMENT - NIGHT

        Sara sits on the couch, clutching her son.  Watching TV
        in the dark.  Something is wrong, she's almost catatonic.
        We hear MOANS and GIGGLING O.S.


        ANGLE

        to see Sara has a black eye.

        BANG!  The FRONT DOOR flies open.  It's Jake, his gun
        out.

        Jake and Sara look at each other a long beat.  Two
        battered faces in a dead TV glow.  She points at the
        bedroom.

        Jake crosses, opens the door.  Enters.


        INT. SARA'S BEDROOM - CONTINUOUS ACTION - NIGHT

        It's a bitch sandwich and Alonzo's in the middle.  Jake
        crosses to the foot of the bed.  Stands there.  From
        inside the writhing flesh pile:

                                ALONZO
                  'Bout time you changed your mind
                  and joined in.

        The two women stare at Jake, naked and immodest.  It
        takes a beat for Alonzo to recognize the ghost before
        him.

        Jake dumps the money on the blankets.

                                JAKE
                  Smiley didn't want the job.

        Alonzo's eyes bug in horror at the mountain of cash.  He
        ages a hundred years in a second.  A man who knows he
        will soon be dead.


        ON JAKE

        with eyes colder and blacker than a shark's.  Alonzo can
        fool him no more.

                                JAKE
                  Know what I learned today?  It's
                  not about money.

        He turns, about to walk away.  And turns back around.
        The women shriek, dive out of the line of fire.  Alonzo
        braces for bullets and instead hears:

                                JAKE
                  It's about respect.

        Jake leaves.  As he crosses the --


        INT. LIVING ROOM

                                ALONZO (O.S.)
                  ... Oh, God...

        Jake exits the apartment.


        ON SARA

        A smile slowly spreads across her face.

                                                   CUT TO:


        EXT. CUL-DE-SAC - NIGHT

        As Jake descends the stairs, the porch lights of a house
        come on.  Then the lights of another house.

        Steel doors open.  People tentatively step outside.
        Women and children, mothers with babies on their hips.
        Blue-collar fathers in shop uniforms.

        More porch lights come on.  More doors open.


        JAKE'S POV

        The cul-de-sac has come to life.  The homes are lit,
        their occupants filling the street, ready to bear
        witness.


        BACK TO SCENE

        All eyes on Jake as he walks down the street.  Three
        young boys follow him.

        The old woman comes out of her house to watch Jake pass.
        As do two pretty girls.

        Jake nearing the gangsters.  They block the street.  The
        bench presser stands there, arms crossed, Jake will have
        to go through him again.

        Curious eyes wonder what will happen.

        The bench presser gives Jake a slight nod of respect.

        The gangsters part for Jake and he leaves the cul-de-sac.


        ON JAKE

        As he walks, his innocence is gone, a heavy burden on his
        shoulders, but there is much strength in his gait.

        Jake walks past the aloof little kid, riding his bicycle
        in tight circles.  He smiles at Jake.  Jake smiles back.

                                                   CUT TO:


        INT. JAKE'S HOUSE - NIGHT

        Lisa watches TV on the couch, snuggling with a cup of
        tea, worried.  Headlights sweep the curtains.  A car
        pulls into the driveway.

        Lisa smiles, sets down her tea, sprawls on the couch like
        she's sleeping, opens her robe provocatively, arranges it
        just right.

        We hear the front DOOR OPEN O.S.  FOOTSTEPS as Jake moves
        through the house.  Lisa peeks, sees him enter the baby's
        room in silhouette.

                                LISA
                         (sotto)
                  Guess I'm second in line tonight.

        She rises, crosses to the bedroom and enters.


        INT. BEDROOM - LISA'S POV

        Jake's back is to her, holding his daughter tight.


        BACK TO SCENE

        Lisa lays a hand on his shoulder.  He turns slowly,
        reveals his broken, swollen face.  And a look in his eyes
        that says he will never be the same.

        Lisa sees this and starts crying.  She holds him tightly
        in her arms.

        He holds onto his wife and child for dear life.

        PULL BACK, OUT OF the room, HANDHELD THROUGH the house
        to:


        TELEVISION

        Breaking news.  A helicopter shot of the G-Ride.  Crashed
        into a light pole.  Alonzo lies dead under a sheet,
        hanging out of his beloved car.  An utterly impossible
        river of blood flows from his head, into a gutter.

                                NEWSCOPTER REPORTER (V.O.)
                  -- has not been identified by name
                  but a police spokesman said the
                  thirteen-year L.A.P.D. veteran was
                  the victim of a failed carjacking
                  attempt near Los Angeles
                  International Airport.  Gunfire
                  was exchanged with the suspects,
                  now being sought in an extensive
                  countywide manhunt, described as
                  four hispanic males in their mid-
                  twenties, with shaved heads,
                  wearing white T-shirts and driving
                  a dark late model sedan --

                                                   CUT TO:


        EXT. JAKE'S HOUSE - NIGHT

        An unmarked police sedan pulls up.  We recognize the
        silhouettes of the Three Wise Men inside.

                                                   CUT TO:


        INT. JAKE'S HOUSE - NIGHT

        Jake and his wife embracing.  The SEDAN HONKS.  Jake
        steps back from her.  Her eyes search his.

                                JAKE
                  We served a warrant.  I shot a
                  man.

        Lisa reacts.

                                                   CUT TO:


        EXT. JAKE'S HOUSE - ON FRONT DOOR - NIGHT

        Jake opens it and exits his house, ready for absolutely
        anything.


        WIDER

        He crosses to the sedan.  The back door opens, and Jake
        gets in.

                                                   FADE OUT.





                                THE END