Tough Love
Episode: 2
Copyright 2014, Alexander Dingeman, All rights reserved
EXT. AIRPORT ENTRANCE – MORNING
(Scene opens on a shot of the sky on a clear and sunny day. The camera scrolls down and the front of an airport comes into view somewhere in the distance. Once the airport is completely in view two purple clocked figures step into the foreground with their backs to the camera.)
JASMINE
So, this is the place?
MISTRESS
Yes. This particular airport is, shall we say, “unequipped” to deal with us and is a far enough distance from the police station to avoid any interference from law enforcement. Provided we get in and out in a timely manner of course.
JASMINE
Shall we begin?
MISTRESS
No, we’ll wait for the shift change when security is weakest. You should go ahead and take your position now.
JASMINE
Yes, Mistress.
(Jasmine begins to walk toward the building but the Mistress puts her hand on her shoulder to stop her.)
MISTRESS
And Jasmine, don’t warn anyone this time. I’ll not have your compassion get in the way of the mission again.
JASMINE
Of course. (Sigh) I don’t envy whoever is unfortunate enough to be down there.
(Fade into next scene.)
INT. NEW JERSEY AIRPORT – MORNING
(Scene opens on an establishing shot of a crowded airport. Large groups of people are moving from place to place and difficult to understand announcements are being delivered over the intercom. Cut to a small clearing in the sea of people close to the airport’s entrance. Duke bursts through the entrance doors excitedly while an un-amused Wilt closely follows. Camera focuses in on the two characters.)
DUKE
Here we are! Good ol’ New Jersey airport.
WILT
(Un-amused) Hurray.
DUKE
You can at least pretend to be excited. Think of it less like a life-threatening quest for an artifact that may or may not actually exist and more like… A vacation!
WILT
A vacation?
DUKE
Ya’huh
(Duke and Wilt keep walking into the crowd and a thief “accidently” bumps into Duke. Cut to a close up of Duke’s back pocket as the thief slides Duke’s wallet out of the pocket. Cut back to a medium shot of the two.)
THIEF
Sorry.
DUKE
Don’t worry about it. (Turns to Wilt after the thief walks away.) What an asshole.
WILT
You remembered to bring the passports and stuff right?
DUKE
Yeah, I got them right here. (Duke reaches for his back pocket but quickly realizes that his wallet is now missing. He turns around in the direction of the thief.) That jerk stole my wallet!
(Cut to a full shot showing the thief in the crowd starting to run and Duke chasing after him. Then cut to a point-of-view shot of someone watching the thief run from a distance. The person watching aims a gun at his leg and fires. Cut back to the full shot as the bullet goes through the thief’s leg and he falls to the ground. Duke catches up to him but stops when the thief pulls out a knife.)
THIEF
(Hobbling back up to a standing position.) S-stay back!
(Cut to a medium shot of the thief as the sound of someone walking with spurred boots is heard and a man walks onscreen. From this angle you can only see him from the back.)
BURT
Why don’t you make me?
(Burt runs at the thief and the thief tries to cut him with the knife. Burt grabs the thief’s arm and twists it until he drops the knife then punches him in the face. The thief falls to the ground. He weakly tries to get back up but Burt slams his boot down on his chest and he passes out.)
BURT
Humph, wimp.
(Cut to a full shot of the area as Duke and Wilt approach Burt. Burt hands Duke his wallet then takes his gun and starts wiping it off with a piece of cloth.)
DUKE
That was badass!
WILT
How did you get away with bringing a gun into an airport?
BURT
I didn’t. The thief pulled the gun on me and it went off in the struggle. (Burt removes the loaded clip from the gun and unceremoniously drops the emptied weapon on the ground near the thief’s unconscious body.) The names Burt by the way.
(As they talk airport security comes and takes the thief away. One of the security guards approaches Burt.)
AIRPORT GUARD 1
Sir, you’re going to have to come with us.
BURT
(Flashing some kind of ID at the guard.) It’s ok. I’m a bounty hunter.
AIRPORT GUARD 1
Oh! Well never mind then.
(The guards exit leaving the three alone. Wilt is taken aback by how easily they let Burt go.)
WILT
I am seriously starting to doubt this airport’s competence when it comes to public safety.
DUKE
Wilt, stop being such a stick it the mud. (Turning to Burt.) I bet you’re here on some awesome case like hunting down the leader of a drug cartel!
BURT
No. Actually I’m just here to pick up my wife from her flight back from Russia.
WILT
It was lucky that you were here to help us out.
BURT
I don’t believe in luck.
SONYA
(From off-screen) Don’t be so rude, darling.
(Camera cuts to a shot of Sonya starting with the legs and slowly panning up to her face. Cut back to a full shot of everyone as we see Duke start checking Sonya out.)
DUKE
(Stepping closer to Sonya.) Well hello. And what’s your name?
(Cut to a close-up of Sonya’s eyes as they twinkle to show Aphrodite’s spell taking effect. Then cut to a medium shot of Duke and Sonya.)
SONYA
I am Sonya.
(Wilt sees Duke trying to flirt with Sonya and quickly steps between them.)
WILT
You must be Burt’s wife.
SONYA
Da. (Checking out Duke while gently biting her lower lip.) Burt, you must introduce me to your friend.
BURT
He’s just some guy who had his wallet snatched by a petty thief.
(Duke pushes Wilt out of the way so he can step closer to Sonya.)
DUKE
Me and your husband worked together to take him down. The names Duke.
WILT
Anyway, thank you for your help but we’re on kind of a tight schedule so…
DUKE
Nonsense! We have plenty of time.
BURT
Actually we have to get going too. C’mon Sonya.
(Burt starts to walk away. Sonya begins to follow him but before she leaves she leans in close to Duke and hands him a piece of paper.)
SONYA
If you have some extra time we’re staying in this hotel. But my husband will be out working a job… (Whisper) All. Night. Long.
(Sonya walks away. Cut to a point-of-view shot of Duke staring at her ass. Cut to a medium shot of Duke and Wilt. Wilt hits Duke in the shoulder.)
WILT
Can we just go through an airport without you trying to hook up with a married woman!
DUKE
What are you talking about? I mean, yeah I have a thing for Russian chicks but-
(Wilt hits Duke again. Duke starts rubbing his shoulder.)
WILT
Duke!
DUKE
Ow! I’m not going to do anything! Also-
&nb
sp; (Duke punches Wilt in his shoulder.)
WILT
Ow!
DUKE
Now I’m going to have a bruise there you idiot.
(Fade into next scene.)
INT. AIRPLANE – A FEW HOURS LATER
(Scene opens on a full shot of the inside of a plane with rows of seats that have various passengers in them. Wilt can be seen sitting in one of the rows looking nervous with an empty seat next to him where Duke is supposed to be. A flight attendant walks by casually offering refreshments to passengers sitting in the other rows. When she reaches Wilt he stops her and the camera cuts to a medium shot of the two.)
WILT
Excuse me. When will the plane be taking off?
FLIGHT ATTENDANT
Don’t worry sir. It won’t be much longer now. Can I interest you in some coffee or maybe some ice water?
WILT
No. That’s fine.
FLIGHT ATTENDANT
Well just let me know if you need anything.
(The flight attendant walks off screen leaving Wilt alone. He continues to look around nervously.)
WILT
(To himself.) Damn it Duke. Where are you?
(The sound of an intercom causes Wilt along with the other passengers to look up. Cut to a full shot of the plane’s interior while everybody stops whatever they are doing to listen.)
CAPTAIN’S VOICE
Attention, this is the Captain speaking. We will be beginning takeoff shortly so I’ll have to ask you all to fasten your seatbelts.
(All of the passengers fasten their seatbelts. The camera cuts to a medium shot of Wilt as he is finishing with his seatbelt. Duke walks in hurriedly and takes the empty seat next to Wilt then works to get his seatbelt on as well.)
WILT
Where the hell were you?
DUKE
I got a little preoccupied. (The flight attendant walks by again and Duke grabs a bottle of water off of the cart she is pushing. He tilts his head back and drinks the entire bottle while Wilt and a few nearby passengers stare at him. After he finishes he looks back at Wilt.) What?
WILT
Please tell me you didn’t do anything that we’re going to regret.
DUKE
Relax dude. The worst thing that could possibly happen to us now would be having to sit through a lousy in-flight movie.
WILT
(Unconvinced) Yeah, sure.
(Cut to a