Masquerade: Screenplay

[Purple]

So, since I lose muse super quickly, I've been working on two stories simultaneously, both of which have been bouncing around in my head for a long time. The difference is, the other, 09 Spark, is a normal story while this one is written as a screenplay (a movie script).

Just a note: Steel is a girl, all the others are guys.

Masquerade: Scene 1

INT. WAREHOUSE – NIGHT

A dark and grimy warehouse.

One light bulb creates a circle of light in the center.

A garage door stands open on the far side.

STEEL and HILL sit in the back seat of a black Chevy Camaro. GUY 1 sits at the wheel, GUY 2 in the passenger seat. STEEL wears a white dress and the others white suits. White masks cover the upper half of their faces.

STEEL watches the door intently, seeming not to notice the others.

HILL
(softly, with British accent)
I don’t like this, Steel.

STEEL
(calmly, American)
Then go home, Hill.

A pause.

HILL
If either of the big two catches us-

STEEL
(interrupting him in the same tone)
There’ll be hell to pay. I know.

Another pause.

HILL
What if-

He stops as a black Dodge Charger pulls into the warehouse slowly, its headlights sweeping across the windshield of the Camaro.

GUY 1
(unconcerned)
Too late now.

STEEL
You got the case?

HILL
I’m not at idiot.

STEEL
You sure about that?

HILL
Shut up. This was your bloody idea.

STEEL
Only teasing, darling.

The Charger’s lights turn off and LACE and four other men get out, wearing black suits and masks.

STEEL, HILL, GUY 1, and the other man get out of the Camaro. STEEL takes the briefcase and follows HILL towards the center, her high heels clicking on the concrete floor.

Both parties stand in a line just outside the circle of light. STEEL and HILL are in the middle on their side, LACE and a smaller man on the other. They’re almost invisible in their black clothing.

LACE
(sneering)
You had to bring your bitch with you?

HILL
(New York accent)
What, Steel? She’s cute, ain’t she?

LACE
Sure. You got it or what?

HILL
Right here, right here. You got your end?

LACE
Right here.

HILL
Alright then.

HILL flicks his hand towards the other group and STEEL begins walking towards them with the case. The small man does the same with a similar brief case.

They glance at each other as they pass in the center and move on.

STEEL hands her brief case to LACE and starts to turn back, but he wraps an arm around her waist and pulls her close to him.

LACE
(grinning)
You’re right, Hill, she is cute. And she makes a damn fine carrier pigeon. Maybe I’ll hold on to her for awhile.

STEEL produces a switchblade and flicks the blade out, holding it to LACE’s throat.

STEEL
And maybe I’ll slit your throat. You’ll make a damn fine mess all over the floor.

LACE lets go of her calmly.

LACE
(chuckling)
Alright, pigeon. Fly on home.

STEEL walks back to HILL and the other men, passing the courier once more.

STEEL
(whispering)
Did you check it?

HILL
(whispering, back to British accent)
I didn’t count it, but it’s not a bunch of ones with twenties on top, at least.

STEEL
(whispering)
Good.

HILL and LACE give each other a nod and both groups return to their cars. They watch the Charger pull out before putting the Camaro in gear.

HILL
We didn’t get paid nearly what that stuff was worth.

STEEL
It’s not like we paid anything for it.

HILL
I know. You never did tell me where you got it.

STEEL
I didn’t want you to worry.

HILL stares at her.

HILL
(slowly)
Why would it make me worry?

STEEL
(nonchalant)
You worry about everything.

HILL
(warning)
Steel. Who was it.

STEEL
(mock offended)
Why assume I stole it? That really hurts my feelings, dear.

HILL
Because that is probably the safest assumption there is. Who was it?

STEEL
See, really it’s a what, darling. It was one of Fox’s trucks.

HILL is silent for a moment, looking at her.

HILL
You’re trying to get us killed, aren’t you?

STEEL
Not directly.

HILL sighs heavily and rubs his forehead as if he’s developing a headache.

STEEL taps GUY 1 on the shoulder.

STEEL
Could you be a dear and drop us off at the Gypsy? I think Hill here could use a strong drink.

[Purple]

Masquerade: Scene 2

INT. BEDROOM – NIGHT/EARLY MORNING

STEEL and HILL lie in a bed near a curtained window. HILL is shirtless and STEEL is wearing a tank top. HILL’s arm is around STEEL and her dark hair fans out over his shoulder.

MUSIC and LAUGHTER can be heard in the background.

HILL opens his eyes slowly and blinks a few times sleepily.

HILL
Em?

STEEL
(sleepily)
Hm?

HILL
What time is it?

STEEL
How the bloody hell should I know? You’re the one with the watch.

HILL
Did you count the money?

STEEL
Yeah. Six K total.

HILL
Only six? Fox and Cash get twice that much for an order that size!

STEEL
(looking up at him)
Well we’re not Fox and Cash, are we?

HILL
No, but-

STEEL
Like I said, it’s not like we paid for it in the first place.

HILL
That’s what worries me.

STEEL
Everything worries you.

HILL
All I’m sayin is, if we’re taking this big of a risk, we oughtta get paid better for it.

STEEL
You can always back out, Hill.

HILL says nothing.

[Purple]

Masquerade: Scene 3

EXT. WAREHOUSE – DAY

STEEL and HILL stand in front of the open door of a moving truck, tossing duffle bags to two men (different than scene 1), who then throw them into the back of a pickup.

STEEL looks over her shoulder up the street and throws one last bag before pulling the door shut.

The two men get in the cab of the truck and STEEL and HILL climb in the back.

The truck speeds off.

[Purple]

Masquerade: Scene 4

INT. CLUB – NIGHT

HILL stands on the edge of a dance floor where people dance to pulsing MUSIC and flashing lights. He glances over his shoulder every now and then, looking down the hallway to where STEEL stands talking to JEWEL.

JEWEL wears a short red dress and stilettos; STEEL boots, jeans, a white t-shirt, and a black leather jacket.

JEWEL
It’s a good price, I’ll give you that, but it’s just too damn suspicious.

STEEL
Fox won’t notice if you cut back a little bit.

JEWEL
Like hell he won’t. He’s been pushing us harder and harder to get new customers to make up for what he’s lost on those thefts. I order even a little bit less and he’ll have someone down here tellin’ me to step it up. I don’t need that.

STEEL
I get it, Jewel.

JEWEL
Like I said, it’s a good price. Tell your boss, what was his name? Chief? Yeah. Tell him he’d do good sellin’ it himself, but no one’s buyin’ bulk right now unless it’s from Fox or Cash.

STEEL
Alright, I’ll tell him.

STEEL walks back to HILL. She takes his arm and they skirt around the edge of the dance floor towards the door.

They don’t talk until they’re outside.

EXT. BUILDING, STREET - NIGHT

HILL
What’s Jewel think?

STEEL
That we’re nuts, mainly.

HILL
Well, I knew that. What else?

STEEL
Fox is trying to make up for losses, pushing everyone to sell more. They won’t risk buying from an outside source.

HILL
So what should we do?

STEEL thinks for a moment, chewing her lip and staring at the ground.

STEEL
She said Chief would do well selling it straight.

HILL
You think that’s a good idea?

STEEL
(snappy)
The stuff’s worthless if we can’t sell it, and that’s exactly what Fox and Cash want. I’m not playing that game.

HILL
So I guess Chief better set up shop.

STEEL nods.

STEEL
Chief better set up shop fast.