"PEN PALS"

Written by Babs Greyhosky

ACT ONE

FADE IN

EXT. HIGH SCHOOL YARD - DAY - ON GROUP OF TEENAGERS

in a circle around something we can't yet see. The looks
on the faces of these kids range from casual observation
to curious to frightened and deeply concerned. From this
first glance, it looks as though the gathering of after-
school students is watching a couple of guys duke it
out. But, on closer examination, we find:

A STUDENT

who is writhing on the ground in pain. He yells out as
he rolls over and over in the dust while his friends and
other students try comforting him.

ON AMBULANCE

as it races into the parking lot, its siren blaring.
We follow it as it pulls up close to the crowd scene
and parks. Two attendants get out and are met by a
faculty member who quickly escorts them over to the
ailing youth. As they move into action:

CUT TO

EXT. NEARBY STREET - DAY - ON DEE DEE'S CAR

as it drives past camera.

HUNTER'S VOICE
(reading)
"New York sure is hot this time
of year..."

INT. DEE DEE'S CAR - ON DEE DEE AND HUNTER

Dee Dee is driving and listening to Hunter read a letter
from Uncle Leo who is currently in residence at New York
State Penitentiary.

HUNTER
(reading)
"The warden even gave us all
extra cans of Right Guard. He's
an okay guy, for a warden. By
the way, my old cell mate Sidney
finally got out. I been hearing
rumors that my new cell mate is
an ex-lawyer. Lucky, huh? Maybe
I can get him to teach me the
law. This way when I get out,
I can hang a shingle. I always
wanted to do that, ya know.
Hang a shingle. Take care of
yourself. Visit your mother.
All the best. Uncle Leo."

Hunter shakes his head in amusement, as he puts the letter
back into the envelope.

DEE DEE
Did I ever meet Uncle Leo? Is
he the bookie?

HUNTER
That's my cousin Jim. No...you
never met Leo or you'd've
remembered.

DEE DEE
(amused)
A real character, huh?

HUNTER
He's a flasher.

DEE DEE
What?

HUNTER
Flasher. A trenchcoat artist.
The day he was arrested, he was
outside a lingerie shop an-
nouncing store bargains.

DEE DEE
With no pants on?

HUNTER
(nods)
They did a helluva business that
day.

As Dee Dee laughs, Hunter catches something going on up
ahead.

HUNTER'S POV - THROUGH WINDSHIELD - ON SCHOOL YARD

where we see the ambulance with its turning red light,
and the crowd of students.

OMITTED

EXT. SCHOOL YARD - ON AMBULANCE ATTENDANTS

as they are trying to carry the student to the ambulance.
Even though he's strapped onto the gurney, he continues.
writhing. In the b.g. Hunter and Dee Dee pull up and
get out of the car, moving toward the scene.

ON HUNTER AND DEE DEE

as the attendants pass them with the wailing student.

Dee Dee stares in sympathetic horror at the poor kid,
as Hunter looks around for someone to talk to. He
notices the teacher and gets her attention.

HUNTER
(pulling out badge)
Hi, I'm Sergeant Hunter -- what
happened here?

TEACHER
(distressed)
They just never learn. We can
talk to them until we're blue
in the face, but it doesn't matter.

DEE DEE
Did he O.D. on something?

TEACHER
The kids said all he did was
smoke a joint...

DEE DEE
Yeah, a joint soaked in PCP.

Hunter eyes the kids.

HUNTER
Anyone here know where this kid
buys his dope?

As the gurney is shoved into the back of the ambulance
and the doors are slammed shut the kids slowly disperse.

HUNTER
If someone's dealing bad dope,
I want a name.

DEE DEE
You know, Hunter, you got a
way with kids.

He stalks to her car, opens the door as a boy rides on a
bike, glances nervously to make sure his friends can't
hear him.

BOY
(to Hunter)
It was a guy named Roscoe.

And the boy pedals away. Dee Dee eyes Hunter.

DEE DEE
Roscoe Gatlin...? I thought he
was in jail.

HUNTER
He got out early for good be-
havior.

OMITTED

INT. BAR - ON ROSCOE GATLIN

This guy's a three alarm asshole with one hand on a drink
and the other on a washed out blonde.

An untouched plate of pasta is on the table before him. A
badge flips open in Gatiin's face and he looks up to see:

HUNTER

HUNTER
(shit eating grin)
What looks and smells like yes-
terday's garbage and is going
to prison for the third time.

Gatlin throws the table over at Hunter and tries to bolt but
Dee Dee is there to stick out her foot. Gatlin goes head-
long and Hunter is on him in a second, grabbing his collar
and throwing him against a video game. Dee Dee is quickly
assessing the situation, which doesn't look all that good:
they're in a very tough bar with very tough clientele.
She drops a quarter, playing the game and keeping an eye
on the room as:

HUNTER
How come guys like you always get
out, Gatlin? How come there's
always a loophole with your name
on it?

GATLIN
You're the one they should be
Watching, Hunter. You and your
Justice on the street.

HUNTER
I just watched another kid turn
into spit on the sidewalk. You
know why, Gatlin?

When Gatlin doesn't answer, Hunter shoves his hand tighter
around Gatiin's throat. He starts to choke. Dee Dee gets
worried.

DEE DEE
(cautions)
Come on, Hunter...I'm startin'
to lose.

Some of the guys in the bar are starting to move in a
little closer. Dee Dee is aware of the tension and
automatically reaches into her bag and pulls out her gun.

DEE DEE
Guess I'm outta quarters. C'mon,
Hunter, arrest him and let's go.

GATLIN
You can't arrest me.
You ain't got zip on me.

HUNTER
One of those school kids you
deal to, once they put his guts
back inside him, he's gonna
send you away for fifty big ones.

GATLIN
I ain't afraid of no school kid.

HUNTER
You better be afraid of me,
'cause if you or any of your
flunkies so much as breathe
near that kid, I'm gonna per-
sonally rip your lungs out
through your ears. Finish your
lunch and let's go.

And with that, Hunter shoves Gatlin into his table.

ANGLE THE TABLE

as Gatlin crashes into it and the food topples onto his
head. The blonde backs off as Hunter moves in on Gatlin
who has spaghetti and meatballs dripping from his fore-
head. Now Hunter reaches over for a glass of white wine.

HUNTER
Don't forget the wine, huh?

And on that, Hunter spills the wine on Gatlin's head.

OMITTED

EXT. POLICE STATION - DAY - ESTABLISHING

CAIN'S VOICE
You really are insane, aren't you?

CUT TO

INT. CAIN'S OFFICE - DAY - ON CAIN

standing before Hunter, reprimanding him.

CAIN
Based on nothing but the passing
comment of a nameless school kid
on a bike, you roust a man in a
bar, feed him his lunch through
his nose, and toss him in the
lock-up where five winos try to
suck on his head.

HUNTER
I wasn't that rough on him.

CAIN
You shoved him against a wall,
nearly choked him to death,
then threw him through a table!

HUNTER
But when it was all over, I
served him wine.

Cain just drops down into his chair.

HUNTER
Come on, Captain, Roscoe Gatlin
is the biggest scumball on this
earth. Everyone knows that, but
somehow he's got the system
working on his side. He always
manages to spring himself loose.
And every time he does, innocent
kids wind up dead.

CAIN
Kids who use marijuana I would
hardly call innocent.

HUNTER
Maybe not. But the punishment
sure doesn't fit the crime. You
shouldn't have to die for smoking
a joint.

CAIN
Let's just hope that boy pulls
through so he can testify.
Otherwise, you're on your own
when Mr. Gatlin files for false
arrest.

HUNTER
(starts out)
Thanks for the support, Captain.

CUT TO

INT. SQUAD ROOM - DAY - ON DEE DEE

sitting outside of Cain's office, waiting nervously for
Hunter to emerge. When he does, she steps up to join
him, but he just keeps on walking.

MOVING WITH HUNTER AND DEE DEE

through the squad room, toward the exit.

HUNTER
Come on, we gotta get over to the
hospital, get a statement from
the kid as soon as he comes to.

DEE DEE
I think we ought to broaden the
investigation, put together all
the cases we can against Gatlin.

HUNTER
Fine, sure, but let's nail down
this one first.

They are heading toward the exit door...which flies open,
and Bernie Terwilliger breezes' in, past Hunter and Dee Dee,

TERWILLIGER
Hunter, McCall, sorry to hear
about that kid dying.

Terwilliger continues to his desk. Hunter freezes, eyes
Dee Dee.

DEE DEE
I'm sorry, Hunter. We just got
word.
(sigh)
And Gatlin's already out. The
D.A.'s office refused to file
as soon as they heard we lost
our complainant.

HUNTER
So long as the kid died, Gatlin
goes free.

Hunter turns and storms for the exit. Dee Dee rushes
after him.

DEE DEE
Hunter, what do you say to
dinner? I'm buying -- we'll go
someplace real cheap and greasy.

HUNTER
No, thanks. I just wanna go
home. '

DEE DEE
And do what? Just sit there and
feel depressed and angry? That's
no good.

HUNTER
I'm not depressed and angry.

Dee Dee looks at him, but she knows when she's been beat
She nods and smiles like a good sport.

DEE DEE
Sure.

And Hunter is gone, the door flapping in his wake.

OMITTED

EXT. DUPLEX APARTMENT - NIGHT - ESTABLISHING

This is the apartment building where Hunter lives: it's
one of the those complexes like the kind found in
residential areas of Studio City and North Hollywood
where duplexes and triplexes are sandwiched between
single-family homes.

All the lights in the complex are out, but through a front
window, we can see the blue screen of a television that's
on.

INT. HUNTER'S DUPLEX - NIGHT - CLOSE ON TELEVISION

as frames from different shows clip past the screen. We
get a discordant series of things from static to com-
mercials, to someone singing, to drama.

ON HUNTER

sitting in a chair opposite the TV, holding the remote
control and indiscriminately popping all the channels.
Nothing holds his interest, and we're not even sure he
knows what he's watching. The doorbell rings. Hunter
shuts the TV off and slowly gets up out of the chair.

WOMAN'S VOICE
(from outside)
Hello? Is anyone home?

As Hunter goes to the door, he passes a clock which reads
eleven-fifteen.

ANGLE - THE DOOR

as Hunter opens it and flips on the porch light to find:

YOUNG WOMAN

huddled on the doorstep, looking a bit frightened. (The
young woman will be referred to as the waitress from now
on.)

WAITRESS
Hi, I'm really sorry to bother
You, but my car broke down right
in front of your door. I was
wondering if you could let me
use your phone to call the Auto
club.

HUNTER
Sure. Any idea what happened?

WAITRESS
(smiles)
Yeah. The engine stopped. Car
won't budge.

Hunter opens a hall closet and pulls out a flashlight.

HUNTER
Lucky for you, I happen to be
an expert on cars like that.

WAITRESS
Gee, thanks. I'd really ap-
preciate it.

Hunter steps out, closes the door behind him, and a few
seconds later his PHONE RINGS AND RINGS.

CUT TO

CLOSE ON CARRIAGE CLOCK

that's ticking on a nightstand. It reads eleven-fifteen.
Pull back to reveal:

INT. DEE DEE'S BEDROOM - NIGHT- - ON DEE DEE

lying in bed, on the phone, listening to the rings. An
open book sits next to her. Finally, after the umpteenth
ring, she hangs up, reflects on something, dismisses it
and clicks off the light -- room and screen go completely
black.

OMITTED

CLOSE ON TELEVISION SET

On the screen is the traditional station sign-off where the
U.S. flag is superimposed over a shot of the Statue of
Liberty as the national anthem plays. As we hold on this
for a few beats, we hear loud knocking on the door.

WIDER ANGLE - TO INCLUDE

HUNTER

who has fallen asleep on the couch with the TV set on.

As the knocking persists. Hunter finally stirs and wakes
up.

Still half-asleep, he shuts off the TV, then stumbles to the
door and opens it.

HUNTER
(as he opens)
Your car broke down again...?

Hunter stops when he pulls open the door and finds Bernie
Terwilliger and another officer standing in the porchlight.

TERWILLIGER
Morning, Hunter.

And Terwilliger pushes his way into Hunter's house.

HUNTER
No, Bernie, it is not morning.
It is the middle of the night.
What are you doing here?

TERWILLIGER
Where's your piece, Hunter?

HUNTER
In the holster on the chair in
my bedroom, but --

TERWILLIGER
—And your back-up?

HUNTER
In my sock drawer. Top left in
the bureau. What the hell is
this all about, Bernie?

Terwilliger smugly slaps something in Hunter's hand. The
officers return with the two guns, now encased in evidence
bags.

TERWILLIGER
I always wondered what a guy like
you would choose to live in.
(taps on a
coffee table)
Formica coffee table. Impressive.

HUNTER
(re: the paper)
This is a search warrant.

TERWILLIGER
That's right, Hunter.

Terwilliger opens one of the baggies, sniffs the gun.
Terwilliger sniffs again, frowns, eyes Hunter, shakes his
head.

TERWILLIGER
Stupid, Hunter, very stupid.

CUT TO

OMITTED

CLOSE ON HUNTER'S GUN - IN BAG

as it's being slammed down onto a table top. Over this
we hear:

OFFICER CAVANAUGH
You killed Roscoe Gatlin with
your own damn gun?

Widen to reveal:

INT. POLICE INTERROGATION ROOM - DAY - ON OFFICER CAVANAUGH

A crew-cut, non-nonsense kind of guy. He and an equally

intimidating type, OFFICER TAYLOR, are conducting an
Internal Affairs interrogation of Hunter. The Officers
mean business.

CAVANAUGH
I've heard you were crazy,
Sergeant, but I never realized
you were so stupid.

ON HUNTER

who sits on an uncomfortable wooden chair in front of the
two cops. He looks tired, angry and confused.

HUNTER
Is that a question?

CAVANAUGH
No, we're all done with questions,
Hunter.

TAYLOR
We're ready to turn you over to
the D.A.

HUNTER
Didn't you locate the girl?

Cavanaugh holds up an artist's rendering of the waitress.

CAVANAUGH
This girl? 'Fraid not, Hunter,
it's awful though to locate
someone who doesn't exist.

And with that Cavanaugh rips the drawing in half and-drop;
it to the ground.

HUNTER
Susan Spencer was the name she
used — and somebody must've
seen us — I worked on her car
for about an hour,

TAYLOR
That must have been hard since
you were downtown puttin' a
bullet through Roscoe Gatlin's
forehead at the same time.

HUNTER
If you guys are done with the fun
and games, maybe we can find out
the truth, huh?

CAVANAUGH
The truth is you're lying. You
claim you were home at the time
of the murder...but you didn't
see the person who you claim
must have slipped into your place,
stolen your gun, killed Gatlin
and then returned the gun.

HUNTER
I didn't kill Gatlin. I knocked
the guy into a plate of spaghetti.
I'll pay the cleaning bill.

TAYLOR
I forgot, you're not the kind of
guy who kills people... You just
beat 'em up, throw 'em around in
front of a dozen witnesses.
Witnesses who described you as
being "out of control."

HUNTER
I was upset, but I wasn't out of
control. Ask my partner. She
was there.

CUT TO

OMITTED

CLOSE ON DEE DEE

sitting in the hot seat. She listens a bit nervously as
the question is posed to her.

CAVANAUGH'S VOICE
So Sergeant Hunter grabbed Mr.
Gatlin, then threw him into a
table and poured red wine on
his head?

Dee Dee takes a deep breath.

DEE DEE
Yeah, well...not all of that's true.

WIDER SCENE
to include Cavanaugh and Taylor.

CAVANAUGH
What are the inaccuracies?

Dee Dee hems and haws, not really wanting to say.

DEE DEE
Well, I mean, most of it's true.
(quickly)
It was white wine...not red.

The interrogators exchange dubious glances.

TAYLOR
When was the last time you spoke
with your partner, Sergeant McCall?

DEE DEE
Around six-thirty. As we were
leaving work.

TAYLOR
How would you describe his frame
of mind?

DEE DEE
Well, he was... quiet. All he
wanted to do was go home and watch
television.

TAYLOR
"All" he wanted to do? He wanted
to watch television as opposed to
'doing what?

DEE DEE
I had offered to take him to
dinner but he didn't want to go.

CAVANAUGH
Did you make any further attempts
to talk with your partner that
evening?

Dee Dee takes a long time on this one.

DEE DEE
I... I called him.

CAVANAUGH
At what time?

DEE DEE
(with a dry throat:
Around midnight.

CAVANAUGH
What did you talk about?

Another long beat.

DEE DEE
Nothing.
(beat)
No one answered.

After a few beats:

TAYLOR
That will be all, Sergeant.

ON DEE DEE
as she looks at them, trying to read their minds. Finally
she rises and leaves the room.

CUT TO

EXT. INTERROGATION ROOM - DAY - ON HUNTER

pacing back and forth as Dee Dee emerges. She tries giving
him an encouraging smile as Hunter moves up to her.

HUNTER
How'd it go? What'd they ask
you?

DEE DEE
You'd think after all those years
of asking questions to make sus-
pects confess that I'd be better
at answering them.

HUNTER
Why? What'd you do -- hang me
in there?

DEE DEE
No, I just told the truth. Un-
fortunately, the truth doesn't
look very good in this case.

HUNTER
But the truth is I didn't kill
Gatlin.

DEE DEE
(trying to sound
hopeful)
Of course you didn't. It's just
a matter of time before we find
out who really did. This'll never
even get to a preliminary hearing.

Off their looks:

CUT TO

INT. COURTROOM - DAY - ON JUDGE

as he slams the gavel down a few more times, then stops
and addresses Hunter who stands before him.

JUDGE
People versus Hunter.
(eyes Hunter)
Sergeant, you will return to this
courtroom this Thursday, the
twenty-first, when we'll begin
the preliminary hearing to see if
you should be bound over for a
felony trial. In the meantime,
based on your long and outrageous
track record for brutality, I
have no choice but to deny your
request for bail and remand you
to the county lock-up.

CLOSE ON THE GAVEL

as it comes down hard and we:

CUT TO

INT. JAIL CORRIDOR - DAY - TRACKING SHOT

as hardened criminals who have been locked up in one jail
after another cling to these bars like kids at a zoo --
watching the people pass by. We hear murmurs, but mostly
just the sound of shoes as they tap along the cement floor

CLOSE ON THE PRISONERS

Their faces tell us many things about each: who's deadly,
who's not, who's sick, etc. But the one thing they all
have in common is a look of surprise. As the camera
passes these faces, it comes to stop on:

CELL DOORS

They open and a body passes through frame. As soon as it's
inside, the door slams shut. We hear the footsteps walk
away as the body turns to camera and we find:

HUNTER

wearing prisoner blues. He looks through the bars at:

ALL THE OTHER PRISONERS

staring at him from their ceils.

BACK ON HUNTER
As he contemplates this upheaval in his life, we:

FADE OUT

END OF ACT ONE

************************************************************

ACT TWO

FADE IN

EXT. STREET SCENE - DAY - ON THE BACK OF TWO HOOKERS

strolling down the street, both decked out in pretty
outrageous outfits: short, tight skirts, fishnet stockings,
spiked heels, lots of jewelry and a fairly provocative
swings to their walk. Over their backs, we hear their
conversation:

SUGAR
At first, after everybody heard
Gatlin was dead, nobody could be-
lieve it. He was a mean one.
You'd have to be a real fool or a
dead shot to try and kill him.

ON THE TWO HOOKERS

We now see that one of them is Dee Dee.

SUGAR
(laughs)
Gotta admit, only one we could
think of that could do it was
Sergeant Hunter.

DEE DEE
He didn't do it, Sugar. Hunter
doesn't kill in cold blood.

SUGAR
Hey, Dee Dee, I got no gripes
with the Sarge. He saved me from a
couple of broken arms one night
when I came in under quota. If I
can help, that's okay with me.

DEE DEE
Word is Gatlin had a pretty big
supply he was about to unload the
night he got killed.

SUGAR
Heard the same thing myself.

DEE DEE
Any word on whether the guy
went down?

SUGAR
It didn't -- the buyer went
home hungry and the merchandise
vanished. Heard they tore
Gatlin's place apart looking
for it. Now, everybody's
dummied up.

DEE DEE
Whoever killed him could have
taken the stash, and is now
looking for a buyer.

SUGAR
(shrugs)
Could be.

DEE DEE
I need you to keep your ears
open on this one, Sugar. Hunter's
gonna be in that jail for seventy-
two hours, and every guy in
there is gonna try for him.

As they reach the end of the street where Dee Dee's
car is parked, another car pulls up to the curb and a
guy yells out the window at them:

GUY IN CAR
Hey, sweet thing! Got an hour
to spare...?

SUGAR
I ain't on duty yet, buddy.

GUY IN CAR
(points to Dee Dee)
I was talking to her.

The Guy in the car gives Dee Dee a big grin.

ON DEE DEE AND SUGAR

Dee Dee subtly opens up the vest she wears over her
Danskin top and shows her police badge.

THE GUY IN THE CAR

as his silly grin drops and he tears away in his car

BACK ON DEE DEE AND SUGAR

They laugh as they watch him burn rubber.

SUGAR
(amused)
I tell ya, you ever hit the
street you could make yourself
some good bread. Lotta money
in my business.

DEE DEE
(as she moves off)
Yeah, but it's got a terrible
health plan.

CUT TO

EXT. STATE PENETENTIARY - DAY - ESTABLISHING

CLOSE ON FEET

skipping rope like a boxer does when he works out. As
the camera pans up the body we find:

EXT. PRISON YARD - DAY - ON HUNTER

to be the one putting himself through this rigorous
work-out. A few other prisoners are lifting weights,
etc., but most of them are just sitting around, smoking
cigarettes and talking in corners. Sitting on the
ground watching Hunter is a small, kind of weasly little
guy named, ARCHIE 0'HARE. He's got a funny little voice
and a manner much like Dustin Hoffman's character in
MIDNIGHT COWBOY.

ARCHIE
You sure been doing that a long
time. Trying to lose weight or
something?

Hunter says nothing. This doesn't stop Archie.

ARCHIE
'Cause if you are trying to lose
weight, you don't need to bother
exercising — you'll know what
I mean once you taste the mess
hall food — it give new meaning
to the word "bleeech!"

Hunter keeps skipping rope.

ARCHIE
You used to be a cop, huh?
(still nothing
from Hunter)
I guess I don't have to tell
ya not many of the guys in here
are very fond of cops.
(beat)
I don't mind cops. Never had
a bit of trouble with the law
until the day I killed my
accountant.
(defensively)
I didn't mean to kill him, but
he was cheating on me. I ac-
cidentally beat him to death
with my seven-iron.
(ominisces)
Hooked the first stroke, but
got him dead solid perfect with
the second... Don't get much
chance to play golf in here.
What about you, you a player?

Hunter keeps skipping rope as though Archie isn't even
there. But Archie continues his conversation with
great enthusiasm.

ARCHIE
Me, I love to play games -- all
kinds -- I think of being in
here as kind of a game... I
figure if I survive, I win the
game, and I know the only way
a little guy like me survives
in this place is try doing things
for people... You know, getting
things -- anything, drugs, food,
cigarettes, information -- you
need something, Archie 0'Hare's
the man who can get it for you.

Hunter finally stops skipping rope and just looks
at Archie. Archie extends his hand...and Hunter shakes
it.

ARCHIE
So, is there something I can get
for you?

HUNTER
Yeah, get me out of here.

ARCHIE
Would you settle for lunch?

HUNTER
Chili dog?

ARCHIE
With or without cheese?

Hunter smiles and Archie leads him through a door back
into the prison building. PULL BACK TO REVEAL:

OMITTED

A GROUP OF CONS

Three very tough looking guys ho are robably in for
murders they enjoyed committing. They are called RUFUS,
MUNOS and BOLLINGS, and they are watching across the
yard to the door Hunter and Archie just vanished through.

RUFUS
Looks like Hunter and Archie
are gonna have a little snack.

MUNOS
I think I'm kind of hungry, too --
what about you guys?

Bollings leads Rufus and Munos toward the prison building.

OMITTED

INT. PRISON KITCHEN --CLOSE ON HOT DOGS

sizzling on a grill. Pull back to reveal Hunter looking
on as Archie acts as chef.

ARCHIE
You like Kosher dogs?

Archie heads over and opens the huge refrigerator, pulls
out a couple of hot dog buns.

BOLLINGS(O.S-)
How about a beer?

Hunter spins to find Bollings, Rufus and Munos inside the
kitchen door.

HUNTER
You'll lose your girlish figure.

ARCHIE
You guys shouldn't be in here.

BOLLINGS
Why, is the kitchan reserved for .
cops now?

Bollings steps over to Archie, puts his arm on the little
man's shoulders. '

BOLLINGS
I'm disappointed in you, Arch...
Here all this time I thought we
were friends, and now I find you
cooking for a cop.

MUNOS
Give him a chance, man, maybe he
wasn't cooking for Hunter.

With that Bollings grabs the grilling hot dogs and jams
them into Archie's mouth, smashing them across his face,
forcing them in so that Archie chokes, gasps for air...
and Hunter goes crazy, a wild fight ensuing, with Hunter
and Archie seriously damaging and dazing all three thugs.

HUNTER
(takes last hot
dog from grill)

Didn't your mother tell you it's
not nice to take someone else's
food?

As he takes a bite a GUARD is suddenly there, eyeing
Hunter (who is the only person left standing). The Guard
shakes his head in sad amazement.

GUARD
This is not the way you're sup-
posed to spend your first day in
jail, Hunter.

Hunter eyes the carnage, shrugs.

HUNTER
Works for me.

INT. MAXIMUM SECURITY CELL - HUNTER

being tossed in by a Guard who locks the cell door and
vanishes. Hunter eyes his bruised knuckles.

HAMMER'S VOICE
Nice of you to drop in. Hunter.

Hunter reacts, looks across to the next cell:

THE HAMMER

The meanest looking man on earth. His eyes are cold and
calculating — death hangs over him like a shroud.

HAMMER
Now you know why you're here,
Hunter. 'Cause a'me.

HUNTER
I hear the gas chamber's a lovely
place to visit in the fall, Hammer.
Sorry, I won't be able to come up
and watch you wheeze your last
breath but I gotta get my shoes
shined that day.

Hammer smiles evilly, calmly.

HAMMER
When you leave here, it'll be in
pieces. But don't think you'll be
forgotten, 'cause years from now,
when people come through here,
they'll swear they can still hear
you screaming.

Hammer chuckles, lies down and stares at the ceiling.

ON HUNTER

It's all coming together now.

CUT TO

HALLWAY OUTSIDE OF SQUAD ROOM - DAY - ON GIL GLASGOW

He's a very handsome, suave looking-guy -- not the kind
of image you conjure up when you think of a policeman.
Nonetheless, Gil Glasgow is a cop, and with his good
looks and charm, he probably just talks people into
giving themselves up... As Gil stands in the hallway,
drinking a cup of coffee, Dee Dee comes hurrying around
the corner toward the squadroom. Gil lights up when he
sees her and moves toward her:

GIL
(big smile)
Hey, Dee Dee —

DEE DEE
(rushes past)
Later, Glasgow —

Dee Dee hurries into the squadroom followed closely by
Gil.

INT. SQUADROOM - DAY - ON DEE DEE

as she enters, trying to appear nonchalant, but failing
as she hears:

CAIN'S VOICE
(from across the room)
McCall!
Dee Dee looks up at:

CAPTAIN CAIN

as he heads toward her. Behind Dee Dee is Gil.

CAIN
Where have you been all morning?
They said you just disappeared
after roll call, didn't report in,
didn't check in, nothing.

DEE DEE
(trapped)
Uh, well, uh...

GIL
(to the rescue)
I'm afraid it's all my fault, sir.
When I found out we were gonna be
partners, I asked her to fill me.
in on her cases and I'd catch her
up on mine. We went for breakfast
and just lost track of time.

Dee Dee stares incredulously at Gil; the look on her
face tells us she has no idea what's going on.

GIL
(to Dee Dee)
It's a good thing you didn't let me
have that extra cup of coffee or
we'd still be there. I'm really
sorry.

DEE DEE
(stunned)
It's okay.

Cain eyes them suspiciously -- he's not altogether buying
this story, but he hasn't time to argue.

CAIN
Alright then, since you'd had all
morning to swap stories, get on with
your work.

DEE DEE
Yes, sir.

Cain takes off.

ON DEE DEE AND GIL

Dee Dee looks at Gil with a sigh of relief.

DEE DEE
I don't know why you did that for
me, but thanks anyway. I owe you
one.

GIL
What happened — you oversleep?

DEE DEE
(lying)
Yeah.

GIL
(hint of a smile)
Or were you doing something else...
like maybe trying to run down the
guy who killed Roscoe Gatlin?

DEE DEE
(defensive)
Anything the matter with that? I
try to confine it to after hours.

GIL
If it were my partner, I'd be
doing the same thing.
(beat)
Listen, Dee Dee, if you need an
extra hand, you can count on me.
I know how hard it is to run down
something like that alone.

Dee Dee looks at Gil with some skepticism.

DEE DEE
I don't mean to sound ungrateful,
but you sure seem ready to stick
your neck out for me.

GIL
Hey, Hunter's a fellow cop and I
think he got a real bad break. If
it were me, I'd appreciate all the
help I could get. But, it's up to
you, Dee Dee.
(smile)
I'm your partner -- I'm not here
to get in your way.

Dee Dee looks at him and decides he's okay.

DEE DEE
You know, you're okay, Gil...
Maybe I shouldn't believe all those
rotten things I heard about you.

GIL
What things?

DEE DEE
That you come on a little strong
with the ladies in the department.

GIL
(obviously not)
Am I coming on to you?

Dee Dee turns and heads out and Gil's gaze drops to her
legs... and he likes what he sees. As he exits behind
her:

CUT TO

CLOSE ON PLATE

where something indescribably awful is being slopped onto
it.

ON HUNTER

as he stares grimly at his tray. He shuffles along in
the cafeteria line.

ON RUFUS, MUNOS AND ROLLINGS

further down the line ahead of Hunter. They are bruised
from their encounter with our hero. Munos picks up on
Rufus eyeing Hunter.

MUNOS
The Hammer's got bids on Hunter
we gotta steer clear.

RUFUS
(tightly)
Hammer's in the hole. The last
guy who slugged me wound up as
ground round.

ON HUNTER

Hunter moves to the end of the aisle, picks up his tray
heads for a place to sit.

ANGLE - ON TABLE

that has three guys sitting at it, leaving three empty
seats. Hunter moves toward the empty seat farthest away
from the prisoners already seated there. As he gets
ready to set his tray down, Rufus butts right in front.
Munos and Bollings are there to occupy the other empty
seats.

RUFUS
This seat's taken, pig.

Rufus levels a look of hatred at Hunter who says nothing
He moves away from the table toward another one.

ANOTHER ANGLE

that has one empty seat. The prisoners seated there eye
Hunter as he approaches. Just as he gets there, one of
them puts his legs up on the seat and gives Hunter a look
that dares him to challenge him. Hunter doesn't even
consider the idea.

ON HUNTER

as he looks around for an empty seat.

HUNTER'S POV - THE CAFETERIA

There are no seats available to him.

BACK ON HUNTER

as he quietly moves to a corner against the wall and
sits down on the floor, He goes about his business,
paying no attention to the other prisoners.

ON SOME OF THE PRISONERS

as they watch Hunter silently, then turn back to their
own conversations.

CLOSER ON HUNTER

as he stares at the plate and toys with the food on his
fork. The depression he feels is so great that even a
guy like Hunter can't keep all of it hidden. Behind
Hunter we see a pair of legs moving toward him. A bag
is lowered right in front of Hunter's face. Hunter
looks at the bag and sees:

ARCHIE

holding the bag. He wears his white apron and hat and a
big smile.

ARCHIE
Go on — open it.

ANGLE - HUNTER

as he opens the bag while Archie kneels beside him, waiting
excitedly. We watch as Hunter pulls out a chili dog. A
small smile creeps across his face.

HUNTER
Thanks, Archie.

ARCHIE
Hey, you saved me from a broken
neck. This is the least I could
do. So what was it like in Max?

HUNTER
Terrific. I met an old friend.
Guy named Charles Tyrell.

ARCHIE
(shudders)
The Hammer? He's gonna be there
till his trial, I betcha. Beat the
hell out of Billy Two Shoes for
taking his seat in the mess.

HUNTER
That could set you off.

ARCHIE
Put Billy in the infirmary.

HUNTER
The Hammer seems to be good at
putting people places if he wants
to. Listen, Arch, they keep lists
of all prisoners' outgoing calls,
don't they?

ARCHIE
Yeah...

HUNTER
Could you get me a look at them?

ARCHIE
(a beat; shrugs)
It could take a little time.

HUNTER
Time's what I don't have.

CUT TO

INT. VISITATION ROOM - NIGHT - ON DEE

sitting across from Hunter.

DEE DEE
How ya doin'?

HUNTER
Fine — for the moment.

DEE DEE
Meaning?

HUNTER
Remember Charles Tyrell —
the Hammer?

DEE DEE
Yeah. You made him for that
triple homicide.

HUNTER
He's in here. Awaiting sentencing.

DEE DEE
(scared for him)
Hunter...

HUNTER
Take it easy. He's in solitary.
But it's just a matter of time...
He's pretty sure he's gonna get
his shot at me.

DEE DEE
You think he's the one who set
you up?

HUNTER
It wouldn't surprise me. I'm
working on getting a list of
his out going calls...maybe
we'll grab a lead.

DEE DEE
And I may be on to something—
my snitch heard that there's
a big drug buy about to go
down.

HUNTER
Yeah?

DEE DEE
The same merchandise that Gatlin
was holding the night he got
snaked. Five'll get you ten the
seller is Gatlin's killer --blew
Gatlin away, bagged his stash.
Gil and I'll run it down tonight.

HUNTER
Gil...?

DEE DEE
Gil Glasgow. He was assigned as
my new partner.

HUNTER
You've been alone in a car with
Gil Glasgow? I heard he makes
the other cop drive so he can
spend time admiring himself in
the rear view mirror.

DEE DEE
Hunter, I need a partner, he's
a partner, and he even volunteered.

HUNTER
Yeah, first he eyeballed your
legs, then he volunteered.

DEE DEE
I think you're being unfair
with Gil.

HUNTER
Yeah, well while your busy
making time with Gil Glasgow,
how about trying to get me
the hell out of here?

DEE DEE
I'm doing everything I can.

HUNTER
I know.
(beat)
But how come you call me Hunter
and you call him Gil?

DEE DEE
Because his mommy named him
Gil, and your mommy named you
Hunter.

HUNTER
Works for me.

OMITTED

CLOSE ON DEE DEE

as she realizes how serious Hunter's situation really is
Intercut their looks, then:

OMITTED

FADE OUT

END OF ACT TWO

***********************************************************

ACT THREE

FADE IN

OMITTED

EXT. APARTMENT BUILDING - DAY - ON DEE DEE'S CAR

parked across the street from the building. We can see
her sitting inside of it. Coming in the opposite
direction, we see Gil's car pull to a stop. He gets out
and moves to Dee Dee's car.

DEE DEE'S CAR - DAY - ON DEE DEE

as he opens the door to get in. He carries a carton with
a danish pastry, some butter, a glass of orange juice and
styrofoam cups of coffee.

DEE DEE
Someone order room service?

GIL
Just wanted to make sure you'd
be fully nourished before we
make our big bust.
(hands over
muffin)
I hope you like blueberry.

DEE DEE
(eyes on apartment
building)
Biueberry's great...

GIL
You all right? I mean, you look
terrible...I mean you don't look
terrible, but you look like
you've been up all night.

DEE DEE
I've been staking this place out
since Sugar called me. I'd've
rung you up but it was two a.m.

GIL
No action yet? You sure your
snitch got it right?

DEE DEE
The deal's going down and the
buyer lives here, that's what
she said.

GIL
You know, the next time you're
up late, feel free to call me,
I'd've been happy to come over
and take up the slack.

He hands her a muffin.

DEE DEE
The next time I'm up at three
a.m. I'll remember you said
that.

OMITTED

ANGLE - ON APARTMENT BUILDING

A door to one of the apartments opens and a man exits
quickly and slips down the steps to his car. He gets in
and pulls away.

BACK INSIDE DEE DEE'S CAR

as Gil and Dee Dee react.

DEE DEE
Let's do it.

And she puts the car in gear.

EXT. STREET - ON DEE DEE'S CAR

as it pulls out after the sedan.

OMITTED

ON DEE DEE – CAR

as it wipes frame:

EXT. PRISON - ESTABLISHING

EXT. EXERCISE YARD - DAY - ON HUNTER AND ARCHIE

Hunter is again going through his rigorous rope-skipping
routine as Archie lies back on a bench just watching and
as usual, talking.

CUT TO

ON MUNOS, RUFUS AND BOLLINGS

watching Hunter and Archie.

BOLLINGS
Those two are lookin' awful
chipper.

RUFUS
Not for long...

MUNOS
Yeah, when Hammer gets to 'em —

RUFUS
Hammer ain't gonna get the chance.

BOLLINGS
Rufus, don't be stupid, if you
waste Hunter, Hammer's gonna waste
you.

RUFUS
I won't waste him then, all right?
I'll just set him up, so Hammer
can finish him off.

MUNOS
Yeah, what're you gonna do?

RUFUS
Smart, well-educated cop like Hunter,
he's probably bored silly sitting
in his cell all the time...I'm gonna
give him something to occupy his brain.

BOLLINGS
Drugs?

RUFUS
Wouldn't waste 'em on him --
no, I got something more explosive
in mind.

Rufus smiles, heads over to the Guard.

ON BOLLINGS AND GUARD

as we see Bollings ask the Guard something. The Guard
nods and Bollings heads for a prison building.

CUT TO

INT. BATHROOM - DAY - ON BOLLINGS

as he enters and heads toward the trash can. He picks up
the lid and reaches down into it where he pulls out a
thick, book, like a dictionary. He then takes apart the
towel dispenser and pulls out a variety of things like a
dry battery cell and some wires. He takes all the stuff
and goes into one of the stalls and shuts the door behind
him. As it slams:

EXT. WAREHOUSE - DAY - ON SEDAN

parked near the back, at the end of the alley. In the
we can see Dee Dee's car drive past the alley opening,
then park.

CUT TO

OMITTED

MOVING WITH DEE DEE AND GIL

as they get out of her car and head toward the warehouse
keeping their backs against the wall.

OMITTED

EXT. WAREHOUSE

Dee Dee and Gil peer inside a partially broken frosted
window and find:

THEIR POV - TWO GUYS

One of whom is the BUYER; the other guy is a tough-looking,
ferret-eyed sleaze bag named, CARBONE. They're obviously
in the middle of a deal. Bags of drugs lie in an open
suitcase between the men as the Buyer does a little
sampling.

DEE DEE'S VOICE

Tony Carbone. The Hammer's first
lieutenant.

BACK TO DEE DEE AND GIL

GIL
Must be eight warrants out on him.
I thought he was hiding in Mexico?

DEE DEE
The Hammer must've brought him
back to snuff Gatlin and set
up Hunter.

GIL
This is gonna get us a citation
for sure. Maybe a medal.

DEE DEE
(looking around)
We gotta peg the back-up men.
Carbone wouldn't do this alone.

GIL
There's no one else in there,
Dee Dee. Unless they're invisible.

Dee Dee hesitates a moment.

GIL
Let's move now, while they're
concentrating on the merchandise.

Dee Dee nods. Then they move.

CUT TO

INT. WAREHOUSE - ON CARBONE AND THE BUYER

The Buyer starts putting the stuff back into the suitcase
as Carbone looks on.

BUYER
Okay, this is good. I'm in.

CARBONE
Money.

Suddenly, the doors on either side of the office blast
open, and Dee Dee and Gil appear, guns leveled at the
Buyer and Carbone.

DEE DEE
Hold it right there, Carbone!

The Buyer and Carbone freeze, but a shot rings out from
up above in Gil's direction.

ON GIL

as it barely misses him. He drops to the floor as we:

CUT TO

DEE DEE

reacting to the third party — the back-up she figured
probably around somewhere. She looks up and takes aim

BACK-UP MAN

high above in the scaffolding. As he takes another aim at
Gil, Dee Dee wings him with her own shot, and he falls,
killing himself.

DEE DEE AND GIL

Gil rushes over to the man, checks his pulse, realizes
he's dead as...Dee Dee returns her attention to the Buyer
and realizes Carbone is gone! From the depths of the
warehouse, the SOUND of running footsteps, then a blink
of daylight as a door is opened and closed and the foot-
steps vanish.

DEE DEE
(to Gil)
Cuff this clown — I'll go after
Carbone.

Dee Dee rushes into the depths of the warehouse as Gil
cuffs the Buyer, hooks him to something sturdy.

EXT. THE WAREHOUSE

Dee Dee comes running out the door as Carbone SQUEALS away
in his ND car. She dives into her car, peeling rubber as
she backs up...and Gil comes out of the warehouse door,
dives into the car through the passenger window as Dee Dee
shifts into forward, and we're off!

INT. DEE DEE'S CAR

Dee Dee and Gil are flying along, closing in on Carbone --

EXT. DEE DEE'S CAR

Dee Dee comes up to Carbone, bumps him a couple of times --
he hauls it around a corner — through light traffic, down
an alley, back onto the main thoroughfare... This is a two
lane road, light traffic, no shoulders alongside or about
to cross the L.A. River Channel... Dee Dee's only hope is
that she can slide over into the wrong-way lane, pass
Carbone and cut him off...and that is what she tries,
sliding over and beginning to pass, then, as a car comes
at her head-on, she has to slam on her brakes and pull
back in behind Carbone. Now she tries again, gets along-
side Carbone — he looks across at Dee Dee and Gil.

DEE DEE
Pull over, Carbone! Pull over,
dammit!

Carbone grins, looks ahead to where a truck is coming at
Dee Dee! She hits her brakes, pulls hard right brushing
Carbone's car, skewing him and spinning her car, bouncing
off the guard rail and stalling, as the truck rushes past
...Carbone seems to be getting away but...Gil has his gun
trained on Carbone's right rear wheel. Dee Dee is
desperately CRANKING the car.

GIL
No way I'm letting this sucker
get away.

DEE DEE
Gil, no!

She re—starts her engine and lurches forward but it's all
for naught as Gill simultaneously pulls the trigger and
blows Carbone's tire out and...Carbone's car leaps the
guard-rail, end over end, plunging down to the concrete
bottom of the L.A. River. Dee Dee drives up, SQUEALS
to a stop, leaps out and she and Gil peer down at Carbone
upside-down crushed car.

DEE DEE
(brushes past Gil)
Let's hope we can get an
ambulance here before Hunter's
only hope dies.

GIL
He was getting away, McCall.

Dee Dee eyes Gil furiously, then reaches into her
car for the radio mike.

DEE DEE
(into mike)
This is L-56 requesting paramedics
and a tow truck — and hurry!
We're at the L.A. River by the —

CUT TO:

OMITTED

EXT. PRISON - NIGHT – ESTABLISHING

CLOSE ON PRISON CLERK

laughing her head off. There are tears in her eyes,
she's laughing so hard. She signals for time-out as
she sits doubied-over at her desk.

CLERK
No-more! I can't take anymore!

When the shot widens, we find ourselves:

INT. PRISON OFFICE - DAY

Archie, the one making the Clerk laugh, sits on the
edge of her desk, while Hunter is in the b.g., supposedly
sweeping the floor.

ARCHIE
(laughing)
That one got you, didn't it? I
got some more. Listen to this
one -—

CLERK
Give me a chance to catch my
breath.

ARCHIE
What's Irish and sits outside?
(beat)
Patty 0'Furniture!

This one just kills the Clerk. She starts laughing even
harder.

ON HUNTER

as he pretends to sweep extremely close to the file cabinets.
Behind him, Archie has positioned himself on the Clerk's
desk so that she cannot see Hunter. Hunter watches the two
of them yuck it up, then kneels down to sweep the dirt onto
a dust pan.

CLOSE ON HUNTER

kneeling close to the cabinet that is marked "T." Hunter
carefully opens the cabinet and finds a file for "Telephone
Calls." As he does this:

CUT TO

ARCHIE AND THE CLERK

ARCHIE
A friend of mine went to see a
psychiatrist and he said to him
"Doctor, I don't know what's wrong
with me. Sometimes I feel like a
teepee and sometimes I feel like
a wigwam." And the shrink said,
"Oh that's easy. You're too tents."
Get it? Too tense.

As Archie and the Clerk scream with laughter, we see
Hunter stand up in the b.g. and begin sweeping again,
making a lot of noise. Archie turns to him.

ARCHIE
Hey — did you get all the dust
from between the cracks on those
cabinets there....?

SMASH CUT TO

INT. PRISON

Archie and Hunter are heading toward their cells.

ARCHIE
...The Clerk here, she don't
like dust between the cabinets.
Did we get her or did we get
her?

Hunter is looking over the phone list.

HUNTER
We did great, Arch.

ANGLE - ON RUFUS, MUNOS, AND BOLLINGS

They watch closely as Hunter heads into the cell and the
three of them break off and head toward their cells.

CUT TO

INT. HUNTER'S CELL - CLOSE ON BOOK

It is the same one we saw Bollings working on. There is
a makeshift jacket on it that says: "The Life and Time of
Sergeant Rick Hunter." Hunter passes the book which sits
on a table as he heads for the sink to wash his hands.

ON HUNTER

washing his hands as Archie enters his cell, pulling
something from his pocket.

ARCHIE
Dessert time!

Hunter looks over at Archie from the sink as Archie holds
up a candy bar.

ARCHIE
Dark chocolate with roasted
almonds.
(thinks)
Or is it ah-monds? How do you
say that, Hunter? Al-monds or
ah-monds?

HUNTER
I just say "nuts.^"

ARCHIE
(noticing book)
Hey, Hunter, where'd you get this
book?

HUNTER
(looking up)
What book?

ARCHIE
(reading)
"The Life and Times of Sergeant
Rick Hunter." Is this really a
book about you?

QUICK CUTS

of close-ups of Hunter's face with Archie and with the
book. On the last close-up of Hunter's face we see a
look of realization on his face.

CLOSE ON HUNTER

at the sink as he yells:

HUNTER
Archie, NO!

It's too late. The explosion rocks the cell as Hunter is
thrown back against the wall.

WIDER ON SCENE

as Guards come running from all over. We can hear alarms
going off, men yelling. General chaos has erupted as a
result of the explosion.

INT. HUNTER'S CELL - ON ARCHIE

lying on his stomach on the floor with Hunter behind him.
Hunter crawls over to Archie and grabs his arm.

ON HUNTER

as sorrow wipes his face and he drops his head.

FADE OUT

END OF ACT THREE

*************************************************************

ACT FOUR

FADE IN:

OMITTED

INT. INFIRMARY - DAY - ON DEE DEE

sitting at Hunter's bedside. His hands (fingers wrapped
together) and arms have bandages on them and he looks
a little worn out.

DEE DEE
Where does it hurt?

HUNTER
(indicates)
You see this little dimple
here in back of my ear, by
my neck?

DEE DEE
Yeah?

HUNTER
It doesn't hurt there.
(beat; then)
So, what's the news?

DEE DEE
We nailed the guy who snuffed
Gatlin and set you up.

HUNTER
You're kidding me....?

DEE DEE
Tony Carbone.

HUNTER
That looks right in, doesn't
it? He's a real talent at
second story work. While the
girl kept me busy he slipped
in, grabbed my gun, wasted
Gatlin, then slipped back
in and replaced the gun.

DEE DEE
Yeah, that's the way it figures.

HUNTER
So, when are they springing me?
Have they made Carbone talk yet?

DEE DEE
Uh, no, not yet -- but he will...
just as soon as they take the
tubes out of his throat...he's
in intensive care-— he had a
little auto accident.

HUNTER
Is he gonna make it?

DEE DEE
Fifty-fifty. But now that we
know it was Carbone, hopefully
we can retrace his steps back
to the murder. Gil's on top
of it right now.

HUNTER
And what else is Gil on top
of, McCall?

DEE DEE
I'll ignore that, Hunter.

HUNTER
Here — reach under the covers
here, will you?

Hunter, in pain, indicates for Dee Dee to dig under
the blanket.

HUNTER
(continuing)
Don't worry, Gil will
never know.

She pulls a sheaf of papers from under him. Obviously,
his bandaged hands lack sufficient dexterity for him
to have retrieved them himself.

DEE DEE
What're these?

HUNTER
Lists of all the phone calls
the Hammer and his bozos have
made recently. It's thin,
but maybe one of these numbers'll
lead someplace.

DEE DEE
I'll check 'em out. Oh and
here...I brought you something.
I figure you probably haven't
had one in a while.

ON HUNTER
as he pulls out a chili dog. He looks sadly at it for
a long time.

DEE DEE
What's wrong...not enough grease?

Hunter looks at the chili dog, then gives Dee Dee a
small smile. He's thinking about poor Archie.

HUNTER
Thanks.

DEE DEE
Anything else?

HUNTER
(holds up his
bandaged hands)
Take a letter? "Dear Uncle
Leo -— "

DEE DEE
(starting out)

Just try to stay in this place
as long as you can. At least
you're safe here.

SMASH CUT TO:

CLOSE - HAMMER

glaring through the window of his maximum security
cell at Rufus who's in the adjoining cell.

HAMMER
When you get outta here you're
two hundred pounds a 'dog food',
man!

RUFUS
(scared shitless
of Hammer)
We were just havin' some fun,
Hammer....Gave him a little
jolt—

HAMMER
(tightly)
Where is he now?

RUFUS
The infirmary. He's in the
infirmary...We just winged him.

Hammer turns into camera and we hold on his cold,
calculating look:

CUT TO

EXT. PARK - DAY

Gil has spread a lovely picnic lunch out on a cloth
on the grass. As Dee Dee hustles up to him, he
hands her a red rose.

DEE DEE
What's going on here, Gil? I've
been trying to call you all morn-
ing and then I got this message
to meet you here. What's this
all about?

GIL
Just a little celebration I
thought we both deserved.

DEE DEE
Celebration for what?

GIL
Well, Dee Dee, we did bust a
pretty big drug deal this
afternoon.

DEE DEE
(upset)
And almost lost the only person
that can clear Hunter, who, by
the way, was nearly killed
last night.

GIL
(soothing)
Take it easy. Remember, we've
got Carbone. Some pate.

DEE DEE
Carbone's in a coma. By the time
he wakes up and testifies,
provided he can remember his
name, Hunter could already be
dead. I got some phone numbers
from Hunter we should run down.

Gil looks at Dee Dee with his patronizing smile. He
pours some wine into their glasses, then hands her
one of them.

GIL
Everything is going to be all
right. I promise.

DEE DEE
(sarcastic)
You promise?

GIL
Yes. So, why don't you just
relax this evening and enjoy
the wine and food. Let's just
savor the victories for a
moment and put the other stuff
on hold. I think we both owe
it to ourselves.

DEE DEE
(a beat; then
taking glass)
You're absolutely right, Gil.

Gil gives Dee Dee a seductive smile, then holds his
glass out for a toast. As his glass meets Dee Dee's;

GIL
To the start of a wonderful
relationship.

Dee Dee returns Gil's smile with a smoldering look of
her own. Then, as Gil brings his wine glass to his lips
for a sip, Dee Dee turns her glass of wine upside down
and spills the contents onto Gil's crotch. Dee Dee keeps
smiling as Gil freezes in his place.

DEE DEE
Have a good one, Gil.

And on that, Dee Dee stands up and exits. We hold on
Gil as he shifts uncomfortably in his seat.

CUT TO:

CLOSE ON THE HAMMER

doubling over in pain, coughing and groaning. He
bangs loudly on the cell door until we hear FOOTSTEPS.
WIDEN to reveal:

INT. HAMMER'S CELL - ON THE HAMMER

barely able to stand as a GUARD opens the door and enters

GUARD
What's wrong?

HAMMER
(in pain)
My stomach, man. I got cramps
real bad.

GUARD
Wouldn't want that to happen,
right Hammer? You gotta live
so we can execute you.

RUFUS
(from next cell)
Hey, come on, they guy's hurting.
He's been driving us all nuts.

GUARD
(sighs, shakes head)
I'll get a stretcher.

The Hammer moans and groans in pain. The guard exits,
closes the door. Hold on Hammer - no longer in any pain.

OMITTED

INT. DEE DEE'S CAR - DAY

Dee Dee is driving. Suddenly, a call comes over the
radio:

OPERATOR (O.S.)
L-59, this is central, come
in, please, over.

Dee Dee picks up the radio mike.

DEE DEE
(into mike)
L-59, McCall here, over...

OPERATOR (O.S.)
We got back names and addresses
for those phone numbers, over...

DEE DEE
(into mike)
Shoot, over...

OPERATOR (O.S.)
Problem is they're all pay
phones, except for one, over...

DEE DEE
Clever calling people at pre-
arranged times at phone booths...
What about the other one? over...

OPERATOR (O.S.)
1197 Alameda--"The Rendez-Vous
Bar..."

CUT TO:

INT. BAR - DAY - ON WAITRESS

who is the same girl that came to Hunter's apartment.
She's serving up a tray of beers to one of the tables
when Dee Dee appears in the doorway and heads over to
the bar. We can see the Waitress' ears perk up when
she hears:

DEE DEE
I'm Sergeant McCall. I'd like 'to
ask you a few questions about who
receives calls on your phone.

ON THE BARTENDER

Dee Dee's back is to us, but we can see her face in
the mirrors behind the Bartender. We can also see the
Waitress turn her head toward the bar.

BARTENDER
(nervous)
My phone? Well, I guess we
get calls for customers some-
times, and employees, and
wrong numbers of course.

DEE DEE
Yeah, but who does the Hammer
or Tony Carbone ask for when
they call?

The Waitress sets down her tray, slips innocently
toward the exit--

ON DEE DEE
catches the move in the mirror and whirls around just
as the Waitress is starting out the door.

DEE DEE
(yelling)
Stop! Police!

The Waitress keeps on going. Dee Dee runs after her.

CUT TO;

EXT. BAR - DAY - ON WAITRESS

bolting out of the bar and heading toward her car.
Dee Dee comes out of the bar with her gun drawn.
The Waitress gets into the car and is about to get
away, but Dee Dee fires a few SHOTS into the front
tires and blows them out.

INT. CAR - ON WAITRESS

She knows she's sunk. She starts to cry and leans
on the steering wheel as Dee Dee moves to the car
and opens the door.

DEE DEE
Let me guess...your shift was
over and you were in a big
hurry to get home.

Now Dee Dee reaches into her purse, pulls out a folded
piece of paper and unfolds it -- it is the rendering of
the Waitress and it matches up damn close to the real
person.

DEE DEE
I'd say we got a match,
wouldn't you?

CUT TO;

INT. INFIRMARY - DAY - ON HUNTER

lying in bed as the Doctor changes some bandages on his
arms. At the opposite end of the ward, the doors open.
Guards/Attendants wheel in a gurney on which is the
moaning Hammer. The Doctor seems in no hurry to attend
to Hammer. Hunter can't see that it's Hammer.

HUNTER
(to the doctor)
Shouldn't you go check that
guy out? He sounds like a
wounded water buffalo.

DOCTOR
Nope—I can tell what's wrong
with him from here.

HUNTER
What?

DOCTOR
Coffee ashes. He puts cigarette
ashes into his coffee and then
he drinks it—makes him sick
to death, but it passes, and
it gets him out of max for
a while.
(finishes bandaging)
There, you're all set. I'll
change 'em again tomorrow
morning.

And the Doctor exits. When we hear the door close
and lock shut from the outside, the MOANING SUDDENLY
STOPS.

CLOSE ON HUNTER
as he rears up on his elbows and looks down the line of
empty beds toward the Hammer, who sits up and leers.
The realization of what's going on sinks in to Hunter,
and we hold on his look as we:

CUT TO:

OMITTED

INT. CAIN'S OFFICE

CLOSE ON CAIN

DEE DEE
I don't understand what the
problem is? I've got the
woman...she's given a sworn
statement she was involved
in this conspiracy to convict
Hunter. Let's get him out of
There!

CAIN
You know what, McCall? You've
been partnered up with that rodeo
rider for too long. You don't
seem to recall we've got a sys-
tem. Sometimes it's slow, some-
it's bogged down in red tape
but it exists and we have to
work with it. Now these things
take time.

DEE DES
How long?

CAIN
We have to locate a judge, he
has to review the girl's confes-
sion, papers have to be signed -

DEE DEE
Chicken salad assignments and
busted cars are one thing — but
we got a cop in the joint and
red tape and antiquated systems
aren't gonna be enough for me
if Hunter winds up dead!

Dee Dee grabs the phone off its cradle and thrusts it at
Cain:

DEE DEE
So you get on this phone, dig up
a judge who's the closest thing
to a friend of yours and kick this
thing into motion!

Hold on Cain and Dee Dee glaring at each other for a beat
then;

INT. POLICE SQUAD ROOM - DAY

Some of the officers go about their business, but most
of them seem interested in trying to get a peek into
Cain's office where we can see Dee Dee wait as Cain
finishes up his phone call. One of the people watching
is Terwilliger as Dee Dee exits the office:

ON TERWILLIGER - MOVING WITH DEE DEE

TERWILLIGER
(amused)
Heard you're still looking for
a new partner, McCall...

DEE DEE
Not anymore, Bernie.

TERWILLIGER
Oh, yeah...who's the "lucky" guy?

DEE DEE
Rick Hunter.

TERWILLIGER
Oh, really? Are you going to
jail also?

DEE DEE
Why don’t you save those jokes
for when Hunter's back tomorrow?

Dee Dee takes off and we hold Terwilliger's worried look

TERWILLIGER
(calls after)
Tell him I was just doing my job.
(to passing officers)
My job, right?

CUT TO

INT. INFIRMARY - ON HUNTER

as he suddenly rolls out of bed as a chair comes
crashing at him. Hammer, the hurler of the chair,
laughs. Now Hunter ducks and bobs his way across
the room, kicking things in front of Hammer. Now
Hammer reaches for a spring on one of the beds
and yanks it up. Off his evil look:

CUT TO:

INT. PRISON ADMISSIONS - ON DEE DEE

rushing up to the desk and showing her papers.

DEE DEE
I'm Sergeant Dee Dee McCall.
I have an order here from
Judge William Prescott to
release Rick Hunter..

CUT TO:

INT. INFIRMARY - ON HUNTER AND THE HAMMER

The Hammer is dangerously close to Hunter and he's
swinging the jagged edge of the spring manically,
cutting the air and finding Hunter's flesh every now
and then. Blood trickles down from Hunter's shoulder
as we:

CUT TO:

INT. PRISON HALLWAY - ON DEE DEE WITH A GUARD

as he leads her toward the infirmary.

CUT TO:

INT. INFIRMARY - ON HUNTER AND THE HAMMER

The Hammer leans way in to get Hunter who ducks. The
Hammer misses him, but manages to come up behind him
and lock the spring around Hunter's neck.

CUT TO:

INT. PRISON HALLWAY - ON DEE DEE WITH A GUARD

as they turn a corner and are heading for the infirmary.

CUT TO:

INT. INFIRMARY - CLOSE ON HUNTER

whose arms don't allow him to fend off the Hammer who's
got a death grip around Hunter's neck. Hunter tries
desperately to roll to one side, but he's choking under
the tight clasp of the spring. Right when it looks like
Hunter has choked out his last breath:

CUT TO:

EXT. INFIRMARY - ON DEE DEE AND THE GUARD

The Guard uses his key to unlock the door...and he
and Dee Dee hear clatter coming from inside the
infirmary. They react as the Guard hurries to get
the door open and they hurry in to find:

INT. INFIRMARY

Hunter and the Hammer wrestling. The Guard hits an
alarm button on the side of the door, then pulls his
gun and fires a couple of warning shots over their heads

ON HUNTER AND THE HAMMER

The Hammer looks up, giving Hunter enough to butt him
squarely in the jaw with his elbow, then knees him in
the gut. When the Hammer doubles over. Hunter gives
him an upward chop to the chin and sends the Hammer
on his ass. As the Guard races to Hammer, Hunter
sinks to his knees.

ON DEE DEE

as she goes to Hunter who lies against a bed on the
floor. She looks at his wounded arm, then at him.
She holds up the paper that will make him a free man.

DEE DEE
Habeas corpas. Guess who's a
free man again?

HUNTER
(smiles weakly)
Works for me.

FADE OUT

END OF ACT FOUR

TAG

FADE IN

EXT. POLICE STATION - DAY - ON HUNTER AND DEE DEE

exiting. Hunter looks a lot happier as he eyes his badge

DEE DEE
Probably thought you'd never see
that again.

HUNTER
It was starting to cross my mind.
Especially after you got teamed
up with Don Juan.

DEE DEE
Well, fortunately I got rid of
him in time.

HUNTER
Where is he these days? Looking
for partners?

DEE DEE
I think he's getting his pants
dry-cleaned.

HUNTER
What...?

DEE DEE
Never mind. Where's your car,
Hunter? Cain said he was gonna
issue you a new one.

HUNTER
It's supposed to be parked right
out in front of the motor pool...

As they turn the corner:

CUT TO

ON ANOTHER RUN-DOWN PIECE OF JUNK

sitting in Hunter's parking spot. As Hunter and Dee Dee
walk up to it:

HUNTER
I don't believe it. Where do
they find these?

DEE DEE
(almost amused)
I think it's been through a
fire-bombing.

HUNTER
I almost get killed in prison
and he doesn't have the decency
to issue me a car that runs.

DEE DEE
Now you don't know that for sure...
just because it doesn't have a
front end.

HUNTER
(turns and
heads back)
That does it...

As Hunter heads back to the Police Station:

HUNTER
I'm going up there to make
that jackass give me a new car.

DEE DEE
(pulls at
his shoulder)
Oh, forget about it, Hunter.
Do it tomorrow. Let's have
dinner.

HUNTER
I don't want to go to dinner.

DEE DEE
(heard this before)
You're just gonna go home and
watch TV by yourself, right?

Right then, a car pulls up to the curb. The sound it
makes tells us what horrible condition it's in. It
just barely chokes its way out of traffic. As Dee
Dee and Hunter watch this, a pretty young girl gets
out and looks at Hunter.

PRETTY YOUNG GIRL
Hi. I'm having some car trouble.
Could you help me out or show
me a phone where I could call the
Automobile Club?

ON HUNTER

as he looks at the girl, then at Dee Dee.

HUNTER
(to Dee Dee)
Let's go get that dinner, McCall.

And as Hunter grabs Dee Dee by the arm and leads her
away from the stranded girl:

FREEZE FRAME

FADE OUT

THE END