by James Cage
grabs a towel and wipes his mouth and nose. He opens a suitcase and pulls out a green surgical mask. He ties the mask over his mouth and nose.
Jaime proceeds to chop the bricks of cocaine. He makes twelve individual piles. He wraps the first pile in cellophane. He gets a white gym sock and pads the sock with a small sponge and cotton. He places the cellophane bag of cocaine into the sock and rolls it up. He repeats the procedure.
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EXT. STREET - GUADALAJARA - DAWN
TITLE CARD: THE NEXT MORNING - WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 13, 1976
Jaime closes the trunk of his Chevy Malibu.
INT. CAR - DAWN
Jaime pops two pills into his mouth and washes them down with a Coke. He places the pill bottle on the passenger seat.
INSERT
The LABEL on the pill bottle reads LOMOTIL.
NOTE: LOMOTIL is a mild opiate derivative that prevents diarrhea.
EXT. HIGHWAY - GUADALAJARA - DAWN
MOVING
The Chevy drives east into the mountains. The lights of Guadalajara are seen on the Western plateau.
EXT. HIGHWAY - TABASCO, MEXICO - MORNING
MOVING
Driving around the mountains, the car slowly passes a SIGN marking the town of TABASCO. Tabasco is a small, dreary town. There are PEASANTS on the side of the road, waiting at a bus stop. These men look like movie extras in films about Emiliano Zapata. Jaime pulls the car into a Pemex gas station at the far end of town.
EXT. HIGHWAY - ZACATECAS, MEXICO - DAY
MOVING
The car continues the trip and finally comes out of the mountains into a town. A SIGN shows the town ZACATECAS.
The sun shines.
INT. CAR - DAY
Jaime now drives the car wearing sunglasses.
The car passes a SIGN on the road, 54 NORTE. The drive continues through the flat desert. There is sparse traffic.
Country Western Music plays on the radio.
EXT. HIGHWAY - SALTILLO, MEXICO - DAY
MOVING
The car enters the city of SALTILLO. The traffic is heavy and driving is slow. There is steady highway traffic all the way into the larger city of MONTERREY.
EXT. PEMEX STATION - MONTERREY, MEXICO - DAY
Jaime pulls the Chevy Malibu into the gas station at the north end of Monterrey. A GAS STATION ATTENDANT fills the tank.
Jaime gets out, stretches and yawns. He takes off the sunglasses and rubs his eyes. He grabs a small bottle of Coke from a case of Coca Cola. He takes a bottle opener from the case and opens the Coke. He sips the soda and checks his wristwatch.
INSERT
The WRISTWATCH TIME shows 2:15 o'clock.
EXT. FEDERALE PERIMETER CHECKPOINT - MEXICO - TEN KILOMETERS FROM THE UNITED STATES BORDER - DAY
The car is stopped at a Federale checkpoint. Jaime gets out of the car.
Jaime hands the FEDERALE a Mexican student visa, an American passport and his car documents. The big, fat bastard Federale authoritatively looks at Jaime's documents and ambles to the front of the Chevy Malibu. He checks the date on the Mexican car permit sticker at the driver side front window. Everything is in order.
The Federale peers inside the car and speaks to Jaime in Spanish.
FEDERALE
Andale pues.
Jaime gets going.
EXT. HIGHWAY - NUEVO LAREDO, MEXICO - DAY
MOVING
The Chevy Malibu travels through the busy border town of NUEVO LAREDO and crosses the bridge into LAREDO, TEXAS.
EXT. USA CUSTOMS STATION - LAREDO, TEXAS - DAY
The car idles in a line at the US frontier entry point. There are many cars and vans entering the USA at Laredo, Texas. In the adjacent car line, three CUSTOMS AGENTS are thoroughly checking a Ford van. A different CUSTOMS AGENT approaches Jaime's car.
CUSTOMS AGENT
(Heavy West Texas drawl)
Get out of the car.
Jaime gets out.
CUSTOMS AGENT (CONT'D)
Driver's license and registration.
Jaime hands the Customs Agent his license, Texas car registration, American passport and Mexican Student Visa.
The Customs Agent checks these documents.
Jaime opens the driver side door. He reaches into the car and grabs a Coke from the bag on the passenger side floor. He opens the bottle with an opener. He takes a sip of cola. Jaime relieves tension by sipping Coca Cola.
CUSTOMS AGENT (CONT'D)
Open your trunk. Do you have anything to declare: fruits, vegetables, alcohol?
Jaime opens the trunk.
JAIME
I have nothing to declare.
The Customs Agent does a half-ass job checking the baggage in the car trunk. He does not open any luggage.
ANOTHER ANGLE
The Customs Agent turns and looks at Jaime.
CUSTOMS AGENT
When was the last time you were in Texas?
JAIME
About six months ago.
CUSTOMS AGENT
Are you carrying contraband?
JAIME
No contraband, just this Coke.
Jaime holds up the bottle of Coca Cola that he has been drinking.
CUSTOMS AGENT
(Speaking Slowly)
Get the fuck out of here ass-hole.
Jaime quickly gets back into the car. He turns his head and looks at the large clock in the Customs Station Office.
INSERT
The CLOCK shows 5:45 o'clock.
EXT. ROAD - LAREDO, TEXAS - EVENING
The Chevy drives north. The sun sets in the West.
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INT. BATHROOM - GRAND HOTEL LAREDO, TEXAS - EVENING
The extreme tension of the day has gotten to Jaime. He vomits into the toilet.
INT. BEDROOM - GRAND HOTEL - A SHORT TIME LATER - NIGHT
Jaime gets into bed and begins a restless sleep. HE DREAMS.
CUT TO
INT. RESTAURANT KITCHEN - BROOKLYN, NY - NIGHT
TITLE CARD: JERRY'S BAR AND GRILL BROOKLYN, NY - 1966
Jaime is seventeen years old. He sits on a kitchen chair. He wears an apron. The kitchen is clean, the dishes and glasses are properly in place. Jaime drinks a glass of milk. Everything is quiet and peaceful.
INT. BARROOM - MOMENTS LATER
The barroom is empty. A middle aged man wearing an apron wipes off the bar. He is Jaime's UNCLE JERRY. Uncle Jerry has snow white hair and is average height and weight.
The CLOCK on the wall shows 3:00 o'clock. It is 3 AM, closing time.
TWO LARGE MEN in casual dress quietly enter the barroom. Uncle Jerry turns and recognizes the men.
UNCLE JERRY
(Brooklyn Accent,Speaking Friendly)
Hey guys, what's up.
VARIOUS ANGLES
The Two Men draw revolvers and shoot at Uncle Jerry. Uncle Jerry quickly dives under the bar. He is not fast enough and one of the bullets hits him in the shoulder. He groans.
As the Two Men move around the side of the bar to kill Uncle Jerry, Jaime enters the barroom from the kitchen.
Jaime aims a double barrel twelve gauge, pump action shotgun at the Two Men. He unloads both barrels. There are two loud BLASTS. Jaime motionless, stares at the dead men. He has blown off parts of their faces.
Uncle Jerry comes from around the bar. There is blood dripping from his right shoulder. With his good left arm, he grabs the shotgun from Jaime.
UNCLE JERRY (CONT'D)
Get out. Don't ever say a word about this to anyone. I will take care of everything.
(Pause)
Thanks Jimmy.
INT. BEDROOM - GRAND HOTEL LAREDO, TEXAS - DAWN
As Jaime wakes up he moans, jumps out of bed and goes into the bathroom.
SOUNDS of a shower running water are heard off camera.
Jaime re-enters the bedroom. He is very slim. He has lost fifteen pounds since July. He dries his face and torso with an extra large towel. He looks at t
he towel.
INSERT
Written on the towel: GRAND HOTEL LAREDO, TEXAS.
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EXT. HIGHWAY ROUTE 35 NORTH - AUSTIN, TEXAS - DAY
TITLE CARD: AUSTIN, TEXAS - THURSDAY OCTOBER 14, 1976
MOVING
The Chevy Malibu drives up ROUTE 35 into AUSTIN, TEXAS.
EXT. MCDONALD'S RESTAURANT - AUSTIN, TEXAS - DAY
The car pulls into McDonald's.
ANOTHER ANGLE
Jaime walks from the car parking lot toward the entrance of McDonald's.
GUYS with cowboy hats, sitting in trucks with shotgun racks are eating hamburgers and drinking beer. A COUNTRY MUSIC station plays Roy Orbison, "I feel so bad I've got a worried mind, I'm so lonesome all the time."
Three very pretty TEENAGED GIRLS in jeans and boots are walking into McDonald's. They are happy, having a gleeful conversation. One of the girls, a good-looking BLOND about five feet eight inches tall, has a pair of well-endowed breasts. She smiles at Jaime.
Jaime silently smiles back at her. He walks over to a phone booth.
INT. PHONE BOOTH - AUSTIN, TEXAS - DAY
Jaime dials. SOUNDS of COINS are heard.
SOUND of RINGING.
ROB (V.O.)
(Midwestern Accent)
Rob here.
JAIME
Rob this is Jaime. How are things in Cincinnati?
ROB (V.O.)
The Reds are in the World Series against the Yankees.
JAIME
That's great. Where's Tom?
ROB (V.O.)
Tom is in Chicago. Can we all meet there?
JAIME
No. I am not driving to Chicago. (Pause)
Today is Thursday. I'm in Austin, Texas. I'll make Little Rock by Saturday. I'll meet you and Tom, at the Ramada Inn on Highway 30 West at 2:00 PM. Make the reservation in your name, so I can call you at the motel.
ROB (V.O.)
OK, that's Saturday, October 16, 2:00 PM, Ramada Inn, Highway 30 West, Little Rock, Arkansas.
Jaime hangs up the phone.
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EXT. WAFFLE HOUSE - LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS - DAY
TITLE CARD: LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS - SATURDAY, OCTOBER 16, 1976
Jaime stands next to his car in the WAFFLE HOUSE parking lot. He has the backpack on and holds a canvas gym bag in his left hand.
He walks to a phone
