ACT TWO
FADE IN:
EXT. DISCO INFERNO - BACK ALLEY - NIGHT
We're looking at Trixie's dead face, eyes still open. Nick
kneels, wipes his hand over Trixie's face, closing her eyes.
NICK
(tragic)
What a waste.
Kate approaches. Refers to her notepad.
KATE
There was one witness. Trixie's
dance instructor. Said she was
talking to some guy. Didn't get a
good look at him. But it seemed
like they knew each other.
NICK
Which explains why Trixie snuck out.
KATE
You think she was meeting our Link?
NICK
Greaseball had to have a source.
Someone on the inside who knew Pixies
were gonna be here tonight.
(looks towards body)
Maybe that source was Trixie.
Nick produces an EVIDENCE BAG with some fibers inside.
NICK
I found some hair under her
fingernails.
KATE
They look too course to be human.
INT. SU2 PRECINCT - JONATHAN'S AREA - DAY
'70S MICROSCOPE VIEWFINDER
It's blurry, then goes in and out of focus until it finds
HAIR SAMPLES on a slide.
JONATHAN
Adjusts the focus knob. Then steps back from an old-fashioned
MICROSCOPE like on "Quincy, M.E."
JONATHAN
These hairs belong to the baddest
insect in the whole entomology world.
Its Latin name is Groovophilius
Mellogangsta.
CAPTAIN PAGE
The Fly...
NICK
What's the lowdown on this overgrown
maggot?
JONATHAN
Buzz ain't good. They have
accelerated metabolism, quick
reflexes, heightened senses. And
the strength to lift twenty times
its own body weight...
KATE
How do we kill it?
NICK
(flashes his .44)
I'd recommend a giant flyswatter.
Jonathan pulls out a tray of SU2 AMMO.
JONATHAN
I had the guys in the crime lab whip
up some Mahogany Velvet Ammo. They're
made from Pyrethrum Concentrate.
(off Nick's look)
In layman's terms, it's Raid.
CAPTAIN PAGE
This is a highly unusual case for
SU2. We're not only after a dangerous
Link, but one who's dealing in lethal
narcotics.
(turns to)
Jonathan. What do we know about the
Angel Dust it's peddling?
JONATHAN
If this dust makes it to the streets,
it'll create a generation of drug
users like we've never seen before.
It's so addictive that one out of
every two users will overdose.
NICK
What about those that live?
JONATHAN
They'll think they're Pixies and try
to fly.
CAPTAIN PAGE
It's a damn shame.
Captain Page turns to look at the 1976 Bicentennial Flag.
CAPTAIN PAGE
Listen up, people. This is our
bicentennial year. And our
forefathers didn't bleed red, white
and blue for us to become one nation
under junk, divisible by this
pusherman.
(turns to face Nick
and Kate)
It's up to us to make the streets
safe again. Our children deserve to
grow up in a world where drugs cure
you, not kill you.
Nick turns to Kate as they walk out.
NICK
C'mon. Let's go try to find Trixie's
trail.
EXT. P. DADDY'S SUPPER CLUB - DAY
Kate and Nick walk down the alley.
KATE
Remember what Captain Page said.
Don't shoot anything. We don't want
him to have any more of his ass chewed
off.
NICK
Out.
KATE
Whatever.
EXT. P. DADDY'S SUPPER CLUB - DAY
A CARPENTER finishes installing a NEW DOOR. The Bouncer
stands up between Nick and the new door.
BOUNCER
Last time you came in here cost Pimp
Daddy almost a grand in damage.
NICK
I think you guys are overpaying.
It's just a door and a couple pool
tables.
BOUNCER
If you wanna get through the door
this time, you've gotta go through
me.
The Bouncer folds his arms. Nick looks at Kate.
KATE
Remember, Nick. No guns.
NICK
Fine.
Nick GRABS the Bouncer by the lapels of his coat.
INT. P. DADDY'S SUPPER CLUB - CONTINUOUS
Boxes of stolen merchandise are stacked everywhere. Carl
slices one open to show a PROSPECTIVE BUYER. *
CARL
There you are. The latest in hi-fi
stereo technology.
It's an ancient, bulky, blocky TAPE RECORDER, before walkmans
were even a glimmer in Sony's eye.
CARL
These babies aren't even due to hit
the showroom 'til the holiday season.
BLAM!
Door shrapnel and the Bouncer come flying in -- Nick just
tossed the Bouncer through the door. He steps over the
Bouncer who's out cold on his back. Kate shakes her head.
NICK
I keep forgetting the password.
Carl turns to the Buyer who bolts out of frame. Another *
sale blown thanks to O'Malley. He looks at all the evidence
stacked around the room and thinks fast.
The pool tables Nick shot before have been poorly nailed
back together. It looks like bad surgery.
CARL
You're not gonna believe this. 'Cause
I don't believe it. But these
stereos? They just fell off a truck.
KATE
Into here?
CARL
Hard to believe.
NICK
And in organized stacks?
CARL
Dumb luck, huh?
KATE
We didn't come here about the stereos.
(sensitive)
It's about Trixie.
CARL
(been through this)
Where do I post bail?
NICK
(sotto)
She's dead.
Carl sinks into his private booth. What once was full of
life, now seems empty.
KATE
We found her body in the alley behind
the Disco Inferno.
CARL
(fondly)
She loved to dance...
NICK
Carl, her wings were clipped.
CLOSE UP
Of Carl. He slams his fist down on the table in rage.
CARL
Why Trixie?!!!
Nick and Kate are sensitive to Carl's emotions. He collects
himself, his rage hiding behind his scowl.
CARL
Now it's personal.
KATE
We think Trixie may have been mixed
up with the Link who's pushing the
dust.
CARL
She was my best girl. We were fixin'
to go away together. Some place
warm. Acapulco.
(vengeful)
I want to find whoever did this.
NICK
We'll need to sniff around her
apartment. Look through her personal
things, address book, phone bills.
CARL
Whatever it takes.
INT. THE FLY'S DRUG DEN - DAY
CRONY #1 unwraps a CLOTH PACKAGE, revealing a pair of pure
white Pixie wings. Using a set of tongs, he picks up the
wings and lowers them into a pot boiling on the stove. He
then lifts a SECOND pot from the stove and carries it to a
table. We get a glimpse at a WHITE PASTY SUBSTANCE inside. *
CRONY #2 takes a heaping of DRIED PIXIE WING POWDER then *
pours a large amount of CUTTING AGENT (marked POWDERED MILK)
into it.
A little Pixie Dust goes a long way. He uses PLAYING CARDS
to finely mix it. As Fly walks past --
THE FLY
No lumps. I want the dust finer
than Pam Grier's ass.
The Fly walks up to Crony #3.
THE FLY
Let's test the purity.
CRONY #3
Quality blow burns off at a hundred-
thirty degrees. Primo Smack at two-
ten. But Pixie dust? We gotsta
reach all da way up to two-fitty.
Crony #3 dips a needle and thermometer into a tray of finely
cut Pixie Dust. He needs just a dab, then dips it into a
test tube that boils over a bunson burner. The Fly watches
as the mercury passes 250 and levels off at 270.
THE FLY
Blast off.
(as mercury hits the
mark)
Gentlemen, we have entered the Milky
Way...
CRONY #3
This stuff is dope. Best I've ever
seen. What do we stand to make on
it? Five figures?
THE FLY
Fifty kilos... Two g's a pop... We're
looking at six figures. Hundred
grand.
(wide grin)
We can all retire in style.
CRONY #1 (O.S.)
Yo, Fly...
The Fly walks to Crony #1 who weighs the dust on a LAB SCALE.
Mylar bags wrapped in masking tape next to it.
CRONY #1
'Rithmatic don't add up. Even with
these wings, we's still three, maybe
four Pixie chicks worth shy.
THE FLY
Not to worry, young blood. Not to
worry. What'd Dorothy do when she
needed to find Oz?
(holds up spoon of
white dust)
She followed that white brick road.
INT. NICK'S CAR - DAY
Nick, Kate and Carl. Kate pages through a magazine.
KATE
Far out! My letter got published in
Ms. Magazine.
CARL
What letter?
NICK
Kate wrote a letter to the editor
saying she should be paid the same
as a male cop.
Carl laughs uncontrollably.
KATE
Well, Gloria Steinem seems to think
it's a valid argument.
(to Nick)
And you still haven't given me one
reason to the contrary.
NICK
That's easy. I drive the car. When
you drive the car, you can make what
I do.
KATE
Fine. Pull over. I'll drive.
NICK
You crazy? Nobody drives my car.
CARL
Besides. Then we'd never get there.
Nick and Carl give each other five over the seat.
KATE
All I'm saying is anything men can
do, women can do better.
KATE
Look at Billie Jean King. She beat
Bobby Riggs in the Battle of the
Sexes.
NICK
Yeah? Well, I'm still not convinced
she's a woman.
CARL
Her name is Billie.
Kate huffs. Looks out her window.
KATE
You can both kiss my grits.
EXT. TRIXIE'S APARTMENT BUILDING - DAY
Nick, Kate and Carl exit the car and approach the building.
Carl takes a set of keys out of his pocket.
CARL
This is it. Trixie's pad is on the
third floor.
KATE
She gave you a set of keys? How
romantic.
CARL
You kidding? I pay for this place.
There is nothing romantic about that.
NICK
You guys go in through the front.
(pulls gun)
I'll stay behind and check around
back.
EXT. ALLEY BEHIND TRIXIE'S BUILDING - DAY
Nick snoops around. A sound above. Nick looks up three
floors - Trixie's floor - and notices curtains blowing out
an open window.
THE FLY
LANDS in SLO-MO facing Nick. Nick aims his gun.
NICK
Freeze, scumbag!
But The Fly is super fast. He leaps over Nick just as CRONY *
#2 screeches up in his CAR. The Fly quickly gets into the *
passenger side. Nick gets off a few shots, but it's no use. *
The car peels away.
THIRD FLOOR WINDOW
KATE
(peaking out)
We're all right.
NICK
I'm going after them.
EXT. TRIXIE'S BUILDING FRONT - CONTINUOUS
HOOD SLIDE
Nick glides across his car hood, gun still in hand.
BEHIND REAR TIRE
Camera is ground level as the tires spin. SMOKE fills the
rear wheel well as Nick burns rubber.
'70S STYLE CAR CHASE
EXTERIOR CAR CHASE STOCK FOOTAGE from THE SEVEN-UPS will be
cut with INTERIOR SU2 FOOTAGE of NICK and The Fly.
This chase is a full-course menu of everything we were raised
on - from fish tailing around curves to constant sounds of
upshifting transmissions to side swipes when cars were built
to handle doors mashing into each other.
It's all grit with plenty of grunting, brow squinting and
lip furling involved. Both hands ALWAYS grip the steering
wheel - tight enough to see the knuckles flare and turn white -
unless they're shooting guns at each other.
INTERIOR FOOTAGE of Nick and The Fly will have TWO CAMERA
angles prominently featured from this era:
THE HOOD MOUNT
Looking through the windshield, over the steering wheel and
straight on the driver. And --
THE FLOOR MOUNT
From the floor of the car looking up at the driver, this
showcases a physical side of driving more than a hood mount
that's no longer used today.
Finally, INSERTS that accentuate mounting tension include:
SPEEDOMETER
Not the circular dials we have today, but that OLD ANALOG
one: long, rectangular listing the speed in increments of
TEN (10, 20...through 110). And the ORANGE NEEDLE that ANGLES
LEFT on the low speeds then ANGLES RIGHT on the high speed.
BRAKE PEDAL
Danger of colliding with traffic or pedestrians is played up
with the FOOT LIFTING OFF THE GAS to SLAM on the brakes.
GAS PEDAL
Vital to teasing the viewer. The hero SLAMS ON THE GAS PEDAL
when needing to catch up with the villain.
With that said, let's get on with the chase.
INT. NICK'S CAR - DAY
One hand on the wheel, Nick grabs the CB handle.
NICK
This is O'Malley. I've got a ten-
twenty in progress heading east on
Fullerton --
INT. THE FLY'S CAR - CONTINUOUS
The Fly - toothpick in his mouth - looks over his shoulder.
EXT. INTERSECTION (STOCK 02:03:12:03-13:00)
The Fly's car approaches the Nile of oncoming traffic.
INT. THE FLY'S CAR - DAY
The Fly motions to Crony #2 to turn RIGHT. They do. Hard.
EXT. INTERSECTION (STOCK 02:03:14:27-03:15:24)
The Fly's car fishtails, narrowly avoiding cars. It speeds
off along with the traffic.
INT. NICK'S CAR
Nick's face registers the danger ahead.
BRAKE PEDAL
Nick's foot lifts off the gas and SLAMS on the BRAKE PEDAL.
EXT. INTERSECTION (STOCK 02:03:19:27-20:10; 21:09-03:24:00)
Nick's car fish tails, also narrowly avoiding traffic.
INT. NICK'S CAR
Nick cuts the wheel sharp and regains control.
GAS PEDAL
Nick's foot SLAMS down on the GAS PEDAL.
EXT. STREET (STOCK 02:03:54:02-03:57:14)
Nick's car trails The Fly's car.
EXT. INTERSECTION (STOCK 02:05:55:28-06:00:22)
The Fly's car drives through, avoiding cross-traffic.
INT. NICK'S CAR
Nick swerves the steering wheel LEFT to avoid a car.
EXT. SIDEWALK (STOCK 2:02:53:02-54:12) *
Nick avoids collision, but his car pulls up the sidewalk.
INT. NICK'S CAR
Nick hits the horn to alert pedestrians. INTERCUT WITH --
NICK
Outta my way!
EXT. SIDEWALK (STOCK 02:02:57:05-58:10; 02:59:23-03:01:25)
Nick's car smashes into a fruit cart.
INT. NICK'S CAR
HOOD MOUNT
Fruit pounds Nick's windshield. Nick hits the wipers.
EXT. SIDEWALK (STOCK 02:03:02:26-02:03:05:05)
Nick's car pulls back onto the street, hitting a curb --
EXT. STREET (STOCK 02:06:25:18-06:33:02)
Nick's car is gaining on The Fly's.
OMITTED::52
EXT. STREET (STOCK 02:06:39:18-06:55:02)
Nick's Car POV tails The Fly's car through intersections.
EXT. STREET (02:07:00:27-07:05:25)
The Fly's car swerves and knocks off a CAR DOOR as it opens.
INT. THE FLY'S CAR (STOCK 02:08:41:13-02:08:45:10)
Over the dashboard (not showing actors) and through the
windshield, we rapidly approach a bridge which is obstructed
by a two-cop car blockade --
EXT. BRIDGE (STOCK 02:08:41:13-02:08:45:10)
The Fly's car crashes through the blockade and motors on.
INT. NICK'S CAR
Nick swerves to navigate through the cop cars --
EXT. BRIDGE (STOCK 02:08:41:13-02:08:45:10)
Nick's car motors through the demolished cop cars and
continues in pursuit of The Fly.
INT. THE FLY'S CAR
The Fly looks over his shoulder. Sees Nick on his tail.
THE FLY
Damn! This cop sticks to us better
than fly paper!
INT. NICK'S CAR
Nick rolls down the window, and SHOOTS his gun.
INT. THE FLY'S CAR
The Fly and Crony #2 duck the incoming bullets.
THE FLY
That mutha --
The Fly lowers his visor where a GUN is strapped on. He
pulls it off and AIMS OUT HIS WINDOW, back at Nick --
INT. NICK'S CAR
Nick swerves to avoid The Fly's gunshots. BOOM! His HOOD
is blown off. Nick fires back. BANG! BANG! CLICK! CLICK!
He's out and tosses his gun into the passenger seat.
PEDALS
Nick slams down the gas pedal.
SPEEDOMETER
The needle inches up from 70...80...90 --
OMITTED
INT. NICK'S CAR
Nick keeps one eye on the road ahead, the other on The Fly's
car as he inches up. He's almost nose-to-nose and grill-to-
grill when he CUTS the WHEEL LEFT --
EXT. COUNTRYSIDE HIGHWAY (STOCK 02:10:51:24-52:20)
Nick's car slams into the side of The Fly's car.
INT. THE FLY'S CAR
The Fly - and his car - are shoved to the LEFT from the
impact. Crony #2 returns the favor by CUTTING his WHEEL
RIGHT.
EXT. COUNTRYSIDE HIGHWAY (STOCK 02:11:06:00-11:08:00)
The Fly's car SLAMS into Nick's car.
INT. NICK'S CAR
Nick and his car are thrown RIGHT. He regains control, then -
with white man's over-bite for emphasis - CUTS the WHEEL
LEFT.
EXT. STREET (STOCK 02:11:15:16-11:16:22)
Nick's car BODYSWIPES The Fly's car AGAIN.
INT. THE FLY'S CAR
The impact throws them LEFT. As they regain control --
INT. NICK'S CAR
He regains control. Grabs his C.B.
NICK
(into C.B.)
They're heading back into the city.
INT. THE FLY'S CAR
The Fly and Crony #2 look back at Nick. They both turn
forward then--
'70S ZOOM IN
On The Fly's face. He opens his mouth wide in shock and the
toothpick drops into his lap --
EXT. STREET
(This is not stock). A truck pulls out of an alley, blocking
the street in front of The Fly.
INT. THE FLY'S CAR
Crony #2 cuts his wheel hard to avoid the truck.
EXT. STREET
(Not stock) The Fly's car skids to a stop. The engine is
stalled. Nick's car SKIDS to a stop behind him, wedging him
in.
INT. THE FLY'S CAR
Crony #2 tries to start the car, but it's no use.
EXT. STREET
The Fly and Crony #2 get out of the car. Crony #2 runs out
of frame. Nick lets the small fish get away, faces The Fly.
OMITTED
NICK
When I'm through with you, you're
going to look like ten miles of bad
road.
Then the TRUCK DRIVER exits his vehicle, right into a hostage
situation. The Fly grabs him.
THE FLY
Now I'm callin' the shots, cop.
Dig?
NICK
Only thing I'll be digging is your
grave.
THE FLY
We'll see 'bout that. But it'll
hav'ta be another time. Another
place.
With what leg strength he HAS LEFT, The Fly does his patented
SLO-MO leap up out of frame. Nick loses him over the roof-
line. The Fly's coat flaps from the momentum, causing a
PAMPHLET fall to out of his pocket and onto the ground.
Nick picks up the pamphlet. It's information on the MISS
CHICAGO PAGEANT. What seemed like defeat, is now a
bittersweet victory.
NICK
(looks up; in Fly's
direction)
I'll see you there.
COMMERCIAL BREAK CARD
INT. NICK'S CAR - STILL SHOT
A FREEZE FRAME of Nick's adrenaline face mid-car chase.
SUPERIMPOSE: SPECIAL UNIT 2.
ANNOUNCER (V.O.)
Don't go away. Special Unit 2 will
be back after these commercial
messages.
END OF ACT TWO
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