Scene 5 : Murder in the Pearl [SHANGHAI’D]

Scene 5

                                Murder in the Pearl [SHANGHAI’D]

                                      Music AK-47- “Unstoppable”

          Scene begins with painter frantically picking his bike up off the lawn behind the PSC(University) parking lot, looking back over his shoulder to see a beautiful Asian girl astride a Buell(Crotch Rocket motor cycle), flipping him the finger and yelling ,

“Painter, next time your dead mother fucker.”

  Painter takes off and starts flying through the streets of Portland, north toward China town. The journey is a quick,fast and mean look at some of Portland’s monuments. He goes through the engineering sculpture west of the PSC parking lot  to 3^rd street passed Lovejoy park and a magnificent golden sculpture.He jumps  three  series of steps  and weaves in and out of weekend strollers. He heads for Madison ave. One last set of stairs to clear...

                                      FLASH
                                [scene change]

           Father is with the two girls handing a briefcase to someone.

That someone holds the girls hands, lifts them to his lips and gently kisses them.

                                     FLASH

       Painters lands, almost crashes into a group of students.They scatter. He turns right and heads east toward the waterfront fountain and the Willamette river;one of the two rivers that runs through Portland. He reaches the waterfront and heads north for the safety of  a crowded Saturday market [A bazaar where local artisans, musicians performers and vendors of all types gather to sell their wears and entertain the tourists and middle class patrons]

                                     FLASH

 We see the Front side of a hospital - PHSU [research hospital/university]
        Inside the hospital..........................The doctor begins.

After allowing the girl the luxury of shooting up BASE 1, he places her comfortably within a reclining dentist chair. Base 1, an experimental drug that travels through the system by means of a nano-biological pathogen produces the effects of heroin, methamphetamine, and peyote.The addictive qualities are ten times that of any other substance and the devotees are hooked after just one dose.Slaves. 
               The Dr. then places a 3D - virtual - reality headset over the lovely young ladies unsuspecting skull.As she marveles at the realistic erotic experience the professor readies for the surgical procedure.

                                        FLASH

       Painter heads up two flights of stairs exiting to the Burnside bridge, passes the bus station, into the Pearl district where he notices a commotion around Kearney Park. He stops looks into the camera...
"This is not my day" 
It’s chaotic.Yellow warning tape.Flashing lights. Police.Fire. Ambulance. 
                    Two bodies. Mutilation. Blood. 
       A family friendly fountain park in the middle of the Pearl[an upper middle class neighborhood adjacent to China town and some other nefarious places.] 

       Painter sees some not so welcoming familiar faces: Officer Lee [Asian/African American ex Army Special forces]A good guy but very tough. Officer Kelly [Home town third generation cop] Katlin’s father. Fire chief Thomas. Always where Painter least expects him to be;Painter's uncle and "Father’s" longtime school buddy/partner in crime; has saved Painter's ass more than a couple times. And Police Chief Margret Thatcher.

                                         FLASH
 “Where are you going” says Tyranny (The fifteen year old)

“Todd’s waiting and I’m horny. How ‘bout you?” Smiles Katlin.

“Home to see my Auntie.” Tyranny lied.
                                        FLASH
Officer Kelly Yelling. " Preston!"
Painter turns the other direction and tries to ignore officer Kelly.
"Hey!Painter!"
Painter keeps riding.
Kelly. Now yelling at the top of his lungs." Preston Alijah Coule! Get your ass over here!"
                                        FLASH  
              Mel is pacing like a caged cougar. He's in a Lab.

He eyes an experiment that’s percolating, Turns and heads to a refrigerator pulls out an ice cream and delivers it to an uncaged chimp, who looks, Oh so glad. Relieved.He's addicted to those ice creams.

                                        FLASH
Painter talking with the cops and shrugging his shoulders. 
" Who me? I don't know them."

                                      FLASH
            Mother and Father arguing,pushing, shoving.
                                      FLASH

           Helicopter camera shot of the Murder in the Pearl.

Shot zooms in toward crowd of firemen, police, EMTs and Painter.
Helicopter, Sirens in the distance,Excited,unintelligible commotion of crowd. 
You can barely make out Painter reluctantly pleading.
"OK,OK, It's..It's them.. It's... the sirens and commotion drown out Painters last words.
                                  SLOW FADE                                                            Mel In bed with Tyranny, His hands around her neck. She's smiling and laughing. Then panic! Mel gasping,clutching strangling. Veins bulging in his for head.
                                SLOW FADE
       It's midnight and the lights of the city peer through venetian blinds.The silhouettes and aroma are unmistakable.

                       Mother, undressing Eva.
                             Fade to Black: 
          (music) Rolling Stones; "Sympathy for the Devil" 
                                THE END
           Episode one of; BOOSTERS by; Vicious Coule

Scene 4              
                        THE GROVES

            Music; Sex and Candy by Marcie Playground

              The scene opens in an airport where two young girls [A 15 year old strawberry blonde named Tyrany and a seventeen year old blonde named Mercedes] are being escorted off a plane and down a red carpeted tarmac by a fashionably dressed, high classed woman of twenty five ... Eva. The plane has just arrived at Portland PDX from Dubai.

          There are two people  awaiting their arrival. One, A middle aged New Jersey gentleman, dressed in a custom made Italian suit. He dons a platinum Rolex watch and a charmingly devious smile. His pinkie ring inlaid with a solid black onyx stone proudly rests upon his left hand. The other, a tall gorgeous Indian woman in a skin tight red skirt, and  five inch black heals, patiently waits with dark eyes, red lips and an aura that screams ...“ Obey or Else.” 

          The two youngsters are hopping and giggling, excitedly scanning the crowd for their elder stewards.

         The gentleman raises his left hand baring the signature ring. The two girls spot it immediately and charge through the crowd to crash into "Father," hugging him with unbridled affection.

        Both girls simultaneously plead,
” Daddy! Daddy! Let’s go shopping. We were good girls and did whatever Eva said to do. She said you would take care of us when we got home. She said you would take us shopping if we were good.”

        “I was really, really good but I’m getting so sick.” Says Molly

         Mercedes echoes...” Me too! I’m so happy to see you Daddy.”

        “Not as happy as I am.”  
Molly is always competing with Mercedes.

        “And I’m very glad to see both of you. And very proud of you. You’re my favorite girls. You know that.”

          Father then hugs both girls and kisses there foreheads. At the same time he glances at Eva, who nods and half-smiles.

        “Oh Daddy, when can we go shopping?” 
This time pleading with a charming desperation in their voices. Playfully but frustrated they squeeze and tug at the gentleman Father's hands. 

        “We must make two stops first.” Mother stings.

       “I don’t think I can wait.” Mercedes whines

      “You’re going to have to.” 
 Comforts Father waving a playful finger at both lovely young women.

  “Pleeease Daddy!” Molly begs

        “No! 
     Now come on let’s go. The sooner I take care of business the sooner we can go shopping and get you what you need.?”

        “OK Daddy. I love you.” Say the girls together.

        “I love you more.” He says.

Then he takes out his phone and makes a call.

        On the other end a Chinese girl astride a crouch rocket wearing a half tattooed face answers her cellphone.

      While Father is on the phone Eva greets Mother with a controlled…

     “Hello Mother... The trip was extremely successful. We have two new clients, three that will be here next week, and four who re-upped at a 20% increase per unit.”

        “Excellent work.” Was all Mother said. 
      She clasped Fathers hand kissed his cheek and lead them from the airport , into a waiting burgandy Limo.

As the limo pulls away the camera focuses on the license plate that reads.....
                         Stay Cool.

 Scene 3                               BOOSTERS

                 

                           Music = "Shake it Off"; Taylor Swift 

            The setting; The parking lot of PSC (Local University), below PHSU ( Research Hospital/University Located on the hilltop above PSC) - Looking from behind, in the back of what looks to be a four door family sedan, we see two skate boards; one's a long board- one standard deck, some crushed cans, a tee-shirt and bra... And... The head and shoulders of a guy with a DG ball cap on backward; and naked breasts bouncing up and down, covered in frantically swinging blonde hair. The girl is a PSC student (Katlin ) abusing her mother's car.... She’s topless, skirt hiked up  f@ing Todd (A Booster) in the back seat of said vehicle.. A  Volvo XC60; The family soccer-mom car.

 Katlin is panting,“Fuck me, Fuck me,FUCK!, FUCK!, FUCK! FUCK!...YES!....YESS!...OH FUCK YES!”

While Todd groans “You are the best. Here it comes. Just for you. Here it comes.”

“ No,no,no,no,no…..Not yet, I have something special” Gasps Katlin

       Painter (A Booster) is on his motocross bike with his head stuck in the driver’s side window taping them on his iphone and rambling about” The professor” (One of Katlin’s instructors at PSC, who does research at PHSU.

            Painter complains...

          ...“That creepy little asshole is gonna get us killed; Shot, strangled, drowned or, or, or .....And Pooch (Another Booster) is still missin! Only God fuckin knows when, where and what’s left of him is gonna show up. We’re fucked, fucked,  fu….” 

Interrupting Painter ... Trish (Katlin’s friend) scoffs...

                      “Kill the drama you fucking pussy.” Then she returns to enjoying the Todd and Katlin show from the passenger seat where she too is making her own reality pornumentary.

     “Shut up cunt” says Painter “We’re fucked Todd. We’re fucked. Fucked!..... That Genetic Prober fuck better do something, anything soon.... Cause right now... We’re fucked! …..”

.......“Niiice move….UH.. move... Never seeeen that before.” Katlin and Todd moan... in harmony

                    Todd, surprised, grunts...“WOW! Katlin... What the fuck was that?”

“Some kind of Kama Sutra Tantric shit I learned while fucking my yoga teeeeecherrr  .” Katlin smiles ... 

“Feels good huh?”She pants.

“Painter?... You better not get my face in the shot” Scolds Todd to Painter, who hands his phone to Trish, now with two phones.

 “ OK, but too late for Kate.” Painter guffaws...and he continues his pleading, while Trish focuses on the filming,

 “I’m not kidding Todd, these people will do worse than kill you. They’ll start choppin off shit.” Pleads Painter.

Trish looks at Painter,

...“ We’ve done everything the professor asks. And I mean EV.. ER..Y ... THING!; Referring to herself and Trish. But he knows we need him. What else can we do?” 

.......Right then two crouch rockets fly around the corner onto the second floor of the garage and head straight for the Volvo. Trish jumps out of the car and runs for the stairs. And Painter heads in the opposite direction.

 One of the bikers speeds for Trish, skids sideways and bike slaps her with the rear wheel of a Beull 650. She flies 15 feet with phones flying, then hits the ground with a thud and a groan....unconscious. Then that same biker heads for Painter.

         Painter is almost scot free when he too gets bike slapped; sending him over the edge of a three foot concrete wall and plummeting toward the ground. It’s only one story and Painter smashes on the lawn, gets up, checks his bike, and rides off.

The biker then curses and pulls off a helmet to unveil long black hair attached to a beautiful Chinese girl. She waves her middle finger and yells.

“Painter! Next time you’re dead mother fucker.”

      While Painter and Trish are getting bike slapped around Todd and Katlin are in no better shape because the other biker skids up to the passenger side smashes the window with the butt end of a Ruger SR9 and yanks a half-naked Katlin out by her long blonde hair. While still on her bike, with one kick to the chest she knocks Katlin up against the Volvo who then slowly slides to the ground, half naked and out cold.

The biker points the SR9 at her head and begins to pull the trigger. 

 Todd, scrambling to get his pants on shouts STOP! The biker stuffs the Ruger and jumps off her bike to violently yank him from the Volvo. His pants are still around his ankles when the biker grabs his balls, pulls off the helmet and cracks him across the face; Knocking out a front tooth. Then glaring at Todd through the long black bangs of a page boy haircut, this fine Chinese girl with half of her face tattooed gets very close to Todd – nose to nose- and whispers.

“Next time we kill them and take these.”

She tugs on his balls.

 Then she smashes him again upside the head and he too falls to the ground; out cold.

Scene 2                         Painter

                                            

           2015- Music - “Been Caught Stealin” = Jane's Addiction

Painter [A main character, a booster(thief)]; dressed like graduate college student,[preppy nerd type, geek] Turns and looks directly into the camera ( a la Tom Cruz – Risky Business, Kevin Spacey House of Cards) Waving a wad of white papers like a pimp waving $100 bills.

     Painter smirks attractively…  ”Good as cash. These (he smacks the wad into his hand), these are receipts. About 5000.00 worth. It took us Boosters…Cops call us Boosters because we Boost Shit. We steal things; anything we can sell trade or make a payment with.

It took us Boosters two weeks of digging through dumpsters, trash cans, and places that smell like dead monkeys fucking in hell, to get these mother fuckers”(various shots of boosters searching for receipts and handing them to Painter)

“But I Got em. And it’s just one of the reasons I’m the best Booster in this town. But the main reason I’m the best? They don’t see me coming. The mark never sees me – coming or going. If I do my job correctly they never know what happened until I’m tokin a fatty(joint) and crackin a Mike,s Hard lemon aid.” (He turns away from the audience)

He turns to a Mel, a middle aged man who is nicely dressed in slacks, a sport coat, computer briefcase etc. For all intense purposes Mel looks like an average everyday suburbanite heading on his way home from work and just stopping buy the local Home Depot to get supplies for home improvement.

Mel looks calm, but somehow eager to please and a bit anxious.

Painter sides up to Mel and says“I’m going to boost this, this, and this” [he shows the receipts] and I’ll buy this; we’ll return it later. We should clear 200.00. You good with it?”Painter asks.

Mel just nods.

“Wait here and I’ll be back in about a half hour.

Painter walks into the home depot , and as he strolls down the aisles he boosts an Electrical ohm meter, some Klien pliers, and a 24 volt Dewalt cordless screw gun that he fits into his computer case that has a trapdoor bottom. He carries a demagnetizer for bar codes. 

Looking at the camera he tells us about 55 year old Mel;

      “Mel’s a junky. Has been for a long time. He’s also one of our best return men I employ. He looks like the all American Dad or Grandpa, but can’t wait to stick himself.”(Shoot heroin) Then he turns from the audience and picks up a case of caulking and heads for the registers.

As Painter is paying for the caulking at register # 3 he looks outside and sees what looks like a homeless kid standing beside a Razor scooter getting cuffed and stuck into the back of a plain clothes cop car. Then a second kid breaks and the security cop gives chase.

“It’s too late. He’ll never catch him.” Painter whispers to himself.

One last glance at the camera; “They wreck for us pros. I don’t blame em though .They’re Jonesing hard.  They need a fix and are willing to do about anything to get well and stop the withdrawals.”

 Painter goes up to Mel.

“You’re up” And he hands Mel the merchandise and the receipts.

Mel nods, pulls out what looks like a brand new Home Depot bag, stuffs in the merchandise, puts the receipts in his wallet, and strolls confidently toward the store.( Close up of Painter’s Rolex – hands spinning- fast forwarding time)   Twenty minutes later Mel's back. He hands Painter 250.00. Painter peels off 40.00 and hands it to Mel

“I’ll call you in a couple days. “Says Painter

Mel nods and walks away.

-------Fast forward hurky jerky cam to Boosters in the PSU garage.

                                                              

  BOOSTERS

Episode

Scene 1;The Pool

             Setting; Late1960s – Early 70s [Music] - “Paint it Black" by;

                                              The Rolling Stones

    

             School bell rings and all the kids charge out; some getting into cars others into buses. But one boy bursts through the crowd. Darting past the cars and buses, weaving through teachers and crosswalk cops, he runs out of the parking lot, turns right and heads down the street toward home. He waves at neighbors mowing or watering their lawns, shouts hello at Mr. Jones, picking up a newspaper and Miss Gibralter, sweeping her driveway. He slows to a respectful walk and pulls out the Mr. Goodbar Mom always packs for the walk home. As he unwraps and cherishes the Chocolate, he passes the “Grove”; a place feared by all kids because, first of all, because the olive grove was an endless sea of darkness and the driveway that lurked beside it vanished to nowhere. Or so it seemed. And secondly, no one ever came or went from the forest. Noone. Ever. The boy, now about halfway home, reaches down picks out a suitable stone,clears the long blonde bangs from his view, spits on the stone for luck and throws it, left- handed with all of his might deep into the ocean of trees; Just because? No! To destroy one of the countless demons that wait within, For Him. He finishes the candy bar, crumples the rapper and tosses it to the ground where it lies with countless other discarded Mr. Goodbar rappers. After successfully escaping any danger the grove had to offer, the path was clear for a quick dash home.

                                                   

                                  Music - "Strange Brew" by Cream 

                                                Man Speaking

    The swimming pool in the our apartment complex would have been just any other lower income Northern California experience of the late nineteen sixties if not for the man, Vicious Valentino Coule (pronounced Cool); Vic Coule, Uncle Vic, Vic.

     He called me Kid. I don’t know what he called the other kids or if he even knew any of the other kids. But, I do know this. Every day after I made it home from school, I would carefully remove the latch key, from beneath my,” Monkeys”, tee shirt. (Mickey Dolans was my favorite. Everyone else liked Davy Jones )I would slowly turn the key and carefully enter our apartment as "James Bond" or "The Green Hornet". Then quickly and silently, not wanting to disturb any unwanted intruders, I would drop my school stuff and head next door to say hi to Grandpa, who would smile, sip his burgundy, nod, wave and continue reading the sports section. Not a care in the world. Finally, I would put on my cut-off Levis and head for the pool, no shoes of course because my feet were tough from blazing the charred blacktop all summer. After a quick dip I always knew what would happen next.

“Hey Kid”.Vic would whisper, from his Cadillac, poolside recliner.

     Vic’s whispers could travel across the universe. I could somehow hear him even when I was under water. Lady, my neighbor’s cockapoo - terrier, who lived in # 239, would always take notice by hopping on her hind legs and pawing the air.

“Hey Kid, You wanna get me some smokes?”

     Vic didn’t have to ask anyone for anything. But he always asked me if I wanted to get him smokes. Nineteen sixty eight - smokes were 25 cents. With a clandestine handshake move Vic would slip me a buck. Then he would motion to one of his many bathing clad apartment house beauties  who would faithfully hand him his shades and oil his thighs. And I, without a question, would close my fist and head for the shortcut through the back fence to the local Shell gas station where they had a pack of Lucky Strikes and 75 cents waiting for me on the counter.

            On return, I would stealthily open the gate to the pool and work my way to Vic’s right shoulder. He would put out his hand out and I would hand over the smokes and 75cents. He always gave back the 75. Then, quick as a snake, silent as a shark, he would snatch me up and toss me miles into the air, where I would viciously clutch the seventy five cents and plunge into the pool. No one including myself ever knew how I was going to land. But I’m pretty sure everyone knew I wouldn not let go of the cash. Kurrsplash! I never did let go; Not even the first time when everyone knew I couldn’t swim yet. That’s how I learned. Maybe that’s why Vicious Valentino Coule trusted me with his money; and many other things later in life.

            My mother would arrive after work, at poolside.We had been swimming for a couple of hours. Thinking back, I swear she would wink at Vic as she called me for supper. I never wanted to leave the pool because we always seemed to be in the middle of some very important business; Marco Polo, Dive and ditch, or Rag Tag. Ragtag was my favorite, where whoever is “It” had the rag and had to hit one of the other players. It’s a fierce practice in holding your breath and escaping death; especially if you’re one of the targets trying to dodge the double barreled soaking wet rag, flung at warp speed toward your face…

 Grudgingly, mid –game, I would work my way to the gate, cross the scorching blacktop, leaving a wet footprint trail and head home for some Mac and Cheese or Hamburger Helper.

       After supper, we would watch some TV at Grandpa’s. But if Speed Racer or Gilligan’s Island weren’t on, Grandpa would teach me chess. I’d finish my homework as quick as a snake and still have time for a late swim. There was no lifeguard at our pool and Vic was never out after supper. So I had to find an adult to “watch me”. Every child had to have an adult to take responsibility for them when swimming; Even though most of us kids were better swimmers than the adults. If there were no adults at the pool I would go door to door. I would knock on Mr. and Mrs. Farrell’s door first. Their daughter Tiffany was in my second grade class. I don’t remember them ever coming out to watch, but I always went there first just to see if Tiff wanted to swim: Then came Jerry, the truck driver who was rarely home; but when he was he would always “watch me.” Next I would go to 239, Mrs. Jacobie.

“Mrs. Jacoby, Will you “watch me.”

“What about your mom, or your Grandpa?” She would kindly question.

“Oh, you know Grandpa. And I think my mom’s ironing”

 Mrs. Jacoby relied heavily on the opinion of Lady because she would glance down at the pooch, and if Lady stood on here hind legs and pawed her thigh, it was a go, if not, oh well. It was about a fifty- fifty shot. I would hit three or four more doors before Josh’s. Josh was nineteen and just started college. But if he was home he was good for ten minutes. He'd say.

“OK Kid, ten minutes. I’ll be down in five. And don’t go in before I get there. Last time you did, you nearly got us both in Dutch.”

“OK Josh. We don’t need any trouble. Right?”

“That’s Right Kid.”

     I liked swimming with Josh. His girlfriend would always come down with him to catch the last of the Day- light-savings sun. While she sunned Josh would do laps. He would fly by me like an Olympian. But I would try and keep up. I think I learned more about swimming from Josh than anyone else. After he finished his laps he would say.

“Time’s up Kid.”

“Ah, Come on Josh the pool lights just came on.”

       I always felt like Jacque Cousteau when I got to swim at night because the giant floodlight in the deep end somehow transformed the pool into an ocean. And I was scuba diving somewhere off the coast, searching for Great whites.

“No... Maybe next time Kid.” Go to bed. Get out of my hair.”

“See you tomorrow Josh, Thanks”

” Yeh Kid. You will.”

He’d whisper.

      As I walked through the door of apartment 22 mom inevitably would be relaxing in her Lazy Boy recliner; watching Gunsmoke or Perry Mason and having a smoke.

“It lives!!”... She would proclaim. 

After being in the water I must have looked like “ The Creature from the Black Lagoon”.

“Yeehhh.”…I would sigh sarcastically as we hugged.

“Now go wash up before bedtime son.”

“Mom?"…

“Yes honey.”…

“What’s Vic’s ring doing on the bathroom sink?”

“Don’t you worry my little tough guy. I’ll get it to him tomorrow with his ironing.”

“OK. Mother.”

          A toilet flushes and a kids bedroom door slowly closes.

On the door is a toxic chemical waste sign that reads "Danger! Do not Enter"

Casper the Friendly Ghost night light inside the bedroom fades to black.

                     Music - The Doors - People Are Strange