ACT 3, SCENE 1 INT: RISE: AME CHURCH – BASEMENT/SOUP KITCHEN – DAY
Focus on MAYOR APOSTOLOU has his face buried in his hands. He grunts in pain. A worker walks into the kitchen area and hands OMAR BUTLER a bottle of water. OMAR shoos the worker away so he and the MAYOR are alone again.
OMAR:
Here, and aspirin.
MAYOR grabs the bottle of water and chugs its. He looks beat.
OMAR:
Rough night?
MAYOR:
Between her chemo appointments and this dumpster prostitute…
OMAR:
Shaunice Woods.
MAYOR:
…I’ve gotten no sleep this week. (beat) I know her name.
OMAR:
Then make sure to say her name. You don’t want to slip in front of the press. You’ll get more than no sleep then.
MAYOR:
I kept a tight leash on the AC; worked with the Housing Authority to kick out the felons; the police commissioner and I are practically war buddies. But what has the church ever done to stop the violence? They march and serve soup. But I’m the one on the chopping block? Why am I back here?
OMAR:
You made a promise in front of a reporter. (BEAT) You can’t stay in here long. They’re gonna start asking questions.
MAYOR:
You know what happened to Uptown when something like this happened? It burned. Astro City can’t afford another Uptown Uprising.
OMAR:
But that actually made Uptown what it is today.
MAYOR:
On the surface yea. Lift your head out the books, Omar, and see what I’m trying to do. I’m talking about leaving a lasting legacy of cleaning up this city, not burying teen prostitutes. The representatives of the Heights have flooded me with calls. They’re freaking out. They want answers I can’t give. Why are teen prostitutes dead in their dumpsters, Omar?
OMAR:
Say her name.
MAYOR:
Shaunice Woods. Shaunice Woods. Shaunice Woods.
OMAR opens the kitchen door. MAYOR looks exhausted.
OMAR:
Tip lines are open. Police are working the Bricks. You got this. Work now. Play later. I promise.
MAYOR takes a deep breath and proceeds to walk out the door. Before he leaves, he puts on a smile.
MAYOR:
Don’t let me burn.
The Press is waiting for the MAYOR outside the kitchen. He waves at them. He takes a photo shaking OMAR’S hands and then whispers in his ears.
MAYOR:
Your girlfriend’s here. Deal with her.
OMAR looks and spots MELISSA DAY nearby studying them intensely.
ACT 3, SCENE 2 INT: RISE BASEMENT/SOUP KITCHEN – SIMULTANEOUS
Elsewhere in the soup kitchen, LEIGH is serving the poor. She pushes a cart and passes out meals to patrons. She stops when she notices the MAYOR and OMAR leaving the kitchen.
MELISSA DAY (OS):
Scared?
WIDE SHOT to reveal MELISSA standing next to LEIGH.
LEIGH:
Yeah. Shaunice was my friend. I want him to know she wasn’t just a body to drink soup over.
MELISSA:
Sorry for your loss. Sometimes it feels like no one listens when a black girl cries.
LEIGH ponders this.
MELISSA:
So we get up and get in their faces. And they call us mad.
MELISSA walks away and starts towards the MAYOR and the PRESS circle. LEIGH admires her confidence.
ELDERLY LADY:
Excuse me? Can I get my food please? Please?
LEIGH:
Sorry.
LEIGH passes a tray to an ELDERLY LADY, 60s, stout, bespectacled, and dressed in heavy furs, her hair appears more like an unkempt afro and nest. Her glasses appear as thick as glass bottles and make her eyes larger than they are. At her side is a cart of shimmering cans.
LEIGH:
Didn’t I serve you already?
ELDERLY LADY:
No. No I would remember that.
LEIGH:
Why do you look so familiar?
ELDERLY LADY:
Why do you look so familiar?
LEIGH realizes that ELDERLY LADY isn’t all there.
LEIGH:
It’s okay. Sorry to bother you. Enjoy your meal.
ELDERLY LADY:
Thank you Leigh.
LEIGH:
How’d you know my name?
ELDERLY LADY:
I can read your name tag. I can read you know.
LEIGH laughs.
ELDERLY LADY:
People see me around everywhere. They don’t say much to me, but they don’t know that I see them, or the things that I can do. I can do lots of things (beat) like read. Thank you. Thank you for talking with me.
LEIGH:
I feel like I didn’t say much, but you’re welcome.
ELDERLY LADY:
Call me Nebthet Ennead.
LEIGH:
God Bless you?
NEBTHET:
It’s a pretty name, such a pretty name, but damn if anyone ever gets it right. Just call me Neb. So don’t be a stranger if you see me around. We’re friends now, (repeat seriously) friends now. I have something for you!
NEB digs around in her push cart of cans and trinkets. She cups her palm and holds it up to LEIGH. In her PALM is a MEMORIAL BUTTON with Shaunice’s face on it.
NEB:
For you. She’d want you to have it.
LEIGH is speechless and picks it up gingerly.
LEIGH:
Where did you get this?
NEB:
I make it for all the dead and dying I see.
FOCUS ON THE SIDE OF THE PUSH CART adorned with memorial buttons of the slain and deceased.
NEB:
In their darkest hours, some call to me and I answer. We trade and make deals. The rest I carry around with me and make mountains that won’t be moved.
LEIGH:
Thank you. I don’t have anything to give you.
NEB:
You fed my soul so I’ll feed yours. We’re even for now.
NEB grabs LEIGH’S hand, not menacingly.
NEB:
For now.
LEIGH:
Thank you.
LEIGH cries. She sits down next to NEB to collect herself, and NEB slurps her soup loudly.
ACT 3, SCENE 3 INT: RISE BASEMENT/SOUP KITCHEN – SIMULTANEOUS
OMAR catches MELISSA before she makes it into the press circle.
MELISSA:
Did he really send you here to distract me?
OMAR (flirtatiously):
Am I distracting you?
MELISSA:
What is this? What are you doing? Don’t do that. Back up. We’re not sneaking cuddles in a high school hallway anymore.
OMAR:
Well, let’s skip those awkward flirting years and jump ahead to when we were doing the grown and sexy in bed and I used to distract you a lot. Sometimes a lot at one time.
MELISSA:
Did you bump your head and regress to 16?
OMAR:
You always come here by yourself. Where’s the film crew? Where’s your new boyfriend?
MELISSA:
I don’t have or need a boyfriend or a crew to do what I do. (pulls out recorder) How does it feel to work for the enemy?
OMAR pulls her phone away from his face and holds his hand over hers before she yanks it away.
OMAR:
Aren’t you supposed to be impartial?
MELISSA:
A girl was murdered, Omar, and I’m investigating all the reasons why someone who runs this city would lock himself up in the kitchen.
OMAR:
You want the inside scoop that nobody knows? (beat) He’s gotten very little sleep since he found out that his wife has cancer.
MELISSA:
I wonder why?
OMAR:
I just told you why, and that’s for free by the way. Just don’t tell um who told you.
MELISSA:
Don’t act helpful now. You never were when you were with me.
OMAR:
Strange. I remember it differently. You never gave me the chance. You shut me out.
MELISSA:
You changed long before that. You and I dreamed of making the AC better together. I don’t know who you are anymore. How can you not see who you’re working for?
OMAR:
He’s the Mayor.
MELISSA:
He’s an asshole.
OMAR:
Did I tell you his wife has cancer? C’mon Melissa. We’re too young to be jaded. You used to be inspiring.
MELISSA
I hate false gods…and liars (glares at him). Apostolou will get what’s coming to him, and when I’m done exposing him, maybe it’ll open your eyes to what’s really important in life.
OMAR:
Sounds personal. Maybe we should distract each other some more after dinner tonight maybe?
MELISSA:
Too busy following a lead.
OMAR:
What do you have?
MELISSA:
You speak as if there’s actually a kryptonite for your superman. Keep your eyes on the papers. The expose will drop sooner than you think.
MELISSA smiles coyly and saunters away.
OMAR stares at her in interest and then spots JAMAL walking into the SOUP KITCHEN
ACT 3, SCENE 5 INT: RISE SOUP KITCHEN – SIMULTANEOUS
JAMAL enters the SOUP KITCHEN, but he has no idea where to go. He scans the room and finds LEIGH sitting and talking with NEB.
OMAR:
Glad to see the youth giving back. How’s everything going, brother?
JAMAL and OMAR dap each other up.
JAMAL:
I’m meeting up with a friend.
OMAR:
Listen, you don’t need anything from anyone in here. We talked about you giving up that life.
JAMAL:
Nah man her…
FOCUS ON LEIGH still talking to NEB, who is now showing off her cart.
OMAR:
Oh, she’s cute, and she volunteers. That’s a keeper.
JAMAL:
Should I really be taking advice from you, especially with the shit I know you do on the low?
OMAR:
What shit?
JAMAL:
Man, stop pretending like you’re no better than the rest of the Bricks.
OMAR:
Hold on. If I judged you like you’re doing me when you pulled that knife on me, you’d be locked up and still hungry.
JAMAL:
Just do what you gotta do then. I’m tired of people pulling me around like I owe them something. I’m trying to do the right thing now, and I get shit for it.
OMAR:
What are you trying to do? Let me help.
JAMAL is skeptical.
OMAR:
Remember when you told me you were hungry and how I bought all that food for you? I can’t help you if you don’t speak up. No one can.
JAMAL:
I think I know who killed Shaunice.
ACT 3, SCENE 6 INT: ASTRO CITY GANG UNIT HEADQUATERS – AFTERNOON
LEIGH and JAMAL are sitting across from OFFICER MOHAMED BUTLER. He is fiddling around with a pen in his hand, looking back and forth from LEIGH and JAMAL. LEIGH has Shaunice’s memorial button and is staring at AMED’S facial scars, and JAMAL is shifting uncomfortably.
AMED:
How do you know my brother?
JAMAL:
From the soup kitchen.
LEIGH:
He recommended we speak with you.
AMED:
Quit lying to me. I’m not in the mood to lock up some bold ass teenagers.
JAMAL:
You can’t tell me I’m lying.
AMED:
Call me the human lie detector. I wasn’t born yesterday.
JAMAL:
Why the hell does it matter how I know your brother?
AMED:
Oh so it’s just you that knows him? Are you part of his buy-a-thug-a-lunch program? Maybe met on a subway train a while back?
JAMAL:
Man, I don’t know what you’re talking about.
AMED:
You got one more chance to lie to me, boy.
JAMAL:
I ain’t your fucking boy.
AMED cringes as JAMAL gets out his seat. People around the office start to take notice.
JAMAL:
Man, I don’t even know why I came here. Can’t trust no pig.
AMED:
Any pig.
LEIGH watches the conversation turns south, but she pulls JAMAL back into his seat. She holds his hand.
LEIGH:
Please. We gotta try. For Shaunice. (to AMED) We already told you where we met your brother. Why does that matter?
AMED:
Actually, it matters a lot.
AMED looks on a computer screen.
AMED:
My brother works for the Mayor. He’s too grown to be playing with…Jamal Cole: on probation for larceny under $250, and Marleigha Suarez, you’re a ward of the state. I wonder what your social workers would say if I told them you’re here.
JAMAL:
See. It doesn’t matter what we say. Let’s go.
LEIGH:
I heard Shaunice die and no one seems to care. She was our friend. We need to find out who did this. We might have new information.
AMED studies both of them.
AMED:
What do you know?
JAMAL:
I think…
LEIGH
We think.
JAMAL:
We think it was someone from…someone we know that did it.
JAMAL gets uncomfortable.
AMED:
This someone have a name?
JAMAL:
Leigh, I can’t do this. I’m not a rat.
LEIGH:
You don’t owe him anything. Not after what he’s done.
AMED:
Snitching means shit when we’re talking about murder. (beat) What’s his name?
JAMAL keeps his lips sealed. LEIGH is unafraid.
LEIGH:
Loco. Before Shaunice died, she talked about something bad happening between her and him.
AMED types in the computer.
AMED:
Loco Zane runs with the C-Brick Crips. Some informants think he’s moving up the chain. Either of you know anything about that?
JAMAL clears his throat loudly stopping LEIGH from saying something.
AMED:
There were reports that Shaunice hung around them too. They called her Nurse?
LEIGH and JAMAL are silent.
AMED:
Listen, I’m happy you’re coming forward, but we need more than just speculation to bring in someone like Loco. What else do you have? And if you know him, either of you, isn’t that putting you out there?
JAMAL and LEIGH share a cautionary glance.
AMED:
I want to bring down the Crips too, but I don’t need innocent kids dying over it.
LEIGH:
Well you’re too late. Protect and serve my ass.
ACT 3, SCENE 7 EXT: AC GANG UNIT HQ – AFTERNOON
FOCUS ON LEIGH bursting out the front door, JAMAL chases after her.
LEIGH:
What’s wrong with this city? Everywhere I go, there’s a dead end. Sister’s right. This place is a joke. Everyone’s fronting.
JAMAL:
It’s ok. We’ll try something else.
LEIGH:
No, Jamal. You’ve been really supportive. Even bringing your ass here with me. You call and check in, and I haven’t even done nothing. Like what guy does that? In another time, maybe you and I could’ve…if we had more time…
JAMAL:
It’s ok. I want to be here.
LEIGH:
No! I don’t want you being a part of this anymore. I’ve seen bad things happen to good people. That jackass inside is right. You could get hurt just for talking to them. I can’t lose someone like you. God I sound like Sister. (beat) I’ll figure something out.
JAMAL:
Fucking around with the Crips messed up a whole lot for me. I chose that life, but I choose how my life ends. If I’m gonna die for something, I want it for doing the right thing. Make someone proud of me for once. If you aren’t scared, then I’m not. At least, I shouldn’t be. Besides, you never leave a homegirl behind.
LEIGH hugs him tightly, affectionately.
LEIGH:
I don’t want us to die.
JAMAL:
Then don’t jinx it.
LEIGH:
Why are you so nice?
JAMAL:
If Loco did anything to Shaunice, then he needs help. He hasn’t been right lately.
CUT TO ACT 3, SCENE 8 INT: LOCO’S CAR: SIMULTANEOUS
From another POV, LEIGH and JAMAL are on the station steps. PULL OUT to reveal LOCO is spying on them.
RICKY:
I told you he hasn’t been right lately.
LOCO continues to watch LEIGH and JAMAL walk away from the station. He doesn’t look happy.
RICKY (OS):
Jay’s a snitch.
End of ACT 3