ACT ONE
FADE IN:
INT. CSI - INTERVIEW ROOM A - NIGHT
SUPER: Four Days Earlier
MATEO Sacilido and a child advocate sit in the room waiting for someone. They both jump when the door flies open. Nick storms around the table, stopping beside Mateo, and slams a bagged gun on the table in front of the teenager.
He grabs the teenager's shoulder. It's an action his older brothers probably did to Nick, right before they laid into him about something he'd done wrong.
NICK
This gun was used in a murder,
Mateo! Where did you get it?
Mateo is surprised by the information, at first. Then he attempts a tough guy act.
MATEO
I dunno.
NICK
Mateo, don't go tough on me. I know
you aren't a murderer. Tell me
where you go this gun.
MATEO
How do you know I ain't?
Nick leans in, holding Mateo's steely glare. He isn't about to lose a kid that he cares about to gangs or a crime he didn't commit. Nick would even fight God himself to save this child.
NICK
Boy, I oughta throw you in the
cooler for a week for acting
stupid! You have four months,
Mateo, four months, before you're
eighteen. Once you cross that mark
I won't be able to keep bailing you
out. All those college you were
looking at on your computer--
Nick snaps his finger in front of Mateo's face.
NICK (CONT'D)
Gone! You will be stuck in this
life that has done nothing but
gotten you a rap sheet and shot at.
Give me something to work with,
Mateo. You are too smart to let
your future disappear by covering
for a murderer.
Mateo tries not to act surprised.
MATEO
What colleges? I haven't been--
NICK
When I went to ask your mom about
the gun she thought you were using
the laptop I gave you to buy weapons.
She asked me to look. She was so
happy she cried when I found you
had been looking at colleges. So
let's try this again. Where did
you get the gun?
They stare at each other. Mateo can't hold his bad boy act in front of Nick. His loyalty to Nick is deeper than who he's covering for.
MATEO
(almost whisper)
Domingo.
NICK
Thank you, Mateo. You're free to go.
Nick heads for the door.
MATEO
Hey, CSI guy.
Nick rolls his eyes as he turns.
NICK
Do you have to call me that?
Mateo gives him an ornery grin.
MATEO
So, you said, you know, that you
think, I'm... Smart?
The question even makes the child advocate smile.
NICK
Yeah.
MATEO
Like, do you think, that maybe, I
mean, not that I'm saying I would
or anything, but what if I, maybe,
was a paramedic? I mean, not that
I'm really thinking about it or anything.
Nick's pride shines.
NICK
So is that what you were doing on
all those medical and paramedic websites?
Mateo shrugs.
NICK (CONT'D)
You would be an awesome paramedic,
Mateo. I hear it's a rush. And you
get to speed, legally.
MATEO
Yeah?
NICK
Yeah. Watch your back after we
arrest Domingo. Your gang will be
looking for who ratted him out.
MATEO
They'll be mad at you for having
him arrested. Be careful.
NICK
Always am. See you Saturday, Mateo.
Nick walks out.
INT. CSI - CORRIDOR - NIGHT
GREG is waiting outside the door and takes the bag as Nick passes. He falls into step beside him.
GREG
You have been riding that kid since
you first arrested him. What was
he... Fourteen then?
NICK
He's a good kid. He just needs a
good role model.
CATHERINE comes out of a room, giving Nick a call ticket.
CATHERINE
And you think you're a good role model?
NICK
Next best thing to Iron Man.
GREG
Next best thing to Carmine on South
Park, you mean.
Nick shoots him a glare. Catherine laughs.
NICK
Catherine, how am I ever supposed
to get caught up if you keep
sending me out on calls tonight?
And I missed my lunch when Gregg-o
called me about Mateo.
CATHERINE
That's what you get for acting like
his big brother. Besides, the day
you actually get caught up is the
day I retire.
GREG
It's dollar tacos at Del Taco tonight.
That makes Nick's night.
NICK
Del Taco here I come!
CATHERINE
It's a wonder you haven't had a
heart attack from their food. See
you later, Nicky.
She turns at the next hall.
NICK
Later, Catherine.
Greg peels off into a lab. Nick heads down the hall alone.
EXT. CAREY AVE. - NIGHT
A CSI Denali stops on the curb behind the M.E. van and a radio car. Nick gets out, turning back to grab his kit, his camera, and a taco from a bag of tacos. He walks over to the fence, glancing at the gate that's open a few yards down.
He slips through the corner that's been cut loose, and starts down the embankment.
EXT. ACCESS ROAD ditch CAREY AVE. - NIGHT
M.E. DAVID crouches next to an arm. Behind him Officer BRIAN Pascal paces like a caged animal. The road ends at a utility door set in concrete.
Nick finishes his taco before he reaches the bottom and stuffs the wrapper in a pocket. He glances at Brian as he joins David. Nick turns on his flashlight, shining it on the arm with David's. Right away he notices it isn't real, which puzzles him.
NICK
David... Is that...
DAVID
A prosthetic or prop. I can't tell
in the dark.
NICK
David! Why didn't you cancel the
call if it's a fake arm? I have
work to do!
DAVID
Because I'm fairly certain the
blood on it is real. It smells real.
Nick crouches down, sniffing the air. He nods; David's right. He snaps off a few photographs. Then he collects a swab of the blood and spritzes the end with luminol. It turns pink.
DAVID (CONT'D)
Guess I'm off to the morgue with
the Golden Arm.
Nick looks at him as he stands.
NICK
Golden arm?
DAVID
It's a ghost story. You haven't
heard it?
NICK
No.
BRIAN
Is that really pertinent to the case?
The two look back at him. He still pacing. Sweat has wet his armpits and starting to form a dark patch on his chest.
DAVID
(whisper)
He hasn't stopped since I got
here. Do you want me to call
for another officer?
Nick shakes his head.
DAVID (CONT'D)
He might be on something.
Nick shakes his head again.
NICK
Head on out, David.
Nick starts searching for evidence, but keeps an eye on Brian as he works. David hurries up to his van, grabs a bag, and comes back. He bags the arm and leaves the two.
The ground is packed and stony. Broken bottles and litter are scattered everywhere. Finding evidence here is going to be hard.
Nick turns when he hears a bottle break. Brian is crouched with his arms wrapped around his abdomen.
NICK (CONT'D)
Hey, are you all right?
BRIAN
(breathless)
I can't take any more insulin and
I need food. So no, I'm not all right.
Diabetes. Nick hadn't seen that one coming. He digs his keys from his pocket.
NICK
Heads up.
Brian looks up and Nick tosses his keys to him.
NICK (CONT'D)
There's a bag of tacos in the
front. Take however many you need.
The officer doesn't need prompting to head up to the Denali. Nick keeps working. He glances back when Brian returns with a handful of tacos. The officer sits on a piece of broken cement slab and eats while he keeps an eye on Nick.
Nick's search brings him to the utility door. It's ajar. There are bloody fingerprints on the outside, high up on the door, and one print on the handle. He photographs them and then pulls on gloves.
Nick runs his light down the edge of the door before he pushes his fingers against the edge and pulls the door open. A billow of steam greets him.
INT. UTILITY TUNNELS - NIGHT
He steps onto the grated landing just inside the door. The orange incandescent lights in their protective metal domes can barely penetrate the steam. Nick steps up to the railing. It's hard to tell what the equipment below is.
BRIAN
STOKES!
The call makes Nick whirl around. Brian storms through the steam, grabs Nick's arm, and hauls him back outside.
EXT. ACCESS ROAD DITCH CAREY AVE. - NIGHT
Brian releases his arm.
BRIAN
What is wrong with you? What were
you thinking, Stokes?
Nick isn't sure how to respond, and even retreats when Brian unfastens the leather strap over his gun.
BRIAN (CONT'D)
When I got sent on this call
tonight, dispatch warned me about
you. She said you are a disaster
magnet. That you have this natural
talent for getting in all the wrong
places. So I go down the poorly lit
stairway to Hell first. Apparently
I'm supposed to get shot first and
it's your job to shoot back. Got it?
Brian tosses Nick's keys back to him. Nick grins.
NICK
By all means. I'd be happy to let
you get shot first.
Brian just rolls his eyes. He keys his shoulder mic.
BRIAN
Pascal to dispatch.
DISPATCHER
Dispatch. Go ahead.
BRIAN
CSI Stokes and I are going into the
utility access tunnels in the twelve
hundred block of Carey Avenue. Be
advised we will be out of communication
range and will check in when we get
back into range.
DISPATCHER
Affirmative.
Brian leads the way inside.
INT. UTILITY TUNNELS - NIGHT
Nick has picked up a blood trail and is dropping markers as he and Brian walk.
NICK
So I heard you're from Colorado.
Brian nods.
BRIAN
Carbondale, Colorado.
NICK
Small town?
BRIAN
Yeah.
NICK
That why you left?
BRIAN
Naw. I left because my wife left me
for the mayor.
Nick looks at him, expecting to see him smile at his joke. It's no joke.
NICK
Seriously?
Brian nods.
NICK (CONT'D)
Sorry. I didn't mean to bring it up.
Brian shrugs.
BRIAN
She wasn't much of a wife. Lazy,
couldn't cook, spent all my money
and forgot to pay rent.
Nick laughs.
NICK
Hope the town sheriff at least gave
you a good recommendation.
BRIAN
I gave myself a glorious recommendation.
Nick stops, surprised.
NICK
You were the sheriff and you quit
because of your wife?
BRIAN
It wasn't just that. Three months
before I quit, I chased this suicidal
gone homicidal moron into an old
gold mine and in a moment of Devil
driven glory he grabbed a stick of
old dynamite that was sweating
nitroglycerin.
NICK
There is no way that could have
ended well.
BRIAN
No. I turned tail and ran, which
the idiot thought was because of
him. I was about two hundred feet
from the entrance when he blew
himself up and caved in the entrance.
I was in there for four days and
almost died. After that, I wanted
less responsibility and some time
to myself.
NICK
(muttered)
I can relate.
The trail turns into a side tunnel with no lights. Brian and Nick shine their flashlights down the tunnel.
BRIAN
I know it sounds real girly but...
Maybe we should call for backup
before following a trail of blood
down an unlit tunnel.
Nick grins.
NICK
It's okay, Brian. I'll protect you
from the bogeymen.
BRIAN
I'm pretty sure I don't like you anymore.
With an unconcerned shrug, Nick follows the trail. Brian hangs back, probing the darkness with his flashlight. Somewhere in the darkness fans come on, drowning out all other sounds.
Nick is focused on his search and doesn't notice Brian's flashlight hit the floor behind him. The flashlight rolls back and forth on Brian fighting off an attacker. He calls for Nick, but the fan drowns out his voice. Suddenly Brian drops.
Someone picks up the flashlight and turns it off. The ATTACKER charges Nick.
ATTACKER
GET OUT OF MY HOUSE!
Nick turns. The light of his flashlight dances off a metal crowbar aimed at Nick's head. He leaps back and the crowbar hits his wrist, sending his flashlight flying.
It hits the wall and lands, rocking back and forth on the fight for survival.
Nick tries to get his gun. He gets it loose as the attacker hits his shoulder, sending the gun flying. It goes off, but fans silence the shot.
A dim light is moving fast toward the two. The fan shuts off and SHANIA can be heard.
SHANIA
DADDY, STOP! STOP!
But the attacker doesn't stop. He knocks Nick off his feet.
SHANIA (CONT'D)
No, Daddy. I'll stop him. I'll stop
him like the other. Stop Daddy!
Nick turns his head, seeing a hand with a white cloth headed for his face.
INT. WALTER GORDON'S SUBURBAN - NIGHT (RE-ENACTMENT)
Walter Gordon's hand snakes around the seat to push an ether soaked cloth against Nick's face.
BACK TO SCENE
Nick comes up fighting, shoving Shania against the wall. He lunges at his attacker. Nick gets the attacker on the floor with his hands around his throat.
Shania comes up behind him and jams a needle in his neck. Nick collapses on his attacker.
EXT. CAREY AVE. - HOURS LATER
A CSI vehicle stops and Greg and Langston get out, armed with field kits. They go trough the gate, heading toward the people at the bottom.
EXT. ACCESS ROAD DITCH CAREY AVE. - NIGHT
Police swarm around the area around two ambulances. On either side a crowd of onlookers have gathered at the fences. As they reach the bottom Greg notices Mateo standing among the people on the opposite side.
He turns his attention away when he almost runs into someone. He and Langston head for the open door. Two paramedics emerge from the door with a gurney and someone on it. A hush falls over the policemen as the paramedics pass. Greg turns to Langston, keeping his eyes on the gurney.
GREG
Go with Officer Pascal to the hospital.
Start processing him on the way.
Langston looks for the person Greg is talking about.
LANGSTON
Who?
Greg points at the gurney.
LANGSTON (CONT'D)
How do you know--
GREG
Ray, they aren't going to way for you.
Langston obeys. Greg heads underground to search for Nick.
FADE OUT.
END OF ACT ONE