SCENE TWENTY: PARKING OFFICER
*The scene begins outside the apartment block, with Bridges sitting in his police car around the back in the parking lot. It is still night outside. Bored, he picks up the radio and talks to Thomas, who is set up out the front on the main street.*
BRIDGES: Thomas, check in.
THOMAS: I'm here.
BRIDGES: I said check in.
THOMAS: Check, then. Why do you have to be so proper?
BRIDGES: Crossing the 'T's' and dotting the 'I's' can be the difference between life and death in this situation. And I've been through enough rodeos to know a thing or two, you got me?
THOMAS: Roger that…anything at your end?
BRIDGES: Nothing…just residents coming in and out. But even if he was hiding in one of the cars, he'd have to go up the stairwell to get up there…there's no way he can slip past me. What about you?
THOMAS: Nothing here. I'm beginning to think that he wouldn't be stupid enough to target them here…too risky. Too many people around…and surely he'd know that we'd be watching them.
BRIDGES: So what, you wanna go home?
THOMAS: No! I'm just saying…for my first stake out, this is turning out to be kind of lame.
BRIDGES: Which is good…lame means everyone lives to see the sun rise tomorrow.
THOMAS: I wish you luck then.
*Bridges pauses, then laughs.*
BRIDGES: You too, you cheeky fucker.
*Up in the apartment, the group have bags packed and stacked in the lounge room, waiting to leave. Adam peers out the front and back windows towards the police cars which are in full view.*
ADAM: They're still there…first chance we get, we go.
RAH: I still don't get why you are so keen to leave, man. Running away in a horror movie is a bad mistake to make.
ADAM: This isn't a fucking movie, Rah. This is real.
RAH: Hey, I'm just saying there are precedents.
ADAM: There are precedents for volcanoes exploding, planes crashing…doesn't mean it's going to happen, does it?
*Kirby's phone rings. Everybody looks at her in apprehension, but she smiles as she looks at Caller ID.*
KIRBY: It's OK…it's Greg.
*Kirby takes the phone and walks into the next room to take the call. Emily and Rah continue to play the video game together while Adam sits impatiently, twiddling his thumbs and occasionally checking the police cars. Back down in the car, Bridges is humming to himself when the radio bursts to life.*
THOMAS: Wayne…we have somebody pulling in.
BRIDGES: Roger that…thanks, Thomas.
*Bridges watches as a pick up truck pulls into the carpark and parks. A tall figure gets out of the vehicle. Bridges takes out his gun and stealthily exits the car, and runs up behind the figure.*
BRIDGES: Hands up, now…slowly…turn around…
*The figure turns around, revealing Greg.*
GREG: What is this? Fucking car-park police?
BRIDGES: Who are you here to see?
GREG: Kirby Reed and Adam Carroll? They live in number…
BRIDGES: …I know which number they live in! Who are you?
GREG: Greg Chalmers…32…brown hair…6 foot 2…I like long walks on the beach, and…
BRIDGES: Stop being a smart ass.
GREG: Look, I'm Kirby's boss…I'm just here to check in on her, OK? I called her before, she can verify it…
KIRBY (calling out): I can!
*The two look up to see Kirby leaning over the balcony, looking down at the two.*
BRIDGES: Get the hell back inside, now!
KIRBY: He's cool, Officer. You can let him up.
*Bridges looks at Greg suspiciously, but he slowly lowers his gun and puts it back in his holster. Greg walks up the stairs, and enters the apartment. Kirby closes the door behind her.*
ADAM: Greg?
GREG (stressed): Hey, Adam.
ADAM: What's wrong?
GREG: Just thought you might want to take a look at this.
*Greg takes out his iPhone, and shows Adam a picture of the list that was written up on the mirror at the bar.*
ADAM: Jesus…Penny, Stacey, and…Edwin?
KIRBY: Who's Edwin?
ADAM: One of my patients…last I saw of him, he was locked up at the clinic.
GREG: Locked up? What the hell kind of place do you run, man?
ADAM: One where I make sure my patients won't get hurt.
RAH: Seems to be working real well.
KIRBY: Shut-up, Rah.
*Down in the carpark, Bridges is slowly walking towards his car when he hears a noise amongst the cars. He takes out his spotlight and begins to shine it around.*
BRIDGES: Anyone there?
*Back in the house, Greg spots Emily on the couch.*
GREG: Hey, isn't that…?
KIRBY: It's a long story, Greg.
ADAM (reading the remaining names): Me…Em…Kirby…You…Sam…Antonio…Rah…
RAH: Yo?
ADAM: This is a fucking shopping list…he's taking us out, one by one.
GREG: Whoever it is, they took out Sabrina Waller.
KIRBY: Took her out? She's the killer!
GREG (shrugs): All I know is she went into the bathroom at the bar, and she never came out. Somebody got to her.
KIRBY: …or she's the killer and did it to fool you, Greg.
ADAM: I vote the latter.
GREG: So what should we do?
ADAM: Come with us…as soon as the cops turn their backs for a second, we're leaving town.
GREG: Are you sure that's wise?
RAH: That's what I've been saying.
ADAM: They won't let us go until they've caught this guy…and until he's caught, we're not safe. I've already lost enough friends to this mask…I'm not about to lose my girlfriend and my sister.
GREG (shocked): Your sister?
KIRBY: Told you it's a long story.
*Back in the parking lot, Bridges is navigating his way through the darkness surrounding the cars. Noises continue to come from various angles, and he spins around, gun at the ready in one hand with flashlight in the other.*
BRIDGES (whispering): Where are you?
*Back in Bridges' car, the radio bursts to life.*
THOMAS: Hey…Wayne? We've got a couple of people coming down the alley. Wayne? Bridges?
*Bridges hears the sound of the radio from the distance, and turns around to head back to the car. Behind him, Ghostface pops his head over the car he was standing next to. Bridges makes it back to his car, and grabs the radio.*
BRIDGES: What is it?
THOMAS: Two people making their way down the alley towards the carpark…I didn't get a good look at them. Should I chase after them?
BRIDGES (sighing): I've got it. You keep your eyes peeled out there.
*Bridges makes his way around the side of the apartment block and walks down the driveway carefully. He spots movement ahead, and takes his gun out as a precautionary measure. As he gets closer, it appears that one person is attacking another.*
BRIDGES: Hey! Get off him!
*The man gets off the other person, and they stand in shock. Shining his torch on them, they are revealed to be nothing but a pair of love struck teenagers.*
BRIDGES: What the hell are you doing here?
BOY: Um…my parents live here. Do you mind?
*Bridges sighs, putting his gun away.*
BRIDGES: Sure, get going.
*The kids run down the driveway quickly, hand in hand. Bridges makes his way back to his car slowly, and grabs the radio.*
BRIDGES: Bridges.
THOMAS: All good?
BRIDGES: Just a couple of horny kids…nothing to worry about. I'll check back with you in about twenty.
THOMAS: Roger that.
*Bridges leans back, sighing; tired from the long day. He switches on the car's radio, and it begins to play 'Red Right Hand'. Looking across at the cars, he notices something, and switches the radio off. The car seems to be shaking slightly, and a hand can be seen pressing up against the glass.*
BRIDGES (to self): Not on my watch, you little shits.
*Bridges hops out of the car, and runs to the vehicle. He taps on the window aggressively.*
BRIDGES: Hey…hey! If you wanna do that shit, then go up to your Mom's place, you get…
*Bridges doesn't get to finish his sentence. The window slowly winds down, and Ghostface looks directly at a shocked Bridges. Thrusting his arm out of the car, he slices Bridges straight across the neck. He turns his back to the car, and slides down in shock, losing a lot of blood. Ghostface leans out of the window, and grabs Bridges, and slowly drags him through the window into the car. Through the back window, stabbing motions can be seen, and the back window is soon showered in blood mist.*
END SCENE