Family Business

”This is not a mafia, not a gang, not a group of mobster. It's a family business.”

INT. ONE NIGHT BAR - NIGHT

A thralling spot. Nothing but rum-breath and drunk-rambling. The counter is run over with coin-flipping gangster- hotshots, wannabes. Sipping on whiskey and wine. Ice cold. Tipping hats and hugging waists. Dancing toes and swinging hips. The music-

RIPPING. EAR BLEEDING. Take some old school jazz, the smooth kind that made Louis dance in his grave, and ice a lyrical genius on it. The people ate it up. The men rocked their heads, circling around one another like moths to a light. Now, I'm going to need you to pay attention... ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ Yo? You paying attention?... Good. Welcome to the One Night Bar. The rules are simple: Don't die. Easy, right? Tell that to the piling bodies rising up in the back, behind the kitchen. I think here comes one more- The head chef paints the kitchen counter-top dirty red with the tip of a tall, lean white man. Not lean enough to avoid the rivers of blood running down his pecks however. His battered and charred skin is exposed by his unbuttoned shirt. The chef lifts him up:

And hurls him into the dumpsters.

The body nestles between the wet plastic bags, laying besides other sleeping coils. -The rumor is simple. Only the best survive past one night. This bar is for them.

INT. JERRY'S - NIGHT

Through the drizzle, cars parked in awkward corners, and delinquents hanging out by the bar doors- the rejects, everyone calls them- FOCUS ON a shining LED sign flickering on life-support. On. Off. On. Dead... One second- ALIVE. Inside, an aging man slams the cooler on the counter. His name was JENSEN, 54, our five-star, high value supplier. Funny as it is, Jensen hated our little club. Every time he opened the shop, he watched the bar with dirty eyes. Jensen stacks the beer bottles and meat bags atop the cooler.

The girl, robed in baggy sweatpants and a jacket two sizes too big, nods her head. Careful with her fingers, she picks up the cooler, and momentum forces it towards her chest. He breathes heavily as the cooler wets her jacket. She is beautiful to some degree. Her hair is perfect yet disgusting. And her short stature is cute but awkward. But who is she? Well, we're about to find out- Shivering, she lifts the cooler higher and jogs across the street.

EXT. ONE NIGHT BAR - CONTINUOUS

This is where the loud music bleeds back into frame. So vile. The girl snakes around the line, barely able to see in front of her. The cooler shakes in her hands as she descends down to the “secret” entrance. She reaches with her tiny hands-- LOCKED. Pull again. LOCKED. She worms back around the line.

INT. ONE NIGHT BAR - CONTINUOUS

A crushed cigarette bud. It rolls down the table before a fine woman throws it underneath the table. The smoke takes out another round, lights it up, and puffs. The Class Clown. Mr. Entertainment. Sparky. So many names for one smoking addict. But you'll know him best by: ”RIP” RYDER Rip “rips” a card from the deck and with a vivid smirk painted across his face, he turns to the right... The man he turns to clenches his cheek.

Old Nicholas is the wisest of the group, but he isn't the brightest. But that's not what you're wondering. Why is he called Nikki? Well, to you... Yes, you. He's Nick. He once broke a man's shin for calling him Nikki during a drinking game. The man died three weeks after. Rip, however, saw the bigger picture; he began calling him Nikki to poke fun. Nick threatened to blow his brain out, but Rip wasn't fazed. He was the guy known for breaking rib-cages with a frying pan. That's why they called him Rip- that's what happens to all his enemies. So, the name stuck: ”NIKKI” NICK Nick took a sip of his whiskey.

Rip points to a gorgeous raven. Her hair is wrapped behind her neck and her dress reaches down to the basement with a slit down the side. But don't look into her eyes- they would make Medusa shriek. ”FIFI” FIONA She peeks up from her cards, a drink her hands.

Nikki reaches for a card. Damn it- not a set.

Fifi waves her arms, and Nikki pulls a folded heap of hundreds from his coat pocket. It's old- creased, weathered with age, and folds around the corners. He places the money in Fifi's hands and, like the deal stated, she drops the six of diamonds on the stack. Rip laughs:

Picks the card. Then he drops all his card on the table.

On the deck, a clean sweep victory- 2-3-4-5 Spades, 6-7-8, Diamonds, 9-9-9. Nikki finally realizes what happened when Rip begins counting his cash prize.

Rip mocks him with his hands.

Fifi raises her brows:

Hesitant, Rip splits the stack in two. He doesn't even look at Fifi when he hands her the second half. He ripples the deck and plays around with it. A bleeding whistle runs through the air. Fifi catches a curious sight.

She signals behind Nikki- It's FLIN- a phony from the gang running the next block over. Everyone's got bad blood with Flin. He's a con-artist. A deceptive son-of-a-[REDACTED]. What? I guess I can't say that, but no one really can. Connections go a long way.

The girl- Jensen's assistant from across the street. She leans into herself, a protective measure from the flying hawk. But Flin circles around her.

Nikki looks to stand up-

A impeding figure: 6'1, long hair, with a physique sculpted by God. Green eyes, black suit, and ever-so-gorgeous long hair. He greets Flin with open arms, forcing him into a “brotherly” hug. -Nikki, Rip, and Fifi all exchange glances. One of them is about to laugh. ”ZEUS” ZANDER Flin pulls away.

Flin eats up the compliment.

Flin flashes his chilly clear drink and the olive resting on the side.

Zeus grabs his drink.

He throws it up in the air. It sprays the second good, MICHAEL, running with Flin. Deserved? Definitely. Rip snorts back at the table. He looks at Nikki and Fifi with similar expressions.

Teddy gave Zeus a wink and begins working.

Flin looks at Zeus, smirks, and shrugs.

MULTIPLE ICE CUBES RATTLING. THE FREEZE DOOR IS PULLED OPEN.

THE OCEANS ROARING. THE VODKA SWIRLS AROUND IN THE DEPTHS OF THE VERMOUTH.

VIGOROUS. POWERFUL. SHAKING THE CORE OF THE OCEAN FLOOR.

THE WATERFALL DESCENDS.

Flin shakes his head-

THE OLIVE DROWNS IN THE MARTINI. A waiter slides the single drink on a special platter and delivers it to the two gentlemen. As Zeus is grabbing the glass:

ZEUS BASHES THE GLASS ONTO FLIN'S SKILL.

The shards run down the suit's back and Flin squirms on the ground trying to peel away the venom. Zeus stands on top of him.

He breathes:

He kicks Flin's gut, but the poor man is so out of breath, there's no noise left to react. And that's who Zeus is. The little guy who grew big. He's not scared. He'll race death and lap it twice. He saw the game. He played it growing up. But now, he's ready to make moves. **Shake up the rules. Why? Because they're no such things as half-way crooks. Zeus side-eyes Flin's flunky. Michael stumbles back.

Lies- but that's the nature of the game. Do whatever you can to save your life. Especially when you're hounded by four pairs of menacing eyes. Eyes trained to hunt rats like him. Hobbling, he runs out the bar in a cold sweat.

Flin is still groaning on the floor when Nikki grabs him to the kitchen. In the midst of the fire, Zeus looks to up find the dear delivery girl staring at him with perplexed emotions- fearful of his eyes, grateful for his actions. In fact, she was the only one making a reaction. The rest went on with their dancing and partying. Zeus softens his gaze and smiles.

Zeus notices the girl's shaggy clothes.

The girl awkwardly explains to Zeus:

Zeus points to the spill on the floor. He wipes it with the dark soles of his leather brown shoes.

Suddenly, a third salesmen had to rear his ugly forehead through the front door. He wore a mean scowl- cartoonish and stupid- and held his hand above his waist. I'm one too many drinks past name comprehension, so let's call this fellow “GOON BOSS” and his little minions... Well, “GOONS.”

Zeus moves Eve behind him.

Nikki walks out the kitchen brushing the dust and blood off his blazer. To make it more obvious, he wipes it with a tissue soaked in wet wine, cherry, and all other things red.

Everyone knew what the Goon Boss was preparing for and they all held onto their guns. They aimed- BANG! A clean strike through the head and the front door is overrun with flying bullets. The Goon Boss drops dead, but his lackeys keep pushing past his rag doll body. And if you're versed in this industry, you know exactly what this means-

Zeus covers Eve, grabs her by the waist, and leads towards the kitchen.

Zeus blocks a hit and the grabs a metal serving plate to smash into the man's face. He kicks him through the table and chairs and curls back to Eve.

Eve covers her ears. Zeus leans closer and brings her down the stairs.

INT. KITCHEN - NIGHT

Zeus helps Eve down the stairs and to the opening in the kitchen.

The head chef, MIGUEL, storms up to Zeus, but throws Eve into the cook's doughy hands.

Zeus pats his shoulder and runs across the kitchen- ignoring the thundering screams. He runs past a female chef cutting tomatoes and... He strolls back and pockets the blade from her hands. As Zeus ascends the stairs, another fellow runs down the stairs with a metal pipe in his hands. His footsteps rumble like thunder, but Zeus calmly lifts his shoulders. And with one swift motion-

He jabs the knife through the scoundrel's chest. He sinks it deep to the arteries and pulls out. Once the screams settle down, rinse and repeat. Faster with every stroke. Deeper with every howl. When the entirety of the blade enters the skin and blood leaks more than the Pacific Ocean does Zeus let the body slide down the stairs. Then he looks at the camera- yes, you.

He fixes his luscious hair.

One step.

Three more steps, right in his grill, watching our reflections in his emerald eyes.

Zeus looks at the body, but prevents us from doing the same.

BANG! A plate rolls down the stairs and crashes at Zeus' feet.

INT. ONE NIGHT BAR - NIGHT

Upstairs, the chaos is brewing better than the drink bar, which is currently being drowned in wine leaking from the broken the bottles. The bartenders cower, hiding underneath the counter with their feet turning numb. They wait for their heroic Zeus to came to save them- Fuck Zeus, is what Teddy thought. He dusts every foe that dares to disrespected the history that was bottled behind the counter. Left, right, front, and center. It didn't matter.They weren't gangsters- they were shook. Bold to talk, but scared to walk. They sit behind the door, aiming at pointless bushes, but in reality, they were all turned to stone. FOLLOW Fifi marching across the bar like a warrior. She reaches for the door handle, but a gunner holds a pistol her to her eyes. For the sake of respect, we'll call this guy DELAYED DEATH.

Fifi snatches the gun and round-housed Delayed Death to the curb. She proceeds to empty the entire clip by spraying the wave of dust-sacks. he pulls down the hatch down and locks the door. But suddenly- An audacious fellow (who we'll named DELAYED DEATH II) wraps his hands around Fifi. He holds tight and for a few second, it looks he's winning. Then, slowly, his hands reach lower... BUT QUICK! FREEZE FRAME. What's the fastest you've ever been killed? For this certain fellow, it was this moment. Because the moment he decides to squee- Fifi swings the low budget sequel above herself and stabs his chest with the brute force from her heels.

She sends his head spinning into a whirlwind of nightmares and unconsciousness with a merciless kick. One by one, every soldier fell into one cohesive pile and everyone got their licks one. Nikki smashed tow guys' skull together. Fifi prevented a few more guys from ever having children. Zeus stabbed more men into the afterlife. And of course, Rip got the honor to slide iron through the “Big Boss.” **THE ROSE GANG VS. MANTIS CASUALTIES: 15 - 89**

INT. ONE NIGHT BAR - MOMENTS LATER

POP! Champagne goes flying across the room. Zeus dunks an entire bottle over Rip's head, repeating “MVP. MVP. MVP.”

Nikki holds Rip's shoulders, pouring an entire canister over his bending hair. With his hair now a salty concoction, Nikki adds the finish touch by pouring the remainder down Rip's Hawaiian shirt, turning him into a walking surf party.

Rip freezes over.

Fifi hums softly, then take a casual sip from her glass... She tosses the rest on Rip's face.

Rip does the Yankee-doodle trying to shake the ice and alcohol off his clothes. Then the entire bar hear a muffled scratch of the overheard latch opening. They reach for their guns... But they all throw their guns on the floor and drop to their knees. They begin praying the Reaper lying behind the door didn't see them aiming their rifles at him. But who? Jensen. The moon casted an impending shadow, elongated by the shoulders and elbows. He scanned the broken glass and crooked tables, looking at the bartender for an answer, but found one in Zeus' eyes. Their two eyes met: a ghostly emerald against an ocean of insanity.

Jensen's legs may have grown scrawny through age and his hands now pulse with the same light as his store sign, but don't let the bandages fool you.

Eve crawled up behind Jensen, and reared her leather eyes around his elbows. Zeus' face lights up.

Zeus looks at his partners-in-crime.

Jensen nods, but that never means he agrees with you.

Jensen turns around, revealing Eve to the crowd

Jensen storms out the door, not being able to look at it for a second more. Rip waits until Jensen is just out of range:

Zeus' smile fades for a monotone look.

EXT. ONE NIGHT BAR - NIGHT

FOCUS ON a police car parked on the edge of the parkway, right before the turn. Jensen cleans up the driveway of the fallen bullets with Eve following behind. He meets the cop, STANLEY, sitting on the car's hood.

Jensen pockets a 100 dollar bill into Stanley's pocket. Stanley nods, gets in his car, and takes off.

INT. JERRY'S - CONTINUOUS

Jensen pulls open the cash register and stashes paper bills into a envelope. He hands it to Eve.

Eve takes the envelope, but she grows curious. For a moment, she contemplates as Jensen packs the place down.

Jensen hums in acknowledgment, his smile fading slightly, making Eve feel awkward again.

Jensen's smile vanishes completely, replaced by a grimace.

Jensen turns off the light, letting the natural gaze of the moon flow through the window. He locks the glass doors to the beers and wines, and closes other cabinets in the building.

He pulls the cord on the flickering LED sign, plunging the store into darkness. Eve offers a small wave goodbye and crosses the street, disappearing into the night. Then, a glint of reflected light catches his eye- Surprise, surprise. It's Zeus- a broad, insincere grin plastered on his face. Jensen grumbles as Zeus pushes open the door.

Jensen continues packing, ignoring Zeus' presence.

Jensen brows raise.

Zeus rolls his eyes, triggered.

But Zeus is persistent... In his mind. He presses his lips together and stands silent. Zeus, for a moment, seems to falter Jensen takes a deep breath.

Then after a long silence...

Zeus holds himself together and storms through the door. Before he reaches the door to the bar-

He turns around.

Zeus nods, but even he's not sure if he's telling the truth.

INT. ONE NIGHT BAR - DAY

Zeus walks into the bar in it's dying hours- the bar is closed as the bartenders clean up the equipment for the next shift, food and plates are left out on the tables with no one to pick them up, and-

People limp out the door in a wobbly line. FIND Fifi, Rip, and Nikki planning on a cleared table. Zeus walks in.

Fifi swings a rocket at Zeus' shoulder.

Manji was one of Zeus' old friend. Was. A few years ago, they got into a fight over a small case. Manji borrowed a few of Zeus' men, and they ended up dying in the process. Zeus' blamed Manji for negligence, but Manji said that was part of the job. One thing let to another, then Zeus punched Manji, causing a all-out free for all in the Rose Gang. It took six hours for the fight to calm down, but even then, Manji cut any alliance with the Rose Gang.

Fifi places down surveillance pictures taken by their old friend at Manji's gang. There we see a short, but built man, surrounded by dozens of people.

Tommy was a big dude, but he's was more elusive than that.

Fifi gives Zeus a questioning look.

Fifi groans. The sighs.

EXT. CAMPUS - DAY

A trailing bus brakes to a stop. It's gates open with a hiss, and out comes a handful of students. One of them is Eve. She clutches the handle of her backpack as she descends the steps. As she approaches the front gate, she hears a familiar cry:

She turns around, her smile dropping, when she spots Zeus walking towards her. He leans his arm against the wall, and leans closer to Eve. Eve looks up at Zeus' smirking face. He towers over, blocking the entrance, and every ounce of sunlight. Worse, Zeus was wearing a full suit- all black, slim fit, and too many accessories. Many students awkwardly side-eyed the man before walking past.

One of Eve's friend, SIRIUS, walks by.

Zeus turns around.

When Sirius leaves, Eve expresses her frustrations with a loud groan and punching Zeus. But not to anyone's surprise, it felt more like a flea bite.

Eve exhales. She pumps her chest and-

Zeus smiles, but Eve could care less about his bright lips.

He begs with his eyes, and no matter how dumb Eve thought Zeus was, the truth is, she was even dumber...

Eve squeezes through Zeus' arm and enters through the gate just as the bell rings.

He pedals through the traffic, but she can't help but take on last look at Zeus. She probably regretted it, however, when she caught him waving goodbye like a doofus on campus. She pushed him out of her mind and the two went their separate ways.

INT. DINER - EVENING

The remnants of Tommy's crew, the Mantis... Down to a handful of people, all inexperienced, overly prideful, and ignorant. They party hard at the diner in their small numbers as if they had never lost before. The door swings open to A.J-

The room cheers.

A.J is Tommy's right hand man. He failed to make his own gang six times before he met Tommy, So, when the two met, A.J was pretty desperate. Tommy promised that the two of them are equals but... HENRY, Tommy's dealer, spots a new face amongst the familiar smiles behind A.J.

Henry points to the tall man next to him. He held a bleak expression, his face tight, and stood silent by A.J. He wore an over-sized black jacket and tucked his hair underneath a sports cap.

But the man does not talk.

EXT. NINTH STREET - NIGHT

Zeus adjusted his collar. He stares at his reflection through the car window- such messy hair. He ruffles it up, but magically, it adjusts into place. There, Eve walks into frame. Zeus' eyes light up.

She wears a beautiful evening dress- Artic silver, with no backside, and a shining lining running down the side. Across her neck, she adjusts the blinging necklace. Her “perfect yet ugly” hair was tied up behind her head, parted to the sides. Zeus had eye for fashion, but in reality, she thought anything looked good on Eve.

Eve lips curl up. Then, she looks at Zeus.

Zeus snickers.

Indeed, he opted out of his usual black fit, running with a snazzy gray blazer and white shirt instead. He held out his hand...

Eve accepts it.

EXT. BANQUET - DAY

SKKRRRRTTT. A car rolls up to the driveway of a very expensive banquet hall- The Royal Hall Banquet, it was called. It was 12 stories high, and the first was 25 feet tall. Zeus lifts the door for Eve, and then wraps his arm around her shoulder to lead her into the building.

INT. ROYAL HALL BANQUET - CONTINUOUS

JAZZ... SMOOTH JAZZ. PLAYED A PRIVATE BAND ATOP THE STAGE. Zeus walks straight past the bouncer without engaging in eye-contact. He walks Eve down the red carpet. Who, by the way, was freaking out internally.

They were hundreds of attendees as the reception, each dressed elegantly. They came all sorts of backgrounds, business, law, politics, celebrities. And they talked about anything- even if it bored the person to death, they kept their cordial smile. Eve is overwhelmed by the number of people.

Zeus grabs a glass of white wine from the cater waiter passing by and hands to whine. Reluctant, she accepts.

Zeus smiles, but Eve didn't understand a word.

Eve nods along, pretending to understand the situation. Zeus eyes the confusion in her eyes.

EXT. DINER - NIGHT

THE TRUNK DOOR LIFTS OPEN... REVEAL Nikki and Rip in the midst of a tense argument.

Rip leans inside the trunk.

Nikki fixes what's inside the trunk. What's inside, exactly? No idea.

Rip stands up straight.

Nikki grabs a hand pistol.

The trunk closes as Nikki and Rip face the entrance of an quiet diner, a smirk on both of their faces.

INT. BANQUET - NIGHT

Laughter, hushed and elegant, the kind that sounds expensive. FIND Zeus and Eve sitting at a table adorned with crisp white linen and gleaming silverware- candlelit dinner, chandelier, and smooth jazz from the unseen orchestra. Zeus laughs.

Eve looks away, embarrassed.

Zeus breaks down on the table.

Zeus leans back on the chair, laughing and snorting. Eve awkwardly sips on her wine, trying to avoid eye contact. In the middle of his laugh, Zeus' phone rings. He looks at it, laughs, and-

Ends the call.

Eve pushes Zeus' head away from her.

INT. DINER - NIGHT

ABSOLUTE CHAOS! Bullets flying, glass breaking, and yelling- incredibly loud yelling. Splintered chrome gleams like broken teeth under the harsh overhead lights Rip slams his phone down on the sticky countertop, the screen a shattered spiderweb mocking his frantic call to Zeus. DENIED CALL Nikki shrinks behind a booth, its once-black tuxedo ripped and stained crimson.

Nikki pops a pair of guys coming from the side. His hand is a blur, the semi-automatic in his grasp spitting fire. Bodies crumple, leaving crimson trails down the slick floor.

Rip snarls, his lips peeling back to gritted teeth, and his eyes bulge with horrifying bloodlust. He springs into action- Bodies fall in hot, running streams of red, piling atop one another. Their bodies- littered with bullet holes, cut deep to the bone, pushing the skin in. One lunges in. Rip empties his clip, the last bullet slamming the attacker back, pinning him twitching against the jukebox. Nikki followed suit, using anything as a weapon. He grabs a piece of a broken glass as a dagger. It sinks into the man's knee with a sickening squelch. He roars, a sound inhuman and wet, and lunges. But Nikki, with a savage twist, tears the makeshift blade upwards. The man stumbles, screaming, and drops to the floor. FOLLOW A.J running against the indoor wind, away from Nikki and Rip's gaze. He runs through the kitchen doors and violently locks it, his hands shaking.

INT. DINER KITCHEN - CONTINUOUS

A.J spun on his heel. Two bulging suitcases sat on the grimy kitchen floor, overflowing with stolen cash. Slamming the latches shut, he secured them with a series of clicks.

The new soul takes the suitcases and makes his way to the overhead door. A.J darted to the kitchen door, peering through the greasy peephole. Nikki and Rip were still tearing up the place, the sound of the gunshots bleeding into the room. A.J's breath hitched in his throat. Had he missed something? Was there still someone upstairs? A cold sweat slicked his back. I'm gonna be alright... right? That thought kept running through A.J's mind. I'm going to be alright, right? I'm going to be alright. I'm going to be alright. I'm going to be alright. I'm going to be alright. I'm going to be alright. I'm going to be alright. I'm going to be alright. Yet the poor man... The chant died in his throat. A sliver of movement caught his eye. It was the closet. The flimsy door, barely hanging on its hinges. He saw a something moving inside. He inches closer to the doors. FROM THE SLIVER IN THE CLOSET, FOCUS ON the new member staring at A.J, his back still turned. Slowly, he reaches his jacket where he reveals a gun. He points it towards it A.J and... A SHARP GASP. BUT NOT FROM A.J.

INT. DINER - NIGHT

After the bodies finish rotting, Rip lights another cigarette. He lays on the counter, and stares into the cracked ceiling. Smoke curled upwards, obscuring the peeling paint and cobwebbed corners. Nikki, however, was busy inspecting the place. He navigates through the fleshy maze of bodies. He reaches a doorway, the wood warped and blackened with mold.

Rip flicked the cigarette butt onto a nearby corpse. He stumbled to his feet and eyes the door, then Nikki. He pushes the door handle. It didn't budge. He pushes harder. Still, it only moved a sliver.

Rip walks a distance away and runs through the door with his shoulder. The door forces open, then stops at an awkward angle. Nikki and Rip squeeze through. Their first sight- A.J.'s body sprawled on the floor, his eyes wide and vacant, blood streaming from the back of his head.

Beyond A.J., the garage door hung open A trail of maroon footprints led outwards. It lead to a promising location before fading away by the trash can.

Nikki growls.

Suddenly, a muffled thump echoes from the nearby closet. It is followed by a flurry of movement and the unmistakable sound of someone desperately trying to stifle a gasp. Rip looks at Nikki and smirks.

INT. BANQUET - NIGHT

Giggling and laughing, Zeus leads Eve past a cascading chocolate fountain sculpted from Belgian white chocolate. He spears a ruby-red strawberry with a silver pick and holds it under the running chocolate. A hint of a smile played on his lips as he pointed the pick at Eve.

Eve leans closer and bites into the strawberry, but her bite only rips half the whole fruit. Eve licks the chocolate off her lips and goes for another bite. But Zeus snatches it away and pops it into his own mouth.

Zeus huddles closer and meets Eve's gaze.

A playful punch landed on his shoulder, surprisingly strong for such a seemingly delicate woman. BUM. DU-DUM. BUM. BA-BU-DU-DUM. The lights dim down, plunging the room into a soft, seductive twilight. A live band erupts on a stage at the far end. Couples begin to gravitate towards the dance floor. Zeus sweeps his hand around Eve's waist.

Eve, her heart skipping a beat, could only nod. She lets her body sway in Zeus' arm. He drags them center-stage, and twirls her around. Her dress flows with every sway and kick. Zeus places his other hand around Eve's palm and swings with the music. THE SNARE STRIKES- A FLYING MONTAGE- CUTS OF ZEUS AND EVE SWAYING ON THE DANCE FLOOR TO... Rip and Nikki dragging the uncooperative body of Henry to the car. Nikki lifts open the trunk, Rip struggles to lift him up, Nikki helps, the struggles doesn't get any easier... A black sports car driving away from the broken down diner... ZEUS SPINS EVE AROUND, THEN BRINGS HER CLOSER TO HIS CHEST-

As the melody hits... Rip and Nikki in a dead-silent car- Nikki at the wheel, Rip on his phone. They hear the awful sounds of Henry banging the trunk walls... Rip turns the stereo all the way UP- BACK TO MONTAGE- Fifi scribbling down ideas and details, rocked out in her red dress, matching wine in her hand. A shiny power car rolls up to the redlight, sitting besides Nikki's car. The driver rolls down the window and stares down the two. Rip looks at Nikki, nods, and LIGHT OUT AND AWAY WE GO!- BACK AT THE BANQUET- FOLLOW a well-dressed man. In the darkness, he walks past the crowd, feeling the grove. Eventually, he reaches the secluded hallway and enters the bathroom. The door closes and- AGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! Silence fell on the room. A single, horrifying scream as the man storms out the bathroom door. The the music cuts off, and the lights flicker back to illuminate the frightened man, leaning against the wall, about to puke.

INT. BANQUET - MORNING

The shrill wail of police sirens bled through the opulent space of the banquet hall. The section leading go the bathroom is closed off with yellow tape. The crowd is still somber, formed into cliques, trying to piece together the confusion. Nervous glances flickered towards the section. They watch the officers investigate the scene- grim faced, shaken, and nervous hands. Eve stood beside Zeus. She looks to Zeus for answers-

He shrugs.

Then, Zeus feels an uncomfortable vibration from his pocket. Groaning, he reads the call- it's Nikki.

He excused himself into a secluded area. Eve watched him go, a knot of apprehension tightening in her stomach. Then, with a stoic face, he answers the call:

Zeus' eyes flicker.

INT. DINER - NIGHT

Inside the diner kitchen, where we left off, Rip stares down Henry, sitting tied up on the floor. He clenches the gun, constantly putting it in Henry's line of focus. Henry side-eyes Nikki.

Nikki hands the phone to Henry. Snarling, he doesn't answer. But Rip pointing the gun to his head, does the trick.

Rip shoots the bullet right besides Henry's head, the shock wave causing him to jump.

Nikki takes the phone back.

INT. BANQUET - NIGHT

Zeus rests against the marble wall. His gaze snags on the yellow caution tape that decorated the scene. A knot of unease ties in his stomach, followed by a wave of confusion, followed by- Another call buzzes in his pocket: Fifi. Zeus answers.

Zeus swept his gaze across the room. There, near the exit, stood a man who perfectly matched the description. Tall and blond, with hair styled in a way that screamed "more money than sense," and a cut on his right wrist. He is deep in conversation with the MAYOR, who had just arrived to the scene.

Hanging up, Zeus spotts Eve across the room, trembling.

Zeus can feel Eve trembling in his hands. He pulls her into his his embrace.

And for a while, nothing did happen. Then, a cop came out the bathroom, a notepad in his hands. He looked over at, disappointed, and mumbled something inaudible to the second cop. The second cop leaves the scene to find the Mayor towards the entrance. However, the first cop scans the crowd and spots Zeus. He locks eyes with. Hard. Starting at nothing but him. Zeus notices this- feeling more anxious with every passing second. The two keep staring before... The cop turns away.

BANG! Mayor plunges to the floor, cold and lifeless, a bullet hole carving his forehead. The room turns to panic- people screaming, shoving, and running for the exit. Eve jumps into Zeus' chest. Thinking fast, Zeus casts a frantic glance around the room. He spots the "second cop" - the one who had locked eyes with him - disappearing around a corner He lets go of Eve-

Zeus follows the trails of the “cop.” He slips into the darkness and guides himself with the sound. But soon, the sound disappears. By himself, he navigates the night, until-

A cop stops Zeus- he eyes his face. Not the one he's looking for one. He tries to push away-

Cop claps his gun.

Impatient, Zeus swings and knocks the officer in the hall. He knocks him on the head with his own gun, but stops himself from striking again- Eve runs through his mind.

With Eve, frightened and small in the crowd, she looks for a hope. Zeus emerges from the shadows and drags Eve through the crowd. He quickly hides the gun behind his back.

But Eve notices the shaking object.

But it didn't help that he a streak of blood in his hands. Eve eyes widen.

Eve senses the impatience in Zeus' voice and lets him take the lead. But she breathes heavily in his arms. ZOOM AWAY FROM THE CHAOS... BEYOND THE SCREAMS AND MOSHPIT... AND TOWARDS AN SOLEMN RIVERBED... A man, his back turned towards us, watching the situation fall apart. In one hand, a hand, and in the other, the the peeled skin of an officer- THE OFFICER.

EXT. EVE'S HOUSE - DAY

A car rolls to a stop on the driveway. Zeus rushes Eve out the door and inside her house, but before the door opens, Eve turns around-

Eve drops quiet. Zeus huffs.

Zeus' eyes redden. He puffs, his chest enlarged.

Eve slams the door shut on Zeus' face. Zeus eyes soften, a moment of reflection. He stands idle, breathing heavy, outside Eve's door, but she turns the lights off to ward him off. T-DING! Zeus picks up his phone. A text message from Jensen: “Zander, meet me at my house.” FOCUS ON THE NAME: Zander.

INT. ONE NIGHT BAR - DAY

Upstairs, in his own room, Zeus rests on the couch, his eyes reflecting the TV. The cameras pan over to the Royal Hall Banquet lined up with yellow tape, police cars, and officers. Zeus pops his knuckles, one by one, as he watches the broadcast. The door creaks open, but he doesn't look at Fifi walk in.

Silence. Fifi nods. She pours of a glass of ice water and sits next to Zeus. She hands the glass.

Fifi turns to Zeus.

Fifi points to herself.

After a short silence, Fifi leaves the room. Before closing the door, she eyes Zeus, his glance still averted to the door. She shakes her head and shuts the door. FOCUS ON Zeus as the events bleeds into his mind- the banquet, Eve, the mayor's dead body, the officer- squeezing the glass with greater force with every thought until-

INT. ONE NIGHT BAR - MOMENTS LATER

CRACK! Rip's glass shatters to a million pieces, leaving him to watch the weapon- a small marble- skid across the table.

Ronney, with his clique, stifle their laugh.

Rip stands up-

With full permission, Ronney laughs. Just then, Zeus walks into the bar, walking silently past everyone. Nikki spots him.

Zeus doesn't answer.

Ronney sense his opportunity.

One of his members, MOB, asks:

Ronney laughs. Zeus smashes Ronney's head into the table. Then, he grabs a broken shard of glass and pins Ronney to the ground, holding the pointed end above his eyes.

Zeus threatens to bring the shard closer to closer to Ronney's eyes.

EXT. BANK - DAY

Outside a beautiful piece of architecture, a small group of hooligans hang out. One of them is DENNIS, an older member, buzz cut, and bad-mouthed.

Standing across him, ROB, the new guy on the block, spits.

Dennis grabs Ron by the hair and it quickly turns into a scuffle. It is broken by a sharp voice-

It's Manji- tall, lean, and long blond hair parted backwards. He pops his knuckles, rolling around the golden rings on almost each finger. Rob and Dennis immediately zip up and quit fighting. They still give dirty glares. The roaring sound of an car braking to a stop. Manji recognizes the noise of the car, but the gang don't. They wait for the door to fling open, and all point their guns at the man waiting behind it.

FOCUS ON Zeus trotting towards Manji.

Zeus sizes up Manji- they're about the same height, but Manji stands taller.

Manji snorts.

Manji laughs hard. He wraps his hand around Zeus.

Manji lifts his blazer, revealing a hand gun resting on his waist.

Everyone in Manji's gang flees the scene. Zeus walks to the bank door and creaks it open. Inside, nothing- a clean bank, empty, silent, and lacking life. He turns back to a red car leaving with Manji's finger flipping Zeus' off.

EXT. EVE'S HOUSE - DAY

Zeus waits outside Eve's door. He hears the faint sound of curtain moving- looks up, finds Eve looking, and then quickly turning around. Then, he hears random mumbling behind the door. It sounds like Eve, but when the door opens... A young girl, the same age as Eve, pops out. Her name- LIV.

Liv nods and closes the door. The screaming inside, louder than before, bleeds through the thin door. It's 100% Eve. Zeus gets a call- it's Fifi, again.

Zeus blinks.

Zeus bites his lip.

Zeus hangs up. After the shouting inside the house stops, the door opens to Eve- eyes sharp, hair down, and a mean scowl. Zeus smiles.

Zeus grabs Eve's hands.

Zeus places Eve's hands on his cheek.

Eve takes her hand away, and her lips curl up ever so slightly.

Zeus runs to his car and waves goodbye. Eve watches as the car leaves with conflicting thoughts.

EXT. ARMS STORE - NIGHT

Crates of weapons, heavy with death and violence, thud onto the waiting truck bed. Manji's gang them out of the ARMS STORE and efficiently, transport it outside, and into the truck. FOCUS ON Beckham through the truck's rear mirrors.

The truck driver, lifts his hand out the window and points his thumbs up. Beckham relaxes, taking out his phone and dialing a business contact. The last crate is loaded onto the truck, and the door is slammed shut. The members wait for everyone to exit the building, but-

The truck, engine roaring to life, lurches forward, tires spitting gravel as it peeled away into the night. It takes off, speeding, and merges into traffic. Caught flat-footed, some of the members try to chase on foot, but it's no use. THE TRUCK SPEEDS UP- Inside, the driver is calm and collected. He takes the left turn and the store disappears in his rear view mirrors. He takes off his hat and fixes his hair- Effortlessly, he peels a layer of latex off his face, but before we can see his face- As the the day bleeds into night, the truck drive in a secluded street, his engine roaring to a halt. For a few moments, silence. Then... A car skids to a stop- Manji's car. He bursts out the car and rushes to the truck, flips the door open and... No one. Only the stupid hat he once wore. Manji enters the connecting alleyway. He inches closer, but makes the mistake of turning his back when-

The tip of a gun rams into his mouth and pins him to the wall. A strong palm binds his hand to the bricks. The face draws into the light- clear skin, messy black hair, black eyes. His stare, sharp and quick. He presses harder. His name, NAVIER CORBETT...

Manji howls, but it's barely heard as Navier threatens to pull the trigger.

Manji nods. Navier pulls the gun and he drops to the floor. He hands him a ripped piece of paper.

Navier lifts his hood up and walks to the dark side of the alley.

With that, Navier disappears into the shadows.

EXT. BANQUET - NIGHT

Back at the shining venue, a series of cars roll up to the curb. From the front car comes Zeus, holding the door open for Eve and grabbing her by the waist. Nikki comes out the driver seat. From the back- Rip, Fifi, Ronney, and Mob. The rest of the Rose Gang comes in subsequent cars.

INT. BANQUET - NIGHT

Still as bright as ever, Zeus leads Eve to the chocolate fountain. He dips the strawberry, and points at Eve, who stares at it with brows raises.

Eve leans, but Zeus pops the strawberry in his mouth and laughs in her face.

Eve punches Zeus in the arm.

On the other side of the room, in a packed recreational room, Nikki and Rip compete in a serious game of POOL. Rip knocks a striped ball into the hole.

Rip lines up another shot. BANG! Direct hit.

He prepares the cue ball and aims towards the far side.

Nikki feels his pocket.

With a new determination, Rip aims the cue ball and strikes- a perfect hit. Nikki coughs up the money. BACK WITH ZEUS AND EVE

Then, Zeus spots a familiar face in the crowd. His eyes widen in half-surprise.

Zeus lets go of Eve and she walks off to the bar. Zeus turns to face- Manji.

Manji smirks.

Eve finds Fifi at the bar, doing the usual- by herself, sipping on wine, and watching the chaos with a smile. She takes a sit besides her.

Eve thinks.

Fifi recognizes the description.

Eve crack a smile. A bartender walks up to her, and as she orders, a middle-age man walks up to Fifi. He raises his hand out, palms up.

Fifi squints her eyes.

Fifi points behind the man where his wife's stood, crossed-arms, and mean frown. She drags the man away, screaming.

Eve's drink arrives. She picks up, staring at Fifi's reflection.

Eve perks her head up.

Fifi leans into Eve's ear and whispers a number. Eve's eyes light up.

Fifi catches Eve starting at her with an open mouth.

Fifi cracks a faint smile- only a faint one. She wraps her hands around Eve.

EXT. BANK - NIGHT

A car rolls to a stop at the entrance. From the passenger seat comes TOMMY, a chubby man, his head covered by his hood, and two duffel bags in his head. The car turns the corner and Tommy reaches the entrance. He looks around- silence- and unlocks the door with a black key.

INT. BANQUET - NIGHT

Manji spins the glass around in his palms.

Zeus nods his head as if he cares, takes a sip, and opens his mouth- Eve clears her throat. She taps an imaginary watch on her wrist.

Manji half-waves, peering Zeus take Eve, Fifi, Rip, Nikki, and the rest of gang through the enormous venue.

EXT. BANQUET - CONTINUOUS

Zeus lets got of Eve's arm.

Zeus winks.

EXT. BANK - NIGHT

The car screeched, tires clawing at the asphalt as it swerves around corners, pushing the limits of its engine. It crosses the bridge, over the laker, when suddenly.. A pair of headlights ripped through the darkness. It speeds up, trailing the first car, bumper to bumper. They both make it past the bridge, and on the first turn, the pursuing car slams into the first, sending it into spin. Metal screams against metal. Zeus throws open the back door of the car. He rips Tommy from the wreckage, slamming him against the mangled metal. A strangled gasp escapes Tommy's lips.

A sardonic laugh- ragged and desperate- claws its way out of Tommy.

Zeus yanks out a handgun. Tommy flinches.

Nikki flashes a phone up.

Zeus snatches the phone from the Nikki.

INT. CAR - NIGHT

Fifi's hand twists the steering wheel with her phone presses against her ears.

EXT. STREET - NIGHT

Zeus shakes in his head in disbelief.

Suddenly, a bright light emerges from the other side. It gets closer.

Zeus scrambles back to the car and Nikki drags Tommy across.

EXT. EVE'S HOUSE - NIGHT

KNOCK! KNOCK! A figure stands outside Eve's door, back turned to us, dressed in all black. Liv opens the door- exhausted, squinting eyes, wrapped in her blanket.

Navier extends a gloved hand, handing the woman a silver necklace. It connects to a heart locket.

Liv's tired eyes flickers to the necklace, but she lazily grabs it.

Liv closes the door. THE CAMERA PANS... Around Navier to watch his smile wash away. Behind him, he clenches a gun, his finger on the trigger. He tap his foot. Once. Twice. Three times. Over and over, until...