Post by M.A.Y. on Aug 30, 2002 12:27:47 GMT -5
Nicholas Fallin has never felt so cold in his entire life. Every decision that brought him back to Pittsburgh from New York floods into his mind as he sits in this place where he never expected to be. The meidcal equipment beeps and clicks as his father lies unconscious in the hospital bed. He has massive internal injuries and the doctors have informed Nick that his father will require surgery. All the while the danger that Lulu is in gnaws at his conscience and causes his heart to race.
The orderlies come into the room to take Burton up to surgery. Nick is fighting back tears as he kisses his father and tells him that he loves him.
On his way now to meet Mandy, who is holding Lulu hostage, Nick is overwhelmed by fear. Fear that his father may die, with so much unresolved between them, and fear that the woman he is now sure that he loves is in danger because of him. Everything is his fault. One bad decision after another thwarting his deepest desire: simply to be a good man.
Mandy has returned to the scene of the crime. Nick parks in the alley behind the strip club where the shooting took place, and it all seems as though it happened so long ago. Thunder and lightening can be heard in the distance. Nick reaches into the pocket of his suit jacket and fingers the $5000 he has brought for Mandy. Rain begins to fall heavily as he steps out of his car. The yellow police seal has been broken and he steps over the the tape that flickers in the evening wind.
The bar is silent. He calls out for Mandy. No answer. His stomach in knots he yells Lulu's name. No answer. The dusty floor boards creak as he continues into the bar. He is in the corridor that he made his way out of after Mandy had shot the owner of the club. Nick remembers how his heart was pounding, drowing out the ringing of the fire alarm that he pulled, as he walked slowly out, not knowing from one step to the next whether it would be his last as he could feel Mandy's eyes, and her gun, on him.
He looks behind the bar where the bodies fell and he thinks that he can see blood.
"You;re late Mr. Fallin! I was starting to think you didn't want to see your girlfriend again." Mandy, who is still high, laughs at him as she waves her gun at him.
Nick demands to see Lulu. Mandy asks to see the money first. Nick puts the money on the bar next to him, his hand on top of it.
"That doesn't look like ten grand to me!"
"It's all I have right now...it's $5000...so take it, just take it!"
"Ooooh you've got a temper. Maybe you're not as dull as I thought."
"Where is she?!!"
"I don't like it when men shout at me Mr. Fallin," she says raising the gun level with his head. "Now ask me nice."
Nick fights the urge to lunge at her: "Please let her go now."
Mandy walks over to Nick, holding the gun on him she moves. She is now behind him and presses the gun into his spine.
"You're kind of cute." She runs her free hand down his back and stops with her hand on his butt. Nick's body arches away at her touch. "Maybe I should get rid of your girlfriend, and then I can really turn you into a bad boy. Because from what I hear you're halfway there already."
Nick tells her to go to hell, and she shoves him forward. Mandy grabs the cash from the bar and they walk into the kitchen behind the bar. Mandy leads Nick to the rear of the kitchen and they stop in front of a locked freezer.
"Open the door Mr. Fallin."
The orderlies come into the room to take Burton up to surgery. Nick is fighting back tears as he kisses his father and tells him that he loves him.
On his way now to meet Mandy, who is holding Lulu hostage, Nick is overwhelmed by fear. Fear that his father may die, with so much unresolved between them, and fear that the woman he is now sure that he loves is in danger because of him. Everything is his fault. One bad decision after another thwarting his deepest desire: simply to be a good man.
Mandy has returned to the scene of the crime. Nick parks in the alley behind the strip club where the shooting took place, and it all seems as though it happened so long ago. Thunder and lightening can be heard in the distance. Nick reaches into the pocket of his suit jacket and fingers the $5000 he has brought for Mandy. Rain begins to fall heavily as he steps out of his car. The yellow police seal has been broken and he steps over the the tape that flickers in the evening wind.
The bar is silent. He calls out for Mandy. No answer. His stomach in knots he yells Lulu's name. No answer. The dusty floor boards creak as he continues into the bar. He is in the corridor that he made his way out of after Mandy had shot the owner of the club. Nick remembers how his heart was pounding, drowing out the ringing of the fire alarm that he pulled, as he walked slowly out, not knowing from one step to the next whether it would be his last as he could feel Mandy's eyes, and her gun, on him.
He looks behind the bar where the bodies fell and he thinks that he can see blood.
"You;re late Mr. Fallin! I was starting to think you didn't want to see your girlfriend again." Mandy, who is still high, laughs at him as she waves her gun at him.
Nick demands to see Lulu. Mandy asks to see the money first. Nick puts the money on the bar next to him, his hand on top of it.
"That doesn't look like ten grand to me!"
"It's all I have right now...it's $5000...so take it, just take it!"
"Ooooh you've got a temper. Maybe you're not as dull as I thought."
"Where is she?!!"
"I don't like it when men shout at me Mr. Fallin," she says raising the gun level with his head. "Now ask me nice."
Nick fights the urge to lunge at her: "Please let her go now."
Mandy walks over to Nick, holding the gun on him she moves. She is now behind him and presses the gun into his spine.
"You're kind of cute." She runs her free hand down his back and stops with her hand on his butt. Nick's body arches away at her touch. "Maybe I should get rid of your girlfriend, and then I can really turn you into a bad boy. Because from what I hear you're halfway there already."
Nick tells her to go to hell, and she shoves him forward. Mandy grabs the cash from the bar and they walk into the kitchen behind the bar. Mandy leads Nick to the rear of the kitchen and they stop in front of a locked freezer.
"Open the door Mr. Fallin."