Part 15

EXT. PLAYGROUND. NIGHT

A rat scurries through a greasy grey puddle. Hobo PHIL's face is booted down into the muck, his teeth CRACK and splinter and he dribbles blood into the muddy water, GROANING.

                             DUTTON (O.S)

You alright mate? Haha

Phil sees Thompson, Dutton and Doyle standing over him brandishing machetes and grinning. Thompson leers down as he lifts his boot.

THOMPSON

What 'ave we here boys? Don't you hate it when you step in shit!

MALICE (O.S)

BRING 'IM 'ERE!

Malice is standing in front of the crashed helicopter holding a barely conscious hobo, GRANT by the scruff of the neck. Dutton and Doyle pick up Phil by the arms and drag him over, his legs trailing in the mud. Phil and Grant groggily raise their heads and look each other in the face, bruises raised and hair matted with blood. Malice takes out his Desert Eagle and cocks it. A stream of urine seeps out of Grant's ragged trousers. Malice grins down at Phil as he SHOOTS Grant's brains over a pile of rubble. Malice drops Grant's body and jams his gun in Phil's face.

MALICE

SPEAK.

Phil SPLUTTERS.

PHIL

Wotuwaant!?

Doyle grabs Phil by his filthy coat and shakes him like a ragdoll.

DOYLE

Youlittleuckingdirtymuggycunt!  

He slaps the hobo hard in the face, blood and teeth fly out of his mouth. Malice holds up a hand.

MALICE (to Doyle)

Easy Nathan, EASY!...Put 'im back.

Doyle lets Phil go, who collapses to his knees. Malice presses his gun against Phil's forehead.

MALICE

You’re going to tell us about the geezers that came through here earlier.

Malice gets in Phil's face, cocking his head to the side and smiling.

MALICE

Which way did they go?

Phil raises an arthritic hand and points in the direction of a dark alleyway on the other side of the playground.

PHIL

There were two of them, ran off down there. One was local. Never seen the other bloke before. Spoke to some coon in that helicopter. Never saw his face.

Phil doesn't blink as he looks in Malice's eyes. Malice nods and stands up. He turns to Charles and Davey, jutting his chin at them.

MALICE

You two, go check that copter.

They go over and climb inside. Malice shoots Phil in the face without turning around. Dutton and Doyle drop the spurting corpse. Malice walks towards the alleyway, his boys following. Charles and Davey emerge from the helicopter.

CHARLES

Nothin' there sir.

Malice turns to Franks.

MALICE

PURGE

The flamethrower ROARS and spews flame over the Phil and Grant's bodies, the helicopter and the playground. Smoke rises high above the tower blocks as gunships and dropships sweep in over the ghetto.

EXT. ABANDONED FACTORY ROOF. NIGHT

A shadowy figure with a long rifle looks down as Malice and his men stalk cautiously through the maze of alleys.

INT. TERRY’S HOME.

The tea has been drunk and Terry is finishing his story, Lucy and Terry are sitting either side of Dan on a battered sofa. Layla is sitting at her mother's feet playing with a young bull mastiff.

TERRY

...so he disables our chips, talks a load of mumbo-jumbo about Lock's plans for world domination and fucks off!

LUCY

So now what? They won't let you back in the factory without your chip.

She is angry and turns on Dan.

LUCY

and what's your game? Getting my husband mixed up in government plots, what the hell did you think you were doing?

Dan holds his hands up, exasperated.

DAN

What was I supposed to do? They were trying to kill me!

TERRY

Luce.

Layla is rolling a joint.

LAYLA

Will everyone just calm down. You're home now, that's what’s important.

LUCY

Yes, he's home. Out of work and in the company of an enemy of the state. Well done Terry, fucking brilliant.

She throws her arms up at him.

TERRY

Luce, I'm gona sort this.

LUCY

How?

Terry SIGHS and rubs his hand over his face. Layla sparks up the joint. Dan puts his head in his hands.

DAN

Lucy I am truly sorry I got your husband involved in all this. Something is happening to my mind and I don't know what it is.

LUCY

and on top of all this you're a nutjob!?

TERRY

Luce.

                                               DAN

It was a government experiment. I had to get out. Terry saved my life. The least I can do is stick with him until I've paid that debt. To all of you.

Layla looks at him and smiles, offers the joint. Dan waves his hand.

DAN

Thank you but I really shouldn't.

Terry takes the joint off Layla.

TERRY

She really shouldn't.

LAYLA

Daaaaaad!

Terry grins at his daughter. He takes a surly hit on the joint. Layla shakes her head.

LAYLA

Such a hypocrite.

Terry exhales the smoke upwards.

TERRY

What are parents for? There ya go darling.

He passes the joint to Lucy. She takes a toke and passes the joint to Layla.

LUCY

Dan I'm sorry, its the streets out there, I worry so much, and the company ain't much better. I've always asked Terry never to bring his work home with him.

LAYLA

You always taught me to look at people with eyes of compassion, not fear and hate.

LUCY

This is...different.

LAYLA

How?

Dan suddenly looks at the door, his eyes rolled back in his head.

DAN

They've found us.