PART ONE

INT OFFICE.PRIVATE DECTIVE NIXON FLYNN IS SITTING AT HIS DESK, LOOKING OVER OLD CASE FILES

FLYNN[V.O.]

It was a cold November Tuesday in Detroit…So cold that you felt like the wind was biting right into your bones…Add to that a slow couple of months and a few missed paychecks and the chill coming from my

secretary only made things worse. I knew I needed a case, but I suppose that’s when Karma came knocking on my door. Sometimes, in my line of work its best not to tempt fate…course that’s hindsight…

and I’m not much good with that.

PHONE RINGS SUDDENLY.

FLYNN[ANSWERS THE PHONE]

What is it, Vi?

VIVIAN[FROM RECEIVER]

There’s a man here to see you, Nix.

FLYNN[PAUSES]

Client?

VIVIANSuit screams cheap to me…By the looks of him, I’d say cop…

[PAUSES]…whoever he is, he’s got all the charm of sheetrock. I got him waiting outside. Want me to send him

in?

FLYNN[THINKS THIS OVER FOR A SECOND. STUFFS SOME PAPERS INTO A FOLDER AND THEN OPENS HIS DESK DRAWER. LOOKS DOWN INTO DESK DRAWER AND MAKES SURE HIS SIDE ARM IS AVAILABLE. LAYS A

FILE ON IT.][V.O.]

After 4 years in the private sector I learned that it was always best to prepare yourself for whatever came thru the door. Sometimes it was a slighted housewife, or a worried husband. Those were the

easy ones. You take some pictures, show them what you found. Yeah, the tears may flow, but it paid the bills. Course there are those other cases…the kind that leave you feeling like you just got punched in

the gut. A One-Two jab that leaves you almost questioning the depravity of humanity…almost.

VIVIANNix? You there?

FLYNNYeah, yeah…send him in Vi.

ENTER Lt. HAROLD GETZ. HIS EVERY MANNERISM COLD AND CALCULATED. HE MOVES TOWARDS FLYNNS DESK

GETZ[EXTENDS HAND]

You Detective Flynn?...Detective Nixon Flynn?

FLYNN[NOT RETURNING THE HANDSHAKE]

That’s the name on the door isn’t it, Mr…?

GETZ[ALREADY GETTING A READ ON FLYNN]

Lieutenant…Lt. Getz, Third Precinct. Homicide Division.

FLYNN[FROWNS AT THE NAME]

Getz? Harold Getz? Getz who got Jimmy Two Times to talk? You got quite a reputation, Lieutenant.

GETZWhat reputation is that, Mr. Flynn?

FLYNNWord is you’re not much on civil liberties

GETZ[SHRUGS AND TWISTS HIS CUFF LINKS]

Jimmy didn’t seem to concerned with the liberties of others.

FLYNNI heard he may never walk again. How’d that happen again?...He “accidently” fell out of the third story

window…?

GETZRemind me again how you lost your badge, Flynn—Was it “excessive force”—

FLYNNWell we’re not talking about me are we—

GETZ--Or was it spending too much time with the Chiefs wife?

FLYNN[OBVIOUSLY IRRITATED]

GETZ[SLIGHT SMIRK KNOWING HE RUBBED FLYNN WRONG]

…of course, who am I to pry into your personal life, right?

FLYNNPerhaps what you could do is explain what brought you here? Id imagine that you don’t have much free

time on your hands between beating suspects unconscious and throwing them out of high rises. Or maybe you came down here just to see what it might be like to try your tough guy routine on someone

who wont roll over at the slightest sign of a badge and a gun?

GETZI came down here because we got a call this morning—anonymous call telling us that there was a bunch of yelling and shouting last night around 10. Right over on Racine and 4th. Couple of beats show up find

a man with two in his back—.45 from the looks of it.

FLYNNSo? What this got to do with me?

GETZVics Johnny Dufresne—Your old partner

FLYNN[TAKEN ABACK]

Johnny…?

CUT TO: FLASHBACK ACCOMPANIED BY V.O.

CUT TO EXTERIOR SHOT

FLYNN[V.O.]

Last time I had seen Johnny was almost 2 weeks ago. He had asked me to meet him because he felt he had stumbled onto something big.

FLYNN EYES DUFRENSE TALKING WITH TWO OTHER MEN AND MOVES TOWARDS THEM. AS HE GETS CLOSE ONE OF THE TWO MEN NOTICES AND LEAVES ABRUPTLY.

FLYNNJohnny

DUFRESNENix, Thanks for coming.

FLYNNNo problem kid. You sounded urgent. Whats going on?

DUFRESNE[TURNS TO INTRODUCE FLYNN TO OTHER MAN STILL THERE]

Nix—Lt. Max Hardy—My new partner.

HARDYNixon Flynn…Johnny here never shuts up about you.

THE TWO SHAKE HANDS

FLYNNDon’t be too hard on the kid, he just lost his spots.

HARDY[SLIGHT CHUCKLE]

DUFRESNENix, Do you remember that case you helped me with two years ago? Break in at the D.I.A. Murdered

night watchman and curator?

FLYNNYeah I remember. Dead end. No leads. Just that missing item worth six figures. You turn something up,

kid?

DUFRESNEThat’s where Max comes in—

HARDYKid here starts asking questions to guys down at the loading docks. He’s got a wild idea that a recent

rash of missing freight containers is somehow tied in to this museum theft. I got a guy on the inside who gives me information from time to time.

FLYNNYou got yourself an informant?

DUFRESNEIt IS connected, Nix.

HARDYMy guy says it is.

FLYNN[NOT CONVINCED]

C’mon kid—

DUFRESNENix, trust me. This one is solid and its big. You ever hear of…

[CAUTIOUSLY LOWERS HIS VOICE]…Cyrus Reinhardt?

FLYNN[V.O.]

Who hadn’t heard of Cyrus Reinhardt. Everyone knew the name, but…he was a ghost. No one had laid eyes on him in 10 years. Word was he had his fingers in every pot from the Mayor of the City to the guy filling pot holes on the Woodward Ave. Teamster, Racketeer, Political Financer and…undisputed crime

boss of Old Detroit.

FLYNNReinhardt? You sure kid?

DUFRESNE[PASSIONATELY]Im positive, Nix

CUT TO: BACK TO OFFICE-PRESENT

GETZWe think he went to meet someone—an informant possibly. Kid had some wild theories—And a big yap—The kind that can get a guy killed. Especially if who he’s yapping about wants to remain…annyomous.

FLYNN[FROWNS]Reinhardt.

GETZ[SHRUGS]

Maybe. Maybe not. Point is—Your boy got himself in deep. Too deep. My guess—whoever he ticked off decided to plug his yap before he caught the attention of the Chief or the D.A.

FLYNNJimmy was a good cop…one of the few left on your force.

[PAUSES THEN LOOKS HARD AT GETZ]Why come here? Why bring this to me?

GETZThat case he was working on…Dufresne had an evidence folder thicker than the metro-Detroit phone

book. Names, dates, numbers. He and that new partner of his—

FLYNN-Hardy

GETZ--Yeah, that’s right, Hardy. They had lists of suspects on these thefts. Name after name…

[PULLS FILE FOLDER OUT OF HIS TRENCH COAT AND SLAPS IT ON FLYNNs DESK]…And on the very top? Nixon Flynn.

FLYNN

[V.O.]Like I said…Some days this job goes easy…and other days it’s a One-Two right to the gut…

PART TWO

SHOT OPENS IN DIMMLY LIT ROOM.FLYNN IS TIED TO A CHAIR. HES A MESS OF BRUISES AND BLOODIED.TWO THUGS [NOLL & CRANE] STAND ON EITHER OF HIM. ADMINISTERING THE BEATING IS FELIX LEECH, RIGHT HAND MAN TO CRYUS REINHARDT

LEECH[GIDDY]

I am wondering, Mr. Flynn—Are you willing to give me what I want? My employer is growing impatient with your stubbornness.

FLYNN[THRU THE PAIN]

You hit like a girl, you know that Leech?

NOLL[GRABS FLYNN BY HIS HEAD AND YANKS HIM UPRIGHT]

You best not talk to Mr. Leech that way.

FLYNN“Mr?” That’s kinda like calling a hot dog “caviar”, aint it?

LEECH[EYES WIDE. LOOKS AT CRANE & NODS]

CRANEWALKS OVER TO A TABLE AND BRINGS LEECH A TOOL BOX OR DUFFLE BAG

Here yah go, Mr. Leech

FLYNNLaundry Day, Leech?

NOLL[VISIBLY UPSET AT FLYNN]

You don’t know when to shut up do yah?

FLYNNI think you’re just upset at all the big words, tiny.

NOLL[LIFTS ARM TO HIT FLYNN BUT LEECH STOPS HIM]

LEECH

[WAVES FINGER IN FLYNNs DIRECTION]Tsk, tsk, tsk…You are [LAUGHS IN AN UNPLEASANT MANNER] a most annoying person, Mr. Flynn. I find

you sooo grating on my nerves. So grating indeed. [LAUGHS AGAIN] How do we fix that, Mr. Flynn?[OPENS BOX/BAG AND REMOVES BASEBALL BAT]

Perhaps we—[CHUCKLES]—Perhaps we…help you adjust your outlook? Yes?

FLYNN[V.O.]

Two tours in the Marines hadn’t exactly left me soft. Noll had given me a few to the gut that were gonna leave me a few sleepless nights…and the other guy was only assaulting my sense of smell…but

Leech? With that bat he was getting ready to play hard ball…and I was the ball. I needed to buy myself some time…

[LOOKS OVER TO CRANE]

CRANEWhy you smirking, jerk?

FLYNN[EXAGGERATES A DEEP SNIFF OF AIR]

I assume your Leech’s number two guy? See what I did there? “Number Two”? It’s ironic because you smell like crap.

[LOOKS UP AT NOLL]Need me to explain that one to yah, bubbles?

CRANE[CONFUSED]

Did you just--?

NOLL[SEETHING MAD. LOOKS UP AT LEECH]

Boss…?

LEECH[LIFTS UP BAT]

You a funny man, Mr. Flynn…I’m going to enjoy this very much.

FLYNN[V.O.]

Crap. Maybe I should have kept my mouth shut…This wasn’t gonna be my first mistake of the evening…

JUST AS BAT IS RAISED WE SEE FLYNN CLOSE HIS EYES AND THE SHOT CUTS TO BLACK

FLASHBACK TO EARLIER ACCOMPANIED BY FLYNNs NARRATION.CUT TO: EXTERIOR OF FLYNNS OFFICE

FLYNN ENTERS THE HALLWAY AND WALKS TOWARDS HIS OFFICE DOOR

FLYNN[V.O.]

…Just a few hours earlier I had already made mistake number one of my day. I knew something was fishy the moment I noticed the door ajar to my outer office. Vi never left it open—said she didn’t like it when clients came up without her noticing them. Seems like this time someone may have gotten the

better of her…and here I am without my .45. Sitting in a desk drawer keeping files safe, but leaving me out to dry like someones laundry.

[CAUTIOUSLY WALKS IN]Vi?

FLYNN WALKS INTO HIS OFFICE. WE SEE FELIX LEECH, Lt MAXWELL HARDY AND CYRUS REINHARDT IN THE OFFICE. REINHARDT IS SITTING IN FLYNNs CHAIR.

FLYNNYah know, its customary to knock first and then come in. Id say to go make an appointment with my

secretary but I see she aint here. [LOOKS HARD FOR A MOMENT]

Vivian?

LEECHThe woman was most rude to us…[GIGGLES]…most rude.

FLYNN[TAKING A STEP TOWARDS LEECH]

Where is she?!

REINHARDT[WITH AN AUTHORITATIVE VOICE]

She is quite safe, Mr. Flynn. I am a man of my word, so when I tell you that I’d never lay a hand on a woman—even one with such a…”robust”… vocabulary as Ms. Banks—you can rest assured that she is

unharmed.

FLYNNHow comforting.

REINHARDT

[TILTS HIS HEAD SUDDENLY, AS IF EMBARRASSED]Forgive me, Mr. Flynn. I forgot to introduce myself.

[LOOKS AT HIS MEN]Civility gentlemen…ALWAYS civility. My name is Reinhardt. Cyrus Reinhardt. This is my associate, Mr.

Leech and I believe that you already know Lt. Hardy.

FLYNN[FLASHES HARDY A DEATH GLARE]

LEECH[GIGGLES]

FLYNNDid you kill Johnny?

HARDY[SHRUGS]

I tried to tell you Flynn…Kid was sticking his nose in other peoples business. You cant go doing that and not expect trouble.

FLYNN[TAKE A STEP CLOSER TO HARDY]

Did you?

REINHARDTI promise you Mr. Hardy did not assist Mr. Dufresne to his demise, despite his reputation for such things.

No, Mr. Flynn—I’m afraid that no one in my employ was responsible for that tragic end.

FLYNN[TURNS TO GLARE AT REINHARDT]

You “promise”? [LOOKS REINHARDT UP AND DOWN]

Mobster with a heart of gold?

LEECH[TAKES A STEP CLOSER TO FLYNN]

Be careful…

FLYNNJohnny was on to you wasn’t he? He had the all pieces of the puzzle he just didn’t know the picture he was putting together. But I do. Black market art dealer. Trading in the exchange of rare artifacts with

private collectors—and you right smack dab in the middle of it all. And what? He got you worried. Made you nervous. So you did what any slimey coward would do. You killed him by putting two in his

back.

REINHARDT I’m a tolerant man, Mr. Flynn…but I do not tolerate insult.

[MOTIONS TO LEECH AND HARDY WHO IMMEDIATELY GRAB FLYNN AND PUNCH HIM IN THE GUT]

FLYNN[FALLS TO HIS KNEES]

REINHARDT[RISES OUT OF THE CHAIR]

You see, Mr. Flynn? For everything action there is an equal and opposite reaction. A Newtonian Truism that you’ve and your late partner obviously neglected.

HARDY[LOOKS AT REINHARDT, REACHING INTO HIS JACKET]

Want me to kill him, Mr. Reinhardt?

REINHARDT[WAVES HARDY OFF]

No, no, no…Mr. Flynn is too valuable to us alive. After all, who else is going to get me want I want?

FLYNNWhat the hell are you talking about, Reinhardt?

REINHARDTI’m talking about what is rightfully mine but that which has been taken from me. I’m talking about

something more valuable than money or coin…the sort of thing men kill one another for. The very thing that got poor Mr. Dufresne shot and will be the unfortunate death of your vulgar Ms. Banks if you play

games with me, Mr. Flynn.

FLYNNThat missing artifact from the museum? You think I have it?

REINHARDT

[SHRUGS INDIFFERENTLY]I’m not casting dispersions on you, Mr. Flynn. You’re a Private Detective whose career has hit a dry

spell. Perhaps you needed some quick cash and thought you could move my item without me knowing about it. Or maybe you are just some two bit spineless corrupt cop like Mr. Harding here…

[GESTURES TOWARDS HARDING]…I don’t know…But I do know that I am not a man to be trifled with.

[LEANS IN AND GENTLY GRABS FLYNNS COAT]…Where. Is. It?

FLYNNI don’t know.

LEECHShould I kill him, Mr. Reinhardt?

REINHARDT[GLARING AT FLYNN. SLOWLY A SMILE SPREADS ACROSS HIS FACE]

No. Not right now, Mr. Leech.

LEECH[DISSAPPOINTED]

But I so much want to kill him…

REINHARDT[THINKS ABOUT IT FOR AMOMENT]

Maybe later…but right now Mr. Flynn is going to do whatever we want…otherwise Mr. Hardy will make sure that pieces of Ms. Banks are mailed to everyone of her relatives…Is that clear, Mr. Flynn?

FLYNN[V.O.]

I had no idea what he wanted or where to find it, but I had to buy some time, for Vivians sake. Reinhardt may claim that he didn’t have anything to do with Johnnys death. But I wasn’t going to buy into his

oratory. If I had to make a deal with the devil in order to bring him down then so be it.

FLYNNIts clear, Reinhardt.

REINHARDT[SMILE SPREADS SLOWLY ACROSS HIS FACE]

Good…

PART THREE

SHOT OPENS IN FLYNNS AT AN EXTERIOR LOCATIONFLYNN SITTING IN A PARKED CAR, WAITING. HE HAS THE VISIBLE WOUNDS FROM HIS ALTERCATION WITH LEECH AND HIS MEN. NEXT TO HIM IS A SMALL BOX. THE IDEA IS THAT REINHARDTS “ITEM” IS IN THE BOX.

FLYNN[V.O.]

How many times had I found myself in this same scenario? Cards stacked against me in the worst way and this time im not sure my ace in the hole is gonna save my butt. But what choice do I have? They

have Vivian and I owe it to Johnny to see this thru…Or at least see Reinhardts eyes roll back into his skull just before my lights go out. Either way—This is gonna be messy.

[LOOKS INTO THE BOX]My Ace in the Hole. My only play left. Only problem, its lose/lose for everyone.

CUT TO: A CAR ROLLS INTO THE ALLEY WAY. ITS HEADLIGHTS SLICE INTO THE DARKNESSFLYNN SQUINTS SLIGHTLY, KNOWING THAT THE END IS RAPIDLY APPROACHING. AS FLYNN NARRATES WE SEE THE CAR PARK A SHORT DISTANCE AWAY. THE ALL FOUR DOORS OPEN AND EXITING THE VEHICLE ARE AN ASSORTMENT OF INDIVIDUALS. CYRUS REINHARDT, THE CHIEF OF POLICE AND FELIX LEECH

FLYNN[V.O.]

They pull up early, like I expected. As they poor out of the car my throat goes dry and part of my brain starts screaming to me to get the hell outta here before it gets any worse—before I shuffle off the same way Johnny did—with two new holes letting my soul pour out onto the pavement. But that’s not in the cards for me tonight. Ive got no where else left to run. I see the Chief get out from the passenger seat and my suspicions are confirmed in the worst way. Now I got a picture of just how far this corruption

goes. I can see just what kind of forces Johnny had gotten himself up against. My gut goes cold. Hands shaking but I got to pull it together. Just once more, for Vivian. For Johnny. I owe them both.

REINHARDT MOVES FORWARD SLIGHTLY, HIS MEN STANDING BEHIND AND BESIDES HIM.

REINHARDTMr. Flynn…Step outside and lets complete our business shall we?

FLYNN[MURMURS]Here we go…

[REACHES OVER TO GRAB THE BOX AND EXITS THE CAR]

CHIEF

Hold it right there Nix!

REINHARDT[AMUSED AT THEIR FEARS]

Calm yourselves gentlemen. Mr. Flynn isn’t going to harm anyone. He is going to complete this exchange. My “item” for his secretary.

[EYES FLYNN]Isn’t that so, Detective? We certainly don’t want any more unfortunate “accidents”, do we?

FLYNNMaybe you should have told your other goons to back off? I told you I’d get your item and I did.

Sending Hardy and Noll was just a bad play on your part, Reinhardt.

CHIEF[STEPS CLOSER]

Hardy was a friend, Nix. I’m gonna kill you for that!

FLYNNYour friend was a bad cop, O’Bannon. He stunk like the rest of the garbage in this city.

[LOOKS OVER TO FELIX LEECH WHO HAS A NOTICABLE BRUISED FACE AND LIP]…He got what was coming to him.

REINHARDTAgain you do me disservice, Mr. Flynn. I did not dispatch Lt. Hardy to confront you. He did that on

someone elses accord. I’m terribly sorry that you had to be subjected to that sort of ill manner. I cannot abide disrespect. You and I had an arrangement and I deeply regret that other parties infringed upon

that.[PAUSES]

Mr. Leech?

LEECH[LOOKS TOWARDS REINHARDT]

Yes Sir?

REINHARDTKill Him

LEECH[SMILES. WE CAN TELL HE HAS DRAWN HIS WEAPON]

With pleasure Sir.FLYNN

[TAKES A STEP BACKWARDS][V.O.]

This was it. No way out this time. [CLOSES HIS EYES]

SUDDENLY A SINGLE GUN SHOT RINGS OUT. FLYNN WINCES BUT IMMEDIATELY REALIZES THAT HE HAS NOT BEEN SHOT.CUT TO: CHIEF O’BANNON LOOKS DOWN AND TOUCHES HIS CHEST. HE LOOKS AT HIS HAND TO SEE BLOOD. COLLAPSES TO THE GROUND REVEALING LEECH STANDING BEHIND HIM.

REINHARDTI deplore violence, Mr. Flynn—but not as much as I do liars. Chief O’Bannon sent Lt. Hardy to kill you and to steal my Item. And it was Hardy who killed your former partner. As I see it now, you are in my

debt.

FLYNNI would rather them have met justice, Reinhardt.

REINHARDT[LAUGHS IN SURPRISE]

“Justice”? Really? My God, you truly are naïve. What is justice but a construct of Man? Some flimsy set of rules and codes of conduct that become twisted and distorted by men like Hardy or O’Bannon.

[STEPS CLOSER]I have created an empire by bringing order to Old Detroit. No, Mr. Flynn, they have both met the only

true justice that is left.

LEECHVery well said, Sir

FLYNNSo now what? You kill me too?

REINHARDTThat all depends on you, Mr. Flynn.

FLYNNYou say that like I have a choice in the matter.

REINHARDTLife is an endless dream of choices, sir…unfortunately you have chosen to make my life more difficult.

FLYNN

I tend to do that.

LEECH[TAKES A STEP FORWARD, STANDING NEXT TO REINHARDT]

I so much want to kill him, Mr. Reinhardt

REINHARDT[SMILES SLILGHTLY]

That remains to be seen, Mr. Leech. The ball is in your court Mr. Flynn.

FLYNNI have what you want…right here in this box. But before I give it to you I need to know that Vivian is

okay.

REINHARDTYou have my word she is unharmed.

FLYNN[SARCASSTIC GRIN]

Forgive me if I don’t find that reassuring enough.[DROPS THE SMILE]

I want to talk to her. Now.

REINHARDT[SIGHS]

Very well. Mr. Leech—Call Crane and have him put the woman on.

LEECH[FUMBLES TO GET PHONE]

Yes Sir. Yes Sir.

FLYNN[V.O.]

If I was going to make a move, it had to be soon—but first I had to be sure that Vi was safe.

LEECH[INTO PHONE]

Crane. It’s Felix. Put the woman on.[PAUSES THEN HANDS OVER THE PHONE TO FLYNN]

Talk to her.

FLYNN

[TAKE THE PHONE]Hey Vi. You okay?

VIVIAN[ON RECEIVER]

This guy smells like crap Nix, but yeah, I’m okay. Look, just be careful.

FLYNNDon’t worry Vi…It’ll all be over soon.

[MOTIONS FOR LEECH TO TAKE PHONE]

CUT TO: AS LEECH REACHES OUT TO TAKE PHONE, FLYNN GRABS HIS ARM AND PULLS HIM OFF BALANCE. LEECH STUMBLES AND FLYNN LANDS A STRONG PUNCH TO HIS JAW. LEECH CRUMPLES TO THE GROUND, UNCONSCIOUS

FLYNNWell now…it looks like its just me and you now, Reinhardt.

REINHARDT[LOOKING CALM]

My, my, my…seems you have other plans than honoring our agreement.[LOOKS AT LEECHS FALLEN BODY]

He always did have a glass jaw.

FLYNNThat’s not entirely true, Reinhardt. This deal can go either way depending on how reasonable you want

to be. All I want is the girl. In this box is your item—

REINHARDT[SMILES & BEGINS TO REACH OUT]

FLYNN--And enough explosive charge to blow you and I and your precious Item to hell and back.

REINHARDT[SQUINTS]

You’re bluffing…

FLYNN

[TILTS WRIST TO EXPOSE WATCH, CHECKING THE TIME]You’ll find out in about 45 seconds. Pick up the phone. Call your Crane and have him let the girl go.

REINHARDTAnd if I refuse?

FLYNNThen you have no prize and city sanitation has a hell of a mess to clean in the morning.

CUT TO: A LONG PAUSE AS EACH SIZES UP THE OTHER. IT IS OBVIOUS THAT BOTH MEN ARE ABOUT TO REACT, BUT WHICH WAS WILL IT GO.

CUT TO BLACK.