The door to the roof of a tall downtown office building opens. Raven strides out, a little off-balance but still steady, followed closely by Tom.
A meteorologist? An air conditioning
unit repairperson?
She doesn’t respond, just keeps walking toward the edge of the roof. When she gets there, she stops and picks up a large briefcase that is sitting there. She drops to her haunches in front of it and pops open the latches.
Inside, black foam padding holds several long tubes of metal.
You’re a plumber?
RAVEN
Let’s see how long it takes for
you to figure this out.
She starts taking tubes out from the case and hooks them together. Tom doesn’t realize what she’s doing until she attaches a rifle scope to it.
Now, hold on a minute.
Raven doesn’t look up from her work, but points at the building across the street.
Fourth floor down, seventh window
from the right.
Tom looks from the building to her and back, unsure, but quickly counts off the windows. He can just barely make out someone seated at a desk in one of the few lit windows left.
I… I can’t let you do this.
Raven has finished her rifle. She flips the butt of it up to her shoulder in a practiced move, and kneels, taking aim on the window.
You think this is wrong?
TOM
I know it’s wrong. Don’t!
RAVEN
Well, see, here’s where the ethical
dilemma comes in. In fact, Mr.
Crosshairs over there isn’t just
upper management. In his spare time
he runs a prostitution ring.
TOM
A what?
RAVEN
Not just any ring either. They
specialize in young girls. Now
what do you think? I know what I’m
talking about. The reason I’ve been
down here the last few days because
I’ve been setting this up.
TOM
Hold on just a minute, okay?
RAVEN
A minute? Give me a single reason
why I should let this fuck live for
another minute. You can leave, you
know. Just go back down the stairs
and go home to your comfortable
little bed. Just do one thing for
me first.
TOM
(numb)
What?
RAVEN
Tell me to do it.
Tom doesn’t speak.
The world will be a better place
tomorrow, I swear. Just tell me…
please.
Her voice cracks. A tear rolls down her cheek.
Do it.
Instantly, she pulls the trigger, a brief flash of light, a puffing sound, and a barely audible crack of glass. It’s over. Raven drops the rifle and puts her hands over her face, begins to sob.
INT. ELEVATOR
Tom and Raven ride down in silence, both too stunned to say anything. The suitcase rests on the floor directly between them.
I shouldn’t have done that, Tom.
I’m sorry. Why couldn’t you have
sat down two or three drinks later?
Maybe I could have done it without
your help then.
TOM
Don’t apologize… or maybe you
should. I don’t know.
RAVEN
When we get to the lobby, I’ll give
you a five minute head start. Security
probably won’t stop me. Even though
I didn’t have a briefcase when I
came in…
TOM
What you said about him was true,
wasn’t it?
Raven starts to cry again, silently. Tom looks at her, makes up his mind. He bends down and picks up the suitcase by the handle. She’s genuinely shocked. He looks just like any other businessman with a briefcase. She leans forward and kisses him lightly on the lips.
Thank you.
TOM
Now, can I choose what we do next?
INT. TOM’S APARTMENT - NIGHT
Raven sits on Tom’s couch, clad in flannel pajamas. She’s wiping away the last of her tears and studying the large fluffy slippers she’s wearing, designed to look like bear paws. She can’t help but smile as she looks at them. A distant bell dings.
(offscreen)
Finally!
A few moments later, Tom comes into the room, also dressed in flannel pajamas, carrying a large bowl of popcorn. He flops down next to her.
And has the lady made her selection?
Raven hands him a DVD cover.
It took me a while. Do you have
any idea how many movies you own?
TOM
(looking at the cover)
Just over three hundred. Ah,
an excellent choice! Here.
He hands her the popcorn, and sits down next to her. He taps the remote. The studio logo fanfare and dramatic opening theme plays offscreen as they talk.
Tonight’s not the first time I’ve
done this.
TOM
What, watched a movie?
RAVEN
You know what I mean. This is what
I have to do right now. I really
don’t have a choice.
(starting to have difficulty speaking)
There are men… men who… when I used to…
TOM
(gently)
Shh. Shh. Raven, tonight was the
first time in I don’t know how
long that I didn’t come home and
let someone on this screen--
(points to TV)
--have adventures instead of me. I’m
not judging you. You did the right
thing, right?
Raven nods, unsure of what to make of his reaction.
I think so too. You did what you
had to. Now you can relax. Nothing’s
going to happen to you here.
She doesn’t know what to say, and he doesn’t expect anything from her. Finally they lean forward and their lips meet in a kiss that just gets more and more intense.
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