THE INNOCENT BYSTANDER
© 2004 Matuschka
A micro budget thriller movie script.
FADE IN
INT./EXT. CITY STREET DAY
Two police motorcycles are parked behind a limousine with
diplomatic plates. A CHAUFFEUR stands at the car door.
RANDY age 70 stands at the door to the restaurant. The menu
is posted inside a display case next to the entrance.
A pan of the interior shows TWENTY FIVE GUEST.
Randy eyes the display with his finger sliding down on the right side
to find the prices lips moving speculatively. Randy shakes his head
he searches his pocket comes out with a crumpled twenty dollar bill
and a large coin which he flips up in the air catches and pockets it.
His mouth moves as he contemplates for three seconds then he squares
his shoulders, looking right and left he enters into the brightly-lit
elegant restaurant.
All this is scrutinized by a policeman who stands near the
limousine. RASHID age 30 Mideastern in a white coat, short
haired with bleached hair stands across the street with a
newspaper in hand watching unobtrusively.
DISSOLVE TO
INT. RESTAURANT DAY
Randy scrutinizes the elegance of this place and sees the
disparaging glance from the slick BUSBOY age sixteen, he
stops momentarily undecided almost about to turn and leave.
ERIC the host, age twenty,
ERIC
Good evening, Sir
already leads him to a small table with a menu in his hand
which he leaves in front of Randy after Randy sits.
ERIC (CONT'D)
Marie is your server Sir
Randy nods his head. MARIE the server age twenty-five comes
over with a doubtful look at Randy then at the host.
MARIE
I am Marie your server, Our specials of
the day are.
Randy shakes his head at her and waves his hand to stop her.
His eyes on the menu's corner where he saw the lowest price
sandwich at the bottom. He puts his hand on the table the
bill showing. Marie looks at Randy's hands.
POV The crumpled jacket is in contrast to a
POV clean dress shirt
POV Ironed slacks
POV Clean hands
POV manicured nails.
Randy points to the left bottom of the menu
RANDY
The sandwich please Miss.
Marie nods her head with just a mix of boredom in her face
MARIE
Yes Sir, one sandwich, anything to drink?
Randy gives her a look with just a hint of denial. She shrugs
her shoulder now as she turns and goes.
She passes a table where AMBASSADOR HAILY age fifty with WIFE
age forty are being served. CHARLES age thirty, is their
server. TWO BODYGUARDS age thirty/forty are standing at each
side of them. Both are looking Randy over for five seconds
with a bland look. The closer Bodyguard to Randy gives Randy
another two second look before he looks at the ambassador. A
small flag stands on their table center. A couple of
policemen are standing near the window.
Marie walks past the Host on her way to the kitchen.
MARIE (CONT'D)
Why give me that bum. He doesn't even
have enough for a tip.
Marie is disgusted as she passes to the kitchen. Eric gives
her a funny look while he straightens out a table's linen.
DISSOLVE TO
EXT. STREET DAY
Half a block from the restaurant a sedan stops THREE MEN aged
about thirty in black leather jackets get out carefully
keeping one sawed of shotgun and two large pistols hidden
under their coats. One pays coins into the meter while one of
them exchanges looks with Rashid who is crossing the street
to the restaurant. The two have a questioning look. Rashid
lifts two fingers twice. As they approach him he speaks in
low voice
FOURTH
(In Arabic)
Two guards and two police is all.
There is quiet acceptance in their faces.
The one feeding the meter joins them, turning with a sweeping
glance up and down the street. They move toward the
restaurant rearranging their weapons laughing heads nodding
as if a joke had been told.
POV The fourth checks two hand-grenades on his belt.
DISSOLVE TO
INT. RESTAURANT DAY
Randy takes a first bite out of the sandwich. He gives the
ambassadors table a glance by turning his head to the right.
A short look at the cops and the guards. The guards are
getting comfortable. Rashid and the first come in the door
with a quick look at the police men and the two guards. The
guards straighten up and hands go inside their coats. The men
coming in bring their guns out and start shooting at the two
cops. Both police men and both guards draw their weapons, The
guards are stepping out in front of the Ambassador's table.
The firing starts while the other two enter the restaurant
firing their weapons from under their coats. At once the
guard close to Randy is hit. The guards as well as the cops
go down in the fire. The pistol of the guard closest to Randy
flies through the air.
CLOSE ON The S&W pistol flies through the air and lands
on Randy's table.
POV There are four inches of magazine sticking out of the gun
Randy looks up at the weapon on his table and the men
shooting chewing his sandwich when three bullets hit the
table in front of him he looks up. He takes a breath.
Randy there is disbelieve in his eyes. Still chewing his eyes
move to the assassins. His right hand lets go of the sandwich
and picks up the gun.
Randy's eyes in a fast sweep from gun to the guards, police
finally ending on the attackers.
POV The top of the pistol's barrel is lined up with one
attackers head a flame licks out from the barrel a small
dark spot appears on the head and another head shows up and
again the flame and the small dark spot appears. It all
happens four times in total.
Everyone in the restaurant has ducked down. The ambassador
moves in front of his wife. Marie behind Randy's chair. The
four attackers and the guards and the two cops are on the
floor groaning.
Randy stares at the gun in his right hand, the sandwich in
his hand. He shakes his head with an unhappy look and rising
from his seat he shoves the pistol into his belt where it is
covered by his jacket. Only the ambassador has turned his
head at Randy watching him puzzled, squinting his eyes. He
shakes his head slightly and unsure.
There is a drop of blood on Randy's plate. Randy wipes it
with his napkin carefully then his water-glass. He takes a
bite out of his sandwich gets up. Sandwich in hand Randy
walks away from his table looking with sad eyes at the twenty
dollar bill he leaves as he walks out of the restaurant. In
passing he looks over the assassins. One gives him a hateful
look, but makes no attempt to reach for the weapons near him.
Randy shares attention from his sandwich with the dyeing
assassins on the floor, but still has a puzzled look in his
face. The ambassador watches Randy lifting his hand
questioning just as puzzled as Randy who disappears out the
door.
DISSOLVE TO
INT. EXT. STREET DAY
Heard through the window sirens are closing in. A succession
of three police cars drive to the front of the restaurant.
Randy munching his sandwich walks away from the disturbance.
There is hardly more than a glance from two of the new SIX
POLICEMEN arriving on the scene. They jump out of their cars
four drawing handguns two with shotguns. A SERGEANT waves his
hand in a circular motion shouting at one of the officers.
Two fire trucks turn the corner. Up at the end of the block
Randy turns the corner and gets out of sight
SERGEANT
Get to the rear.
One of the cops nods and gets into the car racing with siren
on around the corner out of sight
DISSOLVE TO
INT. RESTAURANT DAY
With shaky hands one of the DINERS is using his cell phone
almost dropping it a few times, TWO DINERS are looking over
the bodyguards and police men on the floor A FOURTH DINER is
watching the commotion. Marie is getting up from the floor
behind Randy's chair and pockets the crumpled twenty dollar
bill and clears the table. Dishes into the dirty dish bin
which the busser has left there. Marie is in shock and
nervously looking herself over and touching herself
repeatedly.
The sergeant sees the carnage and talks into his shoulder
mike.
SERGEANT
Officers down at Tejon and Colorado. Send
four ambulances. We need a doctor, make
that two.
He looks at one of the gunmen who is moving. While two of his
gloved officers are checking guns on the floor. Two of the
officers are talking to the guests calming them down. One is
in earshot.
OFFICER ONE
Madam we'll have a doctor and detective
her in a minute did you see what happened
here?
The WOMAN age thirty dressed in blue looks at the cop with a
wide stare shaking her head. She gulps, but for a moment
croaks.
WOMAN IN BLUE
Water please, water.
OFFICER ONE
Some water please Miss?
The officer has his eyes on the SERVER CHARLEY age 30 who is
a close by. Marie hears it. She picks up a pitcher of water
and two glasses. Then she walks over.
The woman gulps down half the glass. Then she feels faint and
sits down on the edge of a chair which officer one, moves for
her not to fall.
The cops look at each other with grim expressions. One calms
the wounded officers down. Only the sergeant has a notebook
in his hand writing. TWO PARAMEDICS from the fire department
checking the wounded and dead then start to bandage the two
wounded
In short intervals two more PARAMEDICS come in with
stretchers and equipment. They quickly get busy helping the
wounded with looks at the guests, servers and the host. The
two paramedics double check for life signs on the six dead.
They give each other a look and a shake of the head cut open
clothing where bandages will have to go.
The surviving Officer stands up groggily, There is blood on
him. The paramedic checks and supports him. He puts a large
Band-Aid over his scratched temple. Then seeing the painful
face he gets out an syringe for the Officer. When he tries to
do the same for the bodyguard the man briskly waves him off.
Turning back to he officer he speaks up
PARAMEDIC
You sure lucked out on this one. Any
closer than this you would have been in
trouble.
The officer touches his Band-Aid. His blouse and shirt is
torn showing his bullet riddled Kevlar vest. He is still not
steady on his feet. The other cop is dead from a head wound.
One bodyguard is bleeding profusely, the other is dead. One
of the four diners has flesh wounds. Bullets pockmark the
wall. Three mirrors still are losing pieces of glass. A
painting drops from the wall. TWO DETECTIVES with Laptop PC's
enter and then a TWO PERSON crime lab team follows in taking
pictures checking pockets collecting evidence into plastic
bags and marking bodies positions with chalk.
The detective turns to one officer motioning with his hands.
DETECTIVE
Keep them apart?
The two walk over to the guests and each waves one over to a
booth for interrogation. One officer raises his voice
addressing the guests.
OFFICER
We need you here for a short while to get
the story of what went on here. The
detectives are going to be with you
shortly.
There is a bit of commotion and mumbling among the guests
except for the ambassador and his lady. The Ambassador nods
while looking over the scene then looks at the Marie.
AMBASSADOR
Oh Miss, would you please bring us some
water, perhaps some more coffee as well?
He seems barely shaken. There is a puzzled and stunned
expression in his face as he surveys the killed guard. He
gets up and walks over to the table Randy had been sitting
at. The chair is askew. A few crumbs from Randy's sandwich
are on the tablecloth. He is intrigued, strokes the table top
with a look of disbelieve. Then with a nod he returns to his
table to sip some from the fresh coffee Marie is pouring.
A police CAPTAIN walks in with another DETECTIVE on his
heels. The eyes of the detectives meet briefly.
TIME DISSOLVE
The last of the guests is leaving only Marie, Charles and
host are still here. The one detective waves Marie over
motions her to sit.
DETECTIVE
Okay Miss, your name?
MARIE
Marie
He types and looks at her questioning nodding. She adds after
a look at him. Marie looks at his note book and sees upside
down,
POV addresses written down
MARIE (CONT'D)
Marie Porter, Cheyenne road, number
three, west that is?
The detective nods with a smile.
DETECTIVE
Okay Marie, can you talk?
Marie nods at him
MARIE
What did you see. Just take your time.
Marie looks out at the restaurant raising her hands, head
shaking.
MARIE (CONT'D)
Well you see.
She pauses shrugging.
MARIE
It was like this
DISSOLVE TO
INT. RESTAURANT DAY
The sound of heavy motorbikes comes close and the engines
stop. Marie is serving a COUPLE age forty she looks out the
window sees the rear of a limousine and two policemen getting
off their bikes.
The two bodyguards come in the door one swiftly walks to the
rear into the kitchen the other down the corridor to the
toilets and rear door.
Within half a minute they come back with a two seconds eye
contact. One goes up to the door, turns and is followed back
by the Ambassador and his wife. The host seats them at a
table, which has a reserved sign on it. The adjacent tables
too have reserved signs.
The manager JOHN CLARK age forty comes from the back to look
at the new guests. As Charles passes him he tells him
something Marie can't hear though she is watching. She serves
five tables now and Charles is down to two, yet four of his
guests get up and leave.
TIME DISSOLVE
The Ambassadors party are with their main course. Marie is
down to two tables with the busboy clearing two tables. Two
men are leaving when Randy comes in, turns reluctant, but is
swept towards the table by Eric the host. Marie at first is
business like. She sees Randy this time he looks like he
looks like age thirty or forty with a full head of hair tie
and smooth jacket. She acts happy to have him at a table. He
is rather self-assured.
MARIE
Good evening sir, our specials for today are
Fillet Mignon, Trout with Hollandaise, Veal
Parmesan Lobster bisque and.
Randy interrupts her with an elegant wave of his hand
RANDY
Just the sandwich here please Miss
Randy points at the menu and looks at her name tag nodding.
MARIE
Our sandwiches are freshly prepared. Our
chefs masterpiece is a masterpiece. It is
not a long wait. I promise you will like
it. I will get you a cup of coffee while
you wait.
RANDY
Thank you Marie that sounds just fine.
Marie pours him a glass of water before she leaves to place
the order with the chef. She comes back from the kitchen and
brings Randy coffee and his sandwich. Filling his water
glass.
MARIE
There you are sir. Is there anything else
I can get you?
Marie hovers over Randy. When the first two men come in she
barely glances at them. The shooting catches Marie quite by
surprise. Marie drops her water carafe and drops down behind
Randy. When she hears the thud of the gun falling on the
table right on top of her ear she flinches and she closes her
eyes, covers her ears and tries to crawl into the floor.
Three short burst mingled with ten distinctly louder shots
makes her cower even more. She holds onto the chair-legs of
Randy's chair sits on.
Then the deafening noise is gone. Marie and everyone else
stays down. She hears his steps and finally when the steps
are gone she straightens up. Looking around she sees both
guests and employees raise their heads slowly. Marie gets
walks over to the dead guard seeing his blood she gets dizzy
and sits down to stop herself from falling. The sirens are
blaring and out the window she sees the police cars coming to
a screeching halt. The police men come running in pistols in
hand and one with a shotgun.
DISSOLVE TO
Marie is sitting with the detective waving her hands at him
MARIE (CONT'D)
It took for ever. I can't see how they missed me
and how they missed killing the guests.
It was terrifying. It was just awful.
Marie is straightening her skirt with both hands. The
detective is pressing his lips together biting his upper lip
not at all satisfied.
DETECTIVE
Okay Marie, if anything comes to your
mind that you can think off give me a
call at this number.
The detective gives her his business card. Marie gives him an
uncertain look, then she nods, gets off the chair and goes to
the back of the dining room and into the hallway to the rear
exit.
The detective goes over to the other detective and leans with
his knuckles on the table.
DETECTIVE (CONT'D)
What did you get.
The second detective shakes his head, dissatisfaction in his
face. He flips open his laptop.
DETECTIVE #2
Just look at this. Ambassador Haley says.
DISSOLVE TO
EXT. STREET DAY
The Ambassadors car arrives led by the two motorcycle cops.
The cops stay while the bodyguards go inside ahead of the
party. The ambassador and wife get from the car and slowly
walk into the restaurant. The bodyguards give him reassuring
nods.
INT. RESTAURANT DAY
BODYGUARD
It is all in order Ambassador. I just
wish we had prevented them knowing who
you are Sir.
AMBASSADOR
It's all right Jerry, we've got you here
don't we?
The ambassador is smiling at him for a moment then his
attention is back with his wife. As they enter the cops
follow them into the restaurant. The two policemen stay near
the door with a glance around the dining room.
Eric seats them at the reserved table. He hands them their
menus. Charles comes to the table and introduces him self.
CHARLES
Good evening sir, madam.
He spreads the napkins on their laps.
CHARLES (CONT'D)
My name is Charles I am your server.
Anything to drink ambassador?
Charles is pouring water into their glasses. The ambassador
looks at his wife.
AMBASSADOR
A bottle of, Ahhh its Friday lets make it
white wine and fish. Charles, nicely
chilled please.
CHARLES
Riesling, Sir?
The ambassador nods with a look at his wife. Charles leaves.
TIME DISSOLVE
The soup is gone and the ambassador's party is relaxing. They
are sipping wine. At intervals five parties come in and are
seated under the scrutiny of the two bodyguards.
TIME DISSOLVE (CONT'D)
Randy is the last while the ambassador's party is digging
into the main course.
Randy is seated just slightly off to the left between the
door and their table, but only two tables away to the
ambassador's table facing the door his back to their table.
The ambassador is seated on the left from his point of view.
The consul faces him, the two ladies are on his right along
the long side of the table.
TIME DISSOLVE
Marie serves Randy his sandwich. His six dollars are on the
table. He takes his first bite. The ambassador glances to the
left at the out of place guest as he takes a last bite from
his plate. He touches his wife's elbow indicating the odd
guest. She smiles at him, strokes his arm.
POV The door opens and the two first assassins come in.
AMBASSADOR
Get down, get down.
He reaches over and pushes his wife down
The two bodyguards move in front of the ambassador and the
consul, drawing guns from shoulder holster and hip holster.
The first shots ring out in tune with the burst from the
gunmen who are first aiming at the two policemen. His wife
and his guests have ducked while he looks on in amazed
disbelief.
Between the bodyguards he sees the next two men come in and
join in the attack. When the man covering him stumbles he
reaches out to steady him. Blood spots appear on his hand and
his protector crumbles to the ground. The cops go down, first
one, then the other still shooting, as is the standing
bodyguard.
One dull isolated shot is followed by one of the attackers
going down. There is a slight look of relief on his face.
Another dull sound hits his ear a second of the remaining
three drops to the ground. He can not help but nod approval.
A third shot rings out like a bell that does not want to
stop. It is followed by the third man going down. There is
only one that he sees still standing and his face shows panic
as it flies to the left, his gun moving with his gaze.
The ambassador's face shows disbelief at the change. His eyes
are fixed on the last danger. His teeth are showing; when this
same odd sound hits his ear he half rises in anticipation.
His eyes are riveted on the face of this last killer. When he
sees the dark red blotch on the man between his eyebrows and
the entire intense grimace disappears as the face slackens.
His response is hysterical, no matter how much he tries he
cannot suppress a laugh. The ambassador falls back on his
seat checking his wife, his guests, for damage.
He looks up and sees the back of a man walking out the door
taking a bite out of a sandwich. He looks over the dining
room, sees people getting up from the floor.
Mirror glass pieces are dropping to the floor a painting
falls off the hook. There is babble of excited voices in the restaurant.
He sees Marie getting up from behind the chair.
She looks around herself, then nervously she picks up
the plate, the dollar bills and goes to the rear dropping the
dish into the buspan.
Marie comes back to take another look at the mess of bodies.
She takes a napkin to the officer on the floor, wipes at his
head, when the first police officers come running in the door,
guns drawn, tense faces anticipating fire from the unknown
assailants. One COP comes from the rear. He shouts.
COP
Nothing in the rear.
The sergeant speaks into his mike.
SERGEANT
Officer down, send four ambulances a
doctor, no send two. Inform homicide.
DETECTIVE
Okay Ambassador, if anything else comes
to your mind please call me.
The detective hands a business card to the Ambassador. The
diplomat nods thoughtfully pocketing the card.
AMBASSADOR
Sure lieutenant, I'll do that.
DETECTIVE
I am a sergeant, Ambassador.
The Ambassador looks at the detective nodding.
TIME DISSOLVE
The two detectives sit at adjoining
tables. Looking at their laptops.
DETECTIVE 1
I don't see how they bungled this. The
bastards had superior firepower and the
element of surprise.
DETECTIVE 2
There is something missing.
The two detectives fold up their laptops and leave with a
wave for the two remaining cops.
DETECTIVE 1
We've got to wait for the forensics
report.