Six Times Deadly: A Lawson Vampire Story Collection (The Lawson Vampire Series) (15 page)

1. 2.
   LAWSON:
    
   You’ve got three seconds before you pass out, Shannon.
    
   That’s just long enough for me to ask you a question.
    
   And for you to answer it.
   

PANEL TWO
:
 
SHANNON’S FACE – DESPERATION IS CLEARLY EVIDENT IN HIS EYES.
 
HE’S PLEADING FOR AIR.

1. 3.
   SFX:
    
   Ehhhkkkhhhhh…
   

1. 4.
   LAWSON:
    
   Where…is….the microfilm?
   

PANEL THREE
:
 
LAWSON RELEASES SHANNON WHO SLUMPS AGAINST THE ALLEY GASPING FOR BREATH.
 
SWEAT AND RAIN RUN DOWN HIS FACE.
 
ONE HAND CLUTCHES AT HIS THROAT.

1. 5.
   SFX:
    
   GASP!
   

1. 6.
   LAWSON:
    
   I’m waiting.
   

PANEL FOUR
:
 
IN THE FOREGROUND IS THE SILHOUETTE OF LAWSON’S PISTOL – WITH A SOUND SUPPRESSOR ATTACHED.
 
IN THE BACKGROUND, SHANNON COWERS AGAINST THE WALL STILL TRYING TO GET AIR INTO HIS LUNGS.

PANEL FIVE
:
 
SPLIT WITH HALF OF LAWSON’S FACE – GRIM, SET AND HALF OF SHANNON’S AWASH IN FEAR.

PANEL SIX
:
 
LAWSON’S THUMBS THE HAMMER BACK ON HIS PISTOL.

1. 7.
   LAWSON:
    
   Should I bother counting to three?
    
   Or should I just shoot you now?
   

1. 8.
   SHANNON:
    
   I d-d-don’t know..where…it is…
   

PAGE FOUR

PANEL ONE
:
 
LAWSON’S FACE SOFTENS AND RELAXES.

1. 1.
   SFX:
    
   Sigh.
   

1. 2.
   LAWSON:
    
   Okay, then…
   

PANEL TWO
:
 
CLOSE-UP OF LAWSON’S FINGER SQUEEZING THE TRIGGER.

1. 3.
   SFX:
    
   Thup-thup-thup
   

1. 4.
   SFX:
    
   Clink-cling-cling
   

PANEL THREE
:
 
SHANNON’S HEAD SNAPS BACK AGAINST THE WALL – SUDDEN PAIN ETCHED INTO HIS FACE.

PANEL FOUR
:
 
CLOSE-UP OF SHANNON’S FACE AS DEATH STARTS TO COME FOR HIM – HE’S IN AGONY.

1. 5.
   LAWSON:
    
   You’ve spent a lifetime lying.
    
   Now you’ll do it one last time.
   

1. 6.
   SHANNON:
    
   T-told you…I don’t…know.
   

PANEL FIVE
:
 
SHANNON”S POV LOOKING UP AT LAWSON IN SHADOWY MIST AND RAIN.

1. 7.
   LAWSON:
    
   You compiled a list of Fixer agents and Controls throughout the European sector.
    
   You intended to sell it to Soviet Military Intelligence, thereby compromising our entire race, not to mention the safety of everyone on that list.
    
   Me, included.
   

PANEL SIX
:
 
MAYBE A SPLIT SHOT OF TWO SMALLER FRAMES ZOOMING IN ON SHANNON’S FACE.
 
FRAME ONE:
 
HE DRIBBLES PINKISH FOAMY BLOOD.
 
FRAME TWO:
 
SHANNON’S CANINES EXTEND.

1. 8.
   SHANNON:
    
   They’ll…find…you…anyway…
   

PAGE FIVE

PANEL ONE
:
 
CLOSE-UP OF LAWSON’S EYES REFLECTING SHANNON LYING IN A CRUMPLED HEAP.

1. 1
   CAP:
    
   It’s almost over for him.
   

1. 2
   LAWSON:
    
   Last chance.
    
   Do the right thing, Shannon.
   

PANEL TWO
:
 
SHANNON TRYING TO SMILE, BUT IT HURTS TOO MUCH.

1. 3
   SHANNON:
    
   Your…precious Balance…will be…destroyed!
   

PANEL THREE
:
 
SHANNON”S EYES – THE PUPILS GO TOTALLY BLACK.

1. 4
   SFX:
    
   Hechhhhh…
   

PANEL FOUR
:
 
HIGH ABOVE THE ALLEY LOOKING DOWN AT LAWSON STANDING AND SHANNON”S CORPSE.
 
RAIN FALLS HARDER NOW.

1. 5
   CAP:
    
   He dies there in that dank alley.
    
   But no one around here cares about a traitor.
    
   Or the Fixer who just executed him for crimes against his people.
   

PANEL FIVE
:
 
LAWSON’S FINGERS PLUCKING UP SHELL CASINGS FROM THE GROUND.

1. 6
   CAP:
    
   I wish this was finished now.
    
   But the scumbag stashed the microfilm somewhere.
    
   And I gotta get it back.
   

PANEL SIX
:
 
LAWSON LOOKS UP – SQUINTS - AS THE RAIN TURNS INTO A DOWNPOUR.

1. 7
   CAP:
    
   Why don’t these bastards ever hang out in Bali?
   

PAGE SIX

PANEL ONE
:
 
HIGH OVERVIEW OF VIENNA – NEW WORLD SKYSCRAPERS MIXED WITH OLD WORLD ARCHITECTURE.

1. 1.
   CAP:
    
   Vienna sits at a crossroads.
    
   On one wide, the west with all its glitz and supposed decadence.
    
   On the other, the Soviet Bear looms large.
    
   Vienna’s a hotbed of spies.
    
   Spooks from all over the world nest like termites.
    
   It’s one of the reasons Shannon came here to set up his lemonade stand.
    
   If the Soviets didn’t like the goods, he could have sold it to the Israelis or South Africans.
    
   Barring that, he could have hit up the Algerians or even a terrorist faction.
    
   

PANEL TWO
:
 
ZOOMING IN ABOVE THE DANUBE RIVER.
 
RUN-DOWN BUILDINGS AND DILAPIDATED BOATS IN THE WATER BY THE DOCKS.

1. 2.
   CAP:
    
   But the Russians pay better than anyone – even the CIA.
    
   I found it tough to imagine why Shannon would need money – my race never wants for greenbacks.
    
   He seemed to be doing it solely out of spite.
    
   That made my stomach heave.
   

PANEL THREE
:
 
CLOSE-UP ON A CORRUGATED STEEL BUILDING.
 
A FAINT NEON SIGN ABOVE THE DOOR READS SIMPLY ”RIKKI’S.”
 
IT’S A DIVE.

1. 3.
   CAP:
    
   Rikki’s bar sits near where sewage spills into the Danube.
    
   The bigger pieces of shit find their way to Rikki’s.
    
   Trouble may as well be a co-owner.
   

PANEL FOUR
:
 
INSIDE NOW, IT’S THICK WITH CIGARETTE SMOKE.
 
SHADOWY CHARACTERS LOUNGE AROUND POOL TABLES.
 
THUGS THROW DARTS.
 
IT’S A DOCK DIVE BAR.

1. 4.
   CAP:
    
   Rikki sees me coming.
    
   He sees everything.
   

PANEL FIVE
:
 
ZOOM IN ON A HIGHBALL GLASS FILLED WITH GIN & TONIC AND A LIME WEDGE ON THE POLISHED WOOD BARTOP.

1. 5.
   RIKKI:
    
   Been a long time, Lawson.
   

PANEL SIX
:
 
LAWSON HOLDS THE GLASS UP TO THE DIM LIGHT.

1. 6.
   LAWSON:
    
   This Bombay Sapphire?
   

1. 7.
   RIKKI:
    
   What-you think I’d forget and maybe slip you something beneath your standards?
   

PAGE SEVEN

PANEL ONE
: LAWSON SIPS THE DRINK WHILE RIKKI EYES HIM.

1. 1.
   LAWSON:
    
   Been known to happen before.
   

1. 2.
   RIKKI:
    
   Yeah, the first time you invaded my Shangri-La here.
    
   

PANEL TWO
:
 
LAWSON TURNS AND SURVEYS THE BAR SCENE.

1. 3.
   LAWSON:
    
   You got anyone here interested in microfilm?
   

1. 4.
   RIKKI:
    
   You selling some?
   

PANEL THREE
:
 
LAWSON FINISHES THE DRINK.

1. 5.
   LAWSON:
    
   Friend of mine was.
    
   He started the deal and I’m finishing it.
   

1. 6.
   RIKKI:
    
   Doesn’t sound like your normal game.
   

PANEL FOUR
:
 
LAWSON FISHES THE LIME OUT OF THE GLASS AND SUCKS IT.

1. 7.
   LAWSON:
    
   My retirement fund’s a little slim.
   

PANEL FIVE
:
 
RIKKI POLISHES THE BAR WITH A DIRTY WHITE TOWEL AND NODS TO HIS LEFT.

1. 8.
   RIKKI:
    
   Guy back there named Bartok.
   

PANEL SIX
:
 
LAWSON LOOKS TOWARD THE DARKENED AREA.
 
VAGUE SHAPES OCCUPY IT.

1. 9.
   LAWSON:
    
   Like the composer?
   

1. 10.
   RIIKKI:
    
   Like a fat fuck.
    
   You’ll see.
   

PANEL SEVEN
:
 
SPLIT FRAME OF LAWSON’S HAND SLIDING CASH ONTO THE BAR AND THEN RIKKI’S HAND STOPPING IT.

1. 11.
   LAWSON:
    
   You getting sentimental on me?
   

1. 12.
   RIKKI:
    
   I get 15% of whatever you two put together.
   

PANEL EIGHT
:
 
LAWSON FROWNS.

1. 13.
   LAWSON:
    
   Everyone’s a goddamned agent these days.
   

PAGE EIGHT

PANEL ONE
:
 
HAZY IMAGE OF A HULKING BARTOK.
 
TWO SCANTILY-DRESSED IDENTICAL TWIN GIRLS BRACKET HIM.
 
BARTOK IS WHISPERING TO ONE OF THEM AND DOESN’T NOTICE LAWSON.

1. 1.
   CAP:
    
   Good thing I had that drink.
    
   I hate puking after a good gin.
   

PANEL TWO
:
 
BARTOK NOTICES LAWSON AND FROWNS – HE’S BEING DISTURBED.

1. 2.
   LAWSON:
    
   You Bartok?
   

PANEL THREE
:
 
BARTOK SPREADS HIS ARMS AND SMILES JUST BARELY.

1. 3.
   BARTOK:
    
   You are ruining my evening.
    
   I’ve killed men for less.
   

PANEL FOUR
:
 
CLOSE UP ON LAWSON’S FACE.

1. 4.
   CAP:
    
   It didn’t look like the couch cushions were going to make it, either.
   

1. 5.
   LAWSON:
    
   Got something you might be interested in.
   

PANEL FIVE
:
 
BARTOK SHOOS THE GIRLS AWAY.

1. 6.
   BARTOK:
    
   Be quick.
   

1. 7.
   LAWSON:
    
   Guy named Shannon.
    
   You ever meet him?
   

PANEL SIX
:
 
BARTOK SHRUGS.

1. 8.
   BARTOK:
    
   I meet so many people these days…
   

PANEL SEVEN
:
 
LAWSON SITS.

1. 9.
   LAWSON:
    
   He was trying to sell you some microfilm -
   

1. 10.
   BARTOK:
    
   Almost as common an occurrence as meeting people.
   

1. 11.
   LAWSON:
    
   - with the names of undercover operatives on it.
   

PANEL EIGHT
:
 
BARTOK IS INTERESTED NOW.

1. 12.
   BARTOK:
    
   Americans?
   

PAGE NINE

PANEL ONE
: LAWSON LEANS BACK IN HIS CHAIR.

1. 1.
   LAWSON: All sorts.
   

PANEL TWO
:
 
BARTOK CHEWS HIS LIP.

1. 2.
   BARTOK:
    
   I may have heard something about that.
    
   So what?
   

1. 3.
   LAWSON:
    
   So, Shannon had himself an unfortunate accident earlier.
    
   You won’t be dealing with him anymore.
   

PANEL THREE
:
 
A WAITRESS INTRUDES WITH FRESH DRINKS.
 
BOTH MEN WATCH HER.

PANEL FOUR
: SHE LEAVES.

1. 4.
   BARTOK:
    
   Shannon alluded to what was on that microfilm.
    
   I want it.
   

1. 5.
   LAWSON:
    
   I can get it.
   

PANEL FIVE
:
 
BARTOK DRINKS.

1. 6.
   CAP:
    
   Or at least I thought I could.
   

1. 7.
   LAWSON:
    
   I want 20% more than what Shannon was getting.
   

PANEL SIX
:
 
BARTOK SPITS HIS DRINK OUT.

1. 8.
   BARTOK:
    
   You’re shaking me down without the product?
    
   You’ve got balls.
   

1. 9.
   LAWSON:
    
   The film’s extremely valuable.
    
   You know it.
    
   Plus, there was the energy I expended earlier killing Shannon.