Enjoy!
THE HIDDEN SCORE
Who knew olive oil could be so special and rare.
EXT. URBAN STREET
WITH HISTORIC BUILDINGS, DAYTIME. COLORFUL ENTRANCE TO OLD STOREFRONT WITH SIGN
ABOVE IN NEON THAT SAYS 'LANDINO'S FAMILY FUN CENTER.'
Beth (Early twenties redhead, 5' 4"
with athletic build wearing jeans, tennis shoes and hoodie over t-shirt which
reads 'Journey') and Tommy (Early twenties, heavy build, dirty blond crew cut,
wearing jeans, and t-shirt with Pacman on it with a back pack on his back)Rush
up the street towards the door.
BETH
(Slightly out of breath as they hurry
along) You're sure we just needed the one bottle?
TOMMY
Yes. Bruce said that was the last thing
we needed. 'The one with the mark on the label.'
BETH
OK, I just wanted to make sure.
Tommy reaches the door first and opens
it, holding it for Beth to enter and following himself.
CUT
TO:
INT. OF ARCADE
DIMLY LIT AND NOISY WITH VARIOUS SOUNDS OF VIDEO GAMES.
Beth and Tommy work their way through the
crowded arcade heading towards the back with the door to the work area.
TOMMY
Excuse me. Sorry, Excuse me, pardon me, pardon me,
excuse me, excuse me, pardon me, coming through.
BETH
Sorry, Thank you, Sorry. You know I just
love that old Bugs Bunny routine.
Tommy reaches the door first and knocks
on it 3 times, waits for 2 beats and then knocks 3 more times. After a short
delay 2 knocks are barely heard back over the noise of the arcade. Tommy knocks
twice more and the door opens revealing a dimly lit room within and a skinny,
balding man in his late 30's dressed in a suit.
CUT TO:
INT.WORKROOM/OFFICE OF ARCADE. SEVERAL
TABLES WITH MISCELLANEOUS ELECTRONIC PARTS STREWN AROUND AND A DESK COVERED
WITH PAPERS. SHELVES FULL OF OTHER PIECES AND PARTS LINE THE WALLS OF THE ROOM.
BEHIND THE DESK IS A WELL USED, WORN LEATHER EXECUTIVE CHAIR.
Pops (an older gentleman in his mid 60's,
6'4" with a shock of stark white hair and a wiry build) is on the phone
while he sits in the chair behind the desk and looks towards the door as Bruce
lets Tommy and Beth in.
POPS
(into the phone) Yeah, they just
arrived... I haven't had a chance yet.
I'll let you know when I find out...OK...later...bye.
He hangs up the phone and stands to talk
to Beth and Tommy.
POPS
Did you find it? Did you find the Ozzastru?
TOMMY
(With a tone of suffering and lack of
understanding) Yeah we found the olive oil in the locked cabinet, right where
you said. What's so special about this olive oil, anyway?
POPS
(With a sharp tone and then exacerbation
at having to explain to him one more time)Ozzastru is not just olive oil, it is
the finest of oils made from the first pressing of olives from what is regarded
to be the mother tree in Santu Baltolu di Carana in Sardinia, Italy.
Tommy takes off his backpack, reaches in
a retrieves a bottle. He hands it to POPS.
TOMMY
I get that, but what makes this so
special?
POPS
The oil is said to have the power to
restore health and beauty, but what's important to us is that it is worth $150
per ounce and each bottle contains twelve ounces.
BETH
So, you're saying that each bottle is
worth 15 grand?
POPS
No, do the math again - Eighteen hundred
dollars a bottle.
TOMMY
Times twenty four bottles, that's over
forty thousand dollars a case!
POPS
Now you see why it was so important to
obtain a verified bottle to authenticate the case. I happen to know of another
11 cases sitting in customs right now.
TOMMY
I get it now! There's money in oil!
Just then there is a knock at the door.
Pops quickly puts the bottles into the box while Bruce heads to open the door.
POPS
Ah, that should be Mr. Samuels, right on
time. Bruce, let him in.
Bruce opens the door and a very well
dressed man enters the room followed by a bodyguard type carrying a briefcase.
Pops stands and walks over to greet Mr. Samuels.
POPS
Mr. Samuels. So nice to see you again. Welcome to my humble establishment.
SAMUELS
Let's not pretend this is a friendly
transaction. You have something of mine
I wish to retrieve.
POPS
You are mistaken. I am offering you
something of value that I have acquired.
SAMUELS
I see. So there is more than what I lost?
POPS
See for yourself. I have a full case for
sale.
SAMUELS
That's a deal.
POPS
But you haven't heard the price...
Just then the door is broken open with uniformed
men rushing into the room and the bodyguard pulls a gun and badge from within
his coat.
BODYGUARD
(yelling) FREEZE! FBI. You are under arrest.
POPS
You're FBI?
SAMUELS
No, but I do love my oil and when your
man took it, I contacted my friend here to get it back.
BRUCE
(Laughing) You idiot, I'm with Customs.
We got word of a smuggler trafficking in stolen oil and set up this sting.
SAMUELS
Stand down men.(to BRUCE) you know that
bottle he took was fake?
BRUCE
We did.
We've been tracking them since they left Greece.
POPS
So you mean there is no real Ozzastru
here?
BRUCE
Nope. We've got eleven more cases of fake
as well.
POPS
Any chance I could keep this case as a
memento?
BRUCE
Sure, in fact since the shipper is in the
wind, I'll send the other cases over as well for the trouble.
POPS
Thank you, you are too kind.
Bruce, the uniformed officers as well as
the Bodyguard and Samuels leave the office.
POPS
OK gang. I'm sorry. I couldn't let you
know it wasn't a real job, but we had to follow their lead. Looks like we
aren't getting rich today. Sorry guys.
Maybe next time. Tell you what the drinks are on me this evening.
They all file out leaving Pops alone in
the office. His walks to his desk and dials the phone.
POPS
Hello... Yeah I'm alone. Got the bottle
here. Its not even extra virgin? You are bad. OK, I'll retrieve them and bring
them home. I know, I know there are 12 of them in each. We’ll get the rest when
the cases come up for auction. Love you too dear.
He retrieves the marked bottle from the
case and heads over to the sink where he grabs the strainer, opens the oil and
pours it in. As the oil drains out twelve large diamonds are revealed.
Fade out.
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