EXT. GATEWAY HOMES HOUSING PROJECT - CONTINUOUS

EXT. GATEWAY HOMES HOUSING PROJECT - CONTINUOUS
Close in, we see a sign that says WELCOME TO THE GATEWAY
HOMES in front of a complex of SECTION 8 TOWNHOUSES. The tag
line reads: FAMILY, HOME, COMMUNITY. THE SIGN has a faded,
peeling EMBLEM of a rising sun viewed between two flung open
iron gates.
INT. GATEWAY TOWNHOUSE, KITCHEN - MORNING
J-BIRD ALEXANDER, 16, is melting margarine from a tub in a
large, no-stick pan. A bowl of raw, scrambled eggs sits
alongside. 2-YEAR-OLD JACKSON cries from his jumpy chair at
the kitchen threshold. J-Bird steps over and gives him a
kiss on the head.
J-BIRD
Easy, l'il man. You a'ight.
HIS MOM, GINA, 32, is frantically sorting scattered
schoolbooks into two different backpacks. The sound of two
young girls bickering comes from the hall bathroom.
GINA
(yells to the hall)
Get y'all l'il asses movin'.
(to J-Bird)
You almost done?
J-BIRD
We got time momma.
even quarter till.
It ain't in
J-Bird lays out four paper plates. He licks his finger and
flicks it into the pan. Sizzling hot. He pours in the eggs,
begins stirring, then
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CLOSE ON: The blue flame under the pan flickering out.
Two 8-year-old girls lumber into the living room, TWINS.
One, KASANDRA, flops on the couch and opens a book, the
other, ALEXANDRA, backs up to where her mom sits trying to
calm the 2-year-old.
ALEXANDRA
Momma can you fix my braid?
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J-Bird is stirring the eggs, notices they aren't cooking.
fiddles with the controls then peers under the pan.
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J-BIRD
Damn, momma! The gas out again!
He
2.
Gina says nothing, but shoots J-Bird a glare loaded with shut
yo mouth in front of these kids!
J-Bird dutifully transfers the eggs from the pan to a plate,
using a spatula to clear them thoroughly, and puts the plate
into the microwave.
EXT. STREET CORNER, EDGE OF THE GATEWAY HOUSES - MORNING
The twins walk in front of J-Bird and Gina, who's carrying
the toddler. The twins are each carrying a piece of toast
but they seem more concerned with seeing the mist of their
breath.
J-Bird and Gina load them onto the bus, see them off.
J-BIRD
Y'all be good.
ALEXANDRA
Bye.
KASANDRA
OK.
The bus pulls away, Gina and J-Bird watch but don't look at
each other when J-Bird speaks.
J-BIRD
How much we owe?
GINA
I'll take care of it, Jarnell.
J-Bird turns to his mother, his expression says that no, she
won't. He rubs the baby's head, gives him a kiss.
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J-BIRD
Be good for Grandma l'il man.
(to his mom)
I see you tonight.
GINA
I'll take care of that bill, J.
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J-Bird starts to walk away.
ck
J-BIRD
(knowing she won't)
I know, momma.
3.
GINA
And don't let me find out you out
runnin' around with that Jade. You
don't need to be messin' with no
group home care shortie. Next
thing you know I got five, six, 7
mouths to feed!
J-Bird throws his head back in exasperation,
J-BIRD
Maaaa!
and just keeps walking, shaking his head while Gina giggles.
INT. KITCHEN - MORNING
Sophie rushes downstairs, now dressed in professional attire
and as she passes the kitchen, she sees that she still hasn't
cleaned up the juice-making mess.
SOPHIE
Shit!
CLOSE ON: a dish-washer as juicer parts and cutting boards
are haphazardly crammed in, then the door slams shut.
INT. SOPHIE'S CAR - MORNING
The doors slams shut and Sophie hurriedly back out of the
driveway. A cell phone alarm chimes. The display reads:
ANDERSON HOME VISIT: 5 MINUTES.
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SOPHIE
Damn it, damn it, damn it.
(cues Siri)
Call work.
INT. DEPARTMENT OF CHILD SERVICES - MORNING
In the office of DCS Supervisor ANITA "CORRIE" CORAZON-LATINA, 36--and in her office sits LAWRENCE CLAYBURN--47,
BLACK--and NIKKI GRAMMER, 34. There's an empty chair next to
Nikki.
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CORRIE
My ass is going to be planted in
this chair until I get that
proposal done for Gionatti. If that
isn't on his desk today we'll never
get that second social worker
position at Bridgefield High.
4.
LAWRENCE
And without that extra set of
hands, it's only a matter of time
before Frances will up and walk
outta that place.
Corries phone rings. Nikki shakes her head cynically, as if
she's watching the department on its way to hell in a
handbasket.
CORRIE
Which is why I need you to cover me
with Judge Eldridge.
(she answers)
This is Anita.... Yeah, Sophie.
Nikki rolls her eyes.
INTERCUT BETWEEN SOPHIE'S CAR AND DCS
SOPHIE
(speaking quickly,
frazzled)
I'm so sorry Corrie, it's been one
of those mornings, my Dad and all
that. I'm running late for the
Anderson home visit. I'll be there
in...seven minutes.
Corrie rears back in her chair, realizing she also forgot the
appointment. She rubs her eyes, then looks into the distance
overhead.
CORRIE
Shit, we already rescheduled with
them twice.
CORRIE
No, Mija. I spaced it.
at the office.
SOPHIE
Oh.
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SOPHIE
I'm practically around the corner.
I'm still
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Sophie's sailing without a map now. She waits for a cue from
Corrie, but then has a lightbulb.
5.
SOPHIE
Why don't I just go? I know things
are nuts today for you and that way
we won't have to reschedule again.
It's just a check-in.
Corrie rears back in her seat to consider whether or not to
send a freshman social worker into the field alone.
CORRIE
Do you feel like you can handle it?
(considers it)
The Anderson's are one of our model
families.
Nikki mouths to Lawrence: no fucking way. He gives her a calm
down gesture.
SOPHIE
I mean, I have a really good
rapport with Ms Anderson. And I've
met her son. Yeah, I'll be fine.
CORRIE
OK, listen. I'm more concerned
about your energy. I can hear it in
your voice. Take a few deep
breaths, calm down, and if you feel
like you've got command over the
situation, go ahead and check in.
Nikki looks at Lawrence in disbelief.
CORRIE
But keep it quick, keep it light.
Corrie hangs up.
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NIKKI
Really? You're letting her go to
The Gates all by her self?
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OK.
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NIKKI
(relents)
ck
Corrie flashes an are you questioning my judgment look.
6.
LAWRENCE
I'll have Bobby put in for the
continuance with Judge Eldridge and
as far as the child advocate
luncheon, don't give it another
thought.
(to Nikki)
That puts you on working the floor.
Nikki gets up, sassily resigned to her fate for the day.
Corrie and Lawrence exchange a smile.
INT. ANDERSON TOWNHOUSE - MORNING
The interior shows an effort to keep a run-down townhouse
warm and livable. The furniture has SLIP COVERS, cheap art
hangs on the walls, KNITTED AFGHANS drape the furniture.
Burglar bars show through a gap in the floral drapes.
INT. ANDERSON TOWNHOUSE, KITCHEN - MORNING
A SHIRTLESS BLACK MAN, 36, ambles up a staircase from the
basement. He has a ripped prison physique and his back is
filled with an amazing TATTOO OF A ROULETTE WHEEL, topped
with the arcing words: FATE CREW in Old English Script.
He's groggy, still glazed with sleep. He checks a KETTLE -it's full--he turns on the flame. He sets out a GLASS
CANISTER filled with tea bags. This is DEREK ANDERSON.
The sound of a HEAVY BASS BEAT comes from upstairs. Derek
looks at the ceiling, his face showing consternation. He
eyes the clock: 8:57AM.
EXT. ANDERSON TOWNHOUSE - MORNING
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A blighted urban street in the HEART OF THE GATES, lined on
one side by detached ROW HOUSES, on the other by TOWNHOUSES.
A matching shot of the burglar bars and drapes establishes
the ANDERSON TOWNHOUSE.
A STATE VEHICLE pulls to a stop across the street.
INT. STATE VEHICLE - MORNING
ck
Sophie stops and hurriedly stashes her phone in her bag. She
takes a deep breath and looks toward the Anderson townhouse.
She's apprehensive. In her haste of running late, she
overlooked the impact of doing her first solo home visit.
Lo
INT. ANDERSON TOWNHOUSE, UPSTAIRS LANDING - MOMENTS LATER
©
Outside the door from whence the beat rumbles. Derek comes
bounding up the stairs and throws open the door.
7.
He's greeted by a CLOUD OF POT SMOKE.
A 15-YEAR-OLD BOY, Derek's son ROO, is standing in the door
of his closet. He's wearing baggie jeans and a T-shirt,
moving with the beat and doesn't hear his father's entrance.
DEREK closes the door, storms across the room and throws open
a window. This gets Roo's attention and when he springs
around we see he's wearing a DIVINE CHILD FALCONS T-SHIRT.
ROO
Damn, Daddy. It's cold as hell...
Derek turns off the stereo.
closet.
He backs his son into the
DEREK
I told you, you can't be smokin'
that shit up in yo Grandma's house.
ROO
She don't even know. She never come
up here-Derek spins Roo around and drops him on the bed. He leans in
and puts his finger in his son's chest. He speaks just above
a whisper.
DEREK
Dammit Roo, it ain't about that. I
can't be around this shit or Imma
get sent back up. Don't make me put
my hands on you, boy. If I catch
you with this shit up in here
again, Imma beat the black offa yo
ass.
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Derek exits, leaving Roo stunned.
INT. ANDERSON TOWNHOUSE, LIVING ROOM - CONTINUOUS
As Derek hits the bottom of the staircase, there's a knock at
the front door. He opens it to find Sophie on the porch.
SOPHIE
Hi, good morning. Sophie Cox, DCS.
We met a couple months ago.
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SOPHIE
May I come in?
Mornin'.
ck
DEREK
Yeah, I remember.
8.
Derek begrudgingly steps aside.
INT. PRITCHETT'S OUTER OFFICE - MORNING
Pritchett enters to find his assistant, TRUDY ARNOLD--WHITE,
48--sitting at her desk. She has just placed a hot cup of
coffee on the corner of her desk. She points to it and he
collects it.
PRITCHETT
Thank ya, dear. Any surprises
today?
TRUDY
Not yet. But it's hardly nine
o'clock. Give it ten minutes.
Pritchett raises the mug in "thanks" and disappears into his
office, passing a door placard that says THE HONORABLE ROGER
L. PRITCHETT.
INT. ANDERSON TOWNHOUSE - MORNING
Derek and Sophie sit in the living room. Sophie looks around
the place. She's ill-at-ease from the trace odors of
marijuana. She does her best to hide it.
SOPHIE
How's the job search going?
SOPHIE
That's wonderful.
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DEREK
Good, got a gig lined up at the
Boulder Center, working with their
after-school program. It's just 20
hours a week, but it's part of the
plan I wrote up when I got out, so
I feel like it's, ya know, meant to
be.
INT. ANDERSON TOWNHOUSE, ROO'S BEDROOM - CONTINUOUS
Roo is dressed for the street: baggies, black hoodie. He's
listening to music via HEADPHONES and putting stuff into his
BACKPACK.
ck
INT. ANDERSON TOWNHOUSE, LIVING ROOM - CONTINUOUS
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Derek shifts in his seat, glances upstairs knowing that if
Roo comes down it's not going to look good.
9.
SOPHIE
Roo's attendance is good, better
than average actually. he isn't cut
from the same cloth as the problem
kids. he's not a leader. but his
conduct is, well...
Sophie opens a folder that's resting on her lap and she
reads,
DEREK
Miss, that's nothing I don't know.
Sophie looks up, takes a deep breath and then closes the
folder.
SOPHIE
There's concern that now that
you're back in the household Roo is
trying to live up to your image.
He talks about you a lot, and most
recently about guns and drugs and
things of that nature. Frankly,
Mr. Anderson, we're concerned.
Derek shakes his head, isn't sure how to process what she
said. Then: the SOUND OF FOOTSTEPS bounding on the stairs.
ROO'S POV
Hip-Hop piping in his HEADPHONES, Roo steps low enough on the
stairs to see Sophie and Derek in the living room. He's
alarmed and leaps back upstairs.
INT. LIVING ROOM - CONTINUOUS
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Sophie looks at Derek as his head drops.
DEREK
Look, I just got up and heard him
here. I thought he was already
gone.
SOPHIE
You have to understand how this
looks.
INT. ROO'S BEDROOM - CONTINUOUS
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ROO
(to himself)
Shit.
ck
Roos comes in, quickly shuts the door.
10.
He takes off his headphones and cracks the door to eavesdrop.
He only catches snippets of Sophie's dialogue and doesn't
realize she's painting a big "what if" picture
INTERCUT BETWEEN ROO AND SOPHIE/DEREK
SOPHIE (O.S.)
...you're what, three months out of
prison? Your son's acting up, and
there's marijuana in the house.
Roo drops his head.
SOPHIE
...I write this up...especially
with drugs in the house. Mr.
Anderson, you're going back to
prison if...
Roo closes the door and it hits him. He starts to shake and
tears well in his eyes. He grabs the edge of his hood and
pulls it over his face. Clutching the fabric, he bangs his
hands on his head.
After a beat he throws back the hood and his self-reproach
has turned to a fiery aggression.
ROO
Fuckin' bitch.
INT. LIVING ROOM - CONTINUOUS
Sophie's leaning forward further, her face showing empathy
for Derek's position.
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SOPHIE
I'm not saying that's true, but it
could look that way.
Derek gets up and crosses to the bottom of the stairs. His
gait, his expression, the growl in his voice show how furious
he is.
DEREK
Dre, get down here.
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DEREK
DRE!
ck
Sophie is unnerved by the sudden shift from a civil
conversation to the brink of an angry confrontation.
11.
SOPHIE
Mr. Anderson, just take a breath.
Sophie collects herself to leave.
SOPHIE
Tell you what, I'll just come back
when we can sit down and talk.
We'll write up an action plan.
Derek, too upset to respond directly to Sophie, just nods,
acknowledging what she's saying. He follows her to the door.
SOPHIE
We'll work this out. He's just a
kid and this is a big adjustment
for him.
She leaves and he closes the door behind her.
INT. MARY ANDERSON'S BEDROOM - CONTINUOUS
The sound of a GUNSHOT and MARY ANDERSON, 69, sits boltupright in bed. Directly behind her head a PORTRAIT JESUS,
PALMS OUTSTRETCHED. It's unclear if the sound came from her
dream or outside the house. She hurriedly gets out of bed.
EXT. CUT THROAT'S HOUSE - MORNING
Another blighted urban street a couple blocks east of the
Gateway Homes. You get the sense that this house was once
somebody's middle class dream. No more.
INT. CUT THROAT'S HOUSE - MORNING
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A couple thuggish characters––MUSH MOUTH and ANGRY G––hang
out on the stoop. J-Bird comes down the block and they
exchange S'ups. They lean aside and J-Bird bounds up the
stoop.
Despite its bleak exterior, the house is more than livable
inside. A huge flat screen, hulking speakers, leather
furniture. J-BIRD ENTERS and crosses to the hallway that
leads back to the
INT. CUT THROAT'S HOUSE, KITCHEN - CONTINUOUS
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A tall, good looking, shirtless BLACK GUY is standing in
front of table on which is splayed the morning paper. In one
hand he holds a cup of coffee, in the other he ROLLS A COIN
between his knuckles mindlessly as he reads the paper.
12.
This is CUT THROAT--a diabolical thug with a heart, 26--but
his boys call him "CT". A broad smile lights his face when
J-Bird comes in.
My nigga.
CUT THROAT
Whatchoo know?
They bro-hug.
Nothin'.
J-BIRD
Chillin'.
CUT THROAT
Yeah, how's your Moms?
Good?
J-BIRD
She good.
CUT THROAT
Where Roo at? You taking him out
again?
J-BIRD
Yeah, he comin'.
Cut Throat raises the COFFEE POT to offer J-Bird a cup.
J-BIRD
Nah, I'm good.
CUT THROAT
I talked to my Uncle Slink from
over in The Hollows. You get me
them same Alpines you been pullin'
from the Vee-Dubs, he's good for
six of 'em. Getchoo 300 on the
day.
J-BIRD
What happened to 75 a
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Damn, CT!
pop?
CUT THROAT
Yimes are tough, l'il man. You know
I don't set the price.
J-BIRD
Shhiiittt.
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CUT THROAT
(stern)
Don't like it you can move 'em your
damn self.
13.
J-BIRD
Nah.
(beat)
How 'bout I bring you ten then?
Cut Throat puts his coffee on the counter.
appreciating J-Bird's gusto.
He smiles,
CUT THROAT
You think you can do ten, do ten.
Shit, make it fifteen.
Cut Throat steps closer and puts his finger into J-Bird's
chest.
CUT THROAT
But listen, nigga. No smash and
grab bullshit. This gotta be
clean, ya feel me? I'm finna put
you up for bigger shit,
(taps his temple)
but I need yo head in it. Roo, too.
Ya feel?
J-BIRD
I gotchoo.
CUT THROAT
Meet me back here when you done.
Wanna introduce you to Slink.
J-BIRD
That's whassup.
They do a hand-swipe, fist-bump.
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CUT THROAT
Now go get it done, nigga.
EXT. OUTSIDE THE ANDERSON TOWNHOUSE - DAY
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EMTs are kneeling next to Sophie prone, face down on the
sidewalk. Near them the concrete is streaked with blood.
Her arm is outstretched in the direction of her cell phone.