BACK DOOR04 23' DOOR TO ADVENTURE: episode: kidnap at the school INT EVENING CLOSE-UP: DORAH'S BEDROOM (Dorah, dressed in a party dress, primps and examines her own face in the mirror, then puts on a string of pearls, examines face from several angles) DORAH (shouts) Mother, why can't I wear lipstick? MOTHER (off camera) For the same reason I told you five minutes ago. DORAH It's not fair. Some of the girls at school are going to wear lipstick. MOTHER Dorah, you are going to a school dance, you're not getting married. SIS (off camera) She would marry Dorman if she could. DORAH Mind your own business, jerk. MOTHER Dorah! That is no way to talk to anyone, let alone your own sister! SIS (sings) Na na na na na. DORAH (examines shoes from all angles) Somebody please get this little BUG out of my room before I step on it? (stomps) SIS Mother, Dorah called me a bug! DORAH Mother! What do I use to clean my shoes? MOTHER I just cleaned your shoes! DORAH You missed a spot. MOTHER It's not a spot. It's a scuff. It doesn't come off. DORAH Rats! Dorman is going to think I come from a family of paupers. SIS What's a pauper? DORAH (straightens, eyes wide) Oh, no! Not now! MOTHER What's the matter now? (steps into the doorway) DORAH I have to... (looks at Sis) I have to run an errand! MOTHER Well, then, if you have to run an... errand, you have to run an errand. DORAH But it will make me late for the dance! MOTHER With responsibility comes self-sacrifice. I'm sure Dorman will appreciate a girl who's not afraid of a little self-sacrifice. DORAH Oh, bother! (hurries out the bedroom door, down the hall and into the garage) INT EVENING WIDE: DORAH'S GARAGE DORAH (enters from house, softly but sternly while opening virtual door and stepping through) Mr Door, couldn't you find another doorkeeper just this once?! INT EVENING WIDE: ABANDONED WAREHOUSE (Dorah enters through virtual door, closes door, turns in all directions, sees nothing but two 1000-gallon vertical tanks) DORAH (shouts) Does anybody in here need help? DANNY (off camera, shouts) Help! Help me! DORAH (turns in circles) I.... I can't see you. Where are you? DANNY I'm in the tank. DORAH (turns, runs up stairs to catwalk above tanks) How on earth did you get into a tank? DANNY I was playing hide and seek and I fell in. And now I can't get out. Please don't tell my mom. DORAH (looks down into tank, empty) Where are you?! DANNY I'm here. DORAH (walks over to other tank, looks down, sees Danny in waist-deep water) Oh, brother! I'll bet your mother told you specifically NOT to play inside this building, didn't she? DANNY Yeah. DORAH You are dumber than a box of rocks! DANNY You don't have to be mean! DORAH (looking around for tools to rescue Danny) I'm sorry, It's just that I'm already late for my school dance and rescuing you is going to make me even later. DANNY You're not going to leave me, are you?! DORAH No. I'm not going to leave you. But I'm not going to get this dress all wet rescuing you either. DANNY I'm sorry to be such a bother. DORAH (sees a shelf full of empty one-gallon plastic bottles on the ground floor) Wait there. I'll be right back. (opens virtual door, exits through it) DANNY I'm not going anywhere. (jump cut: Dorah enters at ground floor near plastic bottles through virtual door, grabs two plastic bottles, exits through door) (jump cut: Dorah enters on the catwalk above the two tanks through virtual door carrying two plastic bottles, drops them on Danny's head) DORAH Here, catch these. DANNY (dodges) What are you doing?! DORAH Okay, here's the deal. Those empty bottles will float on top of the water. You hold one of them under each arm and they'll help you stay afloat when the water rises. (exits through virtual door) DANNY When the water rises. (gasps) You're not going to let the water in, are you?! I can't swim. Hello? Hello? (jump cut: Dorah enters on the ground floor next to the valves through the virtual door, traces the pipes with eyes and fingers to the correct valve, grabs the handle) DORAH Are you ready? DANNY No! DORAH Here we go! (opens valve) DANNY (water gushes in) Did you hear me?! I said I'm not ready! I can't swim! Hello? Hello? (begins floating) DORAH (POV: Danny looking up at Dorah) Just relax. Don't try to swim. Stay still. Let the empty bottles float you. Just hold on and everything will be alright. DANNY (smiles) Hey. I'm floating! This is not bad! I'm floating! (jump cut: POV overhead: Danny floats to top, climbs out as the water stops gushing in) Okay, I'm out. I'm okay. Say, please don't tell my mom. (looks over edge at ground floor) Hello? I said, please don't tell my mom. Where are you? (looks all around) Where did she go? (moves toward stairway) I hope she didn't go tell my mom. (walking down stairs, looks down at self, notices water dripping in streams from his fingertips) Somehow, I think Mom will know. I am so busted! INT NIGHT WIDE: DORAH'S SCHOOL BOYS RESTROOM (after a brief flash of light and the sound of a door closing, Dorman immerges from one of the stalls dressed in a coat and tie, exits the restroom) INT NIGHT WIDE: HALLWAY OUTSIDE RESTROOMS (Dorman exits restroom as Dorah exits girl's restroom examining the back of her party dress) DORMAN Welcome to the dance, Cinderella. DORAH Dorman! I'm sorry I'm late. I had to... (looks around to see if someone is listening) I had to... you know... DORMAN I know. I was late too. People don't stop needing our help just because we want to go to a dance. (points to gym) Shall we dance, my lady? (bows, motions toward gym) INT NIGHT MONTAGE: SCHOOL GYM (Dorman and Dorah join in with the kids dancing to "YMCA") (Dorman and Dorah join in with the kids dancing the "Macarana") (Dorman and Dorah awkwardly hold each other and begin slow dancing.) DORMAN (nods toward an adult couple who are expertly slow dancing) Aren't those kids a little old to come to a middle school dance? DORAH (looks, smiles) That's Mr and Mrs Meyers. They're chaperones. They're good dancers, aren't they? DORMAN We can dance like that. (begins an exaggerated copy of the Meyers' dance style. Both giggle each time they stumble. Suddenly, the Meyer's stop dancing and look around obviously agitated and begin asking questions of those around them, Dorman smiles) See what I mean? We're so good that the competition gave up. DORAH Something is wrong. (Dorman and Dorah stop dancing and drop hands, stand erect in unison) Did you get that? DORMAN That was the door calling. (looking around) You're right. Something is wrong. DORAH (approaches the Meyers) What's the matter? MRS MEYERS Brittany is missing. She was right here when we started dancing. But now she's gone. It's not like her to just walk away. (Dorah and Dorman nod at each other and run out of the gym, turn a corner) INT NIGHT TWO-SHOT: DESERTED MIDDLE SCHOOL HALLWAY DORMAN (looks both ways) Okay, this is your school. How do you want to handle this? DORAH (reaches into space, opens door, steps into it) You search the first floor classrooms, I'll search the second floor. Meet you back here. (both exit through virtual doors and the doors disappear) INT NIGHT MONTAGE: MIDDLE SCHOOL CLASSROOMS (alternately, Dorah and Dorman enter darkened classrooms through virtual doors, look around hurriedly then exit through virtual door, door disappears, lastly Dorah looks out a classroom window to see a white van exit alley behind building with screeching tires) INT NIGHT TWO-SHOT: DESERTED MIDDLE SCHOOL HALLWAY (Dorah enters through virtual door, looks both ways) DORMAN (enters through virtual door) Nothing on this floor. DORAH She's not upstairs either. But I did see a white van behind the school leaving in a big hurry. (they close virtual doors and exit running toward gym) INT NIGHT WIDE: MIDDLE SCHOOL GYM (Dorah and Dorman enter running) DORAH We searched all over the school. She must have left. MR MEYERS You couldn't have searched the entire school already! (Dorah and Dorman exchange nervous glances) DORAH Well, I, ah... DORMAN Ah, we, ah... MRS MEYERS This is not like Brittany at all. I'm worried. MR MEYERS (pulls cell phone from pocket) Wait. My phone is ringing. I'll bet it's Brittany. (cell phone to ear) Hello? What did you do with her?! MRS MEYERS Who is it?! MR MEYERS (finger to lips) I understand. Please don't hurt her. MRS MEYERS Has she been kidnapped?! MR MEYERS Okay. I understand. I'll do anything you say. Just don't hurt her! Yes. Okay. Okay. Okay. Yes. I understand. You have my full cooperation. But I not doing anything until I talk to my daughter. DORMAN (steps away with Dorah) It's a kidnap for ransom. Is this guy rich? DORAH No! He lives in my neighborhood! He doesn't have enough money to pay a ransom! MR MEYERS Brittany?! Brittany, are you alright? Sweetie, you stay calm and do everything they say. They just want money. As soon as I pay the ransom, they'll give you... Brittany?! Brit? So help me, if you hurt her!.... Yes. Okay. Yes. I know what to do and I'll do it exactly as you say. No, I won't call the police. You have my full cooperation. (pockets cell phone, to Mrs Meyers) They want me to open the bank and give them the money. DORMAN (softly to Dorah) What bank? MRS MEYERS I'll go with you. MR MEYERS (exits frame backward) No. He said for me to come alone. DORAH (softly to Dorman) Mr Meyers is the branch manager of Merchants Bank. DORMAN (turns and exits quickly with Dorah) So, this kidnapping is actually just a bank robbery. MRS MEYERS Okay, but you be careful. EXT NIGHT WIDE: OUTSIDE THE SCHOOL ENTRANCE (Dorah and Dorman, descend the stairs quickly just ahead of Mr Meyers and hide behind a bush as he passes by) DORMAN Your school, your call. How do you want to handle this? DORAH First priority has to be Brittany. Then we make sure Mr Meyers is safe. Then we get the money back and make sure the bad guys are captured. DORMAN Agreed. DORAH I think this whole thing is an inside job. DORMAN What do you mean? DORAH Whoever planned this knew way too much about Mr Meyers: (counts on her fingers) his cell phone number, about the dance tonight, that he's the manager of a bank. DORMAN Agreed. DORAH So, we have a fourth step: we need to collar the inside man. DORMAN Collar?! What's with you and prime time TV?! DORAH Okay, here's how this will probably go down. The inside man probably hired some low-lifes to kidnap and hold Brittany, and a third low-life to keep an eye on Mr Meyers to make sure he follows instructions and doesn't bring in the cops. If there's a seperate money drop, this same guy will probably be the one to follow Mr Meyers to the drop site and pick up the money. DORMAN How do you know one of these guys is not the inside guy? DORAH If the inside man knows Mr Meyers well enough to have his cell phone number and his social calendar, Mr Meyers or Brittany probably know him. If he hires other people to do the dirty work, the inside man could pull this off and noone would know who he is. DORMAN Agreed. What do you want me to do? DORAH I've been in the bank before, so I'll go to the bank with Mr Meyers. You see if the door can locate the white van that I saw behind the school. I'll delay Mr Meyers at the bank so we have time to rescue Brittany. Then, I'll turn Mr Meyers loose to make the money drop. He can call in the police as soon as the inside man picks up the money. DORMAN Agreed. Let's collar these perps! (high fives Dorah, then they exit through separate virtual doors) INT NIGHT WIDE: MERCHANT'S BANK (Dorah enters through virtual door, closes it, looks around in the semi-darkness, picks up phone, dials) INT NIGHT SPLIT-SCREEN: DORAH'S HOUSE MOTHER (picks up phone) Hello? DORAH Mom, it's me. MOTHER Hi, honey! How's the dance going? DORAH It's fun, but it was interrupted with a kidnapping for ransom. MOTHER Oh, dear! Who was kidnapped?! DORAH Brittany Meyers. The kidnappers are making Brittany's dad rob his own bank. I'm at the bank now. But I don't want Mr Meyers to know that I got into his bank through a secret door. So, I thought I'd call him on his cell phone. Do you have his number? MOTHER Oh, sure. Hold on a second. (pulls out cell phone, scrolls through list) Yes, here it is. DORAH (writes phone number on a notepad on the desk) Okay. Got it. Thanks, Mom. (looks out the window, sees Mr Meyers car driving into the parking lot) Got to go. (hangs up phone, moves to window stealthily) (end split-screen) INT NIGHT SPLIT-SCREEN: MEYER'S CAR IN BANK PARKING LOT MR MEYERS (cell phone to ear) This is Larry Meyers. I'm here at the bank. But I don't see you here. I thought you were going to pickup the money here and return my daughter. But why? You can have the money right here. I'm listening. Alright, I'll take the money out of the vault and then? Into four cloth bags. I understand. But if you don't want to pick it up here, where... Okay. I'll call you as soon as I have the money in the cloth bags. (exits car, crosses to bank entrance, unlocks door, enters bank) (end split screen) (Dorah hides under desk while Meyers pokes the code into the alarm panel, then crosses to the vault room, switches on the light and closes the door) DORAH (immerges from under the desk, picks up phone, dials Meyers number, deepest voice, fake accent) Mr Meyers, we are now at work to rescue your daughter... I'm sorry, I can't reveal my identity. Our squad works in strictest anonymity. Mr Meyers, it is very important that you delay paying the ransom until after we rescue your daughter. Is that clear? No, the kidnappers will not hurt your daughter. They're greedy for the money, so if you have a plausible excuse for slowing down, they will have no choice but to wait for you. Mr Meyers, we think that one of the kidnappers is someone who knows you very well. He has your personal cell phone number and he knew that you and your daughter would be at the middle school tonight. Can you think of someone who might know those two facts about you? Someone who works with you at the bank or someone from the school who knows you personally. I know it's hard to imagine anyone you know personally who would do a thing like this. But think. Anyone who has been asking questions lately... Your assistant manager? She? It's a woman? I know it's difficult imagining a woman organizing a kidnapping and bank robbery. But let's proceed as if she's the inside man on this operation. It was a man's voice? Well, obviously, if you were planning a crime like this and you knew the victim might recognize your voice, you wouldn't talk directly to your victim. We think the inside man hired some low-lifes to kidnap your daughter and another one to keep an eye on you and talk to you on the phone. Okay, while you fill the bags with money, think of a good excuse for being late that would sound good to your assistant manager. The longer you delay him, the more time we have to rescue your daughter. Yes. Our squad is watching both ends of this crime. Your daughter is safe. Try to stay calm. (exits through virtual door) EXT NIGHT TWO-SHOT: OUTSIDE A WAREHOUSE (Dorman enters through the virtual door as Dorah enters through another virtual door nearby with the white van in the background) DORAH I see you found the white van. DORMAN Yes... That is, (points over shoulder) the door found it. DORAH Did you find Brittany? DORMAN She's inside a storeroom in this warehouse. (points) DORAH (looks around) Where are we? DORMAN This is the warehouse district near the waterfront. Two lowlifes are standing guard over Brittany in there. (points) DORAH Two of us against two of them. That's good odds. DORMAN You're in phase three now. You could do this all by yourself. DORAH I don't understand. DORMAN If you set up YOUR door in front of the storeroom door, then get the kidnappers to come out, you can have your door take them to where they won't endanger the rescue. DORAH (smiles) Hey. I've never let a bad guy use my door before! I like it! (turns) I'll do it! DORMAN Wait. DORAH (turns) Huh? DORMAN What are you going to do with Brittany once the kidnappers are out of the way? DORAH What do you mean? DORMAN I mean she knows you personally. And she saw me at the dance. You can't just walk into the room and untie her and let her go. DORAH Oh, you're right. Whatever we do, we can't let her see our faces. You got any ideas? DORMAN Let me give you a clue. (reaches at eye-height toward door and opens a three-inch square door, looks into the room where Brittany is being held, tied, gagged and blindfolded, one lowlife sits in a chair playing a hand-held video game, the second lowlife is pacing slowly in front of the door, Dorman whispers) Have a look. DORAH (looks through tiny door, smiles, closes door) We can do ANYTHING with these doors, can't we? DORMAN Like I said. You don't really need me. With the door helping you, this is a one-man operation... IF you have a plan. DORAH (hesitates) Okay. Here's my plan: First, I make a noise outside the room. Then, at least one kidnapper will probably come out to investigate. I set up my door right in front of his to take him out of the way. If needed, I make another noise, that will bring the other kidnapper out of the room. The door to take him out of the way too. Then, I open a tiny door behind Brittany's back, so I can reach in and untie her without actually going into the room. Once her hands are free, she can remove her own blindfold and gag. Oh, wait. DORMAN What's wrong? You're doing good so far. You're planning everything I would plan. DORAH We're way down by the waterfront. But she was wearing a blindfold. She has no idea where she is. I need a plan to get her back to her dad. DORMAN Piece of cake for a doorkeeper in phase three. DORAH (realization) Using MY door, I could send her anywhere. Right?! DORMAN YOU do the rescue, I'll stand by here, in case you need backup. Have fun! DORAH (exiting through virtual door) I'll see you back at the dance. INT NIGHT WIDE: ABANDONED WAREHOUSE (Dorah enters through virtual door near a door labeled "STOREROOM", closes and repositions virtual door in line with the storeroom door, picks up a length of pipe, throws it through a nearby window, shattering it noisily, hides. Immediately, Lowlife1 enters from storeroom with gun drawn, falls screaming through the darkened door opening) EXT NIGHT WIDE: END OF THE WHARF (Lowlife1 falls kicking and screaming off the end of the wharf into the water) INT NIGHT WIDE: INSIDE THE STOREROOM LOWLIFE2 (gasps, stands) What was that?! (pulls gun, runs out storeroom door into the darkness) EXT NIGHT WIDE: END OF THE WHARF (Lowlife2 falls kicking and screaming off the end of the wharf into the water) INT NIGHT CLOSE-UP: ABANDONED WAREHOUSE STOREROOM (a darkened 6-inch square door opens behind Brittany's back, Dorah's hands enter through door and untie Brittany's bindings) BRITTANY (moans and pulls away) DORAH (whispers) Hold still. I'm trying to untie you! (Dorah unties Brittany, withdraws hands, closes virtual door, Brittany pulls off blindfold, gag and foot bindings, stands, examines the wall where the virtual door was) BRITTANY Who was that? How did he do that? (shrugs, looks around, approaches door cautiously, opens it cautiously, steps into the darkness cautiously) INT NIGHT CLOSE-UP: BANK VAULT MR MEYERS (cell phone to ear while gathering filled money bags from the floor and putting them all on a work table, counting them) This is Larry Meyers. INT NIGHT SPLIT-SCREEN: MERCHANT'S BANK DORAH (office phone to ear, deep voice, fake accent) Mr Meyers, we have rescued your daughter. MR MEYERS You're sure she's okay? DORAH She's fine. You may now pay the ransom. MR MEYERS If my daughter is safe, why should I pay the ransom? DORAH It's the only way to uncover the inside man. MR MEYERS I hope it isn't my assistant manager. Oh, I have to go. The kidnapper is on the other line. (clicks phone) (end split screen) This is Larry Meyers. MALE VOICE (voiceover) Who have you been talking to? MR MEYERS Nobody. MALE VOICE I just tried to call you. Who were you talking to? You weren't talking to the police, were you? MR MEYERS Oh, no! I... was... just... talking.. to... the... alarm company. Yeah, that's it: the alarm company. You made me so flustered that my hand was shaking when I punched in the alarm code. So, I hit the wrong button... twice. The problem is, when you enter the wrong code twice in a row, the alarm system shuts down all access and the alarm company calls me. I had to give the password and my name and my security account number before they would let me unlock the alarm. MALE VOICE You're still in the bank. Why are you still in the bank? You were supposed to be on your way to the ransom exchange by now. MR MEYERS I just told you, I couldn't disarm the alarm system. DISTORTED VOICEOVER It doesn't take that long to disarm the alarm system. Are you stalling? MR MEYERS No. Oh, no! I... can... explain... that. Um, the fact is, the alarm thing flustered me so much that the same thing happened when I tried to open the vault. Yeah, that's it. I messed up the combination to the vault three times before I finally got into the vault. You're not going to hurt my daughter because I was flustered, are you? MALE VOICE How much money do you have in the money bags now? MR MEYERS Oh, ah, all of it. You asked for $400,000. So I bagged $400,000, just like you asked. I'm ready to close the vault and deliver the money wherever you say. MALE VOICE Take the money to Willow Tree Creek Park. Park your car near the flagpole just inside the main entrance to the park. Take the money out of the car and drop it into the trash can near the flagpole. Then get back into your car and drive away. Do you understand? MR MEYERS I understand. (pockets cell phone, gathers up bags) EXT NIGHT WIDE: WILLOW CREEK PARK (Mr Meyers drives into the lot, parks near the flagpole, exits the car, removes four stuffed cloth bags from the trunk, carries them to the trash can, drops them in, returns to the car, closes the trunk, reenters the car, drives off. Lowlife3's car enters the parking lot as Mr Meyers exits, Lowlife3 exits his car, looks in all directions, casually walks to the trash can, looks in all directions, retrieves the four cloth bags, returns to his car, drops the bags in the trunk, drives off) INT NIGHT WIDE: CONVENIENCE STORE PARKING LOT (Lowlife3's car enters lot, parks next to Nancy's car, exits his car, looks in all directions, moves to trunk, looks in all directions, opens trunk, looks in all directions, nods to Nancy, Nancy exit her car, looks in all directions, approaches Lowlife3's trunk) NANCY Did you get all four items? (Lowlife3 nods, points at bags) Did anybody follow you? (Lowlife3 shakes head) Did you look inside the bags? (Lowlife3 shakes head) Did he ever talk to the police? (Lowlife3 shakes head) LOWLIFE3 What's in them bags, anyways? NANCY None of your business. LOWLIFE3 You got my money? NANCY (pulls a wad of money from pocket, offers it, pulls it back when Lowlife3 reaches) First, we see if it's all here. (pockets wad, lifts two of the bags, hefts them, drops one, opens the other) Let's have a look here. (special affect: poof -- red paint sprays from the mouth of the bag into Nancy's face) (uniformed officers approach from all directions, guns drawn) COP You're under arrest for kidnapping and robbery. MR MEYERS (enters frame) Nancy! How could you?! NANCY You got nothing on me! You can't prove a kidnapping unless you have a kidnap victim. Where's the victim? BRITTANY (enters frame, looks in all directions) I'm right here! Wherever here is. MR MEYERS (approaches and hugs Brittany) Brittany, honey! Are you alright?! BRITTANY I'm fine. NANCY How could she be free already? I didn't call them yet! COP The two lowlifes you hired to do the kidnapping are already in custody and they're both pointing their fingers at YOU. LOWLIFE3 I didn't know nothing about no kidnapping! She planned this whole thing. I didn't even know what was in them bags. COP You are going DOWN! (pushes Nancy toward police car) MR MEYERS Nancy, how could you? NANCY Let's just say I'm not so good at choosing the winning horse. INT NIGHT WIDE: SCHOOL GYM (Dorah and Dorman are dancing in the middle of a long conga line of kids snaking its way around the gym) DORMAN Well, I had fun tonight. DORAH Me too. The dancing was fun too. (both share a smile) DORMAN I know what you mean. I really like working with you. DORAH Me too. We're a good team. DORMAN The fall dance at our school is next Friday. Can you come? DORAH Your school is way out in the country. How will I get there? DORMAN You'll think of something. �2013 Bob Snook. Conditions for use: Do not sell any part of this script, even if you rewrite it. Pay no royalties, even if you make money from performances. You may reproduce and distribute this script freely, but all copies must contain this copyright statement. http://www.bobsnook.org email: [email protected] BACK |