Masked Man with a God Damn Gun

A Screenplay by Notsoloud

A revenge story

Masked Man With A Goddamn Gun

Ext. hot dusty road. The camera starts behind a pair of legs, crunching over the hot gravel as they walk. Next shot is behind the figure walking, the back of his masked head dominating the frame. Then long shot of figure walking toward the camera from a distance. Back to behind as he approaches a chop shop. At the front door, there is a huge fuckoff dude standing and looking mean. He watches the man approach, and spits when he stands before him.

Huge Dude
F**k off, weirdo. We’re closed today.

The masked man, still shot from behind, stands for a moment, before speaking quietly

Masked Man
I want to see El Jefe . . .

The Huge Dude sneers menacingly at him before pulling up his shirt to show a huge fuckoff gun tucked in his waistband.

Huge Dude
Did you hear me? I said f**k off. Ain’t no trick or treating today.

The masked man stands there, uncaring of the gun. The camera slowly pans down from the back of his head to his shoulder, down his arm, all while keeping Huge Dude in frame. When the camera gets to his empty hand, he opens it, moves his arm, and allows a crowbar to fall from his sleeve to his hand. The next shot we finally see the front of the masked man, as he viciously blasts Huge Dude across the jaw with the crowbar. The scene pauses at this, one of his teeth in the air, a fierce look of determination on the masked man’s face as the title flashes on the screen, a la Borderlands intro. Cut to black.

Voice Over
Everyone dies. Some men wither away when they are told to. Some give up when the pain is too much. Others will fight uselessly, failing to stave off the inevitable. In the end, everyone dies, alone. But every once in awhile, there will be a man, made of ingredients far greater than six feet of dirt and a pine box could ever hold. What you get from them is a righteous reckoning, stitched back together by hell’s own hand. And the people who do such heinous acts that would cause these avenging angels to be? They’re living, and dying, on borrowed time.

The camera starts to pan left from the black to the vicious fight that is going on in the garage. The masked man is taking on multiple men. We stay with this for a moment before it starts to get cut in with what appears to be security footage of the fight. After a few shots of this, the camera starts to pan up from the fight to a cctv camera, blinking red. We then cut to the fight on a small black and white monitor, then pull back to see several monitors catching the fight from different angles. We continue to pull back to see a man in his early forties sitting at a desk, counting money. He has a deep jagged scar over the right side of his face and a milky white eye. In the background, the sounds of the men fighting can be heard. Occasionally, breaking glass or wood interject the sounds of fists on meat. Large stacks of money, empty whiskey bottles, and the odd gun seemed to be left on the table in a hurry. The man continues counting the money as if disinterested, a huge cigar burning away forgotten in his hand. After a moment, there is a loud slam against the roll up door. The man counting the money, El Jefe, raises an eyebrow and pauses to look up. There is silence, and the camera pans closer to the door as a puddle of blood begins to leak underneath it. Suddenly, the door comes up, and we see the outline of the masked man against the sun. In his hand, we can make out the crowbar. El Jefe nows smiles, amused, and takes a puff of his cigar.

El Jefe
Come on in. (the masked man doesn’t move for a moment) You’re going to have to come closer if we are going to have words. My eyesight isn’t what it used to be.

The masked man steps into the garage. Behind him, we can see a burning car, and several severely beaten men on the ground. As the masked man walks into the garage and out of frame, a man falls from above somewhere to the ground, obviously dead.

El Jefe
Won’t you please . . .

Before he can finish, the masked man holds up his hand, gesturing for him to be quiet, and reaches into his coat pocket. Cut back to El Jefe, and from this shot, we can see him reach for the gun he has mounted under the desk. Back to the masked man, who pulls out a cigarette. He then flicks a zippo to light it, leaning against a fuel drum. Slowly, he takes a puff, as if oblivious to everything else. After he exhales, he motions for El Jefe to continue.

El Jefe
Drink? (he gestures to the bottles)

The masked man shakes his head slowly no.

El Jefe
More for me then. (He pours himself a drink) Would you like to have a seat?

The masked man takes a long drag off the cigarette, then flicks it away. He takes a seat across from El Jefe at the desk.

El Jefe
(with feigned courtesy) There, now we can talk like civilized men. (he takes a drink) I suppose you are not going to tell me who you are. It would defeat the whole . . . (searches for a word) mystique of the mask. Very dramatic. I have to say, when I saw you on the security cameras, I thought to myself, “Now here is a man with flair!” (he chuckles) I was very entertained.

The masked man says nothing as he sits, listening. El Jefe takes a long drink, his hands shaking in the very slightest. He might becoming just a tad nervous.

El Jefe
Anyway, you beat the s**t out of my men, which is more than a little impressive. These guys are not some Home Depot w******s I happened to pick up, and they are not f*****g cheap! (he sighs and leans back in his chair, taking another drink) I thought for sure the knife to your back would have put you down . . .

We cut to the security footage of the masked man bent over someone, raining down fists. A thug with a knife sneaks behind him and buries the knife in his upper back. Then we cut to a regular shot of the thug backing up, looking scared as the masked man rises into frame, allowing us to see part of his face, the knife, and the thug all in one shot. Cut to behind the masked man as he reaches up and pulls the knife out, then turns his head to give the thug a s**t-your-pants glare. He turns, and begins advancing with the knife in one hand and the crowbar in the other. We then go back to he and El Jefe sitting at the desk. El Jefe gives him the “eh, what are you going to do about it?” expression before pouring himself some more whiskey and taking a large drink.

El Jefe
So I am willing to bet you have been killing your way here since you got into town. I am also willing to bet you have no scruples against killing me . . . (he finishes his drink with a grimace) That is, unless I have something you want. (he smiles, proud of being clever) You are not here to rob me because you have not even looked at the money here. And you are not the competition, because I would have known you were coming. So, “masked man”, now you have my attention. What are you here for?

The Masked Man reaches in his jacket and produces a folded piece of paper. He opens it, as if double checking it very quickly, then hands it to El Jefe. He looks at the list, then burst into laughter at the ridiculousness of it. He then looks up at the stone faced Masked Man.

El Jefe
(incredulously) Hijoputa . . . You’re serious! What reason would I have to help you in such a stupidly suicidal endeavor?

The Masked Man says nothing, but places the crowbar on the table in between them, which by this time is wet with blood and gristle. El Jefe raises an eyebrow, then reaches for the whiskey bottle with shaking hands. The Masked Man gets there before him, and pours him a large drink. El Jefe nods thanks before taking a large gulp. He sighs, and looks the list over again.

El Jefe
Where would you like to start?

At this point, the camera is behind El Jefe, as if trying to read the list over his shoulder. For the most part, it is indistinguishable. The Masked Man leans over and points to a name on the list, the camera moving closer as he does, so that we can see him pointing to a name that has been circled and underlined: Naughty Bobby.

Masked Man
With him.

The camera moves behind a pillar or somesuch to go to black as the voice over kicks in.

Voice Over
Real vengeance kills the man it fuels, consuming him and spitting out a devil in his skin; a force of nature not to be fucked with or provoked, lest you incur a wrath that is terrible to behold.

Cut to
Interior - Dirty Bar Bathroom
** I’m still unsure if we should add any sort of text like you had in the other version. If we do, I think they should be used sparingly, and carefully thought out before had to correspond to the 6. In that case, I would suggest we had the name and number of each of them right as their fight scenes start. I would add this here too, having “0. Naughty Bobby” to indicate that he is important and part of the plan, but not on ‘the list’ **

A fat man in a sleazy outdated nightclub attire, Naughty Bobby, walks in. He stops in front of a very dirty mirror, checking himself out with an exaggerated sense of confidence. Detecting some greasy, slicked back hair out of place, he hocks a loogie into his hand, and smooths the errant hair back. Satisfied, he steps up to the urinal and unzips. We have a close up of his head, slightly off center, as he first experiences relief, and then he notices something on the wall in front of him, eye level. The camera cuts to a slow close up of a flyer for a strip joint, very cheaply made and very vulgar, with an almost impossible endowed woman, and big letters in a “splat” font, saying “Cum inside!” Cut back to earlier close up of Bobby, studying it with a perverse look on his face.

Naughty Bobby
Heh, wouldn’t be a f**k bar without one of these plastered on the wall

Holding the previous shot, the sound of urination ceases, and we see slight movements of Bobby’s right arm, as well as his face becoming increasingly glazed, lost in lust. Behind his head, we can see the top of the door as it opens quietly, and then closes with a small squeak. Bobby hears this, and hurriedly tucks himself back in.

Naughty Bobby
(whispered) F**k . . .

Bobby turns around, still obscuring the view behind him. After he is turned around, we cut to a side shot of Bobby coming face to face with the Masked Man. ** I wasn’t clear on the shot you had written in before, so I put this one in. But I’d like to go over the other one with you to understand what you wanted better ** There is a beat.

Naughty Bobby
Oh, f**k me.

Bobby reaches into his coat for a gun, but is struck across the face before it can clear the holster. The Masked Man grabs his shirt and swings him around, throwing him back into the mirror, which spider webs as he hits it. He then tries to pull his gun again, but receives a fist in the solar plexus, followed by his head being slammed into the mirror again. As he begins to slump down, a knee connects with his chin. The Masked Man then grabs the back of his shirt and rams him face first into the urinal. He falls, face down, and the camera gets low with him. His face is busted and bloody, as he almost drifts into unconsciousness. But then his eyes snap open with fear as he is pulled back from the frames, and we see the Masked Man is dragging him by the ankle to the center of the room. The blood leaves a trail behind him. The Masked Man then flips him over on his back and lords over him.

Naughty Bobby
(starting out groggy, then becoming clearer and annoyed) . . . f**k . . . oh f**k . . . (he touches the blood from his broken nose) F**k!

Bobby looks up at the Masked Man, then his eyes flicker to the side as he sees his gun lying within arms reach. He licks his lips, and then goes for it, his hand grasping the hilt before the Masked Man footsteps on it, weighing heavy.

Naughty Bobby
Ahhhhhh! What?? What the f**k do you want?? Speak, a*****e!

With his foot still on Bobby’s wrist, the Masked Man squats down on his haunches, arms resting on his knees.

Masked Man
I wanted a lot of things, Bobby.(pauses looking Bobby over like prey thats been caught) It’s not about that now. It’s what I need, and what you’re going to help me with. This is just an avalanche getting started with a snowflake. You're my snowflake and (beat) I want you to call him . . .

Naughty Bobby
Him? Him who? I.. don’t know what you’re talkin...

We see a look of anger flash in the Masked Man’s eyes as he viciously backhands Bobby in the face, who lets out a squeal of pain.

We see a flash of anger in the Masked Man’s face that quickly is controlled. He silently reaches over, picks up Bobby’s gun, and takes out the clip. He then begins to flick the bullets out of it, one by one, at Bobby, who flinches. When it is empty, he picks a single bullet off of Bobby’s chest, shows it to him, then put it back into the clip, which goes back into the gun. It is cocked, a menacing sound, and Bobby smiles a panicked, but compliant grin.

Masked Man
You’re going to call him. (He leans in closer to Bobby) And when you do, you are going to tell him . . .

(Close up shot of Masked Man whispering into Bobby’s ear)

The Masked Man grabs Bobby by the hair, pulling his head up as he leans in even closer, and whispers into Bobby’s ear. When he is done, he lets Bobby’s head fall back to the floor with a crunch.

Masked Man
Make sure he brings the others too. Ta ta, Bobby.

The Masked Man gets up to leave. As he does, Bobby props himself up on one side, spits out a mouthful of blood, and starts to chuckle.

Naughty Bobby
I hope I’m around to see it. They are going to f**k you up, a*****e! It’s gonna be pain for days, and I’mma laugh my a*s off the whole time! Haha you hear me?The sick s**t they are going to do to you . . .!

We cut to a shot of the Masked Man paused at the open door. He looks back.

Masked Man
Maybe . . . But what is he going to do to you for calling him?

We cut to a shot into the bathroom from just outside the doorway as the Masked Man walks through it. We can see Naughty Bobby’s face has dropped, full of fear, just before the door closes.

Interior Dirty Bar

Bobby now sits at the bar of the same place where he just got his a*s kicked. He sits on a stool, bloody and bruised, hand wrapped like a*s in dirty gauze. In pain, he holds his jaw. He spits out a bloody loogie onto the bar top, before reaching into his mouth and pulling out a tooth. The bartender, who was just approaching to fill Bobby’s glass, gets disgusted at this.

Bartender
What the f**k, Bobby, you can’t do that s**t . . . !

He is interrupted by Bobby smashing his glass against the side of the bartender’s head. He also grabs the bottle, and take the spout out of the top.

Bobby
(at bartender holding his bloody face)
Shut up, and bring me the f*****g phone.

He throws the spout at the bartender, who slinks away while Bobby takes a long pull from the bottle. Within a moment, the phone, an old school rotary style is placed in front of him. Bobby stares at it a moment before picking up the receiver and beginning to dial. A few numbers in, he lets out an expletive, then slams the receiver down. He closes his eyes.

Bobby
Just f*****g do it. Just call him. This is his mess anyway. Let him deal with it. Just do it. Pick up the phone and call him.

Bobby takes another drink, then tries dialing again.

Bobby
(Hanging up again)
Nope!

Bobby lays his head on his arm in frustration, and appears to cry for a moment. The camera begins to slowly pull back from him, sitting on the stool, under seemingly the only light in this place, like a spotlight. It continues pulling back, till we are looking at Bobby through the bar window from across the street. There is the Masked Man, leaning against a street light, smoking a cigarette, watching Bobby.

Masked Man
You better do it, Bobby . . .

We see Bobby pick his head up, looking utterly broken, and dialing.

Masked Man
Good boy.

Cut to Bobby in bar

Bobby
Hey. It’s Bobby . . . Yes, that one. I-I need to talk to him. No . . . No I . . . Look, it’s pretty f*****g important! He’s gonna wanna hear this, and you don’t want to be the one that caused him to miss it! . . . . . Thank you!

Cut to Masked Man for a beat, then back to Bobby

Bobby
Hello, sir. Yes sir, I’m sorry for calling. Yes sir, but . . . yes sir, I . . . sir, I’m calling because someone asked me to.

Bobby grimaces at what he just said, realizing how bad that sounded. Sure enough, we can hear someone yell at him from the other end.

Bobby
Yes sir. I know . . . I . . . it was a guy in a mask!

Bobby takes a quick drink, needing the strength to get this out.

Bobby
He came in and beat the s**t outta me. (Bobby grimaces again). Yes sir, I realize that it’s probably not that hard. But this guy, he s-

Cut to view of Bobby from outside. We can see him still talking, but cannot hear. The Masked Man smiles, then points his finger like a gun and ‘bang’ at Bobby on the phone. Cut back to interior,

Bobby
No . . . no, not at all sir! I didn’t say anything about you!

Cut to the Masked Man. He has his gun out now, chamber open, inspecting it. In his other hand are bullets. Cut back to Bobby.

Bobby
That’s just it, he already knew! About you . . .

Cut to Masked Man, inserting a bullet into the chamber. This shot should be a P.O.V. from underneath looking up, through the empty chamber as it is filled. Cut to Bobby.

Bobby
. . . and Vorpal . . .

Cut to Masked Man, filling another chamber. Cut to Bobby.

Bobby
. . . Ziggy . . .

Cut to Masked Man, filling another chamber. Cut to Bobby.

Bobby
. . . Sweet Jesus . . .

Cut to Masked Man, filling another chamber. Cut to Bobby.

Bobby
. . . and Deck . . .

Cut to Masked Man, filling another chamber. Cut to Bobby.

Bobby
He already knew about everyone! I didn’t have to tell him a goddamn thing!

Cut to Masked Man. He is staring down at the last empty chamber for a moment, before holding up the last bullet. He studies it for a moment, an odd look on his face somewhere between sadness and grim determination. He puts it in the chamber, then swings it shut. Cut back to Bobby.

Bobby
Yes sir, I agree, I completely fucked this one up. I . . . you will? Here? Of course, I’ll get everything rea-hello? Hello, sir?

Bobby stares at the receiver for a second as he realizes he’s been hung up on.

Bobby
Prick . . .

Bobby puts the phone to his ear real quick, just to make sure the boss didn’t hear that, then slams the phone down, then takes a long drink, finishing the bottle. We should be getting this shot from bar level, the phone in the foreground. After he finishes, he lets out a sigh/grunt, then stares at the phone again, now looking scared.

Bobby
This town is gonna burn.

Cut to the Masked Man, walking away down the empty street. It has started to rain, so he flips the collar of his coat up.

END PART I