Project 16: Part Eight

EXT. SOUTH CITY, RYLAND TAILORS - EARLY MORNING

Calvin wraps on the doors of the store. Calvin’s shoes are smeared with muck and have holes in them. His suit is also riddled with mud stains and drenched with rain.

Mr Howell approaches the door and answers it.

MR HOWELL: Yes?

CALVIN ROBERTS: Mr Howell, it’s me. Calvin Roberts.

MR HOWELL: Roberts? I don’t know anyone by that name.

CALVIN ROBERTS: It’s an emergency. Please let me in. My money is still good.

MR HOWELL: We don’t care for tramps. You would ruin a perfectly good floor.

Mr Howell closes the door.

CALVIN ROBERTS: Mr Howell.

Standing behind Calvin is the rogue changeling leader.

ROGUE CHANGELING LEADER: Humiliating isn’t it. In a city of millions of people and nobody wants to help you. And all you had to do was go about your business and keep your mouth shut.

CALVIN ROBERTS: I can give you money.

ROGUE CHANGELING LEADER: It’s not just the money. Its the principle. You’re a threat to society.

CALVIN ROBERTS: Well maybe society should change for the better.

ROGUE CHANGELING LEADER: Look around you Roberts. Nobody wants change.

The rogue changeling leader removes a gun from his pocket and points it at Calvin

TRAVIS ROBERTS: Just stay right where you are and lower your gun.

The changeling leader starts to turn around.

TRAVIS ROBERTS: I said put down the gun

The changeling leader tries to shoot Travis.

A shot rings out. The rogue changeling leader collapses to the ground. 

TRAVIS ROBERTS: Don’t you have a court case you have to get to?

CALVIN ROBERTS: Glad to see you made it off the couch.

TRAVIS ROBERTS: That makes both of us.

CALVIN ROBERTS: I can’t go to court like this.

TRAVIS ROBERTS: You think that your suit is your armour? Your armour is in here.

Travis taps his fist against his heart.

TRAVIS ROBERTS: Now, knock em dead.

INT. SOUTH CITY, COURTROOM - MORNING

Calvin enters a packed courtroom. His clothes are tattered and muddy and his shoes are wet and coming apart. They make a SQUELCHING SOUND.

JUDGE ORMSBY: Glad to see you could make it Mr Roberts. We were about to conclude without you. Miss Trembelay, you may proceed.

MISS TREMBELAY: Stasha Harris was a remarkable young woman. She was loved by her friends and family and was kind and generous. Her life was taken from her in a brutal attack by a monster. We have witnesses who put the accused at the crime scene. No character witnesses have come forward to support this monster and all evidence in this trial points to his guilt. This should be cut and dried. I ask you to find the accused guilty as charged.

Miss Trembelay sits down.

CALVIN ROBERTS: As Miss Trembelay, indicated this case on the face of it seems cut and dried. However this case is not really about the murder of Stasha Harris. It is about prejudice. If I am honest. I did not want to take this case. I didn’t have any changeling friends and it seemed like poison to me. I have gotten to know Verdi and I can tell you that he is as good and honest as any man in this courtroom. Verdi had no motive to kill Stasha Harris and frame Jake Milburn. I believe Verdi to be incapable of murder. The only reason he is here today, is because he has few true friends. And to Jake and Harold Milburn he is expendable. I ask you to look beyond his exterior and into the heart of a kind and compassionate being when you make your decision.

Calvin takes a sip of water.

We all have our secrets and any man or woman has a right to keep secrets as long as it doesn’t impinge on others. Unfortunately, as in this case, some people choose to use dishonesty as a weapon. It is dishonest to say that Verdi is the only changeling in the world. The truth is that he is one of the few honest ones. I stand with Verdi against prejudice, against dishonesty and against bullying 

INT. SOUTH CITY, COURTS OF JUSTICE, ELEVATOR - MORNING

Calvin enters the elevator. Miss Trembelay joins him

MISS TREMBELAY: I have to say Roberts that I like the new look. It suits you.

CALVIN ROBERTS: Well, I aim to please.

MISS TREMBELAY: How is it that the only cases you lose are the ones where you’re defending innocent people?

CALVIN ROBERTS: So, you admit, that some of my clients are innocent?

MISS TREMBELAY: I’m almost starting to think, Roberts, that your heart is made of something other than stone.

CALVIN ROBERTS: And I didn’t know you cared.

INT. SOUTH CITY JAIL, MEETING ROOM - DAY

Verdi is roughly handled into the meeting room by Grant Hercules. 

CALVIN ROBERTS: Why do you treat him like that?

GRANT HERCULES: Because he’s scum.

Verdi sits down and Grant Hercules leaves

CALVIN ROBERTS: I’m sorry Verdi. You don’t deserve to spend the rest of your life in a place like this.

VERDI OCOCHA: You have been good to me Mr Roberts. I know you did your best.

CALVIN ROBERTS: My best wasn’t good enough. Do you really know why I took this case?

Verdi doesn’t answer

When I was ten, I watched a changeling being bullied. He was being bullied by eight other boys with others egging them on. I was too cowardly to do anything. His name was Ludro. Years later I found that he was dead. I don’t know if it was murder or suicide but it didn’t matter. I didn’t stand up for him.

VERDI OCOCHA: Mr Roberts, when you first met me you weren’t the same person. You wanted to win for sure, but your heart wasn’t in it. Now...

CALVIN ROBERTS: Like I said you deserve better. I will continue to do what I can. I will appeal it. I will fight it.

VERDI OCOCHA: I’m not sure if the world is ready to change in fifty years never mind one or two years. I am a changeling and I am proud to be a changeling. This is who I am but it is not what people want me to be.

CALVIN ROBERTS: Mr Duncan said that he believed that most people in this world were changelings.

VERDI OCOCHA: If that is the case, I don’t think they would lack such compassion.

CALVIN ROBERTS: Maybe they are afraid of what they don’t know? Afraid of each other?

VERDI OCOCHA: Now that Mr Duncan is gone, I don’t know how you can be reimbursed.

CALVIN ROBERTS: Right now Verdi reimbursement is the last thing on my mind. 

VERDI OCOCHA: You said that I was a man with few true friends. I think that you are one of them now Mr Roberts. 

Verdi stands up and starts to walk away.

Now I have to face up to the rest of my life. This is what it is.

CALVIN ROBERTS: If I had one recommendation for a man in your position. Adapt. The world is a jungle. Live to fight another day. If you bend your own rules you can come back stronger. The world just isn’t ready for you yet.

VERDI OCOCHA: My principles are all I have Mr Roberts. 

CALVIN ROBERTS: Most people don’t get to live life on their own terms.

VERDI OCOCHA: I hope to see you again Calvin. I’ll look forward to it.

I/E. SOUTH CITY, WOODHALL RESIDENCE - DAY

Calvin knocks on the door of the house. He is casually dressed. MIKE WOODHALL answers.

MIKE WOODHALL: 30’s, African American, average build, guarded

MIKE WOODHALL: What do you want?

CALVIN ROBERTS: I’m your brothers attorney

MIKE WOODHALL: I know who you are?

CALVIN ROBERTS: I’d like to speak to your mother

MIKE WOODHALL: Mama died several days ago. We buried her this morning. Are you looking for money?

CALVIN ROBERTS: No. Can I come in?

MIKE WOODHALL: Don’t blame me if they run you.

Calvin and Mike enter the dining room where eight family members are seated.

MIKE WOODHALL: Y’all this is my brothers attorney. The guy who put Leroy in jail

CALVIN ROBERTS: I’m sorry about Mrs Woodhall.

MIKE WOODHALL: Her name was Lucia

MELANIE WOODHALL: Isn’t it bad enough that you put our mother into an early grave and now you turn up at her funeral

CALVIN ROBERTS: I’d like to make amends.

MELANIE WOODHALL: Are you going to resurrect her from the grave and wash away the last six years of her life?

CALVIN ROBERTS: I think I can help to get Leroy released.

JACKSON WOODHALL: I thought it was a losing case that doesn’t pay enough money

BERTRAND WOODHALL: Yeah, how much money are you looking for now? Mama had to scrape floors just to make payments. She borrowed from her friends. She did everything she could and you turn up like this at her funeral.

CALVIN ROBERTS: I’m not as concerned about the money or material things as I was. I’m concerned with justice. I had two innocent clients out of dozens. They were both convicted.

MELANIE WOODHALL:I heard you couldn’t get a client after that changeling case. You’re just trying to drum up business so you can drive your fancy car.

CALVIN ROBERTS: I want justice for Leroy so that I can sleep at night and look myself in the mirror every morning knowing that I did the right thing. I will fight tooth and nail until I achieve that.

BERTRAND WOODHALL: That’s some shit your smoking brother. Can I have some of that shit coz it seems pretty good.

MIKE WOODHALL: Hell the guy can’t even afford his fancy suits no more.

INT. CALVIN’S CAR (STATIONARY) - DAY

Calvin’s phone rings

DEVON SOMMERSET (O.S.): That was some shit you pulled

CALVIN ROBERTS: I guess our squash playing days are over.

DEVON SOMMERSET: You’re outside the fold now Calvin.

CALVIN ROBERTS: A couple of months ago I would have dreaded that prospect.

DEVON SOMMERSET: You think, your eyes are opened? Wait until you have to pay bills. You’re a loser now Calvin.

CALVIN ROBERTS: No Devon, I’m a fighter.

INT. SOUTH CITY JAIL - EVENING

Grant Hercules emerges from Verdi’s cell

GRANT HERCULES: Night night ladies, don’t let the bedbugs bite.

The prison officer scrapes his baton against the wall as he walks towards the stairway

Hercules descends the stairs, where he meets another prison guard. 

PRISON OFFICER ONE: Hercules, I didn’t know you were on today.

GRANT HERCULES: Some lazy bastard couldn’t be bothered turning up for work. You know how much I love my job.

POLICE OFFICER ONE: I hope you didn’t kill that prisoner in cell one-one-eight.

GRANT HERCULES: Nah. Just worked him over.

The prison officer opens a gate. Hercules walks through it.

CORRIDOR: Hercules passes by a number of prison officers walking down the corridor. They appear too intimidated to say hello.

Another gate opens and Hercules walks through it

RECEPTION AREA

The staff in the reception area keep their heads down as Grant Hercules walks towards the exit.

EXT. SOUTH CITY JAIL - NIGHT

Grant Hercules climbs aboard a bus.

GRANT HERCULES: I’m hitchin a ride

BUS DRIVER: Have you got a pass?

GRANT HERCULES: Ferrari’s busted. Is that good enough for you?

BUS DRIVER: I’m not supposed to let you on without a pass.

GRANT HERCULES: Everyone on this bus knows who I am. Now move it or you’ll never forget crossing me.

The bus driver drives the bus away.

INT. SOUTH CITY, CALVIN'S NEW HOME - NIGHT

Calvin, Cherise, Travis and Lisa Mae are seated around a kitchen table.

LISA MAE ROBERTS: You’ve come a long way Calvin.

CALVIN ROBERTS: You mean, down the financial ladder?

LISA MAE ROBERTS:No. You used to be always stuck in the TV as a child. Now your putting family first.

CALVIN ROBERTS: What kind of man would I be if I didn’t celebrate my mother getting the all clear.

CHERISE JORDAN: And Dad staying three days sober.

TRAVIS ROBERTS: I’m starting to have withdrawal symptoms already. My hand isn’t as steady as it used to be.

Travis shows a shaking hand

Calvin’s PHONE RINGS.

CALVIN ROBERTS: Yeah?

PRISON WARDEN PENDA: Mr Roberts, this is Prison Warden Penda from South City Jail. It’s about Mr Ococha

CALVIN ROBERTS: What? Is he dead?

PRISON WARDEN PENDA: No, Mr Roberts. He escaped. Do you have any idea where he is?

CALVIN ROBERTS: I sure hope you haven’t vaporised him.

PRISON WARDEN PENDA: This is a serious matter Mr Roberts.

CALVIN ROBERTS: It’s as much a surprise to me as it is to you. Goodbye Mr Penda.

Calvin hangs up the phone.

CHERISE JORDAN: What happened?

CALVIN ROBERTS: He adapted.