Fade In:

EXT. LA COUNTY RACEWAY NIGHT

A limo with numbers written on the front window in white shoe polish slowly pulls up next to a closed Bernie’s Snack stand and parks. A shadowy figure emerges from the fog and walks up to the rear window. The window rolls down a crack. The figure standing by the car leans in to speak to the passenger.

MAN
I brought the..

PASSENGER
(interupting)
What are you doing here?
Where’s your boss? I said,
“No middle men!”

MAN
(holding up a suitcase)
It’s all good. I was sent to you.
I brought everything you asked..

PASSENGER
(with controlled anger)
I don’t deal with middle men.

The passenger rolls up the window

MAN
But the deal is all set.
It’s all good. I got the…

PASSENGER
(opening door)
Get inside.

The man hesitates but gets inside the limo. The door closes. There are some muffled noises of struggle and after a few moments, the door is opened and the man’s lifeless body is thrown onto the ground next to the limo. The limo pulls away. The suitcase is no longer in the man’s hands and instead his body lies in a heap on the ground, a crumpled Goodguys Gazette shoved into his mouth.

EXT. LA COUNTY RACEWAY DAY

The same area of the dragstrip, now surrounded by yellow crime scene tape and swarming with cops and reporters. Detective Chris Martin arrives at the scene in his pristine Dodge Aries and walks over to his boss, Chief Burk.

MARTIN
So, you had to call me,
didn’t you, Chief?
Even on the last week
before a guy’s retirement,
you can’t give him a break?

BURK
(sipping coffee)
Martin, you know that
Coonce is on vacation.