THE RUNNER SCREENPLAY by BRIAN R. LUNDIN (ebook reader wifi .txt) 📖

Bobby?

JEROME
They didn’t take him to the hospital, Edwinna. They found his body in the river.

A terrible sorrow etched across Edwinna face before she broke out in tears.

Vito had the heads taken to the one of the steel mills where he controlled the union and had them incinerated.

VITO
I’m through fuckin’ around with that Nigra, no more kidnapping, no more bombs, I want that nigger dead, you understand Jimmy, dead!

JIMMY
Ok boss, ok boss.

Jimmy had seen Vito like this before and he knew there was nothing he could say to make him change his mind. Vito was hardheaded, stubborn and impulsive when he made up his mind about something. Jimmy knew that Jerome had really pissed Vito off. Everything that Vito had done to get Jerome to buckle under had failed. Vito was used to having his way and surprisingly had his own brand of principles and for better or worse legal or illegal, immoral or moral he held to them with uncommon tenacity. Vito had finally met someone who did not jump when he called and Jimmy believed; beneath all of Vito’s bravado, he respected this self –assured Policy King. Jimmy gave the murder contract to two of the most experienced enforcers for Vito’s crew. DOMINICK BONANO and JIMMY ACERTININI reputedly had killed over a dozen men on Vito’s orders. They were methodical and ruthless. What Vito and the two hit men did not know was that Pops had developed an informant in Vito’s crew. The informant was a low level member of the crew and had branched out on his own selling drugs he got from Pops. The informant told Pops about the contract on Jerome and Pops told Jerome. For two weeks Bonano and Acertinini followed Jerome and noticed most of the time, the only people with him were his driver, a beautiful young woman and a young man. It was a cool fall night. A light rain had started to fall and the streets were beginning to get slippery. Ted noticed the old Buick following him when they left Glady’s Restaurant. The car followed as Ted pulled into the alley behind Jerome’s house and raised the electric garage door. Jerome, Madame Bournies and Marque sat in the rear seat of the Lincoln while Ted got out the car to face whoever was tailing him. Dominick Bonano smiled as he snuffed out his cigarette and watched the man slowly walk toward their car.

JIMMY
It’s time!

Acertinini opened the door and Dominick jacked a round into the shotgun and Jimmy eased out his .45. Those would be Jimmy’s last words. As the two hit men lifted their weapons, a hail of bullets from Ted’s two guns and the police officers William “Bill” Baxter had hired, greeted them the minute their feet hit the ground. As Jimmy, slipped on the icy ground, he fired one shot from his weapon into the air. As Jimmy, felled he heard the sickening crack of bone and saw Dominick Bonano skull pop open as the bullets from Ted’s guns hit him in his temple. Blood and brains tissue gushed from the wound as Dominick fell to the ground. Jerome slowly got out the car and looked at Jimmy who was face down in the dirty alley. Jimmy was shaking and vomiting on the ground.

JIMMY
Please don’t kill me.

Jimmy was pleading for his life and was afraid to look Jerome in his eyes.

JEROME This is for Bobby!
Jerome put two slugs, one in each eye. The police officers dumped the two bodies in Washington Park.

Commander Hollis and Sergeant Lundgrin were in the Commander’s Office reading the 24 Hour report.

HOLLIS
Been a busy week; two headless bodies found in an apartment in the Patch, a young man dead on the river and two men found in Washington Park, one with both his eyes shot out.

REGGIE
Yep, sure has, did you read the autopsy report on the two headless guys?

HOLLIS
Sure did, sounds similar to what happened in that warehouse in Gary. Heads severed from the body by what appeared to be sharp animal teeth.

HOLLIS
What kind of fucking animals do we have in Chicago with sharp teeth?

REGGIE
Word on the street is that Edwinna Johnson, one of Jerome McLemore’s people was kidnapped and one of Pops guys was also kidnapped, but no reports were filed. Something is going on boss, I don’t know what, but I’ll wager a queen in our chess game that Vito is involved.

HOLLIS
I agree, check around see what you can find out, and keep me informed.

Vinnie Acosta was reading the newspaper account of the headless bodies found in a dumpy apartment on west 26th Street and the two men found in Washington Park.

VINNIE
Get Vito in here, immediately!

Vinnie said over his office intercom to one of his bodyguards. Jimmy and Vito arrived at Vinnie’s office an hour later.

VINNIE
(screaming)
You’ve made the front pages, congratulations. You still fuckin’ with Jerome McLemore, aren’t you? Let’s count how many of our people has been killed; three in Gary, two at Ted’s house, two at that dump of your on the Westside and two in the park. I count nine, how many do you count? In addition, I hear you were involved in that bullshit in Bangladesh, were you?

Vito did not answer, but stared at Vinnie. Jimmy looked at Vito and wondered what was going to happen next. He knew Vito was armed and he was sure that Vinnie was either armed or had a couple of his boys ready if anything happened.

VINNIE
End this shit now!

Vinnie pointed his finger in Vito’s face, a sure sign of disrespect. Vito sneered but did not say anything. On their way back to the office, Vito was unusually quiet

VITO
I tired of that faggot mutherfucker bossing me around.

JIMMY
I think Vinnie is about to make a move on us boss. We better do something before he does.

VITO
We’re going to take him out, you and me you with me?

JIMMY
I’m with you boss, with you.

September 15, 1970 was a good night for a murder. Flashes of lightning danced across the dark sky and thunder clapped loudly. Although it was only eight o’clock the streets in the quiet Oak Park suburb were empty. The airs was fresh and clean as a light rain began to fall. A dog barked in the distance and tree squirrels scampered across the front yard of the exclusive bungalow condo. The sound of the rain and the thunder muffled the sounds of the two killer’s heavily measured footsteps and looked in the kitchen window. Carmine Camerino was a beautiful young woman nineteen years of age. Her long dark hair combed to one side and softly pulled behind her ear flowed almost to the bottom of her spine. Carmine had tanned, long shapely legs and sculpted breasts. As she walked around the kitchen Vito looked excitedly at her erect nipples. She wore high spike-heeled slippers and nothing else. Vito Paligreno looked in the window and nudged Jimmy as they watched Carmine totally nude bending over a stove nursing the fat sausages in the pan and holding a glass of red wine. They watched as Carmine moved from stove to the sink. The young woman’s movements were almost feline; she had a natural grace.

VITO
I’m going to fuck her in the ass!
INT. BUNGALOW-NIGHT

Carmine lived alone in the expensive bungalow condominium given to her by her boyfriend Vinnie Acosta. Jimmy Tortoreno quietly looked through a half opened kitchen window. The familiar smell of cigars smoke mingled with sausage and garlic made Jimmy hungry. Jimmy pointed to the couch in the living room. The living room contained a 50-gallon, salt-water aquarium with colorful tropical fish that swam lazily in and out of the castles and houses atop multi-colored gravel. A wood framed picture made of cut glass, Italian marble tables, two-inch carpeting, and mosaic tile floors with Afghan throw rugs completed the room. Vinnie was sitting on a wide brown couch, wearing only bikini briefs and expensive Italian loafers, reading a magazine. The romantic sounds of Caruso whispered from hidden speakers and filtered out the window. The northeast wind blew across the lake and a lone bright star sparkled in the windy cloudy sky. Vito felt the preferred weapon of the mob hit men a .22 pistol against his waist, hidden beneath his belt. The pistol was a low powered weapon but deadly at close range. The bullet was not powerful enough to exit the body-instead it ricocheted inside the victim’s body, bouncing off bones and striking vital organs. The two killers slowly walked to the front door. Jimmy rang the doorbell.

VINNIE
Yes?


JIMMY

Holding a handkerchief to his mouth and disguising his voice.

Telegram for Mr. Acosta, I need a signature.

VINNIE
Just a minute!

Vito watched as Vinnie slipped on a black silk robe and approached the door. As soon as the door opened, Vito kicked it in. Carmine screamed as she came running into the front room and saw Vinnie lying on the plush brown carpet bleeding from the lip. The scent of her expensive perfume and the smell of flowers mixed with the cooking sausages gave off a strange aroma. She looked at Vito and Jimmy as they stood in the open doorway, her eyes bathed in fear.

VINNIE
What the fuck are you doing Vito?

Jimmy turned to Carmine who had her arms crossed around her breast.

JIMMY
Shut up bitch or I bust a cap in your whoring ass.

As Vinnie attempted to get up, Vito kicked him in his groin. Vinnie doubled over and howled in pain as Vito stood over him and screwed a metal six-inch tube into the guns barrel. Jimmy handcuffed Vinnie arms behind his back and sat him in a chair. Vito grabbed Carmine and shoved her over the Italian marble table. Jimmy held both of her wrists and put duct tape over her mouth. Vito entered Carmine in her anus; the tape silenced her screams. Vinnie’s was crying as he watched the violation of his beautiful young woman. After a moment, Vito let out a deep moan and was finished. Jimmy let loose of Carmine hands and she fell shaking in a corner of the room, the childlike youthfulness of her face made a dreadful contrast to the horror in her eyes while tears flowed down her face and she wept in stifled, soundless moans.

VITO
How you like that muthafucker, I fucked your bitch in the ass, like I did your black bitch Candy.

Vito slowly walked behind Vinnie placed the gun against the base of his skull and pulled the trigger. A muted crack ranged out and Vinnie lurched forward and then back again, falling face up on the floor. Vito stood over Vinnie his boss, the man who had always disrespected and made fun of him, a man he hated. Vito watched as the man he had known for year fought for air, gurgling and drowning in his own blood. Vito bent over Vinnie placed the gun in his gaping mouth and fired three more times. Vinnie face exploded and his vacant eyes fluttered and closed. Vito noticed Jimmy looking at Carmine who was sitting cross-legged on the plush carpet. Her full slightly brown breast had dark large nipples and her thighs were strong and well developed. Tears were streaming down her cheeks. Fear and shock were in her eyes.

VITO
Get you a piece of that ass.