Alex
Alex
Chris, I need you to do something for me.
Chris
Chris
Hey man, what’s up? I’m going on vacation today.
Alex
Alex
I know. You’re supposed to meet Sally at the airport, right?
Chris
Chris
Yeah. I’m just about to leave.
Chris
Chris
How did you know that? I haven’t seen you in months.
Alex
Alex
It doesn’t matter. You have to do something for me.
Alex
Alex
Let’s call it a treasure hunt.
Chris
Chris
What? You’re not making sense.
Alex
Alex
Open your front door.
Chris
Chris
What? Why?
Alex
Alex
Just do it.
Chris opens his front door.
There’s no one there.
He’s about to close it when he looks down.
There’s a cellphone lying on the step.
Chris
Chris
Alex, what is this?
Alex
Alex
Do you have the cell?
Chris picks the cellphone up.
Chris
Chris
Yes, I have it. Is it yours?
Alex
Alex
No. But it’s better if you don’t ask questions.
Chris
Chris
Are you ok? You’re acting weird.
Alex
Alex
Someone’s going to text you. You have to answer.
Chris
Chris
Why? What’s going on??
Alex
Alex
Just answer.
The burner cellphone in Chris’s hand pings.
K
K
Chris?
Chris
Chris
Hello? Who is this?
K
K
You can call me K.
Chris
Chris
What? Is this a joke?
K
K
Only if you think your friend Alex’s life is a joke.
Chris
Chris
What does that mean? Who are you? Where’s Alex?
Chris switches to his own cellphone.
Chris
Chris
Alex? Tell me this is a joke. Are you okay?
Alex
Alex
Just do what they say, Chris. Please.
K
K
Are you ready to help us now Chris?
Chris
Chris
I’m ready to call the police. Where’s Alex?
K
K
There’s a coffee shop three blocks away.
K
K
If you want to see Alex again, go there. Don’t contact Sally.
Chris
Chris
Wait a minute, where’s Sally? Is she safe?
Chris
Chris
If you’ve done anything to her…
K
K
Get to the coffee shop, Chris.
Chris steps outside his house and stares around him.
Nothing seems out of place. His fingers hover over his cellphone.
Chris
Chris
Sally? Where are you? Are you okay?
Sally
Sally
On the way to the airport, like you should be!
Sally
Sally
Can’t talk now. See you there xx
Chris
Chris
Alex?
Chris
Chris
ALEX?
Chris gets no response. He hesitates, then starts walking, then running.
When he reaches the coffee shop, he’s out of breath. The burner cell pings.
K
K
That took too long.
Chris
Chris
Who are you? What do you want from me?
K
K
You’re going to make a little delivery for us.
K
K
It’s time sensitive. You’re up against the clock now, Chris.
Chris
Chris
A delivery of what? To where?
K
K
There’s an envelope on a table in the coffee shop.
K
K
The man sitting at the table is going to get up and leave now.
K
K
Get the envelope and take it to the subway stop on the corner of eighty-fourth.
Chris
Chris
Then what? What’s in the envelope?
K
K
No more questions. Just do it.
Chris hesitates then turns around and scans the tables in the coffee shop.
There are multiple men sitting alone at more than one of the tables.
Alex
Alex
Chris? Where are you?
Chris
Chris
Alex! Are you okay?
Alex
Alex
If you do what they tell you to I will be.
Chris
Chris
I’m doing it.
Chris
Chris
I’m in the coffee shop.
Chris
Chris
I don’t know who I’m supposed to be watching.
Alex
Alex
Don’t panic. Just keep looking.
Chris
Chris
Wait! There’s a man leaving.
Chris
Chris
I see something on the table!
Alex
Alex
Grab it!
Chris
Chris
Chris?
Chris
Chris
I’ve got the envelope.
Alex
Alex
Now get to the train station around the corner. Run.
Pocketing a thick, padded envelope, Chris rushes out of the coffee shop.
He pushes past customers and out to the street.
A cop walks past and Chris slows to a walk, his heart thundering.
The cop nods and Chris nods back.
Once he’s past, Chris breaks out into a sprint.
Alex
Alex
Chris?
Alex
Alex
CHRIS??
Chris
Chris
I’m here.
Chris
Chris
What do I do now?
Alex
Alex
There’s a train arriving in 5 minutes. Don’t miss it
Chris
Chris
Alex, what’s in this envelope?
Chris
Chris
When are they going to let you go?
Alex
Alex
When you’ve taken the envelope to the right place.
Chris
Chris
Where’s that?
Alex
Alex
Don’t miss that train, Chris!
Chris runs into to the train station.
He catapults himself up to stairs to the platform.
Just as he gets there, the train pulls in. He dashes through the closing doors.
The train pulls out of the station.
Alex
Alex
Did you get on the train?
Chris
Chris
Yes. What’s in this envelope?
Chris
Chris
What do I do now?
Alex
Alex
Put the envelope on the seat next to you.
Alex
Alex
Someone will take it. Don’t react.
Chris bites his lip then pulls one corner of the envelope open very slightly.
The envelope is full of cash. More than he’s ever seen.
Chris glances around nervously then places the envelope on the seat.
Chris
Chris
Do I have to be with it the whole time?
Chris
Chris
Can’t I get off the train?
Alex
Alex
No. Stay with it.
Alex
Alex
Stay until I say so.
Chris
Chris
Will they let you go now?
Chris
Chris
Alex??
Several people crowd around Chris to get off at the next stop.
When Chris looks down, the envelope is gone.
There’s a package in its place.
Chris
Chris
Alex? WHAT’S GOING ON?
Chris picks up the package.
It’s securely wrapped, but Chris knows what has to be inside.
He tugs it open, then hurriedly rewraps it. His heart is pounding.
Alex
Alex
Do you have the package?
Chris
Chris
Yes. I’m freaking out. Is someone watching me?
Alex
Alex
I don’t know.
Chris
Chris
Do you know what’s in this package?
Chris
Chris
It’s full of drugs, Alex. What are you mixed up in?
Alex
Alex
Get off the train at the next stop.
Chris
Chris
I don’t like this. What if someone catches me?
Chris
Chris
How am I going to explain this?
Chris
Chris
Wait a minute, the next stop is near the airport…
Chris
Chris
I can’t go to the airport with this!!
Alex
Alex
You won’t. Someone else is going to do that.
Alex
Alex
All you have to do is get off the train with the package. Then they’ll let me go.
Chris
Chris
Okay. We’re coming into the station.
Chris
Chris
I’m off the train.
Chris
Chris
Where are you?
Alex
Alex
Turn left out of the station.
Alex
Alex
There’s an empty parking garage.
Chris enters the garage. It’s dark.
He can make out a black van parked in the back.
Chris
Chris
Alex?
Alex
Alex
Do you have the package?
Chris
Chris
I have it.
Alex
Alex
Hold it up so they can see it.
Chris holds up the package.
The van door slides open and Alex stumbles out.
The door closes behind him.
He drops to the ground, sagging against a concrete pillar.
Chris stays still, holding the package up.
Alex
Alex
I’m sorry Chris.
Chris gets a new incoming text.
K
K
Put the package on the ground, Chris.
Chris puts the package on the ground.
The van starts moving and Chris runs to Alex.
Alex’s head is in his hands.
Chris
Chris
Are you hurt?
Alex
Alex
No, I’m just…
Tires squeal and they both look up.
The package has gone and the van is pealing out of the garage.
Alex
Alex
Is it over?
Chris
Chris
They’re gone. It’s over.
Alex
Alex