LENNY ZERO

10-page script for the JUDGE DREDD MEGAZINE by Andy Diggle

PAGE ONE

1) Start on a left-hand page with a full-figure establishing shot of LENNY ZERO, a mid-echelon Mega-City criminal with the effortlessly cool manner of Steve McQueen or George Clooney. He stands casually with a shuggy cue in hand. He's a tough-guy, but lean and rangy rather than overly muscular. He has short, spiky-cropped hair, wears wraparound slit-lens NightShades, a dinosaur-skin jacket and Kalvin Kleen jeans. He's playing shuggy in a dark and dingy bar, but this image may work best with no background, to establish Lenny.

CAPTION: FIFTEEN YEARS I'D BEEN BUSTIN' MY BALLS ON THE STREETS OF THE BIG MEG. IN MY LINE OF WORK, THAT'S WAY BEYOND LIFE EXPECTANCY.

CAPTION: I PUT IT ALL DOWN TO TRUST. THE JUDGES, THEY DON'T TRUST NOBODY... BUT THAT'S 'CAUSE THEY DON'T KNOW A THING ABOUT LOVE.

DTP TITLE: LENNY ZERO


2) Lenny leans over the shuggy table, lining up a shot towards us. (Shuggy is the 22nd century version of pool, with the holes atop 'hills' on an uneven, round table). Sitting at the bar behind Lenny is a FAT LOSER with a shuggy cue in his hand. Next to him is MONA, Lenny's girlfriend - a dark-haired, flint-eyed beauty in a sleek black microdress.

CAPTION: BUT I COULD ALWAYS COUNT ON MONA TO COUNT ON ME. WE WERE ONE HELL OF A TEAM. TRUST, Y'SEE?

FAT LOSER: FIFTY CREDS SAYS YER BOYFRIEND CAN'T MAKE THAT SHOT.

MONA: GOT YOURSELF A DEAL.


3) Close-up of the ball rolling up into the '100' hole atop a particularly difficult rise.

FX: PLOK

FAT LOSER (OFF): AW, MAN...

CAPTION: SURE, I COULD'VE MADE THE SHOT WITHOUT THE HEADS-UP DISPLAY IN MY NIGHTSHADES, BUT WEARIN' 'EM MEANS PEOPLE CAN'T READ MY EYES.


4) Close profile of Lenny; somebody off-panel behind him is holding a gun to the back of Lenny's head. Lenny shouldn't be able to see it, but he can. Perhaps we can just make out tiny rear-view lenses on Lenny's NightShades.

CAPTION: BESIDES, SOMETIMES IT PAYS TO HAVE EYES IN THE BACK OF YOUR HEAD.

LENNY: HEY MARV, WHAT'S UP? YOU PUT MONEY ON THE FAT GUY OR SOMETHIN'?


5) Lenny turns to see a gang of futuristic mob enforcers standing behind him. Front and center is MARV, a brutal Mafia thug, holding a blaster on Lenny.

CAPTION: MARV WAS NAMED AFTER HIS RAP SHEET - "MULTIPLE ARMED ROBBERY WITH VIOLENCE", YEAH?

CAPTION: A NASTY PIECE OF WORK WHO TOOK A LITTLE TOO MUCH PLEASURE IN CARRYIN' OUT WHACK JOBS FOR LITTLE CAESAR PICCANTE'S MOB.

MARV: DITCH THE BITCH, BUDDY. DA BOSS WOULD LIKE A WORD.


6) Mona has come over to Lenny, concerned. Lenny holds her back gently, gripping her upper arms - holding her back from them, not wanting her to get hurt. She refers to Lenny as "Buddy" - his assumed name.

MONA: BUDDY? WHO ARE THESE GUYS - ?

LENNY: JUST BUSINESS, BABY. HEAD ON HOME, I'LL CATCH UP WITH YOU LATER.

CAPTION: I'D BEEN DOIN' SOME LAUNDERIN' WORK FOR CAESAR'S OUTFIT, SUPPLYIN' USED CRED-CARDS FOR RE-CHIPPING.

CAPTION: SOMETHING TOLD ME I WAS ABOUT TO START LOOKIN' FOR A NEW LINE OF WORK...



PAGE TWO

1) Change of scene. Lenny, now sans shades, is ushered at gunpoint into a bright and spacious lux-apt penthouse. Riding around in a kiddie's hover-buggy is LITTLE CAESAR, a ten year-old kid in a sharp black suit and a paper party hat. His assorted goons wear party hats too. Caesar looks like an extra from Bugsy Malone, but his eyes are very old and very cruel. NOTE: there's a lot of dialogue over this next couple of pages, so leave plenty of room.

CAPTION: LITTLE CAESAR WAS BARELY INTO HIS THIRD BIO-CHIPPED CLONE BODY, SO HE WAS PRETTY SPRY FOR A GUY HIS AGE.

CAESAR: I'M TELLIN' YA, IT'S AMAZIN' WHAT THEY GOT FOR KIDS THESE DAYS!

LINK: HEY THERE, BUDDY, GLAD YOU COULD JOIN THE PARTY. YOU KNOW WHAT TODAY IS? MY 200TH BIRTHDAY.


2) Lenny's POV. Close on Caesar, now looming over us with cold fury in his eyes.

CAESAR: I WAS RUNNIN' ERRANDS FOR AL CAPONE WHEN I WAS TEN YEARS OLD. I SEEN TWO NUCLEAR WARS, THE BIG NEC, JUDGEMENT DAY... AN' I'M STILL HERE.

LINK: AFTER ALL'A THAT, YOU REALLY THINK I'M GONNA LET MYSELF GET SHAFTED BY SOME TWO-CRED STREET PUNK ON THE MAKE?

LINK: DO YA?


3) We're looking down over Caesar's shoulder at Lenny, kneeling now, acting innocent. Marv has a gun to Lenny's head.

LENNY: GRUDSAKE, CAESAR - WHY DON'T YOU TELL ME WHAT THE HELL YOU'RE TALKIN' ABOUT?

CAESAR: YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT I'M TALKIN' ABOUT. OKAY, WISEGUY, LET ME KNOW WHEN THIS STARTS SOUNDIN' FAMILIAR.


4) Flashback - we are inside a mob safehouse, maybe an old warehouse or underground bunker. ALVIN KEYES, a nerdy accountant with glasses, is typing frantically at a flatscreen computer. Behind him, a team of armed Judges are bursting through the door, blasting startled goons. The lead Judge is pointing at Keyes and shouting.

CAPTION: "SOMEBODY TOLD THE JUDGES WHERE TO FIND ALVIN KEYES, MY CHIEF ACCOUNTANT.

CAPTION: "NOW KEYES AIN'T NO DUMMY. MOMENT THE JAYS BUSTED IN, HE CHANGED THE ACCESS CODE TO MY ACCOUNT BEFORE THEY COULD SEIZE IT."


5) Caesar leans close into Lenny's face, screaming with rage. This kid is scary. Lenny's hands are spread open in a gesture of innocence.

CAESAR: NOW THEY'RE GIVIN' HIM THE TREATMENT IN SOME CUBE, AN' I CAN'T EVEN GET AHOLD OF MY OWN MONEY!

LINK: THAT'S THIRTY-THREE MILLION CREDS, YOU SON OF A BITCH!

LENNY: WHOA, CAESAR - TIME OUT! WHY THE HELL WOULD I SELL YOU OUT?

I AIN'T GOT NO DEATH WISH!


6) Caesar reaches in from off-panel, holding a photo in front of Lenny's crestfallen face. This photo is Lenny's death warrant, and his icy cool finally fails him. In fact, he looks like he's just swallowed a lemon.

CAESAR: THAT A FACT? THEN MAYBE YOU CAN EXPLAIN HOW COME I GOT VID FOOTAGE OF YOU AN' YOUR JUDGE PAL COSYIN' UP IN SHAPIRO'S?

LINK: HOW MUCH DID THEY PAY YOU FOR RATTIN' ME OUT, HUH?


7) Caesar turns away from Lenny with a dismissive wave. In extreme foreground, Lenny is holding the photo so we can just about make out a couple of blurry figures - Lenny and a uniformed Judge in an eaterie.

LENNY: L-LISTEN, YOU GOT IT ALL WRONG--

CAESAR: YOU'RE DEAD. AN' THAT PIECE OF SKIRT YOU HANG WITH, SHE'S DEAD TOO - AT LEAST, ONCE MARV HERE'S HAD HIS FUN WITH HER.

LINK: OKAY MARV, I'M DONE TALKIN'. SHOOT THIS RAT FINK.



PAGE THREE

1) Extreme close-up on Lenny, grim. He's making the most difficult decision of his life, about to betray everything he believes in.

LENNY: ... YOU CAN'T KILL ME, CAESAR. YOU NEED ME.

LINK: I CAN GET HIM BACK FOR YOU.


2) Caesar has turned his back on Lenny, hands behind his back. But now he turns his head in Lenny's direction, contemptuous.

CAESAR: THAT A FACT? YOU'RE GONNA SPRING KEYES FROM A SECTOR HOUSE INTERROGATION CUBE, DEAD MAN?

LINK: WHAT ARE YOU, SOME KINDA MAGICIAN?


3) BIG. This is the money shot - it needs real impact. Medium close on Lenny, standing now, grim, holding out a Judge name-badge labeled "ZERO".

LENNY: NO.

LINK: I'M A JUDGE.


4) Wider now, taking in Lenny, Caesar and the others. Now that Lenny is standing, he's much taller than Caesar, and somehow seems to be the most powerful figure in the room.

CAESAR: SON OF A BITCH... ALL'THIS TIME, YOU WAS WALLY SQUAD*... ?

LINK: YOU WAS ALREADY DEAD, BUDDY. YOU'RE DOUBLE DEAD NOW.

LENNY: LEAVE MONA OUT OF IT. SHE DOESN'T KNOW ABOUT ME, SHE AIN'T INVOLVED.

LINK: PLEASE, JUST... LET HER GO, AN' I'LL GET YOU THE ACCOUNTANT.

CAPTION BELOW: *WALLY SQUAD: MEGA-SLANG FOR JUSTICE DEPARTMENT'S UNDERCOVER DIVISION.


5) Closer on Lenny, looking down on Caesar. Lenny's playing hardball for his life here.

LENNY: SOONER OR LATER, KEYES IS GONNA CRACK. AND WHEN THE JAYS GET AHOLD OF THAT ACCOUNT CODE, YOU CAN KISS YOUR THIRTY-THREE MIL GOODBYE.

LINK: CLOCK'S TICKIN', CAESAR.



PAGE FOUR

1) Caesar sits back. Suspicious, sizing Lenny up, one finger to his lips in a pensive gesture.

CAESAR: YOU'RE EITHER LOOKIN' FOR A BULLET OR A ONE-WAY TICKET TO TITAN. I JUST CAN'T FIGURE WHICH.

LINK: OKAY, YOU DO WHAT YOU GOTTA DO. BUT YOU REMEMBER, THERE AIN'T NOWHERE IN THIS CITY YOU CAN HIDE FROM ME.

LINK: YOU TRY ANYTHIN', YOU GET TO SEE WHAT RESYK LOOKS LIKE FROM THE INSIDE, CAPICE?


2) Close-up. Lenny, back to his old self-confidence, slips his shades back on. The merest hint of a wry smile plays across his lips.

LENNY: CAESAR...

LINK: TRUST ME.


3) Big establishing shot - the clearly-labelled SECTOR HOUSE 24 towers before us, pedways and access ramps radiating out from it, roads spiraling around it. A bustle of citizens, Judges and Justice Department vehicles in the plaza.

FROM BUILDING: CAESAR'S GETTIN' JUMPY, WANTS TO KNOW WHO SOLD HIM OUT.

FROM BUILDING: SOUNDS LIKE YOU SHOULD KEEP A LOW PROFILE 'TIL THIS WHOLE THING BLOWS OVER, ZERO.


4) In a darkened observation room, Lenny and uniformed Judge CLAYTON are watching the interrogation chamber through one-way glass. Inside the interrogation chamber we can see the accountant Alvin Keyes, stripped to his vest and U-fronts, strapped into a big dentists-type chair, being grilled by two more Judges.

LENNY: I RUN FOR COVER, THEY KNOW IT WAS ME.

LINK: SO WHAT'S THE WORD ON KEYES HERE - HE GIVEN UP THE ACCESS CODE YET?

CLAYTON: NOT YET. SEEMS HE WAS IMPLANTED WITH SOME KIND OF POST-HYPNOTIC MIND LOCK, HELPS HIM RESIST THE TRUTH SERUM.

LINK: WE'VE REQUESTED A SPECIALIST FROM PSI DIVISION, SEE IF THEY CAN CRACK HIM.


5) Closer on Lenny, turning to Clayton in the gloom.

LENNY: YOU START MESSIN' WITH A MIND LOCK, YOU'RE LIABLE TO TURN HIS BRAIN TO MUNCE - AN' THEN YOU'LL NEVER LINK HIM TO CAESAR.

LINK: YOU GOTTA MAKE HIM WANT TO GIVE YOU THE CODE.


6) Closer still on Lenny, over Clayton's shoulder.

CLAYTON: AND I SUPPOSE YOU HAVE SOME IDEA HOW WE DO THAT?

LENNY: SURE I DO. LISTEN...



PAGE FIVE

1) Inside the interrogation chamber, Judges BALL and FLACK are leaning over Keyes, giving him the third degree. Keyes sweats under a spotlight, wired up to lie detectors and other scary-looking devices. Keyes is exhausted but defiant.

BALL: GIVE IT UP, KEYES. YOU THINK LITTLE CAESAR WOULD SPEND THE REST OF HIS LIFE IN A CUBE FOR YOU?

FLACK: GIVE US HIS ACCOUNT CODE AND WE'LL SUSPEND YOUR SENTENCE. YOU CAN WALK OUT OF HERE.

KEYES: GO... GO POLISH YOUR HELMET, JUDGEY BOY...


2) From behind Lenny, who is suddenly silhouetted in the open doorway, we see the startled Judges turning to face him.

LENNY: I GOT A MESSAGE FOR YOU GUYS.

BALL: WHO - ?


3) One or two small inset panels. Compact energy-pistols pop out of Lenny's dino-skin sleeves on quick-draw rigs into his waiting outstretched hands.

FX: K-CHICK! K-CHAK!


4) BIG. In a John Woo moment, Lenny blasts with both guns. He may even have his arms crossed, shooting the Judge on the left with his right hand, and vice versa. He looks mean.

FX: BZAM! BZAM!

LENNY: CAESAR SAYS KISS MY ASS.


5) Both Judges are blasted back by Lenny's non-lethal stun shots.

BALL: AAAAH!

FLACK: UNNH!


6) Lenny frees Keyes from his restraints. Keyes is flustered and confused.

KEYES: WHA... ? WHAT IS THIS - ?

LENNY: WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE, LAMEBRAIN? I'M BUSTIN' YOU OUTTA HERE!

LINK: NOW GET DRESSED BEFORE WE'RE UP TO OUR NECKS IN ANGRY BADGES!



PAGE SIX

1) Lenny and Keyes (now dressed) stand in a clearly-labeled ELEVATOR, waiting for the doors to close. Judges bustle along the corridor, ignoring them. A bald, oriental Psi Judge is just stepping into the elevator with them.

CAPTION: UNDERCOVER 101 - IN THE LION'S DEN, MAKE LIKE YOU OWN THE PLACE AN' YOU WON'T GET BIT.

PSI: HOLD THE DOORS, PLEASE!

LINK: THANKS.


2) Inside the elevator, from a low angle, close on the Judge's "PSI" badge (leave room around it for dialogue). Above and behind him, Lenny is stony-faced. The Psi is in his early 20s and, unlike regular street Judges, has a cheerful and open manner.

CAPTION: AT LEAST, THAT'S THE THEORY. IN REAL LIFE, THINGS TEND TO GET A LITTLE MORE COMPLICATED.

PSI: IS EVERYTHING ALL RIGHT, MY FRIEND? I HOPE YOU DON'T MIND MY SAYING SO, BUT YOU'RE BROADCASTING AN AWFUL LOT OF STRESS AND NEGATIVE ENERGY.

LENNY: NO KIDDIN'. THIS UNDERCOVER WORK'S PLAYIN' HELL WITH MY NERVES.


3) The Psi half-turns to Lenny, smiling but concerned.

PSI: PERHAPS YOU SHOULD THINK ABOUT TRANSFERRING OUT OF THE DIVISION. JITTERS LIKE THAT COULD GET YOU KILLED.

LENNY: FUNNY YOU SHOULD SAY THAT, PAL...


4) Close-up on Lenny, his expression unreadable behind his NightShades.

LENNY: I'VE BEEN THINKIN' THE SAME THING MYSELF.


5) Wide shot - the Sector House basement car park. Lenny and Keyes approach Lenny's battered old Foord (sic) roadster, which is flanked by row upon row of Lawmasters, Pat Wagons, even a Manta or two. Lenny's car is the 22nd century equivalent of a '57 Chevy - retro-futuristic, all tail-fins and chrome bulges, with an ugly supercharger intake sticking up through the hood.

LENNY: WE GOT MAYBE TWO MINUTES MAX BEFORE THEY REALISE YOU'RE MISSIN' AN' LOCK DOWN THE BUILDING.

LINK: GET IN THE FOORD, AN' KEEP YOUR HEAD DOWN 'TIL WE'RE CLEAR.

KEYES: W-WHATEVER YOU SAY...


6) Aerial shot. Lenny's car cruises out to freedom down a long, curved aerial roadway.

FROM CAR: PIECE O' CAKE.



PAGE SEVEN

1) Cut to a Sector House control room. Judge Clayton and Judge Ball peer down at a monitor screen manned by a CONTROL JUDGE. The screen displays a complex road-map marked with a flashing blip - Lenny's car.

CONROL JUDGE: GOOD SIGNAL FROM THE TRACER. HE'S HEADING NORTH ON ROCKATANSKY OVERZOOM, APPROACHING THE SUPERSLAB FEEDWAY.

BALL: SHOULDN'T WE AT LEAST PUT A MOBILE UNIT ON HIS TAIL?

CLAYTON: TOO RISKY. IF KEYES SMELLS A DOUBLE-CROSS, THIS WHOLE PLAN IS BLOWN.

LINK: ZERO KNOWS WHAT HE'S DOING.


2) On the massive multi-lane highway known as the Superslab, Lenny's car barrels towards us, the angle of the panel raked dynamically to suggest tremendous speed. Lenny is at the wheel, a nervous Keyes beside him.

LENNY: NOW LISTEN GOOD, MONEY MAN. WE'RE ON A TIGHT SCHEDULE HERE, AN' I'M ONLY GONNA SAY THIS ONCE.

LINK: CAESAR'S MOVIN' ALL HIS ASSETS OFF WORLD. HE SAID TO GIVE YOU THIRTY SECONDS TO GIMME THE ACCOUNT CODE.

KEYES: WHAT? I-I'M ONLY SUPPOSED TO GIVE IT TO CAESAR HIMSELF--


3) Inside the car now, Lenny driving with one hand on the wheel. In the foreground, Lenny's blaster is aimed casually at the terrified Keyes.

LENNY: HE ALSO SAID THAT IF YOU DON'T GIMME THE CODE, I'M SUPPOSED TO BLOW YOUR BRAINS OUT.

LINK: TWENTY SECONDS.

KEYES: B-BUT... BUT--


4) Reverse angle - we're with Keyes in the foreground, Lenny's blaster pointing at us.

KEYES: I M-MEAN, CAESAR WAS ALWAYS VERY PARTICULAR ABOUT SECURITY... M-MAYBE IF I COULD JUST TALK TO HIM--

LENNY: I ALREADY TOLD YOU, CAESAR'S OFF WORLD. HE AIN'T TALKIN' TO NOBODY 'TIL THIS HEAT DIES DOWN.

LINK: TEN SECONDS, PAL.


5) Closer on Keyes, Lenny's gun leveled on him. He's sweating in terror.

LENNY: FIVE. FOUR. THREE. TWO. ONE--

KEYES: O-OKAY, OKAY! CHEEZ LOUISE...

LINK: IT'S ACCOUNT NUMBER 779144, FIRST MEGAPOLITAN BANK. ACCESS CODE ALPHA 55 BLUE NINE.


6) Close-up on Lenny, a grim smile of satisfaction.

LENNY: GRAVY.



PAGE EIGHT

1) Lenny's car pulls up the on-ramp of a massive multi-lane vehicle - a TOM FUELERY mobile refueling station/rest stop. Its company mascot is a friendly cartoon tom-cat in mechanic's overalls.

FROM CAR: OKAY, THIS CAR'S HOTTER THAN HESTIA. I GOTTA DITCH IT.

LINK: YOU BAIL OUT HERE.


2) We're in the car with Lenny. Keyes stands outside the car on the Fuelery forecourt, pleading with Lenny through the car window. Lenny leans over to hand Keyes a small object - a tracer bug.

LENNY: TAKE THIS TRACER.

LINK: SIT TIGHT, AN' ONE OF CAESAR'S BOYS'LL PICK YOU UP AN' TAKE YOU TO THE SPACEPORT.

KEYES: W-WAIT A SECOND...


3) Now we're behind Keyes, still pleading with Lenny through the car window.

KEYES: I DON'T UNDERSTAND--

LENNY: FORGET ABOUT IT.

LINK: SEE YA 'ROUND. PLEASURE DOIN' BUSINESS WITH YA.


4) Keyes stands there like a dumb shit with the tracer in his hand as Lenny's car burns rubber onto the Superslab. A mechanic droid approaches Keyes with a dripping oil can.

FX: SCREEEEEEEE - !

DROID: LUBE, SIR?


5) Wide through-the-windshield panel. Lenny drives with one hand on the wheel, speaking into a compact mobile phone.

LENNY: ... YEAH, WORKED LIKE DREAM. LEFT HIM STANDIN' ON THE FORECOURT WITH HIS HOTTIE IN HIS HANDS.

LINK: OKAY, BABY, TIME TO FOCUS. WE'RE ON DANGER TIME.

LINK: TRANSFER CAESAR'S MONEY INTO MY LUNA-1 ACCOUNT AN' MEET ME AT JFK. HERE'S THE ACCESS CODE...


6) Back in the Sector House Control Room, Clayton and Ball still peer at the flashing blip.

CONTROL JUDGE: HE'S STILL AT THE TOM FUELERY, CRUISING CLOCKWISE ON THE CENTRAL SPIRAL.

CLAYTON: IF ZERO HASN'T GOT THE CODE YET, HE ISN'T GOING TO GET IT.

LINK: SEND A PAT-WAGON TO THE FUELERY PICK THEM UP.



PAGE NINE

1) Lenny is getting out of his Foord in a huge car/hov-pod park, turning to see Mona approaching with two small suitcases. A large sign on the wall clearly reads "JFK SPACEPORT: DEEP SPACE - TERMINAL 2".

MONA: HUSTLE THAT TUSH, TOUGH GUY. OUR FLIGHT LEAVES IN FIFTEEN MINUTES.

LENNY: MAN, I COULD KISS MYSELF.

LINK: BY THE TIME CAESAR AN' THE DEPARTMENT FIGURE OUT WE SCREWED 'EM BOTH, WE'LL BE ON OUR WAY TO A NON-EXTRADITION PLANET...


2) Lenny, smiling, has rolled up his jacket sleeves, unbuckling his pop-out pistol rigs. Mona slides her arms around his shoulders, admiringly.

MONA: FIRST CLASS ALL THE WAY, COURTESY OF LITTLE CAESAR'S THIRTY-THREE MIL...

LENNY: MAN, I JUST WISH I COULD SEE THE LOOK ON KEYES' FACE WHEN THE JUDGES PICK HIM UP WITH A JUSTICE DEPARTMENT TRACER IN HIS HAND!


3) Lenny, still smiling, hands Mona his pistols.

LENNY: BUT FIRST THINGS FIRST - I AIN'T GETTIN' THESE BABIES THROUGH CUSTOMS. DITCH 'EM IN A GRINDER, WILL YA?


4) Lenny has turned his back on us, but his head is just beginning to turn. Mona is behind him, off panel.

MONA (OFF): FORGET ABOUT CUSTOMS, LENNY - THE ONLY TRIP YOU'RE TAKING IS TO TITAN.

LENNY: WHAT... ?


5) BIG, dramatic panel. Mona stands there with an ice-cold sneer, aiming Lenny's pistol dead at him/us.

MONA: HANDS WHERE I CAN SEE THEM, ZERO.

LINK: YOU'RE UNDER ARREST.


6) With the gun still leveled at Lenny, "Mona" speaks into her mobile phone. Lenny is crumbling.

MONA: CONTROL, THIS IS KRAMER, SJS*.

LINK: I NEED BACK-UP AND A CATCH-WAGON TO JFK POD PARK, UPPER LEVEL.

LENNY: No... No, baby, no...

CAPTION BELOW: * SJS: SPECIAL JUDICIAL SQUAD, JUSTICE DEPARTMENT'S INTERNAL INVESTIGATION DIVISION.



PAGE TEN

1) Lenny is destroyed, pleading. He loved this woman. Mona sneers contemptuously, without a shred of pity.

MONA: WE'VE HAD YOU UNDER OBSERVATION SINCE YOU FELL FOR A ROUTINE HONEY TRAP, ZERO.

LINK WHEN A JUDGE CAN'T KEEP IT IN HIS PANTS, MAKES YOU WONDER WHAT ELSE HE'S CAPABLE OF. AND NOW WE KNOW.

LENNY: PLEASE, BABY, NO... I DID THIS FOR YOU--


2) Close on Lenny, crushed, head bowed. Mona looms over him, semi off-panel.

MONA: DON'T MAKE ME SICK. YOU BROKE THE LAW, AND NOW YOU'RE GOING TO PAY FOR IT.

LENNY: THEN... I'M SORRY.

LINK: VOICE DESTRUCT CODE GAMMA ZERO.


3) The gun EXPLODES, blowing Mona's hand completely off.

FX: VADOOOM!


4) Unhurt except for a few minor cuts and bruises, Lenny kneels by Mona, who is lying in a pool of her own blood, in deep shock, staring at the ugly stump of her hand. Lenny speaks into her mobile phone.

MONA: Whuh... Whuh...

LENNY: CONTROL, THIS IS ZERO.

LINK: CODE 99 RED, JUDGE DOWN. URGENT MED-ASSIST REQUIRED.


5) Close on Lenny, very grim, speaking into the tiny mobile phone.

LENNY: OH YEAH, AN' ONE OTHER THING.

LINK: I QUIT.


6) Wide panel, full bleed. Lenny flees down a grimy back alley, a tiny silhouette scuttling between the looming, monolithic black shadows of the cityblocks. A rat trapped in an urban maze.

CAPTION: YEAH, THE JUDGES DON'T TRUST NOBODY... BUT THAT'S 'CAUSE THEY DON'T KNOW A THING ABOUT LOVE.

CAPTION: AIN'T IT THE TRUTH.

[ THE END ]

This story originally appeared in the Judge Dredd Megazine vol 3, issue 68, August 2000.

Lenny Zero created by Andy Diggle and Jock.