"Ripped, corrected  synched by Fingersmaster." "Enjoy!" "Mex." "Diet Pepsi, please." "Thank you." "Want to play?" "I'll teach you?" "Easy, Mex." "I deserve an answer." "No." "Thanks." "Mex." "You want to dance?" "What?" "You want to dance, just you and me?" " No, I don't want to dance." " What do you say?" "I'll play something on the jukebox, you know." "What do you like, the Stones?" "Please, mister." "Well, you must like somebody." "Who do you like?" "Manilow." "Barry Manilow?" "Okay." "I'll play Barry Manilow." "I'm not in the mood, okay?" "All right." "Maybe you'll be in the mood later, huh?" "Sure." "Later." ""Later," that'll be our password, okay?" "Okay." "You got it." "Okay." "Dr. Phillips, 3-E." "Inhalation therapy to ICU." "Inhalation therapy to ICU." "Dr. Phillips," "Dr. Phillips, 3-E." "Sorry." "I'm sorry." "The roulette, it was like a zoo tonight." "Couple of Saudis got drunk." " Let's get out of here." " Doris, I just arrived." "That drunk at the bar has been hitting on me, and I want to blow this joint before something happens." "Please." "Doris, I'm here now." " Osgood" " Nothing's going to happen." "Okay?" "Just forget about him." "Besides, I want you to think about what we're here for." "Oh, God." "Darling, I don't want to put any pressure on you." "Just that... my bosses have offered me a big raise to move to Atlantic City." "Will you come with me?" "Osgood, you mean," ""Will you come marry me?"" "Osgood, I've been married three times." "I stink at it." "The only thing I know for sure is I give good divorce." "Look, honey, it doesn't bother me." "It's later." "We're talking, all right?" ""Later" is our password, asshole." "Manilow, just like you said." "I said I'd dance with him, just to get... rid of him." "All right." "No, it's not all right." "I asked the lady to dance." "She says she'll dance with me." "Come on, D.D." "No." "You told him your name?" "I told you I had to get rid of him." "What else did you tell him while I'm getting jerked around by a couple of Saudi punks?" "She told me a lot, how you can't get it up, what a pitiful little putz you are." "No, I didn't." "Look..." "I don't really think that you want to make me mad." "Really?" "Is that what you think?" "I'm getting out of here." "That's the second time that you've touched her." "Don't do it again." "All right, I won't touch her again, 'less of course she wants me to." "I'll just touch you." "That be all right?" "Oh, Jesus." "All right, give me that." "That is mine, and I want it." " Give" " Does it bite?" "Be careful with that." "Please, please, please." "Please, let's get out of here." "That cost me a lot of money." "It was made specially for me." "Forget about the money, Osgood." "Osgood?" "What kind of a name is Osgood?" "Please, please, think about me." "I'm scared." "Please." "Get me out of here." "In that case..." "Come on, Osgood." " I could have handled him." " Yes." "I didn't want to make a big deal out of it, but I'm very good with my fists." "Absolutely." "Come on." "Let's take my car." " Ozzie." " Come on, Ozzie." "Help me in the door." " Osgood!" " Ozzie." "Yes, I will." "I will do that very thing." "Come on." "Ozzie wozzie." "Ozzie wozzie." "Forgot your bird." "Come on." "Come on." "All right." "That is enough." "Osgood, come on." "Really?" "Osgood, let's go." "Ozzie wozzie." "Osgood!" "You don't want to leave without this, do you?" "I mean, you look silly without it." "You want it?" "Here." "Pick it up." "Don't do it, Osgood." "All right, move back." "Why would I want to do that?" "A safety precaution, let's say." "Come on." "Oh, D.D., get back in the car." "Oh, Oz," "I don't need any tricks to handle you." "A little shrimp faggot like you," "I don't need any tricks." "All I need is this." "Osgood?" "Shut up, D.D." "But" "Close your mouth, all right?" "Nobody's leaving here till it's over, and it's not over till he says it's over." "It's over." "Drank too much." "Sometimes... what I think is funny isn't funny to other people." "You know?" "Sorry." "Will you help me up?" "Don't be a sucker, Osgood." "No, really." "I'm sorry." "Thanks." "Help!" "Help!" "Osgood?" "Osgood, are you all right?" "Osgood!" "Okay?" "Is it over?" "It's your call." "I hope you want more." "Believe that." "I've really loved these last few minutes." "Is that what you were afraid of?" "I'm a mess." "Is he dead?" "I don't think so." "Osgood, you so much as touch that scalp doily, and we're through." "But I thought you like my hairpiece." "I hate your hairpiece." "But it gives me confidence." "Osgood, if I don't give you confidence, we may as well pack it in." "Atlantic City, here we come." " Yeah." " I got one for you." " Check, please." " You and I, we're going..." "Hey, Mex!" "I got one for you." "I hope you don't think it's racial." "You hear about this?" "All the Mexicans are going to China." "They just found out there's 2,000 miles of wall that haven't been written on." " Glad it wasn't racial." " Hey, did you hear about the Mexican phone company, Taco Bell?" " Give me a break, Joey." " Give me a break." " What'll it be, Mex?" " Usual, Kathy." "Mex, I'm working on a new customer for you." "Yeah, maybe I should tell you about it." "Later, Felix." "That would be okay too." "Mex, it worked." "It worked." "I'm going to Atlantic City." "Great." "I got a zillion things I got to take care of, so let's get this done." "Okay, it was 100, 200, 300, 400, 500." "Right?" "It's not the right amount, Ozzie." "Well, sure it is." "We agreed." "Don't you remember I asked you if it was okay if I beat the crap out of you?" "Not your everyday request." "And we said it was going to be 150 for your time and trouble, another 150 if it worked." "Now, that's 300." "Okay." "And another 200 as a... kind of a friendship bonus, okay?" "I appreciate it, Oz, but don't tip me." "Sure." "Thanks." "You're a great guy, Nick." "Appreciate it." "You're a great guy." "Have fun in Atlantic City." "Thanks." "You get that from the Mexican down the street?" "Don't bother to thank me." "Okay, it's great that he's got the white ones this year." "I mean, they're so much more lifelike." "How many today?" "Four." "You know, when I get to Venice," "I think my headache's going to go away." "Sure." "They don't have headaches in Italy anymore." "Cute." "So what's the matter now?" "Fundraising's not going well?" "Now, let's see." "You want 100,000 to set you up for five years, right?" "How short are you?" "99,700." "Obviously you had a profitable morning." "Around the corner, honey, and up the stairs." "New class today?" "Yeah, they been streaming in like lemmings." "You have this headache every morning, right, since you came to Vegas." "You ever think there's a possible connection?" "Want to hear your mail?" "Anything from anybody pretty?" "No money, of course." "No." "Why don't I start with the best one?" ""Dear Nick Escalante..." "Hi, Nick!" " Hi!" " The Great Dane next door" " shits on my front steps..." " Nick!" "and his owner thinks it's funny, but he won't when the dog's dead, which is why I'm writing you, since I read about you in my mercenary magazine a couple of years back... and I think you can help." " Nick..." " Good morning, ladies." "how do you garrote a dog?"" "Sorry?" ""How do you garrote a dog?" "I mean, do you try and sneak up from behind it like it was a person?" "Or do you say, 'Here, poochy poochy'..." " Bye." " and give it a steak and attack when it starts eating?"" "I usually buy a dog suit and sneak up behind it." "No." "Good dog suit will cost money." "Frankly, Nick, I think this whole project's beneath you." "I know it's beneath me." "I've got work to do." "How's your lawsuit coming?" "Pretty good, actually." "My cousin Mel, he's agreed to say that he wrote" ""Born in the USA" eight years ago." "I figure Springsteen's people want to settle out of court, avoid the hassle." "But I do have one problem." "I like Springsteen." "Wish the Osmonds were still making hits." "It would be fun suing them." "Look at this." "Adult male, suit and tie." "Might be a talent scout or a potential client or both." "I'll handle it." "Look busy." " Come in." " Sorry." "Hello." "I am Cyrus Kinnick." "Pinchus Zion, attorney at law." "I'm glad to meet you." "Actually, I'm here to see Mr. Escalante." "Of course you are." "Very glad to meet you, all the same, though." "Well, I'm still glad to meet you." "This is Nick Escalante." "This is Cyrus Kinnick." "Hi." "Well, I'm very glad to meet you, sir." "I'll be right over here in case you need me." "This is where it all happens." "May I be frank with you?" "I-- may I sit, please?" "Sure." "All right." "Well, I checked in the Yellow Pages, and you're not there." "Thank you." "As I say, you're not in the Yellow Pages, and this surprised me." "When I wrote you from back in Boston, it was on the advice of an ex-client of yours." "Arms up." "Arms up." "Dance studio." "Really?" "I..." "I took him at his word." "I am a considerable gambler." "How much do you lose?" "$75, $100." "I've really got the fever." "As I was saying," "I'm a considerable gambler, and the reputation of my bodyguard means much to me." "Well, I'm in the Yellow Pages, right between "chapels" and "charm schools."" "I'm the only licensed chaperone in the state of Nevada." "You refer to yourself as a chaperone?" "Well, he's a class act, Mr. Kinnick." "Pardon me if I don't ask all the right questions here." "Could you tell me something about yourself, please?" "Wait a minute." "You want him to list his qualifications?" "Well, not if-- I don't want to" "Would you?" "Well, I been knocked down, blown up, lied to, shit on, shot at." "I'm not a virgin, except in my heart." "Nothing much surprises me anymore, except what people do to each other." "I'm a licensed pilot," "I lectured on economics at Yale, and I can memorize the front page of "The New York Times" in five minutes and repeat it back to you in five weeks." "I was national Golden Gloves Champion three years in a row, and I'm fluent in four languages," " and" " God." "Don't interrupt me." "I'm not through." "There's more." "Yeah." "I lie a lot." "This seems so right." "I'm staying at the Sands Hotel." "Shall we say 9:00, Mr. Escalante?" "Fine." "Dandy." "All right." "Push, not pull." "That kid should not be alone in Vegas." "Pinchus Zion." "May I speak to Mex, please?" "Hello, Holly." "Nicky, I need you." "Is that you, Mex?" "Come on in." "Holly, the screen door is latched." "How's business been this Christmas?" " Rock 'n' roll on the - "Rockin' with Rick Show."" "Going to hide behind the door," "I could have talked to you on the phone." "I don't want you seeing me." "What is this, a Joan Crawford movie?" "Hey, Mex." "Hi." "They say I kept calling out for you in Emergency." "Who put you in Emergency?" "I don't know for sure." "That's why I phoned you." "Coffee?" "Sure." "Get the door, will you?" "I had a date last night." "Nice old guy." "We had a nice time, blah-de-blah." "I went to his room, said good night, went to the elevator, and the doors opened." "There were three guys inside but only one, really." "Say again." "Little guy was the boss, this weird pretty-boy." "The big guys, look, I don't think they could fit in this doorway, Nicky." "They were his flunkies." "Anyway, the little guy says, "Come on to the party,"" "and I said I was tired, and he said, "Hey, I'm too gorgeous to turn down,"" "and he pulled me in." "I didn't panic." "I been in other situations, blah-de-blah." "Where was I?" ""Blah-de-blah."" "Right." "Elevator went up." "I didn't clock the floor." "I had other problems, like how best to make my departure." "And then we were in his suite, and I said, "Where's the party?"" "and he said, "You are."" "Then he signals for the other two to leave, and I'm working on a good sob story when he said it." ""Are you the lucky bitch?" "You're the only girl in the world tonight who gets to touch it."" "And I bat my eyes all innocent and say, "Touch what?"" "and he looks down at himself while he says, "The envy of all mankind."" "And right now I am very scared, 'cause when a guy has a name for his cock, you know he's not playing with a full deck." "You don't want to hear any more." "I didn't want to hear this much." "I want to sue his ass, Mex." "Why are you starting to lie, Holly?" "I'm not." "I want him in jail." "Then hire a lawyer." "I'm not a lawyer." "I don't know his name or what room he was in or any goddamn thing about him." "How can you not help me?" "Because I have a very strong feeling that those three fellas that you're talking about were not Elders from the Mormon Church." "What hotel were you in?" " Dante's." " Oh, great." "A lot of people like it." "The showgirls have moustaches, and the waitresses can rip the phone book in half." "You're going to help me." "You know, when I first came here, you were just a little girl across the street with pimples on your face." "You go to hell." "I always had good skin." "That same year, Baby tried to recruit me for the combination." "I told him to catch a cab." "I want to work somebody over, it's going to be my idea, not somebody else's." "Baby always respected that." "I want to keep it that way." "Call me, and tell me who he is so I can sue him." "I'll be here." "Or, better yet," "I'll come over to your place." "I'm not going to call you." "I don't know anybody at Dante's, so don't count on me, Holly." "Liar." "I'm looking for a pretty-boy." "Probably in a suite somewhere up high." "Got two very large bodyguards." "That ring a bell?" "I don't think we should talk here." "You still live in Naked City?" " Yeah." " You know Big Daddy's?" "Great bouillabaisse." "Cute." "Anyway, I get off at 4:00." "You be there at 4:15." "If I'm not there, it means I don't have nothing." "If I am, we'll talk." "Hey." "What did you find out?" "Nothing." "I came up empty." "Hey, you forget who you're talking to." "Tell me the truth." "Go home, Holly." "Hey, you know what the guy did when he was finished?" "He put a gun inside me, and I don't mean my mouth." "And he said, "Tell me you love me, and if I believe you, I'll let you go,"" "so I said, "Oh, God, I love you." "I love you so much." "I do."" "And he pulled the trigger, and then there was a click." "He was just playing games with me." "Some swell games to play with another human, right, Nicky, and I want to sue him, and you know who he is and just let him walk away?" "Remember all those times when I told you how I cared for you?" "Bullshit, Holly." "Wrong." "I loved you." "Every good thing I ever said was true." "God." "I'm getting to be such a witch sometimes." "Don't help me." "I was wrong to ask, and I don't want you involved." "I mean, we both know what this is about, don't we?" "Whatever you say." "You're scared, my baby, because you're getting on, and you're afraid they'll hurt you." "You know what?" "They probably will." "I mean, God forbid you should be the only human on this Earth never to get hurt." "Anyway, the pretty-boy's name is Danny DeMarco, suite 3506." "He comes from a fine old wop family that runs vice in Lexington, Kentucky." "He's the son and heir, and his daddy loves him." "You done me something once and I owe you forever." "Do me something now." "Sure." "Don't mess with these guys." "Mr. Kinnick." "You may, if you wish, call me Cyrus." "How do you like the Sands?" "I'll tell you, the last time I was here, I won pretty big." "I don't want them thinking I've got a system or anything, so why don't we take a stroll, huh, find an unsuspecting victim?" " Try the Aladdin." " Right." "You know, I'm looking forward to having a really good time at the place." "Hey, guys, want a blowjob?" "Hello, Kathy." "I can't see anything without these glasses." "Is that you, Nicky?" "Merry Christmas." "Hey, merry Christmas to you too." "Fun city." "Yeah." "All right, I'm going to gamble now." "I would like to bet... $15, please." "No, wait." "I pray this is not a mistake." "I'm going to bet $25, please." "Excuse me." "You won't be far?" "Oh, I'll be at the bar." "All right." "God, I'm shaking." "This is so sick." "No more bets." "Thanks." "My God." "I've won." "Well, I've seen you happier." "How can you say that, Cass?" "It's the highlight of my career, protecting a Perrier drinker." "He actually bet $25 on the last hand." "Buy you a drink?" "Later." "Good luck, miss." "Ah, I'm not lucky today." "Were you watching?" "I'm $500 ahead." "My God, why am I not living in Las Vegas?" "The sense of life in this town, you know, the pulse, it's just tangible." "We're quits, okay?" "What do you mean, quits?" "I intend on gambling for hours." "I haven't got hours." "Well, I thought I hired you at my discretion." "You're safe in a casino." "Nobody's ever been mugged in a casino." "Outside are little yellow things." "They're called cabs." "If you get in one, a minute and a half, you'll be back at the Sands." "Then you'll be safe and tucked in your little bed." "Good night, Mr. Kinnick." "Okay." "A Perrier." "The man's name is Danny DeMarco." "He's at Dante's, suite 3506." "Good night." "Hey, wait." "What for?" "'Cause don't get so huffy." "At least let me write it down." "Well, write it down." "3506, did you say?" "That's right." "Good luck in your lawsuit." "What are you so angry about?" "You are a liar." "Don't call me that, Mex." "You never intended to sue that son of a bitch, did you?" "Nicky!" "I need for you to help me." "Help you what?" "You know." "Nobody can do what you can do." "You mean get people killed?" "Three of them with guns." "You've got to do it." "You've got to go in there and soften them up and give me my chance." "Chance for what?" "I want his nuts in my hands." "And if I get killed?" "I'll be miserable for days." "That's my girl." "I want this guy so bad for what he did to me, and you'll help me." "You'll help me get his nuts in my hands, yes?" "Jesus." "Yeah?" "I'm here to see Mr. DeMarco." "About what?" "It's personal." "He's busy." "I don't think Baby would like to see me standing out in the hall." "So you're a friend of Baby's?" "19 years." "Okay." "What's this about?" "A girl." "You got a girl for Mr. DeMarco?" "Is she pretty?" "He likes 'em pretty." "He likes 'em thin." "You just described her." "Come on in." "Get your hands up." "I'll be back." "That's right." "You're a friend of Baby's?" "Yeah." "Well, any friend of Baby's is a friend of mine." "Nice to see you, Mr. DeMarco." "Call me Danny." "What's your name?" "Nick." "Nick." "Nick what?" "Escalante." "Nick Escalante." "Nick." "Well, Nick, I'm told there's something about a girl." "Is she pretty?" "She was." "Again?" "Last night, a close, personal friend of mine was treated with some disrespect." "I thought maybe you'd want to do something about that and make it okay." "Me, disrespect to a lady?" "This same personal friend of mine said that you-- yeah, you" "...inserted a weapon, a pistol, inside her." "Oh, that." "That's not disrespect." "That was a game." "We were having a party, Nick." "Should have been there too." "What happened next wasn't very nice either." "She had to have some stitches in the emergency room." "This is probably another game you're playing, only now it's with me." "You can't show disrespect to a whore, Nick," " and that's what" " Not a whore." "It's best not to interrupt me, Nick." "Yes, sir." "She's a whore, and you're her pimp." "Come in here in that asshole costume, sure look like a two-bit spic pimp to me, am I right?" "I don't know." "I like to think of myself as being in the people business." "The people business." "You hear this?" "I've never heard it called that before." "You from Mars?" "No." "Are you a citizen?" "Yeah, I'm a citizen." "I got American Express card Visa." "You are from Mars." "You know what?" "I like you." "I do." "Oh, what the hell?" "Maybe you got a point." "Come here." "Come here." "I want to show you something." "This is... 20,000." "Should that cover the disrespect?" "Very generous." "You're very stupid." "But even so, you probably know what this is." "Are you scared?" "I bet I'm scaring the shit out of you." "Why don't you let me just walk out of here?" "Oh, you going to leave, Nick?" "The question is what kind of shape you're gonna be in when you do." "You see, Nick, if I let you walk out free as air," "I want people to know how sweet I am." "So tell me." "Talk to me, now." "Tell me about my good qualities." "And if I believe you, you're free as air." "You're a peach of a guy." "You're A-number one." "You're a swell fella." ""Peach of a guy"?" "Yeah." "You've failed so far, Nick, but I like you." "I do." "So I'll give you just one more shot, so go on." "Tell me about my good qualities." "I'm waiting." "What the hell are you thinking about?" "!" "I was thinking about Venice." "Venice?" "Venice." "Get him out of here." "It's them." "If it isn't, they got a hell of a lawsuit." "Holy shit." "You softened them up good." "Remember me?" "No?" "How 'bout now?" "Sure." "You're the party girl we had all that fun with." "Right." "And I had so much fun," "I can't stand the party's over." "I just want itto go on forever." "The envy of all mankind." "Do you know who I am?" "!" "You're the party giver." "Is this about the money?" "Is that what this is all about?" "That's what it is, isn't it?" "Go ahead." "Take it." "Take the 20, for Christ's sake." "What money?" "There's 20,000 in the desk." "It's not about money." "It's about love." "Nicky." "It wasn't me." "It wasn't." "They did it." "Tiel and Kinlaw did it." "They were the ones." "We didn't get our turn till you were through with her." "You shut up!" "I hope I sharpened these enough." "Let's see." "Oh, I guess they are sharp enough." "Looky here." "There's a little, tiny cut." "'Course, probably it doesn't look all that little and tiny to you." "I'm bleeding." "I'm bleeding." "Please." "I didn't mean it." "Please." "Jesus." "Please." "You're not mad at me, then?" " No." " Good." "I'm going to give you the same break you gave me." "Tell me you love me." "I love you." "I love you." "Mm, I don't think that sounded very sincere." "Do you think he's sincere?" "This is your show." " Last chance." " I love you." "I love you." "I don't believe you." "I love you so much." "Please." " Better." " I made a mistake." " How?" " I love you." "More." "I love you so goddamn much." "You can do better than that." "Holly." "Holly." "Come on." "Poor chickenshit passed out." "God, we make some team." "Made some team." "You're getting out of town." "I know." "I know." "I spent the last few hours packing, without regret, I might add, 'cause I'm heading straight for" "Don't tell me." "Don't tell me where you're going." "I don't want to know where you're going." "You're that sure they'll come after you?" "You know they're going to come after me, Holly." "You knew all along they were going to come after me." "Ah, you could have killed them." "I try not to do that." " Here's your half." " I don't want this." "But your freedom money?" "I'll get it somewhere." "I know you will." "I've got faith, but still" "If we can't leave together, at least one of us is going to go in style, okay?" "Get in the car." "I want to thank you... what you did tonight, and I swear I never would have begged for your help if there were more than just the three of them." "Let's don't end this relationship on a lie, okay?" "Okay." "Maybe five?" "You could handle five." "I know it." "My Mex he can do anything." "I like this jacket on you, Nicky." "I do." "Get in the car." "Hey, you want to hear the craziest thing, Nicky?" "Back there, when DeMarco was coming apart at the seams, you know what?" "I loved it." "Dear God." "I remember when you wore braces." "Oh, good-bye, Nicky." "Bye, Holly." "Mister." "Sir." "That lady who wears dark glasses at night asked me to give you this." "You're out." "You're out." "Yeah!" "Well, good evening." "Good evening." "You look much better than you did before." "What time is your break?" "Oh, it's in a few minutes." "I'll keep you company." "Okay." "Can I have $100 worth of chips?" "Oh, just keep me company." "I've really been killing 'em tonight, Nicky." "Can I have $100 worth of chips?" "Ah, just keep me company." "You work here or not?" "Changing 100." "$5 minimum bet." "I bet $5." "Hit." "Busted." "It's been like that." "See you later." "Blackjack." "Now, Nicky, I lose more friends this way." "Yeah." "Do you want to stay?" "You want to hit?" "I got 19, Cass." "You got 10 showing." "Except I know something." "Your down card is a picture card." "That means you got 20." "My 19 isn't worth anything." "I need 21." "Nick, you want me to hit your 19?" "Yeah, I do." "You know why?" "Something's heavy on my shoulder, Cass." "Luck is riding on my shoulder." "Luck is right here with me." "I want you to hit the 19 with a two, 'cause 19 and two is 21." "That means I win." "So give me my two, Cass." "Jesus." "I want $1,000 worth of chips." "I'm changing 1,000." "Come on, John." "Let it ride." "All right, here we go." "Five." "Come on, five." "That's it for me." "You take care, Nicky." "Are you playing?" "Not with you." "You got mean eyes." "Here they go!" "Hello, Mr. Kinnick." "Oh, my God." "Oh, my God." "You up or down?" " Down, huh?" " I would say." "Buy you a drink?" "Yeah, okay." "A Perrier with a lime." "I was doing great." "Then they changed dealers on me." "Son of a bitch." "What?" "How do I know it's gone?" " Number six." " Okay, let that ride." "Next number, on a six." "10,000, 20,000," "30,000." "What am I being so greedy for?" "He's bound to win one." "$5." "Blackjack." "Hey, what is this?" "Retribution for 5,000 mornings." "18." "Pay 19." "Get all four, we get 100,000." "Sky's the limit." "How many chips he got?" "Looking great." "Looking great." "Yeah." "Son of a bitch." " Whoa, that was..." " Did great." " Congratulations." " This is for you." "Wow, you really" "Hold these, will you?" "All right." "Really incredible." "Again, this is so incredible." "Can I buy you a drink or something?" " No." " Oh, I'm sorry." "No intrusion meant." "Sit." "All right." "I'll buy you a drink." "I'm the one that won all the money, right?" " All right." " Perrier?" "Actually, no." "I think a Finlandia, rocks, with a twist." "Really?" "Two Finlandias on the rocks, with a twist, doubles." "What do they call you besides Mr. Kinnick?" "I know." "Cyrus is a dreadful name, isn't it?" "Yes, it is." "You know, I always wanted one of those nicknames, like Ace or Duke." "Just never worked out that way." "Yeah." "So why aren't you more excited?" "Come on." "Has this happened to you before?" "No." "No." "It happens all the time in Vegas," " but not to me." " Yeah?" "I've never even been in double figures before." "I mean, not even close." "I should be more excited, but" "Yeah, I think so." "I think I'm not here." "I think my brain is somewhere else." "Where?" "Venice." "Venice, Italy." "I'm going there tomorrow." "Ever been there?" "Yeah, actually I have, twice." "Well, I got this all figured out." "I got $100,000 here, see?" "And I figure... got $20,000 a year for five years." "That's $100,000." "All right." "Then what?" "Then what, what?" "What are you gonna do after the five years are up?" "I'll think about that then." "Okay." "There you are." " Oh, thank you." " You're welcome." "That's all right." " It's Venice." " Venice." "What are you thinking about?" "I haven't got enough money." "What do you mean, you don't have enough money?" "You have $100,000." "I haven't got enough." "For what?" "I'll be fine the first couple of years." "Then every day after that," "I'm going to be closer to coming back here." "Well, what?" "What do you need?" "I need "fuck you" money." "Well, how much is that going to be?" "$20,000 a year for life." "Look, just invest this." "How much would I need?" "Quarter of a million dollars." "Okay, the first $100,000 is the toughest part, right?" "I mean, I'm almost halfway there." "Lady Luck is still riding on my shoulder, pal." "Let me just..." "Let's hit the tables, Duke, eh?" "$100,000." "That's your last blackjack for tonight, Cassie." "I told you, Nicky." "I'm a killer." "I want to bet 10,000." "Go home, Nicky." "I can't." "I can't, Cassie." "Let's play." "Blackjack." "Yay." "Oh, did you see that?" "Got to see this." "I'm going to need another tray." "High roller." "Any craps." "Any craps." "I'm changing dealers." "You change dealers, and I'm changing casinos." "You don't want me to go cold somewhere else, do you?" "Change the cards, then." "You can change your underwear if you want to, pal." "You don't mind my saying so, it's not a bad idea." "Got over $100,000 here, Cassie." "If it's all right with your friend here," "I'd like to bet it all." "Oh, no." "You sure, Nicky?" "Yeah, I'm sure." "We're right back where we started." "You got a 10 showing." "I think your down card is a picture card." "That means you got 20." "I got 17." "I need four to beat you." "Give me my four, Cassie." "You should have stood, Nicky." "You would have won." "I came in with 10,000." "I lost 10,000." "It's no big deal." "Good night, Cassie." "23 red, on." " Need a drink." " Tough luck." " Sorry." " Tough luck, guy." "I have I.D." "Who cares?" "Want to be alone, Kinnick." "I'll be quiet." "Thought you lost tonight with a great deal of dignity." "I thought you were going to be quiet." "By the way..." "I want to pay you for having chaperoned metonight." "How much is that?" "It's $1,000." "I'm not worth $1,000." "I think you are." "You okay?" "Yeah." "You know, maybe you ought to try and coat your stomach with some solid food." "Maybe milk would help." "I don't like milk." "I don't like you much tonight either, Duke." "What do you really want?" "All right." "You won't laugh?" "Not tonight." "Okay." "I lied about the fellow in Boston recommending you." "No kidding." "I certainly didn't need to inquire after your qualifications." "I know you were in Nam." "Vietnam." "Sorry." "I guess I pretty much know all about you." "I researched you." "Those articles in the soldier-of-fortune magazines I read 'em." "I'm just getting this feeling about you, an instinct, if you will." "Think maybe you're the perfect person to help me out on something." "Help you out on what?" "Why don't we go back to the city lights, huh, find some of that glitter and glitz?" "You like glitz, do you?" "I'll show you glitz." "Right." "I've never been here when the sun was up." "Huh?" "Why is that?" "I have a feeling it turns into the real world then." "Yeah." "It's best at night." "What did you want to talk to me about?" "It's a very hard thing for me to talk about." "While back in Boston, I saw this... old guy." "He was walking down the street, and he had a sign on his back." "And the sign said," ""Please don't hit me."" "I thought, "Oh, my God," you know." ""Who's this guy?"" "You know, what a sad thing." "And I couldn't forget-- well, I'll never forget him." "And then the second thing that occurred to me was... maybe that old guy's me." "Maybe someday I'll just be some nut scared of the world." "So I've come to you." "Just want you to teach me." "Teach you what?" "Eh, how not to be some guy with a sign on his back." "I just want to lead a braver life." "Maybe you could show me." " Maybe" " Listen, kid." "Don't." "I made $7 million on my 28th birthday." "Don't call me "kid."" "How?" "Came up with a new twist on an old twist, actually, in the computer software." "I'll pay" " I'll overpay you." "But having said all this, you've got to help me." "Really?" "Where is that written?" "I've often wondered what I'd do if somebody pulled a gun on me." "Oh, it's probably happened to you a lot, though." "What would you do, you know?" "I mean, let's just say somebody pulls a gun on you." "Run." "No, I meant it." "Really and truly, what would you do?" "If he was standing 20 feet away and I didn't have anything in my hands," "I'd be in trouble." "But if he got up close to me, got a little Hollywood on me, dead like that," "I'd stick it up his ass." "Oh, I could never do that." "Does it have to be-- maybe it has to be in your nature or something." "You're probably basically a violent man." "No, I'm not." "I'm just good at it." "Did you ever lose a fight?" "Think there would be some sort of embarrassment factor." "You ever embarrassed?" "That's really what you're worried about, isn't it, being embarrassed?" "You know what's crazy?" "You're not even 30, and you're set for life." "I'm way over 40, and I'm broke." "Maybe I can help you with that." "How's that?" "Can I speak freely with you?" "My father was addicted." "He was a compulsive gambler, just like you." "You're full of shit." "Why are you here?" "Why haven't you left yet?" "Because I don't have the money." "You had it tonight." "You keep your mouth shut." "I'm wrong." "Maybe I'm wrong." "Maybe I'm wrong." "All right, you're not wrong." "If I'd have got the 250,000," "I would have wanted a half a million." "I'm an addict." "I'm an addict." "You happy?" "No, I'm not happy." "I'm just" "All I'm saying is maybe we do have something in common." "Maybe we could help each other out." "You know, I feel we could." "Crash course in bravery." "God help us." "Come on." "I'll buy you breakfast." "Okay." "I didn't know there was so much wild game in the vicinity." "You hunt, Duke?" "Nah, not since "Bambi"." "Okay, you want to get started?" "All right." "I assume the first thing you want to learn is how to incapacitate your man." "Yes." "Now, the ear is great." "Comes right off, you give it a yank." "Most people don't know that." "All that connects the ear to the head is a little cartilage, a little skin." "You just give it a yank, it'll come right off." "Hold it up and show it to 'em and gets their attention." "My gosh." "You know, I tell you," "I'm wondering if this is not too practical a start for me." "Now, I was rather good in school, and an academic beginning might be best." "How do you know when there's going to be violence?" "The eyes." "The eyes." "You can't control your eyes." "They start to blink uncontrollably." "Rapid eye movement." "Right." "Now, when you have determined there is going to be violence, where do you like to strike?" "Intellectually or philosophically speaking." "Intellectually, philosophically?" "The nuts are good." "Private parts are good." "Actually, after that, you don't have to write much down." "All right,here we are, stripped down and feeling mean." " All right, now." " What is that?" "Towel." "Don't they wear these?" "I should tell you at the outset," "I've had some self-defense instruction at the Y, so I'm not totally out of my element here." "Now, is it true that you don't need much strength to really inflict damage?" "Well, not when you do the unexpected." "Now, you know how to swing at a baseball?" "Well, I don'tplay baseball, but based on my experience with the all-sports channel," "I suppose it's something like this, eh?" "Right." "Now, you got a lot of power that way." "Use the tricep, the shoulder, the back, right?" "I can feel that." "Okay." "Now, I'm facing this way." "All right." "You're not prepared for a punch, right?" "No." "I'm standing like this, you're ready for something." "Then I would assume a defensive posture." "Right." "Now, I'm looking this way, you're not expecting anything." "My God." "My nose." "I'm bleeding." "My nose is bleeding." "God." "You hit me when I was unprepared." "All right, prepare yourself." "What do you mean, prepare myself?" "No, put your dukes up." "Let me see what you got." "I don't know what I've got." "That's it?" "Well, for now, yes." "God, my eye!" "I've hit my-- I've hit my own eye." "You're not hurt." "What do you mean, I'm not hurt?" "You're not hurt." "All your life, you worried about what was going to happen, whether you were going to be humiliated or hurt." "Well, it just happened." "Now, are you really hurt?" "I don't know." "Well, think about it." "All right, I will." "I don't know." "I guess it's not that bad, huh?" "Nah." "You know, there's no pain here." "There's no pain." "I have no pain." "There's no pain here." "I have-- there's pain here, but I have no pain." "Yeah." "All right." "And you hit me pretty hard, right?" "No, you hit yourself." "Yeah, I hit pretty good, huh?" "Right." "Come on, Ace." "You may have created a monster here." "All right?" "Didn't know this was coming, did you?" "What are you doing now?" "I'm attempting to bob and weave." "Let's forget that for a while." "We'll get back to it later, then?" "Yeah, we'll just work on the punch, okay?" " Thumbs out." " Thumbs out." "That's it." "Just do that unexpected punch." "All right." "Here we go." " Put it right" " There." "I guess you saw it coming." "Yeah." "Let's go outside." "All right." "Was any of that good?" "No." "Did you see my rapid eye movement or my eyes flickering?" "Now, left-handed or right-handed?" "I'm right-handed." " Put your left foot out." " Okay." "Now, you want to get me circling this way." " This way." " All right." "That's it." "Put 'em up." " I get it." " Put 'em up here." " Oh, yeah." "All right." " Okay." "There's-- yeah, all right." " That's it." " Okay." "Okay, throw one right here." " Right here." " For real?" " Yeah." " Hit you for real?" " Hard as you can." " All right." "God." "I've broken my hand." "You haven't broken your hand." "My nose is bleeding, my eye is black, and I've broken my hand." "Now, we can use this to your advantage, see?" "Put this up." "Come on, put this up." "I'm going to come right towards it, 'cause I thinkit's hurt, see?" " It is hurt." " All right, circle." " Now..." " All right." "...right here." " All right, now." " Right here." "Right here." "All right." "Lower." "Lower." "Bring it down." " Lower." " Bring it down." " All right." " Bring it down." "Oh, my God." "I'm sorry." "I hope you're not hurt." "Don't feel bad about it." "Well, I don't." "I feel pretty great about this." "I don't want you to feel great about it either." "Well, is it all right if I feel pretty good about it?" "That's fine." "I can't believe you're here." "Why don't you just paste a bull's-eye on your forehead?" " Sit down." " I got to talk" "Sit down." "You want to talk, talk in front of him." "Word is out on the street." "We gotta get you out of town." " Come on." " They're coming after me, let 'em come." "They're coming to kill you, asshole." "Want me to run and hide?" "Goddamn right." "I'm not going to run, and I don't know how to hide." "I heard you almost made it at the Aladdin last night." "I was almost out of here." "That's too bad, Nicky." "I got some lousy news this morning, and it concerns you." "It seems that you busted into 3506 at Dante's, you took out a couple of guys, and walked away with $20,000 that didn't belong to you." "I have known the DeMarco family forever, and Danny certainly has more than his share of self-esteem, but why would he lie?" "Come along, Nicholas." "Where are we going?" "To see DeMarco." "I have to find the truth." "You mean I'm on trial." "For your life." "Come on." "Why do I have to tell it again?" "I told you, and you believe me, so why?" "'Cause, Daniel, you're asking me to kill Nicholas here, and if, later on, I find out it's a mistake, I'm not going to like it." "I feel guilty 'cause I let him in." "You see, we had ordered room service, and we were having a great time." "Then when the knock came, I didn't think." "I just opened the door, and this guy is standing there, wearing a pimp outfit." "He's got this bandana covering his face." "Then he pistol-whips me across the mouth." "You see?" "He's quick too." "He beats the shit out of Tiel and Kinlaw like nothing." "Then he ties 'em up back to back, like they were when you found them." "Then he rifles my desk, he takes the 20, and then, for no fucking reason, he goes crazy." "And he kills maybe my two best friends in the whole world." "He probably would have killed me too, but then there was a sound in the corridor, so he panicked, and he ran." "He shot themwith their own guns, Baby." "Check." "Don't bother checking." "You'll find my fingerprints." "This is all true, then?" "Some of it." "Which?" "I'd speak if I were you, Nicholas, and I suggest you begin right now." "I'm going to ask you two questions, Baby." "You're gonna answer them to your satisfaction, then whatever happens happens, all right?" "Why would I use a gun?" "What the fuck kind of question is that?" "!" "Why would anybody use a gun?" "!" "Nicholas never does." "His specialty is edged weapons." "I suspect Nicholas is the most lethal man alive." "And the answer to your question is this-- it's a perfect cover." "No one would ever dream that Nick Escalante needed a piece to commit a robbery." "This is my second question." "How is it that I know that Mr. DeMarco here has a small, but definite cut on the upper side of his penis?" "The answer is I saw it put there by a sweet young lady with a pair of garden shears." " What is this crap?" "!" " Think I'm lying, you can have him drop his pants." "You're not buying this crock, are you, Baby?" "Oh, you better have somebody get a microscope so we can find Mr. DeMarco's pecker." "I'm not stripping for nobody!" "Afraid you must, Daniel." "After all, Nicholas here is risking his life on a very unusual long shot." "I know it's embarrassing." "I won't!" " I'm afraid you must." " I won't!" "I won't!" "It's a matter of principle!" "Shut him up!" "Principle, God damn it!" "Oh, Daniel, no one in your family has had a passing relationship with a principle in over 50 years." "Wait a second, Baby." "You're siding with him?" "You believe him over me?" "I believe this." "Someone who resembles Nicholas here did the killings, and I shall endeavor to find him, believe me, and you may go." "Daniel, put that away." "I'm not going to ask you twice, Daniel." "Can't protect him forever." "Goodbye, Daniel." "I can't wait till my father hears about this." "Don't bother your father." "When you're in my house, you act accordingly." "Right." "Can't work the damn door." " Hello." " Hello." "Well, you changed clothes." "You didn't." "I'm not sure you found the right look for yourself." "I'd love to see you in a Brooks Brothers suit." "Like to see you without one." "Ahh." "Tidying up?" "Yeah." "So now I've been doing some thinking, and I'm not advising you to run away from a fight, but sometimes it's just nice to know we've got some alternatives, and I'd like to provide you with one." "Airfare to Venice, one way." "Knowing you, you're too chicken to use it." "Probably cash it here and spend it." "It's fine with me." "I've created a monster." "Now, secondly, for my continuing education, this is not freedom money, but it's enough to get you started." "It's a check for $20,000, which you cannot cash here." "I've arranged with my banker." "You can only cash it at the American Express office, which is guess where." "Venice." "Ah, maybe we can continue classes over there, huh?" "I always wanted a semester abroad." "Get out of here." "Get out of here." "I missed you, Nick." "Wait a minute, guys." "Now, look, I'm an innocent bystander." "Obviously you've got things to discuss." "I'm just going to leave." "I'm sorry, pal." "I've got a broken hand and a black eye." "All right, I'm just going to go." "No!" "No!" "Come on." "Damn it." "Go that way." "Find him." "There's no pain." "There's no pain." "There he goes!" "You see him?" " No, sir." " Well, find him." "I want that bastard!" "There he is!" "Get him!" "We got him." "Come on." "You circle around that way." "There he is." "Nick!" "Nick!" "DeMarco." "How's it feel to be alone?" "Just you and me now." "Want to hear how you're going to die?" "Yeah!" "That was the wind, not me." "What's the matter, pretty boy?" "Afraid of the dark?" "You should be." "Want to know how long it's going to take you to die?" "I'll give you a hint." "Think in days." "Come on, Nick!" "Let me hear you talk some more." "That's right." "You're getting closer." "That's right." "Come on up." "Keep coming." "You're coming right at me." "Keep coming." "That's good." "Three more steps, and you're mine." "There are nine shots in a clip." "You got one more." "Even if you hit me, I'll get to you." "What happened to Tiel and Kinlaw was nothing nothing compared to what we're going to do." "I'm going to rip your face off." "I got a feeling you like your face." "We're going to havea lot of fun." "Want to take another shot in the dark?" "It's never going to be over." "You know, you're a lucky guy." " Yeah?" " But don't reach for the salt." "Ask for it." "Right." "How's Kinnick, Doc?" "Tough kid." "Oh, he'd love to hear that." "Yeah, I thought he was going to die." "He probably thought he was too." "But I think he'll be out of here in about a month." "A month?" "That's right." "I said a month." "Hey, Nicky, you think because I went to Harvard," "I ought to be right all the time." "I am." " I'll see you later, Doc." " Okay." "You all right?" "Well, I'm going to have to lay off the Finlandia for a while." "Ow, my fist." "My guy had a jaw like a lantern." "He was one of your bigger assailants, wouldn't you say?" "You disappoint me, Duke." "Why?" "You lived." "What kind of bullshit bravery is that?" "Don't you get anything right?" "Next time, I'll do better." "You nail those guys?" "After all, I did the hard part for you." "You think they all fainted after you got shot?" "Well, I confused 'em." "I messed up their game plan." "You know, I been thinking, Nick." "You're going to need me in Venice." "Why?" "'Cause you think you saved my life?" "Ah, somebody's got to look after you." "Venice can be a violent town." "Yeah, I'll chaperone you for a while, huh?" "No." "God, I've created a monster." "Gee, I hope so." "" " English "