the christmas heist

1 -- Int. Interrogation Cell -- 1

Black screen.

INTERVIEWER (V.O.)
When did the obsession start?

Fade in on the interrogation cell, shot from the perspective of a camera recorded for the purposes of an interview. There are no windows.. SCHROEDER, dressed in a gray prisoner's uniform, paces. He is being interviewed by the off-screen INTERVIEWER. He considers the question.

SCHROEDER
Probably when I was around four.

INTERVIEWER (V.O.)
Four?

SCHROEDER gives a little chuckle and continues.

SCHROEDER
Yeah, around there. I mean, I grew up in a company town in North Carolina, and I was a member of a largely poor society. I just- I dunno. I just didn't feel like I belonged.

INTERVIEWER (V.O.)
You don't have a Southern accent.

SCHROEDER (thoughtfully)
Yeah, people would say that about me. It was one of the reasons I never really felt at home. I just... I longed for wealth, and I was violent about it sometimes.

INTERVIEWER (V.O.)
Did people around you seem troubled at all?

SCHROEDER
Not really.

Quick cut to...

2 -- Day -- Int. Mall -- 2

Title fades up: "1986".

Several CHILDREN stand in line to visit SANTA, who sits in a large, wooden chair surrounded by hokey fake snow. YOUNG SCHROEDER is second in line, very excited. His MOTHER is with him.

MOTHER
Excited to see Santa, Schroeder?

YOUNG SCHROEDER
Yeah!

The BOY in front of SCHROEDER goes up to SANTA and sits on his lap.

SANTA
Ho ho ho! What's your name, little boy?

BOY
John, sir.

SANTA
Well, John, what do you want for Christmas this year?

BOY
I'd like the new G.I. Joe action figure, Santa!

SANTA holds up a long scroll of paper, he makes a mark.

SANTA
I'll see what I can do for you, John.

BOY
Thank you, sir.

The BOY jumps off and runs off to his mom. YOUNG SCHROEDER runs up and sits on SANTA's lap.

SANTA
Hello, little boy. What's your name?

YOUNG SCHROEDER
Schroder!

SANTA
And what do you want for Christmas this-

YOUNG SCHROEDER
(cutting him off) I want six million dollars in small, unmarked bills.

SANTA pauses, unsure of himself. He looks over to YOUNG SCHOEDER's MOTHER. She gives him an encouraging nod.

SANTA
Well, Schroeder, I'll see what I can do.

YOUNG SCHROEDER does not leave. He looks expentantly at SANTA.

SANTA
Yes?

YOUNG SCHROEDER
Aren't you gonna write it down?

SANTA
Oh, yes, right away.

He picks up the list and marks something down.

YOUNG SCHROEDER does not leave.

YOUNG SCHROEDER
You know, Santa, I asked for the same thing last year.

SANTA
Oh?

YOUNG SCHROEDER (suddenly in a rage)
YEAH! SO WHERE'S MY MONEY, YOU CHEAP SON OF A-

OPENING CREDITS ROLL.

3 -- Night -- Street 1 -- 3

We are in a bustling metropolis, late at night. It is raining, but clearly cold. People are bundled up.

A young, BLIND WOMAN hurries out of her apartment building. She wears black glasses, carrying a white cane. She hurries down the sidewalk.

4 -- Night -- Ext. Armored Car -- 4

An armored car speeds down another street.

5 -- Night -- Int. Armored Car -- 5

Two men are in the car. The GUNMAN on the passenger side is armed.

Suddenly, the BLIND WOMAN appears in front of the car through the windshield. The DRIVER slams on the brakes.

6 -- Night -- Street -- 6

The armored car swerves, its wheels unable to grip the wet street. It narrowly misses the BLIND WOMAN, but as it flies across the intersection it is hit by an SUV coming from the left. The armored car smashes into what appears to be a large store at the corner of the intersection, breaking the windows.

Pan up to reveal that the store is a bank.

7 -- Night -- Int. Security Room -- 7

In the bank's security room, a GUARD is speaking frantically into a walkie-talkie while intently watching a series of monitors displaying the events as they are seen through several security cameras.

GUARD
Yes, sir. An armored truck just went straight through the glass. Yes, an SUV hit it. I don't think it's a set-up, it looks just like an honest... Wait, someone's getting out of the SUV.

He pauses, looking at the screen. At first he is confused, and then he comes to a realization.

GUARD (exasperated)
Oh, sh-

8 -- Night -- Int. Bank -- 8

BILL, who was driving the SUV, wears a face mask so he cannot be seen. He carries a handgun.

BILL
Nobody move! Hey, driver-boy. Get the hell out of the truck!

The DRIVER of the truck steps out, and BILL walks forward, seemingly unaware of the GUNMAN who was also in the truck.

9 -- Night -- Int. Bank Boiler Room -- 9

SANDY bursts into the door of the boiler room of the bank, holding a briefcase. He places it on the ground, taking out a drill. He runs over to the wall and puts on a pair of safety glasses. Standing on a chair, he begins drilling until he hits a series of wires. He takes another device out of the briefcase, and trips over a coffee table. Standing up, he holds the device to the wires. It lets out a quiet whine. SANDY pulls out a walkie-talkie.

SANDY (into the walkie-talkie)
I've got it.

HARRIS (from the walkie-talkie)
Good...

10 -- Night -- Int. Construction Building -- 10

Inside a building that is clearly under construction, HARRIS lays prone with binoculars, looking into the building. He continues to talk into the walkie-talkie.

HARRIS
...now wait for my cue.

11 -- Night -- Int. Bank -- 11

Inside the lobby, BILL takes the keys of the truck and runs up to it. Suddenly, the GUNMAN appears from behind the truck.

GUNMAN
Stop right there.

BILL freezes, looking as if he is caught.

GUNMAN
Drop the gun.

BILL (shakily)
Alright.

BILL spins around quickly and fires, but the GUNMAN is quicker. Several bullets are fired from his machine gun. Blood explodes from BILL's chest where he is shot.

12 -- Night -- Int. Construction Building -- 12

HARRIS watches BILL fall through his binoculars.

HARRIS (into his walkie-talkie)
Now!

13 -- Night -- Int. Bank Boiler Room -- 13

SANDY cuts a wire in the boiler room.

14 -- Night -- Int. Security Room -- 14

The GUARD watching the gun fight unfold on his screen suddenly sees them dissolve to static.

GUARD
Oh, crap. (into walkie-talkie) Sir, the burglar is down, but a bullet must've hit a wire. All I've got is static. Yes, sir. I understand.

15 -- Night -- Int. Men's room -- 15

SCHROEDER, in a business suit, is in the men's room of the bank. From an earpiece, he hears SANDY's voice.

SANDY
Schroeder, you're good to go.

SCHROEDER walks quickly out of the men's room.

16 -- Night -- Int. Bank Hallways -- 16

SCHROEDER walks down the hallways of the bank, coming to the vault. He snaps on a pair of rubber gloves and cracks his knuckles.

17 -- Night -- Int. Bank -- 17

JOHANNA, a customer in the bank, runs over to BILL, feeling for a pulse.

JOHANNA
My god... he's still alive. I'm calling an ambulance!

18 -- Night -- Int. Construction Building -- 18

HARRIS sees JOHANNA calling.

HARRIS (into walkie-talkie)
Johanna's calling now, Josh, get going.

Sirens are heard in the distance.

HARRIS
The police are coming, too. Get going.

19 -- Night -- Int. Bank -- 19

SCHROEDER, with a briefcase and a backpack, comes into the lobby of the bank, immediately blending in with the few customers in the lobby.

Outside, an ambulance screeches to a stop. Two PARAMEDICS jump out, bearing a stretcher. They run to BILL.

PARAMEDIC 1
Is anyone else hurt?

No one answers.

PARAMEDIC 1
Okay.

They grab BILL and put him on the stretcher, rushing him back into the ambulance. It peels off, it's siren blaring.

The CUSTOMERS' shock begin to wear off. They begin murmuring amongst themselves. SCHROEDER talks to one of the TELLERS.

SCHROEDER
Have you ever seen anything like this?

TELLER
Never in my life.

SCHROEDER
I'm getting out of here before something else happens.

The TELLER chuckles as SCHROEDER exits.

20 -- Night -- Int. Construction Building -- 20

HARRIS watches through his binoculars as SCHROEDER exits the building and drives off.

HARRIS (into his walkie-talkie)
Bill, Josh, you all set?

21 -- Night -- Int. Ambulance -- 21

JOSH takes out the walkie-talkie as BILL stands up off the stretcher, ripping off a bullet-proof vest. BILL grins.

JOSH (into the walkie-talkie)
Yeah, we're cool.

22 -- Night -- Int. Construction Building -- 22

HARRIS
Alright, great.

23 -- Night -- Int. SCHROEDER's Car -- 23

SCHROEDER
Take five, people. That's a wrap.