KEVIN STANDS WITH HIS BODY PRESSED UP AGAINST THE BRICK WALL OF THE GAS STATION AS THE PUDGY MAN ONCE MORE NUDGES HIM WITH HIS GUN.
"WELL, WHERE'S YER 'LIL GIRLIE-GIRL?!" THE MAN GROWLS, COCKING HIS GUN AND SETTLING IT BACK ON KEVIN. "IT SHOULDN'T TAKE THAT LONG TUH GET SUMTHUN."
KEVIN KEEPS HIS EYES FIXED ON THE BARREL OF THE GUN AS HE STAMMERS A RESPONSE. "UH, M-MAYBE SHE'S HAVING TROUBLE GETTING THE DOOR OPEN." HE SWALLOWS. "I-I SHOULD GO CH-CHECK ON HER." HE STARTS TO WALK OFF IN THE DIRECTION IN WHICH SHE DISAPPEARED, BUT THE BALD GUY BRINGS HIS GUN DOWN IN FRONT OF HIM, BLOCKING HIS PATH.
"SORRY SON, YA AIN'T GOIN' ANYWHERE." HE SCOWLS AT KEVIN, HIS EYES NARROWED INTO TINY SLITS. SLOWLY HE STEPS TOWARDS KEVIN, AGAIN PRESSING HIM UP AGAINST THE WALL. "NOW, WHY DO I FEEL LIKE I'VA BEEN TRICKED AGIN?" HE SHOVES THE BARREL OF THE GUN INTO KEVIN'S MIDDLE, AND KEVIN DOUBLES OVER IN PAIN. "BOY, ANSWER WHEN YA SPOKEN TO." HE EXHALES LOUDLY AND SPITS, "TELL ME SON, HAVE YA BEEN LYIN' TO MERLE AND 'OL BESSY AGIN?"
KEVIN RAISES AN EYEBROW AND LOOKS THE MAN IN THE EYE. TRYING HARD NOT TO SMILE, HE SNICKERS, "YOU-YOU'RE NAME IS..... MERLE?"
MERLE FUMES AT KEVIN'S RESPONSE AND HOLDS THE GUN CLOSER TO KEVIN'S CHEST. "YESSUM, MY NAME IS MERLE. YOU GOT SUMTHUN TO SAY ABOUT MUH NAME, BOY?" HE PRESSES THE GUN AGAINST KEVIN'S CHEST, AND PEERS OVER IT AT HIM.
KEVIN GULPS AND ANSWERS, "UH, NO SIR. NO PROBLEM AT ALL." HE GLANCES OVER TO WHERE LAURA HAD DISAPPEARED AND WONDERS WHAT SHE IS UP TO THAT IS TAKING HER SO LONG. AND WHATEVER IT MAY BE, THAT SHE MIGHT HURRY IN DOING IT. BRINGING HIS EYES BACK TO MERLE, HIS BREATH CATCHES IN HIS THROAT AS HE WATCHES HIM RAISE THE GUN LEVEL TO HIS HEAD.
"YA TRICKED ME AGIN, DIDN'T CHA, BOY?" MERLE PURSES HIS LIPS AND GRITS HIS TEETH. BEFORE KEVIN CAN ANSWER HE BELLOWS, "I DON'T LIKE NO DISHONEST PEOPLE, BOY, AND YA KNOW THAT!" HE PULLS THE GUN DOWN AND NESTLES IT AT THE BASE OF KEVIN'S NECK. "WELL BESSY, IT LOOKS LIKE YOU AN' ME ARE GONNA HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF THIS YOUNGUN' OURSELVES!" KEVIN CLOSES HIS EYES TIGHT, SURE THE END IS NOW UPON HIM.
THE SCREECHING OF TIRES CAUSES HIM TO OPEN HIS EYES, ONLY TO CATCH A GLIMPSE OF A RED CONVERTIBLE WITH A FAMILIAR MALE DRIVER RACING RIGHT TOWARDS HIM AND MERLE. MERLE DODGES CATASTROPHE AND JUMPS OUT OF THE WAY JUST AS THE CAR BOUNCES OVER THE CURB, STOPPING ONLY INCHES FROM KEVIN AND THE WALL. TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE OPPORTUNITY, KEVIN PEELS HIMSELF AWAY FROM THE WALL AND PILES INTO THE BACK SEAT OF THE CAR.
"A.J.?! WHAT THE HECK ARE YOU GUYS DOING HERE?! AND SO FAST?!"
"KEVIN?" DIANA EXPLAINS, AS A.J. PUTS THE CAR IN REVERSE AND PEELS OUT OF THE PARKING LOT. "YOU FORGET, THIS IS A.J. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT!"
KEVIN TURNS AND LOOKS UP AT LAURA, WHO SITS OPPOSITE OF HIM IN THE SEAT. "WELL, FANCY MEETING YOU HERE." LAURA GLANCES OUT THE REAR WINDOW IN WIDE-EYED FEAR BEFORE ANSWERING, "GOD KEVIN, I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO. I WAS RUNNING DOWN THE INTERSTATE FOR HELP WHEN A.J. PULLED UP AND THREW ME INTO THE CAR." SHE PANTS HEAVILY AND ADDS, "I KNEW WE COULDN'T JUST LEAVE YOU THERE WITH THAT MADMAN...."
"HIS NAME IS MERLE."
"HUH?!" THEY ALL SQUEAK IN UNISON.
LAURA CONTINUES. "SO I TOLD A.J. THE ENTIRE SITUATION AND WE TURNED AROUND AND CAME BACK." SHE GLANCES OUT THE REAR WINDOW AGAIN, HER BOTTOM LIP QUIVERING.
"HERE'S A QUESTION?!" A.J. PEERS BACK AT THE TWO OF THEM IN THE BACK SEAT. "WHAT DID YOU GUYS DO TO PISS THAT GUY OFF?!" A.J THROWS HIS SUNGLASSES ON TO THE SEAT AND RUNS HIS HAND OVER HIS FACE. "I MEAN, WHY WOULD SOME OLD GUY LIKE THAT WANT TO PULL A GUN ON YOU?"
"'OL BESSY."
"WHAT?!"
"OH MY GOD!" LAURA SHRIEKS, WHIRLING AROUND TO FACE THE OTHERS. "HE'S COMING! HE'S COMING!!!"
KEVIN GLANCES OUT THE WINDOW AND WATCHES MERLE GUN THE ENGINE OF HIS TRUCK AND PEEL OUT OF THE PARKING LOT BEHIND THEM. "OH MAN! A.J., STEP ON IT!"
A.J. SLAMS HIS FOOT ON THE GAS PEDAL AND THE CAR LUNGES FORWARD AS THEY FLY FASTER AND FASTER DOWN THE INTERSTATE.
"A.J., HURRY!" DIANA COACHES FROM THE PASSENGER SEAT, HER BODY TURNED AWAY FROM THE WINDSHIELD. SHE WATCHES AS THE TRUCK WEAVES IN AND OUT OF THE TRAFFIC TOWARDS THEM, GAINING SPEED. "A.J.?!"
"I'M GOIN'! I'M GOIN'!" A.J. YELLS BACK AT HER, LEANING HARD ON THE GAS PEDAL.
"HOW FAR ARE WE FROM CHICAGO?!" KEVIN YELLS OVER THE ROAR OF THE ENGINE. "WE'RE GOING TO HIT THE TRAFFIC SOON IF WE'RE CLOSE!"
DIANA GLANCES OVER AT A ROAD SIGN AS THEY FLY PAST IT. "THAT SIGN SAID ABOUT 25 MILES!"
"HIT THE DECK!!!" LAURA SCREAMS, DUCKING DOWN INTO THE FLOORBOARD. THE GLASS FROM THE BACK WINDOW SHATTERS AS A BULLET CRASHES THROUGH IT AND BURIES ITSELF DEEP WITHIN THE DASHBOARD OF THE CONVERTIBLE. THEY ALL SCREAM IN FEAR AND A.J. PRESSES THE GAS PEDAL DOWN FLAT TO THE FLOOR. HE WATCHES AS THE NEEDLE ON THE SPEEDOMETER RISES .......... 80 ......... 85 ....... 90 .......
"NINETY-FIVE BOTTLES OF BEER ON THE WALL! NINETY-FIVE BOTTLES OF BEER! TAKE ONE DOWN, PASS IT AROUND......NINETY-FOUR BOTTLES OF BEER ON THE WALL! NINETY-FOUR BOTTLES OF BEER ON THE WALL......"
THE THUG IN THE PASSENGER SEAT PEERS OVER AT A SINGING HOWIE AND LOOKS UP AT HIS PARTNER IN CRIME. THE DRIVER LOOKS BACK AT HIM AND ROLLS HIS EYES. "LISTEN BUB, IF YOU DON'T SHUT YOUR TRAP, ME AND JOE HERE ARE GONNA HAVE TO DO IT OURSELVES."
HOWIE MAKES NO ATTEMPT OF LETTING UP AND CONTINUES INTO "NINETY-TWO BOTTLES OF BEER ON THE WALL! NINETY-TWO BOTTLES OF BEER! TAKE ONE...."
"SHUT HIM UP WILL YOU, JOE?"
JOE RUNS HIS HAND THROUGH HIS SHAGGY HAIR AND SLUMPS DOWN IN HIS SEAT. "AND HOW DO YOU SUPPOSE I DO THAT, MARTY?"
MARTY PULLS OFF HIS SKI CAP, EXPOSING HIS SHAVED HEAD. "JUST GIVE IT TO HIM." HE CONTINUES TO STEER THE CAR DOWN THE HIGHWAY.
JOE SIGHS AND LEANS OVER HIS SHOE. HE UNTIES THE KNOTTED LACE AND PULLS THE OLD SHOE OFF, EXPOSING A HOLEY SOCK CAKED WITH DIRT.
"EIGHTY-NINE BOTTLES OF BEER ON THE WALL! EIGHTY-NINE BOTTLES OF BEER! TAKE ONE DOWN, PASS IT AROUND......EIGHTY-EIGHT BOT..." JOE CRAMS THE DIRTY SOCK INTO HOWIE'S OPENED MOUTH AND THE TWO THUGS SIGH WITH RELIEF.
"THANK YOU, JOE."
"ANYTIME, MARTY