REINDEER GAMES

The Nova drives into the lot. Pug gets out, carrying several fast-
food bags. Hurrying to stay warm:

                        PUG (O.S.)
           Okay, who had the cheeseburger with
           bacon; what about a roast beef, I've
           got two roast beefs here--

                        JUMPY (O.S.)
           Cheeseburger 'n bacon's mine--

                        MERLIN (o.s.)
           I got a bacon too; there another bacon
           in there?

                        PUG (O.S.)
           I got a bacon for him and a bacon
           for me; there's four cheeseburgers
           and two roast beefs--

                        MERLIN (o.s.)
           Somebody better give me something
           with some goddamn bacon--

As they continue chow dispersal, Rudy stares over the lake.

Distant. Not even aware Ashley's there.

                        RUDY
           This time right now ... Dad's
           stacking wood out back, getting
           ready for tomorrow. Little
           blaze in the fireplace. Mom's
           setting out the good silver,
           hanging her cinammon sticks, up
           in the doorways. Getting out her
           scratchy old records ... singing
           along...

Rudy smiles to himself. He's got a faraway look.

                        RUDY
           I don't know where you're going.
           But I,m going home.

                        ASHLEY
           We go together, Nick. Wherever...
           we go together. Remember?

                        RUDY
           Well. I'm going home.

GABRIEL

sits by the water, staring over the lake too. With a white cotton
Santa beard resting on his chin. He unwraps his roast beef
sandwich, pulls his beard down to his neck, and takes a savage
bite.

Munches away, stares to Rudy and Ashley. She meets his eyes.
Gabriel smiles. And looks again to the water.

ON FULL SCENE

The snowy rest stop, the glistening lake. And the six figures
scattered, watching day turn to night...

                                                           CUT TO:

EXT. TOMAHAWK CASINO - NIGHT

The neon axe lit up in full regalia, with Christmas lights now
strung along the building's roof. There are fewer than a dozen
cars in the parking lot.

INT. TOMAHAWK - NIGHT

Filled with the JINGLING, JANGLING slots, but there's only two FAT
WOMEN sitting at them. Three INDIANS at a poker table. An OLD
TIMER in his 90's playing blackjack.

INT. SECURITY LEVEL

A ragged headquarters, looking down to the casino level through
smoked glass. Desks, file cabinets, pin-up centerfolds. A room
with video monitors to one side. Stairs to a camera catwalk "hat
rings the casino.

Jack Bangs is at a table of wassail and cookies. He opens a battle
of brandy, pours a bit into the punch, and takes the bottle for
himself. Walks over to his HEAD OF SECURITY, watching the lack of
activity below:

                        JACK BANGS
           And all through the house...not a
           creature was stirring...
                 (sighs)
           Why don't you go ahead and
           send most of your guys home, Ed.

                        SECURITY BOSS
           Thanks, Jack. Merry X-mas.

The boss smiles, heads off. Jack Bangs swigs his brandy, eyes his
high-tech security gear glumly:

                        JACK BANGS
           Hell. Nobody even comes here to
           cheat...

EXT. TOMAHAWK - NIGHT

The Nova pulls into the lot and parks. Merlin, Pug and Ashley
inside. On the road, the Motor City Monster slows to an idling
stop. In the cab, Gabriel turns to Rudy and Jumpy:

                        GABRIEL
           Go.

Rudy gives Gabriel a withering look. He and Jumpy climb out.
Gabriel's rig rumbles up the road.

[NOTE: All five men, save Ashley, from now till story's end, are
in their Santa Claus suits.]

RUDY AND JUMPY

make their way across the lot, heading for the entrance.

                        RUDY
           Hey Jumpy, I want to ask you something.
           You have any problem with the fact
           that we're on our way to take millions
           of dollars from an Indian casino?

The Native American considers. As they walk:

                        JUMPY
           Nick. It's true that Indian gaming's
           gone a long way toward restoring
           wealth and pride to communities who've
           been economically isolated and enslaved
           for centuries. Stronger infrastructure,
           better schools, higher employment...
           ... they're all the results of reservation
           casino success stories. Still, many
           natives believe that these are temples
           to a godless materialism and greed
           that will only infect the souls of
           indigenous peoples until their love
           of money has destroyed the spiritual
           values their ancestors died to protect
           and their homelands have become no
           different from any United States
           suburb, satellite city or industrial
           park.  Destroying the Indian legacy
           once and for all and leaving behind
           a nation of selfish, angry natives,
           of which I, it's true, am one--

--as they hit the Tomahawk's doors--

INT. TOKAHAWK - NIGHT

--and SLAM inside, stumbling into each other, suddenly LAUGHING
and slapping backs. Surveying the casino:

                        RUDY
           Hey-hey, egg nog for everybody!

Rudy spreads his Santa arms wide and whoops. Jumpy laughs with
him, steadying his balance. Drunken and slurred:

                        RUDY
           Let's win some MONEY! MONEY-MONEY-
           MONEY!

The few gamblers inside look up at the commotion. Bear the
Bartender. Two CASHIERS and one WAITRESS. Ed the Security Boss
strides over, smiling tightly:

                        SECURITY BOSS
           How you gentlemen doing tonight?

                        RUDY
           We're out of work tonight, that's how!
           Christmas Eve! We're out of work!

                        JUMPY
                 (shakes his hand)
           Hi, Santa Claus, how are you.
           He's with Sears, I'm with Wal-Mart,
           twas the season...

                        RUDY
           We're all outta gifts, boys and
           girls, but we got charitable
           donations!

Rudy grabs a wad of bills from his pocket, drops some to the
floor. Jumpy retrieves them--

                        JUMPY
           ... bunch of us got together for the union
           party. Key, how late are you open?

                        SECURITY BOSS
                 (eyes on the money)
           All night and all day.

                        RUDY
           I got wampum for the Cocktail
           waitress Civil Defense Fund! Are
           there any representatives here present?

A Waitress sidles close; checks with the Boss. He nods okay.

                        WAITRESS
           What can I get ya, Santa?

                        RUDY
           Santa drinks American beer.

                        SECURITY BOSS
                 (to Jumpy)
           What's your game, guys?

                        JUMPY
           Blackjack. Got a buddy from
           Woolworth's out parking the sleigh.

The Security Boss stares him down. Then:

                        SECURITY BOSS
           Good luck, gentlemen.

He steps aside and indicates the tables. Jumpy claps him on the
back, pushes Rudy on through the slots.

EXT. RESERVATION ROAD - NIGHT

Gabriel's truck at the roadside, hazards on, with signal triangles
as if broken down. Gabriel places the last one, hurries back down
the casino road.

EXT. PARKING LOT/INT. NOVA - NIGHT

Ashley sits between Merlin and Pug. Gabriel jogs by the car.
Ashley checks her watch:

                        ASHLEY
           Three minutes.

INT. TOMAHAWK - NIGHT

Rudy and Jumpy sit at a blackjack table, beside the Old Timer.
Jovial ad libs as the Waitress brings Rudy's beer. Rudy doubles down,
busts, and gets belligerent:

           RUDY                           JUMPY
    (to the Old Timer)              (to the Waitress)
  That was my card, pop! My       How are you tonight?
  card! You hit for my card!
                                          WAITRESS
           OLD TIMER              Fuckin' freezing.  What
  I...sorry, mister...            can I get ya, Santa?

           RUDY                           JUMPY
  That was my king!               Jack and Coke.

           OLD TIMER                      WAITRESS
  Well...sorry...                 Want that Jack and Coke
                                  or Jack and Pepsi?

Behind them, Gabriel SLAMS through the casino doors.

                        JUMPY
           Woolworth's!

                        GABRIEL
           Hey, Sears! Hey, Wal-Mart!

                        JUMPY
           Saved you a seat, man. Get in
           on a hand here!

Gabriel sidles to the table, claps Rudy on the back.

                        RUDY
                 (re: Old Timer)
           Careful. Watch out for this guy.

They throw chips in. The Waitress circles around:

                        WAITRESS
           What can I get ya, Santa?

                        GABRIEL
           American beer.

The Old Timer hits and stays. Rudy hits and busts:

                        RUDY
           POP! That was My card!

                        OLD TIMER
           But...I had a five...

                        RUDY
           You're hitting for MY cards!

EXT. PARKING LOT

Ashley's eyes on her watch. Nods to Merlin and Pug:

                        ASHLEY
           Go.

INT. TOMAHAWK

Jumpy has left the table, sidling to a change booth, glancing at his
watch. Passes a $100 bill:

                        JUMPY
           Could Pat-Man-With-Flying-Horse get
           some quarters, please?

AT THE BLACKJACK

Gabriel slides off his stool, punches Rudy in the shoulder:

                        GABRIEL
           Be back, Wal-Mart. Watch my bank.

Rudy nods, slugging beer. He's becoming an unruly drinker. The Old
Timer motions to hit; but before the Dealer can pull the card,
Rudy slams the table, points to it:

                        RUDY
           That is my card, guy. My card.

                        DEALER
           He hit, mister.

                        RUDY
           He didn't hit.
                 (to Old Timer)
           You didn't hit. You're not hitting.

                        OLD TIMER
           But you don't even know what it is!

The dealer hits grandpa to twenty-one. Then hits Rudy and busts
him. Rudy stares darkly.

IN THE HALL TO THE BATHROOMS

Gabriel walks to the men's room door. Then stops. Adjusts the
rifle under his red coat. And turns back.

AT THE CHANGE BOOTH

Jumpy is handed a bucket of quarters.

EXT. PARKING LOT - SAME

Merlin and Pug march toward the entrance, hands in pockets.

INT. SECURITY LEVEL

The Security Boss returns upstairs, beside Jack Bangs, who's
watching the video monitors. On one screen, a parking lot cam
shows Merlin and Pug approaching:

                        VIDEO GUARD
           There's two more coming.

                        JACK BANGS
           Hell, there we go. That's the spirit.

He drunkenly clinks his battle to the Security Boss, wassail. The
Boss frowns.

                        SECURITY BOSS
           Jack? Is there a union for department
           store Santas?