REINDEER GAMES

EXT. PARKING LOT - CONTINUOUS

Rudy stamps feet, shivering in the cold, as Merlin unlocks his
cuffs. Gabriel reaches to help Ashley out--

                        ASHLEY
           Get your goddamn hands off me--

She edges toward Rudy, then stops. A chill still there.

                        GABRIEL
           You got one hour.

                        RUDY
           I'm gonna need some money.

Gabriel hands a bill.

                        RUDY
           Ten dollars? What do I do with ten
           dollars?

                        GABRIEL
           Don't tip.

                        RUDY
           Monster. If we're working together
           here, we gotta be working together.
           I can't walk in there looking like
           the Lone Fucking Ranger with ten
           bucks to throw down. You don't want
           me getting noticed, right? Not
           getting noticed costs a guy at least
           a couple hundred.

Gabriel glares, turns to his crew. Mutters, rubs his fingers
together. Merlin, Pug and Jumpy reach for their wallets,
grumbling. Gabriel takes a few twenties from each.

Rudy nods thanks as Gabriel hands him the cash--

                        GABRIEL
                 (threateningly)
           Don't. Lose.

Rudy pockets the wad, hooks his elbow for Ashley to slip her arm
through. Grins with a drawl:

                        RUDY
           You ready to gamble, darlin'?

She regards him warily, but puts her arm in his.

                        RUDY
                 (to the boys)
           Y'all take care of my guitar.

He tips his hat, and strides for the casino entrance. Gabriel and
his truckers watch them go.

                        MERLIN
                 (grumbles)
           Who's robbin' who here, Gabriel ...

                        GABRIEL
           Get in there and watch 'em. Watch their
           every fuckin' move.

INT. TOMAHAWK CASINO - DAY

The cascade of JINGLING and JANGLING COINS fills the brightly lit,
horrendously-carpeted space. Wooden-beamed ceilings suggest a
rustic theme, but the neon slots, lush green tables and red
wheels of fortune are pure Midwest Vegas.

The Tomahawk is tiny by Nevada standards, about the size of a
large bingo hall. This morning, about FIFTY GAMBLERS mill about.
Skimpily-dressed COCKTAIL WAITRESSES, most of them Powahachee
Indians, pimp drinks. Bored DEALERS deal.

As the sound of slot machine payoffs suddenly go silent--

INT. JACK BANGS' OFFICE - DAY
CLOSE ON STEREO SYSTEM

And some scattered cassettes, labeled "Big Winners," "Little
Winners," and "Medium Cash." A HAND pops the tape currently in the
system -- "Big, BIG Winners" and flips it over. Presses play. The
sounds of JINGLING and JANGLING return.

ON FULL SCENE

An office overlooking the casino floor through smoked glass. JACK
BANGS, late 50's, silver-hair, capped teeth, shark suit and high
blood pressure, paces his office. He's got the air of a washed-up
gameshow host, Wink Martindale, Peter Tommarkin, one of those
hacks. Right now he's all caffeine.

                        JACK BANGS
           There's an S-word I'd really like to
           throw in the discussion here, guys,
           cause it's a big part of what's
           going on. Big element, 'kay? S-word.
           It's a serious issue, serious factor,
           so I'm just gonna get it out there,
           throw it an out there, so we can know
           it, we can talk about it, we can get
           things done...
                 (big pause)
           Snow. Are you with me, guys? Snow. Big
           time, fucking, grade-A, Godquality,
           S-N-O-W-snow.

Two INDIAN GOVERNORS sit before him. Business-dressed, with
overcoats, ponytails. one gray-haired, one jet-black.

                        JACK BANGS
           There's no snow in Vegas, 'kay? They don't
           know it, they don't want it, they got
           laws against the stuff. They got Egypt
           down there, right, they got Monte Carlo,
           Hawaii, they got ancient Rome, but where's
           the Winter Castle, right? Where's the Swiss
           miss Chalet? Where's the Big Fucking Igloo?

                        YOUNG GOVERNOR
           We understand you, Mr. Bangs.

                        JACK BANGS
           Capades? They don't do it.
           Mittens?  Outlawed. Why?

                        YOUNG GOVERNOR
           We're aware of your position.

                        JACK BANGS
                 (picks up a chip)
           Because down there this is money.
           Up here this is heat.
                 (pleads)
           you wanted Vegas quality, I brought it
           to you. You wanted Vegas press, I gave
           it to you. But guys, please, guys ... I
           can't get you Vegas profits ... till one
           of ya does some spirit dance and does
           something about this snow.

The tribal governors stare him down.

                        OLD GOVERNOR
           We understand the Paiutes' casino saw a
           net profit of twelve million dollars
           last year.

           JACK BANGS
           The Paiutes, they cook their books.

                        OLD GOVERNOR
           The Waitela reservation made seventeen
           million.

                        JACK BANGS
                 (sobers)
           Seventeen?

                        OLD GOVERNOR
           Perhaps you have researched this, Mr.
           Bangs. Is the snowfall On our side of
           the lake that much greater than the
           snowfall on theirs?

Jack Bangs stares at them both. Considers his next move--

                        JACK BANGS
           I'm bringing in this great showroom act
           next week; these three Russian girls,
           they look like Meryl Streep, they can
           juggle anything

                        YOUNG GOVERNOR
           Mr. Bangs.

                        JACK BANGS
           Guys. We're doing it right, here. $5.99
           prime rib? Nobody does that in Michigan.
           Nobody

                        YOUNG GOVERNOR
           The tribe is concerned that many of
           your... new ideas are not resulting
           in any new venues.

                        JACK BANGS
           I'm putting liquor in the drinks, I'm
           giving 10-times odds on craps, I got
           the girls showing sixteen-percent more
           skin! Show me another buffet's gonna
           offer you Coke and Pepsi! Whaddya want
           me to do?!

                        YOUNG GOVERNOR
           We want to see our casino making money
           again, Mr. Bangs. Making money for
           our community.

           OLD GOVERNOR
           Like the Paiutes and the Waitela.

The young man stands, stares Jack Bangs in the eye.

           YOUNG GOVERNOR
           We want you doing the job ... that we
           brought you here to do.

INT. TOMAHAWK - DAY

Rudy and Ashley move away from a change booth, with a bucket of
quarters. Rudy messes with his cowboy getup, noting two SECURITY
GUARDS punch a code in a private door, step inside:

                        ASHLEY
           So does it look a lot different?

                        RUDY
           Here and there. Restaurant, uh,
           that's the main expansion. Tables've
           been moved around; the big man's
           office, I dunno, might be upstairs
           now.

They settle at a slot machine. Another SECURITY GUARD walks past
them. Rudy turns his back. Ashley notices.

                        ASHLEY
           That guy knows you?

                        RUDY
           Yeah, uh. Mike. That's Mike.

At the door, Merlin and Jumpy enter, wandering through the slots.
Rudy sees them.

                        RUDY
           You start spending your brother's
           money. I'm gonna take a circuit
           around the joint, check for any
           new ins and outs. I'll snag us some
           drinks.

As he strides away--

                        ASHLEY
                 (sotto)
           Be careful, Nick...

MOVING THROUGH THE CASINO

with Rudy, ambling among the tables, making a show of checking out
the layout. In reality, he's surveying the GAMBLERS.

Passing the cage, he walks right by Jack Bangs and the Indian
governors. Jack Bangs is all smiles, while the governors turn
their backs an him and storm out.

ARRIVING AT THE BAR

                        RUDY
           Couple rum and Cokes, please.

                        INDIAN BARTENDER
           You want that rum and Coke or rum and
           Pepsi?

Rudy gives him a strange look. The bartender shrugs. Rudy still
scans the tables, settling on--

A BLACKJACK TABLE

where a trio of COLLEGE KIDS are forking over chips. One of them's
dark-haired with a goatee, a sweatshirt and jeans. Rudy studies
this kid for moment.

                        JACK BANGS (o.s.)
           Gimme a goddamn bottle of anything.

BACK AT THE BAR

Jack Bangs sidles up, distraught. The barkeep hands him a bottle.
Bangs takes a swig.

                        JACK BANGS
           I can't go back to Vegas, Bear. They'll
           fuckin' kill me, 'kay? I can't go back...

                        BARTENDER
           What does the tribe want?

                        JACK BANGS
           They want gold-paved roads is what they
           want. Talking 'bout the fuckin' Paiutes.
           Fuckin' Paiutes are on the interstate.
           Nothing I can do about that, man, I
           didn't pick the spot for your
           reservation.

                        BARTENDER
           Neither did we.

                        JACK BANGS
           Yeah, yeah, whatever.

Rudy gets his drinks, as Jack Bangs turns his way:

                        JACK BANGS
           Hey. Hey, cowboy. Jack Bangs, I
           run the place. Nice to have you in
           the Tomahawk. Tell me something...

Rudy winces, glancing to see Merlin and Jumpy watching him. Frowns
on their faces.

                        JACK BANGS
           ... does upstate Michigan need another
           roadside casino or does upstate
           Michigan need an international gaming
           destination?

                        RUDY
                 (wants outta here)
           Roadside casino?

Jack Bangs, smile falls flat.

                        JACK BANGS
           Well, so how'd you hear about this place,
           then. Word-of-mouth? Mass mailings?
           Cable TV?

                        RUDY
           Prison.

                        JACK BANGS
           Prison?!

Rudy shrugs, smiles, takes off with his drinks. Bangs looks sick,
turns to a FAT GUY on the next stool over. But before he can ask,
the guy shakes his head--

                        FAT GUY
           I just stopped in to use the can.

Bangs turns to the bartender, puts his head in his hands:

                        JACK BANGS
           I can't go back to Vegas, Bear...
           I can't...

From the slots, we hear a JACKPOT PAYOFF.

                        JACK BANGS
           Aw fuck.

THROUGH THE TABLES

walks Rudy, as Merlin sidles up next to him:

                        MERLIN
           What the hell was that about--

                        RUDY
           He didn't recognize me. Back off,
           willya? He didn't recognize me.

Merlin eyes him darkly, but lets him walk on into the slots. As he
nears Ashley, he glances to the blackjack table, where the College
Kid has left ... heading for the bathroom--

                        ASHLEY
           Hey Nick! We're up fifty cents!

--and as a barely-dressed COCKTAIL WAITRESS crosses between Rudy
and Ashley, blocking her view of him--

--Rudy pretends to crash into her, splashing the rum and Coke into
his own face-

                        RUDY
           Heyyyy!

Reaching Ashley, his goatee is dripping--

                        ASHLEY
           Nick, what happened--

                        RUDY
           There went my ... damn ... well, doesn't seem
           like security's all that switched ... Ash,
           shit, this mustache is starting to fall off.
           I gotta fix this thing--
                 (hands her his glass)
           --drink this for me.

He hustles for the bathroom. A moment later, Jumpy storms by.
Stops at Ashley.

                        JUMPY
           What happened?

                        ASHLEY
           He started losing his hair.

INT. CASINO BATHROOM - DAY

The College Kid is zipping up when Rudy SLAMS into his back, money
in hand, crashing him against the wall:

                        RUDY
           Hundred bucks to wear this jacket--

                        COLLEGE KID
           Jesus, man, don't kill me!

                        RUDY
           Nobody's killing you, kid. Santa's giving
           you a rhinestone jacket and a hundred bucks.

INT. TOMAHAWK SAME

Merlin's at a slot machine, watching the hall to the bathrooms. A
WAITRESS arrives, hands him a beer:

                        MERLIN
           Thanks, sister. How are ya.

                        WAITRESS
           Fuckin' freezing.

                        MERLIN
           Hell yeah. You work here long?

                        WAITRESS
           Five years. Since it opened.

                        MERLIN
           How long ago was your makeover?

                        WAITRESS
           My what?!

                        MERLIN
           No, the place. The remodeling. moving
           everything around.

The waitress frowns.

                        WAITRESS
           The Tomahawk's looked the same since I
           started, mister.
                 (shrugs)
           only the losers change.

Merlin stares at her. Then drops his drink to the floor, charging
for the bathroom.

INT. BATHROOM

As Merlin crashes in, seeing the cowboy hat and jacket, back
turned, adjusting a belt. As the figure turns around.

it's the College Kid. Merlin stops in his tracks--

--as Rudy CRASHES into him from a stall, kicking his legs out,
driving his throat into a countertop. Merlin hits the ground,
gagging. Rudy wears the kid's sweatshirt:

                        RUDY
           GO! GO!

The College Kid, shaking, hustles out the door.

INT. TOMAHAWK - CONTINUOUS

As the College-Kid, in Rudy's black getup, strides out of the
bathroom hall, walking for the casino exit.

From the slots, Ashley and Jumpy glance up, seeing him go. From
their vantage, it looks like Rudy. They frown.

As they're watching the Kid hit the door, Rudy darts out of the
hall, heads the other way.

EXT. PARKING LOT/INT. NOVA

Gabriel and Pug sit sentry, seeing the cowboy figure leave the
casino. wandering into-the parking lot... away from them.

                        GABRIEL
           Where the hell's he going?

                        PUG
           Where the hell's your sister?