Voice: "I can't believe this. It's like a mess backstage."

[Open up on Hamid at his desk. Christina St James is scribbling on some paper and ruffling through notes.

St James: "We've had another couple cancellations."

Hamid: "No big deal."

St James: "I'm not so sure. Our Nine Man Elimination may turn out to be significantly less. And let's say ticket sales this week weren't what we... hoped for."

[Hamid leans back in his chair.

Hamid: "Meaning?"

St James: "Meaning, we didn't gross the money we expected. So hopefully the buyrates are up...."

Voice: "Hopefully."

[The look to the doorway of the office, as a strong looking black man leans in the doorway, with a cigarette in his mouth. He reaches in his pocket, and grabs a lighter, zone of thos snazzy ones like a mini blowtorch. He lights it.

Hamid: "No smoking."

Man: "There is now."

[Hamid sighs.

Hamid: "Miss St James, if you'll excuse us."

St James: "O-of course."

[She goes to exit, but the man just looks over his jet black sunglasses at her, not moving. She steps past him, and hurries her steps. The man in the suit, dark with light blue pinstripes, steps in and slams the door behind him, pulling up the chair.

Man: "We gots business to talk about, Hamid."

Hamid: "Of course."

Man: "It's been months, and my boy Killa tells me you're not making money. You're not making my money. We gots a problem, and this problem is a bitch, you know?"

Hamid: "... I know. But don't make the mistake of coming in here and threatening me. I'm not the business man of whom I took over for."

Man: "No threats today, Hamid. No threats at all."

[The man puts his cigarette out on the desk.

Man: "No, no threats. But listen. It would make me look bad, stupid even, you knows what I'm saying? To let you just flush my money down this can and not gimme my f***ing principal and interest. You know all about this business sh**, so I've decided, sh**, I'll just swing by and let good Ol' Ham know I'm f***ing watching his every f***ing move."

Hamid: "I know you are."

Man: "Don't patronize me, bitch. I'm in no goddamn mood. You came to me and told me you had a fool proof plan to make me a legitimate business man. And now what? You're making me a legitmate punk. You're making me punk my own ass out, Ham. And I'm not in the f***ing mood for your elloquent bullsh**. It's simple sh**, my ten year old cuzin knows how this sh** works. You get money, you pay that sh** back, or you get f***ed up."

Hamid: "You fool, you know no plan is foolproof, and business takes time. Unless you have a magic wan-"

Man: "You want magic, nigga? I'll show you my f***ing magic wand."

[He reaches inside is sportcoat, and pulls out his gun. He waves it around.

Man: "Bippity boppity boo, mother f***er. You wanna be my Cinderella bitch? you want me to work my f***ing magic on you? You just keep wishing, bitch, and I'll break your Harry Potter bullsh** ass."

[Hamid breathes deep.

Hamid: "You know how these things work-"

Man: "F*** yes, I know how the f*** these things work, motherf***er.. it's you who f***in' seems confused. You gots my money. It's tied up. Untie the sh**, or use the next f***in few days to shop for a f***ing casket."

[The man stands up, and leans over the desk.

Man: "And here's the motherf***in exclaimation point, in case you think that was just a small request."

[He takes the pistol, and blasts Hamid across the face with the handle.... Hamid almost falls out of his chair, holding a cut over his cheek, and it's bruising already.

Man: "Can you hear better now, bitch? Now that I f***in knocked that sh** out of your ear? Money."

[Be brings the gun down on the knape of Hamid's neck, and holds his face, cut up, on the wood of the desktop. He leans in closer.

Man: "I don't like to kill, Ham. I don't f***in like it. It leaves alot of questions that pigs wan' answers for. Don't make me answer questions, because I hate to f***in lie. Lying f***s up my name. Don't f*** with my money, and don't f*** with my name."

[He pushes up, and fixes his suit after sidearming his gun once again.

Man: "Always a pleasure, Ismaili."

[He opens the door and walks out.