Playaz - Priest - Act 3

EXT. THE CAGE - MOMENTS LATER

Priest and Boss face each other on the dark, empty court.

BOSS
It's been a long time, Priest.

PRIEST
Yeah, the last time I saw you was
on a most-wanted poster.

BOSS
Heh. Priest, always thinking he's
the sheriff in the white hat.

PRIEST
Hey, I might not be the best
person, but at least I ain't a thug
like you.

A gust of wind blows through the court.

PRIEST
And I'm taking you in.

Priest takes out a pair of handcuffs.

BOSS
Whoa, there, big man. You sure
there ain't something you'd like to
do first?

Priest stops and raises an eyebrow.

Boss opens his coat, revealing a basketball.

Boss bounces the basketball to Priest.

BOSS
I know you want a shot at the
title, and right now, I'm the champ
in this cage.

Priest dribbles the ball.

PRIEST
I'm still bringing you in.

Boss and Priest take off their coats and jackets.

BOSS
Tell you what, you win and I'll
lock up those cuffs myself.

Priest dribbles at the top of the key. Boss defends in front
of Priest.

BOSS
Half-court. First to 21, win by
two. No fouls, no out of bounds,
no crying. Cage-match basketball.

PRIEST
Let's go.

MONTAGE - THE CAGE

Priest drives at Boss with his forearm extended.

Boss pushes Priest and grabs the rebound.

Priest backs down Boss, bumping him hard with his backside.

Boss shakes Priest with a crossover move.



EXT. THE CAGE - NIGHT

Priest tosses the ball to Boss at the top of the key.

BOSS
You know why I called you the black
hole?

PRIEST
Yeah, something like the ball goes
in and it never comes back out.

Boss backs away from Priest.

BOSS
That's right. It wouldn't matter
if you were quadruple teamed.
You'd just try to power it in with
your big body.

Boss takes a long jumper and swishes it.

Boss tosses the ball to Priest, at the top of the key.

BOSS
You never learned to trust your
teammates. Never learned to find
the open man. That's why you're
beating the streets at night
instead of in the NBA.

Priest grits his teeth.

Priest lowers his shoulder and drives into the lane.

Priest pump-fakes and Boss jumps into the air.

Priest jumps, breaking through Boss' foul, and scores a
basket.

PRIEST
Maybe I learned real early that you
can't count on people. Maybe I
found out that even family can't be
trusted when they're nothing but
thugs.

Priest looks away from Boss.

Priest wipes a tear from his eye.

PRIEST
Game point.

Boss dribbles the ball at the top of the key.

BOSS
Hey, maybe I don't have the right
to say this, but I am your big
brother. You can't just push your
way through everything in life.
Trust your friends, learn from my
mistakes.

Priest grits his teeth at Boss.

BOSS
You can't push everyone around.
This is what happens when the other
guy's stronger.

Boss lowers his shoulder and drives at Priest.

Priest's eyes open wide.

Priest shoulders Boss, knocking Boss off balance.

Priest reaches in and steals the ball.

Priest takes the ball to the top of the key. Boss guards
Priest.

PRIEST
Let me show you how it's done.

Priest lowers his shoulder and drives. Boss steps out of the
way.

Priest jumps and slams the ball with both hands.

PRIEST
Aaaaa!

Priest does a pull-up on the rim, and then releases and
lands.

PRIEST
That's game, I win.

Priest looks around, but Boss is no longer on the court.

There is the sound of a gate slamming.

Priest looks to the gate and sees his handcuffs closing
around the gate, attaching it to the fence.

Boss stands outside the gate.

BOSS
Good game, Priest, you're the new
king of the cage.

Priest runs to the gate and shakes it. The handcuffs keep
the gate locked.

Boss puts on his long coat.

BOSS
Sorry, but I can't let you take me
in tonight. You played a good
game, though.

Boss begins to walk away.

PRIEST
Paul, where you going? Come back
here.

BOSS
Sorry, I got business to take care
of. But, hey, happy birthday.

Boss walks off.

PRIEST
Paul! Hey!



EXT. POLICE STATION - DAY

Priest walks out of the police station.

Priest looks at the street and sighs.

There is the sound of a radio squak.

DISPATCHER (V.O.)
(muffled)
Officer Priest Thompson?

Priest, still looking around, reaches for his radio.

PRIEST
Yeah?

DISPATCHER (V.O.)
(muffled)
You're requested at the West Fourth
Street courts.

Priest looks confused.



EXT. THE CAGE - DAY

Priest walks into the cage. On the court are Cheryl, Pablo,
Bunyan, Bones, and other players wearing party hats. There
is a banner that reads, "Happy Birthday Priest!" Pablo holds
a basketball.

PRIEST
Oh, what's all this?

BONES
Somebody told somebody that it was
somebody's birthday today, and
everyone deserves a little party.

PRIEST
Oh, I know what I want more than a
party.

Priest steals the ball from Pablo and dribbles at a basket.

PABLO
Thief! Thief! Bunyan, stop that
knucklehead.

Bunyan guards Priest.

Priest starts to back down Bunyan.

Cheryl moves to the corner of the court.

Priest smiles.

PRIEST
Yo, Cheryl.

Priest whips a pass to Cheryl.

PRIEST
Knock it down.

Cheryl takes a jumper. Swish.

PLAYERS
Whoa, nice shot, better guard the
lady, hahahaha.

Priest smiles as he looks around.

BUNYAN
Happy Birthday, man. I hope you
got what you wanted.

Priest notices a black car with darkened windows driving by.

PRIEST
Yeah, I think I did.



INT/EXT. STREETS OUTSIDE THE CAGE - DAY

Boss sits in the back seat of the black car with darkened
windows.

Boss looks out at Priest, who stands on the court.

Boss nods and smiles.

THE END