Page 2

CAPTAIN JOHN BURROWS, early fifties, pokes his head out of his office.

CAPTAIN BURROWS

Stryker. My office.

While making his way to Burrow’s office, Stryker walks by DETECTIVE RYDER, who is in his mid-thirties and smarmy. They exchange unpleasant glances.

Ryder smiles to the ROOKIE, JOHNSON, mid-twenties and clean-cut, sitting next to him. No sooner than Stryker walks by, Ryder decides to pick a fight.

RYDER

Hey, Stryker.

Stryker stops in his tracks.

RYDER

Maybe the Captain will finally get around to firing your sorry ass.

ROOKIE

Captain said to leave him alone.

RYDER

(to Rookie)

What? You gonna tell on me. Besides, why would I want to do that?

ROOKIE

He’s a good detective.

RYDER

Hey Stryker, Rookie here thinks you’re a good detective. Should you burst his bubble? Or should I?

Still standing there, Stryker drops his head.

Ryder picks up a photograph of him and another OFFICER, DAVID, standing in uniform and with their arms around each other. He briefly, but longingly, looks at the photograph before handing it to the Rookie.

RYDER

That’s me with my brother David.

(slight beat)

Do you remember the Jonathan Alley case? The papers dubbed him “The Back Alley Strangler”.

Rookie nods but Ryder is too preoccupied to notice.

RYDER

It was about six months ago, before you were hired. Stryker and David were heading up the case.

(slight beat)

They got a tip that the suspect was seen hiding in an abandoned building downtown. David ran into the building. He was shot and thrown out of the third story while Stryker was nowhere to be found.  We ended up catching him later that day. But, David was already dead.

Stryker walks back to Ryder’s desk and bends down so close, they are seeing eye-to-eye.

STRYKER

Why don’t you say that to my face.

There is a HUSH throughout the whole precinct.

Ryder stands, allowing his chair to fall over with a LOUD CRASH for effect. Rookie jumps up and squeezes between them, trying to prevent a fight.

ROOKIE

Hey man. You don’t want to do this.

RYDER

And how the hell do you know what I want?

Rookie tries his best to stay between both men, but Ryder manages to get a handful of Stryker’s jacket.

RYDER

You want to settle this? Come on, Stryker; let’s settle this now.

Expecting an attack, Stryker squares off to Ryder.

Burrows shows up just in time to stop the fight.

CAPTAIN BURROWS

Knock it off you two. Stryker, I thought I told you to come to my office.

(looks at Ryder)

I’ll deal with you later.

Burrows heads back to his office.

Stryker tosses Ryder’s hand away. Rookie grabs Ryder by the shoulder and manages to back him up a few steps.

ROOKIE

You need to calm down.

RYDER

(to Rookie)

Don’t tell me to calm down.

(to Stryker)

David is dead because of you.

Once Ryder frees himself from the Rookies hold, he angrily picks up his chair and sits down with a BANG.

Now that the show is over, the office resumes its daily activities.

Now that everything is calm, Stryker follows Burrows into his office.

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