plan b

LATER

The Lake van turns down Roosevelt street and pulls into the parking lot at Modified. The Long Wolf bus is not there.

Tim shuts off the engine and they all look out through the windows, obviously sleepy.

GRETA
What time is it?

Micah looks at his watch and yawns.

MICAH
Almost 2.
(beat)
They probably left.

SYLUS
Damn.

He opens the door and climbs out. The other three watch as he walks up to the venue and goes inside.

MICAH
What do we do now?

TIM
(to Greta)
You think they're at a motel somewhere?

GRETA
(slowly)
No, they gotta be at The Launchpad the day after the tomorrow. In Albuquerque.

MICAH
Shit, we gotta go to Albuquerque now?

TIM
Wait, here he comes.

Sylus walks back across the parking lot, his head down, hands in his pockets. He gets back into the passenger seat and sits quietly for a second.

SYLUS
Bartender says they took off right after the show. Just loaded up and left.

Tim looks stunned.

TIM
They knew we were coming...?

Sylus says nothing.

MICAH
They did, right?

SYLUS
(flatly)
He said people kept saying Christian was on fire. He played better than he ever does.

GRETA
Really?

TIM
(to Sylus, sharp)
Give me your phone. I don't have reception.

Sylus hands him his cell phone and Tim jumps out of the car, marching off with the phone to his ear.

MICAH
...Is he mad? I've never seen him mad.

Sylus puts his elbow up on the window sill and rests his chin in his hand.

GRETA
You don't think they did this on purpose?

SYLUS
I don't know. I have a feeling.

They all watch Tim outside, now gesturing as he speaks into the phone. Greta's phone suddenly lets out a little melody and they all jump.

GRETA
Oh, sorry, it's a text message.

She digs out her phone and looks at it.

INSERT - CELL PHONE SCREEN

PETER

"Having the time of your life yet?"

Greta frowns. Tim opens the car door and gets back in with a sigh.

TIM
(pissed)
So here's the story. First I got voicemail. Then I called back twice, back to back, and that guy Todd finally answered. He wasn't too friendly. He said we were late and they didn't want to get behind schedule, so they had to take off.
(beat)
He said we could meet them in Albuquerque.

MICAH
What?!

TIM
I told him we picked up Greta and we hit traffic and we all had jobs and had to get back to work. Didn't make much of an impression. And then I said didn't that asshole want his own guitar back?? And he said...

He eyes Sylus carefully.

TIM
He said 'No, not really.'

There is a slight pause as this sinks in.

GRETA
(abruptly)
He can't steal your guitar! We can call the label. We can make them ship it to you.
(beat)
What about Albus? You guys can call them, right?

MICAH
What could they do about it? I mean, they're not gonna fight the guy.

SYLUS
Actually, Scott might.
(to Tim)
Remember when he fought that kid with the headgear?

Tim starts to laugh. Sylus abruptly bursts into laughter too, both of them sounding exhausted. Micah and Greta look at each other, not finding anything funny.

The other two carry on for several seconds, getting louder, Sylus banging his arm against the window and Tim wiping at his eyes.

SYLUS
The biggest buzz band out there, the Willows Green band, the next fucking indie band to show up on Letterman, man - I bet you - just fuckin' stole my granddad's fuckin' guitar...

He knocks the van door open and leans his head out, letting out a hysterical-sounding WHOOP OF LAUGHTER. Tim thumps the dashboard and cackles, watching him. Greta starts to smile a bit.

Micah sighs, annoyed.

MICAH
Yeah, it's hilarious. Is anybody else really tired, at all? Can we find a place to sleep now?

Tim nods back at him and starts winding down, wiping his eyes again.

TIM
Let's find a motel.

GRETA
(quietly)
...It's nice to know they're concerned about me being there to take pictures.

Sylus stops laughing and sniffs loudly. He sighs, as Tim starts the van's engine.

SYLUS
Yeah, I think we all got screwed here.

Tim steers the van around and heads out of the parking lot. Greta looks back down at her phone and types in a reply to Peter's text:

INSERT - CELL PHONE SCREEN

"Time of life waylaid for now. Fill you in later."

EXT. MOTEL SIX - PHOENIX -- NIGHT

The Lake van pulls into the parking lot, the Motel Six sign flashing above them.

INT. MOTEL ROOM -- LATER

Sylus and Micah sleep in one double bed, Tim and Greta in the other, all four fully dressed. Tim snores a deep rumbling snore.

Sylus sits up slowly and peers out into the dark room. He picks up his phone and a crumpled pack of cigarettes from the nightstand between the beds, and walks outside.

EXT. MOTEL ROOM -- VERY EARLY MORNING

Sylus stands in the grass in front of their motel room door, looking quite disheveled, and smokes a cigarette. He pulls out his cell phone. It rings a long while.

SCOTT
(sleepy, gruff voice)
...Sylus?

SYLUS
Hey Scott. Sorry to wake you up, man, are you still in Phoenix?

SCOTT
...Yeah, yeah, what's goin' on?

SYLUS
Well, it's kind of weird, I guess... Did you hear about Christian taking my guitar at Spaceland?

SCOTT
Your guitar? No, is that what he was playin' last night? I saw he had a Tele.

SYLUS
Yeah, he took it by accident. I think.

SCOTT
Oh shit, wait, that's your old Tele? The one you always played?

Sylus blows some smoke in a huff.

SYLUS
Yep.

SCOTT
No way. Why'nt you come get it last night?

SYLUS
I did. We're all here, man, in Phoenix. We got here late cause we got lost and we hit some kind of accident, and then they took off, man, they didn't wait for us.

SCOTT
Yeah, they left right afterwards! I told 'em hell no, we were all wasted... We ain't got no driver.
(beat)
So what are you doin', man? You coming out to Albuquerque? You should have 'em ship that shit.

SYLUS
I don't think he would. I got his guitar, he doesn't want it shipped, and he likes mine. I think they ditched us on purpose to keep my guitar.

Scott laughs hoarsely and starts coughing on the other end.

SCOTT
That fucker's got another Gibson and a Martin at home, he don't want your Tele, man.

SYLUS
(intently)
Did you see him play last night?

SCOTT
Yeah, man, he was on fuckin' fire... He was wailing on all these riffs, for some reason...
(light dawns)
Oh shit.

SYLUS
(grins slightly)
My granddad always said it's magic. I never miss a note.

SCOTT
Man, you get your ass to Albuquerque and I'll make sure he sticks around. Can't promise much more'n that though.

He starts coughing again and Sylus smiles.

SYLUS
Thanks Scott. See you there.

SCOTT
Right on.

Scott hangs up and Sylus puts his phone in his pocket. He turns around to see Greta stepping out of the doorway, blinking in the oncoming daylight.

Her dead straight, white-blond hair is down for once and she has a blanket around her. Sylus stares, struck by how pretty she looks.

GRETA
We're making coffee if you want some.

SYLUS
Definitely.
(shyly)
Your hair is pretty.

GRETA
(surprised)
...Thanks. I didn't know you smoked.

SYLUS
Nah, only sometimes. If I'm down.

He drops the end of the cigarette and steps on it.

GRETA
Is it cause your grandfather's not around anymore?

SYLUS
Well, kind of. He was the only other musician in the family.
(beat)
But it's more like, he's the only one who believed in me.

Greta smiles.

GRETA
My parents wanted me and my brother to be doctors.

Micah opens the door and steps out, stretching dramatically.

SYLUS
(to Greta)
What does your brother do?

GRETA
Hair.

Sylus laughs and Micah looks at the two of them, expectantly.

MICAH
So what's the plan?