The First Fifteen...

EXT. SKIES OVER NEW YORK

A plane breaks through the clouds. Inside, Placido is speaking to a fellow passenger as a flight attendant moves towards him. His forehead is sweating.

PLACIDO

And before everything got real messy, I left. So now I’m coming back, hopefully for good

The passenger looks at Placido funny.

PASSENGER

What’s wrong? You’re sweating. And why do you sound so unsure?

The flight attendant gets to Placido and waits.

PLACIDO

O. Sorry, it’s just really hot in here.

Placido wipes the sweat from his forehead. He looks to the floor and then back up.

PLACIDO

I left a lot behind. I should probably be dead. Excuse me.

Placido walks towards the rest room. He gets in and shuts the door. He takes a black case out of his pants pocket and opens it. There is a syringe, a bottle, and a rubber band. He pulls up his shirt sleeve and straps on the band. Then there’s a knock at the door. Placido sounds upset and preoccupied. Sweat is running down his face.

PLACIDO

Yes?!

FLIGHT ATTENDANT

Sir, there is a telephone call in the other part of the cabin.

Placido looks confused.

PLACIDO

For me?

FLIGHT ATTENDANT

Yes, sir. Would you like me to take a message?

PLACIDO

No, I’ll be right out.

Placido takes off the strap and puts everything back into the case. He washes his face off in the sink and comes out.

PLACIDO

Where at?

FLIGHT ATTENDANT

Yes, right this way.

Placido follows the flight attendant to the front of the cabin. She picks up the phone and hands it to him. Placido sits and then speaks into the phone.

PLACIDO

Hello?

SALVATORE

Hiya, Placido! How ya doin’?

PLACIDO

Salvatore, is that you? You old dog? I’m doing great. What about yourself?

SALVATORE

I am doing well. We’ll have plenty of time to reacquaint ourselves when your plane touches down. How are you feeling?

PLACIDO

Nervous.

SALVATORE

Why?

PLACIDO

Are you sure they even want me to come back? I didn’t really tell a lot of them that I was leaving.

SALVATORE

Don’t worry about it. I have already spoken with all of them myself. They are perfectly ok with it.

PLACIDO

Are you sure?

SALVATORE

Would I ever lie to you?

PLACIDO

I guess not.

SALVATORE

You guess?

PLACIDO

I know you wouldn’t.

The flight attendant comes to Placido. Placido turns to her.

FLIGHT ATTENDANT

Sir, you are going to need to end your conversation quickly. The captain is about to make his final approach.

Placido nods and turns back to the phone.

PLACIDO

Thank you. Salvatore, look, I’ll be on the ground in a few minutes. We’ll talk then.

SALVATORE

All right, it was good talking to you. There are some people I want you to see when you get here. Have fun. Bye.

PLACIDO

You too. Bye.

Placido walks back to his seat.

EXT. AIRPORT

Placido’s plane touches down smoothly. Salvatore is outside a car waiting for him. The door comes open as a flight attendant comes out first. A few people get out of the airplane. Then Placido gets out with a large bag, a jacket on, and a coat on his head. Salvatore waves at him. Placido waves back and walks over to Salvatore. Placido looks up to the sky as he stops in front of Salvatore.

PLACIDO

Mmmm…smell that air.

SALVATORE

What? The filth?

PLACIDO

Home, sweet, home…

SALVATORE

You got that right. You ready to go? Here I’ll take your bags and put them in the trunk.

Salvatore takes Placido’s bags and puts them in the trunk. A very large winged shape plane comes down from the sky. Placido walks away from the car to look at it. Eight fighters are escorting the plane upon this final approach.

PLACIDO

What is that?

Salvatore, done with putting the bags in the car, walks towards Placido.

SALVATORE

I meant to tell you about that... That is Amadora.

Placido looks shocked.

PLACIDO

Amadora?

SALVATORE

Yes, after you left she was a rising star. She’s made capodecina.

Salvatore walks towards the driver’s side of the car.

PLACIDO

Capo? Really? No shit.

They both get in.

SALVATORE

Yea.

PLACIDO

Haven’t you been trying to make capo even before I left?

Salvatore laughs.

SALVATORE

Yea, that’s true. It seems as if the administration is going to keep me like this forever. Don’t forget though, you never made capo either.

PLACIDO

I’m not forgetting.

PLACIDO

Do you want to go see her?

PLACIDO

That would be nice, I suppose.

SALVATORE

All right.

Salvatore starts the car and drives over to that side of the run way.

EXT. AMADORA’S PLANE

Amadora, in a nice dress, steps down from the airplane’s stairs with body guards around her. Amadora sees Salvatore. She waves her body guards off and walks quickly towards Salvatore. Placido stays in the car. Amadora does not see Placido and smiles at Salvatore.

AMADORA

Salvatore, how are you? It’s been so long.

Salvatore takes Amadora’s hand and kisses it. Placido gets out of the car.

PLACIDO

Salvatore, you old smoothie…

Amadora quickly pulls her hand away from Salvatore. She seems upset.

AMADORA

O. Placido, I did not know that you were here.

PLACIDO

I just got back.

Placido walks around the car to Amadora.

AMADORA

You haven’t changed a bit.

PLACIDO

Well, look at you, a capo, who would have guessed.

AMADORA

Yes, I just got back, as you can see. How long are you here for?

PLACIDO

Hopefully for good.

Amadora does not look happy about this.

AMADORA

Well, that is good news. This city truly has not been the same since you left so suddenly. I will be-

Amadora’s plane explodes. Salvatore ducks.

SALVATORE

Get down!

Three cars speed up and start shooting at the guards.

PLACIDO

We have to get outta here.

The shooting continues. The guards are shooting back but most are dying. Amadora looks scared.

AMADORA

What are we going to do?

SALVATORE

Get in the car!

They each get in the car. Amadora gets in the back. Salvatore starts the engine and speeds off. Placido turns around.

PLACIDO

Amadora, keep your head down and we’ll get outta this.

Amadora speaks wearily.

AMADORA

Uh huh.

The cars follow Salvatore’s. Salvatore makes a fast turn through the fence of the airport and onto the street into traffic. The cars are still speeding after them shooting.

SALVATORE

Placido!

PLACIDO

Yea!?

SALVATORE

You better still have that good shot! Under the seat there’s a gun. Give ‘em hell.

PLACIDO

My pleasure.

Placido reaches under the seat and pulls out a Colt .45. Placido sticks his body out of the window. Bullets are littering the car. Placido shoots the lead car's driver in two shots. The car swerves into another shooting at them and explodes. Placido comes back in.

PLACIDO

Hey, I got one!

SALVATORE

Yea, there’s still one more!

PLACIDO

Don’t worry about him. I'm all over it.

Placido goes out. He shoots three times and hits the right front tire. The car hits another and stops in the road. Placido comes in as Salvatore swerves right and does not slow down. All in the car are hyperventilating. Placido turns to Amadora.

PLACIDO

You can get up now, Senator.

AMADORA

Thanks, Placido.

PLACIDO

Anytime, don't worrya bout it.

SALVATORE

Hey, what about me?

AMADORA

You too. I will be sure the Don knows about this. This is ridiculous!

Placido turns to Salvatore.

PLACIDO

Just like the good old days, huh?

SALVATORE

I’m just glad that you haven’t missed a beat or we would have got it right on in the kisser.

PLACIDO

Yea, tell me about it.

Salvatore continues to drive quickly towards the white house.

EXT. FAMILY MANSION

Salvatore pulls up. He checks in with his bullet torn vehicle. The secret service stops his car.

GUARD

Destination and cargo?

SALVATORE

Passengers only. Myself, my friend, and Amadora. We are here to drop the capo off for her meeting with the Don.

The secret service looks in the car.

GUARD

What happened to your car?

SALVATORE

We had a little trouble back at the airport. You know, anything for frequent flyer miles.

Another man steps to the car.

GUARD 2

Let them in immediately. The Don is waiting for their arrival.

INT. DON’S OFFICE

The Don is speaking with captain’s Julian and Agostino.

AGOSTINO

If the other smaller gangs leave us-

PHEBE

I will not let that happen.

AGOSTINO

I am just afraid that if a war does break out between the clans that there will not be enough soldiers on the streets to successfully combat an insurrection of that magnitude.

PHEBE

Do you really think that it will come to a gang war, Julian?

JULIAN

It is difficult to say. There are so many people that are allying themselves with them. So much at stake anymore. The taxes on them are too much but we cannot survive without them. And the Feds do not help our cause.

PHEBE

I will not let that happen. Jesus, we just fought the last one reluctantly. This thing of ours cannot handle another.

Amadora walks into the room followed by other Capos. Placido and Salvatore walk in behind her. Phebe stands up and walks towards Amadora. Agostino and Julian stand to leave and talk to Amadora.

AGOSTINO

I am glad that my men could escort your here safely, Amadora. Were the extra guards we sent of good use?

AMADORA

Your men are dead, Agostino.

Agostino looks astonished.

AGOSTINO

What? That is impossible.

AMADORA

Yes, we were ambushed at the airport, all of your men and the pilots are dead.

Phebe walks over to the oval office windows.

AGOSTINO

Then how did you get here?

AMADORA

Luckily other members of your crew were there.

AGOSTINO

Who?

AMADORA

Placido and Salvatore.

Both of them step out from the corner.

AGOSTINO

Hmmm…

AMADORA

Do you have any idea to who is behind this attack?

AGOSTINO

It is far too uncertain to say.

AMADORA

I think it is the former captain, Albina. It only makes sense.

JULIAN

She did break Omertá. But she is not a murderer. She is lucky to be alive, Amadora. Let me assure you that it was not her.

AGOSTINO

And I think you forget. We were her friends once. It is not in her character to murder a friend.

Phebe steps forward.

PHEBE

She has started the rival gang…and she has been trying to take our members. But she has seemed to never really want to start a war. Why would she want to kill you?

AMADORA

I don’t know but everything in my body is telling me that she is behind this plot.

Phebe turns around.

PHEBE

In this moment of crisis perhaps it would be best to place the capo with some new guards...perhaps those with a little more experiense...

AMADORA

I do not think that this matter is nearly-

PHEBE

That dangerous but I do. Please, do it for me, capo. The loss of you would truly ensure that the next war would break out and nobody wants that. Perhaps old friends, like Salvatore and Placido.

Julian turns to Phebe.

JULIAN

That could easily be arranged. Salvatore is already here.

AGOSTINO

But Placido does not work for us anymore. He quit a year ago. It may not be the most appropriate...

Phebe turns to Agostino and Placido.

PHEBE

Placido, are you willing to be reinstated? You do know that one that breaks Omertá usually is a dead man. But since you have managed to keep your mouth shut…

PLACIDO

Well, I could use the job.

PHEBE

Good! Than it is settled. The both of you are now assigned to the protection of Amadora. Placido, it is good to see you back. We have missed you since you have been gone.

PLACIDO

Well, look at you, Don of the Family, who would have guessed.

PHEBE

Yes, good luck on your new assignment.

Phebe returns to her desk. Agostino turns to Salvatore and Placido.

AGOSTINO

As underboss, both of you are now assigned to the protection of the capo. Get the capo situated in her room in the mansion.

PLACIDO AND SALVATORE

Yes sir.

They just stand around.

AGOSTINO

Well, get a move on.

SALVATORE

Yes, right this way.

The three walk out of the room.