PRINCE
You wanted to see me?
 
Billy still moves -- Prince keeps up--
 
BILLY
You having trouble?
 
PRINCE
(shrugs)
No.
 
BILLY
No?
 
PRINCE
No ...
 
BILLY
Where's Lisa and Wendy?
 
He stops abruptly at the front door,
studies Prince for a long time.  Then he
cuts outside.  Prince follows.
 
(75) EXT. STREETS, CLUB -- DAY
 
Rush hour TRAFFIC.  Billy sets the pace
down the sidewalk -- Prince keeps up--
 
BILLY
Morris called me this morning.
Seems he's got himself a new
group called Vanity Six.  You
know anything about them?
 
PRINCE
(a beat)
No.
 
BILLY
He tells me they're great.
Thinks I'll be interested.
That's cool, but now I've got
a problem.
 
PRINCE
What's that?
 
BILLY
I book three acts -- I can't
afford four.  If they're as
good as Morris says they are,
one of you will have to go...
 
Suddenly a HORN BLARES off screen.
Billy looks up -- a BEAUTIFUL BABE in a
black BMW waves--
 
BILLY
Go around the block!
 
The Babe pulls into the flow of traffic-
-
BILLY
It won't be The Time --
they're playing backup to
Vanity.  So it's either you or
the Modern Aires.
(a beat)
What would You do in my
position?
 
Prince has a sinking feeling in his gut-
-
BILLY
(musing)
I like the Modern Aires.  They
have a good following -- they
show up for practice -- and
the kids like all their music.
 
The BMW sweeps up to the curb.  Billy
opens the door, slides in--
 
BILLY
'Nough said.  Get smart.
Straighten up your shit.
 
(76) INT. REHEARSAL HALL -- DAY
 
The PLACE is JUMPING!  Once again The
Time is deep in the guts of "Sex
Shooter," but now there's a difference.
The MUSIC is fiercer and crisper -- the
BEAT tailored, more defined.
 
Morris and Jerome stand off to the side
sporting huge grins.  They're avidly
watching...
 
...Vanity, Susan, and Brenda dancing up
a fierce storm.  Vanity fronts the two
Girls and moves panther-like in front of
the mirrors...
 
She's a dynamo, her face drawn tightly,
her movements crisp and precise.  She
urges the Girls on, suggests and
cajoles, strengthening their resolve.
Sweat lathers their bodies and forms
rings on their Danskins.  The act is
still very rough, but the potential for
success can be felt.
 
PRINCE suddenly enters the hall.  Morris
spots him immediately and halts the
MUSIC.  The Girls dance on a moment,
then stop perplexed.  Vanity catches
Prince's look, shakes her head in
disbelief--
 
PRINCE
I want to talk to you.
 
She's out of breath, waves him off--
 
VANITY
Not now,  I'm busy.
 
PRINCE
Now.
 
A TITTER goes through the Band Members -
- Vanity wipes her face, fixes him with
a glare--
 
VANITY
I said I'm busy -- we'll talk
later.
 
PRINCE
Uh, uh...
 
He grabs her suddenly, pulls her to the
door--
 
VANITY
Leave me alone!  I've got a
show to do!
 
She pulls away savagely--
 
VANITY
YOU can't just come in here
and take me away!  We'll talk
later!
 
Morris is enraged--
 
MORRIS
Man -- why don't you just do
the walk?
 
Prince glares at him, cups his genitals-
-
PRINCE
Why don't you kiss the one-
eyed snake?
 
The Band lets out a condescending GROAN
-- the tension rises
 
MORRIS
Jellybean!
 
Jellybean, 6'4", 210 pounds, steps from
behind the drums, moves up behind Prince-
-
JELLYBEAN
Let's go, Jack.
 
PRINCE
Fuck you!
 
He lunges, grabs Vanity again -- she
SHRIEKS--
 
VANITY
Leave me alone, dammit!  Get
out of here!
 
Jellybean lurches, grabs Prince in a
HEAIDLOCK, lifts him off his his feet.
Prince kicks at him wildly--
 
JELLYBEAN
(enraged)
Fucker!!
 
He twists Prince's head backwards,
SMASHES his body to the ground--
 
JELLYBEAN
Stay still, motherfucker!!
 
But Prince continues fighting him with
everything he's got!  Jellybean is
astonished--
 
JELLYBEAN
Shit!!
 
He twists Prince's neck savagely,
SMASHES! his legs to the floor again and
again--
 
JELLYBEAN
Stop!!
 
Vanity is crying--
 
VANITY
Jellybean, please...
 
Prince drops to his hands and knees exhausted.  Everybody is
frozen now -- scared.  The Girls are crying, the incedent
has already gone too far...
 
Jellybean settles his weight on Prince,
twists his head down painfully, trying
to break the resistance he alone can
feel.  Prince remains silent, the anger
coursing through his body in tremors--
 
The Guys surround them, grabbing
Prince's arms, legs, and feet.  He's
like a trapped animal now--
 
JELLYBEAN
Lift him.
 
VANITY
(crying)
Don't hurt him ...
 
They pick him up, move him toward the
door.  He resists them slightly, his
body lurching in fit and starts.
Suddenly he breaks free, faces them with
his back to he door.  But the Band
Members surround him, their wills
united, the obviousness of the situation
apparent to all.
 
He searches for Vanity's eyes, but she
can't face him and walks away.  Anger
again surges in his veins.  He cuts out
the door, SLAMS it behind him.
 
(77) EXT. ACCESS ROAD, TRAIN TRACKS -- DUSK
 
Prince WHIPS down a dirt access road
locked in thought, the pain and anger in
his eyes apparent.  Suddenly a TRAIN
WHISTLE BLASTS just behind him, sending
a shot of fear through his guts.
 
He twists backwards in amazement.  A
FREIGHT TRAIN ROARS around the bend
BLASTING its HORN violently.  Prince
shudders with fright, loses control of
his cycle for an instant.  He hits a
series of ruts that almost topple him to
the ground.
 
He looks back at the train confused,
when another BLAST seems to SOCK him in
the teeth.  He twists wildly to the side
of the road, kicking up dirt and debris,
lurching him into the handlebars
violently.
 
The TRAIN ROARS abreast of him!  Prince
snaps an angry look at the engineer.
The Guy coolly gives him the finger and
BLASTS the HORN violently.
 
Prince becomes enraged!  He snaps a look
to the speedometer: 65 mph.  He snaps a
look to the Engineer -- the Guy sends
him another obscene gesture and BLASTS
his HORN.
 
Prince grits his teeth, twists the
throttle full.  He lurches forward in an
instant, blazing in front of the train,
The Engineer BLASTS the HORN
mercilessly, and throws on the coals.
They blast down the stretch neck to
neck, twist round a wide bend.
 
Prince edges in front!  The Engineer
BLASTS the HORN and moves up.  Prince
snaps a look to him -- the Guy mouths
the words:  Fuck You!
 
Prince wants to scream!  He twists the
throttle, snaps a look to the
speedometer:  75 mph.  He RIPS past ruts
and gullies like a madman.  The TRAIN
moves up.  They blast around another
bend neck to neck
 
Suddenly Prince's eyes widen with
horror.  A CAR is parked across the
access road, waiting to cross the track.
He shoots a look to the Engineer -- the
Guy is laughing hysterically now,
BLASTING his HORN wildly, mouthing the
words:  Bye Bye!
 
Prince screams like  a MADMAN!  He
twists his  throttle FULL!  He blazes
ahead of the train, BLASTS! up the
embankment, SAILS through the air...
 
...a BRICK WALL cuts the access road in
two!
 
He SCREAMS in bloody terror!  He hits
the road and fishtails wildly, locking
his brakes.  The WALL comes at him like
a locomotive.  He's going to hit it,
knows it and...
 
He twists his throttle violently BLASTS!
directly into the path of the train!
 
The Engineer looks on in horror!  Prince
throws his weight forward and...
 
...the train ROARS past him as he
fishtails wildly to a stop.
 
The Engineer sails off into the dusk,
his mouth agape.  Prince sits there
breathing fiercely, the adrenaline
shrieking though his veins, watching
the train disappear into the distance.
 
(78) EXT. STREETS AND ALLEY -- DOWNTOWN -- TWILIGHT
 
SHOPPERS flood the sidewalks, rushing for the buses that
take them home.  TRAFFIC clogs  at the 77 intersections
while PEDESTRIANS walk against the lights.  Prince rides
down the streets, hugging the right shoulder, impatient with
the delays.  He blasts down a side street, sees FLASHING
LIGHTS up ahead.  GAWKERS are already crowding around.
 
He moves through the TRAFFIC slowly,
glides past a POLICE CAR, and a small
CROWD.  A CAR has run onto the sidewalk,
knocking down the marquee to a rundown,
neighborhood bar.
 
Something catches his eye -- he stops
suddenly.  His Mother stands against the
wall, idly watching the goings on.  He
jumps off his bike hurriedly, walks up
behind her, taps her on the shoulder--
 
PRINCE
Ma...?
 
She turns, he gasps out loud.  Her left