INT. PRISTINE CAR SHOWROOM – DAY
Flawless lighting. Heavenly chrome. Sacred silence.
NIKO (30s), flawless suit, flawless smile, hands keys to a
beaming CUSTOMER.
NIKO (V.O.)
This is the version of me that
lives in my head. No rent notices,
no "We ran your credit and the
system laughed."
BOB (50s), glowing energy, lays a warm hand on his shoulder.
BOB
You know why she bought from you?
NIKO
Because I was honest?
The Customer flickers. Freezes. PIXELATES.
The showroom GLITCHES — colors warp, audio distorts.
NIKO (V.O.)
Honesty’s great. Just comes with a
zero-mile warranty.
Bob studies him — practical. He pulls a GOLD CROSS PEN from
his breast pocket. Holds it between them.
BOB
Rule of the pen: Never let anyone
touch your pen. You sign the deals,
you keep the power.
He presses the pen into Niko’s hand.
BOB (CONT’D)
The trick isn’t believing the lie.
It’s making it sound like it was
always true.
A massive red glitch SLAMS across the showroom banner:
SALES TODAY: 0
Niko’s ideal self flickers. Shrinks. Whiteout
NIKO (V.O.)
Rent? Student loans? Easy. The hard
part is sounding like I know what
I’m doing when I don’t.
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
2 -
Morning Struggles
INT. NIKO’S BEDROOM — 5:00 A.M. — REALITY
ALARM BLARES. REAL NIKO — rumpled, exhausted — smacks it off.
His cracked phone lights up: - NOTIFICATIONS: Yikes.
NEWS REPORTER (V.O.)
...safety recalls at Jim Jeffers
Omni Auto continue to mount—
Niko scrolls past the exposé without blinking.
NIKO (V.O.)
Welcome to my financial horror
film. Brought to you by FAFSA.
He sits up. A photo of his MOM. A wilted rose. A student loan
balance: $122,874.56. He picks up a cheap, frayed TIE — his
mother’s gift. His armor.
INT. KITCHEN – CONTINUOUS
Cramped. Bills everywhere. SUZIE (20s, sharp, tired) stares
at her laptop: "PAYMENT PENDING - ACCESS DENIED."
She exhales. Closes it. A "Dream Ring" app pops up. She
swipes it away without looking.
NIKO
Soon, Suzie. Soon.
SUZIE
Soon is by Friday. Soon doesn't pay
for clinicals. Or deposits or rent.
She nods at the frayed tie.
SUZIE (CONT’D)
Why’d you take this job?
NIKO
Because I love people. And… it’s
temporary.
SUZIE
That’s the problem.
She finally looks at him.
SUZIE (CONT’D)
Everything with you is temporary.
Jobs. Plans. Promises.
Niko absorbs it. Says nothing.
SUZIE (CONT’D)
I’m not asking for rich. I’m asking
for stable.
(softer)
I can’t keep pausing my life so you
can figure yours out.
His phone BUZZES. MOM. He freezes.
SUZIE (CONT’D)
You should answer. She still
believes in the dream.
He answers, turning away.
NIKO (V.O.)
The truth hurts. The financial
truth? That’s a monster.
He grabs his wrinkled suit. UNKNOWN NUMBER flashes. He
declines. As he tightens the tie — a THREAD SNAPS.
TEXT: DEBT COLLECTOR: Final notice. File moving to
litigation. He shoves the phone into his pocket.
SUZIE
Just… don’t lose yourself today.
Niko grabs two DONUT BOXES from the desk beside a
PAST-DUE COLLECTION NOTICE.
NIKO (V.O.)
You can't sell a car when you look
like you can't afford one. So you
dress the part. You fake the
confidence.
He exits. An EVICTION NOTICE flaps on the door: PAST DUE:
$2,500 — FINAL NOTICE.
Genres:
["Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
3 -
Lemon Law: A Drive of Despair
INT. INFINITI – DRIVING – DAY
The engine coughs awake. The CHECK ENGINE LIGHT spasms —
a sickly amber strobe.
NIKO (V.O.)
Gas on empty. Bank account on
fumes. But success requires
optimism, donuts, and a total lack
of shame.
Niko brakes—the donuts FLY to the floor. He dusts one off and
eats it.
PHONE PINGS: MOM - Proud of you! No more quitting jobs. ❤
TEXT FROM LANDLORD: Late fees double in 48 hours.
He turns on the radio.
RADIO DJ #1 (V.O.)
I traded my lemon. Total nightmare
dealership.
RADIO DJ #2 (V.O.)
Jim Jeffers Omni Auto.
Investigators say management
ordered recall documents shredded.
RADIO DJ #1 (V.O.)
Imagine if lawyers and car salesmen
had a kid.
RADIO DJ #2 (V.O.)
That kid would be the antichrist.
Niko SLAMS the radio off. Grips the wheel. CHECK ENGINE light
glows brighter. Taunting him.
NIKO (V.O.)
I swore I wouldn't become the
problem. But right now, the problem
is the only thing hiring.
TITLE CARD: LEMON LAW (Sign Here)
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
4 -
Welcome to the Jungle: Surviving the Dealership
EXT. JIM JEFFERS OMNI AUTO – DAY
TITLE OVER: Based on actual events… well, most of it… except
the parts that could get us sued.
The dealership is tired. Sun-bleached banners. A flickering
sign missing letters. A half-deflated 50-FOOT INFLATABLE
GORILLA slumps over the entrance like it gave up.
Niko parks. Straightens his frayed tie. Lifts his crushed
donut boxes — communion for the damned.
NIKO (V.O.)
Bob said: Don't listen to the
customer. Nod, smile and get 'em in
the box.
He forces a painful smile.
NIKO
Fake it till you make it.
A SEAGULL dive-bombs a McDonald’s bag on a trade-in hood — it
explodes like a sad piñata.
A Cadillac swerves in, nearly clipping him. JOJO (60s,
burnout) drives, joint dangling. Next lane: MARCO (30s)
sleeps in a dented Accord buried in beer cans.
JOJO
Wake up, super star.
MARCO
That’s it. No more speedballs.
They pass Niko without acknowledging him.
NIKO (V.O.)
Meet the dream team. My coworkers.
My future? God, I hope not.
Across the lot, SIERRA (late 30s) chain-smokes while
scrolling job listings on her cracked iPhone.
A sleek sports car glides in. RICKY (30s) movie-star ego,
finger-guns his reflection.
A CUSTOMER slams on the locked glass door like a trapped
zombie.
CUSTOMER #1 (O.S.)
I SEE YOU IN THERE!
The doors unlock. Ricky strolls past him without looking.
DEAN (40s) — Used Car Manager, permanently exhausted, enters
with coffee and despair. Niko rushes over with the donuuts.
DEAN
Fuck my life. I should’ve been a
stripper. At least they get tips.
NIKO
Dean! First day — I brought Bob’s
favorites—
DEAN
Talk to me after ninety days, kid.
He flicks his cigarette at a cracked “Employee of the Month”
frame still featuring someone who was fired last year.
NIKO (V.O.)
Survive ninety days. Piece of cake.
Genres:
["Drama","Comedy"]
Ratings
Scene
5 -
Sales Pressure and Dark Humor
INT. GENERAL MANAGER'S OFFICE - CONTINUOUS
VINCENT (50s) calmly sips coffee while feeding documents into
a shredder. ON SCREEN: “How to cut pay without employees
quitting.” Backspace.
“How to fire people without getting sued?” Sip. He checks his
scratched luxury watch. Keeps shredding.
INT. MEETING ROOM - CONTINUOUS
Buzzing lights. Motivational poster: GRIND HARDER. BUYERS ARE
LIARS. COMMISSIONS DON’T. The staff shuffles in. Niko sets
down donuts. They vanish instantly.
NIKO (V.O.)
If hell held morning meetings, it
would look exactly like this.
EDDIE (40s) flashy GSM, caffeinated delusion steps up. He
adjusts his knee brace — pain masked by a grin.
EDDIE
It’s the last day of the month.
Sixty-seven new cars so far. We
need five new today. Minimum.
The team groans. Dean leans toward Niko.
DEAN
Manufacturer doesn’t end the month
on weekends. Nothing here makes
sense. Get used to that.
EDDIE
Claw, scratch, emotionally
manipulate — whatever works.
Good news: tax season. Money down!
NIKO
Bad news?
DEAN
Every credit criminal thinks they
can buy a car now.
EDDIE
Next month’s goal: 112 new cars.
Collective groan — like a choir in purgatory.
JOHNNY
Impossible. We sold one new car
yesterday.
DEAN
Correction — you lost money on it.
NANCY
We made some on the back.
MARCO
Just the way Ricky likes it.
RICKY
I am not gay. But I will call HR.
JOJO
Nobody said you were.
OMAR
But we’re all thinking it.
WHAM. Vincent enters with a folded note. The room stills.
Eddie reads it, sinks a quarter-inch.
NIKO (V.O.)
That’s the thing about this place:
Good news walks, bad news wears
expensive cologne.
NIKO
(low, to Dean)
Who was that?
DEAN
The Angel of Death. Rule one: never
buy office supplies. You won’t be
here long enough to use ‘em.
EDDIE
Big month ahead. Big numbers.
Elephant energy —strong. Majestic.
DEAN
Or slaughtered for tusks.
KRUSHNA, (30s) plays Candy Crush under the table.
EDDIE
Krushna!
Krushna jolts, fumbles to hide his phone.
EDDIE (CONT’D)
Listen up! Push the 3C package.
Full price = a hundred bucks and my
respect. Minimum gets you a lap
dance from Frank Jr.
FRANK JR.
Not true! It pays fifty bucks.
EDDIE
Shut up, Frank.
Niko raises his hand like a terrified freshman.
NIKO
What’s the 3C?
They look at him like he farted in church.
RICKY
Nano-ceramic, diamond-infused, NASA-
grade clear coat. Protects your car
from meteors, UV rays, and your ex.
EDDIE
Can’t be in writing. Only verbal.
NIKO
(under his breath)
Sounds like bullshit.
DEAN
Now you’re catching on.
JoJo’s phone BLARES blues music.
SIERRA
Hey Ricky, your boyfriend’s
calling.
Laughter erupts. Ricky fumes. Eddie sighs.
EDDIE
You know the rule, JoJo.
JoJo stands. Dances — rhythm-less, nightmare fuel.
STAFF
Go JoJo, go JoJo, go JoJo—
EDDIE
Alright, team — bring it in!
Don’t forget, if a lemon’s on a
used car, what do you say?
STAFF
It was just a small recall issue!
NIKO
What?
They huddle, groaning.
EVERYONE
On three! Goooooo…team.
FRANK JR
That’s gotta be the stupidest thing
we do.
Chairs scrape. Coffee slurps. The sadness returns.
EDDIE
Bob… We need to talk.
Bob (60’s) freezes. The staff shoots him pity looks.
FRANK JR.
He’s toast.
Niko grips his mother’s tie. Touches the pen Bob gave him.
NIKO (V.O.)
Everybody says they won’t be “that
guy.” “That guy” thought the same
thing.
The Managers sit with Bob. Eddie grabs a donut.
EDDIE
Five years, two cars last month.
Too many mistakes.
BOB
But I bring donuts every Friday.
DEAN
And my ten extra pounds thank you.
NANCY
You bring the cheap ones.
EDDIE
We want you to be successful, Bob.
Just… not here.
Bob rises — dignity trembling.
BOB
This place eats its own. And they
still call us family.
He exits, kicking the empty donut box. Silence.
DEAN
And that’s how we celebrate Monday.
EDDIE
We gotta throw the new guy into the
fire. Who’s babysitting?
DEAN
Not it!
NANCY
He seems like a good kid.
RICKY
I’ll take him.
SIERRA
I bet you would. No. He’ll end up
forging signatures by lunch.
JOHNNY
I could train him.
DEAN
He’ll learn lazy on his own.
EDDIE
Then it’s settled. Dean, he’s
yours. I got a fresh batch of green
peas coming in.
DEAN
Waste of my time. He won’t
last ninety days.
SIERRA
Over or under?
MANAGERS
Under.
TITLE OVER: ROCK BOTTOM 9:00 AM. ONLY 12 MORE HOURS TO GO.
Genres:
["Drama","Comedy"]
Ratings
Scene
6 -
Surviving the Showroom Chaos
INT. SHOWROOM – DAY
Chaos. PHONES SCREAM. PRINTER SHRIEKS. Kids dart between
cubicles like caffeinated raccoons. Crooked posters shout:
ZERO DOWN! — NO CREDIT? NO PROBLEM!
NIKO (V.O.)
Rule one here: never look stressed
— which is like trying not to sweat
in a sauna full of starving wolves.
Niko attempts to “shadow”. The staff waves him off. In his
glass office, FRANK JR. laughs at cat videos. Marco and JoJo
power-walk through service already twitchy.
Krushna argues with a toddler holding a balloon.
Niko reaches his bare desk. The empty space where Bob’s
nameplate used to be tightens something in his spine.
Across the showroom: a CUSTOMER studies an SUV — unclaimed.
Niko inhales. Crosses the floor.
NIKO
Can I help you with—
Omar swoops in, hand on the customer’s shoulder.
OMAR
Right this way, sir — I’ve got
exactly what you need.
The customer gives Niko an apologetic shrug. Gone.
FRANK JR.
(from his office)
He’s got guts... I give him a week.
Niko sinks into his chair. Dean plops down across from him,
chewing a granola bar like it wronged him.
DEAN
You look lost.
NIKO
I don’t even have a login yet.
DEAN
You don’t need one. Half the guys
here can’t spell login. What you do
need—are ups. Fresh meat off the
lot.
NIKO
So… just start selling?
DEAN
Yep. Simple as that. Remember what
Bob taught you?
NIKO
I took notes.
DEAN
Throw them away. The less you know,
the better.
NIKO
I literally don’t know anything.
DEAN
Perfect! You’ll fit right in.
Niko glances down — a rent notice hides under his keyboard.
His hand grips his mother’s frayed tie.
NIKO
I still have to do the manufacturer
tests—
DEAN
Sell a car, be a star. Forget the
tests. Give Frank Jr. fifty bucks,
— he’ll take ’em for you. This
ain’t school.
Across the floor, Omar is laughing with the SUV customer.
NIKO
I talked to that guy first.
I asked if he needed help.
DEAN
And that was your first mistake.
Don’t ask. Tell.
NIKO
I don’t follow.
Dean gestures lazily.
DEAN
Stand up.
Niko slowly stands.
DEAN (CONT’D)
Sit down.
Niko sits.
DEAN (CONT’D)
See? Simple.
NIKO
And the lesson here?
DEAN
I didn’t ask. I told you.
NIKO
This is only temporary.
DEAN
So was this place for me. Twenty
years ago.
Dean walks off, granola crumbs trailing. A janitor sweeps
behind him immediately. A deflated balloon bounces across the
floor, rolling past Niko’s desk. He watches it go.
NIKO (V.O.)
Dean didn’t teach me to sell. He
taught me to survive — to live in
the gap between the truth and the
check.
Genres:
["Drama","Comedy"]
Ratings
Scene
7 -
Confrontation in the Service Department
INT. SERVICE DEPARTMENT - DAY
Harsh fluorescent lights HUM. MRS. DELUCA (70s) stands firm,
holding a note scribbled on a Wendy’s receipt.
MRS. DELUCA
Your salesman — Frank Senior — told
me six months ago that you’d
install an automatic transmission
kit. For free.
The SERVICE MANAGER snorts.
SERVICE MANAGER
Ma’am… there is no Frank Sr.
SERVICE TECH (O.S.)
Automatic transmission kit?! What
is this, Make-A-Wish Auto?!
Mrs. Deluca face tightens — grief turning volcanic. She sets
the receipt down with lethal precision… Her orthopedic shoes
click like a ticking bomb.
Genres:
["Drama","Comedy"]
Ratings
Scene
8 -
Silencing the Truth
INT. SHOWROOM LOUNGE – CONTINUOUS
Niko watches her cross the showroom — anger rolling like a
pressure front. A TV overhead drones:
ANCHOR #1
Another Lemon Law complaint has
been filed against Jim Jeffers Omni
Auto—
CHYRON: LEMON LAW SUIT FILED AGAINST OMNI AUTO.
Eddie BLASTS into frame, grabs the remote, kills the TV. A
CUSTOMER sighs — he was actually watching that.
EDDIE
Ignore that. Negative energy.
Positive vibes only.
He vanishes. Mrs. Deluca stares at the now-blank screen.
NIKO (V.O.)
They say the truth always comes
out. Here… it just gets turned off.
Genres:
["Drama","Dark Comedy"]
Ratings
Scene
9 -
Ethics in the Grey Zone
INT. SHOWROOM – DAY
Fluorescent misery hums. Customers wander. Phones shriek. At
his old desk, Bob sits alone — like a ghost watching his own
obituary. Dean steps beside Niko.
DEAN
Talk to anyone yet?
NIKO
No. Why’s everyone staring at Bob?
DEAN
He just got shit-canned. Five years
in. Car business doesn’t need a
reason. Someone don’t like you —
poof.
Niko’s phone BUZZES — STUDENT LOAN — COLLECTION
DEAN (CONT’D)
This isn’t sales… it’s survival.
There's three kinds of salespeople
in this business, kid. And every
one of us falls into one— whether
we like it or not.
Dean gestures with his granola bar.
Across the room, Nancy cradles a customer’s baby while
reviewing paperwork — pure saint energy.
DEAN (V.O.)
The White Zone. They tell the truth
like it’s a religion. The Discloser
A few feet away, Omar screams at a customer like a cattle
auction.
DEAN (V.O.)
Then you got the Black Zone — the
liars, the hustlers, the ones who
think ethics is a Greek island.
Basically — Marco lives there, but
Omar built the damn place.
Dean taps Niko’s chest with the granola bar.
DEAN
And then… there's the Grey Man.
That’s you. Operates on both sides.
Not good. Not evil. Adaptable. Says
enough to close — never enough to
get caught.
A cold hand drops a manila file on Niko’s desk. Vincent
stands over him.
VINCENT
New guy. Your college degree. Need
a copy for the file.
NIKO
My degree? Why?
VINCENT
College Grad Rebate. Non-existent
form. I need a clean signature line
to make it real.
He nods at Niko’s loan notice.
VINCENT (CONT’D)
You scratch our back, we scratch
yours. Five hundred cash in your
first split. No paper trace.
Vincent leaves the file behind. Niko’s hand finds his
mother’s tie, but his gaze finds the pen.
NIKO
The GM knows who I am?
DEAN
He's asking you to put a rubber
stamp on a pile of manure. Rule
Two: You sign the deals, you keep
the power. Just don’t use your real
signature.
NIKO
Lie just enough to live?
DEAN
Bingo.
NIKO
Can I still use the CarFax?
DEAN
Use whatever helps you sleep. Just
don’t print it in color — looks
suspicious.
Dean leans in.
DEAN (CONT’D)
Acid Test. Customer asks, “Is this
car a lemon?’ What do you say?
Niko glances at Bob — hollow — then at his tie, then at the
debt notice. He exhales.
NIKO
No. Clean title. Citrus-pre-owned?
Dean smiles like a proud devil.
OMAR (O.S.)
I got a trade in!
DEAN
Speaking of the Black Zone...come
with me.
Genres:
["Drama","Comedy"]
Ratings
Scene
10 -
The Grey Zone Begins
EXT. DEALERSHIP – CUSTOMER PARKING - DAY - CONTINUOUS
A rusted, plague-ridden SEDAN sits in the sun. Dean opens the
driver’s door. A STENCH erupts — like chemical warfare.
DEAN
Christ! Smells like a possum died
in here, came back to life, and
died pissed off.
A RAT rockets out like it’s late for a dentist appointment.
Dean SLAMS the door.
DEAN (CONT’D)
Fuck this.
He leaves. Niko stays, staring at the door.
NIKO (V.O.)
My first step into the Grey Zone.
It smelled exactly like that car
and I think I sold my diploma for
five hundred bucks.
Genres:
["Drama","Comedy"]
Ratings
Scene
11 -
Sales Shenanigans
INT. DEALERSHIP – SHOWROOM - CONTINUOUS
Johnny leans on Maria’s desk — too close.
JOHNNY
I usually don’t date co-workers,
but for you I’d make an exception.
MARIA
I’d rather drink motor oil.
JOHNNY
Conventional or synthetic—
Eddie storms in like a caffeinated televangelist.
EDDIE
Listen up, losers! We got a laydown
on the lot. We have to hit our
numbers!
DEAN (O.S.)
I’ll hit my numbers… I always do!
EDDIE
Johnny, take this one.
MARIA
He’s a manager! It’s mine!
JOHNNY
We’ll work it together. I’ll take
care of you.
MARIA
You couldn't take care of a cactus.
NIKO
What’s a laydown?
MARCO
Fucking green peas…
JOJO
Easy money, kid.
Eddie points at Niko like picking a sacrifice.
EDDIE
Hey, new guy! Go grab the left-
handed screwdriver from service.
NIKO
Left-handed screwdriver… got it!
Niko rushes off. The staff watches him go like a toddler
walking into traffic.
SIERRA
(to Eddie)
What the fuck is wrong with you?
EDDIE
Rookie hazing builds character.
DEAN
Or makes him quit by Friday.
FRANK JR
Still funny, though.
Genres:
["Drama","Comedy"]
Ratings
Scene
12 -
Customer Confrontation
INT. SHOWROOM – CONTINUOUS
Niko marches through the showroom, hunting for the mythical
screwdriver. A hand SNAPS onto his wrist — claws of pure
fury. Mrs. Deluca, vibrating with righteous vengeance.
MRS. DELUCA
You! That Marco-Mario-Marco-Polo
whatever— said you’d install an
automatic transmission kit. For
free!
NIKO
A what?
MRS. DELUCA
And I saw the news! You people sold
me a lemon!
Niko freezes, the screwdriver mission forgotten, survival
instinct kicking in. He steers her toward the sales floor.
NIKO
Let’s… let’s talk. I can help.
Across the showroom, Johnny sees this and goes white.
JOHNNY
Who the hell let Niko get a
customer? Lazy bastards.
Genres:
["Drama","Comedy"]
Ratings
Scene
13 -
Negotiation Under Pressure
INT. NIKO'S DESK - DAY
Mrs. Deluca sits across from Niko — feet planted like a trial
attorney. She SLAMS her purse down.
MRS. DELUCA
I don’t want a manager. I want.
The. OWNER!
Frank Jr. hears “Owner” and sprints to the bathroom — SLAM.
NIKO
I understand your frustration,
ma’am... I'm a good guy.
MRS. DELUCA
Good guys don't sell fruity cars. I
saw the news! I'm calling Channel
five.
She whips out a rhinestone flip phone like a weapon.
MRS. DELUCA (CONT’D)
I have Kurt the Weatherman’s
extension!
Niko panics — then something clicks. The Grey Man emerges.
NIKO
Wait! Kurt and I went to the same
college. I can call him directly.
Mrs. Deluca freezes mid-dial.
MRS. DELUCA
You know Kurt? The Weatherman?
NIKO
We're tight. And he'd tell you the
same thing. We want this fixed —
fast — without lawyers.
The showroom lights flicker from white to grey.
NIKO (CONT’D)
Tell me what it takes to make this
go away.
She thinks. Hard.
MRS. DELUCA
Well… my therapy bills. And my
cruise fund... Five grand.
Niko almost swallows his own tongue.
NIKO
I can't promise that. But if you
give me your key...
Across the showroom, Sierra and Dean sip coffee like they’re
watching a documentary.
SIERRA
Should we step in?
DEAN
Nah. Let the boy cook.
Dean signals Ricky.
DEAN (CONT’D)
Hey. That old lady’s asking for
you— something about buying a
warranty.
Ricky straightens his tie, smirks, and struts over. He shoos
Niko away and slides into his seat. Niko lingers.
RICKY
Ma’am, I understand you called
about an extended service—
MRS. DELUCA
I called about fraud, you sparkly
moron.
Dean and Sierra share a delighted smirk.
RICKY
Maybe another car— more features—
BANG! She slams the desk. Ricky CHOKES on his water.
RICKY (CONT’D)
I-I mean… zero miles on it.
MRS. DELUCA
I only have five hundred miles on
it now!
NIKO
What about the reimbursement?
Ricky shoots Niko a DEATH GLARE. Niko recoils.
RICKY
Let’s not call anyone.
MRS. DELUCA
Six grand, then.
Ricky's face turns red.
RICKY
This handsome young man will grab
your keys. Mileage, VIN.
NIKO
What’s a VIN?
Ricky seethes. Mrs. Deluca hands Niko the keys.
NIKO (V.O.)
It wasn't a clean win. But I got
the key and that signature Vincent
wanted? My hand didn’t even shake.
Genres:
["Drama","Comedy"]
Ratings
Scene
14 -
High Stakes and Low Tides
INT. BACKROOM CARD GAME – DAY
Smoke hangs heavy over piles of cash. JIM JEFFERS (50s,
unraveling) shoves his stack forward with drunk swagger.
JIM
All in. Sven, how’s the wife?
Ingrid, right?
Across from him: BJÖRN (50s)— Swedish auto rep, surgical
precision.
BJÖRN
(flat)
Astrid. And it’s BJÖRN.
Jim grins, masking audible flop sweat.
JIM
Details don’t matter when you’re
about to lose, Björn.
The DEALER flips. Jim slams his hand down.
JIM (CONT’D)
Boom! Read ‘em and weep, IKEA boy!
BJÖRN
High risk, low reward. The Omni
Auto strategy. Fitting… considering
your quarterly numbers.
JIM
What’s corporate saying about the—
uh— customer complaints? Not that I
care.
BJÖRN
You should. They do. Corporate is
watching your numbers, Jim. And
regulators don’t bluff.
Björn calmly lays down a better hand.
JIM
…Son of a bitch!
Jim fumbles his phone, stands too fast, almost face-plants.
JIM (CONT’D)
Where the fuck is my car?!
DEALER
You came in an Uber, champ.
Jim’s glitches.
JIM
…Right. Good thing I got the app.
BJÖRN
Idiot.
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
15 -
Chaos Unfolding
EXT. BACKROOM ALLEY – DAY
Jim bursts into sunlight like a hungover vampire. He scrolls:
Tinder… DoorDash… Bank app… finally:
JIM
Nope… too old. Nope… too young.
Ooh—pizza. Nope… security. Finally!
The dealership security feeds load.
SECURITY CAM POV – QUICK CUTS
— Showroom chaos.
— TV reflection: LEMON LAW chyron still visible.
— Mrs. Deluca: rage packed like a warhead.
— Niko: elbows on desk, head in hands — crushed.
Jim watches. Jaw tightens. Not empathy — fear. He swipes the
feeds away.
JIM (CONT’D)
(under breath)
Shit…
TITLE OVER: 11:15 AM. DISASTER LOADING...
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
16 -
The Price of Deception
EXT. DEALERSHIP LOT — DAY
Niko follows Ricky to Mrs. Deluca’s sedan.
RICKY
Six grand. You did good getting the
keys. Now stay close, don’t talk.
NIKO
She just… wanted that automatic
kit. Marco promised—
RICKY
Marco’s a criminal. We’re all
criminals. People don’t buy cars.
They buy hope. And hope’s
expensive. Write “Severe Frame
Damage.”
NIKO
But there’s no—
RICKY
Doesn’t matter. Eight-hundred-
dollar repair. Minimum.
He hands Niko a clipboard. Niko hesitates
NIKO (V.O.)
Eight hundred dollars of pure
fiction. Not a sales lie — a theft
receipt.
Niko writes it — the lie sits there in ink.
RICKY
Good. Now take this to Eddie.
Across the lot, Sierra and Dean sip coffee, observing.
SIERRA
Look at Ricky. Selling hope like
it’s heroin.
DEAN
Difference is, heroin works.
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
17 -
Deceptive Appraisal
INT. EDDIE’S OFFICE – DAY
Niko BURSTS in, clutching the keys and appraisal sheet.
NIKO
I got an appraisal… I think. Ricky
said you had to sign off.
Eddie swivels, stands, smooths his shirt.
EDDIE
Ricky sent you?
Niko nods.
EDDIE (CONT’D)
Dean see you?
Niko shakes his head.
EDDIE (CONT’D)
Good. We sneak out back.
Eddie raises his pen to sign — Niko panics.
NIKO
Wait - that frame damage...
It's not real.
EDDIE
Course it’s not real. It’s a six-
grand negotiation gap. Don’t worry
about what’s real.
He signs. They bolt — Dean blocks them.
DEAN
Where the hell you two going?
NIKO
Appraisal.
EDDIE
(to Niko)
What did I just say?
NIKO
Sneak out the back?
Dean sips, unimpressed.
DEAN
Do what you want, Eddie. You’re the
GSM. Just make sure your name’s on
that appraisal. Six-grand buyback
for a transmission kit that doesn’t
exist? Corporate loves that.
EDDIE
Relax. You got sixty days to get
rid of it before the floorplan eats
your budget, Dean.
(to Niko)
Let’s roll.
He pushes past Dean.
DEAN
King of the sewer.
SIERRA
Sewers move a lot of shit. He’s
perfect.
Dean nods, takes a long sip — mask cracked for a second.
DEAN
I almost quit this job a hundred
times.
SIERRA
You’re still here.
DEAN
Like our sign outside.
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
18 -
The Art of Deception
EXT. DEALERSHIP LOT – DAY - CONTINUOUS
Mrs. Deluca’s sedan bakes in the sun. Niko stands over it.
NIKO
Have you even looked at the bumper?
Eddie crouches — spots a MASSIVE dent.
EDDIE
Beautiful. A Picasso. Let me guess
— she said the car’s perfect?
NIKO
She told Ricky.
EDDIE
Doesn’t matter. We need units. Lot
guy can buff that out later.
NIKO
But if there’s real damage… won’t
that kill the value?
EDDIE
Kid, value’s a myth. Like unicorns.
Or honest mechanics.
He drops the phone angle — hiding the dent in a sky glare.
EDDIE (CONT’D)
Boom. Appraisal photo.
NIKO
You’re… hiding it.
EDDIE
Welcome to used cars. If Dean asks,
that dent wasn’t there. We’ll blame
the lot guy.
NIKO
Won’t he notice?
EDDIE
Eventually.
Niko stares at the lie on his clipboard — smeared and ugly.
NIKO
I’m so confused.
Eddie slaps him on the back as they head inside.
EDDIE
Good. Means you’re learning.
Confusion’s the first step to
greatness. Don’t like it? Take up
knitting. This is the business we
chose.
NIKO (V.O.)
That's Eddie. Manic. Magnetic.
A tornado in a human suit. Every
lie I write feels easier than the
last. Bob would hate who I'm
becoming.
Genres:
["Drama","Dark Comedy"]
Ratings
Scene
19 -
Chaos at the Car Dealership
INT. DEALERSHIP – BATHROOM STALL – DAY
Frank Jr. hides in the handicapped stall like he’s camping:
Snacks, iPad — Mini, clip-on fan, Capri Sun.
FRANK JR.
Let the peasants burn. I’m union.
BANG! BANG!
NIKO (O.S.)
Frank! She asked for the owner!
That lady’s here with lawyers!
FRANK JR.
Wrong number.
He flushes, raises his Capri Sun like a toast.
FRANK JR. (CONT’D)
Somebody’s gotta preserve morale.
INT. DEALERSHIP SHOWROOM - DAY
Full madness. PHONES SCREAM. CHILDREN ricochet off furniture.
A RAT darts under the sales tower, late for its shift.
The faint echo of Niko pounding on the bathroom stall carries
in… then vanishes under the dealership noise tsunami.
Eddie stands on a chair, preaching to NEW HIRES with cult-
leader certainty and zero self-awareness.
EDDIE
Sales isn’t about what you’re
selling— it’s about what you’re
TELLING. You don’t sell a Honda —
you sell freedom. You don’t sell
tires — you sell safety for their
children. Even if they don’t have
kids.
The new hires nod like terrified sheep. Niko BURSTS in.
NIKO
Eddie! You need to talk to her!
She’s still here and she knows
about the automatic kit lie—
Eddie DEATH STARE shuts Niko mid-word. He pivots back to the
new hires, booming.
EDDIE
And when they ask stupid questions?
You sell CONFIDENCE.
NEW HIRE
What if they just wanna test drive?
Eddie WHIPS around. A coffee mug trembles.
EDDIE
Then you sell them the dream of
driving it home TODAY.
NEW HIRE #2
Sir? There’s a lady outside
threatening to call the news.
Eddie parts the blinds — sees Mrs. Deluca pacing with her
flip phone raised like a holy relic. He SLAMS the blinds
shut. A flicker of terror - then the smile returns
EDDIE
Anyway - let me tell you about the
time I closed a deal using only my
eyes.
The new hires lean in, horrified and fascinated.
Genres:
["Drama","Comedy"]
Ratings
Scene
20 -
Sleazy Sales Tactics
EXT. DEALERSHIP LOT – DAY
A wide-eyed TECH BRO caresses a new OMNI HELLSPIRE 3. Marco
lounges on the hood like sleazy Vegas showgirl.
MARCO
See this paint? (taps hood) Same
molecular coating they use on
planes.
TECH BRO
No way!
MARCO
Way. You ever see a plane take
damage from rain or bird shit?
Exactly.
He leans in, voice dropping to “illegal whisper.”
MARCO (CONT’D)
Legally, I can’t say it’s
bulletproof… but between us? It’s
basically bulletproof.
TECH BRO
Bro. Keys. Now.
Marco hands over the keys. High-fives JoJo on the way in.
MARCO
I just can’t help myself.
JOJO
We’re gonna get so sued. Again.
Marco cracks open a water bottle, taps Niko on the shoulder.
MARCO
Heard you got Deluca's keys. Good
job, new guy. Don't worry about the
noise. Just sell the fantasy.
Marco saunters off.
Genres:
["Drama","Comedy"]
Ratings
Scene
21 -
The Illusion of Sales
INT. SHOWROOM – CONTINUOUS
Niko watches the Tech Bro practically humping the Hellspire.
NIKO (V.O.)
I wrote down a lie about frame
damage. Marco just sold bulletproof
paint. It was only 12:35 PM.
From the tower, Eddie and Dean watch like disapproving gods.
EDDIE
Unit Number One. See? Fantasy
sells. Now, go work the floor. We
need four more.
DEAN
Don’t push ’em too hard. We just
put a six-grand settlement on the
books.
EDDIE
Correction — Marco put the six-
grand settlement on the books. This
is my hour.
Niko watches the Tech Bro peel out of the lot, triumphant.
NIKO (V.O.)
Mrs. Deluca told me five grand.
Then she tells Ricky six.
She should work here.
Genres:
["Drama","Comedy"]
Ratings
Scene
22 -
Disaster in Motion
INT. UBER – DAY
A NISSAN LEAF glides silently. Jim fidgets in the back.
A faint, rhythmic BEEP comes from Jim’s wrist. He hides it.
JIM
This thing’s so quiet. I can hear
my own thoughts… and guess what?
They suck!
He jabs a button. The window rolls down with a polite whirr.
JIM (CONT’D)
Does this thing have an “Aggressive
mode”? Or Just “Yoga cruise”?
He jabs at his phone — dials.
INTERCUT WITH: INT. VINCENT’S OFFICE – SAME
Vincent sips coffee, bathed in red spreadsheet glow.
JIM (CONT’D)
Tell me we’re hitting numbers,
Vincent. Otherwise I’m driving this
toaster into a lake.
VINCENT
We need seventy-two. We’re at sixty-
seven. Pray nothing unwinds.
JIM
What about that fraud claim?
VINCENT
Had to move the maintenance account
to cover Marco’s “automatic
transmission kit.” Credit’s tapped.
Only thing left is my money.
JIM
Great. A settlement for an upgrade
that doesn’t exist — while I’m
stuck in a golf cart for adults.
VINCENT
More bad news: Francis “The Fixer”
called. One more Lemon Law goes
public, and we’re done.
JIM
If Channel 5 runs another story,
I’m gonna sue them for defamation.
Can you sue the weather guy?
Jim’s knee bounces violently.
JIM (CONT’D)
The Fixer says sixty days. Maybe
less. We’re not the only one. But
we’ll be the first. I’ll be on the
phone with corporate all night!
VINCENT
I bought five more Lemon buybacks.
JIM
Good. Make sure those Lemon
buybacks are the first things Dean
sells. And tell that lot guy to
hide the discloser stickers better.
He leans forward, glaring at the Driver.
JIM (CONT’D)
Hey, you ever talk, or just
silently judge people from up
there?
The Uber driver pulls out an earbud.
DRIVER
What was that?
JIM
Just drive, Tesla Lite.
TITLE OVER: 12:45 PM. DISASTER BUFFERING…
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
23 -
Signature Crisis
INT. VINCENT’S OFFICE – DAY
Nancy SLAMS five deal jackets onto Vincent’s desk.
NANCY
Five deals kicked back. Missing
signatures.
On Vincent’s monitor: Eddie and Dean screaming at reps while
Niko freezes like a deer in a dealership-themed horror film.
VINCENT
Great. Should we stop selling cars
to fix it, or should I Franky-forge
the signatures?
NANCY
I can’t tell if you’re kidding.
VINCENT
You should see me play poker.
He taps a spreadsheet full of pulsing red alerts.
VINCENT (CONT’D)
Get the re-signs. One unwinds over
signatures, we go backward. Jim
hates surprises. I hate explaining
them.
Nancy grabs the jackets — drops one: KRUSHNA / COLLEGE REBATE
— and storms out.
Genres:
["Drama","Comedy"]
Ratings
Scene
24 -
Pressure and Pastries
INT. BOB’S DESK - CONTINUOUS
The showroom buzzes. Bob sets a donut box on his desk like an
offering to the unemployment gods.
BOB
You think you can get rid of me?
Please. I survived ’09. I survived
JoJo reaches for a donut — SLAP.
BOB (CONT’D)
Not for you. These are for family.
Across the room, Eddie shoves the kicked-back jackets into
Frank Jr.’s chest.
EDDIE
Nancy bounced five deals. Missing
signatures. Fix them before they
unwind or your dad finds out about
you’re bathroom office.
FRANK JR.
Aw, come on—
EDDIE
Do. Not. Let. Them. Unwind.
Frank Jr. sulks, sorting papers like a disgraced intern.
SIERRA
What’s the count so far?
DEAN
One new. Marco sold the bulletproof
Hellspire. Ricky’s closing Deluca
—that’ll be two.
EDDIE
Corporate wants five NEW.
Manufacturer says one more bad
month and they cut allocation.
Dean claps Niko’s shoulder.
DEAN
Congrats, kid. First day and you’re
already circling the drain with us.
SIERRA
At least he’s got good company.
Dean and Sierra clink coffee cups like it’s champagne.
DEAN
Deluca’s car needs an inventory
photo. Go get a beautiful picture
of that bumper.
NIKO
(takes the fob)
The Picasso.
Genres:
["Drama","Comedy"]
Ratings
Scene
25 -
Chaos at the Dealership
EXT. DEALERSHIP – CUSTOMER DROP-OFF – DAY
A Nissan Leaf glides up like an embarrassed whisper. Jim
steps out and slaps cash into the driver’s hand.
UBER DRIVER
No tip?
JIM
Yes. Buy American.
UBER DRIVER
This Leaf was built in Tennessee.
The Leaf hums away.
JIM
Pathetic. Can’t even peel-out.
INT. SHOWROOM - DAY
CHAOS. Finance on fire. Sierra smoking indoors. A rat
scurries across the tiles. Jim STOMPS it mid-stride—a wet
crunch.
JIM
WHAT THE FUCK IS HAPPENING HERE?!
The dealership FREEZES. A CUSTOMER faints.
JOJO
Knew I shouldn’t have smoked that
second doobie.
JIM
My security cameras show CHAOS.
My lawyer shows me BILLS. And
Channel Five just emailed asking
for COMMENT.
Silence.
JIM (CONT’D)
Corporate says if we don’t hit
five units today— they CUT our
allocation.
Dean sips his coffee — delaying the inevitable.
DEAN
Every six months, it’s a new
crisis.
SIERRA
No allocation = no inventory.
DEAN
No inventory = no paychecks.
JIM
It’s past NOON. And we have ZERO
units on the board. ZERO!
CHIRP. CHIRP. CHIRP. A medical beep from Jim’s wrist.
His face goes violet.
JIM (CONT’D)
Fix it. SELL something. Or I start
firing from the bottom of the totem
pole.
Every head turns to… Niko. Jim’s eyes lock onto him.
JIM (CONT’D)
The one who just cost me six
thousand dollars on a non-existent
transmission kit is standing right
there. Marco—
Niko points at Marco, then at his own chest — pure panic.
NIKO
Me?
JIM
Get me four more units before the
close, or I own your tie.
Niko flinches, but doesn't correct him.
NIKO
…shit.
Jim doesn't stop. He pivots, a heat-seeking missile.
JIM
Three units from losing the
franchise — and the board still
says ZERO? What are you people
doing?
He spots Ricky hovering over Mrs. Deluca.
JIM (CONT’D)
Why is that old woman STILL here?!
RICKY
Final stages, sir.
JIM
Then finish it. Or marry her.
Don’t care.
His gaze snaps to Bob. A sharp BEEP. The room waits.
JIM (CONT’D)
Bob! Why are you still here? You’re
fired!
BOB
I was loyal to you.
JIM
So were my ex-wives. Take your
donuts and get out!
Bob rises, clutching the donut box. He passes Niko — panic in
his eyes.
NIKO
Sorry, Bob.
BOB
Don’t be. I’m you in ten years.
This place eats hope.
(MORE)
BOB (CONT’D)
Chase debt long enough, you start
chasing lies.
He leaves. The door shuts like a vault. Niko catches his
reflection — small, wrung out. A gust flips his clipboard:
Severe Frame Misalignment. Blue ink stains his thumb.
NIKO (V.O.)
Great. I’m the deer politely asking
the wolf for career advice.
TITLE OVER: 12:55 PM UPLOAD COMPLETE. ROCK BOTTOM HAS A
BASEMENT.
Genres:
["Drama","Comedy"]
Ratings
Scene
26 -
Tension in the Office
INT. VINCENT’S OFFICE - DAY
Vincent sips tea like he’s in a spa. Jim explodes in.
JIM
Lawsuits, back taxes, corporate
choking us out — and Omni wants
FIVE new cars TODAY or we’re dead.
Channel Five emailed. Lemon Law
settlement pending. We’re screwed,
Vincent!... Go ahead, finish your
chamomile.
VINCENT
Not necessarily. Valuation’s
dropping. Buyout price is getting…
comfortable.
Jim’s wrist monitor BEEPS faster. He forces calm.
JIM
Don't start. It's not for sale.
VINCENT
Everything's for sale. Timing’s the
variable.
Jim paces, sweating.
JIM
I need another extension. And
another hundred grand. If the
franchise goes, so do I.
VINCENT
Relax. If this place goes under,
you won’t be around to stress about
it. With the extra hundred grand,
my stake hits twenty-five percent.
Jim freezes —threat? Warning? Who knows. His eyes drift to a
framed photo: Young Jim, his father, grand opening, 1969.
Jim turns away from it. Then—
JIM
I’ve got it.
VINCENT
Herpes?
JIM
No! A promo. We take anything on
trade. Drives, floats, crawls — has
a pulse or USED to have a pulse —
we take it.
Vincent’s eye twitches.
VINCENT
That’s a terrible idea.
JIM
Perfect. Make signs. Blast social.
Radio. TV.
VINCENT
Jim—
JIM
If the State Attorney calls again,
we blame the new guy.
Jim looks at the digital spreadsheet on Vincent's monitor.
JIM (CONT’D)
My old man sold cars on a
handshake.
(beat)
Now I need permission from a
spreadsheet.
A sharp BEEP from his wrist.
VINCENT
Relax. Heart monitor is calibrated
for 140 BPM. Hit 150, the franchise
agreement triggers a "Health
Incapacity" buyout. (grins)
Paperwork’s already typed.
Jim freezes. The beeping slows down out of pure terror.
VINCENT (CONT’D)
You built this place, Jim.
I’m just planning what comes after.
Jim storms out. Vincent reopens his laptop, serene.
On screen: GOOGLE SEARCH: “Dissolve a body quietly.” He sips.
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
27 -
The Price of a Sale
INT. NIKO’S DESK - DAY
Mrs. Deluca exits smiling. A DEAL PACKET drops on his desk.
NIKO
Wait… you closed this? It’s under
my name.
RICKY
Counts as your unit. Finish the
packet, I’ll RDR it.
NIKO
RDR?
RICKY
Retail Delivery Registration.
Manufacturer clocks the sale.
The receptionist hands Ricky a crisp hundred.
RICKY (CONT’D)
Told you. Should’ve pitched the 3C.
Niko is processing this like a crime doc about himself when
Krushna appears.
KRUSHNA
Quick favor, yes? You keep sale. I
take RDR. I give you hundred. RDR
is credit for a sale made, not a
sale sold. Don't tell Eddie.
He slips the bill into Niko’s hand. Niko stares at the cash,
then the past-due notice.
NIKO
That’s… not legal.
KRUSHNA
Everything legal until someone
looks. And Niko? No one here looks.
Make signature pretty.
Niko signs — swallowing guilt.
NIKO
This covers the deposit on the
ring.
KRUSHNA
See? Grey zone is beautiful. Tell
Ricky to clock in my name.
Krushna disappears. Niko grips the hundred, sick.
A CUSTOMER slams a folder onto his desk — a lemon on top. It
rolls, stopping directly on the hundred-dollar bill. A
yellow stain begins to seep into the cash.
LEMON GUY
You sold me a goddamn LEMON!
Dean materializes behind Niko like a weary guardian angel.
DEAN
New or used?
LEMON GUY
Used!
DEAN
Then it’s not a lemon. Lemon Law
covers NEW cars under warranty —
first year or 12–24k miles. Used
cars are “as-is” unless you bought
coverage. Did you?
LEMON GUY
…No.
DEAN
Then you bought a dream with
problems. Trade it, roll the
negative equity, or drive it till
it breaks your heart.
The man leaves. Niko stares at the lemon, then the hundred.
NIKO
What just happened?
DEAN
Real life. You’ll get meaner in the
knees before the mouth. Happens to
everyone.
Dean walks off. Niko just stares at the lemon then the money.
NIKO (V.O.)
First sale. First lie. First
hundred. I thought I was paying off
debt. I didn’t realize I was
putting myself on a payment plan.
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
28 -
Tension in the Back Lot
EXT. DEALERSHIP BACK LOT – DAY
Niko paces between dusty trade-ins. Kicks a loose hubcap —
CLANG. He exhales, answers his phone.
NIKO
Hey. I’m alive. Barely. It’s like
prison but with less structure.
Suzie’s world hums — trays, voices, chaos.
SUZIE (V.O.)
I’m on my double, Niko. Please
don’t do the “everything’s on fire”
thing.
Niko draws a clean line through a grime-caked windshield.
NIKO
I sold something today I shouldn’t
have.
A beat.
SUZIE (V.O.)
What kind of “shouldn’t have”?
Niko fingers the folded hundred in his pocket.
NIKO
The kind that pays for your
clinical deposit.
That lands.
SUZIE (V.O.)
…That’s not what we agreed on.
NIKO
I know. But this works. Right now.
Silence. Hospital noise swells.
SUZIE (V.O.)
I can’t build a life on “we’ll fix
it later.”
NIKO
It’s not “later.” It’s this week.
SUZIE (V.O.)
I help people for a living, Niko.
I can’t come home to excuses.
He clocks a PRISTINE VINTAGE SPEEDBOAT wedged between SUVs.
Handwritten sign: “FLOATS! $500 DEALER CREDIT!”
A METAL SCREECH erupts from inside the dealership.
Niko doesn’t look away from the boat.
NIKO
I need you to trust me.
A beat.
SUZIE (V.O.)
I needed you to choose me.
Niko swallows.
NIKO
I am.
He ends the call.
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
29 -
The Art of Persuasion
INT. FRANK JR. DESK - DAY
Showroom panic bleeds in. Frank Jr. sweats through a dying
deal. A MARRIED COUPLE rises to leave.
FRANK JR.
Y-yeah, okay, sleep on it, we’ll be
here tomorrow—
They turn — almost collide with Niko.
NIKO
Sorry. I’m new. Heard you’ve been
here ninety minutes and you’re
walking — what’s holding you back?
HUSBAND
Payment. We can’t go over five
hundred. You’re at five-twenty.
Niko shifts—calm, almost soothing.
NIKO
That’s less than a cup of coffee a
day. We’ve got great coffee.
(MORE)
NIKO (CONT’D)
Come in every morning — there’s
your twenty bucks.
He gestures at Frank Jr.
NIKO (CONT’D)
And if you don’t like our coffee,
Frank Jr. will hand you a twenty
on the first of every month.
FRANK JR.
A refund?
Niko shoots him a glare.
HUSBAND
…Where do I sign?
Frank Jr. nearly collapses. Paperwork flies, pens glide.
FRANK JR.
Dude… How did you do that?
NIKO
Just something someone said today.
Frank bolts off. Niko stares at the signed contract, then at
his reflection - thinner, meaner.
NIKO (V.O.)
…That wasn’t me.
Genres:
["Drama","Comedy"]
Ratings
Scene
30 -
Swallowed by the House
INT. SERVICE BAY - DAY
The cavernous bay roars with tools. Niko shuffles through,
exhausted.
VINCENT (O.S)
Match it to the warranty.
Two-years. Nothing greedy.
Niko peeks inside. A TECH plugs a device into an SUV. The
odometer flickers — digits spinning like a dying slot
machine. Vincent watches, composed, surgical.
TECH
Takes a few passes for it to hold.
VINCENT
Everything does.
Niko bumps a wrench stand — CLANK. Vincent turns. No alarm.
VINCENT (CONT’D)
You lost, kid?
NIKO
Looking for Frank Jr.
VINCENT
He’s hiding. Come on over.
The Tech finalizes the odometer: 92,412 → 61,903. Vincent
studies it, pleased.
VINCENT (SOFT) (CONT’D)
Mileage doesn’t sell cars.
Certainty sells cars.
TECH
If this doesn’t match with the
service history—
Vincent cuts him off with a small, surgical smile.
VINCENT
It will. And if it doesn’t... it
wasn’t us.
Bob’s signature— neat, forged — sits on the approval line.
Niko’s breath catches. He looks at: The falsified odometer
– Bob’s stolen signature – Vincent’s serene, untroubled face.
VINCENT (CONT’D)
Don't be like the last guy. He
smiled too much. This isn't a
museum, it's a machine. Your job is
not to leave a trace.
NIKO (V.O.)
That’s when I realized — I didn’t
get hired. I got swallowed.
VINCENT
They tell you about the Lemon
Buybacks? I bought five today.
NIKO
No, sir.
Vincent loops a hand through Niko’s arm, guiding him toward
the detail area.
In the shadows, Jeff peels a yellow Lemon Law sticker off a
windshield with a razor. He tucks it under the trunk carpet.
VINCENT
We don’t remove Lemon stickers… we
relocate them. It’s a scavenger
hunt. If the customer finds it,
they win a free car wash.... Which
they still have to pay for.
NIKO
That’s still illegal, right?
Vincent’s stare freezes him.
VINCENT
You’ve got ten seconds to choose
the future you want here.
The fluorescent lights flicker — white to gray to black.
NIKO
Oh, it was just a small recall.
Nothing major.
Lights hum back up.
VINCENT
I don’t need you to believe it.
I need you to sell it.
Vincent pulls a GOLD CROSS PEN from his breast pocket. It
gleams. He lifts Niko’s frayed tie with the pen tip.
VINCENT (CONT’D)
Nice tie. Your mother’s?
Niko stiffens. Vincent drops the tie, taps a stack of forged
warranty papers.
VINCENT (CONT’D)
This pen is worth more than your
car, Niko. It’s signed away lives,
fortunes, and certainty.
He pockets the pen — the click like a deadbolt.
VINCENT (CONT’D)
Stop by my office tomorrow. We’ll
process that five-hundred-dollar
"College Grad" rebate. Consider it
a signing bonus.
NIKO
Thank you, sir. I appreciate the
opportunity.
VINCENT
My "Fixer" handles the filing.
Untraceable - unless, of course,
someone talks.
He nods to the SUV. The Lemon Law sticker dangles.
VINCENT (CONT’D)
Take one of these with you.
NIKO
The lemon buyback?
VINCENT
It’s a demo. Break it in. Still
better than that Infiniti.
Vincent’s grip on Niko’s elbow tightens — a small, paternal
squeeze that feels like a vice. He drops the heavy, branded
key fob into Niko’s palm.
VINCENT (CONT’D)
It belongs to the house. Which
means you belong to the house.
Enjoy the seat warmers.
He presses the sticker flat under the trunk carpet. Gone.
NIKO
I thought demos were after ninety
days.
VINCENT
(smiles)
Think of it as… onboarding.
NIKO (V.O.)
We didn’t hide it. It was right
there. You didn’t look under the
trunk carpet? That’s on you, Mr.
Customer.
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
31 -
Pressure Points
INT. FINANCE OFFICE – DAY
A cramped pressure cooker. Paper towers. Overheated
computers. A printer wheezing like it’s about to die.
CUSTOMER (O.S.) #4
I WANT A BETTER DEAL OR I AIN’T
SIGNING SHIT!
Jim’s temple vein pulses like a hazard light.
JIM
First the Lemon Guy. Then Deluca.
And we’re STILL three units short?
He WHIPS a stapler at the wall. It EXPLODES. A shard spins to
Niko’s shoe. Niko looks down… then at his phone: BANK
BALANCE: $47.12.
NIKO (V.O.)
Survival reflects value.
The printer emits a high, panicked BEEP.
JIM
One more deal unwinds — JUST ONE
— and I’m replacing all of you with
AI and trained baboons. And the
baboons would SELL MORE CARS.
Silence.
JIM (CONT’D)
People are sheep. You’re the
wolves. If you won’t eat them…
I’ll bring in wolves that eat you.
Frank Jr. pops up from behind banker’s boxes.
FRANK JR.
So… uh… crazy morning, huh?
Everyone glares. Jim storms off.
JIM (O.S.)
FIVE units before close!
FIVE! Or you’re all DONE!
Niko watches him go — something inside him hardening.
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
32 -
Chaos at the Omni Auto Dealership
INT. DEALERSHIP - SHOWROOM - DAY
Eddie storms out of Finance, rattled.
EDDIE
After that meltdown, I need a
laugh. Jim wants us pushing that
psycho promo.
DEAN
He should be grateful we're not
outside giving our depositions to
Channel 5.
Front doors swing open — a gorgeous WOMAN strides in, hands
Ricky a lunch bag, kisses him, walks out.
RICKY
See? My wife. Told you.
DEAN
Sure. Definitely a paid actress.
High-end.
MARIA
Craigslist, most likely.
RICKY
She’s real! That woman LOVES me!
DEAN
What’s his name?
RICKY
Don’t make me call HR.
A crooked banner UNFURLS from the ceiling:
“IF IT DRIVES, FLOATS, OR FLIES… WE’LL TAKE IT ON TRADE!”
TITLE OVER: 3:45 PM – THE WORST DEALERSHIP PROMO EVER.
EDDIE
I LOVE it!
DEAN
This ends in litigation.
SIERRA
Can’t wait to see what people drag
in.
JOJO
Can we take weed in on trade?
MARIA
What about live animals?
RICKY
Do we list them as “livestock”?
JOHNNY
I can appraise livestock. My
grandpa owns a farm.
MARCO
Hope we get a lot of sheep.
Dead silence. Eddie claps like a deranged camp counselor.
EDDIE
Jim says three more new cars today.
No excuses, no sleep, no sanity.
DEAN
Pretty sure he meant the baboon
thing.
Niko looks at the sales board: NIKO — 1 UNIT. His stolen
sale. Guilt flickers. Need flickers harder.
NIKO (V.O.)
Trading in my dignity… And my
sanity.
Outside — A BEAT-UP MOTORBOAT lurches into the lot, horn
blaring. “FOR TRADE” sign flapping.
DEAN
…And so it begins.
EDDIE
Hell yes it does. Welcome to Omni
Auto.
Eddie clocks Vincent watching — his smile tightens.
MONTAGE – DEALERSHIP DESCENDING (FAST, CONTROLLED CHAOS)
— SHOWROOM FLOOR: A man pushes a RIDING LAWNMOWER across the
pristine tiles. Blades SCRAPE — nails on a chalkboard.
Eddie juggles THREE PHONES, sweat soaking through his shirt.
EDDIE (CONT’D)
If it displaces water, we take it!
- ENTRANCE: Two teenagers drag a BUSTED JET SKI inside. Black
oil drips behind it like a crime scene.
- OMAR’S DESK: A farmer holds a DEPRESSED GOAT on a leash.
OMAR
No VIN? Then it’s a "Utility
Trailer." Sign by the hoof.
- A SEGWAY SLAMS into the glass. Marco cheers, holding a beer
he absolutely shouldn’t have.
- The PARROT shrieks:
PARROT
GET OUT WHILE YOU CAN!
NO MONEY DOWN!
- Frank Jr. lies inside a TANNING BED someone traded in. Blue
light makes him look like a corpse.
FRANK JR.
Bulbs are flickering. Best I can do
is a 2002 Focus missing a door.
- A trailer backs in carrying a PRISTINE VINTAGE SPEEDBOAT.
Chrome gleaming. Engine humming.
Jim watches from the window, face turning maroon. CHIRP.
CHIRP. CHIRP. His HEART MONITOR hits techno rhythm.
JIM
Tell me that thing has an engine,
or I'm walking into traffic.
He turns to Vincent — serene as a monk watching a flood.
JIM (CONT’D)
Why are these people like this?
VINCENT
Oh no. Who could have seen this
coming? Make sure the goat gets a
disclosure sticker.
Vincent slides the glass door shut. The noise dulls.
Across the street: a black GOVERNMENT SEDAN in the Burger
King lot. A man in a cheap suit snaps photos of the “Utility
Trailer” goat.
Jim sits at his desk — older, dimmer. He picks up a photo:
BIG JIM SR. with a 1970s Lincoln. A handshake. Integrity.
He opens a drawer. Pulls out a FLASK. And a FINAL NOTICE from
OMNI AUTO CORPORATE. He turns the notice face down. His watch
emits a weak BEEP — not good.
Genres:
["Drama","Comedy"]
Ratings
Scene
33 -
Sales Pressure and Surreal Surprises
INT. JOHNNY’S OFFICE – DAY
Quiet — the eye of the storm. Johnny scrolls TikTok, smoothie
in hand. A CUSTOMER #5 peeks in.
CUSTOMER #5
You’re the new car manager, right?
JOHNNY
Uh, yes. Yes I am.
CUSTOMER #5
Numbers looked good. I’m ready to
sign.
Johnny CHOKES mid-sip.
JOHNNY
Really? I mean—cool. Let’s get that
paperwork started. Maria!
They leave. Johnny wheezes. Niko enters, matted in feathers.
NIKO
Someone traded a bird and a Segway.
In the same fifteen minutes.
Johnny glances to the sales board outside: 2 NEW. 3 TO GO.
JOHNNY
Three to go before the baboons
replace us.
Niko follows his gaze — throat tightening.
NIKO (V.O.)
Two units. The number was shrinking
And suddenly, the baboons didn’t
feel like a joke anymore.
Genres:
["Drama","Comedy"]
Ratings
Scene
34 -
Sales Pressure and Despair
INT. RICKY’S OFFICE – DAY
Mahogany, soft light — the cathedral of confident bullshit.
MR. HARRIS clutches a family photo like a flotation device.
RICKY
Good news: you’re approved.
Welcome to the Omni family.
HARRIS
This VIN etching—two ninety-five?
For scratching numbers on glass?
RICKY
Laser-precise, NASA-grade anti-
theft. We’re basically SpaceX for
crime prevention.
HARRIS
My brother did his for thirty bucks
on Amazon.
RICKY
Sure. But did he get the lifetime
theft guarantee?
HARRIS
That’s not a thing.
RICKY
It is here. If your car’s stolen,
we guarantee it still has your VIN.
Harris stares. Signs. Ricky sweeps the paperwork away like
he’s harvesting organs.
RICKY (CONT’D)
Love your decisiveness, Mr. Harris.
Harris exits. Niko watches from outside, unsettled. His hand
tightens around Krushna’s hundred.
NIKO (V.O.)
It works. The lies. The confidence.
The whole act… it actually works.
Eddie stomps in, still sweaty.
EDDIE
That the fifth? We’re officially
safe from baboons.
RICKY
Five new, five used. Three hours
left.
Eddie leaves. Ricky leans back, king-of-the-zoo.
RICKY (CONT’D)
Look, I’m not proud. I’m solvent. I
used to have a LinkedIn.
INT. SIERRA’S OFFICE - DAY
Dean and Sierra review contracts, exhausted. Dean freezes.
DEAN
Why does this contract include a
live animal?
SIERRA
Because that dumbass Johnny
actually appraised it.
DEAN
What kind of animal is it?
SIERRA
You don’t wanna know.
INT. DEALERSHIP – SHOWROOM – CONTINUOUS
Niko is trapped in the negotiation from hell. A full-power
KAREN drops a stack of coupons like legal documents.
KAREN
I want to buy that 2005 Corolla…
for two hundred dollars.
He stares at the coupons. Blinks. Closes his eyes.
NIKO
(pure despair)
I finished college for this?
TITLE OVER: 7:25 PM – MAYBE IT’S TIME TO QUIT.
Genres:
["Drama","Comedy"]
Ratings
Scene
35 -
Betrayal in the Office
INT. EDDIE’S OFFICE – DAY
Eddie SLAMS a folder onto his desk. Marco stands opposite,
chewing gum like he’s training for a competition.
EDDIE
You cost us six grand on Deluca.
Charge-back city.
MARCO
Relax. I made it back on the
Hellspire dude. Sold him the
bulletproof paint package.
Eddie freezes.
EDDIE
Marco… tell me you didn’t—
MARCO
You said sell the 3C. I sold NASA-
grade paint.
EDDIE
NASA doesn’t make paint! If this
blows back, the deal jacket shows
the new kid gets half the deal it.
Niko pauses dead in the doorway. Eddie doesn’t see him.
EDDIE (CONT’D)
If corporate calls — we blame him.
He won’t fight back. He’s polite.
Niko’s face drops. He grips his frayed tie.
NIKO (V.O.)
The Grey Man pays the bills. The
Black Zone pays the lawyers.
Marco strolls out. Niko backs away, breath tight.
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
36 -
Chaos in the Driveway
EXT. CUSTOMER’S DRIVEWAY – NIGHT
Tech Bro crouches beside his shiny Omni Hellspire 3.
TECH BRO
Let's see if Marco was lying.
He fires a BB gun. PING! It ricochets like it hit a tank.
TECH BRO (CONT’D)
No. Fucking. Way.
Another shot — WHIP — SMASH! A garden gnome EXPLODES.
NEIGHBOR (O.S.)
GARY! That was my mother’s gnome!
Tech Bro panics, dives in the car — CRUNCH — scrapes down his
own mailbox.
INT. DEALERSHIP – DEAN’S OFFICE - NIGHT (INTERCUT)
Dean watches the meltdown on TikTok:
TECH BRO (PHONE)
NASA PAINT, BABY!
Dean rubs his temples.
DEAN
This job’ll kill me. And they say
cigarettes do.
He shuts the phone. Niko stands in the doorway, still dusted
in rogue parrot feathers.
NIKO
Why’s that guy shooting at his car?
Dean shows him the TikTok. Niko pales.
NIKO (CONT’D)
That’s… Marco’s sale.
DEAN
No, kid. That’s your future.
JoJo drifts in, high as always, pulling CUSTOMER #6.
CUSTOMER #6
This the one you recommend?
JOJO
Oh, yeah. Classic. Can’t go
wrong with a good ol’ Bruik.
DEAN
It’s BUICK! Why are you always
high?
JOJO
Relax, man. You’re too uptight.
This job requires a little pre-
gaming.
CUSTOMER #6
So, does this Bruik-Buick-run okay?
JOJO
Oh, it runs. Purrs like a kitten.
Dean glances at the framed photo of a young girl on his desk
— then back at the disaster.
DEAN
Somebody just put me out of my
misery. Seriously. I’ll Venmo you.
Niko eyes his name blinking red on the board, then the cash.
NIKO (V.O.)
I didn’t join a dealership.
NIKO (V.O.)
I joined a food chain. And I wasn’t
climbing it. I was getting eaten.
Genres:
["Drama","Comedy"]
Ratings
Scene
37 -
Cookie Chaos
INT. DEALERSHIP – SHOWROOM – NIGHT
The doors SLAM open. Mrs. Deluca marches in with a giant
TUPPERWARE. Everyone flinches like she might detonate it.
MRS. DELUCA
Oatmeal raisin. Cinnamon. For you
Ricky. Don’t share with these
clowns.
She exits. A beat. The entire showroom POUNCES like starving
raccoons. Cookies vanish instantly.
MARCO
Thought she’d blow us up. Turns
out— goddess.
EDDIE
(chewing slow)
These are Xanax in cookie form.
DEAN
Finally. One happy customer. Let's
just hope this one doesn't sue us
over the raisins.
Ricky stares at the empty tub —a single crumb left.
RICKY
Thanks guys. Guess I'll just wait
for the charge-back on those too.
NIKO (V.O.)
Every win in this place comes with
a bill.
Genres:
["Drama","Comedy"]
Ratings
Scene
38 -
The Weight of Success
INT. NIKO'S DESK - NIGHT
The floor empties. The SALES BOARD glows like a scoreboard of
sins. Niko slumps into his chair. The team gathers around.
SIERRA
How’s day one?
NIKO
Thank god it’s over.
DEAN
Wrong. Tradition: end-of-month
drinks.
NIKO
It’s the third.
DEAN
Our calendar is dumber than our
customers.
MARIA
Point is — you got a first sale.
DEAN
And it didn’t require CPR.
Impressive.
Niko’s phone BUZZES: “Where ARE you? Deposit due TODAY.” He
silences it quickly. Ricky leans in.
RICKY
That thing with your mom — did you
make that up?
Niko hesitates. Then a small, tired smile.
NIKO
Nah. Just the timing.
EDDIE
That’s my boy. Reminds me of a
young Dean — before he got cynical
and diabetic.
DEAN
I don’t see it.
Niko stands alone. The board reads: 5 NEW / 5 USED. His name
sits under UNIT ONE.
NIKO (V.O.)
One sale, one lie, one step closer
to rent… and one further from
myself.
He heads for the exit. The lights SNAP OFF. The Sales Board
hums: NEW MONTH STARTS TOMORROW.
INT. MRS. DELUCA’S LIVING ROOM – NIGHT
Mrs. Deluca knits peacefully to the hum of the news.
MRS. DELUCA
Good kids. Just stressed. Can’t
believe they didn’t notice that
fucked-up bumper.
She chuckles.
NIKO (V.O.)
Feels less like winning… and more
like catching something contagious.
Genres:
["Drama","Comedy"]
Ratings
Scene
39 -
The Ultimatum
INT. JIM’S HOME OFFICE – NIGHT
Security feeds light Jim’s face. He watches his staff limp to
their cars. He hits a flask.
JIM
This place is gonna kill me. I used
to love it… same as my my ex-wives.
Look how that turned out.
He clicks through spreadsheets. FINAL NOTICE – PERFORMANCE
SITE VISIT flashes.
JIM (CONT’D)
In this business, you don’t lose
your morals in one day. You lose
them in little bites. Same way a
wolf eats a sheep.
He shuts the laptop.
JIM (CONT’D)
Tomorrow we hit ten units…
or I start selling kidneys.
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
40 -
High Transactions
EXT. RANDOM APARTMENT COMPLEX - NIGHT
Jeff sits in his battered Corolla, joint glowing.
A SHADY GUY approaches with a giant bag of weed.
SHADY GUY
You sure you need this much?
JEFF
Dude, my job is to keep two grown-
ass men comfortably high enough to
sell lots of cars.
He takes a puff, coughs, stares at the sky.
JEFF (CONT’D)
You ever think the dealership’s a
metaphor? Like—it’s the protagonist
and we’re just side characters in
its slow descent into hell.
SHADY GUY
Bro, what?
JEFF
Never mind. I’m too high for
metaphors.
They exchange the bag. Jeff drives off.
Genres:
["Drama","Dark Comedy"]
Ratings
Scene
41 -
Calculated Threats and Hollow Reflections
INT. VINCENT'S OFFICE - NIGHT
Dead quiet. Vincent sits lit by his monitor.
ON SCREEN: “Ways to cut pay without employees noticing.”
He backspaces. Types: “Do employees REALLY need benefits?”
He sips tea. Calm. He opens a corporate AI page:
C.O.I.N — Corporate Oversight Intelligence Node
FREE 30-DAY TRIAL- OPTIMIZE YOUR WORKFORCE He clicks BUY NOW.
Printed spreadsheets: Names. Salaries. Charge-backs. One name
circled three times: “Jim Jeffers.”
Vincent opens a drawer. Sets a single BRASS BULLET on
Jeffers’ name. Cold blue light gleams across it.
VINCENT
He’s fucked.
Vincent’s reflection stares back — blank.
INT. GAS STATION - NIGHT
Harsh fluorescent buzz. Niko’s demo SUV idles at the pump—
shiny on the outside, coughing underneath. He drops the crisp
$100 — Krushna’s dirty RDR bill — onto the counter.
ATTENDANT
Big spender, huh? Rough day?
NIKO
Car sales.
She nods like she’s heard a war story. He eyes a wilted
rose.
ATTENDANT
Take it. You look like you need a
win.
Niko pockets his change — the money now “clean.” He catches
his reflection: older, hollow… but standing.
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
42 -
The Weight of Truth
EXT. GAS STATION - CONTINUOUS
Bob sits on a bench, empty donut box in his lap.
NIKO
Hey, Bob. How you holding up?
Bob stares into the distance. Calm. Dangerous.
BOB
They can fire me. Can’t fire the
truth. Hold the line, kid.
He walks into the night. No drama. Just gone.
NIKO (V.O.)
Bob was gone. Just like the donuts.
Everything disappears here — one
bite at a time.
Niko sets the rose gently on the passenger seat and drives
off. The rose is the only color in the monochrome night.
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
43 -
11:17 PM. Escape Mode Activated
INT. TINA’S CABARET – NIGHT
TITLE OVER: 11:17 PM. ESCAPE MODE ACTIVATED.
Neon haze. Desperate energy. The crew scattered. Niko sits
with a beer and the wilted rose. Dean slides in.
DEAN
Survived day one.
NIKO
Barely. They all end like this?
DEAN
Nah. Sometimes someone cries.
(eyes Niko’s pocket)
What’s with the screwdriver?
NIKO
Found the left-handed one. Was
gonna shove it up Eddie’s ass.
DEAN
Keep it. You'll need it for the
backstabbing tomorrow.
Niko leans in, guilt twisting in his voice.
NIKO
Krushna offered me a hundred to put
the RDR in his name. I took it. I
feel—
DEAN
Rookie mistake.
NIKO
Yeah, I know, it’s dishonest—
DEAN
No. Rookie mistake is only getting
a hundred. Next time, get two.
Dean gestures at the room —strippers, drunks, the crew.
DEAN (CONT’D)
Look around, kid. Life’s just one
big sales pitch. Everybody sells
lies they can live with. We sell
lies they can afford.
Maria arrives with tequila.
MARIA
To Bob. Gone but not forgotten.
They clink. Niko hesitates, then drinks.
DEAN
We celebrate survival. His lack of
it just sweetens the deal. Bills
don’t care who you think you are.
Sierra waves a gum-chewing STRIPPER over.
SIERRA
Okay, real talk— too much hair
whip, not enough eye contact. Sell
the sizzle, not just the steak.
The stripper trudges off. Niko watches her—and sees himself.
His phone BUZZES: SUZIE: Where ARE you? Catering deposit. I
need you HERE. He silences it. Finishes his beer.
NIKO (V.O.)
The game had started. To survive, I
had to sell a better story than
anyone else.
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller","Dark Comedy"]
Ratings
Scene
44 -
The Weight of Deception
EXT. ROAD /INT. NIKO’S APARTMENT – PREDAWN
TIME-LAPSE: Night-black city → washed-out blue dawn.
Niko’s demo SUV crawls home.
INT. NIKO’S APARTMENT – CONTINUOUS
The door clicks shut. Suzie is gone. The wilted rose lies on
the floor. Another petal falls. Niko sinks onto the couch.
NIKO
(to himself)
I didn’t choose the lie.
(beat)
The lie chose me.
He sees his DEALERSHIP BADGE. Picks it up. Turns it over.
He removes the GOLD CROSS PEN from his jacket. Sets it beside
the badge.
NIKO (V.O.)
Bob said never let anyone touch
your pen. Guess that means I’m
signing something.
He clips the badge back onto his shirt. Decided.
He looks at the key fob for the demo SUV. Next to it: a
BUSINESS CARD. TEXT: Special Agent Miller — Financial Crimes
Task Force. "We need to talk about Omni Auto."
Niko stares at the card. Then the keys. He pockets the keys
and drops the card in the trash.
The ALARM CLOCK BUZZES: 5:00 A.M..
NIKO
(under his breath)
I hate people.
He stands.
NIKO (CONT’D)
And tomorrow, I sell ’em cars.
END OF PILOT
POST-CREDIT SCENE
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
45 -
Morning Activation
INT. NIKO’S BEDROOM – EARLY MORNING
Niko lies in yesterday’s clothes. Phone vibrates. Voicemail
auto-plays.
MOM (V.O.)
Hi baby… saw on Facebook your
cousin bought a house-
Niko doesn’t react. He silences the message mid-sentence.
The phone lights up: MISSED CALL — VINCENT (OMNI AUTO).
He inhales. Swings his feet to the floor — a YELLOW LEMON LAW
STICKER stuck to his shoe. He considers peeling it off.
Doesn’t. PHONE BEEPS. Connected. Niko straightens.
NIKO
(calm, professional)
Good morning, sir.
(a beat)
How can I be of service?
He listens. Nods.
NIKO (CONT’D)
Of course. I’ll be there shortly.
He ends the call. The faint sounds of the dealership bleed in
— phones, laughter, rehearsed sincerity.
TITLE OVER: DAY TWO — LOADING
Niko exhales. Not broken. Not saved. Activated.
END OF PILOT - this time I mean it.