INT. PRISTINE CAR SHOWROOM – DAY
Flawless lighting. Heavenly chrome. Sacred silence.
NIKO (30s), perfect suit, perfect smile, hands keys to a
beaming CUSTOMER.
NIKO (V.O.)
The guy in my head is spotless.
No rent notices. No credit report
that laughs. The guy I need to be
here…
(glitch hum swells)
He’s more static than human.
BOB (50s), charismatic, rests a hand on Niko’s shoulder.
BOB
You know why she bought from you?
NIKO
Because I was honest?
The Customer PIXELATES. The audio turns into a low-frequency
hum. The showroom GLITCHES — colors warp, chrome bleeds.
NIKO (V.O.)
Honesty’s great. Just comes with a
zero-mile warranty.
Bob pulls a GOLD CROSS PEN from his pocket.
He presses the pen into Niko’s hand like a holy relic.
BOB
Rule of the pen. Never let anyone
touch it. You sign the deals — you
keep the power.
(leans in)
The trick isn’t believing the lie.
It’s sounding like it was always
true.
A red glitch ravages the banner: “MONTHLY QUOTA: 12 UNITS — 0
SOLD” Niko’s ideal self flickers — shrinks — WHITEOUT.
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
2 -
Morning Struggles
INT. NIKO’S BEDROOM — 5:00 A.M. — REALITY
The alarm screams. REAL NIKO — wrinkled, exhausted — smacks
it off. The phone glow hits his face. STUDENT LOAN BALANCE:
$122,874.56. He grabs a FRAYED TIE — his mother’s gift.
A NEWS CLIP plays faintly:
NEWS REPORTER (V.O.)
…safety recalls at Jim Jeffers Omni
Auto—
INT. KITCHEN – CONTINUOUS
Cramped. SUZIE (20s) stares at her laptop: TUITION OVERDUE -
ACCESS DENIED. She closes it. A text pops up from a coworker:
“Double shift again? We’re drowning.” Suzie exhales, tired.
A “Dream Ring” app pops up on her phone. She swipes it away.
NIKO
Soon, Suzie. Soon.
SUZIE
Soon doesn't pay for clinicals. It
doesn't stop the landlord from
calling.
She finally looks at him, nods at the frayed tie.
SUZIE (CONT’D)
If we lose this apartment, I’m
going back to my parents alone.
(beat)
Why’d you take this job?
Niko hesitates — something flickers behind his eyes.
NIKO
Because-
(beat)
I love people. And… it’s temporary.
SUZIE
Everything with you is temporary.
(beat)
What’s your salary?
NIKO
Commission only. Sell or starve.
That’s not just today—
SUZIE
Lie or lose everything? If I miss
this deadline again, I’m out.
His phone BUZZES — MOM. Suzie nods toward it.
SUZIE (CONT’D)
You should answer.
She touches his tie thread. TEXT: DEBT COLLECTOR — FINAL
NOTICE. He tightens the tie — a THREAD SNAPS.
She tucks it behind the knot, hiding the flaw.
SUZIE (CONT’D)
Just… don’t lose yourself today.
Niko grabs two DONUT BOXES. Heads out. An EVICTION NOTICE
flaps on the door: PAST DUE: $2,500 — FINAL NOTICE.
Genres:
["Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
3 -
Driving Through Despair
INT. INFINITI – DRIVING – DAY
The engine coughs to life.
The CHECK ENGINE LIGHT spasms — the odometer flickers.
NIKO (V.O.)
Success requires optimism, donuts,
and a total suspension of shame.
Niko brakes hard. DONUT BOXES tumble. He picks up a crushed
donut, wipes a piece of carpet lint off it, and eats it.
PHONE PINGS: MOM - Proud of you. No more quitting jobs.
Another ping: LANDLORD — Late fees double in 48 hours.
RADIO DJ #1 (V.O.)
Investigators say Jim Jeffers Omni
Auto shredded recall documents—
RADIO DJ #2 (V.O.)
Imagine if lawyers and car salesmen
had a kid.
RADIO DJ #1 (V.O.)
That kid would be the antichrist.
Niko’s smile collapses. He SLAMS the radio off. Grips the
wheel. The check engine light glows brighter.
He catches his reflection in the rearview mirror. He adjusts
his face. He forces the PERFECT SMILE.
NIKO (V.O.)
Rent? Student loans? Easy. The hard
part is sounding like I know what
I'm doing when I don't.
(beat)
I swore I wouldn't become the
problem. Right now, the problem is
the only thing hiring.
TITLE CARD: LEMON LAW (Sign Here)
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
4 -
Surviving the Lemon Law
EXT. JIM JEFFERS OMNI AUTO – DAY
TITLE OVER: Based on actual events… except the parts that
could get us sued.
Sun-bleached banners. A flickering sign missing letters.
A half-deflated inflatable gorilla slumps over the entrance.
WE FINANCE ANYONE! banner — ANYONE crossed out, MOST PEOPLE
scrawled underneath.
Niko parks. His trunk pops open on its own — a mechanical
betrayal. He straightens his frayed tie, grabs two crushed
donut boxes, and slams it shut over his golf clubs.
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. Half workplace
comedy, half moral crime scene.
Across the lot, SIERRA (late 30s) chain-smokes while
scrolling job listings on her cracked phone.
SIERRA
Five hundred FICO is “aspirational”
now.
(beat)
God help us.
A sleek sports car glides in.
RICKY (30s) movie-star ego, steps out and finger-guns his own
reflection in the showroom glass.
A CUSTOMER slams on the locked glass door like a trapped
zombie.
CUSTOMER #1 (O.S.)
I HAVE AN APPOINTMENT! I SEE YOU IN
THERE!
Ricky strolls past the man without breaking stride, checking
his cuticles.
DEAN (40s) — Used Car Manager, enters with coffee and
despair.
DEAN
Fuck my life. I should’ve been a
stripper. At least they get tips.
Niko rushes over with the donuts.
NIKO
Dean! First day — I brought Bob’s
favorites—
Dean doesn't look at the box.
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 -
Morning Meeting Mayhem
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.” He deletes it. Types something else.
Sip. He checks his scratched luxury watch. The shredder
doesn’t slow.
INT. MEETING ROOM - CONTINUOUS
Buzzing lights. Motivational poster: GRIND HARDER. BUYERS ARE
LIARS. COMMISSIONS DON’T. The staff shuffles in.
Niko sets down the donuts — they vanish instantly.
NIKO (V.O.)
If hell held morning meetings...
EDDIE (40s) flashy GSM, caffeinated delusion steps up.
Adjusts his knee brace, pain hidden behind a salesman’s 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.
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: one-twelve. New!
DEAN
Same circus, new bodies. We always
find a way to hit the number — and
someone to blame when we don’t.
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
(low)
But we’re all thinking it.
WHAM. Vincent enters with a folded note. The room freezes.
Eddie reads it, sinks a quarter-inch.
A BROKEN LASER-JET PRINTER in the corner SCREAMS.
Niko flinches — no one else reacts.
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 get 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 gets you 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.
DEAN
Keep it in the grey, guys.
NIKO
(under his breath)
Sounds like bullshit.
DEAN
You haven’t seen nothing yet. Wait
till you see the addendum sticker.
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… OMNI!
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. He instinctively straightens his
posture — unconsciously mimicking the other salespeople
bracing for blood. He 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.
Without looking, Eddie slides Bob’s cross pen away like it’s
nothing. It clatters softly against a stapler. No one reacts.
DEAN
Last month we lost three
salespeople. This month, I’m taking
bets on who’s next.
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: 9:00 AM. ROCK BOTTOM. 12 HOURS TO GO.
Genres:
["Satire","Drama","Comedy"]
Ratings
Scene
6 -
Chaos and Despair at the Dealership
INT. SHOWROOM – DAY
PHONES SCREAM. PRINTER SHRIEKS. Kids dart between cubicles.
Crooked posters shout: ZERO DOWN! — NO CREDIT? NO PROBLEM!
NIKO (V.O.)
Rule one here: never look stressed.
Niko attempts to “shadow” someone. The staff waves him off.
In his glass office, Frank Jr. laughs at cat videos.
Marco and JoJo power-walk through service, 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 him.
Across the showroom, a CUSTOMER studies an unclaimed SUV.
Niko inhales and 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
Don’t need one. Half the guys here
can’t spell login. What you do
need— are ups.
NIKO
Just start selling?
DEAN
Yep. 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?
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
immediately. A deflated balloon bounces across the floor,
rolling past Niko’s desk. He watches it go.
Genres:
["Drama","Satire","Comedy"]
Ratings
Scene
7 -
Suppressed Promises
INT. SERVICE DEPARTMENT - DAY
Cold fluorescent bars flicker, humming like a bad conscience.
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.
SERVICE MANAGER
(snorts)
Ma’am… there is no Frank Sr.
Automatic transmission kit?! What
is this, Make-A-Wish?!
Mrs. Deluca’s face tightens — grief turning volcanic. She
sets the receipt down with lethal precision… Her orthopedic
shoes click like a ticking bomb.
Niko stands just inside the service bay, watching — unsure,
uncomfortable.
Mrs. Deluca turns, defeated, and starts to leave. She passes
Niko. He hesitates… then steps forward, offering her a chair.
NIKO
I’m sorry. I wish I could help.
She meets his eyes — surprised by the kindness.
A TV overhead drones:
ANCHOR #1
…State regulators announced another
consumer complaint 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 pushes past Niko and disappears. Mrs. Deluca stares at the
blank screen, her reflection a ghost in the black glass.
A deflated balloon drifts past her feet. She doesn’t notice.
NIKO (V.O.)
They say the truth always comes
out. Here… it just gets turned off.
Genres:
["Drama","Satire"]
Ratings
Scene
8 -
The Grey Zone of Sales
INT. SHOWROOM – DAY
The showroom buzzes under perfect lighting — bright enough
to make people look alive even when they’re not.
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. 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. Disclosers.
A few feet away, Marco 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.
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. Grey survives.
The gears in Niko’s head start turning.
DEAN (CONT’D)
Every day, every deal, you pick a
zone. White gets fired, Black gets
sued, Grey survives.
A cold hand drops a manila file on Niko’s desk.
Vincent stands over him.
VINCENT
New guy. Your college degree. Need
a copy.
NIKO
My degree? Why?
VINCENT
College Grad Rebate, for Krushna’s
deal. 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 deal. Don’t overthink it.
Vincent leaves the file behind.
Niko’s hand finds his mother’s tie, but his gaze finds the
pen. He reaches for it — then stops himself.
The showroom lights shift to grey.
DEAN
He's asking you to put a rubber
stamp on a pile of manure. You sign
the deals, you keep the power. Just
don’t use your real signature.
NIKO
Lie just enough to live?
DEAN
Bingo. And remember, if anything
goes sideways, we never told you to
fudge the forms. If it blows up,
it’s your name on the dotted line.
NIKO
Can I still use the CarFax?
DEAN
Use whatever helps you sleep. Just
don’t print it in color — looks
suspicious.
(leans in)
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
Nope. Clean title.
Dean smiles like a proud devil.
DEAN
I tried being honest my first year.
Got me a write up and a pink slip.
Grey is how you survive.
OMAR (O.S.)
I got a trade in!
DEAN
Speaking of the Black Zone...come
with me.
Genres:
["Drama","Satire","Dark Comedy"]
Ratings
Scene
9 -
The Grey Zone
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. He instinctively
straightens his tie like the others.
NIKO (V.O.)
My first step into the Grey Zone.
It smelled exactly like this car—
less a job, more a long con with
direct deposit.
Across the street, a BLACK SEDAN idles. Niko locks eyes with
the driver — two seconds too long.
Genres:
["Drama","Satire"]
Ratings
Scene
10 -
Workplace Antics
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. Johnny, take this one.
MARIA
He’s a manager! It’s mine!
JOHNNY
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.
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
11 -
Customer Confrontation
INT. SHOWROOM – CONTINUOUS
Niko marches through the showroom, looking for a way to look
busy. A hand SNAPS onto his wrist. 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
I saw the news! You people sold me
a lemon!
He freezes, then steers her toward his desk.
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","Satire"]
Ratings
Scene
12 -
The Confrontation at the Dealership
INT. NIKO'S DESK - DAY
Mrs. Deluca sits across from Niko — feet planted.
She SLAMS her purse down.
NIKO
Do you need to speak to a manager?
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 one of the good guys.
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 showroom lights
flicker to a light grey.
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. We want this fixed — fast —
without lawyers.
His glance lands at Bob.
NIKO (CONT’D)
How do we make this go away.
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 nature documentary.
SIERRA
Should we step in?
DEAN
Nah. Let the boy cook.
Dean’s grin sharpens. He 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 slides into Niko’s seat. Niko lingers.
RICKY
Ma’am, I understand you asked 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 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 my hand didn’t even
shake.
The showroom lights return to normal. He catches his
reflection in the glass and doesn’t recognize himself for
half a second.
Genres:
["Drama","Satire","Dark Comedy"]
Ratings
Scene
13 -
High Stakes and Low Spirits
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
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? Not that I
care.
BJÖRN
They’re not saying anything, Jim.
They’re watching.
(beat)
Your next thirty days decide
whether Omni Auto stays open… or
gets absorbed.
Björn calmly lays down a better hand. Jim stares at it.
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
…Right. Good thing I got the app.
BJÖRN
Idiot.
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
14 -
Disoriented Decisions
EXT. BACKROOM ALLEY – DAY
Jim bursts into sunlight like a hungover vampire. Pulls out
his phone, scrolls: Tinder… DoorDash… Bank app…
JIM
Nope… nope. Ooh—pizza. Nope…
security. Finally.
The dealership security feeds load. SECURITY CAM POV:
– Showroom chaos.
— TV reflection: LEMON LAW chyron still visible.
— Mrs. Deluca: rage packed like a warhead.
— Niko: elbows on desk, head in hands.
Jim watches. Jaw tightens. Not empathy — fear. He swipes the
feeds away.
TITLE OVER: 11:15 AM. DISASTER LOADING...
Genres:
["Drama","Satire"]
Ratings
Scene
15 -
Selling Hope: A Deceptive Deal
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.
(he taps the form)
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. He slowly clicks
his pen. His hand shakes — barely. He steadies it.
Then writes it — the lie sits there in ink.
RICKY (CONT’D)
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","Satire"]
Ratings
Scene
16 -
Deceptive Dealings
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 toward him — predatory interest.
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 grabs his pen, ready 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 for the door — Niko on his heels.
Dean steps into the doorway, blocking 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 his coffee, unimpressed.
DEAN
Do what you want, Eddie. You’re the
GSM. Make sure your name’s on that
appraisal. Six-grand 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.
DEAN
Stay in the grey, Niko.
Eddie pushes past Dean.
DEAN (CONT’D)
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","Satire","Comedy"]
Ratings
Scene
17 -
Moral Dilemmas on the Lot
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.
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.
Eddie slaps him on the back as he heads inside.
EDDIE (CONT’D)
Confused? Good. Means you’re
learning. Confusion’s the first
step to greatness. Don’t like it?
Take up knitting.
Across the street: a black SEDAN in the Burger King lot.
A man in a cheap suit snaps photos.
NIKO (V.O.)
Every lie feels easier than the
last. Bob would hate who I'm
becoming.
Niko is left alone with the car. He stares at the “Frame
Damage” he wrote — the lie sitting there in ink.
His phone VIBRATES.
A text from SUZIE: “Found a clinic that takes my credits.
Need $1,200 for the deposit by Friday. Can we do it?”
Niko looks at the clipboard. Eight hundred dollars of fiction
becomes simple math.
NIKO (V.O.)
Stop looking at the bumper.
Genres:
["Drama","Satire"]
Ratings
Scene
18 -
Hiding in Plain Sight
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! 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, sips.
FRANK JR. (CONT’D)
Somebody’s gotta preserve morale.
Genres:
["Satire","Drama","Dark Comedy"]
Ratings
Scene
19 -
Salesmanship in Chaos
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
cars — 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’s DEATH STARE shuts Niko mid-word. He pivots back to
the new hires, booming.
EDDIE
In this place, we don’t have
problems — just objections. And
every objection is just a request
for a better deal.
(MORE)
EDDIE (CONT’D)
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? What about that lady outside
threatening to call the news.
Eddie parts the blinds — sees Mrs. Deluca pacing with her
flip phone raised like a holy relic. SLAMS them 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 -
The Art of Selling Dreams
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.
(leans in, whispers.)
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 can’t help myself.
JOJO
We’re gonna get 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 -
Sales Tensions in the Showroom
INT. SHOWROOM – CONTINUOUS
Niko watches the Tech Bro practically humping the Hellspire.
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 our time to shine.
Niko watches the Tech Bro peel out, 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 -
High Stakes and Missing Signatures
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.
A text pops on Vincent’s phone: FIXER: 48 hours. State’s
watching. Don’t let this become a Lemon thing.
VINCENT
Should we stop selling cars or
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","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
23 -
Sales Pressure and Sweet Temptations
INT. BOB’S DESK - CONTINUOUS
The showroom buzzes. Bob sets a donut box on his desk like an
offering.
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. Get the customers back
in to re-sign before they unwind -
or your dad finds out about your
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, 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
24 -
Silent Pressures
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 the numbers,
Vincent. Otherwise I’m driving this
toaster into a lake — and no
surprises.
VINCENT
We need seventy-two. We’re at sixty-
seven. Pray nothing unwinds.
Corporate says if we don’t hit five
units today… they CUT allocation.
JIM
First they cut allocation, then
they cut the store.
VINCENT
They’re already watching us. Next
one, we’re the example.
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.
Jim’s knee bounces violently.
VINCENT
More bad news: Francis “The Fixer”
called.
Jim looks up. That lands.
JIM
He doesn’t call.
VINCENT
Exactly.
(beat)
Lemon Law case two-four-seven-B.
State kicked it upstairs this
morning.
JIM
What does that mean?
VINCENT
Sixty days. Maybe less. Once it
goes formal, they can freeze the
lot.
JIM
Sixty days?! The Fixer said —
(beat)
They can't prove anything! I’ll be
on the phone with corporate all
night!
Jim glances out the window — a competitor’s dealership gleams
across the street, spotless, serene, mocking.
A billboard beside it reads: “LEMON LAW? CALL NOW.”
A smiling lawyer points directly at Jim’s car.
Jim flinches like he’s been personally accused.
JIM (CONT’D)
If Channel 5 runs another story,
I’m gonna sue them for defamation.
Weather guy too — smiling like he
knows something.
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.
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.
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
25 -
Chaos at the Dealership
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 month it’s a new crisis. Same
rule: hit the numbers or get eaten.
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
close, or I own that 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.
His gaze snaps to Bob.
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 by Niko.
NIKO
Sorry, Bob.
BOB
Don’t be. I’m you in ten years.
This place eats hope. Chase debt
long enough — you start chasing
lies.
The door shuts like a vault. The showroom seems to freeze.
A gust flips Niko’s clipboard: Severe Frame Misalignment.
Blue ink stains his thumb. His hand tightens on his frayed
tie.
TITLE OVER: 12:55 PM UPLOAD COMPLETE. ROCK BOTTOM HAS A BASEMENT.
Genres:
["Drama","Comedy"]
Ratings
Scene
26 -
Descent into Desperation
INT. VINCENT’S OFFICE - DAY
Vincent sips tea like he’s in a spa. The door SLAMS open. Jim
storms in, already mid-panic.
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!
(gestures to the tea)
Go ahead. Finish your chamomile.
Vincent doesn’t look up.
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.
VINCENT (CONT’D)
Corporate wants recalls buried.
State investigators want a head on
a pike. Guess who’s in the middle?
JIM
If corporate shuts us, I’m not
going down alone.
VINCENT
Relax. If this place goes under,
you won’t be around to stress about
it. Francis doesn't call twice.
Shows up in person, you’re past
saving.
(beat)
Lemon Law case two-four-seven-B
just went formal. State kicked it
upstairs this morning. Sixty days.
Maybe less.
JIM
Sixty days... and I just lost five
grand to IKEA boy. I need another
extension. And another hundred
grand. If the franchise goes, I go.
VINCENT
With the extra hundred grand, my
stake hits twenty-five percent.
Jim freezes —threat? Warning? Math lesson? Who knows.
JIM
I said I’d get you your money.
Vincent finally looks at him.
VINCENT
And when you don’t, I take the
keys. Debt decides ownership.
A beat. Jim swallows. Vincent’s eyes drift to a framed photo
on the wall: Young Jim with his father. Grand opening. 1969.
A handshake frozen in time.
VINCENT (CONT’D)
He had a good run. Handshakes and
Lincolns.
Jim turns away from the photo.
VINCENT (CONT’D)
The bank doesn’t take handshakes
anymore, Jim. Neither do I.
JIM
If we don’t make all this
disappear, they pull service logs,
sales history— everything.
(beat)
Scrub the last sixty days. Every
lemon-buyback sticker needs to be a
'clerical error.’
Jim snaps, desperate.
JIM (CONT’D)
I’ve got it.
VINCENT
Herpes?
JIM
No! A promo. Anything on trade.
Drives, floats, crawls — has a
pulse or USED to have a pulse — we
take it.
VINCENT
That’s a terrible idea and you were
on a roll.
JIM
Perfect. Make signs. Blast social.
Radio. TV.
VINCENT
Jim—
JIM
If the State Attorney calls again,
we blame the new guy.
(beat)
My old man built this place on
trust. This place used to mean
something.
A sharp BEEP from his wrist. Vincent leans in slightly,
watching the numbers climb.
VINCENT
Monitor's calibrated. Hit the
ceiling, the agreement triggers.
(smiles)
Paperwork’s already typed.
Jim freezes. The beeping slows—terror doing what medicine
can’t.
VINCENT (CONT’D)
You built this place, Jim. I’m just
planning what comes after.
Jim storms out. Vincent reopens his laptop. On screen: a tab
with Jim's heart-rate graph… Another tab half-typed:
“Unclaimed remains holding period”
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
27 -
Temptation at the Desk
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 just stares — stunned. Krushna appears.
KRUSHNA
Quick favor, yes? You keep sale. I
take RDR. I give you hundred. Don't
tell Eddie.
Krushna sets the $100 on Niko’s desk — casual, practiced.
Niko stares at the cash, then at the past-due notice.
NIKO
That’s… not legal.
KRUSHNA
Everything legal until someone
looks. And Niko? No one here looks.
Make signature pretty.
Krushna disappears. Niko looks at the hundred, sick.
A CUSTOMER slams a folder onto his desk — a lemon on top. It
rolls, stopping directly on the hundred—dollar bill.
LEMON GUY
You sold me a goddamn LEMON!
Dean materializes behind Niko like a weary guardian angel.
Niko quietly pulls the hundred free.
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 looks between the lemon and the hundred -
trying to make sense of what he just saw.
NIKO
What just happened?
DEAN
Real life. You’ll get meaner in the
knees before the mouth. Happens to
everyone.
Dean walks off. Niko looks down at the lemon again — this
time, he doesn’t look away from the money.
NIKO (V.O.)
First sale. First lie. First
hundred. Nobody forced my hand.
They just showed me where the pen
was.
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
28 -
Turbulence of Hope
EXT. DEALERSHIP BACK LOT – DAY
Niko paces between dusty trade-ins. Kicks a loose hubcap —
CLANG. He exhales, calls Suzie.
NIKO
Hey. I’m alive. Barely. It’s like
prison but with less structure.
Suzie’s world hums — trays, voices, chaos.
SUZIE (V.O.)
Niko, I’m—
(to someone off)
Yes, I’m coming—
(back to him)
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 a car on my first day.
SUZIE (V.O.)
Good for you. When do you get paid?
Niko fingers the folded hundred in his pocket.
NIKO
I got a hundred now and I’ll get
another five hundred soon.
SUZIE (V.O.)
Soon doesn’t cover what we need.
NIKO
I know. But this works. Right now.
Hospital noise swells — not heroic, just busy.
SUZIE (V.O.)
I’m choosing stability. You’re
choosing hope. I just…
(beat, swallowed)
I can’t build a life on “we’ll fix
it later.”
(a softer beat)
I don’t have another “this week” in
me.
NIKO
It’s not “later.” It’s this week.
He clocks a PRISTINE VINTAGE SPEEDBOAT wedged between SUVs.
Handwritten sign: “FLOATS! $500 DEALER CREDIT!”
In the chrome of the outboard motor, his reflection bends —
thinner, warped, not quite him. The reflection flickers —
like it might disappear if he looks too long.
NIKO (CONT’D)
I need you to trust me.
SUZIE (V.O.)
I needed you to choose me.
NIKO
I am.
A METAL SCREECH erupts from inside the dealership. Niko
doesn’t look away from the boat.
Genres:
["Drama","Character Study"]
Ratings
Scene
29 -
The Turning Point
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. The showroom lights cool a
shade — barely noticeable, but Niko feels it.
NIKO
That’s less than a cup of coffee a
day. We’ve got great coffee. It's
basically liquid gold. 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 — sharp enough to freeze him. He
leans in toward the couple. The dealership noise falls away,
like someone pulled the plug.
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, high-fiving a water cooler. Niko stares at
the signed contract, In the glass, his reflection catches —
sharper, harder than he remembers.
NIKO (CONT’D)
…That wasn’t me. For the first
time, I wasn’t just watching. I
‘was’ the scam.
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
30 -
The Price of Compliance
INT. SERVICE BAY - DAY
The cavernous bay roars. 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 (CONT’D)
Mileage doesn’t sell cars.
Certainty does.
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’s eyes flick to the forged signature.
He instinctively takes half a step back — Vincent notices.
VINCENT (CONT’D)
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.
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 futures.
He pockets the pen — the click like a deadbolt.
VINCENT (CONT’D)
You know what a lemon is? It’s not
a bad car. It’s a car that refuses
to be fixed. A car the state
decides can’t be fixed.
(beat)
Three chances. Then they call it.
Vincent leans in, almost amused.
VINCENT (CONT’D)
People work the same way. You get
three chances to be a "good man."
After that, you're just a
liability.
(beat)
This is your first try, Niko. Don't
waste it.
Niko is motionless, Vincent just gives sly smirk.
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. A Lemon Law sticker dangles from the
windshield.
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 peels the sticker off, lifts the trunk carpet, and
presses it flat underneath. Gone.
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.
NIKO
I thought demos were after ninety
days.
VINCENT
(smiles)
Think of it as… onboarding. Don’t
forget your golf clubs.
NIKO
How did-
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
31 -
Denial in the Parking Lot
EXT. EMPLOYEE PARKING - MOMENTS LATER
Niko reaches his car. Pops the trunk. Grabs his golf clubs. A
hesitation. He lifts the carpet. A LEMON LAW BUYBACK STICKER
stares back — the same kind Vincent hid. Niko freezes.
He looks at the SUV Vincent gave him. Then back at his own
trunk. Then toward Vincent’s office. He lowers the carpet.
SLAMS the trunk.
A business card flutters under his wiper. Niko plucks it off
— barely glances at it — just another piece of dealership
junk. He folds it without reading and pockets it.
He tosses his clubs into the demo SUV. New car smell. Warm
seats. He exhales — the first clean breath he’s had all day.
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
32 -
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. 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
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! Or you’re all DONE!
NIKO (V.O.)
He'd sell his own nameplate to
survive. I get it.
Niko watches him go. He instinctively slides the stapler
shard off his shoe. Something inside him hardening.
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
33 -
Chaos in the Showroom
INT. 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 five.
Front doors swing open — a gorgeous WOMAN strides in.
She hands Ricky a lunch bag, kisses him, walks out.
RICKY
See? My wife. Told you.
DEAN
Sure. Definitely a paid actress.
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!”
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.
He straightens his tie and steps into the chaos.
NIKO
Trading in my dignity…
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.
- 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.
- 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! BULLETPROOF PAINT!
Niko just looks at it in silence.
- 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.
- Across the street: a black SEDAN in the Burger King lot. A
man in a cheap suit snaps photos of the goat.
Jim watches from his office 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 — who calmly studies a Dealer of the Year
plaque mock-up on his desk. Vincent slides the glass door
shut. The chaos dulls.
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.
JIM
If we survive this year, we’re a
case study. If we don’t, we’re the
example the State Attorney runs on
campaign ads.
VINCENT
This isn’t just a bad month. We’re
one headline away from extinction.
Jim stares — unraveling. Vincent taps a FINAL NOTICE between
them.
VINCENT (CONT’D)
Either pay what’s on the ledger…
or step aside before the Feds do.
(nods toward the window)
If they’re photographing goats,
imagine what they’ll do when they
see the books.
JIM
I’m not losing this. This promo
will work.
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. A FLASK. A thick folder stamped OMNI AUTO
CORPORATE – ASSET RECLAMATION REVIEW. He turns the notice
face down.
JIM (CONT’D)
Dad… I’m trying.
Genres:
["Drama","Comedy"]
Ratings
Scene
34 -
The Coupon Conundrum
INT. NIKO’S DESK - DAY
Niko is with a “KAREN” type - she drops a stack of coupons.
KAREN
I want to buy that 2005 Corolla…
for two hundred dollars.
Niko stares at the coupons. Blinks. Closes his eyes. He looks
up — catches the SECURITY CAMERA in the corner. Watching. He
straightens. Unconsciously mirrors Ricky’s posture.
NIKO
That’s… a bold opening, ma’am.
Karen smiles. Ready to fight. Lights flicker.
NIKO (CONT’D)
The ceramic coating? Yeah. That
doesn’t take coupons. Try Walmart.
Karen blinks. Off balance.
NIKO (CONT’D)
Have you considered financing?
KAREN
I only make six hundred a month on
my disability.
Niko watches the lights flicker, dipping out for a beat.
NIKO
Lets fill out the application and
see what we can do for you.
Niko pulls out his pen and starts filling the application. As
the lights go dark once more, he adds an extra zero.
Genres:
["Drama","Comedy"]
Ratings
Scene
35 -
The Coffee Spill
INT. DEAN’S OFFICE
Niko catches his reflection in the dark glass of the office
door - a flicker of recognition, then shame. He steps inside.
Dean flips through the application.
A long beat.
Dean doesn’t look angry. Or impressed. Just… reading Niko.
Niko shifts his weight. His thumb taps the edge of his tie.
The silence stretches.
Dean finally sets the form down.
Without breaking eye contact, he tips his coffee — a slow,
deliberate spill across the page. The ink bleeding until the
numbers lose their shape.
Niko watches it disappear. His breath catches.
Dean reaches for a fresh form.
DEAN
I’m clumsy.
He hands Niko the new application.
DEAN (CONT’D)
(quiet)
Start over.
Another beat.
DEAN (CONT’D)
And next time… don’t add anything
you can’t defend.
He nods at the ruined form — the zero now a blue smear.
DEAN (CONT’D)
Some lies aren’t worth the coffee I
just spilled.
Niko absorbs it. Not proud. Not ashamed. Just… recalibrating.
Genres:
["Drama","Character Study"]
Ratings
Scene
36 -
Sales Pressure and Surprises
INT. JOHNNY’S OFFICE – DAY
Quiet — the eye of the storm. Johnny scrolls TikTok, smoothie
in hand. Slurp. 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. He glances at a
monochrome security monitor. The grainy feed makes the people
on the showroom floor look like huddled animals.
Genres:
["Drama","Comedy"]
Ratings
Scene
37 -
Sales Tactics and Contract Confusion
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. He reads the line again. Then signs. Ricky
sweeps the paperwork away like he’s harvesting organs.
RICKY (CONT’D)
Love your decisiveness, Mr. Harris.
Niko watches from the doorway. He isn’t horrified
anymore—he’s studying. His hand, resting on the doorframe,
begins tapping in the same rhythm as Ricky’s pen.
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.
Dean clocks the contract again. INSERT: SPECIES — left blank.
Dean slowly closes the folder.
Genres:
["Drama","Comedy"]
Ratings
Scene
38 -
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.
Niko pauses dead in the doorway. Eddie doesn’t see him.
EDDIE (CONT’D)
If corporate calls — we blame him.
He’s polite. He won’t fight back.
Niko’s face drops. He grips his frayed tie. Marco strolls
out. Niko backs away, breath tight.
Genres:
["Drama","Comedy"]
Ratings
Scene
39 -
Chaos at Night: A Gnome's Demise
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)
The office is dark, lit only by the blue glow of Dean’s
phone. On screen: The Tech Bro firing a BB gun. PING. SMASH.
TECH BRO (PHONE)
NASA PAINT, BABY!
Dean watches with the blank stare of a man at his own
execution.
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. How long do I
have before I'm the one in the
video?
DEAN
You're already in it, kid. You're
just waiting for the upload to
finish.
JoJo drifts in with a customer, glazed, clutching a Buick
Technical Manual.
CUSTOMER #6
This the one you recommend?
JOJO
Oh, yeah. Classic. Can’t go wrong
with a good ol’ Bruik. The 3.8-
liter V6 in this Bruik?
Topographical masterpiece. It
doesn’t just run — it harmonizes
with the road.
DEAN
It’s BUICK! Why are you always
high?
JOJO
Relax, man. You’re too uptight.
JOJO (CONT’D)
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.
Genres:
["Drama","Comedy"]
Ratings
Scene
40 -
Cookie Chaos at the Dealership
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
hope she doesn’t sue us over the
raisins.
Niko reaches for a cookie, then pauses. He notices the ink
smeared on his thumb. He pulls his hand back. 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.
Genres:
["Drama","Comedy"]
Ratings
Scene
41 -
End of the Month Reflections
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’s 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 Kurt thing - you just made 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.
He touches the glass - his reflection warps in the glow. 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.
On her coffee table sits a folder of her own: "AUTO BODY
ESTIMATE: $4,200." She chuckles and goes back to knitting.
Genres:
["Drama","Comedy"]
Ratings
Scene
42 -
Descent into Darkness
INT. JIM’S HOME OFFICE – NIGHT
Security feeds light Jim's face. Staff limp to their cars. He
hits a flask. Spreadsheets glow. FINAL NOTICE – PERFORMANCE
SITE VISIT. The heart monitor CHIRPS.
JIM
In this business, you don’t lose
your morals in one day. You lose
them in little bites.
He shuts the laptop. Stares at a photo of his father.
JIM (CONT’D)
(to the photo)
I'm keeping the lights on, Dad. I'm
just - burning the furniture to do
it.
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.
They exchange the bag. He points a lazy finger toward the
street where the BLACK SEDAN sits.
JEFF (CONT’D)
Those guys have been there since
morning.
SHADY GUY
Cops?
JEFF
Or worse.
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
43 -
The Weight of Decisions
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
A beat. 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. His
reflection stares back — blank.
VINCENT
Unfortunate.
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
44 -
Reflections in the Night
INT. GAS STATION - NIGHT
Harsh fluorescent buzz. Niko’s demo SUV idles — shiny on the
outside, coughing underneath. He drops the $100. The
Attendant slides over a stack of dirty fives and singles.
ATTENDANT
Big spender, huh? Rough day?
NIKO
Car sales.
She nods. Niko eyes a wilted rose. He picks it up, leaves a
five-dollar tip, and walks out. He catches his reflection in
the window: older, hollow… but standing.
EXT. GAS STATION - CONTINUOUS
Bob sits on a bench, empty donut box in his lap and a framed
"Employee of the Month" photo. The glass is cracked.
NIKO
Hey, Bob. How you holding up?
Bob looks up. He just looks at Niko’s shiny demo SUV.
BOB
Watch the transmission on those.
They’re built to fail at thirty
thousand miles.
(beat)
Exactly when the warranty expires.
Niko watches Bob disappear into the dark. He looks at the
cracked photo. Bob's face is split by the crack — two
different men. Then at the demo SUV.
Niko’s thumb brushes the glass. He leaves a faint smear of
blue ink — right over Bob’s eyes.
NIKO (V.O.)
I could walk... but then what?
INT. DEMO SUV - MOMENTS LATER
Niko sets the rose on the passenger seat, drives off. The
rose is the only color in the monochrome night. Radio on.
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
45 -
Neon Confessions
INT. TINA’S CABARET – NIGHT
TITLE OVER: 11:17 PM. ESCAPE MODE ACTIVATED.
Neon haze. Thumping bass. Desperate energy. Crew scattered.
Niko scrapes "Omni Auto" logo off key fob with LEFT-HANDED
SCREWDRIVER. Dean slides in.
DEAN
Survived day one.
NIKO
Barely. They all end like this?
DEAN
Nah. Sometimes someone cries.
(eyes the screwdriver)
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 pockets the screwdriver, leans in, his voice low.
NIKO
Krushna offered me a hundred to put
the RDR in his name. I took it...
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.
NIKO
Customers see lemons, we sell ‘em
sunshine.
DEAN
Exactly. Every deal here’s the same
test: White Zone and you get fired,
Black Zone and you get sued, Grey
Zone and you get paid.
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.
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 adjusts her hair, looks Sierra in the eye, and
puts on a "fake" smile that looks exactly like Niko’s smile.
Niko’s phone BUZZES: SUZIE: Where ARE you? Catering deposit.
I need you HERE. Niko looks at the phone. Then at her
practiced smile. He pockets the phone.
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller","Dark Comedy"]
Ratings
Scene
46 -
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 turns his badge over. Lays the gold cross pen beside it.
NIKO (V.O.)
Day One: they taught me the rules.
Day Two-
He clips the badge back onto his shirt. 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 grips both. His
eyes drift to the trash can… and stop.
The ALARM CLOCK BUZZES: 5:00 A.M..
NIKO
(under his breath)
I hate people.
He stands. He straightens his tie. The reflection in the
darkened window isn't the "spotless guy" from the opening.
It's someone new.
NIKO (CONT’D)
And tomorrow, I sell ’em cars.
END OF PILOT
POST-CREDIT SCENE
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
47 -
Day Two: A New Beginning
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 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 inhales.
END OF PILOT.