A PUB. INTERIOR. DAY
LAUREL IS SITTING AT A TABLE FACING CAMERA.
THERE ARE SEVERAL GLASSES, SOME STILL CONTAINING DRINK ON THE TABLE.
LAUREL IS A PLEASANT, MEEK, MILD, CAUCASIAN MAN NOT DISSIMILAR TO THE GREAT STAN LAUREL IN APPEARANCE AND DEMEANOUR.
HE'S SITTING ON A SHORT BENCH, WITH A WALL IMMEDIATELY TO HIS RIGHT AND ANOTHER IMMEDIATELY BEHIND HIM.
THE EFFECT OF THE WALLS AND THE TABLE IS TO 'CORRAL' HIM IN THE EVENT THAT SOMEONE SITS NEXT TO HIM.
JIHADI ENTERS.
JIHADI IS A LARGE, ROTUND, DARK-HAIRED MAN OF MIDDLE-EASTERN APPEARANCE BUT OTHERWISE NOT DISSIMILAR IN APPEARANCE AND DEMEANOUR TO THE GREAT OLIVER HARDY.
HE SEES THE EMPTY SEAT NEXT TO LAUREL AND POINTS TO IT, HIS GESTURES MAKING IT CLEAR HE'S ASKING IF THE SEAT IS VACANT.
LAUREL SMILES AND INDICATES THAT THE SEAT IS INDEED VACANT.
JIHADI SITS DOWN AND BEGINS TO FIDDLE UNDER HIS COAT WITH WHAT WE SEE ARE MANY STICKS OF EXPLOSIVE STRAPPED TO HIS BODY.
AFTER A FEW MOMENTS, LAUREL SPOTS THIS TOO AND LOOKS DISTINCTLY WORRIED.
LAUREL STAND UP NERVOUSLY AS IF TO LEAVE BUT JIHADI GLARES AT HIM, SO HE SITS DOWN AGAIN.
AS JIHADI CONTINUES TO ADJUST THE EXPLOSIVES AND THEIR CONNECTING WIRES. LAUREL BECOMES MORE AND MORE DISTRESSED, EVENTUALLY LOOKING AS IF HE MIGHT BURST INTO TEARS.
JIHADI PRODUCES A THUMB-PRESS DETONATOR DEVICE ATTACHED TO A LONG PIECE OF WIRE AND CONNECTS THE END OF THE WIRE TO THE EXPLOSIVES.
LAUREL IS SWEATING NOW AND, AS JIHADI CONCENTRATES ON HIS TASK, LAUREL PRODUCES A PACKET OF CIGARETTES. HE TAKES A CIG FROM THE PACKET, SHAKILY PUTS IT TO HIS LIPS AND LIGHTS IT.
JIHADI NOW SEEMS SATISFIED WITH HIS CONNECTIVITY AND HOLDS UP THE THUMB-PRESS DEVICE, CLOSES HIS EYES AND BEGINS TO MUMBLE TO HIMSELF AS HIS THUMB HOVERS OVER THE DETONATOR.
SUDDENLY, A GROUP OF BURLY MEN APPEAR - SHOUTING LOUDLY - AND THROW THEMSELVES AT THE TABLE, SENDING LAUREL, JIHADI, THE TABLE AND THE GLASSES AND DRINKS FLYING.
AFTER THE MELEE, WE SEE THE MEN HANDCUFFING LAUREL AS ONE OF THEM DROPS THE CIG PACKET AND THE CIG INTO AN EVIDENCE BAG.
AS LAUREL IS LED TO THE DOOR, CUT TO JIHADI LYING DAZED AND SOAKING WET ON THE FLOOR AMID SPILT DRINKS AND BROKEN GLASS.
HE FEELS AROUND UNDER HIS BODY AND THEN RAISES HIS HAND IN WHICH WE SEE HE IS HOLDING THE THUMB-PRESS DETONATOR.
HE CLOSES HIS EYES AND PRESSES THE BUTTON.
NOTHING HAPPENS.
HE OPENS HIS EYES AND PRESSES AGAIN.
NOTHING HAPPENS.
HE BEGINS URGENTLY TO TRACE THE WIRE LEADING FROM THE DETONATOR AND, AFTER PULLING OUT ABOUT TWO YARDS OF IT, WE SEE IT'S BROKEN AND HAS COME ADRIFT FROM THE EXPLOSIVES.
HE LOOKS DEJECTED AS HIS EYES FIND LAUREL, STILL IN CUSTODY AT THE DOOR.
LAUREL SMILES APOLOGETICALLY.
JIHADI MUTTERS SOMETHING IN A FOREIGN LANGUAGE.
SUBITLE: HERE'S ANOTHER NICE MESS YOU'VE GOTTEN ME INTO!
ENDS.
I'm a vapour, myself