(Trent and Carlos remain hidden away as they spy on a delivery being made in a warehouse. Trent’s busy snapping pictures of the scene while Carlos grows restless holding the ole flashlight.)

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Carlos: (sarcastically) So this is the exciting world of private investigation.

 

Trent: (pauses and puts his finger over his lips) Shhh!

 

Carlos: (mocking) Shhh! Did you really just shush me? I hate that.

 

Trent: Shh!

 

Carlos: (rolls his eyes back to watch the criminals)

 

Bad guy: (checks the substance) It’s good.

 

Carlos: Alright. We got em. Let’s go.

 

Trent: Just a few more. (goes back to snapping pictures)

 

Carlos: We’ve got plenty of pictures. Let’s go.

 

Trent: (still snapping) I’m right behind you.

 

(Trent’s camera suddenly rewinds and catches the bad guys’ attention.)

 

Carlos: (as the two are hurrying to make their getaway) Next time don’t bring the auto-rewind camera!

 

(They head for the stairs, but it’s a dead end and they double back.)

 

Trent: Hey, fellas.

 

Carlos: (salutes as they turn around back up the stairs) We were just leaving.

 

(Once jumping from beneath the railing of the warehouse loft, Trent and Carlos defend themselves against the bad guys, commencing a fight. Successfully beating the others, Trent nods to Carlos. Carlos nods back. Trent smiles approvingly.)

 

At Thunder Karate…

 

Tommy: (leading the class) Alright! Fighting stance! Front kick to the chest! One! (the students perform the kick; Tommy pauses briefly to instruct one student) Two! Three!

 

Sarah McNulty: (enters the dojo, removing her coat; pauses to the side next to Trent) Hi.

 

Trent: Hi, Sarah. Catch your breath. (points to the class) They’re still going at it.

 

Sarah: Good. I thought I was going to be late.

 

Trent: Joseph’s doing really well.

 

Sarah: It shows, huh? How proud I am of him?

 

Trent: Yeah, you have reason to be proud. Joseph’s a good student.

 

(Tommy continues to count, directing the class.)

 

Sarah: (still watching the class) You know something, Trent? I really can’t tell you what these classes have done for him. He has more self-confidence. His grades are up. It’s like he’s a different kids.

 

Trent: (nods) Martial arts can be a turning point for a lot of kids. It can give them a sense of discipline, focus…a new way of looking at the world. (looks to Sarah) For grown-ups too.

 

Sarah: You know, you’re persistent. I’ll give you that.

 

Trent: (chuckles)

 

Tommy: (ends the class with a bow) Good job, guys! Excellent class! We’ll see you all tomorrow. Don’t be late! (walks over to Trent and Sarah with Joseph)

 

Sarah: (hugs her son) Hey! I saw those last kicks. You are getting really good!

 

Joseph: (grinning) Thanks!

 

Tommy: Yeah, he’ll be testing for his green belt in no time.

 

Trent: Hey, Joseph, help me out here. I’m trying to convince your mom to take a class.

 

Sarah: (gives Trent a look) Yeah, well you see, I would. But I wouldn’t want to embarrass Joseph.

 

Joseph: (still smiling) Oh, I can handle being in a class with my mom.

 

Sarah: (puts her hand to her face semi-sarcastically) No, no what I meant was I don’t want to show you up.

 

Joseph: Show me up? (shakes his head with a grin) That’s cold.

 

Sarah: (wraps her arm around Joseph and starts for the door; smiles to Trent) See ya.

 

Trent: Have a good day.

 

During Sarah and Joseph’s ride home…

 

Joseph: So you know Mrs. Gomez, right?

 

Sarah: Right.

 

Joseph: Well, she said that I can do a paper on the history of karate for extra credit.

 

Sarah: Oh, that’s a great idea, huh?

 

Joseph: Yeah. (nodding proudly)

 

Sarah: That’s good. (changes lanes in front of someone behind her by accident)

 

Myles Wilson: (blows his car horn rudely)

 

Sarah: (waves apologetically to the man in the rear-view mirror) I’m sorry! Sorry.

 

Myles Wilson: (angrily) Stupid bitch! (follows Sarah as she changes lanes again and bumps their car from behind)

 

Joseph: Hey!

 

(Wilson bumps them from behind again and incessantly blows his horn at them)

 

Joseph: (turns around in his seat) What is this guy’s problem?!

 

Sarah: Joseph, turn around.

 

Joseph: Mom, this guy is nuts!

 

Sarah: Joseph! That is why I’m telling you to turn around.

 

Joseph: (surrenders with an aggravated sigh and settles back in his seat)

 

(Sarah turns into their neighborhood as Myles Wilson watches from the road at a slowed pace before driving on. Sarah and Joseph pull into their driveway. Sarah goes to the back of the car to check the damage before following Joseph inside. Meanwhile, Myles Wilson can be seen parking at a distance alongside the street, watching the two intently as they enter their house.)

 

THEME SONG INTRO

 

At Uppercuts…

 

Trent: (examining the financial records) This job was supposed to cover last month’s expenses, and now we’re further in the red than before. (scoffs as he looks to Carlos from across the booth)

 

Carlos: (speechless as he gestures in disbelief)

 

Butch: (overhears and nears the booth) Alright. Scooch over. (Trent slides over to allow Butch to have a seat) You boys need an office manager.

 

Trent: Butch, we can’t afford an office manager.

 

Butch: If you had one, you could afford one.

 

Carlos: (wrinkles his forehead) Now, come again?

 

Butch: If you had somebody to take care of the business details, you could spend your time worrying about your clients.

 

Trent: Yeah, but…

 

Butch: (raises his hand) Yeah, but nothing! Now, you’re in this for real now, and you gotta start thinking like a business man. Now, do you think I run this place by myself? No! I got Joe behind the bar. I got Sandy running the kitchen. I got Chico handling the books. That’s why I can spend so much time hanging around with you two. I’m telling you boys. You need an office manager.

 

Upstairs at Thunder Investigations…

 

(Trent and Carlos enter to find a large group of ladies waiting to be interviewed.)

 

Carlos: (removes his sun shades and leans in to Trent as they walk) Maybe hiring an office manager wasn’t such a bad idea after all.

 

Trent: (draping his coat over his shoulder with a sigh) You’re not kidding.

 

In Trent’s office…

 

Trent: You’re um…DeeDee?

 

DeeDee: (nods with a goofy grin) Yeah, with four e’s. (chuckles)

 

Carlos: (chuckles forcefully in response)

 

Trent: (serious) So, uh, DeeDee. What sort of office experience do you have?

 

DeeDee: (confused as she thinks through the question)

 

Carlos: (squints hard to focus)

 

DeeDee: Well, um, this one time I was a receptionist at an insurance company. Yeah. I was there for like, pfft, two weeks then I got fir—I left. (chuckles)

 

(The next lady enters)

 

Trent: So, can you tell us why you left your last job?

 

Woman: (flaunting herself slightly) It’s just cause all the other girls were jealous. But it’s only because I got bigger tips than they did.

 

(Trent and Carlos stare speechless at the woman before the next one enters)

 

Trent: Have you ever been bonded?

 

Young woman: (her smile turns to slight confusion) Bonded? Oh, no no no no no. I’m not in to that kinky stuff.

 

(Carlos stares blankly at the young lady and Trent drops his pen on the desk without moving; next lady enters and begins speaking fluent Spanish.)

 

Carlos: (can’t stop grinning; turns around and taps Trent’s paper) The Spanish is not a problem.

 

Trent: (sarcastic) No, no not at all. Um, muy bien. Gracias.

 

(The young woman leaves, and Trent buries his face in his hands.)

 

Kimberly Sutter: (enters the office) You should try acupressure. It works wonders. (extends her hand to Trent for a formal handshake) Hi. Kim Sutter.

 

Trent: (shakes her hand) Trent Malloy. Have a seat.

 

Kim: Thank you. (takes her seat all professional like)

 

Trent: Let’s see… It says your last job was as a night manager at a hotel.

 

Kim: That’s right. I supervised a staff of ten and handled all the accounting.

 

Carlos: (doubtful) Yeah, but have you ever worked for a private investigator before?

 

Kim: (flat smile) Nope. But I’m a big fan of Magnum, P.I.

 

Trent: (chuckles and points at Kim) You know, I think you’re gonna…

 

Carlos: (stops Trent with a feigned grinned) Trent, can I talk to you for a moment? (motions to Kim that they’ll be just a moment) Excuse us, please. (pulls Trent off to the side outside the office)

 

Trent: (to Kim) We’ll be right back. (to Carlos) What’s up?

 

Carlos: You are not going to give her the job.

 

Trent: (disbelief) Why not? She’s by far the best we’ve seen.

 

Carlos: (almost begging) What about DeeDee?

 

(Trent’s phone rings and Kim immediately picks it up)

 

Kim: Thunder Investigations. This is Kim. Um, yes, Mr. Bennett, we are a new company. But, you know that could actually work to your advantage. Well, one of our partners is a former detective with the Dallas police department. And the other is an ex-Army Ranger who’s a third-degree black belt. Um, well our hourly rate is a hundred and fifty dollars. (Trent steps forward out of panic but doesn’t stop her) But like I said before, the fact we’re new to the business can definitely work to your advantage. (nods) I think I can clear that with my bosses. Yeah, let me just get that address. (reaches forward to scribble down the address) I got it! And they’ll stop them from stealing your computers. Thank you, Mr. Bennett. Buh-bye. (hangs up the phone)

 

Trent: Our hourly rate is fifty dollars an hour.

 

Kim: (concerned) Oh, wow, sorry. Because we agreed on one hundred. Is that a problem? Cause I can call him back.

 

Carlos: (interrupts) No, no problem. (extends his hand) Welcome aboard, Kim.

 

Kim: (shakes Carlos’ hand) Thank you.

 

Trent: Welcome. (shakes her hand)

 

Kim: Thanks, Trent. (settles into a satisfied grin)

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MORE TO COME