slips the postcard under the rubber bands on the visor. he can see it whenever he wants to. but not now. he flips the visor up, puts the car in gear and pulls out.
hey, leave-up on him, man.
how ya' doin'? where to?
i'll take 105 east and up the 110. it's faster.
105 to the 110 is faster.
this late, the 110 is moving, but la * brea north of the santa monica is * jammed. *
that's why i jump off at grand. * but, hey, surface streets is cool. that's what you want, that's what we do.  *
your ride is free.
lucky with the lights.
you like bach?
let me guess. woodwinds?
could'a fooled me, the way you were unloading into that cell phone.
yeah? keep it. buy yourself something. go wild.
not a big thing, you know?
there were two of us. i killed the other guy. i don't like competition.
this? this is temporary. you know. pays the bills. i fill in with this. i will be the best at what i do, but * that's something else.
i'm setting up something.  *
limo company i'm putting together. island limousines. an island on wheels. so i'm part-timing until i get delivery, benzes off leases, work up my client lists, staff up, all * that.
you like being a lawyer?
i'm starting an 800 hotline. caught your phone call. and even if i hadn't, there's the dark pinstripe. * elegant, not too hip, which rules out * advertising, plus a top drawer briefcase, that you live out of, purse * looks like a bodega.
bottega. guy gets in my cab with a machete? i figure he's a sushi chef. you? clarence darrow.
big case?
you never answered my question. you like what you do?
but not right now?
clenched-up how? *
you need a vacation. *
no. not in a cab. you need your head straight, gotta get your unified self up, get harmonic. you know.
i take little ones all the time.
dozen times a day.
maldives islands. it gets heavy, i take five. go there.
yes, you could. you need it more than i do. it helps. i promise.
sure thing.
uh, yeah.
yeah, yeah, sorry.
where to?
fourteen minutes.
two minutes to get onto the 101. transition to the 110 to the 10 and exit on normandie is four minutes. north on normandie is five minutes. two minutes to south union 'cause there's roadwork. thirteen plus one for "shit happens."
an apology.
i already offered up the free ride * today. *
some girl. *
first time in la?
it's home.
i see your point. yeah.
yeah. i share it with the dayshift guy.
people are more relaxed, you know? less stress, less traffic, better tips.
like sick leave? *
it's not that kind of job.
me, specifically?
last thing i need is a reason to keep driving a cab. it's temporary. i'm fillin' in, you know, while this other thing i'm putting together is shaping up.
twelve years.
i don't talk about it. no offense, but.
lucky with the lights.
i'm not a hire car. it's against regs.
two-fifty, four hundred. *
man, i don't know.
yeah. okay.
max.
i can't double park here.
definitely not from around here.
he - he fell on my cab!
well, yeah. yeah. guy fell on my motherfucking cab from up there!
i think he's dead.
you - you killed him?
you are cool.
i am. i'm cool.
with what?
my trunk?
i don't think i can do this.
yeah.
his hand moved! his goddamn hand twitched!
uh, look. why don't you, like, take the cab.
yeah. i - i'll chill. you know. and. they don't check. you know? they don't. they don't know who's driving these things. you, me.
i'm trying.
it's not me!
you're making me nervous.
what?
i think so.
it's a mess.
west hollywood.
seventeen minutes. why?
oh. oh, no. you're kidding. we.
you said you were visiting friends!
i. i'm not trying to piss you off, see? okay? but i can't drive you around so you can murder people.  man, that's not my job.
you don't get it. i mean it. really. i'm not up for this.
yes.
music.
i ching? you threw a man out a window!
what'd he do to you?
then how can you kill him like that?
who, who was he?
rwanda. yeah. *
i don't know rwandans.
oh, that makes it okay, then. 'cause * all you're doing is taking out the * garbage.
how?
please. don't do anything.
i can't believe this.
don't. i'll talk to them, i'll talk to them!
i'll deal with it!
yes, officer.
yeah. see.  i hit a deer.
over by slauson.
goddamn deer jumped out in front of me. you believe that?
i was headed back to my depot, see, you know? and his drop's on the way.
hey, man, it's been a long day. you know? it's so slow, i pay this guy to ride so i don't get lonely.  my first fare. how about a break? i'm heading to the barn, anyway.
why?
lenny, my dispatcher.
he'll keep calling.
uh, yeah? lenny? it's me.
yeah? so?
it got crashed! i didn't.
it was an accident. i'm not liable.
i can't do that. he's the man.
i need the job.
you're an asshole.
next time you pull any shit, i'm gonna stick this yellow cab up your fat ass.
hey! hey! over here! i'm in the cab! hey! help!
help! goddamn it! there's a man with a gun! he's gonna kill people!
oh, fuck me.
goddamn it, i'm flashing like a
oh. oh, thank god! hey, hey, man, help me out here!
i got my, my hands taped to the steering wheel, here, by this guy, who's taped me in the car, 'cause he's up in the building somewhere.
yeah, he's coming back. hurry. get me loose so i can call the cops.
are you kidding me?
my hands are taped to the damn steering wheel!
don't shoot me, don't shoot me.
yeah.
what's that?
i'm low on gas.
vincent?
am i collateral?
huh? *
i'm. what? sorry?
not that much.
how'd you do?
let him go, vincent.
you're the one who keeps talking about going with the flow. you like the man, you like the way he plays. how about a little jazz, huh?
no. no. he hasn't lied.  *
it was a trumpet! wasn't it? wasn't it a trumpet?
no.
i'm done. find another cab.
leave me alone. i'm collateral anyway, so do it and * stop making me a part of this! * * i don't wanna know you!
you played him, man. * he got the answer right, would you * have let him go?
yeah?
tell her i can't make it tonight, okay?
she's in the hospital.
yeah. what difference does it make?
so?
no. i can't take you to see my mother.
waste of money. won't mean a thing to her.
hi, ma.
i got caught up at work.
* i brought you flowers.
you're gonna cheer up.
see? * i didn't buy 'em. he did. *
mom, vincent. vincent, my mother, ida.
hey, mom. how many times do i have to ask you not to do that?
talk about me like. i'm. not. in the room, here.
mom, vincent's not interested. let's go.
i came to see you. i saw you. you look fine. let's go.
you'd do her a favor.
bullshit.
jazz.
don't start.
she hears what she wants to hear. i don't disillusion her.
whatever i tell her's never good * enough. it's always been that way.  my three older brothers. their wives made 'em move outta town.
where on whittier?
what's at el rodeo?
how do you know?
mothers are worse.
what happened?
then what?
i'm sorry.
it's not bullshit.
you gotta get cash together. insurance, bond, maintenance, tires. staff-up. client lists. it's not get the car, put asses on seats.
'cause island limos will be more than a ride. like a club experience, a cool groove you don't want to end. like that. so it's gotta be perfect. * perfect.
plus i got bills. she's been dying of the disease since i was in high school.
why?
in case who searches?
felix? okay. what's he look like?
who is he?
i don't get it.
why don't you go? * why me? i can't.
how'm i gonna be you?
no.
no.
if. if i don't pull it off?
i can't do this.
if i pull it off, it's gonna get other people killed.
uh, how long you been doin' this? *
in case he asks.
you get benefits?
uh, hi.
i'm here to see felix. he has something for me.
uh. say. say it's vincent. i'm vincent.
is led to a booth in which sits felix reyes-torrena.
i'm vincent.
i lost my stuff.
yeah.
dedos?
i'm sorry.
no.
no.
i think.
i think.  . i think you should tell the man behind me to put that gun away.
i said. tell him to put the gun away. before i take it and beat his bitch * ass to death with it.
i picked up a tail.
you tell me. how do i know? so i tossed the list and work-ups to protect. in part.  . your hermes, facconable sorry ass.
you think i like comin' here? like i got stupid all of an instant? shit happens. you gotta roll with it. darwin. i ching.
the fat man. the penthouse guy. the jazz man. it leaves two.
in six years, have i ever not?
i never do.
and as a token of appreciation. i want to offer you a discount. yeah. all my services, here, tonight.  twenty-five percent off.
hell, make it fifty.
by the way. daniel said he was sorry.
i'm very impressed.
twelve minutes.
why?
who?
i don't know.
all i owe a fare is a ride, vincent.
receives the glance from vincent. he's gestured down the middle of the dance floor towards the rear. they work their way through the mass of bodies. meanwhile, vincent casually smiles at a girl and takes an oblique path, sliding along a convex side wall. vincent's path brings vincent up behind bodyguard #1, who looks to the right as.
buffeted by dancers, saw, backs away, as.
don't shoot! i'm not vincent!
i'm max! i'm a goddamn cab driver!
oh, man, am i happy to see you! i don't believe it!
i can't believe it. i can't believe it!
fuck off.
you had to kill fanning?!
that cop! why'd you have to do that? you couldn't wound him? the guy had a family, maybe parents, kids who gotta grow up without a dad, he was a good guy, and he believed me.
no, not just that.
yeah, so, what's wrong with that?
some living.
what's downtown?
one more.
whyn't you kill me and find another cab.
you're full of shit.
'cause that's what you said.
what'd they do?
that's the reason?
then what are you?
what's with you? *
man, if someone had a gun to your head and said: "you gotta tell me what's goin' on with that person across the street, there, what they think, who they are, how they feel, or i will kill you". they'd have to kill you. wouldn't they? 'cause you don't have a clue. about. anyone. * . i don't think you, you have a clue, * period. did anyone "do" for you in your life? ever? when you draw breath in the morning? open your eyes in the a.m.? you anticipate. anything? want anything? expect anything? i don't think so.  'cause you are low, my brother, way low.  and some standard parts that are supposed to be there?. with you, aren't. so what happened to you, man? what happened to you?
answer the question.
none of your business.
'cause i never straightened-up and looked at it, you know?
myself, i should have. my brothers did.  tried to gamble my way out from under. another born-to-lose deal! then, "it's gotta be perfect to go!" you know? risk all torqued-down.
but you know what? it doesn't matter. what's it matter, anyway? 'cause we are. insignificant out here in this * big-ass nowhere. twilight zone shit. * says the badass sociopath in my backseat. so that's one thing i got to thank you for, bro.  until now, i never saw it that way.
not until now. so what's it all matter? it don't. fuck it. fix it. nothing to lose. right?
why? what are you gonna do? pull the trigger? kill us? go ahead, man! shoot. my ass.
vincent?
go fuck yourself.
was your seatbelt fastened, honey?
i'm. fine. fine. just dizzy and * shit. *
huh?
sure. arrest me. take me in. police station. la county's good.
one arm is brought down behind his back.
breath goes out of him. target #5 is annie. as the sergeant is * struggling for max's left hand, now, max's lunges for.  *
pulls the sergeant off-balance, whips the h+k around while still on his back, jamming the gun to the sergeant's head. sergeant's hand reaches for his holstered beretta.
get your hand off your gun!
look, someone's gonna get killed if i * don't, it's.  *
no! i gotta go, see, you don't.  *
hey, hey! when did this become a negotiation?
cuff yourself to the goddamn door.
good! do us a favor. call the police! i'm going to 6th and fig. * * i got no time to explain.  *
fuck off!
c'mon, go through, go through.
annie. it's max.
max, the cab driver!
listen! listen, okay? there's a man. his name's vincent. he's come to kill you!
kill you! he is coming to kill you!
a guy, felix, hired him! or people felix works for. he's already killed witnesses, now he's coming after you! he was scoping out your building when i dropped you off. i don't know what happened, but he got into my cab.
it doesn't matter! get out of the goddamn building.
no, no, wait!
he's two floors below you.
where are you, what floor?
he doesn't know you're up there! stay right where you are! call 911!
call the goddamn police! don't move from that spot.
hang up. hang up! annie, get out! he knows where you are!
shit!
let her go.
we're almost at the next station.
looks into vincent's eyes. it means "i'm that guy" and "will anybody notice me when i'm gone?"