MAC sits on a park bench, wearing a hat and coat with the collar turned up. POLLY stands some distance away, watching him.
POLLY
Why is this up to you?
MAC
I wanted to make sure it was done right.
POLLY
You still had feelings for her, didn’t you?
MAC
They don’t get to do that to any of us. They’ve got bigger crooks they should be concentrating on.
POLLY
Says you …
MAC
There’s something wrong with how the wealth is distributed in this country. It’s all going to explode one day, you watch.
POLLY
What the hell are you going on about?
MAC
I’m a Bolshevik. That’s how we talk. Listen, I think you should go now. He could come along any minute.
POLLY
He walks home this way every night?
MAC
Unless he’s off slicing someone up. Get going, Polly. If you’re here, I’ll be worried you might get hurt.
POLLY
Afraid you’ll lose your concentration? It’s been a long time since you killed someone. Maybe you’ve lost the knack.
MAC pulls out his switchblade and flicks it open with lightning speed.
POLLY
Oh, so it has to be the knife. Why? He’s probably carrying at least two .38s, but you’ve got a reputation to maintain so out comes the –
MAC hears something.
MAC
That could be him. Get out of here.
POLLY
(leaving) Okay … but I thought we were a team.
POLLY is gone. STRINGER appears on the path, moving very quickly. By the time MAC stands, STRINGER is close and MAC has to step back to get out the knife. They come to a standstill.
STRINGER
(looking at MAC) That it? Just the blade? Good luck, pal.
MAC moves in slowly. STRINGER pulls a gun. Sound of a gunshot. STRINGER falls to the floor, dead. POLLY comes onstage holding a gun.
POLLY
I told you. (leaving) Next time just listen, okay.
MAC
(following her) Sure.
IVES and PORK come out of the bushes.
IVES
She didn’t know we were here?
PORK
I guess not.
IVES
You think he did?
PORK
He told me he didn’t need me. But he knows I’d never let him go into something like this alone. I always watch his back. I mean that’s my job, right?
IVES
Maybe he wants you to move on. You know, stop worrying about him and just start looking out for yourself like everybody else does.
PORK
Well, that would be a total change in how we operate … because in our crowd, everyone always looks out for the other guy.
They start off.
PORK
That’s our thing, right? We don’t have much. But we got that thing.
PORK and IVES leave. Two BEGGARS suddenly appear, remove everything of value from STRINGER’s body in record time, and scurry away.
Blackout.