Outside e Block

Paul and Brutal are arriving for work--they pause, hearing

PERCY'S YELLS drifting from the windows. The regular CONS in

the yard are drifting curiously to the fence, wondering if a

riot's brewing. Paul and Brutal take off running--

INSIDE E BLOCK

--and rush in to find:

HARRY

Percy met your mouse.

Harry points. Percy's down at the far end, rummaging wildly

in the restraint room, tossing shit out onto the Mile.

PERCY

It's in here somewhere! I'm gonna

squish the little son of a bitch!

He starts muscling the filing cabinet out the door, kicking

buckets out of his way. Brutal calls out to him:

BRUTAL

Percy, we already tried that--

PERCY

What? Whad'ja say?

BRUTAL

I said--

Paul stops Brutal with a look--don't you dare stop him.

BRUTAL

--uh, knock yourself out. Hope you

nail the bastard.

Paul crosses his arms and smiles, leans back against the desk

to wait...

DISSOLVE:

...and Percy hauls the last of the stuff out, exhausted. He

steps back in and looks around, unable to believe there's no

mouse cowering in the corner. Paul and the men approach,

keeping straight faces, navigating the crap in the corridor.

BRUTAL

Gosh. Ain't in there, huh? Don't

that beat the mousie band?

Percy keeps scanning the restraint room. The others all look

to Paul, waiting for him to speak--you're the boss.

PAUL

Percy. You want to think about

what you were doing just now.

PERCY

(turns, glaring)

I know what I was doing. Trying to

get the mouse. You blind?

HARRY

You also scared the living crap

out of me and Bill. And them.

He cocks a thumb at the inmates in their cells.

PERCY

So what? They aren't in cradle-

school, case you didn't notice...

(directed at Paul)

...although you treat them that

way half the time.

BRUTAL

We don't scare 'em any more than

we have to, Percy. They're under

enough strain as it is.

PAUL

Men under strain can snap. Hurt

themselves. Hurt others. That's

why our job is talking, not

yelling. You'll do better to think

of this place like an intensive

care ward in a hospital--

PERCY

I think of it as a bucket of piss

to drown rats in. That's all.

(scans their faces)

Anybody doesn't like it can kiss

my ass. How's that sit?

Brutal steps forward, wanting to slug the little bastard.

Percy shies back, but keeps his bravado up:

PERCY

Try it. You'll be on the bread

lines before the week is out.

PAUL

We all know who your connections

are, Percy...

(steps close)

...but you ever threaten a man on

this block again, we're all gonna

have a go. Job be damned.

PERCY

Big talk. You done?

PAUL

Get all this shit back in the

restraint room. You're cluttering

up my Mile.

They turn and walk away, leaving Percy as we

DISSOLVE TO: