INT/EXT. On the tugboat. 

The tugboat rocks gently on the choppy waters, its metal frame creaking under the weight of old memories and recent betrayals. Dim lights flicker intermittently, casting long shadows that dance across the deck. The smell of salt and engine oil permeates the air, mingling with the faint scent of fish. The cabin is cramped, with just enough room for a small table cluttered with maps and weapons, emphasizing the tension of the moment. Outside, the dark expanse of the ocean stretches endlessly, while distant city lights flicker like stars on the horizon, a reminder of the life Joe left behind.

Joe is the protagonist of the story, a complex anti-hero who grapples with his life choices marked by crime and love. As he reflects on his past while trapped on a tugboat, Joe seeks redemption and a way to outsmart the forces that threaten him, including the Pescatore Mob.

JOE  
(voice low, eyes scanning the endless sea)  
Twelve gunmen out here… All for me. A fitting end for a man like me, isn’t it? I built my empire on sand and sin, thinking love would be my anchor. (pauses) But here I am, adrift.

ALBERT  
(laughing cruelly)  
You think this is poetic? The great Joe Coughlin, tied like a fish about to be filleted? Love—ha! You should’ve known better than to confuse it with weakness. It led you here.

JOE  
(looking defiantly at Albert)  
You don’t understand what love can do. It fueled my fire. Loretta—she deserved better than this life. (clenching fists) I turned my back on it all for her.

ALBERT  
(mockingly)  
And what did you gain? A graveyard full of regrets and a one-way ticket to Davy Jones’ locker? How noble of you! 

JOE  
(voice rising)  
This isn’t over! I’ve made mistakes, yes… But I’m not done fighting yet. You think I’ll simply accept my fate? This game isn’t yours to win!

ALBERT  
(stepping closer, smirking)  
What are you planning? A hail Mary against an unstoppable tide? Your little schemes won't save you now. You’re nothing but a cornered rat.

JOE  
(smiling grimly)  
Cornered rats bite back, AlbertJOE  
(breathing heavily, resolve hardening)  
I’ve got a few tricks left. Those waters may be choppy, but I know how to navigate the storm. You think the Pescatore Mob holds all the cards? 

ALBERT  
(smirking, arms crossed)  
And what’s your grand plan? A desperate dash for glory? The tides are turning, Joe. You’ve played your hand poorly.

JOE  
(leaning forward, intensity growing)  
No, it’s not just about me anymore. There’s a bigger game at play. I’m not just fighting for survival; I’m playing for something worth dying for. Those Cuban revolutionaries need weapons and a chance—perhaps even an ally like me.

ALBERT  
(raising an eyebrow)  
You think you can arm an entire revolution while they tie you to a sinking boat? The only ally you have is death.

JOE  
(calmly, with conviction)  
Death’s a coward’s fate if you let it define you. I’ll outsmart them all—every last one of them—if it means rising from these depths. Love doesn’t die with regret; it fuels revenge.  

ALBERT  
(studying Joe's face)  
You’re dreaming if you think revenge will fill the void that Loretta’s death left behind. You’ll choke on your ambition while I revel in your downfall.

JOE  
(with fierce determination)  
Let them come! I’ll make them regret ever crossing me. Loretta might be gone, but her spirit? It ignites my fire. (pauses, voice softening) And I owe it to her to fight back.

ALBERT  
(challenging)  
We’ll see how long that fire lasts when it’s tested against bullets and betrayal.

JOE  
(smiling defiantly)  
I’ve walked through hell and returned. This is just another step on that path. You think tying me up will keep me from the fight? You underestimate what I'm willing to do.
