TURBO Screenplay Episode 3 "Echoes of East L.A." by Robert Nerbovig Distribution, sale, duplication, or any other unauthorized use of this material in whole or in part is strictly prohibited. © 2025. All rights reserved. FADE IN: 1 EXT. EAST L.A. STREET – DAY                                                 1 Moe walks down the bustling street, nodding to locals who eye him with newfound respect. GANG MEMBER (V.O.) Word travels fast in the barrio, ese. Snake Eyes went from zero to hero quicker than your tía can make tamales. 2 INT. MOE'S OFFICE – DAY                                                                     2 Moe enters, finding his office packed with potential clients. GANG MEMBER (V.O.) Business is boomin' now. Looks like everybody and their mama got a case for Snake Eyes. Moe makes his way through the crowd to his desk. MOE (addressing the crowd) Alright, folks. One at a time. Who's got the juiciest problem? A NERVOUS BAKER, 50s, steps forward. BAKER Mr. Juarez, it's my wife. I think she's...sweet on the milkman. GANG MEMBER (V.O.) (chuckling) Oh man, the classics never get old, homie. MOE (leaning back in his chair) The milkman, huh? Let me guess - he's been making extra deliveries? The crowd snickers. The Baker nods, embarrassed. GANG MEMBER (V.O.) Snake Eyes got jokes too! This vato's the full package, ese. CUT TO: 3 EXT. SUBURBAN STREET – DAY                                                             3 Moe, disguised as a gardener, watches a house from across the street. GANG MEMBER (V.O.) Snake Eyes on the prowl. Watch how he blends in, homie. Smooth as butter. A MILKMAN approaches the house. Moments later, the BAKER'S WIFE, 40s, lets him in. GANG MEMBER (V.O.) Busted! Looks like someone's gettin' their milk for free, if you know what I mean. Moe snaps some photos with a hidden camera. CUT TO: 4 EXT. PARK – DAY                                                                                  4 Moe sits on a bench, surrounded by a group of KIDS, all talking at once. KID 1 Mr. Snake Eyes, you gotta help us! KID 2 Yeah, that magician's got Polly! MOE (holding up his hands) Whoa, slow down, muchachos. What magician? Who's Polly? KID 3 The Amazing Alfonso! He's got a new parrot in his act, but we know it's our Polly! GANG MEMBER (V.O.) (laughing) Even the little homies know who to call when shit goes down in East L.A. MOE (standing up) Alright, kids. Let's go pay this Amazing Alfonso a visit. CUT TO: 5 INT. MOE'S OFFICE – NIGHT                                                                  5 Moe sits at his desk, looking tired but satisfied. He's surrounded by case files. GANG MEMBER (V.O.) Another day, another dollar for Snake Eyes. From cheatin' wives to fixed fights to bird-nappin' magicians - ain't no case too big or too small for our boy. Moe leans back, lighting a cigarette. GANG MEMBER (V.O.) That's how it goes in East L.A., ese. You need something done, you call Snake Eyes. He's the man with the plan, the ace up your sleeve. As long as he's around, there's hope for all us little guys. Moe looks out the window at the twinkling lights of East L.A. GANG MEMBER (V.O.) So here's to Snake Eyes Juarez - the baddest, smartest, most loco P.I. in all of East L.A. May his drinks stay strong, his leads stay hot, and his luck never run out. FADE TO BLACK. FADE IN: 6 EXT. EAST LOS ANGELES – NIGHT                                                         6 Neon lights flicker, casting an eerie glow on the gritty streets of East L.A. A lone figure in a rumpled suit trudges along the sidewalk. GANG MEMBER (V.O.) Yo, check it. This here's East L.A., where the streets got more stories than a library, and half of 'em ain't fit for print. That sorry-lookin' vato? That's Moe. Don't let the cheap suit fool ya. In these parts, he's the man you call when shit gets real. 7 INT. MOE'S OFFICE – DAY                                                                     7 The door creaks open. GANG MEMBER (V.O.) Moe's about to meet his next mark... I mean, client. Some rich pendejo with more money than street smarts. MR. HUNTINGTON HIGGINBOTTOM III, a man who looks like he irons his underwear, enters nervously. MOE (gruffly) What can I do for you? HIGGINBOTTOM (fidgeting) It's... it's my candelabra. It's missing. GANG MEMBER (V.O.) A candle-what-now? Man, these rich folks got problems I can't even pronounce. MOE Start from the beginning. HIGGINBOTTOM It's a family heirloom. Solid silver. Priceless. GANG MEMBER (V.O.) Priceless, he says. In my hood, priceless means it ain't been fenced yet. CUT TO: 8 EXT. HIGGINBOTTOM MANSION – DAY                                                   8 Moe stands at the gate, looking up at a house that screams, "I've got more money than taste." GANG MEMBER (V.O.) Welcome to where the other half lives. Or the other one percent, more like. Place probably got more security than Pelican Bay. 9 INT. HIGGINBOTTOM MANSION - FOYER – DAY                                       9 Moe wipes sweat from his brow as he looks around the opulent interior. GANG MEMBER (V.O.) Moe's sweatin' like a snitch in a lineup. Place is colder than a loan shark's heart, but our boy's feelin' the heat. Nervous MAIDS and a jittery BUTLER hover nearby. MOE (to the staff) Alright, who wants to go first? GANG MEMBER (V.O.) Time for Moe to play good cop, bad cop. Except he's both cops, and neither of 'em's all that good. 10 MONTAGE - MOE INVESTIGATING                                                      10 -- Moe examines a chipped vase -- He spots a silver polish smudge on a back staircase -- He interviews staff members one by one GANG MEMBER (V.O.) Moe's doin' his thing, lookin' for clues. In my world, we call that snitchin', but when a white dude does it, it's "investigation." 11 INT. HIGGINBOTTOM MANSION - KITCHEN – DAY                                11 Moe shares a cigarette with MRS. HERNANDEZ, the cook. MRS. HERNANDEZ (hesitantly) There was a girl... new maid. I saw her leave late one night. She had a big package. GANG MEMBER (V.O.) Now we're cookin'. And I ain't talkin' 'bout what's on the stove. CUT TO: 12 EXT. RUNDOWN TENEMENT – NIGHT                                                  12 Moe stands outside, looking up at the dilapidated building. GANG MEMBER (V.O.) From champagne dreams to ghetto realities. This is more my speed. Bet Moe's wishin' he packed heat. 13 INT. TENEMENT APARTMENT – NIGHT                                                 13 Moe finds the YOUNG MAID huddled with her family in a cramped space. GANG MEMBER (V.O.) Damn. Sometimes you steal 'cause you want to, sometimes 'cause you gotta. Moe's about to learn the difference. YOUNG MAID (tearfully) I... I didn't mean to. My father... he's sick. We needed the money. GANG MEMBER (V.O.) And there it is. The kind of story that'd make you cry if you weren't too busy tryin' to survive. CUT TO: 14 INT. HIGGINBOTTOM MANSION - STUDY – DAY                                    14 Moe confronts Higginbottom. MOE You've got two choices. Press charges, ruin her life. Or help her family and call it a donation. GANG MEMBER (V.O.) Moe's playin' Robin Hood. In my hood, we call that a shake-down, but with better PR. HIGGINBOTTOM (sputtering) That's... that's outrageous! MOE (with a steely gaze) Think of the publicity. GANG MEMBER (V.O.) Ooh, he played the publicity card. Rich folks love that shit more than they love their money. HIGGINBOTTOM (grudgingly) Fine. But this better not get out. GANG MEMBER (V.O.) Score one for the little guy. Moe's makin' a name for himself. In East L.A., that's currency, baby. FADE TO: 15 EXT. BOXING GYM – DAY                                                                    15 A nervous young boxer, KID LIGHTNING LOPEZ, approaches Moe outside a run-down gym. GANG MEMBER (V.O.) Enter Kid Lightning. Boy's got fists like dynamite but a spine made of Jell-O. He's about to get schooled in the real fight game. KID LIGHTNING (nervously) Mr. Moe? I need your help. They... they want me to throw the fight. GANG MEMBER (V.O.) Welcome to boxing, kid. Where half the fights are won before anyone steps in the ring. MOE Who's "they"? KID LIGHTNING Iron Mike's crew. They've been... making threats. GANG MEMBER (V.O.) Iron Mike. Now there's a name that'll make even the hardest vatos think twice. MOE (nodding) I'll take care of it. GANG MEMBER (V.O.) Moe's about to step into a whole new weight class of trouble. This ain't about missing spoons no more. 16 MONTAGE - MOE PROTECTING KID LIGHTNING                                   16 -- Moe scares off thugs outside the gym -- He intercepts threatening messages -- Moe talks to a bartender, slipping him something GANG MEMBER (V.O.) Moe's playin' dirty. In my world, we call that Tuesday. CUT TO: 17 INT. BOXING ARENA – NIGHT                                                             17 The arena is packed. Kid Lightning enters the ring, looking determined. IRON MIKE lumbers in, looking uncomfortable. GANG MEMBER (V.O.) Fight night. Air's so thick with tension you could cut it with a shank. Iron Mike's lookin' greener than a newbie on his first day in the yard. The fight begins. Kid Lightning dances around Iron Mike, landing quick jabs. GANG MEMBER (V.O.) Kid's movin' like he's got ants in his shorts. Iron Mike? He's swingin' like he's underwater. As the fight progresses, Kid Lightning dominates. The crowd goes wild. GANG MEMBER (V.O.) This ain't just a fight. It's a beat-down with a referee. This site is designed and maintained by: Robert Nerbovig