EXT. DOWNTOWN LA - DAY

Walking down the sidewalk carrying his WWII A-12 messenger case with enclosed laptop, Acton is stopped dead in his tracks by the simple sandwich board sign, "Turkish Coffee" and the arrow pointing to an open door.

He turns and looks to the door.  The LA sun cannot penetrate the dark interior, but the aroma from within is compelling.

INT. TURKISH COFFEE JOINT - CONTINUOUS

As Acton walks in he recalls a prescient family moment...

                                         ERICA (V.O.)

                         I'm just saying if you buy those light

                         transition lens, someday you're going 

                         to walk from the sunlight into some 

                         janky joint you always wander into

                         and run slam into some horror show

                         just walking around waiting for you.

                 

Light begins to pierce Acton's glasses just as he bumps into a 

wall that speaks.

                                          THE TURK

                          I am The Turk. 

Acton removes his glasses, looks at where the Turk's head should be, then finds it up another foot... hiding behind the tattoos and piercings.

                                          ACTON

                                    (thinking quickly)

                            I am the Acton.

                                 

                                          THE TURK

                            Good. You sit at bar. You have Turkish

                            coffee before today?

                                           ACTON

                             Nope. I've had Portuguese coffee, though.

                                           THE TURK

                             How you like Portagee coffee?

                                              ACTON

                              Nearly stopped my heart.

                                              THE TURK

                                         (laughs)

                               My coffee will kill you. But I will show you

                               how to drink strong coffee. And live.

                                          (then)

                               What you drink everyday?

                                             ACTON

                               Vanilla latte.

                                          THE TURK

                               No wonder Portagee almost kill you.

                                     

The Turk laughs like hell as Acton looks around to see if he's only the person in the joint.  He is.  Damn glasses.

The espresso machine has no brand showing but there is little doubt the serial number is 000001.  Hand operated, The Turk's sizable biceps bulge as he forces hot water through what may or may not be ground coffee beans, but the result is the color of crude oil

The Turk delivers his beverage in a six-ounce cup, on a rimmed saucer with a teaspoon... a measuring teaspoon. No cream or sugar in sight.  

                                                  THE TURK

                                             (off the drink)

                                     You drink now? You drop dead soon.

                                                   ACTON

                                      I'm fine... I can let it cool. 

                                                 THE TURK

                                       Hot... cold... no matter. Unless

                                       you put in two spoons of butter.

With a flourish, The Turk produces a small container of butter. He quickly puts two teaspoons of butter into the latte, stirs until none is visible and pushes the cup and saucer toward Acton.

                                                 ACTON

                                        Butter.

                                                THE TURK

                                        Butter.  You drink now.

                                                 ACTON

                                         Am I supposed to dip toast 

                                         or something into it or--

                                                THE TURK

                                         --You drink now.

                                                 ACTON

                                          I'm going to put my cell on the 

                                          counter in case you need it.

Acton takes a tentative sip. Waits for 4 Horsemen to ride through the darkened door. They don't.  He takes a longer sip and notices something. There's no bite, the texture is smooth, there's no acid in his mouth, no milky taste and most importantly, no buttery taste. If anything, there's a herbal finish to it.

                                                    THE TURK

                                             What you think?

                                                     ACTON

                                              You have WiFi?

--END SEQUENCE--