Ep 4

Scene 1: Devlin Medical Center - Alec’s room. Alec is lying in bed, Josh enters.

Josh: How you feeling?

Alec: Like I’ve been disemboweled.

Josh: What’s that like, exactly?

Alec: Shut up.

Josh: Your mom called. She said if you don’t cry, she’ll buy you a brand new petticoat.

Alec: I was gutted! I’m like… diced fish!

Josh: Yeah, that’s what you’re like.

Alec: My intestines were hanging out. I had to push them back inside.

Josh: The doctor called it a minor laceration.

Alec: What does he know?

Josh: Tell me about it. (beat) The quack.

Alec: I was holding my guts in my hands.

Josh: Keeping your insides inside.

Alec (beat): You’re a moron. I’m in pain here.

Josh: I’m sure your ordeal here will be chronicled in the Halls of the Girl Scouts.

Alec: They better be. This is worse than that time-

Josh: You stubbed your toe?

Alec: I once blew my ankle at a basketball game.

Josh: I once jammed my finger against a filing cabinet.

Alec: That’s not even close to the same thing.

Josh: That cabinet had it coming.

Alec: Back in the day, this would have required, like, 63 stitches.

Josh: Would ‘the day’ happen to be 1903?

Alec (beat): Maybe.

Josh: You know very little about anything, don’t you?

Alec: I know I almost died, and tales of my heroism will be passed down from generation to generation.

Josh: An apologue, if you will.

Alec: Okay, but that probably means something I don’t want it to mean.

Josh: Like the tortoise and the hare.

Alec: Not like that. Different from that.

Josh: Okay. (beat) The early bird and the-

Alec: Go annoy Luke.

Josh: Luke’s unconscious.

Alec: He’s probably faking it so you’ll leave him alone.

Josh: Probably. Either that or, you know, he’s dying.

Alec (beat): You know, you didn’t screw up.

Josh: No. (beat) He did.

Alec (sighs): Yeah.

Josh: Pellik did too.

Alec: I think he knows that.

Josh: Yeah.

Alec: No one died, Josh.

Josh: Well, not for want of trying.

Alec: Things happen.

Josh: Things happen?

Alec (nods): Yes.

Josh (puzzled): What… - Things happen?

Alec: Yes, things happen.

Josh (beat): Well, they shouldn’t.

Alec (shrugs): Fair enough. Besides, Pellik will lose his command over this.

Josh: He had better.

Alec: Yeah.

Josh: The man almost got one of my guys-

Alec: What are you going to do with Luke?

Josh pauses and looks at him blankly; Alec raises his eyebrows. Ess comes in (to Josh’s back).

Alec: Hey, there.

Ess: Am I interrupting something?

Josh (looking over his shoulder): Hey.

Ess (moving to the opposite side of Alec’s bed from Josh): How you feeling?

Josh: Don’t-

Alec: Like I’ve been disemboweled.

Ess: Does it hurt when you laugh?

Alec (warningly): Ess….

Ess: How about this? (pokes his side)

Alec (winces): Hey! I almost died out there!

Josh (holds his finger and thumb apart): This close. Luckily, he got up before the other birds.

Ess: What?

Alec: Don’t talk to him. He hit his head and is now incredibly stupid.

Josh: The head thing was just a cover.

Ess (giggles): So what happened in there?

Alec: I saw a bright light.

Ess: Before that.

Alec: I got ambushed, by myself.

Ess: You ambushed yourself?

Alec: What?

Ess: That’s what you said.

Alec: I was by myself, and therefore, got ambushed.

Ess: By someone else.

Alec (annoyed): Yes, Hadassah; by someone else. By banshees.

Ess: Because the first time I was thinking you found a doppelganger.

Alec: Almost died.

Ess: Is it ‘cause you have less skills than my grandma?

Alec: Or maybe because a member of our team took a week off to go shopping.

Ess: Because my grandma once hit a crow with a stone, like, from a long way off.

Alec: Whatever.

Josh: You come alone?

Ess: Gerrard is taking a later flight.

Josh (dryly): That’ll be a jig.

Ess (beat): He doesn’t blame you, Josh.

Josh (softly): Okay.

Alec: ‘That’ll be a jig?’

Ess: This wasn’t your fault.

Josh: It’s always my fault.

Ess: They broke a direct order.

Josh (becomes more upset as he talks): Tell me how that matters when I’m handing his father a flag! Because an out like ‘sorry, but he had it coming’ just doesn’t feel right. Tell me how it matters when I’m explaining to his bereaved sister just what went wrong. When I put down his casket, and the guys start pouring dirt on top. Please, tell me how that matters!

Ess (long beat): He didn’t die, Josh.

Josh (beat/quietly): It’s always my fault. I’m the one responsible for my guys out there. (beat) It’s always my fault.

Ess (quietly): I know.

Long, uncomfortable moment of silence.

Alec: She was probably on steroids. (the other two look at him, confused) Your grandma. Unnatural advantage.

Beat, then they all laugh for a little while. Josh breathes deeply and runs a hand through his hair.

Josh: That was… remarkably unfair of me, Ess.

Alec (to Josh): A bit on the ‘arrogant-cheeky’ side of things.

Josh (to Ess): Alec tells me it was even somewhat cheeky.

Ess: Yeah, it was, really.

Josh: I’m sorry.

Ess (smiles softly): Josh, I don’t envy the pressure you’re under. (beat) Maybe it would be easier if we weren’t all so close.

Josh: Maybe. And maybe I’d go home and cry every night.

Ess (smiles): Yeah. It’s going to be okay, you know.

Alec: Except the part where I got gutted.

Ess: I forgot, did this (pokes him) hurt?

Alec: Ess! (to Josh) She’s poking me!

Josh: Ess, be nice to the poor gal.

Ess (laughs/kisses Alec on the cheek): I really was worried about you.

Alec: Yeah?

Ess: Yeah.

Alec (quietly): I’m really fine.

Josh: It’s a miracle.

Alec: Shut up.

Ess giggles. Fade out. End Scene 1.


Scene 2: ADTEO - Pearson Wiles’ office. Gerrard and Wiles are arguing, tempers are flared.

Wiles: My man-

Gerrard: Your man broke code!

Wiles: My man was not in charge.

Gerrard (disbelieving pause): No kidding!?

Wiles: Your man’s injury-

Gerrard: Pellik is a field commander!

Wiles: He wasn’t yesterday!

Gerrard (long beat): Yeah.

Wiles (sighs): This was… this was bad on all sides.

Gerrard: Yeah.

Wiles: Pellik will be reprimanded.

Gerrard: He’ll be what?

Wiles: Sully-

Gerrard: Reprimanded!?

Wiles: Keep your voice down! Show some respect for the office, if not for me. (beat as Gerrard seethes) If it were Josh, would you have him fired?

Gerrard: It would never be Josh.

Wiles: You don’t know that.

Gerrard: I actually do. (beat) Orders break, and people die.

Wiles (shrugs): People make mistakes. (beat) Didn’t you?

Gerrard (sighs): Okay. (beat) The rest of your people?

Wiles: They’re fine.

Gerrard: Good. (beat) It could have been much worse.

Wiles nods.

Scene shift - Devlin Medical Center (evening): Luke’s room. Luke is in his hospital bed, watching TV. Ess watches from outside the room for a moment, then comes to the doorway.

Ess: They get stranded on an island. Hilarity ensues.

Luke (looks up and grins): Hey. You spoiled it.

Ess (comes in and sits beside the bed): You look good.

Luke: Thanks. You’re not bad, either.

Ess: I meant-

Luke: Yeah.

Ess (looks at TV for a moment): I remember this one.

Luke: Josh… pretty worried?

Ess: We all were.

Luke (sighs): He feels responsible.

Ess: Yeah, he does.

Luke: I mean, it was my decision.

Ess: Yes, it was.

Luke: I’m saying that I don’t want him feeling guilty. I don’t blame him, you know?

Ess (beat): You don’t blame him?

Luke: No.

Ess (beat): Are you on drugs?

Luke (confused): What?

Ess: The doctors pumping some trippy stuff into your blood? Something that’s eating what’s left of your brain?

Luke: Ess, what-

Ess: You don’t blame Josh!?

Luke: I didn’t mean-

Ess: Yeah, you did.

Long beat.

Luke: I meant-

Ess: It doesn‘t matter. Josh gave an order, and you broke code. (beat) What makes you think you’re still employed?

Luke (shock): Gerrard fired me?

Ess: No, but Josh might.

Luke: Josh wouldn’t do that.

Ess: Why not? You think Josh is going to be willing to keep a rogue on the team? What if next time you break code, Alec gets killed?

Luke (beat): I’m not going to-

Ess: Not going to? Luke, when in all the time you’ve been in Sierra did you think you were going to?

Luke: I-I thought they were in trouble. I wanted to help them.

Ess: You help them by doing what you’re told. There’s a reason Josh is the youngest field commander in ADTE. He knows what he’s doing, and yet somehow, you didn’t. You have one responsibility when your on the field. One. Do what you’re told.

Luke is stunned as the gravity of the situation hits him.

Ess: Luke, you got lucky. If someone had been hurt trying to rescue you, you’re desk would already be cleared.

Luke drops his head and doesn’t respond.

Ess (sighs): I’ll talk to Josh. (beat) You are going to take full responsibility for this. Bryce doesn’t come up. No one out there blames anyway one but you for what happened to you. You understand? (beat) Luke, you understand?

Luke nods dumbly. Ess sighs again, pats his hand and leaves the room.

Scene shift. Devlin Medical Center (evening) - Josh is in hallway at vending machine, Ess comes up behind him.

Ess: Josh.

Josh: Ess.

Ess: I have a question.

Josh: None of your business.

Ess: You don’t even know what I was going to ask.

Josh: Pretty sure that’s not actually the case.

Ess: I haven’t even said anything.

Josh: I’m just that good.

Ess: I have a question.

Josh: You want something?

Ess: Uh, yeah, that’s why I’m asking.

Josh (points to the machine): You want something?

Ess: Oh. Sure, I’ll take one of those fruit punch things.

Josh (mutters): Yeah, ‘cause that’s what you need.

Ess (beat): What does that mean?

Josh (pauses as he thinks about it): I honestly don’t know. (hands her the punch)

Ess: I have a question.

Josh: Drink your punch.

They begin walking down the hallway, kind of slowly.

Ess: I can do both.

Josh: Leave it alone, Ess.

Ess (beat): Okay.

Josh: I mean it.

Ess: Okay.

Josh: I really don’t need this right now.

Ess: I said ‘okay.’ I won’t say anything.

Josh: Thank you.

Ess: Are you going to fire Luke?

Josh (under his breath): For crying out loud…

Ess: I don’t think you should fire Luke.

Josh: I didn’t ask.

Ess: I’m helpful that way.

Josh: Something like that.

Ess: He won’t do it again.

Josh (sarcastic): You think?

Ess: He’s sorry.

Josh: You know how trite this sounds?

Ess: He’s not trite.

Josh: We’re not discussing this.

Ess: Okay.

Josh: We’re not discussing this.

Ess: He’s sorry and non-trite.

Josh: Aren’t you missing one of your coven meetings right now?

Ess: I’m all set; I brought my tongue of toad with me.

Josh (laughs): Yeah?

Ess (serious): Josh, please?

Josh (sighs): I’m going to talk with Gerrard.

Ess: He’s going to leave it to you.

Josh (beat): Yeah.

Ess: He made a mistake, Josh. He’s a good agent.

Josh: Did he ask you to talk to me?

Ess (quickly): No.

Josh: Ess?

Ess: He didn’t.

Josh (nods slowly): I’ll talk to Gerrard, I’ll talk to Luke, then I’ll decide.

Ess: Decide not to fire him.

Josh: Maybe I’ll decide to fire you.

Ess (daring): Maybe you should try.

Josh (beat): You’re kind of scary.

Ess (giggles): I know.

Josh: And mendacious.

Ess: Only when I have to be.

Josh: Your mendacious, and you know what else?

Ess: I remind you of Atticus Finch?

Josh: No, you remind me of Lady Macbeth.

Ess: I can’t be Lady Macbeth and the three witches at the same time.

Josh: I would have believed that until I saw the way you multi-tasked around that punch.

Ess: Alas, for by my troth, thou hast divined my…-

Josh: Oracle.

Ess: My oracle.

Josh: By your troth.

Ess: Darn tootin’.

Josh: Tongue of toad?

Ess (nods): For transmogrifications.

Josh (grins): Right.

Ess: Thanks for the punch.

She smiles and leaves him standing there. Lily, the tech from Whiskey team, is walking the opposite way. Her head is down, and she doesn’t notice Josh.

Josh: You okay?

Lily (startled): What?

Josh: You seem a little… You feeling all right?

Lily: My boss is in critical condition. They’re having difficulty getting the toxins out.

Josh (beat/quietly): I hadn’t heard. I thought he was still conscious.

Lily (looks close to tears): They say he’s got about 60% chance…. That’s not very good.

Josh: Can I get you something? They’ve got some coffee over-

Lily: No, that’s okay. Thanks. (beat) How is Luke?

Josh: He’s… (sighs) he’s going to be fine.

Lily (nods): Good. Bryce was worried. He asked when he was… before he went back under.

Josh: You here by yourself?

Lily: The others flew back. They thought…- I think some of them are going to try and come back.

Josh: Would you like to come sit with us? We’re just down the hall here. (beat) Better than being alone.

Lily (looks down the hall almost longingly, then sighs): I think I should stay close to Bryce. I just needed to take a break, clear my head.

Josh (softly): Yeah. Listen, if there’s anything we can do for you, let us know, okay?

Lily (nods): Thank you. Tell Luke I’m glad he’s not hurt too badly.

She turns and continues down the hall away from Josh, who just watches her for a few moments, then continues the way he was going.

Fade out. End Scene 2.


Scene 3: Gerrard enters the hospital area that Ess is in. She stands and they hug.

Gerrard: How you holding up?

Ess: I’m fine. The overwhelming depression given off by this place not withstanding.

Gerrard: Hospitals are like that. Where’s Alec?

Ess: He went to get us some coffee. (beat) Like an hour ago.

Gerrard: You talk with Luke?

Ess: Yeah, and I think he shouldn’t be fired. Things happen that shouldn’t, but they do, and to ruin someone’s dream over one mistake is uncalled for and lacking in the maturity ADTE officers are known to posses.

Gerrard: Letting him keep his job would be nothing short of irresponsible. A rogue on the field gets the rest of the team killed. Josh understands that, and you would too, if you were in his position. Regardless, it’s none of your business.

Ess (beat): It just seems unfair.

Gerrard: Maybe. Is he well?

Ess: He’s physically going to be fine. Probably be out tomorrow.

Gerrard: Josh called me from his flight. You and Alec are going back tonight?

Ess: As soon as we can.

Gerrard: Good. This place is a pit. You know, I almost had an asthma attack coming in here?

Alec approaches with two cups of coffee, and hands one to Ess.

Alec: Hey, boss.

Ess: Thought you got lost.

Alec: I had some trouble with the coffee machine, but I persevered.

Gerrard: Conquered yet another piece of technology, eh, Alec?

Alec: And heard the lamentation of its women.

Gerrard chuckles.

Ess: What did you tell him?

Alec: Tell who?

Ess: Tell Josh. About Luke. What did you tell him to do?

Gerrard: It’s none of your business, Ess.

Ess: Gerrard-

Gerrard: I told him what I would do.

Ess (beat): You told him to fire Luke.

Gerrard (sternly): I told him what I would do.

There is a moment of silence.

Gerrard: I’m going to see my wayward agent. Check in with me before your flight. (he turns and begins to walk away, then turns back) What room, again?

Alec: 212.

Gerrard nods and exits via hallway.

Ess (sighs): I want to get out of here.

Alec: Tell me about it.

Ess: I’m tired of thinking of… this.

Alec: You want to grab something to eat? There’s a few vehicles out there we can use. At least we won’t be sitting around here.

Ess: That actually sounds really nice.

Scene shift. Luke’s room - Luke is walking around stiffly. Gerrard enters.

Gerrard: How are you feeling, boy?

Luke (sits down on the bed): Fine, sir.

Gerrard (beat): You’re scared.

Luke: Nervous, I think.

Gerrard: About your job?

Luke: Yes, sir.

Gerrard: Good.

Luke: Sir, I… I know that what I did was wrong, and it will never happen again, if I am allowed to remain in Sierra. I just… I wanted to say that I never would have disregarded an order like that if I didn’t think my fellow-agents were in danger. I never would have knowingly put any of them in harm’s way.

Gerrard: I know.

Luke (nods): Thank you. That’s… that’s all I wanted to say.

Gerrard: I’m leaving it to Josh.

Luke: Yes, sir.

Gerrard: Josh doesn’t want to fire you. You’re a good agent, and he likes you. (beat) He can’t trust you now, Luke. A field commander basis everything on trust, on the fact that his agents will perform their duties. Next time he gives you an order, he can’t be sure you’ll have followed it. And that leads to deleterious consequences.

Luke: It will never-

Gerrard: You don’t have to try and convince me. You’re a liability on the team. I know what I would do. (beat) Josh doesn’t. He’s going to be back tonight, and he’ll talk with you then. Whether or not he’ll still be undecided, I can’t say.

Long moment of silence. Luke looks resigned, and Gerrard looks at him almost pityingly.

Gerrard: You still hurt?

Luke: Very little. The doctors say I should be able to travel tomorrow.

Gerrard: Good. (beat) Luke, don’t for a minute think that there isn’t a single one of us who isn’t absolutely exultant that you came through this all right. No matter what happens in the business, we count you as a friend.

Luke swallows visibly, and then nods.

Scene shift. Diner, Alec and Ess are at a booth. Still daylight outside.

Ess: This is quaint.

Alec: If you love post-apocalyptic views.

Ess: It’s fine.

Alec: Kind of grimy.

Ess: My aunt’s restaurant is a roach-infested dump, but they have really good spaghetti.

Alec (chuckles): You’re fun to be around.

Ess: I try.

Alec: I’ve been meaning to ask you: I recently came into possession of some tickets to Tristan und Isolde at the Motrine Theatre, and I was wondering-

Ess: You came into possession?

Alec (beat): Yeah.

Ess: Someone gave them to you?

Alec (defensively): I just have them.

Ess: Okay.

Alec: Normally, with a pair of tickets, I’d take Josh, but-

Ess: You take Josh to opera?

Alec: Would you listen for just a second? (Ess giggles) Since it’s not a sports event, I figured maybe you’d like to come instead. (beat) ‘Cause you’re a girl.

Ess: That’s true, I am.

Alec: Girls like opera.
Ess: We also favor chocolates.

Alec: Whatever.

Ess: You just happened to come into possession-

Alec: If you don’t want to go, just say so.

Ess: I’d love to.

Alec: Really?

Ess: Though if you just wanted to include me, a third ticket to a game would have been good too.

Alec: You hate sports.

Ess: Only on TV. My brothers and I used to go to games, when we were kids. It would be fun to do that again, with you guys.

Alec: So basically, I spent far too much money on tickets to an incredibly long opera when I could have just invited you to a Stars game?

Ess: Too late now. I hope they’re good seats.

Alec: They’re great seats. We’re going to be closer to the stage than the actors.

Ess: What made you decide to buy opera tickets?

Alec: I thought chicks liked opera.

Ess: Yeah, that’s not what I asked.

Alec: I don’t know; I saw them, I thought “maybe Ess would want to see that,” and I bought them.

Ess (beat): That’s very sweet.

Alec (smiles): Well, you might want to watch it first before you go that far.

Ess: Tristan und Isolde?

Alec: Yeah.

Ess: I like that story.

Alec: The poor man’s Romeo and Juliet.

Ess: That’s Pyramus and Thisbe.

Alec: Or Ren and Stimpy.

The waitress bring them their plates of food.

Ess: What?

Alec: Nothing.

Ess (giggles a little): Okay.

Alec (looking at his food): Well, none of it is moving. So far so good.

Ess (laughs): You know, you’re fun too.

Alec: Yeah, I know.

Ess: Not as fun as Josh, but-

Alec: Hey.

Ess (giggles): I’m kidding.

Alec: I can always decide to take my mother instead.

Ess: You’d burn the tickets before you did that.

Alec: Yeah, so watch it.

They both laugh a little and begin eating.

Scene shift - ADTE plane: Josh, alone, working on a laptop. After a moment, he sighs and then gets an idea. He checks his watch, and takes out his phone and dials. Audience can only hear his side of the conversation.

Josh: Hey. (pause) Yeah, I didn’t know if I’d catch you. (pause) You sure? I think I’d be trying to sleep or something. (pause) They do that now. (brief pause) So you don’t shoot me when you get back. (pause/laughs) Yeah. (pause) Um… nothing really. Boring stuff. ‘Weber on Economics’ boring. (pause) Yeah, we did. Basically, Tallahassee is a decaying pit. I’d recommend not visiting, ever, if you can avoid it. (pause) It’s depressing. Kind of like a Kevin Costner movie. (pause/laughs) I mean, apocalyptic. Your way works too. (pause) Tell me about your day. (pause) Sounds fun. (pause) First place? So what, you get an extra bowl of gruel for chow?

He laughs again. Fade out. End Scene 3.


Scene 4: Devlin Medical Center - Night, Luke’s room. Luke is dressed now, sitting in a chair, reading. Josh knocks on the door panel and enters.

Luke (breathes in deeply): I’ve been dreading this.

Josh: You and me both.

Luke (nods): Look, I know I screwed up. I know that I made it hard, and maybe impossible to trust me again. I just… I want you to know that I’m sorry. That I didn’t think through my actions; I acted impulsively, because I wanted to be a hero. (beat) I didn’t realize how big a deal this was. I do now, and I’m sorry.

Josh (beat): Is that it?

Luke (quietly): Yeah.

Josh (beat): I called Caelyn today. I wanted to get my mind off this situation for awhile. (beat) You remember back to training, if you were ever… upbeat? She was upbeat. I mean, I’m sure it won’t last, but… I don’t know, I thought that was weird. (beat) I was never upbeat during training. The best I think I got was tolerable.

Luke: I tried not to think about how I felt for three months.

Josh: How’d that work?

Luke (shrugs): I made it.

Josh: Here’s the deal, Luke. I don’t know if next time I give an order, you’ll follow through. I don’t know if sometime I make a decision that will save lives, but sacrifice mine, or Ess’ or Alec’s, I don’t know if you’ll do what you’re told. (beat) I need to know that you’ll do as you’re told.

Luke: I swear, Josh, this won’t happen again.

Josh (stares at him for a long moment): Good. If it does, I will shoot you. (Luke looks taken back) I’m not lying. If you disregard an order I give, I will shoot you dead. Is that understood?

Luke (long beat): Yes.

Josh: Now, do you want to keep working with Sierra, knowing that?

Luke (long beat): Yes.

Josh: Okay then. Take the rest of the week to recuperate, and be back to work Monday. (Josh turns to go)

Luke: Josh. (Josh turns back to him) Are we… are we still friends?

Josh (beat, then he smiles): Until I have to shoot you. Maybe even then.

Luke (nods): Thank you.

Josh: You know I was planning on firing you?

Luke: Why didn’t you?

Josh: Talked to Gerrard. (beat) See you Monday.

He leaves the room, and Luke leans back in his chair and breathes out slowly.

Scene shift - Following day. ADTEO, Josh, Alec, and Ess are walking down a hallway.

Ess: You’re a teddy bear, you know that?

Josh: Please stop.

Ess: A loveable teddy bear who says ‘I love you’ when you squeeze his tummy.

Josh: What is wrong with you?

Ess: I’m in a good mood.

Alec: And high as a kite.

Ess: I’m high on love. (beat) Okay, pretend I didn’t say that.

Alec: Gladly.

Ess: No one died, and no one got fired.

Alec: Sounds like a good reason to be happy.

Ess: Yes! And happy, I am.

Josh: Alec got lacerated.

Ess: The good keeps coming.

Alec: Funny.

Josh: You know what?

Ess: What?

Josh: Tallahassee bites.

Alec: It really does.

Ess: The anti-happy.

Alec: Well put.

Josh: Not really.

Ess: I’m in a good mood.

Josh: You’re also a raving lunatic.

Ess: The evidence seems to indicate that.

They enter the main office room. Kevin and Janie are there. Janie hugs Alec with a squeal.

Alec: Ow.

Janie: I’m so glad you’re okay.

Alec: I got lacerated.

Josh: It was like a long paper-cut.

Alec: My intestines were hanging out. I had to stuff them back in.

Josh (picks up a paper on his desk and begins reading it): You just ended two sentences in a row with a preposition.

Alec: No, it was one sentence connected with a semi-colon.

Josh grins but doesn’t look up.

Ess: Maybe a bad sunburn that peels.

Alec: What?

Ess: Nothing.

Alec: I was killing banshees left and right.

Josh: He killed two.

Alec: Two? I killed that one that-

Josh: I shot in the head?

Alec: Yeah, that one and two others.

Josh (beat): Okay.

Alec: While holding my guts in.

Ess: And he still had time to stop and rescue some puppies who strayed too far from home.

Alec: I’m quite something.

Kevin: How’s Luke?

Ess (quickly): Good.

Kevin: Good?

Ess: Yeah. Good. He should be back Monday. Monday, right?

Alec: Yeah. He’s good.

Kevin (beat): Good.

Janie: Didn’t fire him, eh?

Josh: No.

Janie: I thought you might.

Josh: I didn’t. (he smiles slightly) And that’s the end of the matter.

There is a pause.

Ess: You’re a blueberry muffin.

Josh: Get away from me, woman.

Ess: A chocolate parfait.
Josh: Janie!

Janie: Davon Phillips called, wants to do lunch. You have three mission files on your desk; Gerrard said we’d do at least one of them. And someone named Marcus called, but didn’t say why, and left no return number.

Josh: Any of those missions solos?

Janie: Josh, have I ever-

Josh: Never mind.

Ess (to Janie): I got some new shoes that you have to see.

Alec (to Kevin): It really wasn’t that bad of a wound.

Josh: Phillips number?

Kevin (to Alec): Hey, gotta impress the ladies.

Janie: On your desk.

Alec (to Kevin): That’s right.

Josh: Oh, yeah, look at that.

Janie: You’re a chore, Josh.

Josh: Yet another thing you adore about me.

Janie: Gerrard isn’t coming in today, but he wanted me to tell you not to sit in his chair.

Josh: I’m not seven, and no, he didn’t.

Janie: Okay, but you still shouldn’t.

Josh: So you’ve said.

Janie: Have you seen my chair, Josh?

Josh: Janie-

Janie: It’s like a bicycle seat, Josh!

Josh: No, it isn’t.

Janie: It’s uncomfortable.

Josh: It’s the same as mine.

Janie: That’s why you can’t use Gerrard’s.

Ess: Good to be home.

Scene shift - Tiny, dark room, filled mostly by a small bed. Caelyn limps in, and turns on a lamp. She lifts her shirt slightly, and examines a large, dark bruise on her side. She moves slowly to the bed and sits down. She looks tired and in pain. She waits for a few moments, then reaches for her phone on the nightstand. She dials and waits. No one answers, and she puts the phone down with a sigh. A few moments pass, and she picks it back up, and dials again.

Caelyn: Josh? (pause) It’s me, Caelyn. You’re still up? (pause) Tired. Today was hard. (pause) Hand-to-hand combat. I got thrown around a lot. (pause/laughs a little) I don’t believe you. (beat) Sure they do. (pause) I hurt all over. And they didn’t feed us supper tonight. (pause) Shut up. That’s just mean. (laughs a little) Stop it! I can’t hear those things when I’m starving. (pause) Yeah. Only eleven more to go, right? (pause) It can’t be as bad as this. (beat) It isn’t, right? (pause) Good. (pause/laughs) Yeah, I know. (pause) Goodnight, Josh. (pause) Thank you.

She hangs up and pulls her feet onto the bed, and just lies there.

Scene shift - Devlin Medical Center. Lily and Gerrard in a waiting room.

Gerrard: He’s going to be okay.

Lily: Yeah.

Gerrard: You don’t believe me.

Lily: He should have been awake by now.

Gerrard: I was once under the toxin for two full weeks. It’s rare, but it happens.

Lily: My head hurts.

Gerrard (nods): You need some sleep. (beat) Bryce is lucky to have a friend like you.

Lily looks at him with tears in her eyes. Gerrard puts an arm around her, and she lays her head on his shoulder. Fade out. End Scene 4.