Episode Thirteen

Deliverance, Part One

Part Three

NEXT SCENE
AT A TOWN SQUARE. TOM AND SLOAN WALK DOWN ONE OF THE PATHS. THEY’VE JUST FINISHED A SNACK. SLOAN FIDGETS WITH SOME NAPKINS AND TOM IS CHEWING. (HEEHEE)

Sloan: Okay, I’ve asked you a ton of questions today, but I've got one more for you.

HE LOOKS AT HER. THEY WALK TO A BENCH AND STOP. SLOAN FACES TOM.

Sloan: What about me?
Tom: What do you mean?

THEY SIT ON THE BENCH.

Sloan: Do you feel any differently toward me?
Tom: (brow furrowing in thought) Yes.

HE LOOKS AT HER AND GIVES HER THE CUTEST LITTLE GRIN.

Sloan: (laughing and looking down) O-kay. Uh, ok, come on, is that a good yes or a bad yes?
Tom: I thought you said this was gonna be your last question.

HE GIVES HER A WICKED SMILE, THEN NOISE FROM ACROSS THE STREET CAPTURES HIS ATTENTION. HE SEES A WEDDING PARTY EMERGING FROM A CHURCH, THE BRIDE AND GROOM ALL SMILES. HE STARES AT THE SCENE (AND LOOKS REALLY GOOD DOING IT! HEL-LO SCREEN CAPTURE!), THEN LOOKS DOWN.








HE TURNS BACK TO SLOAN.

Tom: I um, never understood the feelings I had about you. When they were all wrapped up in confusion of who I was, and who I was supposed to be.

HE LOOKS AT HER AND GRABS HER HAND.

Tom: I understand ’em now.

HE TUGS AT HER HAND WITH EACH WORD, ELICITING A SMILE AND LAUGH FROM SLOAN. WE CAN TELL HE HAS A BIG SMILE ON HIS FACE. (SHAME WE CAN’T REALLY SEE IT, AS WE’RE LOOKING AT SLOAN’S REACTION, BUT, AH WELL.) HE LAUGHS.

Tom: C’mere.

(DAMN HE’S SMOOTH.) HE PUTS HIS ARM AROUND SLOAN AND DRAWS HER CLOSER, HUGGING HER TO HIM. (COULDN’T YA JUST DIE!)









NEXT SCENE
A REALLY NASTY-LOOKING DESERTED PART OF TOWN. ATTWOOD, RAY AND MARK WARD STAND BENEATH A BRIDGE OVERPASS.

Mark: Look, I wish I could say what happened came as a surprise, but I was afraid of something like this all along.
Attwood: I guess I was naive. It never crossed my mind that my own people would betray me. Betray us. I’m sorry.
Mark: Look, I know you personally had nothing to do with what happened.
Ray: Where do we go from here?
Mark: We’re on the run, Detective. You see, I can't go back.
Attwood: Why not?
Mark: For the same reasons you can't. We’re marked men, Dr. Attwood. What happened today and what will happen tomorrow will be hung around our necks. My people will use this to convince any doubters that war is inevitable. Now, can you really say otherwise about those you work for?
Attwood: I don’t know. But I’m going to find out.

ATTWOOD WALKS TO HIS CAR AND THEY ALL DEPART.

NEXT SCENE
AT A PARK. TOM AND SLOAN WALK DOWN A SIDEWALK AS PEOPLE WALK, BIKE, ROLLERBLADE PAST. SLOAN HAS HER ARM LINKED THROUGH TOM’S AS THEY DESCEND SOME STEPS.

Sloan: I was thinking, we talked before about getting out of town. Maybe this would be a good time.

HE CONSIDERS HER SUGGESTION AS HE LOOKS OVER AT A SMALL BOY, GIGGLING AS HIS MOM TICKLES HIM. THEY DESCEND MORE STEPS.

Sloan: We both could use a break.

TOM HALTS ON THE LAST STEP, REELING, HAND TO THE BACK OF HIS NECK.

Sloan: What’s the matter?
Tom: I don’t know.
Sloan: Tom...It’s gonna be okay--
Tom: No, no...

HE SINKS TO HIS KNEES AS SLOAN LEANS OVER HIM.

Sloan: Tom...

SHE KNEELS BEFORE HIM.

Sloan: What is it?

TOM LOOKS AROUND, EYES WIDE. HE SEES A YOUNG COUPLE IN A GAZEBO, HAVE A NASTY ARGUMENT.

Sloan: (voice muffled and far-away) What’s the matter? Just tell me please, Tom.

TOM SEES THE IMAGE OF THE LAUGHING BOY AGAIN.

Sloan: Tom...Tom...

IMAGES FLASH AT TOM OVER AND OVER AS HE LOOKS AROUND WILD-EYED. THE ARGUING COUPLE, THE LAUGHING BOY, THE ROLLERBLADING TEENS, SLOAN, SMILING DOWN AT HIM IN THE TOWN SQUARE.

NEXT SCENE
NIGHTTIME. AT SLOAN’S APARTMENT. SLOAN FIXES SOME TEA IN THE KITCHEN. SHE CARRIES IT TO TOM, SEATED IN ONE OF HER COMFY CHAIRS. (HATE TO INTRUDE, BUT HE’S BEEN WEARING THE SAME OUTFIT SINCE THE SHOW BEGAN...AT LEAST 3 DAYS HAVE PASSED. SURE HOPE HE KEEPS SPARE GUTCHIES AT SLOAN’S!)

Sloan: Feeling any better?
Tom: Yeah, thanks.

SLOAN SITS IN THE CHAIR NEXT TO HIM AS HE SIPS THE TEA.

Sloan: What happened back there?
Tom: I don’t know. Feelings overwhelmed me.
Sloan: Your feelings about--
Tom: Not mine. It was what everyone else was experiencing. The couple, arguing, the ones that passed us.

HE SHAKES HIS HEAD AND SMILES WIDE. (SIGH.)

Tom: The boy and his mother.
Sloan: And me holding you.

TOM’S SMILE FADES AND HE LOOKS DOWN, GIVING A SMALL NOD.

Tom: The power of what they were feeling...

HE LOOKS UP DIRECTLY INTO HER EYES. (WHOA NELLY)

Tom: ...of what you were feeling, was unimaginable to me until today.

A BUZZ SOUNDS AND SLOAN TURNS TO LOOK AT THE DOOR. SHE GETS UP AND WALKS TO THE MONITOR, DISARMING IT, THEN OPENS THE DOOR.

Sloan: That’s Ed. I called him after what happened.

TOM SETS THE CUP DOWN AND STANDS.

Tom: I want this experiment to run its course.

SLOAN TURNS AND LOOKS AT TOM. HE STARES BACK AT HER. SLOAN WALKS OVER TO HIM.

Sloan: We have to tell him.

ED WALKS IN AND REMOVES HIS COAT.

Ed: Hey, how you feeling?
Tom: I feel fine.
Ed: Alright, well, we gotta check your blood again. Every twelve hours. You know the drill.
Tom: Sure.

TOM LOOKS AT SLOAN AS HE PULLS UP HIS SLEEVE.

NEXT SCENE
AT THE BIO LAB. LIMO LADY WALKS DOWN A DIM HALLWAY WITH HER CELL PHONE IN HAND. SHE TUCKS IT INTO A POCKET AND TURNS A CORNER. WE SEE ATTWOOD PUSHING THROUGH THE OUTER GLASS DOORS. HE STOPS IN FRONT OF HER .

Attwood: Thank you for coming.
Limo Lady: I was glad you called.
Attwood: I’m sure you were.

THEY WALK INTO THE LAB.

Limo Lady: You realize you’re in danger here.
Attwood: Yes I do.
Limo Lady: My superiors are disappointed about what happened last night.
Attwood: Really?

ATTWOOD TURNS AND FACES LIMO LADY.

Attwood: Seems to me like everything went according to plan.
Limo Lady: I don’t understand.
Attwood: I know who those shots were aimed at, and I know who pulled the trigger.
Limo Lady: Don't tell me I underestimated you.
Attwood: Why’d it have to be this way?
Limo Lady: We’re at war. You have to understand on a certain level, you’re expendable. So am I. Our lives can’t stand in the way of the accomplishment of the greater plan.
Attwood: And that plan is to bring about a war between Homo sapiens and Homo dominant.
Limo Lady: That surprises you? That has always been the plan. What happened last night will enflame hatred on both sides.
Attwood: Whereas a bridge between the species would encourage reconciliation.
Limo Lady: Which would ultimately end in disaster, for us. Anyone who thinks we can coexist has not studied the evolution of man.
Attwood: Well, I have. And maybe it's not that simple.

HE STEPS AWAY FROM HER.

Limo Lady: It is for me.
Attwood: I’m sure the press would be quite interested in our government’s position on this.
Limo Lady: They'd be fascinated. Unfortunately, they’ll never know.

LIMO LADY GETS HER CELL PHONE OUT AND TURNS IT ON, DIALING. SHE PUTS THE PHONE TO HER EAR WITH A SMUG SMILE JUST AS RAY COMES UP BEHIND HER. ATTWOOD TAKES THE PHONE FORM HER AND SHUTS IT OFF. SHE LOOKS OVER HER SHOULDER AT RAY WITH SHOCKED EXPRESSION AS HE DETAINS HER, GUN PRESSED INTO HER BACK.

Limo Lady: You’ll never get out of here.
Attwood: Yes we will. With your help.

ATTWOOD LEADS THEM OUT OF THE LAB AND DOWN THE HALL. RAY PUSHES LIMO LADY ALONG, THE GUN IN HER BACK, URGING HER FORWARD.

NEXT SCENE
AT SLOAN’S APARTMENT. ED BUSILY TYPES ON A LAPTOP. TOM SITS IN A CHAIR IN THE LIVING ROOM, SLOAN PERCHED NEXT TO HIM ATOP THE ARM OF THE OVERSIZED CHAIR TOM SLEEPS IN.

Ed: This’ll just take a sec.

ED LOOKS OVER HIS SHOULDER AT THEM.

Ed: You sure everything’s alright?

THE BEEPING COMPUTER DRAWS ED’S ATTENTION BACK TO THE SCREEN. THE DIFFERENTIAL RESULTS FLASH 1.4%.

Ed: Trouble.

TOM TURNS AND LOOKS AT ED. SLOAN HURRIES OVER TO THE COMPUTER.

Ed: Tom’s reverting. He’s heading back to one-point-six.

SLOAN TURNS AND LOOKS AT TOM, STARING UP AT HER FROM HIS SEAT.

Sloan: I’m sorry.
Ed: (brightly) You know what, I can try a booster shot!
Sloan: No, Ed, that’s pushing it.

TOM HALTS HER WITH A HAND ON HER ARM.

Tom: Let him try. We have to do this.
Sloan: Is it really worth that much to you?
Tom: You should know the answer to that by now. You’re worth that much to me.

SLOAN STARES AT TOM, TEARS FILLING HER EYES.

Ed: I’m gonna head back to the lab.
Sloan: No, let me go. It’s better you stay and monitor Tom. In case something happens.

SLOAN GATHERS HER COAT AND PURSE AND HEADS TO THE DOOR.

Ed: Okay, everything’s back at the lab. The three vials. They’re all lined up, you can’t miss ’em.
Sloan: Right. Take care of him.

SLOAN LEAVES WITH ONE FINAL LOOK AT TOM. ED LOOKS BACK AT TOM, THEN STARTS TYPING AGAIN ON THE COMPUTER.

NEXT SCENE
WE SEE RAY’S CAR DRIVE DOWN A DARK WOODED ROAD. THE CAR HALTS.

Limo Lady: Why are we stopping?
Attwood: This is where you get out.

RAY GETS OUT AND OPENS THE DOOR. LIMO LADY GETS OUT OF THE CAR AND ATTWOOD GETS OUT AFTER HER.

Limo Lady: (indignant) You have no idea what you’re doing, Walter.
Attwood: Yes, I do. I’m trying to prevent your vision from becoming a reality. And this may help.

HE PULLS HER CELL PHONE OUT OF HIS POCKET. SHE STARES DOWN AT IT.

Limo Lady: What do you want with that?
Attwood: I want to know who you called, when you called them, it’s all in here. I’m sure the press will love following this trail.
Limo Lady: The press?! They won’t listen to you. They take their orders from the same people I do.
Attwood: (with a smug smile) Enjoy the walk.

RAY AND ATTWOOD GET BACK INTO THE CAR AND DRIVE OFF, LEAVING LIMO LADY HARUMPHING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD.

NEXT SCENE
AT THE BIO LAB. SLOAN WALKS THROUGH THE OUTER DOORS TO THE LAB. SHE WALKS DOWN THE HALL AND PUSHES ON THE LAB DOORS. THEY DON’T BUDGE. SHE LOOKS THROUGH THE WINDOW IN THE DOOR AND SEES THE LAB, EMPTY. SHE PUSHES AGAIN, THEN TOUCHES AN ENTRY KEYPAD. A MAN WALKS UP BEHIND HER.

Man: What are you doing here?

SLOAN TURNS, STARTLED. SHE SEES A SECURITY GUARD BEFORE HER.

Sloan: I work here. Dr. Attwood must’ve put new locks on the door and forgot to give me the code. Can you let me in?
Guard: I’ll have to ask you to leave.
Sloan: I have clearance. Here’s my security card.

SHE SHOWS HIM HER I.D. BADGE.

Guard: I’ll take that.

HE DOES.

Sloan: Call Dr. Attwood. He runs the place.
Guard: Not anymore.

ANOTHER GUARD COMES DOWN THE HALL AND THE FIRST USHERS SLOAN AWAY FROM THE DOOR.

Sloan: There’s something in there that I urgently need!
Guard: I’m sorry. Let’s go.

THEY WALK HER THROUGH THE OUTER DOORS AS SLOAN STARES BACK AT THE LAB.

NEXT SCENE
AT SLOAN’S APARTMENT. TOM SITS ON THE BED AS ED PACKS UP HIS MEDICAL BAG ON THE CENTER ISLAND. TOM STANDS AND WALKS INTO THE LIVING ROOM.

Tom: Any bulletins?
Ed: (shaking his head) All your vitals are strong.

ED SITS ON THE STOOL NEXT TO THE ISLAND.

Tom: And getting stronger, I imagine.

TOM WALKS TO A CHAIR AND SITS DOWN WITH A SIGH.

Ed: Look, Tom, I’m sorry this didn’t work out.
Tom: It’s not your fault; you didn’t even wanna give me the shot.
Ed: I know but, I hoped it would take, we all have a lot riding on this.
Tom: Obviously you’re close. Don’t let this setback stop you. You’ll figure it out.
Ed: Do you think so?
Tom: Yeah, I do. And I’ll be ready to try it again when you’re ready.

SUDDENLY MEN WITH GUNS BURST THROUGH SLOAN’S APARTMENT DOOR. FOUR MEN RUSH OVER AND SUBDUE TOM WITH A STRANGLEHOLD, WHILE ONE RACES UP TO ED AND INJECTS HIM WITH SOMETHING. ED FALLS TO THE FLOOR, EYES STARING AT THE CEILING. THE MAN WITH THE INJECTOR HUSTLES OVER TO TOM, INJECTING HIM AS WELL. TWO MEN DRAG THE NOW-DAZED TOM OUT OF THE APARTMENT AND THE REST FOLLOW BEHIND, LEAVING ED LYING ON THE FLOOR.





THE MEN DRAG TOM OUT OF THE ENTRANCE TO SLOAN’S APARTMENT BUILDING AND OVER TO A WAITING VAN. THEY’VE ALSO CONFISCATED ED’S EQUIPMENT.





SLOAN PULLS UP IN FRONT OF HER APARTMENT JUST AS TOM IS DRAGGED ACROSS THE SIDEWALK. SHE GETS OUT OF HER CAR QUICKLY, CONFUSED AND FRIGHTENED. TOM, RESISTING BEING SHOVED INTO THE VAN, LOOKS BACK AT SLOAN, WHO RUSHES FORWARD.



THE MEN MANAGE TO PUSH TOM INTO THE VAN, THEN THE VAN SPEEDS AWAY. SLOAN SHOUTS TOM’S NAME AS SHE RUNS AFTER IT. A CAR CUTS HER OFF, NEARLY HITTING HER, AND HALTS HER PURSUIT. SHE STARES AFTER THE VAN, STRICKEN.

CUT TO A SHOT OF THE LIMO LADY, SITTING IN THE BACK OF A CAR, GLARING.

CUT TO A SHOT OF A DARK ROOM. IT IS EMPTY EXCEPT FOR A CAGE. THE ONLY LIGHT IN THE ROOM SHINES DOWN INTO IT. THROUGH THE BARS WE SEE TOM, BARECHESTED.

UNABLE TO STAND UP IN THE SMALL CAGE, HE’S HUNCHED OVER, HIS ELBOWS ON HIS THIGHS, HANDS CLASPED. A SHEEN OF SWEAT COVERS HIS FACE AND HIS HEAD DARTS THIS WAY AND THAT, LOOKING THROUGH THE BARS, CHECKING EVERY LITTLE SOUND.







HE’S BREATHING HARD, AND HIS REACTIONS ARE LIKE A FRIGHTENED ANIMAL, A MONKEY IN A CAGE. THE CAMERA PANS BACK AND WE HEAR HIS BREATHING, LOUDER AND LOUDER.



























THE LIGHT SUDDENLY GOES OUT, AND THE SHOW ENDS.

Part Two

Part One

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