BRIMSTONE VS Episode #302 by Phil Gee "HELL GATE - PART I" TEASER: Over a BLACK SCREEN the following title is shown in white letters: JUNE 15th, 1904 EAST RIVER THIRD STREET DOCK 9:00 AM FADE UP: Through an early morning FOG, we SEE a gleaming WOODEN STEAMBOAT. It is THE GENERAL SLOCUM. Although the day is still young, the Slocum is ABUZZ with ACTIVITY. PASSENGERS mill about the dockside, waiting to board the vessel. CREWMEN scurry, making last minute preparations for the day's chartered voyage. On the DECK, a SMALL BAND is setting up their INSTRUMENTS and MUSIC STANDS. They are smartly dressed in matching UNIFORMS. Hundreds of BRIGHTLY COLORED FLAGS that are hung from bow to stern flap in the wind. Near the GANGWAY, a large BANNER is billowing in the breeze. In proud letters, it reads: ST MARK'S EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH 17TH ANNUAL PICNIC The crowd is restless. They are excited, anticipating a day full of fun and fellowship. CHILDREN scamper, impatient to get on board. Many of their MOTHERS try their best to snag the youngsters as they pass within arms length. There are very few MEN in attendance; the majority of the crowd appears to be women and children. We hear a mixture of ENGLISH and GERMAN being spoken. The Congregation of the church is made up of predominately German immigrants. REVEREND HASS makes his way up the gangway, attempting to get the attention of a CREWMAN. He reaches across the GANGWAY ROPE, and pulls the sleeve of the closest Crewman. REV. HASS Excuse me, good fellow. How soon until we're able to board? The children have been waiting for weeks for today to get here, and I'm afraid it'll be tough to keep them contained very much longer. The Crewman turns to face Rev. Hass. He keeps his BACK to us the entire time he is speaking. CREWMAN We're waiting for Captain Van Schaick to give us the word, my good Reverend. Rev. Hass smiles as he hears the news. Then, he takes a closer look at the Crewman. A mixed expression crosses his face, as if there is something unsettling about the Crewman -- an unknown element of evil. REV. HASS (unsteady) Thank you... Suddenly, at the Crewman's side appears CAPTAIN WILLIAM VAN SCHAICK. He is dressed in a WHITE UNIFORM, wearing a VISOR CAP. He looks rugged, handsome, not showing his sixty one years to a great degree. He has a head full of sandy colored hair under his visor, and a beard and mustache to match. He doesn't appear to be that concerned with the activity displayed on the dock -- as if it's more of an irritation to shuttle these German immigrants up the river for their picnic. VAN SCHAICK Crewman! The passengers may board! We'll be underway in fifteen minutes, so get them up and secured, Mister! The Crewman, his back still to us, salutes sharply. Van Schaick saunters away. CREWMAN Aye, Captain! (to Rev. Hass) Your Congregation may proceed to come aboard, Reverend. Rev. Hass stumbles back a few steps, unable to remove his gaze from the Crewman's face. There's SOMETHING not right, but the Reverend cannot figure out what it is. When Rev. Hass reaches the bottom of the gangway, he clears his head, then tries his best to put on a smile for his followers. REV. HASS Alright, my children, we may board now. A ROAR goes up from the excited crowd. Another minute, and they might have stormed the vessel! Without any hesitation, they begin to file up the gangway, greeting Rev. Hass warmly. As they say hello, he returns the salutations -- but it is evident that he is still concerned about the Crewman. When the children hit the deck, they SCATTER like leaves in a whirlwind. They've probably been awake since the night before, and have energy to spare. Women do their best to follow the youngsters, while holding onto PICNIC BASKETS, UMBRELLA, HATS, etc. The small number of Men do nothing more then huddle about together, letting the Women concern themselves with the children. They light CIGARS, sip gin from FLASKS, and talk about the current politics of the day. The Band has tuned up, and begins to play OOMPAH MUSIC, much to the delight of the crowd. They gather around the Band, clapping their hands in approval. Several passengers are still waiting to board The General Slocum. In two's and three's, they cross the gangway entrance, helped kindly by the Crewman who spoke to Rev. Hass. As always, his back is to us. At the bottom of the gangway, MRS. BOOTH is struggling to get aboard. She is VERY pregnant, looking about to burst. There is a childlike quality about her -- she is painfully young. Of course, she is having trouble navigating the crowd. Rev. Hass takes her by the elbow. REV. HASS My dear Mrs. Booth! Why in Heaven's name are you here? You should be home, preparing the way for God's blessing upon you. Rev. Hass searches the throng. REV. HASS Where is Mr. Booth? Isn't he coming? MRS. BOOTH (straining) No, good Reverend. He took ill this morning. But he insisted I come, despite his despair. Rev. Hass nods. He knows Mr. Booth and his sinful habits. REV. HASS Well, my child, we'll see that you have a day to remember. (calling up the gangway) Make way, please! Let Mrs. Booth pass! The crowd obliges, parting and assisting Mrs. Booth as she trudges up to board the ship. A MALE CHURCHMEMBER steps up and speaks to Rev. Hass. CHURCHMEMBER Poor child. So young, she still can't see that man's no good. I'll wager the "cure" for his illness will be stopping by her house any minute now. Medicine bag full of supplies only a harlot can provide. REV. HASS Aye, I'm loath to agree with you. That naive girl is only too willing to believe there's good in her husband. And all others, I'm afraid. Perhaps The Lord will intervene on her behalf. CHURCHMEMBER Or someone else, good Reverend. Mrs. Booth has reached the top of the gangway. The Crewman (face still unseen) runs the few steps between himself and Mrs. Booth. He takes her by the shoulders and clears the entry for her. CREWMAN My dear, dear Madame! Please, let me help you! Mrs. Booth smiles in gratitude. Despite her discomfort, she's obviously happy to be given such singular attention. MRS. BOOTH Thank you, thank you... CREWMAN (overly polite) You just take your time, Madame, and wait for me to finish boarding the other passengers. I'll be at your side every moment of the journey, if you require. Mrs. Booth blushes; she's not used to kindness from a man. MRS. BOOTH Dear Sir, you are too kind for words. I'm at your service. With a tip of his cap, the Crewman sends Mrs. Booth down the deck towards the Band. He then turns his attention to the remaining passengers at the gangway. One or two pass by him, and he directs them to the proper locations. There are just a few people left to board now. A female passenger, MRS. STRAUB, and her husband PHILIP reach the entry. The Crewman extends his hand to assist her. Mrs. Straub holds out her hand to the Crewman, and he takes it. The moment their hands interlock, her expression suddenly changes! The color drains from her face! It's as if ice water is passing through her veins instead of blood! She stands -- too stunned to move. The Crewman realizes her demeanor, but continues to hold onto her hand. CREWMAN (undertone of evil) Welcome, Madame. Please, step aboard...enjoy the hospitality of The General Slocum and her fine crew. Mrs. Straub struggles to release the grip the Crewman has on her hand. It appears as if he will not let go! Finally, she frees herself. Her husband has noticed the incident. PHILIP Are you well, my dear? Is something the matter? Mrs. Straub puts the hand the Crewman held to her breast, clutching her heaving chest as if she were taking her last breath before departing the land of the living. MRS. STRAUB (aghast) Philip...we must go...go now... PHILIP What do you...? MRS. STRAUB NOW! We cannot stay here any longer! Mrs. Straub almost falls down in her haste to vacate the presence of this Crewman. Philip is a bit confused by his wife's behavior, but decides to follow her intuition. As Mrs. Straub reaches the bottom of the gangway, she turns to the final group of people about to board. MRS. STRAUB Don't go! Please, for all that is Holy! Don't go on that ship! Philip has reached his wife, and stands by her side. PHILIP Let's go home, darling wife... She's still in a frenzy. He takes her by the elbow, gently leading her away. ONLOOKERS gather at the rail. They've heard her rantings all the way up to the deck. MRS. STRAUB I'm telling you! Don't go on board! All of you! Get off that ship now! It's a vessel of evil! Captain Van Schaick returns to the gangway entrance, and questions the Crewman. VAN SCHAICK What's the commotion with that woman? CREWMAN She's afflicted, Captain. Her good husband told me he was trying to cheer her spirits by taking her for a day of fellowship. But, unhappiness overtook her once more. The Captain seems satisfied with the explanation. He looks at the crowds that are overflowing upon the decks. VAN SCHAICK Are we loaded, Mister? All passengers aboard and secure? CREWMAN Just these last few, Captain. The Crewman gestures to the THREE REMAINING WOMEN, still standing at the gangway entrance. They've heard the entire exchange between Mrs. Straub and the Crewman, as well as his words with the Captain. There is obvious fear in their eyes. CREWMAN Ladies? Last call... The Crewman's statement hangs in the air like a thundercloud. The Three Remaining Women look at one another, and in an instant their decision is made. Without a sound, they turn around slowly. Then with building speed they tread down the gangway, and hurry off into the masses scattered along the dockside. CREWMAN Three others with a touch of affliction, Captain. They'll never know what they've missed, I'm afraid... VAN SCHAICK Very well, Mister! Three more or less makes me no difference. Prepare to cast off! CREWMAN Aye, Captain! The Captain staggers off once more, headed for the Bridge. The Crewman watches The Captain until he's gone from sight. The Band begins to play A MIGHTY FORTRESS IS OUR GOD. The Crewman LATCHES the gangway entrance, and SIGNALS to the DOCKWORKERS to remove the gangway. It starts to slowly pull away from The General Slocum. We HEAR the STEAM WHISTLE BLOW. They're ready to go up in the Bridge. Slowly, the dull, mechanical WHINE of the PADDLE WHEEL penetrates the morning air. THUMP THUMP THUMP. Water SPLASHES. Children reach out their hands trying to get wet as the wheel churns up a frothy foam. The Crewman stands hunched over the railing. He leans out and WAVES to THE PEOPLE ON THE DOCK. Finally, he drops his hand, and turns around. For the first time, we SEE his face. IT IS THE DEVIL!! FADE ACT ONE: EXT. HIGH ABOVE THE EAST RIVER - DAY We are on the New Jersey side, looking in towards New York City. Below us is the massive steel bridge known as... HELL GATE - Its name befitting its awesome presence. A TRAIN rumbles tiredly across the tracks, coming back from Jersey once more. As the train passes under us, we MOVE IN TIGHT. We CONTINUE to PULL IN until we are INCHES AWAY -- then we PASS WITHIN AND ARE... INSIDE THE TRAIN The usual interior you'd expect on any public transportation in the Tri-State area. GANG TAGS, PHONE NUMBERS advertising interesting propositions, even a BEAUTIFULLY DRAWN CROSS, clean and clear in VIVID COLORS. Beneath the cross sits... STONE Reading a newspaper. He's alone in the cab, and glad of it. He flips the pages around, finding the SPORTS PAGE. He reads in disbelief. STONE Tampa Bay in the playoffs? The Bengals in last place? What's been going on behind my back? VOICE (OS) It's what's going in front of your nose that should concern you, Ezekiel. Stone puts his paper down. In the seat opposite him is THE DEVIL. Stone regards him for a second, then goes back to his paper. STONE What kind of deal did you offer them down in Tampa? I mean, NO WAY they could put together a team that good without selling their souls... DEVIL Why, you hurt me, Zeke. I'm in no way involved with that cute little band of Buccaneers. Did you see they changed their uniforms a few years back? Go with the flow. Get hip. Power to the people! Turn on and tune out! STONE I'm trying, but you're not helping. Suddenly, Stone's paper VANISHES! The Devil isn't happy being ignored. STONE Hey! I just bought that! I haven't even read it halfway through! DEVIL I'll save you the trouble. "GORE AND BUSH IN A DEAD HEAT." That one's gonna be fun. STONE What are you planning, if I might ask? DEVIL Let's just say I'm going to take a nice sunny vacation around that time, and leave it at that. STONE Any more headlines I should know about? DEVIL The usual. Thefts, murders, child abductions. Business is good. I may have to open a branch office soon. STONE So they have TWO places to escape from? The Devil frowns at that statement. DEVIL Ezekiel, that's twice you've hit me below the belt. Once more, and I'm afraid I'll have to disqualify you. STONE Now that's the news I've been hoping to hear all morning. The Devil notices the CROSS Stone is sitting under. He points to it. DEVIL Thinking of switching sides this late in the game? Stone turns around and looks at the cross. STONE I didn't even notice it. I guess somebody needed the extra protection. I mean, this bridge IS called HELL GATE. DEVIL True, true. Sometimes they get it right down here. Stone crosses his arms and lets out a sigh. The two sit in awkward silence for a beat. STONE Can I have my paper back? He holds out his hand, palm open. STONE (cont) Sorry, but you're just not on the beat today. Don't feel bad -- we all have an off day now and then. POOF! A WILTED BOUQUET OF FLOWERS appears in Stone's hand instead of his longed for newspaper. DEVIL Slider, low and away! Call strike three! Stone caught looking! You're out, m'boy. STONE It's still football season, you know... DEVIL Hit the showers, you're done for the night. The Devil vanishes, leaving Stone holding the ugly bunch of flowers. DEVIL (VO) Say it with flowers... Stone regards the flowers in his grip. He SNIFFS them. THEY SMELL TERRIBLE! He draws his head back. STONE You stink... EXT. THE COPPER'S HOUSE - ESTABLISHING - DAY ROSALYN'S CAR pulls up in the driveway. She shuts off the engine, gets out of the car, closes the door. With her KEY REMOTE, she POPS the trunk. Inside are a couple of BAGS OF GROCERIES. She gets them out, and heads inside. INT. KITCHEN - DAY The place looks empty. It's quite. Rosalyn goes over to the COUNTER, and plops the groceries down. As she starts to put the items away, she calls out over her shoulder. ROSALYN Hello! A little help here! I'm not Wonder Woman! There is no answer. She raises her brow; there's usually somebody home around this time of day. She tries once more. ROSALYN If I have to put it away, I'm gonna eat it all. Still no reply. Weird. For a second, she stands unsure. Is there something going on here that's freaky, or is she letting her imagination carry on? DAN walks into the kitchen, slowly, silently. It's almost like he appeared out of thin air. His presence startles her for a moment. She JUMPS. ROSALYN Dan! You scared the shit out of me! DAN Sorry... He leans against the doorway, hands in his pockets. Face clouded. Rosalyn goes back to putting groceries away, not noticing Dan's demeanor. ROSALYN Where are the kids? DAN Maya's out shopping. Stephen's over at my sisters's house. ROSALYN You want stir fry tonight...? Rosalyn turns around to look at Dan. She SEES the expression on his face. Whatever it is, it's serious. JUMP CUT: KITCHEN - MOMENTS LATER They're sitting opposite one another at the table. Dan leaning back in his chair, Rosalyn perched on the edge of her seat. Dan looks like he'd rather be anywhere else on Earth right now except in front of his new bride. DAN Before we started seeing each other, maybe a year ago, I applied for a teaching post in South America. Porto Alegre, Brazil. The American Foreign Exchange Student program was trying out a new project, and they needed ten teachers to travel with the students that were headed to Brazil. They were going to integrate American teachers with Brazilian teachers, along with the Exchange Students. It was a one year trial run. I was qualified, but didn't get picked. Becky Stewart, -- a co-worker of mine -- did. I wished her well, and that was that. He pauses. It's not going to get easier. ROSALYN And...? DAN Becky contacted me today. Turns out she's... had a baby... Her gut reaction blurts out before she has time to think about it. ROSALYN Is it yours? Dan almost laughs. He's surprised by her question. DAN WHAT? (then he gets it) You mean you...? Oh, NO! Not at all! Becky's married! Her husband went with her! No...no... HELL NO! The tension leaves Rosalyn's face for a second. Then, she realizes there's more to come. Dan runs his hand through his hair, trying to figure out the best way to continue. DAN It's too hard for her with the baby down there, so she's coming home. There's still six months left, and they need a teacher to replace her. It's beginning to sink in now. DAN (cont) She talked to the Exchange Commissioner, and recommended me to replace her for the rest of the year. He reviewed my application, and since I was already familiar with the program, he said I'd be perfect for the job. Dan leans closer to her, doing his best to make eye contact. Rosalyn can't meet his gaze. ROSALYN So, you're telling me we're moving to Brazil? DAN (that's not it) When I applied for the post, I made a promise to Maya. If I got chosen, she could come with me. Stephan wasn't really very excited about leaving the country, and he had decided to stay with my sister. He's gonna be eighteen in a few months, and off to college in the fall. I don't think he wanted to miss out on his senior year. You know, hanging out with friends, going to Disneyland for Grad Night, Prom... (beat) This is a once in a lifetime chance, Rosalyn. I'd love for us all to go, but the program will only pay for me and one other person. Travel and housing is very limited. He's almost pleading to her now. DAN (cont) Rosalyn...I'm so torn right now. I love you very, very much. We just got married, and the last thing I want to do is go away for six months. But I can't turn this down. It means too much to Maya. She was crushed when I was passed over. There's no way I can refuse without breaking her heart. His voice trails off. He's tried his best. Rosalyn sits for a beat in silence. Finally she takes in a huge breath, then lets it out slowly. ROSALYN Dan...I... The words escape her, but she pushes on. ROSALYN (cont) I've been alone for over fifteen years. It's not that new of a concept to me. I understand that teaching is what you do and who you are. She realizes that she's had this same conversation with Ezekiel on more then one occasion. Two different men, yet both devoted to something else as deeply as they are to her. ROSALYN (cont) Asking you to stay is like asking you to stop breathing. (beat) I'm not a kid, Dan. I'll be okay. It isn't like you're never coming back...right? Her question is rhetorical...or is it? ROSALYN (cont) If it's important to you, it's important to me. What's six months when we've got forever? She tries her best to put on a brave face. But inside, she can remember feeling the same way about Ezekiel. Look at what happened to him... Dan lets out a sigh of relief. DAN I love you, Mrs. Copper. ROSALYN (quietly) I love you, Mr. Copper... Dan leans across the table and kisses her. Brief, but passionate. Now that the tough part is over, he's visibly relieved. There's a little bounce in his step as he gets up from the table. DAN I've got to pick up Maya. She was getting a few things to take on the trip...I'll be back soon. He walks quickly out of the kitchen. We HEAR the FRONT DOOR SLAM. A moment later, we HEAR Dan's CAR START UP AND PULL OUT. We MOVE IN on Rosalyn as she sits -- alone once more -- pondering the similar fate that she has been dealt again. TIGHT ON ROSALYN'S TORSO She rubs a hand softly back and forth across her belly. SLOW DISSOLVE: Once more we are in 1904, following The General Slocum as it lazily paddles up river. She has been underway for twenty minutes or so. All is perfect on this early summer morning. The Band is delighting the crowd with expertly played traditional German favorites. Mothers are trying to teach their Children the proper dance steps to the songs THEY grew up with in their home country. The Devil walks down the port side railing, tipping his hat to the passengers, returning their happy smiles. He spots a CHILD who has a TOY trapped behind a DECK CHAIR, just out of the poor Child's reach. The Devil runs to assist the Child, pulling the chair out of the way so the Child can retrieve his toy. When the Child secures it, he grins a pleased grin to The Devil, and races off to join his friends. Continuing his journey, The Devil suddenly comes upon Mrs. Booth. She is resting -- alone -- in a deck chair. No one is anxious to keep her company. We get the impression she is a bit of an outcast, probably due to her husband. If she's aware of her status, she doesn't show it. The Devil grabs a DRINK from the TRAY of a passing STEWARD, and offers it to Mrs. Booth. She gladly accepts it. MRS. BOOTH (savoring the taste) Ahh...that was delicious! DEVIL Let me get you another... He starts to chase down the Steward, but Mrs. Booth puts a hand on his arm and stops him. MRS. BOOTH No, that's alright. One was enough. My, but you're an incredibly dear fellow. How long have you been serving aboard ship? DEVIL Believe it or not, this is my first journey aboard her! MRS. BOOTH I would never doubt you, kind Sir. You have such a noble, honest face. DEVIL Really? The Devil juts his chin out, giving Mrs. Booth a chance to admire his profile. DEVIL An old friend of mine -- name of Adam, by the way -- might argue that point with you. MRS. BOOTH I'd stand up for you if ANYONE dared challenge your honor. DEVIL I'll take you up on that offer one day. You can count on it! Rising from beside her, The Devil stands up straight and tall. DEVIL (cont) But until that time, good woman, I will take my leave of you. Another matter is pressing me into duty. He snaps to attention, and tips his cap to her in a mock salute. He calls back over his shoulder. DEVIL I'll check back with you shortly, Madame. MRS. BOOTH Until then, good Sir. The underbelly of The General Slocum contains a series of STORAGE HOLDS. There isn't much CARGO present. After all, this is a pleasure cruise. A few CRATES OF LIQUOR are piled up at one end. BALES OF HAY nearby offer a tempting resting place. Sure enough, a GRIZZLED PORTER is sacked out. He's dodging his shift, having noticed the crates of liquor being loaded early in the morning. The first chance the Porter had, he snuck off below decks, cracked open a crate, and eased back to enjoy a few swallows of fine aged whisky. He regards the bottle, now drained by half. PORTER No need to waste you on some other fop who'd never appreciate your beauty. He takes a long drag. A stream of whisky spills out and runs down his chin. Quickly he wipes it away. Suddenly, the HATCH opens! Dim BACK LIGHT keeps the FIGURE standing there in SHADOW. The appearance startles the Porter, who realizes he's probably in deep trouble now. The Porter stands up, holding the bottle behind his back with one hand, and using the other to try and shield his eyes to get a better view of the Figure in front of him. PORTER Who's there?! The Figure steps in. It's The Devil. He slides into the hold, a smirk on his face. He's going to enjoy this one. DEVIL It's okay, 'Timer. I thought I was the only one who saw this fine cargo get loaded... The admission puts the Porter at ease. It doesn't look like he's going to be ratted out to the Captain. The Devil spies the crate the Porter opened, and grabs a BOTTLE for himself. He WINKS at the Porter. DEVIL I won't tell if you won't... PORTER By my soul... The pact is made. DEVIL That's good enough for me. The Devil smiles, teeth spread wide and uneven. He reaches into his pocket, pulls out a FAT CIGAR, offering it to the Porter. DEVIL What good's a drink without a smoke? The Porter takes it without question. What luck! A HAVANA! DEVIL (departing) I'll cover for you, don't worry about a thing. PORTER I'm in your debt, Mister. DEVIL I'll collect, sooner then you think. Enjoy. With that, The Devil is gone. The hatch stands open, bathing the hold in dim shadows. They PLAY ACROSS THE FACE of the Porter as he regards his Cuban cigar. He walks to the hatch and closes it. PORTER A fine mate. Fine indeed. He returns to his makeshift bed of hay, plops down hard. One more swig of juice. Then, the cigar finds his lips. Taking a BOX OF MATCHES from his breast pocket, he strikes a stick, raises it to his cigar. Sucking in, he ignites the tobacco. The aroma sends him into splendor. He puffs a couple of drags and blows out a proud, perfectly round smoke ring. PORTER ...Fine mate... He leans back. This is a grand day The Devil has returned above deck. Upon reaching the starboard rail, he PITCHES the WHISKY BOTTLE into the East River. SMACKING HIS HANDS -- as if absolving himself of the crime -- he struts in search of Mrs. Booth. Back in the hold, the Porter's eyes are drooping. The drink is taking it's toll. He's fighting the slumber, but losing easily. When he was a younger man, he could hold it tight. Forty years later, there's not much left of his stamina. One more swallow. Blink. Blink. A puff of the delicious cigar. Blink... Blink. Eyes WIDE. Blink....Blink.....Blink.....Blink......... Gently, his chin hits his chest. The familiar up and down rhythm of steady breathing. The bottle drops. It doesn't matter. He's drained it. His right hand falls. Still clenching the lit cigar. Which lands on a dry mound of hay... ...smoldering... ...sparking... ...flickering... ...burning... The Porter is sound asleep. At least he's going out with the finest vices he's ever had. ACT TWO: EXT. TOMPKINS SQUARE - DAY The busy Square in Manhattan is in full swing. PEOPLE bustling to get back to work after their lunch break. HOT DOG VENDORS serving up last minute requests. PANHANDLERS looking for handouts. The only person not in a hurry to do something is... STONE He's walking slowly, hands in the pockets of his coat. The January weather a welcome change of pace from L.A. Near the center of the Square, Stone notices one of his SHOES has come UNTIED. He quickly puts his FOOT on a PARK BENCH, and ties his shoe. When he's finished, he turns around and prepares to continue on his path. To his surprise, an OLD WOMAN is at his elbow, EYES GLUED TO HIS. Her sudden appearance makes Stone flinch. STONE ...Hey!... (he composes himself) That's not a nice thing to do, lady. He studies her. She's the typical BAG LADY from the streets of New York. PATCH WORKED CLOTHES, GLOVES WITHOUT FINGERS, MATTED HAIR, you name the cliche, she's wearing it. She looks familiar to us, but it's hard to say for sure. The Old Woman keeps edging closer to Stone, who in turn backs away in equal increments. There's something about her... STONE Look, I don't have anything to give you, so why don't you head someplace else? OLD WOMAN I need your help. I've lost my son. He's gone. Gone for a long time. Help me. Help me find him. He was a good boy. It wasn't his fault. I made him suffer. It was all me, that's why he went away. My fault. Mine... The Old Woman reaches out to Stone, trying to touch him. He pulls away before she can put a finger on him. STONE I think you've got the wrong guy. OLD WOMAN No! No, I know you can help me! Please! She continues to reach out to Stone, but he backs up faster then she can move forward. In a second, he's far enough away from her, and she stops her pursuit. OLD WOMAN (arms reaching still) Please...I need your help...I know that you can do it... Stone turns around and keeps walking, ignoring the fading pleas until they vanish from the air around him. FURTHER DOWN Stone comes to a MONUMENT. He pauses to look at it, reading it's inscription out loud. STONE "In memory of those lost aboard The General Slocum. June 15th, 1904. May God have mercy on their souls." He somberly regards it. STONE Mercy...as if that's enough... VOICE (OS) That's probably all they needed... Stone whips around to SEE a MAN standing beside the Memorial. He's leaning against it, arms crossed. He's wearing a LONG DUSTER and BOOTS, giving him a COWBOY/BIKER-LIKE appearance. He steps out closer to Stone. MAN That, and a little common sense. Weary of the stranger, Stone sizes him up. He looks out of place, but not that threatening. Stone speaks cautiously, staying on guard. STONE I've been here maybe a dozen times, and I bet I've never even read this plaque. MAN The "Statue of Liberty Syndrome". No real New Yorker's ever been there, either. The Man's remark makes Stone relax a bit. STONE (indicates the plaque) What's that all about? MAN A mistake. A very big mistake. The Slocum caught fire and sank. Innocent people died because the Captain was a fool. The fire of Hell was not enough for his sins. Okay, this guy's a little wacky. Make that VERY wacky. MAN Do you believe that there's punishment for those who take human life? STONE (grim) Yeah... The Man goes over to the plaque, points at the date. MAN June 15th. That's my birthday, you know. Terrible to be born on a day that has such a stigma attached to it. STONE Tell me about it. You don't want to know what day I was born on... The two exchange EYE CONTACT for a beat. Stone isn't sure WHAT to make of this guy. It's as if he's looking at a blank piece of paper. There's nothing there for Stone to read. Suddenly, the Man breaks into a grin. Switching gears just that fast. MAN Gotta go! And he's gone. The perfect example of weirdness. Shaking his head, Stone traces the inscription with his finger, slowly touching every letter in turn. STONE ...Mercy...and a little common sense... INT. HOTEL MEZZANINE LOBBY - DAY Almost empty. There's zero activity happening as Stone enters the place. The TV mounted on the FAR WALL spews the top stories from CNN. The TWO OCCUPANTS in the lobby are more concerned with their CARD GAME then the sound coming from the idiot box. At her usual perch is... ALEX She's got a LAPTOP open, and is waiting on a SEARCH she's running for her latest legal assignment. She's bored, and it's obvious that her mind isn't on task. When she SEES Stone cross her line of sight, she calls out to him. ALEX HEY, STONE! Hearing her beckon, he stops in his tracks. He's been in a grumpy mood all day, and this summons looks like it's going to be added to the heap. With a sigh, he turns around and marches to the... DESK Alex smiles as Stone leans his elbows down on the surface. He's really not up for a perky conversation. ALEX What's up? STONE I'd say my blood pressure if that was possible... ALEX You don't strike me as the stressed out type. STONE I have my moments. Been having them all day today. She keeps smiling. Not saying a word. It's kind of irritating how perfect her smile is. Stone realizes he better start this conversation rolling if he ever wants to get it over with. He scratches his chin. STONE What're you doing on that thing? His smile fades. ALEX Waiting on this search to finish. Right now we're studying Maritime Law. What kind of legal obligations passenger ships have to follow; ya know, like how many life boats per passengers, how often equipment has to be inspected, what kind of qualifications the crew has to meet in order to set sail for long periods of time. BOR-RING! STONE Well, we've all got to answer to a higher power. He turns to leave. Alex REACHES OUT and grabs his shoulder. He's not done yet. ALEX My Professor got on this big kick after seeing TITANIC a hundred times. Every one of his classes has to watch TITANIC now, which I personally find offensive. James Cameron peaked with TERMINATOR 2 if you ask me. STONE I never saw TERMINATOR 1. Once more, Stone attempts an exit. Once more, Alex snags him. ALEX T2 was WAY better! You've got to go to Florida some time and catch the T2-3D show at Universal. It'll blow you away. I went there for Spring Break, and it was awesome! STONE (dully) I bet. Alex looks at her laptop. It's still searching. ALEX I HATE dial up! I'm gonna get the boss to put in broadband if it's the last thing I do! Seeing that Alex has distracted, Stone eases away. One step. Another. Alex is locked into her SCREEN ZOMBIE MODE. She's not going anyplace. Stone's five feet from the elevator when he hears Alex cry out. ALEX AT LAST! THE GENERAL SLOCUM! About time, you piece of crap! Upon the mention of The General Slocum, Stone stops dead in his tracks. JUMP CUT: STONE AND ALEX Are huddled side by side, each glued to the laptop screen. Stone reading the passages out loud as the words scroll down. STONE "The General Slocum left the Third Street dock on June 15th, 1904, headed for a church picnic at Locust Grove. It was chartered by St. Mark's Lutheran Church, which was made up mostly of German immigrants." (he skips a few lines down) "The General Slocum caught fire twenty minutes into her voyage...a storage room fire was the cause of the initial blaze...bales of hay stored below decks ignited...fire equipment was not working properly... escape boats were not dropped, the crew didn't seem to know what to do..." (skips down again) "Captain Van Schaick ignored the shouts of the passengers...could have run the ship aground on a nearby sand bar, but he continued up the East River... The Slocum going up like a tinder box..." ALEX Why the interest in all of this? Stone leans back from the laptop and regards her. STONE One thing I've learned in the past few months: NOTHING happens by accident. Especially to ME. Alex doesn't get it, but she shrugs and continues looking over Stone's shoulder. He resumes reading. STONE "The General Slocum continued to burn as the Captain piloted her through the section of the East River known as HELL GATE, so called for its difficult and narrow passage around Ward and Randall Islands...it eventually came to rest on North Brother's Island...where most crew members, including the Captain, jumped overboard safely. Despite the high loss of life -- 1,021 people perished -- a miracle took place. A woman named Mrs. Booth, with the aide of a Crewmember, delivered a baby boy on deck amid the panic and disorder...Captain Van Schaick was arrested and charged with manslaughter and failure to train his crew in fire prevention. Van Schaick was sent to Sing Sing after being convicted, but later was pardoned by the President because of his age..." ALEX Wow! That's some story! They should have made a movie out of THAT instead! Alex spots a SMALL PICTURE in the top corner of the screen. ALEX Look at this! A picture of the Mom and her kid! She CLICKS on the picture, and ENLARGES IT to full size. C.U. ON SCREEN We SEE a reproduction of a GRAINY PHOTOGRAPH, obviously from a very old newspaper. It was taken in a HOSPITAL ROOM. MRS. BOOTH is resting in a bed, holding the NEWBORN BABY in her arms. The look on her face is that of total terror; hardly the expression you'd expect from a woman saved from clutches of death. Beside her is the CREWMAN, dressed ever so smartly in his pressed uniform. He's smiling like a cat that ate the canary. There is a CAPTION under the photograph, which reads: MRS. BOOTH AND SON JUDAS RESTING, ALIVE AND WELL, THANKS TO THE BRAVE ACTIONS OF CREWMAN STONE Leans in CLOSE to study the Crewman in the photograph. C.U. ON CREWMAN IN PHOTOGRAPH As we slowly MOVE IN, we discover that, without a doubt, the Crewman is THE DEVIL!! STONE (under his breath) ...I'll be damned... SLOW DISSOLVE: The General Slocum is fully engaged now. Panic and chaos rule. FIRE HOSES are TURNED ON. When the water flow starts, the hoses BURST INTO PIECES due to DRY ROT! A MAN tries to pull a FIRE AXE from a mount, only to discover it's been PAINTED OVER AND STUCK TO THE HULL! Crewmen attempt to DROP LIFE BOATS, but they're all KNOTTED TOGETHER AT THE RELEASE! No one, it seems, is going to make it off alive. PASSENGERS JUMP INTO THE RIVER ON FIRE! WOMEN THROW THEIR CHILDREN OVERBOARD! SCREAMS FLOOD THE AIR! FIRES RAGE EVERYWHERE! DEATH HAS NEVER BEEN SO VICIOUS! ...and the entire time...The Band continues to play on... Laying on the Deck, tears streaming down her cheeks, is Mrs. Booth. She's holding one arm up to shield off the passengers as they trample over her. With her other arm she cradles her stomach to protect her unborn baby. The mayhem has caused her to GO INTO LABOR. She PLEADS FOR HELP, but knows that none will come. Slowly, quite calm and out of place amid the terror, The Devil walks across the deck. He approaches Mrs. Booth with eyes narrowed. His earlier, kind expression has vanished. The Devil is in his element, and he's savoring every second. This is as good as it gets. Mrs. Booth SEES The Devil, and reaches out to him. MRS. BOOTH PLEASE! PLEASE HELP ME! FOR THE LOVE OF GOD ALMIGHTY! I DON'T WANT TO DIE! The Devil leans down beside her, slowly. She CLUTCHES HIS LAPEL. MRS. BOOTH I BEG OF YOU! She MOANS as a LABOR PAIN RAMPAGES. MRS. BOOTH (cont) AAAHHHHH! MY GOD! I'M GOING TO DIE! (another stab of pain) AAARRRGGGHHH!!! She takes the pain, biting her fist until BLOOD POURS FROM HER MOUTH. The Devil softens his features, runs a hand over the tears on her face. DEVIL I'll help you...but in return, you must give me something... MRS. BOOTH ANYTHING!!! ALL THAT I HAVE IS YOURS! DEVIL I only want one thing. MRS. BOOTH IT'S YOURS! WHAT EVER YOU WANT! I GIVE IT TO YOU FREELY!! PLEASE!! PLEASE, SAVE ME AND MY CHILD!!! DEVIL (he's said it before) That's good enough for me... We MOVE BACK from the Deck. Slowly, dramatically, we PULL AWAY from the vision of death and disaster. SMOKE RISING with us. THE SMOKE DISSOLVES TO: EXT. EAST RIVER - SAME LOCATION - NOW Through the DISSOLVE, we CONTINUE TO PULL BACK The River shows no sign of the death it harbored over ninety years ago. All is peaceful and content. When we've reached our FURTHEST PULL BACK, we fully SEE the... HELL GATE BRIDGE Now, we MOVE TOWARDS IT IN JUMP CUTS. It's STEEL STRUCTURE menacing. It's BRICK ABUTMENTS grim and evil. It LOOKS like death. CLOSER We SEE what looks like a FIGURE STANDING ATOP A STEEL GIRDER. But that's impossible. No one could possibly climb up there, let alone withstand the fierce winds that are blowing at that height. Could they? CLOSER STILL It IS a figure! A long, lean MAN IN A DUSTER AND BOOTS! THIS IS JUDAS BOOTH! Born amid the fires of the sinking General Slocum, he is roaming the Mortal world -- bent on REVENGE. EXTREME C.U. Booth's EYES FILL THE SCREEN! BOOTH I'm coming for you...all of you... FADE ACT THREE: INT. UNKNOWN LOCATION - NIGHT We're someplace that's deserted, abandoned. Maybe an old warehouse near the East River. FIRES BURN in BARRELS -- reminding us of the tragedy of The General Slocum. In this location are about TEN DAMNED SOULS. All appear to be MEN. They're dressed in garb resembling what a modern MERCHANT SEAMAN might wear, although their HAIR STYLES and BEARDS look to be almost a century old. These Damned Souls are CREWMEN that served on The General Slocum. One who appears to be THE LEADER is standing on a CRATE, addressing the others. LEADER The time has come, mates, for us to take our revenge! All of us who made it back must act for those who did not! The Crowd CHEERS! LEADER (cont) We came to America from The Fatherland to make a better life for our families. But we were damned by the most damnable among us! More CHEERS go up. The Leader is savoring his moment in the spotlight. REAR OF LOCATION The Old Woman Stone met at Tompkins Square quietly sneaks in. She remains hidden as best she can, and throughout the entire scene she remains unnoticed. LEADER (cont) We were judged by HIS actions! Forced to spend an eternity amid the fires of Hell for simply following his command -- as ANY loyal crew would! We know Van Schaick was among us when the gates of Hell were breached. Now, we will find him and send him back to the punishment he alone deserved! The response to this statement is overwhelming. The Damned Souls are at a fevered pitch. They're ready to storm out and punch the Captain's ticket, and there's no force on Earth that can stop them. Except perhaps for... BOOTH He walks purposefully through the crowd of Damned Souls. At first, he is not noticed. Then, as they observe him and his demeanor, their furror slowly crumbles into a curious silence. Booth stops and stands defiant a few paces in front of The Leader. Not intimidated, The Leader questions him. LEADER What manner of man are you? Booth keeps his hands in his pockets; silent and spooky. He smiles at The Leader, but doesn't answer his question. BOOTH All my ducks in a row...more or less... LEADER I ask you, be you one of our kind? BOOTH One of you...? Not likely. I came FROM you, but I am NOTHING like you! LEADER Then be gone! We have no use for you. The Crowd slowly begins to FILL IN behind Booth's back. He doesn't glance at them, even though he is aware of their progress. The Old Woman continues to observe what's transpiring, still keeping hidden in the shadows. BOOTH You self-righteous, arrogant fools! Do you truly believe that the only reason you were damned was for simply "following orders?" That there was no blame on yourselves for letting those innocents perish? He turns to face the Crowd in measured glances. BOOTH (cont) You all deserved your judgement! You did nothing... NOTHING by force! It was all done of your own free will! His words sink in, deep. Perhaps these Damned Souls WERE hiding behind the hollowness of The Leader's words. Hoping to believe that they were better in life then they actually were found in death. The Old Woman is having a more difficult time hearing this then the others, especially when Booth speaks of "Free ill". BOOTH (cont) You escaped! Made it to safety! While others DIED! You lived your natural lives to their final days! Robbing all those who were killed the chance to do the same! By FOLLOWING ORDERS! The Leader has had enough. He STEPS DOWN from the crate, and stands nose to nose with Booth. LEADER You speak of things you could not possibly know. I don't recall your face as one of those who made the escape. WE are hardened to our task...and no pup such as you will keep us from it! BOOTH Our task will be done...but not as you think... Faster then it seems possible, Booth has DRAWN AN UZI from UNDER HIS DUSTER! He's got it PUMPING OUT ROUNDS before The Leader even knows what hit him! Booth doesn't just take The Leader's eyes out. HE KEEPS FIRING, SLICING HIS HEAD OFF AT EYE LEVEL! POW!! The top of The Leader's head POPS OFF like a CORK IN A PRESSURIZED BOTTLE!! The Leader's LIFE FORCE CRACKLES LIKE MAD!! Man, this is an incredible display...we've never seen a life force leave a Damned Soul like this before! And The Leader is suddenly no more...just a smudge on the floor. Eyes narrowed, Booth TURNS to the remaining Crowd of Damned Souls. Needless to say, they're sure of what is coming next. He takes a step in their direction. And another... He COCKS THE UZI...and opens up. BLAM!! BLAM!! BLAM!! BLAM!! BLAM!! He's not aiming for the eyes. He knows that eventually he'll hit them. This is revenge. Punishment. This is what Booth's been waiting for. BLAM!! BLAM!! BLAM!! BLAM!! BLAM!! Booth keeps coming at them. As the rounds find their marks, the EYES OF INDIVIDUAL DAMNED SOULS ERUPT! LIFE FORCE ELECTRICITY SEEPS OUT, causing the greatest fireworks show ever to take place on the face of the Earth. If there are windows nearby, they SHATTER! If there are pipes in the walls, they BURST! Floorboards RIP UP! This is AWESOME! All the while, The Old Woman COWERS in fear -- out of Booth's line of sight. Slowly, the excitement DIES DOWN. The Damned have been returned. Justice has been served -- in Booth's mind, anyway. He SEES all the DESTRUCTION around him. And smiles. Victory. He lets out a BATTLE CRY...a primal scream of pleasure. BOOTH AAAAAHHHHHGGGGGHHHHH!!!!!!!! His scream ECHOES off the walls. It seems like it will never fade away. INT. STONE'S APT. - NIGHT Stone is sleeping in his bed. The place is as silent as a church. Suddenly, the ECHO OF BOOTH'S SCREAM penetrates the room. Stone wakes up, squints his eyes...he's trying to figure out what's going on. Then... STONE BOLTS STRAIGHT UP IN HIS BED! He's BARE CHESTED. We SEE the RUNIC TATTOOS located all over his body. With no warning, ONE BURNS OFF HIS ARM! He grips it tight with the opposite hand. WHAT THE HELL'S GOING ON? In a moment, it's over. Then, the shit hit's the fan! Stone is BOMBARDED WITH NINE OTHER TATTOOS BURNING AWAY ALL AT ONCE! He falls onto the floor, writhing in agony. He can't take it. He passes out, eyes rolling to the back of his head. He stays motionless as the remaining tattoos keep burning away... FADE INT. STONE'S APT. - MORNING He's in he same spot as we left him the night before. It looks like he was hit by a truck. Slowly, he starts to move. Foot slides forward. Hand pushes against the floor. It takes some effort, but he rises up. Finally, he gets to a sitting position, but he falls back against the side of the bed. He's got no strength. Rubbing his eyes, he tries to get his vision clear. At last, he can see. He notices the now empty spaces on his body where the ten tattoos burned off the previous night. A hand gently massages the voids on his skin. This doesn't make any sense. EXT. TOMPKINS SQUARE - DAY Without much to go on, Stone has decided to return to the monument where he ran into The Old Woman and Booth. He stands against the base of the monument, obviously still recovering from his ordeal. He looks like shit. PEOPLE pass by, not even noticing him. The crowd mills about...and then... THE OLD WOMAN Is standing right in front of Stone. She popped up out of the blue. If Stone wasn't so drained, he'd be stunned. OLD WOMAN Will you help me now? STONE What do you want from me? Quickly, she GRABS HIS ARM. He doesn't resist. She gets closer to Stone, LOOKS DEEPLY AT HIM. HER EYES GLOW WITH HELLFIRE. She relaxes her grip. STONE You know...? OLD WOMAN Yes...I know what you are. And I will not run from what must take place. But before you send me back, you MUST help me set things right. STONE (he's had enough) Who ARE you? OLD WOMAN I'm just a tired old woman... STONE ...Mrs. Booth...? Her eyes tell the answer. Stone exhales. At least one piece of the puzzle fits. STONE You and your son are running out of time. I have to do this, no matter what. There is no other choice. OLD WOMAN I told you I wouldn't resist. I've learned to live with my sin. But my son...that was none of his doing. He was destined to be what he became by my weakness, not his. I gave into temptation in a moment of desperation. His whole life has been based on a lie, and I have to tell him the truth of things. She looks at him deeply. OLD WOMAN (cont) You find him...take me to him...give me the chance to free him from the lie...then DESTROY him! After that, I will go back to what I deserve. Stone's a little tired of this farce. He's already been down this road with Martin Benedict. STONE What difference will it make? I mean, nothing will change for either of you no matter WHAT you do here. OLD WOMAN Is that why YOU are walking among the living? Don't you have the chance to make amends for what your sin was? Her statement strikes a chord; it takes him by surprise. OLD WOMAN (cont) There's a real possibility that you WON'T be able to send all of the Damned back. But you still continue to pursue them, don't you? You're counting on finally returning the last Soul, and getting your second chance at life. I'm not as fortunate -- I'm not going to delude myself with more lies. But I have to do the right thing. Then, I accept my judgement willingly. STONE How do you know so much about me? She hesitates, shifting her weight from one foot to another. OLD WOMAN We have been...made aware of you. That's the best she'll offer. They stand in silence for a beat. At last, Stone gives in. STONE Okay. I'll do what you ask. On one condition; you tell me how you've been "made aware" of me. OLD WOMAN Agreed. AFTER you destroy him...Stone smiles. She's not such an easy mark after all. STONE Sure. They regard one another. Both of them relax a bit. This is an uneasy truce, but Stone's willing to see it though. STONE Let's do it, then. Putting his arm around her shoulders, they stride off. Walking a few paces, they pass an ICE CREAM VENDOR. He's bent over, taking care of a CROWD OF CHILDREN in front of him. We can't see his face. When Stone and The Old Woman are well away from The Ice Cream Vendor, he stands up straight. We SEE this is THE DEVIL. He's got a very worried look on his face. The sight of those two together doesn't bode well with The Devil. This isn't good. FADE ACT FOUR: INT. DOCKSIDE BAR - NIGHT The typical seedy, run down joint you'd expect to find along the East River. A JUKEBOX plays 1960's MUSIC. A POOL TABLE is occupied by a few ROUGHNECKS. SLEAZY HOOKERS slide through the CROWD, trying to pick up some business. They don't have much luck. AT THE BAR sitting alone is a MAN A WITH SANDY HEAD OF HAIR AND BEARD. It's tucked loosely under a VISOR CAP. We recognize CAPTAIN VAN SCHAICK right away. He's pounding down GIN. The bottle in front of him is nearly done, but he's feeling no effects. Pouring the last of his gin into his glass, he holds it up to the light and regards it. VAN SCHAICK You can't do it anymore... Does he mean the alcohol, or is he talking about himself? Van Schaick drains the gin in one gulp. The BARTENDER notices that the bottle is empty, and heads in The Captain's direction. BARTENDER You surprise me, Pops. I didn't think you'd stay up past the second round. You want me to set you up again? VAN SCHAICK ...No...It won't do any good...I've got to move on... business, you know. BARTENDER (winks) Gotcha. Van Schaick gets up from the bar, and heads towards the door. On his way, a Hooker blocks his path. HOOKER Hey, Sailor...you new in town? Van Schaick regards The Hooker. She looks disgusting. VAN SCHAICK Go away. He tries to move. She keeps after him. HOOKER C'mon, Dad. You could use the exercise. VAN SCHAICK I said GO AWAY! He puts his hand over her face, and PUSHES HER TO THE FLOOR. She falls in a HEAP, skimpy skirt hiked up around her waist. The scuffle draws the attention of The Roughnecks playing pool. They halt their game, and go over to The Captain and The Hooker. ROUGHNECK #1 picks up The Hooker, while ROUGHNECK #2 goes for Van Schaick. ROUGHNECK #1 You okay, baby? HOOKER Yeah, I'm swell...no thanks to dick head. ROUGHNECK #2 You need to learn some manners, dick head. EXT. BACK OF DOCKSIDE BAR - NIGHT The EXIT DOOR FLIES OPEN, and The Roughnecks spew into the scene. They've got Van Schaick by the collar, and are shoving him back and forth between themselves. They laugh; they're gonna have fun. As the Roughnecks form a circle around Van Schaick, The Hooker steps out from the doorway. She's anxious for him to pay. HOOKER Cut him -- cut him good. Two Roughnecks pull out SWITCHBLADES. One a CHAIN. The fourth BRASS KNUCKLES. They look comfortable with these weapons. Slowly, the circle gets tighter. ROUGHNECK #1 Say you're sorry. VAN SCHAICK For what? ROUGHNECK #2 For being such an asshole, asshole! Roughneck #3 JABS at Van Schaick with his knife. The Captain doesn't flinch. Roughneck #4 SWINGS THE CHAIN. Still, Van Schaick isn't impressed. VAN SCHAICK That's all you can do? Play with toys? That's the only invitation The Roughnecks needed. They're ready to rock. ROUGHNECK #4 Okay, it's your funeral! They all CONVERGE ON HIM AT ONCE. VAN SCHAICK No, it's not! Roughneck #3 STABS Van Schaick in the GUT. To his great surprise, the knife has NO EFFECT! He pulls the blade out -- NO BLOOD! ROUGHNECK #3 What the hell...? WHAM!! Van Schaick PUNCHES HIM FULL IN THE FACE!! The force of the impact is so great, Roughneck #3's HEAD FLIES OFF!! HE'S BEEN DECAPITATED!! The remaining Roughnecks look at each other -- swallowing hard. The Hooker SCREAMS. Nobody was expecting THIS. ROUGHNECK #1 Hey...hey, man...what did you do? Van Schaick takes a step towards him. Just as quickly, Roughneck #1 backs away. ROUGHNECK #1 Screw this...! And they're turning tail, just that fast. On the ground is Roughneck #3's knife. Van Schaick leans over and picks it up. Expertly, he takes AIM, and LETS IT FLY. SWOOSH! It tumbles through the air. In a split second, it finds it's target. POW!! IT HITS ROUGHNECK#1 IN THE BACK! Like a bullet fired from a rifle, IT PASSES CLEAN THROUGH HIS BODY!! Before he realizes that he's been hit, Roughneck #1 falls to the ground, dead. Ignoring the other fleeing Roughnecks, Van Schaick heads towards the... HOOKER She's trembling. Van Schaick walks slowly in her direction. VAN SCHAICK I've changed my mind... INT. STONE'S APT. - NIGHT Stone has just opened the door, and steps into his dive of a room. He CLICKS ON the light. Immediately, he is confronted by... THE DEVIL DEVIL (pissed) Ezekiel, what were you doing with that woman? STONE (not intimidated) My job. He pushes past The Devil, starts to take his coat off. STONE (cont) That's what I'm here for, right? DEVIL (on his heels) Then WHY did you let her go? STONE I didn't let her go. I made a deal with her. DEVIL You don't make deals! STONE Izzat so? Stone puts his coat over the back of a kitchen chair. He heads for the fridge, and opens it up. DEVIL (getting angrier) YES! You have one task, and only one: the Damned MUST BE returned! Stone has pulled out a CARTON of ORANGE JUICE. He's pretty much ignoring The Devil and his tirade. He puts the carton to his lips. Before he can get a taste, The Devil SLAPS IT OUT OF HIS HANDS. Its contents SPILLS all over the place. STONE My paper, my juice...what's the matter with you? You need some couch time... DEVIL Get your ass back out there, and send that old woman a love letter from me! Stone regards him with measure. STONE Once I do what I agreed to do...then she's gone. DEVIL You're not here to play "Best Buddy" to all of your wayward brothers and sisters. Don't take it upon yourself to help them unburden their past. The next time you see her, punch her lights out, and keep going! STONE And if I don't? DEVIL That'll be the last mistake you'll ever make in my employ... FLASH!! The Devil vanishes! It takes Stone a minute to consider that last remark. Finally, he shrugs it off. STONE Sez you... EXT. BACK OF DOCKSIDE BAR - NIGHT The place has been sealed off with CAUTION TAPE. POLICE are walking around, gathering whatever evidence they can find. The two dead Roughnecks are being hauled off in BODY BAGS. The Hooker is still alive, talking to a FEMALE POLICE OFFICER. She's shaken beyond belief. This has been a night like no other she's experienced. ON THE STREET Booth peers at the scene from the distance. He's behind the caution tape, taking it all in. He can just make out what The Hooker is saying. HOOKER (OS) He was an old man...he shoved me down inside, and a couple of the boys brought him out here. To, y'know, teach him a lesson. But, he...he hit Matty in the head...and then Matty's head... I didn't think he could do...that... HOOKER AND FEMALE OFFICER FEMALE OFFICER What did he look like? HOOKER I guess...he looked like he was maybe sixty-five...wore a visor cap...had an awful lot of hair for an old guy. Sandy...beard, too. But, his hair style looked really out of date, like, it was from a hundred ago... BOOTH That's his man, alright. He smiles, knowing that he's very close to ending his mission. BOOTH Tonight's the night you get yours... He turns and walks away. INT. STONE'S APT. - NIGHT After his last conversation with The Devil, Stone is a little unsure of what he should do. Is he really risking his second chance by aiding The Old Woman? He sits down at the kitchen table, takes his GUN out, puts it on top of the table. Slowly, he SPINS IT AROUND, all the while thinking about his decision to help The Old Woman. Is it really going to make a difference? Will helping her jeopardize his second chance? Or is this just a bluff by The Devil? Besides, like he told her, no matter what happens while she is here on Earth, her place is still waiting for her in Hell. Any kind of mission she's on won't change a thing... Or will it...? One more spin of his gun, and then Stone GRABS it, bolts from the table. STONE Dammit... He grabs his coat and is out the door. EXT. SEEDY STREET - NIGHT Coming at us is Booth. He's got the scent, he's hot on the trail. There is a set look in his eyes. Close...so close to doing what he's wanted for his entire existence. He is confronted by... THE OLD WOMAN She steps out of a doorway, blocking his path. Immediately, they recognize one another. BOOTH Momma... OLD WOMAN You have to stop this, Judas. You don't know what you're doing... BOOTH Momma, stay out of this. I'm only doing it for you. That bastard made us what we are. When he escaped, I knew I hadn't wasted my days on Earth waiting for him. He came back for the punishment he deserved. OLD WOMAN More then the punishment of eternal Damnation? Son... what you've lived with all these years is a lie. You've based your existence on some sort of revenge that has no meaning. Booth takes The Old Woman by the shoulders, and regards her solidly. BOOTH This is almost over. Just one more to go, and then you can be safe. No one will care about you, or that you're back here with me again. OLD WOMAN Let someone ELSE do it, Judas! There's a man I know of... it's his task to return the Damned. HE can do it, if you just let him! BOOTH And then, when he's done with Van Schaick, you're next, right? She lowers her head. OLD WOMAN I'm going back anyway...for me it doesn't matter. BOOTH No, that's not true...I can protect you from ANYONE. You didn't deserve what happened to you. I'll... OLD WOMAN (cutting him off) WHY DON'T YOU LISTEN TO ME! You were born without a choice in your life! I... I did something...to make sure you... BOOTH (not hearing her) ...Momma, it's okay. You raised me as best you could. I don't hold you at fault for anything. I love you, Momma, and when this is over, we'll go someplace in the country and spend our days together like we always dreamed of. He kisses her on the forehead. BOOTH (cont) Now, I have to go. Wait for me at the monument. I'll meet you there once I've done it. He kisses her once more, and then is gone. The Old Woman stands, alone, knowing that she hasn't convinced her son of anything. He's going to do it, and maybe even take out Stone in the process. EXT. ANOTHER SEEDY STREET - NIGHT Walking fast is Stone. He's got his hands thrust deep into his pockets, a little look of confusion on his face. He's still undecided about keeping his promise to The Old Woman. Would he really be taken away by The Devil if he helped her? Even if he sent her back to Hell after the fact? DEVIL (VO) That'll be the last mistake you'll ever make in my employ... The Devil's haunting warning rings in Stone's mind. He stops in his tracks. Is this all really worth it? He closes his eyes. WHITE FLASH Through a sort of FOG, Stone is experiencing a surge of his power as a Damned Soul; the same sort of experience he had when first confronting MAGDALENE REGAL. He's getting a VISION OF THE OLD WOMAN. Dim. Cloudy. But definite enough to SEE HER STANDING AT THE MONUMENT IN TOMPKINS SQUARE. WHITE FLASH Stone opens his eyes. He's got a fix on her. He takes off in a sprint. EXT. TOMPKINS SQUARE - NIGHT The Old Woman is headed for the MONUMENT. She's wringing her hands in pace with her strides. At last she reaches her destination. OPPOSITE SIDE OF MONUMENT Headed in the same direction is Stone. He gets there seconds after The Old Woman does. When he SEES her, he immediately DRAWS HIS GUN and points it at her eyes. OLD WOMAN NO! Not yet! Please! You said you'd help me! STONE The offer's withdrawn. You made your bed, so I'm here to put you to sleep. OLD WOMAN Wait! Stone COCKS THE HAMMER BACK, TAKES AIM. STONE You've got what's coming to you. Just like the rest. She pleads for her existence. OLD WOMAN I can help you! I know how you can eliminate every last one of the Damned! You don't have to track all of them down. There's a very simple way to do it at once. This gets his attention. Fast. He lowers his gun slightly. STONE Talk. OLD WOMAN When the escape was made, Ash took out a sort of "insurance policy", against any of us leading a revolt against her while we were among the Mortals. She pauses. Stone prods her on. STONE ...And...? OLD WOMAN It's a fail safe device, in each of us who escaped. STONE How do I trip it? The Old Woman shakes her head "no". OLD WOMAN That's all I have left to bargain with. Stone contemplates this. STONE No. Not good enough. He levels his gun again. The Old Woman is in a frenzy. OLD WOMAN I'll tell you AFTER you destroy my son! What have you got to lose? You take me out now, and any possible chance of learning this secret goes with me. After I tell you, there's no way I can escape anyway! All of us who fled will be returned to Hell, and your job finished. Like THAT! Think about it; you could spend YEARS trying to find the last few -- OR hear me out and then be done with it! The proposition sounds too good to be true. BUT...what if she's on the up and up? This could be the biggest break he's likely to get. STONE (cautiously) You don't leave my side for a second! He puts his gun away. The Old Woman visibly relaxes STONE Now, where do we start? OLD WOMAN He's after another Damned Soul. If we find who he's looking for, chances are we'll find my son. STONE (perturbed) So where's THAT guy? She reaches out to touch Stone's head. He FLINCHES back. OLD WOMAN Don't be afraid. Close your eyes. This will show you where to find who he's after. Wearily, Stone closes his eyes. The Old Woman gently puts a hand to each of his TEMPLES. When she makes contact there is a... WHITE FLASH This flash becomes... DAMNED SOUL VISION Damned Soul Vision is Stone's latent power to locate and detect Damned Souls. The Old Woman has activated it fully! It's a DISTORTED SORT OF RADAR, whereby he can concentrate and track down a particular member of The Damned. He SEES a mish-mash of images. Shapes, features, outlines. Nothing seems to be connected at first. It's overwhelming to Stone, and he starts to panic. STONE (VO) (filtered) WHAT IS THIS? OLD WOMAN (VO) (filtered) Relax...concentrate...let the vision form in your mind's eye... Slowly, the swirling shapes begin to form a recognizable image. A FACE. SANDY HAIR. FULL BEARD. VISOR CAP. STONE (VO) (filtered) I see him! OLD WOMAN (VO) (filtered) Now, look around. See if you can tell where he's at. There is another swirling of outlines. Then, it becomes clearer. STONE (VO) (filtered) It looks like a dock...on the East River... Through Damned Soul Vision, we SEE the familiar surroundings of the Third Street Dock, where The General Slocum made her ill-fated voyage all those years ago. OLD WOMAN (VO) (filtered) ...Back where it all began.. WHITE FLASH Stone and The Old Woman are right where we left them. She is pulling her hands away from his head. OLD WOMAN I know where they're going. SMASH CUT TO: EXT. EAST RIVER THIRD STREET DOCK - NIGHT Van Schaick is walking along the familiar dock area. The times have changed but, more or less, the place looks the same to us. He passes by many DOCK WORKERS, each party ignoring the other in equal measure. Finally he arrives at the same dock that The General Slocum launched from almost a century ago. The area is almost deserted. The Captain stands, feet spread wide apart, pondering the fate that befell him and so many others. VAN SCHAICK It wasn't my fault... BOOTH (OS) Like Hell... Van Schaick WHIRLS AROUND to SEE... BOOTH Coming at him, murder in his eyes. He stops an arm's length away. BOOTH It was nothing BUT your fault! YOU caused all those innocents to die! While the truly evil were allowed to survive! VAN SCHAICK Who are you? What do you want from me? BOOTH I want you to know what you brought into this world. What the effects of your survival had on one who was pure of heart. Booth takes out his UZI from under his duster. He PULLS THE CLIP OUT, EJECTS THE ROUND IN THE CHAMBER. Then, he tosses it to the ground. BOOTH But first, there's Hell to pay! Van Schaick has obviously been in a dockside scrap in his day. He doesn't wait for Booth to get the opening blow in. He CHARGES at Booth, and TACKLES HIM TO THE GROUND! The BATTLE ROYAL BEGINS! These are two warriors, going at it toe to toe. We HEAR the CRACK and SNAP of PUNCHES as they land full force! Both of them are taking as well as they're giving. No one seems to be feeling the effects of the punches, though. They keep POUNDING and POUNDING at one another until... STONE AND THE OLD WOMAN Arrive on the scene. Neither Booth or Van Schaick notices them right away. They're still buried in their slug fest. The Old Woman calls to her son. OLD WOMAN JUDAS!! He doesn't hear her. OLD WOMAN JUDAS!! She RUNS to the two combatants, WEDGES HER WAY BETWEEN THEM. By sheer force of will, she SEPARATES THEM. BOOTH GET OUT OF HERE! OLD WOMAN NO! Not until you listen to what I have to say! Van Schaick is a little unsure of the events that are unfolding. His gaze darts back and forth between Booth and The Old Woman. BOOTH I'm doing this for you, Momma... When Van Schaick hears Booth call her "Momma", that's all he needs to know. Quickly, he GRABS HER AND CLUTCHES HER AROUND THE NECK WITH AN ARM LOCK! This action FREEZES Booth. He wasn't expecting to deal with his mother's interference. After a second, he takes a step towards them. BOOTH Let her go... With his free hand, Van Schaick takes TWO FINGERS and PLACES THEM INCHES AWAY FROM THE OLD WOMAN'S EYES! Once more, Booth freezes. Stone has hung back up to this point. Now, he steps up near the trio, and takes the whole situation in. Cautiously, he draws his gun, trying his best to keep everybody covered. STONE We're gonna do this simple. Every one stays put while the lady talks to her son. When she's finished, all three of you are going on a one way trip. Feeling that the most dangerous threat is The Captain, Stone AIMS AT HIS EYES. He nods at The Old Woman. STONE You've got two minutes. Make 'em count. OLD WOMAN (almost a whisper) ...Judas...all of your life has been a lie. When you were born...I... (here it is at last) ...I made a deal with The Devil in order to save your life. The ship was sinking, burning...I didn't want to die! I gave him your soul to save us both. Booth is numb. She's right. His whole existence HAS been based on a lie. Booth always thought his situation was caused by Van Schaick and his own selfish actions. He spreads his hands out, reaching for a vestige of truth. His mouth opens, but no words escape. OLD WOMAN I should have let us both die. Then, at least YOU'D have been in Heaven... Van Schaick glances back from Stone to Booth. Everybody is wound tight except for The Old Woman. She's finally achieved personal redemption. You can see the weight has finally been lifted. STONE Is that all? OLD WOMAN Yes. Except that I'm sorry, Judas. I though I was saving your life. Instead, I damned us both. I'm so sorry. Forgive me. Booth begins to weep. The tears of eternity flow down his face. He puts his hands to his face, crying fully now. He's a total wreck. Stone takes a brief LOOK at Booth. That split second of distraction is all Van Schaick needs. He FLINGS The Old Woman at Booth, and hauls ass in the opposite direction! Booth and The Old Woman GO DOWN in a HEAP! They TUMBLE INTO STONE! He gets TRIPPED UP in their tangled bodies, and takes a dive himself. STONE Shit! He's up in a flash, trying to get a bead on Van Schaick. BLAM!! BLAM!! He fires off a couple of quick rounds in The Captain's direction. BZZZZ!! One FLIES OVER VAN SCHAICK'S HEAD!! BZZZZ!! The other CLIPS HIM IN THE SHOULDER!! Van Schaick FALLS TO THE GROUND!! In an instant, he's back on his feet and running as best he can, holding onto his wound. Stone regards the escaping Van Schaick. He considers going after him, but then realizes he'd better finish the job that's right in front of him first. After all, the thought of The Devil's remark is still fresh in his brain. Turning away from Van Schaick's direction, he focuses his sights on Booth and The Old Woman. Carefully, he levels his gun at Booth. STONE (to The Old Woman) Move away. She stands still, rooted by her son's side. STONE DO IT!! Slowly, she moves two steps in Stone's direction. He turns the gun on her. She stops just as fast. STONE That's enough! (beat) I've done what you asked me to do. Now, it's time for your son and you to go back to Hell. That was the deal, right? I send him back, and then you go next. Well, no one can say I don't hold up my end of a bargain. His gun swings back towards Booth. They're less then ten feet apart. Stone has him cold. OLD WOMAN He's not what you think he is. Stone COCKS THE HAMMER BACK. STONE Oh yeah? You mean he's NOT a dumb shit? Booth smiles through the tears at Stone. BLAM!! BLAM!! Two PERFECT shots, dead center to each of Booth's eyes. Booth FALLS TO THE GROUND!! Stone awaits the burning sensation of BOOTH'S TATTOO on his body. But nothing happens. Booth lays motionless. No electricity. No blood, either. Stone's bewildered. Is this guy a Damned Soul? A Mortal? What? After a second, Booth begins to stir. Then, he gets up, brushes himself off. Wipes the tears from his face. EXTREME C.U. ON BOOTH'S FACE HIS EYES ARE UNDAMAGED!! STONE Stands there, confused beyond description. He looks at his gun, as if it's defective. Then, he looks at... BOOTH AND THE OLD WOMAN Who are standing side by side now. She puts her arms around her son, a mother's love undying, unyielding in all it's sincerity. OLD WOMAN He's not a Damned Soul. (beat) ...He's IMMORTAL!! FADE TO BLACK TO BE CONTINUED