HELL GATE PART II BRIMSTONE VS EPISODE # 303 by Phil Gee TEASER: FADE UP: EXT. EAST RIVER THIRD STREET DOCK - NIGHT STONE stands, feet spread apart, pointing his gun in disbelief at the two figures in front of him -- an OLD WOMAN, and her son JUDAS BOOTH. Stone has just learned from the Old Woman that her son is NOT one of the escaped Damned Souls, as he had guessed. Rather, he is IMMORTAL! Booth breaks the embrace his mother had enclosed him in, and takes a step towards Stone. Not knowing what to do, Stone backs up as well. BOOTH Not what you expected, huh? Surprised? STONE (instinctively) Nothing surprises me anymore. You're just like all the other scum I had to deal with my whole life. Another shade of crap. His talk sound hard, but it doesn't shake Booth. He continues to head toward Stone. BOOTH Tough words. What are you gonna do to back them up? Looks like your pop gun isn't going to make the grade this time. Stone regards his gun. Booth is right. He just pumped two rounds point blank into Booth's eyes a moment ago, and they had no effect. Clearly, Booth is a unique case, and Stone isn't too sure how to resolve this situation. He HOLSTERS his gun. STONE (re: JAX in HEAT) I've been down this road before. BOOTH Oh yeah? He's right in front of Stone now, almost face to face. BOOTH (cont) One way? No exit? Dead end? Which was it? Stretching out his hands towards Stone, Booth tries to reach his EYES. Booth knows that's Stone's weakness, his sure way of sending Stone back to Hell. Stone fights back, but doesn't have much success in keeping Booth away. The Old Woman has been in the background up to this point, staying out of the confrontation. Now, she heads towards the two men in front of her. She does her best to separate them. OLD WOMAN JUDAS! STOP! He is still trying to get at Stone's eyes. Stone backs up, but Booth gets a GRIP on his SHIRT. He won't let go. Stone STRUGGLES to release himself. Finally, the Old Woman has wedged herself between them, and begins to push them apart. Not wanting to see his mother hurt, Booth reluctantly lets Stone go. BOOTH Get out of here! He's going to send you back to Hell unless I stop him! Murder still in his eyes, Booth makes another lunge at Stone. The Old Woman shields Stone with her body. While Stone isn't a coward, he's glad for the help. Every second he has a chance to think is a step closer to resolving this problem. OLD WOMAN Judas...you still don't understand. You'll never understand, will you? (to herself) Why did I do it? Why did I agree to that terrible deal? Booth has just heard his mother's confession moments ago. His entire life, Booth believed his Immortality to be a direct cause of another Damned Soul's action. She informed him of the truth; that she made a deal with The Devil, giving up her unborn baby in order to save his life as well as hers. The price being Booth's Mortal Soul. He became a ward of The Devil before he ever took his first breath...felt the first touch of his mother. Booth still cannot accepted this revelation. BOOTH NO! That's not true! (he starts to cry again) THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE!! OLD WOMAN Search your feelings... Booth crumples to the ground. It's all too much. The Old Woman steps away from in front of Stone and kneels beside her son. She puts her arms around him in the only gesture of comfort she knows. Stone regards them for a moment. He still has a job to do. If Booth isn't one of the Damned Souls he has to return to Hell, the Old Woman certainly is. The problem, though, is should he do it right now? He made a deal with the Old Woman; destroy her son first, and THEN she would accept her own return to Hell. Compounding the situation was the fact that the Old Woman neglected to tell Stone of Booth's true condition -- that he was IMMORTAL. She might be his only protection against Booth for the time being. And then, there was her promise. The Old Woman claimed to have a method of returning the Damned to Hell all at once. She vowed to share this with Stone ONLY AFTER destroying her son. When Stone thought Booth to be one of the Damned, it seemed a reasonable request. Now, the truth discovered, Stone isn't so sure he made such a good bargain. Should he keep his word to her? There was still The Devil's threat to consider. The Devil made it very clear to Stone that if he helped the Old Woman, Stone would be returned to Hell himself. Booth looks at his mother, tears still flowing down his cheeks. BOOTH Why? Please...tell me why? OLD WOMAN (after a beat) Because I loved you, Judas. I did it out of love... Her voice trails off. A beat passes, then she looks up at Stone. Her face is blank, void of emotion. A lifetime of torture and unending suffering in Hell has brought her to this point. She had longed to be able to rid her son of the lie he endured. Now that the time has come, things have not presented themselves as she expected. Her naive Mortal life still has a grip on her from beyond the grave. OLD WOMAN I thought it would be easy... STONE What? OLD WOMAN This. I thought it would be easy. Just tell him the truth, and he would understand. Stone gets the feel of how her mind works now. For all her bravery, she's still like a young girl. She put up a valiant front, but her true nature is surfacing. He can't help but feel a little sorry for her. He reaches out his hand towards her. Even through his pain, Booth is aware of what's been going on. When he SEES Stone's hand extended, he SLAPS IT AWAY! In a flash, he's standing UPRIGHT, and ready for another round. BOOTH Don't touch my mother! STONE I'm sorry... BOOTH Sorry for what?! STONE I know what it's like to...lose something you believe in... BOOTH You know NOTHING about me! OR her! Stone regards this statement. STONE The truths we cling to always depend on our point of view. I thought I did the right thing a few years ago. (beat) It turned out I was wrong. He looks Booth straight in the eyes. STONE You made a mistake. So did she. Accept it. That's all you can do. BOOTH Like hell...! Before Stone realizes what's happened, Booth is UPON HIM! He PUNCHES Stone square in the gut. While not a Damned Soul, Booth's body blow seems to have an effect on Stone. He goes down to his knees. Without thinking, Stone automatically reaches for his GUN. He raises his arm while holding the weapon. Booth KICKS it from his hand. The gun goes FLYING. Booth turns to his mother. BOOTH C'mon. Let's get outta here. She nods slowly. All of her power drained. Shoulders slumped, she turns and begins to walk away. BOOTH (calling to her) I'll be right there. The Old Woman continues on her path, paying no attention to Stone or Booth any longer. When the Old Woman is out of range, Booth turns back to Stone. He takes Stone by the CHIN, tilting his head up slightly. BOOTH Say hello to my father for me. WHAM!! WHAM!! BOOTH PUNCHES STONE IN THE EYES TWICE!! Stone is OUT COLD!! Sprawled out on the dock in a heap. Booth takes a moment to admire his work. Then, he heads off after his mother. BOOTH (calling) Right behind you...! STONE Laying on the dock. We don't have a clear view of his face. Perhaps he's turned on his side, and we can only get a glimpse of the back of his head. All is still for a beat. Then, the faint, familiar CRACKLE OF BLUE ELECTRICITY begins to POP AND SPUTTER!! Right where Booth clocked Stone in the face!! FADE. ACT ONE: Over a BLACK SCREEN, the following title is shown in white letters: JUNE 15th, 1904 EAST RIVER 10:00 AM FADE UP: An hour after THE GENERAL SLOCUM set sail from the Third Street Dock, she caught fire and sank. One hour that has changed the course of history for so many people. The ship still burns, fire appearing to shoot out from the surface of the river. The majority of her hull under water, The General Slocum still tries to escape her destiny. She refuses to yield to the cruel fate intended this day. It's as if the vessel realizes what transpired amid her decks. BODIES float slowly across the ripples. Most have died and gone on to their heavenly reward. The members of St. Marks Evangelical Lutheran Church held fast to their faith, even in the face of death. BOATS IN THE WATER have gathered, too late. HELPFUL BOATERS do their best to search for potential survivors. They do not have much luck. Now and again, a LIVE VICTIM is pulled from the river -- although death might have been a more desirable release. Living as an accomplished cripple is not a life most are willing to accept. On the BANK, the few who DID manage to swim to safety are gathered. WOMEN CRY, knowing that they have lost their families. CHILDERN SCREAM in confusion and fear. This was not supposed to happen. They should have been at the picnic ground by now, playing tag, eating candy apples, trading secrets. This was not what they had dreamed of for the past two weeks. Laying exhausted on a sand bar is MRS. BOOTH. She has obviously delivered her child; her stomach nearly returned to it's original, slender form. BLOOD STAINS cover a good portion of her dress. Standing beside her is THE DEVIL. He is proudly holding a NEWBORN BABY BOY. It is wrapped in his CREWMAN'S JACKET. The baby is calm, at peace. He is unaware of the circumstances around him. The Devil "coos" the child, tickles it on the chin. The baby responds with a GURGLE of happiness. Mrs. Booth tries to lift herself up. The best she can do is raise her head slightly. MRS. BOOTH (weakly) ...Please...my baby... DEVIL You mean MY baby? This handsome little devil is mine now! The Devil smiles. This is a MAJOR coup. Not many chances to get a soul BEFORE it is born into the Mortal world. Mrs. Booth drops her head. She has no more strength to keep it up. MRS. BOOTH (almost moaning) ...My son...my son...forgive me...I beg of you... forgive me... With that, she passes out. The Devil looks down without regard at Mrs. Booth. He couldn't care less about her now. He's gotten what he wanted. DISSOLVE TO: EXT. THE COPPERS HOUSE - ESTABLISHING - DAY In the driveway is MAYA and STEPHAN. They are busy PACKING LUGGAGE in DAN'S CAR. They joke and play with one another, each excited about the trip that is about to take place. Maya because she is going to Brazil. Stephan because he is about three hours from the most freedom he's ever had in his short life. INT. THE COPPER'S HOUSE - HALLWAY - DAY DAN is standing in the hall, outside the bathroom door, which is closed. He looks worried, tense. With hesitation he KNOCKS ON THE DOOR. DAN Rosalyn...? Honey, we're almost ready to leave. From behind the door we HEAR the sound of Rosalyn retching. The noise makes Dan CRINGE. DAN Open the door, honey. A beat. ROSALYN (from the bathroom) ...I'm okay...I just...give me a minute... DAN I'm going to tell Maya that we're not going. I can't leave you like this. BATHROOM Rosalyn is sitting on the floor, back against the wall, opposite the toilet. She looks terrible. Pale. Clothes rumpled. A real mess. ROSALYN Dan...it's okay. I'm going to be fine. You better go or you'll miss the plane. DAN (from hallway) C'mon, baby. Open the door. HALLWAY He tries the knob, just to see if she's unlocked it. No such luck. DAN I'm not leaving until you open the door. (beat) No more playing around, Rosalyn. If you don't open up, I'm gonna break it down. After a moment, we hear a CLICK. The door stays closed, though. Dan waits another second to see if she opens it. She doesn't. Finally, he grabs the knob, flings the door open, and enters the... BATHROOM Dan finds Rosalyn sitting on the toilet, head propped up by her hands. Her dark hair hanging down, covering her face. Taking a WASH CLOTH from the TOWEL BAR, Dan turns on the COLD WATER in the SINK. He SOAKS the wash cloth for a moment, then turns the water OFF. Wringing out the rag, he leans down in front of Rosalyn, begins to WIPE HER FACE with it. After a beat, she puts her hand on his, stopping his gentle motion. ROSALYN (weakly) The kids are waiting. You better get going. Dan takes the cloth away from her face. DAN I can't leave you like this. Rosalyn pulls her head up, tries her best to smile. ROSALYN Dan...I'm okay. He starts to protest, but she puts her hand over his mouth to silence him. ROSALYN All of Brazil is waiting for you. She can see the concern and love in his expression. He doesn't want to leave her in this condition. DAN All of Brazil can wait. ROSAYLN But Maya can't... That's probably the only thing that will work, and Rosalyn knows it. ROSALYN (cont) You know what this means to her. And you, too, you big phony. I know you can't wait to get down there and look at all those women...Carnival isn't going on now, is it? She's trying to put on her best brave face. Slowly, it appears to be working. Dan leans back a bit, seeing if she looks any better. DAN Not yet...I forgot when they have it... ROSALYN (perked up a little) Sure you did. I know your type. Don't think I haven't caught you watching "The Man Show" when you thought I was asleep. Dan cracks a sheepish grin. Busted! DAN Okay...you got me there. The tension breaks a little. DAN You sure you're okay? ROSAYLN Yes, sweetheart. It was just...I guess I was afraid to see you leave. I didn't know how to say good-bye. DAN How about we say "Until next time"? ROSALYN "Until next time." Dan KISSES her on the forehead. DAN I love you. He stands up, places the wash cloth on the sink. DAN (cont) You need a few minutes? ROSALYN I...go without me, okay? I'm sorry, but I can't... DAN (slightly stunned) ...Sure... ROSALYN Kiss Maya for me. Give her my love. They share a deep gaze for what seems like an eternity. Finally, the sound of the CAR HORN from the driveway breaks the moment. It's time to leave. DAN That's for me... ROSALYN Take care, Dan. DAN I love you, Rosalyn. ROSALYN Me too. Not the reply he expected. He still doesn't move. The car horn BEEPS again. MAYA (from the driveway) C'MON DAD! WE'RE GONNA MISS OUR PLANE! Dan nods at Rosalyn. They exchange one more look, and then he's gone. Rosalyn sits motionless. OS we HEAR the sound of the FRONT DOOR CLOSING as Dan exits. A second later, the CAR ENGINE turns over. Then, the sure sound of TIRES ON PAVEMENT. After a beat, the sound fades. Silence. Rosalyn rises from the toilet slowly. She steps to the sink and LOOKS AT HERSELF IN THE MIRROR. Lifting her hand to the glass, she SLIDES OPEN THE MEDICINE CABINET. On the shelf is a PLASTIC CUP. What looks like a PINK STICK is standing up and over the lip of the cup. She takes the cup in one hand, and with the other she removes the stick. Rosalyn takes one more look at it. As if the result will be any different this time around. C.U. ON STICK We SEE it is from a HOME PREGNANCY TEST KIT. The positive result signified by a SMILING FACE on the end of the stick. C.U. ON ROSALYN There it is. No doubt about it. She's pregnant. She puts the cup back on the shelf. A second later, she dives for the toilet bowl. She's going to be sick again. EXT. ALONG THE EAST RIVER - DAY Walking slowly, side by side, is Booth and his mother. Each of them struggling to deal with their inner turmoil. Finally, Booth breaks the silence. BOOTH I know it's not true, Momma. It CAN'T be true. OLD WOMAN (sighs) Judas...my dear boy. There is no way of escaping this. It was as I said. Booth stops, and the Old Woman follows suit. BOOTH I don't understand... OLD WOMAN (ashamed) My whole life...my Mortal life...was full of weakness. I was never a strong person. I depended on other people, no matter what the situation. When I was a child, my father beat my mother. I stood by, helpless to stop him. Not able to protect my mother. I left home and married the first man who told me he loved me -- YOUR father. And he was exactly the same kind of man. He beat me. Cheated on me. He didn't love me like he said. But he was all I had to call my own. Then, when I was pregnant, I thought finally I'd be happy. I'd have a child that would love me, unconditionally. One day your father would leave us. That much I was sure of. Then, it would just be you and I. Together forever. I couldn't bear the thought of losing you before you were even BORN. I didn't know who or what I was dealing with. He seemed so kind... so sincere. (laughs disgustedly) The Prince of Lies. It was all I could think to do. I never dreamed it would turn out like this. She gathers herself and looks solidly into her sons eyes. OLD WOMAN Forgive me. That's all I ask. Even though I don't deserve it, I beg of you. Please. Forgive me. Booth embraces his mother. They stand silently as we... DISSOLVE TO: INT. STONE'S APT - DAY We MOVE slowly around Stone's dive. All is quite. It's eerie. Not a soul in sight. At last, we move into the... BEDROOM Stone is laying on the bed, back to us. We start at his FEET, and MOVE UP to the BACK OF HIS HEAD. We SEE a BANDAGE is wrapped around his head at eye level. He's motionless. Finally, he starts to STIR. It takes him a moment to realize his eyes are bandaged. He reaches a hand to feel the wrappings. VOICE (OS) I wouldn't touch that if I were you. The voice belongs to... THE DEVIL He's dressed in HOSPITAL SCRUBS, looking like a sleazy doctor. DEVIL You're lucky to still be dead, Zeke. A little more pop to those punches, and POOF! I'd have had to bring in a bench player. Stone drags himself into a sitting position, hanging his legs over the edge of the bed. Gently, he fingers the bandage. STONE How did I get here? Who put this on my eyes? The Devil walks over to the bed and sits beside Stone. DEVIL Me and me. I seem to have a knack for being in the wrong place at the right time. STONE Like on the General Slocum... DEVIL Exactly! The Devil takes out a CIGAR and lights it. DEVIL (cont) It started out as one simple little idea, and I came away with one of my biggest victories ever! STONE You never cease to amaze me... DEVIL (puffing away) Thank you, m'boy! That means a lot coming from you. STONE No...really. I mean, what I did to Jax. THAT I follow. It was a reaction to an action. But this... this I don't get. DEVIL My dear Mr. Stone, I'm like a businessman. I read the market, study trends, give the people what they want. Mortals are motivated by simple things: Love. Gratitude. Laziness. The desire to survive above all. And I FEED on those instincts. THRIVE on them. They get what they want. I ALWAYS get what I want. Stone turns his head, trying to get his bearings. He's a bit rattled not being able to see. Once more, he reaches up to touch the wrapping. Quickly, The Devil GRABS HIS HAND. DEVIL Don't. Not for a while at least. STONE Why? DEVIL You won't like what you see. Or maybe what you DON'T see... STONE You're telling me I'm blind? DEVIL I'm not telling you anything. Except "I told you so". I warned you not to get involved with that woman. As far as I'm concerned, you deserved this. Next time you'd do better to heed my advice. We'll chalk this up as a learning experience. (beat) And I DO hope you've learned from this... STONE About this guy Booth. He's not one of the Damned. He's not even a MORTAL. How did that work out? DEVIL Very simple, really. A soul that is mine before it's every released from the womb is mine to do with as I please. No matter what the legal argument is these days, a life doesn't exist until it's born of a woman. It's more or less immortal at that stage of existence, for lack of a better term. When that soul is released from the body, its Mortal life begins. Tricky issue, but precedent is on my side. I've only had a handful of cases like this, but I assure you he's the real deal. IMMORTAL. You can't poke his eyes out and wait for the show to start. STONE I already found that out. (beat) How DO I destroy him? The Devil rises from the bed, puffs on his cigar heavlily. DEVIL Who said you COULD destroy him? WHITE FLASH The Devil is gone. Stone has yet to realize this, and he keeps talking. STONE What do you mean, I can't destroy him? Silence. Stone repeats his question. STONE HOW DO I DESTROY HIM?! There is no answer. Stone reaches out with both hands, trying to find the nearest object to him. He can't grab anything, so he stands up, takes a few uneasy steps. After stumbling into a CHAIR, he decides to find out the truth about his vision. C.U. ON STONE'S FACE As he cautiously unwraps the bandages. They fall to his feet. His eyes are STILL CLOSED. We SEE his face is BADLY BRUISED. He sure got his ticket punched by Booth. Slowly, he OPENS HIS EYES. They look a little red, but nothing too worse for wear. With measure, Stone RAISES HIS HANDS to eye level. Turns them back to front and back again. In a second, we get the message... STONE CAN'T SEE A THING! FADE ACT TWO INT. POLICE PRECINCT - SOPHIA'S DESK - DAY Sitting amid a mountain of PAPERWORK is SOPHIA D'AMATTO. She's got her left hand holding her head up, and is randomly DRAWING CIRCLES with the right. Obviously, her mind is not on her job. C.U. ON PENCIL AND PAPER Sophia stops doodling, and slowly spells out the name K-A-N-E. After a second, she CROSSES IT OUT. She drops the pencil, and buries her head in both hands. This is not the kind of day she was counting on. A beat passes. Then, fellow Detective DEE WRIGHT approaches Sophia's desk. She's been watching Sophia, and has decided it's time to intervene. She's brought a cup of coffee, and places it on the desk. DEE You're no sugar, right? The voice surprises Sophia. She jerks her head up suddenly. SOPHIA Huh? She notices the steaming cup in front of her. SOPHIA (cont) Oh. Yeah. She picks up the coffee and takes a drink. SOPHIA I think I need something a little stronger than this, but thanks. Dee notices the crossed out KANE amid the jumbles. Being a detective, it doesn't take her long to put it together. DEE Man troubles? SOPHIA MEN troubles. Two of them. One of them. Hell, I don't know. Maybe it's ME. DEE C'mon. Let's go. SOPHIA Where? DEE O'Brians Pub. I'm buying. SOPHIA Dee, it's the middle of the day. I've got a pile of crap here... DEE (cutting her off) ...That isn't going to get finished with your mind on something else. Move it. Dee GRABS Sophia by the arm, and pulls her from her chair. INT. O'BRIAN'S PUB - DAY Sophia and Dee are at a SECLUDED TABLE. Two BEERS sit half full. Sophia plays with her mug as Dee listens intently. SOPHIA When Will and I split up, I never wanted to have another relationship with a cop. It was too much like being on the job all the time. We talked shop every minute of the day. Even though he understood what I was going through, I couldn't deal with being a badge 24/7. My life was all about one thing; doing the job. I needed something more to come home to. DEE So, you met Mike... SOPHIA Yeah...Mike. Mr. Perfect. You know he doesn't have a single cavity? I mean, COME ON! Who the hell doesn't go through life without having a CAVITY?! DEE Good genes. SOPHIA Anal dental flossing is more like it... DEE What...? Sophia takes a long drag on her beer. SOPHIA Nothing. It's just Mike's...TOO normal. He keeps his check book balanced WEEKLY. His socks are ORGANIZED. I go to his place, and I feel like I'm in a friggin' episode of THE COSBY SHOW. I keep waiting for Cliff to pop through the door with a bowl of soup or something. DEE So, is the problem Will, Mike, or the job? Sophia hadn't expected it to be put so bluntly. SOPHIA Maybe all of them. DEE What's the connection then? Sophia regards her final gulp of beer. It's obvious. SOPHIA ...Me... She throws back the brew, swallows hard. Dee gives Sophia a moment to consider her statement. DEE Do you want to see Mike because he's not a COP? Or because he's not WILL? Sophia can't answer, but Dee can tell that's the truth of it. DEE I don't think it's Mike. I don't think it's the job. (beat) What's that leave? SOPHIA One hard ass cop who still won't let the past go. DEE Make that two hard asses... INT. HOTEL MEZZANINE - HALLWAY - DAY ALEX is standing outside of STONE'S APT. She's KNOCKING on the door softly at first. ALEX Stone? You in there? She gets no answer. She knocks louder this time. ALEX Stone? C'mon. I thought I heard a noise in there. Wanted to make sure you're okay... INT. STONE'S APT - DAY The place is fairly trashed. We get the impression that Stone has been staggering around the floor, knocking things over in his wake. That's what Alex came to investigate. Slumped against a wall is Stone. His face manic. He's really in he shitter this time. OS Alex KNOCKS again. Stone turns his head to try and zone in on the sound. STONE WHO IS IT? ALEX (behind door) It's me, Stone. STONE Alex? ALEX (behind door) Yeah, the one and only. What's going on in there? No parties, remember? That's in your contract. Doesn't matter if you didn't read it. You SIGNED it. That's fully binding. HALLWAY Alex is listening for a reply. None comes. She RATTLES THE KNOB. The doors locked. ALEX I'm gonna go get my pass key, Stone. This is getting too weird. STONE'S APT He can't let her in and see his condition. Cautiously, he FEELS FOR THE WALL. Once he's sure where it's at, he LIFTS HIMSELF UP as best he can. Knowing he needs the sound of her voice to zero in on the door, he does his best to keep her talking. STONE Why would you want to do that? ALEX (behind door) I'm responsible for the well being of all the tenants when I'm on duty. Nobody dies on MY shift... He's getting closer to the door. STONE You sure about that? ALEX (behind door, insulted) Man, that's cold, Stone. I figured you'd have a little more respect for the dead. He's at the door now. Her voice coming from directly opposite him. He REACHES FOR THE KNOB. HALLWAY ALEX I'm counting to three. If you don't open this door so help me... CLICK. Stone UNLOCKS the door. It opens -- slowly. And just about an inch wide. Stone stands well back in the shadows. Alex can't get a good look at him, even though she tries her best. ALEX ...sheesh, Stone, what's the big mystery for? All you had to do was answer me the first time. STONE Well, here I am. Do I look dead to you? Alex peeps in. She still can't make anything out. ALEX Dead man walking...? Like that's possible. Stone eases back from the door a moment. Alex takes the opportunity to PUSH THE DOOR OPEN MORE. Stone catches her a second later, but she's just able to get a look at his face. ALEX Mother may I!! Stone, what happened to you? STONE I had an accident...let's leave it at that. ALEX You see a doctor? He doesn't answer. ALEX Stay put, I'll call one for you... She starts to leave. Stone calls out to her. STONE No! No doctor. Alex turns around. She's really worried. STONE I'll be okay. (beat) Look...you've got to promise me no matter what, you won't say anything. Okay? She hesitates in her reply. STONE I mean it, Alex. I'll be fine in a day or so. But you can't get involved in this. ALEX (unsure) ...Geez, Stone, this is just too freaky... STONE It'll get a lot more then freaky if you get in the middle. A beat. ALEX Okay. You need anything? STONE No. With that, he SHUTS THE DOOR. SLAM! Alex regards the situation for a moment. Looks like there's nothing else she can do for the moment. EXT. TOMKINS SQUARE - NIGHT Once more, Booth is standing at the base of the MEMORIAL. Now that he knows the truth, this statue has taken on an entirely different significance to him. What was once a passion for revenge has turned into a well of sadness. The mother he cherished eternally was not the person he thought she was. Now, his existence was meaningless as far as he was concerned. There is no reason to go on. Yet, what can he do? He is IMMORTAL. WHITE FLASH The Devil appears beside Booth. A mock expression of concern on his face. DEVIL Come, come, son. Why the long face? BOOTH Why didn't you tell me? DEVIL Because I didn't HAVE to! And you didn't WANT me to! Booth RUSHES towards The Devil, grabs him roughly by the collar. DEVIL Oh, what are you trying to prove now? Booth gets nose to nose with The Devil. BOOTH What would happen if I took YOUR eyes out? WHAM!!! Booth goes FLYING!!! Without a single movement, The Devil has sent Booth ten feet across the pavement. DEVIL Nobody beats The Devil. Especially you, you bastard. Booth gets up, brushes himself off. BOOTH You made me that way. He walks towards The Devil again, but keeps his distance this time. DEVIL That wasn't me, that was your mother. Dear old mom GAVE you to me! She didn't have to. She could have gone on to her Heavenly reward. Her soul belonged to God up to that point. The Devil's statement eats away at Booth. He's having a hard time holding back his anger. DEVIL You'd have been there right beside her. Think about it; mother and son. Together forever amid the heavenly hosts. YOU MISSED IT ALL BECAUSE OF HER!! Booth's head slumps to his chest. He's clearly beaten. The Devil looks on, proud of what he's accomplished. After a beat, Booth raises his head -- looks The Devil square in the eyes. BOOTH Okay. You win. This admission brings a wicked GRIN from The Devil. BOOTH (cont) She did what she did. I became what I am only by her actions. I accept that now. DEVIL Good. See, we CAN reach a level of understanding. BOOTH I want it to be over. DEVIL What? BOOTH This...way of life. My immortality. I don't want it any more. DEVIL My dear boy, what you want doesn't enter into the picture. You're MINE. Forever. To do as I bid you to. What are you gonna do, kill yourself? Ha! BOOTH There must be some way to end this hellish ordeal. DEVIL If there really WAS a way to end your life, do you think I'd be foolish enough to tell you? They both know the answer to that. But it's not going to deter Booth. BOOTH One day...I'll see you in Hell... INT. STONE'S APT. - NIGHT Stone is spread eagle on the floor. He's long given up trying to find his bedroom. Good thing he doesn't need to eat. He'd probably have starved by now. Suddenly, we hear a CLICK. His door OPENS. In steps... THE OLD WOMAN STONE (tense) Who's there?! The Old Woman walks over to him, kneels beside him. STONE WHO IS IT?! OLD WOMAN A friend... BEDROOM The Old Woman has helped Stone get into bed, and is gently WASHING HIS EYES with a cloth. She periodically dips it into a BOWL OF WATER to refresh it. STONE How did you get in here? OLD WOMAN That sweet young girl at the desk. STONE (pissed) ...Alex... OLD WOMAN I told her I was your grandmother. I think she likes you. She dabs at his face. Softly, Stone grabs her hand. STONE I can't help you anymore. His words freeze the Old Woman. STONE (cont) Even if I wanted to, I couldn't. OLD WOMAN But, you gave your word... STONE Oh, come off it! What are you? Some kind of innocent, Damned-by-accident-Soul? I don't think so. You, me, and everyone else who was sent to Hell went for a reason. Right or wrong, we were judged for our actions. So don't act like you don't know what's going on out there. OLD WOMAN I never claimed to be innocent. STONE Yeah, well you're sure as hell ignorant of what you've become. Stone pushes her away. He tries to get up and walk away, but stumbles over the bowl of water. It SPILLS everywhere. STONE Just...go away. He stands amid the puddle, waiting for the Old Woman to exit. She doesn't. Instead, she stands facing Stone. OLD WOMAN Look at me... STONE Oh for...I'm sick of this, lady. GET OUT! She PLACES HER HANDS ON HIS TEMPLES. OLD WOMAN (powerful) LOOK AT ME... STONE'S POV It starts off as total blackness. What else did we expect? Then, it swirls around and becomes a FOG. Murky. But we start to see LIGHT breaking in. Next, we get a HAZY OUTLINE of THE OLD WOMAN. Without question, Stone's vision is returning! OLD WOMAN She's got her eyes closed, concentrating intently on her task. Finally, she DROPS HER HANDS. The effort has weakened her significantly. She drops back into a CHAIR, exhausted. Stone BLINKS. It's not 20/20, but at least he's got an idea of where he's at now. He SEES the Old Woman in the chair, and goes to her. He doesn't know what to say. STONE I... OLD WOMAN (drained) I learned that I could use my powers for good. I always wanted to be a doctor, but back then a woman doctor was unheard of. STONE ...Thank you... He really feels like shit now. He refused to help her, and she turns around and CURES him! STONE Listen...I don't know how to destroy your son. I'm not sure it's even possible... OLD WOMAN Do you have faith, Mr. Stone? STONE This isn't a question of faith... OLD WOMAN Did you expect to get your sight back? And by me? STONE No. OLD WOMAN So...expect the unexpected. Put your faith in yourself. Stone regards her. Man, the moment he thinks he's got her pegged, she turns and leads him in the opposite direction. OLD WOMAN If not for me, then for you and your mission. I'll still make good on my promise if you make good on yours. That's the clincher. STONE What the hell... FADE ACT THREE EXT. THIRD STREET DOCK - NIGHT Walking along the lonely dockside is CAPTAIN VAN SCHAICK. The Damned Soul who's actions aboard The General Slocum caused the events that lead to Judas Booth's Immortality. He has no regrets about his role in history. He's trying to board a FREIGHTER, called THE TIGER OF HEAVEN. It's a Japanese vessel, and is due to set sail within a few hours. Van Schaick is hoping to speak to the ship's captain, and become a member of her crew. He knows that he needs to get out of New York City as fast as possible. He walks up to the... GANGWAY At the bottom stands TWO CREWMEN and CAPTAIN ITO. They are busy checking the CARGO MANIFEST. The speak to one another rapidly in JAPANESE. Van Schaick greets them cautiously. VAN SCHAICK Ahoy, Mates... The three Japanese sailors take a quick glance at Van Schaick. They size him up as a bum working the docks for a handout. Ito makes a comment to the Two Crewmen in Japanese, and they continue their task. ITO No free grub tonight. Shove off. Ito turns away from Van Schaick, who doesn't budge. VAN SCHAICK I'm not looking for a free ride. I want to ship out with you. Ito LAUGHS. He translates Van Schaick's comments to his Crewmen. They double over, joining in Ito's amusement. ITO This isn't THE LOVE BOAT, Pops. We WORK for a living. VAN SCHAICK I've got skills...I was a captain myself once. Had a ship under my command for a long time. The conversation has grown stale for Ito. He stands face to face with Van Schaick, pushes his hat back halfway. ITO Yeah? When was that? Back in 1910? (turns his back) Get lost. Van Schaick's button has just been pushed. He reaches out towards Ito and GRABS HIM BY THE SHOULDER. VAN SCHAICK It was 1904, you idiot!! He SPINS Ito around, and PUNCHES HIM SQUARE IN THE FACE!! HIS FIST BURSTS THROUGH THE BACK OF ITO'S HEAD!! BRAINS SPLATTER ALL OVER THE DOCK!! The Two Crewmen are stunned! They drop their manifest clipboards. Van Schaick heads towards them, an evil look in his eyes. ITO I'm a better sailor then ANY of you!! Before the Crewmen know what's going on, Van Schaick is upon them! HE'S POUNDING THEM TO DEATH WITH HIS BARE FISTS!! FROM THE RAILING Several other CREWMEN are noticing the action taking place at the gangway. They SHOUT in JAPANESE. In a flash, a SAILOR has a RIFLE DRAWN, and is SHOOTING AT VAN SCHAICK. BZZZ!! BZZZ!! BZZZ!! Rounds PING around him. Realizing that a lucky shot might strike him in the eyes, he decides it's time to make a hasty exit. He DASHES OFF down the dock, leaving MANY PASSERSBYS stunned at the sight of the carnage he's caused. EXT. SEEDY STREET - NIGHT The Old Woman is leading Stone down the sidewalk. She's got him by the elbow; his sight still isn't 100%. STONE Where are you taking me? OLD WOMAN We used to live on this block. Most of the buildings have been condemned. Never did rebuild the neighborhood. (remembering) Judas LOVED it when we lived here. I think it was the happiest I ever saw him. Before he found out... Her voice trails off. They walk in silence for a beat. Then, they reach a particular building that strikes the Old Woman as the right one. OLD WOMAN I think this is it. INT. CONDEMNED BUILDING - NIGHT The Old Woman guides Stone around through the rubble. RATS scurry across the floor. These are New York Rats; they're not afraid. Just curious as to the who showed up at their door. OLD WOMAN We lived on the first floor...near the stairway... The pass a RAMSHACKLE STAIRWAY. Walk down two more doors. She stops. This is it, alright. She hesitates. Stone gets anxious. STONE What's wrong? Are we in the wrong place? OLD WOMAN (a whisper) ...No... Taking the KNOB in her hand, she slowly opens the door. A PIDGEON FLIES OUT past them, startling the Old Woman. Not deterred, she steps into her... OLD APARTMENT Slowly, she enters the demolished room. It's been years since this place was fit to live in. WALLS TAGGED WITH GANG SIGNS. WATER LEAKING DOWN FROM A RECENT RAINFALL. MORE RATS. OLD WOMAN Stay here... It isn't like Stone has much choice. He still can't get a clear picture of his surroundings, and the darkness isn't helping matters much. He leans against the DOORWAY. Treading lightly, the Old Woman walks around the room. Perhaps she is remembering how it USED to look. The good times she and her young son Judas shared. Those precious few years of happiness... BEDROOM The Old Woman enters what was once Booth's boyhood bedroom. It was used for the same purpose by the last occupant. A SMALL BED is in a corner. It's hard to make out, but it looks like there is a SHADOWY FIGURE HUDDLED ON IT. She walks towards the Shadowy Figure gently...puts her HAND out in a gesture of compassion and love. The Shadowy Figure LOOKS UP. IT'S BOOTH He takes his mother's hand in his, and rubs it against his cheek. He's visibly different then before. Weak, almost defeated. The anger has left him. He's an empty shell of what he once was. OLD WOMAN I thought I'd find you here. You'd always run back here when you were scared. Even after we moved away, I knew if you went missing I'd find you in the neighborhood somewhere. She sits down beside him on he bed. BOOTH I'm so tired, Momma. He crumbles into her waiting embrace. He can still find refuge in his mother's arms, even after all he has been through. OLD WOMAN I know, Judas. I know. You never asked for what happened to you. BOOTH I don't care about that any more. How this happened to me...that's over and done. NOW is all that matters. He pulls back from her, looks deeply into her eyes. BOOTH You sent that man to destroy me, didn't you? She nods YES. OLD WOMAN It was the last thing I thought of doing when I died. I wanted so badly to free you from the lie your life was. When I was a Mortal, there was no way of delivering you from it. But when I escaped from Hell, I knew I had the chance do at least ONE good thing. I came back to set you free, Judas. A mother's love extends beyond the realm of life and death. It is everlasting -- the most powerful force in the universe. Booth smiles. BOOTH I see that now. OS we HEAR a NOISE. It's STONE, trying to find his way to them. Booth shoots her a worried look. She hushes him. OLD WOMAN It's okay... Stone enters the bedroom. He's heard a little of their conversation. STONE I might be tempted to say you're one lucky bastard...a mother like this...it's more then guys like you deserve. Booth measures the truth of his statement. BOOTH Yeah...too bad it took all of this... He remembers what he did to Stone at the docks. BOOTH About your eyes... Stone waves him off. STONE I'd have done the same thing. But without the same results, I guess. His remark strikes a note in Booth's mind. BOOTH Can you destroy me? End this once and for all? Stone remains silent. BOOTH (desperate) Can you do it? STONE I don't think it's possible... That really takes the wind out of Booth's sails. He falls back against the wall, head sagging into his hands. OLD WOMAN There MUST be a way... STONE If he were one of the Damned... The Old Woman's face clouds over. To have come this far, only to be denied the one thing she so desperately longs for. STONE Look, let's concentrate on one thing at a time. Van Schaick is still running around out there. I have to track him down, regardless of what ever ELSE is going on. Let me get him before he takes off and I have to go hunt him down all over again. Maybe in the meantime, we can come up with solution to this problem. Booth knows what would happen next. BOOTH Then...you'd come after her... Stone nods slowly. His admission tears Booth up inside. The Old Woman turns to him. OLD WOMAN Judas...there is no escaping my destiny. If I was able to come back here and do something good in my time with you, it will all be worth it. You've accepted your fate. Now...accept MINE. BOOTH One thing... (he looks to Stone) Let me track that bastard down with you. STONE Deal. He walks to Booth. They SHAKE HANDS. The Old Woman puts HER HAND ON TOP OF THEIRS. A pact is made. Stone takes his hand away. He's a little uncomfortable. STONE Listen...you two spend some time alone here if you want to. This all might be over before we know it. (beat) Make this night worth while. He turns to leave. OLD WOMAN Are you okay on your own? STONE Yeah...things are a little clearer now. I just need a drink... He stops at the bedroom doorway, looks back at them. STONE I'll be waiting for you at the monument. Meet me there at midnight. And he's gone. Booth and his mother share another EMBRACE. FADE INT. THE COPPERS HOUSE - BEDROOM - NIGHT Sitting on the bed in dim light is Rosalyn. We get the feeling she's been here most of the day. She's hugging a pillow close to her chest. RING! RING! The SHRILL TONE of the PHONE breaks the silence. It rings again. And again. It's clear she isn't going to answer it. After the sixth ring, the ANSWERING MACHINE picks up, and we HEAR the caller leave a message. It's Dan. DAN (on phone) Hey Rosalyn, it's Dan. Pick up if you're there. Dan waits for her to pick up, but no such luck. Rosalyn sits and stares at the phone, taking in Dan's words. DAN (on phone) Well, I guess you're out celebrating your new found freedom. Just wanted to let you know we made it, safe and sound. Had a little trouble in customs, but nothing major. Maya's already made plans for the next two weeks. I don't think she realizes I'm here to WORK. (beat) I miss you, honey. I hope you get home soon and hear this. I want you to know how much I love you. How much I appreciate your understanding. love you. I'll be holding you in my dreams every night. Hope you feel better. (beat) I love you, Rosalyn. CLICK. C.U. ON ROSALYN She's crying gently. What is she going to do? INT. MARIO'S BAR - NIGHT Stone's seated at the BAR, tossing back a cold one. It sure would be nice if it was having an effect. He drains the glass, and signals to THE BARTENDER for another hit. GRUFF VOICE(OS) You look pretty good for a dead man! Oh shit! What's THIS? Stone WHIRLS AROUND TO SEE... SALVATORE VALIS -- standing there in the flesh! Stone's tense face gives way to a surprised smile! STONE SAL! He gets up from the barstool, and the two friends exchange a handshake. VALIS As I live and breathe! Zeke Stone! The bartender places Stone's fresh drink on the bar. Stone takes it. STONE Let's grab a table. AT THE TABLE Both guys are smiling, obviously happy to be sharing one another's company. Sal takes a drag on his brew. STONE What the hell are you doing in New York, Sal? SAL Oh, you don't wanna know. I got a call from my ex's lawyer. We've got some property tied up and she's being a royal pain about it. She can have it for all I care. But it's never that easy. (looking around the bar) This used to be my favorite hangout. STONE Good times? VALIS Good snitches. So, how goes the...you know... the thing you're doing? STONE (sighs) That's one YOU don't wanna hear. All I can tell you is -- it never gets any easier. Valis raises his glass in a mock toast. VALIS Life... Stone returns the gesture. STONE ...And death... They drink to both. STONE This is probably gonna sound weird... (laughs) We've been down this road before. I found this old woman. She's one of the Damned. I sort of made a deal with her. VALIS What kind of deal? STONE This is the weird part. She told me that there is a way to send all the Damned back to Hell in one shot. She'll tell me, in exchange for...a favor. VALIS She gets off the hook somehow? STONE No. According to her, everybody goes together. Some kind of fail safe device. If it's triggered, BOOM! That's all she wrote. VALIS What's the catch? STONE She wants me to...destroy her son. VALIS Is he one of the escapees? I mean, she doesn't want you to whack a human, does she? STONE At first I thought he was one of them. It turns out he's Immortal. VALIS (stunned) Immortal? You mean, like a HIGHLANDER? STONE What the hell do you mean? You said that to me back in Newtown. VALIS Highlander. It was a movie that came out after your time. There was this race of Immortals that walked the earth, fighting each other to the death. Waiting for the last two Immortals to face one another. It took centuries. The last one standing would win the prize. Took place here in New York, but they shot it in London for the most part. Stone has been listening intently, especially about the part "to the death". STONE Wait a minute...if they were Immortal, how did they KILL each other? Valis makes a CHOPPING MOTION with his hand. VALIS WHACK! Off with their heads! Could THIS be the real deal? The way to take out Booth? Valis sees Stone's mind working overtime. VALIS Hang on, man. That was just a movie. This is real life we're talking about now. STONE Art imitates life, Sal. You know that. VALIS (thinking) Maybe. I saw this movie a few years ago. These demons took over this small town, trapped these people in an old church. The only way to get rid of them was to take out their eyes. Who'd have thought it really was true? FADE ACT FOUR INT. STONE'S APT. - NIGHT The place is dark. We HEAR Stone's KEY as it opens the lock. He pushes the door in, and enters his home. Throwing his coat down, he TURNS ON THE LIGHT. THE DEVIL is right in front of him. DEVIL Mr. Stone, it's time we set things straight about you and that Old Woman. STONE What's there to figure out? She's one of the Damned. I'm going to send her back. If it's today, tomorrow, or a year from tomorrow, I'm still gonna do it. Stone walks to the... BATHROOM The Devil is right on his tail. Stone opens the MEDICINE CABINET and grabs a BOTTLE OF EYE DROPS. STONE (putting the drops in) Good thing the guy who lived here before me left these...never thought I'd need 'em. He BLINKS as the drops work their way around his eyes. Finally, he looks at The Devil. STONE You never said there was an order to this. What, it's first come, first served? He pushes past The Devil, and goes back to the... LIVING ROOM Once more, The Devil is a step behind. STONE You didn't seem to mind when it was Jax I didn't get right away. You can't have it both ways. DEVIL I can have it anyway I please! Now, you listen to me; she's NEXT! And I mean NEXT!! Forget about Booth. He's not part of the arrangement we have. Damned Souls. Nothing more, and NOTHING LESS!! Casually, Stone flops onto the couch. STONE What about what the Old Woman told me? That there's a way to send them all back at once? The Devil waves his hand, dismissing the idea. DEVIL You believed her? STONE You're questioning whether somebody is telling the truth? That's the best one I've heard all day. DEVIL If it WERE true, don't you think I'D be the one to tell you about it? Stone leans forward on the couch. STONE Maybe you don't know what it is. Or maybe there's a reason WHY you don't want me to know. The Devil SEES that Stone's HOLSTER IS EMPTY. He takes a quick glance around the room. It's nowhere to be seen. DEVIL Where's your gun? A beat. STONE I don't know. Booth kicked it out of my hand when we fought on the dock. Next thing I knew, I was back here. DEVIL You're kidding me? STONE Never kid a kidder. You're the biggest joker on the block. Any chance you can get it back for me? The Devil walks to the edge of the couch. He's a foot away from Stone. Stone, in turn, gets up and faces The Devil head on. STONE I don't care what you say. I'm going to do this one the way I want. Suppose she's on the level? They all go down the drain by pulling the plug. Then we're done with our business. And from where I'm standing these days, it can't be over soon enough. The Devil stands a moment, then breaks into a shit eating grin. DEVIL Why not? Go play your little game. See what it gets you. STONE You know, you really ARE that kid that used to beat me up in sixth grade. He pounded me and pounded me -- and then one day I called him out. Right in the parking lot. He turned tail and ran. Stone SEES the time: 11:30. STONE (cont) Mike Grimes, that was his name, wasn't it? He was a little Nazi. Look what happened to them... Stone brushes past The Devil, picks up his jacket. He turns and gives The Devil a cold look. STONE Get outta my house. DEVIL Only because you're a terrible host. WHITE FLASH The Devil is gone. EXT. NEW YORK STREET - NIGHT Walking down the avenue is Van Schaick. Despite never driving a car in his Mortal life, he's getting desperate. He's willing to do anything to get out of town. Trying different CAR DOORS to see if they're open, eventually he comes across one that is. He slips inside, slams the door shut. INT. CAR - NIGHT Okay. He's inside. Now, what's next? Van Schaick has no clue. He's seen these things all over the place since his return to the Mortal world. There has to be some sort of trick to it. Van Schaick remembers seeing people turning something on the steering column. He SEES the KEY SLOT. Thinking that's the ticket, he puts his hand on it, and tries to turn the engine over. Of course, he's out of luck! Even worse; the OWNER is TAPPING ON THE GLASS! OWNER (through the glass) Hey, buddy! Whadda think yer doin' in my car?! Get yer ass outta there before I call a cop! EXT. NEW YORK STREET - NIGHT Van Schaick opens the door and eases out. He stands in front of the Owner, sizing him up. VAN SCHAICK I need this vehicle. OWNER Yo, you need my Mike Piazza up side da head is what yous need! Get outta here, ya bum! I thought Guillani ran yous all outta town. He pushes Van Schaick aside, takes a look at his interior. OWNER You better not got no crap on my leather... Van Schaick PUSHES the Owner into the car, and closes the door. Taking his FISTS, Van Schaick SMASHES THE ROOF DOWN ON THE OWNER!! He's making like THE HULK big time!! SMASH!! SMASH!! In a matter of seconds, he's crumpled the car into half it's original size. When it's over, Van Schaick checks out the damage. It doesn't phase him. He turns on his heel, and keeps on looking for another car to steal. EXT. TOMKINS SQUARE - NIGHT The Old Woman and Booth are waiting patiently at the MONUMENT. They're grateful for the last few hours they've had together. A moment later, Stone appears. They huddle together; a war conference. BOOTH Okay -- where do we start? STONE First off...I MIGHT have found a solution to... what we agreed to do. A look of relief and fright crosses Booth's face. BOOTH How...? STONE (cutting him off) ...Van Schaick first. Stone's voice trails off as he looks to both of them. They all know what comes after that. BOOTH Then, let's get it over with. OLD WOMAN (RE: damned soul vision) Remember what I showed you? STONE Yeah...Except...it doesn't seem to be working. I tried to find him on the way here. I couldn't get a fix. The Old Woman turns to Booth. OLD WOMAN You must have done something to his vision when you hit him. With resolve, she steps directly in front of Stone. She knows what she has to do, and so does Stone. It's going to drain her. Big time. STONE Go ahead. The Old Woman REACHES OUT her hands, placing them once more on Stone's temples. His EYES ARE CLOSED. The Old Woman is CONCENTRATING LIKE MAD. Booth looks BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN THEM. He's not sure what's happening, but he knows enough to stay out of it. OLD WOMAN Nearly passed out. STONE Eyes clinched tight. STONE DON'T GIVE UP! OLD WOMAN Almost on empty. WHITE FLASH Once more, this becomes... DAMNED SOUL VISION Through the murky, dark fog, Stone is overloaded with a JUMBLE OF IMAGES. STONE (OS) (filtered) WE'RE THROUGH!! Stone tries to weed out the massive traffic jam in his head. He pushes aside unnecessary faces. Places he's not concerned with. Finally, he focuses in on the image of a STREET. PEOPLE WALKING. He gets CLOSER. There's ONE IN THE DISTANCE, COMING AT US. CLOSER STILL. IT'S VAN SCHAICK! He's trying to open CAR DOORS. Suddenly, a YELLOW CAB pulls up beside Van Schaick, letting a passenger out. Van Schaick gets in just as quick. WHOOSH! THE IMAGE STONE IS SEEING CHANGES ABRUPTLY! Now, he's seeing THE HELL GATE BRIDGE! WHITE FLASH Stone returns to the now. It takes him a second to get it together. He looks around, and then realizes that the Old Woman is spread out on the pavement in front of him. Booth hovering over her. He glares up at Stone. BOOTH WHAT DID YOU DO TO HER?! STONE It's more like what she did to me... A beat passes. Then, the Old Woman slowly comes to. OLD WOMAN Did you see him? STONE Yeah. He's headed towards the Hell Gate bridge in a cab. We've gotta get some wheels, fast. BOOTH Leave that to me...You take care of her. INT. YELLOW CAB - NIGHT Riding in the back seat is Van Schaick. This was a much better idea then going it alone. The DRIVER is a Chatty Cabbie beyond belief. DRIVER Yous catch da Knicks game tonight? Van Schaick doesn't reply. DRIVER Nets fan, huh? Me too. Just most people I pick up in your neck o' da woods are Knicks fans. I figger it's more of a -- whadda ya call it -- a professional courtesy if I start off that way... Van Schaick couldn't care less. VAN SCHAICK Just get me to my destination. DRIVER You got it, Skipper. (beat) Hey, how's Gilligan and the Howells? Ya know, I'd take Mary Ann ANY DAY over dat tramp Ginger. She was one cheap whooer... EXT. NEW YORK CITY STREET - NIGHT From HIGH ABOVE, we SEE Van Schaick's Yellow Cab SWERVING IN AND OUT OF TRAFFIC. Off in the distance is... THE HELL GATE BRIDGE EXT. ANOTHER NEW YORK STREET - NIGHT We MOVE IN FAST on a TRUCK that is traveling at three times the speed limit. As we get CLOSER, we SEE the markings on the SIDE OF THE TRUCK: "NEAL & ALEX'S PROP RENTALS. SERVING THE TRI-STATE AREA SINCE 1973". Booth has stolen a truck full of stage props! INT. PROP TRUCK - NIGHT At the wheel is Booth. He's not too concerned with the safety of the other vehicles around him. SMASH!! CRASH!! Booth KNOCKS CARS OFF THE STREET without a care. Trying to get himself upright, Stone notices the MANY PROPS in the REAR of the truck. FAKE GUNS. SWORDS. COSTUMES OF ALL KINDS. STONE This was all you could find to heist? Booth shrugs his shoulders. BOOTH Are you paying for the gas? The Old Woman, who is in the passenger seat, turns to face Stone. OLD WOMAN How close are we? Stone closes his eyes, doing his best to get his Damned Soul Vision to kick in. It's not working that well. STONE I'm not sure... Stone looks to the Old Woman for help. She returns his stare. OLD WOMAN It's up to you. Have faith in yourself. Stone closes his eyes once more. A beat. Then... STONE HE'S A MILE IN FRONT OF US! Yellow Cab. Cracked right tail light. Opening his eyes, Stone focuses on the road ahead. STONE'S POV Suddenly, he SEES THE CAB AHEAD OF THEM! STONE (pointing) THERE! EXT. HIGH ABOVE THE STREET - NIGHT We're OVER the Prop Truck, with the Yellow Cab about a mile in front. Booth KICKS THE PEDDLE TO THE FLOOR, and the Prop Truck GUNS THROUGH TRAFFIC. CRASH!! BANG!! He's KNOCKING CARS OFF THE ROAD right and left. INT. PROP TRUCK - NIGHT Booth is on a mission. Van Schaick is within grasp again. The desire for revenge is stirring up once more. Stone leans in next to Booth. STONE Pull up beside him. Try to force him off the road. Booth doesn't hear a word Stone is saying. His eyes are glued to the Yellow Cab. It doesn't seem possible, but he pours on EVEN MORE SPEED. INT. YELLOW CAB - NIGHT DRIVER ...Sos I sez to him "How come dat pig's got a wooden leg?" And He sez ta me.. The Driver looks into his rear view mirror. DRIVER'S POV LOOKING AT MIRROR Traffic is SWERVING CRAZILY BEHIND HIM. We HEAR CAR HORNS HONKING FURIOUSLY. DRIVER Who da hell does DAT guy think he is...? INT. PROP TRUCK - NIGHT Stone is helping the Old Woman get into the rear. When she's secure, he takes her seat, rolls the window down. STONE GET CLOSER! Instinctively, he reaches for his gun. Then he realizes he doesn't have it. EXT. ABOVE THE TWO VEHICLES - NIGHT They're about two car lengths apart now. Just half a mile from the Hell Gate bridge. INT. PROP TRUCK - NIGHT BOOTH I'm gonna ram him! STONE No! There's a guy driving the cab... If Booth doesn't hear Stone, or just doesn't care, we'll never know. EXT. ABOVE THE TWO VEHICLES - NIGHT Ten feet to go...five feet separating them... KERSMASH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THE PROP TRUCK HITS THE YELLOW CAB IN THE SIDE!!! IT GOES SPINNING OUT OF CONTROL!!! CRASH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! IT PLOWS INTO A HONDA CIVIC!! BOTH CARS SPIN TO A STOP!!!! The Prop Truck SKIDS TO A STOP next to the Yellow Cab. All the traffic in both directions slow down, then stop. Thinking this is another New York fender bender, some DRIVERS and PASSENGERS get out to rubberneck. INT. PROP TRUCK - NIGHT BOOTH (to Old Woman) No matter what, you stay here! With that, Stone and Booth spill out of the Prop Truck. EXT. HELL GATE BRIDGE - NIGHT Stone and Booth are upon the Yellow Cab before we know it. They check the interior. The Driver is out cold, blood running from his nose. Van Schaick is nowhere to be seen. A RUBBERNECKER approaches the scene. RUBBERNECKER Hey, man, what's the deal with yous? I saw what you did! I'm gonna tella cop when they gets here! Booth GRABS the Rubbernecker by the THROAT and LIFTS HIM OFF THE GROUND. BOOTH GET OUT OF MY WAY!!! Booth THROWS the Rubbernecker TWENTY FEET INTO THE AIR! He PLOPS DOWN hard onto a distant CAR. SMASH!! The remaining Rubberneckers slowly ease back. WHAM!!! From out of nowhere, VAN SCHAICK JUMPS ONTO BOOTH!! He takes him to the pavement quickly, begins to POUND HIM WITHOUT MERCY!!! Booth can't get out from under Van Schaick, no matter how hard he tries. INT. PROP TRUCK - NIGHT The Old Woman SEES the way her son is getting beaten up. She hesitates, then EXITS the vehicle. EXT. HELL GATE BRIDGE - NIGHT Knowing that he has to get Van Schaick off of Booth, Stone RAMS the Captain FULL STEAM! POW! Stone's gotten Booth free! All three combatants rise slowly, each sizing up the opposition. The Old Woman moves closer to the action. A CIRCLE OF RUBBERNECKERS has formed, enclosing the quartet in a large, makeshift BOXING RING of sorts. They're too stunned to make any noise. BOOTH He's MINE!! Stone knows that he better not mess with Booth at this stage. It's clearly Booth's turn to send this one back to Hell. Like two gunfighters from the old west, Booth and Van Schaick stand ten feet apart. The only thing missing are weapons. They don't need them. VAN SCHAICK (screaming) AAAARRRGGGHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! He CHARGES AT BOOTH. BOOTH (screaming) AAAAAHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Booth kicks in the afterburners as well. SMASH!!! These two titans COLLIDE HEAD ON!!! THEY GO DOWN IN A HEAP, CLAWING AND POUNDING AND BITING EACH OTHER!!! Neither one gives ground. THIS IS INCREDIBLE!!! Stone takes it all in. The Old Woman stands next to him, chewing on her knuckles the whole time. Somehow, the two stand up, all the while continuing to trade blows that would kill a Mortal. BOOTH (grunting) YOU BASTARD! YOU KILLED ALL THOSE INNOCENT PEOPLE! YOU LET THEM DIE WHILE YOU SAVED YOUR OWN SORRY ASS! WHAM!! WHAM!! BOOTH LANDS TWO SOLID PUNCHES TO VAN SCHAICK'S GUT!! IT DOUBLES THE CAPTAIN OVER!! BOOTH YOU ROBBED MY MOTHER OF THE ONE THING SHE WANTED MOST OF ALL! WHAM!! WHAM!! TWO MORE BLOWS TO THE BACK OF VAN SCHAICK'S HEAD!! HE'S DOWN ON THE PAVEMENT NOW!! Knowing that victory is seconds away, Booth ROLLS Van Schaick over onto his back. Kneels next to his face. BOOTH (intently) This is for every one who died that day... HE SPREADS TWO FINGERS WIDE APART. HOLDS THEM FOR WHAT SEEMS LIKE AN ETERNITY OVER VAN SCHAICK'S FACE... ...THEN PLUNGES THEM DIRECTLY INTO VAN SCHAICK'S EYES!!! WHOOSH!!!!!! ELECTRICITY CRACKLES BEYOND BELIEF!!! Van Schaick's LIFE FORCE spreads like blue wildfire, swirling up and away into the night sky. The Rubberneckers have seen enough! They beat feet, heading back to their cars and then heading on home! After a second, Stone FEELS Van Schaick's TATTOO BURN AWAY under his shirt. He winces in pain. The Old Woman glances at him, concerned. STONE I'm okay. Booth slowly walks towards them. He's finally at peace with himself. The task he never thought he'd accomplish is over. He looks at his mother. BOOTH Are you okay? She nods YES. OLD WOMAN And you? BOOTH (without hesitation) I'm ready... They turn to Stone. It's all in his hands now. STONE I... A beat. Then, Booth walks to Stone, puts a hand on his shoulder. BOOTH You gave me and my mother the most precious gift we could ever have. Thank you. Now, you must do what you're here for. The Old Woman nods to Stone. It's time. OUTSIDE PROP TUCK Booth and the Old Woman are standing patiently. Stone is inside the truck. Finally, he steps out onto the pavement. He's got a BROAD SWORD in his hand. It's pretty impressive looking. But...will it do the job? STONE I still don't know if this will work... BOOTH We'll never know standing here... STONE (grim) Right. Stone takes a step towards Booth. The Old Woman lifts her hand. OLD WOMAN Wait... She goes to her son. OLD WOMAN I love you, Judas. With all my heart. I hope that now you'll finally have peace. BOOTH (tears in his eyes) ...I love you, Momma. They close in a tight, emotional embrace. At last, they separate. Booth pads toward Stone, then stops. He KNEELS DOWN and LOWERS HIS HEAD. Stone closes his eyes for a beat. Raises the sword high above his head. Then... SWOOSH!!!! HE DROPS THE BLADE -- SEVERING BOOTH'S HEAD FROM HIS BODY!!! VALIS HAD IT RIGHT!!!! AN AMAZING DISPLAY OCCURS!!! THE CARS STILL ON THE BRIDGE EXPLODE!! ELECTRICITY CRACKLES!! THIS IS STRAIGHT FROM HIGHLANDER!! When the fireworks die down, Stone regards the empty space that Booth had just occupied. It's just a smudge now. He DROPS THE SWORD on the spot. A fitting tribute, it would seem. Now, there's one more task to finish. Stone turns towards the Old Woman. OLD WOMAN I guess you want me to tell you now. STONE It'd be a big let down if you didn't. The Old Woman gather's herself. This is it. OLD WOMAN When the escape was made, Ash knew there was the possibility a few of the Damned Souls that got out wouldn't follow her in the Mortal world. She demanded total and unyielding loyalty from all of us. And who were we to say no? The to escape was worth ANY price. What did we have to lose? All of us agreed to be bound to her -- to be attached to her. We BECAME a part of her. Her soul was connected to ours, like a keystone. Stone isn't too sure he's getting the message right. STONE Keystone...? OLD WOMAN Right. A keystone. Like the center of an arch. Remove the keystone, and the rest will come tumbling down. STONE Are you saying that if Ash is sent back to hell... OLD WOMAN ...They'd all go with her. Haven't you wondered why so many fight for her survival? It's SELF PRESERVATION. They know is -- she goes, they do too. This is INCREDIBLE! Stone shakes his head. It all makes sense now. Then he realizes one thing: STONE I don't know where she is. Or if I can even find her again. She's sort of...keeping a low profile. OLD WOMAN There's more. When Ash received us into her being, she had one of her most trusted aides beside her. We all were marked, I guess you could say. Tagged, like a animal. Pandora is her name. She has incredible power. Her mind is like a..a... STONE Computer? The Old Woman looks quizzically at Stone. STONE I get what you mean. Go on. OLD WOMAN Pandora knows where all the Damned Souls are. Every one. She's got their location constantly registered in her mind. You find her, and you'll find Ash -- that is, if you can get it out of her. Even if she doesn't lead you straight to Ash, you might get a few names and locations if you're lucky. STONE I'll take what I can. (beat) Thanks. For what it's worth, I'm glad I could help you and your son. OLD WOMAN He really WAS a good boy... A beat passes. They both know there's one thing left now. STONE (RE: taking her eyes out) Normally, this wouldn't be a problem... The OldWoman REACHES INTO HER POCKET. From within, she PULLS OUT STONE'S GUN. Without hesitation, she hands it to him. He takes it, confusion on his face. OLD WOMAN When I came to your apartment, I found it in the living room. I took it, to be sure you kept your word. Stone spreads a brief grin. It probably never occurred to her that he could use any number of methods to take out the eyes of the Damned. After all she's been through, that innocent little girl still peeps out. She takes a few steps back from Stone, readies herself. OLD WOMAN My thanks, Mr. Stone. STONE My friends call me Zeke... OLD WOMAN ...Zeke. What a beautiful name. My friends called me Marietta... STONE Marietta...go in peace. BLAM!!! BLAM!!! TWO SHOTS RIGHT ON TARGET. JUMP CUT TO: INT. STONE'S APT. - NIGHT He's brushing his teeth. The ritual of Mortality never lets go. WHITE FLASH The Devil is behind him, looking over his shoulder into the mirror. DEVIL You're as predictable as a one horse race. Sone rinses his mouth out, grabs a TOWEL, wipes his face. STONE At least I know who I can count on. He heads into the... LIVING ROOM Spying his GUN AND HOLSTER draped across a CHAIR, he turns around and looks at The Devil, who has entered the room as well. STONE You brought my gun back here, didn't you? After Booth kicked my ass at the dock. You brought me back here, and my gun too. DEVIL Wishful thinking on your part, Zeke. Stone drops down onto the couch, crosses his legs. STONE You NEEDED me. You KNEW I had to have a weapon, so you got my gun and brought it back here for me to find when I came out of it. Except the Old Woman found it first. DEVIL Good thing she didn't use it on YOU. STONE And I know why you wanted me to take her out so badly. DEVIL Oh, my, Detective Tracy, whatever could you mean by that? Stone gets up from the couch, heads over to The Devil. He stands defiantly in front of him. STONE Ash is the key to them all. If I take her out, they ALL go back to Hell. You're still in love with her...can't BEAR to see her eyes get shattered by me. As long as she's here, you're still burning a torch for her. Hoping that she'll come back to you on her own. You'd rather see me track them all down one at a time then to take her out -- end any chance you think you have with her. His words are eating up The Devil, and it shows. DEVIL Go ahead. SHOOT her eyes out. You're all the same to me. 113 pains in my collective ass. Stone scoffs. STONE I guess we'll find out the hard way... He heads to the Kitchen, leaving The Devil alone. DEVIL Oh, by the way. That little trick you did. Closing your eyes. Finding out where the action was. Good luck when you try it again. The Old Woman didn't tell you quite everything. She was the impetus that brought it out fully. Booth damaged your eyes. It took all the power she had in her to bring it back one last time. Too bad for you, huh? Now, you're a flat foot again. Stone has opened the FRIDGE, claimed his last BEER. POPPING THE TOP, he comes back into the living room. STONE I don't believe a word you say... He takes a swig of beer. DEVIL Let's hope you never have to bet against me again. "The wages of sin are death". But you know that already, don't you? I'll send Jax your regards. WHITE FLASH The Devil is gone. Stone lets out a sigh. It's been a helluva night. FADE THE END