A SOUVENIR OF LONDON Brimstone VS Episode #306 Story by Jenny Brown and Phil Gee Script by Phil Gee TEASER: FADE UP: INT. O’BRIEN’S PUB - NIGHT The regular crowd is in on a rainy Tuesday night, enjoying the quiet atmosphere of this out of the way joint. Upper Middle Class PATRONS sip imported beers. A FRUSTRATED HOUSEWIFE mulls over a glass of wine, waiting for her secret lover to show up. The BAR is full of PEOPLE having fun, laughing at mediocre jokes. A jukebox softly purrs out a FRANK SINATRA song. We MOVE towards a... TABLE IN THE REAR Seated amid THREE or FOUR LADIES is LUSKUS DELPH. Looks to be in his late 40’s. Wavy hair. Tall. Rugged. He is dressed tastefully; his neatly tailored suit fits him just right. He has a DEEP, ROLLING SOUTHERN ACCENT, reminiscent of Colonial American times. He is holding court with the Ladies, charming them to pieces with his oily manners. DELPH My gracious, dear ladies, I can’t recall ever being surrounded by such beauty and grace at one time. You make this old war horse feel like he could carry on for another five hours without a break. The Ladies GIGGLE at his comments. Delph is a real change of pace from the standard Stock Broker fare they see nightly. DELPH You, sweet lass... what’s been keeping you from the altar? Surely there must be a gentleman caller taking care of your every need? LADY #1 In this town? How long have you been outta action? LADY #2 There’s nothing but boring Power Suit types as far as the eye can see. (pounds down her drink) A real man doesn’t exist in this town any more. DELPH (off her remark) And what might you mean by that, my sweet flower? LADY #2 Simple. A man who cares for something more then his Porsche or portfolio. DELPH I can assure you, I have neither, nor do I have a desire for whatever they are. If only the years could roll back, Sugar, I’d show you how a gentleman takes care of his mistress. This comment spreads a LAUGH among the Ladies. Obviously, Delph doesn’t get the modern connotation the term MISTRESS carries. LADY #3 I thought so. DELPH (not getting it) Thought what, dear child? LADY #3 You’re after what all men want… Lady #3 gets up from the table, starts to walk towards the bar. Delph reaches out his hand, grabs Lady #3 by the arm. Gentle, but he stops her by force. DELPH Dear Madame, I assure you my motives are noble and honorable. (reaching into his pocket) Here, I have something to show you… She breaks his grip. LADY #3 Yeah, I bet it’s a flesh colored banana... Delph keeps his hand hidden in his breast pocket for a moment, noticing the looks he is getting from the remaining Ladies. After a beat, he removes his hand. It’s empty. DELPH What improper behavior. Especially for a lady. Again, this draws SNICKERS from the Ladies. LADY #2 Trust me, Colonel Sanders, Sandra is NO lady! DELPH (shocked) Dear, dear Madam, I can’t believe you are sincere in your remarks. Surely you jest. LADY #2 Don’t call me Shirley… Delph certainly doesn’t catch the reference to AIRPLANE. DELPH I beg your forgiveness. I meant no disrespect. They’ve grown tired of his diatribe. He was good for a laugh, but it’s time to move on. LADY #1 Yeah, yeah…look, we’re about to take off... DELPH Take off? LADY #2 Hit the bricks. Pound the pavement. Beat feet. He still is not taking the hint. LADY #1 LEAVE! Get lost! DELPH (offended) Such vulgarity... Delph stands up, straightens himself meticulously. He picks up his WALKING STICK from beside his chair. DELPH (cont.) I will take my leave of you. I hope that one day we’ll meet again under happier circumstances. He BOWS to them all in turn. DELPH Ladies... good evening. With dignity, Delph saunters towards the front door. AT THE BAR is Lady #3. She is seated next to an AFRICAN AMERICAN MALE. They are rubbing shoulders, leaning playfully on one another. Both smiling, enjoying the moment and perhaps the moments to follow. When Delph SEES them together, his behavior suddenly changes. His pleasant demeanor vanishes. He’s dead serious. Delph tightens his grip on his walking stick, and goes directly behind the couple. DELPH You, boy. The Male doesn’t respond. Delph waits a beat. Then… DELPH I said YOU, boy! The CROWD at the bar can’t help but hear Delph. They stop what they’re doing, and turn their attention to Delph. He takes it in, as if he’s performing a public service by his actions. MALE Excuse me? DELPH There is no excuse for your kind, Nigra. Sitting beside a white woman. Keeping your back to a white man. The Male spins around on his stool, looking Delph right in the eye. MALE Is there something the matter? You missed your Clan rally? Halloween is a long way off, Massa. The Male laughs off the confrontation, goes back to his conversation with Lady #3. Slowly, Delph brings up his walking stick. DELPH Don’t turn your back to me, boy! In a flash, Delph’s got his walking stick in both hands, and is BASHING THE MALE FULL FORCE IN THE HEAD! Lady #3 SCREAMS! The Crowd is SHOCKED AND STUNNED! Delph continues to beat and beat and beat…in seconds it’s all over. The Male lays dead. BLOOD EVERYWHERE. DELPH (to Lady #3) My deepest regrets that you had to witness that display, child. These uppity Nigras forget their place now and again. It’s up to any Christian man to do what he has to, to keep them in line. I beg your pardon. Delph turns to the rest of the Crowd. They are dumb struck by what they just saw. He doesn’t understand their reaction. DELPH You all saw what transpired, didn’t you? I had no choice... They are speechless. DELPH What manner of Christians do you claim to be? I was within my right… C.U. ON DELPH’S FACE DELPH (cont.) May God shed his blessings on you. C.U. ON DELPH’S EYES They BURN RED WITH HELLFIRE! FADE ACT ONE INT. STONE’S APT. - DAY The place looks empty. OS we HEAR the sound of water running, coming from the bathroom. A beat. Then, the definite GARGLE of mouthwash being swished around the teeth and gums. Finally, the P-TUU as it’s expelled into the basin. BATHROOM STONE is wiping his face with a towel, cleaning the last little drop of Listerine from his chin. He checks his hair in the mirror, bares his teeth for inspection. VOICE (OS) Vanity, thy name is Stone... Standing in the doorway is THE DEVIL. He takes a casual glance at Stone, who returns it. STONE (holding the bottle of Listerine out) Here. You could use this. The Devil ignores the bottle, instead showing an interest in Stone’s HAIR STYLE. DEVIL Why, Zeke, have you been using a hot comb? Stone brushes past The Devil, makes his way towards the... LIVING ROOM The Devil follows. He’s making a show of his interest in Stone’s coif. DEVIL Do I smell conditioner? Cream rinse? A hint of gel? What’s the story, morning glory? Is there a lady lurk- ing some place in the shadows? Stone flops down on the couch, grabs the remote. He flicks on the TV, begins to channel surf. STONE I’m not a slob. That’s all. DEVIL Let me tell you something, dear boy. Your breath doesn’t stink... because you don’t breathe! Your hair doesn’t need to be washed because it’s as dead as you are! It’ll never grow another inch! (beat) Although I’m glad you decided to stick with that five o’clock shadow look. Really makes you intimidating. Stone shoots him a sideways glance. STONE Think so? DEVIL Oh, yeah. STONE Then get the hell outta my place. He gets up from the couch, advances towards The Devil. STONE (cont.) I may... or may not…have a guest coming over here. Either way, that’s none of your business. And either way, I want you out! We HEAR a KNOCK on Stone’s door OS. DEVIL (raising a finger) AHA! Nobody can put one over on the master of deception! Stone crosses to the door, but The Devil beats him to it. Before Stone can cut him off, The Devil has flung the door open. Standing in the hallway is… ALEX with her hands full. The pile she is carrying covers her line of sight. She can’t tell who is in the entrance way. ALEX (behind pile) Wanna give me a hand here? The Devil looks at Stone, who rolls his eyes. Without missing a beat, The Devil removes some of the items Alex is hauling. ALEX (not noticing) Thanks, Zeke... She SEES it’s not who she was expecting. ALEX (cont.) Woa... sorry Bub. I thought you were someone else. DEVIL The story of my life. Stone crosses to help Alex with her load of goodies. The Devil LOOKS at what he has in his hands. It’s a few MOVIES ON DVD. Alex hands Stone a DVD PLAYER, turns around to grab a few more DVD’s from the hallway. ALEX Ninety days are up. By law you can have ‘em now, Zeke. STONE (embarrassed) Uh, thanks... (beat) Why don’t you come in? Help me set this up? You know me. All thumbs. Alex ZOOMS by The Devil. She doesn’t need to be asked twice to lend a hand. STONE (explaining) Um, Alex thought I might want this stuff. ALEX (pulling wires apart) Yeah. Had a dead beat skip out three months ago. Kept his gear as an after- thought. In case he ever showed up, I was gonna smash it with a baseball bat in front of his fat face! (glances up) It’s the Taurus in me. The Devil smiles. DEVIL Bully for you! ALEX Hey! That’s pretty good! Why don’t you sit down and take a load off? We’re all set to watch GONE WITH THE WIND, if you wanna join us... DEVIL Well... STONE (cutting him off) No, Alex. My... associate... is too busy to hang around. Stone briskly PUSHES The Devil towards the exit. STONE (cont.) Maybe another time... DEVIL Oh, really, Mr. Stone It would be rude of me to pass on such a kind offer. STONE Frankly, I don’t give a damn! SLAM! The Devil is out the door. Stone SMACKS HIS HANDS, glad to be rid of him. ALEX Neat guy. STONE Oh, no... trust me. He’s a snake. EXT. CITY STREET - DAY The typical New York afternoon: crowded sidewalks, blaring car horns, cursing cab drivers. We MOVE IN to SEE Delph. He is walking in a slow, unhurried pace. Taking his time. Savoring the sights and sounds. He is certainly out of sync with the rest of the crowd. STORE FRONT Without warning, a BEAUTIFUL YOUNG WOMAN comes flying out of the door. BLAM! She plows into Delph full force. He takes the brunt of the impact and still keeps his balance. However, the Beautiful Young Woman lands flat on her rear. DELPH (reaching down) Forgive me, dear lady. How utterly clumsy of me. A thousand pardons for my disregard of your safety. YOUNG WOMAN (getting up) It’s okay. I should have been paying attention. DELPH Do you require assistance? Shall I summon a physician for you? She looks at him. Is he for real? YOUNG WOMAN No... (brushing herself off) ...no, I think I’ll be okay. They exchange a look for a beat. YOUNG WOMAN You’re not from around here, are you? DELPH No, ma’am. Although I have enjoyed the fine hospitality this city has to offer, I must admit my heart is yearning for the soil of my dear native Virginia. The air here is… (beat) Well, how does one say it without causing offense? YOUNG WOMAN ...It stinks... They both smile. DELPH You cut to the chase, madam. Delph steps back, performs a proper bow. DELPH Luskus Delph, at your service. YOUNG WOMAN Irene Cartwright. Back at ya. He takes her hand, kisses it delicately. It surprises her, yet she isn’t repulsed by it. In fact, she finds it a bit charming. She lets out a slight GIGGLE. WOMAN/IRENE Any more like you at home? DELPH I seem to have discovered I am the last of my breed. Sad, really. I long for the days when a man was a gentleman. Respectful. Honorable. If he gave his word, it meant something. Irene is really impressed by what she’s hearing. This might be a guy to hold onto. IRENE (imiating his manors) Could you... would you think me forward if I asked you to join me for a cup of coffee? Delph mulls over the invitation. DELPH When posed with such a pleasant offer, what man could possibly refuse? It will be my honor, sweet lady, to escort you any place you so desire. Irene grins. She’s never met a guy like Delph before. Delph extends his arm. It takes Irene a second to figure it out. Then, she LOOPS her arm through his. DELPH Lead the way, madam. They strut down the street, arm in arm; Delph continuing to spew out charm all over the place. INT. STONE’S APT. - NIGHT Alex and Stone are almost to the end of GONE WITH THE WIND. There are empty soda cans scattered about, a half empty bowl of popcorn on the coffee table. A box of tissues resting in Alex’s lap. She’s totally absorbed in the movie. Stone looks like he’d rather be someplace else. Finally, Scarlett says her final line of dialogue. The music builds to a climax. Alex pulls another wad of tissues from the box, blows her nose, wipes the tears away. And -- mercifully for Stone -- it’s over. Alex sits there, too emotional to move. Stone JUMPS UP quickly, shuts off the player. A root canal would have been more fun. STONE Well... that was... long... wasn’t it? ALEX I’m sorry... (blows her nose) That’s got to be the saddest movie ever made. STONE (to himself) It was sad alright. ALEX What a shame they had to end up like that. They loved each other so much. STONE That’s why he walked out on her? Because he loved her? She looks at Stone as if he were from another planet. ALEX What’s wrong with you? Has your heart stopped beating? Stone suppresses a grin. STONE I’ve been accused of worse. ALEX Rhett Butler is every woman’s dream. He’s charming, dashing… STONE (cutting her off) Scoundrel, rogue... ALEX (matching) Handsome, devilish, one of a kind, sweep-you-off-your-feet hunk o’ man! STONE All I can say is, I’m glad they didn’t make a sequel. Alex grins, holds up another DVD. ALEX Oh, but they did! Stone grabs the box from her, holds it behind his back. Alex gets up, tries to get it from him. STONE No way! I’m not sitting through another three hours of boo hoo-ing and bad Southern accents. ALEX It’s actually six hours long. It was a TV mini-series... STONE Six, eight, ten. Either way it’s getting late. ALEX Don’t be such a killjoy, Zeke. STONE I’ve got to hit the sheets, Alex. No more of Hollywood’s golden year to- night. Maybe tomorrow we can see THE WIZARD OF OZ, okay? But for now, I’ve had enough Technicolor wonder. ALEX THE WIZARD OF OZ? That’s kid stuff! Gimme a good Humphrey Bogart or Edward G. Robinson flick any time. STONE (ushering her to the door) The time is late. I’m due to turn into a pumpkin any second, Sleeping Beauty. ALEX That was Cinderella. And she didn’t turn into a pumpkin, she... STONE (enough already) Good night, Alex. He opens the door. They share an awkward moment. ALEX I had fun, Zeke. STONE Yeah. It was nice. Thanks for saving that player for me. And the movies, too. ALEX It plays CDs also. STONE Let’s hope somebody leaves behind their music collection next time. ALEX Yeah... well... good night, Zeke. STONE ‘Night, Alex. She stands there for just long enough. Then, she’s gone. Slowly, Stone closes the door. He stands for a second, thinking to himself. STONE Oh, Zeke, what are you doing? He walks over to the DVD player. He’s still holding the movie in his hand that he wrestled away from Alex. He regards it for a beat, contemplating putting it in. Another beat. He can’t help it. Despite himself, he has to find out what happened to Scarlett and Rhett. STONE What the hell is six hours? He turns the player on, ejects the DVD. In a flash, he’s got the new one ready to go. INT. COFFEE SHOP - NIGHT Delph and Irene are seated opposite one another in a secluded booth. They nibble on finger food, sip coffee. As their conversation has progressed during the evening, Irene has grown incredibly curious and interested in Delph. The preliminary events over, Irene is ready to take a bigger step forward. IRENE So, is there a Mrs. Delph in the wings? DELPH There was at one time. I had a daughter, too. A little younger then you. IRENE What happened to them? DELPH I went to London some time ago. Business. When I came back... I never saw them again. IRENE How terrible. Did she just run out on you? DELPH Factually, ma’am, I do not know what became of them. I got off the boat in New York, and... IRENE You took a boat from London? DELPH At the time, it was all I had at my disposal. (beat) After I set foot on Terra Firma, let’s just say I found it impossible to make it back to my plantation. IRENE Plantation? DELPH Forgive me. I forget where I am now and again. You’d call it a farm, I believe. Rolling hills, sweet spring water. Shade trees a’ plenty to waste a summer day under. (beat) It was like heaven to me. IRENE Sounds like a wonderful place. DELPH Mmm. Surely, I do agree with you. I have stayed for far too long. One day soon I will return to it, and revel in it’s beauty. Irene is ready to ask the question. IRENE So... would you like to... come back to my place? Delph is visibly shocked by this bold action. DELPH Madam... such familiarity I am not quite accustomed to. A lady... a gentlewoman would never confront a man in such a fashion. It... it simply isn’t done. He starts to rise from the table, as if to leave. Irene honestly doesn’t realize that she’s gone too far in Delph’s book. She’s playing by a modern set of rules. IRENE Hey, c’mon. I’m sorry if I said the wrong thing. But why are you so up- tight? It’s a brand new century, for crying out loud. This is the way things are done nowadays. A girl sees a guy, she doesn’t have to wait for him to make a move anymore. Delph regards her. A look of sadness and disgust crosses his face. DELPH My sympathies to you. If this is how you choose to lead your life, I must decline your company any further. He grabs his walking stick, adjusts his clothing. DELPH I pray the you find the right path. Seek the Lord your God, and ask for guidance. God’s love is yours for the taking. You have but to bend your knee and seek forgiveness. Irene sits, totally stunned. DELPH May God shed his blessings on you. With that, Delph is gone. Irene can’t believe it. She’s been dumped! FADE ACT TWO EXT. CITY STREET - DAY Stone is chugging along at a brisk clip. He’s got a grin halfway spread across his face. Looks like he’s in an up mood. He stops at a… FLOWER VENDOR’S CART Stone checks the selection; roses, tulips, carnations. After a beat, he decides on the carnations. Taking half a dozen, he walks around to the… VENDOR who has his back to us. He’s bent over, sifting through a bucket of flowers on the ground. STONE I’d like these wrapped, please. The Vendor turns around. It’s The Devil. DEVIL Why you dirty old man! You should be glad I can’t read your mind. I can only imagine what you’re thinking right now. STONE What’s your problem? She’s a sweet girl. We had a fun time last night. I know she probably has a crush on me, but I I’m going to make sure she knows this is strictly on a platonic level. DEVIL By getting her flowers? STONE Carnations. Those say “We’re just friends”. “I care for you like a sister”. “I don’t want this to go any further”. “I’m not taking you to court”. DEVIL All this time, I simply thought they smelled nice. The Devil pulls a flower to his nose, INHALES DEEPLY. DEVIL A rose by any other name would still spell trouble unless you get your ass in gear. The Devil CLAPS HIS HANDS twice. DEVIL (cont.) Chop! Chop! Let’s move it along, Mr. Stone. Ash and her minions aren’t standing around trading gardening tips. At the mention of Ash, Stone SLAPS the flowers into The Devil’s chest. STONE Keep the flowers. I’ll say what I have to say by myself. Stone walks away, his mood visibly altered by this confrontation. DEVIL (yelling after Stone) I think she’s cute, Ezekiel! I’ll have to keep an eye on her from now on! She’s definitely got potential! After all, she’s studying to be a lawyer, right? That’s a good start! INT. LOS ANGELES INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT - DAY The usual hustle and bustle of mass transit madness. Passengers arguing with airline employees. Businessmen taking their last shot of Jack at the bar. Children asking their parents how long until they get to Disneyland. BOARDING GATE We MOVE IN on a line of TRAVELRS, patiently biding their time, ready to board their cross country flight. Above the tunnel a SIGN reads: FLIGHT 422 LA TO NYC NON STOP As we get closer to the line of Travelers, we SEE that one of them is in fact ROSALYN. She has a small CARRY ON BAG in her hand, a LARGER PIECE on the floor beside her. She looks tired, unkempt. As if this trip were decided on over a great loss of sleep. She checks her watch for the third time. A beat. A tear starts to run down her cheek. She dabs at it with a tissue. Inhales deeply. Closes her eyes. DISSOLVE TO: INT. SCHOOL FACILITY IN BRAZIL - DAY A modest school in the heart or Puerto Alegro. Plain walls adorned with blackboards containing basic English phrases. Simple mathematical equations hung on poster boards. A rural structure to be sure. We HEAR the sound of CHILDREN LAUGHING OS. Class has just ended for the day. Seated at a DESK is DAN COPPER. He’s busy tapping away at his LAPTOP COMPUTER. Opening his email, hoping for a note from Rosalyn. He doesn’t realize he’s going to get more then he bargained for. The laptop is opened with it’s TOP to us, Dan’s face opposite our POV. We begin to slowly CIRCLE AROUND DAN as he reads Rosalyn’s email. ROSALYN (VO) Dan, I have something to tell you that is very hard for me to say. I’m sorry that I can’t tell you in person, or even over the phone. This is a little impersonal for me, but maybe it’s better that way. Dan, I’ve de- cided to go back to New York for a while. I’m not sure how long I’ll stay. Maybe just a few weeks. Maybe until you get back to L.A. I’ve thought about this for a long time, and really feel it’s the right thing to do. Living in that house by my- self was too uncomfortable. It was too empty all of a sudden. I mean one day we were all together, and the next, it was only me. I don’t think I was aware of how that would affect me. I know I said I would be okay, but in the end -- I had the water and electricity turned off. Stephen didn’t want to come back and stay alone, either. The neighbors said they’d keep an eye on the place. Please be patient with me, and know I love you. There’s something else I need to tell you -- but now isn’t the right time for it. I’ll be staying with my Mom. You know the address. I can still get my email in New York, so I’ll keep in touch from there. I love you, Dan. I’m sorry. Rosalyn. We are now BEHIND DAN. From our POV we can SEE Rosalyn’s email on the laptop screen. Dan lowers his head. He’s visibly shaken by what he’s just read. DISSOLVE TO: EXT. LAX - DAY A 747 has just taken off from the runway, and is beginning its five hour journey to the other side of the country. INT. AIRPLANE - DAY Rosalyn is seated by herself. She has a window seat, and is staring blankly out of the tiny opening. Again, a trickle of a tear runs down her face. EXT. CITY STREET - DAY Stone is on his way back to his apartment. He’s trying to come up with the right words to say to Alex. STONE Alex, I know we had a good time last night... No, that’s not right. (beat) Alex, I’m really much older they you. You have no idea how much older I am. I’ve been around the block. (beat) She won’t go for that, either. (beat) I know you like me, Alex, but I’m not the right guy for you. (beat) This is ridiculous! He continues on in silence for a moment. FEMALE VOICE (OS) HELP! Somebody please HELP ME! Stone’s ears pick up the cry. He’s off in a flash, headed towards the noise. SIDE ALLEY The Voice is screaming again as Stone rounds the corner. When he comes upon the scene, Stone is shocked to see Delph bending over an AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMAN, pummeling her brutally with his walking stick. Other NEW YORKERS walk by the alley, noticing the commotion but not stopping to help. Stone rushes to the two figures, grabbing Delph from the back, squeezing his arms tight around Delph’s chest and limbs. He pulls Delph off of the Woman. Stone’s vice-like grip holds Delph in check. The Woman is badly beaten about the face. Blood pouring from cuts Delph inflicted on her. While holding Delph, Stone turns to the Woman. STONE Are you okay? WOMAN (shaking) Yeah... I think so. She gets up, unsteady, trembling all the while. When she reaches her feet, Stone takes a good look at her. It’s obvious she’s a drug addict. Her eyes yellow, skin color terrible. She looks around for her purse. It’s near Stone’s feet. He SEES it, puts his foot on top of it. Keeping her in check for a second. STONE (to Woman) What happened? WOMAN This asshole tried to beat the shit outta me! That’s what happened! DELPH (struggling) This Nigra tried to lure me into sexual relations! In the middle of the afternoon, no less! Stone gets the picture; she was hoping to sell sex for drug money. The Woman starts to reach for her purse. Stone keeps his foot planted on it. STONE Get outta here. Go to a doctor. The Woman remains motionless. STONE MOVE IT! The Woman considers the dope left in her purse, and then realizes it probably better to haul ass. She looks at Delph again, SPITS in his face. That action sends Delph into a frenzy! He tries his best to break Stone’s grip, But Stone keeps him pinned. Seeing how much more enraged Delph is, the Woman takes off. When Stone is sure she’s a safe distance, he relaxes his hold on Delph. He pushes Delph a few feet away, reaches down to his holster -- just in case. DELPH (incredulous) What do you think you were doing? STONE I was gonna ask you the same question. Delph straightens himself up, grabs his walking stick. DELPH In my day, what that Nigra did was a hanging offense, Sir. I was well within my right to whip that Nigra to pieces if need be. Slowly, Stone is beginning to suspect Delph might be one of the Damned Souls. DELPH (cont.) What are you, Sir? A Nigra lover? In a flash, Stone has his weapon drawn. He points it at Delph’s eyes. STONE Just a concerned citizen. Now, tell me about what went on in “your day”. DELPH Nigra’s didn’t act so uppity. They knew their place in society. Kept to themselves. Never made trouble. If they did, they knew the end of a rope was waiting for them. The Overseer would make sure of that. I was generous to my Nigras, but if they didn’t follow my rules, they paid the price. With the anger building in his voice, Delph’s EYES begin to GLOW WITH HELLFIRE. Stone’s positive now. Delph is one of them. He COCKS HIS WEAPON, steps closer to Delph. STONE Well, I got news for you, buddy. There hasn’t been a slave in this country for over a hundred years or so. Thanks to a little thing called The Civil War. DELPH You mean the war of Yankee aggression? Bleeding heart Northerners feeling a bit tender towards our slaves. But they were willing to be carriers of slaves to us in the South. Molasses to rum to slaves. The Triangle Trade worked for everyone. Not just we few Southern folk. You damned Yankees profited, too. STONE I’m not going to stand here and argue American history with you. DELPH An argument I daresay you’d lose. Delph takes a closer look at Stone. DELPH (cont.) You’re him, aren’t you? The one sent to return us. Stone nods. STONE Yup. DELPH Might I ask what your sin was? STONE No. DELPH Then, might I tell you what I was damned for? Stone shrugs. STONE Suit yourself. DELPH (easing into his story) I was a good Christian man, Sir. I had the utmost faith in our Lord and Savior. Raised my family to be the most respectful and obedient children in all of Virginia. We took pride in our station in the world. Helped the poor and needy. Always knew that we were better off then most folks. We were blessed with land and wealth, and made no contention about it. Our blood was the same as any other. STONE Except for your slaves. You didn’t treat those people with much respect, did you? DELPH They were not people, Sir. They were property. Pure and simple. I owned them. As surely as my cattle, I owned them! A man can put down a mad steer if he sees fit. And so may I whip a Nigra to death if he disobeys me. Tell me, is it a sin for a man to destroy a rabid dog? To protect his property and secure the well being of his family? The danger to Christian folk must be attended to. If a Nigra was seen as a threat, they were eliminated from the breed. Stone can’t believe what he’s hearing. STONE That mentality was tried all over again about sixty years ago. It didn’t work then, either. Delph tightens his grip on the walking stick. Inches closer to Stone ever so slightly. DELPH You will not do to me what has come before to the others. I will not allow that to happen. STONE (gruff laugh) You think you can stop me? You’re welcome to give it a whirl. Delph takes another step. He’s just a foot away from the end of Stone’s gun. He smiles. DELPH Don’t mind if I do! WHAM! Delph has brought up his walking stick in a BLUR OF MOTION. THWACK! HE’S SMASHED STONE IN THE CHEST WITH IT! Stone goes flying. Though he’s stunned by the quick reflexes Delph shows, he still has enough on the ball to SQUEEZE OFF SEVERAL ROUNDS in Delph’s direction as he is falling. POW! POW! POW! The bullets go WHIZZING PAST Delph, just missing him! PLOP! Stone lands on his ass, goes skidding for another ten yards. As he slides, he keeps on pumping rounds in Delph’s direction. POW! POW! POW! Delph eludes the volley with surprising ease. Then suddenly, he BOLTS UP THE FIRE ESCAPE, a trail of BLUE ELECTRICITY crackling behind in his wake. Despite his seemingly laid back manner, Delph has got some quick. Stone shuffles to his feet, heads off after Delph. POW! POW! POW! The rounds PING off the iron work of the fire escape. The noise has finally caught the attention of a few PASSERS BY. They STOP and take notice of what is transpiring in the alley. Stone takes a glance behind, observing the crowd that is gathering. He then shifts his attention to the rapidly moving Delph. He’s up to the top of the building by now, climbing out of the fire escape and headed across the roof. With the chance of catching Delph almost zero, Stone decides to beat feet. Better to get away then risk a cop showing up and asking questions. Holstering his weapon, he turns towards the crowd, which is between him and the alley exit. Dashing as fast as he can, Stone PLOWS THROUGH THEM, heading back to the open street and out of sight. The crowd mumbles among themselves for a beat. But this is New York. They don’t wait too long for trouble to return. A moment later, they disburse and go back to their business. FADE ACT THREE INT. HOTEL MEZZANINE - LOBBY - DAY Alex is at the desk, signing a sheet of paper attached to a clipboard. A TELEPHONE WORKMAN is opposite her, waiting on the signature. When she’s done, she hands it back to him. WORKMAN You’re all set. ALEX Thanks a bunch. WORKMAN If you have any problems, give us a ring. ALEX If my phone isn’t working, how can I call you? WORKMAN (smug) Like I haven’t heard that one before. With a wry smile, the Workman picks up his gear and heads for the exit. As he is passing through the door, Stone happens to be making his way in. Stone SEES Alex at the desk. This looks like as good of a time as any to get it over with. He’s made up his mind. He’s going to set her straight. Things just wouldn’t work out between them. Slowly, he approaches the desk. STONE Hey, Alex, I... ALEX Zeke! Am I glad to see you! I’ve got some really good news! The owners have finally decided to catch up with the rest of the world. We’ve got phones in all the rooms now! Can you believe it? I kept telling them it was a pain in the rear having to tell everybody they can’t use the house phone. I mean just about everyone here wants to call their bookie... sorry Zeke. I don’t mean you. STONE Listen, Alex... ALEX (cont.) Besides, it could have caused us some legal problems, too. What if there was a big emergency upstairs, and no one could make it down here to tell me about it? You know how it is these days; people filing suits at the drop of a hat. And for teeny tiny crap, too. STONE Well... ALEX (cont.) Oh yeah! I almost forgot! I bought this for you. She pulls out a CALLING CARD, hands it to Stone. He takes it cautiously. ALEX (cont.) We’re gonna sell ‘em in the gift shop. It’s a calling card. You can make long distance calls with them. It’s easy, even for a dinosaur like you. Stone shoots her a dirty look, as if to say “Thanks”. ALEX (cont.) The instructions are on the back. I told the owners we’d save a ton on costs if we went with this instead of putting the calls through ourselves. STONE ...Thanks... ALEX So, seen any good movies lately? She flashes a super cute grin. She’s an incredible sweetheart. STONE No. I’ve been out all day. ALEX I just got CASABLANCA. If you’re not… STONE (cutting her off) Maybe later, Alex. I have to make a call. Stone trudges towards the elevator. He can’t bring himself to tell her what’s on his mind. ALEX Sure thing, Zeke. You know where to find me. INT. STONE’S APT. -DAY Stone has just finished placing a call. He’s waiting on the other party to pick up. We HEAR the line ring. Then finally it’s answered. At first no one says anything. STONE Hello? FEMALE VOICE (on phone) Yeah? STONE Is this Magdalene? FEMALE VOICE (on phone) Who wants to know? STONE It’s Zeke. Zeke Stone. VOICE/MAGDALENE (on phone) Zeke! It’s been ages! How the hell are you? STONE Okay, I guess. I came back to New York a few months ago. Had some… business to clear up. Decided to stay for a while. What about you? MAGDALENE (on phone) (proud) Clean and sober for six months. STONE (impressed) Wow. That’s good to hear. How’s the job working out? MAGDALENE (on phone) Well, that Jimmy G’s a goof ball at times, but he’s an okay boss. Some of the people that come in freak me out, but for the most part it’s alright. STONE Tell him I owe him big time. MAGDALENE (on phone) You think he’ll let you forget? He’s got a computer for a brain. I think he’s part elephant. (beat) What about you? Ya doing alright? STONE Yeah, sure. MAGDALENE (on phone) You sound kinda down. STONE Just some personal crap. You know. Life. MAGDALENE (on phone) I hear ya. STONE Listen, Magdalene, I’m sorry that I haven’t been in touch with you much lately... MAGDALENE (on phone) Hey, Zeke, you don’t have to feel bad. You did something for me that nobody else ever even considered. I owe you more then anything…I never could have gotten this far if it wasn’t for you. STONE (touched) That’s nice to hear, Magdalene. (beat) Look, I better get going. You take care, okay? Tell Jimmy I’m keeping an eye on you both. MAGDALENE (on phone) Sure thing, Zeke. (beat) Thanks. STONE You too. Stone still holds the receiver in his hand as we HEAR the other end CLICK. A beat passes. Then, he returns it to the cradle. At least one thing turned out good today. INT. AIRPLANE - NIGHT Rosalyn is right where we left her. Still sitting motionless, looking intently out the window. From above, we SEE the FASTEN SEATBELT SIGN flash on. A FLIGHT ATTENDANT is making her rounds, and is near Rosalyn. As she reaches her aisle, she observes that Rosalyn has not noticed the indication. FLIGHT ATTENDANT The Captain has lit the fasten seatbelt sign, Ma’am. We’ll be making our decent shortly. Rosalyn doesn’t budge. The Flight Attendant crosses to Rosalyn, touches her on the arm. FLIGHT ATTENDANT Are you okay? ROSALYN (snapping out of it) What? Oh... yeah. I’m sorry. FLIGHT ATTENDANT You need to fasten your seatbelt. We’ll be in New York any minute now. ROSALYN Thanks. She fastens her seatbelt. The Flight Attendant moves on. Then, Rosalyn resumes her catatonic stare out the window. EXT. OPEN SKY - NIGHT Against the darkness of night, we SEE the airplane headed towards the distant, familiar skyline of New York City. INT. STONE’S APT. - NIGHT BRING! BRING! The shrill sound of a new ringer echo’s off the walls of Stone’s abode. BRING! BRING! Cautiously, Stone approaches the phone. Who could be calling him? When the curiosity factor grows too deep, he reaches out and grabs the receiver, places it to his ear. STONE Uh... hello...? ALEX (on phone) Zeke! Hey, it’s Alex! Is this cool or what? STONE I dunno... I guess so. How’d you get my number? ALEX (on phone) Is that supposed to be a joke? We got a switchboard down here. I just dial your room number, and BINGO! You’re right there. STONE Yeah. I’m right there. ALEX (on phone) I’m almost done for the night. How’s about hitting the road with me? STONE (searching for an excuse) Gee, Alex, I just got home. I’ve been out all day. (fake yawn) Whew! I can’t keep my eyes open much longer. ALEX (on phone) They need to put you in a box and bury you six feet under! C’mon, Zeke. Take a geritol and get down here. I’m only gonna wait five minutes for you. STONE Really, Alex. I think I’ll pass. ALEX (on phone) You big baby. Okay, if you change your mind, I’ll be hanging out at Harper’s. You know where it is? STONE Been a long time since I’ve been there, but yeah, I remember. ALEX (on phone) I’ll keep a seat warm for you. STONE Good enough, Alex. I gotta go. ALEX (on phone) See ya later, Zeke. With a tired look, Stone hangs up. He can go toe to toe with The Devil, but he can’t stand up to this perky little lady. INT. DAN COPPER’S APT. IN BRAZIL - NIGHT The modest home-away-from-home that Dan and Maya are holed up in during his six month tenure looks homey, if nothing else. MAYA is sprawled out on the couch, headphones on, absorbing the Brazilian music she purchased earlier in the day at an open air market. Maya has been having the time of her life during her short stay in the Tropics. DAN sits in front of his laptop once more. He’s been mulling over Rosalyn’s email all afternoon. Now, it’s his turn to reply. He begins to type at the keyboard. DAN (VO) Rosalyn, I got your email today. I don’t know really what to say right now. I’m sorry that I left you all of a sudden, and I know that most of this has got to be my fault. I mean, I’d probably do the same thing if the situation was reversed. I can only tell you how much I love you. If you think New York is where you need to be now, then so do I. During the time we’ve been together, I’ve come to trust your judgment. So, do what you have to do while you’re there. Stay as long as you need to. When you’re ready to go back home, just let me know. I’ll do what- ever I can in the meantime to be there for you. Even if we are half a world apart. Maya sends her love. So do I. Dan. DISSOLVE TO: INT. HARPER’S - NIGHT A laid back pub of sorts. Small enough to feel exclusive. ON A SMALL STAGE TWO MUSICIANS sit on chairs, strumming away on their guitars, singing a tasteful version of a Paul McCartney song. AT A TABLE sits Alex and her friend LIZ. They are nursing warm bottles of beer. LIZ You think he’s gonna show? ALEX I dunno. Liz. He’s a strange one, I’ll give you that. LIZ If you ask me, he’s hiding something. Or hiding from something. He really sounds like a big mystery to me. ALEX (taking a swig) No, he’s just got a lot on his mind. I think he’s been down a lonely road, and now’s the time to pull over for a rest. LIZ “Alex’s 24 hour roadside assistance: broken hearts mended while you wait”. ALEX (hurt) C’mon, Liz. That’s not funny. I can’t help it if I care about people. Liz looks at her watch. LIZ Well, I hate to tell you this, but we’ve been here over an hour. No sign of your moody pal. AT THE ENTRANCE We SEE none other then Delph enter the pub. He’s all smiles. Southern charm working overtime. He “Hello’s” and “How-Do’s”the ladies, tipping his walking stick in mock salutes. Liz notices Delph as he makes his way through the crowd. LIZ Get a load of John Boy… Alex lifts up out of her chair, trying to get a good look over the heads in her way. When she SEES Delph, her eyebrows raise in considerable interest. ALEX Forget John Boy. That’s Rhett Butler! From across the floor, Delph and Alex make EYE CONTACT. Delph SMILES. Alex RETURNS it. In a moment, Delph is at their table. DELPH (bows) Good evening, dear ladies. Luskus Delph at your service. FADE ACT FOUR EXT. HARPER’S - NIGHT We SEE Stone slowly walk up to the entrance. He pauses, rubs his chin. It’s taken him this long to decide to meet Alex, and he STILL has some reservations. STONE (finally) Okay, let’s get this over with. Stone grabs the handle, opens the door, makes his way in. INT. HARPER’S - NIGHT Walking through the crowd, Stone does his best to pick out Alex. It’s not that packed, so if she’s still here, he should be able to pick her out. LIZ still at the same table, SEES Stone searching the place. Alex has described him enough, so she recognizes Stone easily. LIZ (calling) Hey! Stone HEARS her, heads in that direction. LIZ (cont.) Hey, are you Zeke Stone? He reaches the table. STONE Yeah, who are you? LIZ Liz. I’m a friend of Alex. She’s told me all about you. STONE (looking around) Where is she? LIZ She left maybe ten minutes ago. I said you weren’t gonna show. But it looks like she was right. Liz sees how attractive Stone is. LIZ (cont.) Lucky for me... STONE Do you know where she went? LIZ I think they said they were gonna walk around Bryant Park. STONE “They” LIZ Yeah, she left with some guy she met here. Stone is a little hurt. Did she forget him just that fast? He slumps down into a chair. Liz can see the surprise on Stone’s face. She takes a sip of beer. LIZ I know, that’s really out of character for Alex. But don’t worry, he looked pretty harmless. Sort of a hick if you ask me. STONE Hick? LIZ You know... a hick. Country bumpkin. John Boy. Outta place here in the big bad city. Alex said he reminded her of Rhett Butler. The description sets Stone on edge. He leans forward. STONE Did he have a real slow drawl? Carry a walking stick? Wavy hair? LIZ That’s him to a T. Stone stands up, heads towards the exit. STONE (calling back) You said Bryant Park? LIZ ... Yeah... And Stone is gone. LIZ Amazing this power Alex has over men. She drains her bottle dry. EXT. BRYANT PARK - NIGHT A quite night for a stroll. Couples stride hand in hand, arm in arm. A few late night joggers share the walkways, taking advantage of the cool night air. Alex and Delph slowly amble along, in a hurry to get nowhere. Alex has her hands behind her back, Delph regally marking his paces with his walking stick. DELPH Perhaps the most lovely evening I have yet had in this great city. It is my honor to share it with the company of such a charming young lady. Alex smiles, embarrassed. ALEX Thank you. DELPH You so remind me of my daughter. His face clouds when he thinks of her. DELPH (cont.) It has been some time since I last saw her. ALEX That’s terrible. What happened? Did you two have a falling out? DELPH It’s lengthy tale, darling child, but if you’ve the patience for it, I’m very willing to spin it. ALEX The night’s still young. DELPH I thank you for your kindness. EXT. CITY STREET - NIGHT Stone is racing as fast as he can to get to Bryant Park. EXT. BRYANT PARK - NIGHT Alex and Delph walk in silence for a beat, as Delph collects the events in his head. DELPH As you might have guessed, I’m not from this fair city. ALEX (mock surprise) No! DELPH Worldly as I may seem, I’m just a simple Christian man from Virginia. Southerner by the grace of God. One day I had to leave my family to attend to business overseas. London it was. I had never been there before, and it promised to be an exciting adventure. Once my work was concluded, I was go- ing to stay a few extra days and see the town properly. Big Ben. The Tower of London. I had planned to do it all. My daughter so desperately wanted to go with me, but I told her she couldn’t. It was a long and difficult journey, and not for one so delicate. I made a promise, though, to bring her back a souvenir of London. That made her smile, and forget her anger with me. So, I left for London. Conducted my business. Saw the sights. I even found the perfect souvenir for her. Delph reaches into his breast pocket, pulls out a SMALL WRAPPED BOX. DELPH (cont.) I still carry it with me, after all this time. (hands it to her) I would very much like you to have it. Alex takes the box timidly, holding it as if it were made of gold. ALEX I... I can’t take this. One day you may see her again. Whatever problem you both had will work itself out, I’m sure. She hands it back to Delph. ALEX (cont.) You have to have faith. DELPH (bitter) I had faith, child. But my faith was not enough. I obeyed the laws of my God and my country, and still... still I paid a price too great. Alex doesn’t get what Delph’s driving at. DELPH (cont.) I’m sorry. It’s still a difficult subject to discuss. Even now, after all this time has passed. IN THE BACKGROUND we SEE Stone making his way into the park. He frantically begins to search for his target. ALEX AND DELPH continue their leisurely stroll, unaware that Stone is only a few yards behind them. ALEX I’m not a shrink or anything, but you need to realize that people do change over time. People, ideas, whole cultures. It takes a lot of effort and patience, but if you really want to be forgiven, or forgive some- one, you have to be able to look at what happened between the two of you, and put yourself in the other person’s place. No matter how badly you behaved, or your daughter, if you search your heart and really look at what you did, you’ll know if it was the right thing or not. My folks never pushed religion on me, but the Ten Commandments are still a pretty good set of rules to live by. Alex has been talking as if the subject on Delph’s mind was his relationship with his daughter. Delph, in fact, is relating it to his sin of eternal damnation. DELPH You are wise beyond your years… STONE (OS) ALEX! Alex and Delph both TURN in surprise. They SEE Stone coming at them with his weapon drawn, pointed directly at Delph’s eyes. ALEX (stunned) Zeke... what...? STONE Alex, get outta here, now! Stone moves in cautiously, trying to get them separated. Delph smiles, looks to Alex. Again, he offers her the gift meant for his daughter. DELPH Here, please, I want you to have this. I will never see her again, I know that. (beat) Please. She hesitates. Stone is just a stride away from them now. STONE Don’t take that Alex! Delph looks hurt. DELPH Whatever you may think of me, I can assure you I mean no harm to this lovely creature. I give you my word, Sir, as a Gentleman. Surely that must count for something, even in this day and age. Alex pauses, looks to Delph, then Stone. She doesn’t wait for an answer. She grabs it from Delph’s hand, but doesn’t open it. DELPH Now, I must ask that you leave us. What comes next is not meant for you to see. She doesn’t understand his request. There is a look of confusion on her face. STONE I think he’s right, Alex. Better if you take off. ALEX No. Zeke, what’s going on? Why are you here? What’s with the gun? This sweet man... STONE (cutting her off) It's not what you think. DELPH (nodding) Yes, child. Things are not always as they seem. STONE Go back to the hotel, Alex. I’ll fill you in later. She still doesn’t budge. Delph tries to reassure her. DELPH Do as he asks. I would spare you the events to come. Alex looks to Delph, bewildered. DELPH (cont.) Alexandra... that was my daughter’s name, did I tell you that? Let me say good- bye to you the way I should have to my own Alex. He kisses her on the cheek. DELPH (cont.) I treasure these few moments we shared tonight. You have opened my heart as no other. Perhaps I erred many years ago, in more ways then one. I thank you, for everything. Good-bye, dear Alex. God be with you. Clutching the box, tears brimming in her eyes, Alex departs. When Stone is sure she’s in the clear, he focuses his attention fully on Delph. Strangely, Delph appears calm, almost at peace. DELPH Don’t you think we should conclude this someplace a little more private? JUMP CUT: SECLUDED AREA Stone has Delph marching, his gun a yard from the back of Delph’s head. Finally, when they appear to be well removed from prying eyes, Stone halts his prey. STONE Okay. Delph slowly turns around, faces Stone with a steady gaze. There is a look of resolve in his eyes. DELPH Before you do this, I ask you grant me a last request. Stone is hesitant. This could be a ploy. DELPH (cont.) On my honor, Sir, I will attempt no ruse for my escape. I believe at last I have resolved my internal spiritual battle. With the help of that young lady. STONE What do you want? DELPH To know of the sin for which you were damned to Hell. STONE I killed a man. A man who raped my wife. DELPH And I a slave. A slave, yet now I see he was a man just the same. It’s funny, you know. My sin was not against man’s law when it occurred. And I daresay if you’d done the same thing during my lifetime, you’d have been clapped on the back for your actions. Justice was swift and final. Nothing like I’ve seen since my return to the Mortal world. Stone is having a hard time keeping a steady aim. He realizes he’s about to pull the trigger on a guy who probably was a better person then he was. DELPH (cont.) But, tonight, with a few simple words, I learned more then a lifetime of wisdom. “Thou shall not kill”. How could I have misunderstood that? Took it to mean something else? “Let my people go”. Moses was Hebrew, enslaved by Ramses. And Ramses paid the price for not obeying God. I thought that my return was a sign from God that I had gained absolution. That I had been given a second chance. Believe it or not, I held fast my faith, even in the darkest reaches of Hell. I never lost sight of my Savior’s face. (beat) I am guilty of the sins for which I was damned. I must be returned to the pits of Hades. And you must do it, for both our sakes. No doubt about it, Delph is right on the mark. But it doesn’t make it easier just the same. Stone closes his eyes for a long beat, opens them. Time to pull the trigger, Stone. Time to send another one back to Hell. What are you waiting for? STONE (stalling) How did you die? DELPH I was accosted in the street by a band of common thieves. Beaten to death for my meager possessions. However, they did not remove the souvenir I had brought for my daughter. Somehow, they missed that. Perhaps the Lord knew what he was doing at that moment -- that one day this would also come to pass. And that Alex -- this Alex -- would need it more then mine would. (calm) My name is Luskus Delph. It was my honor to meet you… STONE (silently) ...Stone. Ezekiel Stone. DELPH ...Mr. Stone. God be with you. BLACKOUT EXT. HOTEL MEZZANINE - NIGHT Sitting outside the entrance is Alex. She’s on the pavement, back against the building. Her head slumped down. She’s seen a lot tonight. Stone walks up to her slowly, pauses. Alex realizes someone has approached her, and lifts her head. They share a long, silent look between one another. Finally, Stone decides to join her on the pavement. He sits down beside her. A beat. STONE You okay? She nods “YES”. Stone SEES a GOLD CROSS hanging around her neck. It was not there before. Alex notices Stone’s interest in it. She reaches up to it, clutches it in her hand. STONE Is that what he gave you? Again, she nods “YES”. ALEX What happened? Why did you show up there with a gun? She takes a good look at him, really stares him down. ALEX (cont.) Who are you? STONE Why I’m here, and what I’m here to do is hard to explain. Let’s just say I’m sort of a guy who makes sure bad people get what they deserve. ALEX But, that man…he seemed so sincere. So kind and good. STONE For the most part, I’m sure he was. But we all have to answer to a higher power. You, me, him. The rules are the same. No matter what, we’re all judged the same. ALEX Is he...? STONE ...Gone. A beat. Then, Stone realizes it’s probably time to bring up the other subject he needs to talk about. STONE Uh... listen... I’ve been wanting to talk to you for the last couple of days. Something kind of important. ALEX (exhales deeply) Go ahead. STONE I know now that... after tonight... maybe you don’t feel the same way towards me anymore. But I’ve gotten the impression that, I mean I sort of thought you… He can’t spit it out. ALEX That I...? STONE I’m really flattered, and all, but I don’t think we could... you know, ever really work it out. Alex is confused. ALEX Work what out? STONE It. ALEX What it? STONE You know... us. Alex computes it after a second. ALEX You mean you think that I…? STONE (cutting her off) I’m just not the right guy for you to hook up with, Alex. You’re better off without getting involved with me. She smiles, turns her head. Stone can HEAR a giggle being smothered. STONE C’mon, Alex. It’s not a joke. Alex faces Stone, a twinkle in her eye. ALEX I’m sorry, I don’t mean to hurt your feelings. But... I thought you knew. STONE Knew what? ALEX About me. Now it’s Stone’s turn to look confused. STONE What about you? ALEX You know... I’m... STONE You’re what? ALEX I’m seeing someone. I already have a boyfriend. STONE So, why all the movie nights, giving me stuff people leave behind, asking me to go out with you? ALEX Zeke, I like you. I care about you. But, you know, like a brother or something. I’ve seen you look so lonely, so worn out. And there’s been this air of mystery around you, like you’ve got some heavy burden on your shoulders that you can’t get rid of. I just thought you needed a friend. STONE That’s all? ALEX (final) That’s all. Stone thinks on this. STONE A friend, huh? Well, you’re right. I sure can use a good one. He stands up, holds out his hand to Alex. She takes it, and he lifts her off the ground. STONE Now, my good friend, how’s about we take in a flick? I’ve got this DVD player upstairs that is itching to have a Jimmy Cagney festival. ALEX I told you, it’s Bogey or Edward G. My tastes are very selective when it comes to bad guys. STONE I sort of like Bogey when he played the good guy. ALEX Good guy, bad guy, as long as it’s Bogey. They head into the hotel. STONE Alex, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship. FADE THE END