BROKEN BARRICADES by Phil Gee BRIMSTONE VS Episode #312 TEASER FADE UP: INT. A DARK ROOM - NIGHT We are in an unknown location in New York City. The room is dark, somber, almost overpowering with the feeling of dread. CANDLES are flickering at various places, casting EERIE SHADOWS across the floor. One of the EERIE SHADOWS is MOVING towards us. It’s the outline of LILLIAN “LULU” CASTILLO. She walking in slow, methodical paces, CHANTING something in a low, mumbling tone. She holds an OBJECT in her hands, caressing it delicately. The object appears to be a RELIGIOUS TOTEM. Standing to the rear of the room is LIZZY DARKE. She’s there at the insistence of Lulu. Not much of a chance she’d be there willingly under the circumstances. Lizzy looks a little freaked, but tries not to show it. Lulu walks over to a BED. There are candles encircling it. The walls next to the bed are covered with RITUALISTIC MARKINGS, symbolic of Lulu’s SANTERIA religion. Lulu rubs the totem in her hands, increases the tempo of her chanting. She looks down at the... FIGURE IN BED We can’t make out who’s laying there. The body is covered with a dark blanket. Whoever it is, is WRITHING back and forth. We HEAR MOANS coming from them, WORDS that don’t sound familiar to us. As if they were speaking in a dead language. Lulu takes a hand and puts it out over the head of the Figure In Bed. Chants louder. This makes them MOAN more intently. From the rear, Lizzy’s eyes get wider. FIGURE IN BED NO! IT CAN’T HAPPEN THIS WAY! HE HAS TO COME BACK TO ME NOW! Lulu motions for Lizzy to join her at the bedside. Lizzy hesitates, then finally saunters over. LULU She’s very close to the point we require. LIZZY What do you mean? LULU Soon we will be able to break free of her hold over us. We MOVE IN now on the Figure In Bed. We see it’s... ASH She looks maniacal, almost frantic. She’s tossing back and forth in the bed, clawing at the sheets, eyes darting back and forth rapidly. LIZZY Is she going to make it? LULU She would most likely survive with- out my assistance, but her mind is not focused enough to realize that. Ash believes I am keeping her alive at this point. Which is all the better for us. Lizzy looks at Lulu. This is a very conniving woman, indeed. Lulu’s mystical powers are not something Lizzy wants to test. ASH Zeke! Ezekiel, where are you? Lulu puts the totem down on the floor, kneels beside Ash. Tries to display a touch of sincerity. LULU He’s not here, Ash. ASH Why did you abandon me?! Abandon our child?! WHY?! Lulu glances up at Lizzy. Here it comes -- time to put their cards on the table. LULU He left you for his wife, Ash. He still loves her. He wants her back, more then anything. This statement drives Ash into a frenzy. ASH THAT MORTAL BITCH! What could he POSSIBLY want that weak woman for? LULU Who knows a man’s thoughts when love is concerned? ASH He loves ME! LULU It might be as you say, Ash. But as long as his wife is around, she will always be a distraction. Lizzy sees where Lulu is headed. She shifts her feet, blinks her eyes fast. LULU Being your faithful servant for so long, I hate to see you suffer this way. ASH Yes... you have been at my side longer then any other... LULU And I have asked for nothing in all that time. Only to serve you. ASH Yes… LULU But now -- now it is time to make a request of you. Lulu closes her eyes, concentrates. Ash suddenly MOANS IN AGONY. Lizzy realizes that Lulu is manipulating Ash’s pain level. Turning it up a notch to drive it home. LULU I can make him come back to you… if you still want him. There it is, dangling right out in front of Ash. ASH HOW?! LULU First -- my request must be granted. Ash slides to her elbows. Her face wild, hair standing up. ASH Will you make him love me? Come back and be a father to our child? LULU You know I have that power. Ash smiles at the thought of Stone being solely hers. ASH Zeke -- my dear Ezekiel. We will soon be together again. LULU IF you agree to my request. ASH What do you want? LULU You must set us free from the bond between us. Lizzy bites her lip. She doesn’t know what to expect next from Ash -- OR Lulu. Ash hesitates. Even in her current mental state, she understands the seriousness of this request. LULU (turning the screw) Think of it; your true love at your side. At last. For our two meager souls. That’s not much to ask in return now, is it? Ash considers this for a moment. It’s a tempting offer. ASH (thinking) But what of that -- woman? As long as she is alive... he still might have the desire to go back to her. (beat) You will make him love me? Lulu nods YES. A broad smile slowing creeping across her face. ASH Deliver this child safely... make Zeke love me for eternity -- and KILL his wife... Lizzy’s mouth drops! ASH (CONT) Do these for me, and I will release you. LULU (countering) Release us FIRST, and we will do what you ask. Ash and Lulu LOCK EYES for a beat. Lulu’s eyes NARROW as she tries to sway Ash once and for all into agreeing with her. Ash’s eyes seem to WEAKEN for a beat -- but then become slightly clearer. Her instincts kick in. Even though she’s under Lulu’s mystical influence, Ash realizes this is not a good idea to free them just yet. Lulu can sense Ash is wavering, tenses up. Did she go too far? ASH No. Once my child is born -- and that inferior Mortal woman is dead -- THEN I will free you both. Not a moment before. Lulu leans away from the bed, looks over her shoulder at Lizzy. It wasn’t exactly what they hoped for, but they can still achieve their goal of freedom if they do as Ash says. LULU Very well, Ash. It will be as you say. We’ll kill his wife -- in exchange for our freedom. ASH So it is done. Ash gathers her strength, sits up fully. She swings her legs over the side of the bed, feet resting on the floor, extends both her hands out. ASH Both of you, kneel before me. They do as she says. Placing a hand on each of their heads, Ash closes her eyes, starts to speak in the same dead language as before. Lizzy looks to Lulu, who cautions her to remain still. When Ash is finally done speaking, she immediately slumps back into her bed. She doesn’t move an inch. Lulu stands up, quickly followed by Lizzy. They head towards the exit. LIZZY What was that all about? LULU She swore an oath that she would do as she said. We will be free once we have completed our tasks. (beat) We’ve done it! Soon we will be free! FADE END TEASER ACT ONE INT. KING HOUSE - KITCHEN - DAY Dan is on the phone, looking a little anxious. He talks rapidly, constantly checking his watch. DAN Hello, Dr. Fagan’s office? This is Dan Copper -- Mrs. Copper’s husband. Her water just broke. We’re on our way to the hospital now. SLAM! He hangs up in a hurry, runs into the... LIVING ROOM Keeping an eye on his watch, he walks to ROSALYN, who is sitting on the couch, looking pretty uncomfortable. DAN I just called Dr. Fagan, Rosalyn! They know we’re on our way. Rosalyn doesn’t budge. DAN (impatient) C’mon, honey! You don’t want to have the baby here, do you? ROSALYN Who’s having this kid, anyway? You or me? Letting a brief GRUNT out, Rosalyn wangles her way up from the couch. Dan searches the floor frantically. DAN Where’s your bag? He paces back and forth, in a futile effort to locate her lost luggage. With a wry grin, Rosalyn points to the SMALL BAG on the couch. ROSAYLN This what you’re looking for? Dan stops, a frustrated look on his face. Rosalyn bends over to pick it up. DAN I’m supposed to carry that! ROSAYLN Okay, okay! Here, it’s yours! She hands him the bag. Delicately, Dan guides her steps. DAN One foot in front of the other… ROSALYN I’ve been walking since I was a year old, Dan. It’s not something you easily forget... Finally, they reach the... HALLWAY DAN Okay... (checks his watch) We’re out the door, on our way to the hospital. ROSALYN I never would have guessed. Despite the seemingly important events that are taking place, Rosalyn looks a little bored. Dan guides Rosalyn to the front door, still eyeing his watch. He opens the door, takes one step outside. To his surprise, Rosalyn doesn’t follow. DAN Come on, we -- ROSAYLN (cutting him off) We did the test run fine, Dan. In another minute we’re in the car and on our way. DAN (still intent) We have to see how long it’ll take to get to the hospital… ROSALYN You know it’s thirty minutes at the very least. (tired) I’m beat, honey. After that drive back from Ice Lake I’m not getting into another car until this little girl is ready to pop out. YOU try sitting in one place that long with a kid doing summersaults the whole time. It ain’t easy... Dan relaxes, realizes he’s been a bit pushy. DAN You’re right. He steps back into the house, closes the door. DAN (CONT) Guess I’m just a little nervous. ROSALYN (sarcastic) No! You act like you’ve never done this before. Dan lowers his head, a bit sad. DAN ...I haven‘t... at least not this part. She searches his eyes; it looks like something is buried deep inside. ROSALYN (gentle) What happened? DAN My folks -- they never really liked Alexis. Thought she was all wrong for me. That we never should have gotten married in the first place. Just before Stephen was due, my Mom called me -- she said my Dad had a stroke, that he wasn’t expected to make it. Even though Alexis was about to have the baby, I flew home. When I got to my folk’s house, I found out she’d lied to me about the whole thing. He was fine. My Mom was so intent on splitting us up, she thought Alexis would leave me if I wasn’t there when the baby was born. I called Alexis to tell her I was on the first plane back…but she’d already gone into labor. By the time I got to L.A., she’d already had Stephen. I never spoke to my parents again. (beat) Two days before Maya was born, I got another call. My folks had died; their house’d caught on fire. Both of them burned to death in their sleep. I was their only child, so I had to go out and take care of all the family business. I never saw either of my kids being born. (beat) I know -- in their own way -- they loved me. They thought they were doing the right thing. But I’ve never really forgiven them for what they put me through. Rosalyn is in tears. What a terrible burden to carry for so long. ROSALYN I’m so sorry, Dan. Why didn’t you tell me this before? DAN (shrugs) I dunno. I was hoping to finally get through this the right way. She gives Dan a tight hug. ROSALYN This time everything will be fine. I promise. INT. LULU’S PLACE - DAY We are in perhaps an abandoned LOFT somewhere in Manhattan. The place is decked out in similar fashion to her former hotel room in Miami; ritualistic PAINTINGS, an ALTAR filled with candles, an INCENSE URN or two smoking away silently. Seated on the floor, surrounded by a circle of candles, Lulu chants softly. Looks like she is in a trance of some kind. A DOOR creeps open at the rear of the loft. Lizzy steps in timidly. She’s learned NOT to interrupt Lulu when these kinds of things are going on. Cautiously, Lizzy walks over to a chair, takes a seat. Lulu continues her meditation, her face twitching, mouth moving in rhythm. At last, Lulu stirs. The trance is over. Taking a moment to collect herself, Lulu rises from the floor, heads over to the... ALTAR Re-arranging the TOTEMS decorating it, Lulu seems very focused on something. Sensing this is the only chance she’ll have to start a conversation, Lizzy approaches Lulu. LIZZY Are you through with -- the what- ever-it-is...? Lulu nods YES. LULU My mind is clear on the task ahead. LIZZY About this task… Lulu turns to face her, very intimidating. It causes Lizzy to pause for a beat. LIZZY Why did you agree to kill Stone’s wife? LULU Ash is still the most powerful among us. To refuse her so openly could have proved dangerous. (beat) I have been manipulating Ash over the past weeks. Slowly, carefully, not to arouse her suspicions. She really is not as bad as she now appears -- I have introduced what you would call a drug into her body. Small doses, increasing over time to bring her to the point where she is now. Weak, easily influenced by suggestion. It is a delicate line to walk. She had to think the idea’s were hers, and hers alone. LIZZY You mean you put the thought of kill- ing Stone’s wife in her head? That if she’s dead, he’ll come back to her? LULU It was not difficult to make her believe so. It is close to the truth, in actuality. He still loves his wife, even though he is staying away from her... and her new husband. When Lulu says the words “new husband”, a devious smile sprouts from her lips. LULU (CONT) And if Ash believes I can make him love her, it strengthens our position that much more. Lizzy’s face betrays her resentment of Lulu’s eagerness to involve her with the killing. LIZZY I just can’t believe we need to go through with all of this. I mean, she gave us her word, or whatever it was she did back there. Isn’t that enough to make sure it happens no matter what? LULU I told you, she is the most powerful Damned Soul walking the earth. As she bound her word to us, so must we honor our portion of the agreement. She might find out we did not fulfill our end of the agreement, cause us to be sent back to Hell in some fashion. Either way, what does it matter? This woman means nothing to us. Lizzy fights hard to keep her feelings in check. Maybe this partnership with Lulu isn’t turning out to be such a good deal after all. LIZZY Why me? I mean, you keep saying “us” all the time. What do you still need me for? Lulu stops fiddling with the totems, takes a step in Lizzy’s direction. LULU As I was to Ash, so shall you be to me. You should feel honored. This is not a title I bestow lightly, or without much thought. You have proven your worth to me in the time we have been together. And as my tribal chief once instructed -- keep your enemies close, and your allies even closer. Lulu gives her one last hard look, then goes back to her altar. Lizzy contemplates what she just heard. Obviously, asking to just walk out the door and never come back is out of the question now. LIZZY So... how do we... do it? LULU By the power Chango has given me. Lizzy doesn’t understand. LULU We will make someone close to her do the deed. Lulu picks up a CRYSTAL GLOBE from the altar, rubs her hand over it almost erotically. LIZZY Stone? She shakes her head NO. LULU A MORTAL that is close to her... C.U. ON GLOBE A SWIRLING IMAGE starts to take shape. Looks like a FACE is forming. As the image gets clearer, we SEE it’s DAN! LULU Her new husband… (beat) ...So says Chango... My god has spoken. FADE END ACT ONE ACT TWO INT. OUTSIDE STONE’S APARTMENT - DAY Slinking through the hallway is ALEX. She’s holding a SMALL BOX that’s gift wrapped. Taking a set of PASS KEYS from her pocket, she selects the right one and quietly OPENS THE DOOR. INT. STONE’S APARTMENT - DAY The door hinges squeak loudly; Alex HUSHES them, pleading for quiet. She closes the door softly, locking it behind her. She gets a good look at Stone’s place for the first time without being otherwise occupied. It’s sort of a dump, when you get right down to it. Remembering why she snuck in, Alex goes about finding the proper place to lay her gift. Of course, next to the TV is perfect. After all, it’s a boxed set of Jimmy Cagney movies. After securing it in a location Stone can’t help but notice, Alex starts to head out the door. Just as she’s about to leave, her curiosity gets the better of her. She knows this is betraying a trust, but Stone’s just so damn peculiar. There have been too many unexplained events surrounding him during the time he’s been there. What harm could a little recon do? BATHROOM CLICK. The dim overhead light comes on. Alex slowly walks in, opens the medicine cabinet. Toothpaste, mouthwash; that’s about it. No aspirin, no bandages, no deodorant. She checks the vanity top. A toothbrush in a cup and a wash cloth. Both dry. So is the almost new bar of soap. Under the sink: a bottle of drain cleaner. Some scouring powder. And lots of unused space. Almost out the door, she turns back. This is odd; there’s no toilet paper on the roller. No facial tissue, either. BEDROOM Alex tiptoes in, a little more pumped up to discover something juicy about Stone. She checks his dresser drawers. Lined with old newspapers, probably from the last occupant. But no real clothing items to speak of. His bed isn’t made, but what guy DOES tidy up the sheets unless he’s expecting female company? She opens the closet door. Maybe ten to twelve empty hangers stare back at her. She runs her hand on the top shelf. Dust, and more dust. That’s it. It gets up her nose. She sneezes. Alex stands in the middle of the room, perplexed. This just doesn’t add up. There has to be more to Stone then what she’s seen -- or HASN’T seen -- so far. We HEAR a KEY ENTERING THE LOCK O.S. Sounds like Stone is on his way in! There are also VOICES coming from behind the door; Stone and a woman, from what Alex can tell. Realizing she’s done something pretty rotten, Alex tries to figure out if she should walk into the living room and accept her punishment, or hide out and see if they’re coming and going fast. The closet is too inviting. Should be a safe hiding place; after all, he never uses it. Stepping in, she pulls the door closed just enough to hear what goes on in the... LIVING ROOM STONE walks in, followed by Lizzy. He takes his jacket off, absently draping it over the TV -- covering Alex’s present. Lizzy is pretty animated. She can’t seem to calm down. Stone tries his best to settle her. STONE Take it easy... LIZZY Stone, do you get what I’m saying to you?! STONE To tell you the truth, you’re not really making much sense. He goes to the kitchen, opens the fridge, searches for a cold drink. STONE (CONT) Take it from the top again. LIZZY Okay, like I said, Ash sent me to Pandora in order to find Lulu and bring her back here. Lulu was -- to put it mildly -- a little ticked off over the fact that you’re the father-to-be of Ash’s baby. CLOSET Alex reacts visibly to this piece of news. LIVING ROOM Stone makes his way to the couch, sits down. STONE I got that so far. LIZZY So, Lulu was some kind Santeria priestess back in the 1600’s, or whenever she was alive. She’s got some INCREDIBLE powers, Stone, I’m not kidding. CLOSET Again, Alex reacts to what she’s just heard. LIVING ROOM LIZZY (CONT) She’s been feeding Ash some kind of drug ever since we got back to New York, slowly making her crazy... STONE Crazy? LIZZY I don’t know what else to call it. Ash was having trouble with the baby somehow. She wanted Lulu to be her mid-wife. Help out with the delivery. But Lulu saw it as a chance to break free from the chain all of the Damned Souls are bound to. She put it in Ash’s head that if… She pauses. STONE ...That if...? LIZZY If your wife were dead, you’d come back to Ash. Fall in love with her. Be together forever. CLOSET Stone married? He’s gotten another woman pregnant that wants his wife dead? Drugs? Damned Souls? LIVING ROOM Stone gets up, crosses to Lizzy, puts his hands on her shoulders. STONE So what finally happened? Did Ash agree to let her go? Lizzy nods YES. LIZZY And me, too. I have to do it with her, or the deal won’t work. Stone is incredulous. STONE WHAT?! LIZZY That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you, Stone. Lulu’s going to make sure I follow through with it. I’m right in the middle of this thing. STONE Then get out of it! LIZZY Why do you think I came to you for help?! We’ve got to stop them both… STONE Damn straight! Stone takes his hands from Lizzy’s shoulders, starts to pace the floor, thinking. STONE Okay... she’s one of the Damned Souls, right? We set her up. I’ll hide out someplace, you bring her by. I shoot her eyes out, send her back to Hell. CLOSET Alex shudders -- send her back to Hell?! LIVING ROOM LIZZY No way. With her powers, I bet you couldn’t get within a mile of her. (beat) She KNOWS who and what you are. She despises you, Stone. I’m telling you. It’s freaking me out just coming here to tell you this. She might have some kind of supernatural spy camera on me right now, watching everything we’ve been doing. CLOSET Alex’s nose twitches. The dust is getting to her. A sneeze is coming on strong! She does her best to hold it back, but… ALEX AH-CHOO! LIVING ROOM Stone instantly draws his gun! Motions for Lizzy to find some place to hide. She ducks down in front of the couch. BEDROOM Stone pads lightly, weapon cocked and ready in front of him. Another AH-CHOO! -- it came from the... CLOSET Alex can’t control it. Here comes one more… ALEX AH-CHOO! WHAM! The door flies open! Staring down at Alex is Stone, his gun just INCHES from her runny nose! He tenses up, ready to fire. Then he sees who it is. STONE ALEX! What the hell are you doing in there? She steps out of the closet, looking like the cat that swallowed the canary. ALEX I’m sorry, it’s not what you think… LIZZY (O.S.) You okay, Stone? STONE Yeah... I caught a mouse. LIVING ROOM Lizzy stands up, takes a look at Alex. LIZZY The mouse? Stone nods YES. Puts his gun away. LIZZY (CONT) You know her? STONE Sad but true -- she’s the front desk clerk here at the “Is Nothing Sacred?” hotel. Alex, what were you doing, hid- ing in my closet like that? Alex goes to Stone’s TV, removes his jacket to reveal the present underneath. She takes it, hands it childishly to Stone. ALEX I wanted to surprise you. I’m sorry, but I couldn’t help looking around. I swear I just got her right before you came in... (beat) There’s so many freaky things that involve you, Stone. Ever since I met you, you’ve been one big question mark. I only wanted to find out what was going on -- if you were in trouble or something. Thought that’s what friends did. Stone takes the box, doesn’t know what to say. STONE Thanks, I guess. He tosses it to a chair. ALEX Aren’t you going to open it? STONE Alex! Gimme a break! You just broke into my apartment! ALEX No, I used my key... She stops short, realizing that’s just as bad. ALEX (CONT) I’m sorry, Stone. I’ll never do it again. Lizzy -- already frazzled by the current situation with Ash and Lulu -- gets even MORE uptight by Alex’s presence. LIZZY What are we gonna do about her?! Alex’s eyes explode. All of the talk about killing and Hell has spooked her big time. ALEX I promise, Stone, I won’t say a word to anyone! Please, please don’t kill me! I’m begging you... Stone sees she has it all wrong. STONE I’m not some nut case serial killer, Alex. ALEX But I heard you talking about... STONE ...Something you don’t understand. Frustrated, Stone plops down on the couch. He pats the cushions, inviting Alex to join him. She hesitates. STONE It’s okay, Alex. (beat) Really. Still a little scared, Alex sits down. As far away from Stone as the couch will allow. Stone and Lizzy exchange glances. Should they tell her? Lizzy throws up her hands, as if to say “What difference does it make now?”. STONE Do you believe in Heaven and Hell? Alex’s eyebrows raise. Off this reaction we... DISSOLVE TO: STONE’S APARTMENT - LATER Stone has laid it all out; nothing held back. All in all, Alex looks like she’s taken it pretty good. ALEX (gulps) I think I’m gonna throw up. Then again, maybe not. STONE You want a drink? She nods YES. Stone motions for Lizzy to bring her something. ALEX You know, I alway thought there was something different about you. You just gave off this weird vibe. (beat) I guess this explains a lot of things. Like why you don’t have any toilet paper. Lizzy hands her a glass. Alex gulps it down quick. STONE Well, certain bodily functions don’t really matter once you -- you know-- come back. Alex puts the glass down, holds up her hand to stop him from going any further. ALEX That’s okay, I’ve heard enough for one lifetime. STONE I’m sorry you had to find out. They sit in heavy silence for a beat. Alex looks from Stone to Lizzy and back, taking it all in. ALEX So everything’s true -- Heaven and Hell and all that shi- She catches herself just in time. ALEX (eyes Heavenward) Sorry -- I meant crap. We really get judged for what we do while we’re serving time on planet Earth? Stone and Lizzy nod slowly. ALEX What did you two go to Hell for? (quickly) No! I don’t wanna know. LIZZY Right now that isn’t important. STONE Agreed. We’re here... and that’s that. ALEX But what about this -- Ash person? Stone and Lizzy exchange glances. LIZZY Yeah, Stone, what about her? Stone thinks a second. STONE Do you know where Ash is now? Lizzy cringes at this question. LIZZY Stone, I... STONE This is IT, Lizzy! Whatever Ash has been planning is about to come crash- ing down on top of us! Lizzy realizes she’s cornered from all sides. Either direction she takes is going to be dangerous. STONE COME ON! WHERE IS SHE?! LIZZY (quietly) She keeps moving around, never stays in the same spot for very long. I can take you to the last place I saw her, but there’s no guarantee she’ll still be there. STONE Good enough. He gets up, grabs his jacket. STONE (CONT) Let’s go... Lizzy slowly rises, starts to follow Stone out the door. ALEX Zeke... what should I do... now that...? Stone goes back to Alex, cups her chin with his hands, looks compassionately in her eyes. STONE Stay here -- go about your life as if none of this even happened. ALEX But -- it HAS happened… STONE Then pray, I guess. Now you know it really works... Stone and Lizzy exit. Alex looks to the Heavens again. A beat. Then, she kneels down in front of the couch. DISSOLVE TO: INT. LULU’S PLACE - DAY Lulu is kneeling in front of her altar, weaving an INCANTATION over a totem that represents Dan. She mumbles several mysterious words, then takes a handful of POWDER from a small container on the altar, sprinkles it over the totem. More mysterious words. Then, several GESTURES with her hands over the totem of Dan. WOOSH! A gust of wind blows through her loft! The candles FLICKER. The wind elevates Lulu’s actions. She places the totem on the floor, stands up, begins to pace around in some kind of ritual dance. MORE WIND! Yet, the candles remain lit. Lulu’s dance increases in tempo, as well as her incantation. Suddenly, she STOPS! HOLDS HER ARMS OUT WIDE TO EITHER SIDE, THEN DROPS TO THE FLOOR IN A HEAP! THE CANDLES EXTINGUISH EXACTLY WHEN SHE MAKES CONTACT WITH THE GROUND! A beat. Lulu’s drained. Weakened by the amount of energy required to cast the spell over Dan. She can hardly move. But her face betrays an evil grin -- she knows it was successful. EXT. A CITY STREET - DAY Dan is walking along, his arms full of shopping bags. Suddenly, his CELL PHONE RINGS. It takes some re-arranging of the shopping bags, but he finally gets the phone answered. DAN Hello? ROSALYN (on phone) Hey, honey. DAN I got the pickles and peanut butter, but they were all out of sardines. You pregnant women and your cravings. ROSALYN (on phone) I’m sorry. What can I say? Pretty soon you won’t have to go out like this. DAN Yeah... I’ll be up all night, trying to get the baby to sleep after those two A.M. feedings. Dan suddenly STOPS IN HIS TRACKS. A strange look comes over him. Any show of emotion suddenly vanishes. He almost looks like a zombie. ROSALYN (on phone) How much longer will you be? He doesn’t answer right away. ROSALYN (on phone) Dan? You there? DAN It won’t be long now. ROSALYN (on phone) I’ll see you soon, then. DAN Right. ROSALYN (on phone) Bye, Dan. I love you. Dan clicks off without responding. He puts his cell phone away, continues his walk down the street. As he comes closer to us, we SEE he wears the same evil grin that Lulu had. END ACT TWO ACT THREE INT. A DARK ROOM - DAY We are back in the same room from our teaser. Even in the daylight, the place looks creepy. The door opens. A beat. Then, Stone enters, weapon drawn. He pokes his head in and out rapidly. Nothing happening. He steps in cautiously, finger still embracing the trigger. Lizzy walks in a couple of steps behind. She’s pretty sure Ash has vacated the place, but she’s still worried that something bad could happen. Stone makes a sweep of the joint. Outside of the bed in the middle of the room, the place looks deserted. Lizzy walks over to the bed, bends down, touches the spot she knelt in front of Ash. Looks like a shiver runs through her spine -- if that were possible. Stone comes up behind her, holsters his gun. STONE I guess it was too much to hope for. She keeps her back to Stone as she speaks to him. LIZZY There’s something I didn’t tell you yet, Stone. The real reason I came after you. STONE What is it? LIZZY Your wife got married again, right? STONE Yeah. LIZZY Lulu was gonna have her new husband be the one who kills her. STONE WHAT?! LIZZY She’s planning on casting a spell on him. It may already be done by now. I know we don’t always see eye to eye, but both of them are innocent of all this. Whatever I did in my lifetime…I couldn’t stand in the background on this one. Stone thinks madly for a beat. STONE What about Pandora?! If we could find her, maybe she... LIZZY She’s gone way low... totally off the radar ever since I brought Lulu to town. Pandora’s not gonna be found unless she WANTS to be found. And believe me, she wants nothing to do with Ash right now. STONE How do you know? LIZZY Ash has been trying to contact her for weeks. Pandora isn’t responding at all. From what I’ve heard, Pandora kept her powers guarded when she was a slave. Her Master beat her when he discovered she had supernatural powers. I don’t think she ever got over the fear of what trouble her abilities could bring her. FEMALE VOICE (O.S.) You’re right. Stone and Lizzy swirl around to see... PANDORA standing in the doorway. She looks tired; an air of defeat envelopes her body. Clutched tightly under her right arm is a BATTERED MAHOGONY BOX. Inside the box are small bone fragments; one for each of the remaining Damned Souls that is still on the run. Pandora knows instantly where each of the Damned are, simply by touching the bone fragment that represents their Souls. She has acted as a “mental computer” in Ash’s army, keeping track of every Damned Soul throughout their time among the Mortals. Stone cautiously approaches her. Given what Lizzy just said, he’s got to wonder what she’s up to. Pandora walks into the room, meets Stone halfway. PANDORA I’m tired of hiding. Tired of the burden Ash has laid upon my shoulders. I didn’t ask to be born with these powers. I never wanted them. (to Stone) Do you KNOW what it is to be feared simply because you are who you are? She turns to Lizzy. PANDORA (CONT) To be stolen from your home and sold into slavery? Beaten by a man who calls himself your MASTER? What would YOU do -- what COULD you do? (beat) You’d realize the only chance you had was to kill him. In the midst of chaos clarity often comes. Or so I thought. The slaves on my plantation revolted one night. It was easy to throw my lot in with theirs. Even though I was a healer to my people, I found I had it within me to TAKE a life. That may not cause either of you concern, but to me it was as if I betrayed my beliefs. I DID betray them. Fully and freely. (beat) I was killed that same night. And just was my damnation. I deserved the punish- ment I received. I never would have been able to live with myself after committing so cruel an act. Pandora puts her hand to her head, the memory weighing heavy. PANDORA But, from this there IS no hiding. Not any longer. Ash must be stopped. Stone regards her. STONE Will you help us? Pandora scoffs. PANDORA Yes, everyone WANTS something from Pandora. But no one is willing to OFFER something in return. STONE I don’t have much to give... PANDORA You have more then you realize. A beat. He understands exactly what she means. STONE Is that what you want? PANDORA Do you think you or I really have a choice in this? You’re as much chained to the Dark One as I am to Ash. I’ll wager neither of us wants to be shackled any longer. At least YOU have a chance at mortality again. (beat) I want out. For this to be over -- at least for me. Stone nods. She’s right all the way. Pandora is one of the 113. He HAS to return her if he ever wants to live a Mortal life. And they both know that fact. STONE Do you know where Ash is? PANDORA She alone is the one Damned Soul I have no insight to. It was at her insistence. STONE What about Lulu? She sifts her weight from one foot to the other. STONE (CONT) Please. My wife -- Rosalyn has nothing to do with this. (beat) Help me at least TRY to save her. Pandora hesitates, then places the mahogany box on the floor. Opening it, she rummages around until she finds the bone fragment she’s looking for. She holds it up for them to see. It’s a bit larger then most of the other smaller, domino sized pieces. This one is close to a pencil in length. She goes to Lizzy, places the bone in her hand, closes Lizzy’s fingers tightly. Then, Pandora grips both of her hands around Lizzy’s clenched fist. PANDORA She is alone, in the place she worships her god. Do you know where this is? LIZZY Yes. PANDORA She is weak -- due to the incantation she cast. It takes a considerable amount of energy for her to invoke this spell, since it involves making a Mortal commit an act he would not otherwise do. The only chance you have of overpower- ing her is to confront her while she is maintaining it. Otherwise, she will defeat you. She may STILL defeat you. Even under these circumstances, she is a threat. LIZZY Why give this to me? PANDORA I don’t want it any longer. Stone looks at the box. STONE What about that? Pandora lets go of Lizzy’s hand, walks over to the box, kneels down to collect it. PANDORA It will be of no use to anyone. I alone empower it’s contents. Keep it. Burn it. I don’t care. As long as I am rid of it’s burden. STONE Fair enough. A beat. PANDORA Are you ready? STONE ...Yeah, I’m ready. Lizzy looks pretty uncomfortable. LIZZY I’m gonna wait for you outside. STONE Go ahead. Lizzy takes one last look at Pandora, then exits. STONE Thank you... Pandora closes her eyes, nods her head. PANDORA You’re welcome, Ezekiel. She opens her eyes, stares straight ahead at Stone. Stone raises his gun, takes aim. STONE You’re a good woman, Pandora. Maybe your -- Master -- deserved what he got. PANDORA He would have received a just punishment for his action on the other side. It is not for us to take life from the living. I think you know that now. And probably your companion, too. Stone can only nod in agreement. A beat. Then... BLAM! BLAM! Stone fires his gun -- two rounds strike there targets perfectly. In a fury of blue electricity, Pandora’s essence is returned to Hell. EXT. CITY STREET - DAY Lizzy walks out onto the fairly deserted sidewalk. Ash isn’t one for the high rent district; the surroundings are pretty grimy. She looks down at the bone fragment in her hand. Thinks a moment. She wonders if she should have asked Pandora to give her the one that represents HER Soul. She’s still a little distrustful of all these mystical goings-on. Before she has a chance to act on that impulse, Stone appears at the building entrance. His face grim. Looks like the deed was done. They exchange a meaningful look. LIZZY What do we do now? STONE I have to find Rosalyn, get her out of the way somehow. Then, find Dan and keep him occupied while you take out Lulu. Lizzy swallows hard. Stone sees her reluctance. STONE You HAVE to do it, Lizzy. If it’s like you said, there’s no way I can get close enough to her. You’re the only one who can stop her. She nods YES. LIZZY Okay, then. Let’s do it. INT. A DARK ROOM - DAY IN the middle of the floor is a BURN MARK left behind from Pandora’s return to Hell. In the center of the burn mark, her battered mahogany box is just beginning to engulf itself in flames. INT. KING HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - DAY Rosalyn has just placed a call. She stands with the phone in one hand, the other holding her very big stomach. Her face is a little pale; looks like she's anxious. Her MOTHER (SUSAN) comes into the Living Room, also looking anxious. The two women exchange EYE CONTACT. Rosalyn is growing impatient; no one’s answered her call yet. Finally, somebody picks up on the other end. ROSALYN Dan? INT. DAN’S CAR - DAY Dan is at the wheel, driving calmly. He’s got his cell phone pressed to one ear. His face blank. DAN Yes, dear. His voice is nearly void of emotion. INTERCUT ROSALYN Dan... it’s time. DAN Okay, sweetheart, I’m on my way. Sit tight. I’ll be home in a minute. Rosalyn holds the phone away from her ear, looks quizzically at it for a second. As wound up as Dan was earlier in the day, he almost sounds irritated now. This is the second time today he’s acted strange. She places the phone back to her ear. ROSALYN I’ll be ready to go when you get here. DAN I’m sure you’ll be fine, dear. ROSALYN I love you, Dan. A beat. DAN (almost forced) I love you, too. CLICK. Dan’s already cut the connection. Rosalyn hangs up the phone slowly. SUSAN Is something wrong? ROSALYN No... no, he’s on his way. Despite her words, Rosalyn isn’t so sure if that’s really the case. Still holding her stomach, Rosalyn walks over to the WINDOW, stares out into the growing evening shadows. She knows in the next few hours her life is about to change forever. END ACT THREE ACT FOUR EXT. CITY STREET - AT A PAYPHONE - NIGHT Standing under a dim street light is Stone, leaning against the payphone, receiver pressed tightly to his ear. STONE Kane? EXT. OUTSIDE A GAS STATION - NIGHT KANE is squatting down behind a POLICE CAR. He’s got his cell phone held slightly away from his ear, halfway paying attention to the call. KANE Yeah -- Kane here. INTERCUT STONE It’s Stone. Listen, I -- KANE Stone -- this isn’t a good time for me right now... We PULL BACK from Kane, and SEE he’s smack dab in the middle of a DOZEN POLICE CARS, lights flashing on all of them. About TWENTY UNIFORMED COPS are scattered here and there, WEAPONS drawn, all pointed at the gas station. FROM THE GAS STATION we SEE a CRAZY GUNMAN holding a FRANTIC WOMAN at gunpoint. They are inside the small office, which has several BULLET HOLES in the front window. There’s BLOOD visible on the walls. STONE I need a favor... KANE Didn’t you hear me? I’m right in the-- STONE (cutting him off) This is important! KANE Hey, I have a job to do, too, remember?! Stone rubs his eyes. STONE I’m sorry, Will, but if you don’t do this for me... KANE Zeke, there’s NO WAY I can pull out of here. I got a loony that’s already whacked a gas station attendant, and primed to do a customer any second. A beat. STONE What about Sophia? KANE No good, either. She’s on a stake out in the Bronx. I haven’t even seen her myself for two days. Stone’s up against the wall now. STONE Rosalyn’s in trouble, Will. I need you to go and get her, take her some- place for a while. He’d like to help Stone out, but there’s no way he can leave. KANE (sincere) I’m sorry, Stone, but I can’t. (beat) You’ll have to do it yourself. Stone freezes. STONE No, I -- KANE You can’t WHAT? Put yourself to the side to save the woman who loved you more then her own life? His words cut Stone deep. KANE (CONT) This whole thing of you barricading yourself away from her won’t mean diddly squat if she gets killed, will it? STONE I don’t know... KANE Well, I DO know! It’s you or nobody this time, Zeke. Time to decide what’s more important; your secret or her life. It doesn’t take Stone long to make up his mind. STONE Do you know where she’s at? KANE Her mother’s house. At least that’s the last place I knew she was staying. STONE Damn. I‘m nowhere close to there. KANE Tell you what -- I’ll send a squad car for you, have ‘em take you there. Where you at now? SMASH CUT: INT. KING HOUSE - NIGHT Rosalyn is worried. Dan should have been here by now. Her Mother pats her on the shoulder, comforting. SUSAN Don’t worry, dear. When you were born, it took your father twenty minutes to get the car started. The words don’t have much effect on Rosalyn. ROSALYN Dan wouldn’t be late unless some- thing happened to him. Rosalyn picks up the phone, begins to dial. INT. DAN’S CAR - NIGHT In no hurry, Dan guides the vehicle lazily down a residential street. He’s about ten minutes from the King house. That evil grin still plastered on his mug. BRING! The cell phone, laying on the passenger seat, goes off. He looks at it, lets it continue to ring. INT. KING HOUSE - NIGHT Rosalyn slowly hangs up the phone, turns to her Mother. SUSAN If he’s not here in five more minutes we’ll call a taxi. ROSALYN I am NOT going to be driven to the hospital in a taxi to deliver my baby, Mother! We wait for Dan! INT. LULU’S PLACE - NIGHT Resting on her bed is Lulu. She’s still drained, but has regained her focus somewhat. Silently, the DOOR opens. Lizzy peers out from behind the door, her mind full of fear. Does Lulu know she’s there? Will she be able to sneak up on her and do the deed? INT. SQUAD CAR - NIGHT Stone is seated in the front seat next to a UNIFORMED PATROLMAN. Neither one saying a word. We HEAR the siren blazing away. EXT. CITY STREET - NIGHT The squad car ZOOMS into the night, lights flashing. EXT. KING HOUSE - NIGHT At last, Dan pulls into the driveway. INT. KING HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - NIGHT Rosalyn SEES the car’s headlights through the window, breathes a sigh of relief. Finally. She starts to get her bags, but then stops suddenly. The headlights go OFF. The engine is then TURNED OFF. Very strange. Rosalyn and her Mother exchange a glance. EXT. KING HOUSE - DRIEVWAY - NIGHT Dan slides out of the car, leaving the door open. He takes his time walking to the front door. INT. LULU’S PLACE - NIGHT Lulu’s still in bed, eyes closed. Lizzy TIPTOES across the floor. Her gaze darts back and forth, looking for some kind of weapon she can use to take out Lulu’s eyes. There isn’t much to pick from, really. Then, she remembers the bone fragment Pandora gave her. She quickly removes it from her pocket, grips it tightly in one hand. INT. KING HOUSE - NIGHT Dan enters the household, face very plain. No hint of any kind of “father-to-be“ panic evident. Rosalyn takes a good look at him. He doesn’t seem to be all there. ROSALYN Dan -- what’s wrong? What took you so long? Why didn’t you answer my call? He ignores her, walks into the living room, plops down on the couch. SUSAN Did you hear her? Dan says nothing, continues to flash that silly grin. Susan walks right up to Dan, gets almost nose to nose with him. SUSAN Are you drunk?! I bet he’s stinking drunk! INT. PATROL CAR - NIGHT The siren has stopped now. Stone hunches up to the front of the seat. STONE Let me off at that corner. Kill the lights. I don’t want to panic anybody inside. EXT. STREET CORNER - NIGHT The patrol car’s lights go off. It slows down, comes to a halt. In a flash, Stone is out the door. PATROLMAN You gonna be okay? Should I stick around? STONE No. You don’t want any part of this. The Patrolman shakes his head, then drives off. Stone makes his way towards the… INT. KING HOUSE - DAY. WHACK! Dan has BACKSLAPPED Susan! ZOOM! She goes FLYING across the room. SMASH! She lands against a FLOOR LAMP, crashing violently to the ground. INT. LULU’S PLACE - NIGHT C.U. ON LULU The sudden actions by Dan causes a SURGE in her control over the incantation. While Dan was relatively calm, Lulu was able to more or less relax. Now that he’s engaged in physical activity, it means she’s going to have to exert more energy to maintain control of the spell. Lulu opens her eyes to SEE... LIZZY standing right above her, a hand extended directly over her eyes, holding the bone fragment. Lizzy hesitates a moment, then PLUNGES THE FRAGMENT STRAIGHT DOWN! AT THE LAST SECOND, LULU REACHES UP AND STOPS LIZZY! THE FRAGMENT HOVERS JUST INCHES ABOVE HER LEFT EYE! EXT. KING HOUSE - NIGHT Stone is at the door. He grips the handle, hesitates. Then he HEARS a CRASH from inside! INT. KING HOUSE - NIGHT SLAM! Stone swoops in. He sizes things up in a flash; SUSAN out cold amid the remains of the broken floor lamp. DAN grinning as if he’s auditioning for THE JOKER in the next BATMAN movie. AND ROSALYN rooted to the floor in fear. Is that really ZEKE standing in her living room? Stone heads towards Rosalyn. She backs up quickly. ROSALYN Stay away! Don’t come near me! DAN (in Lulu's voice) Yes, Ezekiel, stay away from her! Rosalyn’s eyes go wide! It sounds like Dan’s possessed! INT. LULU’S PLACE - NIGHT Lulu has gotten up from the bed. The two of them continue to struggle roughly; Lizzy trying to plunge the bone fragment into Lulu’s eyes, while Lulu seeks to remove the means of her demise from Lizzy’s grip. Lulu’s battle with Lizzy causes her incantation to weaken. Having to devote energy to fight makes her power over Dan lessen slightly. INT. KING HOUSE - NIGHT Dan -- now feeling less of a pull from Lulu’s spell, starts to clear his head. He looks around, realizes something’s not quite right. But he’s still under Lulu’s influence, no matter how small the amount. INT. LULU’S PLACE - NIGHT WHAM! Lulu lands a KNEE TO LIZZY’S MIDSECTION! Lizzy falls in a heap, but still keeps a hold on the fragment. Lulu steps back, places both hands to her temples, concentrates. INT. KING HOUSE - NIGHT Dan SNAPS BACK UNDER THE SPELL. He walks methodically towards Rosalyn, hands outstretched in her direction. DAN (Lulu's voice) You must die to free the others... ROSALYN DAN! WHAT’S WRONG WITH YOU?! He keeps coming. STONE Keep away from him! He’s under some kind of mind control! Roslyn back away from Dan. Stone positions himself between them. INT. LULU’S PLACE - NIGHT Lulu’s got the incantation back under control. She now walks over to Lizzy, who is flat on her back, moaning softly; the bone fragment still in hand. LULU You really thought you could take my eyes? How pitiful. Lulu STEPS ON LIZZY’S WRIST -- HARD. We HEAR the brittle sound of BONES SNAPPING! LIZZY AARRGGHH!! Even though it’s torture, Lizzy doesn’t release her grip on the fragment. INT. KING HOUSE - NIGHT Stone staves Dan off with a straight arm. He keeps coming forward, like a steam roller headed downhill. STONE I don’t want to hurt you... But it doesn’t look like he has a choice. Dan has no intention of stopping. Regret on his face, Stone balls up a fist -- lets it FLY! WHAM! He clocks Dan square on the chin! It doesn’t faze him in the least. DAN (Lulu's voice) Thanks for the love tap. Stone was holding back, still conscious that he’s really fighting a Mortal -- and a Mortal that means the world to Rosalyn, too. Realizing it’s going to take all of his might, Stone cocks his arm back -- SOCKO! STONE DECKS DAN. PLOP! DAN HITS THE GROUND! ROSALYN DAN! She tries to go past Stone to get at Dan. Stone holds her back. STONE Don’t touch him! INT. LULU’S PLACE - NIGHT Stone’s K.O. of Dan impacts Lulu. She reels, as if hit by Stone’s punch. INT. KING HOUSE - NIGHT Rosalyn fights against Stone’s restraint. ROSALYN What did you do to him?! STONE Keep back! He’s still not free of the spell yet! INT. LULU’S PLACE - NIGHT Lizzy SEES Lulu doubled over, realizes this is IT. She takes the bone fragment in her good hand, steadily makes her way towards Lulu. INT. KING HOUSE - NIGHT Dan lays on the floor, breathing shallow, face pale. But his barely open eyes confirm he’s still in a trance. Stone pushes Rosalyn back gently, then goes over to check Dan’s condition. He can tell Dan’s alive, but a Mortal taking a blow meant to bring down a Damned Soul can’t be in good shape. The shock of seeing Stone and the following events have finally caught up to her. Rosalyn doubles over, holding her stomach, moaning loudly. Slowly, she drops to the ground. INT. LULU’S PLACE - NIGHT Lulu sits up, tries to regain full control over her incantation. Once more she places her hands to her temples. INT. KING’S PLACE - NIGHT Stone, distracted by Rosalyn’s condition, turns away from Dan. WOOSH! DAN SITS STRAIGHT UP, GRABS STONE BY THE NECK, STARTS TO CHOKE HIM WITH ALL THE STRENGTH OF A DAMNED SOUL! WHAM! WHAM! STONE STRIKES DAN OUT OF REFLEX! A LEFT TO THE JAW, A RIGHT DIRECTLY TO THE HEART! WE HEAR DAN’S RIB’S SHATTERING AS HE GOES FLYING ACROSS THE ROOM! INT. LULU’S PLACE - NIGHT WOOSH! LIZZY PLUNGES THE BONE FRAGMENT INTO LULU’S RIGHT EYE! SHE PULLS IT OUT LIKE LIGHNTING, DRIVES IT INTO THE LEFT EYE A SPLIT SECOND LATER! LULU AARRGGHH!!!!!!! LULU SCREAMS IN AGONY! TWO BOLTS OF BLUE ELECTRICITY ERUTP FROM HER EYES AS SHE IS SUCKED BACK TO HELL! Lizzy collapses on the floor, totally spent. INT. KING HOUSE - NIGHT Stone grips his chest in pain! The tattoo of Lulu is burning off! Grimacing, Stone crawls across the floor to Rosalyn. Looks like she’s going to drop the baby any moment. Tears flow down her cheeks -- half from the pain of impending motherhood, and half because of Stone’s dramatic return to her life. STONE Hang on, Rosalyn, I’ll get an you an ambulance. She’s in such turmoil she can’t respond. She just lays there, clutching her stomach and writing in pain. Stone searches for the phone, quickly finds it and dials 911. In a second, his call is answered. STONE I need an ambulance -- make that two ambulances at 4813 Wildcrest right away! A woman’s about to give birth. And someone else is badly hurt. Not waiting for a reply, Stone tosses the phone to the floor, goes to check on Dan. Dan’s almost gone. Stone’s body blow fractured his ribcage, probably rupturing his heart. Stone holds Dan’s head up by the neck. He can tell Dan’s free of Lulu’s incantation. Although life is slowly ebbing from his eyes, they’re clear. STONE I’m sorry... so sorry for all this. DAN Is she okay? STONE Yeah, she’s gonna be alright. We’re on our way to the hospital now. DAN You’re her first husband...? Stone nods YES. DAN (CONT) Why did you leave her? It broke her heart. STONE It broke mine, too. (beat) I made a mistake, so I tried to stay away, to keep out of her life. DAN You were never out of her life. Never... Dan closes his eyes. STONE C’mon, hang in there for me... for Rosalyn. DAN Do you still love her? STONE Of course... DAN (CONT) Then take care of her... promise me... you will... STONE I promise... DAN Tell her... I loved her... more then she’ll ever know. And Dan is gone. Stone gently lets Dan rest on the floor. Crossing to Rosalyn, Stone discovers she has passed out. He sits beside her, cradling her in his arms. DISSOLVE TO: INT. INSIDE AMBULANCE - NIGHT Rosalyn laying on stretcher, an I.V. stuck in her arm. She’s also got an oxygen mask over her mouth. Stone is to her left, trying to calm her as the E.M.Ts frantically do their job. ROSALYN (weak) Dan... what happened to Dan...? STONE Shush -- lay still -- we’re almost to the hospital. One of the E.M.T.s touches Stone’s shoulder, just enough to let him know he needs to move out of the way. His back to the ambulance wall, Stone reaches out and TAKES ROSALYN’S HAND IN HIS. Her touch -- after so many years apart -- causes Stone to tremble. EXT. E.R. ENTRANCE - NIGHT The ambulance pulls up to the Emergency Room doors. The vehicle has barely stopped, when WHAM! The back flies open! The two E.M.T.s JUMP DOWN, quickly roll Rosalyn’s stretcher out. An E.R. NURSE runs to meet them, taking all the vital information as fast as it can be relayed to her. Stone, feeling a little out of place, climbs out of the ambulance, stands around wondering what the hell he should do next. WHIRR! ANOTHER AMBULANCE pulls up to the E.R. When its doors part, Stone SEES that it’s Susan being lifted out on the stretcher. She’s got her head bandaged, as well as her right arm and shoulder. Looks like she took a hefty whack, but will be alright. She doesn’t notice Stone as she’s wheeled past him. Stone watches them take her in. SWISH. The automatic doors close swiftly, leaving Stone all alone. He walks down the ramp, headed nowhere. His face wrenched with unparalleled emotion. Finally, he looks to the Heavens. STONE Please, let her be okay. We FOLLOW STONE’S GAZE to the stars, the screen FILLING with the beautiful NIGHT SKY. DISSOLVE TO: EXT. A SUNNY SKY - MORNING The frantic evening has given way to a clean new day. INT. ROSALYN’S HOSPITAL ROOM - DAY Laying in bed is Rosalyn. She’s delivered her baby girl, and is now fast asleep. As far as deliveries go, it was more or less by the book -- even though she was in bad shape when she was brought in. The doctors were able to stabilize her. Once she was prepped, it went like clockwork. The door is pushed back. In steps Stone. He’s worn out beyond description. But the look on his face when he sees she’s alive and well makes everything worthwhile. Slowly, he pulls up a chair, walks to the bed. He sits there, just grateful to simply be this close to her. If this were all there were left for him, he’d still be satisfied. Delicately, he brings his hand up, lets it hover over hers. He’s afraid to grab hold of it. But he can’t resist. He takes her hand in his, lifts it gently to his face, rubs his cheek with it. Again, he’s trembling. STONE Forgive me. There’s nothing more he can do. He lets her hand drop to the bed, then puts his head just at the ends of her fingertips. He stays in this position for what seems like an eternity. Suddenly, he feels a TINGLING on his scalp. Cracking an eye, he tries to discover what’s causing the sensation. He looks up at... ROSALYN She’s perfectly still. Did she move, or was it his imagination? Suddenly, her eyelids FLUTTER. Not quite all the way open, but she’s definitely awake. Her fingers twitch, then her whole hand flexes. Stone draws away from the bed, sits up straight. He’s speechless. Rosalyn fully opens her eyes, takes in her surroundings. At last, she turns to see... STONE He’s gone nose to nose with The Devil on many occasions. But he’s no match for Rosalyn’s searching gaze. ROSALYN Zeke... STONE Yes, Rosalyn. It’s really me. She sits in silence, playing back in her mind the events of the previous night as best she can. ROSALYN My baby...? STONE She’s in the newborn nursery. ROSALYN Okay? STONE Ten fingers, ten toes. I saw her a couple of hours ago. Cute as a button. ROSALYN My mother? STONE Fractured arm and shoulder, a little bruised, but she’s gonna be fine. She inhales deeply. ROSALYN Dan...? He shakes his head NO. STONE I’m sorry. A tear flows down her cheek. ROSALYN What happened to him? Why did he try to kill me? He can’t respond. ROSALYN (CONT) I heard his voice. That wasn’t Dan. I refuse to believe it was him. STONE It’s hard to explain. (beat) Dan was -- possessed -- by a... Damned Soul. ROSALYN A Damned WHAT?! STONE A Damned Soul. One that died and was sent to Hell for their sins. And then returned to the Mortal world. He can see she’s not buying it. STONE There’s a lot to tell you, Rosalyn. She looks directly into his eyes. ROSALYN Where have you been hiding for the past seventeen years, Zeke? Thinking this crazy scheme up? You REALLY expect me swallow such a load of... She stops, furious beyond words. He leans closer to her. STONE Believe me, it’s not crazy. It’s very, very real. ROSALYN (she has him now) Then prove it. Stone thinks for a second. Then he takes Rosalyn’s hand in his, pulls it to his chest. She’s a little scared, but lets him continue. He opens his shirt, places her palm directly over his heart. Rosalyn doesn’t respond at first. She’s not sure what he’s trying to do. Then, she gets it perfectly. HE HAS NO HEART BEAT! HIS SKIN IS COLD, LIKE THAT OF A CORPSE! She pulls her hand away, clutches it tightly with her other hand. STONE I’m... a Damned Soul, too... ROSALYN How is this possible? Why...? STONE I WAS killed. When I died, I was sent to Hell for my sin. ROSALYN What sin? He closes his eyes, the painful memory building up inside. STONE I killed someone. Not in the line of duty. I willfully and knowingly took a man’s life. Set it up to look like an accident. ROSALYN Who was it? He can’t speak. His mouth is clenched shut. ROSALYN Zeke... tell me. STONE (quiet) Gilbert Jax. Rosalyn puts her hand over her heart. STONE I killed him, Rosalyn. He walked out of that courtroom a free man. He was GUILTY. But they set him free anyway. Since no one saw fit to punish him for his crime, it was up to me. He ruined our lives! And he was going to ruin someone else’s if he wasn’t stopped! So, I killed him. I did it for you. I did it for US. (beat) Then, when I was shot, I was damned to Hell. And that’s where I’ve been. Until two years ago. ROSALYN What happened? Why are you here now? STONE There was an escape. 113 of the most vile creatures broke out of Hell. I was sent to return them. ROSALYN Why you? STONE Sometimes I ask myself the same thing. I guess I was the right one for the job. ROSALYN (sarcastic) Lucky you. STONE Luckier then you might think. ROSALYN What do you mean? STONE The Devil offered me a deal... ROSALYN (incredulous) The Devil?! You mean -- THE Devil? STONE Yeah. Prince of Darkness. Master of Lies. The one and only Devil. She shrinks down into the mattress a bit. STONE (CONT) If I return all 113 Damned Souls, I -- He stops. Here it is at last. His chance to tell her what he’ll receive if he succeeds. STONE I’ll be a Mortal again. Living, breath- ing, bad breath, the works. I’ll be given another chance at LIFE. He searches Rosalyn’s face for any sign of hope. Rosalyn seems to be on a different train of thought. ROSALYN If you were here for two years, why didn’t you contact me? STONE I tried to a couple of times. ROSALYN (remembering) The bank... STONE Yeah. I was there. ROSALYN And Valentine’s Day...? He nods YES. STONE That’s the night I decided I had to stay away from you. ROSALYN Why? STONE Because of me, your life was in danger. It was safer for you if I stayed away. Remember what happened with Barry? She nods YES. STONE (CONT) He’s the ring leader of the escape. Or rather, SHE’S the ring leader. Her name is Ash. She knew how I felt about you, and used you to get to me. Once I realized I was putting your life in jeopardy, I knew there was no hope of us ever... (beat) She’s still out to get you, Rosalyn. Ash had one of her followers put that spell on Dan, try to kill you to get me to... well, she wants me on her side. Suddenly, what Stone said a moment ago clicks in Rosalyn’s mind. ROSALYN Wait a minute... you said if you send them all back to Hell, you’d be given another chance at life? STONE Yeah... if you can believe The Devil’ll keep his word... ROSALYN That means we... Stone inches forward in his chair. Is she really considering a reunion? Before she can finish, the door OPENS. A FLOOR NURSE is wheeling in a small cart with a CLEAR BABY CRADLE on top. The Nurse stops once she enters the room, making sure she’s not intruding. NURSE Mrs. Copper? Stone reacts to Rosalyn being addressed by that name. ROSALYN Yes... NURSE A little girl told me she wanted to see her Mommy. Rosalyn smiles wide as Nurse lifts the new born from her cradle, brings her over to the bed. Gently, Nurse lays the baby in Rosalyn’s arms. NURSE Congratulations. (to Stone) She’s a sweet little thing. You must be very proud. Stone mumbles a response. NURSE Did you both decide on a name yet? Rosalyn can’t take her eyes away from her baby. ROSALYN ...What...? NURSE A name. We have to put it on the birth certificate. Nurse looks at Stone for some help. STONE I...well, we... ROSALYN Danielle. Danielle Copper. After her father. Nurse pats Stone on the shoulder. NURSE How lovely! Nurse starts to exit. NURSE I’ll let you all get to know your new daughter. Congratulations again, Mr. and Mrs. Copper. Nurse leaves, closing the door on her way out. Stone leans over Rosalyn, takes a good look at baby Danielle. She’s the cutest thing on Earth. STONE She’s amazing, Rosalyn. ROSALYN Perfect. Absolutely perfect. Stone is conscious of how close the two of them are. He backs away a bit, still uncomfortable. STONE Dan would have been proud. He loved you with all his heart. His last words were about you. Another tear drops from her eye. ROSALYN I can’t do this alone, Zeke. He looks at her intently. She returns the gaze. ROSALYN (CONT) I didn’t know what to believe when I saw you out in L.A. I thought you’d stopped loving me after... that you’d faked your death because you didn’t want anything to do with me. STONE No... how could I ever stop loving you? ROSALYN It wouldn’t be the first time a man left a woman over something like this. I’ve missed you so much, Zeke. You’ll never know how many nights I felt your body next to mine. Your voice softly whispering my name while I dreamt of you. I love you Zeke. I always loved you... Stone reaches out with both hands, places them on either side of her face, and kisses his wife passionately. For the first time in seventeen years, Ezekiel Stone feels the warmth of his wife’s sensual lips. It almost brings him to his knees. Finally, they separate. STONE I love you, Rosalyn. They look at one another, as if discovering their love for the first time. ROSALYN How many are there left? STONE Enough. I’ve got more then half, but there’s a way to take them all out at once. Trouble is, I have to kill Ash in order to do it. ROSALYN What makes her so powerful? STONE She’s the one who organized the escape. She made all of the Damned Souls bind themselves to her, swearing allegiance to her in order to protect herself from an uprising once they got free. If I take her out, they all go with her. But she’s dangerous. Now more then ever. ROSALYN Why? STONE (evasive) Better right now that you don’t know. Stone hates keeping the fact that Ash is pregnant -- and by him -- but he’s not about to spoil the first moment of pure bliss he’s felt since before he was damned to Hell. STONE (CONT) She’s out there right now, and I’ve gotta go to work. ROSALYN Then do what you’ve got to do, Zeke. And come back to me as fast as you can. He smiles, leans down and kisses her again. STONE Like Baretta used to say -- “You can take it to the bank.” Stone rubs Danielle’s face softly, then stands up. It’s time to bring Ash down for good. STONE I’ll be in touch. I love you, Rosalyn. ROSALYN I love you, Zeke. He can’t tear himself from her, but knows he’s got to go. Face full of emotion, Stone departs. Rosalyn COOS baby Danielle, glowing with pride and love reborn. EXT. HOSPITAL - DAY Stone bounds out the main entrance, the love of a good woman elevating him to new heights. Suddenly, a CAR pulls to the curb. The DRIVER gets out. It’s Kane. He heads right for Stone. KANE HEY! Stone! Stone hears his name, turns around. STONE Kane! Kane reaches Stone, out of breath. KANE I got your message just now. Sorry I couldn’t get here earlier. How’s everything? Rosalyn okay? Stone nods YES. KANE She have the baby? STONE A girl. Danielle. KANE Holy cow, a broad. I mean, a girl. Stone can’t stop smiling. KANE So, it looks like things went well. The reunion and all. STONE Yeah... it went great. She still loves me, Will. After all this time, she still loves me. KANE You’re one lucky S.O.B. to have a woman like that. STONE I know. (beat) Listen, I hate to do this to you now, but I -- KANE -- Need a favor. Shoot. STONE Her husband, Dan -- he was under a spell. One of Ash’s followers tried to get him to kill her. I had to... He can’t say it. STONE (CONT) I put his body in the basement before the ambulance got to her mother’s house. I know it’s damned irregular, but since you know all of this, can you...? Kane understands what Stone wants. KANE Sure. STONE Rosalyn and her family don’t need to be bothered with an investigation, especially one that won’t turn up any answers. KANE Consider it done. STONE Thanks. KANE What’s next? Stone’s smile vanishes. STONE Ash... FADE THE END