A group of human looking warriors approaches in the warehouse. Walsh, their leader has the sacred case in his hands. The metal handle is missing but the second metal glove, the opposite to the one that was put into the reactor in the lab, is still grasping the case.
Gold takes a look at the one of the warriors, "Walsh? Is that you?" The leader nods, a disgusted look crosses Gold's features. "What an ugly face! Doesn't suit you at all! Take it off."
Walsh shakes his head, and his face turns into a cross between a monkey and a human, covered in matted fur, and batlike wings emerge from the back of his armor, he is one of the Mangalores.
"That's better! Never be ashamed of who you are... You're warriors... be proud…" Walsh looks at Gold with evil eyes as the man talks. "So what if the Federal Army crushed your entire race and scattered your people to the wind... Your time for revenge is at hand dearie... Voila... the ZF1."
He takes out a weapon from one crate and goes into a sales pitch, "It's light... the handle's adjustable for easy carrying... good for righties and lefties." As he continues, two men set up a mannequin rigged with various defense mechanisms at the far end of the warehouse. "Breaks down into four parts, undetectable by X-rays.. It's the ideal weapon for quick, discreet interventions. A word on fire power: Titanium recharger. 3000 round clip with bursts of 3 to 300. With the replay button, another Gold innovation, it's even easier... one shot."
Gold fires one shot at the mannequin, "and replay sends every following shot to the same location…" Gold faces the warriors with the gun, shooting at them all, they try to duck for cover, but it doesn't matter, all the rounds circle back and hit the same mannequin. Even though they are not hurt, the warriors were not happy about being shot at.
He takes no heed to their shouts, and continues the demonstration, "then there are the Gold-en oldies…" He fires off each item he names at the mannequin. "Rocket launcher. The always efficient flame thrower... My favorite. Our famous net launcher, the arrow launcher, with exploding or poisonous gas heads – very practical. And for the grand finale, the all-new ice-cube system!"
By the time the last shot is fired, the mannequin has been blasted into a pile of ashes covered by a net, stuck with arrows, the whole mess frozen solid. He tosses the weapon into Walsh's hands. Gold continues, "Four full crates, delivered right on time! What about you, my dear Walsh, did you bring me what I asked you for?"
Walsh sets the case on a crate. Gold gloats, stroking the case, "Magnificent" He smiles, takes a deep breath, and opens the case. It is empty.
**************************
Emma breaks into her childish laughter once again.
David is astonished, "What do you mean empty?"
**************************
Walsh looks into the case, and his fingers grow tighter on the gun.
Gold slams the case shut, "Alright… I've got an open mind here... anyone care to explain?"
**************************
Emma starts to explain to David and Henry what happened, she uses her own language being still to rusty to attempt to use English.
David listens intently, trying to translate for himself and Henry as she talks. "She says that the Guardians never really had much faith in humans. They were afraid of being attacked. The stones were given to someone they could trust who took another route. She's supposed to contact this person in a little less than twelve hours from now in a hotel. She's looking for the address!"
Emma types coordinates into star charts, solar systems move around on the screen, and then it stops, and she points to a point on the map. "Dot!"
Henry and David lean over either of her shoulders looking at the star map, Henry recognizes it, "Planet Misthaven, in the Cygnus constellation."
David plops down into his armchair, "We're saved!"
**************************
Back in Gold's warehouse, it looks as if the man may actually be nervous, "I'm fucked!" He takes a breath, and turns his eyes to Walsh, giving him a blood curdling stare.
"You asked for a case," Walsh states, still gripping the gun, "We brought you a case."
Gold shouts at him, "A Case, a case with FOUR stones in it. Not one! Not two or three! But four! Four stones! What the fuck am I supposed to do with an EMPTY case?!"
Now even Walsh's men are growing edgy, Walsh shoots back, "We are warriors, not merchants!"
"But you can still count! Look…" Gold holds up four fingers, "my fingers. Four Stones. Four crates. Zero stones… ZERO CRATES!" He looks to his own men, "Put everything back, we're outta here."
Walsh's warriors turn their weapons on Gold, their leader speaking up, "We risked our lives. I believe a little compensation is in order."
Gold smiles, "So, you are a merchant, after all." He turns back to his men again, "Leave them one crate. For the trouble."
Gold's men leave a crate and exit with the other three. Gold walks along the street towards his limo, his henchman, Neal, carries the empty case.
He turns towards Neal, "I don't like warriors! They're too narrow-minded, no subtlety. Worse, they fight for hopeless causes… for honor! Honor has killed millions of people but hasn't saved a single one." Gold pauses for a moment, a small smile on his lips, "You know what I do I like though, I like a killer. A real dyed in the wool killer. Cold-blooded. Clean. Methodical. Thorough. A killer, when he picked up the ZF1, would've immediately asked about the little red button on the bottom of the gun."
Inside the warehouse, the warriors have all taken a weapon. One of them inspects his ZF1. He turns it over and notices the little red button. He presses it.
Outside the warehouse, behind Gold, an ear-shattering explosion levels the warehouse, he smiles and turns back to Neal, "Bring me the priest."
Killian is finishing a Thai meal, cooked by an old man, with a long white and gray beard, in his mini restaurant anchored at the window. The cat eats next to Killian at the table with the window open to the small flying restaurant, almost as if he is eating at the old man's own bar.
The cat licks its lips, and nuzzles it's head against Killian's metallic, left hand. The robotic fingers lightly scratching under the cat's chin, "So you forgive me?" The cat meows just as a red light blinks, announcing the arrival of a message in a glass tube. Killian ignores it.
"Not going to open?" The old man asks.
Killian shakes his head, "I've never gotten a message that wasn't bad news."
"How someone strong like you scared from a message? Is good news I sure!"
He looks up from his meal, and swallows his food. "The last two messages I got? The first one was from my wife telling me she was leaving. And the second was from my lawyer telling me he was leaving too... with my wife."
The old man winces, "You right that is bad.. but mathematically luck must change! Grandfather used to say 'It never rain every day.' This is good news guarantee.. I bet you lunch!"
Killian hesitates, then gives the envelope to the old man, who opens it with a big smile that fades as he reads the contents aloud, "You're fired. Oh!"
The old man winces, and Killian gives him a smile, "At least I won lunch."
"Good philosophy… see good in bad... I like… I prepare number one dessert... special for you and pussy…" He smiles at the cat, and the cat gives a meow in return.
**************************
Henry is at the computer with David standing over his shoulder. Emma is in the background, pulling another bowl form the microwave looking device, but this time it is heaping with a large chocolate cake, covered in frosting. Her hands are now accustomed to utensils, she digs in with a big spoon. Licking her lips at the first taste of chocolate, and diving back into the cake.
"I've got it!" Henry exclaims pointing at the computer," Everything here we need to know about Misthaven Paradise Hotel... and a detailed blueprint of the entire hotel!"
David pats him on the back, "Good work, my son. Now all we need is a way to get there." The doorbell rings, "I'll get it. Finish your work my son." He walks to the door and opens it to find Neal with an armed escort.
"Father Nolan?"
David looks at the men for a second, "Yes?"
"Mr. Gold would like a word with you."
"Mr. Who?"
**************************
David is ushered into Gold's office. It is gigantic, massive, but dark, and unfeeling. Gold sits behind his large desk, and looks up at David. "Gold. Robert Rumplestiltskin Gold... nice to see you again."
The priest nods, "I remember you now. The so called art dealer."
He smiles, "I'm glad you got your memory back, Father... Because you're going to need it... Where are the stones?"
David looks at him, questions in his eyes, but he only asks one, "Why on earth do the stones interest you?"
"Personally, they are of no interest to me, I'd rather sell weapons… but I have a customer... so tell me…"
"Even if I did know where the stones were I would never tell somebody like you."
"Why?" Gold acts wounded, "What's wrong with me dearie?"
"I'm a priest! I'm here to serve life, all you want to do is destroy it."
"Ah, Father... You are so wrong. Let me explain…" he pushes a button on his desk and a glass comes out of the table, "would you like a drink?"
"No thank you."
Gold continues, "Life, which you so nobly serve, comes from destruction. Look at this empty glass." He lightly touches it, "Here it is... peaceful... serene... but if it is…" He pushes the glass with his finger off the desk.
It shatters on the floor. "Destroyed…" Small individual robots come zipping out to clean up the mess. "Look at all these little things... so busy all of a sudden. Notice how each one is useful. What a lovely ballet, so full of form and color. So full of life!"
"They are robots!" David argues.
A new glass comes out of the desk, a spout pouring water. Gold tosses a cherry into it from another compartment that opens. "Yes but... by that simple gesture of destruction. I gave work to at least fifty people today. The engineers, the technicians, the mechanics. Fifty people who will be able to feed their children so they can grow up big and strong. Children who will have children of their own, adding to the great cycle of life!"
David looks at him in silence. Trying to decide what to say.
Gold continues, "Father, by creating a little destruction, I am, in fact, encouraging life! So, in reality, you and I are in the same business!"
The priest smiles, "Destroying a glass is one thing. Killing people with the weapons you produce is quite another."
"Let me reassure you Father. I will never kill more people in my entire life than religion has killed in the last 2000 years."
David's eyebrow raises, but he doesn't have a great comeback for that. Gold smiles, holds up the glass and takes a drink. Unfortunately, he chokes on the cherry. Unable to breathe, Gold starts to panic.
Mockingly David turns to Gold, "Where's the robot to pat your back?"
Gold falls, writhing, on his desk, inadvertently hitting buttons which trigger a slew of little mechanisms. They pop out all over the desk turning into chaos. Even a cage appears, holding a Souliman Aktapan, a fat multicolored beast named picasso, who seems surprised to be out in daylight. He licks his half-dead master in thanks.
David gets up and walks around the desk. Gold motioning him for help. "Can I give you a hand?" David whacks him on the back. The cherry comes flying out.
Gold regains control of himself as his guards come running in, he turns to David, "You saved my life... So, I'm going to spare yours." He looks to his guards, "Throw him out!"
The guards grab David by his arms, pulling him out of the office, "You are a monster, Gold!"
He sits back down at his desk, swiveling his chair to look out the floor to ceiling windows, "I know…" Neal walks up to his desk, but Gold doesn't turn. "Torture whoever you want, the president if you have to but I want those Stones. You have an hour." Neal salutes and hurries out of the office.
**************************
Back in the President's command room, the captain is looking at his computer screen. The dark planet takes up most of the screen. Three warships are positioned in front of it. Communication satellites arrive from all over the place, drawn to it like a magnet.
He speaks up to the others in the room, "It's gobbling up all the communication satellites in the galaxy!"
President Mills appears rumpled by recent events, her hair isn't a perfectly coiffed, there is a small chip of polish on one of her nails. "Why the hell is it eating up all those satellites?"
"We're working on it, Madam President. We're working on it," Mary Margaret responds.
Regina closes her eyes, "If only it would choke on them."
Smee enters the office just as a cockroach crawls onto the desk. There's a tiny antenna on its back.
In a small room, somewhere else, Neal is seated at a computer, wearing what looks like earphones, trying to monitor the President's conversation.
The General comes to stand in front of Regina, "I managed to contact the Mondoswan. They deplore the incident, but accept our apologies."
One small relief, Regina looks up at him, "And the Stones? Did you find them in the wreckage?"
Smee shakes his head, "The Stones weren't aboard the ship."
Her eyes widen, "What do you mean?" She can't wait to hear all this, and neither can Neal.
General Smee continues, "The Mondoswan never fully trusted the human race..they felt we're too unpredictable.. so they gave up the Stones to somebody they do trust. Her name is Ursulaguna. She's a Diva and she's going to sing at the charity ball on Misthaven Paradise in a few hours. She has the Stones with her."
The President and Neal both smile at the news. "Excellent!"
Regina sees the cockroach, and removes her shoe, and in one swoop she crushes it with her spiked heel.
Neal's earphones fly off his head with a scream, his eardrums ringing.
She turns to the General, "I want your best man on this!"
Smee smiles, "Don't worry, Mam. I have the perfect one."
**************************
The old man places the dessert on a plate in front of his customer, happy, "Stewed jellyfish cake… my specialty…"
Killians jaw clenches, he is trying not to look at it, let alone smell it. He forces a smile at the old man, and the phone rings. He lets out a breath in relief, and answers his phone, "Hello?"
"You're the nastiest dirtbag I know in this stinking City!"
He closes his eyes, knowing exactly who it is, "Hi Gran…"
"I've been playing twice a week for 28 years, 28 years I've been eating those shitty croquettes."
Killian knows there is no rum, he still needs to get some, so he tries for a cigarette again. There are only two matches left, and Killian takes out one, closes the box and strikes it, and it fizzles. He just can't catch a break.
"You wouldn't even eat one to help your poor grandmother, and you win the big prize? Know something? The whole thing makes me sick!" The old man starts to clean up. Just as Killian goes to strike the second match. "Are you listening to me, you ingrate?"
He sighs, this is nothing new, "Yes Gran…" Killian sighs and puts the match back in the box, and returns it to his pocket. He turns to the old man, "Go on... This is gonna take a while!"
The old man casts off and waves to Killian, as Killian closes the window with one hand. His attention back to his granny on the phone, the women who had raised him and his brother when his mother had died, and his father had… left. "Other than that... Are you all right?"
Granny huffs, and he is glad they are on the phone, an image of her with her old-time crossbow flashes in his head. Not that she would really ever hurt him, or his brother, all her huff was mostly for show.
She continues and pulls him out of his reverie, "And now you're making fun of me? I'm warning you! If you don't take me after all these years of sacrifice, I'll never forgive you!"
"What? Gran, what are you talking about?" He is thoroughly confused.
"I get it! You want to make me beg, is that it?"
"No, all I want is an explanation! I just got in, I lost my job. I smashed my cab. I got mugged, but other than that everything's just peachy, Gran. But thanks for asking! Now settle down and explain to me calmly…" A message drops in his tube. The red light goes on.
"You just won a trip, you dolt! Ten days in Misthaven Paradise for two!"
Killian doesn't understand, "Gran. If I'd won, I'd know about it. Someone would have notified me."
"They've been blaring out your name on the radio for the last hour, blockhead!" she pauses for a second a thought entering her head, "How much of the rum have you been drinking again?"
He ignores her question, his eyes looking towards the message in the tube, just as his doorbell rings. "Gran… it's the door. I'll have to call you back," he walks to the door, "love you," he quickly says and closes his phone.
Before he gets there it opens, General Smee enters followed by a man and a large intimidating looking woman both in uniform. Smee opens a file, "Major Jones, if our calculations are correct you still have 57 hours owed to the Federal Army on your enlistment which is more than you will need for a mission of the utmost importance."
Killian shakes his head, and holds up his left 'hand', "this here says those hours no longer count, among other things" His eye go dark at the memories, now nightmares. But he sees the look on his old comrades face, he knows that face, knows he won't get out of this "What mission?"
"To save the world."
Killian sighs, "Where have I heard that before?"
Smee doesn't answer, and just continues, "You're to leave immediately for Misthaven Paradise. Retrieve four Stones from the Diva Ursulaguna. And bring them back with the utmost discretion as possible. Any questions?"
"Just one… why me?"
"Three reasons... One: As part of The Elite Special Forces Unit of the Federated Army you are an expert in the use of all weapons and spacecraft needed for this mission." Smee pulls out a long list on a very long scroll. "Two: Of all the members of your unit you were the most highly decorated."
"And the third one?" Yet he is pretty sure he knows the answer, and is glad that his brother found Elsa and married her, getting him out of the service, prior to joining the Special Forces Unit.
Grimmly, Smee confirms his thoughts, "You're the only one left alive."
He looks down at his left hand, and remembers his last battle, some scars still littered his body, but mostly his soul.
Smee doesn't look at him, and goes over and removes the message that Killian hasn't looked at yet. "Don't you open your messages?"
"I've had enough good news for today."
The General opens the letter, completely unshocked, "You have won the annual Gemini contest and a trip to Misthaven Paradise. For two. Congratulations. Here are your tickets."
He hands Killian the tickets, and Killian shakes his head, "You rigged the contest?" Smee nods. "You couldn't come up with something a little more discreet, mate?"
"Old tricks are the best tricks, eh? Major Iceborg will accompany you, as your wife…"
"I'm not going."
Smee looks the major up and done, "Why not?"
He runs a hand through his hair, "One reason… I want to stay the one that is left alive."
Outside in the hallway outside Killian's apartment, Emma and David search for his apartment. Emma carries the card Killian gave her along with his leather jacket. David finds the apartment, and yanks the number off the door. He waves Emma over as his hand goes to the bell, ringing it.
"Excuse me," Killian says to the others and goes to the door and looks out the peephole. His eyes see Emma. Killian starts to panic, he never thought he would truly see her again. He looks at his three guests, and his messy apartment, this is really not a good time, "Bloody Hell!"
Smee looks at him worried, "What is it?"
Killian has two seconds to make up something to get rid of Smee. "It's my wife."
"You remarried?"
"Aye, and she hates the military. Please… You can't be here, you have to go...:"
The General looks at him as if he is crazy, "There is no where to go."
Killian turns to the fridge and collapses the shelves and starts pushing all three of them into it. "Sorry, General, but we've got no choice! It'll only take a minute! Let me set up another meeting and I'll be back."
"Three of us will never fit in here!"
Killian keeps pushing, "Oh, yes you will…" Killian slams the fridge door. The doorbell rings again. "Coming!"
He whips through his place in ten seconds, gathers up things laying about, shuts drawers, rolls up his laundry in the folding bed. He brushes his hair back, and opens the door with a big smile only to discover a gun stuck between his eyes held by David. The sound of a cheerful Emma behind the priest, "Apipoulai!"
Killian looks toward David, unphased by the gun, more phased by the site of Emma in her tight white top, short red jacket, her lips deep red, her eyes so green… he was getting lost… "I supposes that means 'hi'?" he asks.
"I'm sorry to have to resort to such methods, but we heard about your good luck on the radio and we need the tickets to Misthaven." David said as they walk into the apartment, and the door shuts behind them. Emma walks over and hands him his jacket and then starts moving about the apartment looking at the things on the shelves.
"Is that the usual way priests go on vacation?" Killian asks as he brings his jacket up to his nose, he smells her on the jacket and it almost makes him light headed.
"We're not going on vacation… we're on a mission." David answers.
"What kind of mission," he asks as he watches Emma go through his stuff. She overturns a picture of him and his ex-wife and he see her face turn into a frown for a minute and sit the picture back down. He starts to think about that when David responds.
"We have to save the world."
Where has he heard this before, "Good luck."
David nods, "Of course."
Killian tries to reason with him, "Father, I was in the Army for awhile and every time they told us we were on a mission to save the world the only thing that changed was I lost a lot of friends, among other things." He raises his hand, he sees Emma look at him with a slight tilt to her head, "So thanks for the offer.. but no thanks."
David is disappointed by his answer, but Emma looks crestfallen, and he almost wants to change his mind just to take that sad look from her face, "I'm sorry."
A voice over the speaker system rings out, "This is a police control action…" Everyone freezes as the whole building resounds with the electronic voice.
A group of Policemen, burst into the hallway. One of the cops enters a code on the police wall box. A device descends from the ceiling, a flashing light-siren, a voice fills the air. "This is not an exercise. This is a police control."
David starts to panic. "Oh my god oh my god…"
Killian takes charge and pushes a button sending the fridge to the next floor. A shower takes it's place. "Emma, hide in here and don't move!" He send the shower into the ceiling.
He opens the bed and tosses David into it, David hesitates "What are you doing?"
"Trying to save your ass so you can save the world." he hits a button on the wall. The bed disappears into the wall.
Meanwhile, the automatic police voice continues. "Spread your legs and place your hands in the yellow circles, please."
A cop slaps a viewer device on Killian's door which makes part of it transparent. "Put your hands in the yellow circles, please."
Killian takes his time hiding his face. The Cop looks at his sheet. He's looking for a Killian Jones. He has his picture, but it is Killian with long hair and a bushy beard, a few months after his last battle. Far different than the man standing there right now.
The cop looks through the viewer, "Sir? Are you classified as human?"
Killian shakes his head, "No, I'm a meat popsicle."
Another cop calls out on the other side of the hall, "I found him!" Killian's business card is stuck to the door of his crazy neighbor Jefferson's apartment. He is at his sink shaving instead of against the wall.
The first cop arrives with Killian's picture, "Sir, this is a control. Please put your hands in the yellow circles."
Jefferson steps right up to the viewer, shaving cream on his face. He could pass for the man in the picture if he was buzzed cut and shaven clean. "Fuck you!" he screams, giving the cops the middle finger to the view finder.
Killian still has his hands to the wall, "Wrong answer."
An explosion removes the neighbors door, and a scuffle ensues. The riot police hustle down the hall dragging the neighbor behind them in a canvas bag. A cop is on the wall phone. "OK, we got the guy under wraps."
**************************
Neal is on the phone, facing Gold as the cop continues, "It was not easy, but we bagged him!. Thanks for the tip!"
"Glad to help" Neal says and hangs up the phone. He turns to Gold, "They just arrested the guy for Uranium smuggling. Everything's going as planned."
Neal shows him a plane ticket, and a passport with his picture and Killian's name. "All I have to do now is to go to the airport and take his place. I should be in Misthaven in less than four hours."
Gold sits there quietly for a moment, "Don't come back without the Stones."