5
BACK OF CHURCH - SANDBAG WALL
The water level is creeping up a five-foot-high wall of sandbags. Looking out over the top of the sandbag wall. A tree floats by on the water. Hands Suddenly appear on the top of the wall and... Jack pulls himself into view. He climbs over the wall, exhausted.
Gasoline-powered pumps are sucking up any rainwater. The sandbags have kept the floodwater at bay.
Jack hurries up the back steps and goes into the church. Jack walks through a small room lined with closed cupboards. He goes through a door.
Jack comes out into the altar. He looks around, impressed. It's a beautiful church. Scaffolding goes up one wall - the church is being restored. Jack is startled by a sound from above. He grabs a heavy silver candlestick as a weapon and looks up to see...birdsFluttering up in the rafters.
Takes a breath. Just as he relaxes, he hears a whooshing sound from behind him and turns to see...A LARGE CRUCIFIX Being swung at his head.
Thunk and...
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SHERIFF'S STATION
Jack slowly regains consciousness, blinking his eyes. He hears..."What are you doing here?"
But the Sheriff isn't asking Jack, he's asking...Ianto Jones, 26, dapper, even in head-to-toe rain gear.
"I was setting up pumps." Ianto frowns.
"I sure as hell don't get what you see in that church." Andy shakes his head.
"I wouldn't expect you to, Andy."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Andy frowns.
"Ianto, did you think the order was for everyone but you to evacuate?" the Sherriff asks.
Ianto snarks "I was gonna go as soon as I filled the pumps, but the next thing I know, I've got a looter on my hands. Now, maybe I'm crazy, but I was expecting a little gratitude?"
"I think it's great what you did." Gwen gushes.
That's it, Gwen. That'll finally get you into his pants."
"Shut up."
"What if he'd had a gun, Ianto?" the Sheriff demands "A lot of these looters carry guns."
"I'm not a looter." Jack sits up on a cot, behind bars in the holding cell, woozy.
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Meryl and his men are searching the school for the money.
Dean complains "Meryl, it could be anywhere. It might not even be in the school."
"Keep looking." Meryl demands.
The rain sheets down hard. A lightning flash reveals...The water is up to the horse's knees. The lightning passes and a second later thunder rolls.
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SHERIFF'S STATION
The Sheriff, Gwen, Andy and Ianto stand outside the cell.
Jack is inside, on the cot. He touches the cut on his forehead.
"What were you doing at the church?" Andy asks.
"I told you - he was looting it." Ianto says with exasperation.
"I just said I'm not a looter! You're the one who nailed me?" Jack says and Ianto nods as Jack grimaces "You got a better arm than my ex-wife. What the hell did you hit me with - a statue? I saw a flash of some guy coming at me."
"It was a crucifix." Ianto mumbles, embarrassed to the others "It was the only thing there!"
"Oh, great." Jack huffs "Now I'm gonna have people coming from around the world to see the face of Jesus on my forehead."
"Look, son, what were you doing in the church?" the Sherriff asks.
"Looking for a place to hide out."
"From who - Swamp Thing?" Andy laughs.
"The bastards who killed my partner" Jack snarls.
That stops the room.
Jack continues "We were driving an armoured truck. The truck got stuck out past the high school. They must've picked up our call to dispatch, 'cause they knew where we were. Archie and I were just standing there and all hell broke loose."
"How much money did you have?" the Sheriff asks.
"A little over three million."
They all exchange a look - that's a lot of money.
"The bank was afraid of looters. They had us cleaning out their branches up and down the river." Jack explains.
"They stole three million dollars?" Andy gaped.
"No, I don't think so." The sheriff leans forward in his chair. They all look at the Sheriff. He looks at Jack. "You took the money, didn't you."
Jack nods "I hid it in the cemetery. Tied it to a crypt for a guy named Portman."
"What the hell'd you do that for?" Andy snorts.
"I don't like to carry around that much cash." Jack deadpans.
"Jesus, Andy, use your head. If he hadn't hidden it, they woulda killed him, too." The Sheriff looks at Jack - is that it? Jack nods. "You got any ID?"
"No, it was in my jacket and I…"
"Colour me surprised." Andy scoffs.
The Sheriff thinks for a beat, then tosses some keys to Gwen. "Get out two rifles and a shotgun."
Gwen nods and goes to it. The Sheriff opens a desk drawer, pulls out an ankle holster.
"You believe him?" Andy is shocked.
"Well, yes, Andy, I do. And even if I didn't, I'd say we sure as hell had an obligation to check it out, don't you think?" The Sheriff starts strapping on the ankle holster.
Jack stands "I'll go with you. I can show you where …"
"No, I think you better stay put. But that was …" th sherrif starts to speak but Andy cuts him off.
"Yeah, all we need is an armoured car guy helping us out." Andy laughs.
The Sheriff thwacks Andy in the ear.
"Ow!"
"Andy, what's the worst that's ever happened to you? When old Mrs. Dugan went after you with a knife? This guy just got shot at!" he dismisses Andy; to Jack "Smart move with the money."
Gwen comes over with the guns.
The Sheriff says to Gwen "Andy and I'll check out the cemetery. You escort Slugger..." nods at Ianto "...out of town. Get him to some high ground, and then come on back."
The Sheriff jams a small pistol into his ankle holster.
"I have to fill the pumps…" Ianto argues.
Pulling him out the Sheriff growls "Not any more you don't."
The Sheriff straightens up, grabs a rifle from Gwen and pulls Ianto to the door. Andy goes to Jack's cell door and pulls it shut with a click. "Andy..."
"He could still be lying!" Andy frowns.
The Sheriff rolls his eyes and gestures for Andy to come along. He opens the door for Ianto, Andy and Gwen to go through.
Jack calls out "Sheriff - they killed my partner without any warning."
"And they're gonna regret that, I guarantee you. They're gonna regret
coming anywhere near this town tonight." And out he goes.
Water is halfway up the four-foot high wall of sandbags around the station. There are three outboard motorboats moored to the sandbags.
"Gwen, take Ianto's boat."The Sheriff and Andy climb toward their boats.
"You can do it, Gwen. The men of Devil's Pit are counting on you." Andy quips.
"Just bite me." Gwen grumbles as she clambers into the tin boat.
Andy laughs as he and the Sheriff fire up their boat engines.
Jack hears boat engines start up and move away. He lays back down on the cot, listening to the rain.
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DAM CONTROL OFFICE
Empty. Light comes out from under the door to the bathroom.
Wilbur is on the can reading a copy of "American Survivalist" magazine. An odd reaction comes over his face. He feels something weird. He looks down.
Water is seeping in under the door.
"Holy shit!"
The bathroom door flies open and Wilbur waddles out, pants around his feet. He shuffles fast to the control wheels and starts spinning them.
Two gates open fast, all the way, and water thunders out.
Wilbur pulls up his pants as he gets on the radio. "Sheriff! Sheriff!"
The Sheriff and Andy are motoring in their boats, zooming through the trees, engine noise obliterating anything coming in over the radio.
On the radio Wilbur is yelling "Sheriff, come in!"
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Gwen steers Ianto's small boat down Main Street, past the statue. The water is up to the rider's stirrups.
Ianto is pleading "Did you see the stained glass windows, Gwen? Did you see what a good job they did? I can't let anything happen to the church, not after all I've put into it."
Gwen does not care "Ianto, you know I'd do anything for you, but the Sheriff told me to get you out of town. I'm sorry. It's for your own good."
Ianto stands up.
"What're you doing?" Gwen asks.
"If you're not going to take me back to the church, then I'll swim." Ianto moves to get out of the boat.
"No. Hey, hold on."
Gwen lets go of the throttle and stands, moving toward Ianto.
"What am I saying?" Ianto suddenly turns on Gwen and pushes her out of the boat."This is my boat. You swim."
Ianto guns the engine and shoots off down a side street.
Gwen stands in the waist-deep water and watches him go, flabbergasted.
