"Withdrawal"
By the_kept
Enter the keep.
Claire is working at her computer and jotting down some notes. Darien walks in.
Darien:
"Hey Keep, what's up?"
The Keeper:
"Oh, just catching up on a little work."
Darien makes his way to his chair and takes a seat. Claire is still hard at work not even noticing him. Darien sits in the chair for a couple of moments looking anxious. He looks towards the Keeper who is still hard at work.
Darien:
*coughs*
Claire looks up surprised.
The Keeper:
"Oh, did you want something?"
Darien:
"It's Monday."
The Keeper:
"Your point being?"
Darien has a confused look on his face. He raises his arm and points toward his tattoo, just before he speaks he glances at it and notices that it's entirely green.
Darien:
"Oh yeah…"
Darien lowers his arm and slowly sinks back into the chair.
Darien:
"This is gonna take some getting used to."
The Keeper:
"Don't worry about it, I caught myself starting to make a batch of counteragent the other day without even thinking about it."
Claire stands up and makes her way towards Darien.
The Keeper:
"So, is there anything else that I can do for you?"
Darien:
"No thanks, making myself look like an idiot once a day is enough. (Pause) Well, wait, do you have any aspirin or anything? I've had a headache since last night and I haven't been able to shake it."
Claire walks over to a cabinet and pulls out a small jar. She puts two pills in the palm of her hand, replaces the jar, and starts walking back to Darien.
The Keeper:
"Here, take two of these, and call me in the morning."
Claire hands the pills to Darien who roles his eyes. He brings the pills up to swallow them but before he makes it to his mouth, his hand violently starts shaking and he drops the pills to the ground. Claire rushes towards Darien's side while he desperately tries to get his hand back under control. Eventually his hand stops shaking and slowly looks up towards Claire shocked.
End Teaser
Act I
Enter the keep, The Official is talking to the Keeper near her computer. Hobbes is standing beside Darien who is seated in his chair trembling. Enter Voice Over: Sometimes they say in the medical profession "That the cure may be worse than the disease.", and well in my case they couldn't have been more right. I had finally been freed from the madness only to find that there was a price to pay for it.
The Official:
"What is his status doctor?"
The Keeper:
"I'm not 100% sure yet, but I believe that he may be going through withdrawal.
The Official:
"Withdrawal?"
The Keeper:
"You have to realize that the narcotic that the gland was producing was extremely powerful."
The Official:
"I'm not following."
The Keeper:
"It's like when someone quits smoking, most people can't just simply stop, they have to step down gradually. And with Darien's being cured, we've basically cut him off cold turkey."
The Official:
"How long will it take him to recover?"
The Keeper:
"It could take Darien anywhere from one too two weeks to fully recover…"
The Keeper pauses and glances away from the Official towards Darien.
The Keeper:
"But I don't know if he will be able to survive that long."
The camera centers in on Bobby and Darien.
Hobbes:
"So how are ya feel'n partner?"
Darien:
"I've been better."
Darien (trembling) looks towards the Keeper and the Official.
Hobbes:
"Well, just sit tight there partner, I'm sure the Keep will have you back in action in no time."
Right after Hobbes completed this thought the Keeper starts making her way towards Darien. As she approaches she slows and becomes apprehensive. Hobbes and Darien both look towards the Keeper.
Hobbes:
"See, I told ya partner. I'll bet ya she's already got a cure for you… Right?"
The Keeper:
"Yes, and no. I know how to cure your current condition, but I don't think you're going to like it."
Darien:
"Why? What is it?"
Claire glances down and hesitantly looks up towards Darien.
The Keeper:
"Your body is going through withdrawal and I really don't believe that you will survive through it…"
Darien interrupts.
Darien:
"What do you want to do?"
The Keeper:
"I believe that the only way to get you through this is to induce Quicksilver Madness."
Hobbes:
"Whoa Whoa Keep, you think send'n him into red eye is gonna help him."
The Keeper:
"No."
Darien:
"Well that's a relief."
The Keeper:
"He'd have to go silver."
Darien and Hobbes:
"What?"
Darien:
"You want to turn me into ol' silver eyes again?"
The Keeper:
"Now look Darien, calm down. The only way that I can think of for you to survive this is for your body to naturally come off of the effects of the narcotic that the gland secreted."
Hobbes:
"Alright, so she sends you into Stage 5 nutzo and then the Keep just gives ya a little Stage 5 counteragent and you'll be good as new."
The Keeper:
"I'm afraid not Bobby, in order for this to be effective I can't give Darien any counteragent. It will have to work it's way out of his system naturally."
Darien:
"No, no way, I'm not go'n through that again."
The Keeper:
"Darien this is the only way."
Darien:
(Firmly) "Hey, you find another way."
The Keeper:
"We don't have time for that."
Darien:
"Make the time."
The Keeper:
"Darien, listen to me. You have no idea how bad this could get it you aren't treated for it."
Darien:
"Yeah, well I'll take my chances."
The Keeper:
"I'm afraid I can't allow that."
Darien:
(Surprised and Angry) "Excuse me?"
The Keeper:
"I cannot just stand by and watch you die."
Darien:
"This is my choice."
The Keeper:
"No, not anymore it isn't."
Darien turns towards Bobby in surprise.
Hobbes:
"I'm gonna have to go with Claire on this one partner."
Darien:
"No. You can't force me to do this."
The Official:
"I'm afraid she can."
Darien:
"What are you talk'n about?"
The Official:
"When you agreed to come back to work for the Agency, you changed your obligations to me. However, you neglected to do so with the Keeper."
Darien:
"This can't be legit."
The Official:
"I'm afraid it is. In a matter like this, I can't even overrule her."
Act II
Enter the padded cell.
Hobbes is helping Darien into his straightjacket while the Keeper is readying the injection.
The Keeper:
"Alright, I'm set here. Are you ready?"
Darien:
"Whoa, don't I get any last words or anything?"
Claire roles her eyes for a second, and then approaches Darien and kneels down facing him.
The Keeper:
"Darien, I promise you, this is all going to turn out just fine."
Darien:
"Famous last words. (Sarcastically)… Oh, and uh, speaking of last words. I would like to apologize ahead of time for anything that I may say or do when I loose it."
Hobbes and the Keeper give Darien a look of sympathy. Then Claire gives Darien the injection. Both the Keeper and Hobbes hurry out of the room.
Enter the observation room.
The Official is watching through the two way mirror, Hobbes and the Keeper enter. They look as Darien falls to the floor in agony and twitches helplessly.
The Official:
"Is this going to work?"
The Keeper:
"I hope so…"
Darien stops shaking on the floor. He slowly manages to squirm across the floor just in front of the two way mirror. The Official, Hobbes, and the Keeper approach the mirror trying to get a better view. Suddenly Darien jumps up and hits the mirror, the Official, Hobbes, and the Keeper lunge back.
The Keeper:
"Darien, are you alright?"
Darien roles his head around cracking his neck.
Darien:
(Exhales loudly) "Never better."
The Official:
"How many days will we have to keep him here?"
The Keeper:
"Roughly four days. Two days in Stage 5, and the other two in Stage 4. After that we can let him out. He may be a little irritable for a while, but he won't pose any real danger."
Enter the Keep. A few hours later…
Claire is at her computer working when Hobbes runs through the door.
Hobbes:
"Keep, we've got a problem."
Enter the observation room.
Hobbes and the Keeper enter. They proceed to the two way mirror. Darien can be seen lying on the ground trembling.
Hobbes:
"He started do'n it about a minute ago."
The Keeper:
"Alright, Bobby call security, I have to go in there and look him over."
Hobbes makes his way to the door.
Hobbes:
"I'll be back in a sec."
Claire looks back towards the two way mirror. She can see that Darien is getting worse. She looks back towards the door and then towards Darien. She grabs her bag and walks out of the room.
Enter the padded cell.
Darien is on the floor in agony, the door opens and the Keeper rushes in towards him.
The Keeper:
"I'm here Darien."
She puts her hand on his face to look at him. Then Darien roles over to reveal that he has managed to free himself from the straightjacket.
The Keeper:
"Oh dear."
Claire runs for the door but before she makes it Darien grabs her from behind.
Darien:
"You thought you could keep me in here?"
The Keeper:
"Darien, listen to me. You're not well, this isn't you."
Darien pulls her closer to him. He twists around so that his head is to left of the Keeper's.
Darien:
"Oh no, no, no, no, no, this is definitely the real me."
Enter the observation room.
Hobbes and three other agents burst in the room. Hobbes sees Claire in the cell with Darien. He runs to the microphone.
Hobbes' Voice:
"Alright Fawkes, now just calm down."
Darien:
"Come on Hobbesey, now where's the fun in that?"
Hobbes looks over his shoulder to the three agents behind him.
Hobbes:
"Alright, we've got one shot at this. I'll keep him distracted. When I give you the signal get in there and try to get to the Keeper. Be careful this isn't the Fawkes that your used to dealing with."
The agents leave, Hobbes looks back towards Darien and the Keeper. He grabs the microphone.
Hobbes' Voice:
"Alright Fawkes. What do you want."
Darien:
"Oh, the usual. Revenge, freedom, a nice retirement fund. It's the American way.
Hobbes' Voice:
"Well, I don't know about all of that, how about a compromise?"
Darien:
"I'm all ears."
Hobbes' Voice:
"How about you let Claire go, and you stay locked up in there for another three days?"
Darien:
"Ehh, I don't know. That deal's just not do'n anything for me."
Hobbes' Voice:
"Then how about this?"
Enter the padded cell.
The door bursts open and the three agents run in, Darien Quicksilvers himself and the Keeper. The agents spread out blocking the door, one of them goes down. Another agents goes to assist his fallen comrade when he is struck. The third agent helps him up, and they drag the unconscious agent out of the room. The door closes, Darien and Claire un-Quicksilver.
Darien:
"Nice try Hobbes. That was the most fun that I've had in a while."
Hobbes' Voice:
"Well, I'm glad that I could help."
Darien:
"Oh, and Hobbes, if you want to see Claire here alive again I wouldn't send in any more mooks."
Act III
Enter the observation room.
The Official and Hobbes are standing looking at Darien and Claire who are seated at the far end of the padded cell.
The Official:
"What happened?"
Hobbes:
"Fawkes faked an emergency to trick the Keep into going in there without backup. I tried to resolve the situation but Fawkes was to much for them."
The Official:
"Do you think that he's capable of killing her in his present state?"
Hobbes looks through the two way mirror towards Fawkes who slowly lifts his head up like he can see through the window. His eyes are entirely silver.
Hobbes:
"Definitely."
Enter the padded cell.
Claire is sitting on the floor, her hands have been crudely tied with Darien's straight jacket. She shifts her position.
Darien:
"And just what do you think you're doing? (sarcastically)"
The Keeper:
"Look, I'm starting to get a cramp, either you can let me move around a little or we can just sit here and you can listen to me complain about it."
Darien looks down towards the floor for a second, and slowly lifts his face towards hers with a grin on his face.
Darien:
"Don't try anything."
Claire slowly works her way up against the until she can stand, and walks towards the two way mirror.
Darien:
"I said don't try anything."
The Keeper:
"I'm just taking a look at my neck, I think you bruised me."
Darien:
"Yeah right, if you wanted to know that you could have just asked me."
Darien gets up and forcefully takes the Keeper by the arm.
The Keeper:
"Well I would have if your eyes weren't saturated with Quicksilver."
Darien loosens his grip slowly and lets go.
Darien:
"My apologies doctor."
Enter the observation room.
Hobbes and the Official are still watching through the two way mirror.
Hobbes:
(To the Official) "That was a close one."
The Official:
"This situation needs to resolved."
Hobbes:
"Well I couldn't agree more chief, but…"
The Official interrupts.
The Official:
"Hobbes."
Hobbes:
"Sorry sir, won't happen again."
The Official:
"I'm going to make some calls, and try to get reinforcements."
Hobbes:
"But sir, what about the Keep? If you bring in any outside help to this, they might endanger her life."
The Official:
"Her life is already in danger…You have a little over an hour before reinforcements arrive, do what you can until then, but once they get here this is their show."
The Official walks out.
Hobbes:
"Yes sir."
Hobbes looks back towards to the two way mirror.
Act IV
Enter the padded cell.
Darien stands up and makes his way to the two-way mirror.
Darien:
"Alright Hobbes, I'm gett'n a little impatient here."
Hobbes' Voice
"Just stay calm Fawkes, I'm try'n to get you out of here as fast as I can."
Darien:
"I'm sure you are Hobbes, but I really don't believe that the Fat Man is going to allow it…Maybe it's time for a little message."
Darien walks towards the Keeper, grabs he by the arm, and pulls her up.
Darien:
"Alright Hobbes, now you tell Round Boy there to let me out or I'm have to gonna break Claire's pretty little neck."
Hobbes' Voice:
"Alright Fawkes, I'm telling him now, just take it easy. Nobody has to get hurt."
Enter the observation room.
Hobbes picks up the phone and dials the Official's extension.
The Official's Voice:
"This is him."
Hobbes:
"It's gett'n pretty bad in there chief."
The Official's Voice:
"Stall him."
Hobbes:
"I don't think that's an option."
The Official's Voice:
"Hobbes, reinforcements will be here in twenty minutes, just keep him going for that long and we can resolve this situation."
Hobbes:
"We don't have twenty minutes."
Bobby slams down the phone.
Hobbes' Voice:
"Alright Fawkes, I'm opening the door."
Enter the padded cell.
Darien:
"See Keep, I told you this would turn out just fine."
The Keeper:
"Darien please, just give it up. I don't want to see you get hurt."
Darien turns and looks at the Keeper. The door opens. Darien runs to the Keeper, grabs her, and starts making his way towards the door. Hobbes walks into the room pistol drawn.
Hobbes:
"I can't let you do this Fawkes."
Darien:
(Under his breath) Hobbes, Hobbes, Hobbes… You know better than anyone that I'm not messing around her."
Hobbes:
"I know Fawkes."
Darien:
"Then I gotta ask Hobbes, what are you doing?"
Hobbes:
"Ending this."
Darien:
"Come on Hobbes, are you that dense? No wonder they kicked you out of the FBI."
Hobbes:
"I know that's just the drugs talking Fawkes, come on you can fight it."
Darien:
"Yeah, I suppose I could, but there's just one problem. I don't want to fight it."
Hobbes:
"I'm warning you Fawkes, let her go."
Darien:
"Yeah and I'm warning you."
Hobbes pulls the trigger, Darien and the Keeper go down. Hobbes makes his way to the Keeper and helps her up. Darien slowly starts moving around on the floor.
Darien:
"(Surprised) You shot me?"
Hobbes:
"I'm sure you would've done the same for me."
Darien:
"Yeah, I suppose I would. But I would have aimed better."
Darien gets up and charges Bobby while his back is turned and tackles him. They role around on the floor struggling for a little while when Darien gets Hobbes pinned and starts strangling him.
Darien:
"Nighty night."
Darien starts to tighten his grip when Claire hits him over the head with Bobby's gun knocking him out.
Act V
Enter the Keep (three days later).
Hobbes and the Keeper are talking over by one of her computers. Darien walks in. He pauses when he gets in the door and looks at Hobbes in the Keeper.
Darien:
"Hey."
Hobbes:
"Hey."
The Keeper:
"Hey."
Darien:
"I just thought I'd stop by and…"
The Keeper interrupts.
The Keeper:
"I know."
Darien turns around and starts heading towards the door.
The Keeper:
"Darien."
Darien stops and turns around.
Darien:
"Yeah?"
The Keeper:
"I'll see you tomorrow."
At the end of that she smiles at him. Darien notices the smile and looks at Claire for a second. Darien pauses and starts to open his mouth, then walks out of the room.
Enter the hallway adjacent to the Keep. Camera angle shows Darien from behind walking away from the Keep. Enter Voice Over: Aldous Huxley once said, "Silence is as full of potential wisdom and wit as the unhewn marble of a great sculpture." In that case I think I may have just said the wisest thing that I ever could hope for.
The End