EXT. WAREHOUSE ROOF - NIGHT
A BLACK HELICOPTER lands on the roof of the wardrobe building. Shane climbs out of it. He limps across the roof toward
CHLOË, who stands alone, arms crossed, face streaked with tears, among the milling agents.
She looks daggers at Shane.
He walks slowly up to her. He opens his mouth to speak. But he has no words. He looks sadly away.
INT. SHANE'S OFFICE - DAY
Chloë sits in a chair, tea ignored on the table beside her. She is staring at a painting on the wall, a pastoral landscape. It looks a little like heaven.
She is not crying now, but her eyes are red. Her jaw is set. And she does not look at Shane as he speaks, sitting at his desk.
SHANE
This is one of those horrible
times when the words "I'm sorry"
seem so inadequate...yet it's all
I can think to say.
(beat)
He was...a remarkable man.
CHLOË
Stop it.
(beat)
Stop saying "was."
SHANE
Chloë --
CHLOË
How can they be sure?
SHANE
(beat)
No one loses that much blood
that quickly and survives, love.
He would have gone into shock
and bled out before anyone
could have helped him.
(beat)
I doubt he felt a thing.
CHLOË
Yeah. That's 'cause you didn't
hear him scream.
A long, uncomfortable silence.
SHANE
I am so, so sorry.
Chloë nods. She turns from the painting and looks at her hands, clenched in her lap.
SHANE (CONT'D)
(beat)
Perhaps the best thing for you to --
CHLOË
I wanna go get the body.
SHANE
(beat)
Pardon?
CHLOË
Brady's body. Phillip has it.
SHANE
(beat)
He might.
(beat)
Agent Lane --
CHLOË
How do we get it?
SHANE
We don't.
Finally, she looks at him, surprise and hate in her eyes.
SHANE (CONT'D)
We do not compromise this
operation to retrieve Agent
Black's corpse. The potential
harm far outweighs the good.
CHLOË
How dare you --
SHANE
I don't dare, Agent Lane. I know.
I have been at this job longer than
you've been alive. And while I have
every sympathy for your pain, I
expect you to respect the
judgement and the authority
of your superior officers.
CHLOË
(beat)
No.
SHANE
Pardon?
CHLOË
No. No more. I'm done.
She takes the ID cards from around her neck and sets them beside her teacup.
SHANE
Agent Lane!
CHLOË
Not anymore. Not ever again.
She takes the gun from her waistband and puts it beside the cards.
SHANE
Are you forgetting something?
Are you forgetting that Yios O
is still out there, that we have
a mission to find him and --
CHLOË
You may be after "Yios O." I'm only
interested in Phillip. You do what
you have to do. But if he comes --
when he comes -- for me, I'll face
him alone. This is just between him
and me...and Brady. Like always.
She walks regally out the door. As she departs, she flips her hair, and we see she is still wearing the EARRINGS.
INT. AN EMPTY WHITE ROOM
There is, litterally, nothing to see here. Even if there were, the room is too bright to make out any features. Perhaps that's a corner. Perhaps that's the ceiling.
BRADY (O.S.)
Chloë...?
Suddenly PHILLIP'S FACE is there.
There is a SCREAM OF PAIN and --
INT. CHLOË'S BEDROOM - NIGHT
Chloë sits up, gasping, the scream still echoing in her ears. She looks around the dark room, panting, then buries her face in her hands. Yes, she's still wearing those earrings.
INT. CHLOË'S APARTMENT - DAY
Chloë putters in the kitchen, cleaning with vigor. She scrubs the counters. She goes to the dishrack and picks up the FRYING PAN.
She stops, stares at it.
Angrily, she thrusts it into a drawer. She continues putting away dishes with far too much energy. She slams cabinets. She throws utensils into their drawers. Finally, she pounds the counter with her fists and HOWLS with sorrow.
She stops, breathing hard, sniffling.
There's a KNOCK at the door.
She storms to the door and thows it open, scowling.
Belle stands, red-eyed, in the doorway.
Chloë looks at her with disdain. She barely manages to choke out --
CHLOË
Are you here to bring me back in?
BELLE
(quietly)
No.
CHLOË
Then why are you here?
BELLE
(beat)
Because I loved him too.
Beat. They fall into each others' arms, sobbing.
INT. CHLOË'S APARTMENT - EVENING
The girls are sitting on the couch, laughing, but it's that memorial service sort of laughter, hard to distinguish from crying. There's TISSUES and PHOTO ALBUMS everywhere.
CHLOË
...oh, and remember? Remember
that one Thanksgiving when your
mom made...oh, what was that
stuff?
BELLE
Oh, God! The oyster stuffing!
CHLOË
That was it! It was so foul, and
I'm shoveling this disgusting
mush into my mouth and kicking
Brady under the table 'cause
I just know he's gonna say
something --
BELLE
Oh, but can you blame him?
Let's admit it, the one flaw in
Dr. Marlena Evans' "Superwoman"
routine is her cooking.
CHLOË
Jeez, how did you survive it
all those years?
BELLE
On Fruit Loops, mostly!
They are laughing again, verging on hysteria.
CHLOË
Oh, that explains so much!
Everything falls into place!
Brady Black, sugar addict and
preservative victim!
She covers her mouth suddenly.
CHLOË (CONT'D)
Oh, God, Belle. I think I'm
going crazy.
BELLE
(beat)
Under the circumstances, I
think going crazy might be
the sanest reaction.
CHLOË
No, no, Belle, you don't
understand! I can hear him.
I keep hearing his voice. I
keep expecting to turn around
and find him standing there,
but then...there's no one. And
the dreams...I keep having
these horrible dreams.
Phillip is doing these awful
things to him, and I can't --
She sobs again. Belle tries to hug her, but Chloë stands and backs away.
CHLOË (CONT'D)
Why didn't I say something?
He was here. He was standing
right there, and he made bacon.
He stood there and made a whole
thing of bacon waiting for me to
say something, and I couldn't
do it. Why couldn't I do it?
What's wrong with me? I
couldn't tell him, and now
he's...he's....
Belle sits and lets her cry, tears streaking her own face.
CHLOË (CONT'D)
I loved him so much, and
I couldn't tell him.
BRADY (O.S.)
Chloë...?
She sobs again and crumbles to the floor.
INT. CHLOË'S APARTMENT - NIGHT
Chloë sits huddled on the couch, covered with an afghan. Belle walks up and hands her a mug of tea. Chloë just stares at it. Belle puts a comforting hand on her knee.
BELLE
You should try to eat something.
CHLOË
So should you.
BELLE
I'm okay.
CHLOË
So am I.
She puts the tea down and sits up.
CHLOË (CONT'D)
I think I'm gonna try to take
a shower.
BELLE
Okay.
Chloë takes off her necklace and drops it carelessly on the table. Then she takes out her earrings. Yes, those earrings. She holds them in her palm and stares at them for a while.
BELLE (CONT'D)
(re: earrings)
Pretty.
CHLOË
They were the last thing he
ever gave me.
(beat)
Actually, I guess he didn't
give them to me. They're
from Tech.
(hands them to Belle)
Can you take them back for
me? I don't...I'm not going
back there.
BELLE
Sure.
Chloë stands and goes into her bedroom.
Belle remains on the couch, fiddling with the earrings. She holds one up, the post between her thumb and forefinger.
BRADY (O.S.)
(very faintly)
Where's...Chloë...?
She nearly drops it, eyes wide with shock.
BELLE
(quietly)
Oh my God.
(loudly)
Oh my God!
She starts clawing her own earring out. She fumbles to get Chloë's into her ear.
BELLE (CONT'D)
Oh God oh God oh God oh
my God!
Chloë runs in from the bedroom.
CHLOË
Belle, what's wrong?
Belle stands and turns to her, smiling with shock and disbelief.
BELLE
Chloë, you're not going crazy!
And Brady's not dead!
She points to the earrings.
BELLE (CONT'D)
I can hear him!
Off Chloë's shocked face, cut to --
INT. HALLWAY - ISA HEADQUARTERS - NIGHT
Belle and Chloë stride down the hall, definitely out of bubblegum.
INT. SITUATION ROOM - CONTINUOUS
They burst through the double doors. Inside, dozens of agents scamper about their work like rats.
BELLE
Status report, people!
THREE AGENTS hurry up to Belle, waving papers and all talking at once.
BELLE (CONT'D)
One at a time!
AGENT 1
Voice print confirms it's Agent
Black. Based on the sound quality
it's a hundred to one against it
being a recording.
BELLE
Good. Next?
AGENT 2
Statistics is still compiling
data on Yios O's holdings and
known political interests, trying
to pinpoint a geographic center,
but no bullsye on his HQ yet.
BELLE
(to Agent 1)
Can you guys help with that?
Can you trace the source of
the transmission?
AGENT 1
We kinda have.
BELLE
Where is it?!
AGENT 1
Far away.
BELLE
Wonderful.
(to Agent 3)
What about you?
AGENT 3
(nervously)
I'm supposed to discuss
extraction scenarios with
you, but...but....
BELLE
But what?
AGENT 3
(re: Chloë)
But I'm not allowed to
do it in front of her. Ma'am.
The room goes quiet. Everyone looks, then looks away. This is gonna be ugly.
Belle and Chloë just exchange a look.
INT. SHANE'S OFFICE - MINUTES LATER
Belle and Chloë burst unannounced into the office, followed by Agent 1.
Shane looks at them calmly and pushes a button on his intercom.
SHANE
(to intercom; mildly)
Antonio? Would you please
send in a security guard to
escort Ms. Lane from the
building?
(beat)
Make that a few guards.
BELLE
Shane, don't be an ass.
SHANE
Pardon, Special Agent Black?
BELLE
Sorry. Assistant Director Donovan,
don't be an ass. Shane, you know we
need Chloë to pull this off --
SHANE
I know no such thing.
BELLE
You know she's the only
agent who can get within
10 feet of him.
SHANE
Hopefully, no one will need
to get that close.
BELLE
No way. The stormtrooper bit
is only gonna get Brady killed.
We need to do this small scale,
get in and get out before Phillip
even knows we've been there.
CHLOË
And to do that, you'll need me
as a distraction.
BELLE
Or as bait.
(to Chloë)
Sorry.
CHLOË
Getting used to it.
SHANE
I assume this means you have
a plan?
BELLE
I assume this means Chloë's
back in?
SHANE
(beat)
You are inconveniently like
your father.
BELLE
Thank you.
SHANE
Ms. Lane's status will be
restored until Agent Black
is recovered. After that...we
shall see.
CHLOË
(softly)
Thank you, Shane.
The three share a quiet moment.
Agent 1 clears his throat.
AGENT 1
Um, sir? Ma'ams? We still
don't have any idea where
to find him.
SHANE
(sourly)
Yes. Thank you.
BELLE
(to Agent 1)
What do we know?
AGENT 1
Well, the transmission is
coming from somewhere outside
a 500-mile radius....
Chloë looks impatiently around the room. Shane's CRYSTAL DECANTER SET catches her eye. She frowns at it.
AGENT 1 (CONT'D)
...We've tried getting information
out of Agent Black, but he doesn't
seem to know where he is...in fact,
he doesn't really seem coherant
most of the time.
Chloë glances from the decanter set to the WINDOW, which affords a view of the MANHATTAN SKYLINE.
BELLE
Wait, you mean he's altered?
Out of it? Has he told you
why? Is he in pain? Is he --
Chloë approaches the decanter set. She runs her hand along the tops of the glasses: low, low, low, low, low....
AGENT 1
Agent Black, we don't know.
We haven't been able to get
a full sentence out of him.
...then she touches the top of the decanter: high.
CHLOË
(quietly)
That's it.
BELLE
Okay, I need that transmitter in
here now. I need to know what
kind of state he's in. I need to
prep the MedEvac team for --
CHLOË
(loudly)
I know where he is.
The others stare at her.
CHLOË (CONT'D)
I know where Phillip took him.
Off the decanter set, we --
MATCH CUT TO:
EXT. THE SALEM SKYLINE - DAY
-- and like the decanter set, there's only one "high," one serious skyscraper in the whole town: THE TITAN BUILDING.
INT. DOCUMENT STORAGE - TITAN BUILDING - CONTINUOUS
This is a cavernous room, the size of a full floor of the building. It's full of file cabinets and Banker's Boxes upon Banker's Boxes.
There's a clearing in this mess near the door, perhaps 20 by 20. Folding chairs and tables are stacked in the corner.
In another corner is Brady. He's chained to the wall, one long chain through a ring set high up on 10-foot walls and old-fashioned manacles around his wrists. He's shirtless, shoeless, dirty, bruised, and there's a ratty bandage wrapped loosely around his shoulder. He looks much the worse for wear, gray and sickly. He lies on the floor, eyes closed, breathing raggedly.
The door opens.
In strides Phillip, in a very expensive suit. He's well tailored to the point of gaudy.
Brady's eyes open, then close again, disinterested.
Phillip walks right up to him and KICKS him in the ribs.
PHILLIP
Hey, Brady.
Brady barely has the strength to wince in pain from the blow. Phillip crouches over him.
PHILLIP (CONT'D)
Let's see how that ol' sepsis
is doin'.
He yanks the bandage away, revealing an OPEN, PUSSY WOUND beneath. The skin around it looks vaguely green and papery.
PHILLIP (CONT'D)
Coming along nicely!
Phillip SLAPS the bandage back into place, this time getting a satisfying grunt of pain out of his nephew, and walks away.
PHILLIP (CONT'D)
Okay. Now I'm bored again.
He throws himself to the ground, stretching himself out, hands behind his head, like a sunbather on the beach.
PHILLIP (CONT'D)
What's taking her so long?
EXT. TITAN BUILDING - DAY
Employees skittering out the doors. It's closing time.
REVERSE ANGLE
Chloë is in an
INT. EMPTY OFFICE - CONTINUOUS
across the street, regarding the skyscraper with a high-tech pair of binoculars. Behind her, in the room, Belle and two other agents (SMITH and JONES) are looking at the blueprints for the Titan Building.
BELLE
(to Chloë)
Anything?
CHLOË
Not a sign of either of them.
BELLE
Too much to hope Phillip'd
put Brady in the middle of the
lobby, huh?
CHLOË
Apparantly.
SMITH
If he's there at all.
JONES
(off their looks; covering)
I still don't understand why
we can't pulse the place. Knock
out the cameras, alarms, lights --
BELLE
Because if Brady's on life
support, an EM pulse would
knock that out too. Killing the
target defeats the purpose of
a rescue, don't you think?
Chloë leaves the window and joins them.
CHLOË
What's the point of entry?
BELLE
For us, or for you?
EXT. TITAN BUILDING - SUNSET
A Fed-Ex (or similar) TRUCK pulls into the
ALLEY BEHIND THE BUILDING
and stops at the
LOADING DOCK
The driver kills the engine and hops out. It's Belle, hair under a baseball cap, carrying a clipboard. Note her small, gold EARRINGS.
A MAIL CLERK comes to the end of the dock and glares at her.
BELLE
Hey there. Late delivery. You
got anything for pickup?
CLERK
No.
BELLE
Well, can you gimme a hand
with this then? It's huge.
The clerk narrows his eyes. Belle looks at him innocently.
BELLE (CONT'D)
What?
EXT. ACROSS THE STREET FROM TITAN - CONTINUOUS
Chloë stands in a shadowed alley. She's also wearing transmitter earrings.
CHLOË
Talk to me, Belle.
BELLE (O.S.)
We're in.
IN THE MAILROOM
Belle stands over the unconscious body of the clerk. Smith and Jones, both dressed in business casual, are checking their weapons.
BELLE (CONT'D)
But it wasn't pretty. Give me
five to get to security and I'll
contact you when we're ready.
CHLOË (O.S.)
Okay.
IN THE ALLEY
Chloë watches the building. Then, she takes out an earring. From her pocket, she slips in the one Brady gave her.
CHLOË
(whisper)
Brady?
IN DOCUMENT STORAGE
Brady stirs a little, moans. Phillip looks at him.
CHLOË (O.S.)
It's me. It's Chloë
BRADY
(mutters)
Chloë....
Phillip sits up.
IN THE ALLEY
Chloë continues.
CHLOË
Shh. Don't say anything. We're
coming to get you.
BRADY (O.S.)
No....
CHLOË
It's okay. I promise, it's all
gonna be okay.
BRADY (O.S.)
Phillip....
CHLOË
Phillip can't hurt me any more.
He's already done his worst. He
made me believe I'd lost you.
(beat)
A long time ago, you rescued me from
him. From more than that. You rescued
me from despair, from fear...from
myself. I think maybe I'd forgotten
how much I owe you. But I could never
forget how much I loved you, even when
I wanted to.
(beat)
No matter what happens tonight, no matter
what I have to do to get you out, never
forget that. Never forget that I love you,
Brady. I always have, and I always will.
She switches earrings again as
IN DOCUMENT STORAGE
Brady sits up
BRADY
Chloë, don't!
Phillip moves closer.
PHILLIP
You havin' a nightmare, Brady?
(beat)
No, you're not, are you? I don't
know how you know, but you
know. She's here.
Phillip jumps to his feet. Brady makes a weak and desparate grab to stop him but misses by a mile. Phillip runs out of the room.
INT. BUILDING SECURITY - CONTINUOUS
Belle sits at the bank of monitors, more unconscious employees on the floor. (Damn, she's good.) Smith and Jones wait by the door.
Belle starts typing on the console. She frowns at it, types some more, then smiles.
BELLE
All right, Chloë. I've got systems
access. You are good to go.
(beat)
Break a leg.
EXT. TITAN BUILDING - CONTINUOUS
Chloë takes a deep breath and heads for the building.
INT. LOBBY - TITAN BUILDING - CONTINUOUS
Chloë walks right up to the security desk and smiles her superstar smile at the GUARD.
CHLOË
Hi! My name's Chloë Lane. I'm
here to see Phillip Kiriakis. I
don't have an appointment.
GUARD
(beat)
Excuse me?
CHLOË
You know. Phillip. Billionaire
madman. Faked his own death.
His dad built this place. Phillip.
GUARD
Miss, I don't know who you're
talking about, but I'm gonna
have to ask you to leave.
CHLOË
Just tell him I'm here.
GUARD
Ma'am --
The guard stops suddenly. A RED LIGHT on the phone on his desk is blinking. He picks it up.
GUARD (CONT'D)
(to phone)
Yes sir?
(long beat)
Okay, sir.
He hangs up the phone. He scowls at Chloë.
GUARD (CONT'D)
Someone will escort you to
the 22nd floor. Please step
through the metal detector.
CHLOË
Thanks!
She waves cheerfully and steps through the arch of the machine. As she does --
INT. SECURITY
Belle winces at a loud SQUEAL and grabs her earlobe.
BELLE
Ow! Dammit. Chloë? Can
you hear me?
(beat)
He pulsed her. Son of a....
Okay, we're flying blind, folks.
SMITH
Where's she headed?
BELLE
She didn't get a chance to
tell me.
Belle scans the security cameras. One of them shows an ELEVATOR. She watches as Chloë and TWO GUARDS step into it.
INT. ELEVATOR - CONTINUOUS
Chloë stands between the two guards. They are much, much bigger than her. She glances first at one, then at the other. Then she grins an impish little grin.
INT. SECURITY
Belle watches her intently.
BELLE
Come on, Chloë, give me
a sign. Don't leave me
hangin'.
Chloë's eyes dart to the camera, then away. She raises her hand to her mouth and COUGHS TWICE. She puts her hand down. Then she raises it again. COUGS TWICE. Puts her hand down.
BELLE (CONT'D)
That better mean what I
think it means. Guys? You're
goin' to 22. Take the stairs.
Smith and Jones take off.
INT. ELEVATOR
Chloë watches the rising numbers. 19...20...21...
The elevator JERKS to a stop.
Chloë EXPLODES INTO ACTION, driving the BACK OF HER FIST into the FACE of one guard and SNAP KICKING the other in the KNEES. They bounce off the walls and come at her. She grabs each neatly by the back of the neck and SLAMS THEIR HEADS TOGETHER. They wilt and fall at her feet.
No time to gloat. She JUMPS and PUNCHES OUT the emergency hatch in the ceiling. She JUMPS again and is hanging from the lip of it. She pulls herself through.
ON TOP OF THE ELEVATOR
Chloë takes out a pair of handles and clamps them onto the elevator cables. Suddenly, the elevator DROPS and leaves her hanging in space.
INT. HALLWAY - 22ND FLOOR
Phillip is watching the numbers over the elevator doors. He scowls as the numbers drop rapidly. He looks around. All of the floor indicators are going haywire.
IN SECURITY
Belle types and snickers with satisfaction.
BELLE (CONT'D)
Confused yet, Phillip? Loser.
IN THE ELEVATOR SHAFT
Chloë climbs past the doors that have a big "22" spraypainted on their interior. She makes it to the VENTILATION SHAFT above the doors and RIPS it's cover off.
IN THE HALLWAY
Phillip growls in frustration and dashes down the hall.
Above the elevator, behind a grate, CHLOË'S EYES blink at us.
INT. PHILLIP'S OFFICE - CONTINUOUS
Phillip rushes to his desk and SLAMS his fist down on an intercom button.
PHILLIP
Where the hell is she?
GUARD (O.S.)
(on intercom)
Sir?
PHILLIP
Where the hell did she go?
GUARD (O.S.)
(on intercom)
I sent her up to 22, sir, like
you said.
Phillip GRABS the intercom and THROWS it against the wall. He pauses for a second, seething. Then --
PHILLIP
Fine.
He storms out of the room.
IN THE AIR VENTS
Chloë sees him and scrambles off to follow. At each vent, she looks down and sees the top of his head. It's tough to keep up on all fours, but she hustles.
IN DOCUMENT STORAGE
Phillip breezes through the doors and over to Brady. Brady opens one eye as Phillip hulks over him.
PHILLIP (CONT'D)
(whispers)
Sit tight. Won't be long now.
IN THE AIR VENTS
Chloë struggles along, looks down and sees Phillip, crouching in the corner. She sees the chains. All she can see of Brady is is his legs. She swears silently. She pulls her weapon, checks the clip.
IN DOCUMENT STORAGE
Near the ceiling, an air vent cover shivers, then is PULLED INSIDE the shaft.
Chloë peeps out. She gauges the distance to the floor, takes a deep breath, and JUMPS.
STOMP
Phillip smiles as she makes loud contact with the floor.
Chloë raises her gun and takes aim.
CHLOË
Phillip.
PHILLIP
(gently)
Hi. Glad you're finally here.
CHLOË
I'm armed, Phillip. I want you
to step away from Brady. Do
it slowly.
Phillip shakes his head sadly.
PHILLIP
I understand. I do. But....
not happening.
He turns aside. He has his gun under Brady's chin, poised to blow Brady's brains out.
PHILLIP (CONT'D)
Put your gun down.
Devastated, she complies.
PHILLIP (CONT'D)
And kick it this'a'way, please.
She does. She swallows hard.
Phillip contemplates her for a long time.
PHILLIP (CONT'D)
You look good, Chloë.
IN SECURITY
Belle is typing furiously.
BELLE
Where'd you go? Where'd you
go? Where the hell did you --
She squints at a monitor labeled "22." As she types, it flips from view to view to view. The floor seems deserted, until SMITH AND JONES pop out of the stairwell. Their weapons are hidden. They look like just a couple of employees, wandering down the hall, talking business. Belle picks up a walkie talkie.
BELLE (CONT'D)
Guys? They've fallen off the
map. Wherever they are, there's
no cameras. Hard search. Every
room. Right now.
Jones finds the camera and nods at her. He says something to Smith, and they split up, walking in opposite directions.
Belle resumes her typing. The monitor resumes its flipping, until --
BELLE (CONT'D)
Hang on!
She flips it back. She stares. She types again, and the camera pushes in on a door.
It's labeled DOCUMENT STORAGE.
BELLE (CONT'D)
Nailed.
(to walkie-talkie)
Guys, I think I've got them.
(beat)
Guys?
IN THE HALLWAY
Jones rounds a corner and
BLAM
Blood blossoms across his chest. Meanwhile
SMITH
hears the gunshot and turns around, running smack into a VERY LARGE, SMILING GUARD, who decks him.
IN SECURITY
Belle flips through the views of 22. She stops dead at Jones's body. She covers her mouth in horror. She collects herself and keeps flipping. She catches the guard dragging Smith into a utility closet.
BELLE (CONT'D)
Damn!
She pulls her gun and runs from the room.
INT. DOCUMENT STORAGE
Phillip stands, his gun still pointed at Brady.
PHILLIP
You look...really good. How've
you been?
Chloë doesn't answer. Phillip begins to choke up. He walks slowly toward her.
PHILLIP (CONT'D)
What's it been, like, eight years
now? Not counting the other
day. Nice moves, by the way.
(beat; re: gun, joking)
Kinda like old times, huh?
CHLOË
(serious)
Yeah.
PHILLIP
I'm sorry it had to be this way.
He stops just outside of kicking range.
CHLOË
It didn't have to be this way.
PHILLIP
Oh? What do you think I
should have done? Just show
up on your doorstep?
CHLOË
I don't know, Phillip, but --
PHILLIP
Just walk up to you on the
street one day and say, "Hey,
Chloë, long time no see! I'm
going to kill you now!
(raises gun)
Because I am going to kill
you now.
INT. STAIRWELL
Belle is racing up the stairs. At the landing to the 22nd floor, she backs up and takes a FLYING LEAP at a ventilation shaft, knocking the cover off. She ducks as it flies at her head. She backs up again, runs for the wall and --
IN DOCUMENT STORAGE
Chloë takes a step away from Phillip. He laughs.
PHILLIP
Oh, what, you think this was
about you'n'me getting back
together? You thought I'd
actually forgiven you? Either
of you? Please.
CHLOË
Then why didn't you kill
us before? Years ago?
PHILLIP
Honestly? Well, first I had
to get the meds straightened
out. You know. Then, by the
time I got around to it, the two
of you were so miserable...I
was kinda having fun just
watching.
CHLOË
You....
PHILLIP
Me what?
(beat)
Don't worry. Calling me
names isn't going to piss me
off any more than throwing
me off a bridge and sleeping
with my nephew did.
(beat)
Y'know, I've been waiting
for this for so long. But now
that the moment's here...
(beat)
...it's even better than I
imagined.
Suddenly, Phillip's demeanor is that of Hannibal Lechter on crack.
PHILLIP (CONT'D)
This is the best. It's like
Christmas! I can't decide
which of you to open up and
play with first! I mean, there's
this guy here, he slips in while
I'm out of town, fighting for
my life no less, and he slips it to
my girlfriend. Then, insult to
injury, kills me. Sort of. And
then he makes a career of
putting me out of business.
Letting him watch you die,
slowly, I might add, doesn't
seem like the half of it, does
it? Now, on the other hand,
I could make you watch him
die, 'cause after all, you're
the heartless, cheating, lying,
backstabing BITCH who drove
me off my rocker! Oh, man!
Decisions! Decisions! Should
I kill him first? Should I kill
you first? Ah-ha! I know!
He RUNS FULL FORCE into a stack of BOXES. He darts aside as the boxes fall, and tumbling down with them comes BELLE.
Belle lands hard on the cement floor. Her gun flies from her hand.
PHILLIP
I'll kill Belle first!