EXT. UCLA
There are very few students milling around campus seeing as how it's a Sunday. Sydney still manages to fit the setting wearing her jeans and sweater but she has this look on her face, as if being there is taking her back and she can't completely wrap her brain around the fact that it's been 3 years since she graduated. Finally she sees the Bloodmobile and smiles. She walks right up to it and finds that the door is unlocked so she opens it.
SYDNEY
I don't know how you managed to get this here but...
She stops when she sees that it's empty. All that's in there is a paper bag sitting on a piece of paper. Syd goes all the way in closing the door behind her. As she approaches the counter we can see that the paper underneath is from a yellow legal pad and that the bag has the word 'BAG' written on it. She picks up the bag with a smile, noticing that it's folded closed and sealed with a small round band-aid. When she opens it she finds the next cassette inside. Then her mouth drops when she sees the paper underneath. It's the map of SD-6 she drew all those years ago. She picks it up and holds it in her hands in awe. He kept it. Then she places it down gently and hops up onto the counter, sitting cross legged. Popping the cassette in she presses play and we cut to Vaughn sitting up on the counter, letting his feet dangle as he records this. He begins with a smile.
VAUGHN
You thought I was going to be in there, didn't you? Sorry. But trust me, it will be well worth it when you finally do see me.
He looks around nostalgically.
VAUGHN
Well, here we are at the Bloodmobile, home to our first clandestine meeting as well as our first fight, which I'm sure you remember.
He smiles big.
VAUGHN
It's the one where you accused me of being too young - even though I'm several years older than you - as well as chauvinist pig.
We go back to Syd as she shakes her head. She can't believe she treated him like that. Then we're back on him as he chuckles slightly.
VAUGHN
Of course your, shall we say, spirited personality is one of the things that attracted me to you in the first place so I didn't mind it too much. In fact there would be times when I'd purposely push your buttons just to see you get angry.
We cut to Syd as she raises an eyebrow as if to say, "Oh, really?" We can hear him chuckle again on the tape as we switch back to him. His eyes are twinkling and he adds, as if anticipating her reaction:
VAUGHN
Feel free to kick my ass for that later. Please. Like I said, I do enjoy your spirited personality.
He picks up the map that she wrote with a smile and then glances up at the cabinet across the way.
VAUGHN
I would've preferred to have given you a framed copy of the actual SD-6 map with everything you accomplished on it but unfortunately that information won't be declassified until we'll be drawing our pensions. So I suppose it's a good thing I kept the 'map' that you drew.
We flash over to her as she picks up the map again and shakes her head. She'd been so naïve. She and we hear him as he continues:
VAUGHN
You know, I'll never forget your snide remarks about headgear and retainers.
She winces and chuckles. We cut over to him and he's chuckling too, a huge smile on his face, dimples out in full force.
VAUGHN
Still the best was when you asked me to show you what a bag looked like again. To this day the sight of a brown paper bag puts a smile on my face.
He looks down at the bag at his side right next to the map. Then he gets a bit more serious.
VAUGHN
But I didn't pick this place just to gloat. I did it to remind you of how far we've come and everything that you've accomplished.
We cut to Syd, her expression now serious as well. She looks around and it's as if she's thinking about how right he is, how far they've come from the times when they used to meet here. He continues:
VAUGHN
No, you didn't bring down SD-6 as quickly as you'd hoped but you did bring it down a hell of a lot faster than anyone expected.
She looks down at the cassette player with a raise of the eyebrows and a tilt of the head. She didn't do it alone. We cut to Vaughn who has an earnest look on his face and obvious pride in his voice.
VAUGHN
And I say 'you' because it was your strength and your determination that were responsible for our victory over SD-6. Sure, I was there and so was your dad and essentially an entire division of the CIA but the key element was you. You made all the difference. We were just your back up.
We go back to her just as he pauses. She doesn't quite believe him but she still appreciates that he said so. Then his voice begins again, willing her to believe:
VAUGHN
And we're going to make it through this too. Just as we got through SD-6, my dad, Noah, Alice, your mom, Lauren, and all the other insanity that we've been plunged into. There will be an end. Never lose sight of that. And if you ever have any doubt know that I will be right here, ice pack and band-aid in hand, ready to remind you.
She smiles, sniffling slightly, as she looks down at her map again, running her fingers across what she wrote. Then she looks over at the paper bag and fingers the little band-aid seal fondly. We cut over to Vaughn as he sighs and stands up. Looking back down at the bag, the band-aid and the map he smiles again. He lifts the recorder back up to his mouth.
VAUGHN
Okay, so are you ready for our next destination? This one is an easy one. It has the best view and the best ice cream in the city.
We go back to her. This time she gets it instantly and smiles. His voice cuts in:
VAUGHN
See, told you it was easy.
She's surprised that he was able to predict her reaction so well. She smiles again as she collects her things and heads out the door. Then we cut back to him as he takes out a pen and writes 'BAG' on the bag and puts the tape inside, sealing it with the band-aid, and placing it on top of the map. With one last look and a nod he leaves.
CUT TO:
There are very few students milling around campus seeing as how it's a Sunday. Sydney still manages to fit the setting wearing her jeans and sweater but she has this look on her face, as if being there is taking her back and she can't completely wrap her brain around the fact that it's been 3 years since she graduated. Finally she sees the Bloodmobile and smiles. She walks right up to it and finds that the door is unlocked so she opens it.
SYDNEY
I don't know how you managed to get this here but...
She stops when she sees that it's empty. All that's in there is a paper bag sitting on a piece of paper. Syd goes all the way in closing the door behind her. As she approaches the counter we can see that the paper underneath is from a yellow legal pad and that the bag has the word 'BAG' written on it. She picks up the bag with a smile, noticing that it's folded closed and sealed with a small round band-aid. When she opens it she finds the next cassette inside. Then her mouth drops when she sees the paper underneath. It's the map of SD-6 she drew all those years ago. She picks it up and holds it in her hands in awe. He kept it. Then she places it down gently and hops up onto the counter, sitting cross legged. Popping the cassette in she presses play and we cut to Vaughn sitting up on the counter, letting his feet dangle as he records this. He begins with a smile.
VAUGHN
You thought I was going to be in there, didn't you? Sorry. But trust me, it will be well worth it when you finally do see me.
He looks around nostalgically.
VAUGHN
Well, here we are at the Bloodmobile, home to our first clandestine meeting as well as our first fight, which I'm sure you remember.
He smiles big.
VAUGHN
It's the one where you accused me of being too young - even though I'm several years older than you - as well as chauvinist pig.
We go back to Syd as she shakes her head. She can't believe she treated him like that. Then we're back on him as he chuckles slightly.
VAUGHN
Of course your, shall we say, spirited personality is one of the things that attracted me to you in the first place so I didn't mind it too much. In fact there would be times when I'd purposely push your buttons just to see you get angry.
We cut to Syd as she raises an eyebrow as if to say, "Oh, really?" We can hear him chuckle again on the tape as we switch back to him. His eyes are twinkling and he adds, as if anticipating her reaction:
VAUGHN
Feel free to kick my ass for that later. Please. Like I said, I do enjoy your spirited personality.
He picks up the map that she wrote with a smile and then glances up at the cabinet across the way.
VAUGHN
I would've preferred to have given you a framed copy of the actual SD-6 map with everything you accomplished on it but unfortunately that information won't be declassified until we'll be drawing our pensions. So I suppose it's a good thing I kept the 'map' that you drew.
We flash over to her as she picks up the map again and shakes her head. She'd been so naïve. She and we hear him as he continues:
VAUGHN
You know, I'll never forget your snide remarks about headgear and retainers.
She winces and chuckles. We cut over to him and he's chuckling too, a huge smile on his face, dimples out in full force.
VAUGHN
Still the best was when you asked me to show you what a bag looked like again. To this day the sight of a brown paper bag puts a smile on my face.
He looks down at the bag at his side right next to the map. Then he gets a bit more serious.
VAUGHN
But I didn't pick this place just to gloat. I did it to remind you of how far we've come and everything that you've accomplished.
We cut to Syd, her expression now serious as well. She looks around and it's as if she's thinking about how right he is, how far they've come from the times when they used to meet here. He continues:
VAUGHN
No, you didn't bring down SD-6 as quickly as you'd hoped but you did bring it down a hell of a lot faster than anyone expected.
She looks down at the cassette player with a raise of the eyebrows and a tilt of the head. She didn't do it alone. We cut to Vaughn who has an earnest look on his face and obvious pride in his voice.
VAUGHN
And I say 'you' because it was your strength and your determination that were responsible for our victory over SD-6. Sure, I was there and so was your dad and essentially an entire division of the CIA but the key element was you. You made all the difference. We were just your back up.
We go back to her just as he pauses. She doesn't quite believe him but she still appreciates that he said so. Then his voice begins again, willing her to believe:
VAUGHN
And we're going to make it through this too. Just as we got through SD-6, my dad, Noah, Alice, your mom, Lauren, and all the other insanity that we've been plunged into. There will be an end. Never lose sight of that. And if you ever have any doubt know that I will be right here, ice pack and band-aid in hand, ready to remind you.
She smiles, sniffling slightly, as she looks down at her map again, running her fingers across what she wrote. Then she looks over at the paper bag and fingers the little band-aid seal fondly. We cut over to Vaughn as he sighs and stands up. Looking back down at the bag, the band-aid and the map he smiles again. He lifts the recorder back up to his mouth.
VAUGHN
Okay, so are you ready for our next destination? This one is an easy one. It has the best view and the best ice cream in the city.
We go back to her. This time she gets it instantly and smiles. His voice cuts in:
VAUGHN
See, told you it was easy.
She's surprised that he was able to predict her reaction so well. She smiles again as she collects her things and heads out the door. Then we cut back to him as he takes out a pen and writes 'BAG' on the bag and puts the tape inside, sealing it with the band-aid, and placing it on top of the map. With one last look and a nod he leaves.
CUT TO: