At the End of All Things

by Findegil

[My hard drive died, so it's taking longer than usual for me to update. Sorry!] I'm writing this story because I was annoyed the last two Pretender movies never got made. Thus, it is in the form of a screenplay for the last two movies, and how I've wanted

4. Chapter 4

The Centre. Day. Broots stands looking at Angelo. He seems to be pondering whether or not he's dedicated enough to Sydney and Miss Parker to dare crawl into such a tight space. He wavers, then climbs in. Angelo motions for him to be quiet. Broots nods vigorously. There's nothing he would do (of his own volition) that would allow them to be discovered in such a place. They crawl a bit, turn, then listen. A shot from their air vent shows they can see into Lyle's office.

LYLE
(on the phone)
Yes, I'll tell them. Uh-huh.

RAINES
This is not the time for chit-chat.

LYLE
Right. Talk to you later.
(puts down the phone)
You know, it's rude to talk to someone when they're on the phone.

RAINES
(ignoring him)
Mirage hasn't been found yet.

LYLE
You mean Ethan don't you? Come on, you should be on first name terms with your failed "project". (looks at his fingers) Give me one good reason why Jarod can't just do it.

RAINES
Formidable as Jarod is, there's too many for Jarod to do it alone. They have to be planted and set off simultaneously at the New York Stock Exchange, the Pentagon…

Shot of Broots, looking really scared now.

LYLE
Pretty eclectic collection of places...you'd assume they'd have given up on the Pentagon after the last time.

RAINES
You'd think…unless someone wanted to pin the attacks on them.

LYLE
They are convenient scapegoats. Interesting…

RAINES
Sydney knows nothing about this? For all he's worth, I'd still question his…loyalty.

LYLE
He doesn't know a thing. Neither does my…sister.

Angelo pinches Broots, and he yelps. Lyle and Raines look at each other, but do not know where the sound has come from. Lyle gets up and goes out of his office to check if someone's out there. When he doesn't appear, Raines leaves as well.

BROOTS
(whispering, though he doesn't have to)
Why did you do that?

ANGELO
Jarod's in trouble.

BROOTS
What about me? I could get in really big trouble! I'm more afraid of Mr. Lyle than Miss Parker.

ANGELO
So is Sydney.

BROOTS
Ok. Let's just get out of here.

Angelo moves away down the vent rapidly. The vent narrows. Broots tries to follow, but gets stuck.

BROOTS
Angelo!
(struggles)
Come back!
(struggles some more)
Great. I'm stuck. This is fantastic.

CUT SCENE

Night. Interior of Miss Parker's house. Miss Parker is sleeping soundly, since she hasn't had much for the last few days. Slowly she stirs, as there is a steady knocking. She tosses, groans, and is suddenly wide awake. She sits up, reaches for her gun, and walks over to her window. She pulls up the blind.

JAROD
Hello Miss Parker.

MISS PARKER
How dare you…To hell with the Centre. I'm just going to shoot you.

Her gun clicks. She doesn't seem too surprised, and rolls her eyes. She opens the window.

JAROD
Sorry.

MISS PARKER
(shooting a glance at the gun)
Why do I even have a gun if it's never working?

JAROD
I took the bullets out again while you were sleeping.

Miss Parker looks annoyed.

JAROD
You still drool. It's kinda cute.

MISS PARKER
(incredulous at his last statement)
What do you want? Why you didn't just sneak around my house, get what you wanted, and leave?

JAROD
That would be rude!

Miss Parker and Jarod just look at each other—Jarod with amusement, Miss Parker wondering if he's crazy, as he's already been in her house that night without having any qualms.

MISS PARKER
You know, you're insane.

JAROD
Now who wants to be sane?

MISS PARKER
Not you, that's for sure.

It starts to rain. Jarod is rapidly getting drenched.

JAROD
You asked me what I wanted. I want your help.

MISS PARKER
You don't need it.

JAROD
Maybe not.

Miss Parker and Jarod continue to appraise each other.

JAROD
Can I come in?

Miss Parker leans against the wall—coming closer to scrutinize him. There's water droplets making rivulets down his face, and the rain makes him look like he's been crying. A few tense seconds pass.

JAROD
(breaking the silence)
I actually quite like getting wet in the rain.
(looks up into the rain)

Her reverie struck through for the moment, Miss Parker gestures for him to come through the window. Jarod climbs in.

JAROD
(shaking his head)
Wow.
(he laughs, looking at the puddle of water he's brought into the room)

MISS PARKER
(appraising him)
You look like a drowned rat.

JAROD
(he smiles)
I do?

MISS PARKER
(handing him a towel)
It's not a compliment.

JAROD
(toweling his hair)
I didn't say it was a compliment.

MISS PARKER
You implied it was.

JAROD
(raises his eyebrows)
How do you know what I'm implying? Can you read me that well?

MISS PARKER
Your idealized "heroic" persona is not hard to figure out.
(she starts to walk out of the room)

JAROD
And neither is your bitter, misanthropic personality.

Miss Parker stops abruptly. She turns around and comes close facing him.

MISS PARKER
(looking up at him)
Do you really think I'm your Nemesis, running around thwarting your grand acts of humanitarian kindness?

JAROD
At first I wondered why you seem to have a personal vendetta against me. I know it wasn't personal—at first. You just wanted an escape.

MISS PARKER(now reflective)
Daddy told me once if I caught you, I could leave…

brief FLASHBACK to the episode where Miss Parker asks Mr. Parker to let her go to corporate, and Mr. Parker telling her she can leave as soon as she catches Jarod.

Long pause.

JAROD
And you wanted him to be proud of you.
(he leans down, close to her face)
I think the only difference between us is that your cynicism is a defense against…being hurt by others…
(he turns his head and speaks softly in her ear)
while I don't deny who I am inside, even if it means getting killed in the process.

MISS PARKER
(his lips still at her ear)
You have no idea who I am…inside.And you don't care that you've got me all wrong.
(he draws back to search her face. she continues with rising fury)
You thought what you did in the Centre was all just a façade…but you still live in a fantasy…thinking everyone is good inside. Just keep living in your fantasy world. People don't change.
(she turns away)

Jarod quickly catches her arm and turns her to face him again.

JAROD
(looking in her eyes, adamant about this)
I agree—they don't normally change. That's why I know who you are underneath this anger. I've known you for too long to be fooled by your mask of incoherent rage against life.
(he lets her arm go)
Deep down, you're still the first friend I ever had…and I…am still the boy who…

He pauses as if pondering if she can take much more, then takes a step towards the door.

JAROD
Someday I'll tell you what I really think—about everything—so you won't have to guess.

MISS PARKER
What if I don't want to know?

JAROD
(as he leaves the room)
Oh, but you do want to know.

CUT SCENE

Morning. Broots is still stuck in the air vent. He's sleeping, and Angelo wakes him up.

BROOTS
You're back! Help me!

ANGELO
Let's go.

BROOTS
I tried to tell you, I'm stuck. I can't move.

ANGELO
Broots is in danger.

BROOTS
Ya think?

ANGELO
Everything is in danger.

BROOTS
I've kinda figured that out.

ANGELO
Sydney needs help.

BROOTS
What? How can you think of Sydney at a time like this?

ANGELO
He's in danger. Must tell Miss Parker.

BROOTS
I'm telling you again, I can't tell Miss Parker anything. I'M STUCK.

ANGELO
I'll tell Sydney.

BROOTS
(relieved Angelo's finally had a good idea)
Yes. yes! You go tell Sydney I'm stuck here.

ANGELO
Tell Sydney he's in danger.

BROOTS
(clutching Angelo)
Wait…wait…tell him about me. ME!
(Angelo leaves)
Make sure you tell him! come and help me….
(he groans)
I'm dead.

CUT SCENE

Night. Jarod walks into Miss Parker's living room and surveys the shelves lining one of the walls. Miss Parker follows him.

JAROD
Which of these are your mother's?

MISS PARKER
All of them.

JAROD
That's pleasant.

MISS PARKER
Why?

Jarod takes a book down from the shelf.

JAROD
What was in the file Broots found?

MISS PARKER
(peeved)
Why won't you answer my question?

JAROD
Was it a number like this?
(he holds up a book, and points to the barcode on the back)

MISS PARKER
What if it was?

JAROD
(smiles, breaking the questions game they have going)
Then we're in business.

MISS PARKER
(unsure)
It was that many numbers…

JAROD
(examining another book)
9880….it's not this one.

MISS PARKER
Both of them are barcodes…but how do you know it's a barcode of a book?

JAROD
(putting the book back)
I've got a photographic memory, remember?

MISS PARKER
(shaking her head)
Actually I shouldn't even ask anymore how you know these things.

JAROD
(grinning now as he looks at her)
It would save you a lot of time.

Miss Parker takes a book down from the shelf.

MISS PARKER
It's in between the two numbers…

Jarod looks at her like he thinks she might be right.

JAROD
Or Loraine didn't remember her number right.

MISS PARKER
(still contemplating her mother)
Why didn't she just write the right one though? And why did that annoying kid know the other one?

JAROD
That kid's grandma—Loraine—worked in the Centre. From what I found out, she cleaned the offices at night, including your mother's. Either your mother told her to tell you the number, or she saw something she shouldn't have. I'm guessing she saw something. People always see things they're not supposed too at the Centre.

MISS PARKER
Why didn't you just ask her how she got her information?

JAROD
I met her when I was working in a retirement home. She's sick and can't remember things very well. Working for that place, I wonder whether her illness wasn't from natural causes.

MISS PARKER
Yes, because the Centre takes care to make its former employees mentally ill.

JAROD
I wouldn't doubt it.

MISS PARKER
Whatever, Mr. Conspiracy Theory.

There is a growing pile of books on the floor that Miss Parker has looked at, and hasn't taken the trouble to put back. Jarod stops looking at the books, gathers up her pile, and starts putting them back exactly the way they were before.

MISS PARKER
Hey! How will I know which books I've checked?

JAROD
Just remember.

MISS PARKER
You know, not everyone has a photographic memory.

JAROD
(teasing)
Right. I forgot. It's so hard being a genius.

MISS PARKER
You're hilarious.
(he finishes putting the books away)
Done being obsessive compulsive now?

JAROD
(points to the lowest shelf)
Do this one.
(she bends down and starts to take a book from the middle of the shelf)
Left to right, so you remember.

MISS PARKER
(sarcastic)
Next you can teach me how to speed read.

JAROD
978014044430891401, or something close to it…

They keep looking, and then Miss Parker takes a sharp breath.

MISS PARKER
Oh my god…

Jarod bends down to her level, and looks over her shoulder to read the number. Miss Parker flips through the book, and upon finding nothing, looks perplexed. Jarod slips his right arm around hers as she's holding the book, opens the back cover, and lifts the dust jacket to reveal writing on the back of the jacket. It's an address, headed by the word 'Ruin'. Wide shot, as they are speechless for a few moments, contemplating what looks like another trail of breadcrumbs to follow. Jarod's hand brushes hers as he moves to see if there's anything else written.

JAROD
oh…

Miss Parker, startled by the movement and exclamation, nearly loses her balance. Jarod takes her arm to steady her, and helps her stand up.

JAROD
(embarassed)
sorry.

MISS PARKER
(sitting down on the couch, looking tired and drawn and surveying the bookshelf)
I should've actually read these books. What if there's more hidden here somewhere…

JAROD
If there's more you'll find it. I'll let myself out.

Miss Parker, after the strain of the last few sleepless nights, has closed her eyes while he's speaking. She doesn't make a sound. Jarod walks over to her, and lays a throw from the couch over her. Then he turns and leaves.

CUT SCENE

Morning. Sydney is in his office. Miss Parker stalks in, still looking drawn. Sydney looks up at her.

SYDNEY
Long night again?

MISS PARKER
I need to move and not tell anyone where I'm going.

SYDNEY
Broots isn't here. Did he contact you last night?

MISS PARKER
No.
(massaging her neck)
I fell asleep wrong.

SYDNEY
So it wasn't Broots who was your nighttime visitor?

MISS PARKER
No.
(Sydney just looks at her knowingly)
All right, it was Jarod…

Lyle walks into Sydney's office.

LYLE
Sorry to interrupt your tête-à-tête.

MISS PARKER
(sickly sweet)
Not at all.

LYLE
Sydney, I need to see you in my office.

MISS PARKER
We're busy here.

LYLE
(addressing Sydney)
Pronto.

Sydney gets up and leaves with Lyle. Miss Parker waits a moment, then heads to Lyle's office a different way. She reaches Lyle's office, and ducts into the same office Broots went into earlier. She tries to hear what's going on in Lyle's office, but can't hear a thing.

MISS PARKER
Shit .

BROOTS
Miss Parker?

MISS PARKER
Broots? Broots!
(looking around)
Where are you? In the wall?

BROOTS
The air vent…
(yelling)
Get me out of here!

MISS PARKER
(looking up at it)
How in the hell?

BROOTS
Don't talk, just help me…

CUT SCENE