ACT SIX
INT. ROSEWOOD COMMUNITY HOSPITAL - WAITING ROOM - DAY
Emily, Hanna, and Aria huddle near a row of chairs. Emily's arms are folded, and she's tapping her foot impatiently on the floor.
EMILY
Do we all really have to be here?
ARIA
Em, Melissa was just stabbed. We have to be here for Spencer.
EMILY
And Spencer texted us fifteen minutes ago that she's awake! Every second that we spend standing here is another second that someone could be doing even worse to Ali.
She's growing hysterical again. Aria lets out a breath. Hanna's phone buzzes, and she checks it.
HANNA
That was Mona. She and Caleb are getting closer to getting around the data corruption.
ARIA
See? We're not doing nothing. And if Spencer can talk to Melissa, she might be able to find out something about who hurt her.
HANNA
God, Melissa was stabbed with her own knife. Is that called irony?
Aria raises her eyebrows, clearly impressed.
ARIA
Yeah, it actually is.
The door across the room opens, and Toby and Ezra enter. Toby is wearing his police uniform. They stride across the room to the girls urgently.
TOBY
Hey.
Aria reaches out to Ezra, looking confused.
ARIA
What are you guys doing here?
TOBY
I was called in to ask the doctors some questions. First I have to check in with Veronica. Is she back with Melissa?
HANNA
Yeah. Spencer's back there too.
Toby nods and immediately pushes through the double doors into the emergency room.
EZRA
I ran into Toby in the parking lot.
He turns to Aria, taking her arm.
EZRA (CONT'D)
Can we talk? In private?
Aria notices the strained look on his face. She glances at Emily and Hanna, then follows Ezra to the other side of the waiting room.
ARIA
What's up?
Ezra hesitates, running a hand through his hair. He obviously doesn't want to have this conversation.
EZRA
Remember the other day, when you said that you think there's a reason we keep getting rejected from adoption agencies?
ARIA
Yeah...
EZRA
I know I said that was ridiculous. But now I think you might be right.
His tone is dark. Aria's eyes widen.
ARIA
Why, what changed your mind?
Ezra glances around, as if making sure that no one else is in earshot. He looks uncertain and upset.
EZRA
I tried to apply to a new agency I found this morning. I wanted to surprise you. But when I went to submit our information, I was automatically blocked.
His words come out in a rush. Aria can barely follow. Her eyes are locked onto his face.
ARIA
What does that mean?
EZRA
I didn't know either, so I called them. Apparently we've been blocked from applying. She wouldn't tell me why. I got suspicious, so I called a few other agencies we've applied to. Same thing.
Aria gasps out loud.
ARIA
What?
EZRA
The last person I talked to told me that they'd received some kind of anonymous concern, but she hung up before I could ask anything else.
He looks incredibly stressed. Aria twists her wedding band around and around her finger, horrified.
EZRA (CONT'D)
You were right, Aria. Someone's doing this to us on purpose.
As they stand in a stunned, awful silence, we PAN OVER to Emily and Hanna, still huddled on the other side of the waiting room. Emily's wringing her hands obsessively.
EMILY
Do you think the person who attacked Melissa is the same person who kidnapped Ali?
HANNA
God, I hope so.
Emily gives her a look.
HANNA (CONT'D)
What? That means we only have one psycho to deal with.
EMILY
Are we sure Alex is really dead?
Her tone is dry and sarcastic, but Hanna widens her eyes.
HANNA
You think it could've been a mask?
EMILY
Hanna. No. There aren't any more masks, okay? This isn't A.
But they share a look of unease anyway, because something about all of this is beginning to seem more and more familiar.
INT. ROSEWOOD COMMUNITY HOSPITAL - PATIENT ROOM - DAY
Melissa sits upright in the hospital bed. She looks tired and pale, and there is an IV drip connected to her arm. The hem of her shirt is rolled up to reveal a large bandage on her side.
Veronica is perched on the edge of the bed, and Spencer is seated in the chair beside them.
VERONICA
Are you sure you don't want anything other than water? I can ask the nurse to bring you some food.
MELISSA
Water's fine, Mom. The doctor said I shouldn't eat anything until I take my next dose of meds.
VERONICA
Alright. I'll be back in a few minutes.
She kisses Melissa on the forehead, gives Spencer a strained smile, and leaves the room. As soon as the door clicks shut behind her, Spencer is out of her chair. She takes her mother's place on the edge of the bed and opens her mouth, but Melissa holds up her hand to stop her.
MELISSA
Spencer, can we not get into the third degree right now?
SPENCER
I'm not going to interrogate you. I just want to understand what happened.
Melissa rolls her eyes, looking pained and frustrated.
MELISSA
Yeah, well, get in line.
SPENCER
You mean you really didn't see who did it?
MELISSA
I left the knife on the coffee table. Whoever it was came up behind me. By the time I even felt the pain, they were gone.
Several beats of silence fill the room. Melissa closes her eyes. Spencer lets out a long breath, looking conflicted.
SPENCER
Just two more questions. Why did you buy a knife in the first place? And are we ever going to talk about that phone call?
MELISSA
Phone call?
Spencer gives her a withering look.
SPENCER
Come on, don't pretend you don't know what I'm talking about.
A look of unease passes across Melissa's face. Spencer raises her eyebrows, waiting for an answer, but before she can say a word, the door opens and Veronica reenters with a cup of water in hand. Melissa looks relieved. Spencer deflates with a sigh.
VERONICA
I hope it's cold enough. I couldn't find an ice machine.
MELISSA
I'm sure it's fine.
As she takes the cup from Veronica, Spencer's phone chimes. She pulls it out to see a text from Mona: We got the location. Meet back at Emily's.
INT. DILAURENTIS-FIELDS HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - DAY
Mona and Caleb sit side-by-side on the couch, an entire cushion between them. Mona is looking down at the computer on her lap, and Caleb is staring straight forward. The room is filled with the awkward silence of two people who really have nothing to say to each other.
After a few beats, the door bursts open, and Spencer, Aria, Emily, Hanna, and Ezra rush in. Mona and Caleb immediately stand.
EMILY
You got it?
CALEB
We tracked down the location where the voicemail was sent from.
MONA
We have the exact coordinates.
ARIA
Okay, so where is it?
Mona and Caleb exchange a glance, on the same page for once.
MONA
We couldn't tell. The coordinates are located just outside the borders of Rosewood's map.
Emily lets out a frustrated groan.
EMILY
Great.
SPENCER
That doesn't matter. We can still get there.
HANNA
Without knowing what this place is? We could walk right into Dollhouse 2.0!
Ezra lets out a choked laugh. He has only just been caught up on what's been going on, and his nerves are written all over his face.
EZRA
Yeah, let's definitely try and avoid that.
CALEB
So what's plan B?
Spencer glances over at Emily. Her face is pale with fear and tears are sliding down her cheeks again.
SPENCER
There's no plan B. We'll follow the map as far as it goes, and we'll figure it out from there.
ARIA
What happens if it's some kind of trap?
SPENCER
That's just a risk we'll have to take if we want to bring Ali home.
Everyone exchanges looks of apprehension, but no one disagrees. Finally, Caleb lets out a breath.
CALEB
We'll have to take two cars.
MONA
Seven people storming into the unknown? That's asking for a bullseye on our foreheads.
HANNA
Mona's right. We can't all go.
She grips Caleb's hands tightly and glances between him and Ezra.
HANNA (CONT'D)
The five of us will go. You two stay here in case we need back-up.
Caleb reels back as if she slapped him.
CALEB
Are you serious? No way. I'm not letting you do this without me.
Her mouth twitches up in a slight smile.
HANNA
Good thing I don't need your permission, then.
She pats his arm, ignoring the stunned look on his face.
HANNA (CONT'D)
I'll be fine. I won't be alone.
SPENCER
We need you guys here in case something goes wrong. I filled Toby in at the hospital. He'll be on stand-by, too.
ARIA
What about Jason? Shouldn't he come with us?
SPENCER
He left this morning to go visit his dad, see if he might know anything about where Ali is. He's probably halfway to North Carolina by now.
Emily moves hastily toward the door, shoving her phone in the pocket of her jeans.
EMILY
We might not have much time left. Let's go!
Ezra hugs Aria tightly.
EZRA
Be careful.
ARIA
I promise.
Caleb, still looking disgruntled, kisses Hanna on the forehead.
CALEB
Call us the second you need us.
HANNA
We will.
MONA
Spencer, you drive.
Spencer grabs her keys from the coffee table just as Emily pushes out the front door. She doesn't look back.
INT. DARK UNKNOWN ROOM - DAY
Alison sits in a wooden chair, surrounded by darkness. The contents of the space around her cannot be seen. Her arms are bent around the back of the chair, and her hands are bound together. She's staring down at her lap, her brow furrowed in distress. Her chest is heaving.
We hear the sound of a door opening, and a strip of dim light falls over Alison. She looks up at the sound of footsteps entering the room. For just a moment, her face registers fear, but it morphs quickly into anger.
ALISON
I can't believe you would do this.
Her voice is shaking. She stares up at her unknown captor as we -
FADE TO BLACK.
INT. SPENCER'S CAR - EVENING
The five girls are packed into Spencer's SUV. Spencer is driving and Mona is in the passenger seat, balancing her laptop on her lap. Emily, Hanna, and Aria sit behind them, leaning forward to peer out the front window. Spencer's face is set with concentration as she drives.
EMILY
Can't you go any faster?
SPENCER
I'm doing fifteen above the limit! This is going to take a lot longer if we get pulled over for speeding.
Aria reaches over and pats Emily's shoulder.
ARIA
Em, it's gonna be okay. We'll find out where Alison's being kept, and we'll bring her home.
Hanna snorts, rolling her eyes.
HANNA
Something tells me it's going to be a little harder than that.
Emily sighs and rests the side of her head against the car window. She pulls out her phone and scrolls through it for a moment, her expression souring.
EMILY
My mom's starting to ask questions. At first she figured I just needed a break from the girls after Ali left me, but I think she's realizing that something's up.
HANNA
Don't tell her anything.
EMILY
Of course I won't.
Aria peers out the side window with a frown.
ARIA
How much longer until we get to the coordinates?
Mona looks intently down at the map on her laptop.
MONA
Two miles till we reach the edge of town. If I'm right, the location of the coordinates should be a straight shot from there.
A few beats pass in silence. Hanna and Aria glance at each other. Spencer's eyes flicker to the rearview mirror. At last Hanna clears her throat.
HANNA
Mona...thank you.
Mona twists around, raising her eyebrows in exaggerated confusion.
MONA
Whatever for?
HANNA
We all know Ali's not your favorite person. You didn't have to do all of this to help us.
Mona turns back around to face front. She tries - and fails - to look indifferent.
MONA
I may not be Alison's biggest fan, but that doesn't mean I want to hear about the discovery of her chopped-up body on the news. And it's not like the four of you would be able to do this on your own.
Emily grimaces at the graphic image. Spencer lets out a low breath.
SPENCER
Look, we all talked on the way back from the hospital. We realized that we might not have always been fair to you.
ARIA
You've done a lot to help us since you stopped being A. I think we've overlooked that.
EMILY
Without you, we never would've gotten away with what happened to Rollins. Or saved Spencer from Alex.
Mona smiles wryly.
MONA
It was nothing. Now stop before you bring a tear to my eye.
The other girls laugh a little.
HANNA
It's not nothing. It really does mean a lot to us. And we're sorry that we made you feel like such an outsider.
Emily, Spencer, and Aria murmur their agreement.
ARIA
So...do you think we can move past all this?
She leans forward in her seat. Mona folds her arms and lifts her chin, her eyes narrowing.
MONA
I don't know. I'll have to think about it.
Spencer's eyebrows shoot up. The girls in the backseat glance at each other, clearly bemused. Mona lets them wait for a moment, then breaks into a smile.
MONA (CONT'D)
I'm kidding. I thought you'd never ask.
Aria lets out a breath. Hanna beams and reaches over to squeeze Mona's hand. Even Emily manages a smile. Only Spencer looks anything other than happy. She frowns as the road before them comes to an end. The car slows to a stop in front of a thick cluster of trees.
SPENCER
Uh, sorry to break up the moment, but...
She gestures to the forest surrounding them. Mona checks the map again.
MONA
Looks like we've reached the edge of town.
Hanna points toward the trees, letting out an incredulous laugh.
HANNA
Ali's somewhere in there?
ARIA
Looks like it.
Emily is already unbuckling her seatbelt. She switches on her phone's flashlight with a look of determination.
EMILY
Let's go find Ali.
She swings open the car door and slides out without another word. The others exchange apprehensive looks. Finally, Spencer undoes her own seatbelt.
SPENCER
We all stick together. No matter what.
End of Act Six.