Episode 18
SCENE 1
(Alice is talking to Amber in her room. Amber hands her Bray Jr.)
Amber: He's really easy to look after and Trudy is here if you need anything. You'll be fine.
Alice (laughs): Relax, Amber. I have a baby sister, this can't be that hard.
Amber: It's just, I've never seen you take care of kids maybe you... uh...
Alice: Maybe I'd be helpless? No, no, I can handle this. It's just today and it's only Bray and Brady who really need looking after.
Amber: Don't say that too loud. Who knows what Sammy and the others will get up to.
Alice: I can handle them.
(Amber smiles and kisses her son on the forehead. In this moment Trudy walks into the room with Brady.)
Trudy: Hey, I wanted to know if you could look after Brady as well.
Amber: You want to come with us?
Trudy: Yes, is that a problem?
Amber: Not at all, I just thought, you'd like it better to stay here with Alice and the kids.
Trudy: No, I always stay behind. I think it's time I do some standing up. Besides this is one of the first times, where I don't actually need to stay behind with the kids.
Alice: Sure, I'll just have a nice day with them.
(She reaches out to take Brady's hand, but the little girl just keeps clinging to her mother. Trudy kneels down and cups Brady's face in her hands.)
Trudy: Can you be nice to Alice? I'll be back later and in the meantime you can go play with Lottie and Sammy and the others. Does that sound good?
Brady: Where you going?
Trudy: mummy is going to do some adult things with the others. It's really boring, I bet you'd rather stay here and play, right?
(Brady nods.)
Trudy: That's what I thought.
(Brady lets go of Trudy and walks over to Alice. Trudy leaves, but before Amber does the same she steps closer to Alice.)
Amber (quietly): I know, you'd rather be out there with us and I'm sorry. Next time, if there is one.
Alice: It's alright, Amber. Just kick some ass for me.
(Amber nods smiling and leaves too.)
SCENE 2
(The inhabitants of the warehouses have gathered in the open space between them. In there middle Bray and Noel are organizing them.)
Noel: We're going now, but because we are so many and we don't want to be stopped right away, we'll split into three groups and then all meet with the Harpies and Mallrats at the crossing in front of the old train station. Everyone over here goes with Bray.
(He motions for about a third of the group, who all move a little to the right. He then points to the middle of the rest of the group and divides them in half.)
Noel: This half goes with Yara and the rest comes with me. Understand?
(The others nod or mumble in agreement.)
Bray: And remember to stay close together. That way it's harder for anyone to attack. Look out for each other.
Noel: And Yara, go normal routes. No climbing, no walking on roofs, okay?
Yara: Fine, but it would be safer.
Noel: Safer when you're alone.
Yara: Whatever. See you in a bit.
(She winks at him and then jogs away, with her group following after her. Bray pats Noel on the shoulder before moving out as well. Noel and his group take a third route.)
SCENE 3
(The sun is shining and a mild wind is tugging at their hair as the Mallrats wait for the Harpies in front of the hospital. Ellie, Kayla and Salene are carrying big signs for the demonstration saying 'Lies' and 'Give us the truth'. Lex and Ryan are openly carrying baseball bats, while the others are either unarmed or keep their weapons hidden. The camera pans around to show the Harpies walking up the them with Vulture and Sparrow in the lead. None of them have really bothered to keep their weapons hidden. Sparrow walks up to stand next to KC, who takes one of her hands and inspects the tape on it.)
KC: What's this?
Sparrow: Protection. We don't want me to get hurt, right?
Kayla: You're actually going to punch someone.
Sparrow: I have a mean right hook. Keep close and you might get to see it.
KC: I knew you were tough, but this...
Sparrow: Don't worry, I know how to hit someone. Before everything I used to kickbox and Vulture and I still train sometimes.
KC: If you say so. I'll definitely stick around to see that.
(After exchanging a few words with Amber, Vulture motions for the Harpies to follow her.)
Vulture: Then let's go. We are on a tight schedule here.
(The groups gets into motion.)
SCENE 4
(Ram is standing near the edge of the forest and looks onto the city, which looks very peaceful from afar. He has some cords slung over his shoulder and is holding the camera tightly under his left arm. Behind him a twig snaps and he turns around to see Crow standing directly behind him. Ram takes a step back and grins.)
Ram: You certainly have a talent there.
Crow: Takes a lot of practice actually. Come on, we have to get there at the same time as the others and we actually have a longer way. I hope you know how to move it.
(She pushes her dark hair out of her face and then starts to run towards the city. Ram is taken aback for a second, but then follows her.)
SCENE 5
(We see the city from above and can see the groups move through the streets towards the old train station. The building is covered in graffiti and has a gaping hole right next to the arch of the entrance. A few kids are lunging around, who quickly get up, when they see the Mallrats, Harpies and the warehouse tribe all meet up there. The tribes mix and Vulture, Amber, Lex, Noel and Bray take the lead.
SCENE 6
(In the café of the hospital Alice is sitting at the bar with a cup in her hands. Baby Bray is lying on a blanket on the floor and happily playing with some toys. Lottie comes into the room and sits down next to the baby.)
Lottie: Sammy is watching the cameras now.
Alice: Did you like it?
Lottie: It's really boring, isn't it? Nothing happens.
Alice (smiles): Well, if something happened right now, that would be really bad. But you're right, being on guard duty is basically just sitting around.
Lottie: So is our duty going to be more fun?
Alice: You mean our punishment? I don't think so. It'll just be a lot of clearing out stuff and covering doors and windows so no one can get in.
Lottie: So work...
(She pulls a face.)
Alice: You're not supposed to like it, that's why it's punishment.
Lottie: I guess.
Alice: Are you okay? Why are you not with the others?
Lottie: I don't want to. They are probably all talking about me and the stealing. And Sammy doesn't like me anymore anyway. Nobody does.
(Alice sets down her cup on the bar and sits down on the blanket with Lottie and Bray.)
Alice: What makes you say that?
(Lottie looks at her sceptically.)
Lottie: You can't tell anyone.
Alice: Okay.
Lottie: Since Mouse is here, Sammy has been really mean to me. Not the usual fun way, just like really stupid mean and it's because of her. Now that she is back, he doesn't need me around anymore. You know, because they've been friends before me and Sammy were friends. And Ruby... she's always with Ram or Slade. And, I mean, I like Slade and sometimes I even like Ram, but that's not the same. We are never alone anymore.
Alice: I think that's in your head, Lottie. Sammy can be friends with both you and Mouse. He was probably just really happy and surprised to see her again and forgot you a little bit. But by now I'm sure, he misses you as a friend.
(Lottie picks up one of Bray jr's stuffed animals and starts moving it around in front of him.)
Lottie: He didn't shout at me, when I gave his cuffs back yesterday. That was weird, he usually would.
Alice: See, he's probably sorry, too, and just doesn't know how to say it.
Lottie: I said it, he could just have said 'me too'. That's not so hard.
Alice: No, but swallowing your pride is. I think, you know about that, don't you.
(Lottie nods)
Lottie: And what about Ruby? Do you think she... she's in love with Slade again.
(Lottie pulls a disgusted face)
Alice: I don't know, maybe. (grins) Maybe she even likes Ram, wouldn't that be a sight.
Lottie: Eww!
SCENE 7
(The big group arrive in front of the school. A few inhabitants of the city flee at their sight and hide inside the the school building. Jim and Liam are guarding the main entrance and are very surprised at the huge group gathering in front of them. Jim grabs Becky, who's running past him this moment.)
Jim: Tell Kaelem, we might need some help here. Go, quick!
(The young girl nods and sprints off. Vulture raises her arm as the whole group comes to a stop and turns to them.)
Vulture (shouts): We're here for answers and we won't leave without them! Down with the lies! Down with the lies! Down with the lies!
(The others quickly pick up the chant. The noise draws more and more people to the school. Some of them are Kierce and his little group of friends. The young man is everything but happy. He shoves one of the Harpies and positions himself in front of Jim and Liam.)
Kierce (shouts): You are all ungrateful!
Sparrow: Lies! That's what they feed you. Lies!
(He glares at her, but she only raises her fists defiantly. His glance wanders to some of his friends and nods before he runs forward and hits Sparrow. He would have hit her square in the face, if she hadn't blocked it. Suddenly there are more and more of Kierce's friends who start to attack the demonstrators. Horrified Liam turns to Jim.)
Liam: What the hell are we going to do?
Jim: Keep them out until we get some help. Maybe Dima still has some smoke bombs.
(Liam scans the crowd and catches glimpses of Mallrats, he seems worried.)
Jim: What are you looking for?
Liam: Alice.
(Jim nods, not knowing what to say. Liam scans the aggressive crowd for a little while longer, before he shakes his head.)
Liam: I can't see her.
Jim: If you do, keep away from her. You heard Joanne, she'll probably rip your head off.
Liam: Yea...
(Helplessly they watch as the demonstrators and the city kids clash. There is a shot of Lex driving the end of his baseball bat into the stomach of a tall, lanky guy with bright red hair and then getting pulled to the ground by another. Thankfully Ryan knocks that guy out and helps Lex to his feet.)
SCENE 8
(The chanting, shouts and noises from the fight are heard from a little farther away as Ram and Crow sneak along the school building. Ram is sweaty and tries to catch his breath, while following Crow. They find a basement entrance and go down the stairs. Crow tries to open the door, but it's locked, so she slides her hands along the bricks of the right next to it until she finds a loose one. She pulls it out and pulls a key out of the hole.)
Ram: They seriously just keep the key lying around?
Crow: It's for when they need to get in either unseen or at night. Would you have looked for it here?
Ram: Maybe. How do you know about it?
Crow: I used to be a Consilium back when Kaelem wasn't completely delusional. Now, come on.
(She unlocks the door and they start to climb the stairs behind it. It's a lot of stairs and Ram is soon out of breath again and complaining until Crow punches him in the arm and he falls silent. The staircase is completely deserted, but occasionally they hear footsteps or voices from the corridors they pass. Crow stops at a door at about the fourth floor, she opens it and peeks outside, when nobody is around she motions for Ram to follow her. They move quickly but quietly to the right past several doors.)
Dima (off-screen): Crow!
(They freeze. Camera pans around to show Dima walking towards them smiling smugly. Crow turns around.)
Crow (quietly to Ram): I got this. (louder) Dima, haven't seen you in forever. Oh wait, I may have, but I didn't even recognize you with the hood over your face and everything.
Dima: Aren't we over that yet? That was ages ago.
Crow: Well, you can't make domesticated birds out of Harpies simply by putting them in a cage. We don't take nicely to the attempt.
Dima. My bad. Maybe it's easier to just make a Christmas dinner out of you then.
(Dima leaps forward, grabs Crow's shoulders and tries to make her fall, but Crow grabs on to the taller girl and slams her elbow hard into her chest. Dima gasps for air and lets go.)
Crow: Don't get in my way!
Dima: I'm not letting you get to Kaelem.
Crow: I don't think you can stop me. I hope you said goodbye already.
(Crow grabs Dima's head and hits it forcefully against the wall. Her body falls to the ground in a heap of limbs and Crow stares at it in disgust.)
Ram: Is she dead?
Crow: No.
(She walks past him and he quickly follows her.)
Crow: Not yet.
SCENE 9
(As always the kids except Lottie are sitting in Sammy's and Mouse's room. Mouse is letting Brady put clips into her hair, while Sammy, Dylan and Chester are playing cards on the other bed.)
Chester: What do you think is going on right now?
Sammy: They are demonstrating.
Chester: Duh! I know that, but maybe they are fighting. You know, they always said it was dangerous and stuff.
Dylan: Do you think they'll be okay?
Chester: Don't worry, they have Ryan and Slade and all the other really strong guys.
Mouse: The girls are really strong, too.
Chester: Yea, but they are girls. They couldn't kick any boy's ass.
Mouse: Could so! Salene could beat you.
Sammy: Only because she's older and taller. She couldn't beat Lex.
Mouse: But Ebony could.
Chester: No way. She's short.
Mouse: She's still strong.
(She purses her lips and then turns to Brady, handing her some more clips. The little girl squeals with excitement and tries to put some into her own hair.)
Sammy: See with all that girly stuff, you can never beat one of us.
Mouse: Shut up! That doesn't mean anything. Lex has long hair which is a little girly and he's still strong.
Dylan: Maybe Brady could put some pretty hair clips into his hair as well.
(They start to laugh. Brady nods happily.)
Brady: Lex can have pretty hair, too.
SCENE 10
(The camera zooms in on the activity in front of the hospital, first showing some of the fighting and then zooming further in on Jim and Liam.)
Jim: They're going to kill each other.
(From behind them Joanne appears with a few of the oldest Consilium. They are horrified by what they see.)
Joanne: What in the world is going on here?
Jim: Bunch of kids showed up with the Harpies and Mallrats and demand the 'truth' from Kaelem. You know how passionate the city kids can get about Kaelem so it escalated quickly.
Liam: What are we supposed to do? Is Kaelem coming?
Joanne: I sent Dima to him. He'll probably use the big screen to get them to calm down.
(She points at the huge white sheet on the building opposite the school.)
Liam: He better do it fast.
(Camera pans around. We see Jack, Ellie and Kayla with their backs against each other. They have broken off their signs and hold the attacking city kids at bay with the sticks. Not far from them Sparrow is having an elaborate fistfight with a girl about her age, who has a large tattoo on her neck, while KC makes sure nobody jumps her from behind. He seems to be both in awe and shock at his girlfriend's strength.)
SCENE 11
(Crow and Ram stop in front of a door near the end of the corridor. She knocks on it and a quiet murmur is heard from inside. Ram raises his eyebrows at her as she puts on a mocking smile and opens the door.)
Crow: You wanted to see me?
(Kaelem looks up from the book he was reading in surprise before he is able to hide his expression. He puts the books down and watches how they enter and close the door behind them.)
Crow: How do we get the picture on your big screen?
Kaelem: Why would I tell you that? What do you want in here?
Crow: Isn't it funny how I have all the answers right now? I get why you like it so much.
(Ram starts setting up the camera right in front of Kaelem's desk. Crow crosses her arms and leans forward, bringing her face closer to Kaelem's and looks him coldly in the eye.)
Kaelem: I must say, I'm surprised to see you here, Crow. I would have thought my sister would do this herself. She likes dealing with me herself.
Crow: You're right about that, but you see that's one of the many reasons I'm here. We can talk about that in a second. Now, how do we project our little talk to the whole city?
Kaelem: Does it really matter? Someone will be here shortly after we start and our chat will be over.
Crow: I took care of that. I'd say your friends are a little preoccupied right now.
Ram: It's alright, Crow, I don't need him to tell me.
(He walks around the desk and pushes Kaelem in his chair to the side, who reaches out to grab Ram, but Crow swats his arm away and shakes her head warningly.)
Kaelem: Play nice, Kaelem.
(Ram rummages through the drawers of the desk and then sets a microphone down on the desk. He then walks over to the window, where a beamer is positioned to project onto the white sheet on the other building. He unplugs some wires and plugs in others and then walks back to the camera.)
Ram: When you're ready give me a sign and when you talk press down the red button on the microphone.
(Crow nods. She walks around the desk and positions Kaelem right in front of the camera, while doing so she digs her fingers deep into his shoulders.)
Crow: Now here's the thing, Kaelem. We know you lied about the whole Techno thing. We know you kidnapped Amber and us. We know you think knowledge is the key to power. But all of this the kids who come to your school don't know and we're going to change that now.
Kaelem (laughs): Why should I? Are you going to put a gun to my head and force me?
Crow: No. Kestrel might have done that, but Kestrel and I were different. I believe, you'll just do it because it's the right thing.
Kaelem: What's with Kelly? What did you do with her?
(His voice is full of concern and anger. With a soft grunt Crow slaps him across the face.)
Crow: I did nothing. It's your fault, all your fault. Remember when it was just the three of us in here? We were happy and now I'm alone, because it wasn't enough to have the school, you needed more. You couldn't control Kestrel so you killed her!
Kaelem: I didn't kill her!
Crow: Well, she's dead and it's your fault. You might not have been the one who hit her so hard over the head she died, but it were your orders!
Kaelem: No! You're lying! She's not dead.
(Tears well up in Crow's eyes as she hits him again. Kaelem is still confused, but when he sees her tears he also tears up.)
Kaelem: My little sister... She's-
Crow: Dead!
(She gives Ram a thumbs up and hits the red button on the microphone.)
SCENE 12
(The Consilium still haven't decided what to do and are staring at the blank sheet.)
Jim: Why is nothing happening?
Liam: Maybe we should try to split them up.
Joanne: You'll just get hurt.
(They step a little closer, but don't join into the fight. Right in front of them Lex shoves one of the guys he fought before to the ground and heads right for the Consilium. They immediately start blocking the door, but Lex doesn't even care. He grabs Liam by the collar of his shirt and pulls him away from his friends.)
Lex: You're a vile piece of shit!
Liam: Whoa, what? I didn't do-
Lex: Anything? Right. Alice is a friend of mine and you don't treat my friends like you treated her. Didn't anyone teach you manners? Don't you know how to treat girls?
Liam: Is she okay?
Lex: None of your fucking business, mate!
(Lex tilts his head backwards and then gives Liam a clout and letting go of him. Liam groans in pain as he stumbles backwards. Blood starts gushing out of his nose. Jim and a few of the other Consilium step forward to steady Liam and Jim punches Lex in the jaw. Before he can hit him again, Amber kicks him in the knees and gets him to fall. The two Mallrats stumble backwards and back into the crowd.)
Amber: That was some talk coming from you.
Lex: Shut up, that was about Alice.
Amber: You okay?
(She motions towards his face. Lex probes his lower lip and jaw gently and then nods. A loud crackle is heard and then Crow and Kaelem are projected onto the building behind them. The fighting quietens down as everyone turns to look at that. The Consilium in the main entrance try to get into the building, but some of the Harpies are already there to block their way in.)
SCENE 13
(Crow looks at Ram for confirmation, who looks outside and then nods at her.)
Ram: You're on.
Crow: Great, now let's talk, Kaelem.
(She turns back to Kaelem. Tears are now streaming down his face, but she doesn't seem to care.)
Kaelem: I didn't want... I didn't mean for this to happen.
Crow: The thing is, I know that, but that doesn't change anything. Kestrel's still dead and it's still your fault. But that's not what we want to talk about right now. I think all those people out there are much more interested in your lies.
Kaelem: I'm sorry. I...
Crow: Let me ask the questions and you answer as short and precise as you can, got that? Maybe you can make the best out of the situation.
(Kaelem brushes the tears from his face with the back of his hand and swallows hard.)
Crow: The Technos. Did you have anything to do with their downfall?
Kaelem: N-no.
Crow: So all lies?
Kaelem: I ha-hacked into their system to get the information, to get the evidence to back me up.
Crow: What did you want?
Kaelem: A new society, a better society.
Crow: Which was going to be better, because it had you as their leader? You're pathetic.
Kaelem: I wanted to help. I didn't mean to-
Crow: To get your sister killed, I got that.
Kaelem: I lied to them. Even to Dima.
Crow: So none of the Consilium knew the truth? Just you?
Kaelem: I thought that was safer. I wanted her to come back. I wanted her here with me again.
(Anger flashes over Crow's face and she is about to hit him again, when she decides against it and lowers her hand.)
Crow: Stop talking about her!
SCENE 14
(An eery silence hangs over the crowd gathered in front of the school as they all watch the conversation between Kaelem and Crow projected on the wall. Close-ups of a few bewildered city kids. Dove and Vulture are shown for a second looking at the crying Kaelem in disgust, then a shot of the few members of the Consilium all in shock.
The camera moves around the crowd until it finds Kierce, who apparently stopped mid-fight with Ryan to watch the broadcast. He seems just as bewildered as the other kids, but his expression changes quickly into anger and disbelief. In an act of blind rage, he pulls out one of his knives and drives it deep into Ryan's shoulder with a loud shout. As Ryan's attention is on the broadcast, he has no time to react. He lets out a yelp of pain and grabs his shoulder. The fabric of his shirt turns a dark red really fast. Trudy and Jay are the closest to him. Jay evaluates the situation and kicks Kierce's arm so the knife falls from his grip.)
Jay: What do you think you're doing? The Consilium lied, there's no need for violence.
Kierce: They lied and they're going to pay for it.
(He rubs his arm, but the kick doesn't seem to have affected him very much. Kierce realizes he is outnumbered, picks up his knife and disappears in the crowd. Jay turns around to see Ryan's already gone slightly white and his hand is now bloody too.)
Jay: You need to get out of here, Ryan. Put some pressure on the wound.
Trudy: I'll take him back to the hospital.
(She wraps an arm around his waist and helps him walk. With her free hand she presses his hand tighter on the wound. Ryan winces.)
Jay: Are you sure? It's not safe.
Trudy: Just as safe as here. We better go now, while Ryan is still kind of securely on his feet.
Ryan: It'll be fine, it's not that bad.
Trudy: No, it is. Who knows where that knife was before this, you could get an infection.
Jay: Stay safe!
(Trudy and Ryan etch their way out of the crowd and disappear down an ally.)
SCENE 15
(The camera moves through the crowd until it finds Sparrow and KC. The two of them are standing close together watching the broadcast.)
KC: Did you know that? That Kestrel was his sister?
Sparrow: No. Crow and Kestrel rarely talked about their time before the Harpies. Only that they used to live in the city. This is so fucked up. Imagine...
(She stands on tiptoes and scans the crowd until she finally spots Vulture at the doors of the school, making sure no one enters.)
KC: Must be nice to still have some family left.
Sparrow: Yea, but a tribe is kind of like family, isn't it? You just have to choose your family now and stick with it.
KC: I intend to.
(He takes one of her hands in his. When he brushes his thumb over her knuckles, she winces, so he lifts her hand to inspect it. The tape has scraped off a little, but there are no visible wounds.)
KC: You okay? Hit someone a little too hard there?
Sparrow: It's fine. It just needs some rest. It's not so easy to hit the right spots in the heat of the moment.
KC: I think you did hit all the right spots.
Sparrow (laughs): I meant the right spots, so I won't hurt myself.
SCENE 16
(Crow is now sitting on the desk with the microphone in her hands, so her back is towards the camera, but she isn't blocking Kaelem from it.)
Crow: So you did all of this to help the city? Is that what you are trying to say?
Kaelem: Yes.
Crow: And the truth couldn't have done that?
Kaelem: No.
Crow: No, because even if that would have helped the city, it wouldn't have put you in a position of power. No, because the rest of us is not possibly capable of making these decisions for ourselves.
Kaelem: That's not what I said. I...
Crow: Then why didn't you tell the rest of your tribe, if not because in your eyes they couldn't possibly comprehend the workings of your brain.
(Kaelem remains silent for a moment, before slamming his hands on the desk and jumping out of his chair.)
Kaelem: You know what? Yes! That's what you want to hear, right? That I'm a despicable human being, who just wanted power and to be worshipped. And to get rid of my usurpers, I just kill them.
Crow: Maybe that wasn't your plan, but that's definitely how it turned out.
Kaelem: You don't understand anything. I admit that my methods may not have been the best, but my intentions were good.
Crow: You can talk all you want about your intentions. You're just going to say what will benefit you anyway. Trust me, the city is not going to take pity on you, because you cry about your dead sister. It's your own fault, she died.
Kaelem: I would never-
Crow: She hated you! She hated everything you have become, she hated how you chose Dima and this tribe over her, she hated how you treated her.
(She slams the microphone back on the desk at the same time as Kaelem lunges forward and wraps his hands around her neck. Ram turns the camera off and rushes forward to help Crow. She brings her legs up to her chest and kicks Kaelem hard in the stomach until he lets go and Ram grabs his arms to stop him from attacking again.)
Ram: Shall I start the broadcast again?
Crow: No, we have what we need.
SCENE 17
(Camera cuts back to the crowd in front of the school. For a few seconds after the broadcast cuts out there is complete silence until someone starts shouting. Chaos breaks loose with everyone shouting and shoving. The majority of the city kids are now trying to get into the school, while the Mallrats try not to get separated. Here and there the fighting starts up again. In the chaos no one notices the Harpies closing in on the Consilium.
Vulture takes a swing with the metal rod, she was defending herself with and strikes Jim over the head. At first he only staggers a little, but then collapses into Joanne's arms. Joanne opens her mouth to scream, but Dove sneaks up from behind and covers her mouth before she gets the chance to. Some of the younger Harpies grab Jim's arms and drag him away, while another one holds a knife to Joanne's throat and makes her walk after them.)
SCENE 18
(Panting heavily Trudy and Ryan are slowly making their way to the hospital. They are close now, but Ryan has started to lean heavily on her and his skin is very ashen.)
Trudy: We're almost there, Ryan.
Ryan: It's just the... shoulder, Trudy. Don't... worry.
Trudy: But you lost a lot of blood. Just hold on till we're there, okay? I can't carry you.
Ryan: Promise.
(She tightens her grip on him, grits her teeth and sets up her pace. When they reach the entry of the hospital they both slide to the ground exhausted. Ryan is weak and about to pass out, so Trudy presses her hand to the wound again.)
Trudy: ALICE! Alice, we need help!
(Quick footsteps are heard.)
Sammy (off-screen): It's Trudy and Ryan! They are so bloody.
(Alice appears, followed by Sammy, Lottie and Chester. She rushes forward.)
Alice: What happened? Where are the others?
Trudy: Someone stabbed him. It's just his shoulder, but he lost a lot of blood.
Alice: Trudy, the others! What about Ellie?
Trudy: Don't worry, they were all fine, when we left. We need to get the wound cleaned and bandaged and then get some water into him.
Alice: Alright, on three. One, two... three!
(The two women pick him up by his arms and half carry, half drag him towards his room.)
Alice: Sammy, go back to the cameras! Lottie and Chester, we need hot water, a towel and bandages!
(The kids scatter and Alice, Trudy and Ryan disappear around the corner.)
SCENE 19
(Kaelem is standing in the middle of his office with his hands tied behind his back with some cords. Ram is packing the cords and his camera, while Crow pulls out a long and slender dagger.)
Crow: Here's how this works. You come with me and don't say a word on our way through the city or else I'm going to slit your throat.
Kaelem: Aren't you going to do it anyway? Why not do it here?
Crow: I'm not going to kill you, that's too easy. I want you to live with Kestrel's blood on your hands.
Kaelem: I didn't kill her!
Crow: You keep telling yourself that. No one believes it, least of all you.
(She pushes his hair of his eyes.)
Crow: Remember how you used to tell me how your mind works? Guilt always came up and how can you not feel guilty about Kestrel. You know, I actually believe you, when you say, you did it for her. But that only shows how little you actually knew her.
Ram: Sorry to interrupt your little reunion, which was really sweet and everything, but can we get out of here?
(Crow steps behind Kaelem, grabs his tied hands with one hand and holds the knife close to his neck with the other one.)
Crow: You're a smart guy, find your own way.
Ram: What are you going to do with him?
Crow: That's none of your business anymore.
Ram: We have an alliance.
Crow: No, we had one. The Harpies don't do business with liars and cheaters.
(She pushes Kaelem forwards and out of the door. Ram quickly follows them.)
Kaelem (snorts): Nothing left from the caring and loud mouthed Vic, huh?
Crow: People change and I never liked the nickname anyway.
Kaelem: That's why you go by Crow now, sounds more badass.
Crow: Keep the commentary to yourself!
Ram: Doesn't it make you a liar, too? Telling us everything was going to go like we planned?
(Crow turns and glares at him, but then just shakes her head.)
Crow: How? Everything did go as we planned. I just took the liberty to plan a little more.
Ram: I'm telling you, they won't be happy about this.
Crow: The only happiness I am concerned about is of my girls.
(They pass the lifeless body of Dima. When Kaelem sees her, he struggles against his ties and accidentally cuts himself a little of Crow's dagger.)
Kaelem: What did you do to her?
Crow: Bumped her head a little. She got in my way.
Ram: Do you want to take her, too?
Crow: He's more important and I don't think there's much life left in her.
Kaelem: Dima! Dima, can you hear me?!
Crow: Move along.
(She pushes Kaelem forward, who still struggles against her grip. She has some trouble, but then presses the blade into the soft skin of his neck until the cut gets deeper and a fine trickle of blood runs down his neck.)
Crow: Stop making a fuss. If she had heard what you had to say, she wouldn't want you anyway.
Kaelem: You don't know Dima at all.
Crow: Whatever!
(She pushes him again and they move down the corridor and down the stairs to the main entrance. Ram lingers next to Dima for a while, but then decides to go down the fire escape that he and Crow used to get into the building.)
SCENE 20
(The crowd in front of the school is still shouting and fighting. Noel gets the attention of everyone and yells something inaudible and the people start to thin out. Most of the Harpies and the Consilium are already gone and now the Mallrats head back for the hospital.)
SCENE 21
(KC and Sparrow have gotten separated from the rest of the Mallrats. They are still standing at the outskirts of the scattering crowd. She scans for familiar faces and when she doesn't find any, she pulls KC towards one of the quieter streets.)
Sparrow: Listen, I have to go.
KC: What now? I thought we were going to celebrate our victory.
Sparrow: I... uhm... we have a tribe thing like now.
KC: Oh...
Sparrow: Actually I'm already running late and this is something you don't want to be late for.
KC: What is it?
(She fakes a smile and looks away almost shyly. She winces as she pulls out a folded piece of paper out of her pocket.)
Sparrow: Can't tell you. But I have something for you.
(She takes his hand and closes his fingers around the paper.)
Sparrow: I know reading is not your thing, but this you'll want to read.
(He starts to unfold the paper, but she stops him.)
Sparrow: Not now. Now is not the time for it.
KC: Then when is the time?
Sparrow: Later, you'll know.
(She wraps her arms around his neck and kisses him. The kiss draws out until she finally can pull herself away from him.)
KC: See you later then.
Sparrow: Goodbye, KC.
(She turns as tears start to well up in her eyes and runs away before she can change her mind.)
KC: Well, that was formal.
(He slides the letter into his pocket and makes his way for the hospital.)
SCENE 22
(The rest of the Mallrats have arrived at the hospital and gathered in the café. Amber is happily snuggling her son, while Darryl and Gel are sitting a little farther away and filling the kids in on what happened. Jay, Salene and Lex have gone to check up on Ryan and the rest is sitting around discussing what happened.
Ruby is only half-listening and watching the door.)
Ruby: Where's Ram? Shouldn't he be here by now?
Ebony: Maybe he settled into the school now and took it over.
Slade: Ram? All by himself? Hell no. He was probably too scared of the crowd and waited around till they all scattered.
(Ellie reaches out and lightly touches Ruby's arm.)
Ellie: I'm sure Slade is right and he'll be here any time now. You know, Ram, he takes the easy way out.
Ebony: But he's also power hungry. No way he's ever going to be happy just being part of the Mallrats.
Amber: Speaking for yourself there?
Ebony (shrugs): Maybe.
Amber: You know, you can always leave. We're not keeping you here.
Ebony: Oh thanks a lot.
(She flicks Amber off and walks over to the kitchen to get herself something to drink.)
Kayla: Is this really the time to fight now? We just went through with a successful plan. There might actually be peace in the city now.
Alice: Kayla is right, we should be celebrating.
Slade: I think it's a little too early for that. Maybe we should see how things in the city will be going in the next few days. We might just have set their aggression loose on everyone.
(Gel who has been listening in, turns around and shouts over to them.)
Gel: Come on, don't be such a pessimist.
Slade: It's called being real, Gel. Not everything is pink, fluffy and rides a unicorn.
Gel: I don't even like unicorns.
(She flicks her hair over her shoulder before turning back to her conversation. Slade rolls his eyes, while some of the others try not to smile or laugh at the exchange.)
SCENE 23
(Crow has arrived in the woods with Kaelem now. His shirt is blood-stained from the cut on his neck, but other than that he seems fine.)
Kaelem: What are you doing? I thought your camp was supposed to be secret.
Crow: You already know where it is, don't you? But it doesn't really matter anymore.
Kaelem: Why?
Crow: You'll see. I don't want to spoil the surprise.
(They walk towards the camp of the Harpies, where the others are already busy with tying the rest of the Consilium up and putting them in the cages. The camera catches a glimpse of Jim, who is unconscious and has a bleeding wound on his head. Vulture looks up and spots Crow and Kaelem. She hands the ropes she used to tie a girl from the Consilium to Dove and walks towards them.)
Vulture: Always late to the party. Did he put up a fight?
Crow: Just a little.
(She gestures towards the blood on his shirt.)
Crow: He wasn't too happy to leave his girlfriend.
Kaelem: What are you planning to do with us? Keep us as pets?
Vulture: No, pets need looking after. Come here, I have a special place just for you.
(She pushes him forwards to one of the cages that is completely empty and closes it behind him.)
Vulture: See, you get one just for you. But I don't think your friends like you very much right now anyway. This is probably better for you.
Kaelem: Are you concerned?
Vulture (laughs): If it were up to me, we'd just end you all, but I was outvoted.
Kaelem: Shame.
(Vulture spits at him, before she walks back to the others. The Harpies gather around their fireplace.)
Crow: Is everything settled?
Vulture: Sparrow isn't here yet.
Crow: If she isn't here yet, maybe she decided to stay with that boy of hers.
Vulture: No, she wouldn't do that. She'll be here any minute now.
Crow: We're not waiting, I made that quite clear, I think.
(Camera pans around to show Joanne and Liam standing in the cage nearest to them.)
Joanne (calls): Are you just going to leave us in here?
Vulture: Keep your mouth shut, will you?!
Crow: Don't talk to them, Vulture!
Joanne: You can't just leave us here to die.
(Vulture raises her eyebrows at her, smiles and then turns around to face the other Harpies again.)
Crow: Ok, let's get our stuff and then we're out of here.
(The girls all climb to up to their tree houses and gather around the fireplace with bags slung over their shoulder. Vulture holds another bag in her hand and keeps scanning the surrounding trees.)
Crow: We're going then.
Vulture: I'll be right there, just a second.
Crow: Alright, but-
Vulture: I know, you won't wait.
(Crow and the other girls start to move deeper into the forest, while Vulture stays and is completely alone with the captures Consilium now, who all start shouting at her. She glares at them and moves towards Kaelem's cage.)
Kaelem: Are you letting me go?
Vulture: Right. In a way maybe.
(She glances around to make sure, she's really alone and then pulls out a knife. With his hands tied behind his back, Kaelem is not quick enough to get up and move away from her, and she drives it deep into his back.)
Vulture (whispers): I'll see you in hell.
(Kaelem gasps, but only a little bit of blood stains his shirt as Vulture didn't pull out the knife. Just as she moves away from the cage, Sparrow breaks through the trees on the other side of the camp. Vulture notices her happily.)
Vulture: About time you show up. We've got to hurry, if we don't want to lose the others.
Sparrow: Sorry.
(Vulture throws her the bag she was holding for her and they both start running after their tribe.)
SCENE 24
(KC just arrives at the hospital. He follows the voices into the café and Kayla and Alice walk up to him.)
Alice: There you are. I was getting a little nervous.
Kayla: He probably just made out with Sparrow in a dark alley.
(KC grins.)
KC: Something like that.
Alice: Is it safe outside now?
KC: I had no trouble getting back here on my own. There's a lot of talk about the Consilium and stuff, but things have quieted down.
Kayla: That's great.
KC: Yea... uhm... I'll talk to you later.
(He leaves the café and goes to his room. He sits down on his bed and starts reading the note Sparrow gave him earlier. The smile quickly falls from his face and when he's done reading he crumples the paper and throws it across the room. He curls his hands into fists while rocking back and forth, trying to think of what to do. The desperation on his face reaches its high point, when he starts to cry soundlessly.)
SCENE 25
(Vulture and Sparrow have caught up to the rest of their tribe and are now strolling behind them. Dove joins them.)
Dove: Where have you been?
Sparrow: Oh, I... I had to take care of something.
(She doesn't look at Dove and Vulture and instead pretends to take in the scenery. Her fingers fidget with the shoulder strap of her bag.)
Vulture: Are you okay?
Sparrow: Yea, I'm fine.
(Vulture puts an arm around her shoulder.)
Vulture: You know you could have stayed. If you really wanted to, I would have been alright with that.
Sparrow: Don't be ridiculous! I wouldn't do that.
Dove: How did he take it?
Sparrow: I don't know.
Dove: Didn't you talk to him?
Sparrow: It's complicated.
Vulture: But you did break up with him, right? He knows, you're leaving.
Sparrow: Yea, but I couldn't tell him. I wrote a note.
(Vulture pulls her closer for a one-armed hug and then lets her go.)
Dove: It'll be okay, Sparrow. We're all glad, you decided to stay with us.
(Sparrow forces a smile. The camera zooms out to show the Harpies are headed through the forest. The scene cuts to show KC crying in his room and then fades to black.)