ACT II

(CUT FROM BLACK. Ext. safe house, early afternoon. The safe house seems to be a large-family house, and has bars and/or shutters on all of its windows. It is mostly hidden from nearby houses with trees. The green car pulls up to the safe house. ROLLIN comes out of the safe house to greet the car. The doors to the car open and WILLY and JIM get out. WILLY picks up KENT from the car and slings him over his shoulder. WILLY carries KENT into the house.)

ROLLIN
How'd it go, Jim?

JIM
Like clockwork. They may be looking for us, but they think we disappeared about ten miles from where we actually disappeared. Is the doctor ready for us?

ROLLIN
Yeah.

(CUT TO: Int. of the safe house, Kent's bedroom. STEWART is there waiting, along with a FEMALE NURSE and a MALE NURSE. WILLY carries KENT up some stairs to the bedroom. STEWART and the NURSES and JIM and ROLLIN follow. The bedroom is furnished with a bed, a dresser, a small easy chair, and a small cot; and little else. The windows are shuttered, so lighting is mostly from room lights. A medical bag rests on the dresser. A washroom is barely visible off of the bedroom. WILLY lays KENT on the bed and steps back. STEWART and the NURSES step up to KENT and begin to take off his clothes.)

JIM
(to STEWART) Doctor, Rollin will be with you for the next three days, in case you need anything.

STEWART
Right.

(JIM and WILLY exit. The NURSES get KENT's shirt off and stop what they are doing. STEWART gets the medical bag from the dresser and pulls out a vial and a syringe and some sterile wipes.)

ROLLIN
This is the stuff, huh?

(STEWART prepares the syringe.)

STEWART
Yes. Originally developed for the treatment of pain. That sedative Jim gave him would wear off in about an hour or two. But with regular injections of this, he'll be out for days.

(STEWART wipes KENT's arm.)

ROLLIN
He'll sleep for three days and he won't know it?

(STEWART gives the injection to KENT.)

STEWART
He won't know it. One of the side effects of this medicine is that people who are given this drug remember nothing while on it. I should warn you, Rollin, that Kent may at times appear to be awake. He may get out of bed, walk around, he may even try to talk to you. He might seem a little drunk. But three days from now, he won't remember any of it.

ROLLIN
I thought he was going to be in asleep in bed the whole time. He won't be, eh?

STEWART
Almost certainly not.

ROLLIN
(pensively) Well.

STEWART
At least one of my assistants here (indicating the NURSES) will be with him at all times to make sure he's all right. They'll help him if he wants to bathe himself or come downstairs. Don't be surprised if he wants to raid the icebox.

ROLLIN
(impressed) He can eat?

STEWART
Patients on this drug are known to eat, use the bathroom, smoke; and yet they have no memory of it. I filmed one of my patients dancing while drugged. When I showed him the film, he could not believe it, claimed the person dancing on film was someone who looked like him, not him. (chuckles)

ROLLIN
The more important thing, Doctor, is that Kent must not have any sense of lost time.

STEWART
He won't. He will have eaten and walked around while under the influence of the drug, so when he wakes up, he won't have the physical effects of a long time asleep, such as extreme hunger or stiff joints. It will feel to him as though he's been asleep only a few hours. Every patient who has taken this drug has experienced a shock when they are told that several days have elapsed. They have a hard time believing it. Even when we tell them in advance, "When you wake up, it will be one week later," they still have a hard time believing it.

ROLLIN
Well, we have a few things planned that we hope will reinforce in his mind that he's only been asleep a few hours.

(CUT TO: Int. of the safe house, the basement. BARNEY enters the basement and checks the equipment. Around the basement are various pieces of apparatus: recording machines, a television, a radio, speakers, various control boards. Also on the wall are two page-type calendars. They currently both say July 4. One of the calendars is marked "Today's REAL date" and the other is marked "Kent thinks today is". Near one wall is a wooden rack with several slots. Each of the slots has a day next to it: July 4, July 5, July 6, July 7, July 8, July 9, July 10, July 11. In the July 4 slot is at least one newspaper. There is another wooden rack, shaped in a different way, with slots marked in a similar fashion. As will be seen later, one rack holds newspapers, the other holds recordings. There is a cot in the corner, a suitcase next to it. Over a bar is a hanger holding the uniform and cap of a cab driver. BARNEY checks his watch, and seeing that it is nearly six o'clock, readies some of his recording equipment. BARNEY turns on the recording equipment, and then turns on the TV.)

ANNOUNCER (V.O. on TV)
This is the Thursday six o'clock news, with Dennis Spain.

LOCAL NEWSCASTER (on TV)
Good evening. It is the Fourth of July, and the local Fire Marshall is urging all citizens to be careful with fireworks—

(The recorder is running.)

LOCAL NEWSCASTER (on TV)
—especially children who play with sparklers.

(CUT TO: Kent's bedroom. KENT is sleeping; he is no longer in his street clothes. Superimposed over KENT's face is the calendar reading: "Today's REAL date" with Thursday July 4 below. The calendar page disappears and is replaced by the Friday July 5 page beneath. CUT TO: The basement, where Barney takes two newspapers and puts them in the rack in the slot marked July 5. CUT TO: Kent's bedroom. KENT is walking around like a zombie under the watchful eye of the FEMALE NURSE and ROLLIN. The FEMALE NURSE offers KENT a glass of water, and he drinks. CUT TO: The basement. The recorder is running.)

LOCAL NEWSCASTER (on TV)
Good evening. Connecticut Avenue was closed today—

(CUT TO: KENT in bed. CUT TO: The basement. The recorder is running.)

NETWORK ANCHOR (on TV)
Good evening. The president today once again confirmed that he will not—

(CUT TO: KENT sleeping. Superimposed over KENT's face is the calendar reading: "Today's REAL date" with Friday July 5 below. The calendar page is taken away to be replaced by the Saturday July 6 page beneath. CUT TO: The basement, where BARNEY takes two newspapers and puts them in the rack in the slot marked July 6. There are some reels of recorded material in the other rack, in the July 4 and July 5 slots. CUT TO: Ext. of a governmental building in Washington DC, mid-day. CUT TO: Int. of the building, an official-looking office with a large desk. SMITH, a US government official, sits behind a desk. JIM and CINNAMON are seated in side chairs near the desk. CINNAMON has a portfolio. SMITH is talking to his intercom.)

SMITH
All right, send him in.

(SMITH steals a look at JIM and CINNAMON, who return the look with confidence. The door to the office opens, and an AMBASSADOR and an AIDE enter. SMITH, JIM, and CINNAMON stand. There is no effort made by anyone to shake hands or make courteous introductions.)

SMITH
Welcome, Mister Ambassador.

AMBASSADOR
(speaking with an accent) You know why I am here, Mister Smith.

SMITH
I believe I do, sir.

AMBASSADOR
I wish to make it clear, first of all, that my government had in no way anything to do with the abduction of Dr. Kent; and further that my government fully absolves itself from any responsibility in the event that the viral weapon is activated.

SMITH
Sir—

AMBASSADOR
Naturally, my government hopes that you personally have plans to evacuate before the worst happens.

SMITH
Mister Ambassador—

AMBASSADOR
And further my government has asked me to relate to you that the American government's failure to keep its word with respect to the Kent affair has severely damaged the credibility of the United States; and that consequently our current negotiations with respect to military activities in Europe are being suspended immediately. Also—

SMITH
(interrupting) Mister Ambassador, forgive me for interrupting, but this (indicating JIM) is Mister Ross, in charge of the federal investigation into the Kent disappearance. His assistant is Miss Adams. Mister Ross has shared with me some information, and I have authorized him to share it with you.

(AMBASSADOR turns to JIM but says nothing.)

JIM
(speaking directly to AMBASSADOR) Mister Ambassador, forgive me, but I am no diplomat. Therefore, what I have to tell you may not sound diplomatic.

AMBASSADOR
(smugly) I value what Americans call "straight talk." What do you have to tell me, Mister Ross?

JIM
We watched the hand-over of Kent very carefully.

AMBASSADOR
Yes?

JIM
He was not abducted. Men from your country took him, exactly as was agreed.

AMBASSADOR
Lies!

JIM
(adamantly) No, sir! The men who took Kent knew the agreed code words! They were YOUR people! This tale of an abduction is a falsehood on your part, sir!

AMBASSADOR
(irritated) The men who took Kent were Americans! My trustworthy people saw this treachery with their own eyes!

JIM
(more adamantly, but not angrily) And with their own eyes did they not see the car in which Kent was riding disappear? Did they not claim that the car vanished from a place from which it could not possibly have vanished? What they told you was preposterous, and you know it! Yet you pretend to believe their nonsense story; and you have the NERVE to come in here and tell US that OUR credibility is damaged?

SMITH
(trying to calm things down) Mister Ross—

(CINNAMON pulls two sheets of paper from the portfolio and hands one to JIM.)

JIM
(more adamantly, but not angrily) When you met with the State Department spokesman yesterday, did you or did you not admit that the story your men told was, quote, "hard to believe?"

AMBASSADOR
(indignant) That was—

(CINNAMON hands another sheet of paper to JIM.)

JIM
Your agents took Kent, and they are preventing him from contacting us to tell us where the virus is. (waving the paper, forceful but not angry) Meanwhile, you have begun pulling your people out of Washington. Some of them are gloating over the impending destruction of the city! Do you deny that?

AMBASSADOR
(seething, turning to SMITH) Good day, Mister Smith.

(AMBASSADOR and AIDE turn to leave.)

JIM
(forcefully) Your so-called "trustworthy" people, Ambassador, are—

SMITH
(interrupting) Ross, SHUT UP!

(AMBASSADOR and AIDE exit. The door slams behind them. SMITH looks ill.)

SMITH
(nervously laughing) He's not used to being talked to that way.

JIM
I'm sure.

CINNAMON
If our profile of him is any indication, he'll be angry, but he'll also recognize there may be truth in what we said, and he'll investigate things further. He can't risk a war caused by his own people; he's got to rule out his own people as the ones responsible.

JIM
And that will buy us some of the time we need.

SMITH
(sighing) Once this Kent business is all over, I may have some trouble re-establishing a relationship with the Ambassador.

JIM
(smiling) You can tell him that you had me fired after that little stunt I pulled.

SMITH
(smiling) You're fired, "Ross."

(CUT TO: Ext. safe house, afternoon. CUT TO: Kent's bedroom. KENT is sleeping, with the FEMALE NURSE watching. CUT TO: The basement, where the racks now hold more newspapers and recording tapes. BARNEY turns on the TV and the recorder.)

LOCAL NEWSCASTER (on TV)
Good evening. A major movie star—

(CUT TO: KENT in bed. Superimposed over KENT's face is the calendar reading: "Today's REAL date" with Saturday July 6 below. The calendar page is taken away to be replaced by the Sunday July 7 page beneath. The MALE NURSE holds Kent's street clothes, and he and the FEMALE NURSE nod to one another. CUT TO: Ext. safe house, evening. CUT TO: The basement, with BARNEY loading recordings into the proper slots. There are more newspapers in the proper slots as well. The door to the basement opens, and ROLLIN comes down the stairs. ROLLIN is in disguise, wearing glasses and wearing his hair in a way to seem older.)

ROLLIN
It's just past sunset. Kent didn't wake up early, so the Doc just gave him a shot to help him come around. Doc says that he sees no residual side effects.

BARNEY
Right. Willy's ready with the sound effects.

ROLLIN
It's too late to do a demonstration tonight. Cinnamon and Craig will do their first demonstration tomorrow morning.

BARNEY
Okay. Friday news broadcasts weren't all that good for us, but Saturday's were outstanding.

ROLLIN
Local or national?

BARNEY
Both. You'd better take this.

(BARNEY checks his calendar—the one marked "Kent thinks today is"—and sees that it says July 4. BARNEY hands ROLLIN a newspaper from the July 4 spot. ROLLIN takes the newspaper, smiles, and turns toward the stairway. CUT TO: Kent's bedroom. It is dark outside, but not completely dark; some lights in the bedroom are on. The cot, the chair and the NURSES are gone. STEWART is checking KENT. KENT, now wearing his trousers and undershirt once again, is moving slightly but is not awake. CINNAMON stands nearby holding some pajamas and a glass of warm milk. STEWART nods and smiles at CINNAMON to indicate that KENT is okay. As STEWART packs up his medical bag and gets ready to go, ROLLIN enters the bedroom, carrying a single newspaper section, which he sets aside. STEWART gives ROLLIN an "all's well" look, and exits. KENT stirs. ROLLIN goes next to the bed.)

ROLLIN
Hey, are you okay, buddy?

KENT
(groggy) What time is it?

ROLLIN
About nine o'clock. At night.

KENT
Where—am I?

CINNAMON
You're safe.

(KENT tries to sit up but decides against it.)

KENT
How did I get here?

ROLLIN
You came here in a car this afternoon.

KENT
A car? A green car?

ROLLIN
I think so, yes. Fritz carried you out of the car and hauled you up to your bedroom like a sack of potatoes.

KENT
Fritz? Who's Fritz?

ROLLIN
Big man.

CINNAMON
You'll get to meet him.

KENT
Well, darn it, I just slept for what, five hours?

ROLLIN
About that, I suppose.

KENT
That means I'll be up all night.

CINNAMON
A lot of people have said that. Yet (offering the milk) after a glass of warm milk, they sleep perfectly well the first night they're here. Maybe you will, too. I have some pajamas for you as well.

(KENT takes the warm milk and takes a sip.)

KENT
Where is—?

(Suddenly a concussion is heard [SFX] rattling the windows. It is not overly loud, but it is noticeable.)

KENT
What was that?

(Another concussion [SFX], then another [SFX], then another [SFX]. CUT TO: Ext. of the house. Large speakers are deployed near the house. WILLY is seen controlling a tape player, upon which the concussions are recorded. Several more concussions are heard [SFX]. CUT TO: Kent's bedroom.)

ROLLIN
Oh, the park as few miles away is having a fireworks show tonight.

KENT
Fireworks? Oh, of course! It's the Fourth of July!

(CUT TO Ext. of the house, with WILLY watching the speakers as the concussions [SFX] continue. DISSOLVE TO: Ext. of the house, the next morning. CUT TO: The basement. A shot of the calendars shows "Today's REAL date" is Monday July 8 and "Kent thinks today is" Friday July 5. WILLY enters through a door to the outside, carrying some newspapers. BARNEY takes the newspapers.)

BARNEY
Thanks.

(BARNEY puts the newspapers in the slot marked for July 8. BARNEY takes some of the newspapers from the slot marked July 5 and hands them to WILLY, who promptly heads up the stairs. The afternoon newspaper for July 5 remains in the July 5 slot. CUT TO: The main floor of the safe house, where CRAIG, CINNAMON, and ROLLIN are eating a simple breakfast around a breakfast table. WILLY enters the main floor though a door, then he closes the door and verifies that it is locked. He tosses the newspapers on the table. ROLLIN takes one and looks it over.)

WILLY
Has Kent been downstairs yet?

CINNAMON
Not yet. We heard some rustling around upstairs, so we expect to see him soon.

(WILLY nods and goes upstairs. Once upstairs, WILLY goes to his own room at the end of the hall. Back at the breakfast table, CINNAMON has taken a newspaper and is looking it over. ROLLIN has found a crossword puzzle and is starting to solve it. The sound of a door opening is heard [SFX] and KENT appears in his pajamas outside his room. He seems to be quite well but is unsure of his surroundings. He descends the stairs and looks at the people at the breakfast table.)

CINNAMON
Good morning!

ROLLIN
Did you sleep well?

KENT
I slept fine.

CINNAMON
Come join us. You may make your own breakfast from anything you find. My brother and I just had cold cereal.

ROLLIN
I had a hard-boiled egg and toast. There is some bacon in the refrigerator, if you want that.

(KENT glances at the newspaper on the kitchen table. It is dated July 5.)

KENT
Where am I?

CINNAMON
You are safe. This is a safe house.

KENT
A safe house, what? Where? In America?

ROLLIN
Of course, in America. About sixty miles from Washington DC, we think. But we don't know for sure.

KENT
What am I doing here? I was supposed to be on an overseas flight by now.

ROLLIN
Well, I suppose you are here for the same reason that I am here, and for the same reason that Katherine and Tommy are here. It is not safe to take you out of the country. So you will stay here until it is safe.

KENT
And when will it be safe?

ROLLIN
(with a chuckle) Who knows?

KENT
How long have you been here?

CINNAMON
Tommy and I have been here since the second week in June.

ROLLIN
I have been here a little more than two months.

KENT
What? I cannot stay here for months!

CINNAMON
You will have to talk to Mr. Armus about that.

KENT
Mr. Armus? How do I get ahold of him? Is there a telephone?

ROLLIN
(snickering) No telephone. Mr. Armus visits from time to time. He might come by today or tomorrow to see how you are doing.

(KENT strides to the front door.)

KENT
No, this cannot be right! I must—

(KENT tries the front door. It is locked. KENT checks to see whether there is a way to unlock it, and finds none. KENT notices a clock on a ledge. The time is about ten minutes after 8:00.)

CINNAMON
You cannot leave.

ROLLIN
None of us can leave. Until it's safe, that is.

(KENT wanders back to the breakfast table, as if in a daze.)

KENT
I can't leave? What am I supposed to do until someone says it's safe?

ROLLIN
Read. (holding up a newspaper) We get morning and afternoon editions of the newspapers on weekdays, morning editions on weekends. I do the crosswords. There are a lot of books on the bookshelf.

KENT
Is there a television?

CINNAMON
No. That is, there is no television for us. Fritz has a TV. His reception is terrible, but he has one.

KENT
Fritz?

CINNAMON
He's the man who carried you to your room yesterday. He was your driver.

ROLLIN
But don't call him "Fritz!" Call him "Sir."

KENT
(blankly) Okay.

CINNAMON
Fritz watches over us, buys food, mows the lawn, deals with visitors. Our other live-in guard we call Hans. You'll meet him in two weeks.

KENT
I should be gone before two weeks.

ROLLIN
(laughs) I felt that way once, too!

CINNAMON
Are you hungry? May I make something for you?

KENT
(still trying to take it all in) Some toast and butter. Just one slice of toast ought to do. And coffee.

(KENT sits at the table and helps himself to coffee. CINNAMON puts a slice of bread in the toaster.)

KENT
My name is Dr. Randall Kent. (to CINNAMON) I know you are Katherine (to CRAIG) and you are Tommy. (to ROLLIN) And you—?

ROLLIN
Call me Benjamin. Ben, if you like.

KENT
Okay, Ben. May I ask: why are the three of you here?

(CUT TO: The basement. BARNEY is listening to the conversation.)

ROLLIN'S VOICE
I am here because I have certain information about permanent defense installations. My disappearance was staged. And now I must wait here until I am presumed to be dead by the authorities, and they stop looking for me.

CINNAMON'S VOICE
Tommy and I are here because Tommy has a unique gift, and we need to get out of the country. The Americans want him, but they would misuse his talent.

(BARNEY reaches over to pull some newspapers from the rack; he pulls newspapers from July 5, July 6, July 7, July 8. BARNEY also retrieves a pad of paper with writing on it.)

KENT'S VOICE
A unique talent? What kind of talent is it?

CINNAMON'S VOICE
It's difficult to describe.

(CUT TO: The breakfast table. KENT is buttering toast.)

KENT
(amused) I'm curious. What does he do?

ROLLIN
(grinning, slightly enthusiastic) Perhaps Tommy could give a demonstration. (to KENT) Strangest thing you've ever seen!

CINNAMON
Now is not the time. Recently Tommy's only been able in the middle of the night.

CRAIG
(protesting) I'm up to it! I'm up to it right now!

(CINNAMON and ROLLIN seem surprised that CRAIG spoke. CINNAMON seems hesitant to agree.)

CINNAMON
Are you sure?

(CRAIG nods vigorously. Both ROLLIN and CINNAMON smile.)

CINNAMON
Oh, all right; if it's all right with you, Tommy. Let's go upstairs.

KENT
(taking a bite of toast) What, we can't do the demonstration here?

(CUT TO: A bedroom upstairs, Tommy's bedroom. The bedroom is small, has a small bed and a dresser. There are various items on top of the dresser, including some small notepads and pencils. The bedroom door opens, and CRAIG and CINNAMON enter, followed by ROLLIN and KENT, who is still chewing his toast. CRAIG climbs onto the bed, turns on his side, and begins to breathe deeply. KENT, who has now swallowed his toast and is licking his fingertips, is curious as to what is going on.)

CINNAMON
(to KENT) Before we begin, here are some rules. First, you say nothing to Tommy. He won't respond to anything you say, anyway. Second, if you speak to me, speak in a normal tone of voice.

KENT
Okay.

(CINNAMON takes a notepad and pencil from atop a dresser and gives them to KENT.)

CINNAMON
You may take notes if you wish.

(KENT is puzzled. He doesn't know what the notepad and pencil might be used for. On the bed, CRAIG is breathing normally. One of CRAIG's arms is extended in front of his body. The hand begins to twitch.)

ROLLIN
He's through!

(KENT is puzzled by the expression, "through.")

CINNAMON
(to CRAIG) Tommy, do you hear me?

(CRAIG's voice is somewhat different.)

CRAIG
I hear you.

CINNAMON
Can you see the house?

CRAIG
I see the house.

CINNAMON
Tommy, will we get a visit from Mr. Armus?

(CUT TO: The basement. BARNEY is wearing a headset and microphone.)

BARNEY
Yes, at 12:38 this afternoon.

(CUT TO: The bedroom.)

CRAIG
Yes, at 12:38 this afternoon.

CINNAMON
Tommy, do you see today's afternoon newspaper?

CRAIG
I see today's afternoon newspaper.

CINNAMON
What is the headline on the newspaper?

(CUT TO: The basement. BARNEY is holding the afternoon newspaper from July 5. The headline reads "NASA ANNOUNCES PLANS.")

BARNEY
NASA announces plans.

(CUT TO: The bedroom.)

CRAIG
NASA announces plans.

ROLLIN
(quietly, to KENT) Write that down.

CINNAMON
Tommy, do you see the Saturday morning newspaper?

CRAIG
I see the Saturday morning newspaper.

CINNAMON
What is the headline on the newspaper?

(CUT TO: The basement. BARNEY is holding the newspaper from July 6. The headline reads "2 KILLED IN BRIDGE COLLAPSE." CUT TO: The bedroom.)

CRAIG
Two killed in bridge collapse.

(KENT abruptly writes "Two killed in bridge collapse" on the pad, and then above that, writes "NASA announces plans." After a moment, he writes above that, "Armus to visit at 12:38?")

ROLLIN
Ask him about TV news reports for tomorrow, too. Local and national.

CINNAMON
Tommy, do you see the news reports on Fritz's television tomorrow?

CRAIG
I see.

CINNAMON
What is the first story on the 6:00 news?

(CUT TO: The basement. BARNEY holds the retrieved notepad with writing on it. Below the word "Local" is written "A major movie star made a surprise visit to Washington this afternoon.")

BARNEY
A major movie star—

(CUT TO: The bedroom. Everyone is listening to CRAIG.)

CRAIG
— made a surprise visit to Washington this afternoon.

(KENT writes this down.)

CINNAMON
What is the first story on the 6:30 national news?

CRAIG
A minor earthquake hit Mexico City today, home of the upcoming Summer Olympics.

(KENT writes.)

CINNAMON
Tommy, do you see the Sunday morning newspaper, and its headline?

CRAIG
Quake rattles Mexico City.

(KENT hastily scribbles this down.)

ROLLIN
Try Monday's paper.

CINNAMON
Tommy, can you see the Monday newspaper headline?

CRAIG
President— to meet with guh—

(KENT hastily scribbles this down. On the bed, CRAIG's hand stops twitching.)

ROLLIN
Look at his hand, Katherine. He's back out, now.

CINNAMON
Let's let him recover. He went the extra mile today.

KENT
(suspicious but polite) What— what did I just witness?

CINNAMON
(directing KENT out of the bedroom) Tommy is an intuitive.

KENT
A what?

CINNAMON
He has a heightened sense of awareness of the world. He uses this sense to intuit what the results of today's events will be.

(KENT isn't buying it. He laughs a little. ROLLIN stands in the bedroom door; behind him, CRAIG is stirring from the bed.)

KENT
So he's a seer, is he? A fortune-teller? (sneering) A prognosticator? Hogwash.

CINNAMON
(indignantly) Do you think you are the first person ever to say such a thing to me? I have heard such dismissive remarks for years. That is why I asked you to write down what was said. I do not ask to you to accept anything on my say-so.

(KENT still scoffs.)

CINNAMON
Tommy talked about tomorrow night's television news. If I were you, I'd talk to Fritz about letting you watch his television tomorrow night, to see whether Tommy was right.

KENT
This whole thing is—

(KENT is about to say "ridiculous," when a door abruptly opens, and WILLY stalks out. WILLY seems to be in a bad mood. KENT does not know what to say.)

CINNAMON and ROLLIN
(subdued) Good morning, sir.

WILLY
(to CINNAMON and ROLLIN) You. And you! This house must be clean before Mr. Armus arrives at one o'clock! Eat your lunches afterwards! Clean the house first!

(KENT is briefly taken aback by the mention of one o'clock, and is about to say good morning, when WILLY charges up to KENT and goes nose-to-nose with him.)

WILLY
(to KENT) You. New man. Has anyone explained the rules to you yet?

KENT
(intimidated) No.

WILLY
There is only one rule. (threateningly) Don't make trouble. Is that CLEAR?

KENT
Yes, Frit—

(WILLY grabs KENT by the throat and pushes him up against a wall.)

WILLY
What did you call me?!

KENT
Sir! Yes, it's clear, SIR!

(WILLY lets KENT go. KENT rubs his throat but he has not been hurt.)

KENT
I'm sorry, sir! But I don't know your name, sir—

WILLY
You don't need to know my name!

(WILLY stalks away and heads downstairs. CINNAMON looks at KENT, concerned. Behind ROLLIN, CRAIG emerges, dazed, and puzzled by what just happened.)

KENT
He— (quietly) Fritz— said that Armus is coming at one, not at 12:38.

CINNAMON
We'll see. Come on, let's get cleaning.

ROLLIN
(to KENT) I'll wash the dishes, you dry.

(CUT TO: A quick montage of CINNAMON, ROLLIN, and KENT— now in day clothes— cleaning: washing dishes, drying dishes, putting dishes away, picking up newspapers, throwing out garbage, sweeping, emptying ashtrays, etc. CINNAMON brings a load of laundry to a laundry room that can only be barely seen. WILLY watches but does nothing to help. CRAIG helps with the laundry, then wipes the kitchen table with a rag. KENT is straightening out cushions on the furniture when there is a loud CLANK-CLANK [SFX] as the front door is unlocked and JIM enters, and re-locks the door.)

WILLY
Mr. Armus! I was not expecting you until one o'clock!

(KENT steals a look at the clock on the ledge. The time is 12:38. KENT is astonished. CUT TO BLACK.)