INT. PROM - MIRROR MAZE - NIGHT
We've gone back in time. The Liars are searching for Alison all by themselves, shortly after finding her cell phone lying on the ground.
SUPER: Earlier That Night
ARIA
What did the message say again?
SPENCER
"Now it's just you and me."
EMILY
Guys, do you think Charles would hurt his own sister?
HANNA
Well, considering his track record, I seriously doubt he just wants to eat cookies with her.
ARIA
Okay, but let's stay positive. By now, Tanner will have already mobilized every single cop in Philly. It's only a matter of time before they find them.
HANNA
Unless they're already on a plane to Siberia.
SPENCER
And why the hell to Siberia?
HANNA
I don't know! It's the first far-away place that came to mind.
Emily shushes them.
EMILY
(quietly)
I think we're not alone here.
And she is right: there are footsteps approaching.
After a few tension-filled seconds, someone appears from behind a corner, and the four sigh with relief when they see that it's MONA.
HANNA
God, Mona! What are you doing here?
MONA
I'm glad to see you too.
SPENCER
Just answer the question.
MONA
Charles sent me a text an hour ago, asking me to come here.
(shrugs)
And I guess I got curious.
ARIA
Why would Charles want you -
Before she can finish the question, there are five simultaneous beeps, and the girls glance at each other before pulling out their cell phones to read the text.
SPENCER
"Game over, bitches. -A"
EMILY
Oh, no!
She's seen the attached photo: it's Alison, lying on a bed with her eyes wide open.
A beat.
ARIA
You… You don't think she's -
MONA
I doubt it. Charles probably drugged her, just like he did to me when he took me to the Dollhouse. I... I was aware of everything going on around me, but I couldn't even blink.
SPENCER
But where is she?
Another five beeps. The girls look back at their phones amidst several sighs of frustration.
HANNA
These are -
SPENCER
Coordinates. Now all we have to do is -
MONA
(typing furiously)
It's the Kissing Rock.
The others stare at her in disbelief. Upon taking her eyes off the screen and seeing their reaction, Mona gives a small smile.
MONA
I'll take that as a compliment.
HANNA
The Kissing Rock? But -
EMILY
Wait, there's more.
(reading the rest of the text)
"What if you rat me out, I wonder?"
She can't finish the threat, and Spencer ends up doing it for her.
SPENCER
"Then you'll need another hole to put her under."
A beat.
HANNA
(sighs)
That was a crappy rhyme.
ARIA
Great, now what? I mean, this is obviously a trap.
EMILY
We can't just abandon Ali, though!
HANNA
Of course not, Em. But you need to remember what happened the last time Charles got too close to us.
SPENCER
And besides, even if we wanted to do what he says, we can't just walk out of here. Tanner and the others will come looking for us in less than five minutes.
MONA
Well, we can always use the back door. That's how I got in, and I've got my car nearby.
The Liars look at each other hesitantly.
INT. RADLEY - BATHTUB ROOM - NIGHT
We're in the same place where Hanna and Spencer found Charles' fake organ donor documents. It is now almost completely empty, except for a single bathtub filled with water in the center.
And standing next to it is A, wearing their usual black hoodie and still hiding their face from us. They bend down to pick up a broken, rusty pipe from the floor and, after spinning it in their hands for a few seconds, turn around towards a corner of the room.
There we see JASON and KENNETH DILAURENTIS, sitting with their backs to the wall. Both are bound, gagged and unconscious. The hooded figure approaches and stares at them for a moment. Then they drop the pipe, walk to the door and, after one last look at the bathtub behind them, open it and leave.
INT. DILAURENTIS HOUSE - BASEMENT - NIGHT
The Liars' moms are still trapped down there.
PAM is pounding on the door and shouting for help, while ELLA has decided to sit on the stairs with a blank stare. For their part, both ASHLEY and VERONICA are at the bottom of the stairs, the former standing motionless and biting her nails, and the latter pacing restlessly.
PAM
Help! Please, we're down here! Somebody open the door!
After knocking on the wood a few more times, she gives up and also sits down on a step, a little above Ella.
A beat.
PAM
Do you think it's possible that the girls are still safe and sound, celebrating their little prom?
ELLA
God, I'd love to believe it. I really would. But…
VERONICA
But we already know what that monster is capable of.
ASHLEY
Wait a minute, Ezra and Toby are also supposed to be there, right? I mean, Charles would have to get rid of them too, and I don't know how he could -
Her words are interrupted by the sound of footsteps upstairs. Pam and Ella immediately get up, and the former seems about to start screaming again.
ELLA
(whispering)
Wait, maybe it's him again!
PAM
(whispering)
So what? He knows exactly where we are.
But the closer the steps get to the basement, the less Pam wants to draw attention to herself. In the end, she decides to keep quiet and go down with Ella.
Once the four of them are together, they begin to walk very slowly away from the door, still looking at it.
Someone stops on the other side, opens it slowly and begins to descend the stairs, but neither we nor the moms see their face until they reach the bottom.
That's when we realize it's LORENZO, and the women let out a sigh of relief.
LORENZO
(somewhat confused)
Are you... are you all right?
INT. DILAURENTIS HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - NIGHT
There are several police officers searching the place. Meanwhile, Lorenzo and the mothers are talking next to the couch, but they are not alone: we also see Tanner, Ezra, Caleb and Toby.
LORENZO
When Alison disappeared at the prom, I came down here to talk to her father and brother. As soon as I arrived, I heard noises coming from the basement, so I...
(to Tanner)
Look, I know I'm suspended, but I couldn't just sit on my hands.
TANNER
We'll talk about that later. At least you found them.
TOBY
(to Veronica)
Did you see who locked you in?
VERONICA
Oh, we sure did: he was the spitting image of a long-lost DiLaurentis.
That statement catches Tanner and the boys by surprise.
EZRA
You say... you saw Charles?
ELLA
Well, he called himself Rhys Matthews.
ASHLEY
He said he worked for the Carissimi Group, and was looking for Kenneth.
CALEB
The Carissimi Group? The same people who offered Hanna that scholarship?
Ashley nods slowly and everyone is silent for a moment.
PAM
He took them again, didn't he?
She gets no response, but, judging by their faces, it looks like they are all thinking the same thing.
INT. MONA'S CAR - NIGHT
The five girls have parked in the middle of the forest. All they can see out of the windows are trees and darkness.
Mona is in the driver's seat, and Emily is in the passenger seat. Hanna is in the back, sitting between Spencer and Aria.
HANNA
Are we sure this is the right place?
MONA
According to the coordinates, yes. The Kissing Rock is five minutes away.
A beat.
ARIA
Do you think the boys are already looking for us?
SPENCER
Of course. I doubt they'll think of coming here, though.
EMILY
At least Sara is safe with them and Tanner.
Mona's cell phone beeps and she reads the message.
MONA
"Come out, come out, wherever you are. Alone."
EMILY
Oh, God...
HANNA
That bastard wants to take us one by one, right?
SPENCER
Yeah. It would be much easier to gas us all again, but I guess this is part of the game.
Mona places her hand on the door handle.
HANNA
Wait, seriously? Are we really going to fall right into A's trap?
MONA
What other choice do we have, Hanna?
HANNA
I...
But then her anger gives way to despair, and a tear begins to slide down her cheek.
HANNA
I just want to go home.
Spencer squeezes her hand for comfort.
SPENCER
And we will, Han. I promise we'll all go home, okay?
Aria and Emily follow their friend's lead; the latter has to turn around a bit in her seat.
ARIA
Yes, we'll find a way. Like we always do.
EMILY
Together.
After watching them for a few seconds, Mona takes a deep breath and opens the door.
MONA
Well...
EXT. FOREST - MONA'S CAR - NIGHT
The girl gets out of the car.
MONA
(now without looking at them)
See you soon.
She then closes the door and begins to walk into the darkness.
EXT. FOREST - THE KISSING ROCK - NIGHT
Mona has just arrived at the clearing where the Rock is. After a quick look around, she starts to approach it very slowly.
When she has taken only five or six steps, RED COAT appears from the trees behind her and quietly sneaks up on her. She is holding a syringe in her hand.
INT. CALEB'S CAR - NIGHT
Caleb and Ezra are parked in front of the Carissimi Group, staring at the building in complete silence.
A beat.
EZRA
(sighing)
I don't think I've ever felt so useless in my entire life.
CALEB
That makes two of us, but right now this is our only lead. You heard what Ashley and the others said.
EZRA
(looking at Caleb)
What, that this Rhys guy is the mastermind behind all this? Please, he might as well have been wearing a neon sign that said "I am Charles DiLaurentis".
CALEB
Well, he doesn't have a sign, but he does look rather suspicious.
He points Ezra to the front door of the building, where RHYS MATTHEWS now exits. The two exchange a look of approval and get out of the car.
EXT. CARISSIMI GROUP - NIGHT
Rhys walks with his head backwards, as if he is afraid that someone is following him. When he looks forward again, he almost collides with Caleb and Ezra and is forced to stop.
CALEB
Hey! Sorry to bother you, but we're having some trouble with our car, and we -
RHYS
(very nervous)
Look, I'm... I'm sorry, but I'm in a hurry. Can't you ask someone else? It's just... it's really late and -
EZRA
Yeah, that's true. I hope your boss pays you well for overtime.
At Ezra's accusatory tone, Rhys stares at them in turn. And then, without warning, he starts running at full speed, leaving them behind in a flash. Neither man tries to follow him, though.
And they don't have to: as soon as he turns the corner, the fugitive finds a patrol car cutting him off. Tanner and Toby are on either side of it, and the lieutenant takes a step in Rhys' direction.
TANNER
Good evening, Mr. Matthews. Would you mind accompanying us to the station? We have a few questions.
He sighs in defeat.
INT. RADLEY - CHARLES' ROOM - NIGHT
Alison stifles a scream and sits up on the bed. She is finally able to move and, after catching her breath a few times, looks around at where she is.
It looks like a typical Radley patient's room, except the walls are covered with a bunch of photographs of her, her family, and her friends. To her left is a barred window and a table, on which she sees the picture of Freddie's birthday that A received a few days ago.
And to her right -
ALISON
Oh, my God!
Four large cages are lined up perfectly against the wall. Inside, the Liars are also recovering from the effects of Charles' drug, and Alison rushes over to them.
ALISON
Are you okay, guys?
HANNA
(sarcastic)
Sure, better than ever.
ARIA
Are these... animal cages?
EMILY
Yeah, and extra-large ones, apparently.
HANNA
(to Spencer)
Do you think they're the same as the ones in Lesli's car?
SPENCER
It looks like it.
HANNA
But then -
Hanna cannot finish her deductions, because at that moment the door to the room opens and A enters.
The five stand still and completely stunned, but the hooded figure goes straight to the window and stays there, their back to them.
A beat. Finally, Alison decides to address them.
ALISON
(with trembling voice)
How could you do this to them?
Her interlocutor doesn't even move, and Alison tries again.
ALISON
Get them out now!
Another long silence, until -
CHARLES
That's no way to talk to your big brother, Ali.
CHARLES DILAURENTIS turns around and the girls come face to face with their tormentor. They all gasp, except for Alison.
For A is none other than WREN KINGSTON, now without his usual British accent and smiling from ear to ear.