tc2x09
Script created with Final Draft by Final Draft, Inc.
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TEASER
FADE IN:
INT. WARDROBE - NIGHT
In the dark, surrounded by hanging clothes, VI MORGAN holds
back terrified sobs. She fumbles through her bag as,
outside, MUFFLED VOICES can be heard.
Getting desperate, Vi turns her bag upside down. She shakes
out the contents onto the wardrobe floor.
She finds her mobile phone and, with shaking fingers,
begins to punch in a phone number.
BANG! At the sound of the gun shot, Vi drops the phone.
It lands in the scattering of her belongings. The screen
illuminates a piece of paper. It reads, "ADRIENNE
WINCHESTER".
INT. THE COMPANY - RECEPTION - DAY
TITLE CARD: Twelve Hours Ago
Vi leans against the reception desk. She glances at her
watch. Stifles a yawn.
ANDREW FRIAR bounds up beside her, unable to hide his grin.
He ruffles her hair, cheerfully.
ANDREW
What's up, my little purple
flower?
VI
It's nine in the morning. Why are
you so happy at nine in the
morning?
ANDREW
Because I get a day off.
VI
(confused)
But Jenna told me to be here
early. Some big assignment.
ANDREW
She told you to be here early.
Nothing to do with me.
(sing-song)
Because I don't have an
assignment!
He does a little dance, shaking his hips and waving his
arms around.
VI
Then what are you doing here at
nine in the morning?
Andrew stops mid-dance.
Before he can properly react, JENNA COOKE steps out of the
conference room. She spots Vi.
JENNA
Great, Vi, you're here. Come on
in.
Vi smiles. She ruffles Andrew's hair.
INT. THE COMPANY - CONFERENCE ROOM - DAY
Vi smiles at KOU YIMOU, who sits along one side of the
table. She sits down beside him.
VI
Hey, Kou.
KOU
Good morning, Vi. How's life?
VI
Tiring.
She yawns again and turns to Jenna who sits down across
from them - right next to another woman.
JENNA
Vi, this is Roxanne Turrell.
ROXY TURRELL (23) smiles a little nervously and holds out
her hand.
ROXY
Call me Roxy.
Vi takes her hand and they shake.
VI
Nice to meet you. I haven't seen
you around before. Are you new?
ROXY
Um, I don't come to this branch
much.
Vi's unsure what she means but smiles anyway.
VI
Oh, okay.
Kou clears his throat, and looks pointedly at Jenna.
KOU
Jenna, don't forget to mention
what department Miss Turrell
comes from.
(beat)
That would be rude.
He throws Roxy a frosty smile. Roxy flushes pink,
embarrassed, and Jenna gives Kou an annoyed glance.
JENNA
I was getting there.
(to Vi)
Roxy's a Runner for the Breakers.
Vi takes this in. She's not sure how to react.
VI
Oh.
There's a beat. The room's suddenly a whole lot colder.
Finally, Jenna flips open a folder. She hand each of the
others a piece of paper, an assignment.
JENNA
Since Vi and Roxy are new when it
comes to an assignment like this,
I'll explain how it works.
She looks to Kou.
JENNA (CONT'D)
If that's alright with you?
He doesn't reply. Jenna continues.
JENNA (CONT'D)
Each of your assignments are
connected. Three people. A
husband and wife and, through
preliminary recon, a man who
we've determined to be the
wife's... er... lover.
She hands a photograph to Roxy.
JENNA (CONT'D)
This is the happily married
couple. And I use the word
"happily" extremely loosely.
Roxy passes the photo to Vi.
Vi looks at it. A HUSBAND and WIFE share a kiss, oblivious
to the secret photographer.
KOU
So, our assignment is to make the
other man back off? Breaking his
connection with --
JENNA
Just the opposite, actually.
VI
You mean...
Jenna smiles grimly.
JENNA
Looks like it's the end of the
road for Mr. and Mrs. Winchester.
Vi looks back down at the photo. They look happy. They look
like they're in love. Vi frowns.
CUT TO BLACK:
END OF TEASER
ACT ONE
FADE IN:
INT. MORGAN RESIDENCE - VI'S ROOM - DAY
Vi moves around the room, slipping things into a shoulder
bag - like the one we saw in the flash-forward.
As she does this, she talks rapidly into her mobile phone.
VI
(into phone)
... And you remember Mr. Lesnick,
right? From school? And the guy
on the bus last year? All
Breakers. All creepy. But Roxy
seems nice. I don't want to hate
her for no reason but I kind of
feel like I have to. I mean,
Kou's all with the eye-daggers at
her and Jenna's...
She sinks down onto her bed.
VI (CONT'D)
(sad)
Come home, Shane. Please.
(beat)
Call me when you get this
message, okay?
She hangs up and puts the phone in her bag.
For the first time, we hear MUFFLED YELLING coming from
somewhere in the house.
INT. MORGAN RESIDENCE - UPSTAIRS HALLWAY - DAY
Vi exits her bedroom, pulling on a jacket. Her bag swings
from one hand.
Vi pauses at the top of the stairs, her hand on the
banister. She's listening to the YELLING - which is coming
from the master bedroom at the end of the hall.
PETER (O.S.)
This is ridiculous! You're being
so unreasonable!
CAROLINE (O.S.)
Don't you start lecturing me
about "unreasonable demands",
Peter!
PENNY MORGAN appears in the bathroom doorway, drying her
wet hair with a towel.
PENNY
Just how I want to spend my
Saturday, right? Front row seats
at the cage match.
VI
I thought we were doing that
whole supportive thing?
PENNY
Oh, we were. And it worked. Now
she wants him to get a job.
VI
Oh.
(beat)
Well, I'm going to go and meet
some friends.
She pauses.
VI (CONT'D)
(surprised)
Wow, that was my best material
and not even a chuckle.
Penny rolls her eyes.
VI (CONT'D)
What I was going to say was, why
don't you go out, too? You know,
get away from... that.
Penny nods to another closed door.
PENNY
Cam won't come out of his room. I
can't leave him here.
VI
Okay. Well, good luck.
PENNY
Thanks.
They share a smile. Vi heads down the stairs.
Penny glances to her parent's bedroom door. With a sniff of
disapproval, she turns back into the bathroom and closes
the door.
INT. MORGAN RESIDENCE - MASTER BEDROOM - DAY
PETER and CAROLINE MORGAN face off from opposite sides of
the room. They're both upset.
PETER
What do you think I've been doing
for twenty years, Caroline? That
was our deal - your work is out
there, mine is here.
CAROLINE
Oh, please!
PETER
What? Being a stay-at-home dad is
work!
CAROLINE
Maybe so but I've seen a lot more
of the stay-at-home and next to
none of the dad these past few
years.
Peter looks genuinely hurt. Caroline scoffs.
CAROLINE (CONT'D)
Don't give me that, Peter. When
was the last time you actually
remembered to pick Cam up from
astronomy club? Or the last time
you vacuumed something or, God
forbid, cooked a meal that didn't
come in a frozen box?
PETER
I do a lot more than you think,
Caroline. You just never notice.
Caroline narrows her eyes.
CAROLINE
Do you know why I don't notice
things like that? Because I am
exhausted, Peter. Exhausted from
working all day, being the sole
earner, then coming home and
cleaning, and cooking, and doing
everything you're supposed to.
(beat)
I work, I take care of the house,
and I raise our children.
Then, almost as an after-thought:
CAROLINE (CONT'D)
Not like you're a great help
there either --
PETER
Don't.
For the first time, Peter gets some fight in his eyes.
PETER (CONT'D)
Don't you dare say that I'm a bad
father.
CAROLINE
Cam is being bullied. Do you know
that? But what can I do? Anything
I do will only make it worse.
Things with Vi are... I don't
think they will ever be back to
normal and Penny --
PETER
Our kids are smart. They're
independent. I trust them.
CAROLINE
So, according to you, we should
just let them run wild?
PETER
Maybe.
CAROLINE
Peter!
PETER
Are you forgetting? This isn't
about the kids. This is about you
and your insane compulsion to
force everyone in the world into
steady employment!
Caroline lets out a hollow laugh. She starts to tear up.
CAROLINE
Well, I'm sorry for just wanting
what's best for you.
She exits swiftly. Peter takes a moment, not sure what just
happened.
INT. HEAD OFFICE - BOARD ROOM - DAY
ALISTAIR BENSON stands at the window. Outside, it's dark.
Not just nighttime but a SWIRLING GALAXY OF STARS. Truly
breathtaking.
Behind him, the door opens. Benson turns to see a woman
enter. MELINDA BRYCE (27) clutches a laptop bag and is
bubbly with excitement as she walks towards him.
MELINDA
Mr. Benson?
BENSON
Yes?
Melinda is about to say more when a stern looking executive
sweeps into the room behind her. The door SLAMS shut and
Melinda jumps - hurrying to a spot at the table.
HANK SIMON (45) bypasses Benson - ignoring him completely -
and takes a seat at the head of the table.
He shuffles around for a minute, removing a stack of papers
from his briefcase, before finally meeting Benson's eyes.
HANK
Are you waiting for an
invitation, Mr. Benson?
Surprised, Benson says nothing. He takes a seat.
HANK (CONT'D)
Well --
Melinda's laptop CHIMES as it starts up. Hank throws her a
withering glare. Melinda almost seems to shrink under it.
HANK (CONT'D)
Well... Alistair Benson, my name
is Hank Simon, I'm an executive
of employee affairs here at Head
Office. This is my assistant.
He motions to Melinda.
HANK (CONT'D)
She's going to be taking notes.
Melinda flashes Benson a friendly smile.
HANK (CONT'D)
Now... Let's talk about why
you're here.
He leans back in his chair, clasping his hands together.
Benson is calm - not giving even a hint of emotion away.
INT. CAFE - DAY
Vi and Kou enter. They scan the room, looking for someone.
Roxy, at a table by the window, waves them over.
As they walk over, Vi glances at Kou.
VI
(quiet)
Play nice.
He says nothing. They sit down. Roxy slides a menu towards
them.
ROXY
I haven't ordered yet. Thought I
should wait.
VI
I'm not really hungry.
Roxy picks up on the tension. The awkwardness radiating
from Vi.
ROXY
I... I know it must be weird,
working with... with someone like
me. But, really, we're on the
same side. I mean, it's all about
putting the universe in order in
the end, right?
(beat)
I've only been doing this for six
months and, let me tell you, I
hate breaking connections just as
much as you two hate the thought
of it. Can't we... Can't we just
try to get along?
Kou and Vi share a look. Kou nods.
KOU
You're right. I apologise.
VI
Yeah. Me, too.
ROXY
(smiling)
Great.
(beat)
So, I guess we should... get down
to business.
She doesn't know how to continue. Kou takes over.
KOU
Well, we each got a name of the
three people involved. We should
decide if we're going to combine
our efforts or keep to one runner
per one assignee.
VI
Won't it get kind of complicated
if we're all working on the same
person?
KOU
One each it is then.
A beat. He looks to Roxy.
KOU (CONT'D)
Unless you'd prefer --
ROXY
No, that's fine.
Roxy smiles a little, grateful that he would ask.
Kou pulls a folder from his bag. Out of his pocket, he
takes his assignment sheet.
KOU
I have Vernon Reid.
ROXY
Michael Winchester.
VI
And I've got the wife, Adrienne.
Kou opens the folder. He hands a thin dossier to each of
them.
KOU
I got this from Jenna. Since this
assignment is rather complex, a
surveillance team did some
reconnaissance. This is some
general information on each
assignee.
Vi looks a bit daunted.
VI
There's not going to be a test,
is there?
KOU
My dear, life is a test.
Vi groans.
VI
You sound like Benson.
(beat)
Where is he, anyway? I mean, if
this whole combined assignment
thing is such a rare deal, you'd
think he would have at least
stopped by to wish us luck or
something.
(fake hurt)
It's like he doesn't even care.
KOU
He has a meeting with some
executives at Head Office.
VI
Ooooh, Benson got called to the
principal's office.
Roxy giggles. Vi and Kou turn to her, surprised, since she
hasn't made a peep for awhile. Roxy blushes.
ROXY
That was funny.
Kou clears his throat.
KOU
Yeah, well, we should probably,
you know...
VI
Work?
KOU
Right.
A long beat.
VI
How exactly do you manipulate two
people into getting a divorce?
Kou isn't quite sure either.
ROXY
Well... I have some... ideas...
EXT. CITY STREET - LATER
Roxy's at a pay-phone. She cradles it next to her ear as
she dials a number - read off from the papers Kou handed
out at the cafe.
ROXY (V.O.)
We have to find a way into their
lives. The surveillance team must
have seen something that would
indicate which two should be
together. We just have to look
for those same clues.
VI (V.O.)
Like a mystery.
INT. SEEDY BAR - LATER
Kou enters, casually glancing around the low-lit interior.
ROXY (V.O.)
Find out where they spend their
free time. Make yourself part of
the background.
Kou takes a seat at the bar. Orders a drink.
EXT. ANOTHER CITY STREET - LATER
Vi walks up the street. She stops at a medical clinic.
ROXY (V.O.)
Then, just get them talking.
INT. CAFE - DAY
We're back with the group. Roxy starts re-folding her
napkin self-consciously.
ROXY
I mean, just do what you normally
do. Our jobs aren't that
different.
VI
No, that's a good start, Roxy.
Thanks.
EXT. MEDICAL CLINIC - LATER
She steps up to the glass window, peering through the
shades.
Through the window, we see a woman - ADRIENNE WINCHESTER
(32) working behind the front desk.
Vi looks down at the photograph from earlier which is paper
clipped to the front of the information sheets.
VI (V.O.)
I just hope it's going to be that
easy.
CUT TO BLACK:
END OF ACT ONE
ACT TWO
FADE IN:
INT. MEDICAL CLINIC - EXAMINATION ROOM - DAY
Vi sits on the table, one pant leg rolled up over her knee.
Adrienne, in a simple nurse's uniform, sits on a stool in
front of her, examining Vi's exposed knee. She prods
carefully.
ADRIENNE
Is that painful?
Vi HISSES dramatically.
VI
Ouch. Yeah. Bad.
ADRIENNE
And you said you --
VI
-- Got into a fight with the
fireplace, yep.
ADRIENNE
Mind if I ask who won?
VI
Oh, definitely me. That piece of
scrap metal is now just a...
piece of scrap metal.
Adrienne smiles, amused.
ADRIENNE
I see.
(beat)
And why would you think getting
into a fight with a fireplace was
a good idea?
Vi shrugs.
VI
I just got frustrated.
(beat; careful)
It's my parents. They... they've
been fighting a lot lately.
She watches Adrienne from the corner of her eye. She's
testing the waters.
Adrienne stands and crosses to the desk. She scribbles
something on a clipboard, careful not to look at Vi.
ADRIENNE
The doctor will be with you
shortly.
She puts the clipboard down and heads for the door. Vi is
quietly panicking, desperate to keep Adrienne in the room.
VI
Wait!
Adrienne turns. A beat. Vi widens her eyes and turns down
the corners of her mouth - trying to look as pitiful as
possible.
VI (CONT'D)
Will you wait with me? I have
this... phobia of doctor's
offices.
Adrienne doesn't react. Vi is forced to continue.
VI (CONT'D)
More specifically, being alone in
one. Because, when no one's
around...
She moves her eyes to the hanging SKELETON in the corner.
VI (CONT'D)
(whispered)
... They come to life.
There's a beat as Adrienne figures out if Vi's being
serious or not. Finally, she smiles.
ADRIENNE
His name is Vern.
Vi blinks, shocked.
VI
What?
Adrienne leans against the desk. She smiles at the
skeleton.
ADRIENNE
Well, to me he is.
(sad)
But maybe I should re-think that
now.
VI
What do you mean?
Adrienne shakes her head.
ADRIENNE
Nothing. How's your knee? Do you
want some ice while you wait?
VI
No, no. It's fine.
She pauses. Grimaces.
VI (CONT'D)
I mean, it's agonising but I can
take it.
ADRIENNE
Tough kid.
VI
Do you have kids?
A beat.
ADRIENNE
No. Always wanted them, though.
VI
Your husband doesn't?
Nervous, Adrienne touches her wedding band. She starts to
fiddle with it. Vi's aware of this.
ADRIENNE
So, you said your... your parents
have been fighting a lot? That
must be difficult.
VI
Yeah.
(beat)
I know this sounds stupid but...
I'm pretty sure they're going to
get a divorce.
Adrienne looks shocked.
ADRIENNE
Oh, I wouldn't jump to that
conclusion.
(beat)
Sometimes people just argue. That
doesn't mean they should stop
being together.
VI
Then... When should two people
stop being... you know...
together?
Adrienne considers this.
ADRIENNE
When being together doesn't feel
right anymore. When you don't
feel...
(beat)
Sometimes marriages just run
their course.
Looking down, she realises that she's still playing with
the wedding band. She puts her hand in her pocket.
Vi smiles a little sadly. She rolls down her pant leg and
hops off the table.
VI
Well, uh, I guess I'll --
ADRIENNE
Your knee!
Vi, eyes wide, realises her mistake. With fake shock on her
face, she flexes out her leg - stretching.
VI
Oh my God.
(beat)
You're a really good nurse!
She smiles and waves.
VI (CONT'D)
Bye!
She exits, leaving Adrienne stunned.
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Script created with Final Draft by Final Draft, Inc.