Tom is driving. He and Kara are both laughing. They are already well into the desert, which passes by starkly in the full moonlight.
Seriously?
KARA
Of course! It kicked ass!
TOM
Lost In Space, huh? I was always
partial to Hawaii Five-O.
KARA
Really? Why’s that?
TOM
Well, my older brother always told
me that the next week we’d find out
if the guys in the kayak got away
from the tidal wave.
Kara laughs uproariously.
I kept falling for it. It was import-
ant. I needed to know! That and the
original Alvin and the Chipmunks
theme. Those were the two best.
KARA
(singing)
“This… is… the… Alvin show, the Alvin
show…”
TOM & KARA
“You’re positively gonna love the
Alvin show…”
They both break up laughing.
Why didn’t we ever talk like this in
high school?
KARA
I don’t know. Because we were in
high school, I guess. We didn’t
understand the value of TV theme
songs.
TOM
Yeah, but seriously… Raven and I don’t
talk like this, even now.
KARA
Well, I’m not Raven.
TOM
(smiling)
No, you’re not. You’re definitely not.
But we haven’t talked this much since
that one night…
KARA
I know. That guy broke up with me.
I don’t even remember what his name
was anymore. And I was crying, and
you came up and just started talking
to me. I remember I kind of poured
my heart out to you.
TOM
(fondly)
Kind of.
KARA
But you listened. You really listened.
Back then I always felt like I spent
more time dealing with other people’s
problems than my own.
TOM
I know. I could see that.
KARA
I never thanked you for that. You…
you kind of had a crush on me back
then, didn’t you?
TOM
Yeah. I did. Most definitely.
KARA
You could have just asked me out.
TOM
I could have. But didn’t. I guess
I figured the wanting would be better
than the having.
KARA
What does that mean?
TOM
Well, I think I was really in love
with you. Not some adolescent prom
night fantasy, maybe if it was I
could have done something about it.
But I had you built up in my mind
as some kind of goddess, everything
I thought a woman could be. I thought
about reading to you, sitting under
trees with you, or fixing candlelight
dinners, anything. Everything you
wanted.
KARA
Good thing you didn’t. I don’t think
I could have lived up to your expect-
ations.
TOM
The ache of not being with you was
better than anyone could ever have
been. Then again, maybe you could have.
He turns to her, but she looks away, embarrassed.
I get the feeling tonight that maybe
you really are closer to the way I
dreamed.
She doesn’t respond.
Even after college, it got worse. I
always half-believed that one day I’d
look up from my books and you’d be
standing there. And then tonight,
you finally were.
KARA
So you did what you always dreamed
about doing.
TOM
Yeah. With Raven the way she is now,
I can’t help but feel that I’m waiting
and waiting for something that will
never happen. I lot of the time I
don’t even feel like she’s there. But
it’s just to stop loving someone like
that, and when I think about it I
guess I feel weak for not having the
patience for her to come back…
KARA
Well, I’ve very recently stopped
loving someone. It wasn’t so hard.
TOM
Sorry. I guess I’ve just been talking
about myself.
KARA
It’s okay. You’re entitled. I’m just
glad you’re were there. And that
you’re here now. It makes things a
little easier.
She puts her hand on his arm, and he suddenly seems uncomfortable.
I wish that just once Jake would
have done any of those things you
always dreamed about.
INT. JAKE’S HOUSE - MORNING
Jake, fully dressed, carrying a mug of coffee, wanders from room to room, staring at the phones. He checks his watch, which reads eight-thirty, and looks out the window nervously. He passes the stairs to the basement, looks down them, checks his watch again.
INT. JAKE’S BASEMENT
The basement has been outfitted as a workshop. Benches and racks of tools line the walls. He reaches underneath one of the larger tables, removes a pistol that was held there by electrical tape. He heads back to the stairs, stops, and looks back.
In the corner, under another workbench, are two aluminum briefcases. He removes them and opens one. Nestled in foam beds inside are four detonators attached to blocks of what must be plastic explosive.
The doorbells rings upstairs. He looks up, startled.
INT. JAKE’S HOUSE - MORNING
As Jake walks into his foyer toward the front door, he glances out the front window. In his driveway, he can clearly see two police cruisers. He grabs a throw pillow off a chair and holds it over his face.
(muffled through pillow)
FUCK!!!!
In an instant he is back in control, and opens the door, his face a mask of concerned surprise. He opens the door on three policemen and a plainclothes detective, DETECTIVE MANTLE.
Good morning, Mr. Brennan. I’m
Detective Mantle. I’m sorry to disturb
you so early.
JAKE
It’s all right… I was still in bed.
MANTLE
Sleep in your clothes, did you?
Jake has forgotten that he’s dressed.
Yes. Have you heard anything about
Kara?
MANTLE
Well, that’s why we’re here, Mr.
Brennan. May we come in?
JAKE
Certainly.
INT. LIVING ROOM - MORNING
The policemen sit on the couch, with Jake and Mantle sit facing each other across the coffee table.
Normally missing person reports
can’t be filed for twenty-four
hours, but we found something
interesting this morning that we
think might pertain to this case.
JAKE
And what was that?
Mantle begins fishing around in his pockets for a rumpled piece of paper, which he begins unfolding and flattening.
Just after one o’clock this morning,
in a hotel just outside of town, a
man was murdered.
JAKE
A man? Do you think he had something
to do with Kara?
MANTLE
We’re not exactly sure. But we were
hoping you could tell us. The named
signed in the guest book for the room
in which the murder occurred… is yours.
Jake freezes. Mantle slides the paper across the table to him. It shows a photocopy of a fax on which, underneath the motel’s letterhead and logo, room 18 clearly shows Raven’s handwriting: Mr. & Mrs. Jake Brennan. Jake knows exactly who wrote it, but manages to conceal his anger.
No, it’s not Kara’s writing.
MANTLE
Didn’t think so. The report from the
desk clerk is that a Caucasian male
and a Native American woman, regist-
ered the previous morning. Neither
of which match the description of
your wife, obviously.
Jake looks at the motel’s address, which includes the words “off Highway 46”.
Detective, may I keep this?
MANTLE
Sure. Just a copy. We’re having the
place’s phone records checked too.
We should have the results within
the hour. I thought it best that we
have some of the men here wait with
you, in case whoever has her happens
to call.
Jake sneaks a glance at his watch, which is getting dangerously close to nine o’clock.
(calmly)
Of course.
MANTLE
And since we’re so close to the state
line, the federal agencies are on
standby, just in case we find Kara
has been taken over. In that case,
the FBI would immediately become
involved.
Mantle’s words are becoming more and more drowned out by a buzzing sound, coming from inside Jake’s head. He’s trying his best to ignore it, but his temples are starting to sweat and the tips of his fingers are twitching.
Can I offer… you and your men… some
coffee?
MANTLE
Thank you. That’d be fine. We really
appreciate your cooperation, Mr. Brennan.
Jefferson, would you help Mr. Brennan,
please?
One of the policemen nods, and stands as Jake does.
I’ll show you. The kitchen is right
back here.
INT. KITCHEN - MORNING
Jake, with Jefferson following, moves through the kitchen around the island to the coffee machine. Jake spins on his heel, puts his hand on the back of Jefferson’s head, and punches him in the face. He then grabs the slumping body and gently lowers it to the ground. He drags the body behind the island so it can’t be seen from the doorway, and heads for the basement stairs. As soon as he’s gone, another policeman peeks in.
Mr. Brennan? Steve?
INT. STAIRWAY - MORNING
Jake sneaks back up the basement stairs, opens the side door at the top of the landing that leads into the garage.
INT. KITCHEN - MORNING
The policeman doesn’t see Jefferson’s body lying behind the counter, but notices that the basement door is ajar. The other two policemen enter the kitchen, and he motions for them to be quiet. He slowly opens the basement door, drawing his gun. The stairs are empty, and the outer door is closed, but the basement light is on. He starts descending the stairs.
EXT. DRIVEWAY - MORNING
The garage door opens and as soon as it’s open far enough, Jake’s car, in neutral, glides down toward the street. He has to ride up on the grass to avoid the squad cars.
INT. LIVING ROOM - MORNING
Detective Mantle doesn’t see Jake’s car rolling silently across the lawn behind him.
INT. BASEMENT
The policeman looks into the workroom, sees one of the aluminum suitcases lying open on the bench. One of the detonators has a display that switches from 00:00:03 to 00:00:02. He turns and starts running up the stairs in a blind panic.
DETECTIVE!!!!
EXT. STREET - MORNING
An explosion nearly pushes the house off its foundation, sending flames shooting out all the windows.
INT. JAKE’S CAR - MORNING
Jake tilts his rear-view mirror to watch the fireball behind him. He body shudders, and the buzzing sound returns. A terrifying half-grin spreads across his face.
Beautiful…
He turns on the radio, winces as clear music comes out. He quickly changes the station dial to static, cranks the volume, and smiles.
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