The Beautiful Ones Act Three
ACT THREE
FADE IN:
INT.SAFE HOUSE, MAIN ROOM -- NIGHT
The Safe House is an old warehouse in terrible disrepair.
There's a cot in the corner, on which Quince sleeps. The
windows are half broken and wood slats are on the floor. The
area of town it's in seems all but abandoned and very quiet.
Max stands by the window. She has a cell phone in her hand.
She dials.
MAX (ON PHONE)
Logan?
INT.LOGAN'S APARTMENT, STUDY -- NIGHT
Logan sits at his computer, his phone headset propped on his
head.
LOGAN
Max, where are you?
INTERCUT MAX AND LOGAN
MAX
At the safe house. I hooked up with
Quince, in fact I'm using his phone.
LOGAN
Is that safe?
MAX
The closest pay phone is to far away
from here and I couldn't be sure we
weren't followed.
LOGAN
Did you talk to him about your
condition?
MAX
Not yet. I had to take out a couple
of Jolly Green Giants that were after
him. The guy was really shaken by
the whole thing, I told him to get
some sleep. We have to get him out
of Seattle.
LOGAN
I can arrange that.
MAX
Thanks Logan, you're the man.
LOGAN (SMILING)
That's good to know.
(after a beat)
I know what his welfare means to you
Max, but watch your back with this
guy.
MAX
I will.
Max hangs up and turns back toward the window.
INT.MEETING ROOM -- DAY
An angry Madam X storms across the room toward Bald Man.
MADAM X
You lost them!
BALD MAN
Well we weren't expecting the X5.
She wasn't there earlier. These aren't
Lydecker's men, we aren't trained to
handle--
MADAM X
Excuses.
BALD MAN
Perhaps Lydecker could assist--
MADAM X
Lydecker is not my superior, it's
the other way around.
BALD MAN
Yes Madam. We will find out where
they are.
INT. SAFE HOUSE, MAIN ROOM -- DAY
Quince, who's been sleeping on his briefcase, wakes up. He
looks over at Max by the window. She walks up to him and
tosses him his phone.
QUINCE
Did you get any sleep?
MAX
I don't sleep.
QUINCE
That's right, you and 33--
MAX
Jondy, her name is Jondy.
QUINCE
I'm sorry. Only a few people knew
the names you used for each other.
They were only important enough to
put on file after you escaped.
MAX
Who were those guys after you?
QUINCE
Lydecker's people, China, South
Africa, who knows?
MAX
But Lydecker's people wanted you
gone. Why would they be after you?
QUINCE
The Organization behind Manticore
has the policy of "if you're not
with us, you're against us." Anyone
who has past employment in Manticore
is a threat.
MAX
There's no other reason?
QUINCE
No, none.
MAX
What about those files you stole?
QUINCE
You've done your homework.
MAX
I have friends in high places.
QUINCE
The files were my protection.
Quince picks his briefcase off the floor and opens it. Max
sees the medical records and the pictures of her siblings.
The pictures seems to interest her the most. She picks them
up cautiously.
MAX
Sad, this is the closest thing we
have to childhood pictures and they
look like mug shots.
QUINCE
Mug shots they may be, but they are
the most beautiful pictures I've
ever seen.
Max smiled at the compliment.
MAX
Well, it's in my genes. Speaking of
genes, I need to talk about the flaw
in mine.
QUINCE
The serotonin deficiency?
MAX
My seizures have gotten really bad
lately. Lydecker said Manticore had
a treatment.
QUINCE
They do?
MAX
So you can help me?
QUINCE
(confidently)
Sure, I have friends overseas that--
MAX
Overseas?
INT.JAM PONY X-PRESS -- DAY
Original Cindy walks into Jam Pony. She stares curiously at
Normal, who is behind his counter combing his hair and
applying cologne while looking in the mirror in front of
him.
She regards him for a moment and then walks up to Sketchy
and Herbal who are standing on the wall near the vending
machine.
ORIGINAL CINDY
What's up with him?
HERBAL
I 'on't know. Come in 'ere today
whistlin'.
ORIGINAL CINDY
The last time he acted like this was
when he was seeing that half-a-chick.
SKETCHY
You think he's seeing her again?
ORIGINAL CINDY
No, Mista Chick decided ladies were
more her flavor. This is something
else, well somebody else.
ANGLE ON NORMAL
He reaches behind the counter and comes out carrying 3 boxes.
BACK TO SCENE
Normal walks up to Sketchy, Herbal, and Original Cindy.
NORMAL
(hands a package to
Herbal)
Hot run, beat it.
(hands a package to
Sketchy)
You too, let's go.
ORIGINAL CINDY
(pointing to the last
package)
That one for me?
NORMAL
Have you seen or spoken to Max today?
ORIGINAL CINDY
She had a doctor's appointment this
morning. Said she might try to make
it in before the day is out.
Normal regards her a moment.
NORMAL
I need you to watch the place for
me.
ORIGINAL CINDY
Keep runnin' off like this, Original
Cindy's gonna have your job.
NORMAL
I'm not running off, I'm checking on
Max.
Original Cindy glances at the package in Normal's hands.
ORIGINAL CINDY (SMILING)
When was Max's name spelled K-E-N-
NORMAL
(moving package away)
That's none of your business.
ORIGINAL CINDY
You ain't hot on Kendra, are you?
NORMAL
I inconvenienced the young woman
yesterday, this is simply an apology.
ORIGINAL CINDY
Since when did you care about--
NORMAL
Cut the lip and get to work.
ORIGINAL CINDY
Whatever, you just best remember
Original Cindy helped you out the
next time you're handing out insults.
Original Cindy takes his headset and goes the counter. She
watches Normal exit and then goes to the phone and dials.
INT.MAX'S APARTMENT -- DAY
The phone RINGS. Kendra is sitting in the apartment on the
floor with a GROUP OF KIDS. One KID is standing in the center
of the group.
KID (TO KENDRA AND OTHER KIDS)
A Haiku is a Japanese poem that has--
The phone RINGS again.
KENDRA
Hold on sweetie, let me get the phone.
She gets up and answers the phone.
KENDRA
Hello
ORIGINAL CINDY (O.S.)
Hey, you got Original Cindy here.
KENDRA
What's up?
ORIGINAL CINDY (O.S.)
You got an admirer.
KENDRA
Normal again?
ORIGINAL CINDY (O.S.)
How did you guess?
KENDRA
He tried to hit on me yesterday. Max
didn't appear last night. I'm guessing
she wasn't at work this morning either
ORIGINAL CINDY (O.S.)
Yeah, I need you to cover. Normal's
on his way over.
Kendra sighs.
ORIGINAL CINDY (O.S.)
You still on the outs with your man
in uniform right?
KENDRA
Yeah, but--
ORIGINAL CINDY (O.S.)
Original Cindy isn't saying she wants
you to marry Normal, just keep the
man happy.
KENDRA
All right, for Max, bye.
Kendra hangs up. She walks back over to her children.
INT.SAFE HOUSE, MAIN ROOM -- DAY
Max, now upset, is pacing across the floor.
MAX
You're telling me there's no way for
me to get treatment without leaving
Seattle?
QUINCE
This isn't a pill or a quick fix,
it's an delicate procedure.
MAX
I have people here that I lo--, care
about. Some are the only family I've
had since we X5s split up.
QUINCE
What if I could promise you a piece
of your old family?
MAX
The X5 you kidnapped?
QUINCE
Kidnapped?
(he laughs)
33--I'm sorry. Kelly was glad to get
out of there.
MAX
(smiling)
Kelly's out? Where is he?
ANGEL ON MYSTERIOUS MAN
We see him enter slowly from a door behind Max. He slowly
approaches. Max seems unaware of him. But when he's directly
behind her she sharply turns around, grabs his arm, and slams
him to the floor.
FLASH CUT An exercise room at Manticore. A bunch of Manticore
children engaged in hand to hand combat while standing on
Mats in a gym area. Young Max flipping Young Kelly.
The present Kelly laughs. Max looks at him curiously.
KELLY
I see you still got it.
MAX
Kelly?
KELLY
Hey baby sister.
Max helps Kelly up and they hug. Quince smiles and excuses
himself silently.
INT.HALLWAY OUTSIDE MAX'S APARTMENT -- DAY
Normal walked up to Max's apartment door carrying the package
from Jam Pony. When he reaches the door he takes a deep breath
and raises his hand to knock.
At that moment the door opens and children file out. Kendra
comes out the door behind them. She sees Normal and smiles
pleasantly at him. A GIRL stops just outside the door and
turns back to Kendra.
GIRL
Are we going to be back at Mr.
Walter's next week or here?
KENDRA
We'll see.
GIRL
Alright, bye.
She turns her attention to Normal.
KENDRA
Nor--Reagan, how nice to see you
again.
NORMAL
You can call me Ray, my friends call
me Ray.
KENDRA
Looking for Max?
NORMAL
Well, she didn't show up at work
today.
KENDRA
I know. She's in there sleeping off
some medicine they put her on. Knocked
her right out. And after the hard
day she had I wouldn't want to disturb
her.
NORMAL
But you just had children--
KENDRA
(realizing her mistake)
Well she's use to them. Plus, a girl's
gotta earn a paycheck.
(pointing to package)
Is that for her?
Normal looks at the forgotten box in his hand
NORMAL
Actually, it's for you.
Normal hands her the box.
KENDRA
(surprised)
Thank you.
NORMAL
And I would also like to properly
thank you for humoring me yesterday
and invite you to dine with me at
the fine establishment of a friend
of mine.
Kendra looks at him baffled.
KENDRA
I really like you Nor--Ray, but I'm
kind of involved.
NORMAL
(disappointed)
Seriously involved?
KENDRA
Well, yeah. I mean we were living
together, but--
NORMAL
But?
KENDRA
(nervously)
We had a small falling out over
something, but were not really broken
up or anything.
Normal looks at her as if he's trying read her.
NORMAL
Well, it doesn't have to be a date
per se. Just two possible friends
sharing a meal.
KENDRA
As much as I like you...Ray...you
are Max's boss and I'm Max's friend
and I wouldn't want to, you know,
compromise that situation.
Normal looks again as if he's trying to read her.
NORMAL
(reaching for the
door knob)
Speaking of Max, since I'm here it
would only be polite of me to stop
in and see how--
Kendra stops him by placing her hand on his.
KENDRA
You know what, come to think of it.
I don't see how two friends eating
together would be a problem.
NORMAL
Then I'll come by around eight?
KENDRA
(reluctantly)
okay.
Normal walks away. Kendra opens the box and looks inside.
She pulls out a bottle of expensive perfume.
KENDRA
(surprised)
Normal, how could you afford this?
INT.SAFE HOUSE, MAIN ROOM -- DAY
Kelly sits with Max in the window sill.
MAX
Kelly, your seizures, did you get
treatment for them?
KELLY
Unfortunately, yes.
MAX
What do you mean unfortunately?
KELLY
The night of the escape they shot me
and I was actually happy they did.
Max looks curiously at him.
KELLY
I looked up at the sky and thought,
I escaped them. If not in life, in
death. Then I woke up
(he scowls)
and I was still there.
MAX
I probably would have gone crazy if
they took me back.
KELLY
I tried to make them kill me.
MAX
What?
KELLY
I attacked a Tac leader once, hoping
he would shoot me. He just stunned
me and they strapped me to a table
and--well--it quickly became clear
Manticore would rather keep me on
the edge of life than kill me, that
they'd torture me until I was nearly
dead or wished I was dead, but they
wouldn't let me die and I blamed Dr.
Thomas. If he had never brought me
back--
MAX
But then you realized he was an asset?
KELLY
I realized that death wasn't an
option, but Dr. Thomas was.
Kelly and Max hear the RUMBLE of a car.
KELLY
What's that?
MAX
(looking out the
window, smiling)
It's Logan.
Kelly looks curiously at Max. He then watches Logan drop his
wheelchair out of the car and climb in it.
KELLY
(surprised)
He's in a wheelchair?
MAX
(defensive)
He was shot trying to help somebody.
KELLY
(sliding off the window
sill)
I'm sorry if I offended your
boyfriend.
MAX
(following Kelly)
He's not my boyfriend. We don't have
that kind of relationship.
INT.SAFE HOUSE, BACK OFFICE -- DAY
Quince pulls out his phone and dials.
QUINCE
Hey. . .I'm fine and I have them
both. They seem to have hit it off.
We're going to have to make a move.
Manticore's on my tail.
INT.SURVEILLANCE ROOM -- DAY
A SKINNY MAN sits at a desk on a telephone.
SKINNY MAN
Where are you?
QUINCE (V.O.)
I can't tell you.
SKINNY MAN
What do you mean you can't tell me,
I'm your partner.
PULL BACK from Skinny man to see Bald Man standing in the
background.
SKINNY MAN
All right, fine. Contact me then.
The Skinny Man hangs up.
BALD MAN
Is he on to you?
SKINNY MAN
I don't know.
Bald Man turns to the TEC MAN beside him. The Tec Man is
sitting in front of a computer screen.
BALD MAN
Were you able to zero in on his
location?
The Tec Man turns the computer screen around. He points to a
location.
TEC MAN
We got him
BALD MAN
I'll assemble the team.
EXT. SAFE HOUSE, MAIN ROOM -- DAY
Logan rolls up to the door. He enters.
INT. SAFE HOUSE, MAIN ROOM -- DAY
Quince walks up to Logan with the X5s nearby. Logan is
surprised to see Kelly.
LOGAN
(to Kelly)
And you are?
MAX
This is my brother Kelly. The X5 Dr.
Thomas liberated from Manticore.
INT. RESTAURANT -- NIGHT
Normal holds the door open for Kendra as she enters the
restaurant. She seems confused by this act.
A waiter comes and leads them to a table.
Normal pulls out a chair for Kendra and she sits down. This
act is again unfamiliar to her.
Normal sits down.
KENDRA
I didn't know you were such a
gentleman.
NORMAL
There's a lot of things people don't
know about me.
KENDRA
I'd have to bang Walter over the
head to get him to hold open a door
for me.
NORMAL
Walter, is that your. . .um. . .beau.
KENDRA
(smiling)
Yeah.
Normal notices the dreamy look in her eyes as she smiles. He
seems a little unsettled by it.
NORMAL
He doesn't sound very debonair.
KENDRA
(smiling)
Well he's your basic simple needs,
simple wants kind of guy.
(frowning)
Actually that's our problem. We had
a big fight over him treating me
like his maid.
NORMAL
(reaching for her
hand)
You know, I would never do that.
(lifting her hand
into his own)
A beautiful woman such as yourself
should be primped and--
Kendra looks at her hand in his and pulls it away.
KENDRA
We can't afford such conveniences in
the world we live in.
NORMAL
Is that what he says.
KENDRA
(defensive)
Yes he did.
(more calmly)
And he's right.
NORMAL
I don't think he's right. Just the
privilege of waking up with a woman
like you would make me prepare
breakfast in bed every morning.
Kendra smiles genuinely.
EXT. SAFE HOUSE -- NIGHT
Bald Man stands outside the safe house with a MILITARY TEAM
of about ten and two jeeps.
BALD MAN
(to team)
He's in there with two X5s. They may
look like two average young people,
but they are very dangerous. They
could take out half your team without
even breaking a sweat, but
(grabbing a gun from
one of the men)
They aren't bullet proof. You are
authorized to use these weapons, use
them well.
FADE OUT
END ACT THREE
The Beautiful Ones: Act 1 Act 2 Act 4
