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(At Jam Pony, we hear arguing coming from a back room. Alec, Sketchy, and Original Cindy are standing at Normal's desk. Max enters.) MAX: What's up? ORIGINAL CINDY: Marina and Little Suki are having themselves an old-fashioned throwdown. SKETCHY: Yeah, Normal's back there trying to break it up. MAX: Good luck. Either one of those girls can kick his skinny little ass on her own, not to mention a tag-team. What started it? ORIGINAL CINDY: What else? Two fine, proud sisters, standing tall...lowering themselves into the mud to fight over some totally unworthy man. ALEC: Well, I wouldn't say totally unworthy. MAX (smiling): Oh, I should've known. What'd you do now? ALEC: Now hold on a second. Why do you just assume I did something wrong? ORIGINAL CINDY: He told Marina that he loved her, and the next week he was cattin' around with Little Suki on the side. ALEC: No, no. No, I never said I loved her. That's a cheap ploy and I don't go there. I said that she was a unique creature, unlike any other. (Max and Original Cindy roll their eyes.) SKETCHY: "A unique creature, unlike any other." ALEC: Yeah. SKETCHY: Man, I'm totally stealing that. ALEC: Oh, it works like a charm. I mean, you can almost literally watch them melt. MAX: Please. You're making me sick. (We hear something slam in the back room.) NORMAL (yelling): That's coming out of your severance, missy-miss! (Normal leaves the backroom, looking disheveled.) NORMAL: Jiminy Christmas. The gentler sex sure can pack a wallop when she has a mind to. What are you doing standing around, huh? Back to work. Nothing to see! Show's over! Bip! ORIGINAL CINDY: I'm gonna see if my girls need some comforting. SKETCHY: Yeah, me too. (Original Cindy and Sketchy step into the back room.) NORMAL: Should have expected when I hired a man in possession of your raw animal charisma that there'd be some kind of future, uh, l'affaire du coeur. ALEC: Normal, I promise it won't happen again. NORMAL: See it doesn't. Hell hath no fury to a woman scorned, my boy. That's why there are rules at this establishment forbidding office romances. MAX: Not to mention good old common sense. NORMAL (handing Max some packages): Get a move on, little missy. Both those girls quit without notice, so it's unpaid overtime for the lot of you. MAX: What?! I have plans tonight! NORMAL (faking sympathy): Oh! Well, cancel. (Shooing) Away. (Original Cindy steps out of the back room.) ORIGINAL CINDY: Alec, honey. ALEC: Yo. ORIGINAL CINDY (winking): Could you come here for a minute? (Rolls up her sleeves) The girls need to have a word with you. ALEC (to Max): What do you think they want? MAX: Sounds to me like they stopped fighting each other and figured out who they should really be mad at. Good luck. (Alec glances back at Original Cindy. She looks angry.) ALEC: Hold on, Max, I'll tag along. (Max and Alec ride their bikes up to the gate of a large house.) ALEC: I mean, it's not like I intended to date 'em both at the same time. And then when it turned out that I was dating both at the same time, it's not like I didn't intend to tell both girls about the other one. You know, eventually. Oh my God-- (Falls off his bike) (Alec continues the conversation as he stands up.) ALEC: But let's be real for a moment, shall we? I mean, suppose I did tell 'em. What would happen, huh? Same thing. Big fight. Lots of anger, and resentment, and recriminations, and then who wins? Nobody wins. MAX: Well, at least in this case, you won. ALEC: Exactly. (Pauses) Well, no, seeing as how neither of them are speaking to me right now, which makes any kind of sex a virtual impossibility. At least for a couple of days. MAX: Do me a favor--shut up and ring the buzzer. ALEC: Hmm? Yeah. (Alec takes a look at the buzzer, and the sight triggers a series of flashbacks. Alec remembers standing at that same gate, wearing a suit and glasses, and ringing the buzzer. He also remembers talking to Sandoval at Manticore, and that flashback is interspersed with ones of: strangling a man; standing at the door of the house as it is opened; a girl smiling and playing the piano; a car blowing up; being tortured at Manticore; and again standing at the gate.) SANDOVAL (in flashback): Have you been briefed on your target, X5-494? ALEC (in flashback): Yes, sir. SANDOVAL (in flashback): We've established a cover for you. (In the present day, Alec is staring at the buzzer while experiencing the flashbacks. Max snaps him out of it.) MAX: Alec. Hey. Hey! ALEC: What? MAX: The buzzer? That little button right there below the sign that says "Please ring buzzer for entry"? (Alec gulps and rings the buzzer. He barely waits for a response.) ALEC: No one's home. MAX: Give 'em a chance. From the looks of this place, it probably takes ten minutes just to get from the kitchen to the front door. (Alec waits nervously as a security camera moves around.) ALEC: Okay. Great. No one's home. (Throws the package over the gate) Let's go. MAX: We didn't get a signature! ALEC: I said let's go. (Alec turns and leaves abruptly. Max watches in disbelief.) INTRODUCTION: They designed her to be the perfect soldier--a human weapon. Then she escaped. In a future not far from now, in a broken world, she is haunted by her past. She cannot run; she must fight to discover her destiny. (That night, in Logan's car) MAX: I can't believe how late we are. Can't this thing so any faster? LOGAN: Hey, cut Bessie a little slack. Considering the number of times she's been shot up and put back together, I'm lucky she even runs at all. Besides, we were already late when you got to my place. MAX: Don't even get me started. We were short-handed at work. Wanna know why we were short-handed? LOGAN: Well, if I had to guess, I'd say-- MAX: Because of Alec. LOGAN: Ah, the latest adventures of Alec, the lovable X-5 rogue. I can hardly wait. MAX: Like an idiot, he mixes business with pleasure and--typically--screwed the whole thing up. It's not like he wasn't taught better. You think they encouraged dating within your unit at Manticore? They didn't. LOGAN: Aside from the whole breeding-partner thing. MAX: Oh, totally different situation. And also, may I add, disgusting. (At Joshua's house, Original Cindy lights the candles that are sitting on the dinner table.) JOSHUA (singing): Here's the dishes. (He sets some dishes down and begins fussing with the plates and candles.) ORIGINAL CINDY: Everything looks great. JOSHUA: First dinner party. Needs to be perfect...not just great. ORIGINAL CINDY: Trust me. Everything is perfect. JOSHUA: Perfect. (In Logan's car) LOGAN: Well, I am looking forward to spending some time with Joshua. MAX: Yeah. Yeah, I--I think you two will get along. Just--you know--remember to act natural. LOGAN: As opposed to the unnatural way I normally act? MAX: No. You know what I mean. Just...just don't stare. LOGAN: Oh, okay. Don't stare at the genetically-engineered part-man, part-dog guy. Got it. (Max chuckles.) MAX: He just...has weird...table manners. And...his hygiene's...a little questionable. LOGAN (smiling): Max, I know how to handle myself at a dinner party. MAX: I know. I'm...just saying...Of course you do. LOGAN: Fix myself a dry martini, and (affecting a snooty accent) politely ask after his stock options. (Max laughs.) (At Joshua's house, Joshua shakes Logan's hand.) JOSHUA: Welcome to my house. LOGAN: Lovely house it is, too. And to commemorate... (Hands him a bag) It's a bottle of pre-pulse Chardonnay. I--I didn't know what we were having, so I--I, uh--I thought white would--(Joshua tips the bag upside down)--no, inside there. (Joshua finds the wine and laughs. Logan smiles.) I thought white would be a good idea. It's a safe choice. JOSHUA: Having macaroni and cheese, and little--little hot dogs. LOGAN (chuckling): Dogs. (Joshua looks at him.) LOGAN: Sounds good. What else? JOSHUA: "What else"? LOGAN: Are we having any--anything else? ORIGINAL CINDY: What else do you need? LOGAN: Right. That's a good point. (To Joshua) But, I mean, yum. JOSHUA: Yummy! (Joshua laughs. After a minute, Logan laughs with him.) MAX: Joshua, the table looks great. JOSHUA: Thanks. MAX: Who's the fifth place for? (Alec enters soberly.) ALEC: Hey, Max. (Max sighs.) (Later, everybody is eating. Max and Original Cindy exchange glances. Alec stares down at his plate, barely touching his food. Joshua stops using his fork and begins eating directly off the plate. Logan watches, fascinated. Original Cindy clears her throat and Joshua starts using his fork again.) JOSHUA (attempting to make small talk): Nice--nice weather we're having. LOGAN (going along): And not a lot of rain, which is unusual this time of year. JOSHUA: Virus bitch going down? Max and Logan gettin' busy? (Logan bursts into laughter. Joshua howls and laughs along.) LOGAN: Well, we're--you know, we're looking for a...(Sees Max shake her head)...we're--we're hoping. ORIGINAL CINDY (to Joshua): No sex or politics at the dinner table, boo. (Wipes a bit of food off his chin) JOSHUA: Oh, sorry. Sorry. MAX: Anyway...we'll see what happens. ALEC: Hey, Max, could you pass the ketchup, please? MAX (smiling): Oh, you mean this unique ketchup, unlike any other? ALEC (quietly, after throwing his fork down): Why don't you lay off, huh? (Max sets the ketchup bottle on the table and goes back to eating. Alec stands up.) ALEC: I'm going to stretch my legs. (Leaves) JOSHUA: Mac and cheese overdone? LOGAN: No, it's great. He's upset about something else. ORIGINAL CINDY: Upset? That boy's so spun his head's gonna fly off. LOGAN: Yeah, why don't you ease up on him, Max? MAX (shortly): Fine. But we have to do double shifts for the rest of the week because of him. LOGAN: Well, far be it from me to defend Alec, but he didn't exactly force those girls to quit. And if he didn't tell either one of them it was exclusive, then what's so terrible about dating them both for a couple weeks? MAX: They work together. LOGAN: Yeah, well, it's not like they were sisters or something. (Joshua laughs. Original Cindy looks first at Logan, then at Joshua.) ORIGINAL CINDY: Men. Dogs. No difference. (In the basement, Alec sees a piano covered with a dropcloth. A few keys are exposed, and he plays a few notes. As he does, he flashes back to Manticore.) SANDOVAL: Have you been briefed on your target, X5-494? ALEC: Yes, sir. Robert Berrisford, fifty-eight years old. Widow. CEO of Mercidyne and one of Manticore's subcontractors. SANDOVAL: We've established a cover for you. (Alec remembers a car exploding into flame before his eyes. He then removes the dropcloth from the piano and sits down to play--hesitantly at first, then more emotionally. Upstairs, the other dinner guests hear the music and look up.) MAX: What's that? JOSHUA: Alec. A piano in basement. ORIGINAL CINDY: He's got skills. LOGAN: Did you know he could play? MAX (shrugging): Who cares? (Downstairs, Alec passionately plays a dramatic melody. We see him continue to do so as he experiences a series of flashbacks.) (In a flashback, Alec is playing the piano at Manticore. Sandoval and two other men watch from an observation room.) SANDOVAL: He's very good. FIRST MAN: Yes, sir. He's picked it up even quicker than we hoped. SECOND MAN: When did you start the lessons? FIRST MAN: Yesterday. (Alec finishes the piece and stands up as Sandoval and the other men leave the observation room and join him.) FIRST MAN: Nice work, X5-494. ALEC: Thank you, sir. SECOND MAN: I understand this will be your first deep-cover mission. ALEC: Yes, sir. FIRST MAN: He's had four successful away missions, but nothing long-term in the field. We've been prepping him for the last year. SANDOVAL: I want him deployed by the end of the week. (In another flashback, a man steps out of the shower and searches his dresser for something. Alec, dressed in black leather and wearing gloves, takes the man's glasses from the dresser and puts them on.) ALEC: Looking for these? MAN: What do you want? (Alec strangles the man until he drops to the ground. Alec then looks at a photo on the man's dresser, opens a dresser drawer, and removes the man's wallet from a suit hanging on the back of the door. He switches the man's driver's license for a fake one with his own picture.) (In another flashback, Alec approaches the gate of the large house. He is wearing the strangled man's suit and glasses, and carrying a briefcase. He rings the buzzer and a male voice comes over the intercom.) VOICE: Yes? ALEC: Simon Lehane. (The gate unlocks and Alec enters. He stands at the door of the house while a man opens it. The man steps aside and Alec enters.) MAN: This way. (As Alec is escorted through the large, ornate house, we see a secondary flashback to Manticore.) SANDOVAL: Have you been briefed on your target, X5-494? ALEC: Yes, sir. Robert Berrisford. SANDOVAL: Our intelligence indicates that Berrisford's been curious lately about the work we do here--asking questions he shouldn't be. Close surveillance has become a necessity. ALEC: Yes, sir. SANDOVAL: We've established a cover for you. Initially, your primary contact will be with his daughter. (Alec is escorted into a room with a piano. A girl standing at the window turns to him and smiles. He smiles back as she shakes his hand.) ALEC: Yes, sir. According to the file, her name is Rachel. She's seventeen. Only child. Mother died when she was ten. She's a good student--excels in history and communications. (In the present day, Alec has stopped playing. He reaches into his coat pocket, withdraws a heart-shaped locket, and looks at it with a sigh.) (Later in the flashback, Rachel is playing a gentle classical tune on the piano while Alec paces, listening.) RACHEL: Is this all right? ALEC: It's fine. Just watch your dynamics. (Rachel smiles and begins playing the "Peanuts" theme. Alec smiles as well.) RACHEL: How about this? ALEC: It's good. I like it. (Rachel stops playing as her father enters the room, smiling.) BERRISFORD: Well, I see you're expanding your repertoire. RACHEL: Simon's much more fun than my last teacher. He wouldn't let me play anything but Chopin and Mozart. BERRISFORD: I'm all for mixing it up a little. Keeps things interesting. (Shaking Alec's hand) Robert Berrisford. ALEC: Simon Lehane. BERRISFORD: Good to meet you. (Stroking Rachel's hair) Don't let me interrupt. She'll use any excuse to avoid lessons or practice. RACHEL (smiling): Daddy. BERRISFORD: Be firm. (Leaves) ALEC: Your father seems nice. RACHEL: He's great. It's just been the two of us, though, since my mom died. Are you close to your parents? ALEC: No, it's just me. That's okay; they died a long time ago. I don't really remember them. RACHEL: That must have been really rough on you. ALEC (after a pause): We're supposed to be playing piano, not talking about my sad childhood. (In the present day, Alec looks troubled. He continues having flashbacks.) SECOND MAN (in flashback, at Manticore): You understand your assignment? (Alec remembers watching a car blow up in front of him and sitting in a chair at Manticore with a bloody lip.) ALEC (in flashback): No! (In the flashback, a man grabs Alec by the shoulder.) (In the present day, Joshua puts his hand on Alec's shoulder. Alec jumps up, turns around, and puts Joshua in a choke hold. Max pulls him off Joshua as Logan and Original Cindy look on.) MAX: Hey! Hey! ALEC: Sorry. (To Joshua) Sorry, man. (Joshua nods.) MAX: What the hell was that? ALEC: Nothing. (Joshua picks up the locket, which has dropped to the floor, and holds it out to Alec.) JOSHUA: You all right? ALEC (taking the locket): Yeah. Yeah, I'm always all right. Thanks for dinner. (Leaves) (Later, Alec walks into his apartment, pours himself a glass of liquor, and takes a sip. His cell phone rings.) ALEC (into phone): Yeah. (Nobody on the other end speaks; instead, someone plays piano music. It is the same gentle tune Rachel had been playing.) (Later, Alec sneaks up to the large house. He crouches outside and flashes back to Manticore.) SANDOVAL: Fine work, 494. SECOND MAN: Anything we need to know that isn't included in your report? ALEC: Yes, sir. I've been invited to dinner. SECOND MAN: When? ALEC: Tonight, sir. SANDOVAL: We had no idea your relationship with Berrisford progressed this far. ALEC: It wasn't Berrisford who invited me, sir. It was the daughter. SANDOVAL: Really. ALEC: Yes, sir. SECOND: Under the impression there's a romantic interest on her part? (Alec looks puzzled, and the man bemusedly simplifies his question.) Do you think she likes you? ALEC: She's given every indication that she enjoys my company, sir. SANDOVAL: Play along, 494. This can bring you beneficial access. ALEC: Yes, sir. (In another flashback, Alec and Rachel are both dressed up. They furtively hurry over to an indoor pool.) RACHEL: Come on. ALEC: Hey, we shouldn't be gone too long. Your father-- RACHEL: My father is busy with his cronies, talking business. You'd be bored. ALEC: Oh, maybe not. RACHEL: You're a funny one. ALEC: I am? RACHEL: Mm-hmm. (Alec chuckles) RACHEL: Most boys would much rather spend a few minutes alone with a girl than sit in some smoke-filled room, talking about genetics. ALEC: Well, I'm not most boys. RACHEL: I know. (They both smile.) RACHEL: Do you want to go for a swim? ALEC (glancing at the pool, then back at her): All right. (Rachel begins removing her dress straps as Alec watches.) RACHEL: Can you, um, turn around? ALEC: Yeah. Yeah. (Alec turns around and removes his suit coat.) (A few minutes later, both are in the water--Rachel in her slip and Alec in his shorts.) RACHEL: In case you hadn't noticed, I've been sort of throwing myself at you for the past few weeks. Don't you like me? ALEC: I like you. (Rachel smiles and kisses him. Afterwards he looks at her, wide-eyed.) ALEC: I like you a lot. (In a flashback to Manticore) SANDOVAL: Your only thought is to follow our orders. (In another flashback, Rachel slaps Alec and runs out the door. Alec watches a car explode.) ALEC (in flashback, screaming): Rachel! (In the present day, a female shadow passes by the window.) ALEC (whispering): Rachel? (At Jam Pony the next day) NORMAL: Let's go, people! These packages aren't going to sprout little feet and walk home by themselves! (Max enters) NORMAL: Well, well, well. If it isn't the late-as-usual-and-doesn't-even-do-the-job-she's-been-assigned-to-when-she-is-working person. MAX: What's got you all rotated? NORMAL: You neglected to get a signature on that delivery sector ten yesterday. MAX: That's Alec's fault. Make him do it. NORMAL: No, Romeo called in sick. MAX: Typical. NORMAL: Hurry back. With Alec out and Marina and Little Suki gone, we're short three men...so to speak. (At Berrisford's house, a maid answers the door.) MAX: Jam Pony messenger. We delivered a package here yesterday. Can I get a signature? (The maid takes the clipboard Max hands her and walks away. Max steps into the foyer and looks around. She sees a large portrait of the Berrisfords, painted when Rachel was young. Max notices that in the portrait, Mrs. Berrisford is wearing the locket Alec dropped at Joshua's. Max steps back to the doorway as the maid returns and hands Max the clipboard.) MAX: Thanks. (Reading the signature) What does that say? "R. Berrisford"? MAID: Mm-hmm. MAX: Thank you. (In his apartment, Alec is staring at the locket and having flashbacks.) (In a flashback, Alec is in Berrisford's office, copying files from Berrisford's computer. Rachel enters just as Alec removes his disk.) RACHEL: Simon? ALEC: Hey. RACHEL: What are you doing in here? ALEC: Uh...I got lost looking for the bathroom. RACHEL: Um, the bathroom's down the other hallway. ALEC (smiling): Right. Right. Well, I can't help it. You've got me all turned around. (They kiss. After a moment, Rachel breaks away and looks at Alec.) RACHEL: I love you. (Alec gulps.) Your hands are shaking. ALEC: They are? RACHEL: Are you all right? ALEC: Yeah. I'm all right. I'm just happy. (He smiles, and they hug. His smile fades.) (In the present day, Alec goes into the bathroom and splashes water on his face. For a moment he sees Rachel in the mirror, but when he turns around to look, no one is there. He turns back to the mirror and punches it. It shatters.) (At Joshua's house, Joshua is painting. Max enters the house.) MAX: Joshua? (She finds him in the living room.) MAX: Hey, big fella. Whatcha workin' on? JOSHUA: Joshua #57. MAX: Nice. What is it? JOSHUA: Alec. (We see that the painting is abstract.) Alec very complicated. MAX: Listen, Joshua. I know you and Alec have...fun. But he's not someone you could...trust all the time. Especially now, when he's acting...so weird. JOSHUA: You think Alec can outsmart me? MAX: No. Not at all. JOSHUA: Alec only outsmarts Alec. He doesn't know himself. Look. (Gestures at the painting) Outside, lots of pretty colors. Tricks and treats. Inside, darkness. Confusion. Alec. MAX: What's he all dark and confused about? JOSHUA: Manticore. (That night at Crash, Alec is drinking at the bar. Max enters and sits at a table with Original Cindy.) ORIGINAL CINDY: What's up with your boy? MAX: He's not my boy, and I don't know. ORIGINAL CINDY: Never seen him like this...anguished and all Heathcliff-like. No wonder the straight women fall for the tortured types. MAX: Please. (Watches Alec) I know I'm gonna regret this, but...I should see if he's okay. ORIGINAL CINDY: Take your time. I got my eye on this fine shorty at the pool table. (Max joins Alec at the bar.) MAX: Call me crazy, but I got the feeling you're in some kind of jam. ALEC: Okay, you're crazy. MAX: What about the locket? Steal it or something? I went back to that house to get a signature. Saw the locket you've got in a portrait. Now I'm all curious. ALEC: Curiosity killed the cat, Max. Stay out of my business. MAX: Fine. (Pauses) I know we don't always get along... ALEC: Nicely understated. Barkeep! (The bartender refills Alec's drink.) MAX: ...but if you're in some kind of trouble and need my help, then you should ask now and not wait until it's too late and everything's all messed up, like you usually do. ALEC: Well, I appreciate the offer, Max. I really do. But you don't know what you're talking about. MAX: Then explain it to me. ALEC: I would, see, but you wouldn't understand. You can't understand; you weren't there. You ran. You and your little rugrat brothers and sisters. You think life was rough when we were ten? A little schooling, a little brainwashing, some maneuvers outside? You think that was tough? MAX: Sucked pretty hard. ALEC: Take it from me. Later on, it got a whole lot worse. (Sips his drink and then stares into it) But you did what you had to do. Then you tried to forget. And when you couldn't forget, they had ways of making you not care. MAX (putting a hand on his shoulder): I'm sorry. ALEC (shrugging it off): I don't want your pity. I want your absence. MAX: I'll leave you alone. (Alec pays for his drink and leaves. Two of Berrisford's men, including the one who answered the door for Alec in the flashback, approach him from behind.) MAN: Simon Lehane. (Alec turns and begins fighting them. They fight back, one of them using a taser on him. Max walks out of Crash, sees Alec being tasered, and joins the fray. Max and Alec fight one man each. Max finishes her man and notices Alec kicking his. Alec continues to kick him over and over.) MAX: Alec! Hey! (Max pulls him away from the guy and pushes Alec against a nearby car hood. Alec shoves her away.) ALEC: Stay the hell away from me. (Later, at Logan's apartment) MAX: Hey. LOGAN: Hey. What's up? MAX: Can you come up with some information on a guy? LOGAN: It's what I do. Got a name? MAX: Berrisford. First initial R. (Alec's cell phone rings while he walks down a street. After hesitating, he answers.) ALEC: Yeah. (Once again, the other end has piano music instead of a voice.) (In a flashback, Rachel enters a room and smiles.) RACHEL: Hey! Someone's late for my lesson. (In another flashback, at Manticore) SANDOVAL: The files you brought us are very enlightening, 494. Berrisford's acquired some damaging information about Manticore, and has plans to alert his friend in the Senate. SECOND MAN: This might be a good time to send a message to all our suppliers. Something decisive. SANDOVAL: Eliminate the target tomorrow. According to reports, he takes his daughter to school in the morning? ALEC: Yes, sir. SANDOVAL: Take them both out. That's pretty decisive. (Alec gulps.) You'd better get back there. Lesson starts at four, doesn't it? (Back in the present day, Alec hurls the phone away.) (At Logan's apartment) LOGAN: I think I got something. Robert Berrisford... MAX: Who is he? LOGAN: Former CEO of Mercidyne Pharmaceuticals. They specialized in cutting-edge gene-splicing techniques and stem-cell research. At least they did, until two years ago, when someone planted a bomb under Berrisford's car. MAX: What are you saying? Is he dead? LOGAN: No. Caught a lucky break, I guess. A few days later, he made a deal with the FBI. MAX: So the Feds bought him protection from whoever wanted him dead, and in return, he got out of the genome business. LOGAN: Closed the company and retired. MAX: What does this have to do with Alec? LOGAN: Looks like Berrisford's company had several government contracts, including the CDC, but given the givens, can you guess who their biggest client probably was? MAX: Gene-splicing and stem cells. Sounds like Manticore to me. LOGAN: Certainly looks like their handiwork. MAX: Think Alec was responsible? LOGAN: He was a true-blue soldier back then. Maybe he drew the assignment. MAX: He said there were things he wanted to forget. LOGAN: Let's say I'm right. Alec tries to kill Berrisford, but the mission goes sideways. What if a very-much-alive and probably pissed-off Berrisford got a glimpse of Alec when you two made your run to his house the other day? MAX: So you hire some guys to take Alec out as revenge. LOGAN: Now Alec knows he's been made. Knows the man he tried to kill is gunning for him. What does he do? What's he been trained to do? MAX: Take him out first. LOGAN: What are you gonna do? MAX: Try to stop him from doing something stupid. (She grabs her jacket and smiles at him on her way out.) MAX: I know. "Be careful." (Alec approaches the gate of Berrisford's house.) (In a flashback, Berrisford waves Alec into a room.) BERRISFORD: In here, Simon. Have a seat, son. Want a drink? ALEC: No, thank you, sir. BERRISFORD: I don't usually partake in the middle of the day myself, but, uh...some business problems, that's all. I'm sorry to tell you, but I'm afraid your services won't be needed after this week. I'm sending Rachel away for a while. ALEC: Oh? BERRISFORD: To visit her grandparents in New York. I haven't told her yet. I'd appreciate it if, uh, you kept that between the two of us for the time being. ALEC: Yes, sir. (Berrisford hands Alec a check and smiles ruefully.) BERRISFORD: Must be nice. ALEC: Sir? BERRISFORD: To be young, like yourself. No responsibilities or cares. ALEC: Yes, sir. BERRISFORD: Once you have children, everything changes. You try to do the right thing, because you want them to be proud of you, but sometimes the right thing can go so wrong. Anyway...I envy you. (Rachel enters the room and smiles.) RACHEL: Hey! Someone's late for my lesson. BERRISFORD: You kids go ahead. (Rachel gives her dad a kiss and a hug.) (In another flashback, at Manticore) SECOND MAN: You understand your assignment? ALEC: Yes, sir. It's just... SANDOVAL: It's just what, 494? ALEC: Sir, I can eliminate Berrisford without involving the daughter. It just seems to me the collateral damage is an unnecessary-- SANDOVAL: You're not in charge of this mission, 494. Your job, and your only thought, is to follow our orders. ALEC: Yes, sir. SANDOVAL: Are you capable of doing that? ALEC (after a slight pause): Yes, sir. SANDOVAL: Because if for some reason we lost confidence in you...we'd have no need for you. ALEC: No, sir. SANDOVAL: So we're clear, then? ALEC: Crystal, sir. (Back in the present day, Alec jumps over the gate.) (In a flashback, Alec prepares a bomb and later attaches it to the underside of Berrisford's car. He sees Rachel through the window of the house and has secondary flashbacks.) RACHEL (in secondary flashback): I love you. BERRISFORD (in secondary flashback): Sometimes the right thing can go so wrong. SANDOVAL (in secondary flashback): Take them both out. (Alec gulps and walks away from the car, looking down at the bomb's remote control in his hand. He hears Berrisford and his driver approaching and hides in some nearby bushes.) DRIVER: Good morning, Mr. Berrisford. (Indicates Berrisford's briefcase) Let me take that for you, sir. (The driver puts the briefcase in the trunk while Berrisford sits in the back seat. Alec looks at the remote and again has secondary flashbacks.) ALEC (in secondary flashback): I like you a lot. SANDOVAL (in secondary flashback): Eliminate the target tomorrow. SECOND MAN (in secondary flashback): You understand your assignment? (Alec sneaks across the driveway and into the house. He runs up the stairs and meets Rachel as she is coming down.) RACHEL: Simon, what are you doing? ALEC (urgently): We don't have a lot of time. RACHEL: What's the matter? ALEC: Listen to me. You and your father need to leave town right now. RACHEL: Why? ALEC (grabbing her shoulders): I'll cover for you. I'll tell 'em that you left in the middle of the night. But you have got to go now. RACHEL: You're hurting me! ALEC: Come with me. RACHEL: No! Tell me what's happening. ALEC: Okay. (Pauses) I was sent here to kill your father. (Rachel gasps and looks frightened.) ALEC: It was my job. You were my job. (Rachel slaps him.) BERRISFORD'S VOICE: Rachel! Come on, honey! (Rachel bursts into tears and runs down the stairs. Alec tries to stop her.) ALEC: Rachel! (She pushes past him and continues running. Her locket has come off and Alec is left holding it. Rachel runs out the door, shrieking.) RACHEL: Daddy! ALEC: Rachel! (One of Berrisford's men runs up the stairs to attack Alec. Alec subdues him and runs down the stairs.) ALEC: Rachel! (Rachel runs to the car.) RACHEL: Daddy! (Alec runs outside.) ALEC: Rachel-- (Alec reaches the driveway just in time to see Berrisford's car explode into flame. He screams her name in horror.) ALEC: Rachel! (An SUV pulls into the driveway. Inside, the second Manticore man is holding a bomb remote and looking angry.) SECOND MAN: Get in. (Alec doesn't move.) Let's go! (Two men get out of the SUV and drag Alec into it. His eyes never leave Berrisford's car.) ALEC: Rach--no! You-- (In another flashback, Alec screams while being tortured at Manticore.) (More flashbacks: the car exploding, Rachel smiling as she meets him for the first time, Alec being tortured, and Alec being dragged past the nomlies' cells in Manticore's basement) MALE VOICE: Take him to solitary! (In the flashback, soldiers drag a blank-looking Alec into a cell and lay him on the bunk. He stares into space, his face swollen and bruised.) (Back in the present day, Alec runs up to the Berrisford house's door. He hears piano music coming from inside.) ALEC: Rachel? (Alec shoves the door open and runs toward the music. A man attempts to stop him; Alec knocks the man out with one punch and heads upstairs. Another man attempts to block his way; Alec quickly disposes of him. Alec runs to the piano. Nobody is playing it now, but a woman is standing at the window, her back to him. The woman turns to face him. It is not Rachel.) ALEC: Where is she? (Berrisford comes up behind him and puts a gun to his neck.) BERRISFORD: Welcome back, Simon. (Later, Alec is handcuffed to a chair.) BERRISFORD: You came into my house. You pretended to care for my child. ALEC: I did care. BERRISFORD: Shut up! (Hits Alec) Don't lie to me! ALEC: You made the phone calls. You played the music. BERRISFORD: Had to get you back here. ALEC: What are you going to do now? BERRISFORD: What do you think I'm going to do? (Raises the gun and points it at Alec) (Max zooms down the street on her Ninja.) ALEC: Tell me one thing first. BERRISFORD: What? ALEC: What happened to Rachel? BERRISFORD: They didn't tell you? ALEC: No. BERRISFORD (voice breaking): She saved my life, that's what happened. (In a flashback, Rachel pulls her dad out of the car and hugs him a short distance away. Alec runs outside.) ALEC: Rachel! (The car explodes. Rachel and her dad are thrown to the ground.) (Back in the present day, Berrisford has lowered the gun and is face-to-face with Alec.) BERRISFORD: If it weren't for Rachel, I would've been sitting in that car. She wasn't that lucky. The blast knocked her unconscious. She fell into a coma. She never woke up. (Max arrives at the gate and sees the front door open.) BERRISFORD: She's been dying for two years. Do you have any idea what that's like? Watching somebody you love slip away from you every day? Do you have any idea what you've done? (Max quietly walks through the house and up the stairs, passing the unconscious men on the way.) (Upstairs, Berrisford straightens up and again raises the gun. He hesitates.) ALEC: What are you waiting for? I deserve it. Kill me. (Berrisford still hesitates.) ALEC: Do it! (Max walks up to Berrisford and knocks him out with a punch.) ALEC: What are you doing here? (She picks up a nearby key and unlocks the handcuffs.) MAX: Saving your ass. I told you to ask for my help before it was too late and you messed everything up. ALEC: And, Max, I told you to leave me alone. (Leaves the room) (In another room, Rachel lies unconscious in a bed. Monitoring equipment beeps. Alec sits next to the bed, talking to her. A tear runs down his cheek.) ALEC: I should've tried harder, Rachel. I should've fought them. I didn't understand. (Bows his head, then raises it again) I didn't understand how much I loved you. (Alec puts the locket into her hand and presses her hand to his forehead, eyes closed. Then he hugs Rachel, buries his face in her shoulder, and sobs. Max stands silently in the doorway, watching, then leaves. Alec continues to cry.) (The next day, Max enters Logan's apartment as he lifts weights.) LOGAN: Hey, Max. MAX: Hey. You paged? LOGAN: Yeah. You haven't been by for a couple of days. MAX: I've been busy at work, covering for Alec. He's called in sick. LOGAN: Anyway, I thought you might want to see this. (He goes to the computer and opens a newspaper article. The headline says, "RACHEL BERRISFORD DIES AFTER LONG ILLNESS. Funeral will be held for daughter of ex-CEO Robert Berrisford.") LOGAN: Funeral's today. MAX: So it's over. At least he had a chance to say goodbye. LOGAN: You think he really cared about her? MAX: He loved her. LOGAN: Well, now he's gonna be going through a rough time. Might want to look out for him the next few days. MAX: He doesn't want me looking out for him. He wants to be left alone...pretend like it never happened. He's so cut off. LOGAN: Sounds like this girl I used to know. She was just looking out for herself. No responsibilities, no entanglements... MAX: Yeah. 'Cause she kept thinking if she ran far enough and fast enough, she could forget all the things they made her do. But sooner or later, it always catches up to you. Learned that the hard way. LOGAN: Now it's Alec's turn. (In a cemetery, Alec stands looking at Rachel's headstone. It reads: )
RACHEL (Berrisford steps up to the grave, beside Alec.) BERRISFORD: Don't come back here again. (After a moment, Alec starts to step away, but he stops when Berrisford continues to speak.) BERRISFORD: I thought I could kill you. I hate you that much. Even though she's gone, I'm still Rachel's father. I still want to do the right thing...make her proud of me. I don't want to be like you. (Alec silently turns and leaves the cemetery.) (At Jam Pony, Max approaches Alec at the lockers.) MAX: Hey. ALEC: Hey, Max. MAX: Listen...if you ever want to talk... ALEC: About what? MAX: About anything. ALEC (smiling): Now why would I want to do that? MAX: Just consider the offer open. ALEC: All right. Listen...thanks for saving my ass. MAX: You're all right? ALEC (smiling, after a pause): I'm always all right. (He walks away, and after a moment, Max smiles.)
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