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Episode #VS710
Crossing Jordan Virtual Season 7
“Charmer”
Written by
Bourbon and NCCJFAN
Art by
Harbor Runner
“Crossing Jordan Virtual Season 7” is a
fan-based effort not intended to infringe on the rights of Tailwind Productions,
NBC/Universal or any of the other copyright holders of “Crossing Jordan.”
No money was made from the writing or posting of any content.
DRAMATIS PERSONAE
Jordan Cavanaugh
Woody Hoyt
Garret Macy
Kate Switzer
Mahesh "Bug" Vijayaraghavensatanaryanamurthy
Nigel Townsend
Uniformed Officer
Mrs. Meade
Rev. Early Midkiff
Mark (Reporter)
Agent Preston
Young Man
Midkiff's Thug
Agent Peretti
Lawyer
SET LIST
INTERIORS
THE MORGUE
CONFERENCE ROOM
BREAK ROOM
TRACE
JORDAN'S OFFICE
STORAGE CLOSET
HALLWAY
BOSTON POLICE DEPT – HOMICIDE
WOODY'S OFFICE
HALLWAY
INTERROGATION ROOM
MIDKIFF'S BUNKER
ROOM
SANCTUARY
HOSPITAL
WOODY'S ROOM
HALLWAY
EXTERIORS
WOODED AREA CRIME SCENE
OUTSIDE MIDKIFF'S BUNKER
BOSTON POLICE DEPT. FRONT ENTRANCE
TEASER
1. EXT. WOODED AREA CRIME SCENE – MORNING
The area is cordoned off by crime scene tape. There are cops and other crime
scene personnel milling around, taking pictures, etc. JORDAN and NIGEL are getting
out of the SUV. They get some gear out of the back, etc. before walking under
the police tape.
JORDAN
(to NIGEL) |
| Got any big plans for the weekend? |
| NIGEL |
| The Orpheum is running a French New Wave film festival. Tonight is "The
400 Blows." |
| JORDAN |
| Hey, I love that one? Mind if I come with? |
| WOODY |
| What about Woodrow? |
| JORDAN |
| He's working late. And besides, he's not really big on movies with subtitles.
(beat) Unless they have flying ninjas. |
NIGEL
(smiling) |
| Maybe he'd prefer next Saturday's Spielberg tribute. All three Indiana
Jones movies back-to-back. |
| JORDAN |
| Six hours of Harrison Ford and his bullwhip? I like. But the first one
is definitely the best. |
| NIGEL |
| Absolutely! It's got all the best lines. "Give me the whip, I'll
throw you the idol…" |
JORDAN
(in character) |
| "There is no time to argue, senor! You throw me the idol, and I'll
give you the whip!" |
JORDAN comes face-to-face with OFFICER and looks mildly embarrassed having been
caught goofing off.
| JORDAN (CONT'D) |
| Uh, hi…M.E.'s office. What've you got for us? |
| OFFICER |
| Caucasian male. Driver's license says he's Robert Meade, age 22. Local
kid. Guy out running with his dog found him early this morning. |
| JORDAN |
| Got a preliminary cause of death? |
| OFFICER |
| Well…that's just it. It's sort of…unusual… |
| JORDAN |
| I'm a Medical Examiner. I've pretty much seen it all. |
OFFICER
(ominously) |
| All right…brace yourselves. |
OFFICER steps aside and indicates the body. JORDAN and NIGEL kneel down. We
see the body. It is covered with an unimaginable number – hundreds maybe
– of snakebites. JORDAN and NIGEL exchange glances equal measures of horror
and fascination.
NIGEL
(under his breath) |
| "Snakes…why did it have to be snakes?" |
END OF TEASER
CUT TO OPENING CREDITS
ACT 1
2. INT. MORGUE CONFERENCE ROOM – MORNING
JORDAN is sitting in the conference room at the table with the deceased man’s
mother. She’s leaning slightly forward, in a manner to urge the woman
to talk and to carefully listen to the sobbing mother’s words.
| JORDAN |
| So when is the last time you saw your son, Mrs. Meade? |
She blows her nose on a Kleenex.
| MOTHER (cont’d) |
| That sounds…horrible. (beat) But Robert…he is….he was
twenty-two. |
| JORDAN |
| You didn’t talk everyday…. |
The MOTHER nods.
JORDAN continues carefully, not wanting to say anything to make the woman clam
up.
| JORDAN (cont’d) |
| So…your relationship with your son was…good? |
MOTHER
(nods) |
| It was … under the circumstances … |
JORDAN gives the mother a look that says continue – you know the
one….
| MOTHER (cont’d) |
| Robert and his brother Kevin…didn’t always run with the best
crowd… |
| JORDAN |
| So … you think the people Robert hung out with may have been responsible
for this? |
| MOTHER |
| Yes…no…I don’t know. |
The Kleenex goes to her eyes.
| MOTHER (cont’d) |
| Like I said, both my boys … didn’t always hang out with the
honor roll kids at school. |
JORDAN nods, encouraging the mother to continue.
| MOTHER (cont’d) |
| They seemed to like the edgier crowds…the kids that got into trouble. |
| JORDAN |
| So they … had problems? |
MOTHER
(nods) |
| Their dad – he ran off years ago… and I worked two jobs to
make ends meet …It started out with little things, but it wasn’t
long before both my boys were using drugs. |
The MOTHER regains come focus, despite her grief.
| MOTHER |
| I found out about it when a police officer came to the diner where I work
and told me they had arrested Robert for possession with the intent to sell. |
She pauses and swallows hard.
MOTHER (cont’d) |
| And it went downhill from there… |
JORDAN nods in understanding.
| JORDAN |
| Robert was selling drugs…? |
| MOTHER |
| No. No…Robert had cleaned up his act….. |
| JORDAN |
| So maybe a higher up in the drug food chain? |
MOTHER
(shaking head) |
| No. See, after his arrest, I placed Robert in Higher Promises… |
MOTHER
(nodding) |
| Higher Promises. It’s a drug rehab program run by the Rev. Early
Midkiff…. |
She rolls her eyes, assuming JORDAN knows who she’s talking about.
| JORDAN |
| Midkiff…? Midkiff….? (realization hits her) The guy with that
mega church on the south side? Soup kitchen… homeless shelters… |
MOTHER
(nodding again) |
| See after Robbie started getting into trouble, he was ordered into rehab.
And Midkiff had this program…. |
MOTHER
(nodding again) |
| Robbie was doing so well, so eager, that Kevin went voluntarily. I felt
blessed. Here they were, ready to change their lives. |
MOTHER
(not understanding) |
| Take? |
| JORDAN |
| Did your sons get off drugs? |
The MOTHER looks a little distant and slowly shreds the Kleenex.
| MOTHER |
| Yeah. Yeah. I was so proud of them…of the men they were becoming… |
She urges the MOTHER to continue.
| MOTHER |
| But…the last few times me and Robbie talked…he was…
different. |
She catches JORDAN’s look
| MOTHER (cont’d) |
| Oh, he was still off drugs…but he said that Rev. Midkiff’s
ways of doing things weren’t all what they seemed and he was a little
worried .... |
| JORDAN |
| What was he worried about? |
The MOTHER sits back and looks at JORDAN with an exhausted face.
| MOTHER |
| The kids…Midkiff didn’t want them to have any contact with
their families. Robbie was having to sneak around and call me; he’d
be in big trouble if anyone found out. He asked me if I could find out anything
else on Rev. Midkiff. |
MOTHER
(quietly) |
| He had been kicked out of Utah and Arizona for fraud, tax-evasion, and
kidnapping. Some parents who had kids in his programs…felt he was
running a cult… |
| JORDAN |
| That’s a strong allegation… |
MOTHER
(pulls a face) |
| Parents didn’t think so. Some of the kids died of dehydration. |
She motions vaguely with one hand.
| MOTHER (cont’d) |
| Midkiff took them on some vision-quest …thing… and didn’t
take care of them. |
| JORDAN |
| And you think Robbie died because of something he found out? |
The MOTHER shuts her eyes for a beat before opening them.
| MOTHER |
| “In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new
tongues. They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing,
it shall not harm them.” Mark, chapter 16, verses 17 and 18. |
JORDAN gives her a confused look.
| MOTHER (cont’d) |
| “Behold I give unto you the power to tread on serpents and scorpions
and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing by any means shall hurt
you.” The Gospel of Luke, chapter 10, verse 19. |
| JORDAN |
| I’m sorry…I’m not following…. |
The MOTHER leans forward over the table.
| MOTHER |
| Rev. Midkiff said that if your faith is strong enough, you’ll be
able to overcome anything…alcohol…drugs….cigarettes… |
She pauses and gives JORDAN a dead on look.
| MOTHER (cont’d) |
| …even snakebites. |
JORDAN
(aghast) |
| So you’re saying that Midkiff put your son in with snakes to test
his faith? |
MOTHER
(shaking head) |
| No. I’m saying Midkiff put my son in with the snakes to make him
an example…so everyone else will shut up. |
3. INT. AUTOPSY – LATE MORNING
BUG and NIGEL are there, looking at the body of ROBERT, paying particular attention
to the snake bites. JORDAN enters autopsy and joins them at the exam table holding
the body.
JORDAN observes BUG and NIGEL for a moment before speaking.
| JORDAN |
| Hi guys…so…what do we have? Anything new that isn’t
so…obvious? |
She points to snake bites on ROBERT’S body.
BUG
(shaking head) |
| It looks pretty cut and dried. A novice hiker, alone, stumbles into a
bed of snakes. |
She keeps her conversation with the MOTHER to herself for now, but examines
the bites with gloved hands. From somewhere in the lab, a machine beeps. NIGEL
goes over to the piece of equipment and reads the printout.
NIGEL brings the printout over to the exam table for bug and JORDAN to look at.
| NIGEL |
| This isn’t a novice hiker stumbling into just any pit of just any
venomous reptiles…. |
| JORDAN |
| What are you saying, Nige? |
| NIGEL |
| The venom in these snake bites tells us that these particular Squamata
are not native to Boston. To Massachusetts for that matter. Even to New
England… |
| NIGEL |
| Buggles, Buggles, Buggles…why do you persist in questioning me?
Look…these snakes are the C. adamanteus… |
BUG
(thinks for a minute) |
| Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake? |
NIGEL
(nodding) |
| And eastern North Carolina is as far north as they get… |
JORDAN struggles to keep a straight face.
| JORDAN |
| So how’d they get in Massachusetts? They take a plane? |
BUG groans over her reference to the movie Snakes on a Plane.
| BUG |
| Come on, we’re professionals here, people. |
For once, NIGEL does not bite on a pun, but looks thoughtful.
| NIGEL |
| I don’t know how they got here, I just know that Robert here stumbled
into a pit of them and died as a result of their venom. |
JORDAN
(thoughtful look) |
| Are we sure about that? |
| NIGEL |
| I just said…oh… if he didn’t stumble then… |
JORDAN raises an eyebrow.
NIGEL (cont’d)
(incredulous) |
| Pushed into a pit of snakes? There are easier ways to kill someone
than that…given the fact you’d have to get the snakes from eastern
North Carolina to Massachusetts without alerting any suspicions. |
BUG
(somewhat snarky) |
| Well that definitely leaves air travel out. Even Homeland Security would
have picked up on that one… |
| NIGEL |
| And why kill anyone with snakes, for Christ’s sake? |
JORDAN snaps off her gloves and unties her autopsy apron.
| JORDAN |
| Because…Robert had to be killed by snakes. |
BUG and NIGEL both give her a “Do what?” look.
| JORDAN (cont’d) |
| Because Robert had to die by snakes. |
JORDAN leaves the autopsy room.
4. INT. MORGUE – JORDAN’S OFFICE
5. INT. BOSTON POLICE DEPT – WOODY’S OFFICE
SPLIT SCREEN – ONE SIDE SHOWING JORDAN IN HER OFFICE ON THE PHONE AND
THE OTHER SIDE SHOWING WOODY IN HIS OFFICE ON THE PHONE
| WOODY |
| So let me get this straight…you want me to call in the Rev. Early
Midkiff for questioning on a recovering drug addict’s death? |
| JORDAN |
| Not death. Murder. |
WOODY pinches the bridge of his nose with the hand that isn’t holding telephone
and prays for patience under his breath.
| WOODY |
| You can’t be sure of that, Jordan. |
| JORDAN |
| Bug and Nigel are working trace. They’ll prove that Robert was pushed
into a pit of snakes… |
WOODY continues pinching the bridge of his nose.
WOODY
(sarcastically) |
| And you know for a fact that Midkiff pushed him? |
| JORDAN |
| Well…no. But if Midkiff didn’t do it, he knows who did. |
WOODY stops pinching the bridge of his nose. Instead he sits up straight in his
chair.
JORDAN speaks slowly and a little forcefully.
| JORDAN |
| I’m asking you to bring the Rev. Early Midkiff in for questioning…. |
| WOODY |
| Jordan. Do you know exactly who Midkiff is? |
JORDAN is still not letting on about what Robert’s mother told her.
| JORDAN |
| I know he runs some drug treatment centers and Robert had been under his
care. |
WOODY
(exasperated) |
| Midkiff not only runs drug rehab treatment centers, he has one of the
largest ministries in the United States. He’s met with the last three
Presidents and has received more commendations and letters of recognition
than the entire Boston PD combined- |
JORDAN
(interrupting) |
| And your point is? |
WOODY
(voice rising slightly) |
| I can’t bring him in for questioning without a really good reason,
Jordan, or the chief will have my balls on a platter. |
JORDAN pauses for a moment to gather her thoughts.
| JORDAN |
| Robert was under Midkiff’s treatment, right? |
JORDAN
(sweetly) |
| Then tell the Rev. Midkiff you just need to talk to him about what kind
of kid Robbie was. Was he a klutzy kid? Did he often go out wandering around
by himself? |
WOODY
(disbelieving) |
| Lie to a reverend? |
JORDAN
(still sweetly) |
| Paul hears confessions three times a week at St. Inez…. |
WOODY is exasperated but he gives up, knowing he’s not going to win.
| WOODY |
| I’ll see you in line at the confessional. |
6. INT. PRECINCT INTERROGATION ROOM - AFTERNOON
The two-way window is in the shot. JORDAN stands behind the window, so she
can see MIDKIFF, but MIDKIFF can’t see her. MIDKIFF is already seated
at the table in the middle of the room. WOODY enters right, with a file folder
under his arm.
| WOODY |
| Rev. Midkiff. (shakes the minister’s hand). Thanks for agreeing
to come by the precinct. I know you have a very busy schedule… |
MIDKIFF oozes fake charm and affability.
| MIDKIFF |
| No problem, Detective Hoyt. As soon as I got word about poor Robert, I
was anxious to know how I could help…both you and Robbie’s family. |
WOODY has that kind of rushed and out-of-breath sound he has in his voice when
he interrogates someone. You know the tone, the one that makes everyone think
he doesn’t quite have his act together. It throws everyone off balance,
thinking he really is a green detective.
| WOODY |
| Thank you. I just have a few questions…. |
MIDKIFF sits back and looks very self assured.
| MIDKIFF |
| Feel free to ask me anything, Detective Hoyt. |
| WOODY |
| Woody is fine…just call me Woody. |
| MIDKIFF |
| All right, Woody… |
| WOODY |
| So, Reverend, you run Higher Promises? |
| MIDKIFF |
| I founded the organization. |
| WOODY |
| Could you tell me a little bit about it? |
| MIDKIFF |
| I started the organization about …let’s see…ten …
no twelve years ago. It was meant to be an alternative treatment center
for drug addicts… |
| MIDKIFF |
| People that come to us have tried the typical drug treatment centers and
it didn’t work for them. So we try other ways… to help them
beat the demon of drug addiction. |
WOODY
(disarmingly earnest) |
| Other ways? Such as? |
| MIDKIFF |
| Faith. Prayer. Trust. |
WOODY
(greener than grass) |
| Oh, you mean trust in a higher power…like in Alcoholics Anonymous? |
MIDKIFF
(disbelievingly) |
| Not a higher power…the higher power. God Himself. |
| WOODY (cont’d) |
| Oh. Okay. So you held prayer and counseling sessions with these addicts
to help the recovery. |
| MIDKIFF |
| We turn them over to God to let Him do their recovery…. |
WOODY
(going in for more information) |
| Did God tell you to let these kids wander around in the Massachusetts
woods by themselves as part of their recovery? |
MIDKIFF
(nearly offended) |
| I beg your pardon? |
| WOODY |
| Robert was found in the Massachusetts’ foothills. He was alone…. |
| MIDKIFF |
| We sanction physical exercise as a method of dealing with the drug withdrawals…. |
| WOODY |
| Robert had been bitten by snakes. |
WOODY leans just a bit into MIDKIFF’S personal space.
| WOODY |
| Snakes. More specifically, the Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake. |
MIDKIFF
(a bit ruffled now) |
| I’m sorry… I don’t know anything about any rattlesnakes… |
WOODY goes back to his charming self to throw MIDKIFF off again.
| WOODY |
| I didn’t think you did, Reverend. (beat) What I did want to ask
you was if you knew if Robert was kind of … well…a klutz? Fall
over his own feet? |
| MIDKIFF |
| Most boys go through that stage, you know…. |
| WOODY |
| I mean…for a person to fall into a pit of snakes… |
MIDKIFF
(regaining his composure) |
| Snakes? |
| WOODY |
| You said physical exercise was sometimes encouraged as part of Higher
Promises’ program? |
| MIDKIFF |
| Sometimes…but you really need to talk to Robert’s personal
counselor. Higher Promises has as many as 500 kids at a time in our programs.
I can’t remember everything… |
WOODY nods and assumes his “aw shucks” demeanor again.
| WOODY |
| I can understand that, Rev. Midkiff. |
WOODY stands to indicate the interview is over, extending his hand for MIDKIFF
to shake.
| WOODY (cont’d) |
| I just want to thank you for taking time to come by and answer our questions.
I want to go on the record as telling you that your organization makes my
job a lot easier… by getting these delinquent kids off the street
and putting them back on the straight and narrow. |
MIDKIFF
(shaking WOODY’S hand) |
| You’re more than welcome, Detective. |
WOODY goes to the door of the interrogation room and opens it for MIDKIFF, but
not before flashing JORDAN a “this is one cool customer look.”
| WOODY |
| I’ll walk you out, Reverend. |
WOODY and MIDKIFF begin to walk out of the precinct, JORDAN quietly coming out
of her room and following at a discreet distance. All is going well until they
reach the door leading outside the police building, when a REPORTER rushes MIDKIFF.
7. EXT. BOSTON POLICE DEPT, FRONT ENTRANCE - CONTINUING
| REPORTER |
| Rev. Midkiff…I’m with the Boston Clarion…could
I ask you a few questions? |
He tries to physically push past the reporter to get to his limo.
| MIDKIFF (cont’d) |
| I don’t talk to the press. That’s handled by my PR department. |
| REPORTER |
| Reverend, is it true that your program has been kicked out of Utah and
Arizona for mishandling funds and abuse? |
MIDKIFF’S limo driver and evidently a bodyguard gets out of the car to assist
him.
| MIDKIFF |
| I’m sorry, I don’t talk to reporters. |
He is pushed into car and the door slams. The driver-cum-bodyguard gets in and
he’s driven quickly away.
JORDAN
(to REPORTER) |
| Mark? |
| REPORTER |
| Jordan! Long time, no see. |
The REPORTER hugs her, much to WOODY’S discomfort.
| REPORTER (cont’d) |
| How have you been? I’ve wondered a lot about you since JD…. |
JORDAN
(looks down for a moment) |
| I’ve been fine, Mark. Thanks…But… |
The tenor of her voice changes from distant to urgent.
| JORDAN (cont’d) |
| Do you know this Midkiff guy? |
| REPORTER |
| Not really. Not personally anyway. But The Clarion has been doing
some digging on him for a while now. |
WOODY sidles up closer to the two of them.
| REPORTER |
| It’s almost like his track record is too good. |
| WOODY |
| So you’re out to ruin a perfectly good man? |
REPORTER
(to JORDAN) |
| Who is this guy? |
She deliberately avoids the fact that WOODY is a detective, afraid that it will
make the REPORTER clam up.
| JORDAN (cont’d) |
| So you think Midkiff’s record’s too clean? |
| REPORTER |
| No one’s that good. So when Midkiff’s PR department started
issuing all these press releases that claimed Higher Promises had a nearly
perfect record with addicts, we wanted to prove them right or wrong. We
started doing a little research and we found his program had been kicked
out of Utah and Arizona for misappropriation of funds and abuse of its residents. |
JORDAN
(nodding) |
| Uh-huh…anything else? |
| REPORTER |
| I’ve got some pretty credible sources that tell me he’s got
a harem of women that includes quite a few teenage girls. |
| JORDAN |
| Somehow that doesn’t surprise me. |
REPORTER still on a roll, obviously trying to impress her.
| REPORTER (cont’d) |
| Midkiff does have a legit headquarters, but my sources also tell me that
he’s stockpiling weapons somewhere that he intends to use on the heretics
that question his need to rid the world of blasphemers. I’m just about
ready to blow the lid off of this guy…I think I know where the bunker
is. |
JORDAN
(warm smile) |
| You want to tell me who these sources are? |
| REPORTER |
| Who me? Give up sources? No way, Sweetheart. |
| JORDAN |
| Then how ’bout telling me where that bunker is? |
REPORTER winks and eyes WOODY up and down
| REPORTER (cont’d) |
| I’ll leave that for you and… detective-boy… here to
figure out. It’s Hoyt, right? |
His cell phone rings.
| REPORTER (cont’d) |
| Gotta run, Jor. Great seeing you. |
He rapidly walks towards his car.
WOODY raises his eyebrows.
JORDAN
(patiently) |
| He and Pollack worked together. |
| WOODY |
| And that’s supposed to make me feel better? |
| JORDAN |
| Mark just backed up everything Robert’s mother told me. Midkiff
is a control freak...he uses unorthodox methods and Higher Promises had
been kicked out of two states. She said Robert knew… |
| WOODY |
| And you think that’s why Robert got killed? |
| JORDAN |
| I don’t know. But at least we have someplace to start. |
8. INT. MORGUE, BREAK ROOM – THE NEXT MORNING
JORDAN is pouring herself a cup of coffee in the break room. The TV is on,
the sound is low, and we can just make out it is some kind of morning news/talk
show. WOODY comes down the hallway and sees her there, with her back to the
door. He enters.
WOODY
(putting a hand on her waist) |
| Hey… |
She jumps, nearly spilling her coffee.
| WOODY |
| Y’okay? Maybe you should cut back on the caffeine a little. |
| JORDAN |
| It’s not that. I...(embarrassed) I thought you were…a snake. |
WOODY
(grinning) |
| I’m not a snake, but I could introduce you to my python later. |
JORDAN
(eyeroll) |
| Are you in junior high? |
| WOODY |
| Pretty much. So, this snake case has you pretty rattled, huh? Rattled.
Little snake humor there. |
| JORDAN |
| Yeah, I was gonna slide right past that one, Farm Boy. But talking about
snakes. Can you believe that guy? Midkiff’s such a reptile I could
make a handbag and a couple pair of shoes out of him. |
WOODY has noticed something on the TV. He grabs the remote and starts to turn
the sound up
| WOODY |
| Speak of the devil… |
| JORDAN |
| …And the devil appears. |
REPORTER
(voice over) |
| …says the charges of abuse are unfounded. Surrounded by supporters
Rev. Midkiff made a statement this morning from outside his respected “Higher
Promises” Center in downtown Boston. |
CUT TO TV BROADCAST:
MIDKIFF is standing outside the “Higher Promises” building. He
is standing with supporters, who carry signs saying things like, “We Support
Rev. Midkiff” etc.
| MIDKIFF |
| These accusations are deeply troubling. Deeply troubling. I’m a
holy man. I have brought hope and healing to this city, and I have been
unfairly targeted by the Boston Police Department because of my religious
beliefs. But people of faith everywhere have become targets in these Godless
times. |
WOODY switches the TV off in disgust.
| JORDAN |
| Holy man my ass. And I’m Mother Teresa. |
9. INT. MORGUE, HALLWAY - CONTINUING
NIGEL is seen in the hallway outside the break room. He looks stirred up about
something. He catches sight of WOODY and JORDAN and sticks his head in the door.
10. INT. MORGUE, BREAK ROOM – CONTINUING
| NIGEL |
| There you are. We got the tox screen back on Robert Meade. You need to
see this. |
11. INT. MORGUE – TRACE – CONTINUING
WOODY, JORDAN, and NIGEL are gathered around a computer screen displaying the
tox screen. It is a graph with various peaks and valleys. JORDAN and NIGEL are
looking at it knowingly.
| NIGEL |
| Robert Meade had traces of heroin in his system when he died. |
| WOODY |
| So much for Higher Promises. Think that’s why Midkiff got rid of
him? Because he fell off the wagon? |
| JORDAN |
| No. That’s not street smack. That’s pharmaceutical grade heroin. |
| WOODY |
| Where’s this kid getting pharmaceutical grade heroin? |
| NIGEL |
| And look what else. Perphenazine and prochlorperazine. |
| JORDAN |
| Man, what’s going on in that place? |
| WOODY |
| Okay, dumb cop here, remember? |
JORDAN
(to WOODY) |
| Sedatives. Majors ones. Midkiff isn’t getting these kids off drugs,
he’s just getting them hooked on other stuff. Guess you stop asking
questions when you’re strung out on Compazine. |
| WOODY |
| If we can prove Midkiff is the source, he’s ours. |
| JORDAN |
| Let’s hope Mark can dig up some dirt on this guy. |
We’re aware that in the background BUG has entered pushing a gurney.
| BUG |
| The reporter? (beat) It looks like he did. |
Everyone turns and looks at BUG in surprise and they cross to the gurney. JORDAN
pulls down the sheet. It is Mark. His face and arms are covered with snake bites.
| NIGEL |
| Snake bites…hundreds of them… |
| WOODY |
| Why’s there blood around his mouth? |
| BUG |
| Looks like someone didn’t want him talking. |
NIGEL, WOODY, and JORDAN looked at him, puzzled.
| BUG (cont’d) |
| It’s his tongue. It’s been…cut out. |
They all exchange horrified looks.
END OF ACT ONE
ACT TWO
12. INT. PRECINCT HALLWAY – MID-MORNING
WOODY is leading MIDKIFF down the hallway. MIDKIFF follows with a high-priced
LAWYER (who looks the part) and a PR guy. WOODY is obviously pissed off.
| WOODY |
| You know this will go a whole lot easier on you if you’d just confess
now… |
| LAWYER |
| Don’t say anything… |
| WOODY |
| That you murdered two people. |
MIDKIFF
(trying not to show he’s pissed) |
| I haven’t murdered anybody. The reason the lawyer is here is because
the PR people said he should come… |
| WOODY |
| That’s what they all say. |
He heaves MIDKIFF into an interrogation room and nearly slams him into a chair.
| WOODY (cont’d) |
| Now we can do this hard way or my way. |
He stands on the opposite side of table, facing MIDKIFF, and leans his hands on
the table.
| WOODY (cont’d) |
| You want to come clean on this whole “Higher Promises” issue
… |
MIDKIFF regains his composure while the LAWYER looks pissed.
| MIDKIFF |
| I’m not sure what you’re talking about, Detective Hoyt. |
| WOODY |
| I’m talking about Robert Meade… |
MIDKIFF
(bored) |
| We’ve been over this before, Detective. |
| WOODY |
| We have. But that was before pharmaceutical grade heroine, perphenazine,
prochlorperazine and Compazine were found in his system. |
WOODY gets down in MIDKIFF’S face.
| WOODY (cont’d) |
| I guess it’s easy to control someone when you’re feeding their
addiction and then sedating them out of their mind, is it, Reverend? |
| MIDKIFF |
| I don’t know what you’re talking about. If you’re insinuating
that I gave Robert those drugs, you’re mistaken, Mister Hoyt. |
| WOODY |
| I’m not insinuating anything. I’m telling
you what we found in the boy’s system and that we know you supplied
it. |
MIDKIFF
(in WOODY’S face) |
| You have proof? |
WOODY changes to a bait and switch tactic.
| WOODY |
| Not to mention what you did to that reporter. |
WOODY
(sarcastic) |
| What reporter? The reporter that tried to question you the last
time we called you down here for a friendly little chat. Remember that one? |
| MIDKIFF |
| I don’t recall him…there are so many that want interviews… |
| WOODY |
| Then maybe this will refresh your memory. |
WOODY takes the file folder that is on the table and pulls out Mark’s autopsy
photos. He spreads them out on the table.
WOODY (cont’d)
|
| I can see where you might not recognize him without all the snake bites. |
MIDKIFF
(pretending to recoil) |
| Snake bites? |
| WOODY |
| Snake bites. And no tongue. |
He points to the blood around Mark’s mouth.
| WOODY (cont’d) |
| Trying to send a message? Reporters shouldn’t question you? Your
followers better not leave Higher Promises? |
| MIDKIFF |
| Everyone is free to come and go as they please. |
| WOODY |
| But if they leave, they get thrown to the snakes, right? |
MIDKIFF
(muttering) |
| In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues.
They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall
not harm them. |
WOODY
(taken aback a little) |
| Beg your pardon, Reverend? |
MIDKIFF
(soft, but menacing) |
| You heard me. Believers… will speak with new tongues. True believers
will be able to walk amid pits of snakes and not be harmed… |
| WOODY |
| So you’re saying Robert? These were tests of his faith? |
MIDKIFF
(oily smile) |
| If Robert was a true believer, I’m sure he wouldn’t have died. |
| WOODY |
| In my church, such acts are considered testing God. And that is wrong. |
| MIDKIFF |
| Then maybe you’re in the wrong church. |
WOODY
(shaking head) |
| So questioning Higher Promises made Mark a blasphemer? And that gave you
the right to cut his tongue out? |
| MIDKIFF |
| I’m just a holy man, Detective Hoyt, going about the Lord’s
work. How the Lord chooses to take care of those that work against Him,
is His business, not mine. |
| WOODY |
| But you’re more than willing to help the good Lord shut the mouths
of the so-called blasphemers. |
| MIDKIFF |
| Do you have any proof of that? |
WOODY pauses and then speaks.
WOODY
(quietly and menacingly) |
| We don’t yet. (beat) But we will. |
| MIDKIFF |
| So then I take it you have nothing to hold me on. |
He stands and heads toward the door.
| MIDKIFF |
| You have a good day, Detective Hoyt. |
He gives WOODY the oily smile again.
| MIDKIFF (cont’d) |
| And may God bless. |
WOODY props his arms up on the edge of the table, glaring at the closed door.
His cell phone goes off and absent-mindedly he reaches for it.
| JORDAN |
| Woody? You still got Midkiff? |
WOODY shakes his head even though he knows she can’t see it.
| WOODY |
| No. I had to let him walk. We have no proof that he actually had anything
to do with either murder…just coincidence and hunch. And the DA won’t
let me make an arrest on those. |
| JORDAN |
| But Renée will let you make an arrest on this. Guess what we found
in trace? |
WOODY rubs a hand down his tired face.
| JORDAN |
| Mark’s shoes were covered in ammonium nitrate. |
WOODY’S head snaps up and he’s instantly focused.
| WOODY |
| Ammonium nitrate…as in bomb-making ammonium nitrate…? |
WOODY’S eyes grow wide with understanding.
| WOODY |
| So Mark did find the bunker… and Midkiff has weapons and is making
bombs… |
| JORDAN |
| I don’t know if he’s stockpiling weapons, or making the bombs,
but at least we know he has bomb-making materials. Serious bomb-making materials. |
| WOODY |
| Which is against the law… |
| JORDAN |
| Yeah. Last time I checked, Homeland Security gets pretty pissed about
anyone having ammonium nitrate… |
WOODY gets off of the table and heads for the door.
| WOODY |
| I’m going to talk to Renée… see if a judge owes her
any favors and maybe we can get a search warrant at least. |
13. INT. JORDAN’S OFFICE – EVENING
She’s sitting at her desk, pretending to do paperwork. She’s obviously
tired and keeps checking her watch. NIGEL leans in the door of her office
JORDAN motions to the stack of paperwork on her desk.
| JORDAN |
| The job’s never over until the paperwork is done… |
NIGEL pushes away from the door jamb to go lean on her desk.
| NIGEL |
| I’ve known you to stay late because of autopsies, trace, or just
waiting around to get answers on a case. And now occasionally to jump Woodrow’s
bones. But never to do paperwork. (crosses arms) It must be a riveting case. |
NIGEL pulls the file away from her.
| NIGEL |
| Sixty-eight year-old man dies of thrombosis. Riveting. Positively riveting… |
JORDAN
(defensively) |
| Someone has to speak for the dead… |
| NIGEL |
| And the insurance companies…who are the ones that ordered this cut-and-dried
autopsy. |
He plops the paperwork back down on her desk.
| NIGEL (cont’d) |
| So why are you really here three hours after quitting time? You can tell
Uncle Nige… |
JORDAN
(softly) |
| I’m waiting for Woody… |
| NIGEL |
| Woody’s working this late? |
| JORDAN |
| No. After we found the ammonium nitrate on Mark’s shoes, Woody went
to search Midkiff. |
| NIGEL |
| I thought he’d already been brought in for questioning. |
| JORDAN |
| He had…but Woody had to let Midkiff walk because all the PD had
was circumstantial evidence. |
NIGEL’S eyebrows draw together and his face registers some concern.
| NIGEL |
| Woodrow should have been back now… |
She gives an impatient look.
NIGEL
(more assuredly) |
| I’m sure there’s nothing to worry about. You know Woodrow.
He’s gonna nail a case like this down tight because he doesn’t
want a snake like Midkiff walking on a technicality. |
JORDAN
(rubbing her eyes) |
| I know. I know he’ll be thorough. It’s just…he should
have been back by now. |
| NIGEL |
| Maybe Midkiff wasn’t at his headquarters? |
JORDAN
(shaking head) |
| I don’t know. I haven’t heard of any APBs put out, and Woody
hasn’t called. That’s what has me worried. |
NIGEL
(quiet for a moment) |
| Midkiff is quite a charismatic character. He has lots of followers. Maybe
they’re hiding him. |
JORDAN nods.
| NIGEL (cont’d) |
| It seems that even the most boring cult leaders are somewhat charismatic…have
the quality about them that makes you want to trust them. |
JORDAN
(teasing) |
| You sound like the voice of experience there, Nige. |
| NIGEL |
| These people flood the halls and haunts of the lonely …out-of-state
college students…older people with no one around…young, impressionable
seamen torn away from their family for the first time… |
NIGEL
(nods) |
| But I never went beyond politely listening to them. But I can see that
for anyone who doesn’t have an anchor in their life, a cult like Midkiff’s
could have a powerful pull. |
| JORDAN |
| Maybe. But I like to think that I’m stronger than that. That I’m
all I need… |
NIGEL gives her a pointed look
JORDAN looks away for a minute, at a photo on her desk.
| JORDAN |
| No. I’m not all I need…and right now I really need Woody to
call me. |
NIGEL
(giving her a soft look) |
| I’m sure Woody’s fine, love. |
GARRET enters JORDAN’S office, interrupting the conversation.
GARRET is holding a picture of WOODY tied to a chair, obviously beaten, his shirt
ripped.
| GARRET |
| This just came in to my office and the precinct. |
END OF ACT TWO
ACT THREE
14. INT. MORGUE – CONFERENCE ROOM – THE NEXT DAY
NIGEL, BUG, KATE, GARRET and some other morgue supernumeraries have been gathered
into the conference room. Some are standing, others sitting at the table. JORDAN
is seated at the table, looking quite distressed but trying not to. There are
some FBI/ATF agents standing around the edges of the room. One FBI agent, AGENT
PRESTON, is leading the briefing. He has passed out handouts and is running
a PowerPoint presentation. There is a photo of MIDKIFF being projected.
| AGENT PRESTON |
| The Reverend Early Midkiff . Subject of a federal indictment in Utah and
Arizona and under investigation here in Boston. Physical abuse, fraud, misappropriation
of funds. You name it. We also believe he’s got himself a harem of
underage girls. We’re on high alert here. If our intelligence is right,
this guy’s got enough ordnance to blow up Boston three times over.
We need everything you can give us. Get me the autopsies on the reporter
and the Meade boy ASAP. Go over them a hundred times and then go over them
again. We need hair, DNA, fiber samples…anything that can pinpoint
where this bunker is. Nothing slips by. Nothing. |
| GARRET |
| My team is thorough and professional, Agent Preston. We don’t let
things slip by. |
AGENT PRESTON
(patronizing) |
| I’m sure, Dr. Macy, but I don’t think you know what we’re
dealing with here. |
PRESTON produces a big stack of papers bound together and tosses them on the table.
| AGENT PRESTON (cont’d) |
| Copies of this document were delivered in the last hour to several local
media outlets, City Hall, and the area FBI field office. |
| AGENT PRESTON |
| Midkiff’s been busy. It’s the good reverend’s manifesto.
He intends to “cleanse the world of sinners and blasphemers.”
It also contains his list of demands. |
| AGENT PRESTON |
| Call off the investigations or he’ll make good on his threats. |
JORDAN’S ears perk up and there is fear in her voice.
| JORDAN |
| Threats? What threats? |
| AGENT PRESTON |
| The manifesto was accompanied by this. |
PRESTON hits a key on the laptop. A grainy video begins. We see WOODY, blindfolded,
gagged and tied to a chair. We hear MIDKIFF’S voice, but we don’t
see him.
MIDKIFF
(off camera) |
| "Then all men of his city shall stone him to death; so you shall
remove the evil from your midst, and all Israel will hear of it and tremble
with fear." |
We see an arm come into shot, holding a gun. The gun is pressed against WOODY’S
temple, the hammer pulled back…and then the screen goes blank. A tight
shot of JORDAN’S face. Tears have sprung to her eyes.
JORDAN
(whispering) |
| Oh, my God… |
KATE is sitting next to her and places a hand on top of JORDAN’S.
AGENT PRESTON
(smug) |
| Shall I play it again? |
| GARRET |
| That’s enough, Agent Preston. |
AGENT PRESTON folds up his laptop with a shrug. The agents begin to disperse.
Much consternation and ado.
| AGENT PRESTON |
| Find this guy. Yesterday’s not soon enough. Special Agent
Matthews will be your point man here at the morgue… |
AGENT PRESTON
(ignoring her) |
| …Agent Peretti from ATF will be working with BPD, and I will be… |
JORDAN
(anger rising) |
| Excuse me…excuse me…HEY! |
AGENT PRESTON
(more condescension) |
| I’m sorry…and you are? |
| JORDAN |
| Dr. Jordan Cavanaugh. I’m sitting here listening to you
talk about FBI intelligence, which, if you ask me is a contradiction in
terms, and about everything we need to do, but the one thing I haven’t
heard you talk about is what you’re going to do to find and
rescue the man in that video. |
| AGENT PRESTON |
| Dr. Cavanaugh, you remember the Venezia. I shouldn’t
have to remind you what we’re dealing with here. Our first priority
is to find the bunker before Midkiff decides it’s Armageddon time.
For all we know, that cop is already dead. |
| GARRET |
That cop is a friend of ours, agent. So you’ll forgive
us if we make that our first priority.
|
AGENT PRESTON and the suits begin to file out. The gang stands and looks at JORDAN
with sympathy.
| NIGEL |
| He’s alive. Don’t think of him any other way. |
KATE
(quietly) |
| We’ll find him, Jordan. |
JORDAN
(stiff upper lip) |
| You heard the man. We’ve got work to do. |
15. INT. BUNKER – ROOM – DAY
The scene begins in total blackness. Then, light. From our POV we see a hand
pulling something away from the camera lens and then an empty, dank room. We
realize we are seeing the room from WOODY’S POV. The cut to WOODY, as
the blindfold and gag have been removed from his eyes and mouth. He’s
very much alive, but bruised, bloodied, and battered. He is still tied to the
chair, and one eye is swollen shut. He is huffing and breathless from being
gagged. He looks around the room and gets his bearings. We see then the other
figure in the room. It is a YOUNG MAN, around 20 years old. He is holding a
rifle and looking at WOODY. He is nervous, jittery, but trying to project an
air of power and strength.
| WOODY |
| Where am I? What is this place? |
The YOUNG MAN says nothing. WOODY tries to size him up.
| WOODY (cont’d) |
| My name is Woody Hoyt. I’m a Detective with the Boston Police Department.
If you just untie me and let me go, I can get you into protection. Midkiff
can’t touch you. |
The YOUNG MAN is clearly taking this in, but he remains silent and jittery.
He’s all nervous gestures. Pulling at his ear, bouncing from foot to foot.
WOODY (cont’d)
(gently) |
| How old are you? Nineteen? Twenty? This is not going to end well for you. |
| YOUNG MAN |
| Look, just shut up! Shut your mouth! You want me to put the gag back on? |
WOODY
(gently) |
| Okay!! It’s okay! I just wanna talk. That okay? Just talk. |
The YOUNG MAN shrugs noncommittally. After a beat WOODY proceeds carefully, trying
to humanize himself.
| WOODY |
| I’m Woody. I’m a cop. I’m from Wisconsin. Little place
called Kewaunee. You from around here? |
YOUNG MAN
(after a beat) |
| Yeah. Southie. |
| WOODY |
| Southie. Baseball or hockey? |
YOUNG MAN
(warily) |
| Hockey. |
| WOODY |
| Good man. Go Bruins, right? Best Bruin of all time…Phil Esposito
or Bobby Orr? |
YOUNG MAN
(still a bit withdrawn) |
| Phil Esposito, of course. |
WOODY is good-natured, trying to draw him out
| WOODY (cont’d) |
| What? No way, man! Bobby Orr! The man won eight straight Norris trophies! |
YOUNG MAN
(warming up) |
| Yeah, but Esposito’s records stood for years. Only Gretzky can touch
him. |
| WOODY |
| Fair enough. All right, fantasy NHL lineup. Any team, any era. I put Terry
Sawchuk in goal. |
| YOUNG MAN |
| Gotta be Patrick Roy. |
WOODY
(joshing, good-natured) |
| Patrick Roy? Patrick Roy? Come on, kid! |
The mood suddenly shifts. The YOUNG MAN’S face falls. WOODY notices and
clams up.
| WOODY |
| I’m sorry, I was just- |
| YOUNG MAN |
| I’m not a kid, all right? |
| WOODY |
| It’s cool, it’s okay. I didn’t mean anything by it. |
YOUNG MAN
(wildly) |
| I’m not a kid, I’m a man! You’ll see what I
can do, all right? I can prove my faith! I can do this! I can do it! |
The YOUNG MAN lifts the rifle and holds it perilously close to WOODY’S
head.
| WOODY |
| Okay! Okay! I get it! You’re a man! You’re in charge here.
You got all the power. We’re just talking here, okay? Just talking. |
The YOUNG MAN hesitates a moment, then lowers the rifle. WOODY is shaking, but
he takes a slow, deep breath. Things are worse then he realized. He speaks after
a beat.
| WOODY |
| I told you my name. I’m Woody. Woody Hoyt. Looks like we might be
here for awhile. I don’t want to call you "kid," so, how
about telling me your name? |
The YOUNG MAN eyes him with suspicion.
| WOODY (cont’d) |
| Just your name. It’s okay. |
YOUNG MAN
(after a beat) |
| Kevin. Kevin Meade. |
16. INT. MORGUE – AUTOPSY – DAY
The bodies of REPORTER and ROBERT MEADE have been laid out. JORDAN is finishing
up the autopsy of REPORTER. Others are running tests, examining MEADE again,
etc. GARRET is running the show.
| GARRET |
| I don’t have to tell you how important this is, people. Woody’s
out there, and we have to find him. Nigel, I need you to run tox again,
fiber, chem panel. Anything you can think of. Kate, you and Bug go over
Robbie Meade’s autopsy report again. |
KATE
(gently but firmly) |
| We’ve been over it six times already. |
| GARRET |
| Maybe the seventh time will be the charm. |
| KATE |
| Garret…there’s nothing there. |
| GARRET |
| This is Woody, Dr. Switzer. Maybe that means nothing to you,
but you’ve been here long enough to realize we don’t give up
on one of our own. |
KATE blinks in shock at the rebuke and looks away, her feelings a bit hurt.
| GARRET (cont’d) |
| I’m…sorry. |
KATE
(softly) |
| I’ll go over the results again. |
GARRET
(to JORDAN, quietly) |
| We got this, Jordan. You don’t have to be here. |
JORDAN
(quietly, firmly) |
| Yeah. I do. |
| GARRET |
| We will find him. He’s going to be okay. |
JORDAN
(trying to convince herself) |
| He’s a cop. He’s had…resistance training. He’ll
be fine. |
| BUG |
| I think I got something… |
The gang looks over with great interest. He’s got a fiber of some kind he’s
holding up with a pair of tweezers.
BUG drops the fiber into NIGEL’S test tube. He squirts some liquid into
it and hurries over to some piece of machinery.
JORDAN
(hopefully) |
| It’s a carpet fiber… |
| BUG |
| We should be able to identify the fiber type or the chemical treatment.
If it’s rare enough, we can pinpoint a location. |
| JORDAN |
| And get Woody the hell out of there. |
| KATE |
| Let’s hope Midkiff has expensive tastes in carpeting. |
They wait for a moment, then the machine pings.
| JORDAN (cont’d) |
| What? What is it? |
NIGEL scans the results and frowns.
| NIGEL |
| It’s carpet fiber. Both the fiber and the stain-resistant coating
are found on approximately 85% of the commercial carpeting in the greater
Boston area. |
They are all disappointed. Shoulders sag.
| NIGEL (cont’d) |
| Back to square one. |
| GARRET |
| All right, we got lucky with the fiber, but there’s got to be something
else. Keep looking, people. |
They all start to go back to work, except JORDAN. She watches the others at work,
then slowly backs out of the room while no one sees. NIGEL is preparing another
blood sample. He turns around and bumps into BUG, sending the slide to the floor.
| NIGEL |
| Now look what you’ve done! |
| BUG |
| Me? You weren’t watching where you were going! |
| NIGEL |
| I’ve got to start the whole test over! |
| GARRET |
| HEY! Knock it off, both of you! |
GARRET gives them a stern look. Chastized, NIGEL and BUG look away in shame.
| GARRET (cont’d) |
| Think about Jordan… |
GARRET turns to where he thinks JORDAN is standing, but she’s not there.
| GARRET (cont’d) |
| Jordan? Jordan! |
He frowns and hurries out of the room.
17. INT. BUNKER – ROOM - CONTINUING
Things are quiet. KEVIN is eyeing WOODY with suspicion, and WOODY is thinking,
trying to find a way inside this kid.
| WOODY |
| Hey. You got a girlfriend? |
KEVIN says nothing.
| WOODY (cont’d) |
| It’s okay. You don’t have to say anything. I didn’t
have a girlfriend when I was your age, either. I got one now, though. Her
name’s Jordan. If you untie my hands, I’ll show you a picture
of her. |
KEVIN doesn’t react.
| WOODY |
| Didn’t think so. (beat) She’s beautiful, though. I took one
look at her, and it was all over. |
KEVIN still isn’t talking, but he is clearly listening with interest, even
if he is pretending not to.
| WOODY (cont’d) |
| Know how long I chased her? Almost six years. That’s patience. (beat)
She’s all I’m thinking about in here, Kevin. Getting out and
spending the rest of my life with her. Hearing her tell me she loves me
again. That’s the best thing in the world. Hearing the girl you love
saying she loves you back. (with meaning) Everybody should have that once
in their life. Nobody should die without hearing that. |
KEVIN frowns and shoots WOODY a look.
| WOODY (cont’d) |
| This Midkiff guy…is he worth it, Kevin? ‘Cause you’re
a smart kid. You know how these things go down. Jonestown. Waco. You think
it’s an accident he’s under investigation in three states? |
| KEVIN |
| “Blessed are they who are persecuted for righteousness sake, for
the kingdom of heaven shall be theirs.” |
| WOODY |
| You’re Robbie Meade’s brother, right? Robbie knew what was
up. He was trying to get the two of you out of here. He was looking out
for you, and he died for it. |
| KEVIN |
| Robbie died because his faith wasn’t strong enough! |
| WOODY |
| No. Robbie died because he knew the truth. Do you know what drugs Midkiff
has been giving you? |
| KEVIN |
| Those aren’t drugs, they’re to help with the side effects
of detox! |
| WOODY |
| They’re tranquilizers, Kevin! He’s trying to keep
you nice and quiet! |
| KEVIN |
| No! NO! You’re lying! |
| WOODY |
| No. I’m not, And neither was Robbie. |
| KEVIN |
| Robbie was a sinner! A blasphemer! He deserved to die! We will cleanse
the world of all sinners and blasphemers! |
KEVIN lifts the rifle again and presses the butt into WOODY’S forehead.
| KEVIN (cont’d) |
| You all deserve to die! |
| WOODY |
| It’s okay, Kevin! I’m sorry, I’m sorry! I just want
to talk to you! We’re just talking! Put the gun down! Put the gun
down…I just want to talk… |
The door to the room opens. Light from outside spills in. MIDKIFF appears in the
doorway.
| MIDKIFF |
| If you want to talk to someone, detective, you can talk to me. |
18. INT MORGUE HALLWAYS AND OFFICES - DAY
GARRET is frantically looking for JORDAN. He runs down the halls, checking
the autopsy rooms and offices, but she’s nowhere to be found. Finally
he notices a storage closet with the door slightly ajar. He quietly pushes it
open and finds her sitting in a corner, her knees pulled up to her chest, arms
wrapped around them, her head on top of her knees.
19. INT. MORGUE STORAGE CLOSET - CONTINUING
| GARRET |
| Hey… I’ve been looking for you. |
JORDAN only sniffles.
GARRET goes to sit beside her on the floor.
| GARRET (cont’d) |
| You scared me. |
JORDAN’S face is still buried in her arms.
GARRET waits a beat and sighs.
| GARRET (cont’d) |
| You okay? |
| JORDAN |
| I can’t do this, Garret. |
GARRET
(misunderstanding) |
| No one’s asking you to, Jor. Bug and Nigel can run trace and Kate
can help… |
JORDAN finally raises her head and looks at him. It’s obvious she’s
been crying, but she’s struggling to get herself under control at this time.
| JORDAN |
| No…that’s not what I mean. I mean I can’t do this…. |
She spreads hands out in front of her, palms up.
| JORDAN (cont’d) |
| I can’t love a cop. |
GARRET needs another beat to realize what she’s talking about.
| GARRET |
| Seems like it’s a little late to realize that… |
| JORDAN |
| I mean, I love him, Garret. I do. For once in my life, I’m ready
to say the hell with the emotional walls, put aside everything and allow
myself to love the man who has loved me for six years…and this happens…and
there’s no guarantee that something like this won’t happen again… |
GARRET
(interrupting) |
| And there’s no guarantee any of us will wake up tomorrow morning,
either, Jordan. |
| JORDAN |
| But Woody’s a cop, for Christ’s sake. The likelihood
of him being hurt…or killed…(voice breaks) is more than the
rest of us. |
| GARRET |
| Jordan, Woody’s a trained professional… |
JORDAN
(wiping eyes) |
| Who has a bad habit of not calling for back up. Do you want to take bets
that he just took the bench warrant and waltzed right into Midkiff’s
headquarters without any other officers (voice raises slightly), because
I bet that’s what happened. He had to play the hero and not wait for
the cavalry…(voice catches again) |
| GARRET |
| Jordan…come on. (slight chuckle) Woody’s not near as bad as
he used to be. And besides, Woody’s had resistance and survival training.
You said so yourself. |
JORDAN
(voice wavering) |
| I just need to know that he’s okay. |
| GARRET |
| This is Woody we’re talking about here. He’s going to move
hell and heaven to get back to you. |
| JORDAN |
| I need to know, Gar. (Softly) I have to know he’s alright. |
GARRET sighs and rubs the back of his head.
| GARRET |
| We’ve been through similar situations before. And you and I both
know that right now Woody is their bargaining chip. If Midkiff kills him,
the good reverend knows the Boston PD wouldn’t hesitate to rain down
fire and brimstone on him and his little group. |
JORDAN sighs, then nods and leans her head on GARRET’S shoulder.
| JORDAN |
| I know…I’m just worried. |
GARRET puts arm around her.
| GARRET |
| I know. I know you are. |
| JORDAN |
| I want him back home. Safe and sound. |
| GARRET |
| So you can beat him for not waiting on back up? |
JORDAN
(slight laugh) |
| Yeah. |
GARRET
(pauses for a moment) |
| Well, it seems to me like there’s one of two things you can do now,
Jor. |
JORDAN still has her head on Garret’s shoulder and her eyes closed.
| GARRET |
| You can either stay in here…in this storage closet…and admire
all the cleaning supplies, or you can get up and go back with me into Trace
and try to find something that will lead us to him. |
A worried look crosses JORDAN’S face when she remembers Waco and Jonestown.
| JORDAN |
| Because we all know how well the Feds work with cults… |
GARRET
(nods) |
| And I know what Woody would do if you were in his position. |
JORDAN gets to her feet and holds out her hand to GARRET to help him up.
| JORDAN |
| He sure as hell wouldn’t be sitting in a supply closet. |
He lets her pull him to his feet.
| GARRET (cont’d) |
| He’d be choking the life out of Midkiff any way he could. |
JORDAN smiles and opens the door to the closet.
| JORDAN (cont’d) |
| Then let’s go find something to make a noose for the good reverend. |
20. INT. BUNKER – ROOM - CONTINUING
We are where we left off. MIDKIFF, followed by his THUG, enters the room slowly,
in charge, and walks a circle around WOODY. He pulls out a knife and walks behind
WOODY’S back. WOODY’S shoulders tense, fearing the worst. MIDKIFF
lowers the knife and cuts the ropes off WOODY’S hands. WOODY exhales visibly
in relief and rubs his wrists.
| MIDKIFF |
| Are you a man of faith, Detective? |
WOODY
(hesitantly) |
| I go to mass every week. |
| MIDKIFF |
| That’s not what I asked. I asked you if you were a man of faith.
The Bible tells us faith is the substance of things hoped for but not seen.
You’re a Papist. You’ve never seen the…transubstantiation,
but you have faith that the bread and wine becomes the body and blood of
Christ. |
| MIDKIFF |
| These people…Kevin…my flock…they have faith.
They believe. They believe they can throw off Satan’s bonds
with my help. They believe they can walk the paths of righteousness through
me. Why do men seek to rob them of that? |
WOODY
(carefully) |
| This isn’t about faith. This is about the weapons you’re stockpiling. |
| MIDKIFF |
| “And the Lord said to Moses, ‘Treat the Midianites as your
enemies and kill them because they treated you as enemies.’”
I am a new Moses, and I am leading my people to the new promised land. |
| WOODY |
| I don’t remember anything about Moses getting his people hooked
on Compazine. |
MIDKIFF backhands WOODY. He’s wearing a big ring, and when WOODY overcomes
the momentary shock, he presses his hand up to his lip, which is trickling a thin
line of blood.
| MIDKIFF |
| My wrath is slow to rise, detective, but I suggest that you not test me. |
There is a beat. Then WOODY trying to get MIDKIFF talking.
| WOODY (cont’d) |
| What do you want? Why are you holding me? |
| MIDKIFF |
| We want to be left alone. To worship as we see fit. We want the investigations
called off. |
| WOODY |
| You murdered Robbie Meade and the reporter. They’ll never call off
the investigations. |
A slow, twisted grin spreads across MIDKIFF’S face. The horrifying realization
has hit WOODY.
| WOODY (cont’d) |
| Jesus…you knew that. You never had any intention of letting me go,
did you? This is just part of your twisted plan. You’re sick. |
| MIDKIFF |
| All the great prophets have been maligned. |
| WOODY |
| Great prophets? Is that what you think you are? Faith is supposed to give
people hope, not turn them into strung-out zombies…afraid to talk
to their own families. |
| MIDKIFF |
| “For I have come to turn a man against his father, a daughter against
her mother, a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.”
The Gospel According to Matthew. |
| WOODY |
| Twelve years of Catholic school, and I never heard those words twisted
like that, you sick son of a bitch. |
MIDKIFF is a bit rattled but maintains control. He signals to his THUG and KEVIN
THUG pulls WOODY out of the chair, holding his arms behind his back. KEVIN hesitates.
MIDKIFF
(to KEVIN) |
| Take him! |
KEVIN aims his gun at WOODY and the THUG starts to drag WOODY from the room.
WOODY
(fear in his voice) |
| What are you doing? |
MIDKIFF says nothing but follows them from the room.
21. INT. BUNKER – CHAPEL - CONTINUING
THUG enters pushing WOODY, followed by KEVIN, who is still holding a gun on
WOODY. MIDKIFF follows behind, still looking cool as a cucumber. The room is
a plain white room. At one end is an altar and a simple cross. There are folding
chairs set up facing the altar. There is some kind of door on the floor of the
altar. They all cross to the door. MIDKIFF signals to the THUG to open the door.
KEVIN still has the gun trained on WOODY. THUG opens the door. We see the look
of horror on WOODY’S face, and then from his POV, we see it…a pit
filled with hundreds of snakes…writhing, twisting, striking.
| MIDKIFF |
| That’s right, detective, you’re a man of faith. Invoke the
Lord’s name. You’ll need him. |
The THUG grabs WOODY and pushes him closer to the pit.
| MIDKIFF (cont’d) |
| You said that in your church, you consider this a test of God. In my
church, we don’t consider this testing God. We’re testing
you. Tell me…is your faith strong enough? |
The THUG pushes WOODY to the ground, his face mere inches from the pit. And:
BLACKOUT
END OF ACT THREE
ACT FOUR
| JORDAN |
| Have you found anything? |
NIGEL
(looking morose) |
| The blood sample…carpet sample…nothing... |
JORDAN
(snapping to control mode) |
| Do we still have Robert Meade’s body? |
| KATE |
| We’ve been over it a dozen times… |
JORDAN
(impatiently) |
| Then go over it thirteen times. And Nigel? Anyway you can hack into the
FBI computer and run that video feed of Woody? Maybe we can see something…anything
on that video. Agent Preston only let us watch it for a minute… |
NIGEL
(catching JORDAN’S drift) |
| Good as done. |
NIGEL turns to computer and begins to hack.
ROBERT MEADE’S body comes in. GARRET and KATE begin to go over it again
while JORDAN turns her attention to the REPORTER, going over his tox screens,
autopsy results, and re-examining his body. It’s quiet for a while, as
nothing is showing up to help them identify where woody might be.
NIGEL
(excited) |
| Take a look at that… |
He projects the scene of WOODY onto a larger screen from the computer and adjusts
it to where there’s a sliver of a window above WOODY’S head.
NIGEL goes over to screen and points to part of a tower that can be seen.
| NIGEL |
| It’s a cell phone tower. |
KATE
(exasperated and sarcastic) |
| Big deal. It’s a cell phone tower. There’s thousands of those
things in Massachusetts. |
NIGEL
(ignoring her sarcasm) |
| Not this particular type of cell phone tower. It’s a VoIP tower. |
| JORDAN |
| A VoIP tower? What’s significant about that? |
| GARRET |
| It’s the same phone system we have here…it’s a commercial
phone system used only in our state. |
NIGEL
(nodding) |
| Which means, since it’s not one of the bigger phone systems, there
are a limited number of towers… |
ORDAN
(realization dawning in her eyes) |
| We’ve just narrowed the search. Let’s see if the FBI can pick
up pings off of Woody’s phone or Midkiff’s phone from these
towers… |
| BUG |
| And if we could match the location to any buildings in the areas that
may be using this commercial grade of carpet… |
JORDAN has determination written all over her face as she picks up the phone.
| JORDAN (cont’d) |
| And then I’m going to go get Woody… |
23. INT. MORGUE - TRACE - DAY
JORDAN, GARRET, NIGEL, KATE and BUG are there along with AGENT PERETTI. They’ve
obviously told him about the VoIP tower because he’s on the phone with
his team who have figured out where the pings were coming from and have pinpointed
a location.
| PERETTI |
| Good work, folks. My team has narrowed down the location and we’re
assembling now. The FBI would like to thank you for your hard work and dedication
to this case. |
| JORDAN |
| What about Woo…Detective Hoyt? |
| PERETTI |
| I assure you everything possible will be done to extract Detective Hoyt
safely, Doctor Cavanaugh. |
PERETTI
(playing dense) |
| I’m sorry? |
JORDAN
(voice rising slightly) |
| I said, it’s not good enough. I want to be there with you when you
go to ‘safely extract Detective Hoyt’. |
PERETTI manages to be smooth even though he’s taken aback.
| PERETTI (cont’d) |
| I’m afraid that’s not possible, Dr. Cavanaugh. You’re
not with the FBI. |
JORDAN’S voice grows louder. She’s exasperated beyond words and all
she wants is WOODY back – it’s written all over her face.
| JORDAN |
| But I’m with this case…and I’m with him. |
She points to WOODY’S picture still on the screen.
PERETTI is still smug as he heads towards the exit.
| PERETTI (cont’d) |
| I’m sorry. I can’t allow it… |
JORDAN follows him, still talking loudly, in that forceful, “Jordan”
way.
| JORDAN |
| We found the tower. What makes you think I don’t have ways of finding
out where you’re going and following you anyway. |
GARRET steps between JORDAN and PERETTI, trying to be the voice of reason, stopping
the argument and trying to prevent PERETTI from leaving.
| GARRET |
| She’s right, you know. We did find out about the tower. And the
carpet fiber. We deserve a piece of this, too. |
PERETTI
(typical FBI) |
| But it’s not allowed…. |
GARRET chuckles and points to JORDAN.
| GARRET |
| And you actually think that’s going to stop her? |
PERETTI takes a moment, looking at the determination on JORDAN’S face. He
repeats himself, only this time not as emphatically.
| PERETTI |
| But it’s not allowed… |
| GARRET |
| She will follow you. |
PERETTI looks down for a minute before looking back at JORDAN and GARRET.
| PERETTI |
| You’ll have to ride in the car and stay in the car until we finish
the raid. The minute you get out, you’re on your own. We can’t
be responsible for rogue medical examiners. |
| GARRET |
| I’ll go with her. I promise I’ll keep her on a leash. |
PERETTI exits.
GARRET stops JORDAN before she can follow the agent. He speaks under his breath
to JORDAN.
| GARRET (cont’d) |
| And we all know what happened the last time I tried to keep you on a leash… |
24. EXT. MIDKIFF’S HEADQUARTERS - CONTINUING
FBI cars are everywhere, with agents in sniper positions, as well as behind
the cars with guns pointed at the building. PRESTON is on a bullhorn as JORDAN
and GARRET show up in a car with PERETTI.
| PERETTI |
| You two stay in the car. |
PERETTI
(more forcefully) |
| Stay. In. The. Car. (looks to GARRET) She’s your responsibility. |
GARRET nods; PERETTI exits the car; JORDAN goes for the door handle as soon PERETTI’S
back is turned and he’s a safe distance from the car.
| GARRET |
| Where’re you going? |
| JORDAN |
| Where do you think I’m going? |
| GARRET |
| You’ve already done it haven’t you? |
JORDAN gives him a puzzled look.
| GARRET (cont’d) |
| Chewed through your leash. |
JORDAN smiles, gets out of the car and sneaks her way to the front.
PERETTI
(hissing at her) |
| What the hell are you doing here? I thought I told you to stay in the
car! |
| JORDAN |
| In case you haven’t noticed, I don’t follow orders very well. |
PERETTI
(giving her a look) |
| Really? I would have never thought- |
JORDAN
(cutting him off) |
| So what’s going on? Where’s Midkiff? Have you heard anything
about Detective Hoyt? |
| PERETTI |
| Preston’s trying to get an answer out of him… |
The camera pans to PRESTON on the bullhorn.
| PRESTON |
| Midkiff! Come out now…and no one will get hurt… |
There is silence from inside the building.
| PRESTON (cont’d) |
| Midkiff? Did you hear me? |
There is only silence.
PRESTON (cont’d)
(still on bullhorn) |
| Rev. Midkiff… |
MIDKIFF’S voice comes from inside the building.
| MIDKIFF (cont’d) |
| Stand down! Tell your men to stand down…or the cop gets it… |
| PRESTON |
| We can’t do that Rev. Midkiff… |
| MIDKIFF |
| I mean it! Stand down, drop all charges or the policeman dies…. |
JORDAN
(frantic) |
| Tell them to stand down! Tell them to… |
| PERETTI |
| It’s not my call, Dr. Cavanaugh… |
JORDAN is growing more frantic by the moment.
JORDAN
(to PERETTI) |
| Negotiate…why aren’t they trying to negotiate? |
| PERETTI |
| The FBI doesn’t negotiate with kidnappers… |
| JORDAN (cont’d) |
| These…kidnappers … happen to have my…one of
Boston’s finest inside, holding him hostage. |
Suddenly, gun shots ring out from inside. The FBI returns fire.
JORDAN’S face goes white and she tries to run in, but PERETTI manages
to hold her back by throwing her to the ground and literally lying on top of
her until the firing stops. When that happens she shoves him off and runs for
the building, going inside with the FBI agents before PERETTI can stop her.
| PERETTI |
| Dr. Cavanaugh….. Wait… |
He realizes it’s too late to stop her.
| PERETTI (cont’d) |
| It’s not safe yet… |
JORDAN makes it inside, frantically looking for WOODY, but can’t find him.
She sees MIDKIFF’S bullet riddled body, as well as some of his other thugs.
KEVIN MEADE is wounded, but not fatally. The agents are working with him.
JORDAN finally spots him in an adjacent room, curled up in a corner, bloody,
beaten, but alive. She runs over to him, cradles his head in her lap, feeling
for a pulse in his neck at the same time.
WOODY groans.
The camera pulls away and we see JORDAN kiss his forehead and whisper something
in his ear.
END OF ACT FOUR
ACT FIVE
25. INT. ROOM – DAY
Scene opens with a tight shot on JORDAN’S mid-chest up. Her eyes are
red, she’s lost in thought with worry creases on her forehead. And then
a voice.
JORDAN’S face lights up. The camera pulls back to reveal we are in a hospital
room. WOODY is in bed, hooked up to an IV. His face is battered and bruised.
His eyes are black and swollen. JORDAN rises from her chair next to his bed
and crosses to his bed.
JORDAN
(smiling through tears) |
| Hey yourself. You’re awake… |
| WOODY |
| How long was I out? |
WOODY
(still a bit woozy) |
| Man, you’re a sight for sore eyes. |
| JORDAN |
| This from a guy who knows a thing or two about sore eyes. |
JORDAN reaches out and gently touches his bruised face and fiddles with a bandage
on his face.
| WOODY |
| I need you. Don’t leave me. |
| WOODY |
| That’s what you said. In the bunker. |
| WOODY |
| You said that to me before. When I got shot. |
A look of sadness momentarily passes over JORDAN’S face at the memory of
WOODY’S shooting and the aftermath.
JORDAN
(smiling ruefully) |
| Yeah. Well. Hopefully it played a little better his time. |
| WOODY |
| I’m sorry, Jordan. For all that. I keep kicking myself… |
| JORDAN |
| It’s okay. Just rest. We don’t have to talk about this now. |
| WOODY |
| No, I want to…They give us training…how to survive…they
tell us to focus on something, the one thing worth living for, the one thing
we need to stay alive for. All I could think of was you. Seeing you again.
And then I knew I was gonna make it. |
| JORDAN |
| Well, I’m glad you were so sure. I guess you missed the
other thing I whispered. The part about waking up so I could kick your ass
for not calling for backup. Man, I am so not ready to go grey. |
| WOODY |
| Are you kidding me? You’re going to be one of those fabulous grey-haired
dames who rides a Harley and takes up kick-boxing when you’re 70. |
| JORDAN |
| Think you can keep up with me? |
| JORDAN |
| Just do me a favor. Call for back-up next time. |
| WOODY |
| I love you, you know that? |
| JORDAN |
| Yeah. I do. I love you, too. |
26. INT. HOSPITAL HALLWAY – NIGHT
JORDAN exits the hospital room. GARRET is sitting on the chairs outside WOODY’S
door. He is holding two Styrofoam cups of coffee and hands JORDAN one. She sits
next to him.
| JORDAN |
| Good. Considering. They’re keeping him overnight for observation.
But he’s gonna be okay. |
JORDAN’S face clouds over and she’s lost in thought for a moment.
| GARRET |
| You need a lift home? |
| JORDAN |
| No…thanks, Garret. I…think I’ll stay here tonight. With
Woody. |
| GARRET |
| So…I guess you’re in this for the duration, then. |
JORDAN
(smiling) |
| Yeah. I guess I am. I spent my whole life being scared. Running every
time I got close to someone. I can’t do that anymore. The thing is,
I don’t want to do that anymore. For the first time in my
life. And I’m not scared. I’m…terrified. |
GARRET gives her a knowing smile. JORDAN raises an eyebrow.
GARRET
(chuckling) |
| Our little girl is growing up. |
JORDAN
(smiling, but teary-eyed) |
| Yeah, well don’t blow my cover. I got a rep to protect. |
| GARRET |
| Your secret’s safe with me. |
JORDAN smiles at him and leans her head against his shoulder. GARRET slips a fatherly
arm around her and they sip at their coffee. The camera pans up slightly, and
we see above their heads through the window into WOODY’S room. We see WOODY
sleeping quietly.
FADE TO END CREDITS
Next time on Crossing Jordan:
"Long Way Down"
