Project 16: Part Seven
INT. MIDRIDGE, LOCAL PUB - NIGHT
Cherise and Calvin enter a small bar with seven customers and a barman.
CALVIN ROBERTS: Two beers please.
The barman starts to pour two beers
MIDRIDGE BAR MAN: You’re not from these parts.
Calvin is reluctant to respond
CALVIN ROBERTS: We’re looking for a relative
LUCAS: I know who you are.
BAR MAN: Everyone knows who they are. I say you should drink your beers and go back to where you came from.
CHERISE JORDAN: An innocent man...
BAR MAN: Only he’s not a man. Is he?
LUCAS: Get into your fancy car and drive back to Greevusland where you belong.
Calum leaves a twenty dollar bill at the bar and turns around.
CALVIN ROBERTS: Come on.
EXT. MIDRIDGE, LOCAL PUB - NIGHT
Calvin and Cherise approach the car to find that the tyres have been slashed.
CALVIN ROBERTS: We’d better start running
Both Calvin and Cherise hurry out of the car park.
Two of the bar clientele leave the bar and climb into their pickup.
Calvin and Cherise crouch down into a ditch at the side of the road.
They watch the pickup truck drive by
CHERISE JORDAN: What now?
CALVIN ROBERTS: Well it seems we’re at the right place.
INT. MIDRIDGE, LOG CABIN - NIGHT
Three men sit around a table, playing cards.
SIDRID: Male, 30’s, Changeling
TARDLEV: Male, late 20’s, Changeling
SIDRID: So, when are we going to release her?
ROGUE CHANGELING LEADER: When we get the signal from above.
TARDLEV: I say we kill her. She knows too much.
SIDRID: Nobody would believe her.
TARDLEV: We can’t take that risk. Are you a man or a windbag?
ROGUE CHANGELING LEADER: It’s not our decision to make. All in good time.
TARDLEV: The customer is always right, and I know what the customer will say.
Calvin comes crashing through the roof and lands in the middle of the floor.
Calvin clutches his ankle in pain.
The rogue changelings surround him.
ROGUE CHANGELING LEADER: We’ve been expecting you, Mr Roberts.
CALVIN ROBERTS: I didn’t actually intend to drop in. Sorry about the damage.
ROGUE CHANGELING LEADER: You’ll pay for it in the end.
Calvin produces a gun and points it at the rogue changelings
CALVIN ROBERTS: Everybody back off
ROGUE CHANGELING LEADER: What do you hope to achieve?
CALVIN ROBERTS: A quick getaway, with the prisoner.
ROGUE CHANGELING LEADER: That’s not going to happen.
CALVIN ROBERTS: Why not?
ROGUE CHANGELING LEADER: Because you’re holding an imitation gun, not a real one. Tie him up.
CALVIN ROBERTS: You can’t expect to get away with this?
ROGUE CHANGELING LEADER: You are like dust blowing in the wind, Mr Roberts. We are an army.
INT. MIDRIDGE, LOG CABIN, SMALL ROOM - NIGHT
Sidrid ties Calvin to a chair. Cecelia lies asleep on the floor. Feet and hands bound.
CALVIN ROBERTS: I will be missed.
ROGUE CHANGELING LEADER: You think so? It won’t take us long to find someone to take your place.
CALVIN ROBERTS: A changeling?
ROGUE CHANGELING LEADER: A team player. Not some bigshot lawyer who thinks he change the world.
CALVIN ROBERTS: I didn’t want to change the world. I just wanted to win the damn case.
ROGUE CHANGELING LEADER: What’s the difference?
CALVIN ROBERTS: I have friends, allies who will come looking for the real Calvin Roberts.
ROGUE CHANGELING LEADER: Like Mr Duncan? All your Allies are dead. Nobody cares about you.
The three men leave and slam the door shut.
LIVING ROOM: The three changelings sit down in there seats.
TARDLEV: I always did want a sunroof.
ROGUE CHANGELING LEADER: I sure hope you guys haven’t checked my cards.
SIDRID: Do you think are they out there?
TARDLEV: Who?
SIDRID: His friends.
ROGUE CHANGELING LEADER: He’s a lawyer. He doesn’t have friends.
TARDLEV: Yeah. He’s totally goosed. He’s a lost cause.
A small rock comes through a window and lands on Tardlev’s head. Tardlev grimaces in pain.
EXT. MIDRIDGE, LOG CABIN - NIGHT
Sidrid and Rogue Changeling Leader emerge from the cabin. They stand on the porch, looking around.
Another small rock hits Sidrid on the forehead.
A third is thrown in the direction of Rogue Changeling Leader. He catches it.
Tardlev emerges from the cabin shooting and striding into the darkness.
Tardlev comes to a stop. The others follow him.
TARDLEV: Where are they?
ROGUE CHANGELING LEADER: Sidrid, stay behind. Me and Tardlev are going to catch a chicken.
Rogue Changeling leader hears a TWIG SNAP. He shoots in the general direction.
INT. MIDRIDGE, LOG CABIN - NIGHT
Sidrid checks on the prisoners.
They are in the same positions they were left in.
CALVIN ROBERTS: What’s the matter? You seem worried.
SIDRID: Not us. If we were in Nam we wouldn’t have lost. Nothing can save you.
CALVIN ROBERTS: Not even a woman
Sidrid laughs and turns around. He is met full force with a frying pan.
CHERISE JORDAN: Don’t get me started.
Cherise proceeds to untie Calvin and Cecelia. Cecelia is awake.
CECELIA ALBRIGHT: You don’t know what you are messing with.
INT. MIDRIDGE, LARGE BARN - NIGHT
Both Tardlev and Rogue Changeling Leader enter the barn from opposite ends.
Five foals and their mothers are resting there.
Cautiously they both look around with their guns held firmly in front of them.
The sound of an SUV STARTING and driving away can be heard.
EXT. MIDRIDGE, LOG CABIN - NIGHT
Tardlev and Rogue Changeling Leader emerge from the barn to see the log cabin on fire and one of their vehicles driving away
Tardlev aims shots at the vehicle but misses
Rogue Changeling Leader runs to the second vehicle but all tyres have been slashed. He kicks the body of the vehicle in
frustration.
INT. MIDRIDGE, RED SUV (MOVING) - NIGHT
Cherise drives the SUV onto the main road. Calvin sits in the passenger seat and Cecelia in the back.
CALVIN ROBERTS: Are you sure you don’t want me to drive?
CHERISE JORDAN: Are you saying I can’t drive?
CECELIA ALBRIGHT: This is a waste of time.
CALVIN ROBERTS: Why?
CECELIA ALBRIGHT: Because I’m not testifying. I love Verdi, but not enough to go through this again.
CALVIN ROBERTS: You’re going to send a good man to prison?
CECELIA ALBRIGHT: Even if I testify, there is a good chance he will lose.
CALVIN ROBERTS: Can’t you at least, think about it?
CECELIA ALBRIGHT: I’m glad you tried to save me, but the only way I’m going to be safe, is if I don’t testify. They will stop at nothing to prevent me.
CALVIN ROBERTS: And who are they?
CECELIA ALBRIGHT: There are others you know. It’s not just two or three rogue individuals. Nothing can stop them.
CHERISE JORDAN: Calvin, are you ok?
CALVIN ROBERTS: I’m just doing fine
CHERISE JORDAN: Well, you did have a fall. You’re probably in pain
CALVIN ROBERTS: Never felt better
A rabbit runs across the road in front of the SUV. Cherise swerves to avoid it and crashes into a tree.
EXT. MIDRIDGE, MAIN ROAD - NIGHT
The three occupants of the SUV climb out.
CHERISE JORDAN: How is everybody?
CECELIA ALBRIGHT: I’m ok
CALVIN ROBERTS: Yeah, well. I was fine. Might take a miracle to walk again.
CHERISE JORDAN: Would you rather I kill the rabbit?
CALVIN ROBERTS: In our current predicament, I’d rather the rabbit than me.
CECELIA ALBRIGHT: What are we going to do now?
CHERISE JORDAN: Ask for help.
CECELIA ALBRIGHT: Are you stupid? You don’t know who to trust.
CALVIN ROBERTS: We don’t have a choice.
EXT. MIDRIDGE, FARMYARD - NIGHT
Cecelia, Calvin and Cherise approach a farmhouse.
CECELIA ALBRIGHT: I don’t like this
Calvin knocks on the door of the farmhouse.
They wait.
A light turns on in the bedroom.
They hear footsteps
The kitchen light turns on.
THE FARMER answers the door.
THE FARMER: Early 40s, unshaven, tall, strongly built.
THE FARMER: What in tarnation has you up at this hour of the night?
CALVIN ROBERTS: We’ve crashed our car. We need help.
It starts to rain.
THE FARMER: The missus wouldn’t want you to ruin her kitchen floor. You can wait in the barn. I’ll call the cops.
CECELIA ALBRIGHT: Please, no cops?
THE FARMER: Why not?
CALVIN ROBERTS: Can’t you just drive us to the nearest hotel?
THE FARMER: The pickup is shot. There’s a guy coming for it in the morning. You best wait in the barn. I’ll get dressed. We’ll see what we can do.
INT. MIDRIDGE, HAY BARN - NIGHT
Cecelia, Calvin and Cherise enter the largely vacant barn.
CECELIA ALBRIGHT: I don’t like it.
CHERISE JORDAN: Everything is going to be ok.
Calvin walks out of the barn, to have a look around.
CHERISE JORDAN: We’ll get through this. We have to.
CECELIA ALBRIGHT: Where is he?
CHERISE JORDAN: Calvin.
A police man stands in front of them at the entrance to the barn.
POLICEMAN: I heard you’ve been having trouble
CALVIN ROBERTS (O.S.): (shouts from afar): He’s a changeling
The policeman draws a gun. He turns and aims to shoot at Calvin. He misses.
Cherise and Cecilia run towards the back entrance of the haybarn. The policeman turns to shoot at them but misses. The
two women exit the haybarn.
The policeman turns to face Calvin but he can’t see him.
The policeman walks slowly, listening.
FARMYARD
Cherise checks the pickup for keys. There are none.
INT. MIDRIDGE, FARMHOUSE, KITCHEN - NIGHT
Cherise enters the house cautiously. She looks around.
She grabs a set of keys from a hook.
An old lady emerges with a shotgun. Cherise rushes towards the old lady before she can shoot. A shot is fired but misses. They struggle. Cherise retrieves the gun and throws it away.
EXT. MIDRIDGE, FARMYARD - NIGHT
The policeman enters into a small shed. He surveys every inch of the shed. He listens for movement or breathing. The farmer hears the GUNSHOT. He hurries back in the direction of the farmhouse.
EXT. MIDRIDGE, FARMHOUSE - NIGHT
Cherise leaves the farmhouse with the keys. She runs to the drivers side but sees Cecelia sitting in the drivers seat.
CECELIA ALBRIGHT: Give me the keys
Cherise hands over the keys and climbs into the passenger seat.
Cecelia has trouble starting the Pickup. It chugs out twice. A gunshot goes through the window but misses. The Pickup starts and drives towards the entrance.
A second shot is fired. Cecelia screams. Without looking, she drives onto the road, turning right.
INT. MIDRIDGE, PICKUP (MOVING) - NIGHT
Cecelia continues driving down a country road with Cherise in the passenger seat.
CHERISE JORDAN: We have to go back
CECELIA ALBRIGHT: We’re not going back. If we do, we’re as good as dead. You’ve seen what they can do. We can’t trust anyone.
CHERISE JORDAN: He’s my brother.
CECELIA ALBRIGHT: Right now, he has as good a chance of survival, no matter what we do.
EXT. MIDRIDGE, FIELD ON FARM - NIGHT
Calvin sees the pickup driving away as he runs through a muddy field. Seconds pass by before the sound of barking dogs can be heard.
EXT. MIDRIDGE, WOODED AREA - NIGHT
Calvin jogs through trees. The sound of barking dogs can still be heard. He comes to a small stream and runs through it.
He keeps running through it for a hundred yards before turning left.
He is too tired to run and slows to walking pace.
EXT. ROAD TWENTY MILES FROM SOUTH CITY - DAWN
An exhausted Calvin makes his way down to the edge of the road. He waves down cars but they fail to stop. He continues to move in the direction of South City. Eventually an old SUV stops and an old lady winds down the window.
SALLY WAINTROP: Where you headed?
CALVIN ROBERTS: South city.
SALLY WAINTROP: Climb in.
Calvin climbs into the passenger seat.
INT. ROAD OUTSIDE SOUTH CITY, SALLY WAINTROP’S SUV (MOVING) - MORNING
SALLY WAINTROP: Why look at you. You look like you could do with some rest and some new clothes.
CALVIN ROBERTS: I’m just grateful for the lift
SALLY WAINTROP: What were you doing out here at this time.
CALVIN ROBERTS: Crashed my car. Deer ran across the road.
SALLY WAINTROP: They are a nuisance. What part of the city you headed to?
CALVIN ROBERTS: My sister’s got an apartment downtown.
SALLY WAINTROP: Well, I’m not going that far. I’ll drop you off six miles away.
CALVIN ROBERTS: That would be great.
SALLY WAINTROP: Are you a lawyer?
CALVIN ROBERTS: Salesman.
SALLY WAINTROP: The changeling court case is still going on. He ought to be hanged if you ask me, after what he did to that woman.
CALVIN ROBERTS: Can’t say that I’ve been following it.
SALLY WAINTROP: There is something familiar about you. Can’t say what it is.
CALVIN ROBERTS: Being a salesman means travelling all around. I probably turned up at your doorstep at some point.
SALLY WAINTROP: That would be one short visit. Can barely afford gas for the car. You sure do look like a man who needs a break. Glad to help.