Frameshift: Children of the Porn

Frameshift: "Children of the Porn"1

2

TEASER3

EXT. MAIN STREET-NIGHT4

Turns out Keene's not all murderous back alleys and skeazy
warehouses. This part of town's clean, well-lit, the kind of
effortless, idyllic area only achieved through a decade of
development and committees. And some blackmail, probably.5

It's cobblestoned and neat, full of shops, restaurants, bars.
Specifically, though, a coffee shop and a movie theater.
We'll get to the latter in a second, but first--6

INT. COFFEE SHOP-SAME7

JOSH:
I'm not saying it was bad, it's
just a girl's movie.8

JOSH SHEPHERD sits across from his mom, ADRIENNE SHEPHERD at
a window table. Adrienne's got actual coffee, Josh the
bastard child of a threesome among Juan Valdez, Ben & Jerry.
The argument's lively, but hardly heated.9

ADRIENNE:
So all romances are girl's movies?10

JOSH:
Yes. Unless they star John Cusack.
Even I'd marry Lloyd Dobler.11

ADRIENNE:
You lose ten years and gain a
prodigious knowledge of 80s movies?12

Josh shrugs.13

JOSH:
Blame Noah. But I find I'm all
around happier when I don't think
about it too hard.14

ADRIENNE:
Is that healthy?15

JOSH:
No, but I'm sure the therapist has
told you all about it.16

ADRIENNE:
He has. But he didn't cover the
part where you hate romance.17

Josh sighs.18

JOSH:
I don't hate it, it's just not my
thing. The world will keep going.19

Adrienne sort of pouts at her coffee.20

ADRIENNE:
All right.21

JOSH:
Look, what's the big deal? So I
don't like romances.22

ADRIENNE:
It's not a big deal. I just
happened to write the book.23

Josh blinks.24

JOSH:
You wrote it?25

ADRIENNE:
The book it's based on, yeah.26

JOSH:
Why didn't you say so?27

Adrienne shrugs.28

ADRIENNE:
You never asked.29

Josh stares at his mom and slumps a bit.30

JOSH:
I'm an ass.31

Adrienne looks up at him and takes his hand. Squeezes.32

ADRIENNE:
You're not. You have bigger things
to worry about than what I do.33

JOSH:
Still. It's been like three months.34

ADRIENNE:
Speaking of, how's school?35

Josh shrugs, takes his hand back by sipping the drink.36

JOSH:
Fine. Except for the eating alone
half the time, intermittent
paralyzing social anxiety thing.37

...38

ADRIENNE:
Well, that's probably sort of
normal. I mean--39

Adrienne fades out, into--40

EXT. MAIN STREET-NIGHT (VISION)41

GUNMAN'S POV42

Someone walks fast. Head down, edges of a hood visible.
Weaves through the crowd, against the crowd of moviegoers.43

EXT. MAIN STREET-MOVIE THEATER-CONTINUOUS (VISION)44

He pauses at the theater doors, stares in on the concession
counter, where a girl (COUNTER GIRL) of 16, cleans. 45

Someone approaches the door. We step back, a MAN leaves, and
we slip inside the theater; a gun comes out at the same time.46

INT. COFFEE SHOP-NIGHT47

Josh sits bolt upright, eyes focused somewhere between
Adrienne and his drink. Under his breath--48

JOSH:
Damn.49

Adrienne frowns.50

ADRIENNE:
What, honey?51

Josh blinks again, focuses on her. Pats a pocket52

JOSH:
Sorry. I, uh-- I lost my keys.
Think I left them in the theater.53

Adrienne starts to get up.54

ADRIENNE:
Oh. Okay. Let's go find them.55

Josh pops to his feet.56

JOSH:
No, it's okay. Stay here, I'll go.
I'll be five minutes, tops.57

Adrienne frowns, but settles back down.58

ADRIENNE:
Okay. Five minutes?59

Josh flashes a reassuring smile. Well, tries.60

JOSH:
Absolute most.61

EXT. MAIN STREET-NIGHT62

Josh sprints down the street, dodges past strolling couples,
singles, a late family or two. He sprints right past SARA
CARSON and her boyfriend ROB.63

SARA:
Josh?64

Josh doesn't slow, doesn't even glance. Sara stops, turns,
watches Josh. Then shoves her purse at Rob.65

SARA: (CONT'D)
Hold on to this.66

Sara jogs after Josh. Rob stands clutching the purse for a
second before he follows.67

EXT. MAIN STREET-MOVIE THEATER-NIGHT68

Josh stops at the doors. He had a lead. The GUNMAN, in a dark
hoodie, jeans, only a third of the away to the counter, gun
just coming up. Counter Girl hasn't noticed him yet.69

Josh hauls open the door--70

INT. MOVIE THEATER LOBBY-CONTINUOUS71

Steps inside, takes a few quick steps, hauls the Gunman back
by his hood, slams a fist into his belly.72

He doubles over, groans. Josh snatches the gun away, lightly
raps the Gunman on the head. He drops.73

Josh kneels, puts him in the recovery position, then
straightens and takes a breath. The Gunman is-- You know
what? Let's say meth head.74

Counter Girl stares. The door opens, Sara stops dead, stares,
Rob a second later, purse in hand. Josh waves at Sara.75

JOSH:
Hey.76

Sara raises a hand.77

SARA:
Hey. You okay?78

Josh looks down at the Gunman.79

JOSH:
Oh yeah. No sweat.80

SARA:
Good.81

Josh looks at Counter Girl.82

JOSH:
You're okay?83

Counter Girl nods, wide eyes fixed on the Gunman.84

SARA:
Hey, Beth.85

Counter Girl/BETH keeps her eyes on Josh and the Gunman.86

BETH:
Hi.87

Beat. Josh glances at his watch.88

JOSH:
Crap.89

He heads to the door. Stops. Looks at Rob for the first time.90

JOSH: (CONT'D)
Congrats, you just saved the day.91

Josh takes the purse, gives it to Sara, offers Rob the gun.92

JOSH: (CONT'D)
You won't shoot yourself between
now and when the cops show up?93

ROB:
No. My dad shoots.94

Josh wipes the gun down. Hands it to Rob.95

JOSH:
Okay. See you guys later.96

Josh pushes past Sara and Rob and back outside.97

INT. COFFEE SHOP-NIGHT98

Josh sits back down across from his mom. He holds up and
shakes his keys.99

JOSH:
Got 'em.100

Sirens wail. A COP runs past. Adrienne stares after him.101

ADRIENNE:
What's that about?102

Josh shrugs.103

JOSH:
Dunno. So, can I read your book?104

EXT. MOVIE THEATER-PARKING LOT-NIGHT105

A patrol car pulls out, lights on, the Gunman in the
backseat. Beth waves as it goes, then heads into the lot.106

She gets to her car, an atypical first car, nearly new. Puts
the key in, unlocks it. Opens the door, gets in.107

INT. BETH'S CAR-CONTINUNOUS108

Beth starts the car. Music plays. She jabs the eject button
on the CD player, opens the glovebox to find something new.109

SOMEONE in the backseat sits up, shows in the rear view.110

Beth finds a CD, puts it in. Something in the vein of "Every
Breath You Take" is ideal, really.111

Beth straightens behind the wheel, puts her seatbelt on (how
responsible), and checks the rearview mirror. 112

And, you know. Totally screams.113

114

END OF TEASER
ACT ONE115

INT. JOSH'S HOUSE-BATHROOM-NIGHT116

Josh, shirtless, brushes his teeth. He looks in the mirror,
at the myriad faded scars on his torso, three bullet holes
being the clearest. He pokes the highest one with a finger.117

Josh spits, rinses the brush. Then he looks up and in the
mirror. At... Sara.118

Sara in underwear.119

Josh turns. Blinks. Stares. At Sara. All of her.120

SARA:
Hi, Josh.121

Blink. Eyes up. Come on, eyes up.122

JOSH:
Hey. What, uh, what're you doing
here?123

Sara ignores him, takes a step closer.124

SARA:
You were fantastic at the theater.125

Eyes up!126

JOSH:
Thanks?127

Sara takes another step closer. Really, really close. Josh
takes a step back that turns into a stumble that seats him on
the counter. Sara makes up the distance. Within an inch.128

SARA:
I like you, Josh. I always have.129

Josh frowns. Looks past Sara at an empty hall. He slides
further back on the counter.130

JOSH:
What about. Um...131

His eyes drift back down.132

JOSH: (CONT'D)
Um. Rick? Ron? Rob! What about Rob? 133

Sara scoffs.134

SARA:
Rob is a boy. You're a man.135

She kisses him. Josh sort of spasms, makes a token effort to
pull away, then gives up and dives in.136

Josh comes off the counter, turns and lifts Sara onto it and
they keep right on going.137

And then every faucet in the room explodes.138

INT. JOSH'S HOUSE-JOSH'S ROOM-MORNING139

Josh opens his eyes, and he's not comfortable. He glances
left and right, frowns. Sits up a bit. Lifts the sheet and
looks down it.140

Deeper frown.141

JOSH:
What the fu--?142

INT. JOSH'S HOUSE, LAUNDRY ROOM-MORNING143

Josh slams the lid on the washer, cranks a dial. It starts.144

He scoffs.145

JOSH:
"Rob is a boy. You're a man." I'm
better than that.146

INT. LIVING ROOM-MORNING147

Josh enters with a spoonful of cereal half to his mouth. DAN
KENDALL sits on the couch with the paper and HALEY THE DOG.148

Josh pauses. Half looks back towards the kitchen. But that
would be rude. He takes a chair. Dan glances over his paper.149

DAN:
Good morning.150

JOSH:
(through Lucky Charms)
Morning.151

Dan flips a page back, glances back at Josh.152

DAN:
Good movie last night?153

Josh nods.154

JOSH:
Um. Yeah. Would've been nice for a
heads up on the whole "Your mom's a
writer" thing, though.155

Dan shrugs.156

DAN:
Sorry.157

Dan folds the paper in half, lowers it.158

DAN: (CONT'D)
So is that it? Movie, coffee, home?159

Josh looks up. Milk runs down the edge of his mouth. It
really ruins the staring contest he tries to win.160

DAN: (CONT'D)
You've got a little--161

Dan gestures. Josh wipes.162

JOSH:
Thanks.163

DAN:
Yeah. Nothing else?164

Josh sets the bowl down.165

JOSH:
I was supposed to just let him go?166

DAN:
You have a cell phone. 911's there
for a reason.167

JOSH:
Because a hostage crisis or panic
shooting is a good idea? How do you
even know?168

DAN:
Small town.169

Dan tosses the paper. Josh looks. Rob on a front page
sidebar, the headline "LOCAL TEEN PREVENTS ROBBERY".170

JOSH:
Oh. Could've been Rob. He plays
football or basketball. Something.171

DAN:
But it wasn't. You have any idea
how your mom would react if she
heard any of this?172

Josh gives a hopeful smile.173

JOSH:
Pride?174

DAN:
Sure. If you hadn't disappeared for
ten years. But since you did--175

JOSH:
I get it. I'm an ass. I can't help
people or Mom will be worried. But
I can't just not.176

Dan sighs, rubs his eyes.177

DAN:
Just call for help. Most people
don't do anything. Why do you have
to do everything?178

Josh doesn't have an answer. So he plays with marshmallows.179

EXT. PARK-MORNING180

NOAH BOWDITCH laughs.181

NOAH:
"Rob is a boy. You're a man."? Your
head has the worst dialogue ever.182

Josh throws a frisbee, and Haley goes after it.183

JOSH:
I can't get a little sympathy here?
It was weird.184

NOAH:
It's not. You probably just forgot
the birds and the bees. Assuming
Dr. Moreau ever told you about
them, anyway.185

JOSH:
So it's normal to... Do that?186

Noah shrugs, gets really into frisbee tug-of-war with Haley.187

NOAH:
Yeah. I think. I mean, usually,
you... "Argue with Henry
Longfellow" consciously, but, yeah.
It happens like that sometimes.188

There's not really been much eye contact anyway. But there's
especially none here.189

JOSH:
To you?190

Noah stops with the frisbee and Haley runs off with it,
celebrating victory.191

NOAH:
No. Never. I am a bastion of purity
and stuff. A bastion.192

JOSH:
So yes?193

Noah sighs.194

NOAH:
Yeah.195

...196

NOAH: (CONT'D)
Okay, Worst. Segue. Ever. So, I did
some Googling last night.197

JOSH:
And?198

Noah shrugs.199

NOAH:
Ah, the contemporary innuendo
blindness of amnesiacs.200

JOSH:
What?201

NOAH:
Googling. It's a-- Nevermind. There
are no pics of you, Josh Shepherd,
anywhere on the World Wide Web.202

JOSH:
None?203

Josh takes the frisbee from Haley, throws it again.204

NOAH:
You took down your search blog, I
posed as a cop and advised news
sites that managed to remember you
that it was dangerous-- give the
kidnapper an idea where you are and
all-- and that's about it.205

JOSH:
That's it?206

NOAH:
Well, if they have pictures of you
at seven there might be trouble,
but if they had those, they'd know
who you are. So, yeah, you're
probably home free. For now.207

JOSH:
Until Aaron wakes up.208

Noah shakes his head.209

NOAH:
No. Until you go save him. That's
like an extra four hours.210

Josh's cell phone rings. He answers.211

JOSH:
Hey, Sara.212

Josh listens. Looks a bit annoyed... Slash worried.213

JOSH: (CONT'D)
Yeah. Yeah, I'll be right there.214

Josh hangs up and looks at Noah.215

JOSH: (CONT'D)
There goes our uneventful week.216

NOAH:
"Our"?217

Josh tosses a leash to Noah.218

JOSH:
Like I could stop you.219

EXT. BETH'S HOUSE-MORNING220

One patrol car sits on the street, another in the drive
behind a minivan. 221

Across the street, Sara's parked. She leans on her door, eyes
on the house. Josh and Noah get out of Noah's car, join her.222

JOSH:
Looks like the police have this.223

Sara glances at him. Josh avoids eye contact.224

SARA:
You could do it quicker.225

Josh shrugs.226

JOSH:
Maybe. But I didn't hit on this. I
even saw her before it went down.227

NOAH:
That might not mean anything. If
the killer--228

Sara glares.229

NOAH: (CONT'D)
Kidnapper, right. If the kidnapper
didn't have emotions you might hit
on-- the lost father/son angle, the
universal taboo of cannibalism,
being someone you tried to blow up,
etcetera-- you might not hit on it
automatically. Might need a hook.230

Sara smirks.231

SARA:
Dear Exposition Diary, today I...232

NOAH:
What?233

Sara waves it off.234

SARA:
Nevermind. So, what's the hook?235

Noah shrugs.236

NOAH:
I figure meeting the grieving--
sorry-- worried mom should do it.
Josh is kind of a softie for people
who aren't trying to kill him.237

SARA:
True. So he just needs to meet her?238

NOAH:
Could be. But then, it remains a
distinct possibility he's insane.239

Josh clears his throat.240

JOSH:
I am here, you know. Nice to be
included.241

Sara and Noah look at him.242

SARA:
Yeah?243

NOAH:
What is it?244

...245

JOSH:
Nothing. Sounds about right.
Worried mom, some tears. Seeing her
room could help, too. But--246

NOAH:
Pessimist--247

JOSH:
--That house is going to be secure
now. Her room's as good as a crime
scene, and--248

SARA:
I have a plan.249

JOSH:
Really?250

NOAH:
Really?251

SARA: (CONT'D)
Yes, really. It's not my fault you
two don't ask. Follow me.252

Sara crosses the street, Noah and Josh behind.253

INT. GWEN'S LIVING ROOM-MORNING254

CURTIS finally got to use plastic sheeting. On the WINDOW
CLEANERS. Two in the chest, one in the head, because why be
subtle? There probably won't be a body to find.255

Curtis turns away and sprawls on the couch. There's no one
else in the room, so he must be talking to the cleaners.256

CURTIS:
The window. The damn window. Do you
have any idea how dead I'd be if it
got out I let him out the window?257

Curtis looks at the bodies. An "I guess you do" look.258

CURTIS: (CONT'D)
And who the hell cuts the power?259

There's a knock at the door. A man enters. About 30, in
shape, casual dress, a PHOTO OF AARON ROSS in one hand.260

CURTIS: (CONT'D)
DOWNING. Any luck?261

He shakes his head, sits where Gwen did two weeks before.262

DOWNING:
None. If the boy is in this city,
he's either in a body cast or a
plastic surgeon's office.263

CURTIS:
Is that possible?264

Downing shrugs.265

DOWNING:
Depends on how long he'd been
planning. If he knew what he was
doing, yeah. If he really doesn't
know anything, I doubt it. He's got
no money anyway. Even if he
remembers what he has, it's all
frozen. He's only got that stupid
card, and that's good as a flare.266

Curtis draws a gun and tosses it between the cleaners.267

CURTIS:
Could he have woken up?268

DOWNING:
Anything's possible. He will
eventually, his doctors seemed sure
of that. He'd still need therapy,
though, and nothing's turning up.269

CURTIS:
What about Canada?270

DOWNING:
Why not? It's an extra barrier in
almost every way. It's where my
money is.271

CURTIS:
Mexico?272

Downing looks at Curtis like he's stupid.273

DOWNING:
Please. Canada's safer. He's
guaranteed decent care, blend a lot
better, it's closer, less corrupt.274

Curtis sits up.275

CURTIS:
And how long until we find him?276

DOWNING:
Assuming he kept relatively local?277

CURTIS:
Assuming.278

Downing does the math.279

DOWNING:
A few days, if money's no issue.280

Curtis nods.281

CURTIS:
It's not.282

Downing stands.283

DOWNING:
Yes, sir.284

Downing heads for the door.285

CURTIS:
Downing?286

Stops, turns.287

DOWNING:
Sir?288

Curtis waves a hand at the cleaners.289

CURTIS:
Get somebody to take care of this.290

DOWNING:
Yes, sir.291

INT. BETH'S ROOM-DAY292

Sara closes the door softly behind her. Noah and Josh look
around the room. Beth appears to be into computers. And
movies. Her desk is awash in camera and computer equipment.293

JOSH:
I would've come up with doing a
paper together.294

It's a small room, and Sara squeezes past Josh to look in
Beth's night stand. Josh spazzes, stumbles back onto the bed.295

SARA:
Maybe, but you're insensitive.296

JOSH:
Am not.297

SARA:
Are too.298

JOSH:
Who's the seven year-old here?299

SARA:
Fine. But she knows me, she doesn't
know you.300

Noah sits down at the computer.301

NOAH:
Guys, there's a girl missing. Can
we please focus on probably
unnecessarily showing up the police
and saving the day?302

Sara shrugs, pulls a pile of papers from the night stand.303

SARA:
Sure.304

JOSH:
Sounds like a plan.305

Noah clicks around. Sara sits next to Josh, hands him papers.306

Josh frowns at it, really puzzled.307

JOSH: (CONT'D)
What is this stuff?308

SARA:
Looks like old cards, birthday,
Christmas. Some notes. I didn't
know she was dating Jeremy Park.
Huh. And...309

Sara cocks her head, purses her lips.310

SARA: (CONT'D)
Hmm.311

Josh leans over.312

JOSH:
What? Oh.313

SARA:
Yeah.314

Photos of Beth. Not unlike Sara in Josh's dream. If she'd
been naked and wielding tiny, strategically placed pillows.315

Sara shuffles the photos. Josh's eyes go wide, he looks away.316

JOSH:
Wow.317

SARA:
Yeah.318

JOSH:
She's naked.319

SARA:
Perceptive.320

JOSH:
Well, it's hard to miss. She is
very naked. A lot naked.321

NOAH:
Um, guys?322

Josh and Sara get up and stand behind Noah.323

JOSH:
What is it?324

NOAH:
Um. Well, it's-- She-- They--325

Noah gives up and just hits play on the open media player.326

On black, giggling. Fade in on FOUR GIRLS, one of them Beth,
the other two maybe a year older, the other probably a year
younger. All very pretty. All in very skimpy sleepwear.327

Playing Twister.328

From behind the monitor. Sara, Noah and Josh's heads tilt to
the side as the giggles continue and descend into moans.329

Noah clicks and the sound stops.330

NOAH: (CONT'D)
There's about nine more. Looks like
the same cast from the thumbnails.
And we know one of them's not 18.331

SARA:
None of them are.332

NOAH:
You know them?333

Sara shakes her head.334

SARA:
Apparently not even a little.335

336

END OF ACT ONE337

ACT TWO338

INT. SCHOOL BATHROOM-DAY339

Sara leans against a sink, looks into a mirror. She finishes
make-up that makes her look about a week dead. The bathroom's
clean, there aren't any urinals, it must be the ladies' room.340

One of two closed stall doors bangs.341

JOSH:
Son of a-- Why didn't anyone say it
was Halloween?342

In the other stall, a bare foot hops and then puts down a
foot shod in a bunny.343

NOAH:
Because it's not. It's just when
the school does it.344

JOSH:
I have to dress up why? I mean, I
like Halloween and everything, but
it's daytime.345

Sara sighs. She opens a pair of contacts.346

SARA:
Because the student council really
likes Halloween. A lot.347

JOSH:
It's also a weekend. Doesn't their
authority fail outside the week?348

SARA:
It's just easier to comply.349

NOAH:
It really is. Freshman year, I
decided to boycott the mandatory
dress up. Long story short, I was a
locker for Halloween.350

JOSH:
Why aren't you dressing up?351

Sara puts a contact in.352

JOSH: (CONT'D)
Sara?353

She gets it, blinks.354

SARA:
I am.355

She gets the second.356

JOSH:
As what?357

Sara puts a fake blood capsule between her teeth, bites,
grimaces, spits.358

SARA:
Blech.359

Josh's door opens, and he steps out dressed as, well, Harry
Potter. Sara stifles a laugh.360

JOSH:
What? Harry Potter rocks. Hey, has
the series finished yet? Chamber of
Secrets was so good.361

Sara nods.362

SARA:
Yeah, it has.363

NOAH:
Only it sucked. Wandlore is the new
deflector shield, man.364

...365

NOAH: (CONT'D)
I'm never going to be cool, am I?366

Sara pats the door comfortingly.367

SARA:
It's okay, we'll still hang out
with you. Even with...368

Sara looks down.369

SARA: (CONT'D)
Bunny slippers?370

The door opens and Noah steps out.371

NOAH:
Yes, bunny slippers.372

Josh and Sara stare.373

SARA:
You're homeless?374

JOSH:
Don't care what anybody thinks?375

NOAH:
I'm Chris Knight.376

...377

NOAH: (CONT'D)
Chris Knight? Real Genius. Best 80s
movie not starring Matthew
Broderick or the Brat Pack?378

He's got the whole outfit, too, not just bunny slippers. "I
<3 Toxic Waste" t-shirt, everything. Total commitment. Val
Kilmer would be proud. And/or creeped.379

...380

NOAH: (CONT'D)
Trust me, it's cool.381

They maintain a charitable silence.382

NOAH: (CONT'D)
You're a zombie.383

Sara nods.384

SARA:
Yeah.385

NOAH:
Not a... slutty zombie?386

Sara shows fake blood-stained teeth.387

SARA:
Yeah. I don't believe in the
Halloween where it's just an excuse
to dress skanky.388

The bathroom door opens. A SLUTTY BUNNY stops short.389

Josh and Noah gawk.390

JOSH:
Why not?391

SARA:
What?392

JOSH:
Nothing.393

SARA:
Then come on.394

Sara leaves the bathroom, Josh follows and Noah takes up the
rear. He pauses in front of the slutty bunny, grins and nods
down to his slippers.395

NOAH:
Menages a lapin?396

INT. GYM-DAY397

Noah takes a baggie of ice off the side of his face. A bright
red handprint's underneath. They're on the bleachers.398

NOAH:
I'm no Val Kilmer.399

Sara pushes the hand with the baggie back onto his cheek.400

SARA:
Could've told you that. Val
Kilmer's not even Val Kilmer
anymore. And, "menages a lapin"?
Where does that work?401

NOAH:
France? Watership Down?402

SARA:
But this is Washington.403

Noah sniffs haughtily.404

NOAH:
Ethnocentrists.405

SARA:
Yeah, sure. Josh, you going to come
out anytime soon?406

Sara looks back along the edge of the bleachers. Josh sticks
his head out from under them. His eyes are on the rest of the
gym's population, girls as slutty _______s and guys as pretty
much anything but Harry Potter, decorating.407

JOSH:
You couldn't have just said, "Don't
be Harry Potter"?408

Sara frowns.409

SARA:
Why? It's who you wanted to be.410

JOSH:
What I wanted to be was not
embarrassed.411

SARA:
You don't want to be Harry?412

JOSH:
No.413

Sara shrugs.414

SARA:
Okay, take off the robe, stow the
wand and keep the glasses.415

JOSH:
And then?416

SARA:
You're a secret identity. Which is
barely a costume for you.417

INT. GYM HALL-DAY418

Josh, as a secret identity, and Sara come out into the hall,
where the younger girl from the video kneels over a banner. 419

SARA:
NIKKI.420

Nikki looks over her shoulder.421

NIKKI:
Hey, Sara. And, Josh, right?422

Josh nods and doesn't quite look at her.423

JOSH:
Yeah. Nice to see you again.424

SARA:
Can we talk to you?425

Nikki sets aside a brush and stands. She's about 15 looks
wise, very beautiful. But something makes her seem older.426

NIKKI:
Sure, what's up?427

SARA:
Um. It's about Beth.428

NIKKI:
Have they heard anything? I wanted
to check in, but it takes a murder
to stop this thing.429

JOSH:
Yeah, well, give it a few hours.430

Sara and Nikki just stare.431

JOSH: (CONT'D)
Sorry. Cutting to the chase. We
found your sapphic Twister, Beth
hasn't got a boyfriend without an
alibi, she's liberal with info on
her mySpace page, her dad's dead.
Thus, creepy pedo-stalker rockets
to the top of the suspect list.
Thus, we need your client list.432

... Nikki pales a bit, doesn't look at them. Doesn't stop the
attempt at a lie.433

NIKKI:
Sorry, I have no idea what you're
talking about.434

SARA:
We don't care why you do it. I
guess you need the money. Whatever.
We just want to find Beth.435

Nikki's not giving in without a fight.436

NIKKI:
Aren't the police supposed to be
handling this kind of thing?437

Josh steps close, takes off the glasses and stares her down.438

JOSH:
I'm sure they are. But they've got
about three detectives for a town
that has a pretty stunning amount
of crime for its size. And they
have rules. Which means it's going
to take them some time to find the
videos, find you and get you to
talk. I, on the other hand, have
all the time in the world and
relatively few lines when it comes
to helping someone.439

Nikki shrinks away.440

JOSH: (CONT'D)
Don't worry, I'm not really
threatening you. In fact, I'm your
best friend here. With me doing
this, it's vaguely possible you
guys don't get busted for whatever
it is child producers/stars of
child porn get busted for. With the
police doing it, well, kiss-- what
college are you hoping to go to?441

Barely more than a whisper.442

NIKKI:
Brown.443

JOSH:
Ooh, good school. Yeah, you can
definitely kiss Brown good-bye. So
the way I see it, you should be
dying to tell me who your clients
are. And I think you're starting to
see it my way, too, yeah?444

Nikki nods.445

NIKKI:
Yeah.446

JOSH:
So?447

Nikki shrugs.448

NIKKI:
I don't know. I just... Perform.
Jess and Elisha are the ones in
charge of the business stuff.449

Josh steps back and smiles. Puts back on the Potter specs.450

JOSH:
Thanks. I hope this can be cleared
up without totally ruining
everyone's lives.451

Josh turns away and Sara, who's a bit stunned by Josh's rapid
change, gives a half-smile to Nikki before following.452

Sara catches up, Josh turns to her.453

JOSH: (CONT'D)
You know Jess and Elisha?454

Sara nods.455

SARA:
Yeah.456

JOSH:
They here?457

SARA:
Haven't seen Jess. Elisha moved or
something. I know where Jess lives.458

JOSH:
Fantastic.459

SARA:
Josh?460

Sara's the one not looking this time.461

JOSH:
Yeah?462

SARA:
You scare me sometimes.463

Josh sighs and walks.464

JOSH:
Me too.465

INT. BASEMENT-DAY466

Beth is tied to a chair. Pretty normal. The vanity, king-size
bed, pastel walls and white evening gown are stranger. 467

Beth stares into the mirror as Someone, face still unseen, in
khakis and a tucked in shirt comes up behind her. 468

He briefly touches her shoulder (she cringes), reaches
forward, comes back with a tube of lipstick, and proceeds to
make Beth up from behind.469

EXT. JESS' HOUSE-AFTERNOON470

JOSH:
They need the money?471

They're not castles, but the houses here are solidly upper
middle class. Jess' is one of the grander ones.472

Sara shrugs.473

SARA:
Well, upper class tastes on the
middle class budget are hard.
Playing mall vulture only yields so
many finds.474

JOSH:
Porn for Prada?475

SARA:
If you must alliterate.476

Josh looks around. An older man with a dog stares.477

JOSH:
The Halloween costumes are weird
now, aren't they?478

SARA:
Mine is. You just look like you
have bad taste in eyewear.479

Josh starts to take the glasses off.480

SARA: (CONT'D)
Don't you dare. I'm running around
like a zombie three days before
Halloween, then you're wearing
geeky glasses.481

JOSH:
Okay. So, how do we do this?482

Sara shrugs.483

SARA:
The whole intimidation thing worked
really well, I think.484

INT. JESS' HOUSE, KITCHEN-AFTERNOON485

WHAM!486

Josh staggers back, hands to his nose. JESS, clearly not as
easy to intimidate as Beth, glares at Josh.487

JESS:
Who the hell do you think you are?488

Josh takes his hands away. It's red but not bloody. Josh
touches to check.489

JOSH:
I think I'm the one looking for
your friend. And, yeah, quite
possibly the guy standing between
you and jail.490

Sara steps in front of Josh.491

SARA:
Jess, I--492

JESS:
Shut it, Sara. We haven't been
friends since eighth grade.493

Sara shuts it like she'd been slapped.494

JOSH:
Hey. Don't talk to her that way.495

JESS:
Stop me.496

JOSH:
Okay.497

Josh takes out his cell phone. Looks between Sara and Jess.498

JOSH: (CONT'D)
911's still the same, right?499

Josh starts to dial. Jess snatches the phone away.500

Josh smiles.501

JOSH: (CONT'D)
We ready to act reasonable? We know
what you're doing, we need to know
more to find and stop the bad guy
and maybe help you.
Does any of this seem like it's
solvable by hitting me again?502

Jess shrugs.503

JESS:
It's worth looking into again.504

JOSH:
Ha. So, your client list?505

Jess shrugs again.506

JESS:
Come on.507

INT. JESS' HOUSE, JESS' BEDROOM-AFTERNOON508

Jess, Josh and Sara enter. Jess stops short, turns to Sara.509

JESS:
Sara, could you go downstairs and
keep any eye out for my parents?
They're back any minute and I'm not
supposed to have boys in the house.510

Sara shrugs, ignores Jess as much as she can without actually
doing it.511

SARA:
Sure.512

She turns and leaves.513

Jess watches her go, and then turns to her computer. Her
demeanor totally shifts. A lot closer to Beth's. She sits,
opens it up, clicks around.514

JESS:
Sorry about hitting you. I didn't
know what to do. It's just...515

Josh looks at her.516

JOSH:
Yeah?517

JESS:
Hang on, you'll see.518

Jess opens a spreadsheet, filled with names, numbers, e
mails, addresses, credit card numbers. Upwards of fifty
names. Jess highlights one in the Cs, glances up at Josh.519

Josh leans in. Reads. Eyes go wide.520

JOSH:
Oh, man.521

JESS:
Yeah.522

The highlighted entry is one JOEL CARSON.523

JOSH:
That's--524

JESS:
Yeah.525

JOSH:
Sara's dad.526

JESS:
Uh-huh.527

Josh sighs.528

JOSH:
Well. This blows.529

530

END OF ACT TWO
ACT THREE531

INT. JESS' HOUSE, JESS' BEDROOM-AFTERNOON532

Josh shuts the door and turns back to Jess at her desk.533

JOSH:
Okay. I need to know some things.
Are you cooperating now?534

Jess nods at the highlighted name.535

JESS:
I only wasn't because of this.536

JOSH:
Right. Okay. What you're doing. Why
are you doing it?537

Jess shrugs.538

JESS:
There's no way to say it that
doesn't sound bad. I-- We-- It's
easy money. And a lot of it. And...
It's just making the Girls Gone
Wild thing work for us. No one's
forcing us.539

JOSH:
Yeah, but sex for money--540

JESS:
I get it. It's bad. And we're
underage, so it's worse. But it's
not sex for money. It's money for a
video of sex. Besides, if you're
going to do it anyway--541

Josh does a great impression of a Chihuahua.542

JOSH:
You were going to do it anyway?543

JESS:
Well. Elisha and I were. Did.
That's how it started. We're-- We
were together. We made a tape. And
then we figured it was worth
something to some people. And-- It
sort of snowballed from there.544

Josh runs a hand through his hair.545

JOSH:
I know I missed ten years, but I'm
pretty sure you're young for this
stuff. I mean, you're having four
ways already? Selling your intimacy
out to whoever will pay?546

Jess sighs.547

JESS:
Josh, I know you're trying to help,
but you're not saying anything we
haven't thought about. We do this,
and it'll pay for college. Then we
can be whatever we really want to
be. Because that's not it.548

JOSH:
But--549

JESS:
It's not really a four-way anyway.
Technically.550

Josh opens his mouth. Closes it.551

JOSH:
Okay. Here's what's going to
happen. This shuts down today.
Invest whatever you've made, minus
an anonymous donation that'll pay
for whatever care Beth needs after
this. Maybe it'll work out. Now,
does Elisha know anything I need?552

Jess shakes her head.553

JESS:
Elisha left a few months ago. Her
parents found out about us and now
she's at boarding school.554

JOSH:
Sorry for that. Next, then. I need
you to give me a copy of that list
sans Mr. Carson, then I need you to
delete every other copy you've got.555

Jess nods, plugs a flash drive in.556

JESS:
Okay. You're going to cover this?557

He nods.558

JOSH:
I don't have a lot of choice. You
don't deserve to have your futures
trashed, probably, and I can't
destroy Sara's life.559

JESS:
What about the videos? The police
will find them.560

JOSH:
Yeah. That had occurred to me. I've
got some ideas, though.561

JESS:
What about the other clients?562

Josh sighs.563

JOSH:
I don't know. I'll figure it out.564

JESS:
You're sure?565

Josh steps to the window, looks out. A car's pulled in.566

JOSH:
No. But your parents are home and
Beth is still missing, so what I
come up with will have to do.567

JESS:
Josh?568

JOSH:
Yeah?569

JESS:
Thank you.570

JOSH:
You're welcome. I think.571

INT. NOAH'S ROOM-AFTERNOON572

Noah, still in-costume, clatters away at a desktop and Sara,
returned to life, surfs mySpace on a notebook. 573

Josh paces back and forth, hands behind his head, eyes
closed. He drops his arms, opens his eyes and groans.574

JOSH:
I'm getting nothing. What's the
point in having this if it won't
work when I need it to?575

Noah doesn't stop typing and scrolling search hits.576

NOAH:
Forcing it's not going to help. If
it's not coming, it's not coming.577

JOSH:
But time's running out.578

Noah stops and turns.579

NOAH:
How do you know?580

Josh stops.581

JOSH:
I don't.582

NOAH:
Maybe you do.583

JOSH:
Yeah. I don't.584

Sara looks up.585

SARA:
I'm not getting in. Whatever her
password is, it's good. Or I don't
know her well enough. Given today,
I'm thinking the latter. From the
outside, it doesn't look like
anyone outside school was a
frequent visitor, though.586

Josh leans on Noah's desk.587

JOSH:
Okay. Her profile doesn't mention a
lot about the theater, her car. So
either he's out-of-town and really
careful, in which case we're all
screwed and heading for an
obstruction of justice conviction,
or he's local. Noah won't do well
in prison, so let's go with local.
Junk everyone more than 20 miles
out. What's left?588

Noah types. 50+ names drop to--589

NOAH:
Seven guys. I haven't checked any
of them. Even then, though, it's
just Google, not AFIS.590

Josh's eyes go out of focus for a second, glance around
aimlessly. Then he's back.591

JOSH:
Fine. Um. Read me the names.592

Josh drops onto the couch, lies back and closes his eyes.593

Noah glances at the monitor, back at Josh.594

NOAH:
Darryl Fraser.595

Josh's eyes go REM.596

EXT. KEENE-AFTERNOON (VISION)597

Soar overhead. Late afternoon, cars on the roads, buildings
lit up, soft rush of air.598

EXT. PLAYGROUND-SAME (VISION)599

DARRYL FRASER and DARRYL'S WIFE. A normal looking couple,
early thirties, dressed for the weekend. Darryl pushes a
LITTLE BOY on the swing while his wife folds up a blanket.600

INT. NOAH'S ROOM-AFTERNOON601

JOSH:
No. Hope he doesn't have a
daughter, though. Next.602

Josh has tensed. One hand grips the couch arm hard.603

NOAH:
Hoyt Marriman.604

EXT. KEENE-AFTERNOON (VISION)605

Overhead again. Faster.606

INT. HOME OFFICE-SAME (VISION)607

HOYT MARRIMAN, mid-40s, closes his office door and locks it.
Turns off the light and crosses in the late light to the
desk. He moves the mouse and the monitor comes to life.608

INT. NOAH'S ROOM-AFTERNOON609

Sweat coats Josh's forehead, his jaw is clenched. Sara's
moved closer, taken his hand. She watches him.610

JOSH:
No. You've got the real thing you
don't go virtual. Next.611

Noah glances at the monitor.612

NOAH:
Wallace Bollinger.613

Josh groans.614

INT. BASEMENT-AFTERNOON (VISION)615

SOMEONE/WALLACE'S POV616

He approaches the bed. Beth, tied to it, still dressed, still
gagged. Candles all over the place now. He lights one, turns
his head to look at Beth's tear-streaked face.617

BOLLINGER:
It's almost time, sweetie. Just a
little while longer.618

INT. NOAH'S ROOM-AFTERNOON619

Josh takes a deep breath and sits up. His eyes are bloodshot
and blood runs out of a nostril. Sara hands him a tissue.620

SARA:
Are you okay?621

Josh takes a breath and nods.622

JOSH:
Have to be. It's Bollinger. I need
the address, and I need a car.623

EXT. MOVIE THEATER-PARKING LOT-NIGHT624

Dark's fallen. The theater's closed, double crime scene and
all. Two cars in the parking lot. One of Noah's luxury stable
and a police unmarked, just arrived. The lights go out.625

Josh leans on the side of Noah's car. Detective WILL KINNIT
gets out of the unmarked, looks across at Josh neutral-faced.626

KINNIT:
You said you had information?627

Josh nods.628

JOSH:
I do. Found the videos by now?629

Kinnit nods.630

KINNIT:
Yeah. Crazy stuff.631

JOSH:
You're about to get an anonymous
tip. That tip will tell you where
to find Beth Randall and who took
her. I'll follow you there. You'll
knock on the door, show her
kidnapper her picture. He probably
won't crack, but I-- and when I say
"I", I mean "no one"-- will be
inside the house, ungagging Beth
and giving her the freedom to
scream, giving you the freedom to
take action. Okay?632

Kinnit stares.633

KINNIT:
How do you--634

Josh holds up a hand.635

JOSH:
Maybe I'll tell you someday. Not
tonight. And there's no time to
argue about it.636

KINNIT:
I sense a "but" coming.637

JOSH:
You sense right. But in exchange
for all this, those videos
disappear, those girls' lives don't
get destroyed. Deal?638

Kinnit shakes his head.639

KINNIT:
What about the buyers?640

Josh shrugs.641

JOSH:
You'll still get them, if what I'm
thinking pans out. But there's a
decent chance it won't.642

KINNIT:
That's not acceptable.643

JOSH:
You don't have a choice.644

KINNIT:
What's yours? Let her die?
Videos'll come out anyway, only
you'll be in prison, too.645

Josh pushes himself off the car, leans on Kinnit's. Looks him
right in the eyes.646

JOSH:
You owe me for Hackett. But mostly,
Detective, you owe me for Keegan.647

Kinnit's mouth drops open.648

...649

KINNIT:
You couldn't. The prints we found,
they weren't--650

Josh shrugs again.651

JOSH:
The explanation for that is part of
what I'm not telling you tonight. I
think. Probably.652

KINNIT:
They can't go free. They're
dangerous predators.653

Josh nods.654

JOSH:
Almost certainly. But you're not
getting them this way, that's a
done deal.
The trail you need's erased. You do
it my way, or you don't even get a
chance.655

Kinnit and Josh eye each other.656

KINNIT:
You're 17. Seven, really.657

Josh gives a sad smile.658

JOSH:
I wish, Mr. Kinnit. Can we save
Beth now?659

Kinnit's jaw is tight. But he gives in.660

KINNIT:
Fine. The videos are gone. But any
of those guys go free, what they do
is on your head.661

Josh doesn't reply. There's nothing to add.662

EXT. BOLLINGER'S HOUSE-NIGHT663

Kinnit's car rolls to a stop outside a modest two story. It's
well kept, lawn trimmed, paint immaculate. It doesn't look
like a pedophile's lair. But they never do.664

Kinnit gets out, looks down the street. Noah's car sits a few
houses down, lights off, empty.665

Kinnit rounds the car and heads up the walk.666

EXT. NEIGHBOR'S BACKYARD-NIGHT667

Josh drops over a fence and sprints across a darkened yard. A
dog unleashes a hail of barks just as he hits the next fence.668

EXT. BOLLINGER'S HOUSE-NIGHT669

Kinnit's at the door. He peers at a window, but curtains
block anything useful. He knocks.670

INT. BASEMENT-NIGHT671

Bollinger, a pleasant looking man of about 50, slightly
overweight, in a suit, kneels over Beth. He smiles.672

BOLLINGER:
I can't tell you how happy I am.
I've been waiting so long, but it's
finally time.673

He strokes her arm, from restraint down, past her elbow,
touching her underarm, toward her body. KNOCK, KNOCK! He
freezes, looks up towards the stairs.674

BOLLINGER: (CONT'D)
Just a little longer, honey.675

He smiles again, leans down. Beth tries to press herself into
the mattress, but he still kisses her, over the gag.676

EXT. NEIGHBOR'S BACKYARD 2-NIGHT677

Josh drops down another fences, sprints across another yard,
this time just ahead of a motion-sensing light. He throws
himself at the next fence.678

EXT. BOLLINGER'S HOUSE-NIGHT679

The door opens. Bollinger gives a curious smile.680

BOLLINGER:
Yes?681

Kinnit shows his badge.682

KINNIT:
Wallace Bollinger?683

BOLLINGER:
Yes, sir. Is anything wrong?684

Kinnit reaches into his coat, takes out a photo.685

KINNIT:
A girl's gone missing in the area
and we got some calls that she'd
been sighted in this neighborhood.
Have you seen her?686

EXT. BOLLINGER'S BACKYARD-NIGHT687

Josh drops over the fence, runs in a crouch to the house, up
the back porch. He pulls the door open--688

EXT. BOLLINGER'S HOUSE-NIGHT689

Kinnit hands over a picture of Beth. Bollinger looks at it,
doesn't give a thing away.690

BOLLINGER:
I'm sorry. She does look a bit
familiar, but no, I haven't.691

Kinnit eyes him, then his gaze shifts past Bollinger, because
Josh has just appeared in the hall behind him. He slips up
the hall, pulls a door open, and disappears behind it.692

INT. BASEMENT-NIGHT693

Josh descends the stairs, into the pastel bedroom. Beth on
the bed is hard to miss. She immediately struggles, trying to
scream through the gag. Josh puts a finger to his mouth.694

Halfway to the bed, he stops. Looks left. At a corkboard
covered in photos. Black and white and older color. All Beth.695

No. Just a RINGER for her. A twin off by forty years.696

EXT. BOLLINGER'S HOUSE-NIGHT697

BOLLINGER:
If that's everything, detective...698

Kinnit takes the picture back, pockets it.699

KINNIT:
Nearly, sir. Have you seen anything
strange in the neighborhood? The
littlest thing could help.700

INT. BASEMENT-NIGHT701

Josh approaches the board. Beth's Ringer and Bollinger.
Wedding, honeymoon. Assorted happy pictures. 702

Josh leans closer. Underneath a photo, a newspaper clipping.
The obituary page. Ten years ago, a drunk driver. Survived
solely by her loving husband Wallace.703

JOSH:
Yeah, okay. That could do this. If
you haven't got both oars in the
water to begin with.704

Josh turns and goes to the bed. Leans over Beth.705

JOSH: (CONT'D)
Hi, Beth. Can you listen carefully?706

Beth's eyes are bright and full of panic. But she nods.707

JOSH: (CONT'D)
Great. First off, everything's
going to be fine, I promise. Now,
in a second I'm going to ungag you.
But you can't say a thing, can't
scream. I'm going to leave--708

Beth shakes her head frantically. Josh nods.709

JOSH: (CONT'D)
Yes. But there's a detective right
outside the front door. 30 seconds
after I go up the stairs, you freak
out. Shriek like your life depends
on it since, you know, it does.
Detective takes Bollinger down,
you're free in another 45 seconds.710

Josh pulls the gag down. Whispers:711

JOSH: (CONT'D)
You understand?712

Beth comes back even softer:713

BETH:
30 seconds and scream.714

Josh nods.715

JOSH:
And then everything's shiny.716

EXT. BOLLINGER'S HOUSE-NIGHT717

Kinnit nods as Bollinger goes on.718

BOLLINGER:
And a week ago, someone came
roaring through here three o'clock,
no muffler or something, woke me up
from a dead sleep.719

Josh comes out of the basement. Kinnit perks up and his
attention shifts.720

KINNIT:
Really?721

BOLLINGER:
Oh yes. Seems like it happens every
other night. And two days ago--722

Josh heads for the back--723

BOLLINGER: (CONT'D)
Someone stole my paper. Right off
the front porch.724

Josh disappears from the hall. A second later, a door shuts.725

Bollinger looks round. And Beth goes banshee for Halloween.726

Bollinger looks back and down the barrel of Kinnit's gun.
Kinnit growls:727

KINNIT:
Freeze.728

729

END OF ACT THREE
ACT FOUR730

EXT. BOLLINGER'S HOUSE-NIGHT731

Bollinger's led to a patrol car, put inside. OFFICER 1 gets
in, pulls away, lights flashing.732

Three others police cars remain, plus Kinnit's. Flashes light
up the basement windows around the foundation.733

Josh stands in the yard next door, out of most of the lights.734

Kinnit stands by his car, phone to his ear. He nods.735

KINNIT:
Thanks. Update me on everything.736

He puts the phone away, walks over to Josh, who steps onto
the sidewalk.737

KINNIT: (CONT'D)
She made it to the hospital okay.
So far, looks like he didn't do
anything. There was a wedding
license in the vanity down there.
Dated today forty years ago.738

JOSH:
Starting fresh. Wow.739

KINNIT:
Yeah. He's old enough and this is
strange enough he'll probably swing
insanity on it. But his computer--
even minus Beth's videos-- it's an
emporium. We're looking at busting
three or four rings.740

JOSH:
And their clients. Might still end
up snagging most of these guys.741

That doesn't cheer Kinnit.742

KINNIT:
Might's not good enough. Whatever
you're thinking had better be good.743

Josh nods.744

JOSH:
I think it will be. It has to be.745

Kinnit glances back at the house.746

KINNIT:
I need to get back.747

Josh nods.748

JOSH:
Right. I've got work to do, too.
House call to make.749

KINNIT:
House call?750

Josh backs away.751

JOSH:
One of those things I might tell
you someday.752

Josh turns, walks slowly toward Noah's car.753

INT. SARA'S HOUSE, LIVING ROOM-NIGHT754

Joel Carson, a man trying and failing to stave off the
beginning of middle age, lounges on the couch watching TV.755

KNOCK, KNOCK! Joel looks round, mutes the TV and gets up.756

INT. SARA'S HOUSE, FRONT DOOR-SAME757

Joel opens the door and Josh helps him by bursting in and
driving him back and onto his ass on the stairs.758

JOEL:
Josh? What the hell are you doing?759

Josh stands over him, eyes aflame, panting. He reaches inside
his coat-- Joel cringes-- and pulls out the client list and a
picture of Beth. Throws them at Joel.760

JOSH:
You'll know her. Had to be an
awkward morning for you. Sara's
worried about her friend, you're
worried about dropping the soap.
Did you know their ages? Don't lie.761

Joel stares at the pages. The picture's just a yearbook-y
shot and the spreadsheet's nothing on its own. He chances it.762

JOEL:
I swear I didn't--763

Josh slams a fist on the newel.764

JOSH:
That's lying. This stuff wasn't in
wide circulation. It's got a niche
you can't find unless you're
looking. And you can't mistake it
once you do. Tell the truth.765

JOEL:
I-- I--766

Josh flashes teeth. It's sort of like a grin. For vampires
and big cats, at least.767

JOSH:
"I'm a sick bastard." Yes, yes you
are. But you're also the father of
one of my best friends. And as much
as I'd like to, I can't justify
tearing her life up for a piece of
dung like you.768

Joel just watches. Maybe with a bit of hope.769

JOSH: (CONT'D)
So here's what's going to happen.
You're going to become Ward
frakkin' Cleaver. You love your
wife, spend quality time with your
family. No more flings, no more
kiddie porn. In fact, cancel
Cinemax. I don't care why you did
any of what you've done, I don't
want to know anymore because it's
going to take Lake Superior to make
me feel clean again as it is. All I
want is for you to be a model
husband and father. This is a
second chance. So make yourself
worth it, Mr. Carson. Joel. I think
I can call you that now. Because if
you don't... Or else. And believe
me, I can make "Or else" a very
interesting and prolonged
experience that would make Dante
shudder. Hmm. You must've been an
English major. Understand?770

Joel frowns at that last bit, but nods. Josh steps back. Joel
pulls himself to his feet. Josh takes the papers back.771

JOSH: (CONT'D)
Well. This was... Yeah.772

Josh turns and starts for the door.773

JOEL:
Thank you.774

Josh stops. Looks skyward. Then sighs.775

JOSH:
Anyone asks, "walked into a door".776

Joel frowns again. Josh spins and drops him with one punch.777

JOSH: (CONT'D)
Sainthood's overrated anyway.778

Josh walks out the door, pulls it shut behind him.779

EXT. SARA'S HOUSE-NIGHT780

Josh walks towards his car and takes his phone out. Dials and
puts it to his ear.781

JOSH:
Hi, Jess? Yeah, yeah, she's fine.
You can visit her, but I need your
help first. Meet me at the dance?782

Josh hangs up, gets in the car.783

EXT. KEENE HIGH, PARKING LOT-NIGHT784

The entrance of the school is covered in decorations. The
theme is either none or "tornado hits Halloween shop". Kids
in costumes are everywhere.785

Josh, behind the wheel of Noah's car, pulls into an empty
spot, shuts off the lights.786

INT. NOAH'S CAR-SAME787

Josh reaches into a pocket and takes out the Potter glasses,
puts them on. He checks himself in the mirror, then turns and
looks at the rest of the costume on the backseat.788

INT. COMPUTER LAB-NIGHT789

Josh, as Harry Potter, enters with Jess close behind. She's
not in costume. Rows of computers are dark, but one's lit up
and Noah's at the keyboard.790

NOAH:
You're late, what took so long?791

JOSH:
Kidnappers aren't punctual. You
almost ready?792

NOAH:
I've been ready for 15 minutes.793

JOSH:
They won't be able to trace it?794

Noah shrugs.795

NOAH:
It could happen, but I doubt it.
It'll be as anonymous as anything
on the Internet can be.796

JOSH:
Got the e-mail addresses?797

Noah nods to a piece of paper on the desk.798

NOAH:
All the relevant task forces, news
anchors, addresses of empty houses
in each town. It's as solid as it
can be on four hours planning.799

JOSH:
Blind carbon copies rock. All
right. Get up. Jess, sit down.800

Jess looks at Noah and Josh like they're speaking gibberish.801

JESS:
What's going on?802

Josh shrugs.803

JOSH:
Ad hoc "To Catch a Predator".804

INT. DARRYL FRASER'S LIVING ROOM-NIGHT805

Darryl and wife sit together on the couch, news on the TV. In
a corner of the room, a computer sits on a desk. It chimes.806

Darryl looks round at it and gets up, leans over the
computer, blocking the monitor from his wife's view, and
opens a browser. Clicks on an e-mail from
"QuadrangleProductions@hotmail.com".807

INSERT-E-MAIL808

It reads: Dear Mr. Fraser,809

Due to your fantastic patronage the past year, we'd like to
thank you by inviting you to a special live taping of our
latest production. We're based here in Keene and will be
filming tomorrow night at 12:30 a.m. at 1226 Ramsey Rd. We
hope to see you there.810

Sincerely, Quadrangle Productions811

BACK TO SCENE812

Fraser glances at his wife still watching TV, then back. He
closes the browser.813

INT. BOLLINGER'S BASEMENT-NIGHT814

Kinnit watches as the cork board is photographed and CSIs bag
individual photos. His phone rings. He opens it. Text
message: CHECK YOUR E-MAIL.815

INT. BOLLINGER'S OFFICE-NIGHT816

Kinnit goes to Bollinger's computer, click and types and his
work e-mail is displayed, the same message Darryl Fraser got.817

Kinnit grins and laughs.818

INT. COMPUTER LAB-NIGHT819

JESS:
But they'll still find the videos.820

Josh nods.821

JOSH:
Absolutely, yeah. But take a second
to think how often you see news
running screencaps from child porn
looking for the victims. Your
distribution's untraceable, the
police here agreed to cover the
videos, so local recognition's a
non-issue, and you say those tapes
make it clear what you're doing is
more or less consensual. Plus, you
tipped them off to over 50 of these
guys. Not much effort will go to
tracking you down. Probably
couldn't even if they tried. It
looks good.822

JESS:
So it's over?823

Josh nods.824

JOSH:
Beth's safe, you're shut down for
good and you're as safe from the
police as you can hope to be. And
most of these guys will get picked
up in the next week, because who
can resist the real thing?825

JESS:
Do we owe you? We've got money.826

Josh shakes his head.827

JOSH:
No money. Just. Maybe act your ages
from now on, yeah?828

Jess nods and smiles a little.829

JESS:
Yeah.830

JOSH:
Okay. Since I'm dressed like a
twelve year-old, I'm going to the
dance to try and forage an alibi
for the night just in case. Noah? 831

NOAH:
Well I'm all dressed up.832

JOSH:
You can call it that. Jess. Off to
see Beth?833

Jess nods.834

JOSH: (CONT'D)
Tell her to keep quiet about me.835

JESS:
Of course.836

JOSH:
Great. Then it's been really great
touring the porn-y underbelly of
the school. See you in History.837

INT. GYM-NIGHT838

Josh sits on the bleachers, eyes on the crowd. Specifically,
on Sara, now as Snow White, with Rob as evidently Prince
Charming, on the dance floor.839

Noah drops down beside Josh and leans back.840

NOAH:
If this were 1986, I'd be a hit.841

Josh glances at him.842

NOAH: (CONT'D)
I know. No one appreciates cult.843

Josh doesn't look at Noah.844

JOSH:
I can only see through the bad
guys' eyes.845

Noah looks at the back of his head.846

NOAH:
I'd noticed. Except Richard Davis,
at least.847

JOSH:
Thought he was at the time.848

NOAH:
Yeah. But it's something.849

JOSH:
What's that about? Seeing the bad?850

NOAH:
It's another question. But the
dreams you've told me about make it
seem like that might be the point.851

JOSH:
To see into the bastards?852

Noah nods.853

NOAH:
When are the normal ever dangerous?854

JOSH:
What happened to this town? It used
to be nice. Now it's....855

Noah shrugs.856

NOAH:
The economy took a nosedive five
years ago. That didn't help things.
But also, we grew up.857

JOSH:
I didn't.858

NOAH:
But you did. Had to.859

JOSH:
Yeah. 10 years too soon and with
every sicko in this town's
fantasies flying through my head.860

Noah sits up and looks across at Josh.861

NOAH:
But, you do good.862

Josh looks at Sara again. Slow song, happy with Rob. Not
remotely aware that her father's a freak.863

JOSH:
Maybe. I'm not sure.864

NOAH:
I am. Without you, even if the
police did find Beth, it would've
been too late in a lot of ways. And
you saved four girls' futures.
Probably busted 99% of their
clients. It may not be perfect, but
it is good anyway you cut it.865

Sara looks up, sees Josh. She smiles, holds a thumb up
inquiringly. After a moment, Josh puts his own up in return.
Sara smiles bigger, continues dancing. Josh looks at Noah.866

JOSH:
Maybe. But it doesn't feel like it.867

Then Josh gets up, swishes out in his robes, and leaves Noah
on the bleachers, Sara on the dance floor.868

869

END OF SHOW