SEASON 3 EPISODE 6 “Parole” Writers: Steven Long Mitchell & Craig W Van Sickle Director: Steven Long Mitchell The Centre Sim Lab (Broots is standing at a computer console watching what is happening on the screen. Broots: I don’t understand Sydney. Why are these guys hitting each other? Sydney: FES Broots. (Twins, in white hospital gowns and hooked up to monitors. They are sitting opposite each other and slapping each other on the cheeks.) Broots: FES? Sydney: Forced external stimulus. I'm studying the way twins react to identically applied aggression. Broots: It looks to me like they’re just beating the bejesus out of each other. Sydney: Did you need something Broots? Broots: (He hands Sydney an envelope.) Oh yeah, ah. This came for you. It looks kind of important. (Sydney opens the envelope and withdraws the contents, a card with a hospital wrist band enclosed. On the wrist band is the name of the hospital, St Mary’s Medical Centre and the name of a patient, George Stamatis with his ID No.) “Your immediate attention is needed.” Sydney: In Jarod’s handwriting. You’ve never seen this. Broots: Seen what? (Broots hits a key on the keyboard and the images on the screen is speeded up. Broots laughs at the comic scene and starts making “Three Stooges” type noises.) Hotel La Salle San Diego California Jarod’s Lair (Jarod is working at his computer. He is digitally changing a photo that depicts two men in a prison yard so that one of the men is himself. He is also painting a tattoo on the back of his left hand. The design is a copy of one that is in a photograph of the original. He places the new transcript in a file folder labelled Mayfield Penitentiary. He goes to a mirror, removes his shirt and examines a highly ornate tattoo that covers most of his back. On his hairless chest there is a tattoo of a winged skull and “Jarod” across his abdomen in Gothic print. He “becomes” his next pretend – a parolee.) OPENING CREDITS On the Docks Metal Workshop (On a factory floor there are many workers at their trades – welding, turning, grinding. Jarod is one of them, wearing protective goggles to accompany his heavy duty work clothes. He is approached by the foreman.) Boss: Hey! Barker. You got a visitor. Jarod: What? (Jarod can’t hear him over the din of the workshop. He stops what he is doing.) Boss: You got company. There’s a guy out front who wants to see ya. Jarod: A guy? Boss: With the dogs. (Jarod removes the goggles at a loss to who his visitor might be.) Jarod: Dogs? Outside the Workshop (Jarod is greeted outside by two barking dogs that are straining at their leashes. The man holding the leashes takes a wrapping off a sausage places one end of the sausage in his mother and encourages one of the dogs to take it. It does and it is rewarded not only by the sausage but the man.) Jack: Take it. Come on. Do you like dogs Mr Barker? Jarod: Not as much as you do. Jack: Their names a fighting Rottweiler. They’re pound for pound the most perfect a killing machine on four legs. Give me a dog over a person any day. Jack Brevins. (The man holds out his hand to Jarod who looks at it with distrust.) I'm your PO. Parole officer. Jarod: We weren’t supposed to meet until next week. (Jarod shakes the man’s hand.) Jack: Yeah I know but I was in the neighbourhood. Big Daddy here needed to be wormed. Big Daddy needed to be wormed didn’t you sweetie? So how are you getting on? Jarod: Fine. Jack: No problems with the job? Jarod: A little slice of heaven. Jack: That’s funny. You’re a funny guy. Jarod: Gotta get back to work. (Jarod turns to leave.) Jack: Ah. Let’s take a walk. Jarod: It’s not my break yet. Jack: Hey! It’s okay. On the Wharf Jack: You know, a lot of guys have trouble adjusting to freedom after being locked up. You were up for what? Six and change? Jarod: Look Mr Brevins . . . Jack: Jack. Jarod: Look I appreciate all the personal attention, Jack, but I have to get back to work. Can’t afford to lose this job. I don’t want to end back in prison now do I? Jack: You don’t know how it works do you? You behave yourself, do as exactly what you’re told and everything is gravy. You get an attitude you disrupt the program, I pick up the phone and you got a number on your back before breakfast. We’ll continue this later. (Jarod turns to leave.) Oh hey! I read your file. (Brevins takes a small packet out of his pocket and sniffs it.) Consider that an advance. (He throws it to Jarod.) That’s good stuff not like that jailhouse crap you’re used to shooting. I’ll be in touch. (Jarod opens his fist and looks at it.) Come on baby, let’s go for a ride. Yes. Yes. (He makes kisses noises at the dogs who are excited at the prospect of a ride in the car!) We’re going for a ride in the car. St Mary’s Medical Centre Outside (Sydney is standing across the road from the main entrance of the hospital. He looks at the id bracelet again. Jarod approaches him from behind but stops before reaching him.) Jarod: I hope you came alone. Sydney: (Sydney turns around and walks back to Jarod but not before doing a brief sweep of the area.) I believe you’re safe, for the moment. Jarod: You look good Sydney. Sydney: (They shake hands.) You too. (Sydney holds onto Jarod’s hand to get a better look at the barbed wire design on Jarod’s wrist.) And I like the art work. Jarod: I’m just trying to blend in. Sydney: Are you going to tell me why am I here or is this some kind of game we’re playing? Jarod: Oh it’s no game, especially to them. (He points to the entrance of the hospital where some people are getting out of a taxi. It is Michelle and her son Nicholas.) Flashback Sydney: Michelle. Am I his father? Michelle: Sydney. Nicholas doesn’t know he’s your son. Sydney: I don’t understand. Why did you . . . ? (Sydney turns back to Jarod but he has disappeared. Jarod’s Lair Hotel La Salle San Diego (Jarod comes in drops his stuff moves to the window and looks out. The window looks out over a lumber yard. He turns when he hears the shower being turned on. He picks up a skillet and moves towards the sound. He enters the bathroom, pulls back the shower curtain to discover a woman taking a shower. He is flabbergasted) Jarod: What the ? Who are ? You’re . . . Sandi: (She turns off the shower, grabs a towel and holds it in front of her.) The word is . . . (She stands on tiptoes and whispers in his ear.) naked. (She finishes getting dressed in the bedroom. There is an open suitcase on the bed which she rummages in briefly before moving into the kitchen.) I bought groceries. I hope you like sugar. (She goes to the refrigerator and takes out ice and puts some in two glasses.) Jarod: Who are you? Sandi: Sandi, with an I. Jarod: How did you get in here? Sandi: Desk clerk. He’s a friend of Jack’s. Jarod: Jack Brevins? Sandi: Is there another? Do you want something to drink? I’ve got kiwi papaya juice. A friend turned me on to it. It’s fantastic. In fact, it’s fantastically fantastic. (She hands him the drink.) So, you’ve got an awesome view. Jarod: It’s a lumber yard. Sandi: Well they used to be trees so that almost makes it a forest. Jarod: You said that Jack sent you. Sandi: Hmm. Like a house warming gift. He said to think of me as a living, breathing welcome mat. Jarod: (He grabs her by the wrist and starts dragging her towards the door.) There is no way that this is going to happen. Sandi: What are you doing? Jarod: Look I’m really exhausted. I’ve had a really long day. Sandi: I can’t go. Hey if you send me away well Jack’ll think I pissed you off and Jack can get really nasty if he doesn’t get what he wants. (She goes to the couch, sits down and picks up the photograph of Jarod’s mother from the coffee table.) Hey, pretty lady. Who is she? Jarod: She’s my mother. Sandi: No really? Oh, that’s so sweet. God I’ve haven’t seen my mother in nearly two years. So what were you in prison for? Jarod: Does it matter? Sandi: Well a girl likes to know who she’s drinking with. Well I mean, you didn’t kill somebody did you? Jarod: Okay I can drop off on my way downtown or I can call you a cab. Those are your choices. Sandi: Or I could go with you? Jarod: Are you in some kind of trouble? Sandi: Oh well that depends. Jarod: That depends on what? Sandi: On you. We should get more of this kiwi juice. It’s a passionfruit. (Jarod seems at a loss as to how to deal with this unexpected development.) St Mary’s Medical Centre George Stamatis’s Room (Sydney is standing outside George Stamatis’s room, looking through the window to where Michelle is sitting with her husband. He looks down the passageway to where Nicholas is sitting his head bowed.) Nurse: Can I help you? Sydney: Oh, I'm Doctor Sydney. I was called in to consult on the Stamatis’ case. Nurse: I wasn’t told about any consultation. Sydney: Well there must have been some kind of clerical error, Nurse Roberts. Now I’ve travelled a long way and I’m tired. Now we can get on with this or we can take it up with your supervisor. It’s up to you. Nurse: That’s Mr Samatis’s room. Sydney: But nurse, how is he doing? Nurse: Considering he may only have hours to live, he and Mrs Stamatis are doing fine. Sydney: Thank you. Park (Jarod and Sandi are walking through the park towards the children’s play ground.) Sandi: I think it’s sad when things change. I used to come here when I was a kid. There was this gigantic slide. It must have been fifty, sixty feet high. Jarod: (They stop beside a slide that is about five feet high.) Kind of like this monster? Sandi: It was so much bigger. Jarod: Because you were a little peanut back then. Excuse me. I’ll be right back. (Jarod approaches a woman sho is sitting on a bench watching identical twins playing in the sand box.) Lope: Don’t eat the sand, baby. Jarod: It’s almost like looking into a mirror. Lope: Yes it is. Jarod: Do you mind if I sit down? Lope: It’s a public park. (He sits down beside her.) Jarod: I used to wonder what it would be like to grow up so close to somebody and have a bond like that that could never be broken. Lope: Sounds like a man who misses his family. Jarod: Is it that obvious? Lope: Some people wear their lives in their eyes, some on their skin. How long have you been out of prison? Jarod: Almost a week. Lope: I wish you luck. (She stands up and goes over to the boys.) Come on boys. Mama’s got to get home and get supper started. Jarod: They look just like their father. Lope: What did you say? (He hands her his red notebook. “Ex-con Killed During Home Invasion Robbery.) Who are you? Jarod: My name is Jarod. Bobby, your husband, and I, we were in the same cell block at Mayfield Pen. (He takes the photograph that he created from his pocket and shows it to Lope.) This picture it was taken three days before he was released. Lope I don’t mean to upset you. I know it’s only been a few weeks since Bobby was k. . . was killed. Lope: (Crying.) Bobby had so much going for him when he got out of prison. The boys, a good job, me. It doesn’t make any sense. He wasn’t a violent man. It doesn’t make any sense. Jarod: I know. That’s why I’m here. Parole Office (Jack is talking on the phone.) Jack: Hey. No you listen to me. You miss one more appointment at this office I’m going to slap a warrant on your ass so fast that you won’t know what hit you. (Jarod arrives at his door and knocks. He signals Jarod to enter.) Yeah right. You’re a not as stupid as you look. Eight tonight. (He hangs up.) So, how’s freedom treating you on this fine morning Jarod? Jarod: It takes a little getting used to. (Jarod looks around the office.) Jack: It’s a big world it’s full of surprises. Jarod: Kind of like the surprise I found in my shower yesterday? Jack: She didn’t give you any lip did she? Jarod: No. I just wasn’t expecting guests that’s all. Jack: It’s like riding a bicycle. You know how to ride a bicycle, don’t you? You get on, and just . . . (He demonstrates.) Jarod: Now that’s funny. You know what else is funny? Here I am fresh out of prison and already my parole officer he’s supplied me with enough smack to kill a horse, (Jack gets up and closes the office door.) and a female who may or may not be underage. Now if the intention is to ease the parolee back into society this seems a bit rushed. Jack: Well I didn’t expect you to shoot the entire bag in one sitting. As for the bimbo, she’s twenty-two going on fifty. Sit down. I just like my people to be relaxed when they work. Jarod: And by work you don’t mean the metal shop, I assume. Jack: Jarod Barker. (He returns to his desk, puts on a pair of glasses and starts reading from a file.) Arrested at age fourteen for petty larceny. Spent six months in the Greenly youth camp. Three convictions for narcotics and weapons charges, two aggravated assault convictions and a handful of parole violations. Jarod: I won a spelling bee once when I was seven. Jack: You know how many opportunities there are out there for an ex-con with a history of violence? Zero. Nada. Life as you know it, is over. Be at this address tonight at 10pm. (Jarod takes the piece of paper on which Brevins has written the address and stands up to leave.) Oh, and Jarod, one more thing. Stay away from Lope Harmon. Jarod: How did you know that I talked to Lope? Jack: It’s my job to know what you do. You did time with her husband up at Mayfield. What’s his name? What was his name? Jarod: Bobby. Jack: Right. Bobby. Terrible situation. Jarod: He was one of your guys wasn’t he? Jack: You just stay away from the widow. She can only cause you trouble. Jarod: You’re the boss, right? St Mary’s Medical Centre Chapel (Michelle is sitting in the chapel deep in prayer when she hears footsteps approaching. She looks up to see Sydney.) Sydney: May I join you? (He sits down beside her.) Michelle: Sydney. What are you doing here? Sydney: I thought you might need a friend. Michelle: I like it here, especially in the morning when everything still seems possible. (She starts to cry.) Sorry. Sydney: It’s alright. (He passes her a handkerchief.) Michelle: Thankyou. He’s only fifty-four years old, Sydney. It’s not fair. Sydney: No it’s not. Michelle: How did you know that George was here? Sydney: An old friend sent me a message. Michelle if you need someone to talk to, someone to hold on to, I’m here. (She takes his hand and he holds hers with the other. She sighs deeply.) What is it? Michelle: Nicholas. He’s not handling this very well. He’s so, so angry. Sydney: It’s painful to lose someone you love. Michelle: He still doesn’t know that you’re his real father. Sydney: It’s not important now. Michelle: My husband is dying Sydney. Would you pray with me? Sydney: Of course I will. (They kneel together.) Jarod’s Lair (Jarod is working at his computer. Sandi is sitting on the couch painting her toe nails.) Sandi: I started dancing when I was 17. Jarod: Were you with the Ballet? Sandi: Yeah right. Cleared 400 a week and that was just working topless. Jarod: Topless? Sandi: What? You’ve never been in a strip joint before? Naked women flinging around metal poles, strange men cramming sweaty wads of money into strange women’s panties. Jarod: I would remember something like that. Did you tell Jack that we took a walk in the park? Sandi: I might have mentioned it. (She goes over to where he is working.) What you working on? Jarod: I’m trying to figure out why a man with a wife, two kids and a future would throw it all away for two hundred and fifty six bucks. Did you know Bobby Harmon? Sandi: (Her mood changes and she is not comfortable with the new topic of conversation.) No. That’s terrible. (She turns his back on him and slips on her shoes.) You know I read that he had small children. Jarod: Twin boys, five years old. Sandi: I gotta go. Hey Jarod. I only danced for a couple of months and I never, you know, for money. I just don’t want you to think that I was that kinda girl. Jarod: What kind of girl is that? (She leaves. Jarod picks up his jacket and follows.) Sea Mist Convalescent Home (Jarod follows Sandi to the Sea Mist Convalescent Home where he watches her as she is directed by a nun to the garden. She walks over to a young man in a wheel chair. She bends down to kiss him on the cheek then takes a drinking cup from the nun who had been with the man. Jarod seems puzzled by the meeting.) St Mary’s Medical Centre George Stamatis’s Room (Sydney is sitting by Mr Stamatis’s bed.) Sydney: Mr Stamatis, my name is Sydney. George: I know who you are. (His breathing is ragged and he finds it difficult to get the breath required to talk.) Sydney: I have had this conversation in my mind a hundred times. I want you to know that I have the highest regard for you and your relationship with Michelle and Nicholas. Stamatis: Do you still love her? (Sydney is taken aback by the question.) You don’t need to answer. I see it in your eyes. (He gasps in pain. Sydney adjusts his oxygen tube.) Thankyou. Nicholas doesn’t know that you are his real father. Sydney: No. Stamatis: I want you to tell him after . . . I want you to take care of my son Sydney . . . Promise. Promise. Sydney: I promise. Stamatis: Nicholas. (George notices Nicholas standing in the door. Nicholas turns and leaves. He has obviously overheard their conversation.) Oh! Sydney: Nicholas. Nicholas. Strip Joint (It is a noisy and dimly lit club and as Sandi described. Jarod enters the pool room where Jack and Pat Rush, a young man closer to Jarod’s age than Jack’s are playing pool. The ever-present dogs are eating dinner.) Jack: Hey Jarod. Right on time. Didn’t have any trouble finding the place, did you? Jarod: It’s amazing you tell the taxi driver where to go and he gets you there. Jack: Ain’t it though. I’d like to introduce you to your new partner. Pat Rush. Jarod Barker. Pat: Jack said you did time at Mayfield. Jarod: Six years, eight months, and three days. Pat: I did a two spot there. I don’t remember your face. Jarod: That’s because I like to hang by myself. Pat: That’s cool. Jack: If you dogs are through sniffing each other I’d like to get down to business. My source informs that there is a very accessible situation out in Meadow Hills. Pat: That’s a new development out near the lake. Jack: Houses start at half a million. Gentlemen it’s rotting on the vine. All we have to do is go out there and pick it. Pat: I don’t know. Jack: What did you say? Pat: I gotta bad feeling that’s all. Jack: (Jack grabs Pat’s shirt. The dogs growl.) Son, you don’t know what feeling bad is really all about. Barkeep: Yo, Jack. Phone call. Jack: Take a message. Barkeep: It’s the Mexican. Jack: You boys have a beer and when I get back (He takes a photograph from his pocket and throws it on the pool table.) I’ll tell you all about Myra and Stanley Bellows. (He goes to the bar and talks on the phone. Jarod and Pat keep one eye on him as they talk.) Pat: That guy is certifiable. Word is he’s been running this home invasion scam for almost five years. Jarod: (Jarod has picked up the pool cue and is aimlessly knocking the balls around the table.) Word is? Pat: A guy who knows a guy. Jarod: Well someone should stop him. Pat: One phone call from Brevins and we’re both back inside. Don’t even think about running to the cops unless you want to end up like that Harmon dude. Jarod: Bobby Harmon? Pat: He wasn’t blown away by accident. My guy says that Harmon was about to go to the DA, drop Jack’s whole operation on the table when he got it. Jarod: That’s quite a little scam he’s got going. Career criminals do his dirty work and if we refuse, well, he violates our parole and doubles our time. Pat: Not to mention his frigging dogs. Man loves those frigging dogs. Jarod: How did he know that Bobby Harmon was going to turn him in? Pat: Have you made one move since you’ve been out that he didn’t know about? A Park (It is evening and a church bell peels in the background. Nicholas is sitting on his own on some steps in the park when Sydney approaches him. Jarod has followed Sydney and stands behind a tree out of sight but within earshot.) Nicholas: How’d you find me? Sydney: Your father said you might come here. Nicholas: Hah. My father, that’s a laugh. (Sydney sits beside him.) Sydney: This will be hard for you to understand and you have every right to be angry. But there were reasons. Nicholas: Reasons? What reasons could there be for hiding the truth from someone, about who they are and where they came from? Sydney: Just before you were born I was involved with some people, very dangerous people, who made threats against my life. To protect me, your mother left me without telling me about you. Nicholas: Did you look for me? Sydney: I told you. I didn’t know you’d been born. Nicholas: And now I don’t have a father, or a family or a life. (He stands up and walks away. Sydney follows him as does Jarod who conceals himself behind another tree.) Sydney: Nicholas. It isn’t true. You have a wonderful mother and a father who loves you. Nicholas He’s not my father. Sydney: You’re wrong Nicholas. Being a father is more than giving life. It’s being there in the middle of the night when you are sick, or afraid or alone. It’s teaching you how to ride a bike, how to catch a fish, how to tie a tie. Being a parent isn’t about the big moments. It’s about the little ones. Nicholas: Have you ever felt those things for anyone? Sydney: There was someone. A child. Your father loves you very much. As much as if he had given you life. Don’t throw that away. Nicholas: (He is still angry.) Why are you here? Sydney: After everything is said and done, maybe, you and I can be friends. (Nicholas turns and Sydney watches as he walks away. As Sydney turns away Nicholas turns back to look at Sydney over his shoulder. Sydney hears a noise close by, leaves being crunched underfoot.) Hello? Is someone there? Strip Joint The Pool Room (It is day time and the place is empty except for Jack, Pat and Jarod.) Jack: The key is to convince these people that you are serious. (He puts a shot gun on the pool table.) That you will kill them, if they do not do exactly what you want them to do. (He picks up a box of shells and another shotgun, thrusting the latter into Pat’s hands.) Jarod: What about Bobby Harmon? Jack: What about it? Jarod: Look I don’t want to end up dead on someone’s living room floor because you forgot something. Jack: Harmon was a mistake. End of story. (He throws the box of shells on the table where they spill out of the box. He starts loading the shotgun.) Pat: How much money did you say these people keep in the house? Jack: Could be north of a hundred thousand dollars. Apparently the old gentleman doesn’t trust banks. (He takes the house plans out of his pocket and spreads them on the pool table.) Just make sure you kill this power box before you enter the house. It disables the flood lights, the security system. It will keep the rent-a-cops off your tail. Jarod: And what do we do when we are finished? Jack: You stop by my place and we split up the money. We go in twelve hours. Everybody ready? Jarod: Ready. (Jarod picks up the shotgun and pumps a round into the breach.) Lope Harmon’s House Front Yard (Jarod leans a shoulder on the post of the front gate. The boys are at play and Lope is tending her roses.) Jarod: They say that it takes the patience of a saint to tend to a prosperous garden. Lope: You know about flowers? Jarod: I know about patience. Lope: I used to send Bobby a single red rose every Friday. Jarod: He used to put them in the window of his cell. He said they made him feel like there was something worth living for. Lope: You know, Bobby wrote me twice a week. He never mentioned anyone named Jarod. Jarod: Well he probably wouldn’t. I was transferred to Bobby’s cell block three weeks before he was released. So, you know, he probably had other things on his mind. Lope: Come here baby. (She gathers the boys to her and sits on a garden seat.) Jarod: You have great kids. Lope: In the park, you said you come here for a reason? Jarod: I think Bobby was set up. Lope: Set up? Why would anyone want to hurt my husband? Jarod: That's what I m trying to find out. Lope: Oh, where are my manners. (She stands and moves towards the house.) Ah. Please can I get you something to drink? Jarod: That would be very nice. Lope: It would have to be water or Kiwi juice. Jarod: Kiwi juice? Lope: Kiwi Papaya. It was Bobby’s favourite. There must be a dozen bottles left in the refrigerator. Jarod’s Lair (Sandi enters the room. She is carrying a grocery bag and a bunch of flowers. Jarod steps out from the bedroom.) Jarod: Busy day? Sandi: Oh Jarod. I didn’t see you standing there. Jarod: Surprising. I thought you were keeping a close eye on me. Sandi: (She chooses to ignore the hard edge in Jarod’s voice.) I bought some steaks and a bottle of wine. I thought maybe we could go up on the roof and have ourselves a cook out. Jarod: You knew Bobby Harmon. Sandi: Ha! Jarod I . . . Jarod: Please don’t lie to me. Sandi: I knew Bobby. Jarod: Why didn’t you tell me? Sandi: I was scared. Bobby and me were friends. No it wasn’t like that. He loved his wife and his kids. Jarod: You told Brevins that Bobby was going to turn him into the police. Sandi: No. I never mentioned that to anybody, except for . . . Jarod: Except for who? Sandi: Pat Rush. Jarod: And what about me? What’s the deal with me? Sandi: Jack wanted me to get close. Jarod I had no choice. Jarod: This has something to do with that guy that I saw you talking to at the convalescent home. Sandi: You followed me? Jarod: Who was he? Just another sucker or maybe a former client that you took pity on? Sandi: He’s my little brother. Outside (Jarod and Sandi are walking along a path in a park that overlooks the waterfront.) Sandi: His name is Michael. The doctors say that he will never be any better than he is now. It was raining and Michael had invited me to dinner and the movies. He loves the movies. I ah, never saw the other car run the light. Jarod: Is that why your mother won’t speak to you? Sandi: I was his big sister, you know. I’m supposed to be looking out for him. I thought that paying for Michael’s medical care might turn things around and make her understand that it was an accident. Jarod: Private hospitals are expensive. Sandi: Three thousand dollars a month. Jarod: That’s how you got involved with Brevins. You needed the money to take care of your little brother. Sandi: He had nothing to do with what happened to Bobby. I swear. After Bobby was killed I got scared and I was going to go to the police. But Jack threatened to hurt Michael. I didn’t know what else to do. Jarod: (He takes her hands.) Don’t worry. I’ll take care of it. I promise. The Sting (Jarod is talking to Pat trying to convince him to do something. Pat is reluctant to accept what Jarod is saying. At a pet shop Jarod purchases dog muzzles and some . . . cassettes? In Lope’s front garden, Jarod introduces Lope to Sandi. He then instructs them in the use of a video camera. At his lair, Jarod removes the buckshot from cartridges. Back at the park Pat and Jarod reach an agreement. They shake on it. At the convalescent home Jarod hands a nun some money for which he is rewarded by a big hug from Sandi.) Outside The Victim’s House (It is night. Jarod and Pat get out of the car and go around to the trunk. Jarod opens it and they get out their weapons.) Jarod: Are you down for this? Pat: I cut the power, bust open the side door and wait for you to come through the front. Jarod: Everything by the numbers. Pat: By the numbers. Huh! Jarod: You don’t seem convinced. Pat: If we screw this up we’re both dead men. Jarod: Well we’d better not screw it up then. Inside the Victim’s House (A man is watching an old black and white movie on the television when the electricity goes off. He gets up to check the fuse box. He finds a flashlight turns it on. It is Jack. He hears footsteps. He swings the flashlight around to find the source of the man. A man wearing a balaclava steps out and knocks him unconscious.) Jarod: Oh Jack. Wake up! It is okay if I still call you Jack, right? (Jack is now tied to a chair with electrical tape a blindfold around his head.) Jack: Barker Is that you Barker? You stinking punk. I'm going to burn you for this. Pat: I told you this was going to blow up in our faces. Jack: Rush? Is that you kid? Hey kid listen to me. You’re making a life decision here. Make a right one. Pat: Look let’s split, right now. Jarod: Will you chill out. Like you said he’s been doing this home invasion thing for the last five years, right. Pat: So what? Jarod: So what. Open your eyes dumb ass. Look around. There’s more loot here than when we are ever going to find in some cul-de-sac in the suburbs? Jack: You clowns are robbing me? That’s what this is all about? You’re robbing me. Jarod: It stings don’t it Jack. Just like it must have stung . . . (Jarod reverts to his normal voice and manner. The parolee facade is dropped.) . . . Bobby Harmon. When you killed him. Pat: Whoa. Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. Why are you talking about Harmon. Let’s just do this and get out of here. Jarod: A little change of plans Pat. (Jarod walks around the chair where Jack is tied to confront Pat.) Pat: What are you talking about? Jarod: You see I'm not exactly who I pretend to be. The truth is I’ve never been arrested before, but you will be. I’ll make sure that they put you away for aiding and abetting in the murder of Bobby Harmon. Jack: Kill him Pat. (Pat aims his shotgun at Jarod.) Pat: Who are you? Jarod: I’m still trying to figure that one out. But as for you it’s over. Pat: I don’t think so. Jarod: Are you going to shoot me? Pat: I’ll do it, I swear. Jarod: Go ahead. Jack: Do it! (Pat pulls the trigger but nothing happens.) Pat: Back off Barker! Jarod: (Jarod hits Pat on the head with the butt of his shot gun. Pat drops instantly.) It was a pleasure doing business with you. Well it looks like it’s just you and me Jack. Jack: What do want from me? Jarod: Did you kill Bobby Harmon? Jack: You’re going to rot in prison Barker. Jarod: Answer my question. Jack: Go to hell! Jarod: Okay fine. I’m just going to have to take it up with your four-legged friends in the next room. Jack: Hey what are you doing? Jarod: Let’s just see how much you really love those little guys. Actually I’ll start with the little one. Jack: Junior? Hey Barker what the hell are you doing? Don’t you hurt that dog. Jarod: Junior. Junior! (Jarod disappears into the next room. There is the sound of a shot gun blast and a dog squeals in pain.) Jack: You son of a bitch. You killed my dog? Jarod: (Jarod returns.) Well are you ready to answer my question now Jack? Jack: Look, you leave Big Daddy alone, huh? Jarod: Big Daddy’s going to fry unless you answer my question. Jack: You hurt that dog man, I’ll cut your heart out. Jarod: Oh alright Jack. Have it your way. (He starts to leave the room.) Jack: No. Barker. Barker. Alright. Alright. I did it. Jarod: (Jarod steps back into the room.) Did what? You did what!? Jack: I killed Bobby Harmon. I made it look like it was a robbery. Jarod: And how many home invasion robberies using parolees were you involved with? How many? Jack: Ten, twelve. Come on take this blindfold off me, will you man? Jarod: Sure thing Jack. (Jarod removes the blindfold. Jack is surprised to see his dogs sitting in front of him, muzzled. Lope and Sandi are also there. They have captured his confession on video.) Jack: What the hell? Hey? I heard my dogs. I heard you shoot? Jarod: With this? (He shoots at one of the television sets. The gun discharges but the cartridges are empty of buckshot. It does no damage.) Neat trick huh? Oh, and one other thing. Look at this. (He runs out of the room. He returns with a cassette player. Jarod takes out the cassette and turns it over and plays it. The sounds of a dog barking in time to a Christmas carol is heard.) Merry Christmas, Jack. Jack: Oh. Oh. I’ll get you! Barker! Damn you! Barker! (He throws the cassette player on the floor.) St Mary’s Medical Centre Outside Mr Stamatis’s Room Nurse: Pardon me, Mrs Stamatis but the Doctor thinks you should say goodbye now. Michelle: I don’t think I can do this. Sydney: I can go in with you. Michelle: No. I need to be alone with him. But Nicholas should be here. He needs to say goodbye to him. (She paces as she looks for Nicholas. Eventually she goes in and sits on George’s bed.) Michelle: Hi! Stamatis: Hey! Michelle: Hey! Stamatis: It’s alright. Don’t be afraid. I’m not. Michelle: I love you, so much. Stamatis: Always. Michelle: It just doesn’t seem fair. We have so much to do. We have so much more to share. Stamatis: Shh. We will be together again, I know it. Come here. Come here. (He hugs her.) Oh my baby. Where’s Nick hey? Nicholas: Sorry I’m late. I’m here Daddy. I'm here. Stamatis: Hey buddy. Hey. (The life support monitor indicates his passing.) St Mary’s Medical Centre Outside (Michelle and Nicholas are about to depart in a taxi. Michelle walks back to Sydney.) Michelle: Thank you will just never be enough. Sydney: I’m glad that I was of some comfort to you. What now? Michelle: Well I go home and try to get on with the rest of my life. Sydney: A good life. Michelle: Goodbye Sydney. Sydney: Until we meet again. (She kisses him on the cheek and walks over to the taxi. Nicholas comes over to Sydney.) Nicholas: I never thought that I could feel more alone than I did when I heard that my father was dying. I was wrong. Sydney: Time is a great healer. Nicholas: Time. Is that how you got over losing your family? Sydney: I will never get over that, not as long as I live. Nicholas: (Nicholas takes a piece of paper from his pocket and hands it to Sydney.) My office number at the university if you ever, ever want to talk. Sydney: Who shall I say I am if your assistant asks? Nicholas: You could say that you are my friend. (Sydney waves to them as they depart in the taxi. Jarod approaches Sydney from behind him. Jarod is now dressed in a dark suit complete with tie.) Jarod: That’s a pretty good start. Sydney: Well, a man can’t ask for more than an opportunity. And I owe any chance that I have of knowing my son to you Jarod. Jarod: Well everyone deserves to have a family. (Jarod walks away.) Sydney: Jarod. (Jarod turns around and Sydney walks up to him. Sydney reaches up and adjusts Jarod’s tie.) Didn’t I teach you how to tie a tie? Jarod: Yes. Yes you did. CLOSING CREDITS