SEASON ONE
EPISODE 14
"Ranger Jarod"
Teleplay: Chris Ruppenthal
Story: Steven Long Mitchell & Craig W Van Sickle
Director: Ian Toynton

Flashback
The Centre
Sim Lab
 (A heart monitor emits its familiar beat.  The wires are attached to young Jarod who is standing in the middle of a glass box.  Sydney stands on the other side of the glass and barely discerned in the background are a number of observers sitting on chairs, some holding clipboards.)
Young Jarod: What are we doing Sydney?
Sydney: An experiment about sexuality.
Young Jarod: Reproduction?
Sydney: That's one aspect of it.
Young Jarod: I read the biology manuals.
Sydney: Reading isn't quite the same as feeling.  I'd like you to meet someone, Jarod.
(A white coated figure points the way to a young girl from a doorway into the room but outside the glass.  She walks towards Jarod.  Jarod walks towards her and places his hand flat on the glass.  His heart rate has increased as is evidenced by the faster beeping of the heart monitor.  The girl looks to her right seeking permission.  A shadow behind a screen nods its approval.  She places her hand on the glass opposite the spot where Jarod's hand rests.)
Young Jarod: You're a girl.  (She nods.)

Diner
Television: (Female voice)  Will you marry me?  (Male voice) Never.
(Jarod sits at the counter at a diner.  Behind the counter a television is tuned to an episode of The Three Stooges.  A woman has one of the Stooges' heads in a large vice and turns the handle when he knocks back her proposal of marriage.)
Jarod: (He speaks to the waitress.)  They seem to be able to withstand an amazing amount of pain.  People find this type of violence . . . funny?
Waitress: Not people, men.  (Two men sitting at the opposite end of the counter.  Jarod and the waitress turn to them as they laugh at the antics on the television.)
Jarod: Why it that?
Waitress: Nobody knows.  Y know, the Stooges have been one of the great mysteries between the sexes.   (The men laugh again at the physical antics on the television.  Jarod watches momentarily and joins in.)
Waitress: Oh no.  Not you too.
Jarod: I'm sorry but really it is pretty funny.  (He stands suddenly and in time with the sound effects of the Stooges bashing each other walks back into a young woman walking behind him.  He turns)  I'm sorry.  I feel like such a . . .
Nia: Stooge?
(She turns and walks towards the door.  She opens it but turns and looks back at Jarod with a smile before stepping through it and closing it after her.  Jarod stands as if he's suddenly taken root.)
Waitress: Hey mattress brain.  The bill's 12.95.
Jarod: Oh!  (He takes out some money and hands it to her.)
Waitress: These guys have caused enough distractions for one day.  (She picks up the television remote and changes the channel to a news station.  As he waits for his change, a news report catches Jarod's attention.)
TV Reporter: Park's Services Rangers from all over have joined in the search for Victor Simpkins, an ornithology grad student who vanished in our local mountains.  I spoke with Simpkins'  mother moments ago.
Mother: When I didn't hear from Victor, well, I just thought he was late.  But now it's been five days.  I'm just praying he's okay.
Reporter: With a storm heading this way, Rangers are anxious to find Simpkins before it's too late.  Live from Toluca National Forest this is David Nelson, Action Fifteen News.
Waitress: Okay, here's your . . .  (She turns to where Jarod had moments ago been standing to find him gone.  The door of the diner gently closes.)

Toluca National Forest
(There are a group of men and women all dressed for the outdoors standing in a semicircle in front of a ranger who is talking to the group.)
Conrad: I need one more body to help sector out Roville Ridge B1 through B7.  Steep approach, bad underbrush, lots of slippery shale.  Who wants to hump that?
Jarod: (He raises his hand.)  I'm your man.

OPENING CREDITS

Toluca National Forest
Conrad: You got experience?
Jarod: Well, I spent a few years. . . (He looks over to a jeep and spots and army rangers bumper sticker.)  . . . in the army rangers.  I specialised in high mountain work.
Derek: Man, you were made to order.
Jarod: You could say that.
Conrad: What's your name?
Jarod: Jarod . . . (Spotting a Smokey Bear poster he gets the inspiration for his surname.)  Forest.
Conrad: (He addresses the group again.)  Alright people.  Listen up.  The advance parties went up at dawn.  We move out in thirty minutes.  Now this kid's been missing for five days, and his mother's very concerned.  He . . . we . . .  are running out of time so we leave no stones unturned.  We're looking for a needle folks and we haven't even found the haystack.
Inside the Rangers' Station
(Jarod stands examining a large wall map when another of the Rangers approaches Jarod.  He is younger than Conrad but has a friendlier disposition.)
Derek: Forest . . . Derek Colby.  (They shake hands.)
Jarod: Nice to meet you.  So had anyone seen Victor Simpkins before he was reported missing?
Derek: No one was looking for him.  Of course, for the last few days the boss had me doing paperwork while he got to do all the fun stuff.
Jarod: Fun stuff?
Derek: Stan's been on the north side of the mountain, clearing trails, setting charges, lots of deep ravines, caves, fallen old growth.  You take a tumble in that, I don't care if you're Moby Dick, we might not find you.
Jarod: Sounds like you know the terrain pretty well.
Derek: Eight years.  I came out here on one of those "let's expose the urban youth to the great outdoors" programs.  Funny thing is, it worked.  I love the Bronx, but this is home now.
Conrad: (Jarod turns back to the map but is interrupted again but this time by Conrad.)  So Forest, where did you do your mountain training?
Jarod: In the mountains mostly.
Conrad: Yeah.  No seriously, ah where were you stationed?  Fort Lewis?
Jarod: You were in the army, too?
Conrad: Fifteen years.  Did you ever come across a Sergeant Tripjack a ranger instructor.
Jarod: Sounds familiar.
(Nia walks up behind them on her way to a different point of the room.)
Nia: He's lying Stan.  He's really one of the Stooges.
Conrad: You two know each other?
Nia: We ran into each other once.
(She continues on her way.)
Jarod: (He watches her as she walks away, almost mesmerised.)  Is she a ranger?
Conrad: No.  She's a volunteer.  She runs a little outfitting place a few miles down the road.  I wouldn't get any ideas.  She keeps mostly to herself.
Derek: Stan!  Just got word from the advance team.  They found Simpkin's base camp.

   
 
 
 
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