Date: Thu, 27 Jul 1995 23:45:36 -0400 Reply-To: Hobert@AOL.COM Sender: Highlander TV show stories From: K Robnett Subject: LESSONS: An Episode, Part 4 of 4 ACT FOUR: INT CLOSET (Gratuitous Richie Scene) It is pitch black. Richie gasps as he wakes up on the floor. He bangs his head on something and yelps. He struggles around the room until he finds a light switch. A swinging bare bulb suddenly lights up, brightening a small area of the utility closet. He is naked, dried blood on his face and body. On a table next to him is a paper sack with his sword hilt sticking out, a large note attached to it. Richie pulls it off and reads it. RICHIE: (reading) Hey, Roadkill. Couldn't save the clothes. I'm out covering for your missing body. Call me later with the details. Service door is to your right. Miss ya, Anne. He chuckles as he reaches back and turns out the light. EXT AIRPORT - LATE AFTERNOON Joe is finishing throwing a bag into the trunk of his car. Duncan is helping Amanda get into a cab, kissing her and watching the cab pull away. He gets into the passenger side as Joe sits in the driver's seat. They drive off. DUNCAN: Any word. JOE: There was a John Doe matching his description involved in a hit and run. Dead on arrival. The body was taken to the hospital. DUNCAN: How long ago? JOE: Two, three hours. DUNCAN: He won't be there. Where's your phone? Joe hands him a cellular phone. Duncan dials. INT RICHIE'S APARTMENT - LATER Richie is running in and out of the bedroom, throwing more clothes into another bag. His sword is lying on a table nearby. The phone rings. He is hesitant to pick it up. On the fourth ring, he does. RICHIE: Yeah. DUNCAN: (from phone) Is Mark there? RICHIE: No. Gee, Mac, you wouldn't believe... DUNCAN: Get out. RICHIE: What? DUNCAN: Get out of there! Now! Levison is... (Dead silence) RICHIE: Mac? Hello? He tries the phone and cannot get a dial tone. Confused, he sets it back down, heading for the bedroom. He comes out of the bedroom, clothes in hand, when the buzz hits. He automatically reaches for the sword MARK: (outside apartment) Richie! It's Mark. Open up. Leaving the sword, Richie runs to the door, throwing it open. Mark steps inside as Richie babbles. RICHIE: Man, you wouldn't believe what... Mark grabs him by the throat, backing him all the way to the back wall. MARK: (raspy) It took a bit to shake the cops, but I'm here to finish things. RICHIE: Oh, man. Mark keeps him pinned to the wall as they struggle. Mark pulls a dagger out with his free hand, managing to pin his left hand to the wall, driving the blade into the stud. ((*Wall* stud. Jeeze!)) Mark stands back, watching Richie try to alternately pull the dagger out, or grasp for his sword, just out of reach. MARK: (pulling out sword) You've been far luckier than most. They rarely take this long. RICHIE: Duncan will be here any minute. MARK: (readying stroke) I've heard that one before. Just as he starts to swing, a buzz is heard. Duncan appears in the open doorway, katana drawn. His face displays no emotion. Mark turns to face him, Richie still struggling with the dagger. MARK: You can't interfere! DUNCAN: Why, Mark? You've been killing students for over a century. Why didn't it end when you stopped Matthews? MARK: (on edge) Matthews was my first kill, can you believe it? I had to trick him. The Quickening was... I wanted more. But I wasn't good enough. Nathan showed me that. I had to fight people I could beat. Young ones. They're so easy. DUNCAN: You can't go on... doing this. MARK: I'm ready, Duncan. Even for you. DUNCAN: I'll be waiting. MARK: (Turning back to Richie) Just as soon as I finish. Duncan begins to leave, briefly making eye contact with Richie. Richie nods slightly, then resumes pulling at the dagger as Duncan exits. MARK: It's time to get weaned, lad. Mark swings, but Richie frees the dagger from the wall, ducking in the nick of time. He tumbles to his sword, and they fight. Richie is losing until he throws a punch with his free hand, the dagger still embedded in it. Realizing his advantage with a second weapon, he manages to gut Mark, who ends up on his knees, bleeding from the stomach. Mark is in shock, unable to believe he is losing. Richie stands over him, ready to decapitate him. RICHIE: Too late. I'm outa the milk phase. He swings. There is a spectacular Quickening, destroying his apartment. Richie ends up on his knees when the pyrotechnics stop, eyes closed. Slowly opening them, he looks around his shattered apartment, grimacing. RICHIE: There goes the security deposit. Fade to black. Commercial. TAG: EXT ALLEY IN FRONT OF ANTIQUE STORE - DUSK Richie is sitting on the bench across from the store, tossing popcorn from a bag at birds on the brick street. Duncan walks up, pausing before sitting down. DUNCAN: Joe said I'd find you here. RICHIE: Amanda settled? DUNCAN: Yes. Silence. Several people walk between them and the camera as Richie continues to throw popcorn. Duncan waits. Richie finally leans the bag over, giving Duncan the opportunity to take some. Duncan does, munching on a few kernels. DUNCAN: I thought maybe we could take a few days off, after she leaves.... Drive down the coast a bit and see what's going on. RICHIE: I'd like that. Duncan struggles to find the words to say. DUNCAN: There's not a lot left I can teach you... RICHIE: This isn't another so long, go away, watch your head speeches, is it? DUNCAN: (chuckling) No. I want you to stay. It's just.... RICHIE: You'll worry. (off Duncan's nod) Welcome to the club. It hasn't been a picnic watching you take off after another Immortal night after night. DUNCAN: I guess not. RICHIE: How about you try and not fuss over me and I'll try and not do anything stupid. DUNCAN: Deal. They shake hands. RICHIE: Now that's settled, can I borrow the T-bird tonight? I want to take Susie to the drive-in. Perfect weather to let the top down, maybe take a midnight drive into the mountains... DUNCAN: (drawing out the word) Richie... RICHIE: (copying Duncan) Mac... They hold the moment, trying not to laugh. Duncan finally stands, throwing the remaining popcorn in his hands to the birds. He fishes for the keys, tossing them to Richie, then starts walking away. RICHIE: Hey, you and Amanda want to double date? They're showing 'Samurai Nuns meet the Furry, Flying Rodents from Hell'. Duncan stops, looks as if he's going to say something, then changes his mind and walks off, shaking his head and smiling. Fade to black. End Credits. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Comments to: hobert@aol.com =========================================================================