by Cory Mccoy
JESSE
She's the nice one, too.
Mike
For some reason, I'm not worried about you's two like I am him.
Jesse
I'll tell you one thing, you're a lucky motherfucker. You're the only person I've seen him let walk away since this shit began.
MIKE
You can't really...
MIKE is shaking so hard that he looked as if he were going to have a seizure.
CONNOR
Just relax, I try not to murder Americans if I can help it.
Mike
That's kind of hard to believe when you've all got weapons.
Connor
How do you think we've made it this far? Jesse, give him the gun back. I know it's hard to believe, but you can trust us.
Jesse
Just don't try anything stupid.
MIKE
Ya know what? This kid scares me too. All of you do.
Connor
Why are you still in the Park?
Mike
I've got no where else to go. Say what happened to ya's face?
Connor
I got into a fight with the wall of a cliff.
Mike
The Chinese didn't do that to yous?
Connor
No, although they tried. My name's Connor. This is Jesse and Liz.
Mike
Mike. Umm LeRoi.
Connor
Where are you from Mike?
Mike
Me? I'm from Bawsten. I got tired of the city, so I moved up here afta college.
Connor
Do you have a wife, kids?
Mike
Nah, look at me,the ladies ain't so big on short, chubby guys like ma self.
Jesse
How long are you planning on hiding out here?
Mike
Probably til the war's ova. What bout yous guys?
JESSE
We aren't hiding. We're fighting back.
CONNOR
There's no shame in hiding JES. However, it's best not to speculate on battleplans that havent even been formed. We're headed north MIKE.
Mike
Why's that? Yous gotta tell me what happened in Portland.
Connor
It's kind of a long story.
Mike
That's fine, we got bunks in the back, yous can stay here for a few nights.
Connor
I appreciate that, but MIKE, I'm the last man on earth you should harbor.
Mike
So when did yous start the broadcasts?
Connor
Eh?
Mike
Aww c'mon, the broadcasts when yas comes on the radio out of nowhere, or like when you cut into the middle of the TV screen and are all blurry.
Jesse
What the fuck is he talking about? (JESSE is laughing)
Mike
Yous guys is messing with me aint ya?
Connor
I'm afraid not, but seriously what are you talking about?
Mike
Oh man, you really ain't shittin me.
Liz
Are you going to tell us what the heck you're talking about?.
Mike
Well, umm, here's the thing. Did you or didn't yous make that interview a coupla weeks ago?
Connor
With Raul?
Mike
Who? Oh you mean R.C.? Ya that's him, sounds kinda Hispanic or somethin.
Connor
Yes, that was me in the interview.
Mike
Ok, so from what I|ve heard on the radio it was posted online and started to get a followin. Tens of Millions of views within three days of somethin.
Liz
Amazing
Connor
Yeah, your damn right. But get this, so then, the next few days, the Chinese, theys makin their broadcasts and all of a sudden this mean sonnuvabitch cuts in all shadowy and blurry on the TV.
Connor
What do you mean?" I asked
Mike
Well it was just a, what do you call it... like a cut out...
Liz
A silhouette?
Mike
Yeah, that's it, it was a silhouette of yous or somethin and it was playin clips from yas recording. Then it starts happenin more and more, they try and cut off the frequency, but it doesn't always work!
Connor
Interesting...
Mike
Not to mention the radio. Yous come cutting in mid-song or right in the middle of those fucks broadcasts. It's always the same shit, but it really makes ya feel all tingly. Like somethin in the worlds changing ya know? They try and convince us we's been broken, then BAM here's the fuckin' General. He says fuck those guys, ya know?
Connor
I get the feeling.
It's like our Kennedy assassination man. ( He is so excited he was beginning to get up and pace)Like our generation will be defined by looking back and sayin to each others,'When did you first hear the General?' That shit gives me chills every time. Telling us we're all the resistance, it makes me wanna fight too! Come on brotha, let's fuckin do it!
Liz
Wow
MIKE
Ah c'mon. Sure I aint got y'alls kinda courage, but im sure there's something I can do. Yous need an office clerk?
LIZ
No one knows what they've got inside until their finger is on that trigger Mike. It's best to hope you never have to find out.
Jesse
It is kind of funny, we had no idea this was happening.
Mike
So you're tellin me that the general and company is right here in my cabin and yous guys ain't had a clue this was going down?
Connor
Well, I knew he was trying to get the word out, but I didn't think it would be that effective. Not by a long shot.
Liz
This...This changes everything.
Mike
HELLS YEAH IT DOES! We're gonna win this mothafucka.
Connor
I guess at this point we've gone beyond running and are going to have to get to Seattle to put a face behind the movement.
Mike
Man! I feel like my prom date just knocked on the door!
Jesse
Ha, What?
Mike
Ok, ok wise guy, that was a bad analogy or somethin. Who is this kid?"
Liz
That kid's killed more men than most soldiers ever will.
Mike
No shit? Yous the third one they're after aren't ya? Oh man, you're too young. I got a nephew about your age. How could I - They. How could they come after him like that?
CONNOR sttrides across the room to Mike, there is murder in his eyes. His voice comes out harsh and slow, as he draws close allowing no room for MIKE to avoid him. CONNOR looks like a bear looming over a house dog, compared to MIKE's puny frame.
Connor
Wait... What do you mean third?
Mike
Two guys and a girl, they said yous guys are killers. They're trying to discredit yas, like you were convicts or somethin. I figured you'd all be a little talla, ya know?
Jesse
He's twice your size, dick head. Hell, Liz is damn close to your size.
Connor
How do you know all this, when you're this far out in the woods?
Mike
The radios still work up here, man.
Liz
So they've said they're after us?
Liz pulls a 9mm out of her holster.
Mike
Oh yeahs, they said theys gonna do some crazy shit once they find ya. They're.. gonna.. well.. they wants to make an example.. they said they'd execute you in front of the entire world..
Connor
Well, isn't that daunting ( He says defiantly, his hand pressed against the wall behind his head) Why the hell should I trust you, Mike?
Mike
; Ha, you really are a tough sonnuvabitch! I want, no I need you to come out ahead, ya knows?
Jesse
You think they're in the woods yet?
Mike
Nah kid, I'd have known if they was.
CONNOR
How? How would you know Mike?
Liz
You didn't know we were here.
Mike
Hell I didn't!
Liz
How long did you know that we were out there Mike?
Liz puts her hand on CONNOR's shoulder to calm him a bit.
Mike
Well, I saws ya fire a few days back when I was at the river, but didn't think nothin' of it. But around a week ago I was sure I saw yous guys from the cliff top.
Connor
Nothing else behind us?
Mike
Nah, but the other rangers all left for their families right after this started, so it's just me out heres.
CONNOR
You know full well I wasnt asking about park rangers. What are you avoiding?
MIKE
Nothin. Nothin, im just scared ya know?
Connor
How far are we from a road?
Mike
About thirty five miles or so.
Jesse
How do you manage that hike?
Mike
Oh? ha I ain|t hiking that, I take the gator.
Connor
You have gas out here?
Mike
Oh yeah, we gots everything. I got a generator, gas for the gator, we even got fresh water and a hot shower.
Liz
Wow, that isn't bad at all.
Mike
Say, yous guys wanna hang out here a few days? Rest up. Your arm don't look so good, General.
CONNOR
I'm not so sure...
Mike
Aww, c'mon, I haven't talked to anyone in a few days. You guys can clean up and relax for a while, then I can take ya north on the gator if ya wants.
CONNOR
Your generosity is overwhelming MIKE. Thank you. We'll stay for a while, but I'm going to need a first aid kit.
Liz
Oh shit. We need to clean your... well...(LIZ gestures at basically CONNOR's entire body) there's a lot that needs to be cleaned before you get infected.
Mike
How bad is it?
Connor
Well...
CONNOR pulls the bandage off of his face. MIKE tries to jump away, with nowhere to go but into the wall.
Mike
Oh shit, man! Did you get in a fight with a fuckin' bear?
Connor
I take it, you don't want me to accompany you to prom anymore?
Mike
Well, you're probably still prettier than me. Lemme grab that kit.
Jesse
Actually, he fell down a cliff and apparently stopped himself with his teeth.
Connor
It tasted like chicken.
CONNOR tries to touch his face but winces. He then begins rummaging through the bag for painkillers.
Liz
Connor, are you almost out of those already? That was supposed to be a month supply.
JESSE
Well that was before he decided to step into the octagon with a bear.
Connor
I was also supposed to take it easy, relax, get some rest. I don|t think hiking a hundred or so miles and scaling a cliff would fall into that category.
LIZ
I'm just worried about you. (LIZ hugs CONNOR.) You've put yourself through so much. I don't know how anyone could push so hard without breaking.
CONNOR
We all break in different ways. (CONNOR whispers before MIKE breaks the tension)
Mike
If it feels half as bad as it looks, I'd be eaten that whole bottle at once. Listen, you should probably go try and wash up as best you can before we do anything. You're gonna need stitches in a spot or two most likely. It's gonna sting like a sonnuvabitch when ya clean it.
Connor
Yeah, sure. Where's the sink?
Mike
Oh, it's on the other side of the bedroom over there.
Connor
Fuck...
LIZ
Here, let me help.
LIZ pulls out a nearby chair and begins wetting a washrag for CONNOR. It's quiet. More intimate than any time they've had together recently.
CONNOR
How bad do you think it's gonna scar?
LIZ
Well, it looks like you fell off a motorcycle face first. This is going to hurt like a motherfucker hun. These gashes are deep and pretty dirty from the sweat.
CONNOR
Still think scars are sexy?
LIZ
More than ever. (LIZ kisses CONNOR gently on the forehead.) Hopefully he's got some butterfly stitches. This one by your temple is going to scar badly if we try to sew it.
CONNOR
I've always wanted a bad ass facial scar.
LIZ
Well, c'mon toughguy. Let's get this bandaged up and then maybe you can take a bath.
CONNOR
LIZ (CONNOR pulls her close and whispers to her) be careful. We can't trust this guy.
LIZ
I know.
Mike (from other room)
Hey guys, looks like a storm's comin. I needs to batten down the hatches pretty quick here.
CONNOR wakes up to the sound of an explosion in the distance.
Connor
Guys? Hey where are you guys?
No answer, he gets out of the tub and dresses, not wasting time drying off. His arm doesn't hurt at all, in fact it looked perfectly normal. CONNOR rushed out of the bathroom only to find myself in an alleyway. He knows this place, it was where He and Liz had been mugged in New York. How did he get here?
Something was off, it was much too quiet for New York. CONNOR runs out of the alley, looking desperately for anyone to tell him what was happening, what the fuck was happening?
CONNOR is so frantic that he trips and falls face first on the side walk. He looks back to see what he had fallen on. It is a child's body. Horrified, CONNOR gets up, we see cars wrecked in the street. Everywhere, there were bodies.
"Calm down" CONNOR's own voice echoes softly in the distance. "CALM DOWN" the voice says again, quietly, mockingly. CONNOR keeps walking. There is no sign of life anywhere.
He walks, stumbles for what felt like hours, nothing seemed right. He would look at a building one moment and then when he looked back it was something else entirely. CONNOR knew it was a dream, but he can't wake himself.
There is nothing but dead bodies and shifting buildings. some of the bodies seem so familiar to CONNOR, yet so vague.
"Heeey! HELLLOOOO!" CONNOR tried to yell, but nothing comes out. As CONNOR turns, screaming silently, we see a man in the distance. He was a decent sized guy, tall with broad shoulders and wearing a camouflage uniform. Military probably.
CONNOR runs to him, still screaming with no voice. The man pays no attention to him even as CONNOR grabs his shoulder, because he wouldn't turn around. When he spins around, what CONNOR sess leaves him stunned and stumbling backward, falling to the ground.
Without a word, this man who looked just like CONNOR, maybe it is CONNOR, lifts a pistol toward his head.
BANG!
Connor
Shit, fuck, shit!
CONNOR is flailing in the bath tub. LIZ has just walked in, the bang wasn't a gun but the sound of the door closing behind her.
Liz
Oh my god, Connor are you ok?
Connor
I'm fine, I'm fine. I think I just fell asleep. What are you doing?
Liz
I was just checking on you. You've been in here for two hours.
Connor
Sorry, I- I must have fallen asleep. (CONNOR replies as he is getting out of the bath tub)
Liz
You sai
d that already, silly. How's your arm feeling?
Connor
It's better.
Liz
Oh so apparently, Susan Thompson is the acting President now.
Connor
That might not be a bad thing, she had more balls than anyone else in that administration.
Liz
Yeah, but the Joint chiefs of staff have split and are refusing to deploy to the areas she is ordering them to.
Connor
You've got to be fucking kidding me.
Liz
Nope, apparently they think it's more important to build up the forces than to help towns on the verge of being taken.
Connor
That's no better than treason. There's no time for this political bullshit.
Liz
I agree. (LIZ said with an odd look, it is the one she got every time she didn't want to tell CONNOR something.)
Connor
Oh god, you're squinting. What is it?
Liz
Well, it's just that... We, uh, we think you should do something about it when we get to Seattle.
Connor
Me? Have you lost it? What could I possibly do about it?
Liz
I don't know, things are different now.
CONNOR and LIZ walk out of the bathroom, he's just wearing a pair of pants. The shot of him without a shirt is important for contrast later in the series. CONNOR takes a seat at the table with LIZ
Connor
Hey, What do you clowns think I should do about the military? Tell the president and joint chiefs to kiss and make up?
Mike
Well no. Or yes, I mean you could umm.. Well there's a lot of people out there waiting to hear from yas and they want you to help. I mean..
Jesse
What he's saying, is that people are waiting for orders from you and you alone. They seem to have really gotten behind this whole resistance thing. You can force their hand and you know it.
Jesse
I see. (pause) What the fuck have I gotten myself into?
Mike
It's not always up to you whether or not yous get ta be the hero man.
Liz
All you've ever wanted to do is help people. As long as I've known you, you've never questioned doing the right thing.
Connor
I know, but this isn't the same thing. Every time I do anything, I put people in danger, people keep dying because of me.
Jesse
And they'll die even without you! Don't you get it? It doesn't matter. If you do something people are gonna die. If you don't they|ll still die. All that matters is that you'll at least be trying to make a difference.
Connor
JESSE...
Jesse
No! You need to understand something. (JESSE has begun to cry) I doubt there's another person in the entire world who is brave enough to do any one of the things you've done over the last few weeks. Yet, you keep doing them. You keep pushing. That's why you're in this position, because no one else is strong enough to do what you've done. You're that one person in a million with the tenacity to risk the impossible.