FicWad

EXT. ROAD OUTSIDE THE AERIE

Nighttime, but there is some moonlight.

A white van comes over the hill, and stops by the ascent to
the Aerie. There is a honk and the van waits, idling.

Nothing.

Inside the van, Frank turns to Mitch.

FRANK
They must have left already.

MITCH
That was the plan. Let's go.

The van begins to move forward, but does not get far before
the headlights illuminate the two crashed cycles and their
downed Draculoid riders.

FRANK
What the- Stop!

Mitch stops the van and they get out.

They examine the wounds on the dead riders.

MITCH
Maybe our guys ran into them, but
won.

FRANK
I'll feel a lot better with some
proof of that.

JANE
Wait! Wait!

Mitch and Frank turn and see Jane crawling over the canyon
side. They hurry to her.

FRANK
What happened?

MITCH
Are you all right?

JANE
I'm the only one who is.

Mitch helps Jane up as Frank notices a foot. He walks around
the boulder and sees Ray's body.

Jane has cleaned him up some, but Frank doesn't know that. He
only knows that his friend is dead. Grief washes over him,
and then he shoves it down and returns to Mitch and Jane.

JANE (CONT'D)
They came while we were climbing
down. They shot Ray. Mikey went
over with the car. I tried to bring
him back up but I couldn't. Please
don't leave him down there. Please.

FRANK
It's okay. I'll go.

MITCH
Frank, it's dark, and it's late.

FRANK
I'm going.

MITCH
Let's get Ray in the van first.
Then we can break our necks
together.

FRANK
So we are taking them back?

Mitch nods, his age showing more than it usually does.

Together they go to Ray.



EXT. THE ROUNDHOUSE

The next day, late morning.

There are two freshly dug graves, and two bodies covered by
sheets.

Jane is clutching Mikey's jacket to her chest, still folded
up as Mikey had done for Ray's head.

Mitch and Frank are standing near the bodies.

FRANK
We can't bury them before Gerard
gets here.

MITCH
We can't leave them out in this
heat.

FRANK
Shouldn't they be back soon anyway?

JANE
He's coming now.

Sure enough, they can see the Trans-am on the horizon, though
that is not the direction Jane is looking.

JANE (CONT'D)
How do I tell him?

FRANK
We can do it.

JANE
But I'm the one who was there.

Frank puts an arm around Jane.

FRANK
It's going to be all right.

No one believes that.

The Trans-am pulls up and Gerard jumps out, with Jacob
getting out more slowly.

Gerard goes straight to Jane and holds her.

GERARD
You're safe!

JANE
Gee-

Gerard senses the mood.

GERARD
What's wrong?

FRANK
Ray and Mikey-

Now Gerard sees the bodies.

GERARD
No.

JANE
I'm sorry.

Gerard goes to the bodies, and lifting the corner of the
sheet on the smaller frame, finds his brother's battered
face.

GERARD
Mikey.

Mitch quickly puts a hand on Gerard's shoulder.

MITCH
Gerard, we need to bury them. We
can give you some time alone first,
but we need to do this.

Gerard nods.

MITCH (CONT'D)
We'll be back in a few minutes.

Mitch ushers Frank and Jane away, shaking his head, and Jacob
follows.

Gerard holds Mikey's hand. Small tremors pulsate silently,
but he wills himself under control, and his face hardens into
a mask.

Gerard stands up, and the others approach.

Silently they lower the bodies and begin to fill in the
graves.

When the task is done, four of them look at each other, but
Gerard looks at no one.

MITCH (CONT'D)
Do you want to say anything?

Gerard shakes his head and begins to leave.

Jane puts a hand on Gerard's arm.

JANE
Gee-

Gerard turns to Jane with hard eyes, and she drops her hand,
stung.

Gerard turns and walks away.

Mitch puts a hand on Jane's shoulder.

MITCH
He needs time.

Jane nods uncertainly.

DOCTOR D (V.O.)
Bad news from the zones tumbleweeds
It looks like Jet Star and the
Kobra Kid had a clash with an
exterminator that went all Costa
Rica and, uh, got themselves
ghosted, dusted out on Route Guano.
So it's time to hit the red line
and upthrust the volume out there.
Keep your boots tight, keep your
gun close, and die with your mask
on if you've got to. Here, is the
traffic.



INT. THE ROUNDHOUSE

Survivors are sitting around glumly.

Gerard sits outside of the circle, solitary to himself.

Jane is trying to go through her medical bag, but she is not
getting anywhere.

Frank keeps looking back and forth between the two of them.
In his pocket he worries Ray's eye patch.

Jacob and Mitch try and make conversation, but the primary
feeling is one of uncomfortable silence.

This is changed as there is noise outside and a voice calls
through the door.

HARRY (O.C.)
Hello?

Gerard, Frank, and Mitch immediately draw guns, but Mitch is
the one who goes to the door and calls out.

MITCH
Who's there?

HARRY
Harry Jin. From Battery City.

Mitch looks to the others.

MITCH
Do we know him?

Looking around, everyone shakes their heads.

FRANK
Was that one of the names that Ray
mentioned?

Mitch shrugs and calls outside again.

MITCH
What do you want?

HARRY
I'm looking for Ray Torres.

Mitch opens the door.

MITCH
Ray's dead.

Harry is visible now, and they can see his surprise at the
news.

HARRY
Then I guess he already knows.

JANE
What do you mean?

HARRY
I needed to let him know that
Natalia is dead. Actually, they all
are.

Sometimes you forget that things can always get worse.

Mitch shakes his head and motions Harry inside.

Jane's voice breaks as she asks.

JANE
What happened?

HARRY
I was the contact in City Hall.
They announced that there were
rebels under the city and they were
sending a force to eliminate them.
I went to try and warn them.

JACOB
And they followed you?

Harry wearily shakes his head.

HARRY
No, it was already done. The
announcement was to flush out any
traitors. They never had a chance.
I barely did.

JANE
How did you get away?

HARRY
One lucky shot. I ran, but I saw
them first. Natalia, Chuy, Tony,
Eddie- I don't think we have anyone
left in the city. If we do...

They understand.

FRANK
Well I guess we can go back to
stealing. We don't have to worry
about amnesty anymore.

Harry shakes his head bitterly.

HARRY
The government got tired of Blind
being the real power, so they took
it over, but with Korse's
cooperation. He's in charge of
clean-up.

FRANK
And we're the trash.

Everyone is tired of running, but there is no rest.

JANE
Why were you looking specifically
for Ray?

HARRY
I needed to tell him about Natalia.
I guess I felt a certain closeness
after marrying them.

This gets everyone's attention.

FRANK
What?

HARRY
When they found out I was a justice
of the peace, they asked me to do
it. It was impulsive.

FRANK
I can't believe he didn't tell us.

HARRY
I suspect they wanted to tell you
together. She expected to follow in
a few days. I didn't like to think
of him waiting, and not knowing.

JANE
When did all of this happen?

HARRY
I found the bodies Wednesday night.

JANE
She was already gone.

Mitch explains to Harry.

MITCH
Ray and Mikey died Thursday. Mikey
was another friend.

HARRY
We're going pretty fast.

JACOB
It sounds like that's going to get
worse.

HARRY
I'm sorry to bring such bad news.

JANE
We needed to know. We're glad you
made it.

MITCH
How did you make it?

HARRY
The Draculoid missed, so I had a
chance to duck and run. Knowing the
tunnels better did help. I was able
to get to my car, and make it out
of the city. Ray had said he would
go to the Roundhouse, and where it
was, so that's where I headed.

MITCH
We never heard a car.

HARRY
It broke down about twelve miles
back. It was never designed for
this terrain. Neither was I.

JACOB
You must be starving.

Jacob turns to address that, but Frank is already up and
brings some water and a power bar, which Harry accepts
gratefully.

Mitch brings a blanket.

JANE
Are you hurt anywhere?

HARRY
No. Just aching feet.

As Harry sits and eats, the circle moves in closer to each
other, though Gerard still doesn't quite join it.

HARRY (CONT'D)
Forgive my rudeness.

Harry eats and drinks hungrily.

JANE
It must have been awful.

Harry nods, and as he finishes, begins to talk again.

HARRY
It barely feels real. One night I
was listening to Eddie and Tony
catch up with Ray and Natalia about
the crash, and thinking how much
stronger and braver and more
skillful they all were. Now they
are all gone.

MITCH
But those they helped are doing
well. Rogers, and Beck and Park.

Harry smiles.

HARRY
Yes. I was able to tell Park's
parents that he was alive. Now I
wonder if I have put them in
danger.

JANE
Were they involved?

HARRY
No.

JANE
And you saw them before you were
discovered?

HARRY
Yes.

JANE
I'm sure it's fine.

Harry pauses, considering.

HARRY
I hope so. None of this makes any
sense to me. I should not have made
it, and they should not be dead.
Chuy knew those tunnels better than
anyone, and he had good instincts.

JANE
He and Luis were the ones who got
Natalia and I out of the city.

MITCH
Natalia was good in a fight too.
Good soldier.

There is agreement all around, and pain.

HARRY
I should not be alive.

Jacob nods in understanding.

JACOB
I've often wondered how I'm still
alive when so many others aren't.
The odds are completely against it.

The others smile a little.

MITCH
I guess if every now and then we
get a bit of luck, we shouldn't
turn it down.

HARRY
I had plans in place for leaving
the city, but I really never
thought I'd make it out.

There is a brief silence, which Jacob breaks.

JACOB
What are things like in the city
now? It's been so long...

Harry pauses, trying to find the right way to describe it.

HARRY
It's the most depressing place I've
ever been. They've tried to fix it.
There was always plenty of
medication available, but that
didn't help. The video screens run
entertainment, and people watch it
for hours on end, but that doesn't
help. They've started unofficially
sponsoring raves and fight clubs
now.

Frank looks up in surprise.

FRANK
They learned that from Greenvale.
We taught them that.

HARRY
They don't work either. Where I
don't see apathy I see despair.

JANE
It was heading that way before, but
it sounds worse.

HARRY
It is. The best thing I have done
lately was marrying Natalia and
Ray. They were so happy. I hadn't
seen that for a while. No one gets
married anymore.

FRANK
Don't people still...you know?

Harry shakes his head.

HARRY
It's not the same. Sex happens, but
not relationships, and not
marriage. And no children. I never
see children younger than four. It
took a while but no one wants to
bring new life into the world now.

Jane tries not to look at Gerard, but it is difficult.

JANE
I guess you would need to believe
in the future...that there's
something good coming. Some hope.
Maybe they can't.

As Jane finishes, she does look up, and meets Gerard's eyes.

Having been caught looking at her, Gerard angrily turns and
storms out.

There is more awkward silence.

Frank follows Gerard.



EXT. THE ROUNDHOUSE

Frank finds Gerard throwing rocks.

FRANK
What is with you?

GERARD
I needed some air.

Gerard throws another rock viciously.

FRANK
When we found out she was alive, we
were all willing to risk our lives
for her, and you were grateful for
it.

Gerard picks up another rock, then drops it.

GERARD
I know it's not her fault.

FRANK
Then what is your problem?

GERARD
I just can't...I...What's it to you
anyway?

FRANK
What's it to me? Two of my best
friends are dead and it feels like
I've lost the third one too!

Gerard tries to find the right words, and can't, so he goes
back to his default.

GERARD
Just leave me alone.

As Gerard storms off, Frank turns around in frustration and
sees that Jane has been watching, her eyes shiny with tears.

For no good reason, Frank feels guilty.

FRANK
I don't know what his problem is.

Jane surprises Frank but putting her arms around him.

JANE
Oh, Frank. I'm so sorry.

FRANK
What? Why?

JANE
I've been so caught up in my own
pain I wasn't thinking about you.

FRANK
Me? No! I'm fine!

JANE
You've lost your friends and you're
feeling alone.

FRANK
I just meant that...I was just
trying to make him see that he's a
jerk.

Jane shakes her head, but smiles.

JANE
Gerard and I are going to be all
right.

Frank stares at Jane and gestures off in the direction Gerard
headed.

FRANK
How can you possibly say that?

JANE
I think we will. He's hurting, and
he needs time, and I'm going to
give him that, if for no other
reason than that I can't talk to
him without crying now, and I don't
want to be that manipulative.

FRANK
Does it count as manipulative if
you can't help it?

Jane shrugs.

JANE
I don't know. The point is, that's
on hold now, so can we talk about
you?

FRANK
There's nothing to say.

Jane sits down on a log and pulls Frank down next to her.

There is no fire tonight, and all the optimism of the other
night is gone. Still, here are two friends, together.

JANE
Gee and I never set a wedding date,
but Mikey already felt like my
brother. We just bonded right away.

Frank nods. He had picked up some brothers too.

JANE (CONT'D)
That first night, back at the
Bunker, we were talking about that.
Do you know what he told me?

FRANK
What?

JANE
He said I had three brothers now.

Frank grins and looks back towards the Roundhouse.

FRANK
I think you have more than three.

JANE
I'm lucky, but it's no good if they
only help me and I never do
anything for them.

FRANK
What can you do? People die. More
and more all the time.

JANE
And it hurts.

FRANK
I'm not...

That would be a lie, and Frank is unable to say it.

JANE
Just let me be here for you.

Without necessarily being ready to open up, Frank drops some
defenses.

FRANK
I've never had a sister before.
Only child.

JANE
Me too.

FRANK
Did you ever wish it were
different?

Thinking about that hurts a little. Jane clears her throat.

JANE
I never knew how lonely I could be
until after my mother died. I would
have done anything to have some
family left then.

FRANK
Yeah. Gee and Mikey have Grace out
there somewhere, and Ray has his
nieces, but with my family,I'm the
last one. When I go, it will be
like none of us were ever here.

Jane nods sympathetically and takes Frank's hand.

JANE
I know it's not the same, but Grace
thinks of you as family too.

FRANK
She does.

JANE
Also, I can't explain it, but I
think someday you're going to be an
old man with kids and grand kids on
the porch, and that makes me happy.
This world needs more Franks.

Frank considers, and likes it, but is skeptical.

FRANK
Again, how can you possibly say
that?

JANE
I don't know. It's just...as much
of a joker as you are, there is
also a deep kindness. There's a
sweetness to you, no matter how
much bad you have to take. Maybe
that's why you can make it, because
that will get you through.

Frank can't speak right away. Finally, he does.

FRANK
So all Franks? Or will there be one
I can name after her Aunt Jane?

JANE
Lots of both, and all with your
smile.

Frank shows that smile now.

FRANK
That sounds good.

JANE
Are you ready to come in?

FRANK
I'll be in soon.

Jane nods and goes back inside.

Frank is lost in thought.

CUT TO:



EXT. VALLEY VIEW MIDDLE SCHOOL

It is December 20th, 2012, the end of the school day.

16 year old Frank is in the hall by his locker, looking at
BETH (15), a pretty blonde girl in a cheerleader uniform. She
notices and smiles back.

Without warning Frank hits the floor. He has been punched by
DERRICK (16).

Frank holds his eye, and looks up.

Beth is embarrassed and leaves.

Derrick is more confrontational.

DERRICK
You got a staring problem, loser?

Frank says nothing.

Derrick leaves with his friends, laughing. Frank slowly gets
up and gets his books.

CUT TO:



EXT. DRIVEWAY OF THE AIELLO FAMILY HOME

FRANK AIELLO SR (48) is working on the Trans-am under the
carport.

He sees Frank walking up the drive and smiles, but his smile
fades when he notices the rapidly blackening eye.

Wiping his hands on a grease rag, Mr. Aiello hurries over to
his son and examines the eye. He starts to ask, but Frank
intercepts him.

FRANK
It's okay Dad. It doesn't hurt.

MR. AIELLO
Who didn't hurt you?

FRANK
Just some idiot. It doesn't matter.

MR. AIELLO
It matters to me. Uh oh.

Mr. Aiello has noticed his wife, CONNIE AIELLO (45) coming
out of the house. She is very upset by the eye.

MRS. AIELLO
Frank!

FRANK
It's okay Mom. It doesn't hurt.

She is going to protest, but thinks better of it.

MRS. AIELLO
Then it won't hurt to put some ice
on it either.

Connie runs into the house and returns with an ice pack.

Frank winces as the cold is applied, but accepts it.

FRANK
Thanks.

MRS. AIELLO
Maybe you should come with us. It's
only one day of school.

FRANK
Yeah, but I have tests.

MRS. AIELLO
Or maybe I should stay.

FRANK
No! Grandpa needs you! I'll be
okay.

MR. AIELLO
Honey, we should be hitting the
road.

MRS. AIELLO
You're right. I'll finish getting
ready.

She leaves and Frank joins his father over the car.

FRANK
I like this one.

MR. AIELLO
That's good, because it's ours.

Franks face lights up.

FRANK
For real?

MR. AIELLO
I picked it up today. It needs a
lot of work, but we could do that
and resell it, or it could be just
the thing for someone's first car.

Frank looks at his father in disbelief.

FRANK
Are you serious?

MR. AIELLO
I guess it could be a Christmas
present. Your mother was thinking
we could get you something in the
city, but this would give you
something to do while we're gone.
Help you keep out of trouble.

FRANK
I'm not the one who gets in
trouble.

MR. AIELLO
You want to talk about that?

Frank shrugs.

FRANK
I'm not cool. Usually I'm just
ignored. Sometimes it's worse.

Frank Sr nods in understanding.

MR. AIELLO
Can I help?

FRANK
You can't make me cool.

MR. AIELLO
Do you want to be?

Frank pauses and thinks.

FRANK
It won't be like this forever. And
I don't want to be like them. The
only thing Derrick's good at is
hitting people when they're not
looking. If I was looking, he
couldn't have done it. I want
something better.

MR. AIELLO
Now that is something I can promise
you. You will be better than that.
You already are.

FRANK
You have to say that because you're
my dad.

MR. AIELLO
No. I have to love you because I'm
your dad, but I have to be honest
about you if I'm going to be a good
one. You're the hardest worker I
know. I see you practicing your
guitar, or learning the cars, and
you don't give anything up until
you master it. You will never be
mediocre. I'd take you over a
hundred Derricks.

FRANK
One of him is too many.

They laugh together, and Mrs. Aiello comes out with her
father, COSIMO MARRONE (78).

MR. AIELLO
I better wash up and grab the bags.
You help your grandfather.

Frank nods, and he and his mother load the frail elderly man
into the middle of the pickup truck.

FRANK
Bye Grandpa. Good luck with your
operation.

Grandpa smiles and holds Frank's hand, but says nothing.

Mrs. Aiello stands outside the vehicle, hovering over her
son.

MRS. AIELLO
Are you sure you don't want to
come?

FRANK
I'll be okay, Mom.

She sighs, knowing she can't win.

MRS. AIELLO
Promise me you'll eat something
healthy at least once a day.

FRANK
I promise.

Mrs. Aiello smiles and hugs Frank tightly as Mr. Aiello
emerges with two suitcases. He tosses them into the back of
the truck, pulls a tarp over it, and helps his wife into the
car.

MR. AIELLO
Take care of yourself. Maybe when
we get back, that car will be far
enough along we can take it for a
spin.

FRANK
I'll see what I can do.

They shake hands, and Mr. Aiello puts his other hand on
Frank's shoulder. Giving up, he just hugs his teenage son
closely, and then gets into the driver's seat.

Frank waves as they pull away.



INT. AIELLO HOME

Friday night, December 21st.

A tired looking Frank carries a plate of Pop-Tarts and an
apple to the couch, and turns on the television.

Just as he starts to eat, there is a loud bang, and all of
the power goes off.

Startled, Frank looks out the window. There are no lights
visible anywhere.

He looks scared, but tells himself...

FRANK
It's no big deal.

Over the next few days Frank tries to listen to the battery
operated radio, keep the house neat, eat one healthy thing a
day, and mainly work on the car, telling himself that they
will be back soon.

On Christmas Day Frank wakes up from where he had fallen
asleep on the couch.

FRANK (CONT'D)
Mom? Dad? Grandpa?

Frank walks around the house and outside, checking for signs,
but all is silent.

And that is when he knew that they were never coming back.


There will come soft rains and the smell of the ground,
And swallows circling with their shimmering sound;

And frogs in the pools, singing at night,
And wild plum trees in tremulous white,

Robins will wear their feathery fire,
Whistling their whims on a low fence-wire;

And not one will know of the war, not one
Will care at last when it is done.

Not one would mind, neither bird nor tree,
If mankind perished utterly;
And Spring herself, when she woke at dawn,
Would scarcely know that we were gone.

There Will Come Soft Rains, by Sara Teasdale