SCENE ONE - Mr. Gamble's Grocery Store
At the end of the last episode, we saw Detectives David & Marcie Grant leaving the scene outside the Al Faheed residence for a robbery. As we all know, that robbery was at Mr. Gamble's Grocery Store, a small ma-and-pa style neighborhood corner convience store. As we pick up the scene, David & Marcie have just arrived and are beginning to get an assessment of what apparently went down
DAVID (To one of the many patrol officers on scene) - What have we got?
PATROL OFFICER (Responding to David's question) - Another robbery.
MARCIE - What'd they take this time?
PATROL OFFICER - Just about everything. Cleaned out the safe too. Though it looked like they were in a bit of a rush to do that.
DAVID - Ohh? How's that?
PATROL OFFICER - Left a few dollar bills behind on the floor. Looks like they just grabbed what they could and left.
MARCIE - Any idea who might have done this?
PATROL OFFICER - Not by name no. But they left a nice little surprise for you in the VCR in back. We decided to leave it as it was till you got here.
The patrol officer looks behind him and up at the video camera
MARCIE - I'll go check it out.
DAVID (To Marcie) - Alright. Marcie spots Mr. Gamble's body on the floor. Who's the stiff?
PATROL OFFICER - We think the stiff's the owner.
DAVID - Any witnesses?
PATROL OFFICER - Not a soul.
DAVID (Rolling his eyes nonchalantly) - Of course not. Why doesn't that surprise me?
MARCIE (Calling out to his partner and wife) - David
DAVID (In response) - Comin'
David races to where Marcie is in a back room where the security camera equipment is
MARCIE - There's something I think you should see - Sitting down.
DAVID - Sweetie, if there's something I should see, I'll see it standing up. Thank you very much.
MARCIE - Alright, but consider yourself warned.
DAVID (Thinking that Marcie is acting rather peculiar and gives her a look that shows his suspicion) - Warned? About what?
Marcie shows portions of the tape of Trish before the robbery and during the robbery through the time which Trish and the robbers are seen leaving the store. David looks on in shock and total disbelief
CUE ATS STANDARD OPEN (Windows Media Player Link)
DAVID (In a state of shock and denial) - No. That is not Trish. That couldn't possibly be my sister.
MARCIE (Being honest) - David, the camera doesn't lie. You know that.
DAVID - That has to be somebody else who just looks like her. You know she's incapable of taking part in a robbery.
MARCIE (Thinking that David just accused Marcie of accusing Trish of taking part in a robbery and in a half-whisper to avoid attracting attention) - I'm not saying she did take part.
DAVID - You think she was somehow kidnapped?
MARCIE - Would seem that way.
DAVID - Well.....Somebody had to have seen or heard something.
MARCIE - Yeah, well you know this neighborhood. People tend to stick to themselves.
DAVID - Yeah. That's the problem.
A patrol officer enters
PATROL OFFICER (To David & Marcie) - Excuse me. Captain's here.
DAVID (Rolling his eyes, knowing he's gonna have to find a way to explain to him that the lone witness is his sister, who is undoubtedly with the robbers-turned-murderers against her will) - Ohh brother.
Marcie stops the VCR containing the tape, gabs the tape, shuts off the machine and exits. David follows suit.
SCENE TWO - The Getaway Van
When we left our last episode, the driver of the getaway van and Rapist #1 (who also shot & killed Mr. Gamble back at the robbery scene) had switched places, with the driver now in back and Rapist #1 now behind the wheel. As we pick up the action in this scene, they are driving further and further down the Interstate and Rapist #2 and the getaway driver, who in essence has become Rapist #3, continue to have their idea of fun with Trish, obviously at her expense and disliking as heavy metal music rocks on in the background and Trish continues to whine, moan, wince and silently cry and beg for mercy while Rapist #2 bangs away with his massive manhood buried deep in her vagina and Rapist #3 continues to hold Trish by a large clump of hair as he calls her names and forces her to suck on his manhood
RAPIST #3 (To Trish) - Take that down your throat you fuckin' street whore.
RAPIST #2 (To Trish) - You love it this way, dontcha bitch?
RAPIST #3 (To Rapist #2 as he looks down at Trish's head with his massive manhood stuffed in her mouth) - Hell yeah she does. She loves gangbangs. All street whores love 'em.
RAPIST #2 - Well I think it's high time someone make a mommy out of this bitch.
RAPIST #3 (Sensing his buddy is about ready to ejaculate inside of Trish) - Ya gotta do it?
RAPIST #2 (Breathing heavy) - Yeah. I gotta DO this bitch.
RAPIST #3 (Laughing) - Do it man. Let's get this bitch pregnant.
Rapist #1 laughs knowing what his buddy in the back is feeling having just done it to Trish himself as he admires his other buddy's imagination and as he continues to drive the van down the road.
Meanwhile, Rapist #2 puts Trish in various positions, fucking her all the while. Trish reists to some extent, but each time she resists, she is physically assaulted in some way that quashes any further resistance. As the distance from Cedarville and hours both contunie to add up, both Rapist #2 and Rapist #3 each have their way with Trish. First with Rapist #2 finishing off what he started, then Rapist #3 (formerly just the getaway driver) takes his turn. All the while, Trish continues to resist, whine, moan, whince, silently cry and beg for mercy while the two men humiliate, batter, physically & verbally asault Trish in every conceivable fashion, sometimes with their genitals inside of her. It is as if they were rocking on with the music playing in the background. All of this is happening as they eventually cross the state line and Rapist #1 sort of looks on with pleasure as he drives down the road
SCENE THREE - Channel 4 Studios
It's now shortly after 11:00 PM and the station is on the air with its 11:00 PM newscast. Stan Morrisey & Lydia Johnson are the anchors. As we pick up the scene, they are about to mention the incident at the Al Faheed residence and use it as a lead-in to a series which Channel 4 Action News Investigative Reporter Stephanie Blanton has been working on - Legal Muslim-American citizens & how they are treated in this country.
LYDIA (The anchorwoman reading from the TelePrompter) - A sizable group of hecklers gathered in front of the home of a Cedarville family earlier tonight who are legal immigrants to the US. (Video from the incident starts to roll and is broadcast to viewers of the newscast) The racous was so large and intense that the Cedarville PD had to call the riot squad to bring things under control. It also also got the attention of City Councilwoman Lisa Gordon, who lives in the area.
COUNCILWOMAN GORDON (In an on-camera interview addressing her constituents, and utlimately all of Cedarville) - This is an outrage. This is UMAERICAN. I ask my consituents...How would YOU like it if they did the same thing TO YOU? You wouldn't like it too well, would you? Well, how do you think (Pointing at the front door of the Al Faheed residence) these people feel?
LYDIA (Continuing) - Police report over 50 arrests were made in the incident despite pleas to get the crowd to disperse.
STAN (The anchorman also reading from the TelePrompter) - And that leads us to a Channel 4 Action News Investigative Report on just how legal immigrants, particularly muslims and mexicans, are being treated in this country. Channel 4 Action News Investigative Reporter Stephanie Blanton now joins us in the studio and Stephanie, some of the stuff you've uncovered is pretty shocking.
STEPHANIE (To Stan & Lydia) - It is pretty shocking indeed Stan & Lydia (Now facing the camera as she continues) - Picture yourself in this situation. You're a minority. A Mexican or a Muslim. You've gone through all the hassle and filed all the paperwork and followed all the steps you need to in order to become a legal immigrant to the U.S. Now what? You find a place to live. Find some work or maybe even open up a business. You're paying taxes. You don't break any laws. You're proud of what you're doing and what you've accomplished. Then someone comes along and ruins everything. Unfortunately, in this highly charged political climate, this is the life legal immigrants have to face each and every day. But as you're no doubt aware, there's been a rash of hate crimes in the city against legal immigrants, particularly muslims, lately. One city leader says she plans to do something about it. We decided to go further. We decided to dig up some statistics. And suffice to say, it's pretty shocking.
The scene now shifts to Clarita's Fancy Furniture store, which was hit earlier by vandalism. Stephanie and her crew were there outside while police were inside investigating
STEPHANIE (Now on videotape from the furniture shop and slowly walking back towards the cameraman) - This is Clarita's Fancy Furniture. It is owned by this woman (See picture above) As you can see, it was hit by vandals. It is just one of many cases like this which are still currently unsolved and buried in the vaults of the Cedarville Police Department.
CEDARVILLE PD PIO (In an interview from the furniture shop) - It's a sad thing for us to admit, but Cedarville is one of the leaders in the country when it comes to hate crimes. It's unfortunate, but it's true.
STEPHANIE (Facing the camera and still at the furniture store) - And that, says one city leader, is a statistic, that must change.
COUNCILWOMAN GORDON (In a taped on-camera interview from the furniture shop) - Why true American citizens don't have respect and consideration for legal, tax-paying immigrants just.....eh....Boggles the mind.
STEPHANIE (Now seen back in the studio on live TV and facing the camera) - Now, we should add that Cedarville's statistics are currently WAY higher than the national average. In fact, hate crimes nationally have been on a decline over the past few years (Adobe Acrobat PDF Version Here) but Cedarville, for whatever reason, is lagging in that area. The U.S. Attorney General's office here in Cedarville told me this afternnon that this is a trend they want very much to change. (Now facing Stan & Lydia as the camera pans out) - Now tommorrow Stan & Lydia, we hope to be talking to this Muslim family in order to get a feel for what it's like to be a Muslim legal immigrant living in the United States and the challenges they face.
STAN (Facing Stephanie) - Alright. Sounds like an interesting follow-up. We look forward to it. Thanks Stephanie.
STEPHANIE - You bet.
The station's news music begins to play in the background as the camera now squares in on Stan & Lydia)
LYDIA (Now facing the camera) - Coming up next on Channel 4 Action News at 11:00, Joe Weinstein has your weather forecast and it's shaping up to be rather interesting.
STAN (Also now facing the camera) - And Cliff Jorgensen has all the sports highlights. So stay with us. You're watching Channel 4 Action News at 11:00.
The news music plays as we switch to the next scene
SCENE FOUR - The FonDuLac Restaurant
It is now 2:00 AM and Maitre' D' Rob Warren is talking to Michael Carlotti at the bar as he & owner Michelle Monroe prepare to close for the night. Michael had been at the restaurant since about 7:15 PM waiting for Trish to arrive. Meanwhile, Rob tries to convince him that he'd been stood up
ROB (To Michael) - Man, It's 2:00 AM. Time to close up. Time for me to get on outta here.
MICHAEL (To Rob - Certain that here has to be some logical explaination for Trish not showing up and looking somewhat depressed) - Why don't you just go on home man.
ROB (Trying to be helpful by pointing out a fact) - Hey....You ain't the first guy who's been stood up around here. And you certainly won't be the last.
MICHAEL - I wasn't stood up. I just wished I knew where she was. She could at least call. There's gotta be a reason. But what?
ROB - You know what I think? I think she's probably at that comfy little loft the two of you currently have trying to come up with an explaination, but she simply can't.
MICHELLE (To Rob as she walks up to the bar) - Ready. (Now noticing Michael) - You're still here?
ROB (To Michelle) - He hasn't left since he got here.
MICHELLE (To Michael) - Well you're gonna have to leave now because we're leaving and, as you can tell, there's nobody else in the place.
MICHAEL (Noticing the time & obvious lack of people in the place) - Yeah, I guess I'm gonna have to now. Ohh well. See ya guys tomorrow.
Michael exits
ROB (To Michelle) - What do you suppose happened To Trish?
MICHELLE (In response) - Darned if I know.
ROB - It's not like her to stand up a date like that. Especially Michael.
MICHELLE - Well...As my mother would always say....Live & Let Live. C'mon, let's get outta here and have a date of our own - between the sheets (Raising her eyebrows).
Rob gets the hint and follows her out the door.
SCENE FIVE - Just Outside Mr. Gamble's Grocery Store
When we left Mr. Gamble's Grocery Store, David was convinced he saw Marcie sister Trish in the store surveillance tape & had told Marcie as much. Captain Rick Goldman arrived a few minutes later. As we pick up the scene now, the Cedarville PD is just wrapping up their investigation of this robbery/homicide
RICK (To the lab crew who showed up to gather scientific evidence) - Thanks a bunch guys.
David & Marcie now exit the store, which is being reinforced with more yellow tape. The closed sign is then displayed in the window
DAVID (To Rick) - Well that about wraps it up.
RICK (Looking at the scene as Mr. Gamble's body is loaded into the coroner's wagon) - I want these bastards.
MARCIE - Well, if there's nothing else, I think it's time we get out of here.
Knowing there's nothing they can do at the scene till they go home and get some sleep, David & Marcie try to leave, but Rick stops them.
RICK (To David & Marcie) - Hold on a minute. I've been noticing something between the two of you.
MARCIE (To Rick - Curiously) - What could that be?
RICK - The two of you seem to be rather 'tense' throughout this whole investigation. Would one of you care to tell me why?
Realizing they can't hide it forever and she may have been caught trying to hide it, Marcie makes a confession
MARCIE (To Rick - Reluctantly & much to David's chagrin, who follows her, knowing what she's about to show Rick) - Follow me.
David, Marcie & Rick all head back inside the store to the back room where the surveillance equipment is. David activates a monitor, pops in the tape, queues it up to where he thinks Trish is seen just before the robbery and lets it play till Trish and robbers/murderers leave the store
MARCIE - The woman in the tape is David's sister.
RICK (Realizing what must be done) - Ohh brother. We'd better get hard copies of every face on that tape except the corpse and put out an APB for them. I'm afraid this includes the girl.
MARCIE (To Rick) - Given the timeline, they could be well across the state.
RICK - Which is why it'll be inter-agency. If they're anywhere in America, they'll be found. That leads me to this. Before we go expeinding all kinds of resources looking for your sister, I need to know one thing. Is there any chance at all that....
DAVID (Adamantly interrupting Rick) - ....NO. She's not that kind of person.
RICK (Feeling reassured about the woman in the video, whom we know is Trish) - Alright. That leads me to this. And neither of you are going to like it. As of this moment, I have no choice but to take the two of you off the case.
DAVID (Begging and in near shock) - But Captain....We can handle this.
RICK (Adamant) - No. It's done David. You're off the case.
David & Rick continue the diatribe. David insisting that he and Marcie can still handle the case and Rick insisting that he has no alternative but to take them off the case
DAVID (Really begging) - Captain, I can assure you we won't do anything to embarrass the department. We want these bastards just as much as you do. Just give us a chance.
RICK (With the strongest authority he can dish out) - No Detective. It's done. You're both off the case. Besides if I let the two of you handle this case now, I'd have everyone from IA to the mayor's office clamouring down my back. I'm sorry Detective. But you know the regs as well as I do. You're personally involved. Now go home and get some sleep so you can report to work tomorrow and work on your other cases. That's an order Detectives.
Rick storms out, taking the tape with him.
DAVID (Mainly to himself in disgust after Rick leaves) - Like hell we're off this case.
MARCIE (To David) - Honey, he's right. We can't handle this case. Not now
DAVID - I wanna solve this - For Trish. I'm gonna get these bastards.
MARCIE - Fine then, but if you insist on being the arresting officer of record and breaking the rules in the process, the least I can do is supply the handcuffs.
Marcie dangles her handcuffs in front of David in sarcasm
DAVID - As far as the paperwork goes, you'll be the arresting officer of record. I just wanna be there.
MARCIE (Shaking her head) - Whatever. Let's just get the fuck out of here and go home.
David attempts to grab the tape, but doesn't realize that Rick took off with it until he opens the VCR door
DAVID (In disgust) - Fuck. He's got the tape.
MARCIE - Well that really shouldn't be a surprise. Remember, we are off the case. Now let's just get out of here, go home and clear our heads. There's nothing we can do now but wait.
DAVID (Feeling desperate and wanting to do something - anything to find and, if need be, help Trish) - That's just it. I can't just go home and wait. I should be out there looking for her.
MARCIE - David, you heard the Captain. He's gonna have every cop in the country looking for her. EVERY BADGE. Now, let's just go home, get to bed and get some sleep so that we can go back to work tomorrow with clearer heads. Besides, we don't even know where she is, let alone where to start looking. Now, I'm going home. If you aren't coming with me, I'll meet you there - in bed sleeping.
DAVID - That's easy for you to do. You don't have a sister out there, most likely out in the middle of nowhere and probably fighting for her life.
MARCIE - No I don't. But I have a sister-in-law who is. Now, let's just go home. Okay?
DAVID (Feeling like he should be doing something other than going home) - Whatever.
Marcie walks up to comfort David as they leave together.
SCENE SIX - The back of the getaway van
When we last left Trish and her rapists, Rapists #2 and #3 were busy having their way with her. As we pick up the scene now, the van is pulled over to the side of a quiet road and the three rapists and Trish are all in the back. With everything quiet in the van and her attackers all asleep, Trish sees this as an opportunity to try to escape. She attempts to gather what little torn clothing she can and puts what is wearable back on. The rest of it, she just simply grabs and puts over her body. She is making noises all the while, which eventually gets the attention of one of her attackers.
RAPIST #3 (Reaching out to Trish, who had just begun to open the back door) - Hey babe. Where the fuck do you think you're goin'? You're so fuckin' easy. Kiss me bitch.
Rapist #3 forces his face into hers and his tounge into her mouth as he kisses Trish on the lips. Trish responds by slapping his face and spitting in it.
RAPIST #3 (As he slaps Trish in the face) - FUCKIN' BITCH.
RAPIST #1 (To Rapist #3) - What the fuck are you doin' to her man?
RAPIST #3 (In response) - This fuckin' bitch slapped me in the face and spit at me. (To Trish) - FUCKIN' WHORE.
RAPIST #1 (To Rapist #1) - So fuckin' what. Get over it. (To Trish) - Come here baby. You need your beauty sleep. Come lay down next to me.
Just to avoid being assaulted again, she complies. But over an hour later, she tries again to escape, again making noises that would awaken her attackers, but this time neither of them seem to notice it. Trish opens the back door of the van again. But this time, she gets out. Still dazed and confused from all the beating she took, she begins her walk to freedom. With nothing for footwear and very little for clothing, she slowly makes her way back in the direction of where the van had been, assuming that is the way home. As inches turn to feet, feet turn to miles, minutes become hours and as the sun begins to rise in the horizon behind her, Trish every so often squats down to the ground, trying to squirt out as much of the sperm her attackers dumped inside of her as she can. When she eventually realizes the amount of sperm there may be inside of her and the depths in which it may be located, she begins to fear that one of them may have dumped enough inside of her to get her pregnant. This fear is ultimately confirmed when she starts to feel sperm inside of her that just won't come out.
TRISH (Now beginning to cry) - No. Please god no. I can't be. I just can't be It's so wrong.
Our virtual camera pans out to an aerial shot of the area, with Trish being little more than a tiny speck alongside a road as her cry echoes out
TRISH (Now yelling) - NNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!
Her cry is heard for miles as the area she is in is like a desert, only not as cold at night nor as hot during the day. Plus, she's at the side of the only road in the area.
On The NEXT Edition Of AGAINST THE STORM
* Trish is found and taken to the hospital. How will Michael react when he learns what happened to her? How will her brother David react?
* The Al Faheeds are targets of more trouble. Could this be the thing they need to sit down with Stephanie?
* Stephanie complains of a series of morning sickness cases to her doctor. Could she be? Naah...Couldn't be. Could it?
* Cassandra gets word on her case from Stanley. Could she be headed for court?
All this AND MORE On The NEXT Edition Of AGAINST THE STORM
Cue slow guitar instrumental version of Standard ATS Close
As the music plays and credits roll, we see Trish via an aerial shot continuing to make her way down the road toward what she thinks is home. We also see Michael all alone in the apartment he and Trish share and David at home laying in bed awake while Marcie sleeps and thinking how he should really be out there looking for Trish. These scenes rotate in alternating fashion until fade out.
