Episode 151 - Explosions ROCK Cedarville

=====================================
SCENE ONE - Cedarville Police Department - Crime Lab
=====================================

It is now the following day & Adam Romano, a CSI at the lab, is working on evidence in a case when longtime girlfriend Natalie Pittman walks in. Natalie had asked him to help her in her search for her biological parents. She's also sought help from her student advisor, who is also a licensed Geneaologist on the side. As Natalie walks in, Adam gives her the impression that he's found something on her parents

NATALIE (Being her usual sweet self when it comes to Adam & smiling) - Hey there! You look like you found something.

Adam leans over, places his hands on the table & bows his head

ADAM (Acting as though he's not sure how to break the news to her) - Yeah.

NATALIE (Noticing Adam's behavior & perplexed by it) - You act as though it's not good.

ADAM (Being brutally honest) - That's because it isn't.

NATALIE (Even more perplexed) - What do you mean?

ADAM (Getting to the point) - Well, you did ask me to search for them using DMV records and/or DNA.

NATALIE (Looking REALLY perplexed & wondering what he's revealed) - Yeah....

Adam momentarily debates telling her

ADAM (Afraid to tell her) - Well.....I didn't have to go very far.

Natalie assumes that he only had to look them up in DMV records

ADAM (Continuing) - In fact I didn't even have to pull any strings with or call in any favors with anyone at the DMV either. Nat.....They're in the system.

NATALIE (Looking concerned) - So, what does that mean?

ADAM (Being blunt) - It means they either have records or are incarcerated somewhere.

Natalie looks stunned as she wonders what sort of dirt Adam dug up on them

Cue New ATS OPENING THEME as we see Natalie practically staring at Adam while trying to process what Adam just told her

*******************
SCENE TWO - Cedarville High School - Student Parking Lot
*******************

Aruba Al Faheed is seen locking his car door as he prepares to walk inside the building to go to class. As he begins his journey towards the door, a van driven by Mark LeRouche, one of those in the plot to blow up the school & frame Aruba for it approaches at a high rate of speed. As we pick up the scene now, the tires of the old 1970s-style van can be heard screeching as the van rapidly rounds a corner, causing Aruba to look over his shoulder. As soon as he realizes it's heading right for HIM, he tries everything he can to dodge it, but the other two boys, Steve Bertkowski & Andy Hedgeworth, run up to catch him. As they eventually do, Mark parks the van so Steve & Andy can drag Aruba, who is now kicking, screaming & otherwise flailing about into the van.

MARK - Ya got him?

ANDY (Not knowing if anyone heard or saw anything & also not wanting to take any chances on being spotted in case someone called someone in authority) - Drive fool - DRIVE!!

As Mark drives to their desination, which is the part of the school where the boiler room is located, Andy & Steve tighten the strap on an old towel rigged to be used as a head mask to place on Aruba's head as they could only get it on with him kicking, screaming & otherwise flailing about & they were more concerned with simply getting him loaded into the van than anything else. But this will eventually change as a security camera caught th whole abduction. No one in the camera room spotted it, but the abduction was recorded by the camera. One problem though. The camera room is located in the same part of the building as the boiler room.

As we pick up the scene now, Mark has just put the van in park & has exited the vehicle

MARK (Undoing the strap & removing the fabric) - Well Good Morning Towelhead. I didn't think you actually WORE one.

Mark dangles the jury-rigged Ninja-like towel/head mask in front of Aruba. It looks like something a terrorist in the Middle East would use when they execute high profile figures or ordinary people such as captured American soldiers

ANDY (Taunting Aruba) - How's it feel to be THE KIDNAPPED for once instead of being the kidnapper yourself towelhead?

STEVE (Adding his $.02 in) - Yeah. It doesn't feel so good, now does it?

ARUBA (Not knowing what else to say) - You punks won't get away with this.

MARK - Oh yeah we will. Because by the time we do what we came here to & when all is said & done, the person that will be blamed will be YOU!!

Mark brandishes a .45 caliber hand gun (Legally owned by his dad) & points it Aruba, pressing the end of the barrel just above his nose, yet right between his eyes. As te scene closes, we see the smiles & other devilish looks on the faces of Mark, Steve & Andy followed by a horrified look on Aruba's face as his eyes bulge while looking squarely at Mark, who is still holding the gun in the aforementioned position

*****************
SCENE THREE - Brad & Stacy's House
*****************

Stacy is rummaging through some old DVDs & video tapes for the annual rummage sale that's sponsored by the support group at Fort Cedar. Among the videos she spots is an old tape she doesn't recall seeing before. It's wrapped in an all-white holder & isn't labeled. Thinking it's just one of her old tapes she used to record her favorite soaps with before she got her DVR, she turned on the TV & put it in her DVD/VCR combo. Little does she know that it is a recording of the interview which Channel 7 did with Debbie Stevens sometime ago. It's a tape which Brad has been trying to keep from Stacy ever since he got it. As she watches the tape in ever-increasing shock & disbelief, Brad comes home. Yet Stacy is so transfixed on the TV, she doesn't even notice his arrival. When the interview gets to the part where Debbie admits to having an affair with Leo & knowing that Leo was married to Stacy by telling Mark Girardeux that it was Leo himself who told her that Stacy was his wife, she shut off the TV in a fit of rage.

As we pick up the scene now, Stacy turns around & sees Brad, who clearly knows the secret is out & he's been caught with the evidence

BRAD (Trying to explain himself) - We wanted to keep this from you. We didn't want you to get hurt.

STACY (Not buying Brad's excuse, feeling betrayed & VERY angry) - Ohh REALLY?!?!?!? Well guess what Brad - NEWSFLASH - I *AM* hurt. Hurt by the fact you would try to hide something like this from me. YOU of ALL people. I thought I knew you better than that Brad. I've ALWAYS thought you were a better person than to pull a STUPID DUMBASS stunt than THIS!!! I'm REALLY disappointed in you Brad. No in fact, I'm FUCKIN' MAD at you!!

BRAD (Trying to be apologetic) - Stace, we're VERY sorry about this.

STACY - What's with this "We" business?

Stacy then remembers the discreet the video came in

STACY (Hoping that Brad is the only one who knows about the tape) - Ohh my fuckin' god. PLEASE tell me you're THE ONLY one who knows about this.

Brad just bows his head in shame

STACY (Noticing Brad's body language, which is speaking more than A MILLION words ever could right now) Ohh god (Rolling her eyes in the back of her head) How many other people know about this Brad?

Stacy then comes up with a name of someone could EASILY get her hands on an advance copy of the video, which it appears to be

STACY (Continuing) - Does Stephanie know about this?

BRAD (Relunctantly answering & doing so in shame as he utters his answer in a soft voice) - Yeah.

STACY (Rolling her eyes in the back of her head, throwing her hands up in disgust & smirking sarcastically) - Great. So who else was on the guest list of the party which I DID NOT EVEN KNOW ABOUT, much less be INVITED to which I presume occured IN OUR OWN HOME Brad?

BRAD (Trying once again to explain away his actions) - Stace.....

STACY (Rudely cutting him off) SAVE IT. All I want are NAMES.

**************
SCENE FOUR - Cedarville Police Department - Crime Lab
**************

Adam has just explained to Natalie that he found on her biological parents in the system used by law enforcement agencies around the country. As we pick up the scene now, he is explaining the system to Natalie in a way she can understand it & what her options are should she wish to pursue the matter further

NATALIE (Surprised) - What do you mean INCARCERATED????

ADAM (Trying to explain what he did to find them) - Nat, first I looked them up using DMV records & the national DMV database. You know, fingerprints, DNA, that sort of thing.

NATALIE (Realizing where he's going with this, but fails to see what the big deal is) - Yeah.....

ADAM (Continuing but quite truthfully this time) - Well those SAME set of prints popped up on ANOTHER database as well.

NATALIE (Curious) - What database is that?

ADAM (Directly to the point) - The NCIC databse.

NATALIE (Spelling out the acronym since she doesn't know what it means) N-C-I-C??

ADAM - The National Criminal Information Center. It's a database of EVERY known criminal in America. In other words, if you were to have committed a crime of some kind, you would be in here.

NATALIE (Beginning to realize the magnitude of the news) - Are my parents in there?

Adam shows her two folders. Each folder contains the rap sheet for her biological mother & father. As Natalie reads on, she does so in ever increasing disbelief that the people in those folders are actually her biological parents

NATALIE (In a state of denial over what she just read) - No way - There's just NO FUCKIN' WAY this can be true. From what I understand about them, they were like 1960s Woodstock yuppies living in the disco era of the 1970s or something.

ADAM (Trying to recall what he remembers being taught about the era) - Well....Based on what I know of the era, doing drugs was pretty much considered to be a cool thing. This was especially true with pot & heroine, the drugs of choice back then since there was no such thing as crack like there is today.

NATALIE (Continuing to read the contents of the folders) - So, according to this, they're in prison?

ADAM (Forthright in responding) - Yeah.

NATALIE (Still reading one opf the folders) - Well at least I know where they are. Can I take these with me?

ADAM - Sure (Now sympathetically apologetic) - Nat, I'm sorry for being the bearer of such bad news.

NATALIE (Wishing Adam wouldn't be so apologetic) - Don't be. At least you HAD news.

ADAM - That's true.

NATALIE - Well, I'll talk to you later?

ADAM - Yeah

NATALIE (Smiling) OK....Bye.

ADAM (Returning the smile, now getting the feeling that he's her true love even though she's dated - And perhaps even slept with - other guys) - Bye....

Natalie exits the lab, leaving Adam to return to his work

******************
SCENE FIVE - Brad & Stacy's House
******************

Brad & Stacy are in the midst of a heated confrontation after Stacy found the video of Debbie's interview which depicts, among other things which Debbie says she's not proud of, her affair with Leo. As we pick up the scene now, Stacy is demanding to know who else knows about the video & why she wasn't told of its very existence

STACY (Very angry) - Who else Brad? Who else did you invite to the orgy I didn't even know about?

BRAD (Trying to clarify something) - It was no orgy.

STACY (Rolling her eyes in the back of her head & snickerishly & sarcastically laughing) - Heh. Well it had to be SOMETHING Brad. Something that would get your jollies off. So why not an orgy? You DID get your jollies off watching the video, didn't you? No, wait. How silly of me. OF COURSE you did. I'm just SHOCKED that THE ONE GUY I **THOUGHT** I knew SINCE WE WERE TODDLERS TOGETHER would stoop so LOW, DIRTY & CHEAP as to pull a stunt like THIS!!!!! I am ANGRY beyond belief & description at you Brad. I don't even know you. The Brad I know - The Brad **I MARRIED** wouldn't EVEN DREAM of doing something ANYTHING like this. In fact, no. The Brad I married would think it was low, dirty & cheap too. The Brad Martin standing in front of me right now DISGUSTS me. I thought I knew you Brad but OBVIOUSLY not. In fact, I doubt I **EVER** knew you at all Brad.

Brad just looks at her, knowing whatever he says isn't going to bring Stacy down from the proverbial anger high she's on at this point. What's worse, he knows there's justifiable cause for her to be this way as he'd likely act the same way if he was in her shoes. Add to this that ANYTHING else he says would likely add additional fuel to the already raging volcanic INFERNO boiling inside her & he of all people knows all too well how angry she can get

STACY (Now demanding an answer to her question) - Now all that out of the way - WHO ELSE KNOWS ABOUT THE VIDEO Brad??

Stacy grabs a pad & pen & hands it out for Brad to take as the camera shoots right back to Stacy's beet red face with burning eyes, but all Brad wants to do is try to offer his side of the story

BRAD - Babe.....When we saw the video, what we should all do wasn't taken lightly.

STACY (Appalled that Brad even called her "Babe", but then quickly calming herself down so she doesn't do something she'd probably regret later) - DO NOT EVEN....Don't even call me "babe". Like I said....You're an insignifdicant stranger of no relevance to me whatsoever.

Brad now knows there's NO bringing Stacy down from her anger high at this point as she's FAR beyond the point of return

BRAD (Hoping that Stacy will someday see why he & everyone else who saw the video did what they did) - Stace.....Someday, you will see why we did what we did.

STACY (Now fed up with the conversation & just wanting to end it) - Brad.....There's NO DAMNED FUCKIN' EXCUSE WHATSOEVER for doing what you did. NOW GIMMIE THE FUCKIN' NAMES

Brad slowly picks up the pad & pen which was thrown down earlier by Stacy as a sign of her rage towards him & reluctantly jots down the names of everyone who has seen the video. After Brad completes it & puts down the pen, Stacy rips the pad out of Brad's hand & storms out the door, letting her facial expressions & body language do all the talking for her at this point. When Stacy gets to letting her facial expressions & body language do all the talking, it's a part of her mean streak which only very few have seen but NO ONE has stuck around Cedarville to tell about it. The last person to incur Stacy's wrath to THAT degree is sitting in a Military Penal Stockade for military crimes. As the scene ends, Brad is seen in a state of shock & is visibly shaken, fearful of what Stacy's next move, however rationale it may or may not be - MIGHT be

*************************
SCENE SIX - Cedarville High School - Boiler Room
*************************

Andy, Steve & Mark have just kidnapped Aruba Al Faheed from the student parking lot just as he was about to enter the building like scores of other students who also drive themselves to & from school. They then took him literally kicking & screaming to the entrance leading to the boiler room & carried him down the fire escape which the janitor, Mr. Hedgeworth, who's not only in on the whole plot, but is orchestrating it by exploiting the hatred that Andy, Steve & Mark have for Aruba for HIS OWN personal & political agenda, arranged to have free of traffic from those who might get suspicious & expose the whole plot. As we pick up the scene now, Mark is holding a .45 caliber hand gun (Legally owned by his dad) & points it Aruba, pressing the end of the barrel just above his nose, yet right between his eyes while Aruba trembles & fears for his own safety

MARK (With authority) - Kneel. KNEEL

Aruba complies, but does so while still trembling

MARK (Again with authority, yet softer) - Put your hands behind your head

Aruba immediately complies

MARK (Snickerishly laughing as he slowly walks around Aruba) - Look at you. Down on on your knees. Hands behind your head. And to top it all off, you're trembling as if you'd just seen a fuckin' ghost. Beautiful sight. Just priceless. What do you think guys?

Andy (Playing One-Upsmanship with Mark at Aruba's expense) - I've got one better. Cross your feet.

MARK (Wondering why he hadn't thought of Andy's idea himself) - Yeah. Good idea. (Slightly kicking Aruba's right foot) - Cross 'em.

Aruba crosses his feet, putting his right foot over the left one

STEVE (Also joining in on the game) - I've got another one. Get on your hands like a fuckin' dog.

MARK (Wondering why he hadn't thought of Steve's idea either) - Yeah. That's BETTER than having them behind your head. (Now kicking Aruba in the back) - Get on your hands YOU FUCKIN DOG. Dogs walk on FOUR legs, NOT two.

ANDY - You're forgetting man, he's no ordinary dog.

Andy, Steve & Mark all laugh & continue to poke fun at Aruba by taunting him & making him do embarrassing things, making Aruba just want to strike back out of sheer self-defense, but he knows he can't because he knows he's outnumbered, but that's when the rough stuff begins. Andy, Steve & Mark each take turns using Aruba as their personal punching bag. After a brief period of doing this, that is when Andy, Steve & Mark get down to business

ANDY (Smiling) - We've got a surprise for you.

Steve & Mark get out the equipment needed to attach the bomb to Aruba's body. The equipment consists of the bomb itself, a straight-jacket & duct tape

ARUBA (Really shaking now as he can already see how he'll be remembered if it's what he thinks it is & it goes off) - Ohh no. Ohh FUCK NO Y-Y-Y-You ain't putting that thing on me man.

MARK (Devilishly smiling & slightly nodding) - Mmmm....Hmmmmm

Aruba now breaks out in a cold sweat as he makes a mad dash for the door, only to be stopped well short by Andy & Mark as Aruba frantically screams for help while being dragged back to the boiler

ARUBA (Thinking someone heard his cry for help & will be down here to Andy, Steve & Mark red-handed) - Somebody WILL be down here & catch you guys in the act. I won't have to say a word.

MARK (Again pointing the gun at Aruba's head) - You got that right. Because YOU won't live to tell about it.

STEVE (Reiterating Mark's comment) - Yeah what he said. And if you think ANYBODY is gonna be down here to help you, let alone that filthy TOWELHEAD WHORE of yours, YOU CAN FORGET IT. What's her name? Aaah....Forget it now. They'll be too busy running for THEIR OWN fuckin lives to even bother with rescuing a low-life loser like you.

Andy, Steve & Mark all laugh at Steve's comment. As they're laughing, Andy & Mark each throw in some derrogatory comments about Aruba's parents as well, which they also laugh at

MARK (Not wanting to wait any longer) - I can't wait dudes. Let's get this thing on him.

Andy, Steve & Mark approach Aruba with Andy & Mark holding him while Steve gets Aruba into the straight-jacket, though this wasn't without difficulty. In fact, the whole process was difficult because Aruba kept resisting. But they eventually got the straight-jacket on Aruba & the bomb strapped around his chest, The duct tape was used to muffle his screams & to make any neccessary repairs on rthe fly. They also had electricians tape in case repairs to the wiring of the bomb itself were needed. Neither Andy, Steve or Mark saw any & Andy & Steve walked towards the door, leaving Mark alone with Aruba, who was at this point standing up next to the big boilers with duct tape wound around his feet & one of the poles. As Mark moves towards the door, he does so backwards, pointing the gun at Aruba while yet still making sure he doesn't back over & trip over anything on his way to the doorway. Once there, he has a few parting words with Aruba.....

MARK (Pointing his gun at Aruba) - This is for ruining my '57 Chevy with your JALOPY towelhead.

Aruba finds a way to duck, thus avoiding the bullet which came from Mark's gun. Andy, Steve & Mark all jump in the van they came in. Meanwhile the bullet from Mark's gun (Actually intented to be used to ensure an explosion in case something were to go wrong) bounces around the boiler room pipes & hits a major line. This causes several others to emit gas & rupture. As the scene closes, we see Aruba lying on the floor unconscious as the room fills with smoke & gas followed by an aerial view of the school as what sounds like a thumping sound from the air, yet it's an explosion as shortly afterward, thick black smoke is seen billowing skyward. From Cedarville International Airport, where WCDR-TV has its helicopter parked on a refueling stop, the smoke can be seen from their ActionCam there

CUE LONG ATS CLOSE WITH CAST & CREDIT SCROLL

EFFECTIVE WITH THIS EPISODE There will be an ALL-NEW way in which Against The Storm will close its episodes. It's new in the sense that it's new for modern day soap operas. Yet it's old skool for the soap operas of yesteryear. Think of it as a "Back To The Future" approach as it were. Each episode from here on out will end like this.....

Episode 151 ends with an aerial view of Cedarville High School as now seen by WCDR-TV's Chopper 4, which is hovering overhead. This video is being fed back to the station, which is frantically trying to get a crew to the scene & do other tasks before going to air with the story. The view we see alternates between the aerial shot of the school itself as seen by Chopper 4, the view of the school as seen by various other cams along the Channel 4 Action News ActionCam Network & the view of each camera from WCDR-TV's Master Control Room, which shows EVERYTHING from their own cams to what Channel 7 & Channel 12 are broadcasting to the network show which WCDR is broadcasting right now. Basically put, typical fare of what you would ordinarily expect to find in a TV station master control room or newsroom. We then see an overlay of the Against The Storm logo as we see a monitor from the WCDR master control room showing the view of Cedarville High School from the ActionCam at Cedarville International Airport (Which is BTW akin to the World Trade Center on 9/11 from the CNN tower in NYC IRL, but adjusted for obvious elevation)