Due to the sensitive nature of this episode, this episode may not be suitable for some readers. As such, reader discretion is advised.
SCENE ONE - The Law Offices Of Stanley A. Finch
As we open up this episode, the kniving Cassandra Whitmore has just received a call from her new attorney Stanley Finch asking her to come into his office. As we pick up the scene now, we see her approaching the door to Stanley's office. She is carrying little Christopher with her.
CASSANDRA (Confirming to herself that she has the right office suite) - Yep this is it.
Cassandra walks in only to find that his receptionist isn't at her desk. Given this, she decides to approach the door to Stanley's office. As she does, she hears what appears to be Debbie Stevens, whom he had spent the night with, trying to hit on him. Wanting to know what's going on, she barges into Stanley's office.
CASSANDRA (As she enters the room) - What the hell is going on here? (To Debbie) - What are YOU doing here?
STANLEY (Trying to explain himself) - I was just trying to tell that I had some work to do and that I had a client coming in.
CASSANDRA (Unimpressed and hardly fooled with Stanley's explaination, though looking more at Debbie with her suspicious eyes than at Stanley) - I can see.
STANLEY (Wondering how Cassandra got passed his receptionist) - Where's my receptionist?
CASSANDRA (Still staring at Debbie with her suspicious eyes as she answers Stanley's question) - Dunno. Wasn't there I arrived. (Now walking toward Debbie) - Maybe the tramp here PAID her to take an early coffee break.
DEBBIE (Having just about enough of Cassandra's looks and overall attitude while obviously sporting one of her own and not afraid to show it off either) - I'm not a tramp, which is which is A LOT considering what I can say about you. (Now noticing Christopher's prescence in the room as she reaches to-toe-toe range of Cassandra) - Ohh wait a minute. Not only are you a fuckin' tramp, you're a fuckin' babymaking slut as well. How's the little babymaking factory of yours these days? Business still good?
Cassandra puts Christopher down on the floor and prepares to take a swing a Debbie
DEBBIE (Putting her hands on her hips & shaking them from right to left in a pompant, arrogant manner, daring Cassandra to take a swing at her while Cassandra's fury continues to build) - Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong, but that IS your son, right? And Leo McFadden IS his father, right? Tell me if I'm wrong, but I do believe that's what you're here to see Stanley for, right?
STANLEY (Attempting to break the ladies up) - ALRIGHT LADIES. Now I don't know what sort of past the two of you share, nor right now do I even care. But whatever it is, it won't be carried out here. So, why don't we just forget this all happened.
Cassandra and Debbie don't even hear Stanley and just look at each other as they mimmick each other's "Bring It" facial expressions and body movements, still standing toe-to-toe as well.
STANLEY (Trying to wedge himself between the two of them to get Debbie's attention) - I'll talk to you later sweetie?
Debbie doesn't answer. Instead she just slowly - Very slowly - Backs away from Cassandra, still staring at her with her "Bring it" face and mimmicking her head movements as Cassandra does the same while standing still. Debbie ultimately exits - Walking backwards as she does. Stanley then turns to Cassandra, wondering just what he saw and just what, if any, impact, their grudge will have on her case.
SCENE TWO - Cedarville Memorial Hospital
Trish is laying on a stretcher in the ER and is frantically if not hysterically crying as she shows reaction to the physical trauma she sustained as the staff tries to figure out what happened to her. As we pick up the scene, she's laying on the stretcher in an almost near-fetal position
TRISH (Crying) - Get them out of me
FEMALE EMT #1 (Noticing the others are just as perplexed as she is) - We don't understand. Get what out of you?
TRISH - THEM!!
FEMALE EMT #2 - Who's the them you keep referring to?
TRISH (Thinking these must be a bunch of clueless idiots, but not realizing they are just simply doing their jobs) - The monsters who RAPED me bitch! Who else could I be talking about?
FEMALE EMT #2 (Apologetic, but also trying to explain proceedure) - We're sorry, okay? But unless you tell us these things, we don't know for sure. That's why we ask, okay?
TRISH (Crying and not really caring for the EMT's reason given above) - Whatever. JUST GET 'EM OUT OF ME!!!!
FEMALE EMT #3 - Okay, we'll get started as soon as we can. We just need to call in another doctor. A specialist for your case.
FEMALE EMT #3 instructs one of the nurses to call the Gynecologist on-call and have that person report to the ER stat.
FEMALE EMT #1 (With rape kit in hand) - In the meantime Ms. Martin, we need to take some samples for the lab and the police.
TRISH (Horrified at the thought of dealing with them) - Ohh please don't bring them into this.
FEMALE EMT #1 (Apologetic yet simply pointing out a fact) -I'm sorry ma'am, but the law requires it.
Trish just cries softly. Meanwhile the three EMTs prepare themselves and get the neccessary equipment setup for the sample taking and are now ready to prepare their patient
CUE ATS STANDARD OPEN
SCENE THREE - Office of Dr. Holly Madison, OB/GYN
Channel 4 Action News Investigative Reporter Stephanie Blanton has just gone in for a checkup to see what is causing her stomach pains which she's had in the mornings for the last few days. As we pick up the scene now, we see her and her gynecolegist Dr. Holly Madison in an examination room. Stephanie has just explained to her where she's feeling the pain, how bad it is, etc. Holly is now explaining how she plans to address the issues Stephanie could be facing and laying out her options.
DR. MADISON - Now what I plan to do is administer a battery of tests, okay.
STEPHANIE - Okay.
DR. MADISON - Hopefully we can get to the bottom of this.
STEPHANIE (Thinking that Dr. Madison has no idea how RELIEVED she would be) - Ohh that would be sssssooooooooo WONDERFUL.
Just then, one of the office nurses peeks her head inside
NURSE - Dr. Madison, you have a call from the ER.
DR. MADISON - Thank you. I'll take it in the other room. (In a near-whispering fashion as she approaches the door in preparation to leave the room) - Meanwhile, call the lab and have a pregnancy test sent over.
NURSE - Yes doctor.
DR. MADISON (Being honest, yet not wanting to get Stephanie's hopes up or throw her into a panic as she doesn't know Stephanie's social life beyond what she needs to know to treat her) - I'm having a pregnancy test sent over.
STEPHANIE (A little mystified, yet realizing that Holly is just covering all the bases, starting with what could be the most obvious) - Okay...
DR. MADISON - Hopefully that's all it is. If so, then you've got a little bun in the oven. If it isn't, we're gonna have to take some more extreme measures. Either way, I gotta take this call. I'll be back in a few minutes.
Dr. Madison exits before Stephanie can get a word in edgewise. Meanwhile Stephanie thinks she smells news and decides to do a little snooping. As Dr. Madison enters the room next to her, Stephanie puts her head to the wall, making sure to face the door in case someone walks in. Stephanie can hear Dr. Madison talking on a telephone in the room
DR. MADISON (To the ER Staff member on the phone as Stephanie listens in from the adjacent exam room she's in) - This is Dr. Madison....Yes.....Really?......How long ago?.....Are you sure she's a possible rape victim?....Have you started a rape kit?.....Okay, I'll be over there in a few minutes.......I've got a patient right now.....As soon as I discharge her, I'll be over there.....Thank you.
The call ends and Stephanie returns to the exam table as though she did nothing since Dr. Madison left. Just then, the nurse walks in and tells Stephanie that it'll take a few minutes for the test to arrive, but that it will be administered once it does. Meanwhile Stephanie, who is torn between finding out who was raped and what the potential story could be and waiting to deal with her own medical issues. Stephanie decides to wait, figuring that in all likelihood that since the patient is in the ER, they'll be moving at a near-snail's pace anyway.A minute later, she hears Dr. Madison talking to one of the nurses telling her that Stephanie can go once she's taken the pregnancy test. The nurse then walks into the examination room where Stephanie is and tells her she can leave as soon as she takes the pregnancy test as per instructed by Dr. Madison.
SCENE FOUR - Stacy's House
Brad & Stacy are enjoying their breakfast. Michelle, having already had breakfast, is enjoying a cup of coffee. As we pick up the scene, the doorbell has rung. Stacy goes to answer it and finds Michael standing on the other side.
STACY (A little, but pleasantly, surprised) - Michael.
MICAHEL (Dry & serious) - Can I come in?
STACY (Opening the door to let him in) - Ohh of course. Where are my manners?
Michael steps inside.
STACY (Continuing) - Can I get you anything? A cup of coffee perhaps?
MICHAEL - No, but you can get me Trish if she's here.
STACY (Wondering what Michael is talking about and knowing she hasn't seen Trish all morning and has the surprised to show for it) - I haven't seen or spoken to her all morning.
MICHELLE (Overhearing the conversation) - You mean she never came home last night?
Brad walks into the living room just as Michelle spoke and now has a disturbed look on his face unaware of the fact that Michael was at the Fon Du Lac till closing the night before
MICHAEL (Somewhat surprised at Michelle's prescence, but nonetheless continuing) - No. Her bed doesn't even look slept in or anything.
MICHELLE (Now with a worried look on her face) - Boy that is worrysome.
BRAD (Confused & wanting to know what's going on) - Wait....Wait....Wait. Would either of you two care to tell me what's going on here?
MICHAEL (Frankfully & sighing as he begins) - I was at the Fon Du Lac from about a little after 7:00 PM till closing last night. I had a date with Trish. For some strange, inexplicable reason, she never showed up. In fact, this morning, I woke up only to discover that her side of the bed didn't even look slept in.
BRAD (Still confused) - So?
MICHAEL (Thinking that Trish's own brother must be DENSE or something) SO?? Something's wrong. That's gotta be it. But what?
STACY (Trying to be calm and thinking there must be some rationale reason as to why her best friend would even consider doing such a thing to Michael) - Well okay, but what sort of proof do you have?
MICHAEL (Pulling out from his leather jacket pocket the note he found atop the fireplace earlier) - This note.
Brad, Stacy & Michelle each read the note as they pass it on to each other after reading it themselves.
MICHAEL (Continuing) - I went to that store before coming over here. It's a crime scene.
STACY (Trying to keep calm and trying to rationalize the situation) - Well maybe it became a crime scene before Trish even got there.
MICHAEL (Thinking Stacy must REALLY be dense) - Stace....If that were the case, don't you think Trish would be safe & sound by now?
MICHELLE (Getting one of her infamously accurate really bad feelings on the whole situation and is about to hit the proverbial panic button) - Well either way, this is REALLY troublesome guys. I've got a really bad feeling about this. And Stace, you know me well enough to know that when I get one of those, I'm usually right about these things.
STACY - All I'm saying is let's not hit the proverbial panic button here. Let's just wait till we know more.
BRAD - Well Stace, if Trish is in some kind of trouble, we need to help her. Only question is HOW???
STACY - I don't know.
MICHAEL - Well I DO know. And since she's obviously not here, I'm going to the one place where she can go to get help - The police station.
STACY - Sure you won't stay for a cup of coffee?
MICHAEL - I'm sure. Thanks.
STACY - Okay.
Stacy opens the front door and Michael exits.
SCENE FIVE - Cedarville High School Student Parking Lot
Aruba Al Faheed has just pulled into the student parking lot of Cedarville High School and parked his car. As we pick up the scene now, he is on his way into the school when he is approached by a gang of students who have bullied him in the past.
BULLY #1 - Hey! Just where do you think YOU are going towelhead?
ARUBA (Wanting to avoid another confrontation) - Inside to go to class. Excuse me.
BULLY #1 - Whoa man! You ain't leavin' this bomb in [i]OUR[/i] parking lot. This is for the student body to park [b]WORKING[/b] cars. Cars with bombs don't qualify.
All the other members of the group express their shared sentiment.
BULLY #4 (Noticing his car next to Aruba's) - Hey! You parked this bomb next to [b]MY[/b] classic beauty. This is a '67 Ford Mustang Fastback. My father drove this when he was a teenager. In fact, he was a graduate of this school.
ARUBA (Trying to be reassuring) - There's no bomb in or otherwise attached to my car.
BULLY #4 (Adamant & shouting) - HOW DO I KNOW THAT?
ARUBA - Trust me. There's no bomb.
BULLY #4 (Sarcastically laughing and sticking his thumbs up like The Fonz from Happy Days) - Trust him he says. Look man, Move it before I start moving some of your body parts - NOW DUDE
Just then Ashleigh, Aruba's girlfriend approaches.
ASHLEIGH (Adamant & Demanding) - Leave him ALONE!!
Aruba turns to look at Ashleigh with an embarrassed look on his face. Meanwhile Bully #4 stands toe-to-toe with Aruba with his football player body build and clenches his fists. Another bully who's a member of the school's wrestling team, stands alongside Bully #4. Aruba brazenly remains unfazed by their muscular builds (Not to mention the very presence of his girlfriend Ashleigh), however the others are laughing and saying things like Look who's come to your rescue and the like as they taunt Aruba and start turning their attention towards Ashleigh. Just as they do, Juaquendo and a few of Aruba's "other" friends show up to help turn the tides in Aruba's favor.
SCENE SIX - Cedarville Memorial Hospital
Trish is still laying on a stretcher in the ER and is frantically if not hysterically crying as she shows reaction to the physical trauma she sustained. A few minutes earlier, the staff treating her indicated they needed to call in a specialist - Gynecologist Dr. Holly Madison. As we pick up the scene now, Dr. Madison has just been briefed about Trish's case and has just walked into the cubicle where Trish is.
DR. MADISON (As she's walking in, not realizing that she's walking in on one of her patients) - Ms. Martin...
TRISH (Recognizing Dr. Madison) - Dr. Madison....Ohh god....Please help.
DR. MADISON - We're doing everything we can, okay? Just bear with us.
Dr. Madison steps out momentarily to confer with the staff treating her to get a status report on the rape kit and several other things, including the arrival of detectives from the Cedarville PD. When she returns, she returns with several ER staff members, one of whom has the rape kit in hand. Dr. Madison directs the staff on what needs to be done and advises Trish to that effect. Trish does what she can to comply with the requests, but stresses how difficult some of them are hard to comply with.
TRISH (As one of the staff members is retrieving tissue samples from deep inside her womb) - This is so hard.
DR. MADISON - We're just about done.
Meanwhile, back at Dr. Madison's office, Channel 4 Action News Investigative Reporter Stephanie Blanton decides to follow her nose for news by heading on over to the ER. As we pick up this portion of the scene now, she is seen leaving the room and taking the pregnancy test she has just taken over to the nurse, who then takes the test from Stephanie and then discharges Stephanie, again as per instructed by Dr. Madison.
STEPHANIE (Talking to herself) - Okay, now to get to the ER....
Stephanie makes her way over to the hospital and enters through the main entrance. She meanders her way through the hospital until she reaches the Emergency Department, which obviously houses the ER. She then starts looking for what she thinks might be the story she's looking for. Just as she's about to give up, she notices a bunch of people around a patient. But before she can get any closer, someone approaches her
STAFF MEMBER (To Stephanie, thinking she may be in need of help) - Can I help you?
STEPHANIE (Not convinced the staff member can be of any help, but thankful anyway) - No thanks.
The staff member walks away. As they do, Stephanie grows more and more curious about the crowd of staff members and the patient they are around. One staff member is seen almost kneeling as he performs a procedure while the others are simply milling around the patient. Then all of a sudden, Stephanie sees the patient's face and is now petrified.
STEPHANIE (Recognizing the face as likely being that of Trish) - Ohh my god. That can't be Trish. It can't be.
SCENE SEVEN
Michelle is now back at the FonDuLac Hotel. As we pick up the scene now, she is in the Grand Ballroom with a bunch of her staff playing traffic cop as it were by directing people where to go, what to do, etc.
MICHELLE (Directing traffic) - Put this over there.....Put that over here....No...No.....Move that....That's it....No, don't touch that.
Just then her father walks in
THOMAS (Admiring his princess as he walks into the room, half-surprised to see her) - Well....Well....Well. If it isn't my darling princess...
Michelle suddenly turns around at the sound of her father's voice
MICHELLE (Very surprised to see him - And only mildly delighted at that - With a strange look on her face) - Daddy? What the hell are you doing here?
The camera snaps over to Thomas, who has a puzzled and perplexed look on his face that says That's a hell of a greeting. The camera then snaps back at Michelle who still has the same strange look on her face as above as the camera fades to black.
On The NEXT Edition Of AGAINST THE STORM
* Cassandra gets word on her case from Stanley. Could she be headed for court?
* Now that Michelle's father has made his Grand Entrance, why is Michelle NOT excited to see him?
* Stephanie gets the results from her pregnancy test. Could she be?
All this & more on the NEXT edition of AGAINST THE STORM
CUE ATS STANDARD CLOSE (Windows Media Link)
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