Tough Love
Episode: 3
Copyright 2014, Alexander Dingeman, All rights reserved
EXT. – DOWNTOWN LÁGNOS – MORNING
(Scene opens on an establishing shot of a street in downtown Lágnos. Camera focuses in on a full shot showing all of the characters just moments after the end of episode 2. Lana angrily storms up to Duke and starts reaching into her bag. Duke, still clutching his shoulder, hobbles over to greet her.)
DUKE
Lana! What are the odds that-
(Lana pulls out a can of pepper spray and once she gets close enough sprays Duke in the face. Duke cries out in pain and puts his hands over his eyes as he backs away.)
LANA
You fucking pervert! Did you actually think that that accidental phone call was an open invitation to stalk me all the way to Greece!?!
WILT
(Stepping forward to talk.) Lana calm down, it wasn’t like that.
LANA
(Pointing the pepper spray at Wilt.) You want some of this too bitch?
WILT
(Stepping back.) No. He’s all yours.
(The Old Woman walks up to Lana and Duke looking concerned.)
OLD WOMAN
Ti symvaínei edó̱?
LANA
Af̱tós o ánthro̱pos prospathoúse na me viásei.
(The Old Woman gasps. Duke finally gets the will to open his eyes again and approaches the Old Woman.)
DUKE
Look, I don’t know what she just said to you in Greece talk but-
(The Old Woman reaches into her purse and sprays Duke with her own can of pepper spray. Duke cries out in pain again as the Old Woman runs off. Cut to a medium shot of Lana and Duke. Lana steps up to confront Duke who once again struggles to open his eyes.)
LANA
You have SO much explaining to do.
DUKE
Well we didn’t exactly know that you were going to be here! We flew over here to go treasure hunting.
LANA
Ugh! This is just classic Duke. I had almost forgotten what it was like listening to all of your old bullshit stories. Next time you should start with something a little more believable. You’re always either an astronaut or a policeman. Now you’re fucking Indiana Jones!
(Camera pans out a little as Wilt steps into frame.)
WILT
We’re actually here for the upcoming festival.
LANA
Now that’s a story that I can actually believe. (Gesturing toward Wilt.) And of course you brought your shadow with you.
OBLEX
(Off-screen) Geiá sou!
(Cut to a full shot showing all of the characters as Professor Oblex, a chubby, gray-haired man with a thick Greek accent, runs over to Lana. Cut to a medium shot of the professor and Lana.)
LANA
Sir, I-
OBLEX
What is taking so long Lana? Oh! Did you bring me more Americans?
LANA
No. These are just a couple of… old acquaintances of mine.
OBLEX
Wonderful! You must introduce us. (Reaching out to shake Duke’s hand.) I am Professor Oblex.
(Duke extends his arm to shake the professor’s hand. Cut to a close-up of his wound then cut back to the full shot. At this point Lana finally calms down enough to notice how serious Duke’s injuries are.)
LANA
Oh, god. What happened to your arm?
WILT
We got into a little trouble right before we ran into you.
LANA
(Sigh) Well, let’s at least get you guys to a hospital.
(Wilt lets Duke lean on him while they follow Lana and Oblex off-screen. Scene fades out.)
EXT. – BEACH – MORNING
(Scene opens on an establishing shot of a beach near the boardwalk. The shot fades in to a close up of the Mistress that pans around her body. As the camera scrolls across her body and up to her face we see that she is wearing a small bikini instead of her normal cloak. Cut to a full shot that shows her waiting outside of a beach changing tent and casually playing with one of her knives.)
MISTRESS
Honestly, I don’t know why you’re not in a better mood. Now we’re the only ones looking for the heart and we didn’t even have to kill anyone.
JASMINE
(From inside the tent.) Leaving someone alone in mortal danger isn’t exactly the solution that I was hoping for.
MISTRESS
(Sigh) Then there’s just no pleasing you.
JASMINE
So who’s our target now?
MISTRESS
A rare artifact collector named Esau. I’ve actually met with him a few times in the past but he neglected to mention that he knew anything about the Heart of Aphrodite. (Pause) That’s just like his kind.
JASMINE
Greeks?
MISTRESS
Men. (Annoyed) Will you just come out of there already?
(Cut to a one shot of the entrance of the changing tent. Jasmine slowly exits also wearing a small bikini. She looks around self-consciously.)
JASMINE
I don’t understand why we have to wear these.
(Cut to a medium shot of the Mistress and Jasmine as the Mistress turns slightly to address her.)
MISTRESS
No one will question why we’re here as long as they have something to look at.
JASMINE
I-
MISTRESS
Anyway, he should be showing up somewhere near the docks today. He knows that we’re coming for him so he’ll probably bring a few armed guards with him.
JASMINE
I’m not sure that I’m comfortable with this.
(The Mistress steps closer to Jasmine and puts a hand on her shoulder in an attempt to comfort her.)
MISTRESS
Don’t worry. (Pause) They won’t be carrying anything more dangerous than a handgun. It’s not like we’ll be going up against automatic weapons. (Takes hand off of Jasmine’s shoulder and looks off somewhere else as if remembering something.) Those are irritating.
JASMINE
I meant with wearing these.
MISTRESS
(Turning back to Jasmine.) Humph. Then go ahead and stay here looking suspicious if you like. I don’t really need you here anyway. I just thought that this would be a good chance for you to hone your combat skills.
JASMINE
Mistress, I-
MISTRESS
Relax. I’ll return shortly.
(Cut to a full shot of the beach. The Mistress starts walking away as the scene fades out.)
INT. – HOSPITAL – MORNING
(Scene opens with a full shot of a hospital room. Duke is lying in a bed with Wilt, Lana, Oblex, and a doctor standing around him. Duke has a bandage on his broken nose and around the arm that was shot.)
DOCTOR
You were very lucky Mr. Butchmann. The bullet that struck your shoulder missed the bone completely so we should be able to have you out of here in no time.
WILT
Thank you doctor.
(The doctor exits.)
OBLEX
So you were attacked by a bounty hunter? How Exciting!
LANA
Please. He may have been shot but there’s no bounty hunter after him. His life is not that interesting. He probably just slept with someone’s wife.
(A nurse walks in carrying a tray of medical supplies. Cut to a medium shot of the nurse and Duke as the nurse sets the tray down on a table near Duke. Duke leans up in his bed a little to look at her. The nurse turns her head and smiles back at Duke. Cut back to a full shot with all of the characters. Wilt rushes the nurse out of the room.)
>
WILT
Can we get a male nurse please!
LANA
(To Oblex) Anyway, don’t we have more important things to do?
OBLEX
(To Lana) Of course. (To Duke) So! How’d you two meet?
DUKE
Oh… (Awkward) We, uh, used to date in high school.
(All stand in awkward silence.)
OBLEX
(Cheerfully) Well it’s nice to see that you all ended on good terms.
LANA
(Awkward) Yeah.
DUKE
(To Lana) So how’d you end up with the Greek Santa Claus here?
LANA
Remember when I said that I wanted to be an archeologist?
DUKE
Of course! You used to talk about it all the time back in… uh… archeology class?
LANA
(Sigh) Of course you wouldn’t. Well to accommodate your small attention span I’ll just say that now I am one. And after years of waiting I finally got the chance to come out here and work with Professor Oblex. You might say that he has a larger intellect.
OBLEX
Yes! Lágnos has a very rich history but until recently no one was allowed to dig or study in its sacred ruins. Since the island is small and lesser known than some larger ruin sites we are actually the first ones with the chance to really explore it!
LANA
Which we really should be getting back to.
OBLEX
Alright, but you two feel free to stop by and visit us in my study over on second street. It’s the building with the red roof.
(Lana and Oblex exit. Cut to a medium shot of Duke and Wilt. Once they are alone they look at each other in disbelief.)
DUKE
So… Lana’s here.
WILT
Yeah. That’s a thing. (Getting up to leave.) I need some air.
INT. – BEACHSIDE RESTAURANT – MORNING
(Scene opens on an establishing shot of the inside of the restaurant. It looks like it hasn’t been used in a while and no one can be seen inside during this shot. Esau can be heard talking to his henchmen off-screen.)
ESAU
Keep your guard up. She’ll be here any minute now I’m sure of it.
(Cut to a shot of the restaurant’s entrance as the doors fly open and the Mistress steps inside.)
MISTRESS
Good Morning Esau.
(Cut to a full shot of