EPISODE TWENTY-TWO – LIVIN’ ON THE EDGE

EXT. JONES CAUSEWAY UNDERGROUND BAR

Larisa is standing at the door, keeping out of the rain. She’s looking for someone, something. She sees them, headlight. A Blue Nissan Skyline, a purple Mustang and vermilion (with racing stripes) Dodge Viper all parked across the street. The doors open.

TITLE CARD – LIVIN’ ON THE EDGE

INT. CARD ROOM

Lydia passes Grey his drink. A bead of sweat rolls down his head.

Grey: You’re bluffing.

Valentine: I’m calling.

Grey lays down two pairs. Valentine has a straight flush.

Valentine: I’m beating you red and raw today, child.

He rakes in the tokens in the centre of the table to add to his already prodigious collection. Grey looks hard at Valentine, as if to say “How?”

Grey: Well. You’ve certainly given me food for thought. A worthy adversary at last. Why don’t we toast to a new friendship?

He raises his glass. Valentine takes his and they start to drink. But before Valentine starts to sip, he suddenly-

Valentine: Wait, no. I mean, I barely know you and I really don’t like making casual friends in dark dank bars. Especially ones who happen to be MAD agents.

Grey: Just drink. It’ll ease all your troubles away.

OUT BACK

Seth is ramming his spear at the lock on the door. It breaks as he kicks it open and he charges in.

INT. JONES CAUSEWAY UNDERGROUND BAR

Santino runs at Seth who smartly parries the punch and slaps Sonny’s head with the blunt side of the spear, dropping him. He charges on when he looks up and-

Prince: Going somewhere?

INT. CARD ROOM

Valentine: -and in this modern climate, I mean I’ve been through a lot and I just feel that a lot of people are trying to use me, you know? Even my own daughter, can you believe that? I mean, I know I haven’t been there for her but that’s just because I didn’t know where the hell she was and who can blame me? After all, it’s not like-

Grey: DRINK!!

Valentine: Sheesh. Whatever. You’re not my friend.

He takes a shot. Melissa touches his hand in anticipation and there’s suddenly a lot of shouting and glass breaking outside in the bar. Valentine grabs Melissa, swings her to his other side, kisses her violently and tosses her behind his chair, jumping to his feet at the same time, gun drawn. Grey stares up.

Grey: What’re you doing!?

Melissa spits liquid from her mouth.

Valentine: Did you think I would fall for something like that? What are you playing at here?

INT. JONES CAUSEWAY UNDERGROUND BAR

Seth: What are you playing at here?

Prince: Easy! We’re not here to fight. You.

Seth scoops up a glass on the blade of his spear and flings it towards prince, who is flanked by Orange and Bridget Violet. Violet draws his sword and shatters the glass.

Orange: Now watch it, son.

Prince: Where is he, Seth?

Seth: You!

He leaps to the side, jerks Lydia up by her blouse on his spear.

Seth: You called him here.

Lydia: No! Not me!

Larisa: Right.

Seth drops Lydia, swivels, Larisa aims a gun.

Larisa: Me.

Prince: Where’s Valentine?

Valentine: Right here.

Now on one end there’s Larisa with her gun. Facing her is Seth, who has Lydia hostage. Then behind him are Prince and flunkies. And behind all of them is Valentine, gun in one hand aimed at Prince, Grey in a head lock.

Prince: Did you drink it?

Valentine: Despite his (Grey) eagerness for me to do just that, no.

Prince: Good for you.

Larisa shoots Grey in the head. Valentine drops him.

Prince: Bad for me.

Valentine charges. Violet steps out, but Valentine punches him. Orange runs, but Seth leaps up and smacks him out of the way. Larisa shoots Seth twice in the arm. Orange scrambles for the exit.

Prince: Stop!!

Valentine holds his gun to Prince’s head.

Valentine: Make me.

Prince slaps the gun from Valentine’s hand and punches him on the ear. Valentine grabs Prince’s shoulders and throws him against the wall. Then he clutches Prince’s giant waggly ears and throws him the other way. Prince hits his head on the bar. Valentine runs up to kick him but Prince grabs his leg, and twists it making Valentine fall. He then drags Valentine across the floor and into a table. Valentine picks up a chair and hits Prince with it, earning a release. He gets to is feet and they stand off.

Prince: Lower your gun, Larisa

She does.

Prince: I never wanted this Marco. But you put yourself in the firing line.

Valentine: So you spike my drink with poison?

Prince: Not my style. His. I just wanted to reap the benefits.

Valentine: His?

Prince: Like I said. Line of fire, boyo.

Valentine: What are you after?

Seth: Power. He wants what Shadowhite has.

Valentine (laughs): You’re a fool if you think you can win. You’re going to die. You’ll be betrayed and you’ll be slaughtered.

Prince: Let’s leave.

Violet struggles to his feet and Larisa goes too.

Prince: Lydia?

Lydia is tending to Seth’s arm.

Prince: Come on girl.

Lydia looks over uncertainly.

Lydia: I’ll catch up with you later.

Valentine: Walk away.

He steps forward.

Valentine: Go on.

Prince: I don’t have time for this.

He exits with Violet and Larisa. Seth exhales deeply and moans in pain. Lydia wraps a tourniquet around the wound.

Valentine: You’d best get that looked at by a doctor.

He walks over, helps Seth up.

Seth: What about him?

Valentine: Grey?

Seth: He is one of Shadowhite’s enforcers.

Valentine: Yeah. He won’t be a happy bunny. Thanks for reminding me by the way. It’s not like the night wasn’t crappy enough already.

They make their way towards the door.

Lydia: Didn’t you make bundles of cash?

Valentine: I already have bundles of cash. Thanks for the tip off by the way,

Lydia: Did you break the glass? I wouldn’t want to leave any trace.

As they climb the steps, Santino crawls through the wreckage left from Prince and Valentine’s fight and peers into the card room. Bob, Cletus and Foobar lie in various states of beaten unconscious while Melissa sobs, traumatised, in the corner.

BREAK

INT. VALENTINE’S OFFICE

Valentine stands looking out of the window at the Roy’s Palace skyline, deep in thought. He turns, shuffles some papers on his desk and exits.

INT. ROY’S PALACE LOBBY

Valentine shuts his door, which reads “Marco Valentine, Junior Partner”, and walks past a desk, on which we see a name plate, “Eden de Jardin, Personal Assistant”.

Eden: Where are you off to?

Valentine: Hospital. Picking up Seth. I’ll be back in a couple of hours. Stick around until then, I might need some help with something.

Eden: Ok.

Valentine: Ok what?

Eden rolls his eyes.

Eden: Okay, sir.

EXT. VALENTINE’S HOUSE

Parked in the drive are Valentine’s Jag and Remington’s Ferrari. Valentine approaches in the Plymouth with Seth and Lydia. Seth has his arm in a sling.

Valentine: What’s Nicholas doing here?

Seth: He’s taking me back to Yokohama, apparently there’s work to be done.

Valentine: You’re in no condition.

Seth: I’m fine! It’s just a flesh wound.

Valentine parks and they all get out. Remington is at the door already. He nods and Valentine nods back. Mei pokes her head out from behind him and exits the door and notices Lydia.

Mei: Oh. Hey!

Lydia: Hi!

Mei: Well gosh. I sure haven’t seen you before.

Lydia: Hey! Me neither! What’s your name?

Seth: Oh cut it out girls, even they’re not that stupid.

Lydia: Oh yeah. How’ve you been?

Mei: Privately schooled. You?

Lydia: Bombs on the subway.

Mei: Sucks.

Lydia: Hi Remy!

Remington totally ignores (maybe in part because he hates being called Remy) and focuses on Valentine.

Remington: There’s someone here to see you.

Valentine looks. Down the street, there’s a silver Mercedes. Perplexed, he heads inside.

INT. VALENTINE’S KITCHEN

Valentine enters to find none other than Yukio… going through his stuff. Beat.

Yukio: I was looking for cookies.

Valentine flicks his head towards the marked jar on the other side of the room.

Valentine: Right.

Yukio goes over, takes one out and eats.

Yukio: Obviously I hadn’t looked over there yet.

Valentine: What’s up, little man?

Yukio: You should address your elder brother with the proper respect.

Valentine: Mom died.

Yukio: Yes, I heard. Thanks for not inviting me to the funeral.

Valentine: I forgot you existed.

Yukio: I’m sure.

Valentine: What do you want?

Yukio: I’m here to take back Mei.

Valentine: Get out.

Yukio: Also to give you a warning. You’re in the line of fire.

Valentine: I see your pimp has briefed you.

Yukio: It’s not safe here. They’ll be coming for you.

Valentine: Who?

Yukio: I can keep her safe. You know it. Barely five minutes she was in your care and she was already getting kidnapped.

Valentine starts to make tea.

Valentine: You know something, Yukio? In all the years I was married to Su… I was never happy. I had everything I ever wanted, love, money, fame, a life size bronze statue of Steven Tyler…

Yukio looks, and indeed, through the window in the dining room, he can see the statue of Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler.

Valentine: But I also had the fear. Because of the way I lived, I feared I would lose everything. And in the end, I did.

The water boils and Valentine pours it, stirring.

Valentine: Now, it feels like I have a second chance, to make amends. Neither you, nor anyone else will ruin that for me.

Yukio nods. And exits. Valentine sips his tea.

INT. JONES CAUSEWAY UNDERGROUND BAR

Valentine and Remington come down the steps. Santino is sweeping the floor free of broken glass and furniture.

Santino: No, no, no, go away man. I don’t want no more trouble.

Valentine: Back door.

Remington pushes past Santino, makes his way over and opens the door. Slumped in the alley now bathed in sunlight is Shaw.

Valentine: Pick him up, take him to the car.

Remington: Why’ve I gotta do it!? He reeks! Hey, I only-

Valentine: Just do it!

Valentine goes back to the card room. Grey’s flunkies have split, but Melissa is still huddled in the corner. She spies Valentine and crawls towards him and caresses his legs.

Melissa: I think something bad happened here. It’s terribly awfully tragic. Can you get some more for me?

Valentine: Who sent you, girl?

Melissa falls away, sitting.

Melissa: No… you’re just another puppet. Nothing like him. Just fade away.

Valentine kneels.

Valentine: Who sent you to me?

Melissa strikes out, slashes Valentine’s cheek with her nails. In reflex, Valentine strikes back, knocking her head against the wall. She slumps to the floor. Valentine tries to pick her up, but she grabs a table leg and does her level best to stay where she is.

Santino: No good. You’ll need a crane to winch her out.

Valentine: What’s wrong with her?

Santino: It’s that drug. You dosed her and she’s lost now.

Valentine: Does it normally act this fast?

Santino: You must have been given an extra strong dose. Wary of your reputation, perhaps.

Valentine stares fiercely at Santino.

Santino: Hey! (goes back to sweeping) They threatened me with violence if I didn’t comply, so don’t look at me.

Valentine: Strong dose, enough to change the colour of the drink. That’s how I knew. But so did she. You play with fire, you get burnt.

Santino: Whatever you say, amigo.

Valentine: Where’s Grey?

Santino: Suits took him away.

Remington has returned, carrying Shaw.

Remington: Yeah. Didn’t you see the news today? There’s a warrant and bounty on Claverty.

Valentine: Let’s go.

They start to leave. Santino picks up broken furniture. Valentine grabs his hair.

Valentine: You too.

Valentine drags Santino away.

INT. VALENTINE’S CAR

Valentine drives, Remington rides shotgun and Shaw and Santino hold hands in the back.

Valentine: He said they’d be coming for me. ‘They’. I suppose that means MAD. I guess they want to control Roy’s Palace. They want our money. It’ll buy them the election and all the firepower they need to take out Sha’arad and anyone else opposed to them in any way.

He parks outside his house.

Valentine: I need to go and pick up Eden, we need all our heads together here. Drive Shaw to the hospital then come and wait here.

INT. ROY’S PALACE LOBBY

Valentine exits the lift and goes to Eden’s table but he’s not there and all the lights are off.

Valentine: Bloody useless lazy tramp.

He looks over. The door to his office is ajar. He enters. It’s dark. He goes to the side, looking for the light switch. And instead, finds a guy emerging from the shadows, making him back up. Other characters appear from the shadows, surrounding him.

Leader of the Pack: Hello, Mr Valentine… welcome to your death…

END – YOU CAN’T HELP YOURSELF FROM FALLING

Episode 23 Preview

Valentine: You know, I get it, you reap what you sow, do unto others as you would have them do unto you, blah blah blah. I’ve had enough of having this lesson jammed down my throat. Next episode, Sick as a Dog. I’m fighting back.