(Exterior shot, Lane Manor, Daria and Jane fast walking and sweating on the way to the front door, shot closes in.  Jane appears nervous and seems to be trying to look everywhere at once, we know why.  Daria's still a little too out of breath and overheated to be as concerned, Jane's obviously been hurrying her back from the place they had they're little encounter at...finally, Jane makes it to the front door first and finds it unlocked [good old Trent] she then pulls her partner in crime inside and slams the door behind her and locks it.  The two downright bedraggled looking young ladies sink to the floor exhulting in the feeling of air conditioning, [you can visualize this one] and relieved to at least be out of harm's way for the time being. Jane looks over at Daria..)

Jane: Gawd that feels good....

Daria: I can't believe you actually run in this!

Jane: I don't, generally, I've been running after sunset the past couple of weeks.  The air quality's better.

Daria: For you, that's surprisingly sane. And here I thought runner's liked pain and discomfort.

Jane: Hey, it's just something I do, like art..(focuses back on their mission again) Now where's Trent?

Daria: (looks at Jane, vaguely surprised) Where else?

Jane: (gets up and starts for the abovementioned) Ask a silly question....

(Daria follows along after her...obviously giving some thought to what she heard from Jane earlier...her thoughts VO:  "Uncle Dutch?")

Jane: (absent-mindedly and mumbling as she heads downstair's to the basement) Dammit, Dutch, why here....

Daria: Jane, hold it a second, what or who are you talking about? (Jane ignores her as she's already downstairs, Daria follows)

(All is serene inside the Lane basement... [invent your own, details....I'm writing here] until Jane barges on in)

Jane: Trent!  Wake-up, we have to talk!

(Janey's older sibling is out cold as pro forma for him practicing guitar, he does have the instrument in question still in his loving hands however...Daria finally catches up with her best friend)

Jane:(sensing she isn't having the desired effect and with increasing urgency, she sits down right next to him)
TRENT!!

Trent: (finally, something approaching a reaction) URRrrggghh...(no, no witty variations on his standard "But officer" reaction, ain't my style) (blinking sleepily) Janey, what?

Daria(coming into the basement from the stairwell): Jane!  Will you please give me a straight answer!  Who is "Dutch?"

Trent:(suddenly surprisingly animate, and not just because Daria's in close proximity [throw you Trent and Daria maniacs a bone] he sits up) Dutch?  (Interested) What about Dutch!? Uncle Dutch?

Jane: Good, you remember. Daria and I just ran into something we can't explain and....

Daria: (cut's her off, by this time...she's about a full second away from strangling Jane) Talk to me, people!! (a surprising amount of emotion for her but she's had a very, very, weird day and her curiosity is getting the best of her)

Jane: Okay, okay, (patronizing) Daria, do we need a time out? (Smirks, typical Lane humor, even after the events we witnessed, but before Daria can finish stalking toward her to commence a variation on the ballet "Assault with intent to commit murder") Here's the story, when I told you our branch of the Lane family were the black sheep, I wasn't telling the whole truth..  (Daria's back to non-committal) There was one other person.

Trent: (smiles that slightly evil smile we all know and love) Cept he wasn't exactly a family black sheep, more like a black wolf . Uncle Dutch.

Jane: Yep, you've seen Swartzenegger in those big, dumb, action flics? (Daria takes a seat next to Trent, no tension now) Well, Dutch was built like that, he looked like he could take apart a truck with his bare hands.  I can't remember how he was related to us exactly, marriage or something, but he was..

Trent:(finishes the thought) A real badass, you know anybody who's a soldier or ex-military, Daria?

Daria: (mind's eye..considers her Dad's experience with Military school) Not really.

Trent: Well, (full artist appreciation mode, like in "See Jane Run") that's something really, being able to point a gun at someone and take a human life.  I'm not just talking macho bullshit either.  Uncle Dutch had that, whatever it is.

Jane: Which kind of made him an odd commodity at Family Reunions, especially after he got out of the regular military and went freelance...

Daria: Freelance?
 

Trent: The way I heard about it later, he got tired of getting screwed with by people higher up than him, so he formed his own rescue unit and worked outside the system...

Daria: Great, a mercenary in the family, I still don't see what...

Jane:(cuts her off) I'm getting to that part, anyway, Dutch would show up with buddies from his unit at Family Reunions, I can't remember why, which didn't exactly endear him to OUR family, no sir. But since Trent and I were always looking for a way out of there even then, we spent a lot of time talking with Dutch..

Trent: It was better than dealing with our other relatives the whole time.(smirks)

Jane: Eventually, it got to the point were Dutch would show up for whatever reason and then let us come with him just so we could get away for a while.  And that was interesting!

Daria: (deadpan) Anything is more interesting than a Family reunion, what else?

Trent: Well, we met a couple of people on his team, (remembering) Billie, Mac, Hawkins...

Jane: And this big, bear of a guy from Texas named Blaine, (reminscing) he used to carry me on his shoulders when Dutch and the guys went bar-hopping..

Daria: And you were how old?

Jane: Not very, but nobody messed with these guys, they were that tougher than hell looking and I did get my first exposure to drawing on cocktail napkins as an art form..

Trent: And I got my first exposure to wine, women, and song...(crafty smile).

Daria: (Mona Lisa smile) You people are more interesting than I imagined.

Jane: You don't know the half of it, sister.  Spending some "quality" time with Dutch was also where me and Trent picked up some basic fire-arm skills.

Trent: Dutch and the guys would pick up a couple cases of beer and then they'd go out in the woods and blast empty bottles.  It wasn't my idea of fun, but it was better than listening to Grandma Lane scream at us. It seemed like they had every kind of gun in the world too.

Jane: Dutch taught us how to shoot just about anything and I used to be kind of good.

Trent: (smirks) When Dutch held your arm straight anyway. (finally dawns on him what he's been talking about) What brought this on?

Jane: That's where I was going, Trent, you remember when Dutch showed up here that time?

Trent: Oh yeah, the last time we ever saw him. So what?

 Daria: (patience wearing thin) About time, yeah, so what!

Jane: (distracts Trent again, no difficult task)You remember what he told us Trent?  About his team?
 
Trent: Oh man, that's right, he said they were all dead, but the whole thing was weird, I thought he was on drugs or something..

Jane: Don't know how he knew where we lived, but he said he needed a place to stay, (shrugs) and Mom didn't care, so he was with us for about a week. Then he took off and we never saw him again.

Trent: But there was that last day, before he left, man was that odd...

(Daria's losing patience with the whole thing fast but she senses Jane's about to make a major point)

Jane: Dutch took us out to do some shooting like we used to with his buddies, but we could tell he was on edge.. I can actually say he looked like he was afraid of something which I'd never, ever, seen in him before.

Trent: He'd had a couple of beers, but it was something more than that and losing his friends.  I think he really wanted to talk with somebody and we were about it, no one else in the family ever really seemed to care.

Jane: So he told us, in technicolor, what happened, he told us about something that comes with the heat.

Daria(getting a glimmer): The heat?  As in during the summer? (Getting a bit of a major realization.)

Jane: Dutch and his people got sent  in on some kind of rescue mission in South America and they ran into something that just plain blew them away, some kind of creature that was nearly invisible and had weapons you couldn't even begin to imagine.  It killed everybody but Dutch and it would've got him too if he hadn't managed to kill it first.

Trent: I was sure he was totally nuts, but there was something about the way he talked about it that made me believe him a little.  But hey, that was a long time ago.(re-occurs to him finally to ask why again). So what, Janey?

Daria(making the connection): So you're saying, that's what we ran into today!?
 

Jane(nods with satisfaction): I know it's a weird coincidence but what we saw today sounds too much like what Dutch talked about!

Daria: Your Uncle said this thing or things likes the heat.  But what else does it want?  And why Lawndale?

Jane: I wish I knew, Dutch was never specific about what this thing was exactly, whether it was something supernatural or from outer space or whatever (Daria's still looking a bit skeptical).  But he sure was convinced it was real.

Daria: And now this thing or something like it shows up here.  So what do we do about it?

Jane: As much as the deeply ingrained mistrust of authority imbedded in my Lane family genetic code screams bloody murder otherwise, I'd say we're going to have to talk to the police.

Daria(a bit sarcastic): Oh good, this should go over well, "Pardon us officer, we just had an encounter with an invisible, seven foot tall, killing machine that my friends Mercenary relative may have had something to do with, could you perhaps do us a big favor and call in the Marines?"

Jane(eye's narrowing): I said I didn't like it, but what other choice do we have?  We saw one obvious victim of this thing and I really doubt that he was the only one.  You have a better idea?

Daria: Well, other than going home, locking myself  in my room and pretending that this whole incredibly strange experience never happened, no.

Jane: And as for the insanely lethal threat to the general populace of greater suburban Lawndale posed by this thing ?

Daria(shrugs, deadpan): Screw them.

Jane(mockingly hits herself  in the head): I keep forgetting, no conscience, no particular motivation, has dream wherein people spontaneously combust, I'm talking to Daria alright, what was I THINKING!! (turns and walks back upstairs.)

Daria(sensing she has offended): Jane, hang on. (heads off after her friend leaving Trent still trying to figure out what the whole conversation was about in the first place.)

Trent: Janey wait, what was?  (Shrugs to himself, and resumes afternoon practice session or evening, whatever.)

(Back upstair's Lane house, Jane's almost to the front door by the time Daria catches her, she looks determined and no-nonsense)

Daria: Will you just wait a second, dammit!?  (Jane's about to open the door, she turns to regard her friend)

Jane(really determined set to her shoulders): Look Daria, I don't particularly like this town or it's inhabitants any more than you do, but I do know that this thing that's out there plays by it's own rules and doesn't give a damn about anything that gets in its way!!  Dutch told me that much!  (pausing a moment).

Daria(hurt look): No offense, but you picked a hell of a time to get idealistic! (shivers) You weren't the one who nearly got filleted today!  That thing......(trails off)

Jane(self-righteous): That's my point!  I don't particularly care if this thing decides Princess Grace would make a fun new target, but what if some five year old rugrat gets in the way when this thing comes calling?   Maybe it'll let the kid be or maybe it'll decide toddler skin would make a great belt!  This thing (yelling, totally enraged) JUST DOESN'T GIVE A DAMN, DON'T YOU GET IT!!! (Daria has never seen her this angry, she flinches noticeably)

(Jane finally lets out the fear and anger that's been building in her since their first encounter with the creature, she sags noticeably against the door near tears.)

Daria(quiet voice, no trace of her usual deadpan): Jane, I'm scared too and you're right. (Moves close to her partner in crime and puts a comforting hand on Jane's shoulder, we see a new expression on Daria's face, definitely never seen before, her regular, cool, emotionless mask is filled with a raw expression of cold determination, not just anger, but total commitment to a cause) Somebody has to do something, but it's going to take both of us.  (Jane looks up, renewed, she almost smiles and she's at the very least impressed by Daria's show of emotional force.)

Jane(mustering her reserves): Okay, let's do it. (Jane's determination is back, with Daria behind her, she opens the front door to reveal......... four Lawndale Police Department cruisers parked right out front sans flashers or sirens, several officer's are just getting out..)

Jane(heavy irony): Well........ this is, convenient.  (Jane's truly surprised but hiding it well).

Daria(notices the irony of the situation as well): Somehow, I don't think they're here about the commune that took over your basement.

[A tall, well built man in a light summer suit is leading the police contingent as it converges on the front door of Lane manor, he wears a Police badge on a chain around his neck and the bulge of a shoulder holster is visible from the girl's perspective, overall he's handsome in a laid back way (if this were a movie, he'd be played by Bruce Willis, in this case maybe voiced by Bruce Willis).  As if on cue, he notices Jane at the door and smiles at her as he walks up to the girls]

Detective Williams: Hey Janey, long time no see.

(Daria is genuinely surprised, she's never heard anyone but Trent refer to Jane as "Janey", what is even more surprising is that Jane and the detective obviously know each other)

Jane: Either I'm improving as a criminal or you and the LPD are getting sloppier (has to get in a dig at him, turns to Daria behind her) Daria meet Detective Rob Williams, one of Lawndale's... better than average (Williams just smiles at this) Detective meet my friend Daria.

Williams(nods to Daria): It's a pleasure, I trust Jane's criminal tendencies aren't rubbing off on you?

Daria("Say what" expression on her face): This day just keeps getting more interesting and no, I have my own criminal tendencies to worry about, thank you.

Williams(evil law enforcing smile on his face): You mean Janey hasn't told you about her bust? (Jane's eyes narrow a bit at this, it's obvious that Williams is one of the few people who can really get under her skin, much the same way Jane teases Daria about Trent) Yes sir, one of the more interesting cases I've had here in ho-hum suburban Lawndale. Two years back, somebody does a full scale spraypaint job on Lawndale's beloved "Big Strawberry",  bunch of stuff that has the local's screaming in a heartbeat.  I'd just transferred in from the LAPD and I ended up on the case because of my forensics background, didn't take us to long to track down the hit and run artist after we got some prints off a discarded spray-can.  Little Jane Lane, two counts defacement of public property, two hundred hours of community service.

Jane(obviously doesn't like the way he off-handedly calls her Janey): That wasn't a crime, it was art!  Besides, that eyesore's been asking for something like what I did for a long time.  I made a point!

Williams(smirking, he's enjoying getting to generally cool Jane): You also broke the law, but hey, I'm not really here for the nostalgia, the LPD needs to talk with you (beat) and your friend here.

Jane(crosses her arms): Am I under arrest or what?

Williams(looks a little uncomfortable): Not exactly, I'm supposed to bring you in for questioning.

Daria: What about?

Williams(all business now, totally serious): We want to talk to you about the murder of one Jesse "Rollo" Riggins, your basic small-time drug dealer found dead about two hours ago, hanging by a piece of phone cable from the third story corner of Apartment Building 2126, Lawndale Shopping District, missing his head and most of his spine.

(The two girl's manage to hide their reactions to the pronouncement well but Williams is already sure they know more than they're letting on.)

Williams(continuing on): Needless to say, things like that do not make the Mayor of Lawndale happy and our good pal Jesse isn't the first to end up that way. The Lawndale PD and Middleton Township Force have, as of this month, logged a total of fifty-eight killings involving the exact same MO and frankly, whoever it is that's out there doing this to people makes the Manson family look like the Walton's!

Jane: Well, I certainly feel more secure, but why come to me?

Williams: After we found the body, believe me, we went over that building with a fine tooth comb and guess who's prints we came up with when we checked the roof area?  Yours.  I'm really hoping you aren't involved in this Janey, but to be honest, you're the only hot lead we've had in quite a while.

Daria(thought VO, "Oh hell", out loud in her usual deadpan): Not good...I assume you have a warrant?

Williams(definitely getting sterner if not less uncomfortable): Not exactly, what I'd like you to do is come down to the station with me of your own free will so I don't have to bring in the legal guns and make this official and you can tell me what the story is, I'm asking you to trust me.

(Daria is looking very unsure about the whole thing but Jane obviously trusts the Detective even if she doesn't like him)

Jane: You helped me out once before when the town wanted my head for the strawberry thing, so I'm going to give you the benefit of the doubt, but you should know that you probably aren't going to like or  even understand the story.  (turns to her friend) Daria.. you coming?

Daria(even though the whole thing sounds thin she's still prepared to go to any length to help Jane): Sure, but I'm probably going to regret this.

Williams: You two are making the right decision, those fifty-eight dead people weren't all just scumbags and perps, some of them were cops and I'm personally going to find the bastard's responsible for this and nail them to the wall!!  But I need your help to do it.

Daria(remembering the earlier encounter): I just wish it was that simple.

(The two girl's follow the Detective as he turns and heads for his cruiser where the other Police officer's have been waiting during the exchange, unfortunately, just then, a massive black limousine flanked by additional Lawndale PD cruisers roars up to the house and stops neatly, from the two escorting cruisers a number of additional police officer's issue forth including a slightly overweight man wearing the bars of a Captain, he's decidedly not happy as he heads straight for the Detective and the girl's.  Further, the CIQ or Captain in Question is none other than Williams direct superior, Captain Randall Hollinsworth, LPD, a career officer who's been at a desk a little to long for Williams to like him .)
 

Captain Hollinsworth(extremely pissed): Robbie!  I specifically ordered you, not, I repeat, NOT, to come down here!!

Williams: Sir, Rollo Riggins was my collar!  I worked narco for a solid two month's getting what I needed to bust that weasel and then two hours ago he gets strung up like a deer?  That just stinks, SIR!
Hollinsworth(heading for apoplectic): Robbie, you're not listening to me again!!  I ordered you off  this case!!  The Chief of Police ordered you off this case!!  The Federal Task Force has jurisdiction over this entire investigation and that is the end of it!

(The girl's are pretty surprised at this exchange, but waiting for the two principle's to finish before drawing attention to themselves.  It's already become clear to them though that Hollinsworth is a real turkey, no professional police officer would engage one of his subordinates in a shouting match with civilians present.)

(Williams looks like he's about to object to the last pronouncement but the Captain cuts him off)

Hollinsworth: You have five minutes to leave before I bust you and your squad down to Boy Scout's.

(Williams would obviously like to kill the Captain at this point but he knows he's beaten.  Wearily he turns to the girl's)

Williams: You two keep your heads down...  (He walks to his cruiser and the waiting member's of his narc squad and they commiserate briefly before starting to leave)

(Hollinsworth watches him go with a fat smirk of triumph before turning to the ladies.)

Hollinsworth: Jane Lane......(before he can finish his sentence he's cut off by a tall caucasian with sun blonde hair cut short in a military crew-cut and wearing an expensive black suit, we didn't see him emerge from the black limo because of the exchange we witnessed earlier, for identification purposes his name is Colonel Kelly Vaught)

Colonel(southern accent): We'll be taking it from here, Captain Hollinsworth.  (The authority in his tone of voice is incredible, Hollinsworth immediately kow tows to the older man)

(This having be said, he addresses the girl's much the same way)

Colonel: Ladies... I'd like to have a brief word with you if possible (the if possible is obviously just a formality, his voice seems to negate any possibility of resistance, the girl's are still absorbing the significance of the exchange between the Captain and Williams but Jane isn't going to take this lying down.)

Jane Lane: Sorry, my friend and I would love to chat, but we have high tea scheduled with Prince Charles at the British Embassy in a half-hour, can we pencil you in for later?

(No one laughs, the Colonel gives her a look that would have shattered glass, he regards the Police officer standing next to him with a withering glare as well)

Colonel Vaught: Captain, would you mind if I spoke with these two fine examples of American youth alone for a few moments?  (There is no real question here, it's an order, our buddy Captain Randy gets the point)

Hollinsworth: Of  course, just let me know if the Federal Task Force requires any more assistance from the LPD, won't you?  (He strides off trying to look determined)

(The Colonel's eyes lock right on our two heroines with laser like intensity)

Colonel Vaught: Let me describe your options for you. (total contempt) I can either turn you over for arrest to "Dudley Do-right" of the Canadian Mounted Police over there right now, or you can come with me and answer a few questions, both of you.  What'll it be?

(Again not much choice, Jane knows they have her fingerprints and God knows what else)
Jane: And if we take choice B?

Colonel Vaught: That may depend on your answers but I can assure you that the Federal Task Force under my command has taken jurisdiction over this matter from the local authorities, the upshot is, you cooperate and we let you walk. The police will have no reason to touch you.

(Jane obviously doesn't trust this guy farther than she can spit but she knows he's one serious juju man.  She also knows she's going to have to tell her story to someone and it might as well be someone with serious power, maybe even the power to do something.)

Jane: What choice do I have?

Vaught: None, please follow me.

(Daria's been weighing all this in her mind for a while and been silent, thinking everything that's happened in such a short time through apparently.  She now knows she's playing in the Big Leagues and that knowledge doesn't make her feel any better, especially with the strong arm tactics being used.)

(Reluctantly, Jane follows the Colonel toward the waiting limo that's been parked at the curb for the past five minutes, an unseen person inside has already opened the door so the Colonel and his charges can enter. Daria trails along about a step behind Jane wishing she had her mother along for her legal expertise at a time like this.)

(The Colonel holds the door open as Jane steps into the stretch limo and Daria prepares to follow but before she gets in).

Daria(usual cynical deadpan): I think it's important to point out now that my mommy always told me never to accept rides from stranger's.

Vaught(sneering at her, his accent is pure Southern): Colonel Kelly Vaught, United States Air Force, there, now we're not strangers (heavy sarcasm, beat)...get in the car.

(Interior shot of the limo, it's dark but heavily air conditioned and a blessed relief from the heat outside, Jane is sitting opposite another man across from her whose face is lost in shadow, Daria takes a seat next to her friend as the Colonel climbs in and shuts the door before taking a seat next to the unidentified man.  Vaught precisely knocks on the sealed dark glass seperating the passenger space from the driver of the vehicle, the driver obviously knows the routine because he immediately takes the car out of park and drives off down the street leaving Casa Lane behind.)

Jane(still refusing to take the situation seriously): So, you guys got a VCR in here too?  And are we being kidnapped as well as questioned?

(Vaught doesn't particularly like her tone of voice, but before he can answer Jane, the man next to him cuts in)

Unidentified Man: You'd be surprised exactly how much lee-way the United States government has in that regard when dealing with a possible threat to National Security.  But to answer your question, no, we're just putting some distance between us and the immediate area while we discuss what you girl's know.

Daria(guessing): Which also guarantee's no interference from anyone else who might have seen us get picked up?

Vaught(has about had it with these two): You two are real smart, too smart for your own good, but maybe smart enough to work with us.

Jane(shoots Daria a smirk): The story of our lives.  Now can you finally tell us what it is you want to know?

(As this is going on Daria has been taking in her surroundings, she's noticed the guy Vaught is sitting next two is definitely in a military uniform of some kind though she can't really see his face.  She also notices what appears to be an interior light switch on the hand rest on the nearby door, needless to say, that could be useful.  The unidentified man is speaking again.)

Unidentified Man: First, the Colonel and I would like to know exactly what you saw at the scene of the murder of the drug pusher the local police found.

(As you may have guessed, it isn't good to leave Daria along to her own devices when you're building up to a major plot point, taking the initiative, she hits the light stud on the door armrest bringing up the interior low-watt illumination and showing us the gentlemen sitting next to Vaught in living color, he's a much older man in perhaps his late sixties or early seventies dressed in a U.S. Class A dress uniform, two stars indicate the rank of Major General and a name tag above the campaign decorations on his left uniform jacket breast reads "Philips.")

Vaught: Goddammit!  You!

(Philips quickly moves to restrain the younger Air Force Colonel with pure composure and authority)

Philips: It's alright, this cloak and dagger business doesn't make much of a difference anyway.

(Through all this Jane's artist eye for detail has already picked up on the older man's numerous decorations and rank insignia, finally, however, her eye comes to rest on the nametag and another factoid clicks in her head)

Jane(louder than usual): Philips!!  Dutch!!

(Jane cuts herself off before she finishes showing her two adversaries her hand but she realizes she's goofed big time. Daria however, only knows Jane had something new about Dutch spring to mind)

(Unfortunately both men pick up on the name big time, Philips expression lights up)

Philips: Dutch?  How do you?

Vaught(royally pissed): Great, just great.

(Jane realizes she inadvertantly created a big opening here for some much needed information, she presses on)

Jane: General Philips!  Dutch worked for you!

Philips(he's obviously remembering): My God..

Vaught(ready to explode): Okay, that's it.  Now you listen to me girlie!!  You and Janeane Garofalo here are going to tell us everything you know, heard, dreamed, imagined, or felt about Major "Dutch" Schaefer and how you came to know it or the IRS will be taking a very specific look at your finances, assuming we don't just let the police have you!

Philips(thinking it through): Colonel, that's enough.

Vaught: I'm not going to ask you again!!

Philips(obviously angry now, he expects people to follow his orders): I said, THAT'S ENOUGH!

(Vaught finally manages to get himself under control, but he obviously doesn't like having to bow to the General's superiority, major inter-service rivalry here.)

Vaught(subsiding): Yes, sir.
 
(Jane is waiting for an answer while Daria looks intently at the General, he composes himself)

Philips: Ladies, I propose a mutual (obviously uncomfortable) "understanding" in regards to the matter we're both concerned with.  You tell us what you know about Dutch and the murder we know you at least have some knowledge about and in turn we let you walk away from this whole thing, with a little added information that may help you later.  Acceptable?

(Vaught obviously doesn't like the fact that he's lost control over the situation but he isn't quite ready to buck the General's authority, Jane appears about ready to deal)

Jane: In that case, I think me and my friend can cooperate with you.

(Daria is still obviously more comfortable with Jane doing the talking, she after all knows more about Dutch than her.)

(Vaught isn't about to remain out of the power loop, he's back under control and in a hurry to find an advantage again)

Vaught: Alright, now why don't you tell us what you saw at the murder scene?

(Jane's willing to give up this much, but she's obviously thinking about ways to get as much out of the two soldiers for the least amount of hard fact.)

Jane: Honestly, not a lot, we saw a dead body on the roof of that building.

Vaught(back into his role as Grand Inquisitor): Anything besides that, anything "unusual?"

Jane(dissembling, she's not going to make it easy for them): Define "unusual." As in more unusual than a dead guy on a roof?

Vaught(isn't going to take any crap no matter who makes the deals): Missie, I'm going to remind you that you're dealing with the United States government here, we're the big leagues and we need some information from you, nominally an upright U.S. citizen (Jane isn't impressed).  Now, did you see the person or persons who killed that man?

Daria(obviously isn't going to give away their trump card): No, we didn't see anything other than the stiff.  (Jane nods as well)

Philips: And you're sure about that (giving them a loophole though he doesn't expect them to tell the truth).

Jane: Nope, nada, zip, zilch, we just happened to be on the roof because I wanted some more sketch material and Daria was scouting locations for an assassination (Philips gets the joke but Vaught only scowls some more because he hasn't been able to intimidate Jane).

Vaught(laying the sarcasm on again): Well, I'm glad we cleared this situation up. (he knocks again on the drivers window signalling him to pull the car over.)  Now what is it you two know about a certain Major Dutch Schaefer, maybe you know his current whereabouts, maybe he told you something important, warned you about something maybe?

(Daria looks over to Jane to lead off, she obliges)

Jane: I haven't seen Dutch in about ten years, but he did warn me about something, yes.  (She's ready to hint about what she knows or at least that she knows more than they do) (nonchalantly) Something that comes with the heat.  (The Colonel and Philips try to look undisturbed but Jane knows she's just hit a major nerve.)

Philips(isn't going to divulge anything more than he has to): Really, well, I'd certainly take anything Major Dutch Schaefer told you might be a threat extremely seriously.  And with that in mind, I'm going to do Dutch a favor because he was one of the finest soldiers I've ever known and a good friend, apparently a mutual good friend of us both in this case.  The person who killed that thug on the top of that apartment building not only likes the heat, he likes the sport.

(Daria isn't going to sit on the sidelines for this one)

Daria: Sport?

Vaught(isn't going to let Philips go on): The General's already said more than it's really safe for you to know.  But think of this as a friendly warning from a concerned member of your civilian controlled, highly advanced, Armed Forces. Do yourselves a favor, stay indoors as much as possible, don't carry a weapon of any kind in public, and don't act in a way that could be mistaken as aggressive.  You do all of that and stay out of places that might be hazardous to your health and as soon as the heat is gone, the "problem" will be gone too.

(Jane obviously smells a cover-up but she's still willing to play along)

Jane: That's real interesting, but what exactly are you doing about this "problem?"

Philips(lying because he obviously doesn't like the truth): The Federal Task Force under the command of the Colonel here and myself  is handling this matter.

(Daria can read these guys like a book and she obviously doesn't like a single page.)

Daria: "Handling" as in how?

Vaught: That is a matter of National Security madam.  Now, if you've told us everything you're going to tell us, we'll drop you off wherever you'd like.

(Philips concurs reluctantly)

Jane(obviously disgusted by what she's hearing): No thank you, you can just let us out here.

Vaught: As you like Ms. Lane.

(The limo is stopped way out past the Lawndale shopping "area" nearer the extreme edge of town by the railroad station.  This neighborhood lacks the upscale development of the houses nearer Daria's pad but it still is no where near rundown, just lower-middle class.  It's much later in the day, so the temperature is heading for nearly tolerable levels as the sun sets and a cloud front from the South approachs.  The two girls get out and Jane walk part ways up the corner of the sidewalk while Daria turns to address Vaught before he can close the car door.)

Daria(usual deadpan, vague sense of resignation): You won't do a damn thing about this, will you?

(Vaught looks pissed off while Philips gets a vague look of sadness in his slate grey eyes)

Vaught(sneering at her): I'll remind you of what I told you before, be a good little girl, keep in mind what the General told you, and we won't squash you and your girlfriend like bugs. The Police understand that and so does every other major figure in this one-horse, yuppie burg.  Don't bother trying to use the media against us either, even those "Sick, Sad, World" bozos wouldn't buy into whatever you decide to tell them and our Task Force takes a very dim view of people who interfere with it's operations..

(With that, he closes the door and the limo heads off down the semi-empty streets, Jane is still looking away but Daria watches them go.)

Daria(out loud to herself): The hell I will!

Jane(kicks an innocent pebble down the street, she's incredibly angry but resigned): You know, it's really kind of a let down when you find out that everyone who told you again and again that the government is composed of a bunch of fascist, power-hungry, morons are actually right!

Daria(seeing an opening as usual, deadpan): Not easy when you realize your parents told you the truth for a change, huh?

Jane(the joke lightens her mood slightly but not much): I can't believe those clowns treated us that way!  And the fact that they're just going to keep this thing covered up until it decides to go away doesn't make me feel any better!

Daria(walks up to her friend): Well, I guess that would put us back at.......square...one....?

(Daria feels the hairs on the back of her neck stand up as whatever sixth sense told her to tell Jane to drop the gun kicks back in, something is out there, she's fast searching the area even as Jane reacts in surprise)

Jane(still vaguely angry): What?

Daria: It's here!!  Look!!

(Across the street a nearly invisible form crouch's on the roofed over portion of a gas station, suddenly it jumps effortlessly, springing down and onto the hot pavement moving with gargantuan leaps faster than imaginable, without thinking, Daria takes off after the efficiently moving apparition. Jane is  surprised by her partner's sudden display of agility and it takes her a second to remember she's a distance runner, once she's come to that realization though, she sprints after both figures.)

Jane: Daria! Dammit!  Wait!

(Both girls are hampered by their usual mode of dress and boots but Daria has the head start and manages to keep the ultra-fast presence in sight, though it may or may not be aware it is being pursued. The unexpected chase is also taking the duo and their invisible target farther and farther towards the railroad tracks and the quarry beyond.  As the foot race continues, a passing car has the misfortune to have a close encounter with the lightning fast creature as it bounds right off  roof of the unfortunate automobile leaving a massive foot shaped dent and using the momentum from which to enhance it's leap for a nearby series of trees.  Finally after swinging along and leaving a moderately winded Daria behind, the creature ducks into the traffic tunnel connecting suburban Lawndale with the abandoned rock quarry.  Moments later, a gasping Daria [hey, every heroine has her weaknesses] with Jane close behind rounds the corner of the sidewalk and heads into the tunnel, an event which does not go unobserved by the inhabitants of a nearby city basketball court carved out of the less than gentrified neighborhood.  From above, our shot closes in on a darkly dressed basketball player dribbling at about half-court as she looks up from her adversaries and notices the two young ladies disappearing into the tunnel.  We're looking at Andrea, dressed as her basketball alter-ego, while she momentarily stops to consider the significance of what she's just seen.  Abruptly she picks up the ball she was just dribbling and looks at the two massive African-American youth's she was playing with, both of whom look muscled and skilled enough to play NBA ball)

Andrea(usual expression and tenor): Joey.  Leon.  Take five, something is going down.

(Both of the guys nod imperceptibly as Andrea walks off the court and makes to follow our stars down the tunnel, they're obviously used to her going off on an impulse.)

(From here we shift back to the chase scene already in progress, as Daria [by this time, Jane is neck and neck with her] and Jane charge from above over the dirt berm seperating the slowly descending quarry access road from the city streets leading there. Directly below them is the aforementioned road occupied only by a solitary car with a certain couple [yep, Kevin and Brittany, I couldn't resist] making out in earnest, a process which is very nearly interrupted by the sudden presence of an all too familiar eight foot tall form slamming an invisible foot down on the luvin couples car hood before bounding off into the weeds further down the slope from the road.)

(Shot of steamy interior of the car)

Kevin: Babe, like, what was that?

Brittany: Like, does it matter?

(They resume lip to lip combat)

(Daria comes sliding down the dirt slope to a halt and prepares to head off into the weeds along the road after the creature, but before she can, Jane snags her from behind)

Jane(winded but not as winded as Daria who having just remembered to resume breathing is now gulping air down as she leans next to the oblivious couple's car): Easy tiger!  As much fun as this little workout was, can I ask what in the name of Jesus H. Christ we are doing chasing that thing!?!!

Daria(her turn to be all business, that icy calm we saw earlier is back in force): Jane, go and get Trent, the National Guard, whoever you can find!  Then bring them here, because one way or another we're going to finish this thing! Oh yeah (finally notices the car she is leaning against is occupied, grimaces with distaste) and tell those two to get out of here!

(Having delivered this pronouncement the first lady of cynicism heads off into the weeds bordering the causeway as Jane looks on.)

Jane(looking visibly unimpressed): Daria!  (yelling) DO YOU EVEN HAVE A PLAN!?

(Daria is about to head down the ditch following the path of beaten down vegetation and brambles the creature left in its wake, hearing Jane, she turns slightly and gives her a distinctly un-nineties gesture, a confident thumbs up before slide-stepping down below the edge of the road and disappearing from view)

Jane(reacting, has no idea what this means, replicates the gesture with her hands): OooooKAY!!

(Mumbling to herself, she turns to the totally oblivious teenage hormone storm on-going in the backseat of the car, before coming to a realization)

Jane(still a little disgusted, but back to normal): Ahhhh, the hell with them.

(Leaving the two lovebirds to their nest, she commences climbing back up the berm to street level before setting out for Lane acres at a brisk run, meanwhile..)

(Daria has just made it to the bottom of the next segment of the access road, in the background "Mason's Walk" from "The Rock" soundtrack is playing. [I know, I didn't want to use outside music in this sucker but I'll explain the significance of all this in the endnotes] Ahead of her, the slowly setting sun highlights her long hair as she calmly steps over the dried out dirt roadway and into the next section of rock and overgrown grass leading ever downward towards the bottom of the quarry and further towards the unknown..)

End chapter 3