DARK ANGEL
Season One, Episode #20: "And Jesus Brought a Casserole"
First Aired 5/22/2001

(The opening scene continues on from the last episode, "Meow". Lydecker is standing in the silo looking distraught, with his Manticore soldiers around him pointing their guns at Max. Max is still sitting and crying, hugging Tinga’s dead body. Logan is sitting in front of his computers at his apartment listening to the coms.)

LOGAN: Max, are you okay? Can you hear me? Max!

(Lydecker touches his forehead with his left hand and looks sad)

MAX: Tinga.

LYDECKER: Max.

(Lydecker takes a step forward as though to comfort her. Suddenly, Max screams angrily and leaps towards Lydecker. The Manticore soldiers all shoot at her with their tasers and Max stops midway in the air, then falls to the ground. After shaking a bit, she is unconscious. Lydecker looks at her. Meanwhile, there is a soldier outside the facility talking to a walkie-talkie to Madame X, who is in her office.)

OFFICER: Lydecker was tracking X5/452. Apprehended her inside the facility. We're getting him and his men out of there right now.

MADAME X: Take custody of the X5 and place Colonel Lydecker under arrest.

OFFICER: Say again your orders, ma'am?

MADAME X: He's been charged with the murder of Agent Sandoval. Arrest him and take him back to Manticore.

(The officer goes into the facility with two other soldiers. Lydecker turns around.)

OFFICER: Sir, you're not supposed to be here. This is a secure installation, level 5 clearance. I'll have to ask you and your men to vacate immediately.

LYDECKER: You heard him, men. (Lydecker's men leave) Kalins, O'Neill, hang back.

OFFICER: This way, sir.

(Lydecker turns around and pulls out his gun. He shoots the officer and the two men with him, then speaks to his two men)

LYDECKER: I don't know what the hell is going on here, but I'm going to find out. If either of you don't have the stomach for it, now is the time to say so.

TAC OP KALINS: We're with you, sir.

(Lydecker’s hummer is driving away from the facility. Inside the hummer, Tac op Kalins is talking to Lydecker.)

TAC OP KALINS: Where to, sir?

LYDECKER: I don't know yet. Just keep driving. (turns around to look at the back of the hummer, where Max is lying) And keep her sedated.

(Opening credits)

(Madame X is in her office with Brin.)

MADAME X: X5/656 was undergoing experimental treatment for a genetic anomaly that was diagnosed when we first recaptured her. Unfortunately, because of Lydecker's interference, she is now deceased. (Brin looks sad) I'm sorry for your loss. I know how much you were looking forward to having your sister back at Manticore.

BRIN: I was, ma'am. Thank you for your condolences.

SOLDIER (enters): We lost him.

MADAME X: What?

SOLDIER: Colonel Lydecker fled the scene before we could arrest him. He took the X5 with him.

MADAME X: He had a South African tech team looking for the girl. Commandeer their equipment and resume the search.

SOLDIER: Yes, ma'am.

MADAME X: Find them. (The soldier leaves) (to Brin) I want you to head up the response team.

BRIN: What are my orders with regard to X5/452?

MADAME X: Bring her in alive.

BRIN: And Colonel Lydecker?

MADAME X: You are authorized to terminate.

(In Logan's apartment, Zack is getting bandages for his wound.)

ZACK: What the hell happened? We got in no problem. Next thing I know, Lydecker's guys are all over the place.

LOGAN: I gave you a heads up as soon as I saw them coming. Why didn't you get her out of there?

ZACK: I tried. I couldn't get to her.

LOGAN: We shouldn't have gone in.

ZACK: We didn't have a choice. They had Tinga.

LOGAN: And now Lydecker has Max. We've got to find her.

ZACK: I contacted Krit and Syl. They're on their way.

LOGAN: So if Lydecker's in the wind and he's got Max with him, what's his plan?

(At the cheap Yum Yum Tree Motel, Lydecker is talking to the clerk)

LYDECKER: You understand my instructions now?

MOTEL CLERK: I never had anyone take over the whole place before.

LYDECKER: No maid service. (lays a bill on the counter) No wake-up call. (another bill) No mints on the pillow. (another bill)

MOTEL CLERK: No worries. (takes the money) We pride ourselves as much on our discretion as we do on our lack of amenities.

(The motel clerk takes out a set of keys. He sees through the window that outside, Lydecker's two men are carrying Max out of the hummer. Lydecker turns around to see what is happening.)

LYDECKER: My niece has a drinking problem.

(Lydecker takes out another bill and places it on the counter. The motel clerk gives the keys to Lydecker. Lydecker takes them and leaves.)

MOTEL CLERK: Enjoy your stay.

(Madame X talking to a man in the elevator, then she steps out and enters her office)

MADAME X: I'm traveling to Manticore in the morning. Make arrangements.

(The phone rings and she answers it)

MADAME X: Yes?

LYDECKER: What the hell do you think you're doing?

MADAME X: Where are you, Deck?

LYDECKER: When they find out that you're killing X5s, the committee's going to have your ass.

MADAME X: Do you really think that the committee's going to listen to you after what you did to Agent Sandoval?

LYDECKER: You got a real set of brass ones.

MADAME X: There's a tracking van out there looking for you right now as we speak. That X5 is mine.

LYDECKER: You think I'm going to let you have her?

MADAME X: Well, what are you going to do? You're a dead man. (hangs up on him)

(Back inside the motel room, Lydecker throws a small paper bag on to the floor. He sits down on a chair next to the bed. Lydecker twists the cap off a liquor bottle. He looks at Max sleeping on the bed and sighs. He puts the bottle close to his nose to smell and takes a drink. Max is handcuffed to the bed. She is waking up and sees a drunk Lydecker sitting in the chair holding an empty bottle. He is hallucinating and trying not to pass out. In his blurry vision he sees the young Max on the bed. Lydecker has flashbacks to when he sat beside her when she was in the infirmary at Manticore.)

LYDECKER: It's all right. I'm not going to let anything happen to you. You remember that night I sat with you in the infirmary? I shouldn't have been there. I shouldn't have shown favoritism. But . . . you're special to me, Max. I hope you know that. If you knew how much I loved her, you'd understand. Sometimes . . . I wish I could take you away from all this, where they couldn't do anything to you. There's no other way. (takes out a gun and points it at Max) This won't hurt, and I'll be right behind you.

(Now Max is wide awake. She kicks Lydecker off the chair)

MAX: What did you do to Tinga, you son of a bitch?

LYDECKER: It wasn't me. You think I could do something like that to her? To any of you? You kids had no idea how much you meant to me.

MAX: Had a funny way of showing it.

LYDECKER: I was trying to build something. Think of it-instead of sending a thousand troops into battle and losing a hundred . . . sending ten perfect soldiers and losing none.

MAX: Am I supposed to feel bad we bailed on you? Messed up your whole vision thing?

LYDECKER: I'd rather see Manticore die than let her pervert it. That's all it would take, a few perfect soldiers to bring the whole thing crashing down on her.

MAX: Is this some kind of new torture thing? Lock people up in a cheap motel and babble at them until they crack?

LYDECKER: You'll see. I'm telling the truth. When they bust that door down and blow my head off and drag you back to Manticore for reprogramming . . . unless she has other plans for you.

MAX: She?

LYDECKER: The bitch that murdered your sister.

MAX: It really wasn't you?

LYDECKER: Let me know when you hear them coming. You'll know before I do and remember -- that offer still stands.

(Lydecker holds out his gun to Max)

(The Animal Control van with the tracking device inside is driving around.)

TRACKING VAN TECH: We got a hit. Grid 9802.

SOLDIER (to walkie-talkie): Command, this is search unit alpha. Target has been located. Mobilize response team.

WALKIE-TALKIE: Roger, alpha team.

(Back inside the motel room)

MAX: You could let me go.

LYDECKER: What's the point? They've got a bead on that implant in your head. (Max hears the Manticore hummers arrive) There's no use running.

MAX: I'm light on my feet. What do you say? Give me a chance?

(The Manticore hummers are outside around the motel. Brin drags the motel clerk out.)

BRIN: Where are they?

MOTEL CLERK: Number 12.

(Brin pushes the motel clerk away. She kicks down the door to room number 12. There is no one in the room.)

(Meanwhile, in an abandoned warehouse, Krit, Syl, and Zack are assembling some weapons. Logan is walking around talking on his cell phone.)

ZACK: Syl, Krit, what do you got?

KRIT (shows him a gun): Packs a punch, but I've only got 40 rounds.

ZACK: I'll track some more down. What about you, little sister?

SYL: Russian-made RGN-3s, fragmentation pattern explosion.

(Syl throws one at Zack. Zack catches it.)

ZACK: Nice.

LOGAN (finishes his call): Thanks. That was a contact of mine. Military convoy just swooped in on some motel in sector eight.

ZACK: That's got to be them. Let's move out.

(The three X5s are set to leave when a Manticore hummer drives into the warehouse. They train their weapons on the hummer, but lower them when they see Max is driving it. Max gets out of the car and walks towards them smiling.)

MAX: Krit. (hugs Krit)

KRIT: Hey, Maxie.

MAX: Syl. (hugs Syl)

MAX (to Logan): Hey.

LOGAN: Hey yourself. How'd you know where to find us?

MAX: Bling told me there was a party.

(Max opens the back door of the hummer and drags Lydecker out. He is blindfolded and handcuffed. Max takes off the blindfold.)

SYL: Look what the cat dragged in.

MAX: You said you needed a few perfect soldiers -- well, here we are.

ZACK: What are you talking about?

MAX: He's going to help us.

KRIT: Help us what?

MAX: Take down Manticore.

(They all look at each other, stunned)

ZACK: This is crazy, Max. We've made it this far by staying under the radar, blending in.

MAX: Always on the run, constantly looking over your shoulder. You said it yourself. They'll never stop looking for us. They'll hunt us down one by one until we're either dead or in a cage. It's time to bring this war home.

SYL: Maybe you're right. But what about him?

ZACK: And you expect us to believe he's had an epiphany because of what happened to Tinga?

MAX: Maybe. Or one of his bosses want him dead in a big way.

KRIT: Take a number.

MAX: Either way he's going to help us.

LOGAN: Or double-cross you. Again.

LYDECKER: I don't expect you to trust me, but remember what I taught you. The enemy of my enemy is my friend.

ZACK: Shut up.

LYDECKER: I know that facility and its defensive capabilities like the back of my hand. I can get us inside.

SYL: Then what? There are only four of us. What kind of damage can we do?

LYDECKER: You take out the DNA lab. Destroy their ability to develop a new generation of soldiers.

ZACK: And what's to keep our enemy . . . or the enemy of our enemy from starting over?

LYDECKER: You remember when you kids escaped? They almost shut the place down. That's nothing compared to what will happen if we can take out the lab. There'll be a war of finger-pointing, funding will disappear and Manticore . . . will cease to exist.

KRIT: It's worth a shot.

SYL: I'm getting tired of running.

ZACK: I don't like it.

LYDECKER: There is no "I" in "team," Zack.

MAX: I don't like it, either, but we don't have a choice.

ZACK (to Lydecker): You so much as breathe wrong, there'll be four of us to take you out.

LOGAN: Make that five.

LYDECKER: Got it.

SYL (grabs Lydecker): Come on, you're going to draw us a map of the facility.

(Back inside the Animal Control van)

TRACKING VAN TECH: Initiating sweep of sector four.

SOLDIER: Whatever. She's probably halfway to Canada by now.

TRACKING VAN TECH: We just got a hit. She's close.

SOLDIER: Real close. (looks intently at the monitor)

(Suddenly the van door opens and all the guys turn around. It's Max with Krit behind her.)

MAX: Hey, boys. Looking for me?

(Max and Krit knock the soldiers out and dismantle the scanning equipment.)

(Later, the Animal Control van is inside the warehouse)

LYDECKER: Well, with a few modifications we can run our operation from in here.

LOGAN: I'll get on it.

ZACK: What kind of resistance are we going to meet?

LYDECKER: Fortunately for us, most of the X series has been deployed in various parts of the world. There is a contingent of conventional soldiers and a small security detail of X5s. About a dozen.

MAX: Not the kind of family reunion I was hoping for.

ZACK: With any luck, we'll be in and out before they even know we're there.

SYL: Say we can breach the perimeter and get inside the building, how are we going to get in the lab and lay the charges? This thing's a lockbox. (throws the map of Manticore towards Lydecker)

MAX: And I've got to figure when they put out the hit on you, they probably yanked your clearance.

LYDECKER: Which is why I need to see a friend of mine before we go.

ZACK: Like we're just going to let you walk out of here and drop a dime on us?

LYDECKER: If you don't trust me . . .

KRIT: That's a given.

LYDECKER: Then one of you should come with me.

(Max is inside a vehicle with Lydecker. They're waiting outside "THE TOP HAT XXX" strip club.)

MAX: You sure this is the place?

LYDECKER: Yup. He's a creature of habit, slave to his Tuesday night lap dance.

MAX: About last night . . .

LYDECKER: Don't remind me. I still feel sick.

MAX: Me, too. Got a bad feeling you were going to tell me . . . you were my . . .

LYDECKER: Father? I would never presume to pollute the gene pool.

MAX: I can't tell you what a relief that is for me. I mean what a cliché that'd be. Huh?

LYDECKER: I did love somebody once . . . deeply. In my eyes, she approached perfection. When she was murdered, I kept a small part of her alive . . . in you.

MAX: You're telling me I'm some kind of clone of an old girlfriend?

LYDECKER: No. Not a copy. More . . . inspired by. She was my wife. You have her eyes.

(Lydecker gives Max a weird look. She grabs him by the neck.)

MAX: Don't you ever look at me like that again. Ever.

(Lydecker nods his head. Max lets go.)

LYDECKER: There he is.

(Lydecker spots a man walking out from the strip club. Max holds up a gun and takes out the clip. She hands it over to Lydecker.)

MAX: I'm going to watch every move you make.

(In the parking lot, Lydecker grabs his friend Jim from behind. He pushes Jim against the car)

JIM: Easy, easy, easy, easy, easy. Look, look, look. I'm unarmed, Deck.

LYDECKER: We've known each other for years, Jim. Tell me the truth . . . why is she killing my kids?

JIM: I don't know what you're talking about, Deck. And it's not your kids you need to be concerned with right now. She's looking to put you in the cell.

LYDECKER: (turns Jim around and points his gun at him) I should be so lucky. She's got a target slapped on my back.

JIM: Look, look . . . just . . . just give us back the X5, all right? Turn yourself in to me. I'll protect you the best I can.

LYDECKER: That's not good enough.

JIM: I want to help you, Deck.

LYDECKER: You may get your wish.

(Lydecker opens the trunk of Jim's car. He knocks Jim into it. Then Lydecker takes out a spoon and a small container. He bends over Jim and then puts something in the container. Lydecker puts the container back in his pocket and closes the hood.)

(Back in the warehouse, Max arrives with boxes of pizza. Over in the Animal Control van, Logan and Lydecker chat.)

MAX: Chow down, my grunts, mess is on.

LOGAN: I don't know how they can eat at a time like this.

LYDECKER: An army marches on its stomach.

LOGAN: You must be pumped about tonight 'cause this is what they were made to do, right?

LYDECKER: It's very gratifying watching kids realize their purpose in life.

LOGAN: You have any idea how twisted that is?

LYDECKER: And why exactly are you here? It's . . . not your fight . . . but neither was the terrorist attack on the genetics conference. I remember you. It's all about her . . . isn't it? You're in love with her.

LOGAN: Can I have a screwdriver, please?

(Lydecker gives Logan a screwdriver and pats him on the shoulder.)

LYDECKER: It's all right, son. I understand.

(Lydecker gets out of the Animal Control van with Logan following him.)

LYDECKER: All right, people, listen up. We've got a lot of work to do before we move out.

ZACK: Hang on, there's something we need to know.

KRIT: Who murdered our sister?

LYDECKER: The new director. Name's Renfro. She's a real piece of work.

MAX: Why'd she do it?

LYDECKER: I don't know.

(They hear a bird cawing. A black crow lands on a beam at the top of the warehouse. All the X5s turn around to look at it. They flashback to Manticore when they were hunting in the woods. Crows were flying around and cawing. One of the X5s tries to shoot the crow, but ends up hitting another X5. The crow sits on a branch as he watches the X5s gather around the dead body. It caws and the X5s turn around to look at it. The flashback ends. The crow is still cawing in the warehouse. Zack takes a shot at it, but misses. The bird flies away and the X5s turn around to face Lydecker again. Max walks towards Logan.)

MAX: I need some fresh air.

(Logan and Max leave.)

(On the top of the Space Needle. Logan is sitting. Max is standing.)

MAX: You okay?

LOGAN: Sure. This is fun.

MAX: I look down at the people and I think about how everybody's got problems. Maybe not a secret government agency on their ass, but, you know, problems and if I sit up here long enough I start to feel like I'm just one of those people, a regular girl.

LOGAN: Well, I hate to break it to you, Max, but . . . you're never going to be a regular anything.

MAX: (sits down next to Logan) I know you're not too chill with what's going on tonight and I thank you for keeping your concerns to yourself. It's a bitch psyching yourself up for battle when people are throwing around words like "deathwatch."

LOGAN: Well, I think I know you well enough by now. There's no stopping you if there's something you need to do especially when it comes to your family.

MAX: You're my family as much as anyone, only we're never going to be any kind of anything if it keeps on like this.

LOGAN: I know.

MAX: One way or another, after tomorrow the world's going to be a different place for me . . . for both of us.

LOGAN: Everything's going to be all right.

MAX: Right. Anyway, it was just a bird.

(The Animal Control van is near Manticore. Logan, Lydecker, Krit, Max, Syl, and Zack are outside planning. The four X5s are in camouflage gear. Zack is going over the map of Manticore with instructions for everyone.)

ZACK: Syl and Krit will proceed via service corridor 4 alpha to the main and auxiliary generators and set charges. Max and I will take the basement to the east airshaft and proceed to the DNA lab. At 0430 we set charges. By 0440 the firing sequence will commence.

LYDECKER: We'll detonate the charges from here.

LOGAN (inside van): I'm in. I've accessed the internal surveillance system. I'm copying loops into each camera feed so they won't be able to see you, but we will. So we can monitor you, steer you around any obstacles.

ZACK: We rendezvous here by 0448. Questions?

SYL: What happens if we run into Brin in there?

LYDECKER; She'll kill you without a second thought. The sister that you knew doesn't exist anymore -- she's dead.

MAX: No, she isn't -- she's alive and that means we still have a chance to get her back.

(Lydecker takes the container from him pocket and gives it to Zack)

LYDECKER: Here's your clearance to the lab.

ZACK: You know what you have to do. Move out.

MAX (to Logan): I'd kiss you, but I have to keep my head in the game.

LOGAN: Just come back. (touches Max's hair)

(The four X5s are standing on a hill looking at Manticore. Each of them flashes back to their time at Manticore.)

MAX: This is for Tinga.

(They run down the hill and leap over the fences. Max and Zack are inside. They enter a hallway. They have flashbacks of the X5s marching down the same hallway. Max and Zack walk down the hall. They pass by the surgery room. Max has a flashback of her time in the surgery room. Max and Zack continue to walk down the hall. There is a flashback of X5s running down the hall and Eva getting shot. As Max and Zack continue to walk past the room, there are flashbacks of their time spent in the classroom. Zack has flashbacks of the training process and the torture when he was captured.)

ZACK: You okay, Max?

(Max nods her head)

(Logan is inside the Animal Control van looking at the monitors.)

KRIT: You see anything in the south corridor?

LOGAN: You’re clear all the way to the generator.

KRIT: Copy that.

(Krit and Syl run down the corridor.)

MAX: Logan?

LOGAN: I got you, Max.

MAX: We good to go?

LOGAN: You're clear.

(Max and Zack reach the entrance to the DNA lab. Zack takes out the container from Lydecker and pulls down the identification cam. He takes out Jim’s eyeball from the container and lets the cam scan it. The computer flashes “APPROVED.”)

MAX: I guess there's an "I" in "team." (to ear com) It worked. We're in.

(Logan listens. Max and Zack enter the lab. There are walls of glass cases, each marked with a barcode. Inside each case is a vile of the X's genetic material. Logan and Lydecker are looking at the monitor. Max and Zack are staring at the glass cases, looking stunned. Zack finds Max's barcode on one case.)

ZACK: Max, it's you. And me . . . and Brin . . . and Tinga.

MAX: No. Tinga's dead. Come on.

(They start placing explosives around the lab.)

(Meanwhile, Madame X is interrogating Jim, who has a bandage over his left eye.)

JIM: May I please have something for the pain?

MADAME X: As soon as you tell me just one more time exactly what Colonel Lydecker said to you.

JIM: He said something crazy about you killing his kids.

MADAME X: And what did you say?

JIM: I don't remember. I lost an eye tonight.

(The phone rings and Madame X answers it)

MADAME X: Yes? (to Jim) You know, maybe all this is just a bad dream. Apparently you were just scanned into the DNA lab. (to phone) Go to full alert. We have intruders. Stand by to mobilize the X7s.

(Max and Zack are finished in the lab)

ZACK: The target is primed.

LOGAN: Okay, get out of there.

(Lydecker and Logan are watching the monitor.)

ZACK: We are on the move.

(Suddenly, a loud alarm goes off)

ZACK: We've got an alarm.

(Lydecker is watching the monitor)

LYDECKER: Withdraw to the perimeter. Withdraw to the perimeter. We've been made. All units withdraw.

KRIT: Roger that.

MAX: Logan out.

LYDECKER: This is not good.

(Logan and Lydecker are looking at the monitor that shows the young X7 solders mobilizing.)

LYDECKER: Hack into the control panel at corridor seven alpha. We've got to lock down ward C-16.

LOGAN: Why? What's wrong?

LYDECKER: Must've been a last-minute change in deployment. There's still a contingent of X7s in the building.

LOGAN: They're just kids.

LYDECKER: They're stronger, faster and designed with hive minds. We don't want our people tangling with them.

(The monitors show the X7s pounding on their cell door. Krit and Syl are running down a hall. Max and Zack are also running in another part of the building. The X7s are trying to get the door open. Brin walks into Madame X's office where she is on the computer.)

BRIN: We've got teams sweeping the compound, but according to control, there's no one out there.

MADAME X: Yeah, that's because they hacked a fake feed into the damn surveillance system.

(Madame X is able to go into the video feed that was hacked. She rewinds it to the part that shows Max and Zack are in the DNA lab)

ZACK (on video): Target is primed.

MADAME X: God, no! Get down there and disable those charges. Now!

(Meanwhile, the X7s pick up a bench and are pounding down their cell door. Max and Zack run pass the room seconds before the kids bust the door open. They run off in both directions. On the monitor, Logan sees that soldiers are coming down the corridor behind Krit and Syl.)

LOGAN: Syl, Krit, unfriendliness behind you. 25 meters and closing.

LYDECKER: Take them out.

(Krit and Syl shoot the men down and run. Lydecker spots Brin on the monitor.)

LYDECKER: It's Brin. She's heading for the lab.

MAX: Which way is she coming?

ZACK: They're onto us. There's no time.

MAX: I won't let her take one for good ol' Manticore. Which way?

(Lydecker looks over at Logan, who decides to tell her)

LOGAN: Back the way you came, first corridor on your left.

MAX (to Zack): Go.

(Max heads back towards the lab to find Brin. She knocks Brin’s head against the wall and handcuffs her leg and arm to a door.)

MAX: Someday you'll thank me for this.

BRIN: You have no idea what you're doing. That's us back there.

MAX: No, that's us out there! (points to the outside) Come with me.

BRIN: Never.

(Max leaves. On the monitor, Logan sees Max exiting the building. Lydecker is holding on to the control for the explosives)

LOGAN: She's clear. Detonate. (Lydecker looks at a monitor of the lab) I said, she's clear. Do it now.

(Logan points a gun at Lydecker. Lydecker looks at Logan and presses the button on the controller. The explosives go off. The glass case wall explodes and shatters. Fire bursts out of the lab door. Madame X is standing in her office and hears the explosion. Max is running up the hill.)

LOGAN: Max, where are you?

MAX: Almost home.

LOGAN: Zack, talk to me.

ZACK: On my way.

(Zack is also running up the hill. In the woods, Max is walking slowly. She sees an X7 appear ahead of her in the bushes. It looks just like her when she was young -- it’s obviously her clone. The X7 walks towards her.)

MAX: Do you know who I am?

(The X7 points a gun at Max and shoots)

(Commercial break)

MAX: Do you know who I am?

(The X7 is about to pull the trigger when Max kicks the gun away. They fight and seem evenly matched.)

MAX: You know what really pisses me off? When a poser bites my stilo.

(Zack is coming towards them through the woods)

ZACK: Max!

(Max takes down the X7 by breaking her arm.)

ZACK: Come on.

(Krit, Max, Syl, and Zack run back to the Animal Control van.)

ZACK: Everyone all right?

MAX: We did it!

SYL: I can't believe we actually did it.

MAX: Go!

(The X5s slide the door close on the van)

(At Crash, Max and Original Cindy are playing foosball.)

ORIGINAL CINDY: Damn, that's some sibling rivalry.

MAX: And I kicked her ass too.

ORIGINAL CINDY: You know what you need?

MAX: A pitcher of beer.

ORIGINAL CINDY: You read my mind.

(Max and Original Cindy walk away from the foosball table. Max pours beer from a pitcher at the table where Krit and Logan are sitting.)

KRIT: (to Max) So you broke into his house? (to Logan) And you liked that?

LOGAN: Well, she went for the good stuff. I could tell she had taste.

MAX: The black cat suit didn't hurt, either.

(Max walks over to Sketchy and Syl with the pitcher of beer. She refills their drinks)

MAX: Hello, my sista.

SKETCHY: Hey, so where do you guys know each other from?

MAX: We go way back.

SKETCHY: What, like, high school?

SYL: Uh, more like boarding school.

SKETCHY: All-girl?

(Max goes back to the bar with the empty pitcher. Herbal and Zack are sitting at the bar talking)

MAX (to bartender): Hey, Harold.

HERBAL: 'Tis the will of the almighty.

ZACK: That's it. People get killed; there are homeless everywhere -- it is not all good.

HERBAL: His plan is all good, all the time.

MAX: Overstand?

(Herbal and Zack laugh)

ZACK: I guess.

(Herbal and Zack hit their fists together)

HERBAL: One love, my brother. (leaves)

ZACK: Interesting friends.

MAX: The best.

MAX (to bartender): Can I get another pitcher and another glass of ice water for my friend? (motions down the bar)

BARTENDER: You got it.

(Lydecker is sitting at the end of the bar reading the Alcoholics Anonymous book. He raises his water glass at Max. Max smiles.)

MAX: So . . . it's all over.

ZACK: No more running.

MAX: I guess you don't have to worry about being big brother anymore, always looking out for everybody.

ZACK: Oh, I'll always be your big brother, Maxie. For what it's worth . . . Logan's okay by me.

MAX: Really?

(Max gets her pitcher of beer and brings it to the table where Krit and Logan are.)

MAX (to Logan): Let's get out of here.

(The screen turns to the bedroom. There are candles all around. Max takes off her jacket. Logan and Max are kissing. Max takes off her blue top and throws it to the ground. Logan and Max continue to kiss some more. Soon they are both naked. Logan is kissing Max's neck and her eyes are closed. Suddenly the shadow of a bird flies over them. Max opens her eyes, scared, and looks up to see the shadow flying around. Logan looks up too. He looks at his hands and sees that they are covered in blood. Max gasps and the crow caws)

LOGAN: Max . . .

MAX: What's happening?

(The shadow of the bird flies over the screen and the scene is back at Manticore as the X7 clone points the gun at Max and shoots. Max is hit)

(Logan is in the Animal Control van is trying to contact Max.)

LOGAN: Max? Max, answer me. (takes off his headset) Something's wrong.

(Zack is running from the X7s. He gets hit. The X7s gather around him. Logan runs through the woods and finds Max down lying on the ground)

LOGAN: Max. (holds her) Max. Oh, God. Okay, it's okay. You're going to be okay. (looks at Max's wound) This isn't bad.

MAX: Logan . . . (smiles)

LOGAN: It's okay. You're going to be all right.

MAX: I'm sorry.

LOGAN: No, no, no, no. No, we're going to get you out of here. Okay, it's going to be all right.

MAX: There's something I've got to tell you. I should've said something a long time ago. (starts to cry)

LOGAN: It can wait.

MAX: Logan . . .

LOGAN: Max.

(Max’s eyes roll back and close. Her head falls back a bit.)

LOGAN: Max. Max. Max. No. Max. No. (He starts to sob)

(Lydecker finds Logan and Max. He checks Max for a pulse.)

LYDECKER: She's gone.

LOGAN: I'm going to get her back inside.

LYDECKER: No.

LOGAN: They can fix her up in there.

LYDECKER: Listen, I know how you feel, son, but you've got to let her go.

(Lydecker knocks Logan out with the butt of his gun. Later, Lydecker is putting Logan's body inside the Animal Control van. Krit and Syl come running back to the van.)

KRIT: They got Zack.

SYL: Max?

LYDECKER: K.I.A. Let's move out.

(Inside Manticore, doctors and nurses are pushing Max into the surgery room.)

MALE DOCTOR: She's got a gunshot wound to the left upper chest. No pulse. Been doing CPR for six minutes. I'm going to incubate.

FEMALE DOCTOR: She's in v-fib. I've got to crack her chest.

MALE DOCTOR: Rib spreaders.

FEMALE DOCTOR: One amp EPI given.

(Zack is rolled in on a stretcher. He sees Max and yells)

ZACK: Max!

FEMALE DOCTOR: Internal paddles.

MALE DOCTOR: Charge to 30.

FEMALE DOCTOR: Charge.

MALE DOCTOR: Clear.

( Heart beating )

(Max’s heart starts beating. With every beat, an image flashes on the screen: a shot of Max's eye opening, the black crow flying around, Logan and Max looking at each other, Max hugging Tinga after the glass case shatters, the Blue Lady, Logan and Max kissing. And then the machine sounds the flat line tone as her heart stops again. Zack is struggling to get off of his stretcher. Madame X walks in.)

MALE DOCTOR: 30 again.

FEMALE DOCTOR: Charge.

MALE DOCTOR: Clear.

(Once again, Max’s heart starts and images flash on the screen: Max's eye, Max and Zack sitting by the fire in the cabin, Max's eye, Max crying after she had just killed Ben, Max crying in the shower after she slept with Rafer, young Max hiding under the frozen pond during the X5 escape, Logan and Max dancing during the dream sequence of Blah Blah Woof Woof, Max on the surgery bed. Her heart stops again and the monitor goes flat line)

MADAME X: What's her condition?

MALE DOCTOR: The bullet went clean through. Her right ventricle is collapsed. She's gone.

MADAME X: Is there damage to any other organs? (The male doctor shakes his head) Prep her for harvesting.

ZACK: No!

(Zack jumps up from the stretcher and takes out a soldier. He takes the soldier's gun and grabs Madame X while pointing the gun at the doctors.)

ZACK (to doctor): Bring her back!

MALE DOCTOR: Her heart's too badly damaged.

ZACK: Then transplant her.

MALE DOCTOR: There's nothing in the donor bank.

ZACK: Then you need a donor. (points the gun at Madame X.)

MADAME X: It won't do her any good. She's an X5. She needs an X5 heart.

(Zack pushes Madame X away and kneels next to Max’s bed.)

ZACK: Fight them, Maxie. Promise me you'll fight them.

(Everybody in the room is watching Zack. Madame X is also watching. Zack stands up and points the gun to his head.)

ZACK: X5/599. I've got a heart for you.

(Madame X is watching in shock as Zack shoots himself in the head and falls on top of Max)

(A graph appears on the black screen showing the heart monitor beeping normally. Max is in a bed inside a room in Manticore with medical machines around her. She wakes up and tries to move.)

MADAME X: Careful. You'll pull a stitch.

MAX: Where am I?

MADAME X: I think you know.

MAX: You won't win. I'll never be one of them again.

(Madame X puts a stethoscope on Max's chest and the sound of a heart beating is heard.)

MADAME X: Listen to that. That's strong, isn't it? That is the heart of a soldier. A leader. A martyr.

MAX: Turn it off.

(Madame X turns up the volume so the sound fills the room.)

MADAME X: He was quite a man, your brother, Zack. He must've loved you very much . . . to make this sacrifice.

MAX: Turn it off!

MADAME X: But isn't it comforting to know that a part of him lives on in you? And that you've both come home to us? To me?

(Madame X leaves the room. There is an overhead shot of Max's head upside-down. The camera zooms in on Max's right eye and enters the black pupil.)

(The scene changes to the top of the Space Needle. Logan is sitting on top of the Space Needle and reflecting.)

LOGAN: Sometimes it seems like it happened to someone else -- like maybe it was a story I heard. Even though I know what happened, sometimes I can't help feeling that she's not really gone -- that she's still out there. And I just hope she's okay.