QUEEN OF SWORDS SYNOPSIS
104 VENGEANCE

WRITTEN BY: James Thorpe
DIRECTED BY: Brian Grant

During the Harvest Festival a Don is killed by a crossbow bolt. But the intended target was Helm, who seems to have some secrets and wants to get out of town fast.

GUEST STARRING
JAMES INNES SMITH as Latham
FREDDIE DOUGLAS as Ramon
JAVIER SANDOVAL ALVAREZ as Don Fuentes
JULIO MORALES MERINO as Don Aguilera
NOAH HUNTLEY as Ian Latham

SANTA HELENA

In the square, a Harvest Fiesta is taking place. People are mingling, a pig is roasted on a fire, children are playing, music, people dancing. You just know it can't stay this idyllic for long. Tessa is dancing with a young man, Ramone Aguilera. They've known each other since they were children and reminisce.

A man tells a group of men around the pig on the spit that some cows he bought from one of them have died from disease. The seller argues that they were fine when he sold them and accuses him of being to blame. The seller stabs the dead pig with a knife and walks away. The father warns that it isn't over yet.

An assassin with crossbow is on a roof while Helm walks through the crowd greeting Tessa and walking past. He talks to the seller, Aguilera, about the heat. A boy walks up with a watermelon to them. The assassin fires, slicing through the watermelon and hitting Aguilera in the chest. Helm rushes to him. Ramone rushes to his father. Helm and more men lift Aguilera to take him to the church, Helm's office it too far. The son looks around for who shot his father. Tessa joins him. Ramone spots the angry buyer and calls him a bastard, walks toward him.

Credits.

~~~~~

In the church, Helm has taken out the spear or crossbow bolt and holds it up and looks at it. Ramone is watching him try to stop the bleeding. Tessa rushes in with more supplies from his office.

RAMONE: Dr. Helm. Will he be all right?
HELM: The bolt missed his heart by an inch.
RAMONE: You didn't answer my question.

Silence. Helm has no idea. Ramone leaves, Tessa follows him worried. She tries to tell him that he doesn't know who shot his father and shouldn't go rushing over accusing him.

RAMONE: This is no business for women. Stay out of it.

He walks on.

~~~~~

In Montoya's courtyard, kids are playing. One girl is blindfolded hitting a pinata. Montoya takes off the blindfold and tells her to tell her father she had a good time with Uncle Luis. The kids are enjoying themselves and Montoya sees Ramone standing at the entrance. He makes sure a guard is alert when he goes to him. Ramone wants to know why the buyer, Fuentes, hasn't been arrested for trying to kill his father yet. The answer he's given is that there is no proof. Montoya assures him that his men are searching for the assassin and joins the children again with a happy face. When one child breaks a bottle of wine, splashing Montoya's pants, he grumbles about miserable children.

RAMONE: If my father dies, his will not be the last blood spilled in this town.
MONTOYA: Of that, we are both agreed.

The pinata is broken and candy spill on the tile, the children grab for it.

~~~~~

HOTEL

A girl brings a tray to the assassin's room. He gives her a tip so he can't be all bad... He uncovers his crossbow from under a blanket on his bed and looks at a new, fresh spear.

~~~~~

CHURCH

Ramone's father is bandaged by Marta and Helm studies the bolt used to harm him.

TESSA: It's an interesting choice of weapon, isn't it doctor?
HELM: Crossbow? To say the least.
TESSA: Why a crossbow and not a gun?
HELM: Because someone wanted to kill silently.
TESSA: In broad daylight in the middle of a crowd?
HELM: But a gun would have revealed his position.

He points out that whoever did this was a professional.

~~~~~

Tessa and Marta walk in the square to the wagon. Marta stops her with a no. Tessa tells her that she has to do what she can, she and Ramone have been friends since they were children.

TESSA: Don't worry.
She leaves.
MARTA: Why didn't I think of that?

~~~~~

Montoya and the buyer, Fuentes, have a chat in Montoya's courtyard. He talks of his roses, but he's clear to Fuentes that he will not stand for anarchy. Fuentes tells him he had nothing to do with the attack.

MONTOYA: My point is, Fuentes, is that it was just all so vulgar. My town, my fiesta, my assassin...
FUENTES: If I wanted to kill Aguilera, I wouldn't do it in public. I'd slit his throat while he slept.
MONTOYA: That's what I like to hear. Discretion. When a garden grows out of control, there is only one way to stop it...

He snips the flower of the rose stem.

~~~~~

A guard comes to the assassin's door under orders to search all rooms. We hear the assassin's voice, British accent, as he lets him in. After the door is shut on us, we hear the guard get hit over the head. The assassin takes off.

~~~~~

NIGHT

Guard is on patrol in the now quiet town. He gets knocked out by the assassin. The Queen of Swords sneaks into town.

~~~~~

Helm is listening to Aguilera's heartbeat in the church. Then he sits, fatigued. The assassin takes his place at the window. Before he can fire, the Queen uses her whip to snatch it out of his hands. They fight, both falling from an extremely high scaffolding on top of the church door. But they're both all right and fight some more. She gets a paper from his shirt pocket during the fight. Guards come and fire, stopping them. One yells "The Queen!" The assassin tells her that they'll finish it later and takes off. Helm walks out of the church wondering what the commotion is as the Queen looks at the paper. It's a drawing of Dr. Helm with beard and mustache.

~~~~~

Later, Ramone and some men he's hired to guard the church are standing there as Montoya walks up warning him not to push him. He's the law in the town. Helm comes out of the church to tell Ramone that his father died. Ramone runs inside.

MONTOYA: An unexpected development, Doctor?
HELM: There was so much bleeding, there was nothing I could do.
MONTOYA: Ah well. One more for the angels, hm?

~~~~~

Helm goes back to his office (this episode is shown out of order as his office exploded in the last episode "Fever") He lights a lamp to reveal the Queen waiting for him.

HELM: It's been a long day.
QUEEN: I'm sure you did all you--.
HELM: Look, your sympathy is wasted on me.
QUEEN: I'm looking for someone. I thought maybe you could help.
She shows him the drawing on a torn piece of map she got from the assassin during the fight.
QUEEN: Recognize him?
He looks at it. Is affected, hands it back as he turns away from her.
HELM: No, who is it?
QUEEN: Look closer. Are you sure?
She holds it over his shoulder so he can see it, but he keeps his eyes diverted from it.
HELM: Positive.
She shows him the other side, of the map.
QUEEN: What about this?

He has a flash of a battle.

HELM: Where did you get that?
QUEEN: The assassin wasn't after Aguilera, was he? He was trying to kill you.
HELM: You get out.
QUEEN: Ramone will stop at nothing to avenge his father.
HELM: I am not responsible for what Ramone does.
QUEEN: Aren't you? He think Fuentes is behind it.
HELM: The man you took that from...
QUEEN: He got away.
HELM: So he's still alive. Let Ramone believe what he believes. It's safer that way.
QUEEN: You can't be serious.
HELM: This is my business. You stay the hell out.
QUEEN: It looks like I'm not the only one who hides behind a mask.

~~~~~

Ramone sneaks into Fuentes' house with a huge knife. He is going to stab the lump under the covers on the bed when Fuentes tells him from the other side of the room, flanked by two men that he's just like his father. Ramone is pissed and rushes him. The men stop him and holds his big knife to his throat. Fuentes swears that he didn't kill his father. Ramone doesn't believe him. Fuentes takes Ramone's face in his hands and swears again. Ramone spit at him. He tells Ramone that he has a wife and children to protect and that he's left him no choice. He tells his men to kill him and that no one can tie his death on him. He sees the crucifix on the wall and crosses himself.

FUENTES: May God forgive me.

~~~~~

Helm goes to the hotel that the guard was killed in by the assassin. Even though there's at that time's version of police tape over the door, he picks the lock and enters.

Across the square, Montoya steps out on his balcony with a drink in his hands, sees lights on in the hotel room.

MONTOYA: Well. What have we here?

Helm goes through the drawers. The assassin is in the hallway and readies his crossbow. Helm finds another crossbow bolt under the bed. The assassin is at the door. Helm opens his suitcase. He finds some papers. Montoya and his men walk in. (There must be two door to enter the hotel room) Helm explains that he's there to lend him a hand.

MONTOYA: Oh, indeed. I'm all ears.
HELM: As a scientist, I'm a trained observer. I thought I might be able to spot something that your soldiers overlooked.
MONTOYA: And ah... any luck?
HELM: (winning smile) I'm afraid not.
MONTOYA: Really, doctor. Such dedication to your work and to my investigation is truly admirable. Almost unbelievable.
They know that the other is lying.
HELM: And the killer, Colonel. Any... progress?
MONTOYA: Sadly, he too remains a mystery. But never fear. No one can hide from Montoya forever.

He points to the door. The assassin is at the window.

~~~~~

After a loooonnnng walk to where the two men are going to kill Ramone, at a high cliff because it's well past daybreak. The Queen rides up with her whip. She fights the men. Ramone, handcuffed behind his back, teeters over the edge. The Queen snaps her whip to him, it wraps around his waist and she pulls him to safety. More fighting, a man goes over the edge. She cuts the ropes and he's grateful that she's saved his life. They ride off.

She stops the horse and pushes him off.

RAMONE: What are you doing?
QUEEN: This is close enough. You can walk home from here. Listen to what I'm saying. Don Fuentes was telling you the truth.
RAMONE: But he was the only one within a hundred miles who had any motive.
QUEEN: It was a mistake. An accident. The assassin wasn't aiming at your father. Your father just got in the way.
RAMONE: What the hell are you talking about?
QUEEN: That's the truth. I swear it.

He doesn't believe her.

QUEEN: Stay away from Don Fuentes. Today I killed a man to save your life. I won't do it again.

She rides off leaving him.

~~~~~

There are people waiting at Helm's office and he's checking Tessa's pulse. She told him about the Queen's latest escapade.

TESSA: I can't believe you haven't heard.
HELM: I've been very busy. Your pulse is fine. When did these headaches start?
TESSA: This morning I think. I wonder what Ramone is thinking right now.
Helm feels her forehead for her temperature.
TESSA: To come so close to death. I think it's thrilling.
HELM: That's one way to look at it. Look, I can find no sign of fever at all. What about these chills?
TESSA: Such agony.
HELM: You're in pain now?
TESSA: No, not me. Ramone. Imagine the torment he must be going through.
HELM: It seems very foolish to me.
TESSA: I think it's romantic. So young and passionate. Be willing to give his life to avenge his father's death. I'm sure he won't give up until he dies trying.
Helm's affected by that.
HELM: I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to excuse me, Senorita.
TESSA: But my symptoms. Is it serious?
HELM: Nothing a little sugar water won't cure.
He hands her a bottle.
HELM: Now please, I have lots of appointments.

~~~~~

At the church, Helm stands in front of the alter looking at the crucifix.

RAMONE: I got your message. I'm here.
HELM: Thank you for coming.
RAMONE: My father's funeral is tomorrow. There's a lot to do at the ranch.
HELM: I promise you this is important.

Pause.

RAMONE: I'm waiting.
HELM: Just one more person.

Fuentes walks in. Ramone isn't thrilled. They scuffle and Helm pulls them apart.

RAMONE: You're still alive you bastard!
HELM: And I'm trying to keep it that way.
FUENTES: You have one minute to explain yourself.
HELM: It was me. I was the target, not Aguilera. It's the truth. The bolt that killed your father was meant for me. I'm so sorry, Ramone. Your father was killed in the crossfire. If I could change places with him now--.
RAMONE: Why would anyone want to kill you?
HELM: Many reasons. But they will go to the grave with me.
RAMONE: Why should I believe you?
HELM: LOOK AT ME! Look into my eyes. It isn't life that you see, it is death. Death leaves a trail.

Helm walks out leaving the two adversaries alone.

He takes one last look at the town, gets on his horse and rides off.

~~~~~

In the country, he gets off the horse and takes a drink from the canteen. He hears a horse neigh in the distance. He runs with the horse for cover from the cliff tops surrounding him. We can only see the horse's feet as it walks along. Helm is walking along a rock face. He jumps on the rider. It's the Queen, who ends up on top.

QUEEN: With those kind of moves, no wonder you're still single.
HELM: Either slit my throat to get it over with or take your knee off my--.
QUEEN: All right. All right.

She gets up and lifts him up too.

QUEEN: What the hell are you doing leaping off rocks?
HELM: What the hell are you doing following me?
QUEEN: Why are you leaving town?
HELM: Show me who's under the mask.
QUEEN: I asked first.

Helm walks away.

QUEEN: I was talking to you.
HELM: Oh, this was all your fault.

She's grabbed the reins of her horse and follows along.

QUEEN: Looking for something?
HELM: My horse.
QUEEN: Horse?
HELM: Horse. Equus. Four legs, big head, long tail.
QUEEN: There's a ranch a few miles west, you might be able to find one there. That is, if you're still planning of running away.
HELM: I am not running away. (Pause) I am walking.

The assassin watches him walk as she rides behind him, from a distance.

~~~~~

Montoya meets with the assassin, who doesn't give his name.

MONTOYA: Sit, my anonymous friend. After all, as the great bard once said, "What's in a name?"
ASSASSIN: Do we have a deal?
MONTOYA: You deliver to the Queen of Swords?
ASSASSIN: And you give to me Dr. Helm.

They shake on it.

MONTOYA: Seems like a fair trade to me.

~~~~~

Helm and the Queen are both on her horse, and they're lost, riding alongside that high cliff.

QUEEN: I wish we knew where we were.
HELM: You haven't been here before?
QUEEN: It's all new to me. This is the only way?
HELM: Well if you remember, I suggested the canyon pass.
QUEEN: I mean leaving town.
HELM: The only way to stop him is to kill him.
QUEEN: And you refuse to take a life even to save your own?
HELM: I swore an oath. I'm a doctor now.
QUEEN: The man in the sketch. The one with the beard. Who is he?
HELM: That man is dead.

They see soldiers off in the distance.

Montoya and the assassin and Montoya's soldiers are there. After the assassin leads the way to get them, Montoya tells his underling, "When I have the Queen of Swords... kill that son of a bitch."

QUEEN: If we saw Montoya, then he spotted us.
HELM: And Latham is with him. (Hm. He names the one who's after him)
QUEEN: Montoya sold you out to the assassin.
HELM: No. I'll leave that to you.
QUEEN: What are you doing?
HELM: We'll never make it together.
He gets off the horse.
QUEEN: I'm not leaving you here.

He slaps the horse's butt and it rears up knocking Helm down a long incline.

QUEEN: Doctor? Are you all right?
HELM: Go!

The soldiers are closer.

QUEEN: Damn you.

She rides off. The assassin, Latham, takes off after Helm. The Queen turns around. Montoya and the soldiers see the direction where she would lead them away from Helm.

MONTOYA: The woman has a good heart. It will look good on my desk.

Helm is running.

LATHAM: Quickly or slowly?

Helm stops.

LATHAM: How do you want to die?
HELM: Who are you?
LATHAM: Vengeance.
HELM: I don't understand. (Neither do I. He called him by name in the last scene)
LATHAM: Ian Latham was my brother.
HELM: Ian?
He doesn't know who that is. Then it comes to him.
LATHAM: That's it. Now you remember. A man you murdered.
HELM: That wasn't murder, that was war!

A lone horse, the Queen's, runs riderless. Montoya sees tracks that are lighter than they were before.

MONTOYA: Ah, a little voice speaks inside my head. I'm turning back. 10 reales to whoever gives me the Queen of Swords.

The soldiers ride on.

The assassin gets off his horse.

LATHAM: Doctor. Hm. Killer's more like it.
HELM: Not anymore.
LATHAM: You think death is something you can wear one day and not the next? Tell me you don't dream it still. All that blood. Tell me!
HELM: I can't.

Flashback time!

NORTHERN SPAIN

A British soldier waits with a folded map in his hands during a battle. Helm, in a weirdo fake mustache and beard wearing a Spanish farmer's clothes sneaks up on him. Then raises his hands when he's seen.

IAN: Bloody hell, farmer! I almost shot you.
HELM: (Spanish accent) I'm glad you didn't. (Something in Spanish I can't catch) Latham?
IAN: Do I know you?

Helm takes a gun out of the back of his pants.

HELM: No, but I know you.
IAN: What's this all about?
HELM: The British troop movements you're about to deliver to the French.
IAN: Sorry, mate. You've got the wrong...

He shoots at Helm, but Helm is faster. Great visual of the smoking gun and Helm's steely eye trained on his target. He rifles through Ian's pockets.

HELM: Where are they? Come on, Corporal! You're dying!
IAN: Who are you?
HELM: Lieutenant Robert Helm of His Majesty's Service.

He finds the paper that a piece of was shown earlier.

HELM: This is what I was looking for.

Latham, the assassin rides up.

LATHAM: Hey! Hey you!

They see each other. Helm gets up to leave. Ian still had a hold of the paper and it rips. Latham fires at Helm as he runs away. Then he rushes to his dying brother. Ian's last word is, "Helm".

~~~~~

1817 Again

LATHAM: My brother was no spy.
HELM: He was seen talking to the French, he had the documents on him.
LATHAM: Ian was innocent.
HELM: I had no choice. I had my orders.
LATHAM: You know the funny thing about vengeance? It gets sweeter with age. Good bye Doctor.

The Queen uses her whip again to lasso the crossbow out of his hands.

QUEEN: Care to try for two out of three?
LATHAM: You again.

They pull out their swords.

HELM: Not her! It's me you want. Come here, you bastard.
QUEEN: Doctor!

She tosses her sword to Helm. They fight while the Queen watches and Montoya rides up in the distance behind her. She can sense him coming.

MONTOYA: So, you've given the good doctor your sword. How brave. And how incredibly stupid.
QUEEN: Then why don't you just kill me?

She whips at him and his medal flies off his uniform.

QUEEN: Oops.

They fight. Helm has Latham at a disadvantage.

LATHAM: You still have a taste for blood, don't you?
HELM: Let it go.

They fight again. The Queen and Montoya also keep fighting. Helm disarms Latham and has the Queen's sword to his neck once again.

LATHAM: Do it. What are you waiting for? You're a killer.

The sounds of battle and screaming men are heard, that are in Helm's thoughts as he debates of doing him in. The Queen watches. Montoya sits up and sees the crossbow. Helm hits Latham across the face with the hilt. He looks up to the Queen, then hurries away. Montoya picks up the crossbow and points it at the Queen. A sword appears on his arm. Helm.

HELM: Drop the crossbow, Colonel.
The look in Montoya's eyes is classic.
MONTOYA: Dr. Helm, have you completely lost your mind?
HELM: You bargained for my life.
MONTOYA: I'm sure there has been some misunderstanding.
HELM: No, Colonel. You and I understand each other perfectly. Drop the crossbow.
He does.
MONTOYA: I'm sure we can work something out. If you would be so kind as to run your sword through the young lady behind me.
HELM: Which young lady is that?
Montoya looks. She's gone.
MONTOYA: Damn her. Damn her to be so close. To smell the scent of her blood.

Latham yells on the attack to kill Helm. Montoya fires the crossbow at him, hitting him in the stomach. Helm is relieved.

HELM: You're a complicated man.
MONTOYA: Not really. Killers, assassins, they are... how you say? A dime a dozen. But where would I find another doctor?
HELM: Or another horse.

They see the Queen stealing Montoya's horse.

QUEEN: Adios, Colonel.
MONTOYA: That's my horse! You see... a life for a life. The Gods. They mock Montoya.
HELM: It's a long walk back to town, Colonel.
MONTOYA: So it is.

They are seen walking down the road.

MONTOYA: You know, Doctor? Sometimes I think I am too virtuous for my own good.
HELM: Don't push it, Colonel.

~~~~~

Helm unpacks his things in his private room at his office when the Queen surprises him.

QUEEN: You're either a messy house keeper, or...
HELM: I've decided to stay.
QUEEN: Until someone else comes gunning for you?
HELM: Something like that.
QUEEN: I don't suppose there's any point in asking what that was all about.
HELM: That's back in the past now where it belongs. I'm glad you came though.
QUEEN: You are?
HELM: I wasn't sure when I'd see you again.
QUEEN: Am I missing something?
HELM: Maybe.
QUEEN: Should I be flattered?
HELM: Well that's up to you.

He presents her with her sword.

QUEEN: Thank you doctor.
HELM: Oh, by the way...

She's gone.

HELM: It's nice to be back.

THE END

Synopsis by:
JoLayne
EnyaJo@aol.com

Jo's Obsessions
http://www.oocities.org/enyajo