Tough Love: Episode 6

The crowd roars with excitement. Alekos turns and speaks softly to the announcer.)

  ALEKOS

  So when do I get to take home the medal?

  ANNOUNCER

  Oh, uh… That guy over there said that he was excepting it on your behalf.

  (The announcer points off-screen. Cut to a shot of Duke walking briskly away, trying not to draw attention to himself. Alekos hurries after Duke, still noticeably out of breath. Cut to a shot of Duke and Alekos as they round the corner over to a mostly empty street. Alekos grabs Duke by the shoulder and Duke turns around.)

  DUKE

  Can I help you with something?

  ALEKOS

  Yeah. I believe that what you’ve got there belongs to me.

  DUKE

  How do you figure?

  ALEKOS

  How do you think? I just earned it!

  DUKE

  Hmm, I see. Well that really is more a matter of opinion.

  ALEKOS

  What? No, you don’t understand. I’m the one who won the race.

  DUKE

  (Sarcastic) Pfft! What do you want, a medal?

  ALEKOS

  YES!

  (Suddenly, a taxi speeds over to them and stops in front of Duke. Wilt opens the side door to reveal that Oblex is driving and Lana is riding shotgun.)

  WILT

  Hurry! Get in!

  (Duke jumps in the taxi and it speeds off before he can even get the door closed.)

  OBLEX

  Syngnómi!

  (Cut to a one shot of Alekos, who is left in a state of shock and confusion.)

  ALEKOS

  Douche.

  INT. /EXT. – OBLEX’S STUDY – AFTERNOON

  (Scene opens on an establishing shot of Oblex’s Study with the sound of Wilt talking in the background.)

  WILT

  I still cannot believe how easy that was.

  (Cut to a shot of Duke, Wilt, Lana, and Oblex walking up to the front door.)

  DUKE

  Guys relax, I already know how awesome I am. There’s no need to keep telling me.

  (Cut to a one shot of Duke as he unlocks and opens the door. After the door is open cut to a point-of-view shot from Duke as he sees Sonya laying on the couch wearing red lingerie. Cut to a shot of the group as Duke slams the door shut.)

  DUKE

  (Panicked) Hey guys, change of plans. There’s something that I’ve got to take care of in there really quick.

  LANA

  C’mon, we’re all tired. Why can’t we go inside?

  DUKE

  Because… of… Porn! I left lots of porn lying around.

  (Lana brushes past Duke and reaches for the doorknob.)

  LANA

  Calm down. Who here hasn’t watched porn before?

  (Duke steps back in front of her.)

  DUKE

  This is some really hardcore stuff though! Animal costumes, chains, anal fisting, and lots of close ups.

  LANA

  Jeez! Ok, go clean that up.

  (Lana takes a step back and Duke hurries inside. Cut to a full shot of the living room.)

  DUKE

  What the hell are you doing here!?!

  (Sonya walks up to Duke and wraps her arms around him. Cut to a medium shot of the two.)

  SONYA

  I got lonely… and wet.

  (Sonya tries to kiss Duke but he pushes her away.)

  DUKE

  We’ve been over this. Wilt and Lana can’t find out about you. Now go climb out of the kitchen window like we practiced and I will meet you back at the hotel when I have time.

  SONYA

  (Pouting) You used to be more fun.

  (Duke shoos Sonya out of the room. Cut back to the full shot as she walks off into the kitchen. Once she is out of sight Duke opens the door to let the others in.)

  LANA

  Is it safe to assume that we can go upstairs without running into any proctological erotica?

  WILT

  Is it wrong that I’m still hungry?

  (Duke closes the door behind the others. Oblex goes upstairs and Wilt goes into the kitchen. Cut to a one shot of Lana as she picks up a bottle of cold pills off of the coffee table. Cut to a close-up showing the bottle in detail. Cut back to the full shot as Lana shrugs and takes the bottle with her upstairs. After Duke is left alone in the room there is a knock on the door.)

  DUKE

  Man! I am just beating off pussy with a stick over here.

  (Duke walks over to the door. Close-up on the door as he opens it to reveal the Mistress standing on the other side.)

  MISTRESS

  Remember when I warned you not to get in my way?

  (Cut to a full shot of the living room as the Mistress throws Duke into the opposite wall. The wall cracks and makes a loud crashing sound. Wilt runs in from the kitchen, Lana runs in from upstairs, and the Mistress calmly walks over to Duke. She grabs him by his shirt collar and lifts him into the air.)

  MISTRESS

  Every time you make me ask this question again, I’m going to cut something off. Now where is the key?

  LANA

  He doesn’t know!

  (The Mistress drops Duke and turns to face Lana.)

  MISTRESS

  Care to elaborate on that?

  LANA

  As soon as we got the key I hid it somewhere on the island and made sure these two didn’t know where I put it.

  MISTRESS

  Clever. But what is stopping me from carving the information out of you instead?

  LANA

  This cyanide capsule!

  (Lana pulls a cold pill out of her pocket holds it up for everyone to see.)

  DUKE

  Whoa! Lana, what the fuck!

  MISTRESS

  Let me see that!

  (The Mistress steps over to Lana and reaches for the pill. Lana steps back further and raises the pill to her lips.)

  LANA

  If I bite it then this little adventure is over! For all of us.

  (The Mistress takes a deep breath and tries to contain her rage. Again, she steps closer to Lana. Cut to a medium shot of the two.)

  MISTRESS

  Then it appears as though we have reached an impasse.

  LANA

  It would appear so. What do you suggest we do about it?

  (The Mistress pauses to think for a moment before responding.)

  MISTRESS

  May I use your phone?

  INT. /EXT. – OBLEX’S STUDY – AFTERNOON

  (Scene opens with a shot of Jasmine and Jade walking up to the front door of Oblex’s study. Cut to a close up of the door as they open it and step inside. Cut to a full shot inside of the living room. The Mistress is sitting on the couch while Duke, Wilt, and Lana are standing on the other side of the room. The Mistress turns her attention from the others to address Jasmine and Jade.)

  MISTRESS

  Ah, you’re finally here. We have a situation. I have thus far been unable to reach any kind of agreement with the cursed one. Therefore, one of you will have to be locked in a room with one of them until a compromise can be reached.

  JADE

  Let me do it. (Cracks knuckles) I’ll get them to cooperate.

  MISTRESS

  I doubt that we can afford to be so… blunt. (Pause) Jasmine, this could be an excellent opportunity for you to make up for your previous mistakes.

  JASMINE

  Whatever you think is best.

  MISTRESS

  Then it’s settled. (To Duke) Now, who among you would like to be sealed away for however long it takes to sort this mess out?

  INT. – NEGOTIATION ROOM – NIGHT

  (Scene opens with a shot of Wilt looking at a steel door as the Mistress closes it. Cut to a close-up of Wilt’s face as the sound of several locking mechanisms being put in place is heard. Cut to a full shot of a room with no windows and a table which Jasmine is sitting at. Wilt sighs and walks over to the table. Cut to a medium shot of the two.)


  WILT

  They could have had the decency to poke a few air holes before shoving us in this jar.

  JASMINE

  We’ll be taking both keys. What do you want from us?

  (Wilt walks around the table and sits opposite Jasmine.)

  WILT

  You don’t negotiate much, do you?

  JASMINE

  Not really. You?

  WILT

  I’ve seen a few movies.

  JASMINE

  What are those like?

  WILT

  Movies?

  JASMINE

  No, the negotiations.

  WILT

  Oh. (Pause) Well, they say a good place to start is to find something that the other person didn’t know they wanted.

  JASMINE

  Well that doesn’t help us much. We both need the same thing and there is no substitute for it. Plus you’re way too stubborn.

  WILT

  That’s not necessarily a bad thing you know. Besides, you’re at least as stubborn as I am.

  JASMINE

  What? How am I stubborn?

  WILT

  I told you what my intentions were from the start yet you’ve persistently tried to persuade me to go back home where it’s safe.

  JASMINE

  (Sigh) Maybe we’re both just wasting our time then.

  WILT

  You know, we’ve been a part of each other’s lives for a little over a week now. And I’m just now realizing that I barely know anything about you.

  JASMINE

  What do you want to know?

  WILT

  I don’t know. The basic stuff, favorite color, what music you like. What do you do when you’re not treasure hunting?

  JASMINE

  The Mistress keeps me busy.

  WILT

  So what? Are you saying that from the day you were born you never had a second of free time?

  JASMINE

  Alright, fine. When I was younger I used to dance. (Pause) I tried to anyway.

  WILT

  Tried too?

  JASMINE

  Well, I find the concept of it fascinating. When someone dances they use their body to tell a story, (Clenches her fist.) instead of what I’ve been trained to use my body to do. (Unclenches) When people waltz or foxtrot or tango they look like they’re communicating silently to each other.

  WILT

  Any particular reason that all of the dances you’ve mentioned require a partner?

  (Jasmine looks away awkwardly. Then regains her composure, ignoring the previous statement.)

  JASMINE

  We are getting off topic. No matter what else happens the Mistress will insist upon being the one to retrieve the Heart.

  WILT

  Why do you guys need it so bad anyway?

  JASMINE

  That’s… not