SCENE 14
INTERROGATION ROOM
REX sits at a TABLE, HANDCUFFED, wired to a LIE-DETECTOR, but relaxed.
He has LONG HAIR and a BIG BEARD.
He is wearing PRISON CLOTHES and a thick CARDIGAN.
MAJOR DON stands over him with a CLIPBOARD.
MAJOR DON
Prisoner ... Rex ... Mundy?
REX
(laid back)
Yes sir.
MAJOR DON
You’ve been on a roll. Convicted for narcotics and human trafficking, with extra time for “bad behaviour”.
(reading)
First, La Mesa prison, escape and recapture. Penal de Altiplano, disruption. Reynosa ...
REX
(cheerfully)
That was a riot.
MAJOR DON
Sí Señor. Started by you. Then, here.
MAJOR DON turns the PAGE.
(reading)
A live concert?
REX
Just a small ...
Sound: Weeeeeoooo.
The LIE-DETECTOR signals.
REX relaxes and the LIE-DETECTOR goes quiet.
Yes sir.
MAJOR DON
Don’t try to lie. The machine will tell me.
(reading)
You made hooch alcohol, from potatoes and toothpaste?
REX
Hooch? It was Creme-de-menthe!
MAJOR DON
Gambling dice, from soap. Chess pieces from soap.
Poker chips from soap. A roulette wheel?
REX shrugs.
MAJOR DON (CONT'D)
Basically a whole casino made of soap.
REX
The Luxor. Geddit?
MAJOR DON
No. What about the rehabilitation programme?
Didn’t you try to make something of ... yourself?
REX is silent.
MAJOR DON turns the PAGE.
MAJOR DON (CONT'D)
No visitors. Half-rations. The Hose. Psychotherapy.
Bible study. Many many nights in The Cooler.
(flicks through pages)
Cooler ... Cooler ... more Cooler. And now ...?
REX considers.
REX
I’m cool.
MAJOR DON
Hmm.
REX
(sincere)
I did some thinking. That’s kind of a new thing for me. Salvation from within?
MAJOR DON closes the FILE.
He checks the LIE-DETECTOR.
MAJOR DON
We’ll see. Your lawyer is here.
Enter GLEN, in a lady-lawyer SUIT, carrying a BRIEFCASE.
GLEN
Rex?
REX
Glen??
REX – handcuffed and wired-up – goes for a HANDSHAKE, but GLEN HUGS him awkwardly.
GLEN
Are you alright?
REX
What took you so long?
GLEN
Don’t worry, we’re gonna get you out of here.
MAJOR DON
(interrupting)
Mr, er ... Mrs ... er .. ?
GLEN
Ms.
MAJOR DON
Ms. Glendale. Have we met before?
GLEN
I’m sure you’d remember.
MAJOR DON
Hmm. OK. Have a seat.
GLEN
(puzzled)
You need me to sign something?
MAJOR DON
Perhaps. First, I have a couple of ... queries.
GLEN reluctantly sits at the TABLE opposite REX.
GLEN
Really? I believe all the paperwork is in order.
MAJOR DON lifts PAGES on his CLIPBOARD.
MAJOR DON
That's what's strange. In Mexico, parole is a complicated process. Many delays. Many forms. Over and over. I don’t think anyone has ever completed it before.
GLEN
Fortunately I have assistants.
MAJOR DON
They missed one crucial detail.
GLEN
(nervous)
Yes?
MAJOR DON
The date.
GLEN
Er ...
MAJOR DON
This appeal was submitted before the prisoner was even captured.
GLEN
Ah well, yes. That’s, er, sharp legal work.
MAJOR DON
Three years before.
GLEN
Computers, eh? If he’s rehabilitated, what’s the difference?
MAJOR DON
As you say. But maybe it’s too soon. Maybe he needs more ... treatment.
REX
No no, please. I’m done, I promise. Not the bible study!
MAJOR DON
It’s hard to be sure he’s really changed.
GLEN
The beard's new.
MAJOR DON
Let's connect both of you to the machine, for, let’s say, an honest appraisal?
GLEN
Well, er...
MAJOR DON pushes GLEN into a CHAIR and connects the LIE-DETECTOR CLIPS to his fingers.
MAJOR DON
Here ... and here.
If Rex is truly sorry, and you believe him, he’s free to go.
GLEN
No way.
MAJOR DON
Guards!
AGENT1 & AGENT2 enter.
GLEN
Oh dear.
MAJOR DON
Think of it as an end-of-term exam. Has Rex graduated?
Or does he need to stay back
(menacing)
... a year ... or two.
GLEN
But, I, this is ridiculous. I'm sure Rex – my client – is completely ...
Sound: Weeeeeoooo.
The LIE-DETECTOR signals.
MAJOR DON
Yes?
REX
It’s OK Glen. I do have a couple of things I wanna say. Honestly.
#24 OLD ENOUGH
REX
ALL ALONE, IN THE COOLER
ONE THOUGHT, BEGAN TO BURN
IF I’M "NOT TOO OLD TO ROCK ´N ROLL"
AM I YOUNG ENOUGH, TO LEARN?
SO MUCH FUN, WITHOUT CEASE
EACH PATH OF PEACE, I DISREGARDED
YOU KEPT THE SHOW, ON THE ROAD
AND BORE THE LOAD, FOR WHAT THE STAR DID
I CAME ON STRONG, DRAGGED YOU ALONG
BEHAVED ALL WRONG, I MADE YOU WORRY
AND NOW, THE TIME HAS COME, TO PLEAD SO DUMB
AND SAY I’M SORRY
IF I'M NOT ... THE MAN ... I WAS
AM I STILL ... ME?
OLD ENOUGH, AT LAST, TO KNOW BETTER
I KISSED THE GHOST OF CHRISTMAS PAST
I’M SO GLAD I MET HER
BUT I'D RATHER FACE A NEW DAY
THE NIGHT-LIFE’S FADING FAST
I’M OLD ENOUGH, AND WISE ENOUGH, TO KNOW BETTER
AT LAST
ALL THAT TOO MUCH, IS NOW ENOUGH
MY ENDLESS LUST, FINALLY SATED
I DID THE CRIME, I SERVED MY TIME
NOW TRULY I'M ... REHABILITATED?
Major Don checks the lie detector, and nods.
REX (CONT'D)
LET THE COLD CLEAR LIGHT OF DAWN
LIFT UP THESE DIRTY EYES
GOODNIGHT FRIENDS, PARTY ON
I NEED TO SEE THE SUN RISE
TO PUSH ON PAST THE POINT, MIGHT SPOILT IT ANYHOW
HAVE WE BEEN HAVIN’ IT, LARGE ENOUGH, FOR LONG ENOUGH
TO KNOW THAT NOW?
I KNOW IT NOW
BECAUSE I’M OLD ENOUGH, AT LAST
TO KNOW BETTER
I‘LL MISS THE GHOST OF CHRISTMAS PAST
I’M TOTALLY GLAD I MET HER
BUT I’D RATHER FACE A NEW DAY
THE NIGHT-LIFE’S FADING FAST
I’M OLD ENOUGH, AND WISE ENOUGH
... AND TIRED ENOUGH
I CAN’T GO BACK TO THE ONE
BECAUSE I’M MOVIN’ ON
AT LAST!
LET THE COLD CLEAR LIGHT OF DAWN
WASH CLEAN THESE DIRTY EYES
GOODNIGHT MY FRIENDS
PARTY ON
I NEED TO SEE THE SUNRISE
TO PUSH ON PAST THE POINT
MIGHT SPOILT IT ANYHOW
HAVE WE BEEN HAVIN’ IT
LARGE ENOUGH
FOR LONG ENOUGH?
I KNOW WHAT I KNOW
AND I KNOW WHAT I DON’T KNOW
IF THE FUTURE CAN HEAL THE PAST
THAT’S THE ONLY WAY TO GO
I’LL QUIT
THESE CHILDISH THINGS CAN STAY
JUST SPLIT
THESE ROUNDS OF HELL TO PAY
ADMIT ... I DID IT MY WAY
BUT I’M OLD ENOUGH
TO KNOW BETTER
AT LAST
RARRRR!
REX and GLEN share a moment.
MAJOR DON
Alright! Alright! This is torture. I give in.
(to AGENTS)
Get these sissies out of here.
The AGENTS free REX and GLEN.
REX and GLEN hug.
GLEN
Thank you Major Don sir.
GLEN produces a FOIL-WRAPPED PACKAGE from his bag. It’s the size and shape of a FUNKY SPACE ROCK.
It moves strangely and is hard to handle.
GLEN
This is for you. From ADAM at Hicksville Rocks.
MAJOR DON takes the PACKAGE.
MAJOR DON
Uh?
GLEN
He said you’d know what to do with it. For the "Dos Equis" files?
MAJOR DON
Ah!
BLACK
SCENE 15
NIGHT – BEDROOM
The scene is familiar. The little star twinkles. A figure sleeps in the bed.
Enter ADAM and AURIGA, in MASKS, through the wardrobe.
We hear their thoughts.
AURIGA
(Closing the wardobe door)
We’re here. We’re then, I mean. The night we met.
ADAM
Wow! I can see so clearly. Auriga's butt looks great in that outfit!
AURIGA
The masks have night vision.
ADAM
Did I say that out loud?
AURIGA
And thought projection.
ADAM
Oh. Wow. She is so cool.
AURIGA
Ahem.
ADAM
Sorry.
AURIGA
Set the Fazer.
ADAM
Can’t you do it?
AURIGA
No it has to be you. Fazing your past self into proper acceptance will resolve the paradox.
ADAM
But, if I never meet you ... what about “us”?
AURIGA
History. Not even. The whole timeline will be re-written. Who knows where we’ll pop up.
ADAM
I have to ... I mean I want to ...
AURIGA
(interrupting)
Shh. We had fun mooncakes. But it wasn’t really meant to be was it? We can rewrite it, and we should. I won’t forget you. Trust me.
ADAM is sad.
They touch foreheads for a moment.
ADAM
I trust you.
#25 VISITATION ZERO REPRISE
AURIGA
It's now. Get in position.
AURIGA and ADAM hide, to the side.
The WARDROBE DOOR opens.
AURIGA PAST, masked, enters.
ADAM PAST sits up. He sees the mysterious FIGURE and reacts.
He is about to throw himself out of bed ... but he hesitates.
ADAM PAST
It’s a dream. It’s a dream. It’s a dream.
He slowly turns back to the figure, quivering with fear.
ADAM PAST (CONT'D)
Who’s there ..? What ...?
The eyes. The eyes ...
AURIGA PAST speaks TELEPATHICALLY.
AURIGA PAST
Do not fear. Resist nothing.
AURIGA PAST raises her FAZER.
Simultaneously, unseen by AURIGA PAST, CURRENT ADAM, to the side, raises his FAZER.
AURIGA PAST (CONT'D)
“Acceptance?”
AURIGA tries to shoot. As before, her FAZER malfunctions.
Lights: flicker.
Sound: WEEeeeeoooo! FZZZZzzzz.
ADAM PAST
(nervously)
Oh, er, sorry. It's that rock. It's ...
Sound: ZAAAAAAaaaap!
Current ADAM shoots.
His FAZER works fine.
ADAM PAST (CONT'D)
(entranced)
Acceptance.
ADAM PAST falls back into bed.