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.