Disturbia

DISTURBIA

Written by

Christopher Landon

Revised by

Carl Ellsworth

March 2006

OVER BLACK:

KALE (V.O.) (tense) Do you think he sees us?

JEFF (V.O.) No, he can't see us. But he feels us watching.

FADE IN:

DEEP BLUE WATER FILLS THE FRAME.

And there... a few feet beneath the surface... something SHIMMERS in the sunlight. As ripples dissipate, we make out the shape of a bright yellow CRANKBAIT waiting patiently for its prey on the end of a 10-pound line.

We hold on this for another silent beat... then -- a huge BLACK BASS suddenly swoops into frame, circling the bait!

ON KALE BRECHT (17) AND HIS DAD, JEFF BRECHT (45)

Both startle at the sight. Kale, a clean-cut all-American kid, reflexively yanks back on his rod and reel.

KALE Whoa, did you see that thing?

Kale anxiously winds the spool --

JEFF Settle down, slow it down...

Jeff lightly puts his hand on Kale's, slowing the cranking to a slight, steady pull as we WIDEN TO REVEAL them standing near the stern of their 16-foot BASSMASTER. We are...

1  EXT. BISHOP LAKE - DAY                                          1

The undisturbed beauty of nature serves as our backdrop as   we MOVE CLOSER to Kale and Jeff, taking note of their t-    shirts: Jeff's has a silkscreened cartoon rendition of a    Bass wearing aviator goggles with mounted missiles on its fins. Beneath it, the slogan: "Weapons of Bass Destruction." The fish on Kale's shirt wears a stock car uniform, a single word across the bottom: BASSCAR.

As Jeff steadies Kale's hand and pulls away:

JEFF You don't want to scare him off. You've got his attention, now just play with him. Tease him a little.

(CONTINUED)  D.J. Caruso

2.

1  CONTINUED:                                                          1

Kale and Jeff watch the water in anxious silence... Kale inching the line back toward the boat. One more crank, then --

The BLACK BASS suddenly ATTACKS THE LURE with a tremendous SLOSH OF HIS TAIL!

KALE Holy shit!

JEFF It's all you, Kale, keep cranking!

Kale cranks fast and furious. But this is one fish that's   going down fighting.

KALE I need reinforcements!

Jeff moves in, grabs the rod and reel from behind Kale.

JEFF Heave, laddie!

They PULL. The rod curls under the weight.

JEFF (CONT'D)                    (pirate accent) Give it all ya got, mate, or you're                gonna lose him!

KALE (laughing; pulling;                     struggling) Dad, your pirate -- impersonation -- sucks!!

JEFF How would ya know, have ya ever met one? I doubt it --

The BASS SLOSHES FURIOUSLY around the bait, now just a few feet from the boat!

KALE He's freakin' pulling us in!

JEFF (laughing) Never! No Brecht has ever -- lost a                fight -- to a fish!

The BASS suddenly snaps free. The line goes limp. Jeff and Kale lose their balance, nearly falling backward. Then --

(CONTINUED)  D.J. Caruso

3.

1  CONTINUED:    (2)                                                     1

All becomes silent save for Jeff and Kale's heavy breathing. Kale winds the empty line back to the boat, shoots a glance to Jeff, then throws the rod aside in mock disgust. Jeff takes a seat in the captain's chair.

JEFF (CONT'D)                Throw me a --

Kale is already in the cooler. He throws Jeff a Coke. Both sit in silence for a beat. Then --

JEFF (CONT'D)                Hey, at least the weather's great...                 we're spending quality time together.

KALE (grabbing pole) That fish is going down.

JEFF (not missing a beat) Let's nab the bastard.

They both cast their lines --

2  EXT. HIGHWAY 395 - NORTHERN SIERRA MOUNTAINS - EVENING               2

An amber glow sets the mountainside ablaze as Jeff's SUV winds through the serpentine pass.

3  INT. SUV - EVENING - CONTINUOUS - MOVING                             3

Jeff drives. Kale's on his cell:

KALE (cont'd)                    (into phone as needed) Hey mom, it's us. Listen, fire up                the grill 'cause the Bassmasters are headed home!

Jeff slaps Kale five as he veers the SUV into the left lane, passing a slow-moving PATHFINDER...

INTERCUT WITH:

4  INT. KALE'S HOUSE - KITCHEN - DAY - CONTINUOUS                       4

Kale's attractive mom, JULIE, 40, on cordless, preps dinner.

JULIE You're kidding. So I can actually put the burgers away this time?

KALE Yes, be gone with the red meat!

(CONTINUED)     D.J. Caruso

4.

4  CONTINUED:                                                          4

Julie smiles. Jeff grabs the phone from Kale.

JEFF (into phone as needed) We're having fish for a week.

Kale smiles as a LINCOLN NAVIGATOR PICK-UP zooms past in the right lane, swerves back in the left lane in front of them.

JEFF (CONT'D)                    (over the above) I'd say an hour. Love you, too.

Jeff flips the phone shut, tosses it to Kale. They exchange smiles. A silent moment passes. They both turn to face the road as --

THE NAVIGATOR PICK-UP

suddenly SWERVES back into the right lane, revealing a

STALLED MINI-VAN

directly in front of them!

KALE DAD --

Jeff instinctively reaches his arm in front of Kale as he   SWINGS the wheel hard right and SLAMS ON THE BRAKES. But it's not in time. The

SUV

clips the mini-van's right rear bumper, SMASHING it into the left lane concrete barricade. The SUV spins into the right lane where that

SLOW-MOVING PATHFINDER

suddenly BROADSIDES IT with such FORCE that it FLIPS the SUV up and over. It TUMBLES off the highway, barreling into...

5  EXT. VACANT CLIFFSIDE PULLOFF/VIEWING AREA - EVENING - CONT        5

A couple of final, METAL-CRUNCHING FLIPS send the SUV's   undercarriage CRASHING to a violent stop on top of a rickety wood beam-mounted GUARDRAIL.

A silent beat. Then -- steam billows from the hood...

6  INSIDE THE SUV                                                      6

Airbags deflate. Dust settles. Blood streams from Jeff's   hairline. His eyes flutter open.

(CONTINUED)  D.J. Caruso

5.

6  CONTINUED:                                                              6

He looks up to Kale, strapped in the passenger seat, unconscious. A small gash on his forehead. We only see blue sky through Kale's shattered passenger window.

JEFF Kale? -- Kale, are you okay?

Kale opens his eyes. Jeff reaches up, touches Kale's face.

KALE I think so.

Kale looks down at his dad -- his eyes widen in horror, not only at the sight of Jeff, but of the ravine beneath them --

For this brief moment, we may have thought the SUV was stable. But we CRANE BACK UP AND OUT KALE'S PASSENGER WINDOW to REVEAL A MUCH GRIMMER REALITY: the SUV is PERCHED LENGTHWISE ON TOP OF THE GUARDRAIL AT A 45-DEGREE DOWNWARD ANGLE.

The SUV's right front and rear tires precariously grip the rail, keeping it from plunging 500 feet to the RAVINE below.

7  BACK INSIDE THE SUV                                                     7

KALE Oh my God, dad --

-- Jeff's leg is trapped beneath the crumpled dashboard.

JEFF I'm fine. But you're gonna have to                climb out, Kale. Can you do that?

Kale's hands shake from the SHOCK as his fingers search for the seatbelt buckle. But the shoulder strap is LOCKED IN   PLACE, preventing Kale from turning. He tugs it furiously.

KALE I can't -- It won't give --

JEFF That's okay, I've got it -- grab the door, I don't need your ass falling on my face --

Kale reaches up, grips the outside of the door as

JEFF'S HAND

shakily reaches to Kale's seatbelt buckle and presses. Kale's   belt SNAPS LOOSE. Kale's body DROPS, but he hangs on to the window -- just as a

GUARDRAIL BEAM SNAPS LOOSE FROM ITS FOUNDATION!

(CONTINUED)  D.J. Caruso

6.

7  CONTINUED:                                                               7

The SUV ROCKS VIOLENTLY as the guardrail starts to bend and peel away from the cliffside under the SUV's weight.

8  INSIDE THE SUV - JEFF                                                    8

reaches up, grabs Kale's legs and pushes, helping Kale climb out the window.

9  OUTSIDE THE SUV - KALE                                                   9

slowly slides down the outside of the door, then turns around on his chest, reaches his hand back down to Jeff --

KALE Dad, here --

Jeff reaches up as a

SECTION OF GUARDRAIL RIVETS

a few inches behind the SUV's rear bumper suddenly POP LOOSE. THE GUARDRAIL SNAPS IN TWO!

KALE SCREAMS, hangs on for dear life as the GUARDRAIL and SUV SWING OUT AND OVER THE RAVINE.

The guardrail is buckling fast. Another beam RIPS FREE of   its foundation -- Kale slides a few more inches down the door and right front fender allowing

HIS FEET

to find the edge of the foundering rail underneath. Having at least some footing, Kale reaches back inside --

KALE (CONT'D)                Dad, please, you can do it --

Jeff unbuckles his belt and reaches up. Kale summons his strength, grabs Jeff's wrist, pulls him up and through the passenger window just as the

SUV FALLS AWAY!

Jeff's weight pulls Kale down. Kale's feet SLIP off the rail. Kale SLAMS chest down, his TORSO wrapping around the top of the rail, feet dangling... But he's still clutching Jeff's wrist as the SUV CRASHES INTO THE RAVINE IN A MUSHROOM CLOUD OF DUST AND DEBRIS.

JEFF'S WRIST

slips from Kale's grasp. Kale struggles to hang on, but he's losing the battle and the balancing act. And he knows it. Tears well in Kale's eyes.

(CONTINUED)    D.J. Caruso

7.

9   CONTINUED:                                                           9

JEFF Kale, you have to climb up --

KALE No -- I'm not leaving --

JEFF Kale --

Another GUARDRAIL BEAM UPROOTS --

KALE NO -- Dad, please, I've got you --

JEFF (with a slight smile) I know --

CU - Jeff's left hand enters frame, clasps Kale's. Another beat of eyes on eyes. The guardrail continues to BUCKLE. Then -- Jeff starts to PRY KALE'S HAND AWAY --

Jeff's arm RELEASES FROM KALE'S GRIP. Kale opens his mouth to scream as a shrill bell RINGS!

10  INT. MORROW HIGH SCHOOL - HALLWAY - DAY                             10

ON THE RINGING BELL. STUDENTS disappear into their respective classrooms. As the corridor quiets down...

SUPER: ONE YEAR LATER

RONNIE (V.O.)                   RONNIE (CONT'D)         (prelap)                         (subtitles as needed) Este verano, después            This summer, after visiting de visitar Hawaii,              Hawaii, I will perhaps quizás visitaré a mis           visit my grandparents in       abuelos en Corea. Korea.

11  INT. CLASSROOM - DAY - CONTINUOUS                                   11

ON RONNIE YUN, 16, a scrawny Korean kid with a knack for perfect Spanish, stands at the front giving his speech.

Note: every time Ronnie says "quizás" ("perhaps") the class giggles because it sounds a lot like "kiss-ass."

The teacher, SENOR GUTIERREZ, a rotund 50, bad comb-over and khakis up to his naval, stands off to the side, quickly picking up on Ronnie's excessive and increasingly dramatic use of the word.

(CONTINUED)  D.J. Caruso

8.

11  CONTINUED:                                                              11

RONNIE                          RONNIE (CONT'D)       Quizás no. Quizás                Perhaps I won't. Perhaps apenas permaneceré en           I'll just stay at home. el país. Pero quizás            But perhaps my parents mis padres tomarán la           will take pity on me. compasión en mi.                  (more dramatic) (more dramatic)               Perhaps they will make my       Quizás harán mi sueño            dream a reality! Perhaps una realidad! Quizás            they will take me to a       me llevarán a una playa          beach on the French Riviera en la riviera francesa          so that I may gaze upon de modo que pueda mirar         the natural beauty of its sobre la belleza natural        female inhabitants. de sus habitantes femeninos...

Over this, only one GIRL, MINNIE TYCO, a rail-thin BLONDE, picks up on this:

MINNIE TYCO (under her breath) Keep dreaming, perv.

RONNIE                          RONNIE (CONT'D)         (longingly)                    Perhaps... Thank you. Quizás... Gracias.

The class laughs, claps. Ronnie bows, heads to his seat.

SR GUTIERREZ                    SR GUTIERREZ (CONT'D)       Gracias, Ronnie. Quizás         Thank you, Ronnie. Perhaps le daré una "F." I'll give you an "F."

The class laughs again. Gutierrez shakes his head, zeros in    on the student behind Ronnie. Sleeping with his arms folded on his desk, a grey hoodie pulled over his head.

SENOR GUTIERREZ Senor Brecht...

Senor Gutierrez takes some chalk, flicks it at the kid. He    still doesn't budge. Ronnie nudges him.

RONNIE Dude --

The kid stirs, raises his head. The hoodie falls away to    reveal KALE. Longer, disheveled hair. The spark in his eye's been replaced with an empty haze.

SENOR GUTIERREZ So Kale, think you can stay conscious long enough to tell us your plans for the three wondrous summer months ahead?

(CONTINUED)   D.J. Caruso

9.

11  CONTINUED:    (2)                                                     11

Kale glances around. All eyes on him. He looks at Ronnie who nods in support. Kale gets up, heads to the front of    the class. He pauses. Trying to focus. Then --

KALE Este invierno --

The class chuckles.

SENOR GUTIERREZ (correcting) Verano...

KALE Este verano -- voy a --

SENOR GUTIERREZ ¿Qué?

Kale shuts his eyes, frustrated at the interruption. Senor Gutierrez, also losing patience, steps closer to Kale.

SR GUTIERREZ                       SR GUTIERREZ (CONT'D)       ¿Qué usted va a hacer? (subtitled) What are you going to do?

KALE I don't know, alright? I haven't                 gotten that far.

SENOR GUTIERREZ Did you do the homework or not?

KALE (no eye contact) Guess not.

SENOR GUTIERREZ (in Kale's face) You "guess" not. I don't know who you think you are or who you think you're dealing with. You can't give me a straight answer, fine, give me                 one good reason why I shouldn't fail you right now?

Kale CLOCKS Gutierrez.

12  INT. JUVENILE COURTROOM - DAY                                        12

ON SENOR GUTIERREZ - displaying a black eye, sitting next to    the school's PRINCIPAL and COUNSELOR in a single row of seats behind the attorneys' tables.

(CONTINUED)  D.J. Caruso

10.

12  CONTINUED:                                                            12

Kale, a little more cleaned up, wearing a suit, sits between Julie and his DEFENSE ATTORNEY.

Julie, noticeably tired, glances at her son, her expression a fusion of anger and sympathy. Kale's eyes shift her way, but his head never turns. The JUDGE mulls over his notes...

JUDGE Okay, Mr. Brecht...

Kale's lawyer prompts him to stand.

JUDGE (CONT'D)                 You're six months shy of eighteen, that means the assault-two charge you've pled guilty to carries a max of one year in juvey. With these priors, you're up to three.

The judge lets that sink in. Kale remains silent.

JUDGE (CONT'D)                 But losing a parent isn't easy. Which is why I'm sentencing you to                 three months house arrest.

Julie closes her eyes in relief.

JUDGE (CONT'D)                 You can thank your counselors and lawyer later. Mr. Brecht, I just cut you a break. Don't test me.

The judge taps his gavel.

13  INT. KALE'S HOUSE - KITCHEN - DAY                                    13

A pair of hands wrap an ELECTRONIC MONITORING     BRACELET around Kale's left ankle. WIDER TO REVEAL the hands      belong to Kale's     case officer, JANET PARKER, 35, no-nonsense. Kale's perched on the center island. Julie watches from the      b.g.

As Parker clicks the bracelet's buckle into place, a GREEN LED light illuminates. It's ON THE TOP EDGE OF THE BRACELET'S    BAND so Kale can easily see it if he looks down. Next to    this light is an additional RED LIGHT that isn't on.

PARKER (making final checks) Okay, you... are all set... to go                 nowhere. (re: the LED lights) Now, green means you're good, you're                 in the safe zone which covers about (MORE)

(CONTINUED)  D.J. Caruso

11.

13  CONTINUED:                                                      13

PARKER (CONT'D)                 a sixty-foot radius from this guy here.

Parker points to a big black box (the CENTRAL TRACKING UNIT) on the kitchen counter.

PARKER (CONT'D)                 He's like a modem. He gets a constant signal from Mr. Bracelet that he                 sends through your phone line to the monitoring station downtown. So                 they know where you are, where you've                  been and what you're thinkin' 25/7.

JULIE What if he accidentally goes beyond --

PARKER (anticipating; re:                      red light on bracelet) Red light flashes. Means you've got about ten seconds to get your butt back to green, or else --

KALE The execution squad shows up?

PARKER And they don't bring blindfolds. It's also tamper proof and waterproof. So don't try sticking your foot in a                 bucket of water and hopping across the line. It won't work, and you'll                 look stupid. Now, I'll be checking up on you a lot. Here's my card -- You're set up to pay his incarceration fee, Ms. Brecht?

JULIE Automatic withdrawal. (to Kale) Twelve bucks every day.

PARKER (re: a booklet) Everything else is in the manual. (making her way out) Oh, except this -- House arrest might sound like a breeze, but trust me, I've seen all kinds of folks get a                 bit loopy before too long, some after just a day or two. So make sure you find lots of constructive things to                 keep yourself busy.

D.J. Caruso

12.

14  INT. KALE'S BEDROOM - NIGHT - LATER                               14

Kales sits in his video game chair, wearing his X-box live headset, playing HALO 2 -- he's on the final "boss level." GUNFIRE and EXPLOSIONS BLARE over his stereo speakers.

KALE (into headset as needed) Hobby, you read me? I said come around my left flank and draw his fire -- damn straight I'm trying to              get you smoked, you've been hiding behind my ass the whole game --

The TV SCREEN suddenly GLITCHES.

KALE (CONT'D)              Hobby, Jet, you guys still there?

The screen goes black. The XBOX LIVE LOGO APPEARS along with the words: SERVER ERROR. Kale throws the headset aside, makes sure all the wires are connected. Checks the TV screen. Same thing.

Kale glares at the screen another beat, then gets up, wanders out of his room...

15  INT. ENTRY HALL - NIGHT - CONTINUOUS                              15

Kale slowly heads down the stairs, rounds the corner into...

16  INT. KALE'S HOUSE - KITCHEN - NIGHT - CONTINUOUS                  16

Kale runs into Julie who wears a black blouse and slacks, the required uniform of the steakhouse she works at. She's    just thrown a couple of microwave dinners on the kitchen table. She's scrambling around, eating a couple bites, gathering her things...

JULIE Dinner's on the table. I'm closing at the restaurant the next few nights. Could be some late ones, but hey...              the extra tips couldn't hurt.

Kale sits at the table, picks through his food.

JULIE (CONT'D)                  (glancing around) Where's my apron... apron...

She heads O.S. for a beat, comes back in with her apron and purse, sets them on the counter. Eyes her watch, sits at    the table, takes a couple more quick bites. Then --

(CONTINUED)  D.J. Caruso

13.

16  CONTINUED:                                                             16

JULIE (CONT'D)                 You wanna talk about anything?

KALE I got nothin'.

JULIE Y'know, when we're finally free of                 all this legal stuff with the accident, the other families' lawyers... there might be a little insurance money left... maybe you should go back and see Dr. Phillips?

KALE What, so he can tell me I'm ADD, have PTSD, and severe IAD?

JULIE IAD?

KALE (messing with bracelet) Freakin' irritated ankle disorder.

Julie can't help but crack a little smile:

JULIE Well, that one could've been avoided.

Kale looks back up. He's not smiling. Whatever chance we    had of a lighter conversation panning out here quickly fizzles. Another beat, then -- Julie pushes her chair back, heads to the counter, grabs her apron and purse.

JULIE (CONT'D)                     (heading out) Do the dishes. (pleading) Please?

Julie leaves. Kale glances around the kitchen. A mess of    dirty dishes, stacks of paper... screw that.

17  INT. KALE'S BEDROOM - NIGHT - LATER                                   17

Kale, looking disheveled and very perplexed, now has his TV    pulled out from the wall. He's behind it, meticulously checking and re-connecting all the wires and ethernet cable. Carefully studying the manual as he goes.

He blows on the Halo 2 CD, wipes it down with his sweatshirt, gently puts it in the tray, giving us the idea this might not be his first attempt at this.

(CONTINUED)  D.J. Caruso

14.

17  CONTINUED:                                                           17

He powers up the Xbox, grabs a controller... so far, so    good... he scrolls through the screens, a little hope returning... SERVER ERROR.

Kale throws a mini-fit, slams the controller to the floor. Rips the controller cord out of the XBOX --

18  INT. KALE'S BEDROOM - THE NEXT MORNING                              18

A few stray beams of sunlight pierce the blinds. Otherwise, it's a tomb. Clothes strewn everywhere. We TRACK ACROSS the floor and a virtual DEBRIS FIELD of junk food bags, wrappers, Mountain Dew cans... find Kale in bed, ankle and bracelet stick out from the sheets, arm hangs over the side --

19  INT. KITCHEN - MORNING                                              19

Still a mess as we find Kale, hair disheveled, rummaging through the cabinets. Lots of Costco-size boxes: crackers, Pringles... a HUGE BOX OF TWINKIES. Kale spots a jar of    peanut butter. He grabs the nearest bowl, pulls a bottle of    Hershey's syrup from the fridge, pours it all into the bowl.

He's about to throw the syrup bottle in the trash when something in the bottom of the can catches his eye. He    reaches in, pulls out a bill for XBOX LIVE: SUBSCRIPTION CANCELED.

20  INT. LIVING ROOM - MORNING - MOMENTS LATER                          20

Kale lounges in on the couch watching "The Price is Right" as he spoons the peanut butter from the jar, dips it in the bowl of chocolate syrup, devours it. Brings up a two-liter of Mountain Dew, takes a big swig to wash it down.

KALE (to contestant on TV) C'mon, bid a dollar, one dollar --

CONTESTANT (ON TV) I'll bid one dollar, Bob.

Kale belches as he raises his spoon, saluting the screen. Then, after a beat, a look of grave concern crosses his face --

21  INT. 2ND FL HALL OUTSIDE BATHROOM - DAY                             21

The toilet flushes O.S. Kale opens the door, leans against the frame, spent. He stands there a beat, absorbing the silence of the house. He eyes a door at the end of the hall.

22  INT. 2ND FL HALL OUTSIDE DAD'S OFFICE - DAY - SECONDS LATER         22

CU - the doorknob. Kale's hand enters frame, slowly turns it. Click. Kale pushes. The door CREAKS open to reveal

(CONTINUED)  D.J. Caruso

15.

22  CONTINUED:                                                             22

DAD'S OFFICE

Hardwood floor. Ornate, cherry wood desk. Plush leather chairs. Quiet.

ON THE DESK -- dad's reading glasses sit on a stack of papers next to an antique typewriter.

THE WALLS -- adorned with framed, poster-size covers of Dad's    books - non-fiction, true account titles: WHISTLEBLOWER - The Inside Story of a Real Corporate Insider; THE SENATOR'S    SHADOWS: How Eight Men Conspired to Control One.

ON ANOTHER WALL -- a family portrait of Jeff, Julie, and Kale - age six; Jeff at a book signing, smiling wide...

Kale takes it all in from the doorway. His feet never once cross into the room. His eyes say everything. Loss, anger, regret. He gently pulls the door shut.

23  INT. KALE'S BEDROOM - THAT NIGHT                                      23

Kale samples some rap clips on I-tunes. Likes what he's    hearing.

ON THE SCREEN - Kale moves the cursor to "buy song." The account screen pops up. Kale types his password.

After a beat, bold red letters pop up: "THE APPLE ID OR    PASSWORD YOU ENTERED WAS INVALID OR INCORRECT..." Kale types it again. Same thing. Then -- like we all do to be sure, Kale types his password at a rate of ONE KEY PER SECOND. Same thing. Kale fumes, smelling a rat.

24  INT. KALE'S BEDROOM - DAYS LATER                                      24

The shades are drawn. Kale's door is closed. Find Kale looking utterly miserable, lounging in bed watching "Bikini    Destinations" on HD NET. Julie enters wearing a business suit and name badge emblazoned with the RE/MAX LOGO. Kale quickly changes the channel to the local news.

JULIE (heading to the window) More trash TV?

NEWS ANCHOR (ON TV) ...Thirty-three year old Patricia Walsh was last seen three nights ago...

KALE (innocently) News.

(CONTINUED)     D.J. Caruso

16.

24  CONTINUED:                                                          24

Kale points to the TV showing a photo of a smiling PATRICIA WALSH, VIBRANT, FLOWING RED HAIR - "MISSING" keyed in    underneath.

Julie shoots him a look, then rips open the blinds. Sunlight pours in. She gathers trash off the floor.

JULIE The lawyer's sending some papers over.

KALE And your point is?

JULIE (heading O.S.) I've got two open houses, you've                 gotta sign for them. That's the point.

KALE You canceled my Xbox subscription.

JULIE (O.S.) I-tunes, too. (then) You know what else I'm canceling?

Kale turns to Julie who suddenly drops a pile of Kale's    clothes on the floor in front of him.

JULIE (CONT'D)                 Maid service. (off Kale) Sorry, you're a felon. And we're                 broke. I can't do it all, anymore, Kale. This isn't gonna be vacation as usual. I want these washed and the kitchen cleaned by the time I                 get home.

KALE That might be difficult.

JULIE Well let me make it easier.

Julie goes to the TV, UNPLUGS IT.

KALE That's a little dramatic, isn't it? I'm just gonna plug it back --

Julie suddenly yanks a pair of scissors off Kale's desk and SNIPS THE POWER CORD IN HALF.

(CONTINUED)    D.J. Caruso

17.

24  CONTINUED:    (2)                                                  24

KALE (CONT'D)                 What are you, mental?

JULIE (a very stern tone) One more look at that kitchen and I                 will be.

Julie picks up her keys and briefcase, pecks Kale on the forehead, leaves.

JULIE (O.S.) (CONT'D)                 You heard what I said about the lawyer?

KALE Yes!

25  INT. LAUNDRY ROOM - DAY - LATER                                   25

Kale furiously stuffs clothes in the washer, blindly cranks the knob, presses start.

26  INT. KITCHEN - DAY - LATER                                        26

Kale SHOVELS dishes and glasses into the dishwasher, breaking a couple as he goes. He pours half the box of Cascade in    the dispenser, kicks the door up and closed, cranks the knob.

27  INT. KALE'S BEDROOM - DAY - LATER                                 27

Kale sits on his bed, staring into space. He eyes the clock. Tick tick tick... We hear KIDS PLAYING IN THE STREET O.S.

Kale glances out the window.

HIS POV - Kids on bikes, NEIGHBORS out on walks... ahh...    the sights and sounds of summer... And Kale's not invited. He glares down at his ankle bracelet. It glares back.

28  INT. KALE'S BEDROOM - DAY - LATER                                 28

Kale sits on the floor as he spreads a line of Elmer's glue across the bottom of a Twinkie. He's just completed the first couple of floors of what will be... TWINKIE TOWER.

29  INT. KALE'S BEDROOM - DAY                                         29

Kale, on cell, sits in his video game chair painting his toe nails.

KALE (into phone as needed) Dammit, Ronnie, I'm losing my mind. (MORE)

(CONTINUED)  D.J. Caruso

18.

29  CONTINUED:                                                           29

KALE (CONT'D)                 Give me some details, what's happening out there?

RONNIE (V.O.) (phone filter; party                      sounds in the b.g.) Dude, the chicks here in Oahu rock the houusse! Oh my god, this one is                 totally showing me her kite board. Belay that, she wasn't pointing at                 me. Look, Kale, I've gotta hop --

KALE Wait, Ronnie -- Hello?

Kale tosses the phone and the nail polish aside. Sits there in silence for a beat. Then eyes a racketball on the floor. Picks it up. Starts mindlessly bouncing it against the wall... and keeps bouncing it... and keeps bouncing it...

HARD CUT TO:

30  INT. KALE'S BEDROOM - DAY - LATER                                   30

Kale reclines in his chair, now FURIOUSLY SWATTING the racketball against the wall -- with a racket. We PULL BACK to reveal SCUFF MARKS on the walls and CEILING where Kale has figured out the exact points to hit it allowing him to    bounce the ball off multiple walls and return it perfectly to his hand. He SWATS it... and SWATS it...

31  INT. KALE'S BEDROOM - DAY - STILL LATER                             31

Kale's passed out in his chair, the racket still in his hand. He's about to fall out of the chair when a loud BANG O.S.    JOLTS him awake.

32  INT. 2ND FLOOR HALLWAY/WINDOW - DAY - SECONDS LATER                 32

Kale goes to the window, tilts his head, trying to see where the noise is coming from.

KALE'S POV - He's able to make out some bits of movement next door, but his VIEW is OBSTRUCTED by the architecture of    his house.

Kale steps back from the window, studies it a beat -- then opens it, slowly sticks his head out.

HIS  POV - A U-HAUL TRUCK comes into view. It's backed into the  driveway next door. ALAN NORRIS, 43, appears from inside the  truck's cab, carrying a moving box. He hands it down to    his   wife, BONNIE, 42, who walks back in the house.

(CONTINUED)    D.J. Caruso

19.

32  CONTINUED:                                                             32

Kale's about to pull his head in when another PERSON comes out of the moving truck. She's carrying a box that's    obscuring her face as she carefully negotiates the incline of the moving truck's ramp.

But her blonde hair and perfect legs look to be about 17. We'll soon know her as ASHLEY, the Norris' daughter.

She reaches the end of the ramp. Bends over to retrieve another smaller box, her back and ass to Kale who stares in    utter disbelief. Ashley stacks the boxes, picks them up and heads into the house, her face still a mystery.

Kale watches her go. Mesmerized. Suddenly, the DOORBELL RINGS O.S. Kale snaps to, yanks his head back in -- and KERBONGS it on the underside of the window. He drops to the floor.

KALE GODDAMMIT!

Kale staggers to his feet...

33  INT. ENTRY HALL - DAY - SECONDS LATER                                 33

More doorbell RINGING. Kale heads down the stairs to the front door.

KALE I'm coming!!

Kale swings the door open to see -- A BURNING PAPER BAG on    the welcome mat.

34  EXT. KALE'S HOUSE - FRONT PORCH - DAY - CONTINUOUS                    34

Kale instinctively STOMPS ON IT with his SOCKED FEET!

KALE Oh shit! Shit water shit!

Kale frantically hops around, looking for a hose, bucket, anything wet -- but the flames are already out. Kale looks down, finally realizes this -- but there's another problem -- his socks are smothered in SLIMY DOG SHIT.

We hear GIGGLING O.S. Kale glances up as two neighborhood BRATS on bikes emerge from their hiding place behind a shrub across the street. They high five each other.

BRAT #1 What a retard!

Kale glares -- then heads down the steps into...

D.J. Caruso

20.

35  EXT. KALE'S YARD - DAY - CONTINUOUS                               35

Kale walks briskly, menacingly toward them --

KALE You think that's funny?

The Brats grow more concerned, back away as Kale draws closer--

BRAT #2 What are you gonna do, kill us like your teacher?

KALE CHARGES THEM!

KALE Not before I shove this shit up your ass!

The brats pedal away. Kale races through the sprinkler, crossing his yard into the far corner of Ashley's, trying to    cut the Brats off as they race down...

36  EXT. STREET - DAY - CONTINUOUS                                    36

The chase is on. Kale increases his speed. Almost catching up to them --

BRAT #2 (terrified to Brat #1) Dude, you said he couldn't leave his house!!

Kale overhears, stops cold. He glances to the ANKLE BRACELET: FLASHING RED LIGHT.

KALE Shit!

Kale races back down the street, his shit-stained feet leaving tracks as he goes. He cuts through Ashley's yard again, yelling at the bracelet all the way--

KALE (CONT'D)              Turn green turn green turn green...

Kale races by ASHLEY'S PARENTS, leaps back into...

EXT. KALE'S FRONT YARD - DAY - CONTINUOUS

He looks at the bracelet. Still FLASHING RED. He hops up    and down as the SPRINKLER STREAMS approach him from behind.

KALE (CONT'D)              No, c'mon, I'm way inside, turn green --

(CONTINUED)  D.J. Caruso

21.

36  CONTINUED:                                                         36

He spins back toward the house, runs SMACK into the STREAMS, trips on the sprinkler, falls on his face. Now his foot's    tangled in the sprinkler. Spraying water all over him. Kale's foot jiggles the sprinkler free. He then sees the ankle bracelet: GREEN LIGHT.

KALE (CONT'D)                 Yes! That's what I'm talking about!

He gazes over: ASHLEY'S PARENTS, EACH WITH A MOVING BOX, STAND THERE, JAWS DROPPED. BOTH TAKE A NERVOUS STEP BACKWARD as ASHLEY steps out the front door. Freezes at the sight of    the sopping wet, shit-and-grass-stained Kale. Kale locks eyes with her. Then smiles and waves.

KALE (CONT'D)                 It's cool, I'm all green.

Then -- SIRENS WAIL. Kale turns to the street: TWO POLICE CARS SCREECH TO A STOP. Kale loses the smile.

PARKER (V.O.) (phone filter prelap) Kale, calm down, the officers were probably in the neighborhood already.

37  INT. KALE'S BEDROOM - EVENING                                     37

ON KALE - pacing, on cell phone, pressing an ice-filled Ziplock back to his head.

KALE (into phone as needed) Okay, fine, but if I'd known --

PARKER (V.O.) Kale, first times happen. The officers knew that. But next time they will take you to jail.

Kale flips the phone shut, collapses to the bed --

PRELAP - The doorbell RINGS.

38  INT. KALE'S HOUSE - ENTRY HALL - THAT NIGHT                       38

Kale, his Louisville Slugger firmly in hand, groggily heads to the door, swings it open. COURIER. With papers.

COURIER Hi, I'm from McNeill-Stewart law firm, dropping off for Ms. Julie --

Over this, Kale yanks the envelope away, SLAMS the door in    the guy's face. Kale heads away. The doorbell RINGS.

(CONTINUED)  D.J. Caruso

22.

38  CONTINUED:                                                         38

Kale opens the door, grabs the courier's clipboard, signs his name, SLAMS THE DOOR EVEN HARDER.

39  EXT. KALE'S BACK YARD - THE NEXT DAY                              39

ON KALE'S FEET - entering frame, inching their way through the yard...

ON THE BRACELET - The green light suddenly goes out, red light FLASHES. Kale's foot quickly steps back. GREEN LIGHT. A beat, then --

A SMILING GARDEN GNOME SLAMS DOWN INTO FRAME.

WIDER - Kale ties kite string around the gnome's hat, then unspools it across the yard to a waiting croquet mallet already hammered into the ground. He pulls the string taut and ties it off.

We PULL BACK to REVEAL Kale's emerging KITE STRING PERIMETER -- a crude SEMI-CIRCULAR ARC around the yard tied off at    different points using makeshift "stakes" -- gnomes, mallets, shovels, screwdrivers...

40  EXT. KALE'S FRONT YARD - DAY - SHORT TIME LATER                   40

Same "BOUNDARY CONSTRUCTION" here. Kale shoves a screwdriver into the ground a few feet shy of his mailbox. He ties some string to it as he glances over to the other neighbors' (the    PILCH's) yard, sees their black Labra-doodle watching him.

KALE Hey doggie, come here...

The dog trots toward Kale. It almost reaches his outstretched hand when it suddenly gets ZAPPED by the underground electric fence. It YELPS away. Spins back around, sits and stares.

KALE (CONT'D)                     (re: his ankle bracelet) Hey, you and me both.

OVER KALE'S SHOULDER IN THE B.G. - ASHLEY

lifts more boxes from the back of their station wagon. She sets them on the drive, SLAMS the liftgate. Kale turns around. Ashley throws him a quick glance, then heads around the back of her house. Kale stares after her.

41  INT. 2ND FL HALL OUTSIDE DAD'S OFFICE - DAY                       41

CU - The doorknob. Kale's hand enters frame, slowly turns it. Click. Kale pushes.

D.J. Caruso

23.

42  INT. DAD'S OFFICE - DAY - CONTINUOUS                            42

Kale stands in the doorway. He takes a moment, considering what he's about to do. Then -- HIS FOOT steps inside. He    goes to the window, gently pulls the blind up to reveal the

BACK OF ASHLEY'S HOUSE

He peers down, sees Ashley and her mom standing by the swimming pool. Ashley disappears through the back door.

Kale tilts his head up, curiously gazing through the pair of    OPEN WINDOWS on the SECOND FLOOR of Ashley's house.

HIS POV - ASHLEY'S BEDROOM

Unmade bed, stacks of open moving boxes, poster frames waiting to be hung... Kale squints, steps closer.

ASHLEY

enters the room. Digging clothes from boxes, stuffing them in her dresser, then -- she pulls her hair back, yanks off her t-shirt, revealing a black bra.

ON KALE - he continues to watch as Ashley digs a towel out of a moving box, and, with her back to us, pulls off the bra and disappears into the bathroom. Off Kale --

CUT TO:

43  INT. KALE'S HOUSE - ENTRY HALL - DAY                            43

The front door swings open to reveal Ronnie, DV camera in    hand. He's wearing aviator shades, half a dozen leis and a    hawaiian shirt.

RONNIE (hula dancing) Aloooha Senor Ka-- Dude, you look like hell.

REVERSE ANGLE TO REVEAL KALE - now with a patchy stubble, wearing a bathrobe and a SHRUNKEN t-shirt that used to be    white but is now LIGHT PINK. He holds his bat in one hand, quart of Haagen Dazs in the other. He smiles, hugs Ronnie. Tight -- and not letting go --

44  INT. 2ND FL HALLWAY/WINDOW - DAY - MOMENTS LATER                44

Kale leads Ronnie up the stairs and to the window...

RONNIE Seriously man, you need some sun. (MORE)

(CONTINUED)  D.J. Caruso

24.

44  CONTINUED:                                                           44

RONNIE (CONT'D)                     (re: DV cam) Hey, I've gotta show you this. Maui chicks rule.

KALE (anxious) I've got something to show you, too. (then; slightly crazed) I mean... there's such structure to                 it, so many layers, but it's invisible if you're not looking close enough...

RONNIE What are you talking about?

KALE The world right outside the window.

Kale gestures out the window. Ronnie looks out. They peer down to the Pilch's backyard. A Ford Escort is in the drive. Besides that, all's quiet.

RONNIE -- Fascinating.

KALE (eyeing his watch) Just wait... and... (then) Three... two... one... dog...

The Pilch's dog darts out the back door -- then --

KALE (CONT'D)                 ...Mrs. Pilch... saying goodbye to                 Lonnie...

RONNIE Husband?

KALE (shaking a "no") Maid.

Over the above, Mrs. Pilch, wearing an unflattering tennis skirt, exits the house. The dog hops around her as she waves back to her heavy set, male maid, LONNIE, 35.

KALE (CONT'D)                 Four o'clock every Thursday, she goes to the country club to play tennis with Betty Big-Bangs there.

(CONTINUED)  D.J. Caruso

25.

44  CONTINUED:    (2)                                                 44

Kale and Ronnie watch as Mrs. Pilch heads down the walkway, meets her rail-thin 50-ish female tennis PARTNER at the curb. As they walk away, the dog tries to follow but gets ZAPPED by the electric fence and YELPS back into the house.

KALE (CONT'D)                 And... ladies disappear... cue white Mercedes... Mr. Pilch... arriving from the office...

A white mercedes pulls in the driveway. MR. PILCH, 63, gets out, carrying briefcase and flowers.

RONNIE Great, that still doesn't explain why you're in a bathrobe at four in                 the afternoon.

KALE (pulls Ronnie closer) Will you just look --

RONNIE Dude, he's gonna see --

KALE He can't. We don't have any lights on. Plus the angle's sharper from ground level, it only seems like he                 could see us. I did the math.

RONNIE Oh, you did the math.

KALE Optical illusion, line-of-sight doesn't apply to the subject.

RONNIE Kale --

KALE Now tilt your gaze up...

RONNIE AND KALE'S POV - TILTING UP TO THE PILCH'S BEDROOM WINDOW - Lonnie vacuums as Mr. Pilch enters the room behind him. Mr. Pilch flips off the light switch, cutting the power to the vacuum. Lonnie startles, turns around, sees Pilch standing there with the flowers and a big smile.

A beat, then -- Lonnie jumps in Pilch's arms, kissing him passionately.

RONNIE DAMN!!

(CONTINUED)  D.J. Caruso

26.

44  CONTINUED:    (3)                                                  44

Kale slaps his hand over Ronnie's mouth. Ronnie pulls away, reaches in his pocket, yanks out his ASTHMA INHALER and takes a hit. Then --

RONNIE (CONT'D)                     (re: hallway and window) Seal this area off, Kale.

KALE C'mon, there's more.

RONNIE What, I go to Maui, you become a                 stalker?

KALE No, stalking's for psychos. These are just simple observations... natural side effects of chronic boredom.

As Kale heads away:

RONNIE (pleading) Find your passion, Kale.

45  INT. KALE'S BEDROOM - DAY                                         45

Kale leads Ronnie to the window. Ronnie takes in the mess in Kale's room -- the scuff marks on the walls, the completed TWINKIE TOWER. He glances to the desk, sees a penciled GEOMETRIC DIAGRAM of Kale's line-of-sight spying theory -- shit, Kale wasn't lying -- he did do the math.

KALE (pointing out) So... Robert Giles...

KALE AND RONNIE'S POV - In the yard across from Kale's back yard, find ROBERT GILES, gassing up his lawnmower in the driveway. He's early 40's, clean-cut, fit, decent looking. He closes the garage door via remote, then fires up the mower, pushes it around the side of his house toward the front yard.

KALE (CONT'D)                 He's lived there a couple of years, but I've never noticed he mows his lawn every two days.

RONNIE Huh, I guess he likes his grass short.

(CONTINUED)  D.J. Caruso

27.

45  CONTINUED:                                                        45

KALE Next to him is Judy Thorp. Dude, she freakin' sneaks over to her neighbors' every morning, steals their newspaper, I guess reads it or                 swipes the coupons, then puts it                  back before they even wake up.

RONNIE (sarcastic) No shit? (weirdly eyeing Kale                       who heads out) People. You never can tell these days.

46  INT. 2ND FL HALL OUTSIDE DAD'S OFFICE - DAY - MOMENTS LATER      46

Kale slowly pushes on the door. It creaks open. Kale tilts his head, listening. Then -- SPLASH!! Kale smiles.

RONNIE What was that?

47  INT. DAD'S OFFICE - DAY - CONTINUOUS                             47

Kale leads Ronnie to the window.

KALE Last stop on the tour.

KALE AND RONNIE'S POV - ASHLEY swims underwater the length of the pool. She finally surfaces in all her two-piece glory.

RONNIE Oh-- my-- God. Who be she?

They watch as Ashley steps out of the pool, towels off. She pulls her bikini from her butt, lies in the lounge chair.

KALE Don't know.

RONNIE What's stopping you?!

Off Kale, considering --

48  EXT. KALE'S FRONT YARD - THE NEXT DAY                            48

ON KALE - now clean-shaven, sitting on the front steps. He    eyes his watch, then stretches his neck. Yawns. Then he    sees something O.S.

(CONTINUED)  D.J. Caruso

28.

48  CONTINUED:                                                          48

KALE'S POV - peering down the street, Ashley's stationwagon rounds the corner --

Kale hops to his feet, quickly fixes his hair as the stationwagon draws closer.

Kale casually strides into the yard, approaching the kite string boundary and mailbox. Then -- keeping his feet planted in what looks to be a very practiced maneuver, he suddenly falls forward against the mailbox. Reaches around with his free hand, opens the door, going to grab the mail inside just as

ASHLEY

pulls the car into and up the drive. She glances at Kale who nods and smiles back.

As the stationwagon heads up the driveway, Kale tries to    push himself upright -- but his feet SLIP. He pitches forward more. He glances back over his shoulder, sees Ashley getting out of the car and looking his way. Kale struggles under his own weight, trying to keep his feet from crossing the line -- he looks back to Ashley who's now heading toward him. A slight smile crosses Kale's face as --

ASHLEY Can I help you?

KALE Nope, no I'm fine.

ASHLEY (helping him up) Too late.

KALE Thanks, that was really humiliating.

Ashley reaches in the box, grabs the mail, hands it over.

ASHLEY Please. I think any pride you had left was gone a while ago.

KALE Oh, you mean that thing with the cops? They had the wrong guy, total foul up. I'm Kale by the way.

Ashley nods with a semi-polite smile, starts to head away --

KALE (CONT'D)                 Hey, so -- how'd the move go?

(CONTINUED)  D.J. Caruso

29.

48  CONTINUED:    (2)                                                 48

ASHLEY Still going.

KALE I'd help, but... (re: ankle bracelet) I'm a little spatially challenged at                 the moment.

Ashley walks closer to Kale, checks out his ankle bracelet.

ASHLEY Yeah, you've kinda got the whole Martha Stewart thing going on --

KALE (nodding) But minus the 48-hour allowance for office visits. And no lame "Apprentice" spin-off. (off her laugh) So where'd you move from?

ASHLEY I'm a city girl. Born, raised, and now... (glances around; sighs) Forcefully relocated.

KALE That doesn't sound good.

ASHLEY I'm telling you, if I have another clueless jock hit on me or one more soccer mom cuts me off in her oversize SUV, I'm gonna go postal.

KALE Oh, sorry, I was just gonna see if                 you wanted to hop in my Hummer and cruise to a kegger. (turning away) Nice talking to you.

ASHLEY (cracking a smile) Wait, I --

BONNIE (O.S.) (from inside house) Ashley? Can you come in here, please?

(CONTINUED)  D.J. Caruso

30.

48  CONTINUED:    (3)                                                  48

ASHLEY (quietly to Kale) My mom -- she's very polite, always says "please" but she's got that tone, did you notice?

KALE I know the tone.

ASHLEY (heading away) Oh, I'm Ashley --

KALE Noticed that, too.

Ashley smiles, disappears inside. Kale's in love.

49  INT. LIVING ROOM - NIGHT                                          49

The wind HOWLS outside. Kale sits on the couch flipping channels. Julie's in the chair, nodding off.

ON THE TV - Kale lands on that same photo of PATRICIA WALSH, the MISSING REDHEAD we saw earlier.

NEWS ANCHOR (ON TV) ...attended a friend's birthday party at a local nightclub before she was last seen alone at a diner outside Madison, 50 miles east of here. A                 waitress said Ms. Walsh was picked up around 10:30 P.M. by an                 unidentified person driving a black 1960's era Mustang that was dented on the left side and may have --

Kale CLICKS the TV off -- looks over to Julie who's now sound asleep. Kale's watch ALARM suddenly BEEPS. He quickly shuts it off, eyes Julie. She stirs but doesn't wake up.

Kale quietly gets up, grabs the blanket off the sofa, covers Julie up. He then picks up his soda and bowl of popcorn from the coffee table, heads away...

50  INT. DAD'S OFFICE - NIGHT - SECONDS LATER                         50

Kale, immersed in shadow, enters. He quietly pulls Dad's    leather chair toward the window, positions it just right, and sits.

KALE'S POV - Ashley's working out to a YOGA DVD.

(CONTINUED)  D.J. Caruso

31.

50  CONTINUED:                                                          50

KALE (to Ashley) You started without me?

As if eerily on cue, Ashley suddenly stops.

KALE (CONT'D)                 What are you stopping for?

She goes to her window and peers out -- Kale ducks -- He    looks back up, sees Ashley gazing in his direction -- Kale's     breathing intensifies -- could she actually be seeing him?

KALE (CONT'D)                     (convincing himself) No --

ASHLEY turns around, goes back to her yoga mat. She takes a    breath, getting back in "the zone," then -- she slowly raises her arms and bends into a ridiculously sexy pose.

KALE (CONT'D)                  Whoa.

Kale watches Ashley another couple of beats. Then her dad appears in the doorway. Looking pissed. Kale leans closer --

Ashley stops the DVD. From her body language, she's clearly annoyed at the interruption. The scene quickly devolves into a heated argument. But Ashley's dad gets the last word in and leaves. Ashley SLAMS the door behind him, flips off the TV, storms in the bathroom and SLAMS that door, too.

Kale watches the vacant room... waiting... another beat, then -- Ashley emerges from the bathroom with a box of    tissues. She sits on her bed, pulls THREE TISSUES from the box, staring off... From this angle, it almost looks as if    her eyes could meet Kale's at any moment. Kale instinctively lowers himself in the chair, his eyes never leaving her...

Then -- with a huge gust of HOWLING WIND we

SMASH TO:

51  INT. DAD'S OFFICE - NIGHT - LATER                                  51

Kale SNAPS AWAKE. Breathing hard. Bad dream. He sits up, peers across to Ashley's windows. Dark, shades pulled. Kale pulls himself out of the chair...

52  INT. KALE'S BEDROOM - NIGHT - SHORT TIME LATER                     52

Kale enters, grabs his PSP and falls back to the bed. As he    starts playing, HEADLIGHT BEAMS appear from O.S. He glances out the window:

(CONTINUED)    D.J. Caruso

32.

52  CONTINUED:                                                         52

KALE'S POV - A BLACK 1965 MUSTANG CONVERTIBLE pulls in Giles' driveway.

Kale goes back to playing the PSP, then suddenly stops --

KALE (realizing) -- Mustang --

Kale hops up, heads to the window --

KALE'S POV - Kale watches as Giles hops out, leaves the car running as he heads inside the house.

After a beat, the MAIN GARAGE DOOR raises up. Giles appears, ducking underneath, heads back to the Mustang, gets in. Giles maneuvers the car around the driveway. The front end of the car swings around, revealing a bashed-in right front fender.

KALE (CONT'D)                 Holy shit. A dent --

Kale races to his closet, pulls down a pair of binoculars, heads back to the window.

BINOCULAR POV - In the garage, Giles is already out of the car, rounding the back as the garage door lowers... Kale crouches, trying to see under the CLOSING DOOR... catching a    glimpse of Giles popping the trunk --

A HAND

suddenly enters frame, lands on Kale's shoulder! Kale SCREAMS, whips around -- Julie. She SCREAMS, too.

KALE (CONT'D)                    JULIE Jesus, mom! Christ, Kale!

JULIE (CONT'D)                 I'm sorry. I thought you heard me...

KALE What? No, I --

JULIE What's going on?

KALE Nothing, just watching the wind blow.

JULIE (re: binoculars) Anything else?

(CONTINUED)  D.J. Caruso

33.

52  CONTINUED:    (2)                                                  52

Kale turns back.

HIS POV -   Giles' garage door is now closed.

KALE No, see for yourself.

JULIE (beat; then) That's okay, I just... wanted to say good night.

Julie leaves. Kale turns back to the window, stares out at    Giles' house. The lights go out.

53  INT. DAD'S OFFICE - THE NEXT DAY                                  53

ON KALE - sitting in the leather chair, binoculars raised.

On the floor next to the chair is a 7-11 bag, a slurpee cup, a bag of beef jerky and an AUTOMOTIVE MAGAZINE with a MUSTANG on the cover.

BINOCULAR POV - Ashley sits on the roof leaning against her closed window. She's reading Lolita.

RONNIE (O.S.) So you don't know what year the Mustang is?

REVEAL RONNIE - sitting at dad's computer looking at the FBI'S OFFICIAL WEBSITE.

KALE (now flipping through                      magazine) '65 or '66, couldn't tell.

RONNIE Check this out. The feds think your missing girl might be related to                 three murders in Austin. All redheads.

Kale processes that as we suddenly hear a car door SLAM O.S.

BINOCULAR POV - Kale TILTS DOWN to see Ashley's mom backing out the driveway. Kale TILTS UP to Ashley's window -- Ashley ducks back inside her room, disappears.

KALE Movement.

(CONTINUED)  D.J. Caruso

34.

53  CONTINUED:                                                        53

BINOCULAR POV - Kale TILTS DOWN to the pool, sees Ashley emerging from the house with a towel that she throws on the lounge chair.

KALE (CONT'D)                 Better late than never.

Ronnie joins Kale at the window.

THEIR POV - Ashley flips her sandals off one at a time, pulls her tank off revealing her bronzed back and bikini top.

RONNIE Dude...

Ashley slinks out of her shorts revealing a "near-thong" bikini this time.

RONNIE (CONT'D)                 DUDE!!

KALE (re: bikini) That's definitely new.

Ashley crouches down, runs her fingers through the water.

RONNIE Oh, it's so warm, baby...

Ashley cups her hands, scoops a handful of water from the pool, splashes her face... runs her hands through her hair...    She stands, takes a deep breath, holds it -- then exhales...

RONNIE (CONT'D)                 Cleansing breath...

Ashley stretches her arms high above her head.

RONNIE (CONT'D)                 Concentrate now. This is for the gold.

Ronnie grabs the binoculars from Kale, puts them to his eyes, moves closer to the window -- but his zoomed-in vision causes him to underestimate the distance -- THWUMP. The end of the binoculars HIT THE WINDOW just as Ashley dives into the pool -- Ronnie and Kale hit the deck as we hear the splash O.S.

KALE Jackass!

RONNIE Dude, there's no way she heard that.

(CONTINUED)  D.J. Caruso

35.

53  CONTINUED:    (2)                                                      53

KALE Dick, my deaf aunt in Omaha heard that.

Kale grabs the binoculars from Ronnie.

BINOCULAR POV - Ashley's underwater at the far end of the pool. She tucks and pushes off the wall, swims back...

RONNIE (peering out) She's got great lung capacity.

ON ASHLEY - She suddenly surfaces, hoists herself from the water. She spins and sits on the ledge, rings the water from her hair. But she suddenly stops -- and shifts her GAZE UP toward Kale and Ronnie!

KALE (pulling Ronnie down) I think she saw me --

RONNIE There's no way --

Ronnie grabs the binoculars back.

RONNIE (CONT'D)                     (re: Ashley O.S.) Okay, maybe she did.

KALE Seriously?

Kale peeks out --

THEIR POV - Ashley's slipping back into her shorts and tank top. She heads to the back door, tries the knob. Locked. Over this, Ronnie turns to Kale:

RONNIE Her swims always that short?

KALE (growing concern) No, she usually takes her time --

They turn back. Ashley's gone.

RONNIE Now where is she?

The DOORBELL RINGS. Kale and Ronnie freeze. Then --

(CONTINUED)    D.J. Caruso

36.

53  CONTINUED:    (3)                                                      53

KALE                              RONNIE No. No.

54  INT. ENTRY HALL - LATE AFTERNOON - MOMENTS LATER                      54

Kale and Ronnie quietly approach the door. Ronnie suddenly pulls Kale back.

RONNIE Don't, it could be her!

KALE It's not gonna be her.

RONNIE Then stop! Just -- let 'em go away.

The DOORBELL RINGS AGAIN. Kale heads to the door.

KALE I have to.

Kale peeps through the peephole --

DISTORTED PEEPHOLE POV - Ashley.

Kale calmly turns to Ronnie.

RONNIE What?! What?! Speak.

KALE It's her.

RONNIE You're full of --

Ronnie tip-toes to the door. One look at Ashley and he covers his mouth, grabs Kale and pulls him back.

RONNIE (CONT'D)                 Shit shit!! Oh my shit!

Both laugh, giggle, acting "girlie," practically spinning in    circles as they speak in hushed, panicked whispers:

KALE She totally saw us --

The DOORBELL RINGS again. Kale heads to the door.

RONNIE We are so busted. Don't answer it!

(CONTINUED)  D.J. Caruso

37.

54  CONTINUED:                                                            54

KALE (re: his bracelet) Dude, she knows I'm here.

Kale swings the door open. Ashley stands there a beat. Her arms folded. Then --

ASHLEY What took you so long? (eyeing Ronnie in                      b.g.) The house isn't that big.

KALE Yeah, no, we were playing upstairs --

Ronnie cringes at how that sounded.

RONNIE (covering) Video games...?

KALE (awkward beat; then) So... what brings you here.

ASHLEY Oh. -- Locked out.

KALE Do you need to call anyone?

ASHLEY Thanks, but I'd rather stay stranded if you don't mind.

Kale and Ronnie trade glances.

ASHLEY (CONT'D)                 May I?

KALE Uh, sure, come on in --

Ashley steps inside, glances around, checking out the place.

KALE (CONT'D)                 That's Ronnie.

ASHLEY Nice to meet you. Video games, huh? (then suggestively to                      Kale) I like to play.

(CONTINUED)     D.J. Caruso

38.

54  CONTINUED:    (2)                                                  54

Kale trades a look with Ronnie as Ashley nonchalantly heads up the stairs.

KALE Excuse me...

55  INT. KALE'S BEDROOM - LATE AFTERNOON - MOMENTS LATER              55

Ashley barges in, instantly struck by the mess. Kale pushes past her, starts grabbing underwear and garbage off the floor.

KALE It's a little messy.

ASHLEY A little?

Kale keeps gathering clothes, tossing them to Ronnie who tosses them in the closet.

Ashley picks up the binoculars from the window sill, peers outside.

ASHLEY (CONT'D)                 Anything interesting out there?

Kale and Ronnie trade looks. Ashley turns around, binoculars still raised, aiming them like a gun at Kale.

ASHLEY (CONT'D)                 Are you spying on the neighbors, Kale?

Kale freezes.

RONNIE (stepping in) Actually, he is.

Kale's eyes widen in panic.

RONNIE (CONT'D)                 See, he has this neighbor -- who I                  guess by definition would also be                  your neighbor -- who may, in point of fact, be a cold-blooded killer.

ASHLEY Is that so.

Ronnie points out the window to Giles' house.

RONNIE Exhibit A, Robert Giles.

(CONTINUED)  D.J. Caruso

39.

55  CONTINUED:                                                           55

ASHLEY Yeah, I've seen him. So?

KALE So you hear about that missing girl from Madison?

ASHLEY (realizing; then                      pointing out to Giles') What, you think he --

KALE He drives a car like the one she was seen in.

RONNIE Black Mustang.

KALE 60's era Mustang.

ASHLEY Gee, that really narrows it down.

KALE They said it was dented. His has a                 bashed-in fender.

ASHLEY (re: binoculars) So this is why -- you're --

Suddenly seeing something O.S., Kale RIPS the binoculars out of Ashley's hand, goes to the window.

RONNIE What?

BINOCULAR POV - Giles pulls the Silver Toyota out of the garage and out the driveway.

Ashley suddenly grabs the binoculars from Kale, peers out.

KALE Hey --

ASHLEY So that's the infamous black mustang, huh?

KALE Yeah --

(CONTINUED)  D.J. Caruso

40.

55  CONTINUED:    (2)                                                   55

ASHLEY The one with no dent?

KALE (grabbing the binocs) What?

BINOCULAR POV - Sure enough, the Mustang NO LONGER HAS A    BASHED-IN FENDER. The garage door starts to close --

KALE (CONT'D)                 How'd he fix it so fast --

ASHLEY Because it was never there in the first place?

Kale eyes Ashley. Shit, could he have imagined it? Ashley playfully grabs the binoculars back from Kale.

BINOCULAR POV - Ashley catches a glimpse of a faded TEXAS LONGHORNS BUMPER STICKER.

ASHLEY (CONT'D)                 Sorry guys, no bashed-in fender, just a Longhorns bumper sticker.

KALE (grabbing the binocs) You serious? (then to Ronnie) She's right.

THEIR POV - Giles' garage door finally SLAMS CLOSED.

KALE (CONT'D)                     (off Ashley's                       questioning look) They think it might be linked to                 some murders in Texas two years ago.

RONNIE Austin, Texas. Texas Longhorns.

Kale and Ronnie eye Ashley as if to say "see?" Ashley eyes them another beat -- then:

ASHLEY Okay, fine, stakeout. (grabs binoculars) Who's on my shift?

Off Kale and Ronnie, their dreams realized --

D.J. Caruso

41.

56  INT. KALE'S BEDROOM - EVENING - LATER                           56

A BOX OF SPYING CRAP is dumped onto Kale's bed. Another DV    Camera, an old, bulky VHS camera, a black and white portable TV, couple of tri-pods, walkie talkies, wires... a real mess. WIDER TO REVEAL RONNIE:

RONNIE This is all the stuff I could find --

Ashley sits at Kale's computer as Kale anxiously sifts through Ronnie's stuff.

ASHLEY Do you know how long Giles has lived there?

KALE About two or three years.

ASHLEY So he could've lived in Texas... (re: computer screen) Hey, check this out.

Ronnie goes to Ashley, reads the Amazon web page for the book:

RONNIE "Murderer: Tell Tale Signs of a Serial              Killer." Qualifies for free shipping if you pair it with "The Shrine of              Jeffrey Dahmer."

ASHLEY The summary lists four main criteria. Our guy meets at least three. White male between the age of twenty-five and fifty. He doesn't have any pets, right?

KALE Not that I've seen --

ASHLEY You said he lives alone --

RONNIE What's the fourth?

ASHLEY (nonchalant) Sexual dysfunction.

(CONTINUED)  D.J. Caruso

42.

56  CONTINUED:                                                           56

Silence. Kale and Ronnie trade awkward glances, shaking their heads to each other as if reassuring themselves they don't suffer from such a condition.

ASHLEY (CONT'D)                     (changing the subject) I'm hungry, let's order pizza.

57  INT. KALE'S BEDROOM - NIGHT - LATER                                 57

TRACKING ACROSS KALE'S ROOM - The two tri-pod-mounted DV    Cams stand watch over Giles' house. One camera feeds a grainy close-up shot of Giles' garage door to Ronnie's portable TV    on the floor. The other feeds a WIDE SHOT of Giles' entire house to Kale's color TV. Both images appear on Kale's    computer monitor.

WIDER TO REVEAL - Kale and Ashley sit on the floor near the window. Kale peers over to Giles with the binoculars as    Ashley messes with Kale's cell phone. In the b.g. Ronnie's    passed out on Kale's bed, his hand resting inside the pizza box just inches from the last slice.

KALE (re: Giles) He's been gone awhile.

ON ASHLEY - she's messing with Kale's cell phone.

ASHLEY (handing him his cell) Here.

KALE How'd you get my phone?

ASHLEY I'm crafty like that.

KALE What'd you do?

Ashley carefully unclips Ronnie's cell from his hip, flips it open, dials. After a beat, Kale's cell RINGS with Madonna's "LIKE A VIRGIN." Kale laughs.

ASHLEY Every time he calls, that's what you'll hear.

Kale laughs as Ashley delicately re-clips the phone to    Ronnie's belt.

KALE'S POV - the Pilch's dog, wearing a pink sweater, suddenly darts into Kale's yard.

(CONTINUED)  D.J. Caruso

43.

57  CONTINUED:                                                              57

KALE What the hell?

THEIR POV - Pilch's dog stops, spins around and takes a dump.

KALE (CONT'D)                 Where's --

Mr. Pilch, in his robe, suddenly appears from the shadows, watches the dog do its business.

ASHLEY (re: Mr. Pilch) Three to one he doesn't pick it up.

Nope. The dog finishes. Pilch calls it over, scoops up the dog and heads O.S.

KALE So that's why the grass is greener...

ASHLEY Only in disturbia...

KALE So why the move?

ASHLEY What do you mean? The greener grass, the safer pastures...

KALE No, seriously.

There's a beat as Ashley locks eyes with Kale. Then --

ASHLEY Well, I guess my mom thought it'd                 help keep dad on a shorter leash. City life... had its temptations... (beat; then matter of                      fact) But my mom pretty much cries just as                 much as she always did, and dad doesn't care -- more than ever.

KALE What did they think, an extra bathroom and two-car garage would actually change things... somehow protect them and you from all that crap you can never escape?

Ashley holds Kale's gaze for a beat. Then, she nods, with:

(CONTINUED)      D.J. Caruso

44.

57  CONTINUED:    (2)                                                    57

ASHLEY Something like that. (eyeing the bracelet) So... what're your issues, Kale?

Kale hesitates. We see in his eyes that he's flashing to    the past... "going there..." There's an uneasy beat as Ashley picks up on it:

Then -- HEADLIGHTS APPEAR OUTSIDE. Kale quickly turns away from Ashley, pulls one of the DV Cams off its tri-pod, flips out the three-inch LCD SCREEN.

KALE That's him.

DV CAM POV - Giles' silver Toyota pulls in the driveway. Stops. Engine and headlights turn off.

ASHLEY Another car --

DV CAM POV - Kale ZOOMS IN. The GRAINY IMAGE finally steadies to reveal a SECOND CAR pulling in behind Giles. A thirty- something attractive WOMAN -- a REDHEAD -- is at the wheel. She pulls in next to Giles' car.

ASHLEY (CONT'D)                 You seen her before?

KALE No.

DV CAM POV - Giles gets out. Wearing a suit, no tie.

ASHLEY (re: Giles) Cute for a killer.

Giles goes to the woman's car, opens her door.

ASHLEY (CONT'D)                 Who said chivalry's dead?

The woman gets out, wearing a black cocktail dress.

ASHLEY (CONT'D)                 There's a club girl for you.

KALE How do you know?

(CONTINUED)   D.J. Caruso

45.

57  CONTINUED:    (3)                                                 57

ASHLEY Bright green bracelet's "The                 Pyramids," purple's "Club 360," the big black stamp's from "Flavor."

DV CAM POV - Kale ZOOMS in on the woman's wrist and hand. Sure enough, she's wearing both a green and a purple bracelet, and has a black stamp blotch on her hand.

KALE (over the above) Missing girl was seen at a club. Didn't say which one though... (then aside to Ashley) Your I.D. must be pretty good.

ASHLEY (with a smile) I don't need one.

They turn back to the window, watch as Giles escorts the woman to the house, shows her in. A light comes on inside.

DV CAM POV - Kale ZOOMS IN on one of the living room windows, spots the woman moving around inside, looking at artwork... she sits on the sofa as Giles enters with two glasses and a    bottle of wine. He sits down, pours the wine. They toast, take sips. Giles moves in for a kiss --

KALE He's going in.

DV CAM POV - The woman shies away from Giles, stands from the sofa.

ASHLEY Denied...

They watch as the woman gets up, moves to the center of the room, and starts to get a little groove on...

ASHLEY (CONT'D)                     (been there, done                       that) Oh no, he put on music...

DV CAM POV - Giles watches the woman as she seductively moves her body to the music we're not hearing.

ASHLEY (CONT'D)                 Oh, c'mon, Giles, all she wants to                  do is dance.

(CONTINUED)  D.J. Caruso

46.

57  CONTINUED:    (4)                                                    57

KALE What do you think they're listening to?

ASHLEY Could be radio. See if you can find the station.

Kale sets the camera down, turns on his receiver. As he    toggles through radio stations -- Rock, Alternative...

ASHLEY (CONT'D)                     (watching the woman &                       Giles) No... no...

Kale flips to an easy listening R & B station playing Lou Rawls "You'll Never Find Another Love Like Mine."

ASHLEY (CONT'D)                 Stop.

BINOCULAR POV - Ashley watches as Giles takes the woman's    hand and dances with her. Their rhythm fits the music perfectly.

ON RONNIE - he stirs on the bed, still asleep.

RONNIE (eyes closed; grinning                      re: music) Hmmm...

Ashley and Kale eye Ronnie for a beat. Then turn back to    the window.

DV CAM POV - Kale pans back to the woman and Giles. They're    really dancing close now. Kale's and Ashley's eyes shift to    each other, then quickly flick away. A beat. Then -- Ashley raises the binoculars, faces back toward Giles' with:

ASHLEY Now's the time to bust your move.

Ashley glances to Kale. Kale turns, holds her gaze. A    palpable tension between these two. They ever so slowly lean toward each other when --

RONNIE - suddenly interrupts, pushing himself between them.

RONNIE (yawning; re: woman                      with Giles) Who's that?

(CONTINUED)  D.J. Caruso

47.

57  CONTINUED:    (5)                                                    57

Ronnie looks to Kale and Ashley who glare back.

RONNIE (CONT'D)                     (realizing) Ookay, just fill me in later. (taking Ashley's hand) A pleasure. (then; aside to Kale,                      mouths; re: Ashley) Duude! (slaps Kale's hand) Later.

Ronnie stands, leaves. Kale shakes his head, turns back to    Ashley. They lean in again when -- Ashley's CELL PHONE ominously RINGS with the first measures of BEETHOVEN'S 5TH -- "BUM BUM BUM BUMMMMM." She pulls the cell from her pocket.

ASHLEY (re: cell) It's my mom. (into cell) Hi. No, I'm fine. (with a smile) I'm at Barnes and Noble. Okay, I'm                 leaving. No, I'll walk.

Ashley flips the phone shut, joins Kale who's watching the LCD screen:

DV CAM POV - Giles and the woman are back on the couch. The woman is leaning her head on Giles' shoulder. As Giles leans forward to take her wine glass, the woman falls over behind him. Out cold. Kale and Ashley cringe.

KALE And she's down for the count.

58  EXT. KALE'S BACK YARD - NIGHT - MOMENTS LATER                       58

Kale and Ashley cross the yard to Kale's kite string boundary.

ASHLEY Looks like this is as far as you go.

KALE Looks like.

They peer into each other's eyes. Then --

ASHLEY Y'know, I have to admit, you're                 different than I expected.

(CONTINUED)  D.J. Caruso

48.

58  CONTINUED:                                                           58

KALE What were you expecting?

ASHLEY I thought you'd be more messed up.

KALE Does that disappoint you? 'Cause I                 can be more messed up if you want me                  to.

ASHLEY No, you're fine.

KALE "Fine?"

ASHLEY Yeah.

KALE "Fine" like your first cousin "fine" or "fine" in kind of a Brad Pitt sorta way?

Ashley smiles. They suddenly hear VOICES O.S.      Kale and Ashley glance over to Giles' house.

THEIR POV - The woman is heading briskly to her car. Giles is right behind her.

Ashley grabs Kale's arm and pulls him behind a shrub on his side of the boundary.

They peek back over to Giles'.

THEIR POV - We're crouched low now, so we only hear the barely audible voices of Giles and the WOMAN. Talking SERIOUSLY about something --

GILES (voice raising) Just come back in the house, you shouldn't drive --

ASHLEY He wants her to come back in --

KALE I can't hear --

ASHLEY Let's get closer --

(CONTINUED)    D.J. Caruso

49.

58  CONTINUED:    (2)                                                    58

Ashley suddenly darts from behind the shrub and bolts toward the fence --

KALE (re: his bracelet) I can't --

But Ashley keeps going.

WE FOLLOW BEHIND ASHLEY - She creeps over to the fence, presses up against it, peering through the cracks --

ASHLEY'S POV - We see the dark silhouettes of Giles and the woman -- Ashley shifts her head, straining to listen --

GILES You really should stay.

WOMAN I just don't think it's a good idea -- (still searching;                      more frustrated) Where the hell are they?

The woman suddenly drops her purse. The CONTENTS spill onto the driveway.

ASHLEY'S POV - Giles bends down, picks up her car keys.

WOMAN (CONT'D)                 Here --

GILES You're in no condition --

WOMAN Give me my keys.

GILES Sorry.

ASHLEY'S POV - She sees Giles make a motion toward the fence. Suddenly, the woman's CAR KEYS WHACK the other side of the fence, then PLOP DOWN underneath it just a couple of feet from Ashley's position!

ON ASHLEY - she startles, looks over, sees the keys.

ASHLEY'S POV - She looks back toward Giles and the woman. Hears the woman start to LAUGH. Giles, not laughing, purposefully steps toward the woman, takes her arm.

GILES (CONT'D)                 C'mon...

(CONTINUED)  D.J. Caruso

50.

58  CONTINUED:    (3)                                                  58

ASHLEY'S POV - The woman relents. Giles helps her back toward the house.

WITH KALE - He's seeing it all.

KALE (whispering) Ashley, come on...

WITH ASHLEY - she glances down, eyes the car keys sparkling in the moonlight. She scoots toward them as --

WE CRANE UP TO REVEAL - Giles - heading back toward the fence!

ON KALE - seeing this.

Kale tries to get Ashley's attention, but she's not looking --

CU - ASHLEY'S HAND - she reaches for the car keys --

CLOSER - ASHLEY'S FINGERTIPS barely TOUCH them when --

GILES' HAND - suddenly SWOOPS IN from O.S., BRUSHES ASHLEY'S    FINGERS just before grabbing the keys and swiping them back to his side!

Somehow Ashley keeps herself from screaming as she YANKS HER HAND BACK, PRESSES HERSELF AGAINST THE FENCE. She puts her hand over her mouth to silence her own breathing --

KALE'S POV - Giles stands frozen in the shadows behind Ashley.

WITH ASHLEY - She slowly turns her head, sees Giles through one of the cracks -- STANDING RIGHT THERE.

Ashley starts to slowly SLIIIDE away... when suddenly -- a    TWIG SNAPS under her foot! Ashley FREEZES. She peers back through the nearest crack.

ASHLEY'S POV - searching for Giles -- doesn't see him --

Ashley presses herself even harder against the fence as we...

TILT UP AND PAN OVER TO REVEAL GILES - peering over the fence. We can only hope it's tall enough to keep him from looking down and seeing Ashley.

WITH KALE - He's seeing it all.

ON GILES - He raises up, standing on his tip toes to get a    better look down. Shifting his head back and forth.

WITH KALE - He ducks behind the shrub, contemplating his next move. He glances down, picks up a large pebble. He    pops out and tosses it over into Giles' yard.

(CONTINUED)   D.J. Caruso

51.

58  CONTINUED:    (4)                                                  58

We HEAR IT DROPPING through branches, SCATTERING to the ground as Kale ducks back behind the shrub, breathing hard. He    then peers back out --

HIS POV - Giles lowers back down, turns and heads back toward the house.

Kale sighs in relief. Waves Ashley the "all clear." Ashley heads back over to Kale, breathless.

ASHLEY (oddly exhilarated) That was intense.

KALE Are you nuts?!

Ashley silences Kale with a finger to his lips. She then leans in, gives him a peck on the cheek and bolts away -- Off Kale, utterly stupefied --

59  INT. DAD'S OFFICE - NIGHT - MOMENTS LATER                         59

Exhilarated, Kale SLAMS through the office door, binoculars in hand. He goes to his chair, sits, taking position...

BINOCULAR POV - Ashley walks in, heads straight for the window and draws the blinds.

Kale slumps. Damn.

TIME CUT TO:

60  INT. DAD'S OFFICE - NIGHT - LATER                                 60

ON ASHLEY'S WINDOW - shades still drawn. Lights are out now. The wind picks up outside as we PAN TO REVEAL Kale asleep in the leather chair.

We suddenly hear GLASS SHATTER O.S.

Kale's eyes POP OPEN. He looks around. Did he hear something or did he dream it -- he pulls himself out of the chair, makes his way to the door, slowly swings it open...

61  INT. 2ND FL HALL OUTSIDE DAD'S OFFICE - NIGHT - CONTINUOUS        61

Kale cautiously steps into the hall...

KALE Mom?

No answer. He heads to...

D.J. Caruso

52.

62  INT. KALE'S BEDROOM - NIGHT - CONTINUOUS                          62

Kale enters, tosses the binoculars on the desk, throws a    glance out the window to Giles' house. Dark. Kale turns to    the bed, pulls back the sheets. As Kale unties his shoes, takes off his socks, we notice over his shoulder --

IN THE B.G. - A LIGHT COMES ON IN GILES' LIVING ROOM.

ON KALE - not noticing as he strips down to his boxers --

IN THE B.G. - GILES' LIVING ROOM - THE WOMAN HEADS INTO THE ROOM FOLLOWED CLOSELY BY GILES. SHE SPINS AND SLAPS HIM IN    THE FACE. SHE WALKS AWAY AS GILES STANDS THERE FROZEN.

ON KALE - he throws his clothes in the closet, finally turns back and sees --

KALE'S POV - Giles standing in the living room, glaring at    the woman.

KALE Dammit.

Kale darts to his desk, turns off the light, grabs the binoculars.

BINOCULAR POV - Giles and the woman are arguing. The woman paces around the room as Giles stands there. The woman's    arms flail about. As she paces back by Giles, he suddenly GRABS HER ARMS.

KALE (CONT'D)              Shit!

Kale watches as the woman yanks herself from his grasp and knocks over the lamp. The BULB shatters on the floor, throwing the living room into total darkness.

Kale drops the binoculars and grabs the DV CAM. He fumbles with it, flips open the LCD SCREEN. But as he presses the power button, the camera's LAMP suddenly IGNITES, MOMENTARILY LIGHTING UP KALE'S ROOM!

Kale spins and hits the floor. He frantically finds the switch, turns off the lamp.

KALE (CONT'D)              Dumbass dumbass --

Kale stays on the floor, slouched under the window sill for a couple of beats. Then -- he slowly raises up, peers out.

DV CAM POV - Giles, now alone, has turned on another light and is simultaneously picking up pieces of shattered light

(CONTINUED)  D.J. Caruso

53.

62  CONTINUED:                                                           62

bulb and wiping some RED LIQUID OFF THE FLOOR... Could be    wine... or blood even...

Giles wads the towel up, picks up one of the woman's HIGH HEELS lying near the couch. Giles then moves to the stereo, turns it off, leans down, picks up the woman's OTHER SHOE. He flips off the lights, heads out of the room.

Kale trades the grainy DV CAM for the binoculars.

BINOCULAR POV - Kale PANS ACROSS the lower floor windows of    Giles' house that's now become eerily still. He TILTS UP to    the second floor, SLOWLY PANS ACROSS those windows -- Again, nothing.

KALE (CONT'D)                 Okay, so where is she --

BINOCULAR POV - Over the above, Kale SLOWLY PANS BACK ACROSS THE SAME WINDOWS, comes to the last one and see GILES STARING RIGHT BACK AT HIM.

Kale spins and dives to the floor, knocking the other camera and tri-pod over.

KALE (CONT'D)                 Oh shit oh shit...

Kale shoves himself against the wall, frozen in terror. He    doesn't dare get up. He spots his CELL PHONE -- on the floor a few feet away. He extends his leg out, uses his foot to    slowly SLIIIDE the phone toward him.

KALE'S TREMBLING HAND reaches for the phone, picks it up --

Kale's about to flip it open when the PHONE'S LCD SCREEN SUDDENLY LIGHTS UP, BLARING MADONNA'S "LIKE A VIRGIN."

Kale startles, fumbles the phone -- realizes it's Ronnie, flips the phone open --

KALE (CONT'D)                     (into phone as needed) Ronnie --

RONNIE (V.O.) (phone filter as needed) Dude, Ashley is ho-ho-hotttt --

KALE Giles totally busted me.

RONNIE (V.O.) What do you mean, are you sure?

(CONTINUED)  D.J. Caruso

54.

62  CONTINUED:    (2)                                                 62

Kale finally musters the courage to peek over the sill --

KALE'S POV - Gile's BACK DOOR is OPEN.

KALE They were arguing --

RONNIE (V.O.) Who?

KALE Giles and the girl he brought home. They had an argument, he grabbed her --

RONNIE (V.O.) And then what?

KALE And then -- nothing.

RONNIE (V.O.) Uh-huh.

KALE Dude, something is going on over there. What if he killed her, too?

RONNIE (V.O.) Then call your friends at the police department.

A DOOR suddenly SLAMS O.S.

KALE Wait --

RONNIE (V.O.) What?

KALE A door just slammed.

RONNIE (V.O.) (in his best sinister                      "Scream" voice) That's right, Kale, and now I'm coming up to slash your guts out, you little bastard!

KALE Asshole, I'm serious.

RONNIE (V.O.) I'm not and I'm hanging up.

(CONTINUED)  D.J. Caruso

55.

62  CONTINUED:    (3)                                                   62

KALE Just -- wait -- wait till I check the hall --

This as Kale grabs his bat, slowly approaches his door. Ronnie yawns, starts snoring. Kale's hand is about to grab the knob --

RONNIE (V.O.) BOO!

KALE Goddamn you!!

Kale flips the phone closed, throws it to the bed. He turns back to the door just as IT SUDDENLY PUSHES OPEN, SMACKING KALE IN THE FOREHEAD! Kale STUMBLES BACK, screams, raises the bat.

JULIE Kale, Kale, it's me!!

Kale doesn't immediately drop the bat as he focuses on Julie, dressed in her serving uniform, barely visible in the darkness. She flips the light on.

KALE No, don't!

JULIE What's going on, who were you talking to?!

KALE Ronnie -- just Ronnie.

Kale falls back to the bed.

KALE (CONT'D)                 I heard the door --

JULIE I'm sorry, the wind caught it --

KALE Fine. Good. Okay --

JULIE Okay then, so... (catching her breath;                      then) You want anything from the grocery? I'm going in the morning.

(CONTINUED)  D.J. Caruso

56.

62  CONTINUED:    (4)                                                  62

KALE Anything caffeinated.

Kale turns back on his side. Julie eyes him a long beat. What to say... she flips off the light, then -- pulls the door closed.

ON KALE - eyes wide open, heart racing. He's gonna need that caffeine in the morning.

63  INT. KALE'S BEDROOM - THE NEXT MORNING                            63

A groggy Kale tugs on the blind, cautiously raises it --

KALE'S POV - GILES' DRIVEWAY - The silver Toyota's gone. The woman's car is still there.

64  INT. ENTRY HALL - LATE THE NEXT MORNING                           64

Kale saunters down the stairs....

65  INT. KITCHEN - DAY - CONTINUOUS                                   65

Kale enters, notices a few full grocery bags on the counter and the coffee maker brewing. He opens the fridge, sees a    new Mountain Dew twelve-pack. He cracks open the carton, pulls out a can, closes the fridge door revealing

GILES - IN THE FLESH, IN KALE'S KITCHEN.

Kale JUMPS, drops the can. It rolls to Giles' feet.

GILES (picking up the can) Whoa, whoa, settle down, slow down. Robert Giles, your neighbor -- (gesturing outside) Behind you?

Kale glares, breathing hard. Giles taps on the top of the dented soda can, hands it to Kale. Kale doesn't take it. Note: Giles' shirt should have BURNT ORANGE somewhere in it, either in the pattern, stripes, etc...

KALE I know, how did you --

Giles puts the soda on the counter as Julie comes through the kitchen door carrying groceries.

GILES (to Julie) Think I startled him.

(CONTINUED)  D.J. Caruso

57.

65  CONTINUED:                                                        65

JULIE (laughs) Oh. Kale, I ran into Mr. Giles at --

GILES Robert...

JULIE (smiles) ...At the grocery. I had a flat tire when I came out. We tried to                 change it, but --

KALE Dad put those security bolts on --

JULIE And that adapter thingy that unscrews it ended up stripping it instead --

GILES My fault.

JULIE No, it wasn't. You saved my life. (then to Kale) We had it towed to Frank's.

KALE (with attitude) Gee, really lucky you were there.

GILES Just glad I could help. (then; favors Julie) Must be a little difficult when the man of the house is stuck in the house.

Kale reacts to that. There's an awkward silence as Kale's    eyes instinctively glance down to the ankle bracelet.

JULIE Oh... no, it's okay, we're managing.

Giles steps closer to Kale, bends down to get a closer look at the ankle bracelet.

GILES I've always been curious about those things, do you mind?

KALE Yeah, I do.

(CONTINUED)  D.J. Caruso

58.

65  CONTINUED:    (2)                                                     65

JULIE Oh c'mon, Kale. (to Giles) I'm sorry.

GILES No, no. It's none of my business.

KALE That's right.

GILES Whoa, hey, dude... you seem like a                 straight hitter. You ask me, whoever they are deserved it.

Kale reacts, surprised at how genuine that sounded.

JULIE (stepping in) Okay... I don't think that's the case, and --

KALE I think I'd like to hear his opinion.

GILES And I think I opened my big mouth again. You're absolutely right. (then; heading for                      the door) I should go.

JULIE Wait, what about your coffee?

KALE I popped my Spanish teacher.

Awkward beat. Giles turns back to Julie:

GILES In that case, cafe con leche, por favor?

JULIE (searching bags) Shoot, milk's... still in the car.

Julie heads out the door. Giles turns to Kale. An awkward, silent beat. Then --

KALE I like your shirt, by the way. I                 mean, the color.

(CONTINUED)   D.J. Caruso

59.

65  CONTINUED:    (3)                                                  65

GILES Which one?

KALE Oh, the... that dark orange. Always reminds me of Texas.

GILES Yeah? You a Longhorns fan, too?

KALE Sure, absolutely. Even though I've                 never stepped foot in Texas --

GILES Me neither. Had a lot of friends who went there. I stayed in Minnesota till I moved here.

KALE Huh.

GILES So when you say you "popped" your teacher --

KALE Just a black eye.

GILES Phew, just making sure I wasn't living next to some psycho killer. Listen, I get it though. I had plenty of                 teachers I wanted to just... kill.

Giles quickly adjusts his tone as Julie comes back with a    last bag of groceries:

GILES (CONT'D)                 But no matter how hard it is to hold back, the high road's always the better choice.

As Giles says this, he casually sits at the kitchen table. Kale eyes him, about to turn and leave, but:

JULIE Kale, could you grab the sugar? (to Giles) Sugar?

GILES (favors Kale) Why not.

(CONTINUED)  D.J. Caruso

60.

65  CONTINUED:    (4)                                                    65

Kale quickly grabs the jar of sugar from the counter and even thinks to grab a spoon from the drawer. He delivers it    to Giles as Julie brings the coffee, sits at the table.

GILES (CONT'D)                 Thanks, man.

Kale turns to leave again.

GILES (CONT'D)                 Oh, hey, Kale... (as Kale turns back) Nice to finally meet you.

Off Kale --

ASHLEY (V.O.) (prelap) Oooh. That's creepy.

66  INT. KALE'S BEDROOM - DAY - LATER                                   66

Ashley sits on the bed. She looks damned good, too. Dolled up, lipstick. She's just heard the story from Kale.

KALE I know, he's a total freak, right?

ASHLEY And very vague... did he genuinely mean it was nice meeting you or was he sending you a "sinister message?"

KALE Are you messing with me?

ASHLEY Maybe a little. Did you even notice my hair?

KALE So you think it's all a coincidence. We've got the car --

ASHLEY With the non dent dent --

KALE The bumper sticker, the argument, the staring contest -- And now he's                 showing up in my kitchen --

ASHLEY Why, because he slashed your mom's                 tire?

(CONTINUED)   D.J. Caruso

61.

66  CONTINUED:                                                        66

KALE Maybe.

Ashley rolls her eyes.

KALE (CONT'D)                     (pointing out window) Her car hasn't moved.

ASHLEY It's called "the day after," Kale. Nobody moves after a night like that.

KALE Well what if she's really "not                 moving?" What if she's tied in the dungeon with the other girl, starving to death --

ASHLEY (getting up) Then come up with a rescue plan and get back to me.

KALE You're leaving?

ASHLEY Have to. Party.

KALE Whose?

ASHLEY Uh, mine?

KALE How is that possible?

ASHLEY Excuse me?

KALE Well, I mean... Sorry, I just didn't                 think you knew anybody --

ASHLEY I don't, I didn't -- (off Kale's confusion) I met this girl earlier, Minnie Tyco?

KALE Oh my god, "Skinny Psycho?!" I sat next to that bitch in Spanish --

(CONTINUED)  D.J. Caruso

62.

66  CONTINUED:    (2)                                                   66

ASHLEY (skipping that one) I told her my parents were outta town --

KALE And now the whole neighborhood's                 coming.

ASHLEY Look, I'm stuck here. So I figured I can either shut myself in and keep hating it or... try to make the most of it.

KALE Hey, I get it. You don't have to                 explain.

ASHLEY Kale, you're welcome to come, but --

Kale looks at Ashley, realizes what she's referring to as he    glances down to the ankle bracelet.

KALE (with attitude) Well, I appreciate the thought. Really.

ASHLEY (returning the tude) Glad to hear it.

Ashley turns to leave.

KALE It's funny, though.

ASHLEY (turning back) What?

KALE I didn't peg you as a conformist.

Ashley glares, furious. She picks up the DV cam and binoculars, approaches Kale, hands them over with:

ASHLEY Try to keep these in your drawers tonight, will ya?

Ashley leaves. A sullen Kale stares after her --

(CONTINUED)  D.J. Caruso

63.

66  CONTINUED:    (3)                                                    66

PRELAP - CROWD WALLA and THWUMPING MUSIC.

67  INT. DAD'S OFFICE - EARLY EVENING                                   67

Kale sits in the darkness at dad's desk. He's on the phone, pressing his other finger to his ear, trying to drown out the NOISE emanating from Ashley's party next door.

Kale, on phone, gets Ronnie's VOICE MAIL.

RONNIE (phone filter) This is Ronnie, leave a message.

Kale slams the phone down, sits there a beat. JUMP CUT:

- The white pages THWUMP onto the desk. JUMP CUT:

- Kale on the phone:

KALE (into phone) Yeah, I'm calling about the Jeep Cherokee that was brought in with the flat and the stripped lug -- it's ready? Listen, did they have to replace the whole tire -- they patched it? Is there any way to                 tell if it was slashed or -- But a                  nail usually acts like its own plug for awhile, doesn't it? I mean it's                 a really slow leak, it can't flatten a tire in twenty minutes. (beat as Kale listens) -- Yeah, I guess anything's possible.

A ROAR of LAUGHTER O.S. makes Kale jump from his chair. He    grabs the binoculars, heads to the window.

BINOCULAR POV - Kale scans the crowd until he finds Ashley, talking with a group of PARTYGOERS. She pretends to listen to one of the guy's stories as she furtively glances toward Kale's window. But it's quick. We can't be a hundred percent sure if it was on purpose.

KALE (CONT'D)                 Wait, what was that? You think I'm                 watching? Well, I'm not... Nope, I                 am minding my own business...

BINOCULAR POV - Ashley excuses herself from the group and approaches the drink and food table where MINNIE TYCO (a.k.a.    "Skinny Psycho") is standing, nitpicking over her snack choices. Ashley hugs her then taps the cute GUY next to her on the shoulder. The guy turns around.

(CONTINUED)  D.J. Caruso

64.

67  CONTINUED:                                                          67

Ashley mouths "Oh my God" like he's some long lost lover. Ashley hugs the surprised guy who wastes no time in hugging her back.

KALE (CONT'D)                 You think I'm buying that?

Kale keeps watching.

KALE (CONT'D)                 I'm not biting --

BINOCULAR POV - Ashley glances up in Kale's direction again -- it's more obvious this time as she keeps HUGGING THE GUY.

KALE (CONT'D)                 That's it.

Kale tosses the binoculars, heads out.

68  EXT. 2ND FL PORCH - EVENING - SHORT TIME LATER                     68

Kale SLAMS a ladder up against the roof.

69  EXT. ROOF - EVENING - SECONDS LATER                                69

Kale SLAMS a speaker down on the edge of the roof facing Ashley's. Makes sure the speaker wires are securely clamped in place, then unwinds the roll of wire back across the roof toward the ladder... JUMP CUT:

70  INT. 2ND FL PORCH - EVENING - SECONDS LATER                        70

Kale runs the wire down the hall...

71  INT. DAD'S OFFICE - EVENING - MOMENTS LATER                        71

SERIES OF QUICK SHOTS:

CU - Kale's hand flips on dad's bookshelf amplifier, CRANKS THE VOLUME CONTROL KNOB.

CU - Kale's I-POD LCD SCREEN lights up. His thumb hovers over the PLAY button.

BINOCULAR POV - Ashley's party comes into focus.

Kale presses play. The speaker EXPLODES with the ROAR OF    BARRY MANILOW (or AIR SUPPLY).

BINOCULAR POV - Ashley's party comes to a grinding halt.

Kale PANS AROUND, picks up Ashley again. Glaring. Fire in    her eyes as she storms O.S. Kale smiles with perverse

(CONTINUED)  D.J. Caruso

65.

71  CONTINUED:                                                         71

satisfaction as he tilts his head, anticipating the doorbell to ring. Another beat, then -- DING DONG.

72  INT. ENTRY HALL - EVENING - SECONDS LATER                         72

Kale descends the stairs, maintaining his wicked grin. He    opens the door for Ashley, but instead -- gets PELTED WITH A     BARRAGE OF WATER BALLOONS.

Kale stands there, frozen as the two BRATS jump from the bushes, AD LIB MOCKING Kale as they laugh and race away into the shadows. Kale's about to pursue when the sound of a    DOOR OPENING O.S. stops him cold. He spins around to see

ASHLEY

storming in from the kitchen and marching up the stairs!

KALE Hey!

Kale races back to the stairs. Ashley increases her speed...

73  INT. 2ND FL HALL OUTSIDE DAD'S OFFICE - EVENING - CONTINUOUS      73

Ashley storms down the hall, sees the speaker wires running into dad's office...

74  INT. DAD'S OFFICE - EVENING - CONTINUOUS                          74

Ashley SLAMS through the door, spots Kale's I-pod, rips it    out of its dock. The music stops. She spins around, runs smack into Kale who SWIPES the I-pod out of her hand and SLAMS it back in the dock. The music BLARES. Ashley moves in, but Kale blocks her path. She tries to get around him. He stands in her way.

ASHLEY (peering out the window                      as if shocked by                       something) Oh my God --

Kale falls for it. He looks. Ashley shoves him out of the way, grabs the I-pod. Kale chases her out into...

75  INT. 2ND FL HALL OUTSIDE DAD'S OFFICE - EVENING - CONTINUOUS      75

Ashley bolts into...

76  INT. KALE'S BEDROOM - EVENING - CONTINUOUS                        76

Where she holds the I-pod out the window, stopping Kale in    his tracks.

(CONTINUED)  D.J. Caruso

66.

76  CONTINUED:                                                         76

ASHLEY Back off or I'll throw it where you can't follow.

KALE Take it easy, that's sixty gigs of                 my life.

ASHLEY Even better.

KALE Okay -- okay --

ASHLEY What are you doing?

KALE What are you doing?

ASHLEY I'm trying to enjoy my party. Wait, that's wrong. According to you, I'm trying to conform --

KALE Coulda fooled me.

ASHLEY What does that mean?

KALE Forget --

ASHLEY No, I'm not gonna forget it.

KALE You wanna blend in with that crowd, fine, then stop looking up and trying to get a rise outta me.

ASHLEY (realizing) So you were watching me. Question is for how long? Just tonight? Or                 maybe a week? Two weeks? Since I                 moved in?

Kale tries to respond, but Ashley keeps pressing:

ASHLEY (CONT'D)                 And the whole "my-neighbor's-the-                  killer" thing. Great cover --

(CONTINUED)  D.J. Caruso

67.

76  CONTINUED:    (2)                                                   76

KALE It's not a cover --

Over the above Ashley glances around

ASHLEY So what is it, Kale? Huh? What else have you seen?

KALE What else have I seen?

ASHLEY Yeah. What else?

KALE Okay -- I've seen how you always pull your kleenex from the box in                 groups of three. Not two, not four, always three. I've seen you're the only one in the world who eats pizza- flavored Pringles. And you never stuff the chips in, you savor each one by dividing it into four precise bites. I didn't know that was even possible. You're also the first girl I've ever seen who spends more time on her roof than in her own house. And what do you do out there? You don't talk on the phone, you don't paint your nails, you read books. Now one would think with the whole numbers thing you've got going on that you'd put them on your shelf alphabetically, but you don't. Your system's much more perfect. The ones you like go on the bottom, the ones you love go in the middle, and the ones you need, the ones you keep going back to... well they go straight to the top next to the dream encyclopedia. You know what all this tells me? You know how things should be. The world according to                 Ashley. And guess what? It's a                 very entertaining and beautiful thing. Even when it takes a hit. When you end up in a place like this... when your parents dump their baggage on you, or just... when it                 seems like those curveballs are never gonna stop -- It sucks, but just so                 you know -- I get it. (MORE)

(CONTINUED)  D.J. Caruso

68.

76  CONTINUED:    (3)                                                     76

KALE (CONT'D)                 But I've also seen those designer window shades of yours, and guess what? They always go up the next day -- no matter what. And even if                 no one else has, I've noticed that. And I ain't sorry. The only thing I'll even consider apologizing for is... not dropping the binoculars and telling you this a lot sooner.

A long beat as Ashley peers into Kale's eyes. She slowly steps closer to him:

ASHLEY That was either the creepiest... or                 the sweetest thing I've ever heard.

Kale leans in and kisses her. They pull away, lock eyes. Then -- Ashley pulls Kale by his soaking wet t-shirt, kisses him back even harder. Heavy make-out. Then -- they stumble back toward the bed out of frame as we hold on Kale's window -- and Giles' house beyond...

77  INT. DAD'S OFFICE - NIGHT                                            77

OUR POV - peering down into Ashley's back yard. There's a    couple of guys passed out on rafts floating in the pool. WE    SLOWLY PAN to reveal --

KALE - looking tired, his eyes glazed, sitting at dad's    computer surfing a website: "BRUTAL KILLINGS IN AUSTIN."

ON THE SCREEN - As Kale clicks pages, we see FLASHES of CRIME SCENE PHOTOS from the three murders -- the bodies of the three redheads -- BLOODIED, BRUISED...

ON KALE - he doesn't blink as he clicks on ONE PHOTO after the OTHER. We see a FLASHES of the victims' eyes -- WIDE OPEN, LIFELESS...

We suddenly hear laughter O.S. Kale SNAPS TO. He runs a    hand through his hair, gets up, moves to the window.

HIS POV - ASHLEY'S POOL - a couple of girls GIGGLE as they stand at the edge of the pool pouring beer onto the passed- out guys' chests.

78  INT. KALE'S BEDROOM - NIGHT - MOMENTS LATER                          78

Kale quietly enters and shuts the door. He's hiding something behind his back as he sits on the bed next to a sleeping Ashley. She stirs, opens her eyes, peers up at him, smiles.

(CONTINUED)    D.J. Caruso

69.

78  CONTINUED:                                                            78

KALE Hey.

ASHLEY Hey... where have you been?

Kale holds up a folded piece of paper, hands it to Ashley. She curiously eyes Kale, then takes it, opens it to reveal a    printed-out picture of a long-stem red rose. Ashley smiles.

KALE If would have gone to the flower shop, but --

ASHLEY I know.

Ashley pulls Kale in for a kiss. She pulls away, falls back to the bed. Her eyes glance down at Kale's ankle bracelet.

ASHLEY (CONT'D)                 So how much longer?

KALE Oh, two months, twelve days, nineteen hours give or take.

A beat as the two peer into each other's eyes. Then:

KALE (CONT'D)                 You know the other night... when you said you thought I'd be more messed up...

ASHLEY ...For a guy who killed his teacher.

KALE I didn't kill my --

ASHLEY Shhh. (kisses him again) I know. -- I know.

We get the impression she knows a lot. Kale leans in for another kiss. But this time, as they lock lips, Ashley's    eyes shoot open.

HER POV - the first hints of daylight out the window.

ASHLEY (CONT'D)                 Oh my God, what time is it?

(CONTINUED)      D.J. Caruso

70.

78  CONTINUED:    (2)                                                      78

KALE Three-thirty.

ASHLEY I've gotta go.

Ashley scrambles out of bed for her clothes, getting dressed, searching for her shirt. Kale spots it behind the bed. As    he gets up to retrieve it, he hears a NOISE O.S. Kale peers out the window --

HIS POV - Giles is dragging a HEAVY BLUE PLASTIC BAG down the stairs leading to the garage.

KALE You better see this.

Ashley throws on her shoes, joins Kale at the window.

THEIR POV - Giles pulls the bag into the garage next to what we presume is the Mustang that's now been covered with a    TARP. (Note: The woman's car is still in the driveway.)

Kale grabs the binoculars.

BINOCULAR POV - We catch a glimpse of a few CRIMSON RED SMEARS on the blue bag as Giles heaves it behind the Mustang.

KALE (CONT'D)                 Look, quick --

ASHLEY What?

Kale gives her the binoculars. Ashley looks over.

ASHLEY (CONT'D)                     (sarcastic) That's normal.

Giles' GARAGE DOOR CLOSES.

KALE (re: woman's car) Her car... still hasn't moved...

Ashley pauses, peers out the window again. She can't help but be a little concerned. Then --

ASHLEY So what do you wanna do?

Off Kale --

(CONTINUED)  D.J. Caruso

71.

78  CONTINUED:    (3)                                                  78

RONNIE (prelap) You want me to do what?

79  INT. KALE'S BEDROOM - DAY - LATER                                 79

ON KALE - holding up a UNIVERSAL GARAGE DOOR REMOTE still in    the package.

Ashley and Ronnie are on the bed. Note: Kale is wearing the same clothes he was yesterday, the stubble coming back. Hair more disheveled, eyes a little puffier...

KALE Phase one, steal his code from his opener.

RONNIE There's more than one phase?

KALE There's only two. Now look, his remote's in the glove compartment of                 his Toyota. All you have to do is                 pop it open and read me the switch settings. "On" or "off."

RONNIE For the later purpose of doing what? Breaking in to his house?

KALE No, not breaking in. We're just talking about having access to his garage so we can go in on our own time - when he's not there - to                 just... to get a closer look at the car, the bag --

RONNIE (to Ashley) All this sounds reasonable to you?

ASHLEY I don't know about that, but --

KALE (re: universal remote) This is good up to thirteen digits --

RONNIE (realizing) How long have you been planning this?

Ronnie eyes Kale with concern. Kale doesn't answer.

(CONTINUED)  D.J. Caruso

72.

79  CONTINUED:                                                         79

GILES suddenly FIRES UP HIS LAWNMOWER O.S.

KALE'S POV - Giles pushes the mower around the side of the house to the front yard.

KALE Look, if we're gonna do this, it's                 gotta be now. He takes twenty-one minutes average to mow his front yard... you'll be hearing him the whole time...

Ashley grabs the remote.

ASHLEY I'll do it.

RONNIE No.                     (beat; then grabbing                       the remote) It isn't safe. (getting up; macho) Let's do it.

80  INT. KALE'S BEDROOM - DAY - LATER                                 80

CU - KALE'S CELL PHONE - "LIKE A VIRGIN" suddenly blares.

WIDER - Kale flips his cell open, holds it in one hand, binocs in the other.

KALE (into headset as needed) Yo, you set?

RONNIE (V.O.) (phone filter as                      needed; suddenly                       sounding not so macho) I can't believe I'm doing this.

KALE Let me conference Ashley in. (punches buttons;                      then) Ashley, you there?

ASHLEY (V.O.) Ten-four.

KALE Nice.

(CONTINUED)  D.J. Caruso

73.

80  CONTINUED:                                                              80

Kale presses "RECORD" on the tri-pod-mounted DV CAM. He    peers back out the window. We hear Giles' lawnmower O.S.    Both sides of his house are clear.

KALE (CONT'D)                 Okay, Ron -- Green light.

KALE'S POV - OUT HIS WINDOW - RONNIE - suddenly appears from the bottom of frame, keeping low as he darts to the fence. Ronnie turns, peers back up to Kale, gives him the thumbs up    or down.

KALE (CONT'D)                 You're all good.

BINOCULAR POV - Ronnie draws a breath, then very ungracefully hops the fence and falls into Giles' yard out of sight.

RONNIE (V.O.) Oww, shit --

KALE You okay --

RONNIE (V.O.) What do you think?

BINOCULAR POV - Ronnie scrambles to his feet from behind the fence, darts to the driver's side door of Giles' Toyota.

KALE Dude, glove compartment, other side.

RONNIE (V.O.) Excuse me if I'm used to my mom's                 import. Can I just try this one while I'm here?

BINOCULAR POV - Ronnie lifts up on the latch. Locked.

RONNIE (V.O.) (CONT'D)                 Shit.

Ronnie tries the back door. Locked.

RONNIE (CONT'D)                     (in Korean) Shit.

BINOCULAR POV - Kale PANS ACROSS to the other side of Giles' house. Nothing. He PANS BACK to Ronnie.

OUR POV - Over Kale's shoulder, we see Kale is clearly aiming his binocs at Ronnie.

(CONTINUED)     D.J. Caruso

74.

80  CONTINUED:    (2)                                                  80

But we also see ON THE FAR SIDE OF FRAME GILES' NEIGHBOR PULLS HER LAWNMOWER OUT OF HER GARAGE AND ROLLS IT O.S -- But Kale isn't seeing this!

RONNIE (V.O.) (CONT'D)                 They're all gonna be locked --

KALE Well, while you're there, will you just check?

Ronnie goes around the back of the Toyota to the other side. He lifts up on the passenger door latch. Bingo.

RONNIE (V.O.) I'm in.

KALE You see the package?

We see and hear Ronnie, his ass to us, rummaging around the inside of Giles' car.

RONNIE (V.O.) Oh my God --

ASHLEY (V.O.) What's wrong?

RONNIE (V.O.) There's like a month-old order of                 Nachos Bell Grande under the seat. (then) Okay, I found it.

Kale grabs the pencil and notebook.

KALE Whenever you're ready.

RONNIE (V.O.) Looks like "on, on, on, off, off,                 on..." No wait, that one was "off."

KALE Just start over.

RONNIE (V.O.) "On, on, on, off, off, off, on -- "

Ronnie pauses. Kale glances up. Just happens to shift his gaze to the side of Giles' house to see --

KALE'S POV - GILES IS WALKING BACK AROUND with no lawnmower! But for some reason we still HEAR A LAWNMOWER.

(CONTINUED)  D.J. Caruso

75.

80  CONTINUED:    (3)                                                   80

KALE No, no --

Kale grabs the binoculars.

RONNIE (V.O.) I'll get it right this time.

KALE Ronnie, he's coming around.

RONNIE (V.O.) Dude, stop dicking with me, I still hear his --

BINOCULAR POV - Kale WHIP PANS to Giles' neighbor, JUDY THORP - CUTTING HER GRASS, TOO.

KALE (trying to remain                      calm and succinct) Ronnie, I am not dicking with you. The neighbor is also mowing her lawn and he's going to see you --

RONNIE (V.O.) (full-on panic) Kale, what do I do?! Where --

KALE GET IN THE CAR!!

KALE'S POV - Ronnie dives in the car just as Giles rounds the corner of the house.

KALE (CONT'D)                 Put the remote back --

RONNIE (V.O.) I did, I did --

KALE Easy on the door.

Ronnie gently pulls the door shut.

KALE (CONT'D)                 Don't panic, he's coming straight for you --

RONNIE (V.O.) What?! Kale, you've gotta get me --

KALE Back seat, NOW!

(CONTINUED)  D.J. Caruso

76.

80  CONTINUED:    (4)                                                  80

BINOCULAR POV - Ronnie TUMBLES into the back seat and out of    sight just as GILES heads for the car.

KALE (V.O.) (CONT'D)                 Ashley --

ASHLEY (V.O.) I'm on it.

RONNIE (practically crying) Kale, tell my mom --

KALE Shut up, stay down and don't move.

KALE'S POV - Giles opens the passenger door. About to reach in when something distracts him -- Giles pulls himself out, looks over to see

ASHLEY

Heading up the driveway. We barely hear her introduce herself to Giles. Giles steps around to the front of the car, uneasily shakes her hand.

KALE (CONT'D)                 Ronnie, you're good --

No answer.

KALE (CONT'D)                 Ronnie?

BINOCULAR POV - Kale TILTS BACK TO THE TOYOTA, sees Ronnie sneaking out the back seat door on the driver's side as Ashley distracts Giles, pointing up to the trees on the opposite side of the yard. Who knows what they're talking about. Bird-watching perhaps. Whatever it is, it's working.

KALE (CONT'D)                 Ronnie, was that the whole code? Ronnie?

BINOCULAR POV - Kale PANS BACK to Ronnie as he hops the fence back into Kale's yard.

Kale TILTS BACK UP to Ashley and Giles in the driveway.

KALE (CONT'D)                     (talking to Ashley                       even though she can't                       hear) Okay, Ashley, you're good, come on...

(CONTINUED)  D.J. Caruso

77.

80  CONTINUED:    (5)                                                   80

Over this, a breathless Ronnie stumbles into the bedroom, joins Kale at the window.

KALE (CONT'D)                 Was that the whole code?

RONNIE (pissed) Excuse me?

KALE (serious) The code, did you get it?

RONNIE You've gotta be kidding.

Ronnie and Kale lock eyes for a tense beat. Then:

KALE (re: something O.S.) No way.

KALE'S POV - THE CLUB GIRL Giles brought home the other night exits the back door and walks up to Ashley and Giles!

RONNIE (stepping closer) Great, Kale. She lives.

Kale and Ronnie watch as Ashley shakes hands with the club girl, then throws a quick surprised glance up to Kale and Ronnie. Giles' body language tells us he's ready for Ashley to leave. Ashley gets the hint, shakes his hand, heads back down the driveway and out of sight.

Kale raises the binoculars again, then furiously grabs for his pad and pencil.

BINOCULAR POV - The club girl gets in her car. Giles closes her door, watches as she backs out. Kale TILTS DOWN to her license plate, starts jotting down the number.

RONNIE (CONT'D)                 What are you doing?

KALE Getting her license number --

RONNIE Why?

Kale doesn't answer, still trying to get the rest of the number as Ashley enters, eyes Ronnie who gestures to Kale.

(CONTINUED)  D.J. Caruso

78.

80  CONTINUED:    (6)                                                 80

ASHLEY Okay, case closed.

RONNIE Try telling Inspector Clouseau that. Now he thinks he needs her license number.

ASHLEY Why, Kale? It's over.

Kale's starting to get manic:

KALE "Yeah, he seemed like such a normal                 guy. Sure he kept to himself, but                  he was always nice to me." That's                 what they all say. That's what all the neighbors always say -- after the fact. Only after they've caught the guy, after he's killed thirty people --

Ashley and Ronnie trade concerned looks.

ASHLEY Okay, I think we all just need to                 take a breath.

KALE (heading out) Fine, but what about the bumper sticker, there's still a girl missing, just... what's in the bag? (then from O.S.) Can anyone tell me that?

Off Ronnie and Ashley --

81  INT. DAD'S OFFICE - DAY - CONTINUOUS                             81

Kale enters, goes to the desk, sits at dad's computer, clicking keys as Ashley and Ronnie enter --

ASHLEY Kale, why are you so --

Ashley and Ronnie stop in their tracks at the MESS.

Note: Up till now, the office has been in reasonably good order. But now, it's noticeably different.

WIDER - The shades are drawn. Soda cans everywhere... papers are spread on the floor: PRINTED OUT FULL COLOR GRUESOME CRIME SCENE PHOTOS, BLACK & WHITE AUTOPSY PHOTOS of the

(CONTINUED)  D.J. Caruso

79.

81  CONTINUED:                                                            81

murdered redheads... more pictures of the girl who disappeared, PATRICIA WALSH. "MISSING" FLYERS...

Over the above, Ronnie leans down, lifts a couple of books out of an Amazon.com box: "Murderer: Tell Tale Signs of a    Serial Killer" and "The Shrine of Jeffrey Dahmer" -- the titles Ashley was referencing earlier. Ronnie shows them to    Ashley who takes a RECEIPT out of a nearby Home Depot box -- on the page -- SMITH'S UNIVERSAL GARAGE DOOR REMOTE QTY (1) $29.99.

Ashley and Ronnie turn to Kale. They notice on the wall behind him, hanging next to his Dad's book cover posters, a    BLACK AND WHITE POSTER-SIZE SATELLITE PHOTO of THE NEIGHBORHOOD. Giles' house is circled and labeled in    flourescent ink. Kale finally looks up, notices them looking --

KALE (re: satellite poster) Ronnie, you've seen this satellite website, right? You can find any location on earth and take a picture --

RONNIE Yeah, for a small fee --

ASHLEY Kale, what are you doing?

KALE Trying to get to the bottom of this.

ASHLEY (delicately) Kale, right now, it doesn't look that way.

KALE What's it look like?

ASHLEY Like you're determined to turn Giles in to who you think he is.

KALE Not who I think.

ASHLEY (beat; then) I just didn't realize -- you were this --

KALE What, crazy? Maybe I am. But maybe I'm right.

(CONTINUED)  D.J. Caruso

80.

81  CONTINUED:    (2)                                                    81

ASHLEY It's not about that, it's about -- (beat; then quietly) -- What I see. What Ronnie and I                 are seeing right now. I see a guy who looks like he hasn't slept in                 days. (peers at dad's book                       cover posters) I'm seeing you sitting at your dad's                 desk --

That gets Kale's attention.

ASHLEY (CONT'D)                 -- Because you lost him before maybe... you ever really knew him. Before the world according to Kale took a hit from that same stuff you were telling me about, remember? All those curveballs? But it's like -- it's like you're still trying to                 dodge them by forcing pieces together that are never gonna fit... by getting all wrapped up in... (re: mess) This. (beat; then) Obsessing's not gonna "protect you," Kale. It's not gonna make the hurt go away.

Kale locks eyes with Ashley. A long beat, then --

KALE Are you two gonna help me or not?

Ashley pauses, shocked she hasn't gotten through to Kale. Then --

ASHLEY I want to.

KALE (picks up a stack) Then start looking through these --

ASHLEY That's not what I meant.

KALE (beat; then) Well, this is all I need, so -- I                 guess I'll see you later.

(CONTINUED)  D.J. Caruso

81.

81  CONTINUED:    (3)                                                      81

Ashley and Ronnie trade looks. Then -- Ashley leaves. Ronnie turns back to Kale.

KALE (CONT'D)                 So what's your deal? You hanging out or not?

RONNIE I would, dude, but -- I've gotta pull it together and -- change my                 underwear. Catch you later?

KALE Sure.

Ronnie leaves. Kale sits in silence, his thoughts unreadable -- JUMP CUT:

Kale falls back in the leather chair, fighting his emotions, trying to keep them in check. He glances out to Ashley's.    Dark. He peers around the office -- the articles, the books, his DAD'S PHOTOS... the family portrait of Dad, Mom, and Kale, smiling wide... their lives ahead of them...

82  INT. KALE'S BEDROOM - NIGHT                                           82

In the darkness, find Kale sitting in his video game chair staring out at Giles' house.

HIS POV - Giles' garage door is open. Giles' silver Toyota is parked inside next to the Mustang. There's a light or    two on inside Giles' house but no signs of movement.

Kale throws intermittent glances out the window as he starts to UNSCREW the back of the DV CAM. He lifts the back off, then reaches in a nearby BOX and pulls out a BLUE TOOTH WIRELESS CIRCUIT BOARD. He starts connecting it inside the camera... JUMP CUT:

Kale screws the back of the camera on, takes a swig of a    soda. There's suddenly fierce KNOCKING at Kale's front door. Kale just sits there. Staring ahead. More knocking and DOORBELL RINGING. Kale jumps from his chair, grabs the bat.

83  INT. ENTRY HALL - NIGHT - SECONDS LATER                               83

Kale swings the door open -- nobody's there -- then -- Ronnie suddenly STEPS INTO FRAME, grabs Kale --

KALE Get off me, man.

RONNIE Dude -- my cell phone's -- still in                 his car.

(CONTINUED)    D.J. Caruso

82.

83  CONTINUED:                                                             83

Kale eyes Ronnie a beat.

RONNIE (CONT'D)                 Kale, did you hear me?

KALE (beat; then) Ronnie, I know you think I'm losing my mind, but... listen, I'll help you get it, I just need you to do                 one thing.

RONNIE (shaking his head) Phase two. I knew it.

SMASH TO:

84  INT. KALE'S BEDROOM - NIGHT - SHORT TIME LATER                        84

A SHAKY and grainy VIDEO IMAGE appears on Kale's computer screen. Kale picks up one of Ronnie's old walkie-talkies.

KALE (into walkie talkie                      as needed) You read?

RONNIE (V.O.) (walkie talkie filter                      as needed) Yeah, you got a signal?

ON KALE'S COMPUTER SCREEN - Ronnie suddenly aims THE VIDEO CAMERA AT HIS FACE.

KALE Got video, no audio.

RONNIE (V.O.) Yeah, mic's on the fritz. How am I                 looking?

Kale picks up the binoculars.

BINOCULAR POV - Giles' garage door is still open. There's a    light on at the opposite end of the house.

KALE Light on, far end.

RONNIE (V.O.) I guess it's now or never. Moving out.

(CONTINUED)    D.J. Caruso

83.

84  CONTINUED:                                                           84

Kale turns back to the computer screen --

RONNIE'S DV CAM POV - His feet dart across the yard -- he    TILTS UP -- approaching the fence.

KALE (re: Giles) No movement.

RONNIE'S DV CAM POV - Ronnie hops the fence.

RONNIE (V.O.) First hurdle --

RONNIE'S DV CAM POV - The image goes to SNOW for a split second -- the signal weakening...

Kale peers out the window --

BINOCULAR POV - We barely make out Ronnie's silhouette as he    makes his way toward the garage --

RONNIE (V.O.) (CONT'D)                 Twenty feet. Ten feet --

RONNIE'S DV CAM POV - Rapidly approaching the back of Giles' Toyota.

RONNIE (V.O.) (CONT'D)                 Garage --

RONNIE'S  DV CAM POV - Very shaky as Ronnie makes his way to     the back   seat door -- he takes out a pen light, aims it at     the door   as his hand enters frame, lifts up on the latch. The door  pops open.

RONNIE (V.O.) (CONT'D)                 Bingo.

RONNIE'S DV CAM POV - We see Ronnie's hand feeling around the back seat floor of Giles' car.

Kale's CALL WAITING suddenly BEEPS. He looks at the CALLER I.D: ASHLEY. Shit. He has to let it go.

RONNIE (V.O.) (CONT'D)                 I'm not seeing it --

KALE Stay calm, it's there.

RONNIE'S DV CAM POV - Ronnie's hand finally pulls out the cell phone.

(CONTINUED)  D.J. Caruso

84.

84  CONTINUED:    (2)                                                      84

RONNIE (V.O.) I've got it.

BINOCULAR POV - Giles' house. Still no sign of movement.

KALE You're still clear, check the bag.

RONNIE (V.O.) Hang on --

RONNIE'S DV CAM POV - We see Ronnie's hand gently push the door of Giles' Toyota closed. The angle TILTS DOWN -- we're    now watching Ronnie's feet as they stride deeper into the garage, walking in between the Toyota and Mustang.

RONNIE (V.O.) (CONT'D)                 I'm setting the camera on the trunk.

KALE Try to get the plate number of the Mustang and check for dents --

RONNIE (V.O.) I'm checking the bag first.

RONNIE'S DV CAM POV - Ronnie sets the camera on the trunk of    the Mustang, aims it perfectly at the BLUE BAG sitting in     the corner. We watch with Kale as Ronnie enters frame, crouched low, heading toward the bag. He raises the walkie talkie --

RONNIE (V.O.) (CONT'D)                 It does look like blood -- and hair --

RONNIE'S DV CAM POV - We watch as Ronnie kneels down, starts to open the bag. But suddenly, the still POV suddenly STARTS TO SLOWLY, STEADILY TRACK TO THE LEFT -- And Kale realizes --

KALE The camera's sliding --

RONNIE'S DV CAM POV - We watch as Ronnie spins and grabs the camera.

RONNIE (V.O.) That was close.

We hear another NOISE O.S.

RONNIE (V.O.) (CONT'D)                 Oh shit --

Kale looks out --

(CONTINUED)  D.J. Caruso

85.

84  CONTINUED:    (3)                                                       84

KALE'S POV - Giles' GARAGE DOOR STARTS TO CLOSE.

KALE Ronnie?

RONNIE (staticky) -- make it -- interference -- somebody's here --

KALE Ronnie?!

Dead air. Giles' GARAGE DOOR SLAMS SHUT.

RONNIE'S DV CAM POV - We watch as Ronnie picks up the camera, aims it at his face. Looking terrified. The camera swings away as we see Ronnie's feet scrambling along the concrete floor and then -- they appear to RACE THROUGH A DOORWAY ONTO DIMLY LIT HARDWOOD FLOOR -- making us and Kale realize --

KALE (CONT'D)                 He's in the house -- (into walkie) Ronnie?

Still nothing.

RONNIE'S DV CAM POV - Shaky. We catch GLIMPSES OF RONNIE'S    FEET -- hauling ass down a HALLWAY, ROUNDING A CORNER ONTO CARPET, THEN BACK ONTO HARDWOOD --

KALE (CONT'D)                 What the hell --

ON THE SCREEN - Ronnie suddenly PANS THE CAMERA up to his face as he runs, clearly mouthing "HELP ME!!"

KALE (CONT'D)                 RONNIE! Shit --

Then -- the camera seems to fall, SLIDING ON THE HARDWOOD FLOOR TOWARD AN OLD BOOKCASE...

THE IMAGE CUTS OUT -- GOES TO ALL SNOW --

Kale jumps up, pacing. Peers out the window to Giles'. No    telling what the hell's happening -- or happened -- in there.

Kale eyes his ankle bracelet. Green light. Kale eyes his bat. Grabs it. Fuck it.

D.J. Caruso

86.

85  EXT. KALE'S BACK YARD - NIGHT - MOMENTS LATER                     85

Kale SLAMS out the back door, races across the yard, skips over his kite string boundary --

ON HIS ANKLE BRACELET - Red light FLASHES.

WITH KALE - he hops the fence, racing to...

86  EXT. GILES' BACK YARD/HOUSE - NIGHT - CONTINUOUS                  86

KALE Ronnie?!

Kale darts to Giles' back door, tries the knob -- locked.

KALE (CONT'D)              Ronnie, can you hear me?! Giles, open the door!!

The house is still. Kale bolts around the side, uneasily feeling his way through shadows and low-hanging branches.

87  EXT. GILES' FRONT YARD - NIGHT - CONTINUOUS                       87

It's even darker on this side. No lights on in Giles' house. Kale cautiously rounds the side, approaches the front door -- it's open a few inches -- darkness beyond.

Kale eyes it a beat. Then -- steps up onto the porch, about to push it open when -- SIRENS BLARE O.S.

Kale SPINS AROUND to see A POLICE CRUISER ROLLING TO A STOP. Kale races toward it as two uniformed officers step out --

KALE Hey!

The officer pulls his sidearm, aims it at Kale --

UNIFORM #1 Freeze. Hands above your head, now!!

KALE Please, my friend's been kidnapped, he's in this house -- he's inside, I              think the owner's trying to kill him --

UNIFORM #1 Stay right there.

UNIFORM #2 I've got it --

Uniform #2 heads briskly to Giles' front door.

(CONTINUED)  D.J. Caruso

87.

87  CONTINUED:                                                           87

UNIFORM #1 (into radio mic) Dispatch, 13A74, we're 10-26 with the kid, he's claiming a 10-31 at... (eying numbers above                      Giles' door) 4710 Fairway Court. House behind his residence, request 10-78.

DISPATCHER (V.O.) (over mic) 13A74, ten-four, units already in                 the area, will advise --

Kale watches as Uniform #2 approaches the Giles' door.

UNIFORM #2 It's open.

KALE It was already open.

Uniform #2 knocks on the door. Rings the bell. No answer. Uniform #2's about to knock again when a light comes on    inside. After a beat -- Giles opens the door. Looking disheveled, in his bathrobe.

GILES Uh, yes, can I help you, officer?

UNIFORM #2 Sorry to wake you, sir, we have a                 young man here claiming a friend of                  his is in your house. Would you know anything about that?

GILES (laughs) No, I certainly wouldn't.

KALE You're a lying son of a bitch!

Uniform #1 retrains Kale as another CRUISER rolls to a stop. Uniforms #3 & 4 hop out, head to Uniform #1 to assist.

UNIFORM #1 Take it easy --

KALE He's in there, goddammit! He's                 inside! He's lying!

Uniform #1 pulls Kale back to the cruiser, opens the back door and pushes him down on the seat --

(CONTINUED)  D.J. Caruso

88.

87  CONTINUED:    (2)                                                     87

UNIFORM #1 Sir, calm down --

KALE Okay, but he's lying -- he has my                 friend, and he kidnapped that girl last week, he killed maybe three others, all redheads, they could be                 in a bag -- a big blue plastic bag -- in his garage -- my friend knew this -- (re: Giles) That's why he's covering -- he didn't                 just wake up five minutes ago --

Uniform #1 looks concerned as he steps away from Kale.

UNIFORM #1 (to Uniform #3; re:                      Kale) Can you --

Uniform #3 nods as Uniform #1 heads back up to Giles and Uniform #2.

KALE'S POV - Uniform #1 whispers something to Uniform #2. They turn back to Giles.

UNIFORM #2 Sir, do you mind if we take a look inside?

A beat. A couple more police cruisers roll to a stop. Curious NEIGHBORS are now gathering across the street.

GILES Absolutely, be my guest.

Giles ushers them through the door and follows them into the house. Giles turns, shoots a quick glance to Kale before closing the door.

ON KALE - all he can do is wait. He shifts his gaze to the gathering neighbors. A few lock eyes with him, shake their heads. Kale turns back toward the house...

TIME CUT TO:

88  EXT. GILES' BACK YARD - GARAGE - NIGHT - SHORT TIME LATER            88

ON THE GARAGE DOOR - as it slowly raises up.

WIDER - The uniforms, standing with Kale, wait as the door opens all the way.

(CONTINUED)     D.J. Caruso

89.

88  CONTINUED:                                                              88

A light comes on inside. Giles and Uniform #1 come out the inner garage door as Uniform #2 Giles drags the BLUE BAG out from the garage.

Sure enough, there's blood smears and visible strands of    matted hair near the top. Uniform #2 unties the bag, pulls the sides away. Everyone gathers around, peers inside, then suddenly yank themselves back at the horrible STENCH emanating from within.

Kale eyes Uniform #1 who gestures him to look. Kale steps toward the bag.

KALE'S POV - We peer into the bag to reveal the WIDE OPEN eyes of a dead -- DEER.

GILES (to the cops) I hit it the other night. Thought I'd save a few steps and get it off the road myself. I was gonna bury it sooner, but it's been a helluva week --

KALE So why'd you have to have the car fixed in record time, huh? Because it was covered in her blood --

GILES (talking over him;                      re: Mustang) Because it's a classic, I got it out of storage for the auto show, I needed it in pristine condition.

UNIFORM #2 It's one of the biggest in the world. (off Uniform #1) The auto show.

All eyes on Kale. He slumps. Giles has an answer for everything.

UNIFORM #1 I think we're done here. Sorry for the intrusion, sir.

GILES Please, I understand.

As the Uniforms lead Kale back down the driveway...

(CONTINUED)    D.J. Caruso

90.

88  CONTINUED:    (2)                                                   88

KALE (quietly; drained) So where's my friend, then? Can anyone tell me that? Does anyone believe me?!

Kale looks over, sees PARKER, standing with JULIE whose eyes are filled with it all: anger, concern, sadness...

JULIE Kale, come on --

Kale turns back to Giles' house. Sees lights being turned out inside. As Kale shifts his gaze forward, he locks eyes with ASHLEY standing in the crowd of neighbors. She watches him with concern. Kale turns away, drops his head as the cops, Parker and Julie lead him away... a FLASH OF LIGHTNING in the distance...

89  INT. LIVING ROOM - NIGHT - LATER                                   89

Kale sits on the sofa, staring off. He looks to the stairs as Julie and Parker head down. Parker nods to Uniform #3 who's standing next to Kale. Uniform #3 meets Parker and Julie at the front door. Julie quietly nods to them, opens the door. A few more inaudible words are exchanged before Julie gently closes the door behind them.

Julie heads back into the living room, sits across from Kale.

JULIE (a beat; then) I'm sorry, Kale.

Not the words Kale expected. He looks up --

JULIE (CONT'D)                 I really am. You know, one thing I                 always told myself was that no matter what, I would always know what was going on with my kid --

KALE Mom --

JULIE Let me finish -- because I have to                 tell you something... (then) I feel like I let you down. I was too caught up in my own grief to see straight. I thought time would heal this and taking a second job was... the answer to keeping a roof over our heads --

(CONTINUED)  D.J. Caruso

91.

89  CONTINUED:                                                            89

KALE It was --

JULIE (points to ceiling) That's just wood. Do you hear me? We're still not through this -- obviously -- it's gonna take more time -- maybe a lot more time -- and that's just gotta be okay, because I                 know -- it'll get better. (beat) I want us to be us again. I want us                 to be honest with each other like we                  used to be. Is that possible?

KALE Yeah. I just -- didn't think you'd                 believe me --

JULIE Listen to me. I am always on your side. No matter what. It may not look like it sometimes, but it's the truth. And we'll get through this. Okay?

Kale nods. He stands, goes to Julie and hugs her -- tight.

90  INT. KALE'S BEDROOM - NIGHT - LATER                                  90

Kale enters amidst a few more LIGHTNING FLASHES and distant ROLLS OF THUNDER. He heads to his window, glances out at    Giles' house. Dark. The wind's picking up. Kale closes his window, draws the shade, sticks his cell in the charger.

He collapses to the bed,     stares at the roof over his head for a beat -- then "LIKE     A VIRGIN" suddenly BLARES ON HIS CELL PHONE. Kale stares      at it... then jumps from his bed, races to the phone, rips     it from the charger, flips it open --

ON THE PHONE'S LCD SCREEN - A text message: LOOK AT YOUR SCREEN. The LCD SCREEN suddenly BLACKS OUT. The battery's    dead.

A wide eyed Kale puts the cell phone on his desk, slowly shifts his gaze to his computer monitor -- a grainy image suddenly pops on -- shaky at first -- then it finally steadies, and clears up. A torso and face come into focus: RONNIE, lying in the corner of a very enclosed space. Eyes open, head tilted against the wall. Dead.

KALE OH MY GOD --

(CONTINUED)  D.J. Caruso

92.

90  CONTINUED:                                                         90

Nearly hyperventilating, Kale leans closer to the screen, sees a pile of clothes and a stray racketball trophy lying next to Ronnie.

KALE (CONT'D)                 Shit --

Kale realizes -- Ronnie's IN HIS CLOSET. Kale slowly turns, eyes his closet door. He then steps toward it, reaches out -- and SLIDES THE CLOSET DOOR OPEN TO REVEAL --

RONNIE - lying dead in the corner.

KALE (CONT'D)                 Ronnie --

Kale kneels down to Ronnie who suddenly POPS BACK TO LIFE!

RONNIE BOO!

Kale screams, falls back to the floor as Ronnie cracks up.

MORE LIGHTNING FLASHES and THUNDER.

Kale staggers to his feet. Stunned. Not knowing whether to    hug Ronnie or beat the shit out of him.

RONNIE (CONT'D)                 Dude, don't kill me, don't kill me -- I can explain --

KALE How -- How long have you been here?

RONNIE You should have seen your face -- (off Kale's glare) I got out his front door. I got lucky. I heard you yelling, but dude, cops were everywhere --

KALE Still, you could have --

RONNIE What, popped out and said, "oh yeah,                 officers, my friend's right, I was                  just in that house, I'd gone to get                  my cell phone out of the guy's car I                  broke into earlier..." Are you kidding me?

(CONTINUED)  D.J. Caruso

93.

90  CONTINUED:    (2)                                                  90

KALE (beat; then) I get it.

Kale paces around, runs a hand through his hair as Ronnie steps out of the closet, DV CAM in hand.

RONNIE Dude, I am sorry. Can we just...                 hug it out?

KALE Why didn't Giles tell the cops someone broke in? I mean, he did see you, right?

RONNIE You know, let's be positive for a                 change. I thought he did, but maybe he didn't. Or maybe he's a nice guy afterall, and he didn't wanna make a                 big deal of it, you know? I mean, he's a guy, he was a kid once...

Kale eyes Ronnie.

KALE What if he wasn't always a guy?

Ronnie eyes Kale for a beat, wondering if he's serious. Then Kale cracks a smile. Ronnie cracks up.

RONNIE But I do have to ask... what was in                 the bag?

KALE (as if it were obvious) Dead deer.

Kale and Ronnie lock eyes a beat. Then crack up again. Both laugh hysterically, slap happy as hell.

RONNIE Naturally... (re: DV CAM) Hey, you want more evidence, detective?

KALE I was watching, remember?

Kale grabs the DV CAM from Ronnie -- Ronnie pulls it away.

(CONTINUED)  D.J. Caruso

94.

90  CONTINUED:    (3)                                                    90

RONNIE No, no, this is comedy, it deserves big screen treatment.

Ronnie grabs some wires, starts hooking the camera up to    Kale's TV.

TIME CUT TO:

91  INT. KALE'S BEDROOM - NIGHT - SHORT TIME LATER                      91

Kale and Ronnie watch the video of Ronnie's break-in. They're    cracking themselves up as we see --

ON THE TV - Ronnie's feet stumbling through the garage, the camera sliding away off the trunk of the Mustang, Ronnie diving for it.

RONNIE Hey, I caught that.

KALE So that's when the garage door started closing.

RONNIE Yeah, he must have heard me. He                 came through the inside door -- (re: TV screen) This is where I ducked low and started...

ON THE TV - Ronnie's feet start motoring across the concrete floor, racing through the doorway onto the hardwood floor...

RONNIE (CONT'D)                 ...hauling aaaass...

KALE That's great.

ON THE TV - As before, we're mostly watching Ronnie's feet as they scamper around Giles' house. Then -- the camera falls away, slides across the floor toward that bookcase, its POV -- FOR A SPLIT SECOND - aiming UNDER THE BOOKCASE.

RONNIE Dropped it.

KALE Yeah, I lost signal --

ON THE TV - This we didn't see earlier -- The camera is    quickly scooped up by Ronnie whose feet dart across Giles' entry hall floor toward the front door.

(CONTINUED)    D.J. Caruso

95.

91  CONTINUED:                                                        91

We see Ronnie's hand reach for the knob.

RONNIE But I never leave evidence behind.

ON THE TV - Ronnie's feet dart out Giles' front door and into the darkness of the yard...

RONNIE (CONT'D)                 And that's about when you started yelling bloody murder and the shit hit the fan.

The TV SCREEN goes black.

RONNIE (CONT'D)                     (getting up) I'm starving. All that running around...

Ronnie heads from the room.

KALE (re: video) I'm gonna burn this.

Kale gets up, heads to the camera. About to eject the tape, when a thought stops him. He pulls the camera off the TV, sits on the floor, presses "PLAY", scans back through the tape.

ON THE TV - The same footage. Nothing glaring stands out. The camera falls from Ronnie's hand, slides to the bookcase. Ronnie quickly scoops the camera up, keeps running...

KALE (CONT'D)                 You're not fooling me, Giles...

Kale scans the tape back again, this time just to the point where Ronnie drops the camera.

ON KALE - his eyes suddenly narrow -- did he see something?

Kale scans back again.

92  INT. KITCHEN - NIGHT - CONTINUOUS                                92

Ronnie enters, starts rummaging through the fridge, pulls a    soda out, then goes for the cabinets.

93  INT. KALE'S BEDROOM - NIGHT - CONTINUOUS                         93

ON THE TV - just as the camera slides to a stop at the bookcase and aims underneath it, Kale FREEZES THE IMAGE. Dark, grainy.

(CONTINUED)  D.J. Caruso

96.

93  CONTINUED:                                                            93

Kale grabs his remote, cranks the brightness all the way up    on his TV.

Kale scoots closer to the TV amidst another FLASH OF LIGHTNING & MUCH LOUDER CLAP OF THUNDER.

ON HIS FINGER - pressing the FRAME BY FRAME ADVANCE button --

ON THE TV -- we start to see SOMETHING UNDER THE BOOKCASE...

Kale presses the button a couple more times.

ON THE TV - The next frames are blurred -- this is the point where Ronnie grabs the camera back -- but --

KALE'S FINGER - presses the advance button one more time.

ON THE TV - The next frame POPS INTO FOCUS.

THERE, UNDER THE BOOKCASE, WE SEE A FADED BLACK STAMP ON THE BACK OF A WOMAN'S HAND!

Kale's eyes widen as he keeps pressing the ADVANCE BUTTON...

CU - Kale's eyes are transfixed on the screen, his face just inches away as a few more blurry frames FLIP BY then -- BAM --

THE FACE OF THE MISSING GIRL -- PATRICIA WALSH -- POPS ON    THE SCREEN IN SHARP FOCUS, HER LONG RED HAIR PARTIALLY COVERING HER GHOSTLY, WIDE OPEN EYES THAT STARE RIGHT INTO CAMERA!

Kale recoils in horror as LIGHTNING IGNITES his room.

KALE (calling O.S.) Ronnie, get your ass up here!

But a ROLL OF THUNDER drowns our Kale's voice --

94  INT. KITCHEN - NIGHT - CONTINUOUS                                    94

Ronnie throws a bag of popcorn in the microwave, punches the clock. Presses start. As he reaches behind him for his soda can on the island, a BASEBALL BAT suddenly enters frame and SLAMS DOWN on RONNIE'S ARM -- FWACK! Ronnie WHIRLS AROUND in excruciating pain to come face to face with

GILES

who swings the bat across Ronnie's face. Ronnie drops out of frame behind the island.

D.J. Caruso

97.

95  INT. KALE'S BEDROOM - NIGHT - CONTINUOUS                          95

KALE Ronnie?!

No answer. Shit. Kale grabs the cordless off his bed, clicks it on: DEAD. Another lightning FLASH. He grabs the tape out of the camera, buries it in his closet, pulls out his racketball trophy then creeps to the door, peers out --

KALE'S POV - The hallway's empty. Clear shot to the stairs.

96  INT. 2ND FL HALLWAY - NIGHT - CONTINUOUS                          96

Kale steps out, raises the trophy, ready for anything as he    approaches the stairs, glancing in every direction. He    reaches the railing, peers down. No movement.

97  INT. ENTRY HALL - NIGHT - CONTINUOUS                              97

Kale heads down, slowly makes his way toward the kitchen, peeks around the corner --

KALE'S POV - IN THE KITCHEN - The popcorn's POPPING in the microwave.

98  INT. KITCHEN - NIGHT - CONTINUOUS                                 98

Kale rounds the island to the microwave, presses "STOP" then glances down, sees Ronnie's body --

KALE Ronnie -- MOM!!

Kale spins around as

GILES SUDDENLY APPEARS FROM THE SHADOWS.

More THUNDER. Kale whirls around, HURLS the trophy at Giles. Giles knocks it away as Kale BOLTS for the back door, throws it open. Giles pursues.

99  EXT. KALE'S BACK YARD - NIGHT - CONTINUOUS                        99

Kale bolts out the door, but trips on a well-placed garden gnome on the steps. Giles or the brats must have put it    there. Regardless, it slows Kale down. He staggers into the yard, SCREAMING for anyone to hear. But the WIND and THUNDER drown him out as

GILES

-- Now right behind him -- swings the bat and trips Kale up. Kale falls just short of his kite string boundary line.

(CONTINUED)  D.J. Caruso

98.

99   CONTINUED:                                                         99

Like a quarterback pressing to the goal line, Kale lunges forward, but --

GILES' HAND suddenly grab's KALE'S ANKLE just as the ANKLE BRACELET is about to cross the line.

Kale screams, digs his hands into the earth, trying to pull himself forward, but Giles is too strong. He DRAGS Kale backward, then PINS him to the ground, pulls out a roll of     duct tape, quickly and efficiently wraps some around Kale's      mouth, hands and ankles.

Giles yanks Kale up, throws him over his shoulder and heads back toward Kale's house.

100  INT. KITCHEN - NIGHT - CONTINUOUS                                 100

Giles quickly opens and shuts the door as Kale struggles against him.

GILES (hard in Kale's ear) You finally wanna be an orphan?

Giles drags Kale into...

101  INT. LIVING ROOM - NIGHT - CONTINUOUS                             101

... To reveal a bruised but conscious JULIE tied to the chair, her arms wrapped behind it! Kale's eyes widen with rage as     he pulls free of Giles, drops to the floor, tries to roll away. But Giles grabs him back up, gets in his face --

GILES If you don't stop fighting me, I                  will gut her like a fish.

Kale glares as Giles drags him into the...

102  ENTRY HALL - NIGHT - CONTINUOUS                                    102

...And pulls him up the stairs...

103  INT. KALE'S BEDROOM - NIGHT - SECONDS LATER                       103

Giles SLAMS Kale down in his desk chair. Giles eyes the DV     CAM sitting on the TV. The tape slot's open.

GILES So where's the tape?

Kale mumbles a muffled "FUCK YOU" under the duct tape.

GILES (CONT'D)                  You're right, I'll find it later.

(CONTINUED)  D.J. Caruso

99.

103  CONTINUED:                                                           103

Giles sits on Kale's bed. Eyes the book on serial killers. He picks it up, flips through it.

GILES (CONT'D)                  It's funny, I hear a lot of authors say their first books were easy, it's the second one that's really hard. Wonder if your dad thought that. (off Kale's glare) See with me, it's the opposite. The very first one was... (sickly reminiscing) ...Very difficult... she was very beautiful... fragile... a lot of                  promise... the others in Texas were flings, low class... Patty Walsh had potential, but so did Amy. You saw her, right? When you were watching me? You should feel good, Kale, you guys saved her life. I was headed in to kill her when your girlfriend showed up. So, you're a hero, Kale. Savor the moment. (tosses the book) You have Microsoft Word? (off Kale's questioning                        look; re: computer) Turn it on.

Kale doesn't move. Giles raises the bat:

GILES (CONT'D)                  I can type, you know.

Kale turns to the computer, lifts his taped wrists to the keyboard.

GILES (CONT'D)                  "Dear Ashley... I killed Ronnie and                   my mom because...                        (re: Kale not typing)                   What's wrong? Hey, you're the one                   who couldn't leave me alone.                   Truthfully, I'm sick of covering my                   tracks. You think I like spending                   my spare time looking over my shoulder                   for people like you? Word of advice,                   if you ever need to hurt someone,                   think everything through. Because                   you do get a taste for it, don't                   you?                                (MORE)

(CONTINUED)  D.J. Caruso

100.

103  CONTINUED:    (2)                                                   103

GILES (CONT'D)                  But damned if people aren't just waiting to stand in your way... cops, reporters, determined relatives, nosy fucking neighbors... next thing you know, you're on tilt, you can't                  think straight, you're clocking your teacher in front of the whole class, me... I'm hitting a damned deer...                  Man, that was some shitty luck. (then) Anyway, it's pretty clear how we've                  gotta clean this up. The irony is, you've done all the hard stuff. Whaddaya think: "Troubled youth                  finally snapped." Maybe because he                  was jealous of his girlfriend, or                   maybe he just couldn't deal with the guilt from not saving daddy. (off Kale) Hey, you Googled me.

Giles steps away, turns back to the bed as Kale suddenly does SNAP. He leans forward, grabs the LCD computer monitor with his taped wrists, stands, whirls around, and HURLS it     at GILES, SMACKING HIM on the side of his head -- a one in a      hundred shot! Giles goes down.

But the forward momentum of Kale's throw combined with his taped ankles causes him to lose his balance. Kale falls to     the floor, scrambles for the BASEBALL BAT just inches away --

GILES

staggers to his feet and charges Kale. Kale grabs the bat, rolls around and swings up at Giles, WHACKING HIM IN THE CHEST. Giles doubles over as Kale frantically plants the bat on the floor, using it as a "cane" to pull himself back to his feet. He HOPS toward Giles, raises the bat, swings it, but Giles anticipates, grabs the bat, pulls it forward, and REVERSE JABS KALE in the face! Kale staggers back, but somehow keeps his balance and the bat. He spins around, hops to the door into...

104  INT. 2ND FL HALLWAY - NIGHT - CONTINUOUS                           104

Kale rounds the corner and runs smack into ASHLEY. The collision sends Kale back to the floor.

ASHLEY KALE --

Ashley leans down to Kale. Kale gestures with his eyes and head: BEHIND YOU! Ashley gets the message, whirls around just as Giles GRABS HER. Ashley SCREAMS and knees Giles.

(CONTINUED)    D.J. Caruso

101.

104  CONTINUED:                                                        104

He drops her to the floor. Ashley scrambles for Kale, helps him to his feet, pulls Kale back down the hall to...

105  INT. DAD'S OFFICE - NIGHT - CONTINUOUS                           105

Ashley shoves Kale inside as she spins back, SLAMS the office door in Giles' face, locks it. Giles BANGS on the door.

Ashley goes to Kale, RIPS the duct tape off his mouth. Kale SCREAMS in PAIN as Ashley heads for the desk phone.

KALE It's dead.

Ashley grabs a pair of scissors off dad's desk, cuts Kale's     ankles and hands free. Kale reaches down to the ankle bracelet, furiously tugs at it.

ASHLEY Let me try --

Ashley moves in, tries to cut it loose with the scissors as     Giles suddenly SLAMS SOMETHING against the door, trying to      break it down!

ASHLEY (CONT'D)                  Where's your mom --

KALE (tugging on bracelet) Living room -- tied up -- he got Ronnie -- in the kitchen -- (then; re: bracelet) GODDAMN YOU!!

ASHLEY (giving up with                       scissors) Okay, just -- I'll get your mom, you figure out a way to call the cops --

KALE No, I've gotta get her --

ASHLEY Kale, you've gotta get outside, get over the boundary -- do you hear me?

KALE (beat; then; an idea                       sparking) Okay, but -- just follow my lead -- we're gonna need stuff --

(CONTINUED)  D.J. Caruso

102.

105  CONTINUED:                                                         105

Ashley and Kale glance around for weapons. Ashley pockets the scissors, grabs a letter opener off dad's desk. Kale finds his racketball racket and the ball. Pockets the ball, slips the racket in the back of his shorts, then grabs the baseball bat as he heads for the bookshelves near the door that leads to the outside porch. He reaches up, runs his fingers to the third book on the middle shelf, pulls it out, flips it open to reveal a KEY that drops in his hand.

KALE (CONT'D)                  Once I have his attention, you go                   get her.

Ashley nods. Kale takes the key, heads to the porch door, unlocks it with a quiet CLICK. He swings the door open, steps out onto...

106  EXT. 2ND FL PORCH - NIGHT - CONTINUOUS                            106

Kale raises the bat, swings it at the 2nd floor hallway window that separates the interior of the house from the porch. The window SHATTERS. Kale tosses the bat back to Ashley.

KALE (to Giles O.S.) We're out here, asshole!

There's a lull in the thunder. All becomes eerily quiet for a beat as Kale waits for Giles to appear at the window. He     glances back at Ashley who ducks behind the wall inside dad's      office -- she glances to the office door. No more BANGING. She shrugs to Kale: "where is he?"

Another beat, then suddenly -- a FLASH OF LIGHTNING reveals

GILES

Standing in the other porch doorway BEHIND KALE!

ASHLEY Kale!

Kale whirls around just as Giles reaches out, grabs him by     the throat, pulls him off his feet and HURLS KALE through the shattered window into the hallway!

ASHLEY (CONT'D)                  NO!   You son of a --

Ashley charges out onto the porch with the bat. Swings it     at Giles who promptly RIPS it from her hand and hurls it off the porch. Ashley whips out the letter opener, spins around, about to stab Giles, but he backhands her. Ashley falls, SMACKS her head on the porch railing.

(CONTINUED)  D.J. Caruso

103.

106  CONTINUED:                                                          106

She drops to the floor, half conscious as Giles picks up the letter opener, turns his attention back to the 2nd floor hallway window --

HIS POV - THE HALLWAY - KALE'S GONE.

WHIP PAN to behind Giles -- REVEAL KALE - CHARGING OUT the same porch door Giles just came out! Kale uses his FULL BODY WEIGHT to SHOVE Giles back through the SAME BROKEN WINDOW and into the hallway!

KALE Ashley! Are you okay?

ASHLEY I wanna kill him --

KALE Stick to the plan --

Over this, Kale pulls Ashley to her feet. They share a smile as Ashley ducks into the porch door leading to Kale's room. Kale turns back --

KALE'S POV - A BLOODY GILES

Gets to his feet and heads toward the window. Kale turns for the ladder, starts climbing up.

Giles pursues, steps out the window as we see Ashley, in the b.g., appear from Kale's bedroom and race for the stairs!

107  EXT. ROOF - NIGHT - CONTINUOUS                                     107

Kale reaches the top of the ladder, steps onto the roof, but Giles, from below, HEAVES THE LADDER UPWARD, tripping Kale. Kale SLAMS down on the roof, smacks the back of his head.

KALE'S BLURRY POV - against a fury of lightning flashes, Giles races up the ladder and steps onto the roof. Stalks toward Kale.

Kale gets to his feet, draws the racketball racket from his shorts, takes out the ball, assumes a professional looking serving position and WHAM! Kale beams the ball at Giles -- and misses completely.

KALE That was a warning!

Giles rushes Kale who wails on him with the racket. Giles ducks, spins around, brings his fist up and punches Kale in     the chest.

(CONTINUED)   D.J. Caruso

104.

107  CONTINUED:                                                            107

Kale drops the racket. It slides away down the roof as Kale doubles over. But Giles grabs Kale before he can fall. He     pulls Kale up off his feet, pulls him closer, gets in his face. Kale summons some strength, tilts his head up and HEADBUTTS GILES.

Giles stumbles back, pulling Kale with him. Giles SLAMS down on the roof. He and Kale roll down the incline and stop just short of the edge --

Kale looks over, spots his STEREO SPEAKER a few feet away.

108  INT. LIVING ROOM - NIGHT - CONTINUOUS                                108

Ashley rounds the corner, heads to Julie.

ASHLEY Hi, Mrs. Brecht, I'm Ashley -- (re: duct tape) It's gonna hurt.

Julie nods as Ashley RIPS the tape off Julie's mouth.

JULIE (not flinching) Where's Kale?

109  EXT. ROOF - NIGHT - CONTINUOUS                                       109

Kale HURLS the speaker at Giles', SMACKING him hard. Giles shakes it off, grabs the speaker wire --

WITH KALE - he gets to his feet, heads back up the roof as     Giles suddenly whips out the letter opener and hurls it like a THROWING KNIFE at Kale.

The letter opener embeds itself in the back of Kale's thigh. Kale screams, falls to his knees.

CU - Kale cringes from the pain as Giles, now right behind him, wraps the SPEAKER WIRE around Kale's NECK and pulls. Kale grabs for it as Giles chokes the life out of him. Kale only has one chance. He reaches behind his leg, grabs the embedded letter opener, RIPS it away, twirls it in his hand and shoves it back into Giles' stomach!

Giles recoils as Kale flings himself away from the choke- hold, falls back to the roof, rolls down and PLUMMETS to --

110  EXT. GARAGE ROOF - NIGHT - CONTINUOUS                                110

Kale hits HARD, the wind knocked out of him. He looks over, sees his racketball racket lying there. He grabs it, looks back up.

(CONTINUED)   D.J. Caruso

105.

110  CONTINUED:                                                           110

KALE'S POV - Giles stands on the upper roof, smiles as he     brings up the letter opener.

Kale's eyes widen. He pulls himself to his feet, and sidearms the racket up at Giles. The racket spins through the air like a boomerang and miraculously smacks Giles in the hand, knocking the letter opener away!

WITH KALE - he whirls around, races toward the edge of the roof... and JUMPS.

ANGLE: FOLLOWING BEHIND KALE IN MID AIR, WE CRANE UP AND OVER HIM PEERING DOWN TO REVEAL ASHLEY'S POOL!

ON THE ANKLE BRACELET - it FLASHES RED.

EXT. ASHLEY'S BACK YARD/SWIMMING POOL - NIGHT - CONTINUOUS

Kale drops into the pool with a tremendous SPLASH! He pulls himself to the surface, peers up --

KALE'S POV - the roof -- Giles is gone.

Kale frantically swims to the edge, pulls himself out --

111  INT. KITCHEN - NIGHT - MOMENTS LATER                                111

The kitchen door slowly pushes open. After a beat, Kale quietly steps in, heavily armed with a swimming pool LEAF- SKIMMING NET.

Another FLASH OF LIGHTNING illuminates the kitchen. Kale cautiously rounds the island, glances down: Ronnie's gone. He glances to the block of butcher knives -- empty.

Kale grabs a couple of table knives from the kitchen drawer, opts to keep the leaf-skimming net as he makes his way out of the kitchen and into...

112  INT. ENTRY HALL - NIGHT - CONTINUOUS                                112

Breathing hard, Kale glances around, up the stairs --   No      sign of Giles. He rounds the corner into...

113  INT. LIVING ROOM - NIGHT - CONTINUOUS                               113

Julie's GONE. Kale's eyes widen. He turns around    as ASHLEY suddenly jumps up from behind the sofa brandishing  a BUTCHER KNIFE! She exhales in relief at the sight of Kale   who rounds the back of the couch, sees Ronnie's body lying on  the floor next to the entire set of butcher knives.

KALE Where's my mom?

(CONTINUED)   D.J. Caruso

106.

113  CONTINUED:                                                          113

ASHLEY She went upstairs for you -- where's                  Giles?

KALE I don't know -- the cops should be                  here any sec --

The doorbell RINGS. Kale and Ashley whip their heads to the door. Kale throws a troubled glance out the window --

ASHLEY What's wrong?

KALE No flashing lights -- stay here --

Kale trades Ashley the net for the butcher knife. We then FOLLOW KALE into...

114  INT. ENTRY HALL - NIGHT - CONTINUOUS                               114

Still no sign of Giles -- Kale turns back to Ashley, then heads to the front door --

PEEPHOLE POV - Parker.

Kale swings the door open.

PARKER Kale, what's going on now?

KALE Parker, where's the cavalry?!

PARKER I told 'em don't bother, you were my                  responsibility --

KALE Parker, you need to get them here right now -- Giles is --

GILES (O.S.) Evening.

Parker turns to see Giles casually walking up the front steps.

KALE PARKER LOOK OUT, HE'S THE --

As Parker turns, Giles suddenly GRABS HER, spins her around and TWISTS HER NECK. Parker drops forward into the entry hall.

(CONTINUED)  D.J. Caruso

107.

114  CONTINUED:                                                         114

Kale stumbles back inside the door, tries to SLAM it closed, but Giles overpowers Kale, shoves the door open, knocking Kale to the floor. The butcher knife slides away under a     table.

Giles enters, kicks Parker's body out of the way and closes the door. He steps toward Kale as Ashley, from O.S. suddenly drops the LEAF-SKIMMING NET OVER HIS HEAD and furiously YANKS Giles back to the floor!

Kale gets to his feet, grabs a vase off the entry hall table and SMASHES it over Giles' head. Giles rolls away, only to     be KICKED HARD in the face by Ashley.

Kale and Ashley TAG TEAM Giles. But Giles finds an opening and elbows both Ashley and Kale back to the floor. Kale scrambles for the butcher knife back down the entry hall.

Giles gets to his feet, pounds after Kale who slides the butcher knife out from under the table. But Giles suddenly STOMPS down on Kale's hand.

Giles lifts his foot up. Kale pulls his hand away. Giles kicks the knife away, grabs Kale up, SLAMS him against the staircase banister, splintering it.

Kale drops back to the floor. Giles leans down to pick him up when the BUTT OF A SHOTGUN suddenly SLAMS into the back of Giles' head! Giles tumbles forward, spins around to see

JULIE

standing on the staircase with a 12-GAUGE SHOTGUN -- KABOOM!

Julie BLOWS GILES BACK INTO THE WALL! -- And THAT'S WHERE HE STAYS.

Julie races down to Kale, hugs him tight. Ashley comes to, slowly makes her way over and joins the huddle...

DISSOLVE TO:

MONTAGE

115  EXT. NEIGHBORHOOD - DAWN                                          115

- Police, squad cars, ambulances surround Kale's and Giles' houses...

- CRIME SCENE TECHS tape off Giles' entire back yard...

116  INT. LIVING ROOM - DAWN                                           116

- SUITED detectives jot notes as they question Kale, Ashley, Julie...

(CONTINUED)    D.J. Caruso

108.

116  CONTINUED:                                                          116

- Kale hands the detective the VIDEO TAPE...

117  INT. GILES' HOUSE                                                  117

- DETECTIVES and CRIME SCENE TECHS slide the bookcase away to reveal the body of the dead club girl... CAMERAS FLASH...

118  INT. KITCHEN - DAY                                                 118

- Kale sits on the island as CASE OFFICER #2 removes the ankle bracelet. Julie and Ashley watch in the b.g...

119  EXT. GILES' BACK YARD - DAY                                        119

- Crime scene techs excavate portions of Giles' back yard...

- A crime scene tech waves his colleagues over, points down...

- GLOVED HANDS of techs gently clear the damp earth away to     reveal an ARM and HAND... and matted strands of RED HAIR...

120  EXT. GILES' FRONT YARD - DAY                                       120

- A REPORTER stands at the end of Giles' driveway as CRIME TECHS carry body bags to the coroner's van in the b.g...

REPORTER ...the body of Partricia Walsh, missing since last week, has been recovered along with the remains of                  at least three other women. Authorities say Giles meticulously maintained his yard, mowing the lawn routinely in order to avoid the formation of sinkholes which could have exposed his terrible secret...

HARD CUT TO:

121  INT. COUNSELOR'S OFFICE - DAY                                      121

A cleaner-cut Kale sits across from a COUNSELOR.

KALE (beat) He was my best friend. We always talked about what guys talk about...                  sports, women... food... We were talking about the freakin' fish -- this huge, amazing black bass we'd                  just caught -- and how we'd be eating it for a week... the next thing I                  know -- I can't hold on... and he's                  letting go... I was so pissed at                              (MORE)

(CONTINUED)   D.J. Caruso

109.

121  CONTINUED:                                                               121

KALE (CONT'D)                  him, I was so -- he's the one who left, he's the one who gave up, you know? -- But that's b.s. See, the truth is, my dad -- He saved me.

122  INT. 2ND FL HALL OUTSIDE DAD'S OFFICE - DAY                             122

CU - The doorknob. A hand slowly enters frame.

WIDER TO REVEAL Kale and Julie stand outside the door that's     now been fixed.

JULIE You ready?

123  INT. DAD'S OFFICE - DAY - CONTINUOUS                                    123

Kale and Julie enter with two large boxes, set them on the floor. They both take breaths, then -- start sifting through dad's things, deciding which items to keep and which to box up... As they carefully consider each one we slowly PULL BACK and

HARD CUT TO:

BINOCULAR POV - Giles' house. The yard's been completely put back together. We are...

124  INT. KALE'S BEDROOM - WEEKS LATER                                       124

CU - KALE intently watches. Then:

KALE Movement.

Ashley joins him at the window.

THEIR POV - Julie, wearing her realtor business suit, walks a YOUNG COUPLE up Giles' driveway and into the back yard...

ASHLEY Why's your mom doing this again?

KALE She's whacked. Plain and simple. I                  think she thought it'd be some sick challenge or something -- hey, commission's the same I guess...

They watch as Julie points out the yard to the couple. The couple turns back to the house. Julie suddenly spins around and gives a quick sotto "thumbs up" to Kale and Ashley!

(CONTINUED)  D.J. Caruso

110.

124  CONTINUED:                                                           124

KALE (CONT'D)                  No way. She can't be serious.

ASHLEY Hey, if anyone can spin a psycho house into the opportunity of a                  lifetime, I'd bet on your mom any day of the week.

KALE (re: the couple) Fine, but we still have to seriously question the yayhoos buying the place.

ASHLEY Whaddaya think, another stakeout?

KALE (tossing the binoculars) Screw that. My mom has another half hour over there at least.

Kale pulls Ashley back to the bed. They kiss, but then suddenly stop -- sensing something O.S. They both slowly shift their heads to see --

THEIR POV - Ronnie, with a head bandage, stands in the doorway, aiming his DV camera straight at them.

RONNIE (don't mind me) I'm not even here.

Off this we --

SMASH TO BLACK.