Originally broadcasted 12/18/07

Happy Birthday, Grandpa!

– Rob x’s

 

Fade In:

Ext.

Phnom Penh, Cambodia – Day

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Phnom Penh, Cambodia

A.D. 1963

A handsome middle-aged man wound his way amidst the other pedestrians. On the street, rickshaws and automobiles vied for space. Customers haggled with merchants selling everything from shoes to fish. Police officers, openly armed, strolled along the sidewalk in pairs. Everyone made room for them. The beggars left them alone.

The handsome man turned into a side street before they could spot him.

Phnom Penh’s side streets were a maze winding around each other. Despite this, most were relatively broad and, as a result, anything but dark. The handsome man moved among the crowds, these lacking tourists or, for the most part, anyone not ethnically Cambodian. No Europeans here. Few Chinese or Vietnamese. He fit in quite easily. The route he followed was elaborate, but his movements were steady. He did not run. He did not even walk quickly. His glances around him, while often, were not enough to arouse suspicion.

At length, he reached the house. His detour had cost him nearly half an hour.

Cut To:

Int.

Living Room – Day

The handsome man entered through the back of the house. Not a single move was hurried or tentative. Roughly to the side was the living room, which he entered without fanfare.

A dozen others awaited him. They, like him, were ethnic Cambodian. Ages ranged from late thirties to early fifties. Most wore simple clothes, of a type that in far-off America would be termed “white collar.” Over half wore glasses. All were men. All were also seated, and their attention was not on the handsome man’s entrance. They stared at the Stranger. The Stranger who was now putting something away into his pocket before turning to the handsome man.

For the first time, the handsome man reacted. He blinked, startled. The Stranger did not look human. His ears were pointed, his eyes red. Some of his skin looked more like hide than flesh. When he spoke, prominent incisors increased the effect.

“Ah,” the Stranger said pleasantly, “this would be your temporary Chairman?”

“Who are you?” The handsome man’s attention, aimed now at the stranger, was curiously intense.

“Doesn’t matter,” said the Stranger. “It hasn’t for many years. More than you would believe. Suffice to say I represent an…admirer. No, that wouldn’t be accurate. Let us say, someone who approves of your leadership.”

The handsome man barely reacted. “Why are you wearing this?” He made a gesture at the face. “Is this an example of Russian humor?”

“Again,” said the Stranger, “it does not matter. Congratulations.”

“For what?”

Now one of the dozen men stood. “In your absence, we have voted,” he said.

“Until a new election is held, no meeting may be said to formally begin until I am present,” said the handsome man.

“Does not matter,” repeated the Stranger.

“Our vote is unanimous,” said the one standing. “You, Pol Pot, are confirmed as Secretary of the General Committee.” Every single one of the remaining eleven nodded their heads.

“What of Vann?”

“I have withdrawn myself from consideration,” answered an elderly man still seated.

“We are agreed,” resumed the standing man. “You are the natural leader. You will shape the policies and future of the Party. You will guide us to our own, uniquely Cambodian Communism and lead us to power. Yours will be the voice to which we listen. Yours the ideas we shall learn and implement. We place the future of the revolution in your hands.”

Pol Pot stared at all dozen Central Committee members. He then looked at the Stranger.

“Congratulations,” whispered the Stranger, as he turned to go.

“Wait…”

“That I cannot do. So many places to be, and people to meet. And you have a lot to do yourself, do you not?” The Stranger passed out of the room without a second glance. Pol Pot nearly took a step to follow, but the rest of the Central Committee rose as one.

“Lead us,” said Vann. “Tell us what to do.”

Fade to Black

Fade In:

Int.

Giles and Becca’s House – Bedroom – Late Night

Cleveland

Present Day

The incessant mechanical sound of the second hand of the bedside clock only fuelled Giles’s frustration further. He tossed and turned, pulling the covers up, pushing them down.

A burdened sigh passed his lips as he came to rest on his sweaty back. His eyes were wide open, staring at the white ceiling. He turned his head toward the mocking face of the clock beside him. With another sigh, Giles crept out of bed. He was careful not to wake Becca, who seemed dead to the world.

Cut To:

Int.

Watchers Council – Kennedy’s Apartment – Same Time

Kadin lay on her side with one arm over her head, her breathing heavy, the covers tucked around her waist.

The bottom of the window was cracked open slightly. The white net curtains billowed in the cool night air and brushed against Kennedy’s legs as she stood staring out at the streets below. She crossed her arms against her chest. Through bloodshot eyes. she stared at nothing in particular.

Kadin groaned, and Kennedy’s head shot round to see her lover stretching and turning on her other side. She let out a relieved sigh when Kadin didn’t awaken, then returned to gazing through the window.

Cut To:

Int.

Giles and Becca’s House – Kitchen – Moments Later

The boiling kettle hummed into the still night. Giles poured the water into a mug already filled with a teabag, floating atop the milk, and began to stir.

Cut To:

Int.

Watchers Council – Kennedy’s Apartment – Moments Later

Kennedy sat on the edge of her bathtub, her hands clasped together, her eyes staring at the tile floor. A noise from one of the other rooms broke her catatonic stare. It sounded like voices.

Cautiously, she got to her feet and left the bathroom, passing through the bedroom and into the open plan living room. The voices were louder now. They were still muffled, but definitely loud, and feminine.

Kennedy marched forward, threw open the front door and looked to her right and then to her left. Two slayers were using the opposite wall as support as they made their way down the hall. The two girls laughed and giggled, looking rather tipsy.

“Hey! Some of us are trying to sleep!” Kennedy shouted down the hall.

The pair of slayers did a stumbling one-eighty. One of them looked at the other and put a finger to her mouth, shushing her. “Do you know what time it is?”

“Yep,” the other slayer said. Then she raised her bottle. “It’s party time!”

Kennedy let out a heavy sigh and went back inside. She put her back to the closed door and shut her eyes. She heard the slayers’ drunken banter grow softer as they moved away.

Cut To:

Int.

Giles and Becca’s House – Hallway – Moments Later

The door to Liz’s room quietly swung open. Giles stood in the doorway with his cup of tea and watched his daughter slumber. She lay spread-eagle on her stomach, with the blankets kicked to the bottom of the bed.

She whimpered slightly as her hand reached out for the covers. Giles gingerly came inside and pulled them up, and in an instant she became content.

He smiled and gently stroked her hair. After a moment, he stood up, left the room, and pulled the door closed, being careful not to make the lock click. Giles walked further down the hall and came to Martin’s room. The door was ajar, and he popped his head inside.

His tiny son was out for the count, his arms wrapped around a plush bunny that he held close to his chest. The mobile of toy boats and airplanes above his crib continued its slow arc.

Cut To:

Int.

Watchers Council – Slayer Gym – Moments Later

Kennedy slipped her hands into a pair of boxing gloves and then started to circle the punching bag. Left jab. Right jab.

Cut To:

Int.

Giles and Becca’s House – Study – Same Time

Bathed in the warm glow of his ornate lamp, Giles tapped his pen against an empty page in a notepad. He sat up straight, cocked his head from side-to-side and then stared back down at the page.

He sighed.

 

Cut To:

Int.

Watchers Council – Slayer Gym – Same Time

Kennedy’s punches became more intense and her footwork lighter as she continued to circle the bag. She spun around and kicked the bag, sending it swinging backwards.

Cut To:

Int.

Giles and Becca’s House – Study – Same Time

Pen poised, Giles placed the nib at the top left margin. His face creased with the strain as the pen in his hand quaked in his tight grasp. He barked under his breath and threw his pen across the room with tremendous force.

Cut To:

Int.

Watchers Council – Slayer Gym – Same Time

As the bag swooped down towards Kennedy, she pulled back her right arm and, at the right moment, thrust it forward into the leather bag. The sheer power ripped the punching bag from its moorings and sent it flying against the mirrored wall opposite her.

Cut To:

Int.

Giles and Becca’s House – Study – Same Time

Giles put a hand to his mouth once he slammed the notebook shut. As he looked back up, he caught sight of himself in the glass cabinet to his right.

“If you’re going to step in, mate, now would be a good time.”

Cut To:

Int.

Watchers Council – Slayer Gym – Same Time

The punching bag toppled over and crashed to the wood-laminate floor. Kennedy stepped forward and stared at the cracked mirror. Her reflection stared back at her with the same solemn expression, reflected in dozens of broken shards.

Cut To:

Int.

Giles and Becca’s House – Bathroom – Moments Later

Giles stood upright from leaning over the sink and dabbed his mouth with a washcloth. He placed the washcloth down, sniffed, coughed and then became still as he stared back at his reflection.

Another sigh.

He ran his hand through his dusty hair, turned his head from side to side, showed his teeth, and finally touched the skin of his face. It was becoming slack and wizened, and there were dark purple rings under his red eyes.

Cut To:

Int.

Watchers Council – Kennedy’s Apartment – Moments Later

Kadin moved closer and laid her arm across Kennedy, who was now lying in bed beside her. Disinterested, Kennedy gently moved Kadin’s arm down. Subconsciously Kadin snuggled up closer, resting her head on Kennedy’s shoulder.

Kennedy sighed and turned her head away to the side.

Her eyes fluttered closed.

Cut To:

Int.

Giles and Becca’s House – Bedroom – Late Night

The floorboards creaked as Giles made his way back into his bedroom. Beside his bed, he pushed his slippers off and tossed his bathrobe over a chair. Diligently, he pulled back the covers and slid into bed. Becca shifted slightly and moaned.

“Kids okay?” she slurred, still half asleep.

“Fine,” was his response. He glanced over to her and saw she lay on her side with her back to him as she drifted off once again. He reached out and brushed her hair with his fingers.

“I love you,” he said softly.

She mumbled the same.

He pulled his pillow down into place and rested back, his eyes staring back at the ceiling.

Then, after a few moments, he closed his eyes.

Fade to Black

End of Teaser