Episode #304 - "Secrets and Lies"

[Joey and Bunny are sitting in his car on a mountain overlooking the city]

Joey: Oh God, I love this town-- Looking down from here, it's like seeing the lights on a chritsmas tree! You know? It's magic.

Bunny: Ahh. That's nice, joey.

Joey: Yeah.

[Bunny starts to light a cigarette]

Joey: What'd i tell ya about smokin' in the car, huh?

Bunny: Gimme a break!

Joey: You gimme a break! I quit. I can't be around that stuff no more, so get out! Come on, go over there.

Bunny: It's cold outside!

Joey: I don't care! Go! Smoke over there.

Bunny: Fine!

Joey: Come on! Go ahead.

Bunny: Shut up!

Joey: Hey, those things are gonna kill you, you know.

Bunny: No! You're gonna kill me!

Joey: Yeah, right.

Bunny: Bastard.

Joey: Puff your brains out.

Bunny: Oh, shut up. You make me sick. Come on! (The lighter won't work)

[There is a bright flash of light, and Bunny sees a glowing man walking away- She runs back to the car, and sees Joey's burned body on the front seat.

[Police siren- the next day the scene is covered by police]

Cop 1: so...How's a guy burn to death in his car without leaving behind so much as a scorch mark? A female witness said she saw an otherworldly figure.

Cop 2: Any evidence of this guy?

Cop 1: No footprints. No tire tracks. Nothin'.

Cop 1: So what do you think it was... Lightning strike or spontaneous human combustion?

Cop 2: The registration has the guy as joseph ferrini, jr.

Cop 1: Anything else?

Cop 2: Got some repair bills-the tire gauge... this might be something Looks like a license plate number. N.M. New mexico?

Cop 1: Let's run it.

[Knock on door]

Deputy: max evans?

Max: Is something wrong?

Deputy: Deputy brown- Roswell Sheriff's Department. I need to ask you a few questions about a homicide investigation.

Deputy: you recognize this man?

Max: No.

Deputy: You sure?

Max: Yeah. Who is he?

Deputy: His name is joey ferrini, and his death is being investigated as a possible homicide. Your licence plate number turned up in his glove compartment in los angeles. You want to tell me why?

Max: I don't know. I mean, I've only had the car for a couple of months. Maybe this has something to do with the previous owner.

Deputy: Yeah. Maybe. Since this isn't officially a homicide case yet, I can't take you in. Of course the fact that you were arrested for armed robbery in Utah a few weeks ago does tempt me.

Max: Those charges were dropped.

Deputy: Yeah, I know. Ha ha. Must be nice having a daddy who's a lawyer, huh? Just wanted you to know that i know. And I'll be watching you.

Max: Great. This is all I need.

Joey: (In Michael's memory) I got a message for your friend max. Stop looking.

Michael: Max, i know the dead guy.

[Scene switches to Max and Liz talking]

Liz: So he's the same guy that wanted us to stop looking for your ship.

Max: The deputy told me that he died under mysterious circumstances. The police are looking into it as a freak lightning strike, but...

Liz: But you think that an alien killed him.

Max: But not just an alien. A shapeshifting alien. Nasedo killed the exact same way.

Liz: Nasedo's dead.

Max: There were 2 shapeshifters who were sent down with us on our ship before it crashed. Yeah, nasedo's dead. I saw that with my own eyes. But...I don't know. What about the other one? Maybe...Maybe he's still out there. Maybe he's the one who sent fellini to utah to warn us off, and maybe he's the one who killed him.

Liz: How do you know that he's not gonna try and kill you, too?

Max: Liz... I just keep on having these visions of my son. I know this is risky, and I know that I don't have much to go on, but I...

Liz: You have to contact your son, and the shapeshifter's the only one who might know how. So where do we start?

Max: L.A.

Liz: L.A. Right. Right. Let's go.

Max: Liz. This thing with your dad...

Liz: That's not the point.

Max: I can do this on my own.

Liz: Well, at least i've been to l.A.

Max: I'm not sure disneyland counts as L.A. Look, this could be dangerous. This time I think it would be better if i went alone.

Liz: So what am i supposed to do... Just go to class? Pretend like everything's fine?

Max: You'll be in on every step along the way. I promise.

Liz: I'll miss you.

Max: Not like i'll miss you.

[In the classroom]

Teacher: And our last team will be miss parker and mr. Valenti. Miss parker? What do you say to that?

Kyle: Say yes.

Liz: Yes. I say yes.

Teacher: Good. I'm sure you and mr. Valenti will make a great team. Now let's talk about equipment.

Kyle: Thanks, partner.

Liz: Partner what?

Teacher: The job of the investigative journalist is to tell... The truth... No matter how uncomfortable or unpleasant that may be. So your assignment this week is to take these cameras, go out into the world, and try to find the truth and capture it on film, or in this case, on tape.

[Jim Valenti comes to the door, and waves for Kyle to come over]

Jim: I, uh...

Kyle: What's goin' on?

Jim: I got a phone call from the doctor at the nursing home this morning. There's been another incident with your grandfather. I need you to go over there and deal with this.

Kyle: Dad--

Jim: kyle... I need you to do this.

Liz: >What's going on?

[Jesse is giving Isabel her engagement ring]

Isabel: Oh, my god, jesse, I'M...I'M...

Jesse: Speechless.

Isabel: Yeah. But jesse, it's...

Jesse: Beautiful? I know. Its 2 months' salary.

Isabel: It's gorgeous, but I can'T.

Jesse: What--believe it?

Isabel: Wear it.

Jesse: The guy said champagne color was in this year.

Isabel: It's perfect. The ring is perfect. You're perfect. But if i wear it, it just announces to the world that we're engaged.

Jesse: Which we are.

Isabel: Right. But the world doesn't know that yet.

Jesse: Oh, so you still haven't figured out how to tell your parents.

Isabel: Well, it's complicated.

Jesse: Max moved out, and they're freaked about it.

Isabel: Right. And they don't know that we're dating.

Isabel: Is that guy watching us?

Jesse: Isabel, don't try to avoid the subject.

Isabel: Right. You know what? You know what i'm gonna do? I'm gonna start with my mom, ok? I'll talk to her tonight. I promise. It's perfect.

[Liz and Kyle are in the nursing home]

Kyle: Oh, god. This should only take a few minutes. Usually he just like... Spills his soup or cereal or something-- excuse me--

Kyle: and I have to, like, clean it up, and that's it. After that, we can go home.

Liz: Isn't this something that your father should be doing himself?

[Sighs]

Kyle: yeah, should be, but he won't. He hasn't come to visit him in over a year.

Liz: Well, how come?

Kyle: I don't know. Might have something to do with the fact that my grandfather lost his job searching for aliens and ruined my dad's life.

Liz: But there are aliens. Your grandfather was right, and your father knows that.

Kyle: Liz, if you're going to start to point out the ironies in my family, I warn you: They never stop.

[Sighs]

Liz: You know... This might be the perfect place to find something for class. When you think of all the stories that are just... Locked up here, you know? The true stories of heartache, love and loss, and the pain.

Kyle: Liz. Liz. There are no stories here that i'm even remotely interested in.

Liz: You sure about that?

[Kyle's grandfather is sitting staring into space. Food and clothes are thrown all around the room.]

Liz: Do you think we should start cleaning this up?

Kyle: Now? We just found our story. We're about to blow the doors off this place.

Liz: We are?

Kyle: Yep. Show the folks at home the outrageous conditions the elderly are supposed to live in.

Liz: Didn't your grandfather make this mess himself?

Kyle: Look at these ceiling tiles. It's all water damaged-- it's unbelievable. How do they expect anybody to live like this?

Liz: Is he always like this?

Kyle: Pretty much.

Liz: You don't ever talk to him?

Kyle: Sure, yeah. It's pretty much a one-way conversation.

Liz: Hi, mr. Valenti. Hi. I'm liz parker. I'm a friend of your grandson'S.

[Laughs] and your son, actually. Oh. Would you like me to read to you? My grandfather always used to like that.

Liz: "Mysterious objects streak across skies in texas. "Several eye witness reports out of the lone star state confirm--"

[Grandpa Valenti grabs Liz's arm]

Grandpa Valenti: they are among us! They are among us!

[Scene switches to Max driving in LA]

[cell phone rings]

Max: hello?

Liz: Hey, so how's l.A.?

Max: Big.

[Honk honk]

Man: shut up and learn how to drive!

Max: And very friendly.

Liz: Yeah. It sounds like it. Uh, look, I have a theory about how to track down the shapeshifter.

Max: Right.

Liz: Ok. No matter how many times nasedo changed his appearance, he always returned to one particular shape.

Max: Ed harding.

Liz: Yeah.

Liz: Now, why is that? He could have been anyone.

Max: So why keep going back to a middle-aged bald man?

Liz: Exactly. What if the shapeshifters can change their appearance, but it's only temporary. Eventually they have to return to their base form.

Max: Makes sense.

Liz: Come on, would i steer you wrong?

Max: I don't suppose you could steer me towards the hollywood cemetery.

Liz: Yeah. I can't help you there, but good luck with that.

Max: Thanks.

Liz: Bye.

[Scene switches to a funeral- Max walks up to the crowd.]

Minister: "So great is his mercy "towards them that fear him. "As far as the east is from the west, "so far hath he removed our transgressions from us. "Like as a father pityeth his children, "so the lord pityeth them that fear him. "For he knoweth our frame; "he remembereth that we are dust. "As for man, his days are as grass. As a flower..."

Agent: Who are you? Friend or family?

Max: I'm a cousin.

Agent: Funny, joey never told me he had any cousins, and, um... Joey told me everything.

Max: He did?

Agent: Oh, yeah. Yeah. We were close, joey and me. Like brothers. No secrets between us. And now I find out he had this whole family he never even told me about?

Bunny: Shh!

Max: I'm only a... A distant cousin.

Agent: Do you have representation? Agent. Do you have an agent?

Bunny: Please!

[Whispers]

Agent: ok! We'll talk after.

[The agent hands Max his card]

Minister: "Grant this, "we beseech thee, o merciful father, through jesus christ..."

[Kyle and Liz are working with the camera at Kyle's house]

Kyle: You're supposed to say action.

Liz: Kyle, just start.

[Sighs]

Liz: fine. Action.

Kyle: In my hand, I hold a billing statement for the sunrise retirement facility, my grandfather's nursing home. The exorbitant cost, over $1,200 a month... Outrageous, considering the sub-standard care he's receiving--

Jim: hey, guys. Filming something?

Kyle: Cut! Dad, you just ruined the shot. You ruined the shot.

Jim: Just grabbin' a beer.

Kyle: How was your gig?

Jim: It was great. Kit shickers are really comin' together.

Jim: Hey, um... Listen, did you take care of that little thing we talked about?

Kyle: Yeah.

Jim: Good.

Liz: That's it? Ask him about what your grandfather said.

Kyle: He's not gonna talk about it.

Liz: Well, let's find out.

Kyle: Liz--

[Liz walks into the living room, and begins filming Jim]

Jim: hey. Am I supposed to smile or wave or something?

Liz: Uh, well, actually, it's for a school project. Our assignment's to get the truth about something.

Jim: Hey, if you want, you can come down and film the band. We're musicians. Musicians are always searching for the truth.

Liz: Well, actually, I was a little bit more interested in you and your father.

Jim: Well... That's not really a subject that, uh...

Kyle: How come you haven't gone to see him for over a year?

Jim: It hasn't been that long.

Kyle: Oh, yes, it has. September 24, 2000. Grandpa has it marked on his calendar.

Jim: Turn that thing off. Turn that off. Who the hell did that? It wasn't him-- someone at the nursing home interfering in our--

Kyle: I marked it down, ok?

Jim: Why?

Kyle: Because it makes him happy.

Jim: Kyle, I don't think he even knows who we are anymore.

Liz: He said something to me today.

Jim: He spoke to you?

Liz: Actually, he grabbed me, and then he said something.

Jim: What?

Liz: They are among us. Do you have any idea what that would--

Jim: they are among us. They are among us is a "b" movie that was shot here in roswell back in the fifties. It's just a painful memory rattling around in an old man's brain.

Liz: Why is that a painful memory?

Jim: The leading lady in the film was killed during the production. My father was the sheriff at the time, so he headed up the investigation.

Jim: I told you about all this.

Kyle: No. You never talk about grandpa.

Jim: Anyway...My father was convinced that she was killed by an alien. But she wasn't. She died of A... A freak lightning strike.

[Isabel is on the phone]

Isabel: Yes, jesse. I'm gonna tell her. Right. Right. I know. Simple, clear, and fearless. Yeah. Ok, I gotta go. Wish me luck. Ok. Bye.

Mrs. Evans: Who was that?

Isabel: It was maria. Mom, i need to talk to you.

Mrs. Evans: It was max, wasn't it?

Isabel: Max? No--

Mrs. Evans: of course it was, isabel. I always know when you're lying. That wasn't maria, and you know it.

Isabel: You're right. It wasn't maria. It was-- mom, i need to--

Mrs. Evans: so, I mean, does max need money or-- or what?

Isabel: Mom. It wasn't max, ok? It wasn't max. I swear.

Mrs. Evans: Oh. Well, I--i just thought that, you know, after being gone from home for 3 weeks that he might just want to check in once in a while. Don't you think?

Isabel: Mom--

Mrs. Evans: I mean, you talk to him, right?

Isabel: Sure.

Mrs. Evans: Does he need money?

Isabel: I don't think so.

Mrs. Evans: Well, do me a favor, will you?

[Mrs. Evans hands money to Isabel]

Mrs. Evans: Just in case.

[Max returns to his car and he finds a note that says Go Home Max!- As Max is driving, his cell phone rings.]

Isabel: Max, it's me.

Max: Hey.

Isabel: Hey, when are you coming home? You're ripping out your mother's heart.

Max: I don't know yet.

Isabel: For the record, michael and I disapprove of you wandering around L.A. Looking for shapeshifters. You know, you could expose us or even get yourself killed. Have you thought of that?

Max: You know how important this is to me.

Isabel: I know. I know, finding your son. I understand that. But...Do you even have a plan, max?

Max: Yes, i have a plan. Well, sort of a plan.

Max: I'm getting an agent.

Isabel: What?

[Max is having lunch with the agent he met at the funeral]

Agent: Hit man, thug, convict, tough guy. Joey ferrini could play 'em all.

Max: So ferrini wasn't really a hit man?

Agent: Oh, well-- not recently.

Max: So what was joey in prison for?

Agent: You know, you really don't know very much about your cousin.

Max: He was my second cousin. Twice removed.

Agent: Assault. He was big on assault. Loved assaulting people. Which was why he's so convincing on screen.

Max: Uh, joey called me a couple of weeks ago from utah.

Agent: Yeah?

Max: Do you know what he was doing there?

Agent: You know, I didn't book that job. I gotta be straight with you, and I don't mean to disrespect the dead, but your cousin joey was not a great actor.

Agent: Now, you, on the other hand, you, my friend, you are on a completely different path. Let's talk tom cruise. Let's talk keanu reeves.

Max: I'm not an actor.

Agent: What, and keanu reeves is?

[Silent grimace] all you need is exposure.

Max: That's the last thing i need.

Agent: Oh, ho! Look, look! Look, look, look!

Max: Who's that?

Agent: Who's that? What, are you from kansas? Of course. That's why i love you!

Agent: That is kal langley. He is just the biggest, the most powerful producer in this whole town. Now you watch as i plant your name in his brain.

[Max looks up Joey's address in the agents PDA. The scene switches to Max entering Joey's apartment. His cell phone rings]

Max: hello?

Liz: I think I found something. I think the shapeshifter killed someone here in roswell in 1959.

Max: What do you mean?

Liz: You're chasing a serial killer, max. Look, an actress was killed on a movie location. The coroner said that she died of a freak lightning strike?

Max: Coincidence?

Liz: In roswell? There are no coincidences. Valenti's dad was sheriff at the time, and he knew that it was alien related, but nobody believed him.

Max: Did he have any suspects?

Liz: I don't know, but I'll find out.

Max: Thanks, liz. Thank you for helping me.

Liz: Yeah, well, you know, the sooner you find this guy, the sooner you come home. Look, my dad's coming. I gotta go.

Max: Bye.

Liz: Bye.

[Max is watching a tape of him researshing for Utah]

Bunny: Action.

Joey: I got a message... For your, uh, friend max. Stop...Lookin'.

Bunny: The person i work--

Joey: the person i work for will do whatever is necessary.

Bunny: And then i'm supposed to shoot.

Joey: And then i'm supposed to shoot.

Bunny: Go from the top. Start over. Do it over.

[Ejects tape]

Max: it was all an act.

[Joey's computer comes on and says "You've got mail. You've got mail... Max."]

[The screen says "I warned you Max, stay away"- Bunny walks in on Max with a gun drawn]

Bunny: What the hell are you doin' here? you've got about 3 seconds to tell me what's going on!

Max: Just relax. Take it easy.

Bunny: Talk!

Max: I'm trying to figure out who killed joey ferrini.

Bunny: The cops said he was hit by lightning.

Max: Well, the cops are wrong. He was murdered. You know i'm right, don't you?

Bunny: I tried telling them but they wouldn't believe me. They thought i was crazy.

Max: You're not crazy.

Bunny: I know joey was no angel, but I cared about him. Someone was out there that night. The cops said there were no footprints, but I saw someone.

Max: You were there when it happened? Can you show me?

[Max and Bunny arrive at the lookout point]

Bunny: This is the place. I, uh... I turned my back to light a cigarette, and then there was this... It was blinding. And then joey was dead.

Max: You said you saw someone.

Bunny: Yeah, yeah, there was this man- it was weird- it was like...He was glowing.

Max: And what did he look like?

Bunny: I didn't really get a good look...

Max: Hair color..clothes.. anything?

Bunny: I'm sorry you know, He went off that way, and just seemed to disappear.

Max: I saw that video of Joey rehearsing for his role up in Utah.

Max: Do you have any idea who...Cast him?

Bunny: Naw. I--I don't know. He wouldn't tell me. When he got back, he started acting really crazy. Talking about aliens and spaceships. I told him he was losin' it, so he stopped talkin' to me about it. He just said that he got the goods on someone... Someone big, and that it was gonna make him a rich man. That's it, isn't it? That's what killed him. What is it? What happened in utah?

Max: We should get going.

Bunny: At least tell me, am i in danger?

Max: Come on, let's go.

[Kyle and Liz are in the diner. They have a copy of the tape]

Liz: I can't believe this movie was ever released.

Kyle: I know. 87 minutes never seemed so long.

[An elderly woman enters the diner]

Mrs. Covendale: Are you liz?

Liz: Oh, yes! Ms. Covendall, hi. Nice to meet you. This is kyle valenti.

Mrs. Covendale: Oh, you look so much like your grandfather.

Kyle: Yeah, well... Genes, you know?

Mrs. Covendale: I was just so excited to get your call. How did you find me?

Liz: We got your name off one of those film history websites.

Kyle: Right here. It said that you did hair and makeup on they are among us.

Mrs. Covendale: Are you guys fans of the movie?

Kyle: Oh, just loved it.

Liz: It's my favorite.

Mrs. Covendale: It was a very exciting time. Roswell went totally hollywood.

Liz: Well, we were wondering if you could tell us anything about the actress that got killed on the movie.

Mrs. Covendale: Such a shame, what happened. Hit by lightning on a clear day. She was a gorgeous girl, a real hottie. That is what you call them now, isn't it?

Kyle: Yeah. I guess.

Mrs. Covendale: Well, anyway, rumor had it that this little hottie got caught up in some kind of love triangle with the lead actor and the clapper loader.

Kyle: My--my, um... My grandpa always believed that she was murdered.

Mrs. Covendale: Yes! Poor thing. He caused quite a stir with that whole alien business.

Liz: Do you remember if he had any suspects, anyone he might have accused of being an alien?

Mrs. Covendale: Sure! He thought it was the clapper loader.

[Scene switches to Max and Bunny in the car. Max is talking to Liz on his cell phone]

Max: What's a clapper loader?

Bunny: Oh! He's the guy who bangs the thing and goes, "take one, take two."

Max: Oh.

Liz: Who are you with?

Max: Uh... A friend. I'm just taking her back to her place.

Liz: Her place?

Max: I mean, I'm just dropping her off. She's helping me. We're getting off the subject.

Liz: Ok, uh... Well, here's the theory. If the clapper loader is the shapeshifter, then i'm thinking that maybe that's his base form.

Max: The body he always goes back to.

Liz: Right.

Liz: And if that's true, maybe if we can find out what this clapper loader looked like in 1959...

Max: He might still look like that today.

Liz: Exactly.

Max: Ok. So how do we find out what this guy looked like?

Liz: Well, he'll be on all the film. He's not in the actual movie, but he'll be in all the dailies.

Max: What are dailies?

Bunny: Dailies? Dailies are all the footage they shoot in one day. You know, like outtakes, bloopers, alternate angles. That stuff.

Max: Thanks.

Liz: I'm really glad that she's so helpful.

Max: Ahem. So how do we get ahold of 50-year-old dailies?

Liz: Well, I did some research, and I found out that the rights to they are among us were eventually sold to paramount pictures, so all of their dailies should be in their film vaults.

Max: God, i love you.

Liz: Well, did she hear that?

Max: Definitely.

Liz: Good. Call me when you find a way out to the paramount lot. Alone.

[Max drops Bunny off at her place]

Bunny: I, uh... Don't suppose you wanna... Come up. You know.

Max: Uh...Thanks, but...

Bunny: Eh! It was worth a shot.

Max: Forget about all this. Forget about joey and utah and the whole thing. It's important. Your life depends on it.

Bunny: And what about you? Should i forget about you?

Max: Especially me i don't want you ending up like joey.

Bunny: Ok. I hope that girl oh the phone knows how lucky she is.

[Bunny kisses Max on the cheek]

Bunny: Bye.

[Max meets the agent]

Max: I wanna be an actor.

Agent: I knew it. Didn't i know it? I absolutely knew it! First thing we gotta do is get you some head shots.

Max: I don't have time for head shots. I need an audition.

Agent: Hello, steven! Hello, martin, hello, francis. I got a new kid for ya. He's got ambition. He's got moxie. Hey, wait a minute. Did I just say moxie? Whoa! I haven't heard that expression in a long time! That could be the very next catch phrase. I should write that down.

[Max picks up a paper from the Agent's desk.]

Max: I want this audition. This one at paramount.

Agent: What? A guest shot on enterprise? Are you crazy? This is a big part. This is a major network show. It's a franchise. It's top of the food chain, kid.

Max: It says it's just a one-day role.

Agent: You're a trekkie, aren't ya? Oh, I knew it. I knew it. And as it so happens, I happen to have an in with the director on that particular episode.

Max: Good. Because I need to get on that lot today.

Agent: Ooh, my! We're gonna be high maintenance, aren't we? But that's all right. 'Cause i'm gonna make you a big star.

[Jesse and Isabel are talking]

Isabel: I don't know. My mom hasn't been looking very well lately. She might be coming down with something. This might not be the right time.

Jesse: Look, it's going to be fine, ok? You can do this.

Isabel: I can?

Jesse: Yes, of course you can. Just go in there and tell them.

Isabel: Ok. All right.

Jesse: Just go in and tell them. And remember, this is good news.

Isabel: Right. Good news. Good news.

Jesse: That's right.

Isabel: Ok.

[Isabel is having dinner with her parents]

Mrs. Evans: Oh, I used to love halloween when you were a little girl.

Mr. Evans: Remember the year you dressed up as madonna?

Mrs. Evans: Oh, and max was adam ant. Remember he dragged you all over town looking for that one perfect shirt he had to have.

Mr. Evans: Yeah. Yeah.

Mr. Evans: And the next year was the freddy krueger glove that he just had to have.

Mr. Evans: Have you heard from--

Mrs. Evans: philip.

Isabel: Ok, look. There's something I need to tell you both--

Mrs. Evans: about max?

Isabel: No. Not about max. It's about me. Ha ha. It's something i've been trying to say for days, but there's just been this weight over everything, and I thought maybe it wasn't the right time, you know, but then i thought, "it is the right time," because it is really good news. It's really, really... Really good news, and if there's anything that this family needs at this moment in time, it's a little joy, right? A little happiness. So, um...

Mrs. Evans: This doesn't sound like reallly good news,

Isabel: really it's...It'S...

Isabel: Mom...Dad...I'm getting married to Jesse from your office, you know?...

Isabel: ok, wow! Ha ha. I feel better. So...What should we eat?

[Inhales]

Liz: so your grandfather was right. The actress was killed by an alien.

Kyle: Yep.

Liz: That's it? Tell him what we found out!

Liz: Kyle, your grandfather was right. You have to tell your father.

Kyle: I don't think so.

Liz: Kyle, your family is a damn nightmare. Somebody has to break the cycle of silence.

Kyle: Yeah, someone should.

Liz: Yeah, someone should.

Kyle: Me? Why me? Why should i break the silence?

Liz: Who cares who breaks it? Just do it!

Kyle: Let me think about it.

Liz: No, no thinking. Just doing.

Liz: Mr. Valenti? Mr. Valenti, could you come in here please?

Kyle: Liz, you have no right to intrude on my dysfunctional--

Kyle: hey, dad.

Liz: Hi, mr. Valenti. Kyle here has something he'd like to talk to you about.

Jim: Oh, yeah? What's that?

Liz: I have to go. Have a really nice talk.

Jim: Kyle?

Kyle: It's nothin', nothin'.

Jim: 'K.

Kyle: Dad?

Jim: Hmm?

Kyle: I'd really hate for what's going on between you and grandpa to happen to us.

[Scene swithces to Jim visiting his father]

Jim: Good lookin' son of a gun, weren't ya? I guess it runs in the family.

[Sighs]

Jim: hey, uh... Dad, i gotta take off, all right? I got some stuff to do at home, so i'll see ya in a few days or something, and I'll... I'll see ya.

[Grandpa Valenti stands up, and points to the date on the calendar]

Jim: Hey. Come here. Come here. All right. Come on. Come on. I got ya. I got ya. Come on. Here we go. I know. It's all right. Listen, I'll get a pen, all right? And we'll, uh... And we'll mark today on your calendar... All right? then when I come back tomorrow, we can mark... We can mark that day, too.

[Scene switches to Max's audition at Paramount>

Jonathan Frakes: Next!

Max: Hey, mr. Frakes. Max evans. From roswell.

Jonathan Frakes: Oh. Nice to see you.

Max: the UFO convention, I Helped upgrade your hotel room.

Jonathan Frakes: That's right. Welcome to l.A. This is john billingsley from enterprise.

John Billingsley: How you doing?

Max: Hey.

Jonathan Frakes: That's ok. I'll get the door. Whenever you're ready, go ahead. It's all yours.

John Billingsley: I'm dr. Phlox of the starship enterprise.

Max: I am..."Korgan. "My people are called the bantoo.

[Speaking quickly] we claim this region of space."

John Billingsley: The enterprise is in a desperate situation. Rigellian fever has swept through the ship, and we urgently need a source of ryetallin.

Max: "You come to steal from us?"

John Billingsley: No.

Max: "If you do not leave our space immediately, "we will have no choice but to destroy your ship."

Jonathan Frakes: One minute. Hold on. This character korgan is an alien. He's an alien from another planet. And right now, I'm not feeling really like... Like you're an alien. Do you know what i mean? Do you wanna give it another shot? Just from the top. Whenever you're ready.

[Same delivery]

Max: "i am...Korgan. My people are the bantoo."

Jonathan Frakes: Much better. Thank you very much, max. Take care.

[Max meets his agent in the lot]

[Snickers]

Agent: gimme a call. We could set up an audition. I'm one of the few people in this town that will still see raw talent. You're a little too raw. I'm sorry. It's a tough business. Wait--my guy. My guy! Hey, you got it! You got it!

Max: I did?

Agent: Oh, I'm sure you got it.

Max: Really.

Agent: Absolutely. And if not, there's still buffy.

Max: You know, I'd like to look around for a while. My first time on a movie lot and all.

Agent: Still the wide-eyed innocent, huh? Don't lose that. We can milk that naivete for all its worth.

Agent: Go ahead. Knock yourself out. I got people on the lot i should go hassle anyway.

Max: Right

Agent: Oh--cart! Yo!

[Max opens the film valut. He is talking to Liz on the cell phone]

Liz: Max, he's threatened you twice already. The shapeshifter obviously knows you're there and wants you out of l.A.

Max: Liz, i'm close. I'm in the vault now.

Liz: Max this is making me nervous. He's been tracking you. Max?

Max: I found it.

Liz: Ok, well--hurry. Try to get a look at him and get out of there.

Liz: It doesn't matter where you look. You should be able to see him at the start of any shot.

Max: It's tough to make anything out.

Max: Hang on.

Liz: Max. Max?

Max: Oh, my god.

Liz: Max, what do you see?

Max: He's a movie producer. Liz, i know this guy. I saw him in a restaurant.

[Line goes dead] liz? Liz?

Shape Shifter: Congratulations, max. You found me.

Max: You're the shapeshifter. Why'd you kill ferrini?

Shape Shifter: Well... He figured out what i am... And that didn't work for me.

[The shapeshifter raises his hand and Max flies across the room]

Shape Shifter: I told you to stop lookin' for me.

[He raises his hand, and the film ingnites

[To Be Continued]