Characters:
Narrator
Drake
Macy Hayes
Paige
Julian
Stella Decker
Johnny Vasquez
Mama Wang
Tasha

Narrator: CIA Agent Jason Drake had spent the last few days being knocked out and tied up by women. Though this would not normally be a problem for him, he wasn’t happy about his mission being obstructed. When he woke up in a strange woman’s apartment, he decided to call the one number in town he remembered.

Paige: (over the phone) Decker and Hayes Detective Agency.

Drake: (obviously somewhat exasperated) I’m not sure who you are, young lady, but since I remember you tasing me two hours ago, I hope you’ve got some answers for me.

Paige: Agent Drake? I thought I tied you up.

Drake: You did. Now, would you like to tell me what’s going on? There are some mighty flammable objects lying around this apartment.

Macy: (over the phone, distant) Who’s there?

Paige: Drake.

Macy: Who?

Drake: Is that Agent Hayes?

Paige: It’s Macy, why?

Drake: Put her on.

Paige: But –

Drake: (rustling papers) What this right here? Extensive files on the JFK assassination?

Paige: Hold on a second. (muttered conversation, phone being picked up)

Macy: Who are you?

Drake: Agent Hayes?

Macy: It’s just Macy now.

Drake: (genuine respect) Agent Jason Drake. It’s an honor, ma’am. Your missions are still stuff of legend at the Company.

Macy: (slightly take aback) Oh. Thank you…

Drake: Now, I need your help.

Macy: (illusions shattered) Typical. What’s going on?

Drake: As I’m sure you’re aware, Agent Matthew Lansberg is attempting to run a sting of a local weapons-smuggling operation, headed by –

Macy: Smerdyakov, the former Soviet general, yes, I know.

Drake: Of course. I believe, however, that Lansberg’s intention is to seize control of the operation for himself and go rogue.

Macy: Oh my God…

Drake: My sentiments exactly. Lansberg has proven himself untrustworthy in the past – this kind of treachery is second nature to him. It was my hope to head him off at the pass, but he’s had every advantage so far. I’m hoping you can help me make up for lost time.

Macy: How do Lexi and I fit into this plan?

Drake: You and Grayson are the agents who know the most about Smerdyakov. Knowing that you’d be unwilling to help a private coup, Lansberg attempted to brainwash you into helping him.

Macy: (quiet, almost timid) and Lexi?

Drake: (after a pause) Macy, I didn’t know Agent Grayson when she was younger, but the years haven’t been kind to her. After her husband died –

Macy: (shocked) Oh my God, Toby died?

Drake: Terrorists. It was quick. (Macy chokes back a sob) She’s a political animal now, willing to sell out anything to advance herself in the Company. (bitterly) With his recent successes, Lansberg seemed like the best bet for a one-way trip to the Directorship.

Macy: (pause, tearful) What do I need to do?

Drake: I’ll come over to your office. I can take what information we’ll need from these computers. No funny business, please; if I get taken down again I intend to take at least one of you with me.

Macy: (no longer over phone) All right. We’ll be here. (Click) So who’s that?

Julian: Apparently some new spy guy. Tried to get your help by hiring Stella.

Macy: That didn’t work out.

Julian: No kidding.

Paige: Still, he’s got the information we need to take down Smerdyakov.

Macy: And if that’s what we plan to do, we’ll need all the help we can get.

Narr: As Macy reloaded her gun, she looked down at the red swathe of blood across the carpet where someone had blown her secretary’s brains out. Tommy Potsdam had been an impressionable kid trying his best to make a difference, and because Macy hadn’t been able to protect him he’d died for it. As the last of her bullets shot home in her gun, she vowed that she wouldn’t fail again. (clang of large metal dropping, labored breathing through next bit) Meanwhile, down in South Tip, Stella lay down her tools and looked at what remained of the man on the bed. Johnny Vasquez had kept her ex-girlfriend, Tasha, for nearly twenty years, letting her be raped and brutalized by dozens of his fellow gang members. Now he was the last of the Spiders, and as he lay there with his chest opened up and his right eye burned away, bleeding from a dozen different wounds, it was unclear how much longer he would hold that title.

Stella: (just short of real hysteria) Who’s the big man now, Johnny? Who’s the real man? Who’s so macho he has to keep a sweet, innocent girl in room, naked and helpless? How’re you gonna show them you’re a real man now, Johnny? Better answer or I’ll find something else to cut off.

Johnny: (it’s been his breathing; when he talks he almost wheezes) Go ahead, chica. When the Russian gets through with you you’ll wish it was you on this bed.

Stella: (Not expecting this, confused) Who?

Johnny: The Russian. A colonel or something. Like, a million years old and got more guns than Charlton Heston. Smedyanik or something…

Stella: Smerdyakov?

Johnny: Yeah, that’s it.

Stella: (cold, all business again) Tell me about him, Johnny.

Johnny: The hell with you, Decker. Why should I tell you anything?

(beat, sound of gun cocking)

Stella: Because if you do I’ll end it now.

Narrator: Mama Wang was taking her pills – the six or seven she started the morning with – when she heard the gunshot from downstairs. Stella came in a few minutes later, bloody up to her elbows and splattered with gore.

Mama: Done already, dear? I didn’t think you’d bore that quickly.

Stella: Drake wasn’t lying, Mama.

Mama: What?

Stella: Drake told us that guy Smerdyakov was in Parlortown selling weapons. Vasquez told me the same thing. He’s been using the Spiders as foot-soldiers, operating out of the old warehouses on Gallagher Street.

Mama: Jesus. (beat) So what are we going to do about it?

Stella: Take him out. This is our city, and no Russian jackass is going to move in and start playing God.

Mama: I’ll make some calls.

Stella: I’ll go see a friend of mine. She may have some information that could help us.

Mama: Come back soon, dear.

Stella: I will, Mama. (beat, awkwardly) How’ve you been doing? You know, with…

Mama: A terminal autoimmune disorder? Well enough, I guess. Just get this jerk for me, Stella.

Drake: Are we all clear then?

Narr: Drake, Macy and Paige had spent the last hour poring over the details of Smerdyakov’s operation – his headquarters, his movements, even the foods he ate. Julian had gone out to pound the pavement and put the squeeze on one or two people on the Parlortown police force who owed him favors. Macy looked up from a cup of coffee and stared Drake in the face.

Macy: Yeah, we’re pretty clear. Just one more thing, Mr. Drake.

Drake: What’s that, Ms. Hayes?

Macy: When this is over, you leave Parlortown. You take Lansberg with you. (pause; this one is difficult) Lexi too. (back to normal) You take your secrets and disguises and lies and don’t ever come back. If I find an agent in Parlortown ever again I’ll kill him and anyone who comes to stop me. I’m taking my life back in exchange for helping you.

(pause of length)

Drake: Done. When Smerdyakov’s taken care of, you never see us again.

Macy: And my release from prison?

Drake: …will still stand. Might as well have something good come out of Lansberg’s incompetence.

Macy: Done. When Julian gets back we’ll sort out the last details and get this over with.

Narrator: Julian McGuiness, meanwhile, had been shaking down some of the cops that used to be his coworkers. Since most policemen in Parlortown made more from bribes than from paychecks, nobody was willing to come forward with the information he needed. Frustrated, he was driving back to Decker and Hayes’ office when he saw Stella Decker’s truck parked outside of Paige’s building. He pulled into a parking space and went upstairs.

Julian: Stella? You there, kid? (beat) Stella?

(Recording of moans, with "Stella who?" line)

Stella: This Lexi, Julian. Who is she?

Julian: Oh my God, Stella, what happened to you?

Stella: That’s not an answer. Who’s Lexi, Julian?

Julian: (after a beat, apologetic) She was Macy’s partner in the CIA. She and her boss sprung Macy so she’d help them –

Stella: Help? Yeah, sounds like she was a big help. (crash of computers breaking) Screw this.

Julian: Stel, wait!

Stella: Get away from me, Julian. I’ve got enough people to kill as it is.

Narr: Stella pushed past McGuiness and stormed down the stairs. Julian, weighing his skill as a fighter against hers, made no move to follow. Meanwhile, Mama Wang was talking to her girls.

Mama: …That seems to be what’s going on, girls. Does anyone have any questions?

Narr: The girls sat silently. Some shook their heads. Others fingered knives, guns and brass knuckles – nobody worked for Mama Wang who couldn’t take care of herself. Now, when a lunatic gun-runner was in their own backyard, that fact would serve them well.

Justine: So what’re we gonna do about it, Mama?

Tasha: (no more of this sick-and-weak crap; the bitch is back) We’re gonna take back what’s ours.

Mama: Tasha! (gasps and shock of women)

Narr: Tasha stood in the doorway, all evidence that she’d spent the last few days in the hospital gone. She had a chain in one hand and wore jeans and a black leather jacket with the word "Blade" across the back in studs. Two men and one woman stood behind her, also armed and also wearing jackets.

Mama: How’d you get here?

Tasha: Rick picked me up, filled me in. (wryly) Even brought my jacket, you sentimental slob.

Rick: Well, you looked like an idiot in the hospital gown.

Tasha: No argument here. Anyway, Mama, I’m here to help.

Mama: (beat) Okay… We’ll wait for Stella to get back –

Rick: No dice, Mama. She called me up, said she had some personal matters to take care of.

Justine: Then we should wait for her…

Tasha: (quickly, nipping that line of thought in the bud) No dice, jailbait. The Spiders talked about Smerdyakov like he was God’s crazy brother. If he gets wind that people are on to him, he’ll disappear. If he thinks we’re going to stop him, he’ll level Parlortown. If we want to finish this, we have to finish it now.

Justine: But we can’t do it without Stella. Nobody’s tougher than – (slapping sound)

Tasha: (angry, working into screams) Some john fill you with STUPID, girl? Stella’s that tough because she had to be, because otherwise she’d die! If you can’t do the same there won’t be nothing left of Parlortown but a bunch of dead idiots like you who just aren’t tough enough! (beat, sob, beat. She’s calm again) You better get tough real fast, girl.

Mama: You sure you’re up to it?

Tasha: (cold, final) I’ve been waiting twenty years for something to hit.

Narrator: The people of South Tip take to the streets to fight for their lives. Macy, Drake and Julian race against the clock to stop a madman. Stella vanishes into the night with a score to settle. Can any of them save Parlortown? Who will survive the night to come? And what of Lansberg and Grayson? Find out in the next episode of Decker and Hayes: The Reckoning.