Characters:
Narrator
Bobby
Hope
Esperanza
Jason
Pandy
Tabby
Annette
George

Narr: Hope Darling let her mother's dead body drop out of her hands and onto the ground, blood still surging from the chest wound that had taken Esperanza Deere's life. Her eyes, once so vibrant, so cutting, did not move to follow Hope as she picked up her drowsy daughter, Pandora, and put her into the passenger seat of the car. Hope barely noticed as Jason Brandt ushered Bobby Kurtzman and Tabby Wentworth into the backseat. Her eyes were still locked on her mother's, all traces of humanity missing form both pairs, albeit for different reasons.

Hope: Goodbye, mother. (determined, cold) Buckle up, Kids. This may be dangerous.

Narr: Esperanza Deere had always been something of a mystery to Hope. As a child, she thought she'd known her mother. Pithos, Massachusettes, was much like Carosel, New York in the quality of lifestyle it provided its young. Hope grew up with a loving, tender mother, and it wasn't until her eighteenth birthday that she learned what lay beneath the surface.

Esperanza: (door opens) Congratulations, Eggplant! You made it! I'm so proud of you! Let me get some disinfectant for those cuts.

Hope: (exhausted) Mother... why... why did you... make me...

Esperanza: I told you, Eggplant. The instructions were right there in the comic book you showed me: the razor blades, the dog, everything. I had to follow the orders. But you did exactly right- take out the dog first, then head back into the blades with time on your side. Amazing. Even I didn't expect you to make such short work of Scruffy.

Hope: He was my dog, Mother!

Esperanza: I know! And you didn't even hesitate! That's what was so impressive! Of course, he was a rather small dog. Next time, I'll have to-

Hope: Next time?

Esperanza: What? Oh, yes, Eggplant. I told you, this is the beginning of your training. There's so much to do...

Hope: (breaking down) Oh, God! Why? Why are you doing this to me?

Esperanza: Shhhhh, shhhh, Dear... it's all right. Here, come to mother. There you are... don't you worry about a thing. Mother isn't going to let anything hurt you, I promise. That's why I need to train you, so you're ready. Once they rise, Eggplant, once they make their move... it'll be too late. But you, Eggplant... you're special. You're going to be mommy's secret weapon. Because you can see them, can't you, dear? You can see who's been touched.

Hope: I don't know... I don't know what I see...

Esperanza: That's why I have to teach you, baby. Don't worry, it's going to get easier. You're a strong girl, you can take it. Just one more thing for today, then you can rest. Hold still, Eggplant.

Hope: Wait- what? What are you-

Esperanza: It's a tracking device, Dear. It'll hurt going in, but once it heals up, you'll barely even notice it.

Hope: What? No, mother! Stop!

Esperanza: If you don't keep still, Eggplant, you're just going to make the incision jagged, now... here we go... 1... 2...

Pandy: Mother!!!

Hope: Not now, Potato. Mommy's focussing.

Pandy: But Mom-

Bobby: When she's driving that fast, Pandy, I think she's better off concentrating!

Tabby: You're mother has gone completely insane!

Jason: At this speed, there's no way the alien tractor beams can get a hold of us! Good thinking, mom!

Tabby: OK, nevermind. You're mom's a little eccentric. This guy's completely insane!

Pandy: But where are we going? Emil Anta-ma-whosit could be anywhere.

Hope: Not just anywhere. He's with CASK agents. And I'm going to find them.

Pandy: How will you do that?

Hope: I told you, Pandora. I can see them. And... there they are right there. Brace for impact.

Pandy: What?!

Bobby: We're going to die!

Narr: Hope slammed down the gas pedal and rocketed towards the limousine President Emil Anantanarayanan had been secreted away within. Hope's car smashed into the left hand side of the car, towards the back, causing the rear of the limo to spin out into the break down lane. Before the two vehicles had even stopped moving, Hope had her guns in hand and was ready to move.

George: You're really something, you know that, Hope? Truly something else.

Hope: George... you're making me blush. (kissing sounds) No, you've got to go! My mother will be back any minute, and you know how she feels about you!

George: You're twenty-one years old, Hope! The woman can't control your life forever!

Hope: As long as I live under her roof-

George: That's what I wanted to talk to you about. We've known each other for about a year now, and we've been dating almost as long-

Hope: George...

George: Just hear me out. I know my apartment's not that big, but once I make manager at the store, I'll be getting a raise. That, combined with your waitressing... we could get a decent place, all our own.

Hope: I can't leave yet, George, I haven't finished, I can't just go-

George: Haven't finished what?

Hope: Learning... just... learning everything my mother can teach me.

George: I'm not asking you to leave the country, baby, you'll still see your mother.

Hope: She'll be so mad...

George: Forget her! This isn't about her. This is about you. It's about us. It's about us... forever.

Hope: George, what are you doing?

George: Hope Springs Eternal Deere...

Hope: Oh my lord! Is that-

George: ... will you marry me?

Hope: I... I... Yes. Yes, George Aaron Darling, I will!

George: You will. You will!

(sounds of more kissing, then, sounds of gunfire, as...)

Pandora: Mom! Oh god...

Bobby: She's going to get herself killed!

Tabby: She's going to get us killed!

Jason: She's going to get us awesome!

Bobby: Jason, that... that doesn't mean anything.

Jason: I know, but she's awesome!

Tabby: The shooting stopped... does that mean she's-

Pandy: No! There she is! She's ok!

Bobby: What's she... oh my god, what is she doing to that body?

Pandy: She must be looking for the chip.

Bobby: I'm going to be sick...

Tabby: It's all right, Bobby, I've got you.

Pandy: Tabby!

Jason: Hey, I think Mom wants us to go with her.

Narr: The four got out of the wrecked car and walked to Hope who was cupping something in her blood soaked hands.

Hope: Hold these, Potato.

Narr: She dumped the five bloody metal trinkets into Pandora's hands and pulled out her gun, aiming it at the nearest car slowing to look at the wreckage.

Hope: Get out of the car now!

Narr: A minute or two later, they were cruising down the road again in a freshly stolen car.

Bobby: Mrs. Darling... um, did you just... did you just assassinate President Emil Anantanarayanan?

Hope: So to speak.

Pandy: And these... these are really-

Hope: The implants. I told you I wasn't crazy.

Jason: Alien implants!

Hope: Not alien, Jason. Made right here in the US of A by our friends at CASK to record everything their agents see and hear.

Pandy: But then why didn't the Jehovah's witness have one?

Hope: I'm not sure... maybe... maybe they know about me, know I can see them, made sure to send one without anything to connect him to CASK. But how could they have found out? Every one of them I've ever gone up against is dead.

Pandy: But you didn't know Annette was one of them. You saw her without 'seeing' she was CASK. How did that happen?

Hope: I'm not... I'm not sure.

Annette: Which ones are part of it, Hope?

Hope: Seat 4-A and 16-D. Both CASK.

Annette: Perfect- one in each of our sections. Nothing to link their deaths when CASK reviews the chips.

Hope: Exactly. I'd say you can for the heart attack on 4-A, and I'll slow-release heroine overdose 16-D. Sound good?

Annette: Perfect. So, the only question is who gets to wait on Mr. Ford, and as senior operative, I would say-

Hope: Ah-ah. Only in terms of years. I've got a far higher kill-count and success rate.

Annette: You're married! What do you care? How about this- I'll do drink service, you do meal. Is that fair?

Hope: You want drink service?

Annette: Of course. That way, I'm the first thing he's looking at as he drinks.

Hope: You know, he's married, too.

Annette: A) I hear it's not working out, and B) I'm not looking for a lifetime commitment, here. The man's a movie star. You think he's above the occasional side dish?

Hope: And you're just the dish to tempt him.

Annette: Exactly.

Hope: Just make sure you don't give him the heart attack.

Annette: Relax! The man's not even sixty yet.

Hope: No, I meant the pill. The one for 4-A?

Annette: Oh yeah, check. Got it. Shall we?

Hope: Break.

Pandy: I mean... how could Annette have fooled you, when you can see Agents?

Hope: I don't know... there are two possibilities, I suppose. The first is that CASK really does know about me, and has found a way to hide their agents from me.

Pandy: What's the other possibility?

Hope: That Annette wasn't working for CASK.

Jason: Hey guys, can I see the alien implants? I've always wanted to touch the proof with my own two hands.

Hope: Jason, I've told you, there's no such thing as aliens! These implants have CASK written all over them.

Jason: Oh, wow! That I'd like to see!

Pandy: No, I think she meant metaphorically... there's no actual writing on them. That would sort of... give them away.

Jason: Aw, come on, let me see.

Pandy: All right, all right!

Hope: Neither explanation really makes sense. I know Annette... she wouldn't just sell out to CASK. But that was definitely her, not an imposter. So why was she after us?

Jason: Uck! These are nasty!

Hope: Unless... Hmm. Let me think.

Tabby: (quietly) Bobby?

Bobby: (quietly) Huh?

Tabby: (quietly) We've sort of been kidnapped by a crazy woman, so I wanted to say something before I die in a horrible way.

Bobby: (quietly) What's up, Tabby?

Tabby: (quietly) Would you... would you go to homecoming with me?

Bobby: Homecoming?

Pandy: What? What about it?

Bobby: Well, uh... homecoming is still a month away, Tabby, so I... um, I think it's a little early to make solid plans for that, don't you think?

Jason: Five of these little thing. Bitchin! Was that all there were?

Hope: What? Oh, yes, four agents and the President. Hmmm.

Pandy: But why are you talking about Homecoming, Bobby?

Bobby: What? Oh nothing. Nothing. Er, actually, I was wondering-

Hope: Wait. There is... what if Annette wasn't CASK, but CASK does know about me. That means maybe they do have a way to block my sight, and there's another CASK agent out there I don't know about. But how could they know about my sight? As far as I know, I'm the only person who has it, and the only people who knew about it were you, Annette, and mother.

Jason: (completely not insane at all. Serious.) Pull the car over.

Hope: What?

Bobby: He's... he's got a gun, Mrs. Darling.

Hope: Jason?

Jason: Pull the God Damned car over, or your daughter dies right now.

Pandy: What's going on?

Hope: All right! I'm doing it! Ok? We're pulled over.

Jason: Now give me the keys.

Hope: Fine, here. Just don't hurt her.

Jason: She's not the one you should be worried about. CASK sends its regard. Goodbye, Hope.

Narr: As he stepped out of the car, Jason Brandt fired one shot into Hope's head.

Pandy: Mother!! No, Mother!!!

Narr: As another car pulled over and picked Brandt up on the side of the road, Pandora Darling clutched at her mother's head, attempting to hold back the gushing flow of blood coursing from the gaping wound, but all for naught. It was too late. Hope was gone. (pause) Left without a mother to fend for herself, Pandora Darling's tale will continue next season in... "Like Daughter".