EPISODE 310 - Shutdown -r
INT. APT 4E #310.00#
ELLIOT
Darlene’s not responding to any of my texts. If Dark Army’s targeting me, then they’re gonna target her next. Hopefully, she made it to our rendezvous.
CUT TO:
INT. FBI HOLDING #310.1#
SANTIAGO
Wake up. Let’s go. You’re coming with me.
DARLENE
Finally you guys came to your sen – (yelling) Dude, what the fuck?
SANTIAGO
Shut up.
DARLENE
Are you seriously gonna arrest me right now? I told you we can fix this, okay? Let’s just log into Sentinel.
SANTIAGO
I said shut the fuck up.
CUT TO:
INT. #310.2#
DOM
It’s the EC and 302 from last night, the Alderson case. I just submitted it for upload.
KAZ
Why are you giving me this?
DOM
Um, sorry, Santiago must not have told you. You’re on the Alderson arrest. I brought her in last night.
KAZ
No clue what you’re talking about. I’m headed to JFK in 20. Got a flight to San Fran today.
CUT TO:
INT. PARKING LOT #310.3#
DOM
Santiago! What are you doing?
SANTIAGO
Taking her to holding.
DOM
I thought you were putting Agent Kaz on this.
SANTIAGO
Why are you doing this yourself? The ADIC wanted her in holding. That’s what I’m doing. Get back inside.
DOM
Fine, I’ll take it up with the ADIC then. Are you gonna finally tell me what the fuck is going on?
SANTIAGO
I can’t talk to you about it, Dom. You’re not authorized to know. There’s intel you’re not privy to that’s connected to this.
DOM
I’d be more comfortable if we took it up with the ADIC.
SANTIAGO
If you want to call him, you can. But I I just don’t want you to embarrass yourself.
(scoffs)
What? Are you scared of me now? There are cameras everywhere. You really think I’m going to do--
CUT TO:
INT. FUN SOCIETY #310.4#
ELLIOT
She’s not here. Mr. Robot’s note. If what he said is true and the Dark Army owns the FBI, then maybe she ran into them while she was trying to access Sentinel. Shit. Dark Army has dozens of operatives who live in and around Manhattan. Combing through their command and control server is going to take too long. There are over 600,000 compromised systems on here. I can’t go through every one. I don’t even know what I’m searching for. I need something to go on. A name, place, something, anything. Think, think, think. What do I know?
ELLIOT
Anything you can remember? Any detail? Anything. Tell me something. Don’t you get it? She’s gonna die. Darlene’s gonna die. She’s gonna die. She’s gonna fucking die like everyone else.
(panting)
CUT TO:
EXT. CONEY ISLAND WONDER WHEEL #310.5#
ELLIOT
I should have never done this. I should have left this alone. I’ll never learn. I brought this on myself. I’ll never learn. This is on me. This is on me.
TICKET TAKER
For how many?
ELLIOT
One.
CUT TO:
EXT. FERRIS WHEEL #310.6#
MR. ROBOT
So, Ferris wheel. Cute touch.
ELLIOT
I need information from you.
MR. ROBOT
You do not get to summon me like you’re Ali Baba, squeeze me for information then shove me back in some lamp.
ELLIOT
Darlene’s in trouble! She might already be dead.
MR. ROBOT
The whole reason you’re in this goddamn mess is because we’re not working together, because you refuse to talk to me.
ELLIOT
I wish that were true. The sick part is I actually missed you. The only reason we haven’t been talking Is because I haven’t let myself. ‘Cause I’ve been scared of you. The part of me that is you.
MR. ROBOT
Why are we talking now?
ELLIOT
The 71 buildings.
MR. ROBOT
I didn’t know about that.
ELLIOT
If you did, would you have done it? Would you have done it?
MR. ROBOT
I would have I would have found another way. Because as much as there is a part of you in me there is a part of me in you.
ELLIOT
Your note on the mirror, what did you mean by it? What do you know? I need to find Darlene. Tell me what you know.
MR. ROBOT
The FBI has a mole.
CUT TO:
INT. SANTIAGO’S CAR #310.7#
DOM
You piece of shit. The attack in China. While you were hiding in your room, knowing the rest of us were getting blown to pieces. Cisco. You helped them get to him before we did, didn’t you? And the Tyrell cover-up. You helped frame Markesh and Biswas. This whole time, we’ve been punching ourselves in the face because of you!
SANTIAGO
All I know is, if you were put in my position--
DOM
Nothing would make me betray everything I stand for.
SANTIAGO
You know one thing I’ll say about you, DiPierro, your naiveté is adorable. It’s easy for you to play a hero in the back seat, but that’s all world’s ever amounted to. The back seat.
The things I did. I mean, the the things that I have to do--
DOM
Are you seriously trying to paint yourself a saint now after what you’ve put us through?
SANTIAGO
You know, the only reason your girlfriend here is alive is because I never told the Dark Army she was a CHS. Believe or not, I’m not a bad guy, DiPierro. You don’t understand what they put me through. What they hold over me, but you will. Soon enough.
CUT TO:
INT. SANTIAGO’S HOUSE #310.8#
MR. ROBOT
There’s the cocksucker. Dead center. According to Wellick, he’s been working both sides the whole time. Probably the reason we didn’t get pegged for Five/Nine. We gotta find a way to trace him.
ELLIOT
Why don’t we jump on his desktop?
MR. ROBOT
I already did that remotely, nothing useful. Which means whatever we’re looking for is physical.
ELLIOT
Number sets. It’s another cipher code.
MR. ROBOT
Not this shit again.
ELLIOT
This has gotta give us a location.
MR. ROBOT
(sighs) Elliot.
ELLIOT
Just give me a minute.
MR. ROBOT
Elliot.
IRVING
Just finished this book. I got it on tape. (chuckling) Didn’t care much for the ending. I mean, a story can have a mediocre beginning and middle, and oftentimes it does, but always got to have a wow ending. Otherwise, what’s the point?
ELLIOT (V.O.)
Shit. If he’s here that means they must have Darlene. Maybe I can manipulate him into helping us. Quick. What do we know about--
IRVING
Whatever scheme you’re trying to come up with right now It ain’t gonna change the inevitable, so I strongly recommend you choose the easy way here and come with me.
CUT TO:
INT. PRICE MANSION – MORNING #310.9#
MATT
How’d you sleep last night?
ANGELA
I didn’t. I’ve been waiting all night. I need to see her as soon as possible. I have important information for her.
MATT
It’s a beautiful day, don’t you think?
ANGELA
Look. There are people that are trying to stop her. I need to tell her.
MATT
Oh, I’m just the house manager. But you can discuss that with Mr. Price when he arrives. I thought we’d get some breakfast first. Do you like pancakes?
CUT TO:
EXT. PRICE MANSION GROUNDS #310.10#
ANGELA
I want to leave.
PRICE
My staff not keeping you comfortable?
ANGELA
I wouldn’t have come if I had known this was your house.
PRICE
I was getting concerned about you. Hadn’t been to work for weeks, you’re not answering your phone, your emails. I sent someone to your apartment. When I saw what you were doing, I felt I I had to intervene.
ANGELA
I’m not supposed to be here.
PRICE
And where do you think you’re supposed to be?
ANGELA
You know where. With her. She has a plan.
PRICE
Yes, I’ve known about her delusional plan for years.
ANGELA
You don’t know anything.
PRICE
The only reason you’re involved in any of this is because I had Colby hire you. I needed to manipulate you into dropping that contingency from your lawsuit. You were threatening her plant. And she would have done anything to stop those inspections, including killing you.
ANGELA
Why would you care if she killed me? You don’t care about anyone but yourself.
PRICE
I met your mother. Emily. 32 years ago.
PRICE
We were both working at E Corp. We dated for quite some time.
PRICE
I loved her. Deeply. But I never told her.
PRICE
The closer we became, the more I held back. I was cruel to her in that way. It made me feel strong To torture her like that Like that.
PRICE
When she told me she was pregnant, she was very emphatic that her child wasn’t going to be raised by a monster, as she put it.
ANGELA
(whimpering)
No!
PRICE
Sometime after that she met and then She married your father.
Who agreed to raise you as his own.
PRICE
I never planned on telling you, until I realized what whiterose had done to you. Look, it’s not possible what she’s talking about. Angela, this so-called project of hers, it stems from an obsessive, psychotic denial of reality.
(sobbing)
PRICE
She has murdered countless people to fulfill this this ridiculous fantasy.
ANGELA
What is this? I don’t believe you. You’re lying.
PRICE
I am your father. Biologically speaking, anyway.
ANGELA
The Cyber Bombings
(crying)
All of those people. That was my fault. She used me for that.
ANGELA
(sniffling)
I have to believe there was a purpose.
PRICE
Pettiness. It was a dig at me. It’s that small, unfortunately.
ANGELA
It’s not over. It can’t be.
(sobbing)
She was gonna bring my mom back. We were gonna be reunited.
ANGELA
What are you gonna do to her?
PRICE
What are you asking?
ANGELA
Retribution. I want it.
PRICE
I’m afraid your only move here is to accept that you’ve been conned.
PRICE
Find a way to live with what you did.
CUT TO:
EXT. 37-ACRE WOOD – DAY #310.11#
SANTIAGO
It’s this way.
CUT TO:
INT. BARN – CONTINUOUS #310.12#
DARLENE
Elliot.
SANTIAGO
Don’t fucking move.
MR. ROBOT
We are walking into some fucking hillbilly shit here.
SANTIAGO
Now, look. I know this is all fucked up, but it’s salvageable. There’s a lot of clean-up at the FBI you’re going to have to take care of for me.
IRVING
Mm-hmm. So this is the plus-one you’ve been squawking about?
SANTIAGO
(scoffs)
You’re not turning this around on me. Not after the fucking day I’ve had, cleaning up your mess once again. I’m over it.
(yelling)
You hear me? It’s high time you guys start cleaning up my mess for a change.
IRVING
Uh-huh. And by “mess” I assume you mean her. I know how to fix this.
SANTIAGO
So do I.
IRVING
(sighs)
All right. Come on, Miss, let’s go. Leon, you got this?
LEON
Yeah, I got it.
ELLIOT
Are you okay?
DARLENE
Is that a joke? We’re in a fucking barn out in the middle of nowhere with a handful of psychos. “No” is the answer.
CUT TO:
EXT. THE CABIN GROUNDS #310.13#
DOM
Listen, sir. I don’t know what you think I did, but This guy’s a liability to you. He’s gotten sloppy. You don’t have to do this.
SANTIAGO
Dom.
DOM
My bosses know about everything. There’s security camera footage of him kidnapping – Ms. Alderson and me--
IRVING
Miss. Stop talking. Hm?
CUT TO:
INT. BARN #310.14#
Okay, we got two operatives.
Leon’s pretty good with a knife.
What are you thinking?
I’m not trying to escape.
Elliot, these guys aren’t fucking around.
Who do you think you’re going to talk to out here? Who do you think?
ELLIOT
Whiterose.
You’ve played that game already. She doesn’t want to see you.
ELLIOT
She’s seeing us right now.
Fuck me.
CUT TO:
EXT. CABIN SIDE YARD – CONTINUOUS #310.15#
SANTIAGO
Now wait a minute. Let’s just slow things down a bit. We can flip her. She can be very valuable.
DOM
No way I’m flipping.
SANTIAGO
Dom. Don’t be stupid. Listen to me. I’m trying to get you out of this alive.
IRVING
Valuable, huh? You think she would’ve gone far in the Bureau?
SANTIAGO
She would have been one of the youngest ASACs ever, still could be. No, she’s a rising star. Gumption.
(crying)
IRVING
But it’s like she said, no way she’s flipping.
IRVING
(panting)
Hey. Oh, no, no, don’t get too worked up, Miss. Just look at the sky. Take a deep breath. Try to enjoy the fresh air.
(whimpering)
SANTIAGO
Wait, wait, wait. Dom. Just tell him you’ll flip. This isn’t worth it. You can--
IRVING
Oh, don’t mind that. We’re retiring this shit-stain. And you’re taking his place. You work for the Dark Army now. You’re gonna go back to the FBI. It’s gonna be business as usual. You’re gonna feed us any information and answer all our requests.
DOM
Fuck you.
IRVING
Now, Dom. You’re gonna need to get your head around the position you’re in here.
DOM
I’m no traitor. You should kill me now because the first thing I do when you let me go is arrest your fucking ass.
(sniffling)
IRVING
The name of your youngest family member, what is it? Oh, that’s right. Four-year-old Jamie DiPierro of Morrisville. That’s your brother Joseph’s kid, right? Yeah. I want you to look at this jerk-off and imagine it’s little Jamie. Now I want you to imagine your mom Trudie in Philly. Now imagine Uncle Chris one morning as he’s picking up his copy of the “Dallas Morning Star”!
(sobbing)
IRVING
Or you’re older brother, Jerry, while he’s watching “Wheel of Fortune!” Am I illustrating my point?
(yelling)
Dom, I’m going to need verbal confirmation that you’re grasping the details of this agreement!
DOM
(sobbing)
Okay. Okay.
IRVING
In time this will get easier to live with. I promise. Head into the barn and await further instructions on how to clear up Santiago’s missteps. Now, forgive me while I take a moment to center myself.
(After a deep breath)
This next bunch These are for me.
CUT TO:
INT. BARN #310.16#
Dom returns to the group.
DARLENE
Jesus, Dom, what happened?
LEON
Looks like she’s just got her initiation. Want some of this catnip, girl? All right. Suit yourself.
DARLENE
All right, if we don’t figure out a way get out of here, they are going to kill us.
ELLIOT
Look around you. They’ve been instructed to wait. Not act.
DARLENE
Wait for what?
ELLIOT
They’re preparing for someone important to come.
CUT TO:
INT. GRANT’S TOWNCAR – CONTINUOUS #310.17#
Grant sits in the backseat in shades.
CUT TO:
EXT. CABIN PARKING AREA – CONTINUOUS #310.18#
IRVING
I took care of everything. As instructed. Everyone’s loaded up in the barn. You might want to send your guys to the woodpile over there. I had to kill the FBI mole. That’s the bad news. Good news, I got you someone even better. She doesn’t have as high of a rank, but she’s got tremendous upside. Besides That guy was a dickhead. Anyway. She’s in the barn as well.
GRANT
Where are you going?
IRVING
Me, I’m gonna take that overdue sabbatical I keep talking about. Finally get to finish my book. Well, that’s the goal anyway. I’m thinking the Sandals in Barbados. They got a good special running this month.
GRANT
You are not going anywhere. We have work to do.
IRVING
Tell me something. She still making her spontaneous overtures? She make you taste her yet? Remember, doll face, I was you years ago. And I’ve already done my time. I think she’ll be good with me. Glad we did this.
CUT TO:
INT. BARN #310.19#
GRANT
Mr. Alderson. I had a chance to review your paperwork for Stage Three. – Surprisingly--
ELLIOT
It’s bullshit. There is no Stage Three, but you already knew that.
GRANT
I’m glad we can be honest. Now we can talk.
ELLIOT
Let go of them. Then we can talk.
GRANT
But if I didn’t have her then how am I going to keep you honest?
ELLIOT
I own everything. I own every single system the Dark Army has compromised.
ELLIOT
When you took my laptop, you infected yourself with my malware. If you hurt her, it will all get released. Every bribe, blackmail, extortion, operation, all your illegal connections, everything will go public. The entire Dark Army history.
GRANT
(chuckling)
That’s impossible. And here I thought we were going to be honest.
ELLIOT
Seven days ago, the Russian government hired you to hack the DNC.
DARLENE
Elliot.
ELLIOT
Two days before that, you bribed the president of South Korea to allow backdoors in all of their military networks.
You’re just pissing him off.
ELLIOT
Three weeks before that, you used Phillip Price to annex the Congo for China. Am I being more honest now?
ELLIOT
If one of us dies, everything gets leaked.
GRANT
Well, we can survive a leak. You can’t survive a bullet through your throat.
ELLIOT
We have an opportunity for both of us to leave with what we want.
GRANT
I know exactly what you want. You want to reverse Five/Nine. And honestly we couldn’t care less about that. It’s already served its purpose.
ELLIOT
I also know how to move whatever project you have in the Washington Township Plant to the Congo.
A cell phone buzzes.
ELLIOT
While you sit back, missing your deadlines, doing nothing, I’ve engineered a hack that can solve all of your problems and I’m willing to give it to you.
ELLIOT
(yelling)
Do you hear me? I can move your projects to the Congo! You’ll get what you want! We won’t bother you anymore!
GRANT
You’re very sure of yourself. You are just one hacker. What makes you believe that you are better than an army of people exactly like you?
ELLIOT
Because I am.
(panting)
I did something in one night you’ve been trying to pull off for months.
ELLIOT
(panting)
Don’t do this. Let me help you.
GRANT
I’m sorry, Mr. Alderson. You’re good at playing games. But this was simply the wrong hand to play.
GRANT
History is finally coming for you.
A cell phone buzzes.
LEON
I think that’s you, brah.
CUT TO:
INT. WHITEROSE’S BATHROOM #310.20#
WHITEROSE
Your jealousy has always blinded you to Mr. Alderson’s value. That is why you can never see my plan through to the end.
CUT TO:
INT. BARN #310.21#
GRANT
You can’t believe him. He’s he’s lying.
CUT TO:
INT. WHITEROSE’S BATHROOM #310.22#
WHITEROSE
Know that I will find you as soon as our project is complete.
But for the here and now our time has come to an end.
CUT TO:
INT. BARN #310.23#
GRANT
No, it’s not over.
LEON
You made an offer, cuz. Now it’s time to pay up.
MR. ROBOT
Please tell me you’re not bluffing.
Coast Guard is allowing the shipment of humanitarian aid to Iran.
ELLIOT
Trust me. It’ll work.
LEON
It’s downloaded. Now, you know I ain’t got to tell you what they going to do if this don’t check out right.
ELLIOT
It’ll check out.
LEON
You know I’ve always had faith in you, cuz. Do your thing.
DARLENE
What do we do now?
ELLIOT
Undo the hack.
CUT TO:
EXT. #310.24#
Dom and Elliot get into Santiago’s car
CUT TO:
INT. CAR #310.25#
She opens and logs in to Sentinel.
DOM
Don’t think I’m doing this for you.
Dom and hands him the laptop and exits the car.
CUT TO:
EXT. #310.26#
DARLENE
Dom.
DOM
You are a terrible person. Don’t ever convince yourself of anything else. All you deserve for the rest of your life is pure and utter agony. That’ll begin to scratch the surface of how I feel about you. You’ve taken everything from me.
(crying)
My whole life is ruined because of you. Live with that. Die with that.
back in the car
ELLIOT (V.O)
The FBI had Romero’s keylogger files, but he encrypted them with a password. Thing is, the FBI didn’t know Romero. I do. Is this really it? The moment this can all truly end? Reverse everything we’ve done. Finally bring Five/Nine to an end. This is it. Everything that was typed on those machines at the arcade on the night of the hack.
DARLENE
So what’d you find?
ELLIOT
He didn’t do it. Romero was just spying on us. He caught someone else exporting the key data.
DARLENE
If he didn’t do it, then who the fuck did?
CUT TO:
INT. SUBWAY #310.27#
A train whirs through loudly.
Reminder, today’s city-wide curfew starts at 9:00 p.m. this evening until 4:00 a.m. tomorrow morning. Stay indoors and stay off the streets.
DARLENE
Why did you bring up Kevin McCallister? The snowman. When we were in Coney Island, you asked me if I remembered. What was that all about? It felt so random.
ELLIOT
That was the day Dad pushed me out the window. What are you--
DARLENE
What do you mean Dad pushed you out the window?
ELLIOT
He was mad that I told Mom about his cancer, and he pushed me out the window. You were young. I guess I never told you.
DARLENE
What are you talking about Elliot? I was there. We were in your room looking for a camera when Dad came home. For some reason you freaked out and told me to go hid in the closet.
Then Dad came in the room, and all of the sudden you I don’t know. You just snapped. You started swinging your baseball bat, hitting everything.
ELLIOT
No. That’s not what happened.
DARLENE
Trust me, I remember. You took your baseball bat and you smashed the window, and then you kept telling Dad you were gonna jump. Elliot, you weren’t pushed. You jumped.
ELLIOT
I don’t remember any of that.
DARLENE
Well, I’m here to remember for you. This is our stop.
ELLIOT
I’m gonna ride the train a little longer.
DARLENE
Are you okay?
ELLIOT
I’ll get it done.
DARLENE
Hey. The email from Trenton. I know she sent it to you because she could trust you. The same as I always have.
Darlene exits the train along with all other passengers except Elliot.
Mr. Robot enters and sits across from Elliot in the otherwise empty subway car.
ELLIOT
I’m gonna get off at the next stop. I think you should come with me. It wasn’t Romero. It was you who exported the keys. Why?
MR. ROBOT
We’re close, Elliot. You pull the ripcord now and everything will be for nothing. There was a huge cost to get to this point. I still believe if we hold out a little longer--
ELLIOT
No.
MR. ROBOT
You do this, and they will have won. You really believe undoing this is going to fix anything? Huh? Do you? I mean, who is this really gonna help?
ELLIOT
Me. I’m doing this for me. I can’t live with what I did anymore.
A train whirs through loudly.
CUT TO:
INT. SUBWAY PLATFORM #310.28#
ELLIOT
And you’re wrong. They won’t win. Because one good thing came out of all of this. They showed themselves, the top 1::percent:: of the 1::percent::, the ones in control, the ones who play God without permission. And now I’m gonna take them down. All of them.
MR. ROBOT
Whatever happens after this, I want us to keep talking. I want us to be a team. I know I can’t force you so I’m asking.
ELLIOT
I jumped. I wasn’t pushed. Did you know that?
CUT TO:
EXT. STREETS #310.29#
Elliot walks home
IMG_5528.jpg
falkensmaze@protonmail.com
(yelling)
We didn’t need a story
We didn’t need a real world
We just have to keep walking
And we became the stories
MR. ROBOT (V.O.)
You asked me before why I did this.
We, the damned!
MR. ROBOT (V.O.)
The reason is I thought What if we were wrong?
We were you before you even existed
Carry on
MR. ROBOT (V.O.)
What if there’s something we weren’t seeing? What if we failed?
And after us the flood
MR. ROBOT (V.O.)
The real reason is it’s It’s because it’s what you would’ve done. You were right. There was a part of you in me.
Carry on I never wanted to tell you that because it’s not in my nature.
MR. ROBOT (V.O.)
It’s not why I exist. Only you know why I’m here. On the night of the hack, I transferred the keys from the arcade to a remote virtual machine on our box at home. I then burned it to a CD.
Footprints of snow Blind from the road Hail
MR. ROBOT (V.O.)
You’ll find the seed data and the algorithm embedded in one of those pictures.
We carry on, carry on
MR. ROBOT (V.O.)
You’ll know the one.
Follow us We are one
MR. ROBOT (V.O.)
With those two pieces, you should be able to regenerate the keys that were used to encrypt all of E Corp’s data.
Runs deep and strong Hand to the heart Lips to the horn We can save We can be reborn Head on my breast And with that Hail
MR. ROBOT (V.O.)
You can make it like Five/Nine never happened.
END OF ACT.
EXT. STREETS – NIGHT #310.30#
This is a reminder, today’s city-wide curfew begins at 9:00 p.m. this evening through 4:00 a.m. tomorrow morning. Stay indoors and off the streets.
Fiona apple on radio
car pulls up License plate HQT 4765
DARLENE
Dude, what the fuck? Slow down. Fucking asshole.
LADY OF THE NIGHT
Shit.
LADY OF THE NIGHT
Like I was saying, this shit has been fucking rough.
DARLENE
I hear you. It’s hit everybody.
LADY OF THE NIGHT
Yeah, the difference being when it hits you, you don’t have to suck some cuck’s shrimp dick to buy a damn sandwich.
DARLENE
This is true. I think things are gonna change though. For the better. Soon, so... Hang in there.
LADY OF THE NIGHT
(scoffs)
Hanging’s what I do best. But I don’t know what you mean. E Corp’s in a world of shit. Daddy lost both his homes and his bike ‘cause of them. And now this country’s attackin’ Iran. If anything, this is the calm before the damn storm.
DARLENE
Yeah, well Hold out hope. Trust me. I think I think E Corp will be able to bring back their lost data.
LADY OF THE NIGHT
(scoffs)
Yeah, well, I hope not. That just means debt’s gonna come back. And I certainly don’t know how my ,000 student loan I owe Parsons is gonna help me fix anything.
DARLENE
Well, it’s a start. Path to recovery. The economy will start to bounce back.
LADY OF THE NIGHT
(chuckling)
Girl, you don’t have to sound so simplistic. That’s not the way this crony capitalism works. Shit, educate yourself on some Marx before you go just theorizing about economic forces.
DARLENE
Okay, so What do you think would fix all of this then?
LADY OF THE NIGHT
(scoffs)
An act of God. And right about now, he needs a hell of a good blowjob, just like every other stressed-out, powerful motherfucker trying to hold their shit together, right?
DARLENE
Well, this is me. I’m really glad I met you tonight.
LADY OF THE NIGHT
You too, babes. Why you coming to this ugly ass building anyways?
DARLENE
My brother lives here.
LADY OF THE NIGHT
You think he’d be down for a good time tonight?
DARLENE
Well, he definitely needs to get laid, but I don’t think that’s gonna happen.
LADY OF THE NIGHT
Shit.
DARLENE
What?
LADY OF THE NIGHT
There go them damn esés again. Fuck, and now they parking. Look. I got to go, babe.
DARLENE
Can I help you, fellas?
VERA
My sister, only the north stars of the cosmos can help a visionary like me. But, yes, you can shine a light on a dark corner of my mind.
DARLENE
What? Who are you?
VERA
I’m just I’m just a brave traveler who’s finally come home.