Nick makes breakfast for Emma and himself. He sits down, and sips on some orange juice.
Emma is beginning to feel less nervous and shy around Nick. Though Nick is still kind of closed-off.
Emma: These pancakes are delicious Nick. Where did you learn to cook?
Nick: They are nothing special really. I just don't cutback and make healthy food like other people. I put milk into the mix, with vanilla, and also.. a secret.. butter.
Emma: No wonder they taste good!
Nick: I learned from my grandmother how to cook basic stuff. My mother was useless in the kitchen. She could open a can of food, or throw some tuna in noodles, but that was about it.
Emma: Where is your family? London?
Nick: No.. I'm from the United States. As you can tell from my lack of British accent.
*sips orange juice* We had some hard-times in the US. So much so, I wanted to move on. Not just from one state to another.. but to an entire country. You see.. I look at.. most people say they would like to travel. Go to a foreign country, before they die. But life gets in the way. Money.. children.. I don't want to waste my life. If I'm poor, so be it. But at least I can have a life that I can look back on.. and say.. well, I was unique. I didn't color inside the lines.
Emma: But children aren't a waste.
Nick: Of course not. But you can sort of get sucked in. Once you have a child, your life is not your own. So traveling is something people usually wait for when they are older, and the kids are grown. But by then, life can sometimes get in the way.
Emma: True.
The conversation goes quite for a few minutes.
Nick: Why am I here?
Emma: ... What do you mean?
Nick: Why would you invite a total stranger into your home.. this lavish home.. nevertheless a poor stranger, and let him live with you? Meanwhile I'm not paying rent. Aren't you afraid of me attacking you or something? Stealing from you?
Emma: Well if you ever do attack me, I'll have to move you into the basement.
Nick: I'm being serious.
Emma: ... I don't know. You're a writer. You seem like a nice person.
Nick: Maybe I'm not trusting of people. But I guess that comes from what has happened to me. That and my profession.
Emma: I thought you did security work for that.. company?
Nick: Yes. Security. You know.. here's a good example. In internet security, there's this thing called penetration testing. Basically the computer specialist hacks into his own network. Acting like a hacker. To see what flaws exist. Then he can fix them.
Emma: So you.. wait..
Nick: I've been trained on many things. So much so, governments around the world are investigating the company I work for. I was trained to use some.. heist methods. Some methods even involving the mind.
Emma: Why are you telling me this?
Nick: Listen Emma, you seem like a wonderful person. But.. I'm too messed up to get attached. Why do you think I haven't dated anyone before? You.. you have a reason. Your parents. I don't have a reason. I don't want to appear as if I'm.. never mind. Point is.. if we continue this.. I don't want to hurt you.
Emma: Continue what..
Nick: Another reason why I'm not good around people. I jump on my emotions. I get too loving, or too pissed off. I think it's best if I move on.
The phone rings.
Emma appears heart-broken. She gets up to answer the phone. It's Lauren. It seems Lauren is having some man trouble in the park, and she needs a friend's help. Lauren has always been the more out-going type, and now she's backing herself into a corner.
Emma hangs up the phone.
Emma: ... That.. that was Lauren. She um.. needs my help. I should go.
Nick: Yeah.. you go. I have the day off from the pub. So I'll.. I'll just pack up. Maybe call the manager tomorrow, and book a train ticket to somewhere.
Emma: ...
Emma leaves the room sad. Nothing else is said, as Nick cleans up the table.
Within an hour, Nick hears the front door open and close. Emma has left. Nick walks to the hallway where the bedrooms are. Nick stops. Something is off. The other night he heard running outside his room. Nick thought maybe Emma was going to the bathroom. Though he found it odd she'd be running. Nick notices the bathroom is in a different direction. He uses his memory and his detective skills, and reenacts what he remembers.
There's a particular floor-board that creaks when stepped on. It's to the east of Nick's room. He searches for it..
CREAK
Nick: Bingo. Now where did you go Emma..
Nick walks straight in a line, down the east hall.. eventually finding one lone door. Nick puts his hand on the knob.. and tries to open it. It's locked.
Nick: Maybe Anna was right after all.. her instincts are never wrong.
Nick gets on the floor, and looks under the door. He can't see much of anything. Nick stands back up, and opens his wallet. He opens a secret compartment inside of it, revealing tools. Nick takes out a lockpick, and slowly picks the lock.
CLICK
Nick: Bingo. We're in.
Nick opens the door.
Nick walks down the stairs.. and sees another door. Just as he goes to open it..
BZZZ BZZZ BZZZ... BZZZ BZZZ BZZZ
Damn! The front door. Nick runs up the stairs.. forgetting to close the secret door.. or to lock it.
He runs through the mansion, and finally reaches the front door.
Nick opens the door, and finds a heavy man dressed in a police uniform.
Nick: Can I help you?
Man: Possibly.Are you Nick Zarano?
Nick: I am.
Man: I'm the sheriff of Soterios.
Nick: You have a warrant for my arrest?
Sheriff: Eh.. no.
Nick: You have a warrant to search the premises?
Sheriff: No.
Nick: Then have a nice day.
Sheriff: Wait.. I spoke to a woman.. who worked with you. Uh.. I think her name was Anna. Sexy broad.
Nick: Ah. You've met her. You must be the overweight baboon.
Sheriff: Excuse me?
Nick: Never mind. How did you find me?
Sheriff: My guys have this manor as part of their regular patrol, after what happened. They noticed a man of your description being here alot. Possibly living here.
Nick: That'd be me. So what I can do for the good people of Soterios?
Sheriff: You may not be in our field law enforcement wise, but our background check on you reveals a long history of your research on it. Besides the book, you also tried law enforcement training in New York.
Nick: Don't hold the "tried" against me.
Sheriff: So I take it you're up on the murders here in Soterios?
Nick: Besides Mr. Cobb's missing rabbit, and some other small stories, there isn't much else in the Soterios Times. So yes, I am.
Sheriff: There's been another murder.
Nick: ... What?
Sheriff: The bodies were found this morning. The bodies of Nathan Young, aged 22, and Connie Bingham, aged 19. We haven't released the information to the press yet, til the families are notified. But the whole town is buzzing. That happens in a..
Nick: ... small town.
Sheriff: Anyway, as I told Anna, Interpol will not work with us. Because of the animal killings, and other reasons. So we're on our own. But I'm here asking for your assistance.
Nick: ... Let me get this straight.. I didn't get my PAY.. because of you. Now you want my help? Small town running out of cops?
Sheriff: Listen to me city slicker. You think you can come to our small town and act like you are better than everybody else.. your not.
Nick: So then why are you asking for my help again?
Sheriff: Because Anna mentioned a young hacker. A new recruit. You likely don't have the ties to your security company. But you bring the experience, and the knowledge of crimes.
Nick: Do I get paid?
Sheriff: Yes. You will be our consultant. With the possibly of becoming a Detective, Crime Scene Investigator, or a other field. You will work odd hours, when we need you. Not all the time. But right now.. we need you. You'd start now.
Nick: ... Looks like you got yourself a consultant.
Sheriff: Good. My department is small, so you will report back to me. Down along the path, is a squad car. Detective Thompson is driving. You will ride with him to the crime scene.
Nick: A real crime scene. Sounds good.
Sheriff: .. Don't make me regret this.
Park..
Emma walks into the park, and sees Lauren sitting on the bench by herself.
Emma: Lauren, what's going on?
Lauren: Oh nothing.
Emma: Nothing? Then why did you call me? You said you had guy trouble!
Lauren: A white lie doesn't hurt you know.
Emma sighs, and sits down.
Emma: What is going on?
Lauren: Listen Em, I wanted you got get out and meet people. But not right away, and lock yourself away from me!
*laughs* I wanted to get you away from fedora-man, so we could talk in private. What's he like? And what are you too doing in that big house?
Emma: Lauren..
*shakes head and smiles* You are something else.
Lauren: So come on. Give me the juicy details.
Emma: Well, I kind of thought something was growing. But this morning.. I don't know. Now he's leaving.
Lauren: Leaving as in leaving.. or as in leaving?
Emma: We weren't "together" Laur. So he's leaving.. going to London.. maybe. Who knows where..
Lauren: Well why don't you go with him? Instead of being locked up in that house.. with all the memories. I told you.. you should have sold that mausoleum a long time ago.
Emma: Lauren, I can't. Either way. My life is here.
Lauren: What life? Besides me, you have no one else here.
Emma: Gee thanks, I feel so much better.
Lauren: You're too afraid Em. Life is just passing you by.
Silence for a few minutes.
Emma: ... He kissed me.
Lauren: What?
Emma: ... The other day.. he kissed me.
Woods..
The squad car pulls up the scene. It's a busy scene, with crime scene tape.. police officers, and more cars. Detective Thompson gets out, and lights up a cigarette. Thompson is an older man, older than the sheriff, but younger than Luke. He's a tough man, with a "I don't give a rats ass what you think" attitude.
Nick gets out of the car.
Detective Thompson: Let's go kid. And don't throw up. I just bought new shoes.
Detective Thompson leads Nick to the crime scene, where the bodes are still laying. Nick looks away for a second, but then looks back.
Detective Thompson: Multiple wounds and lesions on the bodies. John Doe's neck was broken for kicks.
Nick: He's not a John Doe. And she's not a Jane. The sheriff..
Detective Thompson: Listen kid, you haven't worked in this field for 20 plus years. I've been working since before you were born. Don't piss me off.
Nick: ...
*watches him walk off* Yes sir.
*rolls eyes*
Nick bends down, and looks at the bodies.. as the coroner begins the transport process. Nick notices footsteps in the dirt, clearly marked as evidence. He looks up into the sky, at the trees. It's peaceful. Too peaceful. As if the killer is watching from afar. Nick spots a shadow in the distance, but it disappears.
Thompson startles Nick.
Detective Thompson: Bears. Always lurking around. Come on kid.. we've seen enough here. It's time to drop you off back at the manor.
Nick: ... But I just started.
Detective Thompson: The sheriff just wanted me to show you the crime scene. We'll need your expertise during the investigation. Which won't ramp up for another 48 hours, til we notify the families. So take that time to catch up on your reading of our handbook.
*throws the book at Nick* If we need you, we'll call you.
Nick: ... What about my pay?
Detective Thompson: What about it? Get in the damn car.
Nick sighs, and gets in the squad car.
Detective Thompson: Off to the manor.
Nick: ... No. Can we make a stop at the train station on the way?
Detective Thompson: Why?
Nick: ... I need to pick something up.
Soterios Train Station..
Nick walks in, and picks up some destination books from the counter. Nick looks up.. and stops. Sitting behind the window, a Lost and Found bin. Inside.. a few random items. But one sticks out. It's a golden bishop chess piece. Nick knows the item well. And it's distinctive in design. That's Luke's. He must have dropped it.
Nick: Excuse me.. miss.. that chess piece.. my friend came here awhile ago. He left for London, but I don't know where he is. But.. I do know that is his.
Woman: Nice try young man. But I can only give items to the person who can verify it's theirs.
Nick: Listen.. old woman.. I know that chess piece. The top was broken during a mission, so it has a small crack where it was glued. The bottom has a series of numbers etched into it, with the words "Infinitum Corp" and a small symbol next to it. Good enough?
The woman looks at the piece.. and finally hands it to Nick. He pockets it.
Nick: Have a good day.
Nick leaves the station.
The squad car drops Nick off at the manor.
Nick walks into the manor, and heads to the bedrooms. He finds Emma, standing near the open door on the east end of the manor.
Nick: .. Oh.
Emma: I see you haven't packed yet.
Nick: Got distracted.
Emma: By breaking your way into one of my private rooms?
Nick: First off I didn't "break" anything. I'm good at heists remember? All apart of the training. And besides.. it was the sheriff who distracted me.
Emma: The sheriff?
Nick: Yes. It seems now they want my help. There was another murder..
Emma shivers.
Nick: And I had to see the bodies. A 22 year old.. and a 19 year old.. around our ages. Dead. In a violent way. Wasn't pleasant.
Emma: I would think not.
Nick: So seeing that makes life.. and some things in life.. seem so pointless. Like why you are guarding that doorway with your life.
Emma: It's my private business.
Nick walks closer to Emma, as she walks backwards.
Nick: So Anna was right.. maybe you are hiding something.
Emma: You and Anna.. maybe that's a secret you are hiding.
*nervous*
Again, Nick walks closer to Emma, as she walks backwards. Now both of them are in that hallway, before the stairs.
Nick: There is nothing between me and Emma. Or any woman.
Emma: ... Ouch.
Nick: ...
Again, Nick walks closer to Emma, as she walks backwards. This time Emma backs into the wall.. Nick close to her face and body.
Nick: ... So is there something.. between us?
Emma: ...
Nick: ... What's behind the door at the end of these stairs?
Emma: ...
Nick looks into her eyes. Emma's breathing is heavy, as she breathes on Nick.. Nick breathing in her breath.
Nick: Well I guess I won't get an answer.
Nick turns to leave.
Emma: Nick.. wait.
Nick looks back.
Nick faces Emma, and presses her against the wall. He kisses her passionately. He puts his hand behind her head, and continues kissing her, eventually down her neck, and back up again. Emma looks down the stairs.. at the door.. at the end of the hall. She looks back at Nick, and kisses him. Something she wouldn't have done since the traumatic experience in her past.
Both of them kissing in the room.. the secret room.
Nick lifts up Emma, and holds her up against him, kissing her. He holds her against the wall, her shoes falling off.
Nick carries Emma out of the secret room, and looks at the bedrooms doors.
Emma: Mine.
*kisses*
Nick carries Emma into the main bedroom, and lays her on the bed, Nick over her. They look into each others eyes. Nick kisses her neck, and down to her breasts, running his hands up from her feet, to her legs.
Emma: Nick.. wait..
Nick: *stops* ... I knew it.
Nick gets out of bed, and walks towards the bedroom door.
Nick: I've pushed enough. I'll leave in the morning, no questions asked.
Nick walks out into the hallway.