'Within Five Days'/Act 1
--Robert Dubh Nianque

(c) The Waterbearing Fish

We come in after ROBERT tells KERRY what happened. (Camera first focuses on both ROBERT and KERRY then on EACH of them as THEY speak.)

KERRY leaves; camera dissolves.

*Scene 2*
(Monday morning/7:30-8 am)

The ferry's midway between island and mainland when DAR dials HER office via a dash-mounted cell speaker phone. HER secretary, MARIA LANA, answers on the first ring.

DAR disconnects; dials another number. The ferry docks. The phone rings twice. MARK POLENTI, Merwolf Systems' chief of Information Security, answers.

I need Associated Synergenics. Now.

(reaches Merwolf Systems' headquarters, drives the Lexus into the parking lot, nods to the GUARD who opens its security gate for HER)

Yeah, all right, give me a printout on her too.

THEY disconnect.

We hear DAR softly chuckling as we see the Lexus park. Camera shows the driver's door open, a hand grabbing the briefcase, and the door being closed.

Camera's focus changes so we now see DAR'S shadow by the door. It stays there for a moment, enough time for HER to take a quick look of HERSELF in the window and set the SUV's alarm system, before starting towards Merwolf Systems headquarters.

A black CAT, lean and fit, stops in front of HER. (Camera does a close-up of the CAT; ITS blue eyes are calm rather than fearful.)

DAR'S shadow stops; SHE looks at the CAT. (Camera now shows both CAT and DAR'S shadow.)

CAT walks away. DAR'S shadow continues its walk towards headquarters. Camera dissolves.

*Scene 3*
(Monday morning/10:00 am)

The staff knows of the merger, "hostile takeover" most call it, rumors regarding what will happen are interlaced with customer-related talk. Frustration and resignation echo throughout every conversation.

The camera shifts to a group of cubicles in the support staff section. Inside each is a desk, chair, computer, file cabinet, and phone. CHARLIE sits on HIS desk, headset dangling around HIS neck, styrofoam cup in HIS hand.

ANITA, whose cubicle is on CHARLIE'S right side, glances at HER phone pad. Several lights blink. SHE is short, slim, wears short-rimmed glasses.

The doors open; their noise quiets everyone. In walk the supervisors--RAY (area manager), SUSAN (lead programmer), ALEX (information services chief)--followed by KERRY. SHE leans against the closed doors for a moment, then straightens HER shoulders, and motions for everyone to gather in the open space.

Softly chatting, they form a semi-circle around a printer table. The supervisors are grim-faced. A bad sign. They look at KERRY. SHE carefully climbs onto the table and holds up a hand.

RAY RAMERIEZ is tall and lanky with black hair. SUSAN BARNES is a short stocky woman with silvered chestnut hair. In size and shape, ALEJANDRO ELESHA falls between RAY and SUSAN (though his hair is black with silver strands).

(Gives microphone to RAY, walks towards HER office along the back wall, trailed by supervisors while the staff returns to work. They reach HER office door, wanting to follow HER in, SHE raises a hand.)

After lunch, ok?

(RAY and ALEX leave; SUSAN remains)

Go get some coffee, check your email, do something...

KERRY watches SUSAN stalk away, to an office piled to the ceiling with printouts, then enters HER office. SHE circles the woodgrain wraparound desk (which includes a recessed computer well and is covered by employee personnel folders), sits in HER chair, puts HER head in HER hands.

SHE sighs then plays with a cup on HER desk and glances around HER office. A few file cabinets, one plant in each corner (each obsessively maintained), a winter landscape picture of Michigan on one wall (which features a red fox seeking shelter), a visitor's chair. Its carpet is pale blue; its walls painted light grey.

The phone rings. SHE pushes the speakerphone button.

Kerry.

SHE disconnects; begins pulling employee performance reviews from the folders. Camera dissolves.

*Scene 4*
(Monday morning/11:00 am)

The office itself is big. The back wall is glass; providing DAR a view of the bay and the ocean beyond. Thick burgundy carpet; smooth wood desk. Comfortable leather chair. Both speakerphone and computer system are the latest model.

Instead of a visitor's chair, there's a low-slung couch. Camera doesn't show DAR; it does--however--show papers, folders, and printouts (some labelled "Associated," some labelled "Merwolf") strewn across HER polished desk. Right now, SHE'S leaving a message for LOU (following up on HIS message in scene 2).

Disconnects; MARK enters and sits on the couch. HE'S a stocky dark-haired man of middling height. Camera focuses on HIS reactions to HER words.

Everything set for tomorrow?

Soon. Just called to make sure your teams are ready to take over Associated's functions.

SHE disconnects, places folders/etc. in a drawer, and writes a note. (Camera remains behind DAR as she does these things.) SHE leaves HER office and places a post-it message on MARIA'S monitor. It reads: Maria, Mark found a new home for the rabbits. Dar

SHE goes through a deserted hallway to the elevators. We hear HER laughing over ELEANOR'S fate.

Camera dissolves.

NOTES:

Written during 1999 and 2003. An earlier version was posted and later deleted.

'The Fox and the Panther' print inspired the final version of Dar's encounter with the cat (scene 2) and Kerry's Michigan print (scene 3). Like the sword versus staff encounter in the Teaser, the cat and fox are subtle ties linking Dar and Kerry to Xena and Gabrielle.

'Tropical Storm'

Part 1 (posted version)

Inspiration

'The Fox and the Panther' print

References

'Within Five Days'/Teaser
'Within Five Days'/Act 2