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Starring:
Adrian Paul (Duncan MacLeod) Guests:
Pruitt Taylor Vince (Mikey Bellows) [see Notes]
Written by Alan Swayze |
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A junkyard, or at least what looks like a junkyard. There are cars and an old bus scattered around, and a large, hangar-like structure in the background. In the middle of the yard, Alan Wells is working on his motorcycle when he senses another immortal. He straightens up, looking around warily, then smiles when he sees that it's only Mikey. (I usually don't go into physical descriptions--maybe I should--but it's important here that Mikey is very much an adult. He's big and balding, probably around 30ish, but I'm rotten at guessing ages and he may be older or younger.)
Alan, laughing as Mikey walks up: "Mikey, it's you. Hey, you found your train."
Mikey, clutching a toy train to his chest, smiles happily and walks up to Alan.
Mikey: "Can I help?"
Alan: "Absolutely." Points to a toolbox. "Do you think you could help me with my tools?"
Mikey, decisively: "Yes. I can."
Alan: "Easier if you put the train down first, Mikey."
Mikey shakes his head: "First steam locomotive, built by Richard Trevithick in 1804 for Pennydarins (?) Ironworks in Wales." Alan is lifting the heavy box while Mikey speaks, and Mikey reaches to take it, still talking. "25 tons." [see Notes about the train stuff]
Alan, indulgently: "You don't say." He helps Mikey steady the box. "Here, I'll get--"
Mikey: "No, no I can do it." He carries the box across the yard, saying, "All aboard." He makes train noises as Helen Wells comes out of the hangar, waving a lunch box.
Helen: "Lunch!" To Alan. "How's your helper doing?"
Alan: "He's taking a, uh, load of machinery into town."
Mikey, setting the box down: "Carried 25 tons."
Helen laughs: "Then you must be pretty hungry." But Mikey is suddenly nervous, twisting his train in his hands. "Something wrong, Mikey?" She turns to Alan, and finds the same expression on his face. "Alan? Is it an immortal?"
Alan looks over the yard, but it's empty. Mikey's face is screwed up in terror as he looks around for the other immortal.
Alan: "Mikey, go with Helen."
Mikey: "No, Mikey can help."
Alan: "Not with this."
Mikey: "S--Stupid rules."
Alan, to Helen: "Helen, take him to the bus and keep him down. I don't want him to see this."
Helen, nodding, takes Mikey's arm: "Come on, Mikey, hurry."
Mikey: "I'm not a kid."
Alan goes to him, speaking seriously: "Mikey, listen to me. Now this is important. Okay? Now go to the bus and keep quiet. Go."
Helen: "Alan . . ."
Alan: "Go."
Helen ushers Mikey into the bus: "Come on, Mikey."
Mikey: "Shh!! Alan said to be quiet."
Helen pushes him gently towards the bus: "In there."
Mikey balks at the last minute, turning his back and planting himself against the side of the bus.
Mikey: "No. No I don't want to go. I want to stay."
Helen, urgently: "Get in, Mikey."
Mikey: "No, I don't like it in there. I want to stay outside."
Helen, desperate, pushes him inside: "Mikey, get in! Mikey, get in!"
Mikey goes, still protesting. Helen makes him crouch down, putting her arms around him.
Helen: "Get down. Come on, that's it."
Outside, Tyler King saunters up to Alan, resting his sword casually across his shoulders. He lowers it as he approaches, and grins at Alan, then sobers and faces off without a word. Inside the bus, Mikey hears the swords clashing and raises his head to look.
Mikey starts to get up: "Alan needs me."
Helen: "No! Mikey!"
Mikey grabs her, holding her close to him: "Shh! Helen, quiet. Quiet."
Outside, King cuts Alan in the stomach, and Alan falls to his knees.
Helen gets up, screaming: "ALAN!!!"
She tries to run out, but Mikey grabs her.
Mikey: "No, no, no, no, no."
Alan slumps down, and Helen keeps screaming. Mikey puts his hand over her mouth, trying to make her quiet, ignoring the fact that he's now suffocating her. She clutches at him feebly, unable to get away.
Mikey: "No, Helen. Shh, shh."
Outside, King takes Alan's head. In the bus, Mikey lowers Helen's limp body to the floor, saying her name. He stands up, panicked, as the Quickening begins, sobbing as he watches the wind and the lightening begin. He kneels by Helen once more, then heads outside. In the yard, the wind is blowing, and the horns of the disabled cars are beeping while the headlights flash. Mikey runs off, leaving King to the Quickening.
Richie Ryan is riding his bike up a country road. In the brush, Mikey is running, chanting to himself.
Mikey, panting: "Train go fast, train go fast, train go fast . . ."
On the road, Richie slows down as he reaches a fork, and Mikey senses him.
Mikey, still in the woods: "Oh, no. Not again."
Richie stops as he feels Mikey in his turn. He pulls off his helmet, looking around, and hears Mikey's voice. [More credit fodder! See Notes.]
Mikey: "No more. Make it stop. Stop."
Richie looks towards the voice, but Mikey is still hiding. All he can hear is him sobbing faintly. He gets off the bike, approaching the bushes.
Richie: "Who's there?"
Mikey comes out of the bushes, dirty and winded, still holding his toy train. Richie regards him silently for a moment, not sure what to make of him."
Mikey: "I'm hungry."
Richie looks him up and down, still a little cautious, but then he looks in his jacket and produces a candy bar. He holds it out, and Mikey comes forward and takes it.
Mikey: "Thank you." He steps back quickly.
Richie nods, and watches silently while Mikey wolfs down the candy bar. As he does, we get the classic "binocular screen" (You know, the little twin circles around the screen.) In the distance, King is seen observing them. Meanwhile, Mikey has gulped down the candy, and approaches Richie again.
Mikey: "More?"
Richie glances down at himself, shaking his head: "Sorry." He pauses, watching Mikey still chewing the last bite. "You, uh, you from around here?" Mikey looks around, clearly confused, and shakes his head. "Are you lost?" Mikey doesn't respond. "Where's your home?" Mikey freezes.
Mikey, dully: "Nobody's home"
Richie drops his eyes, then gestures to the road.
Richie: "I'm headed that way. Up the coast."
Mikey's face lights up: "Coast Starlight passes through 22 tunnels in Oregon."
Richie smiles, laughing a little: "Is that a fact."
Mikey: "Fact. Amtrack founded, 1971."
Richie grins again: You want to come with me?" Mikey, overwhelmed, can only nod. "All right." Richie gets on the bike, then looks back and pats the back of the seat. "Well, come on. All aboard."
Mikey, eagerly: "All aboard." He gets on, grabbing Richie's shoulders. "Um, my name's Mikey."
Richie reaches a hand back: "How you doing, Mikey? I'm Richie."
Mikey shakes his hand. In the distance, King raises his binoculars again, watching as they roar off.
In the loft of the dojo, Duncan MacLeod is looking at a real estate picture, talking on the phone to someone.
Duncan: "Yes, I know the grounds haven't been kept up." Pauses. "Yes, I know about the roof." He walks to the window, still talking. "No, I don't want to see anything else. I just want to know whether the offer's been accepted." Waits. In the background, the sound of the elevator rising begins. "Great! Then send me the papers. Thanks." He hangs up, and turns as he senses another immortal. Richie is just lifting the gate to the elevator, and Duncan watches as he and Mikey get out.
Duncan, casual: "Hi."
Richie, sauntering out: "Hey." He puts his helmet and jacket down, and Duncan hands him the picture, watching as Mikey wanders into the kitchen, looking around.
Duncan: "So, what do you think?"
Richie takes the picture: "It's a wreck." He looks at the house, called "The Edgar Estate." He squints at the paper. "It's an expensive wreck." He looks through the other pictures as Duncan strolls over towards the kitchen island.
Duncan, over his shoulder: "Yeah, exactly. I just bought it." He turns back to Mikey. Mikey: "Hi."
Duncan: "Hi."
Richie, walking over to make introductions: "Mac, say hello to Mikey."
Duncan holds out his hand: "Hi, Mikey. I'm Duncan."
Mikey, shaking his hand: "Duncan, Oklahoma. On Witchita-Fort Worth line, between Chickashaw and Red River Bridge."
Duncan, glancing at Richie: "I'm very glad to know that."
Richie: "Mikey. Mac's my best friend."
Mikey takes that in, nodding: "Best Friend of Charleston. Christmas Day, 1830." He starts walking around the loft, looking around as he recites. "South Carolina, 141 passengers. First scheduled train in the United States." Mikey stops as he sees a clock sitting on Duncan's desk, and picks it up carelessly, peering at the face. [Useless trivia: This is the same clock Duncan was working on in "Brothers in Arms."]
Duncan to Richie: "Where'd you find him?"
Richie: "About twenty miles south of Greenville. He was just wandering in the middle of nowhere."
Duncan turns from getting orange juice out of the refrigerator, and sees what Mikey's doing.
Duncan, moving quickly: "Uh, Mikey. That's, uh . . . Be careful with that, Mikey. That's, that's--"
Mikey snaps off the hand: "Sorry." He hands the hand, and then the clock, to a dismayed Duncan. "Sorry."
Duncan: "Uh, that's okay. That's okay."
Richie puts his hand on the back of Mikey's head: "Mikey, why don't we go outside or something. Take a walk?"
Mikey nods: "Walk is good." He bustles off to the elevator, leaving Richie with Mac.
Richie: "He was in the middle of nowhere, Mac. I couldn't just leave him. When you find somebody who's helpless, you got to protect him, right?" Duncan sets the clock down and straightens to face him, but before he can say anything Richie nods, agreeing with himself, and leaves.
Duncan is riding along a road, but he pulls up as hears the sound of someone crying out, and voices. He looks around, then rides up as Jack Spice is beating Chaske, a young Indian boy. Jack is lashing at him, laughing, while Chaske stumbles back, trying to get away. [This episode, by the way, is one great big Match the Name Game. I've got four names that aren't ever attached to characters, so I'm really just guessing at who Jack, Lockport, Anderson, and Officer Winston are. Anyone who doesn't get called by name at some point is fair game . . . --Jinjifore]
Jack: "Stand still, you worthless bastard. I own your sorry ass."
Chaske, swaying on his feet, stands still, and Jack lashes at him again. He wraps the whip around his ankles and jerks, throwing him to the ground, whooping triumphantly. "Now I got you!" He lays the whip on Chaske's back. "Ha, boy, I got to teach you, so you won't be running away again." He keeps beating him as Duncan rides up, seemingly oblivious to him as Duncan dismounts.
Duncan: "I think you've made your point."
Jack stops, looking at him angrily: "You want to stay healthy, mister, you best ride on."
Duncan walks over to Chaske, looking down at him, then looks back at Jack and steps deliberately between him and boy.
Duncan: "Sorry, can't do that."
Jack, not believing his ears: "This Indian is bought and paid for. Where I come from, you don't come between a man and his property."
Duncan, taking a step forward: "Guess we come from different places."
Jack: "Oooh." Laughs mockingly. "It's your hide." He draws his arm back, but whenever he lashes the whip down, Duncan is somewhere else. On the second blow, Duncan grabs the lash and pulls, yanking it from Jack's hand. He waggles it threateningly, and Jack retreats, as if he's running for good. Duncan turns to Chaske, but Jack has only run as far as his saddlebag. He grabs a rifle, yelling, "Son of a bitch," and Duncan turns and strikes it out of his hand, then lashes his face. Jack staggers, clutching his face.
Jack: "Damn you."
Duncan: "Smart man would ride out right now."
Jack snarls: "I'll see you again. Both of you!" He gets his horses and leaves.
Chaske, still lying on the ground: "He will not forget this."
Duncan: "I hope not." He goes and helps Chaske to his feet. "My name's MacLeod."
Chaske: "Chaske."
Duncan: "Let me have a look at your back." He lifts Chaske's shirt, and Chaske winces in pain. Duncan lowers the shirt again. "There's a doctor in the next town. Come on." He takes Chaske's arm, but Chaske jerks back.
Chaske: "No! White man will have no medicine for me. I will be fine." He turns to walk away, but only manages to stagger a step or two before collapsing to the ground. Duncan walks over and takes his arm again.
Duncan: "Sure you will. Come on." He helps him up. "Come on."
In a park, Mikey is sitting on a bench, fiddling with his train. Duncan sits down next to him.
Mikey: "Broken."
Duncan: "Want me to fix it for you?" Mikey considers a moment, then hands him the train. "Let's see. Well." Duncan inspects the train, and looks down between his feet for something, asking, "So, where did you live before, Mikey?"
Mikey flashes briefly on the junkyard, on Alan fixing his motorcycle. He shifts uncomfortably on the bench.
Mikey: "In a house. Argentina has 21,000 miles of railroad track."
Duncan smiles briefly, then looks back at the toy he's fixing: "Yeah, but where?"
Mikey flashes on the bus, on him and Helen climbing inside.
Mikey: "In a room." He flashes on the bus again. He starts rocking back and forth. "Mexico, 16,000 miles of track."
Duncan watches him, frowning a little: "Were there other people in the house?"
Mikey is rocking back and forth more rapidly now, as he flashes on Helen screaming.
Mikey: "Nobody's home."
Richie, leaning against a nearby tree, looks at Mikey a little worriedly, as Mikey continues to rock, reciting more train statistics, his voice rising, and growing quicker.
Mikey: "Brazil, 18,000 miles. Chile, 5,000 miles!"
Duncan, gently: "It's okay, Mikey. It's all right, it's okay." He puts the last touches on the train repair. "There you go. All fixed. Here." He hands the train back.
Mikey: "Thank you." He gets up, wandering off, playing with the train.
Richie: "Look how happy you made him. So what do you think?" He pushes himself away from the tree, joining Duncan as he watches Mikey walk off. [This, presumably, is where they got the montage shot for "Archangel," but the exact shot, of Richie smiling, doesn't seem to be in this scene. Oh, well . . .]
Duncan: "Someone had to be taking care of him. That's obvious."
As they talk, Mikey is wandering through the parking lot, looking around.
Richie: "Do you think it was an immortal?"
Duncan: "We may never know."
Meanwhile, Mikey sees a truck full of empty water bottles. He leans his hands on the tailgate, peering interestedly inside, but as he does so he manages to open the tailgate and the bottles tumble out, rolling and scattering everywhere.
Delivery man, just coming out with a trolley: "Hey, what the . . . ?" He rolls up to the truck. "You idiot! What's the matter with you?"
Richie and Duncan dash up, as Mikey starts yelling back.
Mikey: "Don't yell at me! I don't like it when people yell at me!"
Richie goes up to him, soothing: "It's okay, it's okay, Mikey." He turns to the delivery man. "We'll take care of it. We'll take care of it." He and Duncan start picking up the bottles.
Delivery man: "What's the matter with him?"
Duncan, collecting bottles: "He's fine."
Richie: "Sir, don't worry about it. We'll put all the bottles back, we'll have it all taken care of for you. Right away."
As they start picking up bottles, Mikey turns and walks off, striding down the parking lot, a few lone bottles rolling in front of him. Richie and Duncan, hastily tossing bottles back into the truck, don't notice. Mikey walks to the end of the parking lot, and his jaw drops in delighted amazement as he hears a train whistle. He walks up through a gate and finds a small kiddie train parked there. He walks up to it reverently.
Mikey, awed: "Orient Express. Paris-Istanbul. Istanbul-Paris. Most famous train in the whole world." He touches the smokestack.
Meanwhile, Duncan and Richie finish their task, only to turn around and find Mikey gone.
Duncan: "Where is he?"
Richie shrugs helplessly.
Mikey has gotten on the train and is riding it around the track, tugging happily on the whistle.
Mikey: "Orient Express. Salzburg!" He doesn't notice as Lockport, presumably a maintenance man, runs up beside him, grabbing at the controls. "Vienna! Munich! Budapest!" The man tries to stop the train, and Mikey shoves him back. "Hey!"
Lockport: "What, are you crazy?"
Richie and Duncan run up. Richie calls Mikey's name, and Mikey starts bouncing excitedly in the train seat.
Mikey: "Richie! Richie! Orient Express!"
Lockport, yelling: "Get him off my train!"
Duncan, rushing to assure him: "It's all right, we'll handle it. It's all right."
Richie coaxes Mikey from the train: "Come on, Mikey, get down from there. Come on, come on. Let's go. Let's go." Mikey does so, reluctantly, and Lockport steps forward, running a cloth over the engine.
Lockport: "He could have broken it!"
Duncan: "But he didn't, did he?"
Richie, quickly urging Mikey away: "Let's go, Mikey."
Lockport: "[?] people like that should be locked up somewhere!"
Duncan: "Yeah, well he won't be bothering you anymore."
Mikey, defiantly: "It's not--it's not even the real Orient Express."
Richie: "Come on." He puts his arm over Mikey's shoulders and leads him off, saying, "It's okay, it's okay."
In the loft, Mikey is sitting glumly on the couch, staring down at a map spread on the coffee table while Richie and Duncan talk in undertones in the kitchen.
Richie: "I don't know. I don't what to do with him."
Duncan: "We're going to have to find somewhere where he's not going to get into trouble."
Richie, quietly: "I know, I know . . . I just keep asking myself why we met up on that road. You know, why at that exact moment he was there. Mac, it's like maybe it happened for a reason."
Duncan looks dubious: "You think you're supposed to take care of him?"
Richie, looking over at Mikey: "Maybe."
Mikey sees Richie looking at him and waves: "Hi, Richie."
Richie: "Hi, Mikey." He turns back to Duncan, dropping his voice again. "I mean look at him, Mac. Look. He does not have a mean bone in his body."
Duncan: "Richie, he's not a puppy, he's a man, and he's an immortal. What do you think would have happened if we hadn't been there."
Richie, reasonably: "But we were."
Duncan: "We won't always be." He pauses, then takes a new tack. "Are you ready to dedicate your life to him? Twenty-four hours a day, every day, forever? Because that's what it's going to take."
Richie: "So what do you want to do, lock him up?"
Duncan: "No." Mikey looks up, listening. "I want him safe."
Richie: "All right. I'm going to go talk to a couple of social workers I know."
Duncan nods, approving: "Good idea."
Richie goes over to Mikey: "Hey, Mikey."
Mikey: "Hi."
Richie sits down on the coffee table: "Listen. I'm going to go out for a while. I got some things to do." Puts a hand on his shoulder. 'But you can help Mac look after the place?"
Mikey, nodding: "I'm a good helper."
Richie: "I know you are." Pats his shoulder. "I'll see you later." He gets up and leaves, and Duncan comes over, carrying a plate of cookies and a glass of milk.
Duncan: "Want some milk, Mikey?"
Mikey takes the milk and a cookie, still studying the map. He points to a spot on it as Duncan sits down next to him.
Mikey: "Two silver trains through Carolina."
Duncan looks down at the map: "Well, that's interesting." Casually. "Where exactly was it that you came from? Do you know?"
Mikey puts the milk down quickly and stands up, hands working at his sides.
Mikey: "Silver Meteor, and Silver Star."
Duncan stands up: "Mikey, come on. Talk to me."
Mikey pushes past him, still talking, waving at the map: "Split at Selma. Share same route again, after Savannah."
Duncan glances at the map, then takes a step toward him.
Duncan, gently: "What happened, Mikey?"
Mikey flashes again on Helen's death, on her falling to the floor. He turns away.
Mikey: "Mikey's fault. Always Mikey's fault."
Duncan, touching his arm gently: "It's all right--"
He turns as he senses another immortal, and Mikey twists away, his face screwing up in pain. Duncan looks at him seriously.
Duncan, slowly and calmly: "Mikey, you stay here. It's going to be all right. It'll be all right." He leaves, and Mikey watches him go, his eyes sliding back and forth.
Downstairs, King is waiting by the elevator door, sword out. He ducks beside the door as the elevator comes down, and when Duncan lifts the gate he swings, engaging him. He backs off, though, as soon as he sees who's come down.
King: "Well, well well. What have we here?"
Duncan, pacing into the room, circling him: "We have Duncan MacLeod of the Clan MacLeod."
King retreats to a safe distance: "Fantastic." He smiles. "Tyler King. Now you give him to me, and you'll live for another day, Duncan."
Duncan continues to stalk him: "Sorry, Tyler."
King, almost sounding kind: "Do yourself a favor: beat it. I'm not here for you."
Duncan allows himself a smile: "Well, if you're here for him, then you are here for me."
King: "Right." Shakes his a head a little, clearly not believing what he's hearing. "Have you talked to him? He's lunch meat. He's barely a blip on the EEG."
Duncan, pacing around him again: "He thinks. He feels. He's got as much right to life as even you do."
King spreads his hands: "What life?" As he speaks, the door to the stairs opens and Mikey peers out. "He's going to get whacked soon enough." King smiles. "Why not by me?"
Duncan, even: "Because I say so."
King's smile vanishes: "Sorry, I missed that . . ." He attacks.
They trade a few blows, and Duncan makes a silent "ooh" after the first volley. King attacks again, and they continue fighting. Mikey watches for a few seconds, then runs out, yelling, "No!" He grabs hold of Duncan.
Mikey: "No, stop, stop! No."
Duncan, still parrying while trying to push him away: "Mikey, no!" He pushes him back, and keeps fighting. "Get out of here!"
Mikey runs, and Duncan falls, but parries King's blows until he's able to regain his feet. He hits King in the face with the hilt of his sword, knocking him out, but backs away, calling for Mikey, clearly more worried about Mikey running off alone than finishing King right then. He finally turns and runs out, leaving King to recover and go off alone.
Outside, Duncan gets in the T-bird and drives off, looking around for Mikey. This engenders a looong montage of Mikey wandering the streets, going up to the passers-by and asking things like, "Track 29? Station? All aboard?" Duncan, meanwhile, drives around, looking for him. Mikey finally ends up in the middle of an intersection, wandering around in the middle of traffic, calling, "All aboard!" as the cars honk at him. He's still there, in the process of causing a traffic jam, when a police car comes along at a fast clip and hits him. He smacks into the windshield and tumbles off, and the policemen get out, running to him.
Cop: "You all right?" They help him up. "You all right, man?" But as soon as Mikey's on his feet he shoves hard at one of them, throwing him against the hood of the car.
Mikey, yelling: "You hurt me!"
The cops are on him in a moment.
Cop: "Man, he's crazy!"
They pin him on the hood and cuff him, then put him in the car. Duncan drives up in time to see them get inside, Mikey huddled miserably in the back seat.
Duncan and Chaske ride up the main street, Chaske behind Duncan on his horse. As they ride by, the townspeople stare at them hostilely, saying nothing, but clearly not welcoming them.
Chaske: "They--they hate me."
Duncan: "We're not here to make friends. Soon as you're patched up we'll be on our way."
They ride on, and as they do Anderson [Yet another blind guess. --Jinjifore] comes out of the one of stores, walking down the street towards their destination. They stop at Doc Hobbs', and as they dismount Doc Hobbs comes out.
Doc: "I'm sorry, but you can't bring him in here."
Duncan, helping Chaske stand while he ties up his horse: "You took an oath, didn't you?"
Doc: "It's just asking for trouble, mister. Indian war's left a lot of bad feelings in these parts."
Duncan turns to go in, and finds a number of the townspeople gathering around. He draws his shotgun, holding it over his shoulder as he walks by them to help Chaske up the steps. The Doc is still standing at the top of them, blocking their way.
Doc: "Half the town lost friends or relatives to the Cheyenne."
Chaske: "I'm sorry to hear that. But I'm not Cheyenne."
Anderson finally steps up to the sidewalk: "What the hell is going on here, Doc?"
Duncan: "We've got an injured man, here."
Doc Hobbs looks at them for a moment, then makes up his mind. He reaches out for Chaske.
Doc: "Come with me." He and Chaske go inside.
Duncan: "I'll keep an eye on things outside." He turns back as the door closes, lowering his gun to his side as he addresses the assembled people. "How you folks doing?" The only answer he gets are angry mutterings, and he turns to Anderson. Anderson says nothing, just steps away and leaves him. Duncan positions himself in front of the window, glancing in to see the Doc examining Chaske. Chaske looks back out the window at Duncan, his expression anguished. He stares up, and then his face is superimposed on the window of the police car, along with Mikey's.
Duncan stares as the police car drives off, then turns and dashes back to his own car.
Outside the police station, Richie meets up with Duncan, who's standing in front of the T-bird.
Richie: "What's up?"
Duncan: "He took on two cops. On a crowded street."
Richie's shoulders slump and he paces past him.
Richie: "It never would have happened if King hadn't shown up."
Duncan: "Yeah, but something else would have."
Richie doesn't bother to argue: "All right. Let's just get him out of here." He heads for the station, and Duncan follows him.
Duncan: "And then what?"
Richie: "I don't know. I'm working on it."
Duncan: "I hope so."
They go inside.
Inside the prison, Duncan and Richie are let in Mikey's cell. He's sitting on the floor, rocking back and forth. Duncan kneels down, addressing him gently.
Duncan: "Mikey?"
Mikey: "Trans-Siberian Express. 6,000 miles long."
Duncan, tenderly: "Mikey, it's me, Duncan." He touches Mikey's face gently.
Mikey, not seeming to see or hear him: "Moscow to Vladavastok (?). Track completed 1916."
Duncan looks worriedly at Richie, and stands up.
Duncan: "Talk to him, Richie." He looks at Mikey's face, remembering.
Duncan is standing outside the Doc's, watching Chaske and keeping an eye on the people gathered around. Inside, Doc Hobbs is tending to Chaske's wounds, cleaning out the deep cuts on his back. Meanwhile, Anderson comes back, striding up through the crowd, moving to stand in front of them.
Anderson: "Come on. What are ya'll waiting for?" Turns to the crowd, and then faces the Doc's office. "Let's kick this Indian's red ass out of town."
Duncan, preoccupied with cleaning his gun: "Why?"
Anderson walks up to him: "What do you mean, 'why?'"
Duncan shrugs: "Well what exactly about him don't you like?" Raises his voice to the crowd. "His hair? Or maybe his clothes."
Anderson smirks, looking back to his audience: "You making fun of me, mister?"
Duncan: "Someone should." He looks away, dismissing him.
Inside, Chaske is still watching out the window. The Doc is busy with something in another part of the room, and while his back is turned Chaske sneaks past him and escapes out the back.
Outside, Anderson starts up the steps.
Anderson: "You're asking for trouble, mister."
Duncan, standing to get in front of him: "Now, excuse me. I don't think I asked for that at all, as I remember."
As they confront one another, the Sheriff walks up through the crowd.
Sheriff: "Afternoon." He stops at the foot of the steps. "Is there some kind of problem here?"
Duncan: "No, no problem." He looks down at Anderson. "I just brought a friend in to have his wounds seen to."
Anderson turns to the Sheriff: "He's a damn Injun." He strides back to the crowd, satisfied that his point has been made.
Meanwhile, Chaske slips out from behind the building and runs out to the main street, past two Chinese men doing laundry. They look at each other for a second, then Chaske turns and trots up to the street.
At Doc Hobbs', the Sheriff steps up to Duncan, looking warily at the assembled crowd.
Duncan: "Soon as he's fit to ride we'll move on."
Chaske runs up to a tethered horse and starts working at the knotted reins. Even as he touches them, though, he hears Jack's laughter and turns to find him standing there.
Jack: "Stop there, you worthless bastard." [This little piece, by the way, was recycled from the first flashback, with them just dubbing "Stop there" over "Stand still." Just an observation . . . --Jinjifore] Chaske stands, stunned, as Jack walks up and grabs him. "And this time you won't be walking away!"
They struggle, and as they stagger back to the middle of the street Chaske gets his hand on Jack's gun. It goes off, and Jack falls, Chaske walking after him with the gun still in his hand. Back at the doctor's office, the people hear the shot and go to investigate. Duncan ducks inside and presumably sees that Chaske is gone. He runs after the rest of the people.
Chaske is still standing over Jack's corpse, staring. He turns as the Sheriff speaks to him.
Sheriff: "Drop the gun, son."
Duncan, running up: "Chaske! Do as he says. It'll be all right." He turns to the Sheriff, pointing to the dead man. "[He had] Chaske as a slave. He nearly whipped him to death until I stopped him."
The Sheriff raises a hand: "He'll have lots of time to explain his side to the jury." He turns to Chaske. "Hold it right there. You're going to have to come with me."
Chaske wavers, and Duncan shakes his head, trying to calm him.
Duncan: "Chaske, don't."
But Chaske turns and bolts. Anderson and the Sheriff both raise their guns, but Duncan lunges for the Sheriff's, pushing it down.
Duncan: "No!"
But he can't stop Anderson, who fires, shooting Chaske square in the back. Duncan whirls at the shot, horrified, and Anderson grins.
Anderson: "Murderer trying to escape." He turns to smirk at the crowd, but as he's turning back Duncan nails him with the butt of his gun. Duncan stands for a moment, looking at Chaske's sprawled body. Doc Hobbs has joined the crowd, and he watches, upset.
In the jail, Duncan watches as Richie kneels down next to Mikey.
Richie: "Hey, Mikey. It's Richie and Mac." He puts a hand on the back of his head. "Your buddies."
Mikey just mumbles: "1916. 1916. 1916."
Richie's smile fades, and he reaches in the bag he's brought.
Richie: "I got you something special, Mikey." He brings out a toy train, a nice one, a locomotive made of metal instead of the wooden toy he had. Mikey's eyes drift to it, and Richie holds it up for him. "It's yours." Mikey looks at him, then up at Duncan, who smiles. "Go on."
Mikey takes the train: "California Zephyr."
Richie smiles, pleased, and reaches in the bag again, pulling out a cloth engineer's hat.
Richie: "I bought you this, too." He puts the cap on Mikey's head. Mikey smiles in delight and bounces to his feet, his disposition fully restored.
Mikey, holding up the train: "All aboard California Zephyr. Transcontinental service Chicago to San Francisco."
Richie urges him out of the cell: "Come on, Mikey. We can go now."
Mikey marches out, announcing: "Major stops Kansas City, Denver, Salt Lake City and Sacramento."
They go out, Mikey marching proudly in the lead.
In the loft, Richie is just finishing up a phone call.
Richie: "That's great. Thank you. Okay, bye-bye." He hangs up and walks over to Duncan, who's leaning on the kitchen counter. "Mac, there's a school upstate called St. Simon's. They can look after Mikey."
Duncan, interested: "You're sure."
Richie: "Well, it's a church-run facility built on holy ground. I think he'll be safe there 'til we find something more permanent."
While they talk, Mikey has gotten up from his seat on the couch and walks up to them.
Mikey: "I don't want to go without you, Richie."
Richie goes to him: "It's in the country, Mikey. You'll be safe."
Mikey thinks it over for a moment: "No bad men?"
Richie: "No bad men."
Mikey thinks again: "You coming?"
Richie hesitates: "We'll come visit."
Mikey turns abruptly and sits down defiantly in a chair, throwing his cap on the coffee table.
Mikey: "I'll stay here."
Richie looks at Duncan for help, and Duncan raises a finger, indicating that he has an idea. He walks over to Mikey.
Duncan: "Mikey, have you ever been to a real switching yard?"
Mikey: "Never been there before."
Duncan leans on the back of the chair: "Well, I think there's one on the way." Richie joins him, and Mikey looks up at them both, clearly interested. "We could stop off there."
Mikey considers for about two seconds, then gets up and walks to the elevator. He gets in, gesturing excitedly.
Mikey: "You guys coming?"
Richie and Duncan move to join him.
Richie: "Yeah, we're coming, we're coming."
They get in, and the elevator moves down.
The "Hallelujah Chorus" begins to play. At the switching yard, trains are coming and going, all different kinds moving along the tracks. Mikey turns around in awe, amazed and overwhelmed. He walks off, leaving Duncan and Richie to get out of the car and follow.
Mikey, pointing: "Freight cars. Average capacity, 84 tons." He walks on, rubbernecking delightedly, and Richie follows.
Richie: "You know what, Mikey, on our way to St. Simon's, we're going to be going through McMann Pass."
Mikey: "McMann Pass?"
Richie: "You know, where the Coast Starlight comes through on its way to Los Angeles."
Mikey, smiling: "Coast Starlight. Twenty-two tunnels."
Richie: "That's the one, big guy."
Mikey: "Let's go!"
He stops short, though, grimacing in pain as he senses another immortal. Duncan and Richie look around, and King steps from between two nearby cars, sword ready.
Mikey points at him, shouting: "Bad man!"
King starts forward, but Duncan dashes to intercept, his katana out.
Duncan: "Get him out of here, Richie. I'll deal with this."
Richie pulls Mikey away: "We'll wait by the car. Come on, Mikey."
He and Mikey depart, leaving Duncan and King alone.
Duncan and King go into an enclosed warehouse, King stepping through first.
King: "Nice venue. Private." Duncan closes the door, and faces him. "You want to dance? 'Cause we can go round and round."
Duncan smiles, and attacks him. They fight, exchanging a few blows. They break off, and they both take the opportunity to remove their coats.
King, blandly: "Wow. That was exciting." They circle each other. "I think you should give me the guy with the missing hard drive. And then, afterwards, maybe we could go to lunch."
Duncan, grinning ferally: "Sorry." They fight again. "I've already eaten."
Meanwhile, a police car pulls up behind the T-bird. Richie and Mikey, standing outside to wait for Duncan, turn as the car stops. Inside, Officer Winston and Dave look at each other. [Typical. Dave is addressed by name, but is his name in the end credits? Noooo. --Jinjifore]
Winston: "That's the car. Belongs to Duncan MacLeod, the guy who signed him out."
Dave lifts a wanted sheet, with Mikey's name and face on it.
Dave: "Okay. Let's do it."
Richie and Mikey walk towards them, curious, as they get out.
Winston: "That's him, Dave. That's the guy." He raises his voice, addressing Mikey and Richie. "Down on the ground!"
Richie, raising his hands: "Hold on guys. What's going on here?" He stops, but Mikey keeps walking forward. "Mikey, get down." Richie drops to his knees. "What's this about?"
Winston, keeping Mikey covered: "Your friend, here, is wanted for murdering some folks outside of Greensville."
Mikey keeps walking, staring at the lights on top of the police car.
Mikey: "[???] travels at 170 miles per hour."
Winston: "Hold it. Stay where you are! I said, stop!"
Inside the warehouse, King abandons his defense and climbs up on a parked engine. He and Duncan fight along the side of the engine, and Duncan soon manages to toss him off.
Meanwhile, Richie gets to his feet, holding out his hands.
Richie: "Please, don't shoot. I can handle him." He takes a step toward the car. "Mikey, get down."
Dave: "Stay down, or you're a dead man!" Richie sinks back to his knees, frustrated.
Winston: "Mikey, listen to your friend. On the ground, now."
Mikey, oblivious, is still reciting. [Sorry, I just can't make this out at all. --Jinjifore]
Winston: "I'm not going to say it again."
In the warehouse, Duncan has found a block and tackle and is swinging from it, slashing at King as he sways back and forth. [More credit fodder. See Notes.] He jumps down on the forward swing and they engage again.
Winston grabs Mikey and forces him against the hood of the car.
Winston: "Spread 'em!"
Richie: "Come on, fellas, we can work this out . . ."
Duncan and King are still fighting, and Duncan pops King in the face again, sending him reeling back.
Winston is cuffing Mikey, speaking to his partner: "Dave, call it in."
Mikey, enraged, surges up from the hood, yelling and striking Winston aside.
Duncan slashes down, taking King's head.
Mikey is struggling with Winston, Richie yelling at him, trying to stop him. He shoves Winston down and grabs Dave, wrestling with him.
Richie: "Mikey, stop it!"
But Mikey keeps on, and he smashes Dave's head through the window. Dave slumps to the ground, dead.
In the warehouse, the Quickening begins, sparks and steam blowing from the engine behind Duncan.
Outside, Mikey and Richie make good their escape, running down the train tracks.
The Quickening continues, more lightening and smoke, Duncan slashing his sword through the air as he screams, taking King's Quickening.
Richie and Mikey head down a track, running along it, well away from the switchyard now. Richie slows and stops, and points ahead. He and Mikey duck down behind some piled barrels, both of them panting.
Mikey: "I'm hungry, Richie."
Richie, petting his head: "I know, I know." He glances back over his shoulder. "Soon as Mac shows up we're on our way. It's okay."
Duncan lopes up to the T-bird and stops short, seeing the empty car, and the two cops lying on the ground. He feels for Dave's pulse, then straightens as he hears sirens approaching and runs off.
Duncan approaches Richie and Mikey's hiding place, slowing as he senses the other immortals.
Duncan: "Richie?"
Richie: "Mac. Boy, am I glad to see you." He takes Duncan's shoulder, pulling him back to where Mikey waits. "Come on, let's get Mikey up to St. Simon's before there's any more trouble."
But Duncan won't let himself be moved. He draws back, holding out Richie's coat as he walks back with him a little ways, away from Mikey.
Duncan: "You forgot your coat." He stops, not looking at Richie. "Mikey can't go to St. Simon's."
Richie: "It wasn't his fault, Mac. He was scared. You'd understand if you'd have been there."
Duncan: "I was. One of the cops is dead. Mikey broke his neck. Now they'll never stop looking for him." He pushes Richie's coat at him and walks back to Mikey. Mikey retreats for a few steps then stops, looking around.
Mikey: "Old Dominion makes nine stops, Washington to Newport News."
Duncan, taking his arm: "Mikey, what happened to the people that were taking care of you?"
Mikey: "Nine! Makes nine stops, Washington to Newport News." He tries to pull away, but Duncan takes his face in his hands. "Two stops, in . . .in--!"
Duncan: "Mikey."
Mikey gives in: "Bad man came, and Alan said, 'Quiet.'"
Duncan makes him look at him: "Did bad man hurt Alan, Mikey?"
Mikey nods, and Richie looks on, his face crumpling in sympathy.
Mikey, nodding: "Helen was making a lot of noise."
Duncan, quiet: "What happened to her, Mikey?"
Mikey: "I did what Alan said. I always listen to Alan. I didn't do anything bad." He holds up his hands, as if choking someone. "I made Helen quiet." He sinks to his knees while Duncan looks on, his expression a mix of sympathy and horror. "I said--I said, 'Get up, Helen. Get up, Helen.'"
Duncan, softly: "It's okay, Mikey. It's okay." He stands up and walks over to Richie. "You can't hide him, and he can't be in a cell forever. He's immortal, what are we supposed to do with him?"
Richie, desperate, almost in tears: "Mac, I'll do something. I'll get a place far away, please."
Duncan: "Alan and Helen tried that."
Richie, gritting: "Damn, damn, damn!" He looks up, shaking his head. "There is no place for him." He closes his eyes.
Duncan, after a pause: "I'll do it." He turns and walks toward Mikey.
Richie hesitates, then follows him: "No, Mac." He catches him up. "Wait, Mac. Wait." He takes his arm, facing him. "I'll do it. He's my responsibility." He goes to Mikey and puts a hand on his shoulder, forcing his voice to be cheerful. "Come on, Mikey. Come with me. I want to show you something." He starts to lead him down the track, towards the tunnel.
Mikey: "Where are we going?"
Richie: "Yeah, Mikey, come on, let's go look at the tunnel."
Duncan watches them go, listening as a train whistle blows.
Mikey: "Oh, a train, Richie?"
Richie: "Yeah, Mikey. A train."
Duncan turns and walks off a ways, leaving Richie and Mikey to enter the tunnel alone.
Mikey: "Oh, a train!"
Richie: "Yeah, must be the Coast Starlight."
Mikey: "Never seen the Coast Starlight."
They walk on into the tunnel, and Richie stops, leaving Mikey to walk on alone until he realizes that Richie's not there and turns. He watches, puzzled, as Richie reaches into his jacket and draws his sword.
Richie, choking: "I'm sorry, Mikey."
Mikey takes one look and starts to run. At the other end of the tunnel, the train approaches, going in. Mikey hears it and stops, turning to face Richie, holding his hands up.
Mikey: "I didn't mean to hurt anybody, Richie."
Richie, nodding: "I know."
Mikey looks back again, then steps to the side of the tracks, kneeling down.
Richie, rubs a hand over his face, his voice breaking: "Mikey . . ."
Mikey bends over the tracks, holding out his hands in a gesture of comfort.
Mikey: "Don't worry, Richie. I'm okay. I'm okay." He lays down, putting his neck on the rail. "Look. Look, not even scared." He pauses for a second, and smiles. "Mikey go see King of Trains."
Richie watches, his hand over his mouth, as the train comes closer. He presses himself against the wall, out of the way, as the train comes through, and roars out the other end. Duncan, standing by the barrels, looks up as the train passes. He looks back as he sees the light of the Quickening flickering from the tunnel, and hears Richie crying out. Inside, Richie stands in the middle of the track, fireballs exploding around Mikey's body, lightning crawling over him and up and down the tunnel. Outside, Duncan turns away as Richie's voice trails off, and inside Richie falls to his knees, sobbing quietly.
Richie comes around the corner of Duncan's recently-purchased house, following the sound of hammering and drilling. He finds Duncan on the deck, working on something laid over some sawhorses.
Richie: "So, this is the place."
Duncan looks around: "Yeah."
Richie: "It looked better in the picture."
Duncan looks up from his work: "Yeah. I guess it did." He smiles, and Richie returns it.
Richie: "Well, I thought maybe you could use a hand."
Duncan, casual: "Sure." He looks down again. "You okay?"
Richie nods: "Yeah."
Duncan looks at him: "You want to talk about it?"
Richie: "What's there to say?"
Duncan nods, and he returns to his drilling. As he does, a train horn sounds in the distance, and they both look up. The "Hallelujah Chorus" starts playing again, this time with singing, and we see a brief of montage of Mikey, looking at the trains in the switchyard, playing on the "Oriental Express," and smiling with his engineer's cap on his head. Then the scenes fade, but the music continues as we return to Duncan and Richie, looking at each other on the deck. Richie nods, and they return to the work as the last notes of the song finish.
Okay, for once I was actually able to look up some of this stuff effectively. After consulting my ancient World Book Encyclopedia, I was able to get spellings for a few of the train and train inventor names. Anything without a question mark is spelled the way World Book says. The stuff with questions, on the other hand . . .
Once again, this was a Guess the Name of the Character episode. I had tons of names listed in the final credits, but alas it was another one where there was an aversion to actually calling anyone by name. So, I slapped names on folks where it seemed needed, and just hoped that they're more or less right. Speaking of names, Mikey's name is spelled "Mikey" on the police report, but the Rysher site spells it "Mickey." Hmm, who to trust, the screen or Rysher "We Can't Even Spell Richie" Entertainment . . . (To be fair, now, apart from the glacial pace of the page loading and aforementioned inability to spell proper names, it's still a cool place, and a darn sight better than most shows' official sites.) Also, the only place where Mikey is referred to as Bellows is on that self-same police report.
This was another place where clips from the fourth/fifth season credits were gleaned. The scene where Richie first feels Mikey and looks around for him is the scene we get when Stan Kirsch's name appears, and the scene where Duncan is swinging from the hook appears during the first set of Duncan scenes after Joe's introduction.
Whew! This one took a bit longer than I thought! Anyway, it's here at last. Next week, "Leader of the Pack."
These pages are written by Jinjifore and are translated into HTML and maintained by Ian.
Disclaimer: All the dialogue, characters, situations, and darn near everything else belong to a bunch of fine and talented folks at Rysher Entertainment and Panzer/Davis, and in particular the dialogue belongs to the credited writer of this episode. Me, I just wrote the rest down in my own words, which belong to me, but the episode itself was made by the aforementioned people and is owned by them. This humble synopsis isn't meant to infringe on their rights, and I'm sure as heck not making any money from doing these.
Everything not belonging to Rysher, et al, ©Copyright 1997 by Jinjifore
Feel free to copy and distribute as long as this copyright notice and disclaimer are included, except where local bandwidth laws apply.
Also, check out Ian's home page.
Celtic clip art courtesy of the Celtic Art Web Page.
| Last Rev: H79 [ 9 Jul 97 ] |
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