Spoilers For Episode 12
I finally got around to typing these all up. So here I bring you Spoilers for episode 12. I will be back shortly to discuss real life events (not that anyone probably wants to hear it lol).
Sides For Agent Henriksen
Int. Bank-Main Area-Day
Dean moves back across the main floor, when his phone Rings.
Intercut with:
INT. BANK-SMALL BACK OFFICE-DAY
Sam stands over a pile of gore and skin-African American.
Sam: He’s slipped his skin.
Dean: Dammit!
Sam: Bastard shifts fast. A lot faster than the one in St. Louis-
Dean: Then we’re back in the shell game. Could be anybody. Again.
Sam: And I think most of the employees are outta the vault by now.
Dean: (sighs) Okay. You check every inch of the place. I’ll rustle everybody up.
Ext. Bank-Day- A Half Hour Later
Two black Town Cars pull up on the scene. The driver of the lead car flashes an ID and a Cop lifts the police cordon.
Int. Police Command Center-Day
Decker hangs up the phone. Turns to Roberts, rueful.
Decker: Crap.
Lt. Roberts: What?
Decker: Feds are here.
Lt. Roberts: Crap.
Just then…the door opens, and Special Agent Henriksen enters-40’s, lean, severe, piercing eyes.
Agent Henriksen: Lt. Roberts. I’m Special Agent Henriksen.
Lt. Roberts: (dripping with sarcasm) Lemme guess. You’re taking command. But you’d just love my full cooperation.
Agent Henriksen: Nope. I don’t give a rat’s *** what you do. Go get a donut and bang your wife, all I care. (then) What I do need is your SWAT team, locked and loaded.
Lt. Roberts: Look, Agent, something’s not right about this-It’s-It’s not going down like the usual heist.
Agent Henriksen: That’s because it isn’t one. (off Robert’s blank) You got no idea what you’re dealing with, do you? (then) There’s a monster in that bank, Roberts.
Int. Bank-Vault-Day
There’s a few employees already inside the vault. They’re exhausted. Dean gently leads Sherri (and the other employee she was with) back inside the vault. Sherri sobs quietly.
Sherri: I…I thought you were one of the good guys.
Dean: (gently consoling) What’s your name?
Sherri: Why would you care.
Dean: My name is Dean.
Sherri: (after a long beat) Sherri.
The phone rings. Dean moves to it.
Dean: It’s going to be OK, Sherri. This will all be over soon. All right?
He picks up the phone-
Dean: Yeah.
Intercut With:
Int. Police Command Center Trailer- Day
Agent Henriksen: This is Special Agent Victor Henriksen.
Dean: Yeah, hi. Listen…I’m not really in the negotiating mood.
Agent Henriksen: Oh, good. Me neither. (then) It’s my job to bring you in. Alive’s preferable, but not necessary.
Dean: Jeez. Kinda hardcore for a fed, don’t you think?
Agent Henriksen: Well, you’re not the typical suspect. Are you, Dean?
Off Dean’s look-
Blackout
End Of Act Three
Act Four
Int. Police Command Center Trailer-Day
Henriksen. On the phone. Cool, calm, measured-
Agent Henriksen: I want you and Sam out here, unarmed. Or we come in. (then) And yes. I know about Sam, too. Bonnie to your Clyde.
Intercut With:
Int. Bank- Vault- Day
Dean on the phone with Henriksen, understandably taken aback.
Dean: Well. That part’s true. But I don’t get it. How’d you even know we were here?
Agent Henriksen: Go screw yourself. That’s how I know. (then) It’s become my job to know about you, Dean. I know about the murder in St. Louis, about the desecrations, the thefts, fraud. (then) I know about your Dad.
Dean: (touches a nerve) You don’t know crap about my Dad.
Agent Henriksen: Former marine, raised his kids on the road, cheap motels, backwoods cabins. Real para-military survivalist type. Just can’t get a handle on what kinda wacko he was-white supremacist, Timmy McVeigh, tomato, tomahto.
Dean is sincerely affronted by the accusation.
Dean: You got no right talking about him like that. He was a hero!
Agent Henriksen: Yeah. Right. Sure sounds like it. (then) You have one hour to make your decision. Then we’re coming through that door, full automatic.
Henriksen hangs up on him. Turns to Roberts and Decker-
Agent Henriksen: Scramble your men. Five minutes, then we go in.
Lt. Roberts: What--? Henriksen, they’ve let one hostage out so far. They’ve hurt no one as far as we can tell.
Agent Henriksen: One, I’m talking to the sergeant, not you. And two, you don’t know these Winchesters. They’re dangerous. Smart. Expertly trained.
Lt. Roberts: We can’t risk the lives of all those people-It’s crazy.
Agent Henriksen: Crazy’s in there. I just hung up on it.
Int. Bank-Manager’s Office- Day
Or some other room we’ve already shot in. Sam moves though the darkened room. Slowly. Seems empty. He’s about to move on. Then he catches something, leans in-
A spot of blood, small, just outside a closet door. He approaches, cautious. Takes a beat. Steels himself.
Suspense beat.
Then he whips open the closet door! And a body tumbles out at him!
It’s Sherri. Semi-nude, throat slashed open, eyes rolled back to the whites. His heart falls.
Sam: Damn it.
End Of Sides
Sides For Ronald
Ext. Trailer Park-Night
Sam and Dean, back in suit-and-tie, step onto the porch of a beat-up double wide trailer. Sam knocks at the screen door.
Sam: Mr. Reznick--? Ronald Reznick?
Wait -- then a floodlight above the door glares on, blinding the boys for a beat. Ronald appears behind the screen door; late 40's, gruff, big fellah. He grunts in greeting.
Sam: (holds up badge) FBI, Mr. Reznick...
Ronald: Lemme see the badge.
Sam presses it against the screen door. Ronald looks it over, hands it back.
Ronald: Already gave my statement to the police.
Dean: Yeah...Listen, Ronald, there were some details in your statement we'd like to get some clarification on.
Ronald: You read it?
Dean: (lying through his teeth) Sure did.
Ronald: And you come to listen to what I got to say?
Dean: That's why we're here.
Ronald's demeanor shifts; he seems surprised, less gruff. He opens the screen door for them.
Ronald: Well... Come on in then.
Int. Ronald’s Trailer-Night
As Sam and Dean follow Ronald through his trailer --
Ronald: None of the cops ever called me back... Not after I told them what was really going on... They all thought I was crazy.
They reach his cluttered 'base of operations'. City Maps, Documents, and Clippings plaster the walls (not dissimilar to the brothers' M.O.). Stacks of books and papers compete with beer empties. Sam and Dean take it in. 'Crazy' might be the right word...
Ronald: First off, Juan Morales never robbed the Milwaukee National Trust. That I guarantee. (digs through a stack) Me and Juan were friends. He used to come back to the bank on my night shift. We'd play cards.
Sam: So you let him into the bank that night. After hours.
Ronald: The thing I let into the bank... (shakes his head; grave) Wasn't Juan. Mighta looked like Juan. Talked like him. But it wasn't him.
Ronald stops digging through stacks, looks up, eyes glinting with paranoia, raspy 'the-walls-have-ears' whisper:
Ronald: I mean it had his face, but it wasn't his face. Every detail was perfect… But too perfect-- Like if a doll maker made it, like if I was talkin' to a big 'Juan' doll...
Sam: A 'Juan' doll.
Ronald finds what he seeks, a newspaper, its headline reads: ‘Woman Kills Guard, Self, In Jewelry Store Heist.' Under it, a photo of Helena. He hands it to Dean--
Ronald: Look, this wasn't the only time this happened. There was another bank got hit, and this jewelry store. But the cops, and you guys, you just-- you won't see it--
(stalks off to wall) All three crimes were pulled by the same thing.
Sam: And what's that, Mr. Reznick?
Ronald turns, picks up a copy of the Fortean Times (with a robot on the cover), shoves it into Sam's hands.
Ronald: Chinese been working on 'em for years. And the Russians before that... Part man, part machine--
As Ronald talks, Sam looks to Dean: 'this guy is a whack-job', but Dean's playfully into the whole thing.
Ronald: Like the Terminator, but the kind that can change itself-- make itself look like other people--
DEAN
Like the one from T2--
Sam gives Dean a look-- Ronald nods emphatically.
Ronald: Exactly! Not just a robot, see? More of a... a Mandroid.
Dean: (likes the sound of it) 'Mandroid.'
That's enough crazy for Sam.
Sam: Well, okay, then.
Dean: What makes you so sure about this, Ronald--?
Ronald: It's all on the tape.
He stalks off, starts rummaging OS. Dean eyebrows Sam.
Time Cut:
Black-and- White Surveillance Video fills frame, the image of a Bank Interior, Fast Forwarding. Ronald, in his uniform, zips in and out of the frame, on his rounds at x10 speed.
Pan Off TV Screen to present day Ronald, chatting speedily as he fast forwards the tape. Sam and Dean watch, cramped together on an old couch.
Ronald: I made copies of all the security tapes. I knew once the cops got them they'd be buried... Here--!
On Screen- the footage slows to Normal Speed as we watch uniformed Ronald open the front door, ushering Juan Morales (stout, mid-30's) into the bank. They exchange words, then Juan follows Ronald toward camera.
Ronald: Watch him-- Watch... Look at that!
Juan nears camera, looks up for a beat. Ronald freezes the tape -- Juan's eyes glow eerily.
Ronald: He's got the laser eyes!
Sam and Dean are stunned. They trade looks: Ronald's onto something. And they seem to recognize what it is--
Ronald: Cops said it was reflected light. Some kind of 'camera flare'--
Ronald grabs the jewelry heist clipping, heads to his wall. He's half talking to them now, half muttering to himself.
Ronald: Ain't no damn camera flare, I told 'em, over and over. They say I'm a post-trauma case? So what. Bank goes and fires me? Don't matter. The Mandroid is still out there... (then) Law won't hunt it down? I'll do it myself--
As he talks, he staples the jewelry store clipping up on the wall, next to other headlines.
Ronald: See, this thing -- it kills the real person, makes it look like a suicide. Then it sortalike morphs into the person-- Cases the job till it knows the take is fat, then finds its opening--
Dean eyes Sam: guy's not half bad at this. Sam frowns--
Ronald goes to a city map -- three red circles scratched around the robbery locations.
Ronald: All these robberies, they're grouped together. So I figure the Mandroid is holed up somewhere in the middle. (taps map's central area) Underground maybe. That's where it probably recharges its-- its Mandroid batteries--
Sam stands. Dean follows suit. Sam is all government:
Sam: OK, listen very carefully, Mr. Reznick. Because I'm gonna tell you the God's honest truth-- about all of this--
Ronald listens intently. Finally, someone's gonna level with him. Sam takes a dramatic beat. But then--
Sam: There's no such thing as "mandroids." There's nothing evil, or inhuman, going on out there. There's just people, understand? Nothing else.
Dean doesn't like pulling the rug on this guy; partly empathizes with the lone wolf, half-mad theorist.
Ronald: But... the laser eyes...
Sam: It was just a camera flare, Mr. Reznick. I know you don't want to believe it, but your friend Juan robbed your bank. And that's it.
Dean blinks at Sam, at the breadth of his lie. Ronald snarls, teeth clenched, livid:
Ronald: You get out of my house. Now.
Sam: We will. But first things first--
Int. Motel Room - Night
The walls of the motel are now plastered with research, articles. They look a helluva lot like Ronald's walls.
Dean tacks a sheet of tracing paper up, over his city map. Sam feeds a tape into the motel's VCR/TV, starts to fast forward through it for footage of Juan’s glowing eyes. Dean laughs, mid-diatribe, but we can sense annoyance under it--
Dean: Now that's got to be the kicker, straight up. (then) You tell the poor sombitch to-- What did you say again? To "remand" the tapes he copied. "Classified evidence” in an ongoing investigation, you said.
Sam: What are you, pissed at me?
Dean: It's just creepy how good you are at being a Fed. I mean, why not throw the dude a bone? He knows something's up. You gotta admit, he was doing some pretty good legwork.
Sam: 'Mandroid'?!
Dean: Except for the mandroid part.
(Pages Skip)
Dean: I'm getting there...(sees something) Wait a minute--
On the screen, the Branch Manager passes a distance behind Sherri. Dean switches control to another camera, hones in on the Manager's eyes. They glow.
Dean: Hello, freak...
Sam: We got him--
Then Dean catches sight of another monitor, winces--
Dean: Nnn...
Sam: What?
On monitor - Front entrance of Bank. Ronald lumbers through the front door, camo vest, big duffel bag, edgy as Rowdy Roddy in “They Live!” He's padlocking heavy chains around the front door's handles--
Dean: (flatly) Hello, Ronald.
Int. Bank - Main Area - Day
Ronald climbs down the steps into the bank's main area. Then he grabs the assault rifle in his duffel, lets the bag drop off it to the floor.
Ronald: This is Not a robbery!
He fires a short burst upwards. Screams! Panic!
Ronald: Everybody on the floor! Now!
Blackout.
End of Act One
Act Two
Int. Bank - Main Area - Day
Ronald, wild-eyed, swings his gun side-to-side, as employees scatter before him.
RONALD
I said get down, damn it! Down!
Some people hit the floor-- others take cover behind columns, customer service desks, etc. (Note: the Manager is nowhere to be seen-- he left the room before Ronald even entered. Neither is Henry, the Security Guard).
Angle. A few other employees stream toward the back offices, past Dean and Sam - as they move slowly into the main area.
Dean: I'll do the talking. Don't think he likes you very much, 'Agent Johnson'--
Angle on Ronald. In the middle of the main floor, calling out orders to anybody who can listen. He holds up a key on a string, before depositing it in a camo vest pocket.
Ronald: Now listen up! I already locked all the doors, front, back, and side! Nobody's gettin' out of here, understand?!
When he sees Dean and Sam approach, slow, hands up.
Dean: Hey there, fellah... Need you to calm down a little bit, okay?
Ronald: What the--? You!? (levels rifle at them) On the floor! On the damn floor!
Dean: Yup. Doin' it.
They go down slowly, to their knees, lacing hands behind their heads.
Dean: Just don't shoot anybody. Especially us.
Ronald: I knew it! Soon as you two left! You ain't FBI -- Who are you?! Who're you workin' for? The Men in Black? (raises rifle) You workin' for the Mandroid?!
Sam: We're not working for the mandroid!
Ronald darts forward, rifle at Sam. Now he stands a dozen feet from them, jittery with adrenaline.
Ronald: You shut up! I ain't talkin' to you, I don't like you!
Dean gives Sam the 'I told you' look. Ronald swings his rifle over to a random bank employee, who's blanching on the floor.
Ronald: Get over there, frisk them down, make sure they got no weapons. Go.
The employee gets up, shakily moves to the brothers and begins to frisk them down. He doesn't find anything. He looks at Ronald, shakes his head, terrified.
Ronald nods, gestures for the guy to get back to the floor.
Ronald: Okay. Back down.
Dean: We know you don't want to hurt anybody, but that's what'll happen, you keep waving that cannon around.
Ronald: I told you. If no one's gonna stop this thing, then I'll do it myself.
Dean: We believe you, buddy. That's why we're here.
Ronald: You don't believe me. (desolate; alone in this) No one believes me. How could they.
Dean: C'mere.
Ronald: What? No.
Dean: You got the gun, boss, you're calling the shots. I just gotta tell you something--
Ronald approaches a few paces. But not close enough for Dean to jump him. Dean Whispers-- so the employees don't hear.
Dean: It's the bank manager.
Ronald: What--?
Dean: Why do you think we're in these get-ups? We were monitoring the cameras back there. We saw the manager, man-- We saw his eyes.
Ronald: His laser eyes?!
Dean: Yes. No. Whatever. (then, pressing) Look, we're running out of time. We have to find him--
Ronald: Yeah, right. Like I'm gonna listen to you. You're a damn liar!
Dean gets up to his feet, slow, but determined. Ronald backs away, aiming the rifle at Dean's head. Shakes it with menace. Everyone present hears these next few exchanges--
Ronald: I'll shoot you. Get down--
Close on Sam, on the ground, ready to leap if it comes to it--
Dean: I'm not the one you want to shoot. None of these people are. Let them go. They're not a part of this...
Dean creeps forward, hands up, calm and even.
Ronald: You stay back--
Tense. Ronald has Dean's head in his sights, his finger on the trigger. One twitch and no more series.
Dean: You want a hostage, take me. (pin-drop silence) Come on. Let’s go back there, find the bastard before he changes into someone else. (locks eyes with Ronald) Look at me, man. I believe you, OK? You're not crazy. Something is in here.
Another excruciating beat; then Ronald pulls away from the sight, nods.
Ronald: All right. You come with me. But everyone else gets in the vault!
Ext. Bank-Day
One uniformed officer walks past the bank…seemingly on foot patrol…casual. He pauses. Glances in. Will he notice the place is under siege?
Nope. Doesn’t seem that he does. He keeps walking-
But the camera follows him, and we reveal-
A number of cop cruisers have already parked at either end of the short block, cutting off the street in front of the bank. Cops begin to take up positions…
Int. Bank-Vault-Day
Sherri and about four or five others herd into the vault. Sam is among them, folds against the wall near the door. Ronald is at the vault door, with Dean, whose hands are still in the air.
Ronald: Move. Move! (then to Dean) Close it up.
Sides End
Sides For Agent Henriksen
Int. Bank-Main Area-Day
Dean moves back across the main floor, when his phone Rings.
Intercut with:
INT. BANK-SMALL BACK OFFICE-DAY
Sam stands over a pile of gore and skin-African American.
Sam: He’s slipped his skin.
Dean: Dammit!
Sam: Bastard shifts fast. A lot faster than the one in St. Louis-
Dean: Then we’re back in the shell game. Could be anybody. Again.
Sam: And I think most of the employees are outta the vault by now.
Dean: (sighs) Okay. You check every inch of the place. I’ll rustle everybody up.
Ext. Bank-Day- A Half Hour Later
Two black Town Cars pull up on the scene. The driver of the lead car flashes an ID and a Cop lifts the police cordon.
Int. Police Command Center-Day
Decker hangs up the phone. Turns to Roberts, rueful.
Decker: Crap.
Lt. Roberts: What?
Decker: Feds are here.
Lt. Roberts: Crap.
Just then…the door opens, and Special Agent Henriksen enters-40’s, lean, severe, piercing eyes.
Agent Henriksen: Lt. Roberts. I’m Special Agent Henriksen.
Lt. Roberts: (dripping with sarcasm) Lemme guess. You’re taking command. But you’d just love my full cooperation.
Agent Henriksen: Nope. I don’t give a rat’s *** what you do. Go get a donut and bang your wife, all I care. (then) What I do need is your SWAT team, locked and loaded.
Lt. Roberts: Look, Agent, something’s not right about this-It’s-It’s not going down like the usual heist.
Agent Henriksen: That’s because it isn’t one. (off Robert’s blank) You got no idea what you’re dealing with, do you? (then) There’s a monster in that bank, Roberts.
Int. Bank-Vault-Day
There’s a few employees already inside the vault. They’re exhausted. Dean gently leads Sherri (and the other employee she was with) back inside the vault. Sherri sobs quietly.
Sherri: I…I thought you were one of the good guys.
Dean: (gently consoling) What’s your name?
Sherri: Why would you care.
Dean: My name is Dean.
Sherri: (after a long beat) Sherri.
The phone rings. Dean moves to it.
Dean: It’s going to be OK, Sherri. This will all be over soon. All right?
He picks up the phone-
Dean: Yeah.
Intercut With:
Int. Police Command Center Trailer- Day
Agent Henriksen: This is Special Agent Victor Henriksen.
Dean: Yeah, hi. Listen…I’m not really in the negotiating mood.
Agent Henriksen: Oh, good. Me neither. (then) It’s my job to bring you in. Alive’s preferable, but not necessary.
Dean: Jeez. Kinda hardcore for a fed, don’t you think?
Agent Henriksen: Well, you’re not the typical suspect. Are you, Dean?
Off Dean’s look-
Blackout
End Of Act Three
Act Four
Int. Police Command Center Trailer-Day
Henriksen. On the phone. Cool, calm, measured-
Agent Henriksen: I want you and Sam out here, unarmed. Or we come in. (then) And yes. I know about Sam, too. Bonnie to your Clyde.
Intercut With:
Int. Bank- Vault- Day
Dean on the phone with Henriksen, understandably taken aback.
Dean: Well. That part’s true. But I don’t get it. How’d you even know we were here?
Agent Henriksen: Go screw yourself. That’s how I know. (then) It’s become my job to know about you, Dean. I know about the murder in St. Louis, about the desecrations, the thefts, fraud. (then) I know about your Dad.
Dean: (touches a nerve) You don’t know crap about my Dad.
Agent Henriksen: Former marine, raised his kids on the road, cheap motels, backwoods cabins. Real para-military survivalist type. Just can’t get a handle on what kinda wacko he was-white supremacist, Timmy McVeigh, tomato, tomahto.
Dean is sincerely affronted by the accusation.
Dean: You got no right talking about him like that. He was a hero!
Agent Henriksen: Yeah. Right. Sure sounds like it. (then) You have one hour to make your decision. Then we’re coming through that door, full automatic.
Henriksen hangs up on him. Turns to Roberts and Decker-
Agent Henriksen: Scramble your men. Five minutes, then we go in.
Lt. Roberts: What--? Henriksen, they’ve let one hostage out so far. They’ve hurt no one as far as we can tell.
Agent Henriksen: One, I’m talking to the sergeant, not you. And two, you don’t know these Winchesters. They’re dangerous. Smart. Expertly trained.
Lt. Roberts: We can’t risk the lives of all those people-It’s crazy.
Agent Henriksen: Crazy’s in there. I just hung up on it.
Int. Bank-Manager’s Office- Day
Or some other room we’ve already shot in. Sam moves though the darkened room. Slowly. Seems empty. He’s about to move on. Then he catches something, leans in-
A spot of blood, small, just outside a closet door. He approaches, cautious. Takes a beat. Steels himself.
Suspense beat.
Then he whips open the closet door! And a body tumbles out at him!
It’s Sherri. Semi-nude, throat slashed open, eyes rolled back to the whites. His heart falls.
Sam: Damn it.
End Of Sides
Sides For Ronald
Ext. Trailer Park-Night
Sam and Dean, back in suit-and-tie, step onto the porch of a beat-up double wide trailer. Sam knocks at the screen door.
Sam: Mr. Reznick--? Ronald Reznick?
Wait -- then a floodlight above the door glares on, blinding the boys for a beat. Ronald appears behind the screen door; late 40's, gruff, big fellah. He grunts in greeting.
Sam: (holds up badge) FBI, Mr. Reznick...
Ronald: Lemme see the badge.
Sam presses it against the screen door. Ronald looks it over, hands it back.
Ronald: Already gave my statement to the police.
Dean: Yeah...Listen, Ronald, there were some details in your statement we'd like to get some clarification on.
Ronald: You read it?
Dean: (lying through his teeth) Sure did.
Ronald: And you come to listen to what I got to say?
Dean: That's why we're here.
Ronald's demeanor shifts; he seems surprised, less gruff. He opens the screen door for them.
Ronald: Well... Come on in then.
Int. Ronald’s Trailer-Night
As Sam and Dean follow Ronald through his trailer --
Ronald: None of the cops ever called me back... Not after I told them what was really going on... They all thought I was crazy.
They reach his cluttered 'base of operations'. City Maps, Documents, and Clippings plaster the walls (not dissimilar to the brothers' M.O.). Stacks of books and papers compete with beer empties. Sam and Dean take it in. 'Crazy' might be the right word...
Ronald: First off, Juan Morales never robbed the Milwaukee National Trust. That I guarantee. (digs through a stack) Me and Juan were friends. He used to come back to the bank on my night shift. We'd play cards.
Sam: So you let him into the bank that night. After hours.
Ronald: The thing I let into the bank... (shakes his head; grave) Wasn't Juan. Mighta looked like Juan. Talked like him. But it wasn't him.
Ronald stops digging through stacks, looks up, eyes glinting with paranoia, raspy 'the-walls-have-ears' whisper:
Ronald: I mean it had his face, but it wasn't his face. Every detail was perfect… But too perfect-- Like if a doll maker made it, like if I was talkin' to a big 'Juan' doll...
Sam: A 'Juan' doll.
Ronald finds what he seeks, a newspaper, its headline reads: ‘Woman Kills Guard, Self, In Jewelry Store Heist.' Under it, a photo of Helena. He hands it to Dean--
Ronald: Look, this wasn't the only time this happened. There was another bank got hit, and this jewelry store. But the cops, and you guys, you just-- you won't see it--
(stalks off to wall) All three crimes were pulled by the same thing.
Sam: And what's that, Mr. Reznick?
Ronald turns, picks up a copy of the Fortean Times (with a robot on the cover), shoves it into Sam's hands.
Ronald: Chinese been working on 'em for years. And the Russians before that... Part man, part machine--
As Ronald talks, Sam looks to Dean: 'this guy is a whack-job', but Dean's playfully into the whole thing.
Ronald: Like the Terminator, but the kind that can change itself-- make itself look like other people--
DEAN
Like the one from T2--
Sam gives Dean a look-- Ronald nods emphatically.
Ronald: Exactly! Not just a robot, see? More of a... a Mandroid.
Dean: (likes the sound of it) 'Mandroid.'
That's enough crazy for Sam.
Sam: Well, okay, then.
Dean: What makes you so sure about this, Ronald--?
Ronald: It's all on the tape.
He stalks off, starts rummaging OS. Dean eyebrows Sam.
Time Cut:
Black-and- White Surveillance Video fills frame, the image of a Bank Interior, Fast Forwarding. Ronald, in his uniform, zips in and out of the frame, on his rounds at x10 speed.
Pan Off TV Screen to present day Ronald, chatting speedily as he fast forwards the tape. Sam and Dean watch, cramped together on an old couch.
Ronald: I made copies of all the security tapes. I knew once the cops got them they'd be buried... Here--!
On Screen- the footage slows to Normal Speed as we watch uniformed Ronald open the front door, ushering Juan Morales (stout, mid-30's) into the bank. They exchange words, then Juan follows Ronald toward camera.
Ronald: Watch him-- Watch... Look at that!
Juan nears camera, looks up for a beat. Ronald freezes the tape -- Juan's eyes glow eerily.
Ronald: He's got the laser eyes!
Sam and Dean are stunned. They trade looks: Ronald's onto something. And they seem to recognize what it is--
Ronald: Cops said it was reflected light. Some kind of 'camera flare'--
Ronald grabs the jewelry heist clipping, heads to his wall. He's half talking to them now, half muttering to himself.
Ronald: Ain't no damn camera flare, I told 'em, over and over. They say I'm a post-trauma case? So what. Bank goes and fires me? Don't matter. The Mandroid is still out there... (then) Law won't hunt it down? I'll do it myself--
As he talks, he staples the jewelry store clipping up on the wall, next to other headlines.
Ronald: See, this thing -- it kills the real person, makes it look like a suicide. Then it sortalike morphs into the person-- Cases the job till it knows the take is fat, then finds its opening--
Dean eyes Sam: guy's not half bad at this. Sam frowns--
Ronald goes to a city map -- three red circles scratched around the robbery locations.
Ronald: All these robberies, they're grouped together. So I figure the Mandroid is holed up somewhere in the middle. (taps map's central area) Underground maybe. That's where it probably recharges its-- its Mandroid batteries--
Sam stands. Dean follows suit. Sam is all government:
Sam: OK, listen very carefully, Mr. Reznick. Because I'm gonna tell you the God's honest truth-- about all of this--
Ronald listens intently. Finally, someone's gonna level with him. Sam takes a dramatic beat. But then--
Sam: There's no such thing as "mandroids." There's nothing evil, or inhuman, going on out there. There's just people, understand? Nothing else.
Dean doesn't like pulling the rug on this guy; partly empathizes with the lone wolf, half-mad theorist.
Ronald: But... the laser eyes...
Sam: It was just a camera flare, Mr. Reznick. I know you don't want to believe it, but your friend Juan robbed your bank. And that's it.
Dean blinks at Sam, at the breadth of his lie. Ronald snarls, teeth clenched, livid:
Ronald: You get out of my house. Now.
Sam: We will. But first things first--
Int. Motel Room - Night
The walls of the motel are now plastered with research, articles. They look a helluva lot like Ronald's walls.
Dean tacks a sheet of tracing paper up, over his city map. Sam feeds a tape into the motel's VCR/TV, starts to fast forward through it for footage of Juan’s glowing eyes. Dean laughs, mid-diatribe, but we can sense annoyance under it--
Dean: Now that's got to be the kicker, straight up. (then) You tell the poor sombitch to-- What did you say again? To "remand" the tapes he copied. "Classified evidence” in an ongoing investigation, you said.
Sam: What are you, pissed at me?
Dean: It's just creepy how good you are at being a Fed. I mean, why not throw the dude a bone? He knows something's up. You gotta admit, he was doing some pretty good legwork.
Sam: 'Mandroid'?!
Dean: Except for the mandroid part.
(Pages Skip)
Dean: I'm getting there...(sees something) Wait a minute--
On the screen, the Branch Manager passes a distance behind Sherri. Dean switches control to another camera, hones in on the Manager's eyes. They glow.
Dean: Hello, freak...
Sam: We got him--
Then Dean catches sight of another monitor, winces--
Dean: Nnn...
Sam: What?
On monitor - Front entrance of Bank. Ronald lumbers through the front door, camo vest, big duffel bag, edgy as Rowdy Roddy in “They Live!” He's padlocking heavy chains around the front door's handles--
Dean: (flatly) Hello, Ronald.
Int. Bank - Main Area - Day
Ronald climbs down the steps into the bank's main area. Then he grabs the assault rifle in his duffel, lets the bag drop off it to the floor.
Ronald: This is Not a robbery!
He fires a short burst upwards. Screams! Panic!
Ronald: Everybody on the floor! Now!
Blackout.
End of Act One
Act Two
Int. Bank - Main Area - Day
Ronald, wild-eyed, swings his gun side-to-side, as employees scatter before him.
RONALD
I said get down, damn it! Down!
Some people hit the floor-- others take cover behind columns, customer service desks, etc. (Note: the Manager is nowhere to be seen-- he left the room before Ronald even entered. Neither is Henry, the Security Guard).
Angle. A few other employees stream toward the back offices, past Dean and Sam - as they move slowly into the main area.
Dean: I'll do the talking. Don't think he likes you very much, 'Agent Johnson'--
Angle on Ronald. In the middle of the main floor, calling out orders to anybody who can listen. He holds up a key on a string, before depositing it in a camo vest pocket.
Ronald: Now listen up! I already locked all the doors, front, back, and side! Nobody's gettin' out of here, understand?!
When he sees Dean and Sam approach, slow, hands up.
Dean: Hey there, fellah... Need you to calm down a little bit, okay?
Ronald: What the--? You!? (levels rifle at them) On the floor! On the damn floor!
Dean: Yup. Doin' it.
They go down slowly, to their knees, lacing hands behind their heads.
Dean: Just don't shoot anybody. Especially us.
Ronald: I knew it! Soon as you two left! You ain't FBI -- Who are you?! Who're you workin' for? The Men in Black? (raises rifle) You workin' for the Mandroid?!
Sam: We're not working for the mandroid!
Ronald darts forward, rifle at Sam. Now he stands a dozen feet from them, jittery with adrenaline.
Ronald: You shut up! I ain't talkin' to you, I don't like you!
Dean gives Sam the 'I told you' look. Ronald swings his rifle over to a random bank employee, who's blanching on the floor.
Ronald: Get over there, frisk them down, make sure they got no weapons. Go.
The employee gets up, shakily moves to the brothers and begins to frisk them down. He doesn't find anything. He looks at Ronald, shakes his head, terrified.
Ronald nods, gestures for the guy to get back to the floor.
Ronald: Okay. Back down.
Dean: We know you don't want to hurt anybody, but that's what'll happen, you keep waving that cannon around.
Ronald: I told you. If no one's gonna stop this thing, then I'll do it myself.
Dean: We believe you, buddy. That's why we're here.
Ronald: You don't believe me. (desolate; alone in this) No one believes me. How could they.
Dean: C'mere.
Ronald: What? No.
Dean: You got the gun, boss, you're calling the shots. I just gotta tell you something--
Ronald approaches a few paces. But not close enough for Dean to jump him. Dean Whispers-- so the employees don't hear.
Dean: It's the bank manager.
Ronald: What--?
Dean: Why do you think we're in these get-ups? We were monitoring the cameras back there. We saw the manager, man-- We saw his eyes.
Ronald: His laser eyes?!
Dean: Yes. No. Whatever. (then, pressing) Look, we're running out of time. We have to find him--
Ronald: Yeah, right. Like I'm gonna listen to you. You're a damn liar!
Dean gets up to his feet, slow, but determined. Ronald backs away, aiming the rifle at Dean's head. Shakes it with menace. Everyone present hears these next few exchanges--
Ronald: I'll shoot you. Get down--
Close on Sam, on the ground, ready to leap if it comes to it--
Dean: I'm not the one you want to shoot. None of these people are. Let them go. They're not a part of this...
Dean creeps forward, hands up, calm and even.
Ronald: You stay back--
Tense. Ronald has Dean's head in his sights, his finger on the trigger. One twitch and no more series.
Dean: You want a hostage, take me. (pin-drop silence) Come on. Let’s go back there, find the bastard before he changes into someone else. (locks eyes with Ronald) Look at me, man. I believe you, OK? You're not crazy. Something is in here.
Another excruciating beat; then Ronald pulls away from the sight, nods.
Ronald: All right. You come with me. But everyone else gets in the vault!
Ext. Bank-Day
One uniformed officer walks past the bank…seemingly on foot patrol…casual. He pauses. Glances in. Will he notice the place is under siege?
Nope. Doesn’t seem that he does. He keeps walking-
But the camera follows him, and we reveal-
A number of cop cruisers have already parked at either end of the short block, cutting off the street in front of the bank. Cops begin to take up positions…
Int. Bank-Vault-Day
Sherri and about four or five others herd into the vault. Sam is among them, folds against the wall near the door. Ronald is at the vault door, with Dean, whose hands are still in the air.
Ronald: Move. Move! (then to Dean) Close it up.
Sides End