Season Two

Episode One: In My Shadow

By Sci Fi Karis

Act Four

EXT. NYC POLICE DEPARTMENT

CUT TO INT. NYC POLICE DEPARTMENT – OFFICE

Steven Rhodes rushes around his office, gathering papers and strapping his gun to his belt. George Harris hovers in the background, mulling over a stack of papers in his hand.

HARRIS
How do you know he’s going to be there?

STEVEN
He’s following a pattern, George. A distinct, logical pattern. Look at the map.

Steven points to the map which he has pinned to the wall.

CUT TO MAP

A wheel with four spokes has been drawn on the map. A fifth spoke is missing and the circle is slightly lopsided. Steven has circled the various locations that Dean was spotted in, and labeled the murders in red ink, 1 through 4.

CUT TO WIDE ANGLE OF OFFICE

Steven goes over to the map and points at the fifth and missing spoke.

STEVEN
Here. He’s going to be somewhere here.

He traces the circle with a finger, explaining as he speaks.

STEVEN
The first murder happened four days ago. Here. The next happened three days ago. Here. And the next two in the consecutive days following. He’s worked in a four block radius.

Steven traces out the blocks within the circle.

STEVEN
He hasn’t strayed outside this border once. He’s been working in a logical manner as to the place and time of the murders, but how he’s picking the victims I still don’t know.

HARRIS
Time?

STEVEN
Between 2 and 3am. Never any earlier, never any later than that.

HARRIS
That’s a small timeframe to get this right.

STEVEN
I know. That’s why we need to work fast.

Steven grabs his coat and heads out the door.

INT. HALLWAY

Steven exits his office, followed by George.

STEVEN
I need every single available man ready to go by midnight tonight. You’re with me, George.

CUT TO:
INT. IRISH SEA BAR – DAY

Dean sits alone in the bar, an untouched beer in front of him. The bartender is cleaning glasses, and after giving Dean a few concerned looks, saunters over to stand in front of him.

BARTENDER
Got any relatives, kid?

DEAN
(beat)
What’s it to you?

BARTENDER
I’ve just never seen anyone so shaken up by something like this before.
(beat)
I don’t usually recommend this, but you might want to get some counseling.

DEAN
Do I look like the counseling type?

BARTENDER
(laughs)
Not at all.
(beat)
Not many people come here, buy a drink, and don’t even drink it. If you’re mourning a loss . . . you drink. The first day you walked in here, that’s what you did. Now you don’t do anything.
(beat)
I guess what I’m trying to say is . . . it isn’t normal.

DEAN
Yeah . . . well, a lot of things about me aren’t normal.

BARTENDER
Your brother . . . how did he die?

Dean is silent for a long moment, then picks up his glass.

DEAN
He saved my life. He shouldn’t have died. It should have been me.

BARTENDER
You in the war?

DEAN
You could say that.
(beat)
It wasn’t his time.

BARTENDER
Would he want you here, though? In this place?

DEAN
Probably not.

He sets the glass down and stands.

DEAN
Thanks for the last drink.
(beat)
I won’t be back.

There is a ringing finality to the words, and the bartender grows solemn. Dean turns and exits the bar.

EXT. IRISH SEA BAR – PARKING LOT

Dean gets in the Impala and starts the engine. A man standing at a phone booth on the corner stares at him, then pulls out a cell phone and dials a number.

CUT TO: CLOSE UP OF MAN

MAN
He’s here. He’s leaving right now.

CUT TO:
INT. POLICE CAR

Steven is on the other end of the line, and we realize the mystery man is a plainclothes policeman.

STEVEN
Why didn’t you tell me when he came?

MAN (O.C.)
He must have been here a long time. I’ve been waiting here for an hour.

STEVEN
Keep him in your sights. We’re on our way.

CUT TO:
EXT. PARKING LOT

The man slips his cell in his pocket, rushes to his car, a nondescript white Ford, and takes off after the Impala. PAN UP to reveal the traffic of New York City with tight spaces and cars making impossible lane crossings. The Impala is well ahead of the cop and has placed several cars in-between it and its pursuer.

PAN UP slowly to reveal the sun beginning to set, golden orange, behind the skyscrapers. Moving in over the harbor are dark clouds.

CUT TO:
INT. POLICE CAR

STEVEN
I can’t believe he came back!

HARRIS
Where was he?

STEVEN
Irish Sea Bar. The first place we spotted him four days ago. I’m gonna make a call.

CUT TO:
INT. IRISH SEA BAR

CLOSE UP on phone as it rings. A hand reaches to answer it. WIDE ANGLE on the bar. The bartender has answered the phone.

BARTENDER
Irish Sea Bar. What’s your pleasure?

STEVEN (O.C.)
This is detective Steven Rhodes. I’m calling to see if you can answer a few questions.

BARTENDER
Sure.

CUT TO:
INT. POLICE CAR

Steven closes his cell phone, the conversation over.

STEVEN
He’s been there every night for the past four nights.

HARRIS
Why haven’t we had a man stationed in there?

Steven punches the steering wheel.

STEVEN
How could I be so stupid?
(beat)
Why would he go back? Why would he endanger himself like that?

HARRIS
He’s taunting you.

STEVEN
I know.

He checks the clock and looks out at the darkening sky.

HARRIS
Looks like a storm is coming.

CUT TO:
EXT. NYC STREETS – NIGHT

A fog has rolled in from the harbor. The Impala is parked on a curb, alone. Dean is standing beside the car facing the camera, standing still, listening. PAN AROUND until Sam comes into view in front of him, watching him.

SAM
You ready?

DEAN
No.

SAM
You can do it, Dean. I know you can. The hunt isn’t over.

DEAN
It will never be over.

Dean pulls a gun out of his pocket, looks at it, remorseful, then shoves it in his belt and starts walking. The fog swallows him up in its midst.

INT. POLICE CAR

Steven is on his cell phone. He quickly hangs up and looks at Harris.

STEVEN
Our man that was following him tracked him to the corner of 44th, said that he found the car abandoned.

HARRIS
We’ve got him.

Steven grins and reaches up to turn the siren on.

EXT. ALLEYWAY

We TRACK with Dean walking through an alley, eyes darting back and forth suspiciously, looking for someone. Sam walks at his side.

SAM
Don’t hesitate, Dean.

EXT. ROADS

We see police cars speeding down a long stretch of road, sirens BLARING. Steven’s car leads the pack.

EXT. ALLEYWAY

CLOSE UP on the gun shoved in Dean’s belt. He runs his hands against it. CLOSE UP on his face to see a cold hard grin.

EXT. ROADS

STEADY CAM as the police cars SPEED past the screen.

EXT. ALLEYWAY

Dean looks ahead. Madison Street. Sam is gone. He takes a left turn. Almost there.

EXT. ROADS

A police car HURTLES towards the screen. We rocket through the windshield and into…

INT. POLICE CAR

A COP grabs for his walkie-talkie.

COP
We are closing in on the possible attack area. Over.

EXT. ALLEYWAYS

Dean looks ahead. Fog everywhere. We see a figure coming out of the fog. The victim. Dean reaches for his gun. Ready for the kill.

INT. RHODES‘S CAR

Steven Rhodes watches the road, intent on catching the killer before he takes another life.

STEVEN
We’re closing in now. Don’t let him get away. Repeat: do not let him get away!!!

EXT. ALLEYWAYS

CLOSE UP on Dean’s narrow eyes.

POV. DEAN
We see the figure walking through the fog, masked to the human eye.

CLOSE UP on Dean’s narrow eyes.

INT. POLICE CAR

Steven looks to his right. CLOSE UP on a sign. 44th and Madison. Steven grins. They are closing in on their target. No time for escape. They are going to get him.

EXT. ALLEYWAYS

The figure continues to walk through the fog, until eventually it emerges. CLOSE UP on Dean’s eyes hit off guard. What does he see?

POV. DEAN
Dean. Staring right back at him!!!

Dean takes out his gun. The other Dean draws his gun and aims. Both stare at each other. Not a clue of what to do next. RAPID ANGLE changes causing distortions. Which Dean is which? CLOSE UP on Dean’s eyes. CLOSE UP on the gun. CLOSE UP on Dean’s eyes. CLOSE UP on the gun. WIDE ANGLE of the two Dean’s pointing guns at each other.

EXT. MADISON AVENUE

The police cars pull over to the side of the road. Steven gets out and signals for his men to spread out. Policemen creep along the edges of the buildings towards the alley, fog obscuring any clear figure.

CLOSE UP on Steven.

STEVEN
He’s here.

BAM!!! A gunshot rockets through the air. Too late.

STEVEN
(angry)
Go. Go. Go!

We TRACK with the police as we are led through the alleyways and to the recent crime scene. ANGLE DOWN to see Dean. Dead. Blood spilling out of his body and eyes staring sightlessly into the sky. Clean gun shot to the head. A rookie COP looks up towards Rhodes.

COP
Is this our guy?

Rhodes shakes his head.

STEVEN
It’s him. This is our guy.

EXT. NYC STREET – MADISON AVENUE

We see Dean walking through the streets. Passing by civilians.

DEAN (V.O.)
All this time, it was staring me right in the eyes.

Dean catches his own reflection in a nearby store window.

DEAN (V.O.)
Never would have believed it was true.

CANTED ANGLE. What Dean is this? What Dean survived? Dean stops and looks forward.

POV. DEAN

We see the Impala. Dean grins and stands still for a moment, looking at his car. Sam appears beside him.

SAM
A doppelganger, huh?

DEAN
I told you. Things just get weirder and weirder.

After a moment, Dean turns to look at Sam.

DEAN
Thanks, Sammy.

SAM
For what?

DEAN
For being there.

Dean approaches the Impala and enters.

EXT. ALLEYWAY

ANGLE DOWN on Dean’s doppelganger. Dead. CLOSE UP on Steven Rhodes. Something is off. He stares down at the body.

STEVEN
Pack him up.

No final words. It is over. Steven walks away.

INT. NYC POLICE DEPARTMENT – OFFICE

Steven sits at his desk, deep in thought. His computer is off. The desk is clean of papers. George Harris enters the office.

HARRIS
Congratulations.

STEVEN
Thanks.
(beat)
Funny thing.

HARRIS
What?

STEVEN
This guy . . . he bought a gun last night. I wouldn’t have expected that he’d kill himself.

HARRIS
He made himself the last victim.

STEVEN
Yeah . . . He was a mental patient. The NYC Psych Ward made a call just a few hours ago. He was discharged under the name Dave Warden. They didn’t think it was his real name, but he had been brought in for violence and suicidal tendencies. He’d been there over four years.

HARRIS
So he really was off his rocker?

STEVEN
Yeah.

CLOSE UP on Steven’s eyes. He does not feel right.

CUT TO:
EXT. NEW YORK CITY – NIGHT (Laugh, I Nearly Died – The Rolling Stones)

The Impala zooms past the camera.

INT. IMPALA

Dean drums on the steering wheel. Sam is sitting in the passenger seat, arms folded.

SAM
How’d you know?

DEAN
That it was a doppelganger?
(beat)
I just had a feeling . . . like the sixth sense kid – only it was more like something was always just over my shoulder, watching me.
(beat)
It could have been me.

SAM
Dean . . .

DEAN
I could be as whacked up as him right now.
(beat)
It’s not the same without you, Sam.

PAN IN towards Dean as his eyes get a faraway look to them.

DEAN
It will never be the same.

PAN OUT to reveal that Sam is gone. Dean looks over at the empty seat and sighs.

DEAN
I’m sorry, Sammy.

[FADE TO BLACK]