The Target - Episode 8 The Slip

EPISODE 8: The Slip

Scene: Inside the helicopter. Flying over the city.

Angel: You puke! You a$shole! What are you doing! Where are you taking us?

Mark: You got some nerve! Acting and lying comes naturally to you doesn't it!

Angel: “I” have some nerve?! You're the world class liar here! Too bad, they didn't believe you, but I did. It's true isn't it! You're a PBI agent!

Mark: Yes, I was sent by PBI to Atis.

Angel: I should have known! You're no nerd! I had a gut feeling in the island that there's more to you than meets the eye! You're a fake!

Mark: I'm just doing my job.

Angel: Oh yeah? Was it part of your job to sleep with me, huh? I feel so cheap and exploited!

Mark: Well then we're even! I had no idea you were a criminal when we first got together! You were more than happy to use me too! Admit it!

Angel: Rot in hell ! I hate you !

Mark: Where is it, Angel?

Angel: I don't have it! Don't tell me you really don't know where it is because I don't believe you!

Mark: It's just the two of us, you can drop the charade.

Angel: Me? Charade? You are the great thespian here! You're probably acting right now! All that BS .. (mimicking Mark) It blows my mind how nonchalant you are .....I can't believe I fell for you!

Mark decides on a different tact.


Mark: (calmly) I understand how angry you are. I do. You can imagine my surprise when I found out it was you all along and that's my target. Angel, you must see that you are on the wrong side of the law.

Angel is silent and looks like she still wants his head on a platter.




Mark: I've thought about this, Angel. I can help you make a deal. Surrender and help PBI. I'm sure you have a lot of knowledge that you can use for leverage. You can start by telling me where is the prototype.

Angel: So you can save your sorry a$s? So they won't shoot you on sight? Why would I do that??

They hear the sounds of other helicopters approaching.

Mark: Damn! Of course they send air support. We have to ditch this chopper.

Mark lands the helicopter in the middle of a park.

He removes Angel's handcuffs and drags her out. She's making it difficult for him. The few people around are looking at them curiously.

Mark: We can do this the easy way or the hard way. It's your choice.

Angel starts to run away but Mark doesn't let her.

Angel: Don't touch me! Let me go ! You go your way, I'll go mine, okay? Hopefully I will never be unlucky enough to see you ever again!

Mark: No! You're coming with me! You're going to tell me what I need to know and you will surrender to PBI! We will straighten this whole thing out!

Angel starts to struggle but Mark holds her tight.

Mark: If you think they believe your story, you got another thing coming. Don't
forget that Alva sang his version first which was you recruited him and me. Are you 100% confident that they completely believed your performance earlier, no matter how award winning it was?

They see the choppers coming close. Angel stops struggling. She looks defeated, like she's on the verge of tears and she won't look him in the eye.

Mark: Come on, let's go.

Mark walks the meek Angel to a bus stop where there's a large group of people waiting for the bus which is almost on their corner. Mark has his hands on Angel's lower back. The crowded bus stops in front of them. Passengers exit the bus and the passengers waiting surged up to the bus entrance. Mark already has both feet inside the bus when he realizes Angel had slipped away from him.

People behind him: (pushing) Hurry up! Hurry up! what's the hold up there!

Mark was pushed up until he's inside the bus. He looks back and sees that Angel is outside and walking the opposite direction. The bus starts to move. Angel runs her hand through her hair with her middle finger extended, while making eye contact with Mark. She looks kind of smug.

Mark: Dammit!


Scene: A cemetery.
Mark is getting a large duffel bag from a hiding place in a mausoleum.

Mark: (thinking) Thanks Bro for advising me to keep a this in case something like this happens. But damn you for being gone now of all time.

Mark unzips the bag and reveals various men's and women's clothes, shoes, lots of cash, ID's, cell phones, and items that can be used for disguise such as wigs, fake facial hair and prosthesis, contact lenses, etc.



Scene: In a hospital hallway. Several hours later. Night time.

There are several security guards and military men walking around. Mark is in the hallways in disguise. He sees someone familiar enter the men's bathroom and he follows him.

Mark: Prof ..

Prof Y: Huh? Who are you?

Mark: It's me Mark.

Prof Y: Mark? ...

He looks closely.

Prof Y: It is you! Do you know what's going on ?! You're on our Most Wanted List. There's an APB out on you ! Why did you run ??

Mark: I had no choice. The soldiers were prepared to use deadly force. They didn't believe that I worked for PBI. But first of all, how is Chief? I can't come close to her room.

Prof Y: She's comatose. The doctors aren't giving her a good prognosis.

Mark: Dammit!

Prof Y: Don't count the ol' girl out yet! You know she's tough as nails. Death himself will think twice before crossing her.

Mark: I sincerely hope Chief will pull through. This puts me in a quandary. Only Chief, my handler and myself know about this assignment. I can't count on my handler. Who's taking over while Chief is incapacitated?

Prof Y: Deputy Perez.

Mark: (thinking) I don't know him. Can you talk to him for me? Tell him I'm with the PBI.

Prof Y: They now know you are with the PBI. But they believe you have become a rogue agent. They think you have stolen the prototype yourself. That's why you are wanted.

Mark: What if I turn myself in and explained everything to Perez. Do you think he will listen?

Prof Y: (thinks) I really can't say. I have to caution you that he's trying to make a name for himself right now. He might listen to you, or he might throw you in to lock up immediately. It really didn't help that you escaped.

Mark: Dammit! If it wasn't for Angel's performance, I might have been able to convince the soldiers.

Prof Y: Angel ? They believe she's your conspirator. Their first priority is to find the prototype. The Atis lab had extensive damage and they said it will take more than 3 years to rebuild. As a fellow scientist, I'm really intrigued by this device...

Mark: (interrupting) That means I need to find it first. The deputy will know I surrender in good faith if I am the one who brings it in.

Prof Y: Do you have the foggiest idea where it could be?

Mark: No, but I know someone who does. I just need to find her.


Scene: Outside the hospital. A few minutes later.

Mark is walking to the parking lot. He spots someone familiar walking quickly. It's Angel. She's still wearing the same designer clothes but it's dirty and bedraggled. She looks like she fell in a ditch fives times in a row. He started to run towards her when he hears someone yell.

Man: (loudly) There she is! Get her!

Angel looks back and starts running the other way.

Angel: (Panic in her face.) Oh crap!

Mark jumps in his car and brakes hard in front of Angel.

Mark: Get in!

Angel wastes no time getting in Mark's car. He drives the car out of the parking lot, narrowly missing some other cars going the opposite direction.

The agents chasing them get in their big black SUV's and follow them.

Agents: Get in! Hurry! Don't let them get away!

Mark is zipping in and out of lanes. Angel is hanging on for dear life. They almost hit a truck head on.

Angel: Eeeeek! Where did you learn how to drive ?!!

Mark: Put your seat belt on!

The car swerves again as Angel puts her seat belt on nervously.

Angel: (gasp) Watch out!!! Watch out!!!!

They narrowly miss another car. Mark looks at his rear view mirror and spies their pursuers just a few cars behind.

Mark: Dammit! They're gaining on us! Hang on!!

Angel: Whaaaa ???? Eeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!

They are in a smaller two lane road. Mark maneuvers the car so that it drifts 180 degrees and it ends up in the other lane going the opposite direction. A classic bootleg turn. His car merges smoothly with the vehicles in that lane. The cars chasing them couldn't turn around that fast in the narrow road so Mark and Angel get quite a bit ahead.

Angel seemed surprised that she's still alive.

Mark takes an immediate right turn and parks the car in a dark alley between some buildings. Mark turns off the lights in the car. They see the black SUV's chasing them drive past the alley.

The moon is covered with clouds, there are no street lights and the car is black with dark tinted windows. They can barely see each other.

Mark: Let's wait here until we're sure they're gone.

Angel: Okay. Uh.. Thanks for saving me there... But it's all your fault

Mark: What ?!? In what universe is this my fault?

Angel: The agents saw me because I went to that hospital to look for you.

Mark: I see. And why are you looking for me after you gave me the slip earlier?

Angel: (very upset) It's a disaster! I called my contact at Makopa and they think you and I took the prototype! They knew we were sleeping together. They think we were in cahoots! They threatened me and they were gonna kill me. I barely escaped. (crying) Mark, you said you can help me make a deal with PBI ?

Mark: (sarcastic laugh) Sure. Right after they stop trying to kill me. As you can see, I'm not exactly on their friends list.

Angel: Sh!t! So what do we now, Mr Boy Scout?

Mark: I want to walk in to PBI to explain everything but I want to have the apparatus with me. You are still insisting that you don't have it?

Angel: If I did, would I be here? And I suppose you don't know where it is either.

Mark: No. (sigh) Okay, let's think this through. The safe box was brought out in the Basement and the gunmen came right after it was unlocked. One of the gunmen carried the box outside where it was opened and revealed to be empty. Could your man have opened the box and taken it?

Angel: I highly doubt it. He's dead. Could the box be empty to begin with? Who locked it up the night before?

Mark: (after thinking for a second) Okay, I know where we need to go. But first we need to find a place to sleep.

Mark starts the car and they drive away.


Scene: Cheap motel room.

Angel: Can't we go someplace a little bit nicer? I don't like the way these roaches are looking at me! Yuck! Ugh!

Mark: I know this is not the type of place you're accustomed to.

Angel: There's an understatement.

Mark: We just needed a place to shower and sleep. Sorry, we can't spend much.

Angel: How much money do you have? I already spent what little I had for food and taxi and I'm afraid to use my credit cards.

Mark: Not much. Just a couple of hundred.

Mark: (thinking) Angel, there's no way I'm telling you...

Angel: How come you were able to change clothes? And where did you get that disguise? Weren't they waiting for you at your home like they were me?

Mark: I didn't see anyone.

Angel: Hmph.

Mark: Let's go to sleep. It's been quite a day! I'm tired.

Angel: I'm tired too. Hmph, no funny business from you. Keep your hands, and all parts of you, to yourself!

Mark: (chortle) Me? I should say the same to you!

They lay down in the double bed as far away from each other as possible. But they end up entwined all night while sleeping.



Scene: At Leroy Jenkins' Fun Palace

Mark and Angel just arrived. They are dressed as anime characters like the other wait staff. Angel is dressed like Sailor Moon and Mark is dressed like Naruto.

Angel: Ugh! I feel so silly in this. It's too tight! This skirt is way too short! This wig is too long!

Mark, along with the other guys can't help but stare at Sailor Moon Angel.

Mark: You look great! Just act natural. I see them. I'm going there.

Angel: (whispering) I still don't get why I can't go with you to talk to them.

Mark: (whispering back) We've talked about this! They don't know you very well and they won't be comfortable enough to talk to you. Besides I need you to be the lookout.

Angel: (whispering) Okay. But you better not be holding out on me.

Mark: (whispering) Now why would I do that? Go on, I think your customers needs something. They are trying to get your attention.

Angel sighs deeply.


Scene: Leroy Jenkins private karaoke room

Mark joins Ada, Albert, Pascal and Stephen.

Mark: Hey guys! Room for one more?

Ada : Mark?? Is this reason you asked us to come here tonight, Stephen?

Mark: Yes, I asked Stephen to bring you all here. Listen, I know what I did to you. I wouldn't blame you if you never wanted to see me again. But please hear me out...

They are all looking at Mark like he's some alien from another planet.

Mark: Hey, it's still me. I'm really sorry for deceiving you all. I hope you know it is nothing personal. It's my job.

Stephen: Are you really a PBI agent?

Mark: Yes.

Ada: I knew it! There is more to that project 5600 than we are told, isn't there. What is it really?

Mark: I don't know exactly either. I just know it is part of a powerful device. My mission is to protect you and the project. As you can see, things didn't go as planned.

Pascal: We were told to immediately contact the PBI if we see you.

Mark: I know. But please let me explain everything. Will you listen to me?

The group is silent as Mark explains.

Mark: ... as you can see, I need your help. We can't let that device fall into the wrong hands. Any ideas where 5600 might be? Who locked it up the night before?

Pascal: It was Albert and Mr. Alva.

Mark: Albert, are you sure Mr Alva didn't take it?

Albert nods, he still looks stunned by the whole thing.


Scene: A bit later that night at Leroy Jenkins.

The guys left but Ada stayed behind.

Ada: Mark, can we talk? I may have something that could be useful.