Scene: Back to the present. Mark is regaining consciousness in the car.
Mark: (small voice) Mona?
Mark is closes his eyes and holds his throbbing head. He doesn't see anybody in the passenger seat next to him.
Mark: Nooo! I'm hallucinating! Dammit! Get it together! You can't screw up again!
Mark gets out of the car and almost falls down the cliff. He is completely surprised at the position of the car. He pushes the car manually for a couple of feet and then gets in. He drives away.
Mark has a determined look on his face. Mona is next to him in the car but he can't see or hear her. She looks very worried.
Mark: (thinking) Where did she go? I have to find her first. I need to do what I came here to do..
Mona: Kuya Mark, please stop. Please change your mind. Think about what you are doing..
Mark is driving fast and recklessly. He passes several cars and swerves around them.
Mark: (thinking) Dont... Don't freak out... Keep cool... Don't second guess yourself. ..you can do this..
Mona: No you can't Kuya Mark, You can't kill anyone.. That's not you...(crying)
Mark: Dammit! Stop doubting yourself! Just shoot her. Click! It's easy! …. She's dead anyway. If you don't, someone else will. You might as well take the reward..... Just do it, it's easy.. it's easy.. Just pull the trigger.. it's nothing..You've seen it done many times...
Mona: No Kuya, Don't kill her... Don't be a killer. You can't do it...
Mark's face is starting to show hesitation.
The car almost hits another car and Mark turns it sharply,
Mark: Gaaaaahhh!!! Stop second guessing yourself ! Stop... Just stop thinking! Don't think! Just do it!
Mona: Nooooo, Kuya Mark. Noooo.. (crying) Huh? There she is!!
Mark sees Carla running on the side of the road. She looks absolutely terrified. Her hands are still tied up. Her high fashion dress is even more dirty and torn. Looks like her one of her shoes broke.
She's looking behind her and Mark can see that there's a bunch of goons running after her several yards away. One of them is trying to shoot her. Mark stops the car very close to where Carla is, almost hitting her with the car. He jumps out of the car and shoves her inside. He dives back inside the car and drives away quickly. The guys chasing Carla sees this and shoots at them and misses. They run back the other direction to get to their car.
Carlal: Oh no! Not you again!! .. No!!!
Carla and Mark struggle.
Carla: Eeeeeeeeee!!!! Let … me … go!!!!
In the back seat of the car, they continue to struggle until she hits her head passes out. Mona gently holds the unconscious Carla.
When Mark felt it was safe, he pulls over where no one can see them from the road. He quickly ties Carla up and puts a gag on her mouth. He gets back in the car and continues to drive for a while. Mark looks at Carla in the back seat several times during the drive. She is peacefully sleeping. Mona is still sitting with Carla, stroking her brow..
Later, the car stops at a remote area. It's the resort where they used to stay as kids but it is now abandoned and most units look destroyed and dilapidated.
Mark carries Carla inside one of the few remaining resort units that is still standing. Mona follows them. The room is tidied up. There is food and water as well as some of Mark's things. Mark lays Carla down on a sofa, none too gently .
Mona: Careful Kuya . She isn't a sack of rice.
Mark looks intently at the sleeping Carla. He has his gun in his hand.
Mark: (softly) Why do you look so familiar?
Mona: Kuya, this is Carla, your childhood friend. If you would just open your eyes and your mind, you will see this.
Carla moves a bit, struggling against her ropes. She wakes up and realizes her situation. She stares at Mark, fear in her eyes. He removes her gag.
Carla: If you don't let me go, I'll scream this place down!
Mark: You can scream all you want .. No one can hear you...
Carla: (not believing him) Help! Help! HEEEELLLLPPPP!!
She screams for a while but nothing happens.
Carla's face fell.
Mark: I told you no one can hear you.
Mona: You're wrong, Kuya. There's Someone who hears everything.
Mark approaches Carla. She's even more terrified when she sees him holding a gun.
Carla: (looking around) Okay, okay, Tito Bernie I won't testify! I will recant! Tito Bernie!
Mark: The boss isn't here.
Carla: (looking around) Oh... c-can I talk to Tito Bernie then ?. Can you call him?
Mark: He doesn't want to talk to you..
Mark: (thinking) So familiar.. where do I know you? Ugh!! Stop it! Better if I don't know you.
Mona: Kuya, it's your friend Carla! You used to play with her right here in this resort. Open your eyes! Please!
Carla: How do you know that? Hello! I'm talking to you!
Mark: What? How do I know what?
Carla: (sigh) How do you know Tito Bernie doesn't want to talk to me? Of course he does! That's why he had me taken, right? You better call him or YOU will be the one in trouble!
Mark ignores her. Carla stares at Mark trying to figure out he's thinking. His face is blank. Carla struggles a bit against her bounds.
Carla: Look, if you call my Mom and Dad, we'll pay whatever you want!
Mark shakes his head blankly.
Mona: Kuya, listen to her! She's giving you a way out of this situation!
Carla: Please, .. I have done nothing wrong, Don't you know that Tito Bernie is the bad guy here. I'm just doing what's right. He's the criminal. I'm the good person here.... and....my family.. my Mom and D-Dad must be worried sick about me now. Please, please can you find it in your heart to let me go?
Still no reaction
Carla: Listen... We won't even have to tell the police about any of this.... I know! I'll tell everyone that you saved me. That.. that you're the hero!
After a long while.
Carla: Aren't you listening? I'll tell them you're the hero who saved me!
Finally a reaction, Mark points the gun at Carla, shaking his head and bitterly laughing..
Mark: Me? A hero. hahaha. No one would believe you... It's too late for that.
Begin Flashback
Mr Bernie Beltran is a distinguished looking older man. He's Mark's boss. He is screaming at the top of his lungs and throwing anything he can pick up at anybody. Vinny is one of the men around him who are dodging the things Mr Beltran was throwing.
Mr Beltran: Dammit! AAAAAAHHHHHH!!!! Who does she think she is! I want that woman dead, do you hear me? DEAD !!!
Atty Nathan: Sir.. Boss...Let me caution you … If anything happens to her, you would be the first suspect...
Nathan is Mr Beltran's lawyer.
Mr Beltran: I don't care! If she testifies we are over! ! You hear me! You said yourself that if she doesn't testify there is no case! We will find a way to get rid of her without incriminating us! They can suspect us all they want as long as there is no evidence!
At the back of the room, Mark just arrived. Vinny makes his way quickly to Mark. They talk in low voices.
Mark: (soft voice) What's going on here?
Vinny: (whispering) Mark! You've been gone for weeks! Where have you been! Dude, the **** has hit the fan!
Mark: I just came back from Boss' errand.
Vinny: Another one of your mysterious errands for the Boss huh.. (sounding jealous)
Boss is still raging at the other end of the room
Mark: Yeah, what the hell happened?
Vinny: Boss got indicted and arrested . He just got out on bail today. As you can see he's all sunshine and rainbows. (ducking suddenly as a large paperweight gets thrown in their direction) Whoah!
One of his attorneys, Atty Nathan is nervously trying to reason with Mr Beltran.
Nathan: Boss please, let's not be hasty.. we might be able to plea bargain for a lighter sentence..
Mr Beltran: NO! There is no plea bargain! I've had enough humiliation!
Nathan: M--Maybe we can convince the star witness.. Your families are close after all, maybe if we talk to them again.. explain that....
Mr Beltran: NO! The time for talking is over! She will pay for this betrayal!
Nathan: We can't just make her disappear!
Mr Beltran: Of course we can! I'm not paying you to tell me what I can't do! I can do anything! All it takes is money!
Nathan: But boss, she's not just anybody off the streets. Her family is well known and has some clout.
Mr Beltran: I don't give a sh1t! They have clout but I have way more! Don't you get it, you idiots! We are all in! If she testifies, everything goes to sh!t ! Our syndicate, my empire! My good name is destroyed! from our ancestors to future generations! And you? What do you think happens to you and all you monkeys in this room? We all go to jail! AAAAHHHHHHH!!!! I trusted her and this is what she does? No one does this to me and gets away with it!!
Nathan: Boss.. I strongly caution...
Mr Beltran: Shut up you useless mouthpiece ! IT'S TOO LATE!!!!
End Flashback
Mark: (shaking his head ) It's too late.
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