EPISODE 6: The Doubts
Scene: Angel's bedroom. The next morning.
Mark and Angel are laying in bed. Mark's just woke up with a huge grin on his face. He looks next to him and sees Angel still sound asleep. She's laying on her stomach with the sheet down to her waist and her whole back exposed.
He gently moves some of the hair covering her face with his fingertips. She makes a sound like a satisfied cat purring. He slowly caresses her shoulders. Then he sees something familiar on Angel's back, something he's thought about more than once. She has a tattoo of the target with two darts with heart shaped flights.
Mark: (disbelieving, thinking) No way! That was Angel in Batanes?
Angel: (waking up) Ummmmm, good morning...
Mark: (big grin) Good Morning.
They are now facing each other.
Mark: Just noticed your tattoo. Does it have a meaning?
Angel: Nope. I just picked it out of a book. My siblings and I went out drinking one night, we were smashed and decided it was a great idea to go to a tattoo parlor. Don't you think it's cute?
Mark: Cuter than a basket of puppies.
Angel: Hi Hi Hi. (Face changes, alarmed) Oh darn! What time is it? I'm gonna be late for work! I have a meeting first thing in the morning!
Angel jumps out of bed quickly and starts to pull some clothes on.
Mark: (watching the whirlwind that was Angel getting dressed) Aww, let's take the day off. Come back to bed..
Angel: I wish! But I can't miss work today.
Mark: You know what I wish? I wish I was still at Batanes, ever been there?
Either Angel didn't hear or she ignored Mark's question.
Angel: (she blows Mark a kiss) Help yourself to whatever you find in the kitchen. I'll make you breakfast next time. Lock the door behind you!
She leaves Mark with a perplexed expression on his face but she doesn't appear to notice it.
Scene: Atis Corp. Mr. Alva's office. Mark knocks on the door.
Mark: Mr. Alva, can I talk to you for a sec?
Mr. Alva: (uneasy) Uh Mark.. sure, sure Uh...What can I do for you?
Mark: (sitting down) Well, we haven't had a chance to talk since the Celebration Cruise. What happened to you?
Mark points at the bruises that Mr. Alva has on his face.
Mr. Alva: Uh.. fine.. fine..Just fell down some stairs.. clumsy me, he he..
Mark: (looking Alva directly in the eye) Oh, okay. I thought I saw a couple of guys beating you up and threatening you. Man, I must have been wasted!
Mr. Alva: Ahem.. yes. Yes you were! That was shameful behavior, Mark. I didn't expect that from you!
Mark: Sorry about that sir. I have some uh, personal problems. Actually.. sir, that's really why I came to see you today.
Mr. Alva: Oh? What's on your mind?
Mark: Well, uh, sir, I need an advance and a raise.
Mr. Alva: I'm afraid that's out of the question. We do not give advances at Atis and your raises are on a set schedule.
Mark: (full on acting) Sir, I'm desperate. I have a bit of a .. gambling bug... I borrowed money against my grandparents house without them knowing and now it is going to get foreclosed by the bank. They are old and sick and very attached to that home.
Mr. Alva: Mark! I'm very surprised! You hardly seem like the kind of person who would do something like this!
Mark: I know sir. I'm terribly ashamed. I was hoping you can help me. Maybe there's some extra work I can do to earn money ...
Mr. Alva appears to be on the verge of telling him something
Mr. Alva: Let me see what I can do. Come back here at 6 PM.
Scene: Afternoon break that day. Atis cafeteria.
Mark and Angel are in line to get coffee. Angel's stepsisters Trixie and Trina arrive.
Trixie: Angel! There you are! Your office said you'd be here! What is going on?? Jermaine texted us that the wedding is off!!
Trina: Please tell us this is just one of his bad jokes!
Angel: Uh... Uh...
Trixie: Oh no ! It's true isn't it??
Trina: Have we been wasting time planning this wedding like a couple of idiots!? We spent hours picking out the cake today!
Trixie: (glaring at Mark) Who is this man and why is his arm around you?
Angel: Uh.. this is Mark. Mark, these are my sisters, Trixie and Trina...
Trina: (gasp) You broke up with Jermaine because you found someone else!
Trixie: How long has this been going on! You've been two-timing our brother? You.. you b1tch!
Mark is amazed at seeing Angel cowering and at lost for words.
Mark: Hey, take it easy..
Trixie: (to Mark) Stay out of this! This is none of your business!
Trina: Of all the inconsiderate, selfish, shameless...
Jermaine arrives on the scene.
Jermaine: That's enough! Don't make a scene here.
Angel: Jermaine..
Jermaine: Sis, as much fun as it is to see Angel squirm, lay off her.
Trina: How can you say that, she obviously hurt you!
Jermaine: (smiling) Me? Hurt? Pshaw! Hardly! Angel found someone else and I'm happy for her. Ha ha ha! Look at your faces! Really, it's all good. (to Mark) Good luck to you, nerd! Have at it! She's all yours!
Jermaine leaves laughing. Trina and Trixie run after him.
Mark puts his arm around the shaken Angel. Other people have been watching them and are still staring.
Mark: C'mon lets get out of here. I know where we can get you the best cappuccino you've ever had in your entire life.
Scene: Basement.
Door is opening, Ada, Albert, Stephen, Pascal are in the open area. They look up and see Mark and Angel who are walking in. Mark and Angel are laughing about something.
Ada: Excuse me, she can't come in here. She doesn't have the security clearance.
Angel: But I've been promised the best cappuccino I've ever had in my entire life.
Mark: This will just take a minute. (pointing to the machine) You have to see this... behold the Javanator!
Mark turns on the machine, they watch as it whizzes and pops finally produce the coffee which Mark hands to Angel. She takes a sip.
Angel: Wow! This is fabulous! But it needs some sugar.
Mark: Oh, I'll get you some from the cabinet.
Angel: I don't mean that sugar, I mean this sugar. (pointing to her lips)
Marks smiles and gives her a quick peck.
Angel: Now it's perfect. I'll take this coffee to go. I'll see you later, Mark. Bye everyone.
Angel leaves, closing the door behind her.
Albert: So...is there something you want to tell us, Mark?
Mark: What?
Albert: Are you two... did you two.. you know.. Have you...
Mark: What?
Stephen: Don't pretend! He wants to know if your Mars probe landed on Venus!
Ada: Ugh! You guys gossip worse than women ! They want to know if you've had sex! Geez, you don't have to use euphemisms, we're all adults here!
Pascal: Oh relax, they are just living vicariously through Mark.
Ada: (smiling at Pascal) You got that right.
Ada and Pascal laugh.
Scene: Mr Alva's office. 6PM
Mark: Mr Alva?
Mr. Alva: Come in, close the door, have a seat.
Mark sits down.
Mr. Alva: Mark, I've checked with my contacts and they want to offer you 'extra work' if you are willing to do it, but it would be ah, unconventional,
Mark: Of course, Mr Alva! At this point, I'll do anything! Who are these 'contacts' ?
Mr. Alva: I trust you Mark, even if I've only known you for a few months. I vouched for you so my neck is on the line here too. Believe me, Mark, you wouldn't want to cross these people. You saw what those goons did to me in the boat. (motioning to his bruises )
Mark put on a confused expression on his face. He knows what role he needs to play.
Mr. Alva: Several months ago, I was approached by someone who works here who turned out to be a spy from Makopa Corp. For a very large sum, they wanted me to tell them about our projects... But we both know I don't really understand what you guys are doing. They want someone who actually does. I told them you may be willing to do this for them.
Mark: Wait, you want me to sell our research to Makopa?
Mr. Alva: In a manner of speaking...
Mark: And you told them I am willing to do this?
Mr. Alva: You said you needed money. Here's a way to earn a lot of it. And it will take the pressure off me. They are asking me things that I don't know how to answer and they are pissed off.
Mark acts unsure.
Mark: I don't know, Mr. Alva, this is a serious crime.
Mr. Alva: Please Mark, they've been leaning on me hard.
Mark still looks unconvinced.
Mr. Alva: I hate to do this to you but I will find a reason to fire you if you don't agree!
Mark: What? That's unfair! That's outrageous!
Mr. Alva: You leave me no choice!
Mark: You're leaving me no choice as well! You know I need this job!
Mr. Alva: It will be all right, Mark. (sounds like he's trying to convince himself and Mark) You give them what they want, they pay you, they leave both of us alone.
Mark: (thinking) Naïve fool. He really thinks its that simple to be in bed with crooks.
Mark: Okay. I agree. I want to meet your contact.
Mr. Alva: Good, good. She's waiting for my text right now.
Mr. Alva sends a text. Just a few minutes later, there was a quick courtesy knock on the door and then it was opened.
Mr. Alva: Come in.
Mark looks back in surprise.
Mr. Alva: (smug) Angel, I believe you know Mark.
Angel: (smiling at the stunned Mark) Yup. Mr. Alva, may I use your office to speak to Mark.
Mr. Alva: Of course. I'm going home anyway.
Mr. Alva leaves with a smile.
Mark: Angel? What is the meaning of this? What's going on?
Angel: Mark, I know this is quite a shock to you. I was stunned myself when Mr. Alva told me that you may be convinced to work with us.
Mark: I didn't tell him I'm willing to sell company secrets! I don't believe it! You're a corporate spy? How can you do this?
Angel: Makopa has spies here. Atis has spies in Makopa. Mark, these companies have been playing these games for a long time and they will continue to play these games whether we are involved or not.
Mark: It's a game to you?
Angel: (shrugs) A game that pays you a buttload of dough! Mark, this is extremely lucrative. Imagine all your money troubles, gone! You can buy anything you want! You've seen my home, my car. I like nice things and I don't deny that! How do you think an executive secretary can afford an Hermes purse?
Mark: Were you even planning on telling me about this side of you?
Angel: To be honest, I have been thinking of how to recruit you. Your boss doesn't know jack.
Mark: What? Is that why ... you slept with me? Are you just using me?
Angel: No! No! Of course not! Mark, in case I didn't make it abundantly clear, I like you. I like you a lot.
Mark: It just seems a tad convenient that you need someone in R&D and we got together.
Angel: Don't insult me! Think about it! If I wanted to, I can seduce any of your co-workers. But I'm not attracted to to them. You're the nerd that I want, Mark... C'mon, I have a feeling that you and I are gonna make a great team. I know what's going on in the boardroom and you know what's going on in R&D. I think it's great that this is out in the open between us.
Mark: It blows my mind how nonchalant you are about this. Doesn't all the pretense bother you?
Angel: I understand your hesitation. Believe me I do. But aren't you being just a wee bit judgmental? You're acting like I murdered an orphanage full of cute kittens! Are you really as pure as driven snow?
Mark, who is usually able to hide his true feelings is showing all of his confusion on his face.
Mark: (thinking) Sonofabitch.. I thought I had everything under control. I know I will agree after acting hesitant, but dammit, I'm not acting.
Mark: Okay. It's not as if I have much of a choice. Alva threatened to fire me!
Angel: That sniveling coward knows his a$s is on the line.
Angel sits on Mark's lap and gives him a long, lingering kiss.
Angel: C'mon let's go to my place. I promised you breakfast didn't I? (at Mark's hesitation) Trust me, Mark.
Scene: Mark's apartment. Mark just finished filling Jim in on the latest developments.
Jim: Angel? Really? It just seems too much of a coincidence.
Mark: That's what I've been thinking. I've been going over it in my head again and again. Is she just playing me? Is she just using me?
Jim: It's exactly what we want. We wanted you to be approached and that's what happened. Are you complaining? Hey, I'd let someone who looks like that use me any time. He, He. (looking at Mark's face) Wait, Oh no, please don't tell me you actually care about her?
Mark: I don't know...maybe...I should have seen it coming and I didn't. Damn, she may be my kryptonite.
Jim: Well snap out of it! She will most likely end up in jail.
Mark: I know. This just can't end well.
Jim: You need to detach yourself now! Let her use you, but do not let her have the better of you! Do I have to remind you what your priority is?
Mark: No, of course not.
Jim: Good. I'm glad we are clear. Now, lets go! I'm starving.
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