Scarecrow and Mrs. King
If Thoughts Could Kill

(IFF. Walt Kimball steps out of the elevator on Billy's and Lee's floor. He looks nervous. He stops outside the door to the main office. He looks inside, then gathers himself and opens the door. He steps inside. He glances around. Behind him, the clock reads 11:15. He walks past Lee, who is standing next to Francine. Francine is sitting at her desk, doing a file. Lee smiles at Walt.)
Lee: Hey, Walt. How you doing? You guys from the munitions never get up this way. (Walt takes no notice of him whatsoever. He turns and walks the other way. He passes Lee again.) Walt. (Lee looks at Francine, then walks over and makes another effort to communicate. Meanwhile, Walt looks at the clock, which still says 11:15. Walt is getting very nervous.) Hey, like I said, you guys never seem to. . . . (He notices something is wrong. Walt keeps looking back at the clock.) Are you okay? Walt? (The clock changes to 11:16. Walt stares at Lee.) Walt.
(Walt turns away from him. He walks over to the front of the room and holds up a gun. Everybody screams and ducks. Walt goes crazy and turns over a file cabinet and a desk. Lee runs over and stands in front of him. Walt continues pointing his gun around the room. He knocks over the water cooler and shoots a lamp.)
Lee: Walt! Walt! Put your gun down. Come on, let's -- let's talk about it, okay? Come on, put the gun down, huh?
(Walt turns and shoots. Lee dives for cover. More people scream. Walt shoots again, then drops his gun and barrels toward Lee. Lee tackles him. They both fly out the window and are thrown against the wall. Lee grabs his knee and cries in pain. Walt shakily stands up and tries to get away. The woman whose desk fell over steps out of the office and points her gun at Walt. Lee stands up, still holding his knee.)
Lee (to woman): Don't shoot! Don't shoot!
(He stands up, limping, and punches Walt in the stomach and then, while Walt is doubled over, Lee whacks him in the back and sends him to the wall. Walt slumps to the floor. Lee falls next, holding his knee and grunting, surrounded by pieces of glass. Everyone steps out of the office, led by Francine. They all look at the two fallen men and gasp.)

(An ambulance pulls into the parking lot of Galilee General Hospital with its siren blaring.)

(Hospital examining room. He is lying on a gurney in his shirt, vest, tie, and boxers. Nurse Chapman is holding an ice packon his knee. Dr. Chrysler walks in, adjusting his badge. He stands on the other side of the gurney, facing Chapman.
Chrysler: X-rays should have the pictures here soon.
Chapman: I told them to hold an OR open.
(Hearing those words, Lee pulls himself to a sitting position.)
Lee: OR? Does OR stand for Operating Room?
Chrysler: Offhand, I'd say the problem's with the lateral-collateral ligament.
Lee: Well, why do we need an OR?
Chrysler: It's going to be serious.
Lee: No, it's not serious.
(Chrysler pinches Lee's kneecap.)
Chrysler: Does this hurt?
Lee: No.
(Chryslerpinches a little below the kneecap.)
Chrysler: This?
(Lee cries out. )
Lee (through gritted teeth): Yes. Yes. (ungritted:) Could you give me something for the pain, huh?
Chapman: You don't want to mask the symptoms, do you?
Lee: Yes, yes, I want to mask them.
Chrysler: I'll trot down to X-ray.
(He leaves. Chapman walks around to the other side of the gurney.)
Lee: How's Walt Kimball, anyway? (On the last word, Chapman picks up Lee's hand from his lap and slaps it on the ice pack. Lee grunts on the last syllable.) Ow!
(Chapman removes a thermometer from its case and looks at it.)
Chapman: The man who attacked you?
Lee: He didn't attack me, he attacked an office, I got in the way.
Chapman: Whatever. He certainly messed up your lateral-collateral ligament.
Lee: Just tell me how he is?
Chapman: No.
(She sticks the thermometer in his mouth and leaves. He looks after her darkly. As she is walking out the door, Alec Belmont and Billy squeeze past her. Alec looks at Billy, but Billy marches right over to Lee. Lee tries to talk with the thermometer under his tongue.)
Billy: Oh. How're you doing?
Lee: Not so good.
(Alec walks to the other side of Lee. Billy gestures toward him.)
Billy: Lee, you know Alec Belmont from our Internal Affairs division.
Lee: Yeah. How's it going, Alec? Could you give me my pants, please?
(Alec reaches over to a low table and picks up Lee's pants. He hands them to Lee, then holds up a ripped part.)
Alec: Mm. Emergency rooms have so little regard for fine tailoring, huh?
Lee: Oh, gee.
Alec: I was amazed when I heard that one of our people annihilated a third level, but then I heard that you were involved. Somehow it all makes sense.
(Lee, annoyed, yanks the thermometer from his mouth.)
Lee: Look, no one around here will tell me how Walt is. Now, the guy is a good friend. I feel I have a right to know.
(Billy looks down. Alec speaks gently.)
Alec: Your friend's in a coma. His wife and children have been notified. They're on their way.
(Lee looks at him, then lowers his head.)
Lee: I see.
(A pause. Then Billy reaches over and shakes him gently.)
Billy: Come on, Lee, you tried to help Walt.
(Lee looks up, angry at himself.)
Lee: Yeah, by knocking him senseless? That's some help.
Alec: Scarecrow, there was no reasoning with him. Dr. Glaser says he's a burnout case.
Lee: Ted Glaser's in on this?
(Alec nods.)
Alec: Yes.
(Lee turns to Billy.)
Lee: Billy --
Billy: Look, Lee, I'm not fond of Glaser either, but it doesn't mean he's not a good physician. Now, some people don't like you, but you're still a good agent.
Lee: Who doesn't like me?
Alec: Scarecrow, my boy. (Lee glances at Alec, then looks back at Billy. Finally he closes his mouth and turns to Alec.) When one of our agents goes around the bend, we in Internal Affairs take a look through his medical files and try to find out why. Now did you know that from Kimball in the K drawer, it was just a short mosey to Stetson, in the S drawer?
(He pats the folder in his hand.)
Lee (wary): Yeah.
Alec: Well, as you know, we require a thorough annual physical of all our people, and what with Walt's little tantrum, Internal Affairs is determined to enforce this rule, and I'm talking about on pain of suspension, old boy.
(Lee salutes, mockingly.)
Billy: Lee, you've managed to avoid your physical for three years.
Lee: I've been busy!
Alec: Well, you're not busy right now. You're going to be right here, nursing a bad knee. And since you're already undressed, it does seem like an idea whose time has come.
Billy: The physical only takes three days.
Lee: Three days!
(Alec moves around next to Billy.)
Alec: Besides, the needles they use today, I'm told they're relatively painless.
Billy: We'll forward your mail.
(Lee sarcastically chuckles. Billy leaves the room. Alec turns, but then turns back.)
Alec: I almost forgot. (He pulls the flower out of his suit jacket and hands it to Lee.) Get well.
(Lee takes the flower, then squints his eyes at him. Alec leaves. Nurse Chapman comes in. She picks the pants up off Lee's lap, then takes the thermometer out of his hand.)
Chapman: Ah-ah-ah.
(She pops the thermometer back in his mouth. He glares at her, then looks down at his flower.)

(Later in Lee's room. He has a cast on his leg and he is sitting in a wheelchair pushing himself back and forth. Billy is sitting on his bed with something in his hands. Lee is in a robe. Billy is watching.)
Billy: You're the only man I know who can pace sitting down. Lee, what's eating you?
(Lee angrily stops in front of Billy.)
Lee: What's eating me? What are those tests gonna prove, huh? Billy, I do lousy on tests, I clutch!
(Lee rolls over around the bed. He stops when he sees Nurse Chapman step inside. She is holding a crutch with flowers all over it. She holds it up.)
Chapman: From people you know. (Lee does not smile.) Did the whirlpool help?
Lee: No. My knee still hurts.
Chapman: Some people don't have knees. Count your blessings.
(She leaves. Lee looks at Billy then points to where Chapman left. He gets out of his wheelchair and hobbles toward the closet.)
Lee: That's it! That's it! I'm going! I am history, sayonara, pal.
(He opens the closet and takes out his pants. He attemptsto put them on over his cast.)
Billy: Look, will you please relax?
Lee: You relax, huh?
Billy: You are driving these people crazy!
Lee: Me drive them crazy?!
Billy: They called my office three times about you! You say your TV doesn't work. (Lee finally gives up and throws down the pants. He runs his hand through his hair, then sits back down in his chair and paces some more.) You say you don't like the food. You don't like the nurse that gives you your bath.
Lee: Ah, she's a meat bruiser, Billy.
Billy: So what? Y -- you won't take your medicine, and you won't stay off your leg.
(Lee looks up at him.)
Lee: Whose side are you on, anyway?
Billy: Look. If I can provide you with someone from the Agency to ease the situation, to run interference with the hospital staff, would you just . . . last out the three days and stay off the knee?
Lee: Like an assistant? (Billy nods.) Somebody to help with the phone calls, the paperwork, bring a pizza?
Billy: Yes.
(Lee thinks about it.)
Lee: Sounds okay. When could he start?
(Billy checks his watch.)
Billy: Almost immediately.
(He gets up and walks to the door. He closes the closet and opens the door. Lee smiles and gets ready. Billy gestures to someone outside. Amanda walks in with a blue hospital volunteer uniform on.)
Lee: Oh, my god.
Amanda: Hello.
Lee: Billy --
Billy: I knew you'd be delighted. Now, I insist that we let Mrs. King help us out. Solves all the problems, don't you agree?
Lee: Sounds very . . . okay.
(Amanda blushes. Billy grins.)

(Hospital hall. Amanda is wheeling Lee. Lee tries to talk over his shoulder.)
Lee: Are you really a hospital volunteer or did Billy dig up that outfit?
Amanda: No, I'm really a Bedside Bluebell. I like to be helpful.
Lee: So I noticed. Ooh. (He stops the chair outside a door.) This is Walt's room.
Amanda: Well, we can't go in there.
(Lee looks around to see if anyone is watching. No one is.)
Lee: Oh, yeah?
(He kicks the door open and wheels himself inside. Amanda hesitates, then follows.)
Amanda: Oh.
(In Walt's room. Walt is unconscious under a plastic sheet. The pulsemonitor is steadily beeping. Lee slows down when he sees Janet Kimball, Walt's wife. She is at Walt's side, trying not to cry. Amanda acts very sympathetic. Janet looks up when the door opens.)
Lee: Hello, Janet.
Janet: Hello, Lee.
(Amanda squeezes by to close the door.)
Lee: How're you doing?
Janet: Oh, fine. (She motions to Lee's knee.) Um, I . . . I hope you're having somebody look at that. If not, I -- I could give you the name of a good chiropractor. Walt uses them all the time. (Lee looks at his knee.) You know how tough the Agency can be sometimes, you. . . .
(She breaks off. Lee looks at her silently. Amanda leans over to talk to Janet.)
Amanda: Mrs. Kimball? I'm Amanda King, I'm a friend of Lee's. (Lee looks up at her. Just then, Dr. Glaser walks in.) And I know that your husband will get the best possible care here.
Janet: Well, I'm just not sure what the best possible care could be in cases like this. (She looks at Walt. Dr. Glaser speaks up. Amanda looks up. Lee looks down.)
Glaser: Now, Janet, let's keep a positive mental attitude. A positive attitude is imperative to recovery. (He sees Lee.) Hello, Stetson. It's been quite a while.
(Lee looks up, obviously glad that it's been a while.)
Lee: Mm-hmm.
Glaser: I see you haven't changed your style. Still flaunting the rules.* (He closes the door, then shakes hands with Amanda.) I'm Theodore Glaser, Forensic Medicine, Cardiology, and Experimental Psychology.
Amanda: Hello. Amanda King, Bedside Bluebell.
Glaser: Well, you'll have your hands full with this patient, Mrs. King.
(He moves to the other side of the bed. Lee looks up at him.)
Lee: I was surprised to hear that you were handling Walt's case, Glaser. Isn't this a little beneath a research man like you?
Glaser: I haven't really been a research man since my Agency days, Lee. It's difficult to get new government grants after one has been so nastily . . . terminated.
Lee: We reviewed your case thoroughly.
Glaser: At any rate, I've been able to piece my life together by joining the staff here at Galilee General. My Agency experience is proving useful in treating cases like Walt's. Hopefully, I can be helpful to you, too.
Lee: How so?
Glaser: I'm your physician as well, Lee.
(Lee turns away.)

(Lee's room. Amanda opens the door. Lee wheels himself in. She walks over and makes the bed while she talks.)
Amanda: I did not kiss up to Dr. Glaser! I just believe that you should be polite to a man who may some day have to save your life.
Lee: The guy gives me chills. He always has. (Amanda helps him out of the chair and into the bed.) He discontinued the research he was doing at the Agency. He spent a ton of money on a bunch of weird projects that never went anywhere.
Amanda: I can leave as soon as you're tucked in.
Lee: I don't need to be tucked in.
Chrysler: That's absolutely correct, Mr. Stetson. (Amanda and Lee look up. Dr. Chrysler is standing just inside the door. He walks over to the bed.) In accordance with your wishes to be discharged quickly, we're going to start some of your tests tonight.
(Amanda removed Lee's slippers and places them on the floor next to the bed.)
Amanda: Now?
Chrysler: As our diagnostic tools increase, so does the time required to use them. (Lee adjusts his leg. Chrysler hands him a pill in a cup. Amanda reaches for a jug of water.) So. Let's shake a leg. (Lee glares at him.) Oh. Ha ha. Not literally, of course.
Lee: What's this?
Chrysler: We call it a pill. (Lee narrows his eyes. Amanda looks at Chrysler, then pours water into a plastic cup. She hands it to Lee.) It readies the body for the metabolic phase of the test.
Amanda: Well, since you're in such good hands, I guess I'll leave. (Lee looks at her. She glances at Chrysler, then leans over and pats Lee on the shoulder.) Don't worry. I'm sure there are no needles involved. (Lee and Amanda both look over at Chrysler. Amanda is smiling and Lee has a worried look on his face.) Are there?
Chrysler: Hmm? Oh. It'll be over before he knows it.
(Lee smiles, relieved. He takes the pill with the water. Amanda nods, pleased.)

(That night. Galilee General. The hospital is dark. Chrysler wheels Lee on a gurney into the dimly lit hall. Lee is half-conscious. He is groaning. Chrysler shuts the door to Lee's room, then quietly pushes the gurney around the corner to the freight elevator. He pushes open the metal door and gets inside, pulling Lee behind him. Lee is still groaning and shaking his head. Chrysler closes the door and operates the buttons. The elevator starts to move down. Lee watches all the walls go by, then sees Chrysler standing over him. Finally the elevator stops. Glaser is seen waiting for them behind the door. When the elevator completely halts, Glaser opens the doors. He takes hold of the gurney and pulls it through another dim hallway. Chrysler is following, pushing the other end of the gurney. You hear steam. The doctors stop outside of a blue door. Chrysler opens it. they turn the gurney around so that Glaser is pushing and Chrysler is pulling. They silently go into the room.)

(Inside the room. It is a secret laboratory of Glaser's. Lee is sitting straight up in a chair. He has gadgets and things all over him. Chrysler is making final adjustments to the ones on Lee's temples. Glaser is looking at a printout from a machine. Then he looks at Lee. A pulse monitor is beeping.)
Glaser: Let's begin by gauging the subject's suggestibility.
(Chrysler walks over to the wall and hits a switch. The lights go out. Glaser turns on a film projector that is on the table. They watch and see what the film does to Lee. On the screen are a bunch of frightening things, in this order: A car blowing up, a knife, a gun, scary eyes, another car exploding, a big dog barking, a row of cannons firing, another gun pointed at the camera, scary eyes again, a French guillotine dropping, someone cocking the same gun, scary eyes. Now Glaser looks down at his patient. Lee is just staring at the screen. The film repeats itself over. Lee starts to sweat. The scary eyes stare. Then, a big stuffed duck appears. Close-up on the duck's eyes. He speaks in a squeaky, non-scary voice.)
Lester: I'm Lester Duck. Let's look and learn.
(Lee slightly turns his head.)

(Morning. King kitchen. Amanda is in her hospital uniform. Her boys and Dotty are sitting at the table. They look exhausted and angry at Amanda.)
Amanda: Good morning! Oh, isn't it a fantastic morning! Everything is just perfect! (Phillip pokes at his breakfast. Dotty and Jamie exchange glances, then stare at Amanda. Amanda's smile fades. She moves toward the table with a cup in her hands.) Well. (She sits down across from Dotty.) Maybe perfect is overstating it.
Dotty: Perhaps you're wondering why Fred didn't take me square dancing last night.
Amanda: Uh, no, well, I didn't know you were supposed to go square dancing with Dr. Bain last night.
Dotty: Cowboy boots do not fit over a cast.
Amanda: Cast?
Dotty: Cast, on his left toes.
Amanda: My goodness, when did Dr. Bain hurt his toes?
Jamie: When he broke my favorite skateboard.
Amanda: Dr. Bain was skateboarding?
Phillip: No, falling.
Amanda: I thought your skateboard had a broken wheel.
Jamie: No, Dean fixed it. Then Dr. Bain broke it again.
Amanda: Dean was here last night?
Dotty: He didn't know you were going to work so late at the hospital. He came by as a surprise.
Amanda: The house looked so peaceful when I got here.
Dotty: We were asleep. Before that, we were a zoo.
Amanda: Now, look. This is no way for a family to relate. If we have troubles, we've got to talk them through. Hmm? (The other three stare at her. The phone rings. Amanda stands up, glad to get away.) I'll just get that. (She picks it up.) Hello?
Lee: It's me.
Amanda: Oh, hi, how are you? Did you have a restful night?
(In the hospital room, Lee is sitting on his bed. Behind him, the nurse is fixing his breakfast.)
Lee: No. The nurses come in at six, they're unhappy about it, so they wake up the whole place and make everyone unhappy. (Behind him, the nurse glares. She fixes his pillow.) Could you do me a favor?
Amanda: Sure.
Lee: You better write this down, it's important.
Amanda: Oh. (She reaches for a pad and pencil. She finds them.) Okay. Ready?
Lee: Go to my apartment.
Amanda: Mm-hmm.
Lee: The doorman will let you in.
Amanda: Mm-hmm.
Lee: Bring me my comb.
Amanda: I'll get comb. Next?
Lee: That's it.
Amanda: That's it? (She stops holding the pad ready to write.) Couldn't I just pick up a comb at the hospital pharmacy?
Lee: No. Amanda, I need the black comb with the two missing teeth, the one with "Ace Comb" stamped on the side.
Amanda: Where will I find this item? In the bathroom?
Lee: Oh, Amanda, come on. It's on the coffee table, underneath the magazines.
Amanda: Oh. Well, I'll try. I'll see you later.
Lee: Good-bye.
Amanda: Good-bye. (Confused, she hangs up, then puts down the pad and pencil and faces her family again.) Now. (She sits.) Where were we?
Dotty: You suggested that we deal with this head on. And we have. We see now that Fred never would have tripped over the skateboard if it hadn't been left out. And it never would have been left out if it hadn't been fixed. And it wouldn't have been fixed if Dean hadn't been sitting here with time on his hands. (Amanda tries to say something, but Dotty continues.) And Dean wouldn't have been sitting here with time on his hands if you hadn't worked so late.
Amanda: B-b-b-b-but M-m-m-m-mother. . . .
Dotty: Oh. I am so glad we've talked this out. The problem wasn't with us at all.
Amanda: Oh, now . . . wait just a minute. I, I --
Dotty: I think enough's been said, Missy. Don't you?
(Amanda's smile fades.)

(Hospital Walt's room. Walt is still unconscious. Glaser is standing over him. Chrysler is behind him.)
Chrysler: I've checked all our notes, sir. And I think I know where our experiment with Kimball went array. It shouldn't happen again.
Glaser: It better not. We obviously failed to penetrate Kimball's subconscious deeply enough. He went into breakdown before accomplishing his mission.
Chrysler: And now you have Mr. Stetson to accomplish it for you.
(Glaser looks at him, smiling.)
Glaser: Yes, there is a certain delicious irony in that. We'd be much further along, Ogden, if Stetson hadn't put a stop to my Agency project. Stetson, along with Billy Melrose and . . . (he looks down at Walt) Walt Kimball.
Chrysler: Sir? Should Walt Kimball recover, there is a slight chance he might remember what happened to him . . . and talk.
Glaser: Ogden, between the two of us, we ought to be able to come up with something. (He fingers the switch to control Walt's medicine and looks back at Chrysler.) Shouldn't we?
(Chrysler nods slowly. Glaser looks back down at the switch.)

(Lee's apartment. Amanda is flipping through the magazines on the messy coffee table. She takes out a black comb from underneath them. She finds the two missing teeth.)
Amanda: Mm-hmm. Talk about picky. How special can a comb be?
(She puts the comb in her purse. Lydia Lowell knocks on the open door.)
Lydia: Hello?
(Amanda turns around. When she sees who it is, she lets out a sigh.)
Amanda: Oh.
Lydia: I'm Mr. Stetson's neighbor, Lydia Lowell?
Amanda: Oh, hello. I'm Amanda King.
Lydia: Will you be seeing Mr. Stetson again, or is this a one night sort of thing?
(Amanda laughs nervously.)
Amanda: Oh, I'll be seeing him again.
Lydia: Oh! (She rushes out of the room. Amanda stops smiling. Lydia rushes back in, carrying a big box.) This package was delivered to him earlier today.
(She hands it to Amanda. Amanda reads the card attached.)
Amanda: Oh. Ha ha! "To Lee, hurry back, love, the Steno pool."
(Both women chuckle.)
Lydia: Women seem to like Mr. Stetson.
Amanda: Apparently.
Lydia: They bring him things. Many things. Many, many, many, many things.
Amanda: Gotcha.
(Lydia starts to leave.)
Lydia: I don't quite see the attraction myself, though . . . I'm sure you girls have your reasons. (Amanda smiles half-heartedly.) Good day.
Amanda: Good day. (Lydia walks out. Amanda turns around and puts down the present.) "Love, the Steno pool." (She adjusts the bow. Then, pretending that she doesn't mean to, she lifts off the top. Inside is Lester Duck. Amanda looks at it. She touches its beak. Then she puts the lid back on.) Cute.

(Outside hospital. People are sitting at little tables. Lee is walking with his crutch. Amanda is next to him, helping him. She is holding a cup of custard with her other hand.)
Lee: I have to get out of here.
Amanda: It's only a few more days. (Lee sighs.) Here, a nice table. Here you are.
(She pulls out his chair. He plops down into it with some difficulty.)
Lee: All right.
Amanda: I got you. Just think of it as. . . . Yeah. There you go. One, two, three!
Both: Oomph!
(She pushes the chair in as he jumps with it. Lee leans his crutch against the table. When Lee is settled, Amanda sits in the other chair. She puts the custard in front of him.)
Amanda: There you go. There you are. Now, here's this nice custard, just in case, just in case you want it later, and, oh! (She reaches into her purse and extracts the black comb.) And here is your comb with the two missing teeth.
(She hands it to him.)
Lee: Ah.
Amanda: I didn't know you were so particular about little, tiny details.
Lee: This comb is not a little, tiny detail. This is the correct comb for my hair.
(Amanda nods.)
Amanda: Oh.
Lee: Details are important. Step-by-step precision is crucial in life. It separates the slobs from the princes.
(Amanda reaches over and takes the custard.She starts to eat it.)
Amanda: Boy. Somebody really got up on the wrong side of the bed this morning.
(Lee combs his hair. He speaks immediately after she finishes like he was waiting to say it.)
Lee: Your hem is uneven.
Amanda: My hem is uneven?
(Lee finishes combing. He looks at Amanda.)
Lee: Uh-huh. Yesterday it was fine, today it sags. No doubt about it.
(Amanda looks down at her hem, then at Lee.)
Amanda: How could you even tell?
Lee: Come on, it's like night and day.
Amanda: Could you relax a little bit? I mean, you're seeming very. . . .
Lee: What?
Amanda: Tense.
Lee: I am. I've been on the phone all morning about Walt. Someone should be doing something.
Amanda: Like what?
Lee: I don't know. I just remember the look in Walt's eyes. He -- he wanted something.
Amanda: Well, now, look. Now you said Walt was a -- was a very good agent. So, why would he want to cause trouble?
Lee: I don't know, I don't know. I mean, agents have gone sour before. Maybe Walt was being blackmailed, offered a lot of money . . . a lot of different reasons. Maybe Walt was forced into pulling something.
(Amanda takes his hand and comforts him.)
Amanda: Lee. I think you should get some sleep. That's one of the reasons you're here, you know, to, to get some sleep.
(Lee rubs his eyes.)
Lee: It's the sleep that is wearing me out. I'm still having these weird . . . dreams. I wake up more wasted than before I slept.
Amanda: What kind of dreams?
Lee: Maybe . . . not exactly dreams, more of feeling. A sinking feeling.
Amanda: A sinking feeling?
Lee: Uh-huh. And noises. Uh, squeaks, thumps. . . . Maybe it's a jungle. It's hot, steamy.
Amanda: Probably sexual. (Lee glares at her.) Freud would say.
(Lee starts to turn away, then glares at her again.)

(IFF break/snack room. Alec hits and kicks a vending machine. Finally he reaches down and pulls a soda out of the bottom. He walks over to the table. Billy is sitting there. Alec sits across from him. They are eating out of foam containers.)
Alec: William. You forgot my fries, didn't you?
Billy: I guess there's a large in there. (Taps container.) Double order.
(Francine opens the door. Amanda steps in.)
Francine: Amanda King is here, Billy.
Amanda: Thank you.
(She walks over to Billy. Francine closes the door, staying inside. Billy half-stands to greet Amanda.)
Billy: Hello, Amanda.
Amanda: Hello, sir.
Billy: Um, Amanda, this is Alec Belmont, with our Internal Affairs division.
(Alec wipes his mouth. He shakes Amanda's hand.)
Amanda: How do you do?
Alec: Nice to meet you.
(Amanda smiles, then becomes serious. She turns to Billy.)
Amanda: Sir, you asked me to report if Lee did anything unusual?
Billy: Yes, it seems that Dr. Glaser thinks that Lee is suffering from stress also.
Amanda: Yes, sir. Well, I'd just like to go on the record as saying that I regard Lee as a friend. And as such, I'm a little uncomfortable in snitching and spying on a friend.
Francine: Oh, don't be. That is standard operating procedure around here. Isn't it?
(Billy closes his eyes and shakes his head.)
Alec: Uh, go on with your report, Mrs. King.
Amanda: Yes, sir. Um, well, it started out with the comb with the two missing teeth, and then it went to the sagging hem, and, uh, it's gone steadily downhill from there.
Alec: Excuse me, Mrs. King. What's been downhill?
Amanda: Lee's behavior, sir. You see, he's been making extremely detailed lists. He's become conscious of the most minute details. He's neat, prompt, organized. You can see why I'm worried.
Alec: No. Neatness and precision are expected of all our agents.
(Amanda smiles, then leans over to Billy.)
Amanda: Does he know Lee?
(Billy and Amanda both look over at Alec, smiling.)

(Night. Chrysler is on the service elevator with Lee on the gurney again, half-conscious. The elevator moves down.)

(Glaser's lab. Lee has the weird gadgets on his head. The doctors are showing him the film again. Lee stares at it, blinking. Meanwhile, Glaser is operating the machine while Chrysler stands next to him.)
Chrysler: If these next two experiments are successful, Dr. Glaser, you'll have absolute proof of your theory. You can publish your article.
Glaser: I'm afraid what we have in mind for Mr. Stetson won't be suitable for publication, Ogden. I'll need to demonstrate my technique in more acceptable ways in order to accumulate the proper data.
Chrysler: But once you do, sir, you'll be reestablished of the scientific world.
Glaser: Uh-huh.
Chrysler: You'll have proven the conscious will can be conquered.
Glaser: But just as important, Ogden, is the private satisfaction. Just knowing I was able to program Lee Stetson to murder Billy Melrose. (He walks over to Lee and watches him. Lee is still watching the film. Right now, a picture of Billy is on among all the scary things. Lester Duck comes on.)
Lester: What a guy. Keep up the good work. Details are important. Success comes one step at a time.

(Morning. Amanda and Lee are walking down the hospital hall. Amanda checks her watch.)
Amanda: Okay. That's about enough. (She lifts a paper ona clipboard in her arms.) It says here on your chart ten minutes --
(Lee snaps his fingers.)
Lee: Now I know why we don't get along. This hospital experience has isolated the whole reason. Rule-breakers and rule-followers don't mix. (Amanda rolls her eyes.) Amanda, I am a rule-breaker and you are a rule-follower.
(Amanda stops and faces him.)
Amanda: Oh? Oh, well. Then you will be very surprised by the very nice treat that I have brought you contrary to many major hospital rules.
Lee: You brought me a treat.
Amanda: Breaking many major rules.
Lee: Well, give it to me.
Amanda: Now?
Lee: Yes, now! Come on, come on, I'm in a rotten mood. (An elderly couple stops and looks at them.) I'm still having those dreams, uh, squeaks and squeals, steam, the blue door. My head hurts, my knee hurts, I want my treat now, come on!
Amanda: All right, gee! (She looks around, then holds up a chocolate bar. Lee grabs it.)
Lee: What's this?
Amanda: A Chewy Chubby Bar. Loaded with sugar and nuts! The hospital dietitian would have never approved.
(Lee holds up the bar and shakes it.)
Lee: That's your idea of breaking the rules?
(At every "yes" Amanda pushes his arm down. At every "huh" Lee puts it back up again.)
Amanda: Yes!
Lee: Huh?
Amanda: Yes!
Lee: Huh?
Amanda: Put it down! (Lee finally lets his arm drop.) What did you expect?
(Lee starts walking away. Amanda stands still, her mouth open.)
Lee: A bottle of scotch, a whole cheesecake, uh, uh, uh -- a woman!
(Amanda runs over.)
Amanda: What?!
Lee: Yeah. Yeah, that's what I want. I want a woman.
(Lee smiles at the throught. The two keep walking. They pass the same elderly couple that heard them earlier.)
Amanda: Well, I think you had better stop this right now because I will not get you a woman! (to couple:) Hello. (They stop outside Walt's room. Amanda collects herself.) Now. You can just think of something else.
Lee: Okay, I want to go in that room.
(He starts to go in. She grabs his collar and pulls him back.)
Amanda: You're not allowed in there.
Lee: Ow.
Amanda: Oh. Please don't get me in trouble again.
(Lee holds up the candy bar.)
Lee: Look, don't you think you owe me?
Amanda: Give me that!
(She grabs it.)
Lee: Anyway, it is (he takes out a notepad and opens it) item number three on my list of things to do. It is important to organize your day a step at a time.
Amanda: When did you start all this list stuff, anyway?
Lee: Since, uh. . . . I don't -- Just don't let anyone in here, will you?
(He marches past her and enters Walt's room.)
Amanda: Oh, would you please hurry? It's getting late and Dean and I have a self-defense class -- (the door slams. Amanda shrugs.) He doesn't care.
(She sighs and resumes the role of lookout. She spots Dr. Glaser coming down the hall. She takes a breath, then walks toward him.)

(Inside Walt's room. Janet is sitting by Walt, still in a coma. Lee talks to her.)
Lee: Do you think Walt could have been in any kind of trouble?
Janet: What do you mean?
Lee: Is there anything . . . could someone have been blackmailing him, was he in any kind of financial trouble? I mean, what could have made him do . . . what could have made him act the way that he did?
Janet: Well, Dr. Glaser said that the stress finally got to him.
Lee: Do you really believe that?
Janet: Maybe . . . the pressure did get to him. He'd been looking absolutely exhausted lately, and he, he couldn't sleep, he had these horrible dreams.
Lee: What? W-what kind of dreams?
Janet: Well, I'm not sure, uh . . . uh, noises, uh, a kind of sinking feeling. But he'd wake up absolutely terrified and he could never remember the dreams.

(Meanwhile, Amanda is talking with Glaser, keeping him away from Walt's room.)
Amanda: And then my oldest son, Phillip, wants to be a doctor, too. Could you tell me a good medical school? (She glances over at Walt's door, then looks back quickly.) Well, you know, well, I think it's really wonderful, I have two boys and they both want to be doctors. My next-door neighbor's son wants to be a lounge singer. But you know, I understand you have to enroll them practically at birth and I think that's really silly because when they're babies, how do you know if they're even going to pass biology? (She looks down the hall in the opposite direction from Walt's room. When Glaser looks to see what Amanda is looking at, Amanda looks at Walt's room in time to see Lee leave. Her head snaps back to Glaser.) Well, thank you very much for all your help, Dr. Glaser, I really appreciate it. I have to go give a sitz bath now.
(She walks off. Glaser turns, bewildered.)

(Lab. Glaser is running the tests again. Lee is watching with the things on his head. This time Chrysler is not there.)
Lester: What a guy! Keep up the good work. Follow instructions. Success comes a step at a time.
(Glaser is holding a device to the back of Lee's head.)
Glaser: Lester Duck is your friend, Lee. Billy Melrose is your enemy. Lester Duck wants you to destroy Billy Melrose. Lester is your lifeline to reality. (He holds up the same stuffed Lester toy that Amanda saw at Lee's apartment. Lee slightly turns his head to look at it.) When you return home, you will look at Lester in the morning and again in the evening. He will remind you of how much you want to "follow instructions." You will phone me for those instructions, Lee. Just pull the string.
(Slowly and dramatically, Glaser reaches over with his other hand and pulls the string protruding from the animal's back. When Lee hears the voice, he looks at the duck on the screen.)
Lester: Atta boy! I'm proud of you. A real leader follows orders.
(On the screen, the pictures shifts to Billy, then to someone cocking and aiming a gun. Lee watches.)

(Walt's room. The monitor is steadily beeping. Camera travels from Walt's face to a medicine injector on his arm, then up the tube to a switch. A hand reaches over and pushes the switch down. Dr. Glaser, the man whose hand it was, watches the pulse monitor. It beeps faster and faster, then finally just a long, steady beep. Walt is dead.)

(Morning. Lee's apartment. Lee is dressed. He discovers the big present in his living. room. He removes the lid and takes out the stuffed Lester doll. Lee looks over and reads the card.)
Lee: "To Lee, hurry back, love, Steno pool." (He tosses the top down. He lovingly pats the duck.) Is that Marilyn? No, that's Jessica. No, no that's Marilyn.
(He pats its tail. He pulls the string.)
Lester: What a guy! You've got real potential. Keep up the good work. Atta boy! Success comes one step at a time.
(On hearing that voice, Lee remembers what he is supposed to do. He walks over to the telephone, still hugging the toy, and dials Glaser's number.)
Lee: Dr. Glaser?
Glaser: Lee, you did that very well. After this you will no longer need to phone me. You will forget about this number, forget about me. Do you understand?
Lee: Yes.
Glaser: Lester Duck has a goal for you today. Are you up to the challenge?
Lee: Sure.
Glaser: Who is your enemy, Lee?
Lee: Billy Melrose.
Glaser: You've just learned he'll be speaking at a luncheon. Lester wants you to kill Billy Melrose. Today. Twelve o'clock. Sharp!
Lee: Sure. Anything else?

(Hospital lobby. Amanda enters, hangs up her coat, then drops her purse off at the front desk. Barbie is filling something out. She is wearing a pink volunteer outfit like Amanda's blue one. Amanda has a bandage wrapped around her wrist.)
Amanda: Good morning.
Receptionist: Hi, Amanda.
Barbie: Good morning. (Amanda heads for the elevator. Barbie stops her.) Oh, Amanda. Um, I'm in a real bind. I've got this whole floor of beds to make and the linen hasn't come up yet. Would you help me get it?
Amanda: Oh, well, uh . . . why do we do that?
Barbie: 'Cause we're volunteers, Amanda. Everyone else gets paid.
Amanda: Oh, right. Sure. Yeah. I guess so.
(They walk down the hall to the elevator.)
Barbie: What happened to your wrist?
Amanda: Oh, well, I went to my self-defense course last night, and my teacher's name is Joe, though they call him Mad Dog Garrity, anyway, he said to come at him with everything that I had, so I swung my purse and I hit him and I forgot that I had this little, tiny doorknob in there.
Barbie: But what happened to your wrist?
Amanda: He bit me.
(She continues walking. Barbie slows for a minute, thinking about that. Then she catches up with Amanda, who has gotten to the elevator. She presses the button.)
Barbie: Oh, this thing is hopeless. It's always out of order or filled up. Let's take the freight elevator. (She opens the metal doors and steps in. Amanda squeezes by. Barbie closes the doors.) Down we go. (She pushes the button the elevator starts moving slowly.) Isn't it awful? Watching these walls go by gives me the most incredible sinking feeling.
Amanda: What did you say?
Barbie: Huh? I said it gives me a sinking feeling.
Amanda: Barbie, do they ever use this elevator for patients?
Barbie: Oh, not that I know of. (Amanda looks around, watching. The elevator stops. Barbie opens the door and steps out. Amanda doesn't notice that it has stopped.) Coming?
Amanda: Hmm? Oh, yeah. Right behind you.
(She follows Barbie out of the elevator and closes the door.)
Barbie: Laundry's this way. That's where all the steam's coming from.
(She walks down the corridor. Amanda follows behind, thinking. She hears steam hissing.)
Amanda: Steam. (She spots a blue door and stops. The sign on it says "Storage.") Barbie!
Barbie: Yeah?
Amanda: What's through this door?
Barbie: Oh, I don't know. Dr. Glaser uses it for storage or something. Come on!
(Barbie resumes walking. Amanda looks around, then puts her ear to the blue door. When she hears nothing, she opens it and squeezes past file cabinets to close the door. She walks around, glancing at file cabinets. When she sees the desk, she takes her jacket off. Amanda lifts up a file folder. She sees Walt's photo in it. She sifts through the papers. Then she looks at the other folder. Lee's name is on it. So Amanda picks up Lee's. She opens it. Lee's picture is attached next to some information. Focus on the words REACTION TO VIOLENCE: Subject will strike on command.)

(Lee's apartment. He walks into the living room, putting on his jacket, then he bends over. On the floor there is a pad of paper next to a telephone, and a gun next to the pad. Lee casually picks up the gun and stuffs it in his sock. He covers it with his pant leg. Then he looks up and smiles. He leaves the apartment. Focus on the pad. It is his daily list of things to do. It says: "1: PICK UP LAUNDRY; 2: BUY COFFEE; 3: GET DOZ. EGGS; 4: SHOOT BILLY; 5: WAX CAR." The first three items are checked off. The phone rings.)

(IFF. Billy opens the door to the floor's main office. Lee follows. Billy heads for the coffee. Francine perks up and eavesdrops on their conversation from her desk.)
Lee: I didn't say he was up to no good, I said maybe. Amanda told me you were looking into this.
Billy: We are checking into it.
Lee: Well --
Billy: Lee, do you know any good jokes?
Lee: What?
Billy: I need something cute to open my speech with today. Come on, you guys in the field always hear all the good jokes.
Lee: Billy, somehow I don't think you're taking my theory very seriously. Is anyone checking to see if Walt's IV bottle was tampered with? I mean, we know an imbalance in his medication is what killed him.

(Hospital. Amanda walks briskly down the hall to Lee's room. She opens the door. Nurse Chapman is stripping the bed.)
Amanda: Where's Mr. Stetson?
Chapman: Oh, he checked out early this morning. Are you Mrs. King?
(Amanda nods.)
Amanda: Yes.
Chapman: He said he was unable to reach you earlier, but to tell you he'd phone you later tody.
Amanda: Thank you.
(She shuts the door and was about to walk down the hall to the front desk, but was stopped by Janet walking down the hall, crying. Glaser is walking beside her, "comforting" her.)
Janet: I got down here as quickly as I could.
Glaser: Believe me, Janet, you did everything possible for him.
(Amanda stands in front of them. Janet wipes her nose, then looks at Amanda and bursts into tears again. Glaser leads Janet around the corner. Amanda watches them go.)

(IFF. Meanwhile, Lee has still been trying to convince Billy that Walt was murdered. Billy is pouring his coffee. Francine walks up with papers and a pen in her hand.)
Francine: Billy, will you sign these affadavits, please. They need them upstairs right away. (She looks at her watch, then at the wall clock, the same one Walt was staring at in the first scene. The clock reads 11:16.) Oh, my, you're one minute late.
Billy: Knock it off, I'm not that predictable.
Lee: Oh, yes, you are. Eleven-oh-nine, you lean back in your chair, stretch, think you should cut down on coffee, eleven-fifteen, you're standing right here, pouring yourself a cup. You know, I think they set the clocks around here by you. I'm beginning to admire that punctuality. (Billy pretends to bow.)
Francine: I always know where to find you.
(She goes to the other side of Lee.)
Lee: Yeah, and so does everyone else. Couriers, the file clerks, the. . . . God. Walt Ki-- Walt Kimball, why -- why didn't I see it before?
Billy: Now wait a minute, Stetson.
Lee: Billy, you weren't here at eleven-fifteen the other morning, but Walt Kimball was.
Billy: I got hung up in the mapping room. Threw off my whole day.
Lee: Maybe that's what saved your life. Look, Billy. The guy's going to have a breakdown, there's a million places to have it. Why here? Why here, at exactly eleven-fifteen?
Billy: Maybe he wanted some coffee.
Lee: Billy, he has coffee at his own department.
Billy: Well, maybe they were out!
Lee: I can't remember the last time he was on this floor. Maybe that's why he had the gun! The man wanted to kill you. You didn't show up and pow, I don't know, something must have snapped.
Billy: Well, why would Walt Kimball possibly want to kill me?
Lee: He probably didn't want to. Maybe someone was pulling the strings behind him. It's possible that someone monkeyed with Walt's IV to keep him from talking.
(Billy thinks about it, then shakes his head.)
Billy: I don't know.
Lee: Okay, but what if I'm right, huh? I mean, somebody was inside this place, and tried to convince one of our people to do something totally out of character, and that somebody may try to do it again.
Billy: Let me think about it, Lee. Right now I have to, uh, get my notes ready for the speech.
(Billy walks toward his office with his coffee in his hand. Lee follows him and Francine follows him.)
Lee: You're still going to make that speech? You're going to be up there like a sitting duck.
Billy: Yes, and without an opening joke, thanks to you.
(Francine smirks.)
Lee: I'm going with you.
Billy: Oh, give me a break.
Lee: Humor me, Billy, will you? If somebody's going to take a potshot at you, I'd like to see who it is.
Francine: You're really going through with this, aren't you?
Lee: Success comes a step at a time.
Billy: Hey. I like that. That's going in my speech. If you insist on going with me, order a car, meet me upstairs, because I go on at twelve o'clock.
(Billy goes into his office. Marge runs up to Lee.)
Marge: Oh, there you are, Mr. Stetson. Uh, Mrs. King is on the phone, line six. She says it's important. She's already phoned here twice this morning.
(Marge goes back to her desk. Francine looks at Lee.)
Francine: Doesn't that woman realize that you are healed? That you no longer require a Bedside Bluebell?
Lee: Francine, if you could pinpoint the single major reason as to why Amanda King gets to you, what would it be?
Francine: Her complete lack of . . . everything.
Lee: Yeah. (Francine walks away. Lee picks up the phone.) Hello, Amanda.
(At the hospital, Amanda is at the front desk telephone.)
Amanda: Lee! I'm glad I finally got you. Um, did you hear about Walt Kimball?
Lee: Yes. I'm going over to see Janet tonight. Look, Amanda, I'm in a bit of a rush. Billy's giving a speech at a luncheon over at the Adriana Hotel and I'm going with him.
Amanda: Oh, wait a minute! I didn't tell you about the little room yet.
Lee: What little room?
Amanda: In the basement of this hospital, there's a little room. It's like a laboratory or something. And I found some file folders down there.
(A hand reaches out and breaks the connection by pushing the button. Amanda freezes. Dr. Chrysler takes the receiver out of her hand and hangs it up. Amanda whirls around to face him.)

(At IFF, Lee is still on the phone.)
Lee: Hello? Hello, Amanda?
(Billy comes out of his office putting on his coat.)
Billy: If you're going with me, Stetson, better get a move on.
(Lee looks at the phone, then hangs it up. He turns to Marge.)
Lee: Look, uh, that call was disconnected. If Amanda King calls back, uh, tell her, uh, I'm sorry, and I'll call back later. Okay?
Marge: I certainly will.
Lee: Thanks.
(He trots out the door after Billy.)

(Glaser's lab. Chrysler pushes Amanda in, then shuts the door. He keeps moving toward her, but she keeps an equal distance between them.)
Chrysler: All right. What's your connection to Scarecrow, Mrs. King?
Amanda: If you're referring to Mr. Stetson, I'm just his Bedside Bluebell, that's all.
Chrysler: And what was his, uh, Bedside Bluebell doing snooping around in Dr. Glaser's office, going through file folders?
Amanda: I was looking for the laundry room and I got lost.
Chrysler: That's a terrible incident.
Amanda: Well, no, you don't know me, you see, you don't know how easily I get lost. I mean, just the other day --
Chrysler: You know, I think you work with Stetson. I think you were down here investigating Dr. Glaser's experiments.
Amanda: What experiments?
Chrysler: Oh, as if you didn't know. Tell me, did you find the data in the files interesting? You know, if the Agency's chosen you to spy on us, you must be quite prominent in your field.
Amanda: Iwas looking for the laundry room.
Chrysler: You experts. You've always insisted that human beings can't be made to do anything basically against their conscious will. You must have been fairly surprised at Dr. Glaser's inroads into reprogramming the brain.
Amanda: Reprogramming the brain?
Chrysler: Hey, don't look at me like that. We're not mad scientists. We're serious physicians. We believe that people can be turned into obedient mechanisms.
Amanda: Oh. (She nods. Then she looks past his shoulder and sees Lester Duck laid down on the table next to bottles and a microscope.) You have the same duck Lee has.
Chrysler: Of course. Surely you can appreciate the need for a trigger mechanism.
(He crosses to the table and retrieves the duck.)
Amanda: Of course. Just so unusual using a duck.
Chrysler: See, when Lee sees Lester Duck, we programmed him to pull the string. And then hearing Lester's voice puts Lee in a highly suggestive state. He'll follow any order that's given to him. He'll do anything we ask him to.
Amanda: Oh, well, that's wonderful, that's . . . that's brilliant. I better go now.
(She starts to leave. Chrysler slams down the duck.)
Chrysler: Mrs. King. I can't allow you to interfere with the Scarecrow's mission.
Amanda: What mission?
Chrysler (as if it's obvious): Mr. Stetson's going to murder Billy Melrose.
Amanda: What?
Chrysler: In exactly (glances at his watch) twenty minutes, if my watch is right.
(Amanda shakes her head.)
Amanda: No.
Chrysler: Yes. (He grabs her and forces her into the chair.) So don't fight this, Mrs. King. Just breathe deeply.
(He holds up a plastic mask to fit over the mouth and nose attached to a tube with air hissing through it. He slowly moves it closer to Amanda's face.)
Amanda: What is it?
Chrylser: Another miracle of modern science, Mrs. King. The proper combination of gases can induce you to a very unpleasant death.
(Amanda grabs his arm and holds it away, then with her free hand swings the lamp over and hits Chrysler in the head with it. He falls against the metal table and then to the floor. Amanda jumps out of the chair, gingerly steps over Chrysler's body, the runs and grabs the duck, and rushes out of the room as Chrysler groggily revives. She runs to the frieght elevator and pushes the button. She waits impatiently, looking over her shoulder. But as the elevator moves down, Amanda can see Glaser's legs in it. She runs around the corner and squeezes behind the wall. She is still holding the duck. When the elevator stops, Glaser calmly opens the doors and steps out. He walks to his lab. As he passes Amanda's corner, Amanda tries to make herself as invisible as possible. Hearing a commotion, Glaser runs into his lab. As soon as he disappears through the door, Amanda leaves her hiding place. She runs to the elevator and flings the doors open, then once she's inside, she slams them shut and starts moving up. Glaser and Chrysler come running around the corner.)
Chrysler: She's in the elevator!
(Without waiting for him to finish, Glaser turns and runs up the stairs that are next to the elevaor. Chrysler follows right behind.)

(In the elevator, Amanda is waiting impatiently. When it stops, Amanda runs out. She throws open the door and runs down the hall. She opens another door and finds herself in the parking lot. She stops. Then she looks behind her through the window in the door and sees Glaser and Chrysler running after her. Amanda dodges behind an ambulance.)
Glaser: Come on, hurry! (They open the door and step out. They look around.) Where'd she go?
Chrysler: She must be here somewhere. (Amanda peeks around the vehicle. When she sees the doctors looking in her direction, she snaps back around and faces forward. She creeps to the other side and peeks around. The same thing happens. When she dares to peek around again, they are gone. Amanda runs across to the other ambulance and opens the driver's door. She throws the duck in first, then gets in and closes the door. The truck drives away, its tires squealing. The doctors hear. They look.)
Glaser: It's her. Move! (They get into the other ambulance as Amanda drives away. Glaser sits in the passenger's seat and Chrysler drives.) We've got to stop her.
(They speed away with the siren whining. Amanda had a head start, so she is speeding ahead of them. When the doctors try to hit her, Amanda changes lanes. She looks in her sideview mirror. The doctors are coming closer. Gunshots are heard. Amanda bites her lip, then honks the horn to get the cars in front of her to move. They are waiting at an intersection for a green light. Instead of driving through it, Amanda turns and skids onto another road. The doctors follow right behind. Unfortunately, the road they are on is a dead end. Amanda makes a sharp U-turn and passes the other ambulance. The doctors turn and try to follow her. But a truck is pulling out. Amanda barely makes it by, but the doctors try to avoid it and crash into a pile of boxes.)

(Adriana Hotel. Billy is getting ready to make his speech. The clock says three minutes to twelve. Alec is at the podium. Lee is starting to sweat.)
Alec: That concludes your chairman's reports. Now then, before I introduce our keynote speaker, I was given this special message from our social team. (Lee looks at the clock. It now reads 11:58.) "Yes, it's laughs galore, and full tummies too, at the annual law enforcement pie-eating contest. Grab your dates and mates and come whoop it up! For tickets; call Mr. Cossen at the FBI." (Billy studies his notecards. Lee starts to twiddle his thumbs.) Now, then. It gives me great pleasure to introduce a gentleman who has served our Agency so well for so many years. The head of our Investigator Services department, I bring you Mr. William Melrose.
(Everyone applauds. Billy stands up and walks to the podium. He shakes Alec's hand, then takes the microphone.)

(Meanwhile, Amanda is still driving the ambulance. She finally reaches the hotel parking lot. The vehicle door opens and Amanda jumps out, holding the duck in her hand. She runs inside to the front desk. The clerk and a lady are talking. Amanda runs up. They ignore her.)
Amanda: Excuse me. Excuse me. Excuse me! Oh.
(She decides to find out on her own. She fingers a sign. It says: LUNCHEONS: LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS ROOM 6. Amanda runs to room 6.)

(In room 6, Billy is just beginning his speech. Billy is cheerful, having no idea what's going on.)
Billy: Anyone who knows me can tell you that I hate long-winded speeches, but . . .

(Amanda runs down the hall. When she reaches room 6, she throws the door open. As she comes in, two men stand up and surround her.)
Billy: Every law enforcement agency in the country knows for a fact that crime has risen fourteen percent in the last five years. (Lee looks at the clock. It says 11:59. He starts to pull his gun out of pocket slowly.) True enough, these are alarming statistics. But one can only wonder what these statistics might have been if . . .
(The men are still cornering Amanda. She is trying to convince them to let her by.)
Amanda: No, no. It's all right. Please. My name is Amanda King. It's very important that I speak to Mr. Stetson.
(She breaks loose and runs to Lee.)
Billy: Amanda!
Amanda: Lee? Lee. Lee. Don't. Don't! Lee! Lee, Billy is your friend. (Lee looks from her to Billy, then cocks his gun. Billy stares hard at him. Amanda looks down and sees the gun ready.) Don't! (Lee fixes his eyes on her. Amanda looks at him, then down at the duck, which is still in her hands. She yanks the string. It comes off in her hands. She looks at Billy, terrified. He looks back. Lee is getting ready to shoot. Amanda punches the duck and hits it on the table.) Talk! Talk!
Lester: What a guy! You've got real potential. Follow instructions. Success comes a step at a time.
(Lee stares at Amanda. Amanda is petrified.)
Amanda: Lee, don't. Please don't. (Lee looks over at Billy.) Success comes one step at a -- Success comes a step at a time. (Lee stares at Amanda, then closes his eyes, as if pulling himself together. He uncocks his gun and lets it drop. He takes a breath. Amanda smiles. Lee then looks up at Billy in amazement. Billy smiles, relieved. Lee smiles at Amanda. Amanda sees the rest of the room staring at her and whispering. She coughs.) Well, ha ha. Gee, I'm . . . early. I'm supposed to jump out of the cake for another hour. Ha!
(She runs out of the room. Lee sighs and runs his hand through his hair. he looks after Amanda.)

(IFF. Amanda is still in her Bedside Bluebell uniform. Lee walks her out of the office toward the elevator, slightly limping.)
Lee: And the lab is being dismantled, Glaser and his pal were picked up an hour ago, case closed.
Amanda: Now see, Glaser never would have been caught if you hadn't gone to the hospital.
Lee: Ah.
Amanda: Aren't you glad you went?
Lee: Glad? No. No, I am not glad. I still think those places are the weirdest, creepiest-looking --
(Billy comes up behind while they wait for the coat closet.)
Billy: Oh, Scarecrow. And Mrs. King.
Amanda: Hello.
Billy: Alec just phoned, uh, and now that Glaser's been arrested and his license pulled, the results of the test that he gave you are invalidated.
(Amanda gasps.)
Lee: Billy, come on, don't even kid around like that.
Billy: They're expecting you at the hospital in the morning.
Lee: Billy.
(He looks to Amanda for help. Amanda backs up against the elevator, then looks down at her clothes.)
Amanda: I'll just get this uniform pressed.