EPISODE 178

Written by A. Washington-Beeby
Story Consultant: C. Nathaniel Richardson & Nick Monarco

 

 

At Sheryl's apartment, she and Jerome sit on the sofa, watching Nicole's TV special intensely.

 

JEROME: You know, I like Nicole's style.

 

Sheryl struggles to shift her attention to Jerome, and half-responds, still focused on the show.

 

SHERYL: Yeah...she's...she's getting a lot out of Nick, but...I just get this weird feeling. Like...
JEROME: Like...she knows something?

 

Sheryl turns to look at Jerome, nodding.

 

SHERYL: Yeah. I dunno, my antennae are going up, you know?
JEROME: I mean...Nick's a loose cannon on his good days...maybe he fed Nicole info.
SHERYL: Doubt it. I...I never got the feeling I could totally trust Nick, but...he never gave me reason to doubt him...

 

As they talk, Nicole asks Nick a question on the TV special, which perks up both Jerome and Sheryl's ears.

 

NICOLE: (via TV) Nick, I'm sure everyone at home finds your story of climbing that corporate ladder very inspiring. I was hoping you could share with us, what transpired that led you to the top?
NICK: (via TV) Well...it's actually sort of a funny story.

 

Jerome looks back to the TV, as Nick pulls out a manila envelope. Jerome's and Sheryl's attention immediately diverts back to the TV screen.

 

JEROME: You sure about that?

 

---

 

At WXIR's studio, Tyler opens the door that leads to the lighting rig catwalk above the soundstage. He looks around the area to be sure no one sees him, before stepping out into the room. 

 

Quickly, he darts out of the darkened studio, making a beeline for the elevator down the hall.  

 

At the elevator, he jams his thumb repeatedly against the button, hoping for a speedy escape.  Tyler mutters to himself, as he winces in pain from the cut he received when slashing the wires on the lighting rig.

 

TYLER: Come on, come on...ah...

 

A drop of blood falls to the floor by the elevator door, before Tyler looks up quickly, interrupted by the ding of the bell. The door opens, and Tyler is thankfully alone in the elevator car.

 

The door closes and he leaves the building unnoticed, but for a drop of blood left at the opening of the elevator.

 

...

 

Back down the hall, in the actual studio, Nicole presses on, interviewing Nick, who sits kitty corner to her on the soundstage. Anjelica Deveraux sitting next to him, carefully monitoring his every word. Nick holds a large manila envelope in his hands, and slowly opens it as he tells his story to Nicole, and the home audience.

 

NICK: See, I was made aware of an eco-terrorist group that had infiltrated the company thanks to some rather...poor hiring decisions....

 

...

 

Back in Sheryl's apartment, Sheryl looks mortified, as she and Jerome listen to Nick's tale.

 

NICK: (via TV) ...As such, I have a very extensive background in IT and indeed in online security, so I had been tracking their movements. 

 

...

 

Nick continues, as he looks up from opening the envelope, and smiles at Nicole.

 

NICK: Ultimately, I ended up stopping them from implanting a virus that would have devastated the Titan mainframe and completely destroyed the company's records.
NICOLE: Fascinating. The executive board must have been grateful.
NICK: You could say that. I...presented a case to them that they could not refuse.

 

...

 

Nick smirks and chuckles quietly on the TV screen, as Sheryl gets angrier.

 

SHERYL: That son of a....

 

Jerome shushes her, as the segment continues.

 

NICOLE: (via TV) And were the hackers apprehended?
NICK: (via TV) No.

 

...

 

NICK: Not as of yet. That's...actually...partly why I'm here tonight. 

 

Alex, Abby, and Will, all standing back away from the soundstage, look on in confusion at what they're witnessing.

 

WILL: What the...?

 

Will snaps his head to look at an equally-confused Abby.

 

WILL: Do you know what's in there?

 

Abby shrugs, shaking her head quickly, as Will becomes increaisngly tense, muttering under his breath as he watches everything unfold in front of the cameras.

 

WILL: Oh God oh God oh God oh God...

NICK: With your permission, I would like to share with your audience, the identities of the hackers tonight, in hopes that the Salem PD, and FBI could locate, and catch these guys before they strike again.

 

Nick looks directly at the camera, smiling as he holds up the envelope.

 

Behind the cameras, Alex and Will look at each other, intrigued. Abigail looks on, puzzled.

 

Above the stage, the lighting rig sways, another wire snapping, as the strain from where Tyler cut takes its toll.

 

...

 

In Sheryl's apartment, Sheryl seethes, trying to suppress her rage, and her fear of being exposed by Nick, who she thought was on her side.

 

SHERYL: Dammit, Nick...

 

---

 

 

---

 

At the Brady Pub, Andrew and Eric watch Nicole's TV special inside the Brady Pub, as Kim is behind the bar, pulling a pint each for Eric and Andrew. Andrew looks back toward the bar, calling out to his mother, who's busy readying their tray of food and beverages.

 

ANDREW: Hey Ma, you need some help back there?
KIM: Nah, I'm good, hun! Thanks!
ANDREW: No problem!

 

Andrew looks back at the TV screen, as he and Eric finish the beers they have been drinking. Andrew looks impressed as he watches Nicole's interview.

 

ANDREW: I gotta say, I'm really impressed with her.
ERIC: Who, Nicole?
ANDREW: Yeah, man. Her interview style is a real breath of fresh air. She's firm, puts the pressure on, but she's personable, witty, easy to be drawn in by. She has...a lot of potential.

 

Eric looks at Andrew, amused.

 

ERIC: Nicole will love to hear you say that.

 

Andrew looks Eric's way, and smiles warmly.

 

ANDREW: You're a lucky guy, Eric.
ERIC: Believe me, I know.

 

Kim arrives at this moment, beers, and appetizers on a tray as she sets it all down on the table between Andrew and Eric. Excitedly, she sits down, positively beaming to have her son back in Salem.

 

KIM: Alright guys, here it is. Hope you're still hungry, I got us a little appetizer platter so we each had a little bit of something. And Eric, I hope you like this one, it's a new IPA I just introduced last week, and I know you really like a craft beer.

ERIC: Ooo, Aunt Kim, I'm impressed! 
KIM: (laughs) I aim to please.

 

Eric shifts his body inward, looking inquisitively at his cousin.

 

ERIC: So...Andrew, you happy to be back?
ANDREW: Yeah! I mean...I'm glad to be with my mom again. It's been way too long.
KIM: It has! I was starting to get a little upset with you, you know.

 

Eric and Andrew smile, as Kim elbows him playfully in the side.

 

ANDREW: Sorry, Ma. I promise I won't do it again.
KIM: (laughs) It's okay, sweetie. 

 

Kim grabs Andrew's arm and rests her head on his shoulder, as she looks at him with a touch of sadness.

 

KIM: I just wish your sister was out of her coma. I know she'd be excited to see you.

 

Andrew sighs, as he looks up at the ceiling, the heaviness of the subject hitting him in that moment.

 

ANDREW: (sigh) Yeah. I gotta say, I'm glad to be here for my mom, but...I do wish I was here under...slightly better circumstances.
ERIC: Trust me. I can relate. But...on the bright side for you...it sounds like Theresa's starting to get better.
KIM: Well, yeah. I mean...there has been some progress with her condition, but...I mean...I'll be honest, Eric? Her recovery has been going way slower than any of us expected. Daniel expected her to be out of her coma by now.

 

Eric and Andrew look confused by Kim's news.

 

ERIC: I wonder why she isn't.

 

---

 

At University Hospital, we see the feet of a nurse stepping off the elevator in her scrubs.

 

The floor is quiet this evening, with only a few nurses milling about the floor.

 

Making her way toward one of the rooms, we see the guard stationed outside Theresa's hospital room. He checks her ID before nodding and stepping aside to allow the nurse into Theresa's room.

 

The nurse closes the door to Theresa's room behind her, before slowly walking toward the still-comatose woman's bed. The nurse's face is obscured by the dim lighting of the room, but we see a syringe raised up before her.

 

Taking Theresa's IV line in her other hand, the woman injects the contents of the syringe into Theresa's IV. She remains by Theresa's bedside momentarily, before turning back out of the room, shutting the door behind her.

 

---

 

At Rafe's loft, Jordan is making dinner in the kitchenette for Rafe, as Rafe sits on the sofa nearby, flipping channels. Jordan stirs a sauce in the pan as she talks to Rafe, who stays staring at the TV screen.

 

JORDAN: Anything good on tonight?
RAFE: Pfft. Nah. It's not a good night.
JORDAN: Oh? Why's that?
RAFE: It's cop shows on everywhere. You know I hate how much they get it wrong.

 

Jordan giggles, as she grinds up some fresh pepper into the sauce.

 

JORDAN: I do.

 

As Jordan sets the grinder aside, Rafe stumbles upon Nicole's TV special. Interested, he stops flipping channels to watch the program. 

 

RAFE: Oh! Nicole's got a TV special tonight.

JORDAN: Oh? What on?

 

Jordan, grabbing a glass bowl from the counter beside her, looks up as she hears Nick's voice coming from the TV.

 

NICK: (via TV) With your permission, I would like to share with your audience, the identities of the hackers tonight, in hopes that the Salem PD, and FBI could locate, and catch these guys before they strike again.

 

Jordan's face turns ghost white, as the bowl drops from her hand, smashing on the floor by her feet.

 

---

 

Inside the studio, Nicole glares at Nick, worried about what he's about to do.

 

NICK: You are okay with me showing these pictures, aren't you?

 

After an uncomfortable pause, Nicole responds.

 

NICOLE: Anything to help bring the perps to justice.

 

Nick pulls out the picture, and begins to turn it around to show the camera.

 

NICK: Folks, be on the lookout, for two women, named Sh--

 

Nick is startled by a popping sound above his head. Everyone in the studio looks up, as the lighting rig gives way, the last wire snapping as the blazing hot lights fall from the rig above.

 

Anjelica, Percy, and Nicole lurch backward, covering their faces as a stunned Nick barely has time to react before the rig crashes to the ground mere inches in front of him. The sound of the crash shocks everyone, and the heat from the stage light causes a bright flash and sparks to erupt from the wreckage.

 

Alex, Abby, and Will spring into action, Alex calling out to his mother.

 

ALEX: Anjelica!

 

The others in the room look stunned, as Nick drops the pictures and envelope to the ground, the now-all-too-familiar high pitched ringing in Nick's ears that accompanies his blinding headaches returns, causing him immeasurable pain as he tunes the sounds around him out. 

 

Nick tenses up as he holds his head, praying for the pain to stop.

 

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