FADE IN:

INT. MEL'S BASEMENT – DAY

Cyrus and Grady ease down the stairs quickly and quietly.

Cyrus: Hurry. I don't want Mel to catch us.

Grady: (stops) Does it even matter? It's not like Mel is actually going to turn me in.

Cyrus: Don't be so sure of that. (grabs Grady by the arm) Now come on!

Cyrus drags him down the stairs when the door opens from the top of the stairs. Cyrus swings Grady off to the side out of sight. Standing at the top of the stairs is Mel.

Mel: (coming down the stairs) Hey you.

Cyrus: Hello to you. (panicking) Umm…don't come down here! Stay where you are at.

Mel is mystified by this.

Mel: Why? Is something wrong? (rushes down the stairs) Is something wrong?

Cyrus rushes back up the stairs where he meets Mel. He places his arms out to block her.

Cyrus: I don't want you down here due to I am about to place mouse traps down. I don't want you to get hurt.

Mel: How could a mouse trap hurt me? I think I can spot one.

Cyrus: Yeah but I also sprayed down here too and I don't want you to inhale the fumes.

Mel: Well then you should not be down here either?

Grady rolls his eyes.

Cyrus: (agitated) Mel…

Mel: What is going on here? It's as if you are hiding something from me.

Cyrus: (boastful laugh) What? Are you kidding me? Me? What do I have to hide?

Mel: I don't know. You tell me?

Cyrus' impatience runs out and he plants a deep, passionate kiss on Mel. Grady watches from within the cracks of the bookcase. He cringes at the sight of this. Mel breaks the kiss, confused by this action.

Mel: (gently rubbing her lips) What was that?

Cyrus: A kiss. Did you not like it?

Mel: No! No! It was nice. I'm -- I'm just taken back by this.

Cyrus: I am glad that it was good. I want to show you more.

Mel: (holding her hand out) Then let me lead the way.

Mel guides Cyrus up the stairs. Grady and Cyrus exchange looks before Cyrus closes the door.

Grady: Lucky bastard…

INT. DINING ROOM – DAY

Alex: Last time I checked, the boys were out on the terrace.

Alan: (getting up) Maybe I should go and check on them.

Alex pulls Alan back down.

Alex: How about you stay in your lane and don't worry about them. See that's your problem, you always worry about everybody else situation but your own.

A-M: (O.C) I agree.

Alan Michael and Phillip walk back in the room with their arms on each other shoulders. Everyone watches on overjoyed. All but Alan.

Phillip: Sorry we are late. We had a heart to heart.

Alex: No problem. Just glad to see you two getting along and not at each other throats unlike other siblings I know.

Alex cuts her eyes at Alan.

Beth: (gesturing) Join us.

Phillip grabs a seat next to Beth while Alan Michael sits next to Alex. Caroline starts to walk out the room when,

Lizzie: Caroline, aren't you going to join us also?

Caroline: Oh no. I'm sure there is some filing that needs to be done.

Alan: There is.

Alex: Then too bad because Caroline is going to join us. (to Caroline) Have a seat.

Caroline does as she is told and has a seat next to Alan Michael.

Alex: See now. Even though we are dysfunctional, we all can sit down have a dinner together.

Alan: (groaning) Oh please. This day just keeps getting worse and—

India and Dorrie barge into the room to the delight of no one. Alex stands up bewildered and frustrated. On the other hand, Alan is delighted by the sight of India.

Alex: India!

Beth: Looks like this day has been shot to hell…

Alan: No, I think it has just gotten better.

India pants heavily. We can tell that her adrenaline is still running high.

India: Stepmother dearest, how are you?

Alex: India, what is going -- oh -- what -- ooo girl, what are you doing here?

India: Well can't your favorite stepdaughter—

Alex: My only and not so favorite—

India: Ok then. Can I just get a hello?

Alex: Hello. Now leave.

India: Oh you're not serious.

India gracefully sits in a vacant seat at the table.

Alex: As a heart attack.

India: (chortles) Then someone is about to have a heart attack because I have news for you all.

Phillip: Oh God…

India: Phillip, come on. I thought we were on good terms.

Phillip: You thought wrong.

India: Fine then. You all are just going to have to deal with me more now that I am moving back to Springfield.

Alex clutches her chest in pain.

Alex: Dear God. He is punishing me. Why, why, WHY!!!

Alan: Oh stop, Alex.

Alan snatches her hand away from her chest.

Beth: India, why is your motive? What do you want now? Phillip? Alan? Money?

Caroline: (leaning into Alan Michael, whispering) Who is this woman?

A-M: India Von Halkein. One of Phillip's many ex-wives and Alan's lovers.

Caroline: (jealous) Oh…

India: (to Beth) Everything I do does not have to be money motivated.

Beth: I doubt that seriously. You are nothing more than a gold-digger.

Dorrie: I will not let you talk to my mother like that!

India: Oh Dorrie, ignore Beth. She can call me anything she wants but she knows at the end of the day I have more class than she will on her best day. Beth Raines is nothing more than a piece of trash from the wrong side of the tracks.

Alex: India!

James: (overlapping) Hey!

Lizzie: (overlapping) How dare you!

Phillip: I will not allow you to sit at this table, India and talk to the mother of my children that way.

India: Put a cork in, Phillip. Beth should be use to being called trash.

Alex: I want her out! I. WANT. HER. OUT!!

Dorrie: (tugging at India's arm) Let's go, Mother.

India: Fine. My daughter and I will leave this house but we won't leave Springfield or Spaulding Enterprises.

Phillip: You have no position at Spaulding Enterprises. The foundation had cut backs and we know for a fact that you were released.

India slowly paces around the table.

India: So true but that isn't the only position I have at Spaulding.

Alan grins from ear to ear like a Cheshire cat.

India positions herself behind Phillip's chair and leans in close to his ear.

India: Have you forgotten that I still have seat on the board?

Alex: Heaven help us.

India: Which means that I still wield some power. The only way you will be able to get that seat back is if you buy it from me at my price. And I am sure you all don't want to buy me out at the high price I am willing to sell it for during this horrible recession.

Alex: Try me. How much do you want to sell the seat for?

India: 15 million!

The room goes into a ruckus.

Phillip: 15 million! What? India—

Alex: Never. I will never pay for that. We find another way to get you off the board.

India: And I will sue you. I gave you my price. Take it or leave it.

Hilda the Maid enters.

Hilda: Mr. Spaulding, I am sorry to interrupt but Mr. Cooper is here.

Alan: Buzz?

Hilda: No. Mr. Frank Cooper.

Alan: Let him in.

Hilda nods her head and gesture Frank to enter. Frank is followed by two other uniformed cops.

Frank: Sorry to interrupt this dinner but we have been contacted by Gary's Limo that a limo of his has been stolen.

India and Dorrie's eyes widen as they share a glance.

Alan: I'm sorry but all of my limo's are owned by me.

Frank: I know. But the limo that India arrived in was not.

Frank smiles at a tense India.

Frank: You wouldn't've stolen a limo would you, India?

India: No. How dare you make such an accusation?

Frank: India…they presented us with a bounced check, along with the limo number you took and its license plate. Just happens to be the one in the drive way.

India: So what? Anyone could've put that there.

Alex: Someone is a bit of a kleptomaniac.

Frank: (pointing at India) Get her.

The cops whip out their cuffs and walk over towards India and Dorrie.

India: This -- this is a mistake.

Frank: Read them their rights.

India: Do you all know who I am! My father was the Baron of Andorra!

Dorrie: Mother, shut up.

The cops cuff India and Dorrie.

Cop #1: India and Dorrie Von Halkein, you are under arrest for grand theft auto.

Dorrie and India: WHAT?!

Cop #2: Anything you say can and will be used against you in the court of the law. You have the right to an attorney. If you can't provide yourself with one, one will be provided to you.

India: This is a travesty! I am innocent!

Phillip: Sure, India. Sure.

Frank: Take them to the car.

The cops escort India and Dorrie out.

India: (O.C) Alan! Alan, help me!

Frank: Sorry to interrupt, you all may go back to doing what you were doing.

Alex: Thank you, Frank.

Frank exits.

Alex: Grand theft auto. Beth, you are a lawyer, how many years is that?

Beth: 3 to 5.

Alex: Good. According to the Spaulding Board Members handbook, a felony equals automatic expulsion from the board.

Alan: If they are found guilty. Plus the expulsion is up to the present CEO of the company, which is me.

Alex: What are you up to Alan?

Alan: I happen to like India. And I want her to stay on the board.

Alan gets up and heads for the door.

Alex: Where are you going?

Alan: To bail out India and Dorrie before a media crisis happens.

Lizzie: Grandpa, are you kidding me?

Alan: No.

Phillip: Dad, if you bail that woman out I will never speak to you again.

Beth: Me too.

Alex: I second that motion.

Lizzie & James: Ditto!

Everyone looks at Bill, who sits in silence.

Lizzie: Bill!

Bill: Alan and I already don't talk so what would be the difference?

Beth: Alan Michael? Caroline?

Caroline: He's my boss.

Alan Michael: I have no seat on the board anymore. He took it before I left town the last time.

Phillip: Then it is settled. Us or India?

Alan: (laughs) Do you all think you can blackmail me? And how many times have you all said you will never speak to me again but you always do?

Alex: But this time is different.

Alan: We shall see. Now I am going to get India and Dorrie. Goodbye.

Alan walks out. Phillip runs to the door hollering,

Phillip: You have made your choice and know you must live with it!

Alan gives him a "thumbs up" and hops into his limo, driving off.

Coming up on the final half:

-Alan saves India and pays Gary to drop the charges against India

-Leah and Grady meet and she is instantly attracted to him

-Beth clues Caroline (Hope) in more on India

-Mel and Cyrus have sex