ACT THREE

FADE IN:

EXT. CAMPSITE - NIGHT

Xena, Gabrielle, and Talia are seated around a campfire.  Xena is replacing a lace on one of her boots. Gabrielle is watching as Talia picks through the food she prepared for supper.  Talia is seated against a tree.

GABRIELLE

Too much pepper on the rabbit?

Talia looks up, startled by Gabrielle’s voice in the quiet campsite.

TALIA

No. Yes.

(rubbing her temples)

I mean... I’m just not hungry.

Gabrielle shoots Xena a meaningful look.  Xena glances at her uncertainly before a mental light bulb pops on and she quickly shoves the last of her dinner into her mouth.  She snatches up Gabrielle’s empty and Talia’s mostly full plate.

XENA

I’m uh… I’m… I’m going to the creek
to wash these so you two can....

GABRIELLE

(warmly)

Thanks, Xena.

Xena nods and disappears into the darkness leaving Talia and Gabrielle in an uncomfortable silence.

GABRIELLE

We will get him back, you know.

TALIA

(frustratedly)

We don’t even know if he’s still alive.

Her jaw works silently for several seconds.

TALIA

(Cont’d)

Mother is already gone.
It would kill Father to lose him.

GABRIELLE

(quietly)

I know.  And believe me, Talia, so
does Xena. We’ll move heaven
and Earth. You need to trust us.

TALIA

How do you know you can do this?

GABRIELLE

Autolycus has never let either of us
down. We won’t let him down either.

(smiling gently)

But that’s not the main reason.

TALIA

The main reason?

GABRIELLE

Xena.

A little of Gabrielle’s confidence appears to wear off on Talia and she relaxes.  She tries to scoot closer to Gabrielle but the bard begins to move as she tidies up around the campsite.  Giving up on being able to sit next to Gabrielle, Talia holds out her arms out like an expectant child.

TALIA

(wriggling her eyebrows)

How about a hug in my hour of need?

GABRIELLE

(shaking her head)

Gods, you really are a chip off the old block.

TALIA

(hopefully)

Is that a yes?

Gabrielle hasn’t had a chance to reply when Xena’s CHAKRAM flies out of the darkness and impales itself in the tree behind Talia, about an inch above her head.  A chunk of dark hair is hacked off in the process.  Talia gasps and fearfully reaches up, making a face when her fingers find the loose tuft and strands of hair sprinkle down onto her face.

TALIA

(disgustedly)

Ugh!

The expression on Gabrielle’s face tells the young woman she had it coming.

GABRIELLE

(wryly)

If I were you, I’d take that as a definite ‘no’.

FADE TO:

EXT. FORK IN THE ROAD - EVENING

Xena, Gabrielle, and Talia wait anxiously atop their horses.

TALIA

Where are they? It’s almost sunset.

Gabrielle’s gaze drifts towards the bushes.

GABRIELLE

They’re already here.

XENA

(nodding approvingly at Gabrielle)

They’re just waiting to come out.

Making us sweat.

TALIA

(mumbling)

It’s working, too.

A loud MALE VOICE suddenly booms from the bushes.

MALE VOICE

Leave the money under the big tree in front
of you and ride away. Don’t make me tell you
twice or Darius gets it! If there are no tricks,
we’ll bring him back to his tutors unharmed.

TALIA

Wait just a damn minute!

GABRIELLE

(under her breath)

It’ll be okay, Talia.  Relax.

Wordlessly, Xena dismounts Argo, pulls the bags of dinars from the saddlebags and pads over the large tree on the edge of the fork in the road.  She sets the bags down, goes back to Argo and all three riders turn around and disappear around the bend in the road.  Several moments pass before a dark-haired BOY, age 12-14, peeks out from the bushes and carefully makes his way to the bags of dinars.  He lifts the first bag, and peers inside.  Xena sneaks up behind him and silently peers over his shoulder and into the bag.

XENA

All there?

BOY

I think... AHHH!

The boy turns and sees Xena. Wide-eyed, he stumbles backwards and right into Gabrielle’s waiting arms, where she keeps hold of him by the scruff of the neck.

BOY

AHHH!

GABRIELLE

Gotcha.

Talia appears on the road holding the reins of all three horses.  She rushes over to her brother.

TALIA

Darius?

(looking around)

Where are the kidnappers?

XENA

(glaring menacingly at Darius)

There aren't any kidnappers, are there?

DARIUS

(croaking)

No.

Gabrielle winces.  Talia drops the reins and yanks her brother from Gabrielle’s grasp.

TALIA

No kidnappers!  YOU did this?

GABRIELLE

(warningly)

Talia.

Xena takes Talia by the arms.

XENA

Easy, Taila. We'll figure out what's
going on, but you don't want to hurt him.

TALIA

You’re right, Xena.
I don’t want to hurt him.

Xena, Gabrielle and Darius all let out relieved breaths.

TALIA
(Cont’d)

I want to KILL him!

GABRIELLE

(quickly pulls Darius away from Talia)

I think...

(another pull)

...we need

(grunts as spins around to
put Darius behind her)

...to cool off.

(to Xena)

I’ll talk to him.  You get Talia.

Gabrielle and Darius walk several paces into the woods and out of sight.  Xena pries the bag of dinars out of Darius’ hand as he passes her.  She waits several moments to speak, allowing Talia some time to get a grip on her temper.

XENA

Talia, I know you’re mad, but if he went to
all the trouble to set this up,  then something
is wrong. We need to find out what it is.

TALIA

(gesturing wildly)

Doesn't he know how worried we've been?

XENA

Probably not. Didn't you see him?
He was scared to death.  Your
brother needs our help, Talia.

Her brow furrows as she’s reminded of the doe eyes Talia’s been turning on her partner the entire trip.

XENA

(Cont’d)

Though killing someone you find annoying
can be a very appealing prospect.

TALIA

Don’t tell me you fell for that scared....

Gabrielle bursts out of woods alone. Panting, she wildly looks around.

GABRIELLE

Is he...?

(throwing hands in the air)

Gods, of all the rotten tricks!

(beat)

He started to cry, Xena. Cry! Big, fat,
crocodile tears.  I sat him on a log and
lanced away to look for something to
wipe his pitiful face with and
when I looked back he was gone.

XENA

Oh, for Zeus’ sake!

(disgustedly)

Fan out.  Let's find him.

CUT TO:

EXT. WOODS - EVENING

Darius is securely tied to a tree. Xena checks the ropes to make sure he can’t go anywhere.

XENA

That should hold you.

Darius doesn’t say anything. He just glares at Xena.

XENA

You’re going to have to do better than that
if you want to scare me.  Are you hungry?

The boy remains quiet.

XENA

(Cont’d)

Have it your way. You don’t know
what you’re missing. Gabrielle has
a real knack when it comes to fish.

Xena walks over and joins Talia and Gabrielle at the fire, careful to keep one eye on Darius.

GABRIELLE

He’s still not talking?

XENA

Nope.

TALIA

(poking the ground
viscously with a stick)

I can’t believe he did this.
I love my brother.
But I don’t know....

Talia looks away as she tosses her stick into the woods.

TALIA

(Cont’d)

I don’t know if I can forgive this.

(beat)

He’s never really gotten on with Father.
For some reason I can’t fathom, he has
an “issue” with Father being a thief.

GABRIELLE

(pushing herself to her feet)

Okay.  I can do this.  Let me go talk to him.

XENA

(fixing a plate of fish)

That’s your specialty. Sensitive chats.

Gabrielle retrieves an apple from their saddlebags and shoulders by Argo, whose head swings around for the treat.  She whispers to Argo, patting her affectionately.

GABRIELLE

Not this time, girl. Later, I promise.

She approaches Darius casually, tossing the apple as she walks.

GABRIELLE

(Cont’d)

Hi. Hungry?

Darius refuses to acknowledge Gabrielle’s presence.

GABRIELLE

Okaaaay. Well, lucky for you I can
hold up two sides of a conversation
without any problem at all.

She sniffs the air and inclines her head toward the fire.

GABRIELLE

(Cont’d)

Mmm... wow, you can smell that flaky
steamed trout all the way over here.
Xena caught four really nice ones.

Despite himself, Darius licks his lips. A tiny smile etches its way across Gabrielle’s face.

GABRIELLE

My name is Gabrielle.

DARIUS

(his head snapping around)

Liar!

Gabrielle jumps, startled by the volume of Darius’ voice.  Xena sits up straight and calls from across the camp.

XENA

Problem, Gabrielle?

Darius blanches.

GABRIELLE

Nope. We’re fine.

She holds the apple to Darius’ lips.

GABRIELLE

(Cont’d)

Wanna bite?

He reluctantly takes a bite.

DARIUS

(mumbling)

Thanks.

GABRIELLE

You’re welcome. Now, why
do you think I’m lying?

DARIUS

I’m not stupid. You’re not
old enough to be her.

Gabrielle quickly looks back at Xena hoping she heard the comment.  She frowns when she sees that Xena is engrossed in her dinner and didn’t hear Darius.

GABRIELLE

Rats.

DARIUS

Huh?

GABRIELLE

Never mind. I am Gabrielle and that
intimidating-looking warrior across
the campfire is my partner, Xena.

(sincerely)

She’s really quite lovable once you get
to know her, Darius.  She won’t hurt you.

DARIUS

Well, then I guess it’s true then.

GABRIELLE

What’s true?

DARIUS

What Father said about you two.

He looks back and forth between Gabrielle and begins to make obnoxious kissing sounds.

GABRIELLE

(rolling her eyes)

What exactly did your
father tell you about us?

Darius continues with the kissing noise, only louder.

GABRIELLE

Very funny.

(beat)

But it’s old news. Instead, why don’t
we talk about why you did all this?

DARIUS

Aren’t you going to yell at me?
Tell me how much I worried Father
and how I should be ashamed?

Gabrielle purses her lips for a moment then shakes her head.

GABRIELLE

Nope. You seem to be doing okay on your own.

DARIUS

Right!

(confusedly)

I think.

Gabrielle absently buffs the apple in her hand against her skirt.

GABRIELLE

But I would still like to know why.

DARIUS

(lifting his jaw)

None of your business.

GABRIELLE

Wrong. We were sent to find you by
your father. That makes it our business.

DARIUS

Would you buy that I'm a brilliant
beyond my years and was bored?

GABRIELLE

This isn't a joke, Darius.

DARIUS

(quietly)

My whole life is a joke.

GABRIELLE

(her concern growing)

Why would you say that?

DARIUS

I repeat. None of your business.

GABRIELLE

If you’d just....

DARIUS