4-13 Ghosts From the Past

4-13 Ghosts From the Past

Ghosts From the Past

We don’t have time to be patient.

Miss Parker

Ghosts From the Past

We don’t have time to be patient.

Miss Parker

Original air date: February 26, 2000

Written by: Tony Blake & Paul Jackson

Directed by: Michael T. Weiss

When Jarod infiltrates a gang of white supremecists in order to prevent the nurder of a pastor’s family, he encounters a man he tried to bring justice to years earlier.

Jarod’s Discoveries: Gospel Music

Jarod’s Occupations: KKK Member, ATF Agent

Jarod’s Aliases: Jarod

 

Behind the scenes insights and the Creator’s Take

Official Synopsis

Jarod impersonates a white supremacist in order to infiltrate a hate group out to kill a pastor and his family.

 

The clairvoyant Angelo warns Miss Parker, Broots and Sydney that Jarod is in imminent danger.  The threesome move Angelo to a lab full of crates containing articles from Jarod’s past.  In a trance-like state, Angelo dramatically tears the tops from the crates and frantically searches through them.  Each article resonates with Angelo as a ghost from Jarod’s past.  Angelo grabs Sydney’s arm repeating, “Hate kills, hate will kill Jarod.”

Meanwhile, as Pastor Jones, an African-American, and his daughters, Kati and Niki, leave their church, three masked white supremacists approach in a pickup truck.  As one man takes cans of gasoline from the truck, another approaches the Pastor and his daughters with a baseball bat.  The Pastor rushes his daughters back into the sanctuary and locks the door.  Moments later, rocks burst through the windows.  One of the masked men ignites a big wooden cross.  Another yells to the Pastor, “Get the hell outta here while you can.”  As the three men drive away, they remove their stocking masks…revealing Jarod as one of the white supremacists.

Jarod enters a cabin hideway with the two men, James and Donny.  Donny takes off his jacket…revealing swastika tattoos on his skin.  A new member, Luke, arrives with orders from their boss, “The General,” to stay hidden in the cabin where they are to construct bombs targeted for the church’s unity rally that Sunday.  Back at the church, Sheriff Richards unsuccessfully tries to convince Pastor Jones to postpone the rally.

In the Centre lab, Angelo uncovers some potentially lethal ghosts from Jarod’s past.  Each candidate from Jarod’s archives is revived in a series of flashbacks, ranging from the “Black Widow,” who Jarod put away for murdering her husband, to the sociopath Captain Robert Saunders, a convicted rapist and murderer.  Though the profiles are disturbing, Angelo knows that he still has not uncovered the identity of the true culprit. Angelo desperately, but systematically, continues rummaging through the crates evaluating those individuals who have the most intense feelings of hatred toward Jarod.  The avenging “ghost” from Jarod’s past remains on the loose.

As he wires a bomb, Jarod listens silently to James’ white supremacist rhetoric.  But Luke tells Jarod  that the General has changed the logistical plans for the bomb, and that Jarod is not going to be the person who plants the explosives.  The General plans to kill the Pastor’s girls with the device so he can end “this unity crap once and for all.”

Later that night, the General, Bartlett, arrives.  As Bartlett turns to Jarod, an instantaneous moment of recognition flickers between them.  Bartlett takes the end of the shotgun and knocks Jarod out with a blow to the head.  A flashback recounts their hostile history. In the flashback, Jarod traps Bartlett in a net and strings him up in a tree like some helpless prey.  Barlett had smuggled Haitians into the country and hiked the price paid their families in Miami.  When one family couldn’t raise the extra money, Bartlett locked the Haitian family in a shack where they died in a fierce hurricane.  With Bartlett ensnared in the net, Jarod plans to leave him to the mercy of an approaching hurricane.  However, after Jarod leaves Bartlett to the elements, Bartlett chews through the net with his teeth and escapes.

Back at the Centre lab, Broots stands by Angelo, who hangs from the net Jarod used to capture Bartlett.  Angelo yells, “Bartlett, must stop Bartlett.  Bartlett hates Jarod, hates everyone.  Wants to kill.  Must help Jarod now!”  Parker holds a personal stake in this particular ghost from the past, since she had an unsavory run-in with Bartlett in Florida during the Haitian tragedy.  Parker says, “Bartlett’s a racist sleazebag who’d kill his own mother.”  Sydney, Broots, and Parker race to find Bartlett’s whereabouts.

Jarod regains consciousness to find his hands tied behind his back, surrounded by Barlett, Luke, James and Donny.  Bartlett preaches that Jarod is God’s instrument because he had Bartlett thrown in jail, where Bartlett found his purpose in life.  Bartlett starts to take Jarod out to the woods for an execution, but Luke volunteers for the job, saying that Bartlett does not need to dirty his hands.  Luke, a shotgun in hand, forces Jarod through the woods.  Soon after, a shotgun blast echoes through the night.  But Luke, it turns out, is an undercover agent for the Georgia State Police.  Jarod reveals his true identity and tosses Luke his bloodied bandanna, telling him to keep the white supremacists busy.  Luke returns to the cabin with the bandanna and volunteers to place the bomb.  But Bartlett wants to activate his “vision” himself.

Bartlett enters Pastor Jone’s church at night and quietly walks to the podium where the Pastor’s girls will sing.  Suddenly, Jarod appears from behind the altar with a baseball bat.  Bartlett and Jarod struggle until Jarod knocks Bartlett out with the bat.  He takes him outside, chains a large cross behind his back and ties Bartlett to a pyre, pouring gasoline around him.  Jarod ignites the gasoline…triggering a fireworks display that spells out the word “Repent.”  Bartlett whimpers as the Georgia State Troopers arrive to take him away.

The unity rally goes on as scheduled that Sunday.  A diverse group of people celebrate together as a gospel group sings a rousing spiritual.  Parker, Sydney, and Broots arrive and ask Pastor Jones if he knows of Jarod’s whereabouts.  Pastor Jones tells the trio that they missed him by a few hours.  Jarod left this message for them: He isn’t the only one haunted by a ghost from the past.  The trio drives away amidst Pastor Jones’ daughters singing.

4-13 Ghosts From the Past

Ghosts From the Past Transcript

 

 The Centre, Blue Cove, Delaware. Angelo’s cell. Curled up on the floor in a corner, Angelo dreams of Jarod. He wakes up suddenly. 
     
Angelo   Jarod? Jarod. Danger. Hate! Hate destroy Jarod!
[With something like a knife or screwdriver in his hand, he begins to carve huge lines in his stone walls, singing:]
“Lay down your burden, open up your heart. Lay down your burden, let the healing start. Lay down your burdens, open up your heart…”
[He has carved a cross.]
     
     
    Georgia, evening, Westland Community Church, a small country church. A simple cross on the wall; a poster advertising an interracial Unity Rally
Two little Black girls, Kati and Niki Jones, sit on the floor singing and coloring. Pastor Jones enters.
     
     
Kati and Niki [singing]   “Lay down your burden, open up your heart. Lay down your burden …”
Pastor Jones [clapping]   Very good, very good. You sound like two angels! And I can’t wait to hear you at the rally.
Kati   Thanks, Daddy.
Pastor Jones   Alright, I gotta get you two home. Okay, you got a big weekend ahead of you. Finish you homework?
Niki   I did, but Kati didn’t.
Kati   Because I was too busy doing yours.
Pastor Jones   Okay, that’s enough of that. We have plenty of time before we go to bed. Okay, let’s hear you practice your song again.
Niki   Daddy…
Pastor Jones   Ah, ah! Practice makes what?
Kati and Niki   Perfect.
Pastor Jones   Here we go.
All three [singing]   “Lay down your burden, open up your heart …”
    [They go out of the front door, singing.]
Man’s voice [shouting roughly]   Evenin’, Pastor Jones!
Niki   Daddy!
    [Pastor Jones grabs his daughters as a car’s headlights illuminate them, revealing a number of men carrying clubs or baseball bats and wearing stockings over their heads.]
Pastor Jones   Listen, gentlemen! I’d appreciate it if you’d all just turn around and go right back where you came from!
James
[in a twangy Southern accent]
  That’s not very friendly coming from a civil rights leader famous for preaching unity! [He smashes the church’s sign with a baseball bat. The girls scream.]
Pastor Jones   No – no, it’s okay, it’s okay.
James   Of course, some of us have a different opinion about the world being under one big rainbow and such!
    [All the men shout agreement and whoops. Pastor Jones shoves his daughters inside the church.]
James   I say we show Pastor Jones the light – the way we see it!
    [The men shout agreement. Pastor Jones locks the church from inside, forces his daughters onto the floor as the men rush around the building, whooping and breaking windows. He tries to call the police, but the wires are cut. He rushes to his daughters and holds them tightly.]
Niki   Daddy, make them stop!
    [The girls scream as the men continue breaking things. They get gasoline and a tall, cloth-wrapped cross from the trucks, set up the cross in the yard, and light it on fire, using a Unity Rally poster as a torch.]
Niki   Daddy, make them stop!
Pastor Jones   It’s okay, it’s okay. Daddy’s here, baby.
Donny   That’s your last warning!
James   Nobody wants unity with you people! Get the hell out of here while you still can!
Kati
[crying]
  Why do they do this to us, Daddy? Why?
Pastor Jones   It’s okay, baby. It’s okay.
James   [pulling stocking off head]I think we made our point!
Jarod   [in rough accent, pulling off stocking]Yeah, I think they get the message this time.
     
     
    Intro
     
    The Centre, Sydney’s laboratory.
Broots, Sydney, and Miss Parker walk into the lab, where Sam the Sweeper is watching Angelo rummaging through containers.
     
Broots   Angelo has gone postal! He’s going through all the evidence from Jarod’s old Pretends, and he’s flipping out!
Sam   The little freak’s possessed!
Sydney   Has he said anything?
Sam   Plenty. But none of it makes any sense.
Angelo [wearing a firefighter’s jacket and hat and taking a crowbar from a silver case]   Fire! Fire!
Sam   Like I said! He’s possessed.
    [Angelo reenacts fire-fighting movements.]
     
    [Memory flashback 1996, Jarod as a firefighter.]
     
Angelo   Fire – burn! Jarod! Must help Jarod!
Sydney   Angelo…
Angelo   Jarod! Jarod!
    [Sydney kneels beside him, and Angelo clutches him.]
Sydney   What’s wrong?
Angelo   Must save Jarod.
Sydney   From what?
Angelo   From fire! From hate. Hate kills. Hate will kill Jarod. Must save…Jarod.
Miss Parker   What do you make of it, Freud?
Sydney   I believe Angelo thinks someone from Jarod’s past is going to try and kill him.
Angelo   Jarod! Must save Jarod!
Sydney   The question is, who?
    [Angelo throws off the firefighter’s jacket and seizes another case.]
     
    Georgia, nighttime.
Trucks driving recklessly and men whooping in triumph. The trucks pull up to a building in a wooded country area, and men get out.
James   Yeah! I say we larned Pastor Jones a lesson or two today!
Donny   A little visual aid always helped my third grade students get the point!
James   I say burning crosses is a lot more effective than a field trip!
Donny   I guess we showed him the light, huh, Jarod?
Jarod   If a picture’s worth a thousand words, a flamin’ cross is worth a mouthful!
     
    [They all grab beers, raise them, and cheer. Luke comes walking out of the building toward them.]
     
Luke   It oughta be against the law to have that much fun. In fact I believe it is against the law!
    [Laughter]
James   It beats the hell out of sellin’ life insurance! I say we go celebrate!
    [Cheers]
Luke   Nobody’s goin’ anywhere. Change of plans.
Jarod   Uh, is there somethin’ wrong?
Luke   While you were all out playin’, I got a call from the General.
James   The General?
Donny   What’d he want?
Luke   He’s comin’ in early. He could be here any time.
Jarod   So why’s that change our plan?
Luke   -˜Cause he’s got a new mission. A bold message, one that’s not just gonna be heard around the country – it’s gonna be heard around the world!
Donny   That sounds big!
Luke   Yeah, it is, Donny, and on account of that, he wants each of you here when he shows up.
James   What’d you mean, we gotta stay here all night?
Donny   You mean we can’t go anywhere?
Luke   Until he shows up! Y’all been recruited from outside the state. The General’s worried you go into town you’ll stand out like a raccoon in a henhouse. Now, I got a little gift here from the General he wants us to use to deliver our message. [Tosses a small box at Jarod.]
Jarod   C-4 explosive?
Luke   Yeah.
Jarod   [grinning] Well, that packs a hell of a punch.
Luke   Damn right. You’re our demolition expert. You’re gonna rig us up a little device to dis-unify this Unity Rally!
    [Laughter and cheers]
Luke   I tell you somethin’, boys. When we’re finished, the partyin’ ain’t gonna stop!
    [Cheers, clinking of beer bottles. Jarod joins enthusiastically.]
     
     
    Scene 3
Georgia, morning, outside the Westland Community Church.
Police officers investigate the vandalism and charred cross.
     
Sheriff   How long has this craziness been going on?
Pastor Jones   Several weeks ago we organized a Unity Rally. This event’s supposed to bring together people from the community, from all walks of life. Well, when support grew, that’s when we started receiving threats.
Sheriff   What kind of threats?
Pastor Jones   Oh, warnin’s, telling us to call off the rally.
Sheriff   And when you didn’t?
Pastor Jones   That’s when the acts of vandalism began, leadin’ up to last night.
Sheriff   Look, Pastor, the rally’s tomorrow. These types probably aren’t going away. So maybe…
Pastor Jones   Maybe what, Sheriff? Hmm? Maybe we should just give in, huh? Give in – just call the whole thing off. No, sir. That’s exactly what they want.
Sheriff   Postpone it. Think about your girls
Pastor Jones   You know, Sheriff, when I was thirteen, I saw a man beat, dragged behind a truck, and nobody did nothin’ to stop it. [Putting a Unity Rally poster back on the church door.] Not even me. That man lived for three days, the whole time prayin’ to die. That man, Sheriff, was my big brother. See, if you don’t face this kind of hate, it will destroy everyone that it touches. It’s because of my daughters that I gotta do this. So, yes, sir. Yes, I will be at that rally tomorrow, with my church, and with my family.
    [The sheriff tips his hat and walks away. Pastor Jones slumps down onto the church steps.]
     
     
    Scene 4
The Centre, Sydney’s laboratory.
Angelo looking at explosives, Broots on a laptop. Miss Parker enters.
     
Miss Parker   Any progress?
Sydney   Angelo senses that someone Jarod brought to justice is going to try to kill him, and we’re trying to find out who by letting him empath various items the Centre recovered from past Pretends.
Miss Parker   I’m certainly not surprised someone from Jarod’s past wants to kill him. In fact, that’s a hell of a long line. And it starts behind me.
    [Angelo stares at her, holding a white dress with red roses.]
Broots   Hey, that’s the dress the Black Widow was wearing – the one that Jarod took down for murdering her husband.
Miss Parker   She certainly has enough reason. And she did try to kill him once.
    [Angelo sees Miss Parker wearing the dress.]
Broots [whispering to Sydney]   Does he think it’s her?
     
    Memory flashbacks late 1998, Kristi Kincaid meeting Jarod, swimming, kissing Jarod.
Kristi   I want this to be over.
Jarod [smiling]   I know you do.
    [He walks away toward the house.]
Kristi   Jarod? I love you.
    [Jarod nods, walks away into the house. It blows up. Kristi smiles.]
Angelo   Ahh! Jarod’s in danger! But not her! Not a woman…
Miss Parker   Syd! Does he even know what he’s doing?
Angelo   Jarod doesn’t know.
Sydney   Angelo is systematically evaluating and eliminating individuals in Jarod’s past with the most intense feelings of hatred for him.
Miss Parker   Then we need to keep this from Lyle and Raines. They’ll only interfere with Angelo’s progress.
Broots   Oh, then we better move fast, because, uh, secrets aren’t kept long around here.
Sydney   If Angelo can successfully isolate the potential killer, he can take us to him.
Broots   And to Jarod?
Sydney   Hopefully in time to save him!
Miss Parker   Even better, in time to catch him.
    [She stalks out.]
     
     
    Act 2
Scene 1
Georgia, daytime, the white supremacist compound.
Men walking around with guns. Inside, Jarod soldering something, Luke watching over his shoulder. James comes in, chuckles at Jarod’s work. Strange music in the background.
     
Donny   Hey, turn that damn thing off, will ya? Jungle music -¦
James   Can’t even listen to the radio anymore without hearing that crap. Aren’t you -˜bout done with that thang?
Jarod   -˜Bout.
Luke   Just make sure it works.
Jarod   It’ll work.
Luke   It’d better. We’re gonna make this damn Unity Rally a wakeup call!
James [with a shotgun]   The General says that when the blood of all them sons of Cain flows through the gutters, [cocks gun] our people will unite.
Donny   And see God’s will to exterminate all the parasites who are sucking the life out of this country.
James   Amen, brother. Amen. [Clinks shot glasses with him.]
Donny   Amen.
     
     
    [Memory flashback 1969, Young Jarod watching the projection of Martin Luther King, Jr.,’s “I Have a Dream - speech, along with footage of police brutality and civil rights marches.
King -¦formed into an oasis of freedom and justice. I have a dream that my four little -¦
Jarod   Why do people hate other people because of the color of their skin?
King   -¦one day live in a nation -¦
Sydney   I don’t know, Jarod. It’s called Racism. It’s important that you learn what’s wrong in the world as well as what’s right.
King   I have a dream that one day -¦
Jarod   Are they taught to do this?
Sydney   In some ways, yes. Jarod, there is no simple solution to racism.
Jarod   But there is. Stop hating!
Sydney   It takes time, and compassion. Do you understand this, Jarod?
Jarod   I understand it. But I can’t accept it.
King   I have a dream -¦
     
James
[hitting Jarod’s arm]
  What’s the matter wit’ you, boy? You look like you seen a ghost.
Jarod   No, brotha. Just seein’ the light. There, it’s finished.
Donny   When we pull this off, you’re gonna score big points with the General.
Jarod   I’m going to take this into town, make sure it’s all in place for tomorrow. [Puts his device in a box.]
Luke   I don’t think so. Nobody’s goin’ into town until the General arrives. Don’t wanna make anybody suspicious. I’ll take care of this from now on. You want something to do, finish reloading those shotgun shells.
Jarod   Now, wait a minute, the plan was that I would set any explosives that we used.
Luke   Well, the plan changed. Hotshot! General’s orders. [Takes the box.] He wants this set special. [Throws photographs of Pastor Jones’ daughters on the table.] He wants the preacher’s girls to be the message.
    [Everyone stares at him.]
Jarod   He wants us to kill them?
Luke   Yep. He’s gonna put an end to this unity crap once and for all.
     
     
    Scene 2
The Centre, Sydney’s laboratory.
Angelo is in the balcony shooting an empty pistol.
     
Sydney   I have tried every possible avenue to contact Jarod. No response.
Broots   Sydney, I think Angelo’s on to something.
Miss Parker [entering]   I hope he doesn’t find the bullets.
Broots [reading from a file]   The gun belonged to a mid-level thug – uh, Joey Melino. He killed an undercover cop. Jarod sent him away. Word from prison is Joey’s not too happy about it.
Miss Parker   Maybe he’s paying someone to kill Jarod.
    [Angelo starts shouting and running with the gun.]
Sydney   Angelo, what is it?
Angelo   Danger! Death! Hate! Hate getting closer to Jarod. [Stares at the gun.] Oh! Jarod doesn’t want to hate. Doesn’t want to kill! But – someone wants to kill Jarod!
     
    [Memory flashback early 1998, Jarod as money forger for Joey Melino, Joey threatening Jarod.]
Angelo   Jarod! [He pulls forgery tools from a case.]
     
    [Memory flashback Joey and his henchmen in the freezer, Jarod talking through the window.
Joey   You’re a dead man, Jarod! You hear me? You’re dead!
Jarod   Oh, you need to chill out!
Joey   Listen, Jarod! I’ll give you anything you want!
Jarod   See ya.
Joey   Jarod – no! Jarod!
     
    [Angelo drops the tools and sucks on his fingers as if frostbitten.]
Sydney   Angelo? Is it Joey?
Angelo   No! Not – not Joey! Someone hates Jarod more. Hates others! Must find soon!
Miss Parker   This is going nowhere!
Angelo   Jarod will die!
Sydney   Patience, Parker. Angelo is narrowing down the suspects.
Angelo   Must find soon, or Jarod will die!
Miss Parker   We don’t have time to be patient.
    [Looks at Broots and Sydney and finds them staring at her. Stalks out.]
     
     
    Scene 3
Georgia, afternoon, white supremacists’ compound.
Jarod loading shotgun shells with a hand-crank machine. James, Donny, and others playing cards at a table behind him.
     
James   Finish them shells, Jarod! We need another loser at the table.
    [Laughter]
Donny   You been cheatin’ the whole time. You gotta give me a chance to win this.
James   Everybody’s cheatin’, Donny -¦
    [Jarod glances at them playing and bantering, at another man sleeping, and inches quietly out, taking truck keys. He makes it to a truck and starts to unlock it, then is startled by the sound of a gun cocking behind him.]
Luke   Goin’ somewhere?
Jarod   Yeah. Get a little black powder. Pack around the C-4. Thought it might give more impact visually.
Luke   The General wants to use napalm.
Jarod   Napalm? But that wasn’t part –
Luke   Naw, no buts! His plan, his cause – we do things his way. You got a problem with that?
Jarod   Hell, no. I’m a believer. I just like to know what’s going on, that’s all.
Luke   And right now what’s going on is you’re staying here.
Jarod   Yes, sir.
Luke   General’s orders.
Jarod   Yes, sir.
    [Donny, James, and others hurry out of the house.]
Donny   Luke!
Luke   What?
Donny   We got another message from the General.
Luke   There a problem?
Donny   Matter of fact, there is. He has word one of us isn’t exactly who we claim to be.
James   Sounds like one of us is a traitor.
Donny   General says to tell you, no one leaves till he gets here.
Luke   Alright. You boys get back in the house. We’ll sort this out when the General shows up.
    [Jarod lingers behind. Luke whistles at him.]
Luke   Hey!
    [Jarod follows. Luke stares at him.]
     
     
    Act 3
Scene 1
Georgia, nighttime, Pastor Jones’ home.
Pastor Jones and his daughters kneel in the girls’ bedroom to say their prayers.
     
Niki   God bless Kati and Daddy, and God bless Mama up in Heaven. Amen.
Kati   Amen.
Pastor Jones   Amen. Alright, you two. Time for bed. Daddy’s angels got to rest those voices for the rally tomorrow.
Kati   Why do those people hate us?
Niki   What did we do?
Pastor Jones   Here, sit down. Come here, baby. [They sit on a bed, and he takes Niki on his lap.] Listen. You didn’t do anything wrong. Hear me, sweetheart? You did nothing at all. People hate -˜cause they’re afraid. They’re afraid of things that they don’t know, things that they don’t understand. That’s why this rally is so important. Understand?
Girls [nodding]   Uh huh.
Pastor Jones   Sure?
Niki   Yes.
Pastor Jones   Good. Alright. Let’s get to bed, get some sleep, and we’ll see you in the morning. Alright. [He tucks them in and kisses them goodnight.] Love you.
Kati   Daddy? Can you please close the window?
Pastor Jones [saddened]   Sure, sweetheart.
Niki   And lock it.
Pastor Jones [locking it]   There. It’s locked. Night.
Girls   Good night.
    [Pastor Jones turns off the light, sighs, and rests his head against the doorpost.]
     
     
    Scene 2
Nighttime, the Centre, Sydney’s laboratory.
Angelo, wearing night-vision goggles, clutches a manikin dressed in Army fatigues.
     
Miss Parker   Any word on Jarod? [Gives Angelo a look.] Looks like Saturday night at your house, Broots.
Broots   Huh?
Sydney   Angelo is trying to empath Captain Robert Saunders.
Broots   Yeah. He’s the one serving twenty-to-life at Leavenworth, thanks to Jarod.
Miss Parker   Captain Robert Saunders. Textbook sociopath.
Sydney   As well as a convicted rapist and murderer. He certainly fits the profile.
Miss Parker   And his own record as having sworn to get back at Jarod.
Broots   Well, Jarod sure knows how to pick his enemies, doesn’t he?
Miss Parker   Yes, he has a penchant for pissing people off.
    [Angelo violently strangles the manikin. Everyone stares.]
Angelo   Saunders – hates – Jarod! Wants to – hurt Jarod! Wants to hurt Jarod!
     
    Memory flashback early 1998, Saunders in the hole with Jarod.
Jarod   What’s the matter, Saunders? You look scared.
Saunders   Who’s in here!
Jarod   Just demons in your mind.
Saunders   Stevens, is that you? Hey, this is crazy!
Jarod   Well, gotta go now. Have fun in your own private little hell.
Saunders   Don’t leave! Come on! Let me out!
     
Angelo   [yelling, throwing the manikin to the floor] Saunders hates Jarod, but not him. Someone else hates Jarod more.
Miss Parker   It’s hard to imagine it could get much worse.
Angelo   Broots! Hurry! [Grabs Broots’ arm, yanks him from his seat and up the stairs.] There’s no time left for Jarod!
Broots   Aah! Angelo, calm down! I’ve never seen him like this.
Angelo   Can’t calm down! [Opens a large chest full of rope, gives a yell.] Hates Jarod! Hates Jarod! Gaaah! Hates Miss Parker too!
     
     
    Scene 3
Georgia, nighttime.
A large Army vehicle approaches the compound. Inside the men are putting things away. Jarod is sweeping.
     
Luke   Alright, he’s here.
    [A man in Army boots steps out of the vehicle.]
Luke   Jarod, get them damn beer bottles out of here.
    [Jarod obeys, takes them into a back room, while the man in Army boots approaches the house. He enters.]
Luke   General. [Shakes the General’s hand.] I’m glad you’re here.
Donny   General. [Shakes hands.]
James   Sir. [Shakes hands.]
Luke   Everything’s ready for tomorrow, sir. We’re just waiting on your word. Just like you ordered, none of us have left.
Donny   We’re all here to help you figure out who the traitor is, sir.
    [Jarod has reentered the room from the back, confronts the General abruptly, who smiles.]
General   Well, that won’t be necessary. Will it, Jarod?
     
    Memory flashback 1996, Florida, Jarod trapping a man in a crocodile net.
Bartlett   What the hell is this? Are you going to stand there? Cut me out of this?
Jarod   I spent a long time making that thing.
Bartlett   Cut me out of this now. [Pulls a gun.] Or I’ll blow you away! [Shoots, but nothing happens.]
Jarod   Guess your clip’s empty. Gotta go. Hurricane’s coming right through here.
Bartlett   Jarod! Jarod, you son of a –
     
General [taking a shotgun]   Matter of fact, we go back a long way, don’t we? Last time we were together there was a hurricane blowing. Let me tell you something. That storm ain’t got half the fury that I got left in me right now.
    [He hits Jarod with the gun. Jarod falls, and he hits him again and again. All the men cheer.]
General   Gentlemen, we’re back on schedule.
     
     
    Scene 4
The Centre.
Angelo swings around in the crocodile net.
     
Broots   Bartlett’s the guy that tried to kill Jarod. And you.
Miss Parker   And almost succeeded. I had tracked Jarod to the middle of the Everglades, where we were trapped together in a hurricane.
Sydney   So that’s the net Jarod used to capture him.
Miss Parker   It took more than a net to hold an animal like Bartlett.
    [Angelo growls and gnaws on the net.]
     
    Memory flashback Bartlett chewing his way out of the net, tracking down Jarod and Miss Parker with a shotgun.
Bartlett   Honey, I’m home!
     
Sydney   Bartlett, Angelo! Is he the one who’s going to kill Jarod?
Angelo [nodding]   Bartlett! Must stop Bartlett. Bartlett hates Jarod, hates everyone. Bartlett wants to kill – wants to kill Jarod! Sydney, help Jarod now.
Sydney   Parker, we have to do something.
Miss Parker   Broots, call the Florida Bureau of Prisons, see if Bartlett is still in custody.
Broots   Okay.
Miss Parker   Bartlett is a racist sleazebag who would kill his own mother. Syd, we have to find him. If Bartlett finds Jarod first, he will kill him. [Sydney stares at Miss Parker.] And ruin my chance.
    [Angelo, exhausted, collapses on the floor.]
Sydney   Let’s just pray we’re not too late.
     
     
    Scene 5
Georgia, nighttime, the compound.
Jarod lies on the floor as Luke binds his hands behind him.
     
General   Jarod, the Lord works in mysterious ways. See, you were His instrument to have me thrown into jail where I could come to see His purpose in my life. And then through His divine providence, I was set free so that I could unite my people and cleanse this country. And now here you are, dropped right in my lap, manna from Heaven.
Jarod   You’re sick, Bartlett. You’re so consumed with hate you’ll destroy yourself and everyone around you.
General [bending down]   No, Jarod, not sick. [Grabs Jarod by the hair.] Misunderstood, yes. Persecuted like the prophets of old, yes. But not sick.
James   What do we do with him?
General   I’ll take him out into the woods and send him to his judgment.
Luke
[forcing Jarod to his feet]
  You don’t need to dirty your hands with this. Let me do it. It would be my honor to take this Judas to his justice.
General   [Grins and hands Luke the shotgun, squeezes his shoulder] A true apostle. Do it down by the creek. Just leave his body there. Dust to dust. We have things to do for the Unity Rally tomorrow, don’t we? There are going to be a lot of people singing the blues tomorrow. Get him out of here.
Luke [pushing Jarod out]   Let’s go. Let’s go!
     
    [Luke pushes Jarod out of the house and through the woods at gunpoint, down into the creek. Jarod falls into the water and, with his hands bound, has a hard time getting his face up out of the water. Luke forces him to his feet.]
Luke   Let’s go. Come on!
    [They continue down the creek until Luke pushes Jarod to his knees.]
Luke   Get down on your knees!
Jarod   You can’t do this! [Gasping and shuddering.]
    [Luke cocks the gun. In the house, the General examines a glass of spirits. A gunshot sounds in the distance, and he smiles and drinks.]
     
     
    Act 4
Scene 1
Georgia, nighttime, in the creek.
Luke stands with the gun in his hands. Jarod, on his knees, breathes heavily. Luke kneels in the water and unties his hands.
     
     
Luke   Hope I didn’t scare you too bad.
Jarod   I better check my pants. But I’m still alive.
Luke   I’m undercover too. Georgia State Police.
Jarod   ATF, Federal Taskforce.
Luke   We’ve been after Bartlett since his conviction for murder and civil rights violations were overturned. Some Fed popped him for those. My guess is that was you.
Jarod   Guilty. I had no idea he had been released. You have a plan?
Luke   No, Bartlett’s changing everything. I’m completely cut off from the outside. Look, we go back in there right now, we can pop him for conspiracy.
Jarod   No! We catch him in the act of setting those explosives, we can put him away for life
Luke   We don’t stop him, he’s going to kill Pastor Jones’ little girls.
    [Jarod takes off his coat, cuts his arm with a large hunting knife, rubs the blood on the coat, and gives it to Luke.]
Jarod   Here. You go back in there. I’ll think of something. And, uh – good luck.
Luke
[shaking his hand]
  Good luck.
    [They run off in different directions. Luke throws the bloody coat down before the General.]
Luke   He didn’t beg -¦much.
    [Chuckles]
Bartlett   Well, it’s too bad. Takes some of the fun out of it. [He opens the box with Jarod’s explosive device.] I should have known. Jarod crossed the detonator wires – this thing woulda never gone off. Now looka that. Ain’t that pretty? [Luke nods half-heartedly.] A little C-4 and napalm. That oughta make quite a statement. [He puts it, fixed, into a silver briefcase.]
Luke   Yes, sir. I’ll just run that into town, and you tell me where you want me to place it.
Bartlett   No. This is my vision, my calling.
Luke   Then we’ll do it together.
Bartlett   I said it was my calling. I do it alone. You boys just be ready tomorrow. You be ready for war.
     
     
    Scene 2
Nighttime, the Centre, Miss Parker’s office.
Miss Parker sits at her desk, nursing a glass.
     
     
    Memory flashback October 7, 1969. Young Jarod behind a glass wall with electrodes taped to his head.
Sydney   I’d like you to meet someone, Jarod.
    [Jarod puts his hand up against the glass wall, half-smiling. Little Miss Parker puts up her hand to touch the glass as well.]
Jarod   You’re a -¦girl.
    [Little Miss Parker nods.]
     
     
    Memory flashback April, 1997. Florida. Miss Parker confronts Jarod.
Miss Parker   Why did you save my life?
Jarod   Because I still remember the little girl who gave me my first kiss.
     
     
    Memory flashback 1969. Sydney’s laboratory. Little Miss Parker kisses young Jarod.
     
     
    [Miss Parker sits gazing over her glass. Broots rushes in, opens a file.]
Broots   I found something on Bartlett. He’s been released from prison.
Miss Parker   Let me guess. His conviction was overturned on a technicality.
Broots   Exactly! But while he was in prison, he started a violent white supremacists’ group.
Miss Parker   And?
Broots   And rumor is he’s in Georgia, and he’s organized a march in opposition to a unity rally tomorrow.
Miss Parker   Then let’s stop the son of a bitch. [Picks up her gun.] And get Jarod.
    [She goes out. Broots follows with raised eyebrows.]
     
     
    Scene 3
Georgia, nighttime, Westland Community Church.
The church door opens, the General enters with a flashlight, shotgun, and silver case. Opening the case, he prays over the explosive device. A burst of sound from the piano startles him, and he rises, aiming his gun. Jarod steps up on top of the piano with a baseball bat in his hand, stretches his arms out in the shape of a cross.]
Jarod   Here to repent, brotha?
Bartlett   Jarod?
Jarod   Now who’s singing the blues?
Bartlett   I’m sick to death of you! You have more lives than a barnyard cat. But this is going to be your last one. [Cocks the gun.] You weren’t able to take the rounds out of my clip this time. [Aims and shoots at Jarod. Nothing happens except noise. Jarod jumps down from the piano as Bartlett continues to shoot at him.]
Jarod   Well, I am sorry to disappoint you, but guess who reloaded those shells? Must have forgot to put shot in them.
Bartlett   [Swinging the gun at Jarod]
Son of a bitch!
    [Jarod ducks and swings his bat into Bartlett’s stomach.]
Jarod   Oh, by the way, I owe you this one. [He slams Bartlett across the back. Bartlett collapses.]
     
     
    Scene 4
Georgia, nighttime, outside Westland Community Church.
A tall white cross, Bartlett tied to the bottom of it, unconscious, firewood at his feet.
     
Jarod   Oh, Bartlett!!![Throws a marshmallow at his head.] Bartlett! [Throws another marshmallow. Shouts] Wake up!
Bartlett   [Waking up, struggling] Jarod! What the hell is this?
Jarod   Think of it as your -¦cross to bear. And since you so enjoy burning crosses and terrorizing innocent families, I thought it might be fun for you to experience terror for once, like you were going to do to those two innocent little girls!
Bartlett   I wasn’t going to scare ’em! I was going to kill ’em!
    [Jarod picks up a large gasoline can and pours it over the wood at Bartlett’s feet.]
Bartlett   Don’t make me laugh! We’ve been through this before, Jarod. You’re not going to do anything! [Laughs.] You ain’t got the heart for it! Now, that bitch you were with before – she could do it!
Jarod   [Finishes pouring, picks up a torch]Well, you see, it’s not heart that I need to burn you at the stake. [Lights the torch.] It’s another part of my anatomy. And let me tell ya I got those. [Grins, waving the torch.]
Bartlett   You’ll never get away with this! I got people out there – Luke and the boys. Luke! Luke!
Jarod [laughing]   You know something, Bartlett, you’re not as smart as you think you are! You had two infiltrators in your group. Luke was an undercover cop with the Georgia State Police. The rest of your “apostles - should be in custody just about now.
Bartlett   Damn you! Damn you!
Jarod   [Points the torch at him]
No -damn you! [Holds the torch near the wood.]
Bartlett   You can’t do this! Please don’t do it! Don’t do it – don’t! Help! I don’t wanna die! No! No!
    [Jarod touches the torch to the wood. Something catches.]
Bartlett [screaming]   No! Don’t do it! I’m sorry! Please! I don’t wanna die!
    [A long fuse burns through the wood and up the back of the cross. Nothing else catches fire.]
Bartlett   Jarod, I’m begging you! Please, not like this! [Sparks from the fuse burn him, and he screams.] No! I don’t wanna die!
    [Jarod watches with a smirk as the fuse lights a fire in the crossbar of the cross, illuminating the word REPENT.]
Bartlett   I don’t wanna die! Someone help me! Help! Help! Jarod, please! I’m so sorry! Dear God, please! No! [Begins to laugh hysterically.]
    [Jarod picks up a skewer prepared with marshmallows, lights it from the fire coming from the T in REPENT.]
Jarod   You know something? You’re right I don’t have the heart to kill. Or the hate. [Eats a charred marshmallow whole.] Mmm.
    [Police cars drive up, sirens blaring.]
Jarod   Have fun rotting in prison.
    [Jarod walks away. Bartlett whimpers.]
     
     
    Scene 5
Georgia, Westland Community Church, daytime.
The church is full of people and music. Kati and Niki Jones sing with a white-robed choir.
     
     
Girls [quietly and gently]   Lay down your burden, open up your heart. Lay down your burden, let the healing start. [Choir joins in harmony.] Be blessed and guided through eternity. Lay down your burden and be free. Lay down your burden and be free.
    [The music begins more loudly and energetically, and everyone claps and dances. Pastor Jones claps with his Bible in his hand. The congregation of white and black people dances, claps, waves their hands, and sings.]
Choir   Lay down your burdens, open up your heart. Lay down your burden, let the healing start! Be blessed and guided through eternity. Lay down your burden and be free.
     
    [Miss Parker, Broots, and Sydney push through the crowd at the door. Miss Parker stares around in slight wonder and disgust. Broots bops to the music, clapping and grinning. Sydney smiles and watches, nods his head to the music. Pastor Jones notices them and moves toward them.]
     
Miss Parker [glaring at Broots dancing]   Start speaking in tongues and I’ll send you on to the next life right here and now.
Broots [chuckles]   Gosh, sorry. It kind of reminds me of going with my cousin Newton to the Slipper Rock Church of the Great Redeemer when I was a kid.
    [Miss Parker kicks him and glares at him. Pastor Jones comes up to them.]
Pastor Jones   Hi. Thanks for coming. Sorry, standing room only.
Miss Parker   We’re not here to worship, Reverend.
Pastor Jones   Pastor. I’m Pastor Jones.
Sydney   Pastor Jones, we’re looking for this man. [Hands him a picture of Jarod.] The name is Jarod. We believe he’s involved in a confrontation with a racist named Bartlett.
Pastor Jones   I’m sorry. Never seen him before. Now, I do know about Bartlett. If you wanna talk to him, you might want to try the state penitentiary.
Miss Parker   Good. I hope they fry his ass this time.
Pastor Jones   Well, ma’am, it’s my hope and prayer that one day Bartlett would choose to end the hate and start the healing that only love and forgiveness can bring.
Miss Parker [staring at him]   Better pray for all of us.
Pastor Jones   God bless you.
    [Miss Parker goes out, followed by Broots, who is still dancing.]
Sydney   Pastor Jones, thank you kindly.
    [He follows Broots, leaving Pastor Jones clapping to the music.]
Miss Parker [walking to the car]   We’re out of here, Syd. Looks like their guardian angel’s come and gone.
    [They get in and drive away. More people are coming to the church. Sitting on top of the church under the cross, dancing and clapping joyously, is Jarod, the tails of his long white coat spread out around him like the wings of an angel.]
Choir   Lay down your burdens! Lay down your burdens! Lay down your burdens and you will be free!

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