Life Is Beautiful - Season 2, Episode 9

(Scene: the next day. We get a view of the outside of the I.D.O.L. headquarters building, and then cut to inside as SEACREST walks down a hallway, followed by an outraged QUENTIN and JOEY.)

JOEY: What were you thinking? What the f**k were you thinking?! Sending Jax out on a new moon night! Where the hell have you been for the last month?

SEACREST: Do not use that language with me, Agent Cook. I am not in the mood. (Turns to QUENTIN) And for the record, I was counting on you three to be back on time.

QUENTIN: (Angry but not shouting) Well, that was a dangerous and foolish assumption to make, Director. You of all people know that anything can happen out there.

SEACREST: Excuse me, Agent Alexander, but I'm a very busy man and it's not my job to keep track of the lunar cycle for the sake of one agent.

QUENTIN: Now wait a minute, first you said you were counting on us being back on time, now you're saying you didn't know it was a new moon night. So which is it?

SEACREST: Don't play mind games with me! I don't have time for this!

QUENTIN: Well, it sounds to me like you're just making excuses!

SEACREST: (Stops and turns on him) You watch your mouth, Agent Alexander. One mistake on my part does not give you the right to be disrespectful.

QUENTIN: I'm not trying to be disrespectful, sir. But even the head of the world's largest spy organization should be able to admit when he's wrong.

SEACREST: It is not your place to tell me when I've made a bad decision.

QUENTIN: Oh, really? Then whose place is it? If Jax had gotten to that family last night, then their blood and her guilt would be on your hands, because you know she'd never be able to live with herself after that.

JOEY: Do you realize how bad this makes I.D.O.L. look? We were lucky that farmer didn't get the idea to call the Authentic Icons! They've had some experience with zombies.

SEACREST: I am aware of that, Agent Cook, and I'm about to be thankful I didn't fire Agent Boyle after all. But now we all have work to do, so if you'll go your way and let me go mine-

QUENTIN: But Director-

SEACREST: Not another word about it! I have important things to do! (Exits)

QUENTIN: (Mutters under his breath) Like what, writing fantasy novels?

JOEY: One of these days I swear I am going to... (Groans)

RAYVON: (Enters the scene) There you are. I've been looking for you two.

QUENTIN: What's up?

RAYVON: We're having trouble getting Jax to come out of the cage.

JOEY: Why, is she stuck?

RAYVON: No, but last night really took a toll on her. She didn't remember a thing, but she heard some agents talking about what happened and now she's afraid she's gonna hurt us.

QUENTIN: (Frustrated sigh as he exits) Some people just don't get it...

JOEY: I'm really tempted to just cut her hand off. That bracelet is gonna destroy her.

RAYVON: It may be too late for that. For all we know, the magic could be in her blood now.

JOEY: I just wish we had more answers. There has to be a way to get her back. She can't live like this. And then there's Nick, still trying to figure out what "Scorpion" and "Tarantula" mean.

RAYVON: He's had no luck with that, I'm afraid. And we've still gotta figure out who this Big Machine mole is. Oh, by the way, your DVD came.

JOEY: Good. Maybe some "X-Files" will help take my mind off of all this. (Sighs) I'll go check in on Jax. And then I'm going right back to the lab. Seacrest may be an arrogant pig-head, but he has a point. Maybe we have been too distracted.

(They go their separate ways. Cut to inside the Cage, as JAX sits moping in the far corner. She does not look up as the door opens and CLARK enters with something on a plate.)

CLARK: Hey.

JAX: (Looks up slightly, weak voice) Hey.

CLARK: (Goes over to her) You've been in here for a while. (Sits down next to her) You know you're human again, right?

JAX: (Looks down again) No, I'm not. Not anymore. Now I'm a monster.

CLARK: Stop that. Jax, if you were a monster, I wouldn't have just come in here. (Sets the plate down, nudges it over to her) Here. I brought you lunch.

JAX: (Looks at it, after a pause) Thanks. (Picks up the sandwich but does not bite into it)

CLARK: Go on. It's impossible to be sad while eating a perfectly cooked grilled cheese. It just can't be done.

(There is a short pause. JAX slowly eats part of the sandwich, then sets the rest down on the plate.)

JAX: I can't do this anymore, Clark. Every time it happens, I fade into this blackness...and I'm not conscious of anything...but then I wake up, and I'm in this cage, and everyone's staring at me like I'm some weird animal. (Sniffle) And then to hear what I did...how can I go back out there? No one's safe around me. As soon as the moon changes again, I'll be right back at it. What's the point? Maybe I should stay in here where I can't hurt anyone.

CLARK: No, Jax, don't say that. You're a valuable member of our team. We need you. And it'll get boring without you. Who else is gonna say random things to keep us on our toes?

JAX: I don't know, Adanna's pretty good at that. Her answer to everything is either "potato" or "poop."

(They both laugh for a second. Then JAX turns away and looks down again.)

JAX: Why is this happening to me, Clark? Why does God let bad things happen to good people?

CLARK: I can't tell you how many times I've gotten that question, Jax. And after all this time I still don't have a good answer. I wonder why I've had to go through what I've been through. I wonder what all these agents ever did to deserve getting tortured and killed at the hands of our enemies. But after everything we've seen and heard, there is one thing I've learned.

JAX: What's that?

CLARK: The problem is never the problem. Our reaction to the problem is the problem. Take advantage of adversity as an opportunity to defy negativity. You know Fantasia, right?

JAX: The Disney movie, or the famous singer?

CLARK: The singer. She got her start really young, she was fifteen in the Idolettes, and a lot of bad things came her way. I can't remember all of it, but she was raped, she had to raise her kid all by herself, her family kept demanding money from her...and for a while it held her back and she had to get out of music. But in the end, she came back. She used her experience to mentor other singers, and then she won a Grammy.

JAX: Oh, yeah, I remember that. Gosh, that was more than ten years ago now. I feel old.

CLARK: And now look at her. Nothing changed the past, but she's still one of the most successful R&B singers of our time. (Puts a hand on her shoulder) You're a great agent, Jax. And you can still be a great agent. But not if you're stuck in here forever. So come on out.

JAX: Are you sure it's safe for everyone?

CLARK: Of course it is. So we have to be extra careful and watch the calendar to make sure you get in here on time. That's okay. But we'll never leave you in here. You're still our sister, Jax. And we're gonna help you get through this. (Pulls her close, wraps an arm around her) The same breath that breathed the stars breathed life into man. Know your worth.

JAX: (Sniffles, wipes her eyes) How are you not afraid of me after what you saw me do?

CLARK: Jax...there is nothing in the world you could say or do that would make me afraid of you.

JAX: (Starts to cry again) Really?

(CLARK nods, and JAX falls into his arms and cries softly. They stay like this as the camera pans out. Cut to the outside, as NICK watches the scene on the monitor. A tear runs down his face.)

(Scene: a meeting room. ALEXIS, LOREN, ADAM, MARK, KATHERINE, LOVEY, SHANNON, MICHAEL, RILEY, SAVION, and TREVOR are seated at the conference table, along with some other agents whose identities have not been specified. There is hubbub, and then SAVION bangs a gavel on the table. The room settles down, and all eyes are on him.)

SAVION: All right, all right, quiet, everyone! We've been going at this for hours, I've called Agent Holloway twice for coffee breaks, and now I'm gonna have to call him for lunch, and we still haven't come up with a solution to the problem.

KATHERINE: There is no solution, Savion, simple as that.

RILEY: I don't even think there's a problem. Why are we here again?

MARK: Because we can't keep Agent Jax at HQ anymore. It's too dangerous. We need to move her somewhere we can keep her contained at all times.

LOREN: But at the same time, it's not fair of us to make the agents at another base put up with her. So what are we gonna do?

ADAM: We could transfer her to the containment facility in Washington, D.C.

MICHAEL: Seacrest would have to approve. But the truth is, I'm with Riley on this. I don't think Jax needs to be moved. She hasn't hurt any of us.

ALEXIS: Not yet. But she came awfully close last night, and with all eyes on Big Machine now, we can't afford to lose anyone.

TREVOR: So you would rather send away a perfectly good agent than work around her issue?

LOREN: Trevor, an agent who turns into a zombie by the light of the moon is not perfectly good.

LOVEY: But it's not fair. Zombie or not, Jax is still a person and she has feelings. We can't just take her away from all her friends.

MARK: Sometimes agents have to make sacrifices for the common good. We all gave up our families and friends to be here now. You think I wouldn't rather be home, or at least stationed closer to my kid? But Seacrest needs me at HQ, so here I am.

SAVION: Guys, maybe we should just call it a day. No matter what sort of plan we come up with, the super team won't let us lay a hand on Jax.

SHANNON: Good. We have no right to. She's an agent, just like us.

ALEXIS: No, she's not! She's a bloodthirsty, flesh-eating monster who almost killed an innocent family! Are we gonna just stand here and wait for her to kill one of our own?

SAVION: Calm down, Alexis, there's no need to get worked up.

LOREN: Why shouldn't we? Why can't we at least try to make HQ safer for all of us? It's not hard to draw up a petition, and if we can get eight people to sign it, then Seacrest has to read it.

RILEY: Well, count me out. I'm not signing anything that will get my girlfriend taken away.

ADAM: Riley, listen, maybe it's for the best.

RILEY: No! What's best for Jax is to be surrounded by people who love her and want to help her.

LOREN: But there's nothing we can do to help her. We can't reverse the effects of the bracelet, and who knows how much longer the Cage is gonna be able to hold her.

RILEY: (Stands up) You're blowing this out of proportion. Jax isn't that bad. Last night only happened because Seacrest did something stupid. I love her, and I want to protect her!

ALEXIS: But maybe we need protection from her!

(There is a short pause. RILEY glares across the table at the four standing dissenters.)

MARK: Look, Riley, I get it. You and Jax have something special. But the girl you fell in love with at the beginning is gone.

RILEY: (Trying not to cry) No, she's not. She's just a little different now. Everyone's a little different, that's why we're here. Adam, people made fun of you for being different. Why are you treating Jax the way those kids treated you?

ADAM: There's different, and then there's dangerous. And for all our sakes, you may need to let Jax go. I mean, it's bad enough women turn into monsters once a month, do you really wanna spend the rest of your life with one who turns into a monster four or five times a month?

RILEY: That's what love is...isn't it?

ALEXIS: (After a short pause) So are we writing up this petition or not?

MICHAEL: You can write it if you want, but good luck getting eight people to sign it. I know I'm not.

ALEXIS: What is wrong with you people? Can you not see that we have a threat on our hands? It's been more than a month and nothing good has come out of Jax's transformation!

LOREN: You know what, forget it. I'm not even bothering with the petition. I'm just gonna go turn in my resignation. I can't deal with all this weird supernatural stuff anymore.

LOVEY: That's it? You're just gonna walk away from I.D.O.L. after years of hard, loyal service?

LOREN: I'm not walking away yet, but I'll think about it.

ALEXIS: Good. Take me with you. We've spent so much time studying superpowers and things from other worlds, trying to make peace with them when we should be destroying them.

TREVOR: How can you say that? What about the advancement of civilization? Every new encounter brings us closer to a scientific breakthrough!

LOREN: Or closer to our own destruction! If I.D.O.L. is any indication, then if you ask me, civilization is advancing too far!

KATHERINE: Sometimes it takes a while to see the good in these new things. But in the end, they turn out to be wonderful! Look at the earthling ambassadors, the Authentic Icons-

ALEXIS: The Authentic Icons were a freak accident! One that never would've happened if that dragon creature hadn't been so power hungry! And as for the ambassadors, as happily as their story ended, I can't say I want to be abducted by aliens anytime soon. Lest we forget, one of them died up there. He was dead, dead, for three days, and then by some miracle of God, he came back to life. We don't get so lucky down here.

MARK: And let's also remember, Fury Fist and Flower Power nearly killed each other while having sex. I'm sure if given the choice, any one of them would've gotten rid of their powers.

RILEY: Well, then thank God they didn't get that choice. I can't believe you, turning against one of your own people when we have to work together more than ever! This is exactly what Big Machine wants! If they win, it'll be all your fault! (Storms out, slams the door behind him)

SAVION: (After a long, uncomfortable pause) Anyone else for the petition? (No response) Anyone have any other ideas? (No response) Then I declare this meeting adjourned.

(He bangs the gavel on the table once, and everyone gets up and exits. KATHERINE takes the minutes sheet off the table, tears it up, and drops the pieces into the blue recycling bin in the corner.)

(Scene: the streets of Los Angeles that night. NICK is walking along, consulting his phone, when he hears a familiar voice and looks up in the direction from which it came.)

ARIANNA: Nick!

NICK: (Turns to the side and sees her) There you are.

(She walks out through her front door and goes up to him. He initially goes in to hug her, but she motions for him to stay back, so he lowers his arms and stands in place.)

NICK: I got your message.

ARIANNA: Good, because we really need to talk.

NICK: Is everything okay?

ARIANNA: No, it's not. Listen, Nick...I don't think we can go on like this.

NICK: (Worried) What, are you saying...we should break up?

ARIANNA: Well, thank you for saying it so I don't have to, but yes.

NICK: What's going on? Are you moving? I'm cool with long distance if you are-

ARIANNA: No, Nick, I'm not going anywhere. But you are.

NICK: What are you talking about? I'm stationed at HQ, I'm gonna be here a long time.

ARIANNA: That's just it. You're an agent of I.D.O.L., and I'm always going to be on the outside. No matter how much you tell me, there will always be secrets between us.

NICK: Well, that's kind of in the interest of national security.

ARIANNA: I get that. But that's the choice you've made. And you're always gonna be running around on missions, all over the world, and there may come a day when you don't come home...and I don't want to be on the receiving end of the letter...

NICK: Arianna, I'm one of I.D.O.L.'s top agents. I always come home.

ARIANNA: But you're not immortal, Nick. I was never expecting you to be perfect, but you've been lying to me for almost four years, and keeping me away from this big, important part of your life. And at first I thought I was okay with that, but the more I think about it, the more I realize...I'm not. And I never will be. I can't live that kind of life, Nick.

NICK: Arianna...I'm sorry. I'm trying to make more time for us, you know that-

ARIANNA: But only just now. For two months out of the four years we've been together, you're making an effort to see me more than once a week. I would go weeks without so much as you answering my text messages!

NICK: But that's over now, Arianna. I want to change that. I want us to have a real relationship.

ARIANNA: (Trying not to cry) That window's passed, Nick. I'm sorry, but I can't do this anymore.

NICK: But Ari...we can still make this work. I love you.

ARIANNA: I know...and I love you, too...and that's what makes this so hard. (Sniffles) I didn't want to make you choose between me and I.D.O.L....but you already have to choose between us, every day of your life. And you've made your choice. So I hope you're happy with it.

NICK: (As she turns to go) Arianna, wait-

ARIANNA: (Looks back at him) Good bye, Nick. Try not to die out there.

(She walks away, and NICK stares after her, his face revealing his heartbreak. He watches her go back inside her house and lingers for a while. Cut to I.D.O.L. headquarters, as the other agents of the super team are eating dinner in the common area.)

CLARK: So then I said, "If you don't love the Beatles, it's because you don't know the Beatles."

QAASIM: I know, right? I don't get these kids who say they want to be great musicians, but have never even listened to Stevie Wonder or Michael Jackson or any of the greats. How are you gonna make your mark on music if you can't learn from the best?

(NICK walks in with a loud opening and closing of the door, and the others turn and see him.)

JAX: Hey, Nick. You're back early.

TYANNA: Agent Holloway made veggie stir fry. You want us to reheat some for you?

NICK: (Walking past them all) No, thanks. I need to get back into the lab.

QUENTIN: What's going on? You got a new lead?

NICK: No, but I need to find one, and soon. I'm not about to let Big Machine take over the world just because I was missing something obvious. (Goes into the bathroom)

QAASIM: What's his problem?

DANIEL: (Sets a plate down on the table) Got me. (Sits down, the chair breaks) Whoa!

(The broken chair collapses underneath him, and the others get up and surround him.)

JOEY: You okay, kid?

DANIEL: Yeah, but I broke the seat. (Stands up) Oops.

(The young girls laugh as he and QAASIM move the broken chair pieces aside. The others sit back down and resume eating, except for JAX, who goes into the bathroom.)

CLARK: Does anyone else ever feel like you're killing Veggie Tales when you're eating asparagus?

RAYVON: No, Clark. That's just you.

(Cut to the bathroom, as JAX walks in and sees NICK washing his face in a sink. She slowly approaches him, and when she gets to the sinks, he looks up and sees her.)

JAX: Are you okay?

NICK: Not right now, but I will be. I have to be.

JAX: Do you wanna talk about it?

NICK: (Stands upright) Only if you promise it stays between us.

JAX: (Short pause) She broke up with you, didn't she?

(There is a pause. The two of them look intently at each other. Then JAX hugs NICK, he hugs her, and the scene fades to black.)

(A brief, dialogue-free montage of scenes from the following week. The agents resume physical training, and in the middle of one workout, the team all has to jump at the same time. RAYVON initiates it. We also see them in the laboratory and records room, trying to decipher Big Machine's plan involving the scorpion and the tarantula, but no one comes up with anything. There is also no progress in the way of the mole. On the first quarter moon night, JAX is outside the Cage when she starts to transform, and AGENT HOLLOWAY takes a calf heart from the freezer and uses it as bait to lure her inside. As she walks down the hall, all the other agents in the building are on alert, some reaching for weapons. The next morning, human JAX comes out of the Cage and knocks on some doors, but no one answers her. When she gets to the women's quarters in the secret base, ADANNA opens the door, holding a rifle. JAX stares at her and the gun for a moment in sadness and then runs away. ADANNA sets the gun down on the dresser and hangs her head in shame.)

(Scene: the following Sunday. The sun has just come up, and the first light pours in through the hotel room window. TORI wakes up in the light of a sunbeam, adjusts herself upright, opens her eyes and giggles at the sight of CLARK looking around the room. He is mostly dressed, but one foot is missing a shoe. He looks over from where he stands and sees her looking at him.)

CLARK: Oh, hey. Morning.

TORI: What are you doing?

CLARK: (Resumes looking around) I have an amazing gift and talent for losing things. Currently I have on one shoe and can't find the other. Anywhere. I'm pretty impressive.

(TORI laughs as CLARK gives up the search and lies back down on the bed next to her.)

TORI: What's the rush? Oh, right, it's Sunday. You have to get to church, don't you?

CLARK: Not for another two hours. But I was hoping we could go to breakfast together.

TORI: What, you're still hungry after all the cereal you ate last night?

CLARK: You can't tell me that something is better than cereal late at night. You can't tell me that.

(They both laugh, then turn to face each other. TORI is still mostly under the covers.)

TORI: We are the most awkward couple ever. We can't even make love right.

CLARK: Yeah, sorry. It was my fault this time. I didn't mean for that to happen.

TORI: Hey, you think that was the first time that's happened to me? There's nothing to be embarrassed about. (Kisses him) I still love you.

CLARK: I love you, too. (Moves in a little closer) Maybe one day we'll get it right. But I feel kind of guilty. Nick's been really out of it ever since his girlfriend broke up with him, and I wish there was something I could do to help, but seeing us together...it probably rubs it in for him.

TORI: There's nothing you can do, Clark. Nick's a tough guy, he'll get over it. I love that you've got such a big heart, but you can't let his sadness take away from our happiness.

CLARK: You're right. (Sighs) I just wish these moments never had to end.

TORI: I know. Me, too.

(They wrap their arms around each other and lay there in silence. Fade into the next scene later that day, as CLARK sits on the stage in the music room, playing his acoustic guitar and singing "Sunday Morning" with no other accompaniment. At the end of the song, he looks over and sees NICK standing in the doorway with a soft smile on his face.)

NICK: That might be the best one I've ever heard you do.

CLARK: Thanks. It's Tori's all-time favorite song.

NICK: So I take it last night went well?

CLARK: Yeah, it was great. I got to take her to breakfast before church.

NICK: I know it's none of my business, but did you actually have sex this time?

CLARK: No. Something happened that I'd rather not talk about.

NICK: (Chuckles) Okay.

CLARK: It's weird. After all this time, we still haven't really been intimate, but I've never felt closer to her. I'm sorry, I shouldn't be going on about me and Tori, not after you and...

NICK: It's fine. The other guys go on and on about their girlfriends, it's only fair that you should, too. Besides, I'm happy for you. You know enough to hold onto what you have.

CLARK: Well, to be fair, I don't have to choose between Tori and I.D.O.L. You were with a civilian, that never works out well.

NICK: I don't know, it's working just fine for Rayvon. And Quentin.

CLARK: Yeah, I don't know how they're pulling it off.

NICK: (Short pause, looks at him intently) Do you think I made the right choice?

CLARK: In what?

NICK: Choosing I.D.O.L. over her.

CLARK: Oh, man, that's hard. Now that I have some idea of what love is, it seems really stupid to turn it down, but with I.D.O.L., we have a commitment to saving lives and ridding the world of evil. I think if she really loved you, she'd understand that.

NICK: So I did make the right choice?

CLARK: When you look at the big picture...yeah, I think so.

NICK: Thanks. I just need to keep telling myself that.

(CLARK sets down his guitar and gets down from the stage, and the two of them exit together.)

(Scene: that evening. JAX comes into the secret base from the elevator and is surprised to see QUENTIN, DANIEL, and MADDIE wearing hospital masks. All but JOEY and QAASIM are there.)

QUENTIN: Hey, Jax.

JAX: Hey. What's with the masks? You know there's no zombie virus, right?

QUENTIN: Oh, no, this has nothing to do with you. It's just that Joey's got the flu and Qaasim has strep throat, so we don't want anybody else getting sick.

MADDIE: Mermaids have a resistance to most human diseases, but this is just in case.

DANIEL: I don't know, you didn't seem so resistant the day we had to bring you home in the middle of a mission. You got so sick, we thought your appendix burst or something.

MADDIE: No, Daniel, you're the only one who thought that. One day and I was fine.

QUENTIN: Well, Joey and Qaasim are gonna have to stay in bed tomorrow. Daniel and Maddie volunteered to help me take care of them, but everybody else should try and stay out of the secret base until then. The guys are all gonna be in the lab.

SARINA-JOI: I'm going out tonight, as you can see by my shoes.

(She shows off her tall, gold, sparkly high-heel boots, and QUENTIN and the girls all admire them.)

ADANNA: I was hoping Daniel and I would get a real date for the first time in forever, but no, he'd rather stay here and take care of sick agents.

DANIEL: Hey, you could stay and help me. They're your teammates, too.

ADANNA: We're the Dark Horse Twins. We can't afford to get sick.

SARINA-JOI: Besides, I don't want Qaasim giving me that creepy sexy look while I put Vapor Rub on his chest.

JAX: Well, you guys have fun with that. I'm just gonna let Riley know what's going on and see if he wants to go out. (Pulls out her phone and starts texting) Any luck with the mole?

QUENTIN: Nope. And we still can't figure out what the Scorpion and the Tarantula are. Even in full context, I can't tell whether they're people or weapons or bugs or what.

JAX: Well, good luck. Looks like Riley and I won't be alone tonight. See you later. (Exits)

ADANNA: (As she and SARINA-JOI exit) Does Qaasim really look at you like that?

SARINA-JOI: Yeah, but I can't tell if he's serious. You know him.

DANIEL: (After they are gone) He's not. Well...maybe a little. But it's mostly an act.

(Scene: a restaurant with a karaoke stage. JAX, RILEY, MICHAEL and TREVOR sit together at a booth with food and drinks. At the moment, they are laughing at something someone said.)

MICHAEL: Jax, you are too weird.

JAX: Maybe, but that's why you love me.

RILEY: Yeah, it is. One of many things, anyway.

TREVOR: So what do you think, should we go see a movie after this?

JAX: That sounds great. (Pulls out her phone) Let me see what's playing.

MICHAEL: (Whispers to TREVOR) So do you think now's a good time to tell her?

TREVOR: (Whispers back) There's never gonna be a good time. We might as well get it over with.

RILEY: (Whispers to them) She's gonna find out eventually, it'll be better if it comes from us.

JAX: (Leaning back against RILEY in the booth) Okay, the only thing playing anytime soon is "Jurassic World," but I promised Clark I wouldn't go see that without him.

MICHAEL: Fair enough. Better than going and then spoiling it for him.

JAX: Everything else, we'll have to wait until 9:00. (Drops her phone) I just dropped my phone.

RILEY: (After the guys are done laughing) Listen, Jax...there's something you need to know.

JAX: (Sits upright) What is it? (Anxious face and tone) You're not breaking up with me, are you?

RILEY: What? No! Come on, would I do that in front of our friends?

JAX: I don't know, maybe? I've had breakups on the brain ever since Nick got dumped.

MICHAEL: Oh, yeah, he really took that hard. But he bounced back like a good agent.

TREVOR: Does anyone remember what her name was?

JAX: He never told us her name. I.D.O.L. policy, remember?

TREVOR: Yeah, I know. I was just testing you.

RILEY: And no, Jax, I wouldn't do that. But some of our friends aren't so friendly anymore.

JAX: What do you mean?

MICHAEL: The day after your incident with that family in New Mexico...a lot of us held a meeting to decide...whether or not it was safe to keep you at HQ.

TREVOR: And some of them wanted to file a petition with the director...to have you sent away.

JAX: (Stunned expression) Who were they?

RILEY: (Takes out his phone) Here, I'll text you their names. Just in case anyone's listening.

(He types something, and a few seconds later, JAX gets the message. She looks at her phone and then looks back up at the others, crushed.)

JAX: But...why?

RILEY: Because they're scared. They don't understand.

MICHAEL: But for the record, we all stood up for you. And Savion. And Katherine, and Lovey, and Shannon. In the end, the petition wasn't even written.

JAX: Thanks, guys. You're the best.

TREVOR: I mean, how could we just lock up one of our best agents? Now more than ever, we need all hands on deck, and if that means reworking the schedule every full moon-

JAX: Every lunar phase, actually.

TREVOR: Whatever. We'll do what we have to do.

MICHAEL: And besides, we'd miss having you around. Who else is gonna flirt with us behind Riley's back?

RILEY: (Laughs, then looks at JAX) Wait, what?

TREVOR: Oh, come on, like you never see it. It's all in good fun, nothing serious.

JAX: It's true. I like to tease them. Remind them what they could've had if they'd had the courage to ask me out before you did.

RILEY: But you're the one who asked me out, remember?

JAX: I know. That's the best part.

MICHAEL: It's cool. We're all friends.

TREVOR: Yeah, if it was anything serious, we'd tell you.

JAX: And you guys proved last week that you're the best friends a zombie girl could have.

RILEY: (Raises his glass) To friendship. (The others raise their glasses and they toast)

JAX: (After they set down their glasses) Hey, look, the karaoke machine's free!

(The three boys move closer to the stage, and all eyes are on JAX as she goes up, selects a song, and picks up the microphone. The music plays, and JAX walks around the stage and the ground below it as she sings "Blank Space." At different parts of the song, she gets close to MICHAEL, TREVOR, and finally RILEY. At the end of the song, everyone applauds, and she and RILEY kiss innocently. She remains seated next to him as the next person takes the microphone.)

(Scene: the men's quarters in the secret base. DANIEL is cleaning up his bunk while QAASIM watches him from his own. He looks tired and does not make a sound.)

DANIEL: (Looks over at QAASIM) You feeling any better? (QAASIM shakes his head no.) I'm sorry. I know it sucks not being able to talk or move around. Can I get you anything?

(QAASIM picks up his phone and types something, and a few seconds later, DANIEL gets the message. He takes out his phone and reads it.)

DANIEL: Got it. (Puts his phone away) I talked to my mom last night. She's still worried after all this time, but that's what moms do. She says she's really proud of me. (QAASIM nods in understanding.) You know, once you can talk again, you ought to give your mom a call. She's probably worried about you, too. Just be careful what you say. We don't want too much getting out. (QAASIM nods again.) I'll be right back.

(DANIEL exits, and QAASIM lies down and picks up his phone again, typing a new message.)

(Scene: a week later. All of the agents are gathered in the garden enjoying lunch, including a fully recovered JOEY and QAASIM. NICK is working the grill.)

NICK: Who wants their burger well done? (Some of the agents speak up)

QAASIM: (Looks at a separate plate) What's this one?

NICK: That's Maddie's veggie burger. Come and get it, Maddie.

DANIEL: (As MADDIE goes up and takes the plate) Veggie burger?

MADDIE: Yeah. I'm a vegetarian except for fish, remember?

DANIEL: But you live with fish. Don't you feel weird eating your neighbors?

MADDIE: No. The fish are just other animals to us. You share the land with cows and pigs and chickens and you don't feel bad about eating them.

DANIEL: I...guess I never thought of it that way.

JOEY: (Finishes her plate of crawfish) I am so glad to be up and moving again. Lying in bed all day reading comic books and binging on Netflix sounds like fun, but when you feel like crap the whole time, that just ruins it. Nobody else got sick, did they?

SARINA-JOI: Nope. You and Qaasim were well quarantined.

ADANNA: Good thing, too. That means I can still do this. (Leans over and kisses DANIEL)

JAX: Quentin kicked us all out of the secret base until you guys were better.

TYANNA: Oh, that reminds me. Jax is supposed to turn zombie tonight, did you guys wanna go out and do something?

JOEY: Yeah! We can all get dressed up and go out on the town, go dancing...

ADANNA + SARINA-JOI: (In sync) Girls night out! (They high-five)

QUENTIN: Sounds like fun! Maybe you can help Slugga get to where he's going.

CLARK: Who?

QUENTIN: (Points at the ground) This little guy over here.

(CLARK and RAYVON get up and go over to the corner of the garden where QUENTIN is standing, looking down at a snail as it crawls across the ground.)

QUENTIN: Look at him, just crawling along. He looks like he's on his way to the mall or the club, going to meet some friends. Where you going, Slugga? (The snail picks up its head and moves it up and down) "My name is Slugga and I'm going to the club."

(The snail resumes crawling, and CLARK and RAYVON exchange confused looks.)

CLARK + RAYVON: Uh...

CLARK: That's...strange.

RAYVON: I was just gonna say unusual.

QUENTIN: No offense taken, brothers. I myself am strange and unusual.

NICK: (Chuckles) Well, whatever you are, I think you're very cool. Okay, well done burgers are up!

(Some of the others get in line for burgers. Cut to a little while later, as the team passes through the open floor part of the gym.)

ADANNA: So I was thinking we could all wear those kimono things we just got.

SARINA-JOI: Good idea. Who knows when we'll get to wear them.

SEACREST: (Comes out and approaches them) Ah, just the agents I was looking for.

TYANNA: What's going on, Director?

SEACREST: I couldn't help overhearing your plans for tonight, ladies.

JAX: Well, I'm not going anywhere. They are. It's a full moon night.

SARINA-JOI: We were just gonna go out to dinner, hit the club-

ADANNA: I hear there's gonna be a fireworks show at the beach.

MADDIE: Is it okay if we take the limo, Director?

SEACREST: You mean the stretch SUV limo that it costs us six hundred dollars a month to fuel?

QAASIM: I take it that's a no, then. Sorry, ladies.

DANIEL: Wow, is it really that much?

SEACREST: It appears you agents need a lesson in I.D.O.L. finances. Between this and the four-day talent showcase no one told me about, it's as if you're trying to exhaust our budget.

CLARK: Wait, no one told him about the talent showcase?

RAYVON: Of course not. We knew he wouldn't approve.

SEACREST: And yet you went ahead with it. Have you made any progress in figuring out either Big Machine's plan or the identity of the mole?

NICK: No, sir. But it's an ongoing project-

SEACREST: That we cannot afford to fall behind on. Perhaps instead of gallivanting all over the city, you girls should return your focus to that.

JOEY: Oh, come on, Director, lighten up! I tried the whole "keep your mind on the mission and nothing else" thing for a whole week before I got sick. It was the worst week of my life. Like it or not, agents work better when they can get out every now and then. And look at us. Besides me, these girls are still just girls. Can't you let us be human for once?

(Music plays, and JOEY walks and dances around as she sings "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun." At the first instrumental break, she picks up a ribbon and starts twirling it around, and JAX and TYANNA do the same. At the first chorus, JOEY is playing with a hula hoop, and ADANNA and SARINA-JOI each toss her another one, which both land perfectly around her waist before playing with their own. At the bridge, the girls continue to play with the ribbons and hula hoops and dance around, except for MADDIE, who has jumped into the pool and swims around as a mermaid. At the final chorus, they play with the fountain effects in the pool, and when the song is over, JOEY stands where she is with a smile on her face, but SEACREST is no longer in the room.)

(Scene: Big Machine headquarters. We get an overview of the building on the rocky island, and then cut to BORCHETTA'S office, where BORCHETTA is pacing back and forth. A grunt stands by, watching nervously in silence, until at last he clears his throat.)

GRUNT 1: Excuse me, sir? You look a little troubled. Can I get you anything?

BORCHETTA: Only if it's a message from one of my accomplices. I haven't heard from them in days, and I'm afraid they may have been exposed. If so, then we'll need to move up our attack, which I'd rather not do, because I don't know if all the new recruits are ready.

GRUNT 1: Actually, sir, that's what I came in here for. (Takes out a tablet) Here's how everyone performed today at training. The numbers look good to me.

BORCHETTA: (Takes the tablet and reads) Yes...very good...Holly McCoy has been learning fast. (Gives back the tablet) I'll want her on the front lines when we launch our invasion.

GRUNT 1: One other thing, sir. The admins and their spouses have been on my case for weeks about their children getting involved in this attack. You know parents, very anxious.

BORCHETTA: Those children knew what they were getting into when they agreed to take on this assignment. I trust that they will see it through. And when we are victorious and the kids return in one piece, they'll see they were worried about nothing.

GRUNT 1: Very well, sir. (The phone on the desk rings) Oh, it looks like you've got a call on the encrypted line.

BORCHETTA: Yes, now get out of here so I can answer it. (Picks up the phone as the grunt exits) Hello? (Short pause) Good. (Evil smile) Excellent. We should be ready soon. Just keep leading them on. I'll contact you when it's time. (Short pause) No, no, I'll want you on the outside for the attack. If they survive, they'll look to you even more, and if the others are exposed, I'll need someone with a foot in the door. (Short pause) Are the Scorpion and the Tarantula still in place? (Short pause, nods) All right. We should both get back to work. Take care that they don't see through you now. (Hangs up the phone, leans on the desk and rubs his hands with an evil grin and chuckle) Soon, my I.D.O.L. friends...soon...

(Scene: the next day in an office. SARINA-JOI is sitting casually at the desk when the phone on rings. She picks it up, and during the conversation, the other young girls join her there.)

SARINA-JOI: (Short pauses between phrases) I.D.O.L. headquarters, Agent Crowe speaking. The director is busy right now, can I take a message? (Excited face but maintains her tone of voice) Okay, that's great. He'll be happy to hear that. So how is everything? And how was it? (Nods) I totally get it. Well, thank you. I'll let him know you called. You, too. Bye. (Hangs up, stands up) Oh my gosh, you'll never guess who I just got off the phone with!

ADANNA: Who?

SARINA-JOI: Candice Glover! (The girls makes excited sounds)

TYANNA: No way!

JAX: As in, queen of Aria, ambassador of Earth, Candice Glover?

SARINA-JOI: Yes! Can you believe it? I just talked to royalty!

MADDIE: That is so cool!

RAYVON: (Enters) What's going on in here?

JAX: Oh, nothing. Sarina just got off the phone with intergalactic royalty.

RAYVON: I take it Candice called? Yeah, she's really nice. I met her once when she and the party returned from Aria.

TYANNA: What?

MADDIE: No way!

ADANNA: Okay, now I'm jealous.

RAYVON: What did she want?

SARINA-JOI: She was calling to let Seacrest know that she finally got hold of a universal translator from Aria that she can send us. Our scientists can replicate it in the labs here.

RAYVON: Oh, good. We've been trying to get that for a while. It'll make our diplomatic outreach a lot easier. (Laughs) We can get rid of those mandatory language classes.

SARINA-JOI: Joey is gonna be so excited when I tell her! She's been dying to work on one of those. (JOEY runs into the room and starts looking around) Hey, Joey, guess what?

JOEY: (Does not stop rummaging around) Not now, guys, I've got a code red on my hands.

TYANNA: What happened? Did somebody break in?

ADANNA: No, that's a code blue, remember? Code red means something else for Joey.

JOEY: (Looks through the desk drawers) I always keep a box of tampons in the desk in case of emergency, but now I can't seem to find it.

JAX: (Pulls a tampon out of her bag) Relax, Joey. I got you covered.

JOEY: (Looks up, runs over and takes it) Oh, thank you! You're a lifesaver.

JAX: (Pulls a Life Saver candy out of her bag) No, this is a Life Saver. (The others laugh)

RAYVON: (As JOEY exits) Well, we could all use a laugh today. We just got finished trying to reach all our contacts, and the guys are beat.

(Just then, NICK, CLARK, QUENTIN, QAASIM and DANIEL slowly enter the room and collapse into chairs, completely exhausted.)

NICK: (Wipes his brow) Whew! Okay, we have officially reached out to all of our possible contacts with any connection to I.D.O.L.... (Takes a breath) And we found out...absolutely nothing.

CLARK: The records room is cleaned out, too. Nothing about a scorpion, or a tarantula, or anything that could tell us who this frickin' mole is. (Wipes his face) I'm done.

QUENTIN: Not just yet, guys. There's still one last of box of paper records to go through.

(NICK and CLARK groan as JOEY reenters the room with a box full of paper files.)

RAYVON: Oh, come on, it wasn't that bad. At least the AC was working.

CLARK: You're one to talk. You're the only one who got to take a bathroom break.

JOEY: Well, this is the last box of records. We get through this and we're home free. You know how it works in the movies, the answer is always in the last place you look.

NICK: I'm not sure when this became a movie, Joey. (To everyone) But she's right. We might as well get it over with now.

DANIEL: Oh, all right. But I wanna go out to lunch afterwards.

TYANNA: I'm cool with that.

MADDIE: Same.

(Each of them reaches into the box and pulls out a paper file. They all find seats, either in a chair or on the floor, and begin investigating. Early into his search, QAASIM pauses and looks curiously at the papers before him. He then glances back and forth between the others and the top paper.)

RAYVON: So Sarina got to talk to the one and only Candice Glover earlier.

CLARK: Nice! It's not every day one of the ambassadors calls. They're very busy people.

JAX: Have you ever gotten calls from the Authentic Icons?

NICK: No, none of us have, except Sarina, who's still friends with Fire Bolt.

SARINA-JOI: I can't even bring myself to call him that. I always just call him DeAndre.

NICK: They're way overdue for a check-in. We reached out to them right after they made the news, and we had a meeting with them when they came out here on vacation. But we haven't heard from any of them since. No calls, no emails, nothing.

TYANNA: I remember someone said they signed a contract with I.D.O.L., that as long as they used their powers for good and checked in regularly, then I.D.O.L. would leave them alone.

JOEY: Right. I didn't sit in on the meeting, and I know they're busy saving the world and all, but I thought we had an understanding. Now it's as if they're purposefully trying to avoid us.

QAASIM: (Picks up the top paper from his file) Well, it looks like they have a good reason for that.

ADANNA: What do you mean?

QAASIM: (Stands up and holds out the paper) Take a look at this.

SARINA-JOI: (As NICK goes over to him) What is it?

QAASIM: Something I never thought I'd find in an I.D.O.L. record file.

NICK: (Takes the paper and reads from it) It's a classified report from 1947. "The International Defense and Offense League celebrates the official opening of the Goldstein Institute for Enhanced Persons. This privately funded facility is designed to contain individuals who have physically and/or mentally enhanced themselves to the point of being dangerous to themselves and the people around them. The new structure is located just outside of Barrow, Alaska, at a safe distance from human civilization in the event of an escape or inmate breakdown."

ADANNA: An asylum for people with superpowers? That doesn't sound like I.D.O.L. at all.

SARINA-JOI: And Alaska? Beyond the Arctic Circle? That's just cruel.

MADDIE: But why would they want to lock up superheroes?

NICK: (Tension rising in his voice) "The building is seven stories tall, including the underground level, and features one thousand six foot by nine foot cells, and all except for those on the lower level will have padded floors, ceilings, and walls. The institution is to be guarded by 500 I.D.O.L. agents from around the world, and they will be housed on the grounds of the facility. A quote from I.D.O.L. director William Roberts, "We hope that the Goldstein Institute is effective in giving the citizens of the free world peace of mind. While we cannot yet contain the threat of Communism from the east, we can at least provide a secure place for those whose superhuman abilities pose a threat here at home." Other staff members include cooks, nurses, and janitors."

JOEY: (Very disturbed) So all this time, I.D.O.L.'s been running a prison for people with powers.

QUENTIN: Man, even for a secret organization, that's just low. You gotta wonder how much this costs us to maintain.

CLARK: (Looks at the file on the ground) No need to guess, here's a bill. "Combining the bills for heating, plumbing, electricity, food, staff pay, and security maintenance, the Goldstein Institute for Enhanced Persons costs I.D.O.L. an annual (Eyes widen) six million dollars?!"

DANIEL: What?!

QAASIM: That is messed up!

CLARK: Plus another million to the President of the United States for keeping the location of the building a secret.

JOEY: And Seacrest accuses us of blowing the budget!

JAX: Is there anything in there about rehabilitation programs? Maximum sentences, release agreements, anything to suggest that they can get out of there for good behavior?

RAYVON: (Looking through the papers) No...there's nothing in here about any of that. From what I can tell, this place was designed to keep people with powers locked up for life.

TYANNA: So we're paying seven million dollars a year to keep perfectly good people locked up in prison cells until they die. That can't possibly be right.

QUENTIN: (Picks up another piece of paper) Well, brace yourselves. It's about to get worse. Listen to this report from 1991. "The International Defense and Offense League has come under fire once again. Jonathan Fitzgerald, an inmate at the Goldstein Institute for Enhanced People, was reportedly beaten into submission by a guard at the facility. The I.D.O.L. agent accused of beating the prisoner has not been dismissed. Fitzgerald was initially brought to the institution after surgically attaching retractable metal claws to his fingernails. These allegations mark the 144th case of inmate abuse by staff since 1985, when Keiko Kato, a former I.D.O.L. agent from the Japanese division, claims to have been sexually abused by her attending guard. Kato was brought to the institution after injecting herself repeatedly with homemade adrenaline drugs. Her attacker was removed from the facility but not fired from I.D.O.L."

ADANNA: 144 cases in six years?! That's two every month!

QUENTIN: "A nationwide vote was held at the beginning of the year to close down the Goldstein Institute and release and/or relocate all inmates. However, after a majority vote and final approval by I.D.O.L. director Kimberly Park, the institution will remain open. A quote from one I.D.O.L. agent, who has elected to remain anonymous, "I vehemently disagree with this decision. I was hoping that with I.D.O.L.'s first female director would come a new wave of compassion, but it appears Director Park is just as hard of heart as her male predecessors."

SARINA-JOI: Someone tell me why we're just getting to this box now?

QAASIM: Because we didn't find it until now. It was on the top shelf at the back of the closet.

TYANNA: Well, now I understand why.

MADDIE: (Very nervous) But maybe it's not open anymore. Maybe later on, they held another vote and they closed it. Let's keep looking through the file.

RAYVON: (Picks up more papers from the file) I'm afraid there's really no good news here. There are more abuse reports from after 1991, and a bunch of statistics, too. It says here, "Of the 42 inmates who were physically or sexually assaulted in the year 1995, 27 were women, and of the 28 inmates who were beaten or underfed in the same year, 14 were under the age of 21."

JAX: (Face is a mix of anger and heartbreak) You guys, these misconduct reports date all the way back to 1955, and the most recent one is from last year. This place is still very much open.

NICK: (Low, angry voice) And every U.S. president since Truman has had a hand in this atrocity.

CLARK: (Sadness in his face and voice) I don't believe it...how could I.D.O.L. do this?

(There is a moment of silence. The agents hang their heads in shame and mourning, only raising them again when SEACREST walks into the room.)

SEACREST: Oh, hello there. I was told Candice Glover called...hey, what's with the long faces?

NICK: (Approaches him, holding up a paper from the file) Did you know about this? Is this why the Authentic Icons want nothing to do with us?

SEACREST: (Shocked, low voice) Where did you get that?

NICK: It was in a file from a box. The last box, on the top shelf, at the very back of the closet in the records room. You know, the one we've been cleaning out trying to find the mole. But you were hoping we'd identify them before we found this, weren't you?

SEACREST: (Growing anxious) I don't answer to you...

NICK: Answer me!

(There is a long silence. SEACREST is stunned as the agents all look at him in anger. He sighs.)

SEACREST: Even the agents of I.D.O.L. can't have access to all its secrets. This was one that's been passed down from director to director, from Roberts onward. Part of my job is to make sure the Goldstein Institute stays funded, secure, and above all...secret.

JOEY: Why? Because you're afraid that if your agents found out about it, they would demand you shut it down? Because it's 2015 and we should stop being afraid of people who are different?

SEACREST: You don't understand the whole situation, Agent Cook! This file is only the history.

QUENTIN: And it's a vile and shameful history that never should've happened. You're a great big hypocrite for praising the Authentic Icons while keeping everyone else with powers locked up like animals. It's within your power to right this wrong, and yet you've done nothing!

SEACREST: It's different! If you would just let me explain-

CLARK: How? What makes these people any different from the ones we call heroes?

SEACREST: For one thing, the Authentic Icons' powers come from within them. They're part of their biology, not separate from the individuals. The inmates at the Goldstein Institute, they enhanced themselves through drugs and surgery and made themselves dangerous.

RAYVON: But are they all dangerous? Just because they look different now? How many of them actually did any harm after they gave themselves powers?

SEACREST: At any given time...maybe...forty percent.

SARINA-JOI: So more than half of them are there just because people are afraid of them.

SEACREST: Look, Agent Crowe, maybe most of the inmates haven't robbed a bank or killed an innocent bystander, but can we expect their neighbors to wait around until they do? This institution was built as a precaution in case the unexpected happened.

QAASIM: You mean in case the world started changing? Well, take a look around, Director! The world has changed, and it's still changing, and there's nothing anybody can do to stop it!

JAX: Some of the other agents talked about sending me away. If you had gotten their petition, is that where I'd be now? If I.D.O.L. had discovered mermaids back in the 1950s, would Maddie's family be there now? Would Maddie even be here today?

SEACREST: Jax, I would never send you away-

MADDIE: Why not? Because she's useful to you? What about me? If I wanted to, I could use my voice to make people do whatever I told them. Why don't you send me away?

SEACREST: You're all taking this way too personally.

DANIEL: But why shouldn't we? Why shouldn't we expect better from the biggest espionage organization on Earth?

TYANNA: When I signed up to be an agent of I.D.O.L., I thought I was going to work for someone with values. Who would fight to protect all people, not just the ones they thought were safe. Lying to the outside world is one thing, but lying to your own agents?

SEACREST: That's enough. If you're done searching the records room, I suggest you put everything back in its proper place.

CLARK: Oh, no. We're leaving this box out. We're broadcasting this so that everyone here can see who they're really working for. A liar and a coward!

SEACREST: How dare you talk that way to me! I ought to have you discharged right now!

RAYVON: You discharge any one of us and the rest of us walk. You put us together because you wanted a team that would fight for truth, and honor, and integrity. And now you've got one.

SEACREST: Please, guys, I beg you, don't abandon me now. Not with Big Machine on our tails...

NICK: And why should we help you, Seacrest? Haven't we already done enough for you? We've given up everything we know and love to come out here and put our lives on the line for the good of the world. All the time we've spent hunting down bad guys and foiling evil plots is time we sacrificed with our families and friends. I've had to put aside my band and my love life and all my hopes and dreams to serve I.D.O.L.! And now I'm starting to wonder if it was worth it. What kind of man are you, Seacrest? What kind of organization is this? I always knew I.D.O.L. was a lot of things, but I never imagined it would be corrupt. I've given you eleven years of my life, and I still don't really know you. I don't even know your first name!

SEACREST: (Deeply stung) Agent Fradiani...please, try to understand...I have my reasons...

NICK: Stop. Just stop. I’m done taking orders from you. Because it’s clear now that you don’t care about anyone at I.D.O.L. Not even your most faithful agents. Earlier this year, you sent the three of us (Points to CLARK and RAYVON) to go capture Rachel Halleck. A woman who was raping men for her lunatic science experiment, including your own agents. We were convinced for a year that we were among them. But we didn’t question it. We didn’t even bring up Agent Campbell. We just said “Yes, sir” and we went and got her. I swore I would kill her the next time I saw her, but I didn’t because you said to bring her back alive.

SEACREST: (Shocked and disturbed) Wait, what? When did that happen?

NICK: Oh my God, do you even read the frickin’ reports you have us write?! It was in my report, and both of theirs, and we heard nothing from you! You did nothing! You just passed it along like every other paper that lands on your desk! This was the only mission where we ever needed to be extracted, and it didn’t occur to you to ask what happened? You didn’t wonder why we each spent three months having one-on-one sessions with Dr. Lawrence?

SEACREST: Well, what did you expect me to do?

NICK: A little closure would’ve been nice! We wanted to question her after we took her in, but you just sent her off to Washington and sent us off on the next mission. We had to wait until May to finally get our answer. And she didn’t take any sperm samples from us, but she did get one from Agent Campbell. But you never bothered to ask how he was doing, either, did you?

SEACREST: Agent Fradiani, I am sorry–

NICK: Save it. I don't even know if I want to be that anymore.

(He shoves the paper at SEACREST and exits without looking back. After an awkward silence, SEACREST also turns and exits. The agents all walk out in the opposite direction.)

DANIEL: So are we still going out tonight?

TYANNA: You bet we are. I need to get far away from this place.

MADDIE: Me, too. I'd rather sleep in the ocean than spend the night here.

(The others remain silent as they all go their separate ways. Cut to the music room, where NICK is sitting on the stage. He plays his acoustic guitar, and the rest of the music kicks in as he sings "Maggie May," never moving from his spot. When the song is over, he looks in the doorway and sees CLARK, JAX, and RAYVON standing there watching him. There is a short pause.)

NICK: How long have you been there?

RAYVON: Long enough.

NICK: I'm sorry, guys. I didn't mean to storm off like that.

CLARK: (As they come closer to him) Nobody's mad at you, bro. We're all on the same page.

JAX: Yeah, man, we're just as disappointed in Seacrest as you.

NICK: It's just that...I expected more from I.D.O.L. I know nobody's perfect, every organization has its flaws, but I now I feel like I've wasted the last decade of my life defending something that I thought was good. I can't help wondering if I belong in prison. If we all do.

CLARK: (Sits down on the edge of the stage) Don't say that. Of course we don't belong in prison. Think about how many villains we've stopped from taking over the world.

NICK: (Sits beside him) But what makes I.D.O.L. any better than them? We have footholds all over the world, we try to influence governments and keep the public on our side, but we have our own agenda, too. And no one here is innocent. We break and enter all the time, we lie, we steal, and we all have blood on our hands. So why aren't we the bad guys?

RAYVON: (Sits beside them) Because of what we want to do with the world. Somebody's gotta keep the peace. The villains we face, they want to take over the world for their own personal gain. They want to get rich and exploit people until there's nothing left. But we do everything in our power to stop that from happening. That's what makes us the good guys.

CLARK: I.D.O.L. might not look really good right now, but it's always been committed to protecting the free world. Protecting the world and controlling it are two very different things. When Jesus came to save us from our sins, he didn't take away our free will. Big Machine and all these other groups, they want to take that away. But we can't let them.

JAX: (Goes up to them) We won't let them. Maybe we can't protect people from all the changes in the world, but we still have to help them through it. And that's what I.D.O.L. is all about.

NICK: (Short pause, sigh of exhaustion and relief) What would I do without you guys?

RAYVON: Let's hope you never have to find out.

JAX: But we wouldn't be a proper team without you, Nick. You're our leader, and you always will be. That's what the big shiny badge is for, isn't it?

NICK: (Takes out his leadership badge) Oh, yeah. I forgot about this thing. (Chuckles, pins it to his shirt) Maybe I should start wearing it more often.

JAX: So...you're not gonna leave I.D.O.L.?

NICK: (Smiles at her) No. I'm not leaving. I've put too much time and effort into this mission to quit now. But after that...oh, who am I kidding? I'm not going anywhere.

(They all laugh as the men jump down from the stage. Then they all say some encouraging words to each other and engage in a group hug.)