Cut to Chris’ dorm room, at Worthington university.
The pages are sprawled out on the bed, as Pacey and Chris look over them.
PACEY: Your roommate sort of has a grudge against me…
CHRIS: Don’t worry. He’s out for the night.
Pacey looks over another page.
PACEY: From the looks of this, we found it just in time. He was going to blow up the studio next.
CHRIS: Kinda hard to do that since we found his blueprints.
The both of them grin in unison.
PACEY: I guess I owe you an apology.
Chris shrugs.
CHRIS: You were high-strung.
PACEY: No, I mean before. I never really trusted you. In my mind, you were always the guy who took advantage of my friend. But really…you’re a good man.
They shakes hands.
Chris gathers up the papers again, and replaces them in the folder.
PACEY: So, what? We just bring this to the cops and they put him in a padded cell for the rest of his natural life.
CHRIS: It’s not that easy, Pacey. There’s no signatures on any of this. The only proof that it even belongs to Rich is that I found it in his office.
PACEY: Yeah. Police probably wouldn’t buy the word of some guy breaking and entering. So what do you do?
CHRIS: Simple. We get him to admit it.
Pacey laughs.
PACEY: Oh, that’ll be easy.
They arrive at the door to Joey and Audrey’s dorm.
CHRIS: Just let me say goodbye. Just in case worse comes to worse.
Pacey nods. Then the two of them enter.
AUDREY: You never learn, do you Pacey?
The two boys stare in shock.
Standing there, waiting for them, is Dawson, Joey, Andie, and Audrey. They’re all grinning smugly.
PACEY: Ok, what’s everybody here for? An intervention?
Andie walks up to him, smiling.
ANDIE: We’re here to help.
He sighs.
PACEY: It’s dangerous…
DAWSON: Sorry, Pace. You mess with one of us, you mess with all of us.
Pacey smiles.
CHRIS: This should be interesting. One of his verses the six of us?
JOHN: Seven of us.
John Witter steps out of the bathroom. Pacey’s mouth hangs open.
PACEY: Dad?
JOHN: Told them I believed you. Guess that was enough. No one…and I mean no one…threatens my boy. I don’t care how rich he is! So, when do we kick his ass?
Pacey smirks.
PACEY: That’s the thing, pop…we don’t.
All six of them look at Pacey, confused.
He starts to walk back and forth.
PACEY: Tried pounding on him right before he fired me. Didn’t work. Tried it again after the car bomb. The guy’s too smart to know when he’s licked. Hitting him isn’t going to work, no…we have to out-think him.
He turns to Dawson.
DAWSON: Fight smarter, not harder. Right?
Dawson nods, with a smile on his face.
PACEY: I got a plan.
*****
Cut to the next morning, at Rich’s office.
A repairman exits the elevator, whistling as he goes.
After a few steps he notices a woman trying to force one of the doors open.
MAN: Hey?
She turns and smiles at him.
JOEY: Hi. I sort of locked myself out of the office.
He smirks at her.
MAN: Happens to me all the time. I think I have the key here somewhere.
Joey half-smiles at him.
JOEY: Thanks. If you hadn’t come along, I don’t know what I’d do.
MAN: Say, if you’re not doing anything later…
Before he can finish, someone strikes him in the back of the head. The repairman then collapses to the ground.
Dawson is standing behind him.
DAWSON: For some reason, I liked that better than I thought I would.
Joey smirks.
JOEY: You would. Now come on…before someone else shows up.
The two of them drag the repairman into the supply closet.
*****
Cut to the local police office.
OFFICER: What was your name again?
JOHN: Witter. Sheriff John Witter.
John passes him his badge.
OFFICER: A long way from Capeside, aren’t you sheriff?
JOHN: Yeah. That’s why I’m not just going after this guy myself.
Behind him, Audrey watches them talk.
JOHN: Listen to me…this guy set the bomb that killed that valet last week. We’re gathering evidence right this minute.
OFFICER: You’re conducting an investigation.
Audrey pushes John aside.
AUDREY: Listen to me…people could die! Do you understand that? Do you want to be responsible for that? Then help us!
The cop’s face starts to soften.
*****
Cut to the office.
Chris sits at the table, along with quite a few of the ‘new recruits’, as Rich paces back and forth.
RICH: I’ve reviewed the final results, and I have to say I’m not impressed with the results…
Chris looks over at the clock.
CHRIS: (muttering) Almost there…
*****
Cut to the basement.
A security guard sees someone wheeling a cart towards him.
GUARD: Hey, hold up! What’s wrong?
DAWSON: Got a call you needed a monitor replaced.
The guard waves him through.
Once inside the room, Joey climbs out form under the cart. Dawson takes the repairman cap off and gets to work. He pulls some electronics equipment out of the cart, and starts to hook it up to the main assembly.
DAWSON: This had better work.
*****
Cut to just outside the office.
Pacey peers through the small window, watching Rich make his speech.
PACEY: (muttering) Well…here goes nothing…
Andie grabs his shoulder.
ANDIE: Pacey…wait…
She kisses him. It’s a long, passionate kiss.
ANDIE: (whispers) Be careful.
He smiles, and gives her a nod.
*****
Back in the surveillance room…
JOEY: Well?
Dawson grins.
DAWSON: Showtime!
Joey takes out her cell phone and quickly dials a number.
*****
In the office…
Chris feels his pager go off. He smirks, and then gives a signal towards the door.
RICH: Could you please shut that thing off? As I was saying…
Before he can continue, the doors swing open. Pacey marches inside, a grin on his face.
PACEY: Wait…let me guess? This is the part where he tells all of you that he’ll ‘watch your back if you watch his’, right? Let me explain something to you folks…it’s utter crap!
Rich stares at Pacey, his anger obvious.
RICH: What the hell do you think you’re doing?
PACEY: Taking you out, pal! Sorry people…show's over. I suggest you take off.
Everyone complies, making for the door. All except Chris, who stays there.
RICH: Chris, call security!
CHRIS: Sorry…can’t do that!
Rich gives him a surprised look.
RICH: What?
Pacey smirks.
PACEY: What’s the matter, Rich? Never heard of a double agent? Chris here found your plans. So I wouldn’t go through with them if I were you. You sick, twisted, demented…
Rich lunges at Pacey, grabbing him by the collar, and shoving him to the ground.
RICH: NO ONE makes a fool out of me!
PACEY: And yet I’ve done it twice?
Rich kicks him in the face.
CHRIS: Pacey!
Chris runs to his aid, but Rich backhands him. Pacey tries to get up, but Rich grabs him again, and throws him against the wall.
PACEY: (gasping)You’ve been practicing…
Rich has a sinister grin plastered across his face.
RICH: Self defence classes. Never know when some upstart punk will take a swing at you.
He punches Pacey, causing his mouth to bleed.
Pacey then falls to the floor, as Rich lords over him.
RICH: I have to thank you, Pacey. This is much more gratifying than a bomb! I want you to know this is all your fault. If you would have just played by the rules…
Pacey laughs.
PACEY: Rules? You don’t have any rules. You do what you want, and damn the consequences. You don’t care who gets hurt…
RICH: If you would have just done what I said, that kid would still be alive. But no…you had to get a conscience, didn’t you? How’s this on your conscience…the next bomb I set will get whom I want it to. Those juvenile ‘friends’ of yours.
PACEY: Over my dead body!
RICH: That’s the idea, Witter! You stupid, stupid kid! Did you really think you could come here alone and stand up to me? Me?
Pacey smiles.
PACEY: Two things, Rich. One, you’re completely psycho! Coulda killed me just now, but like any mad scientist on a Saturday morning cartoon, you just HAD to rant and rave. And two…I’m not alone!
Rich pauses, not understanding.
PACEY: See…you know those ‘juvenile friends’ of mine? Well, one of them is really, really, really good filmmaker.
Suddenly…
DAWSON: (on intercom) Congratulations, Rich…you’re on candid camera!
*****
Back in the surveillance room, Dawson and Joey high-five each other.
They look at the computer monitor to see Rich standing over Pacey. Rich looks up at the camera, a look of horror in his eyes.
JOEY: Oh, he’s not happy.
Dawson smirks, then talks into the microphone.
DAWSON: Kick his ass, Pace!
*****
Back in the office, Rich is still staring at the camera in horror.
He doesn’t notice Pacey rising to his feet behind him.
PACEY: My pleasure!
Rich turns just in time for Pacey’s fist to strike him in the face. Another one hits him in the gut, causing him to kneel over.
Pacey then shoves him towards the table, causing him to roll over it and fall to the ground. Quickly, Pacey runs up to him and, grabbing the collar of his shirt, start to punch him.
Once…
Twice…
Three times…
CHRIS: Pacey? Just got a page from Audrey. Police are on their way here!
Pacey smiles.
PACEY: Sure they’ll love this little confession he gave us. Sorry, Rich…you’re going to jail.
It’s at that exact moment that Andie runs through the door.
ANDIE: Pacey? Are you ok?
Distracted by her arrival, Pacey takes his attention away from Rich for a second.
PACEY: Andie? Stay out…
Rich uses that distraction to hit Pacey, and manages to scramble away.
He runs towards Andie, grabbing her around the neck.
RICH: Nobody move!
He pulls a gun out of his jacket, and points it at Andie’s head.
RICH: Don’t come any closer!
Everyone freezes.