SCENE ONE: JACK AND STEVE ARE ON THE PIER. STEVE HAS HIS SCUBA TANK ON AND HIS READY TO SWIM TO THE SHIP.

 

STEVE: I see it.

JACK: What, the freighter?

STEVE: That's it, that's the one, the one the Coast Guard said came in last week.

JACK: Well that must be it then.

STEVE: Alright. You remember your part, right?

JACK: Yeah. I'm sure of it.

STEVE: You're not going to mess up?

JACK: No.

STEVE: I'm counting on you.

JACK: It's been a long time.

STEVE: Alright, take it easy.

 

STEVE ENTERS THE WATER AND BEGINS TO SWIM TO THE FREIGHTER. JACK REMAINS ON THE PIER WATCHING WITH BINOCULARS.

SCENE TWO: A SHORT TIME LATER ISABELLA ARRIVES.

 

ISABELLA: Jack.

JACK: Isabella! I told you to stay up there in that attic.

ISABELLA: I was worried about you. All of you.

JACK: So I guess it's alright for you to go running about all over the open spaces with Victor looking all over for you. He is looking for you now, isn't he?

ISABELLA: You're angry at me.

JACK: Nooooo. Not angry. Just caught a little off guard though, you know, hearing Victor talk about you so intimately. So very intimately I might add.

ISABELLA: I guess I'm just one big question mark to you.

JACK: Hahaha. Well, mystery in a woman has it's limits.

ISABELLA: So you're wondering how I can hide out for weeks and then all of a sudden come out in the open like it's no big deal?

JACK: You took the words right out of my mouth.

ISABELLA: Jack I realize that whether I'm in the attic or out on the streets, Victor Kiriakis will always be a threat to me.

JACK: You care to elaborate on that point?

ISABELLA: Spoken like a true newspaper man.

JACK: You're not going to tell me? What, I have to wait for some sleazy tabloid to bring it out?

ISABELLA: I can't talk about it.

JACK: Alright, let's just bury the whole thing. Let's cut right to the meat of the matter. Why can't you stay up there in that attic?

ISABELLA: I'm sick and tired of running and hiding because of some key.

JACK: Some key got your sister killed.

ISABELLA: Yeah, well the key was more important to her than people. I'm not like that.

JACK: So now the key's not important?

ISABELLA: Right now the only thing that matters is getting Kayla back.

JACK: And you want to help?

ISABELLA: Please let me stay. (Beat) Are you going to let me stay and help.

JACK: Button up your overcoat. It's get cold late at night.

ISABELLA: Then I can stay?

JACK: I'm going to hate myself in the morning.

ISABELLA: Does that mean that you believe that I'm telling you the truth?

JACK: No. It means you can stay here and help.

ISABELLA: Is Steve supposed to signal you?

JACK: He's supposed to signal me a long time ago. I wonder where the hell he is.

SCENE THREE: MEANWHILE STEVE HAS SWUM TO THE BOAT AND GOT ON BOARD. JUST AS HE GOT TO KAYLA'S CABIN HE WAS HIT ON THE HEAD AND TOSSED BACK IN THE WATER. HE MANAGED TO STRUGGLE ONTO A RUBBER DINGHY AND IS FLOATING UNCONSCIOUS IN IT.

SCENE ONE: IT IS THE NEXT MORNING AND JENNIFER GETS A VISIT FROM MAGGIE. SHE ASKS MAGGIE ABOUT MELISSA, AND SAYS SHE IS GOING TO CALL HER IN EUROPE BECAUSE SHE WANTS TO TALK TO HER ABOUT JACK. MAGGIE SAYS THAT JACK WAS A MYSTERY TO MELISSA AND JENNIFER SAYS HE IS A MYSTERY TO HER TOO BUT MELISSA WAS STILL IN LOVE WITH HIM. MAGGIE ASKS IF JENNIFER IS IN LOVE WITH JACK AND SHE SAYS NO BUT SHE CANNOT KEEP HER MIND OFF HIM.

SCENE TWO: MEANWHILE JACK HAS DOZED OFF DOWN AT THE PIER. HE WAKES UP AS THE BINOCULARS FALL OUT OF HIS HAND.

 

JACK: Ooooh! (Beat) Wait a minute. Damn.

 

HE REALIZES THAT STEVE SHOULD BE BACK BY NOW AND BEGINS SEARCHING THE HARBOR WITH BINOCULAR.

 

JACK: Alright Steve, where the hell are you? DOGGONE IT! I've waited out here all night. It's got to make up for the kidney. I'm sure of that.

STEVE! WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU?

 

ISABELLA: Jack.

 

ISABELLA ARRIVES WITH SOME COFFEE.

 

JACK: Oh there you are. Here's the coffee.

ISABELLA: It's freezing.

JACK: You found a place open, huh?

ISABELLA: Maybe we should wait in the car until Steve gets back.

JACK: NO! For the hundredth time, we cannot wait in the car. We cannot see the water from the car.

ISABELLA: Okay.

JACK: Alright.

ISABELLA: Have you seen anything?

JACK: No. Steve said, wait right here. I'll signal. IT'S BEEN ALL NIGHT!

ISABELLA: Are you sure you got the plan right?

JACK: YES! I'm sure I got the plan right. He said, meet me, I'll signal, I'll get Kayla. It'll be real simple.

ISABELLA: Well what could have gone wrong?

JACK: I tell you what went wrong. I didn't go with him. That's what went wrong.

ISABELLA: Jack I hate to say this but if he hasn't signaled by now, he's not going to.

JACK: Well where could he be?

ISABELLA: I don't know. Maybe he got caught by the same people who have Kayla.

JACK: You know the silly thing, the silly thing is that I'm supposed to help Steve find Kayla. Now I can't even find Steve. I mean what's the matter with me? I can't do a thing.

ISABELLA: It's not your fault.

JACK: That's not going to help. It's not going to make me feel any better, I know that.

ISABELLA: Jack! Look!

JACK: Look what?

ISABELLA: Look....oh my god I think it's Steve.

JACK: Look, where? Where?

ISABELLA: Over there!

JACK: Wait a minute! That is Steve. That is Steve. Here take this.

 

JACK STRIPS OFF HIS OVERCOAT AND SUIT COAT AND REMOVES ONE SHOE THEN HE DIVES INTO THE WATER.

SCENE THREE: MINUTES LATER HE DRAGS STEVE OUT OF THE WATER.

 

ISABELLA: Is he okay?

JACK: I don't know.

ISABELLA: Oh my god. He hit his head really hard on something.

JACK: Or somebody hit it for him.

STEVE: Aaaaaaah.

JACK: Here, here, here.

 

JACK COVERS STEVE WITH HIS COAT.

 

STEVE: Wha....wha....

JACK: What happened?

ISABELLA: What happened to you?

JACK: What happened to your head?

STEVE: Hey did you hit me?

JACK: NO!

STEVE: What am I doing here? Oh, Kayla. I was on the boat. I had her. I was about to signal you. I gotta get back. I gotta get back to Kayla.

JACK: No. No, wait a minute, wait a minute, wait a minute.

 

STEVE TRIES TO STAND UP BUT FALLS BACK DOWN.

 

ISABELLA: Oh Steve. You can't go anywhere like this.

JACK: She's right. We've got to get you to a doctor.

STEVE: No. If they hit me on the head, god knows what they're doing to her.

JACK: I'll tell you what we'll do. We'll get Marcus and he'll look at you.

STEVE: No. I gotta get Roman. I've got to find Kayla.

JACK: Think about it for a minute. You're in no shape to go off like this.

STEVE: I've got to find Kayla.

JACK: Let me get Marcus and he'll take a look at your head.

STEVE: Don't worry about me man.

ISABELLA: What are you going? You don't even know where Kayla is right now.

JACK: That's right. We have to stop....we have to stop and think about what we're doing. Just sit down and....

STEVE: I can't stop and think about anything. I've got to find that freighter again.

JACK: Look, they're going to be waiting for you this time. Don't you see that? Let me go with you. You need my help.

STEVE: I got no time to have a tea party with your people. Excuse me. (Beat) Thanks for pulling me out of the river.

 

STEVE WALKS AWAY AND JACK HALF SMILES AT STEVE'S COMMENT.

 

ISABELLA: You can't let him go like that. He might have a concussion.

JACK: Don't worry. He's not going to be alone.

SCENE FOUR: JACK AND ISABELLA GO BACK TO HIS BEDROOM SO HE CAN CHANGE OUT OF HIS WET CLOTHES.

 

ISABELLA: Jack, what's going on? Why are you rushing around like this?

 

JACK IS ATTEMPTING TO COMPLETELY CHANGE HIS CLOTHES WHILE HOLDING HIS OVERCOAT OVER HIMSELF.

JACK: Because I want to get back on the street and I'm going to find Kayla.

ISABELLA: I thought you were letting Steve do it on his own.

JACK: No. Steve wouldn't let me help him. You know how stubborn he can be.

ISABELLA: Yeah, he's not the only one.

JACK: Yeah, I'm going to help him whether he likes it or not.

ISABELLA: You're a good brother.

JACK: Thanks, thanks. Now, can you help me?

ISABELLA: Absolutely.

 

JACK IS TRYING TO UNDO HIS PANTS.

 

JACK: Hehehe! Now that's American sense of humor for you.

ISABELLA: I mean, absolutely I'd do anything to see Victor lose.

JACK: Don't joke about Victor. Be straight about Victor for once.

ISABELLA: I am being straight about Victor. After what he did to me?

JACK: To ME?

ISABELLA: To my family.

JACK: Tell me what your relationship with Victor was. What happened between the two of you, huh?

ISABELLA: I better go so you can change.

 

 

JACK IS ANGRY AS ISABELLA WALKS OUT OF THE ROOM.

SCENE FIVE: A SHORT TIME LATER, JENNIFER IS IN JACK'S OFFICE LEAVING THE ARTICLE SHE HAD WRITTEN. SHE PUTS IT DOWN, THEN CHANGES HER MIND AND TAKES IT BACK AGAIN. JUST AS SHE OPENS JACK'S OFFICE DOOR TO LEAVE, JACK WALKS IN AND THEY BUMP INTO EACH OTHER. JACK HAS WET HAIR AND IS DRESSED IN JEANS AND A SHIRT.

 

JACK: WHOA!

JENNIFER: There you are.

JACK: Thanks. I didn't know I was missing.

JENNIFER: Vern's been looking for you all morning and you know the environmental piece, well it needed a new lead so I came in early and I did it. Here it is.

JACK: Thanks.

JENNIFER: Maybe you need some time alone to look it over. You know, give you a chance to read it.

JACK: Jennifer, shut the door. I need to talk to you in private.

JENNIFER: Jack I've been wanting to talk to you too. I feel like....um....things have been a little strange between us ever since you asked me to get Emilio to.....

JACK: Here's a pad, a pen. Start taking notes.

JENNIFER: Sure, okay.

JACK: I want you to start taking some new responsibilities around here. At least for a little while.

JENNIFER: Okay. Like what?

JACK: I want you to start meeting with the editors, the feature writers, circulation.... you're getting this down aren't you? I want you to start meeting....I have a meeting with the advertisers next week.

JENNIFER: Jack aren't these all the things that you usually do?

JACK: That's right, they are. But I'm counting on you to go to bat for me. Help me out a little bit. How about that, huh? You up for it?

JENNIFER: Yeah, yeah, that's great. I would love to.

JACK: Okay. It's going to mean a lot of new experiences. A lot of new responsibilities.

JENNIFER: No, that's okay. I'm ready. I think it would be great working side by side with you. You must really trust me to take me to all these meetings and stuff.

JACK: Oh, whoa, whoa, whoa. I'm not talking about going together. I'm talking about you doing it alone.

JENNIFER: (Really hurt) What do you mean? Where are you going to be when we're doing all this?

JACK: Well....er....the point is. As soon as I'm through here, I'm leaving.

JENNIFER: What do you mean, you're leaving?

JACK: Just a temporary leave of absence.

JENNIFER: What, you mean you're going to be gone?

JACK: No, no. I'll be in and out of the office a little bit but there's no time to do the things I normally do, that's all.

JENNIFER: Why are you doing this Jack?

 

WHILE HE IS TALKING HE IS PILING HER UP WITH FOLDERS AND FILES.

 

JACK: I have some personal things I need to take care of.

JENNIFER: What, personal? You mean, like Isabella, personal?

JACK: No, like....um....

JENNIFER: Like Isabella.

JACK: Like Isabella and Steve and Kayla. Yes.

JENNIFER: Jack this is stupid. You don't have to take a leave of absence because I can help you. We can work on all this stuff together and get it done and then you won't have to leave.

JACK: Jennifer, I don't need....I don't need you with me. I need you here, without me.

JENNIFER: Okay, so you're going to go off on a little adventure and you're going to leave me here to take care of all of your responsibilities and do all this work.

JACK: Correction, Jennifer. I don't do little adventures. It's a big adventures and it's not the kind of thing that I take....er....a....a young lady on.

JENNIFER: You're taking Isabella.

JACK: Yes. Isabella is....is....is a....is involved and you're not.

JENNIFER: What about what I did for you at the airport Jack?

JACK: Ah....well look that's ancient history, okay. Well look the Incredible Hulk is still after....I mean he's still helping you out, isn't he?

JENNIFER: Yes. He's moved into the loft.

JACK: Good. Then I don't have to worry about you.

JENNIFER: No you don't. I'm going to be just fine.

JACK: Fine, fine. I'm leaving you in capable ha....I'm leaving everything here in capable hands. Right! I have a lot of confidence in you. (Beat) Ah, I'll see you later.

 

JACK HURRIES TO THE DOOR TO ESCAPE BEFORE JENNIFER REALIZES THAT WHY HE IS DOING ALL THIS, THAT HE IS TRYING TO PROTECT HER. SHE IS VERY HURT AND DOES NOT UNDERSTAND HIS MOTIVES. HE STOPS BEFORE HE WALKS OUT AND LOOKS BACK AT HER HOLDING A HUGE STACK OF FILES.

 

JACK: Got a match? (Beat) Joke! Joke!

 

HE WALKS OUT AND SHUTS THE DOOR. SHE HAS TEARS IN HER EYES. ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE DOOR, HE BREATHES A SIGH OF RELIEF AND THEN A LITTLE SAD THAT HE IS LEAVING HER.

SCENE SIX: JENNIFER GOES HOME WITH ALL THE WORK JACK GAVE HER. WHEN SHE STARTSCOMPLAINING EMILIO TELLS HER WHAT A JERK JACK IS. SHE THEN DEFENDS JACK, SAYING THAT UNDERNEATH ALL THAT STUPID STUFF IS A GUY WORTH KNOWING.

SCENE SEVEN: JACK RETURNS TO HIS PLACE WHERE ISABELLA IS WAITING.

 

ISABELLA: Is everything okay at the office?

JACK: NO!

ISABELLA: Jennifer?

JACK: NO!

ISABELLA: Want to talk about it?

JACK: NO! I tell you what I do want to do. I want to find Kayla and then I want to take care of your pal Victor.

ISABELLA: Victor is not my pal.

JACK: Well then what is he?

ISABELLA: Nothing.

JACK: If he's nothing, why can't you tell me what happened between the two of you?

ISABELLA: I can't!

JACK: Don't you trust me?

ISABELLA: Jack it's not about that. Haven't you ever done something you just don't want to talk about?

JACK: Yeah, maybe I have but there comes a time when you want to do something about it.

ISABELLA: Well that's exactly what I'm trying to do. That's why I want to help find Kayla.

JACK: Yeah, well, I hear you talking. I mean, so you say, but?

ISABELLA: Look, you got me out of Bayview. I owe you whatever help you need. Trust me.

JACK: You're starting to sound like me. I tell you what, I'll trust you when you tell me what happened between you and Victor.

ISABELLA: I'd like to tell you what happened between Victor and me but I can't. Not yet.

JACK: There you have it.

ISABELLA: Telling you what happened between Victor and me is not going to help us find Kayla. I promise you.

JACK: So tell me. What's your interest in this whole thing?

ISABELLA: I realize that ultimately my sister is responsible for this.

JACK: Hmmm.

ISABELLA: If she wouldn't have come back here, Steve would never have got involved.

JACK: That's putting it mildly.

ISABELLA: Well if it wouldn't be for Marina, Steve and Kayla would be together right now, picking out names for their baby.

JACK: Mmmm, mmmm. Instead they're separated and in terrible danger, yes!

ISABELLA: Exactly. That's why I feel it's my responsibility to get them back together. Don't you see, that's all I want to do.

JACK: Hmmm. Sounds good. Unfortunately you're talking to the King of Sounds Good so I don't really trust things that sound good anymore.

ISABELLA: Well I don't know what else I can tell you.

JACK: Neither do I. All I can say is that as soon as I find Steve and Kayla, I can get back to my own life.

ISABELLA: With Jennifer?

JACK: (Cynical laugh) My own life, with me.