Episode 04 - The Underdog

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kings Of The Desert
Season: 01
Episode: 04
Written by: Mark Davison
Produced by: Moonstone Productions
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AGE RATING: 15+
CONTAINS: STRONG LANGUAGE, MILD VIOLENCE
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------



Eliza: Hi there, I’m Elizabeth Chalmers, but you can call me Eliza… Or even Lizzie come to think of it, I don’t mind. Pleased to meet you, anyhow. I was born on January 1st, 1980. Yes-I’m a New Year’s baby, feel free to joke about it if you wish-I’ve had it all my life and it’s all stuff I’ve heard before. For New Year’s jokes, there’s nothing “new” about them. Though, as you’ve seen, that’s not the main thing I get picked on for nowadays. I know a girl in The Wasteland isn’t that common, especially a Desert King… Or Queen, whatever, but the racing isn’t the reason I’m in this town. This is what lead to me to such a seemingly insignificant place…





Officer: Congratulations on your new promotion, Captain.
Costello: Thank you very much. I’m sure it’ll be a breeze with me running this ship.
Officer: Oh by the way Cap, we have a couple new guys joining the force today. Only young recruits though.
Costello: I’m sure they’ll be no bother. Send ‘em right in.



Officer: This is Samson Prickett and Enrico Stubbs.
Rico: Hello Captain.
Sammy: Hi Cappy!
Costello: What was that?
Sammy: Erm… I mean, Captain.
Costello: Very good.
Officer: These fellas need to be on their way I’m afraid. They have a couple of mandatory training assignments today.
Costello: Very well. You two may go.



Costello: Yes… I can see them being perfect additions to the squad in the future years. They seem like bright young professionals.



Eliza: I was born and raised in Thompsonville, Cohnar… Yes-I’m aware I have that typical Cohnarite accent, I’m sorry. I never have liked it, it just doesn’t suit me. I’ll admit I keep to myself and I’m a little reserved so it isn’t exactly fitting for me to sound the way I do when I talk… but that can’t be helped. Anyway, I lived with just my mum and my dad… Or at least, I did at first…



Eliza: I couldn’t exactly tell you what happened-I never got told much to start with, and most of the things I was told , I’ve long forgotten. What I do remember though is: my parents both worked together for some company… Mining… Or medical research… something like that. I know there’s a major difference between the two but I honestly can’t remember which it was, but they were fairly high up in the company, I think. A couple days before my tenth birthday, they were called away for something important… across the other side of Alterra to the UMC. I think they had to supervise people removing a hazardous power plant from some old abandoned town. It’d been abandoned much longer before, but apparently it was only then when it was “safe” for them to go back.
Jay: Y’ready to go Kel?
KC: I think so… Bags packed, passports etc etc are all in the usual bag. Diane’s coming over any minute to watch over Elizabeth whilst we’re away…
Jay: Kelly? Everything ok?
KC: Jay… something about this doesn’t quite add up. What’s the situation with this place again?
Jay: Told ya’ all I know Kel-some abandoned town in the UMC desert’s got some power plants and facilities, what have ya’, that need to be taken away. They used to be really volatile and too dangerous to move earlier, but apparently now things should be safe enough to finally remove them. We only need to go over there to supervise and make sure all the safety regulations are carried out. You never know when someone just gets a bit careless.
KC: I see…
Diane: Hello? Kelly? Jason?
KC: Hello!
Jay: Erm, Kel?
KC: What?



KC: Elizabeth! What are you doing out of bed?
Eliza: I heard you and daddy talking. Where are you going?
KC: Mummy and daddy have to go to work for a few days.
Eliza: But it’s my birthday on Monday! You can’t go!
KC: I’m so sorry sweetie, but we don’t have a choice.
Jay: Kiddo, we promise we’ll make it up to you when we come back, ok?



Diane: Is everything alright in here?
KC: Yeah, it’s fine. Elizabeth, honey, Diane’s going to take care of you while we’re away, so be on your best behaviour for her, right?
Eliza: Ok...
KC: Aww, good girl. Thanks again for doing this Di.
Diane: Not a problem. The boys are off to some school trip to Sance so I’m more than happy to stay over here and keep an eye on her. We’ll be ok won’t we Elizabeth?
Eliza: Mhmm.
Diane: Heh, see?
Jay: If you need anything, you know the number to call, yeah?
Diane: Yes. Don’t worry-we’ll be just fine.
Jay: Good. C’mon Kel, we better get going-plane’s leaving in just over two hours but we still gotta’ get there first.
KC: Ok. Bye sweetie, we’ll see you again shortly, we promise.



Jay: Don’t be worried Kel, they’ll be alright.
KC: That’s not what I’m worried about. It’s just… why are they sending US to deal with this? Surely they have other supervisors over there already?…



KC: Sweetie, I want you to take care of this while we’re away. It’s my favourite necklace. I want you to keep it with you, for luck. And it’s my promise to you that I will come back. I WILL come back for you, no matter what.
Eliza: … Ok.
KC: Good girl. Love you darling.
Eliza: Love you too mummy.



Eliza: After they got into their car and drove off… that was the last time I ever saw them…



Eliza: We hadn’t heard a thing from them since they left, and they said that they’d be in touch. The trip was only supposed to be three or four days but a week had passed and they hadn’t returned. In the end, Diane called them to see what was going on… There was no answer.
Diane: Hi Kelly, it’s just me again. We’re just a little worried about you over here. Elizabeth’s missing you like crazy… I’m missing you too. I hope there’s nothing wrong and we’re just getting carried away with ourselves but… please call back as soon as you can, ok? Take care…
Eliza: They never did call back… And for a long time I was made to believe there was no job, and that they disappeared in order to get away from me… as if I’d done something wrong. Diane convinced me that that wasn’t the case. But what WAS the case?… To this day, I still wear that necklace my mother gave me… I never take it off. Now I think about it, that was the first time she had ever taken it off…



Eliza: Before long, Diane adopted me and became my official guardian. At first, I didn’t much like it, and that’s not just because of my parents vanishing without a trace. Diane’s two sons-Barney and Darren- were only a couple years older than me, but although we were technically now related, they still made jokes about me, the kind that they think makes them attract girls. Now, I’m not very knowledgeable about that sort of thing but I know that unless you’re a hussy, or desperate, (which is the same thing, I suppose) it isn’t going to work. I won’t go into detail about what they said, afraid I might want to be sick. Anyway, yes-that’s what I hated about being there. After a while, they laid off, and life started to take shape once again. Diane and the guys were a great help over time, they did what they could to help me make peace with it all, to forget what happened…



Eliza: But I never forgot… I never will…



Kieran: Liz, you alright?
Eliza: Huh? Oh… Yeah, I’m fine…
Kieran: Sure? You seem a bit tense. As a matter of fact, you’ve seemed tense since the day I met ya’. What’s wrong?
Eliza: No, it’s just… things at home.
Kieran: Wanna’ talk ‘bout it?
Eliza: … Not really.
Kieran: Hm, alright then. If ya’ change your mind though, gimme’ a call tonight. I’m off at my new part time job so I won’t be able to meet up, but ya’ can still call me when ya’ want.
Eliza: Thanks Kieran. Where’s this job anyway?
Kieran: Oh, just a janitor thing at this medical research place…
Eliza: Medical research place? Where’s that?
Kieran: Not very far out of town actually. Think they even used to be a mining company.
Eliza: You don’t say…
Kieran: Yeah… Hey, listen, I think they have another opening as an IT technician or… something like that… I know you’re into your computers ‘n’all that, if you’re interested I could put in a word for ya’?
Eliza: … That actually sounds great. Never thought it would come in handy, but I was quite a whiz when it came to computers. It’s my own personal calling card, really. My philosophy was that everyone who had a computer, puts everything you can find out about them onto it, and if you know your way around these machines, you can find out basically anything you want to know. This was only one of my many philosophies that was actually true…



Eliza: The company was much bigger than I thought. I wasn’t even allowed access to the main suites for a few years, which was where I needed to be if I was to find out anything. Those ID scanners they had were some serious technology, and even a person like me couldn’t hack my way through them, so I had to keep working until I was granted permission to go in there. It may’ve seemed absurd-working part time for a company for five years just to get into a room to find things out about my parents, when I couldn’t even say for sure that this was even the place they worked, though it seemed likely…
Kieran: Hello there lovely, how’s it goin’?
Eliza: Hi Kieran. Erm, just been asked to… defragment the super’s hard drive. Said he was getting a spot of bother from it.
Kieran: Ha, ya’ don’t say? Well, have at it.
Eliza: Thanks.
Kieran: My pleasure sweet thing.



Eliza: … Always thought he had a crush on me… Ew.



Eliza: Let’s see what we have here then… After a long search, I managed to find myself in the company’s archives… Looked up the past records from overseas… UMC… After that, I was lost. There were a lot of past jobs on record from over there… One however stood out-no name, no date, no specific details… it had suspicious written all over it… Not literally. The file was part corrupted, sadly, but I could see enough. It stated “between 1989 and 1990”-fine. Job type was a “cleanup operation”-good. Supervisors in charge, all I could make out from the text was two names: J. and K. Chalmers, but the surname had been corrupt and only said “Cha***r*”… but it didn’t take a genius to work out who they were. I’d found what I was looking for, but there were two problems: One-that town could’ve been anywhere, and two-where was all this going to lead me anyway?



Kieran: Everything alrigh-… Whatcha’ doin’ Liz?
Eliza: I…
Kieran: I don’t think it’s what ya’ were asked, was it?
Eliza: … No. Look, please don’t say anything will you?
Kieran: Depends. Will you tell me what this is all about?
Eliza: … Do I have a choice?
Kieran: Again, depends.
Eliza: Fine…



Eliza: That’s basically it.
Kieran: …
Eliza: … Can I get back to it now?
Kieran: No.
Eliza: What?
Kieran: There’s somethin’ I shoulda’ told ya’ long ago Liz. I got this job ‘cause my family have worked here for generations, they’re now all executives ‘n’ vice managers in various departments across Alterra.
Eliza: Oh…
Kieran: Exactly. Look, I’ve always liked you Liz…
Eliza: Why am I not surprised?
Kieran: So here’s what I’m gonna’ do: you give this up, ‘n’ leave it be, ‘n’ I’ll forget all this ‘n’ act like it never happened, yeah?



Kieran: Liz…
Eliza: No, I won’t. You know something you aren’t telling me. I swore I’d find out what happened, and that’s exactly what I’m going to do.
Kieran: Liz, you have no idea what you’re letting yourself in for, you WILL regret it.
Eliza: I don’t have time for empty threats straight out of a bad movie Kieran, just answer me one thing-where is this town?
Kieran: How should I know? I haven’t a clue.
Eliza: Tell me the truth.
Kieran: What makes you think I’m lying?



Kieran: Ow! What the fuck’s wrong with you?
Eliza: That’s the first time I’ve ever hit someone I’ll have you know, and I won’t hesitate a second a time.
Kieran: Heh, well I’m rather flattered that I was your first.
Eliza: …



Kieran: Ow!
Eliza: You make me sick sometimes, you know that?
Kieran: Alright, alright! Cool it!… Clearly I underestimated ya’. Ok, I’ll tell ya’, but only to prevent another hit. Honestly Liz, I’d rather you don’t know-it’s dangerous ‘n’ I don’t want you gettin’ hurt.
Eliza: I can take care of myself. Now quit stalling and tell me where it is!
Kieran: Here…



Eliza: He wrote down on a piece of paper directions from the nearest docks… which was actually still really far away so he had to get a second piece of paper to continue… and a third… then I finally had the full thing. Well, I knew it wasn’t going to be easy, after all.
Kieran: It’s always the quiet ‘n’ shy ones that are the most crafty… ‘n’ have the hardest hit. Ow.



Diane: You sure you know what you’re doing love?
Eliza: I’ll be fine Diane, don’t worry about me.
Diane: I already am.
Eliza: I promise you I’ll be careful.
Diane: I suppose it’s all I can really ask of you right now isn’t it? Listen, the boys say they learnt a thing or two from your little hacking spree and they managed to find at least some general things about the town you may find useful.
Eliza: I’ll not ask how they managed to find things out about a lost town on the Arcanet when all they look at is… adult literature, to be fair. They don’t learn anything from anyone.
Diane: I thought it was too good to be true, but that’s the boys for you. Anyway, apparently when you’re only sixteen mile away from the town, you’ll lose any communication to the rest of Alterra, so we‘ll get cut off. And be careful on the roads-they have one strange climate over there, any and every weather is possible in that region.
Eliza: Thanks Diane, I’ll keep a look out.
Diane: One last thing, before I forget, I’ve been tol-…
Eliza: Diane?… Hello?… Guess I must be close.



Eliza: Funny that it was the instant I drove past that billboard there…



Eliza: Excuse me?
Ant: Hello there. Can I help ya’?
Eliza: You might, actually. This is going to sound like a strange question but… is this town on the Alterran map?
Ant: Haha, in this town, there’s no such thing as “strange”… But no, it ain’t anyway.
Eliza: Perfect. I’m definitely in the right place.
Ant: Hold up, y’mean you’re not here by accident? What could you possibly need here?
Eliza: I’m sorry, I have to get going.



Ant: Hm, so much for tryin’ to be sociable… Wait a sec… Oh c’mon! I know we have no law in effect ‘round here but at least drive on the right side of the road! And that’s comin’ from a Denevian!




Ricky: Another newcomer? They’s seem to be flockin’ in by the minute… Hey there darlin’, welcome to The Wildboar. How can I help?
Eliza: I was wondering if you could answer a few questions?
Ricky: I can certainly try dear. Whaddya’ wanna’ know?
Eliza: What can you tell me about that industrial site down the road?
Ricky: Um… Why’d ya’ wanna’ know ‘bout that? … You aren’t a cop or anythin’ are ya’?
Eliza: Me? Not at all, I could never be a police officer… Why?
Ricky: Oh no reason…
Eliza: Erm… ok.
Ricky: … Sure I know ‘bout the site. Have a drink ‘n’ I’ll tell ya’ all you wanna’ know.
Eliza: Glass of water, please.
Ricky: Water? (Laughs) Ya’ aren’t much of a drinker are ya’?
Eliza: Oh no, not in the slightest. Can’t stand the stuff. Hey, I could’ve been worse and asked for milk.



Eliza: So, what can you tell me about the power plants that used to be here?
Ricky: I’ll pretend that this isn’t a random question. Not much-I know that there WERE some here once upon a time, but they’d been taken away long before I came to this town.
Eliza: Oh right. Do you happen to know anyone who WAS here at the time?
Ricky: Nope. They’d taken them things away not long after the town was being abandoned. That was roughly 1970. The first folk that revived the town came back in ‘81, they claimed the plants had already gone by then.
Eliza: That can’t be. My parents were supposed to have come over here to take them away, and that was only eight or nine years ago.
Ricky: Sorry darl’, I’ve been in this town since ‘87 ‘n’ I’ve never seen ‘em myself.
Eliza: This doesn’t make sense…
Ricky: Maybe not, but it ain’t important. Just another one of them things where some people got the facts wrong ‘n’ now things don’t seem to add up, leavin’ people confused. Everyone should just leave history alone ‘n’ forget about it, saves a lot of time ‘n’ trouble. I’d advise ya’ to do the same.
Eliza: Thanks… Well, I best be off.
Ricky: Take care of yourself. See ya’ ‘round, perhaps.



Ricky: Huh… Girl didn’t even have her water.
Eliza: I just couldn’t make sense of any of it. But the more confused I got, the harder it was to let this all go. I knew things were definitely not as they seemed, and I decided that the only way to find out what was going on was to stick around in this town for a while and see what I could dig up.



Eliza: Excuse me. Is there much to do around here to pass the time?
Max: Heh, I’m not the one to be askin’ babe, I’ve just arrived in town myself actually. From what I can see, the main thing to do would be to join them guys over there… but I really doubt that’s your sorta’ thing is it?



Eliza: What’s happening?
Max: Go see for yourself.



Eliza: Will do.
Max: So what’s your name anyway, sweetheart?



Max: … I can tell when they ain’t interested.



Keith: Woah there sugar, this ain’t no place for a chick like you.
Eliza: Um…



Meg: An’ what’s that supposed to mean Woody?
Keith: (Whispers) Damn bitch callin’ me that name again…
Meg: I beg your pardon!?
Keith: … Well, I better go.



Meg: Indeed ya’ should.
Eliza: Thanks for that.
Meg: No problem, us girls gotta’ stick together, y’know.
Billie: I couldn’t put it better myself.
Eliza: Well, I appreciate it all the same.
Meg: Don’t mention it. So what can we do for ya’?
Eliza: I just was curious to see what was going on over here.
Billie: The same thing that’s going on every single day in this town…



Tim: Made a mistake there didn’t ya’ Leonard?
Leo: Screw you, Timmy!



Leo: You will always be inferior to me you self-righteous prat.
Tim: Now, now. No need to get so competitive…



Tim: That’s MY job!
Leo: Ah bloody hell.



Eliza: Erm…
Meg: That’s pretty much everyone’s first reaction to this joint.
Eliza: Who ARE they?
Meg: Well, the kamikaze fella is our current number one driver, whom we refer to as the King Of The Desert. He also happens to be Billie’s boyfriend.
Eliza: And the other guy is-?
Billie: My half-brother.
Meg: He also happens to be her boyfriend’s arch rival.
Eliza: Oh… Awkward often?
Billie: Always.
Eliza: … Do you think I could get in on this?
Meg: You mean… race?
Eliza: Yeah, what’s wrong with that?
Meg: We have over a hundred drivers across all of the ranks… we only have about ten women drivers overall.
Billie: And more and more guys show up, outnumbering the girls.
Eliza: Don’t you think someone should balance that out a bit fairer?
Billie: Of course.
Meg: But how many chicks ya’ see these days that are into their cars? I mean, I am, but I’m the flag girl-I’m not allowed to… sadly. Though I’ve considered droppin’ this gig ‘n’ takin’ to the dust myself.
Eliza: The dust?
Meg: The track, basically.
Eliza: Oh right.
Meg: Anyway, ya’ want in, y’all need to sign up. I don’t have a form on me but ya’ have to talk to Ralph. He’s “in charge” ‘round these parts ‘n’ will sign ya’ up… but he ain’t here right now.
Eliza: Then I’ll be back.
Meg: All ya’ need with ya’ is a car, ‘n’ a nickname or alias to go by.
Eliza: I have them covered.



Tim: Piece of cake, that was.



Leo: Son of a BITCH!
Tim: Take your huff elsewhere Leonard, please. Stop being such a child.
Leo: This ain’t over Walker. You may’ve took Willis out, but I ain’t one to be reckoned with. You say goodbye to your title this season, I guarantee… I’ll see ya’ later Bill.
Billie: Rrrr, now even my brother calls me that name.



Max: So what’re your thoughts?
Eliza: It’s… interesting.
Max: To say the least.
Eliza: It’s worth me sticking around, I know that much.
Max: You should… (Whispers) lucky me.
Eliza: What?
Max: What?
Eliza: … Thought you said something?
Max: Nope…
Eliza: Riiight… Well, I better go. Bye for now.
Max: Wait, hold up. So what’s your name anyway?



Max: Just not my luckiest day… Why is she drivin’ on the wrong side o’the road?… Typical woman driver.
Meg: Oi!



Eliza: So here I am, living in some rotten old house with water and electricity supplies which, after inspecting the systems, I learnt they’re actually illegally connected to the nearest town… I’m practically a squatter, when I think about it… Least I don’t pay taxes, not that I could afford them anyway. I don’t have a job, all I did for a living was paint-what little money I made from selling them at student markets, was going towards university… guess I won’t be going there anytime soon. I still like painting though… but, I feel like there’s something else I could do that I’d enjoy much more… but I don’t know what.



Tim: A little girl working on a car? Now I’ve seen everything that’s wrong with Alterra today.
Eliza: Oi! I’m not a little girl! I’m nearly nineteen!
Tim: As I said, a little girl. You sound like one, you act like one, and you talk like one.
Eliza: What are you doing here?
Tim: Could ask you the same thing.
Eliza: You could, but I asked first. So you start.
Tim: I’m here to see what YOU’RE doing here. Now your turn.
Eliza: Basically, family matters brought me here. Your interesting little pass-time made me stay.
Tim: Hold up. You aren’t seriously takin’ up racing are ya’?
Eliza: Is there a problem with that?
Tim: Well… we’re called KINGS Of The Desert for a reason.
Eliza: Kings Of The Desert you say? Funny, I thought you guys were called Rookies On A Playpen Track.



Tim: Haha! You women are always quick with the wit, but can ya’ be just as quick on the dust?
Eliza: Just you watch.



Eliza: It’s strange really. How I came to be here to find out the truth of something that happened nine years ago… Logically, I should get over it, but when it’s your family’s whereabouts at stake, you don’t really get over something like that. And despite the determination I have to see this through, even I managed to get sidetracked by this racing thing. I’m not so big on cars if I’m honest. A little secret: I knew that guy was coming so I was just pretending to know how cars worked so I LOOKED impressive when in fact I had no idea what I was doing when I was messing on with that engine.
Tim: I KNEW IT!
Eliza: Oh darn. Anyway, I know how to drive pretty well… but don’t ask where I learnt, ‘cause the truth is I didn’t. A few guys in school when we were seventeen challenged me to a drag race and, stupidly, I accepted… little was I expecting to beat them so easily. That’s basically it. I don’t know how a “quiet ‘n’ shy” girl’s going to handle herself in a town like this, but as long as there aren’t any creeps like Kieran here, I’ll survive. But how long will it be before the town changes me? I can already feel myself starting to be overly-eager to solve this mystery. But, the very rare tomboy attitude I occasionally have is starting to come out a bit. And so I say to myself… This could actually be fun.



Voice #1: Eric… Eric… ERIC!
Voice #2: WHAT!?



Damian: Explosives set?
Eric: Nearly.
Damian: What the hell’s taking so long!?
Eric: Look! If you wanna’ do it then by all means go ahead. But you don’t know shit about explosives so I hope you blow your fucking arm off!
Damian: … Why do we do this?
Eric: ‘Cause we can’t help but be unprofessional when it comes to a serious job?
Damian: … Yeah, that sounds ‘bout right.
Eric: Great. So have you done everything on your behalf?
Damian: Yep, done ‘n’ dusted.
Eric: Haha! Get it? Dust, the desert?
Damian: Grrr, that joke doesn’t get old with you does it?
Eric: Not with any true folk of the desert, no.
Damian: (Sigh)
Eric: So is it safe?
Damian: I’ve been assured all the guys are locked in there now.
Eric: I meant is anyone gonna’ notice an exploding building and a fiery blaze and come to their aid?
Damian: They’ll be dead all the same, no worries. Besides, we’re like a hundred miles from anywhere, INCLUDING that insufferable “Wasteland” or whatever… No one’ll see a thing.
Eric: Spiffing.
(Phone rings)
Damian: That’ll be the boss. Said he’d try to give ya’ a ring when the time came. He didn’t know if this part of the desert had a signal or not but, apparently it does.



Eric: Yes sir?



Eric: … Oh… Hi Ma’.
Damian: (Sigh)



Eric: Yes, I know it’s late… I told you I had an important thing to do at work!… Yes-I’m sorry I missed dinner… I know, I know… Oh c’mon Ma‘, no need to take away my Moneywell!… I’ll be back in time for breakfast… Yes, I promise. Bye.



Damian: Ok, maybe it wasn’t the boss.
Eric: I really should change my number…
(Alarm goes off)
Eric: Aw hell, what was that?
Damian: Shit! Erm… nooooooothing.
Eric: Damian!
Damian: Alright, maybe someone found a way to escape.
Eric: Oh fucking typical! So you’re saying they’re breakin’ loose?
Damian: No, of course not!… Ok, maybe they are.
Eric: Bloody brilliant… how many of them are there?
Damian: Erm… I have a list of them here-the whole employee list.




Damian: It’s pretty hard to read, but there’s ten names per page.
Eric: How many pages?
Damian: … About nine.
Eric: Terrific, so we have to re-capture ninety people? This time without the ability to trick them into a trap? Argh!



Damian: Don’t worry. Even if we gotta’ gun ‘em down, they ain’t gettin’ very far…



KC: “I WILL come back for you, no matter what… Good girl. Love you darling…”