ROAD ROVER MEDIC By Jerimy Bass Dylan and Zudnik © Dylan Rinald Derv © Casey Johnson Star © Catherine Gore Spirit © Connie Smernos DJ © Jake Williams Sierra © Elista Adkins Jeff © William Cooper Hunter, Colleen, Exile, Blitz, and Shag © Warner Bros. Marauder and Dr. Bernard © Jerimy Bass Dodge Ram © DaimlerChrysler, Inc. Scene: Road Rover Headquarters, Friday morning. In the dining area, Dylan, Zudnik, Derv, Star, and Spirit, all wearing casual clothes, are having breakfast. Dylan is reading the morning paper. SPIRIT: So what’s in the news this morning? DYLAN: Oh, same old stuff. Crazy world we live in. Violence, crime, cheating, war, it’s just hard to believe. Just then, Hunter walks in, wearing casual clothes. HUNTER: Okay guys, after you finish, we want you all to meet us in the briefing room for an important announcement. SPIRIT: Okay, we’ll be there. Fade to next scene: Briefing room. Hunter, Colleen, Exile, Blitz, Shag, Dylan, Derv, Zudnik, Star, Spirit, and Dr. Bernard discuss a newcomer to the Road Rovers. Dr. Bernard is dressed in shirtsleeves, tie, slacks, dress shoes, and a doctor coat, while everyone else wears casual clothes. HUNTER: Rovers, we have a new recruit who’s coming to join us. STAR: Oh really, and what dive does he come out of? DR. BERNARD: Don’t take him too lightheartedly. This new recruit is not an ordinary Road Rover. DERV: How’s he different? HUNTER: Well, for one thing, he has a college education, which makes him a highly educated Road Rover. And the Master secretly recruited him before the rest of you were. DERV: What’s he going to specialize in? HUNTER: He will serve double duties with us, as a Road Rover and as a medic. DYLAN: A medic? DR. BERNARD: Yes, he will specialize in medical emergencies, and give Rovers treatment when they need it. DYLAN: So what’s his background? HUNTER: He’s a black Labrador Retriever. He was born in Maine, and raised in Boston, Massachussetts. DERV: So I bet he went to Harvard, right? HUNTER: Actually no. When the Master recruited him, he couldn’t send him to Harvard because it was private and there was not enough funding. But there were a few public universities that were willing to take him. So he ended up going to Oklahoma State University, in Stillwater, Oklahoma. DYLAN: So when are we going to meet him? HUNTER: Well tomorrow, Oklahoma State University holds its commencement. And he will receive his doctorate. STAR: A doctorate? I thought he was going to be a medic! DERV: He is going to be a medic, goofus! A doctorate doesn’t necessarily mean a medical doctor. It just means a certain graduate degree. HUNTER: Colleen and I plan to go to Stillwater later today and attend his commencement tomorrow. Also, tomorrow evening, we’ll hold a ceremony and officially make him a Road Rover. Would any of you like to come with us? DERV: Sure! Count us in! HUNTER: Okay, go get ready! Everyone heads up to their rooms. Fade out. Fade in. Scene: Stillwater, Oklahoma, the next day. The Road Rovers, wearing dress uniforms, arrive at Lewis Field on OSU campus, the site of the commencement. Dr. Bernard is with them, wearing a business suit and a hat. They are shown to their seats inside the stadium. On the field, near the east endzone, there is a large platform with chairs for doctorate recipients and university officials, and a speaker stand with microphones at the front. Behind the platform, there are rows of seating for master’s recipients. And directly in front of the platform, there are thousands of chairs arranged in rows for new graduates. Friends and relatives of graduates are seated throughout the stadium. Derv surveys the scene. DERV: Boy, it looks like a lot of people are graduating today. COLLEEN: Shh! They’re about to start. Just then an announcement comes over the PA. PA: Ladies and gentlemen, would you please rise for the procession of our graduates? Everyone stands up. The OSU band begins playing “Pomp and Circumstance.” New graduates walk in from the west end of the field, wearing black caps and gowns. They arrive at their seats and remain standing. Then, the master’s recipients walk in from the east end, wearing special caps and gowns, and also remain standing at their seats. And last, the doctorate recipients and university officials walk in, wearing special caps and gowns, and also remain standing. After the band finishes playing, OSU President Dr. James Halligan walks up to the speaker stand and speaks. DR. HALLIGAN: Please remain standing for our national anthem. The graduates, officials, and people with hats on take their caps and hats off. The OSU band plays the national anthem. After that, the graduates and officials put their caps back on. DR. HALLIGAN: Please be seated. Everyone is seated. STAR: Sheesh! That’s a long time to stand up! HUNTER: Alright, don’t fuss about it! We’re here for a reason. Fade to later in the commencement. DR. HALLIGAN: Ladies and gentlemen, rarely in the history of this u niversity have we ever had a student who has meant so much to us. Since coming here, he has been a great friend and a great supporter of our university. But now, it is time for him to go on. Tonight, after our commencement, he is going to become a Road Rover and serve them as a medic. But we will continue to recognize him as a dear friend, and now, as OSU’s Road Rover. Ladies and gentlemen, Oklahoma State University is proud to present the degreee of Doctor of Veterinary Medicine to James Henry Marauder! Everyone applauds wildly, especially the Veterinary Medicine graduates. They jump up, scream and shout as Marauder walks to the podium. Then, one university official places the hood around his neck. Another places a special medallion around his neck. And finally, Dr. Halligan presents him with the degree. He is given a standing ovation. Marauder and Dr. Halligan pose at the front of the platform where a photographer takes pictures of them. Fade to next scene: OSU Student Union Ballroom, later that evening, the scene of the ceremony. It’s a formal ceremony, so the guests are dressed up. The Road Rovers are still wearing dress uniforms, but this time with their actual decoration on their jackets. Marauder is also in dress uniform. The men guests wear tuxedos, while the women guests wear formal dresses. Big band music is playing. The people are enjoying refreshments and snacks. Marauder is receiving a glass of punch from a female server. SERVER: There you go, Marauder! MARAUDER: Thanks! Marauder takes the glass and starts to drink. Just then, Hunter walks up to him. HUNTER: Marauder, as the supreme commander, it is my proud privilege and duty to welcome you to the Road Rovers. MARAUDER: Thanks General. It’s an honor to be part of your elite group. HUNTER: Please, call me Hunter. MARAUDER: Okay, Hunter. Dr. Halligan walks over. MARAUDER: Dr. Halligan, I’d like you to meet General Hunter, the supreme commander of the Road Rovers. DR. HALLIGAN (shaking Hunter’s hand): It’s good to meet you General. I’ve heard so many wonderful things about you. HUNTER: Well, thanks. Colleen walks over. Hunter turns back to Marauder. HUNTER: Marauder, I’d like you to meet my wife, Colleen. COLLEEN (shaking Marauder’s hand): Nice to meet you. MARAUDER: Thank you. Are you from Britain? COLLEEN: Yes I am. How did you know? MARAUDER: I could tell by your accent. COLLEEN: Oh. The ceremony continues until the big moment when Hunter officially swears in Marauder as a Road Rover. Afterwards, the other Rovers congratulate him and wish him good luck. And then, Marauder says goodbye to OSU. Fade out. Scene: Road Rover Headquarters, the next day. Marauder moves in. Exile, wearing casual clothes, shows him his room. Marauder, wearing an orange t-shirt, brown pants, black boots, and a black jacket, walks in, carrying suitcases. MARAUDER: Looks lonely, but I think I can do something about it. Exile brings in the rest of Marauder’s stuff. EXILE: Just let me know if you need anything. MARAUDER: Okay. Exile walks out. Marauder looks around the room. To his left is a king-size bed. The sheets are made up. Next to it is a night table with a lamp, phone, and alarm clock. Against the wall near the door is a dresser. On the far wall is a closet door. To his right is a desk with a chair. On the other side of the door against the wall is a bookcase. MARAUDER: Well, I think I’ll get organized. He takes off his jacket and starts unpacking. Next are scenes set to the tune “In the Mood,” played by Doc Severinsen and the Tonight Show Band. First, Marauder unpacks his suitcases and tries to figure out where to put everything. He opens up the closet and starts hanging up dress uniforms, Road Rover armor suits, t-shirts, and pants. He puts all his boots on the floor just underneath the suits they go with. He opens up the dresser drawers and starts putting away his socks, underwear, gloves, and pajamas. He takes his book collection out and puts them on the bookcase. He puts his stereo boom box on top and puts his CD collection right next to it. He takes out his desk utensils and puts them on the desk. Then, he takes out his pictures and wall hangings. He hangs his OSU degrees over the bookcase. He hangs pictures of the U.S.S. Constitution, a lighthouse in Maine, and the OSU Library, side by side, over the desk. Over his bed, he hangs National Geographic maps of the United States and the World. On either side of his closet door, he hangs pictures of Franklin Roosevelt and John F. Kennedy. And above his dresser, he hangs a picture of Abraham Lincoln. The music ends. Marauder looks around the room and smiles, satisfied with himself. MARAUDER: Well, this room certainly doesn’t look lonely anymore. He walks out. Fade to next scene: the dining area. Dylan, Exile, and Zudnik, wearing their casual clothes, are having a conversation. Hunter, wearing a green turtleneck shirt, brown pants, and black boots, is standing nearby watching them. Marauder walks in and sees Dylan, Exile, and Zudnik sharing a laugh. MARAUDER (to Hunter): So what are they talking about? HUNTER: They’re talking about dance music. Dylan likes dance music. He’s into this thing called Eurodance. I’ve never heard of it. MARAUDER: Neither have I. I like big band music myself. It may be old, but it’s still great. HUNTER: Do you have any favorite bands? MARAUDER: Yes I do. Glenn Miller is my favorite. HUNTER: Glenn Miller? I love Glenn Miller! He was cool! I mean, he was so great he could take just about any kind of tune and make it swing. MARAUDER: You’re right about that. By the way, what’s for dinner? I’m hungry. HUNTER: I don’t know yet. Shag’s preparing it. MARAUDER: Is he a cook? HUNTER: Well, sort of. The trouble is he cooks everything in toilet water. MARAUDER: Yeech! That’s a major health violation! HUNTER: I know. That’s why we’re making him get takeout. MARAUDER: Oh, good. HUNTER: Well, as long as we’re waiting, how about I show you around the place? MARAUDER: Sure! Hunter leads the way as they walk out. Fade to next scene: the hangar area. Hunter and Marauder walk in. DJ is in there, wearing a gray shirt, blue jeans, and work boots. He his cleaning the windows on Hunter’s truck, a red Dodge Ram Quad Cab. HUNTER: How are you coming, DJ? DJ: Oh, I just got through checking your oil. Everything looks fine, Hunter. You windshield was dirty. So I’m just cleaning it off. HUNTER: DJ, I’d like you to meet Marauder, our new medic. Marauder, this is DJ, our mechanic. DJ (shaking Marauder’s hand): Good to meet you, Marauder. MARAUDER: Well, it’s good to meet you too. Where are you from? DJ: I’m from rural California. And I’m all country. YEEEEEEEEEEEEE HAAAAAAAA! (Hunter and Marauder immediately put their hands to their ears.) MARAUDER (taking his hands off his ears): I can see that. I’m all country too. New England country, that is! DJ: So you’re from the northeast? MARAUDER: Yes sir. I was born on a farm in Maine. And I was later adopted and I grew up in Boston. Just then, a message comes over the PA. PA: Attention all Rovers, dinner is here! HUNTER: Okay Rovers, let’s go get dinner. MARAUDER: Great! I’m starving! They walk out. Fade to next scene: outside the dining area, after dinner. The Road Rovers are leaving the dining area, with Hunter and Marauder leaving last, followed by Dylan and DJ. DJ: Hunter, Dylan and I are gonna play some pool for a while before we hit the sack. HUNTER: Okay. MARAUDER: You have a pool table here? DJ: Why sure. Why? MARAUDER: Because I just happen to be a great pool player myself. DJ: Oh you are, huh? MARAUDER: Yes I am. My vet med friends and I went out about every weekend and played pool, unless there was a home game. DJ: Well why don’t you come and play with us? I’d like to see just how good you are. MARAUDER: Sure. (turns to Hunter) Want to join us, Hunter? HUNTER: Sure! They head to the pool room. Fade to next scene: pool room. Dylan arranges the pool balls on the table. DJ shows Marauder the pool cues, and he and Hunter choose their cues. DJ: So how shall we play this? MARAUDER: Why don’t we partner up? (turns to Hunter) Hunter, want to be my partner? HUNTER: Sure! I don’t see why not. DJ: Okay, and Dylan and I will be partners. So, who goes first? MARAUDER: Let’s flip a coin. (takes a quarter out of his pocket) So, what do you take? Heads or tails? DYLAN: Hmm, tails. Marauder flips the coin in the air and catches it again with his right hand, and immediately flips it in to the palm of his left hand and uncovers it, showing tails. MARAUDER: Tails it is. You two go first. Dylan gets ready to cue off. DJ cheers him on. He cues off. The balls roll around the table, but none of them go into the pockets. MARAUDER: Our turn. Marauder puts a little chalk on the point of his cue and blows off the excess. He then gets down on one knee and looks at the situation on the table. He gets up and makes his moves. He then strikes the cue ball which hits the 12 ball. The cue ball then hits the 10 ball, which hits the 6 ball. The 12 ball rolls into the side pocket and the 10 and 6 balls roll into the corner pockets. Dylan and DJ look amazed. DJ: How’d you do that? MARAUDER: Strategy. When you’ve been playing pool for a while like I have, you know all the tricks. Scenes of them playing pool follow next, set to the tune “Honeysuckle Rose,” also played by Doc Severinsen. They last for three minutes and forty seconds and the scenes vary. Finally, it stops with them in their fifth game. They have each won two games a piece, and this game is a tie breaker. DJ knocks the 12 ball into the corner pocket and all that is left is the 8 ball. He and Dylan start getting high spirited. DJ (smiling): Eight ball in the side pocket and we win! He strikes the cue ball which sends the 8 ball toward the far side pocket. But the 8 ball rolls wide to the left. Dylan and DJ react in disbelief. HUNTER (to Marauder): Looks like we’ve still got a chance. MARAUDER: Time for one last strategy. He gets down on one knee and plans his move. After a few seconds, he gets up. MARAUDER: (pointing to the far side wall on the pool table) Off that wall, (pointing to the wall between the left corner pockets) off that wall, (pointing to the side pocket closest to him) and into this side pocket. He chalks his cue and then gets down, strikes the cue ball very hard which whacks the 8 ball off the far side wall, off the left wall, and heading for the near side pocket. It starts to slow down and almost stops at the edge of the pocket. One second later, it rolls in. HUNTER and MARAUDER: YES! (they high-five each other) DJ: Okay, you win for now. But one of these days, I want a rematch. Just the two of us. HUNTER: Okay Rovers, let’s get to bed. (turns to Marauder) You’ve got a busy day tomorrow. You’re going on your first mission! Fade out. Scene: RRHQ briefing room, the next morning. Hunter, Marauder, Derv, Sierra, Jeff, and Spririt, all wearing armor suits, meet to discuss the mission. Hunter, who also has his supreme commander’s sword at his side, goes over the details. HUNTER: A few days ago, three government agents were kidnapped by a right-wing terrorist group. Now we believe that they are being held for ransom from the United States government. SPIRIT: Is it possible to find them? HUNTER: We believe so. According to the CIA, they may be hiding in the state of Washington, (points to an area on the state map displayed on the viewscreen) somewhere in this area. But be warned, these guys aren’t your normal gangsters. DERV: So what’s the plan? HUNTER: Get to Washington State and rescue those hostages! EVERYONE ELSE: Right! Fade to next scene: the Turbojet Rover in flight. Sierra is piloting, Derv is beside her, Marauder and Jeff are directly behind them, and Spirit is behind Jeff. JEFF (to Marauder): Is this your first mission? MARAUDER: Yes it is. I’m serving as both a Road Rover and a medic. By the way, I don’t believe we’ve met before. JEFF: I’m Jeff. MARAUDER: Oh, good to meet you Jeff. My name is Marauder. JEFF: Marauder? That’s an interesting name. MARAUDER: I’ve been called that since I was adopted. JEFF: So where are you from? MARAUDER: Boston. JEFF: Boston? As in Red Sox? MARAUDER: Yep. That’s it. JEFF: Cool. SIERRA: We’re about there guys. Sierra lands the Turbojet Rover not far from the terrorists’ compound. They all undo their seat belts and rise from their seats. Marauder puts on his red cross cap, flings his medical bag over his shoulder, and starts to follow them out. But Derv stops him. DERV: Wait a minute. Why don’t you stay here? MARAUDER: Here? Why? DERV: Because we need somebody to stay behind and watch the plane. MARAUDER: But what if one of you goes down? DERV: Relax. If one of us goes down, well let you know, okay? MARAUDER (sighing): Okay. Sierra, Derv, Jeff, and Spirit leave while Marauder puts his bag down, takes his cap off, and sits down gloomily. Fade to next scene: Sierra, Derv, Jeff, and Spirit running from the terrorists’ compound with the rescued hostages. The compound explodes behind them. They get in the Turbojet Rover and take off. DERV: Whoo hoo! What a fireworks display! MARAUDER: Did any of you get hurt? DERV: Naw! Nothing could hurt us! JEFF: Right on! They continue bragging about the mission while Marauder simply looks away depressed. Fade out. Scene: RRHQ, one month later, inside Hunter and Colleen’s private quarters. Hunter is seated on the sofa going through Road Rover files, while Colleen is seated in the recliner nearby, reading a book. They are both wearing armor suits. Just then, a knock on the door is heard. HUNTER: Come in. The door opens and Marauder, wearing his casual clothes, peeks in. MARAUDER: Sir, could I see you for a moment? HUNTER: Sure. Hunter puts down the files and gets up from the sofa. HUNTER (to Colleen): Excuse me for a moment, Colleen. He walks out, shutting the door behind him. HUNTER (to Marauder): So, what can I do for you? MARAUDER (feeling depressed): Well Hunter, ever since I joined the Road Rovers about a month ago, I haven’t felt like I belong here. HUNTER (concerned): Why is that? MARAUDER: Well for one thing, the other Rovers keep leaving me behind when I go on a mission with them. And nobody else has really tried to socialize with me. That’s making me feel like I’m not wanted here. Hunter puts his right hand on Marauder’s shoulder. HUNTER: Marauder, if we didn’t need you, the Master wouldn’t have recruited you. Besides, I still have confidence in you. And I want you to feel comfortable here and get to know most of the other Rovers. Listen, I was going to tell you about this in the morning, but since you’re here, I’ll tell you about it anyway. Tomorrow, I’m sending Dylan and Zudnik on a mission with a few of our Cadet Rovers. And I want you to go with them, because there’s a good chance that at least one of them might get hurt. Dylan’s a pretty nice guy. He can be shy sometimes, and outgoing at others. The same goes for Zudnik too. (He looks at his watch.) Well, it getting late now. Go get some sleep and we’ll discuss this some more in the morning, okay? MARAUDER: Okay Hunter. Goodnight. HUNTER: Goodnight. Marauder walks to his room while Hunter goes back into his quarters and shuts the door. COLLEEN (to Hunter): So what did he want? HUNTER: Well, Marauder was feeling a little unbelonging here. So I offered him a little encouragement. I’m going to send him on that mission with Dylan and Zudnik tomorrow. COLLEEN: The one against that crazy mafia? HUNTER: That’s the one. Frankly, I’m worried about those guys. There’s a good chance that one of them might get hurt or even killed. COLLEEN: I understand, because you came close to being killed once too. HUNTER: Yep. Colleen rises from her chair. COLLEEN: But you survived. And a few weeks later, you asked me to marry you. And we’ve been together ever since. HUNTER: That was a memorable time for us. (He puts his hands around Colleen’s waist.) I’m really proud to have you as a wife. Colleen puts her arms on Hunter’s shoulders and clasps her hands behind his neck. COLLEEN: And I’m really proud to have you as a husband. They kiss. Fade out. Scene: RRHQ hangar, the next morning. Dylan, in his casual clothes, and Zudnik, in his armor suit, are busy getting the Sky Rover ready. Hunter, wearing casuals, walks in, followed by Marauder, wearing his armor suit and red cross cap carrying his medical bag, and 4 Cadet Rovers, wearing a cadet version of the Road Rover armor suit. HUNTER (to Dylan and Zudnik): Okay guys, these are the Cadet Rovers that will be going with you. That mafia is dangerous, and there’s a good chance that at least one of you might get hurt. So I’m sending Marauder along as a precaution. DYLAN: Well, I think we’ve got just about everything we need. We’re ready to go. HUNTER: Okay. Good luck guys. DYLAN: Sure. Thanks. Dylan, Zudnik, Marauder, and the Cadet Rovers board the Sky Rover and take off. Fade to next scene: a beach somewhere along the Pacific coast. The Sky Rover lands on the beach, and Dylan, Zudnik, Marauder, and the Cadet Rovers disembark and begin exploring. Along the beach, they discover a group of mafiamen, wearing dark trench coats and carrying machine guns, roaming the beach. But just before they can jump into a nearby forest, the mafiamen spot the Rovers and begin shooting at them. The Rovers dive down behind a bunker. DYLAN: Everybody, get your weapons ready! The mafiamen run off, still shooting. As soon as it dies down, Dylan and the Cadet Rovers get up and start charging, while Zudnik and Marauder remain behind the bunker. Dylan and the Cadet Rovers lose the mafiamen around a bend. DYLAN: Aw man! Now where’d they go? Just then, a mafiaman pops out of the forest and throws a grenade that lands near Dylan. From behind the bunker, Zudnik sees this. ZUDNIK (shouting in fear): Dylan, look out! DYLAN (surprised): Huh? (Suddenly, he spots the grenade.) Uh… (The grenade explodes, throwing Dylan in the air.) AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH! He lands on the ground with a thud. A Cadet Rover turns and shoots the mafiaman who threw the grenade. The Cadet Rovers then head into the forest after the mafiamen. ZUDNIK (in shock): Oh no! Dylan! Zudnik runs over to him. Marauder follows. Dylan is laying flat on the ground, bleeding and panting. His clothes are tattered and stained in blood. Marauder begins to treat him. He takes his stethoscope out of his bag and checks Dylan’s pulse. ZUDNIK: How is he? MARAUDER (rapidly): He’s breathing very hard and has some major bleeding. His pulse is beating quite rapidly. DYLAN (in pain): My leg. Marauder checks Dylan’s leg. MARAUDER: Which one is hurting? DYLAN (in pain): The right one. Marauder starts feeling Dylan’s right leg. MARAUDER: Okay, let me try to see what is… DYLAN (as Marauder feels Dylan’s leg just below the kneecap): OW!!! MARAUDER: Oh my gosh. I think it’s broken. (He takes a plastic brace out of his bag.) Zudnik, help me. (Zudnik gets down next to Marauder.) I need you to lift his leg up easy while I wrap this around his leg. (Zudnik grabs Dylan’s foot.) Ready, lift! (He lifts the leg up slowly. Marauder slides the brace under the fracture.) Okay, ease it down. (Zudnik lowers Dylan’s leg slowly while Marauder wraps the brace around it. Then, Marauder takes a towel out and wraps it around a bleeding wound on Dylan’s left arm. He ties a tight knot to stop the bleeding. Then, he turns to Zudnik.) We’ve got to get him out of here. ZUDNIK: How? MARAUDER: We’ll call in a medical chopper and fly him to a hospital. But first, we’d better carry him to a neutral spot where they can meet us. ZUDNIK: Okay. MARAUDER: Alright, I’ll get his upper body, and you get his legs. Ready. (Zudnik grabs under Dylan’s legs while Marauder grabs under Dylan’s ribs.) One, two, three. They lift Dylan and carry him off. Fade to next scene: an open spot in the forest. Marauder, Zudnik, and Dylan are there waiting. Then, the medical helicopter appears over the horizon. Marauder waves at to make sure they’re spotted. The helicopter lands about 100 feet away from them, and two paramedics get out, carrying a stretcher. PARAMEDIC: What’s the word on him? MARAUDER: He’s got major bleeding, a rapid pulse, and a break in the right leg. You’ll want to take extra precautions with him. PARAMEDIC: We will. (The paramedics lift Dylan onto the stretcher and secure him.) Is there any way we can let you know about his condition? MARAUDER: Sure. (He takes out a card and gives it to the paramedic.) I handle mostly emergencies. Dr. Bernard handles diagnoses and assists in surgery. You’ll want to notify him as soon as possible. PARAMEDIC: Right. Thanks a lot. We’ll take care of him. The paramedics carry Dylan to the helicopter, put him in, and take off. Zudnik watches sadly as they fly off. Marauder puts his hand on Zudnik’s shoulder. MARAUDER: He’s in good hands now. They’ve got some pretty good medical personnel and they’ll take good care of him. They walk off. Fade out. Scene: a few days later, St. Francis Hospital in San Francisco. Marauder and Zudnik, wearing their causals, walk in. Outside Dylan’s room, Dr. Bernard is waiting, wearing a white doctor coat, shirtsleeves, tie, slacks, and dress shoes. Marauder and Zudnik walk up. MARAUDER: So how is he? DR. BERNARD: Well, as soon as he was brought in, they notified me. I rushed over and we diagnosed him. The next day, he was in surgery for 11 hours. They fixed his leg and his blood vessels, which corrected his blood flow. Afterwords, he was in a coma for over 24 hours, and he finally woke up yesterday evening. After what he’s been through, I’m amazed he’s still alive. You did well, Marauder. MARAUDER: Thanks. May we see him now? DR. BERNARD: Yes you may. Dr. Bernard opens the door and they walk in. In the room, Dylan lays partially asleep on a hospital bed. His head and chest are slightly raised. He is wearing a hospital shirt and is covered in sheets up to his chest. His arms lay on top. His left arm is bandaged, with an IV unit hooked up, and the top of his head is also bandaged. An ID tag is wrapped around his right arm just below his hand. He wakes up, looks at Marauder, and starts to smile. DYLAN (in a weak voice): Thanks for saving me. MARAUDER: You’re welcome. You’ll never believe how worried we were about you. DYLAN: I will say this. Having you with us is well worth it. I think you’re somebody who’s respectable and trustworthy. And I’m very glad I came to your ceremony a month ago and met you. ZUDNIK: You’re a great asset to the Road Rovers. He would have died if you weren’t there to save him. MARAUDER: Thanks guys. I had begun to feel like I didn’t belong with you guys, because I kept being left behind. And I never really got to know anyone well or make any friends. DYLAN: Well, I think we can do something about that. Wanna be my friend? Marauder smiles. MARAUDER: Sure. DYLAN: Maybe when I get out of here, we can socialize and become closer. MARAUDER: I would really love that. You’ve really made me feel better as a Road Rover. ZUDNIK: How ‘bout me too? MARAUDER: Sure! Marauder turns and they shake hands. Then, Marauder turns back to Dylan. Short pause. Then, Dylan holds out his right hand, and he and Marauder shake. Fade out. THE END