Transcript for “Prodigal Father”
Episode 1x17
Originally Aired:  02/19/00
Writer:  David Tynan
Director:  Colin Budds
Transcribed by Carol Murdock for TWIZ TV.com
Feedback:  murdockcarol@twiztv.com

[Scene:  The trail to the treehouse.]

Malone:  So we drag all that way to trade and all we end up with is a couple 
of bags of salt?

Roxton:  It’s worth its wait in gold Malone; unless you know a better way to 
preserve our food?

Marguerite:  And actually I thought we did pretty well.

Malone:  You didn’t lose the shirt off your back.

Roxton:  Pity - I wonder what it would take for that?

Marguerite:  More than you can afford.  It was nice of the chief to throw 
this into the bargain.

[Marguerite shows off the medallion around her neck]

Malone:  You offered him our shirts didn’t you; our shirts for that trinket?

Marguerite:  Ivory Malone and the workmanship is exquisite.  I can’t say the 
same about your shirts.

[Roxton looks at the birds circling in the sky.]

Marguerite:  Ah large birds how fascinating.

Roxton:  It’s not the birds; it’s what they’re waiting for.

Marguerite:  Which is?

Roxton:  Something to die.

[They come upon dogs running toward a man tied to a tree.  Roxton fires in 
the sky to scare them but they keep coming.]

Marguerite:  I guess they want to do this the hard way

Roxton:  Okay bucko.

[The dogs hear something and run off.]

Malone:  Nice work.

Roxton:  I don’t think it’s us they’re afraid of Malone.

Malone:  Then what could have made them…

[They hear a T-rex approaching.]

Malone:  Oh.

Marguerite:  That’s our queue.

[Roxton checks the tied up man’s pulse.]

Roxton:  He’s still alive.

Marguerite:  That’s surprising considering how much blood he’s lost.

Roxton:  It’s not his.

[Roxton and Malone cut the man down.]

Malone:  But he’s soaked in it.

Marguerite:  So is the ground.

Roxton:  It’s been put there to draw predators.

Malone:  This guys like a dinner bell.

Marguerite:  Let’s get him out of here before we’re included on the menu.

Malone:  Eaten alive; who would leave a man to die this way?

[Kartas watches them pull his captive away.]

**** Begin Intro****
At the dawn of the century
A band of adventures set out to prove the impossible
The existence of a prehistoric world
The Visionary
The Heiress
The Hunter
The Scientist
and
The Reporter
All chasing the story of a lifetime
Stranded in a savage land
Befriended by an untamed beauty
Together they fight to survive
In this amazing world of lost civilizations and terrifying creatures
Always searching for a way home
A way out of……the Lost World
****End Intro****

[Scene:  The trail to the treehouse - Malone and Roxton are dragging the man 
along.  Marguerite is in the lead carrying the supplies.]

Malone:  If we don’t get some water into this guy soon he’s not going to 
make it.

Marguerite:  Neither will we if that T-rex catches up with us.

Malone:  You’re all heart.  Hey, maybe if you helped we could move a little 
quicker.

Marguerite:  If you want me to leave the salt behind fine.  Your pants will 
buy another bag.

Roxton:  Enough both of you.  We’ll need to get his shirt off the smell of 
blood will bring ever raptor for miles.

Malone:  What about the ones that staked him out?

Marguerite:  Oh please I can only worry about one thing at a time.

[They sit the unconscious man up against a tree.]

Roxton:  Try to get some water into him.

[Roxton turns to leave.]

Marguerite:  What are you doing?

Roxton:  Making sure we’re not being followed by any of his friends.

[Roxton sees ape-men passing in the distance.  As Roxton watches a snake 
crosses over his boot.  An ape-man hears something and takes a moment to 
sniff the air.  He doesn’t see Roxton and the ape-men continue on.  Roxton 
turns back.  Marguerite and Malone have the man’s shirt off and Marguerite 
is wiping him down.

Marguerite:  How the hell did he get there?

Malone:  A little soap and water and a shave the guy would look half 
civilized.

Marguerite:  Soap water and a shave and so would you and Roxton; on the 
surface at least.

[Malone looks at the man’s wrist.]

Marguerite:  What’s that?

Malone:  Scars from manacles.  I’d say our man here was kept prisoner for a 
good while.

[Marguerite takes a piece of parchment from the man’s pant pocket.]

Roxton:  Where I come from we call that picking pockets.

Marguerite:  Just trying to put a name to the face.

Malone:  Anybody following us?

Roxton:  Not that I could tell but there are ape-men all over the place.

Malone:  We should get moving.

Marguerite:  Wait!

[She shows them the parchment she pulled from the man’s pocket.]

Malone:  It looks like a map.

Marguerite:  My God.

Malone:  The treehouse.

Roxton:  It seems our mystery man was looking for us.

[Scene:  The treehouse - Veronica is painting a flower.]

Summerlee:  That’s beautiful my dear you’ve captured every detail; the 
shading - the veins in the leaves.  Audubon himself couldn’t have done 
better.

Veronica:  Just putting down what I see.

Summerlee:  You’re too modest.  How did you come by a skill like that?

Veronica:  My father – when we were exploring he drew everything he saw.  
Copying him was a good way to get his attention.

Summerlee:  I thought you said he was a botanist?

Veronica:  Art was his first love.

Summerlee:  But his parents thought that science was more respectable that 
painting.  It’s an old story.

[They hear jungle drums in the distance.]

Summerlee:  What the devil is that?

Veronica:  An alarm - a warning.

Summerlee:  A warning of what?

Veronica:  Death.

[Scene:  The trail to the treehouse - Malone, Marguerite and Roxton hear the 
drums.]

Malone:  Any idea what that means?

Roxton:  No, but I’ve got a feeling it’s not good.

Malone:  This guys not getting any lighter.

Roxton:  We’ll rest here.  Three minutes no more.

Marguerite:  He’s coming to.

[The man awakens and tries to get up.]

Roxton:  Easy old boy we’re not going to hurt you.

Marguerite:  We’re trying to help.

Malone:  Can you understand?  You were in a pretty rough spot when we found 
you.

Roxton:  Mind telling us why?

Tom:  We were on an expedition - captured - raiding party – The Horta.

Malone:  Horta - never heard of them?

Tom:  You don’t want to.  They kept us in their village as slaves for years; 
until I escaped.

Roxton:  It seems they caught up with you.

Tom:  The penalty for escape is death.  I owe you my life.

[The drums start up again.]

Marguerite:  Don’t speak too soon; sounds like they’ve noticed your absence.

Roxton:  Yes I vote we continue this discussion later.

Marguerite:  About this map?

Tom:  I drew that myself years ago.  It’s a map to my home.

Marguerite:  You said this is your home?

Tom:  The treehouse I built it.

[Scene:  Kartas is tracking the four; he picks up mud from the ground.  He 
throws it in the air; the image of the group appears.   Ape-men attack 
Kartas he fights them off easily.]

[Scene:  Marguerite, Roxton, Malone and Tom stand at the base of the 
treehouse.]

Tom:  Veronica is still alive; after all these years I’d given up hope.  I’m 
really here – home.  It seems like a lifetime ago but everything is just as 
I left it.

Malone:  Well not exactly everything.

[Scene:  Challenger is standing at the balcony when he hears the elevator 
ascending.]

Challenger:  Glad your back Malone you heard the drums?

Summerlee:  There’s something really bazaar going on.

Malone:  Tell me about it.  Easy now.

Challenger:  Who’s this?

Malone:  Veronica?

[Veronica enters the common room Tom looks at her.]

Tom:  Veronica.

Veronica:  Do I know you?

Malone:  Don’t you recognize him?

Tom:  I knew you’d be older but I never imagined you’d be so beautiful.

Veronica:  Ned?

Tom:  It’s me sweetie; it’s me.  I promised I come back for you.

Veronica:  Daddy?

[They hug she is crying in his arms.]

[Fade Out]

[Scene:  Outside the treehouse]

Marguerite:  Finding each other after eleven years.

Roxton:  Sometimes life can deal you a good hand for a change.

Marguerite:  I wish it would deal us a way off this plateau.

Roxton:  Tired of my company already.

Marguerite:  A man as fascinating as you…never.  Exactly where do you think 
you’re going?

Roxton:  Just making a quick circuit of the trail to be sure we weren’t 
being followed.  Whoever wanted Tom Layton dead is still out there.

Marguerite:  You’re always so reassuring Roxton how do you sleep at night?

Roxton:  Oh like a baby; you should watch me sometime.

[Scene:  The treehouse - Tom is now cleaned up; he enters Veronica’s room 
she is sitting on her bed.]

Veronica:  You don’t know how many times I’ve prayed for this.

Tom:  No more than I.  I’m here and I swear I will never leave you again.

Veronica:  Mom - where is she daddy? [Tom walks over and picks up a picture 
of their family]  Daddy?

Tom:  It was Sunday - we were scouting that little river to the west.  On of 
the first times we ever left you alone.

Veronica:  You said you’d be back before dark.

Tom:  A raiding party jumped us; dragged us across the plateau; to use us as 
slaves.  Life there was hell.  It’s only the thought of getting back to you 
that kept us going.

Veronica:  Please I have to know.

Tom:  Your mother she tried; she tried so very hard.  But the work and the 
sickness, there was nothing I……I couldn’t……I lost her.

Veronica:  No……no daddy.

Tom:  Listen to me.  When Abby died I wanted to die too.  You are the only 
thing that kept me alive Veronica.  You are my miracle.

[Scene:  The trail - Roxton comes across a trap set in the ground.]

Roxton:  Nice try.

[Roxton uses his rifle to spring the mechanism and when it’s safe takes a 
few steps.  A rope falls from a tree and captures him around the neck.  
Kartas is up in the tree, pulls on the rope until Roxton is dangling on his 
toes.]

Roxton:  Son of a…  All right you’ve got my attention.  What the hell do you 
want?

Kartas:  Justice.

[Scene:  The treehouse.]

Marguerite:  He said he’d be back soon.  He’s been gone over two hours.

Malone:  Well he’ll be flattered to hear you’re so concerned.

[They hear the elevator ascend.]

Marguerite:  I’ll deny every word.

[Challenger steps off the elevator.]

Challenger:  No sign of him.  No blood, no gunfire – nothing.  It’s like the 
earth just swallowed him up.

Marguerite:  No…the earth or a dinosaur.

Challenger:  I would have seen signs of an attack and Roxton wouldn’t go 
quietly.  There was just nothing.

Marguerite:  Nothing you saw.  Where’s Veronica?

Malone:  She’s not here she’s out with her father.

Marguerite: Now?  What the hell were they thinking?

Malone:  They wanted to spend some time together alone.

Challenger:  It’s not safe.

Malone:  Veronica knows what she’s doing.

Marguerite:  So did Roxton.

[Scene:  The trail - Roxton’s hands are bound hanging from the tree.]

Roxton:  You sure it’s tight enough?  I think some blood is still reaching 
my hands.

Kartas:  I am Kartas.

Roxton:  I am Roxton.  I think I recognize the rope technique.

Kartas:  I seek the one who calls himself Tom Layton.

Roxton:  The man that you staked out like a piece of meat.

Kartas:  That is the sentence.

Roxton:  For runaway slaves?

Kartas:  For murder.

Roxton:  What the hell are you talking about?

Kartas:  Months ago this man was found wandering lost in the jungle.  
Weak…dying - one of my tribe took him in, nursed him back to health

Roxton:  Oh really…I suppose he forgot to pay his bill.

Kartas:  He murdered the one who saved him; for a few pieces of gold, some 
food and a hunting knife.

Roxton:  There must be some mistake.

Kartas:  There is no mistake.  You think we take life easily?  He was tried 
by my people and convicted; it was his execution you interfered with.

Roxton:  He was about to be eaten alive.

Kartas:  There – are – worst - things.

Roxton:  If you’re going to kill me get on with it.

Kartas:  If I wanted you dead you would be dead.

[Kartas walks away leaving Roxton hanging there.]

Roxton:  Hey!

[Scene:  A clearing - Tom is sitting in a field Veronica is collecting 
plants; she hands him a pouch.]

Tom:  Thank you.

Veronica:  I found almost everything you wanted. [They look through a flower 
journal.] Hypericum Perforatum - Papaver Somniferum and Triformis Muscaria.

Tom:  You’ve remembered every name; you haven’t forgotten a thing.

Veronica:  I’ve read every one of your books - a hundred times.

Tom:  You must have been so lonely?

Veronica:  Not anymore, you’re like a dream daddy.

Tom:  It’s hard to live up to a dream; I hope I’m not a disappointment?

Veronica:  How could you be?

Tom:  The truth is after all these years away from my work I’ve become a bit 
rusty.  I don’t even remember what this one is called.

Veronica:  The blue orchid.

Tom:  I don’t suppose you recall…

Veronica:  Where we found it?  It’s was my tenth birthday I’m not likely to 
forget.  You remember don’t you?

Tom:  So much has happened; sometimes the memories run together.  I am not 
the man I used to be.

Veronica:  No you’re better.  You wait here; I’ll go find all the blue 
orchids you want.

[Scene:  Outside the treehouse]

Challenger:  Nothing.

Marguerite:  Damn the man.  I knew he shouldn’t have gone off alone…and 
neither should Veronica.

Challenger:  No she’s not alone.  She’s with her father.

Marguerite:  That’s hardly reassuring.  Someone wanted to kill him in a very 
unpleasant way.

Challenger:  We did say twenty minutes, didn’t we?

Marguerite:  So?

Challenger:  So where’s Malone?

[Scene:  The trail to find Roxton - Malone is walking and stops when Kartas 
appears before him.   Malone pulls his gun.]

Malone:  Don’t move.  I’ll put a hole in you big enough to drive a street 
car through.

[Kartas tosses some gold dust on himself and disappears.  A whip furls 
around Malone’s neck from behind and he is pulled back.  Challenger and 
Marguerite hear Malone’s gun goes off.]

Marguerite:  Malone?

Challenger:  This way.  [They start running and stop when they get to where 
Malone was.]  I could have sworn that shot came from around here.

Marguerite:  Then why aren’t there any tracks?

[A bird squawks and startles Marguerite.]

Marguerite:  What’s was that?

Challenger:  It was just a bird.  Don’t worry we’ll find them.

Marguerite:  I wish I had your confidence.  What?

[Challenger finds Malone’s bullet casing on the ground.]

Challenger:  A spent cartridge; Malone’s pistol my guess.

Marguerite:  Still doesn’t tell us where they went.

Challenger:  No…but it means he was here and he didn’t go willingly.

[Scene:  The trail - Malone is bound and gagged; he’s tethered to Kartas who 
is pulling him.]

Kartas:  Do not complain. I don’t enjoy this either.

[They stop when Kartas sees Tom in the distance.  Malone tries to sound a 
warning.  Kartas takes a club and hits Malone over the head knocking him 
out.]

Kartas:  Be silent.

[Scene:  Kartas comes up behind Tom who is picking flowers.]

Tom:  No…no I am innocent.  It wasn’t me I swear.

Kartas:  How easily you lie.  Why did you kill him?

Tom:  Why not!

[Tom takes out a knife swings it at Kartas.  Kartas is able to get the knife 
away from Tom.  When Kartas is about to run him through Veronica appears and 
knocks Kartas away from Tom.  She kicks Kartas in the chest and he tumbles 
down the hill.  Veronica runs back to Tom.]

Veronica:  Daddy, are you hurt?

Tom:  He’s one of the slavers that held me.  He’s still alive.

Veronica:  Not for long.

Tom:  No!  Leave him there may be more of them out there.

Veronica:  We have to get back and warn the others.

Tom:  Did you find the blue orchid?

Veronica:  Yes.

Tom:  Where is it?

[Veronica gives Tom a pouch holding the orchid.]

Veronica:  There.

Tom:  My work and you – you’re all I have.  I won’t let either of you be 
taken away.

Veronica:  I’m sorry daddy, if it means that much to you.

[They walk back to the treehouse.]

[Scene:  The tree - Roxton is still hanging but his is swinging back and 
forth trying to reach a tree branch.]

Roxton:  If I ever get out of here I’ll be a couple of feet taller.

[A raptor is coming up behind him.]

Roxton:  Oh that was close, very close.  Please tell me you’re a vegetarian.

[As he swings back Roxton kicks the raptor on the snout and is able to wrap 
his legs onto a tree branch; getting too high for the raptor to reach.]

[Fade Out]

[Scene:  The tree - The raptor tries to snap at Roxton atop the tree branch. 
  Roxton is able to untie himself.]

Roxton:  Whoa, good boy……down.

[Kartas growl in the distance.  Roxton sees Malone tied to a tree.  Kartas 
comes toward the raptor.]

Kartas:  Over here.

[Kartas takes two knives and throws them hitting the raptor in the neck 
killing it.  Roxton jumps from the tree.]

Roxton:  Now we’ll try it without the ropes.  All right you bastard meet the 
Marquis of Queensbury.

[Kartas and Roxton fight.  Roxton get Kartas on the ground in a choke hold.]

Roxton:  Now either we get civilized or I’m going to break it.

Kartas:  If you wanted me dead I’d be dead.

[Kartas kicks Roxton off him and runs away.]

Roxton:  I guess you’ve never heard of Queensbury.

[Malone is talking through his gag getting Roxton’s attention.  Roxton 
unties Malone.]

Malone:  Where the hell have you been all day while I was getting dragged 
around in the jungle?

Roxton:  Oh just hangin’ around.

Malone:  This is no time for jokes.

Roxton:  Tell me about it.

Malone:  Who was that guy with the tattoos?

Roxton:  The one who staked out Tom.

Malone:  Well you should have finished him.

Roxton:  It’s not like I wasn’t trying Malone.

Malone:  I guess we’re lucky to be alive.

Roxton:  Very lucky.

Malone:  What do you mean by that?

Roxton:  I think it’s about time we had a little talk with Veronica’s 
father.

[Scene:  The treehouse - Veronica and Summerlee are watching Tom mix some 
powder.  Beakers with blue liquid are on the table.]

Tom:  If Veronica hadn’t come when she did, I’d be dead.

Summerlee:  Still no sign of Roxton or Malone.

Veronica:  Challenger and Marguerite are going to need my help to find them.

Tom:  That’s too dangerous.

Veronica:  I have to.

Tom:  Come back to me.

Veronica:  I will.

[Veronica leaves the room.]

Summerlee:  Isn’t that a Triformis Muscaria?

Tom:  As a matter of fact it is.

Summerlee:  Contains a neural poison; it could cause paralysis.

Tom:  True but when you combine it with other plants, including the blue 
orchid, it simply becomes a pain killer.

Summerlee:  I had no idea.  Veronica draws like another Audubon you must be 
very proud of her.

Tom:  Always, wish I had the talent.  She got that from her mother.

Summerlee:  Abigail?  Veronica said that you taught her yourself.

Tom:  Of course, we both did.

Summerlee:  Did you know that the latent period of that Muscaria will last 
another three weeks.

Tom:  I’d actually accounted for that.

Summerlee:  The Muscaria has no latent period.  You’re not a botanist and 
you’re not Tom Layton!

[Tom struggles with Summerlee.]

Tom:  Don’t worry old man I won’t kill you.  I need your help.

Summerlee:  I’ll be damned if I’ll help you.

Tom:  You’ll be damned old man but you will help me.

[Tom forces Summerlee to drink the blue liquid from a beaker.]

[Scene:  The trail back to the treehouse.]

Malone:  Roxton your crazy Veronica’s father wouldn’t murder anyone.

Roxton:  Yes does seem unlikely.

Malone:  Unlikely?  I can’t believe you’re taking his side.

Roxton:  Look Kartas is the sort of man that… [Malone stops to look at him] 
What?  It’s his name Malone.

Malone:  Didn’t realize you were on a first name basis.  Look if you hadn’t 
escaped we would have been a two course lunch for that guy.

Roxton:  I doubt it.  I’ve never seen a cannibal without sharpened teeth.

Malone:  Well then we would have been rotting away in some slave camp like 
Tom.

Roxton:  I don’t know there was something about Kartas that I believed.  He 
had conviction……purpose.

Malone:  Purpose?

Roxton:  Yeah.

Malone:  You know what had purpose?  That dinosaur, that was gonna eat you, 
had purpose.

Roxton:  But Kartas killed it when he could have just left us to die……why?

Malone:  That son of a bitch cold cocked me with a Billy Club.

Roxton:  We stole his prisoner.

[A dinosaur growls in the distance.]

Malone:  We rescued him.  Tom is Veronica’s father and that’s enough for me.

[Scene:  The treehouse - Challenger and Marguerite are looking at a map.]

Challenger:  There’s no choice if we’re going to find Malone and Roxton we 
need to widen our search area.

Marguerite:  That means splitting up into two groups.

[Summerlee is pouring tea.]

Challenger:  Exactly.  Veronica can stay with her father and 
Summerlee……Summerlee?

[Summerlee hands out the cups.  He moves as if he is in a trance.]

Summerlee:  Tom needs my help.

Challenger:  That puts you with me.

[Challenger sips the tea.]

Marguerite:  Wonderful.  I’ll just close my eyes and try to think of 
England.

Summerlee:  For Veronica.

Challenger:  You know he’s getting better at this.  [He takes another sip.]  
We’ll start at the river.

[Marguerite starts to take a sip but stops.]

Marguerite:  You already checked the river and didn’t find a trace.

Challenger:  Maybe we should take another look.

[Tom enters the room.]

Tom:  Whatever you do you should stay together.  The man who came after me 
is very dangerous.

Challenger:  And a persistent little devil too isn’t he?

Tom:  He’s come to take me back to the slave camp.  He won’t quit until he’s 
been killed; I’m sure you agree Challenger.

[Challenger begins to feel a bit off; things are getting fuzzy.]

Marguerite:  Are you okay?

Challenger:  I must have picked up a little fever.  But yes he probably 
won’t quit until he’s been killed.

Marguerite:  That’s odd he’s gone to a lot of trouble to take back a runaway 
slave.

[Veronica enters the room wearing one of her mother’s dresses.]

Marguerite:  Well clear the decks the Paris fashion show has hit town.  
[Marguerite glances at Tom and sees that he is giving Veronica a look that 
is less than fatherly.]  You look beautiful.

Veronica:  It was my mother’s.  What do you think daddy?  Do I look like 
her?

Tom:  You look so much like her.  [Tom takes a cup of tea to her]  It’s as 
if your mother were here with us.

[Veronica takes a sip.]

[Summerlee is mixing more powder in the lab.  Marguerite joins him.]

Marguerite:  Summerlee have you noticed anything about Tom?

Summerlee:  Such as?

Marguerite:  Oh I don’t know, something about his story doesn’t quite hold 
up.

Summerlee:  Indeed, in what way?

Marguerite:  Oh come on, a savage drags halfway across the plateau for a 
runaway slave?  And you didn’t see that look he just gave Veronica.

Summerlee:  I don’t know what you mean.

Marguerite:  Oh neither do I.  I can’t help feeling there’s something wrong 
with the guy.

Summerlee:  As far as I’m concerned Tom is fine.

[Summerlee gets up and grabs a frying pan.  He hits Marguerite over the head 
knocking her out.]

Summerlee:  I wish I could say the same about you.

[Scene:  The treehouse - Roxton and Malone step off the elevator.]

Roxton:  Challenger – Summerlee?

Malone:  Veronica?

Roxton:  No one here Malone they’re gone……and so are the guns.

Malone:  Guess that lets out the notion of a picnic.

[Malone finds Marguerite on the floor.]

Malone:  Roxton quick!

Roxton:  Marguerite

Malone:  She’s alive.

Roxton:  Someone’s hit her pretty hard.

Malone:  Well, I guess that rules out your theory of the noble savage.  I’d 
say Kartas beat us here.

Roxton:  Seems you’re right.  Why are there no signs of a struggle?  No 
blood – no shells.

Malone:  Maybe they escaped to the jungle.

Roxton:  He’s only one man.

Malone:  Who trapped the two of us.

Roxton:  I’m going after him.

Malone:  I’m with ya.

Roxton:  One of us has to stay here with Marguerite.

Malone:  You’re going to go after him alone and unarmed.

[Roxton pulls down a container from a shelf and he opens it up and sifts 
through the contents.]

Malone:  There’s nothing in there except dried herbs and rat droppings.  
[Roxton pulls out a small gun from the container]  Son of a gun.

Roxton:  You could say that.  Always keep an ace up your sleeve Malone.

Malone:  Roxton, if it comes down to you or him.

Roxton:  I’ll make sure it’s him.

[Scene:  The jungle - Veronica is walking still in her mothers dress, Kartas 
sees her and approaches.  Challenger and Summerlee get the drop on Kartas 
pointing their weapons.]

Kartas:  You were bait, a trap.

Veronica:  And you walked right into it.

Kartas:  I wish you no harm.  I’m after the evil one.

Tom:  You don’t mean me?

[Veronica unarms Kartas.]

Tom:  Good girl.

[Fade Out]

[Scene:  The jungle - Roxton is walking; he hears voices close by.]

Kartas:  Sooner or later justice is always served.

Tom:  You think it was just I was born a slave in the stinking mines.  That 
the only sunlight I ever saw was through a metal grate?

Kartas:  That does not excuse murder.

Tom:  Like hell – I needed food and trade goods for my journey here.

Kartas:  So you murdered a man who saved your life?

Tom:  I’d kill a thousand to get here.  When Layton and his wife were 
chained beside me they told me about this place; their life; their daughter. 
  It was like a dream.  Then they told me they had found a drug that could 
turn anyone to their will.  So I stole their map and disappeared and I found 
the drug that will make a slave named Largo a king.

Roxton:  Never happen.  Kings need wisdom and compassion; seems like yours 
are in short supply.  Challenger, Summerlee best back off.

[Challenger and Summerlee turn and point their guns at Roxton.]

Roxton:  Oh - what the hells going on?

Tom/Largo:  They’re drugged Roxton.  They have no will of their own until it 
wares off and you will be long dead by then.

Challenger:  Drop the gun.

Tom/Largo:  Who would you rather be killed by Roxton - a friend or an enemy?

[Kartas kicks Challenger’s rifle.  Veronica goes after Roxton with her 
knife.  They fall to the ground.  Roxton gets the knife away from Veronica 
but Summerlee comes up behind him and hits him with his pistol.   Tom/Largo 
is ready to fire on Roxton.]

Roxton:  Run!

[Kartas tackles Tom/Largo they struggle with the gun and Kartas is killed.

Roxton:  All right guys.

[Roxton takes off running.  Summerlee and Challenger fire on him]

Tom/Largo:  Find him and when you do kill him.

[Scene:  The treehouse - Malone is wiping Marguerite brow as she gains 
consciousness.]

Marguerite:  Oh Malone.

Malone:  Its okay Kartas is gone.

Marguerite:  Kartas?  Who the hell is Kartas?

Malone:  The man who attacked you.

Marguerite:  It was Summerlee who hit me.

Malone:  Summerlee?  Maybe you better lay down.

Marguerite:  Maybe I need to say it slower.  Summerlee whacked me with a 
skillet.

Malone:  Why would he do that?

Marguerite:  I don’t know.  It’s got something to do with Tom Layton.

Malone:  Veronica’s father?

Marguerite:  If he’s her father I’ll wash Roxton’s socks for a month.  You 
should have seen the way he looked at her.  On second thoughts maybe you 
shouldn’t.  There’s definitely something wrong with this guy.

Malone:  Kartas the one that was following Tom.

Marguerite:  What about him?

Malone:  He swore that Tom was a murderer.  We’ve got to go after them.

Marguerite:  Where’s my gun?

Malone:  Forget it all the guns are gone.

Marguerite:  What about your pistol?

Malone:  History.

Marguerite:  We’re unarmed?

[Malone holds up a knife.]

Malone:  I got this from the kitchen.

Marguerite:  Perfect we’ll mince them to death.

[Scene:  The jungle - Roxton is running he takes a moment to catch his 
breath and gets an idea.  Challenger is following Roxton’s tracks; he sees a 
piece of cloth on a branch.  Roxton comes up behind Challenger.]

Roxton:  Logic Challenger, you’re a sucker for it.

Challenger:  I have to kill you.

[Roxton grabs Challenger’s rifle.]

Roxton:  Didn’t you hear; he drugged you.

Challenger:  You have to die.

Roxton:  I got that part.

Challenger:  You have no choice.

[Roxton knock Challenger out.]

Roxton:  Friends can’t reason with them can’t shoot em.

Summerlee:  On the contrary Roxton it’s really no problem.

[Roxton runs and Summerlee starts shooting.  Summerlee keeps firing until 
he’s run out of bullets. ]

Summerlee:  How disappointing; time to reload.

[Scene:  The jungle - Malone and Marguerite hear the shots.]

Malone:  Where are you going?  The gunshots came from this way.

Marguerite:  Someone’s coming.

[Marguerite and Malone duck into the bush.  Summerlee walks by them, Malone 
comes up behind Summerlee and gets the gun.  Malone looks in the chamber.]

Malone:  Empty.

Summerlee:  I know.

Marguerite:  Great

Summerlee:  Could I have the gun back please?

Malone: Why?

Summerlee:  So I can kill you.

Marguerite:  You’re serious?  What in Gods name has gotten into you?

Summerlee:  It’s the plants you see; Tom has discovered this marvelous 
neuro-toxin.

Malone:  A what?

Summerlee: A drug that for a few hours makes anyone obey.

Marguerite:  How handy.

Summerlee:  I need my gun.

Marguerite:  What you need is a lobotomy.  Take off his belt and tie him up. 
  I’ll get a head start and try to find Roxton.

[Scene:  The jungle - Veronica is tracking Roxton; she sheds her mothers 
dress and has her normal outfit on underneath.  Veronica comes up behind 
Roxton, kicks his gun out of his hand and approaches with her knife 
outstretched.]

Roxton:  Veronica it’s me - Roxton.

Veronica:  Roxton dies.

[Veronica lunges for Roxton and misses.]

Roxton:  Dammit Roxton doesn’t die; put the knife down now.

Veronica:  I can’t!

[Veronica lunges for Roxton again and this time cuts his arm.]

Roxton:  What do I have to do to make you stop?

[Veronica swings wildly at Roxton.]

Veronica:  Kill me.

Roxton:  Please, I’m your friend.

Veronica:  And he’s my father.

Roxton:  I don’t know who the hell he is Veronica but he’s not your father.

Veronica:  Liar!

[Veronica becomes incensed and lunges for Roxton.  She stabs him in the ribs 
as his back hits a tree.  Veronica pulls the knife out and smiles as Roxton 
gives her a look of horror.  Roxton slides to the ground and Veronica is 
ready to stab him again when Marguerite comes from out of nowhere and 
tackles her.  The women go flying into a muddy pond.  They are fighting 
vigorously when Malone runs to Roxton’s side on the ground.]

Malone:  Roxton are you all right?

Roxton:  Fine, help Marguerite.

Tom/Largo:  I don’t think so.

[Tom/Largo is pointing his gun at the two men.  Roxton grabs Malone’s knife 
and throws it hitting Tom/Largo dead in the heart.]

Veronica:  Daddy!

[Malone runs to Veronica and stops her from getting to Tom/Largo.]

Malone:  Veronica he’s not your father.  He’s not your father.

[Veronica snaps out of her drugged induced state and hugs Malone.]

[Epilogue]

[Scene:  Nighttime the treehouse - Veronica is on the balcony burning pages 
from her parent’s journal.]

Malone:  Are you sure you want to do that?

Veronica:  That drug was my father’s secret.  It’s going to stay that way.

Malone:  I’m sorry about Tom.  That he wasn’t…

Veronica:  I think a small part of me knew.  I just wanted him to be so 
much.

Malone:  Largo knew a lot about the treehouse.  He knew a lot about you too. 
  That means that your parents are still alive.

Veronica:  But where?  There are thousands of mines; a lifetime of ground to 
cover.

Malone:  You’ll find them.

Veronica:  You think so?

Malone:  Someday.

End of Episode