Calamity EP4 Ghosts of Yankton

Transcript

Location: EXT. ROAD TO YANKTON - NIGHT

JANE (V.O.): Faith wouldn’t talk to me the rest of the way and chose to ride
stagecoach with the other actors. I could hear em’ laughing through the
journey.

SHERIFF (V.O.): I wish you’d tell me what happened to the Captain.

JANE (V.O.): Careful what you wish for...

ELICK(chuckles): She’ll come around.

JANE: You don’t know her like I do. This could last weeks.

ELICK: Let it be. Sometimes a woman just needs her space.

JANE(teasing): Who made you the expert on women?

ELICK: My wife. Who I’d like to return to one day so let’s stop blowing things up.

JANE: Then let’s hope O’Rourke’s plans are in Yankton.

ELICK: Where’d you reckon we begin when we get there?

JANE: Is that a serious question? Saloon of course. Come on I’ll race ya!

ELICK: Whoa, hang--Jane!

Sounds: Horses Galloping. Large group marching. Gunfire.

JANE (V.O.): That’s when I first heard it, a
distant rhythm. Somewhere up ahead.
I sped on over the hills and into
the forest path.

JANE (V.O CONT'D): I knew my way around but familiar landmarks were all imposing darkness now. Caravan and the lieutenant found themselves
lost in the distance behind me.

JANE (V.O CONT'D): The closer I got, the more it sounded like...soldiers, setting up camp...

SHERIFF (V.O.): You seem doubtful.

JANE (V.O.): They weren’t just any soldiers, Sheriff. I heard voices of the dead... Didn’t heed their warnings though, not till it was too late.

Sounds: Collision with a tree branch. Jane falls off her horse.

Location: EXT. YANKTON CARAVAN CAMP - DAY

Sounds: Nearby horses. Campfire & morning birds.

JANE (V.O.) It was daylight when I awoke. Could feel the heat on my skin and the
cool breeze that kept it company. Caravan and the lieutenant must’ve
found me and made camp. I feigned sleep, unable to deal with my
headache quite yet.

DANTE: I don’t pay you to sleep, Calamity! Jane groans in frustration.

JANE: You barely pay me as is. Where are we, boss?

DANTE: Yankton in all it’s glory.

VIOLET: Ah, you are awake Jane. This is good.

DANTE: Would be even better if we got moving.

VIOLET: We just got here, cousin. Give her some time, I think we all need to
process what happened.

JANE: Someone wanna clue me in?

VIOLET: You felt it too...didn’t you? There is a strong energy in this town.
Jane shuffles away, wishing she could disappear beneath the
covers to process all this.

JANE: I don’t know what you’re talking about, Vi.

DANTE: She’s not alone. Don’t tell me there’s some spiritual connection here. It’s not like this town is bustling.

VIOLET: Exactly. But I do not understand why...I just know the dead walk among us.

JANE: If you two are quite finished I need a drink.

Sounds: Footsteps on grass & the opening of a tent-flap.

ELICK: They’re asking for you, Dante. The two secret servicemen from earlier.

DANTE: What do they want now?

ELICK: Wouldn’t say.

DANTE: You better be on your feet when I come back, Calamity. This place
gives me the creeps. Come on, Violet we need a gameplan.

Sound: Dante and Violet exit.

JANE (V.O.): Wasn’t usual to see him so fussed.

SHERIFF (V.O.): Ghost towns got that effect on people.

JANE (V.O.): This wasn’t just any ghost town, Sheriff.

ELICK: He always like that?

JANE: Bossy? It’s his nature. Comes with the territory, Elick.

ELICK: How you feeling?

JANE: Alive. Bruised but breathing. Did ya’ll find the music of the woods?

ELICK: Say what now?

JANE: I heard it. War drums or something, before I got knocked out.

ELICK: Nothing but branches when we found you. Is that why you took off like the wind last night? Music?

JANE: Don’t test me, I know you got good ears.

ELICK: We didn’t hear no music, Janie. But even if there was, is it worth your life?

JANE: Does it matter?

ELICK: It does to Faith. Poor girl was fussing over you all night long. Had to force her out earlier.

JANE(guilt): Course’ she was. Where’s she now?

ELICK(teasing): Why? You worried?

ELICK (CONT’D): Here, drink this it’ll help your head.

JANE(incredulous): Water?

ELICK: Believe it or not, booze doesn’t cure all.

JANE: I heard otherwise...come on, we-- whoa.

Sound: Jane is unsteady on her feet.

ELICK: Hey, I gotcha. Easy does it. Just sit down for a bit. Tell me what happened?

JANE(teasing): People might start to talk, lieutenant.

ELICK: Something drew you out, Janie. Don’t tell me it’s song and dance.

JANE: You said your squad was ambushed here in Yankton, right?

ELICK: Yeah, but--

JANE: No but’s. Come on. Show me.

Location: EXT. SWAMP OUTSKIRTS OF YANKTON - DAY

Sounds: Bootsteps through tall grass.

JANE (V.O.): Elick led us to the site of the ambush. Not sure what I expected
but it wasn’t what I got.

SHERIFF (V.O.): It’s one of the bloodiest ambushes in Yankton history, had a few bodies unaccounted.

JANE: Could’ve fooled me. Clearing was a swamp like any other.

Sound: vultures squawk and scatter as Jane and Elick approach.

ELICK: Here we are.

ELICK (CONT'D): I need a minute.

JANE (V.O.): Elick stepped away and let me explore the site of the blood bath.
I saw a few pieces of uniform, no bodies though.

JANE: Where are the bodies?

ELICK: Don’t know. Townfolk must’ve buried them when I left.

JANE: You didn’t ask?

ELICK: We got here late last night. I wasn’t gonna knock on doors.

JANE: Alright, tell me what happened.

Sounds (flashback): distant horse hooves gallop
towards them as Elick retells the story.

ELICK: Enemy ambushed us along that stretch of buildings over there, it was dark. Arrows came from up high on the rooftops. We rushed out of town, hoping flat lands would even
the playing field, but by the time I looked back my entire squad was face down in the dirt right here.

JANE: What about O’Rourke?

ELICK: One minute he’s in front, the next I see his head explode.

Sounds (flashback): a distant gunshot, a man’s visceral reaction.

JANE: One helluva an arrow then.

ELICK: It was dark Jane, you know how chaotic a battle can be. He was
shot first. They got me next and I was thrown from my horse. All I
remember is seeing his body fall from the saddle.

JANE: So you lay here bleeding to death?

ELICK: What can I say? Travelling salesman picked me up, nursed me back to health before sending me on my way to you.

JANE: What about Keema?

ELICK: Well...she was the one leading us out. Captain right on her trail and then myself and the rest of us.

JANE: So you didn’t actually see her pull the trigger?

ELICK: His head exploded from the front. Only way that could’ve happened is if the armed woman up ahead of us turned back and shot.

JANE: But you didn’t see it. Elick takes a pause, crouches at the spot where he fell, eyes lining up with Jane’s.

ELICK: When I was hit, I saw her boots coming up to him...about right where you’re standing.

JANE: Thought it was night. How could you see this far away?

ELICK: She had a torch...I saw her pause by the captain, then heard her friends come up behind me before I passed out.

JANE (V.O.): For the record, Captain O’Rourke had a full head on his shoulders when we spoke.

SHERIFF (V.O.): Did the lieutenant’s story strike you as odd then?

JANE (V.O.): Odd enough to kill him for? No. But I needed to see bodies. Because O’Rourke of all people wouldn’t speak to me in death.

Location: EXT. FIELDS BEFORE YANKTON - DAY

VIOLET: But he does...want to speak with you.

Jane & Elick: Ah!

JANE: Violet. I oughtta put a bell on you.

ELICK: Who wants to speak with Jane?

VIOLET: Bill. Wild Bill Hickok.

ELICK: What’s he got to do with anything?

VIOLET: I don’t know. But he has been channeling strong energy towards you, Jane.

JANE: Tell him I’m busy. Take a message or something.

SHERIFF (V.O.): Wild Bill Hickok. Also gunned down with a shot to the head.

JANE (V.O.): Don’t look at me. I don’t shoot my friends.

SHERIFF (V.O.): But you wondered if the lieutenant did.

JANE: You say Keema led you all through here? Look around. Too much swamp
and tall-grass, not enough cover, even a rookie scout wouldn’t make a
mistake like this.

ELICK: You didn’t see her like I did. Keema was losing it without you.
Moving us at odd hours. Advising the Captain to dump provisions so
we could move faster, promising we’d restock as we got closer to
General Miles. She clearly wasn’t her best but assured the Captain
we’d make it just fine.

JANE: He just took her word for it?

ELICK: O’Rourke trusts his scouts. You know that. Look where it got him.

JANE: He ain’t dead, Elick. Let’s go find out what they did to the bodies.

ELICK: Something tells me I’d rather not know.

ELICK (CONT’D): I just want those battle plans in safe hands. Don’t want my friends dying for nothing.

JANE: You hear that?

Sound: silence.

ELICK: Yankton was empty when we rolled in this morning...come to think of it I have yet to see a local...

Sound: Jane knocks on the door of a storefront.

JANE: Hey open up! It’s midday, girl needs a drink.

ELICK: I don’t see anyone through the windows.

ELICK (CONT’D): Hello? Anyone in there?

JANE: Open up!

JANE (V.O.): We must’ve knocked on every door, inching closer and closer to the town center.

SHERIFF (V.O.): So it was a ghost town before you got there?

JANE (V.O.): That’s what I thought...till I stopped dead in my tracks.

JANE: Come on, someone in this town’s gotta be--

Sound: ravens squawk overhead as they have a field day.

JANE (CONT’D): No...no, no, no.

ELICK: Jane? Hey what is--this...this ain’t real...Is that?

JANE (V.O.): Wood posts, hundreds of em. We could see remnants of what was once
people charred to ash. Some of them still tied up others just burned
heaps at their posts. The secret service agents were already there,
along with members from our camp.

AGENT SPENCE: Ah, my favorite gunslinger in her natural environment. Surrounded by the dead.

JANE(muted anger): Care to join em? There’s plenty of room.

ELICK(pained): Baxter? Hall? Thomas...these were my men...

JANE (V.O.): Elick was reunited with his squad, just not the way he was hoping. Their bodies crucified and charred like the others.

SHERIFF (V.O.): Was O’Rourke among them?

JANE (V.O.): No. At least none had the Captain’s rank on their uniform.

Elick whirls on the secret service.

ELICK (CONT'D): Who did this?

AGENT SPENCE: We were hoping the two of you could enlighten us. Is this the Lakota handiwork?

JANE: No.

ELICL: What?

JANE: I don’t know but the Lakota’s never attacked civilians before. Or displayed em’ like this.

AGENT MILLS: How’d they even get up there?

ELICK: Wouldn’t know anything about that, agents. We got here same as you.

AGENT SPENCE (to Mills): You hear that partner? They got here same as us.

AGENT MILLS: We intercepted a telegram back in deadwood for one named Calamity Jane. Said you were to meet here for a gold hand over.

JANE: Mighty kind of you to tell me now.

AGENT MILLS: Oddly enough, this town’s bank vault is clean. Not a penny in there.

JANE: Well I didn’t take it. Besides, last I checked, receiving gold wasn’t a crime.

AGENT SPENCE: Only if it rightfully belongs to you in the first place.

AGENT MILLS: There was a bank robbery in Custer City a week back.

JANE: You boys think I had something to do with that too, huh?

AGENT SPENCE: If you want to confess, we’d be so ever grateful.

JANE: I’m sure you would.

ELICK: Alright fellas. If you don’t mind, some good soldiers need proper respects.

AGENT SPENCE: They’ll be taken care of, Lieutenant. Not like any of them deserted, right?

ELICK: Right.

AGENT MILLS: We’ll be watching you, Calamity Jane.

JANE: Whoever tried to kill you will only try again.

ELICK: You don’t believe it’s Keema?

JANE: Do you?

Sound: Elick sighs.

JANE (CONT’D) That’s what I thought.

Location: EXT. CAMPFIRE - TRAVELLING CARAVAN - NIGHT

Sounds: Crackling of a large bonfire.

SHERIFF (V.O.): How many fires are you gonna start, Jane?

JANE (Chuckles V.O.): This ain’t what you think. I finally found Faith.

FAITH: You plan on standing there all night?

JANE(playful): If it means I don’t get burned at the stake, then yeah.

FAITH: Ah yes, I heard about that awful news. Those poor townspeople...I hope the secret service finds them justice.

FAITH (CONT’D): You’re freezing, come here.

JANE: Mmm, this mean I’m forgiven now?

FAITH(wavering): I’m still mad at you.

JANE: Well I’d rather you be mad and alive than another dead legend.

FAITH: Don’t flatter me, I merely play the legend. The real deal runs off into the night chasing god knows what.

FAITH (CONT’D): What happened to you the other night?

JANE: I hit a branch & fell off my horse.

FAITH(not amused): Haha. You know that’s not what I meant.

JANE(teasing): But it is what happened.

FAITH(worried): Your lieutenant friend and I spent all night guessing what lured you out there.

JANE: And? Did you guess right?

FAITH: I didn’t tell him about the nightmares.

FAITH (CONT’D): Is that why you won’t come to bed anymore?

JANE: Don’t change the subject, darling. You can be mad at me, but I don’t regret getting you off that bridge.

FAITH: Remember how you felt seeing me on
the bridge? I feel it every time you’re out there. Each time you
don’t come home and every moment you spend with your new lieutenant
pal.

JANE: Ain’t peg you as the jealous type...

FAITH: I’m serious. I’d rather he didn’t drag you back into a battlefield.

JANE: You want to know the truth?

FAITH: I do.

JANE: If I lose you out here Faith...It’ll break me.

FAITH: Jane...You know I ain’t falling for this, right?

JANE(amused): That’s why I love you.

Sound: Faith shuffles away.

JANE (CONT’D): Ah no, come on please don’t move you’re so warm.

FAITH: Don’t. If you can’t trust me to do what’s right, just say so.

JANE: It’s not that I don’t trust you, darling but this trip is gonna get a whole lot more dangerous and I need you. Alive.

FAITH: That’s my point. Anytime I try and help, you keep me at arms length.

JANE: I just--

FAITH: Don’t trust me. Yeah, I get it.

JANE: That’s not it at all.

FAITH: Oh? If what’s in the center of town is even a fraction of what you saw
on the battlefield, I don’t know that. And this scares me, Jane. I can’t even imagine what you’ve been
through.

JANE: Faith...

FAITH: I don’t know anything beyond the snippets you tell me. I heard the legend but I want to know and help the woman.

JANE: What about you?

FAITH: What about me?

JANE: I’ve spent every waking moment in the shadow of celebrity. People worship you on-sight, but I know nothing about your past.

FAITH: That ain’t true, I’ve told you about my parents.

JANE: Yeah but not when you seen em’ last. Not how you’ve been growing up. Not if they’re alive, dead or what?

FAITH: They’re alive. Now you’re the one changing the subject.You experienced something few of us
could. Why won’t you talk about it? For real Jane, not just the heroics.

JANE: I need sleep.

FAITH: Of course...You are meeting my folks after all.

JANE: Say what now?

FAITH: Giddy-up, you’re getting your wish. Next stop, Rapid City. Home sweet home.