Calamity EP11 Waiting for the Cavalry

INT. SALOON #10 - DAY

JANE (V.O.): You know the three of us spent a lot of days together in the battlefield. Used to rely on one another, I’d even go as far as saying I trust Elick and Keema with my life. Not one of us would hesitate to follow the other’s lead.

ELICK: I don’t wanna shoot you, Keema.

KEEMA: Then don’t. But you ain’t getting those plans from me.

JANE (V.O.): I was getting tired of their squabbling. So I did what I had to do.

ELICK: Hey now, whoa what’re you-­

KEEMA: Jane, girl get out the way.

JANE (V.O.): I took a chance, throwin’ my weapon down. I’d hope they’d follow but I could see the hesitation. They were both thinking about what they had to lose.

SHERIFF (V.O.): Putting yourself in their line of fire? Unarmed? Here I’d hoped the cavalry taught you some tactics.

JANE (V.O.): Sounds like you finally believe me.

JANE: You sure as hell ain’t going to shoot me, so lower them guns. Both of you.

Sounds: Guns drop.

JANE (CONT’D): There. Was that so hard?

ELICK: Don’t push it.

KEEMA: For real.

KEEMA (CONT’D): Looks like we cleared the bar too.

JANE: Hey, we’re closed. Come back later.

ISAIAH: There must be a mistake, ma’am...I’m to meet one by the name of Keema Ballo?

KEEMA: You Isaiah Goldmund?

ISAIAH: Yes, ma’am at your service!

KEEMA: Mmm, thought you’d be older.

ISAIAH: I’m here for the encampment plans as we agreed.

ELICK: Well you ain’t getting em. So why don’t you-­

JANE: Hang on, what do you want with the plans?

ISAIAH: Ah...well hey, you seem like a cavalry man.

ELICK: Answer the lady.

ISAIAH: I am, in a manner of speaking.

ISAIAH (CONT’D): Are you tired of sleeping in dirt? Trudging in mud? All to defend our great nation? Don’t you miss your wife’s cookin’ or the strum of a finely tuned guitar? Fear not for we have plenty of wares at Goldmund Gifts. Pies from all over the state. Musical instruments. Warm socks knit from the finest wool in Appalachia. Or how about some fine ointment for those battle scars?

ELICK: What’s with this guy?

JANE: Reminds me of Dante.

ISAIAH: But pray tell how are you gonna get these fine products in the middle of nowhere? Well fear no more! For I have twelve stage coaches and...

ISAIAH (CONT'D): Supply lines all over the state. My travelling merchants will visit each and every encampment guaranteed, once a week. Food, clothes, our best bourbon and more! Only the finest for our bravest.

KEEMA: Those are some lucky soldiers.

ELICK: So, you’re a merchant?

ISAIAH: That’s right, lieutenant. You and your squad won’t have to live off rations anymore.

ELICK: You...weren’t sellin’ to the enemy?

KEEMA: Hmph, I ain’t in the business of blood no more, soldier boy. Figured ya’ll wouldn’t mind a supplier.

ELICK: But, you stole minting plates. Why sell plans for money?

KEEMA: Too much work to mint all the time, you saw who I hung with. Lightfoot and his crazy band. Besides, I got all the coin I need to take me to Paris after this deal. Which reminds me, you got them real french coins?

ISAIAH: Ah yes, right here.

JANE: So that’s it then? You just leave for Paris now?

KEEMA: You’re more than welcome to come, Jane. You know that.
And I trust I won’t have any trouble from you, LT?

ELICK: Not as long as I get a copy.

JANE: See? And ya’ll was ready to blow eachother’s heads off.

KEEMA: Maybe in another life. Come on, Goldmund. We got a deal to finalize.

ELICK: She can’t leave with those plates.

JANE: She won't. Just give her a minute, then-­

CPT O’ROURKE: I knew you’d find her, Calamity.

ELICK & JANE Captain?

SHERIFF (V.O.): Jane.

JANE (V.O.): Yeah?

SHERIFF (V.O.): We just established he’s dead.

JANE (V.O.): You wouldn’t know it by looks alone. Man was right there before us, I realized now one eye was glass the other seeking vengeance.
It was three to one & he was the only one armed.

CPT O’ROURKE: No sudden movements, none of you.

ELICK: You’re alive...

CPT O’ROURKE: No thanks to you. Or you, Keema.

KEEMA: Pity.

JANE: Captain, it’s over. We found the plans, nobody needs to get hurt.

CPT O’ROURKE You got the map location, Goldmund?

ISAIAH: Yes, Captain. I’m happy to work with the Cavalry.

KEEMA: You gotta be kidding me.

CPT O’ROURKE: Good. Sheriff’s on his way along with the Ft Pierre Cavalry. Lieutenant, you’ll be arrested for treason. Keema, you’ll be executed for attempted murder.

JANE: Hold up, Captain. It was a misunderstanding.

CPT O’ROURKE: You’ll be rewarded for your efforts, Calamity. The rest doesn’t concern you.

JANE: Like hell it doesn't!

ELICK: Captain, you were the one running a counterfeiting ring. I ain’t going down for you.

CPT O’ROURKE: And who’ll believe you? the word of a traitor who shot his captain in the back. Or you, the guide who cut and ran.

JANE: They’ll believe me.

CPT O’ROURKE: You weren’t there, Jane.

ELICK: Hmph, you did all this to set us up?

CPT O’ROURKE: Took a bullet to the eye, but I’d say otherwise the plan is foolproof.

Sound: Keema picks up a lantern.

KEEMA: No, uh-uh. I ain’t going out like this. I know how this ends, my word against a Captain and it’s death.

JANE (V.O.): If Keema dropped that lantern we’d all be up in flame. But I knew O’Rourke didn’t care, he was already pulling the trigger when I jumped.

JANE: Keema run!!!!

ELICK: Jane! Hang on.

JANE: I’m alright, just go!

ISAIAH: Lieutenant, you punch like a traitor.

ELICK: This ain’t your fight. Let it go.

ISAIAH: And run from this kind of payday? Never.

CPT O’ROURKE: No one’s going anywhere.

CPT O’ROURKE (CONT'D): I didn’t want to do this, Calamity.

JANE (V.O.): His bullet grazed my arm, and I couldn’t believe it but my own Captain was trying to kill me.

JANE: You’d betray everything and everyone for what? coin?

CPT O’ROURKE: Some day you’ll understand. When you’ve done enough travelling and living in the gutter, when you crave warm sheets and a life for your family.

JANE: You had that! You had everything anyone would want, a family, prestige and us.

CPT O’ROURKE: Can’t feed your kids on prestige, Jane. Where are those minting plates?

JANE: You’ll have to kill me to get them.

CPT O’ROURKE: So be it.

JANE (V.O.): Fun fact, don’t be running through a fire. Just stay low. I swallowed enough smoke dodging his bullets, could barely tell up from down anymore.

ELICK: Jane, run!

JANE (V.O.): Elick came outta nowhere, tackled the Captain. Saved me from a deadshot. He and the Captain were rolling around, trading punches, I started looking for a gun.

JANE (V.O.): That’s when the roof collapsed.

JANE (V.O.): Bill came first, I could see him smiling at me through the smoke, waiting with open arms...I reached out but then I saw Faith, the fire reflected in her eyes carried silent warning.

SHERIFF (V.O.): What happened next?

JANE (V.O.): I blacked out.

KEEMA: Come on, goddammit, breathe!

JANE: *coughing*

KEEMA (CONT’D): That’s it, there ya go.

KEEMA (CONT’D): Hey girl, scared me there.

JANE: Where....?

KEEMA: Try not to move, you ate a lot of smoke. We’re in Deadwood.

JANE: Elick?

KEEMA: I couldn’t find Soldier-boy. But the Captain won’t bother you no more.

JANE (V.O.): She was right about that, he was only a few feet away. His neck twisted at an impossible angle.

KEEMA: Listen, I dunno how long before the Sheriff comes, but I can’t hang on
to this no more. Nothing but bad luck, you know what I’m saying?

JANE: Keema...stay...

KEEMA: I can’t. Take my water, breathe slow and you’ll be alright. Bring
this minting plate back where it belongs...or don’t. I don’t care no
more, I got the coin.

SHERIFF (V.O.): Where are those coveted battle plans?

JANE (V.O.): She told me exactly where they were. Then she left...

KEEMA: Look me up if you ever decide to take your pretty lady to Paris. I
know a guy who works at Théâtre- Français. So let’s see where it
takes me.

KEEMA (CONT’D): See ya, my friend.

SHERIFF (V.O.): Did she say where she was going? Who she’d stay with? Anything?

JANE (V.O.): Nope, just goodbye and good luck.

JANE (V.O.): I tried to sit-up & look for Elick, but the people kept pushing me down. Took me a while to realize I was an outlaw to them, the one they saw as responsible for the end of their saloon.

JANE (V.O.): Then my saviour arrived...

SHERIFF (V.O.): I ain’t your savior.

JANE (V.O.): You were that night, no doubt.

SHERIFF: Step-aside! Sheriff here. Deputy, take her into custody.

JANE (V.O.): Ya’ll never found Elick?

SHERIFF (V.O.): Townspeople didn’t see him or your friend Keema.

JANE (V.O.): Then they’re a bunch of liars.

SHERIFF (V.O.): I’d take the town’s words over yours any day. They don’t believe a decorated war hero was the scourge you planted him to be. Besides, you had the minting plates, not him.

JANE (V.O.): Because Keema gave em’ to me. She had her fill of coin, it’d be dead weight now.

SHERIFF (V.O.): Mighty convenient.

INT. DEADWOOD COUNTY JAIL 'PRESENT DAY' - DAY

Sounds: Sheriff gets up with a stretch.

JANE: You’re heading out?

SHERIFF: Unless you got more tall-tales, I’ll be taking my leave. Need to brief the courts for your trial.

JANE: Told you, your mind’s already made up.

SHERIFF: I listened objectively while you spun the truth into some dimestore novel.

JANE: Did you find Faith? or Violet or Dante? They’ll vouch that Elick travelled with me.

SHERIFF: No one’s seen or heard of your travelling troupe since they left Rapid City.

JANE: Then...I need to find them. They could be in trouble.

SHERIFF: The only one in trouble is you. All I wanted was the truth, but you ain’t giving me much to work with.

JANE: Truth is stranger than fiction. Remember that.

SHERIFF: Goodnight Jane.

JANE: Think, think, come on...

JANE (CONT’D): What the?

JANE (CONT’D): Hey!? anyone up there?

JANE (CONT’D): Or am I really losing it?

Sounds: Faith jumps in through the window.

FAITH: Thought he’d never leave.

JANE: Faith!

FAITH: Hey you, sorry it took so long. You look the sight.

JANE: And you’re a sight for sore eyes.

FAITH: Am I now. Come on, let’s get these off ya.

Sound: Handcuffs drop.

FAITH: Careful now, there’ll be time to celebrate later don’t worry.

JANE: I’m so sorry.

FAITH: For what?

JANE: I shouldn’t have run off like that, it’s just that I wanted to help Keema and Elick’s missing and...

FAITH: I get it. And don’t worry, we’ll figure this out. Together this time, no secrets.

JANE: Together.