FADE IN:

1 EXT. CRYSTAL LAKE - DUSK

We're rapidly moving across the water, skimming, towards the

dark woods on the far shore.

2 EXT. BACK ROAD/INT. TOYOTA CELICA - DUSK

ELIZABETH MARCUS drives her Toyota Celica along this heavily

wooded road. She's a young woman, innocent looking, sweet

and pretty.

The light is fading. Shadows begin to overtake the land.

She is obviously some place remote. A sign caught briefly

in her headlights says, "CRYSTAL LAKE - 4 MILES". Elizabeth

swings the car around a barely seen curve in the road. She

pulls up...

3 EXT. DESERTED CABIN - DUSK

Elizabeth parks the Toyota. She gets out, takes a look at

the cabin.

A "FOR RENT" sign hangs, tacked to the porch at an angle.

The place looks dark, dirty, uninviting.

She moves to her rear door, opens it and bends in to get her

over-night bag. Behind her, the darkness gapes with the

ominous threat of violence.

She comes back out of the car and moves to the cabin. A

porch swing, rotted and unusable, BANGS METHODICALLY against

the old wood of the house. Elizabeth fumbles for the keys

and drops them.

As she bends down to pick off, the "FOR RENT" sign snaps it

chain and swings down, missing her neck by inches.

Startled, she rips the sign off and tosses it onto the porch

with a LOUD BANG.

4 INT. DESERTED CABIN - LIVING ROOM - DUSK

Elizabeth enters. The place is damp and dank. A layer of

moldy dust has gathered. Shadows obscure the corners of the

room.

Elizabeth put down her bag and gropes the wall for a switch.

She finds one. Flips it. The light turns on for a few brief

moments...then sputters and goes out.

ELIZABETH

Shit...

She turns and goes back outside.

5 EXT. DESERTED CABIN - DUSK

Elizabeth walks slowly around the cabin, towards a decrepit

old woodshed at the edge of a dark, unfriendly woods. She

slowly opens the door...a mossy ladder rests against the far

wall.

Elizabeth enters and walks towards the ladder. Suddenly, the

woodshed door BANGS CLOSED. Elizabeth SHRIEKS then,

scrabbling at the door, flings it open and rushes outside

with the ladder.

There is a RUSTLE off among the trees. She hesitates again.

Footsteps on dry leaves? Just a gust of wind off the lake?

With a last look over her shoulder, she drags the ladder back

towards the cabin and enters.

6 INT. DESERTED CABIN - LIVING ROOM - NIGHT

Elizabeth comes back in with the ladder. She picks up her

bag, removes a four pack of bulbs and, climbing on the

ladder, replaces the bulb in the living room. The light

comes on...but it's scant illumination against the dark night.

Suddenly, her foot slips on the slimy step of the ladder and

she drops the old bulb, which SHATTERS LOUDLY on the floor.

Grimacing, Elizabeth climbs down the ladder and quickly

sweeps up the broken glass. Having done that, she shuts the

front door all the way, then puts her bag on the bed and

opens it. She takes out a few pairs of jeans and some shirts

and moves to the standing wardrobe.

We know that she will open the doors of that wardrobe and

come face to face with her death.

She opens the wardrobe.

Nothing...just a moth.

She puts her clothes away. The sound of a branch SCRAPING

against the side of the cabin adds to the tension. Now she

turns...

...there is no one waiting there in the doorway.

Elizabeth yawns, stretches and walks up the stairwell to the

second floor landing, which leads into a pitch black hallway.

7 INT. DESERTED CABIN - BATHROOM - NIGHT

She moves down the hallway, then enters the bathroom and

turns on the light. Crossing to the bathtub, she bends down

and turns on the hot water. It comes spitting out, brackish

and brown at first, then finally clear.

She stays, bent over the tub, letting the dirty water run

down the drain. Then she puts the plug in, filling the tub

for a bath. As it fills, she undresses down to the her

T-shirt and underwear.

She looks over to discover that the medicine cabinet door is

open. She crosses to it and closes it.

This has got to be the one. She will close that door and

there, reflected in the mirror will be...

...nothing, just the dim illumination of the bathroom light.

She bends down to test the temperature of the tub water.

It's good.

She removes her underwear and t-shirt, then puts one foot in

the water, testing it, then eases into the comforting warmth.

The light in the bathroom sputters and then burns out.

Elizabeth SIGHS, resigned, then continues climbing into the

tub when -- WHAM!

8 INT. DESERTED CABIN - LIVING ROOM - NIGHT

The front door blows open, banging into the wall.

9 INT. DESERTED CABIN - BATHROOM - NIGHT

Elizabeth turns, startled. She grabs her towel (brushing by

her makeup bag) and, wrapping the towel around her, walks

slowly down the dark hallway onto the landing.

From downstairs, she HEARS A NOISE.

10 INT. CABIN - NIGHT

Bending precariously far out over the landing, she looks down

onto the first floor.

HER POV

Nothing but the stirring of leaves, blowing into the cabin

through the open doorway.

ON ELIZABETH

as a cool breeze from the doorway makes her shiver. Slowly,

she moves towards the stairs when we HEAR THAT SOUND AGAIN

from downstairs. What the hell is it? Once again she leans

far out over the landing.

HER POV

Still nothing. Leaves. The WHINE OF THE WIND.

ON ELIZABETH

looking -- something must have made that noise. Then,

suddenly, from the perfect darkness behind her, JASON

VOORHEES steps out, hockey mask in place, machete sharp and

ready.

Elizabeth stands back up, OBSCURING JASON FROM VIEW.

CLOSE ON ELIZABETH

feeling that something is definitely not right...in fact,

something is really, really wrong. With a panicked

expression, she turns around to look behind her.

HER POV

Nothing. Darkness. Jason is gone.

ON ELIZABETH

Relaxing -- everything's okay. She turns towards the stairs

and right into Jason, who raises his machete high.

With a SCREAM, she leaps backwards as Jason swings, flying

through the rotted wood of the railing and crashing down onto

the first floor.

ON JASON

yanking his machete from the wooden bolster on the railing.

ON ELIZABETH

looking down at her towel. It's sliced through -- a thin

line of blood crossing her stomach in a diagonal. She runs.

11 EXT. DESERTED CABIN - NIGHT

Elizabeth leaps from the porch, over an overrun flowerbed,

onto the hood of her car. She quickly looks behind her.

HER POV

to see Jason striding through the front door of the the

cabin, coming for her.

ON ELIZABETH

as she skids all the way across the hood of the car onto the

far side, then runs through the trees and brush in front of

the house -- her feet bare, her eyes panicked. The branches

seem to claw at her, tearing, scratching...

JASON'S POV

quickly gaining. God, he moves fast! Elizabeth turns, sees

us and SCREAMS.

ON ELIZABETH

turning back to face forward when -- WHACK! She's clipped by

a tree and knocked to the ground. She scrambles up and looks

around.

HER POV

Jason is nowhere to be seen.

Elizabeth moves slowly now, turning around, her breathing

quick and panicked. Where is he?! Is he toying with her?!

She turns and Jason leaps in front of her, machete raised.

Suddenly, Elizabeth reaches into the cleavage at the front of

her towel and pulls out a small pistol.

ELIZABETH

Eat me, you bastard!

She fires one shot directly into Jason's forehead, knocking

him back at step, then turns and bolts towards --

12 EXT. CLEARING IN WOODS - NIGHT

She runs into this clearing then turns to see Jason rapidly

coming after her, striding out into the open, raising his

machete ready to deliver the lethal blow when, suddenly,

INTENSE BRIGHT LIGHTS SNAP ON AROUND THE CLEARING

stunning Jason for a moment. The girl disappears into the

treeline as

THE DEAFENING ROAR OF GUNFIRE

cracks out from the darkness. There are FBI AGENTS hidden

behind every tree, bush and rock...and now, they are all

firing on Jason at once.

Jason jerks as the bullets tear into his body.

Then there is a moment...the FBI agents watching...waiting

for Jason to fall.

But he doesn't fall. He stands there. His head turning

slowly, searching the darkness for his next kill. Suddenly,

from out of the darkness we hear:

FBI AGENT ABERNATHY

Incoming!

We hear a muffled SHOOMP! sound, then a familiar WHISTLING as

a mortar shell descends on Jason in the middle of the

clearing.

The grenade lands right at Jason's feet.

An anxious beat...then...

THE MORTAR EXPLODES!

We watch as Jason is blown, irrevocably, limb from limb.

ON VARIOUS CHUNKS OF JASON

spinning slowly in the air in SLO-MO. An arm, something

unrecognizable, his head still in the hockey mask, then,

finally

ON JASON'S BLACK HEART

spinning through the air to finally land, with a WET PLOP, on

the field. It beats once, then once more...then stops.

A moment of silence...then the rest of the FBI agents emerge

from their hiding places. There is an eerie after-the-battle

silence to the scene. Jason's crimes have been so heinous

that even in death, proximity to his mangled remains seems to

render a somber atmosphere.

AGENT ABERNATHY makes his way through his quiet, somehow

stunned men, and over to Elizabeth. He is clearly the man in

charge -- his suit alone says that and his demeanor backs it up.

Elizabeth stands and faces him. It is a strange tableau...the

bright lights, the smoke in the air, the nearly naked woman

facing the man in the suit.

Agent Abernathy offers his hand.

ABERNATHY

Good job, Agent Marcus.

ELIZABETH

(shaking his hand)

Thank you, sir.

A T.V. Camera is thrust into Abernathy's face. The MEDIA has

apparently caught wind of this event. REPORTERS scream for

"Agent Abernathy...your comments..." "What was your first

thought when..." Abernathy smiles and puts on his best

"media" face.

ABERNATHY

Ladies and Gentlemen, please...

please...

The CROWD QUIETS.

ABERNATHY

(continuing)

It is my pleasure to announce that

Jason Voorhees is finally and

irrevocably...dead.

ANGLE ON A LONE MAN

sitting some distance away on the rise of a hill. His

weathered face shows a healthy contempt for this somewhat

premature celebration. He plugs a twisty, homegrown cigar

into the corner of his mouth, light a match off the beard

stubble on his chin, then fires up the cigar -- a glowing

coal in the darkness. His hawk's eyes stare at something

with ferocious intent...

ON JASON'S HEART

Laying on the ground in the clearing, not beating...but

intact.

MATCH CUT TO:

13 INT. HALLWAY OUTSIDE MORGUE - NIGHT

Where we see the heart on a rolling metal surgical table.

PULL BACK TO REVEAL

A CORONER, a big man in his 30's, as he rolls the cart up to

a security checkpoint manned by TWO FBI AGENTS. The coroner

hands his I.D. to FBI AGENT 1, then lifts his arms as FBI

AGENT 2 pats him down.

FBI AGENT 1

Okay, sir.

The two sliding doors in front of the coroner slide open and

he wheels the metal surgical cart inside, the door closing

behind him.

14 INT. FBI MORGUE - DAY

The Coroner is in the middle of his autopsy. He talks into

a microphone as he works, taking the dismembered parts of

Jason from a body bag.

CORONER

We have a large male caucasian...age

unknown...

He begins inspecting various organs, weighs them, takes

samples. He works methodically, making verbal notes as he

works.

CORONER

(continuing)

No indication of cirrhosis.

ON JASON'S VILE, BLACK HEART

as the coroner inspects it.

CORONER

The heart is nearly twice the size of

a normal heart. Malformed...

He's about to lift the heart when...the heart beats!

The coroner stops. He didn't see that.

CORONER

(trying to keep his

composure)

It appears to be filled with a black,

viscous fluid...frankly, I don't know

what the hell it is. It's not blood.

The heart beats again!

The coroner stares, shocked, transfixed.

The heart undulates now as it beats...it is a hypnotic,

throbbing pulse. Something that has to be stared at.

Something that awakens deep, impossible cravings.

It draws the coroner towards it, his eyes glassy, transfixed

by what he sees.

It beats faster, undulating, a gaping, kneading maw...

The coroner stares, then reaches down and takes the now

furiously beating heart in his hands.

He looks at it for a frighteningly long beat. He brings it

closer to his face. He would appear to be studying it...

trying to understand what in God's name this thing is...

And then he suddenly smiles, raises the monstrous organ to

his lips...

...and eats the heart of Jason Voorhees!

When he finishes the heart, he stands for a moment, not

moving. Then, suddenly, his throat bulges and he begins to

SCREAM A HORRIBLE SCREAM and, as he SCREAMS we

CUT TO:

15 INT. HALLWAY OUTSIDE MORGUE - NIGHT

Dead silence. Whatever is going on in that room cannot be

heard through the airtight doors.

The CORONER'S ASSISTANT walks up, carrying dinner. The two

FBI MEN stop him.

FBI MAN 1

I.D.

ASSISTANT

You just saw me come out of there.

FBI MAN 1

I.D. please.

Annoyed, fumbling, the assistant takes out his I.D.

16 INT. FBI MORGUE - NIGHT

The assistant walks in to see the Coroner doubled over.

ASSISTANT

Hey, what's the matter.

The Coroner straightens, then turns to the assistant. His

mouth is smeared with black liquid of the heart.

ASSISTANT

(continuing)

You ate already? I was only gone ten

minutes.

The assistant tosses the food on the counter as the Coroner

takes

A SHARP DISSECTING PROBE

from off the table and walks over to him.

The Coroner holds the dissecting probe up to the Assistant's

face.

ASSISTANT

(continuing)

Yes. That's a probe.

Suddenly, using his other hand, the Coroner

SHOVES HIS INDEX FINGER

up through the soft flesh under the Assistant's jaw hooking

his finger through the Assistant's mouth and jerking the

assistant's head down to

SMASH INTO THE METAL EXAMINING TABLE

Then, the Coroner takes the dissecting probe and drives it

into the back of the Assistant's skull. The Assistant

spasms...then goes still.

The Coroner turns and walks to the door, passing by a mirror.

ON THE MIRROR

to see the reflection. It is not the coroner walking

by...it's

JASON VOORHEES, HOCKEY MASK IN PLACE!

17 INT. HALLWAY OUTSIDE MORGUE - NIGHT

The Coroner/Jason strides out of the doors and walks past the

FBI men.

FBI MAN 1

So that's the verdict -- is Jason

gonna be getting up and walking

around any time soon?

The Coroner/Jason stops and slowly turns back to the two

smiling FBI men -- there will be doom here very soon.

Over this we hear:

CAMPBELL (V.O.)

Tonight, on American Casefile...

CUT TO:

18 INT. STOCKROOM - DINER - DAY

FULL-FRAME ON A TV SET

WHOOSHING SFX as the words "American Casefile" are stamped in

red across the screen. Behind them, a graphic of Jason's

hockey mask ZOOMS UP.

CAMPBELL (V.O.)

Jason Voorhees -- dead...or deadly?

CUT TO:

VIDEO

Photos of the two FBI men from the morgue, dead and bloody,

as well as photos of the dead assistant coroner.

CAMPBELL (V.O.)

These dramatic photos were taken in

the aftermath of the autopsy of Jason

Voorhees, mere hours after his death

at the hands of Federal Forces. The

facts: Two security men -- dead. A

Coroner -- dead. Another Coroner --

missing. Are these men victims of

a serial killer only believed to be

deceased? Many say yes.

CUT TO:

19 INT. TV STUDIO - DAY

ROBERT CAMPBELL. In his early 30's, he's got T.V. good

looks. He speaks in the overly serious "journalese" of

tabloid television.

CAMPBELL

I'm Robert Campbell. Tonight, on

American Casefile, we'll talk, via

satellite, to Mr. Creighton Duke --

the bounty hunter responsible for the

capture of six of this country's most

reviled serial killers/

SHOT WIDENS

to include Duke, playing idly with a small dagger.

We recognize him as the man who we saw watching Jason die.

It's difficult to say how old he is -- it's his life that has

weathered him, not his years.

CAMPBELL

Mr. Duke, how can you claim that

Jason Voorhees is not truly dead?

DUKE

How many times has Jason been

reported killed before, Mr. Campbell?

CAMPBELL

Eight times.

DUKE

Eight times. They've burned him,

dipped him in nuclear waste --

CAMPBELL

-- But this time they bombed him and

then cremated the body.

DUKE

They coulda danced a jig on it an'

fed it to goats -- don't matter. Ya'

can't kill Jason by gettin' rid of

his body. He'll come back the way he

always do, to drag the kiddies into

the darkness and crush their little

skulls -- maybe even your skull, Mr.

Campbell.

Campbell laughs and smiles winningly.

CAMPBELL

Well, let's hope not!

DUKE

Yeah, that'd be a big shame...

A look between the two of them.

CAMPBELL

In the media, you've frequently been

described as "salty" --

DUKE

-- look, just shut up. Let's cut

through the shit. You asked me here

because you want me to catch and kill

Jason Voorhees for ya'. I'll do it,

but it won't be easy...and it won't

be cheap. One hundred grand, non-

negotiable.

CAMPBELL

I understand. However, our audience

should be aware that you only charged

forty thousand dollars to catch the

Idaho skin stretcher.

DUKE

Skin stretcher was human.

Campbell takes a moment to make sure that isn't lost on his

audience. Duke leans in close.

DUKE

(continuing)

Let's get one thing straight, Mr.

Campbell. This isn't your garden

variety serial killer -- there's only

one way to put and end ta' put an'

end to Jason Voorhees for all time

and I'm the only one that knows the

way. If you want him dead truly

dead -- my fee is one hundred grand.

You know where to find me.

Duke stands.

CAMPBELL

Mr. Duke tonight I'm prepared to

offer you your sum of one hundred

thousand dollars, payable only after

you provide American Casefile with

incontrovertible proof of --

DUKE

-- yeah, yeah, yeah. You just have

your hundred grand ready. For that

you get the machete...the mask...the

whole damn thing.

20 INT. DINER STOCKROOM - DAY

The TV suddenly SNAPS OFF.

REVERSE ANGLE

to see DIANA KIMBLE, leaning back after having just shut it

off. Sexy, in her early 40's, Diana is a waitress here in

"Joey B's Diner". Many people might be disturbed by the

notion that Jason Voorhees is still alive, but for

Diana...this means something much more.

JOEY B. (O.S.)

Hey! Lady Di!

Diana whirls around to see JOEY B. -- the frightening, no-

bullshit owner of the diner. She's a big woman with a big

attitude.

JOEY B.

I'm sorry to cut into your TV time,

but there's a few customers out here

who'd like to eat sometime this

fuckin' month.

21 INT. JOEY B'S DINER - DAY

"Joey B's Diner" may not be the last place in the world you'd

want to eat, but it's at least the second to last. A couple

of hockey masks hang from the ceiling and a banner proclaiming

"JASON IS DEAD -- 2 FOR 1 BURGER SALE!" hangs on the far wall.

Diana walks out and looks at this with an amused dismay.

DIANA

This is truly sick.

VICKI

Tell me about it.

That comes from VICKI, the other waitress in the diner.

Early 20's, she's cute and she's tough. She moves off as

Joey B. steps up.

JOEY B.

No, this is not sick, Diana, this is

business. People are gonna come to

see Jason's hometown and they're

gonna come with appetites.

SHELBY, Joey B.'s husband and cook, leans out the serving

window.

SHELBY

Di -- food's up!

DIANA

Thanks, Shelby.

Besides him, WARD, Shelby and Joey B.'s early 20's son,

sticks his head out as well.

WARD

Ma -- you seriously want me to cut

these like this?

He holds up a hamburger patty cut into the shape of a hockey

mask -- oval with punched out eyeholes.

JOEY B.

Yes I do!

WARD

They look stupid...

JOEY B.

Well, that's your dumbass fault --

they're supposed to look like hockey

masks! Now watch.

Joey B. quickly cuts a fresh hamburger patty into the

appropriate shape, then balls up the cut-away meat and holds

it up in front of Ward.

JOEY B.

This makes a whole new patty...hence

the 2 for 1 burger sale.

SHELBY

My God, I love this woman.

They kiss.

WARD

You guys make me sick.

They break apart. Shelby turns to Diana.

SHELBY

Table 3, Di.

We follow Diana as she picks up several plates and walks

towards a table, passing by STEVEN FREEMAN who sits at the

counter next to his friend RANDY -- a young cop in uniform.

Steven, early 20's and good-looking, turns to Diana -- what's

he's about to say is difficult for him but he tries to make

it seem casual.

STEVEN

Diana -- you heard from Jessica

lately?

DIANA

Yes.

She sets a plate down in front of him and continues walking.

Randy turns to Steven with a wry smile.

RANDY

Allright, you're gettin' somewhere...

We follow Diana to the table where JOSH (40's) and SHERIFF

LANDIS sit. Diana gives everyone their food as Randy walks

over and sits down with them.

DIANA

(to Josh)

Burger, side of fries.

(to Randy)

Double burger, side of rings.

(to Sheriff)

Meatloaf, side of me.

And she leans forward and plants a kiss on his lips. Josh

smiles.

JOSH

Where the hell was that on the menu?

I'd have ordered a couple.

SHERIFF

(mock threat)

You keep movin' in on my woman and I

might have to take you out back and

shoot you.

JOSH

Yeah, I've seen you shoot...

They all smile. It's a nice moment, until:

RANDY

I don't know...

(baiting him)

...I think you two should just go

ahead and get married.

The Sheriff turns to him.

SHERIFF

I'm sorry, son, I'm going' a little

deaf in my old age...what did you say

again?

He stares at Randy fixedly.

RANDY

I said I think I'll just eat my food

over by Steven and shut the hell up.

SHERIFF

(to Josh)

That's exactly what I thought he said.

Randy smiles and walks over to Steven as the Sheriff turns to

Diana and affectionately rubs her back.

SHERIFF

Everything going okay?

DIANA

It's going.

SHERIFF

Legs giving you trouble?

DIANA

Not so bad, today.

The Sheriff watches Randy sit back beside Steven. Steven

glances over, catches the Sheriff's eye, then quickly turns

away.

SHERIFF

Steven buggin' you?

DIANA

Do you have to ask?

JOSH

Jesus, he's relentless.

SHERIFF

Let me talk to him, Diana. I just

need three minutes with him.

DIANA

(warningly)

Ed...

SHERIFF

Okay.

(a beat)

So how is Jessica? You talked to her

lately?

DIANA

Yeah, she's good, considering. That

kid just takes everything in stride.

JOSH

(mumbling into food)

Wonder where she got that from...

Diana smiles at him.

DIANA

I gotta get back to work.

SHERIFF

Okay, I'll call you later.

She gives him a quick kiss, then walks off. Josh watches her

go, then fixes the Sheriff with a knowing stare.

SHERIFF

Don't say it...

Josh grins. He starts HUMMING THE WEDDING BELL MARCH.

SHERIFF

(continuing)

How about this -- I'll make you a

deal...I'll marry Diana when you quit

banging Edna and concentrate on your

wife.

JOSH

(shakes his head)

Poor, lonely Diana...

ON DIANA

as she arrives at another table. The customer's face is

hidden by a menu.

DIANA

What can I get ya'?

MAN

I'll take a Voorhees burger and a

side of Jason Fingers.

The man lowers the menu. It's Duke. He smiles. Diana,

recognizing him, takes a step back. She recovers quickly.

DIANA

Anything else?

DUKE

Yes.

Duke extends his hand.

DUKE

(continuing)

Creighton Duke.

Hesitantly, Diana shakes his hand.

DIANA

I know who you are.

DUKE

I need to talk to you.

DIANA

I'm kind of busy right now...

DUKE

I'm going to kill Jason Voorhees --

and I need you to help me.

DIANA

Jason Voorhees is dead.

DUKE

You know he's not...and he's coming

for you.

DIANA

You food'll be right out.

She turns to go.

DUKE

I'll give you ten thousand dollars.

That stops her. She turns back.

DIANA

No, I --

DUKE

Twenty.

DIANA

Look --

DUKE

Thirty. Name your price. Everyone

has a price, what's yours?

DIANA

Look, I don't want your money!

DUKE

Then maybe I should offer it to your

daughter...

Diana does not, at any level, like Jessica being brought into

the conversation. She leans in close.

DIANA

What do you want?

DUKE

You know what I want. You know why

I need you.

DIANA

You need to leave.

DUKE

I know everything about you, Diana.

DIANA

That's it, we're done.

She turns to go.

DUKE

I know who you really are!

This stops her in her tracks. Suddenly, we hear:

SHERIFF

What's the problem here?

DIANA

N...nothing.

DUKE

I was just making your girlfriend

there a little proposition...she's

thinking it over. Right, luv?

The Sheriff steps forward.

SHERIFF

Maybe you should be moving on.

DUKE

Maybe you should mind your own

business.

SHERIFF

Get up!

DUKE

Why don't you blow me, Chief.

(a beat)

After your girlfriend gets through.

The Sheriff thinks a second -- then, suddenly, he swings at

Duke.

With surprising speed, Duke's hand darts up, catching the

Sheriff's fist. But, with equally surprising speed, Landis

brings his gun up under the man's chin.

SHERIFF

You're talking about my lady.

DUKE

She's your lady only cause she ain't

had a taste of the Duke yet.

SHERIFF

Goddamnit!

He grabs Duke, pulling him up from the table.

DUKE

Careful, Chief. I don't think you

know who I am.

SHERIFF

I know who you are and the last thing

we need around here is some freak

show "bounty hunter" making trouble.

I want you outta town and I want you

outta town now!

DUKE

That's very colorful, chief.

SHERIFF

(to Randy)

Take him to my car. I'll be out in

a minute.

RANDY

Let's go.

DUKE

He's comin' for you, Diana...and your

daughter. Lock your doors.

Randy takes Duke away. The Sheriff turns to Diana, a little

proud, a little manly.

SHERIFF

I'm sorry if he upset you...

Diana angrily turns to him.

DIANA

I don't need you to fight my battle.

I don't need any part-time protection.

Saying that, she walks off. The Sheriff glances around at

the people in the diner then, a little cowed, goes outside.

ON DIANA

as she walks up to the counter where Steven sits.

STEVEN

He seem to think Jason's...

(in Duke's accent)

...comin' fer ya'?

He smiles. She doesn't. Vicki walks up.

VICKI

You okay?

Diana nods.

VICKI

(continuing)

Okay.

Vicki moves off. When she does, Diana turns to Steven.

DIANA

Steven, I need to talk to you.

There's something you don't know

about Jessica, something you should

know. She was going to tell you

herself but...

Diana looks up and stares out the window.

HER POV

One of Joey B's hockey mask spins slowly in her field of

vision, but instead of looking cheesy...it now seems

scary...foreboding. Diana turns back to Steven.

DIANA

...but there just may not be enough

time. If you still care about her,

if you still want to try to make

things better between you two...we

should talk.

STEVEN

So let's talk.

DIANA

No. Not here. Come by my house

tonight at eleven. Don't be late.

As Steven looks at her worried face, we

CUT TO:

22 EXT. JOEY B'S DINER - NIGHT

Diana comes out the back door of the diner, taking the

garbage out.

POV SHOT

slowly moving in on her, stalking. There shadows, the dark

gaps of night and woods between her and the trash...we just

know that she is going to die.

ON THE DUMPSTER

as Diana approaches it. She flings it open with a LOUD BANG

then dumps the trash in. We stay close...sure she is going

into that dumpster with her trash...

But no...she finishes and turns...

...Right into Josh!

DIANA

Jesus!

JOSH

Sorry, Di. I was just going to my

car. I didn't mean to frighten you...

DIANA

It's...It's all right.

Josh takes the trash can from her...carries it back towards

the diner.

JOSH

Listen...don't you worry about Ed.

He'll come around. He's too good a

Sheriff to let you give him the slip.

DIANA

I'm just too old for going steady,

Josh.

JOSH

So's he and he knows it.

They've reached the diner. He opens the door for her.

JOSH

(continuing)

Everything'll work out. Trust me on

that.