ACT FOUR

FADE IN:

INT. BEDROOM - LATE MORNING

Though it is late in the morning, Xena and Gabrielle are entwined on the bed, both apparently still deeply asleep. 

Xena’s eyes pop open, alert and aware, a moment before a loud knock sounds on the door.  Gabrielle lifts her head from her partner’s chest, blinking sleepily. 

The knock sounds again.

Slipping from the bed and pulling the sheet over Gabrielle, Xena yanks on a shift and pads over to the door.  Opening it slightly, she peers through the crack, eyes narrow.

XENA

Yes?

Marcellas Flavias stands just outside the doorway, impeccably dressed as always, though looking a little flustered.

MARCELLAS FLAVIAS

I’m sorry to have disturbed you,

Xena but…I need your help.

GABRIELLE

(off camera)

What is it?

Xena looks over her shoulder to see Gabrielle, fully dressed, standing beside the bed.  Smiling slightly, she steps back, opening the door more fully and inviting Marcellas Flavias inside with a raised eyebrow.

MARCELLAS FLAVIAS

(to Xena)

Thank you.

(to Gabrielle)

It’s your louse, I’m afraid.

Gabrielle’s brow wrinkles.

GABRIELLE

You mean Loos?

Marcellas Flavias smiles.

MARCELLAS FLAVIAS

Yes, though I do believe that

at this moment, my fellows

would agree that my pronunciation

of his name is a bit more apt.

Gabrielle sighs.

GABRIELLE

What’s he gotten into now?

MARCELLAS FLAVIAS

The better question might be what

hasn’t he gotten into. We’ve spent

the past two days preparing for the

Vulcanalia and he’s running rampant

through the streets, smashing statues

and defacing property.  He’s completely

destroyed the fish catch that we were

going to offer in sacrifice, and

he’s even tried to water the wine!

GABRIELLE

Oh boy.

MARCELLAS FLAVIAS

It’s… not good.  He’s escaped from

the constables twice now and I’m

afraid his life will be forfeit if he’s

caught again. Please, you must

restrain him.  For his sake and ours.

After a moment, Xena nods.

XENA

We’ll do what we can.

MARCELLAS FLAVIAS

Thank you.

Bowing to them both, she gracefully slips from the room, closing the door quietly behind her.

GABRIELLE

Don’t say it.

XENA

(innocently)

What?

GABRIELLE

Just…  Xena, if we were on a

deserted island in the middle of

nowhere, some madman on a

mission would manage to find us.

So let’s just find Loos, stick him

somewhere safe, and try to enjoy

what’s left of our vacation, ok?

Xena grins.

XENA

Fine with me.

CUT TO:

EXT. POMPEII - DAY

The street in front of the café looks as if a tornado has run through it.  Carts are overturned, shards of broken statuary and jars litter the cobbled ground, wall paintings have been defaced with large black swaths of paint, and the citizens are red-faced with anger.

GABRIELLE

By the gods….

XENA

Looks like he’s been

at it for awhile.

GABRIELLE

I’m surprised they haven’t

strung him up somewhere by

now.  Xena, when we leave,

I think we should take him with

us.  He’s not… he’s not well.

XENA

First things first.  Let’s go.

CUT TO:

EXT. STREETS OF POMPEII - DAY

Loos’ rampant destruction makes it easy to track him, and Xena and Gabrielle waste no time in their task.  When they finally catch up to him, he is surrounded by a crowd of screaming Pompeians thirsting for blood.

Xena and Gabrielle wade quickly into the melee plucking angry, toga-clad citizens out of the way as they go.  Xena reaches him first and pulls him up from the ground where he’s fallen.  His face is bloody; his body a mass of bruises and welts. His muddy toga has been rent at the seams and hangs off of his narrow body.

XENA

(cont’d)

All right, that’s enough.

Back off.

MARCUS ANTONIOUS

Back off?!  Have you seen

what he’s done, Xena?

XENA

I see it.  I also see what you’ve

done to him.  Now back off.

AFRICANUS

He’s ruined our festival!

STENTONIUS

He’s destroyed our statues and

defaced our property!  Our

sacrifice is gone!  What will

we offer Vulcan in its stead?

LOOS

Offer him nothing!  The

gods you worship are

false... mmmph!

Xena slaps a hand over Loos’ mouth and glares at the rest of the men.

MAN

Start up a bonfire and

offer up the lunatic!!

The crowd cheers and begins to press forward again.

XENA

Don’t even think about it.

Her free hand drifts toward her chakram.  The men notice and stop moving.

Gabrielle presses through and stands beside Xena.  She eyes the men directly.

GABRIELLE

(calmly)

Please.  It’s obvious this

man is… troubled.

LOOS

Mmmmph!!

GABRIELLE

Let us take him back to his

home and keep him there

for the rest of the day.

AFRICANUS

But what of the damage

he’s caused?!

GABRIELLE

We’ll… find a way to

make it up to you.

She looks around at the huge mess, and sighs.

GABRIELLE

(cont’d)

Somehow.

Africanus grumbles, not willing to concede.

GABRIELLE

(cont’d)

Will taking his life really

make things right?

Much shuffling of feet as the men look at one another slightly abashed.

STENTONIUS

I guess not.  But please, make

sure he stays away from here.

This festival is very important to us.

GABRIELLE

(relieved)

We will. You have our word.

Stentonius looks to Xena, who nods.

STENTONIUS

Very well.  But I’m warning you, Loos. If I spy so much as a hair on your head for the rest of the festival, I swear by Jupiter I’ll throw you into Vulcan’s fire myself.

With that, he gathers the rest of the men and stalks through the debris, muttering and grumbling.

Removing her hand from his mouth, Xena gives Loos a fierce glare.  He swallows hard, but mercifully keeps his mouth shut.

XENA

Let’s go.

CUT TO:

INT. LOOS’ HOUSE - DAY

Entering the dark, dank, crumbling structure, Gabrielle picks a sticky cobweb from her face and hair with a shudder of revulsion.  She blinks as her eyes slowly become accustomed to the darkness.

GABRIELLE

Wow. Talk about

your fixer uppers.

Xena pushes Loos through the doorway, then enters herself.  Straightening back to her full height, she grabs the remains of his toga and yanks him across the room to a rickety table and chair sitting off to one side.  As Gabrielle lights the few stubby candles scattered about the hovel, Xena pushes Loos down into the chair, then tilts his face up, assessing his injuries.

XENA

Gabrielle, get some clean

rags if you can find any, and

some water from the skin.

Gabrielle returns with the requested items.  Loos remains uncharacteristically subdued as Xena tends to his injuries, wiping the blood and dirt from his face, chest and arms.

Her task complete, Xena tosses the filthy rag on the table.

XENA

(cont’d)

You’ll live.

LOOS

(softly)

Thank you.

With a final, piercing look, Xena stands up from the table, turns, and leaves the house.

Sighing softly, Gabrielle approaches the table and looks down at the beaten man.

GABRIELLE

Loos, why are you doing this?

LOOS

I told you.  For the God of Eve

and of Eli.  For their sakes,

these people must be cleansed.

GABRIELLE

With violence?

Loos shrugs.

LOOS

If that is what must be.

Gabrielle lays a gentle hand on his shoulder.

GABRIELLE

Loos, Eli was the kindest, most loving,

most gentle man I knew.  He hated

violence.  He would have given his

own life rather than harm anyone or

anything. Can’t you see that what

you’re doing in his name, what you’re

preaching and threatening, isn’t right?

LOOS

(passionately)

It is right, Gabrielle.  I am

doing as my God commands.

He makes as if to stand, but Gabrielle’s strong hand pins him in place.

GABRIELLE

I wouldn’t.

XENA

(off camera)

She’s right.

Xena steps into the hovel and straightens a sneer on her face.

XENA

(cont’d)

You really don’t want to make me

any angrier than I already am, my

friend, so be a nice little zealot

and pray or chant or whatever it is

you do, and don’t even think

about setting one foot outside

of this house until morning.

LOOS

But you don’t understand!

XENA

Oh, I understand plenty.  I

understand you’ve got two

choices.  You either stay in

that chair of your own free

will... or I tie you to it.

Loos stares at her for a long moment, gauging her seriousness. Finally, his shoulders slump and he nods, defeated.

Satisfied, Xena crooks an eyebrow toward Gabrielle who smiles briefly and steps outside of the house behind her partner.

CUT TO:

EXT. LOOS’ HOUSE - DAY 

Sitting back against the crumbling stucco that makes up the outer walls of Loos’ home, Xena and Gabrielle look toward the city.  They listen to the gaiety of the celebration heard in the music, and the good natured shouts, and the laughter of the people of Pompeii.  Gabrielle turns her head to look at Xena’s profile.

GABRIELLE

Heck of a way to spend

our last day here, huh?

Xena smiles.

XENA

Could be worse.

GABRIELLE

(surprised)

It could?

XENA

Sure.

Smirking, she lifts a skin heavy with sweet wine from the bushes where she’d hidden it.

XENA

(cont’d)

We might not have had this.

Laughing happily, Gabrielle snatches the heavy skin from Xena’s grasp, uncaps it, and squirts a stream of liquid into her mouth, gulping noisily.

GABRIELLE

Mm. This stuff is great!

XENA

Give me that.

Grabbing the skin, Xena tilts her head back and helps herself to several tasty swallows of wine before handing it back.  Gabrielle laughs and rests her head against Xena’s shoulder as she enjoys the fruits of Pompeii.

CUT TO:

INT. LOOS’ HOUSE - NIGHT

Still sitting at the table, Loos has his hands clasped before him. His head is bowed and his lips move soundlessly in prayer.

From a swept out and reasonably clean corner of the room, Xena and Gabrielle watch him.

GABRIELLE

How long do you think

he’s going to keep that up?

XENA

Till morning, I hope.

She stiffens, and Gabrielle looks at her.

GABRIELLE

Xena?

Xena holds up a hand, cocking her head.  Recognizing the gesture, Gabrielle stills her breathing as she strains to pick up whatever sound Xena might be hearing.

VOICES

(distantly)

Xena!  Gabrielle!

A beat, then…

VOICES

(closer)

Xena!  Gabrielle!

Xena moves to rise from her position on the floor, but Loos beats her to it, jumping to his feet, wide-eyed and full of energy.

LOOS

Stay here, both of you!

I’ll take care of this!

Before either of them can move, he is gone.

CUT TO:

EXT. LOOS’ HOUSE - NIGHT

A huge crowd of men and women surround the front of Loos’ home.  Many of them are wearing fabulous costumes and carrying lit torches, chanting the names of Xena and Gabrielle.

Loos faces them, face red with anger, body tense with righteous indignation.

LOOS

Begone from here,

you infidels!

CROWD

XENA!

LOOS

Go back to your pits of

sin and defilement!

CROWD

GABRIELLE!

LOOS

The God of Love’s judgment is

coming and his retribution will

be swift and painful!  Go back

to your pits and pray!  Pray

for his mercy!  Repent!!

MARCUS ANTONIOUS

Get out of the way, Loos!

AFRICANUS

We don’t care about

you or your God.

STENTONIOUS

We want your guests!

Bring out Xena and Gabrielle!

LOOS

Never!

CROWD

XENA!  GABRIELLE!

LOOS

Never!  I will not offer them up

to be further tainted by your

depravity!  Leave now or

feel the wrath of my God!

Taking her cue, Xena ducks out of the hut before the Pompeians can take up Loos’ challenge.  Gabrielle follows right behind. The crowd cheers at their presence.

CROWD

XENA!  GABRIELLE!

Xena holds up her hands.  The crowd quiets.

XENA

Thanks.  We’re... uh....

She looks at Gabrielle.

XENA

(cont’d)

Touched…

by your enthusiasm.

The crowd cheers again.

XENA

(cont’d)

But we’re gonna have

to decline your invitation.

MARCUS ANTONIOUS

What?

AFRICANUS

Why?

Gabrielle steps forward.

GABRIELLE

It’s not that we don’t want to

join the party.  It’s just that…

we have to get an early

start in the morning.

STENTONIOUS

All the more reason for you

to celebrate with us tonight!

The crowd cheers.

GABRIELLE

(sincerely regretful)

Thanks, but… we can’t.

I’m sorry.

MARCELLAS FLAVIAS

Please?

GABRIELLE

No.  I’m really sorry.

We’ll see you tomorrow

before we leave, okay?

Realizing that their friends will not be swayed, the people finally sigh in resignation and slowly turn and walk back toward the city.  They leave Xena, Gabrielle and Loos to stare after them.

Xena and Gabrielle exchange a sad, regretful look and duck back inside the house.  Loos continues to stare after the departing crowd, grinning fiercely, the light in his eyes not quite sane.

CUT TO:

INT. LOOS’ HOUSE - MORNING

The interior of the hut is still dark when Xena awakens.  As she listens, the crazed cackling laughter that awoke her sounds again.

GABRIELLE

(fuzzily)

What was that?

XENA

(grimly)

Loos.  He’s finally snapped.

GABRIELLE

Finally?!

Hopping to her feet, Xena pulls her partner up with her.

XENA

C’mon.

CUT TO:

EXT. LOOS’ HOUSE - MORNING

As Xena and Gabrielle exit the house, they see Loos capering about and laughing like a madman.  His toga is wrinkled and mud-spattered, his hair sticks up in greasy spikes.  His eyes are rolling crazily in their sockets, lit as if from within. 

LOOS

(screaming)

I was right!!  God’s judgment against

the evil of this city is at hand!!  My

prayers have been answered!!!

Blessed be the God of Love and the

wonders he performs!!!  Prepare to

meet your doom, citizens of Pompeii!!

Turning, he finally notices his two watchers.  He laughs again.

LOOS

(cont’d)

Xena! Gabrielle!  You thought

I was mad, didn’t you?

GABRIELLE

Loos….

LOOS

You thought I was crazy!  Well you

were wrong!  Come see!  Come

see the wrath of the God of Eli

against this unholy city!  Come see!!

Xena walks forward several steps, her gaze following Loos’ wildly pointing finger.  Her eyes narrow then widen.  Her lips part slightly.

GABRIELLE

(nervously)

Xena?  What is it?

XENA

(softly)

Son of a bacchae….

FADE OUT.

To Be Continued....
 

DISCLAIMER

The cities of Sodom, Gomorrah, and Pompeii were

harmed well before the making of this motion picture.