8.20 Pac-Man Fever (transcript)

SUPERNATURAL

8.20 Pac-Man Fever

Written by: Robbie Thompson

Directed by: Bob Singer

Air Date: April 24, 2013

TEASER

TITLE: NOW

INT. 1950s MILITARY HOSPITAL - NIGHT

DEAN wakes up and looks around.

DEAN

...the hell?

He gets up and tries to turn off the record player, but the music just keeps going. He kicks a leg off the table that's blocking the door to take with him as a weapon, and starts exploring the hospital. The floor is littered with several dead, bloody bodies.

DEAN

What the hell is this?

He finds a newspaper on the floor. It's dated July 12, 1951.

DEAN

1951?

A growling figure approaches; we only see the shadow it casts.

TITLE: SUPERNATURAL

ACT ONE

INT. BUNKER - LIBRARY - NIGHT

SUPERIMPOSED: 24 Hours Earlier

DEAN enters, placing a bag of groceries on a chair and a six-pack of beer on the table. He opens one of the beers. SAM enters, looking sleepy.

DEAN

Y— [looks up] Man, I'm telling you, give me five minutes with some clippers, and...

SAM

Oh, shut up. Uh, what time did I lay down?

DEAN

You took a siesta around noon. Yesterday.

DEAN grabs another beer and throws it in SAM's direction. SAM fails to react and the beer shatters on the floor.

SAM

I'm sorry, I, uh...

DEAN

That's why we don't have nice things, Sam. [SAM stumbles] You okay?

SAM

Yeah, I'm, I'm fine, I just— [he leans on the table, rubbing his face] uh, you know what, I'm gonna get dressed. We should go find Kevin.

DEAN

Hey hey, hey hey hey, easy, easy, sleeping beauty. Look, man, I've hacked into every security camera around Garth's houseboat, Kevin's hometown, where Mrs Tran lived...

SAM

And?

DEAN

Well, nothing so far.

SAM

Dean, we have to find him.

DEAN

I know. I know, but Garth is out looking for him, we got a hunter APB out on Kevin, we will do what we can from here while you get better.

SAM

I'm fine. Dean, I can still go out there, I can still hunt.

DEAN

Really?

INT. BUNKER - SHOOTING GALLERY - NIGHT

SAM and DEAN enter. DEAN loads a gun.

SAM

This is stupid.

DEAN fires the gun twice, hitting one of the targets in the chest both times.

DEAN

Alright. You hit that target, we'll talk about getting you back out there.

SAM

No problem.

SAM aims, wavering. He uses his other hand to steady the gun, but still misses the target entirely on both shots he fires.

DEAN

Look, man, this second trial hit you a lot harder than that first one. I don't know whether it was just more intense or what.

SAM

Felt the same. Till the next day.

DEAN

So, we're gonna sit tight. Keep an eye out until you get better.

INT. BUNKER - NIGHT

A "You Have Email" notification pops up on the laptop.

SAM

It's from Charlie. "In the neighborhood, found you guys a case." Found us a case?

DEAN

In the neighborhood? How the hell does she know where we are?

SAM

Uh, well, she doesn't. Not exactly, at least. It says she tracked our cells to a twenty mile radius, then the signal went out. Huh. This place must be in some kinda, like, Bermuda Triangle.

DEAN

What, are you saying we can make and receive phone calls from here and nobody can track us? Man I love this place.

EXT. BUNKER - DAY

SAM and DEAN are leaning on the the trunk of the Impala, waiting. CHARLIE BRADBURY pulls up.

DEAN

Your Highness!

CHARLIE

What's up, bitches?

CHARLIE hugs DEAN, then SAM as well, who leans back heavily onto the Impala immediately afterwards and grunts.

CHARLIE

You okay, Sam?

SAM

Yeah, no, I'm, I'm good, yeah. What're you doing in Kansas?

CHARLIE

Uh... a comic convention. In Topeka.

SAM

In the middle of the week?

CHARLIE

Girl's gotta get her collectibles. So, are you gonna invite me into your dungeon, or do I gotta answer your "questions three" first?

SAM

[?], let us introduce you to the Men of Letters.

INT. BUNKER - LIBRARY - DAY

CHARLIE

Holy awesome. Too bad they got wiped out, though that is what they get for the sexist name.

SAM

Well, anyway, that's our skinny. How about you?

CHARLIE

Um, made a deal with the yesteryear weirdos, we're gonna team up to stomp the shadow orcs. You guys are still coming to the mid-year jubilee, right?

DEAN

Wouldn't miss it.

SAM

So what about this case you brought us?

CHARLIE

When I was in Topeka, I saw this pop up over the wire. Tom Blake, a checkout clerk in Salina, who went missing on his way home from work. He was found dead yesterday, his insides liquefied. Locals have no idea what happened, they tried to bury the report so people wouldn't freak, but I flagged it. I have eliminated the following things that go bump in the night...

SAM

Wait a second. When did you become such an expert?

CHARLIE

Well, after you guys left, I dug into all things monsters. I'm a wee bit obsessive. If "wee bit" means completely. I also found this series of books, by a Carver Edlund? [SAM and DEAN exchange awkward looks] Did those books really happen?

SAM and DEAN look away. SAM sighs.

CHARLIE (cont'd)

Wow. That is some meta madness. [to DEAN] Thanks for saving the world and stuff. [to SAM] Sorry you have zero luck with the ladies.

SAM

Wha— [to DEAN] We need to find every single copy of those books and burn them.

CHARLIE

They're online now, so good luck with that.

DEAN

Awesome. [he gets up] Well, you two crazy kids deal with that, I will go see if there's anything to this, uh, case of yours.

SAM

I'm coming with you.

SAM stands up as well but staggers, nearly falling over. CHARLIE jumps from her seat and grabs his arm.

CHARLIE

Whoa, are you sure you're okay?

SAM

Yes.

DEAN

No. You're taking a knee as long as you're off your game.

CHARLIE

I'll go with you.

DEAN

No disrespect, okay, but there's a big difference between reading about hunting and actually hunting.

CHARLIE

I'm coming with.

INT. BUNKER - SHOOTING GALLERY - DAY

DEAN loads the gun. CHARLIE gives him an exasperated look.

CHARLIE

For serious?

DEAN

Okay, now, if you can hit that target then we can talk about you actually—

CHARLIE grabs the gun and fires twice — both perfect headshots.

CHARLIE

What?

DEAN

Alright, if you're gonna do a ridealong, then, uh... you gotta lose the novelty t-shirts.

CHARLIE

Son of a pantsuit.

INT. CLOTHING STORE - DAY

MONTAGE (to "Walking on Sunshine" by Katrina and the Waves) of CHARLIE trying on different outfits. DEAN sits outside the dressing room making her a fake FBI badge and occasionally looks up to disapprove of the various outfits. Eventually he grabs Charlie's cellphone and turns off the music.

CHARLIE

(disappointed)

Montage!

DEAN glares at her and CHARLIE goes off to try on another outfit, which finally gets DEAN's approval.

CHARLIE

Trials? That's never good.

DEAN

Yeah, and our prophet's in the wind.

CHARLIE

What about, uh, Castiel? He seems helpful, and dreamy.

DEAN

He's MIA, with a tablet of his own, doing God knows what. I mean, to be honest this whole thing is... I mean, Sam's a tough son of a bitch, but... Cas is saying that these trials are messing with him in ways that even he can't heal.

CHARLIE

If it's any consolation, having read your history, there is pretty much nothing the Winchesters can't do if they work together.

DEAN

Thanks.

CHARLIE

Must be nice, having a brother, someone to always watch your back.

DEAN

Yeah. No brothers or sisters?

CHARLIE

Actually I have two. Their names are XBOX and PS3.

DEAN

Not getting any reception. Can I use your phone?

CHARLIE

Um, sure.

DEAN takes her phone and dials.

SAM (O.S.)

Yeah?

DEAN

Hey, it's me. You okay?

SAM (O.S.)

Yes, Dean.

INT. BUNKER - SHOOTING GALLERY - CONTINUOUS

SAM (cont'd)

I'm still fine. Look, I can hunt, I—

DEAN (O.S.)

Well, then let the healing continue.

INT. CLOTHING STORE - CONTINUOUS

DEAN (cont'd)

I'll check in with you later.

DEAN hangs up.

INT. BUNKER - SHOOTING GALLERY - CONTINUOUS

SAM hangs up and grabs the gun. He fires another two shots, closer than before but still not quite hitting the target.

SAM

Close enough.

INT. HOSPITAL - CORONER'S OFFICE - DAY

DEAN knocks on the door to DR. JENNIFER O'BRIEN's office.

JENNIFER

Come in.

DEAN and CHARLIE enter the coroner's office. DEAN takes out his badge. CHARLIE fumbles with hers and ends up holding it out upside-down. DEAN glances over and CHARLIE notices her mistake and quickly puts the badge away. DEAN shows the Dr. his own badge.

DEAN

Hi, uh. Special Agent Hicks, this is my partner Special Agent Ripley. We're here about the body with the creamy filling.

JENNIFER

Ah, right. I didn't think you guys would have any interest in that.

DEAN

FBI, ma'am, we never leave a stone unturned. Mind if we take a peek?

JENNIFER

Of course not. I just need your signed chain of custody request and it's all yours.

DEAN

Sorry, the what?

JENNIFER

Chain of custody request? From your supervisor to mine?

DEAN

Right, uh. You know what. [holds out a business card] You wanna call my supervisor, I'm sure he can give you the override or whatever.

JENNIFER

Yeah, I'm sorry. Unless he can give me the form, I can't give you access to the body.

CHARLIE

But... FBI.

JENNIFER

I understand, dear. But paperwork is paperwork.

DEAN

Of course. Jennifer— uh, it is Jennifer?

JENNIFER

Yeah.

DEAN

Uh, we have been on the road all day, and this is strictly routine, dot the I, cross the T kind of thing. If you could do us a solid..?

JENNIFER

Come back with the signed form, I'd be happy to do you a solid. Until then...

EXT. HOSPITAL - DAY

CHARLIE and DEAN leave the hospital.

CHARLIE

That never happened in the books.

DEAN

Wanna tell me what happened back there, Boo Radley?

CHARLIE

I'm sorry, I froze. I couldn't Ctrl-Alt-Delete my way out. Real life roleplaying is hard.

DEAN

It's okay. We'll come back later when Doris Do-Right isn't here anymore.

CHARLIE

Oh, perfect. Breaking and entering.

DEAN

No different than hacking.

CHARLIE

Beg to differ. One I've been doing since I was a teenager, the other I've done once, with you two idiots walking me through it, and I had my arm broken in the process.

DEAN

What did you hack when you where a teenager?

CHARLIE

Uh, NORAD.

DEAN

Yeah, whatever you say, Wargames. Why don't we go grab some grub while we wait.

EXT. RAILROAD TRACKS - NIGHT

Two GUYS are playing videogames as they walk along the tracks.

GUY #1

Awesome, I got three stars.

GUY #2

So? I'm three levels ahead of you, man.

GUY #1

[noticing something on the ground] Dude, stop.

GUY #2

I can't, I'm just too good.

GUY #1

Dude!

He points down. There's a dead man on the ground, his stomach distended. GUY #1 picks up a fallen branch and tries to poke at it.

GUY #2

Whoa, no, dude. That's a bad idea.

GUY #1

Your face is a bad idea. [he pokes the dead guy's stomach] See? Nothing to worry about.

He pokes some more until the dead man's stomach ruptures, splattering both of them in blood. They scream.

ACT TWO

EXT. RAILROAD TRACKS - LATER

Police have arrived at the scene. DEAN and CHARLIE pull up in the Impala.

CHARLIE

Maybe you should go first this time.

DEAN

Nuh-uh. Back on the horse, kiddo, come on.

They exit the car and walk over to a POLICE OFFICER.

CHARLIE

Hey there. [holds out badge, upright this time] I am Special Agent Ripley, this is my partner—

POLICE OFFICER

Save it. Your other agent's over there.

CHARLIE and DEAN exchange a glance, then walk over to SAM, who had already arrived.

SAM

Took you guys so long?

DEAN

What the hell are you doing here?

SAM

Working the case, same as you. [points in the direction of the body] Jake Hill, librarian. Went missing yesterday, no relation to the other vic. Coroner already swooped in and scooped up what was left of him.

DEAN

Yeah, we met her, bit of a stickler. Well, if there's not a body, there's nothing else to see here, so why don't you head on home?

SAM

Still have to talk to the witnesses.

DEAN

Well, we can handle that. Charlie, why don't you go talk to the witnesses.

CHARLIE

But I don't wanna miss the broman—

DEAN

Charlie. [CHARLIE walks off to where the guys are sitting] Look, man, I know you're frustrated, but you're also sick.

SAM

I'm not leaving, Dean.

CHARLIE

[to the guys] Hey, boys. Special Agent Ripley, FBI, and, stuff. What game you guys playing?

GUY #2

Supereater.

CHARLIE

Underworld Adventures or Dimension Travellers?

GUY #1

Underworld Adventures.

CHARLIE

Nice. So, about that childhood trauma you experienced earlier...

DEAN

I know you wanna help, I do, but—

SAM

Dean, you cannot take care of the both of us. I need to be out here. Play through the pain, right?

DEAN

Come on man, don't quote me to me.

CHARLIE returns.

CHARLIE

So the boys said they noticed something on the body's arm before it covered them in years of future therapy. Said it looked like a blue handprint.

DEAN

Sounds like something you should read about. In a book. At home.

SAM

I'm not leaving until we find out whatever is doing this.

DEAN

Whatever. [stalks off]

CHARLIE

You guys fight like an old married couple.

SAM

Charlie...

CHARLIE

Does this mean we don't have to break into the coroner's office anymore?

SAM

That's a good idea.

DEAN drives off in the Impala.

CHARLIE

Is he leaving? He's leaving!

SAM

That's alright. I stole your car, I think I know where he's going. Come on.

CHARLIE

Cool. Wait, you stole my car?

INT. HOSPITAL - HALLWAY - NIGHT

DEAN enters the morgue. SAM and CHARLIE are already waiting there.

SAM

What took you so long?

DEAN

I stopped for gas. Shut up. Body's in here.

The headlights of a car pulling up outside shine in through the window.

SAM

The hell?

CHARLIE runs off.

DEAN

Charlie. Charlie!

She disappears around the corner for a moment, then reappears.

CHARLIE

It's the coroner. I got this.

SAM and DEAN enter the morgue. CHARLIE enters the coroner's office.

INT. HOSPITAL - CORONER'S OFFICE - NIGHT

CHARLIE

Hello! Hey there. Front door was open.

JENNIFER

Oh. Wha— what are you doing here?

CHARLIE

I, uh... came back, to get a blank copy of that form you asked for.

JENNIFER

The FBI doesn't have chain of custody forms?

CHARLIE

The field office had a power outage. After catching fire. Figured I could just borrow a copy or two?

JENNIFER

Of course. Just gimme a sec.

INT. HOSPITAL - MORGUE - NIGHT

DEAN opens the chamber only to find there's no body in there.

DEAN

The hell? It's empty.

SAM

[flipping through paperwork] Uh... they burned the bodies.

DEAN

Already?

SAM

Yeah, they think it's some kinda like, uh, outbreak scenario. Even got the CDC to sign off on it.

DEAN

These folks run a tight ship.

INT. HOSPITAL - CORONER'S OFFICE - NIGHT

JENNIFER

Here you go.

She hands CHARLIE the forms.

CHARLIE

Great! Perfect. Thank you.

JENNIFER

Well, if you'll excuse me, I have some work to do in the morgue.

JENNIFER starts to leave.

CHARLIE

Uh— can I ask you a personal question? I am new to the whole power suit thing, and yours is killer. Where do you get them?

INT. HOSPITAL - MORGUE - NIGHT

DEAN

So does this mean we need to take Silkwood showers now, or is this still a case?

SAM

Yeah, something about that mark the kid saw rings a bell. [snaps photos of the documents] Probably have to check the lore, or maybe Dad's journal.

DEAN

Hurry up.

INT. HOSPITAL - CORONER'S OFFICE - NIGHT

JENNIFER

All you need are three jackets, three pairs of pants, and you're all set.

CHARLIE

So simple, so smart. You should have a blog.

JENNIFER

Okay, I'll get right on that.

She leaves again. CHARLIE runs after her.

INT. HOSPITAL - HALLWAY - CONTINUOUS

CHARLIE

Um, so what about shoes? I can never find the right kind to go with—

JENNIFER

Okay, I'm sorry, but I'm not a stylist.

They reach the morgue, which has been deserted.

CHARLIE

Uh. Well. Thanks for the forms, and the fashion advice. You're the best. Don't go change it. Okay bye.

INT. BUNKER - LIBRARY - NIGHT

SAM

Leviathan.

CHARLIE

No, they consume their prey.

SAM

Well, maybe the vics were Leviathan.

CHARLIE

No black goo on either scene in the coroner reports.

SAM

Dragons, they uh—

CHARLIE No signs of burns on the vics. [she crosses them off the list on her iPad]

SAM

I hate that thing. (beat) I want one.

DEAN

Wait a second. Djinn.

CHARLIE

Djinn vics don't get liquefied.

DEAN

No no no, not regular Djinn. According to this, there's a bastard offshoot. Uh, their eyes light up blue, they pass as humans, all that regular jazz, except these leave their victims with jelly-like insides, and supposedly, when they poison their victims, they leave behind a blue handprint. [slams his hand on the journal]

CHARLIE

I hate that thing. And I want one.

SAM

So these things die like regular Djinn?

DEAN

Silver blade dipped in lamb's blood, yeah. And now we just gotta find the asshat.

CHARLIE

Alright, well, breakthrough means snack time to me, and I wanna just stretch my legs. I will pick us up some grub, and unlike you, Sam, I will not forget the pie.

CHARLIE exits.

DEAN

She seem a little off to you?

SAM

Since the second she got here.

INT. CHARLIE'S APARTMENT - NIGHT

CHARLIE rummages through a box of fake passports and other IDs, cards etc. She opens her laptop and start typing in code. She pauses as she hears a sound, then continues typing. Funds are being transferred from multiple accounts (in the names of Christine E. Le Guin, Annie Tolkien and Susan Asimov) to a Gertrude Middleton.

There's another sound and CHARLIE gets up to investigate. She opens the front door only to find no one's there. When she turns back around, JENNIFER (with Djinn-blue eyes) has suddenly appeared in the room.

ACT THREE

INT BUNKER - LIBRARY - DAY

SAM is on the phone.

SAM

Charlie, it's Sam. Um, again. Call us. Okay? [starts coughing]

DEAN enters.

SAM

Hey.

DEAN

Any word from Charlie?

SAM

Uh, no. And there was no comic convention in Topeka. I don't know why... I mean, why would she lie to us?

DEAN

One way to find out.

DEAN pulls out his cellphone.

SAM

What are you doing?

DEAN

When I called you from her phone, I turned on her GPS.

INT. CHARLIE'S APARTMENT - DAY

The room is a mess, furniture flipped over and everything.

SAM (O.S.)

Charlie! Hey, Charlie, you in there?

SAM opens the door and enters, DEAN following right behind him.

SAM

Dean.

They quickly survey the room but find it empty. SAM spots the box of fake IDs.

SAM

The hell?

DEAN

What the hell is this place?

SAM

Whatever it is, it belongs to Charlie. [looking through the fake IDs] Or some variation of her.

DEAN

Who the hell is she, Jason Bourne? Okay, so we got no forced entry, so either it was somebody that she knew, or...

SAM

Djinn.

DEAN

[picking up Charlie's phone] Here's all our missed calls. You got anything on her laptop?

SAM

Yeah, um, she's been making donations through her aliases to Shawnee County General here in Topeka.

DEAN

What, a charity?

SAM

A patient. Gertrude Middleton.

DEAN

We need answers. I'll take Gertrude, you keep Djinn-digging.

INT. HOSPITAL - GERTRUDE'S ROOM - DAY

GERTRUDE MIDDLETON is lying in a hospital bed, comatose and on life support.

NURSE

Getrude's been in a persistent vegetative state for sixteen years. About a year ago her condition got worse. This ventilator is the only thing keeping her alive.

DEAN

How did this happen?

NURSE

She and her husband were hit by a drunk driver. He didn't make it. They were on their way to pick up their daughter from a sleepover.

DEAN

A daughter.

NURSE

She was twelve. She got into trouble after her parents' accident. Nobody's heard from her since. Folks have been donating to cover Gertrude's care over the years. It's a sweet gesture, but the truth is, she's gone.

DEAN

She ever get any visitors?

NURSE

A couple nurses said they thought they saw someone in here reading to her, but nobody's ever officially signed in to visit her. She's all alone. If you'll excuse me, I have to make my rounds.

DEAN

Thank you. [he walks over to Gertrude] You've got one hell of a daughter, Mrs Middleton. I promise you I will find her.

INT. ABANDONED SHIPPING WAREHOUSE - DAY

CHARLIE is tied to a chair, struggling to try and get free.

JENNIFER

You're not going anywhere.

CHARLIE

(panicky)

Wilhelm Scream.

JENNIFER

You know what I smell on you?

CHARLIE

Deodorant? A little pee, maybe?

JENNIFER

Fear.

CHARLIE

Djinns smell fear?

JENNIFER

Well well well. If you know about Djinn, then you and your little friend are hunters, not FBI.

CHARLIE

No, I'm, I'm more hunter-in-training. Totally not worth killing.

JENNIFER

Oh, but you are worth killing, sweetheart. Yeah. You see, my kind, we prefer a more bitter taste to blood than the run of the mill Djinn. We prefer the taste of fear. And when I caught a whiff of you at that morgue, ooh, such delicious fear inside of you, I followed your scent. I knew you'd make a meal fit for two.

CHARLIE

For two?

JENNIFER grabs CHARLIE's arm.

CHARLIE

No!

Blue tattoos light up on the Djinn's arm. Her eyes light up blue as well. CHARLIE gasps.

INT. BUNKER - LIBRARY - DAY

SAM and DEAN enter.

SAM

So no chance of a recovery, huh.

DEAN

No. No, Gertrude seemed like a cool mom, too. Kind, strong, taken from her family way too young — remind you of anybody? (beat) Did you find anything?

SAM

I think so. A John Doe from nine years ago. The original coroner wanted the body sent to the CDC, but the coroner's new assistant "accidentally" ordered the body to be burned.

DEAN

New assistant?

SAM

Jennifer O'Brien.

DEAN

Coroner's a hell of a cover for hiding kills.

INT. ABANDONED SHIPPING WAREHOUSE - DAY

JENNIFER releases CHARLIE's arm, leaving behind a blue handprint.

CHARLIE

My manly man-friend's gonna come get you, you creepy power-suit lady.

JENNIFER

Oh, let him come. He reeked of fear as well.

She grabs Charlie's arm again. CHARLIE screams, then passes out.

INT. BUNKER - LIBRARY - DAY

SAM

Now get this. CDC never heard from Jennifer this time either. She faked the reports, burned the bodies to cover her tracks.

DEAN

So why does she get sloppy again after nine years, start leaving the bodies where they can be found?

SAM

Well, let's go ask her. According to this, she owns two pieces of property in town, one two-bedroom house about ten minutes from here, and an abandoned shipping warehouse.

DEAN

Course she does.

INT. ABANDONED SHIPPING WAREHOUSE - DAY

SAM and DEAN enter and make their way to the area where CHARLIE is being held. JENNIFER is nowhere to be seen. DEAN moves over to CHARLIE.

DEAN

Charlie. Charlie! Hey! [shakes her] Hey. Charlie.

SAM, meanwhile, explores the rest of the warehouse. Suddenly, JENNIFER creeps up behind him. He attempts to attack her, but she easily overpowers him. JENNIFER starts rolling up her sleeve. The tattoos and her eyes glow blue as she approaches SAM.

Suddenly, the blue light in her eyes dies out and she drops to the floor; DEAN has come up behind her and stabbed her with the silver blade.

DEAN

You okay?

SAM

Where's Charlie?

INT. ABANDONED SHIPPING WAREHOUSE - MOMENTS LATER

SAM and DEAN run up to CHARLIE. SAM injects her with a syringe filled with blue liquid, but it has no effect.

DEAN

What the hell's going on?

SAM

I don't know. Different Djinn, maybe she needs a different antidote?

DEAN

Charlie? [touches CHARLIE's forehead] She's burning up, man, we're not letting her turn to jello.

SAM

Okay, okay, uh. Okay, Djinn poison puts your brain in something like a feedback loop while your blood boils, right?

DEAN

Right.

SAM

Um, if the antidote didn't break the loop, then maybe we can find a way to break it from the inside. I mean, if Djinn take you to your happy place, your happy place is like a dream —

SAM / DEAN (simultaneously)

African dream root.

INT. ABANDONED SHIPPING WAREHOUSE - LATER

SAM unscrews a jar of African dream root. DEAN tips in a vial of ginger. SAM pulls out one of CHARLIE's hairs and adds it to the jar.

DEAN

Alright, let's do this. [he drinks the contents of the jar] Ugh. Okay. Alright, I'm gonna need to go sleep fast, so, punch me. [SAM gives him a look] Look, man, I know you don't want to, okay—

SAM punches him. DEAN staggers backwards a little, but isn't knocked out. SAM shakes his hand in pain.

DEAN

Well, you're a little off your game there, cause I was— that was pretty—

SAM punches him again and DEAN slumps into the unoccupied chair, unconscious.

INT. 1950s MILITARY HOSPITAL - NIGHT

DEAN wakes up.

CUT TO: DEAN picking up the newspaper.

CUT TO: DEAN being approached by the growling creature — which turn out to be two vampire soldiers.

The elevator behind DEAN opens. CHARLIE is inside it, in combat gear, carrying a shotgun. DEAN steps out of the way and CHARLIE exits the elevator, shooting both vampires.

CHARLIE

Come with me if you wanna live. (beat) I've always wanted to say that. What're you doing in my dream?

DEAN

You were attacked by a Djinn. The coroner, Jennifer, remember? Djinn usually send you to your, uh, your happy place— uh, no judgement, but, you got a really strange sense of happy, kiddo.

CHARLIE

Wait wait wait, no, no, no. Jennifer said that her kind feeds off fear. This isn't my happy place. It's a recurring nightmare of mine.

DEAN

What is this?

CHARLIE

It's a videogame.

DEAN

Wait a second, you're telling me that this whole thing is a videogame?

CHARLIE

It was called The Red Scare. A first person shooter against super-soldier vampires. I copied it off a game company's server before it was finished, reprogrammed it to reflect my flamingly liberal politics and then I released it. For free. Then they tracked me down and had me arrested. I was twelve.

DEAN

And you've been on the run ever since.

INT. ABANDONED SHIPPING WAREHOUSE - NIGHT

SAM coughs, checks for blood, then glances over at CHARLIE and DEAN. There's a sound in the distance.

INT. 1950s MILITARY HOSPITAL - NIGHT

CHARLIE

So how do we get out of here?

DEAN

I don't know. We gave you the Djinn antidote, it didn't take. And I killed the Djinn.

CHARLIE

Both of them?

INT. ABANDONED SHIPPING WAREHOUSE - NIGHT

SAM looks around the warehouse and sighs. The younger DJINN (JENNIFER's son) steps out from behind a corner.

DJINN

You killed my mom.

He approaches SAM and his eyes glow blue.

ACT FOUR

INT. 1950s MILITARY HOSPITAL - NIGHT

DEAN and CHARLIE are walking down a corridor.

DEAN

We gotta get back and help Sammy. Tell me about this game, maybe if we can win, we—

Several more vampire soldiers approach. DEAN and CHARLIE take them all out.

CHARLIE

Look, I don't know how long I've been out, but I've been through this level a thousand times already.

DEAN

What?!

CHARLIE

Every time I beat the level and save the patients, I get reset back to the beginning, only there's less weapons and the vampires are faster. [they kill two more vampires] It's an infinite loop. Like, Pac-Man without level 256.

DEAN

Level what?

CHARLIE

Nothing.

DEAN

Wait, what patients?

INT. 1950s MILITARY HOSPITAL - MOMENTS LATER

DEAN and CHARLIE lock themselves inside the patients' room. DEAN slides back the curtain around one of the beds to reveal GERTRUDE.

DEAN

Charlie? I know who this is.

CHARLIE comes over to have a look.

CHARLIE

What are you talking about?

DEAN

When you went missing, me and Sam found your little crash pad. We saw the payments that you make for her. So I went and visited your mom, looking for you.

CHARLIE

She's why I'm in Kansas. I sneak into the hospital whenever I can, and I just... I read to her. She used to read me to sleep at night when I was a kid. Sh— she'd read me The Hobbit. [blinks back tears] She's the reason I love the stuff I love.

DEAN

I'm sorry for your loss.

CHARLIE

(insulted)

She's not gone.

CHARLIE yanks the curtains closed and paces away. DEAN opens another curtain.

DEAN

Sam?

CHARLIE walks over.

CHARLIE

Is this my nightmare or yours?

The vampires start breaking down the doors to the patients' room.

INT. ABANDONED SHIPPING WAREHOUSE - NIGHT

SAM is thrown to the ground by the DJINN, but crawls back up.

SAM

So, it wasn't your mom who messed up, it was you.

DJINN

Shut up!

He punches SAM, who drops to the ground again.

DJINN

I just came of age, I had to feed. I screwed up.

SAM reclaims the dropped silver blade as the DJINN looks over to JENNIFER's body.

DJINN

Mom knew how to cover her tracks. She always told me not to play with my food.

SAM comes up behind the DJINN and stabs him as he turns around.

SAM

Yeah, well, you should have listened to your mom.

The DJINN drops to the floor.

INT. 1950s MILITARY HOSPITAL - NIGHT

CHARLIE

This is it, the boss battle. Come on, we gotta save the patients.

DEAN

Wait wait wait. You said that we're stuck in a loop, right? But out there in the real world, you're dying. And I might be too. We gotta find a way to break this loop.

CHARLIE

Okay. How?

DEAN

I think the only way to stop this is to... not play.

CHARLIE

What?! No, no. We gotta save them. Not up, Winchester.

A vampire punches in through the door. DEAN shoots him

CHARLIE

See? You can't stop either.

DEAN

Listen to me. This poison, it designed to put your mind into an endless cycle, while your insides turn to mush, okay, and its fuel is fear. Now call me crazy, but I think the only way to break the cycle is to let go of the fear and stop playing the game.

CHARLIE

You don't know that. [shoots another vampire]

DEAN

I know that your fear is creating all of this. You're not afraid of those super-soldier vamps out there, you're not afraid of this game, and you're not afraid of what it did to you. [CHARLIE reloads, tearful] Hey! Look at me. You're afraid of losing her. (beat) Charlie, she's already gone.

CHARLIE

No. No, you don't understand. You don't understand! I was at a sleepover, and I got scared. So... [she starts tearing up] I called my parents to come and get me. They should never have been driving that night.

DEAN

It wasn't your fault.

CHARLIE

(crying)

I just wanna tell her that I'm sorry and that I love her. And just have her hear it again. I just need her to hear that one more time. But she can't. She can't.

DEAN

I know. Believe me, I know. But you gotta let it go. (beat) Game over, kiddo.

CHARLIE takes aim at the vampires near the door again, hesitates, then drops the shotgun. The vampires disappear.

DEAN walks over and opens what is left of the door; the hallway is empty. CHARLIE walks over to GERTRUDE's bed and slides open the curtain. The bed is empty as well.

CHARLIE

Mom?

INT. ABANDONED SHIPPING WAREHOUSE - NIGHT

DEAN starts to wake up.

SAM

Dean? Dean. Hey. Hey! C'mere. You okay? What happened? [helps him out of the chair] What happened?

DEAN

I'm okay. [looks over to CHARLIE] Charlie?

CHARLIE wakes up, looks over at DEAN, and lets out a tearful gasp.

DEAN

I'm sorry. I had to.

CHARLIE starts sobbing again as DEAN pulls her into a hug.

ACT FIVE

EXT. BUNKER - DAY

CHARLIE, SAM and DEAN all exit the bunker. SAM hands CHARLIE her bag.

CHARLIE

So... thanks for saving our bacon.

SAM

Any time, your Highness.

CHARLIE

You know you're gonna be okay, right? Those books portray you as like, one tough customer. If anyone can get through the trials, Sam, it's you.

SAM

Thanks. You know, you really should come back and dig through our archives. You are definitely a Woman of Letters.

CHARLIE

I like the sound of that.

SAM hugs her and retreats to the bunker.

DEAN

Well, thanks for stopping by, Charlie. Always wanted to get Tron'ed. What's next for you?

CHARLIE

Gonna go by the hospital. (beat) Gotta let go, right? [DEAN nods] What about you, you're gonna let it go?

DEAN

Never.

CHARLIE

That's my boys. (beat) I love you.

DEAN

I know.

DEAN pulls CHARLIE into another hug and kisses her temple. CHARLIE waves and walks away.

INT. BUNKER - LIBRARY - DAY

DEAN enters.

SAM

Okay, look, you were right, I-I should've laid low, I— I know, I should've hung back, but I'm glad I was able to—

DEAN pulls him into a hug.

DEAN

What d'you say we find our prophet?

DEAN exits, leaving SAM standing there slightly bewildered.

INT. HOSPITAL - GERTRUDE'S ROOM - DAY

CHARLIE signs in and hands the NURSE back her clipboard.

NURSE

Take all the time you need with your mom, okay?

The NURSE exits. CHARLIE goes to sit by her mom's bedside. She brushes a lock of hair off GERTRUDE's face, then pulls a tattered book out of her bag.

CHARLIE

(tearful)

One last time, okay? [she turns the first page] "In a hole in the ground, there lived a hobbit. Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, filled with the ends of worms and an oozy smell, nor yet a dry, bare, sandy hole with nothing in it to sit down on, or to eat. It was a hobbit-hole, and that means comfort."

END