ACT 3- The Ghost Club

(To Vein and Noticus)

[NOTICUS IS MINDING HIS BUSINESS AS HE PUTS HIS COAT ON THE COAT RACK.]

NOTICUS WIERAK- Say Vein-

VEIN HELTZ- We are not on in-formalities yet.

[NOTICUS SCOFFS THROUGH A GRIN BEFORE CONTINUING]

NOTICUS WIERAK- Well… VEIN HELTZ. You realize, if this cure is effective… you will be home for Christmas. You won't need to be locked here anymore. The children will be sent to the children's ward and be treated like a normal patient. 

VEIN HELTZ- Christmas?... 

[IT OCCURS TO HIM THAT LIKELY HE WOULD BE FREE. HE COULD GO HOME. BUT WAS THERE ANYTHING LEFT THERE? HE WAS THE LAST OF HIS FAMILY.]

VEIN HELTZ- I… never thought of that. 

NOTICUS WIERAK- I assume you stayed with the children.

VEIN HELTZ- Yes…

[NOTICUS SPOTS THE MONITOR LIGHT UP AND HELTZ LOOKS OVER.] 

VEIN HELTZ- Dang I may need to upgrade my COMU-C, this was near a weeks ago.

NOTICUS WIERAK- Excuse me? [SARCASTIC]

VEIN HELTZ- Me and you are group 5? What's that about?

NOTICUS WIERAK- Come here! Let me. 

[NOTICUS PROCEEDS TO USE A VERY STIFF MOUSE TO SCROLL DOWN IN HIS MAIL.]

NOTICUS WIERAK- Dang, V! Are you keeping your life history on here?

[HELTZ SWATS AT NOTICUS DOING LITTLE TO AFFECT HIS FOCUS. THEN NOTICUS PULLS UP A MAIL THAT WAS SENT 7 HOURS BEFORE THAT ONE.]

NOTICUS WIERAK- Says a Purple Plague testing. I think we was meant to attend. 

VEIN HELTZ- Oh well, they know I'm immune.

NOTICUS WIERAK- But me?

VEIN HELTZ- No… I bet this is his way of testing if we have a cure. I won't let him snatch you away. Not when I'm this close! I'm so… close!

[THERE IS A TENSE SILENCE BEFORE HE APPROACHES NOTICUS]

VEIN HELTZ- Feeling sick? Dizzy? Sore throat?

[NOTICUS IS BACKED INTO A WALL AS VEIN SEEMS TO BE LOSING IT SLIGHTLY. BELLA THEN ENTERS WITH WORRY, THE DOOR SLAMS OPEN.]

BELLAVA WIERAK- Sorry for interrupting! But something is very wrong!

[NOTICUS PUSHES PAST VEIN TO HELP HIS SISTER. SHE IS CLEARLY IN DISTRESS.]

VEIN HELTZ- Bellava! You shouldn't be up here! You'll get ill!

BELLAVA WIERAK- Monty is missing!

NOTICUS WIERAK- What? Monty?

VEIN HELTZ- The small plague doctor? What happened to him?

BELLAVA WIERAK- I don't know he just disappeared! 

[NOTICUS LOOKS TO VEIN AND HE GOES TO THE DOOR AND FIRMLY CLOSED IT BEFORE NOTICUS LEAD BELLA TO THE SOFA AND SAT HER DOWN.]

NOTICUS WIERAK- Right when was the last you saw him? Maybe they're home.

BELLAVA WIERAK- No Notty. I did the usual procedures. One of the doctors went to his house and he wasn't home. Their parents said they hadn't seen him all week. 

VEIN HELTZ- Strange… Does he live anywhere else?

NOTICUS WIERAK- No always been from here. Never left either. And it's odd not to have him brag the day before if he was going somewhere. Where was he last?

BELLAVA WIERAK- That message sent from Life-Lock, we where in different groups I thought nothing of it… do you think he's quarantined?

[VEIN FELT HIS HEART DROP LIFE-LOCK HAD TO KNOW SOMETHING ABOUT HIS CURE. BUT HE KEPT QUIET HOPING IT WAS SIMPLY HIS MIND PLAYING AT HIM. NOTICUS SIGHED AND THEN LOOKED TO VEIN.]

NOTICUS WIERAK- Come on we need to go see if he's okay.

VEIN HELTZ- But! You're-

NOTICUS WIERAK- Listen! [NOTICUS GRABS VEIN BY HIS SHOULDERS GETTING IRRITATED OF JUGGLING TWO HYSTERICAL PEOPLE.] I am clearly cured! We need to check on him, and then we will come back safe and sound. 

BELLAVA WIERAK- What do you mean, cured?

VEIN HELTZ- Right you don't know. 

NOTICUS WIERAK- Yeah, she's gonna be livid knowing you tested it on me.

[VEIN PAUSES AND LOOKS TO BELLAVA.]

VEIN HELTZ- I used Noticus to test the cure I've been making for the purple plague.

BELLAVA WIERAK- You bloody what?!

[VEIN CHUCKLES AS HE SHRINKS AWAY. HE HELD HIS HANDS UP IN A DESPERATE PLEA FOR MERCY.]

VEIN HELTZ- He had the plague before turning up, I thought I may as well test it. And look! He's completely healthy. 

[BELLAVA LOOKS AT HER BROTHER WITH A CRITICAL EYE BEFORE SPINNING TO LOOK AT HIM. SHE SIGHS BUT THEN TURNS TO FACE THEM BOTH] 

BELLAVA WIERAK- So a cure? 

NOTICUS WIERAK- It's why me and Heltz is more concerned than you think, clearly this is Life-Locks attempt to find out our cure. 

BELLAVA WIERAK- Make's sense that guys hell bent on money. I see your worry, but what do we do about Monty?

VEIN HELTZ- We break him out. We have the cure if they have the Plague, we just cure him.

BELLAVA WIERAK- We need to be careful and be sure no one leaks the cure to Life-Lock or anyone who dare uses it for money. 

NOTICUS WIERAK- You know that's impossible… unless. 

[BELLAVA AND NOTICUS LOOK AT EACH OTHER AND SAY AT THE SAME TIME]

WIERAK'S- Monty's ghost club!

[VEIN PAUSES CONFUSED WHAT THEIR TALKING ABOUT.]

VEIN HELTZ- I'll have to stay here and put the children to bed. I can't leave them alone any longer. 

BELLAVA WIERAK- Okay me and Nots will go stop Monty's ghost club from leaving.

NOTICUS WIERAK- Yeah, they rent a room in the offices on the first floor for their research and game nights, gives the hospital extra money ya' know?

VEIN HELTZ- Well I'll be here for when you return. 

NOTICUS WIERAK- Right'o boss!

[NOTICUS AND BELLAVA SPLIT OFF FROM VEIN AS THEY LEAVE THE OFFICE.]

[BELLAVA AND NOTICUS MAKE IT TO THE ELEVATOR AND NOTICUS SIGHS HES CLEARLY WORRIED AND OR BOTHERED BY SOMETHING.]

BELLAVA WIERAK- Are you okay, Notty?

NOTICUS WIERAK- I- I don't like leaving him alone.

BELLAVA WIERAK- He's capable of looking after himself, Nots. No one is as independent as Vein.

NOTICUS WIERAK- Vein… [NOTICUS IS SILENT FOR A WHILE BEFORE FINALLY SPEAKING.] Bella… do you know anything between Vein and Life-Lock?

BELLAVA WIERAK- Not really, other than the Vein hates the guy. 

NOTICUS WIERAK- I had to stop Life-Lock from hitting him the other day.

BELLAVA WIERAK- You're kidding! [HER FISTS CLENCH AND HER TEETH GRIT.] That Life-Lock! I'm glad you were there for him, Nots. But we won't be long. Heltz will be okay.

[NOTICUS NODS AND THERE WAS SOMETHING CLEARLY, HE WASN'T SAYING. THEY BOTH WALK OUT THE ELEVATOR AND START FINDING THEIR WAY TO THE ROOMS AND AS THEY GET THERE BELLAVA KNOCKS.]

[A MAN WITH SHORT BROWN HAIR AND GLASSES ANSWERS, HE SIGHS AND SAYS.]

SAVIUS KIRKMAN- Bellava… we don't owe rent for another week.

BELLAVA WIERAK- No, I'm not here for that, Savius. We need your team to spread something to your Ghost club for us, something real.

[SAVIUS STARES FOR A MOMENT AS NOTICUS FLASHES A BUNDLE OF CASH AT HIM.]

(With Vein Heltz)

VEIN HELTZ- Alright kids, get yourselves in bed. 

JODI- You look happier than usual, V.

VEIN HELTZ- Because something tells me you guys will feel better soon.

NAVIUS- You found a cure?

LILY-BLU- We can go home?!

SALIELL- Yay!

VALIA- It's been so long!

VEIN HELTZ- It's a maybe. But I have good hope.

[VEIN TUCKED EACH KID INTO BED BEFORE LEAVING THE ROOM. AS HE GOT TO HIS OFFICE HE FROZE.]

(Cut to a chase scene.)

[VEIN RUNS THROUGH THE HALL HOLDING HIS WRIST THAT WAS FORMING A BRUISE. HE REACHES THE ELEVATOR AND PRESSES THE BUTTON QUICKLY AS HE HEARS THE BREATHING AND FOOTSTEPS GET CLOSER. BEFORE THE ELEVATOR REACHES THE FLOOR, HE LOSES CONSCIOUSNESS AFTER A BLOW TO THE HEAD.]

(Back with The Ghost Club)

SAVIUS KIRKMAN- Okay meet out team! Rai and Carma are our writers, Josie is our pictures specialist and me and Lelly are the on-foot people. We get videos, statistics. 

RAI- What ghosts are we tapping about tonight?

NOTICUS WIERAK- Actually. It's about something else.

LELLY- Woah slow down, we are a ghost club.

SAVIUS KIRKMAN- Yeah, we won't advertise your latest family f*** up.

BELLAVA WIERAK- It's a cure to the purple plague.

[THE ROOM FALLS SILENT. SAVIUS SPEAKS UP AS HE STEPS FORWARD.]

SAVIUS KIRKMAN- Where's your proof?

NOTICUS WIERAK- Here! I had the plague and VEIN HELTZ cured me!

[LELLY LOOKS NOTICUS UP AND DOWN. SHE PICKS HIS HAND UP AND NODS.]

LELLY- He's telling the truth! Look at his cuticles. Every Plague victim loses colour like every blood drained body, but their cuticles stay purple. And they all hold onto the purple veins on their neck.

[NOTICUS HAD BOTH OF THESE. SAVIUS PAUSES AND THINKS. THE TEAM LOOKS TO HIM.]

CARMA- This will make us famous Savs. 

LELLY- Likely but what if their wrong? We would be a laughingstock.

BELLAVA WIERAK- More than a conspiracy theory group?

[LELLY SCOWLS AT BELLAVA AND SAVIUS LOOKS TO THEM ALL.] 

SAVIUS KIRKMAN- Carma! Start writing an opening, Rai come with me Lelly and Noticus, Bella stay with Josie and Carma to give as many details as you know. 

[AFTER ABOUT AN HOUR THEY UPLOAD A VIDEO ATTACHED TO THE REPORT AND PRESS SUBMIT.]

BELLAVA WIERAK- Who did you send it to? 

CARMA- [SHE TURNS WITH A GRIN] The town mayor.

SAVIUS KIRKMAN- I want one more thing, this Vein Heltz. I need a picture of him, proof for our claims.

NOTICUS WIERAK- Granted! Come on. This way.

[AS BELLAVA AND SAVIUS FOLLOWS SHE CATCHES UP TO NOTICUS AND SIGHS, BEFORE SHE CAN SPEAK NOTICUS SPEAKS.]

NOTICUS WIERAK- Hey, Bella…

BELLAVA WIERAK- You can tell me anything, Notty. What's bothering you?

NOTICUS WIERAK- I was talking to Vein this morning. He's been here for nearly 8 years. His family too. 

BELLAVA WIERAK- I've heard they didn't make it. Vein must feel so lonely.

NOTICUS WIERAK- He's treated those children like his own. I wouldn't be surprised if he deemed them as his family… But.

BELLAVA WIERAK- Once we have handed out these cures…

NOTICUS WIERAK- The children will go back to their families; he won't have anyone. I…

BELLAVA WIERAK- Not quite! He will move to our floor; he will be with us.

NOTICUS WIERAK- That's not what I meant!

[THE ELEVATOR ARRIVES AND NOTICUS JUMPS TO SEE LILY-BLU. SHE'S CRYING HUGGING HERSELF.]

NOTICUS WIERAK- Blue? What are you doing down here?!

LILY-BLU- V! The bird man took him!!!

[SHE BEGINS CRYING HARDER AND BELLAVA RUSHES TO HOLD HER. BELLA LOOKS UP AT NOTTY AND SAVIUS.]

NOTICUS WIERAK- This is why I didn't want to leave him alone!

SAVIUS KIRKMAN- Life-Lock… I hate that man! 

NOTICUS WIERAK- What?

SAVIUS KIRKMAN- I'm a morgue admin doctor. Assistant some time's too. That freak would take every file from every Plague victim from the 6th floor. If we where to not read it to him, he would throw a tantrum and dock our pay. 

NOTICUS WIERAK- He must have been looking for a trace of the cure from Vein! 

[BELLAVA AND NOTICUS LOOK AT EACHOTHER.]

BELLAVA WIERAK- Do you think he knows the cure?!

NOTICUS WIERAK- He's gonna kill him!

(With Monty)

[MONTY WAKES WITH HEAVY LIMBS. THEY CAN ONLY TURN THEIR HEAD AS THEY FIND THEIR STRAPPED TO THE BED. HE LOOKS TO THEIR SIDE AND SEE THE COUNTLESS SHELVES OF BLOOD AND FILES. THEY STRUGGLE AGAINST THEIR RESTRAINTS FOR A MOMENT BEFORE THEY BREAK FREE. THE RESTRAINTS ARE RUSTY AND OLD.]

MONTY KARDO- Where in the world am I? 

[THEY GO TO STAND ONLY TO FALL OVER FROM BEING UNBALANCED. THE COVERS TIE ROUND HIM LIKE A SNAKE BUT PROVIDE A CUSHION TO HIS FALL. THEY NOTICE THEY COULD NOT FEEL THEIR LEGS AND THEIR ARMS FELT NUMB. IT WAS LIKELY MEDICATION TO SETTLE THE PAIN, SOME ONE HAD BEEN LEACHING THEM OF BLOOD. MONTY LOOKS DOWN AT HIS COVERED LEGS AND PULLS THE BLANKET OFF HIM REVEALING SOMETHING TRULY HORRIFIC.]

MONTY KARDO- My god, NO!