Tuesday - 11/26
PARK
PHILIP (softly): I will.
Philip had his hands on Melanie’s. He took the gun out of her hand.
MELANIE: No!
Melanie kneed Philip in the groin. He gave a howl of pain and bent over. The gun went off. As if out of nowhere, Jett showed up and had his gun trained on Melanie.
JETT: Don’t move!
Steve also had his gun out. Melanie looked at both of them. She looked behind her in time to see Andrew, weapon at the ready, walk up behind her.
ANDREW: There’s nowhere to run, Melanie. Come with us.
Reluctantly, Melanie put her hands up. Jett cuffed her while Andrew made sure she didn’t move. Meanwhile, Steve went to check on Philip.
PHILIP (weakly): I heard the gun go off, and…
Philip touched his good leg. There was blood on it.
STEVE: We should get you checked out.
PHILIP (weakly): I’m fine.
He cleared his throat.
PHILIP: Just make sure Melanie gets better.
STEVE: Carver and Guv’nor Jr. will see to her. You just got shot, man! Now stop tryin’ to be brave and let me take you to have Kayla check you out!
Philip nodded. Steve helped him up and assisted him to the car.
BLACK PATCH
Hawk stood next to Joy, who was sitting at her desk. Her phone was on the desk in front of them.
SHANE (over phone): Good work on getting us Melanie’s location quickly, Agent Wesley.
JOY: Thanks boss.
HAWK: Director Donovan, what’s going to happen with Melanie?
SHANE (over phone): She’s going to be taken to an ISA facility to be examined. We need to see how deep this brainwashing that Megan Hathaway did goes, and how long it’ll take for us to get her back to her old self. I know the doctors at University Hospital were able to undo it last time, but this time we want to make sure there are no repeats like this again.
JOY: Is there anything we can do, boss?
SHANE (over phone): You two have done more than enough. Unless you hear otherwise from me before then, enjoy your holiday.
HAWK: Yes sir. We will.
SHANE (over phone): Very good. Donovan out.
Joy hung up her phone.
HAWK: Well, thank goodness Jett, Andrew and Uncle Steve were able to get there in time.
JOY: Yeah.
HAWK: You did good work.
JOY: Thanks. And thanks for your help.
HAWK: Of course.
JOY: So…I know this is super last minute, since it’s two days from now, but what are you doing for Thanksgiving?
Hawk pulled his chair over to Joy’s desk and sat down.
HAWK: Not sure, really. The last couple of years, Mom, Peyton and I have gone over to the Brady Pub, but I’m not sure how big of a turnout there’ll be given recent events.
JOY: Right, that makes sense.
HAWK: What’s on your mind?
JOY: Oh, I was just thinking, and again I get that it’s super last minute, so it’s totally okay if you say no, but…we’ve been dating for a bit now, and I was wondering if you’d like to come over for Thanksgiving. It’ll give you a chance to meet my Dad, sister and nephew.
HAWK: Sure, that sounds great. Are you sure your parents are gonna be cool with it?
JOY: Believe me, they’ll be thrilled. Mom’s been bugging me for ages about when “that boy with the leather jacket” that I work with is coming over again.
Hawk chuckled.
HAWK: “That boy with the leather jacket that you work with”.
JOY: Yep. My Mom, ladies and gentlemen. I love her to death, but…
HAWK: Well, I’d love to. I’d also like you to properly meet my Mom and sister, so maybe after dinner we could stop by the Pub?
JOY: That’d be great! We’re having dinner at 1, so that’s perfect, actually.
HAWK: Sounds good.
Hawk and Joy kissed.
SALEM UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL
A short time later, Philip was in a room with Steve and Kayla. Kayla had just finished bandaging Philip’s leg.
KAYLA: Keep the bandage clean, change it at least once a day, or if it gets dirty.
PHILIP: I will.
KAYLA: You were very lucky that it wasn’t worse.
PHILIP: Yeah, I know. Any update on Melanie?
STEVE: Carver and Andrew took her in. She was…confused to say the least.
PHILIP: I can imagine.
STEVE: They’ll get her sorted out, dude. Trust me.
And Steve proceeded to tell Philip what the plan was to get Melanie back to her old self.
