Professor Jelaned: Ready Devin?

Devin: This is getting to be old hat. Let's do it.

Professor Jelaned: Remember, I'll look for you in 30-minute increments. If something happens and I don't make it, try again 30 minutes later. If you get the formula, you can either put it the portal by itself or, if you and anyone else want to come with it, remember that anyone living must have ingested the formula at least 20 minutes before transport. Devin: OK, professor. I guess that means you don't think I'm alive?

Professor Jelaned: Sorry, Devin. I mean biologically alive. In most ways, you're more alive than a lot of people...and certainly braver.

Setoma: Good luck, Devin!

(Devin is again transported back to his own dimension into the portal room at the compound. Thankfully, once again no one is in the room when he materializes. He slips down to the end of the hall to turn on the homing device he left on the bookshelf. He then dials the motel number Alex gave him the day before. There is no answer in room 17. Thinking they may have gotten the cell phone working, he dials that number...)

Isabel: Hello?

Devin: Isabel? It's Devin.

Isabel: We got this thing working by drying it out. Are you in the compound?

Devin: Yes, but I'm afraid my phone battery won't last very long.

Isabel: Here, talk to Michael.

(Hands phone to Michael.)

Michael: Hi!

Devin: Listen. There are four buildings here. The biggest one is where I think they are keeping the prisoners. The middle size one on the north end is where you need to get to. Follow the beacon receiver and it will lead you to it. There is also a greenhouse sort of building and what I think is a power generation building on the south end. The road you drive in on runs less than a quarter mile from the fence line at one point.

Michael: So how do I get in there?

Devin: Here's my idea. See if you can disrupt the electricity generator. That will cause confusion and the yard lights will probably go off. They might have battery backup, but you should get some darkness. If you can get over or under the fence while it's dark, follow the beacon receiver until all it's lights come on. By then you should be in front of the building. I'll try to slip out front if I can; but if not, you need to get to the third floor, third room on the right from the stair doorway. There are no windows.

Michael: Max and Isabel?

Devin: Have them stay with the Jeep. We might need to get out the same way you got in. The professor will only activate dimensional transport at 30-minute increments and we might not be able to wait for him. I better go now.

Michael: Hopefully I'll see you soon.

(Devin heads back to the portal room while Max, Isabel, and Michael are driving and following the homing beacon.)

Michael: Turn here, Max.

Max: That's not where we were earlier.

Michael: But the beacon says that's the way.

Max: OK!

(They follow the signal. It leads them to a different spot than they thought was the place, but...)

Michael: Look! A fence line. Devin said the area was fenced. The other area we were in wasn't. He said there are four buildings, one fairly large.

Isabel: I don't see anything yet.

Max: Look through those trees. Is that lights?

Isabel: I think so. There's a line of trees running parallel to the fence line.

Michael: Devin said the road gets fairly close to the fence at one point. Keep going and watch for it.

Isabel: You're sure you want to do this alone?

Michael: We can't risk everyone getting caught. Devin said you two should stay with the car so, if we have to run out, we're ready to roll.

Max: I feel like I should be taking the risk.

Michael: We need to open the safe with the formula in it. You may be a great healer, but safes are me, man.

Isabel: Look! The road is getting closer to the fence.

Max: I still don't see any buildings...wait...through the trees...there they are.

Michael: Four of them, just like Devin described. Which way is north?

Isabel: I can't believe you don't know. Do you even know which way is up?

(Michael glares at her...)

Isabel: OK! That way is north.

(Points)

Michael: The building I need to get into is on the north. The generator building is the furthest south. Devin said we should try to disrupt the power.

Max: Let's keep going. I think the fence line is getting closer.

Isabel: There's an entrance. It looks like there's a guard shack.

Michael: Keep going, but turn off the headlights. We don't want to be seen.

(Max turns off the lights. They travel a bit further...)

Max: How about here! It's pretty close and we can see all the buildings.

(Max stops the Jeep.)

Max: Let me concentrate!

(Pause)

Max: I got several flashes. There are people in the large building. I sense something familiar about them.

Michael: How about the power station?

Max: Let me try!

(Flash)

Max: I see a large generator and a power panel on the wall next to it. Here, grab my hand.

(Flash)

Michael: I see it too.

Max: OK, bro! Concentrate on the panel.

(Michael and Max concentrate their power on the breaker panel they saw in their flash. Almost immediately, there is a shower of sparks from the panel and the whole complex goes dark.)

Michael: It's now or never. You guys be ready to peel out of here if we need to.

Max: I'll turn the Jeep around. Go!

(Michael runs toward the fence line. There is a fury of activity in the compound as several guards surround the large building. Several others run towards the powerhouse to see what happened to the electricity. A warning noise is going off and several flashlights scan the area. At the fence, Michael lifts his hand toward the fence line and, using his powers, quickly creates a passage under it. He crawls through and begins running towards the buildings, crouching low each time a light beam heads his direction. He has the homing receiver in his hand and notices three of its' four lights are now on. In the confusion, Devin has managed to once again slip past the guard desk and is outside waiting in the darkness. Michael runs to the side of the building away from all the activity. As he does so, all four lights on the homing receiver turn on.)

Devin: (Slips up to Michael, tapping him on the shoulder. He whispers...) You don't need that any more. This is the place.

Michael: Nice of you to meet me. But you came close to getting decked, man. Next time; don't tap me on the shoulder before I see who you are.

Devin: Shhhh! We need to get around to the front door and slip past the guard desk. No one was there a few minutes ago, but that may have changed.

Michael: How will we know?

Devin: Can you create a diversion? Some kind of big noise outside; in front of the building but a ways away. If there are guards in there, they'll come out and hopefully we can slip in.

(Michael peeks around the corner of the building.)

Michael: Like this?

(Michael lifts his arm and the horn on a truck parked out by the building begins sounding. A guard comes out of the building and runs towards the truck.)

Devin: Now!

(They run to the door and slip in. The guard desk is deserted. Devin grabs Michael and pulls him towards the stairs. They slip into the stairwell.)

Devin: That was the hard part.

Michael: So far so good. Is there an alarm on the safe?

Devin: I have no idea. But if we get to it before they fix the electricity, maybe it won't matter. Third floor!

(The two bound up the stairs and into the room with the safe.)

Michael: It' so dark in here I can hardly see the safe. You're sure the formula is in there?

Devin: I think so. I guess we'll find out. Do it before they get the electricity back on.

Michael: That may take awhile. Max and I creamed that breaker panel pretty well.

Devin: So much the better. Do your stuff.

(Michael puts his hand on the safe and a small glow emanates from his fingers.)

Michael: Try that!

(Devin tries the handle, but it won't move.)

Devin: No go!

Michael: What? I must be slipping. Here, let me try again.

(Michael again puts his hand on the safe tumbler knob. Again a small glow emanates. This time for sure. Devin tries the handle again. This time it turns and the safe opens.)

Michael: OK! Is it in there?

Devin: It's pretty dark. Can't see. My turn for a trick! I don't do this very often when anyone's around. It makes me feel less...well, you know...

(Devin projects an image from his eyes the way he did that time to help Liz with her memory problem. The light makes it easy to see.)

Michael: I see six bottles. Must be the formula.

Devin: How big are they?

Michael: I'd guess maybe a liter each.

Devin: Let's send three to the professor. That should be more than enough for Setoma's family. Keep one out here. I'd suggest you drink some in case we want to transport. The professor said about a cup is sufficient, but it has to be ingested twenty minutes before entering the portal.

Michael: Do you really think I should drink it? What will it do to me?

Devin: The professor didn't say if it caused any after effects. Since we know they use it on both humans and aliens, I say go for it.

(Michael drinks a cup's worth from the bottle.)

Michael: Tastes pretty good, really. I hope it doesn't have alcohol in it.

Devin: What time is it?

Michael: About 3:00 A.M.

Devin: It's time for the professor to initiate a transport. It's coming up too soon for you to go on this one. Let's send the bottles and come back in thirty minutes.

(Devin places 3 bottles in the portal area. In a couple of minutes, the portal comes to life and the bottles disappear. Michael and Devin high five! The electricity comes back on in the compound.)

Michael: We did it! That's step one.

Devin: The power must be back on. I see light coming in under the door. I suspect they'll be checking this room rather soon. I suggest we hide somewhere else. There's a big couch in the room at the end of the hall. I've been using it to hide behind. I think we know each other well enough that we can both fit in back of there.

Michael: OK! You know more about this place than I do.

(Devin opens the door and the two step into the hall. No sooner do they get behind the couch than the stair door opens.)

Guard 1: The colonel said to sweep the building.

Guard 2: Do you really think anyone could have gotten in here.

Guard 1: No! But there was the pillow on the stairs again last night and now tonight a power outage.

Guard 2: The electrician said it was fuses.

Guard 1: And I think we may have found us a live wire. Look! The life form sensor.

(Devin grabs Michael's arm as if to somehow say, "It's going to be OK".)

Guard 1: What? Oh damn! The batteries just went dead. I swear that for a moment the sensor was showing 3 life forms. You, me, and SOMEONE ELSE!

Guard 2: Probably just a malfunction because of low batteries. I'll go get some replacements.

Guard 1: I'll go back to the desk. We'll sweep again when you get the new ones.

(The guards go back downstairs.)

Michael: Ugh! Get off of me you lummox.

Devin: (Whispers) Did you do that...killing the sensor I mean?

Michael: I wish! See what clean living does for you?

Devin: Dare I ask Maria about that?

Michael: I'll plead the fifth.

Devin: Huh?

Michael: The fifth amendment!

Devin: Oh...I studied that in school. I wasn't sure what it meant. Incineration sounded like some kind of destruction.

Michael: Not incineration. Incrimination! It's like when Alex asked you if you'd been making out with Anna and you refused to answer.

Devin: Oh yea...the fifth! We better get out of here before we have to plead it to those guards. Let's go back to the portal. The professor will activate again in about 5 minutes and you should be OK to transport now.

(The two go back to the portal room. As they are standing, waiting for the professor to activate the portal, the door to the room opens...)

Guard 1: (gun pulled) Stop! Don't move! Who are you? What are you doing here?