Guest Stars: Frank Chiesurin (Tony/Guisseppe/Cole); Louis Di Bianco (Tommy Fusco); Bobby Johnston (Lotrepp);

Co-Stars: Richard Zeppieri (Jimmy); Amanda Martínez (Vicki); Genio Carbone (French); Angelo Tsarouchas (Angie)

Originally Aired: 29-Apr-2002; Written by: Charles Heit; Directed by: William Fruet

Synopsis: This plot-bridging and setup episode (very much a prequel to both "Back into the Breach" and "What Lies Beneath") with Cole once again morphing into another Human form, was a little disappointing and probably the least successful episode of the series. While it made for a fairly good story overall and provided more information on what Zin was up to, it lacked the emotional impact of "Without a Trace" when Cole morphed into Mel’s missing fiancé. Also, one gets a little tired of stories centered on "the mob." On the plus side, however, it served to substantially flesh out Vic’s character (in this, both the last of his four major episodes and his last appearance in the series) as a hard-nosed, up-and-coming police Detective – now working with the FBI’s Organized Crime Task Force – and set him up for major conflict with Cole later on if the series went into a second season.

———————————————————————

In the teaser, Cole interrupts a mob warehouse ‘transaction’ (the rub-out of a mob informant and the disposal of the body) being carried out by mob boss Tommy Fusco’s second-in-command, Jimmy, and Lotrepp, an escapee he’s been Tracking. Cole captures Lotrepp after a short skirmish with the two of them but, just as he finishes with the Collection, Jimmy clobbers him with a 2x4.

———————————————————————

In the next scene, Cole is seen captured by a small group of vicious thugs.

Jimmy, hauling him up: "Get up, tough guy ... So, who you working for? ... Zin? ... Tough guy?" Cole just stares at him in astonishment. "No, no ... I asked you a question..." He slugs Cole in the gut, doubling him over.

Fusco, joining the party: "So, this the guy, huh?"

Jimmy: "Yeah!"

Fusco, to Cole: "So! You got some set of cojones walking into my territory, taking out one of my guys like that! Who you working for? Nesconte? Kresnoff?"

Cole: "I don’t know those people."

Fusco: "You’re one of Zin’s guys?"

Cole, interested: "How do you know Zin?"

Fusco, nodding: "So, it’s Zin, huh?"

Cole: "I wouldn’t work for Zin."

Fusco: "That’s good ... Because the guy you whacked did ... And to tell you the truth, if you hadn’t done it, I would have."

Cole: "Then I helped you."

Fusco and his crew laugh. Jimmy cracks him over the head with the butt of his gun, driving him to his knees.

Fusco: "Does it look like we need any help? No! I think you’re the one who needs help right now."

Jimmy, aiming his gun at Cole’s head: "Take him out?"

Fusco, grabbing the 2x4: "No. Let’s see what we can get out of him first."

He starts to jab with it and hits Jimmy instead. Cole is gone. He’s had enough of their abuse and escaped in hyperspeed.

Fusco: "Where the hell did he go!?"

Cole has now learned that Zin and the mob are connected somehow.

———————————————————————

In the War Room, Cole is transferring Lotrepp’s lifeforce into his containment vessel.

Mel: "So! Who’s the lucky winner today?"

Cole: "A Vardian named Lotrepp, inhabiting the body of a man named Johnny Ananasco."

Mel, stunned: "Johnny Ananasco!? You’ve got Johnny Ananasco’s lifeforce!?"

Cole: "Yes. You know him?"

Mel: "Ah, no ... Not personally, but, my God! He’s notorious as a mobster!"

Cole: "Notorious?"

Mel: "Famous ... But for doing bad things."

Cole: "Well, at least his alien personality is the same as his Human one ... What kind of bad things did he do?"

Mel: "I don’t know ... extortion, loan sharking, murder ... Take your pick..." Then curious, "How come you’re still interested, even though you’ve got him?"

Cole: "Well, I was confronted by some of his associates. They think I was working for Zin."

Mel: "Zin? How is he involved?"

Cole: "Seems they’re having some sort of disagreement."

Mel, dryly: "Zin and the mafia ... Great!"

Cole: "Yes, it is. I haven’t had any information on him in a while. Maybe these men can lead me to him."

Mel: "That would be impossible."

Cole: "Why?"

Mel: "Because they’re gangsters, Cole ... I mean, you remember those guys who were after Rod?"

[Mel’s missing fiancé in "Without a Trace"].

Cole: "Yes."

Mel: "Well, they all stick together and they’re ... very powerful..."

Cole: "Yes."

Mel: "... And they don’t talk to anyone except one of their own."

Cole: "Then maybe I can become one of them."

Mel: "I don’t think so!"

Cole: "I don’t mean I should become a criminal, Mel. I can pretend to be one so that they’ll talk to me."

Mel: "But they think you work for Zin!"

Cole: "Well, I’ll have to convince them that I’m on their side."

Mel: "And how do you do that?"

Cole: "You can help me."

Mel, upset: "Look, Cole ... I have already lost one person to these people and I’m ... not prepared to lose another ... So, for the first time, I have to say I’m sorry ... I can’t help you." She walks away.

Cole nods to himself, understanding but not deterred, and sneaks off to obtain Nestov’s help.

———————————————————————

Cole and Nestov come bopping into the Watchfire, Cole dressed like a brother.

Nestov: "You look bad, dude, bad!" To Mel, "Don’t that look bad?"

Cole: "I look bad?"

Nestov: "Bad is good!"

Cole: "Bad is good!"

Nestov: "Yeah!"

Mel, eyeing him: "No ... No, no, no, no ... No, it’s not."

Cole: "Bad is bad?"

Mel: "That bad ... is bad."

Cole, to Nestov: "What’s wrong with it?"

Nestov: "It’s all right, man! Don’t listen to her..."

Mel: "What are you doing, Cole?"

Nestov: "Not bad, dude! A little rough but, not bad..."

Cole, grinding knuckles with him: "You said it!"

Mel: "What are you two up to?"

Cole: "Nestov is teaching me how to blend into the mafia."

Nestov: "Right!" Then doing a double take. "No! Whoa! No! You didn’t say anything about the mafia! You told me you wanted to look like a gangsta!"

Cole: "That’s what Mel said."

Mel: "I did not say ‘gangSTA’! I said ‘gangSTER’!"

Cole, pulling off his sunglasses, exasperated: "Mel, this is getting very confusing!"

Mel: "A gangster is a lot different. Trust me, Cole."

Nestov: "You got that right! You walk into some social club in Little Italy looking like that, and they’re liable to shoot you and mount your head on the wall!"

Cole, irritated: "Well, good! Look who dressed me in the first place!"

Nestov: "I did not dress you like that..."

Mel, cutting him off, to Cole: "You’re going to do this no matter what I say, right?" She sighs. "Fine! I will help you ..." Pleased, Cole smiles. "First we need to get you into the ... right clothes." She grabs the front of his shirt and starts to lead him upstairs.

Nestov: "You don’t look bad! I mean, you look terrible! Terrible!"

Cole grabs him in a headlock and takes him along.

———————————————————————

Mel reluctantly helps Cole with his impersonation, giving him VHS tapes of The Sopranos to study for the "excellent characterizations," plus a cassette tape of My Cousin Sal for accent. Nestov is also helping him with accent and attitude ["How ya doin’?" and "What choo lookin’ at?" and "Fugeddabout it!"] and setting up a cover story for him ["I’m a Desserian! It’s what I was born to do!"]. He warns Cole that the Maxwell Street restaurant that Fusco and his crew hang out in has a bad reputation.

Mel: "Mmm ... You might actually pull this off."

Cole: "You got a set of cojones, you know?"

Mel laughs.

Nestov: "No, no! No, no!"

Cole: "Why not? I heard Tommy say that!"

Mel, amused: "Cole, it might be a good idea to watch the videos just ... anyway."

Nestov, to Mel: "That’s the least of his problems."

Mel: "What do you mean?"

Nestov: "Well, Cole was in there busting heads and taking lifeforces. There’s no way they’re going to let him join the club now."

Cole: "I know. I have an idea."

Mel: "Cole..."

Cole: "I found a way to control the transformation process."

Nestov: "Okay, Cole ... The question is ... who?"

Cole: "It can’t be someone they recognize."

Nestov: "True. But you can’t just take anyone’s image."

Cole: "Why not?"

Nestov: "Well, most of these guys have a certain look to them. You know!?"

Mel: "Excuse me, Nestov. I’m sorry ... I can’t let you stand there and stereotype a whole group of people."

Nestov: "Oh! So, you think he can walk in there looking like he stepped off a surfboard in California and they’re not going to beat his ass like Sammy ‘the Bull’ Pinata?"

Mel, relenting: "Okay. You have a point ... He needs a certain ... look."

Nestov: "Right."

Cole, protesting: "I have a look."

Nestov guffaws.

He also has another idea how to use his techno-gizmos to give himself a verifiable cover story with Fusco via a re-routed phone call to Nestov instead of to Phil Gallo, the Kansas City mob underboss.

———————————————————————

Cole goes to Fusco’s Maxwell Street restaurant/club/hangout.

Jimmy, as Cole/Tony walks toward their table: "Hey! That guy looks like, uh ... What’s his name? ... Guisseppe ... Guisseppe Santorini."

A fat and nasty-looking muscle named French moves to block his path.

Cole/Tony: "Yeah, I get that all the time. I look like this guy, I look like that guy. Everybody looks like somebody. You look like him, he looks like you ... You know, they say my cousin Sal looks like...

Fusco: "Yeah, all right, all right, all right ... So, ah ... What can we do for you ... um?..."

Cole/Tony: "Tony."

Fusco: "Tony."

Cole/Tony: "I understand you’re having a problem with a guy named Zin ... Well, my crew was having the same problem a few months ago ... Then we heard he moved up here ... And my boss isn’t very happy with the situation ... I’ve come up here to straighten things out ... If you get my meaning..."

Fusco: "You want to ‘straighten things out’ ... So, what do you want with us?"

Cole/Tony: "Well, this is your territory. I want to show you the proper respect. Besides, I can’t take out Zin myself. You know. He keeps himself, ah ..." He pokes the fat muscle in the gut. "You know. Insulated. I figured, you’re having problems with him, you’d have a better idea where he was."

Fusco: "So let’s say I need some more help with Zin. I don’t know you. I should what? Trust that you’re, ah, with some crew in, ah..."

Cole/Tony: "Kansas City."

Fusco: "Kansas City ... Ken Gallo still underboss?"

Cole/Tony: "You mean Phil Gallo."

Fusco: "All right. Have a seat. Gotta make a call."

With the fat nasty muscle guarding him, Cole/Tony is brought over to the bar to wait with a free drink.

———————————————————————

In the War Room, Mel and Nestov are waiting for Fusco to put in the call to check out the new guy.

Mel, nervously: "Are you sure that thing is going to re-route Tommy’s calls here?"

Nestov: "Would you relax? You saw Cole set this up in front of you."

Nestov: "Yeah."

Fusco: "Ah ... Is Gallo there?"

Nestov, as Mel sits down beside him: "No. Gallo’s doing five to ten. Tax fraud. Who’s this?"

Fusco: "Tommy Fusco from Chicago."

Nestov: "Ah! We’ve got one of our boys out there. You seen him? You should show him the same kind of hospitality we showed you guys when you were in town."

Fusco: "Last time we were in K.C. you shot one of our guys in the ass."

Nestov: "Ah, come on! That was what? Five, six years ago? We’re all on the same page now. Know what I mean?"

Fusco: "This, ah, Tony guy ... ah ... Chubby, blonde guy, around fifty..."

Nestov: "No. Six feet. Brown hair. Thirties."

Fusco: "Yeah, that’s him. Said you guys were having a problem with this, ah, Zin character. Said he was here to help take him out of the picture."

Nestov: "Yeah. We can’t recommend him high enough. Tony is the best!"

Fusco: "Hey, if you, ah, talk to Phil, say ‘hello’."

Nestov: "Hey! No problem!"

Fusco: "What did you say your name was?"

Nestov: "Nestov ..." Mel clutches his arm and he quickly catches himself, "... oni. Nestovoni."

Fusco: "Right. Thanks a lot."

Nestov: "Hey."

———————————————————————

Fusco comes out after his phone call and says a few words in Italian to ‘Tony’. Then he explains: "It’s, uh, singing the bars. It’s about honor. Now, maybe in some other parts of the country they don’t take the Oath of Silence too seriously, but in my crew it’s religion. So ... when somebody makes a mockery of it, I get upset. One thing I will not tolerate is dishonesty. Nothing ... pisses me off more ... than someone trying to take advantage of me, making me look like a ... look like a fool! And to have the GALL to think that I wouldn’t catch it, to think that I’m some kind of idiot!"

He walks up to ‘Tony’.

Fusco: "There’s only one thing worse ... than finding out you got a guy like Johnny, who’s working for one of your enemies..."

He draws a gun, startling Cole, then whirls and shoots one of his own men dead.

Fusco: "And that’s to have somebody on your crew ... talking to the Feds!" He spits on the body, then turns with a smile to ‘Tony’. "Looks like we got an empty seat here. Welcome to Chicago, Tony."

Cole grimly nods.

———————————————————————

Mel and Nestov are sitting at the bar in the Watchfire, waiting for word.

Nestov, gently: "I got the message, it’s good and everything. But still no drink. Is there something wrong with the bar, a bar that doesn’t actually serve anybody?"

Mel, very anxious: "Nestov..."

Nestov: "What?"

Mel: "Nestov, just please be quiet."

Nestov: "I’m just trying to say I’m a little thirsty and I got nothing on my pallet. You know what I mean? Am I asking for too much?"

Just then Cole/Tony comes walking in and Mel rushes over to him.

Mel: "How did it go?"

Cole/Tony: "They accepted me into their crew."

Nestov, coming up: "Oh, yeah! My man Cole, down with the mafia! Listen, maybe you can get me a deal on a DVD player that fell off the back of the truck ... Know what I mean?"

Mel: "Nestov!" She turns back to Cole. "So, what? That’s it? Just like that they let you into the game?"

Cole/Tony: "Well, I was told to return there this evening for a special event."

Mel: "Did you find out anything about Zin?"

Cole/Tony: "I didn’t understand. They said something about doing sit-ups with them?"

Mel: "You mean sit-downs. It’s mob slang for a meeting ... Okay. We need to do some more research before you go back. Come on."

She turns and heads for the stairwell.

Nestov and Cole are about to begin talking, but Mel calls out, "Cole!" and he follows her upstairs.

Nestov, disgruntled, to himself: "Yeah, you guys go ahead. Don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine. I’ll get my own drink! Thank you."

[Note: This is a fine setup for what Nestov does in "What Lies Beneath." No matter how he tries, no matter how much of a help he is to Cole, he just can’t seem to get any respect or consideration. Both Cole and Mel treat him as second class, pushed aside and ignored after they’ve used him, not even worthy of a drink. Hence, he often behaves as though he’s second class].

———————————————————————

Cole/Tony arrives at the mobster’s club for the ‘special event’, finding several dozen mobsters and their wives (or girlfriends) sitting down to a lavish dinner.

Fusco: "Hey, Tony! Good to see you!"

Cole/Tony, removing his coat: "Yeah. Looks like you got, uh, quite the event going on here, Tommy."

Fusco: "Uh, yeah. A little business celebration, you know. We try to do it once a week, get everybody together."

Cole/Tony: "Yeah. Keep up the old morale, huh?"

Fusco: "Yeah, something like that ... You know the boys ... And this ... is Vicki ... I’ll, um, leave the two of you to get acquainted."

Cole/Tony, awkward: "Yeah, I just got in a couple of days ago from Kansas City."

Vicki: "I never been out west."

Cole/Tony: "Well, that’s ... it’s south ... actually."

Vicki, coming on to him: "Whatever. So, do guys like you, ah, enjoy themselves in Kansas City?"

Cole/Tony: "Oh, yeah! Kansas City’s famous for its steakhouses, the Royals, the Chiefs ... Actually, a lot of people don’t know this but it’s got one of the largest zoos in the whole country."

Fusco, coming up to them: "Excuse, Tony. I just got a phone call. I gotta talk to you and the guys."

Cole/Tony: "Yeah, sure, Tommy ... It’s nice to meet you, Vicki. I’ll see you later."

———————————————————————

Cole sits down with Tommy and his crew in a private room at the club.

Fusco: "Okay. We got some things to talk about ... Okay, first thing, Jimmy, is Develo is gonna need four guys on his club Saturday night. Maybe you can bring Carmine along. He’s good. Now! The bigger problem. Just got a call from Sammy. Zin’s eating up with our construction interests, so we gotta find a way to take care of our problem."

Cole/Tony: "Zin."

Fusco: "Yeah, Zin! Moving in on our projects. Hi-end condos. Needless to say, the boss ain’t too happy."

Cole/Tony: "Then let me do what I came here for. Just help me find him."

Fusco: "Just hold on. There are things to consider here. We don’t know how this guy is connected, what kind of heat it might bring down."

Cole/Tony: "Well, it sounds like it’s bringing down a lot of heat already."

Jimmy: "Why don’t you let Tommy say his piece?"

Cole/Tony: "Look, I’m just trying to help you guys out."

Jimmy, drumming his fingers on the table: "‘Help us out’ ... Hmm ... Well, maybe we don’t need your help. I don’t know. Maybe we were doing just fine without you."

Cole/Tony: "Is that why you’re always in hot water with Zin?"

Jimmy jumps to his feet in anger, knocking over his drink into Cole’s lap.

Fusco: "Hey! Enough!" Jimmy sits down again. "Let’s focus our energies on the common enemy, okay?"

Cole/Tony, wiping at the spill on himself: "I’m sorry, Tommy. You know I meant no disrespect. It’s just I want to nail this guy, you know?"

Fusco: "I, um, appreciate your enthusiasm, Tony."

Cole/Tony: "You know, I just had this dry cleaned. Can I use the restroom?"

Fusco, amused at his choice of word: "Restroom? ... Downstairs behind the pool tables in the back."

Cole/Tony: "Okay." He gets up and heads downstairs.

———————————————————————

Using his unobserved time productively, Cole breaks into Fusco’s office with a glow from his hand, finding notations on contracts that Zin is poaching on the mafia’s construction business and there’s a turf war going on...

Jimmy has followed him downstairs and is waiting outside the door when he comes out.

Jimmy, snide: "What did you do, get lost?"

Cole/Tony: "Yeah. I went in the wrong door."

Jimmy, not believing it: "I see." He points. "Because it’s right there."

Cole/Tony, uneasily: "Yeah. Thanks."

———————————————————————

Later as the mob party breaks up and all leave...

Cole/Tony: "Jimmy, I want to make sure I got all the information right on this situation with Zin. What’s the location of the latest..."

Jimmy: "You know, you ask too many questions. And I got a few of my own."

Cole/Tony: "Well, I just want to be prepared."

Jimmy: "Ahh, I don’t know what it is about you, but ... something ain’t right."

Cole/Tony: "What do you mean?"

Jimmy: "I don’t know. But I’ll tell you this: I’ll find out. I always do."

Cole/Tony: "Is that right?"

Jimmy: "Yeah, wise ass. That’s right."

He walks away while Vicki approaches Cole.

Unbeknownst, surveillance photos are being taken of them all.

———————————————————————

Afterwards, back in the War Room...

Cole/Tony: "I saw less ... no less than three of Tommy’s projects Zin’s trying to take over."

Mel: "I don’t get it ... There are lower profile ways for Zin to make money. What is it with the real estate?"

Cole/Tony: "I don’t know. But if he’s willing to risk angering an organization like the mafia, then something must be important to him." He hauls out his freestanding map screen.

Mel: "So, what about one of Tommy’s guys? Can you get any information from them?"

Cole/Tony: "You know, Tommy’s second-in-command, Jimmy, doesn’t seem to like me at all. It’s going to be a lot more difficult than I thought to get information."

Mel: "Great! ... I can’t believe I’m about to suggest this but what about Nestov? Can he get anything for you?"

Cole/Tony: "Maybe."

———————————————————————

The next day Vic comes into the Watchfire looking for Mel.

Mel, cheerily, coming up behind him: "Hey! What are you doing around here in the middle of the day?"

Vic, whispering seriously: "I need to talk to you, Mel."

Mel: "About what?"

Vic, standing so very close he’s towering over her and checking over his shoulder to make sure that no one is close enough to overhear them: "It’s about Cole."

Mel, exasperated: "Vic, how many times do I have to go through this? Cole is just –"

Vic: "– involved with the mob."

Mel, becoming cautious: "What makes you say that?"

Vic, urgently whispering and talking fast: "The FBI has an informant with Tommy Fusco’s crew. He reported that Johnny Ananasco was concerned about a guy named Cole who was after him. Said they had a dispute over a business deal. Tommy told everyone on his crew to shoot Cole on sight if they saw him."

[Note: Cole’s name was never mentioned in the teaser scene. In a city the size of Chicago, surely there must be hundreds of men named ‘Cole’. How did Vic make the connection?].

Mel, stunned: "What?!" She quickly catches herself. "And you believed it just because some criminal told you that?"

Vic: "It would be a hell of lot easier not to if Homicide didn’t find Johnny’s informant’s body this morning ... Now look, Mel. I know I’ve been giving you a hard time about Cole ... and I know you think it’s because of what we have between us ... And I’m sure some of that’s true ... But I’ve had a bad feeling about this guy from day one. Now let me tell you something. Tommy Fusco runs one of the most violent crews in the city and obviously your boy is a part of it now."

Just then Cole/Tony appears, on his way out.

Cole/Tony: "Mel, I got that call."

Mel: "Uh, yeah ... um, okay ... I’ll talk to you later ..." She nods and he leaves.

Vic, suspicious: "Who’s that?"

Mel, nervous: "Ah ... Nobody ... Just ... a friend ... Look, I’ve got to get these people their drinks. Can we talk about this later?"

Vic, grudgingly: "Fine."

He worriedly watches her for a moment as she returns to work, then leaves with a put-upon sigh.

———————————————————————

It’s now night and Nestov is waiting, nervously pacing at a loading dock area of an old warehouse. He’s wearing a clear plastic mask and a white wig. Then Cole/Tony shows up.

Nestov, jumping down: "Ahh! It’s about time you showed up! I’ve been out here for an hour!"

Cole/Tony: "Nestov?"

Nestov: "Yeah, yeah! It’s me! Let’s get inside, quick! I’m exposing myself out here!"

Cole/Tony: "Isn’t that illegal on this planet?"

Nestov: "Ha, ha, ha, ha. Very funny. I’m talking about all those people who can make my life very unpleasant. I mean, I’m not only talking about Zin’s guys, but I got your new friends to worry about, too. If they find out I turned you on to this place, I’m liable to end up in Lake Michigan wearing concrete shoes!"

Cole/Tony, sensing the ground: "That would be an improvement in your style."

Nestov: "Okay! That’s it!" He pulls off his mask and wig. "Enough with the funny jokes! ... This is the latest site that Tommy said Zin’s been muscling in on."

Cole/Tony: "Yeah. Now, how do we get in?"

Nestov: "Beats me! ... I can’t do everything for you."

Cole/Tony: "There’s a door right behind you." He heads for it.

Nestov: "Now, how am I supposed to know that?"

Growling, Nestov flings his costume to the ground and follows.

With flashlights, Cole and Nestov prowl the dark, litter and crate-strewn warehouse. Cole finds a table stacked with all manner of blueprints, notes and building plans, one with an Egyptian-like Ankh symbol on it.

Nestov, coming over: "Find something?"

Cole/Tony: "Blueprints."

Nestov: "Blueprints? You know how to read blueprints?"

Cole/Tony: "Yeah. Mel showed me." He folds the Ankh-marked paper and pockets it. "When she was thinking about remodeling the bar." He sorts through a few more of the papers. "That’s strange ... These are plans for digging right down. There’s nothing regarding building above ground..."

Nestov: "Then maybe it’s for a parking lot."

Cole/Tony: "Don’t you usually build something on top of a parking lot? Don’t you?"

Nestov, conceding: "Well, maybe they haven’t gotten that far yet."

Cole/Tony: "Maybe..." He starts shining his flashlight around, looking about.

Nestov: "I’m telling you, Cole, there’s nothing weird about it! ... Now, can we get out of here before I get buried under the 50-yard line at Soldier Field? And what they’re doing here..."

Cole starts wandering off, looking around.

Nestov, following: "Huh? ... Cole! Yo! We’re wasting our time here! There’s nothing here! Let’s go! ... Hey! Why can’t you listen to..."

He suddenly sees the deep drill shaft that Cole has found and shines his flashlight down it.

Nestov: "God! ... That’s at least 300 feet down! ... Can park a whole lot of cars down there..."

Cole/Tony, grimly: "Whatever Zin is after, it’s deep below the ground."

———————————————————————

Again Vic comes into the Watchfire, all fired up and all business.

[Cole’s morph saves his ass here, at least with the way the story was written. Imagine Vic coming into the Watchfire this second time to have it out after telling her of the ‘rumor’ about Cole having mob connections, and then showing Mel surveillance photos of the real Cole hanging out with the mob instead of his ‘morphed’ Tony version. There would be no way she could possibly back Cole then].

Cole/Tony, seeing Vic approaching, whispers, "We don’t have time for this" to Mel, then starts to retreat to the pool table while Mel heads toward Vic but from behind the bar.

Vic, calling out to Cole/Tony: "What’s your hurry, pal?"

Cole/Tony, turning: "Oh, I’m sorry. Have we met?"

Vic, holding up his shield: "Detective Vic Bruno."

Cole/Tony: "It’s nice to meet you, Detective."

Mel comes up and Cole whispers to her, "I’ll talk to you later, Mel," then again turns back toward the pool table. Mel walks away, back behind the bar. She’s obviously trying to lead Vic away from Cole/Tony and it works.

Vic, following Mel: "What the hell’s going on, Mel?"

Mel, lightly: "What the hell you talking about, Vic?"

Vic, showing her a surveillance photo of Tony: "That guy hangs with Tommy Fusco’s crew."

Mel, briefly hesitant: "Vic ... There’s something you don’t know about."

Vic, angry and impatient, continuously glancing toward Tony, who’s playing pool: "Look, if this is gonna be another story about little green men ... I don’t wanna hear it!"

Mel, stalling: "No, it’s not."

Vic: "Well, then, maybe you can tell me why an informant in Tommy Fusco’s crew is talking about Cole ... And why you’re so chummy-chummy with this guy!?"

Mel, thinking fast: "He’s Cole’s partner."

Vic: "Partner?"

Mel: "Not a crime partner!"

Vic: "Then what kind of partner, Mel?"

Mel: "His writing partner."

Vic: "Writing partner."

Mel: "Yeah. Cole’s taking a screenwriting class and ... they’re working on a script together."

Vic, snidely: "Let me guess ... A sequel to Close Encounters?"

Mel: "Cute. Actually, It’s more in the vein of Goodfellas."

Vic, not believing it: "Oh, really?"

Mel: "They’re only coming up in connection with Tommy Fusco because they’re doing research."

Vic: "Research ... Well, then, I guess you won’t mind if I go talk to your boy about how his project is coming along."

He turns and starts toward the back.

Vic: "Hey! Screenwriter!"

Cole/Tony looks up.

Vic: "Come here."

Cole/Tony turns toward him. Mel follows Vic.

Vic: "Mel here tells me you know Cole."

Cole/Tony: "Yeah. We’re very close."

Vic: "Oh? You’re very close? Well, then, maybe you can tell me how your little screenwriting project is coming along?"

Mel, touching Cole/Tony’s shoulder reassuringly and clueing him in: "Sorry. I ... told Vic about the screenplay that you and Cole are writing together."

Vic: "And that you’ve been hanging with Tommy Fusco’s crew."

Cole/Tony, getting it: "Yeah. We’ve been observing them."

Vic: "Observing them ... Well, then, you know how dangerous these people really are. And anyone caught hanging out with them can get themselves into a lot of trouble ... Tommy’s on parole and under heavy surveillance. So my suggestion to you is to stay away from them. ... All right? ... You want to do research, use the internet ... It’s a lot safer ... Tell Cole I said the same thing."

Cole/Tony: "Yeah, he’ll get the message."

Vic: "Good! I’ll see you."

Mel, brightly: "Bye, Vic."

Although Mel and Vic are obviously still dating, their relationship is in very serious trouble. Vic is becoming increasingly disgruntled and antagonistic about Cole’s constant presence in Mel’s life. And he’s naturally concerned about yet another weird guy hanging around the Watchfire. And Mel has become very smooth with her lies.

———————————————————————

Jimmy’s Spy: "Yeah. It’s me. He’s talking to that Homicide cop."

Jimmy: "I knew there was something off about that hump ... No, no, no, no ... I want you to sit tight. I’ll take care of it ... All right?"

———————————————————————

Back upstairs in the War Room...

Mel: "Look, Cole ... Sorry. A movie was the only thing I could think of."

Cole/Tony: "It actually wasn’t a bad story ... Do you think he believed you?"

Mel: "Hard to tell with Vic ... But at least we got him off your back for now." She then notices the piece of paper Cole has laying out on his desk. "What’s this?"

Cole/Tony: "It’s something I found at the construction site."

Mel: "What does the symbol mean?"

[It’s a variation of a traditional Ankh, an ancient Egyptian symbol for life and the soul].

Cole/Tony: "I’m not sure ... But it’s not of this planet."

He fetches the container he brought back from Roswell in the episode of that name.

Cole/Tony: "This is the container Raahm took from the alien ship in Roswell."

Mel: "It’s the same symbol."

[Note: In the "Roswell" episode, the container didn’t show any visible markings or symbols on it at all!].

Cole/Tony: "Whatever Zin’s looking for is connected with that ship."

Mel: "Didn’t you say that ship belonged to some treasure hunters?"

Cole/Tony: "Yes ... But there were some plans at the site for digging straight down. When I looked around I saw a huge crater at least 300 feet deep."

Mel: "What kind of treasure would Zin be looking for hundreds of feet below the surface of Chicago?"

Cole/Tony: "I don’t know."

He turns and fetches the triangle.

Mel: "The Key ... Treasure is usually locked up. The Key must open whatever it is."

Cole/Tony: "We’re on to something ... That’s why I must get closer to Zin through Tommy’s crew."

Mel: "Cole, you’re pushing your luck with these guys ... Please think about what Vic just said."

Cole/Tony: "I can handle it, Mel."

Mel, nearly letting her feelings slip: "Well, they’re not the only ones you need to think about ... I mean ... If you get arrested ... I’d have a hell of a time getting you out."

Cole/Tony: "I know. But that’s a chance I have to take."

———————————————————————

The next day, Cole goes to the mob hangout again, finding Tommy and Jimmy waiting for him.

Cole/Tony: "Hey Tommy, Jimmy. How you doing?" They don’t answer him. "Is everything okay?"

Fusco: "Hey, sure, everything’s great ... While you’re here, would you help us out on something?"

Cole/Tony: "Yeah, sure, Tommy. Anything."

Fusco nods and walks past him to the door.

Jimmy, in his face: "After you."

Cole/Tony: "Sure."

Cole/Tony, unbuckling his seat belt: "So what are we here for?"

Fusco: "Your loyalty has come into question."

Cole/Tony, glancing back toward Jimmy: "From who?"

Fusco: "It’s not important. What is important is that you reassure me ... or we could have a big problem here."

Cole/Tony: "I’m loyal to you and your crew, Tommy."

Fusco: "That’s good. Now you can show me."

Cole/Tony, as Jimmy hands him a box: "What’s this?"

Jimmy: "You been around how long? You’ve never seen one of these before? ... It’s a remote control ... Green light goes on, you push the button ... It activates a bomb."

Cole/Tony: "What’s going to explode?"

Jimmy: "Oh, no, no. Not what." He points down the street. "Who."

It’s Vic, walking down the street to his car.

Fusco: "That cop has been asking too many questions ... You don’t have a problem helping us out on this, do you?"

In the back seat, Jimmy cocks his gun and aims it at the back of Cole’s head. Meanwhile, Vic has placed his portfolio briefcase on the hood of his car and is digging in his coat pockets for his car keys.

Fusco, noting the green light on the remote: "What are you waiting for?"

Jimmy: "Push the button."

Vic is now getting into his car.

Fusco: "What’s the problem?"

Vic is starting the car’s engine.

Jimmy: "Push the button."

Fusco: "Do it!"

Jimmy: "Push the button!"

Fusco: "Do it!"

Jimmy: "NOW!!!"

Cole launches into hyperspeed and gets under Vic’s car, melting the bomb and thus disabling it so that the remote won’t work. He then returns to his place in Tommy’s car and real time commences.

Jimmy: "The car blows now or you do!"

Cole pushes the remote’s button, but nothing happens.

Fusco: "What the hell happened?"

Jimmy: "Do it again! Harder!"

As Vic starts driving away, Cole repeatedly pushes the button but, of course, nothing happens.

Jimmy, grabbing the remote from him: "You’re useless!"

Cole/Tony: "Hey! I didn’t make the bomb. I’m sorry, Tommy. It wasn’t working."

[Vic will never know how close he came!].

Fusco, frustrated but reassured: "It’s okay! We’ll take care of him later ... Right now I have some other business ... Look, we’re, um, meeting Zin tonight to discuss our problem ... Jimmy, why don’t you and Tony head back to the club and, uh, set up." Jimmy nods. "Come on! Get out! Go!"

Jimmy and Cole/Tony get out of the car.

———————————————————————

Back at the mob’s club, when Cole and Jimmy come in French and Angie are loading and readying an arsenal of rifles, shotguns, machine guns and handguns on the pool tables.

French: "Tommy just called. He said that we’re meeting Zin at the warehouse out on Fillmore."

Cole/Tony, eyeing the artillery: "Hey, looks like we’re going to be prepared."

French: "Yeah ... Tommy said to come heavy." To Jimmy, "Frankie came through pretty good, huh?"

Jimmy: "Yeah, he’d better for what we paid him ... Hey, French ... Me and Tony are going to discuss our strategy in Tommy’s office, okay?"

French nods as Jimmy waves a hand at Cole to follow him.

Cole/Tony, grim: "Yeah. Sure."

In the office, as Cole removes his coat he notices that Jimmy has a machine gun with him.

Cole/Tony, as Angie comes in behind him and gives him a shove: "What’s the problem here?"

Jimmy: "Why don’t you have a seat, Tony?"

Angie pushes him into a chair and starts to handcuff him.

Cole/Tony: "What the hell is this? ... I mean, Tommy said..."

Jimmy: "I don’t give a rat’s ass what Tommy said! ... You know what, Tony? I don’t think you’re for real ... And I want to know what the hell is going on."

Cole/Tony: "What do you mean? Come on! ... I mean, you saw me push the button. I was going to take out a cop for you."

Jimmy: "No, no ... Somehow you knew it wouldn’t go off ... I don’t know how. But you knew."

Cole/Tony: "But you were watching me."

Jimmy belts him across the face.

Jimmy: "Who are you!?"

Cole/Tony: "I’m Tony from Kansas City."

Jimmy slugs him in the gut.

Jimmy: "You want to play, huh?" He strips off his coat and throws it aside. "Okay! Let’s play! That’s fine!"

Angie: "Take it easy, Jimmy!"

Jimmy: "Okay, Angie. Why don’t you go get the plastic because this is gonna get a little messy."

Angie hastily leaves.

Jimmy: "Okay. In a couple of hours you’re going to be begging me to kill you."

He pulls out a switchblade.

Cole snaps his handcuffs, blocks the thrust, and in short order decks Jimmy for his efforts.

Cole/Tony, straightening his jacket: "Fugeddabout it!"

———————————————————————

Fusco and his crew arrive at the warehouse on Fillmore to meet with Zin while Cole watches from hiding.

Fusco, as they all get out of the car: "Where the hell is Jimmy and the rest of the guys?" He sighs. "All right. We got enough heat." He then sees three men walking over to them. "Zin?"

Lieutenant: "Zin couldn’t make it."

Fusco: "Who are you?"

Lieutenant: "His Lieutenant."

Cole, to himself: "They’re Desserians."

Fusco, angry: "Lieutenant? What the hell is this!? I don’t talk to messengers. I talk to the boss or we’ve got nothing to say."

Lieutenant: "Zin sent a message."

Fusco: "What is it?"

Lieutenant: "We’re taking another one of your projects."

Fusco, laughing: "Do you believe the set on this guy!?"

Lieutenant: "He gave me another message to deliver."

Fusco: "Yeah? What’s that?"

As Zin’s Lieutenant goes for the machine gun on his belt, there’s a raid, the Desserians turn and vanish into a wall, and Fusco and company are surrounded and arrested by Vic and the FBI’s Organized Crime Task Force.

Vic: "Guess the Parole Board’s not going to be too happy about this, hey Tommy-boy?!"

Cole slips away.

———————————————————————

Back in the War Room, Cole has resumed his normal Human form, but he’s still speaking with Tony’s voice.

Cole, working on his computer: "Zin’s gang were Desserians ... and thanks to the police turning up, they disappeared before I could catch them."

Mel: "Ah, Cole ... Just out of curiosity ... Did you have any problems when you ... changed back?"

Cole: "Well, there was this slight glitch..." He clears his throat then goes on, sounding more like himself, "But nothing I can’t correct." He clears his throat again.

Mel: "I see ... So, what are you working on now?"

Cole, back to his normal voice: "I got this list from Tommy’s office ... All the projects that Zin was trying to take over from him..." He gets up to check his large, free-standing computer map board. Mel comes up behind him as bird’s-eye images of buildings start to appear. "Trying to see if there’s some sort of pattern here..."

Mel: "Is this it?"

Cole: "Yes."

Cole: "The Watchfire."

Cole now has another piece of the puzzle, finally realizing that maybe what Zin is looking for is below the Watchfire itself, since his map now tells him that all the property Zin has gone after is located immediately around the bar – on both sides, just in back of and directly across the street.

[Note: In the real world, Mel would’ve been aware much sooner that the properties around her bar were being bought up through her local Merchant’s Association. So why wasn’t she ever approached to sell the bar? Why was the Watchfire pretty much treated like Holy Ground by Zin and company?].

———————————————————————

In the tag scene, it’s now the next day. Mel is working behind the bar when Cole comes up to her.

Cole: "There’s no hidden door or entrance in the basement."

Mel: "Are you sure?"

Cole: "I’ve been looking all night. There’s no place this Key seems to fit."

Just then Vic comes in and Cole shies away from any direct confrontation with him by busying himself with helping Mel out behind the bar.

Mel, lightly but with a snide edge: "Vic! You know ... I’ve been thinking maybe we should just set up a cot for you in the back. It would be much ... easier."

Vic: "Oh, that’s really funny, Mel ... That’s really funny." He eyes Cole. "So, Cole ... Where’s your partner?"

Cole, vaguely gesturing: "He’s here ... Somewhere."

Vic: "Well, at least we know how your little screenplay ends now, don’t we? Huh?" He follows Cole’s movements behind the bar. "Opening shot. FBI tails Tommy Fusco to a warehouse where he’s supposed to have a sit-down with another crew ... Except the Feds see Tommy..."

Cole is noisily ‘glugging’ glasses in the sink.

Vic: "Except the Feds see Tommy and his boys walk in packing some heavy..."

Cole’s still ‘glugging’ glasses, louder than before.

Vic: "Would you stop that!"

Cole stops, looking abashed.

Vic: "Except the Feds see Tommy and his boys come in carrying some heavy artillery. Tommy gets busted. Tommy blows his parole. Cut to ... Tommy, going back to prison."

Mel: "Sounds like a good ending to me."

Cole: "Oh, it’s not as dramatic as a traditional rub-out ... But could work."

Vic: "Oh, but wait! There’s still some loose ends, Cole. Like why one of his crew talked to an FBI informant about a certain screenwriter who was after him ... And Johnny Ananasco ... Well, he ends up dead."

Mel: "Well, Vic, maybe you should check that source. I mean, a con man accuse a murderer?"

Vic: "Just trying to do my job, Mel."

Mel: "As screenwriters were trying to do theirs, Vic."

Vic, still eyeing Cole and keeping strutting pace with him: "Well, if that were true, hope they realize how much danger they put themselves in. As well as others."

Vic: "Now, what we’ve got are Tommy’s having a problem with this new guy named Zin. Seems Mr. Zin is moving in on some of Tommy’s construction projects. Now things could’ve gotten really hairy out there if we hadn’t shown up ... Now I’m going to have to look into all this ... Check your story out." He turns to go. "See you around, Mel."

Mel, lightly dismissive: "Guess I’ll see you around, too."

Vic, turning at the door, flatly promising: "I’ll be seeing you around too, Cole."

Vic leaves, knowing there’s now a huge rift between him and Mel that may prove to be unbreachable. No matter what, his lady-love has chosen to steadfastly back "this mysterious Cole" instead of him and his contempt, animosity and jealousy towards this rival who has dogged the entire resurrection of his relationship with her and who won’t go away is now quite palpable. More, he now feels pressured to find out exactly what Mel has gotten herself into and to try and protect her if he can.

Mel, upset and running over to Cole: "Oh my God! He knows about Zin!"

Mel: "Yeah, but it does not help us that he’s now going to check out our story!"

Cole, with a sigh: "Mel, that’s not what’s important right now. What is, is what’s below this bar. We have to find it before Zin does."

************************