K#0802 -'El Sid" - 10/30/95 1st. White                   19.

ACT TWO

FADE IN:

13 INT. SITTING ROOM - DAY - LOOKING THROUGH THE FRONT WINDOW

to the street where we see LEO overseeing TWO MEN IN WHITE
UNIFORMS pick up the dead man and strap him to the back of a
special GOLF CART.

REMBRANDT (O.S.)
They're just carting him off like
garbage.

PULL BACK TO REVEAL THE SLIDERS with L.J., watching the
scene through the window.

L.J.
     (resigned)
The buddy system, man.
     (then)
"Friends don't let friends break
the law in San Francisco."

WADE
What're you saying? That guy
didn't even do anything!

L.J.
Them's the breaks.

Meaning there's a grave concern -- Sid's on the loose.

ARTURO
     (wording carefully)
Inasmuch as we're leaving so soon,
hypothetically -- if one of us were
to... slip... Presumably there
wouldn't be time to ... uh...

L.J.
Wrong. Between the bracelets and
the neighborhood watch, the
custodians'd be on you in no time.

QUINN
Neighborhood watch?

L.J.
Oh, yeah. Major perks for
reporting a crime.

Quinn anxiously watches through the Window as Leo leaves
with the body pickup crew. Then he turns to L.J.

(CONTINUED)

K#0802 - "El Sid" - 10/30/95 1st. White                      20.

13 CONTINUED:

QUINN
     (urgent)
I've got a problem. My buddy's on
the loose.

WADE
We've got to find him.

L.J.
Why? What's he gonna do, knock off
a bank?

ARTURO
I suspect that will be his first
impulse.

WADE
     (to Michele)
Where would he go?

MICHELE
Anywhere. He never tells me.

Quinn starts towards the door.

QUINN
     (grim)
Great. That helps a lot.

L.J.
Wait up, man. I'll give you a
lift.

Michele watches, surprised, as all the Sliders follow --
automatically volunteering to help. L.J. stops Wade.

L.J.
No. You and her have to go to
group therapy. They could shoot
you if you don't.

Wade reacts, frustrated, as the others leave. Then she
turns and looks at Michele -- neither of them is thrilled
about being left alone with the other.

14 EXT. THE STREET - HOUSING UNIT 622 - DAY

L.J. urgently points out directions as he gets in his tram.

(CONTINUED)

K#0802 - "El Sid" - 10/30/95 1st. White                    21.

14 CONTINUED:

L.J.
     (to Quinn)
Get in.
     (to Arturo and Rembrandt)
You try up there.

QUINN
(to Arturo and Rembrandt)
We have to be back here by six for
group therapy, whether we find him
or not.

Arturo and Rembrandt hurry off as the tram pulls away.

15 INT. THE TRAM - CONTINUOUS - L.J. AND QUINN
ride along, scouring the Streets for Sid.

L.J.
Where do you think he'd go?

QUINN
How should I know? I just met the
guy.

L.J.
Bad news. The whole idea is to
keep tabs on each other.

QUINN
This "buddy system" is insane!

L.J.
Hey, it sucks, but the city'd self
destruct without it. Everyone
knows they're gonna die pretty
soon, so how else can you keep 'em
in line?

QUINN
     (shocked)
Everyone's gonna die?

L.J.
Hell, yeah. Big earthquake's
coming any time now. All the
experts say the whole damn
peninsula's gonna drop into the
ocean.

QUINN
So why do you stay?

(CONTINUED)

K#0802 - "El Sid" - 10/30/95 1st. White                    22.

15 CONTINUED:

L.J.
Yeah, right. Like we got a choice.
     (off Quinn's confusion)
This is a prison, man! San
Francisco National Penitentiary.

Quinn gapes at him in disbelief as we

CUT TO:

16 EXT. A PARK - DAY - THE OTHER THREE MEN

from the back of the pickup truck of the previous world are
hanging out. "GAP" is playing a harmonica "BLADE" is
whittling a stick to a point and "PECKS" his a pair of bar
bells, doing nonstop curls.

Behind them, a very physical basketball game is in progress.

Blade notices something in the street and calls Gap's
attention to it with an elbows in the side. The two men
exchange an evil, conspiratorial smile that lets us see how
Gap got his nickname -- a missing front tooth.

BLADE
Fish...

Blade throws his knife towards...

THE SIDEWALK - ARTURO AND REMBRANDT

are eyeballing the basketball game SPECTATORS, looking for
Sid. Blade's knife flies right by Arturo's face and sticks
into a tree. Arturo reacts, alarmed, and looks around as:

BLADE (O.S.)
     (calling)
Hey, Fish! My knife slipped.
Bring it back here for me.

Rembrandt: turns to see what's going on.

ARTURO
My name is not "Fish", sir, and I
don't much care for your tone, or
for your carelessness with a
dangerous implement.

Rembrandt reacts, "Oh, shit!" as he realizes what Arturo is
dealing with. He hurries past Arturo and gets the knife.

(CONTINUED)

K#0802 - "El Sid" - 10/30/95 1st. White                    23.

16 CONTINUED:

REMBRANDT
     (sotto voce, to Arturo)
Shut up, man, before this gets
ugly.

He wipes the blade clean as he hurries it back to its owner.

REMBRANDT
Here you are, sir. Nice and clean.
     (then, ingratiating, to
      Gap)
Hey! "0l' Rockpile Blues." Great
rendition.
     (then, hastily)
Gotta go. Have a great day.

He starts to leave, but the other two men quickly move into
position to block his path.

BLADE
     (to harmonica player)
What you got for us, man? How
'bout some smokes?

REMBRANDT
I'm a singer, friend. Smoking's
bad for the pipes.

Rembrandt now tries to dodge his way out of the small
circle. One of the men catches him, holds him.

BLADE
     (threatening)
You don't give us something we're
gonna turn you upside down an' see
what shakes out.

Arturo doesn't understand why this is happening, but the
threat is apparent enough. He calls out to the men on the
basketball court.

ARTURO
Are any of you "buddies" to those
men? I'm with the neighborhood
watch, and it looks to me they may
be contemplating a crime.

The basketball players stop in their tracks to look over at
the scene with Rembrandt. No one moves a muscle. Blade
turns his attention to Arturo.

(CONTINUED)

K#0802 - "El Sid" - 10/30/95 1st. White                    24.

16 CONTINUED: 2

BLADE
You want some of this?
     (then, to Gap)
Bring him over here.

Arturo won't leave Rembrandt, but he's desperate to keep Gap
at bay and can't understand why no one is helping.

ARTURO
What's the matter with all of you?
Are you just going to let these men
rob us?

Gap grabs Arturo and begins dragging him back towards the
others.

GAP
They know who we are, an' you can
bet they ain't gonna do a damn
thing to help you.

But then, from another part of the park, we hear someone
WHISTLE. Everyone turns to

THE WHISTLER - A LOOKOUT

He points to the street where a CUSTODIAN is approaching.

Blade and Gap exchange an annoyed 1ook and begin
ceremoniously "dusting off" Arturo and Rembrandt so as to
hold them a bit longer during:

BLADE
Another time, Fish. We'll be
looking for you.

They release their grip and the Sliders hurry away. As they
go:

CUT TO:

17 EXT. GOVERNMENT HOUSING - REC ROOM - DAY

Folding chairs in half the room, exercise equipment fills
the rest. Lots of SWEATY WOMEN in leotards are working out.
There's a PODIUM in front of the chairs, which are filling
Up with WOMEN.

CAMERA FINDS WADE and MICHELE waiting in line at a buffet
table featuring coffee and cookies.

(CONTINUED)

K#0802 - "El Sid" - 10/30/95 1st. White                    25.

17 CONTINUED:

MICHELE
I don't understand. Why can't me
an' Sid ever get home again?

WADE
     (sorry she said so)
Look, maybe it's not impossible.
All I'm saying is we've been trying
to get back to our home for a
long time and haven't been able to

The sweet old biddy in line next to them can't help
overhearing. Call her GLADYS.

GLADYS
If I was you, I'd try not to have
any illusions about going home.
These re-hab sessions are a sham.

WADE
Then why have them?

GLADYS
     (getting her coffee)
Just to keep us busy, dear. That's
all it is.

She goes off to take her seat. Wade reacts, curious, then
turns back to Michele as they fix their coffee.

WADE
One good thing; if you don't go
home, you don't have to stay with
Sid.

MICHELE
     (bemused)
No one's making me stay with Sid.

WADE
     (defensive)
I didn't mean it like that.., It's
just that...
     (gropes for words)
He doesn't treat you very well ....

MICHELE
Sid's okay. Everyone respects him,
and no one would dare lay a finger
on me so long as I'm with him.

WADE
But he beats you.

(CONTINUED)

K#0802 - "El Sid" - 10/30/95 1st. White                    26.

17 CONTINUED: 2

MICHELE
What's the difference? Once you're
with 'em, they all do it.

WADE
Not on my world.

MICHELE
     (contemptuous)
Yeah? Well, goody for you.

WADE
Just forget it, okay? Forget I
said anything.

WOMAN'S VOICE
     (over P.A.)
Ladies, take your seats please.
Let's get started.

Wade turns and heads towards the chairs. Michele reacts,
softening. She hurries after her, touches Wade's arm...

MICHELE
Look... Maybe it's different where
you come from -- with guys like
Quinn -- but on my world, there's
no choice, so I do what I gotta da.

WADE
But that's just it... You're not
on your world anymore.

Michele reacts to this as they take their seats. Wade sits
next to Gladys.

WOMAN'S VOICE
     (over p.a.)
Alright, who wants to go first?

Gladys stands up and addresses the audience.

GLADYS
My name is Gladys, and I poisoned
my neighbor, but I warned her again
and again to keep her darn dog in
her yard. If she'd just...

WOMAN'S VOICE
     (over p.a., interrupting)
Gladys, we're not going to listen.
"Step One" is: Stop blaming your
victim.
(MORE)

(CONTINUED)

K#0802 - "El Sid" - 10/30/95 1st. White                    27.

17 CONTINUED: 3

WOMAN'S VOICE (cont'd)
     (as Gladys sits)
Now how about you, there, next to
Gladys? Why are you here?

Michele J s amused at Wade, who is at an utter loss for words
as we:

CUT TO:

18 EXT. COMMERCIAL STREET - DAY - L.J.'S TRAM

moves along, with Quinn and L.J. scouring the streets for
any sign of Sid.

19 INT. TRAM - L.J. AND QUINN

L.J. is at least as interested in Quinn as in finding Sid.

L.J.
Man that's weird. You never know
what San Francisco's gonna be like
until you get there?

QUINN
That's right.

L.J.
Ever hit one worse than this?

QUINN
Not many.

L.J. digests this until:

QUINN
     (pointing)
There he is!

20 EXT. JEWELRY STORE - DAY

Sid is loitering outside, looking in. TWO PEOPLE come out
and Sid goes in just as L.J.'s TRAM pulls up to the curb.

QUINN
     (calling)
Sid! Wait!

He and L.J. jump out of the tram and run into the store.

K#0802 - "El Sid" - 10/30/95 1st. White                    28.

21 INT. JEWELRY STORE - CONTINUOUS

The SHOPKEEPER is busy putting display cards back in the
case.

Sid has his hand under his jacket, ready to pull his gun, as
Quinn and L.J. run in and get in his face.

QUINN
     (urgent)
Sid, no ! You don't understand
what's going on here!

SID
Get outta my face.

L.J.
Seriously, man, they'll kill you!

SID
Let 'em try!

He pushes Quinn out of the way, draws his gun and SHOOTS THE
LENS OF A SURVEILLANCE CAMERA, then slams the gun butt down
into the display case, shattering the top.

L.J. grabs Quinn and pulls him towards the door.

L.J.
Come on, man! Now!

QUINN
No! It's not too late!

L.J.
Yes, it is!

He YANKS Quinn out the door.

22 EXT. JEWELRY STORE - CONTINUOUS

As L.J. literally throws Quinn into the TRAM, jumps in
himself and drives off.

23 INT. TRAM - DRIVING HARD

L.J.
Gimme your wrist...

Quinn looks at it. The bracelet's still normal metallic.

QUINN
It's still okay.

(CONTINUED)

K#0802 - "El Sid" - 10/30/95 1st. White                    29.

23 CONTINUED:

L.J.
It won't be for long. Got to get
you as far from here as possible.

Already we can hear SIRENS in the distance.

CUT TO:

24 INT. JEWELRY STORE - DAY

SID is smashing more display cases with his gun and scooping
up the valuables.

The SHOPKEEPER lies in a heap on the floor, either dead or
unconscious.

Now, as Sid reaches into one of the Cases, he notices that
the bracelet around his wrist is starting to GLOW RED. He
looks at it, trying to understand. Then he tries to get the
bracelet off, but it won't budge.

SIRENS are getting closer fast. Sid starts to understand.

25 EXT. JEWELRY STORE - CONTINUOUS

TWO TRAMS pull up, loaded with machine-gun-toting
CUSTODIANS. They jump out and run towards the, store.

26 INT. JEWELRY STORE - CONTINUOUS

as the CUSTODIANS swarm in. Sid is nowhere to be seen. We
HEAR still more SIRENS heading to the store.

The custodians fan out, searching for Sid. Suddenly, Sid
springs from underneath a display case and grabs one of the
custodians. Sid takes the custodian's gun and points it at
the man's head, using him for a shield.

SID
Anyone comes near me, he gets it!
     (then)
Who's in charge? I want to cut a
deal.

27 EXT. JEWELRY STORE - CONTINUOUS

as additional CUSTODIANS arrive. One of them is LEO, who
gets clearly deferential treatment from the others.

(CONTINUED)

K#0802 - "El Sid" - 10/30/95 1st. White                    30.

27 CONTINUED:

LEO
     (into walkie-talkie)
I'm at the scene.

VOICE FROM WALKIE-TALKIE
He has a hostage and wants to
negotiate.

Leo reacts, annoyed.

LEO
     (into walkie-talkie)
Roger, I'll talk to him.
     (then, to himself)
Pain in the ass.

CUT TO:

28 INT. L.J.'S TRAM - TIME THE SAME

Quinn continues to look at his bracelet, which now starts to
FLASH RED.

QUINN
Uh, oh.

L.J. look over, spots the bracelet and slams on the brakes.

L.J.
Get out, man.

QUINN
Get out????

L.J.
If I'm seen driving you, my
bracelet would be red in no time.

29 EXT. STREET - CONTINUOUS

As Quinn reluctantly gets out of the tram:

L.J.
Hole up till after dark, if you
can. Then wrap the bracelet in
something.

QUINN
I thought it had to be showing.

(CONTINUED)

K#0802 - "El Sid" - 10/30/95 1st. White                    31.

29 CONTINUED:

L.J.
People don't notice it as much at
night -- unless they see it
glowing.

QUINN
I need to get back to the others.

L.J.
Forget it. You'll never make it.
Try to get to the B.A.R.T. station
at Market and Van Ness. Sneak
through the fence.

He pulls away. Quinn pulls his jacket sleeve down as far as
he can, sticks his hand in his pocket and starts walking --
trying to look as nonchalant as possible. There's a LOW
RUMBLE and the ground begins to SHAKE. Quinn instinctively
reaches out to hold onto a lamp post for support. Wrong
move. The GLOWING RED BRACELET is totally exposed. Quinn
quickly realizes and hides it again, but too late, as now
SHOTS RING OUT and bullets begin to ricochet all around him.
Quinn starts running, in a desperate zig-zagging course,
trying to avoid the gunfire, but he's hemmed in between
buildings, with more and more shooters in the windows above
and the bracelet in plain sight as he runs.

TELESCOPIC SIGHT SHOT - QUINN IN THE CROSS HAIRS

He's dead meat the minute this guy pulls the trigger. But
now there's a BIGGER RUMBLING SOUND and harder SHAKING just
as the shot is squeezed off.

QUINN - IN THE STREET

rounds a corner, oblivious to the shaking. People are
pouring from the buildings to escape the quake. Quinn
shoves his hand back in his pocket and tries to blend in
with the crowd as we:

FADE OUT.

END OF ACT TWO