[group on the other side of the room laugh]
Rhys MontroseWhat could possibly be that funny? [sits next to Joe]
[internally] Rhys Montrose. What's he doing here?
[internally] Oh, no. I sound drunk.
Rhys
So you're the new one. Mal unfailingly adopts you lads, back since the dormitory at...
[internally] Oxford, right. They were all there together. The book is about how he was born into poverty, raised by an unstable single mom, uncomfortably relatable, and he was a mess, then found out he's the son of a duke, cleaned up, went to Oxford, and became the author of honestly one of the best memoirs I've ever read.
Rhys
Quite a thing, that. Tell no one your sordid life story for 30 years, then write it down, suddenly millions know your every shame.
For what it's worth, I didn't find your book sordid.
Rhys
Fellow man with a shit childhood, then?
[Joe looks away]
Rhys
I see. A true shit childhood. Pleasure to meet you, brother in arms. The thing about getting money when you had none, you never really feel you have it. And all the people who always did...
Rhys
Exactly.
[internally] I actually don't hate him, yet.
Rhys
They're dancing while the world burns. Barely notice it's even burning. Why would they? Their weather's just right.
[there's a knock on the door]
[internally] I knew you'd bite. [sets his phone to record audio]
[Joe opens the door for Rhys, who walks in]
Rhys
All right, spill. What does Lockwood claim he knows?
What do you think he knows?
Rhys
Aah... Don't be coy.
Rhys
Is it about the book? Who hasn't taken liberties with their own story? It's called writing.
That's what you're most afraid of people finding out?
Rhys
[sniffs]
Rhys
[sniffs louder] You smell that? Smells like a fucking rat.
[Rhys grabs Joe's phone from his pocket]
Rhys
You think I'm a FUCKING idiot? Hmm?
[Rhys stops the recording and discards the phone]
Rhys
When are you gonna understand? I'm smarter than you.
[Rhys shows Joe Marienne's passport]
Rhys
Look familiar? Yes, Joe. I found your old lover. She's a feisty one.
Rhys
Repeat after me. I'm smarter than you.
Rhys
How would that be smart? No one even knows she's gone. I texted her babysitter friend from her phone. "Oops, I tripped and fell on a heroin needle, please look after my daughter." Whatever her fuckin name is.
[Joe pushes Rhys]
Her name is Juliette and she needs her mother!
Rhys
Ooh, easy. I'd stay right there mate. Driver's outside, campaign staff know my whereabouts. Let's, let's keep it civil, shall we?
Rhys
She's tucked away. Kill Lockwood, and I'll release her immediately, however, if Lockwood isn't dead in 24 hours, I'll send you Marienne Bellamy's teeth in a fuckin fruit basket.
[Joe is torturing Rhys to make him reveal Marienne's whereabouts. Rhys claims ignorance]
Stop gaslighting me! You know who I am. You know what you've had me do for YOU! I'd let her go. I'd stepped away! I WAS STARTING OVER! [starts choking Rhys] Where is she? TELL ME WHERE SHE IS! TELL ME OR I'LL KILL YOU! YOU FUCKING PSYCHOPATH! TELL ME!!!
[Rhys' body goes limp]
[internally] What did I do? It was an accident. I... I lost it. Marienne, I'm so sorry. I will find a way. I will find you.
[another Rhys walks up to Joe from behind]
Rhys
Well, isn't this a pickle. [inspects the body of dead Rhys]
Uhh... uhh.. okay. I'm hallucinating. I...
Rhys
Killed me? Yes. But not before a shocking amount of military-grade ball torture. He wasn't lying, Joe. He didn't know you. But then, I wasn't lying either. We really do have Marienne in a cage.
Rhys
You are full-fat, extra-sugar, deep-friend fucking insane, Joe Goldberg.
Rhys
Whoa! I'm not the enemy here! I'm just the part that broke away to do the dirty work! You're brilliant. Really. Well, you poured all that darkness you hated into this vessel you admired because you knew that the endgame was facing yourself, didn't you? Well, there you go. All the worst bits in a little package you don't mind having a pint with. I hope it makes it easier.
Nothing makes this easier.
Rhys
Pity me, all the time I had to spend trying to get you to admit that I was doing exactly what you wanted!
Okay, I might be having some kind of break, but you don't get to tell me who I am. I am not some cold-blooded psycho.
Rhys
Oh, no, no, no! Of course not! It's obviously much more complex than that, but I had to compensate for your redemption fetish; it went into overdrive. See, you were trying to tell yourself that you were saving them, right? A reformed man who's protecting all these inbred meat-suits from some shadow killer. You. But deep down... The idea of any of them being worth saving was bullshit.
TTom
I didn't make the world, Joe. Neither did you. You gonna kill me now? Why? Because I'm a survivor? Because I had what it takes to not get eaten alive? Kathryn gets to say "Daddy's bad" because I bubble-wrapped her entire world!
Do you think that worked?
TTom
Well, what are you doing for her right now, Joe? The same goddamn thing.
Rhys
Don't you let him get in your head.
TTom
You don't even see it, do you? You do this for her, you become the problem! You and I are the same, Joe. We do what has to be done, because that's what being a man is.
Rhys
You wage war with your own nature. That's just what you do. You have this notion that you're an especially bad person -- join the bloody club! What do you think everyone else sees in the mirror?
I think I've killed a lot more people.
Rhys
You are a stellar example of the human condition. Traumatized brain, constantly trying to shame us! That's what you need to fight -- the same.
Rhys
No! That's why I'm fucking standing here, trying un-twist you before you kill us both!
[Joe's phone begins to ring.]
Rhys
Well, go on! Answer! She probably heard about Tom; she needs you!
[internally] Goodbye, Kate.
[He throws his phone into the water below.]
Rhys
I don't understand you. You and Kate have a future.
Rhys
Of course you do. Why not?
BECAUSE I WILL... kill her.
Rhys
Will you?
Every time I try... I made it perfect. It's never enough. There's no amount of loving or supporting or killing the assholes holding them back. I want this time to be different, but now I know, it's not gonna be different with Kate either.
Rhys
No, no, no. Stop, stop. I just helped you. I can help you with this.
Very sweet of you to offer, Rhys, but I think we both know you're full of shit.
Rhys
It's not about Kate, is it? It's us. Despite all I've ever done for you... You... despise me. All I ever wanted was to make you happy!
And it ends with a corpse in the trunk of my car over and over. I can't do that again. We did what we did for Kate... I'm done.
Rhys
No. We can figure this out, you and me. You and I, we can do anything together. I'm alive for you. I just-- Why can't you see that? Why can't you see me the way I see you? I love you!
[internally] Lockwood was right about one thing. We didn't make the world, but it fucked us up deeply. The one thing we can do is decide whether we continue the cycle or break it.
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