Heroes in Love

(aka Red Boy/Blue Girl)  

Summary:  A case of opposites attract.  A local police agency and fire department in the same neighborhood are competitors in doing the most day savings. Lieutenant Hope O’Daily a nose clean police girl is working all night on a 4-year long case that she believes is more to it than just an accident. Whilst working on the Colorado killer case(a psycho managed to kill 6 people in the span of 6 months, and 3 of them are her closest friends)Tired from the work Hope naps and unbeknownst to her, her cigarette falls off the ash tray and into a dustbin filled with wasted paperwork which ignites all flammable items in the room ergo the entire station is set in a blaze of inferno. Trapped inside with no escape, Hope is…well…hopeless. Breaking thru the ceiling is a deformed man named, Angelo Francesco, A hunky Firefighter who at first sight had the “hots” for Angelo. Saving her from the turned to hell station, Hope couldn’t help but admit to the strong feelings that was between her and Angelo. Yet throughout the movie she tries so hard to not show her love to him, afraid of giving in to a relationship that might weaken her in some way. For she is used to being dependent and having herself as her own best friend. After saving her life, Hope feels she owes Frank at least one excursion; they wind up making love and realize that their relationship is deeper than they realized.  They loved one another all along.   After this, a break is made in the case she has been following and realizes it was a bully from her past, one whom she always felt was mentally disturbed…

~*~ CAST ~*~

Lieutenant Angelo Francesco De Soto: (aka 'Frank')

Chief Fire Marshall Richard 'Rich' Wilson:

Victor 'Vic' De Luca: (Frank's best friend)

Claretta Maria De Soto: (aka 'Claire', Ang's mom)

Ferdinand De Soto: (Francesco's dad)

Consuela De Soto: (Frank's middle sister)

Louisa De Soto: (Frank's youngest sister)

Thomas De Soto: (Frank's baby brother)

Lieutenant Hope O'Daily:

Mirabelle O'Daily: (Hope's mom)

Liam O'Daily: (Hope's dad)

Seamus O'Daily: (Hope's brother)

Hanna DesMoines: (Hope's best friend deceased)

Kevin Desmoines: (Hanna's deceased husband)

Geri Jay(Hope’s friend, songstress, deceased)

Steven Knox(Hope’s friend, police partner, deceased)

Avril Oulette(Hope’s friend, model, deceased)

Bernadette Desmoines: (deceased daughter)

Chief Connor Bradley:

Commissioner Scott Keanu:

Cadet Maximillian 'Max' Grey:

The killer: Alexander ‘Alex’ Masterson

Scene 1—Enigma

       (Hope is in her office overlooking a cold case file she has been working on for at least 7 years, puzzled over who could've killed her best friends but is still at a loss over who committed the crime itself.   The killer, she is aware, is still at large.  Flashback.  Sepia tone is used in this particular scene.  Kevin, his wife Hanna and Bernadette are getting ready to go out to dinner and later stop at an ice cream shop as a treat for the evening.  Unaware that they are being pursued by a serial killer, they go about their happy errand, singing merrily along with the radio.)

Hanna: (concerned)  Honey, shouldn't you be a little more careful ?

Kevin: (nonplussed) Come on, babe.  I've never been in an accident.  This isn't my first rodeo, ya know ? 

Hanna:  I know that, hun...but...

Kevin: (steals her words with a passionate kiss)  Think on that, hmmm ?

Hanna:  (at loss for words) 

Bernadette: (back of the van brushing her Barbie's hair) 

(They have already missed a few drunk revelers and a sleepy trucker.  The car behind them is full of drunkards, messing around with them, cursing and flipping them off.)

Kevin:  Who are these bozos ?   (honks horn)  Knock it off, you idiots !  

Hanna:  Ignore them, ignore them, sweetie. 

Kevin:  They're being stupid, I mean, look at them ! 

Hanna:  (pats his hand)  Watch the road, darling. 

Kevin:  (calming down)  You're right.  I'm getting worked up over nothing. 

(Then out of nowhere, a car sideswipes them and they careen into a gasoline truck that explodes and burns them all alive.  The driver in the other car speeds away before the cops ever come to the scene, and Hope recognizes the bodies immediately.)

Hope: (trying to hold back tears)  I can't believe it...Hanna, Kevin, Bernadette.  All of you...(finally tearing up) gone. 

Not a bit of evidence is left.  I've got nothing to go on. 

(exhales in a bit of exasperation) 

Max:  Lieutenant, I've identified the bodies...they're...

Hope:  (dully, almost monotone)  I know who they are.  Kevin Desmoines and his family.   They were my best friends.  Now they're dead, and I swear to God, the bastard who did this is going to pay for killing them. 

Max:  Lieutenant, do you think that wise...

Hope:  No, it's not.  It's rash, but someone needs to bring this sick lunatic to justice.   This is not the first time he's killed in this way.   You remember Geri.  She was going to be famous someday. 

Max: She did have a voice like an angel.

Hope:  She was burned in the same way but much more sinisterly.   She was at home, minding her own business.  Mr. Serial Arsonist decided it would be fun to throw a Molotov into her house and she couldn't escape because he knew she had a security system that would automatically lock the house from the outside in case of fire.   Her death was horrific. 

Max:  And then there was Steven.  I didn't know him, but I hear he was a good partner. 

Hope:  He was one of the greatest.  A damn fine officer.  I don't know who this pyromaniac psycho is, but I can guarantee you...

He's done for.   Mark my words, Max.  

Max: Hope, I know that in a time like this, you need a friend you can talk to...

(Hope shifts away from his touch and away from him, far enough so he cannot comfort her) 

(Back to work, she shakes her head back and forth.) 

Hope: (to herself, smoking a cigarette)  Even Avril, an aspiring model, met her time too soon thanks to that sicko...(falls asleep and when she awakens, everything is on fire, even after filing the dossiers away.)  Oh, crap !  (notices file cabinets have fallen over and can't get out, not even through the windows.  The phone is even pinned to the table, she begins coughing.  She tries to break down the door but the door is sealed shut.)   Perfect.  Just great !   I'm not about to die in here, not when I'm so close to finding the link between these cases !   (coughing more) 

Screw it... (fishes her cell phone out of her back pocket and calls for help)  

Frank:  Station 39, what's your emergency ?

Hope:  I'm trapped inside the station.  There is no point of exit and (coughing)  I can hardly breathe.  I'm on the ground but I don't know how much air I have left. 

Frank:  Hope, stay low.  I'll be there as soon as I can be. 

Don't give up on me though, ok ?  I'll stay on the phone as long as I have to. 

Hope:  Listen...erm….

Frank:  Frank, ma'am. 

Hope:  (coughing)  Frankenstein.   I think I'm as calm as I will ever be. 

Frank:  I know you're frightened…..

Hope:  Frightened? You listen to me ya fire pisser. I deal with real dangers…

Frank hangs up.

Hope: …Jerk

(fairly soon he has hacked through the roof and is being lowered by harness, he carries Hope out, and behind them, the building burns down.  She hopes he doesn't see her cry, due to the relief she feels at being a cause of her friend's deaths.  She wishes she could've been more prepared to have prevented their untimely demises.) 

Hope:  Everything I've been working on...destroyed.  

Frank:  Hey, just be glad you’re safe. 

Hope:  (fighting back anger)  Frank, you just don't get it ! 

My whole life's work was just burned !

Frank:  (pauses)  I’m...Sorry. Everything will turn out alright in the end. Do you have a ride? Cause..I wouldn’t mind giving you a ride home.

Hope:  (a bit reluctantly)  Seeing that Constance is out of commission, I don't have any other recourse. 

Frank:  Eh?

Hope:(sighs at his low intellect)  Yes Frank, you can take me home.

Frank: Alrighty..

(We see Frank leading Hope into his own personal truck and taking her home. Hope is listening to music on her Ipod the whole ride.)

Frank:  I hope this isn't the last we'll see of each other.  This was sort of (grins charmingly) fun. 

Hope:  (straight face)….

Thanks for the lift. 

(Scene fade, and before Hope goes inside her house, Frank waves happily with a huge cartoon smile on his face. Hope gives him the finger.)

Scene 2—One Good Rescue Deserves Another

(The next day, a robbery at a convenience store is underway, and Frank happens to be caught in it as one of the hostages.) 

Robber #1:  No one moves or I will make Swiss cheese out of all of you ! 

Robber #2:  (a bit snidely)  Yeah, what he says. 

Robber #1:  (angrily)  I do the talkin' Trey.  You do the baggin'.

And none of you even think of callin' the popo.  

Frank: (has already called the police without the robbers even noticing, and the other robbers in the masked gang are taking money)

Hope:  (coming in)  Freeze !  Police ! 

Robber #1:  Which one of you dipshits called the cops ? 

(no one seems to take responsibility)

Robber #1:  Alright, pigs.  You brought this on yourselves...

(he begins to cock his gun and nearly shoots them all, but Hope shoots the gun out of his hand)   Ow, God damn that hurts...

(bullet nicks his hand)

(The other officers cuff him and take him away, reading him his Miranda rights.)

Robber #2:  I told you this was a bad idea, Drew.

Robber #1:  Shut up, Trey !   If I weren't cuffed, I'd clock you !

Frank:  That was insane.  Bat shit crazy, even.  

Hope:  (looking at his belt)  And you don't even go out with a gun ?  (shakes head)  That's just asking for trouble, Frank. 

Frank:  (moans)  I know, I know.   But I bet you think this is payback, huh ? 

Hope:  (raises eyebrow)  I don't follow.

Frank: Yes, you do.  You're a genius, after all.  I know your type.

Hope:  Go on then.  If you know me so well...Why can't I stand the sight of you ?   Our team saved the day.  I'd like to see you do better, Mr. Hero. 

(In cartoon fashion, it shows the two trying to outdo each other, one-upping the other in every opportunity they have to rescue someone.  The last one shows Frank getting a poor defenseless cat from a tree, and Hope overshadows Frank by stopping an out of control baby stroller before it hits a car.) 

Frank:  Are you pulling my leg ?  That was the best one yet. 

Hope:  (tries not to but acts self-satisfied and gushes about it) 

Yeah, don't I know it.  Admit it, police officers are the finer workers of the law, upholders of peace, masters of justice and overall, the closest thing to superheroes on this planet. 

Frank:  I think we're even though.  You saved my ass, I saved yours.  

Hope:  (reluctantly)  Yeah, I guess that's true. 

Frank:  I got a proposition for you.  

Hope:  (raises brow)  I'm listening.  

Frank:  Since I saved your heine, I owe you a date.  

Hope:  What ?  (abashed)   You saved my life, I saved yours. 

That's enough.   Let's leave it at that.  (she begins to walk away)

Frank:  (grasps her hand gently)  I'll make it worth your while.  Do you like rollercoasters ?

Hope:  (a bit reluctantly) Yes.  Why ?

Frank: I'm going to take you to Six Flags this weekend.  That is, unless you're on the beat.

Hope:  (checks schedule on IPhone)  Looks like I'm free.

Frank:  Then let's go for it.  What do you have to lose ?

Hope:  (exhales roughly)  Fine.  If I have no other choice and my weekend is free, then why the hell not ? 

Frank:  See !  There you go, Hope !  (shakes her hand)

It's a date then !

Hope:  Excursion.  Not a date.  Don't care carried away, fire ant. 

So long, Frank.  

(She leaves and the scene fades)

Scene 3—Thrills, Chills, and Spills

(‘We Are Young, We Are Free’ plays in the background while Frank and Hope scream their heads off on different rollercoasters.  After they have had their fill of thrill rides, they spend some time in the waterpark soaking up the sun.  Hope gets a little bit of a sunburn but Frank’s come prepared.)

Frank:  That looks painful.

Hope:  It’s nothing really.   I can handle a little burn.

Frank: (puts aloe on her shoulders) This will help it heal.

Hope: (shivers in ecstasy)  Oh, God yes… You are quite the boy scout.   

Frank:  (does the Boy Scout Salute)  Always prepared.  That’s our mantra.

Hope: (laughing) 

Frank:  What happened to Ms. Sourpuss Bitterpants earlier ?  I think, perchance, she is gone.  Taken a hike for good !

Hope:  (playing coy)  I wonder.  

Frank:  (he suddenly picks her up) 

Hope:  Where did this come from ? 

Frank:  It’s impulse, instinct, an inner knowing.

Hope:  (chuckles)  So it is, hmm.   

(‘Can’t Turn Away’ plays in the background while the two make love in their hotel room.  All is artfully done.  Hope receives a call that there may be a tip on her killer.  She goes full-bore back on the case.) 

Frank:  What now ?  Are you just leaving me after we had an intimate moment together ? After I so willingly opened myself up to you ?  (a bit incensed) 

Hope:  It’s not you, it’s the case.  I told you about it.  I feel I owe it to these people to get to the bottom of it.  What we had was magical…

Frank:  (holds her close, hands across her heart) I’m sorry.  I didn’t mean to snap.  It’s just…

Hope:  I know.  (Shushes him, kisses him full on the lips)  We’re not going to be apart.  Somehow, we’ll make this work.   Right now, I have to go.  

Frank:  You find that son of a bitch, ok ?  You’re so close.

Hope:  The whole precinct is.  I have a feeling he has something to do with my past too.  

(scene fade)  

Scene 4—The Psycho Responsible

(The precinct has all their ducks in a row and sets up a sting operation he cannot resist.  Hope will be playing a victim, setting the killer up for a trap.) 

Hope:  I don’t even know why I took part in this mission.  It’s frankly, excuse my French, fucking suicide.  

Connor:  Don’t worry, Hope.  We all have your back.  It’s the only way we know to catch Masterson.

Hope:  Alex Masterson. 

(Flashback.  We see Alex being downright cruel to everyone and laughing heartily about it.  He seems to get a twisted sense of pleasure out of other’s pain.  He even had a girlfriend once, but fortunately, she ran away from him, unable to handle the abuse he doled out to her.)   The guy was even a prick back in High School.  A real bully.  Beat everyone up with a sick sense of shadenfraughe. Everyone hated him.  His parents tried to get him help but nothing worked.  I should’ve known.  I should’ve stopped him way back when.  How could I have been so blind ? 

Max:  (places his hand on Hope’s shoulder)  You couldn’t have predicted this, O’Daily.   Your detective work was top notch. 

Scott:  You know we have the best officers on this sting operation.  You’re not going to be alone. 

Hope:  (confident nod)  Of course not, you’re absolutely right.  I’m going to go out there and get this bastard. 

(Scene shift) 

Hope:  (sigh) Waiting though, is worse than watching paint dry. 

(Soon Alex comes into position and she calls it over her Bluetooth without Alex noticing it.   Before he is able to make a move and try to kill her when the police move in.) 

Check.  And Mate.  

(Scene shift.  Alex is convicted of many murders in the first degree, to which his pleads not guilty, no contesting.   He has a very weasily lawyer but ultimately, he is found guilty and put behind bars.   Hope wants to have a cigarette to celebrate but has a flashback of nearly dying in a fire.  Frank comes to congratulate her, especially of quitting cold turkey so soon.) 

Frank:  I see you finally caught your culprit. 

Hope:  (with some regret)  Yes, but so many died that shouldn’t have.  

Frank:  Justice was still served.   You did well, Hope. I knew you could.  (hugs her and kisses her on the cheek) 

Hope:  Thank you for believing in me, you lovable lout.  (turns around and kisses him, full on the mouth, and they dissolve into it.) 

(Scene shift, it’s their marriage and his brother is playfully nudging him.) 

Scene 4—Everlasting Love

Tom:  (chortling)  I told ya !  Didn’t I ?   You lucky dog, you bagged quite the hottie !  

Frank:   Yes, I sure did.  And she’s mine all mine !  

(They share their first kiss as a married couple and celebrate out on the dance floor to ‘Everlasting Love’, ‘Eternal Flame’, ‘Fire’ and other songs meant to make everyone dance and move their feet to the hypnotic, pulsing beat.) 

Hope: (narrating)  At last the Colorado Killer case was closed.  It lead to me getting a more prominent position in the force.  I have long since quit smoking, and good thing too, because I’m eating for two now.   Frank is beside himself with glee, knowing that someday, he’s going to be a daddy.   He’s a marvelous provider, husband, lover and friend.  Becoming a parent is going to be an even bigger adventure but I know this child will be a special one when he or she comes into the world.   Currently, we take things one moment at a time, just savoring everything that comes our way.  Time is precious and friendships are even more so.  The fire department has a friendly rivalry still with the police department, but we’re closer than ever.  We’re all cut from the same cloth, serving, protecting, saving lives and touching everyone we meet (often times, it’s the other way around).   We couldn’t be happier with our vocation.  We don’t really like being called ‘heroes’.  It’s too lofty a title for even us.  We’re just human beings like anyone else.  We do what’s necessary when the situation calls for it.  

(Credits roll, bloopers play, behind the scenes glimpses.  More of that will be added in the DVD cut.   Many thanks to all who made this possible, especially Thryller2Rayne who was responsible for this script’s inception and conception.  I owe ya, hon !)