ACT THREE

FADE IN:

17 EXT. TEMPLE - DAY (CONTINUOUS)

Xena grabs her dagger and flings it at the chakram.

ON THE CHAKRAM

It's heading toward the Oracle's head. The dagger collides with it and both weapons fall harmlessly to the ground.

ON THE ORACLE

The priests realize that weapons are in the air and form a protective circle around the oracle.

ON CALLISTO

She sees that her plan has been ruined. A SPECTATOR points a finger at her.

SPECTATOR
It was her. She threw it.

Callisto tears off her old woman's robe and makes a run for it.

XENA

scoops up her chakram and gives pursuit.

ON CALLISTO

She leaps on her horse and gallops away.

ON XENA

She leaps on her horse and gallops after Callisto.

THE CHASE

Now we have a good old-fashioned American Western-style horse chase. Over hill and dale Xena gives chase to Callisto. At one point she exploits a shortcut, gets an angle on Callisto and closes with her.

ON XENA

She stands on Argo's back. As she closes with Callisto she leaps up, catches Callisto's upper torso between her legs and, with a vicious twist, slams Callisto to the ground.

ON CALLISTO AND XENA

Xena stands over the fallen Callisto. Callisto tries to get up but the body slam took the wind out of her. Xena starts tying Callisto's hands behind her back.

CUT TO:

18 INT. DELPHI TAVERN - DAY

Melas paces impatiently. Gabrielle sits watching him.

GABRIELLE
Xena will get her.

MELAS
And if she does, what then?

GABRIELLE
She'll bring her back here to stand trial
for trying to kill the Oracle. She'll be punished.

MELAS
With what? Imprisonment. No. That's not enough.
I hope Xena kills her and if she doesn't, maybe
there are enough men in this town with the mettle
to do what has to be done.

GABRIELLE
I don't like the sound of that.

MELAS
You don't have to.
(to the crowd in the tavern)
Callisto tried to kill your Oracle. She
has no respect for anything decent. If
Xena brings her back, I say we hack her
into little pieces.

Several of the townspeople respond with hurrahs. Gabrielle pulls Melas aside.

GABRIELLE
Melas, the hate you're spreading can't
be turned on and off.

MELAS
I want revenge and I'll do whatever I
must to get it.

GABRIELLE
Callisto couldn't have said it better.

This brings Melas up short.

GABRIELLE
Can't you see? You're becoming what
you hate.

Melas stares into Gabrielle's beautiful eyes for a moment. The gentle fire he sees there seems to soften him a bit.

MELAS
You have a gentle soul, Gabrielle.
(softening even more)
So did my son.

He's close to tears. So is Gabrielle. Suddenly, Melas takes a deep breath and steels himself again.

MELAS
This is no time for tears. Callisto is
a mad animal who must be destroyed.
(turning to the crowd)
Who's with me? Who wants quick justice
for the beast who tried to kill what's most
holy to you?

Still more people join in celebrating Melas' cry for revenge.

Off Gabrielle's troubled look, we:

CUT TO:

19 EXT. ROAD DAY

Xena leads Argo. Callisto is sitting on Argo, firmly bound. Callisto's horse trails behihd. Callisto tries to get Argo to run by digging her heels into his flanks. Argo doesn't budge.

XENA
Argo won't obey you and if you don't
stop kicking him I'll break your ankles.

CALLISTO
The "good" Xena. What happened? One day you
just decided to fight for justice?

XENA
Something like that.

CALLISTO
And all the shattered people you left behind were
now supposed to cheer you, is that it?

XENA
No.
(turning to Callisto)
What happened to your family was
terrible. It was my fault. I'm sorry.

CALLISTO
(mock sweet)
Oh, that makes all the difference. We
can be best of friends now.
(spits in Xena's face)
That's what I think of your apology.

Xena wipes the spittle away and moves on. Gabrielle appears on the road ahead and rushes to Xena.

GABRIELLE
Xena. Melas has gone crazy. He's
organizing a lynch mob.

Xena glances back at Callisto.

CALLISTO
I'm not afraid to die if that's what you're
worried about. But what about you? How will
it feel to watch your creation executed without
a fair trial?

Gabrielle notices a troubled look on Xena's face.

GABRIELLE
Xena, don't listen to her. You can't
torture yourself over what she became.

CALLISTO
No. Of course not. It's not her fault
I dream every night about my mother's
screams coming from my burning home. Tell
me, Xena, do you sleep well at night?

XENA
No, I don't.

CALLISTO
Well, I can face whatever you think I
have coming to me, Xena. But tell me,
were you ever tried for what you did?
Were you ever turned over to an angry
mob who wanted revenge? I'm just curious.

XENA
What would you do if I let you go?

GABRIELLE
Xena, what are you saying?

XENA
I changed. So can she.

GABRIELLE
No, Xena. Her heart is eaten away with
hatred.

Their debate is interrupted by Callisto's vicious laugh.

CALLISTO
The sight of Xena, Warrior Princess arguing in my
behalf amuses me. Let me answer your question, Xena.
If you let me go, I'll dedicate my life to killing
everything you love, your friends, your family, your
reputation, even your horse. I'm being so honest because
accepting your mercy would be worse than death for me.
You see, Xena, you created a monster with integrity.
Scary, isn't it? Now, take me to the mob.

CUT TO:

20 EXT. DELPHI VILLAGE - DAY

Xena enters, leading Callisto on Argo. Gabrielle brings up the rear. Xena pauses as she sees:

THE MOB

forcing at the end of the street. Melas is at their head.

ON XENA

She continues to lead Argo and Callisto down the street. Melas and the mob move toward her.

MELAS
You did well Xena. We thank you for bringing
her in. Now hand her over to US.

XENA
I'm taking her to the town jail where
she'll wait for her trial.

She moves forward. Melas stares her down for a moment, then loses his nerve and steps aside. Xena moves through the crowd, staring them down as only Xena can. We stay on Melas as Xena moves on.

MELAS
(to the others)
We'll get her. Don't worry.

21 INT. JAIL DAY

Callisto sits behind bars. Xena sits in front of the cell, deep in thought. The sound of the clamoring mob can be heard outside.

CALLISTO
They're gonna come, you know that.
What will you do? How many of them
will you kill?

Xena gives her an angry stare.

CALLISTO
You're beginning to hate me. You've fought it because
of some silly sense of guilt. But now I'm becoming a
painful reminder of what you used to be. And how you'll
never leave it behind.

The sound of the angry mob grows.

CALLISTO
That crowd wants my blood. Why not let them
have me? It's the easy way out. Nobody'd blame you.

XENA
I won't let anytning happen to you
without a fair trial.

CALLISTO
You know, there used to be respect mixed up
with my hatred for you. Not any more. Your petty
scruples are an embarrassment. As a villain, you
were awesome. As a hero, you're a sentimental fool.

The crowd noise grows.

CALLISTO
But watching you kill foolish villagers
to protect me will be very satisfying.

CUT TO:

22 EXT. STREET - DAY

Gabrielle is watching the mob grow more violent. Suddenly a rope with a noose on the end flies out from an alley and lands harmlessly on her shoulder. She gives it a tug and Joxer comes popping out of the alley on the other end of the rope.

JOXER
Got ya.

GABRIELLE
Are you kidding me?

JOXER
You wish.

He pulls violently on the rope. Gabrielle lets go and Joxer lands unceremoniously on the seat of his pants. He then scrambles to his feet and faces off against her.

JOXER
You are a slippery one. That's
alright. I like the challenge.

GABRIELLE
Why are you doing this?

JOXER
Once I have you, I'm trading you for
Callisto. She'll reward me well.

He goes into a chop saki stance and then attacks. Gabrielle dodges a pretty lame kick and dances away.

GABRIELLE
You know, you're not real good at this.

JOXER
Oh. yeah? Watch.

He does a spastic drop kick that has a lot more drop than kick. He lands in a heap, then scrambles to his feet.

GABRIELLE
You're being ridiculous.

JOXER
Is that all you can do, call me names? You
better have more than that in your arsenal.

He lets out his battle cry that sounds more like a puppy whining and charges. Gabrielle lands a vicious hit to his nose with her staff. He staggers back and grabs his nose.

JOXER
Ah! You broke my nose. I hate when
that happens.

CUT TO:

22A INT. TAVERN - DAY

Gabrielle leads Joxer in. He's holding his head back to stop the nose bleed. She takes him over to a chair and sits him down.

GABRIELLE
Keep your head back.

She takes out a scarf and gives it to him.

GABRIELLE
Use this. Why do you keep
attacking me?

JOXER
I'm a warrior and I'm trying to make a
name for myself.

GABRIELLE
I got some bad news for you. You're
not a warrior.

JOXER
Go ahead, hit a man when he's down.

GABRIELLE
Listen, I've knocked the stuffing out
of you both times we met.

JOXER
But you don't understand. I come from
a long line of warlords. I'm just carrying on
the family tradition.

GABRIELLE
Sorry. You just don't have that
warrior thing.

JOXER
(sadly)
You don't think so, huh?

GABRIELLE
Nah. But that's alright. There's lots
of other things you can do. What interests
do you have?

JOXER
(thinks)
I like to steal.

GABRIELLE
Other than that.

JOXER
I like fishing.

GABRIELLE
There you go. You'd make a great fisherman.

JOXER
You think so?

GABRIELLE
Yep. I got a feel for people.

JOXER
(gooey, sentimental)
Thanks.
(holding out his hand)
I'm Joxer by the way.

GABRIELLE
(laying down her staff and
extending her hand)
Gabrielle.

Suddenly, Joxer grabs her hand and tries to bend her arm behind her and get her in a head lock.

JOXER
I got you this time.

She gives him a vicious elbow to the jaw, sending his head bouncing off the wall.

GABRIELLE
You're hopeless.

She picks up her staff and walks away as Joxer sits rubbing his head.

CUT TO:

23 EXT. JAIL - DAY

Melas leads his gang to the jail and sets a torch to the thatch roof.

MELAS
This will bring them out.

24 INT. JAIL - DAY

Smoke is spreading throughout the jail.

CALLISTO
Perfect. I'm gonna die just like my
family. Kind of full circle, isn't it?

Xena watches the fire spread. She looks concerned. A beam above them sags.

CALLISTO
Don't worry, I won't scream like
my sister.

The burning beam falls. Xena has to act. She unlocks Callisto's cell and is in the process of tying Callisto's hands behind her back when another burning beam falls on top of Callisto, knocking her down. Callisto is covered with flaming debris. Xena quickly pulls Callisto from danger. Callisto returns the favor by shoving Xena under a collapsing portion of the roof.

25 EXT. JAIL - DAY

Callisto bursts out of the burning jail, knocks over Melas, leaps onto her horse that is tied out front and digs her heels into his flanks. She gallops away.

GABRIELLE

walks out of an alley as Callisto rides toward her. Gabrielle tries to get out of the way, but as she does Callisto leans over, hocks Gabrielle under the arm, brings her up on the horse and thunders out of town with her.

26 INT. JAIL - DAY

Xena manages to free herself from the collapsed roof but she's trapped, surrounded by flames.

FADE OUT.

END OF ACT THREE

Xenaphile | Callisto Act 1 | Callisto Act 2 | Callisto Act 3 | Callisto Act 4