121 Who Am I?

ROSWELL: WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN - "Who Am I?" - ACT I - 06/09/04

ACT I

INT. MICHAEL GUERIN'S APARTMENT - LATER

Michael, Max, and Isabel are standing in Michael's living room. Isabel is talking, pacing as she speaks. She is obviously agitated. Max tries to get a calm word in, but she continues her rant, not hearing him.

ISABEL

He's stalking us. He's probably been watching us all this time ...

MAX

(trying to interrupt)

We don't know that for sure.

ISABEL (cont'd)

And how will we know if we see him again? Can he only shapeshift into Hank and this ... Desert Man, or could he be ... anyone?

MAX

We don't even know if shapeshifting is poss--

MICHAEL

I think we can sense him.

ISABEL

You mean ...

MICHAEL

Yeah, like we sensed each other when we emerged from the pods. I felt something when "Hank" came into Valenti's office ...

FLASHBACK - INT. ROSWELL SHERIFF DEPT. - INTERROGATION ROOM - NIGHT

Michael is sitting opposite Deputy Green at the interrogation table. Valenti is standing near the door; he seems pissed. Deputy Blackwood escorts Hank into the room. Michael stiffens when he sees Hank. Hank glances at Michael but does not address him.

HANK

(to Valenti)

If the boy's in trouble again you can't dump him on me. You said I'm out of it, Sheriff.

VALENTI

(to Green)

Deputy Green, meet Hank Whitmore.

Michael is staring at Hank warily.

GREEN

(surprised)

Really?

(pause; suspicious)

What a coincidence that you just happened to stop by the Sheriff's Station today.

HANK

(angry)

Coincidence has nothing to do with it. I may not live here anymore but I still have friends. They told me some guy named Trilling was asking questions about me, on behalf of the Roswell Sheriff's Department. I haven't broken any laws—

OWEN

(under his breath)

Lately.

HANK

(ignoring Owen)

And I don't want you implying to my friends that I have.

OWEN

We're sorry, Sir, if we besmirched your reputation.

GREEN

Yes, we were concerned for your safety. Mr. Trilling was under the impression that you were missing and may have come to harm.

HANK

(sarcastically)

I'm so touched that someone I don't even know was so "concerned" for me.

(to Valenti)

Can I go now?

VALENTI

Sure, Hank. Sorry for the misunderstanding.

Hank leaves. Michael stares after him with a puzzled look.

FLASHBACK TO PRESENT

MICHAEL (cont'd)

... it was a sense of familiarity but not because I knew Hank.

(angry at himself he starts pacing)

Man! How could I have missed that. And he was there at the shooting range too.

(at Isabel's and Max's surprised looks)

When I was looking for the bullet ... I felt ... something and thought maybe someone was watching me. I looked around but I couldn't see anyone. I shrugged it off as nerves ... but now that I think about it, it was the same sensation. Damn!

ISABEL

(nervous)

So we are being followed. Or at least you two are ... I don't remember "sensing" anyone. Max, when you met him in the desert, did you feel anything?

Max thinks about it for a moment and we quickly FLASHBACK to when Max and Liz met the "Desert Man" in the desert, and then FLASHBACK again to the present.

MAX

Maybe ... I'm not sure ... I was experiencing so many feelings at that time ... between finding the orb, and the heightened emotions Liz and I--

MICHAEL

(with a sense of urgency)

You have to break it off with Liz.

(to Isabel)

And you should keep your distance with Alex.

ISABEL

What!? Whatever for?

MICHAEL

For the same reason I didn't want to include them in this meeting ... it's getting too dangerous. We can't just act like everything is normal, because it isn't.

MAX

Are we really sure about that? That things aren't normal ... or at least our version of normal? That things are more dangerous than they were before?

MICHAEL

(incredulous)

We have an alien stalking us!

MAX

Do we? We don't even know for sure this "Desert Man" is an alien. Maybe our memories of what we "sensed" are tricking us because we want this to be alien- related. I think we need to gather more information, examine all the facts, before we start deciding we have shapeshifting alien killers living among us.

MICHAEL

(sarcastically)

And if there are shapeshifting alien killers among us, do you think they are just gonna patiently wait for us to confirm their existence?

ISABEL

Yeah, Max. How can you be so calm about this?

MAX

I'm not calm, I'm being cautious, not jumping to conclusions. Think about it. If he's dangerous why didn't he take advantage of Liz and me when we were sleeping? He didn't even take the orb from us. Even if he is an alien, he just seems to be watching us, and helping us, for now, so I don't think there is any reason to be afraid.

Isabel is taking in what Max is saying, starting to calm down, nodding in agreement. Michael is less convinced.

MICHAEL

If he's not dangerous then what did he do to Hank?

MAX

We don't know that he did anything to Hank--

(puts up his hand to forestall Michael interrupting)

But I'll agree it's a possibility. We definitely should look into this, investigate who this person might be and what really happened to Hank. I also think we should be cautious and more aware of our surroundings, who's there, what we are seeing, and especially what we are feeling. However, I don't see any reason to change our routines or avoid seeing Liz, Alex, and Maria.

ISABEL

I agree with Max.

MICHAEL

(sarcastically)

Thanks for jumping ship; I was on your side. You're the one that felt like we were being stalked.

ISABEL

What Max says makes sense. We have enough things to worry about without creating more by jumping to conclusions. So far this Desert Man hasn't really done anything that we know of to make us believe he's dangerous.

MAX

Let's meet with Liz, Maria, and Alex tomorrow to discuss what to do.

MICHAEL

I still don't think we should involve them. It isn't safe. What if ...

(it's difficult for him to admit this possibility)

What if Nasedo is a killer? What if he killed Hank?

(beat; with concern)

Aren't you afraid she'll get hurt? That just being with you puts her in danger?

Max knows he's referring to Liz now.

MAX

Yes, I've thought of that a lot. Then I realized that because she is already involved, she's already in danger.

(beat)

We both are stronger as individuals when we are together than when we are apart, so I feel that makes her better able to protect herself, but she is also safer when we are together because I might be able to protect her with my powers. That's true for Maria and Alex too. The bottom line is, they really are safer if we are with them.

MICHAEL

Maybe, but you two are good at using your powers. I would probably fail when I needed to succeed the most--when Maria would need me the most.

(turns away)

I couldn't live with that.

Cut to commercial:

END OF ACT I

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