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Dallas Reboot

stevew

Telly Talk Star
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Building with the Ewing Industries WHQ. Ewing Oil and other subsidiaries are located all over the city. This is just one floor of quite, high end, c-suite offices and the board room: CEO: JR, CFO, COO, CMO, CLO, etc.

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This is an iconic Phillip Johnson Building

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(from Windsor, Ontario, Canada)
 

stevew

Telly Talk Star
News broadcast about the arrest of Senator Orloff, Republican, Michigan's junior senator, for insider trading.




JR walks into his office with a beautiful woman, about his age, following, "Julie, I want to make sure Cliff Barnes is as comfortable as possible for our meeting today. You've seen to everything?"

"Yes JR, of course."

JR winks at her, "And of course you know just want would make Mr. Barnes feel comfortable. And, I want you there playing secretary, taking notes."

"Why not one of your admins?"

"He knows you're more than an administrative assistant, so he'll assume I want to keep a very tight lid on the meeting."

"Makes sense."

"And Harv will be there."

"Smithfield. Shouldn't one of the company lawyers be there."

"No. This is personal with Cliff. He won't admit it, but it is. And Harv is our family lawyer. That'll send a message to Cliff too, that I understand this is more than business." JR straightens some pictures on a sideboard, pulling the one of Sue Ellen front and center. "I want you to get me a picture of Bob and Pam. I want it right here before the meeting."

"I can look on Facebook."

"Perfect. Like my daddy always said, 'don't say too much; let 'em figure it out on their own. It'll have a much bigger impact."

A younger woman steps in the door, "Mr. Ewing, your eleven o'clock is here. Donna Culver."

"Bring her in."

The woman walks away and JR says to Julie, "With Orloff out of the way, I want to send a signal. I'm backing Culver for Senator."

"The Democrat."

"You got it. Donna. Welcome. I'm so glad you could join me on such short notice, especially during an election year."

"Well went I heard the voice mail saying you wanted to back David for Senate, I didn't expect we'd be talking about an open senate seat."

"Your stepson has experience. Anyone they're gonna run to replace Orloff won't. Not to mention Orloff is kinda tainting the party right now."

"Yeah it's pretty bad. From what I'm told, there's no way out for me. Unless he finds someone else to sequel on."

"Who knows what'll come out his mouth. He's spent the last few years trying to kill health care reform and suck money out of education, and back up any crazy conspiracy theory that crosses his phone."

"So, you're concerned about health care and education?"

"Of course I am. I'm a capitalist. You read the Wealth of Nations?"

"Of course. You have?"

"Of course. Education's key. You and I probably different on how to approach it. I favor privatizing the whole thing, like health care, and putting vouchers in the hands of every kid, birth to eighteen with some extra for those in poverty and with disabilities. And I'm OK with the student loan thing for college, but if we're gonna provide money for military service we need to do so for teachers, nurse and police. 'Bout time we require college for our police. I'm sure a lot of that you don't agree with, but I'm sure we can come to some compromises."

"I don't support private schools and vouchers."

"Didn't think so."

"But I'm interested in the rest of what you're talking about. And health care."

"I need a health workforce. And just as I need to make sure that every kid is educated or at least training, I need to make sure they're healthy. If we can provide Medicare for all seniors, what kind of society are we, if we can't provide it for all our kids. We've got it ass backwards if you ask me."

"Frankly JR, I'm surprised. If you believe all this, how come you backed Orloff all these years?"

"Well, blind loyalty. My father backed him. Just like he backed your husband, Sam."

"Only Democrat your father ever backed, I'm sure."

"Positive of it. But this is Michigan. We're a blue state, right."

"Well, purple."

"Only if you can keep the voters home. This is a blue state with an occasional red ting and jerrymandering problem."

"You really support Medicaid for all minors?"

"I give you my word. See my dad thought that if you have true capitalism, where all kids compete, they've all got access to good schools and good health care, that well, his children wouldn't have an advantage. He wanted his children to have an advantage. But you see, I don't need an advantage. My brother Gary, sure, my brother Bob, we'll see. If they fall flat on their face, well, so be it. If some kid with poor parent's kicks their ass in what every field they choose to complete in, so be it. That's capitalism. I can compete. I don't need no protection of American markets or anything like that. Open it wide up and I'll compete. And so will Ewing employees. You know I hire more people living in Canada coming over here to work everyday than any other company?"

"Do you?"

JR laughs, "Hell I don't know, but we hire a lot. Some people just don't want to live in the U.S.A. And lets face it, we've been bat shit crazy the last decade. But I hire the best. That's my only requirement. I compete. And so can America with people like David in office making sure the next generation is up to snuff."

"I think I believe you."

"I do want you to take something back to David. I've got a bit of a problem here in Detroit. My dad and I have a fight about it, of couple years back. See I was pulling out. This place ain't got it's act together."

"What do you mean? The city's been growing nicely since the bankruptcy. I mean people are impressed and there's building projects all over."

"Chump change. This city ain't got a mass transit plan. Hell down in Texas their big cities have mass transit plans. And, before you say it, I don't give a damn if only five people ride it. I want it in. And, I want it connected to Canada, over their across the river, out into the suburbs and over into Canada. The key is to have it. I got a guy on the line to hire. I offer him top dollar. He probably says, he'll drive in from the suburbs. But he might say he wants a city apartment and to take transit. Maybe one of those apartments looking at the city from Windsor. I offer him more money. He says, no. See now I'm pissed. Really pissed. I don't like hearing now because someone things I'm not up to snuff. I talked to my dad about moving to Dallas Texas."

"Are you serious?"

"Day he dies, next day I leave, unless this state gets its act together. Now I know David's a U.S. Congressman and about to be a U.S. Senator and this issue in particular isn't in his sphere, expect it is the feds throwing out transit money like candy in a parade while this state jumps back from the hand out. But you know people. Make what I said clear. Day after, I'm gone."

"Yeah. That's a fact that should wake up some people."

"It won't. Parke Davis is gone. That didn't wake up anyone. Comerica left. You can go on, and people will justify it. Explain it away. But the fact is, we were the biggest fish in the pond when my dad created Ewing Oil and now? You see what I'm getting at? I need a man in Washington that can represent Michigan, even if that means he has to help pull this state in the twenty-first century kicking and screaming."

Donna holds out her hand, "I think we are gonna get along just fine."

"Well you and I. But the family? I want to host a fundraiser for David. Put it together. Thousand a ticket at Dallas."

"Really? OK."

"Julie here will help with the invites. I'm sure you've got your own. Give away some tickets to some young people, college kids, young families. The future belongs to the young people, don't you think?"

"I couldn't agree more." The two shake hands.
 
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stevew

Telly Talk Star
A group of ten or so teenagers hang out around the pool, jumping in and out, including Lucy, Muriel and John Ross. After all the ruckus they make their way into the pool house. They're dressed in bathing suits, playing pool, sitting on sofa's, feet up on the table, two guys run down to the squash court with a few other's looking down onto the game.





Off in the night sky, a factory complex lit up like a start cluster hums along working, the sign next to the gate says Ewing Chemical, a division of Ewing Industries. Then, suddenly an explosion in the middle of the plant sends a fireball up into the night sky, a mushroom cloud and a thick greenish smoke with illuminated from the full moon over head.


End Credits:

End of the opening night, 2 hour premier.
 

stevew

Telly Talk Star
Bobby talks to news reporters outside of the hospital that the family and the company is working to take care of those who are injured and to put out the fire.



Jock yells at JR in the study at South Fork, "You don't know isn't an answer! I want answers. This wasn't no goddam accident!"

"It don't matter if it was or not! We're paying for it. There's no way around that. You want to know who's behind it. The only enemy list longer than mine is yours. So you narrow it down."

"You got it out?"

"For the most part, but it's gonna be sometime before we can get people back into their homes. They've evacuated thousands of people. We've got to get to the point where we can get people back in their homes."

"This ain't our goddamn fault. I ain't paying for it."

"Fault don't matter. We're paying."

"There ain't no we, it's me. You're looking at me paying for something someone else did to us. Hell no!"

"I don't see any way around it."

"At least Bobby's out front charming the media."

JR gives Jock a dirty look behind his back.






In the lab Lucy says to Ray, "What do you know about this explosion?"

"Why would I know anything about the explosion."

"You said something about these people you're dealing with being dangerous and heard grandpa and Uncle JR yelling about the explosion not being an accident."

"You need to stay out this, Lucy."

"Why's Bobby involved with a Ewing Chemical facility. He's running Ewing Alternative and this," motioning around the room, "Is Ewing Alternative."

Ray says, "So was the building that exploded."

"So this does have to do with the people that approached you?"

"You're a kid Lucy. This is way over your head."

"Seems like it's way over your head too."
 

stevew

Telly Talk Star
Jock stands out back of a club house on a skeet range, in a line up with other people shooting clay pigeons, one after another, then moving one step down and another round. Reaching the end he takes his ear plugs out and removes is goggles. A older black man approaches.
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Jock holds out his hand with his shotgun held up in his other arm, "Roscoe Rosemont," and the two shake. "So, what'd you find out?"

"Well of course you're right, someone's not gonna go to all the trouble without their being a message. I don't have a name, but message is clear. You're treading on the toes of big oil. I don't have any names of anyone tied to the supermajors, but other names come up. You realize that certain countries aren't prepared to just sit back and watch people like you subject oil and gas to the scrap heap of history. The Saud's, the Russians.

"I guessed that. I need names. Our Cartel isn't going to work, if we can't figure who's throwing punches."

"Patriot Boys were behind the explosion."

"I'm getting sick of that name."

"You and me both. They're anything but patriots. Godless sons of bitches."

"Bunch of dumb asses, but who put them up to it?"

"Senator Sumner game me a name way up the chain of command. Vicktor Sechin."

"Chairman of Gazneft?"

"You got it. He's part of a group of friends over there interfering in our election and pretty much anything they can to sew the seeds of discontent."

"Using our playbook against us. And the Patriot Boys, a bunch of duped morons."

"Not all of them, but yea."

"Sumner give you any idea how they're proceeding at going after them?"

"It's a tangled mess that has gone right into the White House. It's a step by step process and all of it taking us away from what we need to be doing, shoring up infrastructure and education to be competitive. We're our own worst enemy to competing."

"That's the game book. Bring them down from within. Now I've got to deal with an explosion that's gonna set us back years."
 

stevew

Telly Talk Star
The family gather's in the living room before dinner. Eleanor sits with Pam talking about the fair they sponsor every year for the community. "So the Grand Prix, Le Mans, the Autoshow, that's all June. Oh I forgot, the boys like Movement, which kind of kicks off summer in Detroit at the end of May. Then the Freedom Festival with Canada end of June, early July. Then we sponsor the Braddock County Fair before heading up north. Bobby usually sticks around for the Mackinaw race end of the month before we see him but he's up for all of August."

"You head up north for the whole summer?"

"Yes. Jock and JR come down for a day or so when they need to, and I use to take Lucy to Chicago for a long weekend of school shopping at the end of August, but other than that, we spend the summers in the Porcupine Mountains."

"What do you do for so long up there?"

"We don't do much of anything. We just enjoy. Then we go back up in late November for hunting and Thanksgiving. We watch the parade on TV."

"You watch the parade on TV, mother," Bobby says.

"Don't listen to him. Then Christmas is here and in the city and then we go back up to the Porcupine Mountains for New Years, skiing by then and we spend the night at the resort. And that's it until May when we go back up for the morel mushroom hunting, usually a long weekend. I'm going down to Florida from January through March with Lucy out of school now and Jock promised me we'd travel some."

"I don't know if I can take so much time off work, the whole month of August."

"Bobby," Eleanor looks up at her son as if to implore him.

"I don't know, mother. And I've got this knew job. We don't work like dad and JR and Sue Ellen. We've got to be into the office and things don't just shut down for the month of August."

"They should."

Sue Ellen says, "I agree they should."




The family eats around the table thing about the fair, the sailboat race, being up north for the summer.



At night as Pam and Bobby gets ready for bed, she says, “I really can’t take a whole month off. I’m fact without all the things your family keep throwing at me I’m busier than ever. Plus I’ve got a shot an big deal account not affiliated with your family.”

“Awesome. Who?”

Attaritica, the pharmaceutical company.”

“Oh I’m familiar with them. More than half the company comes from businesses they bought up and moved from Michigan. In fact my father’s friend, Punk Anderson, is on their board.”

“So you’re telling me they are connected to your family.”

“Well in a way.”

“So Jock Ewing says something to Punk Anderson. Punk Anderson says something to Dirk Scott, their CEO, and go forth, until I’ve got a shot at landing the biggest new account in recent memory for Tate Stephens.”

“I suppose so. Dad wants them to reinvest in Detroit. It’s one of his hot button issues that set him off. Is there a problem if he put the word out to get you involved.”

“No I suppose not. It’ll make me the one to beat.”

“What do you mean?”

“Office politics. Married to Bobby Ewing things change. People talk to me differently. And I get opportunities I wouldn’t otherwise get.”

“Is that a bad thing?”

“No. A different thing.”




JR and Sue Ellen walk into their bedroom, very much a feminine abode with a fire place in the corner. She says, “Well one good thing for you with Pam, she’s gonna keep Bobby away from up north.”

“I don’t want my brother out of the family, I want him out of the business.”

“He’s done a good job handling the media.”

“I’ll give him that. He makes us seem very sympathetic. People like him. Always have. Lord when he was playing football dad would practically throw their daughters at him. “

“That was more Ewing name than football.”

“Probably. Maybe he is useful, after all.” JR kisses her cheek and walks through a door into a small room, a nanny’s bedroom, with a single bed.
 
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stevew

Telly Talk Star
At the Braddock County fair a beautiful young woman in riding tod’s and tight britches pays attention to her horse as JR approaches. “Fine job out there.”

“Thank you,” she says.

“I’m JR Ewing. Your sort of family.”

“Becky. My aunt’s married to your brother.”

“Yes, kinda sprung it on us.”

“Hello JR,” Cliff says approaching.

“Why Cliff Barnes. Takin’ time off from work to watch your little girl. She’s pretty exceptional. I hear her momma’s singing latter this evening. Hope you’re sticking around for that.”

“Of course I wouldn’t miss it.”

Another man approaches and Becky hugs him. “Uncle Mitch.”

Cliff says, “JR this is my brother-in-law, Dr. Mitch Cooper. Mitch, an old acquaintance of mine, JR Ewing.”

The two shake hands. “Nice to met you JR. Wasn’t Becky something out there?”

“I was just tell her that. What a magnificent equestrian, in deed magnificent. Well, I’ll let you to your family time. Always nice to run into you Barnes.” The three watch JR move on.



Sue Ellen judges a fair cow competition with a group, looking over each one and then moving to the back to discuss them. She says, “I’m sorry, I’m new to this. Usually my mother-in-law joins you.”

No worries, one of the men say. “I’m Steven Farlow. You can call me Dusty. I’ve been going this with Eleanor a few years now.”

“Well. Very nice to meet you, Dusty. The Farlow Dairy. I’ve heard of you. I just pictured you much older.”

“That’s my dad, Steven Clayton Farlow, most people just call him Clayton.”

“Oh I see. Well very nice to meet you. So how do we do this?”




Lucy and John Ross ride the Ferris wheel together. “Well yeah he’s older. He’s in his residency, I think that’s what he said. I was sitting next to him watching you jump. Oh was he gorgeous.”

“You meet some random guy in the crowd, just sparked up a conversation and now you don’t know where he went and you think we’ll spot him up here?”

“You make it sound silly.”

“Do I?” John Ross says sarcastically.

“He was there to watch that girl who beat you.”

“That was Pamela Barnes.”

“What? Aunt Pam? What are you talking about?”

“No. Oh I don’t know if they’re related. I don’t really know here. She’s done high school kid. Weren’t you listening?”

“No I was talking to Mitch. He said his sister is singing at the pavilion later today.”

“Oh god I hate country music.”

“Well you’re going with me.”
 

stevew

Telly Talk Star
JR walks up into a trailer and a beautiful native woman stands, excited to see him. Hugging him she says, “JR, it’s been too long.”

Hugging her back he says, “It certainly has been.”

“I was wondering if I’d see you when my agent booked me here. How have you been? Oh I say the explosion in the news. It was just awful.”

“Has been. A lot to clean up. Lost five employees. Couple dozen injured. But we’ll come out of it OK.”

“Always do.”

“Cliff saying anything about it?”

“Oh JR. Yeah of course he is. Just one more thing you have to deal with, all the vultures hovering around you.”

“You get use to it. Mostly lawyers like your husband.”

“We’re not married.”

“He never married you. I’m surprised. Would have thought by now.”

“Nope,” she smiles a devilish smile.

“I saw your little girl. Pamela Rebecca, pretty talented on that horse. Carried herself better than I’d have expected of a Barnes.”

“Thank you.”

“She is a Barnes?”

“What are you getting at?”

“Well let me be blunt, is she mine?”

“Well I’ll be blunt as well. I don’t know.”

“I see. So all these years she could be my daughter and you let her think a termite like Cliff Barnes could be.”

“Don’t talk about Cliff like that.”

“I’ll talk about anyone anyway I want to darlin’.”

“Just leave her alone JR. She’s happy.”

“Are you happy?”

“I don’t want to get into this with you JR.”.

“Don’t you?” he asks, opening her robe.
 

stevew

Telly Talk Star
Sue Ellen watches John Ross, Dusty Farlow and others play polo when Cliff approaches. “He looks good out there?”

“Who?” Sue Ellen replies, almost as if guilty of something.

“John Ross. Who else?”

“Oh yes. Yeah he holds his own.”

“I see a lot of my father in him.”

“You don’t see any of your father in him. I’ve told you, he’s JR’s son.”

“But you don’t know that for sure. Any way I’m not here to fight with you. That explosion. It wasn’t an accident. JR is dealing with some dangerous people. I don’t want you and John Ross to get hurt.”

“Thank you Cliff, but I’m sure JR can handle it.”

“This is different.”

“How so?”

“They’re more, just more.”

“What am I suppose to do Cliff? Run away with you?”

“I didn’t say that.”

“So then what do I do with this information? Hide in the house? Lock John Ross in a closet? I appreciate you’re being worried but frankly you’ve got no answers to do anything about it.”




JR meets with John Ross congratulating him. He then says to a friend standing g next to him. “Peter? Right?”

“Yes Mr. Ewing,” offering his hand, “Peter Richards.”

“You start at the company yet?”

“Mail room on Monday.”

“Long summer, but it’ll be worth it.”

“I think so. Thanks for the opportunity. Three jobs this summer, before college.”

“Three?”

“Country Club life guard and a fund raising project for the Skillman Foundation.”

“Well good for you. And right off to college. I’m trying to get John Ross to skip this year off idea. You’re impressive.”

“Thank you. Everyone does their own thing though.”

“Where you doing?”

“U of M.”

“So did I. Go blue.”

“Go blue.”





Bobby and Pam ride the Tilt-A-Whirl together, laughing, giggling with Lucy and Muriel.


They stumble off the ride. Lucy says, “We’re headed over to see Afton. You guys coming?”

Pam says, “Afton, the country singer?”

Bobby says, “Yeah she’s an old friend of the family.”

Lucy laughs, “An old friend of yours.”

“Oh,” Pam raises an eye brow.

“A very long time ago.”

“I ran into Jenna Wade too, she’s here somewhere. Uncle Bobby has lots of old friends.”

“Does he?”




As it gets dark John Ross joins Lucy, Muriel, Pam and Bobby on the lawn for the concert. Afton cones out on stage. Lucy says, “Look Uncle Bobby, it’s Mitch, Mitch Cooper, Afton’s brother. You should invite him over. You remember him, right?”

“Well yeah but I doubt he’d want to sit with us. He’s with a group of his friends. And we never really hung out any way.”

“Still, be nice to ask.”

“Why?”

Pam says, “I think she’s got a crush on him.”

“Oh. Well, I suppose I could go ask. Don’t you think he’s a bit old for you?” Bobby leaves.



Bobby returns with Mitch and the group of them watches the concert.




A helicopter lands on the deck of a supper yacht in the evening light of the open waters. A beautiful woman steps down.

The same woman holds out her hand on the aft deck and an older man with a Russian accent says yo another more polished man, “Jordan Lee. Rabqa Wahed.” The two shake hands.

Jordan says, “So were together. I’ll be frank. Your explosion doesn’t seem to have done anything.”

“It sent a message and the Ewing’s got it loud and clear.”

Rabqa says, “OK now what?”







Late in the evening Lucy sets on her bed in pajamas with Muriel talking about boys and John Ross gets mention. Lucy laughs, the two giggle like little girls, until Lucy leans in and kisses her mouth. Shortly their hands are all over each other.







Ray shoots targets with an air gun at a both, not missing one. Cliff approaches and says, “Pretty good shot. Not sure that’s gonna help you much.”

“Just closing down the place.”

“I see that. I haven’t been able to link the people who gave approached you to the group who set the explosion.”

“You know who’s behind the explosion?”

“The Patriot Boys. Kind of an oxymoron, but it’s what I’m hearing.”

“Aren’t they a white supremacy group?”

“Part of the deal, yes?”

“What would they have to do with an explosion at a Ewing plant?”

“I think it’s more who funded them.”

“That could be the people I told you about.”

“No the group you’re talking about wants the technology to proceed. They just want to steal it when the time comes. This group I’m referring to has other ideas.”

“Both out to hurt the Ewing’s business?”

“JR’s dealing with many things at once. Make no mistake about that. You haven’t told him out our discussion?”

“I haven’t told anyone.”

“Good. Keep it that way. We don’t want anyone else implicated.”

“Someone did find out and over hear.”

“Who?”

“Lucy Ewing. I’ve kept her away, but she knows at least what I did. She wants in.”

“She’s trying to steal from her own grandfather? This family are a bunch of thieves, even at a young age.”

Ray collects his prize, a giant stuffed animal.




Roll End Credits
 
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stevew

Telly Talk Star
Opening Credits




JR meets in his office with Julie, “Your contact in Cliff’s office can be trusted?”
JR meets in his office with Julie, “Your contact in Cliff’s office can be trusted?”

“Implicitly.”

“OK because this could just as easily be fake intel were being feed.”

“Or it could be Cliff real my is getting to close for comfort. Maybe you need to speak to your father.”

“Not yet . . . Alan, come in. Great job with Leland. He was a lot more agreeable in refinancing then I’m sure he’d have been otherwise. You handle this explosion litigation just as successfully and you’ll be running this place in no time.”

“I’ll be honest with you, again, give the families more that they’d expect and cooperate with the feds, saying yes to what ever they say.”

“Well I’ll be honest with you, again, ain’t gonna happen. I got my dad to agree to your first point. We’ll make good by ourselves employees and their families. But he’s digging in his heals to fight. I’m not saying do t go your route, I’m just saying to be successful at it you’ve got to handle my father. The Vaughn Leland approach ain’t gonna work in this instance. So you come up with something which will.”

“If you can’t get through to your father, what makes you think I can?”

“I didn’t say you could. I said if and that if you did you’d be running this place. You don’t really think I’m supporting you running this place, do you?”
 
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stevew

Telly Talk Star
Jock tours an off shore oil rig meeting with Jeremy Wendell. The two shake hands. The man speaking say, “The amount of natural gas we’re able to extract is a game changer . . .”


Above the rig under the blue sky the platform explodes and is engulfed in flames.




In the farm, past an area of grazing cows a, construction takes places on a large house, wood frame work fills on steal beans. Then, suddenly several explosions engulf the structure in flames.
 

stevew

Telly Talk Star
Eleanor makes her way down stairs, frazzled, clearly distraught and attempting to hold it together, issuing directions for the farm to Bobby while followed by a crew carrying her luggage. Before reaching the bottom of the stairs she stops so she stands over JR and says, “So you know, if anything happens to my husband, I’ll be in charge, and hold you accountable.” She kisses Bobby’s cheek and he tells her to take care of his dad.” She pushes pasted JR, looking up at him, cold in her eyes, “You've ruined my life. I hate youand she walks out the front door.

Bobby says to JR, “I don’t know what business deals you’ve done to bring this down upon us, but you won’t get away with it.”

JR says, “I’ll take that from mother, but not you. You’d better watch your self.”

Bobby grabs up JR like he’s going to beat him up. JR says, “You better make this good, cause you’re gonna pay for it in a way your unborn children will never forgive you.”

“I’m not scared of you!”

“Yes you are. I can see it in your eyes. And you’re smart. Smart enough to know our dad isn’t the hapless victim.”

“What’s going on?”

“What’s going on is he’s kicked a bear.”

“He wouldn’t do that.”

“He would if he’s joined a pack of wolves.”

Bobby let’s JR go and follows his mother.

John Ross stands in the archway of the long hall and says, “What pack?”

“That’s a Pandora’s box.”

“I wanna know.”

“Alright, but not right now. I’ve got to go into the office.”

“You can tell me on the way.”

“No. You and Lucy army leaving the farm. You understand me?”

“No I don’t understand you. What are we on lock down.”

“For the time being.”

“It’s that serious?”

“Yes.”




JR steps onto the elevator in Detroit, riding it up alone. It stops and Peter gets on pushing a mail cart. “Mr. Ewing. Hi.”

“Peter. How’s work going?”

“Pretty busy.”

“Busy is good, idle hands the devil's tools.”

“Are they?” Peter chuckles.

JR smirks at the good looking young man.

Peter says, “I’m sorry about your dad. I heard the news. Is he doing OK?”

“He’ll survive. I had him survival flighted to Houston and they keep me posted.”

“Well good. Man. I can’t imagine the stress of your job.”

“Stress?”

“Dealing with two explosions back to back. Your father getting hurt in one. Dealing with all that money. Debt. Shady people. Kinda makes senior finals look like a day at the beach.”

“Kinda does.”

The doors open. “Well I hope things get better for you.”

“Thank you. Um,” JR says, holding the door open. “Would you stop by my office after you get off today. I’d like to talk to you about something.”

“Sure.”

JR let’s the door close.



The elevator doors open and JR walks through the quite c-suite offices saying hello to everyone along the way and using their first names. He walks into his office and says “Hello, Dia. Sorry to keep you waiting.”

“Not a problem. I’m sure you’re got a lot going on right now. And that’s what we’ve got to talk about.”





Eleanor walks down out of a private plane toward a limousine on the tarmac. She notices the gentle mountains and says, “Why am I in the Porcupine Mountains?” Turning around she runs into the pilot. “What’s going on?”

“We brought you up north.”

“I’m going to see my husband.”

“My orders were to bring you up her and they’ll keep you safe,” motioning to the security around the car.

“Safe from what? I don’t need to be safe. I need to be with my husband. Take me to Houston!”

“I can’t do that.”

“You tell JR for me there are consequences to his behavior.”

“I don’t think I’ll be seeing your son. I’m expected to stay right here until Mr. Ewing needs me to pick him up in Houston.”




Pam meets with Cliff in his office. Cliff says, “How many more times do I need to tell you they’re dangerous?”

“Bobby won’t tell me but in know he’s scared. He saw his dad in the hospital on face time. Jock issued him orders. And he just doesn’t trust JR.”

“He shouldn’t. You shouldn’t trust Bobby.”

“He’s my husband.”

“That’s not such a good idea either. Look it, at some point I have to act and it’s not going to go well for the Ewing’s. And now you’re a Ewing. You don’t think they’re hoping I take that into account. You. Your baby.”





JR looks out the window of his office when Peter comes in. “You wanted to see me?”

Without turning around, JR says, “Yea. I was wondering if you’d move onto the farm for a bit. I’m worried for John Ross and Lucy’s safety so I don’t want them leaving. I was thinking maybe if you got a small group of friends together.”

“Really? Are things that bad?”

“Just need to be cautious.” JR turns around. Peter stands their in provocatively ripped jeans and a T-shirt. “You need an advance?”

“What? No why?”

“Get you some new pants. Looks like those have seen better days.”

“Oh no. They’re suppose to be this way. I’m going clubbing. But I guess I could go out to the farm instead. Get everyone together. Could always work on my tan,” Peter says while pulling up his shirt and showing off his sculpted abs.




Out by the pool and rec. house loud music plays in the twilight hours and teenagers party.
 

stevew

Telly Talk Star
Pam and Bobby look over the burned out rubble of what was suppose to be their house. "We'll just start over," Bobby says.

"It's not that. This wasn't an accident. The explosion at that factory. The oil rig with your father on it. Cliff's worried about me and to be honest, I'm worried. We rebuild and then next time we're in the house when they blow it up. What's going on Bobby?"

"I don't know, but I'm going to get to the bottom of it. JR's always handled his business, no matter how shady he's been, he's been able to handle things. This is different."

"So Cliff's right, this is someone after JR, so the closer we are to him, the more dangerous it is. So why don't we move into the apartment in Detroit and build a house up in Oakland County. Why would you want to stay here and build a house here?"

"My family's been her a long time. This is home."

"Your brother Gary left."

"That's different and I'm not Gary. I'm not leaving Pam. If I'm gonna leave anything, it's gonna be the business."

"You're just gonna walk away and let JR dole out to you what ever money he things is suitable?"

"No. I don't know. You don't understand. JR's not shady because he wants to be, well maybe he is, but he has to be. I don't want to be like that. I don't want to do what he does and deal with those people. I don't want to know what goes on to make things run the way they do."

"And what about our children?"

"You really want them to live like this? You want then to grow up like Lucy and John Ross? I don't."

"But you're the one that wants to raise them here."

"I don't know. I just don't know."
 

stevew

Telly Talk Star
Punk walks into JR’s office and they shake hands.

“Good news on my dad.”

“Very.”

“Mother calm down?”

“Your mother?”

“Yeah she left her furious.”

“She never made it down. I sent her off to the Porcupine MountIns.”

“What?”

“Well if I’m telling you to tighten up security here, it makes no sense to have her show up in Houston. She’s safer up there.”

“She’s been kept informed about my dad?”

“Yes I set up a video conference.”

“What the hell is this he’s got us into?”

“I don’t know. He calls it the Cartel.”

“Like OPEC?”

“Certainly not OPEC, but I don’t know what it is. All I know is he says the world’s changed, with Russian interference in our government and so forth. He’s fit to be tied and so are who ever names up this Cartel with him.”

“Well he’s pissed people off, people willing to go to all sorts of lengths to bake their point.”
 

stevew

Telly Talk Star
JR walks down the front hall into the entry where John Ross and Lucy meet up with him. John Ross says, "What's going on? You said grandpa was OK, but Lucy and I tried to leave to day and got stopped at the gate. What's going on?"

"What's going on is you're safer here then out there. And your grandfather is fine. Just fine. I Facetimed him this afternoon. A few bumps and bruises but he's fine."

Lucy says, "So what it an accident or what?"

"Yeah, they say the off shore rig is gushing oil into the Gulf. They say this could bankrupt Ewing Oil."

"It's not gonna bankrupt Ewing Oil."

John Ross demands, "Why are we being held here? And where's Uncle Bobby and Aunt Pam."

"Your Uncle Bobby and Pam Barnes are in the city. I guess they think they're better off there then here. So's your mother. I'm not arguing with them. And, I'm not arguing with either of you. You're staying put."

"What about my daddy?"

"I'm sorry Lucy, but if I can't find Gary, I don't think anyone can."

"Alright father, what have you done?"

"What have I done. Alright. Alright. You want to know. You two want the truth. Your grandfather's joined a cartel. "

"What's a cartel?" Lucy asks.

"Well generally it's an association of businesses with the purpose of maintaining prices at a high level by restricting competition."

"A monopoly?" John Ross asks.

"Generally."

"For what oil prices?"

"No. That's OPEC and their cronies. You could say it's those cronies that have been after us."

"Then what?"

"Their intent is to break the backs of the oil industry."

"That's not a cartel than," John Ross states. "And why would grandpa want to do such a thing? He'd destroy Ewing Oil."

"Lasting in perpetuity requires something few companies have, the ability to see the future. Sears, a founder of mail order retail, fails in the face of internet order retail not because they don't get the concept, but because they don't see the future as retail moves on line and bricks and mortar become experience based. They double down, they hold tight to what they know and shit their pants over what's pounding on the door. Ewing Industries isn't going to do that. We're moving forward. See by the time you realize you might be behind, you've already lost. Games are played several steps ahead."

Lucy says, "How far ahead is Ewing Industries?"

"Rare earth."
 

stevew

Telly Talk Star
JR walks out of his bathroom in his boxers as Sue Ellen walks in. “Didn’t expect you home.”

She says, “I got your message, you spoke to your father and he’s fine.”

“Soon as they release him, he’s headed up to the Porcupine Mountains with my mother.”

“That’s good, right?”

“Sure. Leave his mess for me to clean up. You have any idea the cost this oil spill is going to lead to?”

“Pretty substantial?”

“That’s an understand.”

“Well you can handle it.”

“I’m not even sure I can keep the board in line.”

“I didn’t marry a looser. You’ll manage. I just don’t understand what’s going on.” Sue Ellen begins to undress.

“You don’t or you refuse to. I didn’t marry a beautiful little idiot, Miss Daisy Buchanan.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Whatever you found out made you change your mind about staying in the city.”

Sue Ellen just gives him a look of anger.





Early in the morning in his office Bobby meets with Vaughn Leland holding out his hand. “Bob. How’s things going?”

“Great Vaughn and you?”

“Sorry to hear about your dad. He doing well?”

“From what I’m told. He’ll be on his way up to be with my mother soon as they release him.”

“Porcupine Mountains?”

“All summer.”

“Ewing Oil’s in a bad place right now. And you meeting with lawyers non stop I imagine trying to hold Ewing Alternative together. We, the board, have meet about things. We’ve got quorum without your father.”

“What for?”

“We want you to take over as Chairman of the board. It’s all temporary, until your father’s back in Detroit, but we feel there’s a need for a face to this company, and people like and trust you, in a way no one does JR. You’ll stay on here too, but if I had my way, you’d be CEO too. Give us some time and we’ll make it happen.”

“US?”

“A group of concerned board members.”

“But my dad owns this company. Isn’t the say so up to him?”

“I suppose if he steps up to say anything. But right now . . .”

“I don’t know. I can’t imagine JR’s gonna be happy about this.”

“I can’t imagine JR’s finger prints are all over these so called accidents.”
 
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