"Oh, damn, it's good to be home." "Well, don't get too comfortable yet." "I've got a surprise for you." "Picking me up at the airport, that was surprise enough." "Well, you know, I kind of figured that you probably had airplane food for dinner, so, uh, I think you deserve a nice homemade dessert." "Oh, that's nice." "What's the catch?" "There's no catch." "I'm just glad you're home." "So, what did you and Erica do in the Aloha State?" "Well, mostly we just hung out with Iris." "You know..." "No snorkeling, no hula dancing?" "It wasn't exactly a pleasure trip, you know what I mean?" "And I'm not exactly parent material." "So I figured, if Erica could get along with Iris..." "How could anyone not get along with Iris?" "It's possible, believe me." "But they hit it off and Erica loves it there, so..." "And they live happily ever after." "Yeah." "Well, now that everything's fallen into place, don't you think it's payback time?" "What's on your mind?" "Well, I know how important it was to get Erica back safely." "Right." "And we did recover a payload of money in Mexico." "Spit it out." "Well, three people worked that job: me, you and Jones, but only two people got paid." "Okay. I get your point." "After all, you did risk your life down there." "Not to mention my virtue." "Right." "Okay, I'll cut you in." "I guess I should've thought about that before." "Well, I know you've had a lot on your mind." "But now that I have your attention..." "Oh." "Hi, Brandon." "Hey, Chief, thanks for coming." "Not a problem." "You know, we could've just done this over the phone." "Jesse's leaving for his recruiting trip tomorrow." "He owes me babysitting time." "Jesse's going out of town, and you're sitting here with me?" "He is so nervous about these interviews, it makes me edgy just being around him." "What's going on?" "I need some input on this and you're the best editor I know, so..." ""ln Defense of Professor Finley"?" "It's for Friday's "Condor."" "I don't get it." "You have a showdown with this guy last week and now you want to help him get tenure?" "Personally, I think the guy's an egomaniac, but he does have a lot of devoted students." "Huh." "Well, then I guess it makes good sense to back him, not to mention good politics." "I do have another reason for standing up for him." "A certain blond psychology student we both know?" "Yeah." "Brandon, has she read this?" "No, in fact, I haven't even told her I'm doing it yet." "We haven't been spending a lot of quality time together lately." "Well, with the Faculty Council meeting on Friday, we're starting tonight with the phone tree, telling everybody about the rally on Friday and we need your help." "Oh, great." "Okay, come on over." "Bye." "You are not gonna believe what happened to me." "Donna, what are you doing here?" "You're supposed to be at the Peach Pit." "Hah!" "I was making a quick stop home and a pizza delivery guy rear-ended me and then he yelled at me because I didn't run the red light." "Now, I'm totally late, Ray's waiting for me." "I've gotta call him." "I think all the lines are busy." "Who are all these people?" "Finley students." "Are you gonna come to the rally on Friday?" "I just want to call the Peach Pit." "Great." "Thanks for your support." "Oh, thanks, I just..." "Sorry. I haven't finished my list yet." "I need the phone!" "Well, she'll be done in a second." "But that's my phone!" "This is an emergency!" "Donna, why don't you go use my car phone?" "Why doesn't she go use your car phone?" "!" "I live here, did you forget that?" "Fine." "Thank you." "Save Finley." "So, how's the mobilization going?" "Great." "I feel so energized by this." "You know what?" "I think we can win." "Gather a little courage, it's amazing what a mere mortal can do." "So, to what do I owe the pleasure?" "Well, I've got a little research I was hoping we could discuss tomorrow." "Do you want to meet for coffee?" "How about lunch?" "Give me that!" "Perfect." "I want to hear all about the group's progress." "Okay, tomorrow, then?" "Tomorrow." "All right." "It's cold in here..." "Yeah, it is." "Here, put this coat on." "Well, this coat has definitely seen better winters." "Beverly Hills doesn't have a very good selection of winter coats." "But if you go to Fred's, you can get something." "Okay, well..." "But don't you think I need something to buy it with?" "Oh, we're back to that topic again?" "Do you think maybe you can write me a check before I go?" "Sure." "You're getting out of bed and I'm writing a check." "Out of context, that wouldn't look so good." "Well, the fun was for free." "It's the work I want to get paid for." "Well, this ought to buy you the warmest winter coat you've ever seen." "$10,000?" "is this, like, the first installment?" "That's a lot of money." "Well, compared to the millions you came away with, it isn't." "So what did you expect?" "Well, haven't you ever heard of maybe" ""equal pay for equal work"?" "I've heard of "greed."" "Obviously, something you know about." "Are you out of your mind?" "Why, because I'm standing up for what I have coming to me?" "No, because if you want a piece of the action, that's a deal you make before it goes down, not after." "You're the one who assumed that my services were voluntary." "Your services have been paid for." "Take it or leave it." "Fine." "Thanks for nothing." "Clare, right?" "I'm Ariel Hunter." ""Firestorm Music, Artists and Repertoire." Wow." "David, this is..." "Ariel." "How you doing?" "Hey, David." "Old acquaintances?" "Yeah." "Oh." "So you two are running this place, huh?" "What happened to performing?" "It's on the back burner." "So what brings you here?" "Uh, actually, Ray Pruit." "I was hoping to get an introduction." "Sure." "Let's do it." "Great." "See ya, David." "See ya." "Where's Clare taking my little paramour?" "She wants to meet Ray." "Musicians get all the women." "It kills me!" "Yeah, it's gonna kill Donna, too." "Look, Donna, I'm sorry about your accident, but of all nights to forget my shirt." "You know, I was sweating buckets out there." "I'm sorry, but it's not like I wanted to spend the last hour on the phone with the insurance company." "Look, it's fine, all right?" "Just forget it." "It's over now." "Look, I gotta go, okay?" "Bye." "All right." "There's someone here to see you." "Thanks, Clare." "It was nice meeting you." "You, too." "Hi, I'm Ariel Hunter from Firestorm Music." "You're the AR rep?" "Mm-hmm." "I thought you flaked out on me." "I said I'd come by." "I'm a woman of my word." "Here, have a seat." "Thanks." "I liked your show." "I hear a lot of classic rock in you." "Yeah, yeah." "I grew up listening to Graham Parker, Mellencamp, a little Joe Cocker." "So you get by with a little help from your friends?" "Uh, listen, I really do think your music is pretty great." "Thanks." "Do you say that to all the guys you scout?" "No, as a matter of fact, I rarely stick around to meet with them afterwards." "It gets their hopes up, you know what I mean?" "But when I see someone I like, well, then I come backstage, I interrupt phone conversations, quote old lyrics, try to make them laugh." "And then I invite them up to Firestorm to meet with my boss, Terry Dixon." "Terry Dixon." "You've heard of him, huh?" "Yeah." "Yeah, he's a heavyweight." "He's signed a lot of great people." "That's right." "And it's my job to keep up his reputation." "So... will you come in for a meeting?" "Yeah." "Hell, yeah." "Great." "Jesse, she's still having a tough time breathing." "Let's put her back in the bathroom and steam her up." "No, I want her to stay sleeping." "God, I wish I didn't have to go." "Then don't." "Honey, I can't cancel my interviews." "You want me to clerk for a federal appeals judge, don't you?" "Only if you're based in San Francisco." "Think Boise." "Don't say that." "They're already talking of Judge Jimenez as a possible Supreme Court nominee." "Look, if I could hook my cart on to that horse, we could all be in for quite a ride." "Ah, I wish that pediatrician would call back already." "Ah, sweetheart... you know you can always take her to the emergency room." "Jesse, I'm not gonna take her out in the cold so that we can just sit and wait for hours for her to be seen." "Why don't you give that med student you know a call?" "Who, Peter?" "Yeah, give him a call if you need some reassurance." "There's my shuttle." "Here you go, sweetie." "Listen, I promise I will call you as soon as I get there, all right?" "Good luck." "I love you." "All right, we'll call." "All right." "Hello, is, uh, Dr. Peter Tucker there?" "No." "ls he on call?" "Can you hold?" "Yes, I'll..." "I'll hold on." "Don't look at me like that." "The rally tomorrow night is going to be quite a spectacle." "Good luck, Professor Finley." "Defy externs." "You got it." "If only the university were a democracy." "We'd capture the popular vote by a landslide." "Hello, stranger." "We, uh, we haven't seen you over at the house lately." "Not to mention not returning my phone calls." "Well, I haven't had a chance to check my voice mail." "Cindy Walsh, this is Professor Finley." "Proud mother of Brandon?" "As a matter of fact." "Uh, Professor, what do I have to do to steal ten minutes of her time, huh?" "Brandon, you know we've been really busy with the tenure fight." "Yeah, I know." "See ya." "Bye." "Bye." "You were a little frosty with Mr. Walsh, weren't you?" "Yeah, we're having our problems." "Something I can help you with?" "Actually, it has to do with you." "Tell me." "I don't want to bore you with the blow-by-blow of my personal life." "Kelly, I'm a psychology professor." "This is my bread and butter." "Feed me." "Well, as you know," "Brandon hasn't exactly been on our side in this thing." "lt's put a little strain on us." "That is a problem." "You need all the support you can get right now." "Absolutely." "And you'd think my own boyfriend would be a little bit more understanding." "When the pressure's on, people show their stripes." "I guess so." "David, we've gotta make this quick." "I have two chapters of Gothic Architecture I've got to get through before my next class." "Yeah, I'm..." "I'm busy, too." "I just thought this was pretty important." "Okay, I'm listening." "It's about Ray and, uh, and the AR rep that came by last night." "Oh, right, from Firestorm Music." "I'm so excited for him." "Yeah, it's a big break." "Yeah." "Listen, about the rep..." "Ray said she was really nice." "Donna, would... would you listen, please?" "Look, the rep... the rep is, uh... is Ariel." "Ariel?" "David?" "Who's that?" "It's Donna." "David, open up." "What-what am I gonna do?" "I don't know, don't look at me." "That Ariel?" "Yeah, unfortunately." "Oh, my God." "Look, I'm..." "I'm sorry I, uh, I just thought you should know." "Excuse me, I just got a sickening case of deja vu." "I gotta go." "Donna..." "No, it's okay." "Thanks for telling me." "You're right." "Ray, it was more than a pleasure." "I mean, your demo's a little rough, but it's good stuff." "Thanks." "Really." "l think we'll be seeing you again very soon." "All right." "is he hungry?" "Starved." "Good." "Make the deal happen." "You got it." "I smell a deal brewing." "I don't know about that." "Would you stop it with this modesty bit?" "He was very impressed." "You know, you never let yourself believe when you're sitting in the back of your truck, plucking out a new song, that somebody's actually going to hear it, you know, and like it." "Sometimes fantasies come true." "I better not get ahead of myself until there's actually an offer made." "Well, I've got an offer for you." "Why don't you let me take you shopping?" "For what?" "Well, how about a new pair of boots?" "What's wrong with these?" "They're cool." "They're just a little past their prime." "These boots have sentimental value." "I bought them with my first construction paycheck." "Well, there's nothing wrong with having an extra pair, right?" "On us?" "Ariel, it's really not necessary." "Come on, Ray, don't make me beg." "Well, we wouldn't want that." "Great." "Let's go." "Hey." "Hey." "I'm surprised you actually made an appointment." "Yeah, well, I'm getting kind of formal on you." "Come on in." "So I hear congratulations are in order." "I'm glad Suzanne and Kevin finally got what they deserved." "Yeah, they should be kicking back in a Mexican jail right about now." "Jim, I know if I'd listened to you in the first place, that, uh, none of that would've happened." "Ah, it happens to the best of us." "It's not gonna happen again." "Which is why I'm here." "I, uh..." "I need a business manager." "I could recommend a few names for you." "Actually, I was hoping you might consider doing it yourself." "Not like last time, okay." "I mean, it's not a trust fund." "I'll call the shots, you just keep the money moving around where l can get the most interest with the least risk." "I know I was a jerk before." "This time is different." "Yeah." "Well, you're different." "You'll think about it?" "Sure." "By the way, about Mexico, what exactly did you and Valerie do down there?" "I'll spare you the details." "Let's just say this, your little houseguest-- $10,000 richer." "I'll take the whole outfit." "And, um, I'd like to wear it home." "All right." "That'll be $965, plus tax." "What will that be, check or credit?" "Cash." "Here, try these on." "So, uh... if I get signed, would I make an album right away?" "That's the way record companies work." "My own musicians, my own material?" "Yes, whoever you want, whatever you want." "Those are nice." "I don't know." "I'm not sure they're really my style." "Oh, I think they are." "But you know, we can keep looking until we find exactly what you like." "Well, this is the last place I'd expect to see you." "Valerie, hey." "Hi." "Yeah, this joint's a little swanky for me." "It was, uh, Ariel's pick." "Ariel." "Hi, I'm Valerie." "Hi, Val." "Well, Ray's going to have to get used to stores like this." "He's going to have a big career at Firestorm Music." "Firestorm?" "Never heard of it." "It's a great label." "Ariel's an AR rep there." "Well, I'm going to look around a little more." "So, are you, like, two-timing Donna?" "No, of course not." "Ariel's just a business associate." "Seems pretty chummy for a business associate." "Whatever." "I don't know, Ray." "I think she's got an eye for you." "But, don't we all?" "These babies are worth a paycheck and a half." "Ariel didn't even blink at the price." "Well, they must provide well at Firestorm." "Yeah. I gotta admit, it would blow me away to get signed by them." "You know, there are other labels, bigger than Firestorm." "Well, I like it there." "Ariel's taken a real interest in me." "Look, Ray, I never told you why David and I broke up." "But, basically, Ariel Hunter was the cause." "Ariel?" "How?" "She came on to him, the same way she's coming on to you." "Donna... she's just interested in my music, that's all." "Yeah, that's what she said about David." "And the next thing I knew they were holding "meetings" in the back of a limo." "Well, that is not going to happen with me." "I don't want to take any chances." "Look, I want you to return the boots." "And I don't want you to see Ariel again." "No, you can't ask me to do that." "Look, she buys gifts for all her clients." "It's part of her job." "I don't care. I don't want you hanging around with her!" "Donna, this is the start of something big for me!" "Don't you get that?" "So you can't do this for me?" "This isn't about you." "It's about me." "And right now, that's my top priority." "So, why didn't you tell me about this?" "I don't know." "I guess I figured you'd read it in the paper like everyone else." "Brandon, I am not everyone else." "I'm your girlfriend." "Could you say that a little louder, please?" "Sorry. lt's just been an intense time for me." "I understand." "Brandon, this means so much." "I mean, now maybe the Faculty Council will sit up and take notice." "Well, I wouldn't count on it working too much magic, but I am glad you're happy." "With you, I am." "Hey, what do you say we ditch the rest of the day?" "We'll go to the Santa Monica Mountains, have a little picnic, watch the sunset." "What do you say?" "I can't." "I have research to do for Finley." "Blow it off." "He needs me." "I need you." "Was that your motivation for writing this editorial?" "No, it wasn't." "But, like you say, you are my girlfriend." "It would be nice to spend a little time with you." "is there something so wrong with that?" "No. I gotta go." "Have a little courage." "So, I, uh..." "I heard something about you and Firestorm." "Well, Ariel's, you know, promising good things but nothing for sure yet." "Listen, Ray, just so you know," "Ariel might have a few tricks up her sleeve." "I mean, she may be into more than just your music." "Nothing I can't handle." "I figured that's what you would say." "Hey, I didn't ask for your advice, man." "Look, Ray, you can go back to pushing pumpkins for all I care, all right?" "I'm just looking out for Donna." "Hey, no offense, David, but Ariel didn't burn Donna all by herself last summer." "I've got some songs to run through." "You're never going to get through the Gothics at that pace." "Yeah, I know." "I'm just so distracted." "What's wrong?" "I'm going crazy with all this Ariel business." "Egh. lf l had known the backstory on her, I never would have introduced her to Ray." "Hey, it's not your fault." "At least you care." "You know, I tried to tell Kelly about it, and all I get is her Finley psychobabble." ""Don't play the victim."" ""Move forward with your life."" ""Commit to evolving."" "Yeah, she has been speaking a different language lately." "But, if it's any help, my dad says Finley's days at C.U. are numbered." "Really?" "What about the appeal?" "I don't know." "Apparently, he doesn't have much support from his colleagues." "Well, I hate to say it, but I'm sort of glad." "Well, don't flunk any exams over it." "Ray says he'll be ten minutes." "So, what were you guys doing out there for so long?" "Just talking." "About?" "Well, I tried to tell him about Ariel." "You did?" "Yeah." "I don't know if I got through to him, but, uh, it was worth a shot." "Thank you." "Well, look what the cat done drug in." "Yeah." "My new client." "How was Mexico, bro?" "Mexican." "He was just filling us in." "Well, suffice it to say, we're lucky they both lived to tell the tale." "Come on." "How bad could it really have been?" "Oh, think guns, seduction, dirty money." "A real James Bond movie." "Let's go back to that money." "How much was there, and how dirty was it?" "Well, Valerie walked off with a cool $10,000." "How come nothing like that ever happens to me?" "Huh?" "She just looks better in a dress than you do." "You know what I mean?" "On that note, shall we dig in?" "Um..." "Dylan, we don't mean to pry, but we know that you have spent some time with Valerie." "Yeah." "Some." "In your opinion, is there any reason that we should be concerned about her?" "Let me tell you guys this." "If you thought you had your hands full with Brenda, this girl is a much bigger package with a much brighter bow." "Jonesy..." "Listen. I figured, since the craziness was over, we could get to know each other under more... relaxing conditions." "Good thinking." "Although I did enjoy playing charades with you down there." "Well, I like charades myself." "Well, let's play a game." "Now?" "Yeah." "Why not?" "Okay, ready?" "Okay." "Movie." "Three words." "First word." "Tired... sleep." "Sleep." "Okay." "Second word." "Small word?" "Uh... for... of... with?" "Sleep with..." "Jonesy, I am not going to sleep with you." "Well, why did you come here?" "Okay, I'll level with you." "Please." "I know you had a girl lined up to help you in Mexico." "And I know she was going to get a cut for doing the job." "And, since I took over the gig, I think I'm entitled to that money." "Oh." "Now, Dylan didn't see it my way, but you seem to have a sense of honor." "Honor?" "Are you sure you're talking to the right Mr. Jones here?" "Jonesy, I did a good job, didn't I?" "Darling, you came in like a pro, and you went out like a pro." "Now I just want to get paid like a pro." "Ah." "Well, I'll tell you what." "Um, I do happen to have a little cash on hand." "Don't believe in banks, huh?" "Just offshore ones." "Well, I like what I see." "I'll bet you do." "Now I will give you what you came to get under one condition." "Jonesy, I told you." "I'm not going to sleep with you." "No, no, no." "Now, listen to me." "That's not what I meant." "Okay." "What's the condition?" "That you work with me sometime again." "That's it?" "Okay." "And... that you'll have at least one drink with me." "Okay." "Are you crazy?" "Terry Dixon wants to make you a star." "Look, I just need to think about it, all right?" "What is there to think about?" "He's offering you a signing bonus and a two album deal." "Yeah." "And he also wants me to give up all my publishing rights." "It's just for the first album." "I explained this." "Don't go dumb on me." "Look, I didn't just get off the turnip truck, okay?" "I should at least get to keep half of my publishing." "A lot of new artists get this deal, Ray." "Yeah, but do they all write and perform their own material?" "Oh!" "I don't believe this!" "No one's ever quibbled about publishing before." "Maybe they didn't know better." "You make it sound like we're trying to cheat you." "Look, Ariel, if you think you can buy me off with a new pair of boots and this second-rate deal, keep thinking." "I don't come that cheap." "Ray, Terry really wants this deal, and I'm willing to go all the way here." "Whatever it takes." "Yeah, I've heard that about you." "No deal." "Remind me why we're doing this." "Because you got a babysitter, your husband's out of town and so is my wife." "It sounds a little, uh... sounds a little dangerous to me." "Well, I live on the edge." "Well, I don't." "Not usually, anyway." "Well, you have to admit, it's much more exciting than Boise." "Come on, relax." "Look, it's the middle of the afternoon, we're in a public place." "I mean... how dangerous can it get?" "Oh, I don't know." "But my heart is beating awfully fast, Dr. Tucker." "Really?" "Wow, you're right." "Should I call an ambulance, or just take it as a compliment?" "Take it anyway you like." "What can I say?" "I know the tide is running against us." "But it's just about fear." "They don't understand the things I'm trying to teach you, and that makes them crazy." "But don't lose heart." "I'm going into that meeting tonight with my head held high, and I'm going to walk out of there the same way," "Brandon." "Thanks for the editorial today." "Well, you're the students' choice." "Tell that to the Faculty Council." "Yeah." "Uh, is Kelly around?" "In my office." "Do you mind?" "Go ahead." "Who are the pretty flowers for?" "A pretty lady." "Hmm." "From a pretty nice guy." "Good luck tonight." "Thanks." "We'll need it." "Listen, um, if I've been selfish lately, I'm sorry." "It's only because I love you." "I know." "Thank you." "Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa." "Excuse me." "I'm looking for Ray Pruit." "Do you know when I can catch him rehearsing?" "Not really, but you can, uh, catch him having a tuna melt right now." "Oh." "Thanks a lot." "We need to talk." "We don't have anything to talk about." "If you don't mind, I'm trying to have lunch with my boyfriend." "Well, your boyfriend made a very foolish, not to mention arrogant, move today." "My company offered him a very fair deal." "I'm going to go get my stuff, all right?" "Donna, you have to talk to him." "He's making such a stupid mistake." "Look, Ray isn't stupid, Ariel." "And why should I help you, after you stabbed me in the back this summer?" "Okay, I deserve that." "Look, I'm really sorry about what happened with David." "But I'm a different person now." "I'm sorry, too." "But I have no reason to believe you." "Donna... you're not going to lose Ray to me, but you just might lose him to that ego of his." "Hi." "Hey." "Ready to go?" "Thank you." "For what?" "Not taking the deal." "I gotta tell you, Donna, you were right about Ariel." "is that why you turned it down?" "No, actually, I turned it down because it was a bad deal." "Well, whatever the reason, I'm just glad you did it." "Come on." "Let me guess, you took the $10,000 and you leased a car?" "The money you gave me was peanuts." "l own this car." "How did you manage that?" "I found somebody a little bit more honorable than you." "What did you say to Jones?" "Not much." "I just kind of smiled and his wallet kind of flew open." "Kind of like a hooker?" "I'm not a hooker." "And even if I was you couldn't afford me." "How long of a night do you figure we're in for?" "I don't know, but I'm staying till the vote comes down." "What's the verdict?" "Hey..." "Hey, is Finley in or out?" "!" "What's going on, guys?" "What's going on?" "Come on, we have a right to know." "This doesn't look good." "Here he comes." "Shh." "Look at you all, out here for me still." "My... my constant soldiers." "Unfortunately this is one battle that we did not win." "Listen... you all fought the good fight, and I'm grateful to you." "And just because we lost here, doesn't mean this is over." "I am a teacher." "And if you all want to be my students, then that's all that matters at the end of the day." "That's right, that's right." "I may not be welcome at this university, but I can give my lectures under a tree, or from a park bench or in my own living room if I have to." "Be assured, the New Evolution will go on." "Yeah!" "Yeah!" "Thank you." "Thank you." "I have to go to him." "Go ahead." "Kelly, you're here." "Where else would I be?" "I need to get out of here." "Thank you." "How could this happen?" "It's simple." "They don't like me." "And the fact that I'm popular with the students." "That doesn't make any sense." "They're threatened, Kelly." "It's nature of the beast." "The unevolved beast." "Yes." "But what good is it looking backwards?" "We're not going to implode just because a bunch of "externs"" "pulled a power trip on me." "You're so inspiring." "So are you." "At least something good came out of this." "So, what do we do now?" "We go on." "The most important thing is that we stay together, close our circle to outsiders." "Okay." "How can I help?" "You've been indispensable to me, Kelly, but now you face a difficult test." "A test to see how committed you really are to this fight." "You know I'm committed, 100%%." "It's about Brandon." "What about Brandon?" "He doesn't share your passion, Kelly." "He's been projecting negative energy about the New Evolution, right from the start." "Yeah, I guess he hasn't exactly been won over." "That's no good to you." "It's no good for any of us." "I need you to do something that will keep our family as tight-knit as it needs to be." "I'll do anything." "I need you to break it off with Brandon." "Would you do that for me?"