Cal's Story

Hi, my name is Carter.

BILLY: He's waking up.

We're about to find out the truth.

Cal showed up at the Banquet--bloody and raving--then passed out. We took him up to the room we were going to crash in at the end of the night.

NATHAN: This is so strange. Why did he pick tonight to show up?
HANK: He's a drama queen. He probably couldn't resist.
JEREMY: How did he get so bloody?
ELI: Is that even his blood?
BEN: We have to get the truth out of him before the police show up.
RITCHIE: Murray called them. They'll be here any minute. The only reason they didn't rush is because I convinced him it wasn't an emergency.
JACKSON: I don't think he was too eager for them to show up anyway. Cal's the reason he went to jail.

It was nice to have someone else be in so much trouble. Usually I'm the one passed out with a lot of explaining to do.

CAL: Ugh...
JEREMY: Cal, can you hear me?
CAL: I...I...
BILLY: Somebody get him some water.
CAL: Don't...bother.
HANK: Huh?
CAL: This won't take long...

-- CAL'S STORY --

Hi, my name is Cal.

VOICE: I'm Skyler.

I had just fallen out of a window.

ME: Nice to meet you, Skyler.

So of course, I needed a drink.

I went to Prisms, and that's where I ran into Skyler.

SKYLER: Can I bring you a drink?
ME: You can buy me five.

We started talking, and before I knew it, I had unleashed my tale of woe.

SKYLER: Sounds like that guy Billy is a real asshole.
ME: They're all assholes. All the CBQ's. A bunch of dickheads.
SKYLER: So stop talking to them.
ME: Easier said than done. They're everywhere. Davis especially. He practically runs Providence.
SKYLER: Wait--John Davis?
ME: Who else?
SKYLER: You and I might have something in common.

We went home together that night. The funny thing is--I don't remember wanting to.

I woke up the next day in my bed with a note that said--

"Had a great time last night. Wish you were there."

Creepy, right?

"PS. I'll take care of those CBQ's for you."

I had planned on laying low for awhile anyway, but not as long as I did. I wanted that slot directing on the Mainstage, and God knows I earned it.

Blackmail isn't as easy as it looks.

I couldn't resist keeping in touch with Billy.

CAL: You're going to pay for what you did.
ME: Cal, where are you?
CAL: You broke my heart.
ME: I wish I had broken your back.
CAL: I just bet you do.
ME: Stop hiding. What are you trying to accomplish?
CAL: Oh, don't worry. You'll see.

All I meant was that he'd be sorry when I was directing a show. I would have made him the star, but he blew it.

Then the bad stuff started happening.

I couldn't deal with it. I started getting drunk. I blamed everything on Billy and the CBQ's. When I found things were happening between him and Davis, I went ballistic.

I knew Skyler was responsible for Joey dying, and I rationalized that if Davis hadn't been such a jerk to Skyler, it wouldn't have happened.

But deep down, I knew it was my fault.

Still, I got off on scaring Billy. It was the only thing I had control over.

CAL: You could have stopped it.
ME: How?
CAL: You don't know what you set in motion.
ME: Tell me what's going on!
CAL: It's bigger than you. It's so much bigger than you can even imagine.
ME: If anybody else gets hurt--
CAL: Hurt? Are you kidding? Joey's dead. And he won't be the last one.
ME: You're responsible for this.
CAL: No, Billy. Trust me. You're responsible. Whether you understand why, or not.

Then I got the e-mail.

WILDE: You don't have to hide anymore. I can help. Meet me downtown at Kennedy Plaza at midnight. We can be each other's new best friends.

I went, and I met him.

I met Wilde.

----------

JEREMY: So who is he?

There was a knock on the door. It was the police.

CAL: Haven't you figured it out by now?
BEN: Guys, he has to go. The police are here.
CAL: I got into a fight with him before I cam here.
NATHAN: What did you fight over?
CAL: I knew his next target, and I couldn't let anybody else get hurt.
JACKSON: Who's the next target?
HANK: Oh my God.

We all turned and looked at Hank.

HANK: I didn't know. I didn't know that's why he--
CAL: Are you kidding? You knew the whole time.
ME: What's going on?
CAL: He told me, Hank. He told me that you knew who he was.
HANK: He said he wasn't the one who shot Ben. He said he wasn't there when Joey died.
CAL: He wasn't. I was. I knew Skyler was going after Joey, and I tried to stop it, but I got there too late. But the vendetta? That's all Wilde.

Knock, Knock.

JEREMY: Cal, who is he going after?
CAL: Haven't you guessed? Who's not here?

I looked around.

ME: Oh no.

Davis.