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Veronica Mars Transcripts

VERONICA MARS

1x01: Pilot

Original Airdate: 09/22/2004

Written by: Rob Thomas

Directed by: Mark Piznarski

Transcribed by: Mark



[Fade in on a seedy motel, the Camelot]

Veronica Voice-Over [VVO]: I'm never getting married. You want an absolute, well there it is. Veronica Mars, Spinster. I mean, what's the point. Sure there's the initial primal drive, ride it out. Or better yet, ignore it. Sooner or later, the people you love, let you down. And here's where it ends up: sleazy men, cocktail waitresses, cheap motels on the wrong side of town. And a soon to be ex-spouse wanting a bigger peice of the settlement pie.

(Shot of a blonde girl, Veronica Mars, watching the camelot motel from across the street in her car with school books, a thermos and a camera)

VVO: That's where I come in. Fourty dollars an hour is cheap compared to the long-term financial security sordid photography can secure for you. Your offspring. Your next lover. But do us a favour if it's you in their; dispense with the cuddling. This motel tryst? It is what it is. Make it quick. The person sitting in the car across the street might have a calculus exam in five--make that four--hours, and she can't leave until she gets the moneyshot.

(suddenly, several motorcycles pull up beside her car. The leader, a bald Latin-American, takes of his helmet and signals for Veronica to lower her window)

VERONICA: Well.... this can't be good

GANG LEADER: Car trouble, miss?


[CREDITS]


(school parking lot, twenty-hours earlier)

VVO: This is my school. If you go here, your parents are either millionaires or they work for millionaires. Neptune, California: a town without a middle-class. So how does a girl end up surrounded by a motorcycle gang at four in the morning in the wrong side of town. For that answer, we have to rewind to yesterday.

(Veronica walks to the school courtyard, where dozens of students are milling around a half-naked African-American student, WALLACE, who is scotch-taped to the flag-pole.)

FEMALE STUDENT: Who put him there?

MALE STUDENT: The bikers did it.

FEMALE STUDENT: Why doesn't someone cut him down?

MALE STUDENT: [sarcastic] Yeah, I'll do it. [serious] I don't wanna be the one up their tommorow.

(Another male student comes up with a camera phone, and takes a picture of Wallace)

CAMERA GUY: All right, say "cheese". Smile! (takes the photo)

VERONICA: Move! (pulls out a pocket-knife)

CAMERA GUY: Who died and made you the (sees the knife) [scared] You are a freak.

VERONICA: (To Wallace) You're new here, huh? (Wallace nods) Well, welcome to Neptune High. (sardonic) Go Pirates!

(classroom)

TEACHER: This is advanced placement. We expect more. It's called an "essay on man", but what Pope is really talking about it faith, right? (Veronica's sleeping head-down on her desk) Anybody? Did anybody complete the reading. Veronica. Veronica Mars! (Veronica wakes up). Congratulations, you're my volunteer. Pope, "an essay on man" Epistile one.

VERONICA: (reciting the poem from memory) "Hope springs eternal in the human breast, man never is but always to be blessed. The soul, uneasy and confined from home, rests and expatiates in a life to come".

TEACHER: And what do you suppose Pope meant by that?

VERONICA: Life's a bitch, until you die.

TEACHER: Okay, thank you Miss Mars for that succinct and somewhat inappropriate response. I think what Pope's saying is that the thing that keeps us powering through life's defeats is our faith in a better life yet to come.

(Empty hallway, Veronica is walking towards her locker)

VVO: Random locker searches. It's the latest tactic the administration has adopted in their losing war on drugs. Except the searches aren't really random, I know when they're going to happen before Vice Principal Clemens does.

(Vice Principal Clemens, and Deputy-Sheriff Sachs are waiting by her locker with a police-dog)

SACHS: Veronica Mars. This should be good.

CLEMENS: Veronica, will you please open your locker.

(The police-dog starts barking)

VERONICA: (to the dog) Buster! (the dog stops barking, Clemens and Sachs are shocked)

(She opens her locker, and it's empty. Except for a heart-shaped cut-out featuring Vice Principal Clemens picture.)

VERONICA: (faking embarrassment) Wow.... This is a little embarrassing.

(Outdoor cafeteria, Veronica is sitting alone staring at a table full of kids. Obviously the "in-crowd")

VVO: I used to sit there, at that table. It's not like my family met the minimum net-worth requirement. My Dad didn't own his own airline like John Enbom's or serve as embassador to Belgium like Shelly Palmroy's - but my dad used to be the Sheriff, and that hel a certain cache. (A conflicted looking teen sits down at the "in-table") Let's be honest though, the only reason I was allowed past the velvet ropes was because of Duncan Kane, son of software billionaire Jake Kane. He used to be my boyfriend.

[FLASHBACK]

(Duncan and Veronica are walking through a crowded school hallway together. They stop and kiss)

VVO: Then one day, with no warning - he ended things.

(Duncan walks by Veronica in the hallway, ignoring her - symbolizing their breakup)

[BACK]

(Another teen notices Veronica staring at Duncan, and taunts her horribly)

VVO: And let's not forget Logan Echolls. His dad makes twenty-million a picture. You probably own his action-figure. Every school has their own obligatory psychotic jackass, he's ours.

(Wallace sits down at Veronica's table, she's too busy loathing Logan to notice at first)

WALLACE: You okay?

VERONICA: What?

WALLACE: You look.... I don't know, hypnotized.

VERONICA: Did I say you could sit here? (Wallace gets up to leave, Veronica comes to her senses) Wait a minute, of course you can sit here. Sit wherever you want.

WALLACE: That was cool, what you did. Cutting me off of that pole.

VERONICA: Well... (interrupted by the Bike Gang Leader, Weevil)

WEEVIL: (to Wallace) My bitch. Weren't you supposed to wait for me by that flag-pole? I'm not sure I could've made that any clearer.

WALLACE: (intimidated) Okay. I get it. Very funny, I guess we're even now.

WEEVIL: (angry) You get what, boy? You get that you're a dead man walking, is that what you get?

VERONICA: (annoyed) Leave him alone.

WEEVIL: (amused) Sister. The only time I care what a Woman has to say it's when she's riding my big old hog - and even then, it's mostly just "oohs" and "ahhs" you know.

VERONICA: (also amused) So it's big huh?

WEEVIL: Legendary.

VERONICA: Well, let's see it. I mean, if it's as big as you say, I'll be your girlfriend. We could go to prom together!!! (Weevil tries to laugh it off, one of his fellow biker gang members speaks up)

GANG MEMBER: Yo, Weevil - don't let blondie talk to you like that.

VERONICA: Sounds like your buddy here wants to see it too.

GANG MEMBER: Oh hell, I'll show you mine (goes to take off his pants)

CLEMENS: (appears) Felix Toombs! What on god's green earth is going on here? All right gentleman, move along. Veronica? What does trouble follow you around. (they all leave)

VERONICA: (to Wallace) So what did you do?

WALLACE: Huh?

VERONICA: Why are you a dead man walking?

WALLACE: Oh, yeah. I work at sac-in-pack

[FLASHBACK]

(Convenience Store. Two biker-gang members walk in, and go straight to the back where they start stuffing bottles into their pockets while Wallace watches from a distance)

WALLACE VO: Last night I was working by myself, when a couple of those games came in. They just walked right into the store, and stuffed all these fourties in their pockets. So I hit the silent alarm.

GANG MEMBER: (reads Wallace's name-tag) Wallace. (They pay for a pack of gum, knowing that Wallace is too scared to mention the bottles of liquor the bikers have in their pockets)

WALLACE VO: I guess they thought a one-dollar bill would cover it.

GANG MEMBER: Keep the change. (both bikers bust out laughing)

[FLASBACK INTERUPTED - BACK]

WALLACE: That's when the police came.

VERONICA: We don't have police here, we have a Sheriff's department.

[FLASHBACK - CONTINUED]

(The Sheriff, Don Lamb, walks into Sac-in-Pac]

SHERIFF LAMB: (to Wallace) You, come on.

(Dozens of bikers are waiting on motorcycles just outside)

GANG MEMBER: Check it out, here he comes...... what's up, snitch.

LAMB: (to Wallace) They said they paid (motioning to the bikers from before) Well... did they?

WALLACE: (intimidated) Yeah.

GANG MEMBER: Like I said.

LAMB: (to the bikers) Shut up. (to Wallace) But you hit the alarm anyway?

WALLACE: It was an accident

(Lamb goes into the store, finds the VCR for the security camera's, and takes the tape)

LAMB: Sachs, get 'em out of here. Get them out of there, we've got enough (Sachs arrests the gang members). (to Wallace) You need to go see the Wizard, as him for some guts.

VERONICA: Go see the Wizard? He said that? (Wallace nods) Congratulations sport, in your short time here... you've managed to piss off both a biker-gang and the Sheriff.

(Apartment Building. The apartment is enclosed, and there's a pool in the middle - it triggers a flashback)

[FLASHBACK]

(Duncan comes up from the pool, obviously a flashback from when Veronica and Duncan were together)

DUNCAN: Hey, baby. It's our song. (a song plays in the background).

(Several teens and Veronica's mother, Lianne, walk up to her and the pool with a birthday cake)

LIANNE: Happy birthday! Were you surprised?

VERONICA: Mom. Mom?

[BACK]

WOMAN: Veronica?! It's me (A lady with a handful of groceries snaps Veronica out of her flashback). Honey, can you give me a hand?

(Cut to Veronica's home, where she's greeted by a dog).

VERONICA: (to the dog) Hey! Who's a good boy. Who's a good boy!

(Cut to a beach, where Veronica is walking the dog. She plays fetch with it, and sees Wallace across the beach flying a model airplane).

(Cut to Veronica parking her car behind a red corvette in front of her fathers office)

VVO: I was shocked to discover Celeste Kane's car outside Dad's office. Duncan's mom. She hates me almost as much as she adores her son.

(Veronica listens at the door, but is interrupted by the sleazy lawyer, CLIFF, who follows her in)

CLIFF: Veronica Mars!

VERONICA: My dad's with a client.

CLIFF: Apparently, that's okay I'm happy out here chatting with you.

VERONICA: Like I said, my dad's with a client.

CLIFF: I heard you. But, your dad's out chasing down bail-jumpers half the time and yet, somehow, all the cases that come in here still get handled. How is that?

VERONICA: We're efficient.

CLIFF: (knowingly) Very efficient. Look, I'm just going to leave this file here, open on your desk - and if you decide to take a look at it - cool. One of my clients, Loretta Cancun, dances at the seventh veil.

VERONICA: Classy.

CLIFF: These are my people, V. She was busted for vandalism after taking a baseball bat to a laundry machine that stole her quarters at Suds-and-Duds.

VERONICA: (amused) And.... Johnny Cochran was booked?

CLIFF: I make no apologies. I like this case, it's..... taudry. Miss Cancun says the seventh veil has an interesting way of keeping their liquor license, despite their rather lax ID policy. She wants to make a deal. If your dad has time, he should look into it.

(A red-headed woman steps outside of Keith Mars' office)

CELESTE: Don't get the wrong idea, Mr. Mars. I don't like you. I hate the fact that I'm here, but I do know that if anyone will be dogged and resourceful in this matter... it'll be you. Don't call me, I'll call you.

(Veronica and her father, a balding-man in a suit named Keith, share a glance before Keith retreats back into his office. Veronica then walks over to the window and watches Celeste get into her corvette, and leave)

VVO: Sure, she's a bitch. But can you blame her. After all, Dad did try to send her husband to jail for life!?

[COMMERCIAL]

(Mars office, Keith and Veronica are eating left-overs at Keith's desk)

KEITH: How's school?

VERONICA: If you think we're gonna talk about my school day, and not the fact that Celeste Kane was in here not ten minutes ago - you're deluded.

KEITH: (ignores her) You making good grades?

VERONICA: Kane's got something on the side, doesn't he?

KEITH: (still ignores her) SAy what you want about real cheese, I am a fan of the orange-powdered stuff (talking about the mac-and-cheese they're eating)

VERONICA: (sighs) My grades are fine, and I like the orange powder too - but can we please talk about Mrs. Kane?

KEITH: (gives up) Yes, she thinks he's seeing someone. Late nights, motel matches, the usual.

VERONICA: Sexual appetite.

KEITH: (incredulous) Gone.

VERONICA: Did you take the case?

KEITH: We need the money, Veronica.

VERONICA: Good, I would've been pissed if you didn't.

KEITH: Well, I wouldn't have cared if you were. Give me some of that apple.

(the phone rings, Veronica grabs it before Keith can stop her)

VERONICA: Mars Investigations..... uh huh, just a sec. (hands the phone to Keith) It's Andy.

KEITH: (on the phone) Keith Mars. How long ago? What's he driving? I'll get the 7:30 out of San Diego and I'll meet you by the thing by the fountain. (to Veronica) My guy's on the move, Andy picked him up in El Paso. Another day and he'll cross the border. I gotta head out.

VERONICA: You go. I'll have the flight booked by the time you get to the airport. Do you want a rental car in Texas?

KEITH: Nothing fancy this time Veronica, serious.

VERONICA: A Blazer is not fancy, and we can bill it anyway.

(Keith throws her a look)

VERONICA: Fine. I'll get you a crown-vic, once a cop (interupted)

KEITH: Don't do anything on the Kane case, I'll handle it.

VERONICA: Okay.

KEITH: Given our relationship with that family (interupted)

VERONICA: Fine. I said, okay.

KEITH: Okay. If all goes well, I'll be back tommorow night and if not the night after. I'll call and I'll check after.... and Veronica?

VERONICA: Yes.

KEITH: When you go after Jake Kane, you take back-up?

VERONICA: (smiles) I always do.

(Veronica in her car, watching Jake Kane)

VVO: By the time Dad's plane landed in El Paso, I had already picked up Jake Kane and followed him to his office. Streaming video was invented and perfected here at Kane Software. The day the company went public, Jake Kane made a billion dollars. Everyone who worked for him, in fact, right down to the secretarial pool became millionaires. He's beloved here. Half the people in this town owe their fortunes to him.

[FLASHBACK]

(Pep-Squad carwash. Veronica and several other girls from pep-squad, including LILLY KANE are having fun)

VVO: And I knew the family well. Jake's son, Duncan, was my first and only love. His daughter Lilly was my best friend.

VERONICA: God Lilly, I see the Prozac's working

LILLY: (smiling) High on life, Veronica Mars.... I've got a secret. A good one.

TEACHER: (angry) Girls. Less talk, more scrub!

LILLY: (still smiling) Later.

VVO: Those were the last words Lilly and I ever shared. Later that night, as I was driving home from picking up dinner with dad. A call came out over the radio. All the dispatcher said was that there was a disturbance at the Kane estate. (Veronica see's Duncan sitting on a bench rocking back and forth like he was in shock) Dad gave me specific instructions to stay in the car, but the moment I saw Duncan, I knew that this was no ordinary disturbance.

VERONICA: (to Duncan) What happened? Duncan, what happened? Where's Lilly?

(Duncan doesn't answer, cut to Keith Mars walking up on Lilly Kane's body. She has a blank look in her eye, and huge gash on her head. She was beaten to death)

VVO: But everyone knows this story. The murder of Lilly Kane. It was on the cover of people magazine, It made entertainment tonight, the town flooded with journalists.

VERONICA: Duncan! Talk to me, please?

VVO: And, of course, everyone remembers reading about the bungling local sheriff - the one who went after the wrong man. That bungling sheriff, my dad. (Veronica runs into the crime scene and see's Lilly dead, she breaks down)

[BACK]

(The Camelot, where we started this episode - Jake Kane is walking into the Camelot)

VVO: If my dad wasn't right about Jake Kane then, it looks like Mrs. Kane is right about him now. Not a lot of high powered business meetings taking place at the Camelot at one o'clock in the morning. They say the divorce rate is twice as high for parents who lose a child. Lose a child. Now there's a euphamism for you. That hardly takes into account the way she was found....

[FLASHBACK]

(Veronica is in the computer labs, where a couple guys are very focused on their computer)

VERONICA: What? You guys find a way to unlock the porn?

STUDENT: It's the Lilly Kane video! How do you think the family feels?

VVO: Six weeks after Lilly Kane's death, someone from the Sheriff's department leaked the crime-scene video. Within 24-hours it was all over the net. Streaming video made it possible. Someone made a fortune, while dad took the blame.

(A very distraught looking Logan Echolls stops Veronica from running out of the computer lab)

LOGAN: So does your father still think that Lilly's father did this? That's my girlfriend. Your friend. Duncan's sister. Your dad is destroying the Kane family. What's the matter with you people, huh? What's the matter with you? (crying)

(the scene cuts to Keith and Lianne arguing over the case in their old apartment. Boxes are packed, and it looks like they're going to be forced to move).

KEITH: He did it Lianne! The man's a liar, nothing changes. (their argument is tuned out by Veronica's voice-over, but we see them continue to fight while she talks)

VVO: My dad's belief that Jake Kane was the murderer became a moot point. An emergency recall election removed him from office. My mom wanted to move out of Neptune. The loss of status, the loss of income was too much for her. We were gonna move, all right. We couldn't afford our house. But Dad wasn't gonna be run out of town, and neither was I.

(A breaking news flash pops up on the TV Veronica is watching in the flashback, it has something to do with the Lilly Kane investigation)

VERONICA: Dad! Come here.

KEITH: (walks over) I'm sorry honey, me and your mom are gonna work this out - I promise.

TV: (reporter is breaking the story that the murderer has been caught)... Sheriff Lamb apprehended Abel Koontz, a disgruntled former Kane Software Employee. Koontz, a software designer, was fired during the development stage of Kane's softwares streaming video project. Shoes and a backpack belonging to the teen were found on Koontz's house-boat....... (Keith Mars gets up and walks away in shock).

[BACK]

(The biker gang pulls up to Veronica's car again, in a repeat of the scene from the start of the episode)

VERONICA: Well.... this can't be good.

(Weevil jestures for Veronica to lower her window, she does)

WEEVIL: Car trouble, miss?

VERONICA: Yeah, as a matter of fact, I think it might be a loose belt. If you wouldn't mind checking under the hood.... (interrupted)

(one of the gang members gets up, and makes for the car)

GANG MEMBER: Weevil! Who gets the first dance? (Just then, Veronica's dog jumps out of the backseat window, knocking the gang member over). Get him off of me! Get him off me! Get him off me!

FELIX: (angry) Girl, you better call of your dog! (walks up to Veronica's window, Veronica pulls out a tazer and blasts him with it) Ahhh!!

VERONICA: (to the dog) Backup, chill. (the dog lets go off the Gang Member) [to weevil] I'll tell you what, we'll call it a draw.

WEEVIL: (amused) Baby, come on, it's too late for that.,

VERONICA: (not scared) Here's the deal: Leave that kid at school alone for a week, and I'll make sure your boys walk.

WEEVIL: Why you care so much for that skinny negro anyway? The things I heard about you, he must really lay the pipe right, huh?

VERONICA: [sarcastic] Yeah, that's it.

(Felix grabs onto Veronica's car to pull himself up, and so pulls the Tazer out again. Felix looks at it and freaks out)

WEEVIL: (quickly) All right, all right, all right. Felix, we get it. You're a bad-ass okay? But for once, don't be stupid.

VERONICA: Not bad advice

WEEVIL: All right. (to Veronica) one week. After that, we come for you, your boy and your little dog too.

VERONICA: (Backup growls) Backup, be cool.

WEEVIL: You get lonely out here, remember; Weevil love you long time. (makes kissing noises, Veronica gives him an sarcastic thumbs-up, and the bikers pull away)

VVO: Quite a reputation I've got, huh? You wanna know how I lost my virginity? So do I.

[FLASHBACK - NIGHT, A PARTY]

(Veronica walks through a bunch of other people who are throwing looks of disgust and hatred at her)

VVO: I went to a party at Shelly Palmroy's just to show everyone their whispers and backstabbing didn't affect me. It was a mistake. (Duncan is necking with some chick, but looks concerned when he sees Veronica. She continues to walk through the people, grabbing a drink on her way) I don't know who handed me the drink. I wish I did. It turns out it was your basic rum, coke and roofie. (Veronica takes a drink, and then stumbles through the party until she passes out on a lawn-chair beside a hot-tub.)

(Morning. Veronica wakes up in a bed, sees her panties on the floor, and realizes what has happened to her. She cries a little, picks them up, and leaves the home).

VVO: I never told my dad. I'm not sure what he would've done with that information, but not good would have come of it. And what does it matter? I'm not longer that girl.

[BACK]

(Jake Kane has just stepped out of his Camelot room. We see a woman's arm, but never get a look at her face)

VERONICA: All right lady, let's see ya. (Veronica takes a picture of Jake standing in the door, talking to the unseen lady - Veronica doesn't get a picture of the woman).

[COMMERCIAL]

(Neptune High Scenes. Veronica is walking through the school parking-lot, when a yellow SUV pulls up beside her. Logan is driving, Duncan is in the passenger seat, and two other male students are in the back)

LOGAN: (to Duncan) Hey, there's Veronica. (to Veronica) Hey, Ronnie. Hey, we've decided that we'd rather surf then study today, you want to come with. (being a dick) Duncan wil promise to take his shirt off, does that sweeten the pot? Does it make you horny? (the guys in the back laugh, Veronica looks angry). (to Duncan) D.K., flex for your ex.

DUNCAN: (annoyed): Shut up, Logan.

LOGAN: (amused): All right, all right. (to Veronica) Hey. Hey. Hey. (gets her attention, and pulls out a flask) What do you say to a little hooch, huh? What's the matter? Aren't you your mothers daughter? Now, there was a woman who could drink. (trying to hurt her) What's she up to nowadays? Maybe she'll join us. You know where she is? Any clue?

DUNCAN: (angry, grabs Logan) Leave her alone, man.

LOGAN: (laughing) Chill pill, man. All right. (to himself) Man, she used to be fun. Bye. (pulls away quickly)

VVO: It's been eight months since I've seen my mother.

[FLASHBACK - VERONICA'S ROOM]

(Veronica gets up, and walks over to her dresser where she sees a note and a music-box)

VVO: A month after dad lost his job, mom split for good. All she left me was a unicorn music box, and a note saying she would be back for me someday. (Veronica crumples up the letter and throws both the letter and unicorn music-box into the garbage).

[BACK]

(Veronica walks over and takes a seat beside Wallace)

WALLACE: Girl.... you should hear what people say about you.

VERONICA: So what are you doing sitting here?

WALLACE: You sat next to me?

VERONICA: This is my table.

WALLACE: (amused) And what a fine table it is. What do you suppose it's made of, Oak?

VERONICA: Look, if people are saying such awful things (interupted)

WALLACE: I figure I've got a choice. I can either go hang-out with the punks that laughed at me, took pictures of me while I was taped to that flagpole, or I can hang out with the chick who cut me down.

VERONICA: (smiles) So do you want to get the PCH (paciffic coast highway) Bike Club off your ass? (Wallace nods, Veronica laughes)

(cut to an art class, there are some people making potery. Veronica and Wallace are talking to a stoner named CORNY)

CORNY: This is so twisted. I love it.

VERONICA: Well, can you do it? We need it fast.

CORNY: Oh hell yeah, for you? Anything. I'll even throw in the glazing gratis (Veronica and Wallace leave) [to himself] Oh... my god (laughs)

(cut to Veronica's room, she has a wall full of photographs. Thinks Wall Of Weird on Smallville)

VVO: While Corny did his thing, I downloaded the pictures from the Camelot. Every girl's gotta have a hobby, photography is mine.

(musical montage, Veronica goes through the photo's from the Camelot the previous night on her lap-top. She prints them out, and posts one on the board. It shows a cars licence plate).

(Cut to the mars main-room. Keith Mars walks in looking somber and sighs)

VERONICA: (waiting to here how he did on his case) And?

KEITH: (looks sad, but then breaks out into a smile) Who's your daddy?

VERONICA: Ugh, you know I hate it when you say that.

KEITH: (amused) You know what, this is important. You remember this, I used to be cool!

VERONICA: (amused) When?

KEITH: '77. Trans Am, Blue Oyster Cult in the eight-track, a foxy, stacked blonde riding
shotgun, racing for pink slips.... no, what a minute I'm thinking of a Springsteen song, scratch that, I was never cool.

VERONICA: I don't know what bothers me more; "foxy" or "stacked".

KEITH: I nailed our bail-jumper at 100 yards from Mexico. Twenty-five hundred bucks. No sack dinners tonight, tonight we eat like the lower-middle class to which we aspire. Fire up the hibachi!(dances into the Kitchen, then peaks his head back out to the main-room) For real, steaks?

(cut to the balcony, where Keith is cooking steaks on a small grill)

VERONICA: (carrying the printed photo) So Jake Kane went to the Camelot last night, and hooked up with some hussy.

KEITH: Didn't I say something about you not getting involved in that?

VERONICA: I remember you saying something about taking backup.

KEITH: You get pictures?

VERONICA: No money shot. The woman in question never stepped a foot outside the door. But I did get pictures of licence plates, I figured you could run them.

KEITH: (laughes) Let's see them (he looks at the pictures and his mood changes to shocked and angry) You stay away from Jake Kane. I don't want you doing anything else on this case. We're gonna drop it anyway. I'll let his wife know.

VERONICA: What? We're dropping the case? Why, what's wrong? Who is it? Why don't you just tell me?

KEITH: (angry) Veronica, no! It's done, it's over with, stay away from him. (storms off, leaving Veronica shocked).

(cut to Veronica sitting in her car outside of a strip-club, The Seventh Veil)

VVO: I had another case to occupy my brain. Loretta Cancun says the seventh-veil has an interesting way of keeping their liquor license (she pulls out a camcorder). This was phase one of my plan to save Wallace, phase two would begin the next day.

(cut to the hallways of school, where Veronica and Wallace are hurrying through the halls)

VERONICA: Let's go.

WALLACE: Hey, flo jo. Slow your ass down.

(they round the corner and see Logan opening his locker for Vice Principal Clemens and Deputy Sachs, Veronica looks mischievious)

LOGAN: There you go (opens the locker to reveal a novelty bong)

CLEMENS: (grabs the bong) Well, what's this, Logan? This would appear to be a device used for smoking Marijuana.

SACHS: That's exactly what it looks like.

(The bell rings, and the hallways fill with students switching classes)

CLEMENS: All right, to the office.

(A male student notices Logan, Clemens, Sachs and the bong)

MALE STUDENT: Oh man, Logan's busted (laughs)

(Logan notices Veronica smirking at him in the corner, and walks over to her angry)

LOGAN: It was you. Listen, I know it was you. This isn't over, okay? (Veronica fake-sighs) Oh, you're so cute. I'm going to get you. (he gets taken away by Deputy Sachs) I will!

(Corny walks up and looks pleased)

CORNY: (to Veronica) Solid. (walks away)

WALLACE: (to Veronica) You're right, that was funny.

VERONICA: Meet me at my car after school. Let's see if you've done your part.

(cut to the outside of the Sheriff's department, where Veronica and Wallace sit in Veronica's car)

VVO: After school, I drove Wallace to the Sheriff's department. This was phase three.

WALLACE: (holding a remote control) We could get into a lot of trouble for this.

VERONICA: (thinking he's chickening out) give it here!

WALLACE: (yanks the remote control away from Veronica) Wait. I'm gonna do it. I just thought one of us should state the obvious.

(Wallace hits a switch on the control. Cut to the evidence locker in the Sheriff's department where the bong starts smoking like crazy and the fire alarm goes off)

WALLACE: I wonder if it worked?

(A foreign secretary sees the smoke and here's the fire alarm)

WOMAN: (speaks some German, then) Der Fire!

(A fire-truck pulls up at the Sheriff's department, and several fire-fighters run into the building)

VERONICA: (smiles at Wallace) it worked.

(The fire-fighters go into the evidence locker. Cut to the fire-house where Veronica is walking in)

VERONICA: Hey, Adam. Hey, Eddie. Is the chief around (interupted)

FIRE CHEIF: Well, if it isn't smoky the barely legal.

VERONICA: Hey Billy, I saw you in action today - you were very brave. Did you make the switch?

FIRE CHEIF: Fait accompli (hands her a yellow envelope)

VERONICA: Thank you.

(cut to Veronica's room, where she's looking at the photo of the license-plate from the Camelot)

VVO: Plenty of people in this town still love Dad. That comes in handy sometimes. Other times, you have to rely on your own devices.

(Veronica picks up the phone)

VERONICA: (fakes an accent) Tony, it's Inga. Listen, our computers (sic) is down again.

TONY: Inga!? Upgrade already. This must be the tenth time.

VERONICA: (still with the fake accent) Preach to the choir, Tony. Listen, we had a hit and run last night. Victim got the plates, but we need to run them.

TONY: No problem. Hit me.

VERONICA: Arizona, Four, Victor, Golf, Zero, Zero, Zero.

TONY: (amazed) I'll be damned. Some families.

VERONICA: What is it?

TONY: That car is registered to one Lianne Mars. (Veronica's shocked)

[COMMERCIAL]

(Veronica is just hanging up the phone when Keith Mars opens her door)

KEITH: Bored. Call it day, maybe catch a movie or something?

VERONICA: (annoyed) Explain to me again why we're dropping the Kane case?

KEITH: Look..... I did, run those plates, and uh, it's what I thought. Corporate espionage stuff. It's dangerous, and we're not getting paid enough.... so.... let's just drop it, okay.

VERONICA: (annoyed) Okay.

KEITH: Movie? What are you in the mood for?

VERONICA: No.

KEITH: Maybe we could rent something (Veronica leaves).

(Sheriff's Deparment. Veronica is walking up to the counter where the foreign woman from before, Inga, is)

INGA: Veronica. Oh, little Veronica, how are you? How's your father?

VERONICA: Fine, Inga. We're both fine.

INGA: I haven't seen you since... since...

VERONICA: Been a while. Can you tell where the Cortez/Nguyen prelim is?

INGA: Courtroom three.

VERONICA: Thanks.

(Veronica walks away)

VVO: The last time I was here? Come on Inga, that's easy.

[FLASHBACK - SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT]

(Veronica is shown walking into the station the morning she was raped)

INGA: Veronica (looks at her), What happened to you?

VERONICA: (in shock) I need to report a crime.

(cut to Veronica talking to Sheriff Lamb in his office)

LAMB: (amused) Is there anyone in particular you'd like me to arrest, or should I just round up the sons of the most important families in town. I don't have a shred of evidence to go by, but that doesn't matter to your family, now does it? (Veronica's crying) Look at this, she cries. (scoffs). I'll tell you what, Veronica Mars, why don't you go see the wizard. Ask him for a little backbone.

(cut to the courtroom, where the two bikers who Veronica promised to get off are being arraigned)

LAMB: (testifying) When we find them, they've still got twenty-bottles stuffed in their pockets. (Lamb see's Veronica walk into the courtroom looking smug, goes back to testifying) They said they bought the beers, but we've got it all on tape.

PROSECUTION LAWYER: Your honor, can we show the tape.

JUDGE: Let's see it.

LAMB: (as the baliff presses play on the video) All right, what you're gonna see here are the defendants. They enter and.... (notices it's not the same tape).

JUDGE: What are we seeing here, Sheriff. (a police officer and a hooker are coming out of the strip-club, the seventh veil)

LAMB: (at a loss) Your honor, I....

JUDGE: Sheriff Lamb, is this one of your officers? Is this how you run your department?

(the hooker does down on the deputy inside the police car)

CLIFF: (who's the defendant) Uh... Your honor, is this an appropriate time to ask for a dismissal in People V. Loretta Cancun?

(Lamb looks up at Veronica, who winks at him and makes a gun jesture with her hand. Lamb looks pissed, and Cliff turns and smiles at Veronica, who gets up and walks out of the courtroom)

(cut to the beach, where Veronica pulls up and see's Wallace flying his model airplane again. Veronica grabs the envelope from before, and walks towards him.)

VERONICA: Got a present for you. (hands him the envelope)

WALLACE: (relieved) I owe you, big time.

VERONICA: I had my own reasons for doing it, trust me.

WALLACE: Oh no you don't. You think I'm gonna let you get away with that? That might play with the masses, but underneath that angry young-woman shell there's a slightly less angry young-woman, and you're dying to beg me for something. You're a marshmallow, Veronica Mars. A Twinkie.

(cut to Veronica playing with Wallace's model airplane, Wallace notices something)

VERONICA: Okay, how do I make it loop-the-loop?

WALLACE: Veronica.

VERONICA: Yeah.

WALLACE: Your car.

(Veronica and Wallace walk over to Veronica's car, where Logan and three of his friends are laughing. Logan is lying on the hood of her car and spinning a tire-iron in his hands)

LOGAN: Hey! Veronica Mars. Do you know what your little joke cost me?

VERONICA: Well, I'm pretty sure you won't be getting your bong back.

(Logan smashes her headlight with the tire-iron, Veronica winces)

LOGAN: (angry) Wrong answer. Would you care to guess again?

VERONICA: Clearly, your sense of humor.

(Logan smashes the other headlight)

LOGAN: Nope. And you're usually so good at pop-quizzes. No, the correct answer is my car. That's right, my daddie took my T-Bird away, and you know what I won't be having: Fun, fun, fun!

LOGAN'S FRIEND: Uh.... Logan

(The entire PCH Motorcycle Gang pulls up at the beach)

WEEVIL: (to Logan) Well, what do we have here. Vandalism? Oh, no no no no no. The only vandalism that happens in this town, goes through me.

LOGAN: (intimidated) Listen man, I don't have a problem with you.

WEEVIL: That's where you're wrong.

(Felix is rifling through Logan's friends truck, and comes out of the window with a CD)

FELIX: Hey, yo, is this O-Town any good? I mean, my little sister likes it..... (bikers laugh) But you know, she looks ponies and juiceboxes too.

WALLACE: (quitely to Veronica) I feel like I'm living a scene from The Outsiders.

VERONICA: (quitely to Wallace) Be cool, soda-pop.

(Weevil grabs the tire-iron from Logan and walks over to the rich-kids truck)

LOGAN'S FRIEND: Hey, that's not my car that's my mom's car.

WEEVIL: She can bill me.

(Weevil breaks the headlight, and dents the hood of the car with a few blows from the Tire Iron. Logan is less then impressed).

WEEVIL: (to Logan's friend) That's it. Head for the hills. I'm not gonna say it, twice. (to Logan) Except for you. You say your sorry (motions to Veronica).

LOGAN: (amused) Heh. Rub a lamp.

(Weevil punches Logan in the stomache, bringing him to his knee's. Logan gets back up)

WEEVIL: I said; say your sorry!

LOGAN: (looks at Veronica, and then looks at Weevil) Kiss my ass.

(Weevil punches Logan in the face, giving him a bloody nose. Veronica doesn't look happy about this).

WEEVIL: (laughes) Now.... (interupted)

VERONICA: Let him go.

WEEVIL: Are you sure? I could do this for a while.

VERONICA: I don't want his apology.

(Logan wipes the blood from his nose, and walks away)

LOGAN: (to his buddies, sarcastic) I hope you guys are comfortable.

WEEVIL: So that surveillance tape? It just...poof?

VERONICA: That's fortunate.

(Logan and friends drive away)

WEEVIL: (looking at Veronica's car) My uncle has a body-shop on the highway. If you come in, I can make sure your body gets the full-service treatment.

VERONICA: Okay, now you apologize.

WEEVIL: I'm sorry, was that too dirty, cause (interrupted)

VERONICA: Not to me dork, to him (motions to Wallace)

WEEVIL: Right..... no.

VERONICA: Fine. He has the only copy of the sac-in-pac video. Wallace? Let's go decide what to do with it. (Wallace nods)

WEEVIL: Wait, wait, wait. I'm sorry man, for, you know, taping you to the flagpole. I'm sorry.

WALLACE: All right.

WEEVIL: Can I have the tape back now?

WALLACE: Nope.

(Veronica laughes, and her and Wallace walk away from Weevil and the bikers)

(cut to Veronica driving in the dark)

VVO: This morning when I woke up, I had one person in the world I could count on. But if there's something I've learned in this business, the people you love let you down. (she stops at her Dad's office, and he's just locking up and going to his car. When he pulls away, Veronica gets out and goes into his office).

(Veronica walks into his office, and goes straight for the safe)

VVO: Dad doesn't think I know where he keeps the combination to the safe. He's wrong. Of course, I've never needed to use it. (she opens it, it's filled with files. She flips through and pulls out the Lilly Kane file). Oh my god, the Lilly Kane murder file? He left it open. Some of these notes are less then a month old. The confessed killer is already on death-row, but dad still hasn't given up on the case. My survelliance photo from the Camelot, what is it doing in there? What was mom doing there, and what business does she have their with Jake Kane? And the million dollar question: Why did dad lie to me?

(Veronica sits at her desk, when Keith Mars walks back in)

KEITH: What are you doing back here? I saw the light.

VERONICA: (lies) I forgot a few of my books.

KEITH: (upbeat) Let's up and atem then. It's family fun night. I called out to Mama Leoni's, I rented the South Park Movie.

VERONICA: My favorite.

KEITH: Hey.... who's your daddy.

VERONICA: (realizes something) You are. I have to make a stop, so I'll met you hate home.

KEITH: Well, hurry up. I worry about you.

VERONICA: (kisses his forehead) Yeah, you do.

(Keith notices the Unicorn Music-Box that Lianne left with Veronica just before she left them)

VVO: Okay, so he lied to me. But I've gotta believe he has his reasons. He's probably trying to protect me. That's what Dad's do. Still, I've got too many questions swirling around in my head to wait until he's ready to share. These questions need answers. That's what I do.

(Veronica knocks at door of the motel room her mother and Jake Kane where in at the Camelot)

VVO: Okay, it's a long shot. But I can't help myself. I used to think I knew what tore our family apart. Now I'm sure I don't. But I promise this; I will find out what really happened, and I will bring this family back together again. I'm sorry, is that mushy? Well, you know what they say, Veronica Mars: She's a marshmallow.

[FADE OUT]