"Okay, so let me get this straight-"
Billy drove them down a busy interstate approximately fifteen minutes later. From the passenger's seat, Molly attempted to explain to the boys what Gale had told her, Stu kept insisting that it made no sense.
"You're telling us that Cotton Weary was murdered-" Stu said from the backseat.
Molly sighed. "Yes, Stu."
"-and that the killer left a picture of Maureen Prescott on his body-"
"Yes."
"-and that Monty Lipton's fingerprints were found on the knife used to kill him-"
"YES. STU." Molly said, exasperated. "That's exactly what I told you, like- five seconds ago. Were you even listening?!"
"I was, it just doesn't make any fucking sense!" Stu tried to defend himself.
"I know it doesn't! That's why we're going to meet Gale at Sunrise Studios. She thinks it has something to do with the movie." Molly told him.
"Do you really think that's a good idea? We really should be laying low right now. And I mean, they're making a movie about us there and there's gonna be a shit-ton of reporters and-and Cotton Weary was literally there yesterday, I mean..." Stu lowered his voice, as if there was other people in the car besides the three of them. "What if the killer is somebody there? What if Gale was right - what if it's the killer."
Molly glanced back at him, silent. It was Billy who spoke, looking at Stu through the mirror; "We'll just have to find out, won't we?"
"Probably some psycho fan pissed off they killed Randy in Stab 2." Said Tyson Fox as he and some of the other actors from the work-in-progress film Stab 3 sat around the front steps of one of the houses on set.
Sitting with Tyson - who played a new character named Ricky - was Sarah Darling who played a girl named Candy, Angelina Tyler who played Sidney Prescott, Tom Prinze who played Dewey Riley, and the two men who were constantly stuck at each other's sides; Christopher Craig and Joey Poppem who played Stu Macher and Billy Loomis.
Instead of going through their scripts as they were supposed to, they kept bringing up the topic of the murder of Cotton Weary and his girlfriend Christine.
"Well, Tyson, that'd make you next." Said Christopher with a slight smirk. "Right?"
Tyson glared up at Christopher. "I am not a Randy substitute. I'm my own character." He insisted.
Sarah scoffed. "Named Ricky, who works at the video store."
"Its a homage."
Tom sat down on a prop. "Hey, what if the killer's Sidney Prescott?" He wondered. Tyson and Christopher both let out laughs. "I mean what the hell ever happened to her. She's probably off in the woods livin' like the fuckin' Unabomber, man." He sounded like he really believed what he was saying.
"That's so stupid." Christopher laughed again.
"Is it?" Joey said from beside him. Everyone turned to him, and he shrugged slightly. "I mean...Maybe its not Sidney Prescott, but...what about Billy Loomis and Stu Macher?"
"But they're innocent?" Sarah said from her chair, furrowing her eyebrows. "They just had that trial and everything, its what's sending Monty Lipton to the chair."
"Are they, though?" Joey raised an eyebrow. "I mean, if they were innocent, why'd they run off after Woodsboro? They wouldn't have done that unless they had something to hide, right?"
Christopher shook his head slightly. "Joe, you're starting to sound Tom." Joey gave him a look. "Okay, come on - Billy Loomis and Stu Macher? So nineties. Unoriginal. Besides, all of them - even Sidney Prescott and Molly Birist - were diagnosed with either depression, severe PTSD, or insomnia because of everything that's happened to them. You really think any of them would want to turn into what tried to kill them?"
Joey just shrugged again. "Maybe."
Christopher rolled his eyes. "Oh my fuckin' God,"
On the steps below them, Angelina spoke up anxiously. "I'm starting to see why Winona Ryder and Tori Spelling and everyone else didn't want to come back." She muttered.
"Guys," sighed Sarah. "This was about Cotton." She told them. "We're not in any danger."
" 'We are not in any danger,' says Candy, page fifteen." Tyson read from his script, causing Sarah to glare over at him.
"I don't see you leavin'." She said.
Tyson scoffed, looking at her over his shoulder. "You think serious black actors my age can just throw away jobs? It's all a business now! They got Usher doing Pinter off-Broadway. L.L. Cool J's Shakespearin' in the park!"
"Maybe it's not meant to be." Angelina said quietly.
"Not meant to be?" Tom questioned. "You win that talent search for the new Sidney, fifty thousand girls and they pick you. You gotta be praying this movie keeps going!"
Angelina glared back at him. "Of course I am, but not at the expense of people's lives."
"Oh," Tom laughed. "Cue the violins, right?"
Tyson and Christopher laughed with him slightly, but the other three stated silent. Whether they wanted to admit it or not, they all knew something was about to happen. Something bad.
Sunrise Studios was an absolute nightmare when Billy, Molly and Stu arrived.
They all slipped on sunglasses as they exited the car - as they were now so used to doing - and pushed their way through the crowd of reporters outside the front gates. Due to the chaos that the security guards were dealing with, it was quite easy for the three of them to slip through the side gate and enter the studio.
"Molly!"
They stopped walking and turned their heads when a familiar voice called their name, and they saw Gale Weathers hurrying towards them.
"You made it," She said, out of breath. She fell in step beside Molly as they started walking again.
"Yeah," Molly said. "It better be for a good reason, you've got Stu in a panic over here."
Stu gave her a look, though it was hard to see exactly what the look was because of the sunglasses over his eyes. "Hey, I have every right to be. Okay?" He told Molly. Then he looked around her. "Gale, what exactly are we doing here? I mean, Cotton was killed in his home, right? Not here."
"No, but he was leaving here when the killer called him." Gale said. "He was literally making a movie called Stab. He was stabbed."
Stu hesitated before nodding once. "Okay. That checks out."
Then it was Billy's turn to interrogate the reporter. "What does this have to do with Monty Lipton?" He asked. "How'd the killer get his fingerprints if he's been in prison for the past four years?"
"I don't know." Gale sighed seeming irritated with the amount of questions being thrown at her. "That's what I'm trying to figure out. And this studio - it's the best place to start."
It was surprising how easy it was to get into studio number sixteen through the side door. No one stopped them, or even noticed them walk in and look around with wide eyes.
"Jesus," Stu whispered as they looked at the exact replicas of the houses they grew up in from Woodsboro.
"Deja vu..." Gale said, reaching into her bag.
Molly shook her head, seeing the setup of her old house ahead of them. "This really is 'Return To Woodsboro'."
At the sound of Gale rustling around in her bag, the other three look over to see the reporter strategically placing her camera inside so the lens pointed through a hole in the side.
"Really?" Molly asked Gale with a disappointed sigh.
Gale looked up at her. "What? It's just so we don't miss anything!"
"Yeah, sure."
The four them walked away from the side door and further into the busy studio, looking around at all of the setups ahead of them, and getting unpleasant flashbacks.
"Gale Weathers!" Gasped a voice behind them.
They all stopped momentarily to see Jennifer Jolie, the actress who played Gale in the Stab movies, rushing up to them with an awed look on her face. Gale sighed to herself.
Jennifer's eyes got wider as she realized who was standing with Gale. "A-and Molly Birist! And Billy Loomis, and Stu Macher! Oh, wow! I-it's such a honor to meet all of you!" She gushed. Molly, Stu and Billy just gave her awkward smiles, while Gale didn't even attempt to look friendly and Jennifer turned back to her. "I- listen, I-I- I know we've never met - and I don't mind you never returning my calls - but I have to tell you after two films, I feel like I am in your head!"
Jennifer followed them as the group of four started walking again. The two boys exchanged glances with Molly that clearly said "that's weird as fuck". Gale just looked utterly put off at Jennifer's presence.
"Hm, well that would explain my constant headaches." Gale smiled fakely.
Jennifer flipped her hair and tried to sound more professional as she walked with them. "You know, I'm sorry things didn't work out on 60 Minutes II," she said. "But Total Entertainment, that's a pretty good fallback."
"Thank you." Gale chided, sounding offended as she stopped walking. "I'm sorry that things didn't work out with Brad Pitt - but being single, that's a pretty good fallback!"
Molly, Billy and Stu stopped a few feet away and watched with wide eyes. They had a feeling that shit was about to go down.
Jennifer flipped her hair again. "Gives me more time for my work. After all, Gale Weathers, you're such a complex character." Molly put a hand to her mouth and raised her eyebrows.
"And to be played by an actress with such depth and range!" Gale shot back sarcastically. This time, Stu raised his eyebrows and whispered "oh, damn".
Gale turned to walk away, but stopped in her tracks when she almost ran into someone very familiar.
"Uh, Jennifer, Nick said you wanted to-" Dewey Riley cut himself off as he saw the shocked reporter in front of him. "Gale."
"Dewey." Gale breathed. She looked between him and Jennifer, still surprised at his appearance.
Dewey shook his head. "Well, surprise surprise. Someone dies and Gale comes running." He said.
"Dewey!" Said Molly as she ran up to him. From the look on his face, Dewey was more surprised to see Molly Birist there than he was Gale Weathers.
"Molly? -oh-" Dewey said as the girl gave him a quick hug. He looked up as the boys came walking over. "Billy, Stu," He nodded at them and they did the same back. "What are you guys doing here?" He both sounded and looked upset at the fact the three of them were in public. "You're supposed to be staying on the low. You guys really shouldn't be here, especially not right now." His tone of voice showed his anxiety. "Like- you really, really shouldn't be here."
Billy ticked an eyebrow. "Someone died." He said. "We came running."
Dewey stared at him for a moment before looking back to Gale, who attempted to appear innocent.
Jennifer smirked and walked past her to stand close to Dewey's side. "Gale, I think you'll really appreciate my character work in this one." She said. "Someone's helped me understand the real you." She looked up at Dewey.
Gale looked to Dewey too. "Someone?"
"Your ruthless ambition, your private self-loathing...and that lost and lonely little girl inside." Jennifer said sadly.
Gale gave her a look. "Lost and lonely what?"
"You heard me." Jennifer said, and took what Dewey was holding from his hand. "Thanks, Dewey, I'll return it." Then she turned and walked away, causing Gale to glare venomously.
"Lost and lonely what?!" She called after the actress.
Dewey turned back to her. "Little girl inside." He told her quietly.
Gale shot a last glance at the leaving Jennifer before hissing at Dewey. "I thought you were supposed to be in Woodsboro!?"
"Well, I'm surprised you thought about me at all." Dewey said with resentment. "Listen, I gotta get back to work. I really don't have time for this. Molly, I really think you and the boys should leave." He pushed past Gale to walk away, but she caught his arm.
"Wait a minute-" she said, but Molly beat her to it.
"You work here?!" Molly gasped.
"Yeah." Dewey said. "The movie needed a technical advisor. Someone who went through the real experience, knew the real people. And don't make me say it again - please leave. Go home. It's not safe out here for you guys."
"Hey, Dewey," nodded Tom Prinze as he and Jane Barbonda walked past. Tom was dressed as none other than Deputy Dewey Riley, mustache and all. It made the four new arrivals gawk.
Dewey nodded back. "Hey, Tom. Hey, Jane."
Tom and Jane turned as they passed Dewey, to see if the people he was talking to was really who they thought. They quickly found their suspicions were confirmed.
"Heyyy!" Tom said, him and Jane walking back. "It's the real Gale Weathers and the real Molly Birist." He nudged Jane in the side. "And the real serial killers."
His last sentence made Billy tilt his head and cross his arms irritably, while Stu just raised one of his eyebrows lazily.
"Tom Prinze." He introduced, reaching a hand forward for them to shake, but neither of the boys would. Tom chuckled awkwardly and moved his hand for Molly to shake, which she did so reluctantly. "Molly Birist, wow. May I just say; you're much prettier in person." He smiled. Molly just knitted her eyebrows in a way that said "that's kinda creepy". Unbeknownst to Tom, Stu was narrowing his eyes at him. Tom shook Gale's hand next. "I watch your show all the time." He told her. "You're so right. Pop culture is the politics of the twenty first century."
Gale smiled. "Thank you."
"And that story you did last month on me crashing my car?" Tom said, suddenly sarcastic. "Wow, was that ever powerful journalism."
Gale's face fell. "Right..uh-"
"I especially liked the way you implied that it was caused by drinking and drugs. And that the tire blowout was faked. That was great." He turned to walk away.
Gale called after him in attempts to save her dignity. "Tom, sometimes in journalism you have to-"
Tom looked back at her. "Are you parked in the lot?" He asked. " 'Cause I should check to make sure that nobody's messed with your brake line." He smirked and shot her finger guns before turning around and continuing to walk off.
Jane Barbonda sighed and turned back to the studio guests. "I'm really sorry about him." She said, causing them to look back at her. "He's a total shithead." She laughed slightly. "Um, I'm Jane Barbonda. I'm playing Molly. I just wanna say, it's such a pleasure to meet all of you in person." She held her hand out and shook with Gale, and then with Molly. When she turned to Stu and Billy, she gave them an apologetic smile. "Again, I'm really sorry about Tom. Him - y'know - calling you guys serial killers. H-he knows you're not," Jane quickly said. "-but he...he's a big conspirator, he watches true crime and stuff..."
"Don't sweat it." Stu said, shaking her hand. "It's not his fault, anyways. The media can be very persuasive these days." He shot a glance at Gale, who narrowed her eyes at him in offense.
Billy quickly unfolded his arms to shake Jane's hand. "Uh, Billy." He introduced himself.
"Obviously." Jane smiled.
Billy let out a awkward laugh. "Uh, yeah. Obviously."
Jane turned to look over at Dewey. "By the way, Joey and Chris need to talk to you ASAP, Dewey." She told him.
Dewey nodded. "Got it. Bye, Jane."
"Bye, Dewey." Jane turned and walked away in the same direction Tom disappeared to.
Molly hummed and leaned over to whisper to Stu. "She's cool."
Stu shrugged. "Eh. She's like a less cooler version of you." He said.
"Well, that's not what Bill thinks." Molly said back, nodding towards the other boy.
Stu turned his head, and saw that Billy was still watching Jane leave. Stu smirked slightly and shook his head.
"Gale, what exactly are you doing here? And why did you drag them with you? You know it isn't a good idea for them to be here, I'm serious." Dewey asked Gale, sounding impatient.
Gale sighed. "I did not come here to fight with you, Dewey. Cotton's killer left a picture."
"Of Sid's mom." Dewey nodded. "The detectives told me."
"Well, does Sidney know about it?" Gale asked, stepping forward.
"Listen, Sidney doesn't need you and your camera in her life." Dewey told Gale.
"Do you see a camera?!" Gale accused him. Dewey just cleared his throat and looked down at her purse. Gale glanced down too and sighed upon realization. "Right. You bought me this purse, didn't you?"
"Yeah."
"Look, it-it's a habit." Gale tried to defend herself. "I-I walk outta the house, I turn it on. It's like perfume."
"What the hell is this?!" Said a man's voice behind them. "Gale Weathers?"
"Could I be more popular?!" Gale groaned turning around to see John Milton - owner of Sunrise Studios - walking out of the set-replica of Molly's old house.
"No press on set!" Milton said. "Get them outta here!" He demanded.
"Yes, Mr. Milton." Said a nearby security guard, him and a few others walking over. He grabbed Gale's arm. "Let's go."
"Wait a minute! Where is detective Kincaid?!" Gale said.
"Hey, watch the hands!" Stu complained as they were all dragged away from Dewey.
"We're working with Kincaid, Dewey!" Gale called.
"Rules are rules, Gale." Dewey called after her. "But, really, it was great seeing you. All of you."