FADE IN

The same scene as before.

ARES:
     I always knew you'd end up dragging me into this Greater Good business. (pause) Look, not to doubt your many skills, but how exactly do you plan on pulling this one off?

XENA:
     We'll deal with that when the time comes.

ARES:
     Why don't I like the sound of that?

GABRIELLE (sighs):
     I wish I could help you.

Xena puts her hands on Gabrielle's shoulders in a tender gesture.

XENA:
     You will be helping me--by making sure the refugees get safely to Petra, as we promised.

GABRIELLE:
     Yeah, but you're still going to do the heavy lifting.

ARES:
     She's got a point.

XENA (turns to him with a slight, sly grin):
     You're not complaining about a chance to fight at my side, are you?

Ares thinks for a moment, then grins.

ARES:
     Let's hear it for heavy lifting.

XENA:
     Good. We head out at first light.

Xena and Ares share a long, lingering look. Gabrielle notices this and turns toward Darion.

GABRIELLE:
     Why don't we head back to camp and get some sleep?

DARION:
     Sure.

Gabrielle stands up and picks up Samuel, careful not to wake him. She and Darion walk back toward the refugee camp.

The fire crackles as Xena and Ares continue to stare at each other. Ares takes her hand, rubbing their fingers together gently as she watches him.

After a moment they lean toward each other and kiss; it is a tender kiss at first, then growing more intense and filled with urgency. They pull apart, breathless, and stare at each other again, still holding hands.

ARES (a little awkwardly):
     It's been a long time.

XENA (smiles a little):
     Yeah, it has...

ARES (with a small grin):
     Well, I hope I still remember the basics.

XENA (teasing):
     Oh, I'm sure it'll come back to you.

They embrace again.

DISSOLVE TO

Xena and Ares are on the ground, still clothed. Ares is on his back, Xena above him, kissing him. Ares moves his hand to her arm, pulling her closer.

They both moan slightly as the camera pans upward for a clear view of the starry night sky and holding there for a few moments.

Then:

CROSS-FADE TO

The ruins in the night.

DISSOLVE TO

Xena and Ares are lying together, Ares' cloak covering them. Xena is draped over Ares, resting her head on his chest, her eyes half-closed. He has an arm around her.

ARES (a quiet intensity in his voice):
     I've missed you.

XENA (sleepily but a little mischievously):
     I noticed.

He strokes her hair. She raises herself up a little, leans forward and kisses him gently.

XENA:
     I missed you, too. (sighs, resting her head on his chest again) We leave at dawn. Get some sleep.

Pull back for a view of Xena and Ares asleep in each other's arms.

CUT TO

Daybreak. A Roman camp. The Israelite prisoners are gathered in an area of the camp under the watch of a couple of Roman guards. Most of the Israelites and the Romans are still asleep.

The camera pulls in on two young Israelites, still chained but managing to move quietly, with large sticks in their hands.

Close-up on one of the Roman guards. He is knocked out from behind and falls with a thud.

The camera pulls back to show the other guard lying unconscious next to him. The two Israelites nod to each other and sneak to the area where the horses are, untying two of them.

VOICE (off-camera):
     Prisoners escaping!

The Israelite men quickly mount the horses even as several Romans come running toward them. The entire camp starts to wake up. The other Israelite prisoners shout and cheer as they realize what's going on.

The two escapees ride out of the camp. One of the Romans draws back a bow and shoots an arrow. It lodges in the back of one of the Israelite men and he falls from his horse, dead, as the horse continues to race away. The other Israelite sees this and looks pained but continues to ride on. Several Roman horsemen give chase but cannot catch up with him.

One of them shoots another arrow at the rider but the arrow is lost in the cloud of dust behind the horse as it rides away.

The Romans look at each other in obvious displeasure.

CUT TO

A long shot of the refugee camp among the ruins. Most people are still asleep; some campfires still burn from the night before.

CUT TO

Xena and Gabrielle are hugging. Xena pulls back and smiles. She is wearing a cloak similar to the one in "Motherhood".

XENA:
     Stay safe. I'll see you in Petra.

GABRIELLE:
     Yeah. (she looks at Ares, who is also wearing his cloak, and then back at Xena; she smiles a little to lighten the mood) Don't do anything I wouldn't do.

ARES:
     And that would leave us what exactly?

Xena grins at him and shakes her head.

XENA (to Gabrielle):
     See you soon.

She walks over to a brown horse that is saddled and ready for travel, Ares' horse beside it, also ready. Xena mounts and Ares follows suit; they ride off, Xena turning once to look at Gabrielle.

Pan to Gabrielle and Darion as they watch Xena and Ares ride away.

DARION:
     Good luck! (waves)

Off to the side, the camera pans to Naomi who is holding Samuel in her arms, looking on thoughtfully as Gabrielle watches Xena leave.

DISSOLVE TO

Xena and Ares are riding, the ruins in the distance behind them.

CUT TO

A small group of children, mostly boys between 9 and 14 years old, are herding goats beside a few sparse trees.

In the distance, a horse is galloping toward them. One of the children looks up. The rider comes into view. It's the Israelite prisoner that had escaped the Roman camp. There is an arrow lodged in his shoulder and he wobbles in the saddle, weak from the blood loss and the heat. He attempts to slow the horse down as he approaches but instead, leans too far to one side, loses his balance and falls out of the saddle. The horse begins to bolt away but two of the boys grab its reigns and calm it down.

All of the children gather around the man lying in the dirt. He coughs, his hands still bound by the manacles. One of the girls offers him a waterskin.

The man looks up at them and takes the waterskin, drinking greedily. There is dried blood around the wound where the arrow had lodged itself into his shoulder. He gives the waterskin back to the girl and tries to sit up but falls back when pain shoots through his wounded shoulder. He lies on his back.

TEN-YEAR-OLD BOY:
     What happened to you?

ISRAELITE MAN:
     I escaped.

TEN-YEAR-OLD BOY:
     From who?

ISRAELITE MAN (bitter):
     The Romans.

FOURTEEN-YEAR-OLD GIRL (gasps):
     You're from Jerusalem.

The man nods.

TWELVE-YEAR-OLD BOY:
     We heard what went down there, but--we don't really know much about it.

ISRAELITE MAN (grim):
     Trust me, child. It's not something you want to know.

CUT TO

Xena and Ares are riding through the desert. Ahead of them, they see the sparse trees and the group of goat herders gathered around the Israelite.

As they ride up, Xena slows down and Ares does likewise. She sees the Israelite man sitting under the tree, the arrow in his shoulder and his hands manacled.

XENA:
     What happened?

She dismounts and walks toward the man.

FOURTEEN-YEAR-OLD GIRL (concerned):
     You're not Romans, are you?

Xena shoots her a disgusted look.

XENA:
     No.

TEN-YEAR-OLD BOY (points to the Israelite man):
     He's escaped from the Romans. He's hurt. Maybe you can help him?

In the background, Ares dismounts.

Xena eagerly approaches the man and squats down next to him.

XENA:
     You escaped? You were part of the convoy headed to Caesarea?

ISRAELITE MAN:
     Yes. My brother and I tried to escape. He was killed; I almost was.

XENA:
     So you're from Jerusalem.

ISRAELITE MAN (bitter):
     There is no more Jerusalem.

Xena looks away, feeling guilty; then turns to the man again.

XENA:
     What's your name?

ISRAELITE MAN:
     My name is Aaron.

XENA (looks at the arrow in his shoulder):
     All right. Let's start by pulling this out.

Xena picks up a stick on the ground and gives it to Aaron.

XENA:
     Bite on this.

She puts the stick in Aaron's mouth and he bites down on it. She puts one hand firmly around the shaft of the arrow.

XENA:
     You ready?

Aaron nods. She turns to Ares, who is coming up.

XENA:
     Hand me the wineskin, will you?

Ares goes to get the wineskin from his saddlebag. Meanwhile, Xena yanks on the arrow; Aaron's cry is muffled by the stick in his mouth. She drops the arrow on the ground and rips a piece of cloth from her cloak. As Ares brings her the wineskin, she pours some wine on the cloth, then wraps it around the wound on Aaron's arm and ties it tight. Close-up on Aaron as he winces.

XENA:
     That should stop any infection. In a few days you'll be good as new.

AARON (with difficulty):
     Thank you.

Xena looks at his manacled hands.

TEN YEAR OLD BOY (indicating the manacles):
     I don't know how we can break those.

TWELVE-YEAR-OLD GIRL:
     I bet your father could. He's a blacksmith.

TEN-YEAR-OLD BOY:
     Yeah, but our parents are all scared to death of the Romans. They're not gonna help.

ARES:
     Well, you're in luck, then. Because the Romans are scared of her. (nods toward Xena, who is still inspecting Aaron's manacles)

XENA (without looking up, slightly bitter):
     Not anymore.

ARES (grins):
     Well--then I guess they'll never know what hit them.

Xena chuckles in spite of herself and looks up at him.

Ares extends a hand toward the manacles as if to zap them; then, remembering that he no longer has powers, lowers his hand, looking somewhat dejected. Xena gives him a sympathetic, reassuring smile as she squeezes his hand.

XENA:
     Let me do it.

Xena stands up and draws her sword. Aaron places his hands across a rock, exposing the chain and Xena brings her sword down forcefully, breaking the links. Aaron stands up, a little wobbly.

AARON:
     Thanks.

XENA:
     So, you were with the other prisoners. (Aaron nods) My friend and I are trying to free them.

AARON (chuckles bitterly):
     Good luck.

XENA:
     I've beaten tougher odds than that.

AARON (suddenly realizing):
     Wait. You're Xena. You're the Greek warrior that was supposed to help us defeat the Romans.

XENA (impassive):
     Yes, that's me.

AARON:
     They say you deserted us on the battlefield. (Off her silent look; bitterly) Well, you'll have to forgive me if I'm not in a hurry to trust your promises.

Xena's jaw tightens and she looks away, then turns back to him.

XENA:
     I failed your people once. This is my chance to do something to make up for it. Anything you can tell me about the Roman's plans would help.

AARON:
     You already know they're headed to Caesarea.

XENA:
     And that's all?

AARON:
     No--there's more. Six of the men are being taken directly to Rome. John of Giscala--and five of his top lieutenants who survived.

Xena stares at him, appalled. Ares turns to her.

ARES:
     That means--

XENA:
     I can't save them all. (frustrated) We can't be in two places at once.

She thinks a moment, then turns to Aaron again.

XENA:
     Do you know by what route they're going?

AARON:
     I heard them mention Kefar.

Thinking, Xena turns toward the boys.

XENA:
     Can you take Aaron somewhere where he'll be safe? Just don't take him back to your village--and not a word to your parents.

OLDER BOY (nods):
     Sure, we can do that. There are some caves along the cliffs. It's a good place to hide.

XENA:
     Thank you.

Xena walks up to her horse and mounts. Ares comes up to her.

ARES:
     So we're going after the other prisoners?

XENA (looking down at Ares):
     Yep.

ARES:
     And I take it we want to slow down the convoy to Caesarea.

He and Xena stare at each other.

XENA and ARES (speak simultaneously):
     Rockslide.

Xena turns toward the children, who stare at her and Ares in awe. Then one of them, a boy of about twelve, smirks mischievously.

TWELVE-YEAR-OLD BOY:
     I know just the place.

Xena grins a little.

CUT TO

Mountaintop. A large dam of rocks keeps a river at bay. Ares and Xena gallop up on their horses. They leap down. Ares eyes the rocks wearily.

ARES:
     Now would be a good time to have my powers back.

XENA:
     Since when do you need to be a god to start a rockslide?

ARES:
     You have to admit, fireballs would help.

XENA:
      We've got... (she takes her chakram from her hip) this.

She throws the chakram; it splits in two, crisscrossing along the ledge of the bedrock, before returning to its owner. Within seconds the bed of rocks collapses and the river bursts, causing a flood below. Ares and Xena look over to the edge of the mountaintop. The road below is flooded and blocked with rocks. Xena smiles.

XENA:
     That should keep the Romans busy for a couple of days.

INTERCUT images of:

* Xena and Ares riding at full gallop.

* The Romans on the march.

* John and several of his men are locked in a wooden cage (similar to the one in which we saw Xena was in during "The Debt"), pulled along by two horses. John and his men stare out grimly, well aware of what awaits them.

* Xena and Ares riding

* A tight shot of the Romans marching.

CUT TO

Xena and Ares behind a cluster of trees, slightly ahead of the Roman convoy, watching the Romans march. The camera zooms in on the cage with the prisoners.

ARES:
     So, those are your friends.

XENA (grimly):
     That's them.

Suddenly, the look on her face changes to one of recognition and shock.

ARES (glances at her):
     What?

XENA (grimly):
     Look over there. The man to the left of the commander.

The camera zooms in on the Roman officers riding at the head of the column, and then closes in one of them until we see his face in close-up. It's Haimon.

Close up on Xena's shocked face as we:

FADE OUT

END OF ACT TWO