sorry to wake you, charlie.
you're the only thing i like worrying about.
go ahead, make fun of me. everybody else does.
so you're still going through with it?
i could help you. we could do it together, you know? i want to. charlie smiles sadly at him, touched by his sweetness, but this just isn't where she's at.
go on. i'll be right there. charlie kisses him on the cheek and heads back to the trailer. he watches her, longing in his eyes. with the clank of the door, she's gone. and over jeep's troubled look, the perennial holiday cheer of frank capra's "it's a wonderful life" mixes up.
you okay, charlie? they both turn to see jeep behind the diner, wearing mechanic's coveralls and holding a dusty old crib. charlie quickly hides her cigarette behind her back. busted.
yeah.
nothin'.  jeep tries feebly to block his path, fails. bob looks down at the crib with dismay.
found it under a bunch of stuff in the storage shed. i know you never like to throw anything away.  bob considers him, softens.
what?
oh whatever, leave me alone.
don't say that about her! she's not like that!
look, i know it doesn't make any sense to you, but it's just something i have to do. bob sighs, feels for his boy.
c'mon dad. you can't blame yourself for what she did--
damn it! he pulls himself up. grease covers his face and hands. the sound of a car approaching catches his attention. he watches as a beat up eighties cutlass supreme pulls off the highway and rolls to a stop at the pumps. it's a mystery how anyone could see through the layer of dust on that windshield. after a moment the car door pops open and the legs of an elderly woman swing down to the ground, followed by the metal frame and wheels of a walker. the little old lady gets out of the car, steadies herself on the walker, and then slowly makes her way toward the diner with the rickety frailness of an old turtle. jeep watches her disappear inside. he then looks toward the horizon again. the wall of dark clouds are growing ever closer.
the carburetor's shot. don't know why. looks brand new.
i could try to rebuild it, but it'd take a while, and i don't think we have all the parts. if we call right now, we might be able to get a new one down here tomorrow morning.
what? across the diner, charlie places a bloody red steak in front of gladys.
i couldn't pull the trigger. i froze. i saw what i needed to do, but i was afraid.  she could've killed you!
you guys!
how `bout the trunk? they go around to the back of the car. jeep slips the key in. the trunk pops open, revealing a pile of dead cats. rotting.
(sees something up the
wait a minute. check it out. it's lapd. what's an la cop doing way out here? bob and jeep look over at kyle.
charlie, wait! the men begin to run toward her.  while out of the police car steps.
no, shark teeth, pop. bob lowers the gun.
c'mon, dad, tell `em you're sorry. tell `em you were only kidding! but bob can't even speak, he's so scared. he squeezes his eyes closed.
dad, i can handle it.
i said, i can handle it! michael's eyes narrow, studying jeep.
fuck it. and races after his father.
where is it?! audrey shakes her head, tears streaming down her cheeks. she looks over at her mother. sandra's eyes are closed. it's too much.
you mean you're.  michael considers jeep, then:
you're sayin' she's the mother of the messiah?
what did you do. you know, before you came here? michael considers the question a beat, then:
well, what changed? what made you leave?
so what happens to you. after this is over? michael pauses a beat, as if unsure how much to say, then:
we should get back out there.
red rock.
guess it's your turn not to sleep. charlie looks up to see jeep sit down across from her.
you okay?
you shouldn't say things like that, charlie. it isn't right. you'll get through this. i know you will. she turns to him, the bitterness overtaking her:
you know, you're not the only who's suffered, okay? let me know when you stop feeling sorry for yourself. and with that, jeep walks away, leaving charlie to stare after him, disturbed and surprised by his response.
he's bleeding!
dad! jeep can't get a clear shot. bob's gasping for air. michael grabs the boy and fiercely rips him off of bob's back. he swings the boy around like a living shot put.
she's never said. i just assumed it was joe danvers. you know how she's always had a thing for bad boys. bob hears the spite in jeep's voice.
i thought you said i should move on?
what was that? the spectral lights dot the landscape now with untold numbers.
we're not gonna make it outta here, are we? bob looks at his son. the agony stretched across his face.
something's happening. they're moving away.
your orders.  michael looks at jeep.
you were the one who was supposed to kill the baby? that was the order you didn't obey. michael nods grimly. charlie looks urgently at michael.
no! with a sweep of his hand, gabriel sends bob flying across the diner where he crashes down behind the counter near the stove. michael grabs jeep's hand before the boy can rush back into the fray.
me?! what about you?
but i don't know what to do!
prophets? what prophets? what instructions?! and that's when jeep opens his hand to find the keys to michael's police cruiser. jeep looks up from the keys to see charlie, audrey and the baby. the responsibility crashing in on him. then he closes his hand around the keys, determination building.
c'mon!
we have no choice! we have to get to red rock! he pulls charlie past the counter toward the back office. jeep stops when he sees his father's broken body lying on the ground by the stove in a pool of his own blood. bob's half open eyes focus on his son. in his outstretched hand is that goddamn zippo lighter.  and next to that, a broken gas pipe leading to the stove. jeep is terrified.
dad! jeep tries to help him up.
but dad! bob smiles weakly at his son and says simply:
i'm trying! jeep gives it some gas, but the engine's not catching. a dark shape pounces onto the hood of the car. the light catches it, revealing the disfigured face and beard of a shopping mall santa claus, his oversized belly gruesomely distended. charlie screams.
fuck! jeep pumps the gas and the engine bursts to life! the creature's about to punch a fist through the glass
(throwing the car in
okay, we need to figure out our weapon situation. hopefully michael didn't take everything out of the car. jeep places his glock on the dash. he sees that he's got a police issue shotgun in the front seat rack. charlie searches under her seat. pulls out a. grenade.
yes. now just put it down.  slowly. charlie places it onto the seat. audrey fishes around in the backseat.
okay. okay. handgun. shotgun. a a flare gun.  and a grenade. alright. load this.
try real hard, okay? audrey anxiously sets about loading the flare gun.
i can't fuckin' see! charlie's desperately trying to soothe her screaming baby. on the air vents as flies start crawling in.
oh, no.
the instructions.
thank you.
oh, shit!
no. it's just starting.
better not hold him too long. might get attached. charlie looks over, feels his lingering anger.
nothin' to be sorry about. it's true. i did follow you around. at least now i know there was a good reason. charlie's reacts, a bit stung. jeep tries to hide his pleasure that the tables have turned at least a little. charlie is about to respond when audrey leans in from the back seat.
okay, all we gotta do is --
duck! blam! gabriel takes one in the shoulder, but it doesn't slow him down.
audrey, the flare gun! audrey desperately tries to load a flare while avoiding gabriel's grasp. jeep can't get off another shot without the risk of hitting audrey. gabriel is almost entirely in the car now. audrey swings the flare gun toward gabriel, but he knocks her hand aside just as she pulls the trigger and the flare goes off inside the car! jeep ducks. the car swerves madly. the flare ricochets through the cabin, lighting it up like the fourth of july! gabriel lunges for charlie just as the flare bounces off the windshield - ping! - and nails him right in the face, setting
get down on the floor! charlie pushes herself and the baby down on the floor in front of the passenger seat. jeep punches it. the speedometer leaps ahead.
the baby?
and what about.
what?
c'mon, we're almost there. they are only a few steps from the edge of the ridge when --
charlie, no! gabriel takes the bundle from charlie, turning away from her.
we made it.
i'm sure they're just over the next ridge. he glances at charlie. worry in her eyes.
don't be afraid. we'll be okay.