Kirin - [on the sidewalk with his followers, handing out sandwiches in the rain] Here. Take this. [hands paper bag to Derelict] It's not much, but we don't want anyone to go to bed hungry.

Derelict - God bless you.

Kirin - God bless you, too. <Now, listen. You've got a place to stay tonight? And you can get off these streets tonight, can you?

Derelict - Yeah.

Kirin - All right. You know where to go if you need a place, all right?

Derelict - Yeah, yeah. Thank you. Thank you very much.

Kirin - [moves down the sidewalk] All right. Let me have another one of those. [hands out another sandwich bag] Here, fella, all right? [to his followers] Uh -- Uh, listen! All right now, why don't we load up in the van and go back to the place now, all right?

Follower - It's going to be a good turnout tonight, John.

Kirin - Okay. You know what? Maybe we'll go down to--> CUT [Derelict grabs Kirin's shoulder.]

Matthew - Hey, hey, hey! Keep your hands to yourself, okay, buddy?

Kirin - Wait, wait. It's okay, Matthew. Matthew. Matthew. [pushes Matthew away, takes Derelict's hands] CUT <What is it, friend?

Derelict - God bless ya.

Kirin - You're welcome. You just take care of yourself, too. [turns to Matthew] Would you relax? Take it easy. Relax. Go join the others. Go ahead. [takes umbrella from Matthew, turns to follower holding box of sandwiches] He's getting himself upset. ¹

[The following is all in slow motion: Car drives around curve, starts to skid on wet pavement. Close on Kirin's face. Shot of car skidding. Kirin drops umbrella, runs toward Matthew. Shot of Matthew in path of oncoming car. Kirin pushes Matthew out of the way. Car hits Kirin instead. (end of slow motion)] ²
(This is an alternate scene for the domestic version and is NOT in the DVD version.)

[Car drives around curve, starts to skid on wet pavement. The following is all in slow motion: Kirin drops umbrella, runs toward Matthew. Shot of car skidding. Kirin pushes Matthew out of the way. Car hits Kirin instead. (end of slow motion)] ³

[Car crashes into a parked car. ⁴]>

Anne - Vitals?

Mike - Pulse is one-forty, weak and thready. B.P. sixty over forty.

Anne - Does he have any family here?

Mike - None. He's some kind of religious leader. His followers are coming.

Anne - I hope they're praying.

ER staff - Skid 'em and pick 'em.

Anne - Let's go.

Mike - Ready.

Anne - Clear?

Man - Clear.

Anne - [applies paddles] Clear. Do it again. Two hundred joules. [Paddles discharge again.]

Mike - Nothing.

Anne - Come on, Mr. Kirin, do not give up on us. Come on. Don't give up on us now. {Stay with us.}

Man - {??}

Anne - [starts chest compressions] One one-thousand, two one-thousand, three one-thousand, four one-thousand, five one-thousand. [In the waiting room, Kirin's followers have gathered.] One one-thousand, two one-thousand, three one-thousand, four one-thousand, five one-thousand. One one-thousand, two one-thousand, three one-thousand, four one-thousand, five one-thousand. [Matthew sits in a chair, clutching Kirin's coat.] One one-thousand, two one-thousand, three one-thousand, four one-thousand, five one-thousand.

Woman on P.A. - Dr. Porter, call Emergency. Dr. Porter, please call Emergency.

Matthew - [looks up, stands as Anne approaches] Dr. Lindsey.

Anne - I'm sorry... He didn't make it.

Woman - No, he can't be--

Matthew - That can't be. There must be something. He can't be dead.

Anne - We did everything we could.

Matthew - Please! Please, John Kirin can't die. [looks over Anne's shoulder, gasps]

[Anne turns, sees Kirin walking down hallway toward them.]
 

Anne - [takes glass from DM] Oh, thank you. [takes large gulp]

DM - Easy. ⁵

Anne - Duncan, I called it, okay? He was -- he was flatlined. There was -- there was no pulse, no blood pressure. The -- the man was dead. People just don't come back. Not -- not -- not like that, they don't.

DM - [sits her down on the couch] What was his name?

Anne - Uh, uh, Kirin. John Kirin. He's a, uh -- Get this, a leader of a, like, a church or an ashram downtown. And now, of course, all of his followers are thinking it's a miracle -- some kind of resurrection.

DM - [starts massaging her shoulders] How did he die?

Anne - It was a car accident. [re massage] Feels really good.

DM - Good.

Anne - Some kind of, like, car accident. He had major radial nerve damage and massive head injuries. Duncan, there -- there -- there -- there's no practical explanation for this. It -- it doesn't happen.

DM - Well, it did.

RR - Yeah, okay. So if this guy is an Immortal...

DM - He is.

RR - Yeah, okay. So he is, and he dies, and they take him to the hospital, and Anne says he's dead. And then he comes to. What's he supposed to do? People are right there.

DM - He waits until everybody's gone, then he goes out the back door. He disappears, and no one sees him again. He leaves his life and starts a new one. Those are the rules of the Game, Richie.

RR - But what I'm trying to say is, what if he ISN'T an Immortal? [They both sense 'buzz' as they walk down the street. DM gives RR a look.] So much for that theory.

DM - Yeah. [Both walk toward ashram entrance. Sign above door reads 'WELCOME'.]

Milchan - [forcefully escorted from building by Matthew] Hey, hey, hey.

Matthew - Let's go.

Milchan - It's gonna come out. Be smart, make a few bucks.

Matthew - Print your garbage about somebody else, okay?

Milchan - So, you meet this guy in the Pen? Come on, Matthew, everybody knows you did five years for killing your old man. What's the scam?

Matthew - Don't you get it? John Kirin is for real. He saves people. He saved me.

Milchan - You born again, Matthew?

Matthew - [pushes him] Look. Leave him alone. I'm warning you, and I'm not gonna tell you again.

Milchan - Is that a threat? [Matthew goes back into ashram.]

RR - Well, I guess not everyone's welcome. [follows DM into ashram]

[Banner on wall reads:
JUDAISM: WHAT IS HATEFUL TO YOU,
DO NOT TO YOUR FELLOWMEN.
THAT IS THE ENTIRE LAW;
ALL THE REST IS COMENTARY.
THE TALMUD, SHABBAT, 31A]

[Banner on wall reads:
BUDDHISM: HURT NOT OTHERS IN WAYS THAT YOU
YOURSELF WOULD FIND HURTFUL.
UDANA-VARGA 5:18]

[Banner on wall reads:
LORD I BELIEVE; HELP THOU MINE UNBELIEF.
MARK 9:24]

[DM & RR walk down hallway, past Kirin's followers, looking at the banners.]

[Banner on wall reads:
TAOISM: REGARD YOUR NEIGHBOR'S GAIN AS
YOUR OWN GAIN, AND YOUR NEIGHBOR'S
LOSS AS YOUR OWN LOSS.
T'AI SHANG KAN YING P'IEN]

RR - Well, he seems to have all his bases covered.

DM - Yeah. Why?

RR - [to man sitting on floor, reading book to several children] How're you doing?

[Banner on wall reads:
THE FOOL HATH SAID IN HIS HEART,
THERE IS NO GOD.
PSALMS 14:1]

Kirin - See, each of us has within themselves the seeds of godliness. When we do an act of kindness, when we, uh, forgive someone... or ourselves, we see a reflection of that godliness. We are men... and women... but we're more than just men and women...

RR - I guess we found him.

DM - Yeah, we found him.

[Super: Spanish Civil War 1937]

[Explosion by rock wall, men on horseback ride past, medics lift wounded soldier on stretcher, tank rolls past building.]

DM - [by campfire, watching lights of explosions in distance] German artillery. Seems Franco and his Fascists are getting some help.

Kage - Well, they have to test their weapons somewhere. Spain's the only place available.

DM - For now. It means a bigger war is coming.

Kage - Hitler knows there's nothing like a good war to pick up an economy. Especially if you win and get the loser to pay for it.

DM - Nobody wins. You know that, Kage.

Kage - The people making the money do.

Timothy - Now, you guys make sure you get the name right. It's Timothy Parriot. Now, it's like "parrot".

DM - With an "I".

Timothy - From...

DM - Philadelphia. [DM chuckles.]

Timothy - You know what I see when I look out on this place? Opportunity.

Carlos - You'll have to excuse my friend. He likes to make believe he's a capitalist.

Timothy - [scoffs] I live to exploit the masses.

Carlos - I keep trying to tell him, he is the masses.

Timothy - Did you ever notice how easy it is for a rich kid to be a Socialist? ⁶

Carlos - Well, let's go to sleep. We have some real work to do tomorrow. [leaves]

Timothy - In the morning we take the bridge at Del Marino, and in the afternoon, you guys can write about us for your newspapers. All we have to do is hold back the Nationalists until the International Brigade pushes around Franco's back. Ha! We'll kick the little Fascist's ass all the way to the Mediterranean.

DM - We'll see.

Timothy - You've got to think positive. See you at the bridge. [leaves]

Kage - Foolish kids. They'll be dead in a week.

DM - You're a prophet as well as an Immortal?

Kage - No, MacLeod. I'm just a realist. [leaves DM sitting alone by campfire]

[Kage takes photos of bridge with small camera. Carlos & another man carry dynamite to base of bridge. Carlos unwinds line away from bridge & attaches it to ignition plunger. At base of bridge, Timothy is having trouble attaching line to his bundle of dynamite & cuts his finger.]

DM - [approaches Timothy] A little sharp? [Kage takes another photo, moves off.] Smile, Timothy. [takes photo with his own small camera] Let me help you. ⁷ [helps Timothy twist wires together]

Timothy - Did you learn that in a newspaper office?

DM - I read a lot. You'd be surprised what you can learn in a book. [finishes twisting wires] All done.

[The men finish placing their bundles of dynamite & move away from the bridge.]

DM - [looking around] Where'd Kage go?

Timothy - Maybe he went to take a leak.

DM - [doesn't see Kage or the lookout anywhere] I don't like this.

Timothy - Hey, I got nervous my first time out, too.

[Soldiers suddenly appear at the bridge. Army trucks approach down the road. A gunshot takes out Carlos at the plunger.]

DM - Timothy, stay still. [Timothy runs toward Carlos.] Timothy!

Timothy - [is shot in the leg, keeps running] No!

DM - Get down!

[Timothy reaches Calos & falls on the plunger, setting off the dynamite at the bridge.]

Soldier - Qué pasó? Qué pasó?

Kage - [kicks Timothy in the side, points gun at him] Brave but stupid.

DM - Don't!

Kage - [to soldiers] Get them in the truck! Vámonos!

Timothy - [as soldier tries to lift him to his feet] God!

DM - Stop. He's wounded. [to Kage] Land of opportunity, huh?

Kage - I tried to convince them that you were a reporter, MacLeod. They wouldn't buy it, especially when you picked up the dynamite.

DM - Why are you doing this?

Kage - Look at these misfits, fighting for a lost cause. I like to win. I like to be on the side that wins. It pays a hell of a lot better.

DM - This is about money to you?

Kage - Don't you get it, MacLeod? It's always about money.

[Soldier shoves DM into back of truck with other prisoners.]

(resume previous scene)

Kirin - MacLeod. It's been a long time.

DM - Too long.

Kirin - You've got a right to be angry.

DM - What are you doing here?

Kirin - Thinking. Praying.

DM - And playing messiah?

Kirin - No, it was not intentional.

DM - You're still here.

Kirin - My job's not finished yet. These... these people need me. I help them.

DM - Where's the profit in it?

Kirin - I'm not the man I was.

DM - Then why don't we step off holy ground and find out.

Kirin - I don't fight anymore.

Matthew - [walks up] Is he bothering you?

Kirin - No, no, Matthew.

Matthew - Are you sure?

DM - [to Matthew] Go away.

Kirin - He's just an old friend.

DM - Yeah. Talking about old times. I'll be back.

Kirin - I know.

[DM leaves. RR follows.]

Matthew - He's trouble.

Kirin - Leave it be, Matthew.

Matthew - You don't know. You're too good. You can't see it. He wants to hurt you. I know that look. I've seen it before.

Kirin - Look. There's nothing to worry about. We're safe here. Don't worry.

RR - [gets out of T-bird] So, uh, I take it you're not a big fan of this guy's, huh?

DM - You could say that.

RR - Well, uh, just how bad is he?

DM - Bad enough to kill.
 

[Band is playing on stage in corner. ⁸ Camera pans slowly across crowd to RR & Joe sitting at a table.] ^A

RR - So I went back to the ashram to check the guy out, Joe. He's doing some good stuff.

Joe - Nah, not possible.

RR - Joe, I talked to these people. I watched them. They love him.

Joe - I have got hundreds of pages of history on this guy. This man is a liar and a murdering son-of-a-bitch. Mac was right.

RR - AND the late news did a feature on Kirin last night. He runs a soup kitchen, a food bank, and he helps out in half a dozen other places. Joe, bear with me for one second here. If he's such a bad guy, what's he doing all this stuff for?

DM - [appears beside their table with a newspaper] Money. It pays to rise from the dead. A day after this man comes back, his church collects a quarter of a million dollars in donations. This is about money. With Kirin, or Kage, or whatever he calls himself now, it's always about the money.

Timothy - [takes envelope from coat pocket, holds it out] Would you do something for me?

DM - You can deliver it yourself.

Timothy - Do you think I'll be able to? I've heard P.O.W. camps are no picnic.

DM - You're gonna be okay. There'll be a doctor in the camp. Just do what they say when they say it, and most of the time they leave you alone.

Timothy - Sounds like you're talking from personal experience.

DM - I am.

Timothy - [puts envelope back in coat pocket] Are you, uh, gonna keep writing after we win?

DM - Hadn't given it much thought.

Timothy - Maybe you and me... could do a deal together... There's going to be a lot of opportunities when we get out of this.

DM - Maybe.

[Truck stops.] ⁹

Timothy - What's going on?

DM - Nothing. [as Kage walks by] Kage.

Kage - It's cheaper than feeding them. I'll be back for you later.

[DM grabs at Kage. A soldier hits him with his rifle, knocking him down.]

Timothy - [as Kage & soldiers walk away] What is it? What did he say?

DM - Give me a moment.

Timothy - Something's wrong.

Kage - [in distance] Señor?

Soldier - [in distance] Vamos!

Kage - [in distance] Qué esperamos?

DM - Listen. You wait for me to make the first move. CUT We can do this, you understand?

Timothy - They're going to kill us, aren't they?

DM - You follow my lead.

[Timothy limps over to other prisoners & they huddle together, speaking quietly in Spanish.]

Prisoner - Vamos ahora! [takes off running]

Timothy - No!

[Soldier shoots fleeing prisoner. The other prisoners scatter. DM grabs a rifle from one of the soldiers.]

Kage - [pulls out his gun] MacLeod! [DM shoots him.]

[The soldiers continue to fire at the fleeing prisoners. One of the bullets hits Timothy & he falls to the ground. DM returns fire, then runs to Timothy, slings him over his shoulder & carries him into the woods.]

DM - [some distance away now] We made it, Tim. They lost us. We'd better rest... or I'd better rest. [lowers himself & Timothy to the ground] We'll find a farmhouse in the morning. This is Loyalist Country. They'll feed and hide us... [looks down at Timothy] Tim? [realizes he is dead] Oh, no. [takes envelope from Timothy's coat pocket & slips it inside his own coat pocket]

Anne - [playing chess with DM] So, I did some, uh, checking and, uh, guess what? John Kirin has no medical history. [DM moves chess piece on board but doesn't say anything.] So, are you two related or something?

DM - No.

Anne - So what do you know about him?

DM - About John Kirin? Nothing.

Anne - [moves a piece] Are you sure? [off DM's lack of response] Oh, oh, oh. Is this one of those things that I need to drop?

DM - [moves another piece] Check.

Anne - Duncan, do you believe in miracles?

DM - Don't deify the man.

Anne - So you do know something about him.

DM - Your move.

Anne - Oh. [looks at chess board, moves a piece]

DM - Enough to know that he's a fraud. [moves a piece] He's taken in a quarter of a million dollars in the past twenty-four hours.

Anne - Well, I heard he gave most of that back to charity. If he's a fraud, why would he do something like that?

[Super: Cambodia 1975]

DM - [leading a nun & group of children through war-torn hills] We're nearly there, Sister. He's right over the next bluff. All right, kids. Nearly there.

Boy - {?? wait.}

DM - Let's go. Come on.

Nun - [as they reach their destination] Oh! Oh! Ohh! Oh, dear Lord.

[The airplane is a smoking wreckage. The dead pilot can be seen lying in the cockpit.]

Boy - [as DM approaches the cockpit] What happened? Is he dead?

DM - [hears helicopter nearby, senses 'buzz'] There's a chopper over there!

Nun - It's useless!

DM - Nothing's useless, Sister. Come on, kids, it's our way out. Over there! Come on, go!

Nun - The owner's refused us before.

DM - Go! He won't refuse us this time, Sister. I won't let him. Come on.

Nun - I'm afraid you don't know him, then.

[Several men load square containers into chopper.]

Nun - Come on, children. Stay close to me.

DM - Come on! Let me deal with this, Sister. Come on!

Kage - [his back to DM, yells at his men in Cambodian] {??} (CUT)

DM - Hello, we need your chopper.

Kage - [turns] How nice to see you, MacLeod.

DM - Kage, what are you doing here?

Kage - I export goods.

DM - Heroin.

Kage - Well, it's a living. I see you're still playing the Saint of Lost Causes, huh?

DM - We need your chopper.

Kage - It's filled.

DM - The Khmer Rouge will be here any moment. You know what they'll do to these children.

Kage - Sorry. I'd like to help you out, but any more weight and she won't be able to get off the ground.

DM - Then unload it!

Kage - Sorry, no can do. You're just going to have to understand.

[DM surges forward but is stopped by soldier with assault rifle.]

<Kage - CUT We'll deal with us later.>

DM - Kage, you can't leave them. Nobody could do that, not even you.

Kage - [as soldier aims his rifle at the children] War is hell, isn't it, pal? [He & the soldier walk toward the chopper.]

DM - Kage! Take the children.

Kage - [to chopper crew] Allez! Let's get this show on the road!

DM - Kage, they'll be slaughtered! You can't leave them! [runs toward chopper as it takes off] You can't leave them! Take the children! Kage! [A mortar shell explodes, sending DM flying & knocking him out. Nun and children run away. ^B]
 

Matthew - You've got to listen to me. You have to start protecting yourself. You have to watch your back. People will always try and use you and hurt you if they can.

Kirin - Not everyone, Matthew.

Matthew - You don't understand.

Kirin - Matthew, I do under--

Matthew - No, you don't understand. You never grew up with a father who used to scream at you and curse at you and who thought Saturday night meant drink eight bottles of beer and beat the crap out of your kid.

Kirin - No, I didn't.

Matthew - People are just no damn good.

Kirin - Some are. You are.

DM - [enters] Kirin.

Matthew - Look, why don't you just leave before somebody gets hurt.

Kirin - Wait, wait, Matthew. Everybody's welcome here.

DM - Let's take a walk.

Kirin - [to Matthew] Stay here.

Matthew - I don't think you should go with him.

Kirin - I know. I know. [leaves with DM]

Kirin - People like us have had so much life. We've done so many things. Imagine how much we could teach them.

DM - About money? And murder?

Kirin - About redemption and forgiveness.

DM - And you're the expert.

Kirin - I studied with the Buddhist monks in Cambodia... Burma, India. There were many teachers, many religions. Some wisdom... some humanity.

DM - And John Kirin?

Kirin - No one anyone would know. He was just a simple man who died serving others. I took his name to honor him. Kage died when I became Kirin.

DM - Then you became God.

Kirin - Not God... Just his humble messenger.

DM - Well, we don't play God or his messenger. Not now, not ever. We don't have the answers and we don't make miracles.

Kirin - I didn't plan on coming back to life in front of them. I'm using my Immortality to make this a better world. Why is that so wrong?

DM - Because everything you say is a lie.

Kirin - We're beasts when we kill, men when we judge, God when we forgive.

DM - Maybe God has forgiven you... but I sure haven't. [leave]

Milchan - Excuse me. Excuse me. [approaches DM] I saw you going into Kirin's church. He's quite a guy, coming back from the dead.

DM - What do you want?

Milchan - To expose him for what he is.

DM - And what's that?

Milchan - A fraud, a liar... He's not even John Kirin. But you know that, don't you?

DM - Do I?

Milchan - The John Kirin this guy says he is died four years ago in Indonesia.

DM - Goodbye. [starts up steps to dojo entrance]

<Milchan - CUT If he isn't Kirin, who is he? Why are you trying to protect this guy? MacLeod? What is it you're hiding?> [DM enters dojo.]

Anne - I -- I want to personally thank you for your generous contribution to the children's wing.

Kirin - I should be thanking you, Doctor, for saving my life.

Anne - I -- I wish I could take credit, but... I don't think I did.

Kirin - You're being humble.

Anne - Mr. Kirin, you were dead. I -- I didn't save you. Coming back to life the way you did was -- was clinically impossible.

Kirin - Well, perhaps it was.

Anne - You're alive right now, and you shouldn't be. Don't you want to know why?

Kirin - [laughs] I'm here now. That's all I need to know.

Anne - If I could just run a couple of tests...

Kirin - I assure you, no tests will ever show you anything you'd be satisfied with. Some things are best left alone.

Anne - There's a reason that you came back to life, Mr. Kirin.

Kirin - Perhaps it's because my work isn't finished here.

Matthew - [exits ashram] There's a call for you.

Kirin - Oh. [starts toward ashram door]

Anne - Um, can I -- can I talk to you again sometime?

Kirin - Of course, any time. Matthew will show you the way out. Thank you, Doctor, again. And God bless. [walks away as Matthew leads Anne out of garden] ¹⁰

Milchan - [into cell phone] This Macleod guy won't play ball. No, I want to stay on it. Look, I really think this guy can break it for us. He knows something, I can feel it. This MacLeod, whoever he is, there's bad blood between him and Kirin. I want to find out why. No, he's not talking. He split. ¹¹ I figure maybe I can snoop around a little bit and come up with something. Yeah. [closes cell phone, goes up stairs to dojo entrance, & slips the lock with a credit card]

Milchan - [enters cautiously] Hello? [enters office, starts rifling through file cabinet & desk drawers, looks up as someone enters dojo, unidentifiable in the dark] MacLeod?

[The silhoutted figure raises a gun and shoots.]

DM - Have the cops gone yet?

RR - Yeah, finally. What a mess. You'd think those guys would learn to clean up after themselves. [notices that DM has his katana out] Anybody I know? It's Kirin. You think he had something to do with the dead guy.

DM - What do you think? The son-of-a-bitch killed him and dropped him on my doorstep.

RR - Why would he do that, Mac?

DM - Because he's playing with me. And I let him. And that reporter's dead because of it. [holds up katana] But I'm not playing anymore.

[Banner on wall reads:
DESIRE NOTHING FOR YOURSELF
WHICH YOU DO NOT DESIRE
FOR OTHERS.
SPINOZA]

Kirin - [into phone] Yeah, I know the place. I had hoped that this would end differently. In an hour. [hangs up]

Matthew - [enters] I don't understand why people can't believe in miracles. They've happened before.

Kirin - Let them believe in what they want. Each one of us has to find our own truth in our own time. I'm going out for a while.

Matthew - I'll go with ya.

Kirin - No, Matthew. Somebody has to lead the afternoon meditation. Look, Matthew... whatever it is you wish to become, you already are. Remember that.

Matthew - Where are you going?

Kirin - To see a friend.

Matthew - I have no life without you, John Kirin.

Kirin - Then you must find one, Matthew. [leaves]

Kirin - I'm sorry about the man who died, very sorry, but I didn't kill him, MacLeod. I was in my ashram with my people. You can ask them if you like.

DM - They'll say anything for you. You came back from the dead. You're a god in their eyes.

Kirin - Do you think so? [disturbed] You might be right.

DM - Don't you think this charade has gone on long enough?

Kirin - What will it take to convince you?

DM - More than a few prayers. Now, we're off holy ground, Kage. [stands ready, katana out]

Kirin - I'm not going to fight you, MacLeod.

DM - Then I'll cut you down as you stand.

Kirin - If you've judged me, then that's what I deserve.

DM - I don't judge you, Kage. The children you left to die and the men you betrayed and murdered do that.

Kirin - I meant what I said about changing. In Cambodia, you didn't know this, but I came back looking for you... to finish it. In my life, I've seen much horror, much destruction. With every war, I grew harder and harder inside. But with this one, this time...

[Kage's chopper lands. Kage climbs out, holding his sword. He looks around in shock at the "scarecrow" crosses stuck here and there in the ground, tattered childrens' clothing fluttering from their frames. Kage falls to his knees, crying.]

(resume previous scene)

Kirin - But... the children. What they did to the children.

DM - I was there.

Kirin - Then maybe this is as it should be. I--

DM - [grabs Kirin's coat, pulls him forward] Fight me, damn you! I'm giving you a chance. [stands ready, again] Come on! [Kirin holds his hands out, shaking his head.] Fight me! Come on!

Kirin - Do as you must.

DM - [turns away with a frustrated cry, turns back] Then I will. I will! [charges at Kirin but at the last minute pulls his blow to the side]

Kirin - You are the better man, MacLeod. You always were. [leaves]

[Around the corner, Matthew has been listening to their exchange.]
 

Joe - I thought you wanted to kill him.

DM - I did.

Joe - What, and now you don't?

DM - Kirin was willing to let me judge him. Kage would never have done that. ¹² He was willing to die rather than fight me.

Joe - All that means is that he's a good judge of character. I mean, he knew that you wouldn't kill him if he didn't defend himself. Kage is evil. He's not stupid.

DM - I'm beginning to think it wouldn't be Kage I'd be killing. That maybe he's dead already.

Joe - Okay, he's not the same person... But I don't see how twenty years of doing good deeds begins to cover his tab.

DM - Yeah, well, maybe it doesn't, but I'm not going to be the one to decide.

Joe - Well, if you're not, then who is? You know what he was. Who better than you to judge him?

DM - One Immortal playing God is enough.

Joe - [quietly as DM leaves] Mac. ¹³

[DM collects decanter & glass from drink cabinet & sits on couch. Matthew steps out of shadows behind him with gun drawn.]

DM - [realizes he's there] The money's on the table. Take it and get out.

Matthew - I don't want your money.

DM - That sounds like Matthew. [looks over his shoulder] Looks like Matthew, too. [pours himself a drink from decanter]

Matthew - You've got a hell of a sense of humor for a man that's facing a thirty-eight.

DM - Thanks. Actually, that reminds me of a joke. You ever hear the one about the ex-con who murdered the reporter?

Matthew - Just shut up.

DM - Why, Matthew? Or you'll put a bullet in me like you did him?

Matthew - I didn't shoot nobody.

DM - Then give me the gun and we'll talk all about it. ¹⁴

Matthew - Look, I warned him, all right? To mind his own damn business.

DM - So, you here to warn me or shoot me?

Matthew - Who's Kage?

DM - A man I used to know.

Matthew - And what's he got to do with John Kirin?

DM - I think that's something you ought to ask him.

Matthew - No, I'm asking you. What's all this stuff about murdering children? And what the hell were you doing with that sword?

DM - [senses 'buzz'] That'll be Kirin now. Should I let him in or will you? [Matthew motions for DM to answer door. DM opens side door to loft, letting Kirin in.] You're just in time.

Kirin - Look, I think Matthew's--

DM - Already here.

Kirin - [to Matthew] There's no need for this.

Matthew - CUT Who's Kage?

DM - He saw us.

Kirin - The man I once was. Give me the gun, Matthew.

DM - We've already talked about that. He's not going to do it.

Kirin - No, no, no. Matthew won't hurt me. [moves toward him] Come on, Matthew. Give me the gun.

Matthew - You lied to me.

Kirin - Yes, I did.

Matthew - But, I--

Kirin - Look, Matthew, the police are coming. I know you killed that reporter. I had to call them.

Matthew - But I killed him for you...

Kirin - Matthew, you've got to give yourself up.

Matthew - All that stuff that you told us... It was a con, wasn't it? You're worse than me. Worse than my daddy. At least he never lied about what he was.

Kirin - I'm sorry. You going to have to face what you did.

Matthew - And what are you going to face? What are the police going to do to you?

Kirin - Whatever we face, we'll do it together, Matthew.

Matthew - No!

Kirin - Yes. [moves closer] Now, I'll take the gun.

Matthew - Stay there!

Kirin - [louder] Give me the gun!

Matthew - Don't you yell at me!

Kirin - Please, Matthew. ¹⁵

Matthew - Just shut up! Don't you say another word, or I'll kill you, I swear.

Kirin - No. No, there'll be no more killing. [reaches for the gun]

Matthew - No! [pulls the trigger, shooting Kirin, then turns the gun on DM]

DM - Easy, Matthew. It's all right. I'm not going to do anything.

[Matthew runs toward side door, leaves as sirens approach outside. DM looks over at Kirin's body, then follows Matthew ¹⁶.]

Man on radio - [as squad cars pull up] Stay covered till we know what we're dealing with.

[Matthew runs toward the exit.]

Officer - Let's go.

Officer on bullhorn - [as Matthew open's dojo door] Hold it right there! Keep your hands where we can see them! Drop the gun and come out with your hands in the air!

DM - [from behind Matthew] Sounds like a good idea to me. [Matthew spins to face him.] It's over. Come on.

Matthew - Don't come any closer, or I'll kill you, too.

DM - This isn't what Kirin would have wanted.

Matthew - How do you know what Kirin would've wanted? You were his enemy. You hated him.

DM - Once. I don't know. Maybe I can forgive him. I know he could forgive you.

Matthew - He's dead. He can't forgive me.

DM - No, but you can forgive yourself. Didn't he teach you that nobody was beyond redemption?

Officer on bullhorn - Come out or we're coming in.

DM - [yells out to cops] He's coming out! Nobody do anything stupid out there!

Officer on bullhorn - He's got a hostage. Everyone, stay where you are.

DM - I could talk to them, Matthew. I'm not going to let them hurt you.

Matthew - Nobody can help me now. I loved him and I killed him.

DM - No, that's not true. CUT If what he said to you was real -- his words, his caring -- then he's still alive. Give me the gun. [reaches for gun. Matthew fires two shots in warning.]

Officer on bullhorn - All right, let's do it!

DM - It's all right. Nobody move! Nobody was hurt.

DM - [to Matthew] Put it down. It's what Kirin would have asked.

Matthew - I can't. ¹⁷ There's nothing left. [bolts for exit]

DM - No, Matthew!

DM - [to cops, as Matthew runs down dojo steps] No, don't shoot!

Officer on bullhorn - Drop the gun!

[Matthew looks at the cops, looks back at DM, smiles & raises his gun toward the cops. They open fire.]
 

Kirin - [standing beside T-bird] It's my fault. My need for redemption caused two people to die. I really wanted to do good, MacLeod.

DM - I know.

Kirin - Maybe someday we'll meet again. Who knows, we might even be friends. [He holds out his hand. After a pause, DM shakes it.]

<DM - CUT You'd better get going. [Kirin starts walking down road & DM gets into T-bird.]>