Tough Love, S3.12

The Riot, Part 2. 

....the inmates are still in firm control of G-Wing.   Which now looks like this:

Maxi heads for the Screws Lounge, but some con says that it’s off-limits, per Nikki. 

Maxi’s all, “Nikki who?” and saunters right into the office.

Nikki’s cell.  She’s washing up, wearing only a bra when she gets some unexpected company.

Caroline:  “Sorry.”

Nikki:  “It’s alright then.”

Caroline:  “Thought you could use one of these.”

“One of these” turns out to be a cup of tea.  Which is nice cuz Nikki looks mighty thirsty!

(damn, even MY throat suddenly feels dry)!

Cut to Maxi in the office, busily searching through the inmates’ files.

…while back in Nikki’s cell:

Nikki:  “So what you in for?”
Caroline:  “Embezzlement.”

Her boyfriend needed money for his business so she embezzled some for him.  They got caught, he did a runner, and hasn’t been seen since.

Btw, I don’t actually know what a “tea cozy” is, but I imagine it’s this:  2 women on a bed having tea and getting cozy.

Nikki:  “The things we do for love, ey?”

Caroline:  “Both in for the same reason then.”

Nikki:  “What?”

Caroline: “You killed a copper, didn’t you?  For trying to rape your girlfriend?”

Nikki:  “Who told you that?”

Caroline:  “Everyone knows about you.  You’ve got a big following in here.”

Nikki (laughs, embarrassed):  “First I’ve heard of it.”
Caroline:  “Modest AND smart. (pause)  Not much you haven’t got really, is there?”

Nikki:  “I wouldn’t get too close.  You might be disappointed.”

Caroline:  “How close will you let me come?”

As Nikki considers this, Caroline leans in to kiss her but she jumps off the bed.

Nikki: “I’m spoken for.”

Caroline:  “Not what I heard.”

Nikki:  “I said you’d be disappointed.”

Caroline:  “Not what I’ve seen either.”

Nikki:  “Yeah well, it’s no one in here.”

With any luck, Nikki says she'll be out of Larkhall soon and they'll be back together. 

But Caroline isn’t easily put off. “Soon can be a long time in a place like this.”

Screws Office.  Maxi stashes some papers in her pants.

Library - Screws Summit.  Sylvia wants to rush the wing now, “while they’re asleep and droogged up to the eyeballs.”

Helen:  “I’ll resolve this peacefully if I can.”

Sylvia (scoffs):  “Cave in, you mean.”

Helen:  “Sylvia, I’m as angry about this as you are!  But we’ve got to be careful.  Fact is, they’ve got a genuine grievance.  They’re not out for themselves."

Helen:  “Now if we can address that, it can all be over by breakfast.”

Good thinking, Helen!  If only someone had addressed their grievance BEFORE the riot…

Helen gets on the PA: “This is Helen Stewart.  I’ve thought about what you said and I’m prepared to negotiate.  So will all prisoners make their way to the atrium straightaway please.”

In the Atrium.  It’s screws on one side….

…and cons on the other.

Helen:  “Ok.  I’ve thought about all you said and I understand your grievance.”

Nikki:  “So what you gonna do about it?”

Helen's arranged for an English-speaking Nigerian prisoner to transfer in and be Femi’s cellmate and new BFF.

Nikki:  “Well, that’s something.”

Helen:  “So would you like to call off your little protest now?”

Wow, how incredibly condescending, Helen.

But Nikki just seems relieved.  “It’s off.”

Maxi:  “Oi, not so fast! What about all the rest?  Crap food you wouldn’t feed a pig, same screws treating us like shit…”

Nikki (to other inmates): “That is not what this is about!”

Maxi:  “Yes it is!  And we’ll take this to the roof if we hafta!”

The inmates roar in approval.

Nikki (yells):  “This is about Femi!  Now we’ve just had assurances…”

Maxi:  “Assurances, my arse!  I’m sick of this shit!  (to the inmates) Come on!”

Nikki (turns back to Helen): “It just needs time to sink in, that's all.  They're a bit fired up.”

Helen:  “And who fired them up, Nikki?”

Well, let's not quibble about that now, Helen - there's a riot going on!

The screws leave and Maxi starts giving out instructions.

Nikki: “Look, we’ve made our point!

Maxi:  “Have we?”

Nikki:  “You heard what Stewart said.  What else can she do?”

Maxi looks Nikki up and down.  “Who the shit are you, anyway?”

Nikki:  “The shit who started it, remember?”

Maxine:  “Going soft in your old age. (to the others) Just cuz she topped a pig about 50 years ago.”

Nikki: “So you and your poxy mates are hard, are ya?  Wait till their fags start running out and their added-on days start piling up.”

Maxi:  “You may not have the stomach, Wade, but there’s others have.”

Yo, Purvis, you ain’t been here a hot minute.  Not long enough to eat a loaf of bread, mail a VO, or use a goddamned bar of soap.  So who the shit are YOU??

But Nikki knows she's outnumbered. Maxi and her minions are too fired up, so she leaves with Team Wade in tow.

Up on G2, Nikki finds Yvonne.  “Thanks for all your help.”

Yvonne says she's tired of fighting other people’s battles; Nikki says sometimes you gotta make a stand.

Yvonne:  “Look, I already go to sleep at night with one eye open because of those 3 little tarts!  I’m getting too old for this, Nikki.   I just want a quiet life.”

Nikki reminds her that she won't have a quiet life if Maxi's in charge, then walks away.  Yvonne briefly considers this.  “Nikki!” she calls out, and follows after her.

Purvis cell. Whose residents will heretofore be known as the PBJ gang (Peanut Butter & Jelly). 

Maxi reads the files she pilfered from the office:  “Allison MacKenzie, dangerously aggressive tendencies. Potentially psychopathic.”

Al:  “Wot’s it say aboot yeww?”

Maxi:  “Cunning, fearless, possible ringleader….”

Al:  “Mebbe they’rre not sooh stoopid afterrall.”

Well, someone’s stupid cuz suddenly the cell door slams.  Team Wade rigged the door and pulled it shut, banging up the PBJs.

Maxi and Al pound on the door.  “Thah yeww, Wade?  I’m gohnna kell yew!”

The women have a good laugh and Nikki says it’s time for lockup.

Library. The screws are suited, kitted, and tooled, and ready to bang some heads (well, maybe not Josh). 

Helen:  “Ok, settle down everyone.  I’ve given them every chance to withdraw.  We've no option left but to use force. I want you to go in hard. I want no victimization, no score-settling.  This has to be a professional operation.”

Ha!  I can't help it - I still laugh whenever Helen calls the screws "professionals."

Just then, Gina bursts in.  “Nikki Wade wants to see ya.  She said it’s all over.”

Helen returns to the wing….

(Shaz:  “Jesus!”)

…with a wall of jackbooted screws behind her.

Helen:  “Well?”
Nikki:  “We've called it off.”

Helen:  “Where's the Purvis sisters?”
Nikki: “Let's just say that they were banged up early.”
Helen: “Right, get back to your cells!” 

But the inmates don’t exactly jump.

Helen (yells):  “Immediately!”

The women dig in a bit. 

Nikki tells the inmates, “do as she says,” her eyes still locked with Helen’s.   The women disperse.

Helen: “What you waiting for Wade?  I said, ‘get back to your cell!’”

Nikki sort of stamps away, giving Helen that hurt puppy-dog-eyed look. 

Helen (to the screws): “Right...let's start mopping up.”

Back in the PBJ cell, Al’s still ranting about "kelling Wade" when Gina comes in.

Gina:  “Locked yourselves in for your own safety, ey girls?  Smart move.  Lot of crazy people out there.  Come on, MacKenzie, back where you belong.”

Al:  “Get your hands off me!”

Gina (warns her):  “I wouldn’t…”

Yeah, I wouldn’t either.  I definitely would NOT wanna scrap with Gina Rossi.

In the Julies cell, they’re glad it’s all over. 

Julie J:  “We just want to get out of here and into Monica’s as soon as we can, ey?  One day we’ll have a place of our own.  A cottage would be nice…a stream.  And no man to spoil it. What ya say to that, Ju?”

Julie S (less enthusiastically):  “A little stream would be nice…”

Up on the 3s, Helen oversees lockup.  As she gets to Nikki’s cell….

Nikki: “This wasn't about you.”
Helen: (angry) “I don't want to hear it!”

Nikki: “This was about the system!”

Helen: “I am the system while I'm in charge!  You betrayed me tonight!”

Nikki: “I thought you wanted to change things in here.”
Helen: “Not by violence!”
Nikki: “That was the Peckham Gang wanting a free-for-all.  They don't care about Femi!”
Helen: “It's over, Nikki.”
Nikki: “What?”

Helen: “You and me. I don't want anything more to do with you.  You know something, I don't even feel sad about it!  Now get back into your cell!”

Oh  YAWN.  Whatevs, Helen.  Isn’t this like, the 4th time you’ve broken up with her anyway?  But to say that she “betrayed" you is pretty goddamned galling.  Hey. remember when you used to worry about “losing out to the Old Boys Club?"  Worry no more, Helen – you’re now an official member of the club in good standing.

Next morning in the screws lounge.  Helen’s back on the PA.

Helen:  “Good morning, G-Wing.  You will be locked in your cells until further notice.  There will be no education, no visits, no work, no association.  You will all lose a week's spends and there will be no visits to the canteen all week.”

Helen: “Is that tough enough for you, Sylvia?”

The screws get busy tossing rooms and spinning cells, while the PBJ gang tries to flush the files.  But one in particular catches Maxi’s eye.

Nikki’s cell.  Al garbles unintelligible threats thru the walls, but Nikki's got other things on her mind.

Screws lounge.  Sylvia sees a bottle of booze in a desk and assumes the inmates weren’t in there.  Helen tells her to check the files, just in case. 

Sylvia says that would be too hard:  “There’s hundreds of them in those filing cabinets.  Each file can have dozens of reports.  Take weeks to check them all. Blahblahblah….”

But Helen doesn’t want to hear it and tells Sylvia to get cracking.  Then sends Gina to get the new Nigerian BFF for Femi…

…then it’s back to her office. Where she makes fresh coffee for the drooling Dr Waugh.

Dr. Waugh:  “Quite a night.  You must’ve been scared.”

Helen:  “I never thought I’d find myself actually looking forward to conference.”

Dr Waugh: “It’ll be my turn to be bricking it.”

Helen:  “Not quite the same scale.” Not even fucking close.”

Dr Waugh:  “Well no, but um, standing up in front of some of the leading people in the field….”

Helen:  “What, people that have actually come to hear you talk as opposed to a group of rioting prisoners? Anyway, you’ll have me to hold your hand.”

Dr Waugh:  “Well, if you put it like that….””

Blegghh.  Look behind  you, Helen – “From Two Worlds.”  I mean, the writing’s on the wall.  Literally.  Right there behind you.

Unlock on the wing.  Julie S gets a letter from David but quickly puts it away. 

Julie J: “Aw, the little lamb’s excited cuz he’s getting his mum and his Aunti Ju back tomorrow!”

Julie S still isn’t sharing her friend’s enthusiasm, though.

En route to the servery, there’s talk of the break up.

Babs:  “Well, she’d have said that in the heat of the moment, wouldn’t she?”

Nikki:  “Sounded pretty final to me.  Maybe she’s just come to her senses.  I mean, we're a bit unlikely if you think about it - me and her, together.”

Babs:  “Well, not if you win your appeal….”

They’re interrupted by a “hi, Nikki.”

Nikki:  “Oh, hiya.”

Caroline:  “Sleep well?”

Nikki:  “Yeah.  You?”

Caroline:  “Yeah, good, thanks.”

And with that, Babs takes her cue and steps off.   (btw, "did you sleep well?" Worst prison pick-up line EVER).

Maxi catches all of it. “Well, well, well…. int life interesting?”

Kitchen.  The Julies are cleaning up and Julie J is still all kinds of excited.  Julie S, still considerably less so.

Julie J:  “One more breakfast and then it’s ‘goodbye Larkhall!’”

Julie S:  “Yeah.”

Julie J wonders if anyone will throw them a party, but Julie S is doubtful.  They’re the only ones who ever throw parties.

Julie J: “Yeah.  Quiet night in might be best.  We can hit the voddys when we get to Monica’s.  Well, if you can wait that long."

Julie S:  “24 hours and counting, mate.”

Screws Lounge.  Barbara’s cleaning when Helen comes in.  After a moment, Babs says, “it's a good job Nikki was in control the other night.”

Helen’s mouth literally falls open.  “I’m sorry?”

Barbara: “Otherwise we might've had a full-blown riot on our hands.  It's just...I heard some of the officers talking as if she were the ringleader, when actually she did everything she could to contain it.”

Helen: “Did she tell you to say all this?”
Barbara:  “Oh no, you mustn't think that!”
Helen: “In case you'd forgotten, it was Nikki who instigated the whole thing.”

(actually, it was Babs who instigated the whole thing, but let’s not split hairs).

Barbara insists that the riot started peacefully.

Helen: “Barbara, we are lucky that no one was killed.  Now, if Nikki hadn't kept a lid on things she would've been out of here at the speed of light!  (yells) If she thinks she was badly treated, then you can tell her from me - she doesn't know she was born!”

Okaaay...  Babs, I suggest you NOT tell that to Nikki.

Later on the wing, Yvonne’s hunting for communion wine for the Julies’ goodbye party. Barbara says she can find something “a bit stronger.”

Visiting Room. 

Julie S:  “So you’re old mum’s getting out tomorrow.”

David:  “At last.”

She gives David his father’s letter and says that he wants to give it another shot. “We’re gonna be a family again.  You, me, and Trevor.”

Garden.  Nikki comes out of the potting shed to find Caroline nearby with a sketch pad.

Nikki:  “What you doing here?”
Caroline:  “Art class.”

Nikki (sits down): “I didn't know you had a talent.”

Caroline: (suggestively) “Didn't you?  We're doing a project called Inside/Outside so I thought I'd do your shed.  Sort of like an inside space outside, but still inside, if you know what I mean.  So I'll need to do the inside as well, won't I? (pause) If you'll let me.”

Nikki gives her a cute little smile.  “Come on.”

They slip off into the love shack potting shed, but they don’t go unnoticed.

Too bad Helen, you had your chance!  Enjoy the conference with that wanker, Dr Waugh.

Visiting Room. Julie S is still on about Trevor. And how David will finally have 2 parents who love and look after him.

David:  “But I’ve always had 2 parents.  Auntie Julie’s been like a second mum.”

Julie:  “And she still will be.”

David:  “But we won’t be living together will we? Like we always said we would.”

Ha, I’m not sure how a prossie in prison raised a teenage boy with feminist, faux-lesbian sensibilities, but Julie S obviously did something right!

Mealtime.  Nikki and Caroline are enjoying a nice quiet, romantic eating when the PBJ gang comes by.  Al mutterss about the hot tea she’s carrying, Nikki mumbles to “piss off.”

Maxi (sits at table across):  “It’s alright, girls - we can take that.  Especially from a star like Nikki Wade.  She did kill a pig after all.  Gotta give her respect for that, don’t we?  What about you, Caroline?  What you in for?  Got blood on your hands?”

Nikki:  “Ignore her.”

Maxi:  “No, no, don’t be shy.  It must be something real cool if Nikki here’s giving you the time of day.”

Caroline:  “I’m in for embezzlement.”

Maxi:  “Embezzlement.  So like, deception...”

Caroline:  “Conned a few people, yeah.”

Maxi:  “Yeah, I can believe that.”

Nikki’s had enough though and they leave.  Al asks what Maxi’s playing at, but she’s not ready to share just yet.

Nighttime.  Nikki and Caroline are alone in the library (obviously brushing up on the classics).

Nikki:  “Here’s the book I was telling you about.”

Caroline (distracted):  “Oh, right.”

Nikki asks if she’s okay, but Caroline’s worried about Maxi.

Nikki:  “Don’t let her get to you, it’s exactly what she wants.”

Caroline:  “I know.”

Nikki:  “She’s a creep.  They all are.  Don’t let them wind you up.”

Caroline:  “I feel safe when I’m with you.”

Nikki:  “You’re the one that got that knife off them.”

Caroline (leans forward):  “I only did it to get your attention.”

Nikki smiles and puts her book down.  Then leans in.

True to form, Nikki goes right for second base, moving her hand to the top of Caroline’s shirt as... 

…the door opens.

Helen:  “Nikki, can I have a word please?”

Julies cell.  Julie J’s still on about their plans post-Larkhall.  Julie S finally tries to tell her about Trevor but gets interrupted.

Yvonne:  “Bloody hell, I heard there was a party in here!”

Cue Crystal walking in with a cake. And Babs with a bottle of scotch filched from Fenner’s drawer.

Back in the Library.

Helen: “What is going on?”
Nikki: “I’d have thought that was blindingly obvious.”

(ha!)

Helen: “Nikki, you should be concentrating on your appeal, not fooling around like this.  It could get you into serious trouble.”

Nikki: “And fooling around with you wouldn't?”

Helen: “I'll pretend I didn't hear that.”

Of course you will, Helen!  Just block it all out….

Nikki:  “Sorry if I'm being a bit thick here, Miss, but I thought you said you didn't want anything more to do with me?”
Helen:  “I'm still in charge of your welfare, whether I like it or not.”

Nikki:  “We wouldn't be a teeny bit jealous would we, by any chance?”
Helen: “Is that why you're doing this?”
Nikki:  “Oh yeah, a quick snog in an empty library, just the way to flaunt it.  If anything's going on, it's you stalking me.”

Helen: “Don't be ridiculous!”

Nikki: “Look, you've made it clear that you don't give a shit about me.  Fine. So how I feel has nothing to do with you anymore.  Now can I go please?”

No answer from Helen.

Nikki:  “I’ll take that as a ‘yes.’   She gets up and walks to the door.

Helen spins around. “Nikki!”

Nikki stands at the door for a long moment. Finally, she turns around.  And waits.

Nikki:  “Well?”

Helen:  “Be careful.”

Nikki:  “What?”

Helen:  “You heard.”

Nikki walks out, undoubtedly as confused as the rest of us.

Back on the wing, an anxious Caroline asks what happened.

Nikki:  “Oh, you know what they’re like.  They know it goes on but they don’t like you advertising it….your court case, blah blah blah.”

(btw, that’s Nikki saying “blah blah blah,” and not me…)

Caroline:  “So am I in trouble?”

Nikki:  “No, no it’s me that gets my fingers rapped for leading you astray.  If only they knew….”

If only…

Anyway, Nikki’s fingers have been rapped enough for one day and she invites Caroline to the party. 

And AGAIN they get peeped by Maxi.

In the Julies’ cell, it’s scotch all around.

They’re all laughing and drinking when Nikki and Caroline walk in.

Nikki:  “Someone’s having a good time!”

And someone else looks like the cat that just snogged the canary.

Yvonne:  “Where you been?”

Nikki:  “I just had to pop down to the library with Caroline.”

The women start to laugh and tease them.  “Oh the library.  Read any good books?”

(haa!)

Downstairs, the PBJ gang hears the laughter and think Team Wade is laughing at them.  Al jabbers….something and Tina says…something else.   

Maxi finally pulls out the piece of paper.  “Go on and have a read of that.”

Al’s eyes grow wide.  “Jeezuss chrrrrrist.”

Maxi looks up at the Julies’ cell.  “The longer we leave her, the deeper she digs herself in.”

Back in the Julies cell, the women are still laughing and carrying on...

Which means that a screw will be coming along soon to break it up.  Right on cue, Josh walks in.

The women ask for a little longer but they’ve already had more time and Josh hustles them out.

Before Nikki leaves, Julie J stops her. “Are you and Caroline….?”

Nikki (smiles):  “We’ll see…”

Julie J:  “She’s a lovely girl…”

The Julies gush while Nikki blushes, “thanks, Julies.”  It’s really quite sweet.

Some hallway. Helen has suddenly realized that the wing is overcrowded so they’re transferring some prisoners out. She reads the names off to Sylvia – the last name is “Caroline Lewis.”

Wow. Nikki’s gonna be pissed.  I predict holy hell unleashed on Helen’s head (but why doesn't Helen take advantage of the "overcrowding" to get rid of Maxi and Al?)

The Julies are getting ready for bed and Julie S finally ‘fesses up about Trevor.  She says its early days still but they might be getting back together.

Julie J:  “But what about all our plans?  Cottage in the country, no men…?

Julie S: “I know.  I’m so sorry.”

Next morning….

Julie S tries to make up – “might not even work out with me and Trevor,”

but Julie J isn’t interested.

Julie J:  “You planned all this, behind my back!”

Julie S:  “We could still make it work.”

Julie J:  “No we can’t! You’ve ruined everything!”

Breakfast.  Nikki sits down next to Caroline who says she’s being shipped out.

Nikki:  “What?”

Caroline:  “Something to do with overcrowding.  Miss Stewart’s orders.”

And...cut to Miss Stewart’s office.

Nikki:  “You just can't bear to see me happy, can you?”

Helen:  “You are waay off.”
Nikki:  “Why can't you just admit you're jealous?”

Helen:  “I don't have to explain myself.”
Nikki:  “Because you haven't got the balls, that's why! You're like a big kid - you don't want the toy and you don't want anyone else to have it either.  Is this how it's going to be? Every time I meet someone I like they get moved out?”

Helen: “I won't be responsible for that when your Wing Governor gets back.”
Nikki:  “Betts wouldn't have done this.”

Helen:  “Look Nikki, I've got no more to say on the matter!”

Nikki:  “And that's what you always do Helen, isn't it? You play the power game on me.  Have you ever considered therapy? Christ knows you need it!”

Yes, she does always play the power game, Nikki.  And yes, she should consider therapy.  Oh, if only she knew a shrink!

Nikki walks out.  With a long sigh, Helen leans back in her chair.

Reception.  The Julies are being processed out, and even Sylvia and Gina can feel the chill in the air.

Sylvia:  “What’s the matter with you two?  Had a falling out or what?  Anyone would think you were going to prison, not leaving it.”

Hallway.  Dr. Waugh catches up with Helen to see if she’s ready for the conference. 

Dr. Waugh:  “I thought we might stop for a bite to eat along the way.  There’s a pub I know by the river.”

Helen:  “Sounds perfect.”

Back on the wing, Josh tells Caroline to finish packing – transport’s waiting.  Maxi overhears and runs off to find Nikki.

Maxi:  “So it's goodbye to your girlfriend then, Wade.  That's a shame, innit?”
Nikki (angry):  “You know, you really are getting on my tits!”
Maxi:  “Be more of a shame when everyone knows she's a nonce!”

That does it.  Nikki grabs Maxi and shoves her against the railing. “I’ve had enough of you, Purvis!”

Maxi:  “Turn you on screwing a child molester?  Cause that's what she is, int she?”
Nikki:  “What?”

Maxi: “Didn't you know? (tells the other inmates) Big Queen Nikki here's been shagging a nonce!”

She says Caroline and her bloke took pics of kids having sex and sold them online.  The embezzlement charge is just a cover to protect her.

Nikki: “You little shit!”
Maxi: (holds out the paper):  “It's all in the file.”

As Nikki reads the file, Tina starts chanting:  “Nonce, nonce, kill the nonce!  Nonce, nonce, kill the nonce!”  The other inmates join in….

….just as Caroline comes out of her cell.

The inmates rush Caroline but Josh shoves her back in the cell, slams the door, and leans on the bell. 

“NONCE, NONCE, KILL THE NONCE!” the inmates pound on Caroline's cell.

Nikki stands there in total shock. 

They really couldn’t have made this any worse, could they? I mean, if Caroline was a serial killer who hacked up her victims and ate their faces off with curry, it STILL would be better than being a nonce.

To add insult to considerable injury, Nikki turns and sees Helen. And realizes she’d been trying to protect her all along.

Oops, I almost forgot:  the Julies finally get released from Larkhall.  And get re-arrested less than 2 minutes later for some shady shit they did back in the day.