Play 142: It’s All He Knows (aka, 24−The Extreme School Edition)

CHARACTERS
YOUNG JACK BAUER, 17
STUDENT, 17

(They are standing in front of a row of lockers putting books in their backpacks and getting everything ready before school starts.)

YOUNG JACK BAUER
Do you know when class starts?

STUDENT
I’m not sure.

YOUNG JACK BAUER
(Screaming.)
Do you know when class starts?!

STUDENT
I said I don’t—

(YJB grabs the student by the throat and slams his back against the lockers.

YOUNG JACK BAUER
(Screaming.)
Stop lying to me!

STUDENT
(Talking softly because the air is cut off.)
I don’t know—

YOUNG JACK BAUER
Tell me the truth!

(He releases the student, and punches him in the side of the face, launching him to the ground.)

(The student screams, and curls into a ball on the ground clutching where he got hit.)

STUDENT
Please, I’m not lying to—

(YJB pulls out a gun.)

STUDENT
I’m telling you the truth!

(YJB points the gun at him.)

YOUNG JACK BAUER
What do you know?

STUDENT
I don’t know any—

YOUNG JACK BAUER
(Screaming.)
What do you know?!

(He cocks the gun, and pushes the end of the barrel into the students head.)

STUDENT
(Screaming and sweating profusely with a look of complete horror on his face.)
I don’t know anything, I swear!

YOUNG JACK BAUER
Don’t make me do this!

(He pushes the gun in harder.)

STUDENT
No!

YOUNG JACK BAUER
Tell me what I need to know!

STUDENT
I don’t know anything!

YOUNG JACK BAUER
Tell me!

(The student starts crying.)

(Beat.)

YOUNG JACK BAUER

Fine.

(YJB pistol-whips the student in the head, knocking him unconscious.)

(He looks down at his watch.)

YOUNG JACK BAUER
We don’t have enough time!

(He runs offstage.)

(Lights down.)