Copyright 2007 Robert Baer Jr., Kristen Coughlan Amos and Hannah - Dogs of Katrina Road Rover names, character, situations and the Road Rover universe are the property of Warner Bros. I, nor this script/story have any connection with Warner Bros. in any way, shape or form. This document is meant solely for not-for-profit entertainment and may not be reproduced or publized in any way, shape or form. This story in not meant to infringe on any copyrights. This story is written by Robert Baer Jr and Kristen Coughlan and all characters (unless otherwise stated here) are creations of Robert Baer Jr 1999-2007. Ruth and Huck are property of Kristen Coughlan. Amos and Hannah - Dogs of Katrina The scene opens up in a New Orleans neighborhood, Amos, Hannah, and Ruth (Bagle Hound) are helping to clean out and rebuild houses. Ruth is working on repairing some wiring in one of the houses. Hannah comes into the room, frustrated. RUTH (confused) Caught Amos using his magic again? HANNAH (nods): Yes. I know his heart's in the right place, but it's better if we refrain from using our powers like that Ruth fuses some wires together. Ruth: Do you know when the Maddogs and his family showing up? I need to speak to Ben. HANNAH (looks at watch): They were supposed to be here by now. RUTH: I need to talk to Ben about our case. HANNAH (nods): I'm sure he'll be here AMOS (points): Lookie lookie woman! Dare be ol' Ben and his youngin's comin! RUTH (smiles) Hello Ben. BEN (smiles): Hello Ruth, it's good to see you again. RUTH (smiles) I need to talk about my case with you later. BEN (nods): Anytime you're ready, Ruth //////FLASHBACK////// Ruth is in her canine form, being held by her master as FEMA personal and police were begining to take people out of the area. OWNER (upset) What do you mean I can't bring my dog with me? She is like family to me. OFFICER (sad): I'm sorry, but we're only authorized to rescue people, not pets Ruth whines as she is taken out of her owner's arms and her owner is forced on the bus. OFFICER (sad): If it were up to me, I'd let you bring her, but I have to follow the rules Ruth struggles in the officer's arms and tries to go to her owner. The bus drives off. Ruth jumps from the officer's arms and tries to run after it. OFFICER (shouts): Git back here, you crazy dog! Ruth keeps trying to chase the bus but she tires and the bus continues to drive off. Ruth wanders the streets of New Orleans. She sees other abandoned pets running around. As she walks around, she hears a loud bang and then a pain in her leg. She yips and looks behind her. There was armed police firing at the abandoned dogs. Ruth limps and goes to find a place to hide. Ruth goes into a crack in a wall and ducks down low, hiding. The next morning, Amos and Hannah appear in the streets. HANNAH (upset) I can't believe that they won't let people in to help. AMOS (upset): But Amos ain't no people, Amos be a doggie! HANNAH (upset) Those FEMA people even sent fire fighters away to a conference in Georgia. AMOS (sad): And day say Amos be not very smart! HANNAH (upset) I even heard that witnesses in one of the perishes saw FEMA block supplies from coming in and cut communications lines. AMOS (sad): Day has to be someting we could do! (smiles): I can be usin' magic to make everyting right again Hannah's ears perk up as she hears a dog whimpering. AMOS (notices): What you be hearin' woman? HANNAH (concerned) I hear a dog. She sounds to be hurt. AMOS (concerned): Let's be gittin it fast! Hannah follows the sound and finds Ruth hiding in a crack of one of the buildings. Ruth is shaking looking very scared. AMOS (sad): Worry not little doggie, ol' Amos and Hannah be here to helps ya Hannah carefully lifts Ruth out of the hole. Amos and Hannah then sees that she had been shot. AMOS (surprised): Who be doin' dis ting to a doggie? Amos know what dat be like Ruth whines and whimpers saying that men in uniforms shot at her and other dogs. AMOS (growls): Dem humans! Day be devils, day be! HANNAH (calmly): Now Amos, settle down. Hannah uses her magic to heal Ruth HANNAH (calmly): There Ruth, that will make you feel better Ruth whimpers a bit, scared. There are more gunshots in the distance and another abandoned dog, a Cajun Squirel Dog, comes run into the alley looking for a place to hide. RUTH (barking) It's them again . . . AMOS (growling): Amos Doggie be stoppin' dem right now! HANNAH (calmly): Now dear, don't act n haste, remember you could do more harm than good if you... AMOS (furoius): Day be doin' duh harm! Amos be stoppin' it! Amos glows as he growls. Suddenly Ruth and the other dog glow and turn into cano-sapiens. RUTH (stunned) What the?! AMOS (thundering voice): Amos Doggie say you stop shootin' doggies or Amos will be makin' y'all pay! Frightened officers all drop their guns and run away screaming RUTH (growls) Serves them right! Ruth turns to the other dog. RUTH (concerned) Are you okay? HANNAH (stunned): Amos Doggie! Scaring humans is not a good idea. AMOS (growls): Amos wanted to turn dem all into worms, but den I remember what you say about dat. The other cano-sapien (Huck) is shaking. He is still shaken from being shot at and being turned into a cano-sapien. HUCK (whimpers, shaken) What da day . . . HANNAH (smiles): Ruth, Huck, relax. You are among friends now. Trust me HUCK (stunned) How you be knowing, my name, woman? HANNAH (smiles): I know a great many things, but I think it's best we get the two of you to Road Rover Headquarters for a proper briefing. AMOS (growling): Amos still be tempted to turn dem humans wit guns into worms wit dirt! HANNAH (sternly): AMOS DOGGIE!!! //END FLASHBACK Ruth finishes telling Ben her story as Huck comes in using his super strengh to carry a bundle of roofing shingles. BEN (nods): I see. I'm surprised none of the news agencies picked up on how Amos scared the police away RUTH (sad) Yeah . . . I do want a case against the people that shot at the abandoned pets. HUCK (growls) I be sickened by da report of dogs tied up in a school and shot. BEN (sternly); Well, this case won't be easy to pursue. Few records were kept, many of the dogs who were shot were not identified HUCK (growls) It be horrible. Amos growls to himself. AMOS (growling): Amos Doggie be helpin' ya! Amos Doggie be know'n all dem doggies dat gots shot! BEN (surprised): But how would you know AMOS (sternly): Amos Doggie be know'n all dee doggies here! (growls): Many be friends to Amos, till dem humans be shootin' dem! RUTH (upset) It not fair that we were left behind. BEN (sternly): Let's all calm down. If we are to file and pursue this case, we must use evidence and facts, not emotions RUTH (blunt) I have bullet fragments in my leg. BEN (turns to her): Hannah, when you healed Ruth, did you save the metal fragments? HANNAH (sadly): Well, no. I guess I wasn't thinking.... RUTH: There are still a few in my leg. HANNAH (surprised): But I thought I completely healed you RUTH (shakes head) Hubert x-rayed my leg. BEN (nods): Good! X-ray evidence is solid! HUCK (nods) I'm sure dat other doggies dat survived and saved by dee animal rescue could testify. BEN (nods): Good good! The more witnesses and evidence we have, the stronger our case will be The scene switches to the courtroom a few days later. BALIFF (shouts): All rise, the Circuit Court is now in session, acting Judge Blanche Vito presiding! Everyone stands up the courtroom as the judge walks in. BEN (whispers): Looks like we got a break, she knows me Everyone then sits down. BLANCHE (sternly): This is a class action lawsuit against the Police Department of the City of New Orleans. BEN (stands up): Ben Maddog for the plaintiffs, your honor. I intend to prove criminal intent and negligence in the matter of how my canine friends were treated in the recent emergency JIM (stands up): Jim DeLong for the defense your honor, and I will prove to everyone in this courtroom that our fine police force was merely obeying orders from their superiors, the Federal Government, and FEMA in their actions of humanely putting down dumb orphaned pets in the flood area Huck and Ruth growl to themselves. BEN (angry): I object to the term "dumb orphaned pets!" BLANCHE (sternly): Overruled! Mr. DeLong has the right to say whatever he wants in his opening remarks..... (angry): But that's the ONLY time he has that right! JIM (swallows hard): Yes, your honor BEN (stern) I would like to call my first witness, Ruth. Ruth stands up and goes to the witness stand. JIM (angry): I object! Calling a dog to the stand? Is this a courtroom or a kennel? BLANCHE (angry): Overruled! Since this alledged crime was against dogs, I will allow it BEN (turns to Ruth) What happened to you during the hurricane? RUTH (sad) My master and I managed to get to a place were people were taken out of the area. The police and FEMA did not allow my master to take me with him. He was forced on the bus refusing to go without me. I tried to chase after the bus but I ended up lost. That night I heard gunshots and laughter. Police officers were shooting the dogs and I was shot as well. Gasps are heard from the gallery. BEN (nods): Your honor, Prosecution Exbihit A, the X-rays taken from Ruth the day of the shooting. Ballistic tests at the Road Rover crime lab reveal the bullets came from police issued firearms. The judge looks at the x-rays. BLANCHE (nods): I see, and these are the crime lab results... JIM (angry): I object! These tests didn't take place in our state crime lab, they could be phony! BLANCHE (angry): Overruled! I trust the Road Rovers to provide accurate results! Ruth steps down and soon Huck takes the stand. BEN (turns to him) Huck, what is your story? HUCK (nods) Dem FEMA people and police officers forced my master out of his house just because he had a gun. He was had it out to protect his house and himself from dem rioters. Police wanted to use me as target practice by lettin' me loose. JIM (upset): I object! This mutt can't even speak clear English! BEN (smirks): Neither can you JIM (shouts): HEY!! BLANCHE (bangs gavel): Order! Objection overruled and please no more emotional outbursts from the bench! HUCK (continues) Amos and Hannah Doggie save both me and Ruth. JIM (smirks): Your honor, Amos Doggie is just an urban legend, he doesn't exist, he's like Santa Claus and the tooth fairy AMOS (stands up): Amos Doggie DO exist, mean ol' human! BLANCHE (bangs gavel): Order in my court! (sternly): Mr DeLong, Amos Doggie is a registered citizen of Louisianna, even his marriage was properly recorded, he does exist, objection overruled! Over time Ben brings up more cano-sapiens and some rescue workers and they had similar stories to Ruth and Huck. Jim sits nervously, listening to all the testimony. He tries to cross examine many of the witnesses but they do not break. Soon Jim began to call his first witness. Huck reconizes the police officer and growls to himself. JIM (smugly): Now Officer Smith, did you or did you not receive orders from your superiors to shoot every stray dog in your area? OFFICER SMITH (nods): Yes sir, I did JIM (smiles): And where did those orders come from? OFFICER SMITH (looks up): FEMA BLANCHE (interrupting): But Officer Smith, Plaintiff Exhibit 20, which is an internal police memo signed by your captain, contradicts your testimony! OFFICER SMITH (stunned): What? Huck continues to growl at Officer Smith. JIM (angry): Your honor, you are out of order! BLANCHE (angry): I don't care! I won't sit here and listen to this man lie in MY courtroom! (turns towards him): How about telling us the truth for a change,do you know the penalty for perjury? OFFICER SMITH (gulps) Jail . . . BLANCHE (angry): Yes! Now start talking.. JIM (upset): Your honor, I'm the one who should be asking the questions... BLANCHE (furious): NO MORE RUN A ROUND! Tell us, who gave you the order to shoot those dogs! OFFICER SMITH (nervous): Well... it was.... Captain Tomkins of the New Orleans PD JIM (furious): You idiot! You blew our defense! BEN (stunned): You knew about the cover up, Jim? HUCK (whispers to Ben) He be one of the officers who harassed my Master and let me loose to be used as target practise. JIM (angry): I have no further questions for this witness. BEN (smiles): Nor do I, your honor, you asked them for me. I would like to recall Huck to the witness stand Huck returns to the witness stand. BEN (sternly): Now Huck, tell the court what you just told me about the day this happened HUCK (growls) He be one of the officers who harassed my Master and let me loose to be used as target practise. BEN (sternly): I see. Did he used the exact words "target practice" or did he simply start shooting at you at random? HUCK (growls) I be sleeping in the yard. I was woked up by dee police yelling at my master because he had a gun that he was using to protect himself and refused to hand it over. I barked at them to let my master go. Den one of dee police said, "Oh look, target pratice." Den day started to fire. I ran. Loud murmuring echoes from the gallery OFFICER SMITH (upset): The Captain was supposed to protect us from prosecution! JIM (slaps Smith): Shut up already! BLANCHE (stands up): I will not tolerate this behavior in my courtroom! Baliff, escort that lawyer out of here! The Baliff begins to escort the lawyer out of the courtroom JIM (struggling): Wait! You can't do this! I was paid good money to get everyone off the hook! Huck growls at the lawyer. Ruth and other cano-sapiens from New Orleans growl as well. BLANCHE (sternly): Well, the evidence I've seen here is very plain to me. I find in favor of the plaintiff! RUTH (excited) Yes! BEN (surprised): This was one ot the easiest cases I ever had! The scene switches to Road Rover Headquarters. Amos, Hannah, Ben, Ruth and Huck are watching the New Orleans dogs turn back to normal. HUCK (excited) I be havin' a new job! HANNAH (interested) Where? HUCK (excited) I be offered a job at dee Space Rover Academy as a groundskeeper. AMOS (confused): If you be keepin' all dee ground, den where be dee Space Rovers gonna go? HANNAH (rolls eyes): Oh Amos..... RUTH (smiles) I signed up as a Space Rover Cadet. BEN (smiles): Good for you! RUTH (smiles) I'm going to train to be an engineer. AMOS (excited): Dat be great! Will day be givin' y'all your own train? BEN (smiles): We'll explain it to you later, my friend ------------------------------------------------