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Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 17,801
terrible podcaster 15000+ posts
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OP
terrible podcaster 15000+ posts
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 17,801 |
01
TEASER: INT SPORTS BAR
FADE IN SPORTSCASTERS BEFORE FADE FROM BLACK TO HELICOPTER PANORAMIC OF CHICAGO SKYLINE AT NIGHT.
PLAY-BY-PLAY COMMENTATOR (V.O.)
That's two away here in the bottom of the ninth, but Vazquez heads to the plate with the tying run on second.
COLOR COMMENTATOR (V.O.)
One out away from what'd basically be an early end to the season. The Cubbies have to have this win if they want any shot at the wild card, Tom.
HELICOPTER SHOT gradually zooms in on a brick storefront along a brightly-lit downtown street, toward an ordinary-looking sports bar at the end of the row.
PLAY-BY-PLAY COMMENTATOR
Vazquez looking, takes ball one. For those of you just tuning in for the ten o'clock headlines, Chicago is in a do-or-die situation hosting the Dodgers tonight; a loss here will allow Colorado to clinch the last remaining NL playoff berth, ending any hopes for a trip to the postseason for the Cubs.
COLOR COMMENTATOR
Remember, Vazquez thrives on pressure situations like this one, Tom. He's batting .388 with runners in scoring position this season, and I've gotta believe management traded for him for at-bats like this one.
PLAY-BY-PLAY COMMENTATOR
Swing and a miss, the count is even at one and one.
Inside, DAVE is watching the game at the bar a few stools away from another CUBS FAN as the female BARTENDER is cleaning up a spill. He looks over across the room at ANGELA, who is sitting with her friends. Apparently this isn't the first time he's looked her way.
BARTENDER
Take a picture. It'll last longer.
DAVE
(innocently)
Huh?
BARTENDER
(mildly amused)
Sweetie, I've caught you checking her out the last three times you were both in here.
DAVE chuckles sheepishly.
PLAY-BY-PLAY COMMENTATOR (TV)
Fouled straight back, count's even again at two balls, two strikes.
BARTENDER
She might've looked back your way once or twice; I'm not sure. Why don't you just go try and talk to her?
DAVE
You... you think I should?
BARTENDER
(shrugs)
Would you rather just sit on your ass and stare at her every night?
DAVE
Fair enough.
PLAY-BY-PLAY COMMENTATOR (TV)
A swing and a... weak fly ball to shallow center.
A number of anguished (but unsurprised) groans can be heard from around the bar.
PLAY-BY-PLAY COMMENTATOR (TV)
Anderson settles in and... makes the catch. And that'll do it, Rick.
COLOR COMMENTATOR (TV)
(dejectedly)
That's gonna close the door on their playoff bid and effectively close the books on what's definitely been a season of ups and downs...
DAVE looks down the bar to his right and smiles weakly.
DAVE
Guess there's always n-
CUBS FAN
(glaring daggers)
Don't even say it.
CUBS FAN turns away and mutters something into his beer about the woes of ongoing managerial incompetence as DAVE drains his glass, slides off the barstool and strides over to speak to ANGELA. The BARTENDER half-watches as she tidies up the cash register. On the way across the room, DAVE passes a somewhat disheveled-looking man with dark, bushy hair and unsettling WILD EYES, who also seems to be looking in ANGELA's direction.
DAVE
Hey.
ANGELA looks up and smiles faintly. Her friends are talking amongst themselves, and she seems a little left out.
ANGELA
Hey.
DAVE momentarily fumbles for something to say before noticing a Cubs-logo keychain fob attached to ANGELA's purse.
DAVE
Sucks that they're not gonna make the playoffs now.
ANGELA
I've lived in this town long enough that it doesn't surprise me anymore. Angela, by the way.
DAVE
I'm Dave. So, Angela, what do you do when you're not watching the Cubs lose?
ANGELA
(mildly amused)
You from the South Side or something? Let's see... I’m about a semester and a half away from my MFA at UIC. Contemporary Theater. You?
DAVE
Oh, you know... I’m kind of... in between jobs at the moment. I’ve got a BS in Criminal Justice, and...
ANGELA
Planning on being a cop?
DAVE
(frowning a little)
Well, I was, but... my application to the police academy was declined the other day. Second time this year.
ANGELA
(sympathetically)
Sorry to hear that. Did they say why?
DAVE opens his mouth to explain, pauses, then decides against it. Meanwhile, WILD EYES slides out of his seat and slowly makes his way over to where DAVE and ANGELA are talking.
DAVE
Long story.
ANGELA
Just keep trying. I'm sure they'll let you in eventually.
DAVE
Thanks.
(long pause)
So tell me more about Angela, if you don't mind. What made you want to get into theater?
ANGELA
Honestly? I guess it's just the thrill of-
The conversation is interrupted as WILD EYES walks up behind ANGELA, who turns to face him. His clothing and most of his appearance aren't odd at all, but besides being uncommonly hairy and the characteristic wildness in his eyes, the man seems to give off an aura - almost like a smell, not necessarily unpleasant but noticeably unusual - which visibly affects those around him. DAVE is inexplicably uneasy and intimidated while ANGELA appears unconsciously drawn to some sort of animal magnetism WILD EYES emanates.
WILD EYES
Full moon out tonight.
ANGELA
(absently)
Yeah... yeah, it is.
Wild Eyes grunts to himself as if confirming his own observation before regarding Angela with a hungry stare.
DAVE
(to ANGELA, tentatively)
You... you know this guy?
ANGELA doesn't answer. WILD EYES stares coldly at DAVE but appears more annoyed than actually angry. After a moment of awkward silence, WILD EYES looks back at ANGELA.
WILD EYES
I'm Joe.
ANGELA
(almost robotically)
Hi. I'm Angela.
WILD EYES
I think we should get out of here.
ANGELA just nods.
DAVE
(more angry than anxious now)
Look, man, we were talking here. I mean, that's a serious dick move...
WILD EYES slowly turns and glares at DAVE again, this time with genuine hostility along with what could almost be mistaken for a flicker of animal-like eyeshine. DAVE abruptly falls silent, unconsciously leaning backward in his chair. At length, WILD EYES turns his gaze back toward ANGELA, who without a word or a glance at DAVE or her friends slowly gets out of her seat, slings her purse over her shoulder, and follows WILD EYES across the room. As they pass, the BARTENDER eyes the strange man with a mixture of recognition, suspicion, and anxiety. DAVE watches them exit and then sits there in disbelief, unsure exactly what has just transpired. One of ANGELA's friends notices and hurriedly approaches DAVE.
ANGELA'S FRIEND
(puzzled and alarmed)
Who was that guy? What just happened?
DAVE
(long pause)
I... I have no idea.
Without acknowledging ANGELA'S FRIEND further, DAVE slowly returns to his seat at the bar. The BARTENDER sets another beer down in front of him.
BARTENDER
This one's on the house... if you can tell me what he said or did to her.
DAVE blinks, more confused than ever.
DAVE
What the hell just happened? All he did was say something about the moon being out tonight, they traded names, and next thing I know they're headed out the door!
(pausing to take a swig)
I thought I was doing pretty well, too.
BARTENDER
Don't take it personally. He's been in here three or four times before, and pretty much the same thing happens every time. He's only spoken to me once... there's something really weird about that guy.
DAVE
(thinking out loud)
You know... it wasn't anything he said or did. It was... he just felt strange, somehow. Being around him felt wrong. I can't explain it.
DAVE can't sit down anymore. He hops off the barstool.
DAVE
Sorry. I've had a rotten day, and this wasn't how I wanted to finish it off.
DAVE reaches into his wallet and lays a ten and a five on the bar.
BARTENDER
Don't let it get to you, okay? In fact... it's probably better if you forget all about that.
DAVE looks CONFUSED and a little perturbed by the BARTENDER's advice but decides not to push the issue. He heads out the door past the BOUNCER as the BARTENDER hurriedly grabs her cell phone from behind the bar and dials a number.
BARTENDER
Yeah, it's me again.
(pause as if listening)
He was here again. Just left.
CUT TO AN OVERHEAD SHOT OF A BLACK LUXURY CAR SPEEDING DOWN A NEARBY STREET.
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Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 17,801
terrible podcaster 15000+ posts
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OP
terrible podcaster 15000+ posts
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 17,801 |
02
TEASER: EXT STREET/ALLEYWAY
DAVE walks out of the club doorway into a temperate autumn night and takes a left down a Chicago sidewalk as the full moon comes out from behind the clouds.
MID SHOT from behind, follow DAVE walking
The black car passes DAVE heading in the opposite direction, then makes a U-turn and stops in front of the bar. A nondescript-looking man in a black business suit gets out of the passenger's-side door and walks up to the entrance.
As DAVE passes a closed storefront, a woman's terrified screams - thin, high-pitched, and suddenly cut off - echoes from an alleyway a short distance ahead.
CLOSE UP: Face shot of DAVE's reaction
Back at the bar entrance, the man in the suit (JANACEK) is showing the bouncer a photo. The bouncer nods and points off down the sidewalk in the direction DAVE went. JANACEK hurriedly thanks him, then rushes back to the waiting car which speeds off down the street.
DAVE stops short of the waiting alleyway and peers around the corner, but the dim light and several dumpsters and trash bins keep him from seeing anyone. He tiptoes to the cover of one of the dumpsters and takes another look. All that can be seen are a woman's feet protruding from behind another garbage bin, wearing familiar-looking high heels. DAVE darts across the alley and ducks behind a pile of cardboard boxes, then takes a closer look.
DAVE
(gasp)
Holy...
CLOSE UP: ANGELA lies dead in the alleyway. it appears her throat has been slashed, but the darkness obscures our view.
The sedan brakes to a halt on the street. JANACEK hops out of the passenger's side as another black-suited man (PARTLOW) kills the engine and slowly exits the driver's side. Both men duck into the shadows; JANACEK quickly draws a menacing-looking autoloader (H&K USP) and attaches a suppressor before disappearing from view while PARTLOW speaks into an earpiece.
PARTLOW
On location; deploying now.
David rushes over to Angela's body and drops down beside it. He feels for a pulse but can't find one. David fumbles in his pocket for his phone but pauses in the middle of dialing as he looks up.
WILD EYES
(irritated)
You...
WILD EYES steps out of the shadows and glares at DAVE over the body.
WILD EYES
This is the second time you've gotten in my way tonight.
W.E. glances down at ANGELA's body.
WILD EYES
Damndest thing, really - I actually kinda liked her.
For a moment, W.E. seems genuinely remorseful.
DAVE
What... what did you do?
As W.E. steps further into the moonlight, DAVE sees just how hairy - almost furry - the stranger's skin is, and how long and menacingly sharp his fingernails look. It might just be a trick of the light, but from time to time a glint of animal light flickers in the man's eyes. Even more curiously, W.E. seems almost ashamed, trying to reason with DAVE and justify whatever he's done.
WILD EYES
You have to understand - there was a big part of me that didn't want to hurt her, that didn't want this to happen.
W.E. paces back and forth anxiously, unwilling to look at the body on the ground.
WILD EYES
But... but there was a bigger part of me... that was hungry.
DAVE's eyes flicker nervously back and forth between WILD EYES and ANGELA's body. Looking closer, it's now possible to see that ANGELA's throat wasn't slashed by a knife but torn by the teeth of an animal - of a predator.
DAVE
You... you killed her because... you were hungry?
WILD EYES
That's what I said, isn't it? I didn't wanna do it, I had to do it!
DAVE
(more than a bit frightened)
Look, man... I don't know what's... what's wrong with you, but... lemme get you some help, okay? I'm sure there are people who can help you with... with whatever's going on...
W.E. allows himself a chilling laugh - almost sympathetic but full of bitterness.
WILD EYES
You think you can help me? You think anyone out there can fix this?
W.E. looks down at his hands. The hair and nails seem to have grown even over the course of this conversation.
WILD EYES
Do you even have any idea what I am? What's happening to me? This is the sort of thing that shouldn't even be real! And as far as you knew, it wasn't.
W.E. regards DAVE coldly, any semblance of remorse or sympathy long gone.
WILD EYES
And now... now what am I supposed to do with you? It's not as though anyone's gonna believe you even if you tell them what you've seen here. But at the same time... I'm sure you don't like being disturbed right as you're sitting down to dinner, right?
DAVE can't bring himself to utter a response.
WILD EYES
Well... I don't like being taken away from a meal either.
PARTLOW
Joseph Wisnewski?
PARTLOW is standing at the end of the alley from which DAVE entered. In his right hand is a large revolver which glimmers faintly in the moonlight. W.E. seems to recognize the man but at first merely seems mildly amused.
WILD EYES
Well, look who's coming to dinner! Agent Partlow - what a pleasant surprise...
W.E. casually walks around DAVE and approaches PARTLOW.
PARTLOW
You never call us anymore, Joe. You dropped off the grid about the time we started hearing of disappearances in this neighborhood... didn't think we'd connect the dots?
W.E. turns back toward DAVE and the other exit from the alley, but JANACEK is standing there with his gun drawn.
JANACEK
Running's just gonna make things harder for you, Mr. Wisnewski.
(to DAVE)
Don't be alarmed, sir - we're Federal Agents. Please just stay back while we resolve this.
W.E. laughs again.
WILD EYES
"Federal Agents" my shaggy ass!
(to DAVE)
You have no idea who these guys are, do you?
PARTLOW calmly steps forward, revolver still pointed to the ground for safety.
PARTLOW
Joe, you broke the rules. You've been killing people you know are gonna be missed. That's a problem. It's a damn good thing the police didn't find you first - for their sake and yours. I'm not sure when or why you went off the rails, but until now you've cooperated with us, so I'm gonna give you the benefit of the doubt and try and help you here.
WILD EYES
Help?
(laughs)
I have a pretty good idea of what kind of help to expect from you people. The guns really help convey that humanitarian image you've clearly put so much work into.
PARTLOW
Joe, listen. We can still help you get control of this - there are new serums, new treatment methods - but it's going to take a lot of time and we can't risk any more incidents like this. You're gonna have to come with us.
W.E. doesn't like the idea. He looks back and forth at the two black-suited men, seemingly hoping for an escape route.
DAVE
(timidly)
Excuse me... ummmm, guys? Not trying to be rude here or anything, but... what the hell did I walk into here?
WILD EYES
Ever see Men in Black, kid?
(chuckles)
These guys don't freakin' exist - and soon, neither will we.
W.E. glares at JANACEK but continues talking to DAVE.
WILD EYES
In a way, I kinda feel sorry for ya, kid. They're just gonna kill me... who the hell knows what they'll do to you?
While W.E. speaks, PARTLOW quietly opens the cylinder of his revolver. We can see that the grip is covered in mysterious, ornate scrollwork of some sort and the barrel and frame are plated with some silvery metal. PARTLOW reaches into a pocket of his suit jacket and fishes out three .44 Magnum bullets - the moonlight above reveals the telltale glimmer of silver - which he loads into the cylinder...
WILD EYES
Like I said, this is the kinda thing that's not supposed to be real... and now that you know it is, do you think they're gonna let you tell anyone?
JANACEK
Joseph. Enough. We've seen what we tracked you down to find out, and now you're gonna have to come with us - that's your only option at this point.
W.E. seems to come a little unhinged at the prospect of captivity.
WILD EYES
(with increasing anxiety)
No. No. I won't... You can't put me in a cage. I can't be in a cage.
JANACEK shifts a little, raising his gun.
JANACEK
Like I said - that's your only option at this point.
WILD EYES
No. It isn't.
(to DAVE)
Best of luck, man. Sorry you got dragged into this.
The animal eyeshine is almost constant now as W.E. approaches JANACEK at the end of the alley. JANACEK stands his ground, unflinching, and speaks into his earpiece.
JANACEK
Target in sight, request sanction.
V.O. (COMM TRAFFIC, MALE)
Sanction granted, weapons free. Engage at your own discretion.
JANACEK takes aim in a fraction of a second and squeezes off six or seven shots in rapid succession as DAVE dives for cover behind the nearest dumpster. All shots find their mark, striking W.E. in the chest and abdomen, but while W.E. jerks crazily under the impacts, he stays on his feet.
Cut to DAVE watching from behind garbage bin
JANACEK takes a step back to readjust as W.E. laughs hysterically and lets out an ear-piercing howl.
Cut to POV SHOT over PARTLOW's shoulder
Just as W.E. prepares to charge again, PARTLOW takes aim with his Magnum and fires one deafening shot.
TIGHT SHOT, W.E. reaction
W.E. staggers under the impact and lets out a canine yelp of pain and alarm.
CLOSE UP: "business End" of PARTLOW's revolver
PARTLOW fires again.
CUT TO BLACK
SINGLE FRAME, WHITE TITLE OVER BLACK:
BEST KEPT SECRET
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Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 17,801
terrible podcaster 15000+ posts
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OP
terrible podcaster 15000+ posts
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 17,801 |
03
ACT 1: EXT ALLEYWAY CONT'D.
CRANE SHOT OVER ALLEYWAY, SLOW SWOOP IN
JANACEK and PARTLOW converge on the prone, bleeding form of W.E. as DAVE slowly emerges from behind the dumpster, unable to flee or look away. W.E. shudders and convulses in agony, but as he looks up at the two agents his expression is surprisingly free of ferocity or malice.
WILD EYES
I didn't... I didn't want this. I didn't want this to happen. You've gotta believe me.
PARTLOW, his revolver still drawn, slowly crouches down over the fallen form.
PARTLOW
I believe you.
W.E. looks over at ANGELA's body, then at DAVE, then back at PARTLOW. The man's eyes tear up as he struggles to speak.
WILD EYES
I... I'm s... God, I'm sorry. I never thought...
(trails off into coughing)
DAVE glances back up the alley and briefly ponders running, but JANACEK, gun still drawn, motions for him to stay put.
WILD EYES
You have to... you know...
(looks at PARTLOW's revolver)
You have to finish the job... hurts like hell... I don't... don't wanna hurt anyone else.
PARTLOW touches the lycanthrope's shoulder consolingly.
PARTLOW
You don't have to explain. Like you said - you never asked for this.
WILD EYES
Ssss...sorry for... for putting you both through this. Do me a favor, okay?
W.E. looks over at DAVE.
WILD EYES
Go easy on this guy, okay? He didn't ask to get into any of this either, ya know?
PARTLOW nods.
WILD EYES
All right, enough screwing around. Let's do this, huh?
W.E. tenses and takes a few breaths, bracing himself. PARTLOW places the muzzle of his Magnum beneath W.E.'s chin and pauses a moment.
PARTLOW
Vaya con Dios, Mr. Wisnewski.
DAVE looks away, covering his ears just as the Magnum roars a third time.
CUT TO OVERHEAD WIDE SHOT OF ALLEYWAY
DAVE slowly emerges from behind the garbage bin and takes in the scene. PARTLOW is back on his feet and talking rapidly into his earpiece in a low voice. DAVE looks back up the alley the way he came and briefly ponders making a run for it, but JANACEK - his firearm still drawn - motions with his hand for him to stay put.
JANACEK
Sir, we're going to need you to come with us.
DAVE
(nervously)
I'd rather not argue with a guy with a gun. It'd make this a little easier if I knew who you guys were and where we're going, though.
JANACEK
Like I told you, we're Federal Agents, and right now we need to get you to a medical facility.
DAVE holds up his hands and turns a little to prove he hasn't been harmed.
DAVE
He didn't even touch me, and I sure as hell didn't touch... didn't touch the victim. Are you sure that's necessary?
An unmarked white cargo van stops at the far end of the alley and disgorges three men and a woman in black business suits like JANACEK's and PARTLOW's.
JANACEK
Or we can leave you here with two dead bodies to explain to the cleanup crew. Your choice.
DAVE
(reluctantly)
Not much of a choice... Fine. Let's go.
The new arrivals carry various equipment onto the scene as JANACEK guides DAVE toward the sedan with PARTLOW following behind.
JANACEK
I'm gonna make this very simple. What he had is a disease - a disease that can be transmitted quite easily. If you don't wanna end up like that, it's in your best interest to come with us.
As PARTLOW hops in the car and starts the engine, JANACEK produces a hypodermic needle from his jacket pocket and begins filling it from a vial.
JANACEK
What's your weight?
DAVE
(bewildered)
What?
JANACEK
Experimental vaccine. It's been pretty effective in field trials, but the dosage has to be exact. What do you weigh?
DAVE
One eighty three.
JANACEK
Okay. Hold still - this is gonna sting a little.
JANACEK measures out a precise quantity, taps the syringe a few times, then carefully injects the contents into DAVE's arm.
JANACEK
Buckle up. We're gonna go do some bloodwork and make sure you're okay.
DAVE closes the car door and fastens his seat belt as JANACEK gets into the passenger's seat and PARTLOW pulls away from the alley and off down the street.
PARTLOW
Sit back and relax - we'll be there soon.
As the car makes its way through the Chicago streets, DAVE suddenly starts feeling very drowsy. His head droops as he leans against the seat belt.
DAVE
Hell of a "vaccine"... I knew you guys... weren't... weren't Feds...
DAVE's view fades to black as he goes under. JANACEK looks back from the front seat.
JANACEK
He's out.
PARTLOW
Got it.
(into earpiece)
Incidental Contact procedures in effect. Subject incapacitated. We are now inbound.
The sedan makes an abrupt turn down a side street, then heads onto a lower avenue running under the normal street level. Partlow makes a right-hand turn down an access tunnel whose door automatically lowers shut after the car passes.
CUT TO BLACK
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Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 17,801
terrible podcaster 15000+ posts
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OP
terrible podcaster 15000+ posts
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 17,801 |
04
INT FACILITY INFIRMARY
BLURRY POV SHOT LOOKING UP AT CEILING
DAVE gradually emerges from unconsciousness to find himself lying on a hospital bed... somewhere. As his vision gradually clears, DAVE sees a handful of medical staff in scrubs milling about the room. He looks over at the doorway and sees PARTLOW and JANACEK watching him along with two other people he doesn't recognize - an immaculately-dressed man who looks about PARTLOW's age with short, curly hair and a diminutive but striking Latina woman who looks about the same age as himself.
PARTLOW
He's coming around.
JANACEK and PARTLOW approach the bedside as the older man and younger woman leave the room.
DAVE
(still a little groggy)
Where am I?
JANACEK
(reassuringly)
In a medical facility. You're safe now.
DAVE sits upright, still getting his bearings.
DAVE
(sarcastically)
I'm sure. Thank goodness for your "vaccine".
PARTLOW
Our apologies; it was necessary to sedate you for your protection as per our procedures.
DAVE
(puzzled)
My protection? Protection from what? You already killed the.. the werew-
JANACEK
Lycanthrope.
DAVE
Whatever - you killed it. If I wasn't in danger of catching whatever it was he had, then why did you bring me here? I mean... wherever here is.
DAVE swings his legs over the side of the hospital bed as PARTLOW begins pacing around it.
PARTLOW
By being in the wrong place at the wrong time, you've placed us in a common, but nonetheless an undesirable position. We'd like to present you with some choices, Dave.
DAVE
How... how do you know my name?
JANACEK
We used a sample of your hair to trace your DNA against an index of known patrons of that bar and corroborated your genetic information against Interpol's database by pirating a communications feed using one of our many spy satellites.
DAVE blinks. JANACEK shrugs, then reaches into his pocket and hands DAVE his driver's license.
JANACEK
It had your name on it.
PARTLOW
For all of Mr. Wisnewski's ranting and raving, he was correct about one thing. You saw something you're not supposed to. That's why we couldn't just leave you there.
JANACEK
What you saw in that alley was just the tip of the iceberg, Dave. There's a lot of stuff in the world around you that escapes your notice - not to mention everyone else's. Truth is, Mr. Wisnewski is - was - just one of a mind-blowing number of things that simply shouldn't exist.
DAVE
So you guys... basically wipe out all those things?
PARTLOW smiles faintly.
PARTLOW
Not exactly. We make sure all those mysterious and unknown things out there stay mysterious and unknown. Our job isn't just to keep everyone safe from whatever's out there, it's to make sure they don't find out what's out there. Which, as you can hopefully see now, is why you're here and not still out there.
DAVE
(nervously)
Okay... what are you guys gonna do to me now that you've got me here? I know my rights, and I know you can't detain me against my will if I'm not being questioned or charged with a crime.
JANACEK and PARTLOW share a brief chuckle.
JANACEK
Dave, you said it yourself - we're not Feds. We are in no way involved with the United States government - or any government. The two of us, our organization, this facility - and right now, you - don't exist as far as the rest of the world knows.
CLOSE UP: DAVE'S REACTION
PARTLOW
Relax. If all we wanted was to "silence" you, we could've done so with very little effort, as I'm sure Mr. Wisnewski would gladly tell you if he could. You're not here because we want to eliminate you. Quite the opposite.
JANACEK leafs through a manila file folder he's been carrying.
JANACEK
David Giles, age 26, originally of Wheaton, Illinois. Currently employed in electronics retail, making... eleven dollars an hour? Ouch. Undergraduate degree in Criminal Justice from Northwestern, superb academic marks all around. Washed out of CPD academy for - let's see - "insubordination" and "willful deviation from Department policies". Denied readmission twice within the past year.
(JANACEK raises an eyebrow)
Your father was a lieutenant in the CPD... highly decorated.
DAVE tenses.
JANACEK
Killed in 2003 during some sort of sting operation, the records of which have been sealed... by order of an Assistant Director of the FBI. No arrests were made in conjunction with his death and no official explanation of the circumstances was ever released by the CPD or FBI.
JANACEK puts the folder down on a nearby tray.
PARTLOW
We've read through all this already, of course - we just didn't want you to think we hadn't done our homework. It's plain to see you really want to wear the badge, Dave. Maybe it's just what you've always wanted to do, maybe it's because it's what your father did.
(PARTLOW raises his hands in a conciliatory gesture)
And please don't think we're being insensitive in any way. We've both lost loved ones unexpectedly too.
JANACEK
And yet, you don't seem to want to do it by the book. Just from what we already know of you, I can probably guess which "Department policies" you had trouble with. Maybe what you really want is to protect people - especially the ones you care about - and make sure the bad guys get what's coming to them. Maybe all those rules and regulations just... get in the way of what really needs to be done.
DAVE fidgets but doesn't answer.
PARTLOW
Now, we weren't aware of any of this before we brought you here. Quite frankly, there was never a reason for you to be on our radar. And yet... here you are. All the same, I'm seeing what could be a mutually beneficial opportunity here.
JANACEK
You want to protect people. And you really want to find out the truth about your father. Now, we can't promise you we can uncover what the FBI seems to want to hide, but... if you were working for us, you'd have unique access to resources almost no other organization - private, government, whatever - could dream of having.
JANACEK gestures to PARTLOW and himself.
JANACEK
The two of us? We're fairly low on the totem pole as far as the company's concerned. But we routinely get handed reports on things the President isn't briefed into. Imagine how much easier investigating your father's death would be working with information gatherers like us.
DAVE finally works up the courage to speak.
DAVE
(somewhat timidly)
I'd be lying if I said I'm not interested in finding out what happened to my dad... but I'm not so interested in playing "secret agent" with you guys. No offense.
JANACEK smiles faintly. PARTLOW sits down on another hospital bed across from DAVE's.
PARTLOW
I can't say I'm surprised. But try and look at this from our point of view. We're not part of the government; at the end of the day we're more or less a business entity. Businesses have assets and they have liabilities. Once you've stumbled into our world, we have to try and figure out which of the two you are.
JANACEK
We're not telling you you have to suit up and do what we do. To be completely honest - and please don't take this personally - I really don't think you have what it takes to do what we do, and it's not a job I'd wish on anyone. We are telling you that we're offering you an opportunity to work with us - in one of a number of potential roles - and it's most definitely in your best interest to capitalize on such an opportunity.
DAVE
An offer I can't refuse, huh? Work for you... or else?
DAVE slides off the hospital bed and takes a few steps away from the two men toward the open doorway.
DAVE
Why can't I just wake up in my apartment like none of this ever happened? This can't be real. I don't want this.
DAVE backs into the open doorway.
DAVE
I don't want this!
DAVE rushes out the doorway. JANACEK takes a step in his direction, but PARTLOW stops him, motioning for him to wait. DAVE finds himself in what looks like an ordinary hospital corridor, lined with folded gurneys, IV trees, and trolleys laden with medical supplies. A nurse and a few orderlies look in his direction, prompting him to charge the other way and turn left around a corner. He promptly bumps into a wheeled cage of some sort that's being pushed by a pair of orderlies. The vented canvas cover over the cage slips off, revealing a bizarre birdlike creature with three beaked, reptilian-looking heads atop naked vulture necks. One of the heads droops lazily as the other two turn and croak angrily at DAVE.
ORDERLY
Careful, man! They're sick, and not in a good mood!
Horrified, DAVE about-faces and takes about five steps in the other direction before crashing into the white lab coat of a doctor. He looks up and sees a pale, vaguely yellow-green face with a narrow mouth, no ears save for two small holes on either side, no visible nose but four small slits of nostrils, and very large, round eyes with silver-grey irises and horizontal slit-pupils.
DR. ODIMIS
Please mind where you step; I have many patients to attend to.
DAVE's mouth drops open, but no sounds escape. He staggers back against the wall. DR. ODIMIS regards him for a brief moment with what might (on a human) be considered an expression of mild amusement. The nurse and orderlies round the corner, and the doctor gestures for them to attend to DAVE.
DR. ODIMIS
Do you require assistance finding your bed, Mister Giles?
DAVE faints.
CUT TO BLACK
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05
INT FACILITY ADMIN OFFICE
For the second time, DAVE awakens in an unfamiliar place - this time, on a plush leather-upholstered sofa. The large and palatial office around him is a study in black hardwoods, red leather, and stainless steel, and one entire wall is taken up with ebony shelves filled with leather-bound books. As DAVE slowly sits upright, the door behind him opens and the curly-haired man walks in. He glances at DAVE momentarily as he rounds the dinner-table-sized stainless-and-ebony desk and settles into a massive red-leather executive chair behind it. He opens his mouth to speak and DAVE is unable to place his accent.
MURRAY
Good to see you're awake, Mister Giles. I hope you don't pass out this much at parties - at least here we won't draw things on your face with markers.
DAVE is still too bewildered by everything to find the joke amusing. MURRAY shrugs to himself and continues.
MURRAY
They figured you might want to speak to someone "in charge", and I'm about as in charge as it gets around here. I'm Mister Murray. You can call me Mister Murray. Now, are there any questions you'd like to ask me?
DAVE
(timidly)
Who do you work for, Mister Murray? Who runs... whatever you guys are doing here?
MURRAY
(smirking)
Cutting to the chase, are we? I'm afraid that particular question is a little difficult to answer. Not that I can't or won't tell you, but admittedly it's a bit tricky to explain.
MURRAY dims the room lighting a little, then taps the screen of a tablet on his desk a few times. The glass covering one of the large paintings on the wall behind his desk suddenly goes opaque, then flickers to life with a series of images MURRAY is browsing through on his tablet.
MURRAY
Is there something wrong with the world, Mister Giles? Or are we just blind to a great many things living in it - just out of our sight? Do you have any idea what's out there, all around us? The overwhelming majority of human beings in this world are either completely oblivious to phenomena, to powers, to creatures that threaten our continued existence as a species... or else they're content to believe that such things are limited to the realm of fairy tales and urban legends. Something exciting to make movies or video games about.
DAVE
(sheepishly)
I think I know better now.
MURRAY
(smiling)
Believe me when I say you've hardly even scratched the surface. There are things out there that make the lycanthrope you encountered seem like a pet kitten by comparison. And yet, as I said, most people have absolutely no idea. But if you ask me - or ask any of us - that's exactly the way it should be.
DAVE
(curiously)
So... are you guys trying to protect people from all the monsters and creatures and weird stuff? Or are you trying to cover it all up?
MURRAY
Yes.
MURRAY takes a sip of water from a crystal glass on his desk before continuing.
MURRAY
You're probably asking yourself why a private organization would attempt to not only seek out, study, and if need be combat the paranormal, but also to keep the paranormal hidden from the general populace - certainly two things the government should be doing.
DAVE
(pondering)
Maybe the government just doesn't know about all... these...
MURRAY stops him with a sardonic glance.
MURRAY
The powers that be can find out what at least twenty heads of state had for breakfast this morning with very little effort. Reconnaissance satellites can read newspaper headlines on a sidewalk from low orbit. At this very moment, there's a room full of analysts at Fort Meade reading emails and text messages from hundreds of people who might possibly have less than the best intentions toward just this government alone. Trust me, they're aware.
DAVE
Then why aren't they tackling all the paranormal stuff instead of you guys?
MURRAY
Fair question. You know, I grew up in Belfast, but I think after thirty-odd years living here I have some idea of what your government's answer would be. Look at what happens whenever there's an oil spill, or a terrorist attack overseas, or when the stock market drops a few points. People already expect their government to have control over the impossible, and any time they see that it doesn't, approval ratings drop and they think about voting for the other guy in November. What politician is going to risk his career making it a point to stop vampire attacks on drifters, or get the local lycanthrope population under control? Do you think the threat of blackmail gets less serious when your potential enemies are telepathic? What's the appropriate military response when the terrorists aren't Middle Eastern extremists but a cabal of witches?
MURRAY pauses for more water while DAVE contemplates what he's being told.
MURRAY
And that's not even touching on the matter of secrecy. Sure, the CIA can keep an operation under wraps when it's something they've dreamed up on their own, but keeping something out there secret? The sheer number of government cover-ups of which the general public is aware is evidence enough as to how successful the government is at keeping things covered up. There's absolutely no way any government could hide the existence of even a few of the phenomena and entities we deal with, let alone all of them. So where does that leave us? No government with the ability to understand the threats we face would want the responsibility of dealing with them, and even one capable of dealing with them would find it just about impossible to keep those threats a secret. And so, the things that go bump in the night are inevitably swept under the rug as the powers that be cross their fingers and pray nothing comes along that's too big or too bad for local law enforcement to cover up.
DAVE
Unless...
MURRAY
Unless there's someone out there in the private sector knowledgeable enough to understand the threats out there, crazy enough to try and take them on, and paranoid enough to successfully keep it all under wraps. Not to mention someone who can afford the right people and tools for the job - which, I might add, tends to cost a damned lot of money.
DAVE
Someone like you.
MURRAY
(smiling)
Someone like Atlas.
DAVE
(curiously)
Atlas?
MURRAY
We've got it all wrong, you know. Our interpretation of Greek myth tells us that Atlas was condemned to carry the world on his shoulders. In the original myth - and this comes from some very fascinating linguistic and literary research - Atlas's task was to uphold the heavens, to carry the skies on his shoulders lest they fall to the ground and crush those unlucky souls on Earth.
DAVE
Which is kind of what you guys do.
MURRAY
Now you're getting it. Our... organization, it doesn't have a name per se. Things that don't exist don't need names. But we like to call ourselves Atlas for the same reason our founders did decades ago, before we chose to disappear. We keep the sky from falling. We make it possible for people to go about their everyday lives as peacefully as possible - or at the very least, unthreatened by forces beyond their comprehension and far beyond their control.
DAVE
Is that why you try so hard to keep all this stuff a secret? I know I'd wanna be told if there was something that dangerous out there.
MURRAY chuckles and looks at DAVE, mildly amused.
MURRAY
So you could do... what, exactly? You know now... do you feel any safer?
DAVE doesn't answer. MURRAY shakes his head and continues.
MURRAY
A lot of "experts" like to pat humanity on the back and say we'd handle - say, first contact with an alien civilization - a lot better than TV or the movies give us credit for. For me personally, that goes right out the window every time I see sports fans rioting in the streets because the team they wanted to win didn't win.
DAVE
Sometimes they riot when their team does win - I remember when the Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup...
MURRAY
And that's just one aspect of it. Look at what happens to people's faith in the government - any government - whenever a lone politician is caught doing something dishonest. How many turn their backs on religion - or just leave it even further behind them - any time a prominent religious leader is caught practicing something other than what he preaches? Because, as with the sports fans, an institution of which they've developed particular expectations failed to live up to said expectations.
DAVE
But politicians lie, even the most religious people still make mistakes... nobody gets it right every time. Everybody knows that.
MURRAY
It makes no difference whether that institution promised to deliver what the people expect, or even if that institution is able to deliver - everyone wants something from them which ultimately boils down to peace of mind, and if they don't get it they feel they've been betrayed. Back to the first contact example. If human beings were to turn on their televisions and find out we are not only not alone in the universe but that intelligent beings from elsewhere are now communicating directly with us... think about it. No matter what statements or press releases anyone made to try and explain, it would utterly overturn the expectations the average person has of their political leaders, religious leaders, the scientific community, mass media... I could go on for some time.
DAVE
And if they're willing to burn dumpsters and flip cars over when their athletes let them down...
MURRAY nods.
MURRAY
Now you're getting it.
DAVE
I'm not sure I agree with you one hundred percent on that, but you do make a pretty good point. I still don't understand why you want me to be a part of this whole operation.
MURRAY taps his tablet a few times more and the screen on the wall returns to its usual state covering the painting behind it. He leans forward in his chair.
MURRAY
You've already been told several times that a line has been crossed from which there's no coming back, so there's no use in belaboring the point any further. That said, there are actually a number of things you could do with your life on this side of the line. Because Atlas has such a demanding job to do, and because the secrecy under which we operate limits the number of places we can go for hardware, manpower, and funding, we retain a significant number of satellite enterprises. Investment firms, chemical engineering, biomedical research, private security, defense contractors... just about any sort of company you can imagine working for is attached in some way to our organization, and there are always openings there for people who find themselves in situations such as yours. I can have my people provide you with information on such opportunities if you wish...
DAVE
...Or?
MURRAY leans back in the chair.
MURRAY
As unfortunate as your experience last night may have been for you, your timing was actually quite interesting. You see, Atlas has been recruiting select individuals for several months, and we are just about to begin a training cycle here at this very facility to see which of them are cut out to work for us directly. Some will end up as researchers, some as facility security, and a fortunate few may even have what it takes to become Field Agents such as your new friends Janacek and Partlow.
DAVE rolls his eyes.
DAVE
They don't seem to think I'm their type, from what I was told.
MURRAY
(cocking an eyebrow)
Really? Because it was Agent Janacek who suggested I keep you here for Alpha Phase training.
DAVE
What?
MURRAY
Oh, yes. He feels we should give you a chance at trying for Field Agent status, if you make it through the next two weeks.
DAVE
(uneasily)
If I make it through?
MURRAY
So to speak. But I wouldn't worry too much yet. The official start of the training course isn't until tomorrow evening, when the rest of our candidates arrive, so you'll have some downtime to rest up and familiarize yourself with the facility a little more. I'm sure others here will be willing to answer more of your questions, but hopefully I was at least a little helpful.
DAVE
(slightly indignant)
You mentioned other 'opportunities' - do I have any choice in this Alpha-training-whatever thing?
MURRAY
I'm sure you will eventually, but after Mr. Janacek stuck his neck out for you the way he did, I'd hate to disappoint him.
MURRAY sees DAVE begin to protest and patiently holds up a hand to silence him.
MURRAY
We've had some of your personal effects brought here from your apartment; you have a bunk waiting for you in the training facility dormitories. You've been in the police academy before; just try and think of it as a combination of that and a nice company retreat... with a little bit of boot camp thrown in for good measure, of course.
DAVE rolls his eyes, seeing the futility in arguing any further.
DAVE
(with resigned exasperation)
Which way to the dorms?
CUT TO NEXT SCENE
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06
INT FACILITY MEN'S BARRACKS
DAVE sits on the bottom bunk of one of half a dozen pairs of bunk beds around the perimeter of a plain-looking room. In the middle of the room are a few tables, a mini-fridge and microwave, and a pair of desks with small office computers. A large television on the wall to the left of the room's only door quietly plays football highlights as two other men mill about the room. AARÓN is a short and lightly-built Hispanic man who looks to be in his early thirties; he is wearing a plain white T-shirt with camouflage fatigue pants and combat boots and doesn't talk much. ZEKE is a younger, tall and heavily-muscled black man in jeans and a sleeveless white undershirt; he is plugging in an iron and stretching out a differently-patterned pair of fatigue pants on one of the tables. DAVE blinks a few times and tries to make sense of his current surroundings.
DAVE
I can't go back, can I?
ZEKE
Join the club, my friend.
ZEKE begins ironing the pants with the consistency one would expect of a military man.
ZEKE
Difference is, they went looking for us, and I heard you kinda fell ass-backwards into them.
DAVE
You guys military?
AARÓN looks over and nods.
AARÓN
Yeah. Or at least, I used to be. He might still be; we're not sure. Aarón Espinosa, formerly First Recon, USMC.
ZEKE
Ezekiel Chalmers, but they usually just call me Zeke.
ZEKE waits a moment.
ZEKE
Yes, that Ezekiel Chalmers.
DAVE
Wait... 2007 NCAA Defensive Player of the Year Ezekiel Chalmers?
DAVE stares incredulously.
DAVE
The hell are you doing here?
AARÓN chuckles. ZEKE shakes his head as though he's had to explain this many times before.
ZEKE
(still ironing)
Were you paying any attention to ESPN during the year 2007? Messed up my knee and missed the draft. Ended up joining the Army once I healed up, did a tour in - well, I guess I'm still not allowed to say where - and made a few questionable choices that didn't go over well with a few too many officers.
DAVE
They kicked you out of the Army?
ZEKE
(chuckling)
Nice thing about being famous is nobody wants the bad press that comes from giving you trouble. They thought discharging me might hurt recruitment back at 'Bama, so a two-star informed me about this particular "opportunity". Said it was still better than a dishonorable discharge. Guess we'll find out.
DAVE looks over at AARÓN.
DAVE
What about you? Why are you here instead of still with the Marines?
AARÓN looks away.
AARÓN
I'd rather not discuss that right now. No offense.
DAVE shrugs.
DAVE
None taken. So... what is this place, exactly?
AARÓN
(without looking up)
Like I said, a training facility. Atlas runs it.
DAVE
Atlas runs it. How much do you guys know about these people? More than me, I hope.
ZEKE
(shrugs)
I don't know; I never heard of it before they contacted me, and neither has he. Near as I can tell from all the crazy crap I've seen, they do like... I dunno, X-Files stuff. Except they're-
DAVE
Not government.
ZEKE nods.
AARÓN
It's a private organization of some sort. I don't know any details, but from what we've seen they've got more money than God and they like to spend a lot of it on tech and guns.
ZEKE
There's honest-to-God space aliens walkin' around, and I swear I saw a vampire.
JANACEK
I'm pretty sure you did.
All three men turn suddenly to see JANACEK standing in the doorway. Although still in the ever-present black suit, his jacket is unbuttoned and his tie loosened, and he carries a travel mug of something hot which he sips periodically.
JANACEK
My shift just ended and I'm headed home to get some shut-eye, but I figured I'd stop by and check in on the three of you first. Mind if I come in?
No one answers. JANACEK shrugs and steps into the room.
JANACEK
I'm sure you each have plenty of questions. I'm also fairly certain there'll be a lot of overlap, so I'll do you a favor and answer what I think you all wanna know the most. First off, this room will be your home until such time as you either complete Alpha Phase Training or wash out of Alpha Phase Training. It is a home, not a prison, so we're able and willing to provide you with just about any kind of food or drink or entertainment within reasonable limits. All the same, we would prefer you guys didn't do too much "exploring". As I'm sure you've seen already, there's quite a bit of dangerous stuff in this facility, and we'd like to avoid any unnecessary casualties while we try to evaluate you.
JANACEK pauses a moment as if expecting someone to interject. When no one does, he nods and moves on.
JANACEK
Second, we will be hand-delivering copies of all primary and supplementary study materials pertaining to Alpha Phase to each of you within the next hour or so. It is your responsibility to assimilate as much of this information as possible - I'm not exaggerating when I say it could make a life-or-death difference.
ZEKE
Study materials? What the hell is-
JANACEK
Alpha Phase Training? It's the standard course of physical and academic training required for every prospective member of Atlas.
AARÓN
(pointing at DAVE)
Him too?
JANACEK nods.
JANACEK
Him too. Thirdly, this particular Alpha Phase class contains five men and three women. It'll still be a day or so before everyone is here and ready to begin, so I would encourage you to take advantage of this headstart by getting to know each other - and of course by studying the materials we're giving you. We have a cafeteria and a recreational facility nearby; both are available to you whenever your schedule permits. The facility administrator and training program administrator will be available to answer any questions you may have at an informal orientation in the cafeteria at 1930 hours. Once again, I'm Agent Janacek and my partner is Agent Partlow, and if you see either of us around, feel free to say hello.
JANACEK begins to back out of the room.
JANACEK
Enjoy this downtime while you can, gentlemen. I'm pretty sure you won't be seeing more for quite some time.
DAVE gets up and hurries after JANACEK.
DAVE
Wait a second!
JANACEK pauses in the hallway.
DAVE
I still don't understand - why are you so sure I should be involved with this training thing? Mister Murray told me this was your idea.
JANACEK
I'm sure you've figured out by now that you can't just go back to your life - such as it was - before you came to us. You can call it unfair or illegal or just plain wrong if you want, but it won't change anything. Like I said, the only real option for you at this point is to work with us in some capacity or another, and from where I'm standing this feels like something you should be aiming for.
DAVE
But I thought you said I didn't have what it takes to do this.
JANACEK pauses and looks away for a moment.
JANACEK
Maybe I was a little unfair to you, Dave. Yeah, the work I do is incredibly difficult and demanding. At least one of you three won't complete Alpha Phase - to say nothing of the potential for casualties. Hardened SWAT cops, Delta Force, Navy SEALs... you wouldn't believe who's washed out of the program...
JANACEK sees the look on DAVE's face and decides to try a different approach. He smiles faintly and thinks a moment.
JANACEK
Okay, consider this a tutoring session on the history of Atlas. Back in the Sixties there was a cop from Boston, a guy named Charles Masterson. Ordinary beat cop with good instincts - okay, above-average marksman, but nothing superhuman. He got pulled in when one of his partners was ripped apart by a lycanthrope right in front of him. The next thing he knows, he's part of this mysterious organization picking through the wreckage of crashed UFOs and hunting vampires in subway tunnels. Now I'm positive he felt exactly the way you feel right now. What is all this crazy stuff? How does it fit together - and what does it have to do with me? What could I possibly accomplish in a world that's so full of mysterious and terrifying things only a handful of us even know exist? Tell me if I'm too far off here, okay?
DAVE shrugs. Inside the room, ZEKE and AARÓN are talking to each other again.
JANACEK
If he'd shown up today, when you did, chances are I would've told him the same thing I told you initially - that he just didn't seem to have the qualities we look for in prospective Field Agents. But you know what? Atlas wouldn't even have Field Agents today if Charles Masterson hadn't used the talent and know-how he brought with him to reorganize a few dozen deskbound researchers and Barney Fife security officers into an elite research, reconnaissance, and combat force unlike anything else on the planet. For two decades, this guy kicked ass and took names, fighting everything from ETs to vampires to the KGB. He went into a DC Metro tunnel in 1983 and didn't come out - when we found him, he was under a pile of almost thirty lycanthropes killed by his revolver, his knife, and finally his bare hands. Not bad for someone who just kinda fell backwards into our world.
DAVE
Sounds like a pretty cool guy to me. But I'm no Charles Masterson. I couldn't even get onto the police force in the first place. What makes you so sure I can accomplish anything like that?
JANACEK
To be completely honest... I'm not all that sure. But given how limited your options are, I feel like it'd be wrong if I didn't at least allow you to take a chance.
JANACEK starts to walk away, then hesitates and turns to speak again.
JANACEK
Tell you what. Alpha Training typically lasts twelve days. If you're still here after six and you're not convinced this is where you belong, we'll try and find a place for you somewhere else. A badge in some city or another, private security for one of our satellite companies, I'm not sure. Just give it six days and then we'll talk. Fair enough?
DAVE starts to protest but stops himself. He stands there thinking for a long moment, then just nods and turns to go back into the room.
JANACEK
I'd drop by that orientation if I were you; it'll probably answer a lot of questions I haven't yet. Oh, and Dave?
Dave stops and looks back.
JANACEK
Good luck.
DAVE
Thanks.
DAVE shuts the door behind himself. JANACEK stands there a moment and smiles faintly to himself before heading off down the hallway past the distant figure of a janitor.
CUT TO COMMERCIAL
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07
ACT 2: INT FACILITY LIBRARY
DAVE walks through the open door into a fairly large but rather sparsely-appointed room. The walls, like the floor tiles, are pale grey and brightly lit by fluorescent lighting recessed into the nondescript drop-ceiling. Numerous shelves and file cabinets line the walls, and there are several rows of desks topped by touchscreen computers. In the middle of the room there is a large, brick-red area rug with several rows of chairs and a lectern on it, but only three other recruits are sitting there. As DAVE looks around, he hears footsteps behind him, and MURRAY walks in briskly, followed closely by the Latina woman from the infirmary.
MURRAY
Good evening, everyone. Just give us a minute or two to settle in here and we'll get under way.
As MURRAY and the woman make their way to the front of the room, DAVE hurriedly finds a seat near a dark-haired girl who looks to be a few years younger than him. She's dressed plainly in jeans, a plaid flannel shirt, and sneakers, but despite her attire and lack of makeup or jewelry she's naturally very pretty. She looks over at DAVE and smiles.
DAVE
(quietly)
Hey, I'm-
GRACE
(with a smile)
Hi, Dave. I'm Grace.
DAVE looks at her, momentarily puzzled.
DAVE
Hi, Grace. How... how'd you know-
GRACE
(shrugging)
You told me.
DAVE
(profoundly confused)
I... I did?
GRACE pauses suddenly, as if reminded of something. She looks back at DAVE sheepishly.
GRACE
Oh... right. Sorry, you didn't get time to say it out loud.
DAVE
(astonished)
You... read people's minds or something?
GRACE nods matter-of-factly.
GRACE
That's why I'm here.
DAVE takes a moment to overcome his sudden anxiety.
DAVE
So where are you-
GRACE
My dad's a soybean farmer in this Godforsaken corner of Ohio, in the middle of nowhere. Although the more they tell me about this place, the more I'm beginning to miss it. You grew up in Chicago, huh?
DAVE
(still a little uneasy)
...Yeah, it's a pretty cool place, I guess.
(pause)
Sorry, just not used to...
GRACE
(sighing)
Not used to someone hearing your thoughts. Why do you think most of my friends growing up were farm animals?
DAVE
It's okay... I mean, I'm not mad or anything. It's just...
GRACE
(wearily)
Weird. I know.
MURRAY
All right, then. A good evening to all our Atlas recruits, and welcome to this informal orientation session for Alpha Phase training.
GRACE turns and faces front as does DAVE, who's kicking himself for upsetting her.
MURRAY
(surveying the room)
No sign of Mister Chalmers or Mister Espinosa?
Yet another military-looking young man in the front row smirks.
HAYDEN
Last I saw them, sir, they were in the gym on the treadmills... probably trying to find out which one would drop first.
MURRAY
(smiling)
Very well. As you all know already, I'm Mister Murray, and I'm the administrator of this facility. You're all here, as you know, because Atlas feels you might have what it takes to become a part of our organization. Some of you may become researchers, some of you may become security personnel... some of you may even join the elite ranks of our Field Agents. You each come from a unique background and possess unique skills and talents. If you don't mind, I'd like to start by going around the room and sharing everyone's name, where they're from, and what they did before coming here. Starting with you, sir.
HAYDEN stands up with the precise, almost stiff body language characteristic of a military man. He's shorter than ZEKE, about AARÓN's height, and slimmer than either infantryman.
HAYDEN
Lieutenant Colonel Alex Hayden, Air Force. Originally from Topeka, Kansas; Third baseman for the University of Kansas with two NCAA Division I batting titles. Combat Controller with two tours in Afghanistan.
HAYDEN sits back down, rather pleased with himself.
MURRAY
Thank you. And you?
A tall, willowy woman with fiery red hair stands up. Her thick-rimmed eyeglasses and slacks-and-sweater attire add to her uniqueness.
KAT
(timidly)
I'm Katherine Shanahan, from Kankakee, Illinois. I studied computer science at the University of Illinois and obtained a doctorate in mathematical cryptography from UCLA. I was previously employed by...
KAT looks at MURRAY uneasily, but MURRAY nods reassuringly.
KAT
I was previously employed by the NSA to help defeat the information-security measures of... of certain foreign governmental entities.
MURRAY
I'd like to add that Ms. Shanahan's doctorate was earned at the ripe old age of nineteen. Next?
KAT blushes a little as she sits down. GRACE shyly gets to her feet and looks around at the others.
GRACE
(awkwardly)
Hi, I'm Grace - Grace Mitchell, from Geneva, Ohio. I... I was going to veterinary school before Mister Murray found me, but I've never been in the Army or FBI or anything. I'm here because I can... I can hear people's thoughts and... I dunno, move things, kind of. By thinking about it.
MURRAY
(proudly)
Thank you, Grace.
GRACE hurriedly sits back down.
MURRAY
It probably doesn't mean anything to you yet as we haven't studied psionics, but Grace here appears to be at least a Gamma-class psionic adept with untrained telepathic and telekinetic potential. And last, but not least?
DAVE stands and acknowledges the others politely.
DAVE
Hello everyone. I'm David Giles - Dave's fine - and I'm from Chicago. I gotta be honest, there's really nothing remarkable about me; I can't read minds or crack codes and I wasn't ever in the military.
(chuckling)
Geez, I got kicked out of the Chicago Police Academy, and they won't let me back in. I'm here because I ran into a werewolf-
MURRAY
Lycanthrope.
DAVE
Yeah, one of those. I almost got attacked by it, but Partlow and Janacek saved me and brought me here. They think I should be part of this training thing with you guys.
MURRAY
(politely)
Thank you very much, Mister Giles. In addition to our former Marine rifleman, Mister Espinosa, and our former Army infantryman, Mister Chalmers, your class will also include Chicago SWAT officer Frank Conti and former Secret Service agent Sabrina Thompson. And now, for an overview of what to expect when Alpha Training commences, I will turn the floor over to our Training Operations administrator and Alpha Phase headmistress, Ms. Alicia Almodovar.
As the short, raven-haired Latina approaches the lectern, we can see DAVE somewhat underestimated how attractive she was when he first saw her. However, something in her dark eyes - something inexplicably but instantly intimidating - seems to indicate right away that ALICIA is more to be feared than admired. She looks out at the recruits and acknowledges them with a nod, but her expression is as emotionless as her words as she addresses them.
ALICIA
Now that we're acquainted, allow me to try and prepare you for what the next two weeks of your life will be like. First, look around you. See the other three recruits in this room?
(pause)
You probably won't by the end of Alpha Phase. That's because nearly seventy percent of recruits either don't complete Alpha Phase training at all or otherwise don't measure up as potential Atlas personnel. So by all means, get to know one another. But seeing that my numbers tell me only one of you will be left at the end of this... don't get too attached.
The recruits look stunned. Behind ALICIA, MURRAY winces a little.
ALICIA
Our other training programs may be technically more difficult, but none of them have the dropout rate of Alpha Phase. Why?
ALICIA pauses and looks at GRACE doubtfully.
ALICIA
Because I personally designed our particular Alpha Phase program to chew up and spit out anyone I don't believe is Atlas material.
GRACE shrinks in her chair a little. DAVE's eyes narrow a little as he looks up at ALICIA, but ALICIA meets his glance with a withering gaze of her own before she continues to address the other recruits.
ALICIA
I don't care if you came here to work Security; I'm gonna expect you to know how to disable a magical fireball trap. I don't care if you came here expecting to sit at a computer and decipher alien languages; I'm gonna expect you to know how to fight off vampires with a silver knife. Few if any of you will end up as Field Agents - but you're going to run the exact same hazard courses they train on. You're about to be pulled so far out of your element you'll forget you ever had a comfort zone.
Now each of the recruits is shifting in their seats uncomfortably. There are a few low murmurs between them, and ALICIA pauses impatiently, waiting for them to subside.
ALICIA
I'm sure you're all still struggling to make sense of the new world we've pulled you into - all the strange creatures and unexplainable forces at work - but it's gonna get a lot worse before it gets better. I'm not trying to find out if you're tough enough, or smart enough, or even if your skills and special talents are good enough. I'm trying to find out if you're the kind of person who can cope with and accomplish tasks in this world. To do that, I'm going to put you in situations you probably never imagined finding yourself in - except maybe in childhood nightmares. You're going to see monsters. You're going to see magic. You're going to see things you can't even think of names for - yet. But if you study the information we give you and practice the skills we teach you, then there's a chance that two weeks from now, you'll be ready for induction as fully-credentialed Atlas personnel.
ALICIA pauses again, looking from face to face in hopes of assessing the reactions of the recruits. She takes a breath and continues.
ALICIA
Look, I'm not naïve enough to think any of you are gonna like me very much. And that's okay with me. You don't have to pretend to like me any more than I'm obligated to pretend to like any of you. My job is to be your trainer, not your friend. But maybe, if you make it through Alpha Phase, you and I will be able to look back at this and laugh about how nervous you were. All I want is for each of you to try and stretch yourselves a little, and to do your best at whatever assignments we give you. Any questions?
No response. The recruits sit in stunned silence. ALICIA steps back from the lectern and sits down as MURRAY steps back up.
MURRAY
Thank you, Ms. Almodovar. Alpha Phase training officially begins with a briefing at 0800 tomorrow morning - we want to give you a chance to sleep in a little. Until then, feel free to familiarize yourselves with your quarters, the cafeteria, the fitness facility, and of course this library. You have each been issued study materials for which you will need to use the computers in your dormitories or the computers here; again, the possession or use of any other electronic devices within this facility is strictly prohibited. If anyone has any questions they were unable to think of or ask earlier, I will be here for another half hour or so. Again, welcome to each of you, and good luck as you embark on your Alpha Phase training.
There is an almost audible relaxation of tension as the recruits stir and look at one another. KAT remains hunched in her chair while HAYDEN stands and stretches before walking off to look around the library. GRACE gets up to leave, seemingly anxious to avoid any more eye contact with ALICIA.
DAVE
Hey, sorry about that. I didn't mean to make you feel-
GRACE
Don't worry about it. I've dealt with way worse from plenty of people. I know you didn't mean anything by it.
DAVE
It's nice to meet you. Good luck on this whole Alpha... thing.
GRACE smiles as DAVE gets to his feet.
GRACE
Nice to meet you too. And good luck to you too - looks like we're all gonna need it.
GRACE and DAVE head out into the hallway.
DAVE
Tell me about it. Hey... I dunno what you were planning to do with your evening, but I haven't eaten in for-freakin'-ever, and I'm really gonna need to hit the caf-
GRACE smiles again but shakes her head before DAVE finishes his sentence.
GRACE
Thanks, but I'm already kinda tired. I think I'm going to go back and read up on some of the stuff they gave us. Maybe some other time?
DAVE
(shrugging)
Sure, no problem. Have a good night.
GRACE turns and walks off down the corridor toward the women's dormitory. DAVE watches her go for a moment, then turns to leave himself and promptly bumps into ALICIA, knocking a binder out of her hands.
DAVE
(nervously)
S- Sorry. Didn't see you...
DAVE hurriedly bends down to pick up the binder when ALICIA takes a surprisingly firm grip on his shoulder.
ALICIA
(sternly)
Touch that binder and I'll shoot you.
DAVE freezes and staggers back a step as his mouth drops open. He gapes at ALICIA as she scoops up the binder, then looks back at him and pauses.
ALICIA
(somewhat gentler)
Nothing personal. This is eyes-only material. You don't have the clearance for it.
DAVE is unable to form words in response. ALICIA smirks slightly.
ALICIA
...Giles, right? The incidental?
ALICIA's use of the word 'incidental' makes it sound almost like an epithet.
DAVE
(stammering)
Y... Yes, ma'am.
ALICIA
(bemused)
Well, Giles, good luck in Alpha Phase. Better hit the books tonight.
ALICIA turns and stalks off down the hall, her high heels clacking loudly behind her as a bewildered and still very frightened DAVE watches her go.
DAVE
(very confused)
Good... night?
A LOUD KLAXON SOUNDS AND CONTINUES SOUNDING AMID CUT TO NEXT SCENE
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08
INT FACILITY MEN'S BARRACKS
CLOSE UP: AS THE ALARM CONTINUES TO SOUND, WE CAN SEE THAT THE ALARM CLOCK'S BRIGHT BLUE LCD DISPLAY CLEARLY READS 4:17 AM.
DAVE, jerked awake by the alarm, sits upright in bed and looks at the alarm clock, trying to decide if the ear-shattering sound is in fact emanating from such a small device.
RECORDED FEMALE VOICE (V.O.)
Condition Orange: containment breach in Hot Lab Three. Hazardous specimens detected beyond Hot Lab perimeter.
As DAVE shakes his head trying to clear the confusion, FRANK hustles to the door and punches the green button to open it. FRANK - a former Chicago SWAT cop - is a barrel-chested, paternal-looking, fortysomething Italian with close-cropped salt-and-pepper hair and a bushy moustache. He peers out into the hallway, then ducks back in, pulling the door shut behind him.
AARÓN
What's out there?
FRANK
I dunno, but there's a lot of activity in the corridor. Looks like security personnel to me.
RECORDED FEMALE VOICE (V.O.)
Condition Orange: containment breach in Hot Lab Three. All available security personnel to Orange stations.
Everyone is up and pulling clothes on except for a very confused DAVE. ZEKE hustles over and pulls DAVE out of his bed.
ZEKE
Let's go, man!
DAVE hurriedly pulls on the blue jeans he's worn since two nights ago at the bar, then rummages in the footlocker beneath his bed. As he suspected, he finds several of his own shirts - short-sleeved work shirts - and another pair of shoes there, as well as a number of other things from his apartment. He dons a dark-blue shirt and a pair of athletic shoes as the other four men (already fully dressed) wait impatiently.
RECORDED FEMALE VOICE (V.O.)
Alert: Escalating to Condition Red. Escalating to Condition Red. All available personnel to Red contingency locations.
HAYDEN
I wonder what contingency locations they're talking about.
HAYDEN rushes to the nearest computer and, within a few keystrokes and mouse clicks, pulls up a map of the facility with the title CONTINGENCY LOCATIONS/ROUTES: RED. There are a number of lines crisscrossing the screen, many marked with alphanumeric codes of some sort, but none of it seems to make sense. AARÓN looks at the screen from over HAYDEN's shoulder.
AARÓN
(pointing)
There. See that stairwell? "Training Sector Evacuation". That's probably where we're supposed to go.
ZEKE
(astonished)
How'd you find those maps so quickly?
HAYDEN
(nonchalantly)
Couldn't fall asleep, so I started looking through the papers they gave us and familiarizing myself with what I could find in their databases.
HAYDEN and AARÓN head for the door, followed closely by the others. DAVE brings up the rear, still unable to shrug off his fatigue and confusion. There's no noise of footsteps or voices in the corridor now, just the persistent clamor of the alarm.
RECORDED FEMALE VOICE (V.O.)
Condition Red: Multiple hostile entities within facility perimeter. All available personnel to Red contingency locations.
HAYDEN opens the door and the men file out of the room just as the door to the women's dormitory directly across the corridor bursts open and SABRINA - an athletic-looking, thirtysomething black woman with her short hair in a ponytail - charges out into the hallway with GRACE and KAT following at a distance. SABRINA and HAYDEN look at each other, then at the rest of the group.
SABRINA
Did you figure out where they want us?
HAYDEN nods.
SABRINA
Good. Let's head that way. You and Chalmers take point. I'll be right behind you with Espinosa and Conti.
SABRINA looks at DAVE doubtfully.
SABRINA
Giles, hang back with Shanahan and Mitchell. Watch our six. Got it?
DAVE nods and looks over at KAT and GRACE, both of whom look at least as nervous as he feels. ZEKE and HAYDEN start off down the corridor as the others fall in behind them.
RECORDED FEMALE VOICE (V.O.)
Condition Red: Multiple hostile entities within facility perimeter. All available personnel to Red contingency locations.
The hallway looks deserted, but the lighting is dimmed except for harsh emergency lights every fifty feet or so, and the group is still cautious as they move down toward an intersection with another corridor. As they pass the junction, ZEKE halts in his tracks and points.
ZEKE
Check it out.
A cleverly-disguised access panel hangs down from its hinges and beneath it, the door of a slate-grey steel cabinet stands open, revealing three standard-issue sidearms and a handful of spare magazines. SABRINA dashes to the cabinet before ZEKE can reach in and starts to retrieve the weapons.
SABRINA
These might come in handy. Who's the best shot with a pistol here?
FRANK and HAYDEN step forward. SABRINA hands them each a sidearm and a pair of magazines, keeping the final weapon and last two clips for herself. The three move to the front of the formation and spread out to cover the entire corridor as the group resumes its progress toward the evacuation point.
DAVE
(nervously)
Guys? Anyone else a little worried that we haven't seen any security people since leaving our rooms?
AARÓN
They're probably off containing whatever broke loose - successfully, I hope.
The party approaches an open door on the right at a bend in the corridor. From the ceiling on the near side of the doorway hangs a sign with a staircase icon that pulses with a flashing red light. ZEKE starts to make for the door, but HAYDEN grabs his shoulder and points to the light.
HAYDEN
(almost whispering)
If the doorway were clear that light would be solid green or solid yellow, depending on the contingency codes. Flashing red means there might be something on the other side.
ZEKE nods and steps back. The three armed members of the group step forward and take aim at the doorway, waiting to see if anything comes through. After a moment, the shadow of a slight humanoid form appears on the floor. The party tenses and only slightly relaxes when ALICIA steps through and looks around at them. She seems mildly amused by their anxiety.
ALICIA
Good job - you're all here.
ALICIA moves to the access panel by the door and presses a few buttons, then places her thumb over a scanner plate. The alarms fade instantly and the lighting in the corridors returns to normal.
RECORDED FEMALE VOICE (V.O.)
Alert cancelled. Condition Green, contingency procedures terminated. All personnel please return to your previous locations. Thank you for your cooperation.
ALICIA
Good morning, recruits. Thank you for joining me so quickly; now we can get started with a very busy day.
ZEKE
(puzzled)
A drill?
ALICIA
(scornfully)
Very observant.
KAT
(dismayed)
But... I thought... 0800...
ALICIA
Oh, there'll still be a briefing at 0800. But first, I'm going to give you a brief tour of the parts of the facility you're allowed to see. And then, you each get to take an oral exam of the material we gave you last night. Any time you have left in between is yours - and trust me, you're gonna want as much downtime as you can get before your first turn on the hazard course.
DAVE looks over at HAYDEN apprehensively.
DAVE
(silently)
Hazard course?
HAYDEN shrugs. ALICIA looks the group over, smirks to herself, turns back the way she came, and leads the group through the doorway.
ALICIA
Looks like a long day ahead. Right this way.
CUT TO COMMERCIAL
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09
INT FACILITY FACTORY FLOOR
ALICIA, now wearing a pair of eyeglass-styled safety goggles, leads the group out of a corridor and into a cavernous industrial space. Each member of the group blinks as their eyes adjust to the glare of the lighting in this room.
ALICIA
This is our last stop. This building isn't just a hidden underground facility; it exists for all to see, and this is the ground floor. As far as the outside world knows, this perfectly ordinary factory is all there is to see at this location.
SEQUENCE OF QUICK CUTS
AARÓN and ZEKE look around and seem much more familiar than the others with what they see. Row upon row of conveyor belts ferry little piles of parts through a series of machines and past human operators here and there. A closer look reveals shiny brass cartridge casings of multiple shapes and sizes being filled with precise amounts of powder before a similarly-diverse array of lead slugs are gently tamped into place by automated rods. The filled casings are rotated as electronic eyes check for irregularities across different wavelengths of the spectrum, then an even more delicate machine carefully fits primer caps into place. The finished cartridges are inspected by yet another machine, and periodically one or two are funneled off to the side and carried off by a human inspector. Finally, a grooved belt lined with soft rubber slowly gathers similar cartridges and funnels them to waiting cardboard cartons at the end of the line.
ZEKE
Looks like every munitions factory I've ever seen - and that's quite a few.
ALICIA
Tiger Eye Performance Ammunition is a small, independent supplier of premium-quality pistol, rifle, and shotgun ammunition for sportsmen, law enforcement, and state militias. Not enough output to keep up with the needs of the Federal government - which is just fine with us.
AARÓN notices a handful of smaller production lines at the far end of the floor. They appear to have several additional machines crammed into a comparatively tighter space.
AARÓN
So if most of this is premium-quality munitions, I'm guessing those lines are turning out... whatever's beyond premium quality?
It doesn't look like ALICIA has been fielding many questions throughout this tour.
ALICIA
(impatiently)
The lines down there are responsible for special ammunition types exclusively for the use of Atlas personnel.
DAVE
(half jokingly)
Silver bullets?
ALICIA ignores him.
ALICIA
You'll learn all about them sometime this week... if you last that long.
DAVE looks away sheepishly and puts his hands in his pockets as the group moves on.
ALICIA
That's all for now. Our next stop is the library. Quiz time.
CUT TO NEXT SCENE
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10
INT FACILITY CAFETERIA
DAVE is sitting at a table in the middle of the training facility's cafeteria, eagerly downing a tray of breakfast food. Seated around the table with him are HAYDEN, ZEKE, and FRANK, as well as (oddly enough) a clerical-collared chaplain, FATHER LEARY, and the old janitor, JAKOB. The three recruits are commiserating about the results of the oral exam.
DAVE
I don't think I've ever been graded in dirty looks on an exam.
ZEKE
Man, the stank-eye was gettin' handed out on all sides. You probably did okay.
FATHER LEARY
(encouragingly)
I'm sure you all did well for yourselves, considering it's the first day. You only got the materials yesterday, and remember that this isn't a telemarketing job you're training for.
HAYDEN
Thanks, Father, but that doesn't exactly cancel out Almodovar putting us through the wringer.
HAYDEN takes a bite of his scrambled eggs and washes it down with a sip of orange juice before continuing.
HAYDEN
I've gotta ask, though, because curiosity is killing me here. Okay, Atlas. This super-secret organization that works with vampires, aliens, magic, all that stuff. Cutting edge scientists, pretty no-nonsense people in general. Now no offense, sir, but... chaplains?
The priest actually seems more amused than anything else.
FATHER LEARY
(smiling)
What would an organization dealing in the paranormal, the supernatural, and the frontiers of rational science need with ordained clergy, anyway?
JAKOB
(to himself, chuckling)
Again, with this question?
HAYDEN looks ready to retract his question, but the Chicago Irishman grins.
FATHER LEARY
Most of the time, Atlas uses chaplains the same way the Air Force uses them, (nodding to ZEKE) or the Army, (looking at DAVE) or most police forces. The vast majority of the time we're pretty much just occupational counselors - we talk to people, see how they're holding up under the stress of their job, help them sort out troubles with their families, stuff like that. I'd estimate that seventy-five percent of the things people come and talk to me about have nothing whatsoever to do with Atlas itself, or the theological implications of us not being alone in the universe, or the ethical justification for keeping the secrets we keep.
DAVE
I know what I'd be more likely to ask you about.
FATHER LEARY
Drop by my office sometime, or pull me aside if you see me here or in the hallways, and I'll be happy to answer any of those questions. But to answer Mr. Hayden's question, when we're not helping people deal with issues in their own lives, we do spend a decent amount of time trying to aid people in finding answers to questions like that. I'm sure you can imagine it's not easy for people who have grown up in traditionally religious homes to reconcile their faith with the realization that there are intelligent beings from other worlds, or aberrations like lycanthropes and necrotics, or that there really is such a thing as magic and some people can use it. So yeah, we deal with that from time to time as well. But one of the things we don't do very often but that a number of chaplains from each of the Abrahamic faiths are trained in? Exorcism.
FRANK
You serious?
FATHER LEARY
(nodding)
As a heart attack. Now, I've - fortunately - never had to perform one myself, but I've read reports of both my fellow priests and Protestant clergymen performing the ritual in... well, let's just call them combat situations.
JAKOB
(shudders briefly before returning to his breakfast)
Dibbukim. Very serious business, you know.
DAVE smiles at the old man.
DAVE
You ever see any exorcisms, Mister Lansky?
JAKOB fixes DAVE with an odd look for a moment, then sighs and looks away as though trying to choose his words carefully. As JAKOB fidgets with his bifocals absently, DAVE spots something he hadn't seen before on the old man's forearm. He strains to see what it is and can barely make out the marks - an old, faded tattoo comprised of a six-digit number which looks like it was originally applied to a much smaller arm.
JAKOB
Never saw an exorcism. Lots of evil, yes, I've seen that. There are many sorts of demons in the world, young man.
FATHER LEARY nods sadly to himself. FRANK recognizes the numbers for what they are and looks away with a sharp intake of breath. DAVE bites his lip and looks away awkwardly, but JAKOB reaches across the table and puts a hand on his arm consolingly.
JAKOB
(smiling)
Aber man lebt, my friend. To know what evil is, anyone can do this. If you do well here, maybe you'll get to make some of that go away.
JAKOB nods to himself and sips at his coffee.
JAKOB
Well, boys, I wouldn't worry so much about the questions. Soon you get to take the real tests, and then you see how much you really know.
HAYDEN
Can you tell us anything about what to expect next, Mister Lansky? Ms. Almodovar told us something about a "hazard course"?
JAKOB
It's been years since I went in there except to mop the control room floors. It's a big room, like a...
FATHER LEARY
It's a training complex which can be reconfigured - walls, floors, structures inside - for both simulated action against simulated targets and live-fire action against "real" targets, depending on the scenario.
JAKOB
Maybe you will shoot toy guns at paper men, or maybe you will shoot real guns at... well, who knows anymore? I hear things, yes, but our little Ali, she loves her surprises, after all.
ZEKE
(chuckling)
"Little Ali," huh? You make it sound like she's your granddaughter or something.
FATHER LEARY
(smiling faintly)
She's definitely someone's granddaughter, but not his. You wouldn't know it to see them together, though.
DAVE looks skeptical.
DAVE
I'm sorry - I don't mean to be rude or anything - I just can't picture Almodovar smiling at someone and meaning it.
JAKOB
Feh! You barely know the girl, young man. She's a wonderful child, a very nice child, once you get to know her.
DAVE
I'm sure you're right, Mister Lansky. But if the rest of Alpha Phase is anything like this morning, I doubt I'll be around long enough to get that chance.
DISSOLVE INTO NEXT SCENE
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11
INT FACILITY - MONTAGE
DISSOLVE INTO MID SHOT OF INT FACILITY GYM
In the fitness room, HAYDEN and ZEKE are running on treadmills and have clearly been doing so for some time.
HAYDEN
(starting to show fatigue)
Five miles - halfway there. You tapped out yet, tough guy?
ZEKE
(indignantly)
Hell no! Try and keep up, Chair Force!
HAYDEN
(looking over past ZEKE)
How 'bout you, Esp-
QUICK PAN LEFT TO AARÓN'S TREADMILL
AARÓN doesn't respond. The taciturn Marine sniper is clearly moving at a much faster rate than the other two, but the rhythm of his breathing remains steady and unlabored. HAYDEN rolls his eyes and does his best to keep moving.
HAYDEN
Showoff.
CUT TO WIDE SHOT OF CLASSROOM, FACING FRONT
In one of the classrooms, PARTLOW is giving a lecture on the history of Atlas. Looking around the room, the recruits are scribbling notes furiously.
PARTLOW
1917. Prominent scientists and industrial magnates, disappointed with the N.A.C.A.'s fixation on atmospheric flight research, quietly founded the privately-funded Atlas Research Consortium for the explicit purpose of "researching astronomical phenomena of an as-yet unexplained nature."
CUT TO MID SHOT OF FIRING RANGE
DAVE is taking target practice in a lane next to FRANK, who is excoriating him for violating a cardinal rule of gun safety.
FRANK
(vehemently)
Didn't they teach you anything at the Academy? If you are not actively shooting at something or someone you plan on killing, you point that thing at the ground!
DAVE winces under the verbal barrage.
FRANK
(slightly less angry)
Now, take some more shots, and don't let the rangemaster see you breaking any more safety rules.
DAVE turns, steadies himself, and brings the pistol up just as we cut away.
CUT TO MID SHOT OF LIBRARY TABLE
In the library, KAT and GRACE sit across from each other as KAT quizzes GRACE on some of the study material.
KAT
Okay. Psionic abilities are categorized under the same four groups as arcane spells, based on their effects. Those groups are?
GRACE
(eagerly)
Affects perception, directly affects spacetime or energy, directly affects nonliving matter, directly affects living beings.
KAT
(only half mockingly)
Perfect! You sure you didn't get those answers out of my head?
GRACE
(sheepishly)
I'm trying my best not to...
CUT TO BLACK-AND-WHITE GROUP PHOTOGRAPH OF FOUNDING MEMBERS OF ATLAS; PAN TO INDIVIDUALS AS THEY ARE NAMED
PARTLOW (V.O.)
The greatest scientific minds and captains of industry in that era. Robert Goddard, pioneer of American rocketry. George Westinghouse, the man who dared to go toe-to-toe with Edison and General Electric. Nikola Tesla, the genius who gave him what he needed to do just that and saw the future generations in advance. Edwin Hubble - I'm sure you've all heard of the telescope named after him - watched the skies for them. Rockefeller and Carnegie helped bankroll the endeavor, while Henry Ford put wheels on the ground for them and Orville Wright kept wings under them.
CUT TO CAFETERIA COUNTER
SABRINA and KAT are sitting on barstools across the counter from MURRAY, who is quizzing KAT on some other information and doing his best to keep her from panicking.
MURRAY
(calmly)
Don't be so nervous, Miss Shanahan. Right now I'm just another Atlas employee helping the two of you study. Now, to coordinate its functions, Atlas is divided into five Directorates. Can you name all five?
KAT thinks a moment but draws a blank thanks to her ongoing bout of anxiety.
MURRAY
(patiently)
Perhaps you can start by telling me their roles?
KAT
(suddenly getting it)
Roles. Roles! Let's see... Research, Operations... Logistics? Yeah. Logistics, Executive... Security!
MURRAY
(grinning)
Excellent! See? Nothing to worry about.
CUT TO SPARRING CIRCLE
ZEKE, armed with a hard-rubber stand-in for a knife, is sparring with a safety-padded combat instructor as JANACEK and PARTLOW look on. JANACEK stops him to "analyze" the Army veteran's technique.
JANACEK
(intently)
No, no, no! You waste your time trying to punch a vampire or a 'lyke', you're just givin' 'em free nibbles. I don't care how big you are, your fists aren't gonna do enough damage.
JANACEK shoves ZEKE aside, grabs the 'knife', then squares off with the instructor. With startling quickness, the agent darts in, evades several swipes and grappling attempts, and deals out several lethal-looking slashes followed by a stab that makes the instructor wince despite the safety measures.
JANACEK
(to ZEKE, slightly winded)
You get inside, you turn the corners on 'em, you use this. Silver knife - they're already gonna be terrified of it no matter how mean and tough they look. Don't box with 'em. Hurt 'em! Try again.
CUT BACK TO PARTLOW IN CLASSROOM
PARTLOW
Some of the most familiar faces of that generation, and no one out there will ever know the real extent of what they created.
CUT BACK TO TREADMILLS
HAYDEN, ZEKE, and AARÓN are still running on their respective treadmills. By now, all three look quite fatigued, but they continue to press on.
PARTLOW (V.O.)
But now you do. And there's plenty more to learn - plenty more that changed the shape of the world around us, even though no one out there will ever know. This is our history. Keep asking yourself - what do you plan on adding to it?
CUT TO FOUNDERS' PHOTOGRAPH BEFORE DISSOLVE TO NEXT SCENE
Last edited by Captain Sammitch; 2013-10-10 2:00 AM. Reason: always fade out at the end of a montage!
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12
INT FACILITY HAZARD COMPLEX
DISSOLVE INTO WIDE SHOT OF HAZARD COMPLEX GREEN ROOM
The trainees are standing in the "Green Room" outside the entrance to the facility's hazard course. ALICIA paces back and forth as she explains procedures to the group.
ALICIA
You're three days into Alpha Phase, and so far you're all still here. I'm sure you're all proud of yourselves for making it this far. That may change.
ALICIA paces up and down the row of recruits, who are now watching her intently and uneasily.
ALICIA
You've been on the Hazard Course twice before, firing at the target popups with practice rounds. Today's gonna be a little different.
ALICIA turns and picks up one of a handful of identical pistols (H&K USP Tactical) from a table between her and the Hazard Course airlock. She cradles it carefully as she resumes pacing.
ALICIA
You've taken on our popup targets on the Course. You've fired these on the range. Today, we're bringing those experiences together and you're going to be firing live ammo in there.
KAT
(nervously)
So... it's gonna be just like normal, only louder, right?
ALICIA
(ignoring her)
I know we've thrown a lot at you all so far, but I'm confident you remember enough not to embarrass yourselves too badly in there. Don't forget your usual safety rules, keep your heads up, and make your shots count. Are we clear?
The recruits give varying levels of acknowledgment.
ALICIA
(surveying the recruits)
Now then, who's up first?
ALICIA makes a show of looking around before her glance settles on KAT. The cryptography expert tenses as the headmistress smiles.
ALICIA
Ms. Shanahan? I believe you said it'd be "just like normal"?
KAT pales slightly and takes a step back. GRACE puts a hand on her arm reassuringly.
ALICIA
(smiling)
It's target practice, Kat. Step right up.
KAT reluctantly complies, retrieving a weapon and a pair of magazines from the table. She looks back at the others anxiously; GRACE smiles faintly and DAVE offers an encouraging nod.
ALICIA
Load your weapon inside the airlock; I'll notify you when the inner door is about to open.
KAT nods uneasily as the outer door of the airlock slides open and she steps inside. She jumps a little as it closes behind her. KAT hurriedly loads a magazine into the pistol - nearly dropping it in her anxiety - and then checks the safeties and takes a few deep breaths to steady herself. In the windowless and monitorless Green Room, no sounds can be heard from within as ALICIA presses an intercom button.
ALICIA
Commencing exercise; stand by for inner door.
The door opens and KAT steps out into a mostly open space with featureless light-grey floor and wall tiles. She pauses for a moment, taken aback by the emptiness of the obstacle course, then looks around hoping to spot a target.
KAT
(nervously, to herself)
Well, this isn't so bad...
With the hiss of pneumatic pistons, a cardboard target resembling an ordinary human gunman pops up from the floor on a metal arm. KAT pivots, brings the gun up, and squeezes off two shots in rapid succession. The first misses high and to the right, but the second strikes the target near where the solar plexus should be. The target falls back to the floor and KAT relaxes slightly. Another target pops out from around a nearby corner; this time both of KAT's shots find their mark. Meanwhile, the recruits in the green room only overhear muffled reports of the shots and still can't see anything.
DAVE
(quietly)
I'm sure she's doing just fine...
On the Hazard Course, KAT looks around, waiting for the next target to pop up. Nothing happens for a long moment. KAT lowers her gun slightly as her eyes dart around the room nervously.
KAT
(to the air)
Is... is that it? Guys? Can anyone hear me? Was that everything?
KAT sniffs the air, becoming aware of a peculiar and powerfully unpleasant odor. She waves a hand in front of her face and looks around, confused and more than a little worried.
KAT
(with increasing anxiety)
What's... what is that? Hello?
Ragged, uneven sounds of labored breathing can now be heard from somewhere out of sight. The gun in KAT's hands snaps back up, but now the muzzle trembles slightly. A moment later, from around a corner to the far left, a shape shambles out toward the center of the room. The body of what was once a middle-aged man, still dressed in worn khakis and a torn polo shirt but with a sickly pale, mottled complexion and a profusion of gashes and wounds all over - chief among which is a hideous, jagged but unbloodied bite mark on the right shoulder. The creature's head pivots as though following a scent and its eyes - glazed and vacant with dust-scratched and shriveled corneas - lock onto KAT, whose own eyes immediately widen in utter terror.
KAT
(a quivering mixture of horrified disbelief)
W... what the... no. No, no, no no no...
KAT stumbles backward until she hits the nearest wall, nearly falling to the floor on rubber legs.
KAT
(increasingly hysterical)
S- Somebody? Someone stop the test!
The necrotic takes an unsteady, shuffling step in KAT's direction. From its mouth lined with broken, filthy teeth emerges a low, wordless groan. KAT inches away along the wall she's against as rasping, terrified sobs begin to escape her lips. The necrotic inches closer as KAT approaches a corner and begins to shriek hysterically. In the Green Room, her screaming can now be faintly heard even through the walls, and the various recruits' faces show their immediate and visceral responses.
HAYDEN
What the hell was that?
GRACE
What's happening in there?
The gun clatters to the floor as KAT, fleeing like a wild animal, rushes around the necrotic to the opposite wall of the Hazard Course.
KAT
(wildly hysterical)
Stop the test! I want out!
KAT, screaming and crying at the top of her lungs now, begins pounding on the walls.
KAT
Let me out! LET ME OUT! PLEASE!
SABRINA
What's going on?
ALICIA doesn't answer. SABRINA takes a step forward.
SABRINA
(forcefully)
Ms. Almodovar, what is going on?
KAT continues shrieking and pounding on the wall.
KAT
Please, please let me out!
DAVE
Stop this! Let her out of there!
While the others listen to the horrifying sounds emanating from the room, AARÓN - loaded weapon already in hand - rushes to the outer airlock door and tries to figure out how to open it. He looks over his shoulder at ALICIA intently. ALICIA doesn't flinch.
KAT
(almost unintelligible)
Somebody, please!
Suddenly, a seam appears in the featureless wall to the left of where she stands as the door of another airlock hisses open. PARTLOW rushes in and grabs KAT bodily in his arms as the necrotic comes to a stop at the end of a previously concealed steel cable. Taking a step toward the open door, the agent slings KAT into the waiting arms of JANACEK outside before turning slowly and drawing his own sidearm. Glaring at the mindless aberration, PARTLOW squeezes off a single shot, which strikes the necrotic cleanly between the eyes. It slumps to the floor as PARTLOW steps through the airlock and past a handful of cleanup technicians carrying a body bag and various other implements. KAT lies on the floor sobbing and acreaming as JANACEK tries vainly to calm her. PARTLOW's jaw tightens as he surveys the scene.
CUT TO COMMERCIAL
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13
ACT 3: INT FACILITY HAZARD COMPLEX
The recruits look at one another in stunned disbelief, trying to make sense of what they've just heard. ALICIA breaks the silence.
ALICIA
(evenly)
All right... next trainee, please.
The recruits turn almost as one and gape at her. The intercom crackles to life.
PARTLOW (INTERCOM)
Ms. Almodovar to the control room, please.
ALICIA looks up and down the row of unmoving recruits.
ALICIA
(insistently)
I need the next person, quickly.
No one moves. ALICIA's impatience grows.
PARTLOW (INTERCOM)
Ms. Almodovar, please report to the control room.
ALICIA
(sternly)
I'm not moving until one of you volunteers to go next.
There is a long, uncomfortable silence before FRANK steps forward.
FRANK
I'll do it.
Relieved, ALICIA acknowledges FRANK with a nod as the SWAT veteran approaches the airlock entrance. AARÓN hands him the sidearm he's already loaded, and FRANK accepts it silently before checking the chamber and safeties briefly and stepping into the airlock. The outer door closes behind him as ALICIA's hand hovers over the actuator panel for the inner door. FRANK waits in the airlock, his own anxiety a little more evident now that no one is watching.
FRANK
(sotto voce, impatiently)
Ready when you are...
JANACEK (INTERCOM)
Ms. Almodovar, your presence is required in the control room. Thank you.
ALICIA triggers the inner door before rolling her eyes and storming out of the Green Room through a side door. The others relax as she leaves, but just as quickly fall to murmuring amongst themselves.
GRACE
(frightened)
Ohhhh, my gosh... Kat! She was... she's so scared!
DAVE
(slightly relieved)
She's okay, though?
Inside the Hazard Course, FRANK polishes off his first target effortlessly. Back in the Green Room, the others flinch at the gunshots, having almost forgotten why they're waiting there. GRACE thinks a moment and then shrugs.
GRACE
(uneasily)
I'm... not sure. I don't think she's hurt, but... I can still feel how frightened she is.
ALICIA strides into the Hazard Course control room, where a handful of technicians sit at their computers, watching FRANK take down a second target on their monitors as their hands hover above various environmental and target controls. Somewhere outside, KAT's sobbing can still be faintly heard over the murmurs of another person attempting in vain to calm her. JANACEK stands off to one side watching a larger monitor intently as a displeased-looking PARTLOW ceases his pacing and looks intently at ALICIA.
PARTLOW
(angrily)
I know I told you I wouldn't try and tell you how to run your own training program... but what the hell, Alicia?
On the Course, FRANK knocks down a third target, then quickly checks his magazine. In the control room, ALICIA glares at PARTLOW and begins to protest, but the older agent holds up a hand.
PARTLOW
I sincerely hope I missed something here. You deliberately withheld almost all detailed materials on necrotics... so you could throw live ones at green recruits on the Course on Day Three?
ALICIA
We have dozens in containment downstairs, Mark. And as you saw yourself, they're tethered. Only an idiot would get close enough to actually be in danger in this scenario.
On the monitor, FRANK takes a step back, apparently having glimpsed the replacement necrotic for the first time.
FRANK
(in disbelief)
What the hell?
JANACEK
They've never even seen one of these things outside of the three pages and one photo you've allowed them access to. Exactly how well do you expect them to handle this?
FRANK regains his composure, and the gun snaps up and trains in on the necrotic.
FRANK
(to the air)
I dunno if I'm supposed to actually shoot this damn thing or not, but if it gets any closer you're gonna be short one... zombie thing.
ALICIA ignores him, but JANACEK grabs a microphone and keys the intercom.
JANACEK
Engage the target, Mr. Conti.
FRANK nods in acknowledgment.
FRANK
Twist my arm.
The gun barks twice in rapid succession, and two bullet holes appear on the upper torso of the necrotic.
ALICIA
(smirking)
I'd say he's doing all right.
The necrotic halts its forward progress a moment as the impacts register. FRANK starts to lower the pistol when the necrotic takes another shuffling step forward, then resumes its shambling approach. FRANK staggers back, nearly dropping his weapon.
FRANK
(stunned)
Son of a bitch!
PARTLOW simply looks back at ALICIA a moment, then turns and prepares to head back in for another rescue. Fortunately, FRANK collects himself and brings the gun to bear again. Two shots impact the necrotic's head - though the angle on the monitor doesn't quite give away the exact location - and the creature crumples to the floor. FRANK moves in a little closer and fires one more shot into the back of its head just to be safe. ALICIA smiles at JANACEK.
ALICIA
See?
(to a technician)
Send in the cleanup crew, please. I'd like less than two minutes' turnaround this time.
In the Green Room, DAVE paces anxiously as the others try a little more successfully to conceal their own trepidation.
ZEKE
(optimistically)
Didn't hear any hollerin' this time around.
GRACE
(relieved)
Frank's okay.
SABRINA
You sure?
GRACE
He's still on edge, it feels like, but not as scared as before - not nearly as scared as Kat still is.
ALICIA (INTERCOM)
Mr. Giles? You're next.
DAVE stops in his tracks and stares up at the intercom speaker, then looks around at the others.
DAVE
(on the edge of panic)
Dammit.
In the control room, PARTLOW and JANACEK exchange looks, then shoot disapproving glances at ALICIA.
PARTLOW
The incidental, Alicia?
ALICIA
(crossly)
I'm sorry - is this your training program, Agent Partlow?
In the Green Room, DAVE is still hesitating, but GRACE puts a hand on his shoulder to steady him.
GRACE
(encouraging)
It's okay, Dave. You're gonna be okay.
AARÓN hands DAVE one of the sidearms from the table along with a full magazine of ammunition.
AARÓN
You've got this.
The verbal standoff in the control room escalates.
JANACEK
This is unacceptable, Ali. Significant time and resources were allocated to acquiring Katherine Shanahan, and from here it looks like you singlehandedly undid all of that in less than five minutes. Now you're gonna shove Giles out the door after her?
ALICIA
(coldly)
I didn't fail the test. She did. One single necrotic - a tethered necrotic - and yet she completely lost it. It wasn't my idea to invest all that work into getting her - or to humor you by letting Giles tag along. It's my job to find out who belongs here and who doesn't.
DAVE swallows hard and steps into the airlock. He does his best to keep his hands from shaking as he loads the pistol.
PARTLOW
It's your job to train recruits and prepare them to be the best Atlas personnel they can be - not put 'em all through hell just to get rid of the ones you don't like.
ALICIA reaches over and punches the door control. It slowly opens and DAVE steps onto the Hazard Course, anxiously looking around for some sign of KAT or FRANK or maybe of whatever happened to them. Just then, FRANK barges into the control room past a surprised technician and storms over to ALICIA.
FRANK
(angrily)
Where the hell is Shanahan? Did those things get her?
ALICIA
(to the technicians)
Who let him in here?
FRANK
I dunno what the hell you're trying to do here, but this is not training!
ALICIA glares at FRANK. On the monitor, DAVE brings the gun up and dispatches his first pop-up target.
ALICIA
Ms. Shanahan was completely unharmed. She went through the exact same test you did - I didn't tell her to freak out and have a complete meltdown in there. Now I'm going to ask you once to please leave this room and wait outside before I lose my patience.
The career Chicago cop is unintimidated.
FRANK
I've spent fifteen years staring down some serious scumbags, young lady. If you're tryin' to scare me, you're barkin' up the wrong tree.
JANACEK steps in and attempts to defuse the altercation.
JANACEK
(diplomatically)
Frank. I understand you're upset, and you have every right to be.
On the Course, DAVE takes out his second target. ALICIA glares daggers at JANACEK, but the agent is unfazed.
JANACEK
I promise you, Kat wasn't physically hurt in any way. If you'll just head back outside we can take you to her, if you like. But the others still have to run the Hazard Course, and the techs need to do their jobs in here.
FRANK shakes his head. He looks at JANACEK disapprovingly as he turns to leave.
FRANK
(disappointed)
You're just gonna stand there and let her put the rest of 'em through that too?
A third target pops up, and DAVE unloads three rounds into it. ALICIA looks at JANACEK and PARTLOW as she calls to the departing FRANK.
ALICIA
What were you expecting them to do? It's my training program.
PARTLOW
You know, I don't think Murray has any idea what you're doing here.
ALICIA
(viciously)
Even if he did, do you really think he'd try and stop me? And do you really think it'd be a good idea for you to try and tattle on me?
PARTLOW's eyes narrow. On the monitor, DAVE is looking around, puzzled at some strange smell in the air.
PARTLOW
(angrily)
You think this training facility is your own little sandbox, don't you? Do you really think you can get away with pulling crap like this just because of who your-
JANACEK grips PARTLOW's shoulder and shakes his head slightly, hoping to dissuade the senior agent from continuing his statement.
ALICIA
(menacingly)
Lose your train of thought, Agent Partlow? I hope you weren't planning on saying what I think you were about to say.
Determined to have the last word in the argument, ALICIA directs the agents' attention to the monitor.
ALICIA
Hold that thought - I think we're about to find out if Agent Janacek's faith was misplaced.
On the course, DAVE's eyes widen as another necrotic shambles out from around a corner and hobbles in his general direction.
DAVE
(with disbelief)
No way. Freaking zombies?
DAVE takes a few uneasy steps back, clearly terrified. ALICIA smiles as she awaits another imminent breakdown. As the necrotic approaches, DAVE takes a deep breath and tries to collect himself, but all he manages to summon is anger.
DAVE
(furiously)
She put zombies in here?
The gun snaps up suddenly as DAVE takes a step toward the shuffling creature.
DAVE
This is for Kat, you diseased piece of crap!
DAVE squeezes the trigger rapidly and unloads two rounds into the necrotic's upper torso, then two more into its neck and lower jaw, then a fifth one into its forehead.
JANACEK
(unable to contain himself)
That's what I'm talkin' about!
The necrotic collapses almost immediately, but DAVE ejects the empty magazine, retrieves a fresh one from his jeans pocket, slams the new magazine home, and unloads four more rounds into the fallen form before looking up and spotting the unblinking electronic eye of the camera. Glaring into it, DAVE levels his weapon at the camera itself.
DAVE
Did I pass?
DAVE pulls the trigger. The round strikes a thin pane of Lexan over the camera lens, and the bulletproof material cracks and spiderwebs, largely obscuring ALICIA's view from the control room. The young woman's hands ball into tight fists, and she stands frozen there, seething at the image from the camera.
PARTLOW
(softly, chuckling to himself)
You bet your ass you passed, kid.
CUT TO NEXT SCENE
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terrible podcaster 15000+ posts
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14
INT FACILITY ADMIN OFFICE/CAFETERIA
ALICIA is perched on the edge of the sofa in MURRAY's office and looks extraordinarily displeased. The facility administrator peers at her curiously from his chair, not liking what he sees but not quite unsettled by it.
MURRAY
Actually, I asked you to come by because I've heard a few interesting things about your training methods of late.
ALICIA rolls her eyes.
ALICIA
Quite frankly, sir, I'm here because I wanna know why the incidental is still in my program and not under lock and key!
MURRAY smiles faintly, almost amused by the girl's retort.
MURRAY
(politely but firmly)
Miss Almodovar, Señor Almodovar isn't here. I am. I would advise you to remember that I was the one who consented to give you your current office here. Now, if you would be so kind, would you care to set the matter of Mister Giles aside for a moment and explain to me exactly what your reasoning was behind this afternoon's exercise?
CUT TO CAFETERIA
Meanwhile, in the cafeteria, DAVE sits at a larger table with his fellow recruits. All but KAT are present. The mood at the table is surprisingly light given the recruits' ordeal. HAYDEN tosses a salt shaker to DAVE and laughs.
HAYDEN
Holy crap, dude - remind me not to piss you off! I mean, do you have any idea how lucky you are to still be here right now?
DAVE, still chewing, just nods as he adds a little salt to his plate of pasta. Everyone seems to be enjoying their food quite a bit.
ZEKE
I think I'm almost as scared of your crazy ass as I am of her crazy ass, man! Don't matter who I was on the football field, if I ever pulled a stunt like that in front of Army brass, I'd be lucky to make it into the stockade in one piece!
DAVE smiles a little.
DAVE
(sheepishly)
Yeah, I guess I got under her skin a little, huh?
CUT TO OFFICE
MURRAY
(puzzled)
So what exactly is it about Giles that has you so convinced he shouldn't be here? From what I've seen he's done well enough thus far.
ALICIA
You consider willful destruction of training-facility property doing "well enough"?
MURRAY
It strikes me as both curious and disturbing that you've shown more concern in this conversation for a camera housing than for any of your recruits - even Katherine Shanahan.
CUT TO CAFETERIA
HAYDEN
You think any of those cameras caught the look on her face? I'd pay 'em for that picture!
The others laugh. There's a short moment of silence as the recruits continue eating until AARÓN interjects.
AARÓN
I don't think she's finished with you yet, Giles. In fact, I'm not convinced Kat was the one she was really trying to get rid of.
FRANK
(somberly)
Which would mean everything she put Kat through was really meant to get to you.
There is a much longer silence as each of the recruits ponders this.
DAVE
What I don't get is, why me? I mean, I know I got in here by accident and I don't really have... anything you guys have. But she acts like she seriously hates me.
AARÓN
You say you don't have anything we have, but maybe you have something she doesn't?
GRACE
You remind her of something.
DAVE
(confused)
What could I possibly remind her of that would make her act like this?
CUT TO OFFICE
MURRAY
Perhaps that's what this is about - unless I'm very much mistaken?
ALICIA
(angrily)
Do you think I like giving lectures and setting up simulations? I took this job because it was as close as they would let me get to field work. But it's nothing like field work. I know how good I am, and so do you. So do they. So why am I still trapped here watching incidentals get handed opportunities I've never had a chance at?
MURRAY doesn't respond.
ALICIA
That's what I thought. No one feels like explaining it to me - not you, not my grandfather, not any of the senior Agents... no one. I was eleven when the 138s took my dad and I found out about all of this, and even after everything you and the others have taught me since then, I don't feel like I'm any closer to the truth.
MURRAY smiles - the sort of sad half-smile befitting a true Irishman.
MURRAY
(incisively)
And if you aren't owed the truth... why should he be?
ALICIA's guard drops for a moment, faced with MURRAY's candor. Her initial surprise gives way to sadness, to frustration, then to a smoldering anger.
ALICIA
(indignantly)
That's not what this is about!
MURRAY
(wearily)
Of course not.
CUT TO CAFETERIA
SABRINA
I wonder how Shanahan's doing.
FRANK
I'm pretty sure Agent Janacek was telling the truth and she wasn't hurt. But I think Almodovar was being honest too - about Kat losing it when the zombie-
HAYDEN
The necrotic.
FRANK
Whatever. When it came after her, she flipped, they said. She didn't even know it was tied down, she just lost it.
DAVE
So even if she's physically okay...
FRANK nods sadly.
ZEKE
What I wanna know is why the hell Almodovar got away with a "training" exercise like that. Even the nastiest sonofabitch drill sergeant in the Army woulda got canned for addin' any kinda surprise to a live-fire exercise with green recruits. If that's the kinda people they got callin' the shots here... all of a sudden I ain't so sure about this.
CUT TO OFFICE
MURRAY
Your desire to go into the field is between yourself and the Board of Directors - your grandfather in particular. It has absolutely no bearing on how your training programs ought to be conducted. I'm not about to go back on what he and I agreed upon, but neither will I sit back and relax in this office while you act out your frustrations upon the recruits I and others have worked so hard to gather here.
ALICIA sits back in her chair and does her best to keep her temper in check as she looks at MURRAY from across the desk.
MURRAY
(firmly)
Please take note of this, Miss Almodovar. I will personally obstruct any attempt you make to forcibly expel Mr. Giles or any of the other recruits from Alpha training. Unless he or one of the others fails a critical exercise or exam, opts out voluntarily, or becomes too injured to continue, they will remain in Alpha Phase until its completion - at which time I will evaluate their performance and determine which of the recruits has earned the right to be a part of this organization. Are we clear?
ALICIA rises from the chair and looks back at MURRAY over her shoulder on her way out the door.
ALICIA
Perfectly.
CUT TO NEXT SCENE
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terrible podcaster 15000+ posts
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terrible podcaster 15000+ posts
Joined: Sep 2002
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15
INT FACILITY LIBRARY
The middle of the library has been converted to a makeshift theater, with a projector and its screen hanging from the ceiling and several rows of chairs situated where they were for orientation. DAVE, HAYDEN, ZEKE, and AARÓN are watching video footage of the earlier training exercise, accompanied by JANACEK, JAKOB the janitor, and DR. ODIMIS, the physician from Species 004. On the screen, SABRINA is expertly dispatching her necrotic with several well-placed pistol shots. ZEKE is clearly impressed.
ZEKE
No wonder she was on the Detail. Girl's got skills.
DR. ODIMIS
Her level of marksmanship is quite impressive, though like most of you she will need to un-learn much of her training and not aim for the center of mass each time.
AARÓN
(quietly)
Old habits die hard.
The group quiets down as AARÓN's exercise plays. After dispatching the last of his pop-up targets, AARÓN smells the necrotic and immediately suspects the worst.
JANACEK
I need a copy of this to show the Chicago office.
AARÓN peers around a corner and spots the necrotic before it notices him. Rather than rushing to engage it like the others, the former sniper studies it a few moments to learn its capabilities, then quickly and quietly removes both his shoes.
ZEKE
Mister Ninja over here...
AARÓN tiptoes quietly across the room carrying his shoes, taking care to avoid the necrotic's line of sight and using whatever concealment he can find. The necrotic's head begins swiveling back and forth as though it can smell AARÓN. The Marine cocks his right arm back and hurls one shoe at the wall behind the necrotic. Though this particular recording lacks sound, the viewers can see the necrotic's head whip around as the thrown shoe impacts the wall.
HAYDEN
Nice bit of improvisation, Espy.
As the creature shambles in the direction of the shoe, AARÓN emerges from cover behind it and dispatches it with a single perfectly-aimed shot to the back of the head, then calmly retrieves his other shoe after waiting a moment to see if the necrotic gets back up.
DAVE
Wow.
GRACE's exercise begins to play, and everyone inches forward in their seats.
JAKOB
Such a sweet little girl, but perhaps more dangerous than she looks, you think?
ALICIA
Mister Giles. A moment of your time?
Everyone but DR. ODIMIS turns suddenly to see that ALICIA is standing in the doorway, looking surprisingly calm and relaxed. DAVE tenses, suspecting something may be up.
ALICIA
(smiling faintly)
This won't take long.
DAVE looks at JANACEK, then at the others, then slowly gets up and makes his way toward the door. The others watch him go before JANACEK guides their attention back to the screen.
JANACEK
My favorite part's coming up here.
The others look back at the screen as GRACE stumbles back, having spotted the necrotic for the first time.
HAYDEN
Wait a sec-
Rather than train her gun on the approaching necrotic, GRACE reflexively throws both hands out in front of her. An invisible wave of force hurls the necrotic back against the far wall at a terrifying velocity. It impacts the wall and drops directly to the floor beneath a gory imprint of itself. The viewers each react vocally and loudly as DAVE exits the room into the hallway. ALICIA closes the door.
DAVE
(timidly)
Is there something I can do for you, Ms. Almodovar?
ALICIA
(pleasantly)
Don't worry - it's not about the camera. Actually, I kind of feel like I owe you an apology for the last few days.
DAVE manages to keep his jaw from dropping as ALICIA continues.
ALICIA
I know I'm hard on everyone during training - it's kind of what I do - but I realized I can definitely see where you might think I've been especially hard on you so far. I really don't mean to be, and it's nothing personal.
DAVE simply nods, trying to take in everything he's hearing.
ALICIA
It's just that I feel like one of the inspectors on the assembly line upstairs - it's my job to look at the bullets and make sure they're all up to our standards. If that inspector misses a bad round here and there, it could cause a gun to jam or misfire. People could die because of that one little slip-up. I look at my job here the same way - if I'm not as tough as possible in training, and people get into Atlas who aren't up to the challenges they'll face in the real world, a lot of people could die.
DAVE
I can see where you're coming from.
ALICIA
I'm glad you can. Like I said, nothing personal, and no hard feelings, I hope. While I'm here, I also wanted to bring an opportunity to your attention. I'm not sure how much Agent Janacek told you about our satellite companies, but Atlas owns a special investigative firm operating out of Austin. They deal mostly with kidnappings and missing-persons cases, and they've tangled with everyone from the Russian mob to the Mexican cartels to survivalist militias. I think your skills and your approach might be a good fit for them.
DAVE looks even more bewildered by the direction in which the conversation seems to be heading.
DAVE
(swkwardly)
Well... I figured I'd look into stuff like that after Alpha training ended.
ALICIA's patience starts to wear thin, but she presses on.
ALICIA
(evenly)
Listen. I know about the deal you made with Janacek - give it six days, and then decide what you want to do? I'm trying to save you time and a lot of pressure and frustration - and maybe injuries - by bringing this to your attention now. Trust me on this: you haven't seen half of what Alpha Phase has to throw at all of you.
DAVE thinks he knows where this is headed but stays calm.
DAVE
So what are you suggesting I do?
ALICIA inches back and shakes her head slightly.
ALICIA
(innocently)
I'm not suggesting anything, Mister Gi... David. I just wanted you to know that you have options besides continuing to suffer through Alpha Phase - because Alpha Phase is only going to get worse from here. I don't want you to stay just because you feel pressured to be here. Now, if you're asking what I'd do in your shoes? I'd stop and think about how the last three days have gone, and then I'd ask myself where I'd probably have more of a future.
The corner of DAVE's mouth twitches just enough for a tell. ALICIA pauses a moment, then reels it in a bit.
ALICIA
Tell you what. Take a little time and think it over, then tell Agent Janacek what you'd like to do. If you decide you want to look into the Austin job, I'll even get you a recommendation from Mister Murray. Sound good?
DAVE just nods. ALICIA smiles as she turns to leave, confident she's accomplished what she was going for.
ALICIA
(pleasantly)
Great. Enjoy the rest of your evening, David.
DAVE doesn't move for a long moment, his mind racing as he watches ALICIA walk away. He turns and opens the library door, only to see that JANACEK is already standing off in the far corner of the room away from the others. He sees DAVE enter and nods for him to join him. DAVE nods back and quietly makes his way around the perimeter of the library as the others watch ZEKE on the projector screen as he crushes a downed necrotic's skull with his heel.
ZEKE
(regretfully)
Waste of a good pair of boots, man. Felt good though.
DR. ODIMIS
(intrigued)
The spatter patterns of its brain tissue are quite different from what you'd expect in a living human. Fascinating.
DAVE joins JANACEK across the library, but it becomes apparent the agent already has a pretty good idea of what was said.
JANACEK
What'd she offer you for throwing in the towel?
DAVE shrugs.
DAVE
Some kinda security job in Texas. Think she's telling the truth?
JANACEK
Probably. No reason for her to lie about opportunities somewhere else - all she really wants is to keep you out of Atlas proper. I'm sure it's a tempting offer, too.
DAVE looks at JANACEK expectantly.
DAVE
But...?
JANACEK
(smirking)
But what? Expecting me to tell you what you oughta do?
DAVE
Obviously she doesn't want me here. So why doesn't she just kick me out, then?
JANACEK
(smiling)
My guess? Murray's blocking her.
DAVE
Almodovar's in charge of training.
JANACEK
Murray's in charge of the facility. Besides, he's never really...
JANACEK trails off, then chuckles.
JANACEK
I really shouldn't be sharing this stuff with you, Dave. My point is, I'm sure she would've just booted you out by now if she were able to, but for whatever reason she can't. Knowing Alpha Phase, you'd either have to really mess up an exercise, or get hurt somehow, or...
DAVE
Or leave on my own.
JANACEK nods.
JANACEK
Well, it sounds like she's making you a pretty good offer to do just that.
DAVE
She was trying to get rid of me today, wasn't she?
JANACEK pauses, then deflects the question.
JANACEK
On the Hazard Course? You all ran the same exercise, and Katherine was the only one who didn't pass.
DAVE
(impatiently)
Look, I know you can't tell me the stuff people say in the control room or in Murray's office or wherever else. We talked about the same thing in the Green Room, and I don't think Almodovar cared about Kat either way. Maybe she thought having her break down first would make it easier for me to lose it, but that conversation a moment ago was the first time that woman has ever even pretended not to hate me. How do I know she won't try something even worse to get rid of me later if I don't make this deal with her now?
JANACEK
I understand your reasoning, Dave. It's a tough call, and I know you're probably worried about letting me down after I stood up for you. But you shouldn't be. You have to do what you think is best.
DAVE
Which is why I know I have to stay.
JANACEK is caught a little off guard.
JANACEK
I'm sorry?
DAVE nods insistently.
DAVE
Almodovar hates me, fine. She only bribed me because she can't throw me out, but I know if that doesn't work she can always throw more zombies at me, or a vampire, or a were- a lycanthrope. So I opt out like she wants me to. But what happens after she gets rid of me if she decides Grace doesn't fit the profile? Or what if she thinks Frank's too old, or Zeke's too full of himself, or she just plain doesn't like one of the others?
JANACEK
You feel like staying here will help you protect the others.
DAVE
Maybe I'm crazy, I don't know. I'm really not all that great at this stuff, and realistically there probably isn't much I could do if she did try to get rid of someone else. But at least if I'm here to catch the worst of it, it'll be that much harder for her to take someone else out who deserves to be here more than I do.
JANACEK is cautiously impressed.
JANACEK
I appreciate the sentiment, Dave, but are you sure you know what you're committing to by going forward with this?
DAVE doesn't answer.
JANACEK
Say you're right and Alicia really is out to remove you from her program any way she can. I believe her when she says it'll only get worse for you from here on for the same reason I believe her when she says she has other choices to offer you. I know this woman, and I know why Murray let her run the training program. If there's something - anything - she's made a priority, she will stop at nothing to make that a reality. Are you sure you're up for that kind of a challenge?
DAVE thinks a moment, then smirks defiantly.
DAVE
I guess I'll just have to hit the books and the gym a little harder until I'm enough of a badass that she can't keep me out of her program even if she wants to.
JANACEK can't help but smile.
CUT TO NEXT SCENE
INT CHICAGO FACILITY ATRIUM
DAVE makes his way down a nondescript hallway and into a plain-looking elevator. The doors close behind him as the elevator begins its descent. Faint strains of Main Theme begin playing in the background.
JANACEK (V.O.)
I can't argue with an attitude like that. If it'll help you feel any better, though, maybe I can arrange a little field trip just for you. Might give you a better idea of what you should be aiming for besides just beating Almodovar.
HEAD-ON TRACKING SHOT
The elevator stops, the door opens, and DAVE makes his way out into another hallway. Main Theme intensifies a little.
JANACEK (V.O.)
I'm sure Murray won't mind, and I'd be happy to inform Alicia myself. I think you'd benefit from just a brief glimpse of the Chicago office. Play your cards right the rest of the way through training, and it might be your next stop.
A guard lets DAVE through a security doorway at the end of the hall with a nod, and DAVE steps out onto a balcony.
BIG HEAD-ON ZOOM OUT
DAVE leans on the railing for support. His eyes widen and his mouth drops open as he takes in the cavernous main floor of the Chicago facility. Main Theme continues to crescendo as we zoom past engineers disassembling a van-sized hovering alien probe, half a dozen elite Atlas troopers jogging in line in black body armor, an arcanist casting fireball at something offscreen, a handful of Species 004 walking by in some sort of loose-fitting pea-green jumpsuits, and two business-suited Field Agents examining a manila envelope of operation plans. The shot continues as we are buried deeper and deeper into the crowd until it becomes almost a wall of bustling people - human and otherwise.
CUT TO BLACK
END CREDITS
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Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 34,236 Likes: 15
"Hey this is PCG342's bro..." 15000+ posts
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"Hey this is PCG342's bro..." 15000+ posts
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 34,236 Likes: 15 |
"Are you eating it...or is it eating you?" [center] ![[Linked Image from i13.photobucket.com]](http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a275/captainsammitch/boards/banners/blogban3.jpg) [/center] [center] ![[Linked Image from i13.photobucket.com]](http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a275/captainsammitch/boards/banners/jlamiska.jpg) [/center]
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Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 30,833 Likes: 7
The conscience of the rkmbs! 15000+ posts
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The conscience of the rkmbs! 15000+ posts
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 30,833 Likes: 7 |
Hey Sammitch. Just finished reading your story--it was great by the way!
Listen, would you be interested in writing some porn for me?
Sincerely,
MisterJLA
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Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 34,236 Likes: 15
"Hey this is PCG342's bro..." 15000+ posts
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"Hey this is PCG342's bro..." 15000+ posts
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 34,236 Likes: 15 |
Hey Sammitch. Just finished reading your story--it was great by the way!
Listen, would you be interested in writing some porn for me?
"Are you eating it...or is it eating you?" [center] [/center] [center] [/center]
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