ACT II

INT. APARTMENT - BEDROOM - SEATTLE - AFTERNOON - MOMENTS LATER

In a blue bedroom, with a second floor view, a flat screen displays the latest Call Of Duty video game. Planes RUMM by BOMBING the ground, RAPID GUNSHOTS. Fingers JOLT a controller's joy sticks sideways. CLICKING.

Adam plays mission mode. In a free hand, he has an fudge ice cream bar. Almost fully eaten. He finishes the last bit of it while he BLASTS ROUNDS into game characters. One solider character tries to snipe him but fails. BLAST. Headshot.

ADAM
I just got his ass.

On the screen his player THROWS a grenade and BLOWS up a vehicle. BOOM. FIRE. Then his character takes cover on the side of a building.

ADAM (CONT'D)
You played yet, bro?

He talks through a microphone set around his head.

INT. HOUSE - BASEMENT - DIM - SECONDS LATER

A red basement. Small. A teenage boy lies across a sofa in front of a TV in pajamas, watching the Justice League movie on a flat-screen. A bag of Cheetos Flamin Hots in his lap. He CRUNCHES on the chips. This is Chad Brooks (16), short, full figured, cute.

CHAD
I flipped it already.

VOICE THROUGH HEADSET:

ADAM
Of course you did. Honestly I don't even wanna play
it anymore, you should've waited on me.

CHAD
Yeah...but I was bored.

ADAM
You were bogus.

CHAD
Speaking of bogus, I heard that you got ditched downtown,
maybe I should've gone with you instead of faking sick.

ADAM
And pigging out.

CHAD
(teases)
You know it.

ADAM
Who told you about that?

CHAD CRUNCHES on chips, SUCKING the red dust of his fingertips.

CHAD
(full mouth)
Jason. He's telling everyone that you pussied out.
I heard there was a sweet ass car up for grabs.

INT. APARTMENT - BEDROOM - LIGHT - MOMENTS LATER

Adam pauses his game. BACKGROUND MUSIC PLAYS; action themed. The main menu takes over the screen.

ADAM
I didn't!

CHAD
Hey...if you did you did, man. I think
if I got caught stealing somebody's ride I'd b-

ADAM
(irritated)
I wasn't trying to steal shit. Did he say anything
about running away like a lil bitch??

CHAD
(diabolically)
No, but I'll spread the word.
(curiously)
So did the cops get called or what?

ADAM
No...

CHAD
Wait! What, you got off?! Nice.

Adam massages his temples.

ADAM
Well, kinda...
(blinks fast)
You're into magic and right.

INT. HOUSE - BASEMENT - DIM - SECONDS LATER

Chad POPS open a can of Sprite. HISS. GULPS.

CHAD
AHHH
(closes eyes)
So crisp...
(nods)
Yep, why?

He watches the movie.

ADAM
So, the guy was a real life magician. Like,
no fucking joke, he gave me visions...accurate ones.

Chad SITS up, the bag of chips FALL from his lap to the floor. PLAT.

CHAD
Don't fuck with me, you serious?!

INT. APARTMENT - KICTEN - BRIGHT - SECONDS LATER

A light yellow, tidy kitchen with two side windows, lots of sunlight. Adam makes cereal: Peanut Butter Crunch. The cereal CLING into a glass bowl. He POPS the fridge OPEN, SUCTION NOISE, and takes out milk. TWISTING the top off. POURING it into the bowl.

ADAM
You know I don't talk about magic because
I think it's fake, and it's not even April so, it's not a joke.

He SHUTS the refrigerator.

VOICE THROUGH HEADSET:

CHAD
(paranoid)
We can't talk about this on the phone, the government is listening.
Tomorrow at lunch, we can skip and go to the music
room to further discuss this.

Adam EATS his cereal. CRUNCHING. SLURPING.

ADAM
(full mouthed)
Okay deal. I'm about to do zombies, you up?

CHAD
(choppy)
Yeah s...s...su.rrr.

Adam brings the spoon to his mouth. Then he freezes in place. Motionless. A clock on the stove reads 4:53, GLITCHES. His eyes race around, side to side.

VOICE IN HEAD:

ELMORE
This is an invitation.

The freeze motion ends. Adam JUMPS, the bowl in his hand DROPS and SHATTERS to the floor. He looks directly to his left side. Focusing on a spot in the sky. LABORED BREATHING.

MOTHER
(distant)
Adam?!

ADAM
What the FUCK!

He CLUTCHES his head. RUBBING his temples.

ADAM (CONT'D)
Come on! Okay. Relax. Breathe.

MOTHER
What happened? Are you okay?!

Adam shakes.

ADAM
(steadily)
Yeah. I just broke a bowl. I'm okay.

MOTHER
Be sure to get all the glass up!

ADAM
A invitation?

WOMAN
What you say?!

ADAM
Nothing.
(high pitched)
Nothing, I'll get it all up.

He peers out a window; eyeing the cloudy sky. Squinting. His mouth suddenly gaps at it.

A vision enters his mind.

VISION: A dark object, too big to comprehend, blocks out millions of stars. Nearing Earth.

ADAM
Oh my god...

He closes the blinds on the windows, TUGGING the drawstrings down then up. ZIPPING NOISES. Some shade is given to the room. He turns away.

VISION: A metal, circular spaceship looms in his sight. Flickering.

ADAM (CONT'D)
(oddly)
Hey, do you think maybe we could
get out of town for the weekend?

Heels TAP to the kitchen. His mother. average height, baby faced, and chubby.

MOTHER
Why? Is something wrong?

He hides JERKY hands behind his back.

ADAM
Just to do something together.

He forces a smile.

INT. CAR - MOVING - STREET - SEATTLE - MINUTES LATER

JAZZ PLAYS. An Uber DRIVES down busy streets, King County International Airport is seen in the rear-view mirror. RAIN FALLS. BEADING against the roof of the car.

Inside is Sonya, she slips airplane mode off of her phone. A text from Jim dashes in banner form on her home screen: It's over. She HUFFS. The DRIVER looks back at her.

DRIVER
If you don't like the music I can try another station.

The DRIVER SHUFFLES the radio.

RADIO REPORTER
...So be sure you bundle up from the freeze warning that'll roll in at midnight. Also, Washington Medical Center has announced the passing of Carter Knox, who was due to lecture a science fellowship at the University Of Washington on Friday.

Sonya eyes the radio.

SONYA
Could you keep it on here please?

DRIVER
Sure, dearie.

RADIO REPORTER
A geneticist who uncovered species lifeforms in Antarctica with his partner Elmore Vernon. A theorist and philosopher who shared unique views on the cause of memory, the inner workings of Earth, and cell engineering, has parted from the world. As of this morning. Sadly, the memorial will be privately hosted at the Knox estate, no broadcasting is allowed. It has been stated that he'll be cremated.

SONYA
Excuse me, have you been
staying updated with this story?

DRIVER
Yes, it's been on every network.

SONYA
Would you by any chance, know which
hospital Carter Knox was admitted to?

I/E. HELICOPTERS - FLYING - GEORGIA - NIGHT - BRIGHT (HOURS AHEAD)

Sun set. CHOPPING. Two helicopters fly, side by side, across clear farmlands of Georgia. Behind, a jet follows.

PILOT
Okay, that jet has been tailing for a few minutes now.

The pilot's says into a headset

VOICE IN HEADSET:

PILOT TWO
Yeah, I spotted that, must be an escort to the location.

PILOT
I'll call in to verify.

In the back, Tami PRESSES the device to her ear.

TAMI
Bryant?

The CHOPPING of the helicopter MUFFLES her voice.

PILOT
Rox Five to CDC Base, there's a jet tailing our six.
Approximately two miles back. Is the craft an escort?
(eyes radar)
Well, it was...it's gone now.

TAMI
(into mic)
Don't leave.

PILOT
If it shows again, I'll radio back.

VOICE IN HEADSET:

CDC RESPONDER
No, it is not, please keep updates on its
whereabouts. What is the ETA?

PILOT
We'll be landing in thirty minutes.

Outside the front windows, the city of Atlanta is seen in the distance. Nighttime. Gleaming with lights. Tami looks out at the other helicopter beside the one she's in.

TAMI
(sadly)
Elliot...

PILOT TWO
Red Fox to CDC base, the jet has
resurfaced, at a hundred feet range.

The headset BUZZES out static. The pilot YANKS it off his head. GROANING. RUBBING his ear.

PILOT
SHIT!

The aircraft MALFUNCTIONS. BEEPING. ALARMS.

It starts to DESCEND.

The pilot fights an unruly STEERING wheel. The helicopter beside it descends as well.

BEEPING.

PILOT TWO
(into mic)
System failure!!

The pilot attempts to PULL the steering wheel up. STRAINING. HITTING at buttons. A small, ranch styled home is seen ahead, in the distance. A hundred feet down.

A frequency PLAYS in the ears of the pilot's headset. ZZIIIINNGGG, ZZIIIINNGGG, ZZIIIINNGGG!!! The pilot SLUMP unconscious as the crafts lower in height. Over an open field. DESCENDING.

LANDING ROCKILY in the fields below. BREAKING DIRT, GRASS, PLANTS.

GROUND P.O.V: The owners of the ranch survey the scene from their yard. A family of three. Their mouths ajar.

Bryant CURVES the jet and LANDS smoothly next to the helicopters. He keeps the engine RUNNING. JOGGING out. He OPENS the door of one of a helicopter. Tami. Bryant uses a device to MELT the handcuffs off of her. Then to MELT the straps. Freeing her.

TAMI
Thank you!

She raises up and off of the bed.

BRYANT
I'm sorry I took so long, this was challenging.

Tami RUNS to the second helicopter. OPENS the door. Elliot and Carter in beds. Her son's red eyes meet her's.

She recoils. Creeped out.

TAMI
What's wrong his eyes?! He looks like....
like how Carter did before he...
(screams)
NO NOOOO!

Bryant takes her by the shoulders.

BRYANT
He's not dying.

TAMI
What do you mean?! Look at him-

She tears up. Elliot blinks. A single tear falls from his left eye.

BRYANT
I'll explain later. Let's just get someplace safe.

They both ROLL one bed out of the helicopter. Bryant takes Carter's body inside first, LIFTING and DRAPING it over his shoulders. After, he returns and helps Tami with Elliot's body.

When done loading the bodies, he goes into both of the helicopters. Doing a quick search. Checking compartments and floor latches. Feeling around lines and cracks in the interior. Walls. The restroom. The pilot seat.