ZOOM - Pilot

By
David Polk

David Polk
176 Dusty Rose Court
Simi Valley, CA 93065
805.428.5775
[email protected]
FADE IN:

INT. FACES NIGHTCLUB - NIGHT

TECHNO DANCE MUSIC thumps. The place is jammed with
fashionable twenty-somethings on the prowl. At the bar,
clubbers line up two-deep.
Carly (25), a bartender, mixes an OLD FASHIONED. She’s
gorgeous - long dark hair, violet eyes and a 5-alarm body.
She puts the cocktail in front of ANDRE (28), a
good-looking, smooth-talking player in a silk suit. He drops
a $20.
ANDRE
Keep it, beautiful.
CARLY
(a noncommittal smile)
Thanks.
GUS (30s) steps up behind Carly.
GUS
Sorry I’m late, Carly. I can take
it from here.
CARLY
(a genuine smile)
Thanks, Gus.
Andre takes a sip of his Old Fashioned and admires Carly as
she leaves the bar.

INT. STAFF ROOM - NIGHT

Carly clocks out, says ’good night’ to a few club EMPLOYEES.
From the rapport between them, it’s obvious she’s
well-liked.

INT. FACES NIGHTCLUB - NIGHT

As Carly makes her way to the exit she looks up to find
Andre standing in front of her.
ANDRE
(his ’sexy’ smile)
I’m Andre.

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: (2) 2.

CARLY
Hi, Andre. I’m late.
ANDRE
It’s two in the morning. What could
you possibly be late for? It’s
Carly, right?
Carly’s seen this movie, doesn’t want a ticket.
CARLY
Look, Andre. I’ve got a boyfriend.
He hands her a BUSINESS CARD. A phone number is written on
the back.
ANDRE
In case your boyfriend forgets what
an incredible lady he’s got.
CARLY
(a blow off smile)
I won’t let him forget.
She pockets the card and moves past him into the crowd.
Andre shrugs and eyes a FINE EBONY SISTER at he bar.

EXT. FACES NIGHTCLUB - NIGHT

Carly exits the club, says ’good night’ to a BOUNCER, who
checks her out as she walks down the street.

EXT. ACROSS THE STREET - NIGHT

In the shadows, an unseen STALKER is checking Carly out too.
He follows her at a distance as she walks down Diversy
Street, past other clubs and bars. She crosses the street
and enters a train station. The sign above the double door
reads: "Armitage".

INT. ARMITAGE STATION - NIGHT

The station is empty. Carly swipes a PLASTIC CARD, goes
through the turn-style and up the stairs. Moments later,
the still unidentified stalker does the same.
 3.

EXT. "L" PLATFORM - NIGHT

Carly waits for the train. She glances to the far end of the
platform where an AMOROUS COUPLE is making out. On the
platform across the tracks, THREE HISPANIC TEENAGERS joke
around, speaking Spanish.
The train, only two cars at this hour, pulls to a stop and
the doors slide open. Nobody gets off. Carly and the amorous
couple step inside.

INT. TRAIN - NIGHT

Carly sits by a window. Only three other PASSENGERS are on
the train. Just as the doors begin to close the stalker
steps on board. A 6-foot-4 BLACK MAN, he’s handsome and
athletic, wearing a windbreaker, cargo pants and an old
Chicago White Sox baseball cap. What we notice most about
him though is the SCAR on his left cheek. He grabs a
handrail as the train lurches forward.
CONDUCTOR (V.O.)
(filtered)
Sedgwick will be our next
stop. Sedgwick.

INT. TRAIN - MOVING - NIGHT

Carly, her face reflected in the glass, stares out the
window at the city lights and neighborhood rooftops.
CONDUCTOR (V.O.)
(filtered)
Wells. This stop is Wells.
The stalker turns to face the door. Carly stands up and
walks to the other door. The train lurches to a stop.
CONDUCTOR (V.O.)
(filtered)
Watch your step.
The stalker steps out first, makes a beeline toward the
stairs. Now Carly’s following him.
 4.

EXT. WELLS STATION - NIGHT

The stalker leaves the station and makes a left. Carly turns
right.

EXT. STREET - NIGHT

Carly walks down an empty street of warehouse lofts. As she
nears her building, she pulls KEYS from her purse. ANGLE ON
a BLACK VAN parked across from the building.

INT. VAN - NIGHT

MYSTERY POV - CARLY
through the windshield of the van as she opens the door of
her building and goes inside.

INT. CARLY’S LOFT - NIGHT

Carly double-bolts the steel door behind her. Her apartment
is large and eerily Spartan: none of the decorative touches
one might expect in a young woman’s home.
She crosses to a large window with STEEL BARS on it. Checks
the LOCKS. Sensing something, she turns. A long beat as she
looks at...
THE DOOR
it buckles as explosives pop the hinges and the deadbolts.
Despite the power of the blasts, there’s barely any
sound. The door falls to the floor with a thud and we
see...the stalker.
Carly is terrified. She backs away, panic-stricken.
CARLY
(pleads)
Oh my god! Please, don’t hurt
me! Take anything you want, but
don’t hurt me! Please!
STALKER
Give it up, Slimey. You know why
I’m here.

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: (2) 5.

The stalker closes on her and reaches into his windbreaker.

With lightening quickness, Carly lashes out with a backhand
to his head. The blow sends him FLYING across the room.
Carly runs to the kitchen, grabs a BUTCHER KNIFE. Back on
his feet, the stalker is after her.
Carly turns, rushes the stalker, wielding the knife. He’s
skilled in hand-to-hand combat and deftly avoids the
gleaming 10-inch blade. He pivots, lands a round house kick
to the stomach that knocks Carly off her feet. The knife
spins across the floor. He dives on her, grabs a fist full
of hair and bashes her head against the floor three times.
Carly fights like a woman possessed. She arches her back and
bucks him off of her. On her feet, she kicks him in the gut,
stomps his head then PICKS HIM UP like a sack of potatoes
and tosses him against the brick wall.
THE WINDOW
Explodes. Glass flies everywhere. The bars on the window
fall to the floor.
A MAN hurls through the shattered window and awkwardly rolls
across floor. Carly sees the knife, picks it up and is
about to stab the man when
THE STALKER
Grabs her from behind, spins her around. Carly plunges the
knife into the stalker’s gut then pushes him backward onto
the floor.
The man who came in the window is on his feet now, holding a
TASER, it’s blue electric surge crackling. He’s 30 and of
slight build, with a neat haircut and rimless glasses. He
looks like he could be a librarian.
Carly glances at the taser, throws the knife at the man. He
ducks. She runs out of the loft.

INT. HALLWAY - NIGHT

An attractive INDIAN WOMAN (27) blocks Carly’s path. They
stare at each other for a beat. The woman steps aside and
Carly brushes past her, runs down the stairs.
 6.

INT. CARLY’S LOFT - NIGHT

The Indian woman comes in and looks around. It’s now that we
notice she’s carrying a BLACK DUFFEL BAG. She speaks with
an English accent.
INDIAN WOMAN
She got away.
MAN
I know. Better work fast. We don’t
have much time.
INDIAN WOMAN
Do we ever?
She puts the bag on the floor, unzips it and begins pulling
out tools. The man glances at his watch then looks at
her. A WHIRRING sound as the Indian woman finds the tool
she was looking for.

EXT. STREET - NIGHT

Carly is running. She glances over her shoulder and
sees...the stalker chasing her.

INT. CARLY’S LOFT - NIGHT

The Indian woman works quickly and efficiently, using a
DREMEL to remove floor boards. When the last screw is out,
the man yanks up the boards, revealing a hidden crawl
space.
From a CEILING POV we see that a TEENAGE GIRL is in the
crawl space. She’s covered with thick plastic and deathly
pale, but her eyes blink. She’s alive.

EXT. STREET - NIGHT

Carly is a half-block ahead of the stalker. He stops
running, reaches into his windbreaker and pulls out a
MODIFIED .9MM GLOCK. Taking aim, he calmly squeezes off
three rounds.
CARLY
gasps as the rounds hit their mark. She turns a corner and
falls against a building. She grabs her chest and looks
down at her hand. Her blood is black and thick and slimey,
like crude oil. She sinks to her knees, her eyes roll back
and she begins convulsing.

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: (2) 7.

THE STALKER
cautiously approaches the corner, gun at the ready. Over his
shoulder in the b.g. we see Carly’s building.
CARLY
convulsing so violently now that we think she might
explode. Her violet eyes turn coal black and her skin seems
to start peeling away...
THE STALKER
inches closer to the corner. He doesn’t see Carly, but he
can hear her retching. SUDDENLY, over his shoulder, a
powerful, FIERY EXPLOSION on the third floor of Carly’s
building seems to rock the street.
The stalker doesn’t flinch, just keeps his eyes and gun
leveled on the corner. He steps around the corner to
shoot. A blinding FLASH. Carly does explode. The blast
knocks the stalker 10 feet backward.

EXT. CARLY’S BUILDING - NIGHT

SIRENS approach O.S. A handful of LOFT RESIDENTS stand
around in pajamas and underwear, dazed and terrified,
looking up at the inferno that was their home. The stalker,
whose name is QUINCY BERNARD, walks toward us and stops in
front of the man with the taser. His name is THADEUS PIKE.
THAD
What the hell happened, Q?
QUINCY
What the hell does it look
like? She went "poof".
THAD
Again? Dammit!
QUINCY
We get the girl?
THAD
Yeah...
(looks at Quincy’s stomach)
You know, for a second there I
thought...
Quincy rips open his windbreaker, revealing a Kevlar vest.

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: (2) 8.

QUINCY
Learned in Afghanistan that these
stop more than bullets.
INDIAN WOMAN (O.S.)
Let’s go, boys! She needs a doctor!
Quincy and Thad look over at GEETA SINGH (27), the Indian
woman. She’s behind the black van with the doors open.

EXT. STATE STREET - DAY

WIDE SHOT of the boulevard and surrounding buildings.
Morning traffic along State Street is at a standstill. A
TRUCK DRIVER lays heavy on the HORN. On the sidewalk, people
hustle their way to work like a herd of cattle.
THAD (V.O.)
When’s the last time you heard
about an alien abduction? You know,
little green men in flying saucers
who swoop down from the sky, snatch
up some half drunk Jethro and zoom
back into outer space? Been a
while, right?
FIND Thad walking casually down the sidewalk. He’s bumped
more than once by people who are clearly in a hurry to get
wherever it is they’re going. Doesn’t faze Thad a bit.
THAD (V.O.)
That’s probably because it hasn’t
happened in more than a 1,000
years. At least not the swooping
down from outer space part...

EXT. HAROLD WASHINGTON LIBRARY - DAY

Thad approaches the arched doorway of the library entrance.
THAD (V.O.)
See, the aliens who abduct people
don’t have space ships. At least
not anymore. Like you and me,
they’re stuck here on earth. And
after only 1,000 years of
evolution, those "little green men"
look just like us...
 9.

INT. HAROLD WASHINGTON LIBRARY (LOBBY) - DAY

Thad crosses the cavernous, two-story lobby. A GOOD LOOKING
MAN walks toward him. Thad discreetly checks him out as they
pass each other.
THAD (V.O.)
But like they say, looks can be
deceiving...
Thad stops at the elevator, pushes the "Up" button. The
doors open and he steps inside.
THAD (V.O.) (cont’d)
The aliens’ ability to rapidly
adapt gave them a shortcut through
millions of years of evolution. So
on the outside, they’re flesh and
blood humans like you and me...

INT. HAROLD WASHINGTON LIBRARY (FOURTH FLOOR) - DAY

The elevator doors open and Thad steps out. He holds the
door for a PRETTY YOUNG WOMAN who rushes in. She smiles her
"Thanks". His "You’re welcome" is a polite nod.
THAD (V.O.)
Except they all seem to be a tad
better looking than us...
He rounds a corner and walks toward a glass walled office
with "Science Reference Department" stenciled across the
length of the wall. THREE PEOPLE, two men and a woman, are
hard at work, or appear to be, inside the "Fish Bowl".
THAD (V.O.) (cont’d)
But even with their good looks and
space age biological wizardry, the
aliens came up short in one
critical department...

INT. FISH BOWL - DAY

As soon as Thad comes in EDUARDO RUIZ (26) clicks his tongue
and gives him a disapproving look. Eduardo is flamboyantly
effeminate, has slicked back black hair and dresses like a
male model. He speaks with a Puerto Rican accent.
EDUARDO
Thad. Late again. I certainly
hope she was worth it.

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: (2) 10.

THAD
Eddie, why is it that whenever
someone’s late you assume sex is
involved?
EDUARDO
(a luscivious grin)
Can anybody give me a better
reason?
Eduardo looks for an answer from his co-workers: prim and
pretty LINDA LEE (36) and dour, straight-laced TONY RIVERS
(40). He’s not surprised at their non-response.
TONY
It doesn’t matter why you’re late,
Musgrove’s going to ream you out
again judging from the look on his
face when he came by earlier.
EDUARDO
Yeah, Thad, I hope you brought your
umbrella ’cause the Spitter’s in
rare form today.
Thad shrugs, glances at Linda for confirmation of the
seriousness of the situation.
LINDA
He did seem quite peeved, Thadeus.
It’s the third day this week that
you’ve been late.
She seems genuinely disappointed in him.
EDUARDO
Icks-nay...
They all look up just as CARLTON MUSGROVE (34) eases into
view outside the glass wall. He has a face like a ferret,
graying hair and a Ming the Merciless goatee. His
shirtsleeves are rolled tight around his forearms for that
"man of the people" busy look. He opens the glass door
slowly to make his entrance more dramatic.
MUSGROVE
May I have a moment, Thadeus. After
you’ve settled in, of course.
THAD
Sure, Carlton. Be right there.
 11.

INT. MUSGROVE’S OFFICE - DAY

Musgrove is a fastidious man. His desk is bare except for a
perfectly centered LEGAL PAD. On the bookshelves, every
BOOK is aligned by color and height. A black and white
PHOTOGRAPH of Robert F. Kennedy reaching into the masses
hangs on the wall behind him.
Thad sits across the desk from his boss, impassively
listening as he’s reprimanded. When Musgrove speaks, spittle
gathers at the corners of his mouth. When he makes a point,
a few drops of spit hit the legal pad.
MUSGROVE
Believe me, Thadeus, it gives me no
pleasure to have these
conversations with you.
THAD
Really? I rather look forward to
them myself, Carlton.
MUSGROVE
It’s just that you have so much
going for you. Maybe that’s why
it’s so hard on me to have to ride
you the way I do.
THAD
Then you’d really be doing yourself
a favor if you didn’t, wouldn’t
you?
Musgrove’s ferret face tightens.
MUSGROVE
You know, Thadeus, with your
credentials you should have been
head of this department by
now. But your undisciplined
approach and your blatant disregard
for your God-given talents are why
you’re stuck in the Fish Bowl.
THAD
Don’t you mean my blatant disregard
for your God-given talents,
Carlton?
MUSGROVE
Look, Thadeus, I know the
unfortunate episode you went
through a few years ago --

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: (2) 12.

THAD
(interrupts)
Carlton, old buds like us don’t
have to stand on political
correctness. Let’s just call it
what it was, a mental breakdown. I
went cuckoo for coco puffs.
MUSGROVE
(ignoring)
That episode may have derailed your
career. Frankly, it’s because of
that that I’ve tried to be as
understanding as I can. I know
that our positions could easily
have been reversed, with me
reporting to you.
THAD
That could never happen,
Carlton. I’m not a big enough dip
stick for the job.
Musgrove inhales deeply to keep his calm.

INT. STACKS - DAY

Thad and Linda are taking an inventory of books.
LINDA
You shouldn’t antagonize him so,
Thadeus. You only hurt yourself
and it makes him feel more
superior, which hurts all of us.
THAD
You’re right, Linda. I’m sorry.
It’s just that he’s such a dick.
LINDA
That may be true but, well, you
have been coming in late a lot and
you seem very distracted.
Her look tells him that it’s more than his relationship with
Musgrove that bothers her.
THAD
What?

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: (2) 13.

LINDA
Maybe Eduardo is right. You’ve
found some young girl who’s keeping
you up all hours of the night and
that’s why you’re so distracted
lately.
Thad shifts his eyes away. Hers remain on him.
THAD
It’s not that, Linda.
LINDA
(lying)
After what you’ve been through I
think it’s great if you have found
someone. You deserve - everyone
deserves - to have a love life.
THAD
I haven’t "found" anyone, Linda.
I’ve just had a lot on my
mind. That’s all.

EXT. QUINCY’S GARAGE - DAY

To establish.

INT. QUINCY’S GARAGE - DAY

We’re looking at an ancient V-8 ENGINE.
QUINCY (O.S.)
I can probably get the cylinder
heads in a week, 10 days, tops. But
the connecting rods and pistons,
I’m afraid those will take a while.
ANOTHER ANGLE to reveal Quincy, in his White Sox ballcap and
mechanic’s overalls, his name stenciled on the chest. He’s
in front of a beat up ’65 CHEVY, talking to MARV (50s).
QUINCY
I’m not going to sugar coat it for
you, Marv, you’re looking at a
total rebuild here. For a ’65 409,
that’s gonna be a chunk of change.
MARV
My old man drove this car, this
very car. I scoured every junk yard
(MORE)
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: (2) 14.

MARV (cont’d)
and used car lot from here to Des
Moines to find it. I want to give
it to my son in mint condition
after I’ve had a few years with
her. They tell me you’re the best
man for the job, Q.
Quincy considers the challenge. And the dough.
QUINCY
Alright. I’ll order the parts and
get to work right away.
Marv smiles broadly. Quincy wipes the oil from his hands
with a rag and grips his hand in a firm shake.

INT. QUINCY’S OFFICE - DAY

A cramped space with barely enough room for the metal desk
and chair. Quincy flips through a PARTS CATALOG. Men
and pneumatic tools are hard at work O.S. A mechanic,
SILVIO (22), sticks his head in the office.
SILVIO
Yo, Q, did you hear?
QUINCY
(not looking up)
Hear what?
SILVIO
They found that girl who got
kidnapped at U of I. The one who’s
been missing for a year. It’s all
over the news.
QUINCY
(uninterested)
Uh-huh.
SILVIO
Yeah. Somebody just dropped her at
Ravenswood Hospital in the middle
of the night. They’re saying the
guy who kidnapped her just left her
there. She wasn’t raped or
anything.
Quincy’s found the part he was looking for, circles it with
a pencil and picks up the PHONE. Before dialing, he looks
up at Silvio.

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: (2) 15.

QUINCY
Is that what I’m paying you for, to
stand around and watch T.V.?
Silvio reacts and backs out of the office. Quincy dials.

EXT. FIREHOUSE - DAY

To establish.

INT. FIRE HOUSE (BREAK ROOM) - DAY

FOUR FIREFIGHTERS sit around a table reading newspapers and
shooting the shit. In the b.g. local news is playing on a
TELEVISION mounted to the wall.
FIREFIGHTER #1
Jimmy Sullivan, over at Engine 54,
his wife is an emergency room nurse
at Ravenswood. She told him the
girl told the cops she was being
held at a warehouse loft on Lake
Street. The one that went up last
night.
FIREFIGHTER #2
Jesus! Did you see the footage on
the news? That place blew like a
freakin’ arms factory. Damn near
every engine company in Chicago got
called to that job.
ON THE TELEVISION SCREEN
VANESSA LOGAN, 29, looks at us, a serious expression on her
pretty face. A photo of a smiling LATINA is superimposed
over Vanessa’s shoulder.
VANESSA (V.O.)
Nineteen-year-old Becky Munez was
brought to Ravenswood Medical
Center early this morning,
emaciated and clinging to life. Her
year-long ordeal ending as
mysteriously as it began, with no
trace of the man believed to have
kidnapped her from the University
of Illinois-Circle Campus last July
Fourth weekend. Police are hoping
that Becky will be able identify
her abductor. For now, the Munez
(MORE)
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: (2) 16.

VANESSA (V.O.) (cont’d)

family is just relieved to have
their daughter back safe and
sound. This is Vanessa Logan,
reporting from the Near North Side.
FIREFIGHTER #3
Fifty bucks says the guy who nabbed
her started the fire...
The door opens and Geeta comes in with another paramedic,
REX (30s). They’ve just returned from a job.
REX
(ref. the news report)
What’s up?
FIREFIGHTER #4
The girl kidnapped at Circle Campus
turned up at Ravenswood last
night.
Geeta glances at the television. Firefighter #1, whose name
is JAKE WITHERSPOON (30), checks her out. He’s obviously
interested.
JAKE
(to Geeta)
Hey, Doc, save any lives on this
run?
GEETA
Only if you consider a Barbie up
the rectum a life-threatening
condition.
The Firefighters are amused but not surprised. You see all
kinds of crazy shit on the job.
FIREFIGHTER #2
Head or feet?
REX
Feet.
FIREFIGHTER #3
Now there’s a sick moke for you.
FIREFIGHTER #4
Fifty bucks says his old lady
shoved it up there after she caught
him watching porn. If he’d done it
himself, it would’ve been head
first.

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: (3) 17.

FIREFIGHTER #2
You ought to know!
The guys break up laughing. Geeta rolls her eyes.
GEETA
(to Rex)
I’ll take care of the report.

INT. FIREHOUSE - MINUTES LATER

Geeta is next to the paramedic van filling out paperwork on
a clipboard. We see Jake approaching from behind. He stops
when Geeta’s CELL PHONE RINGS.
GEETA
Hello.
(listens, agitated)
No, I’m not avoiding you...I’m not
a child, so please stop treating me
as though I were one.
(listens, then abruptly)
I’m at work. Please don’t call me
at this time again. I have to
go. Goodbye.
She flips the phone shut, pockets it. She takes a beat to
clear her head then starts back on the paperwork. Jake comes
around in front of her.
JAKE
Possessive ex-boyfriend?
GEETA
Not quite.
JAKE
Possessive new boyfriend?
Her smirk is his answer. This has become something of a
routine with them.
JAKE (cont’d)
Then whoever that was won’t mind if
you have dinner with me...tomorrow
night?
GEETA
Jake, I’ve told you, I enjoyed our
little fling but I’m just not
looking for a relationship now.

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: (2) 18.

JAKE
Okay. Then how about a good old
fashioned roll in the hay? You
know, to take the edge off. Which,
based on how uptight you’ve been
lately, is pretty sharp.
She reaches into the back of the the van and pulls out the
BARBIE DOLL. Hands it to him.
GEETA
Give her a try. I hear she likes
assholes.

EXT. U.S. CELLULAR FIELD - NIGHT

We hear the distinctive CRACK of a bat on a baseball. On
the field, the White Sox BATTER races down the line to first
base. An UMPIRE signals "out!"
NOSE BLEED SECTION
Thad walks down the steep stairs. He’s loaded down with
BEER, HOT DOGS and PEANUTS. He hears a GURGLE, looks at an
ADORABLE BABY smiling at him over it’s MOTHER’S shoulder.
THAD (V.O.)
Like I was saying, even though the
aliens cracked our genetic code -
yeah, they were the brains behind
the human genome project - they
came up short in one critical
department: they haven’t figured
out how to make babies that look
human. That’s a problem when you’re
trying to propagate a species and
avoid being zapped by alien hunters
like me and my crew.
He comes to Quincy and Geeta who are watching the game and
talking earnestly. Thad stands, waiting. They ignore him.
THAD
A little help.
QUINCY
(holds up a beer)
Thanks, but I think we got it
covered.
Geeta, going along, smiles and raises her bag of peanuts.

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: (2) 19.

THAD
So this is the thanks I get for
going all the way up to concessions
and waiting in line for 10 minutes?
QUINCY
How many times I got to tell you,
Thad? The Andy Frain guy sells the
same stuff you get at the
concession stand. And you don’t
have to leave your seat.
THAD
The concession stand stuff is way
better, Q. You know that. It always
has been and always will be.
Quincy exchanges a look with Geeta.
QUINCY
See what I’m dealing with
here? He’s been like this since
high school.

EXT. U.S. CELLULAR FIELD (NOSEBLEED SECTION) - LATER

Quincy, Geeta and Thad share a bag of peanuts while watching
the game. After the last out, fans begin filing out of the
stands.
THAD
Well Q, like they say on the North
Side, "There’s always next year."
GEETA
Don’t they say that about all
Chicago teams regardless of what
side of town they’re on?
QUINCY
Ha-ha. Hey, we’re only 18 games
back. Crazier things have
happened, you know.
GEETA
(playfully)
Really?
Thad reaches into his LEATHER SATCHEL and pulls out a FILE
FOLDER. He opens it and they all look at the PHOTO
inside. A TEENAGE BOY.

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: (2) 20.

THAD
His name’s Brad Wheeler. Sixteen
years old. From Peoria. Been
missing since last August 15th.
QUINCY
Going on a year now. He doesn’t
have much time left. Got any leads
on where he might be?
THAD
I’m meeting his mother tomorrow.
QUINCY
What time?
THAD
Noon, at the Planetarium.
GEETA
(reads file)
He’s a triplet.
THAD
Uh-huh. And a hemophiliac. Fits the
profile. I’m going to need you on
this one, Geeta.
GEETA
Of course. I’ll be there.

EXT. PLANETARIUM - DAY

PATRICIA WHEELER (50s) stands at the bottom of the steps of
the Adler Planetarium. She’s clutching her purse with both
hands. Anxiously searches the crowd for a face that might
be Thad’s. Her son, GREG WHEELER (24) is nearby, a stern
look on his face.
THAD (O.S.)
Mrs. Wheeler?
Patricia turns. Thad and Geeta are there.
PATRICIA
Mr. Pike?
THAD
Please, call me Thad. And this is
my associate Geeta Singh.
Geeta smiles respectfully.

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: (2) 21.

PATRICIA
Then you should call me
Patricia. And this is my eldest
son, Greg.
Greg scowls.
THAD
Perhaps we should go somewhere
that’s not so crowded.
GREG
Here’s just fine.
PATRICIA
Greg, please.
(apologetically)
Thad, Geeta, you’ll have to forgive
my son. All of us, the whole
family, have been through hell
since Brad’s abduction. We’re just
emotional wrecks, all of us.
GEETA
No need to apologize, Patricia. I
understand exactly what you’re
going through.
GREG
(sarcastic)
Is that so?
GEETA
Yes I do, actually. My twin
brother was abducted 10 years ago
in Mumbai. I’m convinced he was
taken by aliens.
GREG
(agitated)
Please. Mom, these people are
nothing but scam artists.
(hot)
I’ve Googled you, Mr. Pike, and I
know you’re a crackpot. Six years
ago you were diagnosed as a psycho
for ranting and raving about aliens
living on earth. I’m just surprised
you haven’t been on Jerry Springer
pedaling your cockamamy theories.

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: (3) 22.

PATRICIA
Greg, that’s enough!
THAD
Patricia, it’s okay. I understand
how Greg feels. I don’t blame you
for being skeptical. If I were in
your shoes I might feel the same
way. But I assure you it’s not
your family’s money I’m after,
Greg. If we don’t find Brad and
bring him back to you safely, no
money changes hands. That’s always
been my promise.
(somberly, to Patricia)
Unfortunately, that’s the only
promise I can give you.

EXT. LAKEFRONT - LATER

Colorful sailboats dot Lake Michigan. The beach is filled
with people enjoying the lakefront. Geeta and Greg stand
next to a bench where Thad and Patricia discuss the
possibility of rescuing her son.
THAD
In 5 years, I’ve tracked more than
a dozen aliens who have abducted
people. But it’s extremely
difficult to get hard evidence
about alien activity. And, of
course, without evidence there’s no
way the government is going to
listen to what we have to say.
(to Greg)
I learned that lesson the hard way.
(back to Patricia)
In the few cases where we’ve made
rescues, the aliens either escape
or self destruct, and their captors
barely remember a thing. The aliens
always cover their tracks by
incinerating the place where they
held their captive.
PATRICIA
How do you know where to start? I
mean, thousands of people are
abducted every year.

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: (2) 23.

THAD
Whether it’s police work or
science, investigations are all
about patterns. If we figure out
the patterns, we can make some
pretty good guesses about who was
abducted by aliens and who was
snatched by some sicko human being.
GEETA
Based on Thad’s research, we’ve
concluded that aliens target humans
who fit a very specific profile.
Because they have yet to master our
reproductive system they’re most
interested in humans who are the
product of multiple births - twins,
triplets, quads, etcetera. We also
believe they’ve had tremendous
difficulty adapting human blood for
their internal organs, so they
target humans who have blood
disorders to study them more
closely. We tap into medical
records, paramedic and emergency
room reports to find correlations
between those who are reported
missing and the criteria we know
aliens have for their human
targets. The patterns.
GREG
This is ridiculous! You really
expect us to believe that aliens
kidnapped my little brother to
experiment on him like some sort of
guinea pig?
THAD
Yes, Greg. I really do.
(beat)
About 10 years ago, when I was a
student at the University of
Chicago, my girlfriend and I went
to Mexico for spring break.

EXT. CHICHEN ITZA PYRAMID - DAY (FLASHBACK)

A 21-year-old THAD and SHARON (21) are on the steps of a
pyramid. Sharon looks down and finds a BONE FRAGMENT. She
shares her exciting discovery with Thad.

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: (2) 24.

THAD (V.O.)
Near the top of the El Castillo
pyramid in Chichen Itza, Sharon
found a piece of bone. She was an
archeology major, so we thought it
was pretty cool. Even so, after
the initial excitement wore off, we
didn’t think much of it...

INT. LABORATORY - DAY

Thad and Sharon are in the lab. She’s looking through a
MICROSOPE. She reacts. Something about what she sees
surprises her.
THAD (V.O.)
But something about the find kept
nagging at me. Just natural
curiosity, I guess. So when we got
back to U of C, I asked Sharon if
we could start running tests on
it...

INT. PROFESSOR’S OFFICE - DAY

Thad sits next to a SCHOLARLY PROFESSOR at his desk. They’re
examining the bone.
THAD (V.O.)
What we found is that the bone was
neither human or animal. In fact,
it had properties unlike any animal
known to man. Ever. And here’s the
thing: we carbon dated it to be
nearly 1,000 years old but Sharon
found it at the top of the pyramid.

EXT. LAKEFRONT - DAY (RETURN TO PRESENT)

Thad looks earnestly at Patricia.
THAD
That’s when I started to seriously
study the possibility of aliens
living among us on earth.
PATRICIA
So from that little piece of bone
you came up with your theory that
aliens were stranded here.

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: (2) 25.

THAD
That and another 10 years of
research. I believe aliens were
left here, possibly as some sort of
punishment - like the prisoners
left on Australia - and made to
fend for themselves. I estimate
there are roughly 30,000 of
them. They can’t leave and they
can’t reproduce. But they have
figured out how to take on human
form, at least outwardly. And based
on the age of the bone Sharon
found, the life span of those
original 30,000 aliens is about
1,000 years. Which means they’re
running out of time.
GEETA
It explains their intense need to
figure out how to reproduce
offspring that look like humans.
And why they’ve become more brazzen
in their abductions. We believe
there have been 10 to 12 in the
Midwest alone over the last 2
years.
Greg rolls his eyes.
PATRICIA
And how many of those 10 to 12 have
you rescued?
THAD
(beat)
Two. Including the Munez girl.
Patricia bites her lip.
PATRICIA
And the others?
THAD
Patricia, the longest anyone has
been held is about a year. After
that...
PATRICIA
After that, what, Thad?
Beat.

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: (3) 26.

GEETA
My brother’s body was discovered in
the crawl space of a home outside
of Mumbai that had burned to the
ground. The autopsy revealed he had
no bodily fluids at the time of
death and that many of his organs
had been removed.
Off Patricia...
DISSOLVE TO:

EXT. ROADSIDE - DAY

DALE (28), a handsome Electric Company lineman, is in a
cherry picker fixing a power line. His TWO WAY RADIO BEEPS.
DISPATCHER (V.O.)
(filtered)
Dale, what’s your 30?
Dale speaks into the HANDSET clipped to his shirt.
DALE
Just about done on the connector at
Route 33. Be another 10, 15
minutes.
DISPATCHER (V.O.)
(filtered)
When you’re done there, we need you
over at Old County Line
Road. Another downed line.
DALE
Got it. Think somebody ought to
tell the union that tornado
season’s a bad time to go out on
strike?
DISPATCHER (V.O.)
(filtered)
You’re in the union. You tell ’em.

EXT. STREETS - DAY

We follow Dale down from the cherry picker and into his
Electric Company truck. He drives along flooded streets and
storm damaged neighborhoods.

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: (2) 27.

On Old County Line Road he he comes to a parked POLICE

CRUISER with it’s lights flashing. The PATROLMAN, wearing a
slicker, is directing what little traffic there is around
the downed power line, which is sparking ominously. Dale
gets out of his truck, exchanges some small talk with the
patrolman then goes to work on the power line.
When he’s done he smiles at the cop and gives him a "thumbs
up." He gets in his truck and drives off. The patrolman
climbs in his cruiser and does the same.

INT. DALE’S LIVING ROOM - NIGHT

The door opens and a man’s silhouette is briefly framed in
the doorway. The door quickly closes and we’re in total
darkness. HEAR MOVEMENT around the room - KEYS hitting a
table, UNZIPPING of a jacket, BOOTS walking across a bare
wooden floor. The FLICK of a switch brings light and the
realization that Dale’s living room is almost totally barren
of furnishings. Nothing to sit on, not a stitch of
carpeting, not even the bachelor’s most important appliance
- a television. Dale crosses the room to...

INT. DALE’S KITCHEN - NIGHT

Dale opens the freezer and pulls out a FROZEN DINNER. He
pops it in the MICROWAVE and hits the "Quick Cook" button.
As the microwave HUMS, Dale leaves. We stay in the kitchen.
ANGLE ON the microwave oven as the COOK TIMER counts down.
Dale comes back into the kitchen and takes the dinner out of
the microwave before the cook time reaches zero. He opens a
drawer, pulls out a FORK. We follow him out of the
kitchen. He goes upstairs.

INT. UPSTAIRS HALLWAY - NIGHT

A FOLDING LADDER hangs down from the attic. Dale climbs the
ladder, holding the dinner and fork in one hand.

INT. ATTIC - NIGHT

Dale’s head pops up through the opening. A naked light bulb
hanging from a crossbeam lights the room. We’re struck by
how clean it is - cleaner than any attic you’ve ever seen or
could imagine. Sterile looking. Only a folding card chair
and a laptop computer next to it on the floor.

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: (2) 28.

Dale walks over to the chair and puts the frozen dinner on
the seat. Then he goes to the far end of the attic. We
watch from behind as he removes pink INSULATION from
crossbeams. Mounted behind the first and second slats of
insulation are HIGH TECH GADGETS with colorful READOUTS. He
pulls down a final sheet of insulation. When he steps aside
to put it on the floor, we see BRAD WHEELER stuck neatly
between the beams, wrapped tightly in a cocoon of clear
plastic.
Dale peels back a piece of plastic covering Brad’s pasty
white face - Brad’s eyes POP OPEN and he GASPS.

INT. QUINCY’S GARAGE (BACK ROOM) - NIGHT

The garage is closed for business but Quincy, Geeta and Thad
sit around a table in the back room. Quincy’s showing them
some high tech LISTENING EQUIPMENT.
QUINCY
We used these in Operation Enduring
Freedom. They were especially
useful in picking up Taliban
communications in caves and in
underground bunkers. It works on
an ultra low frequency...
Thad plays with the buttons. Quincy smacks his hand
away. Thad reacts.
THAD
What, now I have to be ex-Special
Forces just to touch your stuff?
QUINCY
Maybe I’d cut you some slack if you
had at least been in the Reserves.
Hell, even if you’d signed up for
ROTC.
THAD
Are you ever going to give it a
rest? We can’t all be war heroes.
I went to college. You went to
boot camp.
QUINCY
And Afghanistan and Iraq, not to
mention a few other shit holes
you’ve never even heard of.
Geeta flips open her LAPTOP computer.

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: (2) 29.

GEETA
All right, boys, how about we get
back to the business at hand?
(they look over her shoulder)
Right, then. I’ve narrowed the
list of possible slimeys to five.
ON THE COMPUTER SCREEN: photos of five attractive people pop
up along with their electronic dossiers. A FIRE DEPARTMENT
DISPATCHER, a Best Buy COMPUTER TECHNICIAN, an EXOTIC
DANCER, a RECORD STORE CLERK, and Dale, the power company
lineman.
GEETA (cont’d)
In the last 18 months, these people
accessed or attempted to access
confidential files of patients in
Peoria hospitals or clinics who fit
abductee criteria. They all fit the
profile: low-level employees who
work irregular hours. They also
live in old homes or apartments
located in lightly populated
neighborhoods.
Thad and Quincy scan the onscreen dossiers. They’re
impressed.
QUINCY
Girl, you’re good.
GEETA
I know.
THAD
(suggestively)
I’ll bet she gets to touch your
stuff whenever she wants.
QUINCY
As nice as I’m sure that would be,
I’m very married and very happy to
stay that way.
GEETA
(chastising)
Thadeus, you’re quite a bratty
little bugger, you know that.
 30.

INT. HAROLD WASHINGTON LIBRARY (FISH BOWL) - DAY

Thad’s eyes are glued to his computer.
LINDA (O.S.)
What’s so interesting?
Thad quickly blanks his screen and looks innocently up at
Linda.
THAD
Oh, nothing. Just a little
internet porn.
She’s not amused. She walks around, leans over and punches
a couple of buttons on his keyboard.
ON THE SCREEN: Google Earth findings for a home in Peoria.
LINDA
Hmmm. Thinking of moving?
THAD
Well, Carlton’s pretty serious
about canning me this time isn’t
he?
She hits another couple of buttons, pulls up his browser
history - diagrams of homes, schematics of the city’s sewer
system and power grids.
LINDA
What are you up to, Thadeus? You’re
not seriously thinking of moving to
Peoria are you?
THAD
(boyish grin)
Would you miss me?
LINDA
Not for a second.
She hands him an INVITATION.
LINDA (cont’d)
But if you’re still around on the
20th, you’re invited to the
barbecue.
THAD
(looks at invitation)
Is it that time already? Wow, time
flies.

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: (2) 31.

LINDA
Considering you’ve missed the last
two barbecues I’ve had, I’m not
surprised at that reaction.
THAD
(earnestly)
I’ll try to make it this time,
Linda. I promise.

INT. QUINCY’S HOUSE (BATHROOM) - NIGHT

Quincy is brushing his teeth. Without his shirt on, we see
that the scar on his cheek isn’t the only one he bears.
RACHEL (O.S.)
Are you sure you’ll be back by
Saturday night? Remember, Alex has
her recital at church on Sunday.
QUINCY
(mouth full of toothpaste)
I’m sure.
He spits, rinses and dries his mouth. Turns to leave.

INT. BEDROOM - NIGHT

He comes in and looks at RACHEL HUGHES-BERNARD (27), his
very pretty wife. She’s in bed reading a BOOK. Quincy
climbs in next to her.
QUINCY
Shouldn’t take more than two
days. Three at the most.
RACHEL
It seems like you could take those
type of courses online. You
shouldn’t have to take two or three
days away from your family and your
business to be recertified.
QUINCY
I know, Baby, I wish I didn’t have
to leave you and Alex. Look on the
bright side, at least it’s Peoria
and not California. It’d take over
a day to get back if I was that far
away.

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: (2) 32.

He puts his hand underneath the covers. They kiss

lightly. Then something happens and they both react and
smile. She pulls back the covers REVEALING her very
advanced stage of pregnancy.
RACHEL
Feels like somebody’s telling Daddy
to get home sooner rather than
later.
Quincy leans over, kisses Rachel’s stomach.
QUINCY
(to her stomach)
I’ll be back. Don’t you worry
about that.

INT. BLACK VAN - DAY

Parked on a quiet residential street. Thad is behind the
wheel; Geeta’s in the back looking at the electronic readout
on the special ops listening equipment. They’re each
wearing special ops EARBUDS.
QUINCY (V.O.)
This could be the place. It’s
pretty stark in here.

INT. HOUSE - DAY

Quincy is in the living room - a new black leather sofa is
the only piece of furniture in the place. He moves quickly
and carefully through the home, speaks into his special ops
earbud as he moves.
QUINCY
Heading to the basement.
The basement is empty and clean. He taps the cinder block
walls, checks the wooden slats and beams in the
ceiling. Pokes around in crawl spaces. Nothing.
QUINCY (cont’d)
We got bupkis down here. Headed
upstairs.
 33.

INT. BLACK VAN - DAY

Thad checks a DIAGRAM of the house on a laptop computer.
THAD
There’s a hidden storage area in
the master closet. Attic access is
in the closet of the smallest
bedroom. Rear of the house.
After his last transmission, Thad notices a POLICE CRUISER
in the passenger side mirror. It’s rolling slowly up the
street.

INT. HOUSE - DAY

In the empty master bedroom, Quincy inspects the closet.
THAD (V.O.)
Looks like we’ve got company, Q.
QUINCY
(heads to another bedroom)
Serious?

INT. BLACK VAN - DAY

Thad watches as the cruiser passes the van and rolls down
the block. The rear brake lights go bright as the car
slows, then pulls over and stops in front of a small,
wood-frame house.
THAD
It’s looking pretty serious.

INT. HOUSE - DAY

Inside the tiny closet, Quincy lowers the attic access
ladder.
GEETA (V.O.)
Quincy, it’s time to leave.
Quincy climbs up the ladder, pushes away the hatch.
 34.

EXT. BLACK VAN - DAY

ANGLE ON a small ANTENNA atop the van.

INT. BLACK VAN - DAY

Geeta’s turning dials, tuning the listening equipment. ON
THE SCREEN we see WAVELENGTHS and we hear
OFFICER (V.O.)
Roger that, dispatch. Looks quiet
on the outside, but I’m going to
take a quick look around back.
GEETA
Quincy, 90 seconds before the
police are in the yard.

EXT. HOUSE - DAY

The POLICE OFFICER walks toward the house.

INT. HOUSE - DAY

Quincy pops his head in the attic, looks around. It’s
dusty. And empty.
QUINCY
Bupkis in the attic too.
THAD (V.O.)
Officer Friendly’s coming around
back.

EXT. HOUSE (BACKYARD) - DAY

The officer is scanning the windows for signs of a break in.

INT. HOUSE - DAY

Quincy comes downstairs, sees the officer out back checking
the doorknob. Quincy presses against a wall to hide.
 35.

EXT. HOUSE (BACKYARD) - DAY

The officer pauses, peers inside. SUDDENLY he spins around,
startled. He looks down at an OLD DOG that’s nudged him.
The officer collects his wits. Now he notices the DOG HOUSE
in the yard. He kneels and pats the dog on the head.
OFFICER
(into collar mic)
Nothing here but an old mutt in the
backyard. Windows and doors are
secure.
The officer stands and walks out of the yard to the front of
the house.

INT. BLACK VAN - DAY

Thad watches as the officer gets in the cruiser and drives
away.

INT. BLACK VAN - LATER

Now Quincy is in the passenger seat and our team of alien
hunters is parked outside a Steak n’ Shake.
QUINCY
It’s definitely a possibility.
GEETA
It’s also possible she’s a new
homeowner who hasn’t had a chance
to furnish the place yet.
THAD
She? You still think of these
slime buckets as people?
GEETA
They’ve spent the last 1,000 years
trying to become human. It’s
possible they’re more than just
slime wrapped in skin and bone,
that the evolutionary process has
instilled some sense of humanity in
them.
Thad reacts. He hates the aliens, period.

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: (2) 36.

QUINCY
She, it, whatever? I say we hit
the alien tonight.
Quincy checks his modified Glock. It’s barrel is thicker
and the magazine holds SILVER ROUNDS specially designed to
kill aliens.
GEETA
If you keep blowing them up, we may
never find out how human they are
inside.
A THUMP on the side of the van and they all react. Quincy
is out the door in a heartbeat, chasing a YOUNG MAN across
the parking lot.

EXT. STEAK N’ SHAKE PARKING LOT - DAY

Quincy catches the man, JESSE WYSOCKI (19), and drags him to
the ground, pinning him with a knee to the chest.
QUINCY
What’s up, dog! Why you been
tailing us today?
JESSE
Don’t hurt me, man! I just want to
help you guys!
QUINCY
What? What are you talking about?
JESSE
The alien! I can help you catch
the alien, man!
Thad comes up to them. Quincy looks over his shoulder.

INT. STEAK N’ SHAKE - DAY

Jesse’s cramming a BURGER into his mouth. He’s a handsome
youth with a bad punk rocker haircut and 2-days of beard.
He’s in a booth with Quincy next to him, Thad and Geeta on
the other side.
THAD
Okay, you’ve got something to
eat. Stop beating around the
bush. What do you know about this
so-called alien?

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: (2) 37.

JESSE
(mouth full)
I know it’s not the stripper who’s
house you hit this afternoon.
THAD
And how do you know that?
JESSE
(swallows)
’Cause they don’t have sex and I
did her last week.
Quincy smacks Jesse in the back of the head.
QUINCY
Show some respect, there’s a lady
sitting here.
Rubbing his head, Jesse glances sheepishly at Geeta.
JESSE
Sorry, pretty lady.
GEETA
Brilliant. Just what we need, a
Romeo.
QUINCY
You don’t have money to buy a
burger but you had enough to get
into a stripper’s pants?
JESSE
(smiles at Geeta)
I just have a way with the ladies.
Geeta rolls her eyes. Quincy grabs him by the back of the
neck.
QUINCY
We’re wasting our time with this
punk. I say I take him out back
and break his legs so we can get on
with our business.
JESSE
Hey, man, do you always have to be
so violent? This ain’t Afghanistan
and I’m not the Taliban, you know.
The team reacts.

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: (3) 38.

JESSE (cont’d)
Yeah, I know who you guys
are. Quincy Bernard, former Delta
Force, won a Silver Star in
Afghanistan. Geeta Singh, Harvard
med student turned Chicago
paramedic. And Thadeus Pike,
brilliant but psycho research
librarian. You’re alien hunters.
Beat. The team eyes Jesse discerningly.
THAD
So you know us. Who the hell are
you?
JESSE
I’m Jesse. Jesse Wysocki. I was
nabbed by an alien five years ago.

INT. STEAK N’ SHAKE - MOMENTS LATER

Jesse is talking up a storm.
JESSE
He wasn’t expecting a kid to react
so fast. He turned his head for a
second and I kicked him hard as I
could where his balls should be,
snatched out the IV’s and ran out
of there as fast as I could. I
think the blue fluid is what puts
you in a coma. I knew if that
stuff got into me I was a goner.
THAD
You didn’t tell your parents?
JESSE
What parents? You think anybody
cared if an orphan got snatched,
let alone one who was in Juvie for
boosting cars.
GEETA
You poor thing.
QUINCY
Yeah, I can hear the violins. So
what do you know about the alien
we’re after?

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: (2) 39.

JESSE
I know you’ve narrowed it to
five. I’ve been tailing them for
about a month. That’s how I hooked
up with the stripper, Priscilla.
THAD
Wait a minute. How do you know we
narrowed the list of slimeys to
five?
JESSE
(slurps the last of his
milkshake)
Simple. I hacked into your
library’s network and accessed your
confidential files. I got the names
and addresses of the suspects that
Geeta e-mailed to you. You know,
you really should change your
password, Thad. I mean,
"Ripley." It’s way too easy.
Quincy looks at Thad: "Ripley?"
THAD
(to Quincy)
Sigourney Weaver. Alien.
QUINCY
Really?
THAD
Hey, she was pretty hot in those
movies.
QUINCY
I could see it in Ghost Busters,
maybe, or even Working Girl. But
Alien? She was pretty scrawny in
that --
GEETA
(clears her throat)
Um, boys. Focus. Jesse, you say
you’ve been following the suspects
for a month. Which do you think is
our alien?
 40.

EXT. BACK ROAD - SUNSET

Dale is in his cherry picker working on a power line. A car
drives past. The BRAKE LIGHTS come on and the car pulls to
the side of the road. After a few moments Geeta gets out of
the car, walks around front. Dale notices as she pops the
hood and looks inside. She pulls out her CELL PHONE.
GEETA
He sees me but hasn’t responded
yet.

INT. BLACK VAN - SUNSET

The van is parked about a mile down the road. Thad sits
behind the wheel talking to Geeta. Jesse’s in the passenger
seat.
THAD
Try to look frustrated or afraid or
something.
GEETA (V.O.)
I think I know how to get a man’s
attention, Thad.
THAD
He’s not a man.
QUINCY (V.O.)
But he’s supposed to act like a
man. So a little damsel in
distress action should get him down
from that cherry picker.

EXT. SOYBEAN FIELD - SUNSET

Quincy is hidden in the field, looking through special ops
BINOCULARS.
GEETA (V.O.)
Thanks for the advice you two
Cyranos, really, but why don’t you
leave the seductions to me?
CLICK.
 41.

EXT. BACK ROAD - SUNSET

Geeta punches a button to hang up the phone. She walks
toward Dale’s cherry picker. Dale watches as she
approaches.
GEETA
Hello up there.
DALE
Hi. Car trouble?
GEETA
Yeah. It’s a rental and I’m afraid
I haven’t the foggiest idea what’s
wrong with it.
DALE
You call for a tow?
GEETA
Just spoke to them. They say it
could be more than an hour.
(looks around)
It’s going to be dark soon.
Dale hits the controls and the cherry picker begins coming
down.

EXT. SOYBEAN FIELD - SUNSET

BINOCULAR POV - GEETA AND DALE
shaking hands.
QUINCY
You go, girl.

EXT. BACK ROAD - SUNSET

Dale and Geeta walk to her car. He looks under the hood.
DALE
You almost need a Ph.D. in auto
mechanics to work on these new
engines.
GEETA
Well, I’ve got a Ph.D., but it’s in
biology. I don’t suppose that’ll
be of much use.

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: (2) 42.

She gives him a small, coquettish smile.

DALE
(fiddling under the hood)
I have to admit, I don’t really
know what I’m looking for, but
there doesn’t seem to be anything
out of order in here.
Geeta glances up at the sky for effect. A bit of worry on
her pretty face.
GEETA
You know, I’m just going into
town. Perhaps...
He looks at her, catches her meaning.
DALE
Look, Miss --
GEETA
Geeta.
DALE
Geeta. I’m sorry but it’s against
company regulations to permit
non-employees in our vehicles.
GEETA
(inviting smile)
Not even for a damsel in
distress? Look, I have a
confession...
(looks at his namebadge)
Dale. I desperately need to make
it to town by 8 o’clock.
DALE
Really? What’s so important, if you
don’t mind my asking?
GEETA
Sounds like if I tell you I might
just get a lift.

EXT. SOYBEAN FIELD - SUNSET

BINOCULAR POV - GEETA AND DALE
get into Dale’s power company truck and drive away.

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: (2) 43.

QUINCY
(into special ops earbud)
Hard to believe our girl hasn’t had
a date in over a year.

INT. BLACK VAN - SUNSET

Thad starts the engine.
THAD
(into special ops earbud)
Maybe she’s just got a thing for
extra terrestials...We’re on our
way.
QUINCY (V.O.)
Roger that.

EXT. BACK ROAD - SUNSET

The black van pulls to the side of the road. Quincy comes
out of the field and hops in the back.

INT. DALE’S TRUCK - MOVING - SUNSET

Geeta checks out Dale’s profile as he drives.
GEETA
(flirting)
I really appreciate your breaking
the rules for me, Dale.
DALE
I suppose I couldn’t live with
myself if anything happened to
you. My shift’s ending anyway.
GEETA
I have another confession to make.
DALE
(glances at her, smiles)
Sounds like you’ve got lot’s of
secrets, Geeta.
GEETA
If you were a more stereotypical
power company employee, I doubt I’d
have asked for a ride from you.

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: (2) 44.

DALE
I don’t follow you.
GEETA
Well, Dale, I noticed you’re not
wearing a wedding ring. And, well,
you’re a rather attractive man.
He looks at her. She smiles demurely.

EXT. STREET - NIGHT

The black van drives slowly down a dark, quiet residential
street. Pulls over and stops in front of a modest house.
Quincy, Thad and Jesse get out and slip around back.

INT. DALE’S TRUCK - MOVING - NIGHT

Geeta looks around. They’re not going towards town.
GEETA
I know I’m not from around here,
but wouldn’t we get to town faster
if we took Route 112?
DALE
Now there’s an interesting irony.
(off her reaction)
You’re not from around here. I’m
not from around here. But here we
are, together.
Geeta’s starting to feel uncomfortable.
GEETA
Dale, I’m afraid I don’t
understand.
DALE
You don’t think we communicate with
each other, Geeta? You don’t think
we know people like you are out
there, hunting us?
Off Geeta...
 45.

INT. DALE’S HOUSE - NIGHT

Quincy and Thad split up to search the house.
JESSE
What about me? What do you want me
to do?
THAD
Stay out of the way and don’t touch
anything.

EXT. DALE’S TRUCK - MOVING - NIGHT

The truck turns off a main street and onto a country road.

INT. DALE’S TRUCK - MOVING - NIGHT

Geeta’s hand is inside her pocket. She’s trying to
discreetly dial her cell phone.
DALE
You humans are curious beings.
We’ve watched you over the
millennia. But of course you know
that all too well, don’t you? Your
will to survive is so strong, so
vital to your very being, yet you
refuse to see how other species
could have a will as strong as your
own.
GEETA
And you think your "will to live"
is an acceptable excuse for what
your kind did to my brother? If
you’re trying to become more human,
you’re moving in the wrong
direction.
DALE
Yet experimenting on primates, lab
rats and other "lesser" beings is
acceptable to you humans? Of course
it is for the advancement of
science and medicine. For the
survival of your species. We just
want to survive, Geeta. And like
you, we do what is necessary.

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: (2) 46.

GEETA
(looks around)
Where are you taking me?

INT. DALE’S HOUSE - NIGHT

Thad and Quincy quickly and efficiently search every inch of
the barren house, including the attic. No trace of Brad.
Jesse stands in the center of the living room, not knowing
what to do with himself. Thad and Quincy meet up again in
the living room.
QUINCY
(pissed)
The kid’s not here. I knew we
shouldn’t have trusted this punk.
JESSE
I’m telling you, this guy’s the
one. I know it!

EXT. ABANDONED BARN - NIGHT

Dale’s truck pulls to a stop. The HEADLIGHTS go out.

INT. ABANDONED BARN - NIGHT

Dale roughly guides Geeta into the dark barn. Her hand is
still in her pocket.
DALE
You know the secret we’re trying to
unlock, Geeta. For centuries we’ve
tried to procreate in your form, to
complete our evolution, but to no
avail.
GEETA
So you do reproduce?
DALE
Of course. Like any being our
genetic code dictates that we
procreate to advance the species.
GEETA
But you’re almost an extinct
species. Instead of destroying our
young people, why don’t you let us
help you?

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: (2) 47.

DALE
(a derisive laugh)
You can’t be serious. We’re not
baby seals or white rhinos that you
can "save" with some lame telethon
on the Discovery Channel. Do you
have any idea how many of our own
offspring we’ve had to slaughter
just to keep our existence on this
planet a secret? Tens of
thousands. So you’ve lost a few
thousand to our experiments. You
should thank us for taking you out
of the Stone Age.
(off her reaction)
Yes, every meaningful scientific
advancement of humankind in the
last 1,000 years has been a direct
result of our efforts to adapt to
life on this dung heap of a planet.
We don’t need your help, Geeta.
You’ve depended on ours.
GEETA
(pressing phone buttons in her
pocket)
I think you underestimate us, Dale.
Humans are very resourceful. And
compassionate. It’s what makes us
human.
DALE
We’ve seen humankind’s compassion.
It was so very touching during The
Dark Ages. And The Crusades, oh
they were absolutely heartwarming.
And let’s not forget The Third
Reich’s Final Solution, South
Africa’s Apartheid and the Ethnic
Cleansing of Bosnia-Herzegovina.
You’ll forgive us if we don’t run
to you for a heaping helping of
human compassion, Geeta.

INT. DALE’S HOUSE - NIGHT

Thad’s CELL PHONE RINGS. Quincy and Jesse look at him. It
finally dawns on all of them that if Brad’s not in the house
and Geeta’s with Dale, she’s got to be in trouble. Thad
pulls the phone from his pocket.

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: (2) 48.

THAD
Hello, Geeta? Geeta??

INT. ABANDONED BARN - NIGHT

Dale shoves Geeta against a wooden beam. She tries to get
away but he’s too strong.
GEETA
What are you going to do to me?
DALE
I think I’ve come very close to
finding the final piece of the
puzzle. With two of you, I may
finally find it and guarantee the
survival of my species...If the boy
isn’t too far gone.
GEETA
(alarmed)
Brad’s here?
With STARTLING SPEED Dale pulls a LENGTH OF WIRE from his
utility belt and lashes her hands behind her, then to the
beam.
DALE
By now your friends have figured
out there’s no one to rescue at my
house.
GEETA
(screams)
HELP! --
Dale quickly and tightly covers her mouth with his hand.

EXT. STREET - NIGHT

The van speeds down the street.

INT. BLACK VAN - NIGHT

Driving, Thad divides his attention between the road ahead
and the GPS MONITOR attached to the dashboard. The monitor
pinpoints Geeta’s cell phone position.

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: (2) 49.

JESSE
(ref. the GPS monitor)
She’s on Old County Road! Take the
next left onto Route 33! It’ll cut
10 minutes off our time!
THAD
What??
JESSE
Trust me, Thad! Turn left! Here!
Thad swirves left. In the back of the van, Quincy sways but
quickly recovers. The former Delta Force operative
efficiently preparing his arsenal of WEAPONS.

INT. ABANDONED BARN - NIGHT

CLOSE ON Geeta’s FRIGHTENED EYES. PULL BACK and we see that
she’s tightly bound in plastic and gagged with duct tape,
lying on the floor of the barn. Dale walks over to her and
sets a SILVER CASE down next to her. He opens it, revealing
the ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT that was in his attic. He begins
carefully removing the equipment, preparing it for use.
Geeta tries to scream and flail about. It’s useless.
DALE
I take it the brother you spoke of
was a twin. I’m sure this is no
consolation, but I’m very sorry
about what happened to him,
Geeta. I told you that we
communicate with one another, but
we’re not all of the same
mind. The methods of our
experiments vary. But as you no
doubt are aware, the shorter our
time horizon becomes, the more
aggressive our experiments must
become. We are, after all, talking
about the survival of a species.
He pulls out a SYRINGE filled with viscous BLUE
LIQUID. Attaches one end to a clear plastic tube and then
attaches a needle to the tip of the other end. Geeta
screams but her sounds are barely audible.
 50.

EXT. FIELD - NIGHT

Quincy walks cautiously, alert and ready for anything. Thad
and Jesse are behind and to either side of him. He raises
his hand military-style. "Stop." They do and kneel when he
kneels. He pulls a pair of NIGHT VISION GOGGLES from his
bag and hands a second pair to Thad. Before they put them
on
JESSE
What about mine?
The look in Quincy’s eyes is enough to tighten Jesse’s
sphincter. Quincy checks his Glock and a SUBMACHINE
GUN. He chambers the Glock then stands and moves ahead.
THAD
Stay here. If anything happens to
us, get to the van. Call the
police. Got it?
Jesse nods - he can’t believe what’s happening - then
watches as Thad moves off.
JESSE
(to himself)
Shit.

INT. ABANDONED BARN - NIGHT

Geeta is CRYING uncontrollably. Dale has inserted an IV in
her arm and is connecting the syringe with the blue fluid.
DALE
You’ll feel a slight stinging
sensation. But it will only last a
moment. After about 10 minutes,
you’ll lapse into a state of
comatosis. To keep your organs and
vital body tissues as healthy as
possible, I will revive you
occasionally to provide sustenance.
These monitors will gauge your
health and provide ongoing analysis
of the experiments that I conduct.
His attention now on the equipment, he turns a dial or
two. Then, sensing something, he stiffens. His eyes narrow.
We see the RED LASER on his left eye.

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: (2) 51.

Dale DIVES for cover just as a barrage of machine gun fire

rips through the wooden beam he was kneeling in front of a
millisecond earlier. The barn door BLOWS and Quincy rushes
in, submachine gun leveled.
NIGHT GOGGLE POV - THE BARN
no sign of Dale. Geeta struggles on the floor, tries to
warn Quincy but she’s too late. Dale BASHES the back of
Quincy’s head with a SHOVEL, sending him to the ground.

EXT. FIELD - NIGHT

Jesse hears the gunfire. Looks nervously in the direction
of the barn.

INT. ABANDONED BARN - NIGHT

Dale swings the shovel at Quincy, who rolls on the ground to
avoid the blows. He tries to fire his submachine gun, but
Dale kicks it out of his hands. Quincy grabs the shovel and
uses it to throw Dale over onto the ground. Dale runs into
the dark recesses of the barn. Quincy quickly follows.
Thad rushes to Geeta, starts cutting her lose.
GEETA
Get me out of here, Thad!
THAD
Working on it!
THROUGH NIGHT VISION GOGGLES
Quincy looks for Dale in the dark recesses of the barn.
SUDDENLY a bright, BLINDING light. Dale has lit a handful
of HAY on fire and thrown it at Quincy. Quincy instinctively
hits the deck, rips the night vision goggles off. Dale
swings an AXE, just missing the top of Quincy’s head.
Dale raises the axe again, swings down, the BLADE hitting
the ground inches from Quincy’s head. Quincy kicks him in
the balls. Nothing. Alien balls don’t work like human
balls. Quincy reacts - "Shit!" Dale raises the axe
again. Begins swinging downward. Quincy’s on the
ground. He’s cornered. About to be dead.
Jesse hurls into Dale from behind, knocking him off
balance. The axe blade misses Quincy’s head by
inches. Quincy kicks Dale’s legs out from under him. Rolls
on top of him and begins beating the shit out of his head

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: (2) 52.

and face. Dale kicks Quincy off of him. Jesse runs at him
again and Dale WHACKS him, sending the teen flying into a
pile of hay.
He turns to run but Quincy kicks him in the face. Dale
recovers, and FLINGS him across the barn. Dale runs
away. Quincy shakes it off, pulls his Glock and chases
after Dale.
Dale’s racing toward the open barn door. SUDDENLY he’s
SHOCKED and falls to the ground. Geeta stands over him,
holding a TASER. She shocks him again. And again.
THAD
Geeta!
Now Quincy is on top of Dale. His knee pressed on Dale’s
neck as he pulls a PLASTIC HAND RESTRAINT out of a pocket in
his cargo pants. Jesse comes over to help him. Quincy and
Jesse exchange a look - Quincy’s says "Thanks."
Geeta stares down at Dale. She’s still shaken. Thad puts a
hand on her shoulder.
THAD
I’ll take that.
He gently takes the taser from her. Then Geeta refocuses.
GEETA
He’s here! Brad’s in the barn!
The guys react. They turn their heads, looking
around. It’s dark. It’s huge. Dale starts
CONVULSING. His eyes roll back and start to blacken.
JESSE
Shit! What’s happening to him??
QUINCY
We don’t have much time.
THAD
(to Geeta)
Where? Where is Brad??
GEETA
I don’t know!
JESSE
Guys, what’s going on??

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: (3) 53.

The skin on Dale’s face begins to crack and peel. Thad

starts to rush around the barn, searching. Geeta does the
same. Dale’s convulsions become more violent. Jesse pops
up, scared shitless. Quincy stands and calmly pulls his
Glock.
QUINCY
We’ve got to go!
THAD
No! We’ve got to find Brad!
QUINCY
Thad, now!
THAD
I’m not leaving here without that
boy!
Geeta stops, looks around desperately. Realizes the barn’s
too big and there’s not enough time.
GEETA
Thadeus! He’s right.
JESSE
Is somebody going to tell me what
the hell is going on??
Geeta and Thad and Quincy exchange a look. Thad’s anguish
is etched on his face. Dale CRIES OUT in agony. Quincy
levels his Glock and SHOOTS him in the chest.
JESSE (cont’d)
(jumps back in horror)
Whoa!
QUINCY
People, we’re leaving!
Geeta grabs Thad’s arm. Quincy grabs Jesse and pulls him
toward the blown barn door.

EXT. FIELD - NIGHT

Our four alien hunters are running as fast as they can. In
the b.g. the barn EXPLODES and a FIREBALL shoots into the
sky. The impact of the blast knocks the four to the ground.
Thad looks back. He can’t believe it.

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: (2) 54.

THAD
Brad.
The expressions on the faces of our team say it all.
DISSOLVE TO:

INT. WHEELER LIVING ROOM - DAY

Thad, Geeta and Quincy stand in the living room, somber.
Thad is saying how sorry he is. Patricia breaks down in
tears and her HUSBAND takes her in his arms. Greg Wheeler
and Brad’s other TWO BROTHERS react, joining in a family
embrace to console their mother and each other.

EXT. ROADSIDE - DAY

Our team stands outside the black van looking across the
road at what’s left of the charred, smoking barn.
FIREFIGHTERS and POLICE OFFICERS mill about the wreckage of
the structure.

INT. BLACK VAN - MOVING - DAY

Geeta’s driving. Thad’s on the passenger side; Quincy and
Jesse are in back.
GEETA
Where do you want us to drop you,
Jesse?
JESSE
Um, well, I was sort of hoping I
could work with you guys.
THAD
(turns to look at him)
Jesse, this isn’t a game. You’ve
seen what can go wrong.
JESSE
You’re right. I have.
Quincy’s CELL PHONE RINGS. He answers anxiously.
QUINCY
Baby, you okay?
(listens)
Right. I’m on my way back. Two and
a half hours, max. I’ll make it,
Baby. I love you.

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: (2) 55.

He hangs up.
GEETA
Water broke?
QUINCY
Yeah.
GEETA
Well that settles it then. We
can’t stop now. Guess you’re with
us, Jesse.

INT. HOSPITAL DELIVERY ROOM - DAY

Rachel has just given birth. She’s on the delivery table,
exhausted but still lovely in that way that new mothers have
about them after performing life’s greatest miracle. Quincy
moves into frame, smiles down at Rachel and kisses her.
NURSE (O.S.)
Mr. Bernard. Would you like to
meet your daughters?
Quincy turns. The NURSE picks up first ONE then a SECOND
INFANT from warming tables. Puts them carefully in Quincy’s
arms. He beams with pride as Rachel smiles at them.

INT. GEETA’S APARTMENT - DAY

Geeta opens the door of her tastefully decorated apartment
and walks inside. ARTWORK AND EXOTIC ARTIFACTS are evidence
that she has traveled the world extensively. As she moves
through a routine of settling in - putting on a pot of tea,
changing into comfortable clothes, etc., we hear
THAD (V.O.)
Dale wasn’t the first alien that
we’d lost. But Brad was the first
human. What I’d told Jesse was
true: what we do isn’t a game. But
until that barn went up with Brad
in it, it seemed to be like some
grand adventure. A great and
romantic crusade.
Geeta pours a cup of tea and sits on the sofa. On the table
is a FRAMED PHOTOGRAPH: Geeta and her TWIN BROTHER are on
either side of an elegant older woman, their MOTHER. They’re
all smiling. Happy. Geeta picks up the photo, looks at it.

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: (2) 56.

THAD (V.O.) (cont’d)

Not being able to save Brad hit all
of us hard. But it hit Geeta the
hardest. We lost a piece of her in
that barn that night. Coming that
close to seeing how her brother
died was almost too much for her.
Geeta’s CELL PHONE RINGS. She takes it from the table. The
PHOTO on the incoming call lets us know that it’s her
mother. She puts the family photo down to answer the phone.
GEETA
Hello, Mum.
(listens)
No, I’m not at work.
(listens)
Yes, now’s a good time to talk.
(listens, begins to cry)
No, Mum, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t
have spoken to you that way.

EXT. LINDA’S HOUSE - DAY

Thad gets out of his car and walks around to the sidewalk.
He’s holding a small BOUQUET OF FLOWERS. As he walks toward
the house
THAD (V.O.)
On the ride back to Chicago, Geeta
told us what Dale told her. About
how the aliens sacrificed their own
to ensure their long-term survival.
About how strong his species’
desire to survive is. In a way,
losing Brad brought us closer to
our own humanity and made us
realize just how precious life is -
and not just human life.
Thad walks around to the backyard.

EXT. LINDA’S BACKYARD - DAY

There’s a party going on. GUESTS are standing around,
drinking, eating barbecue. Having a good time. He waves at
Eduardo, who smiles and points at his new BOYFRIEND - a real
hunk. Tony’s WIFE, a plump, pleasant woman in a too-tight
outfit, is chatting up a DRUNK GUY flipping burgers at the
grill as Tony stands idly by.

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: (2) 57.

THAD (V.O.)
We remembered that humanity is what
makes us human, and that it can be
found in all living creatures if we
just look closely enough.
Thad approaches Linda from behind. She’s in a pretty print
summer dress, talking to A MAN and a WOMAN. The woman
notices Thad walking toward them. Linda turns. She’s so
happy to see him.
LINDA
Thad! You came!
THAD
Yeah. That gig in Peoria didn’t
work out. Guess you guys are just
stuck with me for a while.
LINDA
(a lovely smile)
I suppose I - we - can live with
that. Are these for me?
He hands her the flowers. If we didn’t know it before, we
see the chemistry between them now. The man and woman
notice it too.
LINDA (cont’d)
They’re beautiful. Thank you,
Thadeus.
(then)
Let me introduce you to two of my
neighbors...
As the CAMERA CRANES UP to show the the backyard full of
guests
THAD (V.O.)
And so we vowed that no matter
what, we wouldn’t fail again. Our
mission would be to save lives -
ours and theirs. Because there’s
too much at stake...for all of us.
FADE OUT.