Faces of the Monitor | Pt. 2 of 2
Screenplay
Written in July/August of 2005:
FACES OF THE MONITOR
PART TWO OF TWO (Divided due to length)
© 2005, ADAM MULLIN
[ © 2024 — with added punctuation and some grammar corrections, and paragraph and scene organization. Some words were replaced for clarity. Note]
[ MATURE CONTENT ]
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75. EXT. A MONITOR IN THE POLICE OFFICE
The monitor blinks, but the picture of the station at night looks the same.
76. INT. MIKE’S JAIL CELL
It is empty.
77. EXT. A MONITOR IN THE POLICE OFFICE
The screen blinks again. This time with the picture of Tiffany’s Decapitated head. Then, it blinks again back to the web page. The picture on the web page looks identical except for the front door of the police office, which is partially open. Then there is a noise from a Walkie Talkie nearby of a POLICEMAN’S VOICE.
POLICEMAN’S VOICE
Ed Manderson, please report your status at office 414. I repeat, Officer Ed Manderson, come in. What is your status?
78. EXT. PARKING LOT BEHIND STATION — NIGHT
There is a small (about 45 spaces) parking area behind the police station. The sound of HELICOPTERS slowly ascends in volume.
There are THREE VEHICLES behind the station: two Phoenix Police Department cars and one Emergency Van. Mike, Peter, and Mr. MANDERSON head towards the Emergency van and rush in without a second’s thought.
A PANT-LESS POLICEMAN gets out of one of the other police cars. A PROSTITUTE follows him out with her bra hanging over one shoulder. The PANT-LESS POLICEMAN is slender and is startled at what he is seeing as MR. MANDERSON briefly looks at the two and STARTS THE IGNITION on the EMERGENCY VAN.
PANT-LESS POLICEMAN
Samantha, give me the gun from my slacks!
SAMANTHA (PROSTITUTE)
Sure thing, Mr. T.
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SAMANTHA hands the PANT-LESS POLICEMAN a gun. He runs and opens the front door of the Emergency Van as it is starting out of the Parking lot onto the desert floor. MR. MANDERSON pushes the PANT-LESS POLICEMAN away, and he falls onto a cactus plant in pain. The Emergency Van drives full speed onto the desert floor. Dust is flying behind the van as it heads out into the distance.
79. INT. EMERGENCY VAN — NIGHT
MR. MANDERSON is sweating and biting down his teeth under his lip. PETER is in the back of the Van gripping onto the seat and corner, and cannot seem to locate the seatbelt. MIKE is in the front holding on. The Van is shaking from all the bumps as the vehicle goes off road onto the desert floor.
MR. MANDERSON
I’ve really lost it!
PETER
Haven’t we all, at this point, keep driving?
MIKE
Man, watch out!
80. EXT. FRONT OF EMERGENCY VAN — NIGHT
The Front of the Emergency Van barely misses a boulder with a VULTURE sitting on it by about five inches. The VULTURE flies away with a SCREECHING CHIRP.
81. INT. THE EMERGENCY VAN — NIGHT
The whole Van is bobbing up and down. PETER is holding onto some of the sliding objects and unfastened doors in the back of the Van. The Van goes over a bump and PETER hits his head on the ceiling of the Van with a CLUNK. MIKE looks back at PETE. PETE punches the Van.
MIKE
How far is it till we get to the closed service road near the processing center?
MR. MANDERSON
About half an hour.
MIKE
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Can you hold down your head that long, Pete?
PETER
Okay, why not.
MR. MANDERSON
Damn it! I don’t think we’re going to make it.
PETER
Talk about fucking optimism!
82. EXT. ABOVE THE EMERGENCY VAN — NIGHT
TWO APACHE HELICOPTERS are in pursuit of the Van, their spotlights lining up onto the VAN. One of the helicopters, HELICOPTER (1), turns on its microphone speaker.
HELICOPTER (1)
Testing, testing. Officer Manderson please slow down the vehicle to a stop, immediately. We know the suspects are in the vehicle. Please slow down now. I repeat, Officer Manderson, please slow down the vehicle, or we will be forced to shoot.
83. INT. THE EMERGENCY VAN — NIGHT
The situation is frantic. MR. MANDERSON is praying to himself. MIKE is trying to think. PETER is holding on for dear life.
MIKE
SLOW the fuck down! You want to get us killed. Slow it down, reverse a bit, then gun it.
PETER
I say we die out here, in nature’s vicinity.
MIKE
Pete, don’t say that. You’re just scared. Hell, we’re all scared. Now, just hold on. Mr.
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Manderson, can you? Mr.Manderson! Fucking listen!
MR. MANDERSON
Okay, okay. I’ll do it, so help me God!
84. EXT. ABOVE THE EMERGENCY VAN — NIGHT
The Emergency Van SCREECHES its brakes to a halt and disappears from the helicopter’s light beams. MR. MANDERSON and MIKE lunge and slam into the dashboard near the windshield. PETER gashes his arm against the gurney which slams into him. ITEMS spill out through the Van.
HELICOPTER (1)
Damn it, we lost them! Let’s go around again. Eric, call for backup!
85. INT. THE EMERGENCY VAN — NIGHT
The Van is waddling a bit, and the smell of something burning ignites their nostrils. MIKE, PETER, and MR. MANDERSON are breathing deeply. PETER quickly picks up a roll bandage and wraps his arm quickly.
MIKE
Gun it!
86. EXT. ABOVE THE EMERGENCY VAN — NIGHT
The TWO APACHE HELICOPTERS turn completely around and move their light beams left and right trying to find the Emergency Van. The Van speeds straight through the lights.
HELICOPTER (1)
Shit. Did you just see that?
HELICOPTER (2) is the first one to turn around, then HELICOPTER (1).
87. INT. THE EMERGENCY VAN — NIGHT
MR. MANDERSON is pushing on the pedal with full force. The whole van is RUMBLING. PETER grips onto whatever he can. MIKE is bracing as if for a fatal impacting blow.
88. EXT. ABOVE THE EMERGENCY VAN — NIGHT
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The TWO HELICOPTERS both shine their light beams on the Van. HELICOPTER (1) starts SHOOTING at the van with its MACHINE GUN TURRET. There is an “EKHIOK WEAPONS DIVISION” logo on the TURRET.
89. INT. THE EMERGENCY VAN — NIGHT
Bullet holes appear about an inch away from PETER’S hand. PETER leans forward against the metal wall that is separating MIKE and MR. MANDERSON from PETER. He frantically tries to turn the gurney over so he can bring it closer to him for protection.
PETER
Por Díos! For God sakes, stop the car!
MR. MANDERSON
Tell your friend to shut the hell up!
MIKE
Pete, just hold on! Okay. Hold on!
The MACHINE GUN FIRING is heard again, and the shots spill out out all through the gurney. FOAM BURSTS out next to PETER. PETER screams.
MR. MANDERSON
Hey, look, the service road is up ahead.
PETER
Well… shit, isn’t that something!
MIKE
Sure is. Spin a right onto it!
Another sound of MACHINE GUN FIRING hits the van.
90. EXT. ABOVE THE EMERGENCY VAN — NIGHT
HELICOPTER (1) is shaking, and its propeller seems to be slowing down. HELICOPTER (2)’s driver is not paying any attention to the other HELICOPTER (1).
HELICOPTER (1)
I’m going down my fuel’s low. My meter is all out of whack, what’s going on? Something is interfering with- my controls…
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HELICOPTER (2)
I’m getting static, sorry what? Eagle 7, what did you say?
HELICOPTER (1)
Get the hell out of my way!
HELICOPTER (2)
Okay, I think I heard… aw shit!
HELICOPTER (l)’S blade collides with HELICOPTER(1) ’S window SHATTERING into it. The aftermath of the collision causes HELICOPTER(2) to EXPLODE and engulf the two helicopters as they descend towards the van like a comet. It just misses the back of the van and touches down into darkness.
91. INT. THE EMERGENCY VAN — NIGHT
MIKE and MR. MANDERSON take deep breaths of relief, looking back. MIKE notices there are some dripping blood stains on his shirt sleeve. He sees the window behind him has been destroyed.
MIKE
That’s funny; I don’t feel any pain, and my sleeve is soaked. Pete!
PETER is still holding onto the metal-gated wall between MIKE and MR. MANDERSON and himself. His shirt is covered with blood and two bullet marks in his hip and near his shoulder. PETER’S eyes roll back from all the pain, and he passes out on the now less bumpy floor of the Van.
Pete! Man, what are you doing? Don’t die on us, we’re almost there. How fucking away are we?
MR. MANDERSON
Twenty minutes.
MIKE
Stop the van!
MR. MANDERSON
I’m sorry Mike if we stop-
MIKE
Stop the fucking van!
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MR. MANDERSON takes out his gun from his holster with his right hand and points it at MIKE.
MR. MANDERSON
Stop giving me orders, kid! The next one dead could be-
MIKE
Damn it! You want us to die!
MR. MANDERSON
No, Mike, listen! I don’t want any of you to die. We’re going to stop at a gas station. Fuck, this is an ambulance. I’ll stop the van, just two minutes max!
92. EXT. OUTSIDE THE EMERGENCY VAN — NIGHT
The Emergency Van has come to a stop. There is nothing but a sprawling desert. All around them is the Peoria Regional Preserve. The stars are shining brightly overhead.
The front doors of the Van open and out come MIKE and MR. MANDERSON quickly. They open the van’s back doors. The lights of the headlights and the back area of the van are shining in the deserted darkness.
93. INT. THE BACK OF THE EMERGENCY VAN — NIGHT
There are some bloodstains against the dividing wall and on the fold-out gurney bed of the Emergency van. There is a small puddle of blood near PETER’S fainted body.
MR.MANDERSON searches the drawers and finds latex gloves, and puts those on and gives some to MIKE to put on. MIKE follows.
MR. MANDERSON finds some medical scissors, medicine, and some supplies.
MIKE carefully lifts up PETER’S body, as MR. MANDERSON is hesitant about it, and places PETER on the torn-up bed with PETER’S backside facing up.
MIKE locates some paper towels and wipes. MR. MANDERSON cuts away PETER’S shirt. MIKE begins to wipe off the blood on PETER’S back.
MR.MANDERSON searches in the drawers that he found the scissors in and takes out a scalpel, a bottle of rubbing alcohol, cotton balls, and a set of tweezers.
94. EXT. OUTSIDE THE EMERGENCY VAN — NIGHT
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It is completely silent except for the sound of light metal tools CLINKING together with skin. Then there is a PAINFUL SCREAM from PETER.
MIKE’S VOICE
What the hell are you doing to him?!
PETER
God! Mike, help! HELP!
The Emergency Van starts shaking. The sound of METAL OBJECTS FALLING is heard, combined with PETER’s body shaking the gurney. MIKE holds onto PETER to prevent him from fighting back.
MR. MANDERSON
I’ll hold him down. Mike, look over there, I think there’s some morphine, something strong somewhere in this van. The bullets really shattered in him.
PETER
Mom, Dad! Help! Fucking help me! It hurts! IT HURTS!
MIKE
Is this it?
MIKE finds a case with pre-filled syringes.
PETER
Help me, Mike, don’t let me die!
MIKE
Mr. Manderson, listen!
MR. MANDERSON
Yes, it is. Ever put a needle in someone’s back?
MIKE
No, just tell me where? Where, Mr. Manderson?
MR. MANDERSON
Uh.. uh, There! Pinch the skin and easy, now there!
PETER
I don’t want to... die.
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The Emergency Van stops shaking and gradually slows to a still.
95. INT. THE EMERGENCY VAN — NIGHT
MIKE and MR. MANDERSON have taken off their gloves and moved back up front. PETER is lying down still on his stomach. Where the bullet marks were, are messy stitches. The bloodstains have partially dried.
MR. MANDERSON
I’ll be surprised if he makes it through the whole night, the bullet wounds are pretty deep and I wasn’t able to take out all of it. So you know, and we can’t save him, understood?
MIKE
Thanks for the time being.
MR. MANDERSON
I can’t believe this virus; it’s made Arizona into a war zone. It reminds me of when I was in the Gulf. I lost my friend, my brother. But you know what? He was never lost. He’s still with me today. I don’t know what death is, but somehow, today, here, he’s still alive.
MIKE
How far is it till, till…?
MIKE has had it. He breaks down into tears and then stops abruptly.
MR. MANDERSON
About another twenty minutes.
MIKE
I bet your family is safe but probably tired. But they’re safe.
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MR. MANDERSON
Thanks, that means a lot.
MIKE
Just keep on pumping your heart, Pete.
96. EXT. ABOVE THE EMERGENCY VAN — NIGHT
The Emergency Van continues down the road and disappears into the blanket of the night.
97. EXT. DESERT LANDSCAPE — NIGHT
The desert is sprawled out without any roads. The tail of a SNAKE waves back and forth as it treads in the dirt. A tarantula walks by a cactus. Then the moonbeams onto the desert floor.
98. EXT. OUTSIDE THE EMERGENCY VAN — NIGHT
The moonlight transforms into the Emergency Van’s headlights as the Van drives across these lonely sands. Then, the Emergency Van comes to a stop.
99. EXT. OLIVER’S MEAT PROCESSING PLANT — NIGHT
The MEAT PROCESSING PLANT sits on an edge of a hill in COLUMBIA, ARIZONA. The building is about the size of a football field and is seven stories high. It has a metal exterior. The word “OLIVER’S” is painted in red big letters on the front.
The building and the paint are both a bit rusty looking. There are a few chimneys on top of the roof that have smoke spurring out of their tops. The sound of an ENGINE CHUGGING smothers out any other sound in the desert-hilled landscape. There are pipes leading down the scape into the distant Lake Pleasant.
100. EXT. THE ENTRANCE OF THE PLANT — NIGHT
The Emergency Van’s lights turn off, and the front doors open. MIKE and MR. MANDERSON in different states of anger, get out, and close their doors at the same time.
MIKE
So why did you choose this place in the middle of nowhere?
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MR. MANDERSON
Why not?
MR. MANDERSON and MIKE start to walk towards the entrance. When they hear the back doors of the van open. MIKE and MR. MANDERSON frantically rush to the back. MR. MANDERSON, gets a hold of his gun handle.
PETER is fighting the pain, but is very willing to bear with it, forcefully gets to the edge of the van and stumbles a bit, but balances himself out.
PETER
You thought you were leaving without your-
MIKE
But your condition and everything, aren’t you in pain?
PETER
Fuck it; I’m coming with you!
MR. MANDERSON
Here Mike, give this gun to Peter, and turn the safety off for him. It’s here.
MIKE
Pete, here put it in your pocket.
PETER
Thanks, Mike, and Mr. Manderss.
The three get up to the entrance door. MR. MANDERSON tries pulling the thick steel door, but it won’t budge. MIKE comes up and tries the door again, it won’t move at all.
MR. MANDERSON
I knew this might be the case. Is anyone afraid of heights?
MIKE
Not a problem.
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PETER
I think I can manage.
MR. MANDERSON
We’re going to have to use the back way on the ridge wall. Mike, I need you to take good care of Peter.
101. EXT. BACK OF PLANT — NIGHT
The three start to walk around to the back. PETER coughs a bit in pain as they start walking to the back. The view of the starlit hills becomes clearer as they get to the back of the building. They must be over a thousand feet above the road below them.
There is some dim light coming from the lampposts attached to the back wall of the building. There is one metal ladder which is on the edge of the ridged, nearly bordering, wall. MIKE looks down at the winding path, which to him feels like half a mile down. MIKE swallows.
PETER coughs again in pain, rubs his side, and feels the stitches. He sees some blood on his hands and intensely looks at MIKE in a realization. MIKE acknowledges. MR. MANDERSON, stops and turns back briefly, but then keeps going.
PETER’S eyes wander, and he grins.
PETER
Come on, Mike, it’s just a hill.
MR. MANDERSON has already started to descend the ladder down.
MR. MANDERSON
You guys be careful this is an old ladder. Mike, I want you to be ahead of Peter.
MIKE takes a deep breath and looks at PETER. PETER nods back at MIKE. MIKE looks down again at the pitfall.
MR. MANDERSON
You guys coming?
MIKE
… On our way.
MIKE gets to the ladder, looks down again, and begins to move down the ladder to the railing below his foot. The ladder makes CREAKY sounds as MIKE’S foot touches each bolted steel step of the ladder. MIKE looks up four steps above.
MIKE
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Pete! You can start coming down now. Slowly.
PETER
Coming.
PETER wobbly takes a step on the first step of the ladder, and shockingly trips back, yet stumbles forward and misses the step with his other foot. MIKE’S eyes open wide. PETER’S left foot quickly latches into the second step.
MR. MANDERSON
Thank God!
PETER is wheezing, and begins to slowly proceed to adjust his footing. He begins the descent down the ladder.
MIKE gets down and stands to the left of MR. MANDERSON. Next to them is a metal wall with an old-fashioned stained glass window. PETER takes a few more steps down wobbles a bit and suddenly pulls the ladder with his weight. To MIKE’S terror, the ladder wobbles and suddenly lets go of the wall.
Peter tries to whip the ladder frame back in and throws himself towards Mike. The falling steps yank his feet down.
PETER
Damn!
MIKE
Pete! I got you, stretch your arm out!
PETER falls and just misses MIKE’S hands. Instead, he latches to the edge of the metal platform they are on.
MR. MANDERSON quickly bends over and helps PETER up onto the edge. MIKE is on his knees, about to collapse. After a few seconds of catching their breath, MR. MANDERSON uses the butt of his gun and breaks out the stained glass window. MR. MANDERSON pulls himself over onto the window sill and then lowers himself in.
PETER shakes his head and uses his hand to tell MIKE to be behind him. PETER goes in first, and MIKE follows.
102. INT. MEAT PROCESSING PLANT’S MALE RESTROOM
It’s a dark restroom with a few urinals and a stall. The flooring is of black and white squares in a checker pattern. MR. MANDERSON takes three small flashlight keychains out of his pockets. He turns them on, and hands one to MIKE, and one to PETER.
PETER begins to cough a bit, then heads towards the sink and spits blood into it. MIKE rushes over to PETER’S side and places his arm on his shoulders.
MR. MANDERSON
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You guys, I guess I’m proud of how far you’ve gotten. I’m sorry for your being part of the “bad” side. It’s just in this world, no one really knows who they are, who you are until they agree to realize the truth.
MIKE
Ya…okay. Hey Pete, how are you?
PETER
I think I can manage.
MIKE
How did you know about this sketchy back entrance?
MR. MANDERSON
I used to work out here. Ya, it’s out of Phoenix a bit, but it was good money. The odor after work was awful, and oh, it was unsanitary. That’s what I have to warn you about, this plant does have the worst scents you may or will ever have to smell. But, you get used to it. Just warning you. You guys ready to move?
103. INT. MEAT PLANT HALL
MIKE, MR. MANDERSON, and PETER leave the restroom into a long hallway extending to the left and right with doors on both sides. The ground also has the same pattern tiles as in the restroom. Directly in front of them is a large steel door with a glowing keypad. The light is partially dim, and they still have their flashlights on. The hall is dead, SILENT except for their breathing.
MR. MANDERSON
Boys, I don’t want you guys to look. This is a government-only code for this facility.
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MIKE
Oh okay.
MIKE turns to PETER and talks to him, while MR.MANDERSON begins to TYPE some numbers into the keypad. MIKE quickly glances at the numbers that MR. MANDERSON is typing in: “653923455”. Those are the same numbers used by the Errors on the e-mail sent that started the Virus. MIKE is in a deep realization at what this could entail.
104. FLASHBACK — INT. MIKE’S CELL
MIKE looks down on the e-mail and does a double-take with the numbers.
105. INT. MEAT PLANT HALL
You knew it: hacker!
MR. MANDERSON
What? Hey Mike, I told you not to look around.
MIKE
I can see why the hell not!
MIKE punches MR. MANDERSON in the side. MR. MANDERSON quickly slaps MIKE in the face to knock some sense into him. MIKE has an angry stare as his nose begins to bleed.
MR. MANDERSON
Mike, geez, get a hold of yourself. I thought it was interesting that those numbers spelled out “Iced Beef,” too. No, I am not a hacker.
MIKE
What are you? Some global terrorist?
MR. MANDERSON
Mike, trust me, I am not a terrorist or a hacker. I used to work here, and I remembered the code. I thought it was just ironic that’s what the numbers spelled out in letters. Look, I believe you.
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The steel door opens as if on cue with what MIKE said. MR. MANDERSON goes in first. PETER coughs really hard, and then MIKE enters through the door. PETER catches his breath and enters through. The door, as if on a timer, shuts behind him.
106. INT. MEAT PLANT PREPARATION ROOM
They turn off their lights since the room has its own lighting. There is steam and humidity floating around the whole room. There are two rows of yellow rubber suits. On the right, there are all sorts of tools. On the floor are all white tile squares which have bovine bloodstains on them, and are dried up. The room is very warm, and the three are already beginning to perspire. MR. MANDERSON indicates to put on a yellow suit, and then starts zipping opening one on to apply to his body. The yellow suit looks like something the Fisherman Gordon from the fish sticks boxes would wear.
PETER
Neat-o, Martian costumes.
MIKE
Ya, completely out-of-this-world!
MR. MANDERSON
Ya, groovy, baby!
MIKE
That’s so last century.
MR. MANDERSON
What is?
MIKE
Never mind.
MR. MANDERSON
Just playing.
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They all get into their yellow rubber suits. MIKE’S has a big blood splatter on the back, which is dried up yet still obnoxiously noticeable.
MR. MANDERSON
I wonder what that person had for lunch wearing your suit?
MIKE
That’s not even hilarious.
The three in yellow approach another steel door ahead from the rows of rubber yellow suits. This time, the steel doors automatically open. PETER sneezes from the dramatic temperature change. They enter.
107. INT. HALLWAY A
There are ice sickles on each wall and some ice on the floor. The second the three get into the hallway, they begin to breathe out frost. There is a large “A” in green on the hallway walls. MIKE puts his hands in his pocket; PETER does the same. They begin walking a bit more, and MIKE suddenly slips and falls on the ground.
MR. MANDERSON
Watch yourself, kid.
They walk a bit further down the hall. There are clear plastic curtains in front of them. PETER tries to swallow but starts to cough a bit more. MIKE pats his back and massages PETER’S right shoulder.
PETER
I’m fine, okay.
PETER’S face is more pale. MIKE searches for optimism and looks back at PETER.
MIKE
For some reason, I can feel her presence here. She’s not dead, she’s here!
MIKE, as if self-selected to do so, walks forward from the two and moves the curtains a bit.
MR. MANDERSON
Mike, what are you doing?
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108. INT. MEAT PLANT CENTER DOME
This is a tall coned dome-like ceiling. There are cow parts on conveyor belts that are being moved around on different levels of the dome. The light in this dome is the brightest of all the lights they’ve seen since entering.
The sound of MACHINES WORKING echoes in this plant. There are FOUR EMPLOYEES pressing buttons and inspecting the hanging upper and lower half as each section comes down from one floor to the main floor in front of Hallway A. MIKE enters from the curtains, and instantly, the smell gets to him. MIKE gags.
MIKE
Damn it! Smells like dead shit in here!
EMPLOYEE ONE
Most meatiest shit in the world! Hey, there wasn’t another shift scheduled or now, either you’re stupid or way too early!
MR. MANDERSON
We’re way too late.
MR. MANDERSON takes out his gun and SHOOTS the TWO EMPLOYEES to the right and left of MIKE, and they fall on the wet ground with blood splashing against it. Two other EMPLOYEES run towards them. One takes out a gun and SHOOTS at MR. MANDERSON and hits a chunk of skin off MIKE’S right leg. The bullet hits the metal wall behind them with a CLANK. PETER takes out his gun and FIRES at the EMPLOYEE who shot MIKE’S leg, and hits him directly in the neck. The FOURTH EMPLOYEE is running to a fire alarm switch aiming to pull it. MR. MANDERSON SHOOTS him instantly. all the EMPLOYEES are dead on the metal floor.
MR. MANDERSON
What the hell is wrong with you, Mike?
MIKE
This is not some wacky James Bond crime scene; you just fucking killed these people. I bet each one of them had a
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wife and kids to go home. I can understand Pete’s gunshot, but you just entered and shot at everyone. No wonder there are rumors about the police like that.
MR. MANDERSON
Damn it, I just saved your life and Pete’s life! I told you it’s a war zone now.
MIKE
Now you’re some soldier like you were in the Gulf War, blowing things up left and right.
PETER
We just saved your ass out there, Mike!
MR. MANDERSON
We’re Arizona’s most wanted.
MIKE
We don’t have to act like Arizona’s most wanted and blow up cars, and kill everything in our way so we can escape… the cops!
MR. MANDERSON
You’re so naive, Mike. You don’t understand that’s how the world works, everyone must act their role.
MIKE
Otherwise what?
MR. MANDERSON
Society gives them a role, and they are forced to live with it the rest of their life.
MIKE
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I thought you just told me earlier, you don’t know who you are until you know the truth. Therefore your role can never be a role, but just a psychological implement of what you may think you are, but not really are.
MR. MANDERSON
Whether you’re trying to impress me with your philosophical skills from school or trying to win me to your side, I have lived on Earth much longer than you have, and roles are really what we live from. They’re what we live on.
MIKE
Maybe society needs a makeover.
PETER
Maybe life needs a makeover, we can’t change it… But we can rearrange the pipes so that that life flows through different valves. But unfortunately there are only so many pipes until we have to take one we’ve already used and put it back in front.
MIKE
You’re on a roll, Pete, you’re on a roll.
MR. MANDERSON
You understand now why those men are dead, and not us?
MIKE
Yes, but I still have sympathy for them.
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MR. MANDERSON
You know you hear the stories about why soldiers want to be soldiers — just to serve the nation. And when they realize that killing people was part of the bargain, or else be killed, they ask why, too. Peter was correct, we run out of pipes and we just flow through the ones we’ve already flowed out of.
MIKE
I understand, but somehow my pipe refuses to be screwed into that one.
MR. MANDERSON
It’s life.
They walk passed the dead EMPLOYEES and into HALLWAY B.
109. INT. HALLWAY B
The three walk into a long hall, similar to Hallway A. This hall has ice sickles hanging down from the ceiling and ice on the floor. The letter “B” is painted in red and is also on the walls of the hallway. This hallway is different in that it ends with an elevator.
PETER suddenly coughs really hard and falls on the ground. MIKE goes to his side and picks him up. PETER is covering his chest with one of his arms. PETER takes a deep wheezy breath and frost with mucus leaks out of his mouth.
MIKE
Man, you’re doing great.
PETER
Thanks, Mr. Robbins!
MR. MANDERSON
I’ve played some of that guy’s cassette tapes before. He has some good stories. My wife likes his stuff.
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MIKE
Would she respond in a “Tony Robbins” way to what you just said? Then, why bother?
MR. MANDERSON
I realize there’s this sense of negativity going on between us, and it’s fucking cold, but we can get through it.
PETER
What if this is all a joke, we all get shot… what then?
MIKE stops and glances from PETER to MR. MANDERSON.
MIKE
It would all be worth it, because we all trust each other now.
MIKE presses the up button to call the elevator. They then head into the elevator. Above the elevator is a camera with a blue blinking light.
110. INT. MEAT PLANT ELEVATOR
A completely steel-built elevator with six buttons numbered “1–6” on the right-hand side. The elevator has a heated vent built-in. MR. MANDERSON presses the “6” button.
111. INT. HALLWAY T
They exit out of the elevator and there’s another employee who is working on some buttons in the hallway. The letter “T” is in white on the hallway walls. It’s a FEMALE EMPLOYEE. She looks directly at them and begins to run. Without a second thought, MR. MANDERSON SHOOTS her in the back.
MIKE
She didn’t deserve — damn it! Why did they have to be in this plant? This is more than a meat plant now; it’s a slaughterhouse!
MR. MANDERSON
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It’s a war zone that started. That you started — on your computer. So, you’re the main war criminal, Mike. We’re criminals.
MIKE
When I get home, I’ll wonder where Mike went.
MR. MANDERSON
That happens to all of us.
112. INT. MEAT PLANT CENTER 6TH FLOOR
This is the top of the large dome peering over HALLWAY A that looks down on all the conveyor belts pushing meat along. Each floor can be visibly seen, and has a circle where the cow parts pass through some sort of cleaning device. The three are looking down at all this activity.
PETER
This is like the Christmas tree from Hell. I don’t think I’ll have another hamburger for a while.
The three continue walking. MIKE looks down at the FOUR EMPLOYEES who died on the first floor and how their bodies look like yellow stars from the icy abyss.
Another steel door is up ahead past some sets of clear plastic curtains.
113. INT. HALLWAY U
The three enter quickly through Hallway U. This time, the “U” is painted in orange. It slightly resembles Hallway B. The three look around and edge through the hallway, and stand before an automatic steel door (instead of a door they have to open up) with the word above it on a plastic board, “Warehouse”. As they approach, the automatic door opens with a SWISH sound, and they enter.
114. INT. WAREHOUSE
It is a little warmer but still pretty cold. The sound of MACHINES AT WORK seems to be muffled in here. The light in the room is more like an illuminated cavern. The ceiling must be 2–3 stories high. The three take out their flashlights. PETER coughs a bit and spits out some blood on the floor. There are several stacked crates on industrial shelves all over the room with different labels of which body part of the cow was placed where. PETER gasps a little bit for air.
MIKE
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Come on, Pete, take deep breaths.
MR. MANDERSON just looks back at MIKE, who is concerned about PETER and, shakes his head, and looks down.
Then suddenly a FIGURE in all black with a glow-in-the-dark skull mask runs by their flashlights. It is chaotic. PETER stumbles back. There are some WEIRD LAUGHING SOUNDS all around. MR. MANDERSON takes out his gun and FIRES near the sounds’ location and it BLASTS into a CRATE. It is completely SILENT.
MR. MANDERSON
Who the hell is that?
VOICE OF FIGURE (A VERY DEEP VOICE)
Unwise choice, officer!
PETER
What the fuck is this?
VOICE OF FIGURE
A farewell.
The room is SILENT and then begins to RUMBLE. The LIGHTS TURN OFF. They use their still-turned-on flashlights to try to locate the sound.
The shelves slam into one another, and one collapses on the third. The crates fall off before the shelf slides to the ground. The crates break apart, and cow parts spread through the room. Mr. MANDERSON’S flashlight rolls away into the debris.
The WEIRD LAUGHING SOUND is heard again, and then the LIGHTS TURN ON.
There are broken pieces of wood everywhere in the warehouse. There is cow blood from the boxes everywhere. Pieces of raw meat are splattered all over the place. It is SILENT.
MIKE’S body slowly moves out of the mess. He is covered in cow blood and some guts on his yellow suit. MIKE is trying to open his eyes. He pulls up his shirt from underneath his suit, and wipes his face with it, and stretches it to his hands.
MIKE
Guys! Peter! Mr. Manderson!… Peter! Mr. Manderson!… Fucking answer!
It is completely SILENT again. MIKE quickly starts pulling away crate parts and other gunk. After six or seven pieces of blood-covered wood, Mr. Manderson’s arm shoots up. MIKE keeps digging and slowly Mr. Manderson begins to dig himself up.
There is a faint WHIMPER sound coming from the pile of wood where PETER stood. MIKE rushes to there and starts to move the
broken, bloodied pieces of wood quickly. Under all that wreckage is PETER barely moving. MIKE reaches in and lifts his body up. He pulls him out of the pile and drags him to an area without pieces of wood. MIKE unzips his suit and wipes PETER’S face with his shirt. PETE spits out his own blood, and it drips off his face onto the floor.
PETER
I can’t breathe. Each breath I take seems to disappear, and I can’t take in.
MIKE
Pete, don’t die on me. Don’t… if you die, I really don’t know what to do with myself.
PETER
Mike, listen. Shakespeare…Macbeth. Remember? We are too deep in blood to just stop. I know you might’ve not paid attention. We must walk on. You will end this war, I know it.
MIKE
Pete, don’t die, please stay with us. You’ve been with me since grade…I wanted to see you in my life, not die before me. Pete. If I wed… you’re my best man…
PETER
You’re the best friend a man could have. Tell Mander…son, thanks. Tell my family thanks. I love them. My eyes… Et tu my brother, Mike.
MIKE
Peter…
PETER
PETER isn’t moving. MIKE kisses his forehead and closes PETER’S eyes. MR. MANDERSON is leaning against a shelf trying not to cry, remembering the pain. MIKE tries to remain calm, but tears are beginning to swell from his eyes.
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MIKE
It’s like I want him to just… magically wake up. But before you know it…Pete would say… life is but a dream.
MIKE wearily stands up, and MR. MANDERSON embraces him. MIKE starts shaking.
MIKE
It is time.
MR. MANDERSON
For what, Mike?
MIKE
Didn’t you hear the man, whose name I will carry with me? Judgment calls.
MIKE takes out the gun PETER has in his pocket and the gun he has in his own pockets and with a CLICK sound he sets them in the position ready to fire. MIKE is pulsating with rage.
115. INT. MEAT PLANT CONTROL ROOM
MIKE turns one more time to PETER. MIKE and MR. MANDERSON proceed to walk into a hallway into a second large warehouse area with a few shelves with more crates. There is an EMPLOYEE on a forklift.
The forklift is lifting boxes. The employee instantly sees them and is terrified because he hears the noise from the warehouse.
MIKE turns to the EMPLOYEE as he gets off the forklift, and FIRES at him and the shot hits the EMPLOYEE’S back causing him to drop to the floor. MIKE’S anger drops as he starts shaking nervously as to the crime he just committed.
MIKE
Oh God, what have I done?! I don’t think I can ever… ever forgive myself again.
MR. MANDERSON
Whether you like it or not, you’re a soldier now. Now, don’t fucking think of yourself, think of Peter, think of life outside here.
MIKE eyes the gun in his hand.
MIKE
And Tiffany.
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MR. MANDERSON
We have to start planning now, I don’t know how many of these weird-ass killers are in this building but we have to be on guard. Whatever human being that we see- we have to shoot them.
MIKE
That’s insane!
MR. MANDERSON
It’s an order.
MIKE
Who fucking gives me an order? Okay, okay. First, let me get it through your head: the Gulf War happened several years ago in Iraq! This is Arizona; it’s not Iraq!
MR. MANDERSON
It’s a war zone. There has to be some sort of leadership, otherwise if we don’t work together we’re sitting ducks.
MIKE
Damn it! I can’t accept life.
MR. MANDERSON
You just have to, Mike.
MIKE walks forward past several desktop computers and a shelf. A tear rolls down his face. He kneels down on one knee and bends his head over towards the ground.
MIKE
I want them… to die.
MR. MANDERSON
There’s a motive.
MIKE
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I want to look into the hacker’s eyes and give him his last farewell. I want to kill him.
MR. MANDERSON
Are you ready, Mike?
As if on cue, all monitor screens, including the desktop computer monitors, display the HORRIFIC PICTURE of TIFFANY’S decapitated head. MIKE steps back in terror. But instead of cowering, he SHOOTS two of the screens. Each screen SHATTERS with SPARKS. The computers catch on FIRE from the sparks. A thin large screen near a forklift displaying the HORRIFIC IMAGE drops down and DISPERSES.
MIKE looks away.
MIKE
Ready.
116. INT. HALLWAY X
MIKE walks first holding his guns in both hands down another hallway. This Hallway is different than the others in that there is no ice in it, since the air is much warmer.
They are not exhaling frost anymore. But they are breathing harder. MIKE catches his breath and swallows.
The letter “X” is painted in blue on the walls. There is a door on the wall to the right of them as they pass. It OPENS with a CLANK, and an EMPLOYEE steps out.
MR. MANDERSON quickly fires at the employee, and the employee falls backward at the door. This Hallway is much longer than the others. There are stairs in this Hallway leading downwards. MIKE and MR. MANDERSON are both now holding their guns with both hands on guard. They walk down the stairs carefully.
There are four doors in this hall: three on the right and one large automatic steel door on the left. MIKE and MR. MANDERSON enter into the automatic door and it SWISHES behind them.
One of the three doors on the right wall slowly, with a CREAKY sound, begins to open mysteriously.
117. INT. MEAT PLANT STORAGE ROOM — EARLY MORNING
This room is pretty dim. There are file cabinets all around the room, and there are four steel desks with a small lamp on each one. There is a blurry and dust-covered window that is
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letting the pinkish-purple color of the rising sun through. There are six wooden chairs in the room. The floor is cement and is covered in dust. One of the desks has a printer. There are also a few boards filled with photographs and news articles. There is a picture of TIFFANY while she was eating with MIKE at Panda Thai.
Nearby is a news article titled “Murder in EKIOHK Inc. of Russia.” Lists of numbers and codes hang around the whole storage room, and papers are all over the floor.
MIKE and MR. MANDERSON begin to slowly stare in disgust at the pictures and then begins to examine and spread papers a bit with their shoes that display computer scripting lines. In the printer on the desk is the picture of the decapitated TIFFANY.
MIKE picks it up and TEARS it up. The monitor of the computer next to him has a photo program with the same picture on the screen with a whole bunch of drawn on arrows.
The MOUSEARROW is on the mouth of TIFFANY’S head. MIKE takes this monitor and SLAMS it against the floor. SPARKS fly out and pave against the cement. Then, a WHIMPER is heard.
MIKE and MR. MANDERSON hold up their guns ready to fire. The sound of FOOTSTEPS ascends. MIKE and MR.MANDERSON’S HEARTBEATS also begin to rise in volume. Suddenly, the sound of FOOTSTEPS quiets down, and then so does the sound of their HEARTBEATS. It is dead SILENT.
Then a CREAKING noise is heard behind them, and MIKE quickly turns around towards a closet door suddenly opening and then stops. MIKE starts to slowly head to the door.
MR. MANDERSON (WHISPERING)
Mike, what are you doing?
MIKE takes a few more steps. It is SILENT. MIKE quickly throws the door open and aims his gun at whatever is behind there. Two boxes topple towards MIKE’S direction from the closet.
MIKE jumps back, and hits a desk moving it to the side. The top box opens and a mound of security cameras tumble out and hit the ground. These are the same security cameras that have been seen earlier throughout the locations. MIKE backs away from the mess, and looks around in the room. To his surprise there is the same model security camera with the blue light watching them from atop the automatic door.
MIKE FIRES and the security camera EXPLODES into smoke and debris.
MR. MANDERSON
Nice shooting- ever think of enlisting?
MIKE
Nope, never will.
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MIKE looks towards the closet and it appears to be an actual room. MIKE holds out his gun and slowly enters. MR. MANDERSON does the same.
118. INT. MOUNTAIN HALLWAY
The Closet opens into a cement area leading downstairs into a constructed tunnel in the Mountain. There are electric lanterns on the ceiling and pipes running all around the tunnel. The sound of WATER DRIPPING echoes in the Mountain tunnel. MIKE and Mr. MANDERSON move onto the cemented flooring of the tunnel. Mr. MANDERSON closes the closet door behind them with a click sound.
MIKE
Manderson, why did you do that? See if it opens.
MR. MANDERSON
Aw shit! I did it for protection; I was not thinking.
MR. MANDERSON tries to unlock the closet door, but it does not open. Thus, they are forced to venture down into the echoing tunnel.
MIKE
Looks like we’re journeying to the heart of Hell.
MR. MANDERSON
I didn’t know Hell had a heart.
MIKE
If it has a mind, it has a heart.
They begin to walk into the mountain tunnel. MIKE is ahead of MR. MANDERSON.
A scorpion suddenly walks onto MR. MANDERSON’S shoe. MR. MANDERSON tries to shake it off. The scorpion comes off, and he then steps on it with a loud CRUSHING crunch that echoes in the hall.
MIKE stops and looks back at MR. MANDERSON with an angry glare. They continue walking
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through the tunnel. There’s another security camera up above them. MIKE points his gun at it, about to shoot.
MR. MANDERSON
Mike! What the hell do you think you’re doing? You don’t even know how thick or strong this tunnel is.
MIKE
Shit, sorry.
MIKE reaches up and pulls the camera off the ceiling, and turns it off. MR. MANDERSON takes the security camera from him and investigates it as if looking for a clue.
The camera has the logo of EKIOHK printed on its underside.
MR. MANDERSON
EKIOHK and the hackers seem to share something in common.
MIKE
At this rate, I don’t give a fuck about EKIOHK. If I don’t find Tiffany, I’m going to jump off this desert mountain.
MR. MANDERSON
Mike, please be reasonable for a change. In your story you said she called you stubborn. Well that fits your personality, but you got to be reasonable with other people.
MIKE
Thanks. I guess I’m slowly decaying.
MR. MANDERSON
Mike, stop thinking the worst! You have to focus on the gun you’re holding instead of the entrance to the meat factory.
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MIKE
Alright.
There are clear plastic curtains at the end of the long tunnel. Steam is edging through the curtains.
MIKE and Mr. MANDERSON enter through. The curtains FLAP closed as MIKE and Mr. MANDERSON disappear through the steam.
119. INT. GENERATOR ROOM
MIKE and MR. MANDERSON enter through a cloud of steam followed by an uplifting of smoky fumes, into an “L” shaped hallway.
There are several furnaces on the walls that are glowing. It is ridiculously hot in the Generator Room. MIKE and MR.MANDERSON look at each other and agree to remove their yellow torn and stained suits. They are already covered in sweat after walking in there for just a few seconds.
The two are almost at the end of the “L” shaped Generator Room when they see an EMPLOYEE adjusting the temperature of a furnace. MIKE gets out his gun and FIRES at the EMPLOYEE. The EMPLOYEE falls on the ground. They begin to walk over him when suddenly the EMPLOYEE grabs MR. MANDERSON’S legs and pushes him against one of the FURNACES. A loud SIZZLING noise is heard as MR. MANDERSON’S arm is burned bright red and some of the skin immediately peels apart. MR. MANDERSON screams in excruciating pain.
MIKE turns around and SHOOTS the EMPLOYEE in the head. The EMPLOYEE falls back head first onto the furnace. The EMPLOYEE’S head starts to melt to the furnace’s surface with another SIZZLING sound. MR.MANDERSON is on the metal ground with steam and blood wandering off his arm.
MR. MANDERSON
Damn it! Shhhit! Holy! Mike!
MIKE
Hold on.
MR. MANDERSON
Damn it, Mike!
MIKE
Here.
MIKE takes off his under T-shirt and wraps it around MR. MANDERSON’S ARM. MR. MANDERSON is gasping for air. MR. MANDERSON tries to talk, but his voice is really hoarse. MIKE slowly picks up MR. MANDERSON by his back. MR. MANDERSON’S
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legs wobble a bit and try to stand in balance. MR. MANDERSON intensely with each drop of effort gets up and leans against MIKE. They pace their walk to a large metal door with large bolts in it. It has a huge round knob handle, much like the wheel of a helm on the U.S.S Constitution.
MIKE uses both his hands on the handle to strenuously push and slowly turn the wheel. It makes a SQUEAKY RUSTED sound.
MR. MANDERSON coughs and takes deep breaths. MIKE finally opens the door and looks back at the body of the EMPLOYEE. The skull of the EMPLOYEE’S head is beginning to appear under the melting muscle. MIKE and MR. MANDERSON get into the room. MIKE quickly pulls the door shut with a loud BANG. The skull of the EMPLOYEE just starts to crack as the door comes to a close.
120. INT. THE HEART
MIKE and MR. MANDERSON enters an almost completely different room than any other in the MEAT PLANT. It is completely round.
The ceiling over them is supported with wooden beams. The walls are all brick. There is one large Greek-style stone column in the center of the room that supports the middle beam.
There are five figures dressed completely in black suits with different Halloween Masks; one of those includes the “SKELETON” that pushed the shelves over onto them. The other masked figures are (by mask) a GOBLIN, a VAMPIRE, a DEMON, and a GROTESQUE FACE.
The sound of TIFFANY SCREAMING pierces ahead of them through the large stone column. The ceiling has an Elizabethan-style mural of a medieval war scene behind the beams. MIKE swallows.
The figures look at MIKE and skip almost impishly to the back of the round perimeter in a brightly lit area. The floor is made of white marble. There are red candles lit all around the room. MIKE realizes he has cuts on his arm, stomach, and back and pulls out some wood slices from his stomach. He is completely glazed in sweat. MR.MANDERSON’S burned arm has large, crispy color mounds of swelling. His back also has large charcoal marks, and his shirt is also blood-stained. MR. MANDERSON limps and leans against the wall. He stealthily hands his gun to MIKE.
MR. MANDERSON
Here. Fucking pain! Mike, have some more ammo. Kill them.
MIKE
Yes, sir.
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MR. MANDERSON drops back to the floor and passes out.
MIKE sticks the gun in his pants in the backside so that it can’t be visible from the front. MIKE begins to walk around slowly towards the statuesque masked figures. His right-hand takes out the gun from his front right pocket. MIKE gradually begins to walk carefully against the column going around it.
There is TIFFANY in her underwear on a large, intricately sculpted sacrificial altar. TIFFANY is lying down blindfolded with duct tape on her mouth. TIFFANY has been tortured. She has cuts and bruises all over her body. Her legs and arms are tied to the corners of the altar with sharp metal wiring. The metal has already cut her arms and her right leg, and she is barely moving. The five MASKED FIGURES are standing right next to the altar as if posing for a picture. MIKE is somewhere between relieved and horrified at TIFFANY’S appearance. A tear rushes down MIKE’S face as he partially lets go of the moment.
MIKE raises his right hand with the gun in it towards the masked figures and walks a bit closer to the altar.
MIKE
Tiffany, I’m here. It’s going to be okay..Okay, honey…
TIFFANY begins to struggle a bit and calls out with murmurs.
MIKE
You fucking hackers deserve to all die a thousand times!
SKELETON
This punto said a threat. He must be dangerous. Can we rip his heart out? The meat factory always has more than enough hooks.
DEMON
No, not yet. Gartel, Sandra and Guaduan, I need you to meet Ms.Fates at the Vegas Center. Me, Cynthia and I, can deal with Michael Elroy.
The VAMPIRE, SKELETON, and the GROTESQUE FACE leave through a door to the right. MIKE quickly FIRES at the SKELETON Figure directly in the head. Blood SPLATTERS through the mask, and the SKELETON Figure falls on the ground.
MIKE
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Sorry, you never walk away from your guest, it’s not proper etiquette.
DEMON
I’m so sorry Michael, I must apologize. We were just about to let you have your Tiffany, but, oh I think that option just slipped my mind. What do you think Cynthia?
CYNTHIA (GOBLIN)
Let’s kill the bitch, and then watch the kid cry his ass off. Then afterwards we make him fuck the cop.
DEMON
You also had a say, Michael. But, unfortunately, you killed it!
The DEMON draws out a knife and quickly slices off the tip of TIFFANY’S left pinky. TIFFANY squirms around with a murmured scream. MIKE starts shaking.
MIKE
Fucking Stop! Please, oh God, please!
DEMON
Yes, Mr. Elroy, how may I be of service?
The DEMON’S voice suddenly resonates with MIKE’S recognition.
MIKE
You… No… the fuck…Mr. Harrold, why did you do this?! Don’t touch her, stop it, please. You’ll kill the world before you’ll wonder why everything left you!
The DEMON takes off his mask, it is PROFESSOR HARROLD.
PROFESSOR HARROLD
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Isn’t he good, Cynthia? A fucking Sherlock Holmes!
MIKE
You were an architecture professor; I looked up to you, and everyone looked up to you. Why did you do it?
PROFESSOR HARROLD
I don’t think you’ve been listening to the news, boy, you should check your local listings.
MIKE
What the fuck?
PROFESSOR HARROLD
The last time I checked, the media said Michael Elroy was wanted for the murder of Tiffany Edwards and also this “mysterious virus” that is taking over all the machines and bank accounts in Arizona-and maybe just a wee bit of Nevada’s and California’s at this point, too. Words and worms do quite travel.
MIKE
What do you want? I want to know before I die.
PROFESSOR HARROLD
Boasting of death, are we? — Not too sane. Well, since today has been a very stressful day — especially on my part — I guess I’ll chat about life with a cocktail. Cynthia, be a good girl and fetch me a Bloody Mary. Michael Elroy, your father is a major investor in EKIOHK, you know that right? Well, EKIOHK creates viruses, such as a rendition of today’s latest, courtesy of you. EKIOHK also makes an anti-spyware program called Mega-Blocker. It has blocked
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the honest and hardworking folks of this world like me and Cynthia, here. Thanks.
CYNTHIA places the BLOODY MARY on the sacrificial altar.
As I was saying, the program has blocked us from traditionally hacking into other computers.
MIKE
Why does a hacker even desire to hack?
PROFESSOR HARROLD
I should write a book. Michael, why does a murderer murder? A rapist rape? A thief — steal, and a beggar, beg? They do not have something that is required to live their life. Their goal is only reached by that action. Anymore trivial pursuits?
MIKE
Why did you do it? Why did you start a war and use me as the target?
PROFESSOR HARROLD
Your name came up first. But way before that, I was a person, naive- like yourself, living the normal cycles of life. We heard your conversation about roles. If I was your philosophy professor I would congratulate you, and during your wedding ceremony I would toast to you with a glass of Korbel. But I am not that role. I teach structure and design. As you can see this elaborate room was brought together from that specific understanding from my role. Then, I met Cynthia. She became my beautiful wife. She worked at a company called EKIOHK, that at the time, was not too well to do.
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She actually did her job incorrectly, because she was part of what I am, we are, now: The Hacker League of the United States.
MIKE
Okay, I don’t care if you were called the Screwed-Up Dicks, why did you do it?!
CYNTHIA
So young, yet so aggressive. Would you like seconds, dear?
PROFESSOR HARROLD
I am fine, thank you, love. Michael was just asking about why we do what we do best.
CYNTHIA
I feel like I am in school again, and you were my tutor.
PROFESSOR HARROLD
Aww, my love, before we have a rendezvous on the intercourse, let me urinate the rhyme and reason of the hacking world on pitiful dear Michael Elroy. Oh, if I could just remove this mumbling beast first, I could lean my tired elbows against this expensive antique altar.
MIKE
Please don’t kill her, I want to hear your story. I am fucking entertained.
PROFESSOR HARROLD
I know what you're thinking, Mr. Elroy, you think after this conversation, the normal world will come back on television tomorrow morning- and you can have your frosted
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flakes and milk of cattle. This war has just begun, and it is your entire fault! Oh yes, now for the reason. My rhyme scheme seemed a little off, should we say that? The Hacker League of Europe is expanding, and it wants a starting point in the United States. Since my team of extraordinary hackers is the best we decided to sign-up on that list. This is, well, our starting point.
MIKE
So this whole thing is just a business?
PROFESSOR HARROLD
An effortless business, and right now Cynthia and I are worth over 900 Billion! Isn't that a gigantic number, Michael? I bet you can't eat more corn flakes than that? But, there is one flaw to this business, being caught or killed in the process. Now, this time, we gave some clues to you and set the obstacles. You have always been a good student, a problem-solver. So you and whatever is left of Ed Manderson received white glove-ass-comfort treatment coming here. The reason, why is well, as you are my star pupil I thought it would be romantic for you and your girlfriend to die together. Isn't it dear?
CYNTHIA
Nothing could be more “Romeo and Juliet”!
MIKE
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Okay, please stop. If you want to hear something romantic, Cynthia, have you heard of the “Abelard Tragedy”?
PROFESSOR HARROLD
Now, he wants to be a saint, simply touching. Cynthia will be the one to castrate you… Mmm, in fact, it will be more delightful! This way, there would be nothing “hard” in the way when you’re lying next to each other up on the altar. And then, when the message goes out of your location, it would paint you as the psycho of one’s fantasies. Here, Cynthia a fresh knife and a little handgun. Mmmm…hmm…hmm, just like cutting bologna.
CYNTHIA
Oh, juicy, dear!
MR. MANDERSON has awakened and has heard the gist of the conversation from what MIKE and PROFESSOR HARROLD just mentioned. He gets up to his knees near the large column.
MR. MANDERSON’S VOICE
What are you doing, Mike? You have your white flag way up high!
MIKE
Don’t worry, I’ll be dead soon.
PROFESSOR HARROLD
Now, Mike, I need you to throw your firearms up here. Now, if you shoot me, I may drop this beautiful dagger into this critter on the table, and if you shoot my wife — I guess you’re dead at that point. So please throw it on up. Hurry, hurry!
MIKE is reluctant at first. Then he sets the safety of his two front guns on and places each on the altar. When he places PETER’S gun last, he strokes TIFFANY’S ARM and looks into her eyes. Circling the room is an intense SILENCE.
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MR. MANDERSON
Mike, I’ll miss you, buddy. You were a great soldier in battle.
MIKE
Quiet! Can’t you see I’m about to lose my gender, let me enjoy the last bit I have… this.
PROFESSOR HARROLD
Good boy, now let’s get you neutered. Cynthia, perform.
CYNTHIA walks from the altar and takes off her GOBLIN mask. She is in her late thirties. CYNTHIA has black hair and her face make-up resembles a messy looking geisha. MIKE swallows a bit. CYNTHIA is holding the gun directly at MIKE’S throat.
CYNTHIA
Michael, please put your hands behind your back. Now, let me take this off. You seem a little wiggly. Can I kill him after his balls hit the floor?
MIKE
What? That wasn’t in the deal!
PROFESSOR HARROLD
I’m a hacker, not a telemarketer. Get on with it, Cynthia. You know how I am bad with blood. Can you tell me when you’re finished?
MIKE’S eyebrow raises on that news.
CYNTHIA
Sure thing, dear.
CYNTHIA lowers MIKE’S pants. MIKE stands in his underwear. PROFESSOR HARROLD has his eyes closed but there is an expression of excitement and thrill on his face. CYNTHIA doesn’t notice
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her other arm with the gun in that it is moving away from his neck. CYNTHIA is trying to plan this moment out, whether to slice from under or to carve them out.
CYNTHIA
I haven’t done one of these in a while. I don’t know if it is quicker to slice from under or from over.
PROFESSOR HARROLD
Darling, please do not feel you have to hurry. I don’t want you to make a mess. Just a good clean swipe-ew. Excuse me, just the thought. Sorry, dear, please continue.
CYNTHIA
So many choices… and then to catch it, I guess I should use my mask.
PROFESSOR HARROLD
Whatever you like, my dear. Please, no more talking, just concentration. Remember, our yoga teacher: deep breaths.
CYNTHIA
Deep breaths. Okay, concentrate. Hmmm…
CYNTHIA has a full focus on MIKE’S lower area. MR.MANDERSON is trying to pull himself up in the back of the room and is leaning against the column. TIFFANY is trying to move or squirm a bit again. PROFESSOR HARROLD is cringing his face waiting for the big event to occur.
MIKE
This should hurt.
CYNTHIA
Oh, don’t be a baby, it will be all over soon. Sides, you are with a professor’s wife.
PROFESSOR HARROLD
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That a girl, short and sweet!
MIKE takes the gun given to him from MR. MANDERSON (that he tucked into his waistband earlier) and moves it slowly at CYNTHIA’S HEAD.
MIKE
No, this is really going to hurt.
CYNTHIA
Oh, stop being a baby, and count from 10. 10, 9, 8-
MIKE SHOOTS her in the head, and quickly grabs her knife.
PROFESSOR HARROLD
Now that he’s silent, he should be a better slice.
TIFFANY screams under the tape on her mouth, and moves around and then stops. MR. MANDERSON falls down crying.
PROFESSOR HARROLD
Okay, Cynthia, whenever you’re ready…
MIKE
Oh, the pain!
MIKE is beginning to move away from CYNTHIA’S body on the floor, and is heading slowly towards PROFESSOR HARROLD.
PROFESSOR HARROLD
Yes!
MIKE
The fucking agony!
PROFESSOR HARROLD
Oh yes!
MIKE has CYNTHIA’S knife near HARROLD’S throat, and his left hand is ready to grab PROFESSOR HARROLD’S dagger away from TIFFANY.
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MIKE
Oh, and the fact that seven is my lucky number!
PROFESSOR HARROLD
The…what?!
MIKE quickly pushes the knife through HARROLD’S throat, and quickly grabs the dagger from his hand and stabs PROFESSOR HARROLD’S chest. PROFESSOR HARROLD can’t speak and falls down onto the marble floor into a growing puddle of his own blood.
MIKE
Look’s like I was the last one to complete your course. So I guess I have the opportunity to give you an evaluation. You were a lousy teacher! I wonder who hired you?
PROFESSOR HARROLD tries to move and MIKE SHOOTS him twice.
MIKE
Ed, it’s okay. Mission: Successful.
MR. MANDERSON
Thank God! Thank God! Mike, Peter and the rest of Arizona is so proud of you.
MIKE
Save the congrats, we got to free Tiffany. She’s getting colder.
MR. MANDERSON
Coming.
MR. MANDERSON gets to his feet, and limps towards the altar. MIKE is aggressively cutting off the metal wiring around her arms and legs. TIFFANY isn’t moving. MIKE tears off her mouthpiece and a GASP comes from TIFFANY’S mouth. But still, TIFFANY’S body isn’t moving.
MR. MANDERSON takes off her blindfold. TIFFANY’S eyes are
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cracked and bloodshot, but they look up at MIKE and MR. MANDERSON. She then fades out and closes her eyes.
MIKE
We got to get her out of here fast!
MR. MANDERSON
Let’s go up the stairs the way the other two hackers escaped.
MIKE
Thanks, I needed the simplicity.
VOICE OF SECURITY GUARD
Not so fast, Ed Manderson!
TWO ARMED SECURITY GUARDS of the MEAT PLANT come into view around the column and assemble in front of their direction.
MIKE
Damn, it. It’s over!
SECURITY GUARD (1)
The girl needs medical treatment fast. We called the army base back at Phoenix, and they said they’re going to take care of the helicopter that just took off from here, flying North to Las Vegas.
SECURITY GUARD (2)
Good thing our door was open in Hallway X. We followed you guys and heard everything. We called an Emergency Helicopter.
SECURITY GUARD (1)
Didn't know all this shit was down here; the closet was sealed shut in the eighties due to OSHA safety requirements. At least that’s what they told us. Okay, let's get you heroes to the helipad up those stairs.
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SECURITY GUARD (2)
Apparently, the virus has finally been stopped in California, and the grid is beginning to work again out here. Now, Washington is trying to figure out how to get people's money back, and who knows how long that could take. Okay, are you all ready to go up those stairs? We called backup, too. It’s been a long time, Ed.
MR. MANDERSON
Thanks, Ace.
121. EXT. OVER THE DESERT MOUNTAINS — EARLY AFTERNOON
A helicopter flies up a few yards from Oliver’s Meat Processing Plant, and ZOOMS by and out into the distance going towards the city. The sun is shining on Lake Pleasant. It is a glorious sight. The helicopter flies over the lake.
121. EXT. HOSPITAL BUILDING — LATE AFTERNOON
The sunlight shines on a hospital building with passing cars, as opposed to cars in traffic.
123. INT. MIKE’S HOSPITAL ROOM — LATE AFTERNOON
MIKE wakes up on a hospital bed that has white linen sheets. There are stitches in his leg, on his stomach, and his chin. There is a clock above the bed that says four o’clock. It is pretty silent except for the almost audible sounds of CAR MOTORS PASSING BY. MIKE begins to get out of the bed and balances himself up. He is wearing a hospital gown and still has some pain in his joints, and where he was stitched. A pair of sweatpants are folded neatly and put on the table adjacent to the bed.
MIKE hobbles over and puts them on. There is a wheelchair by the bed. MIKE gets on the wheelchair and begins to roll towards the door.
124. INT. HOSPITAL HALLWAY — LATE AFTERNOON
MIKE is rolling as quickly as he can. The hallway has windows of the city on both sides. The sun is glittering on the tile floor as MIKE wheels over it.
125. EXT. A PATIENT’S ROOM — AFTERNOON
MIKE is in the hallway of the hospital and realizes this might be the door of the room TIFFANY is in. He sees a pile of papers near the door and a folder covering a name “NY EDWARDS”.
MIKE
Tiffany!
MIKE instantly believes that the room is TIFFANY’S and ROLLS in.
126. INT. A PATIENT’S ROOM — LATE AFTERNOON
The room is similar to MIKE’s, and there is a picture frame faced down next to the bed. There is a blanket over the patient.
TWO DOCTORS rush into the room. One, with a Stethoscope turns around to MIKE and both are in a state of dread.
DOCTOR WITH STETHOSCOPE
I’m sorry, son, she didn’t make it.
MIKE
What?
MIKE feels like he has just been punched hard. He grabs his chest and then his mouth, and watches the sun descending through the window. He immediately chokes up and feels his eyes are beginning to leak.
MIKE
She’s gone, my Tiffany’s gone. What was the point of everything if I can’t ever see her in my life again?
TIFFANY’S VOICE
I guess he’s in this hall, then. I can hear him calling my name.
MIKE
… Tiffany?
MIKE looks around the room and sees a folder that says “BETHANY EDWARDS”, and with that realization he rolls back out into the hallway.
127. INT. SECOND HOSPITAL HALLWAY — EARLY EVENING
MIKE rolls down this hallway and stops in the center. TIFFANY comes out on a wheelchair at the opposite end of the hallway. TIFFANY has stitches on her forehead and her right cheek. TIFFANY begins to roll towards MIKE, and begins to laugh and smile.
TIFFANY
I feel like I’m a senior citizen.
MIKE
Don’t say that, you’re way too young.
TIFFANY
What’s that supposed to mean?
MIKE
You’re far from dying.
TIFFANY
Thanks, but with all this exercise…
MIKE
Tiffany, stay right there, I’ll get to you.
TIFFANY
Aw, thanks.
MIKE
But you know, it’s a wonder why men die first.
TIFFANY
Mike, shut up and come over here.
MIKE gets to her and pushes himself up and then helps TIFFANY stand. They dramatically kiss.
The sun is going down on the city through the hallway windows.
MR. MANDERSON’S VOICE
Hey lovebirds, sorry to interrupt you guys.
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MR. MANDERSON comes on crutches followed by his wife, who is a bit taller, MEGHAN in her mid-40s, and their children, DARREL, age 12, and MARY, age 8.
MR. MANDERSON
Hey everyone, this here is Mr. Elroy. He saved Daddy’s ass by a long shot, and he saved Arizona!
MEGHAN
Honey, what did I tell you about cussing in front of the children? You didn’t go to the army for bringing bad language up around your family.
MR. MANDERSON
Honey-
MEGHAN taps MR. MANDERSON’S medicated burn marks on his back.
MR. MANDERSON
Ow, that hurts.
DARREL
Thank you for saving us, Mr. Elroy. We were stuck in the car for hours, and hours! And Mary you know what she did?
TIFFANY
No, what did Mary do?
MARY
I did not!
DARREL
You did too! You said Superman’s going to save Arizona like he does on TV.
MEGHAN
Mary, honey, tell the truth to Mr. Elroy.
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MARY
Oh okay. I did, and you did Mr. Elroy, you saved Arizona.
TIFFANY kisses MIKE’S cheek. MEGHAN looks into MR. MANDERSON’S eyes.
TIFFANY
How does it feel to be an all-American hero?
MIKE
With no purple hearts, and the most beautiful woman in my life… it feels grand!
TIFFANY and MIKE kiss again.
MARY
Hey, where’s my kiss?
MEGHAN
Ed, give your daughter a kiss.
MR. MANDERSON
But, my back-
MEGHAN
Mr. Manderson!
MR. MANDERSON
Okay, come here, Mary.
MR. MANDERSON bends over with a loud CRACKING sound. MARY runs over and kisses his cheek. MR. MANDERSON is in a lot of pain, and tries to smile.
MEGHAN
Oh, Mike, your mother called the office.
MIKE
What did she want?
MEGHAN
She left a four-hour apology on our message machine. Moms
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worry, you better get back to her.
MIKE
I guess I will after this.
MIKE is looking into TIFFANY’S eyes.
MEGHAN
Okay, family, time to leave the hero couple and head back to the hospital room.
MR. MANDERSON
I can’t move, help!
128. EXT. EIFFEL TOWER IN LAS VEGAS — NIGHT — 3 YRS LATER
The lights are shining brightly all around in the Las Vegas Strip. The Eiffel Tower replica is also a brilliant glimmering sight to see in all the colors of city at night.
129. INT. VIEWING DECK OF THE EIFFEL TOWER IN LAS VEGAS — NIGHT
MIKE and TIFFANY are wearing casual clothing. The stitches are gone. MIKE has a goatee. TIFFANY is looking all around the Eiffel tower. A PARIS HOTEL EMPLOYEE looks at his/her watch near them.
PARIS HOTEL EMPLOYEE
The fountain show will start in a minute.
MIKE
You know Tiffany, there’s something I’ve been longing to tell you before the show starts.
TIFFANY
I mean it’s going to start any second.
MIKE
You know three years seems like a long time.
TIFFANY (CONCERNED)
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Mike, what are you saying?
MIKE
I’m talking about this.
TIFFANY
— About What?
MIKE takes out a sparkling diamond ring.
MIKE
This.
TIFFANY
I love you, Mike.
MIKE and TIFFANY KISS.
130. EXT. THE BELLAGIO FOUNTAIN SHOW — NIGHT
The Bellagio Resort stands behind a beautiful dance of its fountains. There is LIVELY MUSIC and the sound of people “OO-ing” and “AW-ing” in amazement.
TIFFANY (V.O.)
It’s unreal, it’s like the water is full of brilliance and motion. It’s beautiful.
MIKE (V.O.)
I know, and so is life and the start of ours, together.
FADE OUT.
