The Mills of God

[blaggers]

The Mills of God

Director
Cristo

Genre
Sci-fi

Cast
Viggo Mortensen: Billy Frederick
Johnny Depp: Drake Desmond
Daniel Day-Lewis: Otis Dillerman
DJ Qualls: Nathaniel Dillerman
Angela Bassett: Adalyn Griffith
Gerard Butler: Atlas Fulton
Daniel Craig: Mr. Cormand
Shia LaBeouf: Mason Filnard
Megan Fox: Amanda Filnard
Jeremy Irons: Indigo Peterson
Hugo Weaving: Fuego
Samuel L Jackson: Mark Wallaby
Tadanobu Asano: Acrobat
Billy Zane: Hooded Man

Plot
After retiring to a beach in South America, Billy Frederick returns to DC when his brother is murdered. His brother's death was due to superhuman beings, called Malformeds, warring with one another and Billy becomes part of a quest to leave DC and find a safe place that no Malformed can enter.

Release Date
September 19th, 2008

MPAA Rating
Rated PG-13 for disturbing violence, thematic elements, and some intense action sequences.

[blaggers]

SPOILER WARNING
If you want 'g' to be completely fresh when you see it, skip the following trailer.

Fade to Blaggers, sitting in the control booth of the London Eye (which is visible behind him on the other side of the Thames) and sipping periodically from a coke. A radio on his control desk plays.

RADIO ANNOUNCER
(Over radio)
And now, we're going to find out the winner of our twenty grand give-away! Whoever we call using a random phone number generator will be awarded the grand prize of twenty-thousand pounds. And I think we're calling now...

His phone rings. Blaggers spits out his coke over the controls in surprise, which start sparking.

We cut to the same scene a few moments later. The London Eye begins collapsing behind Blaggers with a horrific metallic roar. His eyes widen, and he slowly turns to see the landmark crashing into the Thames. Blaggers slowly turns back to face in our direction, clearly disturbed.

FREEZE FRAME

MUSIC: Move Your Feet - Junior Senior 0.08 - 0.38

CAPTION: Blaggers

We cut to an angry Legend on a golf course, standing behind a Rich Snob with a golf club.

LEGEND
(Angrily)
I'll show you iron!

Legend lightly hits Rich Snob in the back of the head with the club. The music suddenly stops as the club head goes through his skull and out through his face, followed by two feet of shaft. Blood sprays out as Rich Snob falls forwards, the club head digging into the ground and preventing Rich Snob from actually falling to the floor. A ridiculous amount of blood continues to spray from the wound, much of it hitting Legend in the face, who stands gasping in absolute shock - he can't believe how much damage he caused with such a small hit.

LEGEND
...What.

FREEZE FRAME

CAPTION: Legend

Cut to a dark house. Legend and Blaggers walk into each other, grabbing onto each other for dear life.

BLAGGERS
What the hell are you doing here?

LEGEND
I'm hiding out from the police.

A beat passes.

LEGEND
...I think we can stop hugging now.

We cut to the pair discovering a drug lab in the basement of the house.

LEGEND (V.O.)
We have no money, an abandoned drug lab, and a twenty year prison sentence worth of weed. Are you thinking what I'm thinking?

Cut to Blaggers and Legend lying awkwardly in a bed together.

BLAGGERS
I think I am!

LEGEND
We get rich by dealing drugs!

BLAGGERS
Oh... I was thinking that we should go to Disneyland.

MUSIC: Straight Outta Compton - N.W.A 0.05 - 0.24

We cut to the exterior of the Joint Joint, the drug dealership Blaggers and Legend have set up. They and their crew (Stapleton, Taylortot and Pedro) stand outside proudly.

INDY (V.O.)
You're peddling your wares on OUR turf, to OUR customers. I work for the biggest pimp in town, friend, and he's very angry with you.

Cut to the Joint Joint office, where Legend is talking to Indy.

LEGEND
Who?

INDY
Mr. Vincent.

LEGEND
M Veezey? But he's the biggest pimp in town!

The music stops.

INDY
...I just said that.

Cut to Blaggers giving a triumphant speech to his crew.

BLAGGERS
Let's show these homeboys how we roll!

MUSIC: Everlong - Foo Fighters 4.16 - 4.43

Cut to Blaggers and Legend running into a massive house with machine guns.

Cut to an army of thugs shooting at Blaggers and Legend as they drive away in their Pimpmobile.

Cut to Stapleton running around in a Batman costume.

Cut to Legend accidentally firing a gun and breaking his finger.

Cut to SCF and a wheelchair-bound Cristo staring menacingly at each other across a street.

Cut to the whole crew sitting in the Pimpmobile as Pedro drives.

Cut to Blaggers and Legend walking into a park, past a sign reading 'Driveby Park - Days without a driveby:'. The rest of the sign is too full of bullet holes to read.

BLAGGERS
So why do they call it Driveby Park?

Legend sighs. The music fades away.

g

Cut to Taylortot dancing.

03.10.08

[blaggers]

“The lessons of history? There are four: The bee fertilizes the flower it robs; whom the gods would destroy they first make mad with power; the mills of God grind slowly, but they grind small; when it is dark enough, you can see the stars.”---Charles Austin Beard

(Cristo Pictures presents)

(A Cristo Productions Film)

(Fade to a tall skyscraper in the distance)

(We pan across to the skyscraper)

(We close in on the twentieth-story window)

(We see a view of Washington DC from inside the window)

(Suddenly the reflection of a flying man is seen in the window)

(The glass explodes)

(We follow the shards of glass as they plummet to the ground)

(We zoom back up to see two men falling through the air)

(One of them is on the other’s back)

(The man is reaching towards his back trying to push the other man off)

(The view is dizzying as the two men struggle in mid-air)

(The man grabs the man on his back and throws him into the building)

(He continues his descent for a second and then stops)

(He starts to fly)

(The side of the building explodes)

(The man who was thrown throws a piece of rubble at the flying man)

(The flying man is hit in the face and begins plummeting again)

(The throwing man jumps out of the side of the building towards the falling man)

(They fall through the sky with rubble surrounding them)

(The throwing man grabs the flying man right before they hit the ground)

(The concrete road splits as the two men hit the ground)

(The throwing man gets up without a scratch)

(He is holding the unconscious flying man in his arms)

[Blue]Man VO:[/Blue] What a performance.

(The throwing man turns around to see a man standing with fire in his hands)

[Blue]Fuego:[/Blue] I do think you’re getting stronger every day, Atlas. That was quite the spectacle.

(The throwing man ATLAS FULTON lets go of the unconscious flying man)

[Blue]Atlas:[/Blue] I have your partner, Fuego. Enough is enough. You’re hurting innocent people. Just turn yourself in.

(The fiery man FUEGO smiles slightly)

[Blue]Fuego:[/Blue] You want to know the difference between me and you? You conform to everything. Government, societal standards, moral values…I am an individual. I know what is right. You can only guess. Judging by your actions, you’ve made the wrong decision.

(The fire in Fuego’s hands gets brighter)

[Blue]Atlas:[/Blue] Just give it up. It’s over.

[Blue]Fuego:[/Blue] Oh no, Atlas. It has only begun.

(Fuego shoots fire at Atlas)

(Atlas dodges the fire and it hits a car)

(The car explodes)

[Blue]Atlas:[/Blue] That’s it.

(Atlas walks over to an empty parked minivan)

(He pulls the minivan into the middle of the street)

(Fuego’s hands ignite again as he prepares to shoot more fire)

(Atlas rests his foot on the back bumper of the minivan)

(He kicks forward and the minivan hurtles at Fuego)

(Fuego shoots fire and the minivan explodes)

(Atlas charges out of the explosion and punches Fuego in the face)

(Fuego flies backwards and hits a parking meter)

(The parking meter breaks off and lands next to Fuego)

(Atlas charges towards him)

(Fuego touches the ground and a ring of fire surrounds him)

(Fuego gets up off the ground and grabs the parking meter)

(Atlas picks up a piece of rubble)

(He throws it over the ring of fire at Fuego)

(Fuego’s parking meter is ignited)

(Fuego swings the fiery parking meter and it hits the rubble)

(Fuego’s ring of fire disappears and he throws the fiery meter at Atlas)

(Atlas moves to the side and the parking meter flies past him)

(We hear a splatter and a loud moan)

(Atlas turns around to see the end of the fiery parking meter stuck in a man’s chest)

[Blue]Man:[/Blue] N…no.

(Atlas stands there in shock)

(The man falls backwards and hits the ground)

(Atlas turns back to Fuego)

[Blue]Atlas:[/Blue] Do you see what you’ve done?

[Blue]Fuego:[/Blue] His blood is on your hands as much as mine.

(Atlas turns around and walks over to the man)

(He kneels down as the man shudders on the ground)

(Atlas turns back around)

(Fuego is nowhere to be seen along with his unconscious partner)

[Blue]Atlas:[/Blue] Next time, Fuego. You’ll pay for every life you’ve ended.

THE MILLS OF GOD

(Cut to the Pentagon)

(General MARK WALLABY is standing in front of a group of people)

(The people are sitting at a large table)

[Blue]Mark:[/Blue] Ladies and gentlemen, what we’re encountering is unlike anything in the history of the world. Our society has been changed forever by people who seem to possess special powers. The ones we’ve experimented on have unique anomalies in their DNA. Where this stems from…we have no idea. Some are eager to call it the next stage of evolution. I call it a disease.

(Mr. CORMAND is one of the men present at the meeting)

(He taps his fingers on the table impatiently)

[Blue]Mark:[/Blue] There are some of them that have helped us. I’d like to thank Atlas Fulton for his help in apprehending some of the super-powered terrorists.

(Atlas sits at the table adjusting himself uncomfortably in his seat)

[Blue]Mark:[/Blue] What I would want is for every single anomalous slaughterer out there to be imprisoned. But that’s not what Congress wants. Congress wants to show that they’re supportive and tolerant. They want to extend a hand to these malformed radicals. So our job is to get as many of the enhanced humans on our side, in our military force, fighting our wars. God knows this isn’t limited to the United States. Imagine what North Korea would do with a nuclear man. Imagine what Libya could do with a woman who has the ability to control time.

(Mark sighs and sits in the empty chair at the head of the table)

[Blue]Mark:[/Blue] This is the most important threat to our national security. Drake?

(DRAKE DESMOND is a man sitting to the right of Mark)

(He is completely serious with a stoic look on his face)

[Blue]Drake:[/Blue] Yes, sir?

[Blue]Mark:[/Blue] I need you to investigate where this all began. You’re one of our top detectives. You think you can find out where or who this started with?

[Blue]Drake:[/Blue] Absolutely, sir, I’ll get right on it.

[Blue]Mark:[/Blue] Gentlemen, I don’t think I have to go into how grave this situation is. The future of our country…our world…is at stake.

(Cut to Mr. Cormand walking outside with Atlas)

[Blue]Mr. Cormand:[/Blue] So what happened?

[Blue]Atlas:[/Blue] Fuego got away with his flying friend. I don’t know where the Perfected are going to hit next.

[Blue]Mr. Cormand:[/Blue] Anarchists. Feeling it’s their destiny to lead us into the next revolution. They’ve tried to hit our treasuries, our oil wells. But to try to take from one of our largest governmental corporations…responsible for handling most of our overseas business…this is insanity.

[Blue]Atlas:[/Blue] It’s only getting worse. I don’t know how much longer I can do this.

[Blue]Mr. Cormand:[/Blue] You’ve got to stay in there for us. We don’t know the extent or potential of the powers yet. Just imagine…for a minute…a person who’s cells kept repairing themselves indefinitely. Such a person could have a lifespan ten times longer than ours. Or a person who could even control matter itself.

[Blue]Atlas:[/Blue] What exactly are you saying?

[Blue]Mr. Cormand:[/Blue] Within these beings may be found the answer to life’s problems, the significance of existence. It could be inside you.

[Blue]Atlas:[/Blue] You know you don’t have to mince words with me. You can call us Malformeds.

[Blue]Mr. Cormand:[/Blue] I didn’t know. I accidentally said “Malformeds” during a conversation with old Sticky Sammy and I was stuck to the floor for two hours.

(Atlas laughs)

(His face suddenly turns solemn)

[Blue]Atlas:[/Blue] You think that within us…is the meaning of life?

[Blue]Mr. Cormand:[/Blue] Yep. Ya know, Drake is good and all, but he’s new. He hasn’t yet broadened his horizons. If Billy were still here, I would’ve been confident that he could find out why you…Malformeds…are the way you are.

[Blue]Atlas:[/Blue] Where is Billy anyway?

[Blue]Mr. Cormand:[/Blue] I don’t know. Living it up on an island somewhere, enjoying his early retirement last time I heard.

[Blue]Atlas:[/Blue] He didn’t look that old.

[Blue]Mr. Cormand:[/Blue] He turns 50 this year.

(Cut to a man sitting in a deck chair out on a beach)

(The atmosphere is calm and peaceful)

(The man’s name is BILLY FREDERICK)

(Billy reaches over and picks up a drink that has a tiny umbrella in it)

(He sips from the fruity alcohol and leans back in the deck chair)

(A Brazilian waitress walks up to him in a bikini)

[Blue]Waitress:[/Blue] Do you like it?

(Billy smiles)

[Blue]Billy:[/Blue] I love it.

(Cut to Billy resting on an indoor hammock)

(We zoom into Billy’s closed eyes)

(They suddenly open)

(Cut to Mr. Cormand walking through a hallway)

(He sees the indoor hammock and walks towards it)

(He looks down at the empty hammock)

(A gun is cocked and placed to his head)

[Blue]Mr. Cormand:[/Blue] Billy…it’s me, Cormand.

[Blue]Billy:[/Blue] I know. Why are you here?

[Blue]Mr. Cormand:[/Blue] Could you put the gun down?

[Blue]Billy:[/Blue] Not until you tell me why you’re here.

[Blue]Mr. Cormand:[/Blue] Okay…your brother…he’s dead.

(Billy lowers the gun)

(His mouth opens in shock)

[Blue]Billy:[/Blue] How did he die?

[Blue]Mr. Cormand:[/Blue] A fiery parking meter to the chest.

[Blue]Billy:[/Blue] A…what? A fiery parking meter to the chest…did I hear you right?

[Blue]Mr. Cormand:[/Blue] Yes.

[Blue]Billy:[/Blue] How did that happen?

[Blue]Mr. Cormand:[/Blue] They have news down here, right? You’ve heard about the Malformeds?

[Blue]Billy:[/Blue] The super-powered mutants, yeah.

[Blue]Mr. Cormand:[/Blue] Well, their hostility leads to civilian casualties. Your brother was in the wrong place at the wrong time.

[Blue]Billy:[/Blue] I have to go back. I have to be there for my family…

[Blue]Mr. Cormand:[/Blue] The funeral is on Saturday at Robinson Funeral Home. 5:00.

(Mr. Cormand walks towards the door)

(He turns around)

[Blue]Mr. Cormand:[/Blue] The world is getting worse, Billy. You’re on this beautiful island…secluded, cut off from the people you used to know. An enviable position but things have changed. It’s dangerous now, more so than it’s ever been. I would say that it would still be the same, that your brother would’ve still lost his life even if you hadn’t retired….but I’m not so sure.

[Blue]Billy:[/Blue] What could I have done?

[Blue]Mr. Cormand:[/Blue] You know how they say life changes people? Well, people said it was the opposite with you. You changed life.

(Cut a funeral procession)

(Billy is in the back of a limousine)

(OTIS and his son NATHANIEL Dillerman are sitting across from him)

[Blue]Billy:[/Blue] Remember the time when the keys were left in the car and Phil backed out down the hill?

(They laugh)

[Blue]Otis:[/Blue] Yeah, I was chasing after it yelling “Stop, Phil, stop!”

[Blue]Billy:[/Blue] And then Phil said “I don’t know how!”

(They quiet down)

[Blue]Otis:[/Blue] It’s a shame, you know. A man cut down so young by forces beyond his control.

[Blue]Billy:[/Blue] When I came here, I noticed a lot of buildings were desecrated. I knew it was going to be bad, but I didn’t know it was that bad.

[Blue]Nathaniel:[/Blue] It’s worse than anything out here. I can’t even find the right parts for my inventions because all the buildings are damaged.

[Blue]Otis:[/Blue] The Malformeds are affecting all of our lives in negative ways. The world isn’t safe anymore. My wife Sarah…the mother of my son…was killed by one of those monsters.

[Blue]Billy:[/Blue] Yeah, I heard about that.

[Blue]Otis:[/Blue] She was trapped in the house while it burned down. These freaks can create fire, Billy. Something has to be done.

[Blue]Billy:[/Blue] But what? As far as I know, they’re forces of nature. They can’t be stopped.

[Blue]Otis:[/Blue] If anybody can find a way, you can, cousin. We need your help. These monsters are destroying our lives.

(Billy leans back in his seat and sighs)

[Blue]Billy:[/Blue] What’s your plan?

[Blue]Otis:[/Blue] We gather as many normal people as we can…and we leave DC.

[Blue]Billy:[/Blue] That won’t help. They’re all over the United States. They’re all over the world.

[Blue]Otis:[/Blue] Yeah, but a large majority of them are here. If we travel, picking up as many people as we can along the way, looking for a haven…we can survive. Otherwise, I fear they’ll annihilate us all.

[Blue]Billy:[/Blue] Where would we go?

[Blue]Otis:[/Blue] I’ve heard rumors…of a place that the Malformeds cannot enter. I don’t know what it is. If there’s some magical force stopping them…if their unique DNA is at conflict with the environment…I don’t know. But I’ve heard of people who have made it. They took the opportunity when the casualties first started. And now they can’t be touched. Now they can live in peace.

[Blue]Nathaniel:[/Blue] No-casualty Nirvana.

[Blue]Billy:[/Blue] It’s most likely a myth. I doubt that there’s some sort of freak-free paradise that the majority of the people don’t know about. It’s restricted to hearsay…no basis in fact.

[Blue]Nathaniel:[/Blue] I don’t know…some people are really adamant about it.

[Blue]Otis:[/Blue] Billy…go back a year, two years. Did you really think that there would be people with actual super powers roaming the earth?

[Blue]Billy:[/Blue] No…no, I didn’t, Otis.

[Blue]Otis:[/Blue] You may think the rumors are just that…rumors. But I believe in something more. Think about it for a bit. I’ll talk to you after the funeral.

(Cut to Mr. Cormand and Atlas standing over a table)

[Blue]Atlas:[/Blue] So Billy’s back?

[Blue]Mr. Cormand:[/Blue] Yep. He arrived in DC today.

[Blue]Atlas:[/Blue] Are you going to ask him to help us?

[Blue]Mr. Cormand:[/Blue] Yeah, tomorrow, I’m going to meet up with him.

[Blue]Atlas:[/Blue] What if he decides that he wants to go back to the island?

[Blue]Mr. Cormand:[/Blue] I think if he really didn’t want to stay…he would’ve bought round-trip tickets.

(Atlas smiles)

[Blue]Atlas:[/Blue] So what is it that you wanted to show me?

(Mr. Cormand picks up a pair of wiry handcuffs)

[Blue]Mr. Cormand:[/Blue] Power suppressor. Permanently debilitating to normal humans…but when you put one on a Malformed…

(Mr. Cormand snaps the handcuffs onto Atlas’ hands)

[Blue]Mr. Cormand:[/Blue] Try to break free.

(Atlas pulls his hands in opposite directions)

(The wires remain taut)

(Atlas pulls harder)

(The wires stretch slightly)

[Blue]Mr. Cormand:[/Blue] It suppresses your strength…your power. All that’s left is the strength that you would have if you didn’t have your power.

(Mr. Cormand unhooks the ratchet on Atlas’ right hand)

[Blue]Mr. Cormand:[/Blue] To be honest with you, a lot of Malformeds are weak. They let their power compensate for it.

(Atlas flies into the nearest wall)

(He hits it with a bang)

[Blue]Atlas:[/Blue] Ah!

[Blue]Mr. Cormand:[/Blue] Crap.

(Mr. Cormand walks over to Atlas)

[Blue]Mr. Cormand:[/Blue] Are you all right?

[Blue]Atlas:[/Blue] No.

[Blue]Mr. Cormand:[/Blue] There’s modified magnets on the cuffs. We’ve redesigned the walls in our facility with a special type of steel that attracts the magnets in the ratchets. If one of your cuffs is undone, the magnets activate. Sorry I forgot.

(Mr. Cormand unlocks the other ratchet)

(Atlas rubs his wrists)

(The wire connecting the ratchets falls apart)

(Atlas smiles)

[Blue]Atlas:[/Blue] Looks like your power-suppressing handcuffs need more work.

(Mr. Cormand looks disappointed)

(Cut to Billy sitting by himself in the dark in a chair)

(A shadow moves behind him)

[Blue]Billy:[/Blue] You really need to stop breaking into my houses, Cormand.

[Blue]Mr. Cormand:[/Blue] Can’t help myself. It’s too fun.

(Billy shifts in his chair)

[Blue]Billy:[/Blue] You have people with you.

(Billy holds a shotgun up and points it over the chair)

[Blue]Billy:[/Blue] Who are they?

[Blue]Mr. Cormand:[/Blue] Their names are Atlas and Drake. We’re here to talk to you.

(Billy stands up with the shotgun still in his right hand)

[Blue]Billy:[/Blue] About what?

(Mr. Cormand is standing there with Atlas and Drake)

[Blue]Mr. Cormand:[/Blue] We want you to help us.

[Blue]Billy:[/Blue] I figured.

(Billy points his shotgun at Atlas)

[Blue]Billy:[/Blue] Atlas, right? You’re one of those Malformeds I saw on television.

[Blue]Atlas:[/Blue] Yeah.

[Blue]Mr. Cormand:[/Blue] He’s working with us. He’s been a great help.

[Blue]Billy:[/Blue] What’s your power?

[Blue]Atlas:[/Blue] Super strength.

[Blue]Billy:[/Blue] Can you survive a shotgun blast?

[Blue]Atlas:[/Blue] At a close range like this? Probably not.

(Billy lowers the shotgun)

[Blue]Billy:[/Blue] Too bad.

(Billy suddenly raises the shotgun and fires)

(Mr. Cormand and Drake jump back)

(The ceiling above Atlas’ head explodes)

(Pieces fall down on Atlas’ head)

[Blue]Billy:[/Blue] You didn’t even flinch. You can survive it.

(Billy lowers the shotgun)

[Blue]Billy:[/Blue] The cops will probably be here soon. You’ve got a limited time to explain why I should help you.

(Everybody is silent)

[Blue]Billy:[/Blue] If you’ll excuse me, I’m going to get a drink. Tell me when you’re ready.

(Cut to Billy pouring himself some whiskey in the kitchen)

(Drake enters the kitchen)

[Blue]Drake:[/Blue] Nice house.

[Blue]Billy:[/Blue] It’s one of my cousin’s rental homes.

[Blue]Drake:[/Blue] Otis, right?

[Blue]Billy:[/Blue] Yeah.

(Billy takes a swig of his drink)

[Blue]Billy:[/Blue] I don’t think we’ve met before. You work with Cormand?

[Blue]Drake:[/Blue] Yeah. Actually I’m doing what you used to do. Detective work. I’m trying to figure out where the powers came from.

[Blue]Billy:[/Blue] I’ve done some of my own investigating. According to my findings, the Malformeds all appeared at around the same time. This isn’t evolution…it’s something with a tangible source.

[Blue]Drake:[/Blue] Yeah, the question is…what’s the source? We would really appreciate your help.

[Blue]Billy:[/Blue] I’m retired. What I’ve just told you…that’s all I can help you with. And even you guys figured that one out. You don’t need my help.

[Blue]Drake:[/Blue] If we didn’t need it, would we really ask for it?

(Drake walks up to the cabinet and takes out a glass)

(He pours himself a drink)

[Blue]Drake:[/Blue] I’ve heard a lot about you. The legendary Billy Frederick. You solved international crimes like it was child’s play…only to retire fairly young to a secluded island in South America.

(Drake sips on the whiskey)

[Blue]Drake:[/Blue] Now, when your country needs you most, you turn them down. That doesn’t very legendary to me.

[Blue]Billy:[/Blue] That’s why it’s always good to check your sources.

[Blue]Drake:[/Blue] My sources are reliable. Maybe it’s you who’s not.

[Blue]Billy:[/Blue] Hey, kid, I was arresting intercontinental criminals when you were getting your diapers changed.

(Drake chuckles)

[Blue]Drake:[/Blue] If the world survives a few more years, I’ll be able to say the same.

[Blue]Billy:[/Blue] You’re smart, but you’re young…inexperienced. You don’t know half of what I know about this business.

[Blue]Drake:[/Blue] That’s why I need your help. We need your help. Knowledge means nothing if you don’t act upon it. You gathered the evidence…you’ve collected information…now it’s time for you to help us solve this case. I’ve heard many times from many different people that instead of life or the situations around you having a negative affect on you or changing your opinion on things…you changed life. Now, personally, that sounds corny as anything to me, but a lot of people support that idea. Frederick, we’re just men. We’re not titans or gods…we’re not Malformeds with special powers. But, as men, we have to do the best we can for the people we care about. We have to try to prevent this phenomenon from taking more lives than it already has. You’re one of the few who can help us do it.

[Blue]Billy:[/Blue] You remind me of myself when I was younger. Look, I’ll turn over everything I’ve investigated…most of which your department’s already found out. But I’m not fighting this battle. That’s my contribution. Take it or leave it.

(Drake sighs)

(Police sirens are heard in the background)

[Blue]Billy:[/Blue] Time to go. I’ll send the info to you guys.

(Mr. Cormand enters the room)

[Blue]Mr. Cormand:[/Blue] Come on. We gotta go.

(Drake takes one final look at Billy and leaves the room)

(Billy downs the whole glass of whiskey)

(Cut to a young man MASON FILNARD laying on a hotel bed with red covers)

(He is reading a book)

[Blue]Mason:[/Blue] “I'm an outlaw, not a hero. I never intended to rescue you. We're our own dragons as well as our own heroes, and we have to rescue ourselves from ourselves.”

(Mason flips the book over and reads the title)

[Blue]Mason:[/Blue] “Still Life with the Woodpecker.” Interesting little novel.

(There is a female voice from the bathroom)

[Blue]Voice:[/Blue] Mason…are you talking to yourself again?

[Blue]Mason:[/Blue] Yes.

[Blue]Voice:[/Blue] You shouldn’t do that.

[Blue]Mason:[/Blue] Actually, Amanda, they say talking to yourself denotes intelligence.

(A young woman emerges from the bathroom)

(She has a toothbrush in her mouth and her hair is wet)

(Her name is AMANDA FILNARD)

[Blue]Amanda:[/Blue] It’s annoying. Could you please stop it?

[Blue]Mason:[/Blue] I don’t see why it bothers you so much. You knew I talked to myself before you married me.

[Blue]Amanda:[/Blue] I didn’t know you were going to do it all the time.

[Blue]Mason:[/Blue] I don’t do it all the time. I do it once…twice a week, tops.

(Amanda sighs and goes back into the bathroom)

(Her voice can be heard from outside)

[Blue]Amanda VO:[/Blue] You do it more than that.

[Blue]Mason:[/Blue] You just think I do it more because it annoys you.

[Blue]Amanda VO:[/Blue] If you know it annoys me, why do you do it?

[Blue]Mason:[/Blue] It’s a habit, I guess. Have you read this book?

(Amanda walks out to take a quick look at the book)

[Blue]Amanda:[/Blue] No.

(Amanda walks back into the bathroom)

[Blue]Mason:[/Blue] It’s pretty good. You should read it.

[Blue]Amanda VO:[/Blue] I don’t have time. I have to pick up the cake tomorrow.

[Blue]Mason:[/Blue] Well, I don’t mean you should read it right this minute…but maybe sometime in the foreseeable future?

[Blue]Amanda VO:[/Blue] I don’t know. I’m busy a lot.

[Blue]Mason:[/Blue] What are you busy with? I’m the one who has an actual job.

[Blue]Amanda VO:[/Blue] You think cleaning up after you isn’t an actual job?

[Blue]Mason:[/Blue] Come on, now, I’m sure you can find the time to read a book.

[Blue]Amanda VO:[/Blue] I’ll try…for your sake.

(Mason rests his hand on the cover of the book)

(We see a quick flash of letters)

(The book hits the floor)

(Cut to Mason breathing heavily)

[Blue]Amanda VO:[/Blue] Is that you? I can hear you breathing from in here.

(Amanda walks out and walks over to Mason)

[Blue]Amanda:[/Blue] Are you all right?

[Blue]Mason:[/Blue] I feel cold.

(Amanda feels Mason’s cheek)

[Blue]Amanda:[/Blue] Are you hurting? Should I call an ambulance?

(Mason lays back on the bed)

[Blue]Mason:[/Blue] No…I’m fine. I’m just a little cold, that’s all.

(Mason pulls the blue covers up to his neck)

(Amanda gets underneath the covers with him)

[Blue]Amanda:[/Blue] When we get back home, I’m taking you to the doctor. It’s been a while since you’ve had a check-up.

(Mason sighs)

[Blue]Mason:[/Blue] I feel better now.

[Blue]Amanda:[/Blue] Is this an electric blanket? It’s really warm under here.

[Blue]Mason:[/Blue] You sure? It feels just right to me.

[Blue]Amanda:[/Blue] I hope I haven’t caught whatever you have.

(Cut to Billy sitting at a table in a diner)

(Nathaniel and Otis are sitting across from him)

[Blue]Billy:[/Blue] Everything that I’ve investigated…I’ve given to the government.

(Otis looks disappointed)

[Blue]Otis:[/Blue] So you resumed working for them?

[Blue]Billy:[/Blue] I never said that.

[Blue]Otis:[/Blue] I know that you used to work for them. You probably still feel that you should try to help them. I can understand patriotism, being a war vet myself. If you choose to help them instead of us…that’s your decision.

[Blue]Billy:[/Blue] I haven’t made any decisions yet.

[Blue]Otis:[/Blue] To tell you the truth, Billy, our government’s deserted us. We, as the people, have to fend for ourselves. The population has dropped. We’ve got just under 200,000 people living in DC. Compare that to nearly 600,000 a year ago. People are moving away…or dying because of the Malformeds warring against each other.

[Blue]Billy:[/Blue] How do you plan to get the 200,000 normal people out of DC?

[Blue]Otis:[/Blue] Not everybody’s going to agree. Some people have homes, some people just don’t care. I never get that. They see buildings toppling around them, men, women, and children dying…and it just doesn’t register.

[Blue]Billy:[/Blue] How many people have agreed to go on this expedition?

[Blue]Nathaniel:[/Blue] 2,000. Give or take.

[Blue]Billy:[/Blue] That’s a lot of people.

[Blue]Otis:[/Blue] Just one percent of the DC population.

[Blue]Billy:[/Blue] What do you have for transportation?

[Blue]Nathaniel:[/Blue] Charter buses. We’ve been stealing them from rental companies. We have about 70 charter buses. Enough for over 4,000 people.

[Blue]Billy:[/Blue] Stealing them?

[Blue]Otis:[/Blue] Sometimes you have to take risks in the present to be safe in the future.

(Billy is obviously uncomfortable)

[Blue]Billy:[/Blue] Did you have to steal them?

[Blue]Otis:[/Blue] Yes.

[Blue]Nathaniel:[/Blue] We could’ve exacted money from everyone to buy the buses. But a lot of people are abandoning their homes. I doubt we could get them to pay. Try to enforce it and deserters would put a dent in our one percent.

[Blue]Billy:[/Blue] How are you going to organize all these people?

[Blue]Nathaniel:[/Blue] We’ve reserved the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. We’ll leave from there.

[Blue]Billy:[/Blue] That’s on Mount Vernon Place, right?

[Blue]Nathaniel:[/Blue] Yep.

[Blue]Billy:[/Blue] Still…it’s 2,000 people.

[Blue]Nathaniel:[/Blue] We’ve gotten bus drivers willing to take the trip. We also have a designated overseer on each bus. They’re the ones who originally decided to help us organize this trip. We have about sixty-five definite overseers and about a hundred possible.

[Blue]Otis:[/Blue] On that note, our first ally in this mission is a friend of yours. Indigo Peterson. He was supposed to meet us here.

[Blue]Billy:[/Blue] Indigo? He worked in my department. We used to have fun, but he retired before I did. How is he?

[Blue]Otis:[/Blue] He’s doing fine. The very model of punctuality.

[Blue]Nathaniel:[/Blue] Speak of the devil.

(INDIGO PETERSON walks up to the table)

(Indigo sits down next to Billy)

[Blue]Indigo:[/Blue] And he shall appear…And, please, I’m no devil. In fact, I’m an angel of light.

[Blue]Otis:[/Blue] You’re late.

[Blue]Indigo:[/Blue] Had some business I needed to attend to. Trying to help organize this whole venture is strenuous work, no doubt. So Billy agreed to join us?

[Blue]Otis:[/Blue] He hasn’t agreed to anything…yet.

[Blue]Indigo:[/Blue] Come on, Bill, you’re retired, I’m retired. Mutants are infiltrating the nation’s capital complete with derring-do and gross vandalism. Why not see if we can actually retire from this whole violent business of life-or-death situations?

[Blue]Billy:[/Blue] The job never leaves us alone.

[Blue]Indigo:[/Blue] Exactly. That’s why we need to leave it alone. It gets bloody bothersome after a while.

[Blue]Nathaniel:[/Blue] Indigo is our first overseer.

[Blue]Indigo:[/Blue] I have Bus #3. Nathaniel and Otis have Bus #1. I think they’re reserving Bus #2 for you, Bill.

[Blue]Billy:[/Blue] How far do you think you’ll have to travel?

[Blue]Nathaniel:[/Blue] The hard part will be going west from here to Illinois. Malformeds are heavy in the areas in between. From Illinois…we talk about where we go from there. Only my father and I know our destination. We can’t tell anybody. Not you, Billy, nor you, Indigo. We just know on good authority that we’re heading for a haven from our current threat to security.

[Blue]Billy:[/Blue] So basically you’re asking that I put my confidence in you? That you and my cousin aren’t leading us away from our homes on a futile mission?

[Blue]Nathaniel:[/Blue] Well…yeah, basically that’s what I’m asking.

(Billy leans back and rubs his temples)

[Blue]Billy:[/Blue] It should take us a couple of days to get to Illinois, right?

(Otis and Indigo smile)

[Blue]Nathaniel:[/Blue] Not quite. We do have an anti-government Malformed organization that may object to our attempts at escape. They believe that people should try to co-exist with the Malformeds. Honestly they’re the source of most of the fights that result in casualties. They’ve been attacking treasuries, oil wells, government buildings…matter of fact, one of the conflicts resulted in your brother’s death. The government’s actually installed prisons designed to hold them in malls, banks, and hotels…but none of them have gotten caught. They might try to attack our buses.

[Blue]Billy:[/Blue] Yes, I’ve heard of them. They call themselves the Perfected, right? Led by that fire-starter…goes by the name of Fuego if I’m not mistaken.

(Otis looks shaken)

[Blue]Billy:[/Blue] Wait…is that the one who…

[Blue]Nathaniel:[/Blue] Yeah.

[Blue]Indigo:[/Blue] Adalyn is one of the overseers.

[Blue]Billy:[/Blue] She is?

[Blue]Otis:[/Blue] Billy…are you doing this or not? We need your help.

(The camera slowly closes in on Billy’s face)

[Blue]Billy:[/Blue] Yeah.

(Cut to a woman playing “Moonlight Sonata” on a piano onstage)

(The audience watches in rapt attention)

(Her name is ADALYN GRIFFITH)

(She finishes the first movement and stands)

(Adalyn bows to the audience as they cheer her performance)

(Cut to Adalyn walking backstage)

(Billy walks up to her)

(Adalyn is shocked)

[Blue]Adalyn:[/Blue] Billy…

[Blue]Billy:[/Blue] Hello, Adalyn. That was beautiful.

[Blue]Adalyn:[/Blue] What are you doing here?

[Blue]Billy:[/Blue] I just came to enjoy the music.

[Blue]Adalyn:[/Blue] Cut the crap. You retired to some godforsaken island without a word and now you’ve popped back into my life?

(Adalyn sighs)

[Blue]Adalyn:[/Blue] What do you want?

[Blue]Billy:[/Blue] I just wanted to congratulate you on your accomplishment.

(Adalyn scoffs and walks past him)

[Blue]Billy:[/Blue] I hear you’re taking a trip soon.

(Adalyn pauses and turns around)

[Blue]Adalyn:[/Blue] I’m going to visit my parents this weekend. I might not be back for a while. Besides, of what concern is it to you? You didn’t tell me when you moved away so why should you know about my vacations?

[Blue]Billy:[/Blue] Don’t your parents live down south? I heard you’re heading west.

[Blue]Adalyn:[/Blue] You heard wrong.

[Blue]Billy:[/Blue] I’m going too, Adalyn.

(Adalyn raises her eyebrow)

[Blue]Adalyn:[/Blue] Going where?

[Blue]Billy:[/Blue] With Otis and Nathaniel and Indigo…and you. Trying to find a haven from the Malformeds. I’m one of the overseers.

[Blue]Adalyn:[/Blue] Are you serious?

[Blue]Billy:[/Blue] Bus #2.

[Blue]Adalyn:[/Blue] That’s ridiculous. They gave me Bus #5.

(Two people carry the piano past Adalyn and Billy)

[Blue]Billy:[/Blue] Where are they taking the piano?

[Blue]Adalyn:[/Blue] A hotel. The PAC can’t afford repairs since the damage to the opera house. It’s shutting down.

[Blue]Billy:[/Blue] Malformeds?

(Adalyn nods her head)

[Blue]Billy:[/Blue] I just wanted to let you know.

[Blue]Adalyn:[/Blue] That’s nice. I’ve got a dinner I was invited to. I’ll see you this weekend, Bill.

(Adalyn turns around and walks off)

(Cut to Drake flipping through some papers in his office)

(General Wallaby knocks on the door)

[Blue]Mark:[/Blue] Can I come in?

[Blue]Drake:[/Blue] Absolutely, sir. Make yourself comfortable.

(Mark walks over and sits down across from Drake)

[Blue]Drake:[/Blue] I actually wanted to talk to you. Billy handed over some of the things he’s investigated and they’re giving us a lot of needed clarification.

[Blue]Mark:[/Blue] Actually, that’s what I’m here for. Just trying to confirm that you’re making progress. I mean, why else would you be looking at restricted files?

[Blue]Drake:[/Blue] Yeah…it’s just one of the most tangible origin points for the Malformeds is government-related.

[Blue]Mark:[/Blue] Really? That’s interesting. What have you found out?

[Blue]Drake:[/Blue] All right. There are, from what I’ve discovered, three possible points of origin with specific addresses.

[Blue]Mark:[/Blue] There are three? Well, we should send troops to each one. How’d you figure this out?

[Blue]Drake:[/Blue] Billy figured most of it out. He went back before the Malformeds appeared. As you know, most of them are in DC, but some of them are worldwide. One thing I noticed is that, as soon as the Malformeds appeared, there’s a sub-section of governmental research that was immediately opened…before anybody even knew what they were dealing with. Actually the recent attack directed my attention to it. I mean, why would Fuego and his partner hack into the computers at the building and target a specific branch of government to steal money from…that, to common knowledge, isn’t involved in the research of Malformeds?

[Blue]Mark:[/Blue] Good question.

[Blue]Drake:[/Blue] So I searched the database…bypassing the block on restricted files of course. F-9. Monochromatic telecommunication research. I’ve got the second highest security clearance in the building and the doors would not open for me. Now why is it that we even have a section dedicated to the research of black-and-white television? And why is it that a person with the second-highest clearance in this building can’t gain access? And why would the files concerning it be under restriction? So, naturally, I studied F-9 a little more. Everything related to it is code. But code for what?

[Blue]Mark:[/Blue] I think you’re looking into this a bit too much. I agree it’s weird and I’ll ask my superiors about it. But I’m going to need you to turn over those three addresses.

[Blue]Drake:[/Blue] Now?

[Blue]Mark:[/Blue] Yeah.

[Blue]Drake:[/Blue] All right.

(Drake hands him the paper)

[Blue]Mark:[/Blue] Thank you.

[Blue]Drake:[/Blue] Is that all, sir?

[Blue]Mark:[/Blue] Actually…give me everything you’ve investigated regarding the origin of the Malformeds. You’re being reassigned to another case.

[Blue]Drake:[/Blue] Why?

[Blue]Mark:[/Blue] You’ve helped us out a lot, but your assistance in this area is no longer required. Your new case will be on your desk in the morning. We’ll schedule your debriefing for tomorrow afternoon. Now hand them over.

(Drake picks up the papers and stacks them on the table)

(He hands them to Mark)

(Mark stands up and walks to the door)

[Blue]Mark:[/Blue] Have a nice day, Drake.

(Mark leaves the room)

(Drake stands up and we see a paper in his back pocket)

(Cut to soldiers and tanks converging on a house)

(The soldiers draw their guns and bust down the door)

(The house is messy)

(There are kids screaming and ducking under the tables)

(A man runs into the room)

[Blue]Man:[/Blue] Stop! Stop!

(The soldiers shoot him in the leg and throw a net over him)

(They haul him out of the house and grab the screaming children)

(Cut to Mark standing outside with a handheld tranceiver)

(A soldier walks up to him)

[Blue]Soldier #1:[/Blue] Nothing but a whole bunch of kids and a few adults.

[Blue]Mark:[/Blue] What?

[Blue]Soldier #1:[/Blue] There was a cake and some punch, but after analyzing the contents, we found no suspicious compounds. Everything’s clean.

(Mark looks at the paper)

(His eyes widen)

(He hits a button on his transceiver)

[Blue]Mark:[/Blue] Everybody back to the Pentagon! I repeat, everybody back to the Pentagon! Find Drake Desmond! Do you hear me? Find Drake Desmond!

(Cut to Drake pulling up to a warehouse in the middle of nowhere)

(He cocks his Beretta 92 and gets out of the car)

(He walks to the entrance of the warehouse and kicks the door in)

(It’s pitch black inside)

(Drake enters the warehouse with his gun drawn and pulls out a small flashlight)

(It shines through the darkness and illuminates a hooded man)

(Green fluorescent lights suddenly flicker on and bathe the room in unnatural light)

(The hooded man stays still in the corner)

[Blue]Drake:[/Blue] Turn around slowly and put your hands on your head.

(The hooded man turns around)

(He is a clean-shaven young man and he smiles at Drake)

[Blue]Hooded Man:[/Blue] It’s rude to barge in on people…especially wielding a weapon.

[Blue]Drake:[/Blue] Who are you?

[Blue]Hooded Man:[/Blue] The original.

[Blue]Drake:[/Blue] The original Malformed?

[Blue]Hooded Man:[/Blue] How does it feel to know that when the all-pervading darkness crushes the air around you and destroys everything that you love and care about…you will be the only one responsible?

[Blue]Drake:[/Blue] What?

[Blue]Hooded Man:[/Blue] Aside from an asinine demand, all you’ve done is ask questions. I figured I’d start answering your irrelevant inquiries with questions that actually matter. On that note, would you like to hear a story?

(Drake notices a scythe on the wall)

[Blue]Drake:[/Blue] You’re into agriculture?

[Blue]Hooded Man:[/Blue] Once upon a time there were three men. One of them wanted all the power in the world, to rule everything he could see. The other wanted all the wisdom in the world, to know everything that there was to know. And the third man wanted the capability to destroy death forever. Now the first man started a war and the war lasted for half a century. Over the course of this time, he gained more and more power off the conquered blood of his enemies. But unforeseen circumstances arose and he lost his power. His kingdom fell; his family…wives and daughters and sons…were slowly cut in two after being flogged, and, though he managed to escape, he died a beggar on the streets of some godforsaken place. The second man acquired all the wisdom he could possibly contain. But he still wanted to know more so he explored the nature of evil…something that he just was not prepared for. To try to understand ignorance is a futile mission because emotion without reason cannot be defined; it is wild, and if applied well enough, it can be addictive. So he finds something that even he can’t discern…something malicious and malevolent with just enough perspective self-righteousness to keep existing. He is held down, gets his eardrums punctured with a dirty needle, his eyes stabbed out with the same needle, his tongue cut out with a serrated knife, and his arms sawn off at the shoulder. They fed him bread for two years after until he died. The third man tried to get rid of death. He searched everywhere for the solution. He saw men rise to power and fall in the same day. He saw children die by fire and he witnessed men and women killing for pleasure. For overstepping his boundaries, trying to defy mortality, he was doomed to thousands of years of death and suffering…with the calling of murder his only connection to life. The funny thing is…it took humanity thousands of years to catch up with him.

(The hooded man slowly begins walking over to Drake)

[Blue]Hooded Man:[/Blue] Do you know what the moral of the story is, Drake? You have no choice. Slowly but surely you become what it is you hate. What am I? I am a man who sees nothing at the end of the tunnel.

[Blue]Drake:[/Blue] If you come any closer, I’ll shoot.

[Blue]Hooded Man:[/Blue] I know you will.

(The scythe flies off the wall into the man’s hand)

(Drake shoots the man three times)

(The Hooded Man falls back and hits the ground)

(Drake breathes heavily)

(He leans over and sees nothing but dust where the man fell)

(Drake shudders and a slight smile forms on his face)

(Cut to Mr. Cormand and Mark watching security cameras of Drake leaving his office)

[Blue]Mark:[/Blue] You see that paper in his back pocket? He gave us some fake addresses. He knew we were coming for them.

[Blue]Mr. Cormand:[/Blue] The question is…where did he go?

[Blue]Mark:[/Blue] Wherever he went that’s where we need to be right now.

[Blue]Mr. Cormand:[/Blue] You want me to track him down? See if he found out anything we need to know?

[Blue]Mark:[/Blue] I’ll get some of my men on it. I need you for a different job.

(Mark pulls out a photo and hands it to Mr. Cormand)

[Blue]Mark:[/Blue] His name is Mason Filnard.

[Blue]Mr. Cormand:[/Blue] Wait a minute. Do you think he might be the one?

[Blue]Mark:[/Blue] We don’t know. Let’s just say…life has seemed to accommodate him. Whether that means he can distort matter at will is a different story. But he needs to be detained. He’s staying at a hotel not far from here. He’s going to his sister-in-law’s graduation Sunday. Pick him up from there. If everything goes smoothly, bring him here. If not, then secure him at the hotel. We don’t want to bring any potential attacks here.

[Blue]Mr. Cormand:[/Blue] Yes, sir.

[Blue]Mark:[/Blue] Also…take Atlas with you. Just in case.

(Cut to the inside of the Walter E. Washington Convention Center)

(Billy is looking at the rows of empty seats)

(Indigo walks over to him)

[Blue]Indigo:[/Blue] Later today these rows will be filled with people wanting to escape the calamitous situation imposed upon us by the Malformeds. They will want inspiration. You were always a good speaker.

[Blue]Billy:[/Blue] I’m not doing it.

[Blue]Indigo:[/Blue] Come on, Bill. It’s not much. Just a few words to excite the crowd.

[Blue]Billy:[/Blue] I’m not going to do it.

[Blue]Indigo:[/Blue] Bill, you know you never mean what you say.

[Blue]Billy:[/Blue] I mean that.

(Indigo sighs)

[Blue]Indigo:[/Blue] I gotta go get something real quick. Otis and Nathaniel want to see you.

(Cut to Nathaniel in his underwear)

(He takes off his watch and throws it at the wall)

(There is a pile of clothes at his feet)

(Billy enters the room)

[Blue]Billy:[/Blue] What the…

[Blue]Nathaniel:[/Blue] Somebody bugged all of my clothing!

[Blue]Otis:[/Blue] We think it was the Perfected. Depending on when they did it, that means they could’ve heard what we’ve been planning for at least a month.

[Blue]Billy:[/Blue] So…if that’s the case…they know everything now?

[Blue]Nathaniel:[/Blue] Everything.

[Blue]Billy:[/Blue] How’d you find out?

[Blue]Otis:[/Blue] We were setting up the metal detector. It also detects bugs and recording devices. Soon as we complete it, Nathaniel tests it out and it starts ringing. I test it out…nothing. Nathaniel analyzes his clothing and finds bugs everywhere.

[Blue]Billy:[/Blue] Why just Nathaniel? Why didn’t they bug both of you?

[Blue]Otis:[/Blue] I don’t know. But Indigo went to go get him some new clothes.

[Blue]Billy:[/Blue] Do you think they’ll attack us?

[Blue]Nathaniel:[/Blue] They don’t want to kill us. They just want to keep tabs on us.

[Blue]Otis:[/Blue] You never know. They’re barbarous monsters. An attack is probably likely.

[Blue]Billy:[/Blue] Well, we’ve got to be ready.

(Cut to thousands of people sitting in their seats)

(Nathaniel walks up to the podium)

[Blue]Nathaniel:[/Blue] We welcome you with deep gratitude in joining our expedition. You are ones that have recognized the threat that these superhuman forces pose to us and you have acted wisely in response to it. You have gathered with us and sacrificed your homes in order to find peace and security. Some of you may be nervous. Some of you may be unprepared for what lies ahead. But I promise you that this journey will not be in vain. It’s been 184 days since they first started to appear. Some wanted to protect us. Some wanted to destroy us. They all killed us. Despite their intentions, the Malformeds will continue to endanger our well-being. We must find sanctuary. I will now call to the podium one of our overseers Adalyn Griffith.

(Adalyn walks up and begins to speak)

[Blue]Adalyn:[/Blue] My name is Adalyn Griffith. I will be overseeing Bus #5 on our expedition. But now I want to talk to you about something. Fear.

(Billy watches from the audience)

[Blue]Adalyn:[/Blue] I am sure that we’ve all been afraid before. In the wake of these events, many have been fearful. But there are some…like the Executioner…who aspire to be fearless in the face of this disaster. As we all know, the Executioner is a man without any known powers who saves people from harm. Some think that he is from the government. Others think that he is a member of the Perfected. But is what he does really admirable? No, it is not. It just adds to the frantic perversity of the times that we live in. See, we are afraid. But our fear keeps us alive and helps us survive. Our fear motivates us to do the right thing. Our fear makes us human. And that makes us far more heroic than any Malformed or vigilante could dare to be.

(The audience claps in response)

(Cut to a line of buses moving down the highway)

(A jet flies over the line of buses)

[Blue]Otis VO:[/Blue] Our first stop will be in Pittsburgh. It’s a five-hour trip from DC to Pittsburgh. From Pittsburgh, we’ll make our way to Illinois with brief stops until we get there.

(Cut to a man sticking a gun in a woman’s face)

[Blue]Man:[/Blue] Purse now!

(The frightened woman hands over her purse)

(The man runs off down a dark alley)

(He pauses to rifle through her purse)

(A shadow passes over the frantic crook)

(The criminal turns around)

(He gets slammed in the face with an axe handle)

(The criminal pulls out his gun as his face swells up)

(There is a nasty purple bruise on the right side of his face)

(The figure slices the gun out of the man’s hand)

(He hits the man in the face with the flat of the axe-blade)

(The man falls to the ground unconscious)

(The figure stands over him)

(A dark hood is covering his face)

(He is the EXECUTIONER)

(We hear clapping)

(Drake is standing behind him)

(The Executioner wheels around)

[Blue]Drake:[/Blue] That was a nice show of vigilantism. You’re late.

(The Executioner speaks in a deep distorted voice)

[Blue]Executioner:[/Blue] I had business to attend to. So you want to talk to the Perfected? Introduce yourself to Fuego?

[Blue]Drake:[/Blue] Yeah, that’s the idea. I admire the principles.

[Blue]Executioner:[/Blue] What do you know about our principles?

[Blue]Drake:[/Blue] Probably more than you do. So when do I get the pleasure?

[Blue]Executioner:[/Blue] Well, I’m usually the go-to guy, but I have other matters to attend to. Drake Desmond. Detective for the Pentagon. I don’t see why I should let you know where they are. So you can bring the military to our doorsteps?

[Blue]Drake:[/Blue] I know you too. If I really wanted to attack the Perfected, I would reveal your identity to the public and confirm your alliance with them. And there’s no profit from me leading the military to their hideout. They probably have a thousand exit strategies in case such a thing does happen.

[Blue]Executioner:[/Blue] That is true. Why do you want to talk to them?

[Blue]Drake:[/Blue] Do you want me to show you?

(Drake extends his hand)

[Blue]Drake:[/Blue] Look behind you.

(The Executioner turns around)

(We see the shadow of the unconscious crook hovering in mid-air)

(Close-up on the Executioner’s eyes widening)

(Cut to JOHN WILDER sitting in a chair)

(He is the Flying Man from earlier)

(Fuego is sitting across from him)

[Blue]John:[/Blue] It’s Atlas. He keeps messing up our plans. Every time we try to deprive the government of its funds, he attacks us. Something needs to be done.

[Blue]Fuego:[/Blue] I know. He’s been a thorn in my side for quite a while now.

(Fuego sighs)

[Blue]Fuego:[/Blue] They think Mason is the guy. We’ve got Acrobat picking up Mason at the graduation. He’s bringing him back here. We can’t risk getting him at the hotel. They actually built in a prison for Malformeds at the hotel.

[Blue]John:[/Blue] If it does get to the hotel, I’ll help out Acrobat myself. But the hotel is a dangerous place. While they’ve made no attempt at extricating Mason, I’m sure they’ve got it under tight surveillance.

[Blue]Drake:[/Blue] You’d be right.

(Both Fuego and John jump up)

(Drake is standing at the entrance to the room)

[Blue]Drake:[/Blue] It’s hard slipping by your Perfected undetected. Hey, that rhymed.

[Blue]Fuego:[/Blue] Who are you? What are you doing here?

(Fuego’s hands light up)

[Blue]Drake:[/Blue] Excuse me. I don’t mean to barge in. I just had a revelation. Bear with me for a minute. I think that you cannot put the cart before the horse unless the horse is trotting backwards. Now the question…what makes a horse trot backwards?

[Blue]John:[/Blue] What?

[Blue]Drake:[/Blue] Manipulation is necessary to make a horse trot backwards. Now…we’re trying to put the cart before the horse, namely, attacking the government without letting the general public know the real reason. So here it goes…we have to manipulate the lives of the people who work there. If we target each of them, like Cormand, Wallaby, Atlas…as I think you were talking about…then we are winning. Cormand is gonna be at the graduation ceremony. I met Acrobat on the way here and gave him a gun. One good shot…and Cormand is gone. Wallaby is on government property. It’ll be a little hard, but I have a special death prepared for him. And Atlas…well, nothing that you guys do can stop him. You’ve shot fire at him, tried to fly away…nothing works. The man’s punches are like missiles. But…but, but, but…where is he when his punches can’t land? Or what if he’s punching for us? I can manipulate things for you. I can show you exactly how to put the cart before the horse.

[Blue]John:[/Blue] Wait a minute. You look familiar. Is your name Drake?

[Blue]Drake:[/Blue] That’s what they say.

[Blue]John:[/Blue] You used to work for the government?

[Blue]Drake:[/Blue] To my knowledge, I still do.

[Blue]Fuego:[/Blue] What’s your agenda? Why are you doing this?

(Drake pauses)

[Blue]Drake:[/Blue] Because…like you…I feel perfected.

(Cut to a huge line of buses going down the highway)

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

(The buses pull into the David Lawrence convention center)

(Huge crowds of people file out of the buses)

(They enter the convention center)

(Cut to Nathaniel with an oxy-gas torch in his hand)

(He is standing over a suit of armor on the table)

(Billy enters the room)

[Blue]Billy:[/Blue] What you working on?

[Blue]Nathaniel:[/Blue] Nothing…just a little project.

(Billy walks over and looks at the suit of armor)

[Blue]Billy:[/Blue] Cool. What’s it for?

[Blue]Nathaniel:[/Blue] It’s nothing. I told you.

[Blue]Billy:[/Blue] Okay. Just don’t do anything stupid.

[Blue]Nathaniel:[/Blue] I’ll tell you…just as long as you promise not to tell my dad.

[Blue]Billy:[/Blue] Sounds like you’re gonna do something stupid, but okay, I promise.

[Blue]Nathaniel:[/Blue] I’ve been working on this for a while. You see, Billy, like my father, I believe in something more. And I believe that we shouldn’t be running away from the Malformeds. Well…let me rephrase that. I believe we should protect the people by keeping them safe in the power-free paradise. But we also have to fight to preserve humanity. So I’m designing a suit.

[Blue]Billy:[/Blue] A suit?

[Blue]Nathaniel:[/Blue] It will give me the abilities of a Malformed. Super-strength, fire, flying. If this works, I’ll be unstoppable.

[Blue]Billy:[/Blue] Look, Nathaniel, I don’t think this is a good idea. These people have natural abilities. A suit can malfunction, a suit can fail…it’s just too risky.

[Blue]Nathaniel:[/Blue] We have to fight.

[Blue]Billy:[/Blue] We have to live.

[Blue]Nathaniel:[/Blue] We must fight to live.

[Blue]Billy:[/Blue] We must live to fight another day.

[Blue]Nathaniel:[/Blue] You know, I would love continuing this fun word inversion but I’m busy trying to invent something potentially life-saving.

[Blue]Billy:[/Blue] Nathaniel, I honestly don’t think this is the right way to do it.

(Indigo enters the room)

[Blue]Indigo:[/Blue] He’s right.

[Blue]Nathaniel:[/Blue] Not you too.

[Blue]Indigo:[/Blue] The Malformeds are dangerous. You shouldn’t try to face them like this.

[Blue]Nathaniel:[/Blue] Does it look like I have a choice? I’ll lose everything I love if I don’t stand up when the time calls for it! I’ve got to be a hero.

(There is silence for a second)

[Blue]Indigo:[/Blue] You can be. Just not…with this.

[Blue]Nathaniel:[/Blue] Oh, my work isn’t good enough?

[Blue]Billy:[/Blue] He didn’t say that.

[Blue]Nathaniel:[/Blue] But the implication is enough.

[Blue]Indigo:[/Blue] Please don’t put words in my mouth. Your work is fine.

[Blue]Nathaniel:[/Blue] Just not fine enough to save your ungrateful life?

[Blue]Indigo:[/Blue] All right. This is not my affair. I will take my leave.

(Indigo leaves the room)

[Blue]Billy:[/Blue] He’s just trying to help.

[Blue]Nathaniel:[/Blue] Every doubter is just trying to help when they’re the ones who need it. They lack so much confidence in the people around them that it mars their judgment. Could I get back to my work please?

(Billy leaves the room)

(Cut to Atlas walking down the street)

(A brick flies out of nowhere and hits him in the head)

(Atlas grabs his head and looks down at the brick)

(There is a note on it)

(MEET ME IN SUBWAY 10:00)

(Cut to Atlas walking through the subway)

(It is late at night and the subway is empty)

[Blue]Drake:[/Blue] Train should be arriving soon.

(Atlas turns around)

(Drake is standing a few feet away)

[Blue]Atlas:[/Blue] Drake?

[Blue]Drake:[/Blue] Hey, Atlas, what’s up?

[Blue]Atlas:[/Blue] They’re looking all over for you. What happened?

[Blue]Drake:[/Blue] I happened to turn up at the right place at the wrong time. Or the wrong place at the right time. I seem to be contradicting myself a lot lately. Ah well…can’t be helped.

[Blue]Atlas:[/Blue] Did you find out? Ya know, where the Malformeds came from? Is that why you wanted to meet me here?

[Blue]Drake:[/Blue] In answer to your first question, yes, I did find out where the Malformeds came from. But, no, that’s not why I wanted to meet you here. We’re not children, Atlas. I can give you the facts, but you won’t exactly absorb it the way you should. My goal is to help you appreciate the truth. Most people only learn from example.

[Blue]Atlas:[/Blue] Yeah, but what’s that have to do with anything? Are you going to show me where the Malformeds came from?

(Drake laughs)

[Blue]Drake:[/Blue] You don’t know how perfect the question is that you just asked me. Yes, I very well might show you, but the price is heavy.

[Blue]Atlas:[/Blue] Why are you being all cryptic? You don’t seem like the same person.

[Blue]Drake:[/Blue] I’m not. But, first, a demonstration.

(Drake points his fingers down towards the back of the station)

(A frightened man appears floating from the back of the station)

(Atlas’ eyes widen in disbelief)

(The man has a piece of paper in his pocket)

(Drake pulls the man over to him telekinetically)

(He pulls the paper out of the man’s pocket)

[Blue]Drake:[/Blue] You know how hard it is to find the winning lottery ticket? Almost impossible. And this man has just won $100 million.

(Drake flings the paper to Atlas)

[Blue]Drake:[/Blue] And now that money is yours. Do with it what you wish.

[Blue]Atlas:[/Blue] What?

[Blue]Drake:[/Blue] I’m going to kill people, Atlas. People you know, people you’ve probably befriended, people you’ve probably never met…starting with this man. This is basically payment to keep you from getting in my way.

(The man is flung forward onto the track)

(The light from the oncoming train shines in the distance)

[Blue]Drake:[/Blue] The only light at the end of the tunnel we can hope for.

[Blue]Atlas:[/Blue] Are you mad?

[Blue]Drake:[/Blue] Mad? I’m infuriated. But that’s conversation for another day. Now’s the time to congratulate you on becoming a millionaire. At the expense of this man’s life, you’ll brighten your own.

(Atlas runs onto the track and grabs the man)

(He throws him back into the station and gives him the paper)

(The frightened man runs past Drake as he leaves the station)

[Blue]Drake:[/Blue] That was a quick decision. Impressive. But I doubt you’d do it again if you had the time to think about it.

[Blue]Atlas:[/Blue] So that was the purpose of your sadistic test? To see whether I’d do the right thing? I’d still do it if I had a second or a year to think about it.

[Blue]Drake:[/Blue] We’ll find that out soon enough.

[Blue]Atlas:[/Blue] How did you get powers? That doesn’t matter. You’ve gone power-mad. You belong in prison.

[Blue]Drake:[/Blue] They say the world is hell...and we are its flames.

[Blue]Atlas:[/Blue] Drake, please. I don’t know how you got your powers, but do you even know how much good you could accomplish? Why suddenly switch sides?

[Blue]Drake:[/Blue] I tried to be good. I tried to be a nice little loser who would simply enjoy life without having to overcome any great obstacles. But they pressured me to win. They wanted me to win everything. I could've done just fine being a loser. But they wanted me to be a winner. You see, Atlas, if you're a loser, it doesn't matter who you are before you become the villain. You could be some deranged psychopath escaped from the nuthouse or you could be a man with a loving family and a great job. It makes no difference once you take the path of self-destruction. But, if you're a winner, you are driven...you are motivated for a purpose. Your villainy isn't just lashing out at the complacency of life, it's lashing out at the complacency of other men. Back when I was losing, it didn't mean that I had completely become a pathetic shell of a man. I was winning inside. And now you see my purpose...now you see why I'm motivated against what I formerly supported. I will no longer be the loser they pretend to need and want. I will be the winner they really need and want. It's who I am inside and death bows to destiny. Time for hell. Prepare for heaven.

(Drake’s arm shoots out)

(The train rockets into view)

(Atlas flies back into the tunnel)

(The train hits him at full speed)

(Atlas’ body caves in the front of the train)

(He burst through into the train’s interior)

(The train screeches to a halt)

(The doors open and Atlas stumbles out)

(Drake is nowhere to be found)

(Cut to Billy walking through a crowd of people)

(He sees Adalyn standing on the mezzanine watching them)

(Cut to Billy walking up next to Adalyn)

[Blue]Billy:[/Blue] That was a good speech you gave.

[Blue]Adalyn:[/Blue] Thanks. I heard that you refused to speak.

[Blue]Billy:[/Blue] I’m not that good at public speaking.

[Blue]Adalyn:[/Blue] I see you haven’t stopped.

[Blue]Billy:[/Blue] Stopped what?

[Blue]Adalyn:[/Blue] Lying.

[Blue]Billy:[/Blue] Look, I am sorry that I didn’t tell you I was leaving. I just wanted to rid myself of my former…life, I guess you could say.

[Blue]Adalyn:[/Blue] So you wanted to break up? I could understand that. Just call me and tell me. But to leave and not tell me anything? That’s dirty.

[Blue]Billy:[/Blue] I never said I wanted to break up.

[Blue]Adalyn:[/Blue] Oh.

(Adalyn smiles)

(Billy smiles back)

[Blue]Adalyn:[/Blue] I’m breaking up with you.

(Billy’s smile falls)

[Blue]Adalyn:[/Blue] God, it felt so good to say that.

[Blue]Billy:[/Blue] But…

[Blue]Adalyn:[/Blue] But what? You thought a few nice words would allow you back in my good favor? Get over yourself. Just because you’ve decided to grace us with your presence doesn’t mean that you mean anything to these people or to me.

(Adalyn walks past a stunned Billy)

[blaggers]

(Cut to a large school)

(ACROBAT is standing outside as the graduation ceremony is about to begin)

(He is smoking a cigarette)

(A teacher walks up to him)

[Blue]Teacher:[/Blue] Smoking kills.

[Blue]Acrobat:[/Blue] So does prying into the lives of others.

(Acrobat blows a smoke ring in the teacher’s face)

(The teacher walks off in a coughing fit)

(Acrobat smiles)

(Cut to Mason watching the graduation)

(He starts to doze off)

(Amanda nudges him)

[Blue]Amanda:[/Blue] Don’t fall asleep. You’ll miss everything.

[Blue]Mason:[/Blue] That sounds nice.

(Amanda scoffs)

[Blue]Mason:[/Blue] Hey…you didn’t drive.

[Blue]Amanda:[/Blue] Neither did you. We flew, remember?

[Blue]Mason:[/Blue] Oh yeah.

(Mason’s eyes open wide as he watches the ceremony)

(His eyes stay open and don’t blink)

(He starts lightly snoring)

(Amanda looks at the unblinking face of Mason in disbelief)

(She waves her hand in front of his face)

(Mason stays perfectly still with his eyes wide open)

[Blue]Amanda:[/Blue] Wow, that’s weird.

(Amanda nudges Mason)

(Mason blinks his eyes a few times and rubs them drowsily)

[Blue]Mason:[/Blue] Is it over?

[Blue]Amanda:[/Blue] No. Were you sleeping with your eyes open?

[Blue]Mason:[/Blue] Who, me? I wasn’t asleep.

(Cut to Acrobat watching from the balcony)

(He sees Mr. Cormand in the back row)

[Blue]Acrobat:[/Blue] What did the weirdo say? Oh yeah, one good shot.

(Acrobat pulls out a gun and aims it at Mr. Cormand)

(Mr. Cormand turns around and sees Acrobat pointing the gun at him)

(Acrobat fires)

(Mr. Cormand dodges under the seat)

(Everybody runs screaming in different directions)

(Acrobat jumps down towards Mr. Cormand)

(Mr. Cormand runs out of the room outside)

(Acrobat jumps all the way across the room to the outside)

(He lands behind Mr. Cormand and fires)

(The bullet hits a Kevlar vest)

(Mr. Cormand falls and rolls down the steps)

(Acrobat chases after him down the steps)

(Acrobat fires and misses again)

(Mr. Cormand hits the bottom of the steps and takes off running)

(Acrobat jumps high in the air towards him)

(Mr. Cormand takes a sharp turn and Acrobat flies past him)

(Acrobat fires in mid-air)

(The bullet grazes Mr. Cormand’s leg)

(Mr. Cormand limps and sees Mason in the crowd)

[Blue]Mason:[/Blue] Amanda! Amanda!

(Mr. Cormand grabs Mason and pulls him towards a car)

[Blue]Mr. Cormand:[/Blue] Come with me!

(Mr. Cormand drags Mason to the car and throws him in)

(He gets in behind him)

(Acrobat jumps towards the car and fires at it twice)

(Atlas is suddenly in the way)

(Acrobat lands and looks up)

(Atlas uppercuts Acrobat and he flies backwards through the air)

(He hits the ground unconscious)

(Atlas gets in the car and it speeds off)

(Cut to Billy fiddling with a video system)

(He sets up a small television)

(He turns it on and it becomes a miniature surveillance system)

(The television shows the hallways of the convention center)

(Cut to Nathaniel holding up his suit of armor)

(He smiles at his accomplishment)

(Cut to Nathaniel inside the suit of armor)

(He flexes and moves around)

(The armor is surprisingly flexible)

(Cut to Nathaniel running through the hallways in his new suit of armor)

(He runs and finds Otis reading in his room)

[Blue]Nathaniel:[/Blue] Look, look, look.

[Blue]Otis:[/Blue] What on earth is that?

[Blue]Nathaniel:[/Blue] It’s a suit of armor. It’s a protection against Malformeds. It’s defense.

[Blue]Otis:[/Blue] What? Wait, why did you…

[Blue]Nathaniel:[/Blue] Leave the questions for later. Just watch this.

(Nathaniel flips a switch on the suit)

(The suit begins to become tight)

[Blue]Nathaniel:[/Blue] Hey, it’s not supposed to do that…

(Rockets blast out of his feet and he screams)

(Nathaniel is propelled backwards into a wall)

[Blue]Otis:[/Blue] Son, son!

[Blue]Nathaniel:[/Blue] Get me out of this thing!

(Otis becomes frantic)

[Blue]Otis:[/Blue] What is it? What’s the matter?

(Nathaniel screams in pain)

[Blue]Nathaniel:[/Blue] Something must’ve gone wrong with the fuel levels! If I’m in here for another fifteen minutes, it’ll be like a super-heated oven. I’ll die! Find somebody to get me out of this thing! Quickly!

(Otis runs off down the hallway)

(Cut to Nathaniel in the suit of armor on a table)

(He’s surrounded by Adalyn, Billy, Otis, and a few men)

(They’re trying to cut off the suit)

[Blue]Nathaniel:[/Blue] Nothing works. I must’ve made a miscalculation! I made the armor too strong. The fuel got messed up.

[Blue]Billy:[/Blue] Just hang in there, Nathaniel. You’ll be all right.

[Blue]Nathaniel:[/Blue] No, no, I gotta get out of this thing! Please somebody get out of this thing! Please, for God’s sake, get me out of this thing!

(The right leg on the suit of armor ignites)

(Nathaniel screams)

[Blue]Adalyn:[/Blue] We won’t be able to save the leg…

[Blue]Otis:[/Blue] No…

[Blue]Adalyn:[/Blue] Come on, work harder! We haven’t got much time. We’ve gotta get the suit off him before it ignites near any of his vital organs.

[Blue]Otis:[/Blue] Nathaniel, why did you do this? Why?!?

(Nathaniel struggles to speak)

[Blue]Nathaniel:[/Blue] I…had to do it…for Mother.

[Blue]Otis:[/Blue] But you can’t do things like this! Why do you always do things like this?!?

(The left leg on the armor ignites)

(Nathaniel’s screams block out the yelling of the people around him)

[Blue]Adalyn:[/Blue] Come on! Hurry up! Hurry up!

(Otis begins sobbing)

[Blue]Nathaniel:[/Blue] But…I had to be…I had to save them…I had to be the one. I…I knew how. Ughh. Get me out of this thing. Please.

[Blue]Billy:[/Blue] Just hang on. We’ll get you out of here.

[Blue]Nathaniel:[/Blue] Hurry…please hurry.

[Blue]Otis:[/Blue] No, son! No! WHY?!?

(The room is silent)

(The men have hardly made a dent in the armor)

[Blue]Nathaniel:[/Blue] For the people.

(The rockets on the feet ignite and send Nathaniel flying out the window)

(He flies out the window and crashes through an adjacent one)

(Nathaniel hits the wall and slumps to the ground barely conscious)

(Cut to Otis falling to the floor)

(He puts his head in his hands and sobs)

(Cut to Nathaniel slumped against the wall)

(A shadow crosses him)

(Nathaniel looks up to see the Executioner)

(The Executioner leans down and looks at Nathaniel)

[Blue]Executioner:[/Blue] I warned you, Nathaniel. Don’t put a question mark where God has put a period.

(Nathaniel coughs up blood)

[Blue]Nathaniel:[/Blue] But I had to…

(The Executioner takes off his mask)

(It is Indigo)

(Nathaniel’s eyes widen in shock and horror)

[Blue]Nathaniel:[/Blue] How…how could you?

[Blue]Indigo:[/Blue] Because…I believe in something more.

[Blue]Nathaniel:[/Blue] You…were the one listening in. You…you messed up my suit. You couldn’t let me do it. You couldn’t let me…stop you.

[Blue]Indigo:[/Blue] You were always a failure, Nathaniel. You failed your father. You failed your mother. Your life was completely and utterly pathetic.

[Blue]Nathaniel:[/Blue] No.

[Blue]Indigo:[/Blue] Yes.

[Blue]Nathaniel:[/Blue] I don’t want to die.

[Blue]Indigo:[/Blue] Few do.

(The suit of armor ignites)

(Nathaniel’s screams are short and brief)

(Sizzling blood leaks from beneath the suit of armor)

(Indigo gets up and walks off)

(Cut to Mason in his hotel room)

[Blue]Mason:[/Blue] Hey! At least tell me what’s going on! And where’s my wife?

(Mr. Cormand and Atlas are outside the door)

[Blue]Mr. Cormand:[/Blue] Your wife is safe, Mr. Filnard.

(The hotel window breaks)

(John Wilder is standing there in black cloth)

[Blue]John:[/Blue] Come on. Let’s go!

(Mr. Cormand and Atlas charge into the room)

(Mr. Cormand fires at John)

(John back flips out the window and flies into the room just below)

(Mason runs out the open hotel room door)

[Blue]Mr. Cormand:[/Blue] Get him!

(Atlas runs after Mason)

(Mason runs past the stairs to the elevator)

(John bursts out of the stairs and punches the pursuing Atlas)

(Atlas grabs John and they take off flying into the stairwell)

(They plummet down the stairwell struggling with each other)

(Cut to Mason in the elevator)

(He gets off on the first floor)

(Cut to Atlas and John landing on the stairs outside the second floor)

(Atlas punches John and he loses consciousness)

(Atlas goes out onto the second floor and looks out over the balcony)

(He sees Mason looking around on the first floor)

(He looks up and sees Acrobat looking down from the top floor)

(Acrobat spreads his arms and leaps down from the top floor)

(He bounces off the different floors and aims himself at Mason)

(Atlas climbs up on the railing and prepares to jump)

(Mason walks past the piano to the entrance)

(Acrobat smiles as he flies toward Mason)

[Blue]Acrobat:[/Blue] Easy as…

(Atlas jumps and grabs Acrobat in mid-air)

(The two crash into the piano)

(Mason runs out the door)

(Acrobat gets up and tries to jump back to the second floor)

(Atlas grabs his legs as he jumps)

(Acrobat continues to jump with Atlas holding on to his legs)

(Acrobat’s legs snap as they land on the third floor)

(Acrobat falls to the floor)

(He pulls himself down the hallway at unnatural speeds)

(Atlas follows him as he crawls down the hallway)

(Mr. Cormand busts out of the stairwell with an unconscious John in handcuffs)

(He kicks the crawling Acrobat and throws John to the floor)

(Mr. Cormand handcuffs Acrobat and smiles)

[Blue]Mr. Cormand:[/Blue] We got ‘em. Time to go to the hotel prison.

(Cut to Mr. Cormand and Atlas going downstairs from the first floor)

(They’re pushing John and Acrobat downstairs)

(There are jail cells surrounding them)

[Blue]Mr. Cormand:[/Blue] Power-suppressing bars. Even Atlas can’t do anything here. Only thing that matters is the man with the gun.

(Mr. Cormand throws John and Acrobat into a cell)

[Blue]Mr. Cormand:[/Blue] And you’re the first inhabitants of our brand new hotel jail. Have a nice time.

[Blue]Acrobat:[/Blue] It must be painful on your level of stupid.

(Mr. Cormand laughs and walks off)

[Blue]Acrobat:[/Blue] Seriously, what kind of freak puts a jail in a hotel?

(Cut to Billy watching the TV)

(He sees Nathaniel slumped against the wall)

(The Executioner walks up to Nathaniel)

(He takes off his mask)

[Blue]Indigo on TV:[/Blue] I believe in something more.

(Billy watches in horror)

(Indigo walks up behind him)

(Billy spins around and presses his gun to Indigo’s forehead)

[Blue]Billy:[/Blue] You killed him.

[Blue]Indigo:[/Blue] You’re gonna shoot me?

[Blue]Billy:[/Blue] I’m thinking about it.

[Blue]Indigo:[/Blue] Go ahead. The only problem with that is Nathaniel wanted to be a hero right down to the end. He’s the only one who knows…excuse me, knew where the supposed location of our destination is. The address he gave his father was false…just another convention center to keep us safe until he checked out the real place, clad in armor, to make sure it was authentic.

[Blue]Billy:[/Blue] Are you…?

[Blue]Indigo:[/Blue] Yes, I’m serious. I know what Nathaniel knows because my job was to watch him. He burned the address and I’m glad he did. Now it’s my bargaining chip for staying alive.

[Blue]Billy:[/Blue] So what’s your power?

(Indigo chuckles)

[Blue]Indigo:[/Blue] What makes you think I have one? A person doesn’t need to shoot fire out of their eyes to be perfected. All they need is strength of both mind and body, tenacity, willpower, inspiration…things our dearly departed Nathaniel didn’t possess.

(Billy lowers his gun)

[Blue]Billy:[/Blue] I’ll let you live. But you cannot harm anyone else and you must lead us there.

[Blue]Indigo:[/Blue] That’s fine by me.

(Indigo turns to leave)

[Blue]Indigo:[/Blue] That story that Otis tells you…about his wife being murdered by Fuego. Someday you should ask him about the details.

(Indigo leaves the room)

(Cut to Fuego surrounded by other Perfecteds)

[Blue]Fuego:[/Blue] Our friends, John and Acrobat, have been captured by Mr. Cormand and Atlas. We have to recover them from the hotel. Once we get in the heart of DC, we’re staying there. We have to destroy that machine the day after we save our friends. That means a direct attack on the Pentagon. But we can’t afford sending any more jets out for the Executioner. Drake is going to pick him up in Philadelphia. This is the beginning of the end! Never be afraid to perish for what you believe in!

(Fuego holds up a gas can and takes a drink)

(The gasoline leaks out of the side of his mouth)

(Fuego’s body lights up at the fuel)

(The crowd cheers)

(Drake smiles from behind Fuego)

[Blue]Drake:[/Blue] That’s an expensive way to rile them up. Good thing it wasn’t diesel. So…how’s it taste?

(Fuego wipes his mouth)

[Blue]Fuego:[/Blue] Excellent.

(Cut to Fuego and Drake walking down the hallway)

[Blue]Fuego:[/Blue] You pick up the Executioner and meet us at the hotel.

[Blue]Drake:[/Blue] Sure thing. So have you thought about my plans for the television broadcast?

(Fuego and Drake stop walking)

[Blue]Fuego:[/Blue] Drake…I know that hiding our motives from the people puts us in a bad light. But we can’t risk them turning on the machine early and harming anyone. That’s exactly what they’ll do if the people know about it and try to revolt.

[Blue]Drake:[/Blue] By the time the broadcast is aired, the machine should be something we needn’t worry about. Besides we’ll have less resistance from fools in the government that didn’t know the truth…like me.

[Blue]Fuego:[/Blue] All right…air it.

(Cut to Billy watching Nathaniel’s death)

(He takes the tape out and throws it on the floor)

(He crushes it under his foot)

(Billy goes back to the television and unplugs it)

(He notices a wire in the back of the TV)

[Blue]Billy:[/Blue] That wasn’t there when I installed it.

(Billy follows the wire and it leads into the wall)

(Billy goes to the next room over)

(The door is locked)

(Billy pulls out his gun and shoots the door knob)

(He kicks the door open)

(There is a huge surveillance system with multiple TVs)

(Billy runs up to the system and checks for tapes)

(The tape recorder is empty)

[Blue]Billy:[/Blue] Oh no.

(Cut to Drake and Indigo in the same room)

[Blue]Drake:[/Blue] You ready to go?

[Blue]Indigo:[/Blue] I told Billy I’d stay. I have to show him and the rest of the people how to get to the safe place.

[Blue]Drake:[/Blue] You know that there will never be peace unless we have acceptance.

[Blue]Indigo:[/Blue] I made a promise! I shouldn’t have killed Nathaniel.

[Blue]Drake:[/Blue] Don’t tell me you’re feeling regret. It was a means to an end.

[Blue]Indigo:[/Blue] Where’s the end?

[Blue]Drake:[/Blue] They can find it without you.

[Blue]Indigo:[/Blue] How?

[Blue]Drake:[/Blue] If you really want forgiveness for your sins, that’s something I just can’t grant. But I know who can.

(Otis enters the room)

(He has a machine gun in his hands)

[Blue]Indigo:[/Blue] What? Wait.

[Blue]Drake:[/Blue] Betrayal is painful. What goes around comes around, all that.

[Blue]Otis:[/Blue] HOW COULD YOU?!?

[Blue]Indigo:[/Blue] Look, Otis, I didn’t want to. I didn’t have a choice. Drake is a…

(Drake extends his hand and Indigo’s mouth shuts)

[Blue]Otis:[/Blue] You KILLED MY SON!

(Indigo charges Otis and grabs the gun)

(Drake moves his hand and the butt of the gun hits Otis in the face)

(Otis falls to the ground)

(Drake gestures to the ceiling and the gun flies out of Indigo’s hands)

(The gun falls next to Otis)

(Drake makes a sweeping motion and Indigo flies against the wall)

(Otis gets up and blinks his eyes)

(His face is bloodied and bruised)

(He grabs the machine gun and points it at Indigo)

[Blue]Indigo:[/Blue] Wait, Otis, please.

[Blue]Otis:[/Blue] Why? What’s the point if I wait? I’m killing you anyway. What does it matter if it’s now or in two minutes?

(Indigo sighs and closes his eyes)

[Blue]Indigo:[/Blue] Otis, think about what’s right. You know the difference between a hero and a villain? When the hero kills the villain, the blood lands on the hero and stains his hands forevermore. That’s justice. When the villain kills the hero, the blood does the same to the villain. But that’s sacrifice. The hero has done what is needed in both occasions to preserve the ideal.

[Blue]Otis:[/Blue] Indigo, I have my own words of wisdom…ones that my son failed to live up to. Ones that you will soon fail to live up to.

(Otis points the gun at Indigo)

[Blue]Otis:[/Blue] Die for nothing…no matter what it is.

(Otis fires the machine gun)

(Indigo slides down the wall and dies)

[Blue]Drake:[/Blue] Otis…it’s time to go back to DC. It’s time to end the Malformed reign of terror.

[Blue]Otis:[/Blue] I’m ready.

(Cut to Drake and Otis getting into a bus)

(They haul Indigo’s body into the bus)

(They drive off)

(The crowds of people watch from the windows)

[Blue]Man:[/Blue] They’re going off without us!

[Blue]Man #2:[/Blue] They’re trying to find the safe place and leave us out of the equation. Abandon us!

[Blue]Man:[/Blue] Let’s get the buses! Follow them!

[Blue]Man #3:[/Blue] Get three busloads! That’s 200 people! We’ll come back and get the rest once we find the safe place!

(Men and women pile into the buses)

(Billy is running through the crowd)

(Adalyn runs up to him)

[Blue]Adalyn:[/Blue] What is going on?!?

[Blue]Billy:[/Blue] I don’t know. I think Otis knows that Indigo killed Nathaniel!

[Blue]Adalyn:[/Blue] Wait a minute. Indigo killed Nathaniel?

[Blue]Billy:[/Blue] Yeah, look, I don’t know where they’re headed, but we’ve got to follow that bus.

(Billy and Adalyn get into a bus together)

(They drive off)

(Bunches of people try to surround the bus)

(One man jumps in front of the speeding bus)

(The bus hits him and knocks him away like a rag doll)

(Billy and Adalyn speed up and see Otis and Drake’s bus)

(Bunches of people get on three more buses)

[Blue]Man:[/Blue] FOLLOW THEM!

(Cut to five buses speeding down the highway)

(Drake leans out the window of the first bus)

[Blue]Adalyn:[/Blue] Who is that?

[Blue]Billy:[/Blue] Is that…Drake?

(Drake extends his hand toward the bus)

(Billy swerves the bus without thinking)

[Blue]Adalyn:[/Blue] He doesn’t have a weapon!

(The bus behind them flies up over the highway and crashes into an underpass)

[Blue]Adalyn:[/Blue] Oh.

(Fire rains down on the last two buses)

(Cut to Drake leaning out the window behind Otis as he drives)

[Blue]Otis:[/Blue] What’s going on?

[Blue]Drake:[/Blue] Some people are trying to stop us…probably agents of the Perfected that snuck into your group. One of the buses crashed.

[Blue]Otis:[/Blue] We should try to help them. We might be able to save a few.

[Blue]Drake:[/Blue] I doubt that.

(Cut to Billy trying to drive the bus on the highway)

[Blue]Adalyn:[/Blue] We can’t stay behind that bus. They’re not heading west. They’re heading east. I think they’re going back to DC.

[Blue]Billy:[/Blue] Well…then we’ve gotta meet them there.

(Billy goes off on an exit)

(The other two buses follow him)

(Billy’s bus comes to an abrupt stop)

(The other two buses stop as well)

(Billy and Adalyn get out of the bus)

(A whole bunch of men and women get out of the two buses)

[Blue]Man #2:[/Blue] Where’s the safe place you promised us?!?

[Blue]Man #3:[/Blue] Our friends were just killed!

[Blue]Woman:[/Blue] What’s going on?!?

(Billy walks forward)

[Blue]Man:[/Blue] Give us some answers!!

(Billy takes a deep breath)

[Blue]Billy:[/Blue] My name is Billy Frederick and I’d like to explain what happened here today. If you noticed during your pursuit, we are heading east. The safe place is west. There are serious problems that require the attention of a few people from the group in DC. We are not heading to the safe place. Your best bet would be to head back to the Convention Center and tell the people there to wait. Everyone should be back by tomorrow night and we will resume our journey. I know that you are scared…I know the instability that you feel and the dangers that you face. We will share them with you. We will carry your load and we will lead you to the Promised Land. But chaos and ignorance only leads to death, as was seen in the busload of people we lost. I know that you face many fears, but take courage and fix it permanently in your hearts…for the sake of your families and for the sake of our lives. We must endure. We must survive. We must carry on. We must not waver. We must never stop. Our hope dies with us, but never before us. Individuals fade away, but people are forever.

(The people are silent)

(Billy sighs heavily)

[Blue]Billy:[/Blue] Adalyn will lead you back to the Convention Center. I have to go to DC…and save my cousin.

(The people slowly turn around and shuffle back into the buses)

(Adalyn turns to Billy)

[Blue]Adalyn:[/Blue] That was…admirable.

[Blue]Billy:[/Blue] Thank you.

(Adalyn walks off as Billy gets back on his bus)

(Cut to the next morning)

WASHINGTON DC

(Otis and Drake pull into a television station)

[Blue]Drake:[/Blue] Are you ready?

[Blue]Otis:[/Blue] Yeah.

[Blue]Drake:[/Blue] Good. I’ll be right back.

(Drake goes behind the bus and calls someone)

[Blue]Drake:[/Blue] Are you ready?

(Mark Wallaby is on the other end)

[Blue]Mark:[/Blue] Yeah, I’m ready.

[Blue]Drake:[/Blue] Good. It’ll be in about ten minutes.

(Drake hangs up and calls Fuego)

[Blue]Drake:[/Blue] Are you ready?

[Blue]Fuego:[/Blue] We’re ready.

[Blue]Drake:[/Blue] Good. I’m going to broadcast it in about ten minutes. Time your retrieval with the broadcast. No doubt the military will be busy trying to stop the tape from being aired. No one will be in your way.

[Blue]Fuego:[/Blue] Drake…thank you.

[Blue]Drake:[/Blue] Don’t mention it.

[Blue]Fuego:[/Blue] Is Indigo with you?

(Drake walks back inside the bus and smiles at Indigo’s corpse)

[Blue]Drake:[/Blue] Yeah, he’s here. But he’s a bit preoccupied.

[Blue]Fuego:[/Blue] Tell him I said “Hi”.

[Blue]Drake:[/Blue] All right. Talk to you later.

[Blue]Fuego:[/Blue] Bye.

(Drake hangs up)

(He turns to the lifeless Indigo)

[Blue]Drake:[/Blue] Fuego says “Hi”.

(Cut to Fuego and other Perfected preparing to attack the hotel)

[Blue]Fuego:[/Blue] In ten minutes, we’re going in there and getting our friends.

(Cut to Billy driving through DC)

(He stops on the street and calls Otis)

[Blue]Otis VO:[/Blue] Hi, this is Otis. I’m not here right now, but if you’d like to leave a message, please do so after the beep.

[Blue]Billy:[/Blue] Otis, this is the hundredth time I’ve called you. Pick up the phone!

(Cut to Otis putting a tape in a VCR)

[Blue]Otis:[/Blue] We’re ready.

[Blue]Drake:[/Blue] All right. We’re gonna hit Play in just a minute.

(Drake looks at his watch)

(Cut to the front doors of the hotel exploding)

(Fuego comes in followed by an army of Perfected)

(Cut to Drake)

[Blue]Drake:[/Blue] Now.

(Otis presses Play)

(Televisions across America are interrupted)

(Cut to Fuego shooting fire towards the back of the hotel)

(Many different Perfected are fighting around him)

(He pauses and looks at the television in the hotel lobby)

(Cut to Billy entering a breakfast bistro)

(He looks up and sees the fuzzy screen on the television)

(The screen comes into focus)

(We see the Executioner onscreen standing over the dying Nathaniel)

[Blue]Executioner on TV:[/Blue] Don’t put a question mark where God has put a period.

(The Executioner takes off his mask to reveal Indigo)

(Cut to Fuego’s eyes widening)

[Blue]Fuego:[/Blue] NOOOOO!

(The military bursts out of hiding and surrounds the Perfected)

(They shoot and handcuff the Perfected army)

(Fuego tries to run away)

(He rushes to the entrance and runs into Atlas)

[Blue]Atlas:[/Blue] I told you would pay for every life you ended.

(Fuego turns around and runs to the stairs)

(He runs up to the second floor and tries to break into a room)

(Mr. Cormand runs through the hallway and grabs Fuego by his shirt)

(He drives him back against the railing of the balcony)

(Fuego’s hands light up and he burns through Cormand’s sleeves)

(Cormand continues to drive him back)

(He flips him over the balcony and Fuego falls into the swimming pool)

(He hits his head on the edge of the pool and sinks below the surface)

(Cut to Fuego being thrown into jail across from John and Acrobat)

(Cut to Otis and Drake smiling as they see the Perfected getting arrested on television)

[Blue]Otis:[/Blue] Now they see who their so-called hero, the Executioner, really was…a murderer. This may end the Malformeds for good. I couldn’t have done it without you, Drake.

[Blue]Drake:[/Blue] Nor I without you.

(Drake stands up)

[Blue]Drake:[/Blue] I’m going to go for a walk. Maybe get a bite to eat. You want something?

[Blue]Otis:[/Blue] No, I’m good.

(Cut to Fuego sitting mumbling to himself in his jail cell)

[Blue]Fuego:[/Blue]…sinful creatures…beastly animals…demonic aberrations…all forged and purified through fire.

[Blue]Drake:[/Blue] Now, now…don’t let your current predicament get the best of you.

(Drake walks over to the cell)

[Blue]Fuego:[/Blue] You betrayed us.

[Blue]Drake:[/Blue] It had to be done. If it’s any consolation, I apologize. But you want to destroy the machine. I want to use it. So I couldn’t just let you bust your friends out of jail and succeed in destroying the machine.

[Blue]Fuego:[/Blue] You’re a monster, a wicked fiend.

[Blue]Drake:[/Blue] Well, at least I’m not the government.

(Drake sighs)

[Blue]Drake:[/Blue] Look, I know you’ll never forgive me. Matter of fact, you’d have to die before you stopped trying to kill me. And I’m sure the government will kill you tomorrow or the next day or whenever. So, I’ll let you in on a little secret.

(Drake points to the ceiling)

[Blue]Drake:[/Blue] Right above you I’ve gone to the liberty of putting ammonium nitrate, nitromethane, and diesel fuel. Of course, if you detonate it, it will kill you. But it will kill a large part of the military put here to confine you. Hey, I hear Atlas was assigned here. It’ll kill him too. Matter of fact, it’ll blow the hotel to bits. But, since you’re a dead man walking, you really have nothing to lose.

[Blue]Fuego:[/Blue] I have my integrity.

[Blue]Drake:[/Blue] Ha. No…you don’t. Matter of fact, you’ve lost any integrity you might’ve had.

(Drake leans in close to the bars)

[Blue]Drake:[/Blue] You, see, the thing...Fuego...about a horse trotting backwards is that it goes absolutely nowhere. It just regresses.

(Drake chuckles and walks off)

(Cut to Atlas sitting on his bed)

[Blue]Drake:[/Blue] Where’s Mason?

(Atlas jumps up to see Drake standing in the doorway)

[Blue]Atlas:[/Blue] What do you want?

[Blue]Drake:[/Blue] I just want to know where Mason is.

[Blue]Atlas:[/Blue] We haven’t been able to find him. You belong in a cell with the rest of those Malformeds. You almost killed a man and tried to kill me.

[Blue]Drake:[/Blue] Atlas, I’m not here to hurt you. I just wanted to clarify our earlier meeting.

[Blue]Atlas:[/Blue] What about it?

[Blue]Drake:[/Blue] Well, I abandoned the self-pity. That’s one thing. I also wanted to explain to you the details of why I’m being so untoward.

(Drake points to a chair)

[Blue]Drake:[/Blue] Could I take a seat?

[Blue]Atlas:[/Blue] Sure.

[Blue]Drake:[/Blue] Do you know what the Perfected really want?

[Blue]Atlas:[/Blue] Of course. They want revolution. They want to overthrow the government. They want to revel in their power with no regard to any innocent humans in their way. Instead of using their powers responsibly, they’re using them to terrorize.

(Drake laughs)

[Blue]Drake:[/Blue] Poor Atlas. You presume so much…and know so little. All right…let’s see if I can enlighten you. Your government knows who we are. You and your ilk are a result of the Resurrection Project. The Ressurection Project was the search for a way to repair human cells indefinitely, thus resulting in eternal life. I’m not going to overwhelm you with the details as it goes back a few thousand years and we’d be here all day, but it didn’t go as planned. A lot of people in the DC area and other research facilities across the world got infected with a virus that didn’t guarantee eternal life…it just increased a person’s natural abilities to superhuman levels. But they still couldn’t stop experimenting, combining energy sources to create a formula that would defy death.

(Atlas sits down on the bed)

[Blue]Drake:[/Blue] They failed. And, thus, people like you were born. But some of the so-called Malformeds knew the truth. They had worked deep within the bowels of the government when they were exposed. Suddenly their government had rejected them. From the outside looking in, they got a clearer perspective. And then they began sharing things with each other that only they knew…things their government had kept hidden. For example, the potential cures for Ebola, diabetes, HIV/AIDS, and cancer are all in the hands of our government. But if a person is cured, how can they receive costly treatment? Capitalism won’t allow it. Besides we’re too busy trying to catch Paris Hilton at the McDonalds drive-thru or deal with the soaring price of gas…feeding our families…self-preservation. Wild governmental conspiracies won’t do for the apathetic spiritually starved average human, but they weren’t the average humans.

(Drake leans in close)

[Blue]Drake:[/Blue] Now here’s the wildest tale of them all. When they fight back, when they become prepared to expose the truth…they begin to disappear. And rumors of a machine begin to sprout forth…a deadly machine that will not only remove the powers of a Malformed, it will paralyze regular people and drive humanity to the brink of extinction. And the government, to “preserve human life on our planet”, turns it on. This machine will render six billion people helpless and it will make the Malformeds powerless. But you can’t have a disease without a cure. But that cure is for the privileged and, of course, high-powered governmental officials. Once they turn the machine on, there is no cure for those who haven’t already been immunized. It’s a surefire way to repopulate the earth with deserving humans while leaving the majority of humanity to rot away in starvation. Any former Malformed that doesn’t take their side will most likely be executed. No more overpopulation. No more hunger. It solves the problem of terrorism, crime, and violence with the biggest act of terrorism, crime, and violence in humanity’s history. It’s the type of story that would make Hitler cringe.

[Blue]Atlas:[/Blue] No…

[Blue]Drake:[/Blue] Hard to believe, isn’t it? But it’s the truth.

(Cut to John behind his bars)

[Blue]John:[/Blue] I’m getting out of here.

(Fuego is across from him)

[Blue]John:[/Blue] Fuego, these bars don’t take away our power. They just tone it down a little bit. See if you can heat up the bars.

(Fuego puts his hands on the bars)

[Blue]Fuego:[/Blue] This would take forever.

(Fuego gets up on his cot and rubs at the crumbling ceiling)

(A piece of the explosive ceiling falls to the ground)

(Fuego picks it up and concentrates)

(He throws it at John and Acrobat’s cell)

(The bars explode and John and Acrobat walk out)

[Blue]Fuego:[/Blue] You don’t have much time! Run!

(Acrobat jumps off into the distance)

[Blue]John:[/Blue] You’ve got to come with us!

[Blue]Fuego:[/Blue] No, it’s too late for me! Run while you can!

[Blue]John:[/Blue] I’ll beat up the guards and get you out of here.

[Blue]Fuego:[/Blue] That’s the wildest idea I’ve ever heard!

[Blue]John:[/Blue] Yeah…but I’m wilder!

(Machine gun fire echoes outside the cell)

(John crumples to the ground)

[Blue]Fuego:[/Blue] No!

(The guards run up to John’s body)

(Fuego reaches outside the bars and grabs a guard)

(He holds the guard’s gun to the man’s head from inside the cell)

[Blue]Fuego:[/Blue] Get some news cameras down here before I paint my cell walls with his blood.

(Cut to Atlas and Drake sitting across from each other)

[Blue]Drake:[/Blue] Now you know the truth.

(Atlas’ phone rings)

(He picks up)

(Mr. Cormand is on the other end)

[Blue]Mr. Cormand:[/Blue] We’ve got an emergency down here! Hurry down.

(Atlas hangs up and stands up)

[Blue]Drake:[/Blue] Turn on your television.

(Atlas walks over and flicks on the television)

(The newscaster is predicting the weather)

[Blue]Newscaster:[/Blue] There will be heavy rain and hail in many DC areas later tonight…

(The news is interrupted by a live broadcast)

(Fuego is on the television with a gun to a guard’s head)

[Blue]Drake:[/Blue] This should be interesting.

[Blue]Fuego:[/Blue] I am a dead man. In all intents and purposes, my life has ceased to become a factor in the equation of the prospect. In this self-realization of my own imminent doom, I have taken it upon myself to relieve our standard individual of the stressful and tedious burden of life. I shall give our majority the glory of the afterlife, in which no death looms on the horizon like a bird of prey. Some of you may feel ache, but know that all pain is a pathway to pleasure and we shall be able to strip away the rodent elements of our deficient flesh and become god-men in the days of our spiritual awakening. Some of you may resist dying, but if you have to cast off this mortal shell, leave it with the self-awareness of true enlightenment that is so excruciating and yet so liberating. Of course, resistance matters not for I will still eradicate our fleshly peccadilloes and indulgences through blood and fire because there is absolutely nothing that will sway me. We are the Mills of God! When we expire, perdition shall quake in fear at our understanding!

(Cut to the outside of the hotel)

(The building explodes)

(Drake runs towards Atlas and grabs him)

(The room explodes around them and they plummet through the smoke)

(Cut to Mr. Cormand coughing in the wake of the explosion)

(He gets up and his left side is bloody)

(He stumbles through the smoke)

(Glass starts raining down from the sky)

(He starts running as glass and steel fall around him)

(A piece barely misses his head as he lunges forward)

(We see what looks like two people struggling)

(Mr. Cormand looks back in fear)

(Atlas flies out of the destruction)

(He hits Mr. Cormand and the two of them fall to the ground)

(Atlas struggles to get up as Drake walks through the destruction)

(Drake drops his hand and Atlas jumps up)

[Blue]Drake:[/Blue] You still want to fight me after you know the truth?

(Atlas roars and grabs Drake)

(He slams him to the ground)

[Blue]Drake:[/Blue] I knew it was too early to tell you.

[Blue]Atlas:[/Blue] You’re insane. You kill people because you’re disillusioned with your government and it’s driven you crazy!

(Bodies from the wreckage fall on Atlas’ back)

(Atlas cringes)

[Blue]Drake:[/Blue] That puts us in the same boat, then. The only question is…what are you gonna do? What are you gonna do?

[Blue]Atlas:[/Blue] The right thing.

(Atlas punches Drake in the face knocking him unconscious)

(Cut to Mr. Cormand walking up to Atlas)

[Blue]Mr. Cormand:[/Blue] Where’s Drake?

[Blue]Atlas:[/Blue] I don’t know. I don’t care. Hopefully he got crushed by falling rubble.

[Blue]Mr. Cormand:[/Blue] Did he tell you…about the machine?

[Blue]Atlas:[/Blue] So you did know?

[Blue]Mr. Cormand:[/Blue] Yeah.

[Blue]Atlas:[/Blue] How could you sit back and let something like that happen?

(Atlas and Mr. Cormand walk by a breakfast bistro)

[Blue]Mr. Cormand:[/Blue] Our job is to protect innocent people, no matter what lengths we must go to in order to do even if we have to protect the people from themselves. They break laws. We break bones. That’s the rule.

[Blue]Atlas:[/Blue] That’s your rule…not mine.

(Cut to Mark Wallaby watching footage of Fuego’s suicide)

[Blue]Mark:[/Blue] How did he get explosives in there?

[Blue]Fuego on TV:[/Blue] We are the Mills of God! When we expire, perdition shall quake in fear at our understanding!

[Blue]Drake:[/Blue] This is my favorite part.

(Mark turns around)

[Blue]Mark:[/Blue] Drake?

(Drake extends his hand and Mark flies against the screen)

(The screen crackles as fragments impale Mark)

(Drake raises his hands and all the people in the room fly through the air)

(Drake closes his eyes and smiles as he hears the screams around him)

(Cut to Drake entering the room with the machine)

[Blue]Drake:[/Blue] They wanted it turned on? Well then…let’s turn it on.

(Drake flips the switch)

[Blue]Mr. Cormand:[/Blue] Freeze.

(Mr. Cormand is pointing his gun at Drake’s back)

[Blue]Drake:[/Blue] Honestly…I’m doing your job. I’m turning it on for you.

(Drake turns around)

[Blue]Drake:[/Blue] Go ahead. Shoot me.

[Blue]Mr. Cormand:[/Blue] I’m not gonna shoot you.

[Blue]Drake:[/Blue] What…you don’t have the heart?

[Blue]Mr. Cormand:[/Blue] My job is to protect the people…even if I have to protect the people from themselves.

(Mr. Cormand fires at the machine)

(The bullets strike the machine and it powers down)

[Blue]Drake:[/Blue] NOOOO!

(Drake snarls and charges at Mr. Cormand)

(Atlas jumps out and grabs Drake)

(He throws him against the wall)

(Drake extends his hands and sends the two flying against the opposite wall)

(The gun flies away from Mr. Cormand and into Drake’s hand)

[Blue]Drake:[/Blue] Even when I lose…I still win.

[Blue]Billy:[/Blue] Not exactly.

(Billy holds a shotgun to the back of Drake’s head)

[Blue]Billy:[/Blue] Drop the gun.

(Drake closes his eyes and drops the gun)

[Blue]Drake:[/Blue] Billy, is it? Instead of life changing you, you changed life.

[Blue]Billy:[/Blue] Yeah. You killed a busload of innocent people trying to kill me.

[Blue]Drake:[/Blue] Your cousin Otis has gone mad. He shot Indigo to death, did you know that? And he knows that you knew Indigo killed his son…yet you didn’t tell him. Last I heard…he was at the stating rink not far from here. About to blow his own brains out.

(Drake spins around and grabs the shotgun)

(Billy fires)

(Drake knocks the shotgun away and runs out the door)

(Billy runs out after him)

[Blue]Billy:[/Blue] Atlas! Cormand! Meet me at the skating rink! We’ve got to stop Otis!

(Atlas runs out after him)

[Blue]Atlas:[/Blue] Cormand, are you coming?!?

[Blue]Mr. Cormand:[/Blue] No, I can’t. Somebody’s gotta stay here and explain what happened to the President. Now get out of here and save the man for Christ sake.

(Cut to the skating rink)

(Billy drives up to it and jumps out of the car)

(It’s starting to rain)

(Billy walks up to the entrance)

(Otis jumps out of the shadows and grabs Billy)

(He has a knife)

(Billy and Otis struggle over the knife)

(Billy kicks the knife out of Otis’ hand)

[Blue]Billy:[/Blue] Are you crazy?

[Blue]Otis:[/Blue] Maybe I am.

[Blue]Billy:[/Blue] Why would you attack me with a knife?!?

[Blue]Otis:[/Blue] You knew my son’s murderer and you DID NOTHING. That makes you just as bad.

[Blue]Billy:[/Blue] Look…the only reason I didn’t kill Indigo myself was because he was the only one who knew where the safe place was.

[Blue]Otis:[/Blue] Drake knew.

[Blue]Billy:[/Blue] Drake’s a murderer. He’s a Malformed himself…

[Blue]Otis:[/Blue] Yeah, Drake told me how you would lie about him, even call him a Malformed. But Drake’s helped me in ways you never have.

[Blue]Billy:[/Blue] Well, since we’re coming clean, I have a question to ask you. What really happened the day your wife died?

[Blue]Otis:[/Blue] I told you. The fire-starter killed her.

[Blue]Billy:[/Blue] How?

[Blue]Otis:[/Blue] Why are you asking me this?!?

[Blue]Billy:[/Blue] Because I want to know the truth!

[Blue]Otis:[/Blue] Fine! You want to know the truth? The fire-starter didn’t kill her. But he might as well have.

(Cut to FLASHBACK)

(We see a young Nathaniel messing with matches and gasoline)

(A fire starts and Nathaniel runs outside)

(Otis is outside with Nathaniel)

[Blue]Otis:[/Blue] Where’s your mother?

[Blue]Nathaniel:[/Blue] I don’t know!

(Fuego is walking by)

[Blue]Otis:[/Blue] No!

(Otis runs back into the burning house)

(Fuego sees this and runs after him)

(Fuego goes through the fiery house looking for Otis)

(Otis is looking for his wife)

[Blue]Otis:[/Blue] SARAH! SARAH!

(Fuego grabs Otis and pulls him towards the door)

[Blue]Fuego:[/Blue] We gotta get out of here.

(A blast of flame comes toward them)

(Fuego shields Otis from the flames)

(He throws Otis outside and walks over to make sure he’s okay)

(End FLASHBACK)

[Blue]Otis:[/Blue] He saved my life…and ruined it in the same day. He shouldn’t have stopped me. I could’ve saved her.

(Rain and hail start to surround them)

[Blue]Otis:[/Blue] But it doesn’t matter. The Malformeds attack me. You attack me. But NO MORE!

(Otis charges Billy and they hit the ground)

(Otis punches Billy in the face and kicks him in the stomach)

(Billy kicks Otis off him and punches him in the face)

(Otis grabs Billy and elbows him)

(Cut to Atlas arriving at the skating rink)

(He gets out of the car and sees Otis and Billy fighting)

(He runs towards them)

(He is suddenly thrown back against the skating rink)

[Blue]Drake:[/Blue] Just watch. Let’s see what happens.

[Blue]Atlas:[/Blue] You’re sick.

[Blue]Drake:[/Blue] Thank you.

(Drake walks over to the fallen Atlas)

[Blue]Drake:[/Blue] Let’s make a deal. I won’t interfere with their fight if you don’t. We can both be spectators. And we all know that if I did interfere, I wouldn’t favor either side.

(Atlas is silent)

[Blue]Drake:[/Blue] I’ll take that as an agreement.

(Cut to Billy and Otis struggling)

(Otis is choking Billy)

(Billy pokes Otis in the eyes)

(He grabs Otis and tries to hold him still)

[Blue]Billy:[/Blue] Otis, stop fighting me! We still have hope.

[Blue]Otis:[/Blue] Hope for what?!? Don’t you dare tell me for our families! Don’t you dare tell me for humanity! Don’t you dare tell me for peace! Don’t you dare tell me for love! Don’t YOU DARE TELL ME WE HAVE HOPE!

(Otis kicks Billy away)

(Cut to Drake yawning)

[Blue]Drake:[/Blue] This is getting boring.

(Drake points up at the sky)

(The hailstones start to coalesce)

(It makes one massive army of hailstones in the sky)

(Drake sends it down towards Otis and Billy)

(Fearsome hailstones hit the ground next to Otis and Billy)

(The unnatural downpour of solid water creates a canyon)

(Both Billy and Otis fight dangerously close to the edge)

(Atlas notices that Drake is pointing at the sky)

(He leaps up and grabs Drake’s hands)

(He slams them against the side of the skating rink)

(Drake screams as the bones in his hand turn to powder)

(Blood pours from his purple fingernails)

(Atlas runs towards Billy and Otis)

(Cut to Billy and Otis falling over the edge)

(Atlas leaps forward and grabs Billy’s hand)

(Otis grabs Billy’s foot)

[Blue]Atlas:[/Blue] Don’t let go!

[Blue]Otis:[/Blue] Why shouldn’t I? I have nothing to live for.

(Atlas heaves and pulls Billy over onto safe ground)

(The force of the pull swings Otis into the air)

(Atlas grabs the front of Otis’ shirt)

(The buttons pop off and Otis falls back into the canyon)

(Atlas and Billy look over the edge and see nothing but mist)

(They walk back to the skating rink)

(Drake is no longer there)

(The hail stops failing and the rain turns into a light drizzle)

[Blue]Adalyn VO:[/Blue] The lessons of history? There are four.

(We see Otis plummeting down into the canyon)

(He closes his eyes in acceptance)

(His descent slows and his body stops right before he hits the ground)

(Otis gently lands on the ground)

(Drake is standing there with extended hands)

[Blue]Drake:[/Blue] Hey, Otis, are you all right?

(Otis opens his eyes)

[Blue]Otis:[/Blue] Yeah, I’m fine.

[Blue]Adalyn VO:[/Blue] The bee fertilizes the flower it robs.

[Blue]Otis:[/Blue] So why are you wearing gloves?

(We see that Drake is wearing gloves)

[Blue]Adalyn VO:[/Blue] Whom the gods would destroy, they first make mad with power.

[Blue]Drake:[/Blue] Because it’s cold out here. Come on; let’s get you something to eat.

(Cut to Mason Filnard)

(He walks up to the wreckage of the hotel)

(He kneels before it and sobs)

[Blue]Adalyn VO:[/Blue] The Mills of God grind slowly, but they grind small.

(Mason continues to cry and the wreckage slowly starts to rise into the sky)

(It begins to take shape and form itself)

(The hotel starts putting itself back together)

(Mason stops crying and looks in amazement)

(The hotel completely repairs itself and looks brand new)

(Mason walks up to the front doors)

(A bellhop walks out and greets Mason)

[Blue]Bellhop:[/Blue] How are you feeling, sir?

(Mason smiles)

[Blue]Adalyn VO:[/Blue] When it is dark enough, you can see the stars.

[Blue]Mason:[/Blue] Perfect.

(Cut to black)

[blaggers]

Share Your Thoughts:

Statement: Please take some of your time to share your opinion and thoughts on this film. This process is required. Thank You.

Movie Critics:
www.themoviereels.com/movie_critics.html

Movie Directors & Movie Patrons:
www.themoviereels.com/rate_this_film.html

Thank You for viewing "The Mills of God". We appreciate your support.