9 INT. LOCAL HOSPITAL - DAY 9
Michelle wanders into the ER with the boy hoisted up in her
arms, standing in a sea of chaos as the small hospital
struggles to cope with the influx of victims from the blast.
She reaches out and stops a NURSE who hurries past.
MICHELLE
Er, excuse me, I've got...
(off boy)
This little boy lost his mother, so
I was looking for -
NURSE
(impatient)
We've set up a photo board for
people separated from their
families, it's over by the
reception.
She starts to leave, but Michelle grabs her - more firmly.
MICHELLE
No, you don't understand. He lost
his mother.
A beat. The Nurse gets it. Her face falls.
NURSE
Oh.
MICHELLE
Yes, exactly, 'oh.' I need to take
him somewhere to get checked out.
NURSE
The children's ward's just down the
hall. Come on.
Michelle follows the Nurse, glancing round as more gurneys
full of blast victims are wheeled in by urgent-looking
paramedics, and we move into:
10 INT. LOCAL HOSPITAL - CHILDREN'S WARD - NEXT 10
The Nurse holds open the swing doors as Michelle steps inside
- and her jaw hangs at what she sees.
The ward is FULL, with over two dozen wounded children
filling the beds, concerned family members crowding round the
bedsides. The balloons and brightly-coloured walls can't
fight off the gloomy atmosphere.
NURSE
I'm afraid we're already at
capacity, but I'll find him a bed.
What's his name?
MICHELLE
(distracted)
Huh? Oh, I... I don't know. I just
said I'd get him to the hospital.
The Nurse nods, reaching out to take the boy in her arms.
MICHELLE (cont'd)
These kids, they all look... well,
recent, if you see what I mean. Are
they all from today's explosion?
NURSE
Some are, some from last week's and
couple from the week before.
Michelle double takes, following the Nurse to an unmade but
empty bed as she lays the boy down.
MICHELLE
I'm sorry - last week's?
The Nurse, stethoscope in ears, looks up from checking the
boy over.
NURSE
Where have you been?
MICHELLE
Assume I'm an out-of-towner.
NURSE
We've been having attacks, bombs
and other disasters on a regular
basis the last few weeks. If I was
a religious person I'd think we'd
been cursed. What I do know is that
things are getting worse - and
we're running out of beds and
doctors to do anything to help.
The Nurse hurries away, clearly rushed off her feet, and as a
shocked Michelle surveys the faces of the injured children
surrounding her, we:
BLACK OUT:
END OF ACT ONE
ACT TWO
FADE IN:
11 INT. VAN - DAY 11
Chris has Ian lying on his belly, several SHEETS draped over
him as Chris inspects the bite mark on his back.
IAN
I know I keep asking this, but...
are you sure you know what you're
doing?
CHRIS
Yes.
IAN
And remind me why we can't just go
to a hospital?
Syren steps into frame, handing Chris Julie's large leather
satchel.
SYREN
Because they wouldn't know what to
do.
Ian SIGHS heavily as Chris starts rifling through the bag.
Syren leans in to him, whispering:
SYREN (cont'd)
What did you see?
CHRIS
Hmm?
SYREN
Back at the train station, after
the explosion. You... you went
away.
Chris hesitates, then gets back to looking through the bag.
CHRIS
I don't know what you mean.
SYREN
Chris, come on. You know I can pick
up on these things. You were
looking at the station, but you
were seeing something else.
(beat)
What was it?
Chris stops, looking up at Syren before glancing at Ian. He
takes Syren's arm and leads her towards the back of the van.
CHRIS
I saw... I think I saw wherever I
was lost again.
SYREN
Was it different this time?
CHRIS
No, no, the same as always. Like I
was walking around after the bombs
had fallen. Nothing but ruins and
dust.
(beat)
I think what happened at the
station must have triggered some
kind of -
IAN (O.S.)
Flashback?
Chris turns to find Ian looking round at him.
IAN (cont'd)
Sorry. Sound carries.
Chris glances at Syren, then returns to Ian.
CHRIS
It's not important.
IAN
If you say so.
Syren knows there's more to this story, but as Chris finally
finds what he was looking for, taking what looks like a small
medical kit from the satchel, we CUT TO:
12 INT. REBEL BASE - DAY 12
There's a KNOCK at the door we're looking at, and a pale, emo
friendly guy steps into frame to open it. This is RHYS. He
peers through an eye-hole in the door.
EYE-HOLE POV:
Danyael and Naomi stand, waiting patiently.
ON SCENE:
Rhys grins, steps back and opens the door.
RHYS
Long time no see, Naomi!
NAOMI
(smiling)
Hello, Rhys.
She steps inside and HUGS him, but is surprised when Rhys
suddenly KISSES her!
RHYS
I missed you.
Flustered, Naomi turns to Danyael, who just raises an eyebrow
as he crosses the threshold.
RHYS (cont'd)
Who's your friend?
DANYAEL
(offers hand)
Danyael Norton.
RHYS
Oh, the DJ guy, right? Cool. Come
on in.
Rhys heads off screen, leaving Danyael and Naomi:
DANYAEL
(quiet; mocking)
'I missed you'?
NAOMI
Long story.
As they follow Rhys, we CUT TO:
13 INT. LOCAL HOSPITAL - CORRIDOR - DAY 13
Michelle stands by a vending machine, waiting for her cup of
coffee to pour out. She looks a little shaken.
CLOSE ON COFFEE as time seems to SLOW DOWN, every last DROP
of liquid taking an eternity to fall.
Still in SLOW MOTION, Michelle lifts her head, sensing
something amiss, and looks down the corridor.
Just a few doctors and nurses wandering up and down - and
then, fading into view are dozens of GHOSTS!
Michelle's eyes widen as she's surrounded by spectral forms,
all ages, shapes and sizes, walking past her as calmly as the
living.
There's a BEEP from the vending machine as it finally
finishes, and everything returns to NORMAL SPEED.
Michelle blinks, taken aback, then shoves a hand into her
pocket before locating a CELL PHONE. She seems reluctant to
use it for a moment.
MICHELLE
(mutters)
Sooner or later, technology always
catches up with you...
She begins to dial a number as we CUT TO:
14 INT. VAN - DAY 14
Chris carefully INJECTS a clear fluid into the area around
Ian's bite mark. Ian tenses, but it's soon over.
CHRIS
That was a localised anaesthetic.
It should keep the pain down while
I take a look around.
IAN
'Should'?
CHRIS
I'm afraid it's been a long time
since I was last a doctor. I may be
a little rusty.
Ian SIGHS again, taking the path of least resistance as Chris
notices Syren is hovering around Julie.
CHRIS (cont'd)
What is it?
SYREN
I can wake her up.
Chris frowns, hesitating before moving away from Ian.
CHRIS
What are you talking about?
SYREN
Chris, we need her. She's good at
this kind of thing.
CHRIS
I'm not all that bad myself, you
know!
SYREN
(patient)
Chris. Please.
CHRIS
(beat)
It's too risky. We have no way of
knowing if she's still under the
effects of whatever made her run
off back in Elysium.
SYREN
I can make sure she's okay.
(off his look)
I'll sing to her. I'll keep her
here, now, not... wherever she
went. It'll last as long as I want
it to, as well.
Chris stares down at Julie.
SYREN (cont'd)
Trust me. I know I can do this.
Chris looks up at Syren, who offers a hopeful smile. Chris
seems torn for a long moment, until:
CHRIS
Do it.
Syren nods, closing her eyes and laying a hand on Julie's
forehead, and as Chris manages to tear himself away and
return to Ian, we CUT TO:
15 INT. REBEL BASE - DAY 15
Like most rebel vampire hideouts, the place looks like a
student's living room - messy and uncoordinated, but
comfortable and welcoming despite that. Other REBELS mill
around as Rhys, Danyael and Naomi chat on the sofa.
RHYS
So, yeah, you can't move without
some kind of disaster or accident
going off round here these days.
Explosions, chemical spills,
traffic pile-ups, you name it.
DANYAEL
And they're all concentrated round
this Eddin area?
RHYS
Not 'concentrated' as such, but
there's definitely more around
there than anything else.
NAOMI
What's causing them?
RHYS
The thing about this town is that
the rich stay rich and the poor
stay poor. Us rebels, we're down
with the people trying to get by,
making a living best way they can.
Rhys indicates the rest of his crew.
RHYS (cont'd)
See, all the money, the good jobs
and the best places to live are
over on the rich side of town, and
that's where they stay.
Neighbourhoods like this one, well -
according to the guys safe up in
their ivory towers of business,
we're like anthills to them.
DANYAEL
You think the rich guys are behind
the attacks?
RHYS
(shrugs)
Can't say. It's a fair guess,
though. Nothing ever happens on
their side of town.
(beat)
Yet.
Danyael and Naomi exchange a look.
NAOMI
'Yet'?
RHYS
Look, things are reaching breaking
point here. These people, they're
good human beings. They work hard,
they stay clean and they take care
of their own. So when people from
the big city start driving them out
of their own homes...
DANYAEL
They want to fight back.
RHYS
Exactly.
NAOMI
Can't you do anything to help?
RHYS
Help what? Plan a few terrorist
strikes for them?
NAOMI
(narrows eyes)
That's not what I meant, Rhys.
RHYS
Do we want this town to explode
into a full blown civil war? Of
course not. That might make people
start taking a look at exactly what
we are, and I can't have that.
DANYAEL
Yeah, but if you know the people
here are looking for someone to
blame for what keeps happening,
shouldn't you be trying to, you
know, defuse the situation?
RHYS
Nice choice of words.
NAOMI
Answer the question.
RHYS
My, my! When did you get so bossy?
NAOMI
Right after I dumped your lazy ass
and left town.
That shuts Rhys up, and Danyael allows himself a smirk.
RHYS
Alright. You want to know what I
think?
He reaches for a pack of cigarettes but finds it empty. He
groans - and Danyael offers him one of his smokes. Rhys
grins, taking the cigarette and lighting it as we CUT TO:
16 EXT. LOCAL HOSPITAL/ALLEYWAY - DAY 16
Michelle paces up and down a small sidestreet alongside the
main hospital entrance, looking up as Twist and Diego
approach.
TWIST
Hey. Sorry we took so long - having
to stay out of the sun kinda slows
you down.
DIEGO
I am glad you are alright,
Michelle.
MICHELLE
(waves it away)
I'm fine.
DIEGO
What have you found?
MICHELLE
Something bad's going to happen
here.
TWIST
You mean apart from the suicide
bomber in a packed train station?
MICHELLE
Don't sass me, this is important!
Diego shoots Twist a stern glance, but she just shrugs.
TWIST
So, come on. Spill.
MICHELLE
More people are going to die here.
A lot more. And today.
DIEGO
How do you know?
MICHELLE
(impatient)
Oh, I don't know, maybe because I'm
a bloody necromancer! Can we please
just do something?
TWIST
What did you have in mind? We can't
exactly evacuate a whole town. What
do we tell people? 'Sorry, but our
freaky friend here says you're all
gonna die. You can trust her, she
works for Death.'
MICHELLE
Let's just go back to Chris and the
others. We need a plan, and we need
to find out what's going on
before...
She trails off, but can't bring herself to finish. As she
stomps away, Twist and Diego follow.
However, as the trio head off they don't realise that they're
being observed from across the street.
A gang of GOONS are watching them - thick-set heavies usually
found on the doors of nightclubs, keeping a close eye on the
team and then starting to tail them as we CUT TO:
17 INT. VAN - DAY 17
Ian is sitting up now, a wad of bandages over his bite mark
as Chris packs away his things. Ian stares at Syren, still
sitting by Julie, who is HUMMING a lullaby.
IAN
What's she doing?
CHRIS
Hopefully, getting us some help.
Ian keeps watching, and after a few moments Chris can't help
but look as well.
Syren is swaying gently from side to side, her hand still
pressed to Julie's temple as her humming gets a little
louder.
Julie's breathing starts to speed up, and her previously
still body begins to shift, as though waking from sleep.
Chris tenses up, but Syren seems to have everything under
control as she gently helps Julie sit up, just as Julie's
eyes flicker open.
She starts to COUGH, and Syren stops her lullaby to help her
catch her breath.
JULIE
What... where...
SYREN
Hello, Julie.
JULIE
Syren? What's going on?
Chris heads over, starting to grin.
CHRIS
It's alright. You're safe and well.
JULIE
Okay... if you're saying that then
clearly that isn't the case at
all...
Groggily, she starts to rise, Chris helping her.
JULIE (cont'd)
(sees Ian)
Who's this?
IAN
Er... hi. I'm Ian.
CHRIS
He's the reason we had to wake you
up.
JULIE
Right... anybody mind telling me
why I was asleep?
Chris and Syren exchange a cautious glance, before we CUT TO:
18 INT. VAN - LATER 18
Julie packs away some things into her satchel - she's up and
about now, and looks to have just finished another
examination of Ian.
JULIE
I can't tell you what it is.
Ian sags, but Julie isn't finished:
JULIE (cont'd)
But I can tell you what it's doing.
CHRIS
Which is?
Julie holds up a small phial of BLOOD.
JULIE
Obviously, I'm having to take a few
educated guesses here without
access to better equipment...
IAN
Yeah, yeah - what's happening to
me?
JULIE
(beat)
The parasite is causing some kind
of intense chemical reaction within
your cells and bloodstream,
superheating them at an increasing
rate.
IAN
(jaw drops)
Sup... superheating?
JULIE
If we don't find a way to reverse
the process, and soon, then he's
going to end up just like that guy
at the station you told me about.
IAN
(horrified)
I'm... I'm gonna explode?
Julie's look says it all - time is running out, and as Ian
buries his face in his hands, we:
BLACK OUT:
END OF ACT TWO
ACT THREE
FADE IN:
19 INT. UNDERGROUND CAR PARK - DAY 19
The whole team have reassembled outside the van. The side
door is open, and Ian sits glumly inside.
DANYAEL
So Rhys reckons that the big city
property developers are paying
people to run all these attacks for
them.
NAOMI
He thinks that their plan is to get
the people to move out of low-rent
neighbourhoods like Eddin, so they
can bulldoze them and build
something more profitable.
TWIST
Like in the 'Robocop' movies?
DANYAEL
Pretty much.
IAN
Wait...
They look round as he hops down from the van.
IAN (cont'd)
Did your friend say which property
companies he thinks were behind
this?
DANYAEL
Uh, all of 'em, I think.
IAN
(groans)
Those bastards...
TWIST
Huh?
The team exchange puzzled looks as Ian clenches his fists.
IAN
I work for one of them! At least, I
used to.
CHRIS
Come again?
IAN
I opposed a plan to force-purchase
a large area of downscale housing
that would have left hundreds of
people homeless.
JULIE
I thought forced purchases still
gave you the market value of your
home?
IAN
Yeah, but the places they wanted to
buy are worth crap all on the
housing market round here.
NAOMI
(catching up)
Because the city decides on the
market prices...
IAN
Exactly.
(beat)
Don't you guys see what this means?
TWIST
That they'd have gotten away with
it, if it wasn't for us meddling
kids?
IAN
They're the ones who did this to
me! They set that... thing on me!
CHRIS
Just out of interest... were the
houses in the area you fought for
anywhere near this Eddin district?
IAN
(sighs)
Yes.
CHRIS
Then I think we need to go and pay
them a visit. They may all be in
grave danger.
MICHELLE
Oh, they're already in danger.
(off their looks)
We need to figure out how to save
them now.
Off her serious expression, we CUT TO:
20 EXT. EDDIN - STREET - DAY 20
It's not exactly a slum, but it isn't far off - cheap, state
owned housing that's seen better days, a central marketplace
that seems to fill every street, and hundreds of people
bustling around everywhere you look. This place doesn't have
much, but it makes the best of it.
Chris, Syren, Michelle, Danyael and Naomi stand before the
maze of closely-built houses and streets before them.
CHRIS
We need to find whoever considers
themselves in charge of this and
tell them they're in danger.
SYREN
I think they already know that.
Chris sets his jaw and starts towards the main street, a wide
road running through the middle of the estate ahead, as we
CUT TO:
21 INT. UNDERGROUND CAR PARK - DAY 21
Twist is kicking her heels, swinging her legs out of the side
of the van as she POPS some gum.
JULIE
(winces)
Twist, please...
TWIST
(chewing)
Huh?
JULIE
My head feels like something the
size of a Volkswagen is trying to
push its way out. Can you at least
try and keep the noise down?
TWIST
Hey, it's not my fault Chris
decided to leave me here on guard
duty.
JULIE
Well, you're not exactly the most
diplomatic member of the team, are
you?
Twist pauses, but Julie isn't backing down. Twist finally
hops up to her feet, reaching for her jacket.
TWIST
I'm going for a walk.
DIEGO
I'll come with you.
TWIST
I'm not going far, just to get some
more gum.
(off Julie's look)
Chewing, not bubble.
IAN
Uh... does anyone mind if I go with
her? I need some air.
TWIST
Well, I don't know, Bomb Guy,
better ask the doctor.
Ian looks to Julie, who runs her tired eyes and nods.
JULIE
The reaction's staying constant, so
you should be fine. Besides, I
think if your body's more relaxed
it could actually slow things down
and buy us some more time.
Ian nods, heading over to Twist who nods her heads towards
the exit.
TWIST
C'mon, Nitro.
As they walk away:
IAN
Who?
TWIST
He was a comic book villain.
Special power was to blow himself
up. Started off the whole 'Civil
War' thing.
IAN
(beat)
Oh...
Julie waits for them to leave before addressing Diego:
JULIE
Diego? Can I ask you something?
DIEGO
Of course.
JULIE
Why won't anybody tell me what
happened to me?
DIEGO
(beat)
Chris did not think it was wise. He
was afraid something may trigger a
memory and return you to...
JULIE
Yeah, that's my point. Return me to
what?
(off his look)
Right, right. You can't tell me.
Julie tries to get back to her notes, but obviously can't
concentrate.
JULIE (cont'd)
Did I... did I hurt somebody?
DIEGO
No.
JULIE
Okay. That's... that's good.
(beat)
Did I hurt myself?
DIEGO
Julie...
She holds up a hand - she gets the hint. Frustrated, she
tries to get back to work as we CUT TO:
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