Prodigal Sons
Sunday, July 31, 2005
WGA# 1078601
¶ 4:05 PM 0 comments
FADE IN
INT. LIVING ROOM
A room with one wall of pure glass. Beyond it is space. On
another wall is a television screen.
A man in 0-gravity reads the Bible. He looks old and rough,
with a clean bathrobe.
NEWS ANCHOR (ON TV)
Earlier today, LINCOLN ANDERSON
BLAKENEY completed his eight-year
plea bargain sentence of the murder
of his sister and parents.
The man is JOSEPH "PADRE" OLDHAM. He turns to the television
as the news catches his interest. He closes the Bible.
PADRE
Restore Gravity.
BEDROOM
The rear wall is still transparent. Blurs of objects race
by.
Padre walks in and the broadcast continues.
NEWS ANCHOR
He will be released in
approximately two hours, and is the
first of the only eight prisoners
on the Station to be released since
we abandoned Earth ten years ago.
Broadcast continues to a fade. Padre leaves and the lights
go out.
Space is still clearly visible. The blurs race by once more.
EXT. SPACE STATION
Several small racer-like ships circle the colossal space
station. On its side, the words "U. E. F. PENDULUM".
Several giant rings float about the station. The racers speed
through the rings. Two racers fight for a ring.
INT. COCKPIT
The pilot looks sadistically happy and glances to his right.
EXT. REAR OF TWO SHIPS
One ship takes a swerve right to knock the other one away
from the ring.
COCKPIT
Pilot laughs.
VOICE (ON RADIO)
That's a cold play, SEAN!
SEAN
You know me, Jack. Don't get in my
way.
They pass a large window. In the window stands Padre.
INT. PENITENTIARY
Padre is in a waiting room. He stares out into space.
CLERK
I'll buzz you in, Mr. Oldham.
PADRE
God Bless.
Door buzzes and Padre passes through.
VISITING ROOM
Padre walks over to a booth quite typical of the visiting
areas in penitentiaries today.
LINCOLN ANDERSON BLAKENEY is at the booth. He is a medium
build, well toned black man. There is Plexiglas between him
and Padre, but phones aren't used. Both can be heard quite
clear.
LINCOLN
You have two minutes.
PADRE
I read the transcripts, Lincoln.
Quite a story.
LINCOLN
Bad start.
PADRE
In one month, Earth is going to be
close enough to make a round trip.
There are about twenty-eight teams
just itching to be the first to
find the cure and stake land
claims. I want you on my team.
LINCOLN
No thanks.
Lincoln gets up.
PADRE
Where are you gonna work? Nobody
wants to hire you on the Pendulum.
Lincoln walks-off.
PADRE (CONT'D)
I know you didn't do it!
Lincoln pauses. He turns back toward Padre with an "I should
kill you" look on his face.
LINCOLN
Who are you?
PADRE
My name is Joseph Oldham. But my
friends call me "Padre"
LINCOLN
Okay... Joseph. I get out of here
in an hour, and you managed to piss
me off in less than 30 seconds.
PADRE
It was your sister. She killed
them. And she was going to kill
you too. You defended yourself.
Regardless of how man has judged
you, God won't.
Lincoln's face goes lifeless. He charges toward the
Plexiglas and slams both fists into it.
LINCOLN
How do you know that!
PADRE
Where's your faith, Link?
LINCOLN
I lost my family, my freedom, and
my faith. There is no God. I've
already been judged.
PADRE
Talk to Joshua Marsalis. Maybe he
can change your mind.
LINCOLN
Go to Hell.
Lincoln walks off. Padre clutches a cross around his neck.
It shimmers.
INT. LOBBY OF SORTS
Through a giant window, a bright star shines.
A teacher looks out the window with several twelve-year-olds.
TEACHER
Earth can be seen as a large star.
When we left the Earth, there were
hundreds of ships docking at the
same time. Most of them docked
very hard.
Sean Walks by. He is in a jump-suit holding his helmet.
TEACHER (O.S.)
This slowed the orbit of the
station, and Earth got away from
us. Now, we might be able to go
back.
Other racers walk by and greet Sean. They congratulate him
for a win. The last racer is an African who greets him as
well, but Sean blows him off and gets a disgusted look on his
face.
He continues his walk down a hallway and through a set of
double doors that open to a dock.
INDEPENDENT'S DOCK
In the dock are two ships. One of them is the PRODIGAL SON.
Its about the size of an F-111 with a large fuel tank hanging
below.
Padre leans on a desk with a television. He has his nose in
a book.
Two legs stick out of a large open panel of the Prodigal Son.
A ratchet sound comes from them. Sean walks right to them
and rubs them all over. She is MAGGIE.
MAGGIE
This is a heavy socket wrench.
Unless you have balls of steel, I
suggest giving it a rest.
Maggie continues to ratchet at something.
SEAN
C'mon, Honey. You think tonight we
can have a little "us" time?
Maggie slides out. She's a very sexy woman with kinky hair
and full lips.
MAGGIE
Something tells me you're not
talking about dinner and a movie,
Sean.
Sean makes some humping motions.
SEAN
My little racer needs some action.
I gotta have my front-end lubed up
once in a while.
MAGGIE
Back-burner, baby. Damn hoverdrive
is off-line.
She slides back into the hole and continues to ratchet.
SEAN
Fuck.
MAGGIE
Have some faith, honey.
SEAN
(muttered and mocking)
Have some faith, honey. -- Faith
doesn't flush my system, Maggie.
MAGGIE
Try an enema.
INT. LATINO LOBBY
This lobby is similar to the one we saw earlier. This one,
however, is filled with a Latin decor.
A Hispanic man in a jump-suit walks rapidly. Behind him is a
smaller man with a media badge who tries to keep up as he
fumbles with a camera-headset.
They make their way to a set of double doors. These doors
open to a dock as well.
INT. LATINO'S SHIP
In the cockpit of the Latino ship Carcacha (Meaning jalopy,
or junker), other Hispanics mess with controls and dials.
The Media Boy and other crew member enter. He flips a switch
on his headset and the video camera turns on. Door shuts.
EXT. CARCACHA
Carcacha lifts, turns toward the exit, and begins to speed
away from the U. E. F. Pendulum.
INT. BOARDROOM
In the boardroom, there are nine people at a large podium who
face a large audience. Some of them carry signs that read,
"Forget the Earth", "Condemned", and "Earth is Dead"
CHAIRMAN
We have less then a month to
prepare.
AUDIENCE REPRESENTATIVE
Why go back? Plague has nearly
wiped us out. If we go back, the
rest of us could die too!
CHAIRMAN
If we find signs of plague, we will
look for a cure. That's the
initial purpose of this race.
AUDIENCE REPRESENTATIVE
And possibly bring it back?! The
synthetic farms have worked beyond
our expectation! What could we
possibly need?
BOARDMEMBER
If we do not attempt this trip, we
may already be doomed. Every
pregnancy on this station has ended
in a stillborn child. --
AUDIENCE REPRESENTATIVE
Because of Plague!
Crowd cheers.
CHAIRMAN
That is still undetermined. The
findings that these stillbirths are
a result of plague are
inconclusive. We --
Alarm sounds. People look confused.
INDEPENDENT'S DOCK
Padre looks up from his book to see what caused the alarm.
Sean looks for the source as well.
NEWS ANCHOR (ON TV)
Hello everyone, I'm News Director
JANICE LAW with a special report.
It appears the Latino team has made
an early launch for Earth --
Padre slowly closes his book in shock, then hurries out of
the dock.
News broadcast fades.
SEAN
What?!
Maggie slides out again and looks at the television in
disbelief.
MAGGIE
Dammit! Hoverdrive still isn't
ready!
PENITENTIARY
Lincoln is in civilian clothes. He slings a backpack around
his shoulder.
Padre barges in.
PADRE
Made up your mind?
LINCOLN
I'm doing this to pay back a favor.
I think you owe me an explanation.
PADRE
I used to hear Marsalis'
confessions when he was younger. --
We leave in a few minutes.
INT. PRODIGAL SON
Maggie and Sean prepare the Prodigal Son for launch.
SEAN
Shit. Hoverdrive is off-line.
MAGGIE
Welcome aboard Captain Obvious!
SEAN
We're gonna have to hard launch.
MAGGIE
What?! You --
SEAN
I'll pay the fines!
The only other ship in the dock disembarks.
MAGGIE
Dammit! There go the Independents!
A sixteen-year-old Caucasian kid with a badge and camera
headset enters the Prodigal Son. He's DANNY.
DANNY
Hey, guys.
SEAN
(glances back)
Looks like the media rats have
decided to join the race.
MAGGIE
Where's Padre?
Padre and Lincoln enter. Sean begins to turn around.
SEAN
About time Padre. I --
(spots Lincoln)
Who the FUCK are you?!
PADRE
He's a member of the team now,
Sean. Get used to it.
SEAN
(mutters)
Just what we need: a rat and monkey
in space.
Maggie shoots Sean a sharp look.
SEAN (CONT'D)
Hold on!
EXT. REAR OF PRODIGAL SON
Engines ignite and the dock fills with fire.
The landing gear scrapes along the floor and tears up metal.
As the landing gear raises, a chunk of metal flooring caught
in the gear raises with it and jams the gear shut when it
seals.
INT. PENDULUM COMMAND CENTER
The place is very reminiscent of NASA. Uniformed workers
scurry like worker ants.
A man in an unfamiliar military-like uniform stands tall
among the crew. He has a noble look about him, but carries
the demeanor of a roughneck. He is COMMANDER JAMES
ARISTARCHUS.
A different alarm sounds.
LIEUTENANT FAULK
Sir, we have a hard launch in the
Independent's Dock.
COMMANDER ARISTARCHUS
Give me a name.
Outside the Command Center window is an explosion.
The Prodigal Son shoots out of the fireball.
LIEUTENANT FAULK
Its the Prodigal Son, Sir.
COMMANDER ARISTARCHUS
I want their asses. -- Get me
Kathryn, I need video feed.
INT. PRODIGAL SON
The crew presses against the backs of their seats due to the
G-forces.
SEAN
Woooooo-Hoooooooo!
SPACE
Two ships race by. One of them is the Independent ship that
launched from the Prodigal Son's dock.
About four seconds behind them is the Prodigal Son.
EXT. PENDULUM
Twenty to thirty other ships launch from the massive space
station.
SPACE
Independent's Ship and the other ship fight for position.
Neck and neck, they bump into each other. The Independents
start to play rough.
The ships wreck in a giant explosion.
INT. PRODIGAL SON
MAGGIE
Shit!
SEAN
(overlapping, singing)
I wanna be an airborne ranger!
EXT. PRODIGAL SON
The Prodigal Son races through the fireball, bodies, and
debris. It weaves and rolls.
A jagged piece of metal slices a small hole in the main fuel
tank that hangs on the underside.
The fuel leaks slowly, ignites in the afterburner, and
creates a second flaming tail.
PENDULUM COMMAND CENTER
COMMANDER ARISTARCHUS
Details!
LIEUTENANT FAULK
Independents and Italians have
collided.
COMMANDER ARISTARCHUS
Cause?
LIEUTENANT FAULK
Unknown. No sign of distress
before the collision. -- I doubt
anyone made it, sir.
COMMANDER ARISTARCHUS
Christ! This is turning into a
disaster!
Door opens. In walks a sexy, middle-aged woman with a PRESS
badge. She is KATHRYN LILITH, head of the top news station
on the Pendulum.
Commander Aristarchus looks at her with disinterest.
COMMANDER ARISTARCHUS (CONT'D)
Did you get your boys out in time?
KATHRYN
JAMES, you know me better than
that. What ship do you want? Take
your pick.
COMMANDER ARISTARCHUS
The Latino's launched a month
early. How'd you --
KATHRYN
Anyone who can have their way with
you, can have anything. Don't
forget, I got Molly.
COMMANDER ARISTARCHUS
(looking at a security
guard)
Get her out of my sight.
SECURITY
Yes, Commander ARISTARCHUS.
KATHRYN
Oh, don't bother.
Some computer geeks chuckle.
Kathryn walks away, swaying her ass like she owns the place.
LIEUTENANT FAULK
Molly, sir?
COMMANDER ARISTARCHUS
Shut-up and get me the feed from
the Carcacha. -- I loved that dog.
The monitors show several Hispanic men who celebrate and
splash tequila.
INT. PRODIGAL SON
The same video is on their monitor, but its part of a news
broadcast.
NEWS ANCHOR (V.O. ON TV)
It's an early celebration on the
Latino ship Carcacha, as they are
the forerunners of the race back to
Earth.
(video cuts to scenes of
dying people)
When the plague hit The station was
only capable of sustaining four
million people. Just a fraction of
a percentage of Earth's population
was evac --
Sean shuts the monitor off.
SEAN
Well, looks like our only hope is
that you may be a better Doc,
Padre.
Still pissed over the rude, racial remark, Maggie scoffs and,
in a fit, heads to a back seat. Padre moves to the front.
PADRE
Actually, I'm a scientist.
Microbiology. "Doctor" is just a
title.
Sean screws with some buttons and dials.
SEAN
We'll reach Earth in... thirty
eight hours.
PADRE
The Latinos?
SEAN
Thirty-two.
MAGGIE
Six-hours?
SEAN
They must have double-burned.
DANNY
Maybe they didn't plan on coming
back?
SEAN
I don't know, Rat.
PADRE
Desperation, can cause funny
things. We all miss home.
DANNY
I don't remember it.
EXT. PRODIGAL SON
The ship races-by with a set of twin, fiery tails. Earth is
significantly closer.
INT. PRODIGAL SON
The crew is asleep. A light beeping sound begins. Sean
slowly awakes and examines the control panels.
SEAN
Son of a bitch!
The rest of the crew wakes to Sean's remark.
MAGGIE
What?
SEAN
We have a slow leak in the fuel
tank.
MAGGIE
I checked it twice!
SEAN
That's what I'm showing! I'm just
the pilot, you're the fucking
mechanic! -- I'm gonna jettison the
tank. We'll fly on reserve.
MAGGIE
Are you insane? It'll ignite in
our wash! We'll --
SEAN
Better than igniting when we enter
the atmosphere! -- Lips to
assholes, guys, we're in for a
ride!
Sean pulls a red and yellow lever on the overhead panel.
EXT. PRODIGAL SON
With a CLANK, the large fuel tank on the underside
disconnects and begins to lag behind the hull.
The tank's flaming tail catches up. It blows into a massive
fireball and sends the Prodigal Son into a wild spin.
INT. PRODIGAL SON
The crew cusses and hangs on for dear life. Danny looks a
little green. Sean laughs and cheers as he jerks on the
controls.
The ship begins to settle and races closer to Earth.
SEAN
Everyone okay?
Danny pukes. Sean doesn't notice, and turns on the monitor.
SEAN (CONT'D)
The Latinos should have landed by
now...
Sean sniffs around.
SEAN (CONT'D)
What's that smell?
EXT. CARCACHA - DAY
The hatch to the Carcacha opens and reveals a beautiful day
on Earth. They seem to have landed in a city. The Latinos
wear chem-suits and carry lightweight equipment.
They exit the ship and examine their surroundings.
COMMAND CENTER
Commander Aristarchus enters. The video feed (POV Media
Camera) from the Latinos is on the monitors.
COMMANDER ARISTARCHUS
Fill me in.
The video on the monitor is a picture of Texas with
crosshairs on the southwest border to Mexico.
LIEUTENANT FAULK
They've landed in Laredo, Texas.
COMMANDER ARISTARCHUS
Plague?
LIEUTENANT FAULK
I don't speak Spanish but their
equipment isn't picking up any
signs of it.
Faulk squints his eyes as he looks at the monitor.
LIEUTENANT FAULK (CONT'D)
What's that? A church?
The monitor shows the Latinos approaching St. Augustine
Church. It's covered in bloody symbols and writing.
COMMANDER ARISTARCHUS
Something's wrong.
LIEUTENANT FAULK
It looks... defiled.
COMMANDER ARISTARCHUS
Possibly vandalized during the
riots, it's something else that
seems funny.
INT. PRODIGAL SON
The monitor shows the same POV video feed, but this one's
from the news broadcast. It shows the men entering the
church. They speak Spanish. Mostly in disgust and prayer.
One of them picks up an old cowboy hat, still hung on the hat
rack.
The view moves forward onto an altar. Upon the altar is a
book. The media boy opens it to reveal strange writing.
NEWS ANCHOR (V.O.)
(on monitor)
So far, there is no sign of plague.
Now... we are attempting to get a
translator to our studio.
SEAN
Entering Earth's atmosphere in
thirty seconds.
INT. ST. AUGUSTINE CHURCH
A noise, similar to a weeping child is heard from a dark
corner.
The men check their instruments. They give an affirmative
nod to each other and take off their hoods and masks.
COMMAND CENTER
The entire staff gazes at the monitors.
LIEUTENANT FAULK
Survivors?
COMMANDER ARISTARCHUS
Very possibly.
ST. AUGUSTINE CHURCH
As one of the team members approaches the dark corner, he
offers words of encouragement and comfort (in Spanish).
For a brief moment, the glare of two evil eyes can be seen
just before a beast leaps out and attacks the man.
What it looks like is unclear, as there is too much confusion
in the slaughter.
INT. PRODIGAL SON
During the bloodfest, one of the men's faces gruesomely
presses against the camera. The Prodigal Son's crew jumps in
shock and horror, as Sean concentrates on his piloting.
SEAN
Two... One...
DANNY
(Overlapping)
Turn around!
LINCOLN
Holy shit!
The ship begins to rumble.
SPACE
The ships that remain turn around and head back. Some wreck
into each other and cause massive explosions.
EXT. ST. AUGUSTINE CHURCH
Those that tried to escape the church are strewn about the
unkempt front lawn. In the distant sky, a slow comet (The
Prodigal Son) heads north as it makes its way to Earth.
INT. PRODIGAL SON
Through the cockpit, the clouds can be seen. A mountain peak
seems to appear through the clouds.
MAGGIE
Mountains?
The mountain peak turns out to be the top of a skyscraper.
SEAN
That's no mountain. That's Dallas.
DOWNTOWN DALLAS
A peaceful panoramic view of the dead metropolis is
interrupted by a screaming ship. It weaves its way around
buildings.
EXT. PRODIGAL SON
Hydraulics whir as the landing gear attempts to open. It
budges, but the chunk of metal holds it shut. Sparks fly.
INT. PRODIGAL SON
SEAN
(checks systems)
No hoverdrive, landing gear
malfunctioning. Shit!
FREEWAY
A perspective view of the freeway shows the distant Prodigal
Son making a sharp turn (toward camera) to align itself with
the road.
The ship slams onto the freeway and skids down the road.
It begins to yaw moments before it hits an overpass and
launches as it tumbles sideways through the air.
The sorry ship slams back to the ground, off the freeway, and
tumbles towards a large building.
The ship rolls rapidly and hits.
BLACKOUT
COMMAND CENTER
The entire crew is in shock. Aristarchus pierces the silence.
COMMANDER ARISTARCHUS
I want playback immediately! Get me
a translator, now! -- I wanna know
what happened down there.
The crew gets back on top of things.
The video plays from the beginning. Aristarchus concentrates
on the video.
LIEUTENANT FAULK
Commander? How'd you know?
COMMANDER ARISTARCHUS
(dazed)
Huh?
(recovered, to Faulk)
What?
LIEUTENANT FAULK
You said something was wrong. How
did you know?
COMMANDER ARISTARCHUS
Look around, Faulk. What's
missing?
LIEUTENANT FAULK
I don't understand.
COMMANDER ARISTARCHUS
Back on Earth. What's missing? --
When we left, there were fires and
wrecks. Bodies all over the place.
Where are the bodies?
INT. PRODIGAL SON
Everyone is out-cold. Maggie regains consciousness.
She shakes Padre's shoulder.
MAGGIE
Hey.
Padre's eyes flicker open.
Sean and Lincoln wake up to the sounds of their movement.
Padre nudges Danny.
PADRE
Danny --
When Danny wakes, he screams as though they're still
crashing.
PADRE (CONT'D)
Shh! Shh! Hey, hey! It's me.
Danny looks about himself and sees he's alright. He calms
down.
The Prodigal Son is a shambles.
MAGGIE
We should be dead. The ship should
have gone up in flames.
Sean laughs as he taps on a meter on the control panel.
SEAN
We ran out of fuel.
The crew slowly begins to laugh in excitement.
PADRE
(laughing)
God has such a way, doesn't he?
SEAN
(laughing)
Naw, I think we can thank Maggie
for slacking off.
Maggie's laughing slows, and she expresses feelings of hurt.
Padre sees this and quickly distracts her.
PADRE
Maggie, try and raise the Pendulum
on the radio.
MAGGIE
Sure.
Maggie puts on a headset and turns some dials.
MAGGIE (CONT'D)
Pendulum, this is the Prodigal Son,
come in. -- Pendulum, come in.
Maggie turns the dials some more.
MAGGIE (CONT'D)
Pendulum, do you copy. This is the
Prodigal Son, come in.
The laughter turns into a lull of silence.
Sean steps out of the Prodigal Son through a hole in the
hull.
DANNY
What's wrong?
MAGGIE
U. E. F. Pendulum, this is the
Explorer Ship Prodigal Son, please
respond!
SEAN (O.S.)
Fucking hell!
Padre and Lincoln glance at the opening.
MAGGIE
Dammit, Pendulum, answer!
Sean steps in. Lincoln and Padre stand up.
LINCOLN
What happened?
Sean ignores Lincoln and stands behind Maggie, rubbing her
shoulders.
Lincoln and Padre step out to examine Sean's discovery.
MAGGIE
(sniffling)
Pendulum --
SEAN
It's no use, baby. The transmitter
was destroyed. Everything's in
pieces.
Maggie bursts out into tears. Sean holds her.
EXT. PRODIGAL SON
Lincoln and Padre examine their surroundings. The Ship is
embedded in the side of a building. Smoke and dust fill the
air.
Lincoln stares at the building for a second.
LINCOLN
The Mosh Pit.
PADRE
I beg your pardon?
LINCOLN
It's a giant mall, we called the
Mosh Pit. I came here a couple of
times when I was a kid and wreaked
havoc with my sist --
Lincoln pauses. Padre looks at him.
LINCOLN (CONT'D)
It's junk now. But maybe we can
find some supplies in there.
PADRE
I'll get the others.
INT. PRODIGAL SON
Danny, puts on his camera-headset.
DANNY
Hey, sir.
SEAN
The name's Sean, Rat.
DANNY
Well, Sean. I still have my
headset. We can talk to them
through this.
We won't receive anything though,
but at least they'll know we're
still alive.
Padre peeks in.
PADRE
We're moving.
MAGGIE
Where?
PADRE
Food, Shelter. The necessities.
INT. MALL
Dust fills the air of the lower floor. The ceiling can be
seen several floors up. Glass, jewelry, money, and other
items, covered in dust, are strewn about the floor.
Some rubble tumbles over and Lincoln steps into view.
LINCOLN
Hey, Joseph, check it out.
Padre walks in. The others follow behind him. Danny is
messing with his headset.
PADRE
Wow. To think, we used to strive
for this stuff. -- Worthless junk,
now.
LINCOLN
Not all of it.
COMMAND CENTER
Eight men and women surround some monitors, examining the
video. It also plays on the main screen.
LIEUTENANT FAULK
Sir, I'm getting a signal from
Earth?
COMMANDER ARISTARCHUS
The Carcacha?
LIEUTENANT FAULK
No, sir... It's the Prodigal Son.
COMMANDER ARISTARCHUS
Get me the feed.
The monitors display static and garbled images, then clears
up to reveal Danny's POV. They are inside the Mall, looking
at the mess.
COMMANDER ARISTARCHUS (CONT'D)
Where are they?
LIEUTENANT FAULK
I Don't know, sir. I can't pick up
their ship.
COMMANDER ARISTARCHUS
Well find their last known
coordinates, dammit! I don't want
to hear those three words again. --
Idiots. Why didn't they turn
around with the rest?
LIEUTENANT FAULK
(dazed and focused)
I Don't --
(recovered)
I'll get right on it, sir.
INT. MALL
Lincoln sits on a bench by an old popcorn stand. Behind the
stand is a carousel. He watches as the eerie carousel seems
to radiate ghostly sounds of music and laughing children.
Lincoln snaps out of his daydream.
LINCOLN
Turn your camera off. We need to
save the battery. -- What's your
name, kid?
DANNY
Daniel.
LINCOLN
No, I mean what do you like to be
called?
DANNY
(chuckles)
Well, it looks like Sean's already
set the trend to "rat".
LINCOLN
Don't pay that white-boy any mind.
DANNY
Hey... I'm white.
LINCOLN
Is that what you think? Let me
tell you something. Growing up,
I've dealt with all sorts of names,
far worse than Rat. But God? That
guy has more names than Sean has
issues.
Both laugh.
DANNY
That's a bunch.
LINCOLN
But his best name, and favorite, is
I AM. Son, you are what you are.
It's not your skin, your education,
your ethnic background... you just
are.
DANNY
REU.
LINCOLN
What?
DANNY
My friends call me Reu. It means
friend. I-AM-REU.
Maggie steps out of a dollar store fumbling with bags full of
canned and dry goods.
Lincoln turns around to see what she carries and notices his
conversation is not as private as previously thought. Padre
is standing just ten feet away.
Lincoln gets up and passes Padre as he walks toward Maggie.
PADRE
(near whisper)
I won't make a big deal about it.
LINCOLN
(near whisper)
I told him what he needed to hear.
Sean is down a distant corridor and walks back to the crowd,
but the voices still carry very well.
LINCOLN (CONT'D)
Here, let me help.
MAGGIE
(smiles)
No, thanks. I'm used to doing
everything by myself.
Sean pauses and watches.
LINCOLN
No, seriously.
Lincoln takes one of the bags from her.
MAGGIE
No, wait! The bag's--
The bag rips and cans fall all over the floor. A soda can
pops open and sprays them.
They scream and laugh as they try to pick up the swirling
can.
Padre and Danny laugh.
Lincoln's hands cover Maggie's as they both try to stop the
spray. They stand, and pause.
Awkward silence.
The fizz stops.
SEAN
So, you guys do anything
productive?
Maggie rips her hand away and drops the can.
Lincoln just slowly looks away with attitude.
MAGGIE
Oh! Uh... we were just --
SEAN
Uh-huh?
MAGGIE
I found us some food.
Padre munches on a bag of chips.
SEAN
Yeah, well, looks like all the guns
have been looted.
Lincoln turns back around to face Sean and crosses his arms.
MAGGIE
Guns?!
LINCOLN
He's right. We should arm
ourselves.
SEAN
Hey, I don't need your help, ape
man!
Maggie slaps Sean.
MAGGIE
Stop it!
Sean punches Maggie.
SEAN
Bitch!
Maggie falls to the floor. Lincoln decks Sean in the jaw.
Sean falls to the floor and Lincoln puts his foot on Sean's
neck.
SEAN (CONT'D)
(gagging)
Go ahead, Monkey boy! Prove to
everyone you're still a savage!
Lincoln presses harder.
MAGGIE
Stop it! You're gonna kill him!
SEAN
Is it harder to kill a white than
your nigger family?
Lincoln presses some more. Sean can no longer talk.
MAGGIE
(crying)
Stop it!
LINCOLN
I'm not a killer.
Lincoln lets go and walks towards Padre.
LINCOLN (CONT'D)
The plague took the wrong damn
people.
Lincoln stands by Danny.
Maggie rushes to Sean's aid.
MAGGIE
(sobbing)
I'm sorry, baby. I didn't mean to
hit you. I'm so sorry.
SEAN
(coughing)
I know, baby. I forgive you.
Sean wipes the blood from his lip.
PADRE
We should go find weapons. If one
of those things we saw on the video
decides to barge right in here,
we're through.
DANNY
Let's hit a sports shop. We can
get some backpacks. Maybe some
bats, clubs, stuff like that.
LINCOLN
There you go, boy. That's what I'm
talking about.
INT. SPORTS SHOP
Everyone except Sean enters the shop. Sean walks-off to a
hardware store.
Padre picks up a 9-iron.
PADRE
This is the weapon of champions.
Lincoln grabs a baseball bat from the wall.
COMMAND CENTER
Aristarchus stands over the crew as they examine the text on
the walls and book.
LINGUIST 1
There's far too much distortion. I
recognize a few greek letters.
It's probably some old graffiti
from the plague riots. Maybe some
frat guys.
Kathryn steps through the door. She crosses her arms and
waits.
COMMANDER ARISTARCHUS
I want you to stop the broadcast.
KATHRYN
No way in hell.
COMMANDER ARISTARCHUS
We can't be showing this to the
public.
KATHRYN
The public has a right to know if
their going home!
COMMANDER ARISTARCHUS
We don't need a riot on this
station!
KATHRYN
It belongs to THEM!
COMMANDER ARISTARCHUS
And they belong to me! I'm their
father, their leader. They
appointed me as Commander of this
station!
KATHRYN
Because you were a full bird
Colonel? You were a retired,
aging, Air Force attorney. Your
rank meant shit!
COMMANDER ARISTARCHUS
I want you to stop the broadcast or
I'll stop it for you.
KATHRYN
Just try it.
Kathryn scamps off.
COMMANDER ARISTARCHUS
Faulk. Let me know if we get a
signal back from the Prodigal Sons.
INT. SPORTS SHOP
Lincoln is holding a hiking pack chock-full of junk, and a
baseball bat with sharpened bolts protruding from all sides.
Maggie holds a bow and some arrows, still packaged.
MAGGIE
Whada'ya got there?
LINCOLN
I'm an adrenaline junkie. This
stuff isn't cheap.
MAGGIE
Wasn't.
Lincoln chuckles.
LINCOLN
Yeah.
Maggie suddenly emits an heir of seriousness.
MAGGIE
You shouldn't have hit him.
LINCOLN
He shouldn't have hit YOU.
MAGGIE
It wasn't your concern.
LINCOLN
I'm making it my concern!
MAGGIE
Why the hell are you even here?!
Don't you have a prison cell to rot
in?!
Maggie turns around and walks towards the back of the shop.
A small box hits her in the head.
She stops and turns around in utter anger.
LINCOLN
You're gonna want to tip your
arrows with those. The stock tips
aren't worth shit.
Maggie picks up the box, fitfully turns around and stomps to
a corner where she plops her butt down and begins unscrewing
her arrowheads.
MAGGIE
(mutters)
Asshole.
Sean walks into the sports shop with his new toy. He has an
axe handle with a saw blade embedded in it.
SEAN
Hey, guys I --
A noise is heard outside the shop. Everyone, including
Maggie, suddenly holds still and shuts up.
Another noise is heard, followed by indistinctive voices.
The crew rushes out of the store.
EXT. SPORTS SHOP
The crew are on an upper floor. They look down, over the
rails. More noises.
The voices become clear. Five Russian men appear from
underneath.
RUSSIAN 1
(in a heavy Russian
accent)
Greetings. We follow your ship
here. We come to see if you need
help.
Padre and his crew smile in relief.
RUSSIAN 2
I am doctor. Anyone hurt? We have --
Three shadowy figures leap at the men and they scream in
horror.
LINCOLN
Shit!
Lincoln hooks a bungie cord to the rail.
Maggie runs back into the store.
MAGGIE
Oh, God! Oh, God! Oh, God!
INT. SPORTS SHOP
Maggie picks up the box of arrowheads. She fumbles at the
pack as she tries to get it open and cuts herself on a tip.
MAGGIE
Ow! Fuck!
She sucks on her finger, calms down, takes a deep breath, and
continues unscrewing her arrowheads.
FIRST FLOOR
Lincoln leaps from the upper floor and screams.
A beast stops and turns his direction.
Two shiny eyes glare from a deep blue-ish/purple reptilian
face. While the skin is scaly, the form and skin-sag are
definitely dog-like. It hulks about 7-feet tall.
The beast looks just long enough to see Lincoln, but not
enough to react.
Lincoln crowns it on the top of its skull with his spiked
club. The creature collapses with a spray of blood and a dog
like yelp.
Lincoln Flies back to the upper floor. He barely makes it
and struggles to maintain his grip on the rail.
The other two stop and look. They each are clearly different
in their own design.
One leaps for Lincoln and pulls him back down.
Sean reaches the bottom of the escalator. He stops and
watches the fight.
The creature holds Lincoln with one hand and slashes the
bungie cord with a claw on the other.
Lincoln falls to the ground.
Free, Lincoln martially trips the creature and pounds on it
with his spiked club.
The other one stands tall about 10 feet behind Lincoln and
leaps at him with a raging roar.
Lincoln has no time to react. It lands right on him.
Sean gets an evil grin on his face.
The beast begins to move. The movement is Lincoln pushing
the corpse off him. An arrow is protruding from the back of
the beasts skull.
EXT. SPORTS SHOP
PADRE
Hell of a shot!
MAGGIE
(with a proud smile)
It's not easy being my Dad's
favorite son.
FIRST FLOOR
The body of Russian 1 begins to move, he's bloody.
RUSSIAN 1
Son of bitch!
LINCOLN
You hurt?
RUSSIAN 1
Is okay. Is not my blood.
SEAN
What are you, crazy?
RUSSIAN 1
No, I'm Russian.
LINCOLN
Why didn't you head back with the
others?
RUSSIAN 1
Why go back?
SEAN
The news, you fuckin' commie. Why
didn't you chicken out with the
others after the news broadcast?
RUSSIAN 1
We don't have television. Stupid
Yuri wanted his video game.
He starts to kick one of the Russian bodies.
RUSSIAN 1 (CONT'D)
You hear that Yuri!
He continues screaming in Russian as he kicks the body.
UPPER FLOOR
DANNY
He's lost is mind.
PADRE
We all handle stress differently.
FIRST FLOOR
LINCOLN
Hey, cool it.
Russian 1 calms and breaths heavily. He wipes the sweat from
his brow and fixes his hair.
LINCOLN (CONT'D)
What's your name?
RUSSIAN 1
I am VODNIK.
SEAN
What kind of name is Vodnik?
VODNIK
Is Russian ghost of drowned child.
Baits children to river to drown.
SEAN
Hey, monkey. Looks like your
friend is a little off his rocker.
Know what I mean?
LINCOLN
You're ship intact?
VODNIK
Two men are there as we speak.
LINCOLN
Sean, get the others, we're getting
the hell out of here.
SEAN
Don't boss me around nig--
Lincoln puts his bloody club to Sean's chin.
LINCOLN
Just do it!
SEAN
You're gonna pay for this, monkey
boy.
Sean walks backwards, then turns around and heads back up the
escalator.
INT. BROADCAST STATION
Several men and women surround a desk littered with messy
stacks of papers. Kathryn barges in.
KATHRYN
MIKE! Janice! In my office, now!
The crew looks at each other. Some make humorous "awe shit"
faces.
OFFICE
Janice and Kathryn are already seated. Mike closes the door
behind them.
KATHRYN (CONT'D)
They're going to try to shut us
down.
MIKE
What?
JANICE
(overlapping)
Why?
KATHRYN
Because they don't want the people
to know the truth.
MIKE
They can't do that.
KATHRYN
That's right, cause we're not gonna
to let `em.
MIKE
(sadistically smiling)
Are you thinking what I think your
thinking?
KATHRYN
Absolutely.
MIKE
I'll get my stuff.
COMMAND CENTER
A well-dressed man enters with a stack of papers. He walks
straight for the commander.
WELL-DRESSED MAN
Sir.
COMMANDER ARISTARCHUS
Who are YOU?
WELL-DRESSED MAN
I'm GILBERT NORTON. I used to be
the President of New Atlantis.
COMMANDER ARISTARCHUS
(confused)
Who?
GILBERT
We should talk in private.
COMMANDER'S OFFICE
Aristarchus and Gilbert enter.
COMMANDER ARISTARCHUS
I have a lot on my plate right now,
Mr. Norton. Make it brief.
GILBERT
Sir, before the plague, this
station attempted to declare itself
a free nation. It was to be called
New Atlantis.
Aristarchus stands up.
COMMANDER ARISTARCHUS
I don't have time for th--
GILBERT
This is a matter of the extinction
of the human race!
The commander pauses, and reluctantly sits back down.
COMMANDER ARISTARCHUS
Alright, lets hear it.
GILBERT
Whatever's down there had to come
from somewhere else.
COMMANDER ARISTARCHUS
Naturally.
GILBERT
So we can assume that it can use
its same means of arrival to invade
this station as well.
Aristarchus cups his hands together and puts them to his
mouth.
COMMANDER ARISTARCHUS
Something tells me that's not all.
GILBERT
Every country has a right to defend
itself. This station purchased
nuclear weapons before it's
declaration of independence.
Aristarchus slams his hands on the table.
COMMANDER ARISTARCHUS
WHAT?!
COMMAND CENTER
The staff silences and look towards the office.
OFFICE
GILBERT
It doesn't matter anymore! Is there
a threat of world war? What I'm
talking about is our survival.
COMMANDER ARISTARCHUS
You're talking about nuclear
winter! Making our homeworld
uninhabitable for hundreds, maybe
thousands of years!
GILBERT
Which we can inhabit then! But we
can't do that if we're extinct!
COMMANDER ARISTARCHUS
I am NOT going to annihilate our
home and trap mankind on this chunk
of metal!
GILBERT
If you go back --
COMMANDER ARISTARCHUS
If we go back, we have a chance to
grow again! That thing isn't going
to stop a species that survived
near extinction! We are survivors!
GILBERT
Not if there are more of those
things down there.
COMMANDER ARISTARCHUS
How do you know its not alone?
GILBERT
I don't. -- But what are the
chances that the Latinos landed at
the one spot on the entire planet
where --
COMMANDER ARISTARCHUS
Where that thing was. -- We'll hold
it as a last resort.
GILBERT
Fair enough, sir.
EXT. DOWNTOWN DALLAS
The crew and their new-found friend are several blocks from
the Mall. They climb over old, junked cars and building
rubble. Their path follows the trail left behind by the
Prodigal Son.
DANNY
I'd wish to be a famous reporter.
MAGGIE
I don't know what I'd wish for.
PADRE
It's a lot harder to decide when
money isn't a factor anymore, huh?
LINCOLN
No kiddin'.
VODNIK
I'd rather find message in bottle
than genie. I don't want to play
God, just hear him.
Sean stumbles and sweats.
SEAN
How far is it?
VODNIK
We land at your point of impact.
SEAN
You parked on the freeway?
VODNIK
Are we blocking traffic?
The rest of them chuckle.
SEAN
What? I just thought it was stupid
to be out in the open.
PADRE
(mutters)
Sure, you did.
Heavy clouds are beginning to overcast. The sound of thunder
can be heard far in the distance.
Maggie picks up a chunk of metal.
MAGGIE
Hey, here's our transmitter
antenna.
DANNY
Can you fix it?
Maggie tosses it aside.
MAGGIE
Not a chance.
VODNIK
We have radio in our ship.
Vodnik stops at the top of the overpass.
VODNIK (CONT'D)
(disappointed)
Mother Russia.
The others catch up.
LINCOLN
Why'd you stop?
He looks straight ahead and finds the Russian ship in smoke.
Two bloody Russian men lay on the ground.
SEAN
Mother Fucker!
VODNIK
(still gazing at the
wreckage)
No, Mother Russia. Is Russian
expression.
Thunder rolls. It starts to rain.
DANNY
I guess we're not going home.
Indistinctive roars and screams can be heard far in the
distance.
PADRE
It's getting dark. We should find
shelter.
COMMAND CENTER
A woman enters with an older, Mexican lady under her arm.
COMMANDER ARISTARCHUS
What are you, the Judicial Branch?
YOUNGER WOMAN
Excuse me?
COMMANDER ARISTARCHUS
Nevermind.
YOUNGER WOMAN
This woman has something important
to tell you.
COMMANDER ARISTARCHUS
Do you need any coffee or water?
MEXICAN WOMAN
No thank you. Senor, please don't
blame my son for this. We are
already suffering.
COMMANDER ARISTARCHUS
We're not blaming anyone.
MEXICAN WOMAN
Times are very hard right now. We
have much problem already.
COMMANDER ARISTARCHUS
(sympathetically)
Come to my office and you can tell
me all about it.
INT. BROADCAST STATION
Aristarchus breaks down the door. The crew jumps in
astonishment.
COMMANDER ARISTARCHUS
Kathryn, you bitch!
Six men in armor and guns follow.
COMMANDER ARISTARCHUS (CONT'D)
I want this place shut down, now!
ARMORED SECURITY 1
(to his radio headset)
Cut the power to News fourteen. --
They're complying, sir.
KATHRYN
You can't stop us.
The power shuts down and emergency lights come on.
COMMANDER ARISTARCHUS
You paid the Hispanics to launch
early?!
KATHRYN
I do what I have to do to keep the
ratings up.
ARMORED SECURITY 1
(to his radio headset)
Repeat.
COMMANDER ARISTARCHUS
What's going on, Sergeant?
ARMORED SECURITY 1
They're broadcasting, sir.
Aristarchus looks at Kathryn standing in the beam of the
emergency light. She smiles knowingly.
COMMANDER ARISTARCHUS
(firmly)
Where are they?
KATHRYN
This station has four-million
people, 17 sub-cities, a marvel of
man's capability to extend beyond
God's intentions. How much time do
you think you have to dedicate in
finding my team? -- I would now
like to exercise my right to remain
silent.
Aristarchus grits his teeth.
COMMANDER ARISTARCHUS
Take her into custody.
The armored men put her arms behind her back and cuff her.
She smiles victoriously. One of the men comes up next to
Aristarchus.
ARMORED SECURITY 2
Ya know? With a gag and some rope,
I would have dated her too.
Aristarchus slowly turns to him.
ARMORED SECURITY 2 (CONT'D)
I... I'll go start the paperwork.
INT. CONVENIENCE STORE - NIGHT
Vodnik, Maggie and Danny sit in a corner as they eat.
Sean is picking out a good brand of beer.
Padre and Lincoln are at the other end in conversation.
Their words are indistinguishable.
DANNY
Why do you call him "Padre"?
MAGGIE
He's pretty much raised me. I was
fifteen. He was a priest who
recently lost his wife to the
plague.
VODNIK
Why did priest come?
MAGGIE
Oh, he's not a priest anymore. Not
much faith left on the station.
DANNY
Do you believe?
MAGGIE
I don't know.
VODNIK
What is mean Prodigal Son? Is on
side of your ship.
MAGGIE
Padre named it. It's a biblical
story. There were two brothers.
One busted his butt for his father;
the other asks for his inheritance
and wastes it on booze and whores.
His money spent, he sells himself
as a servant to make-ends-meet.
He realizes not even his father
treated his servants like crap, so
he swallowed his pride and went
back home. His father celebrates
his return, but his brother gets
jealous.
DANNY
Why?
MAGGIE
Well, he worked his ass off for his
father, but never got so much as a
birthday party to invite his
friends. -- When he told his father
how pissed he was, his father told
him he was just glad that his son
had returned.
Danny chuckles.
DANNY
Some welcoming party we got.
VODNIK
Why does not Lincoln call him
"Padre"?
MAGGIE
Padre says Lincoln doesn't believe
in God.
DANNY
That's bullshit.
MAGGIE
Seriously.
DANNY
No, I mean Lincoln. He --
nevermind.
INT. AUTO REPAIR SHOP - NIGHT
Maggie and Lincoln are under a sporty pick-up, covered in oil
and dirt. They ratchet and hammer.
MAGGIE
No, no, no. These have to come off
first or you'll tear up the wire
harness when we drop the tank.
LINCOLN
Where'd you learn to be a mechanic?
MAGGIE
I was supposed to be a boy.
LINCOLN
Your father?
MAGGIE
What's to say, he's dead.
Lincoln gives her a look like the answer does not seem
truthful. They continue working as they talk.
LINCOLN
Does it bother you?
MAGGIE
I learned a lot from him. But
certain things change when you grow
up. Yeah, it bothers me.
LINCOLN
I was talking about our pilot. You
know... his superiority issues?
MAGGIE
We've only been together three
months. I never knew.
LINCOLN
Why are you with him?
MAGGIE
We're not going to start that
again, are we?
LINCOLN
God, I hope not.
MAGGIE
What's that supposed to mean?
LINCOLN
Nothing.
Padre peeks his head in the door and knocks on the wall.
PADRE
Hey, kids. We gotta get some sleep.
MAGGIE
We'll be done in about an hour.
Padre leaves.
The Gas tank drops and pegs Maggie in the head.
LINCOLN
Oh, shit. You okay?
Maggie holds her head.
MAGGIE
Oh, damn!
Lincoln laughs and kisses her on the head.
LINCOLN
Well, the wire harness is okay.
Maggie slaps Lincoln on the head.
LINCOLN (CONT'D)
Ow!
Lincoln flinches backwards and hits his head on the frame of
the pick-up.
LINCOLN (CONT'D)
OW!
MAGGIE
Oh, shit! I'm sorry!
She starts to hold his head looks him over.
MAGGIE (CONT'D)
I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. Are you
bleeding?
LINCOLN
Like you care.
MAGGIE
I'm not heartless.
LINCOLN
That can be debated.
Maggie puts Lincoln's hand to her chest.
MAGGIE
Then what's this?
LINCOLN
A thumping gizzard.
MAGGIE
(laughing)
You asshole.
Maggie's laughing subsides. Lincoln's hand is still on her
chest.
Awkward silence.
Lincoln moves his face closer to hers. She turns away.
He moves his head quickly to remain face-to-face with her.
Her eyes begin to look about his face. They speak softly.
MAGGIE (CONT'D)
Are you ever gonna quit?
LINCOLN
I might.
MAGGIE
Then hurry up and kiss me before
you do.
They kiss softly. Maggie starts to pull away but pauses.
They start kissing with fire and power.
Sean watches from the darkness of the outdoors. He checks
the sharpness of the saw blade with his thumb.
INT. CONVENIENCE STORE
The rain has stopped. Danny is asleep. Padre and Vodnik
converse. Sean enters with blood on his club.
Padre looks at the bloody blade and worries.
Sean produces a rabbit.
SEAN
Eaten yet, Padre?
PADRE
(relieved)
Yeah, I'm fine. Thanks.
SEAN
So, what's the plan.
PADRE
Well, our friend Vodnik is
multilingual. Russian, French,
English, and... Spanish.
SEAN
Good for him. Is that all you've
talked about for the last hour and
a half?
VODNIK
I go back with you to your ship and
translate the video.
SEAN
Find out what we're dealing with,
huh?
PADRE
Exactly.
SEAN
See? And here I thought you guys
were just gonna lay down and die.
AUTO REPAIR SHOP
Lincoln and Maggie make love on the hood of an old, white
corvette.
INT. CONVENIENCE STORE
Maggie is asleep with Sean. Padre wakes her up.
PADRE
(whisper)
Maggie, it's your watch.
MAGGIE
Who's my relief?
PADRE
You're the last. Wake everyone up
in the morning.
EXT. CONVENIENCE STORE
Maggie steps out. She shivers and rubs her arms. She looks
at her arms as though she sees goosebumps, rubs them once
more, then walks next door.
INT. AUTO REPAIR SHOP
Maggie is under the pickup turning wrenches. She has a look
of concentration.
Her wrench occasionally slows as she stares-off in the
distance. She comes-to, and continues to ratchet.
MAGGIE
(mutters, angrily)
Thumping gizzard.
She starts turning the ratchet faster and slips. She bangs
her knuckle.
MAGGIE (CONT'D)
Ow!
She sucks on her knuckle and starts to smile.
She looks at her knuckle, and continues to ratchet and she
smiles.
COMMAND CENTER
Armed Security enters.
ARMORED SECURITY 1
This place is just way too big,
Sir. Without a station-wide alert,
it's going to be impossible.
LIEUTENANT FAULK
The people will want to know what's
going on down there. There's no
way they'll support cutting
themselves off.
COMMANDER ARISTARCHUS
Filter out any signals from the
Earth.
LIEUTENANT FAULK
But, sir, the Prodigal Son might --
COMMANDER ARISTARCHUS
Do it, Lieutenant! -- If we can't
get them to stop broadcasting,
we'll choke the hell out of their
information.
LIEUTENANT FAULK
Yes, sir. -- We're going to be
blind.
COMMANDER ARISTARCHUS
Not for long. Get me Kathryn's
competitor.
INT. CONVENIENCE STORE - DAY
Padre wakes to the sound of a roaring engine. He wakes the
others.
EXT. CONVENIENCE STORE
Lincoln, Padre, and Sean walk out.
LINCOLN
You got it running!
MAGGIE
Woooo-Hooooo!
SEAN
That's my girl!
Danny and Vodnik step out. Danny turns his camera-headset
on.
PADRE
Let's get moving.
VODNIK
What, no breakfast?
EXT. DALLAS
The crew is piled in the pick-up. Maggie drives with Sean in
the passenger side. Lincoln, Padre, Danny and Vodnik are
seated in the bed of the pick-up.
Vodnik takes a bite off a twinkie.
The truck races through ghostly empty roads.
SEAN
Where the fuck are you going?
MAGGIE
We left the highway in pieces.
It's blocked.
Sean points to the left.
SEAN
The ship's that way, Columbus.
MAGGIE
No it's not.
SEAN
Some thing's never change.
MAGGIE
You wanna stop and ask for
directions? I'll be happy to let
you talk to the next vicious
monster we cross.
SEAN
Why don't you just let me drive?!
Padre opens the rear-slide-window.
PADRE
Hey, I think you'll wanna make a
RIGHT over here.
Maggie smiles.
Sean puts his fingers to the bridge of his nose and closes
his eyes.
INT. PRODIGAL SON
The video plays as Vodnik watches, unaffected by the events.
Lincoln sits with him.
Maggie walks out in disgust.
EXT. PRODIGAL SON
Danny and Sean are outside, throwing rocks at windows.
Maggie steps out of the Prodigal Son.
MAGGIE
Where's Padre?
SEAN
He's in the mall examining corpses.
INT. MALL
Padre has a First-Aid kit and Exact-O set. He cuts bits and
pieces of creature-skin and peers through a magnifying glass.
Maggie enters.
MAGGIE
Find anything?
PADRE
Have a look.
Padre points at the creature's face.
The side of the creature's head reveals a scaly/fuzzy ear.
Embedded in the earlobe is a diamond earring.
MAGGIE
An earring.
PADRE
See how the skin has grown around
it?
MAGGIE
How?
PADRE
I don't understand it either. But
it would explain why we haven't
seen any bodies and skeletons lying
around. I thought there might even
be survivors, but now -- How's
Vodnik doing?
MAGGIE
They're almost done. I'll go check
on them.
PADRE
Don't worry about it. I'm done
here. Let's just go.
INT. PRODIGAL SON
Lincoln and Vodnik converse. Padre enters.
PADRE
Well?
LINCOLN
They landed down in Laredo.
Apparently their home town, and the
site where Plague first made its
appearance. The church they
entered was St. Augustine, and they
referred to the creatures as
DEMONS. Beyond that, there's too
much confusion.
PADRE
Demon sounds about right.
Maggie, Sean, and Danny enter.
PADRE (CONT'D)
Those things back there used to be
human.
SEAN
So we're not fighting some alien
thing?
PADRE
That's what it looks like. -- There
were six-billion people left behind
on this planet. Our odds aren't
looking good.
SEAN
So what now?
PADRE
We'll find that out when we reach
Laredo. I think everything we need
to know will be in that book.
SEAN
You want us to drive all the way
down there, with those things
running around?!
PADRE
What were you thinking, Sean? A
rose garden and white picket fence
for Maggie! Wake up! This is
real. This is what's left of the
Earth and we have zero options.
LINCOLN
But we have a lead.
PADRE
Yes. We have somewhere to start.
LINCOLN
How do you know you can read it?
PADRE
It's written in Greek. I can read
it.
Padre rewinds the video and pauses where the book is in view.
Most of the book is a blur. One spot is clear. Padre points
to it.
PADRE (CONT'D)
You see this right here? That
reads "thirteen-levels"...
He points to another clear spot.
PADRE (CONT'D)
And this says "Heaven". -- It
appears to be a bible of sorts.
SEAN
I know the Bible. I've never heard
of one like this. Where's the
headings?
PADRE
The verse headings were added by
King James, hence the King James
Version. This is much older.
INTERSTATE HIGHWAY
The truck speeds past the Dallas City Limits.
COMMAND CENTER
Gilbert enters Command.
GILBERT
Commander, I thought we had an
agreement!
COMMANDER ARISTARCHUS
Keep your voice down.
OFFICE
Gilbert and Aristarchus enter.
COMMANDER ARISTARCHUS (CONT'D)
Do you want this to leak out? If
people find this out, it's the end
of this station!
GILBERT
We had a deal!
COMMANDER ARISTARCHUS
As a last resort.
GILBERT
We've lost complete contact with
the Earth.
COMMANDER ARISTARCHUS
No we haven't. I'll open the
signal back when my contingency
comes in order.
GILBERT
What contingency?
A knock at the door.
COMMANDER ARISTARCHUS
Come in.
Faulk enters.
LIEUTENANT FAULK
Sir, MISS KIM is here to see you.
COMMANDER ARISTARCHUS
(to Gilbert)
That contingency. -- Tell her to
come in.
A gorgeous oriental woman enters. She's dressed in business
like clothing.
The commander stands.
COMMANDER ARISTARCHUS (CONT'D)
MISS JUNG KIM. Such a pleasure to
meet with you.
KIM
Thank you. I haven't been briefed
on what this is about.
COMMANDER ARISTARCHUS
Have a seat. This is my...
advisor, Gilbert Norton. -- I've
called you in because we are in a
state of mutual benefit.
KIM
Oh?
COMMANDER ARISTARCHUS
With Kathryn covering the Earth
story, I feel it would be in both
our interest to bring her down.
KIM
What's your price?
COMMANDER ARISTARCHUS
All I ask, is that we edit what
information you broadcast.
KIM
Forget it.
COMMANDER ARISTARCHUS
I assure you, Kathryn will never
work again in broadcasting. She
might even do some prison time.
KIM
Keep talking.
COMMANDER ARISTARCHUS
I want to introduce you to an old
Hispanic woman.
Kim gets a questionable look on her face.
LOBBY
A crowd sits in the lobby with sleeping bags and food. Their
attention is drawn to a large screen with Kathryn's
broadcast.
A man barges in. Everyone looks at him with concern. He
rushes to the screen and presses a button to change channels.
He stops at another news station.
The crowd begins to boo and hiss. He turns up the volume and
they hear the broadcast. Kim is at the news desk.
KIM (ON T.V.)
...until we discovered Kathryn paid
the Latinos to launch a month
early. When this secret was
uncovered by OUR station, Commander
James Aristarchus ordered the video
feed to be cut. Exclusive rights
to the video has been granted to
this station, so stay tuned to us
for more information on Earth.
We'll have more later tonight.
The crowd cheers.
EXT. GAS STATION - NIGHT
The truck pulls into the station. There's a gasoline truck
parked there as well.
LINCOLN
How far do you think we are?
PADRE
We're in Pearsall. Shouldn't be
much longer, but we'd be better off
staying here tonight.
VODNIK
I'll fuel the truck.
INT. GAS STATION
The Prodigal Sons eat over a gas-grill.
SEAN
Who takes watch tonight?
PADRE
I figured, you should take first
watch, then me, then Lincoln.
VODNIK
You do plenty. I'll have your
watch.
PADRE
I appreciate that.
VODNIK
I appreciate your appreciation.
PADRE
I appreciate the fact that you
appreciate my appreciation.
SEAN
Okay, that's annoying.
VODNIK
Anyway, is least I can do for you.
I don't want to be known as the guy
down here who was just a linguist,
eh?
Vodnik chuckles.
LOBBY
The video pops back up on the screen. People begin to wake
up to the sight of Danny's camera-headset facing Lincoln as
he paces around with his club.
The crowd starts to cheer.
INT. GAS STATION
Lincoln looks out through the glass doors.
EXT. GAS STATION
Lincoln steps out and looks around the horizon.
LINCOLN
Too fuckin' early.
He hears a noise from the North. He looks toward the horizon
and spots several firefly-like figures out in the far
distance bouncing their way.
Lincoln rushes inside.
LINCOLN (CONT'D)
Pack-up. We gotta go.
Sean wakes up pissed-off. The others begin to wake slowly.
SEAN
What the fuck are you talking
about?
LINCOLN
Those things are headed our
direction.
PADRE
How many?
LINCOLN
Looks like ten, maybe fifteen
LOBBY
The crowd watches in anticipation.
EXT. GAS STATION
Lincoln puts on a backpack. He disconnects the hose where
the gas truck once was rigged.
The others exit the store and begin to load-up on the truck.
MAGGIE
Lincoln, c'mon!
LINCOLN
I'll be fine, just go!
DANNY
No!
LINCOLN
Go! Go! Go!
Sean, jumps in the driver's seat. Maggie hops in the bed.
SEAN
Fine by me.
The sounds of the creatures get closer. There is a rumble as
their feet pound the ground. The fireflies in the distance
are now, clearly, the glowing eyes of the creatures. They
number close to twenty!
Sean revs the engine and peels-out.
MAGGIE
(screaming)
Lincoln!
Lincoln digs his feet into the ground. He lights a Molotov
cocktail.
LINCOLN
Right, you motherfuckers. C'mon.
The creatures begin to follow the road.
LINCOLN (CONT'D)
Wrong!
He throws the Molotov to a pool of gasoline in the street.
The road is on fire, blocking the way.
LINCOLN (CONT'D)
Over here, you son of a bitch!
They turn and stampede in his direction.
He lights another Molotov cocktail.
The creatures are almost upon him.
Lincoln looks behind him. There is a long nylon cord
attached from him to the bumper of their pick-up. The cord
unravels quickly.
Just when the creatures are almost upon him, he tosses the
Molotov into the hole where the gas-truck's hose was.
LINCOLN (CONT'D)
Later freaks!
The nylon cord comes tight and Lincoln is yanked into the
air.
He pulls the rip-cord on his backpack. Its a parachute. The
gas station explodes into a massive fireball.
Lincoln parasails away from the mushroom cloud.
LOBBY
The crowd cheers in excitement at Lincoln's success.
COMMAND CENTER
The explosion is still seen on the monitors.
COMMANDER ARISTARCHUS
Tell Gilbert I want him in my
office.
OFFICE
Gilbert enters.
GILBERT
Sir?
COMMANDER ARISTARCHUS
They've encountered more, further
north. We're not dealing with one
creature, but many. Just as we
feared. The cards are stacked
against us.
GILBERT
And?
COMMANDER ARISTARCHUS
It's time to pull the ace from our
sleeve. You have permission to
launch.
INT. MISSILE SILO
Men run along catwalks and disconnect tubes. They prepare to
launch the missile.
EXT. PENDULUM
What first looked like one missile silo reveals twenty. One
by one, they launch.
COMMAND CENTER
The monitors show a map of Earth with twenty different red
dots.
LIEUTENANT FAULK
Commander, what the hell are you
doing?
COMMANDER ARISTARCHUS
The only thing we have left to do.
GILBERT
The red dots indicate the points of
impact. These are strategically
placed to make effective use of the
wind currents. We can afford to
lose two of them, and still affect
the entire planet.
LIEUTENANT FAULK
What?!
COMMANDER ARISTARCHUS
You were prepared.
GILBERT
That's all we could do while we
waited for you.
COMMANDER ARISTARCHUS
Well, the blast should take care of
anything in the area, but how can
we be sure the fallout will kill
the rest? They could be immune.
GILBERT
We can't. But it's our only
option.
COMMANDER ARISTARCHUS
God help us all.
EXT. LAREDO - DAY
The truck crosses the Laredo city limits.
EXT. CARCACHA
Laying across IH35, the ship Carcacha stands in one, glorious
piece. At the end of the highway, across the river is a
giant Mexican flag that still waves.
SEAN
YES!
PADRE
Should we even bother?
SEAN
What? Padre, fuck, "bother".
Let's just go home!
INT. CARCACHA
Alright, let's see. All systems check. Hoverdrive works.
Fuel is at sixty-five percent, --
MAGGIE
Um, honey?
SEAN
Life support is working. We --
MAGGIE
Honey! -- Check the fuel again.
SEAN
It's at sixty -- FUCK!
MAGGIE
Yeah. It's at POINT six-five.
PADRE
Forget it. Let's go find the
church.
SEAN
Wait, we can find fuel here!
There's got to be a --
MAGGIE
Forget it, Sean. Let's just go.
SEAN
Have you all gone fucking nuts?!
Glass breaks in the distance and creatures scream.
VODNIK
They destroyed MY ship. Why leave
this one piece?
Padre looks at the source of the sound. A fuel truck starts
up.
PADRE
Destroy it.
SEAN
What?
PADRE
The ship! Destroy it?
SEAN
What the fuck!
MAGGIE
Holy, shit, he's right!
Maggie runs for the Carcacha. Sean grabs her arm.
SEAN
Are you crazy!? you can't be
falling for --
MAGGIE
They're trying to get off of here
and invade the station!
SEAN
I'm not gonna let you --
PADRE
Enough! -- Let her go.
SEAN
I hope you know what you're doing,
Padre.
Sean lets go. Maggie goes straight to the fuel hook-up and
begins to rewire.
PADRE
How the hell did they find YP-9
fuel.
DANNY
(under his breath)
Hurry-up, Maggie.
The fuel-truck approaches.
PADRE
I thought all ships capable of
leaving, did. And all fuel with
them.
LINCOLN
C'mon, c'mon.
SEAN
Baby, whatever your doing, do it
faster.
The truck nears.
MAGGIE
Done!
PADRE
Let's go!
They hop into the pick-up and haul-ass out of there.
As the pick-up follows the highway, the fuel truck approaches
the ship.
Two, man-like creatures exit the fuel truck. One of them
hooks up the fuel line. The other hits the lever to begin
pumping.
The ship and fuel truck blow-up in a ball of fire.
Danny glares at their last hope of going home as it goes up
in flames.
EXT. ST. AUGUSTINE CHURCH
The bodies are still strewn about the lawn, but the flies
hoard around them. Maggie covers her mouth and nose, Padre
and Danny give faces of disgust. Sean smiles.
INT. ST. AUGUSTINE CHURCH
Padre enters and looks around.
Lincoln stops him and listens.
LINCOLN
(near whisper)
I'll go first.
Lincoln steps through and checks the dark corners. The church
is a mess. The pews are now in pieces and blood is sprayed
about the walls along with the writing.
LINCOLN (CONT'D)
Looks clear.
Padre steps through and looks at the walls.
PADRE
It's all Greek and pictographs.
MAGGIE
What do they say?
PADRE
It looks like an exodus.
Padre points to a spot on the wall.
PADRE (CONT'D)
Here it speaks of the birth of a
new age. -- Here it speaks of the
disruption of God's plan. -- The
book.
Padre walks to the altar, the book is still there.
Outside the door, something moves rapidly across.
Danny turns around. Nothing is there.
PADRE (CONT'D)
Well, it's Greek, but it's not that
old.
LINCOLN
These things might be, Joseph.
PADRE
Second Genesis?
(reading)
...and behold, man halted the
apocalypse for us. When he sought
refuge in the void, he avoided
judgment, and the sixth sign, the
last martyr, never died.
DANNY
Martyr?
PADRE
One who dies for the name of God. --
It continues.
(reading)
...for when God said he would roll
up Heaven like a scroll and roll
out a new Heaven, he had no
intention of leaving it unfinished.
Blessed is the Lord for he failed
and left Heaven to our kind. -- Oh
God.
Padre turns a few pages.
SEAN
Suddenly religion isn't so
comforting.
PADRE
Here's a Second Exodus.
(reading)
We opened the gates to Hell at the
south side of Shehaqim, and invaded
an empty Heaven. No souls
remained. Of the seven levels of
Heaven, only the cage, Shehaqim,
was occupied. The cage where souls
await their Judgment.
LINCOLN
What is that, Shehaqim?
PADRE
According to theology, there are
seven levels of Heaven. Wilon,
Raquia, Shehaqim, Makon, Mayon,
Zebul, and Araboth. When the Bible
speaks of Jesus' resurrection, he
rose to the third Heaven. That's
Shehaqim. -- It's funny.
LINCOLN
What?
PADRE
Earth has seven continents.
SEAN
(sarcastically)
You're saying this is Heaven?
PADRE
Not anymore.
They all pause in realization.
SEAN
That's bullshit. You don't really
believe this crap, do you, Padre?
PADRE
I did... once. -- Those things back
at the mall were real.
Something crawls from the door to the ceiling. It creeps
high into darkness. Nobody notices.
SEAN
This is some serious holy shit.
But it said Hell has thirteen
levels. This can't be Hell if
there's only seven continents.
VODNIK
What now?
PADRE
I don't know.
Padre closes the book and takes it.
PADRE (CONT'D)
We better get out of here. I'll
research this further where we're
safe.
EXT. ST. AUGUSTINE CHURCH
They exit to find the Hispanic bodies gone.
LINCOLN
Where'd they go?
Five demons drop behind them. They are not fully formed, as
the human side is still vaguely familiar. A MEXICAN COWBOY
DEMON, TENTACLE DEMON, PURPLE DEMON, BLUE DEMON, and GREEN
DEMON drop from the ceiling.
Maggie screams and runs for the truck. Sean, Padre, and Danny
follow.
MEXICAN COWBOY DEMON
(in a low, bloody voice,
no subtitles)
Que bueno que estan aqui. Podemos
murir juntos!
Lincoln nails it across the face with his club. He turns to
run, but the TENTACLE DEMON lashes a tentacle at his feet and
trips him. He loses his club.
MEXICAN COWBOY DEMON turns his head back as blood pours from
his face. An arrow pierces his neck.
PURPLE DEMON runs out the door towards the pick-up. Maggie
has her bow and is loading another arrow.
BLUE DEMON runs for the door as well, but is also nailed by
an arrow.
PURPLE DEMON lunges at Maggie, but it is intercepted with a
flash of Sean' blade. It cleaves deep into PURPLE DEMON'S
skull.
GREEN DEMON sees this and spots the book in Padre's hands.
He hisses and runs for the door.
TENTACLE DEMON drags Lincoln across the isle by his foot.
Lincoln cannot get a hold of anything. He draws closer to
the demon.
Just as the demon opens its jaws, a 9-iron flashes across his
face.
LINCOLN
Joseph!
The demon flies back and the 9-iron is broken in half.
The tentacle comes loose, and Lincoln gets up. They run for
the truck. Lincoln picks his club up on the way.
Sean is standing over GREEN DEMON's body.
SEAN
There's no way you're turning me
into one of those today,
motherfucker! Woooo-Hooooo!
They all hop in the truck and skid as they leave.
TENTACLE DEMON runs out the door, but cannot catch-up. The
crew gets away.
EXT. HOTEL - NIGHT
On the roof of the hotel, Maggie and the others eat. Padre
reads from his book.
Lincoln stands on the edge of the roof looking towards
Mexico. Far out in the distance, a thin beacon of orange
light reaches for the sky.
LINCOLN
What the hell is it?
PADRE
Teotihuacan.
SEAN
What?
PADRE
Teotihuacan is sort of a Mecca for
these things. Ufologists studied
it for ages.
SEAN
Why?
PADRE
Teotihuacan has a strange design.
Down its main street are several
pyramids. When you look from the
sky, you notice that these pyramids
are a model of our solar system,
right down to the size of the
planet, including Pluto. And Pluto
wasn't discovered until the
1930's... I think.
MAGGIE
How'd they know?
PADRE
Who knows?
DANNY
Do you suppose those are the
thirteen levels of Hell?
SEAN
Can't be, there's only nine
planets.
PADRE
Not necessarily. If you include
the asteroid belt, which is
believed to have been a planet at
one time. And Pluto is a binary
planet. It's actually two planets
revolving around each other. The
sun would be another.
LINCOLN
That makes twelve. We're missing
one.
PADRE
Then I guess I'm wrong.
VODNIK
How far is this place?
PADRE
About twelve hours.
VODNIK
Then we go.
SEAN
You're crazy, man. You think I'm
gonna head right to the heart of
this hell-hole? We barely fended
off a few of these things. If what
Padre says is true, that place is
gonna be crawling with `em!
PADRE
We leave in the morning. Same
watch as last time. -- With the
exception of Sean, I want everyone
asleep in 3 hours.
MAGGIE
(near whisper)
Hey, Lincoln. I saw an El Camino in
good condition down there. Wanna
help me tune it up?
EXT. HOTEL PARKING LOT
Maggie and Lincoln step out of the lobby.
MAGGIE
There it is. Isn't she pretty?
Lincoln walks past the car.
LINCOLN
Yeah, she is.
MAGGIE
Hey, Lincoln... Link, the car's
over here.
Lincoln walks right to a Harley Hog.
MAGGIE (CONT'D)
Ooh, good choice. -- We'll fix `em
both.
LINCOLN
Think we can do it in three hours?
MAGGIE
Nothin' to it!
EXT. ROOF
Sean watches Lincoln and Maggie working on the bike. He
hears them laugh.
INT. HOTEL ROOM
The crew sleeps. Sean closes the door and steps outside.
EXT. ROOF
He meanders around the roof and notices a shadowy figure
perched on a wall.
Sean freezes in fright.
Two shiny eyes glow from it's dark face and a whispery
indistinctive voice comes from the demon.
HOTEL ROOM
Sean is asleep with Maggie, Vodnik wakes Lincoln for his
watch.
Lincoln steps out.
ROOF
Lincoln meanders around in a path similar to Sean's. The
shadowy figure is not there.
HOTEL ROOM
Maggie wakes from a nightmare. She notices Sean is not
beside her.
ROOF
Lincoln is looking toward Mexico again. The beacon is still
there.
Sean pops-up behind Lincoln and puts a knife to his throat.
SEAN
Hey, there, monkey-boy. I told you
I'd make you pay.
LINCOLN
It must bother the shit out of you.
SEAN
What's that?
LINCOLN
That Maggie would be so perfect, if
not for the nigger inside her.
Lincoln elbows Sean. He turns around and decks him in the
jaw again.
Sean flies back and skids across the concrete. He rubs his
jaw.
SEAN
You lie, monkey!
Sean stands.
LINCOLN
(surprised and laughing)
You must have noticed, lover-boy!
The full lips. The kinky hair.
SEAN
You fucking son of a bitch! Shut
up!
Sean charges.
Lincoln grabs him and flips him onto the edge of the wall
retaining his hold.
Sean drops his knife in the process. It falls by Lincoln's
feet.
Sean holds on for dear life.
LINCOLN
Enough! I don't want it to be like
this!
Maggie steps out of the door and onto the roof.
Lincoln turns around to look behind him.
Sean pulls out another knife. Maggie cannot see this through
Lincoln.
Lincoln turns back just in time to see Sean swing with the
knife. He turns his face to dodge.
Lincoln is cut across the face. The shock causes him to let
go of Sean.
Sean falls to his death, screaming and flailing. He impacts
with a THUMP and a hint of SQUISH.
MAGGIE
(screaming)
Noooooo!
HOTEL ROOM
Padre and Danny wake up to her screaming. They rush out of
the room.
ROOF
Padre barges out the door and sees Lincoln looking over the
edge. The first knife is still on the floor.
Lincoln stands there in shock with a bloody face.
Maggie is sobbing, face in hands.
PADRE
You weren't supposed to kill him.
Maggie lifts her face from her hands.
MAGGIE
(teary, but surprised)
What are you talking about?
PADRE
Your father, Joshua. He asked me
to --
MAGGIE
(crying)
My father?! This is about my
father?!
Maggie walks over to Lincoln, clutching at her body as though
she feels dirty.
MAGGIE (CONT'D)
You had me in the palm of your
hand!
LINCOLN
It wasn't healthy. I owed Joshua
Marsalis a favor.
Maggie slaps him.
MAGGIE
You son of a bitch!
LINCOLN
Joseph --
PADRE
You should go, Lincoln.
DANNY
You're condemning him.
PADRE
I know.
MAGGIE
Get out of my sight.
PARKING LOT
Lincoln steps out the door and walks toward the Harley. As
he passes Sean's body, he pauses and looks in sorrow at the
bloody mess.
Lincoln continues to his bike. He starts it and leaves.
ROOF
Maggie watches this and still cries.
PADRE
Get some sleep, sweetheart. I'll
take the rest of the watch.
HOTEL ROOM - DAY
Maggie wakes up to the sound of movement. Padre and Danny are
nowhere in sight.
MAGGIE
Vodnik, wake up.
Vodnik wakes.
MAGGIE (CONT'D)
Where are the others?
More noises heard in the bathroom. Maggie sneaks to the
door. The door is open and Danny is sitting on the sink
reading a note.
DANNY
Padre's gone. He left early this
morning.
He hands her the note.
MAGGIE
(reading)
Sorry I left without saying good
bye. That would only make things
more difficult. If things are
going to be fixed I...
(mumbles the rest)
We gotta go!
VODNIK
Where are we going?
MAGGIE
Teotihuacan.
VODNIK
Why?
MAGGIE
Padre thinks he's the last martyr.
- He's on his way to die!
VODNIK
Where are Lincoln and Sean?
MAGGIE
They're dead.
EXT. BRIDGE
Danny, Maggie, and Vodnik cross into Mexico in an old El
Camino.
In the daytime sky, a vertical line of bright stars shine.
SPACE
The missiles race their way to Earth.
COMMAND CENTER
LIEUTENANT FAULK
Sir, several ships launching.
COMMANDER ARISTARCHUS
Get them back.
LIEUTENANT FAULK
We have a signal from the SEA
ANGEL.
The Commander presses a button on Faulk's control panel.
COMMANDER ARISTARCHUS
Attention Explorer Ship Sea Angel.
This is Commander Aristarchus.
SEA ANGEL PILOT (ON RADIO)
Commander, this is the Sea Angel.
We copy.
COMMANDER ARISTARCHUS
Turn around, Sea Angel. We're not
granting any launches today.
SEA ANGEL PILOT(ON RADIO)
Negative, Commander. We have the
Explorer Ships Enoch, Chicago,
Albatross, and about thirty others.
The Prodigal Sons need our help.
COMMANDER ARISTARCHUS
I'm giving you an order --
SEA ANGEL PILOT(ON RADIO)
With all due respect, Commander,
shove it up your ass. That's our
home.
GILBERT
Tell them about the missiles.
COMMANDER ARISTARCHUS
Let`em go.
GILBERT
You're going to kill them.
COMMANDER ARISTARCHUS
The nukes will get there before
they do. They'll turn around.
INT. LOBBY
The crowd that once cheered here is gone. Only their
sleeping bags and debris are left behind.
Visible through a window in this lobby, several ships move.
INT. COMMAND CENTER
LIEUTENANT FAULK
Sir, the Cherubim, Seraphim,
Ofanim, and Guardian just launched.
Wait, there's more --
COMMANDER ARISTARCHUS
The transports!?
LIEUTENANT FAULK
Yes sir. Looks like... 1.5 million
people.
COMMANDER ARISTARCHUS
Mutiny. -- Close the docks. Close
all of them!
LIEUTENANT FAULK
Sir?
COMMANDER ARISTARCHUS
You heard me. I don't want any of
them back. They've disobeyed
orders and abandoned the station!
GILBERT
(whispers to Faulk)
He's losing it.
COMMANDER ARISTARCHUS
I want martial law declared on this
station. Nobody enters or exits.
I can't protect them if they're
sneaking out like children.
Aristarchus walks to his office and slams the door.
EXT. HIGHWAY
The pick-up races by. Lincoln sees it from the inside of an
old gas station and realizes Padre is alone.
Lincoln hurries out of the station, starts up his bike, and
races after him.
EXT. EL CAMINO
Danny and Maggie are inside the El Camino. Vodnik sits in
the bed. He knocks on the window. Danny looks.
VODNIK
(muffled through the
glass)
Hey, look.
Vodnik points to the passenger side horizon.
Danny and Maggie look. Thirty Demons run alongside the car.
They stampede about two hundred feet away from the car,
trying to catch-up. They can't keep up, and break-off the
pursuit.
Laughing, Maggie turns back around to face the road.
She sees a beautiful woman in the middle of the road, just a
split second before she hits her.
Maggie screams and jerks the wheel.
The El Camino turns and rolls in a cloud of dust and debris.
Vodnik flies from the bed.
The woman rolls over just before she dies, and reveals an
evil eye peering through the mangled, smooth skin.
EXT. WRECKAGE
Maggie crawls out of the car, bloody and coughing. She pulls
Danny out. Danny coughs and recovers.
MAGGIE
Vodnik! Vodnik, where are you!?
Vodnik coughs and moans from somewhere in the dust cloud.
A demon's figure comes through the cloud and dust. Maggie
drops her gaze in acceptance of the end.
Just before the creature attacks, a roaring sound is heard
and Lincoln's Harley Hog pommels right into the demon. The
blood spray paints the dust red. The bike stirs more dust.
Lincoln flies from his bike. He gets up and wipes the dirt
from his abrasions. He walks to his bike, picks up his club,
walks to the demon, and beats the living hell out of it.
Lincoln spits on it and turns to Maggie.
LINCOLN
I saw you coming. There's more on
the way, we need to get to the
city, fast. -- Where's Vodnik?
VODNIK (O.S.)
Over here. Can't move my legs.
Lincoln follows the voice. The dust finally clears, and
Vodnik is in view.
He's missing his legs.
LINCOLN
Oh, man. -- Don't worry, we'll
patch you up.
A large demon reaches from the ground with claws and grabs
Vodnik, pulling him into the Earth. Lincoln stops dead in
his tracks.
LINCOLN (CONT'D)
Or not.
Maggie screams. Danny begins to stand. Lincoln runs back,
picks Danny up and heads for his bike.
The dirt, where Vodnik once was, begins to move. A mound
raises and trails toward the bike.
Lincoln tries to start the bike.
MAGGIE
Hurry up, it's coming!
The bike WON'T start. The mound nears.
MAGGIE (CONT'D)
C'mon!
The bike STILL won't start.
LINCOLN
I'm trying! -- Dammit!
The bike STARTS! Lincoln puts Danny in the front, on the gas
tank. The mound is almost there.
LINCOLN (CONT'D)
Get on!
Maggie sits behind Lincoln. Lincoln revs the motor and peels
out. A horned tentacle shoots from the dirt toward Maggie's
foot and just misses.
Several demons follow as the bike races for town.
Again, they cannot catch-up and they break pursuit.
Tiny blood sprays splash Lincoln. He looks over Danny's
shoulder to see if he's okay.
Danny's fine, but a chunk of demon-flesh is stuck on the
crossbar, it flaps in the wind.
Lincoln rips it off and tosses it.
Maggie has her arms around Lincoln. Her arms tighten. She
looks sorry, sad, and relieved.
EXT. HIGHWAY TO MEXICO CITY
Lincoln and the others ride-by several old cars, pulled over
to the side of the road.
In one of these cars is a man in a leather jacket. His face
is gruesome and demonic. LEATHER DEMON grins, puts a rifle
in the passenger seat, and starts-up the car.
EXT. PLAZA - NIGHT
A shadowy figure stands on the roof, holding a rifle. His
tail swings.
Lincoln and company pull into the plaza. The shadowy figure
disappears.
Lincoln, Maggie, and Danny dismount. Lincoln grabs his club.
LINCOLN
We'll stop here tonight.
DANNY
Do you even know where you're
going?
LINCOLN
No, but Joseph can't be too far.
MAGGIE
You know it hurts him.
LINCOLN
You don't see me in a confessional,
do you?
MAGGIE
Lincoln...
LINCOLN
Look, he was headed to Teotihuacan.
Maybe there's a tourist place here
or a...
Lincoln gazes in the distance.
DANNY
Or a what?
LINCOLN
Over there.
MAGGIE
What is it?
Maggie turns around and sees the Pick-up.
DANNY
Padre? -- Padre!
Danny runs for the truck.
LINCOLN
Oh, shit. -- Danny, wait!
MAGGIE
What's wrong?
Lincoln runs for Danny, but Danny has gained considerable
distance.
LINCOLN
Reu, stop!
Danny slows down and turns around.
DANNY
C'mon, Link! He's gotta be --
A demon tackles Danny.
LINCOLN
Reu, No!
Lincoln continues running toward the demon as it slashes and
snarls.
LINCOLN (CONT'D)
Get off him you son of a bitch!
The demon stops just before Lincoln gets there.
Lincoln nails it with an upward strike and the demon flies
off Danny.
A shot rings out and blood flies from Lincoln's shoulder.
Lincoln swings around and collapses.
MAGGIE
Noooooo!
Lincoln tries to get up, but his shoulder is heavily damaged.
He looks at Danny.
Danny is looking at him with eyes wide open. He wheezes as
he breaths quickly and bleeds heavily, but he's still alive.
Engines roar as they near the Plaza. Fifteen other demons
emerge from the shadows. Some have metallic parts, others
have cybernetic limbs.
Maggie stands, paralyzed in fright.
The demon on the roof smiles as LEATHER DEMON arrives in his
car.
He exits the vehicle, but engines can still be heard. The
demon on the roof and LEATHER DEMON look around for the
source of the sound.
From a side street, a rocket-propelled-grenade flies and hits
LEATHER DEMON's car, destroying the car and demon both.
Demons scatter and several other beefed-up cars arrive. The
saviors are humans, Mexicans, survivors. They're dressed in
road warrior-like clothing.
A massive gunfight breaks-out. The demons are armed as well.
Some fight ruthlessly in melee combat while others take
pleasure in their guns.
One of the survivors runs for Maggie and grabs her.
Maggie screams and tries to pull away.
She puts up a hell of a fight, but two others subdue her and
take her to an armored van.
Lincoln uses the fray to his advantage and gets back up. He
drops his club and painfully lifts Danny over his shoulder.
He then runs for cover.
He heads behind a dumpster and lays Danny down. Danny's eyes
are closed.
HIDDEN
LINCOLN
Oh, no. Oh, God no.
Lincoln puts his head to Danny's chest. Danny is still
slowly breathing.
LINCOLN (CONT'D)
Good. Good boy.
Lincoln lifts his head, face covered in Danny's blood, rolls
over, and loses consciousness as well.
PLAZA
The fight continues with walls exploding and buildings on
fire.
HIDDEN
A shadow looms over Danny and Lincoln.
PLAZA
The survivors begin to retreat as they continue to fire.
Demon after demon, more keep leaping from the shadows.
The last survivor enters a car. The caravan of trucks, cars,
vans, and motorcycles race out of the plaza.
EXT. MEXICO CITY ROADS - NIGHT
The vehicles weave through barricades and abandoned cars.
Demons crawl along building walls and roof-tops at amazing
speeds.
Truck-riders fire their weapons at the demons. Demons fall,
but more come.
Some catch-up to the final car. Shots and flashes ring out
from it, but they fail and the car begins to swerve. It
turns and flips frontward, landing in a massive explosion.
From the fireball, demons continue to emerge in rapid
succession.
The trailing vehicle is a truck. Five men ride in the bed.
One of the demons lashes its tongue at the pick-up, extending
well over 25 yards. The tongue wraps around the tow of the
bumper.
Like a rubber band, the demon pulls himself to the truck with
a springing action.
With a mouth full of dagger-like teeth, it retracts its
tongue and hisses at the crew. One of the men puts a shotgun
to its mouth and blows it to a fine, red mist.
Another demon leaps from a roof-top, right onto the bed of
the pick-up. It backhands one of the Mexicans off the truck
right before the others return the favor.
Some demons fire at the vehicles.
A bullet pierces the skull of the pick-up driver, and it,
too, wavers out of control and rolls over, ending in an
explosion.
The demons begin to slow down.
The survivors look at each other as though they've gotten
away and cheer, but a screeching sound is heard from behind.
Out of the darkness, a swarm of flying demons dive for the
Jeep that now trails the caravan.
The Jeep is fitted with a .50 caliber machine gun. The
operator fires a chain of rounds and brings one of the demons
down.
It falls and smears across the asphalt as it rolls to a stop.
The remaining rounds miss as the demons smarten up and dodge.
Another Jeep-rider loads his rocket launcher and fires. It
whistles right towards the leading demon.
It explodes in a great ball of fire as the others pierce the
blast and continue pursuit.
The fliers weave over, under, and around power lines and
traffic lights, but cannot close the gap anymore. Soon, they
give-up.
This time, the Mexicans don't celebrate. They keep an eye out
for more surprises.
INT. SMALL HOSPITAL - DAY
Maggie wakes up in an old bed and clean, primitive clothing.
The room is sparse, with only the basics and nobody is
around.
MAGGIE
Hello?
Indistinct, faint voices echo outside the door.
Maggie gets up and shivers. She sees her jacket hanging on
the bedpost and puts it on as she walks to the door.
MAGGIE (CONT'D)
Hello?
The voices still echo through the hallways. The walls are
peeling and the place looks abandoned. The voices still
echo.
She follows the voices until she realizes she can't
understand them. They're speaking Spanish.
When she reaches a room, she finds Lincoln sitting up on a
bed with his shoulder bandaged. Two middle-aged women are in
the room. One sees Maggie and smiles. They leave.
MAGGIE (CONT'D)
(smiles)
Hi.
LINCOLN
You doin' okay?
MAGGIE
Yeah. How about you?
LINCOLN
I still have a few miles left on
me.
MAGGIE
Danny?
Lincoln gets a sorrowful look about him and faces toward a
curtain.
Maggie walks to the curtain and pulls it back.
She is frightened by a loud snarl that comes, suddenly, from
a shell that used to be Danny. His skin has turned grayish
purple and his eyes are faded.
Next to him is a priest who is praying the Rosary.
LINCOLN
He's not dead. But he might as
well be.
Maggie puts her fingertips to her mouth and tears begin to
well-up.
MAGGIE
Oh, no. No, no, no.
Lincoln stands and Maggie turns around to seek comfort.
Lincoln holds her.
LINCOLN
C'mon. I want to show you
something.
Lincoln walks her to a balcony. Beyond is a village that is
fitted with a great, brick wall with barbed wire and guards
who walk on catwalks above.
EXT. MEXICAN ENCAMPMENT - COURTYARD
The village is populated by over two-hundred survivors. No
children younger than fifteen.
A familiar voice cries out from the crowd.
PADRE
Hey, Benito! How do I say "fish"?!
A man cries from another side of the square.
BENITO
Pescado!
PADRE
How do I buy it!
BENITO
No money! She's not trying to sell
it! She's giving it to you!
MAGGIE
Padre!
PADRE
Maggie! Glad to see you awake!
C'mon down here, we'll have lunch!
INT. DINING HALL
Several men sit at a large table with Maggie, Lincoln, and
Padre.
LINCOLN
So what you're saying is, the
largest pyramid represents the sun?
BENITO
...and the remaining pyramids are
the planets.
LINCOLN
We're still missing some.
BENITO
I don't understand.
PADRE
We believe there should be thirteen
pyramids. Like the pyramid for
Pluto. That should be two.
BENITO
Not really.
PADRE
We're thinking physical. The
Celestial Planes are different.
They probably don't follow our
physics.
LINCOLN
You lost me.
PADRE
The last pyramid could represent
both of -- never mind. -- What
about the Asteroid belt. Anything
representing that?
BENITO
There's a great open space there.
But when the darkness and demons
came, a crater appeared, as though
something used to be there.
LINCOLN
Twelve.
PADRE
One, more.
BENITO
Well, if there's nothing more to
discuss, tonight, we celebrate to
welcome our guests.
COURTYARD - NIGHT
Mexican music lifts the spirits of the townsfolk. Padre is
dancing. Maggie dances as well, but pauses to look up in the
balcony where Lincoln is.
He seems to be putting something together.
EXT. BALCONY
Lincoln assembles a telescope. He looks to the sky and scans
around. He stops at the Pendulum.
The Pendulum is there, but there are 20 dots in a Pyramid
shape under it. The nukes. They now split to aim for their
selected targets.
LINCOLN
You bastards.
Lincoln glances back at Danny. He emits a low growl. The
changes are obvious, but not drastic. He now has elongated
ears and sharper teeth.
LINCOLN (CONT'D)
Maybe it's for the best.
Maggie enters. Danny watches her pass by him as he continues
to growl.
MAGGIE
What is it?
LINCOLN
Nothing. Just looking at the
station. -- Strange.
MAGGIE
What's that?
The music and crowd noise fade.
LINCOLN
We spent five years trying to get
off this thing. Ten years trying
to get back. And now we're trying
to find our way off again. I don't
think we know what we want. And in
the meantime, we've destroyed
everything in our way. We can't
even trust each other.
Lincoln looks at Danny.
LINCOLN (CONT'D)
At least THEY know where they
stand. Which is the lesser of two
evils? Us or them?
MAGGIE
Maybe we were MEANT to die.
LINCOLN
Maybe we DESERVE to. But there's
no way I'm going out like THAT.
MAGGIE
It's quiet.
They both turn around and look over the balcony. The entire
town is focused on two guards who stand on the wall. They
have binoculars and search over the horizon.
THE WALL
GUARD 1
Alarma! Se vienen los dimonos!
The guard looks some more.
GUARD 2
Hijole su chingada madre.
GUARD 1
(overlapping)
Santa Maria, Madre de Dios.
On the horizon, several-hundred demons charge for the town.
BENITO (O.S.)
Cuantos?
GUARD 2
Como seis-cientos!
COURTYARD
PADRE
How many?
BENITO
He says about six-hundred.
Maggie and Lincoln arrive.
MAGGIE
Padre, what's going on.
PADRE
They're coming.
LINCOLN
Where are the guns?
BENITO
Come. I'll show you.
PADRE
Maggie, listen to me very
carefully. In the basement of the
hospital is a lockable shelter.
The women and old folk will --
MAGGIE
Padre, no. I lost you once. I
won't --
PADRE
Maggie ANDREA MARSALIS! I'm not
going to argue with you. You've
been like a daughter to me.
MAGGIE
And you've been my dad.
PADRE
I am not going to see a young,
beautiful girl like you be in any
more danger. This is it.
Padre gives her a folded note.
PADRE (CONT'D)
Here. Take this. Open it in
better times.
Maggie starts to cry.
MAGGIE
No, Father Joseph. I know what
you're going to do. I --
Padre calls over two men.
PADRE
Carlos, Juan. Make sure she gets
to safety.
They grab her and start to walk off. Maggie resists, but her
emotions weaken her. She cries.
MAGGIE
Padre, no! I know you're plan!
You want to die. I can't let you.
Padre!
Padre sniffles.
INT. HANGAR
Inside a small makeshift tin airplane hangar, Lincoln,
Benito, and about fifty men arm up.
LINCOLN
There's not very many of us, is
there?
BENITO
Everything, I'm sure, is just as
God intended it.
Benito leaves to check on his men.
LINCOLN
(mutters)
Yeah, well, I don't --
PADRE
Son. As he said. Everything is as
it should be. Trust me.
LINCOLN
Trust you? You're the one who got
me into this mess.
PADRE
Just as God planned.
Padre follows after Benito.
LINCOLN
Crazy old man.
A siren sounds.
BENITO
It's time! Es tiempo!
The men begin to scramble.
BENITO (CONT'D)
Apuranse! Handale, Handale!
EXT. PLAZA
The town is empty except for the fifty armed men and twenty
that walk the wall. The men on the wall begin to fire.
A flying demon slices the head off the guard cranking the
siren. The head rolls to the feet of Benito.
The siren diminishes and the battle begins.
Some demons scale the wall, others fly over. Still others
literally JUMP over the wall. Those armed with guns fire at
the humans.
Covered by barricades and vehicles, the men kill demon after
demon, but it only hinders them a little. The demons'
numbers slowly grow.
Some of the men draw swords in preparation of hand-to-hand
combat.
Benito draws a sword as well, but holds a sawed-off shotgun
in his other hand.
Several demons reach the barricades. Melee combat begins.
Lincoln is by Benito. A demon with a blade for an arm climbs
the barricade toward Benito. It swings its blade. Benito
blocks it with his sword, puts the shotgun to its head and
pulls the trigger, blasting the beast to pieces.
Fire and explosions fill the plaza as rockets and bullets
fly.
INT. SHELTER
Women and elderly fill the basement. A younger man stands by
the metal, vault-like door. Maggie is in here.
An explosion rumbles and the lights flicker.
EXT. PLAZA
Padre is at the next barricade over (about 10 yards away) and
fights effectively with two UZI's.
Lincoln sidwardly smiles, impressed with Padre's skill.
Lincoln's ammo runs out and he draws a sword. A line of
demons charge, and, one by one, Lincoln uses a mix of hand-to
hand and sword combat to take them down. He slices limbs and
heads. He trips some, and kicks others.
Padre takes down his share of demons, but has run out of
ammo. He doesn't have a sword, but he picks up a pipe from
the barricade and starts beating demons down.
Some demons tear the wall down riding colossal demon-beasts.
They start sweeping away the vehicles and barricades.
The men are slowly overtaken. Half of their forces have
died, and the demons' numbers are only growing.
Padre stops fighting. Demons are not attacking him, though.
LINCOLN
Joseph, what's going on!
Lincoln is too busy fighting to assist Padre.
Padre is staring at a beautiful woman who slowly walks his
way.
LINCOLN (CONT'D)
Joseph, fight!
PADRE
Casey?
Padre talks to the woman.
PADRE (CONT'D)
Casey, I thought you were dead. --
The plague...
The woman has reached Padre.
LINCOLN
Joseph!
PADRE
I'm ready. It's done.
The woman morphs into a demon. Some features are vaguely
familiar to the woman she previously was. The demon thrusts
a stinger straight into Padre's heart.
LINCOLN
PADRE!
Padre falls and the demon grins at Lincoln. Benito grabs
Lincoln.
BENITO
Leave him! We can't hold them off
any more! We must fall back to the
hospital!
LINCOLN
Let go of me you son of a bitch! --
Padre!
Lincoln breaks free from Benito. He starts fighting more
demons as he heads for Padre.
He fends off the demons well, but those that pass by him
continue for the retreating men.
LINCOLN (CONT'D)
God! Save him!
Benito stays and puts up a valiant fight.
Together, they fight with the strength of ten men, but Benito
is overtaken and beheaded.
THE WALL
On the wall is a demon with a cybernetic eye. He scans the
battle and grins in victory. He spots Lincoln and his valor.
The demon spits, raises a rifle, aims his crosshairs on
Lincoln and pulls the trigger.
A dart hits Lincoln in the neck with a spray of blood.
EXT. HOSPITAL - DAY
The hospital door opens. Maggie and the others exit to find
the town in ruins. Bodies lay scattered and buildings
smolder and smoke.
Other doors open and more people emerge from other shelters.
The remainder of the townsfolk begin to cry and mourn.
MAGGIE
(whispers)
Dear, God. What now?
Maggie falls to her knees and cries. An old blind woman
comforts her. Another woman follows.
BLIND WOMAN
Todo es como debe estar, mi vida.
Es la palabra de Dios.
MAGGIE
(sobbing whisper)
I'm sorry, I don't understand.
WOMAN
She says everything is as it should
be. Such is the will of God.
Maggie stands up.
MAGGIE
Why the hell would my God want it
this way? Everything is in ruin.
Is this His Plan?! -- What kind of
God are you!?
BLIND WOMAN
Calmate, mijita. Piensas que Dios
debe dejir sus hijos sin esperanza?
Tu eres la ultima persona que puede
hacer halgo. No quieres ser
desgraciado.
MAGGIE
And how would she know God's will?!
-- You can't even speak English.
What makes you think you can speak
to God?
WOMAN
She said calm down. Do you think
God would leave his children
without hope? You are the last
person with the spirit to do
something about it. You don't want
to disappoint him, do you?
Maggie cries and looks to the sky.
She calms down and thinks.
MAGGIE
(sniffling)
Get me a car and some guns.
INT. THE CHAMBER
In a very dark, colossal, vast room, Lincoln hangs on a
crucifix of steel by shackles rather than nails.
Before him stand seven demons. Six of them are the smaller,
typical demons. The seventh stands about ten-feet tall, and
is at eye-level with Lincoln.
Lincoln slowly awakes.
The tall demon looks like an extremely tall, attractive human
with dragon-like wings that span forty feet. In fact, he's
almost angelic. He speaks with a seductive voice.
TALL DEMON
Where is the last martyr.
LINCOLN
(barely awake, mutters)
He's dead.
The shackles on the cross electrify and Lincoln screams in
agony. He is now awake. Lincoln glares at TALL DEMON with
angry eyes.
TALL DEMON
If he were dead, God's plan would
be complete and Heaven would be
silenced.
LINCOLN
You're just another fuckin demon.
TALL DEMON
Oh, no. I am not one of these
sniveling things, though
entertaining and useful as they
are. No, I'm an angel.
LINCOLN
Satan.
TALL DEMON
Satan, Beelzebub, Mephistopheles,
Baphomet, the Devil, the Beast.
Just like God, I have many names
and faces, but I really am the same
person. --
LINCOLN
I am.
TALL DEMON
I prefer LUCIFER. It reminds me of
home.
LINCOLN
Oh, God.
LUCIFER
God has forgotten you, like he's
forgotten OUR kind, demons and
angels alike. Of course there's a
God. He just... isn't home.
LINCOLN
Go to Hell!
LUCIFER
Now, now. What kind of attitude is
that. Besides, I think you're
going to get rather used to it
here. You might even be useful.
Like... a pet
The other demons laugh.
LUCIFER (CONT'D)
Like a canary. You'll sing for me,
whenever I wish.
The shackles electrify again. Lincoln tries to resist, but
this time, needles emerge from the cross and Lincoln bleeds
from tiny pin pricks. He screams in pain.
The needles retract and Lincoln's bleeding subsides.
LINCOLN
Why not just kill me, like the
rest.
LUCIFER
Where would you go? Heaven? Hell
and Heaven are one. We have thrown
open the gates at the south end of
Shehaqim, the third Heaven, and
taken it over.
LINCOLN
Eventually, we all die. And so
will the last martyr.
LUCIFER
I don't think so. You see, the
last martyr must die in the name of
God. And the little chicken-shits
hiding in their little self-created
level of Hell are hardly worthy of
martyrdom. But I have a feeling
about you.
Several tubes with needle-like ends flap and slither around.
They each find a vein and inject themselves. Lincoln, again,
screams in pain.
LUCIFER (CONT'D)
I think we're going to pump life
into you for a very, very long
time.
Lucifer chuckles and the other demons begin to laugh as well.
He walks away and the other demons follow. As he leaves,
Lucifer begins to whistle a tune. The shackles electrify and
Lincoln screams. Lucifer chuckles again.
LUCIFER (O.S.)
Like a canary.
EXT. PLAZA
Maggie sits in a Jeep and shuts the door.
WOMAN
Be careful. God has a use for you.
MAGGIE
Let's hope I don't let him down.
EXT. HIGHWAY
Maggie races down the highway. She passes under a sign that
reads, "Teotihuacan 50km" with an arrow pointing the
direction she has taken.
EXT. OVERPASS
Mexico City's profile is far in the distance behind Maggie.
Two demons stand on an overpass that crosses Maggie's path.
The demons see her and begin to arm themselves.
EXT. HIGHWAY
Maggie sees the demons on the overpass and reaches to the
passenger side.
EXT. OVERPASS
A demon looks through the scope of a sniper rifle and sees
Maggie pull a rocket launcher.
The demon gives an "oh shit" face, and they both part in
opposite directions.
She fires and the rocket streaks for the overpass. Maggie
tosses the empty rocket launcher out of the Jeep and slams
her foot on the gas.
Before the demons can gain much distance, the rocket blows
the overpass sky-high.
Maggie races to cross the overpass before the rubble and
debris falls to the ground.
She swerves and dodges asphalt boulders and barely makes it
across.
INT. GREAT HALL
Lucifer sits in his throne with over eighty, well decorated
demon-soldiers before him. He turns to one of his guardsmen.
LUCIFER
We no longer have anything to fear.
But keep my Palace Patrols. My
minions will be rallied and
overzealous. I don't want any
insubordination.
He speaks, this time with authority, to the congregation.
LUCIFER (CONT'D)
Minions, the last Martyr is
captured and well-preserved. The
Kingdom of Hell now spans our
domain, the domain of man, and the
domain of God. Tonight we
celebrate. Tomorrow, we finish-off
the remnants of man!
The crowd cheers.
LUCIFER (CONT'D)
Begin the festivities!
Metal music fills the Great Hall.
Ropes with male and female, naked humans begin to descend
from the ceiling. Some flying demons get a head-start and
land on the hanging bodies. They begin to rape and torture
them.
More bodies fall from chutes in the walls and the less-gifted
demons have their chance.
EXT. TEOTIHUACAN - NIGHT
A pillar of orange light reaches to the sky from the Great
Pyramid at the end of the Main Street. Maggie arrives and
drives down the street to the pillar.
As she crosses the crater representing the Asteroid Belt, she
sees thousands upon thousands of skeletons strewn about the
bottom.
She reaches the main pyramid, exits the Jeep, puts a .357 in
the back of her pants, and pulls her shirt over it. She
slowly approaches the Great Pyramid.
The light hums with energy. Maggie picks up a rock and
tosses it at the light. The rock is instantly incinerated.
MAGGIE
The sun.
She turns around and begins to walk. She points at the next
pyramid as she crosses it.
MAGGIE (CONT'D)
You must be Mercury.
She reaches the next pyramid. All is still quiet and dark
with the exception of the glow and hum from the Great
Pyramid.
MAGGIE (CONT'D)
You're Mars, and you're --
She points at the next pyramid, but pauses as she spots
something in the darkness between Pyramids representing Mars
and Earth.
MAGGIE (CONT'D)
(mutterers)
Earth. -- What are you?
She walks into the darkness and realizes she is looking at a
small, metal pyramid, about seven-feet-tall, with a door.
The door is wrapped in chains and locks, which gives it a
very Gothic feel.
The locks are electronic.
She reaches into her pocket and pulls out a swiss-army-knife
like multi-tool. She breaks out a flashlight, rips-open
panels and searches wires.
MAGGIE (CONT'D)
You're useless.
Maggie rips a long wire out and strips the ends. She
continues to examine the wiring.
MAGGIE (CONT'D)
Okay, you guys are --
She jams one end of the wire into something.
MAGGIE (CONT'D)
...power lines. That big, ass thing
is a motor, so THAT must run the
doors. Here's the leads, and --
She jams the other end into something.
As though spring-loaded, the chains retract with loud CLANKS.
The door slides open revealing a stairway going down. She
aims her flashlight and enters.
INT. STAIRWELL
The flashlight pierces the darkness and illuminates a blood
encrusted stairwell.
The stairs spiral down like the stairwell to an apartment
building. From the depths, voices echo moans of pain.
The humming of the orange light can be heard down here as
well.
Maggie slips. She grabs a hold of the guard rail and drops
her flashlight.
The flashlight bounces from rail to rail, eventually breaking
the bulb. It can still be heard falling as it tumbles and
bounces. It's a long drop.
Maggie lets out whimpers of fright, but swallows and regains
the strength to continue downward.
She snaps a red glow-stick to help illuminate her path.
Right before her, in the red glow, a demon stands, fiendishly
grinning.
She jumps in horror and fumbles for her gun. She walks
backwards up the stairs. The demon stalks forward. As she
tries to pull her shirt over the gun, she trips.
The moment the Demon lunges to finish it, Maggie swings her
arm around, gun in hand, and places a bullet right in the
forehead.
The demon freezes in place. She fires two more shots in the
chest.
The demon falls backward and tumbles down the stairs.
INT. HALLWAY INTERSECTION
The red light approaches and Maggie enters the intersection.
To her right, she sees the orange light in a distance. Two
demons approach from there. She hurries desperately to hide
the glow-stick in her shirt. Success.
The two armed Demons cross the intersection.
She waits a moment. Straight ahead, she hears metal music and
moaning. Maggie approaches the sounds.
INT. THE CHAMBER
The metal music is faintly heard. Maggie walks into the
large corridor, but sees nothing. Only square, metal pillars
to her sides. The moanings are numerous and very loud.
She tries to locate the source of one of them and it leads
her to a pillar. Something is on it.
She reaches the pillar and finds that there are two, sickly
thin feet.
She raises her light to see who it is and finds a skeleton
thin man with raisin-like eyes. He is crucified and tubes
attach to him from all sides.
Maggie backs-off in terror.
MAGGIE
(whispers to herself)
Oh, holy shit.
She runs, but finds herself at the feet of another, and
another. The corridor is actually a large hall with
crucifixes all over.
Maggie falls to her knees and cries. She clutches her ears.
Among the moaning, she recognizes a voice.
LINCOLN (O.S.)
(faint and muttered)
Our Father, who art in Heaven.
Hallowed be thy name --
Maggie stands.
MAGGIE
Lincoln?
LINCOLN (O.S.)
Thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done
on Earth as it is in Heaven.
MAGGIE
Lincoln, where are you?
Maggie begins to follow the voice.
LINCOLN (O.S.)
Give us, this day, our daily bread.
Maggie hears Lincoln much clearer.
LINCOLN (O.S.) (CONT'D)
And forgive us our trespasses as we
forgive those who trespassed
against us.
LINCOLN'S CROSS
Maggie's voice and light draw nearer.
MAGGIE
Link?
LINCOLN
And lead us not, into temptation,
but deliver us from HELL.
Maggie's red light begins to shine upon Lincoln's face.
MAGGIE
Oh, God, Lincoln.
LINCOLN
Amen. Oh, Maggie, Amen.
Maggie starts pulling tubes from Lincoln. Some of them hiss
and steam.
MAGGIE
I'm gonna get you out of here,
baby. I'm gonna get you out of
here.
She climbs the crucifix and disconnects more lines. When she
reaches the shackles, she finds that they are only latched.
She unlatches them.
They both collapse to the floor. Maggie crawls on top of
Lincoln and kisses him.
Lincoln's arms begin to embrace Maggie. His eyes flicker
open and he realizes his situation.
LINCOLN
Maggie?!
MAGGIE
Yeah.
LINCOLN
Maggie, you gotta get out of here.
MAGGIE
Oh, no. Not this time. Padre's
dead, I'm not leaving you too.
LINCOLN
I know what I have to do, Maggie.
MAGGIE
No, no, no. Not again.
LINCOLN
You're not going to die down here.
MAGGIE
That's right, and neither are you.
I know how to get out of here.
Maggie starts to cry.
LINCOLN
I am the last martyr, Maggie.
MAGGIE
Don't say that!
LINCOLN
Everything is as it should be.
MAGGIE
Stop it!
LUCIFER
Oh, yes. Stop it. -- I hate drama.
Maggie jumps up in fear. Lincoln stands and Maggie hides
behind him. Lucifer's face enters the red glow as he bends
over.
LUCIFER (CONT'D)
Boo!
Lucifer's face morphs into a demonic mockery of his former
self. He chuckles.
LINCOLN
What are you gonna do, Lucy? You
can't kill me.
LUCIFER
And you can't kill me.
LINCOLN
The Hell I can't!
Lincoln charges Lucifer. Lucifer swings to hit him, but
Lincoln falls to his knees, slides under Lucifer's legs, and
punches his testicles.
Lucifer winces in pain, but turns around to face Lincoln in
anger.
As Lincoln turns around, Lucifer grabs Lincoln by the neck
and lifts him off the ground.
LUCIFER
Lucky shot, motherfucker. My
little canary's going back to his
cage.
Three shots ring out. Black blood spills from Lucifer's back.
He almost drops to his knees, but regains his strength and
laughs.
LINCOLN
(choking)
Maggie, run!
Maggie hesitates, then runs.
Lucifer laughs.
LUCIFER
That's right, Maggie. Run! --
She'll never find her way out of
here. She got lost among the
crosses.
LINCOLN
He has a plan for us, so fuck you,
angel-reject!
Lucifer's laugh turns to seriousness. Like a rubber chicken,
Lucifer swings Lincoln into a cross.
The crucifix up-roots, and with the sound of twisting metal,
it collapses into another creating a domino effect.
Screams of horror and pain emanate from each cross as it
collides.
Lincoln moans in pain. His shoulder is dislocated.
A hand suddenly grasps Lincoln's wrist. Lincoln glances over
and tries to snatch his hand away. He sees a pair of eyes
reflecting in the red glow. A voice whispers.
CRUCIFIED
I got you. Pull.
LINCOLN
(whispers)
What?
CRUCIFIED
Pull.
Lincoln looks at his shoulder and pulls as hard as he can.
The crucified soul keeps hold long enough to pop Lincoln's
shoulder back in place.
The crucified moans louder to hide Lincoln's cries of pain.
Others follow suit.
EXT. TEOTIHUACAN
Maggie runs for her Jeep. She stops, turns around to look
for Lincoln, and sheds tears.
She turns back around to head for the Jeep and looks right
into the eyes of a twisted, demonic, Sean!
SEAN
I knew you'd be here, bitch.
Maggie glares in fright.
SEAN (CONT'D)
What's the matter, baby? Have you
lost that lovin' feelin?
A click sounds. Another click. And another. Maggie looks
down and finds her gun is empty.
SEAN (CONT'D)
Yeah. I never liked that nigger
music either.
She tries to punch him but he catches her fist.
SEAN (CONT'D)
I told you --
Sean head-butts her in the nose, and she falls back.
SEAN (CONT'D)
... not to fuckin hit me. A whore
like you should know her place.
MAGGIE
Fuck you!
Sean starts to unbuckle his belt.
SEAN
And you will.
She kicks him in the balls. He falls over, and Maggie makes
a run for her jeep.
Sean catches her ankle and she falls. He pulls his old knife
and stabs her in the calf. Maggie screams.
Sean stands back up. He walks around her like he owns her
with an evil grin on his face.
SEAN (CONT'D)
You used to --
He kicks her.
SEAN (CONT'D)
... LOVE me! But instead, you
fucked that fucking --
He kicks her again.
SEAN (CONT'D)
.. APE! And you never told me you
were half --
He kicks her yet again.
SEAN (CONT'D)
...MONKEY!
Maggie is coughing and wheezing for breath as she holds her
leg in pain. Sean drops on all fours and faces Maggie
straight in the eyes.
SEAN (CONT'D)
Oh, well. I've moved up the food
chain and you're still a little
chimpanzee.
Maggie looks at him in anger. The face she makes is actually
an attempt to hide pain as she secretly pulls the knife from
her calf.
SEAN (CONT'D)
What's the matter? Scared?
Animals don't have emotions.
Maggie stabs him in the eye.
Sean rolls backwards, holding his face. The knife still
protrudes from his socket.
Maggie gets up and limps for her Jeep.
Sean comes up to his knees as he continues to work at the
knife.
Maggie grabs another gun and checks to see if its loaded.
She turns around and aims.
Sean pulls the knife from his skull. His eyeball comes with
it. He looks frightened.
MAGGIE
What's the matter? Scared?
She pulls the trigger and shoots him in the other eye.
Maggie gets in her Jeep and drives off.
Demons emerge from the darkness and chase Maggie.
Some block her way, but she runs them over. One of them
grabs a hold of the Jeep's roll-cage and climbs his way on to
the vehicle.
Maggie shoots the creature in the chest. It flies off the
Jeep.
INT. THE CHAMBER
Lucifer is still in the red glow, but Lincoln now hides in
darkness.
The moans grow louder.
LUCIFER
Shut up you miserable little fucks!
He listens for Lincoln's location, but only hears the moans.
Lucifer winces at the sound of a loud clank. He falls to his
knees in pain and looks around, but sees nothing.
The crucified souls begin to mumble haunting verses and
mockeries to distract Lucifer. Some sound like echoes in the
darkness.
From the blackness, a pipe flies. Lucifer dodges.
Another flies from a different direction. Lucifer catches it
and throws it back. It clangs and bangs as it rolls on the
floor.
Lucifer has enough of the noise and screams.
LUCIFER (CONT'D)
I said SHUT-UP!
The bodies surrounding Lucifer incinerate and they scream in
pain. In an outward circle, more and more bodies become
balls of fire.
Those who still have breaths left in their bodies cry out
praises of thanks to the Lord for their release.
More and more ignite, revealing the vastness of the chamber.
Thousands upon thousands of torched crosses now light the
great room.
Lincoln is behind him. He shoves a pipe into Lucifer's back.
LINCOLN
Get out of my house.
Lucifer extends sword-like claws from his fingers.
LUCIFER
You fucking --
He turns around and shoves them into Lincoln's chest.
LUCIFER (CONT'D)
Primate!
Lucifer realizes what he's done, and removes his claws.
Lincoln coughs up a massive amount of blood.
LUCIFER (CONT'D)
Oh, no. No, I'm sorry. No, no,
don't die.
Lucifer holds Lincoln.
LINCOLN
Jesus got Mary to hold him when he
died. I got you. Ain't that a
bitch --
Lincoln coughs-up more blood, but laughs as well.
LUCIFER
You fool. Do you realize what
you've done! You've ended
everything.
LINCOLN
(gurgling)
Just you, Lucy. Just you. --
Padre, tell God the Prodigal Sons
are... coming... home.
Lincoln's body goes limp.
LUCIFER
What? No! Don't die! You stupid
fucking mortal! -- Shit!
Lincoln's body begins to radiate a bluish light.
Lucifer screams in pain as Lincoln's body explodes in blue
flame, incinerating Lucifer.
EXT. HIGHWAY - NIGHT
Maggie hauls-ass down the Highway and heads back to the
village near Mexico City. Thousands of demons follow her,
half a mile behind.
Behind her, Teotihuacan explodes in a blue sphere of light.
The orange pillar disappears.
The blue wave of light rapidly expands. Among the swirling
shades of blue are shapes of angels. Their bird-like cries
pierce the night.
The sphere reaches the demons and incinerates them. It
bypasses Maggie as harmless light.
In its wake, the remnants of man; roads, buildings, junked
cars, all disappear as though incinerated.
EXT. MEXICAN ENCAMPMENT - COURTYARD - NIGHT
The sky lights up bright as day as the wave approaches.
Silhouettes of hundreds of angels fly high in the sky.
The villagers cheer as they watch the explosion through the
downed wall.
The blast passes like a cool breeze and fortress is left
unscathed by the blast.
EXT. LAREDO
The wave approaches Laredo from the South.
EXT. ST. AUGUSTINE CHURCH
Like a nuclear explosion, Laredo is blown away with a blue
blast of energy as the sphere expands North.
SPACE
The globe of blue light expands rapidly and detonates the
twenty nukes, one at a time, in a beautiful, massive display
of nuclear fireworks.
SEA ANGEL PILOT (V.O. ON RADIO)
What the hell is that? -- All
ships, brace for impact!
The sphere bypasses the ships, harmlessly.
INT. COMMAND CENTER
LIEUTENANT FAULK
Commander. The missiles have
detonated prematurely.
COMMANDER ARISTARCHUS
Get me a visual on the monitor.
The giant sphere is visible, rapidly approaching the
Pendulum.
LIEUTENANT FAULK
What is it?
COMMANDER ARISTARCHUS
Our damnation.
LIEUTENANT FAULK
At it's current rate, it'll reach
us in one-hundred-twenty.
COMMANDER ARISTARCHUS
One-hundred-twenty what?
LIEUTENANT FAULK
One-seventeen... one-sixteen... one
fifteen...
Commander Aristarchus walks to his office and pours himself a
drink.
EXT. MEXICO CITY
Maggie approaches in her Jeep. The crowd cheers her success.
Danny awaits her in the crowd. He's fine.
EXT. PENDULUM
The sphere destroys the Pendulum in a massive explosion.
EXT. MEXICO CITY
The Pendulum's explosion can be seen from Earth. The crowd
watches in awe.
INT. SEA ANGEL
SEA ANGEL PILOT
Where did it originate.
SEA ANGEL CO-PILOT
Somewhere near Mexico City, sir.
SEA ANGEL PILOT
That's where we're going.
SEA ANGEL CO-PILOT
Plotting course.
SPACE
The sphere wipes out the remaining planets. As it crosses
the sun, the massive star explodes with a claymore-effect,
blasting away from the earth. It looks like a liquid ball,
splashing against a rock.
EXT. MEXICAN ENCAMPMENT - COURTYARD
The Earth is dark, only lit by the stars that remain. One by
one, they disappear.
MAGGIE
...and there was silence in Heaven.
SPACE - BLACKNESS
GOD (V.O.)
Let there be... light.
Four tongues of massive fire bolts come together. As they
meet, they create a ball of liquid fire. A new sun.
The Earth is still there, and the ships are still
approaching.
One by one, the stars return.
EXT. MEXICAN ENCAMPMENT - COURTYARD - DAY
The townsfolk rebuild the town. It looks as though they have
been at it for a while.
DANNY
Hey, Maggie, Look!
He points to the sky. Maggie looks up, she sees the great
number of ships approaching.
WOMAN
Margarita!
MAGGIE
ESTELLA, I've told you. Mag--
ESTELLA
Maggie. Maggie, we found this in
the shelter.
She hands Maggie Padre's letter. Maggie looks at it.
MAGGIE
Open in better times. I almost
forgot about it.
She smiles and opens it.
MAGGIE (CONT'D)
(reading)
My children, -- I knew nobody would
believe me, and even if they did --
PADRE (V.O.)
Who would go along with it? The
truth is, I have visions. But like
all prophets, I don't see the whole
truth. -- Seven continental
heavens, thirteen planetary Hells.
What's the difference? All were
God's creation. God never failed.
He simply gave us a chance to
redeem ourselves. I know what I
must do, but that's just my small
part. Don't let fear or doubt get
in your way. Have faith. I know
my Prodigal Sons can pull through,
so I have no doubt I'll see you
when you come home to a new Earth.
A new Heaven. -- Oh, by the way, my
visions tell me the Hall of Souls
will be filled, and you will be
given a gift --
MAGGIE
(reading)
A baby. Good luck, and have faith.
DANNY
Do you think he's here?
MAGGIE
(tears well up)
I don't know. Why don't we find
out?
DANNY
What are you going to name the
baby?
MAGGIE
I have a vague idea.
FADE OUT
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