FADE IN:
INT. PARKING GARAGE – LOT – NIGHT
A fluorescent light flickers over the trunk of a car.
CAMERA PANS from a man’s shoes to his face.
TERRY, late 20s, slightly built with facial stubble, lies motionless on the pavement.
EXTREME CLOSE UP – Terry’s EYES opens. He SUCKS in a mouth full of air.
He tries to, but, cannot move. He’s STUCK momentarily. His eyes run wild as he surveys his surroundings.
CUT TO:
He struggles to his feet.
CUT TO:
He leans against a parked car.
CUT TO:
Cold, Terry buries his hands into his coat pockets. Stiff and slow, he makes his way to the exit door.
He stops. He removes a wallet. He opens it. There’s a couple of dollars inside, but NO IDENTIFICATION, NO CREDIT CARDS.
He pats himself down and feels an object on his chest. He finds a car key with an attached alarm inside his coat pocket. He doesn’t recognize it.
He presses the emergency button. We hear a car HONK continuously from close distance. Terry backtracks and follows the horn’s sound.
After passing a few parked cars, Terry spots the vehicle. Its headlights blink continuously.
Terry gets into the car.
INT. HONDA ACCORD – CONTINUOUS
The car’s interior is spotless much like a rental. Terry looks around. He checks the backseat, turns, and opens the glove compartment.
A small orange pill bottle labeled “aspirin”, and an iPhone pop out of the compartment. Terry picks up the cellphone and turns it on. He immediately receives a text message from Diane, “See you in a bit love.”
We hear a low pitched RINGING creep into Terry’s eardrums. A striking pain rushes through his head. Terry tenses up, the ringing gets louder, he grimaces in agony.
EXT. PIER – DAY [FLASHBACK]
An overview of New York City and the East River.
Terry’s POV – arms wrapped around a woman’s shoulder, DIANE, mids 20s, slender and lovely.
INT. HONDA ACCORD
Terry grabs the pill bottle, pops the cap open and swallows a couple pills. He sits back, closes his eyes and grips his temples with his hand. He waits for the medicine to sink in. The RINGING slowly fades away.
CUT TO:
Terry opens his eyes and stares at himself in the rear view mirror.
TERRY
Who are you?
Another TEXT MESSAGE from the cell phone from unknown, “open the trunk”.
Terry texts back. He waits and nothing, no reply. He sits quietly and considers the message. He turns to look out the back window.
CUT TO:
EXT. PARKING GARAGE
From INSIDE the TRUNK’S POV we see Terry open the trunk.
Terry looks around. He moves some things aside. He suddenly GASPS and jerks his back. He takes a long look at it. He’s frightened.
The sound of SCREECHING tires startles Terry.
Cell phone rings.
MEDIUM CLOSE UP – Terry searches the garage. He closes the trunk.
Terry checks the number on display, it’s “unknown”.
TERRY
(into the cell phone)
Hello?
UNKNOWN (O.S.)
(Deep, cold, computer generated voice)
(Drive the package to the set location on your phone’s GPS.)
TERRY
Who is this?
UNKNOWN (O.S.)
(A man with a black backpack will meet you in exchange for the car key.)
TERRY
Who is this?
CLICK – the line disconnects.
Terry looks at the cellphone, looks for a call back number, nothing – no call history or any other numbers.
He stares at the trunk of the car, takes a few steps back and dials 911. It rings. He turns away from the car. A girl answers.
DIANE (O.S.)
(Panicky)
Terry?
He freezes.
TERRY
(He recalls his name)
Terry?
DIANE (O.S.)
Please hurry, Terry.
TERRY
Hello? Hello? You there?
UNKNOWN (O.S.)
Package. Location. Twenty minutes.
CLICK – the line disconnects.
TERRY
Wait.
Terry hits redial – nothing, line’s DEAD.
TERRY (CONT’D)
(to himself)
Terry.
WIDE SHOT – Terry looks at the Honda Accord car. He looks at the trunk.
CUT TO:
Car reverses from the parking spot and drives out of the lot.
INT. DINER – NIGHT
Terry sits at a booth. A WAITRESS drops off a hot cup of coffee.
TERRY
(to waitress)
Thank you.
He picks the cup up by its handle. He gazes into the cup. We hear a low pitched RINGING again, striking pain rushing through his head. His face tenses up. He closes his eyes and grips his temples.
INT. KITCHEN – DAY [FLASHBACK]
From Terry’s POV we see he sips a cup of coffee.
He kisses Diane on the back of her neck. We see an EXTREME CLOSE UP of Diane’s smile, but we DO NOT SEE HER FACE.
We see a CLOSE UP of Terry’s hand on her left hip.
INT. DINER – CONTINUOUS
We still hear the low pitch RINGING from Terry’s head.
We see a MEDIUM CLOSE UP of Terry’s hand trembling with the cup. Coffee spills onto his hand. He uses his free hand and grabs his other hand to stop it from shaking. His face indicates he’s in obvious pain.
INT. LIVING ROOM – NIGHT [FLASHBACK]
The living room lights are dim. The candles are lit. A movie plays on the television.
From Terry’s POV we see him shift his attention from the television screen to Diane’s hand. Her fingers tickle his palm while his thumb caresses her hand.
AGAIN WE DO NOT SEE HER FACE.
INT. DINER – CONTINUOUS
Terry fumbles into his coat for the medications. He gulps down a pill with a sip of coffee.
Blood drips out of Terry’s nose. He opens his eyes and touches his nostrils. He takes a napkin and wipes the blood from his nose.
WILLIAM, a suburban man of 30, SITS and STARES at Terry from across the table.
Terry sees him. He’s trying to catch his breath, he’s still recovering from the pain.
William seems nervous and tense.
WILLIAM
I’ve been instructed to give this to you.
He sets the backpack on the table. William looks beat; his eyes are red, nose is runny as well.
Terry stares at William AS HE UNZIPS the backpack. He looks inside.
CUT TO:
We see from inside the Backpack’s POV Terry’s eyes widen.
CUT TO:
Terry sets the backpack besides him on the seat.
William scans the diner. He’s in a paranoid state.
Terry takes out the car key and slides it across the table.
William looks at the key.
Terry’s hand is on top of it.
TERRY
Who are you? What’s going on?
William looks Terry in the eye for just a second
WILLIAM
You mean you don’t know?
TERRY
No. Do you?
William returns to his paranoid state – he traces every movement and every sound in the diner.
TERRY (CONT’D)
Do you know what’s inside the trunk of that car? What it holds?
WILLIAM
(nervous)
I don’t want to know.
(to Terry)
I just – just follow orders. Please, I don’t have much time.
William tries to pull the key out of Terry’s hold. William’s knee RATTLES underneath the table.
Terry stares into William’s frightened eyes.
WILLIAM (CONT’D)
They took her.
(Beat)
They took her and they’re going to kill her. Please, I don’t have much time.
TERRY
Who? Who did they take?
We see a MEDIUM CUT of William’s watery eyes.
WILLIAM
Diane.
TERRY
(Someone so familiar)
Diane?
William rips the key from underneath Terry’s hand and takes off.
Terry watches William exit in a hurry.
TERRY (CONT’D)
Diane.
DIANE (O.S.)
Terry, Hurry!
TERRY
(It comes to him)
DIANE!
He jumps out of his seat.
EXT. STREET – NIGHT
We see a LONG SHOT of a public pay phone across the street.
Terry runs up, picks up the receiver and dials 911.
It rings and rings.
We hear a CLICK.
UNKNOWN (O.S.)
(That’s strike two)
In shock, Terry drops the receiver.
He steps backs from the public pay phone.
His hands hesitates, he picks up the receiver.
DIANE’S GAGGING on the other line.
TERRY
(on the pay phone – worried and pleading)
Okay, you stop, you stop right now, right now!
DIANE’S STILL GAGGING on the other line.
He cradles both hands on the receiver.
TERRY (CONT’D)
Please stop. Please!
UNKNOWN (O.S.)
(No more mistakes. Understood?)
TERRY
(on the pay phone – pleading)
Please, please…I’m begging you –
CLICK – the line disconnects.
TERRY (CONT’D)
Let her go.
Terry lowers the receiver from his ear.
He BEATS the box with the receiver continuously.
TERRY (CONT’D)
(angry)
AHHHH! AH! AH! YOU SON-OF-A
CUT TO:
He takes off with the backpack.
INT. TRAIN STATION – NIGHT
Late night, the MTA station is empty. There’s a closed sign in front of the ticket gate.
Terry sits and waits on a bench. He stares at the station clock. It’s two in the morning.
The backpack rests in his lap.
Terry tenses up.
We hear the low pitched RING return. The striking headaches hit him fast.
INT. BEDROOM – DAY [FLASHBACK]
We see in Terry’s POV Diane in bed. She wakes peacefully. We finally get to see her face. She’s a real beauty with a terrific smile to go with it. She’s holding something.
INT. TRAIN STATION – CONTINUOUS
Terry knees tremble. He grabs a hold of himself. A chill runs through his body.
INT. BEDROOM – DAY [FLASHBACK]
We hear the sound of CHILDREN playing.
Terry holds a photo of a sonogram. He looks up. Diane’s in tears of joy. They embrace one another. He holds up the photo behind her, looks at it and hugs her even tighter.
INT. TRAIN STATION
We see an EXTREME CLOSE UP of Terry’s mouth.
Drops of blood hit the station floor.
Terry leans forward in the fetal position.
He holds his stomach, he GAGS, COUGHS and VOMITS onto the floor.
His hand trembles as he reaches for the medication in his coat pocket.
He pops open the cap with one hand…
He DROPS the bottle, pills spill onto the floor. Some fall into his vomit.
Cell phone rings.
TERRY
Where’s Diane?! Where are you keeping her?!
UNKNOWN (O.S.)
A man in a black trench coat with a briefcase will arrive at the station.
Terry sees Q, an African-American male of 30, enter the station. He holds a black leather briefcase.
UNKNOWN (O.S.) (CONT’D)
Kill him or we kill Diane.
CLICK – the line disconnects.
Terry looks at the pills.
CUT TO:
Terry watches Q’s every move from afar.
DIANE (O.S.)
Terry! Hurry!
Q checks the time on his wrist watch. Terry’s in deep thought. He gets up from the bench.
DIANE (O.S.) (CONT’D)
(Sound of Diane Gagging)
Terry slowly walks up to Q.
DIANE (O.S.) (CONT’D)
It’s a boy, Terry, a boy.
Q turns to face Terry.
They’re only a few feet away from each other.
Terry holds the backpack close to his chest with one hand tucked inside.
Q
I’ve been watching you.
Q pulls out a cigarette and lighter. His hands are shaky.
Q (CONT’D)
They control us.
The backpack drops to the floor. Terry holds out an automatic handgun and points it at him.
Q stares into the barrel of his gun.
Terry tilts his head down. He avoids eye contact with Q.
Q lights his cigarette, inhales, closes his lighter and in one slick motion swings around and PULLS OUT A PISTOL of his own.
Q (CONT’D)
Relax.
Terry stares down the barrel of Q’s gun.
Q (CONT’D)
Relax. Lower your gun.
Terry’s hand quivers from the weight of the gun. He’s full of adrenaline.
Q (CONT’D)
Lower your gun.
TERRY
I’m sorry, they got her and
Q
They said they’re going to kill her unless you kill me.
TERRY
How do you know that?
Q
THEY TOLD ME THE SAME THING
Terry’s finger is pressed against the trigger.
Q (CONT’D)
Listen to me.
We hear the RINGS return, Terry grimaces in pain.
Q (CONT’D)
She’s not real.
The pain’s so sharp Terry CANNOT REGISTER what Q’s saying.
Q (CONT’D)
Diane’s not real. She’s not real. I SEE HER TOO and SHE’S NOT REAL.
The ringing gets louder and louder as does the pain.
Terry sees Q reach into his jacket pocket with his free hand.
Gun shakes in Terry’s hand.
We see a MEDIUM CLOSE UP of Terry just as he closes his eyes.
TERRY
I’m so sorry.
We see another TWO SHOTS of Terry as he closes his eyes.
He pulls the trigger – BANG!
Q DROPS to the ground.
Terry drops to his knees in extreme agony.
We see the SAME SMALL ORANGE PILL CONTAINER labeled “aspirin” roll out from Q’s hand.
Terry drops to the ground.
Terry and Q lay on the platform.
Blood streams out from Q’s body.
FADE OUT.
We hear the sound of footsteps.
FADE IN.
We see an EXTREME POV SHOT of a man’s shoes standing right in front of Terry’s face.
FADE OUT.
We hear the sound of a drill and some jazz music playing in the background.
UNKNOWN (O.S.)
Removing D-I-A-N-E application.
We hear clicking and clanking sounds.
DIANE (O.S.)
Diane application removed.
UNKNOWN (O.S.)
Now inserting test subject 9788431 with A-L-P-H-A application.
We hear more drilling.
DIANE (O.S.)
No insert the Mission 1.
UNKNOWN (O.S.)
Mission 1?
DIANE (O.S.)
Yes, I think we have a winner here.
UNKNOWN (O.S.)
And if we don’t?
DIANE (O.S.)
Prepping inmate 670145553 for Mission 1.
Beat.
UNKNOWN (O.S.)
Prepping inmate 670145553 for Mission 1.
FADE IN.
INT. LOCATION UNKNOWN – BATHROOM
We see a CLOSE UP of Terry’s EYES open. He SUCKS in a mouth full of air.
We hear the sound of the low pitched RINGS fade in.
Terry sits on a toilet seat in a stall. He’s heavily wrapped in clear wrap. Terry looks around wildly, confused and scared.
Sound of the low pitched RINGS fade out.
THE END
—-
About the Authors:
Shannon Casey is an emerging screenwriter, novelist and poet. He studied literature and film at Hunter College and New York University. He has written pieces for several indie film production companies both domestic and foreign. He is an active member of the New York City literary and film communities. He is currently working on a supernatural thriller entitled God Talks to Mommy. For more on Shannon Casey please go to his website www.sites.google.com/site/
Patrick Chen Xi Hao works with Chen Xi Hao Films and 321 Productions and can be contacted at chenxihaofilms@gmail.com.
