UNTTITLED

Written by
Ethan Taliesin Houser

Draft in progress

ethantaliesin@gmail.com

FADE IN:
EXT. GROUNDS OF FOREIGN PRESIDENTIAL PALACE - DAY
A CLEANING WOMAN sweeps around the low retaining walls of
manicured hedges on the grounds of a grand Presidential
Palace somewhere in the developing world. She hears a
RINGING. She looks around and discovers a cellphone tucked
away at the bottom of a hedge. With a perplexed expression
she answers the phone.
Hello?

CLEANING WOMAN

As she listens she becomes visibly alarmed. She drops her

broom and runs up the marble stairs and past the row of
neoclassical columns that line the entrance. A group of wellarmed military guards stand at the:
PRESIDENTIAL PALACE
They point their machine guns at the hysterical woman waving
the cell phone in the air.
CLEANING WOMAN (CONTD)
This man... He wants to speak with
His Excellency immediately! The
presidents family...hostage!
An entrance guard grabs the phone from her as she falls to
her knees sobbing.
ENTRANCE GUARD
Who is this?!
VOICE
(filtered)
I will kill one each minute that
goes by that I dont speak with him
personally.
The entrance guard now becomes as flustered as the woman. He
passes the metal detector and alerts his superior (GUARD 2).
They scramble upstairs.
GUARD 2
Your Excellency! Your Excellency!
The guards swing the door open to:
THE PRESIDENTS ROOM

2.
GUARD 2 (CONTD)
Excuse me, sir. Its urgent! Your
family!
The surprised President sets down an issue of Paris Match and
jumps from his ostentatious chair. He takes the cell phone
with a look of confusion and seriousness.

Yes?

PRESIDENT
(haltingly)

VOICE
(filtered)
Do exactly as I say, or Ill send
them to you in pieces.
INT. CARLOS HOTEL ROOM - CONTINUOUS
A well-dressed man named CARLO sits at a desk in a hotel
room. He sports a large mustache and looks at a laptop
computer as he speaks into a phone.
CARLO (VOICE)
(whispering)
I will only tell you once...
Carlo holds a crumpled piece of paper close to the receiver
and scrunches it between his fingers as he whispers.
CARLO (CONTD)
...so listen very carefully.
PRESIDENTS ROOM
The President frantically motions those in the room to be
silent. He presses the cell phone firmly against one ear and
his fingers against the other.
PRESIDENT
Yes, Im listening.
CARLOS HOTEL ROOM
With a stolid face, Carlo picks up a second cell phone and
speed dials a number. A distinct little POP is heard
filtered through the first phone.
PRESIDENTS ROOM
A guard staggers backwards as he wipes the gore from his
face. The white, presidential walls are bespattered and a
fine mist of blood hangs in the air.

3.
A damaged chandelier swings above and the Presidents
headless body lies on the floor.
CARLOS HOTEL ROOM
Carlo sets both phones down. With his elbows on the table
Carlo rests his forehead in his hands and lets out a deep
sigh. Carlo squirts out a generous amount of hand sanitizer
from a bottle on the table and rubs it into his hands.
INT. NORBERG RESIDENCE - EVENING
In a beautiful home in a exclusive eastern bedroom community,
a large man in his 60s, SENATOR NORBERG, pulls up his pantlegs and kneels down to choose a cigar from a lower shelf of
his cabinet humidor.
SEN. NORBERG
Honey. Im going out for a smoke,
okay.
Mrs. Norberg (60s, WASPy, high maintenance) enters the room.
She is applying moisturizer to her hands.
MRS. NORBERG
I dont see why we dont just build
you a little space by the veranda
with a good filtration system.
Its so cold outside.
SEN. NORBERG
You think anyone would use those
smoking rooms at the airport if
they had access to a beautiful bike
path like we do?
Sen. Norberg takes out a cigar, runs it across his nose, and
puts it in his shirt pocket.
MRS. NORBERG
(playfully)
Not going to call me nature hater
again?
SEN. NORBERG
Well arent you?
MRS. NORBERG
Just a teeny-weeny bit.
Mrs. Norberg kneels down and kisses him on the cheek, and
goes back to the other room.

4.
MRS. NORBERG (CONTD)
(OS)
Remember, reservations at 8:00.
Sen. Norberg reluctantly removes the large cigar from his
pocket and replaces it with a smaller one and closes the
cabinet.
SEN. NORBERG
I know. Love you. Bye, honey.
EXT. BIKE PATH NEAR NORBERG HOME - EVENING
Sen. Norberg strolls down a beautiful bike path in his
affluent community. He looks through some papers and puffs
on his cigar. As he approaches an accessway leading to a
street he hears an UNPLEASANT voice.
UNPLEASANT MAN
(OS)
Hello there, Senator.
MUFFLED CRIES, A SPINNING CONFUSION OF BUSHES AND PAPERS AND
BRANCHES --A *CRACK*-- BLACKNESS-- FROM BLACKNESS FADE TO:
EXT. NORBERG RESIDENCE - MORNING
Sound of morning birds CHIRPING in the trees. Several police
cars are parked in the driveway of the Norberg residence.
INT. NORBERG RESIDENCE - CONTINUOUS
A distraught Mrs. Norberg talks with four officers in the
living room of her beautiful home. As she speaks, she
compulsively grabs at her head which has made her up-styled
hair disheveled almost to the point of looking like a frightwig. She is surrounded by family who do their best to calm
her down, though they too are nearly as upset as she is.
INT. DREAMWORLD - TIME UNKNOWN
DIFFUSED PERSPECTIVE:
Sen. Norberg stands in a room. He is surrounded by eleven
robed and hooded figures who have joined hands and stand in a
circle around him. A strange vibrating, monotone is heard.
The walls of the room are upholstered with red velvet and
paintings of strange esoteric symbols hang in ornate frames.

5.
A cage lowers from a chain and imprisons Sen. Norberg who
appears to be in a stupor. The figures step back and walk
around the room in a counterclockwise procession. As they
walk, they extend their hands and slightly touch the velvet
walls with their fingertips. Their caresses set fire to the
walls as effectively as if they were squirting it with
kerosine. Sen. Norberg grabs at the bars of his cage and
looks on in horror.
They stop the procession and the figures retake their
positions around the senator as he writhes in pain from the
smoke and heat. At once, the robes of the figures fall to the
floor (Obi Wan Kenobi style) as their bodies are transformed
into small, white, pyramid-shaped objects that spin and whirl
around the senators dying body.
INT. COMMERCIAL AIRLINER - FIRST CLASS - DAY
A parked commercial airliner filled with passengers. An older
woman sits in first-class by one of the planes few empty
seats. She looks out at the unmoving tarmac below, looks at
her watch, and sighs impatiently. CARLO sits in a seat in
front of her.
A man arrives at the womans aisle and places his carry-on in
the compartment above. He smiles and takes the seat next to
her. Three other new passengers who have also just boarded
take their seats as well. A flight attendant comes for the
beverage containers and the DONG of the seatbelt sign is
heard. Carlo is seen through the seats twirling his mustache
with one hand and fiddling with his phone with the other.
Though not looking at the new passengers directly, he
discreetly observes them with suspicion. A German accented
male voice comes over the INTERCOM:
INTERCOM
Lades and gentlemen, again, I do
apologize for the delay. Looks like
we cleared up those very minor
maintenance problems and should be
off the ground very shortly.
INT. NORBERG RESIDENCE - CONTINUOUS
A police officer lays a hand on Mrs. Norbergs arm to try to
console her. She brushes it off.
POLICE OFFICER 1
These kidnappers want money, they
dont want to hurt your husband,
okay? Our negotiator has experience
with this kind of thing.
(MORE)

6.
POLICE OFFICER 1 (CONT'D)
Trust me, the people who have your
husband will call.
POLICE OFFICER 2
As a matter of procedure, but
especially because your husbands a
senator, we need to keep this
absolutely quiet.
EXT. BIKE PATH NEAR NORBERG HOME - DAY
Officers are at the scene where Sen. Norberg was kidnapped.
An officer peels off a paper blown against the side of a
chain-link fence. Gloved hands pick up the small cigar and
place it in a plastic EVIDENCE BAG.
INT. INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT - DAY
A disabled elderly couple stands with their bags at the
airport terminal with their hands out to hail an approaching
electric golf cart type shuttle. The shuttle BEEPS at people
as it passes the couple right by.
Riding on the shuttle are the late-coming passengers on
Carlos flight. They follow some meters behind Carlo and
watch him as he strides down a moving walkway with his carryon in tow. He comes to a group of people obstructing his way.
CARLO
Stand to the right.
The group lets him pass.
INT. NORBERG RESIDENCE - THREE DAYS LATER - NIGHT
Mrs. Norberg, her children, and other members of their
extended family fill the house. Its a solemn scene and
people speak in hushed voices. Two agents, one male and one
female, dressed in black suits and wearing earpieces sit by
their laptops. The Norberg home phone is placed on the
coffee table in the middle of the living room.
Mrs. Norberg paces around and sits down on the couch and
stares at the phone.
Mrs. Norbergs beautiful daughter ISABELLA sits next to her.
ISABELLA
Daddys a strong man. And smart.
He wouldnt do anything foolish.

7.
MRS. NORBERG
Its been three days. Why dont
they call?
Isabella has no response.
ISABELLA
Come with me and help me make a
sandwich, okay?
Mrs. Norberg stares at the phone.
Mom?
Okay.

ISABELLA (CONTD)
MRS. NORBERG

Mrs. Norberg stands. They walk towards the kitchen when the
FRONT DOOR OPENS.
Sen. Norberg is back.
Gasps of relief and astonishment are heard throughout the
room. A puzzled Sen. Norberg takes a step backward. Mrs.
Norberg runs up and wraps her hands around him and kisses him
repeatedly. Everyone gathers.
MRS. NORBERG (CONTD)
Oh my god! Youre okay!
Of course.
Daddy!

SEN. NORBERG
Whats going on here?
ISABELLA

SEN. NORBERG
I told you, I was going to
Southampton to play golf this
weekend. Christ, where did you
think I was?
MRS. NORBERG
You went for a walk and never came
back. We had plans for dinner!
What are you talking about?!?
The room of people look toward Mrs. Norberg in a puzzled, yet
sympathetic way.
MRS. NORBERG (CONTD)
We thought something horrible
happened to you!

8.
SEN. NORBERG
Thank you all for your concern, but
I made it clear I was playing golf
this weekend.
MRS. NORBERG
Thats not true!
People gather round Mrs. Norberg to calm her down again.
Sen. Norberg looks around the room.
SEN. NORBERG
Im sorry for the misunderstanding.
But Im going to have to ask you
all to leave. I have a lot to do.
Were in session tomorrow, you
know.
Mrs. Norberg turns to Isabella, completely at a loss.
INT. MAJOR NEWSROOM - DAY
A large modern newsroom. People sitting at computer
workstations. Papers cluttering desks. Television monitors
overhead. A woman, SWEENA MALHOTRA (mid thirties, Indian
descent) walks briskly across the bustling newsroom talking
on her phone.
SWEENA
(into phone)
This storys a lightning rod, I
need more people on the record.
Anonymous sources wont get printed.
Find one and well use it in the
next installment, OK?
Sweena gets off the phone.
SWEENA (CONTD)
(to self)
Geesh, grow a pair.
A fat, long haired, male COWORKER sits at a computer...
Sweena!

COWORKER

...and flags down Sweena as she walks by. Sweena walks over.
COWORKER (CONTD)
You see this memo about Homeland
Security?

9.
Sweena looks at the email on the screen with amazed contempt.
SWEENA
Unbelievable.
Sweena laughs and throws her hands up.
COWORKER
Its patently absurd and there
are national security concerns?
Sweena laughs incredulously.
SWEENA
They must really think were
idiots.
COWORKER
I know, right?
Sweena paces a small circle.
SWEENA
Just beyond the fucking pale. You
know, a little politeness would
have gone a long way at the
beginning...try to threaten me, to
ridicule me. Dont they realize
this pushback just drives us
crazier to get to the bottom of it?
A young guy, COWORKER 2, rolls over from the neighboring desk
on his office chair. He points at the screen.
COWORKER 2
You guys need to scroll down.
(beat)
Sweena, Ryans not going with the
Dr. Badami story.
Sweena stops pacing.
What!?!

SWEENA

Furious, Sweena turns and marches swiftly down the hall.

Coworker 2 stands and watches...
Be civil!

COWORKER 2

...Sweena take off down the hall. Sweena BURSTS into the:
EDITORS OFFICE

10.
A bearded man in his 50s (RYAN LESPINES) is startled. Hes
having a meeting with two people. He looks over at Sweena. He
stands and defensively holds his palms toward her.
RYAN
Sweena, I know exactly what youre
going to say...
Ryan indicates a need for privacy and the two others exit.
RYAN (CONTD)
The thing is, we need to keep-SWEENA
(furious)
Thats not what I was going to say!
RYAN
(Ryan lowers his voice)
Listen, there are some very, very
aggressive lawyers, and with the
new amendment to the Freedom Act
being passed...
SWEENA
Its another request, not an
injunction! Ryan, this things
multinational and Im just
scratching the surface. Were not
the only ones on this story either,
believe me.
RYAN
Were the largest of the
respectable papers.
Sweena throws up her arms.
SWEENA
There you go! All the more reason.
And its no secret Ive been
working on a book.
Ryan wipes his forehead with his handkerchief.
RYAN
Again, with the Freedom Act
amendment we could both go to
prison just to watch the entire
paper go under in legal fees and
lost advertiser revenue.
Sweena storms out of Ryans office and into the:

11.
HALL
Ryan pops his head out as Sweena walks away.
RYAN (CONTD)
You think I like this?
Sweena walks down the busy hall where theres an unusual
amount of commotion. Through the gaggle of newsroom workers,
Sweena sees a group of men in suits (roughly 20 meters away)
at her desk. They are removing her computer and emptying her
desk, putting everything in white cardboard boxes.
Sweena walks toward them.
SWEENA
What in the hell are you doing?
They turn to Sweena. One G-MAN points to Sweena.
others start off in her direction.

He and two

G-MAN
You need to come with us.
Sweena stops in her tracks and takes a step back. Still some
meters away, the g-men are approaching quickly. The scene
quickly becomes chaotic. Sweenas coworkers start yelling at
the perceived injustice and many crowd in between Sweena and
the agents. Ryan runs by Sweena and gets in front of the gmen.
RYAN
What has she done!? She hasnt done
anything wrong!
People press themselves between Sweena and the agents and
pandemonium ensues. Many with their hands raised, recording
the action with their cellphones. Ryan is right in front of
the agents with his arms outstretched, smashed between them
and the rest of her supporters.
RYAN (CONTD)
What are the charges?!
The g-men quickly bring Ryan to the floor. A heel of a boot
is pushed into the back of Ryans neck and they handcuff him.
The agents have lost Sweena, who is somewhere beyond the mass
of people. Agents look frustrated.

12.
INT. SAUNA - AFTERNOON
Carlo sits with his burly, bearded friend MAGNUS THE FINN on
benches in a cedar wood sauna. They are both very relaxed but
sweating profusely.
CARLO
First it was the Southeast Asia
thing. Then all the way over here
for this little job, and now 35mm
Swedish autocannons delivered to
Brazil. Its none of our business,
but I dont see the connection.
MAGNUS
Theyve got their fingers in a lot
of pies. Thats what I wanted to
talk to you about.
CARLO
And theyve been insisting we meet
in person--ever since the first
job.
MAGNUS
But youre sure they dont-CARLO
All they know about me is a Swiss
bank account number.
MAGNUS
Carlo. Keep it that way. No good
can come from letting them know who
you are.
Magnus gets up and dips a ladle in the water bucket and
splashes the hot rocks creating a SIZZLE and a great amount
of steam.
CARLO
They are quite friendly on the
phone...
Magnus pours the last of his beer on the rocks as well.
MAGNUS
I hope you dont choose our clients
based on their telephone manners.

13.
CARLO
And I hope you dont want to keep
dealing with clients who want to
give partial payment in caviar
again.
Magnus sits back down, smiles and shrugs.
Magnus reaches over and opens an ice chest. He takes a blini
(biscuit), slathers it with black caviar and takes a huge,
sastifying bite.
CARLO (CONTD)
At any rate, I kept the collateral
damage to a minimum and the
president would have eventually
gotten it from someone else anyway,
eh?
MAGNUS
Whether he would have or not, I
must admit Ive much more sympathy
for the poor sturgeon in the
Caspian.
He loads up another blini and offers it to Carlo, but he
refuses. Magnus smiles and shrugs and takes a bite.
MAGNUS (CONTD)
Carlo. I just dont want to visit
one day and find you shot dead in
your own hammock.
CARLO
Thanks, Magnus. Its a mutually
beneficial relationship, okay?
Things change; I deal with it.
MAGNUS
Im trusting you on this one, mate.
This thing turns pear-shaped Im
holding you responsible. We can
probably scrape together around 200
units of the 35mm from our fellow
in Cyprus.
INT. NEWSROOM LOBBY - LATER
A sympathetic looking, young FEMALE AGENT is doing her best
to diffuse the situation. Sweena listens with her arms folded
tightly against her chest.

14.
FEMALE AGENT
Im so sorry.
(beat)
Dear, youre not under arrest--you
havent done anything wrong. We
just want you to come down and
answer a few questions, okay?
Sweena purses her lips as if deliberating.
FEMALE AGENT (CONTD)
If we help each other we might be
able to save lives. Dont do it for
us, do it because its the right
thing to do. Please, Sweena.
Sweena says nothing.
INT. NORBERG RESIDENCE - DAY
Mrs. Norberg and her daughter Isabella watch the TV as Sen.
Norberg addresses the Senate.
SEN. NORBERG
I thank my distinguished friend,
the senior senator from great state
of Oregon for yielding.
(beat)
I know it came as a surprise to a
great many of you for me to now
wholeheartedly endorse this bill,
especially considering the hours
and hours of floor time I used to
speak against it. But I feel but
with the wisdom of reflection,
comes the ability to admit when you
make a mistake. And ladies and
gentleman, I was wrong. You know,
my grandfather had a small store
in...
ISABELLA
The Internet bill? What the hell?
Mrs. Norberg turns to her daughter.
MRS. NORBERG
Now you see what Im saying?
Isabella shakes her head, as if trying to make sense of it.
MRS. NORBERG (CONTD)
He gave up cigars, too, you know.

15.
ISABELLA
Mom, I think its a creepy bill
too, but we need to trust Daddy on
this one.
Mrs. Norberg is overtly miffed at her daughters lack of
support.
EXT. CARLOS RENTED VILLA - EVENING
Carlo approaches the door to his villa. Just as his keys
near the lock he stops. Carlo notices something amiss. With
one silent movement he exchanges the key in his hand for the
Black-Cat personal defense tool on his keychain. He turns
around. Four BAD GUYS stand behind him. A gun is drawn at
Carlos chest. They force him inside his building.
BAD GUY 1
Since you wouldnt meet us in
person we came to you.
Carlos DOMESTIC HELP is lying face-down on the carpet with
her hands behind her neck. She looks up at Carlo with
desperation.
CARLO
Whoever you think I am, I assure
you, Im not me.
Bad Guy 2 goes to the stereo and turns up the music loud.
BAD GUY 1
You are very valuable to us but we
need your unconditional commitment
to our cause.
CARLO
This isnt the best way to go about
this.
Bad Guy 3 fires a single round into the middle of Domestic
Helps back, killing her.
BAD GUY
Youre valuable, but not
indispensable. Get down on your
knees and put your hands behind
your head. Trust me, you will
understand soon.
Carlos hands are slightly raised.
Guy 1.

He locks eyes with Bad

16.
In one explosive move Carlo lurches to the side, whips his
keys at they guys face and scrambles upstairs. The bad guys
shoot and run up after him. He goes into a bedroom and jumps
through the window and on to the:
ROOF
Carlo slides down, tears loose a rain gutter with a less-thangraceful touchdown, and lands in the:
ADJACENT YARD
He runs at top speed around the neighbors swimming pool but
slips and falls in the pool. The bad guys fire at him from
the roof and bullets splash in the water as Carlo tries to
pull himself out.
INT. NEIGHBORING HOUSE - CONTINUOUS
Two toddlers quietly play in the middle of the living room,
their toys strewn all around them. One holds a little wooden
block in his hand. The two toddlers stop their play and
become still as they curiously listen to the muffled sounds
of gunshots and commotion coming from outside.
The sliding glass door to the back EXPLODES with shattered
glass as a drenched Carlo rips through the house and tramples
past them. Carlo bursts out the front door and into the:
STREET
The bad guys exit the house and stand by the doorway firing
round after round at Carlo with handguns. Carlo makes a zigzag course and all bullets miss. The bad guys run after him.
Carlo takes a left through the yard of another villa. He
dives over a hedge, past a clothesline and makes another left
returning right back at his own villa again. He crouches
down. It seems the coast is clear. Carlo looks in his window
and sees the set keys he threw at the bad guy on the floor.
Carlo slips back to his:
VILLA
and grabs his keys off the floor. The bad guys spot him and
run back toward the house. Carlo again runs upstairs, out
through the bedroom window, down the roof, past the pool
(this time avoiding the water) through the neighbors house
and away down a narrow street. The sounds of police sirens
peal in the distance. Carlo runs through a crowd of people,
hugging the side of the wall and constantly looking over his
shoulder. The bad guys are still after him.

17.
He runs down a concrete stairway to an:
UNDERGROUND PARKING GARAGE
Carlo ducks behind parked cars. The bad guys look around for
him among the cars but dont see him. They hear a CHIRP and
see the brake lights of a black SUV flash. Carlo slips in
his car through the passenger side and locks the door just as
the bad guys grab at the door handle. The bad guys fire
point-blank into the window but it does nothing to the bulletproof glass on the armored car. Carlo frantically climbs to
the drivers side, starts the car, pulls into reverse, and
squeals out and up toward the exit.
The bad guys see a woman cowering in her car.
keys and block Carlo in.

They grab her

INT. LABORATORY RESEARCH FACILITY - TIME UNKNOWN

A cord is plugged loosely into a wall socket. There is a loud
monotonous humming sound that vibrates the cord.
Three people lie unconscious on hospital-type beds. They are
covered up to their necks with indigo satin sheets with a
large, red mystical symbols on them. Theyre hooked up to
some kind of EEG machines. Like alien whiskers, the wires of
electrodes sprout from their heads.
Like the other two patients, Sweena, lies still with a
frozen, anguished expression.
INT. DREAMWORLD - TIME UNKNOWN
Sweena is in the red velvet room.
grasping at the bars of her cage.
their circular procession.

She is on her knees

The eleven figures start
BACK TO:

LABORATORY RESEARCH FACILITY

The hum of the machine keeps jiggling the cord plugged into
the wall. Finally, the electrical cord falls out of the
socket and the orange indicator light goes off on Sweenas
machine. The machine cycles down and stops.
Sweena lies still. Her body makes a slight twitch.
another, more pronounced spasm.

Then

BACK TO:
DREAMWORLD

18.
The eleven figures touch the sides of the walls and ignite
them with their fingertips. With a slight flash of light,
the scene (with the exception of Sweena) becomes a little
less distinct.
Another flash occurs and things become
grainier by another degree. The figures become noticeably
alarmed. With each successive flash the scene becomes more
and more grainy, like a sandstorm is in the room. The
figures scatter through a door.
BACK TO:
LABORATORY RESEARCH FACILITY
Sweena convulses and opens her eyes. Confused, she looks
around and touches her head and discovers the EEG wires. She
pulls them off and notices the two others lying next to her.
Horrified, she takes stock and adjusts something under the
cloth that covers her. She looks over at the person next to
her. Its Carlo.
Sweena rises from the bed and looks around the room. She is
completely naked. She pulls the EEG pads from Carlos head
and does the same for an (elderly woman) in the far bed. She
returns to the stronger, more capable looking Carlo. Sweena
stands over him and nervously looks over her shoulder. She
waits and nothing happens. She grabs Carlos cheek between
her thumb and index finger and starts vigorously shaking it.
Carlo comes to and stares at the bare-breasted Sweena.
Who the-Sh-.

CARLO
SWEENA

The door to the room is ajar, through the crack Sweena and
Carlo see two people armed with bullpup assault rifles walk
by. Carlo is freaked--he turns on his side and starts to get
up.
SWEENA (CONTD)
You have a catheter.
Carlo makes an uncomfortable grimace as he pulls
tube from beneath the cloth.

out the

CARLO
(whispering)
Any idea where we are?
Sweena shakes her head no. Carlo (naked) walks to the door
and peers through the crack.

19.
Sweena realizes their clothes and personal effects are in
plastic bags under their respective beds. She points this out
to Carlo and they quickly dress.
Carlo looks around the room and fruitlessly rifles through
drawers. He picks up a hypodermic needle but realizes its
not much of a weapon.
The door OPENS and in walks a young nurse. Carlo and Sweena
jump toward the wall just in the nick of time. Just as the
nurse realizes the two beds are empty, Carlo comes from
behind and snaps her neck. The nurse falls to the floor and
Carlo closes the door.
The innocent and beautiful body of the young woman is at
Carlos feet. Sweena looks on in horror and disgust at Carlo.
SWEENA
Jesus fucking fuck.
CARLO
(whispering/exasperated)
What?
Carlo drags nurses body to the side. Carlo goes through the
cabinets in the small room and finds a large bottle of
Isopropyl 95%. He turns to Sweena.
CARLO (CONTD)
Do you smoke?
No.

SWEENA

CARLO
You dont, per chance, have a
lighter in that purse?
Sweena reaches into her purse and hands Carlo a lighter.
SWEENA
I dont smoke very much.
Carlo holds the lighter in his teeth, removes a fire
extinguisher from a box mounted on the wall, and pulls out
the safety. He hands Sweena a medical cone face mask from a
box on the table. They both put one on.
With his free hand, Carlo throws the pieces of fabric they
were covered with and lays them in a pile with two overturned
chairs. Carlo douses the carpet and everything with the
rubbing alcohol. Sweena pushes the still unconscious elderly
woman to the far side of the room.

20.
Carlo lights the fire and it goes up in flames. He opens the
door a crack, points the extinguishers nozzle into the hall
and lets it rip.
The fire extinguisher chemical dust turns the hallway opaque
white. He grabs Sweenas hand and they burst out of the
room, closing the door behind them. They run through the
whiteness of the hall.
Carlo and Sweena emerge from the cloud completely covered in
white dust.
Powdered like Pfeffernsse, just like everyone
else. Others (not wearing particle masks) gasp for air and
make their way away from the commotion. Carlo and Sweena
follow suit and join others outside in front of the building.
Carlo and Sweena slink away from the crowd, unnoticed along
the wall and around a corner. They slip way, running and
coughing in a cloud of dust down the dark street.
EXT. OPULENT MANOR HOUSE - DAY
Men and women in formal dress arrive in limousines and black,
flagship luxury sedans. The are greeted by others with warm
handshakes. (Perhaps secret handshakes) These are obviously
the elite of the elite. SENATOR NORBERG arrives and joins
these important, flawless people. They walk up and enter the:
RECEPTION ROOM (INT.)
They casually file in but do not mingle with each other when
they are in the building. Just as the others are doing,
Senator Norberg takes a pair of white gloves from a table and
puts them on. After that, he takes a pair of white knee pads
and puts them on too.
After both gloves and knee pads are on, Senator Norberg, with
great dignity, tosses his tie over his shoulder and adjusts
his gloves to perfection.
He then gets down on his hands and knees with his chest
almost touching the carpet and lets out a deep MOAN. He
joins the others as they slowly crawl down a long corridor.
As they crawl they recite a horrible prayer in some obscene,
unearthly tongue. Not in unison, but in an anguished noisy
cacophony.
The Senator and the other groveling people inch along on all
fours. On the walls they pass some of the same esoteric
symbols as in the DREAMSCAPE. Strange dancing lights, like
fireflies, whiz around.

21.
INT. ABANDONED BUILDING - OUTSKIRTS OF TOWN - DAY
Sweena and Carlo are in an abandoned industrial building.
They sit on a concrete step by a large, rusting motor. They
huddle against the wall. Both are FILTHY and in midconversation.
SWEENA
I cant believe this is happening.
They wont get away with this.
They havent reached the tipping
point yet.
CARLO
The tipping point?
SWEENA
That what they call it. Theyre
positioning themselves in places of
power and influence. Word has it
theyre behind the two recent coups
in southeast Asia... that president
who got his head blown off... what
was his name...
CARLO
(slightly ruffled)
Yes, yes, I know who youre talking
about. Theyve got their fingers in
a lot of pies.
SWEENA
Why do you think they wanted you?
CARLO
Im a professional. Judging by
their ham-fisted tactics it would
be safe to assume they could use my
expertise.
In what?

SWEENA

CARLO
In a number of things.
(irritated)
Look--thats not important.
Hold on a minute.
SWEENA
They already have members on the
boards of--

22.
Carlo shoots a dagger glance at Sweena and puts his finger to
his lips. A distant sound of FOOT FALLS is heard. The sound
gets closer and closer.
Carlo and Sweena sit frozen in silence. The handle turns and
someone pushes against the door. The door is stuck, so the
person behind uses his body weight to try to bump the door
open. On the third attempt the door BURSTS open. Its
Magnus.
SCENE WHERE SOMEONE TALKS INTO THE MIRROR. They could do it
all at once. They could get a glimpse into Carlo and Sweena.
INT. HOTEL ROOM - DAY
Magnus looks on as Carlo sits at the rooms writing desk
handheld mirror and hacks away at his sizable mustache with a
disposable razor. Sweena has apparently just taken a shower
and is drying her hair with a towel.
SWEENA
Thanks for the clean clothes.
Carlo stops shaving for a moment and turns to Magnus.
CARLO
Indeed, Magnus. Im indebted.
MAGNUS
Indebted is the correct word,
Carlo.
Sweena sits down on the bed and brushes her long hair.
Magnus walks over and lays a newspaper on the bed.
MAGNUS (CONTD)
Did you do this?
Sweena picks up the paper and sees herself. The headline
reads: Times Writer Escapes Custody, Slays Three En Route to
Questioning.
SWEENA
(shocked/confused)
Of course not!
MAGNUS
I didnt take you for a killer.
Magnus pulls a couple of passports from a manila envelope and
throws one to Carlo.

23.
MAGNUS (CONTD)
(to Sweena)
Fortunately for you, the newspapers
always prefer your glamorous
pictures. I used a more obscure
one from the internet.
Magnus hands Sweena an AUSTRALIAN PASSPORT. She looks at it
for a moment upside down, rotates it 180, and opens it.
INSERT: UNFLATTERING PASSPORT PHOTO /SWEENAS FACE /NEW NAME
Sweena runs her thumb over the hologram and looks at Magnus
incredulously.
SWEENA
You just had this made??
CARLO
Hes an artist.
MAGNUS
Theyll be coming after you. Do you
have somewhere you can go?
Sweena closes the passport.
SWEENA
The group in Argentina I was
telling you about. I know I can
stay with them.
Carlo stands from his chair with his mustache still partly
unshaved.
CARLO
With a resistance group bent on
advertising the deeds of that
clawed, hidden hand? Theyre making
themselves a magnet for those
fiends, its just a matter of time!
Suit yourself, but its an abysmal
idea. I suggest you find yourself a
rock to hide under.
MAGNUS
Youre going escort her.
Taken aback, Carlo holds one hand at arms length while the
other clutches his passport at his heart.
CARLO
No bloody, bleeding, fucking way. I
have done my part!

24.
MAGNUS
Oh, no. Youve done much more than
your part, Carlo. And thats
exactly why you will go.
Carlo turns to Sweena but talks for the benefit of Magnus.
CARLO
How was I to know who they were?
But she, she acts like a bloody
freelancer on assignment.
SWEENA
Dont you see? The worlds
changing! Doing nothing is
tantamount to total submission.
Carlo is noticeably perturbed.
Rubbish!

CARLO

MAGNUS
Like everyone in his profession,
Carlos self-interested,
unreliable, and always willing to
switch sides if the moneys better.
But hes also clever, capable, and
apparently quite daring when it
comes to protecting his own skin.
SWEENA
Ill go at it alone... I just dont
have access to my bank accounts.
MAGNUS
And Carlo has accounts under a
number of aliases. It was just the
one with the Vertraulichkeit Bank
that was compromised, no?
Carlo gives a half-hearted yes nod as he finishes shaving
off his mustache. He brings his hands to his head and sits
back down. Carlo is quite handsome clean shaven.
CARLO
Argentina. For all we know we could
be walking right into our coffins.
INT. OPULENT MANOR HOUSE - EVENING
Nearly a hundred elite crawl on their hands and knees through
a door and pour into a large room.

25.
They line up around the far wall and place their foreheads to
the ground. In unison, the members chant:
SECRET SOCIETY MEMBERS
Quaeritur nobis mori, nos mori.
Quaeritur nobis occidere, nos
occidere.
INT. NORBERG RESIDENCE - DAY
Isabella lets herself in her parents home, walks across the
plush carpet and sits by a coffee table. The room is empty.
She calls out across the house.
Hi Daddy.

ISABELLA

There is no response. She sets her handbag down, takes off

her high heel shoes, and rubs her feet through her hose.
Isabella looks off down the hall.
ISABELLA (CONTD)
My meeting was cancelled cause
there wasnt a quorum. Im having
a drink; can I get you one?
Theres no response but Norbergs voice is heard in the
distance.
ISABELLA (CONTD)
(to self)
I will assume yes.
Isabella ambles to:
THE KITCHEN
and takes out two lowball glasses and a bottle of booze. She
plops in a few ice cubes in each and pours the drinks.
Unhurried, she casually swirls the ice cubes around by
rocking the glasses and takes a generous sip from one. She
splashes a bit more in her glass to replace the sip she just
took.
Carrying both glasses, she walks down:
THE HALL
towards the room with Sen. Norbergs voice. The door is
ajar. Isabella frees up one hand by setting one of the
drinks down on the carpet by the door.

26.
As she raises her hand to knock, she stops short.
in the crack of the door.

She peers

Isabella sees Sen. Norberg sitting at his desk. He is

staring into a mirror and carrying on a conversation with
HIMSELF.
HIMSELF (SEN. NORBERG)
I want to congratulate you on the
vote.
SEN. NORBERG
Thank you, sir. But, Im not sure
if we could have done it with out
the bombings in Chicago and Dallas.
It was just what we needed to
rattle up the naysayers and put
them over the edge.
HIMSELF
Additional bombings are forthcoming
but our next step will be to
implicate the White House directly.
Isabella, frozen with disbelief, stares through the crack at
her father.
SEN. NORBERG
Whats the narrative?
HIMSELF
That the presidents office ordered
the bombings as a false flag
operation to garner support from a
terrified electorate.
SEN. NORBERG
Wonderful idea, sir.
The Senator combs his hair and adjusts his tie as he talks to
himself in the mirror.
HIMSELF
Weve got operatives who will serve
as whistle-blowers, but we need
you to have the resolution on
impeachment ready the next day.
SEN. NORBERG
It will be my privilege.

27.
HIMSELF
Once the Speaker of the House is in
office and the international media
circus is in full swing, it should
give us a little breathing space
while we hunt down Dr. Badami. We
believe hes in Argentina. So,
hows you wife?
SEN. NORBERG
Still suspicious.
HIMSELF
And your daughter Isabelle?
SEN. NORBERG
Isabella. Shes at a meeting now. I
dont think shes a problem. Like
you suggested, I told her her moms
been showing slight signs of
dementia.
Shes very worried.
(chuckles to self)
HIMSELF
Good, that should buy us enough
time.
Sen. Norberg has his hearing aids on the desk. He removes a
couple of aspirn-sized batteries from a circular dispenser.
He fiddles with his hearing aids battery compartment opening
on his desk.
SEN. NORBERG
Sir, I afraid Im not as optimistic
as you. If my wife continues to
draw attention we might need to do
a cost/benefit of either bringing
her in, or just getting rid of her.
HIMSELF
It would be months to get her a
slot at one of the machines. At
this point we wouldnt be able to
divert resources to her, anyway.
Our number one priority right now
is to get someone on the inside of
Badamis group in Argentina.
SEN. NORBERG
Yes, but if my wife keeps asking
questions I cant very well just
bash her brains in with a brick,
now can I?

28.
HIMSELF
If it were only that easy.
(chuckles to self)
Sen. Norberg closes the battery compartment and places the
hearing aids behind his ears.
HIMSELF (CONTD)
Well send someone to take her out
if we have to.
Isabellas holds her fathers lowball glass close to her
chest, as she stands petrified just outside the door. Her
vacant stare belying confusion and terror.
Just as she takes one cautious step away from the door,
several ice cubes in the glass become detached from
themselves and make a distinct CLINK as they settle.
Senator Norberg quickly turns around and stands from his
desk. He walks over to the door and looks out into the hall.
He looks out in each direction but sees no one. He looks
down by his feet and sees the second glass. He bends down
and picks it up. There is lipstick on the edge of the glass.