EXT. ALMANCHEAN FORREST - DAY
Jesse, Jaspar and Charlie, reach their destination after a day and a half
CHARLIE MORRISON: It’s a beautiful view
JESSE: My plan was not such a bad one my friend
CHARLIE MORRISON: Wait until I see the sleeping arrangements.
EXT. ALMANCHEAN FORREST - DAY TWO MORNING
Jaspar Jesse and Charlie are seated in a circle for breakfast.
JASPER: I found a twenty dollar note yesterday so I went to a nearby pub last night to spend it. Incognito of course. I don’t know whether it’s a trap, but I got talking to a truck driver. This guy told me that there was a guy nearby, by the name of Rudy Floriano who was raided by the Reapers, but then another guy mentioned that there was something that the Reapers weren’t aware of. He said that Floriano, kept something confidential hidden away that could potentially bring down the President and the Seekers and everything. He said, he didn’t know where it was and even if he did he would be afraid that it would be more trouble than it was worth.
JESSE: Where is this house?
JASPER: It’s about two miles from here, surrounded by trees.
JESSE: Can you take us there?
JASPER: You’re not seriously thinking of going there. It’s probably riddled with Reapers
JESSE: We can’t keep running forever. If this is big enough to take down the government, then I say we should play our part
JASPER: I still say you’re mad.
CHARLIE MORRISON: I think I know what it is
EXT. NEAR RUDY FLORIANO’S COTTAGE - NIGHT
Jasper, Charlie and Jesse, make their way through the woods
JASPER: (in a whisper) I don’t like this.
The cottage comes into view.
JESSE: Jasper, you go out there and if it’s a trap we will be right behind you. If you make it inside, look around for the disc.
Slowly, Jasper makes his way towards the cottage looking around him as he does so. The door is open and he enters.He turns on a lamp in the kitchen and starts to look around. The cottage is a mess.
Jasper searches drawers and cabinets as quietly as he can. He moves into the living room and searches. After searching without success he sits down on the couch to think. In front of him on a wall is a portrait of the US President. He removes it and finds, sellotaped to the back of it is a disc
Jasper is leaving the cottage with the disc in hand when a police car with bright lights enters the driveway. Two police officers and a Reaper got out of the car. The policemen are quick to point their guns at Jasper.
POLICE OFFICER ONE: Come here boy. You’re toast now. It’s the electric chair for you
Jasper looked around for Jesse to do something
The law enforcers are riddled with bullets and collape to the ground. Two armed women and a young teenage girl emerge from the woods.
HILDA: 39, Five Feet Eight Inches, Long brown hair, brown eyes, Caucasian, relatively broad
MICHAELA: 36, African American, Five Feet Seven Inches, short cropped hair, slim, green eyes
Francine, 14, Fair hair, caucasian, Five Feet, two inches tall, slim, brown eyes
HILDA: Come on kid. Get out of there before more arrive
Jesse and Charlie emerged from the other side of the forest
HILDA: Friends of yours?
JASPER: Yes
Sirens can be heard wailing in the background
HILDA: Lets go
They all start running and following the woman’s lead
Several mintues later Hilda turns and points her gun at the strangers.
HILDA: We’re taking a massive risk, taking you guys with us. If you betray us we’ll not hesitate to shoot you. Now, what are your names?
JESSE: Jesse, Charlie and Jasper (pointing to each of them in turn
HILDA: You can call me Hilda, this is Michaela (the other woman) and Francine
They walked a little further and an SUV came into view.
HILDA: Your picture is all over the media Charlie. I sure hope this is worth it.
They climb into the back of an SUV and drive away without turning on the lights. Hilda drives backroads and across rough terrain, before arriving at her intended destination. It was an abandoned mansion in the middle of the country.
INT. ABANDONNED MANSION - NIGHT
MICHAELA: We knew the owners here. They were rounded up by Reapers. They’re long dead and gone by now. We’re all that’s left of us. There used to be a dozen of us but I guess you can’t trust nobody in these times.
HILDA: What’s on the disc?
CHARLIE MORRISON: It’s controversial
HILDA: Try me
INT. ABANDONNED MANSION - NIGHT (20 MINUTES LATER)
The group are sitting around a large but largely bare living room. It is lit up by two small candles.
MICHAELA: So do you have a plan?
JASPER: I heard that the President is holding a rally twenty miles away in Dumblebuss at the weekend.
JESSE: We could infiltrate the communications tower, play that disc on the screen and ..
HILDA: Just like that? You do realise that we might as well sign our own death warrant
JESSE: If we’re going to go down we may as well go down fighting for something that is right. Besides there is the chance that a sizeable proportion of people might convert to our cause.
EXT. PRESIDENTIAL RALLY AT DUMBLEBUSS - DAY
Charlie passes through security at the Dumblebuss rally wearing red hair and a beard and takes his place in the crowd.
HARVEY BURBAGE: 34, Six Feet Five Inches tall, broad, untidy red hair, light blue eyes.
HARVEY BURBAGE: Do I know you from somewhere, friend?
CHARLIE MORRISON: No, I don’t believe we’ve met. I would recognise a face anywhere. Yours doesn’t ring a bell.
HARVEY BURBAGE: It’ll come to me. It’ll come to me
I/E. OUTSIDE COMMUNICATIONS ROOM - DAY
Hilda, Jasper, Francine and Jesse make their way to the communications room. Hilda is posing as the President’s daughter, with Jasper and Francine as her children and Jesse as a Secret Service bodyguard.
Jesse leads the way to the entrance to the communications room that was guarded by two security guards.
JESSE: The President’s daughter and their two children would like to see the communications room.
The two guards both look at each other before one of them allows them to enter.
A woman recognises the President’s daughter and approaches. Jesse can not help but recognise the Reaper standing by the doorway.
JUSTINE: It’s so great to see you again Lisa Anne.
HILDA AS LISA ANNE: I’m sorry but I don’t recall your name.
JUSTINE: Justine. Don’t tell me that you’ve forgotten already?
HILDA AS LISA ANNE: Was it Chicago?
JUSTINE: No it was Cincinatti.
HILDA AS LISA ANNE: How could I forget, Justine? Anyway, my daughter is very curious about how this control centre works. Go ahead Carolanne and ask her.
Around the room were numerous television screens showing the rally from different angles. There were about nine different operatives in the room including a manager who seemed to be giving orders.
FRANCINE AS CAROLANNE: How do you control the big screen there beside Grandpa?
JUSTINE: Well Eddie Over there, has control of that but under instruction from the Producer.
FRANCINE AS CAROLANNE: What if I wanted to screen my favourite movie from a disc? Could I do that too?
JUSTINE: Well you’d have to insert the disc here, (pointing to a slot in Ove’s control panel) and Ove would then have to press this button to override it.
The Producer approached the group.
WARREN - PRODUCER: Can we get these people out of here?
JUSTINE: These people, Warren, are related to President Westwood.
WARREN - PRODUCER: Oh, well can you tell them to please be quiet?
Jesse waits for five seconds into the Presidents speech before he grabs the Producer around the throat in a tight grip.
JESSE: Everybody freeze, or the Producer won’t last the night.
Jasper proceeds to load up the video from the disc in his possession.
The Reaper lunges for Jesse. Jesse flings the Producer across the room. The Reaper and Jesse wrestle with each other for several seconds before the Reaper flings him to the ground.
Hilda, Jasper and Francine stand in the way of the control panel. Two armed security guards enter the building. They shoot Jesse who has climbed back to his feet, in the back, before shooting each of the other accomplices once each in the stomach. All four of the fugitives fall to the ground.
EXT. PRESIDENTIAL RALLY AT DUMBLEBUSS - DAY
President Westwood stood at the podium in the centre of the stage and starts to address the crowd in front of him.
PRESIDENT WESTWOOD: My fellow Americans it makes me so proud to serve you. I have worked long hours day after day just to get to this point. I have achieved a great deal in my five years in office but there is still lots more to do. As you well know, the greatest threat to the American people are these changelings that have infiltrated our society. They are the cancer that must be removed.
The large television screen to the President’s right stopped showing close ups of the President and cut to a police video showing him as if he were in custody being questioned. The volume on the video was turned up quite high and both the crowd and the President were distracted by it.
PRESIDENT WESTWOOD (in video): You want me to show you how to deal with a problem like Callahan. I’ll show you. Watch and learn.
President changed form, in the space of a split second, into Governor Callahan.
Two Police officers who were also in the room seated opposite him started to address him just like in the video released a year previously.
DETECTIVE GILHOOLEY: Mr Calahan, this is a routine check. We asked you in here because we’ve had a number of far-out complaints. Two neighbours said they saw strange things happening at your house. Their complaints are pretty crazy but we have to check them out anyway for procedure. One of them said they saw a strange object in your back garden at 3am at night on the 19th of last month. They seemed to think that it was a UFO. Do you know what that could be?
PRESIDENT WESTWOOD AS CALLAHAN: A UFO? You ask me down here about a UFO in my back garden? Don’t you think that if I had a UFO in my back garden this would be the first place I would come if indeed I made it this far.
It was at this time that the video was frozen for a second or two before being stopped altogether. President Westwood turned around to face the audience
PRESIDENT WESTWOOD: (on the podium) This is a scandal. I will ensure that whoever is responsible for this hoax will be brought to justice. These changelings will stop at nothing to undermine our great nation. They have even hired amateur actors.
HARVEY BURBAGE: Here he is
Harvey Burbage lifts Charlie above his head
HARVEY BURBAGE: This is the man responsible for all the evil doings. This is the most wanted man in the world. Tonight he is going to get justice.
PRESIDENT WESTWOOD: Bring him up here. Bring that evildoer up here. We’ll deal with this criminal the way he should be dealt with. Finally we have him.
CROWD: (In unison) Hang him. Hang him
Harvey Burbage brings Charlie to the stage where he is handcuffed by two police officers.
PRESIDENT WESTWOOD: Thank you young man. You are a truly upstanding citizen. There will be a reward for you after this. Trust me. You know what you have done. You have captured the most elusive terrorist of our times. Our army and police forces have been working day and night to catch this guy and you have finally caught him. I salute you sir. What is your name?
HARVEY BURBAGE: Harvey Burbage. It’s a pleasure to serve you Mr President. With you, the country is in safe hands.
Charlie was thumped by a police officer and rendered unconscious.
INT. INTERROGATION ROOM AT ARMY BASE - DAY
Charlie awakes. He has a loose hood placed over his head and is bound to a chair. He hears footsteps approaching.
The door is unlocked and several individuals enter.
PRESIDENT WESTWOOD: Mr Morrison. All your friends that we know about have been eliminated.
As the politician speaks a Reaper removes the hood before spraying Charlie with a spray that burns his eyes and blurs his vision.
PRESIDENT WESTWOOD: You no longer have any friends or allies that we are aware of, but of course, we need to be sure. Meet Clement here. According to him, there are two members of the original group of rebels still unaccounted for. A woman named Dorothy and a man named Jeff. We want to know where they are.
CHARLIE MORRISON: I don’t know
The Reaper administers another spray of the chemical before preparing a truth drug, which he injects into Charlie’s arm.
PRESIDENT WESTWOOD: When was the last time you saw those two fugitives?
CHARLIE MORRISON: The last time I saw them was over a week ago. They thought that the rest of us and me in particular were holding them back, so they left. I don’t have a clue where they went to. That was in the forest on the outskirts of the city where Clement betrayed us.
CLEMENT: Liar. He’s lying. He has to be. He knows where they are. He’ll talk. He’s weak.
CHARLIE MORRISON: Why would I lie? I have nothing to hide. What makes you think I would lie?
President Westwood signalled for one of the three Reapers to strike Charlie with a powerful blow to the chest.
CHARLIE MORRISON: I’m telling you the truth.
PRESIDENT WESTWOOD: Another thing you should be aware of. That stunt you pulled last night, had minimal impact. Coverage was delayed. The stream wasn’t live. Nobody outside of that rally knows anything about it and the disc has been destroyed.If you don’t tell us where your friends are, we will make the rest of your life a living hell. If you do, we will make it as painless as possible. You don’t want to die a slow death now do you?
The Reaper closest to Charlie punches him in the stomach.
Cut to
Darkness, then Charlie’s hood is removed to reveal a battered face. The spray is administered once more
PRESIDENT WESTWOOD: This time Morrison we want to know everything.
Another punch
Cut to
Darkness
Charlie can hear footsteps
The American President enters the interrogation room with a Reaper once more.
PRESIDENT WESTWOOD: Mr Morrison. we believe that you are no longer of use to us. This is your final chance to provide us with information on the whereabouts of your friends in order to save your own hide. If you cooperate you could spend your life in a comfortable cell with cable tv and internet and a bed. Otherwise it will end for you right here right now. We are done playing Mr Nice Guy
Cut to
Charlie being tortured by waterboarding
There is a knock on the door and the torture methods are halted.
Chester Bucannon the security guard entered apprehensively.
CHESTER: Mr President, we have a situation here.
The President appeared agitated and was about to speak, when someone who looked like the President entered with a Reaper and a security guard in tow.
2ND PRESIDENT WESTWOOD: Chester, arrest those imposters.
The security guard was uncertain of how to respond.
PRESIDENT WESTWOOD: Chester, can’t you see that we’re in the middle of an important interrogation and these are changelings hoping to rescue the prisoner.
2ND PRESIDENT WESTWOOD: Chester If they have been interrogating him then they can tell us what they have learned. We have the intention of executing the prisoner and not freeing him. Any fool can see that. This convict is number one on the most wanted terrorists list. Don’t let them get away with it. Ask them what have they learned.
The first President Westwood is stumped.
2ND PRESIDENT WESTWOOD: If this imposter really was the President of the United States he would have learned something about the prisoners brothers in arms. We on the other hand, know the location of hiding places in the locality that are being explored at this time. It is only a matter of time before we close in on them if indeed they are not in this very room. Chester, you have the opportunity to go down in history. Keep your gun pointed at these men and shoot them if they move. My security guard and this Reaper will tie the two of these imposters up.
Chester appears to be siding with the second President as he points his gun at the politician standing over the prisoner.
PRESIDENT WESTWOOD: Chester, you’ll be hanged for this.
PRESIDENT WESTWOOD: Don’t be fooled by him. You’ll get a medal for this. I’ll see to it.
The second Reaper punches President Westwood and knocks him out cold.
THE REAPER: You won’t get away with this.
Once the original Reaper and American President are bound and gagged, the second Reaper starts to untie Charlie, but then handcuffs him and places a hood over his head.
2ND PRESIDENT WESTWOOD: Ok Chester, you keep pointing your gun at these and you’ll go down in history. In a little while, I’ll send for reinforcements. Good job.
Pats him on the shoulder.
The four men leave the room. Once they do so the second President Westwood is addressed by one of his secret service agents.
SECRET SERVICE AGENT: Mr President, they are waiting for you. Here is your speech. You are supposed to be going live in four minutes.
2ND PRESIDENT WESTWOOD: The President of the United States does not pander to anyone. Lead the way.