big city (two-hour t.v. pilot script) - wga registration number : 1273643

7/31/2019 Big City (Two-hour T.V. Pilot script) - WGA Registration Number : 1273643

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2.

An ELDERLY ELF COUPLE, distinguished by their ears and slight

build, sit in a white, horse-drawn carriage. They hold hands

and lean against one another.

Greg stops for a moment and smiles at the thought.

CUT TO:

EXT. NIGHT LAKE SIDE

The two lovers finally move through some bushes and arrive at

their destination.

Sophie stops and takes a breath.

It is a small lake (more like a large pond maybe a hundred

yards or two across) surrounded by foliage. Across the lake,

a foot bridge arcs over the water. The illuminated city and

the moon reflect on the glass like surface.

SOPHIE

(V.O.)

Greg, its beautiful.

As Sophie looks out at the lake, Greg steps back and puts his

hand in his pocket.

GREG

Is it some place youd like to

remember for the rest of your

life?

SOPHIE

What?

Sophie turns as Greg gets down on one knee. Her eyes widen.

SOPHIE(continues)

No

Sophie puts her hands to her mouth to cover a squeal of

excitement.

Greg smiles broadly and nods as he pulls open the ring box

that he is holding in his hand.


4/94

3.

GREG

Oh yes.

(pause)

I have known since the firstmoments that you and I spent

together that I didnt want to go

on without you.

We slowly close in on the surface of the lake as it starts to

bubble.

GREG (O.S.)

(continues)

I love you in more ways than I can

express and I want to spend therest of my life with you.

The bubbling becomes more and more violent.

GREG

(continues)

Sophie, will you marry me?

Tears well in Sophies eyes and she nods her head frantically

yes. She is still unable to speak.

Greg slips the ring on Sophies finger, stands and pulls her

into a kiss.

With a deafening BOOM and ROAR the surface of the lake

explodes.

The newly engaged lovers are blown back by the concussion of

the explosion. They fly back into the tree line.

There is a splatter of blood as Sophies head hits the trunk

of a tree.

There is another, watery ROAR and SPLASH O.S.

Then a THUNDERING WHOMP O.S. as something heavy hits the

ground.

Greg is dazed and staggers to Sophies side as she lays

unconscious on the grass.

He lifts her head and sees the blood on his hand.


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4.

GREG

Sophie! Oh no! Sophie!!

We see the MONSTERS POV as it looks down on the two.

Greg, cradling his Fiances body looks up in horror as the

thing from the lake closes in.

GREG

No! Oh no! SOMEBODY!!! HELP!!

The THUNDERING WHOMPS move faster and faster until

We are spared the grisly sight of their deaths. We instead

move to the surrounding trees.

BLOOD CURDLING SCREAMS and WATERY ROARS O.S. fill the park

and blood splatters all over the trees that surround the

lake.

Dim shadow movements can be seen in the moonlight cast on the

trees.

The carnage continues O.S.

We PAN DOWN from the trees, across the grass to the small,

sandy shore of the lake. There, blasted into the sand, as ifwritten by a finger are the words Fury Action Freedom.

FADE OUT:

END TEASER


6/94

5.

ACT ONE

INT. BCPD SQUAD ROOM DAY CLOSE SHOT SCULPTURE

A sculpture made out of common items sits on a desk.

It is made out of a coffee creamer with a box of blue-tip

all-weather matches (on its edge) on top of it, a laminated

bookmark (sticking out so that it gives the impression that

it is, perhaps, a propeller) on top of that, topped finally

with three half chewed swizzle sticks sitting at a 45 degree

angle to the bookmark and 3 paperclips on top of them at a 90

degree angle to them.

There is also a small dry erase board next to it, obviously

with things erased and re-erased and 9 Days written large

in purple marker. Written beneath that in black marker:

Station record: 13 Days.

SGT. ADAM STACK FURY FORRAY sits with a pair of headphones

on, running through a tape and transcribing what he hears

into a computer. He is a police detective about forty years

old. His short cropped brown hair is beginning to grey

slightly at the temples.

The sculpture sits next to him on his desk.

This is typed onto the computer screen:

10:46am. Call from Elbeth Gliv.

Slith: Hello Elbeth. How are you?

Gliv: Not bad? I was wondering if you got those tax forms

I sent?

Slith: Yes I did

Stack is just finishing typing those last words.

He stops typing for a moment.

STACK

Youre staring again.


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6.

JOHN NEEDLESS ACTION DYEN sits at the desk adjacent to and

facing Stacks. He is a half elf of about 32. His build is

slightly larger than a pureblood elf and his skin, slightly

pinker. His ears and eyes, however give away his lineage.

Needless looks ragged and sits, glassy-eyed with a coffee in

his hand staring at Stacks sculpture.

NEEDLESS

Its calling to me. Its saying

Needless! Knock me over.

STACK

So, stick your twenty bucks in the

doughnut jar and knock it over.

Stack continues typing.

NEEDLESS

I cant.

STACK

Why does it bother you so much?

NEEDLESS

Because I dont understand it, you

know? I dont understand a mindthat orders itself the way yours

does.

STACK

You mean in a way that doesnt

require hitting, shooting or

eating something?

NEEDLESS

Exactly. But I can never bring

myself to knock them down.

STACK

Its cause you love me.

NEEDLESS

Maybe. Either way - Little Angel

vs. Little Devil. Angel wins.

CAPTAIN DENNIS BREEN and ALBERT WELP step up to their desks.


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7.

Breen is an older man in his mid fifties, a little thick

around the middle. He is Stack and Needless commanding

officer. He has a face that turns beet red when either

laughing or screaming. As he steps up to the desks, his eyestwinkle hes about to screw Needless and Stack.

Welp is a writer. He has a shock of curly hair on his head

and wears a brown corduroy jacket. He looks as if he just

rolled out of bed.

Stack takes off the headphones and stands. Needless follows

suit.

BREEN

Sgt. Adam Forray.(Stack shakes Welps

hand)

Sgt. John Dyen.

(Needless shakes

Welps hand)

This is Albert Welp. Mr. Welp is

writing an article about the fall

of the Manzetti Organization.

Stack and Needless exchange glances.

BREEN(continues)

A subject you are both intimately

acquainted with and the BCPD is

giving its full cooperation to the

project.

NEEDLESS

So, Mr. Welp will be riding along

for a few days?

STACK(sarcastic)

Why, thanks cap.

BREEN

Not a problem. Play nice.

(beat)

Oh and youve both been requested

down at Center Park. There was

some attack.


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8.

Breen walks away laughing.

Needless and Stack look at each other.

Welp pulls a notebook out of his back pocket and sits on the

edge of Stacks desk.

THE SCULPTURE

Stacks sculpture collapses.

STACK, NEEDLESS and WELP

Needless chuckles to himself.

WELPSo, why do they call you guys

Stack Fury and Needless Action?

Stack looks at Needless.

CUT TO:

INT. SOLITARY CONFINEMENT CELL DAY

A single beam of light from under the door reveals a form

sitting in the darkness. This is THE PRISONER.

We SLOWLY MOVE IN on him as he sits mumbling to himself in

the darkness.

There is a TINY SOUND rat nails on stone.

The Prisoners eyes move to the sound

The source of the noise is a grungy brown rat that has found

its way into the cell.

The small rodent has worked his way into the cell and is

sniffing the darkness.

The corners of the Prisoners eyes wrinkle up in delight.

He mumbles something incoherent, but wicked.

For a moment the rat is confused. Looking up into the sky as

if something unseen is pushing down on it.


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9.

Suddenly the RAT BURNS, starting in its middle with a glowing

hot orange line. Then quickly, like a fuse, the line splits

into two and burns in both directions to the tip of the rats

nose and the tip of its tail.

The rat is left smoldering and dead.

A hand reaches out and grabs the blackened carcass of the

rat.

The Prisoners eyes are visible in the light, but nothing

else as there is a hearty CRUNCH and the sound of chewing.

FADE TO:

EXT. CENTER PARK LAKE SIDE - DAY

The lake side is a flurry of police activity. Yellow and

black police line tape has been threaded through the trees

that surround the lake.

A FORENSICS TEAM is removing blood from the tree trunks.

Other POLICE move about the scene.

A black tarp covers the remains of the lovers. Small orangemarker flags dot the scene.

Stack is crouched near the shore. Standing near him is TIM

CARNABY, a forensics officer. He is young (about 29) and is

dressed in a black wind breaker that reads BCDP.

Stack stands.

The words Fury Action Freedom is still blasted into the

ground near the lake.

Stack jingles some change in his pocket and looks out at thelake.

STACK

Has the lake been checked yet?

CARNABY

Not yet. Were putting in a robot

sub in about an hour.


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STACK

Thanks, Tim. Let me know what they

find.

CARNABY

Will do.

Carnaby moves off as Needless steps up to Stack.

NEEDLESS

Fury, Action, Freedom. Its a bit

of a leap to think its about us.

The two turn and begin moving around the marked evidence

toward the line of trees.

STACK

I dont know. One of our

nicknames, I might question it.

But both of them?

(beat)

That sends up a flag.

Stack stops and turns back to look at the lake. He seems to

lose himself in his thoughts.

NEEDLESSYou thinking it might be a lake

monster?

STACK

I dont know what Im thinking. We

havent had a lake monster on the

coast in ten years.

NEEDLESS

So, were due.

Stack turns back and looks at his partner.

STACK

If it IS a lake monster its a

lake monster that not only can

write and spell but knows our

nicknames.

Stack grins ominously.

Needless looks out at the lake and shudders.


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NEEDLESS

Well, Im not sleeping tonight.

Stack chuckles and the two duck under the tape line and moveout of the trees where they find Welp jotting down notes.

Welp closes his notebook and steps up to them.

WELP

Bad news?

NEEDLESS

Just messy.

Stack and Needless keep walking to their car. Welp walks with

them.

WELP

So, where too now?

STACK

Were off to see Smiles.

Welp stops.

WELP

Whats Smiles?

CUT TO:

INT. SMILES OFFICE DAY - CLOSE SHOT BACK OF SMILES HEAD

ROBERT SMILES JOHNSON stares out of his office window. We

see only the back of his head for a moment. His voice is

sardonic as he speaks.

SMILES

I can always count on you,Charlie. The girl that drives the

Java Jalopy didnt say anything as

she got me my coffee. Maurice at

the newsstand could have told me.

Its a conspiracy, a conspiracy of

silence with the whole world

laughing at me, trying to keep me

in the dark. But not you, Charlie.

I can always count on you.


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Smiles turns. He is an older man, late forties or early

fifties. His hair, once black, has greyed and thinned

somewhat. His face is the face of a man who has seen more

than his share of trouble. Its the face of a man who istired of carrying the world on his shoulders but there is a

dim twinkle in his eye.

He also has a large piece of toilet paper on his face where

he nicked himself shaving.

He reaches up and removes it.

SMILES

(continues)

There. Is that better?

CHARLIE PICKENS, Smiles operative sits on a beaten, fake

leather couch along one wall of the office. He is about 26

and is grinning.

CHARLIE

Smiles, have you considered an

electric? Perhaps something with a

rotary blade, where lotion comes

out?

Smiles shakes his head and begins shuffling files on hisdesk.

SMILES

Dont you have something to do?

CHARLIE

Nope. All our case files are

closed. Laura is at work. Im free

to harass you, boss.

(beat)

How did you come to be one of themost sought after private

investigators in Big City when you

cant even spot that you have

toilet paper on your face?

SMILES

Advertising.

(beat)

Look, you do have your own office

here. Why dont you go play one of


14/94

13

.

those video games the kids are all

crazy about now?

Charlie gets up and chuckles. He moves toward the door.

Before he reaches it, there is a KNOCK.

SMILES

(in response to the

knock)

Yeah!

The door opens and Stack pokes his head in.

STACK

Hey, Charlie.

CHARLIE

Stack.

Stack, Needless and Welp move into the room.

STACK

Smiles, you got a minute?

Charlie heads out the door and throws his hand up with a

chuckle.

CHARLIE

See ya later, old man.

SMILES

Shoo!!

(to Stack)

Yeah, come on in.

As Stack goes and sits on the edge of Smiles desk to confer,

Welp and Needless sit on the couch.

Welp pulls out his notebook.

WELP

Now, whos this?

NEEDLESS

Ah, Robert Johnson. Everybody

calls him Smiles I havent

figured out whyyet.


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WELP

Oh! He was Stacks partner when

the Manzetti investigation

started.

NEEDLESS

(nods)

Yeah. Its the reason Smiles isnt

a cop anymore.

WELP

Gina?

Needless nods again but looks to make sure Smiles and Stack

didnt hear.

NEEDLESS

Why are you writing a book about

Pasketti anyway?

WELP

Im sorry, what?

NEEDLESS

Pask sorry Manzetti.

WELPPasketti?

NEEDLESS

Its a thing. Smiles started

calling Manzetti Doodles

Pasketti. He gives everybody

nicknames for some reason. He

started the whole Stack Fury

thing with Adam.

WELP

Is he the one who started calling

you Needless Action?

NEEDLESS

(smiles to himself)

No. That started at the academy

for reasons that I wont go into

now.


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WELP

So, Manzetti, do you think hes

still alive?

Needless looks at Stack for a long time.

NEEDLESS

I hope for his sake hes not.

These two,

(nods at Stack and

Smiles)

I think theyd kill him if they

got the chance.

WELPWell, he caused them a lot of

pain. Gina was Roberts sister and

Adams fiance.

NEEDLESS

Lets just hope he stays dead,

where he belongs.

Welp jots down a few notes and thinks for a moment.

WELP

What about you?

NEEDLESS

What about me?

WELP

You had your own issues with

Manzetti. He did have your brother

killed, right?

Needless sucks in air and seethes for a moment.

Without looking at Welp he begins to speak slowly in an

almost practiced way.

NEEDLESS

Whatever happened between my

brother and Manzetti was between

them. My brother made his -


17/94


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WATCHER (O.S.)

(mumbles)

Laura.

BACK TO SCENE

The Watcher pulls a sandwich to his mouth while keeping the

binoculars trained.

He takes a bite.

Then he lowers the binoculars

The Watcher is an older man, seemingly in his mid to late

fifties. He seems normal, almost friendly. But his eyes are

incandescent green and seem to pulse gently with energy.

He continues to stare in Charlies direction.

FADE OUT.

END ACT ONE


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ACT TWO

FADE IN:

INT. SMILES OFFICE DAY

Smiles lights a cigarette.

Stack is still seated on the edge of his desk.

SMILES

A lake monster?

STACK

Thats what I thought at first.

But I got the call a few minutes

ago. The robot sub got nothing.

Smiles looks down at his desk.

Stack is absent-mindedly stacking things into a little

sculpture.

SMILES

I agree its odd. What do you needfrom us?

Stack takes a breath.

STACK

You know the Departments policy

on Sweepers.

SMILES

(sighs)

Oh boy.

STACK

Smiles, officially I cant bring

one in. If you do it, its all

legit.

SMILES

A Sweeper? Really?


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STACK

It knew our names.

Smiles takes a drag and thinks for a moment. Then he looks atStack and nods.

DISSOLVE TO:

EXT. LAKE SIDE NIGHT NIGHT VISION POV

The shore line is now still, the police long since gone.

While the remains are gone, many of the evidence markers are

still in place and the police tape is still attached to the

trees.

Charlie lowers a pair of night vision binoculars.

He is sitting on a blanket on the opposite shore. He looks

over and smiles.

LAURA MEDRANO sits next to him. She is 32 years old. Her

shoulder length hair is pulled into a pony tail and sticking

out of the back of her ball cap. She pulls her flannel shirt

closer around her and pops a small fruit into her mouth.

LAURA

So do you private eye types do a

lot of this lake watching? Forget

being a reporter. Who needs City

Council meetings and murder trial

stories? I should get into the

growing field of water

surveillance.

Charlie pours a cup of coffee from a thermos and chuckles. He

holds the coffee out to her and smirks.

CHARLIE

You know, Im getting paid to be

here. Whats your excuse?

LAURA

I hate reality TV.


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CHARLIE

I guess Smiles is getting a

Sweeper to take a look at thisplace tomorrow. He just wanted me

to keep an eye on it so that

nobody comes in and tries to clean

it.

LAURA

I know Im just a dumb girl but

whats a Sweeper?

CHARLIE

(choosing his words)I guess, theyre like forensic

wizards.

Laura lets out a laugh.

CHARLIE

(continues)

Im serious.

LAURA

I am all ears.

CHARLIE

Smiles explained it this way

every manipulation of energy, like

a spell or a curse, leaves behind

a trail. A marker. Its like a

fingerprint. Sweepers come in and

sweep the place to see what

happened.

LAURA

Im assuming this isnt exactlylegal.

CHARLIE

Well no. But there was a time

when the police maintained Sweeper

Divisions. They were just a part

of it.

LAURA

Forty years ago.


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Smiles opens the door and steps inside.

CUT TO:

INT. APARTMENT BUILDING HALLWAY NIGHT

As Smiles passes the first door the SOUNDS OF TV AND AN

ARGUMENT drift out into the hallway. He steps over some toys

that a child carelessly left in the hall.

He moves to the stairs and goes up.

Smiles steps onto the second floor and checks the apartment

numbers.

Satisfied he steps up to the door to apartment 2B.

He knocks.

For a moment there is no answer.

He knocks again.

A rough FEMALE VOICE bellows from the other side of the door.

This voice belongs to WYSHOK MEEN.

WYSHOK

Who is it?

SMILES

My name is Robert Johnson. Im a

private investigator. Im looking

for Wyshok Meen. This is the

address I have.

WYSHOK

You have the wrong address.

Smiles looks again at his paper.

SMILES

Are you sure? This is the address.

I believe my father knew Wyshok.

Do you possibly have another

address?


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TRACKING SHOT

We follow Charlie and Laura as they barrel ahead of the

thing.

As they pass a particular tree we stop to see The Watcher

with the green eyes step out. He watches them for a second.

There is a ROAR and the cracking of trees. The Watcher also

bolts off camera.

WIDE

Charlie and Laura burst from the tree line into the park.

Laura turns to see if there is anyone else around. There are

a few PEOPLE strolling and a JOGGER. There is also a HORSE

MOUNTED POLICEMAN.

Laura shouts to them all.

LAURA

Run!! Get out of here!

All the others scatter in panic as the creature bursts from

the trees and roars. We can finally see it stands 15 feet

tall.

In the lamplight it can be seen better, but not much. It

seems out of focus. As if its skin was constantly shifting.

THE WATCHER

Some ways off The Watcher bursts from the tree line. He sees

the monster. He also sees Charlie and Laura running toward

the parking lot.

He ponders what to do for a moment.

The Monster turns and looks his way.

The Watcher pulls a metallic device from his pocket, hits a

button on it and disappears into thin air.

THE CAR

Charlie and Laura reach the small parking area where they

left the car.


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They throw the car doors open. Laura looks.

The creature ROARS but then, turns and heads away from them,

chasing OTHER PEOPLE in the park.

Charlie has opened the trunk and is loading tranquilizer

darts into a rifle.

LAURA

Charlie! Look.

Charlie looks up to see that the Monster is heading in the

other direction.

He slips a couple things into his pocket and slams the trunk

shut. He tosses her the keys.

CHARLIE

Follow it.

LAURA

(Looks at the keys)

What?

Charlie rolls down the passenger window and sits on it.

Laura, in disbelief that she is about to do this, starts thecar, slams it into drive and tears off after the Monster with

Charlie hanging out the window with the rifle.

CUT TO:

INT. STACKS APARTMENT NIGHT

Stack sits with a beer. Hes staring at the TV.

We see that the TV is not, in fact, on.

We also see that there are little stacks of things on the

table next to where he is sitting.

His fingers drum on the side of the bottle.

He is nonplussed when his cell phone rings.

He reaches over and pulls it to his head.


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STACK

Forray.

All the blood drains from his face at what hes hearing.

STACK

(continues)

Charlie.

CUT TO:

EXT. CENTER PARK NIGHT TRACKING SHOT MONSTER

The Monster, still not appearing to be in focus, runs through

the darkness. But the run is not random, it seems to know

where its going.

PEOPLE scramble and run screaming.

THE CAR

Laura does her best to avoid PEOPLE as she tries to keep up

with the Monster.

Charlie sits on the passenger window trying to aim the rifle.

CHARLIE

(yelling over the

wind)

Can you get any closer?!

Laura rolls her eyes.

LAURA

You dont have to do this! Cant

we just go find Needless and Stack

and get a tape measure out?!

CHARLIE

(cant hear her)

What?!

LAURA

Nothing! Im trying.

In the confusion Charlie takes a breath and holds it. There

is a short green flash in his eyes barely perceptible to

us.


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And Charlie is completely unaware of it.

After the flash occurs everything seems to slow for Charlie.

While the world slows to a crawl WE MOVE THE DISTANCE FROM

CHARLIE TO THE MONSTER AND BACK.

Charlie aims the rifle and fires.

THE WORLD RETURNS TO ITS NORMAL SPEED

Laura jumps at the sound.

INSERT

We see a close up of the Monsters back. The surface of thecreature seems to swirl.

The dart hits but sinks in and disappears.

THE CAR

CHARLIE

Damn! I missed!

(beat)

Honey! Try to get right up next to

him.

Charlie slips the gun into the car and begins to climb out

onto the roof of the car.

LAURA

What are your doing?!

CUT TO:

INT. SOLITARY CONFINEMENT CELL NIGHT

The Prisoner is writhing on the floor of the cell.

There is a faint amber hue that envelopes him.

PRISONERS FACE

The Prisoner opens his mouth in a scream.

Yellow light erupts from his mouth and eyes as he screams.

DISSOLVE TO:


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EXT. CENTER PARK NIGHT TRACKING THE MONSTER

The Monster ROARS and a faint yellow light ripples through

it.

It stumbles for a moment and slams its fist into the ground

before getting back to its feet.

CUT TO:


The Prisoner is also pounding his fist into the floor of his

cell.

He stands and roars in his cell.

CUT TO:

EXT. CENTER PARK NIGHT THE CAR

Charlie is now crouching on the roof of the car.

CHARLIE

(yelling over the

wind)

Laura! Youve got to get right up

next to him!!

INSIDE THE CAR

Laura is mumbling to herself as she floors the gas pedal.

LAURA

Please be careful. Please be

careful.

OUTSIDE THE CAR

The car is finally catching up with the Monster.

Charlie braces himself and pulls a tracking device out of his

pocket.

CHARLIE

Good! A little more!

The car pulls up, finally keeping pace with the Monster.


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CHARLIE

Closer!!

INSIDE THE CAR

Lauras eyes open wide.

LAURA

Closer?!

CHARLIE (O.S.)

CLOSER!!

Laura shrugs in defeat and cranks the wheel toward the

Monster.

OUTSIDE THE CAR

Charlie takes a flying leap onto the Monsters back.

INSIDE THE CAR

Laura shrieks as she watches Charlie fly from the car.

THE MONSTERS BACK

He slams the tracking device down and then tries to get a

good hold.

The Monster ROARS.

Charlie looks confused.

Under his hands everything shifts. He scrambles to find a

good hold.

His eyes widen in shock as his hands start to sink into the

Monster.

Suddenly everything shifts and there is nothing.

Charlie plummets to the ground and rolls to a stop.

INSIDE THE CAR

Laura shouts as she watches Charlie hit the ground in the

rear view mirror.

WIDE


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The Monster is making for the edge of the park and the

traffic filled street beyond.

INSIDE THE CAR

Laura buries the needle again.

She is going to ram the Monster with the car.

WIDE

The Monster reaches the edge of the park.

The Monster stops running and throws its head back.

CUT TO:


The Prisoner lets out another scream.

The light in his mouth goes out.

He collapses to the floor.

CUT TO:

EXT. CENTER PARK NIGHT THE CAR AND THE MONSTER

The car is about to slam into the Monster.

There is a sudden explosion of Water

INSIDE THE CAR

Laura shrieks as the Monster suddenly disappears leaving only

the traffic.

She slams on the brakes.

CITY STREET

The car goes into an uncontrollable skid on the wet pavement.

Cars slam on their brakes as Lauras car spins into traffic.

It finally slams into a traffic light and stops moving.


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INSIDE THE CAR

We see Laura inside the smashed up car, unconscious and

bloody.

STREET

Several people get out of their stopped cars and rush to

Lauras car.

Near the car the streetlight CRASHES to the ground. Glass

shatters everywhere.

FADE OUT.

END ACT TWO


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ACT THREE

INT. HOSPITAL E.R. ROOM NIGHT

Charlie lies on the hospital bed. The room is small and

bright.

Charlie has been fitted with a walking cast and is hooked up

to an IV drip.

A NURSE is just finishing with him.

CHARLIE

Look, can you at least tell me ifshes alright?

NURSE

I promise, Mr. Pickens, the second

I know anything, I will let you

know.

The Nurse turns and moves toward the door.

CHARLIE

(yelling after her)

Ive already been here two hours.

Why dont you know now?

The Nurse is gone. Charlie lets his head lull back on the

pillow.

SMILES (O.S.)

I hope you plan on staying awhile

and getting your head checked out.

Charlie looks toward the door.

Smiles steps into the room.

CHARLIE

(misty eyed)

Laura

Smiles nods and moves to the bed.


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SMILES

I already checked on her. Shes

actually just getting out of

surgery.

CHARLIE

Surgery?!

SMILES

There was some bleeding, theyve

got it under control. You will

probably get to see her tomorrow.

Charlies body seems to relax.

CHARLIE

Good.

Smiles sits for a moment before speaking.

SMILES

What the hell were you thinking?!

You both could have been killed.

We dont even know what this thing

is yet.

CHARLIEYou told me - - -

SMILES

I told you to watch the lake. I

didnt tell you to go off half-

cocked and chase it down. It

sounds like some bone-headed thing

Needless would do.

Charlie goes quiet and stares at his blanket.

SMILES

(continues)

I dont want to lose you, Charlie.

And I dont want to lose Laura.

He puts his hand on Charlies arm.

SMILES

(continues)

And I dont know what scares me

more the fact that I could have


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lost you, or the fact that I would

have done the exact same thing

myself.

Charlie looks up and the two smile at each other.

Smiles turns.

SMILES

(continues)

Ill call tomorrow when we know

more about what this thing is -

(turns back to

Charlie)

and how to kill it.

CUT TO:

EXT. CENTER PARK NIGHT

Dozens of COPS, CRIME LAB OFFICERS and WITNESSES move around

the park.

Red lights flash and headlights illuminate the park.

Stack moves through it all with Tim Carnaby.

Tim is already talking.

CARNABY

We followed its path all the way

from the lake. From the size of

the prints, it was huge and wet.

It left huge muddy footprints.

Stack is deep in thought, but paying attention with one ear.

They stop near a flagged area.

CARNABY

(continues)

This is really what I wanted to

show you. I figured you would want

to see this before we made a

plaster impression.

Wide eyed Stack crouches down and looks at the ground.


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Words are blasted into the mud like before. This time it says

Help Me.

SLOW DISSOLVE TO:

EXT. SERIES OF SHOTS:

A) Dawn breaks over the City Skyline.B) Mist hangs over the bay. A barge slides across the water

BLOWING ITS HORN.

C) JOGGERS on the street.D) Delivery trucks rumble through the downtown area.E) Steetlights go off.

CUT TO:

EXT. CENTER PARK DAY

Albert Welp sits on the hood of Stack and Needless car. He

hasnt changed clothes and looks worse than he did the day

before.

He is scribbling intensely in his notebook.

THE NOTEBOOK

We see some of what he is written on the page: underneath

the hard-line cop exterior is something darker; a constant

awareness of is mixed human/elven blood

A little way off Wyshok Meen stands at the edge of the lake.

Her eyes closed.

In her ears she can hear the VIBRATION.

Needless turns back from looking out at Wyshok. He stares

into Smiles.

NEEDLESS

Youre killing me here.

STACK

I thought youd feel that way.


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(to Smiles)

Whered you find her?

SMILESShes an old friend of my

fathers. Back in the day she was

a Sweeper for the Force.

Needless looks back at the old woman, who is now stretching

her arms out over the lake.

NEEDLESS

How long has she been dead?

He looks back and receives a disapproving eye from Stack.

NEEDLESS

(continues)

Cmon shes ancient.

As they talk Wyshok continues to sweep the lake. The

VIBRATION gets louder as Wyshok Meens hand begins to

tremble.

Her brow furrows as the VIBRATION becomes louder. She has

stumbled on the source vibration.

She begins to mumble to herself.

WYSHOK

There you are. I know you.

(beat)

So - - pure.

Little amber sparks begin to play around her hands.

Smiles, Stack and Needless continue talking behind her but

the sound of the VIBRATION is all that can be heard.

Back at the car Welp is still jotting notes, unaware of the

VIBRATION.

Wyshoks eyes grow wide and fill with tears.

Then there is DISCORD IN THE VIBRATION and it shakes the old

woman.


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The world around her seems to fragment. Like time layered on

top of itself. She sees the lake in the day, in the night,

with no one there, with people around and on it in boats.

Her ears are filled with the CACHOPONY of years all running

at the same time.

She turns around to look at Smiles, Stack and Needless.

She can see their futures.

These all overlap and are very swift.

STACK holding a baby, shooting someone at close range,

running, under arrest,

SMILES being shot, speaking into a microphone, fighting

with someone, staring teary eyed into the sky.

NEEDLESS Running with a man draped over his shoulder,

arresting Stack, fighting off many attackers

She watches as their destinies unfold for her.

Eventually the world slows and returns to normal. As it ends

Wyshok wobbles. Smiles moves to her and catches her before

she falls.

SMILES

Are you alright?

WYSHOK

Yes.

(to Stack and

Needless)

Who the hell did you piss off?

Stack and Needless look at each other.

CUT TO:

INT. PRISON HALL DAY

Corrections Officer BEN TANDY walks though the dingy prison

hall with a tray of food.


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Hes heading for solitary confinement, and hes not happy

about it.

When he reaches the large metal door he slides open the smallwindow.

He pauses to listen. On the other side of the door INCOHERENT

MUTTERING ALMOST CHANTING can be heard.

TANDY

Hey!

(CHANTING continues)

I said HEY!

The CHANTING stops abruptly. An eerie silence from the dark

remains.

TANDY

(continues)

Step back from the door if you

want chow.

CUT TO:


A small shaft of light from the hole in the door breaks the

utter black of the room.

KEYS JANGLE for a moment and then the heavy metal door opens,

its rusty hinges, painted and repainted, wheeze and screech.

Ben Tandys silhouette appears in the doorway.

TANDY

Hey. You stay back. Im just gonna

put your food down.

Tandy tries to peer into the darkness, but his eyes arent

yet accustomed to it.

There is a guttural breath that echoes in the dark.

Suddenly, like lightning, the Prisoner is standing next to

Tandy.He is a fairly young man, he is gaunt, pale and

unshaven. Hes been in the hole a while.

Tandy jumps.


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TANDY

Hey!! Man you scared me. Now back

up. Your food is right there.

The Prisoner just stares for a moment. The corners of his

eyes wrinkling, almost like he knows a joke that hes not

telling.

Tandy looks him up and down for a moment, shakes his head

(another guy that goes nuts in the Hole) and starts to

leave.

In the blink of an eye the Prisoner is on top of Tandy.

Tandy shrieks.

FADE OUT.

END OF ACT THREE


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ACT FOUR

FADE IN:

INT. WYSHOKS APARTMENT DAY

Wyshok Meen has lived in the apartment for nearly forty

years. She has old files, newspapers, stacks of books and

countless pictures all over the house. The furniture is old

and tattered.

Wyshok, Needless, Smiles, Stack and Welp sit around her

kitchen table. The yellowed wall paper hasnt changed in all

that time. Some dishes are piled in the sink. More accordion

folders and files are piled on top of the thirty year old

fridge.

Wyshok is gulping water like she just came in off the desert.

The finishes most of the glass and then takes a breath.

WYSHOK

I

(beat)

I havent felt anything like that

in years. It was so angry.

SMILES

What? You mean the magic was

angry?

WYSHOK

No. Magic itself cant be angry.

By its very nature magic is

neutral. But, spells can be cast

in anger. The same way that

gasoline itself cant be angry but

you can make a bomb out of it.

But, this was different

STACK

So, the creature in the lake is

being controlled by a spell.

WYSHOK

Yes. But the creature isnt IN the

lake. It IS the lake.

The others exchange glances.


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Wyshok raises her glass of water.

WYSHOK

(continues)Do you have any idea the kind of

power it takes to turn THIS into a

killer?

NEEDLESS

Wait wait wait. The water is the

monster.

WYSHOK

Yes. You are dealing with a water

golem, an avatar. Its thephysical manifestation of the

users will. And the user has it

in for you two.

She points to Stack and Needless.

NEEDLESS

So, we find the guy whos got a

beef with us and we stop the

creature.

WYSHOKI dont know if its going to be

that easy.

CUT TO:


Tandy screams as the Prisoners face is only inches from his

own. The Prisoner lets out a DEEP, RESONATING GROWL.

His hands glowing, the Prisoner plunges his hands into

Tandys sides, in and upward and his hands go deeper and

deeper into his sides, it appears that the Prisoner is

putting his hands up behind the rib cage.

His eyes wide with terror, Tandy lets out an inhuman cry and

blood spatters from his mouth. A wicked grin comes over the

Prisoners face. His eyes roll back in exquisite, nearly

sexual pleasure.

CUT TO:


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INT. WYSHOKS APARTMENT DAY

Wyshok has gotten up and is rummaging through some files in

the living room.

The others are bickering at the table.

STACK

Even if we find this guy, how can

we prosecute? Any evidence

obtained through magic or sorcery

is inadmissible in court. Theyd

have our badge.

NEEDLESS

(smirks)

Who says we have to prosecute?

SMILES

Look, we dont even know who this

is yet.

WYSHOK

Theres more!!

The others quiet down as she returns to the table with a

file.

WYSHOK

(continues)

And I dont know how to tell you

this without sounding crazy.

Whoever this is, they arent in

control. The avatar is a

projection of this persons hatred

for you two, but its not

deliberate. He doesnt know what

hes doing. Hes come intopossession of

(beat)

something.

There is quiet around the table. Finally Welp timidly speaks

up.

WELP

What?


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Wyshok takes a long breath.

WYSHOK

The Skiv.

She waits for the gasps, the awe but they never come. The

others stare blankly at her.

She is slightly appalled.

WYSHOK

The Skiv The SKIV.

(measures with the tip

of her pinky)

Amber stone? About yay big. You

know, The Skiv.

The others have no idea what shes talking about. She grunts

in frustration.

WYSHOK

Forty years ago this was one of

the most sought-after, feared and

desired magic relics in the world.

You are all familiar with The Melk

Stone?

They know that one (except Welp, who is still confused).

Stack and Smiles look at each other. Needless rockets up from

his seat.

NEEDLESS

Were done here!! This is freakin

pointless.

(To Smiles)

Man, I dont know what youre

paying her, but shes giving youyour moneys worth.

Smiles looks at Wyshok.

SMILES

You cant be serious.

Stack simply rubs his face and looks dismayed.

Welp looks at the others in the room.


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WELP

(quietly)

Whats the Melk Stone?

CUT TO:

INT. HALLWAY OUTSIDE OF SOLITARY CONFINEMENT DAY

The Prisoner has backed Tandy into the wall opposite his

door.

Smoke is rising from the spots where The Prisoners hands

have melted into Tandy. Hes being cooked from the inside

out.

Blood is now pouring out of the officers mouth and a small

drizzle of crimson has streaked from his eyes.

The Prisoner is relentless.

Tandy, with all the strength he can, pulls out his tazer and

ZAPS The Prisoner.

The voltage rips through both of them and throws The Prisoner

back and he stumbles backward into his cell.

Tandy throws his dying body toward the door and pulls it shut

with a BANG.

Tandy collapses to the ground.

DISSOLVE TO:

INT. WYSHOKS KITCHEN DAY

Needless is pacing as Wyshok begins the story.

WYSHOK

The Melk Stone is a rock of

incredible power.

NEEDLESS

(interrupts to Welp)

Fictional rock! Fictional,

mythical, legendary whatever

word you want to use in your


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notebook to convey that it doesnt

exist.

Wyshok waits for Needless to finish, rolls her eyes and thenbegins again.

WYSHOK

The Melk Stone is a powerful magic

relic. According to the Elf holy

book, the Gluh Mhal, the Melk

Stone is a weapon that the last

Elf Messiah will use against the

Elves oppressors. And it will

open the doors to Mhalasia um,

paradise.

NEEDLESS

Welp, I dont know how versed you

are in Elf culture, but nobody

believes this anymore. In fact

some of the newer printings of the

Gluh Mhal dont include The Melk

Stone at all. Its an ancient load

of hogwash and Im leaving!

Needless heads for the door.

WYSHOK

Sgt. Dyen! Out of everyone here,

this should be important to you.

NEEDLESS

(turns back)

In case you havent noticed,

sister, this is only HALF

important to me. The other half

couldnt care less and is heading

for the door. Theres a criminalout there summoning water monsters

and youre in here telling spooky

stories!? Forget it.

Stack takes his hands from his face.

STACK

Needless


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NEEDLESS

No, Stack. This is stupid and

were wasting time.

WYSHOK

Look, it doesnt matter what you

believe. The fact of the matter

is, The Skiv IS real.

SMILES

Whats The Skiv?

WYSHOK

Its

(looks at Needless)allegedly a chip off the true Melk

Stone. Just a tiny piece of the

full power.

NEEDLESS

See

WYSHOK

(stopping him)

I have no idea if the Skiv is

actually a piece of the Melk

Stone. But The Skiv is real. Infact its a matter of public

record.

She opens the file in front of her and slides it to Stack.

NEEDLESS

What is it?

STACK

(reads for a moment)

Its an inventory. Its frombefore the magic ban.

WYSHOK

The Skiv was part of a private

collection owned by the head of

the Sorcerers Guild. A wizard

named Hogarth.

SMILES

Hogarth but


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WYSHOK

Hes the one who engineered the

ban and lead the Sorcerers Exodus

away from Big City all those yearsago.

She pulls a picture from the file and slides it to Smiles.

WYSHOK

(continues)

The Skiv is in a case on the desk

in this photo. Thats me on the

end. My partner Kel. Hogarth on

the far right. And standing right

behind The Skiv

INSERT

The black and white photo shows 4 people, as Wyshok described

them, standing behind a desk in what looks like a private

library.

A young Wyshok Meen stands smiling. KEL stands next to her.

On the far right in the picture stands HOGARTH, an older man

with a beard, wearing what appears to be a tweed suit. (More

College Professor than Dumbledore).

Smiles focuses on the MAN NEXT TO HOGARTH. Hes dressed in a

suit and appears to be about forty.

BACK TO SCENE

Smiles stares for a moment.

STACK

Smiles?

SMILES

Its my father.

CUT TO:

INT. PRISON HALLWAY DAY

Tandy drags his body slowly up the hall, trying to get help.

He leaves a bloody trail behind him.


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CUT TO:


The Prisoner struggles to get up. He manages to push himself

up and sit against the wall.

He looks at his bloody hands.

Amber light crackles through his arm.

DISSOLVE TO:

INT. WYSHOKS KITCHEN DAY

They all look at each other.

Wyshok grins.

WYSHOK

It doesnt matter what any of us

here believes. It doesnt matter

where the power comes from. Its

here. One of the most powerful,

destructive relics in the world

and a weak, angry man has it.

They all look at each other for a moment.

Stack is a million miles away.

He has created a little stack on Wyshoks table. He finally

drops a fork into place on top of it.

Then he sits back and stares into the little table top

sculpture, his brow furrowed in concentration.

FADE OUT

END ACT FOUR


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ACT FIVE

FADE IN:

EXT./INT. NEEDLESS AND STACKS CAR LATE MORNING

A cursor on a blank white computer screen flickers for a

moment. Then the SOUND OF TYPING bursts forth.

We follow the words as they appear rapidly across the screen.

SCREEN

This is a story about people

Welp is sitting lengthwise along the backseat of a police

detective car. He has a computer opened on his lap and he

typing furiously into it. He stops every so often to refer to

the notes written in his notebook.

WELP (V.O.)

This is a story about people.

(pause)

When I came into this story a

short while ago I thought it was

about crime and its consequences.Its not. Its about people.

DISSOLVE TO:

EXT. CITY STREET - DAY

Stack sits on the hood of the car sipping coffee from a cup

that reads THE JAVA JALOPY. He stares into the distance

thinking.

Some ways off some CHILDREN (Human, Goblin, Elf) play astreet pick up game of Square Ts. Four children stand 8

paces back in a circle around what appears to be a plastic,

hollow tree trunk. Each is attempting to throw a different

colored ball into the hole at the top of the trunk.

WELP (V.O)

(continues)

The story of the fall of the

Manzetti crime organization begins

with Adam Forray, a seventeen year


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veteran of the Big City Police

force. Known throughout the

department by his tongue-in-cheek

moniker, Stack Fury, he is a manof well thought-out action. He is

part hunter, part profiler.

Stack takes another sip, lost in his thoughts as the Children

continue to play.

Only one ball makes it into the Stump. It then rolls out

one of fours holes that flair out from the bottom like roots.

A GOBLIN CHILD snatches up the ball and then attempts to toss

it through a ring on a post behind an opposing player.

WELP (V.O)

(continues)

Stack is a driven man. The kidnap

and apparent murder of his

fiance, Gina Johnson, at the

hands of Nicholas Manzetti pushed

him to destroy Manzettis grip on

the city. It is that intensity

that he brings with him to every

crime he investigates. Its that

same intensity that wont let him

rest until he finds the bad guy.

Needless stands near a converted ice cream truck. The side of

the truck reads The Java Jalopy. A cute blonde human,

GRETA, is handing him a coffee.

Needless nods to Greta, who winks at him. He slides over and

starts to add cream and sugar.

WELP (V.O.)

(continues)

Standing in contrast to Forray ishis partner, John Dyen. John is a

third generation cop whose

reckless steadfastness in the face

of adversity has garnered him the

nickname Needless Action.

Needless steps away from the truck, takes a cautious sip of

the hot joe and looks out at the game of Square Ts.


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The second kid is now protecting his hoop from the Goblin

boy. Both move as the Goblin Boy attempts the throw the ball

through the hoop.

He launches the ball, but it is caught by the opposing

player. This means that the Goblin Boy is OUT. An ELF GIRL

runs in to take his place.

WELP (V.O.)

(continues)

Underneath the hard-line cop

exterior is something darker.

Something Needless has carried his

whole life. Its a constant

awareness of his mixed human/elfblood. And its the determination

to clear his family name of the

taint created by his brothers

corruption. His low simmer hatred

of the Manzetti Organization makes

him a player in this story.

Off, away from the others, standing in the shade of a tree

smoking a cigarette is Smiles. He watches the kids, but

glances every so often at Wyshok, who is jotting an address

on an envelope.

INSERT

The address reads Rath Kellington - 1013 Aslan Dr. Apt.3

Big City

BACK TO SCENE

Wyshok walks the envelope across the street and with a

slightly nostalgic smile, drops it into a mailbox.

Smiles takes another drag as he watches her.

WELP (V.O.)

(continues)

The third piece in the puzzle is

the late Gina Johnsons elder

brother and Stacks former partner

on the force, Robert Johnson

better known to his friends as

Smiles. The Gina fiasco broke

Johnson and it drove him from the


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force. Now he makes his living

putting his mind to the troubles

of paying customers as a private

investigator.

Smiles flings his smoke to the ground and walks out of shot.

DISSOLVE TO:

EXT. BIG CITY GENERAL HOSPITAL ROOF DAY

An emergency helicopter lands. NURSES and DOCTORS run,

hunched over, to the helicopter.

WELP (V.O.)

(continues)

Two days ago these were just names

in police reports. They were just

part of the legend. In the seven

years since Manzettis

disappearance, no one has told

their story. So now, here I sit

with them, watching them all do

what they do every day. They draw

a line in the sand and say this

stops here.

The MEDICS from inside the copter lower out a stretcher

carrying the lifeless body of Corrections Officer Tandy.

DISSOLVE TO:

INT. POLICE CAR - DAY

Welp continues to bang out words on the laptop.

WELP (V.O)(continues)

They risk body and soul for the

place they call home. A place that

seven years ago they rescued from

a ruthless crime lord named

Nicholas Manzetti. A place

called...

INSERT:


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The computer screen. Two words are typed out.

"... Big City"

BACK TO SCENE

Welp smiles to himself and clicks Save.

DISSOLVE TO:

INT. LAURAS HOSPITAL ROOM - DAY

Charlie jolts awake. He blinks and tries to clear his head.

MONITORS and MACHINES bleep and whir.

He realizes he is sitting next to LAURA MEDRANO, who is still

unconscious in the hospital bed.

One of his arms is in a sling. He puts his good hand on top

of Lauras.

He sighs.

A NURSE pokes her head around the corner.

NURSE

Mr. Pickens?

CHARLIE

(wiping sleep from his

eyes)

Yeah.

NURSE

I need to change her dressings.

Would you mind stepping out for a

moment?

Charlie stands up as the nurse wheels a cart of fresh gauze

and bandages in.

CHARLIE

Sure. Is there coffee around here?

NURSE

There is a fresh pot in the

waiting room down the hall.


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Charlie heads for the door.

CHARLIE

Thanks.

NURSE

Ill only be a few minutes.

CHARLIE

Thank you.

INT. HOSPITAL HALLWAY

As Charlie steps into the hallway and stretches. He looks

down the long I.C.U. corridor toward the emergency room.

There is a great deal of commotion.

Limping on his walking cast, Charlies curiosity gets the

best of him and he begins to move toward the E.R.

His MOBILE PHONE rings.

As he moves toward the activity down the hall, he pulls it

from his pocket and answers.

CHARLIE

Yeah.

SMILES (PHONE)

Hey kiddo its Smiles.

CHARLIE

Whats up?

INTERCUT:

EXT. STREET - DAY

Smiles leans against a car, talking on the phone.

SMILES

Looks like were going after some

super relic. Somebody with a

grudge against Stack and Needless

got their hands on something

powerful.


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CHARLIE

Im not sure.

Charlie finally moves into the Emergency Room.

The place is crammed with COPS, NURSES, DOCTORS, PATIENTS and

REPORTERS. Police lights flash in through the automatic doors

to the outside.

He notices Captain Breen and Tim Carnaby step out of a

curtained area protected by two POLICE GUARDS.

CHARLIE

(continues)

I gotta go.

(shouts over the

noise)

BREEN!

Breen and Carnaby turn as Charlie tries to make his way

through the crowd. Breen spots him.

BREEN

Charlie. Hows Laura?

CHARLIE

Shes fine whats going on? Wasthere another lake monster attack?

Breen and Carnaby exchange glances.

BREEN

Is Smiles with Stack and Needless?

CHARLIE

Yeah. Why?

BREEN

I need you to get something to

them right away.

Breen ushers Charlie past the guards and into the curtained

area.

CUT TO:


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INT. REGS APARTMENT - DAY

REG, an elf in his late twenties, sits in his dingy

apartment, eating cold cereal and watching the television.

With a thunderous CRASH the door rockets open. Reg dives for

the end table drawer and the gun inside.

He nearly has his hand on the gun when he feels himself

lifted.

A moment later he is nose to nose with Needless Action.

NEEDLESS

Hi Reg.

REG

Oh! Man! I just replaced the lock

from your last visit. Whats wrong

with you, Needless?

Stack strides into the room as Needless holds Reg off the

floor by the collar.

STACK

We need some information, Reg.

REG

Could you have tried the phone? I

have a website too. Or are you

cops not tech-savvy enough for

that?

STACK

Oh, you mean your FaceSpace page

lair of the elf MASTA? We hacked

that this morning and changed

everything to read Hi, Im a

felon and on the take from the

cops.

REG

Dude!

(defeated)

Fine. What do you want?

Stack circles the two, his hands rattling change in his

pockets.


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STACK

Were following a stone, about the

size of my finger tip. Kind of

amber looking. Seen it?

REG

Maybe. Ive seen a lot of stuff.

STACK

Reg, this thing is hot with magic.

It would require special handling.

You are the towns biggest relic

mover and NOTHING comes into Big

City without you knowing about it.

Now, are you going to start givingme some straight answers or is

Needless going to have to EAT

various parts of you, starting

with your nose.

Needless gives Stack a confused sidelong glance. Stack just

shrugs as if I got nothing else to tell him.

Needless looks back at Reg and growls.

REG

Okay! Okay! I didnt see it. Butlast week this guy comes in here

and pays me cash for advice. Just

advice. Like I said, I never saw

the thing. He said he had this

rock coming in super hot, like

you said and he wanted advice on

how to handle it. Thats it, I

swear.

NEEDLESS

What did you tell him?

REG

For something like that, you need

a diffusing stone. Something rock

on the outside, with crystals on

the inside like a geode. The

crystals diffuse the magic and the

rock protects the carrier. I felt

a little guilt about the money, so

I threw in some garbage about a


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velvet pouch. Just so hed get his

moneys worth. Thats it, I swear.

STACKYou see this guy around before?

REG

Yeah, I seen him around. Hes

usually peddling amulets and

tapped out relics over at Goblin

Hill. His mag is crap. All tapped

out.

NEEDLESS

This guy got a name?

REG

Flax... something. Human kid.

Stamper, thats it. Flax Stamper.

Needless and Stack exchange a glance.

NEEDLESS

Rance Stampers brother?

STACK

How long did we send Rance to thepokey for?

NEEDLESS

Fifteen years or so.

STACK

Thatll piss a guy off.

Needless drops Reg, who falls to the floor, completely out of

sight.

NEEDLESS

It would make me want revenge.

The two turn to leave.

STACK

But really, what doesnt?


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NEEDLESS

Thats so wise, Stack. You should

run a seminar about that.

They leave the apartment, with the door open.

After a moment a moment Needless pokes his head back through

the door and smirks.

NEEDLESS

Thanks, Reg. You might want to do

something about your lock. Theres

a lot of unsavory characters in

this neck of the woods.

REG (O.S.)

Flatfoots -- feet. Flatfeet

(gives up)

Jerks!

CUT TO:

EXT. STREET OUTSIDE REGS DAY

Stack and Needless step out of the rundown apartment building

and head across the street to where Smiles and Wyshok arewaiting. Welp is getting out of the car.

Smiles drops a cigarette to the ground and crushes it

underfoot.

SMILES

So?

STACK

Weve got to get out to Thieves

Island.

NEEDLESS

Were looking for a guy named

Rance Stamper.

STACK

We sent him to the Island a few

years back, so we need to head out

there.

Smiles PHONE RINGS. He steps away and answers it.


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WELP

Good luck.

NEEDLESSWhat do you mean?

WELP

Its all over the news. The

islands on lockdown. Looks like

maybe a riot. A guards been taken

to the hospital.

SMILES

(into phone)

Go ahead.

He looks down at his phone. It BLEEPS at him.

STACK

(still talking to the

others)

A prison riot? Thats going to

complicate things.

SMILES

Not exactly a riot. Its the Skiv.

WYSHOK

How do you know?

SMILES

A little dead birdy told me.

He holds up his phone.

INSERT

On the phone appears a chest x-ray.

Burned into the sternum in the x-ray are the words Fury,

Action, Freedom

CUT TO:


Blood has dried and caked on the floor where Tandy dragged

his dying body.


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The heavy metal door to The Prisoners cell stands silent.

O.S. there is THE SOUND OF MOVEMENT.

Moving quietly down the hall is a squad of SPECIAL WEAPONS

OFFICERS, clad in black body armour and armed to the teeth.

They move quietly along the walls, their weapons trained on

the door to the cell.

They move into position.

One of the officers, THE EXPLOSIVES EXPERT rushes forward and

applies a strip of explosive to the doorjamb. When its in

place, he rushes away again.

He takes cover and prepares to blow the door.

INT. PRISONERS CELL

We are close on the Prisoners eyes as they snap open.

The corners wrinkle with amusement.

CUT TO:


The SPECIAL WEAPONS CAPTAIN gives a silent signal to the

others.

He nods to The Explosives Expert who triggers the explosive

on the door.

They all brace themselves.

The explosion begins but suddenly freezes in place.

The Captains eyes grow wide.

The beginning of the explosion floats suspended in time.

There is a moment of silence and confusion.

Then the explosion reverses, seemingly sucked back into the

door. There is a beat. Then the door explodes with a

tremendous BOOM, much larger than the charge would have

created.


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Smoke billows in the corridor and shrapnel WHIZZES in all

directions. The Explosives Expert is riddled with hundreds of

sharp little pieces.

He screams and collapses.

TWO OTHER OFFICERS pull his writhing body out of the way.

The Captain watches, horrified. His gaze returns to the

smoke.

CAPTAIN

Take him out!!

In the blink of an eye The Prisoner flies out of the smoke

and latches onto the Captain.

He spins the Captains head half-way round, snapping his

neck. Then The Prisoner spins the body around and holds it

like a shield in front of him.

The OFFICERS open fire and the Captains body takes the

bullets.

When the volley of gunfire stops, The Prisoner forces his

hand into the Captains back and holds the dead officer at

arms length like a gun. The body crackles with amber energy.

Then he opens fire and all the slugs in the Captains body

shoot back on their original trajectory, killing officers.

OFFICERS scream in pain in the smoke. Then quickly there is

silence.

The Prisoner drops the corpse and moves through the smoke,

stepping over bodies. He is making his way toward freedom.

FADE OUT.

END ACT FIVE


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ACT SIX

FADE IN:

EXT. BIG CITY DOCKS DAY

A crowd of REPORTERS and ONLOOKERS have gathered at the docks

as another boat of SPECIAL WEAPONS OFFICERS departs for the

Thieves Island Prison. They are being held back by GUARDS and

police tape.

Out across the bay, smoke hangs low over the island prison.

Breen is moving through the crowd with Smiles, Wyshok and

Welp on his heels.

BREEN

Smiles, I believe you, but were

not sending a civilian out there.

SMILES

Shes not a civilian. Shes a

retired cop.

BREEN

A sweeper. There IS a difference.

SMILES

Shes the only one who knows how

to begin slowing down Stamper.

BREEN

Shes not the only civilian Im

talking about, Robert. Bledsoe

will never sign off on sending you

out there.

They step up to JANET BLEDSOE, who is conferring with a

SPECIAL WEAPONS COMMANDER and WARDEN TONY ARCHER over a

blueprint of the prison.

BREEN

Sorry, Commissioner.

Bledsoe looks up and nods absent-mindedly. Then she catches

sight of Smiles and she bristles.


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BLEDSOE

I see we need to budget for

stronger police tape.

BREEN

Commissioner, Smiles has been

working with Stack and Needless

since yesterday on the Lake

Monster case and

(takes a breath)

they think that whats going on

out there on the island is

related.

Bledsoes curiosity is piqued.

BLEDSOE

How so?

Breen slides the x-rays out onto the map.

BREEN

This message was found at the

first lake monster attack and

again, here inside of Corrections

Officer Tandy.

BLEDSOE

What does that mean?

WYSHOK

One of your prisoners has come

into possession of an incredibly

powerful relic called The Skiv.

WARDEN

What prisoner?

SMILES

A prisoner named Rance Stamper.

WARDEN

Ridiculous. Rance Stamper is a

model prisoner a few months from

release. He works in our

infirmary. He didnt attack Tandy.


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SMILES

I dont mean to argue with you you

sir, but we have a witness that

says that Rance Stampers brotherwas transporting this relic.

Needless and Stack have gone to

pull Flax Stamper in for

questioning. Im telling you its

him.

WARDEN

Youre not hearing me. Stamper was

in the infirmary with several

guards and prisoners when Tandy

was attacked. Tandy was attackedin the solitary confinement wing.

SMILES

Then who has The Skiv?

DISSOLVE TO:

INT. PRISON CELL BLOCK DAY

RANCE STAMPER paces in his cell. He looks out, smoke is

everywhere.

ALARMS BLARE and SCREAMS echo around the block.

WARDEN (V.O.)

Michael Vester.

A moment later The Prisoner steps up to the door of Rances

cell.

Rance jumps in shock.

RANCE

Vester.

VESTER

Hello, Rance.

Vester slips through the bars of the door like a ghost.

Rance backs up, horrified.


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VESTER

What did the dentist put in my

mouth?

RANCE

I .. I.. dont know. It was some

kind of

Before he can finish what he is saying, Vester moves his hand

and Rance is suspended in the air with his arms and leg

stretching as if he were being drawn and quartered.

VESTER

Actually, I dont care what it is.

There is a loud CRACK as Rances spine snaps. His body drops

to the floor.

Vester turns and moves back through the door.

VESTER

(continues)

I just wanted to say thanks.

CUT TO:

EXT. CITY STREET DAY

It is a normal city street for a moment.

The FLAX STAMPER races around a corner, running at full

speed, pushing aside PEOPLE ON THE SIDEWALK.

A moment later Needless rounds the corner, in pursuit.

Stamper overturns a garbage can as he runs. Needless clears

it with one leap.

As Flax hits an alleyway, a car comes to screeching to a halt

in front of him. Stamper hits the hood and attempts to roll

off the other side but Needless dives into him.

Stack jumps out of the car as Needless and Stamper roll to a

stop on the pavement.

STACK

Not bad.


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NEEDLESS

Not bad?

STACKNormally these things end with an

overturned fruit stand.

NEEDLESS

(to Stamper)

You are SO lucky there wasnt a

fruit stand. I hate fruit stands.

STAMPER

What do you want?

Stack crouches down in front of him.

STACK

Who paid you to give your brother

the relic?

STAMPER

I dont know who he was. Some

Goblin.

NEEDLESS

What Goblin?

STAMPER

Ive never seen him before. He

gives me thirty Gs and tells me

that this thing is coming into

town and he wants me to get it to

my brother.

STACK

Why?

STAMPER

It was for the dentist.

Needless and Stack look at each other.

NEEDLESS

Excuse me?

STAMPER

My brother works in the infirmary.

He was just a go between. He was


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supposed to hand the thing off to

the dentist, cause he couldnt

bring the thing in. He gets

searched.

STACK

So the Skiv wasnt for your

brother.

STAMPER

No. Rance said they were sticking

it in some other guy.

Stack stands and Needless looks up at him.

NEEDLESS

Were chasing the wrong guy.

STACK

Who is it for?

STAMPER

I dont know, man. I swear.

Stack finally loses his temper and pulls Stamper up from the

ground by his elbow.

STACK

Get up youre coming with us.

CUT TO:

EXT. DOCKSIDE - DAY

Smiles, Bledsoe, Breen and the Warden are in the middle of a

heated debate.

BLEDSOE

Out of the question.

BREEN

Look, Smiles, even if youre

right, how can we fight it? A

relic that powerful would be no

match for conventional firepower.


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WYSHOK

Youd have me.

Bledsoe turns.

BLEDSOE

And who are you?

SMILES

This is Wyshok Meen, an old friend

of my fathers. She was once a

P.D. sweeper. She identified the

Skiv.

WYSHOK

I can run a counter spell. This

guy has tons of power, but its

overloading him. Thats why hes

asking for help. Its burning him

up.

BREEN

Then we just wait it out.

WYSHOK

But he could take out half the

city before he goes, he justdoesnt know it yet.

Bledsoe shakes her head and throws up her hands.

BLEDSOE

Enough! Look, we have police and

corrections officers out there

right now. There are more on boats

on the way. It may be imperfect

but thats what we have and I will

NOT risk civilian lives!

SMILES

Breen!

With a ground-shaking ROAR a MONSTER, similar to the Lake

Monster, rockets up out of the water out on the bay.

All eyes turn in shock.

One of the police boats capsizes, sending ARMORED OFFICERS

flying.


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The OFFICERS ON THE OTHER BOAT open fire.

BLEDSOE

Oh my

No one knows what to do at the water creature turns and

swipes at the other boat but misses.

Smiles turns Wyshok.

SMILES

Okay. Its your time to shine.

He grabs her by the hand and begins to run toward the next

boat.

He passes a group of armoured police, stunned by what theyre

seeing.

SMILES

(continues)

You men, with me!

The police follow suit.

Bledsoe begins to call after Smiles but Breen puts a hand on

her arm to stop her.

She thinks again and lets them go.

Out on the bay the creature roars again and slams its giant

fists down on the water, sending geysers of water flying in

all directions.

CUT TO:

INT. HOSPITAL EMERGENCY ROOM DAY

Inside the curtained off room where Corrections Officer Tandy

is laid out, Tim Carnaby is examining the body as Charlie

looks on.

Amber light bursts from Tandys mouth and eyes and he growls

and rises from the table.

CARNABY

What the..


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Tandys reanimated corpse swings and catches Carnaby in the

temple. The CSI flies back through the curtain, tearing down

the makeshift walls.

The PRESS, NURSES and OTHERS now all see the snarling,

glowing, standing corpse.

Camera flash bulbs go off and capture the moment.

CUT TO:

EXT. CENTER PARK DAY

The Lake Monster is again terrorizing PEOPLE moving through

the park.

They scream and run in all directions trying to dodge the

furious creature as he rampages and swings violently

uprooting trees and destroying concrete walkways.

CUT TO:

EXT. OUT ON THE BAY DAY MOVING

Smiles and Wyshok stand at the front of the speeding police

boat.

Wyshok is chanting with her eyes closed.

The creature turns and looks at the Wyshok and Smiles boat.

CUT TO:

INT. HOSPITAL EMERGENCY ROOM - DAY

Charlie raises his hands to protect himself and then looksover his shoulder at all the others in harms way.

Again, there is a nearly imperceptible green flash in his

eyes.

The world slows to a crawl and WE MOVE AROUND THE TERRIFIED

FACES OF THE ONLOOKERS TO TANDY PREPARING TO STRIKE AND

FINALLY BACK TO CHARLIE.

Charlie knows what he needs to do.


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He barrels headlong into Tandy, lifting him off his feet and

pushing him back through a pair of metal swinging doors.

The two tumble through the doors and into a hallway.

Charlie screams at the pain in his leg as Tandy struggles to

stand, amber light glowing from his eyes and mouth, flaring

periodically.

Charlie spies TWO PEOPLE at the far end of the hall.

CHARLIE

Get out!!

The two scamper away as Tandy leaps to his feet.

He attempts to grab Charlie.

GREEN FLASH and everything slows for a moment as Charlie

dodges the swing with a DEEP WOOSH.

Tandy swings again and again Charlie counters. This movement

and dodging seems almost mechanical for Charlie and seems to

both surprise and confuse him at the same time.

AMBER FLASH as everything returns to normal speed and Tandy

raises a hand, magically blowing Charlie backward down thehall with a WALL RATTLING CONCUSSION.

Charlie hits the floor hard and is knocked out cold. His

unconscious body slides to a stop.

Tandy begins to move toward him.

CUT TO:

EXT. DOCKSIDE DAY

Needless and Stack pull quickly to a stop in their car and

hop out.

The attempt to take in the scene as REPORTERS and POLICE

watch the bay in horror.

Needless sees Welp and approaches him.


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NEEDLESS

Welp! Where are Smiles and Wyshok?

We have news.

Welp is too stunned to answer. He simply points at the bay.

Stack and Needless look out as the battle with the water

monster continues.

STACK

Oh no.

CUT TO:

EXT. OUT ON THE BAY DAY

The water monster lunges toward Smiles and Wyshoks boat.

The clueless police open fire as Wysok opens her hands and

begins shouting her chant over the noise.

The creature begins to bring his hand down on the boat.

Smiles braces for impact, when the monsters arms bursts into

falling droplets of water.

JUMP CUT TO:

INT. PRISON DAY

We are close on Vester as his eyes open with a start.

He has felt Wyshoks presence.

VESTER

What?

CUT BACK TO:

EXT. BOAT ON THE BAY DAY

Smiles lets out a relieved laugh as the creatures arm rains

down on them.

The creature roars again and lunges again.


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Wyshok continues her spell and the creature seems less and

less able to maintain its shape.

CUT TO:

EXT. CENTER PARK - DAY

Terrified civilians watch as the rampaging Lake Monster

suddenly wobbles, slamming its shoulder into a tree. Water

bursts and rains down from the impact.

CUT TO:

INT. HOSPITAL HALLWAY DAY

Charlie is still out cold at Tandy, possessed by the power of

the Skiv, approaches him.

A hand comes out from behind Tandy and spins him around.

The reanimated corrections officer turns to face The Watcher

with the green eyes.

The Watcher delivers a double-fisted, Kirk-style upper cut

that stuns Tandy. Then he grabs the officers collar and

belt, hoists him into the air and throws him like luggage

back down the hall, away from Charlie.

The Watcher looks over his shoulder at Charlie, still out

cold. Satisfied that Charlie is alright, he turns and moves

toward Tandy.

Tandy is back to his feet and the amber light is flaring

angrily from his face, the energy creating a halo around the

deadmans head. He HOWLS in anger. The Watcher rolls his head

to crack his neck and the two charge one another. Tandy

prepares to strike a blow as The Watcher leap-frogscompletely over him, sticking the landing on the floor behind

the zombified Tandy.

Tandys corpse is confused.

The Watcher wraps both arms around Tandy, constricting the

possessed corpses arms. As The Watchers hands come together

we see that he his holding his metallic device.


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The green-eyed Watcher looks at Charlie, pushes a button on

the device and both he and Tandy vanish.

And suddenly there is quiet in the hallway as Charlie stirs.

The two people who had scampered away earlier poke their

heads out from around a corner.

He attempts to scramble to his feet and looks around

confused.

CUT TO:

EXT. THE BOAT OUT ON THE BAY DAY

Its not looking good.

The police boat that Smiles and Wyshok are on is about the

capsize.

Smiles grabs Wyshoks arm.

SMILES

Weve got to try to swim for it.

WYSHOK

NO!

Angrily Wyshok shouts her chant and Smiles falls back onto

the floor of the boat as there is a BLAST OF THUNDEROUS WIND.

The Water Monster ROARS again and then bursts into a billion

drops of water, disappearing completely into mist and

plummeting droplets.

Wyshok opens her eyes as Smiles looks up at her in amazement.

DISSOLVE TO:

INT. PRISON DAY

Again, we are close on Vester. The edges of his mouth curl

into a smile and his eyes narrow.

Amber energy seems to crackle through him like a Tesla coil.

VESTER

I remember you.


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FADE TO BLACK.

END ACT SIX


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ACT SEVEN

FADE IN:

EXT. PRISON CENTRAL YARD DAY

Stack and Needless move into the yard through the main gates,

guns drawn. We can finally see that Stack uses a standard

issue police gun Needless uses a huge, lovingly cleaned,

shiny, nickel-plated gun Dirty Harry style. He wields it

like part of his arm.

The main Prison courtyard has been decimated. There are

bodies of black armor-clad Special Weapons officers scattered

around. Crumbling prison masonry has broken off of the walls

and fallen to the courtyard floor, giving it the appearance

of a bombed out castle.

Above the courtyard, empty concrete walkways and open windows

line the courtyard. This is an old prison.

There is no movement of any kind. Smoke gently drifts over

the rubble.

The two look around and then glance at each other.

STACK

Smiles?!

Nothing. His voice echoes around the prison yard.

The two continue cautiously forward. Stack is lost in th

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