Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Final Screenplay


Scene 1

A DARK, DAMP BASEMENT JAIL CELL UNDERNEATH THE DHS HEADQUARTERS.

Darryl sits tied up to a chair with his head down.  His mouth is sealed, and his body is limp due to seemingly never-ending whippings.  He has gone through such torture for two weeks.  Any self-confidence he once had has been beaten out of him.  The camera pans across his pain-stricken body and faces the only door ahead of him.

The door bursts open with an enormous slam.  Three brawny men dressed in black enter hastily and surround Darryl.  Despite their loud and intimidating entrances, Darryl barely lifts his head to acknowledge them.  Exhaustion and pain fill Darryl with a loss of hope.

Without a chance for Darryl to resist, the men take out their belts and begin to beat Darryl across the back, time after time.  Each blow warrants a piercing howl from Darryl, now that slash upon slash scar his bruised back.

After ten minutes the abusers leave, winded from constantly beating their innocent captive.

Guard #1
He’s had enough.

Guard #2
(with pain in his voice)
So have I.

Camera follows them out, then turns back to view Darryl, hunched over and looking up with rage in his eyes.

            Scene 2

 An UPSTAIRS CONFERENCE ROOM AT DHS HEADQUARTERS with a long, narrow table seating a dozen upscale officials.

SEVERE HAIRCUT LADY sits at the head of the table, heading a discussion of “THE PLAN”.

Severe Haircut Lady
The Plan must continue.

Agent #1
What about the innocent captives?

With a stink eye, Severe Haircut Lady looks at Agent #1 with disgust and answers:

Severe Haircut Lady
We’ll figure it out when we’re the ones in power.

Agent #2
(to Agent #1)
She’s right.  We’ll play the waiting game.

Severe Haircut Lady
We just need to focus on the Plan.

Her voice trails off as the camera backs away from the table and exits the room.

            Scene 3

Back in the dark, damp basement jail cell where Darryl is once again tied up to a chair.

Camera snaps to Darryl being whipped with belts once again.  It is an exact replica of the first scene.

Except this time when the guards are leaving, the last one hollers to the rest:

Guard #1
Hey, boys I’ve gotta pinch a loaf.  Be up in a minute.

The guard hesitates for a moment, turns back into the torture room and lifts up his mask.

Guard #1
(whisper)
Pssst.  Hey, kid.

Darryl lets out a faint mixture of a grunt and a moan, keeping his head down.

The guard hurries over to Darryl’s side, and with an intense awareness of the situation, gains Darryl’s attention by giving him a quick slap in the face.

Guard #1
(whisper)
Do you want to get out of here or not?

Darryl looks up, with eyes wide open and attentive.
  
Guard #1
(whisper)
Be ready at midnight.  I’m gonna get you out of here.

Darryl
(with anger and pain in his voice)
Why in the hell should I trust you?

Guard #1
Because I’m your only chance of survival.

Camera cuts to black as Darryl is left to contemplate his fate.

            Scene 4

IN A CRAMPED AIR VENT above the basement jail cell but below the first floor of DHS HEADQUARTERS.

It’s 12:01 A.M.  Back Jauer leads Darryl through a rusty air vent.  It is hot and grimy.  Back Jauer has a much easier time navigating the air duct than Darryl, but they both struggle significantly.

Darryl
(in his own head)
Jesus Christ, what is going on?
Who the hell is this guy, and why is he
helping me?

Guard #1
It’s just a little bit further.
You’ll be free in no time.

The guard leads Darryl to the open air on the abandoned side of DHS HEADQUARTERS.  It is pitch black in the middle of the night.

The scenery is an empty loading dock left to rot, with shrubbery overgrown and no people anywhere in sight.  Darkness covers everything.

The camera pans to a black Ford SUV speeding towards the lot.  It approaches Darryl and the guard and abruptly stops.  The SUV’s lights are off so as to not bring any attention towards it. 

Back Jauer
(intensely whispering)
Let’s go.  Get in!

Darryl and the guard rush in to the car and slam the doors.

The SUV speeds off into the distance.

The camera remains at the pick up spot, rising and watching the SUV speed off into the horizon.

            Scene 5

IN THE CAR.  There is a driver, the guard in the front seat and Darryl in the back seat.

The camera is from Darryl’s perspective, looking forwards toward the guard and the driver.

Confusion fills the air, as the guard tries to explain what is going on to Darryl.

The guard explains that his name is Back Jauer.  He was undercover while working for the DHS.  The secret group of informants he works for call themselves the Freedom Fighters.  The Freedom Fighters are the only people aware of the true events behind the terrorist attacks that took place in San Francisco: that the DHS was really behind the attacks.  Their plan is to use their security measures to ultimately take over the government.  After Severe Haircut Lady took “THE PLAN” too far, Back Jauer realized it was time to get out.  Instead of bailing, he got in touch with the Freedom Fighters and became their inside source.

Back Jauer
Look, Darryl, I know you’re confused right now.
You’ve gotta learn to trust me.


Darryl
(with panic in his voice)
Okay… okay. (Catching his breath)
But how can I?
You’ve tortured me for weeks.

Back Jauer
Just remember I was working
undercover with the overall objective of getting you
out of there.


Darryl
(with pain and anger in his voice)
I don’t think you realize the pain I just went through!
Look at me!!

Back Jauer looks back and sees the swollen face and bruised body of Darryl.  The camera cuts to look at Darryl’s face.  He winces.

Back Jauer
(with sincere remorse)
I’m sorry that had to happen to you.
You weren’t supposed to be locked up for so long.

Darryl
(screaming)
Well I was!

Back Jauer
Let’s calm down and move forward.

Darryl
(taking a deep breath)
Alright, alright.
So why do the Freedom Fighters care about me?

Back Jauer
It’s because of your friend, Marcus,-

Darryl
(yells out)
Marcus?!

Back Jauer
Marcus’ efforts have caught the attention
of the Freedom Fighters.  That’s where you come in.

Darryl
What can I do?

Back Jauer
The Freedom Fighters have some very important information
they need you to relay to Marcus.
           
            Scene 6

The car pulls in to a secret underground drive-in under Fisherman’s Wharf.

The three in the car get out and open an encoded door, and head down a lighted hallway.

After another encoded door, they step foot in an underwater submarine.

The main room is filled with about a dozen suited officers, all seated at a round table, seemingly waiting for Back Jauer and Darryl to arrive.

COLONEL MUSTARD, seated at the head, and obviously the oldest officer at the table, speaks up.

Colonel Mustard
Back Jauer, Darryl.  Please take a seat.

Back Jauer and Darryl take a seat opposite Colonel Mustard.

Colonel Mustard
Darryl, the DHS is everywhere.
This is our last chance to take them down.
We need you to carry a message to Marcus.

Darryl
And what would that be, Colonel?

Colonel Mustard
We have reason to believe that the DHS
was behind the original terrorist attack
that hit the Bay Bridge.

Darryl
(in disbelief)
What?  How in the world could that be true?!

Colonel Mustard
Their plan is to scare the people into submission,
so that they can ultimately take control of the
government and reap the rewards that come with it.

Darryl
What can I do to make sure that doesn’t happen?

Colonel Mustard
You must get to Marcus and let him know
of the scheme.  He is under the radar enough,
and has the potential to take the DHS down.

Darryl
After what they did to me, I have to get revenge.
I will do my best, Colonel.

Colonel Mustard
I know you will, son.

The camera focuses on Darryl’s face as he shakes Colonel Mustard’s hand and heads out of the submarine.  The determination on his face paints a picture of a boy ready to become a man. (This is a step in Darryl’s coming-of-age hero story.  He progresses from a scared boy when escaping with Back Jauer into a confident young man ready to take on the DHS.

            Scene 7

EARLY MORNING, SUN RISING in North Beach, San Francisco.

The camera pans as Darryl frantically runs through the streets of San Francisco, intent on reaching Marcus with the information regarding the DHS.

By this time, the DHS has realized of Darryl’s escape.  The Freedom Fighters, unable to transport him due to the DHS’ constant patrol of the area, have set Darryl on a path through side streets and back roads.

Darryl ducks and dodges in between houses and dumpsters, watching his every step.  Paranoia is seen on his face as he looks over his shoulder around every corner.

Uncertainty fills the air.

As Darryl arrives at Marcus’ house, he gets a text message from Back Jauer.
THE FREEDOM FIGHTERS HAVE BEEN OUSTED BY THE DHS.  Their Fisherman’s Wharf submarine has been raided, and only Back Jauer survives, as he left the submarine but a minute before the raid.

Darryl knows only Marcus, Back Jauer, and himself are capable of fulfilling the mission.

            Scene 8

MARCUS’ HOUSE. MID-DAY.

Darryl is on the phone with Back Jauer.

Darryl and Marcus sit in the kitchen.  Marcus wears panic on his face.  Darryl has seemingly transformed into a cool, collected leader.  He is strong and assuring with his words.

Darryl
So where do we go from here, Back Jauer?

Back Jauer
Our options are severely limited.

Darryl
Is everything destroyed?  Did the Freedom Fighters
leave any emergency tools?

Back Jauer
Now that I think of it, there is a helicopter
hidden in an underwater contraption next
to the submarine.

Darryl
The DHS officials think they destroyed
the entire Freedom Fighter hideout.
They might have moved on from the Wharf
to search for me somewhere else.
I think we might be able to double-back
and take the helicopter to a safer location,
then to the White House from there.

Back Jauer
Alright.  I’ll get the chopper and meet you at the docks at 15:00 sharp.

Darryl
Marcus and I will be ready.


Back Jauer
Godspeed, my friend.

            Scene 9

FISHERMAN’S WHARF.

Darryl and Marcus approach the Wharf, but instead of an abandoned riot, they find DHS officers ready for them.

In the distance, Back Jauer rises above the edge of the Wharf in the helicopter.

The chopper is promptly shot down by DHS missiles fired from surrounding buildings.

Darryl and Marcus are seemingly doomed.



            Scene 10

With DHS officials closing in on them, out of nowhere Darryl looks over to the shoreline.

VAN APPEARS, DRIVING A HIGH SPEED POWERBOAT.

Darryl grabs Marcus and they sprint away from the approaching DHS officers, straight to the left for Van and the powerboat.

Darryl and Marcus jump from the dock into the back of the boat.  Van barely slows down for them to jump.  They land behind her in the boat as she turns and narrowly misses crashing into the dock.

As they accelerate into the ocean, the camera pans to watch the DHS officials, dumbfounded and unable to do anything but look around at each other.

The camera turns back to the boat speeding off into the horizon.

As a giant wake follows the boat getting smaller and smaller, “Black Betty” by Ram Jam plays in the background.

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