V Pilot
Act Four
FADE IN:
EXT. STUDIO PARKING LOT NIGHT
Chad and his producer are walking toward the Visitors hopper. It is surrounded by a ring of soldiers keeping the curious back. The three burly Visitors that had accompanied Marcus earlier are standing by the door, still at parade rest.
PRODUCER
You got your questions straight? Start off easy and then, go for the throat.
CHAD
This isn't my first interview.
Chad pulls a sheet of paper from inside his jacket.
CHAD
And our government friends rather strongly insisted that their questions have the highest priority.
PRODUCER
We'll work it out on the way up.
The Producer starts to follow Chad into the hopper when a burly Visitor GUARD places a hand on his chest. Chad stops and turns around.
GUARD
I have no authorization for you.
PRODUCER
My friend, I am the producer of this show. Nothing goes on the air without my Personal authorization.
The guard gives a dark frown. His two companions close in. The Producer holds his ground more from shock than bravery. The Guard drops his hand and gives a slight nod as way of an apology.
GUARD
Forgive my ignorance.
PRODUCER
(half-smiling, he's not sure what just happened)
Forget it, just a misunderstanding.
ESTABLISHING SHOT: hopper docking with the V's spaceship
INT. VISITOR'S SPACESHIP
The crew has already set up the lights and two cameras. Two chairs sit on a balcony over looking the vast interior of the Visitor's ship. Chad is already sitting and ready as Anna walks in.
ANNA
So nice to see you again.
CHAD
Thank you for inviting me here.
ANNA
Not at all. When do we start?
PRODUCER
30 seconds, 29, 28...
CHAD
I don't understand why you chose me, Anna, but I'm glad you did.
ANNA
That is why we are both here - to understand each other.
CUT TO:
EXT. EMPTY PARKING LOT NIGHT
FATHER JACK
Thank you for coming.
Erica and Dale walk up.
ERICA
Father, this is my partner Dale.
FATHER JACK
(shaking hands with Dale)
Glad you could make it.
DALE
Happy to help Father. Please lead the way.
Father Jack walks up to a store front. The windows are covered with black plastic. He starts to knock on the door but it opens automatically. Light and the mummer of a dozen different conversations pour out.
INT. ABANDONED GROCERY STORE NIGHT
Knots of people are gathered around buffet tables placed in a U-shape, with a huge coffee urn squatting at one end. Only one patch of florescent tubes illuminate the front of the store. Behind the tables, rows of empty store shelves stretch off into the darkness. The noise level drops dramatically as Father Jack, Erica and Dale enter.
ERICA
(whispering)
Thanks again for coming, Dale.
DALE
No problem.
Dale turns and locks the door.
DALE cont.
If the good Father hadn't of called, I would have had no idea of how to get you here alone.
ERICA
(smiling as if she doesn't quite get the joke)
What?
In the falling silence, Erica hears heavy boot steps coming out of the darkness beyond the tables. As she turns, the crowd parts.
VOICE
(a man's voice echos off the empty walls making it hard to distinguish)
I asked him to bring you - to bring you all.
CUT TO:
INT. VISITOR'S SPACESHIP NIGHT
CHAD
Good evening, ladies and gentlemen of earth. Tonight, we are broadcasting live from the Visitor's ship. Our gracious hostess, Anna is here with me to answer the many questions we all have. Thank you Anna for having us.
ANNA
Thank you for coming, and please ask anything you want I have nothing to hide.
CUT TO:
INT. ABANDONED GROCERY STORE - NIGHT
Major Ryan walks into the light. He looks around for a moment then pushes a crate over with his foot and steps up on it.
MAJOR RYAN
For those you that don't know, I am Major Ryan Nichols. Currently assigned to Home Land Security.
Major Ryan points to Dale.
MAJOR RYAN cont.
I work with agent Dale Maddox, in finding and neutralizing terrorist cells.
CUT TO:
INT. VISITOR'S SPACESHIP
CHAD
Let start off by asking you, how did you find earth?
ANNA
It was only by pure chance. A recent mapping survey of the galaxy's outer rim detected unusual radio signals.
CUT TO:
INT. ABANDONED GROCERY STORE - NIGHT
MAJOR RYAN
The visitors have been observing this planet for decades. Learning all they can. About nine months ago they started an experiment.
CUT TO:
INT. VISITOR'S SPACESHIP
CHAD
Can you give us more details of what your plans are?
ANNA
To get to know the people of earth, our only brothers and sisters in this barren universe.
CHAD
You haven't found any life elsewhere?
ANNA
Microbes. Primitive lichens. The conditions that must exist for intelligent live to evolve are so rare that it has to be considered a miracle.
CUT TO:
INT. ABANDONED GROCERY STORE - NIGHT
MAJOR RYAN
Life has no meaning to them. A primitive race is something to be used up and thrown away.
CUT TO:
INT. VISITOR'S SPACESHIP
CHAD
So do you believe in a God?
ANNA
How can you not believe in a Great Creator? That is why we explore the cosmos. To understand his miraculous creations, is to understand him.
CUT TO:
INT. ABANDONED GROCERY STORE - NIGHT
MAJOR RYAN
I'm sure you have all heard the rumors of a terrorist cell here in the city. I'm here to tell you that it is true. It's a sleeper cell and every one of you are part of it. You are the vanguard of their invasion plan for earth.
CUT TO:
INT. VISITOR'S SPACESHIP - NIGHT
ANNA
Knowledge, understanding, tolerance; these are the paths to peace.
CUT TO:
INT. ABANDONED GROCERY STORE - NIGHT
The storefront windows stretch inward for a heartbeat before shattering into glass shards. A dozen of soccer-size metallic spheres zip about the room, like dragonflies, looking for victims. As each ball locks onto its target, it explodes into a magnetic net. The more a prisoner struggles the tighter the net squeezes about them.
Leaping higher than any human, the V-agents come springing over the falling black plastic sheets and into the store. They wield long batons; each tip cracks with energy like a taser.
During the explosion, Erica is knocked to the ground. She looks behind her and sees Dale lying face down - bleeding. She pulls out her Glock 22 firing as she struggles to drag Dale out from under the twisted metal remains of the door. At point blank range, every shot hits, but the bullets can't penetrate the V-agents uniforms.
Major Ryan steps up beside her and grabs Dale's other arm.
MAJOR RYAN
Allow me.
He fires his .45 and the round strikes a V-agent in the forehead. A second later we see a flash of light erupting from the wound.
MAJOR RYAN
Explosive tipped, Teflon coated. My own design.
(Shouting over his shoulder)
Fall back people, fall back!
Explosions of glass rain down on them from above. Thick, dark coils of rope drop down through the sky lights above. Men in black uniforms and hoods slide down the ropes, firing XM8s in short controlled busts. Major Ryan's Delta Force has arrived. V-agents fire back with their taser staffs releasing long electrical bolts. Soldiers burst into flames their ropes snapping but even as they fall, they keep firing. The elite unit quickly forms a ring around the Major and in the close quarters the fighting disintegrates into hand to hand combat.
Erica quickly empties her weapon but it's useless. She rolls Dale's head into her lap. For the first time she can see the damage to his face. A large cut runs from under his chin up into his scalp. The flap of skin falls open revealing something scaly underneath. Shocked, she pushes it back exposing a yellow reptilian eye behind the mask of human flesh. The eye opens.
DALE
Don't be afraid. Not all of us are vicious. Some of us can even love.
ERICA
(confused, unbidden tears leak from her eyes)
I...I - You never said anything.
DALE
(reaches up, his bloody fingers brush her hair)
Where I come from, the women are hairless. It's just so damn ugly.
The yellow eye glazes over. Major Ryan reaches down and feels his neck.
MAJOR RYAN
He's gone. Internal damage from the explosion. We have to go.
He pulls Erica to her feet. The last of the V-agents falls. The soldiers gather their wounded and free the victims of the magnetic nets before retreating toward the back door.
EXT. STORE LOADING DOCK NIGHT
Two soldiers in black rappel off the roof to join Major Ryan standing on a loading dock.
SOLDIER
Radar picks up more enemy ships closing in, Sir
MAJOR RYAN
How many?
SOLDIER
A lot, Sir.
MAJOR RYAN
Everything set?
SOLDIER
Yes sir.
MAJOR RYAN
OK, gentlemen you know the drill ditch your uniforms, break down your weapons and blend in. Groups of two, help the Father get these civilians back home.
They strip off their black suits reversing the jackets to look like normal wind breakers in a variety of colors. Underneath they are dressed in a wide range of styles from Office Casual to Urban Slob. The XM8s rifles are collapsed, barrel pushed in, and hung on a sling hiding them underneath their jackets. They quickly begin walking in all directions. The night sky above fills with the whine of a dozen hoppers descending on the grocery store like angry wasps. Erica looks back, sure that they will be seen at any moment.
INT. HOPPER COCKPIT
V PILOT
(voice filtered)
Commencing scan now, commander.
CUT TO:
EXT. BACK ALLEY NIGHT
MAJOR RYAN
You might want to look away.
He pulls a triggering device out from under his coat. He flips it open with one hand and yanks hard on the trigger. The store rooftop erupts with fountains of magnesium flares.
CUT TO:
INT. HOPPER COCKPIT
The pilot brings a hand up to protect his eyes. Every screen in the cockpit turns to static.
V PILOT
(panicked voice filtered)
System overload, shutting off scanners.
CUT TO:
EXT. BACK ALLEY - NIGHT
MAJOR RYAN
This is where I leave you. Go with the Father make sure he gets everyone home safe.
ERICA
Safe? No ones safe. We have to tell people.
(beat)
Who would believe?
Major Ryan hands her a vile filled with blood.
MAJOR RYAN
Take this. Make sure it gets in the right hands.
ERICA
How did you get Visitor's blood sample?
Major Ryan pulls up his sleeve. The inside of his arm has a long cut. He pulls open the wound to reveal reptilian skin underneath.
MAJOR RYAN
Like Dale said, we're not all vicious.
ERICA
How many of you are there?
MAJOR RYAN
I honestly don't know. I wasn't the first and I've been here over ten years.
Major Ryan begins to walk off into the darkness. Right before he disappears...
ERICA
Where are you going?
He is swallowed by the darkness and we can hear only his his voice.
MAJOR RYAN
I need to find more who are sick of the blood on their hands. Good luck Agent Evans.
Erica sees Father Ryan and helps him carry a teenage girl with a twisted ankle. They walk back to mall in silence, each lost in their own world.
CUT TO:
EXT. ROOF TOP OVERLOOKING THE V-MEDICAL CENTER NIGHT
Tyler and Lisa are standing side by side on a dark rooftop looking up at the stars.
LISA
The sky, the clouds; they are so beautiful here. You have no idea how much you miss them when you start living on a ship.
A night breeze sweeps the rooftop blowing her hair. Ty reaches out to brush a strand from her face. She holds his hand, playfully biting his finger. Suddenly, without thinking, he kisses her.
CUT TO:
INT. HOPPER
Chad and his Producer are standing side by side at the hand rail. The producer pulls Chad aside.
PRODUCER
(an angry whisper)
What happened? Where were those hard hitting questions you had?
CHAD
(whispering)
I don't know. It was as if some voice was telling me to hold back. My reporter's instinct, I guess.
PRODUCER
Listen, I don't care of you're interviewing God himself. You ever go off script like that again...
The window in the center of the floor flashes into a picture of Marcus.
MARCUS
Mr. Decker? (a beat as Chad turns around)There you are. Anna wishes me to convey her thanks and she desires to set up a series of future interviews.
PRODUCER
(whispers to Chad)
You just got your job back.
PRODUCER cont.
(addressing Marcus on the view screen)
He would be delighted. When can we meet again to discuss the details?
Marcus smiles like a cat with a new mouse.
CUT TO:
INT. ALL SAINTS CHURCH BREAK ROOM NIGHT
Father Jack and Erica enter by the back door. Father Travis is dozing off in front of the TV.
FATHER TRAVIS
Jack are you alright?
FATHER JACK
Yes fine, Father Travis this is police detective Evans.
FATHER TRAVIS
Police? What's this all about?
FATHER JACK
She is a member of the support group. I was telling her about my transfer at the end of the month.
ERICA
(hiding her surprise)
We'll all be so sad to you go, Father.
Erica notices Anna on the TV.
ERICA
What are they saying Father?
FATHER TRAVIS
Oh, they're just rerunning the interview with Anna. I'll turn it up.
CLOSE UP: TV
ANNA
Yes, at the unanimous insistence of almost every government, we are bringing twenty eight more ships to earth.
FATHER TRAVIS v.o.
Isn't it wonderful?
CLOSE UP: Erica and Father Jack
The two look fearfully at each other.
Close with a montage of V ships settling in over the major cities of earth: London, Paris, Saint Petersburg, Sidney, Bombay, Mexico City, and others.
FATHER TRAVIS V.O.
It must all be part of God's plan.
Fade to: black
THE END