Page 97 /97 Page 1 of 97 MAY YOUR HOUSE BE SAFE FROM TIGERS Page 1 of 97 Page 2 of 97 The late comedian, Alexander King, had a Buddhist friend who always said a little prayer when he left King's apartment: "May your house be safe from tigers." After three years, King grew tired of the mantra and asked angrily, "What is the meaning of this idiot prayer?" "Well," said the friend, "have you been bothered by any tigers lately?" Page 2 of 97 Page 3 of 97 WHITE TEXT ON BLACK BG: "You can make sense of this world only if you base the world on consciousness." - Amit Goswami As the text fades, we hear the first scream. FADE IN: EXT. BARRY GOLDWATER K-12 - MORNING Chaos. Police cars and fire trucks. Students and teachers run from the burning building. Black smoke rises into a clear blue morning sky. A news van pulls up. The NEWS CREW quickly assembles. A NEWSWOMAN (blonde, 40’s) speaks into the camera: NEWSWOMAN I’m here at Barry Goldwater where gunshots have been reported. Nothing is confirmed, however a fire has broken out and the –- She turns to look at the FIREMEN dousing the school’s roof. NEWSWOMAN -- fire department does not yet have it under control. MARIA (Hispanic, 16) stumbles by, teary eyed. NEWSWOMAN Miss, can you tell me what happened? MARIA He saved me. He saved us. The girl rushes, sobbing, to a Hispanic woman, MAMA. MARIA Mama? MAMA Mi bebé! Mi bebé! Me moriría si te perdiera. Yo no sería nada. NEWSWOMAN (back to camera) We know very little about what transpired here today, but even as we piece together the awful events that caused the chaos you see behind me, we have to remember this: In the midst of tragedy, there were heroes. Page 3 of 97 Page 4 of 97 2. INT. KYLE CONSTRUCTION HQ – JAMES FAIRFIELD’S OFFICE - DAY NOAH EVEMERAS (20’s, blandly attractive and breaking inside) sits uncomfortably in an office chair. GERRY (30’s, nebbish HR guy) sits to Noah’s left. Noah’s eyes are red, distant. JAMES FAIRFIELD (O.S.) Noah? Does any of this come as a surprise to you? Noah doesn’t reply. Fairfield (50’s, graying) sits behind his desk, framed by windows that look out onto desert mountains. JAMES FAIRFIELD Noah? Noah starts, lost staring into the mountains. His eyes focus. NOAH Um? No. No, I guess not. Noah looks down at his hands. Fairfield opens a folder and, as SOMEONE in the building LAUGHS, averts his gaze into it. JAMES FAIRFIELD Well, look, I spoke with Art. He agreed to give you a severance package that should keep you afloat until you find something else. I’ll be happy to recommend you or, if the economy picks up, we can discuss a re-hire. Noah stands and reaches out to shake Fairfield’s hand. NOAH (voice catching) Thank you for the opportunity. INT. KYLE CONSTRUCTION HQ - HALLWAY Noah carries a box while Gerry follows him past a CONFERENCE ROOM WITH COFFERED CEILINGS where ART, DAVE, and PETE (50’s, fat, in bad suits) laugh loudly again among themselves. INT. KYLE CONSTRUCTION HQ - LOBBY Noah and Gerry exit the elevator and pass beneath a LARGE OIL PAINTING of the company’s president, C. CLARENCE KYLE. Page 4 of 97 Page 5 of 97 3. EXT. KYLE CONSTRUCTION HQ - PARKING LOT – CONTINUOUS The building looms over Noah. He glances back and can just make out SOMEONE WATCHING HIM from the top floor. INT. NOAH’S CAR - CIRCLE K LOT - DAY Noah watches people enter and exit the store. He begins to hyperventilate, then pounds his fists, screaming at nothing. He calms himself, reaches into the 30 pack of PBR sitting next to him, and chugs one quietly. Title: MAY YOUR HOUSE BE SAFE FROM TIGERS INT. NOAH’S HOUSE - LIVING ROOM/KITCHEN - NIGHT CLAIRE (20’s, in pajamas) scrubs plates in the sink. Noah sits on the couch, talking into a cell phone. NOAH (INTO PHONE) I’ll figure it out. Not yet, no. His voice rises and he sits up, exasperated. NOAH (INTO PHONE) Because I got fired less than two hours ago! Why...how could I have my resume ready??? CLAIRE (O.S.) You weren’t fired. NOAH (INTO PHONE) “Laid off.” Claire comes in, shaking beer cans and picking up empties. NOAH (INTO PHONE) Ok. I will. It’s fine. I still have coverage until the end of the month. Look, I have to go. I will! ...Good bye. Love you, too. He hangs up, pretends to choke the phone. CLAIRE (sing song) And how is your mother? NOAH (laughing slightly) Fine. (MORE) Page 5 of 97 Page 6 of 97 4. NOAH (CONT’D) I’m the handsomest, smartest boy in the world, so I should be working again in no time. Claire sits down next to Noah and puts her arms around him. CLAIRE You are the handsomest, smartest boy in the world. Noah hugs her back, but dodges the compliment. NOAH Ugh, what am I going to do? CLAIRE You’ll find something. You hated that job. NOAH I never fit in there, did I? I just...I want to be able to provide for us. CLAIRE We’ll be frugal. You have some money saved. You have your severance. NOAH I don’t want it all falling on you. CLAIRE We’ll get through this. Have you talked to your father yet? NOAH Not sure I’m ready for that conversation. She kisses him and looks him in the eyes. CLAIRE I have to get ready for bed. You coming? Maybe I can help you relax? NOAH (not taking the hint) No, I’m ok. I think I need to burn this off, just be sad for a little while. Page 6 of 97 Page 7 of 97 5. CLAIRE Well, you’ll have a lot to talk about tomorrow at least. Has Dr. Saxon been helping? Noah hangs his head, fiddles with his drink. CLAIRE This isn’t the end of the world. You just have to take charge of the situation, put together your resume. Show them who you are, baby. Show them what you can do. INT. NOAH’S HOUSE – LIVING ROOM - LATER THAT NIGHT ON TV: A campaign commercial for MARCO FLORES. “You can believe in Flores.” The house is dark. Noah sits in the exact same spot on the couch. He drinks the whiskey slurry from the bottom of a rocks glass, then refills it, while staring at his laptop. NOAH (clicking on job websites) Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck. INT. NOAH’S HOUSE – LIVING ROOM - MORNING Two fizzing tablets drop into a water glass. Noah snores, sprawled on the couch. Claire shakes him gently. CLAIRE Hey. Wake up. He barely opens his eyes. She hands him the glass of water. CLAIRE Drink this. Let’s get you into bed. Noah swills it down. Claire pulls him onto his feet. INT. NOAH’S HOUSE - BEDROOM - MOMENTS LATER Noah follows her into the bedroom and falls face first onto the mattress. Claire turns him on his back and pulls off his pants. He is asleep again. Claire spoons into him, worried. Page 7 of 97 Page 8 of 97 6. INT. NOAH’S HOUSE - BEDROOM - HOURS LATER Noah opens his eyes groggily. Claire is gone. EXT. NOAH’S HOUSE – DAY Noah gets in his car, starts the engine, pauses, turns the engine off, and gets out. On the car, directly in the center, lies A DEAD RAVEN, its body shattered from a great fall. Noah considers the carcass on his hood, then stares up at the empty sky. He gets back in his car, pulls out of the driveway, accelerates, then brakes, sending the dead bird flying into the street. INT. NOAH’S CAR - CARWASH - DAY ON THE RADIO: A discussion of the housing market’s collapse. Noah sits dead eyed as SOAP SUDS wash over the windows. The suds ALMOST IMPERCEPTIBLY FORM A PATTERN. INT. NOAH’S CAR – DR. SAXON’S OFFICE - DAY Noah opens Facebook on his phone and CHECKS-IN his location. EXT. CAMELBACK MOUNTAIN - DAY At the summit, Noah takes in the view of Phoenix below: grids within grids. A SINGLE PLANE courses through the sky, followed by A THICK WHITE CONTRAIL. Noah reaches out with his thumb and forefinger, as if to crush it. INT. NOAH’S HOUSE – BEDROOM - EARLY EVENING Noah adjusts his belt in front of a full length mirror. CLAIRE (O.S.) I also spoke with Karen and she said she’d look over your resume. She was doing the hiring at AKO before she got transferred to their New York office, so she knows what to look for. NOAH Ok. Page 8 of 97 Page 9 of 97 7. CLAIRE (O.S.) Emphasize your qualities and strengths! NOAH Sure. Claire walks out of the bathroom, fixing an earring. CLAIRE You listening to me or are you just agreeing with everything I’m saying? NOAH (smiling) Yep. EXT. ALICE’S HOUSE – NIGHT Noah knocks on the front door. Claire holds a birthday present. A dog barks inside. Claire grasps Noah’s hand. NOAH Here we go. The door opens and a retriever bursts out, followed by Noah’s nephews, CALEB (8) and SAM (12). Noah gives them a bear hug. CALEB Uncle Noah! SAM Uncle Noah! Noah’s sister, ALICE (30’s, ex-artist housewife), and her husband JIM (40’s, Diamondbacks t-shirt) appear. ALICE Hey! Get in here before the dog goes ape shit. Pringles! Down! Everyone steps inside. Sam and Caleb run off. ALICE (to Noah, sympathetically) Awww...come here. He drifts forward into her hug. ALICE Those assholes. NOAH It’s fine. Page 9 of 97 Page 10 of 97 8. ALICE It’s not fine. Come on, you want wine or beer? INT. ALICE’S HOUSE – KITCHEN - NIGHT Noah stands away from dinner prep, watching the people he loves. Alice chops vegetables. Jim tastes the red sauce. Sam and Caleb CLING ADORINGLY TO CLAIRE’S WAIST. She smiles at Noah from across the room. INT. ALICE’S HOUSE – DINING ROOM - NIGHT Spaghetti steams on the table as everyone seats themselves. CLAIRE I looked it up and there’s a lot we can do. Cook dinner at home more. ALICE Make lists when you get groceries. Go in with a plan. Sam, you want to do the honors? It’s your big day! SAM Ok... Alice, Jim, and the kids bow their heads. Noah and Claire look surprised but do the same. NOAH (mock whispering to Alice) When did you start praying? ALICE We’re providing “a spiritual home.” Now shhh! Let Sam do his thing. SAM Thank you, God, for the food we are about to receive. Thank you for a pretty good birthday. Thank you also for helping me get chosen in the rock choir recital. I think it will be fun. Amen. EVERYONE Amen. They release hands and raise their heads. Page 10 of 97 Page 11 of 97 9. CLAIRE You’re going to be in the choir? SAM Rock choir. CLAIRE Rock choir. I’m sorry. ALICE The school hired a new music teacher. We think Mr. Flores is awesome. Sam looks embarrassed. JIM He’s the one...his brother is the super liberal congressman? That’s a shadow to live under. ALICE That’s why they chose his school to be the first with all the new eco- friendly upgrades. Well, not “why” per se, but -- CALEB Solar panels! Global warning! INT. ALICE’S HOUSE – DINING ROOM - LATER THAT NIGHT Wrapping paper. Half eaten cake. Alice clears the table. INT. ALICE’S HOUSE - GARAGE – NIGHT Noah and Jim sit next to an old car with the hood propped open. Jim exhales a cloud of smoke and offers Noah A BOWL. NOAH I...shouldn’t. JIM Take it. Jesus. Noah takes it, lights, and inhales. NOAH (off the bowl) Holy shit. Page 11 of 97 Page 12 of 97 10. JIM Alice told me what happened. Look, I never knew what I wanted to do with my life. I knew I didn’t want to work in my dad’s deli, but that’s about it. So, I get a paycheck. I get the health and the dental and the paid vacation. I get an awesome wife and kids. And I get high alone in my garage sometimes. Right now that’s enough. Pass that back. Look at this as an opportunity to figure out what you’re good at, what you love. Noah exhales and coughs. He passes the bowl back. NOAH You love your job? JIM No, of course not. But I have kids. Remember when Sam broke his arm a couple years ago? You have any idea what that would have cost without the insurance? Jim tokes again. Noah’s phone buzzes. He looks at the screen. NOAH (eyes slitted) We’re heading out. How do I look? JIM (exhaling smoke) You’re going to be okay, buddy. INT. NOAH’S HOUSE - KITCHEN - NIGHT Noah and Claire enter the house. Claire sniffs: CLAIRE Oh God, what is that? Can you take the trash out, Cheech? NOAH Yes ma’am. Noah opens the cabinet beneath the kitchen sink. CLAIRE You coming to bed tonight? Page 12 of 97 Page 13 of 97 11. NOAH I’m going to try. EXT. NOAH’S HOUSE - ALLEY – NIGHT Noah, still very high, chucks the bag into a city trash bin. He turns around and stops, going rigid. Standing in a pool of light is an EIGHT FOOT TALL, HUMANOID LIZARD-CREATURE. It has an enlarged, oblong head, and black eyes blinking at Noah curiously. Neither it, nor Noah, moves. NOAH I told you to never come back. The creature, reflected in Noah’s red eyes, says nothing. PULL OUT and, standing where the creature was: A MAN WALKING HIS DOG. The man backs away, yanking at his dog’s leash. INT. NOAH’S HOUSE - KITCHEN – NIGHT Noah locks the back door. He just stands there uneasily. CLAIRE (O.S.) Hey hon? Can you make me some tea since you’re out there? NOAH ...Sure... Noah grabs a mug from the cabinet and fills it with water. NOAH Uhhh, do you want Sleepytime or Sweet Dreamz? CLAIRE (O.S.) Sweet Dreamz! INT. NOAH’S HOUSE - BEDROOM – LATER THAT NIGHT The tea cup empty. Claire asleep. Noah tosses and turns. Page 13 of 97 Page 14 of 97 12. INT. NOAH’S HOUSE - LIVING ROOM – NIGHT Noah peeks out the blinds, whiskey in hand. He takes his spot on the couch, in front of his laptop and the glow of the TV. FADE TO BLACK EXT. CHINA BLOSSOM RESTAURANT – EVENING Brilliant pink sunset. TWO PLANES FLY PERPENDICULAR PATHS as Noah, now bearded with longer hair, sits on a bench next to Claire, watches. A DISC buzzes in Claire's lap. INT. CHINA BLOSSOM RESTAURANT – EVENING Noah and Claire are halfway through their meal. CLAIRE What about Architrust? NOAH No. No word. CLAIRE You should follow up with them. Jill says they do great work. NOAH Ok. I will. CLAIRE You ever hear back from ThinkGroup? Noah says nothing. She reaches across to hold his hand. CLAIRE You seem so defeated. You cocoon yourself up in the house everyday. Where’s the fire inside? NOAH (PRELAP) The fire? It’s been more than eight months. I’ve sent cover letters out to dozens of firms and haven’t gotten a single reply. I –- INT. NOAH’S HOUSE – INTERCUT ROOMS - MORNING BEDROOM: Noah lies in a fluffy, crisp bed. His eyes pop open. Page 14 of 97 Page 15 of 97 13. NOAH (V.O.) -- Wake up each morning and check the dozen job sites I belong to. LIVING ROOM: Noah sips coffee, working studiously. EXT. PHOENIX MOUNTAIN RESERVE – DAY Noah charges uphill, drenched in sweat. NOAH (V.O.) Jog five miles each day when the job sites reveal nothing. INT. NOAH’S HOUSE – INTERCUT ROOMS - DAY KITCHEN: A blender purees a brown liquid. NOAH (V.O.) When that’s done, I chug a protein shake, then send out cold emails to firms that aren’t advertising jobs but maybe will be. LIVING ROOM: Noah types furiously. NOAH (V.O.) After that it’s a toss-up whether I vacuum the house, do laundry, or clean the bathrooms. Today just happened to be vacuuming. LIVING ROOM: Noah vacuums a tidy home. INT. CHINABLOSSOM RESTAURANT – EVENING NOAH Lather, rinse, repeat. Insert some minor variation here and there, but that’s my average day. Claire pulls her hands out of his and looks at Noah. Hard. CLAIRE Are you lying to me or are you just lying to yourself? NOAH What do you mean? Page 15 of 97 Page 16 of 97 14. CLAIRE (PRELAP) You –- INT. NOAH’S HOUSE - INTERCUT ROOMS - MORNING BEDROOM: Noah lies in a disheveled bed. His eyes peel open. CLAIRE (V.O.) -- Wake up around 10 or 11. Drink a pot of coffee while watching Food Network. Then -- LIVING ROOM: Noah sprawls across the couch in his usual spot. EXT. PHOENIX MOUNTAIN RESERVE – DAY Noah walks through the desert, staring at the sky. CLAIRE (V.O.) -- Whether you run or not, I don’t know. But you’ve put on about 20 pounds since, you know, all this. Which of course -- INT. NOAH’S HOUSE – DAY KITCHEN: Noah crushes a beer, Chinese food open before him. CLAIRE (V.O.) -- Is exacerbated by the actually staggering amount of drinking you’ve been doing recently. Then -- LIVING ROOM: Noah types furiously. CLAIRE (V.O.) -- I think you spend several hours getting into comment battles with people on Facebook. Or Reddit maybe? 4Chan? I don’t know. BEDROOM: Noah makes the bed. A beercan on the side table. CLAIRE (V.O.) And yeah, sometimes you clean or fix dinner, but I don’t care about that if you’re going to ignore all the important things in your life. Page 16 of 97 Page 17 of 97 15. INT. CHINA BLOSSOM RESTAURANT – EVENING CLAIRE You’re giving up on yourself. NOAH That’s a –- The WAITER refills waters. Noah eyes him until he leaves. NOAH (slumping, resigned) -- That’s a half truth. I don’t know what else to do. Claire sighs, slurps a noodle. Noah folds into himself. CLAIRE What does Dr. Saxon say? NOAH Same as you. I should apply myself. CLAIRE You have applied yourself. You still on for 3 O’clock tomorrow? NOAH Yeah. CLAIRE Ok, but you need to stick with it, stop being so down on yourself. (off Noah’s posture) Stop hunching up like that every time we talk about this. NOAH Well, I’m fucking sick of talking about this. It’s all I talk about, with you, mom, Saxon! I haven’t had a conversation with someone in months that hasn’t finally drifted to what an asshole I am. CLAIRE You know that’s not what I’m saying. And if you gave any indication that you were accomplishing ...anything!... maybe we could talk about something else. As it is, I’m working 50 hours a week while you stay up and fuck around on your computer all night. Page 17 of 97 Page 18 of 97 16. NOAH It’s the one time of day I don’t feel guilty for not being a productive member of society. Claire finishes her wine. The mood has turned sour. CLAIRE I don’t really care about assuaging your guilt. I’ll only hold your hand so far. No one can make you change. Find a passion, a purpose. Figure out what you want to do with your life. Because this isn’t it. The waiter drops off the check. They both reach for it, but CLAIRE GETS IT FIRST and pays the bill while Noah looks on. INT. NOAH’S HOUSE - KITCHEN – NIGHT Noah and Claire enter without saying a word. She stops at the bedroom and looks back at him; he is already on his laptop. She slams the bedroom door behind her. INT. NOAH’S HOUSE - LIVING ROOM – NIGHT ON TV: A nature doc. A CATERPILLAR crawls across the screen. Noah sits in his now familiar spot, his laptop open, a drink in hand, his face silhouetted by light from the TV. Noah tops off his drink from a plastic whiskey jug. ON LAPTOP: Smiling friends on Facebook. Nude celebrities on Egotastic. A dog farts on Youtube. Noah clicks links on Reddit. HE CLICKS ONE TITLED “THE ANNUNAKI CONSPIRACY.” Noah finishes his drink, refills it. ON TV: A BUTTERFLY emerges from a cocoon. ON LAPTOP: Noah scrolls down, reading. Scattered in the text are pictures of The Great Pyramid, Easter Island, and astrological symbols, until A PHOTO captures his attention. It bears a STRIKING RESEMBLANCE TO THE LIZARD CREATURE we saw in the alley several months earlier. Noah considers it carefully, although he is quite drunk by now. ON LAPTOP: Noah clicks on the comments section. Page 18 of 97 Page 19 of 97 17. ON TV: The butterfly gets tangled in a dewy spider web. Noah types, pauses, types again. He places his glass down roughly and falls into the cushions, his gaze now on the TV. ON TV: The spider wraps the butterfly. THREE DEW DROPS glisten, a pattern reminiscent of the CONSTELLATION ORION. Noah passes out, body limp. His laptop still aglow. ON LAPTOP: “I’ve seen the lizard people. With my eyes.” FADE TO BLACK INT. NOAH’S HOUSE - LIVING ROOM – NIGHT Noah’s POV: a ceiling fan spins, lit only by TV static. Claire leans into frame. CLAIRE You have an interview! Everything is set up. NOAH Hmm? CLAIRE Make me proud. FADE TO BLACK INT. NOAH’S HOUSE - LIVING ROOM – MORNING Noah wakes up on the couch. He drinks the melted ice and whiskey. He turns on his laptop. ON LAPTOP SCREEN: There are several replies to his comment, but one stands out. “Please check your email.” The inbox has ONE NEW MESSAGE from TruthSeeker69 that reads: “You should be more careful with such honest public declarations. You are being watched, as you know. Please meet us at 301 E McDowell today, 3:01PM. Order the Seafood Salad. If you do not see us, it is because we do not wish to be seen. –A Friend (?)” INT. NOAH’S CAR - DR. SAXON’S OFFICE – DAY ON THE RADIO: The mystery of birds falling from the sky. Page 19 of 97 Page 20 of 97 18. Noah pulls into the office complex and checks in on his phone. He looks across the intersection at the street sign: E MCDOWELL; the dashboard clock: 2:45PM. NOAH Fuck it. Let’s get seafood salad -- EXT. TACO BEL – DAY Through the windshield we can see a damaged Taco Bell sign next to a busy road. It now reads: “Taco Bel”. NOAH -- At Taco Bell... INT. TACO BEL - DAY Noah checks the clock on his phone as he walks cautiously through the door: 3PM. From a corner booth, MAIA (50’s, long gray hair) regards him coolly as she sips tea. TACO BEL CASHIER Welcome to Taco Bell how may I help you? NOAH I’d like the Seafood Salad. Please. The cashier looks at him strangely. TACO BEL CASHIER What, um, what number is that? NOAH I don’t know. TACO BEL CASHIER I don’t think we have that. They stand at an awkward impasse. From behind Noah, a voice: T.S. The seafood salad is a mix of baby shrimp and imitation crab, scooped over shredded lettuce, diced tomato, a three cheese blend, and of course ranch dressing, all served in a crisp flour tortilla shell. (MORE) Page 20 of 97 Page 21 of 97 19. T.S. (CONT’D) Sadly it was discontinued in 1987 due to lagging sales by a Reagan- era public still too frightened of the emasculative femininity inherent in seafood. Noah turns around to see T.S. LOPSIA (30’s, a squat, slightly muscular man with a face like a bulldog beneath an early graying crew cut). T.S. steps forward. T.S. Not to mention “salad.” Were it available today, I would certainly have the balls to order it. That said, I will have three Doritos Locos Tacos Supreme, a small beverage, and some Cinnastix. He turns to Noah. T.S. Noah, would you like to reconsider? Noah opens his mouth but says nothing. T.S. (to the cashier) Double my order. Split the check. INT. TACO BEL - DAY T.S. sits at a booth, already halfway through his first taco when Noah approaches and sits down reluctantly. The TACO BELL EYE OF HORUS LOGO stares down at them. NOAH You know my name? T.S. If I were to tell you that a planet named Nibiru, twice the size of Jupiter, long hidden in orbit behind the Sun, was on a crash course towards Earth, what would your reaction be? Noah rubs his eyes, lowers his head. NOAH This is a mistake. Page 21 of 97 Page 22 of 97 20. T.S. Go on... NOAH (sighing) That’s crazy. If anything that size were in the galaxy, astronomers would have discovered it by now. T.S Right? NOAH Even if, say, it had somehow maintained a magical path that defied the laws of orbital mechanics, it still would have exerted gravitational anomalies that gave away its presence. T.S Exactly! And yet this is the type of bullshit I have to deal with every day. Assholes who are so stuck on the big picture that they can’t see the obvious. NOAH What are we talking about? And how do you know my name? T.S (taco to his mouth, looking very serious) I hacked the mainframe. He takes a bite. T.S No. Google. You’re on the message boards day and night. I didn’t know that until I saw your post last night slash this morning and then dug into your history. He takes another bite. T.S I’m not a creep. But, due diligence, come on. Like I’m just going to meet a total stranger without doing the minimum research. He swallows, then laughs and slaps the table. Page 22 of 97 Page 23 of 97 21. T.S You have no idea who I am, do you? Due diligence, man! You can’t post something like (whispering) “I’ve seen the fucking Annunaki” and not cover any of your bases! Eat your tacos, they’re getting cold. Noah unwraps his first taco. NOAH Ok. You are? T.S. T.S. For now. NOAH Fine, T.S., I’m going to be honest. I only half remember what you wrote. T.S. eyes Noah. T.S. How long you been unemployed? Six months? NOAH How...? T.S. Again, the boards mostly. You’re all over the map: politics, religion, weird news. You replied sporadically before, but then about six months ago -BOOM!- you’re a rock star hermit with no pants on and the time to really get invested. Plus your LinkedIn says you’re looking for work. You really don’t remember what I wrote? (beat) And yet here you are. NOAH The picture. One of the pictures was familiar. T.S. reaches into his bag and pulls out an iPad. He flips it open but keeps the screen towards him. Page 23 of 97 Page 24 of 97 22. T.S. Can you describe the photo to me? Noah crumples a wrapper. NOAH I don’t really feel comfortable discussing this. T.S. Then why reach out? Why show up? Look at you, man, you’re a ball of nervous energy. NOAH I was drunk. It was stupid. I think maybe I’m mis-remembering. T.S. Don’t apologize to me about getting fucked up. “Let him drink, and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more,” as they say. Just describe the picture you saw. NOAH It...you know, it looked like a lizardy man. Big eyes. Ugly. T.S. smiles and turns the iPad around. It’s open to the same webpage as before, only the photo is of John D. Rockefeller. T.S. Which is strange, because I posted a photo of John D. Rockefeller. NOAH (crumpling a wrapper) Ok, I’m going to head out. T.S. Come on. We barely talked. “I have yet many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.” EXT. TACO BEL – DAY T.S. chases Noah across the parking lot. Cars rush by. T.S. Hey! Hey, hold up! Noah fumbles his car keys. Page 24 of 97 Page 25 of 97 23. T.S. One more thing, ok? NOAH Look, I wasted your time. I’m sorry. I take full responsibility. T.S. If you were being straight with me then you’re not wasting my time. Alcohol lowers the veil, makes a man honest. Don’t apologize for who you are. NOAH I have to go. T.S. Wait! Please. Something terrible is going to happen, but... (beat) Maybe you’re not ready to admit this to yourself, but if you can actually see the Annunaki, you could be so incredibly important to me, to everybody. We need you. Noah gets in his car, puts it into gear. T.S. (through the car window) Oh, you have somewhere to be? Off to a big meeting? Goddammit, hold on! Where did you see them? Noah backs up and rolls down his window. NOAH He was walking his dog. Noah speeds away. T.S. stands alone in the parking lot beneath the big Taco Bel sign. THREE PLANES FLY PARALLEL, their contrails evenly dividing the sky. INT. NOAH’S HOUSE - LIVING ROOM – EVENING Noah and Claire sit on opposite sides of the couch. Claire clicks through shows while Noah sips his drink. Page 25 of 97 Page 26 of 97 24. EXT. ALICE’S HOUSE – MORNING Noah pulls up in his car. He honks. The front door opens and Alice waves at Noah while Sam gets in the car. INT. NOAH’S CAR - MORNING Noah pulls the car away. NOAH Sam the man! Good morning! SAM Morning. Mom says to say thank you for the ride. NOAH How’s Caleb? SAM Being a baby. He just has a fever. NOAH Your mom doesn’t want anything happening to you guys. She’s being a parent. Silence. NOAH How’s school? SAM Ok. NOAH You still doing rock choir with Mr... SAM Flores. Yeah, we practice every day after school. Sam looks troubled. NOAH You ok, buddy? What’s up? SAM ... NOAH Hey, you don’t have to tell me. But you can talk to me if you want to. Page 26 of 97 Page 27 of 97 25. SAM ...The other kids call me a pussy. Because I’m in the choir and they play sports. NOAH Those motherfuckers. Don’t tell your mom I said that. SAM It’s fine. Dad says it when he watches the news. NOAH Well, look, kids suck. You don’t suck, but kids do. NOAH They’re ridiculously cruel for some reason. I’m sorry. SAM You got picked on? NOAH Oh, sure. There was this one kid who would try to push me down a flight of stairs every day after second period. I had to change my route to class to avoid him. SAM (smiling) Pussy. NOAH (smiling back) Yeah, well, I probably was. Kids grow out of it. Not all, but most. EXT. BARRY GOLDWATER K-12 - MORNING Maria, who we recognize as the crying girl from the first scene, walks by as CHEERLEADERS practice: CHEER GIRLS A - G - H - 2 - O! Noah pulls up and parks in front of: Page 27 of 97 Page 28 of 97 26. Construction tape. Bulldozers. There is a large wooden sign with the word METATRONIX and a METATRON’S CUBE-INSPIRED LOGO above an architectural rendering of the school surrounded by SOLAR PANELS arrayed in a FLOWER OF LIFE pattern. Beneath this: pictures of THE PHOENIX SEVEN, all old white men, including one of a smiling C. Clarence Kyle shaking hands with Marco Flores, the Democratic congressman. Noah eyes the sign as Sam gets out of the car. NOAH Hey, keep your chin up. I can’t wait to see you in the recital. SAM You found a job yet? Mom’s worried. NOAH I think I have something lined up. INT. NOAH’S HOUSE - BEDROOM – MORNING Noah is: shaving, brushing his teeth, tying a tie. INT. KYLE CONSTRUCTION HQ - RECEPTION – DAY A white modern room. Noah sits, gripping his resume. Hung on the wall is a piece of VIDEO ART: “The Kitchen V, Carrying the Milk” by Marina Abramovic. Marina’s hands shake, and a few drops from the bowl hit the floor. Seconds tick by. More milk spills. Noah tightens his grasp. RECEPTIONIST Mr. Kyle will see you now. INT. KYLE CONSTRUCTION HQ - KYLE’S OFFICE – DAY Two large old wooden doors. A knock. C. CLARENCE KYLE (O.S.) Come in! Noah enters. The office is impossibly large. White marble floors in a perfect grid, the coffered ceiling mimicking the floor pattern: one coffer per seven tiles, seven times. At the far end is C. CLARENCE KYLE (70’s), an impeccably dressed conservative businessman. Page 28 of 97 Page 29 of 97 27. C. CLARENCE KYLE You’re going to have to come closer. I’m afraid I can barely see you over there. Noah comes closer. C. CLARENCE KYLE Noah Ev-em-eras, yes? NOAH Evemeras. Yes sir, I... C. CLARENCE KYLE You used to work for me. NOAH Yes. They said if things picked up... C. CLARENCE KYLE And now you want your old job back? NOAH Yes. Yes, I think that I’d... C. CLARENCE KYLE We’d have to offer you a significant pay cut. The economy, you understand. NOAH Yes. I understand. The economy. C. CLARENCE KYLE A 35% cut. Does that sound fair? Given the situation? A hidden door opens on one wall and a small Hispanic woman wearing a brilliant red kimono enters, placing a gold tray in front of Kyle. On the tray is a head-to-tail salmon with the midsection carved into sashimi. She turns and leaves. Kyle eats with gold chopsticks and looks at Noah expectantly. NOAH ...35? Of course, that seems fair. C. CLARENCE KYLE And your benefits would not kick in again for some time. Noah nods. Page 29 of 97 Page 30 of 97 28. C. CLARENCE KYLE Health. Dental. 401k. For several years at the very least. Noah nods again, defeated. C. Clarence Kyle is already halfway finished with the salmon. C. CLARENCE KYLE All of this is predicated on your immediate re-hire -- NOAH Thank you. Being unemployed...I’m beginning to die inside. C. CLARENCE KYLE -- Which we will not be doing. Noah raises his eyes questioningly. C. CLARENCE KYLE What do they say about business, Noah? Noah opens his mouth, but says nothing. C. CLARENCE KYLE It’s not what you know –- Kyle waits. C. CLARENCE KYLE Come on. It’s not what you know -- NOAH It’s who you know. C. CLARENCE KYLE And who do you know? NOAH Well, I only moved here a few years ago. For the job. My uncle...You and he were quite close. C. CLARENCE KYLE And when we hired you, he was alive and well. An influential man. I always liked him, if not personally. NOAH He died several months ago. Page 30 of 97 Page 31 of 97 29. C. CLARENCE KYLE I attended the funeral. (beat, chewing) His influence has waned since then. NOAH So... C. CLARENCE KYLE So when we hired you, you were useful, you served a purpose. And now you are not, you do not. NOAH I bring some skills to the table. Kyle stands up, the salmon reduced to head and tail. C. CLARENCE KYLE When we let you go the first time, you said, “I never fit in here,” is that right? He circles the table. NOAH I... C. CLARENCE KYLE Did you even want this job? Do you appreciate what we do? NOAH Yes, of course, I... C. CLARENCE KYLE Because I have seen your emails, read the litany of complaints, seen the recesses of your mind, and you haaaaated it here, at this company that has been my life’s work. He circles behind Noah. C. CLARENCE KYLE And yet here you are, begging to take back a job you hated at a company you loathed. A job you took solely out of the fear that without it you would disappoint everyone who’s supported you expectantly along the way. Page 31 of 97 Page 32 of 97 30. Noah turns reluctantly to see Kyle standing before a tufted white leather sofa, above which is a LARGE OIL PAINTING BY JOHN GAST, “AMERICAN PROGRESS”. Kyle stares at it, entranced. C. CLARENCE KYLE And you have been supported, coddled. You’re more baby than man. Do you know what I am? Kyle, framed by the painting, spins to glare at Noah. C. CLARENCE KYLE I am a world builder. When I came here there was nothing, just vast tracts of dirt and rocks. I brought water. I brought power. I brought the trees, and I brought men. Roads. Bridges. Homes. Life! Everything you see I created from willpower and balls. Not once have you shown me balls! NOAH (meekly) Did you just bring me here to humiliate me? C. CLARENCE KYLE Humiliate you? Does the truth, dared to be spoken aloud, make you blush? Can you admit even to yourself what you are? NOAH I... Noah drops his gaze, eyes brimming. Kyle approaches. C. CLARENCE KYLE I HOLD MY HEAD HIGH! I AM A WORLD BUILDER! YOU ARE -- INT. NOAH’S HOUSE - LIVING ROOM – EARLY MORNING Noah is splayed across the couch, no pants, his head hanging low off the side. Vomit drips from his mouth, forming a pool on the floor. Claire stands over him. CLAIRE Hey. He doesn’t stir, barely opens his eyes. Page 32 of 97 Page 33 of 97 31. CLAIRE The power’s out. NOAH What? CLAIRE The power is out. You pay the bill? Noah sits up. NOAH Yeah. I think. You sure it’s out? CLAIRE I am sure. (off the stained couch) The fuck is that? NOAH Oh, I spilled something. CLAIRE Fuck! I don’t have time for this, Noah. Can you pay the goddamn power bill like an adult so we have electricity again? NOAH I... CLAIRE What? NOAH I don’t know if I have enough in my account. But I also don’t know what the bill is! Maybe I can float it! Claire turns away from him. She dials her cell phone. CLAIRE (INTO PHONE) John? Hey, listen I’m going to be running late. Start the meeting without me. Just some things I have to deal with at home. I’m sorry. I know! An hour, max, I promise. INT. NOAH’S HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - MORNING Noah sits in the dark, head in hands. Claire paces in the bedroom down the hall, surrounded by bills and envelopes. Page 33 of 97 Page 34 of 97 32. CLAIRE (INTO PHONE) Account number 9572... INT. NOAH’S HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - MORNING Noah doesn’t react when the door slams as Claire leaves. INT. NOAH’S HOUSE - KITCHEN – DAY Noah, shirtless, smokes a joint while he wipes out a melting freezer. He stares. Frost in the back forms TESSELLATING PATTERNS as he -- A WHIRRING SOUND breaks the spell. The power is back on. INT. NOAH’S HOUSE - LIVING ROOM – DAY Noah lays on the stained couch, game controller in hand, headset on. Another joint burns in an ashtray. NOAH (INTO HEADSET) How you like me now you hillbilly piece of shit? ON TV: He races around a Middle Eastern compound, killing other players. Bloody red text: “ROUND LOSS.” NOAH (INTO HEADSET) Fuuuuck. Youuuuu. Noah’s laptop beeps. ON LAPTOP: Email from TruthSeeker69. Other tabs are visible – “Why the Annunaki need,” “The Nibiru Cataclysm,” “Reptiloid Draconians” – but only his email is open. It reads: T.S. (V.O.) Noah, we got off to a bad start. I think your skills could be incredibly valuable to my organization. Please meet me for an informational meeting and apology beer at the Swizzle Inn. INT. NOAH’S HOUSE - KITCHEN – LATER THAT DAY Noah roots in the fridge for a beer but comes back empty. Page 34 of 97 Page 35 of 97 33. INT. SWIZZLE INN – DAY A classic dive. Musty, cluttered, and dark. T.S. sits at the bar alone. The door opens, letting in too much daylight. T.S. squints and waves Noah over. LATER: Noah and T.S. sip their beers in silence. T.S. Can I ask you something? NOAH Sure. T.S. So I’m clear, what did you mean when you said, “I’ve seen them?” Noah sips his beer, inhales as if to speak, then sips again. NOAH There have been times... Noah stalls, suddenly interested in his napkin. NOAH About 10 years ago...I was walking to class and there it was, just for a second, sitting in an Escalade at a red light. I thought someone was wearing a mask, you know, like that picture you had, but when I looked again it was just a guy. T.S. So just that one time? NOAH No. For a while I’d see them quite regularly: at the bank, the gym, teaching my classes. Noah sighs, then speaks rapidly, the way people do when glossing over something important. NOAH Long story short, I tried to kill myself. That didn’t work out, so they hospitalized me and put me on a combination of antipsychotics and carbamazepine. They said I had some form of “peduncular hallucinosis.” Page 35 of 97 Page 36 of 97 34. T.S. They would say that. Are you still taking them? NOAH Not exactly. My insurance ran out a while ago, but I was trying to wean myself off even before that. The meds. The therapy. NOAH It felt false, like I wasn’t living my life, just watching it. Noah finishes his beer, picks at the label. NOAH Aside from my doctor, I’ve never really discussed this with anyone. My family thinks I have anxiety. (laughs) I do, I suppose... T.S. When you have a gift like this, the response we’re trained to have is shame. But, once you see behind the curtain, man... NOAH I don’t know what I saw. All dreams feel real when you’re in them. T.S. But the creatures, they looked like what you saw in my picture? Noah nods. T.S. What are the odds of that? INT. SWIZZLE INN – EARLY EVENING Noah and T.S. are now drinking whiskey. NOAH So, you’re what? UFO hunters? Page 36 of 97 Page 37 of 97 35. T.S. (lowering his voice) I am the president of an organization that tracks the movements and actions of the Annunaki –- NOAH -- a race of reptilian alien overlords who secretly control us? T.S. It won’t be a secret much longer. I’m finishing my book, which is why I wanted to meet you! They’re everywhere, as you know. NOAH I wouldn’t say... T.S. You have to look between geopolitical actions to see them. Find meaning in patterns that others don’t see. NOAH You’ve never seen one? T.S. I have not. NOAH Yet you believe these aliens exist? T.S. I do. You’ve seen them, and yet you insist they don’t. Who’s the crazy one? (beat) They were the gods of Sumer and they remain the titans of industry, finance, and technology to this day. They are, quite literally, “the invisible hand.” NOAH So you plan to expose them. Why? T.S. Something has changed. My research indicates they’re planning... something. Look, I can read books all day, but I seek gnosis. (MORE) Page 37 of 97 Page 38 of 97 36. T.S. (CONT’D) (considers his words) When you tried to kill yourself, did you leave your life a wreck? Noah looks down. NOAH No. I cleaned my apartment, paid my bills, closed my accounts. I felt relief. As close to happy as I had in a long time. T.S. gestures at the TV above the bar. ON TV: a NEWS GRAPHIC SHOWS U.S. INCOME INEQUALITY. T.S. You see? Same thing. Cleaning their mess. Accumulating the wealth. These aren’t the decisions of a ruling class with long term goals. Those days are over. So they take your money. They take your power. NOAH They take your job. Noah throws back his drink. NOAH You keep saying “something” is going to happen. “Something” terrible. What? Now T.S. finishes his drink. For the first time, his confidence wavers. T.S. I don’t know. I have the pieces -- He reaches into his bag and pulls out a thick MANILA FOLDER crammed with documents. T.S. -- But I can’t put them together. That’s why we need you. Noah’s phone buzzes. He answers it. NOAH (INTO PHONE) Hey. No. I’m at a meeting. An interview. Because I didn’t think you wanted to talk to me. I already apologized. Ok, I’m sorry! (MORE) Page 38 of 97 Page 39 of 97 37. NOAH (INTO PHONE) (CONT’D) I fucked up. Later. Maybe if you stopped yelling I would...Yes you are! T.S. gestures to the bartender for two shots. NOAH (INTO PHONE) I have to go. Blame me all you want. I’m aware this is my fault. Noah hangs up the phone. NOAH Sorry. Girlfriend. Noah’s phone buzzes again. Text message. He reads it aloud: NOAH “Don’t bother coming home tonight you fucking –-" The phone buzzes a third time. NOAH Ah, it’s a two parter. “-- Fuckity fuck fuck.” T.S. slides a shot across the bar to Noah. They stare straight ahead - CLINK - and down them simultaneously. INT. SWIZZLE INN - MEN’S ROOM – EVENING Noah grips the sink and clenches his eyes closed as he hunches over, choking on his own frustration. T.S. glides into the bathroom and stands behind Noah. NOAH What? T.S. places a hand on Noah’s shoulder. T.S. You seem to be going through a bit of a rough patch. NOAH Look man, I barely... Page 39 of 97 Page 40 of 97 38. T.S. I know. We just met, but all of my data indicates the Annunaki are coordinating what will be a catastrophic worldwide event. I don’t know where. I don’t know what. I don’t know when. I’m trying to defuse a bomb I can’t even see. (beat) But I see something in you. I see a man whose true talents are going to waste because they pose a direct threat to the powers that be. T.S. What better way to keep a man down than to make him believe he belongs there? You need to stop being so hard on yourself and -- T.S. squeezes Noah’s shoulder muscle. T.S. -- Jesus! You are a ball of tension. When was the last time you let yourself have some fun? NOAH It’s been a while. T.S. dangles a bag of coke in front of Noah’s face. T.S. You’re partying with me tonight. And then you’re going to help me with my research. He puts a spoon up to Noah’s nostril. Noah snorts in deeply. NOAH Yeah. Ok. T.S. puts another spoonful beneath Noah’s other nostril. T.S. This is the start of something great. PARTY MONTAGE! Page 40 of 97 Page 41 of 97 39. INT. SWIZZLE INN – NIGHT Noah and T.S. stand by the juke box smiling, laughing, and fucked out of their heads. Noah gestures wildly. T.S. So, wait, even the dog disappeared? NOAH Gone! T.S. Oh, that is so fucked up! INT. DANCE CLUB - BOOTH – NIGHT Noah and T.S. huddle over the manila folder. T.S. hands Noah papers and does a shot. Noah looks them over. T.S. We’re talking manganese, cadmium, aluminum. Thousands of times the maximum containment level! In our air, our water, our food. NOAH What’s that mean? T.S. These are heavy metals, man, but get this: the EPA, Department of Health, no one will say it’s carcinogenic! INT. IRISH PUB – NIGHT T.S. tries to flag down a bartender. NOAH (shouting) All these birds are dying midair. And now I’m finding them on my car. I gotta think it means something. INT. CLUB #2 - BATHROOM – NIGHT Noah and T.S. do lines off the sink. Music throbs outside. T.S. The conspiracy is vast. It is powerful. (MORE) Page 41 of 97 Page 42 of 97 40. T.S. (CONT’D) And it doesn’t matter where you look, be it The Bilderberg Group, The Trilateral Commission, fuck even the Masons -- Someone pounds on the door. T.S. Occupied! -- They’re all part of the same lineage going back to Sumerian deities. You familiar? Noah, head tilted back, shakes “no.” T.S. No worries. We’ll get you up to speed. EXT. CLUB #2 - BACK ALLEY – NIGHT Noah cries. T.S. leans in. A HOMELESS MAN tries to sleep. NOAH Months now and no job! I can’t...I can’t fucking get out of this. He looks at his phone, despairing. NOAH She hasn’t called back! EXT. STREET – NIGHT Noah and T.S. stumble down the sidewalk, smoking a joint. T.S., with the air of an eager personal assistant, continues to press papers into Noah’s hands. T.S. Holes in the ozone layer! Climate change! Solar storms! Every year they get worse! But what if these aren’t side effects? NOAH (scrutinizing a document) What if they’re the point? GREEN NEON LIGHT washes over them. Noah looks up to see a bright sign reading, LEOPARD & LACE GENTLEMAN’S CLUB. Page 42 of 97 Page 43 of 97 41. INT. LEOPARD & LACE GENTLEMAN’S CLUB – NIGHT T.S. gets a lap dance from CASSIE (20s, blonde) while Noah, bleary eyed, observes the scene. T.S. (to Cassie) People are petting it, feeding it, saying, “ohh, how cute!” But it’s not even there! Holographic dog! FAMILIAR LAUGHTER: Art, Dave, and Pete, the laughing businessmen from Noah’s firing, are across the room. ANOTHER MAN (40’s, tall) holds a METATRONIX CREDIT CARD. Noah furrows his brow. T.S. (off the businessmen) You know them? NOAH Yeah, that’s Art, Dave, uh, Pete. They’re...I used to work with... A PHLEGMY CHEER goes up at the businessmen’s table when the waitress returns with a gold tray of vodka shots. CU the reflection in Noah’s eyes: vodka pours into Metatronix Man’s mouth and, as the glass lowers, HE BECOMES ANNUNAKI. Noah gasps and goes rigid. NOAH Do you see? T.S. Do I see what? NOAH It’s like they’re underwater. Or, a TV with bad reception, but... Noah points at the group, but T.S. grabs him by the wrist. T.S. Don’t let on that you know! It’s not safe. A NEW SONG purrs as we follow Noah’s gaze across the club: A BLURRY, STACCATO CARNIVAL OF REPTILIAN SIN. An Annunaki, sitting in Art’s chair, flicks a forked tongue against a YOUNG DANCER’s arched neck, as if to bite her. Page 43 of 97 Page 44 of 97 42. Sweat drips down Noah’s face. NOAH I have to...I have to do something. A scream from somewhere! Noah leaps to his feet. Annunaki writhe and surge in the small space. Noah tries to form a fist, but can’t stop shaking. A TOPLESS WOMAN runs past, blood pouring from her nose. A BOUNCER pushes by. T.S. gestures at the businessmen’s table: they’re gone. Noah pushes through the crowd, throws open a side door, and stumbles upon an ANNUNAKI FUCKING SOME POOR GIRL in a back room. It hisses and roars! Noah slams the door shut and -- EXT. LEOPARD & LACE GENTLEMAN’S CLUB - NIGHT -- bursts into the parking lot and falls to his knees, gagging in the orange pool of a streetlight. T.S. catches up. NOAH It was fucking her! The...Annunaki. T.S. “The sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose. And the lord...” NOAH Stop! Why did you bring me here? T.S. They can always be found where there’s money. And sex. You needed to see firsthand what they’re capable of. T.S crouches next to Noah and eyes the businessmen, who are now across the lot. T.S. Are you familiar with the concept of menis? NOAH (gasping) Menace? Page 44 of 97 Page 45 of 97 43. T.S. “I-S” not “A-C-E”. Menis. It’s an old word. Greek. Meaning, roughly, “the anger that remains.” Noah shakes his head: no. T.S. You think you’re afraid right now, but you’re not. You stood in a room with them, watched them. I can only imagine the willpower that took. NOAH They were...feeding off the girls. T.S. They do that. The Annunaki feed off fear. And, as you saw, the girls had good reason to be afraid. But they didn’t feed off you, did they? Noah, calmer, stands and wipes at the corner of his mouth. T.S. Because you’re not afraid of them. You think you are. You think that emotion you’re choking down is fear, or sadness, or shame. Art drives up in a black car. Noah blocks the road, but Art doesn’t recognize him and honks while revving his engine. He honks again. A tense beat. Noah steps aside. Art speeds by. T.S. What you’re feeling is rage. INT. T.S.’ APARTMENT – NIGHT Books are everywhere -- history, religion, conspiracy, ufos, classics, ethnobotany -- but the meticulously clean apartment feels like a monastic cell. Noah sleeps on a couch. We hear a crash and clatter, then T.S. returns with a glass of water and shakes Noah. Noah opens his eyes. T.S. I’m glad you decided to meet with me. We’ve got a lot of work ahead of us and not much time. Here. T.S. gives him a handful of pills. Page 45 of 97 Page 46 of 97 44. NOAH The fuck are these? T.S. This is ginger, for your stomach... Ashwagandha, a nerve tonic...N- Acetyl Cysteine. Oh, and that’s Prickly Pear extract -- Noah swallows them all, passes out. T.S. pulls a blanket over Noah and regards him protectively as he sleeps. FADE TO BLACK INT. T.S.’ APARTMENT – MORNING Noah wakes up, finds the bathroom, and takes a long piss. INT. NOAH’S HOUSE – LIVING ROOM - DAY Noah dusts the coffee table, placing a vase of fresh flowers in the center. He clears dirty dishes, a wine bottle, and picks up CLAIRE’S OPEN LAPTOP. It awakens from the movement. We see bits of an email chain between her and FLORESJ at 2am. ON LAPTOP: “so frustrated,” “shouldn’t be talking to you.” Noah puts the laptop down. He stands quietly in the room. EVENING: The house is shiny and clean. Noah sits in his spot on the couch, drink in hand. Keys rattle. Claire enters. CLAIRE Hey. NOAH Hey. CLAIRE (off the clean house) You didn’t have to... NOAH I wanted to. I was mostly done anyway when -- CLAIRE When what? NOAH -- Your email opened. Page 46 of 97 Page 47 of 97 45. CLAIRE Oh, it just opened? By itself? NOAH I picked it up to clean your dishes off the table, yeah. CLAIRE And? NOAH Who is he? CLAIRE (quietly) I have been so, so patient with you. Why do you get to stand here and accuse me? NOAH Who the fuck is he? Noah’s phone buzzes across the room. He ignores it. CLAIRE Nobody! You forgot to pick Sam up yesterday. It was why I called. Noah stares at her. CLAIRE His music teacher was waiting with him. I gave him my email to be on the listserv. But then we started talking. He said I looked sad. Noah stands up. NOAH So we have one fight and you go for some other guy? CLAIRE It’s not one fight! It’s the thousand fights we’re not having. It’s me keeping my mouth shut while you drift along in self-pity or apathy or whatever the fuck it is that’s going on inside your head but I certainly don’t know because you don’t tell me anything anymore. So did I talk to another guy? Yeah, you caught me red handed in the... emails of another man. (MORE) Page 47 of 97 Page 48 of 97 46. CLAIRE (CONT’D) Do you have any idea how nice it was to talk to someone where, just for a moment, I wasn’t forced to be the nag? Besides, you weren’t home last night and even when you are home you might as well not be. NOAH You told me not to come home. CLAIRE You were drunk already. You’re drinking now. CLAIRE I found your roaches under the table. You can afford that shit, go to bars, but you can’t pay the fucking power bill? Noah’s phone buzzes again. He stops the buzzing. NOAH I’ve paid those bills on time for years. I forgot one time! CLAIRE But you’re forgetting everything! You’re so wrapped up in your stupid sadness you’re shutting everyone else out. And you know what? It’s not that bad. You have a roof over your head. You ate today. You have people who care about you. NOAH Knowing that only makes me feel worse. Every time you tell me to smile or tell me things will be better, I try to believe that. CLAIRE You act like this is only happening to you, but it’s happening to us. (beat) I’m almost 30, Noah. I’m watching my friends get married, buy houses, have children. We’ve already burned through your savings, we’re burning through mine, and you’ve stopped making any effort to find work. Page 48 of 97 Page 49 of 97 47. NOAH That’s not true. I think I found an internship with this guy. Noah’s phone buzzes a third time. He shows it to Claire. NOAH See? He’s calling me. I’ve been ignoring his calls so we can talk. Claire walks to the refrigerator. CLAIRE Take the call. Noah answers the phone. NOAH (INTO PHONE) Hello? INTERCUT with T.S. inside his truck, parked across the street from Metatronix Corporate Headquarters. T.S. (INTO PHONE) Noah! I found our man. Well, “man” quote unquote. Cassie looked through last night’s receipts. NOAH (INTO PHONE) Are you at Metatronix? Claire looks up at Noah while pouring a glass of wine. T.S. (INTO PHONE) Yeah! How’d you know? T.S. watches a stream of people exit the Metatronix building. NOAH (INTO PHONE) I could have just told you that. T.S. (INTO PHONE) Can we meet? I have some things I want to discuss with you about moving forward. T.S. doesn’t recognize C. Clarence Kyle in his gold Jaguar. NOAH (INTO PHONE) I don’t think tonight will work. CLAIRE Just go. Page 49 of 97 Page 50 of 97 48. NOAH (hand on receiver) What? CLAIRE Just go. NOAH (INTO PHONE) Hold on. CLAIRE Go! We’re done talking. If this is potentially work related, then go. Noah hesitates. NOAH (INTO PHONE) Pick me up in 20. You need the address? T.S. (INTO PHONE) Nope. Noah nods as though he knew this would be the answer, then hangs up. Claire sits down. CLAIRE I think we need to take a break. We can’t keep having this same conversation, talking in circles. Nothing makes you happy. NOAH You make me happy. CLAIRE I used to. I don’t know anymore. NOAH You do. I promise. CLAIRE Maybe a little time apart will remind you of that. It’ll give you something to fight for. EXT. NOAH’S HOUSE – NIGHT T.S.’ truck pulls up. Noah gets in. NOAH (V.O.) Tell me we’re getting fucked up. Page 50 of 97 Page 51 of 97 49. T.S. (V.O.) We just got to introduce you to everyone first. The truck tears off down the road. A BLACK CAR follows. INT. T.S.’S TRUCK - NIGHT T.S. reaches behind the driver’s seat and hands Noah a beer. T.S. I want to talk to you about something. I have a theory. NOAH Shoot. T.S. Let’s assume the Annunaki are exploiting some aspect of our brain chemistry to disguise their appearance. But your brain is different. When you’re stressed out or fucked up, something changes and all of a sudden you’re seeing the world the way it really is. T.S. sees Noah eyeing the rear view mirrors. T.S. What’s up? NOAH I’m not...Are we being followed? T.S. jerks to alertness. The black car is still there. T.S. Where? Him? Them? Is it them? NOAH The windows are blacked out! T.S. FUUCK. Ok, Ok. No need to panic. T.S. drives calmly but evasively. He continues talking: T.S. As I was saying. You can, from time to time, see past the false world we’re told we live in. Page 51 of 97 Page 52 of 97 50. T.S. makes a sharp turn. T.S. You are burdened with the gift of reality. NOAH But I can’t maintain it long enough to do anything! It’s minutes or seconds then it’s gone. Noah looks behind him. NOAH Shit. It’s them. You just came from Metatronix, didn’t you? T.S. nods tersely then makes another hard, controlled turn down a side road. The black car seemingly follows. T.S. picks up his cell phone while gunning the gas. T.S. (INTO PHONE) It’s me. Epsilon Oblivion. Don’t make me say it twice. T.S. hangs up and drives tactically to evade the black car. Noah grips the door. T.S. parks behind a bush and shuts off the lights. He chugs a beer as the BLACK CAR DRIVES BY. He crushes the can, pulls out, and drives the way they came. EXT. DESERT ESTATES - NIGHT - ESTABLISHING The truck races past the FRAMES OF UNFINISHED MCMANSIONS. INT. T.S.’S TRUCK - DESERT ESTATES - NIGHT Noah and T.S. bounce in the speeding cab. T.S. is on a tear: T.S. Ask yourself: does the government have an interest in preventing our fullest spiritual potential? Headlights reveal a refurbished police car parked on a gravel cul-de-sac. The truck skids to a stop. Noah and T.S. hop out. T.S. The inevitable answer that comes back to you, any way you look at it, is a conclusive yes. And you’re fucking up their plan. Page 52 of 97 Page 53 of 97 51. EXT. DESERT ESTATES - CUL DE SAC - NIGHT ARTHUR (60’s, ponytail) gets out of the police car and tosses a screwdriver to T.S., who removes his own license plates. T.S. (to Arthur) You see any lights behind us? ARTHUR Nah. You’re clear, I think. T.S. You think? Arthur puts on night vision goggles and scans the desert. ARTHUR You’re clear. T.S. looks approvingly at Noah, who looks bewildered. Arthur pulls a gas can from his trunk and hands it to T.S. ARTHUR Epsilon Oblivion. That’s intense. NOAH What’s Epsilon Oblivion? ARTHUR We got it under control. Step back. No one’s tracking you. Not today. T.S. addresses Noah while pouring gas on his truck: T.S. You did good tonight. T.S. lights a match and IGNITES THE TRUCK. T.S. Ah, dammit! NOAH What? What? T.S. scrambles toward the truck but is pushed back by flames. T.S. I left beer in the back seat! Shit! ARTHUR There’s always more beer. Come on, time to go. Page 53 of 97 Page 54 of 97 52. The truck burns in the desert night. INT. T.S.’ APARTMENT – NIGHT Candles everywhere. Noah, T.S., and Arthur walk in. SUSAN (40’s, librarian-esque) seated, and JOHNNY (20’s, too thin) at a podium, stare at Noah. Arthur directs Noah to sit. T.S. Thanks for getting here on short notice. JOHNNY Bring out the cone of silence! T.S. No... ALL (EXCEPT NOAH) The cone of silence. Johnny, Susan, and Arthur place tinfoil hats on their heads. Noah reluctantly puts on his own hat. The lights dim. JOHNNY (in Latin, dramatically) Petite et dabitur vobis quaerite et invenietis pulsate et... T.S. Stop. Stop! Take them off. JOHNNY Aw, come on man. T.S. (to Noah) We were going to do this whole tin foil hat thing. Johnny balls up his hat and throws it gently at Noah. JOHNNY I spent a lot of time on that. SUSAN That was $20 worth of tinfoil. NOAH (apologetic) Sorry, we... Page 54 of 97 Page 55 of 97 53. T.S. We had an Epsilon Oblivion. Twenty minutes ago. SUSAN Were you followed back here? JOHNNY Are you ok? T.S. The truck’s taken care of and the plates wouldn’t lead back to me or any of you. Noah caught it in time. Arthur pats Noah on the back. ARTHUR Thanks, buddy. JOHNNY But that’s way advanced on the time line. Why are you being followed? T.S. takes Johnny’s place at the podium. A SLIDESHOW of UFO sightings plays behind him. T.S. I’d like you all to meet Noah. NOAH Hi... T.S. Noah, there are others like us, though none are like you. (suddenly serious) We are Targeted Individuals. We –- Johnny sighs. T.S. glares at Johnny. T.S. -- through no fault of our own, have had our lives destroyed and our sanity questioned. SUSAN (pleading tone) Because we choose not to adhere to the dogmas of society, we have been oppressed or shunned by the highest branches of world governments. Page 55 of 97 Page 56 of 97 54. JOHNNY And by our families, yo. T.S. The less you fit in, the more you’re shut out. (to Johnny) You asked why we were followed. Noah here, can see them, if only briefly at the moment. SUSAN (to Noah) How do you see? They built towers near my home and I hear their transmissions like a hum in the back of my head: “Buy Oreos.” “Step in front of that bus.” NOAH I don’t know. It just happens. JOHNNY What do you see, exactly? NOAH I can see the Annunaki. Sometimes. The room considers this information in silence. T.S. When the Annunaki created Man, we, like they, had twelve strands of DNA, not just the two that remain. Scientists call it “junk” now, but it was through these quadruple helix structures that we first experienced the world. Susan closes her eyes and nods in agreement. JOHNNY If you look at cave paintings or early art, they just straight up draw the Annunaki. But then it’s like -- Johnny gestures as though a plane is crashing. JOHNNY -- and you can see people’s eyes or whatever get messed up. Page 56 of 97 Page 57 of 97 55. SUSAN Ezekiel described them as best he could, but it’s overwhelming. T.S. To make up for this, we gave our priests and shamans mind altering substances so they might converse with the gods as we did before. Now, with Noah’s help, maybe we can, too. Before it’s too late. JOHNNY (to Noah) Has he shown you the solar storm spreadsheet? Crazy shit. T.S. (talking over Johnny) It will mean finding the right combination of substances to open his gift in a way he can control. ARTHUR So, you’re going to take a shit-ton of drugs? T.S. Yes. Yes we are. INT. T.S.’ APARTMENT – DAY HOME VIDEO CAMERA POV: A yellow legal pad with a hand written note reads, “OPERATION TIGER’S EYE TEST 1”. NOAH Test 1: alcohol. Because the Annunaki are among the rich and powerful, I will watch both Fox News and MSNBC for signs of them. LATER: Noah clutches a whiskey bottle while watching two TVs. T.S. Anything? NOAH No. Hooo! Wait...just Ann Coulter. T.S. Not funny. LATER: T.S. quizzes Noah with flash cards as they do shots. Page 57 of 97 Page 58 of 97 56. T.S. Adad. NOAH God of storms. T.S. Nergal. NOAH God of war...and the Sun in its destructive capacity? T.S. Good work. Take a shot. EXT. SUSAN’S HOUSE - BACK YARD - NIGHT Noah, T.S., Arthur, and Susan sit on folding chairs facing a MASSIVE CELL PHONE TOWER at the edge of her rural property. They take hits from a GRAY ALIEN BONG: SUSAN My husband...ex-husband, called me from the patio. I’d never seen anything like it. ARTHUR I stepped out of the bar and a “V” shape filled the sky. T.S. The “Phoenix Lights” were unlike other sightings. The ships, flight patterns: all different. (to Noah) You feeling it? Anything? Noah wiggles his fingers in the air. NOAH Just at the peripheries. (to Susan, off the tower) That hum? Is it always there? SUSAN You hear it? I can’t sleep anymore. ARTHUR (to Susan) What hum? Page 58 of 97 Page 59 of 97 57. SUSAN Like a HHNNNNNNNN sound? T.S. hands the bong back to Noah. He jots down -- T.S. “Heightened auditory awareness” -- on his legal pad. Noah takes a hit, staring at the tower. INT. T.S.’ APARTMENT – MORNING HOME VIDEO CAMERA POV: OPERATION TIGER’S EYE TEST 9. Noah addresses the camera while T.S. wanders in the bg. NOAH The coca plant played a key role in facilitating conversations between Annunaki and Incan priests. (beat) Let’s get spiritual up in this bitch. He FREEBASES CRACK COCAINE, exhaling smoke at the camera. LATER: Open books and papers everywhere. NOAH When did you say the first Phoenix Lights event took place? T.S. ‘97. NOAH And again in 2005? 2007? T.S. Yeah. Why? NOAH Check this out. The sightings line up with your solar storm data. T.S. Nice work! Load another bowl. LATER: Noah paces as T.S. races through flash cards. T.S. Ea. Page 59 of 97 Page 60 of 97 58. NOAH Ruler of Earth and Men! T.S. Until... NOAH Until he ceded the throne to Marduk, patron deity of Babylon! Keep ‘em coming! T.S. Ereshkigal. NOAH Goddess of the underworld. I can do this all day! INT. T.S.’ APARTMENT – NIGHT The apartment: spotless. Noah: sleeping, duster in hand. ON TV: A new CAMPAIGN COMMERCIAl for MARCO FLORES featuring the solar panel project. “You can believe in Flores.” EXT. PUBLIC PARK – DAY Noah rolls in the grass while T.S. films him. T.S. Hawaiin Baby Wood Rose is causing a powerfully dissociative state. What are you seeing? Noah stares as A FLOCK OF DOVES take flight, then lands. A TRUE GEOMETRIC PATTERN TAKES SHAPE. Noah vomits violently. INT. T.S.’ TRUCK - BARRY GOLDWATER K-12 – DAY Construction has progressed. Solar panels now circle the school grounds. A sign announces: “Rock Out with Rock Choir!” Noah, T.S. and Arthur drink beers in the cab. Noah observes the school through binoculars. He ducks down in his seat as Claire comes out the front door with Sam and Sam’s music teacher, Mr. Flores. NOAH Javier Flores. That fucking guy. Page 60 of 97 Page 61 of 97 59. ARTHUR Who? T.S. cracks another beer. T.S. Our research suggests the Annunaki may have infiltrated our schools. ARTHUR (off Mr. Flores) Noah, is he...? Claire hugs Mr. Flores before driving off with Sam. NOAH That’s what I wanna know. Beer me. INT. T.S.’ APARTMENT - NIGHT Susan lies with her head in T.S.’s lap. Noah reads a book. T.S. How’s the dextroamphetamine treating you? NOAH Excellent! And microdosing with LSD was a great idea. Hey, listen to this: “A solar vortex will align the frequencies of Earth with its higher dimensional counterparts.” SUSAN I need to sleep. Noah gets up to check the refrigerator: empty. NOAH So, the solar storms act like fiber optic cable between worlds? A bridge of some kind? SUSAN Hhnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn... T.S. Yes, but the Annunaki would need to concentrate the protons somehow. SUSAN Hhnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn... Page 61 of 97 Page 62 of 97 60. T.S. Susan! Take a warm shower, do your vinyasas, and sleep in my room. There’s Valium in the night stand. NOAH (checking his wallet) Shit. I’m nearly broke. T.S. I think its time we killed some birds with some stones. EXT. SUSAN’S HOUSE - NIGHT TWANG! A guy wire from the cell tower shoots by Noah! T.S. holds massive bolt cutters. T.S. In the early 80’s, the Air Force determined that very low frequency electromagnetic signals could cause depression, insomnia, migraines... T.S. clamps down on the next guy wire. NOAH Population control? T.S. Exactly. Step back again. I assumed Susan was being melodramatic until you heard it the other night, too. TWANG! The next wire whips loose! A warbling, METALLIC GROAN rolls from the tower. Noah reaches for the bolt cutters. NOAH May I? T.S. Be careful. Each of these bad boys contains about 145,000 PSI. I’d estimate we have at least two or three more to go before... Noah cuts a new wire: TWANG! T.S. drops as it nearly beheads him and knocks out a section of chain link fence instead. The tower wobbles on its base. BEAMS BEND AND SHRIEK. NOAH Ah, fuck. Page 62 of 97 Page 63 of 97 61. T.S. Run. Run! Noah and T.S. leap to safety as the tower COLLAPSES TO THE GROUND! Dust clears. They brush themselves off, standing before the fallen tower. Noah seems in shock, but: NOAH Wooooo! That was amazing! Susan’s gonna sleep tonight! (beat) But we should get out of here. T.S. Her nearest neighbor is over a mile away. So let us honor our kill. Use every part of the animal. Remember, scrap copper averages $2.10/lb. INT. T.S.’ NEW TRUCK – METATRONIX HQ - DUSK T.S. peers through binoculars while Noah fidgets, teeth clacking. A knock on the cab’s window. Noah and T.S. jump. JOHNNY Party party. T.S. Operation Tiger’s Eye isn’t a party, Johnny. Johnny gets in with a shopping bag. Noah removes a handle of whiskey and a bag of coke. He cuts lines on a trapper keeper. JOHNNY (disappointed) Test 9 was pretty fun. NOAH Let’s call 32 a bust and re-try 14. T.S. I’m going to label this 32B since you undoubtedly have traces of 32 still in your system. NOAH Fine. T.S. takes notes on his legal pad: Page 63 of 97 Page 64 of 97 62. T.S. “Rivea corymbosa plus marijuana ...Old Crow and... whatever shitty coke Johnny scrounged up.” JOHNNY You try finding decent yayo when half the phones don’t work. All three begin to alternately blow lines and chug whiskey. C. Clarence Kyle, The Phoenix Seven, and Marco Flores exit the building, shoulder to shoulder. Kyle gets in his car. NOAH Follow him. INT. T.S.’ NEW TRUCK – STREETS - NIGHT Noah, T.S., and Johnny drive behind Kyle’s gold Jaguar. The semi-dense traffic of strip malls and gas stations gives way to abandoned buildings at the edge of desert. Kyle pulls into an empty lot where a SMALL DARK FIGURE approaches, talks in the driver’s side window, then gets in. JOHNNY Did he...? Kyle’s car drives away and T.S. follows. Noah, increasingly manic, takes quick swigs from the whiskey jug. NOAH This asshole has his hand in everything. Fucking prick. T.S. He’s gotta be Annunaki, right? Power player like this? You don’t just climb the ranks... Noah squints, but can’t see into Kyle’s tinted windows. NOAH (doing another line) Let’s find out. EXT. THE ORION MOTEL – NIGHT T.S. tails from a distance as Kyle drives into THE ORION’s parking lot and turns a corner behind the first building. Page 64 of 97 Page 65 of 97 63. T.S. (V.O.) Is he here? NOAH (V.O.) Did you lose him? The truck turns a corner just in time to see A MOTEL DOOR CLOSING in front of the gold Jaguar. EXT. THE ORION MOTEL – NIGHT The truck is parked behind a dumpster. Noah, T.S., and Johnny creep towards the motel room window. Noah whispers to T.S.: NOAH Give me the keys. I want to get the camera. Let’s nail this fucker. T.S. hands Noah the keys. Noah stumbles as the WORLD AROUND HIM BEGINS TO SHIMMER AND MELT. He picks himself back up, opens the truck, reaches in, and comes back with a camera. JOHNNY What are we doing??? T.S. For years I’ve been tracking these guys. If we can get proof of what just one of them is up to... Noah creeps toward Kyle’s room. His HAND MERGES WITH THE CONCRETE, but he dislodges it. The lights flicker and dim. From the room: SHRIEKING SOUNDS, like lobsters boiled alive NOAH (mouthing silently) I - can - hear - them! Noah raises himself to eye-level with the window, but the blinds are closed and all he sees is the hint of movement. NOAH (mouthing silently) Goddammit... The ALIEN NOISES INTENSIFY, then cease. Noah crawls back. JOHNNY We need to get out of here. T.S. Did you see anything? Page 65 of 97 Page 66 of 97 64. NOAH No. They pulled the blinds. The door to the motel room opens. Noah, T.S., and Johnny duck behind the car again, then run for the truck. Noah gets in the driver’s seat. The Jaguar drives away. NOAH Get in! We’re going to lose him! Johnny and T.S. get in. Noah peels out after the Jaguar. T.S. You okay to drive, man? NOAH Buckle up. INT. T.S.’ NEW TRUCK – NIGHT The gold Jaguar pulls onto 17-N. Noah accelerates. T.S. Easy there... Johnny plants his face into another line on the trapper keeper and nearly falls over when Noah pulls a hard, wide right onto the highway in pursuit. They gain on the Jaguar. T.S. What, uh, whatcha doing, buddy? NOAH You trust me? T.S. Of course, but 32B isn’t designed for high speed –- Noah shifts lanes to pass the Jaguar. T.S. -- car chases. Noah looks in his rear view mirror at the Jaguar. NOAH Good. We’re not chasing them. Noah hits the brakes and -- JOHNNY Jesus Christ! T.S. Fuck! Page 66 of 97 Page 67 of 97 65. -- the JAGUAR SLAMS INTO THEM from behind. Noah throws open the driver’s side door and steps onto the -- HIGHWAY: Noah strides over to find Kyle gripping his broken nose. Beside Kyle, in the passenger seat, is a terrified, HANDSOME YOUNG TEENAGE BOY (15, tank top). C. CLARENCE KYLE Wha...? JOHNNY Oh shit... Noah snaps a picture inside the Jaguar. KYLE CHANGES INTO AN ANNUNAKI, then changes back, flickering like a broken TV set. NOAH I know what you are, Kyle! (taking more pictures) You think you’d be able to get away with this? We’re on to you! You like balls, Kyle? You want to see my balls, you cocksucker? C. CLARENCE KYLE You wrecked my...what do you want? NOAH We’re going to expose you! You and your friends! We know your secrets! I know what you are! I can see you! I don’t want anything from... T.S. steps in and places his hand on Noah’s shoulder. T.S. $10,000 each month. In perpetuity. NOAH No, I... T.S. $10,000 each month. No negotiating. C. CLARENCE KYLE Fuck you! Do you know who I am? T.S. We do. And we have the pictures to prove it. Pictures of...this. Pictures at the motel. That’s why you’re going to stop pretending you don’t know what’s happening here. Page 67 of 97 Page 68 of 97 66. Kyle looks at his bloodied shirt, at the boy, then at T.S. T.S. You’ll hear from us with further instructions. And then you’ll never hear from us again. Your friends, your family, humanity itself, won’t have to know what we know. (to the boy) Get out of the car. Look both ways and get out of here. The boy hesitates before fleeing across the highway. NOAH (still manic) You think you can just treat people like that? Like they’re nothing? T.S. holds his gaze until Kyle sinks in resignation. T.S. Do we have an understanding? (off passing traffic) Someone is going to call in this accident you caused pretty soon. Kyle nods. He is man. He is Annunaki. T.S. Good. We’ll be in touch. Johnny and T.S. head back to the truck. Noah leans into the window at Kyle, whose reptilian eyes fill with rage. C. CLARENCE KYLE I will wipe you from this earth. Everything you have ever loved, every person, every creature, will burn in a sea of flame. Noah pauses, considering. He leans closer. NOAH I am the darkness you created. Kyle begins crying quietly, just an old man in a car crash. FADE TO BLACK INT. FANCY RESTAURANT – DAY White table cloths. Candle light. Page 68 of 97 Page 69 of 97 67. Noah sits alone, wearing an ill-fitting suit. Even clean and well dressed there is something not right about him. Claire enters the restaurant, sees Noah, and approaches the table. He stands, smiling. They hug awkwardly. NOAH Hi. Thanks for meeting me. CLAIRE You were pretty insistent. This place is fancy. NOAH I’m sorry you couldn’t do dinner. They have a really nice tasting menu. Lunch is good, though. CLAIRE Yeah, I’m sorry about that. I just have, you know, stuff going on. They’re still standing. Noah jumps to pull out her chair. NOAH Please! Sit. They sit. Claire looks startled when a tuxedoed waiter begins preparing a Caesar salad table side. NOAH I know you’re busy. And I hope you don’t mind, but I ordered for us. LATER: Noah tears open the back of a huge lobster. Claire has barely touched hers. A bottle of champagne sits on ice. CLAIRE So, the historian...his book is going to be published? NOAH I believe so. We’re making real progress. And since I came on, we got additional grants and T.S. gave me a raise, so yeah. CLAIRE That’s good to hear. I’m glad you’ve found something that makes you happy. T.S...? Have I read anything else by him? Page 69 of 97 Page 70 of 97 68. NOAH T.S. Lopsia. No, this is his first big book. Really interesting stuff. CLAIRE I guess I still don’t really understand what it’s about. NOAH It’s about government. It’s about religion. How the two are intertwined to control populations. CLAIRE That could be interesting. He got grants for this? NOAH Private funding. Noah drinks and refills his champagne. NOAH For instance, did you know that GWEN towers operate –- CLAIRE GWEN towers? NOAH -- Ground-Wave Emergency Network. The cover story is they were built for cell phones, but the wave lengths they operate on are in fact discernible by the human mind. CLAIRE Uh huh... NOAH Point being: mind control is easier to accomplish on populations perpetually coated in artificial electromagnetic waves. Which is basically everybody, but they target the people who threaten to expose it. CLAIRE Jesus Christ, Noah. What the fuck are you doing? You sound insane. Noah slams his fist on the table. Page 70 of 97 Page 71 of 97 69. NOAH Don’t say that! I’m sorry. This is the first...important...thing I’ve been a part of in a long time. I know it sounds odd. I thought so too at first. But the things I’ve seen, and the things I’ve learned. You’re living in a dream, Claire. CLAIRE Oh, I’m in the dream world? You know, I spoke with your father. Noah stares at her. CLAIRE You never told him? You never said, “Hey, Dad, I’m out of work and letting my girlfriend support me”? What the fuck, Noah? Did you think he wasn’t going to find out? NOAH I wanted to, you know, find a job and then tell him I’d changed jobs. CLAIRE Well, he was pretty surprised to hear about this research assistant position of yours. Or whatever it is: crazy mind control bullshit. NOAH Goddammit! I was just waiting a little while longer! I knew he wouldn’t approve so I wanted the book to get published, and... Thanks, Claire, thanks a lot. He’s not your father. You don’t have to deal with the mess you created, now do you? CLAIRE Fuck. You. I didn’t create this mess, I just have to deal with it. (beat) Do you think you can win me back with lobsters and champagne? You know I don’t care about that. I wanted you to be happy and productive, and for us to be happy. NOAH I’m not trying to win you back. Page 71 of 97 Page 72 of 97 70. Claire stops cold, the argument taking a new direction. NOAH Do you remember that guy when we were growing up? He stood on the corner with the big sign: THE VATICAN HIDES PEDOPHILES. Remember? Everyone laughed at him. What a nutcase! Crazy fucker! For years he stood there. That man had been raped, and humiliated, and abused. By people he trusted. We trusted! And we laughed at him. But now...who laughs at him now? (beat) I simply wanted to have a nice meal with you before –- Noah’s eyes well up. Looking across the restaurant, behind Claire, TWO ANNUNAKI STARE AT HIM from a nearby table. NOAH -- Before my schedule gets too overwhelming. I’ve been working really hard recently. Maybe I was trying to impress you a little, you know? I fucked up so badly with the bills and my behavior. I want to apologize but, no, I don’t want to win you back. It’s only going to get worse for me. The world is a dark place. CLAIRE What are you talking about? Noah closes his eyes. NOAH It’s almost there in the back of my mind, but I don’t know what it is. It’s like a dream I haven’t had yet. I’d never do anything to put you in danger, you know that right? CLAIRE Noah... NOAH After today, you need to stay away from me. I’m bad news. It’ll all make sense when we’re done, but I don’t know yet when that will be. Page 72 of 97 Page 73 of 97 71. Noah stands and pulls three $100 bills from his wallet. NOAH This should cover everything, including the tip. And this -- He hands her a paper envelope, folded in half. NOAH -- should take care of my expenses while I was unemployed. Bills. Groceries. Thank you. I wish I could explain how grateful I am. Noah crouches next to Claire. NOAH I love you. And I hope when we see each other again, you finally understand that. He kisses her forehead, walks away. Claire stifles her tears. INT. T.S.’ APARTMENT – NIGHT LIVING ROOM: A single light illuminates Noah. He scribbles notes on a pad of paper next to a dusty mirror. HEADLIGHTS sweep across the room. He looks up, makes tea. A CAR DOOR SLAMS. He stands still, listening. Nothing. A SHADOW passes the window. He throws open the door! Nothing. BEDROOM: T.S. sleeps. Noah sits on the floor with a cup of tea and plays with the label: SWEET DREAMZ. [Claire’s brand] NOAH You awake? I want your input. T.S. opens his eyes. NOAH When I have an idea, a synapse fires, you know? But if space and time are relative then how is that any different from geomagnetic storms crossing the solar system? These storms are like ideas, they...hold on, I had it. Noah checks his notes: Page 73 of 97 Page 74 of 97 72. NOAH Wait, it’s in my notebook. In -- T.S. groans and rolls over. A SOFT SCRAPING NOISE is heard. T.S. -- In Xanadu did Kubla Khan a stately pleasure-dome decree. NOAH No, really, I think you’ll... A CRASH from the living room. Noah runs to the -- LIVING ROOM: FIRE EVERYWHERE. As Noah enters, the flames change from ORANGE to GREEN. Through them, he sees an ARSONIST ANNUNAKI in the doorway, staring. ARSONIST ANNUNAKI Everything you ever loved will burn in a sea of flame. MORE ANNUNAKI run past outside! Noah steps into the burning room, shielding his face, but T.S. drags him back to the -- BEDROOM: T.S. tries to unlatch a rear window. T.S. They found us and we got nothing to fight ‘em with! Fuck! The window shatters! A GREEN FIREBALL flies past T.S.’ head and crashes onto the bed. Fire blocks both exits! T.S. beats at the flames. Noah sees a HATCH in the ceiling. CRAWL SPACE: The hatch pops open. Noah climbs up, then pulls T.S. with him. Smoke pours in. They crawl, choking, over insulation until they CRASH through the ceiling into -- INT. NEIGHBORING APARTMENT - CONTINUOUS -- and fall in a heap of plaster on the floor. A MAN IN HIS UNDERWEAR opens the bedroom door, yells, then picks up A BAT. EXT. T.S.’S APARTMENT BUILDING - NIGHT Noah and T.S. run from the neighbor’s apartment. The Annunaki see them and, roaring in anger, chase them down a stairway! Page 74 of 97 Page 75 of 97 73. EXT. DOWNTOWN PHOENIX - NIGHT Noah and T.S. sprint down abandoned streets, Annunaki close behind! They round a corner, then hide in an -- ALLEY: Behind a dumpster. An Annunaki creeps by but does not see them. They wait there, in the shadows, out of breath. T.S. (PRELAP) You’re doing the right thing. It’s too dangerous right now. INT. SUSAN’S HOUSE – MORNING Noah sits, head in hands. T.S. has his arm around Noah. They are covered in dust and soot. Susan makes coffee. NOAH (exhaling a bong hit) I know. I know. T.S. And we’re getting so close. I’m so proud of you, everyone is. But my apartment is destroyed. Our research is burned to ash. We’ve gone through 92 trials and nothing has given us substantive results. NOAH I’m so sorry. I’m trying. T.S. No, don’t apologize. We can’t Konami code life, right? We need to pull deeper, adjust for the truly spiritual. NOAH I’m having trouble...you don’t know where my thoughts go. EXT. NORTHERN ARIZONA FOREST - DIRT ROAD – DAY T.S. (V.O.) I want you to come on a trip. Dust kicks up as T.S.’ truck leads an old Toyota to -- Page 75 of 97 Page 76 of 97 74. EXT. LOPSIA COMPOUND – DAY -- what looks like a GHOST TOWN surrounded by pine trees. Maia, who we recognize from Taco Bel, approaches the cars as they park. T.S. walks toward Maia while the others get out. T.S. Hello Maia. MAIA Hello my son. INT. LOPSIA COMPOUND – DAY Hand hewn. Ascetic. Noah, T.S., Susan, Arthur, and Johnny sit at a table before a crackling fireplace. Maia smiles at Noah. MAIA I hear you’ve been quite the trooper. Has T.S. been putting you through the ringer? NOAH Uh, yeah, you could say that. MAIA From the very start, he was so certain of you. T.S. “There are only two mistakes one can make along the road to truth; not starting --” NOAH “-- and not going all the way.” Maia smiles, placing her hands on their shoulders: her boys. MAIA I’m glad you’re getting along. I would offer you something to eat, but you’ll want an empty stomach. It makes the travel easier. JOHNNY Where are we going exactly? MAIA (smiling at Johnny) Have you ever been to a vortex? Page 76 of 97 Page 77 of 97 75. EXT. TRAIL – SUNSET The group follows Maia through the forest past a waterfall. T.S. Below us is one of the largest quartz deposits on Earth. It creates geomagnetic activity that affects us on a cellular level. MAIA Now, Sedona tells tourists they have the best vortexes, but we chose this place for a reason. They top a ridge and walk onto a MESA above the forest. In the middle of it stands an ENORMOUS CIRCULAR STRUCTURE. NOAH What is that? T.S. The Integratron. My father finished it when I was still a kid. SUSAN Yeah, but what is it? INT. INTEGRATRON – NIGHT The group enters a round wooden room with a FLOWER OF LIFE PATTERN inlaid in the floor and AUDIO SPEAKERS on the walls. T.S. wanders through this space with reverence and awe. T.S. Like Noah, my father could, on occasion, see the Annunaki. But he could hear them clearly. MAIA They’re not all bad, you know. They instructed him to build this. T.S. It channels the Earth’s energy to awaken senses we’ve lost. MAIA Just as the telescope and microscope revealed invisible worlds, so too would The Integratron Page 77 of 97 Page 78 of 97 76. NOAH Are we going to meet your father? T.S. turns away, runs his fingers over wood grain. T.S. After he built it, he went in to town for supplies. He was arrested for drunk and disorderly -- MAIA George didn’t drink. T.S. -- And according to the reports, he hung himself in his cell. NOAH I’m so... MAIA Federal Agents stole his papers, and removed all the copper wiring. Maia points to broken brackets running up the walls. JOHNNY Fuck... T.S. We don’t really know how it was supposed to work. ARTHUR So why bring us here? T.S. It still has power, somehow. I’ve been so close...But you can’t just come here and expect it to work. You have to be ready. SUSAN The tests... NOAH You’ve been preparing us. T.S. nods, almost shy. Maia flips a switch and everything subtly vibrates as ISOCHRONIC TONES pulse from the speakers. Page 78 of 97 Page 79 of 97 77. MAIA If everyone could lie down, feet towards the center, we can begin. Noah, remain standing for a sec. Noah makes eye contact with Susan, who smiles and shrugs. MAIA Arthur? Can you scooch a little? Try to align yourself directly across from the other person. T.S. Noah, can you lay at the top? Noah takes his place. Maia hands him a wooden cup. NOAH What’s this? MAIA Mostly Greenthread and Honeysuckle. Good for the kidneys. (beat) Some Jimson Weed. And a little Dimethyltriptamine. Shanthi. NOAH Ok. MAIA (so only Noah can hear) I hear wonderful things about you. Noah drinks from the cup and passes it to Johnny. Maia circles the group and speaks loudly: MAIA Tonight your struggle becomes our struggle. Please drink from the cup and clear your minds. T.S. Shanthi. Shanthi. Shanthi. MAIA (PRELAP) May the wrath of the god who is unknown to me be pacified! I sought for help but no one took my hand! I wept but no one came to my side! Noah sees the ceiling BREAK DOWN IN GEOMETRIC PATTERNS. Page 79 of 97 Page 80 of 97 78. ALL Shanthi. Shanthi. Shanthi. MAIA (PRELAP) I am lamented, but no one hearkens to me! I am afflicted, I am overcome! How long, my god, until thy face be turned toward me? ALL Shanthi. Shanthi. Shanthi. The Integratron dissolves around Noah as he ascends into -- MAIA (V.O.) Mankind is perverted and has no judgment. Of all men alive, who truly knows anything? They do not know whether they do good or evil. NIGHT SKY: Constellations cycle through the Zodiac. The stars grow brighter until Noah has to squeeze his eyes shut. Noah opens his eyes and finds himself in a -- WHITE HALLWAY: at the end of which are two large old wooden doors. He pushes them open -- INT. CAVE OF BEL EA - FRONT CHAMBER - NIGHT -- and enters a rectangular chamber of white marble floors in a perfect grid, the coffered ceiling mimicking the floor: one coffer per seven tiles, seven times. At the far end stands BEL EA, an elderly Annunaki. BEL EA (O.S.) You’re going to have to come closer. I’m afraid I can barely see you over there. Noah comes closer. Bel Ea looks down at Noah with milky eyes. BEL EA Your name is Noah Evemeras. NOAH Your name is Bel Ea. My god... BEL EA You used to worship me. NOAH But we can’t see you anymore. Page 80 of 97 Page 81 of 97 79. BEL EA Yet here you are. With your gifts, your skills, you can make things right, Noah. NOAH What good are my gifts to a world that can’t appreciate them? Around them, A HOLOGRAM OF SHIFTING PLATONIC SOLIDS appears. BEL EA I am going to tell you a story: When we came here, there was nothing. Endless seas and rocky mountains. We brought life to the seas, life to the land. And when we attached a bit of our DNA to a struggling primate, we created you. The HOLOGRAM SHIFTS AGAIN, through the small patterns Noah has seen, like soap suds, ice crystals, flocks of birds -- BEL EA This world is a place of order and beauty. That is because we made it so. Patterns, visible even in chaos, demonstrate our love. You see that, Noah. (beat) We are world builders. And you worshipped us for it. -- and GROWING LARGER until they become population patterns, fractals, complex geometries. NOAH And now that we don’t... The hologram turns into THE SOLAR SYSTEM. BEL EA Man is part of the pattern and must know his place. (beat) Many years ago I gave the throne to my son, Marduk. Marduk believes he failed me. He believes he failed you. He wants to start over. I cannot blame him. NOAH He’s building a light bridge. Page 81 of 97 Page 82 of 97 80. Bel Ea pauses at this. On the hologram, A BEAM OF LIGHT stretches from the SUN to EARTH. BEL EA But you, Noah, you can see us once more. Perhaps there is hope. NOAH You didn’t make Man because we needed you. You made Man because you needed us. (beat) My gifts, my skills... Did you create me just to subjugate me? BEL EA Subjugation is the absolute truth of your existence. It is your place in the pattern. You are lost without it. (beat) Do you love your family? NOAH Yes, of course... BEL EA You want to care for them? NOAH Yes... BEL EA Make them smile? Help them when they get sick? Noah nods. BEL EA We can offer you that. Wealth. Happiness. Safety. Whatever you want. We can get it for you. (beat) All you have to do is admit to yourself what you are and SHOW THE WORLD HOW TO KNEEL! NOAH And if I don’t? If we don’t? A FLOWER OF LIFE ERUPTS IN FLAME on the Earth-hologram, spreading across the surface. The ROOM STARTS DISSOLVING as the world burns before them. Page 82 of 97 Page 83 of 97 81. BEL EA A thousand Burning Hydras, bright as the sun, will cross the bridge. They will consume you all. Noah meets Bel Ea’s gaze, unblinking. Bel Ea approaches. NOAH I hold my head high. BEL EA WE ARE WORLD BUILDERS! YOU ARE -- EXT. DESERT – MORNING Noah - skin red, lips cracked - stands shakily. He stumbles over rocks until he reaches the grassy mesa, passing The Integratron as he follows the sound of distant water. EXT. WATERFALL – DAY T.S., Susan, Johnny, Arthur, and Maia skinny dip under the falls. They spot Noah and cheer. He kneels at the bank and takes a sip in his cupped hand. He takes off his clothes -- MAIA We knew you’d find your way back. ARTHUR I woke up in a tree. -- and slips under water. He stays there while the others swim to greet him. He raises only his eyes above the surface, watches sunlight play across it in patterns only he can see. NOAH I’m going to tell you a story. The group draws in tighter. INT. BARRY GOLDWATER K-12 - CURLE AUDITORIUM – DAY Claire, Alice, and Jim walk into the auditorium. ALICE Thanks for doing this. I know Sam appreciates it. CLAIRE Of course. I love Sam. Page 83 of 97 Page 84 of 97 82. ALICE Have you gotten through to “him”? CLAIRE No, he’s not answering his phone. JIM We’re real sorry about everything. Mr. Flores smiles warmly at Claire from across the room. The female PRINCIPAL (60’s, short hair) tugs on his arm. PRINCIPAL Just leave the chairs out after the show. We need them for tomorrow. LATER: The lights dim and Mr. Flores takes the stage. MR. FLORES Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for coming to the Rock Choir Spectacular! The kids have been practicing non-stop. Those of you who will be attending tomorrow’s ribbon cutting, we apologize but parking will be limited. Now on with the show! A young girl takes the stage as the band plays the first notes of Radiohead’s “Fake Plastic Trees”: YOUNG GIRL “The fake plastic watering can...” INT. T.S.’ TRUCK - LOPSIA COMPOUND – DAY Maia leans into the driver’s side window. T.S. stretches across Noah and kisses his mother on the cheek. NOAH Thank you, Maia, for everything. She hands him a thermos. MAIA Some tea. For your journey. How long until...until I know? NOAH Soon. 24 hours, give or take. If T.S. Hadn’t found me when he did... Page 84 of 97 Page 85 of 97 83. She nods and backs away. Noah drives down the dirt road, followed by the other car. EXT. CRACK SHOT SHOOTING RANGE – PARKING LOT - DAY The caravan parks below a brightly lit neon sign. INT. CRACK SHOT SHOOTING RANGE - SHOP – DAY The group enters, greeted by WALLACE (50’s, shaved head). ARTHUR Wallace, how are you? WALLACE SSDD, you know. NOAH Not today. EXT. CRACK SHOT SHOOTING RANGE - PARKING LOT - DAY The neon sign goes dark. INT. CRACK SHOT SHOOTING RANGE - BACK ROOM The group follows Wallace through a narrow doorway. WALLACE Frankly, I don’t care what that two-bit Kenyan has to say. There’s no ambiguity in “Shall not be infringed.” Arthur vouches for you. That’s all I care about. Wallace opens a cabinet lined with SEMIAUTOMATIC WEAPONS. WALLACE Will this do? INT. BARRY GOLDWATER K-12 - CURLE AUDITORIUM – DAY A GROUP OF CHILDREN sings the final choir to “Float On” by Modest Mouse. Claire, Alice, and Jim clap with the crowd. CLAIRE Where’s Sam? Page 85 of 97 Page 86 of 97 84. Alice shakes her head, baffled. The children come back out on stage and bow. The crowd breaks into louder applause. Sam walks out and takes his place in front of the stage. The band begins to play “Lord Anthony” by Belle and Sebastian. SAM (PRELAP) “Anthony, bullied at school...” INT. CRACK SHOT SHOOTING RANGE - OUTDOOR RANGE – DAY Sam’s voice is all we hear as Noah et al. shoot at targets, gun barrels exploding brightly in slow motion. INT. BARRY GOLDWATER K-12 - CURLE AUDITORIUM – DAY Alice grabs Claire’s hand and looks like she’s about to cry. EXT. CRACK SHOT SHOOTING RANGE - OUTDOOR RANGE – DAY Noah and T.S. chug beers and shoot at cans. Johnny tries to look tough, shooting his handgun with a side grip. Susan destroys a full body target with A LIZARD FACE DRAWN ON IT. EXT. CRACK SHOT SHOOTING RANGE - PARKING LOT – DAY Noah throws a tarp over STACKED WEAPONS in the truck bed. EXT. SUSAN’S HOUSE - NIGHT T.S.’ truck and the old Toyota out front. Caution tape surrounds the destroyed cell tower. INT. SUSAN’S HOUSE – NIGHT Partying hard: wine, beer, vodka, bong hits, coke. Noah dances with Susan. Johnny jumps on the couch, pretending to shoot at them. T.S. crushes pills. INT. BARRY GOLDWATER K-12 - CURLE AUDITORIUM – DAY All the children behind Sam break into the chorus: CHOIR ”Anthony it could be worse...” The crowd responds with happy laughter. Sam smiles shyly. Page 86 of 97 Page 87 of 97 85. SAM “You’ll soon be old enough to leave them. Without a notion of a care.” INT. SUSAN’S HOUSE – NIGHT Susan sleeps upright on the couch. Johnny wrestles Arthur. Noah falls against a wall, collapses on the floor. T.S., already on the floor, sees Noah fall. He tries to get up, but can barely move. He rolls onto his stomach and crawls over bottles, garbage, and cigarette butts toward Noah. INT. BARRY GOLDWATER K-12 - CURLE AUDITORIUM – DAY Sam finishes his song, raising one hand above his head in a peace sign. The other children follow suit. SAM “You’ll leave two fingers in the air. To linger there.” Alice, Jim and Claire leap to their feet, clapping wildly with the crowd. Claire locks eyes with Mr. Flores. Alice looks at Noah’s empty seat. Sam can’t hide his grin. INT. SUSAN’S HOUSE – NIGHT All is quiet after Sam’s song. T.S. finally reaches Noah, who is unconscious yet his eyes are slightly open. With great effort, T.S. picks Noah’s head off the floor and uses himself as a pillow while Noah sleeps. T.S. strokes his hair and stares down at him, whispering: T.S. You’re going to save the world. FADE TO BLACK. INT. SUSAN’S HOUSE – MORNING Soft morning darkness. A BEAM OF SUNLIGHT breaks through a crack in the curtain and lands on Noah’s face. Noah wakes with a start. Noah taps him. T.S. groans. NOAH Shh... It’s time to go. Page 87 of 97 Page 88 of 97 86. T.S. sits up. T.S. But what about...? NOAH Just you and me. EXT. CAMELBACK MOUNTAIN – MORNING The sky is a brilliant pink. Noah and T.S. sit at the peak, watching over the city. NOAH I want to thank you. For pushing me, and trusting me. T.S. I’ve learned more from you than anyone else. My father tried to show me, but I was too young. I wish I could do what he did, what you do. I try and try but I can’t. Noah puts his hand on T.S.’ back, now the one to comfort him. NOAH You’re better than that. You’re strong enough to have faith. T.S. No one will believe us. I’ve been doing this a long time and trust me, no one will ever believe us. Noah pulls the thermos Maia gave him from his backpack. NOAH What the caterpillar calls the end of the world, we call a butterfly. Noah pours from the thermos into the cup-lid. He raises it with both hands toward the rising sun, then takes a small sip. He gives the cup to T.S., who also takes a sip. T.S. (almost to himself) Shanthi...shanthi... PLANES CARVE CONTRAILS INTO THE SKY, first one, then two flying parallel, then more and more until the sky is filled with A PERFECT SEVEN BY SEVEN GRID OF CONTRAILS. Page 88 of 97 Page 89 of 97 87. INT. BARRY GOLDWATER K-12 - HALLWAY – MORNING Marco Flores and Kyle walk, followed by the Phoenix Seven. Kyle has just the hint of a bruise beneath his eyes. MARCO They did baseline tests yesterday. Without question, this place will be generating more power than it needs. You’ll have a favorable ROI within three years. (gesturing to the others) All of you will. They enter -- INT. BARRY GOLDWATER K-12 - CURLE AUDITORIUM – MORNING A large banner reads: CLEAN SOLAR POWER FOR OUR CHILDREN. FOR OUR FUTURE! Below it is an oversized cardboard power switch. C. CLARENCE KYLE (hissing to Marco) We did the numbers. I know. But that means it has to work. That depends on your people. Even if I keel over dead tomorrow, I can make sure you never get re-elected. MARCO I hope we can test that hypothesis. The Principal greets them, Javier Jackson (17, we last saw him holding hands with Maria) beside her. PRINCIPAL Well, isn’t today exciting? A victory for the environment! (off Javier) And this is our student body president, Javier Jackson. He’ll be introducing you this morning. JAVIER It’s a pleasure to meet you. MARCO The pleasure’s all mine, Javier. I ran for student body president, myself. “When You Vote Flores, Every Day is Taco Tuesday.” I didn’t win that time. Page 89 of 97 Page 90 of 97 88. They both laugh. Javier sticks his hand out for Kyle. Kyle nods uncomfortably, dodges the handshake, touches his bruise. EXT. ROAD - SAME T.S.’ truck drives down empty road. The contrail grid remains. METAL SMOKESTACKS PUMP GREEN CLOUDS into the sky. INT. BARRY GOLDWATER K-12 - CURLE AUDITORIUM - SAME Children pour in. The Phoenix Seven sit on stage with Marco Flores. Maria sits with friends. Caleb sticks out his tongue at Sam, who talks to some girls. The Principal takes the mic: PRINCIPAL Settle down, you little rascals. Ok. Who’s psyched? I know I am! Today is the result of years of hard work... INT. T.S.’ TRUCK - SAME Noah, driving, passes a bowl to T.S. With the windows down, Noah lets the wind catch his hand and drop it. A RAVEN crashes on his windshield, then another. THOUSANDS OF BIRDS FALL FROM THE SKY. Noah steps on the gas. INT. BARRY GOLDWATER K-12 - CURLE AUDITORIUM - SAME A round of applause. Javier is now on stage. JAVIER It is fitting that so many ancestors of the Aztec people are here today to see the era of Tonatiuh, the sun god, continue peacefully. And without human sacrifice. Laughter. A girl passes a note to Sam, who blushes. JAVIER Without further ado, I’d like to ask a man who has sacrificed both time and money to make this all possible: Mr. C. Clarence Kyle! Kyle waves gamely to the crowd. Page 90 of 97 Page 91 of 97 89. JAVIER Mr. Kyle has been an active civic leader in the Valley for over 50 years. It is safe to say that without the vision and generosity of the Kyle family, this city wouldn’t be what it is today. Mr. Kyle, would you be so kind as to throw the switch, and start a new era of eco-friendly energy at Barry Goldwater K-12! Kyle walks to the oversized cardboard switch and pauses dramatically. Marco signals a worker in the back of the room. C. CLARENCE KYLE Let there be light! Kyle pulls the switch. The lights go out. EXT. BARRY GOLDWATER K-12 - SAME Noah and T.S. stand at the entrance when the thousands of new SOLAR PANELS COME TO LIFE, aligning to reflect the sun. NOAH We’ve got to hurry. INT. BARRY GOLDWATER K-12 - CURLE AUDITORIUM - SAME The audience oohs and ahhs. And then, the electricity comes back on and THE SWITCH IS BRIGHTLY LIT with blinking lights. APPLAUSE DROWNS OUT THE SOUND OF DISTANT GUNFIRE. Only a few heads turn. SCREAMS come from somewhere in the building. INT. BARRY GOLDWATER K-12 - HALLWAY – SAME THE ANNUNAKI SCREAMS an inhuman cry and goes down in a horrific spray of GREEN GOO! Noah lowers his weapon. An ANNUNAKI charges T.S.! He speaks quietly as he aims -- T.S. “Let me not then die ingloriously and without a struggle, but let me first do some great thing that shall be told among men hereafter.” -- and shoots the terrible creature with precision. Page 91 of 97 Page 92 of 97 90. Noah and T.S., armed with weapons from the day before, creep stealthily down the hall. From around a corner comes an ANNUNAKI GUARD, firing at them with a LASER CANNON. They duck into a doorway and return fire. The alien falls, clutching its chest, and tries to crawl away, dragging THICK GREEN GOO behind it, but Noah stands over it, shoots again, and puts it down. They run and kick open the doors of -- CURLE AUDITORIUM – CONTINUOUS: which is crawling with Annunaki and people in a confusing jumble. The stage, full of Annunaki, GLOWS A GOLDEN HUE. Noah fires into the air. NOAH Everybody’s going to die if you don’t pay attention to what I say! Children scream and Annunaki hiss. An Annunaki rushes T.S. and wraps its scaly arms around his neck. Noah pulls out a handgun and drops it with a SHOT TO THE HEAD, covering him and T.S. in GREEN ALIEN VISCERA. The crowd cries in panic. T.S. (breathing heavily) Can you tell them apart? NOAH (quietly to T.S.) I’ve never seen them so clearly. (now louder to everyone) We’re not afraid of you. We know what’s happening and we’re here to put a stop to it. Who’s in charge? Which one of you is Mar... AN ANNUNAKI ON STAGE raises its clawed hand and steps forward, bathed in golden light. Noah points his gun at it. MARDUK I am the one you’re looking for. Please, just...put the guns down. TWO MORE ANNUNAKI GUARDS leap in through a fire exit. The beams from their laser cannons fly over the crowd. T.S. returns fire, SHOOTING WILDLY. Noah runs, ducking and firing! T.S. puts one of the guards down, and Noah heroically follows suit. The crowd panics, surges. An Annunaki almost makes it to the door but Noah shoots it in the back. Page 92 of 97 Page 93 of 97 91. T.S. You’re not in control anymore! We’re not your slaves! He shoots and kills THREE ANNUNAKI across the room. The bodies of SLAIN ANNUNAKI WARRIORS - LARGE AND SMALL - are scattered throughout the auditorium, slumped over seats. Otherwise, the room is mostly empty. Noah gestures to the Annunaki onstage. NOAH Everyone, off. Group up on the floor here. Come on. (to Marduk) Show the world how to kneel. When the Annunaki leave the stage, the GLOW GROWS EVEN BRIGHTER. Noah lines the Annunaki up on their knees. A PORTAL opens in the floor of the stage. NOAH (to T.S., off the portal) The light bridge...do you see it? T.S. follows Noah’s eyeline. T.S. Yes...Yes! NOAH (to Marduk) It never had to come to this. Shut it down. MARDUK It is an automated system. It will take time. Try to see the big picture. NOAH I see the patterns you don’t want me to see. I see you for what you really are. All of you. Noah strides to where Kyle-Annunaki (NERGAL) kneels. We see him clearly in Annunaki form for the first time. NOAH Don’t I, Nergal? Page 93 of 97 Page 94 of 97 92. T.S. The god of war -- NOAH (reciting a flash card) -- and the Sun. In its destructive capacity. NERGAL I should have killed you when I had the chance. MARDUK He does not speak for me! NOAH (to Nergal) You tried. You failed. From the portal, A FIERY GREEN HYDRA WITH SEVEN HEADS pulls itself out of the floor. MARDUK We are trying to make a better world. NOAH A better world? For who? MARDUK For everyone! T.S. lines his gun up and shoots the farthest Annunaki in line. BANG! Marduk cringes, hissing. NOAH Everyone? But we’re not people to you, are we? We’re...things to be manipulated. T.S. shoots again - BANG! - killing another. His gunfire gives the conversation a rhythm. MARDUK Please...as a leader, I have to make the tough decisions. BANG! Noah stands over Marduk, puts the gun under his chin. NOAH Look at me. When was the last time you looked at a Man, really looked at him, and understood he’s alive? Page 94 of 97 Page 95 of 97 93. BANG! Marduk looks Noah in the eyes. MARDUK Please. Please try to understand. (beat) Whatever you want. I can get it for you. BANG! NOAH Wealth. Happiness. Safety... NERGAL We can get it for you. Noah lowers his weapon. NOAH All of this is predicated on your immediate release. Marduk and Nergal nod, relieved. NOAH Which we will not be doing. BANG! Noah shoots Nergal between the eyes! The glowing hydra still struggles out of the portal. There is another loud BANG! Only this time -- T.S. Noah... -- Blood spurts from T.S.’s chest. One of the injured ANNUNAKI GUARDS has crawled from behind a chair and shot him. Noah shoots the guard and runs to T.S., now on the ground. NOAH (crying) I’m so sorry... T.S. sputters through blood filling his mouth. He grips Noah’s hand as his eyes lose focus. T.S. -- ”If the world hates you, know that it hated me first.” Noah weeps as T.S. dies. Page 95 of 97 Page 96 of 97 94. Marduk tries to escape. Noah shoots Marduk in the leg, sending him sprawling. He tackles him, and they grapple on the floor. AN EPIC BRAWL. Noah finally gets on top of Marduk and starts to choke him. MARDUK (gasping) All I asked, was that you believed in me. NOAH (astonished) That’s all I’ve ever wanted. He chokes Marduk even harder until Marduk finally dies. He stares at him carefully for a second and the room is quiet, except for the sound of the BURNING HYDRA, now nearly free. Noah stands and confidently fires at it. The monster cries and writhes in pain. It loses its grip on the portal and begins to sink back inside. Noah pulls a grenade off his belt and tosses it at the beast. He turns and walks out of the room as the beast explodes, the lights go out, and the LIGHT BRIDGE CLOSES. INT. BARRY GOLDWATER K-12 - HALLWAY – SAME Emergency lights illuminate the hallway. Noah walks confidently - head up, shoulders back - COVERED IN GREEN ALIEN GOO. The auditorium burns behind him. He passes the corpses of defeated Annunaki. He sees, through a window, the SAME SCENE we saw on PAGE ONE. Police cars and fire trucks. Students and teachers running from the burning building. A blonde newswoman speaking to Maria. He can hear them talking about him: MARIA He saved me. He saved us. He watches Maria rush, sobbing, to a Hispanic woman. MARIA Mama? Page 96 of 97 Page 97 of 97 95. MAMA Mi bebé! Mi bebé! Me moriría si te perdiera. Yo no sería nada. Noah moves on. When he gets to the inner doors of the main entrance, he places his gun calmly on the ground. He opens the inner doors, STEPPING INTO SHADOW. NEWSWOMAN (O.S.) We have to remember this: In the midst of tragedy there were heroes. He pauses, almost smiling, slowing his breath. EXT. BARRY GOLDWATER K-12 - MORNING Maria, hugging her mother tight, turns back to the newswoman. MARIA It was Flores! Marco Flores saved us! He... She stops talking. All eyes turn as: Noah opens the outer doors with his hands in the air, and steps out of shadow into the LIGHT OF DAY. The ALIEN GOO remains in the same spray patterns on his face and chest, only now it is a BRIGHT AND VERY HUMAN RED. A SWAT TEAM surrounds Noah, ordering him to the ground. Noah sees Claire, and we are reminded of the time he watched her in Alice’s kitchen, but now she sobs with one hand clasped to her mouth while CALEB ALONE clings to her waist. Noah speaks to her, and only her: NOAH I know who I am, baby. I know what I can do. The SWAT team tackles him to the ground. Pull up and away past black smoke to a clear blue morning sky. FADE OUT. Page 97 of 97 Page 97 of 97