The BulletProof Ghost TV Pilot Script!
So, I recently entered a Television Script contest on Screencraft.com. The goal was to write a script for the first episode of a TV show, which for the uninitiated is known as a Pilot. I converted a chunk of The BulletProof Ghost: Prototypes into a television script! This is still the second draft, so it might be a bit rough, but I thought there are those of you out there that might want to see what the project looks like at the moment, plus this is the version I submitted. The formatting didn't quite transfer over, so yeah.
The BulletProof Ghost (Pilot)
by
Jake dh
Enjoy!
INT. BLACK SCREEN
The sound of labored breathing can be heard. The sound is distinct. That of a young teen. His voice is desperate and frightened. Wet squeaking sounds start to fade into the soundtrack. The sound of sneakers slipping on a wet locker room floor.
KYLE
Help… Some… body
CUT TO:
INT. DILBANE MIDDLE SCHOOL BOYS LOCKER ROOM - DAY
KYLE, 13, is struggling to stand up. KYLE, is small for his age. His skin is soaked with sweat and unnaturally pale due to blood loss. His hair, once stylishly spiked is matted with streak of red from rolling on the floor. The floor is wet with his blood and water from careless post-shower athletes. Leaning up against a bench made out of concrete rising from the floor of the locker room. His chest is bleeding profusely. Tears are streaming down his cheeks. Determination is still present in his expression.
CUT TO:
CLOSE UP on KYLE’s eyes. He needs to accomplish something before he bleeds out onto in the floor.
QUICK CUT TO:
A bloody, large, sharp kitchen knife lies on the floor a few inches from KYLE’s leg.
KYLE
Irene…
QUICK CUT TO:
IRENE, 13, laughing outside in the sunlight. Crying in a car. Waving goodbye to him from in front of her house. This is all in KYLE’s head. His memories of her.
KYLE
I… ack!
KYLE’s hand cups his chest wound as he finally finds the strength and balance to gain solid footing. KYLE starts taking one painful step after the other.
INT. DMS HALLWAY
KYLE is dripping blood all over the linoleum floors as he shuffles toward a pair of heavy gym doors. He looks back at the trail of fluid he’s left in his wake.
KYLE
Shit… is all of that mine? I don’t have…
KYLE coughs several times, spatting blood into the air and on his hands. He looks at the red dripping from his fingertips
KYLE
…much time left.
KYLE leans up against the gym door for a few seconds. He doesn’t have very much energy left. He strains as he forces the door open.
INT. DMS Gymnasium
IRENE is playing basketball with another group of girls. IRENE is the only black girl in a crowd of lighter skinned girls. IRENE is peppy, happy and fun loving. She is at least six inches taller than KYLE. IRENE turns her head to see a bloody, exhausted KYLE walking into the room. He smiles for a moment before his eyes roll into the back of his head. IRENE’s fun loving attitude fades away into terror.
IRENE
Kyle? Kyle! No!
IRENE sprints with everything she has and drops violently to the floor to help her friend. KYLE is emptying out onto the floor at this point. A pool of blood starts to spread with KYLE at the center.
IRENE
Oh no… nononono…
KYLE’s eyes are unfocused. Starting at the ceiling. IRENE is trying to put pressure on the wound, covering herself in blood. Her gym clothes are splattered with crimson red. IRENE turns to see her classmates and the teacher staring shocked. Frozen in place.
IRENE
Someone, one… all of you, get a fucking ambulance, you morons! Goddamnit.
IRENE was sobbing with every word. A bloody hand touched the side of her face. KYLE looked up at her. He focused on her.
KYLE
Hey, Irene
IRENE grabbed his hand against the side of her face.
IRENE
It’s going… it’s going to be fine. We’ll just…
The pool of blood under KYLE spread under IRENE’s knee. She couldn’t lie to him anymore.
KYLE
I’m sorry. I didn’t want to make you cry. I just wanted to see you one last time.
KYLE tried to hug IRENE, but seemed too weak. She pulled him up to her the rest of the way and embraced him.
KYLE
I wanted to be with you when the end came…
KYLE’s eyes go blank. IRENE keeps hugging him as she rocks back and forth.
FADE TO BLACK
FADE IN:
INT. WILLIAM’s FORTRESS, FOREST ENVIROOM - DAY
KYLE(PROTOTYPE 005, THE BULLETPROOF GHOST), 17, is blocking various kinetic blade attacks from a SYNTH. The blade sticking out of his left arm is solid and sharp, but has a florescent blue glow, as does various parts of his armor. Specifically his eye lens that make him look particularly foreboding. KYLE is five feet five inches tall, he is an adult, albeit a short one.
KYLE is dawning a completely contained armor that reveals no skin. It is light grey with blue light emanating from multiple points including a field being emitting from the bottoms of his feet.
The SYNTH is gangly and cold. Its movements are quick and precise. The dimensions of the machine allow the viewer to immediately understand that this thing cannot be human. The SYNTH has blue kinetic blades jutting out of its elbows as opposed to KYLE’s single left arm blade. The SYNTH has a single red eye at the center of its head. (Visual aids for both Cyber-KYLE and the SYNTH included).
KYLE
Damn!
QUICK CUT TO:
WILLIAM is watching the battle from a safe distance. His hand clasped behind his back. Following the fight with his jet black eyes. He is calm and collected. His outfit seems to have influences from multiple cultures, and yet maybe no influence at all. WILLIAM says nothing as he observes the result of this test.
CUT TO:
The environment is forest like, but the viewer can see that the forest has an edge. That edge connects with a silver metal wall. The wall has moss and vegetation growing on it, but the growth stops about ten feet off of the ground. The ceiling of the room it multiple stories off of the ground. The reason for this becomes apparent as the two dueling figures begin to take flight.
KYLE is losing this melee battle. The SYNTH’s blades swipe across KYLE’s defensive stance. A few impacts are on his kinetic blade, but the SYNTH breaks through and cuts KYLE’s chest armor a few times. A spurt of blood oozes down the chest-plate.
KYLE
No!
KYLE soars into the air, using his kinetic boosters. A distinct sound can be heard emanated from the increased energy output. A high pitched pulse. KYLE is facing away from the SYNTH as he picks up speed.
KYLE
I’m not letting this thing kill me. I’m…
KYLE turns his head, still in motion.
KYLE
…not going to die again.
KYLE stops in mid flight to attack the metallic fiend. A portion of his left arm pushes out of the right side of his forearm. A hole pointing toward his fist, emanates an orange light. A small ball of light jumps from his arm blaster. It lands in the center of the chest of the SYNTH. A large explosion send the robot back into the ground. A plume of dirt and dust is thrown into the air.
KYLE lands on the soft ground, trying to scan for his enemy. KYLE’s chest wound from before is in view. Where a cut on his skin was seen before, open and bleeding, is now closed. Fully healed..
He put his hand on a tree next him. The viewer is now seeing the world through KYLE’s eyes. He switches between multiple types of vision states. Thermal, radiation, motion, radar. KYLE sees an indication light up red and point to his right.
KYLE
Shit!
The SYNTH’s elbow blades cut cleanly through the tree KYLE’s hand had rested. The wooden mass fell down as KYLE and the SYNTH resume their battle.
KYLE tried to boost just above the ground. He fired blue energy blasts at the robot, but it merely dodges them, one at a time. The SYNTH has its own blasters in its palms. The SYNTH fires red blasts at KYLE’s chest. KYLE dodges a few of them, but one impacts on his left shoulder. The blast seemed to melt partially through the metal instead of exploding, like the orange one. KYLE’s arm blaster is retracted at this point.
The SYNTH closed the gap as KYLE reacted to his damaged shoulder. KYLE swung his right foot, swiftly knocking the machine off balance. The SYNTH took the force and returned with its own kick, shattering one of KYLE’s eye lens. KYLE’s white pupil can be seen through the hole. His look was full of desperation, but also burning determination. It doesn’t hesitate with its next attack.
The kick KYLE had landed seemed to have knocked a plate off of the side of the SYNTH’s head. Circuitry and lights can be seen working through the damage.
KYLE grabs the SYNTH’s arm as it tries to swipe its elbow blade across his neck. The SYNTH has a tight grip on KYLE’s left wrist, preventing him from doing his own slicing. They seem to be at a stalemate.
KYLE
(chuckles)
What now?
The single red eye at the center of the SYNTH’s head starts to glow. KYLE’s voice seems disappointed and scared at the same time.
KYLE
Oh.
A thin red laser instantly hits KYLE’s mask. It sustains the beam without any break in burning his armor. KYLE seems to have trouble getting out of the stalemate. The two swing around in circles a couple of times, but they end up in the same situation. The laser is moving toward KYLE’s broken eye lens. KYLE’s expression turns to fright.
KYLE
No. No!
KYLE starts to angle his blade toward the laser. He angles his head a different direction as the laser rakes across his helmet, leaving black burn marks, but narrowly missing his exposed eye. The viewer should understand that the laser piercing his eye would disable or kill him.
KYLE jerks his arm up at the last second as the laser burns his cheek near his eye, but it intercepted by his kinetic blade. The laser splits into a dozen beams, one of which is sent right back into the SYNTH’s eye.
KYLE
Fuck…
KYLE rushes toward the disoriented the robot, sliding his kinetic blade through its neck.
KYLE
…off!
KYLE impales the SYNTH’s falling head with his blade, but powers the blade down the moment it pierces its cranium. The no longer glowing blade is raised up. KYLE looks over to WILLIAM while he spins the head around on his blade.
KYLE
So, Creator William, how did I do?
WILLIAM looks unamused. He pulls a few strands of long hair away from his face.
WILLIAM
Better than the others, Prototype Five.
Close up on WILLIAM’s black eyes. They are full of intense thought.
WILLIAM
The others failed.
CUT TO:
INT. HALLWAY IN WILLIAM’s FORTRESS
The hallway is cold and silver. There is an interesting design ingrained into the metal, almost like a language. White conduits of energy are pulsating in the direction the two figures are walking.
KYLE and WILLIAM are calmly walking through the hallway. WILLIAM’s hands are behind his back, while KYLE is jumping into the air and hovering for a second or two.
WILLIAM is looking irritated every time KYLE lands with a thud.
WILLIAM
Your gifts are not toys. Stop messing around.
KYLE lands for a final time. His one eye’s expression shows some embarrassment.
KYLE
Sorry. Um… where are we going?
WILLIAM
To your final trial. For today anyway.
KYLE looks at his left hand. His cybernetic hand. He moves his fingers around a bit. Using this hand, KYLE grabs the gauntlet on his right arm. The metal mesh attached to his gauntlet and shoulder recede (molecular compression) into the gauntlet and shoulder armor respectively.
KYLE’s right hand is human under all of the metal. His hand and arm are pure white, not just pale, but inhumanely sheet white. It is the hand of an adult, not a teenage boy.
KYLE
So…
QUICK CUT TO:
KYLE is seen as a boy in a tank full of green water. He has a breathing apparatus. Then in stages with in a few seconds, KYLE goes from being 13 to being in his early 20s.
QUICK CUT TO:
KYLE looking at his hand from the scene before.
KYLE
…I had my aging sped up when you brought me here?
WILLIAM looks annoyed.
WILLIAM
We went through this already.
KYLE
You quickly went through the generalities of me being… altered. I’m curious about the specifics.
WILLIAM stops walking. He faces KYLE, towering over him at over six and a half feet.
WILLIAM
I brought you here three point five years ago. I used a process, mostly using a type of nano-technology, to increase your physical age twelve years in a span of two and a half years. The various cybernetics in your body took another year to install. There were many periods of resting and healing. Even with your healing nanites…
WILLIAM points at the cut in KYLE’s chest armor as well as the former wound under the opening.
WILLIAM
…that process required various stages and time. Then after it was all finished, I ended your sedation. You awoke.
QUICK CUT TO:
A flash of KYLE with no armor waking up with his cybernetic arm, midsection and other implants. His hair is pure white, like his skin. Its cut short and still has a little spikiness to it without any sort of product. This scene can have a slightly different tint to it to keep continuity easier to understand.
KYLE looks distressed as WILLIAM talks to him in the quick flashback. We don’t hear any dialogue. A tear rolled down KYLE’s cheek.
QUICK CUT TO:
WILLIAM and KYLE in the present conversing.
WILLIAM
Oh, I also inquired whether or not you could complete your final ultimate test.
QUICK CUT TO:
KYLE in no armor, in the room he awoke in (flashback tint). He looks angry. KYLE nods at WILLIAM with tears in his eyes. They weren’t tears of sadness or fear this time, but anger. Red hot rage. The viewer finds out later, this is where WILLIAM reminds KYLE that NICK and JOSH killed him. That they took him away from IRENE, AL and KAREN.
QUICK CUT TO:
KYLE and WILLIAM conversing again.
WILLIAM
You agreed to that test. If you hadn’t then, I might have had to move on to Cybernetic Prototype Zero Zero Six.
KYLE
You should have asked me before going through all of that work.
WILLIAM
(laughs a little)
I have the same nanites in my system. I don’t age. I have been alive for seven hundred years.
WILLIAM moves in closer to KYLE’s mask.
WILLIAM
The three years I spent on you would be nothing in my lifespan. Every prototype I create, I streamline the process. I become more efficient. I innovate. If your conversion was nothing more than a learning experience for me, then so be it.
WILLIAM begins to walk toward a set of double doors that are coming into view now.
KYLE
Where did you come from? Where did all of this advanced tech come from? Why did you do this to me?
WILLIAM stops walking. He looks over his shoulder, ever so slightly.
WILLIAM
I gave you new life. I saved you.
KYLE
I’m grateful, even though I look…
KYLE looks at his hand again. He fits his hand through the gauntlet again. The mesh shoots out of his armor and covers his human arm again.
KYLE
…different. I don’t know the end game. After the final test.
WILLIAM
It isn’t yours to know. I created you.
WILLIAM turns around. In his left hand is a circular, clear screen. A tablet. His finger hovers above a red symbol. It is the Biodisian symbol for death.
WILLIAM
I can show you an end game if you want. The end game where I activate the explosive in the base… of your fucking spin.
KYLE puts his hands up in panic.
KYLE
There’s no need for that. Come on!
KYLE looks serious and somber for a moment.
KYLE
I’ll complete your tests. I promise.
WILLIAM turned back around. He stored the tablet back into his jacket. He sighed in frustration.
WILLIAM
Biodise. My people existed on an island continent a long time ago. We were more advanced than the rest of the world is now five hundred years ago. Technology, art, culture.
WILLIAM has a moment of true emotion. Sadness. Nostalgia.
WILLIAM
A virus. It swept over the island and I was part of a team that tried to find a cure. A vaccine. In my case, a technological cure or an efficient delivery system. By the time we created a cure, it was too late. My team was isolated in a lab, so we avoided infection. The other three Biodisians left the island. I don’t know where they are now.
KYLE
Is that where we are now? Biodise?
WILLIAM
No, I destroyed the island. There was nothing left for us there.
QUICK CUT TO:
Blue flashback tint.
WILLIAM, without showing his face, aims a large hand held energy blaster at a Biodisian house. It sits on a small plot of land. The only part of the island left after he blew it away in larger chunks.
QUICK CUT TO:
WILLIAM and KYLE conversing.
WILLIAM
I disintegrated my house and the last piece of Biodise before I left. We are on a mobile, artificial island in the Antarctic. There is a masking devise surrounding the fortress with a field that keeps us invisible to the rest of the world.
CUT TO:
EXT. WILLIAM’s FORTRESS
The camera pulls back to see the large multi-mile wide structure. The camera pulls back further through the field. The fortress disappears behind the field to reveal glaciers, ice and ocean.
CUT TO:
INT. HALLWAY IN WILLIAM’S FORTRESS
KYLE and WILLIAM are conversing.
WILLIAM
At least until I’m ready to reveal myself. That time is approaching Prototype Five. You may be part of my Better World.
WILLIAM motions toward the doors at the end of the hall.
WILLIAM
Now come, you must prove your worthiness.
INT. GLACIAL ENVIROOM
The lights in the room gradually activate as KYLE and WILLIAM enter the enviroom. The camera lowers as a new metallic figure comes into the view. The camera pulls back. The only sounds are KYLE’s heavy footsteps cracking the ice under his feet. KYLE looks around at the frigid Antarctic type room. Ice climbed up the silver walls similarly to the vegetation in the forest room. KYLE’s attention is drawn to the new armored figure in front of them. KYLE visible eye looks as if he is concentrating on something.
KYLE
I can’t scan its capabilities? What is this? Another Synth? I’ve fought three of these things already.
WILLIAM takes a few steps back. He looks coldly at the new warrior. The metal humanoid was dark grey. It had two eye lens instead of the one eye, but it was still circular, unlike KYLE’s angular eye holes. It didn’t have a mesh like locking system, but bits of jagged right angles that locked together along the head, joints and midsection. (preliminary sketches provided)
WILLIAM
Zero Zero Four
WILLIAM extends his long finger at KYLE.
WILLIAM
Kill Cybernetic Prototype Five.
Two luminescent blue blades shot out of FOUR’s wrists. FOUR’s blades were shorter than KYLE’s single blade. FOUR boosted a few inches off of the ground, rushing KYLE. FOUR is aggressive in his fighting style, not as mechanical and calculated as a SYNTH.
KYLE looks like he has trouble keeping up with FOUR’s attack from the outset of the fight. KYLE defends several of the slashes with his own blade, but soon he takes to the air. KYLE tries some of the same tactics that he used on the previous SYNTH to try to confuse FOUR. KYLE fires several blasts at his new opponent.
FOUR deflects the blasts with his kinetic blades. The final orange explosive blast he block with his blades in an ‘X’ formation.
KYLE
The hell?
FOUR actually keeps the blast from detonating by using his blades to merely redirect the blast back where it came from, at KYLE.
KYLE
Oh shit!
KYLE moves to the side to attempt to escape the blast radius, but FOUR uses the distraction to close the distance between the two fighters. FOUR is swiping and stabbing at an incredible and inhuman speed. KYLE isn’t able to keep up at this point. His armor is being cut and sliced on the arms and shoulders. He was barely about to keep FOUR from cutting into his vitals.
A flash of KAREN, AL, KEVIN and IRENE are shown across the screen. The viewer doesn’t know KAREN, AL or KEVIN as of yet, but they know IRENE.
IRENE
I just know you.
Blood is oozing out of part of KYLE’s armor. Tears can be seen forming in his exposed eye. One wet streak drops down the side of the cyborg’s cheek. IRENE flashes across the screen again. This time she is standing next to a tree during autumn. The wind is blowing. Her lips aren’t moving, but her voice can be heard.
IRENE
I didn’t think any less of you
KYLE is fighting FOUR again.
KYLE
NO!
In a rage, KYLE grabs FOUR by the wrists.
KYLE
I’m not going to let it happen again.
FOUR seems to struggle to free himself from the grip as KYLE headbutts him repeatedly.
KYLE
Like I told the other robot. I’m not dying again!
FOUR’s left eye lens cracked, but doesn’t shatter from the massively powerful impacts. KYLE drops out of the air as he turns his boosters completely off. KYLE lands, fracturing the ice under his metal feet.
FOUR wastes very little time speeding toward the young cyborg once he lands. KYLE charges up an orange explosive blast. Everything moves slowly at this point. FOUR is flying full force at KYLE. KYLE releases the medium size blast. The trajectory of the energy ball looks as if it was going to hit FOUR squarely in the chest, but FOUR elegantly spins to the side, avoiding the damage all together.
FOUR lands on top of KYLE, slamming him onto his back. One of the FOUR’s wrist blades penetrates KYLE’s shoulder. The other blade is kept at bay with KYLE’s own blade. They were at a stalemate, similarly to the previous fight, but this time KYLE was gushing blood from this stab wound. KYLE had ahold of his left wrist to keep FOUR from slicing his arm off, but he clearly wasn’t going to be able to keep this stand off up for long. KYLE looks as if he is going to lose consciousness.
His one exposed eye stops focusing on FOUR. That eye looks past FOUR as an orange dot of light fades into existence in his eye’s reflective surface. The viewer is shown the explosive blast rebounding off of the roof of the room. KYLE had kept it from detonating with his remote control over the energy blast.
KYLE
Detonate!
A blinding orange light envelops everything on screen. A tight shot on WILLIAM’S face shows an pleased, eerie smile stretched across his face. His hair is brushed to the side by the force of KYLE’S explosive blast. The orange light ceases to illuminate WILLIAM’S skin.
A silhouette can be seen standing up, peeking through the dying light, though it’s not clear if the figure is KYLE or FOUR. The orange light completely dies down to reveal that KYLE was triumphant in the battle. His shoulder is still bleeding through his armor. He cradles his wound as he looks down on his fallen foe. KYLE’S wrist blade has been retracted.
FOUR lays quietly on the frozen floor. FOUR is severely injured, with sparking energy spurting from a few parts of his body. His left eye lens is completely shattered with only a few pieces of the blue lens framing the hole in it’s armor. The hole is dark, not revealing what is inside.
FOUR’S robotic hand started to move slightly. This immediately catches KYLE’S attention. KYLE cocks his head to the side. KYLE’S kinetic wrist blade quickly juts out of his left arm.
KYLE
Fucking robot. Almost took me away from this world again… you almost…
KYLE stops with a look of shock being seen, even with his mask on. The camera angle starts from far away, but in multiple quick edits focuses closer on FOUR’S mask, more specifically, his shattered eye lens hole. The final shot in the edits being that instead of mechanical components or wires pouring out of the hole, it was a brown human eye. The eye of a man. FOUR continues to struggle, but is too injured to continue. He passes out. KYLE looks over at WILLIAM, but doesn’t say anything for a few seconds.
CUT TO BLACK.
Muddled incoherent voices can be heard in the background. One voice cuts through all of it.
WILLIAM
Four will stay alive, for now…
FADE IN:
INT. KYLE and FOUR’S QUARTERS
FOUR’S vision is blurry, but starts to adjust. Several of his synthetic systems start to come online. Several lines of text and indicators, a HUD if you will, pops up in his vision.
The audience now can see FOUR’s helmet on the bed he is lying on. FOUR’S armored hand touches the helmet. The camera pans to his face. He is a six foot tall man of Japanese descent. He rubs his head as if he is still in pain. He looks disheveled, but he is not bleeding, as the nanites in his system has healed his organic injuries.
FOUR sees KYLE in the corner of the room at a silver table. He seems to be using a welding tool in his finger to make repairs to his facemask, which had the metal mesh retracted. A clear circular tablet is suspended above the work area. Text commands and instructions were scrolling across the screen. There appeared to be damage to the mask that hadn’t happened during their battle. This wasn’t the most pressing matter on FOUR’S mind. The viewer can’t see KYLE’S face yet.
KYLE
Oh, you’re awake. You sir, have been out for hours.
KYLE turns to make eye contact with FOUR. KYLE’S eyes are completely white with no pupils. This is a stark difference from FOUR’S semi-normal appearance.
KYLE
I wasn’t sure how long you were gonna be out. I fixed your helmet.
KYLE points at FOUR’S helmet on the bed next to him. FOUR ignores the helmet.
KYLE
I technically have all of the files on repairing things, but I’m a little slow at it in practice (chuckles). I’m using this floaty screen instead of just loading the instructions into my Brain Node Network. I’m not sure why, but it’s easier for… me…
FOUR stands up. He is stern, but not necessarily angry.
FOUR
Why am I here? What… What happened after I lost consciousness? I demand answers, Prototype Five! Why am I still functional?
The last sentence from FOUR seems to convey more emotion than everything he had done and said up until that point. Like surprise, gratefulness and sadness combined into five words.
KYLE
Are you sure you don’t want to check your helmet? I’m sure you’ll have to make some tweaks, but…
FOUR
You didn’t answer…
FOUR inspects his helmet for a moment.
FOUR
This is sufficient work.
FOUR’S eyes refocused on KYLE in a close up shot.
FOUR
How did I come to be unconscious on this bed. Why am I not deceased?
KYLE inputs a few commands on a circular, clear tablet in front of him.
KYLE
I didn’t know you were human.
FOUR
Technically neither of us is completely human.
KYLE
What I mean, is that I thought you were a Synth.
FOUR
Synthetic Prototype? Creator William instructed me to block your scans with a low level setting of my masking device. I see how you might have mistaken me for… a synthetic. I wonder if that was the Creator’s intent all along.
KYLE
I’m not sure
KYLE seems to be concerned about his next sentence.
KYLE
As for as why you’re not dead. I couldn’t kill you once I saw you weren’t a robot. William ordered me to do it. I told him no.
KYLE looked around with concern for a moment.
KYLE
Umm… Can he hear us right now?
FOUR
No. He once told me that our organic nervous systems could detect being monitored via hidden programming or hardware. Our synthetic systems can detect unattached surveillance. If he were to block or scramble our sensors, we would be aware of the distortion. He can still tell our location via tracking programs.
KYLE
Like GPS?
FOUR
The Biodisian technology he possesses doesn’t require a satellite, but the concept is similar. You have files on our tracking technology. I suggest you study them.
KYLE
There is also the fact he can kill us with a tap of that red symbol on his tablet. That keeps us in line too.
FOUR still looks as if he has questions he wishes to have answered.
FOUR
So, you didn’t properly explain why you spared my life.
KYLE
I just… couldn’t, okay? You couldn’t fight back. I’m not…
KYLE’S eyes become glossy with emotion for a moment.
KYLE
I’m not a bully.
FOUR sits back down. He has calmed down. KYLE’S answers are illogical by his standards, but he understands that emotion can be complicated. He was just thankful KYLE wasn’t ‘a bully’.
FOUR
It stands to reason that you are uninformed about the Creator’s final goal. I am 98% certain that it will include killing a person or people at some juncture.
KYLE
He made that pretty clear during our… conversation earlier. The one where he threatened my life if I didn’t end yours.
FOUR
I don’t understand how you survived that situation. Creator…
The word Creator looks like it was starting to sour in FOUR’S mouth.
FOUR
William under normal circumstances would not make that type of threat without the intent of following through. How did we survive?
KYLE
I convinced him it was in all of our best interests to not obliterate our skulls with a fully charged explosive blast.
KYLE turned toward FOUR more so, revealing his chest plate. There were multiple stab marks. Marks he hadn’t made. A quick flash back cut to when FOUR was about to fall unconscious after their fight. Four only sees the one stab wound he had made before taking the explosive blast full force (as well as the one the SYNTH made previously).
FOUR
Those cuts in your chest plate were not present when I lost consciousness at the end of our fight. How did you…”
KYLE
It took more convincing than I would have liked. Let’s say I found out be has more Synths than the ones I fought for today’s tests.
KYLE looks as if he was remembering the pain that the additional Synths caused him offscreen. KYLE seems to refocus. He points to FOUR’S face.
KYLE
You look kinda normal. If you had a big coat, pants and boots, take off your armored parts, you could walk around in the daylight.
KYLE pointed at his own face. His finger moved from the top of his head to the bottom of his chin.
KYLE
I obviously couldn’t. Why is that?
FOUR
William takes something from his prototypes or so he says on occasion.
KYLE
I don’t understand.
FOUR
To remind them that they are his. I am certain he will explain it to you. He claims he will return what he has taken when his goal is complete. Your appearance… and my memories.
KYLE
Your memories? You don’t mean… you can only remember being in this place. Being like…
KYLE points at his cybernetic arm.
KYLE
Like this?
FOUR
That is a correct conclusion. This fortress is the only home I have ever known. Loyalty to my creator is… was my life.
KYLE
I’m sorry. That really sucks. Well if we ever leave here, you could go get a coffee or a pizza or something. I’d be stuck in a sewer or I’d always keep my masking field on. Invisible to the world.
FOUR
Prototype Five, are you… alright?
KYLE
I’m fine. There’s just a lot to take in. So you don’t have a name? A real one, I mean.
FOUR
Four will suffice. You know who you were before your age alteration and cybernetic enhancements. What was your name?
KYLE
My name?
A flash to the death scene at the beginning of the episode appears onscreen. IRENE crying. KYLE dying her arms.
KYLE
MY name is Kyle Richard.
FOUR
I am in your debt Kyle Richard. And you recall your life before?
KYLE
Oh yes.
KYLE sees NICK and JOSH standing over him with a knife. The knife in his chest. IRENE’S tears.
KYLE
I remember everything. The last memory I have is bleeding to death when I was thirteen years old.
INT. SWAMP ENVIROOM
CUT TO: KYLE fighting another SYNTH. WILLIAM watches the fight with contentment on his face. WILLIAM’s word play over the scene, not from his lips.
WILLIAM
You have spent six months here, Prototype Five. Your skills have progressed much quicker than Prototype Four’s. I think even though he possessed innate skills from his previous life, he wasn’t driven. You, my boy, are focused on your end goal. You want to even the score with those that took your life.
KYLE walks down the hallway with no helmet covering his sweaty face. The pulsating energy cascading through the walls is the only sound. KYLE does indeed look driven, almost angry.
KYLE opens the door to his and FOUR’s joint room. FOUR was dressed in a black tank top and shorts. His armor was hanging on a display rack on the wall. His arms and legs were mechanical. Dark gray and metallic. Four was just standing in the far corner away from the door.
KYLE
So what’s for dinner?
FOUR
We don’t eat, Five. Our perpetual energy drives gives fuel to the nanites in our bodies and they constantly…
KYLE looks FOUR with a ‘really?’ expression on his face.
FOUR
Oh… a joke. I need to work on the whole humor concept.
KYLE
You emotions, unlike mine, are suppressed, not eliminated. William seemed to want you for the innate skills you had before you were… well you. I think with my help, you’ll become a well-rounded person and less of a robot.(in a funny robot voice)
KYLE set his helmet on the table he had been sitting at in the previous scene.
KYLE
What have you been doing other than your whole statue thing?
FOUR
What did you call it before, the thing that you were not very fond of?
KYLE
You know what I called it. Both of us have perfect memories.
FOUR
Scheming.
KYLE
If you hack into the wrong system.
KYLE started to pace in the small space.
KYLE
You could get yourself killed. You could get us both killed if William finds out.
FOUR
I won’t. I may not have been disloyal to William in the past, but I did learn my way around his computer network. I can look at available files, encrypted or other wise without his knowledge. I just can’t access the information they contain. He has a complicated method of coding them. Every file is represented by a Biodisian symbols and titled in non-descriptive ways. If I can break that code, I could automatically shut off the explosives attached to our spinal columns. Then we would have a chance. Even if it means fighting our way out of William’s Fortress.
KYLE
I’ll figure out our next move without getting us killed sooner than later. We can, but we have a year and a half to figure this out.
FOUR
He started instructing you on military tactics last week. We both know his intentions are violent in nature. You are incapable of killing innocent people. You proved that when you spared my life. I am indifferent on the subject of killing. I know that you aren’t. I also know if you cannot complete your mission, you will be executed and then so will I.
KYLE sat down on his bed. He rested his face in his hands.
KYLE
I know, but what else can I do?
FOUR
Let me try to get the information we need. Let me try to decode those files and shut these explosives off.
FOUR touched a spot on his neck at the base of his spine.
KYLE started to lay down on his bed.
KYLE
You’re just going to do it either way. I need to sleep. We’ll talk about this again when I wake up.
FOUR
You do not need to sleep. Your need is psychosomatic, not physical.
KYLE
I know, but I guess that’s the price of keeping my memories. Makes me too human.
KYLE closes his eyes and drifts off to sleep. The camera pans back over to FOUR standing perfectly still. His eyes are open, but he’s seeing a world that is not a physical one.
CUT TO: WHITE SCREEN
INT. PHYSICAL REPRESENTATION OF WILLIAM’S COMPUTER NETWORK
A white nothingness with absolutely no sound. The camera pans down to see rows of Biosidian symbols lined up in perfect rows. The symbols seem to go on into infinity in every direction. Each symbol was statically floating about a foot off of the white ground. They were about six feet tall.
FOUR walked into frame. He is in his non-armored outfit from before. He seemed to be thinking intensely. He analyzed one symbol after the other. FOUR isn’t touching anything, which in this world, would mean he just opened the file or at least attempted to. He did NOT want to try to open any of these files. FOUR’S voice is heard, but his lips aren’t moving.
FOUR
These symbols do not seem to correlate with the rest of the Biodisian language. This may be a portion of the language William has hidden from Five and myself; or this is an older version of the language similar to Middle or True Old English. If I touch one of these files, they will register an attempt to break into the information therefore contained. William will in most likely actuality, terminate me, regardless of the agreement Prototype Five and him agreed upon.
FOUR stops walking. His stare drifts down for a moment.
FOUR
Once I unravel the code, I will know what each file contains. Then I should be able to quickly decipher the passwords. I will not have long once this happens.
A small figure runs in between two of the symbols in FOUR’S view. The figure seems to be wearing red, but the motion is too quick for the viewer to interpret much else beyond the person’s size and color of clothing. FOUR speaks, but this time his lips are moving.
FOUR
William will lock the system relatively quickly…
FOUR sees the figure now. A white boy in a red hoodie and jeans stares at FOUR from about five hundred feet away. FOUR seems extremely puzzled. No one else should be inside WILLIAM’S NETWORK or FOUR’S BRAIN NODE NETWORK.
FOUR
Hello?
The boy sprints into the distance. FOUR starts to run after the small child.
FOUR
Wait! I will not hurt you… Whatever you are.
The symbols next to him started to disappear, replaced by brick and concrete. FOUR halted his pursuit to observe this new environment. He looks utterly confused. In the distance, the viewer can see the white nothingness still exists, but is being replaced by this fading digital effect. The digitized effect was materializing buildings, streets and even a blue sky above the cyborg. FOUR’s armor, excluding his helmet digitizes around his body instinctively. This symbolizes he is on guard.
FOUR can make out the boy from before, but he was surrounded by several other boys. Boys that were much larger than him.
The building next to them had a large window with the words HEDWIN’S GROCERY & MORE printed across. The boy in the hoodie was on his hands and knees. He was hyperventilating and bleeding from a split on his lip.
There were five boys standing in front and to the side. The two largest boys were caucasian, NICK, who had red, short hair and JOSH who had jet black hair. The other three boys, BRETT, KRUEGER and DONNY, could be white or slightly darker skin, but being that NICK and his father really don’t like black people, none of them could be black or mixed race of African American descent for continuity’s sake.
KYLE (age 13), is the boy on the ground. He is no taller than four feet eight inches tall. The other boys are well over five feet five inches tall. NICK hit his growth spurt and is pushing five feet ten inches tall.
KYLE (age 13), tries to stand up, but is immediately punched in the face with a quick hook by NICK. KYLE falls on his back, but tries to get up again. KYLE has difficulty finding his footing due to feeling dizzy. He fights against the tears, but is failing.
NICK
Are you going to cry, faggot-boy? Are you going to suck my cock while you’re down there? Cause that’s the only action you’re ever gonna get.
KYLE (AGE 13) looks up with eyes full of rage.
KYLE
Just leave me along, Nick. I don’t want to fight, I never…
KYLE hadn’t finished his sentence before NICK slapped him across the face with the back of his hand. Not punched. Slapped.
NICK
A bitch slap for a short-shit little bitch-boy. You are soooo fucking pathetic. No wonder the girls want my dick and not his.
KYLE clenches his fist with a righteous anger. He launches himself from the ground toward NICK in a final desperate attack. His voice cracks as he screams.
KYLE
Fuck you!
NICK uppercuts KYLE off his feet. KYLE’S back hits the concrete with a sickening thud. His right hand lands on a glass bottle, shattering it. A sliver of glass penetrates his palm. He rolls in pain. KYLE starts to hyperventilate again. He’s having a panic attack.
FOUR watches all of this transpire. He scans the boys and doesn’t detect life or true intelligence.
FOUR
Is any of this real?
FOUR’S energy blaster extends from his right wrist. He fires a blue kinetic blast at the big kid that’s attacking the smaller one. The blast is small and slower moving that the others to convey that it is a very weak blast. It would feel like the punch NICK delivered to KYLE… by design. The blast slips through NICK as if it didn’t exist. The kids go on with their fight without taking notice of the blast of FOUR himself walking down the sidewalk.
NICK and JOSH high five each other.
NICK
Did you see that shit, Josh?
JOSH
Yeah, you fucked him up.
JOSH looks at the broken, crawling boy. The smile fades from his face, as if feeling a glimmer of remorse.
The grocery store door flies open. KEVIN, a black man in his thirties stomps his way out. He puts himself between NICK and the others. He had an apron that matched the store’s logo on the window. Though KEVIN is normally gentle, this was not the time to be docile. He pointed his finger right at NICK.
KEVIN
Get out of here now. I don’t care who your father is, Vyle.
NICK
Get back in your shit store. My grand-dad, rest his soul, told me how he dealt with uppity mutherfuckers like you.
KEVIN
Considering your grand-dad was the worst congressman this state ever had, that doesn’t bother me one lick.
KEVIN pointed behind the boys, toward the end of the street.
KEVIN
Now leave, before I call the cops.
NICK sneers with a snotty sense of entitlement. Like he can do and say anything and get away with it, because he always had.
NICK
Fuck you, nigger.
KEVIN balls up his fist tighter than he ever had. He kept his composure. He knew he just needed to scare them. He raised his fist and took a step forward.
KEVIN
What in the hell di you just say to me, kid?
NICK and the others backed up. They looked scared at the man who had at least six inches on the tallest of them. NICK turned and ran away the fastest, barreling his way past his friends. JOSH sort of just stood there for a moment. He slowly started walking in the direction of his friends.
KEVIN
Racist little prick.
KEVIN bends down to see to KYLE’S injuries.
KEVIN
Are you okay? You should come inside. I’ll fix you up, son.
KEVIN helps KYLE into the store. They slowly make their way past FOUR. KYLE’S eyes are looking towards the door, but slowly turn towards FOUR.
KYLE
Who are you? What are you doing here?
KEVIN fades away as do the boys running away in the distance. The environment stays as it was before. KYLE’S injuries start to fade away, erased by that digital effect.
FOUR
Me? Oh. Um… My name is Four.
KYLE walks closer to FOUR. He isn’t limping anymore. He doesn’t seem afraid.
KYLE
Like the number?
FOUR
Yes, exactly like the number. What is your name?
KYLE
My name?
KYLE hesitates for a moment.
KYLE
My name is Kyle Richard.
FOUR seemed to be a little surprised, but only a little.
FOUR
His sleeping must have caused this… hm…
Little KYLE looked confused.
FOUR
Nevermind. Kyle, who were those boys? Why did they say those things? Why do they hurt you?
KYLE
I… don’t really know
KYLE starts to breathe erratically. He puts his palm on his chest, trying to get ahold of himself.
KYLE
I’m… sorry
FOUR
It is alright. Just breathe in. Breathe out.
KYLE
It’s called… a… a panic attack. I had these a lot in elementary school, but… but I didn’t know what is was… until I looked it up on the internet.
KYLE gains control of his breathing and his emotions.
KYLE
Nick and Josh have done that for years. They used to just call me names. It wouldn’t be so bad if…
FOUR after a bit of hesitation, like he wasn’t sure how to interact with the child, puts his hand on KYLE’S shoulder.
FOUR
If what?
KYLE
If they were the only ones. Nick is like, super popular. Everyone calls me a bitch or short shit… and other things. It’s like if they fuck with me, it makes other people like them more. This year’s been the worst.
KYLE leans up against HEDWINS GROCERY. His head is drooping downward in shame.
KYLE
Eighth grade.
KYLE’S eyes raise back up to meet with FOUR’S. FOUR didn’t see sadness or desperation in that moment. He saw rage. KYLE looked so angry in that moment. FOUR nodded.
FOUR
What happened after the clerk took you into the store.
KYLE
He’s not a cashier or whatever. Kevin Hedwin owns that store. He works all of the jobs in the store at one time or another.
FOUR
Okay. My apologies. What happened after Mr. Hedwin took you inside?
The environment shifted. The world rewrote itself to look like the inside of the store. FOUR stepped back, due to being startled by the sudden effect.
KYLE was gone for a moment, swept away by the rewrite. KYLE reappears, his injuries have returned. He’s sitting down on a chair behind the counter. KEVIN is running around the store looking for supplies.
KEVIN
Kyle, buddy, I need to call your mom. Karen needs to know what happened.
KYLE pulls a piece of glass out of his palm. Blood runs down his arm. KEVIN hands KYLE a bag of frozen peas to bring the swelling in his face down. He starts to clean and wrap the wound.
KYLE
What’s the point? Nick’s dad will make up an excuse. Say he wasn’t anywhere near here and nothing will happen.
A tear falls out of KYLE’S eye and rolls down his cheek.
KYLE
I’ve been through this before.
KEVIN looks like his heart has been broken. He just saw some of KYLE’S innocence and naivete die.
KEVIN
Such a shitty way for a kid to find out how the world works. I’ll still call your mother, but you are probably right.
KEVIN hands KYLE a drink from his cooler.
KEVIN
I really wish you weren’t though.
KYLE
It’s not your fault. Thank you for stopping them… I’m sorry about what Nick said to you. What he called you. I can’t even…
The conversation is abruptly interrupted by someone walking into the grocery store. It was IRENE. She didn’t see KYLE at first and started talking to KEVIN.
IRENE
Dad, sorry I’m late, Mr. Awin misgraded a test so…
IRENE sees KYLE. The camera scans up and down his body from IRENE’s POV. Focusing on his wrapped up hand, the frozen peas and scuff marks on his elbow.
IRENE
Kyle? Oh my god. What happened…?
KYLE doesn’t say a word. He jumps out of the chair and hobbles as fast as he can out of the back of the store. He drops the peas on the floor. The camera focuses on the peas as KYLE leaves the store in the background.
The camera focuses on IRENE. She doesn’t chase after KYLE. She looks as if she was a couple seconds away from crying. Truly concerned for KYLE’S well being.
FOUR walks through IRENE during the close-up. He passes through her and then the wall. KYLE is running out of the alley next to the store. KYLE stops short of running into FOUR. FOUR bends down to meet KYLE’S eyeline. He grabs the boy by the arm, gently.
FOUR
Please come to a stop. I need to ask you something.
KYLE’S injuries disappear again. KYLE shakes the embarrassment off. He still had shame on his face due to IRENE seeing him like that.
KYLE
What is it? You said you wanted to see what happened next. You want to know what happened next?!
The world rewrites itself again, but this time instead of the digital effect being gradual, it was sudden, almost violent. KYLE was literally ripping apart the environment with his rage. They now stood in the gymnasium where KYLE had died at the beginning of the episode.
IRENE was on the floor with KYLE. He was dying in her arms. KYLE chokes on his own blood, which covered the floor in front of FOUR and the other KYLE.
IRENE
NO! Nononononono…
IRENE hugs her best friend as hard as she can. The pool of blood creeps over to FOUR and touches his foot. FOUR steps back in horror.
FOUR
No…
Up until this point, FOUR hadn’t showed that much emotion. He is visibly disturbed by this. His eyes gloss over as if he might cry. FOUR looks away from the sad scene in front of him.
FOUR
Make it disappear. Kyle. Please, I can’t…
KYLE, still a child, walks toward FOUR. Tears of rage running down his cheeks.
KYLE
Why? Isn’t this what you wanted? This is how I died! Bleeding. And scared. I didn’t understand…
KYLE drops to his knees. He punches the gym floor with a popping sound. He punches it a second time, but this time the floor started to crack. A white light could be seen through the gap.
KYLE
Why did I have to die?!
KYLE hit the floor on final time to shatter the world around them, leaving nothing but static white.
KYLE
This is how I died. If I’m dead…
A look of stark realization washed over Kyle’s face.
FOUR
Oh no.
KYLE quickly lit up with blue light. His tiny body grew in height. The light faded to reveal KYLE in his cybernetic form, but with no mask on. KYLE looks confused and angry (though a lot less angry than he was when he punched the floor).
KYLE
Four. What the hell is this?
FOUR doesn’t seem to know how to answer the question. The screen cuts to black.
Credits roll.