Testing... let's see if this works

FADE IN:
INT. LOCKER ROOM - DAY
Two players huddle over a chess board. Both in military
uniforms, 25, they could easily be brother and sister.
FADDEN, the male concentrates while GATES begins to smile.
GATES
You’re going to lose.
FADDEN
You always say that.
GATES
You always lose.
FADDEN
But this time I’m going to win.
See? Check.
He moves a piece into check. Gates countermoves in retreat
and Fadden swoops in quickly.
GATES
You sure you want to do that?
FADDEN
Yes. Crap. How do you do that?
How do you always win?
GATES
I exploit the flaw in your character.
A stream of guards enter, led on point by CAPTAIN.
CAPTAIN
You haven’t given up yet?
FADDEN
Statistically, I have to win
eventually.
CAPTAIN
Only if she lets you. Assignments
for today. Malcolm and Fadden, you
take the big fish. Morrow and
Sapien, you take Mrs. Big Fish.
Gates gets the guppy.
2.
GATES
If I’m the most senior here, why do
I get the kid?
CAPTAIN
The word of the day is guppy is
feeling angsty today and may be
difficult. And since you’re the
most senior here- Change in two.
Gates and Fadden scramble to their lockers and pull out
their gear.
EXT. SENATOR'S COMPLEX - DAY
The Senator's complex is a strangely beautiful mix of nature
and technology. The group of guards moves down the hallway
and into-
INT. SENATOR'S COMPLEX - DAY
Silently and smoothly, the guards change the watch while the
Senator's family eats breakfast. No one in the family seems
to notice except the son, Alton, 15 and surly. His mom
ruffles his already messy hair.
ALTON
Hey!
MOM
You know, I saw it in on the vid.
Short is the new long. Kids are
even buzzing it now days.
ALTON
Who said I wanted to be like
everyone else.
MOM
Oh, look, you're father's on the vid.
On a large flat panel screen, the Senator speaks to The
Assembly.
INT. ASSEMBLY
SENATOR
We've shut ourselves off from the
rest of the universe for too long.
Trade with the other planets will
bring us new technologies.
3.
OPPOSING SENATOR
It will also bring us new diseases
and new refugees. And how, sir, do
you suppose to stem the tide of
planetary immigration? With trade
will come those begging to live off
the bounty we've worked so hard to
create. Every day, my office
receives some off world plea for
asylum.
INT. SENATOR'S COMPLEX - DAY
SENATOR
If I have to hear the windbag
pontificate again, I'm going to
punch a hole in that vid screen.
MOM
Vid screen off. Do you think the
legislation will pull through?
SENATOR
Crossing my fingers. But you know
what I find always works the best?
A good luck kiss.
Disgusted, Alton shoves his breakfast away and stands. His
dad laughs.
SENATOR
One of these days you're going to
like kissing the girls.
ALTON
I'm not weirded out by kissing.
I'm weirded out by you kissing.
MOM
Well, maybe with a little haircut
and some new clothes-
ALTON
You know what really freaks the
girls out? Being chaperoned twenty
four seven by a walking ghost.
Alton storms out of the room. Gates follows silently.
MOM
I don't know what's wrong with him
lately.
4.
SENATOR
He's a teenager?
INT. SENATOR'S COMPLEX - HALL
GOOD, the Senator's assistant, and his 9 year old son, BEN,
hurry out of the way of Alton's tantrum. Gates slides past
them gracefully.
GOOD
Good morning Alton. Pleasant
morning, isn't it?
BEN
He's not very nice.
EXT. SENATOR'S COMPLEX - BACKYARD
Alton continues his angry march past a pool and waterfall,
down into a lush garden. Gates follows, a serene foil to
his sulky stomps.
He stops short. Turns.
ALTON
Why don't you go make yourself
useful and. and. Huh. Never mind.
I can't think of anything you'd be
useful at doing.
GATES
If you gave me a spiky hat and a
torch I bet I'd make a good lawn
sculpture.
Alton's amazed.
ALTON
It actually talks. I don't think
I've ever heard one of them talk
before.
Gates is not amused.
ALTON
Oh, what? Have I hurt its feelings?
GATES
It has been known to wrap annoying
little boys in foil and leave them
in closets until they pee their pants.
5.
ALTON
You couldn't do that. It would be-
You're not an M, are you? An L? A K?
GATES
J.
ALTON
We always get M's. So why do they
have a J guarding me?
GATES
I've been asking myself that
question all morning. Listening to
a rich brat whine about his life is
not on my top ten list of
interesting conversations.
ALTON
So why don't you just go away?
GATES
Ours is not to reason why.
The silence is shattered by GUNSHOTS. Instant movement from
Gates. She shoves Alton down to the ground and draws a gun.
EXT. SENATOR'S COMPLEX - FRONT GATES - DAY
An army of mercenaries storm the compound, armed to the teeth.
EXT. SENATOR'S COMPLEX - BACKYARD - DAY
TWO MERCENARIES make their way through the garden.
GATES
Keep your nose to the dirt.
She pops up from their hiding place, and squeezes off two
perfect head shots. The mercenaries are unfazed, and now
approach with their own guns leveled.
GATES
Armored. Bloody useless.
She grabs Alton by the back of his shirt and shoves him a
few feet forward. She puts the gun in his astonished hand.
GATES
Just don't shoot me.
Gates pulls a katana out and pops out in front of the
mercenaries.
6.
She makes quick work of slicing one machine gun in half and
plunging her sword into the gut of the other mercenary.
Gates tries to yank the katana back out, but it's stuck.
GATES
Damn armor!
Mercenary 2 takes advantage of her distraction and punches
her hard. She responds quickly and they engage in hand to
hand combat. Gates manages to rip of his helmet, bloodies
his nose.
Mercenary 2 pulls a knife. Gates is not impressed. He
glares, circles, trips over his dead buddy. Gates punches
him hard in the nose. He howls, but is stopped mid lunge by
a gunshot.
Alton, still crouched, holds the shaking gun.
GATES
Nice shot. Now-
She takes the gun from him, and tries once again to remove
her katana from the dead guy.
GATES
There's got a be a release button
around here somewhere.
More gunshots sound from the front of the complex.
ALTON
My parents.
GATES
Screw it. You are not going back
in there.
ALTON
But- but I - You've got to help my
parents.
GATES
My job is to protect you.
Another series of GUNSHOTS, getting closer.
ALTON
No!
Alton tries to rush past her, but she clothes lines him.
She pins him down and assesses the situation.
7.
GATES
Listen. If you do exactly what I
saw, I will try to help your
parents. Exactly. Do you understand?
Alton nods and she pulls a small cylindrical object out from
a pocket.
GATES
You know what this is?
ALTON
Yeah, it's a gas mask. Are they
going to-
GATES
Put it in your mouth and it'll
filter air out of anything, even water.
She grabs his sleeve, and the pair of them take off through
the garden, back to the pool.
GATES
Whatever happens, don't come out
until I come get you. Do you
understand? You come out for
anyone but me, and I'll personally
slit your throat.
ALTON
You couldn't actually do that. Right?
GATES
Get behind the waterfall.
Gates grabs his arms and lowers him into the pool. He
disappears below the water, invisible.
GLASS BREAKS somewhere close. Gates hugs the wall and her
cloak chameleons, making her nearly invisible.
A MERCENARY walks slowly out onto the patio. He surveys the
pool area. Nothing but peace and quiet. He turns to walk
back inside. He spots Gates, but it's too late. She makes
short work of him.
INT. SENATOR'S COMPLEX - HALL
Gates proceeds down the hallway, finds a body. It's Good,
shot right between the eyes. A little further up, a door
cracks open.
BEN
Dad?
8.
Gates pushes Ben back through the door, face first.
GATES
Stay here and stay quiet.
She closes the door, removes a gadget from her pocket and
quickly solders the door shut.
GATES
Trust me kid, that's something you
don't want to see.
INT. SENATOR'S COMPLEX - DAY
The room's been turned upside down. Only one corpse - a
mercenary with a katana sticking out of his chest.
GATES
At least I'm not the only one who
had problems.
INT. SENATOR'S COMPLEX - GARAGE AREA
Another mercenary lays slumped against the wall. A trail of
blood leads further into the garage. She follows and finds
another mercenary corpse and Morrow and Sapien, decapitated.
A quick search and Gates grabs Sapien's katana.
FADDEN
Ambushed. Dead. All dead. They
knew right where we were going.
Knew just how to- You should have
let him kill me.
GATES
You can thank me in the morning.