“Sisterhood” written by Megan Reilly TEASER INT. FARMHOUSE – DAY Dinner around a heavy wooden table. The food is hot and steaming, although simple. Around the table sit 12 WOMEN, of varying ages and races, all dressed in the white gowns of the Sisters. They take a moment to bow their heads in silent prayer before they begin to pass the plates around the table. WHISPERS, almost too low to be audible, hiss through the room. No one seems to notice them at first, as they continue to eat. But the whispers grow into words, loud, insistent, a hundred women’s voices together: VOICES They’re on their way. They’re on their way. The Sisters begin to look at one another in alarm. EXT. MILITARY CAMP – DAY Not even a camp, really, more a bunch of Humvees parked with one green canvas tent set up. INT. TENT – DAY Maps are spread out on card tables, their ends curling over the edges. LT. GRAY, looking more like a scientist than a soldier, holds a device in his hands that looks like computerized radar. SGT. STONE, the commanding officer of this mission, peers over his shoulder. SGT. STONE So you really think that thing’s going to work? The box begins to blip and a small blue light glows on its screen. LT. GRAY It’s functioning properly, sir. Picking up the energy thrown off by their defective programming. SGT. STONE Then where are they? Lt. Gray raises his head and looks out through the window of the tent. LT. GRAY One kilometer. That way. He points to the farmhouse, in the distance. Sgt. Stone nods to his men. SGT. STONE None of them escape this time. INT. GREEN HOME – DAY A dark day, in contrast to the sunshine in Harsh Realm. Rain pounds against the windows and the light coming through is decidedly greenish- gray. SOPHIE stands before the window, looking out at the weather anxiously. Trees trash back and forth in gale force winds. Water flows down the street like a river, washing over the curbs. She shivers and then her face contorts with pain for a flinch of a second. RADIO ANNOUNCER: The tropical storm, which turned up the coast some hours ago, is expected to be upgraded to a hurricane by the National Weather Service at any moment. Residents should prepare themselves for emergency evacuation. A small cry escapes Sophie’s lips as the lights go out. And she flinches again with pain, resting one hand against her enormous stomach as she glances nervously at the mess outside the windows. ACT ONE EXT. A DIFFERENT FARMHOUSE – NIGHT Absolutely deserted. A thin curl of smoke rises into the sky, although the building has mostly stopped burning. The grass blackened by fire. We find HOBBES, PINOCCHIO, FLORENCE standing in the midst of this. Perfectly still. Affected, though they’ve seen it so many times before. HOBBES Where is everybody? Pinocchio heads to the door of the house. Hobbes glances to Florence, and they follow. Pinocchio’s waiting. Listening, maybe. Hobbes reaches for the doorknob. Pinocchio smacks his hand away. PINOCCHIO Wired. HOBBES Wired? PINOCCHIO Booby-trapped. In case anyone came back. He passes his hand over the doorframe, fingers indicating a light, fine wire. HOBBES Then let’s get out of here. Pinocchio looks over his shoulder at him. PINOCCHIO Protecting something. The freeze as a DRONING BUZZ grows louder. HOBBES Helicopters. They’re looking for something. He looks to Pinocchio for answers. HOBBES Let’s get out of here, fast. Pinocchio raises a hand, his eyes still on the sky. PINOCCHIO They’re not looking for us. The helicopters fly right overhead. Pinocchio returns his attention to the doorframe, following the wires as Hobbes stares at him with amazement. Then he turns suddenly and heads around to the back of the house. HOBBES Pinocchio. No answer. Hobbes and Florence trail him around to the back of the house, where Pinocchio is kneeling next to a pair of doors set into the grass, leading to the storm cellar. HOBBES What are you doing? These doors are also wired, and Pinocchio pulls one of the wires, flashes Hobbes a tight grin. The sound of the helicopters has stopped. The silence is chilling. Florence startles, jumps, her attention focused back in the woods. Hobbes notices instantly, but Pinocchio’s attention is elsewhere. She’s going to run and Hobbes knows it. HOBBES Wait. His tone attracts Pinocchio’s attention. Florence stops, caught between two worlds. INT. FARMHOUSE – DAY The sound of helicopters, deafening, directly overhead. The Sisters join hands around the table, their heads bowed, devout. The whispered sound of prayer –although no one’s lips are moving – fills the room. EXT. FARMHOUSE – DAY A platoon of Republican Guard, making their way in Humvees and on foot. Lt. Gray following his device, Sgt. Stone beside him with his weapons ready. GRAY That’s it. Sgt. Stone motions to his men. The Humvees come to a stop ahead of them. A grenade launched at the house. The soldiers take temporary cover as they wait for the concussion, but none comes. SGT. STONE Dud. GRAY We’re dealing with an astounding amount of energy here – Stone’s not interested. STONE On foot then! The first wave of soldiers storm the house with their automatic weapons. As they approach, and ELECTRIC BLUE GLOW, matching the one on the screen of Gray’s device, begins to surround the house. It’s bright as to be blinding to the men. Stone flips down his sunglasses and barks at his hesitant, surprised men. STONE Go on! Soldiers go to batter the door down. They reach an ENERGY FIELD around the house and are thrown back, onto the ground. Gray sidesteps over to them. The men are BURNED from their contact with the field. GRAY STONE! As the men digitize. Stone’s that much more pissed. STONE Any way you can, men! His men spray the house with bullets. The energy field ceases. Stone has a gloating grin as he orders the soldiers into the house with a movement of his hand. INT. FARMHOUSE – DAY The soldiers stop in the kitchen. There are no wounded, no dying, no nothing. Not really such a strange sight in Harsh Realm. But there are no bullet holes. SOLDIER Sir. Stone goes to him at the back door. It’s one of those half-doors as often seen in farmhouse kitchens. The Soldier swings it back and forth. On the outside, holes from automatic weapons fire. On the inside of the door, nothing. And no bullets anywhere. The door didn’t stop them. They seem to have disappeared halfway through the door. Gray is looking into his device, which still shows blue. GRAY They’re still here. Stone looks at him. STONE No one could have survived that attack. Although looking at the door, his soldiers don’t seem as certain. GRAY It’s possible they have protection. Stone scowls. STONE The higher power they believe in is nothing but a lie. He takes the indicator device from Gray. STONE Find them! EXT. THE OTHER HOUSE – DAY Florence is absolutely frantic, gesturing. Pinocchio pays no attention to her, working to coax the doors open. Hobbes is concerned. They can hear the gunfire and the attack in the distance. Florence is ready to bolt. PINOCCHIO Don’t let her go. His voice stops her, and she glares, but there’s fear in her eyes. HOBBES It’s the sisters. Santiago must be close to them. Florence nods. PINOCCHIO She can’t stop an army. This much she knows. HOBBES We can. He is at his most earnest and sincere. Pinocchio rolls his eyes at him. PINOCCHIO We haven’t yet. He triggers the lock on the door and the knob turns easily in his hand, pleasing him. He pulls up on the door to go inside. HOBBES What are you looking for? Pinocchio has a serious look. He’s not going to say. HOBBES It’s more important than human lives? Pinocchio has a dark look, although it’s an ashamed one. PINOCCHIO Not human. Florence breaks away from Hobbes, racing through the forest. It’s only a split second decision for Hobbes to go after her. Pinocchio takes a deep breath. And goes into the house. INT. GREEN HOME – DAY Sophie, in the dark of the power outage. She picks up the telephone and listens for a moment. No dial tone. She digs through her purse, the movements difficult for her in her current state. Her nose wrinkles with a pain ignored as she dials. SOPHIE Sarah? I need you. EXT. FOREST AROUND THE FARMHOUSE – DAY Hobbes catches up with Florence. Drags her down into the brush, holding her there as they observe: Republican Guard milling around. Searching. Stone with the tracking device, Gray following him uneasily. Florence gets up, gesturing with her rifle, ready to take them all out, but Hobbes makes another grab for her, pulling her down. Looking seriously into her eyes. HOBBES You can’t save them yourself. A beat for her reaction. HOBBES (steady) We need a plan. SOLDIER (yelling) Over here!!! Florence jumps up, running. She doesn’t run toward the farmhouse, but around it in a circuitous route through the forest. Hobbes has no choice but to follow her, gun drawn to cover her. INT. GREEN HOME – DAY Sophie, sitting on the couch. Foot tapping, eyes on the mucky weather out the window. Hands wound together. Nervous. The sound of a key in the lock, turning roughly. Sophie sighs with relief and gets to her feet. The door opens. Wind and rain blow into the room. SARAH GREEN struggles to close the door behind her, soaked to the skin. Sophie moves to help her. SARAH I got here as fast as I could. She glances at Sophie’s pinched, worried face. SARAH What’s the problem? You always were afraid of storms. She rolls her eyes. SARAH Afraid of your own shadow. SOPHIE Sorry if I took you away from something important. Sarah gives her a sharp look. SARAH I could go. She takes a step to the door. SARAH I come all this way in a damned hurricane and you don’t even get me a towel. Sophie makes a surprised noise, makes a move to get her one. SARAH I’ll get it myself. Sit down, rest your swollen feet. She moves down the hall. INT. GREEN HOME – HALLWAY – CONTINUOUS Following Sarah as she goes to the hall closet, digs out a towel. INT. GREEN HOME – LIVING ROOM Sarah returns, rubbing her wet hair. Sophie is curled up on the couch, face contorted in pain. Sarah lets the towel fall on the ground. SOPHIE (apologetic) I didn’t want to be alone. Sarah is stunned, mouth opened. It takes a lot to render her speechless. SOPHIE Sarah? The sound gets Sarah moving again. She goes to her sister, puts her arm around her shoulders, trying to figure out how to get her up. Eyes on the worsening storm out the window. Sophie is shivering, from fear mostly. SOPHIE I wish Tom were here. SARAH You’re going to be fine. Everything’s going to be fine. She straightens Sophie’s hair comfortingly and reaches for the cell phone, discarded on the couch. SARAH Figures you’d call me and not an ambulance. She dials with an older sister’s manner of “I have to do everything for you.” SOPHIE You don’t have to be so superior. Sarah rolls her eyes. SARAH You don’t want my help, fine. She tosses the phone to Sophie and it hits her, causing her to flinch. It rolls onto the floor. Sarah shakes back her wet hair and heads for the door. EXT. FARMHOUSE FIELD – DAY The soldiers have found the group of Sisters and are rounding them up. STONE (yelling at the women) Who’s in charge here? The women, of course, do not answer. Stone wants an answer. He backhands a Young Sister, closest to him, and Florence jumps. HOBBES (whispering) No – wait – He remains hidden in the trees, glancing behind him for Pinocchio’s help, but Pinocchio is not there. The farmhouse is burning now and the soldiers begin to set fire to the crops growing in the field. Smoke billows around them. The CRACK of a gunshot as Florence fires at Stone and in her panic, misses. He wheels around and his eyes lock on her, as do the gun sights of his other soldiers. GRAY No. Stone glances at Gray, surprised, then walks over to Florence, taking in her haircut, her clothes, her weapon. Ready to kill her if Gray’s reason is not convincing enough. GRAY She’s wanted by Santiago – alive. Stone takes another moment, looking into Florence’s eyes. STONE This one lives, then. In the next instant, he grabs her and twists her arm painfully behind her back, almost to the point of breaking it. One of his soldiers catches her dropped rifle before it hits the ground. Stone shakes her by her twisted arm. Hobbes is horrified, but he can’t do anything. They’re not going to kill her – and he has no back-up. STONE You’ll tell us who’s in charge here. Florence’s eyes guiltily go to the MOTHER SUPERIOR, a commanding older woman. Stone turns his head and looks, then nods with a terrible grin. STONE Take her too. Kill the rest. It takes two soldiers to secure Florence as she fights them. For once in his life, Hobbes doesn’t know what to do. EXT. STORM CELLAR – DAY A scrap of paper, worn, with directions and a crude map on it. Pinocchio glances it at, consults the sun and turns to the west. Checking his bearings. He may cast a lingering look behind him, after Hobbes and Florence, but then his face becomes serious and he returns his attention to the storm cellar. He crumples the map and lets it fall to the ground as he climbs inside. INT. CELLAR - DAY It's dark. Looks like a typical basement, filled with trinkets and junk. Possible booby traps everywhere. Pinocchio reaches for his flashlight, but it doesn’t light. He shakes it. Doesn’t help: The batteries are dead. A DARK FIGURE moving away catches his eye. He draws his gun. PINOCCHIO Right there. The figure doesn’t stop as ordered, turning and heading up the staircase to the house's basement door. Pinocchio fires a warning shot, but the figure disappears in the darkness. He runs up the stairs after it and finds the figure at the top of the stairs, clinging to the railing, fighting for breath. PINOCCHIO Great. An asthmatic thief. I’ll take the loot now. The Figure turns, spite in her blue eyes. She says nothing. Pinocchio’s look is half-shock, half horror as he stares at her, taking in all of the details. The dark figure is ELOISE, a slender woman around Pinocchio's age, wearing a dark, Puritanical dress that does not hide her advanced stage of pregnancy. ACT TWO INT. GREEN HOME – DAY Sophie is too proud to call after Sarah. The door slams and she shudders, watching the CAR HEADLIGHTS as they fill the room and then move away. Sophie picks up the phone from the floor, her hands trembling. She dials. Nothing happens. She starts again, but this time before she dials she holds the phone to her ear. No dial tone. Sophie bites her lip as she replaces the useless phone. She raises her eyes, clearly wondering what to do, as she wraps her arms around her stomach. INT. HOUSE – DAY Pinocchio blinks and the spell is broken. He takes a step back, distancing himself from the woman. PINOCCHIO I’ll just take whatever you came here for, and I'll take it now, honey. She looks at him. Shrugs: Go ahead. She leans against the railing. Wearing the same sort of stubborn look we've seen on Florence's face. PINOCCHIO I’d be careful if I were you. He glances at her. PINOCCHIO It’s a long way down. He leans past her to look over the railing and she looks at him sharply, threatened. He glances at her again. He pulls reaches for the map again, but doesn't find it in his pockets. Sighs at the uselessness of it all, then meets the woman’s eyes. PINOCCHIO I don’t want to hurt you. I just want to get out of this godforsaken hell hole. Just like you. She doesn't answer. PINOCCHIO Or we can do this the hard way. He touches her sleeve – ever so gently – but the threat in his words is plain with his gun in his other hand. She watches him with big eyes. INT. GREEN HOME – DAY The door, thrown open. Sarah enters, more ravaged from the storm than before. Sophie almost gets to her feet, startled. Sarah rakes back her soaked, tangled hair. SARAH Roads are washed out. Car got stuck halfway down the block. That trench where we used to skateboard. SOPHIE Where you used to skateboard. SARAH That’s right. You never wanted to get your knees skinned. Gingerly she sits down next to her sister, looks pointedly at the phone. SARAH Even if you called an ambulance, they can’t get through. SOPHIE Phones are out. SARAH Figures. So… She looks at Sophie. SARAH They tell you about this in those classes you took? Sophie doesn’t answer. SARAH I assume you took classes? Sophie nods, chin trembling. She’s quite ready to cry and it only provokes Sarah more. But Sarah takes a deep breath, recovers herself. Sweeps back Sophie’s hair again, tucks it behind her ears for her, going from older sister bully mode into mom-substitute mode. SARAH What the hell are we supposed to do? Sophie puts her head against her sister’s shoulder and hugs her, catching Sarah stiffly off-guard. SOPHIE (muffled) I don’t know. INT. CELLAR – DAY Eloise looks down at the hand Pinocchio has threateningly on her arm. Opens her mouth, but does not speak. He drops his hand and takes two steps back as he realizes. PINOCCHIO You’re one of them. She raises an eyebrow. PINOCCHIO I'm sorry, Sister. He hesitates on the last word, frowning a bit as he tries to match it up in his mind - the nunlike Sisters, and the pregnant woman standing in front of him. PINOCCHIO You haven’t found it, either. She gestures with her hands roughly, imprecisely. PINOCCHIO (breaking a grin) But you know it’s here. He turns from her, eyes searching and assessing the stuff in the cellar. PINOCCHIO Guy we met on the road sold me a map. Said something valuable was hidden here, something Santiago wouldn't want us to find. Guy I got the map from said he knew who I was, that I was the one to take care of it. I figure it's food or ammunition at the very least. Santiago's like an old lady, keeps his stash spread around. After a second, his glance returns to Eloise. PINOCCHIO Hell of a mess you’ve got yourself in, Sister. And he goes back down the stairs. EXT. FARMHOUSE – DAY The soldiers carry Florence and escort the Mother Superior to a stakebed truck that has canvas over the top. They toss them inside and secure the doors, using a padlock at the end of a chain. INT. TRUCK – DAY Light comes in through the gaps in the canvas. The Mother Superior stands silent, still and calm as Florence throws herself at the doors. They don’t budge even an inch. Florence goes at them again, tearing, clawing, expending her fury on the doors. Her arm is injured from Stone’s twisting it, but she doesn’t seem to notice the pain. The Mother Superior just watches this display. Florence stops, sweating, and looks at the doors, assessing. Then she turns to look at the rest of the truck. Finally her glare falls upon the Mother Superior. The Mother holds out her hand to Florence, reaching for her injured arm. Florence turns away quickly, but we see the pain etched into her face. The Mother walks to Florence and looks into her eyes. Florence glares back like a little girl who’s been punished, then turns her face away as the Mother places a gentle hand on her arm for just the briefest second. When she pulls away, Florence has been healed. The Mother sits down, straight-backed, as though ready to wait for her fate. She looks to Florence, as though inviting her to sit down as well. Florence frowns deeply and pulls a small knife free from one of the pockets in her cargo pants. She holds it ready to use, and the Mother’s serenity is broken for a moment. As though she fears being on the receiving end of the knife. Florence stabs the canvas covering the truck instead, tearing open a flap. The Mother looks down and away, knowing what Florence is going to see. The farmhouse, burned to the ground. No Sisters visible anywhere. Just soldiers, congratulating themselves. Florence turns on the Mother, blame written all over her face. INT. GREEN HOME – DAY Sarah is stacking up clean white towels. Keeping herself busy. SARAH I don’t understand why you let Mom and Dad go off and leave you here. SOPHIE Not due for another week. SARAH Yeah, and babies never come early. Wanna know how early you were, Sophie? Sophie squeezes her eyes closed, pressing her hands against her face. Sarah throws an extra pillow into a white pillowcase and stands over Sophie, holding it out to her. SARAH Four weeks. A whole month early. Scared the hell out of Mom. SOPHIE You can’t possibly remember that. SARAH How do you know what I remember and what I don’t? She continues to hold out the pillow. SOPHIE Children rarely form memories of events before they were six years old. You were only two. SARAH That what they taught you in junior college? Will you take the damn pillow already? Sophie doesn’t move, caught in another contraction. Sarah stands there for a second, then gets down next to her sister and holds her hands. After a moment, Sophie recovers. SOPHIE I can’t do this. SARAH You don’t have any choice. She puts the pillow behind Sophie’s back. SARAH Mom’ll kill you if you ruin her couch. SOPHIE Could you please…just…not… OW! She reacts violently to a new, different kind of pain. SARAH What is it, what’s wrong? Sophie just looks at her, shaking her head. SOPHIE Oh god, oh god, this can’t be happening. She’s crying now, wild. SARAH Don’t do this. Come on. Sophie, cope for once in your life. Sophie looks at her hurt, and starts to cry harder. Sarah’s manner changes, with effort. SARAH It’s okay. It’s okay. Ssh. She pushes back her sister’s hair and grips her hand again, trying to pull her up from the couch. SARAH Let’s get you to bed, you’ll be more comfortable there. SOPHIE You care more about Mom’s couch than you do me! Sarah takes a deep breath, but does not respond. Instead, she looks to the window, where trees thrash back and forth in a hard, rainy wind through air that looks green and sick. EXT. WOODS – DAY Hobbes, hunkered down behind the cover of a fallen log. From behind him, Republican Guard. GUARD You think any of them got this far? Then, in a perfectly executed move, the Guard whirls on Hobbes, ready to take him out. Hobbes shoots him before his companion has a chance to respond. The SECOND GUARD looks at him, hand at the ready, but Hobbes already has his gun trained on him. HOBBES What’re you doing out here? SECOND GUARD Following orders. HOBBES What orders? The soldier says nothing. HOBBES I will shoot you. SECOND GUARD You'll shoot me one way or another. Hobbes lowers his weapon, a commitment to their conversation. The Second Guard draws his gun. Hobbes shoots him before the man has a chance to fire, and starts toward the farmhouse. EXT. FARMHOUSE – DAY The field is empty. The house burned. Hobbes turns around, looking around, and then hears a sound. EXT. REAR OF FARMHOUSE – DAY Hobbes rounds the corner on a pair of double doors, set into the ground: the entrance to a tornado shelter. Just like at the farmhouse where he left Pinocchio. Hobbes frowns, an idea coming together in his mind. He sees the doors are unlatched and pulls one of them open. A shaft of light shines down into the shelter, illuminating the faces of a PAIR OF SISTERS, afraid. HOBBES Stay here until I come back for you. He turns, gun drawn, looking for the Republican Guard he knows are there. EXT. FARMHOUSE – DAY Hobbes looks toward the parked trucks. The RUMBLE in the distance of approaching traffic. He takes a couple of steps. STONE (OS) That’s where you ladies are hiding. Hobbes’s shoulders jerk at the sound of two GUNSHOTS and he looks down. Defeated. He turns. The Humvees have arrived. POV: Through the torn canvas, inside the truck Hobbes hesitates a second, making a decision. Then he looks directly at the truck for a long second, and turns and runs back into the woods. INT. TRUCK – DAY Florence puts her head down, defeated. Then she gives the Mother Superior a sidelong glance. The woman is looking at her, a sharp eyebrow raised at Hobbes’ desertion. Florence shakes her head vigorously and returns to the torn hole in the canvas. She puts her hand on the flap, to tear it further, but the sight of the large squadron of Humvees stops her. She’s safe where she is, for the moment. If she tries to run, they’ll kill her. INT. GREEN HOME – BEDROOM – DAY Sophie is settled in the bed. Sarah stands by the window, looking at the weather. SOPHIE It’s not going to be long now. Sarah doesn’t turn from the window. SARAH First babies take hours. The hurricane will be over by the time it’s born. SOPHIE I think you need to take me seriously, Sarah. Sarah turns. SARAH I do take you seriously, Sophie. SOPHIE (realizing) You’re afraid. Sarah would never admit to such a thing. SARAH Aren’t you? Sophie nods. Sarah goes to her, sits down on the bed next to her. SARAH Poor kid. It wasn’t supposed to be like this, was it? Sophie shakes her head. SOPHIE I can’t get it out of my mind. That time you tried to patch up my knee so Mom & Dad wouldn’t know we’d been playing at the beach. SARAH You needed stitches, didn’t you? SOPHIE But you were there when I needed you. She grabs her sister’s hand and holds it tight. SARAH Except I was the reason you got hurt in the first place. Sophie’s not paying attention, crushing Sarah’s hand in another contraction. SARAH Okay. Let’s get this kid born. INT. CELLAR – DAY Eloise follows Pinocchio down the stairs as he heads for the doors on the other side. Afraid he’s going to leave her. He stops at the bottom of the stairs, facing the door, and takes a deep breath. Waiting. We can see on his face this is part of his plan, but Eloise can’t see his face. She puts her hand on his arm. He lets the breath out in a sigh and turns to look at her. PINOCCHIO What? She looks at him earnestly: don’t go. He waits, his eyebrows up. Wanting a good reason. She tugs at his sleeve, pulling him toward the back of the house, and a small, satisfied smile curls on his lips. INT. TRUCK – DAY The Mother Superior walks over to the rip in the canvas. She looks at Florence and Florence takes a quick step back, not wanting to be close to the woman. The Mother Superior puts a determined eye to the hole in the fabric. She finds herself face to face with one of Santiago’s Republican Guard. The doors to the truck burst open and sunlight floods in. A man, shadowed against the afternoon sun. It’s WATERS. WATERS Don’t make me come in there after you. He gestures to his men and several of them scramble into the truck, grabbing the Mother Superior and forcing her outside. They have a little more trouble with Florence. EXT. TRUCK – DAY Waters takes a step back, eyeing the Mother Superior with a smug grin. Her carriage and attitude is regal, and she does not look at him. Waters turns to Stone and Gray. WATERS You’ve done well. I’m sure Santiago will reward you handsomely. Stone is pleased, almost gloating. WATERS But…there's supposed to be another Sister. Two of the Guard fling Florence out of the truck, to the ground where she lands face-down in the dirt. But caught off balance, the two men also fall. WATERS Don’t you know how valuable – His words die as Florence pushes herself up, glaring at him. WATERS You. (to his men) This isn’t her! Waters and Florence glare at each other a long moment before Waters takes her arm and shoves her over toward the Mother Superior. STONE She’s also wanted by Santiago. WATERS You’ll get your reward, Sergeant. BEGIN DISSOLVE TO: INT. CELLAR – DAY WATERS (VO) Now find that other sister. We find Pinocchio and Eloise. She stands by as he digs through the junk piled high on shelves. There's a sound from the cellar doors and they both freeze. Pinocchio moves between Eloise and the doors, without even realizing he's done it. He squints as the doors open and the sun outlines a figure in the doorway. WOMAN Sorry it took so long -- PINOCCHIO Right there. He has his pistol trained on her. PINOCCHIO Drop your weapon and close the doors. WOMAN I have no weapon. She does as he says and closes the cellar doors behind her. Latching them from the inside. The three figures stand still in the darkness, then a flashlight comes on and we see the woman's face, recognizing her. It's DOROTHY. Pinocchio lowers his weapon. PINOCCHIO What're you doing out here? DOROTHY Keeping her safe. She goes to Eloise and puts her hands on her shoulders. Pinocchio looks perplexed as he sees a resemblance between the two women. Dorothy raises her head, and confirms what he suspects. DOROTHY This is my mother. END OF ACT TWO ACT THREE EXT. FARMHOUSE – DAY The soldiers are beginning to line up. A hush falls over them and they shift to attention as SANTIAGO makes his entrance, glancing at the men without really seeing them. He walks over to Waters, Stone, the Mother Superior, and Florence. SANTIAGO This is not her. He looks to Waters for explanation. WATERS She’s part of Pinocchio’s team. Santiago is silent. Displeased. STONE She’s wanted. She’s one of them. There’s a rewa – He doesn’t finish the word when Santiago turns his eyes to him. SANTIAGO You haven’t completed your mission. Stone blinks. SANTIAGO I should reward you for your failure? Shock resonates on Stone’s face. STONE But – But I – I found the Sisters, destroyed them – SANTIAGO All except the one who matters. Stone has been dismissed, and reluctantly he goes. WATERS What to do with these two, sir? Santiago turns and stares coldly into Florence’s eyes. She does not flinch or waver. SANTIAGO Execute them. Immediately. Florence’s glare is angry, defiant, but the Mother Superior merely lowers her head, as though in prayer, as Santiago stalks off to survey the burned house. EXT. WOODS – DAY Hobbes, at the edge of the forest. Not even hiding himself; mostly in plain view. Watching, and he sees what’s happened. HOBBES’ POV: Santiago walking toward the burned farmhouse. Waters shoving Florence away. Beginning preparations for the execution. RESUME: Hobbes has his gun drawn, heavy in his hand as: Santiago walks within several feet of him, his expression unreadable and almost sad as he looks up at the burned house. Hobbes looks again to Florence, no longer struggling. Hobbes’ dilemma is clear: Kill Santiago or rescue Florence. He genuinely doesn’t know what to do. So he hunkers down, behind the foliage, and waits. INT. CELLAR – DAY Dorothy continues. DOROTHY But you must have known. You came here to protect her... She lapses off as she realizes he didn't. PINOCCHIO I was looking for something. DOROTHY And you found her. It's your duty to keep her safe. PINOCCHIO I don't believe in that crap. DOROTHY Santiago does. His men are looking for her. To kill her. Just as they'd kill me, because they are afraid of what they don't understand, and that fear gives it power over them. She looks at him sincerely. DOROTHY Don't let it have power over you. The RUMBLE of traffic in the distance. Growing closer. DOROTHY It won't take them long to realize she's not with the others. We have to hurry. PINOCCHIO I'm not about to get my ass blown off for a half-breed and a knocked-up Sister. Dorothy slaps him, hard, and he grins, knowing he had that coming. PINOCCHIO So you *can* do something besides sit around and make speeches. They burned this house over your mother's head. So you're not doing such a great job of hiding her and your little brother. It is your brother, isn't it? Eloise nods, her hand against her stomach. DOROTHY I thought you didn't believe in the prophecy. PINOCCHIO I guess seeing is believing, sweetheart, so let's go before those trucks come back and realize they left Auntie Em down in the cellar. He pushes open the storm doors. INT. SOPHIE’S BEDROOM – DAY Tension etched into Sarah’s face as she sets a cup of water on the bedside table. Sophie looks frighteningly terrible – face pale, eyes dark. SOPHIE I’m so scared. SARAH These things…nature knows what to do. SOPHIE Will you listen to me? SARAH I’m scared too. It’s a heavy admission. SOPHIE This child wasn’t meant to be, you know. Something’s going to happen. Even if…people have been following me. SARAH Sophie. Focus. SOPHIE You know, you were there. They kidnapped me, Sarah. SARAH It’s making you paranoid. In the morning, everything – Sophie grabs her hand. SOPHIE Just promise me that if something – if anything happens, you’ll keep my baby safe. You won’t let anyone have her until Tom comes back. She looks at Sarah feverishly, waiting for her to agree. SARAH Sophie – SOPHIE Sarah. You’re my sister. You’re the one who’s here for me. Please – SARAH Yeah. Okay. Fine. Sophie sinks back into the bed, relieved. SARAH Hey. You’re not done here yet. Sophie makes a face. SARAH It won’t be long now. The words bear an aura of foreboding. Through the window behind them, we see the storm. And we also notice, for the first time, a black sedan parked at the curb across the street. EXT. STORM CELLAR - DAY Dorothy stands at Pinocchio's side as he leans down to help pull Eloise up. Eloise is breathing hard, her skin pale. Pinocchio looks to Dorothy. PINOCCHIO What's wrong with her? Dorothy goes to her, touches her face. PINOCCHIO She sick? Dorothy shakes her head. DOROTHY They killed the others. She puts her arm around her mother's shoulders, giving her strength. Then she turns to Pinocchio. PINOCCHIO The Sisters? Dorothy nods. DOROTHY A small band of outcast Sisters who were willing to give her shelter. PINOCCHIO Even though they believe in the prophecy, the hand of god, all that...the Sisters still sent her away? DOROTHY It took them a long time to forgive her for me. PINOCCHIO But it would have been all right if you were a boy. The son, from the stories. DOROTHY Right. PINOCCHIO Good old Christian charity. Dorothy says nothing, and Eloise looks upset. The helicopters have returned. PINOCCHIO My friends are there. Florence, and Hobbes. We have to help them. If it's not too late. EXT. WOODS – DAY Hobbes still waiting for a good moment. HIS POV: Santiago, moving around the house from all sides. He turns his head and looks almost directly at Hobbes. Resume: Hobbes jumps, lowers his head beneath the line of the foliage. When he looks up again, Santiago is gone. Hobbes’ expression grows determined, even as he looks over his shoulder to see if Santiago is sneaking up behind him. He’s wishing Pinocchio was there to back him up. EXT. FARMHOUSE – DAY Waters questioning Florence. WATERS Where is he??? Florence’s eyes are fixed on the farmhouse, her expression faraway. WATERS Hobbes. You know where he is. Florence doesn’t move, her expression doesn’t change. Waters draws his hand back and hits her hard across the face, drawing blood. She looks at him then. WATERS You’re the last of them. And you’re going to die too. Florence shakes her head. WATERS Pinocchio’s a coward, he’s not going to save you. Florence holds his gaze. WATERS Make no mistake, they are all dead. Florence begins to smile, knowing it’ll piss Waters off more. He hauls back and hits her again. She charges him while he’s off balance, knocking him to the ground. They scrabble in the dirt, fighting. Florence is winning even though her hands and feet are tied. SANTIAGO I think that’s enough, Major. He picks Florence up and she bristles under his gaze. Santiago makes no move to help Waters to his feet. SANTIAGO (to Florence) I admire your spirit. He steps back, anticipating, so when she spits at him she misses. SANTIAGO But not enough to spare your life. He makes a gesture and the soldiers bring forward the Mother Superior. Florence looks at her and the other woman looks away quickly. EXT. WOODS – DAY Hobbes checks his weapon, gets to his feet. He is going to have to do something. INT. SOPHIE’S BEDROOM – DAY The wind howls and rain pounding against the windows and roof, loud. Sarah and Sophie are lit by candlelight in the eerie mid-day darkness. SOPHIE I’m not going to make it. SARAH Stop being stupid. SOPHIE I can’t… Another contraction. SARAH Just a little more. Sophie just lies there. She’s given up. SARAH For once in your life, fight for something, Sophie. SOPHIE Tom… She’s delirious a moment. Then she seems to clear and she grabs Sarah’s hand. SOPHIE You have to promise me no one will take my baby. SARAH Sophie – SOPHIE Sarah. I need you to do this for me. She’s dead serious. CLOSE on their hands, grasping. SARAH I promise. Sophie screams with renewed energy as she pushes. EXT. CELLAR - DAY Pinocchio drags camoflouge from his car. DEXTER pops up, barking happily to see him. Pinocchio opens the door. PINOCCHIO She can rest in here. They help Eloise into the car. She leans back against the seat and closes her eyes. Dexter puts his head against her leg. Pinocchio closes the door lightly, nods to Dorothy. They step away from the car and speak in low voices. PINOCCHIO You know how to use this? He hands her the gun from his ankle holster. She hesitates a moment before she accepts it. PINOCCHIO Shoot anyone who approaches. DOROTHY You're the one who will keep her safe. PINOCCHIO I told you, I don't believe any of that stuff. DOROTHY But here you are. He has no answer for a moment. PINOCCHIO (re: the gun) It's pretty easy. Just point and shoot. Dorothy just looks at him. PINOCCHIO What's going to happen if it's another daughter? DOROTHY Too many signs have already come to pass. Not like last time. She glances in Eloise's direction. DOROTHY She knows. She can sense it. Her life was endangered because of me. Everyone knew the stories, even then. The Sisters took her in, expecting her to have a son. She lied to them for nine months, accepting their care, because she wanted to protect me. PINOCCHIO Now you can return the favor. They share a long look. PINOCCHIO And if I don't come back, it'll just be one more sign.. He heads off into the forest. Dorothy returns to the car and gets in, sitting alert in the driver's seat, gun in hand. Vigiliant. ACT FOUR EXT. FARMHOUSE – DAY Soldiers milling about. Santiago puts his hand to GRAY’s shoulder, selecting him. Florence is calm, dignified. The Mother Superior, standing next to her, is praying. SANTIAGO Your last rites will do you no good. The Mother Superior glares at him. WATERS Are we ready here, people? He looks at the mother superior, who is still praying. Florence’s eyes are straight ahead, her jaw set. HER POV: Toward the back, hidden behind most of the soldiers, she spots Hobbes. His eyes lock on hers across the distance. Her mouth opens in horror and she shakes her head slightly. Hobbes raises his gun to show her he’s prepared. She frowns, raises a hand in signal. This attracts Waters’ attention. He turns his head. Hobbes has disappeared into the crowd. Waters looks to Florence questioningly. She begins to fight, struggle, causing a commotion. WATERS I need help here! Several soldiers move forward to help restrain her. The mother superior continues to pray. Santiago nods to Gray, who lifts his weapon as though it has absorbed the weight of his actions. Gunfire RINGS OUT in the melee. Gray fires. Hobbes has Santiago in his gunsights. He fires. The Mother Superior emits a small gasp, blood quickly staining her clothing. Florence breaks free of the guards and grabs the mother superior before she even begins to fall. Florence hugs the older woman against her, holding her up, pressing her hand between them to the wound on the mother superior’s chest. There is something grateful and surprised in the mother superior’s expression. She hadn’t expected this from Florence. A hand on Florence’s arm. Santiago lifts her bodily away from the mother superior, who falls. Florence struggles, but Santiago manages to hold onto her. SANTIAGO Get Hobbes! Florence looks in Hobbes’ direction. He was frozen to the spot, watching, but now he runs, fast, for the forest. But there are too many soldiers. The mother superior’s body disappears in a serene flash of blue light. Hobbes is surrounded. PINOCCHIO (OS) My invitation must've got lost in the mail. All guns are immediately turned on Pinocchio, standing there with confidence. Hobbes has the opportunity to escape, as does Florence, but they don’t move. Santiago raises his hand, to delay the gunfire. PINOCCHIO She’s dead. A beat as no one moves, and Pinocchio and Santiago face off. PINOCCHIO The sister you’re looking for. His hands are empty, at his sides. He is unprotected should they fire. Another beat, long and uneasy. PINOCCHIO I killed her. Florence instantly reacts with rage and horror. In a second, Pinocchio’s gonna need those Republican Guard to defend him from Florence. She charges him. Confusion ensues. Hobbes gets Santiago back in his gunsights. He glances over at Pinocchio, then re-aligns his target. He pulls the trigger. At the very last second, Santiago is jostled by the crowd, knocked almost off his feet. As he falls, we’re not certain whether the bullet hit him or not. The sound of the bullet catches the Guards’ attention, and Pinocchio pulls his gun. Santiago sees this. He reaches out, his hand bloody, and grabs Hobbes. Hobbes tries to jerk away, but Santiago puts him in a stronghold, arm around his neck. We see the bullet hole in Santiago’s hand as he smears blood against Hobbes’ skin. WATERS Sir – The guard have their guns drawn, but they can’t fire on Hobbes because Santiago is behind him. Pinocchio has a hint of madness in his eyes, as though he has no such dilemma. His weapon is raised, ready to fire. In the midst of this stand-off, Florence approaches Santiago. She looks at him and indicates his hand, which is swelling and bruised. Already blood poisoning is setting in, and Santiago is pale and sweating from blood loss. It takes all his strength to hold Hobbes in the headlock. PINOCCHIO Don’t. She doesn’t even look at him. Santiago nods and releases Hobbes. Florence puts her hand on Santiago’s hand. She glances at Hobbes, who stands there, watching her, unwilling to leave. She nods to him. Hobbes looks to Pinocchio, who also nods and gestures toward the forest. Florence is now devoting her concentration on Santiago, whose color is improving. The Republican Guard are powerless to interfere in the silent deal. Pinocchio moves off toward the woods, and Hobbes reluctantly follows him. Florence releases Santiago’s hand, which is now complete and healthy, although still smeared with blood. She gives him a meaningful look. He examines his hand, and says nothing. WATERS Sir. Florence starts toward the woods after Pinocchio and Hobbes. WATERS (more urgently) General Santiago – Santiago raises his gun and fires at Florence just as she disappears into the woods. Then he turns to Waters. SANTIAGO You’ve failed here, Major. Waters grits his teeth. He has better sense than to argue. SANTIAGO Search the forest. They won’t escape. EXT. WOODS – DAY Hobbes and Pinocchio moving quickly through the forest. There are sounds all around them, of branches rustling, soldiers calling to one another. HOBBES Find what you were looking for? Pinocchio just looks at him. HOBBES At the house. They reach the car, which is empty. Pinocchio frowns, then lies. PINOCCHIO Yeah. I found it. He’s less than pleased. He hesitates at opening the door. Sees his gun lying on the seat inside. Someone crashes through the foliage into the clearing. Hobbes whirls around, gun drawn, but Pinocchio just yanks the door open. It’s Florence. PINOCCHIO Glad you could make it. He pushes the drivers’ seat forward and helps her into the back of the car, then gets in himself. Hobbes stands there for just a second, like he’s not sure what the hell just happened, but then he gets into the car, too. It roars to life before he even has the door closed. REVEAL: Behind the car as it pulls away, eyes seem to stand out from the forest. After a moment, Dorothy and Eloise are clearly visible among the trees. INT. CAR - REARVIEW MIRROR Pinocchio's eyes, looking up and into the mirror. He adjusts it and sees the two women in the forest. HOBBES What were you looking for, anyway? Florence reaches up and flicks the mirror away, revealing Hobbes in the back seat. Pinocchio looks at her, knowing that she knows. PINOCCHIO The future. Hobbes frowns, not understanding the words. Then he decides they were sarcastic and returns to petting his dog. INT. SOPHIE’S ROOM – DAY The day is brighter outside the window as Sarah looks out. She doesn’t notice the black sedan parked across the street. SARAH Ambulance should be able to get through soon. As she looks out, the car starts up and drives away. She lets the curtain fall against the window and turns to her sister. Sophie sits on the bed, worse for the wear, but fine. In her arms, she holds a bundle tightly wrapped in sheets. She manages to smile. Sarah crosses to lift the flap, exposing the red, wrinkled face of a newborn. SARAH Safe and sound. She sits down next to Sophie to peek at the baby herself. SARAH What are you going to name her? SOPHIE Faith. End.