by D L Jones
MICHAEL
You remember the test we were running when you left?
TRE walks out of his office and towards the mouse cages, MICHAEL follows and talks on the way.
TRE
Yes, Things were looking good, there was just the problem with the extensive nap afterwards...
MICHAEL
Well, we solved that problem. Just had to adjust the delivery method a little bit...
INT. Hospital
CHAUNCY
Aimee, now you know I'm a married man.
OFFICER FORD
I'm just teasing, I noticed how you were checking me out.
CHAUNCY
Just mean. You are very beautiful miss--OFFICER FORD—
OFFICER FORD
Aimee.
CHAUNCY
Aimee.
OFFICER FORD
Ok, this is fun. But there is a reason why I stopped by here, yes it was because I knew you would be here...
INT. Lab
MICHAEL
But the real problem is with the mice we already tested.
TRE
What do you mean
MICHAEL
Looks like a single, or double use is fine. But the more uses the mice have had, the more... well take a look for yourself...
MICHAEL and TRE approach the set of cages. TRE investigated one cage and saw a single mouse hissing and biting at the cage, at TRE, or anyone that came near. Around him were about 4 dead mice, arms and legs ripped off.
TRE
What happened?
MICHAEL
Well at first, there were single mice dying. We would see them occasionally. Didn't think anything of it.
TRE
And
MICHAEL
Well we started recording the mice at night and they just started getting more aggressive towards each other.
TRE
So, you ran some test?
MICHAEL
So, we ran some test... and we did find that the aggression was growing over time in the mice that had 3 or more treatments
TRE
OK—
MICHAEL
Nothing to worry about there, given time, the drug will run its course and the aggression would go back to normal.
TRE
What else
MICHAEL
This is the big problem. The more you take this drug, the more the brain relies on the drug.
INT. HOSPITAL
OFFICER FORD
Here is your backpack... it was found lying beside you when the police found you.
OFFICER FORD reached under the counter and grabbed the backpack that TRE was wearing when they escaped the kidnappers. She handed it over to CHAUNCY.
CHAUNCY grabbed it, wondering why it was returned to him and not TRE, also wondering if the rest of those vials were still inside
CHAUNCY
Thank you, I was wondering what happened to that.
Chancy opened it and looked inside to see 2 of the plain white cardboard boxes sitting inside the backpack.
INT. LAB
TRE
Hmm so the drug is addictive and causes aggression. That's not good. We have to try to control those aspects but it’s too late for our present trials.
TRE and MICHAEL continue looking over paperwork and the lab mice for a minute more then walk off into their respective offices.
INT. Hospital parking lot
CHAUNCY walks through the parking lot with the backpack and sits down in his car. He opens the backpack just to check to see if those plain cardboard boxes were indeed the rest of those Vials. He takes one of the boxes out of the backpack and opens it. He sees the rows of vials sitting in a grid inside the box. He takes one out and looks at it for a few minutes—
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK
RANDOM MAN
Sir can you give me a ride to 13th street. Are you headed that way?
CHAUNCY jumped for a second, startled, then turned angry
CHAUNCY
NO! GET THE HELL AWAY FROM THE CAR!
RANDOM MAN
I was just asking—
CHAUNCY opens the door and shoves the man, then points away from the car
CHAUNCY
Get the fuck out of here!
The man starts walking away, still mumbling about needing a ride.
Just then CHAUNCY looks across the street and see's what looks like the van from the surveillance video when his store was robbed a few days ago. Its parked behind the Dumpster that CHAUNCY thought about dumping the empty vials before he went into the hospital.
CHAUNCY walks over towards the van and notice the door open at the building behind the van and a man walks out to the van.
CHAUNCY stops and just watches. Still holding the vial, he was inspecting in the car, now rubbing it between his thumb and first finger.
The man now exits the van and goes back into the building behind using the same door. And a few moments later a light turns on in one of the apartments about 3 floors up. CHAUNCY runs over to the van and looks through the passenger side window. He doesn't see much of anything inside the van and was about to turn and walk away when he catches a few of the cables he sells at his store sitting in the front dash.
CHAUNCY (CONT'D)
Fuck...this is those motherfuckers that robbed my store
CHAUNCY paces back and forth in front of the van a few times then he takes the vial out of his pocket and jams it into his thigh, squeezing the chemical into his leg.
He paces a few more times then takes off at great speed towards the building.
In one fluid motion he leaps, reaching up and grabbing the ladder on the fire escape and swinging himself up to land on the first landing of the fire escape.
He then jumps on the railing with one foot and pushes off about 6 feet across to land on the next fire escape where he pushes off one more time, this time making it up to the next floor where he pulled himself up and dove through the window that had the light on.
INT. Apartment Building
CHAUNCY gets up off the ground after crashing through the window and immediately he gets hit across the shoulder with a baseball bat. It doesn't faze him. CHAUNCY stands and charges the man with the bat, who is indeed the same man that was in the van.
Thief #2 goes to kick CHAUNCY to the head as he is standing but CHAUNCY catches his leg and slams him to the ground.
CHAUNCY goes to kick Thief #2 but the Thief rolls out of the way and stands to his feet. He runs through the front door.
The Thief runs to the stairwell and starts running upwards. CHAUNCY soon enters the stairwell also running upwards.
The thief gets to the roof and looks around. CHAUNCY crashes through the door.
The thief braces himself as CHAUNCY charges. Just at the last minute, the thief steps to the side and CHAUNCY flies off the side of the building and falls all the way to the ground.
The Thief takes a few deep breaths and looks over the side to see CHAUNCY laying on the ground.
The thief pulls out his phone and makes a phone call.
Thief #2
OH SHIT! Man, I just fucked that Electronics store owner up real good. Think I killed his ass...
Thief #1
Killed him what the fuck are you talking about?!
THIEF #2
Yea he came out of nowhere, attacked me in my spot, we ended up on the roof and he took a dive. That motherfuckers splattered all over the sidewalk right now.
THIEF #1
That's not good, how the fuck are you going to explain that shit.... you Sure he's dead?
THIEF #2
Yea I'm sure, I saw him hit the ground. I'm looking at him right—
Thief #2 leans over to check CHAUNCY's dead body again and he's not there.
THIEF #2 (CONT'D)
Oh Shit... he's not there.... how the fuck...
Thief #2 puts the phone away and runs towards the door. Just as soon as he gets within a few feet of the door...
SLAM
CHAUNCY then rolls over and falls off the fire escape. He lands on the ground.
CHAUNCY gets up slowly and takes a few slow steps. He gets around the corner and picks up the pace to a slow jog down the street till he disappears around a corner.
INT. Clothing Store - 3 weeks later
REBECCA met a friend at the mall in town to do a little shopping. LISA, a very short but curvy woman walks out of a dressing room wearing a very fitting dress.
REBECCA
Damn LISA, you are wearing that dress. Zumba?
LISA
Zumba? Girl hell no, I wouldn't get caught dead in any of those group workout classes.
REBECCA
You are obviously doing something...
LISA
I'm all about the personal trainer. It’s nothing like getting your work on, then getting worked on
REBECCA
Ooooo girl no you are not screwing your personal trainer
LISA
What can I say, I'm a slut. I realized several years ago that once I admit to that fact, I was able to enjoy my life a whole lot more
REBECCA
Girl you are something. I better keep you away from my man then
LISA
CHAUNCY? or...
REBECCA
Shutup!
REBECCA Laughs and grabs a dress and walks into the dressing room. LISA also grabs a dress and joins REBECCA.
LISA
So, what's been going on with CHAUNCY? You sounded a little stressed when you called this morning
REBECCA
Girl I don't know. It’s weird. For the past few weeks he's been coming home all worked up and sexing me like he's never done in all the 10 years we've been married.
LISA
You can’t complain about that can you? Weren't you two trying to get pregnant?
REBECCA
Yes, and I haven't told him yet, but I found out I was pregnant about a week ago... but the sex is actually getting scary. He's so aggressive
LISA
Aggressive.... hmm If he's too much for you, send him my way.
REBECCA
I swear if he doesn't calm down, I think I will send him your way.
They both laugh as they walk out with their original clothes on. They head towards the sales attendant to pay for the items they are carrying
LISA
So, wait. Did you just say you are pregnant?-
REBECCA
The funny thing is that his aggression seems to always be there. Not just in the bedroom. I'm actually a little worried.
LISA
Thought you were talking about him sleeping all the time
They leave the clothing store and continue walking down the hall in the mall
REBECCA
Yea he sleeps a lot, every day, He hasn't even been going into work. Been letting that idiot RODNEY pretty much run the HD shop for him
LISA
Hmm RODNEY, that boy gets off those cigarettes and I would make him my full-time boy toy.
REBECCA
Okay... opposed to your part time boy toy that he is now?
LISA
Becca.... you Know I fucked him, right?
REBECCA
No you didn't! Girl...
LISA
So, what about you being pregnant? And no, I didn't. I would but I didn't.
REBECCA
Yes LISA, I'm pregnant. I found out last week. Wanted to give it a couple weeks before I tell CHAUNCY.
INT. the peters residence - 5:30 PM
Chancy wakes up and looks over at the clock. He rolls out of bed and looks at his phone
See's several missed messages and missed calls
He walks out to the living room and outside to the garage. He unlocks a standing locker and grabbed the backpack that was hanging. He looks inside and see one of the plain cardboard boxes was empty and about half of the vials in the second box were missing.
SLAM
CHAUNCY slams the locker closed and kicks it
BLAM
CHAUNCY walks out of the garage and back into the house. He gets on the computer and start looking up the local airline information
REBECCA
Bae... you up? What's all that noise.
CHAUNCY doesn't respond. REBECCA walks into the room and puts her arm around CHAUNCY. She notices that he is looking up flight times
REBECCA (CONT'D)
You going somewhere?
CHAUNCY
Yea I was thinking about going to this expo. Just checking the times to see if it would even work with my schedule.
REBECCA
Your schedule?... HA... the only thing that's been on your schedule lately is sleep
CHAUNCY shoots REBECCA a look that actually scares her a little. She backs up a little bit and changes the subject.
REBECCA (CONT'D)
Well I used your car today, Gas tank is full. Imma go hit the Treadmill for a bit
REBECCA leaves the room.
CHAUNCY prints something on the computer and walks over to the printer to get the document. On the way to the printer he notices a doctor’s prescription laying on the counter. He picks it up and reads it.
The prescription was for prenatal vitamins. CHAUNCY walks towards the room where REBECCA is, with the prescription in hand. Then he looks at the document he printed and changes focus. He puts the prescription paper back on the counter and leaves the house.
REBECCA Noticed CHAUNCY putting the Prescription back on the counter and she walked over and picks it up.
She looks at it for a few minutes then she makes a phone call
REBECCA (CONT'D)
I think he just found out I'm pregnant...
INT. Office FLOOR - next day - 10 AM
TRE walks across the office floor with a cup of coffee in his hand. He takes a sip then walks into MICHAEL's office.
TRE
I have that presentation this afternoon. I want to make sure we have some footage of the mice in the maze.
MICHAEL
Yea I think those mice are probably the most effective way to explain what this drug does.
TRE
How are things going now with the new batch?
MICHAEL
Progress is good. It will be going into final testing next week. If all is good with that, we can do another real-world trial.
TRE
Sounds good. I'm going to stop by the lab and pick up a few props then I'll be heading across town to the convention center.
MICHAEL
Seeya there, Good luck
TRE leaves MICHAEL's office and head to the elevator.
INT. Airport parking lot
CHAUNCY walks out of the airport and to the car rental booth. A car pulls up and the driver gets out and hands CHAUNCY the keys. CHAUNCY pops the trunk of the car and puts in the backpack from his garage.
He then gets inside the car and drives off.
As CHAUNCY drives away, he makes a call on his phone
TRE (V.O.)
Hello. You have reached the office of Tracy Jones. Lead pharmaceutical scientist of Offlong industries. I will be out of the office and or unavailable today. Please hold as my assistant, LUCY Waters, takes your message.
CHAUNCY hangs up the phone and keeps driving.
GPS (O.S.)
In 500 feet, please turn left
CHAUNCY makes the turn. He reaches in the backpack and pulls out a hand full of Vials. All the Vials that were left in the second cardboard box. He looks at them for a minute then tosses them back in the backpack and calls TRE again