CHINA RED

by Bruce W. Durbin

  Daniel raises his hand, with the MEN continuing to fire, but then stop.

  Daniel looks at the cargo airplane and smiles.

  CHAPTER 102

  Inside the airplane, Doug slightly raises and looks at Rachel, "Are you...okay?"

  Rachel nods her head, with Doug looking at Jim, who has been hit several times. He tries to speak, but blood comes from his mouth.

  Doug looks at Tommy, who isn't moving. Doug crawls over to Tommy, rolling him over.

  Doug, "Tommy?"

  Doug looks at Tommy, seeing that Tommy is holding both hands over his stomach. Doug looks at Tommy's fingers, seeing blood oozing between the fingers.

  Doug looks at Timothy and Lee, who appear to have not been hit.

  Doug looks back down at Tommy.

  Tommy, struggling, "Know, know what's worse than getting bit by a zombie?"

  Doug slightly shakes his head, "No, pal...what?"

  Tommy, struggling, "Getting shot by someone, someone you don't even know."

  Daniel's voice, "Hello in the airplane."

  Doug jerks his head up.

  Daniel's voice, "If you want to live...come out....NOW."

  Doug looks over at Rachel, who shakes her head. Doug looks over at Lee, who smiles, then laughs.

  Lee, "They don't want to risk losing any more men, by coming in here. Makes it easier for them, if we just walk out, but..."

  Lee looks at the now dead Jim, then at Tommy, then at the numerous bullet holes in the airplane.

  Lee, frowning, "We don't really have a choice."

  CHAPTER 103

  Outside the airplane, Daniel and his MEN aim their rifles at the airplane. Doug's voice, "We're coming out."

  Daniel smiles and there's a brief pause, then Doug steps out, followed by

  Rachel, then Timothy, and then Lee.

  Quickly, the MEN grab Doug, Rachel, Timothy, and Lee, throw them to the

  ground, on their stomachs and quickly search them.

  Daniel, "The others? There should be two more."

  Doug, "Dead."

  Daniel nods to MAN #2, who quickly runs inside the cargo airplane.

  CHAPTER 104

  At the landing site, Daniel's pilot is starting to light a cigarette. Pilot, with sarcasm, "Armageddon can occur and...I'll still be waiting for..." There's a noise.

  Pilot stops and looks around.

  There's another noise.

  Pilot strains, seeing two shapes running towards him.

  Pilot, "That didn't take..."

  Pilot stops, seeing that the shapes appear to be animals. He drops the

  cigarette, pulling out a handgun.

  As he starts to raise the handgun, two ZOMBIE HYENAS emerge from the darkness and tear into him, with Pilot screaming.

  CHAPTER 105

  Outside the airplane, Doug, Timothy, Rachel, and Lee are on their knees, as MAN #2 and MAN #3 search the area and the containers, with Daniel watching the group.

  Daniel looks at Lee, who is smiling.

  MAN #2 and MAN #3 move up to Daniel, whispering to him.

  Anger quickly spreads over Daniel's face, as he looks from person to person.

  Daniel, "I need to know, I need to know where the China White is located and..."

  Daniel meets Lee's eyes. He starts to say something, then stops, recognizing Lee.

  Daniel, "Lee?"

  Daniel quickly motions towards MAN #2, who moves forward, helping Lee to his feet.

  Lee, "Ah, Daniel...it's been a few years."

  Daniel, "Sir, I'm sorry, I didn't know that you were..."

  Lee, "No one knew."

  Lee moves closer to Daniel and they walk a short distance away, beginning to whisper.

  CHAPTER 106

  Doug slightly looks at Rachel, who looks back at him.

  Rachel, "Tommy...I'm sorry. He was..."

  Doug, "I'm...I'm sorry...I was stupid to steal a helicopter, bring you out here,

  just to...impress you." Rachel looks at Doug, then smiles, "Yes, it was stupid, because....I was already impressed."

  Doug smiles.

  It starts to lightly rain, with water dropping down on the group.

  Doug turns and watches, as the water begins to pool around the charred remains of the VILLAGE MEN and the other dead ZOMBIES. The rain turns into a torrential downpour, with Daniel and Lee hurrying up to the group and moving everyone inside the airplane.

  Daniel is the last person at the airplane and he stops, turns, and looks back, seeing that the downpour is causing little streams of water to move over the charred remains and then move around the containers, then out of sight.

  Daniel turns and enters the airplane.

  Looking at the little streams of water, shows a stream moving into the container, where the CHINA WHITE had been located.

  Inside the container, there are broken bottles and vases on the floor of the container, with the stream of water moving around the bottles and vases, then moving around what appears to be ashes.

  CHAPTER 107

  Inside the airplane, Timothy, Doug, and Rachel are roughly shoved by MAN #2 and MAN #3, causing them to stumble to the floor.

  On her knees, Rachel looks at the dead Tommy.

  Doug turns and takes a swing at MAN #2, who avoids the punch, and delivers a punch, dropping Doug to the floor.

  Rachel moves and helps Doug.

  Daniel, to the men, "Get those bodies out of here."

  The men move, dragging Tommy out of the airplane.

  Daniel looks at Timothy.

  Daniel, "Where's the stuff?"

  Timothy, confused, "Stuff?"

  CHAPTER 108

  Outside the airplane, the men move and toss Tommy's body, face down, next to the charred bodies.

  They look around, then hurry back inside the airplane.

  The rain water moves over Tommy's body, pooling around him and the charred bodies.

  Suddenly, there's a scream from inside the airplane.

  CHAPTER 109

  Inside the airplane, Timothy is gripping his hand, as he tries to fight the pain. Daniel has an evil smile, as he moves and grabs Timothy's hand. Timothy struggles, but Daniel pulls Timothy's hand out.

  Looking at Timothy's fingers, one is at an impossible angle, indicating that it has been broken.

  Daniel twists another finger, putting pressure on it.

  Timothy, "Please, don't..."

  Daniel, "Tell me where the stuff is and..."

  Timothy, "It doesn't exist."

  Daniel starts to bend the finger, with Timothy screaming.

  Daniel, "Yeah, and I saw the zombies, so I know IT does exist. The China White, where is it?"

  Timothy, gasping, "It, it was in the container, but...the vases...it's gone...it's all gone."

  Timothy tries to be strong and gives Daniel a hard, defiant stare.

  Timothy, "Hence, the...fuckin' zombies."

  Daniel, "Yeah, I know that, but it's the China Black that I want. Investors want to control the zombies they create. The China Black? Where is it?"

  Timothy, "There is NO China Black."

  Daniel looks at Lee, with Timothy jerking his attention to Lee, then back to Daniel.

  Lee, "He's lying. He was trying to smuggle the China White AND the China Black out of China."

  Timothy is shaking his head, "Yes, yes, I admit that I found the China White, but the China Black? It wasn't the, the antidote, it was, it was the ashes of the warriors, zombie warriors, who had been killed."

  CHAPTER 110

  Outside one of the air containers, the container suddenly begins to rock and shutter.

  Vapor slowly flows out of the container.

  There's a brief pause and then ancient ENEMY WARRIORS step out of the container, as vapor flows over them.

  They slowly look around. They all hold weapons in their hands. The all look towards the cargo airplane, seeing the faint glow of the lanterns from inside.

  The rain suddenly, mysteriously stops.


  The ENEMY WARRIORS all move to the side, forming a path.

  There's a brief pause and then General Tong steps out of the container. He slowly walks down the path and then stops, with the ENEMY WARRIORS forming behind him, as he stares at the airplane.

  General Tong takes a step towards the cargo airplane.

  CHAPTER 111

  At Daniel's helicopter, the helicopter sits in a pool of water.

  Pilot's body has been torn apart.

  Looking around, there are several pools of water.

  Suddenly, the ground begins to move, with the water exploding up into the

  air, like fountains. The water then suddenly drops back down to the ground. There's a scream.

  CHAPTER 112

  Inside the airplane, Timothy has just screamed and is looking down at another broken finger. He looks from Lee to Daniel.

  Timothy, gasping, "It was only legend that there, there was an antidote. The only way to kill zombies, uh, who have been, uh, created with China White is by...fire."

  Timothy looks at Doug and Rachel, then back at Lee.

  Timothy, "You saw. You all saw. The only way to kill the zombies is by, by fire."

  CHAPTER 113

  Outside the airplane, ZOMBIES begin to form out of the charred masses, slowly rising up.

  General Tong and his ENEMY WARRIORS begin moving towards the airplane.

  Suddenly, Tommy spits, coughs, and then moves to his hands and knees, as he hangs his head down. He slowly moves, getting up. He sees the TIGER, RHINO, and HYENAS slowly moving towards him.

  Tommy sees General Tong and the ENEMY WARRIORS moving towards him. He sees the other ZOMBIES moving towards him.

  Tommy slowly turns and starts walking towards the airplane.

  There's a scream.

  CHAPTER 114

  Inside the airplane, Lee has moved up to Timothy and slapped him across the face. Lee holds Timothy by the front of his shirt, with his hand raised, preparing to slap him again.

  Lee, "You little..."

  There's a noise outside.

  Everyone jerks towards the sound of the noise.

  There's a noise outside.

  Daniel, to his men, "Check it out."

  MAN #2 and MAN #3 hurry out of the airplane.

  CHAPTER 115

  It's still night and outside the airplane, MAN #2 runs out of the airplane, when he suddenly stops, and looks down, then slowly looks up.

  Tommy has rammed his arm through MAN #2's chest. MAN #2 tries to say something, but blood begins pouring out of his mouth.

  Tommy jerks his hand free, as MAN #3 pushes past MAN #2, and begins firing his rifle at Tommy. The bullets hit Tommy, moving him back.

  Tommy staggers and then drops to his back. MAN #3 slightly smiles, then looks up, seeing the approaching ZOMBIES, including the animals and the ENEMY WARRIORS.

  MAN #3's smile quickly vanishes, as Lee and Daniel appear by his side.

  Daniel, "What the hell are you..."

  MAN #3 motions with his rifle towards the ZOMBIES, with Daniel and Lee looking and seeing all of the ZOMBIES.

  Daniel slides off his pack, handing it to MAN #3.

  Daniel, to MAN #3, "Set the explosives."

  MAN #3 grabs the pack and runs back inside the airplane.

  Lee, with authority, "We cannot destroy the airplane, until we have both the China White and China Black."

  Daniel, "You want the China White, you can take a sample from one of them..."

  Daniel motions with his rifle, towards the approaching ZOMBIES.

  Daniel, "If the professor was telling the truth, then you can burn one of the zombies, getting you your China Black....all due respect, Sir, I was paid to destroy everything, but..."

  Daniel fires his rifle at the ZOMBIES, hitting them in the head, causing them to drop to the ground.

  Daniel reaches in a pocket, takes out a grenade and tosses it.

  There's a brief pause and then grenade explodes, causing several of the ZOMBIES to burst into flames.

  Daniel, "I don't think I'm going to get paid."

  Daniel fires at more of the ZOMBIES, hitting them in the head, causing them to drop to the ground.

  CHAPTER 116

  Inside the airplane, Doug, Rachel, and Timothy watch as MAN #3 places EXPLOSIVES around the interior of the airplane.

  As he places the EXPLOSIVES, he activates them, with RED LIGHTS starting to FLASH. Daniel and Lee enter the airplane.

  Lee, to Daniel, "You can't just destroy the airplane."

  Daniel moves and begins helping MAN #3. Lee is angry, as he turns towards Timothy. Lee moves up to Timothy, jerks him up from the floor, and slaps him across the face.

  Lee, with anger, "The China Black? Where is it?"

  Timothy, "I've, I've told you...the China Black is just, is just the ashes of dead warriors."

  Lee, "What dead warriors? General Zhou's warriors?"

  Timothy tries to hide his shock.

  Lee, "General Tong's warriors? How do you kill the zombies? How do you make them fall asleep?"

  Timothy just stares at Lee.

  Suddenly, Lee backhands Timothy, dropping Timothy to the floor.

  Timothy moves and wipes blood from his mouth.

  Timothy, "The, the only way to kill, to kill..."

  Timothy looks up at Lee, with disgust, "Zombies, infected with China White is by..."

  Timothy gives Lee a hard look, "The guardians."

  Timothy gives Lee, a smile.

  Timothy, "See, you heard about the legend. Me? I discovered the truth. Black China IS the ashes of General Tong's men."

  Timothy laughs, "You think that General Zhou would have developed an, an antidote, like China Black, knowing that General Tong could may have stolen it? Do you think that General Zhou would risk losing his soldiers to some, some potion?"

  Timothy lowers his head, as everyone looks at him.

  Timothy, "China White...China Black...China Red."

  CHAPTER 117

  Under the Temple, Timothy seems to see something and moves some crates to the side. He stops, seeing some apparent paintings on the walls. He brushes some dirt away, with the images becoming more clear.

  The images show two armies of ancient soldiers, one army dressed in RED armor and the second army dressed in BLACK armor.

  Timothy looks at the images and then sees some Chinese writing. He brushes away some more dirt.

  Timothy, reading, "China White...China Black...Only the Emperor is safe."

  Timothy moves to brush away some more dirt, when a tile falls from the wall.

  Timothy's voice, "Yes, I found China White and China Black..."

  Timothy moves and looks, seeing a hole in the wall.

  Timothy reaches into the hole and pulls out a long, wooden box.

  Timothy opens the box, seeing a series of broken tiles.

  Timothy's voice, "I also found, found China Red."

  Timothy moves and puts the tiles together, like a puzzle. He stares down at the tiles, seeing Chinese characters.

  Timothy's voice, "China White...China Black...China Red. The sword of..."

  CHAPTER 118

  Inside the airplane, Timothy looks up at Lee, "General Zhou." Lee stares at Timothy, then slightly smiles, "Sure, sure, General Zhou was afraid that General Tong might steal some, some potion..."

  Lee looks at Timothy, smiling and with sarcasm, "But, but a sword?"

  Lee shakes his head, "No, that would be much easier to steal."

  Timothy stares at Lee, then smiles.

  Timothy, "The sword must be wielded by General Zhou or one of his descendants, blood of his blood. That, that was the safety, that ensured that General Tong could never wield the sword."

  Daniel, "Doesn't matter. None of this matters."

  Daniel nods towards MAN #3, then slightly at Lee.

  Daniel, "I have a helicopter a couple of miles away. I plan on blowing this airplane, destroying what I can, and then leaving. You want to come, fine, you want to
stay and discuss legend, fine."

  Lee quickly becomes uncertain, as MAN #3 moves to the side of the airplane.

  Doug, "You can't leave us here. You have to..."

  Daniel, "I don't have to do a fuckin'..."

  MAN #3 drops his rifle, with everyone turning and looking at him.

  MAN #3 looks down, seeing the tip of a bloody sword sticking through his chest.

  CHAPTER 119

  It's still night, outside the airplane.

  The ENEMY WARRIORS have moved up to the cargo airplane and are starting to shove their swords and spears into the airplane.

  CHAPTER 120

  MAN #3 starts to grab the tip of the sword, when it is suddenly ripped back. MAN #3 staggers and then falls to the floor. Everyone looks around, seeing swords and spears piercing the interior of the airplane.

  Doug moves Rachel towards the middle of the airplane.

  Timothy, "General Zhou? General Tong?"

  Timothy jumps to his feet and starts to run out of the airplane. Lee tries to grab him, but Timothy pushes past him.

  CHAPTER 121

  Timothy runs out of the airplane and then stops, seeing all of the ZOMBIES. Timothy, "No..."

  Timothy turns slightly, seeing General Tong.

  Timothy starts to back towards the airplane, when he is suddenly surrounded

  by ZOMBIES.

  Timothy screams, as he is pulled down to the ground.

  ZOMBIES begin ripping him apart, as a HYENA dashes in, grabs a leg, pulls at it, then rips it free, running away, as Timothy screams.

  CHAPTER 122

  Inside the airplane, Daniel starts moving towards the rear of the airplane. Lee, "What are you going to do?"