by Mehul Desai
VOLUNTEERS
VOLUNTEERS Copyright © 2012 by Mehul Desai
Artwork by David C Ayling
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author.
For permission requests please write to [email protected].
This work has been registered with Script Vault
Registration Number 53166135
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
Screenplay Reformatted for Kindle.
FADE IN.
EXT. SPACE
Stars.
The curve of a gas giant slowly descends. We tilt, drifting freely, glimpsing the rings of Saturn.
We then see something else, something slowly approaching.
It's large, silver, and perfectly spherical.
The mysterious object passes us, silent, and continues on into the Solar System.
CUT TO.
EXT. DESERT - SOUTH AMERICA - MORNING
“Atacama Desert, Northern Chile, 2022”
Fifty radio telescopes slowly come to life and adjust their position.
CUT TO.
EXT. EARTH ORBIT
The Hubble also adjusts its position.
Its lens focusing.
CUT TO.
INT. OFFICE - DIMLY LIT - NIGHT
“Washington DC”
A phone rings. A hand picks it up. We don't see a face.
MAN
(beat, American)
How long?
CALLER
(also American)
“Just under 13 days.”
The man squeezes his forehead.
MAN
(beat)
What do they want to do?
CUT TO.
EXT. OBSERVATORY - HAWAII - EVENING
“Keck Observatory, Hawaii”
Choppers land. US Special Forces surround the building as others move in.
A man in a black suit holds back in one of the choppers, covering his ear from the rotor noise.
Observatory staff are quickly led out.
SOLDIER
Sir you need to come this way.
OBSERVATORY STAFF
“Terrorist threat”? This is crazy!
The suited man watches, quiet.
CUT TO.
EXT. Mount Graham - Arizona - NIGHT
“Mount Graham International Observatory”
Another observatory is locked down by Special Forces. Again we see suited men and women coordinating the operation.
SUITED WOMAN
(into phone)
We're secure.
CUT TO.
EXT. JUPITER
The silver sphere now passes the moon of Europa.
An ESA probe slowly turns and focuses its primary lens.
CUT TO.
INT. CAR - BACKSEAT - DAY
A mobile phone rings. A woman answers, we don't see her face.
“Paris, France”
CALLER (O.S)
(French, subtitled)
“They've identified 9. Nigeria, Thailand, North America, Eastern Europe, they're all over the place.”
WOMAN
(French, subtitled)
What about the remaining three?
CALLER (O.S)
“Somalia, Iran. We have people on the ground but there's no guarantee we can find them in time.”
WOMAN
What are they being told?
CALLER (O.S)
“Nothing yet.”
The woman checks her watch.
WOMAN
Our local's being brought in. Keep me updated.
She hangs up and sighs, rubbing her forehead.
CUT TO.
INT. HALLWAY - CHEAP MOTEL - MORNING
Gunfire! A tattooed man runs, firing an automatic at Colombian Special Forces pursuing after him.
EXT. CHEAP MOTEL - STREET
More Special Forces and regular police are positioned outside.
“Southern Bogota, Colombia”
LOUD SPEAKER (O.S)
(Spanish, subtitled)
“Diego Fernando, you are NOT under arrest.”
INT. MOTEL ROOM
Fernando, the tattooed man, locks the door and ducks by the window, his eyes frantic. He looks out and sees what looks like a small army.
LOUD SPEAKER (O.S)
“You will not be harmed.”
EXT. CHEAP MOTEL - STREET
Two government agents hold behind a car. They look at each other, stuck.
COLOMBIAN AGENT
(Spanish, subtitled)
We're not going to get him alive. We need to gas him out.
-More gunfire! Fernando fires out the window, screaming and cursing at the top of his lungs.
The police drop behind their cars and vans. One of the agents turns his head and sees several of the police shooting back.
COLOMBIAN AGENT (CONT'D)
-Cease fire! Cease fire you asshole!
The gunfire from the window stops.
INT. MOTEL ROOM
The door is kicked down. Colombian Special Forces move in, shields ready.
They stop.
Fernando is dead on the floor.
CUT TO.
EXT. HIGH STREET - GRAY AFTERNOON
Eunice, a tall beautiful mixed-race 20 year old, is busking outside a large clothing store. A coin is dropped for her.
Eunice finishes playing and smiles, grateful.
EUNICE
Merci beaucoup.
“Lille, France”
A store security guard steps out.
STORE SECURITY
(French, subtitled)
Miss, you can't play here. You have to go further down.
Eunice tunes her guitar.
EUNICE
I'm not doing anything illegal.
STORE SECURITY
If you don't move we will have to call the police.
EUNICE
(snaps)
Call the police, this is a public street.
The guard reaches for her guitar.
STORE SECURITY
You're blocking the entrance.
Eunice snatches it back.
EUNICE
I'm nowhere near the entrance!
Two police officers arrive.
The guard turns to them.
STORE SECURITY
Gentlemen, can you please tell this young lady that she-
A government agent steps forward, ignoring the guard.
FRENCH GOVERNMENT AGENT
Eunice Michel?
Eunice looks at the man, hostile.
EUNICE
Who wants to know?
FRENCH GOVERNMENT AGENT
Born on April 2nd 2001?
EUNICE
-Yeah so?
The agent smiles.
FRENCH GOVERNMENT AGENT
We've been looking for you.
CUT TO.
INT. BEDROOM - APARTMENT - MORNING
Dirty clothes and empty beer bottles litter the floor. Movie posters line the walls (Blade Runner, Inception, Reservoir Dogs).
The radio kicks on.
JOCKEY (RADIO)
“-a blast from the past, requested by Bobby G of Baldwin Hills, an oldie from Jefferson Airplane.”
“Volunteers” starts to play.
“Venice Beach, California”
We rise to the bed and see a bra hanging from the corner. Caleb Colton, 20s, is sprawled
face down, his hair long, face unshaven.
He slowly opens his eyes and sees a 17 year old floozy passed out beside him. Her hair covers half her face as she snores.
Caleb sees an unlit joint between her lips.
He picks it out and feels for a lighter, clearly hung over.
There's a “knock” on the front door. Caleb groans, rolling over.
CALEB
Johnny! Get the God damn door!
The floozy rolls aside, dropping off the bed with “thud”.
CALEB (CONT'D)
Jesus Christ.
He leans over and sees she's still asleep.
CALEB (CONT'D)
Hey... you all right?
JOHNNY (O.S)
Woah woah, what you doing?
There's commotion from the hallway. The bedroom door opens.
Two cops enter.
JOHNNY (CONT'D)
You can't just come in here man! You need a warrant or some shit!
Caleb drops the joint out of sight and smiles.
CALEB
Morning officers, what can I do for you?
The cops step aside. A government agent steps forward and removes his sunglasses.
GOVERNMENT AGENT
Caleb Andrew Colton?
CALEB
… Yeah?
GOVERNMENT AGENT
We need to talk with you.
CUT TO.
EXT. SPACE
Jupiter shrinks away in the distance. The silver ball continues on.
CUT TO.
INT. INTERVIEW ROOM (PARIS)
Eunice sits by a table with a cup of coffee. She looks around, uneasy.
The door opens. A woman in her 40s, Mariella, enters.
She smiles at Eunice and sits opposite. We recognize her voice.
MARIELLA
(French, subtitled)
I understand you have a lot of questions Miss Michel. I assure you you have nothing to worry about.
She opens a file in front of her.
Eunice notices that it's a profile on her.
CALEB (O.S)
Do I need or lawyer or something?
INT. INTERVIEW ROOM (LOS ANGELES)
Hollis, 50s, the man who was on the phone earlier, is seated opposite, looking at Caleb's file.
HOLLIS
Mr Colton, you're currently unemployed is that right?
Caleb knocks back an aspirin.
CALEB
(chewing)
I'm in between jobs.
HOLLIS
(studying file)
Studied film at UCLA, dropped out a year ago.
CALEB
Yeah, I was gonna get into movies but Hollywood's been going downhill ever since streaming.
HOLLIS
Your father passed away around the same time, mother already deceased, I'm sorry to hear that.
CALEB
(indifferent)
Yeah that was a bummer.
HOLLIS
No brothers, sisters or close family. You were left a property valued at close to $200,000 which you sold for less than half.
CALEB
Gotta live off something.
Hollis sets down the file.
HOLLIS
What do you intend to do after the your inheritance dries up? Any goals, aspirations?
CALEB
I don't know become a sailor. Look Agent Smith, or whoever you are, what's the deal here, you find a Koran in that place or something? If so the guy you need to talk to ain't exactly a phone call away.
HOLLIS
-Mr Colton, the US government like to offer you fifty million dollars.
INT. INTERVIEW ROOM (PARIS)
Eunice stops, stunned.
EUNICE
What?
Mariella nods, serious.
MARIELLA
Fifty million.
EUNICE
I don't understand, why? What do you want from me?
MARIELLA
I'm afraid I can't say.
EUNICE
You're going to give me fifty million euros? For something you can't say?
MARIELLA
No, you will not receive the money. But you may do with it what you wish.
Eunice is even more confused.
INT. INTERVIEW ROOM (LOS ANGELES)
A contract is pushed forward.
Caleb looks down at it.
CALEB
What's this?
HOLLIS
Insurance. You sign this, we'll tell you everything.
INT. INTERVIEW ROOM (PARIS)
A pen is set down.
Eunice looks at it, hesitant.
MARIELLA
(beat)
There's no commitments, not at this stage. But the penalty for breaching this disclosure will be severe.
Eunice looks from the pan to Mariella.
INT. INTERVIEW ROOM (LOS ANGELES)
Caleb signs the agreement, laughing to himself.
CALEB
This ought to be interesting.
INT. INTERVIEW ROOM (PARIS)
Mariella watches as Eunice finishes signing.
EUNICE
(beat)
All right.
She sets down the pen.
EUNICE (CONT'D)
So what's going on?
CUT TO.
EXT. SPACE
The sphere presses on into the Solar System, the sun growing larger.
“Hiss”
CUT TO.
INT. CABIN - PRIVATE JET - DAY
Caleb opens a bottle of beer as he peers out the window.
Hollis sits opposite, the two alone.
CALEB
You know it wouldn't have taken me long to pack a few things.
HOLLIS
We'll take you to a room when we land. You can shower and freshen up before the briefing. We'll have clothes ready for you.
CALEB
(turns)
Where exactly are we going? Shouldn't I have my passport or something?
HOLLIS
Passports won't necessary.
Hollis checks his phone.
HOLLIS (CONT'D)
Not for this trip.
Caleb smiles, still chuckled by this whole situation.
CALEB
You're the boss.
Hollis opens an email on his phone.
“2 CONFIRMED DEAD, LUSAKA AND BOGOTA”
He pauses, then puts away the phone, concern forming.
CUT TO.
EXT. ENTRANCE - BUILDING - PARIS - DAY
Three black cars roll to a stop. Non-uniformed security personnel are positioned nearby.
Eunice slowly climbs out, Mariella and two French representatives with her.
She looks up at the building and sees a number of flags beside three words,
“ E S A ”
Another car door opens.
Eunice turns her head and sees a short slender Thai girl (19) with Thai government officials and a translator.
The girl appears awkward in her brand new clothes and shoes. Eunice makes eye contact with her before she's ferried into building by her entourage.
MARIELLA (O.S)
(to Eunice)
This way.
CUT TO.
INT. BRIEFING ROOM - ESA HEADQUARTERS
A set of doors open.
Eunice follows Mariella into the briefing room, a long table taking up the main floor.
The Thai girl, Suchin, is sat by table with a government representative on either side of her. Around the table are similar groups; a bald Nigerian man in his late 30s (Christopher), a pale bearded man in his early 40s (Vincent), and a large Estonian woman in her early 20s (Marika).
Marika drops her bottle of water, nervously looking around.