Fade in:
Int. Sweden - Jopen Residence Dining Room - Day
RACKS and BEURHA JOPEN, a couple in their forties, sit at the kitchen table eating their breakfast. Racks has an open laptop next to his plate and he looks at the screen more than he eats. SHILF, 23, their son, enters the room.
Shilf
Good morning mother, father.
Racks
Ah Shilf, it is good you are here. Have a seat.
Shilf walks to the table.
Beurha
Can I make you some breakfast, Shilf?
Shilf sits down at the table.
SHILF
Oh sure, thanks.
RACKS
So, how's the apartment, son?
SHILF
It's... it's good. Look, I'll.... I'm gonna pay you back just as soon as I get a job.
RACKS
Oh don't worry about that. Listen, I've got a way you can repay me and then some.
Racks turns the laptop around to face Shilf.
RACKS
There's a dig in the Ukraine, its scheduled to start in 2 days and they need some skilled workers...
Beurha puts down a pan.
BEURHA
Racks...
SHILF
Uhh... I don't know about that pop. Isn't there some sort of controversy over that?
RACKS
Bah. So some people think it defiles the land and the people who lived there. So what? I need...
BEURHA
He is not going.
SHILF
Yeah, I really don't think I should.
RACKS
You'll go or I'll cancel the payment on that apartment of yours.
Shilf sighs.
SHILF
Okay fine, I'll go.
Shilf gets up and leaves. Beurha shakes her head.
Int. Bulgaria - Guyah Residence - Night
PAUL GUYAH sits in his living room, reading a newspaper. ISKRA GUYAH, his wife, and clearly pregnant, enters the room carrying two coffees. She sits down on the couch and holds one out to Paul.
Paul
D'you hear about this? Some company wants to dig up the Albazam Temple in Ukraine. That, that ain't right.
Iskra
Oh I'm sure its not that big of a deal.
PAUL
Oh now hold on. Seems they plan to start digging this week. And they're hiring... anyone? No, no, no. That ain't gonna fly. Not with this Guyah.
ISKRA
Now now Paul, times are hard, I'm sure they'll barely be able to hire anyone. The whole thing's probably going to fall through.
PAUL
Yeah, I'm going to make sure of that.
Paul puts the paper down and stands up.
PAUL
I've got to stop this. It's an insult to all we stand for.
Paul begins to walk out of the room.
ISKRA
Oh Paul, please don't go. Little Ronny is due any day now.
PAUL
Sorry Iskra, but I must.
Paul exits the room. Iskra looks worried and sips some coffee.
Ext. Ukraine - Dig Site - Day
A bus pulls into a large dirt area that looks much like a construction zone. There is some heavy machinery, trailers, chain-link fences and police cars.
Shilf walks off the bus and looks around for a few seconds. He walks past an angry mob held back by one of the fences, in a line with a few other people.
Protester one
You people have no right to do this.
PAUL
Yeah, go back home you bastards.
Paul throws a cup over the fence, nearly hitting Shilf.
SHILF
Hey, lay off, I don't want to be here any more than you do.
Shilf walks up to a trailer. A COORDINATOR sees him and starts to walk towards him.
Coordinator
Can I help you?
SHILF
Yes, I'd like to sign up and help on this dig.
COORDINATOR
Oh good, we can use all the help we can get. Here, please fill out this form.
The coordinator hands Shilf a clipboard with some papers on it.
Ext. Ukraine - Dig Site - Night
The dig area is covered by bright lights, a few people remain working, the police have left, but the angry mob remains on the other side of the fence.
COORDINATOR
Alright, looks like we're gonna need to push this thing over if we wanta get under it.
He signals to a WORKER, who climbs into a bulldozer and turns it on.
The mob grows louder and rowdier.
PAUL
Whoa, whoa, whoa, what the hell do you think you're doing?
COORDINATOR
Look, we need to get under there and that thing is standing in the way.
PAUL
Do you even know what that is?
Shilf runs up to the Coordinator and hands him a folder.
COORDINATOR
No, do you?
The bulldozer plows into the thing, a grayish white cube sticking out of the ground. A side of it begins to crumble.
The mob gives out a loud roar and pushes the fence over. They run towards the workers.
COORDINATOR
Oh shit, run.
Shilf, the Coordinator and other workers begin to run away but the mob overtakes them. Paul Guyah tackles Shilf and brings him to the ground.
SHILF
No. Please. Don't.
Paul holds Shilf against the ground and brings one hand up in a fist.
Int. Sweden - Jopen Residence - Night
The room is dark, but some moonlight dimly lights the bed that Racks and Beurha sleep on.
The phone rings. Racks stirs slightly.
RACKS
H...hello?
The voice on the phone is indistinguishable.
RACKS
What?
Racks turns on the lights and begins to dress.
BEURHA
Huh... what's going on?
Racks runs out the door.
Int. Ukraine - Hospital - Day
Shilf lies on a hospital bed covered in bandages and connected to several machines. Racks looks at him in horror.
A DOCTOR enters the room.
RACKS
What the hell happened to my son?
DOCTOR
Apparently there was a bit of a tussle between the workers at that archaeological site and some of the protesters. Shilf here didn't even get the worst of it.
RACKS
Is my boy going to be alright?
DOCTOR
Hard to say, but for the moment he's in a stable condition. There's not much you can do for him right now, so why don't you leave?
RACKS
No, I want to stay and look after my son.
DOCTOR
Sorry, but visiting hours are over. Please leave or I'll have security remove you.
The doctor takes a phone out of his pocket.
RACKS
Okay, fine, I'm going. The hell's amatter with you?
Racks exits the room.
EXT. UKRAINE - DIG SITE - DAY
Racks walks around the dig site. It is completely abandoned. The fences are still knocked over and there are a few fires burning.
RACKS
Hello?
Racks sees the bulldozer crashed into the white cube and walks over to it. He kneels down and examines the cube. He rests his hand on the ground and lifts it back up with a jolt. It is covered with blood.
RACKS
What the..?
A shadow appears over Racks. Racks turns around and sees a GUARD.
Guard
Excuse me sir, this is a restricted area, I'm going to have to ask you to leave immediately.
RACKS
But I... my...
The guard puts his hand on the pistol strapped to his waist.
Int. Ukraine - Police Station - Day
Racks stands at a counter, hunched over slightly and hands clutching the counter top. A POLICE OFFICER sits on the chair on the opposite side.
Racks pounds a fist on the counter.
RACKS
What do you mean they were all released?
OFFICER
Sorry, but there were just too many of them. No way we could keep them all locked up. And there were no real witnesses anyways. No one credible enough anyways.
RACKS
What's that supposed to mean?
OFFICER
Most all the people involved were foreigners and far as I know, no nationals were hurt.
RACKS
How the hell is that an answer?
OFFICER
Look, we just don't have the resources to get involved. I'm surprised we were posted there as long as we were.
RACKS
You guys didn't think things were going to get out of hand?
OFFICER
That's not really my concern.
RACKS
What the hell? You're a cop aren't you? What the fuck else would concern you? There's pools of blood everywhere. My son...
OFFICER
I don't really like your tone, Doctor Jopen. I think it'd be best if you get out of here.
RACKS
Now wait just a minute.
Two more POLICE OFFICERS walk up behind Racks on both sides and grab his arms.
RACKS
Hey. Let go of me at once.
One of the officers punches Racks in the stomach. Racks grunts and begins to fall down. The officers drag him out of the station.
INT. UKRAINE - HOSPITAL - Night
Racks sits in a hallway, eating a snack. Several doctors and nurses run by him towards Shilf's room.
Racks gets up and follows them. He makes it to the door, but a large ORDERLY pushes him back into the hallway and locks the door.
RACKS
Hey. Hey. That's my son. Let me in.
The employees ignore him and block his view with a curtain. Racks sits down on the floor against the wall opposite the door.
The door opens and the doctor walks out. Racks stands up and meets him in the middle of the hall.
DOCTOR
Sorry, Mr. Jopen, Shelf is dead.
Racks falls to his knees, sobbing.
RACKS
What? No. No it can't be. You're lying.
The doctor walks away and several more of the employees exit the room and walk off in both directions.
Racks remains on his knees clutching his face and crying.
Int. Ukraine - Court House - Day
A JUDGE reclines at his desk, feet crossed and resting on top of the desk.
Racks paces back and forth frantically in front of the desk. He stops in front of the desk, places both hands on it and leans forward towards the judge.
RACKS
I demand justice. My son is dead and the murderers were let off with out so much as a warning.
Judge
Ha. You demand? Let me tell you something, what was it, Mister Joe Pen?
RACKS
Doctor Racks Jopen.
JUDGE
Right, well, neither side in this little dispute was Ukrainian, and even if they were, there were no cops there. It'd be one man's word versus another's, and that's pretty much useless around here.
RACKS
Little dispute?
JUDGE
And perhaps you don't know this, but we're going through some pretty tough times here.
RACKS
My son is dead.
JUDGE
We don't have the time or the resources to investigate or prosecute anyone for this, even if we wanted to.
RACKS
Wha... wait, even if you wanted to?
JUDGE
Let's just say that most of us round here weren't exactly in favor of this 'dig' you Swedes were putting on.
RACKS
How dare...
JUDGE
Denys.
A GUARD, DENYS, walks into the judge's chambers.
DENYS
Yes?
JUDGE
Escort Mr. Pen off the premises.
Denys nods, walks up to Racks and grabs his shoulder.
RACKS
Wha... what the hell is the matter with you people?
Denys strikes Racks' head with a nightstick. Racks falls down. The judge chuckles.
Int. Sweden - Racks' Laboratory - Night
Racks, sporting a fresh black eye, is feverishly working on something. He mumbles to himself quickly and indistinguishably.
Racks has a mask over his mouth and nose and there are several beakers, jars, and other equipment spread out across the table.
Beurha opens a door and sticks her head in.
BEURHA
Racks, what are you doing?
Racks, caught off guard, turns around to see her.
RACKS
What? What are you doing in here? Get out of here now.
Beurha tries to peek behind Racks and notices his mask.
BEURHA
Okay fine, I will get out of here. I'll get out of here for good. I'm leaving you, have a nice life.
She exits the room and slams the door shut.
Racks turns around back to the table. He sighs deeply and continues on with his work.
Ext. Ukraine - Reservoir - Night
Laughing to himself maniacally, Racks backs his car up to the edge of a reservoir.
He gets out of his car and looks around for a moment.
He walks to the back of the car and opens the trunk.
Racks removes a few containers from the trunk and begins to pour a liquid into the reservoir.
Racks puts the containers back into the trunk, wipes his hands off and walks back to the front of the car.
He gets in and drives away.
INT. SWEDEN - JOPEN RESIDENCE - Day
Racks sits on his couch watching the news on television.
REPORTER
...and in a more baffling mystery, nearly one fourth the population of the Ukraine seems to be suffering from an unknown illness. Authorities are advising all residents to remain inside until the situation is under control.
Racks grins slightly.
Fade out.
