To briefly explain last year after the series finale ended (or at the time it was known as the season finale with uncertainty surrounding the fate of the show) I planned a fifth season that would wrap the story up, examining the repercussions of those final moments in the fourth season and providing an examination of society and Specials who must adapt to a world where they are feared and hated by those who do not understand them. I felt it was a way of going full circle with these characters and was passionate about telling this tale to the point that I planned an entire season (of different episode lengths ranging from 23, 22, 13, and 6) in order to tell an exciting story with every episode being strong. The writing of this first episode was also done to submit to NBC in order to enter their writer's program (while this did not pan out at the time a TV series I spent five years working on has attracted interest from respected people within this industry and hopefully the pilot can finally be made allowing me the opportunity to realize this dream).

I planned to show it to some people a fellow member suggested I post the script up here for others to enjoy.

Due to the way messages appear the formatting has been changed in order to be able to post it here. Regardless I hope you will enjoy what you read and depending on the interest I will continue to post the rest of this story as the days (or weeks) pass.

Here's the first part.

-

HEROES

"Confessions of a Familiar Stranger"

ACT ONE

FADE IN:

INT. SUNAKKU BAR - BACKROOM - NIGHT

THE WORST POKER HAND IMAGINABLE

So poor the smart move would be to fold.

PULL OUT to reveal the person with that hand is HIRO NAKAMURA who's seated next to ANDO MASAHASHI at a private poker game with FIVE other PLAYERS, four of whom look to have done hard labor and are not the type of people this duo normally associate themselves with.

The fifth, MASAFUMI, who has the largest winnings is dressed in similar work attire to Ando on account of being a fellow employee at Yamagato Industries. The CHIRON reads, "TOKYO, JAPAN".

DIM LIGHTING, SMOKE WAFTING THROUGH THE AIR, and a lack of witnesses save for the DEALER and a female BARTENDER currently making the rounds makes the atmosphere anything but jovial despite FUN CHATTER being heard at the front of the bar.

Ando, face hidden behind cards turns to Hiro in an effort to get his attention. Per usual, their conversation is in JAPANESE SUBTITLED ENGLISH.

ANDO
(whispering)
Hiro... Have you done it yet?

The confused look on Hiro's face shows he has no idea what Ando's talking about.

ANDO
We keep losing!

HIRO
So? You dragged me to these games -

ANDO
- because I want us to retire on a high note before they find out about us.
(beat; emotions deflated)
We won't be able to play poker after that.

A SUDDEN YELL from one of the players forces Ando's attention back to the cards.

BEGRUDGED PLAYER
Play your cards, not the people!

After a brief moment the conversation continues.

HIRO
You're taking a lot of breaks from home...

ANDO
Married life is hard, especially when it's with Kimiko... So are you going to do it?

HIRO
(ponders; short beat)
No. Heroes win by playing fair.

It's time to show their cards. One by one the players reveal their hand starting with Masafumi who wins with a Full House and ending with Hiro who had no chance in hell.

Upon seeing Hiro's cards -

ANDO
YOU PLAYED THAT?

Masafumi collects the pot. The Dealer prepares the next round.

ANDO
(friendly)
How do you keep beating us?

MASAFUMI
I'm an accountant. Statistics are my life.

The smirk on one of the player's faces says different and Hiro picks up on it. He leans over to Ando.

HIRO
Do you know these people?

ANDO
No. Masafumi says they're friends of his so I guess they're alright...

HIRO
(switches to English)
I don't trust them. I think they're cheaters!

ANDO
(also English)
So then if you use your powers you'll just 'level the playing field'?

HIRO
(still English)
No. No cheating.

ANDO
(back to Japanese)
Fine. I'm betting with company funds anyway...

And off Hiro's shocked expression we FOCUS ON Masafumi whose brows are furrowed in deep thought as he stares intensely at his cards and -

MASAFUMI'S POV - PLAYING CARDS

- we realize statistics has absolutely nothing to do with why he wins. Masafumi's a SPECIAL with the ability to manipulate light in order to see through objects, and right now we're FOCUSED on the PLAYING CARDS Ando and Hiro hold.

But his hearing is sensitive too and their BICKERING IS ISOLATED in the hope of finding more clues.

The female Bartender walks past on her way to the bar and our gaze WANDERS with her, VISION SWITCHING to see what she looks like in her underwear. It's a pleasant sight and for Masafumi these are his powers used to their full potential.

The SOUND OF FLOCKING BIRDS distracts us from this joyous sight. WHIP-PAN to determine the source of the sound which comes from behind and above us -

- where a HOODED FIGURE perched atop the roof of an adjacent building has flung a SMALL OBJECT at us.

The OBJECT PICKS UP SPEED as it FLIES STRAIGHT TOWARD US, SMASHES THROUGH A WINDOW and -

CUT TO BLACK.

BACK TO SCENE

Masafumi CRASHES onto the table, KILLED by a HEADSHOT.

What once was calm now turns to chaos.

The Bartender screams, ducks behind the counter.

THREE PLAYERS stand, take out their GUNS but only one manages to GET A SHOT OFF before all three are KILLED.

Hiro is swift, moves behind a wall. Ando and The Dealer hide beneath the table.

The Last Remaining Player is CROUCHED behind his CHAIR, GUN at the ready and ready to make a move.

BLAM! BLAM!

The Player FIRES TWO SHOTS and he's out, the Hooded Figure DISPATCHING HIM like he did all the rest.

The Player COLLAPSES on the floor, arms outstretched, PISTOL still in his hand - just within Ando's reach.

Ando stares at the pistol, the weapon alluring to him. Turns to the dead man's face and the bullet that tore through it - except it's not a bullet but a SMALL STONE, one that could have been taken off the street.

His focus returns to the pistol once more, deeming it necessary to take now he knows how formidable his foe must be.

Ando reaches out to take it...

... but Hiro knows better having realized what's going on.

HIRO
STOP!

Ando freezes, his fingers inches from the gun. Retracts his hand slowly.

The Dealer, impatient and frustrated opts to take the gun instead. Grabs the weapon, moves away from the table, FIRES A SHOT and is KILLED, his BLOOD SPLASHING on Ando's face as he drops with a THUD.

Hiro beckons his friend over with rapid hand gestures.

HIRO
QUICK! COME HERE!

Ando turns, a frightened look on his face. Then he becomes serious.

ANDO
Do it!

But Hiro isn't sure as he glances at the Bartender who's witness to it all. Shakes his head.

HIRO
I can't!

Ando doesn't have a choice - if he stays he's a sitting duck. So he musters his strength and - staying as low to the floor as possible - crawls towards Hiro as fast as he can.

Despite being out in the open not a single shot is fired.

Ando reaches Hiro, rises and immediately WIPES THE BLOOD off his face.

ANDO
You could have teleported us -

HIRO
No, she would've seen it.

Ando notices the Bartender, still cowering behind the counter.

Hiro peeks round the corner, sees the Hooded Figure make his getaway. Grabs Ando by the arm and pulls him towards the door.

HIRO
Come on! We have to follow!

Ando yanks his arm back, horrified by the suggestion.

ANDO
What? No way!

HIRO
He's a criminal. We must not let him get away!

Hiro makes a dash for the exit.

Everything in Ando's mind is telling him not to go through with this but he reluctantly follows, concerned for Hiro's well-being.

ANDO
I guess there is no happy, simple life then...

And as they make their way to the back door -

EXT. ROOFTOP - NIGHT

- the Hooded Figure RUNS from the crime-scene, his FACE UNSEEN and he's fast! - not moreso than any normal athlete but the way he sprints makes it clear he's one of two things: either he trains a lot or he does this all the time.

The Hooded Figure nears the edge but rather than stop GRABS HOLD OF the LEDGE and SWINGS OFF IT, TAKING HOLD of the LADDER at the other side and CLIMBS HIS WAY DOWN -

- except the ladder doesn't lower all the way so without hesitation LEAPS to the side - GRABS A PIPE - SLIDES the rest of the way.

EXT. TOKYO - CITY STREET - NIGHT

The Hooded Figure exits onto the street and HAILS A CAB. What he doesn't know is he's on the same sidewalk as Hiro and Ando who noticed him emerge from the alley and put 2 + 2 together.

HIRO
(points)
There he is!

They hurry, trying to hail a cab of their own.

INT. TAXI - NIGHT

The Hooded Figure gets in, obviously in a rush.

HOODED FIGURE
(in English)
Narita Airport.

He takes out a PEN and ENVELOPE. A BROWN PAPER BAG sticks out of his pocket too.

There isn't much to gather from two words but what we do know is he's an AMERICAN MALE likely in his LATE TWENTIES.

The DOOR SHUTS and the TAXI DRIVES OFF.

The Hooded Figure opens the envelope.

INT. DIFFERENT TAXI - NIGHT

Hiro and Ando hurry into the cab. Hiro points at the departing taxi with the Hooded Figure inside.

HIRO
Follow that taxi -

ANDO
(interrupting)
- but don't make it seem like we're following it.

The TAXI FOLLOWS.

INT. TAXI - NIGHT

The envelope now open, the Hooded Figure has taken some of the contents out and is currently examining them - it's a STACK OF PHOTOS, the top of which is a SHOT OF MASAFUMI speaking on his cell outside Yamagato Industries. A CIRCLE DRAWN round his face.

The Hooded Figure CROSSES OFF the circle and puts the photo back in the envelope to join other photos of targets he successfully eliminated.

Moves to the next - and it's a SHOT OF PETER PETRELLI entering a building, his steely gaze and Armani suit giving him the general appearance of his brother than himself.

His hand freezes - does he know Peter? CIRCLES HIS FACE.

INSERT - OPENING TITLE CREDITS