Chapter 12:
EXT. POLITICAL RALLY – NIGHT
Governor Terrence is still addressing the crowds at his rally, a giant videoscreen standing behind him, depicting him as larger than life.
GOVERNOR TERRENCE: And crime rates are way down! (Applause) With this prison – which I hope to be the first of many – the people of California can rest assured that their safety is completely and totally assured. (More applause)
Behind him, the screen with the giant image of the governor suddenly flickers – his image disappears and is replaced with the giant image of GHOSTFACE!
The audience screams and the governor turns, seeing the giant mask on the screen! Cops begin circling, lights flaring. Ghostface's voice booms through the outdoor arena, heard by everyone in attendance.
GHOSTFACE: Is that so, Governor Terrence? Their safety is assured? Would you be willing to stake say … your life on it?
The governor grabs a cop.
GOVERNOR TERRENCE: What's going on?
GHOSTFACE: Citizens of Woodsboro, I give you my … greetings!
CUT TO:
All across the town, no, the state, news outlets are steaming the video of the rally live. People throughout the state watch in horror as Ghostface speaks to them through their TVs.
CUT TO:
GHOSTFACE: Your mundane, boring lives are about to become far more interesting.
The video of the killer cuts out – it now shows a video of Woodsboro Penitentiary – burning. Hundreds – no, thousands – of prisoners in orange jumpsuits are storming out, holding guns, knives, any weapons they could get their hands on.
GHOSTFACE: As you can see, I have broken these fine ladies and gentleman out from the cruel, confining prison you have condemned them to. They are on their way to Woodsboro now – heck, I'd say they'll be downtown in less than a few minutes. Imagine that – your state's worst killers, rapists, thugs, roaming free and your precious governor and his PANTHYR attack dogs powerless to stop them!
The people in the audience are screaming. Ghostface reappears on the screen.
CUT TO:
The news reports are spreading – this time, nationwide.
Small towns with bars in the south stop playing pool to stare up at the small tv screens in the corner, watching the killer speak.
Time Square in New York City comes to a complete stop as Ghostface appears on the towering tv screens.
In the Oval Office, President Biden and his aides watch in horror as the political rally is hijacked and the killer makes his threats.
In Woodsboro General Hospital, Tatum stands to her feet, watching the television in the waiting room, her eyes wide.
CUT TO:
For the first time, fear and helplessness crosses the face of Governor Terrence. He grabs an aide.
GOVERNOR TERRENCE: Find out where he's broadcasting from! Someone shut that screen down!
An aide shakes their head.
AIDE: We can't – he's hacked it! Nobody can triangulate a position.
Gritting his teeth, the governor turns, he and everyone nationwide now a captive audience to the masked psycho. And Ghostface is reveling in it.
GHOSTFACE: Your worst nightmares are about to return to your streets Woodsboro! But they're not even the real threat! While your precious police officers, National Guard and PANTHYR super-troopers struggle to round up this rag-tag group of rampaging murderers, they'll be too distracted – to stop me. Every hour I will strike! I will pick my targets at random. None of you are safe – not in your streets! Not in your homes! Not in your beds! Nowhere! Who will be the first to receive a call from me? Will it be you?
Pandemonium hits the arena – the entire country! Everyone nationwide is horrified by Ghostface's latest threats.
GHOSTFACE: How can you stop it, you may be asking? There is only one price I will accept and if it is met, I will vanish into the night! Tatum Riley and Billy Loomis! Alive!
CUT TO:
Tatum continues watching the screen in the hospital. She pulls out her cell phone. Ghostface is already trending!
CUT TO:
GHOSTFACE: Many of you will not survive this night. So go ahead – reconnect with lost loved ones. Kiss your little ones goodbye. Get your affairs in order. Heck, kill your boss! Maybe even join my rioting marauders – do as you will! The police and National Guard will be too overwhelmed to stop you! Take, steal, kill, plunder – do as you wish! GET A PURGE GOING! And as for you, Tatum and Billy – every hour that goes by and you do not turn yourselves in to me, someone will die. Can you live with that? With more innocent blood on your hands? Ah, I know you two too well. And yet, if the heroics don't kick in, if you try to evade me – well, you have a whole town full of armed civilians ready to form a militia to hunt you down! And those prisoners heading your way won't think twice about handing you in. Shit, I'll even post a bounty! A reward for both your heads! Whaddya say, Woodsboro! Will you join my hunt?!
People in the arena are looking at each other, confused, some, however, clearly ready to participate. Their inhibitions keeping them from acting. Only needing someone like Ghostface to give them permission to act on their darkest instincts.
GHOSTFACE: In summary, you may be wondering why I'm doing all this. There's got to be a motive, right? Maybe, but that doesn't matter right now. All that matters – is that Billy and Tatum are brought to me alive and unspoiled! Suffice to say that I'm a poet at heart. I've experienced the far-reaching realms of the full human experience, pain and joy and sorrow. I have love in me the likes of which you can scarcely imagine … and RAGE the likes of which you would not believe. If I am denied the one, I will indulge the other.
The screen flickers – then goes out.
And the audience erupts into sheer pandemonium.
CUT TO:
Downtown Woodsboro is burning. Prisoners smash windows, break into apartments. The old movie theater is in flames.
Militia men form up, ready to battle the prisoners. The police intervene – three-way shootouts occur.
Others join in the rioting, smashing and looting.
A purge has indeed started.