X-Men: Redemption
A screenplay
By Randirogue
Act One, Part One
INT. ESSEX'S LAB -- NIGHT
It is a crude makeshift lab in an old dilapidated hospital or abbey that ESSEX uses as his base of operations. ESSEX'S origins are in the Victorian age, and his cold/analytical demeanor is reflected in the ambiance of the lab and adjoining rooms (to be seen later). Despite the unsanitary appearance of the rooms, the equipment (piecemeal, with wires and hydraulics exposed) is very high tech. Everything involving ESSEX and his base should be reminiscent of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein.
FADE IN. REMY is on a surgical bed. The shiny, liquid-like chrome encasing REMY is a gleaming contrast to the matte gray-blue of Cerebro's interior from which this scene is faded. CHROME'S hand settles on REMY'S shoulder. The chrome, like liquid mercury, recedes to CHROME'S hand. As soon as REMY'S head is freed he begins to revive.
REMY'S POV (point of view): blurry, looking himself over, nothing and nobody is clearly seen. ESSEX'S hand enters frame to inject REMY with a sedative. Angle on REMY, who winces, then settles back into unconsciousness.
FADE TO BLACK.
INT. INSTITUTE HANGER -- MORNING
The Blackbird (their jet) has landed/docked. The boarding ramp opens. ROGUE, BOBBY, JONO, and COLLOSSUS exit first and freeze. NIGHTCRAWLER ports out ahead of them. BOBBY POV: XAVIER is waiting just ahead and is surrounded by the intimidating looking CALLISTO, PLAGUE, MASQUE, and MARROW (note: Marrow--Sarah--is very young, like 12/13). CALLISTO POV: STORM, LOGAN, and SCOTT exit the plane. SNIKT, LOGAN pops his claws and pushes ahead of the younger members.
Angle on NIGHTCRAWLER, already positioning to grab a hold (with both hands and his tail) of ROGUE, BOBBY, and JONO. COLLOSSUS, beside them, activates his power. His skin ripples into organic metal armor.
NIGHTCRAWLER looks to SCOTT, who nods confirmation.
Too late. BAMF! A cloud of smoke and NIGHTCRAWLER, ROGUE, JONO, and BOBBY are gone.
INT. REC. ROOM -- MORNING
KITTY and JUBILEE are giggling and talking. BAMF! Right in front of them, smoke announces the arrival of NIGHTCRAWLER, ROGUE, JONO, and BOBBY.
BAMF! Smoke and then NIGHTCRAWLER'S gone again.
ROGUE storms out, heading back down to the hanger. BOBBY and JONO follow. KITTY and JUBILEE share a confused and eager look, hop up, and chase after them.
INT. HANGER -- MORNING
STORM has pushed to the forefront, directly up to CALLISTO, while SCOTT has gone straight for XAVIER, and LOGAN--one set of claws brandished, itching to fight--looms nearby. Angle on STORM.
CALLISTO'S POV (point of view). BAMF! NIGHTCRAWLER is perched atop the Blackbird jet. NIGHTCRAWLER'S POV of the group tensed below and in front of him.
Witch. Caliban's missing and you are going to find him.
Angle on XAVIER. He has a superficial, still bleeding, cut on his cheek.
(Off camera)
Angle on MARROW as she stalks around LOGAN, taunting him with her bone, dagger-like weapon.
Angle on LOGAN, keeping MARROW in frame. LOGAN GROWLS and, SNIKT, pops his other set of claws at her.
MARROW grins viciously. Follow MARROW as she stalks to SCOTT.
(Off camera)
Alley, a section of tunnels connecting with the subway
system.
Open view to include XAVIER.
(Continuing)
Callisto has refused my offer to join us here on several
occasions.
into society.
Angle close on MARROW and SCOTT as she ceases her stalking around SCOTT to graze the sharp, dagger-like bone across his cheek.
STORM enters frame, between SCOTT and MARROW, but in the background.
Angle on CALLISTO, giving STORM a venomous glare for undermining her reign on her people. CALLISTO steps forward and pulls MARROW back from SCOTT. MARROW glances to NIGHTCRAWLER. MARROW'S POV (point of view) of NIGHTCRAWLER.
NIGHTCRAWLER'S POV. All are in frame. MARROW looks curiously at NIGHTCRAWLER.
(Commanding)
Angle on MARROW, who spits at SCOTT, then backs away. Angle on CALLISTO and STORM.
(Continuing)
took him.
help. You didn't have to use threats.
Without owing you some sort of debt?
MARROW enters frame at CALLISTO'S side.
Open view to encompass the group.
when he vanished.
powers in its radius. He can't turn it off.
found him hiding way off in the tunnels by Central Park.
(Stalking Xavier)
You can track mutants with it. You can find him for us.
Angle on SCOTT and STORM, XAVIER between them. Proud of her handiwork, MARROW moves almost off screen.
(To Storm)
STORM glances a smile to NIGHTCRAWLER, who nods in recognition.
Angle on Storm.
(Determined, has a personal stake in it)
INT. ESSEX'S LAB -- MORNING
Angle on REMY, who is on the same surgical bed. He's not encased in the chrome. His eyes open. REMY'S POV: blurry, bright lighting. Camera mimic's REMY'S motion and view. REMY blinks and the view pinches the frame to black, then opens back to the blurry view again. REMY looks left, camera pans left. REMY looks right, camera pans right. REMY sits up, camera mimics it, spinning to illustrate his dizziness. Angle on REMY, clutching his head, steadying himself. He looks around. Pan around room to show his POV. Camera abruptly jerks down to view from a new level. Angle on REMY. We see the camera jerk was to show he had gotten off the bed. He looks to the bed. There is a patch of blood near where his head was. He feels the back of his head as he moves out of frame.
INT. ESSEX'S BASE -- STORAGE ROOM -- MORNING
Remy stumbles through. The place seems abandoned except that the lights are on. The storage room seems packed with boxes and spare medical and computer apparatuses. REMY continues out of frame.
INT. ESSEX'S BASE -- SPECIAL STORAGE ROOM -- MORNING
REMY stumbles in through a doorway. His eyes widen. REMY'S POV: Thousands of strange looking tubes (like thick IV tubing) form several aisles. There are digital names on each tube: Carol Danvers, Jean Grey, Scott Summers, Alex Summers, Logan, Erik Lehnsherr (Magneto), Remy LeBeau, etc. Angle on REMY. He quickens his pace, looking for witnesses, guards, anyone. He's still unsteady but his years of training as a high priced thief have kicked in. He continues out of frame.
INT. ESSEX'S BASE -- HALL OUTSIDE CLONING ROOM -- MORNING
REMY, moving quickly, with a measure of stealth, reaches a doorway with a glass window in it. He peaks in. REMY'S POV through window. Large tanks, like in a dairy plant for ice cream or cheese, or like miniature water towers, file down the center. To the left side iss a long counter, filled with test tubes, microscopes, and computers, refrigeration units, and other equipment. To the right side, lining the wall, are many large, tubular containers. Zoom in, through glass, to one of the containers. There's an adult male inside. Rapid zoom back, further back from the door, jerky. Angle on REMY, who has stumbled back, and is wide-eyed. He runs out of frame.
INT. ESSEX'S BASE -- BACK EXIT -- MORNING
A glowing exit sign looms above a door up ahead. REMY, running, enters frame and bursts out the door.
WHITE OUT.
INT. INSTITUTE HANGER -- MORNING
WHITE IN. The door opens, and ROGUE bursts in, followed by BOBBY, and JONO. ROGUE'S POV: the hanger is empty of people. Angle back on the group in front of the door.
KITTY and JUBILEE pop out through the door, looking around.
ROGUE spins around, pushes through them, and back through the door.
that...
ROGUE trails off as she moves out of range.
INT. XAVIER'S OFFICE -- AFTERNOON
XAVIER is nestled behind his desk, deep in thought. SCOTT paces in front of the desk.
and not consider that possibility?
XAVIER clicks on a remote. A screen shows a video recording of a news broadcast. A small upper corner picture is of Dr. Henry McCoy (looking perfectly human, though, surprising muscular). Angle on video recording.
Dr. Henry McCoy. The renowned geneticist went missing
from a national medical conference in Washington, DC
last week. However, rumors that the Dr. was a mutant
have increased...
CLICK--it's off. Angle on SCOTT and XAVIER. SCOTT seems lost in thought.
last night all disappeared shortly after exhibiting spikes
of power outbursts.
SCOTT suddenly looks up at XAVIER. He is a little put off.
spiked? Why didn't you tell me?
quite by accident and they've become very important to
her. I didn't know Caliban had gone missing until
Callisto arrived so there was no connection to make
between the three events. (Studies Scott's demeanor.) Is
something the matter, Scott?
we talked about Storm becoming a co-leader. It's only
practical now that the kids have joined up. But... I didn't
know anything about the Morlocks. I'm the field leader and I
didn't know who they were or if they were even a threat.
been overzealous with how I've distributed responsibilities
lately. I wanted to give you some down time. After Jean--
team.
FOOTNOTES:
[1] Russian, 'Tovarisch', translates to 'friend' in English. If this is incorrect in any way, even in spelling, please let me know so I can correct it.
(RMKS, May 20, 2003)