Prodigy

by Idiot Jed3

Three years after escaping from The Centre, the Prodigy subjects struggle to maintain their freedom while also attempting to uncover the truth about their identities and the mysterious organization that held them captive for so long.

1. 101 Reunion

The premiere episode of Prodigy...

FILE ONE – Reunion
(Written by Vokal)

FLASHBACKA still, desert night. The bright sky blankets a seemingly motionless desert scape. Camera CLOSES IN on the dry ground, an eerie blue colour from the large moon. The sound of heavy breathing, desperate gasps, can be heard. FOCUS on a girl's feet. Cut, bleeding, they run across the harsh ground. TILT UP TO REVEAL;

YOUNG TRINITY ~ 16 years old ~ Female

Frantic, desperate, she searches in the darkness, her breath forming mystic patterns in the cold air. She runs to an isolated, ring-barked tree. Suddenly, she is illuminated by the headlights of a black, unmarked van. Like a rabbit, she stands frozen in the beams of light. The car doors swing open and in SLO-MO, two men – sweepers- step out. Guns at hand, the men approach the terrified girl.

CUT TO;

TRINITY ~ 19 years old ~ Female

Wakes up abruptly in her dishevelled bed. Her attractive face and long, dark brown hair are damp with sweat. Troubled by her nightmare, tears flow uninhibited down her pale face, as she brushes her hair back with trembling hands and glances at her alarm clock – 2:32 am. She turns onto her back and gazes at the ceiling, the blue glow of the digital clock transforming it into the desert sky.

FLASHBACKApproximately 15 people run through the desert night, varying ages 16-23. They are wearing loose, white cotton pants and matching shirts resembling surgical scrubs. Camera CLOSES IN on;

YOUNG JUSTIN ~ 23 years old ~ Male

His faced is streaked with dirt and sweat, and he is clearly exhausted. He seems to call something out, but his voice is muffled by the sound of approaching vehicles. Car doors slamming are heard.

Trinity rolls over onto her side in bed. She clutches a pillow, crying.

FLASHBACKYOUNG JUSTIN runs to YOUNG TRINITY and pushes her to the ground as the sweepers fire their weapons. Gunfire is heard.

Trinity cradles her legs to her chest, weeping openly as the gunfire seems to echo in the room.

FLASHBACKCLOSE IN on feet running across desert sand. Gunfire is heard. A 20 year old woman falls to the ground, a dark pool of blood staining the back of her stark white clothing. She falls face down in the desert, the others turn back to help her. CLOSE IN on tattoo of the number 13 in middle of shot woman's lower back. TILT UP to faces of other escapees. They look up, as the sweepers close in on them. Turning to run, another girl is shot. The others run, panicked, for the shelter of nearby vegetation, while others run toward a network of gullies.

FOCUS ON bare feet, that gradually transform into black boots running on a wet road. Camera moves up denim-clad legs to reveal;

JUSTIN ~ 26 years old ~ Male

Wearing a leather jacket and a serious, worried expression, he runs down a deserted alleyway, followed closely by

MERCEDES ~ 24 years old ~ Female

Also dressed in denim and leather, she seems equally afraid.

The pair reach a wire fence. Justin begins to climb over, and as Mercedes reaches for the fence to join him, her jacket lifts up, and camera CLOSES IN on the numbers 05 tattooed in the centre her lower back. Justin has reached the other side of the fence, when suddenly; the sound of screeching tyres is heard. Mercedes, still climbing, turns to look back, to see 3 black, unmarked vehicles blocking the alley. Their headlights expose Mercedes and Justin. Two men step out of the car and draw their weapons. They fire.

MERCEDES
(turning to Justin)
Just go

JUSTIN
I can't

MERCEDES
Warn the others

She pushes her fingers through the fence, and Justin squeezes them affectionately, his eyes brimming with tears.

MERECEDES
I'll see you again

JUSTIN
(nodding sadly)
Yeah

Mercedes drops to the ground, turning aggressively to face her pursuers. Justin backs away slowly, reluctant to leave, before beginning to run. As he leaves, camera focuses in on numbers 06 tattooed in the centre of his lower back.

OPENING CREDITS

From 1982 – 1998, an insular, secretive agency known only as 'The Centre', carried out the most advanced program ever attempted by such an organization. The program, deemed 'Project Prodigy', involved the most talented and intelligent minds of this millennia; 15 children, raised from infancy in the sub-levels of Centre 16, Salt Lake City, Utah, whose collective intelligence exceeded even advanced computer systems. They were The Prodigies. Child Geniuses. A resource unlike any other. A living super-computer with the ability to think, feel and predict. For more than a decade these children fabricated some of the most highly developed systems and programs ever created by the human mind… until one night, The Prodigies ran away…

Text On Screen:
Centre 16 Helipad
Salt Lake City, Utah

It is early morning and a helicopter lands at the Centre 16 helipad, Salt Lake City, Utah.

MISS MONROE ~ 26 years old ~ Female

Steps out of the helicopter and onto the helipad. The wind blows her hair across her face. She is professionally dressed in a black suit and skirt. She seems annoyed. She looks up at the large, undecorated cement building with distaste. A thin band of dark green grass surrounds the building, contrasting the desert around it.

Inside the building, Miss Monroe and entourage enter a foyer where they are greeted by

CALVIN ~ Mid 50's ~ Male

CALVIN
Miss Monroe, we've been waiting for you

He goes to touch her shoulder, but she shrugs him off, irritated

MISS MONROE
(answering sharply)
Well, I like my beauty sleep. And like most normal people, I was asleep when you rang me at four o'clock in the morning.

She sees the urgent expression on Calvin's face and sighs. It is clear they are old acquaintances.

MISS MONROE
Long time, no see Calvin, what's with the reunion?

CALVIN
(looking at all the people in the foyer)
I think we should talk somewhere else.

Text On Screen:
Level 4
Centre 16
Salt Lake City, Utah

CUT TO; Miss Monroe looks out a window in Calvin's office, on level 4 of the building. Her eyes drift over the landscape, finally resting on a lone, ring-barked tree. It is the tree from Trinity's nightmare.

CALVIN
Are you familiar with Project Prodigy, Miss Monroe?

Miss Monroe continues to stare out the window. Disinterested, she answers him.

MISS MONROE
Vaguely. Children, was it? Geniuses? From what I've heard, the project went bust. Defunct now isn't it?

Exasperated, Calvin walks over to where Miss Monroe is standing, drawing her gaze to him. He motions for her to sit down at a chair in front of his desk. She sits.

CALVIN
Something like that yes.

He goes to sit, changes his mind, and remains standing beside the desk.

CALVIN
Project Prodigy was the most . . . adventurous of our projects. 15 subjects, procured at a young age, were exposed to various chemicals and tests designed to enhance their intellect. Most, of course, were already highly intelligent, and so our role was more… guidance and dedication to the development and …use, of their gifts.

He chooses his words carefully, in a conscious effort to make the program sound less unpleasant.

CALVIN
At its height, the project was a magnificent success. The subjects, and their talents – incredible. They had… They have the ability to become anyone, literally stepping into that persons mind. And their mental capacity, unequalled by even the most advanced computer.

He sighs, reminiscing

CALVIN
The simulations we ran using the subjects allowed us to predict stock market changes and design a successful presidential campaign, among other things.

Miss Monroe, seemingly uninterested, interjects

MISS MONROE
(unemotional)
They were lab rats…

CALVIN
Test subjects, Miss Monroe.

MISS MONROE
So if the project was such a success, why is it now non-operational, and why haven't I heard more about it

CALVIN
We…we … lost the subjects

MISS MONROE
Lost?

CALVIN
Yes, three years ago, the subjects ran away. They planned a skilful escape and …

MISS MONROE
(sarcastically)
Escaped?

CALVIN
It would seem so

MISS MONROE
But if all this went down three years ago, why am I here now?

CALVIN
Ah..

He reaches into his desk drawer and produces two red folders. He stands, walks to Miss Monroe and places the folder on the desk in front of her. She opens it and inside it are profiles on Justin and Mercedes, complete with a photograph of them prior to the escape, and their subject number. In the corner of Justin's photo is the text 'PP - S06', and in Mercedes' 'PP - S05' (To view the profiles, click here) Miss Monroe looks at the photograph of Justin and has a FLASHBACK;

YOUNG JUSTIN ~ 23 years old

lies in what seems a hospital bed. He looks extremely ill, and a cold sweat covers his face, his eyes staring blankly from pale skin, dark circles surrounding them. He tries to speak, but can not.

JUSTIN
(mouthing the words, not actually speaking)
Help me

Miss Monroe stares at the photograph, her face momentarily revealing a flicker of emotion. Concern perhaps? Calvin's voice shocks Miss Monroe back to the present

CALVIN
Miss Monroe, is something the matter?

MISS MONROE
No, is this supposed to mean something to me?

CALVIN
The night of the escape, we only managed to reclaim 3 of the original prodigies. Since then we've had an elite L&R team on the hunt for the other 10.

MISS MONROE
L&R?

CALVIN
Locate and retrieve. Last night, early this morning, they were tracking these two subjects. (he motions toward the profiles on the desk), and according to voice recorders, managed to retrieve at least one.

MISS MONROE
I still can not see my involvement in this situation.

CALVIN
(becoming somewhat aggravated)
The sweepers went rogue Miss Monroe. The team retrieved the subject, only to offer her up for sale to the highest bidder. The consequences of this could prove disastrous. The centre has always prided itself on being … discreet. If the public, or worse still, the government, should get their hands on centre property, our technology, well, I can't even say… even the slightest hint of our existence to the public, well…

MISS MONROE
You can't even say… So…

CALVIN
So The Triumvirate has ordered a new L&R team established, to recover the stolen property, and eliminate further threat from the rogue team.

MISS MONROE
And so I guess I drew the short straw?

CALVIN
You are one of our top behavioural experts, as well as a talented organiser…

Miss Monroe seems cocky at this point, until…

CALVIN
However, I do sense you have an attitude problem

MISS MONROE
(irritated, offended)
I do not have an attitude problem, I simply resent the fact that I am only two steps away from equalling YOU in rank around here, am overdue for a well deserved promotion, loathe this dry, Hicksville state, and am being forcefully demoted to some half-assed recovery team tracking botched science gremlins.

CALVIN
(seemingly unaware of her outburst)
Against my advice, they have decided you will head the new team, Miss Monroe.

MISS MONROE
(taken aback)
Head. Oh. Like the boss.

CALVIN
You will be given the entire Prodigy wing at your resource and are being promoted to Director of Special Projects.

Miss Monroe disguises her embarrassment.

MISS MONROE
Well, I still detest this state.

CALVIN
Make no mistake, Miss Monroe, this is not some 'half-assed' recovery team. The Triumvirate wants that subject reclaimed, as well as the others…and soon.

MISS MONROE
Give me one hour to get settled

Miss Monroe turns to leave and walk out the door.

Calvin glances at a photo on his desk of himself and Miss Monroe's father. They are wearing suits.

CALVIN
Oh, and Miss Monroe…

She turns back slightly

CALVIN
I'm surprised you weren't more familiar with Project Prodigy, your father headed it for the 16 years it was in operation. It's how we met.

MISS MONROE
(feigning a smile)
Well, my father and I were never really that close.

She disappears out the door. Leaving Calvin alone in his office. He sits on the edge of his desk, pondering the conversation that has just taken place. He touches his chin, sighs, and gets up to close the door.

CUT TO; Trinity stands in front of the bathroom mirror. Steam swirls through the enclosed room. The mirror is fogged. She stretches out and wipes a spot clear. Her hair is still slightly wet, she is wearing tight black pants and a dark purple shirt, not quite reaching the top of her hipster pants. She turns slightly to the side and examines her back in the mirror. A tattoo of the numbers 03 is exposed in the centre of her lower back. She attempts to pull the shirt down over it, to no avail. She sighs, and reaches for a long purple jacket with a faux fur collar

Text On Screen:
Las Vegas, Nevada

Trinity walks out of a run-down apartment block. It is early morning. She pulls her jacket together at its front, an icy wind lifting her hair and chilling her skin. She looks around the crowded street carefully, before stepping fully out onto the sidewalk.

MUSICAL TRACK: 'Honestly OK' by Dido (Make sure you right click and open in a new window) (click here to listen)

Cars drive down the road. Trinity looks about, frightened. She examines the face of each person that walks past her as she makes her way down the street. Searching for something. For what? She hugs herself, feeling cold. People on the street don't seem to notice the weather. Trinity seems frightened. She pulls her jacket closer to her body. She is so cold… yet the sun shines brightly, warmly upon the other people. She walks into a shop to escape the chill. A bell rings as she pushes the door open. Trinity walks over to a shelf. She nervously picks up a snow globe. It is the Statue of Liberty. She smiles as the snowflakes fall around the miniature monument. We hear the bell ring, signalling another person has entered the shop. Trinity turns to leave, and runs straight into Justin. He is much taller than her, and she stares, horrified, up at him.

They stare at each other for several moments, their eyes locked. Trinity speaks first, her voice barely a whisper

TRINITY
What do you want ?

JUSTIN
We need your help. Please, can we go somewhere to talk?

TRINITY
I think you've mistaken me for someone else.

Justin reaches for Trinity's arm, she pulls away, but he grabs it anyway. Trinity winces, and then sees the urgency in Justin's eyes.

JUSTIN
Please?

Trinity nods slowly.

CUT TO; Trinity and Justin sit on the front of Justin's jeep, overlooking a canyon in the desert. They stare absently over landscape.

MUSICAL TRACK: 'My Oh My' by David Gray (click here to listen)

JUSTIN
Last night, Mercedes and I were being pursued by an L&R team, when she got captured.

TRINITY
Mercedes?

JUSTIN
Five

TRINITY
(smiling)
Of course

JUSTIN
She's my sister, I need to get her back

TRINITY
Why do you need my help? You're a genius

JUSTIN
And you're an Empath as well as a genius. I need you to help me locate her.

TRINITY
She'll be at Centre 16, you know that.

JUSTIN
You don't understand, the team's gone rogue. The Centre's no longer in control of them.

He pauses, obviously distressed

JUSTIN
She could be anywhere. Please, we haven't got much time; they're planning to sell her to the highest bidder

TRINITY
And you know this how?

JUSTIN
Luke hacked into the Centre's mainframe.

TRINITY
Luke?

JUSTIN
Seven

TRINITY
(distant)
He always was good with computers…
You know the first thing I noticed after the escape, when we came out here, to the real world?

Justin looks blank, not sure if he should answer the question..

TRINITY
(continuing)
People had names. No numbers, just names. Bill, George, Mandy, Sandra.

JUSTIN
Do you have a name now?

TRINITY
Trinity

JUSTIN
That's a number.

TRINITY
But it's my number. My name.
(she pauses again)
I'm not like you anymore. I just want to be normal.

JUSTIN
(slightly angry, or offended)
You'll always be one of us. You're just like us. You can never be one of them

TRINITY
Yeah, maybe, but I can pretend. That's what we do right? Pretend? Names, and families and friends, and lives. You know I actually thought for a moment that this little reunion might have been about that.

JUSTIN
(not following her thought pattern)
About what?

TRINITY
(laughing cynically)
Family, friends. But turns out you want something. Just like them

JUSTIN
Please, you're our only hope

Trinity gets up off the jeep, she is upset, angry. She begins to walk away.

TRINITY
Well, find another one. I can't help.

JUSTIN
(yelling after her, as he gets up to follow)
If you could just use your abilities to point us in the right direction, a name, anything.

He is flustered, also becoming upset. Some memories are better left at rest. He reaches out to her, she pushes him away.

JUSTIN
You don't understand…

Trinity is now crying, she is almost hysterical.

TRINITY
No you don't understand! I buried all that stuff when we left that place. I don't want to be an empath anymore.

JUSTIN
Mercedes is in trouble

TRINITY
(yelling at him across the desert)
You think I don't know that? I feel her trouble, her fear. She's an empath too, remember, we're connected.

JUSTIN
Then why won't you help her?

TRINITY
Because I have a normal life now. Well, as normal as it can get anyway. And I don't want to go back there. Ever.

JUSTIN
You won't be going back there. Trinity…

TRINITY
(crying)
Yes I will, I'll be back there in my mind. And I can't do that. My mind might be able to take it but my heart can't.

Trinity runs away through the desert. Justin goes to follow her, but changes his mind, and returns to his jeep.

CUT TO; Prodigy Wing, Centre 16; Miss Monroe's Office. Her personal belongings are being moved into the office and unpacked.

Text On Screen:
Prodigy Wing
Centre 16
Miss Monroe's Office

Miss Monroe arranges a pen stand on her desk, carefully aligning and re-aligning it. The calendar on her desk indicates it is June, 2001. Satisfied with the pen stand, she looks up to see;

JC ~ 23 Years old ~ Male

Dressed in jeans and a T'Shirt, with spiky, unkempt hair, he smiles at her. She gives him an intimidating, grim, 'smile'. He holds up his hands in mock defence. Calvin enters.

CALVIN
Watch this one, JC, her bite is actually worse than her bark.

An assistant goes to leave them in private.

MISS MONROE
(to the assistant as she leaves)
Don't forget that air conditioner.

CALVIN
(to Miss Monroe)
What is wrong, Miss Monroe?

MISS MONROE
Besides the fact that my 'office' is a human-sized microwave? Nothing.

CALVIN
(indicating toward JC)
I'd like you to meet JC. He is our tech advisor.

MISS MONROE
'Our' tech advisor?

CALVIN
Yes, Mr JC here is a whiz with the computers. He will be joining you, myself and Roschelle, one of the scientists that oversaw Project Prodigy, I think you met her when you were younger, yes? on the L&R team.
(wryly)
We will, of course, also be blessed with the presence of three mandatory sweepers to help, 'bring in' the escaped subjects.

MISS MONROE
(uninterested)
Right, great to meet you ah, um.. JC was it, good to have you on the team?
(turning back to Calvin)
And when will we be 'blessed by the presence' of Roschelle?

At that exact moment;

ROSCHELLE ~ Mid 40's ~ Female

Walks through the door

JC
Speak of the devil….

ROSCHELLE
Hardly the devil, JC

JC
Personal opinion ma'am

They smile at each other. The playful banter obviously a regular action.

ROSCHELLE
Calvin, it's been a long time since I've seen you on this level. Are the upper levels proving too breezy for you, huh?

CALVIN
I am not here by choice, believe me

MISS MONROE
Well, looks like none of us are so…

JC
Let's make the most of it?

MISS MONROE
No, let's get the hell job done and go back to where we belong

ROSCHELLE
You're forgetting, I do belong down here in Hell
(She looks at Calvin, insinuating with her eyes that he does too.)
Some of us can never truly belong anywhere else.

CUT TO; Abandoned warehouse. Justin enters the warehouse through a broken door. In the far corner of the failing building;

LUKE ~ 23 years old ~ Male

and

DINA ~ 21 Years old ~ Female

are working at a makeshift computer desk of old barrels and board. They have a variety of tech equipment lying about. They stand when Justin enters, expectant. But look dejected when he returns without Trinity.

Luke has light skin, blonde hair and blue eyes, contrasting Dina's dark skin and equally dark hair and eyes. Justin looks at them sadly, but recomposes himself. He approaches them slowly.

LUKE
She didn't…

JUSTIN
She wouldn't

LUKE
What do we do now?

JUSTIN
We have to find another way…
(he thinks for a moment)
We need a report on all unusual traffic in Las Vegas over the last few days. We may also need to run an analysis on that paint sample. The bullet casings are probably untraceable, but we can try. What else do we have?

DINA
Nothing, Justin. Nothing… Maybe you could try again with three.

JUSTIN
Trinity, her name is Trinity. And I'm sorry, but I don't think it's gonna work out like we had hoped.

LUKE
Don't say that, man. We still have time.

Justin looks at his watch. 11:54am

JUSTIN
Not much time Luke. Not enough…

CUT TO; Casino, Las Vegas. Trinity is playing Black Jack. The dealer shuffles the cards.

CLOSE IN on Trinity's face, as she watches the dealers hands and the pack he is shuffling. Smiling, she watches him deal.

CUT TO; Trinity walks down a line of poker machines. She watches each one closely. Selects one and inserts a coin. She immediately wins. As the coins fall into her cup, they sound like explosions, like gunfire. Trinity has a FLASHBACK to the escape from Centre 16. The gunfire echoes in her head. She sees the girls shot. Feeling a pain in her back, Trinity is shocked into reality. The cup falls from her hands, and coins go everywhere. She drops to the ground, a pained expression on her face. She hugs herself, shivering. A cold sweat develops on her face, and her lips turn blue. She lies on the ground, trembling, clutching her jacket to her quivering body.

TRINITY
(murmuring)
No... no… no…

CUT TO; Dark cell. Bars. No Floor, just dirt. Mercedes lies on the cold floor, trembling. She clutches her legs to her chest. She too, is covered in a cold sweat, her face pale, eyes slightly bloodshot. She has been drugged and gagged. Camera CLOSES IN on her tattoo.

MERCEDES
(murmuring)
No… no… no…

Footsteps are heard approaching. Mercedes opens her eyes to see, through blurred vision, a pair of black boots.

ROGUE SWEEPER 1
The drugs are wearing off, Cap.

CAPTAIN (off screen, Australian accent)
Give her some more. We can't let the bitch wake up. They're slippery bastards this lot…

Mercedes closes her eyes again. A tear rolls down her cheek.

CUT TO; Miss Monroe's Office. Miss Monroe is alone. She drags her hand across her smooth desk. Sitting at her chair, she leans forward onto the desk, and clasps her head in her hands. She experiences a FLASHBACK

MISS MONROE'S FATHER ~ 53 years old ~ Male

sits in the same desk she is now at. He is busy writing.

YOUNG MISS MONROE ~ 23 years old ~ Female

enters the office.

YOUNG MISS MONROE
Daddy I've got my preliminary results back. I'm okay.

MISS MONROE'S FATHER
(not looking up from paper)
That's great honey. Still, I'd like Roschelle to have a look at them. Why don't you take them down to her now?

Young Miss Monroe looks dejected, upset. She smiles a weak smile.

YOUNG MISS MONROE
(Softly)
Yes Daddy

She goes to walk out of the office, but her father's voice turns her back.

MISS MONROE'S FATHER
Oh and sweetie…

She looks back, hopeful, as he glances up from his work

MISS MONROE'S FATHER
Close the door for me on your way out?

She looks away, disappointed, closes the door and leaves

JC enters the office, stirring Miss Monroe from her flashback.

JC
I've got a track on that E-Mail account. If you're sure it's the one they'll deposit the money into, we should have an exact location at the time of transfer.

MISS MONROE
Not good enough …um… JC, we need that location now. If we wait until the transfer they would've already sold the subject.

JC
I'm not entirely sure, Miss Monroe.

MISS MONROE
How so?

JC
Well, there have been six transfers at regular intervals over the past 2 weeks. I think the team is being paid in instalments.

MISS MONROE
When's the next transfer due?

JC
8:30 pm

MISS MONROE
Great, that only gives us eight hours.
(calling to her assistant)
Rhoda!

RHODA enters the office.

RHODA
Yes Miss Monroe?

MISS MONROE
Get me the sweepers on line 6, and tell machinery to bring a van around.

Rhoda leaves, nodding.

JC
Where're we going?

MISS MONROE
Hunting

CUT TO; Trinity's apartment. Sitting on her bed, Trinity leans against the window beside her bed. Her hair is dishevelled, and dark circles have developed underneath her eyes. She sniffles, sighs then turns to lie on her side, only to notice Luke standing in her doorway.

LUKE
Nice place.

TRINITY
It's a dump

LUKE
Funny, a Prodigy, in Las Vegas, of all places, living in a hole like this.

He smiles, a warm, infectious smile. Trinity smiles back at him.

TRINITY
Hello, Luke.

Saying his name sounds unfamiliar, and she seems startled by her sudden use of it.

LUKE
Likewise, Trinity.

TRINITY
I know why you're here. But I can't. Do you understand?

LUKE
I understand. You don't want to feel like… like how you felt back at The Centre.
But this isn't about that. This is about friends, this is about… family. Mercedes needs you Trinity, you can't walk away from her.

Luke is calm. This seems to make Trinity feel at ease. She does not get as emotional as when she was talking with Justin. Luke moves over and sits next to her. Keeping a certain distance.

LUKE
I can't even begin to imagine what it'll be like for you….difficult maybe, frightening, I don't know. But I know you Trinity, no amount of time can change that, nothing can, and I know you'll do the right thing, because you're a good person, and you want to help Mercedes, there's just a part of you…

TRINITY
Holding me back

She looks up at him, fear and sadness combining to transform her face to a vision of utter despair.

TRINITY
(softly, fearful)
I'll do it. But I can't promise anything, I haven't done it in a while.

Luke smiles at her, relieved

LUKE
Is there anyone you need to call to let them know you'll be gone for a while?

TRINITY
No, no-one important.

LUKE
Okay then, we should go

He helps her up, she moves slowly to the door, picks up her jacket, takes one last look around, and leaves. Luke follows.

CUT TO; Dark cell. Mercedes lies on the floor. MERCEDES' Point Of View; The boots step over her, and camera TILTS UP to reveal ROGUE SWEEPER 1 standing over her. He pulls Mercedes to her feet. She can barely stand, and stumbles. Rogue Sweeper 1 forces her out the cell door. She is blindfolded, and the screen goes black.

CAPTAIN
Move her to the van, I have a feeling our location's about to be breached

ROGUE SWEEPER 1
Sir?

CAPTAIN
Just do it would you?

ROGUE SWEEPER 1
Yes Sir

CUT TO; Abandoned warehouse. Luke enters with Trinity. Dina is at the laptop, and Justin sits on an overturned fuel drum, head in hands. They look up when Luke and Trinity enter.

TRINITY
(looking toward Dina)
Two?

DINA
It's Dina now.

TRINITY
Right, Dina.

Dina stands and moves toward Trinity. Justin also stands, uncertain

DINA
Trinity, right?

TRINITY
Yeah

Dina walks over to Trinity and hugs her. Trinity is uneasy at first, but hugs her back. Luke smiles another one of his classic smiles, and Justin moves beside him.

LUKE
(to no-one in particular)
What a reunion huh? The A team is back in business. Those rogues are not gonna know what hit 'em.

Dina looks at Luke, then at Justin and Trinity

DINA
There is another problem. Centre 16 has just gained itself a new L&R team. They've even flown in some specialist from New York to head it. Word on the website is that they've got the entire Prodigy wing now.

LUKE
So it would seem that The Centre has just got back in business too. What do we do?

Justin looks to Luke, disapprovingly, it is clear that he is the leader of the three.

JUSTIN
We are not backing your personal vendetta against Centre 16, Luke. This is about getting Mercie back. So we don't do anything, but stay below radar and avoid them. We've been up against L&R teams before. It's nothing new. That new team's got a better chance of catching smallpox than catching us.

DINA
Then why am I still afraid?

Text On Screen:
Public Helipad
Las Vegas

CUT TO; Public Helipad, Las Vegas. Mid-afternoon. Miss Monroe waits in a van on the helipad. She stares at the open folder in her lap containing Justin's profile. She is looking at the photo of Justin and has another FLASHBACK

YOUNG MISS MONROE ~ 23 years old

walks listlessly into the medical wing of Centre 16. Nurses bustle past her, patients are wheeled in on stretchers. She goes to the nurse's station, and waits for a few seconds. The wall calendar shows February 1998. She sees a doctor walk into a room labelled 'Private'. Camera CLOSES IN on this sign. The door pushes open, and Young Miss Monroe walks in. She sees a row of empty hospital beds, and hears gasping coming from behind a curtain. She opens the curtain, and sees an old man, desperate for breath. He grabs her hand tightly. She squeals softly, and runs deeper into the room, where she comes to another door, unlabelled.

YOUNG MISS MONROE
Doctor Roschelle? Roschelle

She opens the door. In the lone hospital bed lays a man, approximately the same age as herself. It is Justin. He looks at her, sadly, angrily and desperately at the same time. He tries to lift his arms, but he is restrained. He looks up at her, his eyes pleading.

YOUNG JUSTIN ~ 23 years old
(mouthing, not actually speaking)
Help Me

YOUNG MISS MONROE
I'm not a doctor.

YOUNG JUSTIN
(speaking this time, his voice barely a whisper, it is hoarse and husky)
Please

A cold sweat sits on his face. Camera CLOSES IN on sweat above top lip. He moves his mouth again, but he is unable to speak. He struggles weakly against his restraints. Suddenly, Roschelle enters

ROSCHELLE
You shouldn't be in here, why are you in here?

Slowly, and without taking her eyes of Young Justin, Young Miss Monroe raises a medical envelope to Roschelle.

YOUNG MISS MONROE
I got my results. Daddy wants you to look at them.

ROSCHELLE
(looking back at Justin and then motioning Young Miss Monroe away)
Let's take a look at these outside. There's better light out there.

A car door slams, and Miss Monroe stirs from her memory and looks up to see Roschelle sit in the seat across from her. Roschelle sees the files in Miss Monroe's lap.

ROSCHELLE
Remember him do you?

MISS MONROE
What do you mean?

ROSCHELLE
Well, you two have met

MISS MONROE
(lying)
I mustn't remember, I don't know what you're talking about.

ROSCHELLE
(lost in thought, distant, almost to herself)
There are some things you just never forget.
(she sighs, shrugging, almost trying to dislodge a bad memory)
We did what we had to do, we did our job

Miss Monroe looks at Roschelle, not revealing any emotion

MISS MONROE
Is that how you justify it?

Roschelle turns to Miss Monroe

ROSCHELLE
And how will you justify yourself, Miss Monroe, after what you will have to do?

MISS MONROE
I'm not going to justify myself, I don't need to, I won't.

ROSCHELLE
And that's exactly what I used to think…

JC jumps hurriedly into the van. He seems excited

JC
Wow, this is my first big field operation, actually, it's my first field operation period. I've always been stuck with some desk job

MISS MONROE
If only we all could be so lucky…

Before sitting in the van himself, Calvin introduces the Sweepers to Miss Monroe, Roschelle and JC.

CALVIN
This is Weston, ex-military, bodyguard to the stars, any job that carries, he's done it.

Calvin motions to

WESTON ~ Early 40's ~ Male

Weston nods toward the others

CALVIN
Haley is also, ex-military

He describes as

HALEY ~ Late 20's ~ Female

climbs into the van

CALVIN
While Porter here used to be a butcher, of the animal kind.

PORTER ~ Mid 30's ~ Male

follows Haley and Weston into the van.

When everyone is in, the van backs out of the car park, and drives off.

CUT TO; Justin's Jeep, open road. Justin and Dina sit in the front of the jeep, while Trinity sits in the back with the equipment, and Luke follows on his motorbike. Trinity is clutching clues from the abduction site, hopelessly trying to pick up a feeling, a clue. Nothing is eventuating.

TRINITY
(calling to Justin and Dina over the roar of the wind)
Nothing's happening

JUSTIN
Try harder

TRINITY
I can't, it's just not working.

She drops the bag full of bullet casings, and they fall to the bottom of the jeep. She reaches for it, but accidentally touches a photograph of Mercedes. She has a VISION of Sweeper 1's black boots. She is in a cell, a room. The room sways. Trinity begins to feel dizzy.

Dina realizes that something is happening. Trinity looks up at her, as Dina reaches to catch her just before she passes out.

DINA
(to Justin, who is driving)
Pull over

CUT TO; Side of the road. Sunset. Trinity awakes, feeling dizzy. She looks up to see Justin, Dina and Luke standing above her. They move back to give her some air.

TRINITY
I know where she is, she's drugged, and she's hurt. We have to help her.

She gets up to move, but is too weak

DINA
First, I think you need to rest

Dina helps Trinity gently back to the makeshift pillow consisting of leather jackets.

Luke walks over to the jeep, sits on the front and lights a cigarette. He stares at the sunset.

LUKE

(distant, sad)
It was a long time…, between sunrise and sunset I mean. I think I saw a sunrise when I was 4, and a sunset when I was nine. The next one I saw was that first sunrise the morning after the escape.

He pauses, contemplating, and the others stare at the sunset, listening intently yet spinning their own memories upon Luke's story.

LUKE
Freedom is something that most people who have it take for granted, but something that not most people have. We're not going to let them take Mercies freedom. She is gonna see tomorrow's damn sunrise if it kills me.

CUT TO; Inside Centre 16's L&R team's van. JC works on his computer, Weston and Calvin examine each other's guns, the other two sweepers stare mindlessly out the window, while Roschelle and Miss Monroe stare intently at each other.

JC
(suddenly)
Right, I've got it!
He shows Calvin a map on his laptop, a red dot blinks at the correct position.

CALVIN
ETA?

JC
28 minutes. If we move fast.

JC prints a copy of the directions

CALVIN
(handing directions to driver)
You heard the boy…

CUT TO; Rogue teams hideout. Run-down building amidst industrial warehouses.

Justin, Dina, Luke and Trinity pull up in jeep. They climb out, Luke pulls a gun from underneath his leather jacket.

JUSTIN
(looking at gun)
What's that for!

LUKE
(sarcastic)
Oh what this? Nothing really, because as soon as we walk in there and say "Hey we're the brainiac mistakes of science you've been chasing for the past 3 years", they're just gonna tremble at our feet and hope we forgive them…

He smiles, a smile unlike the warming, friendly smile Trinity had become accustomed to. No, this time his smile was laced with venom, hatred and revenge. It was a sinister smile, and for some reason, she felt suddenly chilled. Trinity looks at Luke, with gun in hand, and unconsciously draws her jacket protectively around her.

LUKE
But they'll tremble..

Justin also sees a change in Luke, but it is change he is familiar with, and so he sighs disapprovingly, but knows that there is nothing he can do to stop him.

CUT TO; Luke kicks in the door, gun in hand, poised for action. The place is deserted, quieter than the still desert night. Trinity heads for the basement. Luke and Justin continue to look around. Trinity returns from the basement with a gag in her hand

TRINITY
(holding up gag)
I know where they've gone.

CUT TO; L&R team's van. The team look nervous, apart from Miss Monroe, who seems strangely calm.

MISS MONROE
This is my final promotion and ticket out of the sweat bucket state, so no-one fail on me okay?

The team look disinterested; JC is engrossed in Mercedes' profile.

JC
What exactly is an empath?

ROSCHELLE
A person who can feel the emotions of others, through some sort of stimuli, usually personal belongings. We had 3 empaths in the Prodigy group. Subject 0-five there (she points to Mercies profile) being one of them. The most highly advanced was, however, subject 0-three. She also had the ability to sense others' feelings from great distances, and had been known to project emotion onto others as well. It was the best of them that got away that night. Pity.

MISS MONROE
(emerging from her own thoughts)
Calvin, you said there were 15 subjects originally, that twelve escaped and three were recaptured, so why was the other team only attempting to track 10?

CALVIN
Sacrifices had to be made that night, Miss Monroe. To set an example, and to protect the secrecy… integrity of our organization.

MISS MONROE
(not horrified, just surprised)
You killed your own subjects?

CALVIN
It was necessary, Miss Monroe, and my only regret is that we did not shoot them all… it would have saved us all this trouble.

CUT TO; Private airstrip, outskirts of Las Vegas. The jeep pulls up outside, and the gang climb out. Two unmarked, black vans are parked out the front.

CUT TO; Private airstrip, outskirts of Las Vegas. Night. Mercedes is bustled into an aircraft hangar by Rogue Sweeper 1.

ROGUE SWEEPER 2
We've only got another 14 minutes before we're millionaires.

ROGUE SWEEPER 1
Yeah, millionaires.

CAPTAIN
(in shadows, identity concealed)
Don't be too hasty you blokes. It's not over yet.

Luke walks into hangar, followed closely by Dina, Justin and Trinity. He points his gun toward the captain.

LUKE
Yes it is, Captain. Hand over the girl.

Sweeper 1 clutches Mercies tightly. She awakes fully, and comprehends her situation.

CAPTAIN
(sarcastically)
What girl?

Luke loads his gun, standing just a metre away from the captain.

The captain realizes he isn't bluffing.

CAPTAIN
Let her go.

ROGUE SWEEPER 1
But sir…

CAPTAIN
I said, let her go.

The rogue sweepers release Mercedes, just as the L&R team bust through the door, all pointing guns except for JC and Roschelle. While the others are distracted, the captain slips away unnoticed.

Luke spins to face his new adversaries, as do the other prodigies.

MISS MONROE
(Yelling)
Don't move!

Luke has his gun focused directly at Miss Monroe. Dina and picks up one of the sweepers weapons. The rogue sweepers are 'collected' by Haley and Porter and, taken to the L&R team's van. The others remain frozen, staring at each other, in a stand-off position, with neither side showing signs of letting up. Justin looks quizzically at Miss Monroe, recognizing her. She sees his glance and looks away.

CALVIN
Look kids, either you come with us now, or when the sweepers get back we can take you home in body bags. It's up to you.

Luke smiles the same cold smile as before. The hate and rage clear on his young face.

LUKE
Calvin old man, I see the years haven't been too kind to you. Though, you always were an ugly mongrel.

Calvin stares back at Luke, no emotion on his face. Gun steady. The others look at each other, unsure what to do. Justin continues to stare at Miss Monroe.

DINA
What a pleasant family reunion.

Trinity looks toward Justin, then motions with her eyes toward a group of petrol drums in the corner of the hangar. He seems to understand her plan. Justin looks at Luke. Unable to catch his view, Justin relays the plan to Luke in coded message.

JUSTIN
C, 21, 98, b, n, t, 43, quile, orthsap, 43.

Luke seems surprised that Justin has used their childhood language. But still, his gaze is unwavering. Suddenly, and without warning, Luke throws his weapon to Justin, who catches it, and immediately shoots the fuel drums. An explosion rocks the hangar. The L&R team duck for cover, while the prodigies escape into the night. Framed by a wall of fire, Miss Monroe, Roschelle, Calvin, Weston and JC head back to their van. As they do so, Miss Monroe notices that one of the Rogue Team's vans is missing.

MISS MONROE
(to Calvin)
There was someone else here tonight, and I don't mean another mere sweeper

CALVIN
I know.

CUT TO; Ice-cream stand, sunrise. They gang eat hot waffles and ice-cream. They are happy, smiling and laughing.

MUSICAL TRACK: 'Ice-Cream' by Taxiride (click here to listen)

LUKE
(through a mouthful of waffles)
The best thing about the outside world has got to be ice-cream

DINA
No way, Waffles and ice-cream!

MERCEDES
Pizza!

JUSTIN
So, Trinity, what time do you want us to take you home?

The entire table goes silent

TRINITY
I don't know, I was kinda hoping it would be okay if I could hang out with you guys for a while longer…if that's okay.

Everyone looks toward Justin. Quiet. He picks at his food, as if considering…

JUSTIN
(raising his head, a huge smile spread across his face)
'course you can, just don't be ordering anything big, I am a man on a budget!

They all laugh, and fall back into natural conversation, as though the years they had spent apart had not even occurred.

LUKE
Besides, man, you should see her crib. I wouldn't wanna be going back there either, the place doesn't even have wallpaper.

MERCEDES
Yeah but neither did our rooms at Centre 16

LUKE
No way, this plays makes The Centre seem like The Hilton, honestly.

Everyone laughs, and framed against a perfect sunrise, enjoys their breakfast.

CUT TO; Miss Monroe's Office, Centre 16, Salt Lake City, Utah.

Miss Monroe sits at her desk, an air conditioner on its highest level behind her. She is watching DSA tapes of the prodigies from when they were younger.

They are in small rooms not unlike cells in a row, unable to see each other. Each one lies on their backs in their beds, calling out the gibberish she had heard Justin use last night.

JC, Calvin and Roschelle enter the office. They shiver, and look at the air conditioner.

MISS MONROE
(not looking up from the screen)
Good, you're here.

She stands, and turns her laptop round to face the others. The DSA's still playing. The others look at it questioningly, but before they get a chance a to voice their questions, Miss Monroe answers them.

MISS MONROE

They invented their own language. It's how they planned their escape. They couldn't discuss it openly because they were being watched and they rarely saw each other to scheme. So, at night, they would lie awake, calling to each other, in their own language.

CALVIN
Right under our noses…

JC
What does this mean?

MISS MONROE
It means I am going to be here for a hell of a lot longer than I had hoped.

The team looks at each other, fully comprehending for the first time exactly what they are up against.

THE END

NEXT WEEK ON PRODIGY: Origin – Trinity struggles to deal with her empathic abilities, while a fellow Prodigy provides Justin and Mercedes with information on the whereabouts of their family that leads the gang back to Centre 16.