SCRIPT 1
FLIGHT AA129
PREFACE:
The premise for MANIFEST, a passenger airliner jumping years forward in time during a single flight, is brilliant. Using that setup as inspiration, I wrote and am now circulating a script that I believe to have an infinitely more entertaining storyline. I was motivated to write my script, SEERS, because of how well the concept in WELCOME TO FATE fitted with the flight into the future setup in MANIFEST coupled with the supernatural British Secret Service premise in the STARZ TV series THE ROOK. WELCOME TO FATE is a pilot script written by me that I have been circulating since 2008. The story is about a group of affluent families in a remote community who can peer into the future and influence the way it plays out. The law enforcement concept in THE ROOK looked like a better fit for my seer premise because of the smaller fixed cast it would employ and for its crime drama. SEERS is a script that I just started circulating in 2021. I have posted pilot scripts 1 and 2 here in a re-configured format to make it readable on this website.
FADE IN:
INT. ETHAN'S OFFICE—AFTERNOON
MIT Associate Professor Ethan McKay is collecting his things to leave for home when Assistant Professor Eric Blumenthal knocks on his door.
ETHAN: "It's open."
Assistant Professor Eric Blumenthal enters the office.
ERIC: "So, Mr. Associate Professor, you're taking off?"
ETHAN: "Just for the remainder of the week."
ERIC: (mockingly) "Well, I guess when you make Associate Professor at 28 you can afford to skip a few days."
ETHAN: "Hey, it's not like I applied for the title. I got lucky."
ERIC: "And so modest ... Careful genius, it's possible to be too smart."
They both chuckle.
ERIC / CONT'D: "So, you're coming back Monday?"
ETHAN: "Yeah, hold the fort for me while I'm gone."
ERIC: "Will do, Mr. Associate Professor." (solemnly) "And I hope everything is okay with your father."
ETHAN: "Thanks."
Eric follows Ethan out his office door.
INT. PEYTON'S APARTMENT—NIGHT
Peyton McKay is in her bedroom packing for a flight to San Francisco when the doorbell rings. She hurries into the living room, then across to the apartment door and opens it. Cassandra McKay is standing on the other side with her overnight bags.
PEYTON: "Hi."
Peyton leaves the door open and hurries back to her bedroom. Cassandra enters the apartment, sets her bags down and closes the door.
CASSANDRA: "Hi."
Cassandra starts off for the kitchen.
PEYTON: "Good, you're on time."
CASSANDRA: "Well, you can't be fashionably late for a plane flight."
PEYTON: "Thank God for that."
CASSANDRA: "Can I open a bottle of wine?"
PEYTON: "No."
CASSANDRA: (Under her breath) "That's what I thought."
Cassandra goes to the refrigerator, takes out a bottle of water and takes it into the living room.
CASSANDRA / CONT'D: "You still packing?"
PEYTON: "I worked late."
CASSANDRA: "Typical."
PEYTON: "What did you say?"
Cassandra flops down on the sofa.
CASSANDRA: (louder) "I said you work too much."
PEYTON: "I like my job."
CASSANDRA: "Peyton, you're a records analysis. What's to like about that?"
PEYTON: "I'm an F.B.I. Officer who does forensic analyses of corporate accounts."
CASSANDRA: "You're a records analysis with a badge."
PEYTON: "And I'm good at it."
CASSANDRA: (Under her breath) "Big surprise there."
PEYTON: (yelling) "I'm not hearing you."
CASSANDRA: (yelling) "Peyton, you're 26 years old. You should be having fun and thinking about getting married, preferably to someone rich, so that you can STOP working."
PEYTON: "That's your plan."
CASSANDRA: "You're hopeless."
PEYTON: "How was your trip?"
CASSANDRA: "Long ... boring ..."
The doorbell rings.
CASSANDRA / CONT'D: "Are you expecting someone?"
Peyton races into the living room and hurries to the door.
PEYTON: "That's David."
Peyton opens the door. David MacLachlan is on the other side.
PEYTON / CONT'D: (cheerfully) "Hi."
DAVID: "Hi."
David returns Peyton's greeting with a wide smile and follows it with a passionate kiss. Cassandra jumps up onto her feet and takes an alluring stance.
CASSANDRA: (enticingly) "Hi, David."
DAVID: (jokingly) "Oh, the brat is here."
David moves to within a few feet from Cassandra.
PEYTON: "Yes, she is. Cassandra got here a few minutes before you."
CASSANDRA: (seductively) "Sure did, if the brat knew you were so close, she would have held the elevator."
DAVID: (With a smirk) "Well, I'm glad I didn't put you through the trouble of waiting."
Peyton starts back to her room to finish packing.
CASSANDRA: (teasingly) "For you David, that would have been no trouble."
PEYTON: "Careful, David. My sister has been chasing after my boyfriends since she was thirteen."
DAVID: "I believe it."
CASSANDRA: "If it wasn't for the five years age difference, I think I could have snagged a couple of them. Does that worry you?"
DAVID: (mockingly) "I'm terrified."
CASSANDRA: (playful) "Well don't be. I have plenty of my own boyfriends now."
DAVID: "You keep a list?"
CASSANDRA: "And I update it weekly."
David and Cassandra chuckle.
DAVID: "Peyton, your sister is a minx."
PEYTON: "Really?"
CASSANDRA: "So, David, is that a new suit, or do you just have an endless supply in your closet."
DAVID: "I buy three hundred every year and then I throw them away after I've worn them once."
CASSANDRA: "That sounds like a nifty way to cut down on dry cleaning expenses."
DAVID: "It saves me a fortune."
David and Cassandra chuckle.
CASSANDRA: "So, what does a GQ assistant district attorney see in my fashion starved sister?"
PEYTON: (yelling) "I heard that."
DAVID: "Well, for one, Peyton is sensible."
CASSANDRA: "Sensible? Poor baby, that's so boring. You need to get out more and try life on the wild side."
DAVID: "Ooh, I doubt my reputation can stand the excitement."
CASSANDRA: "You two are so ... conventional. There's more to life than a career."
DAVID: "For once we agree on something."
CASSANDRA: "Oh really, do tell."
Peyton hurries into the living room carrying an overnight bag and pushing a medium size four wheeled suitcase
PEYTON: "No, don't tell. I don't need to hear my little sister's position on that discussion."
CASSANDRA: "Oh, it's a discussion?"
David makes a key turning gesture in front of his mouth to communicate his lips are sealed.
PEYTON: "If you two are done flirting, I think we can go now."
CASSANDRA: "Are you taking us to the airport?"
DAVID: "Yes, I am."
PEYTON: "Good, maybe I can hear more about the discussion."
David, Cassandra and Peyton exit the apartment.
INT. MCKAY'S LIVING ROOM—MORNING
Barbara McKay is standing at the front door of her home with her two-year-old daughter, Kira, in her arms and her six-year-old son, Jared standing next to her. Their home is a modest forty-year-old house in a neighborhood of like buildings.
BARBARA: (Yelling to Ethan) "The taxi is here."
Ethan McKay is in the upstairs bedroom.
ETHAN: "Coming."
Ethan has just completed his preparations for his flight to San Francisco and is hurrying down the stairs.
BARBARA: "Do you have the tickets?"
Ethan stops at the foot of the stairs and checks his vest pocket.
ETHAN: "Yep, I have the tickets."
BARBARA: "Good. Give Arthur and Joanna my love."
Ethan and Barbara kiss.
ETHAN: "I will. They're going to be so sorry that you couldn't be there."
BARBARA: "I know, but we can't risk it with Kira's cold."
ETHAN: "Yeah, I know."
Ethan looks at his daughter, Kira, and then gives her a quick kiss on the forehead.
ETHAN / CONT'D: "Bye."
Ethan waves at his daughter.
BARBARA: "Say bye to Daddy."
KIRA: "Da."
Kira waves back. Barbara puts Kira down and gives Jared a kiss and a hug.
BARBARA: "Have fun, okay?"
JARED: (nodding) "Okay."
BARBARA: "And be good."
JARED: (nodding) "Uh hm."
ETHAN: "I'll see you Sunday night."
BARBARA: "Okay, have a good flight."
Ethan and Jared exit through the front doorway with Barbara and Kira waving at the door's threshold.
EXT. UCSF MEDICAL CENTER—MORNING
Dr. Jean Kumar steps off a bus, walks up the sidewalk and turns into the walkway for the University of California San Francisco Medical Center. She stops outside the front entrance to greet Dr. Rachel Clarke who is coming out of the building.
RACHEL: "Good morning."
JEAN: "Hi."
RACHEL: "This your last day?"
JEAN: (somberly) "Yes."
RACHEL: "Well, I'm sorry to see you go."
JEAN: (hesitantly) "Yeah ... I need a change."
Rachel knows about Jean's affair with a married doctor.
RACHEL: "A change is good. Do you have family in New York?"
JEAN: "No, I grew up there with my mother, but she passed away a few years ago."
RACHEL: "So, where will you be staying?"
JEAN: "I have a friend there, Martha. She's going to let me stay with her until I get a place."
RACHEL: "Oh, okay, well, I think you'll like New York Presbyterian. It has a good cardiothoracic department."
JEAN: "That's what I hear."
RACHEL: "Okay then, I've got to get home. You take care."
JEAN: "Thanks, you too."
Rachel walks off and Jean goes into the building.
EXT. ARTHUR AND JOANNA'S HOME–DAY
A car parks in front of the house and honks its horn. Peyton is behind the wheel; Ethan is in the front passenger seat and Jared is in the back passenger seat. Shortly after the car stops, Joanna, Cassandra and Arthur come out of the house to greet them.
JOANNA: "Hi."
Joanna hurries to embrace her son, Ethan.
ETHAN: "Hi, Mom."
Peyton moves to the back of the car to retrieve the luggage.
PEYTON: "The prodigal son is home."
Joanna shortly finishes hugging Ethan and then pushes back to examine him.
JOANNA: "You put on weight."
ETHAN: "I haven't been jogging as much as I use too."
JOANNA: "A little weight looks good on you. It makes you look mature."
ETHAN: (mockingly) "I'm going to have to consider the source of that compliment."
Joanna gives her son a soft slap on the arm and a smile, and then she starts off for Jared with a wide smile and open arms. Ethan moves toward his father.
JOANNA: "Awe, look at you. You're so big. Hi."
Joanna leans down to hug Jared.
JARED: "Hi."
JOANNA: "Give grandma a hug."
Shortly Joanna separates from the hug.
JOANNA / CONT'D: "So, how old are you now?"
JARED: "Six."
JOANNA: "Six-years-old, you're getting so big. So, you're in second grade at school."
JARED: "Yeah."
JOANNA: "Do you like school?"
JARED: "Yeah."
JOANNA: "What do you like to do at school?"
JARED: "I don't know."
JOANNA: (laughing) "Really, okay then, what do you like to do?"
JARED: "Daddy bought me a bike."
JOANNA: "Well, I hope he bought you a helmet."
JARED: (somberly) "Yeah, Mom won't let me ride it without the helmet."
JOANNA: "Good for her."
INTERCUT
Ethan walks up to his father, Arthur, who looks frail and ill. Arthur is battling cancer.
ETHAN: "Hi, Dad."
Ethan stops in front of Arthur
ARTHUR: "Hi, professor."
ETHAN: "Associate professor."
ARTHUR: "It sounds good either way."
Ethan and Arthur briefly hug.
ETHAN: "How are you feeling?"
ARTHUR: "I'm doing fine. It's good to see you son. Come inside."
Arthur turns away for the house and Ethan steps over to Cassandra.
ETHAN: "How are you doing, squirt?"
CASSANDRA: (With feigned anger) "Hey, don't call me squirt."
Cassandra steps forward and briefly hugs her older brother. They both turn and start for the car and the bags that Peyton has unloaded from it.
ETHAN: "How's Vassar?"
CASSANDRA: "Oh, it's the same. How's life as an associate professor?"
ETHAN: (With a shrug) "The same."
Ethan retrieves his and Jared's overnight bags with the help of Peyton and Cassandra.
INT. UCSF MEDICAL CENTER HALLWAY—DAY
Dr. Jean Kumar is at the nurse's station in the hallway of the University of California San Francisco Medical Center. She is making notes to a patient's clipboard when Dr. Robert Donner comes down the hall. Jean notices his approach and looks away. He stops in front of her.
ROBERT: "Hello, Dr. Kumar."
Robert and Jean speak softly so others cannot hear.
JEAN: (reluctantly) "Hi."
ROBERT: "What time is your flight?"
JEAN: "Saturday ... evening."
ROBERT: "Can I see you?"
JEAN: "No."
ROBERT: "I just thought we could talk."
JEAN: "How's your wife?"
ROBERT: "I'm sorry how things ended."
JEAN: "I know you are."
ROBERT: "I wasn't deceiving you, Jean. I was deceiving myself."
JEAN: "How many women have you said that to?"
ROBERT: "You know that's not fair. It was always just you."
JEAN: "Was it just Sarah too?"
ROBERT: "Sarah?"
JEAN: "Dr. Epstein?"
ROBERT: "Sarah was three years ago, and that was a different situation. Sarah and I were friends. We still are."
JEAN: "Fine, maybe I got it wrong."
ROBERT: "You also got it wrong about how I feel about you."
JEAN: "It doesn't matter, does it? Your wife owns you."
Jean turns and walks away.
INT. ARTHUR AND JOANNA'S DINING ROOM—EVENING
It is midday Friday when Joanna, Cassandra, Ethan, Jared and Peyton celebrate Arthur McKay' birthday. It is a festive day. A single candle shaped into the number 62 is on the cake.
PEYTON: "Okay, Dad, it's time to blow out the candle."
Arthur McKay blows out the candle and is immediately applauded for it. Seconds later, Joanna begins cutting and distributing the cake.
PEYTON / CONT'D: "Happy birthday, Dad."
ARTHUR: "Thank you one and all, but you didn't have to interrupt your lives to be hear. I would have been just as happy knowing that you were thinking about me."
ETHAN: "Are you kidding, Dad? We wanted to be here."
CASSANDRA: "Yeah, and if I wasn't here, I would be in my dorm bored out of my mind."
ARTHUR: (sarcastically) "Did anybody buy that?"
Everyone except Cassandra and Jared laughs.
CASSANDRA: "Okay, so I put my social life on hold for a few days. I love you, Dad."
ARTHUR: "I love you too, baby. And as much as I enjoy seeing my kids around the table again, I do wish there were one or two more grandchildren here. Ain't that right, Joanna."
JOANNA: "Your father and I were lamenting the absence of grandchildren."
ETHAN: "Kira had a cold, and we thought it was best to keep her at home."
ARTHUR: "It's not just Kira we're talking about."
Arthur turns his attention towards his daughters.
CASSANDRA: "Don't look at me. I'm still in school. Peyton is the one who's dragging her feet."
All eyes turn to Peyton, and she looks at Cassandra with an annoyed expression.
PEYTON: (sarcastically) "Thanks."
JOANNA: "What is she talking about, honey? Are you and David engaged?"
PEYTON: "No, no, we're not."
CASSANDRA: "Ask her why?"
PEYTON: "Will you shut up?"
JOANNA: "What's going on?"
Peyton pauses to take a deep breath.
PEYTON: "David has been asking me to marry him."
JOANNA: "Asking? Plural?"
PEYTON: "I'm just not ready to settle down, and I'm afraid being married to David would mean giving up my career to support his."
CASSANDRA: "See. This is your perfect daughter. David is a great catch. He's rich. He's handsome. He's ambitious. He's probably going to be the governor of New York someday. She's going to lose him."
PEYTON: "So, if I lose him, I lose him. I'm not ready to give up my career to become a junior partner in my husband's life."
Joanna is visually sympathetic to Peyton's concerns.
ARTHUR: "Yeah, but where is your career going. You're just an intelligence analyst."
CASSANDRA: "That's what I said."
PEYTON: "I like what I do, Dad. It's interesting. It's challenging, and I'm valued for the work that I do."
CASSANDRA: "Yeah, considering what they're paying you, I'm sure they're counting their blessings."
Arthur visibly relents after a pause.
ARTHUR: "I just hope you don't wait too long to have a family."
Peyton looks to Joanna.
JOANNA: "If a career is what you want, dear, then I support your decision."
Ethan throws up his hands with indifference.
ETHAN: "Hey, sis, I'm happy if you're happy."
Cassandra shakes her head in disbelief.
CASSANDRA: "Well, I don't get it. David is a great catch, and you're just letting him slip away."
Cassandra begins eating her cake.
INT. UCSF MEDICAL CENTER EMPLOYEE LOCKER ROOM—EVENING
Dr. Jean Kumar is collecting her things from her locker when three coworkers come up to her with a gift.
COWORKER 1: "Bye."
Co-worker 1 extends a gift-wrapped package towards her.
JEAN: (surprised) "Oh, you shouldn't have."
Jean accepts the gift. One by one, the three coworkers give her a hug.
COWORKER 2: "You will be missed."
COWORKER 3: "If it gets too cold in New York, feel free to come back to San Francisco. We will be happy to find a place for you here."
JEAN: "Thank you."
Jean collects her bag and leaves.
EXT. ARTHUR AND JOANNA 'S HOME—EVENING
Peyton, Ethan and Jared come out of the house with their luggage and overnight bags. Joanna and Arthur follow behind them. A taxi is waiting for them at the curb. The driver loads the bags into the back of his vehicle.
JOANNA: "Have a safe flight home and call me when you get there."
Ethan, Peyton and Jared stop at the sidewalk to give their last good-byes. Arthur and Peyton hug.
PEYTON: "Good-bye, Dad. I love you."
ARTHUR: "I love you too, baby. You take care of yourself."
PEYTON: "I will."
ETHAN: "I'll call you tomorrow, Mom."
JOANNA: (sternly) "Text me tonight."
ETHAN: "Okay."
Joanna stoops and hugs Jared.
JOANNA: "Good-bye, Jared. You come and see us again soon, okay?"
Joanna releases Jared from her hug and stands up.
JARED: "Okay, grandma."
Arthur steps over and stoops to hug Jared while Joanna hugs Ethan. Cassandra hurries out of the house as this is happening and goes straight to Ethan. She is wearing shorts, tennis shoes and a pullover blouse.
ARTHUR: "You be a good boy, okay?"
JARED: "Okay."
Arthur chuckles at Jared's response.
ARTHUR: "And always remember that your grandpa loves you."
JARED: "Okay, grandpa."
Cassandra stops in front of Ethan.
CASSANDRA: "Tell Barbara and Kira I say hi."
ETHAN: "I will."
Cassandra gives Ethan a quick hug and then does the same with Jared.
CASSANDRA: "Good-bye, Jared."
JARED: "Bye."
Cassandra goes over to Peyton while Ethan goes to his father.
CASSANDRA: (teasingly) "Tell David I said he's too good for you."
PEYTON: "That's not going to happen."
Cassandra gives Peyton a quickie hug and then starts off down the sidewalk.
PEYTON / CONT'D: "Where are you going."
Cassandra stops and turns back toward Peyton.
CASSANDRA: "Since I'm going to be here all week. I might as well catch up with some friends."
Cassandra turns away and continues to walk away with indifference for what was happening behind her.
ETHAN: "Bye, Dad."
ARTHUR: "Good-bye, son. I love you, and I'm proud of you."
ETHAN: "I love you too, Dad."
Ethan and Arthur embrace. Seconds later, Ethan, Peyton and Jared are rolling off in the taxi as Joanna and Arthur wave good-bye.
INT. PASSENGER COMPARTMENT AA129—NIGHT
Ethan, Jared and Peyton are sitting together in the passenger cabin of a jet airliner. Dr. Jean Kumar is seated next to Noah Kane in a separate area of the compartment. Ethan is hard at work trying to solve a cryptogram puzzle, and Peyton notes that with a look of disbelief.
PEYTON: "I can't believe you still do those puzzles."
ETHAN: "I enjoy the distraction, and it passes the time."
Peyton shakes her head and then looks at Jared who is seated between them. Jared is playing with a toy handheld arcade game.
PEYTON: "How are you doing?"
JARED: "Okay."
Jared never stops playing his game. Several seconds later the aircraft is jostled by an outside disturbance. All the passengers are momentarily surprised by the jolt. They wait to see if another disturbance will follow the first. A few seconds later the aircraft is jostled by a string of more severe jolts. The passengers are terrified by the sudden violent rocking of the jet. Ethan quickly checks to make sure Jared is secured in his seat. Suddenly, a blinding light spews through the windows of the passenger compartment.
INTERCUT
INT. AIRLINER AA129 COCKPIT—NIGHT
The pilot and copilot are fighting with the controls of the aircraft while the gages and monitors are flickering. Suddenly, a blinding light spews through the windows of the cockpit.
INTERCUT
EXT. AIRLINER AA129—NIGHT
The American Airlines jet is flying in an almost cloudless night sky when a thick dark gray overcast quickly brews into existence. The jetliner is being jostled about in the sky. A quick series of multiple lightning strikes arc beneath the clouds, and then a sudden blinding light bursts across the sky enveloping the jetliner and the overcast. An instant after it appears, the light retracts into a pinpoint of light and disappears, seemingly absorbing the overcast and the jetliner with it.
INTERCUT
INT. AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL ROOM—NIGHT
All the air traffic controllers are shocked by a sudden electronic disturbance that has all the lights and the electronics flickering on and off. After several seconds the flickering stops. A few seconds after that, the screens and monitors return to normal. The supervising air traffic controller takes a moment to look around and see that all the equipment appears to be up and running.
SUPERVISOR: "Okay everybody, check your screens and boards."
The supervisor looks around the room to see that everyone is doing their jobs.
SUPERVISOR / CONT'D: "Call out any problems."
There is silence for several seconds.
ATC 1: (yelling) "I have a plane missing."
The supervisor hurries over to ATC 1's position.
SUPERVISOR: "Is it equipment failure?"
ATC 1: "All my flights are where they should be except for double-A one-two-nine out of SFO."
The supervisor moves in to closely examine ATC 1's screen.
EXT. STRATOSPHERE—DAY
The sky is blue, the clouds are sparse, the sun is shining, and nothing is moving through the air. Suddenly there is a burst of blinding light. The eruption creates a shock wave that blows a whole in the clouds below. When the light disappears, flight AA129 appears in the center of it.
INTERCUT
INT. AIRLINER AA129 COCKPIT—DAY
The pilot and copilot are fighting with the controls of the aircraft while a blinding light is spewing through the cockpit windows. Seconds later, the blinding light is gone, and the flickering of the gages and the monitors stop. Everything appears to be functioning normally. After taking a few seconds to note that their equipment is operating correctly, the pilot and copilot are astonished by the sight of a daytime sky out the window cockpit windows.
COPILOT: "What just happened?"
PILOT: "I'll be damned if I know. Contact air traffic control."
INTERCUT
INT. AIRLINER AA129 PASSENGER COMPARTMENT—DAY
All the passengers are gripped to their seats when the jostling stops and the blinding light outside of the aircraft goes away. The aircraft quickly settles into a smooth and level flight, but the passengers and the crew are soon amazed by the daytime sky outside the aircraft. Dr. Jean Kumar is gripped to the arm of Noah Kane when she begins to relax. She notes her hold onto Noah and quickly let's go in embarrassment.
JEAN: "Sorry."
NOAH: "Don't be. Next time it's my turn."
Jean giggles.
JEAN: "What do you think happened?"
NOAH: "That was a first for me. I have no idea."
JEAN: "It looks like the sun is up."
NOAH: "Yeah, it does. It has to have something to do with that light."
JEAN: "Would a nuclear explosion do something like this?"
NOAH: "I ..."
Noah's answer is cut short by the sound of the captain's voice coming through the jet's intercom.
INTERCUT
INT. AIRLINER AA129 PASSENGER COMPARTMENT—DAY
Ethan, Peyton and Jared are gripped to their seats when the jostling stops and the blinding light outside of the aircraft goes away. The aircraft quickly settles into a smooth and level flight, but the passengers and the crew are soon amazed by the daylight sky outside the aircraft.
ETHAN: (worried) "Are you okay?"
JARED: "Yeah."
Peyton is looking out the passenger window of the aircraft. Ethan is focused on Jared.
ETHAN: (reassuringly) "Everything is going to be okay. We just went through some turbulence. Everything is okay now."
Peyton turns her attention toward Ethan.
PEYTON: "Are you seeing this?"
Ethan looks around through the many passenger windows.
ETHAN: "What does it look like out there?"
PEYTON: "I can see the sun. It's daylight out there."
JARED: "Is something wrong, Daddy?"
Ethan looks down at Jared.
ETHAN: "Everything is okay, Jared. Everything is just fine."
All the passengers suddenly go quite when they hear the voice of the captain coming through the intercom.
PILOT: "This is the pilot speaking. We flew into a severe atmospheric disturbance, but we're through it now. The aircraft is operating within normal parameters, but just to be safe, we are being redirected to Langley Air Force Base. I apologize for any inconvenience that this may cause. You are free to move around in the compartment but remain buckled in your seats while sitting. This is the captain, out."
Ethan and Peyton look at each other with some relief in their expressions.
EXT. AIRLINER AA129—DAY
The passenger airline is flying when two Air Force interceptors come up along each side of it.
INTERCUT
INT. AIRLINER AA129 COCKPIT—DAY
The pilot and the copilot note the two interceptors.
COPILOT: "Our escorts are here."
EXT. LANGLEY AFB—DAY
An officious looking car drives through the base and stops outside a large airplane hangar. Kimberly Beale, DHS Deputy Under Secretary, Science and Technology gets out of the car and hurries into the hangar.
INT. LANGLEY AFB HANGAR—DAY
Kimberly walks up to three men standing together. Opposite them, inside the hangar, are the passengers of AA129. They are either standing or seated on cots. Many of them are being attended to by Langley AFB medical personnel. Kimberly shows her ID to Base commander, Colonel Stephen Putney
KIMBERLY: "Kimberly Beale, DHS Science and Technology Under Secretary."
STEPHEN: "Science and Technology?"
KIMBERLY: "Yes."
SYLVESTER: "Sylvester Fimmel, TSA Assistant Administrator, Operations Management Division."
KIMBERLY: (greeting) "Administrator."
Kimberly and Sylvester shake hands.
BRUCE: "I'm Colonel Bruce Humphrey, Langley Medical Group Commander."
KIMBERLY: "Colonel."
Kimberly and Bruce shake hands.
STEPHEN: "Colonel Stephen Putney, Base Commander."
KIMBERLY: "Colonel."
Kimberly and Stephen shake hands.
KIMBERLY / CONT'D: "So, what are we looking at?"
Kimberly looks from face to face as she waits for a reply.
SYLVESTER: "Under Secretary, you are looking at the passengers of double A one-two-nine."
KIMBERLY: "That's not possible."
SYLVESTER: "Well, we're still working to identify most of the passengers, but the crew checks out right down to their fingerprints."
KIMBERLY: "What did the captain say?"
SYLVESTER: "He said they flew through a freak storm and ended up here. The cockpit recording backs him up."
KIMBERLY: "How about the plane."
SYLVESTER: "An Airbus 200 ... nose number N539AA, even the engine block numbers match."
Kimberly pauses to be dismayed.
KIMBERLY: "Where is the crew now?"
STEPHEN: "They're being examined and debriefed off site."
KIMBERLY: "And the passengers, what do they know about what's happening?"
STEPHEN: "My people are under orders to say nothing, but they are hearing questions."
KIMBERLY: "What questions are they asking?"
STEPHEN: "The most popular question is, what time is it?"
KIMBERLY: "The time?"
SYLVESTER: "If the crew is telling the truth, then now for them should be late Saturday night-early Sunday morning."
STEPHEN: "They're also asking why their cellphones are not working."
Kimberly takes a step toward the 178 passengers scattered across the hangar floor and looks at them with amazement.
KIMBERLY: "Where the hell have they been?"
SYLVESTER: "I think that's your department."
KIMBERLY: "You say that you've verified the identifies of some of the passengers?"
STEPHEN: "There was an Air Marshal and an FBI agent on the flight. Their fingerprints are on file, and they match."
SYLVESTER: "The FBI agent was on the plane with her brother, a professor, and his fingerprints are on file with the State of Massachusetts, and they match."
BRUCE: "We also matched the fingerprints of Dr. Jean Kumar with the background check California did on her."
STEPHEN: "We found the fingerprints of seven more passengers that were in the system for less laudable reasons. They are all a match."
KIMBERLY: "Okay, I want to talk to the Air Marshal, the FBI agent, the doctor and the professor. Is there an office I can use?"
STEPHEN: "Yes, over here."
Colonel Putney leads Kimberly, Sylvester and Colonel Humphrey to an office in the back corner of the hangar.
INT. HANGAR OFFICE—DAY
Kimberly, Sylvester, Stephen and Bruce are casually sitting or standing inside a small office when an armed airman lightly knocks on the door, opens it and then ushers Peyton and Ethan into the office.
KIMBERLY: "Please, have a seat."
Peyton and Ethan cautiously enter the room and then sit in two of the vacant chairs in the middle of the room. The airman promptly steps back outside of the office and closes the door.
ETHAN: "What's happening?"
KIMBERLY: "That's what we're trying to figure out ..."
There is another light knock on the door, and the armed airman opens it and then ushers in Dr. Jean Kumar. She is confused and does not know where to stand or be. Kimberly points to an open chair.
KIMBERLY / CONT'D: "Please, have a seat."
Kimberly picks up Ethan's driver's license off the desk behind her, examines it and then sets it down.
KIMBERLY / CONT'D: "Professor McKay?"
ETHAN: "That's right."
There is another knock on the door, the armed airman opens it and then ushers in Noah Kane. He is confident and slightly defiant in his posture.
KIMBERLY: "Have a seat."
Noah takes a seat next to Jean. Kimberly examines his identification that is laying on the desk.
KIMBERLY / CONT'D: "You're Noah Kane, the Air Marshal aboard flight one-two-nine."
NOAH: "Yes."
Kimberly briefly examines Jean's identification.
KIMBERLY: "Dr. Kumar?"
Kimberly examines Peyton's identification that is laying on the desk.
KIMBERLY / CONT'D: "And you're Agent McKay, FBI?"
PEYTON: "Yes. Why are we being detained?"
Kimberly pauses to consider the question.
KIMBERLY: "I'm Kimberly Beale, DHS Deputy Under Secretary in the Science and Technology Directorate, and you're not being detained. You're being quarantined."
JEAN: (concerned) "Quarantined? Have we been exposed to some sort of pathogen?"
KIMBERLY: "No, that's not what this is about."
ETHAN: "How about radiation? That light we saw up there had to be a detonation of some kind."
KIMBERLY: "We haven't detected any radiation."
ETHAN: (angry) "I have a son who was on the plane with me. I want to know what's going on, and I want to know now."
KIMBERLY: (calmly) "Professor McKay, how old is your son?"
ETHAN: "Jared is six years old."
KIMBERLY: "Professor, according to our records, Jared Richard McKay should be seventeen years old right now."
ETHAN: "What?"
PEYTON: "What?"
KIMBERLY: "American Airlines flight one-two nine out of San Francisco, nose number N537AA, was believed to have been incinerated in an explosion eleven years ago."
Everyone is momentarily dumbfounded.
NOAH: (confused) "What's happening here?"
KIMBERLY: "That's the million-dollar question."
ETHAN: "Wait a minute, explosion? What kind of explosion?"
KIMBERLY: "Eleven years ago, a gravitational wave washed through the solar system causing havoc around the globe. Thousands died. Anyone wearing a pacemaker dropped dead where they stood. The wave produced a wobble among the planets in the system that continued for 3 years. The weather became unpredictable. Mega-storm became a common phrase in our lexicon. When the wave hit, more than one-hundred aircrafts around the world crashed all at once, 22 of them were airliners. Flight 1-29 out of San Francisco was counted as one of them."
ETHAN: "What do you mean? We didn't crash. We're here."
KIMBERLY: "In dozens of locations in the skies around the world, the gravity wave produced brief light shows. These were mostly in the thermosphere. These were massive bursts of energy, and in a few places these explosions occurred in the stratosphere. Flight 1-29 disappeared inside one of those events."
ETHAN: "Disappeared?"
KIMBERLY: "The energy released in the explosion that engulfed 1-29 was estimated to be 100 times the size of the detonation that leveled Hiroshima. Airbus N537AA along with its 178 passengers and crew were presumed vaporized."
Kimberly stops speaking and waits for a reaction. Ethan, Peyton, Jean and Noah are momentarily stunned.
ETHAN: "You're saying that eleven years passed since we took off from San Francisco?"
KIMBERLY: "Yes."
NOAH: "Is this a hoax?"
KIMBERLY: "This is no hoax, Officer Kane. All of you were declared dead eleven years ago."
NOAH: "No, this has to be some kind of prank or test. There's no way that this is really happening."
SYLVESTER: "If it is, then the prank is on us."
KIMBERLY: "Professor, what happened up there?"
ETHAN: "We flew into a storm. It lasted about 30 seconds. The aircraft was being tossed around, and then there was an extreme flash of white light. It lasted for a few seconds and when it went away the storm was gone, and the sun was up. It all happened in less than a minute."
KIMBERLY: "What about you Officer Kane, what did you see?"
NOAH: "I saw the same thing, a flash of light. When it went away, we were flying in a calm, sunlit sky."
Kimberly takes a moment to consider what she just heard.
KIMBERLY: "Okay, thank you."
Peyton quickly stands up.
PEYTON: "I want to call my parents."
KIMBERLY: "I'm sure you do, and we will be making arrangements for that when you're all settled."
ETHAN: "What does that mean?"
KIMBERLY: "You have to appreciate that we are dealing with a situation that has never occurred before. We're not sure how to proceed, but we do know that the next step is to get all the passengers and crew comfortably situated while we deliberate."
ETHAN: "And how long are you planning on keeping us?"
KIMBERLY: "Professor, the world you knew when you boarded flight 1-2-9 no longer exists. It's best that we take this one day at a time, plus the doctors want to keep all of you under observation for a few days."
BRUCE: "There could be some latent effects. We don't know what we're dealing with here, and we want to do a few noninvasive exams."
PEYTON: "What about our families? When do we get to see them?"
KIMBERLY: "The news of your… return is a story that's being broadcast worldwide. I'm sure your families are calling as we speak."
Kimberly starts handing out their identifications.
KIMBERLY / CONT'D: "Thank you."
Ethan, Peyton and Noah get up and exit the office. When the door is shut behind them, Kimberly turns her attention toward Sylvester.
KIMBERLY / CONT'D: "Where is the Airbus?"
SYLVESTER: "It's in a hangar. Boeing is sending some people to look it over. They'll be here tomorrow."
KIMBERLY: "I want a copy of their report and let me know in real time if they find anything of interest."
SYLVESTER: "Will do."
STEPHEN: "What about the rest of the passengers? They're going to find out on their own if we don't tell them first."
KIMBERLY: "Right. Let's take care of that now."
Kimberly, Sylvester, Stephen and Bruce exit the office.
INT. LANGLEY DORM ROOM—DAY
Ethan and Jared are ushered into the room with two beds by an unarmed airman.
AIRMAN: "If you need anything just dial nine zero on the phone."
ETHAN: "Okay."
The airman leaves and Ethan looks the room over.
JARED: "Why are we here, Daddy?"
ETHAN: "They want to watch us for a couple of days, Jared, to make sure we didn't get sick on the plane."
Just after Ethan finishes his explanation, he turns on the wall mounted flat screen TV and starts watching the newscast that is broadcasting.
ADAM TV: "The top news story today, and possibly ever, is the reported return of Airbus N537AA. We can now confirm that an aircraft claiming to be the ill-fated airliner WAS directed to Langley Air Force Base earlier today. That much we know for a fact. Communications between the aircraft and ATC personnel have been recorded and transcribed according to two air traffic controllers who say they participated in some of those communications. According to several air traffic controllers the first radar sighting of the aircraft occurred over southern Illinois minutes after the reported large explosion in the stratosphere above Perry County, Illinois, just before noon today. We began reporting on the explosion minutes after it happen. NASA scientists were quick to hypothesize that the explosion was likely an air burst impact of a small meteorite, but we're now learning that the national ATC system started tracking an aircraft in the vicinity of that explosion minutes after it occurred. For more on this story here is Richard Rossi outside of Langley Air Force Base."
The TV image switches to a view of a reporter standing outside the front gates of Langley Air Force Base.
RICHARD TV: "Adam, Langley Air Force Base has been on lock down since two o'clock. No visitors are allowed inside. However, multiple spectators outside of the Air Force Base who monitor the aircraft taking off and landing here have confirmed that a large commercial airliner landed at Langley shortly after three this afternoon. Because of the lock-down, we, the news media, have not been able to get any new information about that airliner or what's going on inside Langley Air Force Base. But we are getting a indications that something significant is going on beyond those gates. Adam."
The TV image switches to a view of the newscaster, Adam, in his studio.
ADAM TV: "Thank you, Richard. What is adding even more fuel to the rumor that the commercial aircraft that landed at Langley today is N537AA is the silence coming out of Washington. White House Correspondent, Audrey Taylor has more news on that."
The TV image switches to view of a reporter standing in front of the White House.
AUDREY TV: "That is right, Adam, the silence has been deafening here at the White House and in Washington in general. The afternoon schedules of the President and the Vice President were cleared without explanation. We're also hearing that there is a scramble going on inside the Pentagon. We first thought that the uptake in activity had something to do with the explosion in the stratosphere above southern Illinois, and then we started hearing rumors about an airliner being directed to Langley Air Force Base. No one is talking on the record, but there is a rumor here that an aircraft claiming to be N537AA did appear, seemingly, out from the center of that explosion over southern Illinois earlier today and that it did land at Langley Air Force Base. Adam."
The TV image switches to a view of the newscaster, Adam, in his studio.
ADAM TV: "Thank you for that report, Audrey. This is an unbelievable story and if true, then the question is, where has Airbus N537AA been for the past eleven years. We are going to stay on this story nonstop and we will report any new information as it comes in."
Ethan turns off the television.
JARED: "What's wrong, Daddy?"
Ethan gives Jared a reassuring embrace.
ETHAN: "Nothing is wrong, Jared. We're together and everything is going to be fine."
INT. LANGLEY RADIOLOGY LAB—DAY
A radiologist is looking confused about something on the MRI screen when a Dr. Lawrence enters the room. Dr. Jean Kumar is in a hospital gown in an adjacent room sitting on an MRI table. She is visible through the window between the two rooms.
RADIOLOGIST: "Doctor, look at this."
Dr. Lawrence moves in behind the radiologist and looks at his screen.
DR. LAWRENCE: "What is that?"
RADIOLOGIST: "It's distorted."
Dr. Lawrence looks closer with an even more confused expression.
DR. LAWRENCE: "Run it again."
RADIOLOGIST: "I've run it three times, and no matter what I do, the image always comes back distorted."
DR. LAWRENCE: "Then there must be something wrong with machine. Use the newer one down the hall."
RADIOLOGIST: "I just came from there. I'm getting the same distorted images from that machine."
Jean is watching them through the window.
JEAN: "Is there a problem?"
Dr. Lawrence goes to the doorway between the two rooms.
DR. LAWRENCE: "Ah, no, Dr. Kumar, everything is fine. You can get dressed now."
Dr. Lawrence goes back to the radiologist.
DR. LAWRENCE / CONT'D: "Do the other passengers, one scan each? And use both machines."
INT. LANGLEY DORM ROOM—NIGHT
Ethan tucks Jared in for the night.
JARED: "Daddy, when are we going home?"
ETHAN: "Soon, buddy. Soon. Go to sleep."
There is a soft knock on the door. Ethan opens it and Peyton is standing on the other side. She looks worried. After a pause she embraces Ethan.
PEYTON: (whispering) "I keep telling myself this can't be happening."
ETHAN: "Yeah, this is definitely an episode of the Twilight Zone."
PEYTON: "I tried calling Mom and Dad, but their phone numbers have been given to someone else and the same with Cassandra."
ETHAN: "Yeah, I tried too."
PEYTON: "Did you try Barbara?"
ETHAN: "Her landline and her cellphone number have been reassigned."
PEYTON: "What do we do now?"
ETHAN: "We trust that they're coming to us."
INT. LANGLEY DORMITORY CAFETERIA—MORNING
Peyton is in the receiving line. When the cafeteria worker hands over her breakfast plate, she puts it on her tray, walks through the seating area and sits at Ethan and Jared's table. The cafeteria is large and several dozen flight AA129 passengers are dinning there.
PEYTON: "Hi."
ETHAN: "Good morning."
JARED: "Hi, Peyton."
PEYTON: "Good morning, Jared. How are you this morning?"
JARED: "Okay."
ETHAN: (To Peyton) "How was your night?"
PEYTON: "I didn't get much sleep. Too many thoughts running through my head. How about you?"
ETHAN: "About the same. Plus, someone was mumbling as he tossed and turned for half the night. That may have cost me an hour or two of sleep."
Ethan glances at Jared who is busy eating his breakfast.
PEYTON: "Nightmares?"
ETHAN: (With a shrug) "I don't know." (Looking at Jared) "But if it was, it hasn't affected his appetite."
INTERCUT
INT. DORMITORY CAFETERIA—MORNING
Dr. Jean Kumar is sitting alone at a table when Noah Kane walks over with his tray in hand. The cafeteria is large and several dozen flight AA129 passengers are dinning there.
NOAH: "May I join you?"
JEAN: "Yes. Hi. Good morning."
Noah sits at the table.
NOAH: "Good morning to you, Dr. Kumar."
JEAN: (With a shrug) "Jean is fine. And you're an Air Marshal?"
NOAH: "Yes, Noah Kane, Noah is fine."
JEAN: "Wow, so how does someone go about becoming an air marshal?"
NOAH: "By accident, mostly."
JEAN: "Accident?"
NOAH: "I had the right credentials at the right age, I had multiple choices and I chose here."
JEAN: "It sounds like you weren't sure what you wanted to be."
NOAH: "I've been following my talents, I guess. You should do what you do well."
JEAN: "And you're good at being an air marshal?"
NOAH: "I'm good at close quarter combat and I have marksmanship badges with multiple weapons."
JEAN: "Oh!"
NOAH: "How about you? What made you become a doctor?"
JEAN: "Surgeon."
NOAH: "Surgeon! Wow!"
JEAN: "I started plotting out my life in my freshman year of high school."
NOAH: "How's that working out?"
JEAN: "I was on course and on schedule until now."
NOAH: "What was taking you to New York?"
JEAN: "A senior resident position at New York Presbyterian."
NOAH: "So, how is that going to work now?"
JEAN: "I don't know. I've missed eleven years of new procedures."
Noah notices Jean's worry and decides to change the subject.
NOAH: "So, what's with these tests that they're doing?"
JEAN: "They're standard, noninvasive tests, for the most part. The blood draw should be the worst of it. Mainly, they just want to monitor our physiology for a few days."
NOAH: "Have you heard anything? I mean, are we growing gills?"
JEAN: "No, we're fine as far as I can tell. I did see something odd, but it's probably nothing."
NOAH: "What did you see?"
JEAN: "They were having a problem with my MRI scan."
NOAH: "And that's not normal?"
JEAN: "It's not normal when the problem persists across multiple scans."
NOAH: "But they would have told you if you had a health issue. Wouldn't they?"
JEAN: "If it was specific to me, yes."
NOAH: "Well, it couldn't be something involving all of us. I went through the MRI scan without any problem."
JEAN: (pondering) "Yeah ... but I was the first."
NOAH: "What does that mean?"
JEAN: (dismissive) "I don't know."
NOAH: "Yes, you do."
JEAN: "What if the problem wasn't the machine?"
Noah pauses to consider the significance of Jeans last remark.
INT. LANGLEY DORMITORY CAFETERIA DREAM—DAY
This is a dream sequence. Ethan walks up to the large bay windows of the cafeteria and stares out in the direction of Langley's airport which cannot be seen there. Ethan has an amazed expression. Shortly, Peyton moves up to the window on Ethan's right with an equally amazed expression while staring out the window. Seconds later Jean moves up to his left with the same amazed expression. Noah moves up a second behind on Jean's left with a bewildered expression while staring out the window. Ethan looks to his left and the to his right at Jean, Noah and Peyton with a bewildered expression. Peyton and Jean return his look for a moment, and then go back to staring out the window. Before Ethan can go back to looking out the window, Jared walks up beside Ethan, takes his hand and looks up at his father with a confused expression.
JARED: (innocently) "What's wrong?"
Still in a daze, Ethan returns Jared's stare for a moment and then goes back to looking out the window. Seconds later there is an explosion in the distance that produces a large fireball. The explosion is too far away to be a threat to them, but the fireball is clearly visible, and it rises up from the location of the airport. The Ethan, Jared, Peyton, Jean and Noah do not react to the explosion.
INT. LANGLEY DORM ROOM—NIGHT
Ethan suddenly awakens from his sleep with a shocked expression.
INT. LANGLEY DORM ROOM—NIGHT
Jean is quietly sleeping in her bed.
INT. DORMITORY CAFETERIA DREAM—DAY
This is a dream sequence. Jean is in the cafeteria with a tray of food. She exchanges glances with Ethan who is not far ahead of her in the receiving line. When she exits the receiving line Ethan is waiting for her with Jared by his side.
ETHAN: "Hi, you're Dr. Kumar?"
JEAN: "Yes. Hi."
Their meeting is beyond amicable. Jean is almost blushing. They both are giving off awkward smiles and nervous looks.
ETHAN: "I'm Ethan McKay and this is my son, Jared."
JEAN: (To Jared) "Hi."
JARED: "Hi."
There is a brief awkward pause.
JEAN: "You're a professor?"
ETHAN: "Associate Professor, but I'm not sure that title applies to me anymore."
There is an awkward pause during which Jean thinks of something to say an instant before Ethan starts to move away.
JEAN: "What do you teach?"
ETHAN: "I did teach mathematics, statistics, and electrical engineering at MIT."
JEAN: "Wow, MIT, you must be very good at ... mathematics."
ETHAN: "What about you? Are you a medical doctor?"
JEAN: "I was a resident cardio-thoracic surgeon at the University of California San Francisco Medical Center. I was on my way to New York Presbyterian when this ..."
Jean completes her answer by gesturing at her surroundings. Her answer is followed with another awkward pause.
ETHAN: "Would you like to join us?"
JEAN: "Sure."
Jean follows Ethan and Jared to a table, and then the dream stops.
INT. LANGLEY DORM ROOM—NIGHT
Jean awakens in her bed. She momentarily considers the dream she just experienced and then closes her eyes.
EXT. LANGLEY AFB FRONT GATE—MORNING
Kimberly Beale's car passes a throng of reporters and then drives through the entrance that was just opened for her.
INT. DOCTOR HUMPHREY'S OFFICE—MORNING
Kimberly and Sylvester enter the office of Dr. Bruce Humphrey. Dr. Lawrence is seated in the office with Bruce. They both stand up when Kimberly and Sylvester walk into the office.
KIMBERLY: "What do you have to show me?"
Bruce pulls an MRI scan film out of one of two file folders on his desk and extends it toward Kimberly. She takes it in hand and briefly looks it over.
KIMBERLY / CONT'D: "What's this?"
BRUCE: "That's an MRI scan of a 1-29er."
Kimberly gives the film another quick glance.
KIMBERLY: "Okay. What's wrong with it?"
BRUCE: "The image is blurry."
KIMBERLY: "Isn't that normal for an MRI scan?"
BRUCE: "Not to this extent, no."
Kimberly glances at the film again.
KIMBERLY: "Has this happened more than once?"
Bruce opens the file on his desk and spreads out the additional 57 films inside.
BRUCE: "We've scanned 58 1-29ers so far and have gotten the same thing each time."
KIMBERLY: "And it's not the machine?"
Bruce pulls a film from the other file folder and extends it towards Kimberly.
BRUCE: "This is a scan of one of our orderlies."
Kimberly takes the film and visually compares it to the first film.
KIMBERLY: "Okay, so what is it?"
BRUCE: "We don't know."
KIMBERLY: "Could it be radiation."
BRUCE: "If it is, we haven't been able to detect it."
KIMBERLY: "Is this having an effect on their health?"
BRUCE: "Not so far."
KIMBERLY: "Will it?"
BRUCE: "We don't know. We need to do additional testing."
KIMBERLY: "For how long?"
BRUCE: "That depends on what we find. We can start doing a new batch of tests today."
KIMBERLY: "No, you can't. The passengers and crew of the 1-29 are getting visitors today."
SYLVESTER: "They're starting visitations?"
KIMBERLY: "Pressure is growing to see and hear from the 1-29ers."
SYLVESTER: "But we've only had them for two days."
KIMBERLY: "Thirty-seven of the passengers are foreign nationals. Their governments are pressing for their release. The President won't be able to justify holding the others when they go."
BRUCE: "Do the passengers know about the visitors?"
KIMBERLY: "I'm going to tell them after breakfast."
BRUCE: "How long do we have?"
KIMBERLY: "Two, maybe three days. We're making arrangements to hold on to a few of them for several weeks."
Kimberly examines the films again.
KIMBERLY / CONT'D: "Who knows about this?"
BRUCE: "Just us here and our radiology team."
KIMBERLY: "Keep this quiet for now."
BRUCE: "Okay."
KIMBERLY: (Holding up the film) "I want to know what's going here."
INT. DORMITORY CAFETERIA—DAY
Ethan and Jared are in the receiving line. Jean is a little way behind. Ethan notices her looking at him.
JARED: "Daddy, I want to go home."
ETHAN: "Yeah, me too, Jared, and we will soon. I promise."
Ethan is mystified by Jean's attention to him. When he comes out of the receiving line, Ethan waits for her.
ETHAN / CONT'D: (To Jared) "Hold on."
Jared is confused by the wait. Seconds later, Jean comes out of the receiving line.
ETHAN / CONT'D: "Hi, you're Dr. Kumar?"
JEAN: "Yes. And you're Professor McKay?"
ETHAN: "Yes, Ethan McKay and this is my son ..."
JEAN: "Jared?"
ETHAN: "Yes."
JEAN: "Are you an associate professor of mathematics, statistics, and electrical engineering at MIT?"
ETHAN: (surprised) "Yes, I am. How did you know?"
Jean is surprised that her dream had it right, and that causes her to be intrigued. Curiosity suddenly overrides any feeling of bashfulness in Jean.
JEAN: "I don't know."
Ethan is bewildered for a moment.
ETHAN: "Okay, what about you? Are you a medical doctor?"
JEAN: (direct) "I was a resident cardio-thoracic surgeon at the University of California San Francisco Medical Center."
Jean's scientific nature has her curious about her familiarity with this conversation. She recalls the dream about this meeting, but she is intrigued by the fact her dream had accurate details about Ethan.
JEAN / CONT'D: "Can we sit down?"
ETHAN: (baffled) "Yes."
Jean follows Ethan and Jared to a table. She is eager to converse about what is happening. Jared begins eating.
JEAN: "Have you been experiencing any unusual dreams?"
ETHAN: (confused) "Dreams?"
JEAN: "Yes, dreams."
ETHAN: "I suppose, but I don't know how unusual they are."
JEAN: "Well, I mean, did you have a dream about us meeting today?"
ETHAN: "I don't understand".
JEAN: "What's happening right now is like a weird deja vu experience for me."
ETHAN: "You're saying you dreamed about us meeting."
JEAN: "Yes!"
ETHAN: "And that's how you knew about MIT."
JEAN: "Yes."
Ethan considers what Jean is suggesting.
ETHAN: "I'm sure you just overheard someone speaking about me and incorporated that information into your dream."
JEAN: "Okay then, why were you looking at me?"
ETHAN: "Oh, well, that was because of ... something else."
JEAN: "Something else?"
ETHAN: "A dream."
JEAN: "So, you did dream about this meeting?"
ETHAN: "No, not about this."
JEAN: (suspicious) "But you did have a dream about me."
ETHAN: "No ... yes, but it was not just about you."
Jean is pondering Ethan's answer when Peyton walks up to the table with her tray.
PEYTON: (To Jean) "Hello."
Peyton sits down.
JEAN: "Hi."
JARED: "Hi, Peyton."
Peyton strokes Jared's head.
PEYTON: "Good morning, Jared." (To Jean) "And you're Dr. Kumar?"
JEAN: "Yes. And you're an FBI agent?"
PEYTON: "Analyst. I break down financial records of large corporations."
JEAN: "Oh."
PEYTON: "So, doctor, do you know what they're trying to learn with the tests and the monitoring?"
JEAN: "I don't think they know. It's all very benign. They're mostly just watching and waiting."
Noah walks up to the table just as Peyton speaks.
PEYTON: "So, when do you think they're going to let us out of here?"
NOAH: "Soon."
Everyone looks at Noah.
NOAH / CONT'D: "Hi."
PEYTON: "Hi."
NOAH: "May I join you?"
PEYTON: "Yes."
Noah sets his tray down in front of an open seat and the sits.
ETHAN: "How do you know it'll be soon?"
NOAH: "Fimmel ... the TSA Administrator ..."
ETHAN: "When did he tell you this?"
NOAH: "A few minutes ago. His exact words were 'the machinery is in motion.'"
PEYTON: "Why not announce that to all of us?"
NOAH: "He was giving me a heads up on an announcement that's coming."
ETHAN: "Today?"
NOAH: "That's what he said."
PEYTON: "What's the hold up?"
NOAH: "Where do we go?"
Peyton, Ethan and Jean have no quick answer for that.
JARED: "I want to go home."
Everyone defers to Ethan to respond to Jared's words.
ETHAN: "Yeah, Jared, me too."
NOAH: "That's why they're starting the visitations, so that we can start making arrangements. And they're setting up a 1-29er assistance program."
Ethan, Peyton and Jean are intrigued by this report.
PEYTON: "And you're sure about this?"
Suddenly the buildings intercom crackles on.
KIMBERLY: (Through intercom) "This is DHS Under Secretary Beale speaking, I will be making an announcement in the cafeteria at 10am for the passengers and crew of flight double A 1-29. Thank you."
Ethan, Peyton and Jean are made speechless by this news.
NOAH: (humorously) "Pretty sure."
ETHAN: (To Jean) "Did you see this in your dream?"
JEAN: "No, I didn't."
NOAH: "A dream?"
ETHAN: "Dreams was the topic of an earlier conversation."
JEAN: "Have any of you experienced any unusual dreams?"
PEYTON: "Unusual how?"
JEAN: "I don't know. Just something out of the ordinary."
PEYTON: "No, nothing that I recall."
NOAH: "Same here."
JEAN: (To Ethan) "What was your dream about?"
ETHAN: "Ah, it was about ... I don't know what it was about."
JEAN: "But I was in it?"
ETHAN: "Actually, you were all in it."
NOAH: "I was in your dream?"
ETHAN: "Yeah, I don't know why, but yeah. It was ... a dream."
JEAN: "But you're saying everyone at this table was in it?"
ETHAN: "Yes."
JEAN: "Doesn't that seem a little odd?"
ETHAN: "More of a weird coincidence."
Jean, Peyton and Noah pause to be confused.
JARED: "I had a dream."
JEAN: "You did?"
JARED: "Uh hm."
JEAN: "What did you dream about?"
JARED: "Daniel."
JEAN: "Who's Daniel?"
JARED: (With a shrug) "I don't know."
Everyone chuckles, and Jared continues to eat.
INT. LANGLEY DORM COMMON ROOM—DAY
It is shortly after 11 in the morning when Barbara, Kira, Joanna and Cassandra McKay-MacLachlan enter the common room of a dormitory building with more than two dozen other people. They all look a decade older, more or less. About a third of flight 129's passengers and crew are waiting in the common room. Ethan, Jared and Peyton are among them. There is confusion as the visitors and the 1-29ers seek out each other before coming together one after the other. The connections are emotional. It only takes a few seconds for Ethan and Peyton to spot Joanna, Barbara and Cassandra, but they say nothing as they watch them enter. A couple of seconds later, Jared sees Barbara and runs towards her.
JARED: "Mommy!"
BARBARA: (astonished) "Oh my God!"
Barbara hurries to Jared and sweeps him up into her arms.
BARBARA / CONT'D: "My baby! My baby!"
Joanna momentarily freezes in shock at the sight of Ethan and Peyton. She then moves toward them with tears in her eyes. Cassandra cautiously follows behind her.
JOANNA: "You're alive. I can't believe it. You're here, both of you."
ETHAN: "Hi, Mom."
PEYTON: "Hi, Mom."
Joanna briefly embraces Ethan and then Peyton and then back to Ethan.
CASSANDRA: "Hi."
Cassandra steps forward and briefly embraces Peyton.
CASSANDRA / CONT'D: "What happened to you?"
PEYTON: "That's the million-dollar question. (With a smile) How are you?"
CASSANDRA: (hesitantly) "I'm okay."
Peyton notices the ring on her finger.
PEYTON: "Oh, you're married?"
Joanna hears the question and looks to Cassandra. Ethan turns his attention toward Barbara who is still hugging and kissing Jared. Kira is standing further back and watching everything.
CASSANDRA: (reluctantly) "Ah, yeah. Yes, I am."
PEYTON: "Well, I can't say am surprised."
Ethan divides his attention between Joanna and the sight of Barbara and Jared hugging and talking.
PEYTON / CONT'D: "Okay, so tell me, how rich is he?"
JOANNA: "Wait. There's time for that later. Let me look at you."
Joanna takes her eldest daughter's hands and examines her.
JOANNA / CONT'D: "Oh my, you haven't changed since I last saw you. How is that possible?"
ETHAN: "I don't know, Mom. We're just as baffled as you are."
PEYTON: "I keep expecting to wake up and find out that this was a dream."
JOANNA: "No, I don't want it to be a dream if it means losing you, Ethan, and Jared."
Ethan steps over to Cassandra.
CASSANDRA: "Wow. It's really you."
ETHAN: "Hi."
CASSANDRA: "Hello, big brother."
Ethan and Cassandra share a brief hug. Ethan glances at Barbara and Jared. He is impatient to get to her. Peyton notices Joanna's aged and slightly frail appearance.
PEYTON: (Concerned) "How are you, Mom? And how is Dad?"
Ethan hears the question and turns to Joanna for the answer.
JOANNA: (regretfully) "Your father passed away a year after we thought we lost the three of you."
Ethan and Peyton are saddened by the news that their father has died and take a moment to absorb it. When Ethan looks out again, he notices the tall young girl standing a little way behind Barbara, quiet and alone.
ETHAN: (To Cassandra) "Is that Kira?"
CASSANDRA: "Yes."
Ethan starts walking toward Kira with a look of astonishment.
INTERCUT
ANGLE ON BARBARA AND JARED
Barbara is hugging and alternately kissing Jared's face and head while Kira nervously watches from several feet back. After several seconds, she pushes him back and begins looking at him. There are tears in her eyes.
BARBARA: (sobbing) "Let me see you."
JARED: "What's wrong, Mommy?"
BARBARA: "I'm just so happy to see you."
Barbara hugs him again.
BARBARA / CONT'D: "Where have you been?"
JARED: "With Daddy. There was a storm, and I was scared."
BARBARA: "Oh, baby, I'm sorry. But mommy has got you now."
Barbara hugs Jared for a short time longer and then a thought comes to mind, and she pushes him back.
BARBARA / CONT'D: "How do you feel? Do you feel okay?"
JARED: "Yeah."
BARBARA: "Have the doctors been looking after you?"
JARED: "Yeah, they put me in this machine, and it was making noise."
BARBARA: "They didn't hurt you, did they?"
JARED: "No. It was a little scary, but Daddy said it was looking inside me."
BARBARA: "Yeah, good, they were just making sure you're okay. You feel okay, right?"
JARED: "Yeah."
Barbara takes Jared into another hug. Shortly into the hug she sees Ethan moving on a line to pass her and toward Kira. She releases Jared to meet with him.
BARBARA: (hesitantly) "Hi, Ethan."
Ethan stops and turns to Barbara. His expression is a mixture of shock and disbelief. Jared hurries off to the call of his grandmother, Joanna.
ETHAN: "Hi."
Ethan pauses to note how Barbara has changed, and then he starts to step forward to embrace her. Barbara quickly takes a half step back and gestures for him to stop.
BARBARA: "No."
ETHAN: "What's wrong?"
BARBARA: "I thought you were dead. We all thought you were dead."
ETHAN: "Well, I'm not."
BARBARA: "Yeah, but you weren't here. They said you were dead. For eleven years Kira and I have been living with the belief that you and Jared were gone and never coming back."
Ethan glances over at Kira who is watching and listening with wide-eyed astonishment.
ETHAN: "What does that mean?"
Barbara hesitates to answer.
BARBARA: "I'm married. It's 8 years now."
Ethan momentarily stunned by the news.
ETHAN: (insistent) "You're my wife."
BARBARA: "It's not that simple."
ETHAN: "It is that simple. You're my wife."
BARBARA: "Ethan, I can't just ..."
ETHAN: "Yes, you can. Our marriage ..."
BARBARA: (interrupting) "We have a child. James and I have a son."
Ethan is astounded by this report and takes a step back. After a pause he turns his attention toward Kira with a sorrowful expression. He moves toward her until they are within arm's reach.
ETHAN: "Kira?"
KIRA: (nervously) "Hi."
ETHAN: "Look at you. You're so pretty."
Ethan takes a step forward and briefly hugs Kira. She makes no effort to resist or encourage the hug.
ETHAN / CONT'D: "So, you're thirteen now?"
KIRA: "Yeah."
ETHAN: "I guess you don't remember me."
Kira hesitates to respond and then shakes her head.
BARBARA: (interrupting) "Ethan? What's happening with Jared?"
ETHAN: "What do you mean?"
BARBARA: "I can't get anyone to tell me what's going on. Is Jared sick or injured?"
ETHAN: "What did the doctors say?"
BARBARA: (annoyed) "The doctors say they can't talk to me about Jared without you in the room."
INTERCUT
ANGLE ON JOANNA, PEYTON AND CASSANDRA
Joanna looks away from Peyton and sees Jared standing alone near Barbara and Ethan.
JOANNA: (excitedly) "Jared!"
Joanna holds out her arms and Jared hurries into them.
JARED: (cheerfully) "Grandma!"
While Joanna is hugging and greeting Jared, Peyton and Cassandra watch Ethan and Barbara.
PEYTON: "What's happening there?"
CASSANDRA: "Barbara remarried."
PEYTON: "Oh no."
CASSANDRA: "His name is James Langford. He's a family doctor with his own practice, he owns a racquetball club and he and Barbara have a son."
Peyton is mildly shocked by the last part of that report. Shortly, she turns her attention fully toward Cassandra.
PEYTON: "And what about you, what are the changes in your life?"
Cassandra takes a deep breath.
CASSANDRA: "I have two children, Laura and Anthony ... MacLachlan."
Peyton is shocked to hear the name MacLachlan.
CASSANDRA / CONT'D: "Their father is David."
Peyton stares at Cassandra with a look of disbelief.
INT. DR. BRUCE HUMPHREY'S OFFICE—DAY
Ethan and Barbara are sitting in front of the desk in the office. Dr. Bruce Humphrey is sitting behind the desk.
BARBARA: "Dr. Humphrey, what's wrong with my son?"
BRUCE: "Mrs. Langford, as far as we can tell, there is nothing wrong with Jared."
BARBARA: "So, why couldn't someone tell me this before?"
BRUCE: "We've been advised by our legal department to defer to the parent who was aboard flight 1-29 on all matters concerning a minor."
BARBARA: "And why is that? I'm his mother."
BRUCE: "Technically, your legal claim of guardianship was severed when Jared was declared dead in absentia."
BARBARA: (shocked) "What?"
Ethan sits quietly and listens.
BRUCE: "It's a legal matter, Mrs. Langford, and I'm sure it will be resolved by a judge."
BARBARA: (angry) "You're saying my son is not my son?"
BRUCE: "I'm saying we have to follow the law."
BARBARA: "So, what happens when Jared leaves here. Are you saying I can't take my son home?"
BRUCE: "As I understand it, Professor McKay has sole legal guardianship until a judge says otherwise."
BARBARA: (furious) "He's my son."
BRUCE: "This is out of my hands, Mrs. Langford."
Barbara turns and gives Ethan a fierce look.
BARBARA: "He's my son, Ethan."
INT. LANGLEY DORMITORY CAFETERIA—DAY
Cassandra is sitting with Jared and Kira who is getting to know her little older brother.
JARED: "Uh-um, you're not Kira."
KIRA: (affectionately) "Yes, I am. I'm your big little sister."
JARED: (pouting) "No, you're not. Kira's a baby."
CASSANDRA: "Yes, Jared, this is Kira. She grew up while you were on the plane."
INTERCUT
Peyton and Joanna are sitting at a separate table that allows them to have a private conversation.
PEYTON: "So, you're living in New York now?"
JOANNA: "I wanted to be near my grandchildren."
PEYTON: "Laura and Anthony?"
JOANNA: "Yes."
PEYTON: "How is it that David and Cassandra are married, Mom? How did that come about?"
JOANNA: "It just happened, dear."
PEYTON: "Mom, that doesn't just happen. They weren't even living in the same state. Did Cassandra move to New York after college?"
JOANNA: (With a sigh) "She dropped out of Vassar."
PEYTON: "What? Why?"
JOANNA: "It all happened suddenly."
Peyton ponders for a moment.
PEYTON: "Cassandra dropped out of college to marry David, didn't she?"
JOANNA: "It didn't matter at the time. You and Ethan and Jared were gone. We were grieving."
PEYTON: "Was Cassandra grieving?"
Joanna hesitates to respond.
JOANNA: "You know your sister. She goes after what she wants."
Peyton thinks about Joanna's response for a moment.
PEYTON: "How old are Anthony and Laura?"
JOANNA: (reluctantly) "... seven and ten ..."
INT. DR. REBECCA CLARK'S WAITING ROOM—AFTERNOON
Jean is waiting for Dr. Rebecca Clark, a psychiatrist. A receptionist is sitting behind a desk. Rebecca hurries into the waiting room.
REBECCA: "Dr. Kumar, I'm sorry for keeping you waiting. Come in."
Rebecca usher's Jean into her office.
INT. DR. REBECCA CLARK'S OFFICE—AFTERNOON
This is Jean and Rebecca's first meeting as patient and doctor.
REBECCA: "Please, have a seat."
Jean takes a seat in front of the desk as Dr. Clark begins searching for something that she misplaced. She cannot find it in her hospital coat pockets or purse. She is just starting to search through her desk when Jean speaks up.
JEAN: "You left them in the radiology lab."
Rebecca gives Jean a dismayed look.
REBECCA: "Left what?"
JEAN: "Your keys."
Rebecca is at first confused by that statement. It does not make sense to her that Jean knows she just came from the Radiology lab let alone that she was looking for her keys. After a moment of thought, Rebecca picks up the telephone on her desk and dials out.
REBECCA: (Into telephone) "This is Dr. Clark. Did I leave my keys in the lab?"
There is a brief pause.
REBECCA / CONT'D: "Could you have someone bring those to my office? Thanks."
Rebecca looks at Jean with an amazed expression.
REBECCA / CONT'D: "How did you know I was looking for my keys?"
JEAN: "That's what people usually misplace."
REBECCA: "So, you were guessing?"
JEAN: (unsure) "It didn't feel like a guess."
REBECCA: "Then how did you know I came from radiology?"
JEAN: (confused) "Maybe I was guessing."
Rebecca gives Jean a suspicious look.
INT. LANGLEY CONFERENCE ROOM—AFTERNOON
Kimberly Beale, Sylvester Fimmel and Langley Medical Group Commander, Colonel Bruce Humphrey meet with the Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security, Mark Seeley.
MARK: "What's the story on the fuzzy medical scans?"
BRUCE: "It could be a new kind of radiation, that's the working theory of the moment."
MARK: "But you're saying it's not doing any physical harm?"
BRUCE: "Not so far."
KIMBERLY: "We can see the effect it's having on MRI's, but we haven't been able to detect it with instruments, and it's not transferring to people or objects."
SYLVESTER: "But it does exist in their clothes, their luggage and in the Airbus."
Mark considers that thought for a moment.
MARK: "And you're seeing no signs of illness or harm in the passengers?"
BRUCE: "None. But there's something going on there that we don't understand yet. We need more time to study them."
MARK: "There is no more time. Starting tomorrow the 1-29ers are free to go if they choose."
BRUCE: "We're just letting them go?"
MARK: "Yes. The families, lawyers, the news media and seven separate foreign governments are demanding to know what's going on here."
SYLVESTER: "What about the MRI's?"
MARK: "It's going to get out. We can't stop that, so we play it down. We describe it as a benign after effect of the time jump. We play it down."
BRUCE: "Deputy Secretary, what's happening inside these people could be scientifically significant. We need to keep an eye on them."
MARK: "We'll be giving the 1-29ers smartphones with GPS and biometric systems installed. The smartphones will be programmed to sound an alarm at 9am, 3pm and 9pm alerting the 1-29er to self-identify into the biometric program. DHS will collect and track the data."
BRUCE: "They still need to be examined by doctors regularly."
MARK: "Homeland will take over testing and monitoring when they leave here."
SYLVESTER: "And the Airbus?"
MARK: "What about it?"
SYLVESTER: "The Air Force wants to fly it to Nellis, take it apart and put it under a microscope."
MARK: "How does it look?"
SYLVESTER: "Boeing says it checks out."
MARK: "Let them have it." (To Kimberly) "Secretary Beale, you're in-charge here until the last 1-29er leaves."
KIMBERLY: "Understood."
EXT. LANGLEY AFB FRONT GATE—MORNING
The news media is outside the front gate video recording the cars that intermittently drive out and away from the base.
INT. KIMBERLY'S OFFICE—MORNING
Barbara and Ethan are sitting in front of the desk in the office. Kimberly Beale is sitting in the chair behind the desk.
BARBARA: (arguing) "You have no right to keep me from my son."
KIMBERLY: (calmly) "Unfortunately, that's exactly what we do have."
BARBARA: (demanding) "Jared should be with his mother, and that's me."
KIMBERLY: "And Professor McKay is his father, and at the moment his rights supersede yours."
Barbara turns toward Ethan with an angry stare.
BARBARA: (demanding) "I want my son."
ETHAN: "He's my son too."
BARBARA: "You want to keep him here in these ... barracks?"
KIMBERLY: "Professor McKay has requested housing assistance, so DHS will be arranging temporary accommodations for him and Jared off base."
Barbara stands up and takes an angry stance.
BARBARA: (To Ethan) "I won't let you take my son from me. This isn't over, Ethan."
Barbara storms out of the office.
EXT. LANGLEY DORMITORY BUILDING—DAY
While Joanna is enjoying the company of Jared and Kira, Peyton intercepts Cassandra who is strolling about the park area.
PEYTON: "Did you mourn for me at all, Cassandra, or were you just glad I was out of the way?"
CASSANDRA: "You were dead, and I was alive. I'm not going to apologize for what I did."
PEYTON: "I did the math, Cassandra. You were pregnant seven months after my memorial. Did you jump into bed with David immediately after my wake, or did you wait a couple of days out of respect?"
CASSANDRA: "Here's an update ... LITTLE SISTER, it takes two to get pregnant. Maybe it was David who was glad you were out of the way."
PEYTON: "David proposed to me."
CASSANDRA: "Of course, he did. He was stuck with you, but he wanted me."
PEYTON: (testily) "Stuck? He didn't want you. He wanted the act, the nymph with the sexual innuendos."
CASSANDRA: (insistent) "He wanted me. I knew it from the first moment I saw him. But my big sister was in the way, so I kept my distance. And yes, I was sad when you died, but I wasn't dead, and I wasn't putting my life on hold just because you were. David is mine now."
Cassandra walks away.
INT. LANGLEY CONFERENCE ROOM—DAY
It is Friday afternoon. Under Secretary Kimberly Beale of the DHS Science and Technology Division, TSA Assistant Administrator Sylvester McFarland and Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security Mark Seeley are engaged in a discussion.
MARK: "For the 1-29ers leaving today, we're covering their medical expenses in exchange for access to all their medical records for the next 5 years. Foreign nationals are excluded from the program."
KIMBERLY: "And they all agreed to that?"
MARK: "It's a condition of early release from quarantine. If they stay for 6 weeks, we will extend coverage for an additional 5 years."
KIMBERLY: "And nobody took that?"
MARK: "No. But we are holding on to 9 through their employers, it's a condition of reinstatement."
SYLVESTER: "What's to stop them from dropping out of the program after they leave?"
MARK: "If they don't comply with the terms of release from quarantine, they're looking at a back charge for all their medical expenses."
SYLVESTER: "That should hold them."
MARK: "We're also setting up a department to coordinate security for them."
KIMBERLY: "Is that necessary?"
MARK: "There's a Pastor in Iowa preaching that the double A 1-2-9 passengers are demons from hell in disguise."
KIMBERLY: "Is that a serious threat?"
MARK: "The Pastor's congregation is small, but he has a large internet following. We're keeping an eye on it."
EXT. LANGLEY DORMITORY BUILDING—EVENING
Barbara is speaking with Jared. They are next to the lot where her car is parked. Ethan and Peyton converse with Joanna as they move slowly in that direction. Kira and Cassandra are waiting off to the side near Barbara and Jared.
ANGLE ON BARBARA AND JARED
JARED: (whining) "Can we go home now?"
BARBARA: "Not just yet, baby. Mommy is working on it. You have stay here for a little while longer, and then you're coming home with me."
JARED: "Promise."
BARBARA: "Yeah, baby, I promise. I have a new house, and you're going to have a whole new room."
JARED: "Why?"
BARBARA: "Because things have changed. You like new things, don't you?"
JARED: "Yeah."
BARBARA: "Well, now everything is new, and you're going to love it."
JARED: "Okay."
BARBARA: "Remember, mommy loves you."
JARED: "I will."
Barbara takes Jared into her arms and hugs him.
BARBARA: "I'm coming back for you. I will never leave you. I promise."
INTERCUT
ANGLE ON ETHAN, JOANNA AND PEYTON
JOANNA: "She thought you were dead, Ethan. She was a single mother raising Kira when she met James."
ETHAN: "So, you like this guy."
JOANNA: "He's a good man, and you can't blame her for moving on with her life."
ETHAN: "I'm not blaming her for what happened, Mom. But this is my life that's being ripped apart, and it feels like the woman who was in love with me a few days ago is doing the ripping."
JOANNA: "But it wasn't a few days for her. You can't ask her to throw away the life she made for herself."
ETHAN: "But it's okay for her to tear me out of my family and toss me aside?"
JOANNA: "That's not what she's doing, Ethan. Jared is Barbara's son."
ETHAN: (somberly) "He's my son too, Mom."
JOANNA: "I know but try to look at it from her point of view. She has a husband of eight years and a seven-year-old son with him. Daniel is a big part of her life."
Ethan and Peyton are surprised to hear that Barbara and James's son is named Daniel, and they both stop and look at Joanna with mildly shocked expressions.
PEYTON—ETHAN: (simultaneously) "Daniel?"
JOANNA: "Yes. That's the name of Barbara and James's little boy. Why?"
Ethan and Peyton look at each other suspiciously.
JOANNA / CONT'D: "What's wrong?"
PEYTON: "Nothing ... Nothing at all."
Ethan and Peyton shake off their surprise and look at Joanna.
JOANNA: "Okay, I've said all I'm going to say about it for now. But please think about what I said."
ETHAN: "That's all I do is think about it."
Joanna embraces Ethan.
JOANNA: "I love you, Son."
ETHAN: "I love you, Mom."
After an extended hug, Joanna releases Ethan and reaches over and embraces Peyton.
JOANNA: "I love you."
PEYTON: "I love you, Mom."
Joanna releases Peyton and starts off for the car. Ethan walks over to where Kira and Cassandra are standing. It is an awkward moment between father and daughter. Neither knows how to act around the other. They stand at a distance.
ETHAN: "Bye, Kira."
KIRA: (With a nervous nod) "Bye."
Cassandra waits for Ethan and Kira to complete their goodbyes, and then she hurries over to her brother.
CASSANDRA: (hugging) "Good-bye, little brother."
ETHAN: "So, I'm the little brother now?"
Cassandra moves back from the hug.
CASSANDRA: "Well, technically I have you beat by three years now."
Cassandra looks toward Peyton.
CASSANDRA / CONT'D: "Good-bye, Peyton."
PEYTON: "Bye."
KIRA: (To Peyton) "Bye."
PEYTON: "Good-bye, Kira."
Ethan, Peyton and Jared watch and wave as their family members walk out into the parking lot. After a few seconds, Peyton turns her attention toward Ethan.
PEYTON / CONT'D: "Are you sure you're doing the right thing?"
ETHAN: "Right now, I'm not sure of anything."
Ethan takes Jared by the hand, turns and starts off for the dormitory building.
ETHAN / CONT'D: "Come on, let's go eat dinner. Peyton walks alongside Jared."
EXT. LANGLEY AFB TARMAC—EVENING
The Boeing Airbus rolls out onto the tarmac and stops. Sylvester and the lead Boeing mechanical engineer are standing far off to the side.
SYLVESTER: "What's the hold up?"
LEAD ENGINEER: "The tanks are nearly empty. We kept them that way during the testing as a precaution."
Seconds later a fuel truck rolls up beside the Airbus. Sylvester watches the refueling. He then watches as the fuel truck drives away and the engines of the Airbus start to roar. For the first few seconds everything appears to be happening as they should, and then the engines begin coughing out smoke and spitting out flames. Seconds later the engines explode. Their detonations ignite the fuel tanks, and then the whole plane blows apart. Sylvester is knocked to the ground by the percussion of the blast.
INTERCUT
INT. DORMITORY CAFETERIA—EVENING
Ethan, Jared and Peyton collect their food and take seats at the table where Jean and Noah are sitting. The cafeteria is nearly empty of patrons.
ETHAN: "Don't you two have any place to be?"
JEAN: "I lost my residency position. Presbyterian Medical wants me to do the full six weeks here before they will even consider putting me on staff."
Ethan gives Jean's answer a thought before looking to Noah.
ETHAN: "How about you?"
NOAH: "I am gainfully employed again, but the TSA wants an okay from the doctors here before making me active."
PEYTON: "The same here. The FBI wants me to stick it out for the six weeks."
NOAH: "What about you, Professor? Shouldn't you and Jared be sleeping on somebody's couch."
ETHAN: "MIT wants a green light from the doctors here before reinstating me."
NOAH: "Well, that sounds suspicious. Do you think someone doesn't want us to leave?"
ETHAN: "I think if DHS had its way none of us would have left."
Everyone gives Ethan looks of agreement. Jared is busy eating his meal. Shortly after the looks of agreement, Ethan begins experiencing a heightened sense of deja-vu. The sensation is far stronger than anything he had ever felt before. He knows something is about to happen, and he knows where he must go to see it. He gets up from his chair and sets off toward the window. The deja-vu is telling him something is about to happen.
PEYTON: "Ethan, what's wrong?"
Ethan ignores the question and continues to move toward the bay windows of the cafeteria.
NOAH: "Is he okay?"
PEYTON: (confused) "I don't know."
Peyton gets up from the table and walks up behind Ethan.
PEYTON / CONT'D: "Ethan, what's the matter?"
Peyton notices that all of Ethan's attention is focused on the window. When she turns to look out the window, a strong sense of deja-vu comes over her. She is immediately captivated by the feeling that something is about to happen, and she starts her own trek to the cafeteria bay windows. Jean and Noah are alarmed by what they are seeing and get up from their seats. When they turn their attentions toward the bay windows, they too become overwhelmed by a powerful sensation of deja-vu. They too start moving toward the window. Seconds later the other 1-29ers in the cafeteria start for the windows. Cafeteria workers are intrigued by the dazed expressions on the faces of the 1-29ers. Jared is oblivious to what is happening until he sees that he is alone, and then he gets up and follows his father. Ethan walks up to the large bay windows of the cafeteria and stares out in the direction of Langley's airport tarmac which cannot be seen from there. He has an amazed expression. Shortly, Peyton moves up to the window on Ethan's right with an equally amazed expression while staring out the window. Seconds later, Jean moves up to his left with the same amazed expression. Noah moves up a second behind on Jean's left with a bewildered expression while staring out the window. Ethan glances to his right and then left at his sister and friends standing next to him with same bewildered expression. Peyton and Jean return his look for a moment, and then they go back to staring out the window. After a few seconds, Jared walks up beside Ethan, takes his hand and looks up at his father with a confused expression.
JARED: "What's wrong, Daddy?"
Still in a daze, Ethan returns Jared's look for a moment and then goes back to staring out the window. Seconds later the Airbus explodes in the distance and produces a large fireball. The explosion is too far away to be a threat to them, but the fireball is clearly visible. The 1-29ers do not react to the explosion. Everyone else in the cafeteria are shocked to see and hear it.
FADE OUT.
