Macabre Gambit

SAT COM

[BEKZ DUMPS VINEGAR AROUND AND OVER THE PARTS OF THE TRUCK SHE TOUCHED, HAVING FOUND A GOOD SPOT TO STOP FOR THE NIGHT, HER TRUCK IS PARKED UNDER THE AWNING OF A FENERAL CORRECTION INSITUTION BUILDING OFF I-17]

[SHE PULLS OUT THE SAT PHONE, THE SCREEN HAS THE NAME "DANNY" AND A SEARCHING SIGNAL, SHE STUFFS IT INTO HER LEATHER JACKET POCKET]

[SHE HUDDLES UNDER THE PASSENGER GLOVE COMPARTMENT USING THE REDLIGHT ON HER FLASHLIGHT TO CIRCLE "Mile 238 on I-17" ON HER ROAD MAP, SHE FOLDS IT BACK UP AND SLIDES IT INTO THE CUFF ON HER LEFT WRIST, (33.99527, -112.1381) ]

[BEKZ WHISPERS] I'm coming, Danny.

[THE GREEN GLOWING LEDs ON BEKZ'S WATCH READS: 2105, A BLACK SQUARE INDICATES A PASSAGE OF TIME, THE GREEN GLOWING LEDs ON BEKZ WATCH READS: 0315]

[CLOSE UP SHOT OF HER HUGGING HER RIFLE, THE NOISES OUT SIDE ARE LOUD]

[A FERAL'S UNEVEN SHUFFLING PASSES BY THE PASSENGER DOOR, SHE STARES INTO THE DARKNESS BREATHING SLOWLY AND DOING HER BEST NOT TO FREAK OUT NOW THAT SHE'S HAD TIME TO SIT AND THINK]

[THE SCREAMS AND WHALES OF THE NIGHT CONTINUE]

[A WIDE ANGLE SHOT SHOWS HER TRUCK UNDER THE AWNING AND TWO DEER COME OUT OF THE WOODS BEHIND HER, THEY APPEAR NORMAL UNTIL THEY LOOK AT THE READER, THEIR EYES GLOWING AND THEIR MOUTHS DROOLING]

[A BLACK SQUARE CUTS THE SCENE]

[WHEN DAY BREAKS OVER THE HORIZON BEKZ IS WOKEN WITH THE LIGHT SHINING IN HER FACE]

[BECKZ] Ughhh...

[THEN IT DAWNS ON HER EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENED, HER FACE WORRIED AND SHE LISTENS, THE GROWLING AND SCREAMING FROM THE NIGHT IS SILENT, A CROW CAWS IN THE DISTANCE]

[SHE POPS THE PASSENGER DOOR AND CAREFULLY GETS OUT, HER RIFLE SLIGHTLY RAISED BUT THERE'S NOTHING, SHE GOES TO THE REST STOP BATHROOMS AND SEARCHES THE STALLS, THE OVER HEAD LIGHTS FLASHING A BIT, EMPTY, THE STALL CLOSES AND SHE COMES BACK OUT TO SQUAT BY THE CURBSIDE AND BRUSH HER TEETH, SHE POPS OPEN HER PORTABLE ONE BURNER STOVE AND PUTS A PERCULATOR OF WATER ON IT AND SCOOPS IN SOME COFFEE GROUNDS FROM A TIN CAN]

[SHE REVIEWS HER MAP WHILE SHE WAITS FOR THE WATER TO BOIL AND THE COFFEE TO STEEP, SHE CHECKS THE BATTERY ON HER SAT PHONE AND IT'S AT 97% HER MOBILE PHONE IS AT 51%, THE LOCKSCREEN OF HER AND DANIEL LOOKING VERY SERIOUS AT THE CAMERA, THE LAST MESSAGE FROM DANIEL IS:

"See you in 9 months."

[SHE SLIDES THE PHONE POWER OFF BEFORE POURING THE COFFEE IN HER SKULL MUG AND TAKES A SIP]

[AFTER PACKING EVERYTHING SHE GETS BACK INTO THE DRIVERS SEAT AND CONTINUES EN ROUTE]

[JUST OFF THE SHOULDER IS A DEAD DEER AND BLOOD STREAKING INTO THE BUSHESES]

[SHE DRIVES OVER AN EMPTY HIGHWAY AND HEADS OFF AN ONRAMP ONTO A DIRT ROAD LISTED "N El Paso Gas Pipeline Rd," HER TRUCK COMES TO A STOP KICKING UP ROCKS IN FRONT OF A FENCED BUILDING AND A TALL RAIDO TOWER]

[WIDE TALL SHOT OF THE LOOMING RADIO TOWER AND BEKZ LOOKS AT THE LADDER REACHING UP TO THE TOP] That's one mando freakin' tower...

[TWO PANELS SHOW HER CLIMBING TO THE TOP]

[SHE TAKES A BREATH AND GAZES OUT ACROSS THE DESERT LANDSCAPE WITH SAGUARO CACTI AND IMPORTED PALM TREES, THE DISTANT MOUNTAINS HAVE SNOW ON THEM]

[BEKZ PULLS OUT HER SAT PHONE AGAIN AND INSTEAD OF THE SEARCHING SIGNAL SHE IS ABLE TO MAKE A CALL TO THE OTHER PHONE]

[IT RINGS AND RINGS AND RINGS]

[SHE'S ABOUT TO HANG UP WHEN...]

[DANIEL] BEKZ?!

[BEKZ] Danny!

[DANIEL] Holy cuss, Bekz?! I've been trying to--

[BEKZ] --I've been trying too!

[BOTH OF THEIR VOICES OVER THE PHONE JUMBLE TOGETHER AS THEY TALK OVER EACH OTHER EXCITED BUT ALSO WORRIED]

[DANIEL] It's good to hear your voice, Bekz.

[BEKZ] Where are you now? When are you coming back?

[DANIEL DOESN'T ANSWER]

[BEKZ] Danny. Are you states side already?

[DANIEL] Yes.

[BEKZ] How long?!

[DANIEL] Listen, Bekz.

[BEKZ GRUNTS BUT LISTENS]

[DANIEL] I couldn't contact you-- no one. They pulled us out of East India the moment the President went missing and the VP died after infecting his wife and two kids. I wanted to tell you I was home, believe me Bekz, I did. But--

[BEKZ] --But it was against protocol...You were stuck trying to control a mob killing each other to leave the city... I've seen the interstates.

[DANIEL SIGHS] ....Yes.

[BEKZ] Are you able to tell me where you're at now?

[DANIEL] Affirmative. The chain of command collapsed when communications were lost. C Company, or what's left of us, are hold up here at David-Monthan Airforce Base.

[BEKZ] Tuscon?

[DANIEL] Yeah.

[BEKZ] RV there then?

[DANIEL] Are you mobile?

[BEKZ] Fueled and ready to rock. Just say the word, Corporal.

[DANIEL CHUCKLES] Rank doesn't even matter now.

[BEKZ] Well, nevermind what doesn't matter. What matters is we are both alive and un-- Wait are you uninfected?

[DANIEL] Yes. We've been careful. No bites. No exposure. You got yourself a respirator?

[BEKZ] Yeah. Why? How close were you?

[DANIEL] Face to face. These things like to bite, primarily. But there are unconfirmed cases of people being infected through aerosolized particles from coughs, screams, and even vomit. Get within 200 feet of one of those things and a puff of pollen tickles their nose you can count yourself dead already.

[BEKZ] 10-4.

[DANIEL] I'll let my boys know not to shoot a heavily armored Toyota when it drifts onto the runway.

[BEKZ LAUGHS]

[DANIEL] You good on that end?

[BEKZ] Yeah. You?

[DANIEL] Mhm. I'll be a lot gooder when we're both under the same roof.

[BEKZ] I hear yuh on that one.

[DANIEL] Stay safe. Diggy, over and out.

[THE PHONE DISCONECTS WITH A CLICK AND BEKZ SIGHS, MUMBLING] Laters.