Macabre Gambit

RENDEVOUS

[BEKZ IS FLYING DOWN THE HIGHWAY, HER KNUCKLES TIGHT ON THE WHEEL, FULL FACE RESPIRATOR NOW COVERING HER FACE]

[BEKZ] Tucson. Airforce base. David-Monthan Airforce Base. Where is that?

[LOOKING AT HER MAP WHILE DRIVING ON THE DESERTED INTERSTATE, FINDS THE LOCATION OF THE BASE, DRAWS A WOBBLY RED CIRCLE ON THE MAP] But that's gotta be 3 hrs away.

[SCREECHING CUTS INTO THE PANELS] AAARRRREEEEEEEEEEE!!

[BEKZ] Argh!

[TRUCK SKIRTS TO A HALT RIGHT OFF THE INTERCHANGE RAMP FROM I-17 TO I-10 OVERLOOKING THE PHEONIX SKYLINE]

[A GROUP OF 5 FERALS IS CROSSING THE ROAD, ONE OF THEM IS CLIMBING ON THE HOOD OF HER TRUCK NOW BLOODIED FROM THE IMPACT. THE OTHERS TURN AT THE SOUND OF THEIR BUDDY GROWLING AT BEKZ]

[BEKZ STARES AT THEM WIDE EYED BEHIND THE STEERING WHEEL]

[THE SAT PHONE GOES OFF]

[BEKZ WITH GRITTED TEETH] Danny...

[DANIEL] What? Catch you at a bad time?

[BEKZ HOLDS THE PHONE BETWEEN HER EAR AND SHOULDER AND PUTS THE TRUCK INTO GEAR AND RAMS THE ONE ON HER HOOD AND TWO OTHERS INTO ANOTHER CAR IN FRONT OF HER] No. Not at all. Just playing bumper cars with a few friends.

[DANIEL] Friendly fellas?

[REACHES FOR THE PISTOL ODER THE DRIVERS COLLUM, BEKZ ROLLS DOWN HER WINDOW , AND PUTS A ROUND IN THE FERAL'S DOME] Qué deseas, Daniel?

[DANIEL] Harsh. Figured you'd like some directional instructions seeing as how you're totally against GPS devices and panicking people and zeeks made sure to block up every major interstate. My boy Frogman has got eyes in the sky via UAV.

[BEKZ SHOOTS THE 5TH FERAL COMING AT HER, THEN LOOKS UP AT THE SKY STICKING HER BODY HALFWAY OUT THE WINDOW]

[DANIEL] Say, "Hi."

[BEKZ THROWS UP A ROCKFIST]

[SHE PUTS THE PISTOL BACK IN ITS HOLSTER, PLUGS IN AN EARPIECE TO THE SAT PHONE, AND THROWS THE TRUCK INTO GEAR] Alright, go!

[THE TRUCK TIRE RUNS OVER THE FERAL'S HEAD, ITS BODY HAVING BEEN CUT IN HALF FROM THE PRIEVIOUS RAMMING, ITS ARM REACHING OUT WITH AN OPEN MAW STILL TRYING TO INFECT BEKZ]

[SHE PUTS THE TRUCK INTO GEAR]

[DANIEL] Follow I-17 S and US-60 E on Superstition Fwy to AZ-79 S in Pinal County.

[BEKZ] Roger.

[A FEW PANELS OF BEKZ DRIVING ON THE ROAD, THE ROAD BEING THE OPPOSITE ONE INTO THE CITY AS EVERYONE WAS TRYING TO LEAVE ON THE OTHER SIDE]

[DANIEL] You're quiet today.

[BEKZ] Just thinking.

[DANIEL] Oh, no that's never good.

[BEKZ] Har. Har. I prepared my whole life for something like this.

[PAUSE]

[DANIEL] And?

[BEKZ] I guess I just was never prepared to see the people I knew turned into human lunchables. Danny... I was just joking with them moments before the client I was supposed to tattoo yesterday starts biting Celina.

[DANIEL] You can't do this to yourself, Bekz.

[BEKZ] Her son. He was in a little dinosaur costume. He bled out before the virus could take effect.

[SIGNS OVER THE INTERSTATE SHOW THE ROUTES AHEAD INCLUDDING EXIT 212]

[DANIEL] Take exit 212. You can't blame yourself.

[BEKZ DRIFTS ONTO THE EXIT] No but Mike, Noah, Celina, Andrew....They're all gone.

[DANIEL] Bekz, you don't even like people on a good day.

[BEKZ] But they were my coworkers.

[DANIEL] When was the last time you went out with them?

[BEKZ] Never.

[DANIEL] Exactly. So stop beating yourself up for something that was out of your control and focus on what is in your control. Driving over here so you can kick these boots into line!

[SOMEONE IN THE BACKGROUND OF DANIEL'S AUDIO] HEY!

[BEKZ LAUGHS] Frogman, is that you? You keeping Danny in line?

[MARINE WITH BRANT NAME TAB LEANS IN SO DANIEL'S PHONE CAN PICK UP HIS VOICE] No one can do that better than you Ms. Alvarez!

[BEKZ] You got that right.

[DANIEL SMILING] Take I-10 E in Picacho from AZ-87 S.

[BEKZ] You telling me what to do now, compa?

[DANIEL] You're welcome to take the next blocked exit into crazy town.

[THE EXIT TO THE RIGHT IS BLOCKED BY A COUPLE ROAD BLOCKS AND BIOHAZARD TAPE THE CITY BELOW IS DESTROYED AND ON FIRE]

[BEKZ] I'll take my chances with the attractive GPS voice in my ear.

[DANIEL] Attractive?

[BEKZ] Believe me, those annoying British or Redneck British voices that all the girls swoon over is like listening to the automated voice playback in the review options of a Word doc.

[DANIEL] You mean Australian. And that is very specific. Gosh, you're such a nerd.

[BEKZ] Is that a compliment, Captain America?

[DANIEL] Uh, it's Corporal and hate to be the one to break it to you but Cap has nothing on a Marine with his trusty KA-BAR.

[BEKZ] Riiight. Cap was Army. Well, then Bob Lee Swagger where next?

[DANIEL] Follow I-10 E to E Valencia Rd in Drexel-Alvernon and then take exit 267.

[BEKZ] Thank you.

[DANIEL] It's no problem.

[BEKZ] No. I really mean it. If you hadn't called I might have driven into a ditch or something. You're the last family I got left. Without someone to fight for I'd have no reason to try and survive.

[DANIEL] I know you wouldn't give up that easy.

[BEKZ] No seriously.

[DANIEL] Well, lucky you I'm still alive to bother your sorry cuss.

[BEKZ SMIRKS] Jerk.

[DANIEL] Punk.

[BEKZ DRIVES IN SILENCE FOR A FEW PANELS]

[DANIEL] Okay well continue E on Valencia Rd to your destination. I don't want you to use up all your SAT battery in case you run into any trouble on the last stretch. You can recharge and refuel when you get here.

[BEKZ] Roger. Keep your head down, mi cadino.

[DANIEL] Only if you keep your rifle loaded, ma lionne. Diggy, over and out.