INT. DESERT HOME – KITCHEN – DAY
Mark, Matt, and Cathy are having another dinner. Considerably tenser vibe than last time.
MARK: Alright, gimme a status report.
Cathy and Matt exchange quick looks. Cathy goes first.
CATHY: Uh... I've found this guy. Works in student IT support. He managed to avert all the firewall settings, got my phone on the campus grid.
MARK: Impressive. So he's got potential.
CATHY: Thank you. I thought maybe I should get a virus onto one of Mom's old computers, see if he manages.
MARK: Clever. And if he does, tell him to come here and fix my desktop. I'll fix something.
CATHY: Yes, sir. Thank you.
Cathy returns her focus to the food on her plate.
Eating heartily, Mark turns his attention to Matt.
MATT: Uh, I've found this co-ed cheerleading team.
Cathy stops picking at her food. Looks at her brother with a tight smile. Of course he's going for a cheerleader...
MARK: Cheerleading? Clever as well.
MATT: I haven't met them yet, but seem to be lots of pretty girls who are super fit.
MARK: Excellent! Just stay calm, son. We've got the sharpshooting test coming up, remember?
MATT: Yes, sir.
INT. CAMPUS IT SUPPORT – THE NEXT DAY
Cathy arrives at the IT support with her (mom's) laptop. Different outfit but still dressed to impress.
COMPUTER GUY: Good morning!
CATHY: Hi, is Joel here?
COMPUTER GUY: Nah, sorry. Doesn't start til ten.
Cathy looks around, holding onto her laptop. Awkward pause.
CATHY: Uh, you know where I can find him?
Computer guy looks at her.
She smiles a cute smile.
INT. STUDENT HOUSING – HALLWAY – DAY
Cathy stops in front of a door in the hallway. "ROOM 212".
She knocks.
No one opens.
Knocks again.
Still no reaction.
She pushes down on the handle, peeks in either direction, slips inside.
CATHY'S POV
Morgan, sitting in his wheelchair, back toward the door, headset on, digging music in front of his computer.
CATHY
CATHY: Hrmph...!
No reaction.
Sounds of running water ease into the background.
CATHY : Yo!
Still no reaction.
She walks over to Morgan, lifts off one of his earpieces:
CATHY : HI, YO!
Morgan jumps so high in his wheelchair that, for a moment, you'd think a miracle just happened.
CATHY (like nothing happened): You know where Joel –
The bathroom door behind her swings open. Joel steps out in a towel wrapped around his waist.
She looks at him. Amazed. He's got an average face, but he sure has better genes than most other computer geeks...
CATHY (grins): Hi.
Morgan is still dazed. Stares at the two of them and blinks his eyes like it's all an illusion.
MORGAN: Who, who are you...?
JOEL: Uh, hi...
A sexy Gal Gadot, "Wonder Woman," poster is on the wall, next to Cathy.
CATHY: Sorry to show up like this; I tried IT, they told me I could find you –
JOEL (goes to his closet; gets a shirt on): Sure... wassup?
Morgan is still looking at Cathy like she's an alien.
CATHY: I think I got a bug or something on my laptop, think you could have a look?
Joel gets the laptop, puts it on the desk, opens it up, screen facing away from Morgan's view.
THE SCREEN
is all blue. With black Courier text across. A MESSAGE DEMANDING USD 10.000 IN A BITCOIN TRANSFER.
RANSOMWARE.
JOEL
looks back up at Cathy.
JOEL: Eh, this is going to take some time.
CATHY: Yeah, I thought so.
She glances around, stretches across Morgan, who nearly passes out, and grabs a pen and a piece of paper.
CATHY (scribbles): Here's my number; just call me when you're done, and I can pick it up.
Joel stares at the laptop, then back at Cathy.
JOEL: I'm sorry, but I'm not really...
CATHY: But please? I have all my photos on there, and – could you just give it a try? Please...?
She makes a face that no guy with a pulse could say no to.
Morgan stares at them like it's a spectator sport.
Joel gives her a smile and a nod.
CATHY: Thanks! I really appreciate it! (heads for the door) Call me!
JOEL: I will...
Cathy leaves, and Morgan looks at Joel.
MORGAN: She's definitely KGB.
Joel chuckles. Stares at her laptop's screen.
Morgan tries to snag the paper with the number on it. Joel grabs it first.
Defeated, Morgan returns to his computer. Turns the music back on in his headphones.
Joel continues staring at the laptop.
YOU ARE READING
Love/Survival
Roman d'amourOn paper, 20-year-old twins Cathy and Matt have everything going for them. Their mom is a Brazilian supermodel, and their dad is a decorated Navy SEAL. In reality, though, Mark, their dad, is retired with PTSD, and their mom, Sabrina, split long ago...
