“202”

FADE IN:

INT. — Kennedy’s Space Center, Florida — Dusk

Scene fades from opening credits and exposition through imagery,

to a group of men in suits walking down a sterile-looking

hallway. In the middle is Jamie (25), light brown hair, gray

eyes, pale skin with many freckles. His walk has more of a

performative walk, like he’s trying to fit in but failing. The

two men sandwich-ing him have a more squared build, indicating

their air of professionalism. They look more refined; the angles

emphasized. Compared to them, Jamie looks like a twig sanded at

the edges, nervously playing with his fingers. The tour guide

ahead of him and the agents is a woman with a bubbly aura to

her. Her hair is short and bouncy, and her dress is a crimson

red color in contrast to her blonde hair.

(Storyboarder note: Bolded letters are for main characters,

italics are for side characters.)

The guide brings them towards an observation deck overlooking

large engines being tinkered with by a multitude of engineers.

Alongside them are others writing and calculating where things

should go.

(Editor notes) In the corner of the screen, the date and time is

typed in. December 3rd, 1958. 6:37pm.

(Tour Guide (F))

Welcome to the observation deck! The work we are doing here is

integral. Our genius engineers work around the clock to make

rockets for the new government funded program to send our brave

American astronauts to the stars! (She exclaims with pride and2

patriotism, her personality a stark contrast to the intense aura

of the workplace.)

(The agents on the tour clap politely. The camera focuses on

Jaime, and the sounds begin to fizzle around as if his mind is

wandering someplace else.)

(The tour guide continues; she walks down the hallway and

disappears around the corner, the agents following, all except

for Jaime. His eyes stare down past the ledge of the deck in

awe. As he finally snaps back into reality, shaking his head to

set his brain straight, he turns to leave. Someone hits his

shoulder, and he falls to the side. A box of complex metal

contraptions falls from the box, and across from him is the man

who dropped it—Sebastian (24). He has shaggy but soft, black

hair that reaches to about the base of his neck. It seemed

slightly unkempt, probably due to a little bit of stress. He had

olive-ish skin and a large, grizzly scar that extended from his

cheeks across the bridge of his nose.)

(Jaime)

Oh..shoot. Sorry, sir…er… Lemme help you with all of this…

(Panicked, scrambling, trying to pick up as many metal pieces as

he could, putting them back in the box, looking between the box

and the scientist.)

(Sebastian)

(He seemed to not want to speak. He grabs the rest of the pieces

in a hurry and speeds off in the other direction, not getting a

good look at Jaime.)

(Jaime)

Hey! Wait! You forgot- (He examines the one left over piece in

his hand. It looks strange. He has no experience with

electronics so he has no idea what this even is.)

(Beat)3

(Jaime)

Maybe I’ll see him later. After the tour… (Jaime looks around

for the tour group, which has fully disappeared by now. He speed

walks with his hands firmly shoved in his pants pockets to go

find them.)

(Jaime catches up to the group and tries to fall back in line

with them while also trying to find the man— Sebastian— with the

box he had bumped into.)

(Tour Guide (F))

And over here are our tireless engineers who work day and night

to put all this fancy machinery together. Give them a big hand,

folks! (With this same peppy, overly patriotic tone as before.)

(All of the tour group claps, including some peer pressured

mathematicians near the engineers. Camera slowly zooms in on

Jamie’s face from below, before cutting to him staring at the

piece of technology in his hand. Cut to black.)

Scene 2 Bars Slide In

INT – Jamie’s Bar ‘Doorway and Keyhole’, Washington D.C. – Night

Jaime sits behind the stylized cozy bar. It has a wrap around

bar that curves up to meet the wall with warm lighting all

around. Some even liken it to old speakeasies the way that feels

homey and comfortable. It’s lit from under the bar and by

gorgeous golden lights hidden somewhere in the low ceiling. A

few patrons are hanging out around this time of night, as it is

too early to bar hop, but too late to be getting dinner.

Sebastian is sitting in front of Jaime and gently swirling

around the amber liquid in his glass, seemingly deep in thought.

No one would think to talk to Sebastian when he’s this pensive

but Jaime knows better. The bartender puts down his glass with a

soft clink and gently throws the rag over his shoulder.

(Jaime)

I have to ask; I’ll bite the bullet. Why do you only order the

same drink when I can make you practically anything?4

(Sebastian)

Why do I gotta have a reason? I like the way you make my

whiskey.

(Jaime)

Alright, sir. Where’d you come from anyways? You’re a bit more

tan than a lot of my regulars. Your regular locale has a bit

more sun than D.C.? (With a tone of jokey confidence, like he

knows something but he’s completely bluffing.)

(Sebastian)

My mom’s family is in Miami. She’s on the older end so I do my

work around her so that I can take care of her. (Slightly

dismissively, almost like it was a practiced response.)

(Jaime)

(squinting slightly)

I get it, I get it— well, I don’t get it, but good on you for

takin’ care of your mom like that…

(Sebastian)

Yeah, I mean, I do get paid a lot for what I do…it takes some

big bucks to pay back the time I put into my degree…

(Jaime)

Yeah yeah, you remind me every time you come back that you’ve

got that fancy degree…(Slowly, like Jaime is slowly putting

something together, finally realizing something about

Sebastian.)

(Jaime fidgets with the piece of metal that he had picked up

from the space center. He had been fidgeting with it since he

had come back from his trip to Florida. He sighed and ran a hand

through his hair— with that movement being one of his recurring

nervous tics— why did he feel so nervous?)

(Sebastian)

(Looks between the metal piece, and Jaime’s eyes.)

Notes: tense music starts playing here to accentuate how both

men have realized something about each other.5

(Jaime has realized that Sebastian is the man from his Florida

trip a month ago, and Sebastian has realized that Jaime is the

man he ran into. The music stops for a moment to emphasize the

tension. For clarity’s sake, Sebastian had come to DC to ask the

FBI if they could check their agents for any of his machinery.

Their eyes lock.)

(Jaime)

…Such strange weather we’re having…Like it can’t decide what it

wants…(His tone has shifted. Now instead of obviously knowing

more than he lets on, he now is purposely not saying what he

knows. He makes sure the switch between the previous

conversation and this one is sharp.)

(Sebastian)

It’s never good weather around this time of year. Half the time

it rains and half the time it’s blazing hot.

(Raising a clean glass)

(Jaime)

(Cleaning a glass without looking at Sebastian.) I mean, I

always come fairly prepared. Pays to stay dry.

(Sebastian)

(Leaning back on his bar stool, a hand on his pocket recording

device) Of course, preparations are the backbone to any good

plan.

(Jaime)

(shrugging) It does look like it’ll rain soon. That’s why I

bring an umbrella.

(It is a completely clear night; not a single rain cloud in the

sky that night. Jaime’s gray eyes flashed to meet Sebastian’s

turquoise eyes, like he’s waiting for something.)

(Sebastian)

You didn’t seem like the type. Most guys like you don’t carry

umbrellas with them. (Speaking in barely disguised code)6

(Jaime)

Neither do you. (Raising a clean glass)To bringing an umbrella.

(Sebastian)

(Raising his own empty glass) To bringing an umbrella.

(The glasses make a little clink sound. The camera then begins

to pan across the bar. It stops right behind the head of

someone. At the opposite end of the counter, sits a tired, yet

well-put-together looking man. The scene cuts to black.)

FADE IN:

INT — Warehouse in outskirts — Midnight

(Scene opens on an establishing shot of the outside of a

warehouse. The area around is desolate and quiet—the kind of

place nobody would want to walk around alone. The man from the

bar stands in the middle of the warehouse, the door slightly

ajar and the camera right in the crack of it. It wasn’t fully

abandoned, as there were still crates of products strewn around.

A ROTARY PHONE’s holder was attached to the wall. It looked worn

down, but it still functioned. He has the phone to the side of

his face.)

(Aleksandr)

Я нашел людей, о которых вы меня просили. Удивительно, но это

было в баре. Называется дверным проемом и замочной скважиной. (I

found the individuals you asked me to. Shockingly, it was at a

bar. Called Doorway and Keyhole.)

(Editor’s note: Subtitles are needed.)

(Camera then switches to follow Aleksandr as he paces around in

place, careful not to tug on the phone line too much.)

(Voice on the phone–Ivan, frustrated.)

И почему ты был в баре? (And why were you at the bar?)7

(Aleksandr, briefly flustered before pulling himself back

together.)

У меня есть много причин для этого. Я уже некоторое время слушаю

их разговоры. Обычно они загадочно рассказывают о своей жизни. Я

заметил, насколько… непоследовательными они могут быть.

Сегодня они говорили в этом… коде. Кое-что о зонтиках и

дождливой погоде. На улице было кристально чисто. (I have plenty

of reasons to be. I’ve been listening to their conversations for

a while now. Usually, they’re cryptic about their own lives.

I’ve noticed how…inconsistent they could be. Today they spoke

in this…code. Something about umbrellas and rainy weather. It

was crystal clear outside.)

(Voice on the phone–Ivan, remaining frustrated.)

Это кажется надуманным… но по какой-то причине Борис доверяет

вашему мнению. Несмотря на то, что это часто… ошибочно. (Seems

quite far fetched…but for some reason, Boris trusts your

judgment. Despite it often being…misguided.)

(Aleksandr)

Извините? Заблуждаетесь? Мое суждение не ошибо— (*Excuse me?*

Misguided? My judgment is not misgu-)

SCENE CUT

INT — A fancy office, sort of gloomy and has a sense of dread to

it.

(The voice on the phone is now shown on screen. The camera is on

his veiny hand, tapping on a mahogany desk that has files and

all sorts of papers with classified information strewn about.)

(Ivan, cutting Aleksandr off.)

Достаточно. Не заходите еще в одну из своих мелких касательных.

Сейчас не время. Прямо сейчас нам нужны полные имена этих людей8

к завтрашнему дню. Я не подведу Бориса ни в одном из немногих

реальных заданий, которые он мне поручил. Мне очень не повезло,

что я оказался в паре с вами для такой серьезной работы, так

что, по крайней мере, попробуйте поработать со мной

здесь.(Enough. Don’t go on another one of your petty tangents.

It is not the time. Right now, we need full names of these men

by tomorrow. I will not let Boris down on one of the only real

tasks he’s given me. I am unfortunate enough to be paired with

you for a job as serious as this, so at least try and work with

me here.)

(As he speaks, the camera moves to his face. He narrows his eyes

in anger, but also pity.)

(Beat.)

(Aleksandr, on the phone.)

Я не могу. Я думаю не так, как вы, и уж точно не действую так

же. Оба эти человека слабы. Я способен выяснить эти вещи.

Поверьте мне. Доверься мне. Пожалуйста, Иван.. (I can’t. I don’t

think the same way as you, and I sure as hell don’t work the

same way. Both of these men are weak. I am capable of finding

these things out. Trust me. Trust in me. Please, Ivan.)

(Ivan, sighing)

Я пытаюсь доверять тебе, Александр, но мы не можем допустить еще

одной ошибки в нашем разведывательном отделе. Они начнут думать,

что мы бесполезны. (I’m trying to trust you, Aleksandr, but we

cannot have another slip in our intelligence division. They will

start to think we are useless.)

(Aleksandr, on the phone)

Тогда дай мне попробовать. Дайте мне еще сорок восемь часов.

Позвольте мне показать вам, что вы можете доверять мне. Что ты

все равно должен мне доверять. Как всегда. (Then let me try.

Give me another forty eight hours. Let me show you that you can

trust me. That you should still trust me. Like you always have.)

(Ivan, rubbing the bridge of his nose)

Отлично. Отлично! Я дам тебе следующие два дня. Но если ничего

не выйдет, я вытащу тебя оттуда сам. Я не позволю тебе там9

застрять, потому что ты слишком далеко высунул свою русскую шею…

(Fine. Fine! I’ll give you the next two days. But if nothing

comes of it, I’m getting you out of there myself. I’m not

letting you get stuck there because you stuck your Russian neck

out too far…)

(Aleksandr, smiling to himself)

Знал, что ты это сделаешь. Потому что ты всегда так делаешь.

(Knew you would. Cause you always do.)

(Ivan, the grit in his voice returning.)

Просто… узнайте их имена, в каком филиале они работают, над

каким конкретным проектом они работают, да что угодно. Всё,

Александр, что может иметь государственное значение. Я доверяю

тебе. И это имеет большое значение. До свидания, мой друг.

(Just…find out their names, what branch they work for, what

specific project they’re working on, anything. Anything,

Aleksandr, that could be of national importance. I’m trusting

you. And that goes a long way. Goodbye, my friend.)

(The line goes dead before Aleksandr can say his goodbyes. He

whispers into the night one small ‘До свидания, мой дорогой

друг’ (Goodbye, my dear friend) and hangs up the phone on the

dial. The night is cold and the warehouse is much colder now.

Since it is only him, he feels that utter loneliness someone

gets from knowing that they have purposely put themselves in

this situation.)

Editor’s Note: Shot composition is a wide shot with Aleksandr

barely in frame as to help the audience empathize with his

loneliness.

The shot follows Aleksandr as he exits the warehouse, hands in

his pockets, whistling some classic American tune he had

memorized. No need to whistle any of the songs he had learned at

home, then he knew he’d never be able to see any of his loved

ones again. And he thought being alone and free in America was

hard.10

INT – CIA Headquarters – Midnight

A light flashes on a console riddled with buttons, sensors, and

dials. The shot follows an nerdy-looking male intern—(18), brown

hair, slicked back with gel, thick rimmed glasses—who gets a

call, gasps, scrawls something down on a piece of paper and

walks all through headquarters in search of someone. He passes

through many rooms and runs down a few corridors before reaching

the office of ‘D. Arsenault’. As the door swings open, it

reveals a sharply dressed man with a gray pinstripe suit and a

clean cut black hair that almost looked too perfect.

The office was a little on the messier side, files in thick

stacks and papers strewn about. Beside the stacks was a fax

machine, its whirring fans lasting throughout the scene to fill

in some ambience. The overhead light swayed as air from a small

floor fan whisking it away from a resting state. The light is

yellow tinted, so it gives the room a nostalgic feel, but also

like there is something definitely off about the one who

predominantly occupies the space.

The nervous intern speeded over to the man and whispered

something inaudible to the man. The man’s eyes go wide. The

intern places the paper gently on the man’s desk. The camera

slowly pans down to show a single word. ‘Soviets.’

(Camera snaps to his face, and turns towards the intern when he

does.)

(Devon Arsenault)

What do you mean ‘Soviets’?!? Explain! (He runs his fingers

through his sleek black hair and stops himself before slamming

his hands on his desk)

(Intern (Steven))

Um- We don’t know where they are, sir.11

(Camera shot from behind the intern, over the shoulder and

positioned downwards to look up at Devon to give him more of an

imposing feeling.)

(Devon Arsenault)

(Putting his head in his hands, rubbing his temples slowly)

Do they actually know anything about what we’re doing?

(For the next shot, place the camera at the far end of the room

to see both of their side profiles. Camera is placed behind a

few stacks of papers, the lens placed to be right in between

them. Blur the foreground.)

(Steven)

(Fumbling with the papers in his arms, some of them falling,

with Devon catching them) I- I mean I don’t think they know but

they’re tailing somebody. We- We don’t know who yet. (He adjusts

his glasses as some of his neat hair falls into his face, it is

obvious that he is very afraid of Devon, he somehow shrinks even

more in the presence of the tall, sharply dressed man. Like a

mino talking to a shark.)

(Camera returns to be a medium shot between the two men.)

(Devon)

It’s…fine. Just put some of the guys on it to find out which

phone line he was using. He had to come from somewhere. Find out

where the Soviets are and…cancel my dinner with my brother. I’m

going to have to stay here to deal with this.

(Steven)

S-Sir, he called earlier to ask. He says that it’s fine if you

don’t come to dinner. All he said to remind you of is that his

birthday is in a week, just to remind you in case you

forgot…he…says that you do that alot. (Messes with glasses

more.)

(Camera focuses more on Devon as he’s writing, panning from him

leaning onto the desk to right up to his face looking down.)12

(Devon)

(Rolling his eyes and picking up a pen to jot down notes to tell

his higher ups. The generals would need to know. The Soviet

threat was real; they would need to be on high alert.)

Anything else? Or are you just standing idly? (Giving him a cold

look. This was a man not to be tested. He had to skip his dinner

with his only sibling because this intern had informed him of a

national threat. He hadn’t seen his brother in months.)

(The camera shifts to face the intern, positioned upward to look

down at him, as if to make him look smaller.)

(Steven)

Oh- Also, I forgot; I’m so sorry sir. The Soviets were talking

about two men in a bar…I didn’t know if that would be

important…(Trailing off, getting very nervous and flustered

under the cold, piercing gaze of his higher up. Mr. Arsenault

was terrifying. He moved like a shadow and spent most of his

time out in the field. The intern idolized the field agents.)

(Camera pans closer to Devon as he realizes exactly who the

intern was speaking about. First, it’s right on the pen as it

drops, then his hands, and then his face.)

(Devon)

(Dropping his pen on the table, his hands going stiff. Two men

at the bar. It couldn’t be…No. No one was targeting his baby

brother. No. No no no. He wouldn’t let them. He had spent long

enough taking care of him that no Soviet was going to take his

brother away. He wouldn’t let them. Actor’s note: slightly draw

out the realization.)What. Bar.

(Camera is now positioned adjacent to Devon, moving closer to

the intern as he speaks.)

(Steven)

(Laughing nervously, scratching the back of his neck. Yup. Mr.

Arsenault scared the life out of him. He was very much

embarrassed by all of this.) Uh- Yeah! They actually did say the13

name. Doorhole and Keyway or…something like that…(The intern

mumbled different combinations of the two words, trying to

remember what the Soviets had actually said.)

(Camera is positioned behind Devon, with the intern in the

corner of the frame.)

(Devon)

(His hands gripped the fabric of his slacks, knuckles white. His

breath was shaky and his fingers were twitching slightly. He

knew it. No no no. The Soviets would not touch Jaime. He

wouldn’t let them. His fingers shook harder before he drew

himself up, took a deep breath and took control of himself. He

did not need the interns thinking he was weak in any way.) I’ll

make some calls. Thank you. Tell Ginny to get me a coffee. I’m

going to be here for a while…

(Steven)

(Slightly concerned. He reaches a tentative hand out but

immediately pulls it back. He knew better than to touch the man.

He looked very terrified for a second. He had never known any

field agent to get that scared. He hadn’t even realized the

field agents felt fear. Maybe Mr. Arsenault knew one of those

men.) Mr. Arsenault…Are you alright? You seem a little shaken…

(Devon)

(Giving the intern a slightly disgusted look. He didn’t like it

when insignificant interns poked their insignificant noses into

his business. He was too high up for them to even be able to be

on the same level. This intern was nothing to him.) Why would

you care? Better yet, why ask? I am your superior. Who do you

think you are?! (He poked the intern’s left shoulder, making the

gangly intern stumble back a little.) What are you even supposed

to be doing right now?! Get back to work!

(Steven)

(Cowering back, it was surprising that the higher ups would lash

out at the intern. He hadn’t really done anything. He hadn’t

thought that basic human empathy would be such an inflammatory

thing. Plenty of the other field agents would smile good14

naturedly and just say they hadn’t had the best night’s rest or

their mission hadn’t gone well or something along those lines.

No one had lashed out before.) Al-Alright sir, I’m sorry. I’m

sorry- (He keeps apologizing as he backs out of the room,

leaving the brooding man alone.)

(Intern knocks into Ginny, a woman with short brunette hair tied

back with a red headband in a pastel blue working dress. He

turns quickly and starts apologizing profusely.)

(Ginny)

Hey hey hey! It wasn’t your fault. You just weren’t looking and

neither was I. It was a mutual mistake. (She gave him a warm

smile. First one he had gotten all day. She has a voice like

Harley Quinn, but she’s far much kinder.)

(Camera focuses on him, and his reaction to her kindness.)

(Steven)

(Running a hand through his hair) I’m still sorry. Also, Mr.

Arsenault wanted me to tell you to grab him a coffee. (He was

still catching his breath from his treatment at the hands of Mr.

Arsenault.)

(Ginny)

(Seeing how meek the intern still looked, linking arms with

him.) Then you’ll come with me. The coffee machine gets so

lonely. So you’re my company now!

(Steven)

(Blushing slightly, laughing nervously. He was still calming

himself down from the time he had just had.) Oh- Ok. I do

actually want some coffee myself…And I do like company…

(Ginny)

(Giggling a little into her delicate hand. She smiled and pulled

him a little closer.) Good thing I’m here then, right? (She

smiles)15

(Steven)

I guess you’re right. Feels a little better not to be getting

coffee alone.(She had bright red lipstick on; it perfectly

shaped her lips. Her lips were plump and her Cupid’s bow was so

sharp. It almost looked like the lipstick was naturally just a

part of her lips. Wait- How long had he been staring at her

lips?)

(Ginny)

(Chuckling, realizing that he was only half paying attention to

her. She yanked him closer to her) Wall. (She smiled, as he

realized that he would have collided with one of the walls head

on because he wasn’t paying attention. At least not to his

surroundings.) Better keep your wits about you.

(Steven)

Sorry- (A few scientists and agents passed them, all conversing

and walking quickly. It was obvious that they were in a hurry to

get somewhere. They had a few blueprints between them. A paper

fluttered out the back that they didn’t even notice had fallen.

The intern picked it up.) The…Venus Project?

(Ginny)

(They had gotten to the coffee machine and with a flourish, she

had put the pot of coffee on the stove of the mini kitchen that

the department had shelled out so that some of the technicians

could spend hours into the wee morning while still staying

awake.) Who knows? I know they’re working on something big. I’ve

brought Mr. Arsenault the coffee he asked for a few times and I

haven’t caught much but I know it’s something a little too

dangerous for either of us. A little too high up for us.

(Steven)

(Leaning against the wall next to Ginny who was leaning against

the counter.) But it’s kinda fun to fantasize. Maybe it’s some

way to make flying cars. Maybe Venus means they’ve figured

something out for the Space Race with the Soviets. Maybe it’s

some weapon, or a new concept for a ship!

(Ginny)16

(Giggling at how into this the intern is getting.) Couldn’t even

guess. The name Venus does give the impression of something

about the Space Race. I know that some of the agents went to

Cape Canaveral a few months ago. They could have figured

something out.

(Steven)

That sounds amazing! The field agents are so amazing..(He

slightly trails off.) Mr. Arsenault seemed anxious about

something. He seemed off after I mentioned some of the more- (He

leans close to Ginny)-classified details about the Soviets I

found.

(Ginny)

(Claps a hand over her mouth) Soviets? You found actual Soviets

in America?! I would’ve thought they’d been too scared to even

set foot on our soil.

(Steven)

(Flapping his hand in front of her face to get her to quiet

down.) Quiet! Cmon, it’s a secret. You’re not supposed to know…I

only told Mr. Arsenault because he needed to know. I’m telling

you out of the kindness of my heart.

(Ginny)

(Rolling her eyes and pushing his face away with a manicured

hand) ‘Out of the kindness of my heart’ (She mocks.) Yeah right.

But thanks, anyway. I love hearing about things, I’m such a

gossip. Got anymore?

(Steven)

I mean…I also know that Mr. Arsenault has made something and

that thing is being held by an agent in the field. An Agent he

trusts with his life apparently. (He wiggled his eyebrows up and

down for added effect.)

(Ginny)

Oooo! Secret weapon made by Mr. Mean… Juicy!(in referral to the

gossip. Not Devon.) (She leaned a little closer, they were only

inches apart, with that warm glow somehow emanating from them.)17

(Steven)

(Leans a little closer, almost closing the small distance

between them. His eyes flicked down to her lips just for a

moment before the coffee machine beeps aggressively, pulling

them both out of their moment. He leaned back on the wall.) I

mean, I could find out other things. Maybe that’s why Mr.

Arsenault was so stressed. Maybe the agent he trusts is in

jeopardy or something. (He shrugged.)

(Ginny)

(Starts pouring out the coffee, gently brushing the edge of her

pastel skirt against his thighs. She gave him a smile that spoke

a thousand words. Most of those words made the Intern blush

slightly. He smiled dorkily and adjusted his hair and she

giggled as she handed him a cup of coffee.) Here. Since you said

you wanted coffee. Made with love.

(Their hands brush slightly as she hands off his coffee and

their eyes connect. Both of them blush a little, their cheeks

brushed with pink.)

(Steven)

T-Thanks. I mean- for the coffee. You really didn’t have to- I

would have made it myself… (He stammered. He didn’t know how to

talk to people. He was always so nervous. Even when he was

dating. He just couldn’t get his nerves under control. He was

definitely not one of those ‘sweep a girl off her feet and kiss

her passionately’. Definitely not one of those guys.)

(Ginny)

(Giggles) My pleasure. Out of the kindness of my heart. (She

gently pecked his cheek and walked off with Mr. Arsenault’s

coffee. She shot him one last tiny flirty look before walking

out of his eyeline.)

(Steven)

(Gently touching the lipstick stain on his cheek. He was

blushing hard enough that her mark was barely noticeable. He had

the dorkiest smile on his face. He tripped over his own feet

trying to get up and get one last look at her pale blue dress.)18

T-Thanks again… (He said to no one, but he felt like he needed

to say it. He would seem ungrateful otherwise.)

(The intern drinks his coffee that Ginny had made him, noticing

that she put a lipstick kiss to the side of his cup. No one had

ever done that for him before. No one had ever been that

sweet…Why was she so sweet?)

INT – Jamie’s Bar ‘Doorway and Keyhole’, Washington D.C. – DAY

Same as before, but now Sebastian is more awake and Jaime is

slightly more animated. Jaime was ranting about something. He is

still fiddling with the piece of machinery he still hadn’t

remembered to give Sebastian back from the earlier scene in the

aerospace engineering building from when they first met. The

atmosphere was warm and happy. Christmas was soon and he was

supposed to see his brother tonight. He really did want to see

his brother, he hadn’t seen him in awhile. He got a call, which

he slid over to answer. His face fell.

(Sebastian)

Hey…What’s wrong? Jaime, what’s wrong? (Leans into the bar,

making sure that he was ok. He had grown pretty close with the

guy. He was cool. He could see himself spending Christmas at

this bar. It was probably just so that he could Jaime sing a

horrible rendition of ‘Santa Claus is Coming to Town’.)

(Jaime)

It’s fine…It’s just my brother…He can’t make it to dinner. Not a

big deal. Big shot gotta do what a big shot gotta do. (Jaime

shrugged to try and give the air of apathy, but his eyes looked

a little more sad than he was letting on. He had really wanted

to see his brother. He will be able to see him next week.

Hopefully. If he didn’t cancel on him again. This one was

cancelation number five.)

(Sebastian)

I mean, I’ll stay if you want company. I’m not doing anything

tonight and you look like you need it. (Sebastian shifted to get19

more comfortable on the stool. He would have to be here for the

long haul, better be comfortable. He turned his head a little to

look at the snow starting to fall. D.C. was always so beautiful

when it snowed. And Jaime was good at making hot chocolate; he’d

even put cinnamon in if Sebastian asked.)

(Jaime)

You really don’t need to, please, if you have anything you need

to get to, I’m not tyin’ you down here. (He put both elbows on

the bar and leaned his cheek on one of the heels of his hand. He

studied Sebastian for the thousandth time. Sebastian’s face was

intensely interesting; he had such an interesting facial

structure. Jaime liked to just sit and study him, like some

interesting painting. He had the piece of machinery in his other

hand, idly playing with it, flipping it between his fingers.)

(Sebastian)

(Looks between him and the piece and then back to Jaime who was

now obviously the guy he had bumped into. This was the guy! The

reason he was in D.C.! This…guy!) You…You have the thing…You

have the thing I need. Give that back!

(Jaime)

(Jaime looked between his hand and Sebastian and back to his

hand and back to Sebastian. Then slapped his other hand over his

mouth. He was just a little stupid.)

(Sebastian)

(Reaching over the bar, slapping him in the back of the head)

Stupid idiot! Jamie Arsenault, you’re so dumb!! Give!!

(Jaime)

(Laughing into the back of his hand as he pulled his other hand

back a little more.) I just have poor memory, Sebastian Muñoz.

(With the same emphasis on the man’s name as the man had put on

his.) Well now you just can’t build whatever you were going to

build with it. (He turns his nose, feigning arrogance.)

(Sebastian)

(Falling back into his stool, a little miffed, before the piece

was gracefully dropped onto the counter. Jaime, with his back20

turned to Sebastian, mixing a drink for a customer who had just

come in, shaking the snow off of his coat, turned to give him a

small wink.) Yeah yeah yeah, don’t be so smug.

(Across the bar, the man was there. The man cast in shadows,

nursing his drink and listening in on all of this. The camera

shot is directly behind him, at his waist, where a gun slightly

sticks out from its holster. The camera switches directly to the

lower half of his face. He smiled slightly. He had gotten the

names of the two men. Cut to black.)

EXT — City Streets — D.C — Night

(Scene layout: dark streets, illuminated by streetlights. As

Devon passed, some flickered above. A couple of the buildings he

passed have a few lights on, but the majority are dark. The road

below is gravelly and makes crunch sounds when stepped on. It’s

slightly windy, causing some street signs to creak slightly as

they sway back and forth.)

(Editor’s note: the tone and color grading palette should be

cool colors.) A continuous shot of the back of Devon Arsenault

and as the shot continues, the camera pans down to him

vigorously and nervously tapping the pads of his fingers against

his pants leg. It is snowing around him but he does not care

(Evident by the snow in his hair that he hasn’t brushed out yet

and the snow on the shoulders of his suit). He starts right

outside of the FBI building and the shot shows him walking to

the Doorway and Keyhole. It snows more and more the closer and

closer he gets.

Right before he gets to the bar, the shot changes to a warmer

setting, the bar. (Editor’s note: it should have its warm toned

lighting slightly more accentuated.) It is from the inside of

the bar with Sebastian and Jaime idly chatting about the

holidays and their separate family traditions. It’s a shot

behind Sebastian as Jaime speaks. Jaime is leaning on the bar

and snatching mints from the bar bowl that he had out. Sebastian

is talking about all of the things his family does and all of

the traditions they have. Jaime is randomly interjecting about

his family and what they used to do before his brother went to

college.21

Once Sebastian begins to speak, the camera’s position is behind

Jaime and it slowly pans to the right as Sebastian speaks.

(Sebastian)

(His earlier words are fuzzy, but then the shot focuses on his

face and the quality is sharper.) I mean, it’s usually alcohol,

but we do use soda when we have little kids. It’s like— (He

mimes drinking out of an invisible boot, which sends Jaime into

a fit of giggles.) Yeah? Yeah! You get what I mean, you get what

I meeeean!

(Jaime)

(Leaning on the bar) Of course I get what you mean; it’s a

glorified college drinking game. We never could do stuff like

that cause I was always too young. (He takes another mint,

unwrapping it and popping it into his mouth.)

(Sebastian)

That, and we cook for days on end. It takes so long just to make

the meat itself, and don’t even get me started on the tamales.

My mamá makes the best ones.(He smiled as he spoke, happily

reminiscing.)

(Jaime)

I won’t; I won’t! My family just makes tourtière. They’d force

me and my brother out of the house so that we wouldn’t mess it

up. We did one year and…it might have resulted in a burn on the

floor of our apartment. We lost our deposit after that.

(Both men laugh. Sebastian goes to say something before the bar

door slams open. He jumps, and the duo’s gaze snaps towards the

doors. Devon walks in, and the mood of the room immediately goes

as cold as it is outside. (Editor’s note: cool the color grading

down as he walks in, but don’t completely wash out the warm

colors. We want to invoke a feeling of unknowingness of the

circumstances, but knowing something is wrong—it needs to look

off.) He approaches the bar with haste, Sebastian almost

instinctively goes for a glass on the counter as a weapon of

defense, before he slowly places it down as he notices Jaime’s

somewhat calmness, like he knew who Devon was.)22

(Cinematographer’s note: for this part, quickly switch shots

between being in front of each character as they speak.)

(Devon)

Jaime. Case. Now. I need it back. And you need to get out.

(Jaime)

(Not making eye contact and starting to clean glasses, which is

another one of his stress responses.) What happened to not

meeting me for dinner? (Not paying any attention to what Devon

said)

(Devon)

I’ll make it up to you. Just give me the case. (He sticks a hand

out, his eyes looking nervously around. He did not want to be

here and he did not have the security he wanted to have but that

wasn’t the problem anymore. He needed the case and he needed it

now. His stupid spoiled brother would not get in his way.

Country over family.)

(Jaime)

What case? Dev, I don’t have any case. What are you talking

about? I really don’t know what you’re talking about. (He

continues cleaning the glass. He wasn’t even being a spoiled

brat now, he genuinely didn’t know what Devon was asking about.)

(Devon)

(Strides around the bar and slaps him across the face.)

(Beat for the realization of what just happened.)

Actor’s Note: Devon would never ever slap his brother so both

men are surprised but Jaime is more so hurt than surprised and

Devon is more so self loathing at his own movement.

(Devon)23

I need the case. Give it to me now. Or else. (He looked very

dangerous.)

(There is a divide between Sebastian and the brothers. The shot

is from behind Sebastian, and the brothers are on the other side

of the bar counter.)

(Sebastian)

(He stood up the moment he did that, reaching over the bar and

grabbing Devon’s wrist harshly and turning him over to look at

him.) Who the hell do you think you are, hitting him like that?!

(He sounded defensive over the other man. He was unaware the two

were brothers, they didn’t really look alike to give the hint.)

(Devon)

His brother. (He turned slightly and he has an air of power

around him, he is not someone to be messed with. He had that

look in his eyes that said that he would not hesitate to kill if

necessary.)

(Sebastian’s glare only sharpened. He would never strike his own

family for no real reason, so the display disgusted him. He

aggressively let go of Devon’s hand, and looked back at Jaime.)

(The shot switches to sit behind the brothers, and Sebastian

looks as if he’s sitting in between the two. His hands are on

the counter and he’s leaned forward, as if he’s prepared to jump

over it to get to Devon if he tried anything else.)

(Sebastian)

You still have no right to hit him like that for nothing.

Brother or not.

(Jaime)

(Clutching his cheek, with a betrayed look in his eyes, not

looking at Sebastian. His full attention was on Devon, he was a

child again. Pouting and crying for the necessary attention and

reasoning he craved.) I. Don’t. Know. What. You’re. Talking.24

About. (His voice was cold now. He really did not like Devon

sometimes.)

(Jaime turns away to go put ice on his cheek but Devon grabs his

left shoulder—to emphasize the aggressiveness—and yanks him back

around. The camera is now focused solely on the two.)

(Devon)

You don’t turn your back on me, young man. I gave it to you two

months ago. You’re going to give it back to me or so help me.

(His voice was full of fire. The kind that burns down cities and

civilizations.)

(As Sebastian was about to interject in defense of Jaime again,

Devon shot him a deadly glare, and with his freehand he reached

for a holster positioned inside of his coat, its familiar

outline slightly emerging from the thick texture. That startled

him. He knew what it was, and what Devon implied. He

instinctively shrank back, a stark contrast to how he was acting

before.)

(Devon put his other hand on Jaime’s shoulder.)

(Jaime)

I don’t know what you’re talking about! Devon, what are you

talking about?! (His eyes started to tear up. He ducks out of

Devon’s hold on his shoulders, tries to run away from Devon,

trips on Devon’s Oxford shoe, falls forward, catches himself on

his hands before his face can hit the ground, making Devon turn

and making the light catch on the case under the bar. Camera

zoom in on the case and then zoom out on the brothers.)

(Devon locked eyes with Jaime, who’s eyes were still misty.

There is a shot of Devon, Jaime, and the case from slightly

above showing the obvious choice that Devon has to make, help

his brother or grab the case. There is a moment of pause, and a

small moment where you think Devon will help Jaime, before Devon

snatches the case and then looks back down at Jaime, whose eyes

are still misty.)25

(Sebastian jumps over the counter to try and help up Jaime,

before quickly moving back as Devon almost kicks him aside. As

Devon observes his act of trying to help Jaime, he begins to

realize he chose his job over his own brother that he came here

to protect.)

Actor’s Note: This is a switch of motives for Devon. Originally,

he came into the bar with the purpose of protecting his little

brother and now his motive for getting the case is to protect

his country and job.

(Devon)

The higher ups will thank you for your service. (He steps over

Jaime, his shoe getting dangerously close to Jaime’s face,

buttoning his suit and rushes out.)

(As he walks out, the camera follows with haste.)

EXT — City Streets — D.C — Night

(A shot of Devon walking out of the bar. The camera swivels

slightly, add some motion blur—

INT — Apartment Building Hallway — D.C — Night

—and it snaps to a shot of him entering his apartment building.

The walls are a little yellowish, but with a dark red tint to

them to emphasize the feeling of looming dread. It is not

entirely bloody just yet.)

(Once he enters his apartment, that feeling of dread begins to

fade. It’s a very homey area—the walls are a comfortable beige

that feels nostalgic, the furniture is not too worn but looks

well loved, and the lights are aged to the point that they make

the room feel like a warm and cozy blanket wrapped around

someone on Christmas Eve. The camera follows him as he enters

the apartment, and we see a beautiful, almost siren-like woman

(30)— pinup model type of body, Marilyn Monroe blonde hair26

that’s in the shape of perfect victory curls, and a blood-like

crimson red dress— standing at a stovetop. She seems almost too

perfect. She turns back to smile at him, with pearly white

teeth.)

(Katherine)

Oh darling! I didn’t know you’d be home so soon! You said you’d

be out for another two days…I would have made you something if I

had known you’d be back…(She flashes a glittering smile as she

walks around the counter and gets closer to him, her hands are

perfectly manicured and her red lipstick perfectly makes her

plump lips pop. Her cherry red heels click on the wood floor as

she eyes him up and down.)

(Devon)

You’re all I need after the day I’ve had today, dollface. C’mere

and give me a kiss. (Devon sets the silver case and opens his

arms with a smug smile on his face, knowing what that look in

her eyes meant.)

(Katherine)

I wouldn’t want to be a bad wife, now would I? (Her heels

clicked a few times more so that now she is only two inches away

from him at most. She ghosts her left hand over his broad chest

and pulls down his tie slowly with her right hand.) Now what did

you say about wanting a kiss? (She cocked her head slightly and

raised her eyebrows.)

(Devon)

You’re horrible. (He chuckles and picks her up, spinning her

around as their lips connect. They both smile into the kiss,

Katherine being the one to pull away to get air and laugh. The

camera is stationed near their faces as they kiss, and shift)

(Katherine)

Darling! Put-(laughing fit)Put me down! The food will burn!!

(She is still giggling as he sets her down gracefully on the

floor. He tilts her chin up and steals one last quick kiss.)

(Devon)

(Winks) That’s because you’re just too adorable to resist.27

(Katherine)

Of course I am. How else would I have gotten you to marry me?

(She kisses his cheek quickly before traipsing back into the

kitchen with a satisfied smile on her face. She proceeds to cook

with such grace. She leans back as she suddenly feels a presence

behind her. She knew it was her husband so she relaxed in his

embrace that encircled her perfectly cinched waist.) You

mentioned having quite a day. Do you want to talk about it?

(The camera is in front of them as they speak, focused with the

background slightly blurred.)

(Devon)

(Groans into her shoulder, planting a small kiss against the

blood red fabric.) It’s just…Jaime and his absolutely horrible

memory. Sometimes I really do hate the kid. He’s just got no

brain. It’s like his head is permanently in the clouds. He

didn’t even know about the case. (He went back to burying his

face in her neck as he usually did to decompress after a hard

day.)

(Katherine)

(Reaching her free hand up to play with his hair, the other

turning off the stove.) What case? The one left in the middle of

the floor next to the door?

(Devon)

Yeah, it’s a work thing though. No need to worry your pretty

head about it. (He pressed a tired kiss to her cheek.)

(Katherine)

You can go get yourself undressed and go get some rest early if

you want— and if you’re sweet enough to give your lovely wife

another kiss, she might turn in early too. (She tapped her rosy

cheek but expecting him to go for her lips. She puckered

instinctively.)28

(Devon)

(He turns her chin and plants a kiss to her cherry red lips.)

I’ll be seeing you in a bit, dollface.

(Katherine)

See you in a bit, handsome. (She held his cheek for just a

moment.)

(He padded into the bedroom, leaving her alone. We get a small

shot of the room from the door. It looks cozy, with a lot of

velvet accents. He shuts the door behind him and we hear a click

of a lock. The camera is focused on this door, before it shifts

to follow Katherine as she makes her way over to the case and

brings it over to the couch; making sure the bedroom door is

locked, she picks up the home phone. She dials in a number

slowly, careful not to make much sound. As this happens, the

camera is placed a little far from her, to seem almost detached.

The mood should begin to darken, as her secretive demeanor and

sudden switch up of pace and action should concern the audience.

She then sandwiches it between her ear and her shoulder.)

(Katherine)

У меня есть кейс. Он кажется намного легче, чем ты говорил.

Посмотрю, есть ли там замок, который мне нужно сломать.(I have

the case. It feels a lot lighter than you said it would be. I’ll

see if there’s a lock I need to break.)

(Ivan, on the phone)

Вероятно, там будет замок, а если его нет, то это просто

облегчит вам работу.(There will probably be a lock, if not, it

just makes your job easier.)

(Katherine)

Я точно знаю, что мог бы выполнить эту миссию сам, но, конечно,

ты должен был послать его. Я знал, что Борис играет в любимчики,

Иван.(I know for a fact I could have done this mission on my own

but of course you had to send in him. I knew Boris played

favorites, Ivan.)

(Ivan)29

(Chuckling) Он не выбирает себе любимчиков. Он знает, кто лучше

всего подходит для этой работы. Александр выглядит и имеет

телосложение американца, поэтому он выбрал его для этой работы,

а не только тебя. (He doesn’t play favorites. He knows who’s

best fit for the job. Aleksandr looks and has the build of an

American man, so he chose him for this job instead of just you.)

(Katherine)

Я правда не могу понять, говоришь ли ты это просто так, чтобы не

спорить с тобой каждый раз, когда меня оставляют на настоящей

миссии. Я застряла в роли домохозяйки какой-то тупой

американки.(I truly can’t tell if you’re just saying that so I

won’t argue with you every time I get left out on a real

mission. I’m stuck being some dumb American’s housewife.)

(Ivan)

Ты читаешь мои мысли, товарищ. И если бы это зависело от меня,

он бы все еще был здесь. Только чтобы тебя позлить.(You read my

mind, comrade. And if it were up to me, he’d still be here. Just

to make you mad.)

(Katherine)

Сосредоточься на миссии, Иван.(Focus on the mission, Ivan.)

(Ivan)

Хорошо. Вы вообще видите замок на корпусе?(Fine. Do you see a

lock on the case at all?)

(She makes a noise of recognition and satisfaction as she sees

that there is no lock on the case. Not even a key code. Too

easy. She squints her eyes and purses her lips. Either a trap or

the Americans were really just that dumb.)

(Ivan)

Судя по твоему шуму, это означает, что нет ни замка, ни кода

ключа, так что это должно быть легко. Откройте кейс.(Judging by

your noise, that means there is no padlock or key code so this

should be easy. Open the case.)30

(Katherine)

Отлично.(Fine.) (She placed it on her couch, the camera zoomed

in intensely on her delicate hands popping open the case. There

is suspenseful music and there is a single moment where the

camera is placed just so that the audience can’t see what’s in

the case but Katherine can. Her eyes go wide.)

(Ivan)

(Groaning softly, annoyed at the long silence.) Хорошо, Кэтрин,

я предположил по щелчкам, что ты открыла кейс. Теперь скажи мне,

что ты видишь. (Alright, Katherine, I assumed by the little

clicks you’ve opened the case. Now tell me what you see.)

(Katherine)

Я…не могу…(I…can’t…)

(Ivan)

Что значит “не можешь”, Кэтрин? Расскажи мне, что ты

видишь.(What do you mean “you can’t”, Katherine? Tell me what

you see.)

(There is a solid beat where the only thing the audience is

seeing is Katherine’s breath starting to get heavier.)

(Katherine)

Я не могу. (I can’t.) (She said more firmly.)

(Ivan, obviously pissed off now)

Кэтрин, просто скажи мне, что ты видишь. Всегда что-то

есть.(Katherine, just tell me what you see. There is always

something.)

(The camera pans dramatically to reveal an empty case with only

black foam. Nothing was ever supposed to be in here. This case

was a fake out all along.)

(Katherine)

Позвоните Александру. Сейчас. (Call Aleksandr. Now.)

(Cut to black)31

EXT – City Streets, road to Doorway and Keyhole – D.C. – Night

(A shot of Aleksandr rushing down the streets, the camera is

focused on his shoes rapidly slamming against the concrete

sidewalks as he practically strides. As he walks, the clink of a

gun and some stray bullets can be heard in his trench coat

pocket. A wide brimmed hat is shadowing most of his features to

the outside world)

JUMP CUT

INT – Jamie’s Bar ‘Doorway and Keyhole’, D.C. – NIGHT

(The camera cuts to Jaime and Sebastian. The silence is

deafening. Jaime is calmly and slowly closing up shop, perhaps

still a slight bit winded/in shock from the previous events with

devon. Sebastian stands up from his (basically designated) seat

at the bar, stretching and preparing to leave.)

(Jaime)

Good night Sebastian. Make sure you make it home safe. Wouldn’t

want you getting hurt out there. (Jaime popped a mint into his

mouth and chuckled.)

(Sebastian)

I’m always safe. Make sure you lock up well. Neither of us need

the stress of you getting stolen from again.

(Jaime nodded and they both laughed. As Sebastian walks to

leave, their noise fizzles out as Aleksandr walks into the bar,

one hand inside of his trenchcoat, thumbing over the barrel of

the gun. Sebastian steps back at the now blocked exit.)

(Jaime)

(Eying around slightly, locking eyes with Sebastian for one

moment, just to say ‘Be on guard. He looks off.’) Sir…I’m very

sorry, but we’re closing for the night.32

(The man turns slowly, moves his hand behind him and closes the

blinds of the door, and locks it. Jaime and Sebastian give each

other a very worried look.)

(Jaime)

Sir…I’m really going to have to ask you to leave. (Jaime walked

around the bar to stand next to Sebastian, easier to push him

out of the way or pull them both down if something happened.)

(The man blocked the exit and still didn’t look out from under

his wide brimmed hat. Jaime’s eyes flicked between the man, the

door, and mostly Sebastian. Sebastian’s eyes were doing the same

laps around the room. He was eying the emergency exits, the main

exit the man was blocking, the bar which could be used as cover,

and then back to Jaime.)

(Jaime)

(He flicks his eyes one more time to Sebastian before speaking.

Sebastian nods.) Sir-

(Aleksandr lifted his chin and whipped out his gun with

precision and speed that gave the other two men little to no

time to even process it to form a reaction. A single gunshot is

heard.)

(Cut to black as the gun goes off.)

THE END