The Screening Ceremony
INT. SCREENING BUILDING - APPROX. 4 A.M.
On the stage we see the ADMINISTRATOR, now properly made up talking from the podium on top of the wall, as well as nearly all the students we saw before from school who were in the three main characters’ grade. This is… The Screening. Two lines of socially-distanced STUDENTS are already assembled on either side of the Administrator up the aisles of the audience. These lines lead to each side of the wall.
ADMINISTRATOR: (greeting everyone with a double flipping of the birds) Welcome, everyone, to the 112th Annual Screening. Congratulations to all 203 of these young people assembled today who get to experience this coming-of-age ritual.
We see the crowd clap quietly. The kids are the only enthusiastic clappers, who do not yet know of the tortures they are about to witness. The adults seem to be the most uncomfortable of all, adjusting in their seats as they remember their own Screenings.
ADMINISTRATOR: I was just commenting to my… associates tonight about the fact that our society, our world, has made so much progress against this Virus. Why, this class of Screened individuals might be making history as among the last to endure-- I mean, experience-- this process. With the advances of our science, we are fortunately able to identify many individuals before Screening age-- a healthy sign, citizens, a healthy sign. We are… doing the right thing.
We see the crowd clap quietly, and the lines start proceeding up either side of the stage.
ADMINISTRATOR: I’m sure you remember well from your own Screenings, parents, the process, but just to remind the uninitiated: your child will either exhibit unusual symptoms, and enter quarantine for a number of months… or years… and for those of us Uninfected-- the vast majority of these students, I am sure-- it will be merely a brief but… shocking… experience.
Administrator is the only one to laugh.
ADMINISTRATOR: OK, everyone. If you’ll please join me in The Anthem.
The entire crowd monotonously sings “Do the Right Thing” as…
BEGIN SCREENING MONTAGE.
STUDENTS approach either side of the wall and get tazed by giant tazer guns on either side of the stage repeatedly. Students who pass out are carried by stretcher to the “cleared area” backstage, through a green door behind the administrator. Every once in a while, a student succumbs to the tazing enough to reveal his/her powers in anger-- for example, cuts could include:
-One student’s hair turns into a lasso
-One student turns into a porcelain plate, which is carefully removed offstage so that it does not shatter
-One student is able to eject bones from her body and use them as a boomerang, returning eventually to the body
-One student produces massive amounts of earwax which flow down upon his shoulders and robe like oozing honey
-One student’s whites of the eyes turn black
Administrator gives signals for each of these minor-power individuals, who are taken away by agents through a red door under the floor.
END SCREENING MONTAGE.
MAYA is the last in her line, and, as she approaches the wall, and looks at the stands at her parents. MAYA’S MOM looks at her sternly and MAYA’S DAD gives her a loving thumbs-up. Maya remains unsure of just what she’ll do when she reaches the tazing.
Meanwhile, ALAINA in a flowing black robe with her hood down, with ALAINA’s MOM is almost being dragged by Alaina. Alaina’s Mom wears a dark gray hooded cloak, but also, oddly, is wearing nude-colored “hooker heels” and stumbling slightly as she keeps the hood down tight as she quickly dashes past the crowd, attempting to lower the hood even further as she passes TEACHERS in the crowd (who might recognize her from her job).
INT. BEHIND THE CURTAIN - EARLY MORNING
RECRUITER sees Alaina through the small telescope device and
pushes a button on her wristwatch to signal the Agents.
RECRUITER: There she is. Set the tazers on the phaser. (to self) Ha-- “tazer on phaser.” I got to write these down.
INT. SCREENING BUILDING - EARLY MORNING
Wider shot of Alaina and Alaina’s Mom quickly approaching the stage down the aisle, while Maya awaits her tazing on the other side.
ADMINISTRATOR: (listening through earpiece) Gentlemen and ladies, just allow us to make some adjustments for the last members of today’s Screening Class. No need to pause your enthusiastic singing of our anthem. Just as Maya is about to get tazed by the stage right tazer cannon, but suddenly it swings around to the other side.
Agents surround both sides of the stage, ready for action or to grab either Maya or Alaina at the least sign of trouble. Now both tazing cannons are aimed like spotlights on the stage left side, the side that Alaina is approaching quickly while arguing with her mom. Maya’s Mom and Maya’s Dad appear a bit non-plussed at this from the stands, but stop themselves from intervening.
ALAINA: (whispered while running up, greeting the crowd genteelly with middle finger as she does so) Mom. This is the biggest day of my life, and you let me down.
ALAINA’S MOM: (whispering too, but nearly in tears) I’m sorry, Alaina. You know it’s hard for me too, being the only single parent in your class.
ALAINA: OK, let me just get this over with. I’m sorry, Mom. I’m glad you were able to take the morning off for me. See you in a bit.
ALAINA’S MOM: I’m sorry, honey.
ALAINA: Me too, Mom. Gotta go-- give me five minutes.
Alaina’s Mom finds a single seat on the aisle and Alaina and Alaina’s Mom touch shoulders.
ALAINA’S MOM: I love you, sweetie. I’m so proud of you.
ALAINA: I love you too.
Alaina approaches the wall, and looks up nervously at both tazing cannons and all the agents on stage. Maya looks in apprehension, as if she knows exactly what’s coming.
Alaina stops before the wall, and looks out at her mom in the audience, flipping her the bird. The tazing cannons powers up and fire at Alaina.
Administrator looks down at Alaina, menacingly. Audience continues to chant the anthem, really emphasizing “Do the Right Thing!”, almost screaming it.
Alaina approaches the wall, and pretends to be stopped by the wall as the cannons taze her. An extreme closeup shows the tip of her finger phasing through it as she pretends to be repelled by the surface. The Administrator pretends not to notice and motions for her to step back and be shocked again. She continues pretending to be stopped by the wall but you can tell she is getting weak, after controlling her powers so well in such a large crowd. Maya notices, and suspects the truth about Alaina, stepping closer to peek around the wall. Agents approach her more closely.
INT. BEHIND THE CURTAIN - EARLY MORNING
Recruiter looks out at both Maya and Alaina, with more eagerness, ready to see if they’ll pass (fail) the test.
RECRUITER: (in wristwatch) All right, she’s asking for it. Give her the works.
INT. SCREENING BUILDING - EARLY MORNING
Series of tight shots focusing on all the key players: girls, parents, Administrator.
Suddenly, both tazing cannons fire and nearly push Alaina through the wall. Alaina is doing her absolute best to control her powers, but she’s nearly about to give out. She looks over her mother, who has stood up, eyes brimming with tears.
Alaina is hyperventilating and tugging on her hair harshly. Alaina is full on crying now out of more confusion and fright for herself than worry for her mother.
INT. BEHIND THE CURTAIN - EARLY MORNING
RECRUITER: Willpower…
Recruiter looks over at Maya on the other part of the stage, and notices something strange.
RECRUITER: …Power?
INT. SCREENING BUILDING - EARLY MORNING
Suddenly, Alaina is moved out of the way-- by Maya’s telekinesis. The tazing guns hit the wall with full-force, and the Administrator is shocked… in more ways than one. The wall shatters into many pieces.
Unable to control her own powers, Alaina phases through the floor.
The entire audience stops singing the anthem and stands up. There is complete and utter silence.
INT. BEHIND THE CURTAIN - EARLY MORNING
Recruiter opens the curtain a bit more, exposing herself to public view-- if anyone in the public is even looking her way at this point.
RECRUITER: I warned them. Stupid parents. (into wristwatch) Grab the architect and bring her to the basement holding pen. Looks like the phaser made her entrance a bit early.
Post Screening
INT. BASEMENT HOLDING CHAMBER - EARLY MORNING (A FEW MOMENTS BEFORE)
This is a much larger chamber than Maya’s previous “interrogation rooms” and features nothing but a wide empty space and a bolted door.
DWAYNE’s feet are still chained up to the floor and his arms are chained to the wall, though the shackles are starting to loosen with his growing control of his powers. Bruce is still, somehow, in his pocket and squirming around. Dwayne hears the rumbling from the tazing cannons immediately above him, and looks down at Bruce.
DWAYNE: Brucie, that better not be you. I don’t know what Maggie fed you, but if
it was oysters, then…
ALAINA falls through the ceiling and lands in stereotypical superhero style, right next to Dwayne.
DWAYNE: Damn. I wish someone was around to see me do that, because that looked freakin’ sweet.
Alaina is so surprised to see another person that she phases slightly-- though just her foot phases through the floor. She’s stuck.
ALAINA: Oh, no. I can’t control it. Now I can’t control it. I’ve worked my whole life to keep it in, and…
DWAYNE: You’re that quiet girl from school. I’ve seen you in line.
ALAINA: You’re Dwayne, right? I had you in Gym last year.
DWAYNE: Yeah. I was a loser then, but… (mischievous giggle) …not anymore. Let me see if I…
Dwayne strains, as he had done earlier.
DWAYNE: No, wait… I got this… I did it before…
ALAINA: (struggling too, to release her foot) Right.
DWAYNE: Hold on, Bruce.
Bruce, alarmed by the strain, moves out of Dwayne’s pocket and crawls towards Alaina.
ALAINA: “Bruce”?
DWAYNE: Watch out-- my sister fed him actual food, so…
Bruce looks visibly uncomfortable and a loud tummy gurgle resounds through the holding chamber.
DWAYNE: OK, now let me concentrate…
ALAINA: Let me concentrate…
Dwayne attempts to break free, and Alaina attempts to get her foot unstuck and, just as both are about to free themselves… The door is unlocked and opened.
Enter RECRUITER, random AGENTS, and MAYA.
RECRUITER: (into wristwatch) Yeah, I think we got the crowd out. Don’t worry, chief… Yeah, I got 'em all… All three, right here.
Maya flings agents off of her with her powers and attempts to move herself out the door as quickly as possible, but nearly collides with AGENT GREEN, who enters slowly and creepily, waving the middle finger back and forth.
AGENT GREEN: Oh, hi. Leaving so soon? We were just understanding each other… Now, let’s clean up your little mess down here. May I borrow your powers? (without waiting for a response) Thanks. You’re just a little sweetheart, you know that?
Agent Green borrows Maya’s powers, throws her with force towards Alaina and Dwayne, and closes and locks the door. Maya bounces off of Dwayne, but passes right through Alaina, who braces herself for impact and is somewhat surprised when Maya phases through her and lands on the floor with a thud. Bruce is scared by all this action and retreats into the corner.
RECRUITER: Thank you, Agent Green. If any of these punks thinks of using their powers again, you know what to do.
AGENT GREEN: I always love getting back in touch with my youth. (pointing to each as he calls out their powers) Strength, phasing, telekinesis-- just like my own quaranteenage years.
RECRUITER: You’re the only agent I trust these days. I just hope you’ll never make the mistake of having kids, like some of our more… untrustworthy agents out there.
MAYA: Hey!
RECRUITER: (sarcastically) Oh, you’re here to hear my insult of your incompetent parents? Oops…
DWAYNE: I’ve been in here for, like, a week, with just an ultrasound-injection a day to keep me going. What the hell is going on, lady?
ALAINA: I was supposed to go out to get fancy chartreuse injectors with my mom.
RECRUITER: Cute. It’s time for your childhood to end, kids.
AGENT GREEN: Do we have to end it, though?
RECRUITER: Zip it, Green.
AGENT GREEN: K.
RECRUITER: I am here to…
Recruiter takes off “OBEY” mask with relish, revealing a beautiful (and beautifully-tanned) face.
RECRUITER: …recruit you.
The three teens avert their eyes, especially Dwayne. Agent Green is the only one who is unsurprised, getting some twisted enjoyment out of seeing the kids squirm.
MAYA: Into what? A nudist colony?
ALAINA: What happened to your… your bottomface?
DWAYNE: This cannot be the first time I’m seeing a girl’s bottom-face-- and she’s got to be as ugly as all of that. How did you get so… un-pasty?
RECRUITER: Look at me.
The three remain looking at the floor or anywhere else but at Recruiter’s face.
RECRUITER: Green, you covering?
AGENT GREEN: No one’s using their powers with me around.
RECRUITER: (lit with powers) You look at me… now.
Though they try to resist, with Agent Green in the room the three cannot help but obey Recruiter’s powers and robotically, all snap their heads up and raise their faces to meet Recruiter’s eyes.
DWAYNE: My parents told me to wait until marriage for this moment.
RECRUITER: Quiet. You three are here, at long last, because you have it.
ALAINA: The… The Virus?
Recruiter and Agent Green laugh.
MAYA: (epiphany) There is no Virus, is there?
RECRUITER: They told me you were clever.
AGENT GREEN: Isn’t she, though? She’d do her parents proud, if they weren’t such idiots themselves.
RECRUITER: There is no Virus; glad you figured that out. There might have been one, hundreds of years ago, but who cares at this point? We have the control-- that’s all that’s important. The fear of The Virus is the true virus, and everyone’s got it, except for those of us who are… educated.
DWAYNE: Us?
RECRUITER: I well remember my own Recruiter, three years ago. I was-- almost-- as good as you are now. All three of you-- undisciplined, but strong. The fact that you haven’t been trained yet and are already… well, you saw what you did.
DWAYNE: Yeah, but no one else did.
RECRUITER: And no one else will… officially… as long as you work for us.
MAYA: This is exactly what my parents wanted for me.
RECRUITER: No. They wanted to get you out of all this, Maya. But, you’re just too special to go to waste in quarantine during the peak of your abilities. We need you.
AGENT GREEN: We all do.
MAYA: Ew.
RECRUITER: If you were born this strong, or if you’ve just harnessed your powers
recently, I don’t know. All I do know, now, is that you, like me, have been cursed with a wicked weight. The weight of responsibility. You were born with powers, like all of us were, but you are still too weak and do not yet know how to wield them. You are just young confused children who know nothing of the real world. You need someone to guide you… me. So, that is the extent of your “choice.” You can join us now, behind the curtain, or later. If you join me now, you will be trained on how to harness your powers and use them for good, not bumble around like fools as you have done prior to being enlightened by yours truly. Assuredly, you-- like me-- will lead a normal life in your later
years, as our powers decline but, starting now, starting today, you can help lead this country to greater virtue.
ALAINA: Or… ?
RECRUITER: I’m sorry… “or”… what?
ALAINA: What if we don’t go with you? Can we go back to our families?
MAYA: Never! I hate my parents.
DWAYNE: My family sold me out.
ALAINA: OK, but… can I go, even if they stay?
RECRUITER: Ah… Ah… “What’s the other option?” you’re asking. Let me tell you right now-- I’m not the bad guy. I’m here to show you that you never need to wear a mask in private again, or with a group of similarly-gifted citizens-- you can get what used to be called in ancient history a “tan.” Ugly, for you, Dwayne, because you don’t know better and worship the pasty-faced supermodels from the movies. But, you’ll learn better. You’ll learn what is refined, enlightened, worthwhile-- and what is the crap we feed to the troglodytes we control. I’m here to show you, all three of you, the way to a good life.
AGENT GREEN: Or you can just wear the mask all the time anyway, like me.
RECRUITER: Yes, Agent Green. Agent Green had the choice to become a recruiter or an agent, and he chose, unwisely, the latter.
AGENT GREEN: I’m still your fave, though, right?
RECRUITER: True-- compared to the other contemptible idiots, you are slightly less of a contemptible idiot.
AGENT GREEN: Aw, that’s just sweet.
Recruiter pushes a button on her wristwatch, covertly.
RECRUITER: As I said, Alaina, I’m not the bad guy. I’m not here to torture you until you give in or… succumb to a different fate.
A door opens from the sub-basement. Up into the door emerges BABYSITTER, now 22 years old and dressed in the same faux Star-Wars white helmet, hood, and cloak. Once Babysitter is in the holding chamber, the door closes and seals shut again with a vacuum-pressure-like sound. Alaina gasps in recognition and, upon seeing Alaina, Babysitter stops.
DWAYNE: Who’s that?
RECRUITER: (pointing to BABYSITTER) He’s the bad guy. He’s here to torture you until you give in or succumb to a different fate. Agent Green, let’s leave him to his work.
AGENT GREEN: Can’t I stick around and just watch? I was thinking of picking up a new hobby-- y’know, on the side.
RECRUITER: You are such a sick person.
AGENT GREEN: (winking at MAYA) Thanks, I know.
Maya gulps. Recruiter exits the room through the main door, which closes and locks behind her. Bruce approaches, on the floor, but no one notices him. The three young heroes face Babysitter with grit and determination on their faces, while Agent Green taps fingertips together.
BABYSITTER: (muffled voice through helmet) You don’t want to see my powers.
AGENT GREEN: Dang. This is getting real. (clapping) Please, please use your powers.
DWAYNE: Eww. Please just keep your mask on.
Babysitter takes helmet off, revealing Babysitter’s perfectly tanned face. Alaina is frozen in shock.
DWAYNE: On! I said, “on,” dude. This is the worst day of my life.
MAYA: (averting her eyes in embarrassment) Alaina, why are you staring at that guy’s bottom-face? (urging) Come on, girl, it’s your turn. Please just phase us through the floor or something… Alaina? Alaina!
AGENT GREEN: No one’s using their powers while I’m around, kiddos.
BABYSITTER: Once again, I’m asking you nicely. Just be a part of the team. That’s what you’re going to do eventually. Let’s just call the Recruiter back in here and there won’t have to be any… unpleasantness. (imploring) Please, Alaina. Don’t make me do this to you.
ALAINA: You don’t have to do anything. You have a choice.
BABYSITTER: I never did. And neither do you.
ALAINA: This… this isn’t you. You were the only friend I’ve ever had, and then you… you left.
BABYSITTER: I was Screened! I was just like you, and then they caught me! I thought I could hold out, but it’s useless!
AGENT GREEN: Keep your cool.
BABYSITTER: (putting helmet back on) All three of you, I’m going to ask you one last time… Do the Right Thing.
Silence.
DWAYNE: You do the right thing. Go screw yourself.
Babysitter approaches and his hands starts becoming liquified. Dwayne and Alaina stare, but Maya’s face shows an idea in progress…
MAYA: (pretending to be desperate) Agent Green… help me.
AGENT GREEN: (approaching her) Anything for you, Maya.
MAYA: Just let me get out of here, right now. No one has to know. Bruce strolls up to Babysitter confidently, and his tummy gurgles loudly through the whole holding chamber.
BABYSITTER: What’s this?
Babysitter suddenly picks up Bruce, and takes a close look at the little mask, turning Bruce’s face towards the others.
BABYSITTER: Does this belong to any of you?
MAYA: Please… Agent Green, help me.
AGENT GREEN: (distracted) Um… but, it’s so cute…
MAYA: Train me to be an agent. That’s my true calling.
Agent Green slowly and creepily walks over to Maya. Dwayne tenses his muscles. Alaina is still caught in the middle, and her foot is still caught in the floor.
BABYSITTER: It’d be a shame if this little thing drowned, or something.
ALAINA: What have you become? You’re a monster.
DWAYNE: Bruce is looking pretty monstrous to me right about now.
BABYSITTER: “Bruce”? This is yours, strong man?
Tighter shot of Babysitter’s helmet, and his hand lifting Bruce up to his helmet. Bruce does not like this at all-- he lifts his tail and… farts fire in Babysitter’s helmet. Babysitter removes helmet and shrieks, as his face is mildly burned. All hell breaks loose. Dwayne breaks free of his bonds, and Agent Green and Maya face off. Dwayne picks up Bruce, puts him in his pocket, and swings a fist back.
DWAYNE: This is for Brucie, you â– â– â– â– â– â– â– !
Dwayne strikes Babysitter with full force and… Babysitter turns into a huge splash of water on the floor, leaving his clothes like a dead Obi-Wan Kenobi.
DWAYNE: Yo, did everyone see that? I just punched a dude and his guts turned into water!
MAYA: I’m a bit busy here myself.
Agent Green moves Maya, with her powers but then focuses intently and whips Agent Green against the wall.
AGENT GREEN: Maya… I thought you wanted me to get you out of here?
MAYA: You bought that? Dumbass.
AGENT GREEN: I’ll have to wash your mouth out with soap, young lady.
DWAYNE: I got plenty of water, if you want help with that.
Cut to Dwayne, slipping and sliding on Babysitter, who in liquid form is surrounding Dwayne, going in and out of his ears, and generally messing with him to the extent that Dwayne is being interpersonally waterboarded. Bruce reacts frantically, but stays in Dwayne’s pocket this time.
MAYA: Hold on, Dwayne. (to AGENT GREEN) You are never taking my powers again.
AGENT GREEN: There are plenty of fish in the sea, honey.
Agent Green looks over at Alaina, who finally has freed her foot. Alaina and Agent Green meet eyes, and Alaina looks over at Maya.
MAYA: Resist him, Alaina. You can do this.
ALAINA: (with fake desperation) No, Maya. I can’t. I don’t have the power.
AGENT GREEN: No, you don’t. (phasing hand through a wall) I do. (to MAYA) Phase one… complete! You get it? It’s a pun.
MAYA: Bring it on.
Alaina retreats to the corner, where she fake-sobs. Cut to a tight shot of Alaina’s face, as she re-focuses and, in effect, re-steals her power from Agent Green.
AGENT GREEN: Time to get backup, Maya. You are going to be so grounded…
Agent Green runs to the wall, anticipating to run through it, but instead runs into it and knocks himself into it.
MAYA: You first.
Alaina phases through Dwayne-- in effect, taking Babysitter’s liquid form with her and hurling it against the wall.
DWAYNE: Thanks.
ALAINA: This isn’t over yet.
Babysitter re-forms into a solid shape, from inside the white clothes still on the floor. Babysitter still appears to be liquified.
MAYA: Dwayne, I need your help over here.
DWAYNE: You can move stuff with your mind, and you need my help?
MAYA: Yeah, but… you’re a guy.
DWAYNE: And… ? You’re a girl. I’m glad we’ve got that straight.
MAYA: I need Agent Green’s outfit.
DWAYNE: OK, well, why don’t you–
Cut to a wider shot of Babysitter approaching Alaina. In the background, Maya and Dwayne face Babysitter and Alaina, keeping their backs to Agent Green, who we can observe being picked up by Maya’s mind powers. One by one, pieces of his green suit are lifted off of him. Dwayne and Maya look on, in shock that Babysitter and Alaina are talking like old acquaintances.
BABYSITTER: I’m impressed, Alaina. You’re no longer that scared little girl I knew six years ago.
ALAINA: (quivering voice) The only one scared around here is you.
BABYSITTER: You should be scared. You don’t know what I can do to you.
ALAINA: You won’t.
BABYSITTER: I will. Your powers are not that strong. You may have come a long way from the backyard, but so have I.
Babysitter approaches Maya, slowly, becoming slightly liquescent again.
DWAYNE: (stepping in the way) Hey, dummy. You ready for Round Two?
Dwayne approaches Babysitter intimidatingly while Maya collects Agent Green’s things, including wristwatch. Babysitter liquifies entirely-- clothes included this time-- and in effect becomes a human cyclone. Dwayne lifts his fist, is about to punch, and then Alaina phases in to the rescue, phasing both herself and the cyclonic Babysitter through the wall.
Silence. Bruce peeks out of Dwayne’s pocket.
DWAYNE: Where did they go?
MAYA: I don’t know, but she’s giving us the time to get out of here. She’ll be OK-- she can pass through walls-- but we’ve got to figure a way out of here.
DWAYNE: Didn’t the waterboy come from down there?
MAYA: Yeah. Too heavy for me to move.
DWAYNE: Can you move big rocks?
MAYA: Never tried, but… sure.
DWAYNE: Then here’s some big rocks. Hold on to Brucie for me. Just hold his tail the
other way, to be on the safe side.
Dwayne gives Bruce to Maya, and proceeds to punch the floor. Big chunks of the flooring come up, and Maya moves them with her mind powers to block the entrance door.
INT. BASEMENT HOLDING CHAMBER NEXT DOOR - EARLY MORNING (A
FEW MOMENTS BEFORE)
ALAINA has phased both of them through to the other side of the wall, though BABYSITTER is only partway through when Alaina stops phasing, so that Babysitter’s newly-resolidified hand is stuck in the wall. This is shot in just the same way as the extended post-title sequence. (Babysitter’s hand is “stuck” in the wall instead of being “sliced” off.)
BABYSITTER: Now’s your chance. Get out of here.
ALAINA: Come with us. You don’t have to work for them.
BABYSITTER: Remember when we were last together, Alaina? I said, “I will never betray the Empire. There is no one and nothing else that I am called to be.” That’s still true now-- I didn’t know who I was back then, but I’ve found my, my calling.
ALAINA: I think I said something like, “It is you who are betraying yourself.”
BABYSITTER: “I am no rebel scum. I have been Screened in the days of my own youth-- and have the scars of both mind and body to prove it. Every time I feel them, I know that I am free of infection. That is why I serve the Empire so well.”
ALAINA: This isn’t some movie! The Screenings betrayed you…
BABYSITTER: You don’t know what you can do with your powers yet. Take off your mask, Alaina. It’s inhibiting your true ability.
ALAINA: No!
BABYSITTER: I’m glad. That would be a little sketchy.
They both laugh awkwardly, painfully.
ALAINA: You always knew how to bring me back. (very hard, almost through tears) But, not anymore.
Agents are heard down the corridor.
BABYSITTER: “The Empire will be here, waiting for you… always.”
ALAINA: “I knew you always had the Empire in your heart.” I did too, for so much of my life, but I just don’t know anymore. Thanks for… thanks.
BABYSITTER: Thanks for your thanks.
Agents bust down the door and Alaina falls through the floor.