CATALYST

CATALYST

INT. SUSAN’S OFFICE - CIA HEADQUARTERS - NIGHT

No windows. File cabinets along the walls. A simple table stacked with paperwork, all of it marked, “TOP SECRET”.

SUSAN REED, thirties, sits at the table. Sensible haircut, unruly. Dark pant suit, wrinkled. It’s been a long day.

Susan redacts official documents with a black Sharpie. It’s monotonous work and she can’t help but glance at the wall clock. The second hand sweeps it’s way to six. Quittin’ time.

Susan caps her Sharpie, lays it on the doc. Done for the day.

INT. LOBBY - CIA HEADQUARTERS - LANGLEY, VA - NIGHT

Susan leaves with the day shift. Dozens of Intel Officers walking across the noble CIA insignia on the marble floor.

As Susan goes to the exit, she passes a quotation chiseled in stone on the white marble wall: “And ye Shall Know the Truth and the Truth Shall Make You Free. -- John 8:32”

EXT. BLACK SITE - ISLA CLARION - SUNSET

A sign in English and Spanish, “WARNING. RESTRICTED AREA. USE OF DEADLY FORCE AUTHORIZED.” Barbed wire fence. Searchlights. Buildings in the distance include an Aircraft Hanger. SUPER: “ELDORADO GREEN, CIA BLACK SITE, ISLA CLARION, PACIFIC OCEAN”

INT. AIRCRAFT HANGER - BLACK SITE - CONTINUOUS

Paramilitary Guards watch a non-descript Private Jet ease to a stop under the bright lights and high ceiling. The engines ease, the door opens, and a group of armed men disembark.

ELI PRESCOTT, thirties, athletic, no gun. Followed by CARLO DRAEGER, fifties, athletic, yes gun. Behind them are four tough looking Mercenaries in balaclavas. The Hanger Guards have no time to react as Carlo and the masked men SHOOT them.

Eli uses an access card to unlock the main door of the facility. Carlo tosses him a pistol, and they enter with two of the Mercs, leaving two behind to guard the plane.

In the hanger rafters, a WOMAN climbs from an air vent.

FRANKIE BRASHER, thirties, athletic, breathing hard. Her orange inmate jumpsuit is dirty and sweat stained. Escaping from a CIA Black Site is hard.

2.

Frankie climbs onto a crossbeam, notes the Mercs below and the jet’s location across the hanger. She steels her courage and leaps from ceiling beam to beam, more bold than graceful.

Frankie slips and hangs-on, dangling above the Mercs below. She drags herself back on to the beam and resumes her dash.

Frankie drops to the jet’s roof and swings down into the cabin, undetected by the armed Mercs. After a beat, the Pilot is tossed onto the hanger floor and the cabin door sealed.

Eli and Carlo re-enter the hanger as the jet ENGINES ROAR.

INT. COCKPIT - JET - ON THE MOVE - CONTINUOUS

Frankie at the controls, expertly prepping for takeoff as fast as she can. She sees Eli and his team advancing toward her, guns up. She flips a switch, advances the throttles.

INT. AIRCRAFT HANGER - BLACK SITE - CONTINUOUS

Eli and his team are pushed back as the jet’s thrust reversers deploy, sending gale force winds at them. The jet eases back out of the hanger, ENGINES SCREAMING.

INT. COCKPIT - PRIVATE JET - ON THE MOVE - CONTINUOUS

Frankie pivots the moving plane, angles for the runway.

EXT. AIRCRAFT HANGER - BLACK SITE - CONTINUOUS

Eli and his team exit the hanger and FIRE their GUNS at the moving jet, bullets sparking as they impact the fuselage.

INT. COCKPIT - JET - ON THE MOVE - CONTINUOUS

Frankie ducks as bullets pierce the aft cabin. Through a side window she sees one of the engines take a hit. ALARMS BLARE, but Frankie ignores this and lines up for takeoff.

EXT. RUNWAY - BLACK SITE - CONTINUOUS

Eli and his team keep firing as the jet hurtles down the runway, streaming smoke from the damaged engine. The jet rises, banks into the sky, trailing smoke across the sunset.

INT. COCKPIT - JET - FLYING - CONTINUOUS

Frankie at the controls, emotional, laughing. She looks down at her GPS navigation system to a map of the United States.

EXT. WASHINGTON DC - ESTABLISHING SHOT - NIGHT

The illuminated monuments, memorials, and capital dome.

3.

EXT. GOLDEN YEARS NURSING HOME - WASHINGTON, DC. - NIGHT

Four stories. A few lights on. Empty parking lot. SUPER: “GOLDEN YEARS NURSING HOME, WASHINGTON, DC.”

INT. SECURE FLOOR - GOLDEN YEARS NURSING HOME - NIGHT

A security checkpoint like you’d find at an airport. Behind a desk, a guard, GREG, watches a TV REPORT about an upcoming summit between President Campbell and the Chinese Ambassador to discuss tension in Africa. DING.

Susan exits the ELEVATOR, grocery bag under her arm.

Susan places the bag on the conveyer, scans her ID on a tablet pad -- yup, CIA. The GATE UNLOCKS and she enters.

Susan starts down the hallway, someone plays “Winds of Change” by The Scorpions on ACOUSTIC GUITAR. The SONG comes from a room at the end of the hall. That’s where Susan is headed, before she gets there, she stops at the other rooms.

INT. THE ENGINEER’S ROOM - NURSING HOME - NIGHT

Dim. Chalkboards on the wall filled with scrawled equations. Shelves lined with scale models of military aircraft. All of them meticulously made from toothpicks.

At a desk, THE ENGINEER, seventies, in a vintage spacesuit. He assembles a toothpick model of a Lunar Lander, muttering --

4.

Susan delivers new glue and toothpicks to a nearby table.

Susan exits, leaving him to place his Lunar Lander on a little tv studio diorama between toothpick video cameras.

INT. THE STORYTELLERS’ ROOM - NURSING HOME - NIGHT

Susan enters a dark bedroom lined with well stocked book shelves. A writing desk with a electric typewriter. Beside a drawing table. This room has two elderly residents.

A woman, THE ARTIST, seventies, sleeps in bed. A man, THE WRITER, seventies, awake in an adjacent bed, petting a cat.

Susan delivers fresh cat food tins to a table. The Writer smiles and whispers --

The Artist snores. Susan and The Writer stifle laughter.

INT. HALLWAY - SECURE FLOOR - NURSING HOME - NIGHT

Susan tries a door, it’s locked, looks around nervously.

INT. THE ASSASSIN’S ROOM - NURSING HOME - NIGHT

An exercise bike. A punching bag. Organized racks of weapons on the walls. Guns of many types. Blades. But all of them are cardboard, handmade. The twin bed is empty.

A magazine slides into the room under the door. A vintage copy of THE UNASHAMED, adult entertainment for women.

Under the bed, a woman lies atop a Kilim rug, THE ASSASSIN is in her seventies, dressed in a gray sweat suit. One arm as a pillow, the other arm across her chest, holding a cardboard pistol. She smiles at the sound of the magazine delivery.

5.

INT. HALLWAY - SECURE FLOOR - NURSING HOME - NIGHT

Susan walks toward the room where the GUITAR MUSIC emanates.

INT. ANATOLY'S ROOM - SECURE FLOOR - NURSING HOME - NIGHT

ANATOLY KARPOV, seventies, sits on the edge of his bed, playing acoustic guitar. On the wall is a framed photo of him, younger, receiving a medal from then President Reagan.

One side of the room features a dozen television sets of various vintage stacked atop each other. All of them display current news reports from various global sources, sound off.

Susan enters, places a bottle of Vodka on a table for two, sits. Anatoly stops singing and sits across from her.

Susan fills two shot glasses with Vodka.

6.

Susan holds up her shot glass for a toast. Anatoly smiles. They clink glasses and drink. It’s strong stuff.

EXT. HIGH ALTITUDE - OVER TEXAS - NIGHT

Scattered clouds lit by moonlight. A familiar Private Jet emerges from the clouds, trailing smoke, flying right at us.

EXT. PRIVATE JET - FLYING - CONTINUOUS

The plane sags to one side, windows alight, but iced over.

INT. COCKPIT - PRIVATE JET - CONTINUOUS

Frankie shivers at the controls, wearing an oxygen mask. The bullet riddled plane didn’t pressurize. She flies via instruments, unable to see through the frosted front window. Frankie looks at her GPS Nav map to see she’s above Texas.

EXT. BURFIELD AIRPORT - TEXAS - NIGHT

The middle of nowhere. Some parked small planes. SUPER: “BURFIELD AIPORT, TEXAS”

INT. CONTROL TOWER - BURFIELD AIRPORT - TEXAS - NIGHT

Alone after hours, ERIC and RUIZ, Air Traffic Controllers, discuss the hand written name on a Starbucks cup: “EVIL”.

7.

Eric holds up his smartphone to show Ruiz --

The RADAR BEEPS, Eric takes a look.

The RADIO SPEAKER answers with STATIC.

8.

INT. COCKPIT - PRIVATE JET - CONTINUOUS

Frankie is freezing at the controls, trying to fly the plane.

With a shaking hand, Frankie taps frosted buttons.

INT. CONTROL TOWER - BURFIELD AIRPORT - TEXAS - NIGHT

Eric regards the radar, reading four small numbers.

INT. COCKPIT - PRIVATE JET - CONTINUOUS

Frankie banks the plane, it shudders, an ALARM BLARES. The jet’s one good engine is running out of fuel.

INT. SECURE FLOOR - GOLDEN YEARS NURSING HOME - NIGHT

DING. Greg see three figures exit the elevator --

TAYLOR MCELROY is a man of military bearing in his forties, dressed casually. He’s been there and done that.

JAMIL BRENDON, twenties, suit and tie, briefcase hand-cuffed to his wrist. He’s a lawyer.

RUTH MARTINEZ, windbreaker and jeans, a large pelican case in each hand. She provides tech services.

INT. ANATOLY'S ROOM - SECURE FLOOR - NURSING HOME - NIGHT

Susan and Anatoly softly sing “Winds of Change”.

9.

They stop when Taylor enters the room, flashes his CIA ID.

Susan stands, flustered.

Susan follows Taylor, leaving Anatoly to strum a chord.

INT. HALLWAY - CONTINUOUS

Susan walks beside Taylor, who speaks loudly.

Taylor is startled by this, but lowers his tone.

10.

Susan stops walking, stunned by this news. Taylor gently takes her by the arm and they resume walking.

INT. CAFETERIA - SECURE FLOOR - NURSING HOME - NIGHT

Taylor leads Susan into the room toward a table. She sees Martinez assembling a secure comms terminal. Jamil pulls paperwork from his case, sets it before an empty chair.

Susan sits in the chair with Jamil’s documents.

Jamil offers Susan a pen and points to the paperwork.

11.

Susan takes the pen from the smiling young man, and signs.

EXT. PRIVATE JET - LANDING APPROACH - BURFIELD - NIGHT

The jet descends toward the runway, sagging on one engine.

INT. COCKPIT - PRIVATE JET - CONTINUOUS

Frankie fights the controls, shivering, can’t see the ground.

INT. CONTROL TOWER - BURFIELD AIRPORT - CONTINUOUS

Eric and Ruiz watch through the window as the stricken jet lands just short of the runway, breaks the landing gear, and pancakes to a stop in a cloud of dust. The guys are stunned. They turn to a RADIO SPEAKER, as a gruff man’s VOICE asks --

Eric glances at the radar.

The RADIO answers with STATIC.

EXT. BLACK HELICOPTER - FLYING LOW - NIGHT

A modified Bell 407. No lights. The occupants in silhouette.

INT. BLACK HELICOPTER - CONTINUOUS

Totally dark. The PILOT and a six member Tactical Team wear night vision goggles. The TEAM LEADER switches his COMMS.

INTERCUT WITH:

12.

INT. CAFETERIA - GOLDEN YEARS NURSING HOME - NIGHT

Susan leans toward a microphone plugged into the COMMS rig. Taylor and Jamil watch her as Martinez works the gear.

Taylor leans close to Susan, speaks into the microphone.

END INTERCUT as Susan starts to get up from her chair, but --

Susan sees Jamil pulling out a tape recorder and note pad.

13.

Off Susan’s worried look.

EXT. RUNWAY - BURFIELD AIRPORT - TEXAS - NIGHT

The Black Helicopter lands. The Tac Team exit, guns up, night vision on, advancing silently toward the wrecked Private Jet. The power’s off, no lights, the door’s shut. It’s ominous.

INT. COCKPIT - PRIVATE JET - CONTINUOUS

Frankie belted in her seat, unconscious at the controls.

EXT. PRIVATE JET - CRASHED - CONTINUOUS

The Tac Team approach with caution. Team Leader directs two of his group to secure the exterior, leads the rest to the closed door. They set CHARGES and breach the cabin -- BOOM!

INT. COCKPIT - PRIVATE JET - CONTINUOUS

Frankie startles awake at the sound of the small explosion.

INT. PRIVATE JET CABIN - CONTINUOUS

Dark. The Tac Team enter, methodically checking in both directions. Several advance toward the rear while the Team Leader and another approach the cockpit.

INT. COCKPIT - PRIVATE JET - CONTINUOUS

The Team Leader enters to find both seats are empty. We see Frankie’s wedged against the ceiling, like a rock climber.

When Team Leader turns back toward the cabin, Frankie drops, grabs him from behind, and uses his GUN to SHOOT the closest Tac, striking them in their bullet proof chest plating.

Team Leader breaks free of Frankie’s grip, turns to fight her and finds she’s smiling, eyes wild. She lives for this shit.

14.

Frankie shoves him into the cabin toward the other Tacs. She links her moves like a martial arts break-dancer, bracing off one enemy to launch against another, judo-style.

The Tacs are too close to fire their weapons, but Frankie doesn’t hesitate. She uses their GUNS against them, FIRING into their plate vests. The Tacs are stunned but not killed.

Frankie plants her hands on the shoulders of a Tac and runs up the inner wall of the jet and across the ceiling to bring her sneakered foot down in a savage kick against an attacker.

EXT. PRIVATE JET - CRASHED - CONTINUOUS

The Tac Team guys who’d been guarding the perimeter now charge the door of the jet. Only to get bowled over as Frankie bursts out of the dark cabin and takes them down.

But Frankie doesn’t pause to fight, she keeps on running toward the Tac Team’s parked helicopter. The blades of which are still rotating. As we run with Frankie, we can see the Pilot panic at her approach, scrambling to pull their gun.

Frankie reaches the chopper, diving low as the Pilot SHOOTS at her through a tiny window, but has no angle.

Frankie vaults into the chopper through its open rear door, charges into the cockpit, disarms the Pilot, kicks them out onto the runway, and takes their seat. The bird is hers now.

The dazed Tac Team pile out of the jet only to see their helicopter lift off the ground with Frankie at the controls.

As the Tac Team charge, guns up, Frankie spins the chopper so its tail rotor swings at her attackers. They hit the deck, watching, humiliated as the chopper flies away.

INT. CONTROL TOWER - BURFIELD AIRPORT - CONTINUOUS

Eric and Ruiz watch from the window as the Black Helicopter speeds toward them before banking away into the night sky.

INT. CAFETERIA - GOLDEN YEARS NURSING HOME - NIGHT

Susan answers questions from Jamil and Taylor. Martinez works at her terminal, wearing a headset.

15.

16.

Taylor smirks as Jamil puts down his pen, turns off the recorder. Martinez reacts to something she hears on headset.

Jamil and Taylor look her way. Martinez tells Susan --

EXT. BUNNY’S GAS & FISH - ROUTE 66 - TEXAS - NIGHT

After hours. Middle of nowhere. The SOUND OF A HELICOPTER fades. The store is bright. A lone pickup gets gas. A parked car hauler loaded with new Detroit muscle, Dodge Hellcats.

A TRUCK DRIVER drinks coffee at the rear of the hauler. He looks down to check his watch, then looks up to see --

-- Frankie jog out of the forest at the edge of the parking lot. She’s lost the orange jumpsuit, now wearing just the prison issue orange sports bra and briefs. She’s soaking wet.

The Truck Driver watches Frankie go to the station’s air pump, dry herself with a few blasts, then head for the store.

INT. STORE - BUNNY’S GAS & FISH - CONTINUOUS

A ceiling mounted TV offers more news regarding the standoff between the US and China in Sub Saharan Africa. Racks of food, drink, fishing tackle, and even some long rifles for sale. The COUNTER MAN ties a fly, looking up as scantily clad Frankie enters, he smiles.

Frankie nods toward a stack of PACKAGES behind the counter.

17.

Frankie boldly walks around the counter to the packages.

Frankie scans the pile, retrieves an envelope, ripping it open before the Counter Man can protest. She pulls out a driver’s license and hands it to the Counter Man. He matches the picture to her face. Yup, that’s her. He hands it back.

Frankie grabs the bathroom key off a hook.

INT. HALLWAY - NURSING HOME - NIGHT

Anatoly and Greg eavesdrop outside the cafeteria door. Shhhh.

INT. CAFETERIA - NURSING HOME - NIGHT

Susan has the attention of Taylor, Jamil, and Martinez.

18.

INT. BATHROOM - BUNNY'S GAS & FISH - NIGHT

Frankie stares at herself in the mirror. The packages on the floor piled behind her. She opens a box containing hair clippers and gets to work, trimming her unruly prison locks.

Frankie checks out her new haircut, short, but chic.

Frankie opens a box of new clothes and gets dressed.

19.

Frankie wears a leather jacket, jeans, boots. Transformed.

INT. BUNNY'S GAS & FISH - ROUTE 66 - TEXAS - NIGHT

The Counter Man ogles Frankie as she exits the bathroom, large duffle bag over her shoulder. She steps up to the counter, pulls a wad of cash from inside her jacket, and looks up at the long rifles for sale.

EXT. BUNNY’S GAS & FISH - ROUTE 66 - TEXAS - NIGHT

Frankie crosses the lot to the car hauling rig. The Truck Driver finishes unloading a brand new Dodge Hellcat.

After tossing her duffle into the passenger seat, Frankie turns to accept the key fob and gets behind the wheel. She REVS the POWERFUL V8 and burns rubber out of the empty lot.

INT. CAFETERIA - GOLDEN YEARS NURSING HOME - NIGHT

Martinez exits with the pelican cases. Jamil closes his attaché case and follows her out. Taylor and Susan stand.

Taylor starts for the door, then turns back.

Susan gets lost for a moment.

20.

INT. DODGE HELLCAT - DRIVING FAST - NIGHT

The ENGINE ROARS as the speedometer climbs toward 200 MPH. Frankie smiles, eyes forward, hurtling into the darkness.

CUT TO:

BLACK.

EXT. MOUNTAIN SIDE - NEW MEXICO - DAY

The still smoldering wreck of a crashed helicopter.

INT. OPERATIONS ROOM - CIA HEADQUARTERS - DAY

A satellite image of the crash fills a wall screen. DIRECTOR GRIFFIN stands before it, in a dark suit. The sixtyish CIA lifer speaks to a half-dozen Officers including Taylor and Jamil. Susan sits in a chair along the back wall, alone.

Susan regards the satellite image of blackened earth and speaks up, drawing the attention of the others.

Director Griffin regards her, annoyed, then --

21.

Director Griffin is not amused.

Taylor motions for the Director to ease-up, turns to Susan.

Susan moves to the table, leaning between Taylor and Jamil. She touches a built-in haptic screen and the large satellite image on the wall widens to include the state of Texas.

22.

Taylor tries to re-direct their conflict, interrupts.

23.

Director Griffin glares at Susan, exits. Taylor’s curious --

Susan appreciates Taylor’s wry smile.

EXT. MCDONALD’S PARKING LOT - MEMPHIS, TN - DAY

The RADIO plays STATIC inside the Dodge, tuned to a dead station. Frankie sits on the hood, in the sunshine, savoring a Big Mac and french fries. It feels good to be free.

She reacts as the radio static is replaced by a four note TUNE. Then a woman’s soft VOICE announces --

Frankie listens as the voice recites a sequence of numbers.

Frankie’s lips move as she transcribes this coded message. She pulls out a burner smart phone and thumb scrolls, scrutinizing a Google Map of downtown Washington, DC. Uh-oh.

INT. OPERATIONS ROOM - CIA HEADQUARTERS - DAY

Most have cleared out except Susan and Taylor, who regard a map of Texas on the smart wall. Jamil is at the table. Martinez has joined them to operate a data terminal.

24.

FLASHBACK -- Susan, nerd attire, typing at a computer.

25.

FLASHBACK -- Susan shows her computer screen to an Exec. Susan and the Exec stand in front of Director Griffin.

FLASHBACK -- An urban townhouse under Tac Team assault. Frankie emerges from a storm drain behind the attackers.

FLASHBACK -- Susan is with Director Griffin inside a tech filled sprinter van. The door slides open and a familiar person enters, gun in hand. It’s Eli Prescott. WTF!? Yup, the guy who led the raid on the Black Site was Frankie’s fiancé. Eli shoots the Exec, then turns his gun on Griffin. Susan pulls her gun and shoots Eli in the torso, he falls back.

26.

FLASHBACK -- Susan watches Eli receive CPR, then pivots to see Frankie running toward her. But a Tac Team intercepts her. As Frankie is dragged away, she locks eyes with Susan.

Off Susan’s concern.

INT. DODGE HELLCAT - DRIVING - INTERCHANGE - DAY

Frankie drives, following the road signs for WASHINGTON, DC.

EXT. COURTYARD - CIA HEADQUARTERS - LANGLEY, VA - DAY

The Kryptos sculpture is a vertical copper screen resembling a scroll of paper punched with lines of encrypted text. Director Griffin stands in its shade, talking on a cellphone.

27.

INT. OPERATIONS ROOM - CIA HEADQUARTERS - DAY

Frankie, Taylor, Jamil, and Martinez regard SURVEILLANCE VIDEO on the big screen. From inside the store at Bunny’s Gas & Fish. They watch as Frankie enters in her orange underwear. When Frankie walks around the counter, they lose sight.

Jamil calls up an angle that reveals Frankie opening the envelope and presenting Counter Man the driver’s license.

They watch Frankie grab the bathroom key, then Counter Man helps her carry the packages out of surveillance view.

28.

Susan and Taylor watch the screen as Frankie exits the store in new clothes with the duffle, heading for the muscle car.

EXT. ARLINGTON MEMORIAL BRIDGE - WASHINGTON, DC - DAY

The Dodge drives over the Potomac river and into town.

EXT. PARKING GARAGE - DOWNTOWN - WASHINGTON, DC - DAY

Frankie drives the Hellcat into a multi-story garage.

INT. PARKING GARAGE - DOWNTOWN - WASHINGTON, DC - DAY

Frankie, in a black t-shirt and dark leggings, opens the trunk to reveal the duffle bag. She unzips it -- the first item is a Cuddle Bug Halloween Costume, kid size. Then several Cuddle Bug Sippy Cups filled with dark liquid. She puts these items into a matching Cuddle Bug Backpack.

INT. OPERATIONS ROOM - CIA HEADQUARTERS - DAY

Susan and Taylor lean over a screen built into the table, regarding Amazon Product Pages of the Cuddle Bug items. Nearby, Jamil scans a list of deliveries for Sage Rowan.

The others regard Taylor. How would he know?

29.

INT. PARKING GARAGE - DOWNTOWN - WASHINGTON, DC - DAY

Frankie puts on a padded leather vest with floral stitching.

Frankie pulls an oversized black sweatshirt over the vest. The combo adds more than a few sizes to her athletic frame. A pair of large anime eyes decorate the sweatshirt’s chest.

Frankie unpacks two wigs from the duffle.

Frankie puts on the brown wig, glasses, swings the backpack over her shoulder, closes the trunk. Transformed once again.

INT. OPERATIONS ROOM - CIA HEADQUARTERS - DAY

On the table screen is the product page for the safety glasses where Susan reads the words -- Square Nerd.

30.

On the screen, images of a winch device with steel cable.

EXT. STREET - WASHINGTON, DC - DAY

Frankie crosses the street, looking like a plus-sized Mom.

Frankie approaches a pair of official looking Black Suburbans, passing between them to the sidewalk in front of --

EXT. DAVINCI’S VR PIZZA - WASHINGTON, DC - DAY

Signage in bright colors. Families enter and exit. A large window exposes the packed dining room and restaurant within.

31.

As Frankie approaches the entrance, she’s stopped by a SECRET SERVICE AGENT. A suit, flag on the lapel, earpiece, the whole deal. He checks Frankie’s kiddie backpack, waves her inside.

INT. OPERATIONS ROOM - CIA HEADQUARTERS - DAY

Susan has yet to answer Taylor, he’s staring at her.

Taylor, Jamil, and Martinez regard Susan, confused.

32.

Taylor, Jamil, and Martinez stare at Susan, incredulous.

INT. DINING ROOM - DAVINCI’S VR PIZZA - DAY

Frankie moves through the raucous crowd, blending in. She scans the place like a pro, spotting another Secret Service Agent at the top of the stairs. A kiddie-gate blocks the stairs, a sign informs customers to, “WAIT FOR VR-GUARDIAN.”

33.

Frankie moves toward the rear of the restaurant, along the way, she places Cuddle Bug Sippy Cups atop random tables.

INT. OPERATIONS ROOM - CIA HEADQUARTERS - DAY

Susan, Taylor, and Jamil regard an image of the creeper.

Taylor, Jamil and Martinez regard Susan.

A heavy beat. Then Jamil resumes reading --

EXT. BACK ALLEY - DAVINCI’S VR PIZZA - DAY

As Frankie exits the back door another Secret Service Agent on rear-guard turns to look at her. She smiles, faking lost.

34.

Secret Service takes one look at Frankie and turns away, she doesn’t seem like a threat. She attacks him from behind with a kidney punch, leg sweep, and a sleeper hold to the neck.

Frankie chokes-out Secret Service, secures him with the gear, rolls him under a dumpster, and re-enters the pizza joint.

INT. OPERATIONS ROOM - CIA HEADQUARTERS - DAY

Susan regards the list, curious.

Martinez types at her terminal.

INT. DINING ROOM - DAVINCI’S VR PIZZA - DAY

Frankie picks up a slice of pizza from a random table, leans against the wall and takes a bite, savoring the flavor.

Frankie looks at her watch, a timer ticks down from ten seconds. She looks across the room at the various Sippy Cups.

The TOPS of the Sippy Cups POP OFF like gunshots, blasting soda everywhere. Kids and Parents scream in surprise.

35.

The Secret Service Agent guarding the head of the stairs pulls his gun and leaves his post. Frankie uses this moment of distraction to vault over the gated railing, unseen.

INT. LOWER LOUNGE - DAVINCI’S VR PIZZA - CONTINUOUS

Frankie lands in a crouch. It’s dark down here. Everything’s painted black with glow in the dark accents. The rack of VR Helmets and VR Backpacks has a few left. The rest are being used in the VR GAME ARENA, behind a temp eight-foot wall.

Frankie looks past a bored Teen working the arena entrance, toward a closed door protected by a digital lock and camera.

The Teen looks toward Frankie but she’s moved out of his eyeline. We see her scrambling over the eight foot wall.

INT. VR GAME ARENA - DAVINCI’S VR PIZZA - CONTINUOUS

Frankie lands in the dark, maze-like area. It’s full of kids wearing VR Helmets, holding VR Guns as they follow a course.

They don’t see Frankie moving silently among them, or notice as she pulls out a small pink flashlight, blasting the ceiling mounted security cameras with its tight beam.

INT. SECURITY ROOM - DAVINCI’S VR PIZZA - DAY

On SURVEILLANCE MONITORS, the interior of Davinci’s, including the VR Arena is well covered. A lone TECH OPERATOR is confused, watching as the arena monitors flare-out one by one. He doesn’t see Frankie on any of them, exits the room.

EXT. BASEMENT HALLWAY - DAVINCI’S VR PIZZA - CONTINUOUS

-- The Tech Operator steps out of the Security Room to find a trio of muscular BRAVKA BODYGUARDS in garish track-suits playing poker. The men speak in Russian with SUBTITLES.

36.

The annoyed Tech Operator goes to a heavily secured door, unlocking it to find -- Frankie on the other side, wearing a VR Helmet. She walks right past the startled Tech as if she’s playing the VR game. The Tech calls after her in English --

The Bodyguards laugh as Frankie meanders toward them, she looks ridiculous. The Tech OPERATOR catches up to her.

Frankie rips off her VR helmet. Before the Tech can react she’s smashed it into his head, sending him to the floor, unconscious. Frankie throws the helmet at the confused Bodyguards, charging them, eyes wild, gloved fists raised.

Frankie punches the Bodyguards with her gloved hands, surprising them with punishing strikes and blocks.

A Bodyguard pulls a knife and slashes at Frankie, cutting her sweater to ribbons, but not penetrating the vest underneath.

Frankie spin-kicks a Bodyguard with her high-topped feet.

Frankie stands over the inert Bodyguards and Tech. Her long hair wig came off in the fight. She shrugs out of the rodeo vest, breathing hard, but invigorated. She sees the open door of the nearby Security Room and moves toward it.

INT. OPERATIONS ROOM - CIA HEADQUARTERS - DAY

Susan regards Taylor and Jamil, the video wall behind her is filled with images of all the weird products they identified.

37.

Martinez calls attention to a new discovery.

Susan’s at the end of her rope. Taylor tries to help --

INT. SECURITY ROOM - DAVINCI’S VR PIZZA - DAY

Frankie enters, ignoring the surveillance monitors to face the other side of the room. She looks through a pane of one-way glass, like the interrogation room of a Police Station.

On the other side of the glass is a small laboratory designed for Optogenetic Programming. There are only two occupants --

NIKTIN, thirties, athletic, tech-wear attire. He adjusts a ceiling mounted emitter to shine light on the temples of a TWEEN BOY, street clothes, strapped into a medical chair.

Frankie moves to a computer terminal and starts scrolling through a list of files as she LISTENS to the other room via SPEAKER. The Tween Boy talks in monotones, he’s in a trance, while Maxim speaks calmly in a thick Russian accent.

38.

Off Frankie’s grim reaction.

INT. PARKING GARAGE - DOWNTOWN - WASHINGTON, DC - DAY

The Dodge Hellcat is quickly surrounded by a Tac Team in civilian clothes. A SEDAN SKIDS to a stop, Taylor and Susan climb out and move to the Dodge. Taylor orders the Tacs --

Susan wanders away from the car to the garage balcony, she looks out over the city. Taylor moves up beside her.

Susan looks at the street below to a Family with Children walking the sidewalk carrying balloons and a pizza box.

39.

Off their excited reactions.

INT. SECURITY ROOM - DAVINCI'S VR PIZZA - DAY

Frankie pulls a USB memory stick from the computer, stows it. She hears Maxim’s CELLPHONE RING in the adjacent room.

Frankie watches Maxim look her way, nervous, then hurry to a wall panel, entering a code that triggers a countdown timer. That can’t be good. Maxim pulls a Makarov PISTOL and SHOOTS at Frankie, she ducks as the mirrored GLASS SHATTERS.

INT. OPTOGENETICS LAB - DAVINCI'S VR PIZZA - CONTINUOUS

Maxim is gone as Frankie enters through the broken window. She goes to the wall panel, rips off its cover and pulls out wires. The timer stops. Frankie goes to the boy in the chair.

As she unbuckles his restraints, she can see his eyes do not look normal. The outer rings of the iris’ are violet, while the inner rings are ice green. It’s a type of heterochromia.

Frankie pulls the dazed boy out of the chair.

EXT. DAVINCI’S VR PIZZA - WASHINGTON, DC - DAY

Susan and Taylor follow a Tac Team to the entrance where the Secret Service Agent sees their guns and draws his own.

40.

As the teams sort it out, Susan moves to the window, looking into the restaurant where confused families are scrambling. Susan looks past them to a WOMAN with short hair, escorting a KID in a Cuddle Bug costume to the back of the restaurant.

INT. DAVINCI'S VR PIZZA - WASHINGTON, DC - CONTINUOUS

Frankie glances back to see Susan pointing, then pulls the costumed kid along with her, out the restaurant’s back door.

EXT. DAVINCI'S VR PIZZA - WASHINGTON, DC - CONTINUOUS

Frankie and the kid burst outside, she looks up as a Black Helicopter flies overhead, leads the kid to a storm drain.

INT. DINING ROOM - DAVINCI'S VR PIZZA - CONTINUOUS

Taylor and the Secret Service Agents charge toward the back door with Susan running after them.

INT. SEWER TUNNEL - CONTINUOUS

Frankie and the costumed kid drop down into a flat cement tunnel. The Mechanic’s Creeper is waiting for them, on rollers, connected to a wire that stretches into darkness.

EXT. BACK ALLEY - DAVINCI'S VR PIZZA - CONTINUOUS

Taylor and Secret Service burst out, scanning for Frankie. But she’s gone. They move off into the area, leaving Susan behind. She looks around, noticing the nearby storm drain.

INT. STORM DRAIN - CONTINUOUS

Frankie lies on the Creeper, holding the kid to her chest. She keys a switch on the cable and it yanks them down the drainage tunnel, rolling away at high speed just as --

Susan peers into the storm drain from above, but sees nothing. Frankie and the kid have vanished into the black.

EXT. BACK ALLEY - DAVINCI'S VR PIZZA - CONTINUOUS

As Susan moves away from the drain, Taylor returns.

41.

Off of Susan’s shock.

CUT TO:

BLACK.

EXT. STREET - DAVINCI’S VR PIZZA - DAY

The street has been cordoned off by Police Cars. Cops at the perimeter admit FBI vehicles. Armed personnel from the Secret Service secure the entrance as the CIA Tac Team leads the Russian Bodyguards, cuffed and hooded, from the restaurant.

The Russians are loaded aboard a nondescript transport van and quickly driven away before the FBI vehicles arrive.

INT. OPTOGENETICS LAB - DAVINCI'S VR PIZZA - DAY

Susan inspects the medical equipment. The laser emitter shines tiny beams on the chair’s headrest. She moves her hand through the light. Not hot, but pulsing fast. Taylor enters --

42.

Susan notices a microphone attached to the laser emitter, then looks toward the broken glass and the adjacent room.

INT. SECURITY ROOM - DAVINCI’S VR PIZZA - DAY

Susan types on the keys of the computer where Frankie had worked, the monitor is on, but it’s stuck in a boot cycle.

43.

Before Susan can respond, a trio of FBI AGENTS enter.

EXT. DAVINCI'S VR PIZZA - WASHINGTON, DC - DAY

Susan and Taylor exit to see Director Griffin talking with several official looking people from Secret Service and FBI. Susan notices the Secret Service Agents who had been on Firecracker’s detail, cordoned off nearby for questioning.

44.

Director Griffin comes over to them.

The men walk away, leaving Susan alone, stunned.

EXT. SUSAN’S HOUSE - KENSINGTON, MD - DAY

Cape Cod style. Built in the forties. One of many on the street. Susan exits her parked sedan, talking on earbuds --

45.

INTERCUT:

INT. ANATOLY'S ROOM - GOLDEN YEARS NURSING HOME - DAY

NEWS COVERAGE on the TV’s of the Davinci’s Pizza incident. Susan is visible in the deep background. Anatoly regards her on the television as he talks to her via vintage cellphone --

Susan doesn’t respond for a beat.

46.

END INTERCUT.

Anatoly hangs up the phone, looking very serious. He steps out of his room and into the central hallway.

INT. HALLWAY - GOLDEN YEARS NURSING HOME - CONTINUOUS

Anatoly sees the other residents are outside their rooms. The Engineer, both Storytellers, and the Assassin. All look at Anatoly apprehensively. He gives them a thumb’s up. After a beat, they duck back inside their rooms. What’re they up to?

INT. LIVING ROOM - SUSAN’S HOUSE - DAY

The sound of the KEY in the LOCK. The door swings open and Susan enters the house where she’s lived all her life. The decorations and furniture belonged to her deceased parents.

Susan puts her bag down and starts down the hallway only to have -- Frankie step from a room in front of her, unhinged.

Susan spins in terror and runs back for her bag, scooping it off the table without stopping. Frankie’s chasing her down.

Susan fumbles to pull her gun from the bag, gets it out and turns to face Frankie. But Frankie just yanks the gun from Susan’s hand, and points it right back at her.

Susan stares down the barrel of her own gun, frozen in fear. Frankie’s finger is not on the trigger, but her face is filled with anger, eyes glistening.

47.

BLEEP. BLOOP. BLEEP. The women hear the sounds of an ELECTRONIC GAME. Susan looks over to find ARCHIE CAMPBELL sitting on her couch, playing a NINTENDO SWITCH. The President’s Son still wears that Cuddle Bug costume.

Susan can’t stifle a nervous guffaw.

Susan approaches Archie, sees his eyes are heterochromic.

48.

Archie ignores her, keeps playing his game, in a trance.

Susan turns back to ask Frankie a question, only to find the gun still pointed at her. Frankie pulls that USB stick from her pocket with her free-hand, offering it to Susan.

Frankie waves the gun and Susan reluctantly takes the USB.

49.

Before Frankie can respond, Susan notices a tiny red dot moving on Frankie’s head -- a laser designator. Susan acts instinctively, tackling Frankie just as PLINK, a BULLET pierces the window, STRIKING the opposite wall.

From the floor, Frankie and Susan regard the bullet hole.

It’s unclear if they’re more shocked by it, or the fact that Susan just saved Frankie’s life. Before they can discuss --

CRASH! The WINDOWS of the house SHATTER inward. Taylor and his CIA Tac Team swing into the room via fast ropes.

Frankie spins toward them with her gun, but Taylor SHOOTS her with a round from a TASER SHOTGUN, knocking her back to the floor. Frankie quivers and jerks, neutralized. The rest of the Tacs move quickly, securing her with restraints.

When the action kicked off, Susan dove to protect Archie. She’s covering him on the couch, face to face, watching as his heterochromic eyes return to normal. The kid’s dazed --

Susan gets off of Archie and a Tac takes him from the house.

50.

Susan watches as Frankie, dazed, is hoisted to her feet, zip-tied at the ankles, hands bound behind her back, muzzle cinched over her mouth. The Tac Team carries Frankie from the apartment. Taylor hangs back with Susan --

Susan confronts Taylor, shoving him back, furious.

Taylor exits, leaving Susan alone in the trashed living room. She looks around at the mess, picks something off of the floor. Susan regards the USB stick that Frankie gave to her.

EXT. SUSAN’S HOUSE - KENSINGTON, MD - DAY

Susan exits after Taylor.

Taylor turns back to find Susan offering him the USB stick.

Taylor regards Susan like she’s nuts, takes the USB stick.

Susan sees Frankie, in custody, they lock eyes. Frankie’s tries to shake her head in a warning. Susan asks Taylor --

51.

Taylor and Susan watch a pair of Black Suburbans arrive. Archie is loaded into one of them and it drives off.

The Secret Service detail from Davinci’s Pizza exit the other Suburban and move to take Frankie away from the Tac Team. Taylor goes to intervene, with Susan following, confused.

Taylor dials his cellphone. Susan moves toward the Secret Service Agents as they load Frankie into their Suburban.

The Secret Service Agents block Susan and load-up Frankie.

Susan watches, conflicted, as the Suburban drives away.

EXT. INTERSTATE - KENSINGTON, MD - DAY

The Suburban drives out of town.

INT. TRANSPORT SUBURBAN - DRIVING - INTERSTATE - CONTINUOUS

Frankie is in the back seat, secured between two Agents. Beside the Driver, the hardass Agent rides up front, he turns back toward Frankie and punches her in the face, she reels.

52.

The Driver looks over and we recognize him as -- Carlo Draeger from the Black Site attack. WTF is he doing here?

Carlo pulls a PISTOL and SHOOTS hardass Agent, then pivots to SHOOT the Agents flanking Frankie. She recoils, wondering if she’s next. But Carlo returns his hands to the wheel and keeps on driving. Frankie scans for a method of escape.

EXT. WAREHOUSE - INDUSTRIAL AREA - MARYLAND - DAY

An abandoned work site. A small group of men stand around a pair of dark sedans. It’s Eli Prescott and his Mercs. They watch the black Suburban approaching, Carlo at the wheel.

INT. TRANSPORT SUBURBAN - DRIVING - INDUSTRIAL AREA - DAY

Carlo stops the Suburban and exits, leaving Frankie alone with the dead Agents as he walks toward Eli.

Frankie contorts her body, bringing her legs up so she can move her zip tied hands to the front. She uses friction to weaken the zip ties. Constantly looking toward Carlo and Eli. She doubles her speed as Carlo starts back to the Suburban.

Frankie is just getting free when Carlo opens the side door, she reaches for the gun of the dead Agent. Carlo FIRES a warning SHOT and Frankie puts up her hands. She climbs out of the Suburban, facing Carlo. His gun is trained on her as --

WHAM! Carlo is hit by a car and knocked clear. Frankie is shocked to see Susan behind the wheel and shouting --

Frankie dives into the car through the open passenger window.

INT. SUSAN’S SEDAN - DRIVING - INDUSTRIAL AREA - CONTINUOUS

Susan accelerates, skidding the car in a U-turn. As they slide, Frankie and Susan look out the side window at Eli. Susan’s eyes are wide in disbelief. Frankie flips him off.

EXT. WAREHOUSE - INDUSTRIAL AREA - MARYLAND - DAY

Eli checks on Carlo, he’s dead. The Mercs race past him in one of the Dark Sedans, chasing after Susan and Frankie.

53.

INT. SUSAN'S SEDAN - DRIVING - INDUSTRIAL AREA - DAY

Susan drives in a panic. Frankie looks behind them.

SLAM! The women are jostled forward as the Dark Sedan rams their car from behind.

Frankie moves her foot atop Susan’s, mashing the gas pedal. The sedan speeds-up. Susan grips the wheel, freaking out.

The women see a line of red brake lights ahead of them. Traffic is completely backed-up, there’s nowhere to go. Susan shrieks as Frankie grabs the wheel and steers to the left.

EXT. SUSAN'S SEDAN - DRIVING - INTERSTATE - DAY

The car moves to the far left break-down lane, just avoiding a line of stopped cars. The Dark Sedan follows. Both cars are now speeding between the north and southbound lanes.

54.

INT. SUSAN'S SEDAN - DRIVING - CENTER LANE - DAY

Susan and Frankie both have their hands on the wheel.

Frankie sees a break in the oncoming traffic and once again forces the steering wheel to the left. Susan’s terrified.

EXT. SUSAN’S SEDAN - DRIVING - ONCOMING LANE - DAY

The car threads the needle between a wave of oncoming cars to reach the opposite breakdown lane, maintaining full speed.

INT. SUSAN'S SEDAN - DRIVING - BREAKDOWN LANE - DAY

Susan and Frankie glance right, looking through the opposing traffic to see the Dark Sedan, still matching their pace.

Susan steers them off the interstate, down an on-ramp. Frankie lifts her foot off Susan’s and the car decelerates. But they’re still going way too fast to make the corner.

Susan stomps on the brake pedal.

EXT. SUSAN’S SEDAN - DRIVING - FRONTAGE ROAD - DAY

The car skids down the ramp and onto the adjacent road.

INT. SUSAN'S SEDAN - DRIVING - FRONTAGE ROAD - DAY

Susan drives fast. Frankie glances behind. All clear.

Susan watches Frankie start disassembling the dashboard.

55.

Susan looks in the rearview to see the Dark Sedan.

EXT. SUSAN'S SEDAN - DRIVING - FRONTAGE ROAD - DAY

The car swerves off the pavement and into the trees.

INT. SUSAN'S SEDAN - DRIVING - WOODS - DAY

Susan fights to control the car off-road. Frankie struggles to extract the Tracking Device from inside the dash.

EXT. DARK SEDAN - DRIVING - FRONTAGE ROAD - DAY

The chase car turns off-road, continuing its pursuit.

INT. DARK SEDAN - DRIVING - WOODS - DAY

A Merc in the passenger seat with a Scanner, tracking the sedan. He directs the Merc behind the wheel to keep going.

EXT. OFF-ROAD - WOODS - DAY

The Tracking Device sits in the dirt. After a beat, the Dark Sedan pulls up beside it. There’s no sign of Susan’s car.

EXT. SUSAN’S SEDAN - RURAL ROAD - DAY

The car bounces out of the woods and onto a paved road. Then stops at the side of the road. Susan clambers out and hurries over to the shoulder -- to be sick.

INT. SUSAN’S SEDAN - STOPPED - RURAL ROAD - DAY

Frankie moves over to get behind the wheel. She glances to see Susan is bent over in the woods. Frankie turns on the RADIO and tunes to a dead station, hears only STATIC. Susan gets into the car beside her, still shocked and depleted.

56.

Frankie puts the car in gear and resumes driving.

The RADIO STATIC gives way to a familiar four note TUNE followed by a WOMAN’S soft VOICE --

Susan is emotionally exhausted and logically confused.

57.

EXT. PARKING LOT - GOLDEN YEARS NURSING HOME - NIGHT

A familiar pair of Dark Sedans and a Dark Suburban arrive.

INT. SECURE FLOOR - GOLDEN YEARS NURSING HOME - NIGHT

A NEWS REPORT shows President Campbell and the Chinese Ambassador in a Camp David photo-op. We notice Archie Campbell is there too, reunited with his family.

DING. Eli and his Mercs exit the elevator. They pass through the security checkpoint, setting off an alarm. As they advance, Eli sees Greg the guard is dead on the floor, shot.

INT. HALLWAY - GOLDEN YEARS NURSING HOME - NIGHT

Eli and his Mercs advance, guns up. They check-out the resident rooms, finding... nothing. Where is everybody?

INT. ANATOLY'S ROOM - SECURE FLOOR - NURSING HOME - NIGHT

Eli enters to find Maxim is already here, gun in hand. The Russian who was debriefing the President’s Son at VR Pizza. The two men speak in subtitled RUSSIAN.

INT. SUSAN’S SEDAN - GATE - ARMY STORAGE DEPOT - NIGHT

Frankie slows the car before a massive electrified gate. The kind you’d find at a military base. Susan regards it from the passenger seat, curious. After a beat, the GATE GRINDS open.

EXT. ARMY STORAGE DEPOT - WEST VIRGINIA - NIGHT

Miles from civilization. Susan’s Sedan winds through an overgrown complex of abandoned buildings, enters a warehouse.

58.

INT. WAREHOUSE TEN - ARMY STORAGE DEPOT - NIGHT

No lights. The cracked ceiling admits moonlight. The Sedan stops, headlights shining into the darkness.

Frankie and Susan get out to find a familiar figure waiting for them -- Anatoly. Susan regards him in shock, she’s further surprised when Frankie runs over to him and they embrace warmly. Susan approaches, confused --

Susan sees an odd shape lit by the sedan headlights. She recognizes the outline of a Lunar Lander, full-sized. Susan moves to it, passing a rusting old video camera, feet crunching on fake moon rocks. This is a movie set for NASA. Susan finds The Engineer standing beside the Lander.

Susan looks back toward Anatoly and Frankie. What the hell?

INT. MISSION CONTROL SET - WAREHOUSE TEN - NIGHT

Another set. Vintage computers. Wall screens. TV Cameras. Long forgotten and abandoned to decay. Susan sits, watching The Assassin clean a .45 Automatic pistol, The Writer clicking at a typewriter, and The Artist creating fake news.

Frankie sits beside Anatoly as he tells them a story --

Susan sees The Engineer nearby, trying on a space helmet.

59.

Susan sees everybody’s looking at her. Uh-oh.

60.

Frankie shrugs. Anatoly settles them down.

That’s right. Anatoly’s their Grandfather. Thanksgiving arguments at their house could take the world to DefCon One. We go out on Susan. Considering her options. Or lack thereof.

-- END OF PILOT --

61.

-- CATALYST: THE SERIES --
Jesse Alexander

Estranged sisters live and work together, hunting for Russian Sleeper Cells as part of the CIA’S Internal Affairs Division. Comps include Rizzoli & Isles, Blacklist, Homeland, and NCIS.

After the events of the pilot, Susan returns to the CIA with Frankie as her prisoner. Having saved the son of the President, Frankie receives a pardon. But only on the condition that she works with Susan to uncover the Russian Sleepers within the halls of power.

The President authorizes a new unit within the CIA’s Internal Affairs group. The team includes Taylor, Jamil, and Martinez. They work together to root out their enemies. In time, our team discovers the conspiracy goes far deeper and has been around for far longer than they ever could have imagined.

Susan and Frankie can’t trust their CIA co-workers fully, so they get clandestine support from Anatoly, their grandfather, and his fellow Catalyst Old Timers.

The Catalyst group remains in hiding. They vet information for our heroes, give them “piggy-back” missions, leads to follow-up, and offer new (old) skills and tradecraft techniques to help the women investigate.

Where Frankie has the experience of being a guns blazing field agent. Susan has the experience of being a laptop-wielding legal investigator. These are complementary skill sets. But the women also have very different personalities and ways of approaching the world.

This contrast is on full display as the estranged sisters become not only co-workers but also housemates. As Susan and Frankie live and work together, they drive each other crazy.

Eventually, they bond and learn more about the secret spy lives of their parents, not all of whom are deceased.

Catalyst has a procedural case of the week element as the team investigates sleeper cells. A serialized plot of the season as they unravel the overall plan of the villains. And long-term emotional arcs between the sisters and their team.

Potentially, each season could explore specific conspiracy genres through the espionage lens. Season One, the world of presidential elections. Season Two, secret orders and cabals. Season Three, pharmaceuticals and mind control. Season Four, pop culture and consumerism. Season Five, the paranormal.

But seen from the grounded POV of Susan and Frankie. Using that season’s genre to challenge our characters emotionally.