TRANSHUMAN

1.

This appears against a black screen, immediately after the MAIN TITLE:

“This is for Erica. One day, you’ll learn of the tragic events that led up to your birth… although I imagine the story you’ll be told will be very different from this one.”
– Aaron Dewitt

EXT.  DESERT WARZONE – HIGHWAY – MIDDAY

A convoy of Isaf (International Security Assistance Force) soldiers are stood stationary on an abandoned highway. Ahead of the three Humvees, a lone FIGURE cautiously sweeps the road for IEDs.

INT.  LEAD HUMVEE

KHALED sits in the passenger seat with his wallet out, staring at the photo of his new-born daughter he keeps inside. Next to him, SOLDIER #1 is behind the wheel.

SOLDIER #1:

Hey Khaled, put that thing away, would you? Keep your eyes out front.

KHALED:

Sorry. I still can’t believe it, you know? That I’m a father, I mean.

SOLDIER #1:

What name did you settle on in the end?

KHALED:

Rasa. The wife picked it.

SOLDIER #1:

Rasa… That’s pretty.

KHALED smiles and nods. He folds away the picture and turns his attention to the road ahead, squinting to see the FIGURE out front through the harsh sunlight.

EXT.  DESERT WARZONE – HIGHWAY

The FIGURE stops in his tracks and the sun catches his face, revealing a defined, metallic cheekbone. For a moment it seems that he’s found something, but after a few seconds he appears to decide it’s nothing and continues to advance.

As he edges down the dusty road, you start to see that he’s actually entirely mechanical.

EXT.  REAR HUMVEE

SOLDIER #5 and SOLDIER #6 are leaning against the Humvee, discussing the FIGURE out front. (SOLDIER #7 sits in the turret mounted on top of the vehicle.)

SOLDIER #5:

I don’t know… I still don’t trust it.

SOLDIER #6:

Oh give it a rest, would you?

SOLDIER #5:

I’m just saying it’s hard not to think ‘Trojan horse’ when you look at one of those things.

SOLDIER #6:

Would you rather it was you out there?

SOLDIER #5:

At least then I wouldn’t be worrying about it missing something.

SOLDIER #6:

Are you serious? You’re like the least observant person I know.

SOLDIER #5:

Oh, screw you.

SOLDIER #6:

Whatever, man. I’m glad we’re not relying on you to sniff out the pipe bombs.

EXT.  DESERT WARZONE – HIGHWAY

Now some way ahead of the others, the FIGURE pauses again and radios the rest of the convoy.

FIGURE:

False alarm. There’s nothing here.

INT.  LEAD HUMVEE

SOLDIER #1 leans forward and picks up his radio.

SOLDIER #1:

You sure?

FIGURE:

This is what I was built for. If I haven’t found anything, that’s because there’s nothing here.

SOLDIER #1:

Okay then. Let’s go.

SOLDIER #1 turns the ignition and puts the Humvee into gear.

EXT.  DESERT WARZONE – HIGHWAY

The FIGURE watches as the convoy rolls forwards – and smiles.

As the wheel of the lead Humvee rolls onto the hidden explosive device there’s a deafening boom, and a plume of sand and smoke shoots into the air.

SOLDIER #3 and SOLDIER #4 pile out of the middle Humvee and scramble towards the wreckage. As they attempt to pull KHALED’s bloodied corpse from the burning vehicle, the FIGURE reaches for his pistol. Raising it in one mechanical motion, he guns them both down, before picking off SOLDIER #5 in the middle Humvee’s machine gun turret.

Striding forwards, the FIGURE pushes on to the next vehicle in the convoy, tearing off his bomb disposal gear as he goes. He dives into cover as he approaches the middle Humvee, where he’s safe from SOLDIER #7’s machine gun fire.

By now, the surviving members of the convoy are closing in on him, so he breaks from cover, picking off SOLDIER #7 as he heads round the Humvee towards the driver’s door. SOLDIER #5 and SOLDIER #6 race towards him as he climbs into the vehicle.

He rams the Humvee into gear and steps hard on the throttle. Turning the wheel rapidly, he pulls around the stricken vehicle in front of him and speeds off down the desert road.

INT.  STOLEN HUMVEE

The FIGURE looks in his wing mirror as he flees the scene, checking he’s gotten away safely.

EXT. DESERT WARZONE – HIGHWAY

SOLDIER #5 hastily retrieves a rocket launcher from his vehicle, rushes into position and raises it to his shoulder.

Concentrating hard, he tracks the jeep as it thunders down the highway until he’s certain he has a shot. Squeezing the trigger, he launches the rocket.

He waits tensely for a second as it soars through the air. Then, in the distance, the jeep is engulfed in a ball of fire and smoke.

SOLIDER #5 exhales deeply as he lowers the launcher and drops it to the floor. SOLDIER #6 walks over and places his hand on SOLDIER #5’s shoulder.