BACK SPOOK01 23' SPOOK911 pilot episode: espionage INT NIGHT WIDE: WORTHINGTON MANSION SECOND FLOOR HALLWAY (electrical storm rages outside, phone rings) NANNY (dressed in masculine business suit, enters backward from Katie's bedroom, shouts, points) I said no! You may not fly a kite during an electrical storm! I don't care if Benjamin Franklin got away with it! (turns, picks up phone as Katie enters from bedroom carrying kite, sneaks out of frame) Worthington Residence. Nanny speaking. Yes, Mr Worthington, Katie has been looking forward to your call. Your timing couldn't be better. She was about to electrocute herself. I'll let her explain. She's right here. Hold on. (puts down phone, hurries to Katie's room) Katie, it's your dad on the phone. (peaks in) Katie? (hurries to attached bathroom, pulls open door) Katie? (gasps) Oh no! (exits frame running) Katie! EXT NIGHT OVER-SHOULDER: WORTHINGTON MANSION ROOF NANNY (pushes open door revealing Katie flying her kite in the driving rain) Katie! No! (ZAP! Lightning strikes the kite, travels down the string, lights up Katie, thunder.) EXT NIGHT CLOSE-UP: HOSPITAL EMERGENCY ROOM NANNY (backs through double doors carrying the limp, burned body of Katie, shouts) I need a doctor here. Medical emergency! I need a doctor here. (Doctors and nurses approach pushing a gurney. Nanny lays Katie on gurney) (calmly) Twelve year old female, struck by lightning. Lesions and second degree burns on the back of her head and on both arms and both legs, third degree burns on bottoms of both feet. She's allergic to shell fish. No other known allergies. DOCTOR (stethoscope to Katie's chest) Did she stop breathing? NANNY Yes. And her heart stopped. But I applied CPR and restarted her heart within thirty seconds. DOCTOR (checks the pupils of Katie's eyes) Nice work. Have you had medical training? NANNY Yes. In the army. DOCTOR (to nurse) Healthy heart beat, unlabored breathing. Pupils normal. (moves to Katie's feet) She's in no immediate danger. But she'll need a full body scan to assess the internal damage and she'll probably need surgery on this foot. Maddy, can you take care of the legal forms? CLERK (enters frame, offers clipboard) Are you the girl's mother? NANNY (takes and signs form) No. I'm her nanny. (unbuttons suit coat, reveals pistol in holster, pulls out envelope) I have a notarized power of attorney. (offers envelope) CLERK (notices gun) What kind of nanny carries a gun? NANNY (buttons coat) The kind of nanny whose boss is worried that his daughter will be kidnapped. CLERK (takes envelope, removes paper, unfolds it, reads) Andrew Worthington? THAT Andrew Worthington? I just heard he's worth four billion dollars. I assume he has insurance. NANNY It's six billion. And we'll be paying cash. (offers credit card) CLERK Where are the girl's parents? NANNY Mr Worthington is in Africa buying another diamond mine. (gasps) I left him waiting on the phone! CLERK Where is the mother? NANNY She's shopping. CLERK It would be better if SHE signs the waiver. NANNY She's shopping in Paris during fashion week and then on to Milan for another fashion week. And I wouldn't count on her cutting it short. INT DAWN CLOSE-UP: DARKENED HOSPITAL ROOM (Nanny nods off as Katie, all fingers wrapped in gauze, awakens) KATIE (dry mouth) Nanny? NANNY I'm here, sweetie. (approaches) KATIE Where am I? NANNY You're in the hospital. KATIE How did I end up in the hospital? (examines hands) NANNY (smiles) Your science fair project. KATIE Oh! Oh, no! Daddy will be so mad! (gasps) Daddy! He's supposed to call me tonight from Africa! NANNY That was LAST night. I called him back this morning. I told him you're okay. KATIE Is he coming home early? NANNY He said he would try. But I wouldn't count on it. KATIE What about Mom? NANNY I couldn't get through to her. KATIE That's okay. She wouldn't come home from fashion week early. NANNY Katie! KATIE She would come home early if I died. She looks good in black. I'm thirsty. (reaches for water container) NANNY (puts container out of reach) We need to check with the doctor first. KATIE (reaches) I'm thirsty. (special effect: water container slides into Katie's hand) (gasps, wide-eyed) NANNY (gasps, makes eye contact) Katie! KATIE I must still be sleeping. This must be a dream. NANNY If you're dreaming, then I'm dreaming too. KATIE What just happened? NANNY You somehow moved that water without touching it! KATIE You didn't do that? NANNY (paces) I've read about this. I think it's called... psycho...kinesis. KATIE What's that? NANNY (paces) It's the ability to move things with your mind. I thought it was science fiction. The Russians spent millions of dollars trying to develop psychokinesis during the cold war, but they couldn't do it. (stops, points) But the lightning strike must have somehow given you the power. (moves water container) Try it again. (Katie opens hand) (special affect: water container slides into her hand) Well, I'll be! KATIE I'm not dreaming! INT MORNING WIDE: HILLCREST ACADEMY HALLWAY (Katie, with a few fingers of both hands wrapped in gauze, stands in front of her open locker) CANDIE (enters, opens locker, turns) Well, if it isn't the little rich witch home from the hospital! I hope you weren't thinking of going to the fall dance with Steven Donnelly. He's going to the dance with me. You snooze you loose! (looks at door mirror, applies lipstick) (Katie closes locker, smiles, subtly flicks finger toward Candie's locker door) (special affect: locker door slams Candie in the face) (Candie emerges from behind locker door with lipstick smeared down her chin) EXT MORNING WIDE: HILLCREST ACADEMY MAIN ENTRANCE (Nanny waits at the bottom of the stairs as Katie exits school) NANNY Suspended for the rest of the day? What am I going to tell your father?! KATIE It wasn't my fault. I didn't touch her. (they walk toward the car) NANNY Save it. I know what you did. You used your new ability selfishly. Don't try to deny it. KATIE It was her fault! She made me mad! NANNY Katie, you have been given a rare and valuable gift. You could be using your gift to make the world a better place. But instead you're wasting your gift on petty, selfish motives. Shame on you! INT MORNING TWO-SHOT: TOWN CAR OUTSIDE THE MANSION (Nanny is at the wheel as Katie enters and closes the door) NANNY Good morning, Katie. KATIE Good morning, Nanny. (Nanny drives) KATIE (pauses, clears throat) Nanny? NANNY Yes, Katie? KATIE Can we talk? NANNY What do you want to talk about? KATIE That thing you said yesterday, about me having this gift and being selfish with it. NANNY Yes? KATIE I've been thinking. I want to start over. NANNY What do you mean? KATIE I want to use my gift for good. I want to make the world a better place with my gift. NANNY Why the change of heart? It wouldn't have to do with the fact that I grounded you for three days, would it? KATIE Not being allowed to watch TV last night gave me lots of time to think. I got to thinking about... about getting struck by lightning. I could have died. And why did I risk my life flying a kite in the rain? So I could win the science fair. My whole life is about being famous and popular and getting people to notice me. If I don't change my life I'll turn into my mother. NANNY Your mother? KATIE Yes. If she died tomorrow, what would people say about her at her funeral? (imitates) She was popular. She wore all the latest fashions. She was fun at parties. NANNY You're having second thoughts about those things? KATIE If she died, what would she leave behind? A pile of dresses and shoes and purses that will be out of fashion in three months, and her so-called friends, who won't even remember her name at the next party. But with my new gift, I can be the opposite of what I was. NANNY The opposite? KATIE Yes. I want to do good things with my new gift and I don't want people to know it's me. I want to be like one of those comic book super heroes, like the phantom or the shadow or... batman. Yeah, Batman! Batman was rich like me, he could afford to buy gadgets like a bat mobile to help him do good deeds. I could do that! NANNY Let's not go overboard. This... this new project of yours could be just another impulse, here today and gone tomorrow. If you want to be the opposite of what you were, you need to resist your impulses. KATIE Are you saying I shouldn't be an agent of justice like Batman? NANNY I'm saying that if you want to be the opposite of what you were, instead of being impulsive about this project like you always are, you should start slowly and deliberately this time. Try out your new gift at school. See if you can find a way to be an agent of justice without anyone knowing it was you who did it. If that works, you can go on to the next stage. KATIE I can do that. (pauses) That's a good idea! At school everybody knows me. If I can do a good deed there without anyone finding out about it, I can do it anywhere. INT MORNING WIDE: HILLCREST ACADEMY CLASSROOM TEACHER (finishes passing out the quiz questions) You have ten minutes for this quiz. Begin now. (sits) (Katie looks around, notices two boys nearby with cell phones on their laps texting each other, she makes sure noone is watching, flicks her finger) (special affect: one of the cell phones slides off a boy's lap and onto the floor) (when all eyes focus on the fallen cell phone, she flicks her finger again) (special affect: the other cell phone hits the floor) (both boys grope to recover phones.) TEACHER (stands, approaches) Ryan and Allan, you know that cell phones are not allowed in the classroom. (extends hands) Give me the phones. (boys drop phones into her hands. She compares the screens of both phones) You were sending the answers to each other. You were cheating! (point) Go to the office. You'll be leaving school early today. (Katie suppresses a smile) INT NOON WIDE: HILLCREST ACADEMY CAFETERIA (Katie slides her tray down the food line, notices a boy turning away from the cashier and slipping a wrapped cookie into his shirt pocket, then slides his tray toward Cashier) CASHIER (points to items and pokes keypad) One milk, one roast beef sandwich, one bag of chips, one yogurt,... (Katie makes sure noone is watching, makes a plucking motion with thumb and forefinger, the cookie flies out of the boy's pocket and onto his tray) ... and one cookie. (smiles) (Katie suppresses a smile.) INT AFTERNOON WIDE: HILLCREST ACADEMY MAIN ENTRANCE (Nanny waits at the bottom of the stairs as Katie exits school with others) NANNY Well? How did it go? KATIE I did it! (lowers her head, looks around, speaks softly I did it! I did it twice! I did justice... twice... and nobody knew about it! COLE (pushes a small, skinny boy with glasses against light pole nearby) Hand it over. KATIE Oh oh! There he goes again! NANNY Huh? KATIE (points) Colt Severson. He's a big bully. NANNY (changes course) I'll put him in his place. KATIE (grabs Nanny's elbow) No. Keep walking. (as they pass by the two boys on the other side of the sidewalk, Katie makes sure noone is watching, makes a slight fist motion toward Colt's books) (special affect: the books under Colt's arm fall to the sidewalk) (When Colt bends to pick up the books, Katie makes a plucking motion with thumb and forefinger.) (Special affect: The ipod in Colt's pocket falls out and lands on the sidewalk) (Katie makes a pushing motion with the palm of her hand, causing Colt to loose his balance. This allows the victim to run to the parking lot) NANNY (points over shoulder) Did you do that? KATIE I'm sorry, my work is anonymous. I can neither confirm nor deny any involvement in this matter. NANNY That was very impressive! Noone would know that was anything but bad luck! KATIE I've decided to set up an anonymous website so people who need help can contact me. My code name is Casper the friendly ghost. NANNY That's a catchy name. KATIE So, am I ready for the next stage? NANNY Next stage. KATIE Yeah, you said I should try my gift at school, and if that works, I could go on to the next stage. NANNY Well, I guess so. What did you have in mind for your next stage? KATIE I was thinking a bullet proof jump suit and a tool belt with lazers and zip lines and a bat mobile. NANNY And why do you think you need all those things? KATIE To go after the big criminals, the gangs and the spies and stuff. NANNY I don't think you're ready for big criminals and gangs and spies. KATIE Why not? NANNY Because a bullet proof jump suit won't protect you from bombs and shoulder fired rocket launchers. KATIE But I want to make a difference! NANNY You're already making a difference. You brought justice here at school three times in one day. KATIE But I want to do BIGGER justice! NANNY Bigger justice projects mean bigger risks. I can't allow that. KATIE Nag, nag, nag. NANNY I will remind you that you are still grounded for two more days because of your misbehavior at school. Would you like to add two days for sassing your nanny? KATIE I'm sorry, Nanny, but I'm not a baby anymore. I'm almost as tall as my mom. NANNY Look, Katie, your dad hired me to keep you safe. He's already mad at me for letting you electrocute yourself with that kite. I have visions of you taking on a bad guy too big for you to handle on your own and ending up in the hospital again. Promise me that you won't take on justice projects outside of school without checking with me first. KATIE (pauses) Alright. NANNY Hey, this is not one of those promises like you make to your mother to get her off your back. This is a real I-mean-it promise. (now at the parking lot near their car, Nanny stops, offers hand) Shake on it. Do you mean it? KATIE (shakes) I mean it. NANNY I'll take you at your word. INT AFTERNOON WIDE: CONVENIENCE STORE NANNY (pulls open door from outside, holds it for Katie) It's too close to dinner. You may have a piece of fruit or a yogurt. KATIE I think I'll have a yogurt. (smiles) (Nanny pours herself a cup of coffee while Katie goes to the dairy case. Meanwhile, Crook enters the store, surveys the store. Nanny notices, turns away, puts down coffee, reaches inside jacket for pistol and sidesteps into an aisle behind a food rack, then catches Katie's eye, points to crook, holds hand palm down to signal to Katie to stay out of site. Crook pulls out a semi-automatic pistol, points it at the clerk) CROOK (quietly) Give me all the money and you won't get hurt. (Clerk opens cash register, begins emptying cash into a bag. Katie smiles, backs away from Nanny, and approaches the crook. Nanny's eyes widen as she pulls out her pistol, side-steps to get an open shot on Crook) KATIE (stops, fakes surprise) Oh oh! Did I just interrupt an armed robbery? CROOK (points pistol at Katie, then back at clerk) Stay cool and nobody gets hurt. KATIE (stops, points, smiles) Say, isn't that a semi-automatic? Don't semi-automatics have a safety? You know you can't fire a semi-automatic if the safety switch is on. (points, makes a flicking motion with her finger) (special affect: the safety switch on Crook's pistol clicks loudly to the ON position.) (Crook relaxes grip on pistol, turns it to look at the safety) NANNY (Rushes Crook, grabs the pistol from his hand as she kicks him behind both knees, driving him to his knees on the floor) Here, I'll take that! And don't you EVER... (drives Crook to a prone position with one downward blow of her elbow) EVER point a gun at people! You could hurt someone! (to clerk) Grab something to tie him up. CLERK Like what?! NANNY Do you sell extension cords? CLERK Oh... sure. (runs down the aisle) Next to the light bulbs. NANNY (gathering the hands of Crook behind his back) Katie Worthington, didn't you just agree to consult with me BEFORE you take on dangerous justice projects?! KATIE I... I... CLERK (returns, offers extension cord) Here. NANNY (points) You tie him up, then call the cops. You can tell them that YOU took away his gun. CLERK (ties up crook's wrists) What if he tells the cops it wasn't me who took his gun? NANNY Look, the guy is already embarrassed that he lost his gun, he's not about to admit that a little girl outsmarted him. (pulls out a $10 bill, drops it on Crook's back along with Crook's own gun) This is for the coffee, the yogurt and the extension cord. (points at crook) If he moves, shoot him. (Nanny and Katie exit) EXT AFTERNOON WIDE: CONVENIENCE STORE (exiting store) NANNY You're grounded for two more days. KATIE Grounded?! I just helped you to... (Nanny points at Katie's nose, grits teeth) (pauses) I'm sorry, Nanny. I promised you that I wouldn't do any dangerous justice projects without talking to you first. And I broke my promise. That's all there is to it. I won't do it again. EXT MORNING WIDE: HILLCREST ACADEMY MAIN ENTRANCE (Nanny and Katie approach steps, Katie climbs stairs) NANNY (Stops, looks both ways) Have a good day. I'll see you after school. Stay inside until I get here. KATIE You say that every time you drop me off. NANNY Is that your way of telling me that you're NOT going to obey me? KATIE (turns, climbs stairs) I tell you what. I'll stay inside until you get here. NANNY May you increase in wisdom and stature every day. (turns) PIERCE (enters frame) Lieutenant Bellamy, may I speak to you for a moment? NANNY (pauses, looks both ways) Lieutenant? I'm not in the army anymore. Everyone calls me Nanny these days. Who are you? PIERCE (flashes badge subtly) Special Agent Frank Pierce, F.B.I. NANNY Something happen to Andrew Worthington?! PIERCE (motions toward parking lot, they begin walking) Nothing like that. We could use your services. NANNY Did I mention that I'm not in the army anymore? PIERCE Actually, it's not YOUR services we were interested in. It's Katie Worthington. NANNY Katie? I... I don't understand. What's this all about? PIERCE It's about an internet search you did using the key words: LIGHTNING and PSYCHOKINESIS. NANNY You're snooping into my computer?! I signed a non-disclosure agreement when I left Delta Force. Why are you snooping... PIERCE This has nothing to do with you and Delta Force. The NSA monitors all internet traffic for key words. And your internet search merely hit the alarm button. Based on that search we inquired to see if you or someone you knew was hospitalized for a lightning strike. And BINGO! Your name appeared on hospital records as guardian for one Katie Worthington. NANNY Where is all this going? PIERCE Katie has it, doesn't she? Katie has pychokinetic abilities, doesn't she? NANNY I'm not saying a word until you tell me what this is all about. PIERCE We're desperate. A foreign agent has stolen the plans for a secret weapon. We need Katie's unique talents to help us get them back. NANNY The answer is NO. (walks away) PIERCE (follows) Lieutenant Bellamy, this secret weapon is a weapon of mass destruction. If it gets into the wrong hands, millions of people could die. NANNY (stops, turns) The answer is NO. Secret agents carry guns! I'm not going to allow Katie to... (turns) PIERCE Lieutenant Bellamy, we're going to use Katie's abilities with or without you, with or without your permission. NANNY (turns) Alright, I'm listening. PIERCE Since you have training in covert operations, it would be better for Katie to have you there to protect her. But one way or another, she'll be there tonight when the foreign agent passes the plans to his messenger. INT NIGHT WIDE: AIRPORT (Nanny and Katie, now wearing baggy jeans, oversized sweat shirts with hoods, and tennis shoes, enter. Katie is smiling) NANNY Stop smiling. KATIE This is fun! NANNY Until you get shot! Foreign agents carry guns! You need to concentrate. KATIE I can concentrate and smile at the same time. You're worried about me, aren't you? You worry more about me than my mom does. NANNY Stay focused. Let's review the mission. KATIE The stolen weapon plans are on a computer flash drive like the one you're carrying. NANNY (shows flash drive subtly) What do you do when you see the foreign agent handing it to his messenger? KATIE I do my ghost thing... (flicks finger) and knock it out of the foreign agent's hand onto the floor and slide it toward you. NANNY Then what? KATIE Then, when you pick up his flash drive from the floor and put the fake flash drive on the floor, I slide it to where the messenger can reach it. NANNY What happens if the foreign agent or his messenger see you? KATIE You shoot them both and there's all this blood on the floor and then the poor F.B.I. agent has all these forms to fill out. NANNY Katie! What happens if the foreign agent or his messenger see you? KATIE I say the panic word. THEN, you shoot them both and there's all this blood on the floor and then the poor F.B.I. agent has all these forms to fill out. NANNY Katie, this is not funny! These foreign agents play for keeps! You need to focus! What is the panic word? KATIE The panic word is "boarding pass". NANNY (to self) This is a nightmare! INT NIGHT WIDE: AIRPORT MEN'S ROOM (Pierce, dressed in janitor's uniform, enters carrying mop, looks under all the stalls, opens all the doors, waits for last man to exit, then returns to door, motioning to Nanny and Katie to come in, Nanny motions toward end stall) KATIE Did anyone besides me notice that we're in the MEN's room? NANNY Welcome to covert ops. (points) Let's just get this over with. (Katie enters stall, closes door, sits. Nanny enters and sits in fourth stall. Time passes. Katie texts, "Are you sure they're coming?" Nanny texts "They're coming. Focus." Man in business suit enters. Looks under all stalls, sees kids shoes, enters and sits in one of the empty stalls between Katie and Nanny. A short time later, a second man in a suit enters, looks under all the stalls. First man taps foot. Second man enters and sits in remaining stall. Katie, looks under partition, sees Enemy agent offer flash drive under partition. Katie flicks her finger) (special affect: flash drive flies out of foreign agent's hand and under Nanny's partition.) (Nanny quickly snatches flash drive from floor, places identical flash drive on floor. Katie extends finger, flicks it toward self) (special affect: flash drive slides across floor toward Messenger but out of reach of Messenger, whose hand is groping for it.) (Katie's finger makes nudging motions) (special affect: flash drive changes directions twice, inches toward Messenger's groping fingers) (Messenger picks up flash drive, taps his foot. Agent taps his foot, exits men's room. Messenger exits men's room.) EXT NIGHT WIDE: AIRPORT PARKING LOT NANNY (Approaches Pierce with Katie, offers flash drive) Here. We're done. PIERCE (takes flash drive) Your country thanks you for your service. KATIE Why didn't we just arrest them? PIERCE If we arrested them, the enemy nation would just send another agent to steal the plans. This way, it will take enemy scientists months or even years to figure out that the plans on the flash drive are fakes. KATIE That's really cool! NANNY We're done. Let's go. (points away) PIERCE Can we call on you again if we need your... gift? NANNY Absolutely not. KATIE (simultaneously) Sure, my new website is www.spook911.org. NANNY Katie! That web site was for the kids at school! KATIE The F.B.I. can use it too! NANNY (firmly, pushing Katie out of frame) We'll talk about this later. �2013 Bob Snook. Conditions for use: Do not sell any part of this script, even if you rewrite it. Pay no royalties, even if you make money from performances. You may reproduce and distribute this script freely, but all copies must contain this copyright statement. http://www.bobsnook.org email: [email protected] BACK |