Scene 1
“Uprising” by Muse begins to play. Short clips of AVERY around house, grabbing essentials, shoving them into a backpack W/ KIERSTEN ‘s voice in background

KIERSTEN: Avery! what are you doing? You can’t just leave like this! Avery think about it!

AVERY walks out the door, KIERSTEN hurrying behind still protesting. Cut to wilderness, short clips alternate with AVERY walking swiftly along with KIERSTEN trailing behind: her mothers room W/ her voice saying Mom? Mom?; Ryan’s face w/ her voice screaming his name; her mother’s face, w/ her mother’s scream in the background. flashes of ipods and computers flash by as her mother’s scream lingers. the clips end as the music comes to a crescendo. AVERY is now practically running, her fingers in her ears, her eyes shut tight. She trips over a tree root, as the music cuts off. KIERSTEN puffs up behind her.

KIERSTEN: Avery! did you have to go so fast? I could hardly keep up! And what were you thinking, running off like that? We could be killed! The Taken could find us!

AVERY: I want them to! They Took Ryan, and killed Mom! I want them to find us so we can...

A branch cracks. AVERY nudges KIERSTEN, finger to her lips.

AVERY: Shhh!

Warily, they look into the woods. another branch cracks. JO comes out from between two trees, staring at them. Abruptly, she turns around, and races away. AVERY follows, beckoning to KIERSTEN.

AVERY: A Taken!

JO, AVERY, and KIERSTEN burst into the campsite, where JOHNNY is sitting, sharpening a stick.

JO: (breathlessly) They’ve found us!

JOHNNY stands up, holding his stick defensively as AVERY approaches. Seeing the danger her sister is in, KIERSTEN sneaks around, and wrenches the stick out of JOHNNY’s hand. He and AVERY are now facing each other, unarmed. AVERY races towards JOHNNY, Fists raised

AVERY: (shouting) You monster! I am going to kill you!
JOHNNY: Well, that’s a new tactic. Usually you don’t rush in yelling death threats, you guys usually prefer to sneak in and kill quietly.

AVERY: You don’t deserve to be killed quietly! YOU KILLED MY MOTHER!

JOHNNY: Wait, wait, I killed who?

AVERY: My MOTHER! and you Took Ryan! You....OUCH!

She stumbles over a tree root, and falls straight into JOHNNY, who catches her by the wrists. AVERY sits down and begins to massage her ankle. KIERSTEN comes up behind her.

JOHNNY: Wait, I didn’t know you had mothers in that computer world of yours.

AVERY: Computer world! What are you talking about? You’re the one who is Taken!

JOHNNY grabs her arm and pushes back her sleeve roughly.

JOHNNY: You don’t have a barcode!

AVERY: Of course I don’t! You do!

JOHNNY pushes back his own sleeve, revealing smooth skin, and no barcode.

JOHNNY: Nope. Me and Jo are what’s left of the resistance.

AVERY: Wait, Joe?

JO: (steps forward) That’s me. It’s short for Josephine. Why don’t you tell us how you got here?

KIERSTEN: (a bit uncertainly) Ummm... I’m not sure if....

AVERY: Oh come on, Kiersten, if they’re not Taken, then they’re on our side.

KIERSTEN: A minute ago, you were screaming death threats at them.

AVERY: A minute ago, I thought that they were Taken.

KIERSTEN: Fine.

AVERY: (turns to JO and JOHNNY) Ok, but we dropped out backpacks a ways back there, we should probably go get them. I’ll tell you what happened on the way.

AVERY tries to stand, but sits back down because her ankle is sprained.

JO: That ankle looks sprained. Let me wrap it up for you

JO wraps AVERY’s ankle

AVERY: (stands) Thanks

Everyone heads in the direction AVERY, KIERSTEN, and JO came running from.

AVERY: ok, here goes.

Flashback to the Taking, with AVERY’s voice speaking
AVERY: When the Taking happened, Kiersten and I were hanging out with my friend Ryan. We were all talking and laughing, teasing Ryan about trying to listen to his music and talk at the same time. All of a sudden, his face went slack, and he went sorta rigid. He stood up, and started walking away. we thought it was all a joke, and followed him, but when he didn’t respond, or stop walking, we started to think that something might be wrong. We followed him right past his house, then ours. We noticed other people doing the same thing, all with headphones in their ears. Just then, we heard our mom scream.

AVERY and KIERSTEN run up the steps to their house, shouting “Mom? Mom?”

AVERY: My mom had had heart problems in the past, and when the serum containing the nanochips hit her heart, it hit it too hard. Instead of taking over her brain, it gave her a massive heart attack. We tried calling 911, but everyone there had been Taken too. We got my mom to bed. We tried to believe it would be all right, but we all knew that she was dying. She hung on for three days before she had to let go.

MOM: Kiersten, Avery, when I die, I don’t want you to stay here. There’s a chance that the Taken will come back for you. We can’t take that risk.

KIERSTEN nods tearfully.

AVERY: Mom, you can’t die! You can’t! I won’t let you!

MOM: Aves, I’m sorry, but I can feel myself slipping. (turns to both girls) I love you girls so much. Take care of each other, ok?

MOM closes her eyes, and dies.

AVERY: Mom! no! MOM!

Picks up a lava lamp, and throws it across the room, before collapsing, crying. KIERSTEN crosses over to her, and the girls hold each other and cry.

AVERY (voiceover): Two days later, we buried Mom, on her thirty seventh birthday ironically. Kiersten wanted to go into the mountains and hide out, but I knew that we had to track down Ryan, and try to save him. Otherwise, we would have failed him, and Mom. We left, and now we’re here.

Back to present, they’ve reached the backpacks. AVERY and KIERSTEN pick them up and sling them on their shoulders. They turn around and start walking towards the little encampment that JO and JOHNNY had set up at. There is a moment of awkward silence before AVERY breaks in.

AVERY: So, how did you guys end up here?
JO: Well, it all started when…(JOHNNY cuts her off)
JOHNNY: Don’t tell her! For all we know they could be a spy for the Taken!
AVERY: We are not!
JOHNNY: Prove it!
JO: Johnny, come one, they told us their story, I doubt they’re spies. You’re just making up excuses to get in a fight. (JOHNNY opens his mouth as if to say something, but clamps it shut before he admits to anything. JO smirks at his discomfort, then continues) So, about a year ago, our parents Said they wanted to talk to us. when we were all together, they said that they had discovered a giant supercomputer that was plotting to take over the world through people’s ipod headphones. the day after they told us that, they disappeared. We went into hiding, in case they came back for us too. we’ve been out here ever since.
AVERY: So that explains why you guys are a little worse for the wear.
JOHNNY: Comes from the girl with the sprained ankle.
AVERY: It’s your fault.
JOHNNY: My fault that a crazy blonde attacked me?
AVERY: You’re way more blonde then I am!
JOHNNY: Well the dumb trait only applies to females.
AVERY: Oh look at Mr. High-and-Mighty! (JOHNNY again opens his mouth as if to say something, but thinks better of it. AVERY lifts her fist in triumph,) Win!
(They’ve now arrived at the camp site, which is a clearing with a makeshift fire pit in the center with a crude tent a ways from it.)
JOHNNY: Do you guys have supplies?
AVERY: Of course we do! We’re not as stupid as some people.
JOHNNY: Look who’s talking.
AVERY: I’m not the one who sits and sharpens sticks all day.
KIERSTEN: Guys, come on. You’re both dumb, just deal with it. (She then takes off her backpack and starts to unzip it, sitting on the ground. AVERY does the same. Together they lay out an assortment of apples, bottles of water, granola bars, oranges, crackers, and pretzels along with rope, a tent, a trowel,flint, a blanket, a picture of John F. Kennedy, a jar of petroleum jelly, and a couple of knives.)
JO: Petroleum Jelly?
KIERSTEN: Petroleum will someday save the planet.
JO: (gives her a strange look) I don’t see how, but ok then. And the JFK picture?
KIERSTEN: Moral support, ok? Moral support.
JO: Ok. So, it looks like you don’t have much in the way of food.
AVERY: I just grabbed what would last for a while.
JOHNNY: Ya, like two days.
AVERY: Well, what have you been eating?
JOHNNY: Boiled toads and fried coons.
JO: He’s joking. We’ve been raiding stores that the Taken have abandoned every now and then, and there’s berry bushes around here. And sometimes Johnny is lucky enough to actually catch something with his sharpened sticks.
JOHNNY: Sometimes? I’ve caught at least twenty squirrels!
JO: Ya, squirrels. Big woop. Not to mention they taste like cardboard.
KIERSTEN: (chuckling) Guys, it’s getting late. Avery and I need to set up our tent before it’s too dark to see.
(They all set up the tent across from JOHNNY and JO’s tent. They have a small dinner of apples and crackers before going to bed.)
JO: Hey, can I sleep with you guys? Johnny snores so much I can barely sleep at all.
KIERSTEN: Of course!
JO: Thanks. (she goes and gets her blanket, then crawls into AVERY and KIERSTEN’s tent. )

Scene 2
(JOHNNY is first to come out the next morning. He silently walks over to the girls tent, then suddenly shakes it and yells BOO! The girls scream from inside in surprise. JOHNNY walks away, laughing. JO emerges from the tent with and angry expression, followed by AVERY and KIERSTEN.)
JO: What should we have for breakfast? We’re fresh out of speared squirrel.
AVERY: Well, we could each have half an apple and a granola bar.
JOHNNY: I could go catch some animal to cook and eat.
JO: Ya, maybe in a million years.
JOHNNY: You underestimate my spearing powers.
JO: Your powers are equivalent to those of a child.
JOHNNY: You’re the childish one.
JO: I’m only two minutes younger then you! and I’m waaaay more mature!
JOHNNY: Just go make breakfast, woman.
(JO glares at him, then stalks off to make breakfast. When everyone has eaten, they pack up their stuff. )
JOHNNY: Let’s get going and find a new place to camp. Can’t stay here forever. Jo, hurry up!
JO: I’m going! (angrily, she stalks off ahead of everyone else. After a while she comes running back) Guys! There’s someone up there! He’s hurt! Hurry up we gotta help him! Come one this way!
JOHNNY: Haha, very funny. Not.
JO: No I’m serious! Come on!
AVERY: Let’s go. Johnny can stay if he wants.
(JO, AVERY, and KIERSTEN run to help the boy, while JOHNNY stays behind, sulking, muttering to himself. They come to the boy, who is passed out on the ground all dirty and bloody. KIERSTEN yells for JOHNNY to come quickly to help, but he still just walks to catch up to them.)
JO: Is he breathing?
AVERY: Yes. I think he passed out from exhaustion. I don’t see any serious wound that he could have passed out from.
KIERSTEN: Wait, is he Taken?
AVERY: (pulls up his sleeve to check. His arm has no barcode.) No! He’s like us! What do we do?
JO: Get me some water, and a cloth. I’m gonna try and wash some of the dirt off his face, to see if he’s injured.
(KIERSTEN gives JO the water, and JO begins to wash his face gently.)
KIERSTEN: You know, he’s kinda cute.
(JO blushes, and JOHNNY shakes his head disparagingly)
JOHNNY: (disgusted) Girls!
ASHTON groans suddenly, opens his eyes, and stares directly into JO’s eyes.
ASHTON: (groans) Hi.
JO: (staring, distracted by his face) Hi.
ASHTON: (a little uncertainly now) You aren’t Taken, are you?
JO: (still distracted) Umm...no...I’m not...taken
ASHTON: (alarmed now) You’re a Taken!
JOHNNY: (drily) You’re doing a pretty good impression of it.
JO: (turns to her brother) Thaaaanks. (turns back to ASHTON who is staring at her) I’m really not taken. (JOHNNY snorts) Who are you?
ASHTON: (still speaking directly to JO) I’m Ashton.
JOHNNY: Wow. Jo is acting Taken, Ashton is all beat up and hurt, Avery is a crazy blonde, are Kiersten and I the only sane ones around here?
JO: (whacks him) You mean is KIERSTEN the only sane one around here? I don’t think anyone in their right mind would call you sane. (turns to ASHTON) I’m Jo. This idiot over here is my brother, Johnny.
AVERY: (waves) I’m Avery, the “crazy blonde” (shoots JOHNNY a look)
KIERSTEN: and I’m Kiersten, her sister.
JO: (joking) So what brought you to this lovely bit of no-man’s-land?
ASHTON: (serious) I’d rather not talk about it.
JO: Ok. Well, where are you going?
ASHTON: (savagely) I’m gonna take down the supercomputer.
JOHNNY: (nodding wisely) So you’re after Code too?
ASHTON: Code?
JO: Our name for the supercomputer. We’re going that way too. Why don’t you come with us?
ASHTON: (staring at her again) I’d like that
JOHNNY: So it’s settled! It’ll be nice to have another man on the team! Taking care of all these girls is a full-time job!
AVERY: Lofty words for a stick-sharpener!
JOHNNY: Without my sticks, you’d be-
AVERY: (cuts him off) Living VERY nicely, and not feeling obligated to eat every scrawny squirrel you manage to skewer!
JOHNNY: It’s not just squirrels! I almost caught a rabbit last time!
AVERY: Almost and don’t forget the time Jo saved you from the big, scary, baby deer!
JOHNNY: It sounded a lot bigger! Wait, she TOLD you that?
ASHTON: (laughing) Sounds like you all have insane survival skills!
JOHNNY: (flexing his muscles) You bet! we’re the best of the best!

ASHTON:(painstakingly lifts himself onto his elbows, lets out a dry groan,) can I have some water?
JO: of course! (hands him the water bottle,) how long have you been out here?
ASHTON: (takes some gulps of water, then answers mysteriously) I don’t know, I, uh, haven’t been keeping track.
JO: ok, do you have any supplies or anything?
ASHTON: no, I don’t.
JOHNNY: you’re real prepared.
JO: (glares at JOHNNY) you’re one to talk.
AVERY: (to ASHTON) so, are you hurt, or can you get up. We need to keep going.
ASHTON: Ya, I can stand.
ASHTON tries to stand, but falls over, straight into JO and JOHNNY, who catch him, and set him down.
ASHTON: or not.
JO: Well, sit down for a while. (they wait for a while, til ASHTON is looking a bit better) Johnny, can he borrow one of your shirts? his is all ripped up!
JOHNNY: Sure.
JOHNNY gives ASHTON a shirt and a rag
JOHNNY: Why don’t you go down to the river and wash yourself off
ASHTON: thanks
ASHTON goes off to the river
JOHNNY: Jo, you stay away from him!
JO: I don’t know what you’re talking about!
AVERY: I don’t know about him, guys, he seems kinda suspicious.
JO: What do you mean?
AVERY: He didn’t wanna say anything about how he got here. Maybe he’s hiding something.
ASHTON comes back slightly wet, and wearing his new shirt. He gives the rag to JO.
ASHTON: Thanks
JO puts away the cloth, and picks up her backpack
JO: We should probably get going now.
Everyone picks up their backpacks. ASHTON offers to take JOHNNY’s backpack.
JOHNNY: Thanks, man
JOHNNY punches ASHTON in the arm. ASHTON winces and drops the backpack
JO: What’s wrong? Johnny!
JOHNNY: (defensively) I didn’t do anything!
ASHTON: It’s nothing
JO: Let me see.
ASHTON: No, really, It’s nothing! I’m fine!
JO: (insistently) Let me see.
ASHTON reluctantly rolls up his sleeve, revealing a long, bloody gash
JO: Oh dear. I’ll wrap this up for you
JOHNNY: That’s Jo’s cure for everything. (in a high, exaggerated voice) Just wrap it up, and it’ll be fine and dandy!
JO: it’s worked so far!
JO wraps ASHTON’s arm
ASHTON: (bending his arm up and down) thanks
JO: (breathlessly) It’s no problem!
JOHNNY snorts, AVERY and KIERSTEN roll their eyes and try not to laugh.
JOHNNY: All right, lovebirds, let’s get this show on the road!
Cut to late afternoon. Our intrepid explorers are setting up camp
JO: All right, our parents said that the computer’s data chip was hidden somewhere around here. Let’s spread out and look around
AVERY: I doubt we’ll find anything. It’s not just gonna be out lying around.
JO: still, it can’t hurt to look
They search for a bit, but give up
JO: We need to go to plan B. Johnny, Get the Neutron Robot.
AVERY: What’s the Neutron Robot?
ASHTON: It’s a hacking device made for breaching high-security firewalls. It’s a top-secret military device. Where did you get one?
JOHNNY: Our parents developed it. How come you know so much about them?
ASHTON: (suspiciously innocent) Oh, I just heard stuff here and there.
AVERY: That’s convincing
JOHNNY takes out his iphone and gets onto something
JOHNNY: Pew! Pew! Pew!
Everyone turns to stare at him
AVERY: What is your problem?
JOHNNY: Sorry, angry birds was calling. I’ll go to the Neutron Robot now.
AVERY: I see.
Everyone sits and watches as JOHNNY works. Finally, he looks up, a devious smile on his face
JOHNNY: Bingo.
AVERY: well, where is it?
JOHNNY: It’s about 5.68 miles from here, on the other side of the river.
AVERY: Well, what are we waiting for? Let’s go save the world!
JOHNNY: actually, let’s save part of the world. The huge computer controls several smaller computers that in turn control the people. You can’t take down the big computer until you’ve destroyed the small ones
AVERY: And you waited until now to tell me this? Oh well, let’s go!
ASHTON: But it’s getting late. We should go tomorrow.
AVERY: Let’s bring flashlights
ASHTON: Avery. We’re. Not. Going.
AVERY: Fine.
KIERSTEN: Since we’re not going any further, let’s set up camp.
They disperse to go set up camp. Cut to evening. Our brave warriors are gathered around the remains of a campfire with a lantern, telling stories and eating some sort of meat skewered on sticks
JO: Thank you Ashton for making that trap. Rabbit is a LOT better than skewered squirrel!
JOHNNY: Hey!
ASHTON: You’re welcome. Trap making is one of my many talents.
KIERSTEN: (to JOHNNY) So why do you wear that dog collar around your wrist?
JOHNNY: In memory of our faithful dog, Ripper.
JO snorts
KIERSTEN: what happened to him?
JOHNNY: He came with us when we left to go into hiding. One day, when we were out in the mountains, a huge cougar attacked us! Ripper faithfully defended us, and it cost him his life. I wear his collar so I never forget him.
JO: (leans into AVERY and whispers quietly) That never happened. Our poodle, Fifi died 2 years ago of cancer. He was more attached than he lets on.
JO and AVERY start cracking up, leaving everyone else wondering what on earth is going on. JOHNNY, sensing that the truth is out, decides it is time to go to bed.
JOHNNY: Well, let’s hit the sack. We’ve got a big day tomorrow!

Scene 3
It’s the next morning, and AVERY is already awake, and is waking up the rest of our brave heroes.
AVERY: (impatiently) Rise and shine, lazy pants! We’ve got a computer to die! Umm, kill.

ASHTON: Someone woke up too early!

Our sleep-deprived explorers get up grumblingly.

JOHNNY: It’s 6:00! Dumb blonde!

AVERY: Time waits for no man!

AVERY hits JOHNNY over the head with a pillow

JOHNNY: Hey! You MESSED UP MY HAIR!

AVERY: (exaggerated baby voice) Awww, Is the little baby’s hair messed up?

JOHNNY glares at AVERY

The group of fearless gladiators pack up their stuff and leave, joking and laughing. Johnny is leading with the Neutron Robot in hand. As the group walks, they get more and more tired, and whiny. Finally, they reach a dense wall of bushes.
JOHNNY: I think this Neutron Robot is broken.
JO: Why?
JOHNNY: It’s saying to go straight into the bushes. there’s no way anything’s back there!
JO: Let me see it! (Takes the Neutron Robot, and stares at it, pushes a couple of buttons, and stares at it some more.) It still says to go into the bushes, so into the bushes we go!
JOHNNY: But I just fixed my hair!
AVERY: Stop being such a baby! Lets go!
The tragic heroes head into the bushes, AVERY in the lead. They come out of the dense shrubbery into a large clearing.
AVERY: So it’s somewhere around here?
JO: Ya it’s supposed to be somewhere right beyond those trees.
KIERSTEN: I don’t see anything.
AVERY: well, you have to actually look. (AVERY starts marching into the clearing, she’s just a few steps in when JO yells,)
JO: (panicked) Avery, stop! Don’t move!
AVERY: what, why? What’s wrong?
JO points over AVERY’s shoulder at VERONICA who is walking up behind her, mailbox tucked under her arm.
ASHTON: (confused) Wait, Veronica?
VERONICA: (creepy evil villain way) Hello, Ashton.
KIERSTEN: Wait! You know her? And how did that come to be?
ASHTON: We were acquainted a while back, but not so much anymore.
VERONICA: What are you talking about Ashton? We knew one another very well. (smiles)
JO: What? (turns to ashton, hurt) Why didn’t you tell us?
ASHTON: I...
AVERY: I knew there was something weird about you!
ASHTON: But...
JO: It’s fine, we don’t have time for explanations. But you will tell us later. (turns to veronica) What’s with the mailbox?
VERONICA: Oh, this. It is a bit odd, but this is what I hold my computer chips in. (wink enticingly)
AVERY: Great! You have it! Let’s destroy it!
VERONICA: Oh, no, no, no! I’m afraid this computer chip is the key to my success. Much too important to be destroyed.
ASHTON: But Veronica! I thought destroying it was your goal?
VERONICA: You actually thought that I would throw away that chance at total control?
JOHNNY: Well ma’m, I’m afraid we are going to have to confiscate that there mailbox. (with hands on belt, and a wicked smile).
AVERY: He’s right. Your going to have to hand it over. WAIT! Did I just agree with you?!
JOHNNY: That will only happen once in a life time.
This entire time JO and KIERSTEN have been slowly moving behind VERONICA. That way she is surrounded. ASHTON makes eye contact with them, and starts counting off with fingers. Nods hugely, and the three of them close in on her. KIERSTEN grabs the mailbox from VERONICA’S arms. ASHTON knocks her out. She now lays on the ground unconscious. AVERY takes the mailbox and opens it. An alarm goes off, and she closes it quickly.
JO: Now the Taken are coming.
JOHNNY: Everyone get their weapons ready.
AVERY: Wait, we shouldn’t use weapons, because they’re not really evil, they’re minds have just been taken over. We should just try to knock them out if they attack us. That way when they come to, they won’t be, well, bleeding or anything. Just a massive headache.

JOHNNY: Right, I didn’t think of that. (AVERY grins in triumph, rubbing it in JOHNNY’s face, then he punches her shoulder.) you’re still dumb.

(just then a rustle Is heard, then you can see a bunch of Taken coming through the bushes. One of which is RYAN, walking in front, with a blank look on his face, staring straight ahead.)

AVERY: (yelling in excitement) RYAN!! (she then starts running towards him, JOHNNY tries to grab her to stop her from running to her death, but she avoids his grasp and heads for RYAN. When she reaches him she opens her arms as if to hug him, but he punches her, hard, in the gut. AVERY gets the wind knocked out of her and stumbles back. She looks at RYAN in surprise, but he only meets her eyes with a blank stare.)

KIERSTEN: (shouting) Avery!

JOHNNY: let’s go.

everyone runs to meet the mob of the Taken. JOHNNY gets to RYAN and punches him in the face. RYAN falls backward, knocked out, and JOHNNY joins the fray of wild punching and kicking. Everyone sorta pairs off with different Taken people, most fighting more than one person. JOHNNY is fighting three people. A few more Taken join the fight, including ANTHONY DANE. ANTHONY and one other Taken go to fight JOHNNY, the other one attacks AVERY and KIERSTEN who are fighting together. JOHNNY is starting to be overpowered. JO notices, and tries to get closer to him to help, but she is fighting two taken, so she can’t. JOHNNY slowly goes down,with the five people he’s fighting on top of him. Cut to JO’s face.

JO: JOHNNY!!!!!!!!!

JO knocks out both of her Taken, then runs to him. She grabs the Taken around JOHNNY, and throws them aside frantically. 21 guns begins to play. JOHNNY is lying on the ground, very beat up, and not breathing.

JO: (panicked) Johnny! Johnny wake up! No! Johnny!

JO lifts Johnny’s head into her lap, and strokes his hair, crying as the battle continues around them. Slowly, The rest of the group knocks out their Taken people, and go to JO’s side, looking sad. AVERY and KIERSTEN kneel down next to JO, and hug her. They sit like that for a while, crying. Then, JO looks up, and stops crying abruptly. Instead, she is looking very determined.

JO: (to AVERY) Do you still have that mailbox?

AVERY: What?

JO: The mailbox. Now that computer’s killed Johnny too. We need to stop it before it can hurt anyone else.

AVERY: You’re right. Let’s finish this.

AVERY opens the mailbox, and pulls out a mess of wires and chips. They all stare at it confusedly. May the odds... by district tribute begins to play

KIERSTEN: Ummmm... ok. I guess we cut one of the wires?

AVERY: Which one?

KIERSTEN: Try that red one there.

ASHTON: Wait! Don’t cut that one! look where it’s connected! The whole thing might explode!

AVERY: What about this one?

ASHTON: That might work. try it and see what happens.

AVERY cuts the wire, and a red light starts blinking on the chip

JO: (nervously) Ummmm... was that supposed to happen?

ASHTON: No! That was the wrong one! It’s going to explode in 10 seconds!

AVERY: I Thought you said it wouldn’t!

JO: Won’t exploding destroy it?

ASHTON: You would think, but you see that part there? it’s gonna eject itself, and then we’ll be dead, and it won’t be!

AVERY: What do I do?

ASHTON: Find something to block that connection!

AVERY: Like what? There’s not a lot around here!

JO Suddenly starts. She turns around, and begins feverishly digging through AVERY’s backpack.

JO: One day save the planet!
(She turns around triumphantly, and holds up the jar of petroleum jelly) Here!

JO tosses the Jar to AVERY who catches it, unscrews the top, and smears some on the chip. The red light stops flashing

AVERY: Wow that was close!

ASHTON: Too close!

KIERSTEN: Look! The Taken are starting to wake up! And They’re themselves again!

ASHTON: I don’t see Ryan. Johnny must’ve knocked him out good!

JO gasps and bites her lip. ASHTON winces.

ASHTON: Sorry.

JO: It’s just so hard to see them waking up, and know that he never will! Especially since they killed him!

ASHTON: They didn’t know what they were doing.

JO: I know! That makes it even worse! I can’t hate them! It would make me a bad person, because it’s not their fault!

ASHTON: You’re not a bad person! You just lost your brother!

Just then, ANTHONY DANE approaches.

ANTHONY: Hi, I’m Anthony Dane. What just happened? What are we doing here?

JO gasps and hides in KIERSTEN’s shirt. KIERSTEN comforts her. ANTHONY looks at her quizzically, then turns to AVERY.

AVERY: It’s a really long story, but basically, you were possessed by an evil supercomputer. Well, actually, you were possessed by a smaller computer that was being controlled by the big supercomputer, but we killed it, and Johnny got killed in the process, and now you’re free.

ANTHONY: Johnny? Supercomputers? What?

ASHTON: You were controlled by an evil computer, but we freed you, and the other people under its control.

ANTHONY: Ummm... Ok.

ASHTON: Everyone else is still being controlled, so we need to take down the big computer, and save the world. (sudden inspiration) Can I put you in charge of this group until we rescue some adults? It’s weird how It’s only kids our age here.
ANTHONY: Umm sure. I guess I could do that.
ASHTON: Thanks, man.
ANTHONY turns, and walks off to the other people, while the tragic heroes watch. RYAN is still not there. Scene fades out as Iridescent by Linkin Park begins to play.
Scene 4
Scene opens on JO walking through the forest, a bouquet of flowers in her hand. She enters a clearing with JOHNNY’s grave in the middle of it. The others are standing around the edges of the clearing. She walks to his grave, kneels down, and places the flowers near the cross. ASHTON walks up behind her, and puts an arm around her. She smiles up at him. RYAN walks into the clearing. AVERY brightens, and hugs him. They rejoin the group around the grave. ASHTON turns to JO
ASHTON: You ready?
JO nods, and together they stand up. RYAN takes AVERY’s hand, and together, they all face away from the camera, towards the setting sun, as the screen fades into black.