M I L L E N N I U M IT... HAS... BEGUN... NOTHING IS FORSAKEN... Virtual Season Episode #418. "The Third Eye" written by: Kevin Patterson TEASER BLACK. FRANK (V.O) Previously on Millennium. INT. FRANK'S HOUSE - DAY Scene from "Genesis" -- Frank and Ryan are talking. FRANK The Group are bringing about the end of the world - an apocalypse of their own creation. And it's begun. INT. RYAN'S HOUSE - DAY Scene from "Tribulation" -- Frank and Ryan are listening to 718. 718 You. You can see, I knew it. But... differently. Abstract and... abrupt. INT. CONFESSIONAL - NIGHT Scene from "Sala Del La Morto" -- Dialogue from the Figure and Father Matthew. FIGURE This secret text would one day evolve into a single tome. An ancient book of untold prophecy in which there are no copies to be had and only one bearer for each generation who proves himself worthy. FATHER MATTHEW Is that what's happening, son? Untold prophecy being fulfilled? FIGURE Judgment can only be halted for another millennia if a faithful one still exists. EXT. CITY STREET - NIGHT Scene from "Sala Del La Morto" -- Another Shadowed Figure walking along a street with a leather satchel in his hand. A Mysterious Person comes from behind the Shadowed Figure and points a gun to the Shadowed Figure's head. Camera quickly TILTS UP showing a FLOCK OF BIRDS perched on a rafter. Startled by a GUN SHOT, they fly away. The Mysterious Person bends down, the dead body of the Shadowed Figure in plain view and takes a giant tome out of the satchel. The Mysterious Person stands back up with the book in his hands, turns and walks O.C. The murdered body of the Shadowed Figure; a tear falling down his pale face. CUT TO BLACK. FADE IN: INT. THE WALDINALBS' STUDY - NIGHT A spacious room, with a large desk on one end and bookshelves all around, mostly religious texts. An elderly man - 6'0", average build, balding grayish hair and glasses, carrying the air of scholarly solemnity, sits at the desk writing. This is ANGELO DI LORENZA. CLOSE ON - DI LORENZA'S DESK He has many different sacred books open on his desk -- both standard and apocryphal Christian works, as well as a few texts from other denominations. There are countless sheets of scrap paper filled with copious notes and arrows drawn between various phrases. Directly in front of Di Lorenza are sheets of writing paper. We see some of what he has written as he narrates: DI LORENZA (V.O.) And in the last days, the Beast shall slaughter the faithful one and his three most loyal brethren, who come in robes of sackcloth to prophesy in the Lord's name for twelve hundred and sixty days. And their bodies shall be thrown onto the ground and defiled as the foulest creatures feast upon their flesh. Di Lorenza is clearly deeply affected by his task, as he concentrates intently on his writing, while looking back and forth at his notes and at the texts. DISSOLVE TO: EXT. A RURAL INTERSTATE HIGHWAY - DAY The highway extends through a desolate patch of desert. Legend INDICATES: Southern Arizona A large hill rises to one side of the road, then slopes back down into a valley on the other side. No signs of civilization are in sight until... a State Trooper's vehicle comes speeding down the highway. INT. THE TROOPER'S VEHICLE - DAY OFFICER JOE CONWAY sits at the steering wheel, relaxed, tapping his fingers on the wheel to the beat of Creedence Clearwater Revival's "Bad Moon Rising" on the car radio. He glances around as he drives. CONWAY (singing along) Don't go out tonight, it's bound to take your life, there's a bad moon on the rise... He looks up over the hill, where he sees a flock of vultures circling overhead, with some of them diving down past the top of the hill and out of sight. He furrows his brow as he brings the car to a stop on the shoulder of the highway. EXT. INTERSTATE HIGHWAY - DAY Conway hops out of his car, leaving the hazard lights blinking. He takes a quick look to see if anyone else is around, then runs across the road, jumping over the median, and walks up to the hill. EXT. DESERT HILL - DAY Conway reaches the top, looks up again at the circling scavengers, then down the hill. There is a human form lying prostrate at the bottom, with several vultures nearby. CLOSE ON - THE BODY The person is clearly a dead middle-aged male, the body having partially decayed from exposure. In several places, the clothes are torn open and bloody sores are revealed where the vultures have been gnawing. Conway leans forward, realizing what he's seeing. CONWAY (slightly nauseated) Oh, God... The vultures continue to circle, one of them SQUAWKING loudly in the dead air. FADE OUT. ACT ONE FADE IN: BLACK. "In much wisdom is much grief, and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow." -- Ecclesiastes 1:18 FADE IN: INT. THE ELDER'S OFFICE - DAY THE ELDER sits at his desk with some reports in front of him. On the other side is CAROL FINLEY. The Elder is slightly less composed than usual; Finley is overtly apprehensive. THE ELDER I don't think I even need to tell you how serious this is. FINLEY Do you think it was the Waldinalbs? THE ELDER It hardly matters at this point. The book has been stolen, and it's being used against us. FINLEY What's my assignment? THE ELDER The FBI are investigating these murders. Use your influence with Hollis and find out everything they know. FINLEY The FBI may not be prepared to deal with this situation as it demands. (a beat) How should I proceed once I've gathered the evidence? THE ELDER Don't. FINLEY Sir? THE ELDER I'll be handling this directly. Study the patterns, Ms. Finley, then bring me the information. That's all you need to know. FINLEY I understand. After a brief moment, Finley gets up and leaves the room. The Elder turns and looks over his shoulder, where a door in the back of the room opens. MABIUS steps into the office. MABIUS Do you really think it was wise to tell her about the book? She may discover more than we want her to. THE ELDER No, she'll stay in line. And we need a contact in the Bureau, lest *they* get too close. (a beat) Besides, her analysis may prove useful. We could learn from these patterns whether we're following the proper path or not. MABIUS (vaguely threatening) You still doubt that? The Elder looks uncomfortably down at his desk. INT. CRITICAL INCIDENT RESPONSE TEAM CONFERENCE ROOM - DAY A crowd of FBI agents are seated at the conference table, among them EMMA HOLLIS and KEN McGREEVEY. Legend INDICATES: Quantico, Virginia Standing at the front of the room is ANDY McCLAREN, ready to speak. McCLAREN Thank you all for arriving promptly. We've been asked to look into two related murders, one in Arizona and another in Florida. (a beat) As you all know, I'm retiring in six days, at which point Ken McGreevey will become Assistant Director and Emma Hollis will assume the Special-Agent-In-Charge position for the CIRT. So, rather than make you all change horses in the middle of the stream, I've asked Ken to oversee this investigation. (to McGreevey) Ken? McGreevey rises and crosses to the front of the room as McClaren sits down. McGREEVEY Thank you. He reaches down to operate a slide projector. The first slide appears on a white projection screen just to his left: it shows a badly decayed corpse of a woman. Parts of an arm and a leg are missing. McGREEVEY This here is Sarah Dufresne, 35, single, lived by herself in Miami. Her body was discovered last Tuesday-- He flips to another slide, which shows a crime scene at a Floridian swamp. McGREEVEY --right here, in the swamps of Northern Florida. The body was badly decayed, and, due to where it had been dumped, partly consumed by the, uh, resident alligators. Some low MUTTERINGS of revulsion are heard from the agents watching. McGreevey flips to another slide, this one of the body found in the Arizona desert. McGREEVEY Two days ago, we got this: Aaron Frankel, a Lutheran minister from Phoenix, Arizona. Married, two kids. His body was found in an isolated area of the Arizona desert, and, in keeping with this week's theme... (hesitates, feeling a bit disgusted himself) ...was being eaten by vultures when it was found. An agent in the back -- MIKE GRIMLEY -- speaks up. GRIMLEY So what's the connection here, besides this unfortunate business with these scavenger animals? McGREEVEY What's most unusual is what seems to have happened before their deaths. Both of them had been reported missing several days before the bodies were found, and both of them showed signs of recent surgical incisions in the cranial area and nasal cavity, and-- He stops as the door opens in the back corner. CAROL FINLEY enters, looking slightly harried. McGREEVEY Ms. Finley. I wasn't aware you would be joining us. FINLEY It was, uh, kind of last-minute. McGreevey looks slightly suspicious, but continues. As he speaks, Emma motions inquisitively to Finley -- she evidently didn't expect her mentor's presence either. Finley doesn't acknowledge her. McGREEVEY Anyway, as I was saying, there were multiple surgical incisions on both victims. Scar tissue analysis indicated that each of them had electrodes attached to their brains recently, and the pineal and pituitary glands of each victim were completely destroyed, which was presumably the cause of death. And we believe the bodies may have been transported a significant distance to make them easy prey for scavengers. There is a brief silence as everyone digests the information. GRIMLEY Okay, so let me get this straight. Somebody kidnaps these people, does some sort of hack brain surgery on them, and then dumps the bodies out there for animals to eat? McGREEVEY That's what it looks like, yeah. (a beat) The initial police investigations didn't turn much of anything up, and our own medical experts have never heard of any procedure like this before. So, now it's our job to figure this one out -- obviously we're not just looking at a typical abduction-and-murder scenario. (looks down and reads from his notepad) Okay then. Grimley and Watson, I want you two out in Phoenix ASAP -- talk to friends, relatives, the people from Frankel's congregation, anybody you can track down, and see what you turn up. Faraday and Raynovic, you do the same in Miami. DuBois -- confer with the other people in the Profiling Unit, see if you can come up with some likely offender characteristics. Hollis, I want you to pursue the medical angle. Talk to a neuroscience expert if possible. The rest of you already have your assignments. (puts away the notepad) That should cover it. Once you have anything, report back to me. Good luck, everybody. The agents all get up from their seats and head out the door. McClaren gives McGreevey a pat on the back as he exits. Emma walks over to Finley, who is waiting in the corner. EMMA Why didn't you tell me you were coming? FINLEY I'm sorry. There's been a lot on my mind lately. EMMA The Group is interested in this case? FINLEY Yes. Yes, we are. EMMA There *are* channels to go through for this, you know. You could have at least-- FINLEY Emma, listen, please. It's really very important that we just find this perpetrator as soon as possible. Emma is still puzzled at Finley's evasive behavior, but decides to let it go for the moment. EMMA Right. FINLEY Where do you plan to start? EMMA I know a scientist at Georgetown -- a Professor Diana Berman in the Biology department. I thought I'd go talk to her. You want to come along? FINLEY No, actually I was going to stay here and pursue a different angle. EMMA Like what? FINLEY I'll explain later. I, uh, don't want to hold you up any longer. Irritated, Emma nods, turns away, and leaves. Finley is slightly relieved. INT. CIRT OFFICES - DAY McGreevey is walking down the hall towards the Assistant Director's Office, where McClaren's nameplate is being removed by a maintenance worker. Finley walks briskly in after him. FINLEY Agent McGreevey? McGreevey stops and turns around. McGREEVEY Yeah? FINLEY There's another angle that I'd like to pursue on this investigation, if you don't mind. McGREEVEY What is it? FINLEY I'd like to look through some old Bureau records, look for similar M.O.s. McGREEVEY We've done that already. Nothing. FINLEY Did you check for murders that involved other types of invasive surgery? Or... (choosing her words carefully) ...this man Frankel was a Lutheran minister. What about other religiously-motivated murders? Or closed cases? McGREEVEY I don't understand. Where are you going with this? FINLEY I'm not sure yet. I'm just playing a hunch. McGREEVEY (hesitates, puffing air) Well, okay... have at it. I'll call down to the guy at the Archives desk and let him know you're coming. FINLEY (nods) Thank you. Finley walks away as a curious McGreevey watches her go. INT. DIANA BERMAN'S OFFICE - DAY PROF. DIANA BERMAN, a woman in her early '30s, sits at her desk, looking over some crime scene photos and diagrams. Legend INDICATES: Department of Biology Georgetown University Emma sits on the other side of the desk. EMMA So do you have any idea what they might have been attempting? BERMAN The surgical incisions aren't all that unusual in and of themselves -- it's more or less what I'd expect if they were trying to access those areas of the brain. And the electrodes could be used to monitor various types of brain activity without causing any injury. But you wouldn't destroy the pineal and pituitary glands unless you intend to kill the person. EMMA Is it possible they had undiagnosed illnesses, and they went to some sort of quack doctor who performed the procedure wrong? BERMAN (looking at the papers) I certainly don't see any obvious abnormalities in these diagrams you've given me. EMMA What about the pineal and pituitary glands themselves? Is there any reason someone would want to attack those specific organs? BERMAN Well, like I said, the human body can't function without them, but that's true of a lot of organs, and most of them are much more easily accessible. Aside from that, they have no special significance. At least none that's scientific. EMMA (curious) What do you mean by that? BERMAN Oh, well, the pineal gland in particular has quite a mythology built around it in various cultures and belief systems. The philosopher René Descartes tried to prove that it was the physical location of the soul. And New Age religions speak of a "third eye" located near the pineal and pituitary glands, that grants the user all sorts of psychic powers. EMMA (intrigued) I see. And how knowledgeable would you have to be to perform this surgery? BERMAN Oh, I can tell you this was done by someone with professional training. You don't pick up this sort of skill on an amateur basis. EMMA (nods thoughtfully) Thank you, you've been very helpful. Can I contact you again if necessary? BERMAN Of course. Emma gets up, shakes Berman's hand, and takes her case files back. EXT. GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY - DAY Emma is walking across a quadrangle, dialing a number on her cell phone. INTERCUT BETWEEN SCENES: INT. ASSISTANT DIRECTOR'S OFFICE - DAY McGreevey is sitting at the desk going over some papers. His cell phone rings. McGREEVEY (answering) McGreevey. EMMA Hey, it's Hollis. I just got finished speaking to Professor Berman at Georgetown. McGREEVEY Come up with anything? EMMA Not on the neuroscience end, but she gave me an interesting hint in another direction. Supposedly, a lot of mystical traditions assign a special significance to the pineal and pituitary glands. It's believed to be a sort of nexus between the physical body and the spiritual self. McGREEVEY That does sound promising. I'll pass the word along to DuBois, see what he and the other profilers have to say about this. EMMA Who do you have investigating the Dufresne murder again? McGREEVEY Um, Faraday and Raynovic. Why? EMMA You might have them look into her religious background, if they aren't already. That would give us a stronger connection to the Lutheran minister. McGREEVEY Right, will do. (a beat) That's good work, Hollis. Let me know what else you find. EMMA Okay, I'll get back to you. (hangs up) INT. FBI ARCHIVES ROOM - NIGHT Carol Finley sits at a desk with numerous files sitting open in front of her. She is scribbling on a pad of white writing paper. On the desk there are labels on some of the files she has open: "322188: Philadelphia, PA -- Walfner Serial Homicide Investigation 1989, CLOSED," "41337: St. Louis Park, MN -- Briscoll, Terry, Disappeared 1988, UNSOLVED," etc. Finley's pad shows an almost indecipherable pattern of names, dates, and symbols. She continues writing, wearing an intense stare on her face. Near the bottom, she has drawn four points in a tilted square pattern. Lines have been drawn to connect the first two pairs of dots. Her pen now taps uneasily near the third dot. INT. ST. JAMES CATHEDRAL - NIGHT FATHER MATTHEW is up by the altar with some Advent decorations sitting in a box. He is trying some possible locations for the various wreaths, candles, etc. As he finishes up for the night, he puts the decorations back in the box and carries it away from the altar and down the main aisle in the middle of the cathedral when a MALE VOICE calls to him. MALE VOICE (O.C.) Father Matthew? Father Matthew turns around to see the man standing at the end of a row of pews. It is BLAYLOCK. FATHER MATTHEW (surprised) Yes? BLAYLOCK (pointing to the floor near his feet) You dropped one of your decorations back here. FATHER MATTHEW (letting his guard down) Oh, all right. I hadn't seen you over there -- you startled me a bit. Father Matthew walks over to Blaylock and looks at the floor. Seeing nothing, he kneels down to look under the pew. As he bends over, Blaylock produces a small hypodermic needle. INT. FBI BUILDING BASEMENT - NIGHT A lone DESK CLERK sits outside the Archives Room, tapping his pencil on his desk, clearly bored. He checks his watch, stands up, and opens the door to the Archives Room. INT. ARCHIVES ROOM - NIGHT The Clerk walks inside, glancing up and down the rows of shelves, all of them full of boxes containing paperwork. CLERK Ms. Finley? Getting no response, he walks down one of the rows to the desk where Finley had been working. Nothing there. CLERK Ms. Finley? You still here? He heads down another row, and notices one of the boxes left open. About half of the files have been removed. He walks quickly to the far corner, where the only other door in and out of the Archives Room is located. It is protected by a password electronic lock. He checks the lock: no obvious tampering. He walks briskly back to his desk and picks up the telephone, dialing a number. CLERK (into telephone) Hello? Yeah, this is Chris Jablonski at the Archives Desk... Agent McGreevey, please?... Yes, thank you. INT. ASSISTANT DIRECTOR'S OFFICE - NIGHT McGreevey and Emma Hollis are going over some notes from the day's investigation. McGREEVEY Anyway, apparently Sarah Dufresne attended some sort of New Age-type services in her neighborhood. EMMA Professor Berman told me that some New Age sects call that area of the brain the "third eye." McGREEVEY Well, our people are supposed to be interviewing some of the other members tonight. If this group was into that sort of thing, they'll find out. And DuBois says they're doing background checks on cranial surgeons at the Profiling Unit. McGreevey's telephone on his desk rings. McGREEVEY (to Emma) Excuse me. (answering) McGreevey... What?!... You have no idea where she went?... Well how did she get the... All right, well... have that password changed as soon as possible, then... Yeah, I'll take care of it... Thanks. (hangs up) EMMA What's going on? McGREEVEY Your *friend* from the Millennium Group apparently helped herself to some of our files. Snuck out the back of the Archives Room with them. EMMA Carol? Why would she do that? McGREEVEY Got me. I don't even know what she thinks she's going to find in there. (a beat) You, uh, wouldn't happen to know how she got that password, would you? EMMA No, no... I mean, *I* don't even know that password. McGREEVEY (nods) Well, tell her I'd like to speak to her immediately -- I want to know what this is about. EMMA Of course. I'll go see if I can get hold of her right now. McGreevey nods as Emma gets up and leaves. McGreevey taps his fingers on the desk for a moment, thinking, then reaches for a file drawer in the bottom of McClaren's desk. He thumbs through some portfolios until he comes to one marked "Millennium Group." As he takes it out and starts looking through it... DISSOLVE TO: INT. ST. JAMES CATHEDRAL - DAY It is early morning; the cathedral is empty. The front door swings open as FRANK BLACK enters. He walks halfway up the aisle and looks around. FRANK Father Matthew? No response. He walks down one of the pews toward the sacristy and looks quickly inside: no one there. He walks back to the center of the aisle and cups his hands together. FRANK (echoing) Father Matthew? Still no response. Frank walks a little more deliberately down the aisle, then stops near where Blaylock had accosted Father Matthew. FRANK'S INTERNAL POV -- A HYPODERMIC NEEDLE sinking into the back of Father Matthew's neck! -- A piece of SACKCLOTH being shredded by a large knife! -- A SURGICAL DRILL BUZZING as it descends! Frank is startled by the suddenness of the vision. He takes a moment to right himself, then quickly heads for the front door. EXT. BALTIMORE CITY STREET - DAY Frank runs to the nearest pay phone and quickly dials a number. VOICE (filtered) Baltimore Police Department. FRANK Yes, I'm at St. James Cathedral -- there's been an abduction! VOICE All right, you're being transferred. FRANK Yes, thank you. As he waits, Frank looks apprehensively up and down the street. Hold on his disturbed expression... INT. A MEDICAL LABORATORY - DAY This laboratory carries a very "sterile" atmosphere: there are no windows, and the walls are all completely white. There is one door in the corner. On an operating table in the center lies Father Matthew, heavily sedated. Two scientists are making preparations for surgery. Mabius is watching. FATHER MATTHEW (looking around, disoriented) Who are you...? What do you want...? The scientists pay him no attention. Mabius draws closer, leaning in to look at Father Matthew. FATHER MATTHEW (having difficulty speaking) You... what... why is... Mabius stares at him intently. FATHER MATTHEW'S POV Heavily blurred from the sedative. Mabius's face is barely distinguishable. MABIUS Known by different names -- martyros, fidelis -- but all one prophecy. The day is nearly at hand, when your robes of sackcloth shall be torn, and His throne laid to waste as the firmament burns. Then shall you be cast down into your rightful place, in the lake of fire.... Father Matthew's vision dissolves into a whitish, indistinguishable blur... FADE OUT. ACT TWO FADE IN: EXT. FOREST CLEARING - DAY An area in the forest has been portioned off as a crime scene. Legend INDICATES: Southern Maryland Two Days Later FBI agents are on the scene, among them Emma Hollis. A body is being transported away from the scene. A young female agent, JANE LESKY, approaches Emma, who is lingering at the outskirts. LESKY Our preliminary analysis indicates he's been dead for about a day. The walking trails don't come through here, so the body wouldn't necessarily have been found right away. EMMA Any idea it was dumped here? LESKY Aside from the remote location... (pauses, grimacing) The park ranger says there's an unusually large population of flies in this section of the forest. The body was significantly, uh... EMMA I get the picture. LESKY Yeah. (a beat) You know who initially reported he was missing? Frank Black. EMMA Frank reported it? Has anyone gotten in touch with him? LESKY He's coming in this afternoon. Emma nods, then looks back over at the crime scene. Hold on her ponderous expression... INT. INTERROGATION ROOM - FBI BUILDING - DAY Frank sits at the table as two agents question him. A tape recorder is running. FIRST AGENT The call you placed to the Baltimore PD was at 8:37 a.m. Was that right after you discovered that Father Matthew was missing? FRANK Yeah. INTERCUT BETWEEN SCENES: INT. INTERROGATION ROOM PARTITION - FBI BUILDING - DAY Emma Hollis is watching through the one-way Plexiglas window. SECOND AGENT You didn't even go over to the rectory to look for him. How did you know he was abducted? FRANK (sighs) I...had a strong instinct about it. Visualized it, in my head. FIRST AGENT You "visualized it"? FRANK Yeah. (a beat) It's what I did for the Bureau, for years. The first agent seems confused, but the second agent gestures to let it pass. SECOND AGENT And, why were you going to see Father Matthew? FRANK (hesitant) My daughter has been having recurring nightmares of a... religious nature. I was hoping he could offer some advice. Emma looks concerned as she watches. FIRST AGENT Did you see any actual evidence of a struggle in the church? FRANK No, nothing. SECOND AGENT Okay... I think that should about do it for now. We'll contact you if necessary. Frank nods, gets up, and leaves the room. INT. FBI HALLWAY - DAY As Frank exits, he spies Emma down the hallway. EMMA (acknowledging him) Frank. FRANK Emma, I was hoping I might find you. Listen, Father Matthew was a friend of mine, and he was the pastor of my brother's parish. I'd like to participate in this investigation, if that's possible. EMMA (a bit surprised) I don't have any problem with it. I'll have to run it past McGreevey, obviously. FRANK Right. (a beat) Is the Group involved in this case? EMMA (snorts) I wish I knew. FRANK What do you mean? EMMA There have been two other murders, similar M.O.s. A Lutheran pastor in Phoenix, and a woman in Miami. Carol came in on the first day, asked to look at some other FBI files, and then... took them, without permission. I haven't seen or heard from her since. McGreevey's pissed, obviously. FRANK Any idea what she was looking for? EMMA Not a clue. FRANK (checking his watch) I have to go pick up Jordan from school. You'll call me after you talk to McGreevey? EMMA Yeah. INT. ASSISTANT DIRECTOR'S OFFICE - DAY McGreevey is at the A.D.'s desk with the Millennium Group file open in front of him. Emma enters and sits down, clearly expected. McGREEVEY Hollis. (slightly annoyed) Where's the mysterious Ms. Finley? EMMA I wish I could tell you. She hasn't answered any of my pages. I even drove to her apartment yesterday, and she wasn't there. McGREEVEY Do you think she's in some sort of danger? EMMA I doubt it. The Group would be all over it if she were. McGREEVEY Yeah. (a beat) Listen, about the Group... I've been looking over some of these files, from cases that you and Frank Black investigated last year. EMMA Yes? McGREEVEY Okay... now, in the Taylor Watts kidnapping case, the report you two filed indicates that Peter Watts actually confessed to knowing of these supposed Marburg experiments in the Gulf War? EMMA (taking a breath, uncomfortable) Yes... right. McGREEVEY Why wasn't it followed up? EMMA Well, he claimed later that he simply made the information up to try to appease Mr. Swan. And there was no military file to match the certification he gave. McGREEVEY (less than satisfied, but moving on) Okay, okay... All right, now, this case with the disembodied hands that were smuggled into the States. If I'm reading correctly, it was actually in the course of this investigation that you found the Group's Ogden Parkway facility? There were shipments of biological specimens being sent to that address for stem cell research? EMMA (uncomfortable) Well... that's what it looked like, at the time. McGREEVEY But this investigative angle was also just dropped? EMMA (sighs) McClaren asked us to drop it, yeah. McGreevey taps his chin, thinking. McGREEVEY If you don't mind my asking, why did you join the Group if you had these suspicions about them? EMMA It's complicated... and, we really had very little evidence, in the end. McGREEVEY Well, I can't speak for Andy, and I don't know why he handled it this way, but this doesn't make me very comfortable having them involved in this case. EMMA Yes, I know. I'd probably be thinking the same thing if I were in your position. (a beat) By the way, about Frank Black -- the latest victim was a friend of his. I know the circumstances of his departure were... controversial, but, he told me he'd like to join this investigation, if it's all right with you. McGREEVEY (pauses, thinking) Yeah, I guess if he wants to help, we can certainly use him. I can't promise him compensation -- there'd still be the usual bureaucratic hassle over that. EMMA Okay. I'll let him know, then. Emma gets up to leave. McGREEVEY Keep me informed. INT. THE ELDER'S OFFICE - DAY The Elder is finishing his perusal of a very detailed scientific report. Mabius is standing off to one side. THE ELDER The Catholic priest showed a high level of third eye activity, just like the other two. MABIUS Then we proceed to the fourth. THE ELDER It's being done as we speak. (a beat) Ms. Finley's analysis has also been helpful. The events are connected, and this appears to be the expected culmination of the sequence. MABIUS (slightly condescending) As I had thought. THE ELDER (defensive) Look, we can't afford a mistake -- not now. You admitted that there are limits to what you've been allowed to know. MABIUS Yes. But that will change soon. The two exchange an uncomfortable stare. INT. FBI CRIME LAB - NIGHT Father Matthew's body lies on a table in the center, covered by a white sheet. Frank and Emma are there, talking to an FBI coroner. CORONER Anyway, it does look like the mutilation of the pineal and pituitary glands was the cause of death. We found no other wounds, and his system was full of sedatives and anesthetics, which would make surgical trauma less likely. EMMA Did you find anything else unusual on the body? CORONER No, not aside from the decay. FRANK Would you mind stepping outside for a moment? I'd like to examine the body myself. CORONER Sure. The coroner leaves. Frank and Emma walk over towards the body. EMMA You think this has anything to do with that case back in July? (a beat) The clergymen who were... turned to salt? FRANK I don't think it's the same killer, if that's what you mean. Those men were all judged to have betrayed their faith. If the killer is operating off this mythology about these glands, then it was an attack on Father Matthew's spirituality. EMMA So, a non-believer? Punishing them for their faith? Frank lifts the sheet briefly and looks at the body, the view obscured by the sheet as he holds it up. An expression of sadness for his friend crosses his face as he shakes his head. FRANK'S INTERNAL POV -- The piece of SACKCLOTH being torn. -- A HIDEOUS BEAST, SNARLING! -- PETER WATTS standing with his head bowed in prayer as a GUNSHOT rings out! -- HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE, their forms indistinct, all SCREAMING IN TERROR as FIRE seems to shoot through them! Frank staggers a bit. The vision was unusually gruesome even for him. EMMA (concerned) Frank, are you all right? FRANK (taking a breath) I don't think we're looking for non-believers, but rather believers who happen to be fighting for a different side. EMMA (taking this in) You mean... evil? Or Satan, or whatever you want to call it? FRANK (nods) You know, Father Matthew believed he was visited by the same... entity... that killed those other clergymen. They were all judged. Only he was found worthy. (a beat) I'd like to see the background notes you've assembled on the other two victims. Emma nods. INT. EMMA'S DESK - FBI BUILDING - NIGHT Emma has the file for Sarah Dufresne open in front of her as she pages through it. Frank looks over her shoulder. EMMA Here's something interesting. (pointing to a paragraph in the file) Earlier this year, Dufresne and eleven other members of her sect engaged in a day-long meditation session, trying to access the... "astral plane," as they call it. She was the only one who reported that she succeeded. FRANK See if there's anything like this in Frankel's background. EMMA I just got a fax from the agents in Phoenix a couple hours ago. Let me look... Emma opens up the file on Aaron Frankel and flips to the back, where there is a stack of fax paper. She starts paging through the faxes quickly. EMMA Yep -- look here. Frankel and four other Lutheran ministers were sent to investigate when some people at a church in Southern Arizona claimed to have witnessed Jesus Christ appear to them during a service. Of the five, only Frankel had the same vision there. FRANK (thinking out loud) Three people... all of whom had some sort of unexplained religious experience. They were set apart from others with similar beliefs: they seemed to be more aware, more dedicated, in one way or another. (a beat) I think the purpose of these murders is to eliminate a spiritual threat to the killer's agenda. (a beat) To tip the balance again. EMMA (recognizing the phrase) Frank, if you think the Millennium Group did this... FRANK These people would be their opponents, when their plan comes to fruition. Rival spiritual leaders. EMMA Look, I'm not going to say that I trust the Group either. But in the five months I've been with them... I've seen no plan, no grand scheme... Whatever we think of their methods, maybe they are just trying to look out for us, in the end. FRANK Don't take this the wrong way, but I doubt they ever intended to tell you the whole story. They're using you as another pawn, another foot in the door of the government. (with restrained disgust) Besides, what kind of benevolent organization murders its own members? Creates serial killers? EMMA Well, I don't know why Carol took those files, but if she is covering something up, I don't think Ken's going to let her get away with it. Frank nods, then briefly closes his eyes in slight fatigue, rubbing his forehead. He looks down at his watch. FRANK I need to get home. If I were you, I'd get on the telephone to every religious organization you possibly can. Tell them someone may be targeting people who believe they've experienced any sort of miracle or divine revelation. The most likely victims will be those who hold a position of leadership or authority. EMMA Right, I'll get on it then. Frank nods and turns to go. INT. FRANK'S BEDROOM - BLACK RESIDENCE - NIGHT Frank lies in bed, tossing and turning, trying to fall asleep. As he rolls over and looks toward the doorway, he sees JORDAN silhouetted up against the light from the hall. FRANK Jordan? What's wrong? Jordan doesn't respond. FRANK Did you have another nightmare? Here, come on in. Frank flips on a light switch as Jordan walks slowly toward the bed. FRANK Whatever it was, you can tell me. JORDAN (struggling) I saw people... millions and millions of people. We were all in this place... and everyone was yelling because there was fire everywhere and they were frightened. FRANK'S INTERNAL POV -- The same vision from before, with people screaming as fire shoots through them! JORDAN (CONT'D) And they were yelling for it to stop, and crying out for someone to save them. (starting to cry) But no one came to save them... and you were there, and so was I... (breaks down sobbing) Daddy, it was awful! I'm so scared! Frank pulls her towards him, embracing her as she cries on his shirt. JORDAN I'm so scared... FRANK It's all right, sweetie. It was just a bad dream. (a beat) Just a bad dream... As Jordan continues to cry, Frank holds her and looks past her, his face revealing that he doubts his own words. INT. THE WALDINALBS' STUDY - NIGHT Angelo DiLorenza is writing. He narrates a passage that he is completing: DI LORENZA (V.O.) And then the Beast shall take captive the souls of all the faithful and cast them into the lake of fire, where they will cry for their defeated Lord whose throne is laid to waste as the firmament burns. And they shall suffer there for all eternity without respite. FADE OUT. ACT THREE FADE IN: INT. ASSISTANT DIRECTOR'S OFFICE - DAY Ken McGreevey sits at the desk conferring with another agent when Carol Finley enters. McGreevey looks up at her, then turns to the agent. McGREEVEY Could you excuse us for a moment, please? The agent nods and leaves. Finley sits down. FINLEY Sorry to interrupt there. I was wondering if you'd consider letting the Group examine Father Matthew's body? McGREEVEY (slightly hostile) Yeah, well, I'd like to ask you a few things first. For starters -- where are those files from the Archives Room, and why did you take them? FINLEY (caught) I, ah... I wanted to take them back to the Group for further analysis. McGREEVEY (flabbergasted) Look, you *know* there's protocol for that. Why didn't you fill out the paperwork? And how did you get that password in the first place? FINLEY Agent Hollis gave it to me. McGREEVEY Agent Hollis doesn't even *know* that password. Nobody does, except for me, McClaren, and the desk clerk. (a beat) And *now*... you expect me to let you take the body out of here. What is it you're not telling me? FINLEY (hesitates) It's complicated... McGREEVEY (not enjoying having to say this) Well, until I get an answer, I'm going to have to ask you to take yourself off this investigation. And tell the Group I'd like to speak with whoever handles your field assignments. FINLEY (defensive) Agent McGreevey, the Millennium Group and the CIRT have had an understanding for years now. I don't think you want to jeopardize-- McGREEVEY Look, I don't know what kind of arrangement you had with McClaren, but as far as I'm concerned, this needs to be a two-way street. FINLEY You don't understand. This-- McGREEVEY I've made my decision, Ms. Finley. Finley takes a long, hard stare at McGreevey, then finally gets up and leaves. McGreevey lets out a puff of air as he sits back in his chair, then picks up his phone and dials a number. McGREEVEY (into phone) Hollis?... Yes, could you come up and see me, please?... Thank you. INT. FBI BUILDING HALLWAY - DAY Frank and Emma are walking together and talking over recent events. EMMA We've identified hundreds of possible targets already. And we're also combing through all the recent missing persons reports. (a beat) How many more do you think there will be? Will these killings stop eventually? FRANK They're following a specific sequence of some sort. My guess is there's a certain number that they believe they have to kill. Once they reach that number, they'll stop. EMMA You still think the Group is responsible? FRANK The choice of victims and the peculiar methods certainly point in their direction. These killings are too specific and sophisticated to be the work of someone acting alone. They reach the end of the hallway, near the Assistant Director's Office. EMMA Anyway, I have to go talk to McGreevey here. Why don't you head over to the Profiling Unit? I'm sure they could use your help. FRANK All right, I'll get back to you later. Frank heads off in the other direction as Emma enters the office. INT. ASSISTANT DIRECTOR'S OFFICE - DAY Emma enters as McGreevey looks up at her. McGREEVEY Emma, come on in. Emma sits down and waits to hear what he has to say. McGREEVEY First things first -- listen, I know this may put you in an awkward situation with the Millennium Group, but I've taken Finley off this investigation. She refused to explain what she was doing with the files, and she also lied and said she got the password from you. EMMA (nods) I understand. McGREEVEY I'm sorry it had to be handled this way. EMMA No, it's not your fault. Like I was saying, I'd do the same thing if it were me. McGREEVEY Anyway, where are we on the legwork? EMMA It's a matter of time at this point. There must be thousands of people who claim to have had miraculous experiences in the past year. It'll take a while before we can reach all of them. McGREEVEY Has Frank Black been able to help? EMMA Well, he thinks that the killings are ritualistic, which would explain the care to place them in locations where they'd be consumed by animals -- it's meant to be an act of desecration. He thinks that whoever is responsible intends to kill a certain number of believers, and that the murders won't stop until that number is reached. McGREEVEY Does he have any ideas about who *is* responsible? EMMA (hesitant) He... suspects the Group. McGREEVEY And you? EMMA I honestly don't know... Carol's behavior is suspicious, but... Frankly, if it is the Group, I don't think she knows anything either. McGREEVEY (nods) All right. Just watch yourself, Emma. EMMA I will. As Emma exits, McGreevey leans back in his chair, tapping his fingers on his desk and thinking. A moment passes before he reaches down and pulls out the file on the Group again, and flips to a page in the middle. CLOSE ON - THE FILE where we see printed: "Full membership list unavailable. Known senior Group members include the following ..." The list contains some familiar names, such as Blaylock, Albrecht, Titus, along with their addresses, but others, such as Mabius and Swanson (The Elder), are missing. McGreevey picks up his desk phone and dials a number. McGREEVEY (into phone) Wilkins?... Yeah, Ken McGreevey here. I need wiretap surveillance on the following individuals, beginning immediately... He begins to read off the list... EXT. QUANTICO BUILDING - NIGHT Emma has finished up for the evening and is walking across the parking lot to her car. FINLEY (O.C.) (quietly) Emma! Emma turns at the sound of Finley's voice and sees her hiding behind a car a row over. She walks over to Finley to speak to her quietly. EMMA What are you doing here? FINLEY I need you to do something for me. (a beat) I need you to get the files on Father Matthew. It's imperative that I see them immediately. EMMA (shaking her head) Carol, I can't, even if I wanted to. McGreevey threw you off this case. You have no idea how much trouble I could-- FINLEY No, Emma, *you* have no idea how much... "trouble" there will be, if you don't cooperate. EMMA (finally losing her temper) No! No, you're right, Carol, I don't, because you haven't told me a damned thing for five months now! It's always "I'll explain later" or "You wouldn't understand," and I'm just supposed to go along playing errand girl for the Millennium Group. And then you go and *steal* files from the Bureau, and you leave me to answer for it! FINLEY All right! All right. You want to know what's going on here? Emma nods. FINLEY (now quiet again, but intense and nervous) Remember that case you investigated in Baltimore? The murders of the clergymen? EMMA Of course. What about it? FINLEY There was a book you found, it contained lost prophecies passed down by an organization dating back to the Middle Ages. EMMA Right, they'd split off from the Albigenses and the Waldenses during the Inquisition. FINLEY They call themselves the Waldinalbs. (a beat) In any case, the Group obtained that book. And then we lost it. Emma shakes her head, confused. FINLEY It was stolen, from our highest- security facility. We don't know how. But there's a prophecy in that book, that speaks of duties that must be performed by certain divine servants. I think that whoever stole the book is trying to prevent the fulfillment of that prophecy by murdering these people. EMMA So... why do you need the files on Father Matthew? FINLEY There's a man who's agreed to meet with me, one of the Waldinalbs. He said he'd show me what he knows. But he has to see these things for himself to determine if I've found the same pattern that he has. Emma hesitates; this is all a bit much to take in at once. FINLEY Listen, Emma, there are reasons that I haven't told you everything. I could tell you just what exactly will happen if we don't stop this killer... but you won't sleep any time soon. EMMA All right -- on one condition. I go with you to meet this man. This is an FBI matter, not a Group investigation. No more secrets. FINLEY (hesitates) Okay. Let's just do it quickly. EXT. DOWNTOWN BALTIMORE - NIGHT A dimly lit street, mostly apartment buildings on both sides, with only a few people out and about. A car pulls up and parks on the side of the street near one of the buildings. Carol Finley and Emma Hollis step out of the car and walk to the front door, where Finley, who is carrying a folder of papers, hits the intercom buzzer. After a few moments, the door opens to reveal Angelo Di Lorenza. There is a brief moment of discomfort between the three. DI LORENZA Come in. He steps back, as Finley looks over her shoulder at Emma, then follows Di Lorenza inside, as does Emma. CUT TO: INT. THE WALDINALBS' STUDY - NIGHT Emma, Finley, and Di Lorenza enter the same room where we saw Di Lorenza working earlier. Books are still spread out across his desk. DI LORENZA (introducing himself as they shake hands) Angelo Di Lorenza. FINLEY Carol Finley. This is Emma Hollis. (a beat) Thank you for agreeing to meet with us. I know things haven't exactly been friendly between the Group and the Waldinalbs. DI LORENZA We don't allow ourselves to be distracted by matters of politics in times like these. (a beat) Even if the Group did kill one of our own to get their hands on the book. EMMA What?! FINLEY (quickly) The Group doesn't have the book. EMMA Wait a second-- FINLEY (silencing her) Emma! (back to Di Lorenza) It was stolen. And I believe that whoever stole it is the same person who has committed these murders. Finley hands the files she has brought along to Di Lorenza. He opens the folder and quickly reads over the information. He is clearly alarmed. DI LORENZA Come here. He leads them over to the table where he has been working. DI LORENZA I've been attempting to reconstruct the text from memory and by analyzing the patterns in other prophetic works. Most apocalyptic texts elaborate only one possible scenario for the future. Ours contains multiple possibilities, each described in detail. FINLEY My superiors in the Group told me that these killings may follow one of those scenarios. DI LORENZA (nodding grimly) It's by far the most... pessimistic. This Catholic priest -- I understand you are both familiar with the prophecy of the faithful one, who is judged worthy while others are condemned to death and turned to salt? EMMA There were several murders of that nature earlier this year. DI LORENZA We believe this priest was the prophesied "faithful one." That's why his life was spared. He -- and three others -- play a prominent role in preparing humanity for God's kingdom in one scenario. (a beat) Now, this other outcome I'm referring to -- here's how it begins: (reading verbatim) "And in the last days, the Beast shall slaughter the faithful one and his three most loyal brethren, who come in robes of sackcloth to prophesy in the Lord's name for twelve hundred and sixty days. And their bodies shall be thrown onto the ground and defiled as their robes are shredded and the foulest creatures feast upon their flesh." Emma and Finley both take a moment to absorb this; the relevance is obvious. FINLEY Robes of sackcloth? That sounds like-- DI LORENZA Yes, the prophecy of the two witnesses in Revelation. The number may be different, but the concept is the same: certain individuals who have a purpose to fulfill before His kingdom can be established on earth. FINLEY In Revelation, it's specified that no one may harm the witnesses until they've completed their mission. If someone *did* succeed in killing them first... She and Di Lorenza look at each other with apprehension: nothing further needs to be said. FINLEY How does the rest of the scenario progress? DI LORENZA The Beast's most loyal servant takes the fourth defiled body to a specific location, and waits for a sign that the enterprise has been successful. FINLEY And then? DI LORENZA (turning increasingly dour) The remaining brethren of the faithful one are tempted, and threatened. Only those who give their souls to the Beast are spared. (a beat) The rest, slaughtered. Cast into the deepest pits of Gehenna for all eternity. The Lord's kingdom is overrun, laid to waste by the servants of evil. FINLEY My God... EMMA This location where the last ritual is performed -- is it described? DI LORENZA Very obliquely. The Beast's servant is described as "standing on the tallest of three hills overlooking a river from a shore of shining metal, lying to the southeast of the capital of a great nation." Emma mulls this over, mouthing words to herself. Finley seems distracted. EMMA Golden Beach, Virginia. Finley now looks up. EMMA It's a small town on the Patunxet River, to the southeast of Washington, D.C. We lived nearby for about a year when I was young. In fact, I remember three big hills near the river where we sometimes went after school. FINLEY (suddenly brisk) We need to leave immediately. (to Di Lorenza) Thank you. Your help has been invaluable. Finley immediately heads for the door, a slightly surprised Emma following her. Before they leave, Di Lorenza calls out to them. DI LORENZA Ms. Finley? They both turn around. DI LORENZA Our resources are limited, but from what intelligence we have gathered... Something *has* changed in the Millennium Group -- it may no longer be what you think it is. Finley half-nods, before they both turn around and walk out the door. Di Lorenza looks down solemnly at his writings once again. EXT. DOWNTOWN BALTIMORE - NIGHT Finley and Emma walk back to their car. FINLEY I need to contact the Group with this information immediately. EMMA I think we should head for Golden Beach. It's only about an hour's drive from here. I'm going to contact the PD down there while I'm at it. FINLEY Emma, no, I was told to let-- EMMA Carol, if this is anywhere near as serious as that man claims, we can't afford to waste time. Contact the Group if you want, but the killer may be there as we speak. We can't just ignore that. Finley looks hesitant. EMMA Look, I'm going whether you come along or not. FINLEY (a beat) All right. But I'm informing the Group as well. They both get in the car, Emma taking the driver's seat as she starts it up and drives away. EXT. ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY - NIGHT WIDE SHOT of the cemetery and its many tombstones. It is after-hours, mostly deserted. PULL IN CLOSER to reveal Frank Black kneeling before one of the tombstones. This is Peter Watts' grave. FRANK (in a low voice, quivering with emotion) The last time I was here, Peter, I promised I would find justice for you, for your family. (a beat) I still mean to keep that promise... I see you, now, in my head, Peter. But my abilities are changing again, and... Right now, as much as I may have resented the secrecy, I need that guidance that you provided for me so many times. (a beat) If you're hearing this, Peter... point me in the right direction, once more. He exhales and waits. And waits. And waits... FRANK'S INTERNAL POV A slow, fragmented, almost dream-like series of images: INT. MILLENNIUM GROUP CONFERENCE ROOM (FRANK'S VISION) - DAY The Elder is seated at the head of the table. Also present are Mabius, Blaylock, Albrecht, Titus, Carol Finley, and Peter Watts. THE ELDER I understand the concerns expressed here, and believe me, I don't like having to resort to these methods. But we must protect the future at all costs. Peter is clearly the most uncomfortable of anyone in the room at this statement. Finley is also somewhat unsure. Mabius, Blaylock, and Titus are unfazed. CUT TO: INT. WATTS RESIDENCE (FRANK'S VISION) - NIGHT Peter is in his study, with Millennium Group files spread across his desk. He has a visitor, though we do not see who it is. PETER I know what you're planning. And I won't be part of it. (a beat) This is not who I am. CLOSE ON - A HAND carrying a gun, releasing the safety. BACK TO PETER as he takes a long, hard look at his visitor, then bows his head in prayer. Off the sound of a GUNSHOT... CUT TO: INT. THE ELDER'S OFFICE (FRANK'S VISION) - NIGHT The Elder sits at his desk, a look of total despair on his face. Blaylock, Albrecht, and Titus are also present. THE ELDER We all know what's to come. ALBRECHT You really believe nothing can be done? THE ELDER It was decided long ago. I have no doubt what will happen to us if we don't cooperate. TITUS What about the others? THE ELDER (practically spitting the words out) They'll obey. If we tell them it's for a higher purpose. BACK TO FRANK still kneeling at the gravesite, wearing an expression of fear coupled with realization. It all makes some horrible kind of sense now. PULL BACK from Frank as we: FADE OUT. ACT FOUR FADE IN: EXT. PATUNXET RIVER - NIGHT CAMERA PANS down the starry nighttime sky above the river and towards the top of a hill, where THE ELDER is standing. A vague form is visible near his feet, but we cannot see what it is. The Elder takes a long, hard look at the sky -- we get the impression he has been here for quite a while. Finally he looks away and starts to walk down the hill as his CELLULAR PHONE rings. THE ELDER (answering) Yes?... Understood. I was leaving anyway. (hangs up) He turns and takes another regretful look up the hill and towards the stars, then continues walking back down the hill. INT. ASSISTANT DIRECTOR'S OFFICE - NIGHT McGreevey is finishing up for the evening when AGENT DAVID WILKINS taps on the open door to get his attention. McGREEVEY Yeah? WILKINS I've got something off those wiretap recordings that I think you'll want to hear. McGREEVEY What is it? Wilkins produces a small tape player from his briefcase and sets it down on McGreevey's desk, then presses 'PLAY. After the sound of a phone ringing and being picked up, we hear two familiar voices: TITUS (V.O) (filtered) It's me. Have arrangements been made regarding the Russian shipments? BLAYLOCK (V.O) (filtered) Yes they have. TITUS (V.O) (filtered) And if there are problems with coastal patrols? BLAYLOCK (V.O) (filtered) Our position in the FBI will be secure by then. They can provide adequate cover. TITUS (V.O) (filtered) Understood. The line disconnects, as Wilkins stops the tape. McGreevey looks apprehensive. McGREEVEY Have you duplicated this or played it back to anyone else yet? WILKINS No, why? McGREEVEY Give me the tape. I'll handle this from here. WILKINS Okay. (hands McGreevey the tape) Who are these people, anyway? McGREEVEY Wilkins, listen to me -- the less you know about this, the better. Don't tell anyone what was on this tape until I say so, no matter what happens. Do you understand? WILKINS (puzzled but cooperative) Yeah, all right. McGREEVEY And cancel the surveillance for now. I don't want any more of this coming out until I figure out what to do. WILKINS (nods) I'll, uh, go take care of that, then. McGreevey nods as Wilkins leaves the room. He stops to think and looks around, then opens a file drawer on one side of the office. He reaches to the very back of the drawer, where a hidden panel with a combination lock is found. He spins the lock to the appropriate numbers, opens the panel, slips the tape inside, and closes the drawer. He stands and looks around, tense and edgy. EXT. FBI PARKING LOT - NIGHT McGreevey walks to his car at a brisk pace, gets inside, turns the ignition, and drives out of the lot. As he exits the lot, another car parked on the side of the street outside also starts up and pulls out after him. EXT. CITY STREETS - NIGHT CAMERA FOLLOWS the two cars as they both make a turn onto another road. Yet another car parked on the side starts up as they pass, also heading off after McGreevey's car. INT. MCGREEVEY'S CAR - NIGHT McGreevey looks apprehensively into the rear-view mirror at the two pursuing vehicles. BACK TO SCENE as we PULL BACK from the three cars heading off into the distance. INT. EMMA'S CAR - NIGHT Emma is at the wheel, driving fast, and listening to something on her cell phone. A nervous, apprehensive Finley sits in the passenger's seat. EMMA (hanging up the cell phone) I still can't seem to get hold of that officer I talked to. They ought to be there already. FINLEY They wouldn't know what to do anyway. EMMA I still don't understand why you think that four murders could cause the end of the world. FINLEY (a bit impatient) The murders themselves aren't the point. Like I said, it's a question of maintaining the balance. Remove these four from the equation, and it changes. EMMA And there's nothing to be done once that happens? FINLEY Not unless the balance can somehow be restored. Emma wears a troubled expression -- she's skeptical, but still afraid. She takes a long look down the road at their surroundings and sees police lights in the distance. EMMA This should be it. She brings the car to a stop on the side of the road, pulls the key out of the ignition, and looks over at Finley as they both jump out. EXT. PATUNXET RIVER AREA - NIGHT Several squad cars are parked nearby, their lights flashing. The area is roped off by yellow crime scene tape. Legend INDICATES: Golden Beach, Virginia Various police officers are taking pictures, looking for footprints, etc. As Emma and Finley approach, one of them goes to meet them. Emma holds up her FBI identification. OFFICER Agent Hollis? EMMA Yeah. OFFICER I'm sorry. There's a body up there on the hill, just like you said. Other than that, the place was deserted. We got here as fast as we could. EMMA (discouraged) Right. (a beat) Have you moved the body yet? OFFICER No, it's just up this way. EXT. TALLEST HILL - NIGHT On top of the hill lies the DEAD BODY, which is only minimally clothed and very bloody in places. The police officers step out of the way as Emma and Finley approach and look down at the body. Emma and Finley both look simultaneously regretful and disgusted. Emma turns away, muttering under her breath. Finley simply stares at the body. EMMA Same pattern. This must have been done before they brought the body here. FINLEY (despairing) That's four. (a beat) Just like the prophecy said. All four of them are dead now. EMMA Would you suppose the killer saw his "sign," then? FINLEY I don't know. Emma regards Finley suspiciously. FINLEY What is it? EMMA You called the Group immediately after we talked to Di Lorenza, didn't you? The police probably didn't get here for at least ten minutes... FINLEY (incredulous) You think the *Group* killed this man? Emma isn't sure what to say next. FINLEY (starting to lose her composure) Emma, believe me, these murders go against everything the Group stands for! This is exactly what we're trying to *prevent*, not cause it! (struggling, almost on the verge of tears) Emma, I don't know, now, what will happen... if the sign *did* appear... It might well all be lost now. Emma is still suspicious -- and disturbed -- but decides not to pursue it further. EMMA I'm going to call the Bureau. We need to get this body to forensics. She takes out her cellular phone and begins dialing a number as Finley turns away, distraught. INT. FBI CRIME LAB - NIGHT Emma, Finley, Agent Jane Lesky, and the coroner all stand near the table where the dead body is lying, a preliminary autopsy having just been completed. LESKY The victim is a Rabbi David Rothschild -- he was from an Orthodox congregation near Alexandria somewhere. EMMA Have you looked into his background? LESKY A little. He was apparently an exceptional Kabalah scholar -- published some unusual articles about the "revelations" he received while studying the Kabalah. His editors just thought he had a flamboyant writing style, but some of his friends say he believed he was actually receiving some sort of visions while conducting his analyses. CORONER My preliminary exam indicated the same surgical procedure that was done on the others. And I haven't figured out for sure what exactly was having this guy for dinner, but I think it may have been a breed of red ants indigenous to Texas. LESKY That's a lot of effort, to bring them from Texas just for this. This would have to be a very resourceful operation. EMMA Where's McGreevey? LESKY That's the night's other big mystery. EMMA (coming to a horrible realization) What? LESKY Well, he closed up for the night and left, but nobody's been able to reach him since then on his cell phone. We checked with his wife and she said she was expecting him hours ago. EMMA Excuse me. Upset, and disgusted, Emma stares at Finley, then turns and walks briskly out of the room. A moment passes before Finley follows her out into the hallway. INT. HALLWAY - NIGHT Emma is walking toward the stairwell when Finley calls after her. FINLEY Emma? Emma whirls around, angry. EMMA I don't want to hear it. FINLEY Hear what? EMMA Do you really think I don't see what's going on here? FINLEY I don't know what-- EMMA You come here, and you do some sort of analysis you won't even tell me about, you take the files and then what? More murders. Then you manipulated Di Lorenza into telling you whether or not the pattern was being followed correctly. You informed the Group, and somehow, the perpetrators are conveniently gone before anyone gets to the scene. You all but admitted that the Group killed someone to get that book. And now, right after he threw you off the case and called the Group into question, Ken has just conveniently *disappeared* without a trace! FINLEY (completely sincere) Emma, I don't know how else to tell you this. I analyzed the situation and I filed reports -- so that we would hopefully find out how to *stop* this, not perpetrate it. And that is *it*. If I knew who was responsible for this, I would be out there trying to stop him instead of arguing over this nonsense with you! (a beat) I'm just as much in the dark as you are. Emma's expression softens a bit, affected by Finley's sincerity, but she is still angry. EMMA (a beat) Then maybe that's because you have your eyes closed. The two stare at each other before Emma finally turns away and walks up the stairs, leaving the shaken Finley behind, looking down at the floor. INT. FBI BUILDING - NIGHT Emma is walking through the mostly empty hallways as she pulls out her cell phone. CLOSE ON - EMMA'S CELL PHONE as she presses a memory redial button and "McGREEVEY" appears in the digital readout. Emma holds the cell phone to her ear, her expression that of someone who knows what she is doing is probably futile. As she listens to the phone RINGING... CUT TO: INT. A PRIVATE PARKING GARAGE - NIGHT A small, dimly lit garage in an unknown location. Two men are present. On a table in the center of the garage lies a dead body. A van is parked near the table, its back doors open. The sound of a CELLULAR PHONE RINGING is heard. One of the men walks over to the body, which we now see is that of KEN McGREEVEY, the back of his head wrapped to conceal a gunshot wound. He removes McGreevey's ringing cell phone from his pocket and turns it off, then detaches the table from its legs and shoves it into the back of the van. The other man, now revealed to be BLAYLOCK, nods to the first man, who turns and walks away. Blaylock closes the back doors, walks around to the front, gets into the driver's seat, and drives away. As the van speeds off into the night... FADE TO BLACK. FADE IN: INT. ANDY McCLAREN'S HOUSE - DAY McClaren sits in a recliner chair, watching a television news program. A female reporter onscreen is standing outside the Quantico building. REPORTER Four days have now passed since the mysterious disappearance of Special Agent Ken McGreevey, who had been slated to assume the Assistant Director position of the FBI's elite Critical Incident Response Team. Neither outgoing Assistant Director Andy McClaren nor Special Agent-in-Charge Emma Hollis, who will take the reins of the CIRT on at least a temporary basis, were available for comment. The DOORBELL rings. McClaren gets up to answer it, crossing through a hallway to the front door. REPORTER (O.C.) We have learned that Agent McGreevey was overseeing what the FBI has only called "a highly unusual murder investigation" at the time of his disappearance. The Bureau's spokesperson refused to comment on this case except to state that all the most immediate leads have been exhausted and would probably be taken off priority status. McClaren opens his front door: Frank and Emma are standing outside. McCLAREN Hi. Come on in. They follow McClaren back into the living room as he picks up the remote control and switches off the television. He sits back down in his recliner, kneeling forward, as Frank and Emma sit down on chairs near the window. McCLAREN I asked you two to come here because... well, because I wanted to apologize. To both of you. EMMA For what, sir? McCLAREN For the way I handled your cases. And for the things I've allowed to continue because of my own short- sightedness. FRANK Andy, I know you were just trying to do your job. McCLAREN (sighs) No, Frank, I wasn't just trying to do my job. (a beat) I was also trying to preserve something -- my own conceptions... about my work, about the Bureau, about the Group... about the world, really. Frank and Emma both listen patiently, their expressions revealing a certain amount of sympathy. McCLAREN I did cover for the Group, in a way. But not because I was working for them. I just didn't want to believe that these people, people I'd worked with and trusted, were really capable of these things. (a beat) So... I shoved it aside, kept telling myself that there had to be some other explanation. Whatever the two of you would have found... I frankly didn't want to know what it was. (a beat) After this most recent case, though, it's kind of hard to hide from it any more. FRANK Believe me, Andy, when I realized what was going on, I didn't want to know it either. There are still days when I wish it was just me, Catherine, my daughter... off in our Yellow House, unaware of any of this. McCLAREN (nods) In any case, Frank, I know I made your situation darned near impossible. I can't blame you for wanting out of the Bureau. And Hollis, in my silence, I let you get in over your head. And I don't doubt that they're responsible for... for whatever's happened to Ken. EMMA Sir, I don't hold you to blame. We've all made mistakes here. There is a brief silence before McClaren continues. McCLAREN I can't even pretend to know what it is the Group is up to. (a beat) But whatever it is -- put a stop to it. For all our sakes. EXT. McCLAREN'S HOUSE - DAY Frank and Emma are walking out the front door towards their cars, which are parked in the street. There is a brief silence as they cross the yard before Emma finally speaks. EMMA The Group will expect me to cover for them, now that I'm the Acting AD. FRANK I can't tell you what to do, Emma. And I certainly can't tell you it won't be dangerous if you decide to go against them. There is a pause in the conversation before they stop near Frank's parked Cherokee jeep. EMMA Do you really think it's all been a facade, for as long as they've existed? FRANK (shaking his head) No, I think that their stated goals were genuine -- protecting humanity as the millennium nears. It was when they lost faith in themselves that things started to change. (a beat) I don't know if I ever told you this, but there was a turnover in the Group's leadership about a year and a half ago. I think that's when it happened -- clandestine elements within the Group, that had been biding their time, saw an opportunity, and started to exert a greater influence. EMMA If that's true, I don't think Carol knows. FRANK Most of the members probably don't know. They think they're acting for some "greater good." (his expression turns solemn) Watts figured it out. That's what he was trying to warn me about. (a beat) That's why they killed him. Frank takes a breath, a contemplative expression on his face. EMMA What are you thinking? FRANK Remember back in August, when I told you that I thought a choice would soon be made, between two paths? Emma nods. FRANK I've sensed something building up recently. The Group and these... other elements -- I haven't even had to look for them. They keep finding *me*. It's as if they want me to live in constant awareness of their presence. Their power. (a beat) After what you've told me, and what I've seen, I find myself wondering if that choice has already been made. If there is any future, other than what they've decided for us. (a beat) And if not, what I can do to protect others. To protect my daughter. EMMA I don't know what to do either. (a beat) But I do know that if we give up, they've already won. Frank nods solemnly. FRANK I need to go. I'll be in touch. Emma nods in acknowledgment and turns away. As Frank gets in the car and starts the ignition, Emma looks up past the houses toward the sky -- bright, blue, with a few white clouds. CLOSE ON - EMMA'S EXPRESSION Admiring the simple beauty -- and wondering how much longer it will last. PULL BACK from the scene, Emma still looking upwards as Frank drives away in his red jeep. DISSOLVE TO: INT. CIRT OFFICES - DAY It's business as usual at the CIRT -- agents working at their desks, making telephone calls, walking the hallways -- except for Emma Hollis, who walks through the scene at a slow, uneasy pace, making her way to the Assistant Director's Office. INT. ASSISTANT DIRECTOR'S OFFICE - DAY Emma steps inside, placing her briefcase on the desk and turning on the computer. She sits down -- tense, ponderous, resting her chin against her hands. Her FAX MACHINE buzzes to life as she looks over at it. CLOSE ON - THE FAX MACHINE where a paper bearing an ouroborus symbol is emerging. Emma snatches the fax as soon as it finishes printing, reading over it. CLOSE ON - THE FAX where we see some of what is printed on it: "Dear Ms. Hollis: Although we share your concern for your colleague and we are well aware that this opportunity has come through less than ideal circumstances, we nevertheless congratulate you on your appointment as Acting Assistant Director of the Critical Incident Response Team..." Emma scans further down: "You have been an excellent candidate over the past five months, and we are confident that you will do your best to protect the Group's interests in your new position. Rest assured that, should the Assistant Director position remain open, you will have the Group's full support as the Bureau chooses a permanent replacement." Emma looks up as her computer finishes loading, displaying the Group's greeting: "GOOD EVENING, EMMA. THERE ARE 32 DAYS REMAINING." A determined, defiant stare on her face, Emma takes the Group's fax, crumples it up, and throws it into the wastebasket. INT. JORDAN'S BEDROOM - BLACK RESIDENCE - NIGHT Frank walks into Jordan's bedroom, where she lies asleep, tossing and turning in her bed. He looks down at the floor where he notices one of her drawing pads lying open. He picks it up and pages through its contents. CLOSE ON - THE PAD On the first page is a crude drawing in red crayon, with dozens of stick figures surrounded by what appears to be fire. Frank flips to the next: the same enigmatic drawing of three circles from "The First Prophet." He flips through to the back of the pad, where Jordan has written in careful, neat, printed letters: "The Time Is Near." BACK TO FRANK As he looks at it for a moment, then closes it and sets it down on Jordan's dresser. Frank takes another long look at her before he heads down the hallway to his own bedroom. He sits down on the edge of the bed, partially burying his face in his hands, before he looks back up -- scared, confused, contemplating what he should, or can, do next. INT. MILLENNIUM GROUP CONFERENCE ROOM - NIGHT The room is empty, except for MABIUS, who sits at the table reading the Waldinalbs' book of prophecy. A door opens as THE ELDER enters. MABIUS (looking up) Were you able to make a determination? THE ELDER Yes. Yes, I was. (a beat) We may proceed. The two exchange long, hard stare as the weight of this moment hangs over them. Hold on their expressions as we... FADE OUT. THE END