HOT ZONE

JOHNSON'S POV - THROUGH HELMET

His flashlight fans the heavy air checking the room.

Sedated monkeys in their cages. Suddenly the dim light

from overhead begins to sway --

HE PANS HIS LIGHT UP TO: BIG EYES IN THE SHADOWS

A fierce Green perches on the sprinkler pipes like a

gargoyle -- hissing at the humans. Gnashing fangs, blood

running from it's eyes and nose.

JAXX STANDS UP IN VIEW

JAXX (FM MIC)

Oh shit, I do not like this --

JAXX'S POV - THROUGH HELMET

It leaps SHRIEKING. Right at us. Eyes bulging wild.

JOHNSON PULLS HER TO THE DECK --

THE MONKEY SLAMS INTO THE CAGES --

Swinging wildly from one to another.

FOLLOW JAXX AND JOHNSON

Chasing it along the wall --

JOHNSON (FM MIC)

We've got a loose one in "K."

Somebody bring a net!

WITH JAXX - LOOKING AROUND

She lost it. She turns. The 4 foot tall thing SPRINGS AT

HER from the floor.

JAXX AND MONKEY - FACE TO FACE

Lunging, snapping at her. Jaxx grabs it's arms and legs

blocking it's attack. The infected monkey has become a

primordial beast, "raptor-like," a killing machine.

JOHNSON POKES it with his mop handle. The thing sinks its

fangs into the handle and won't let go --

Johnson SLINGS the monkey -- THROUGH THE AIR --

INT. CORRIDOR - CONTINUING ACTION

The monkey burst out the door sliding on the floor. It

takes off running.

Jaxx and Johnson shove out of Room K giving chase.

JAXX (FM MIC)

We got a contagious cyno headed for

the Gray Zone!

INT. GRAY ZONE CORRIDOR - MONKEY POV - RUNNING

He turns a corner heading right for the bleed tables.

GERRY ENTERS from the staging area. He grabs a net

shouting a warning.

KLAGES TURNS grabbing a syringe. The monkey rushes her --

KLAGES STABS with the syringe. The monkey leaps --

IT RUNS RIGHT UP HER ARM AND RIGHT OVER HER HELMET --

-- Leaping on the Bleed Table -- dumping samples, knocking

over the blood vials, screeching at cadavers --

Gerry lunges at it with the net just missing --

THE STAGING ROOM DOOR SUDDENLY OPENS AGAIN --

Haines, the AIT Leader, looks in to check out the noise.

The monkey instantly LEAPS on the man.

THE MONKEY - JAWS OPEN WIDE - FANGS EXPOSED

IT CHOMPS DOWN HARD crunching completely through the AIT

Leader's hand. Blood spews.

JAXX charges hard with Johnson and Gerry.

JAXX

Get a Medic in here!

THE MONKEY ESCAPES through the staging room door.

INT. STAGING ROOM - CONTINUING ACTION

As the Monkey enters; Johnson and Gerry right behind.

JOHNSON

Door!!

Daylight. AIT VOLUNTEERS carrying boxed monkey samples to

the Vans are in the way. Gerry crashes into them.

MONKEY POV - RUNNING

The back door is open. Daylight. JOHNSON DIVES slamming

the door shut... Too late.

CUT TO:

EXT. ALLEYWAY - MONKEY POV - RUNNING

Like a shark attracted to the sounds of playing and

laughter, it zeros in on the Day Care Center.

EXT. DAY CARE PLAYGROUND - CONTINUING ACTION

Kids suddenly stop playing on the swing. More look up

from the sandbox. A little boy giggles with delight.

LITTLE BOY

Monkey! Monkey!

THEIR POV - THE MONKEY

Bounding toward them. Three SPACE PEOPLE in spacesuits

are chasing it. With nets.

JAXX

Get the children inside! Run! Get

away! Get away from it!

MONKEY POV - RUNNING

KIDS run away in all directions. A TEACHER grabs two

TODDLERS screaming at the others to run.

THE JUNGLE GYM - CONTINUING ACTION

It heads right for it, scattering kids everywhere as it

scurries about the bars hissing and screeching --

THE MONKEY LEAPS - AIRBORNE

THE SANDBOX - CONTINUING ACTION

The monkey lands -- five feet away from a traumatized TWO

YEAR OLD GIRL. She sits crying. Too frightened to run.

TO JAXX - RUNNING

JAXX

Please, no -- please --

SHE FLASHES TO:

Jamie sitting in the sandbox -- then Jason.

RESUME: REALITY - THE MONKEY OPENS ITS JAWS WIDE

Raises to its full height -- four feet; big as a child.

JAXX LUNGES landing in the sand between child and beast --

her syringe in hand --

The Big Monk hisses -- and topples over dead...

TO JAXX: in shock herself. She tries to comfort the

frightened child, but holds back from touching her --

JAXX

It's okay now. Yes, yes,

everything's alright -- it's okay --

The Day Care Teacher grabs the child up -- She glares down

at Jaxx with disdain.

SHARP CUT TO:

ON TV - REESE AND C.J.

Talk to Reporters outside Fairfax Hospital. Reese runs

the show playing down the day's events.

REESE (TV)

The Army harvested the monkey colony

as a precaution with the CDC's

cooperation --

C.J. shoots angry looks at Reese trying to keep his cool.

REESE (TV)

We have one worker who has close

contact with the monkeys here in

isolation but he hasn't been

diagnosed with the virus yet --

REESE (TV)

I can assure you the virus has been

contained and there is no further

danger of exposure to the public --

SHARP CUT TO:

EXT. USAMRIID - REAR ENTRANCE PARKING LOT - SUNDOWN

Doors kick open from the lead white van.

The SIX MAN AIR MEDICAL ISOLATOR TEAM jumps out carrying

the Vickers Isolator stretcher double time. MAJ. HAINES

is visible inside. His mangled hand bandaged and

bloodstained.

EXT. USAMRIID - SIDE VIEW - CONTINUING ACTION

The Team sets the stretcher onto a steel track protruding

from a hatchway in the building wall. The Lead Man opens

the outer hatch and bangs on the inner one.

THE ISOLATOR - VICTIM POV

We are inside looking over the victim's feet. The inner

wall hatch opens. The Team grabs both sides and shoves

the isolator on the tracks -- THROUGH THE WALL AND INTO:

INT. THE SLAMMER - VICTIM POV - CONTINUING ACTION

A maximum containment (BL4) intensive care hospital room.

The isolator inserts inside another plastic chamber

surrounding a hospital bed. Bright lights reflect through

the plastic isolator walls.

FIGURES IN BLUE SPACESUITS approach. They insert their

arms through glove ports into the isolator. With

precision, they drag Maj. Haines onto the hospital bed;

then shove the stretcher out the hatch and close it.

MAJ. HOSKINS, a female doctor, inspects the bandaged hand

while other hands cut away the man's clothes.

MAJ. HOSKINS (FM MIC)

Let's get some antivirals in him.

Ribovirin -- 40cc's -- 60

Interferon --

DOCTORS hook I.V. bags of antivirals to the victim. Maj.

Hoskins injects Haines with a sedative to calm him down.

INSIDE THE ISOLATOR - TIME SLOWS

The Spacesuit Doctors all move in eerie slow motion. The

scene looks like a UFO Alien Abductee's nightmare.

DISSOLVE TO:

EXT. JAXX'S BACKYARD - THANKSGIVING DAY

A perfect fall day. Crisp blue skies. Last Autumn

leaves.

THE FACE OF JAMIE RUNS TOWARDS US IN SLOW MOTION

CUT TO:

INTERCUT: THE HOT SUITE - SAME TIME

WIDEN FROM: Peter ceremoniously places his blood on the

electron microscope. Tense, nervous. This is it.

RESUME JAXX'S BACKYARD: JOHNSON FADES BACK IN SLOW MOTION

Jason blitzes with Blackhawk. Karl pumps and throws --

THE FOOTBALL SPIRALS THROUGH THE AIR --

INTERCUT: THE HOT SUITE - PETER

Pumps his fist in triumph. We follow him to the wall

calendar where he marks a big red "X" through "E" day.

Thanksgiving. He made it.

SUPER: THANKSGIVING DAY, 0930 HRS.

RESUME: JAXX'S BACKYARD - PLAY IN PROGRESS

JAMIE FAKES and cuts around Gerry. Gerry leaps tipping

the football -- RIGHT INTO JAMIE'S HANDS. She runs.

C.J. can't catch her. She's too fast -- he's out of

shape. Jamie scores, throws an aerial and spikes the

ball.

ON THE SIDELINES - THE FANS ROAR

Nancy, with POPSY and MAMA, Gerry's parents, hoot and

holler from the deck.

Gumby, the Kinkajoo, turns one flip after another as it

scampers to Jamie and jumps in her arms.

INTERCUT: EXT. USAMRIID - SAME TIME

Peter exits jubilant, savoring the sun. His WIFE, GAYLE

and TWO YOUNG DAUGHTERS descend on him from the car in a

massive group hug.

CUT TO:

INT. JAXX'S HOUSE - LATER

Gerry opens the front door. It's Peter and his family.

PETER

Guess who's coming to dinner?

GERRY

Hey -- everybody -- The guest of

honor has arrived.

Gerry leads Peter, Gayle and his family into the den where

the gang is watching football on TV.

C.J. is up pumping Peter's hand, genuinely thrilled.

PETER

(quietly)

I'm clean. No big "E" --

C.J.

Then this bug's for you -- I mean

"Bud" --

Pete cracks up. Jamie brings a tray of beers and picks up

empties. Peter and C.J. clinks fresh cans and swig.

FOLLOW JAMIE; she shakes each can on the way back to the

kitchen. Ah, a swallow. She looks around and takes the

swig. Not bad. Not good either.

IN THE KITCHEN - SAME TIME

Jaxx checks the turkey in the oven.

JAXX

Fifteen minutes everybody!

Gayle sticks her head in. She theatrically wipes her

forehead and lets out a big "WHEW." Jaxx stops what she's

doing and gives her a big hug.

IN THE MENAGERIE SUNPORCH - DAY

The Gang reacts loudly to the football game off in the

other part of the house. Karl is alone in the room fixed

on the exotic birds.

Jaxx sticks her head in, then quietly enters.

JOHNSON

Reminds me of the jungle. Nice.

JAXX

You don't have to feed them

everyday. Uh -- Pete's here. Looks

good.

JOHNSON

(not over

enthusiastic)

I heard.

JAXX

So? Well? Aren't you glad I forced

you out of retirement?

He studies her as if trying to place her.

JOHNSON

Maybe. I'm just not so sure we

dodged a bullet like Pete says.

JAXX

Don't you ever shut down? Relax?

She leads Karl by the hand firmly toward the kitchen.

JAXX

The Decon Team's nuking the monkey

house right now. It'll be the only

spot on the planet where not one

living thing exists --

JOHNSON

Okay, fine, but we did not

quarantine the monkey handlers and

the other employees. Any one of

them could be viral bombs walking

around out there somewhere waiting

to go off.

He gestures to the outside world. Jaxx glares at him.

JAXX

Oh -- Happy Thanksgiving --

IN THE KITCHEN - CONTINUING ACTION

Everybody's pitching in. She squeezes Karl in between

C.J., Gerry, Jason and his Grandfather at the stove.

JAXX

Put this guy to work before he

broods to death.

GERRY

(to Karl)

Halftime --

As if to explain their actions. Peter slips a baggie on

each of Karl's hands and shoves them in a batter bowl.

The guys are balling hush puppies and dropping them in the

Sunbeam electric skillet. Gerry throws a touchdown puppy

to Peter who feigns a slam dunk into the skillet.

THE SUNBEAM SKILLET - LOOKING DOWN

The Hushpuppy drops in the skillet and sizzles in oil.

MATCH CUT TO:

ANOTHER SUNBEAM SKILLET - LOOKING DOWN

A Heat-suited DECON TEAMER drops a handful of "para-

formaldehyde" crystals into the skillet. They sizzle.

INT. MONKEY HOUSE - SAME TIME

The VIEW TRACKS ALONG 10 extension cords --

Each running the length of the "gray zone" -- one veers

off into each room.

WE TURN INTO: ROOM F

It's completely barren and spotless. The cord connects up

8 Sunbeam skillets. All set to "high." Formaldehyde

crystals fry -- PLUMES OF LETHAL GAS BILLOW UP --

IN ROOM H - CONTINUING ACTION

More skillets billow gas. Moths drop to the floor dead.

Two Mice run from behind the monkey cages... and die.

GAS FUMES ENGULF THE ROOM AND OBLITERATE THE VIEW

DISSOLVE TO:

A STEAMING TURKEY FLOATING THROUGH THE AIR

Cooked to perfection.

INT. JAXX'S HOUSE - CONTINUING ACTION

Gerry parades the turkey through the house leading

everyone into the dining room. Peter sets his beer can

down as he follows the crowd.

JAMIE MOVES INTO FRAME: She picks Peter's can up with

some others. It's not empty. She takes a swig. She

feels someone watching in mid-chug. She turns --

TO JASON; watching her in mock brotherly shock.

Jamie comically CRUSHES the can in her hand indicating he

can expect the same treatment if he snitches. Jason

laughs at her over-the-top-macho-girl act .