HOT ZONE

INT. DINING ROOM - HIGH ANGLE - LOOKING DOWN

We hover like God above the table and feast. Pure

Americana. Everyone joins hands around. Heads bowed.

Gerry's father says the blessing --

FATHER

Let us pray -- We give thanks --

this day, for family and friends --

THE PRAYER CONTINUES OVER: INT. RESTAURANT - SAME TIME

CHUCK REESE, his FAMILY and FRIENDS, gather round for

their own celebration. The Waiter and Waitress delivering

the food and dressed as Pilgrims.

CUT TO:

INT. GIRARD'S VA. HOME - SAME TIME PRAYER CONTINUING

GIRARD bows his head with his WIFE, FAMILY and

GRANDCHILDREN around their table.

PUSH IN CLOSE ON GIRARD: head bowed, eyes closed. Ever

so slowly, a crimson stream of blood rolls from his nose

and trickles onto his plate. He looks down startled --

GIRARD'S POV - HIS PLATE

He's bleeding into his mashed potatoes. A steady drip-

drip-drip. He grabs up his napkin, horrified.

INT. ROADHOUSE - DAY PRAYER CONTINUING

A Redneck/Biker bar. Dead animals decorate the walls.

TINY DANCES to the jukebox with a fresh beer. He blows

the foam right at us in slow-motion --

-- spritzing the WHITE TRASH GIRL he's dancing and

smooching on. She licks the foam off his chin. She

steals his mug, dancing seductively, drinking his beer.

TINY - CLOSER

Watching the girl turn him on. We see petechiae on his

cheek. His eyes red. A trickle of blood rolls from his

nose. He wipes it off with the back of his hand unaware.

INT. FAIRFAX HOSPITAL - SAME TIME PRAYER CONTINUING

IN THE ISOLATION ROOM: Deke, the Biker Monkey Handler,

looks worse. A NURSE, wearing full barrier scrubs, gloves

and mask, places another anti-viral I.V. bag on his stand.

A WOMEN EIS officer observes. SIRENS squeal O.S.

INT. EMERGENCY ROOM - SAME TIME PRAYER CONTINUING

Paramedics roll in LOC, the Vietnamese Monkey Handler.

The poor man is curled up with severe abdominal pains.

THE EXAMINATION ROOM - MINUTES LATER PRAYER CONTINUING

Loc speaks in Vietnamese. He's frightened. A NURSE

cleans vomit from his face.

NURSE

He's running a fever. Hundred and

one -- nausea --

DOCTOR

He doesn't speak English, great.

The young DOCTOR on duty examines his distended lower

abdomen. Loc winces in pain --

DOCTOR

Right lower quadrant pain, rebound

tenderness -- where's that

bloodwork?

An orderly sticks his head in with chart --

ORDERLY

This guy's white blood count's way

up. Acute shift to the left.

Atypical lymphocytes --

Loc pleads in Vietnamese. The young Doctor thinks hard --

DOCTOR

Right. Let's get his appendix

out --

INT. O.R. - MINUTES LATER PRAYER CONTINUING

TIGHT ON SCALPEL: The Doctor makes the incision in Loc's

lower bloated abdomen. BLOOD spews under pressure from

the opening dousing the Doctor -- Ebola Blood.

WE HEAR: "AMEN" --

SHARP CUT TO:

INT. JAXX'S DEN - DAY

Abrupt laughter as the Men smoke cigars and tell "war

stories." C.J. scoffs at Peter's small scar on his palm.

C.J.

Check this out --

He rolls up his sleeve and plops his arm on the table. An

ugly jagged scar travels the length of his forearm.

PETER

Oh right -- a virus did that?

Must've been King Kong's.

C.J.

A machete did that. This Bolivian

Chief thought the vaccine I was

trying to give him was poison --

Karl saved my cojones --

Laughter. Karl chops the table like a machete. C.J.

grabs his groin. Karl is actually enjoying himself.

JOHNSON

I made a deal. The Chief would let

me shoot him with the syringe --

If --

He lets everybody hang for a second --

JOHNSON

If I'd let him shoot me in the same

spot with his blow gun.

GERRY

Well -- where'd he shoot you?

Karl shys. C.J. cajoles. Everybody eggs him on. Karl

stands up reluctantly undoing his trousers.

ON JAXX - AT THE KITCHEN DOOR

She cracks up with Gayle and Jamie. Their laughter is

suddenly broken by C.J.'s BEEPER. The piercing sound has

the effect of an air raid siren on the gathered.

A momentary hush -- C.J. just stares at it beeping.

The PHONE RINGS. Jaxx grabs the cordless in the kitchen.

JAXX

Jaxx's --

PUSH IN FAST: Her horrified expression says it all.

Outbreak.

SLAM CUT TO:

INT. FAIRFAX HOSPITAL - DAY

A madhouse as C.J., Karl and Jaxx arrive. Karl angers.

JOHNSON

This is not good. The virus could

be walking outta here. Where the

hell is the CDC? They should be

here round the clock!

JAXX

(showing her ID)

U.S. Army. Which way to

"isolation"?

A harassed ORDERLY points down the "yellow" hall.

THEIR POV - MOVING THROUGH CROWD

PATIENTS in a crush to sign themselves out argue with

distraught ADMINISTRATORS at the desk.

PATIENT #1

I'm discharging myself. I don't

want to catch this thing --

A TV NEWS WOMEN hounds TWO SENIOR M.D.s who are "blown."

NEWS WOMAN

How many cases do you have? Do you

know the virus is spreading?

SENIOR M.D.

We haven't processed all the

information yet. The Health

Department will make a statement --

Excuse us --

They hurry away. A SECURITY GUARD blocks the News Crew.

INT. OFFICE - ISOLATION WARD

A young EIS Officer talks nervously on a cellular phone --

AS JOHNSON, JAXX AND C.J. BARGE in --

JOHNSON

You've got a major panic outside

Lieutenant. Don't you think you

should be out there taking charge?

Jaxx and C.J. flash military I.D. The Officer is spooked.

EIS LT.

I'm waiting for my superior officer.

JOHNSON

Do you have an "index" case?

(blank look from Lt.)

The person who spread the virus?

Jaxx and C.J. continue right into the Isolation ward.

EIS LT.

Hey -- you're not authorized --

(frazzled to Johnson)

This is only my second month in the

field -- I'm --

JOHNSON

(with sincere

sympathy)

-- just not ready for this. I know.

It's not your fault.

HOSPITAL CORRIDOR - MINUTES LATER

Doors bang open. C.J. pushes Deke, the monkey handler, in

the Army isolator litter. He looks bad.

Karl and Jaxx wheel Loc right behind in his isolator. He

looks worse still recovering from surgery.

REESE APPROACHES from the other end with EIS OFFICERS, two

ADMINISTRATORS and two SECURITY GUARDS. A standoff.

REESE

Well, I'm not surprised to see you

here, Karl. You move fast.

JOHNSON

(controlling his

anger)

Got to stay ahead of the pack.

C.J.

(intervening)

Chuck, I'm using my authority to

move these patients to the Slammer.

We're better equipped. You've got

your hands full here.

Reese bristles. His authority challenged in front of his

own people. He checks Loc's chart.

JAXX

E.R. opened him up for a crash

appendectomy. His peritoneal cavity

was full of blood. When they ran a

check on him, they found out he

worked at Synergy. One O.R.'s

contaminated -- so is the hospital

lab. A Doctor and two Nurses were

exposed --

JOHNSON

(letting go)

You should've quarantined them!

Karl and Reese; face to face --

REESE

I'm quarantining the hospital.

(to his officers)

Contain these people and these

patients -- unless they're out of

the building before I make the order

official --

Jaxx, Karl and C.J. eye each other amazed. Reese has

intentionally given them a chance to leave and save face.

CUT TO:

INT. EMERGENCY ROOM - MINUTES LATER

Jaxx leads Karl and C.J. with their patients to a side

exit avoiding the panic.

JAXX

C'mon. This way --

CUT TO:

THEIR POV - THE E.R.

Chaos. TV CREWS are visible camped outside the entrance.

POLICE have arrived. Inside, PEOPLE besiege the staff for

attention.

JAXX SEES GIRARD being wheeled in looking deathly pale.

REESE spots him from across the room. Their eyes meet.

REESE

Isolate that man immediately!

CUT TO:

EXT. E.R. SIDE ENTRANCE - A MILITARY VAN

Backs to the ramp as Jaxx, Karl and C.J. roll out with the

patients.

The AIT TEAM jumps out and load the isolators.

THE HOSPITAL - WIDER

A CROWD has gathered. Police run yellow tape across the

entrance. TV Crews throw lights on the eerie scene.

FOLLOW THE VAN - ROARING OUT THE DRIVE

POLICE SET UP BARRICADES right behind them.

CUT TO:

INT. PETER'S CAR - TRAVELING - DAY

An Ambulance blows by going the other way. Peter

anxiously searches the radio for news. The Kids pinch and

tease each other in the backseat adding to the racket.

GAYLE

(tense and worried)

We're almost home. You're making

your father nervous --

TIGHT ON PETER

Wound up, scanning the radio for News. Sweat beads break

on his forehead. He pushes his glasses up on his nose.

HIS POV - THE ROAD

Traffic coming at them SUDDENLY BLURS -- then clears --

Gayle watches him closely. Peter doesn't let on.

CUT TO:

EXT. PETER'S HOME - DAY

He pulls up in the driveway. The kids unload. His wife

gets out to follow -- Peter stays behind the wheel --

PETER

Gayle? I'm going back to the lab.

They might need me --

Gayle stops cold. She doesn't like this.

GAYLE

Go on, kids. Wash your hands.

Pete? Are you okay?

She moves toward his window to kiss him goodbye. He waves

before she can get too close and backs out.

PETER

I won't be long. Promise --

PUSH IN CLOSE: Gayle knows something is wrong. Please,

God, no. She wipes her brief tears so the kids won't see.

INT. PETER'S CAR - TRAVELING - DAY

Petechiae begins to pop out on his face. His tear dusts

bleed red. He sweats feverish. He fights to see the road

-- It's got him. The bug is eating him --

EXT. POST ENTRANCE - HIS POV - DAY

The Guard waves him through. His vision blurs in and out.

INT. SLAMMER CORRIDOR - DAY

Peter covers his mouth and waving people away.

MED. STAFFER

Dr. Jahrling -- are you okay?

INT. SLAMMER - POV THROUGH GLASS PARTITION

Jahrling. He flops on the chair beside the isolator,

sticks a thermometer in his mouth, ties off his arm and

draws his own blood.

MAJ. HOSKINS enters in the blue spacesuit and takes over.

CUT TO:

INT. WAR ROOM - DAY

The place is jumping. Phones ring. Staff shout over the

din. TV monitors show News coverage on the "outbreak."

MONITOR #1: A NEWS ANCHOR stands before a world map

tracing the path of the virus to the U.S. Africa via the

Philippines.

NEWS ANCHOR (TV)

The monkey's voyage brought them by

plane from the Philippines, to

Amsterdam to JFK's animal unit and

finally to Virginia -- carrying

deadly virus. How the monkeys

contracted the African Ebola virus,

the Army and the CDC can only

speculate... Please call this number

if you have any of the symptoms --

SUPER: 1-800-555-VIRUS

MONITOR #2: CNN coverage from the mob scene at Fairfax

Hospital. A FEMALE ANCHOR grills the young EIS Officer.

EIS OFFICER (TV)

We have five confirmed cases so far

-- including three medical staff.

FEMALE ANCHOR (TV)

What are their chances for survival?

No answer. Awkward silence.

TO C.J.: on his headset telephone barking orders --

C.J.

I want Virginia Health Departments,

Maryland and D.C. to get every

patient in a fifty mile radius to be

transferred here to RIID -- And all

blood samples sent to us for

immediate testing. You heard me!

A STAFFER yells from the bank of phones.

STAFFER

We've got a case reported in D.C.

C.J. sticks a pin on the map right in the capital. He

locks eyes with General Russell. "Holy shit."

SHARP CUT TO:

INT. SLAMMER - THE HATCHWAY - SAME TIME

AIT's shove Loc, the second Monkey Handler, through the

hatch into the Slammer.