HOT ZONE

She steps over an old bulldog in the doorway. The dog,

MAGGIE, flatulates in her sleep. Jaxx fans the air.

JAXX

Oh -- Maggie -- please --

A loose scarlet Parrot walking behind Jaxx pecks Maggie's

stumpy tail instantly rousing the old dog to a barking

frenzy. The Aviary adds squawks and screeches.

JAXX'S POV - JASON'S BASEMENT BEDROOM

She opens the door on her 13 year old son, JASON; his

lanky frame all over the bed, sleeping with his Walkman.

JAXX

Jason? Wakey wakey --

She tosses the Kinkajoo through the air and closes the

door, blocking the view. WE HEAR: Jason yell.

CUT TO:

EXT. HOUSE - REARVIEW - CONTINUING ACTION

Jaxx heads for the converted garage passing a red Toyota

pickup parked in the drive. The magnetic sign on the door

panel reads: "JAXX VETERINARY CLINIC."

INT. GARAGE VET CLINIC - CONTINUING ACTION

As Jaxx enters, BLACKHAWK, their big black hunting Bouvier

bounds over to greet her.

6'3" GERRY JAXX is dipping his "boarders" in a tickbath.

His haircut still military sharp. Now a civilian, his

years in the army reflect in his physical fitness.

JAXX

Ready for your fix -- ?

Nancy offers him a cup of coffee --

GERRY

Ah, Nance. The life of a country

veterinarian is sheer bliss.

He's lying. His hands are elbow deep in doggie-bath.

NANCY

Aw -- You miss the Army that much?

Why not Re-enlist?

GERRY

Never. Then I would have to call

you, "Colonel" --

He embraces her caressing her buns. She caresses his

back. Somebody clears their throat O.S.

AT THE GLASS SLIDING DOOR

Their daughter -- Twelve year old JAMIE -- bounces in her

sweat clothes. She wears braces and never stops. Never.

JAMIE

(through glass doors)

There are children present. I mean

-- "Hello"?

TO MOM AND DAD

Breaking their clinch, "caught."

GERRY

Morning, Princess.

JAXX

Go eat your breakfast -- or we'll be

late for school --

OUTSIDE - JAMIE

She makes a face; a complete rebel.

JAMIE

In a minute -- watch me!

She poises by a tree, as if beginning a floor exercise.

Suddenly, the Kinkajoo leaps from a low branch landing on

Jamie's head. She jumps with a shriek.

MOM AND DAD react, laughing. Nothing dangerous here.

JAMIE - CLOSER

The Kinkajoo clings to her hair.

JAMIE

C'mon, Gumby. Let's show'em.

She sets the creature down beside her, preps and throws a

standing back flip with an Olympic finish.

The Kinkajoo does a flip too.

INSIDE CLINIC - THE JAXX'S

Gerry applauds. Jaxx indicates "time for school." JASON

wanders in, zombied. He holds up seared waffles.

JASON

Breakfast is burned... again.

Jamie walks in on her hands.

JAMIE

Still eating with your hands,

butthead?

JASON

Can she talk to me that way, Mom?

JAXX

Let's try not to kill each other

before Thanksgiving, okay?

JASON

After Thanksgiving, she's toast.

(Jamie swats him)

Mom, I need money for lunch --

JAMIE

I got a meet Friday, Mom. You're

coming aren't cha -- ?

Before Jaxx can answer, Jamie literally throws aerials out

of the clinic.

GERRY

Please -- no acrobatics in the --

Jamie pays no attention. Gerry looks at Jaxx dismayed.

GERRY

She gets her stubbornness from you,

Mrs. Jaxx.

JAXX

I think you mean independence.

She's your daughter --

Jaxx exits by a starving Jason. Blackhawk jumps up

snatching the burned waffle from his hand.

CUT TO:

EXT. DAY CARE CENTER - REARVIEW - RESTON, VA. - MORNING

CHILDREN play in a sandbox. A LITTLE BOY spoons up some

sand and eats it. Yukk. He spites it all over the GIRL

next to him. Two more KIDS drink juice from the same cup.

IN THE F.G. - A CRATE IS CARRIED INTO VIEW

In red letters: "PACIFIC PRIMATES - MANILA, PHILIPPINES."

Green Monkeys peer out from partition openings at the

children. Sniffing. A new scent in this new land. Some

monkeys flash their fangs. Others chatter.

CUT TO:

MONKEY POV - THE KIDS

Kids stare back at the monkeys with giggles and delight.

The WOMEN SUPERVISOR pulls two FIGHTING CHILDREN apart.

The GIRL bites the BOY on the hand -- drawing blood.

EXT. MONKEY HOUSE - CONTINUING ACTION

An alley separates the Day Care Center from a windowless

building. MONKEY HANDLERS unload crates from a truck.

The logo on the cargo doors read: SYNERGY RESEARCH LABS.

The handlers carry the Monkey crates into the rear of the

building. TINY WHIPPERT, the strawboss, wears overalls,

plaid hunting shirt, ball cap, pony tail, a deer skinning

knife and weighs about 350.

DEKE, a biker type and LOC, a Vietnamese who speaks no

English, help Tiny transfer the monkey crates from the

truck one at a time. They wear no masks -- just gloves.

All are expert monkey handlers.

TINY

I love the part when Bruce Willis

grins like he just got a little you

know. He hits that detonator and

yells "adios mother fuckaouch!"

He dumps his end of the crate wringing his hand in pain.

TINY

Ow -- little cocksucker bit the shit

-- outta me --

DEKE

You're probably the little shit's

first meal since it left Africa.

Tiny shucks his glove and sucks his bloody finger.

DEKE

Got two hundred more to go, Tiny.

You need more fingers.

Tiny shoots him the "bloody" finger.

CRANE UP TO: A STRIP MALL, BURGER KING, DAY CARE CENTER,

HOMES. The Monkey house is right in the middle of

suburbia. Twenty-five miles from Washington D.C.

SUPER: SYNERGY RESEARCH LABS - ANIMAL QUARANTINE UNIT,

RESTON VIRGINIA - WED., OCT. 4, 1989 0800 HRS.

CUT TO:

EXT. FT. DETRICK, MD - AERIAL VIEW - DAY

The base spreads at the eastern slope of the Appalachian

Mountains. WE PASS OVER by an array of 90 foot radio

dishes. This is a major defense communications center.

SUPER: FT. DETRICK, MD - NOV. 16, 0900 HRS.

WE DESCEND TO: A THREE STORY CONCRETE BUNKER BUILDING

Vent stacks on the roof aim up at us like deck guns.

THE BUILDING - GROUND LEVEL - HOLD ON A SIGN:

U.S.A.M.R.I.I.D.

UNITED STATES ARMY MEDICAL RESEARCH

INSTITUTE OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES

Insiders call it "RIID" for short.

CUT TO:

INT. USAMRIID BLDG. - REAR ENTRANCE SECURITY STATION

TIGHT ON USAMRIID SHIELD: Twin serpents entwine around a

flaming sword. The slogan; "Research for the Soldier."

TILT DOWN TO: A SECURITY MONITOR

Jaxx enters waving to the camera.

WIDEN TO: A SECURITY GUARD sits vigil over a bank of

monitors with exterior views of the entire facility;

containment labs, corridors, monkey cages...

ON ONE MONITOR

A figure in a shiny space suit peers into a microscope.

INT. CORRIDOR MAZE - CONTINUING ACTION

We follow Jaxx through the institutional halls. At closed

double doors, she uses her security card on a necklace

from inside her uniform blouse and swipes it across a

black magnetic sensor on the wall.

INSERT: SECURITY MONITOR - BUILDING ENTRANCE

DISPLAY: JAXX, NANCY DEAN; VIROLOGY BL4. ACCESS O.K.

RESUME: CORRIDOR

Doors spring open. Jaxx enters. A sign overhead reads:

INFECTIOUS AREA - AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL ONLY

CUT TO:

INT. USAMRIID PRIMATE HOUSE - CONTINUING ACTION

Jaxx passes by individual containment rooms with several

species of Monkeys in cages. The place is spotless. Easy

listening ROCK MUSIC plays over the PA.

AT A WINDOW PARTITION - CONTINUING ACTION

Jaxx stops to watch two young WOMEN; PFC, GODWIN (17) and

SGT. KLAGES (18) wearing masks, Plexiglas visors and

gloves as they vaccinate a big African Green Monkey.

INSIDE LAV ROOM - CONTINUING ACTION

Jaxx enters wearing a visor mask, visor and gloves.

Godwin is singing softly to the monkey.

KLAGES

Colonel, Jaxx --

JAXX

(putting them at

ease)

Good morning, Ladies -- How's "Super

Monk."

KLAGES

Super Monk is immune to Simian

Hemorrhagic and he just threw off

another heavy Lassa fever challenge.

Strong antibody response. He's the

healthiest primate in captivity.

Super Monk scarfs down monkey biscuits, ravenous.

CUT TO:

INT. JAXX'S OFFICE - USAMRIID - DAY

A MOUSE CAGE; made of popsicle sticks. Inside are three

white mice made of pipecleaners. Each wears a tinfoil gas

mask. A fading card on the side in a child's hand reads:

"BE NICE TO MICE, K MOMMY - LOVE JAMIE"

A family photo sits on the cluttered desk next to it.

Jaxx poses with Jamie holding a Gymnastics trophy.

The phone RINGS... Again... Again. JAXX HURRIES by the

glass partition, enters and answers.

JAXX

Jaxx --

INTERCUT: INTERIOR MONKEY HOUSE TREATING ROOM - DAY

The Fifty-year old Man on the phone looks worried.

GIRARD

(on phone)

Stan Girard -- remember? Synergy,

right. I'm chief research Vet.

We've got a little problem at one of

our quarantine units not too far

from you --

TO JAXX - USAMRIID

JAXX

(on phone, taking

notes)

Five hundred Greens and Macaques --

shipped from Philippines six weeks

ago -- Simian Hemorrhagic fever?

TO GIRARD - MONKEY HOUSE

He examines a dissected monkey on a "bleed table" with

gloves, his mask down around his neck.

GIRARD

(on phone)

Necropsies on the fatalities show

enlarged spleens -- some

petechiae --

TO JAXX - USAMRIID

JAXX

(on phone)

Classic symptoms for SHF. What's

the body count?

(a pause, eerie

feeling)

Seventy in the last week?

CUT TO:

INT. MONKEY HOUSE - ROOM F

Narrow. Windowless. Lined with 100 wall mounted

stainless steel cages. Live monkeys stare listless.

Ghost-like.

ON A CAGE - DEKE OPENS THE DOOR

A Monkey tumbles into his net. Dead.

TO TINY: hosing down the blood on the floor kicking up an

aerosol mist.

GIRARD (V.O.) (PHONE)

We lost twenty-seven more this

morning. So far just one room is

infected --