NUMB HUMOR STUDIOS PRESENTS:
PLANET Z
Season 3 Episode 8
"Island of the Dead"
Written by
William Fry & Michael Ledesma
INT. COMPOUND CONFERENCE ROOM - NIGHT
Gerald watches the screens depicting Miami and the zombified soldiers attacking the building.
HAMADA
This has gotten out of control.
DECKARD
Agreed. It’s time to end this Gerald.
VALERIE
Why? Miami is almost ours. After that, the remaining cities will surrender.
DECKARD
They defeated the army. It’s over. We failed.
GERALD
The zombies will kill the rest.
DECKARD
And if they don’t? Surely you have a backup plan.
GERALD
This was the backup plan.
GOLDSTEIN
Otis was right. We should have come clean. Worked on a new cure.
GERALD
No.
HAMADA
What do you mean no?
GERALD
We’ve come so far. I believe that this will be over soon. In our favor.
EXT. ATLANTIC OCEAN - NIGHT
The boat carrying Dion and Ava drifts
DION
Damn it, we’re out of gas.
Ava looks through a pair of binoculars. She sees a boat approaching them.
AVA
There’s a boat coming. It could be them.
DION
It most likely is.
The pirate boat comes up next to the boat. Dion raises his hands.
PIRATE
You two need help?
DION
Seriously? You’re not gonna capture us?
PIRATES
We don’t do that anymore, not after the missiles.
AVA
We need to speak to Cyrus.
PIRATE
Why?
AVA
Please, it’s important.
DION
Four years ago me and two of my friends were captured by you. We told you the truth about the Rig.
PIRATE
You’re one of the truth-tellers?
DION
Yeah.
PIRATE
Get in.
Dion and Ava get into the pirate boat. The boat speeds away.
EXT. PIRATE HAVEN - NIGHT
The pirate boat docks.
PIRATE
Follow me.
The pirate leads Dion and Ava to Cyrus’ house. They enter.
INT. CYRUS’ HOUSE - NIGHT
Cyrus is eating at a table.
PIRATE
Cyrus, these people are the truth-tellers.
Cyrus recognizes Dion.
CYRUS
I know you. You were friends with that astronaut. I always wondered whether you made it back to the Rig or not.
DION
We did, kinda.
CYRUS
Those missiles four years ago, was that the Rig?
AVA
Yes.
CYRUS
Those sick bastards. Anyway, what can I do for you?
AVA
Our friend Frank Heston. The astronaut. He was kidnapped by some organization. They’re on some island but we don’t know where.
Cyrus stops eating.
CYRUS
Two years ago, one of our patrols came across an island. Looked like a paradise. As if it forgot that the world ended. They went ashore to look around. They thought they had found a new home for us but when they looked deeper, they saw a building. Soldiers and artillery. They got the hell out of there as soon as possible. According to them, it wasn't worth fighting them. We stay away from that area.
AVA
We need you to take us there.
CYRUS
Absolutely not.
AVA
Please.
CYRUS
I’m sorry.
Ava storms out.
DION
What happened to y’all? Pirating got too boring?
CYRUS
When the missiles hit, a lot of people took to the waters. We could have stolen from them. Help ourselves. But that astronaut guy... Frank... he set a good example. I decided to offer refuge.
DION
Frank needs help. All you have to do is point us in the right direction. Nothing more nothing less.
Cyrus contemplates.
CYRUS
I’ll give you a boat.
DION
Thank you.
EXT. PIRATE HAVEN - DAY
Ava stands at the water’s edge. Dion walks up next to her.
DION
Cyrus is gonna give us a boat and tell us which way to go.
AVA
Good. That's good.
DION
What's wrong?
AVA
I'm just wondering if Frank is still alive. That maybe we’re on a pointless mission.
DION
He’s alive. He survived outer space. He'll be alright.
AVA
Yeah. Yeah you're right.
INT. GERALDS’S QUARTERS - NIGHT
Gerald sits at his dining table in quarters. His quarters are large, fancy.
Frank enters dragged by two guards.
GERALD
Leave us.
The guards release Frank and leave.
GERALD
Please Frank, take a seat. Eat.
Frank hesitantly takes a seat at the table.
GERALD
Eat.
Frank puts food on his plate and eats.
GERALD
You’re probably wondering what’s going on with your friends. Well, it ain’t good. Right now, they are barricaded in a building surrounded by over a thousand zombie soldiers. It’s only a matter of time before they die. But it doesn’t have to be that way.
FRANK
What are you saying?
GERALD
I’m saying that if you give me your allegiance, then I will send in a team to save your friends.
FRANK
I just betrayed you and you’re asking me again to side with you? Wow, you really are crazy.
GERALD
Just because I believe in something, doesn’t mean I’m crazy. If it does, many of the greats in history were crazy. Socrates, Galileo, Lincoln... they all believed in something.
FRANK
They weren’t responsible for the death of billions.
GERALD
No, no they weren’t. Like I said before Frank, I won’t defend my actions. What’s done, is done.
FRANK
What’s done, is done.
The two sit in silence.
GERALD
I had a family. Before the virus. A sweet wife, A beautiful daughter. Everything I was doing was for them. I was going to give them a new world. One free from famine, war, and conflict.
FRANK
Did they get infected?
GERALD
No. No, the funny thing is, is that... they were in a car accident. Some drunk college kids blew through a red light. At least they died instantly.
FRANK
I’m sorry.
GERALD
I almost gave up on the project. But... I had promised them. I couldn’t break that promise. I just couldn’t. To do so would betray their memory.
FRANK
You betrayed their memory the moment you unleashed the virus.
GERALD
No. No I didn’t. And it never will be. That is why I need you to help me. The world won’t get better if we can’t work together.
The two continue to eat.
EXT. PIRATE HAVEN - NIGHT
Ava and Dion board their new boat. Cyrus and some pirates join them.
DION
What are you doing?
CYRUS
We’re coming with you.
AVA
What changed your mind?
CYRUS
It doesn’t seem fair that these people get to live in paradise while we suffer. It’s time to give them a taste of the outside world.
DION
Alrighty then. Let’s go and give them a taste.
They board the boat and set off towards the island.
INT. THE MARQUIS - NIGHT
Hendricks sits in the stairway. He stares at a photo of him Ava, and their son Hank. Violet enters the stairwell.
VIOLET
No sign of Ava or Dion. One of the lookouts on the upper floors said they saw a boat leaving the dock.
HENDRICKS
They’re going to get Frank.
VIOLET
Do you think they’ll succeed?
HENDRICKS
I hope so.
VIOLET
Romero’s doing better. Course he’s one hand short.
HENDRICKS
We’re not gonna get out of this are we?
VIOLET
Probably not. I never saw myself dying by zombies. I always saw myself dying in a blaze of glory. Maybe that could still happen. Then again, I like living. Even if the world is hell.
HENDRICKS
Even if we make it, we’ve lost so much. Is it even worth rebuilding?
VIOLET
I don’t know. I think that Frank guy would say so. He’s probably the only optimistic person alive.
Hendricks stands up.
HENDRICKS
Let’s go make sure the barricade is holding.
EXT. OCEAN - DAY
The pirate boat approaches the island. There are no buildings or soldiers in sight. Ava is asleep. Dion wakes her.
DION
We’re here.
Ava gets up and sees the island.
AVA
I don’t see anything?
CYRUS
We’re on a different side. We don’t want them knowing we’re here. At least for now, then we’ll surprise them.
The boat reaches shore and they get out. They enter the island jungle and make their way towards the Compound.
INT. COMPOUND QUARTERS - DAY
Frank looks out the window of his quarters. A guard enters.
GUARD
They want to see you.
Frank goes with the guard.
INT. COMPOUND - DAY
They walk down the compound halls. Frank stops.
GUARD
What’re you doing?
Frank elbows the guard in the face knocking him down. Frank punches the guard again knocking the guard out. Frank takes the guards gun and runs.
EXT. ISLAND - DAY
Ava, Dion, and the pirates reach the compound. They take cover.
The compound and the surrounding buildings are swarming with soldiers and personnel.
CYRUS
I assume you two have a plan.
AVA
Get in, get Frank, and then get out.
CYRUS
Right, why didn’t I think of that?
DION
We need to cause a distraction.
CYRUS
We’ve got something in mind.
Two pirates emerge from the woods with an unconscious guard.
DION
The hell?
Cyrus pulls out a zombie head from a bag. It is still moving. Its mouth gnaws at the air.
AVA
What the hell do you think you’re doing?
CYRUS
One zombie on this island is gonna cause a whole lot of chaos.
Ava points her gun at Cyrus.
AVA
I won’t let you infect someone intentionally.
CYRUS
Do you want to get Frank back? This is how we do it. Besides, this guy is with these people.
Ava doesn’t lower her gun.
CYRUS
We can argue about this all day or we can get this over with.
DION
He’s right, Ava. Besides, they’ve killed hundreds of our people.
Ava contemplates. She lowers her gun. Cyrus puts the zombie head next to the soldiers neck. The head bites into the soldier. Cyrus tosses the zombie’s head.
CYRUS
Alrighty. Get him out there.
Some pirates drag the soldier towards the compound and leave him. The soldier's body starts jerking around and then gets up. The zombified soldier runs at a few soldiers and attacks them. The soldiers turn into zombies and attack other soldiers and personnel.
CYRUS
Let’s go.
They run towards the compound.
INT. COMPOUND CONFERENCE ROOM - DAY
Gerald stands in front of the Genesis Group.
DECKARD
Where’s Frank?
GERALD
They must have taken a detour.
An alarm goes off. A soldier enters.
SOLDIER
Sir... Z-zombies!
DECKARD
We need to get to escape boats!
The Genesis Group panics and runs out of the room. When they exit the compound, they are attacked by zombies. A zombie bites Valerie’s neck. Deckard's intestines are ripped out of his body. The other members are killed.
INT. COMPOUND - DAY
Frank runs through the compound. He turns a corner and comes face to face with a zombie soldier. Frank immediately shoots it in the head. He looks at the body perplexed. Another zombie charges at him. Before he can raise his gun, the zombie is shot in the head by Ava.
Frank runs to Ava and hugs her.
FRANK
How-?
AVA
Dion and I got help from Cyrus.
FRANK
The pirate?
AVA
They’re not really pirates anymore.
FRANK
Oh. Miami?
AVA
When we left everyone was barricaded in the building. They’re surrounded by zombies.
Dion appears. He and Frank hug.
DION
I'd love to have a proper reunion, but we need to go. There’s starting to be more zombies than humans.
The three run out of the compound.
EXT. ISLAND - DAY
The island is swarming with zombies. Cyrus and his pirates shoot the zombies.
DION
Cyrus let’s go!
CYRUS
You three go ahead!
AVA
What about you?
CYRUS
If we don’t hold them off, then none of us are getting out of here. Now go!
FRANK
Cyrus! Thank you.
CYRUS
No problem spaceman!
Frank, Dion, and Ava run back towards the boat.
INT. COMPOUND CONFERENCE ROOM - DAY
Gerald sits at the conference table. He sips a glass of whiskey. The sound of zombies grows louder. In his other hand, Gerald is holding a button. He takes one last sip. Zombies enter the room. Gerald presses the button. Flames engulf the room.
All over the compound, explosions go off killing many zombies and surviving humans. Cyrus and his people are engulfed in the explosion.
In the island jungle, Frank, Dion, and Ava stop.
AVA
What the hell was that?
FRANK
The end.
The three continue running. They reach the shore. They start pushing the boat into the water.
A large horde of zombies emerges from the island jungle.
AVA
Shit!
FRANK
We’re not gonna make it.
Dion grabs two hand grenades and his rifle and starts shooting at the zombies.
Frank and Ava push the boat far enough into the water.
FRANK
Dion!
Dion lowers his rifle and turns towards the boat.
AVA
Dion let’s go!
Dion doesn't move. He knows that he won’t make it to the boat in time. He knows that he bought enough time for Frank and Ava.
FRANK
Dion what are you doing?
DION
Taking a page from Callahan’s book.
Dion pulls the pins from the grenades.
The zombies approach Dion. Right before they’re about to get him, the grenades go off killing Dion and the zombies.
Frank starts the boat and drives it away from the island. The island is on fire. Zombies walk among the flames burning.
END.