INT. UNKNOWN LOCATION - DAY
The Programmer sits at a computer typing furiously. There is a beeping. On the computer screen, the words ANTIVIRUS COMPLETE. The Programmer sits back in his wheelchair and lets out a cry of relief and victory. He presses a button on the control board.
THE PROGRAMMER
I did it! The antivirus is complete!
VOICE
Proceed.
EXT. BATTLE ISLAND - NIGHT
The Phoenix Squad sleep in their camp near a lake. Daniel and Joel are the only ones awake.
JOEL
Can I ask you something man?
DANIEL
Of course.
JOEL
How did you… how did you finally get the nerve to ask Bailey out?
DANIEL
Well, I didn’t really ask her out. We sort of just admitted our feelings for each other. Then we had sex.
JOEL
Huh.
DANIEL
Why do you ask?
JOEL
I don’t know if it’s obvious or not, but I kind of have a crush on Jacqueline.
DANIEL
Kind of?
JOEL
Okay fine, I have a huge crush on her.
DANIEL
Dude just do what you told me to always do. Just ask her out.
JOEL
I already did but she just wants to be friends. At least until all of this is over.
DANIEL
That’s what Bailey and I said. Look where we are now.
JOEL
In a simulation trying to kill a computer virus in order to save the last remnant of humanity.
DANIEL
Exactly.
The two friends laugh.
THE PROGRAMMER
Daniel, are you there? Can you hear me?
DANIEL
Yeah, I’m here.
THE PROGRAMMER
I did it. I finished the antivirus.
Daniel and Joel look at each other and stand up. Joel shakes the other awake.
DANIEL
What now?
THE PROGRAMMER
I’m uploading it to you now.
In front of the group, there is a flash of blue light and a rod-like object materializes in front of them. The AV.
THE PROGRAMMER
You take that and inject it into Boss. It’ll destroy him and any trace of the virus.
Daniel grabs the AV.
THE PROGRAMMER
It’s time to end this Daniel. Time to save it all. I have to go now. Make sure everyone is okay here.
Good luck.
The group stares at the AV in Daniel’s hands.
TYLER
We’re doing it. We’re actually going to do it. Boss is going to die.
GREG
Once and for all.
JOEL
So what's the plan Dan?
DANIEL
I think it’s safe to assume that Boss is at the Focal.
JACQUELINE
Last time you all were there, you nearly got slaughtered.
DANIEL
We didn’t have the weapons we have now. We only have to defend ourselves until we can kill Boss. We gotomorrow.
Daniel puts his hand out.
DANIEL
Let’s finish this. As a squad.
The others put their hands on top of Daniel’s.
From a distance, unknown to them, they are being watched. An ax and a bow and arrow glow green in the night.
The Next Morning.
The Phoenix Squad prepares for battle. Daniel sharpens his tomahawk.
Jacqueline stands at the edge of the lake. Joel joins her.
JOEL
You ready?
JACQUELINE
Yeah, you?
JOEL
Yep. In a few hours, we’ll have saved some of the human race and reenter the real world.
JACQUELINE
What… What was the real world like?
JOEL
Well, from what we saw, it looks like a Mad Max movie.
JACQUELINE
So, we’ll have to return to this. After we save it.
JOEL
It wasn’t so bad. Before the Green Sky at least.
JACQUELINE
So, what happens to us? When everything returns to our kind of normal.
JOEL
We live life like we did before. We hang out with friends. We fall in love. Everything that we would've done in the real world.
Joel and Jacqueline stare at each other.
JOEL
I know you said that now wasn't a good time to be… a thing. But let’s face it. There’s never going to be a good time. I like you.
Like really like you. I want you to be the Bride to my Bill.
JACQUELINE
You know the Bride kills Bill, right?
JOEL
They still loved each other.
Joel and Jacqueline smile at each other. They lean into kiss. Behind Joel in the woods, there is a glowing green light. A glowing green ax soars forward. Jacqueline sees it and throws Joel to the side. The green axe lodges itself into Jacqueline’s chest and she falls to the ground twitching. Her body phases in and out between vaporization.
Claire emerges from the wood with the Sisterhood and Winston. Joel crawls to Jacqueline and holds her.
JOEL
Hey hey stay with me!
CLAIRE
Sorry, did we ruin the romantic moment.
Joel glares at Claire and stands up.
JOEL
You're going to pay for that.
CLAIRE
We’ll see.
Claire opens her hand and the ax dislodges itself from Jacqueline’s chest and flies into Claire’s hand. Behind her, Victoria points an arrow at Joel and releases it. The arrow flies at Joel and hits him in the shoulder. He cries in pain and falls to the ground.
CLAIRE
Hurts doesn’t. You can thank Boss for that. He’s given our weapons a special kind of ability. One that prevents you from respawning.
The rest of the Phoenix Squad appears behind Joel.
TYLER
Not again.
CLAIRE
Oh great, all of you in one place. Makes our job easier.
WINSTON
Daniel is mine.
CLAIRE
Yeah yeah whatever. As long as I kill that bitch.
Claire points her green ax at Bailey who pulls out her spear.
Daniel pulls out his tomahawk, Tyler pulls his knives, and Greg revs up his chainsaw.
JOEL
Watch out for their weapons, if you die by them, you won’t respawn.
The Phoenix Squad nods and charges at the Sisterhood and Winston.
The two sides begin to battle. Daniel fights Winston and the others fight the Sisterhood. Greg kills multiple Sisterhood members. Bailey’s spear is split in two by Claire’s ax. Victoria shoots an arrow at Tyler. Tyler throws his knife and it hits Victoria in the chest. She begins to vaporize, but before she can, Tyler grabs one of the green arrows and lodges it in her head. She vaporizes in a green flash.
Bailey dodges Claire’s ax. Claire punches her to the ground and raises her ax. Before she brings it down, she is shot multiple times by Joel with his Glock. Claire stumbles back, dropping her ax. Bailey picks it and lodges it into Claire’s head. Claire dissolves in a flash of green light. Greg finishes off the rest of the Sisterhood.
Daniel decapitates Winston with the tomahawk and Winston vaporizes.
The Phoenix Squad rushes over to Joel and Jacqueline who is continuing to phase in and out of vaporization.
JOEL
Hold one, it's going to be ok. Just hang on.
DANIEL
Programmer!
THE PROGRAMMER
What the hell did you all get into now!
DANIEL
Jacqueline got hit by some weapon. I think it's like Boss’s powers.
THE PROGRAMMER
Her vitals are dropping. I’m losing her.
JOEL
Do something!
THE PROGRAMMER
Her physical body is going into shock. I’m going to see if I can upload her consciousness to the Refugium.
Jacqueline puts her hand on Joel’s face and smiles at him. She vaporizes in a flash of light. She leaves behind her katana.
JOEL
No. No no no no. Noooooooooooooooo!
DANIEL
Programmer? Did you- did you-?
THE PROGRAMMER
I lost her. I’m sorry.
The group stare in shock and devastation at the spot where Jacqueline used to be.
DANIEL
Joel... I’m so sorry.
Joel doesn’t answer. He continues staring at the ground.
DANIEL
Listen, we have a mission. We need to stop Boss. For her. For everyone.
Joel nods.
DANIEL
Ok then, let’s-
Joel taps his wrist and a tank icon appears on his pop-up screen. He swipes it and it transfers itself to Tyler.
TYLER
What’s this?
JOEL
Programmer, can you hear me?
THE PROGRAMMER
Yes.
JOEL
I need you to make a change to my costume.
THE PROGRAMMER
What did you have in mind?
Joel taps his wrist.
JOEL
I’m sending the parameters now.
THE PROGRAMMER
Got them. I see. I can do this.
JOEL
Great.
Joel picks up Jacqueline’s katana and turns to face the group.
JOEL
New plan.
INT. THE FOCAL - DAY
Boss sits in a booth in the upper level of the Focal. A player brings Boss a plate with a hamburger.
BOSS
I asked for cheese.
On the lower level, Adrian and other players patrol the entrance. There is a knock at the door and Adrian walks over to it. He opens it. Standing in the doorway is Joel wielding the katana and dressed in a black suit with yellow lines running down his arms and legs.
Boss brings his cheeseburger to his mouth and prepares to take a bite.
JOEL
Boss! You and I have unfinished business!
Boss drops his cheeseburger and rushes over to the ledge along with other players. On the ground floor, Joel is
standing behind Adrian pointing the Katana at his back. Joel swings the katana and slices off Adrian’s arm. Adrian falls to the ground crying in pain.
BOSS
You bastard!
Boss looks at all the other players.
BOSS
Well, kill him!
The players on the second floor jump down to the ground floor and pull out their melee weapons. The players already on the ground floor join them. They surround Joel. One of the players runs forward and Joel swings the katana decapitating the player who vaporizes. There is a slight hesitation. The players stare at each other and then at Joel. They raise their weapons and charge.
With the elegance and ferocity of “The Bride”, Joel swings his katana and begins slicing and taking out each and every player who vaporizes. In mere minutes, He has eliminated every single player on the ground floor. On the second floor, more players join Boss. They pull out guns and point them at Joel. Boss smiles.
BOSS
You didn’t think it’d be that easy, did you?
JOEL
You know, for a second there, yeah, I kind of did. That's why I brought them.
There is a huge blast and the front entrance of the Focal is obliterated. The blast knocks Boss and many of the other players down. Outside the entrance is a tank. The top hatch pops open and Tyler emerges.
TYLER
Whooohoo! Tank motherfucker!
Daniel, Bailey, and Greg enter the focal and stand near Joel. Daniel pulls out his tomahawk, Bailey twirls the two halves of her spear, and Greg revs up his chainsaw. Tyler hops off the tank and joins them. He pulls out two large knives.
Boss gets up and looks down at the Phoenix Squad. Boss’ other players get up.
The two sides stare each other down.
DANIEL
Let’s finish this.
Boss taps his wrist and two green glowing maces appear in his hands. He and the other players jump off the balcony and soar towards the Phoenix Squad.
END.